5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20Q73A83CLX8E?ASIN=0316055441	Several GREAT novellas in one very long book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I won't go into the plot since everyone will know it. My concern whenever I'm given or purchase a very long book is, ""Will it keep me engaged?"" and is it worth the weeks it will take me to finish it?""<br/><br/>The answer with THE GOLDFINCH is ""Yes!"" and ""Sorta!""<br/><br/>To me, the book is divided into sections or novellas--the explosion, living with the wealthy family, moving to Vegas, etc.<br/><br/>The brilliant opening section immediately kept me engaged--I think the explosion and Theo's experience and recovery is some of the best writing I've read in years.<br/><br/>The family he moves in with may remind you of THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS or Salinger's Glass family. They are funny, a bit tragic and sort of odd. The father especially--something about his behavior seemed a bit ""off"" as did his wild dialogue; it didn't seem at all ""real"" in a novel that's very grounded in reality. (It's revealed later why he behaves this way.)<br/><br/>The next--and for me, strongest novella--takes place in Las Vegas where we ""live"" with Theo's father and girlfriend. The writing is vivid, the characters and plot really move along and it's all terrific.<br/><br/>And then, for me, THE GOLDFINCH seems to stall a bit and slightly loses its way. This painting that Theo carries with him seems to be forgotten about and then every 100 pages or so is mentioned again (not that we care.)<br/><br/>There's a novella about dealing in art (collection and deception) and our hero takes a downward turn, but I found myself losing interest and by page 600 was growing impatient for it to end...or for the plot to kick in again as it did in the first few sections.<br/><br/>The great thing about this book is that you can set it aside for a few days and pick it up again and not be ""lost""--the writing and characters are that strong. The ""plot"" on the other hand seems to grow thinner and less important as you head down the last 200 plus pages as ""big issues"" are thoughtfully woven in.<br/><br/>I'm sure this will receive many 4 and 5 star ratings, but I'm giving it a very good solid 3 since, unfortunately, it seemed to run out of gas toward the end. But those first 600 pages -- great, great stuff!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R321LNYJ59OO8D?ASIN=0316055441	Some great scenes and lines that don't add up	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's been a long time since I found a book so alternately beautiful and maddening. There are excellent scenes and lines in this novel, and I'm glad I read it, but it doesn't hold together well. In the end it reminded me of the antique shop the character Hobie runs in the book: many amazing, high-quality things half-hidden beneath mounds of less interesting stuff.<br/><br/>Tartt deserves credit for daring greatly in this book. It's hard to center a long novel on a fairly unlikeable character, and even harder when that character is also the narrator. In Theo Decker I felt she was trying to get at the ways a severe psychic injury plays out over a lifetime, and for the first half of the book I was fascinated by Theo even when I didn't like him. And Tartt does lay the groundwork carefully for his later misdeeds, particularly in Theo's unwanted resemblance to his father. But once Theo becomes an adult (in years if not in maturity), he makes so many stupid decisions, and is so apathetic about his life generally, that it got increasingly difficult for me to care what happened to him. It's also hard to reconcile how Theo can act as he does while having the insights he articulates. I understand that this is part of what Tartt is trying to explore (why people don't do what they know, at some level, they should do), but I don't think it quite comes off here. Theo's character felt too inconsistent to sustain the whole novel.<br/><br/>The high points of the novel for me were Theo's life immediately after the explosion that kills his mother, when he is taken in by the wealthy family of a school friend, and his relationship with Hobie, the furniture dealer who takes him on as a kind of apprentice. As in ""The Secret History,"" Tartt excels in showing the dark underside of wealth and privilege, and it wasn't a surprise when members of the wealthy family turn up later in Theo's life and play some decisive roles. As for Hobie, I wanted to read a whole novel about him, because the portions that describe his sense for furniture and his love for the past were some of the strongest in the book. Boris, the Russian-born friend Theo makes during his sojourn in Las Vegas with his gambler father, is also a vivid character, and I appreciated that Tartt took his character in directions I didn't expect.<br/><br/>It's the ending (and by ""ending"" I mean about the last 200 pages) that was the real problem for me. The violence and cross-continents chase scenes just didn't ring true. This part of the book, in which more ""happens"" in plot terms, was actually the hardest to get through. Tartt excels at rendering the inner lives of characters, but the action scenes fall flat.<br/><br/>I hate giving this novel a mediocre rating, because I appreciate the ambition it embodies and the parts of it in which Tartt's prose really sings. She's engaging some important questions about the power of art in this book, and the scenes that feature Theo thinking through his relationship with the purloined painting were moving and thought-provoking. The novel as a whole just doesn't measure up to its best components, sadly.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29JOZB1YV2ZSR?ASIN=0316055441	A stunning success, one of the most striking novels I have read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I passed the Metropolitan Museum of Art the other day and was struck with a powerful and initially inexplicable melancholy. I had been affected by the experience of reading The Goldfinch, in the opening chapters of which a great tragedy happens there. The book is compelling and moving. Tartt is a master of foreshadowing, letting us know just enough of what is to come that we feel helpless to put down the book. I found myself staying up late for several nights, turning page after page to connect the dots. This book is every bit the equal of <a class=""a-link-normal"" href=""/The-Secret-History/dp/1400031702"">The Secret History</a> in this regard. And it exceeds that earlier book in its great emotional depth. The opening section, in New York City, is terribly sad and in the hands of a lesser author this material would be difficult to get past. However, Tartt has signaled us well enough about the future of our protagonist, Theodore Dekker, that we stick with him. And from the second section of the book, while we have no shortage of continuing misery, it is tempered by hope or humor.<br/><br/>This is not to say that the book is necessarily realistic; it is structurally a Bildungsroman, and it constantly evokes earlier books rather than real life.  In the opening section, when Theo is still living in New York City, I particularly detected <a class=""a-link-normal"" href=""/The-Catcher-in-the-Rye/dp/0316769487"">The Catcher in the Rye</a>. When he moves in with the family of a wealthy school friend, his hope of being adopted by them evokes elements of <a class=""a-link-normal"" href=""/Great-Expectations/dp/0486415864"">Great Expectations</a>, a book that is recalled again when he returns to them over a decade later to find the matron of the family shut away like Miss Havisham (though for very different reasons). He is taken away to Las Vegas and falls in with a bad crowd, evoking <a class=""a-link-normal"" href=""/Oliver-Twist/dp/0486424537"">Oliver Twist</a>. As in that book, the reader understands that some of this crowd provide necessary support for the young man. Theo returns to New York and, years later, finds himself exploring dark places with Boris, his criminally inclined Las Vegas friend, following the trail of a missing painting. This reminded me of the best work of <a class=""a-link-normal"" href=""/Stephen-Dobyns/dp/0140121552"">Stephen Dobyns</a>. Some parts of the book even recall <a class=""a-link-normal"" href=""/The-Maltese-Falcon/dp/0679722645"">The Maltese Falcon</a>, though the book treats its namesake artwork as more than merely a MacGuffin. Others will find different precedents, I'm sure. This book is long and rich.<br/><br/>Tartt took over a decade to write The Goldfinch, and polished its language over that time. In Las Vegas, for example, Theo describes his new quarters as ""the kind of room where a call girl or stewardess would be murdered on television."" Tartt has so much fun with the speaking cadence of drunk Russians (or Ukranians), I have to imagine she spends a fair amount of time with Slavs. Dialect humor is rare nowadays, but here it is done with such love that it's inoffensive and often quite funny.<br/><br/>I've not spent time in the failed housing developments at the extremes of Las Vegas, nor with Ukrainian drug dealers, but Tartt portrays these worlds so vividly I don't doubt her depictions of them at all. The quality of the plotting, the characterizations, and the dialog in this book are consistently excellent. As Stephen King wrote of The Goldfinch in the New York Times Book Review, ""You keep waiting for the wheels to fall off, but . . . they never do.""<br/><br/>What's not so perfect? Though Tartt captures the subtleties of several different kinds of relationships between men, much better than I would have thought possible for a female author, the relationships between Theo Dekker and women never quite ring true. One may give the excuse that Theo is so damaged by the loss of his mother that he is never again capable of normal relationships with the opposite sex, but I think this explanation takes one only so far.<br/><br/>The passages in which Theo crams for university entrance exams seem hard to believe and, oddly for a tome like this, rushed.<br/><br/>Finally, and this is not Tartt's fault, I'm sure, the paper in the hardcover edition is too thin. I suspect the publisher winced at receiving an 800 page manuscript and decided to print on thin paper in the hope of creating a less intimidating volume on bookstore shelves. When reading page 403, you have to ignore the backwards shadow of the words on page 404, overleaf.<br/><br/>Tartt tackles broad themes in this book: to what degree can we control our fate? Or does life unspool in response only to forces beyond our control, including randomness? These are common enough topics for novelists, and I found myself dwelling particularly on some of the book's secondary themes, as they are less commonly discussed. Can humans create objects that have souls, and what obligation do we have to our creations, and is there any meaningful way in which artifacts make life worth living? What is the significance of authenticity, and can a copy ever be as significant as the original? Can we be moved sometimes by the absence of something as much as we would have been by its presence? In a profile of Tartt on October 21, the New York Times said that this book raises such questions as ""whether it is possible to be good, what part love plays in our behavior and what in life is true and lasting.""<br/><br/>It's a wonderful book, worth every penny and every hour needed to read it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NF13Z6QPD4LC?ASIN=0316055441	I. Don't. Get. It.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has been highly praised and won the Pulitzer Prize, and I just don't get it.  I read every word of this 700+ page book because my Book Club had chosen it based on the amazing reviews.  Unfortunately, that is time and money I can't get back, but maybe I can caution others!  The following contains a few minor spoilers.<br/><br/>First, the book is WAY too long.  I don't mind a good long book that merits the length, but this book was in dire need of editing and could easily have been about two thirds as long.  Having said that, the first half had promise, and is the reason why I gave the book two stars rather than just one.  The description of the bombing at the museum is powerful.  The author effectively evokes the disorientation and confusion that one would likely experience in such a traumatic event.  It is heartbreaking as Theo waits for his Mom to return and eventually realizes she won't.  I felt so much sympathy for this boy, because in the end no one really wants him, and he knows it.<br/><br/>The story begins to go south when Theo heads to Las Vegas.  Still, I had great hopes for the book and the characters even through the endless chapters of teenage boys getting drunk and stoned and shoplifting.  It is understandable that Theo would drown his sorrow and act out after such a tragedy.  Surely, this character would evolve in some way.  Eventually.  Right?<br/><br/>Nope!  More than a decade later Theo is a drug addict who takes advantage of the only decent person in the story and the only person who actually loves Theo.  Grrrrr....<br/><br/>I read some reviews discussing how this book beautifully describes the powerful connection that can be experienced with some pieces of art.  Now, I am no art aficionado, but even I was offended by how this painting was treated in this book.  Theo ""loves"" this painting so much that he wraps it (or at least what he thinks is ""it"") in newspaper and endless amounts of tape, hauls it cross country on a bus, and hides it away in a storage locker that he never visits.  Art abuse to the nth degree!<br/><br/>Basically the book is filled with two dimensional characters who do not evolve in any way.  I won't even bother with the laughable plot line involving characters that are pure caricatures of Easter European mafia.  (Oh, as Theo languishes in his hotel room after the incomprehensible caper, I found myself lamenting, ""Oh, won't this story ever end?"")<br/><br/>Cruelly, the book had one last, parting shot.  Theo waxes philosophical for about 20 pages at the end (I read on a Kindle so I am approximating).  After all he has gone through (and all we have gone through), his profound conclusion is this:  life is cruel and there is no meaning to it.  I can say the same thing about this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DRX7C8ZNOXP1?ASIN=0316055441	Superficial, shallow, boring and inconsistent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was easily the most overrated book of 2013. I hated it. Let me try to explain why:<br/><br/>1. The constant use of superlative language: Every slam is deafening, every headache splitting, the narrator is ""tormented"" by small things (not the bombing that takes place in the beginning itself). Donna Tartt writes in a language of a cliche New York snob, where every little thing is forced to mean something or to be special. Horrible.<br/>2. Cultural, but superficial name dropping (all the freaking time): 13 year olds with Palestrina on their Ipods (or Shostakovich), art history books that a kid carries with him, Tupac Shakur courses at high school, and on and on and on. Neither the narrator, nor the main characters are really affected by art. It does not serve any purpose here, other than Tartt showing off, in a patronizing and preaching manner: Disgusting.<br/>3. Oh, boy, her problem with time: Ipods in 1999? Or references to 9/11? The research here is lousy, brands and products appear at times when there were not even launched or invented. Bad job, Donna, what did you do in those 10 years?<br/>4. Length: 770 pages? Really? With endless sections about furniture restoration and drug use? With completely shallow and inconsistent characters, that are sketchy at best?<br/><br/>I am really sorry that I am using the superlative language I complained about myself, but this book was the worst I forced myself to read in a long time. What a waste of time.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BZ3TKOS1RGS8?ASIN=0316055441	A for effort	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Let me start by saying Secret History is one of my favorite books. Having heard of this as a literary triumph better than History, I was really looking forward to reading it.<br/><br/>While a certain amount of hype has been bought and paid for, the rapturous reviews of this book leave me wondering how intellectually bankrupt this country must be to find this work brilliant.<br/>It is brilliant only if you think  Gone Girl was brilliant. Which is to say it is uneven, speech-y instead of profound, and badly in need of one of the editors of yore.<br/><br/>What I did like: the plot is creative, the work is ambitious, and the first 1/3 is engrossing and addictive.<br/><br/>What I didn't like: there are plot twists that are beyond absurd, there is far too much self-congratulatory philosophizing stuck in at the end in incredibly forced exposition. The end reads like student work. The characters are unlike able, and there are pages, pages and pages of drug addiction descriptions that begin to read like pornography. Characters are thinly drawn, and plot lines are left more unresolved than resolved (not for ambiguity's sake, because it seems she just forgot about them).<br/><br/>The brilliance of the Secret History was that Tartt was writing from her own world. Every detail, no matter how unlikely, rang true. History is engrossing at every turn. Goldfinch is so off from reality that it at points becomes unreadable and even laughable. Her notions of adoption, investigation, terrorism, male mindset, and the mental and intellectual capabilities of children, are naively imagined and poorly researched, as are all of the relationships between characters. Goldfinch reads as intellectual writerly masturbation. It reads, in all honesty, as childish and undergraduate, while History, her undergraduate novel, reads as stunningly mature.<br/><br/>It bothers me as a reader when middle brow novels are held up as great, brilliant, and intellectual. This is an ambitious book and an interesting book, but it is not a great book. It's an elevated pot boiler, and it's at points unnecessarily hard to read. If this is the height of<br/>American letters, we should be very worried.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27SY77O4C8ARI?ASIN=0316055441	Over-written, under-plotted, sophomoric themes	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Were you one of the few who actually read all of Great Expectations in that ninth grade English class?  Then you know what Dickens is all about—and you’ll know right away that Donna Tartt is no Dickens, despite the chorus of frog-like critics croaking praises in the swamp of modern American fiction.  I loved Tartt’s Secret History.  But this novel is self-indulgent in the extreme, substituting endless, tedious, repetitious descriptions for character development, plot, and meaning.  Do we really care about descriptions of drug induced ecstasy—over and over?  Or about a total loser like Boris dragging our hero off the rails of sanity, honesty, and decency to no novelistic or moral end?  The trope of the Goldfinch and the meaning of life, beaten into us in the last few pages, is really, really jejune—all about Fate and how to deal with it in life.  Wow!  Deep!  This book desperately needed an editor who could stand up to a novelist out of control, to insist on control.  And to close the circle, please, please—no more comparisons to Dickens.  Ms. Tartt, you are no Charles Dickens.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H9TZGOQGT06Y?ASIN=0316055441	Editor Wanted	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms. Tartt is no doubt a gifted writer.  Where is her editor?!  It's pretty shameful. So after a writer as a few bestsellers to her name, she's untouchable to editor's suggestions?  There are countless instances in this book where the writer says something absolutely brilliant, but then proceeds to tell you what she just said in the most banal prose you've ever heard.  It's unbelievable. How could an editor not see that and say, ""You've got a masterful book here, just lose the tiresome reiterations.""  What a missed opportunity this book is.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1602W0AA8LHYC?ASIN=0316055441	What is it about length?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Do writers think that length equals quality? Or is it simply their demand to be taken seriously? A lot of the books acclaimed this year have been very long ones. Some examples, just among those that I have read, have been THE LUMINARIES by Eleanor Catton (830 pages), THE WOMAN WHO LOST HER SOUL By Bob Shacochis (712 pages), NIGHT FILM by Marissa Pessl (592 pages), THE SON by Philipp Meyer (572 pages), and LIFE AFTER LIFE by Kate Atkinson (527 pages). All of these books had interesting qualities, but my enjoyment in each case (except possibly the Catton) was compromised by sheer length. Both Shacochis and Pessl piled incident on highly colored incident; the last generation in Meyer's multi-generational epic was less interesting than the other two; and the open-ended structure of Atkinson's extraordinary approach to story-telling could have been any length at all.<br/><br/>At 771 pages, this latest by Donna Tartt weighs in near the top of the class. But why wait ten years to write a book of this length, rather than publish two or three shorter novels in the same time? The entire story could easily have been a trilogy, and I could have enjoyed any one of the volumes separately, especially given its arresting opening. It first drew me into its orbit on page 22. Theo Decker, the 13-year-old protagonist, enters a New York exhibit of Dutch painting with his mother. Tartt's writing, which had been serviceable up to that time, bursts into bloom with a glorious paragraph that exactly captures the luminous wonder of the Dutch Golden Age. Soon after that, the main plot kicked in, and we were away. The museum is targeted by a terrorist bomb. Theo's mother is killed; he survives. But first comes a dazed encounter with a dying man in the rubble, who gives him a signet ring and an address to take it to, and entrusts him with the small painting by Carel Fabritius called ""The Goldfinch"" that had featured in the exhibition.<br/><br/>[SKIP THIS PARAGRAPH if you do not want to know any more about the plot, though the details below are minor ones.] I mentioned trilogy since the rest of the novel falls roughly into three phases, each relating to one of the things that Theo lost or gained on that day: his mother, the ring, and the painting. So the next 250 pages have to do with Theo's life as an orphan, virtually adopted by a wealthy family on the Upper East Side. This certainly held my interest, but when Theo's vanished father turns up to cart him off the Las Vegas, my attention began to flag. The middle section overlaps with the other two. It begins when Theo presents the ring at an antique store in Greenwich Village and meets the dead man's partner, a furniture restorer called Hobie, a wonderfully sympathetic character, who brings the story to life whenever he appears. Under his loving tutelage, Theo learns the antiques business, and how to tell the real from the fake. But as we move into the last 300 pages of the book, following a gap of eight years, Theo's life becomes increasingly dominated by his continued possession of the painting which, together with a series of foolish choices of his own, drags him down into a shady underworld without a moral compass.<br/><br/>For the huge book to work as a whole, you must have one or more of these things: a prose style that is a joy in itself, or an all-embracing formal structure, or a sequence of events that keeps you fascinated throughout, or character development that is consistent from beginning to end and traces some clear arc, or some major theme or moral payoff that makes the long journey worthwhile. Donna Tartt's style seldom reaches to those heights, but in all fairness few of the writers I mention above are especially noted for their prose. Her roughly chronological organization is at least straightforward, but she does not have the tight control of Catton, and a lot of her material seems arbitrary. She keeps minor events coming without falling into the hyperactivity of Shacochis or Pessl, but moves too slowly in significant ways to maintain the necessary momentum, leaving several thickets of dead wood. I do think she created a very attractive character in the young Theo at first, but either I did not see the organic evolution into the man he becomes, or I simply did not want to stick with him as he falls into foolish, addictive, or criminal behaviors.<br/><br/>And as for the overriding moral, consider what he says near the end of the book: ""No one will ever, ever be able to persuade me that life is some awesome, rewarding treat. Because, here's the truth: life is catastrophe."" If you care to read 771 pages to reach that conclusion, go for it. But be warned: it is a long haul.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19EFXZ2S5WY9S?ASIN=0316055441	Not as great as expected.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Given all of the amazing reviews, and the NY Times rating, I had really high expectations.  The story started off really strong and interesting, but became tedious, to the point that by the end I was skipping pages just to get through it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UCLRJFJNKB0Y?ASIN=0316055441	Could Have Been Good, At HALF THE LENGTH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Oh my,talk about loquacious, this book is one that could have been really,really good but every,little,wee,tiny,thing was just written to death. I found myself saying ""oh for God's sake get ON with it""  you are numbing my brain! But alas,Ms.Tartt never did ""get on with it."" The protagonist's seminal ""event"" an explosion in a museum,went on, I kid you not, for over 150 pages of single spaced fairly small type I finally gave up,decided the ""day"" was never going to end and skipped ahead to the next ""event"" found it to be equally done to death and skipped ahead again and heaven help us, ditto... droning on and on and on.<br/><br/>Finally, in utter frustration I decided to just skip the rest of the book.<br/><br/>Why this novel got so much praise I'm afraid I just can't fathom. Ms.Tartt does have talent and in places in the book I was ""caught up"" by her writing but her wordy-ness was totally off putting and frankly, made what could have been a decent book, a total drone of a thing that one felt one needed to put Wellies on to slug through.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R749USPJIKS0G?ASIN=0316055441	Not deserving	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What kind of statement about contemporary literature is the Pulitzer committee making? In The Goldfinch they have honored page after repetitive page of alcohol- and drug-induced sloppy, reprehensible characters.  This is no literary masterpiece. No prize winner. I can't help but think that the early hype and publisher's promotion of Donna Tartt's work teaches us more about commerce than about craft.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BB0YV6H0FZ0D?ASIN=0316055441	Back to the Future?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Please explain to me where I am wrong, and I'll delete this review.  (I haven't yet finished reading the novel, but have enough information to establish an opinion about the flow, the pace, the plot. But that's not what concerns me today.)<br/><br/>OK, the narrator starts out by saying he is 27 years old and recalls events which happened 14 years earlier, correct?  Let us be generous and say it is 2013 in this critically acclaimed novel (although it must have been written and finished earlier than this year), and 14 years earlier when the narrator was 13 years old was, let's see,  1999, right? (D'uh!) (I've found no indications that the narration starts out in the future!)  Everyone in this novel has a cellphone.  The 13 year old narrator has an iPod. The iPod was introduced by Apple in 2001.  There are references to Harry Potter.  OK, the first Harry Potter volume was published in 1997.  What about the reference to the shoe bomber? (2001 as well.) Las Vegas, we are made to understand,  is undergoing a housing crisis in 1999, abandoned homes, desert reclaiming developments, cheap rents (check yourself if that is true for the late 1990s.)  Well, at least the 1933 movie ""SOS Iceberg"" checks out, although how and where these 13 year old characters had heard of such an obscure film is not explained.<br/><br/>And if the narrative is indeed in the future and time remembered by the narrator now in 2013, then how many 13 year olds  today (or anyone?) would know or remember the shoe bomber of 2001?<br/><br/>More.  Theo's Las Vegas pal is for an unexplained reason tri-national, Polish, Ukrainian and Russian.  Or is the reason to show his vast knowledge of obscenities in three and more (he's widely traveled) languages?  You should savor the conversations between Theo and this Boris (or Borys in Ukrainian, as the author sees necessary to inform us), endless exchanges of eF words, and later on cryptic cellphone text messages (again in 1999, at the latest.)<br/><br/>You can mess with geography and weather in fiction. You can invent events, such as the museum bombing in this novel, invent cities and streets, businesses on existing streets,  but when you start messing with time, you've entered the science fiction category and even science fiction has its rules which this novel does not seem to observe. End result is a confused, distracted reader.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R266JBLK5PZ8K1?ASIN=0316055441	Wish there were zero stars.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a rambling, maudlin piece of crap!  I always finish a book to give it a chance, but this was beyond tedious.  A completely unappealing protagonist, one-dimensional caricatures of supporting players, and plot that is just ridiculous.  Dialogue is stilted and unnatural, with plot holes to drive a truck through.  Don't waste your money or time on this.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D7H7N5XFVBXQ?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth the effort	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I urge you to read the Editors review of this book on the first page of the listing.  In a graceful manner this editor spots many of the same complaints of this book that I have.<br/><br/>1. This book could have been written in 300 pages and gotten all its content out.<br/>2. The  mechanics of this book redundant.  Over and over and over and over you will read the same conversations played out in the same ways.  I think if you did a word count on this book the word 'sorry' would appear about 300 times.<br/>3. There is nothing likeable about the main character.  He is an unfortunate whiney parasite that is a thief and drug addict.  On top of that he is a wimp that wont step up and get this things he wants.<br/>4. If I wanted to hear so many long passages about getting stoned, being stoned and recovering from being stoned I would go to a AA meeting</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R172KNP8OS6P3U?ASIN=0316055441	Meh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Meh. Let me repeat myself. Meh. I had high hopes for this novel--over 700 pages, described as literary yet eminently readable. I'd hesitated for weeks because of my innate dread of creative-writerly, high-falutin' and meandering ""Aboutist"" works of prose. So I decided to try it and I dove in. At the beginning it had the language and style and narrative that  were like food straight to the brain. And then I wondered, how old is this author? Where are the adults? Theo lives in Theo-land and while the story comes straight from his mouth or pen, why is there no conflict? No one asks him a straight question like where were you when the bomb went off? All the adults were weak and passive. Really that was what the book was all about, passivity and laziness, jammed up with narcissistic moods, self pitying hoo-hah and a lot of tony upscale dysfunctionality. I hurt therefore I do drugs. So I was right to dread the creative-writing seminar content. I'll give it a 0.75 star just because the author should know better. One detail missing in reviews is the brief mention of the terrorist bombers as having been ""right wing conservatives."" Seriously? I think that is a New Yorker's view of what constitutes the Bogeyman.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PTDCA3DCJLV9?ASIN=0316055441	I like novels that	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I prefer to phrase this negative review in positive terms.<br/><br/>I like novels that:<br/><br/>--Present at least one character I care about, whom I like, or whom I can root for;<br/><br/>--Tell an interesting and/or entertaining story and demonstrate a sense of humor;<br/><br/>--Teach me about times in history and places in the world that I am not familiar with;<br/><br/>--Are written in such a way that I cannot put the book down;<br/><br/>--Adopt a thoughtful and understanding perspective on the way people face challenges and difficulties in their lives, and avoid condescending to them;<br/><br/>--Are about working people, women, minorities, and so many other types of people throughout history (rather than spoiled middle or upper-class brats) who struggle against the obstacles designed to keep them in their place;<br/><br/>--Place their stories in a social, historical, or political context to help define the way their characters behave, rather than just elaboration in terms of individual psychology;<br/><br/>--Avoid wallowing in degeneracy, sex, violence, and despair for their own sake, or for the purpose of selling more books;<br/><br/>--Are more than just showpieces to demonstrate how intelligent and literate the author thinks he or she is;<br/><br/>--Are “hidden gems” that do not get the attention of elite literary critics concerned with promoting the “right” books to make a name for themselves;<br/><br/>--Affirm positive spiritual and personal values on some level, even if--actually, especially if--taking place in the worst possible environments;<br/><br/>--Show a picture of the author on the back cover as a real human being I would like to know more about, rather than one who is sneering at the reader.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch is the direct and thoroughly unpleasant opposite of all of these.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRFW3L4VQYCCA?ASIN=0316055441	BIG disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I kept reading this book, wondering when I'd find whatever everyone else liked about it, but never did.  Tedious descriptions of events that drag on page after page (including a direct reference to Dickens, in case the reader didn't get what was being said).  Two dimensional characters and relationships that felt forced.  And an ending that I suppose should have felt bleak but just felt like a relief to leave a world where the characters were uninteresting and a story that took about 200 pages more than it needed.  I don't know who Ms. Tartt's editor is, but they should be fired!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UV662Q3MY36F?ASIN=0316055441	Too much, and not enough	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, in places, but a slog to an entirely predictable outcome.  The plot is as thin and easy to detect as a bad veneer and the characters are shallow, simplistic and overdrawn. Boris has some gemlike moments, but is much too erudite and long winded for a Ukrainian thug.  Hobie is a sweetheart but entirely unbelievable.  Theo is a bore and a not very nice one. Pippa seems to exist only as a plot device to be taken up and discarded as needed like a cleaning rag. Some of the descriptions of NYC are among the best I've ever read, but finding them amid the mind numbingly overwritten prose is like panning for gold - lot's of work, not a lot of reward.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6XYS8N5FXMRJ?ASIN=0316055441	Thanks for the explanation	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you manage to survive all the way to the end of this very long novel, Tartt, through her first-person protagonist, Theo Decker, will explain to you what the book means. That we need this explanation is a sign of the book's ultimate failure, and that Tartt includes it is a sign that she's aware of how apparently meaningless the first 750-whatever pages of the book may seem to the reader.<br/><br/>As a young teenager, Theo loses his mother and gains a valuable painting when the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC blows up. An indication of how vacuous Theo is: he never even bothers to find out what caused the explosion that claimed his mother's life. Instead, he drifts here and there, finding friendship and protection from some affluent, pedantic and pretentious people before being spirited off to Las Vegas by his alcoholic father. There he falls under the sway of the spirited, criminally inclined Boris, who (spoiler alert) steals the valuable painting. Theo does not notice this theft for years and years, although we are supposed to believe he is obsessed with the painting. He returns to NYC, where he--and we--are subjected to interminable lectures about art history and antiques restoration. He engages in fraudulent business practices that threaten the livelihood of his mentor and de facto guardian. He becomes engaged to a young woman he doesn't love, and when he finds out she's cheating on him, he allows her to convince him that they should remain engaged while she now openly continues to cheat on him. Boris reveals that he stole the painting, and he unquestioningly follows Boris to Europe to reclaim the painting. Mayhem and violence ensue. But Theo winds up suffering no consequences for his violent and fraudulent actions, because in a deus-ex-machina moment, Boris dumps a fortune in money on Theo and spirits him back to New York, out of the reach of European authorities.<br/><br/>No wonder we need Tartt's closing explanation to figure out what this long-winded, stagnant bildungsroman about a young man with the curiosity of a turnip is supposed to mean.<br/><br/>Last year, the Pulitzer Prize judges decided no novel merited winning the Pulitzer. This year, they chose The Goldfinch for that honor. My esteem for that prize has sunken to new lows.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R315M6WW3NYDZU?ASIN=0316055441	Terrible Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am an avid reader, I have never posted any reviews about books I have read. Books are personal and everyone experiences a book in a diferent way. Having said that, I just finished  Goldfinch and felt the need to share  how over hyped, dry and dificult this book was to finish. I kept thinking,  if I just press on I will discover  the wonder of this book---don't waste a moment of your time reading this. It is terrible.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TEZDIPD4USWO?ASIN=0316055441	I really wanted to like this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Parts of this book were very compelling and other parts, I was just kind of stumbling through. By the end of the book, I didn't really enjoy it that much, I was just reading it to finish it. I wouldn't recommend this book as a ""must read"" to friends.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R321MNEDB7K87E?ASIN=0316055441	Not what you may think	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch taught me a lesson---don't buy a book based on the title alone.  My love of art history and stories seen through the eyes of youth, had me hoping for a really great read.  What I got was a most graphic 'picture' of drugs, despair, and abuse.  I made it to the bitter end, but feel I slogged through endless suffering to get there.  The bones of a good story were there, but the author ruined it for me with excessive descriptions of misery.  There is more than enough depravity in the nightly news.  I don't need it in my entertainment.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16Z5FA13TK39W?ASIN=0316055441	Don't Believe the Hype!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book's central obsessions are death and a Dutch masterpiece, giving it an intellectual vibe that seems to have fooled many readers and reviewers into thinking that it is an intelligent book. It is not. If you met this book at a party, you would make up a lame excuse to get out of talking to it.<br/><br/>I've never written one of these before, but it is because of reviews, here and in more prestigious quarters, that I bought this book. These reviews were so overwhelmingly positive that I overcame my misgivings about the book being ""too popular"" and decided to give it a try. Reading some of the negative reviews posted here after I had read and hated the book, I realized that most of these people had quite accurately diagnosed the book's central flaws. So, while I don't have much to add, I wanted to confirm that this book's ponderous philosophical ramblings are neither insightful nor thought-provoking. Its characters, as well as the cities and milieus they frequent, are largely lifeless and often range on caricature. Its central mystery runs out of steam long before the book runs out of pages. Its resolution is neither plausible nor satisfying. It is also morally ambiguous and dark in ways that neither the protagonist nor the author seem to realize. The book is smug and pretentious and just very, very bad.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HOI3T5SC7C5L?ASIN=0316055441	Banality incarnate	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I almost never shut a book down having almost completed it but after 600 pages of this deathly boring tripe I did just that.  The book's timeline-as pointed out by other reviewers-just makes no sense.  That is indicative of its overall sloppiness.  Tartt writes whatever comes into her head.  It is the antithesis of good literature.  While  editing is a major issue here, no amount of consolidation could or should have saved this worthless diatribe, which moves from one rambling exhortation to the next.  About half  of the narrative is allegedly about drug addiction but the subject is drawn obsessively and gives us no insight at all into the behavior.  In fact the author seems to idealize the experience.  Another quarter of the narrative is a encyclopedic-like description of the nuances of antiques and their restoration. (Oh heart, can you withstand the suspense here?)<br/><br/>The characters feel cartoonish, which is the only reason they are saved from being despicable.  Sorry, but there is no saving grace here.  I have no idea why this miserable failure has been highly reviewed by some critics.  It is in a word, awful.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23W0G3ZSZWF81?ASIN=0316055441	Whatever Happened to Book Editors?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After finishing this book - which to me was quite repetitive and way too long - I read the original review from The New Yorker which for me was spot on.  Not to be a spoiler - the book really should have been about Theo or Theo and Boris.  For a title ""character"" the painting is hardly present.  Plus, there are times that things happen for literary convenience i.e.: running into Mr. Barbour immediately upon return to NY and meeting up with Boris after all those years. And I was bothered by the use of English expressions such as knackered.  Where did these come from when the story is set in America and the author is American.  The New Yorker review explained:  much of this book is based on E. Nesbit's The Story of the Treasure Seekers - an English book for children. But if using language like that is distracting from the story at hand it lessens the homage. There were parts that presented compelling reading (which is why I gave it 2 stars) and other parts crying out for an editor:  on the way back to NY did he stop in Syracuse or was he merely passing through?  If it had been edited to half its size and mistakes like that fixed it would have been better.  And then there is that sermonizing at the end.  This book isn't important enough to preach.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KE8YGHNLQ8VX?ASIN=0316055441	Author Needs To Edit	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a terrible disappointment, and huge waste of reading hours.  First let me say something good:  The story line was original and had great potential.  Now for what is wrong with this novel:  The Author could have had a really enjoyable and insightful book if she had only learned somewhere along the way to not describe every random, obsessive thought the protagonist had.  Really!  Page after page describing how he felt when he looked at someone walking down the street, or gazing into a restaurant window, or any other mundane moment not related to the story.  Not to mention reliving the pivotal moment in his life over and over and over and over, ad invent um.  At half-way into the book I finally just gave up on reading each page and would skim and turn a page until I got to some relevant dialogue or action.  This book should have been half its size, and it would have been a 5 starred book.  Hopefully, as Ms Tartt matures in her writing skills, and a good editor works with her, she will learn to restrain her desire to pound something to death with her words.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HDGRQNKW079?ASIN=0316055441	Would have been twice as good at half the length	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an interesting  story that is so overwrought and over  wrung that I went from being really interested to begging her to wrap it up. It is very well researched( in parts- other areas are in a time warp)  and technically well written but Theo's  myriad of mental machinations go from angst to apoplexy. She really should have worked with some mystery writers because the plot was so transparent as to be improbable ( no, it couldn't be ? I must have missed something but alas, I had not).<br/>Lastly, I was really bothered by some inconsistencies . The first of which is Boris' speech patterns. In the beginning she describes him as having an Australian accent with a Slavic undertone, by the end of the book he is portrayed as a walking Russian stereotype with nary a definite article to be found. The second inconsistency is of technology to time. If Theo was 12 in 1999 did he really have a cell phone? And if he did then why would he not know how to charge ( and/or replace) one in 2012 in Holland? I travel extensively in Europe and using someone else's charger doesn't blow your phone up- not to mention if he was so savvy at tracking the global art world wouldn't he at least have an iPad?<br/>I'm not even going to get into the philosophical emesis she spews forth in the last twenty pages. How could an editor have let that little self indulgent epistle be published?<br/>I'm giving it three stars only because the initial premise and story concept are good.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PU7Y28YGCCP0?ASIN=0316055441	It took her HOW long to write this?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a failure on so many interesting levels.<br/><br/>First, Donna Tartt spent over a decade writing this book.  I did the math, and that breaks down to something like a single paragraph per week.  My problem with this is that ANYONE given eleven years should be able to write a novel of substance.  Because of the rarity of her output, this novel is being heralded as an important work and a big contribution to the literary world.  I'm not sure why, however, her inability to write faster or more often somehow automatically makes the quality of that output better.  So many terrific and brilliant writers working today produce a novel once a year; she, however, needs over a DECADE.  Which leads me to my next criticism.<br/><br/>One would think that with eleven years of reclusive struggle, the final work would be hugely imaginative.  Incredibly, however, this book, written by an art history major, is all about art, art history, paintings, forgeries, and even concludes with a numbing thesis on the purpose of art itself.  The experience, quite frankly, is like watching her masturbate in public.<br/><br/>As to the book itself: there is no plot.  I for one don't necessarily need a plot per se, but the book goes out of its way to shape itself as a plot-oriented novel, and then all the plot points and threads and character issues are left completely and totally unresolved.  Theo's crappy fiance, Pippa, Lucious Reeve, they all just STOP.  Since people keep comparing Tartt to Dickens--an astounding comparison given that Dickens was the closure master--I would liken the experience to reading Dickens' unfinished Edwin Drood.  He at least had a legitimate excuse for not finishing: he died.  Her characters, however, just STOP once the problem of the painting is resolved.  And this, finally, leads me to the biggest problem of the whole book:<br/><br/>WHY DIDN'T THE KID JUST RETURN THE DAMN PAINTING?  The whole books hinges on his keeping the painting; once that plot point becomes impossible to fathom, the book begins to feel like a waste of time.  For no reason I could discern, Theo tortures himself with the prospect of being caught and labelled as an art thief, but at ANY TIME he could have returned the painting, anonymously, and yet he doesn't.  His decision not to strains all credulity; an amusement park of dinosaurs resurrected from the DNA of the blood contained in a petrified mosquito is more believable.  What's more, I just didn't care that he had the damn thing.  His ridiculous decision to risk his life to retrieve the thing also turns the novel into a preposterous and poorly written airport thriller without the thrills.  And once the painting takes center stage, the book, as others have pointed out, becomes plain boring.<br/><br/>Much has been made of the author's detail in her prose.  And, indeed, the characters and details she creates do seem to be carved with tiny tools at a deeply minute and microscopic level.  However, detail aside, I was surprised at how little poetry the prose had.  It was workmanlike and the verbs were used correctly, but out of 800 pages, I can count on one hand the number of times I read something that resonated or sung.<br/><br/>This is not the worst book ever written, obviously.  The portion of the novel which occurs in Las Vegas is hugely engaging.  Following Theo to the tract-home wasteland of his life with his horrible dad was enthralling and certainly kept me guessing.  However, even then that portion only reminded me of Russell Banks' Rule of The Bone, a far superior work of fiction about a teenage boy and his travails.<br/><br/>I truly don't get the hype, and I think the hype is offensive to more talented writers whose biggest sin is producing multiple novels before three full Olympic games have come and gone.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J14Y1W02LHYV?ASIN=0316055441	740 pages of WOW followed by 30 of Really...???	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms. Tartt's writing is some of the best I've ever had the privilege to read. Granted I'm a sucker for wrong-place-wrong-time disasters, orphans, great art, wise-but-obsessed craftsmen and youthfully brash criminals with hearts of gold. But it wasn't so much the story I loved, as I have just a modicum of patience for self-pitying, self-absorbed junkies, (which this story sorely tested.)<br/><br/>At least for the first three-quarters of the book, the descriptive passages are so evocative, creative, crazy brilliant...every damn one of them...one after the other after the other, that I suspect everything I've ever written is hack in comparison.  Unbelievable that this could all come from just one mind.<br/><br/>But the ending?  It is not worthy of the first 740 pages.  The climax is contrived, and the denouement forgets that readers who thrilled to every previous word probably already understand arbitrariness, irony and fate, and to spell it out in excruciating detail feels like being trapped in a musty library with with a pompous old English professor.<br/><br/>I feel like a curmudgeon even mentioning these slight disappointments, but given they happened at the end, the experience tarnished the afterglow and that's really too bad.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RHC3YXHGXWHW?ASIN=0316055441	A very long and boring story that just goes nowhere!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This 800 page book is one of the most cumbersome, tedious, boring books that I have ever had the pleasure of reading. For someone who has nothing to say, why take 800 pages to say it. Ms. Tartt says at the end of her book that the message of her story is that life is short and we better enjoy it while we can. How funny to say that in an 800 page book that goes no where and says nothing.<br/>I really wanted to like this book. It did not start badly. The story of Theo is interesting...for a while. And then it goes off the rails. Theo is (along with his buddies) an egocentric, drug addicted, alcoholic, dishonest human being. He has absolutely no good quality about him and yet we are asked to care about his story. Why? Because he stole a painting that is valuable? Really?<br/>I do not want to spoil any of the story for anyone. The reviews of others go into the story and frankly, I am so bored by the story that I do not want to write about it. But I will say this...The Goldfinch has received rave reviews. I don't get it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EXHK7M12Q4JO?ASIN=0316055441	Hours of my life that I'll never get back	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Somewhere in this over-hyped, over-written 800-page book there is a pretty good 300 page story. The fist quarter of the book is interesting. But then comes a repeating cycle of pages and pages of tedious drug induced introspection by the main character, followed by a tiny bit of the actual story, followed by pages and pages of drug induced introspection by the main character, followed by a tiny bit of the actual story, followed by . . .  you get the idea.  For this kind of writing you get a Pulitzer these days?  A sad commentary on the state of modern literature.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQVJ4LATBYOZN?ASIN=0316055441	A Good Read, but not a Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As a huge fan of Donna Tartt, I was prepared to love this book. The quality of the writing did not disappoint. The novel opens extremely strong with evocative portraits of New York, but loses steam in Las Vegas. The novel could have used stronger editing. The story drifts along with the protagonist in the middle of the novel.  While Boris, Hobie, and others are characters that ""come alive"" through Tartt's writing, the protagonist, Theo, suffers from an inability to clearly understand him or to see him. At times, I found myself frustrated by his inarticulateness, which is ironic since Theo is extremely articulate about his thoughts, he is inarticulate when communicating with loved ones. The excessive self-destructiveness of Theo was a bit overdone and dragged on and on well after the point was made. The book seemed to drift endlessly from one drug/alcohol induced binge to another. Frankly, it got old and did not advance the narrative. While the book is still well worth reading,  I wish a kind editor would have seen fit to have tightened the story and edited out these repetitive ""lost soul to drugs/alcohol"" scenes. Theo suffers for these overdrawn passages as does the story. Boris is very likable (more likable than Theo) and at times I wonder, like Boris, why he puts up with Theo. I care less and less about Theo's fate as the book goes on. Theo's hopelessness and lack of backbone and ingenuity in the final third of the novel made me care less about him. His creativity and scrappiness, evident in the first half or so of the book makes him likable but Tartt disposes of his finer traits for an ennui that does not satisfy or interest. A book that is almost 800 pages needs a strong payoff at the end which Tartt tries to deliver but does so only half-heartedly. While the novel delivers from a plot standpoint, it fails on a character level. Theo does not receive the epiphany or redemption that we as readers have read hundreds of pages to receive, but rather, there is an abstract ending that is very cerebral rather than visceral. Theo seems to have changed little from his ordeal. He is like an emotional automaton. Perhaps Tartt's point is that the ""damaged"" can never be whole. Yet, for a character to hold our interest for nearly 800 pages, we need more than an emotional automaton. That being said, lovers of art, New York, beautiful writing etc will find this a Good read, just not a Great read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGDZWTQIP37W2?ASIN=0316055441	Stay away	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the first review I have ever  written . I am doing this because I make decisions based on reviews and this was probably the worst reading decision I have ever made.  I was totally mislead by it popping up as a "" you might also like..""  In addition a friend who heart Donna Tartt interviewed on NPR was struck by her literacy and taste.  So he bought this for me, as a present. I guess we kind of thought it might be about art.  Haha.  I had  read that the horrific stuff at the beginning went on a little long, which it did , but then there was a continuous stream of dysphoria- forget the terrorist attack, okay that is over, but now it is alcoholism, child abuse, drug addiction, gambling, shady rooms full of drug dealers, lots of vomit and blood, sick scenes of suburbia  and more people dying . And virtually every character, save two maybe three, are nasty people you cannot imagine spending time learning about.  Why I kept reading is beyond me. I just wanted it to be over and it kept going on.  I was hoping it would get a bit more upbeat and all it did was get deeper into misery.  I don't like reading fluff, and sadness and misery can be essential to a real story;  maybe the ""philosophy"" of it all, which people liked to highlight, was over my head but all I can say is I wish someone had told me to stay away</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGBTEXYGFUTYW?ASIN=0316055441	Can't understand the fuss	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too self-indulgent. 771 pages. The length doesn’t bother me, so long as I’m engaged, a book can go on forever as far as I’m concerned. But when it’s 771 pages of meandering prose touching on everything in tremendous detail, it can get excruciating &amp; sometimes desultory. TMI, as some would say.<br/><br/>Donna Tartt’s writing is beautiful and evocative and she seems knowledgeable in a myriad of subjects. If you love New York, her descriptions of Manhattan will take you right there. You’ll learn about Rembrandt &amp; his students – most notably the artist who painted The Goldfinch (who, interestingly, existed) &amp; whose fate is shared tragic comedy style with his painting. You’ll also learn about drugs (both illegal &amp; prescription), alcohol &amp; their dependencies, antique furniture &amp; the painstaking steps in their restoration… etc. etc. etc.<br/><br/>About 80% through, the ball falls for me. Everything was hollow. The protagonist seemed the most self-absorbed character I had come across in a long time. Although his childhood friend was previously an engaging &amp; favourite character, his antics become increasingly implausible. Leaving me cold. The end could not come sooner for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W23Y5PR2CB24?ASIN=0316055441	Should come with downloadable prescription for antidepressant meds	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Bleak &amp; sludge-paced.  I lost interest in Main Character Theo (what a whiner!) around page 7,500 of this 20,000 page book.  Theo’s friend - The Polish Guy - is one huge cheesy stereotype.  The whole unfunny bromance reads like an add-on pasted into the story after the book’s completion, probably in hopes of providing some comedic relief from the unimaginative misery &amp; strangulating pace.  Plus Tartt saves her Really Big Ideas for the end – at which point we’re way beyond benefiting from stale observations about Life, Loss, and Purpose. Just want the thing to be OVER!  Editors, where were you?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCPDNF66KWMAS?ASIN=0316055441	Anachronisms!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Honest to Pete, this book is so full of wrong time references. It is sheer laziness and arrogance on the part of the author, the editors, and the publishing house. To sum up, the book starts in the present. Let's assume that means 2013, absent any evidence to the contrary, and I did look. So 14 years prior to that would be 1999. 14 years was the time given as when his mother was killed.<br/><br/>Children were not given phones back then, there were no iPods, and Google was not a household  word.  Any author who cannot put together even the most rudimentary accurate timeline needs to get into another line of work.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EPP9GEFGS1JV?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of my time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was my first Donna Tartt book and now will probably be my last. Possibly the most verbose work ever written. The basis of this story is excellent but I felt little empathy for the characters after the initial section of the book. I am one those readers who finishes a book once I begin. The only book I did not finish was the mysteriously popular Eat, Pray, Love. The Goldfinch was excellent reading material for putting me to sleep. If I'm engaged I will ruin my work schedule by staying up all night reading. I slogged my way through The Goldfinch and wasted the three (!!!) weeks of evenings that it required to Finally finish this book.<br/><br/>I should have paid attention to my friend Steve Gibbs' (a gallery owner) low rating of this book!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15YAFDRMM0T2V?ASIN=0316055441	A waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm embarrassed to admit that I read the whole book. I had read some positive reviews of it, so I kept reading, expecting that it would get better. It never did. I found it grossly overwritten and ponderous. It's basically a mediocre 300 page first person narrative that is bloated to 700+ pages. The incessant depictions of boozing and drug use and their physical, psychological and social effects get very boring very quickly. The central role of a Dutch golden age masterpiece has potential for thoughtful insights on the value of art, but this is lost in the morass of poor writing, stereotypical character development and meandering plot. The historic and aesthetic value of the painting do not salvage this literary failure.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HQWC6J241U7Q?ASIN=0316055441	"Can't justify wasting any more time to finish this poorly-edited, highly over-rated ""bestseller"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story started out with a lot of potential, but got progressively more unreadable as the tale droned on.  Only character I enjoyed was the dog.  With 200 more pages left, i just can't force myself to read another page.  At this point, its more like a punishment to continue reading...<br/><br/>Don't buy into the hype for this book...it is AWFUL!!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBGYBHAM1R9A5?ASIN=0316055441	Most exhausting book I've ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfish started out with a bang...thought I was going to love it, but then I didn't.  The book is way too long and wordy.  It has moments of excitement, then it bogs down with so much repetitive description that I found myself wishing for the end.  I have never felt so exhausted reading a book before.  The continual story line of drug abuse was tedious and the ramblings of the character Boris were humorous at times, but became tiresome as well.  I felt like I had invested so much time in this book that I had to stick it out to the end, but it was not an enjoyable journey.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WS1XA1ZEVAV7?ASIN=0316055441	worst book I have read in years!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interminable...on and on....rambling. Written by someone trying to prove how smart they are. Could not wait for it to end...and then horrible ending. Don't waste your time.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R341YX5V6RA8CH?ASIN=0316055441	Undoubtably the worst book I have ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As a teacher of literature and writing, I found the entire book to be without merit.  The useless description, the four and five page paragraphs, the wondering lists of adjectives, often relying heavily upon alliteration, were evidence of a lack of thought upon the writer and tedious and boring to the reader.  Presentation could have been over-looked if the content (story line) was of some value, which is was not.  Terrorism, drugs, dysfunctional relationships, Russian mafia, suicide, murder, art theft....the author included something for everyone; too much for anyone.  Why not quite reading it?  As a reader, I searched for resolution.  Surely as a Best Seller, the book had to have some redeeming feature or at least a good ending.  No, it just faded into smoke and mirrors with a philosophical sermonette by the central character.  I didn't think I could find or read anything as disgusting as Fifty Shades of Grey, but I did in The Goldfinch.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPZKADXG1V2Y?ASIN=0316055441	very disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great start, falling quickly into a dark pit from which one never fully recovers. Much too dark, upsetting, ultimately I felt it was a waste of my time. Definitely  not a light read. Boring in parts with infinite details, to fill pages? I cannot recommend this book to anyone I know.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NV87MNM5IWZW?ASIN=0316055441	When Donna Tartt is good she is very very good; and when she is bad she is...well... not so good.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has been trumpeted as everything from the greatest book ever written - and Tartt herself heralded as ""the New Charles Dickens"" to being torn apart for being boring and overlong. For me, I found it not really either of those things and I came away with some mixed feelings about this lengthy and complex novel.<br/><br/>To begin, let me say categorically that I loved the first several hundred pages -  and Tartt truly has a gift for capturing the grief and confusion of our young protagonist Theo as he loses his beloved mother in desperate and horrifying circumstances. Likewise as Theo is farmed out to increasingly odder and odder ""families""  (one is, in fact, his biological father whom he not seen in years and hates with all the bile of an angry, abandoned little boy) Tartt's masterful ability to weave a truly convincing portrayal of the suffocating lives of bored, upper-crust people with too much money and not enough to do absolutely shines.<br/><br/>The book is at it's best when Tartt focuses on creating the fuddled dream-like world of the fusty, drowsy antique shop where Theo find as much happiness as this sad hero is ever going to find, and in true tragic form Theo's own demons prove too much for him and he harms even the gentlest folk that love him the most deeply.<br/><br/>While these parts of the narrative are magical - I could have equally have done without the rather odd turn the novel takes 2/3 of the way through where it shifts from a story of love and tragedy into an odd, jarring and ridiculous Tom Clancy-esque action/adventure complete with a 100+ page ""Plot twist"" involving a shoot-out in Amsterdam with Russian Mobsters who speak in silly ""Moose &amp; Squirrel"" accents. (The entire episode doesn't advance the plot at all and is, quite simply, totally unnecessary)<br/><br/>In addition, Tartt's many, many long-winded and pain-staking descriptions of drug use seem repetitive and pointless after the multitudes of similar scenes of bad drug trips, and it felt like Tartt had handed the novel over to fellow writer and pal Brett Easton Ellis and just crammed these scenes into the novel for no real discernible reason except to prove she could be ""tough"". (""Look! Now I'm being gritty! I'm going to spend several paragraphs describing vomiting!""). These endlessly repeated scenes (at least one every other chapter over 700+ pages) only seemed to prove the very simple point over and over and over ad nauseum with an endlessly pounded sledgehammer to the temple that our Protagonist is one messed-up kid with a resulting drug problem. (""Look! Drugs are bad! My character is really messed up and depressed!"")<br/><br/>Ultimately, this is at he heart of where my frustrations with this book lie(and I had similar problems with Tartt's last book ""The Little Friend""). At times it seems as if Tartt is not so much advancing the narrative of her stories or the plot - but somewhat disingenuously being clever only to show us how clever she is being (""Look! I am referencing Great Expectations! I'm even calling a character Pippa! Isn't that droll of me?""; ""Look! My book has a Ye Olde Curiosity Shoppe complete with twinkly old man and sweet granddaughter who our Hero will fall hopelessly in love with! See how educated I am?"") and as a result I find myself siding to a degree with  Lydia Kiesling's review on The Rumpus [...] where she writes ""Donna Tartt is catnip for educated people who want to read entertaining but not difficult things about lofty topics and cosmopolitan people"", and, like Kiesling, I found myself frustrated with a great deal in this sometimes messy and at times downright silly book.<br/><br/>And then  in the last chapters, the story wriggles and shakes itself and returns to the lyrical, poetic language we began with and, like a dream, Tartt makes us forget the gigantic plot holes, ridiculously stereotyped characters and nonsensical segues that frustrated us chapters ago, and I found myself, once again, back on board with the novel.<br/><br/>In the end, Theo's story is tied up so neatly and so heart-breakingly beautifully we forgive Tartt, just as Theo  learns to forgive himself.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DICJG32ZLW8?ASIN=0316055441	It reminded me of the Jerry Springer show.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The title of the book really has very little to do with the plot...or art or the art world or hopes, dreams. Nothing. This book reminded me of the Jerry Springer show. The characters have no redeeming value, the plot is shallow, and the ending, the final few pages, are supposed to make up for the author's complete lack of control over her keyboard. The author takes the reader through soooo many drug trips that when she finally gets around to the main plot I didn't care one bit about the characters. I persevered through to the end only to be rewarded with a Jerry Springer like ""Final Thought"".</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNBB8DCU8EXEW?ASIN=0316055441	Hated it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book started out with promise.  I was engaged and interested in the main character.  I had compassion for him and rooted for him and was saddened by the turns his life taking, but being ever hopeful that there would be redemption.  If there was, I don't know about it.  The book plodded on and on and I grew to care less and less about the two boys.  They had no redeeming qualities and I tired of reading about their decadence, selfishness and warped minds.  After about 3/4 of the book, I had to put it down because I couldn't bear to read a book in which there was no longer anyone I wanted to root for.  They all could have died for all I cared.  I hope there was some redemption in the end, but I'll never know.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9KXQ9021BTAP?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed to the extreme!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the worst books I have ever attempted to read ... and I've read many hundreds.  The book was boring; the storyline incomprehensible; I skipped lots of pages many times! Don't understand why it's No.1 on lists.  Tried to finish because I wanted to find some redeeming features ... but I failed.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KD9K0WAIY8FW?ASIN=0316055441	Writing overload	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is with some distress that I could not rank this one higher. I still waiver on giving it 3.5 stars because I do think this writer is gifted. The problem is there's too much here--sometimes good pruning and cutting makes a better story overall. And I don't know what happened to good editing, but there are far too many 800 page works of fiction out there these days. In Dickens' time, it made sense (there was not all this media we have today).  But Dickens kept the story-clip going. Tartt loses her narrative thread, despite good character-development. There were times I wondered why I was continuing to read--and I had to skim through the thicket of too much prose. All in all, I don't think this author will ever surpass the masterful first novel she produced some 20 years ago.<br/><br/>With all the praise and marketing heaped on this read, it can only disappoint.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T58UXWL3LFEF?ASIN=0316055441	Less would be far more!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Let me start by saying that I really like long books, in fact, I prefer them. Therefore, I was not daunted when our Florida book club chose this for the first book of next season. Some objected, and some had heard the book was not worth reading. When I began, I thought they were mistaken. What an interesting story -- at least for the first third: interesting narrator, characters, plot.<br/><br/>The middle section was less so as it wallowed in highly repetitious scenes of the drunken or drug-induced stupor of our angst-filled narrator in his stormy teens. Less would have been more, or perhaps I am just unsympathetic to the subject. Only so many gulps, sniffs and blackouts and I felt that I, too. was living through this very depressing,  tedious passage of time. Too long.<br/><br/>And then, there is the last third, the adult years,  which pick up narrative for a bit and then end with another  long, excessively long, monologue examining  guilt (a major recurring theme) and going on to speculate on the meaning (or lack of meaning) of life. Kirkus called it ""A long-awaited, elegant meditation on love, memory and the haunting power of art."" Perhaps there are some elegant moments -- especially on art -- but all the words -- in much the same way as all the drugs -- ultimately became stultifying. I will not reread the book for our Fall session, and will not feel it is a loss if I forget much over the summer. Amnesia would be just fine....</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R44TNU1ACPIT4?ASIN=0316055441	Vastly overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rarely have I been so disappointed by a book that has been so highly praised. Much as I enjoyed Donna Tartt's first novel, this one is a piece of monumental logorrhea. Characters speak in longwinded monologues, pages are devoted to descriptions of the restoration of furniture; we are spared no detail of the reactions to drugs, both up and down; the book ends with a philosophic disquisition that might have been written by a graduate student, and on and on. I made a point of finding Francine Prose's review, which I had heard was among the few negative voices, and found that she was generous, limiting herself to stylistic problems, such as clichés and diction, whereas I find the novel seriously lacking as fiction.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HPB6T6LJRBVO?ASIN=0316055441	All Hacks Off the Stage	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Stephen King once said that if you are reading a book and it isn't good, put it down and start another because life is too short.  This book took over a week of my life that I'll never get back. I put the book down right when the character was going off to live with his father and the ""evil"" step-mother. This stream of conscienceless BS that some writers think makes them sound intellectual is ridiculous.  This is the author's attempt to write ""The Catcher in the Rye"".  She failed because, you know, Salinger already did this.  Moreover, the author reaches for impossible plot twists that are only there because she needs it to be that way.  I read a different review that wondered why the main character didn't just turn in the painting.  Even if it is anonymous.  Doesn't take a genius (which, by the way, the character was supposed to be) to know that a teen age boy isn't going to be an art master thief.  He's under the care of a psychiatrist, has a school counselor meeting with him, and has a social worker.  All of them know he is traumatized by the explosion and the death of his mother, so, his story about the painting would be accepted as true.  I noticed many interviews that trashed the book but gave it 4 stars.  I'm going to give it no stars which is what it deserves.  If you want to appear erudite and sophisticated, read this book and you can be a pretend intellectual as well.  If you are intelligent and discerning, avoid it and you won't miss anything.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR0F98A8IEPDE?ASIN=0316055441	Dissolute, disappointing, depressing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book started out quite well and posed an interesting sounding situation. However it became more and more convoluted and unbelievable as it progressed. The writing which began as very descriptive to all our senses devolved to tiresome repetition. At times it seemed it was being written to become a horror movie, definitely noir. This is one of the few books I've ever read that I could not finish with less than 100 pages left. Please don't waste your time or money.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36TQAV4M9D24T?ASIN=0316055441	For the brids	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For the life of me I can't understand why this book is on the best seller list.  I am on page 335 of a long, laborious, detailed description of  juvenile drug use.  Really?  I thought I was buying some sort or a thriller with intellectual ""art"" overtones. Do I want to continue reading endless episodes of children behaving badly? No thank you.  I'm bailing out of this novel which is, in my opinion, ""for the birds.""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22LY0X3L9BJ9J?ASIN=0316055441	Closure.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book because the story was so unusual. However, I knew before I started it that I was going to have a problem with the ending. I did. One would think, after almost 800 pages, the author would have tried a bit harder to tie up a few loose strings. Maybe she is thinking about writing a sequel? What happens to Theo....does he just continue to drift?  The last 1/4 of the book almost felt like the author herself was getting tired of writing and just wanted to end it all in the easiest way. But, after the reader has made a commitment of that many pages, I think the author owes us some closure.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZOFW6TYMXOKU?ASIN=0316055441	Unbelievably boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although Donna Tartt really does write wonderfully hypnotically, and I love that, this book went nowhere and took forever to get there.  I had read about 300 pages when I started thinking, am I going to have to read every thought this kid has, for every minute of the rest of his life? And when, god, when, can we get OUT of Las Vegas, ugh, what a BORING setting, and to go on for hundreds of pages, it was just torture, so I started skimming and then realized that nothing ever does happen.  Theo grows up to be just like his father, whiny, self-obsessed, incapable, and corrupt.  By the time I was done with the book, I didn't want to hear one more word on the loss of his mother.  I just did not care anymore.  I am SO disappointed.  My advice is to read a couple hundred pages in the book store and then decide whether to buy it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHP9GQBB2JD8X?ASIN=0316055441	What was the point?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">“The Goldfinch,” Donna Tartt’s long and intricate neo-Victorian novel (the second of 2013 after Eleanor Catton’s far better “The Luminaries”) begins in a hotel room in Amsterdam and immediately flashes back to the narrator, Theo Decker, at 13, as he and his mother are about to embark on a journey to his school for a conference with the principal. With time to spare on a rainy morning, they duck into the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Disaster ensues, and the boy finds himself in possession of the painting of the title. Maybe here you’ll remember what Roger Ebert used to call “the idiot plot.” The whole tale hinges on Theo’s not reporting to authorities (or the remaining adults in his life) that he has ""acquired"" this painting. Indeed, since the narrative is first person (a calamitous mistake), Ms. Tartt has to keep inventing excuses for her character. In an unsuccessful movie, this is problematic enough. In a book, especially a leisurely one like this, it’s hard to get that out of your mind.<br/><br/>But, whatever.<br/><br/>Theo, after a stay with his friend’s family, the Barbours (Bill Murray will doubtless play Mr. Barbour in the film version—especially if Wes Anderson directs), next finds himself in Las Vegas, where Ms. Tartt somehow manages to avoid total disaster, if only barely. This way too long sequence, with Theo’s dad, his cliché second wife, and a cardboard gangster, seems more “CSI” than Dickens, but it does introduce us to an important character, Boris.<br/><br/>Finally (after 40% of the book is done, according to my Kindle), Theo leaves Sin City on a bus, with a dog (never mind why there’s a dog), and returns to New York.<br/><br/>It was at this point in the tale that I called a t/o baby, quickly flicked ahead to see how many e-pages this bus trip would take up, and with some relief found their number acceptable; I made the decision to continue on. A borderline wise one, as it turned out, because the return (spoiled by one unfortunate coincidence necessary for the plot), is the point where the story picks up a bit, and we meet another assortment of characters and welcome the return of others, experience a few incidents bordering on the soap operatic, and encounter another cardboard villain, this one more from “The Blacklist” than “CSI.”<br/><br/>With 70 percent of the book over, there’s a Big Reveal, Jeffery Deaver style, that’s almost impossible to believe (at least with Deaver you usually do believe), which made me wonder what on earth the author was attempting to do in the first place, and made me wonder how, finally, to “star” it. Since I’ve awarded five stars to authors as disparate as, for example, the aforementioned Ms. Catton and Mr. Deaver, Rachel Kushner, Jennifer Egan, David Weber, Catherine Asaro, and Caitlin R. Kiernan, I’ve long decided that my stars would indicate how well the author succeeded in what she was trying to do. As in this case I’ve no idea, I’ll throw up three and move along to the next book on my list.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTUDMB4GAMTOB?ASIN=0316055441	Superb. . .then so disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the most puzzling read I've encountered in quite awhile.  I have never read anything by<br/>Donna Tartt before - have wanted to.  Tartt's writing captured me immediately, and I found her writing - in the first person voice of Theo, an adolescent, just excellent.  I felt like I could really feel all that Theo was describing.  Let me say - no spoiler here - that Tartt sets up a tragedy in Theo's<br/>young life.  The book is long, but it seemed like a the plot was set up and so well through what I'll call ""the first two phases"" of Theo's life - in Manhattan, and subsequently, in Las Vegas.<br/><br/>I found the story so compelling until about 3/4 of the way through the book; at that point, I honestly felt like Tartt got up from writing - left the room - and some other author stepped in.<br/>I was just that puzzled by the final portions of the book.  It seemed as though Tartt set up an arc that could have been such a compelling and excellent story - that somehow came off the tracks towards the end.  I would still say - read it, but I have to say I was so very disappointed.  Several other reviews I read on my Kindle said they started just skimming towards the end - and I can surely see why.  There were loose ends that needed to be resolved, I thought.  So -<br/>just a troublesome puzzle as this could have been great, it seems to me.<br/><br/>.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N4JYUNVZNE4V?ASIN=0316055441	Powerful book....but flawed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I REALLY wanted to love this book, and halfway through, I wrote to a friend and told him he must get a copy and read it. Then, as the story went along I became more and more disenchanted with the main character, and less and less tolerant of  his self-destructive behavior and his annoying self-pity. On the other hand, Boris was an absolute revelation: spontaneous, gregarious, forgiving, generous...simply a wonderful characterization, even though he had enormous faults which brought troubles to so many people.<br/><br/>Here is for me the key to the novel: in answer to the cliched advice,  ""Be yourself. Follow your heart."" the author simply says the following: ""What if one happens to be possessed of a heart that cannot be trusted?"" That is the essence of Theo, and he has to live for many years and over 700 pages to figure it out...and we, the readers, have to endure his unappealing character for that long too.<br/><br/>Having said all that, I must state that I cannot recall a book with such vibrant descriptive language, such poetic phrases, such wildly unpredictable situations and characters. I read all the time, and this novel kept me awake many, many nights. I just wish that I liked Theo more, and if I had I would have enjoyed the book more.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QZ0NG7Y5ELXM?ASIN=0316055441	This book gave reading back to me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After many years of  passionate reading, I found that my attention was trailing off; that I simply didn't have the desire or ability to push through an 800-page book any longer. Was thinking of getting a neurological workup actually, but it seems the fault lay not in my brain, but in my books. Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch has restored the thrill of reading to me-the kind of flashlight-under-the-covers reading we do when we are young and just discovering the amazing power of story. Despite feeling lukewarm about the subject matter...a stolen painting? a motherless boy?...in the first 10 pages I was completely hooked, and did not put the book down until I had finished it three days later. Must confess to an unfortunate after-effect; all books I've begun since Goldfinch just seem utterly pedestrian; reading anything else has been like walking through glue. Other reviewers will outline the story of Theo Decker more comprehensively: the tragedy of the museum attack that cost him his mother, his uneasy migration through a classmate's affluent and dysfunctional family, then a new and awful home in the hinterlands of Las Vegas with his appalling father, where he forms a deep friendship with  a Russian teenager who is more an explosive force of nature than a literary invention. Tartt then returns Theo to the compassionate oversight of master furniture restorer Hobie and the girl, Pippa, who was also in the museum, and who captured Theo's attention before their two worlds were simultaneously destroyed in the terrorists' blast. The locations are rendered richly, flawlessly; they take on the weight of characters, really-particularly Las Vegas in the recession and Amsterdam in December, chilly, festive, with all the city's splendors and idiosyncrasies on display. Then there is New York, one of Tartt's homes. So much has been written about the city, but Tartt captured  small flashes of visions that we all see in New York, but never articulate, much less preserve in text. Often, I had to stop reading through to reexamine a sentence that seemed to describe something both familiar and entirely new and fresh, in language that reduced me to blithering envy of her craft. What an eye she has! The writing is superlative. Since it is publication week, I read a New Yorker review I considered completely churlish, and a New York Times review that simply didn't seem to be treating the novel with the immense gravitas it deserves. The Goldfinch has been called Dickensian, and perhaps it is; but it is also Tartt's completely original and achingly splendid creation. I loved this novel and will remember it forever, something I haven't said since To Kill a Mockingbird.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PUC4ZGSFCAZT?ASIN=0316055441	755 Pages with a Drug Addict	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a brilliant writer with vivid characters, but 755 pages of someone who can't shake a drug addiction is not my idea of good reads. In the last 20 pages, I got to wondering about the author herself and why exactly she is so thrilled about the endless nuances of a drug high.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GI9X1L4VG25S?ASIN=0316055441	tedious with a disappointing ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had a lot of potential but the main character, Theo, became really tedious. The interesting characters and exciting parts of the plot were secondary to long overly philosophical meandering thoughts and whiny self pity from Theo. I stuck with it just to be completely disappointed by the end. I never write reviews but felt compelled to share how irritated I was by this book. It has nice writing and a great concept but that wasn't enough to make up for the down sides.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y62NAF4HA18Z?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging, Depressing Saga	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exhausted and unsatisfied when I finished.  Disappointed in life view of protagonist and his inability to escape the impact of his early trauma and DNA.  Yet, this book kept you moving forward with the hope of resolution on many levels and several of the characters are enduring.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BYO3CCB5TJCZ?ASIN=0316055441	Too Many Words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Yes, Donna Tartt is a talented fiction writer, and you can open this novel at any page and be engaged by it. But she needs a Max Perkins to cut this down to size. There is too much prose here, too many inner reflections, too many modifiers, too much detailed description. (Do we really need six pages to describe the tedium of standing in line at the Metropolitan Museum of Art? What is this, Henry Fielding telling an interpolated story to convey the passage of time?)<br/><br/>Too many precisely delineated minor characters, too many mildly eccentric hangers-on. The result for me is a dilution of sympathy for the main character. ""When everybody's some-body, Then no one's any-body.""<br/><br/>Tartt's cloying, over-egged pudding of a prose style makes me over-aware of the artifice going on. I often wanted to throw the book against the wall, only I have it on Audible and Kindle, so I'd be smashing my iPhone.<br/><br/>Errors of fact, anachronisms, and implausible situations abound. Tartt has people using iPhones and recent-model BlackBerrys back around 2001. She's got a 13-year-old boy, an experienced Manhattanite, taking a Fifth Avenue bus to get from the Upper East Side to Greenwich Village, where he immediately gets lost (even though he's supposedly been down there often) because he is confused by the crooked old streets (although they're not crooked old streets around Fifth Avenue). Next time, Donna, put him on the subway. An eatery on Greenwich Avenue is said to be on Greenwich Street (quite some distance away). When the boy's mother gets killed, a pair of mutant-like social workers immediately descend upon the boy's apartment and abduct him. Tartt apparently thinks this happens every day and that there is some fierce stricture against 13-year-olds being alone at home.<br/><br/>She's got 13-year-olds taking Advanced Placement classes (in calculus, even!) although these prodigies are not being packed off to college for another few years. But the weirdest feature of Tarttland is that everybody has a thoroughgoing knowledge of art history and decorative arts, and will rhapsodize like a coked-up antiques queen at the slightest provocation. Even our narrator, at age 13, is using words like ""faience"" and ""finial.""<br/><br/>The only reason to read this book (unless you're spending a couple weeks in bed) is to learn how to write long-form fiction and how not to write long-form fiction. Class, this month's exercise is to take Donna Tartt's 'The Goldfinch' and edit it down to 250 pages. Next month we turn that into a screenplay of 200 pages. First step: lose most of the minor characters.<br/><br/>But four stars for overall talent and effort.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14CVVJSYLFJI8?ASIN=0316055441	A+ in college creative writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is written in the kind of prose that is awarded an A+ in creative writing courses; intricately detailed, but interminable, re-re-redundant descriptive verbally diarrhetic passages that numb the mind by sheer volume, like reading Wikipedia or the OED – which I enjoy – but 800 some-odd pages could have been told in 400.<br/>Though the Goldfinch is told from the POV of a fourteen year old boy, Theo, our hero seems to view his world from the POV and values of a middle-aged, middle-class woman with an insatiable appetite for upscale consumerism, from shoes to food to furniture and all else too-too expensive in between; a combination Neiman-Marcus and Sotheby’s auction catalogue running amok on every page.<br/>The central character is really secondary to the action [not the philosophy] The plot moves along with the narrator getting stoned and having deep, colorful thoughts – especially on LSD or model glue – and getting himself into deep, deep trouble. But instead of learning, growing, evolving as a not-so-tragic hero, every time a crisis needs resolving, the book’s Deus ex machina magically appears from nowhere, our narrator’s boyhood friend, name of Boris, speaking in pijin [not goldfinch] Russified-english and it is Boris who moves the action another notch. Were Boris black, speaking eternal truths in ebonic, like Uncle Remus, there would be an uproar, but here it seems to fly.<br/>The moral of this book seems to be that it’s perfectly okay to ingest  – daily –every mood-altering substance known to man for fourteen years with absolutely no adverse physical or moral consequences for our hero. Around age thirteen, after the life-changing EVENT happens, he starts drinking stolen beer – to stupefaction – then proceeds to vodka, glue-sniffing, marijuana, Oxys, Roxys, dilaudid, X, cocaine, morphine, heroin – and countless other intoxicants along the way. Unlike his buddy, Theo prissily stops short of injecting heroin, only snorting it, no explanation given. The author describes in detail -  about every other chapter -  Theo being blasted totally out of his mind, unconscious, near death, and then vividly describes morning after hangovers in colorful detail as the narrator vomits up the night’s binging. Yes, his vomit, too, is described in all different colors and textures! Great if you like vomit, or finding the meaning of life in upchuck, as our narrator seems to.<br/>Strangely, at the end of the book, he/she chronicles an eleven month period immediately after, during which there is no mention of drugs of any kind and miraculously, the narrator has no withdrawal symptoms whatsoever, no remorse, no comment. After a fourteen-year non-stop daily binge-to-stupefaction drug intake, this makes no sense. I read this in a Kindle edition. Amazon Kindle routinely censors out what it deems too much sex description, but fourteen years of teenage drug binging with no consequences seems to be okay. Go figure.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16P98CAVKWTSP?ASIN=0316055441	A Pulitzer Winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved The Secret History by Tartt. The Little Friend not so much. I had bought The Goldfinch some time ago, but put off reading it. When it won the Pulitzer price, I decided to start on it.<br/><br/>The beginning was okay. The young hero and his mother are in a museum (reluctantly on Theo's part) when she goes ahead to another gallery while he dawdles. A bomb goes off and, among many others, kills his mother. Theo himself is left with a dying man who gives him a ring to deliver and urges him to take the painting they were admiring: The Goldfinch.<br/><br/>For some reason Theo does. He crawls through debris and bodies and comes out a back entrance and goes home.<br/><br/>The rest of the story goes into his hiding it, worrying about it being found, following the news reports about its theft, delivering the ring, living with various people (including at one point his father who'd abandoned Theo and his mother), and going through all the phases many young people do (including drugs).  He makes friends, loves someone who doesn't love him back (she was with the man in the museum who urged Theo to take the painting), becomes engaged (to someone else), loses friends, has friends show up again, has friends die. In other words, the story takes us through his life. And it's really rather tedious.<br/><br/>The book wasn't impossible to finish, but I found myself hating to come back to it. I should have known better; Pulitzer winners and Oprah choices are seldom books I want to read.<br/><br/>I'm not an intellectual. I'm sure this story has some larger than life meaning that I'm not smart enough to appreciate. I suspect those people will enjoy this.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YC5VIRFFRW36?ASIN=0316055441	Dickens It's Not	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a huge disappointment, for me anyway. The opening New York sections were excellent, but once things move to Las Vegas the story takes a seriously wrong turn. I have to wonder for whom Tartt thinks she's writing. Does she really imagine that intelligent adult readers are going to be enthralled with hundreds of pages detailing the antics of a pair of burned-out druggie teenagers who spend their time smoking weed, swilling vodka, and dining on packets of sugar and whatever delicacies they can steal from the local supermarket? Well, perhaps they will, the book *is* on the NYT besteller list. But once all the hype and interviews die down...who knows? The comparisons to Dickens are particularly inappropriate. Dickens wrote about orphans and others who are on the receiving end of undeserved bad luck, but his characters struggle *against* degradation and dissipation. Here Theo and Boris revel in their moral squalor. (Boris is the kind of character who seems to exist only in books and movies: the burn-out loser druggie who is failing all his classes in school but is really a secret genius who reads Dostoevsky and Thoreau in his rare sober and lucid moments. Yeah...right. I went to high school. Burn outs are burn outs).<br/><br/>Nor is there any hint of Dickens' wild and life-affirming humor. There's not a drop of wit in the book. No one even cracks a halfway decent dirty joke.<br/><br/>Too bad. I gave up halfway though the book. There is just such an incredible ugliness about all (or almost all) of the characters that I found I didn't care a damn what happened to them and certainly didn't want to spend any more time with them. The ironic part is that Tartt is an incredible writer, a master of descriptive prose, attentive to detail and able to create a truly believable world on the page. Too bad it's such a rotten world.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R67BLUKAGZPVU?ASIN=0316055441	The more I read, the less I liked the book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the rare books that I enjoyed less and less as I read through it.  I found it quite excruciating to get through the last 20% of the book, but I was determined to finish it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9FCRKT7PU16S?ASIN=0316055441	depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I truly feel sorry for this author.  This has been an extremely depressing read, and feel she must have been on her own<br/>""high"" while writing this story.  Can't believe it is considered a best seller.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T9XI9PJQYBWE?ASIN=0316055441	Great storyline but a tedious read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pros: I learned a lot about exquisite art/antique furniture restoration when reading this book. The characters are well-developed and unforgettable, and the general plot is interesting and believable. The honest, intelligent candor of the young central character was his most endearing quality..<br/><br/>Cons: I found the story to be frustrating, and often downright depressing. There were too many instances of the reader being dragged through the gutter on teenage/young adult unhealthy and dangerous 3-day drug and alcohol binges.. There were obvious reasons why the young characters would be so flawed, and I must admit that their ability to physically survive was remarkable. The main character stayed consistent throughout the book, which isn't a good thing when one is caught in the throes of post traumatic stress disorder since the age of thirteen.<br/><br/>Learning about art and its effects on humanity is interesting to a degree, but holding the storyline hostage, while the reader muddles through page after page of descriptive writing, is not the best way to write an engaging book. I found myself skipping pages while searching for the continuing storyline.<br/><br/>I am glad I read the book. It opened up another sub culture for me. But I suspect that the important teaching points could have been made with 200 less pages.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9HDJLPVE32JE?ASIN=0316055441	Not recommended -	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A gifted young man who experiences losses and falls into drugs. The narrative of 2/3 of the book are graphic scenes for a youthful drug addition. This is horribly demoralizing and depressing. I do not recommend that anyone read this book. I can't for the life of me understand why it got such rave reviews.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y5UXLVOTT59U?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I agree with many of the other reviews. I now have more knowledge about drugs, addiction, alcoholism, etc than I ever cared to acquire. As to the resolution of the issues surrounding the painting? I just don't get it. Was there actually a coherent conclusion? If so, my version must be missing that part. What a tremendous waste of my time.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R47GLV6ABYM0F?ASIN=0316055441	This book has some great descriptions and conversations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has some great descriptions and conversations, but it rambles and repeats things over and over again.  The end of the book almost becomes stream of consciousness writing that may have been fun for the author, but very painful for the reader.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NJS4NO2CXL63?ASIN=0316055441	Pass	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a novel with an interesting premise clumsily handled by Donna Tartt. Her characters are flattened stereotypes without pathos, animus, or motivation, and she skips ahead in time only to gloss over important character developments (addiction recoveries, mourning periods, criminal escalations). I would almost believe that these were intentional narrative choices if she weren't such a poor writer. She never establishes her own voice, instead vacillating between finer authors' styles — borrowing from Raymond Carver in one paragraph, then blatantly stealing from Irvine Welsh in another. When her own adolescent style peeks through, it is laden with heavy-handed mixed metaphors and similes as poorly chosen as a horror movie on Christmas Eve.<br/><br/>If you've ever read and appreciated a literary masterpiece, this book is not for you. Please save your money (and, moreover, your time), and read some truly good modern fiction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20F9NMJKYW31D?ASIN=0316055441	More Like Ayn Rand and Dr. Pangloss than Dickens	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Expected more, based on reviews. I rate it ""one star"" it in reaction to the over-hype, I might otherwise rate it worthy of three stars, no more.<br/><br/>The author is capable of putting words together in an artful manner and there are satisfying sentences and passages, long or short. There is rhythm, there are words lovingly chosen by a connoisseur of words, there are examples of deft description, there are bits of truth here and there.  Some characters are fairly well drawn. Because of this (and also the rave reviews) I was patient through the first three quarters of the book.  I stayed open minded through the unrelenting drug abuse, dishonesty, unethical behavior, bad choices and/or lack of responsibility displayed by nearly all the characters in the hopes of a brilliant payoff at the end of the book. Unfortunately, when I reached the climax and last sections of the novel, my hopes and expectations were for the most part, dashed.  The story of The Goldfinch (painting) itself is wrapped up satisfactorily, decently, and tidily enough.  The problem is that the author begins Explaining her metaphysical/philosophical worldview, nearly preaching, I would assert, through Boris' last long rant to Theo and then later through Theo's last bit of writing/narration. Explaining! Good grief!  The book died for me right there.  Moreover, I myself am highly dubious of the assertions made by the author with regard to the futility of ethics and responsibility, the allegiance to a deterministic-fatalistic POV, the magical thinking applied to random coincidence, and many other points made in the virtual opinion essays inserted at the end of the book. I hate to say it, but really ham-handed at the end.  Great literature does not stoop to this.<br/><br/>I really do not understand the comparisons that have been made by reviewers of this book to Dickens. If the book is at all like Dickens, it is only superficially so, in the number of characters and that sort of thing. Dickens was an author all about social responsibility, ethics, and progress. This book is a justification of individual freedom minus responsibility. Not a world I want to live in.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14TBIG8DX8HKN?ASIN=0316055441	Worst. Book. Ever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Okay, maybe not the worst book ever. But close. If this book had been 300 pages shorter, I may have liked it more. Too much unnecessary filler and information. I think I skipped over more than I actually read. I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters, just couldn't find much to like about any of them. Except for Popper, the dog. I might have poked a sharp stick through my eye if it hadn't been for him. After awhile, I just stopped caring about most any of them. There's no written, or unwritten, rule that says you have to connect to characters in a book. But, it helps to at least throw something out there that makes you want to keep reading. Do not have a clue why this book won a Pulitzer Prize. Maybe it was the pretentiousness of using 27-letter words that NO ONE ever uses or would even want to use. Or the paragraphs written in foreign languages without a clue what was being said. Or the use of far too many question marks in places where they didn't belong. I'm only assuming that was some kind of artistic' trick'. Guess I'm too stupid to get it though, because it really just aggravated me more than anything else. Actually, I'm not stupid at all. I just don't like books like The Goldfinch. Pretentious. Yawn. Boring.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WWRFITXATJWH?ASIN=0316055441	Much ado about nothing, a long ride that goes nowhere	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The main character, who we live with on every page, I just wanted to smack upside the head and tell him to pull up his socks and stop his sniveling. Even though his life explodes, tragically, I did not care about him, found him exhausting and annoying. Almost stopped reading the book a few times, because he was so un compelling a character.  The characters of Boris and Hobie, help the book greatly, would have stopped reading if not for them. But in the end, while beautifully written at times, this book is a long slog that doesn't deliver anything I found of value.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OBRB04LGEY0M?ASIN=0316055441	bogged down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I tried very hard to like this book as I had heard so much about it.  The first part was interesting, but soon got bogged down.  I quit about halfway through the novel.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NE8XHM55U2S7?ASIN=0316055441	Tedium at its Finest	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is beautifully written, and I really enjoyed the beginning.  The characters were interesting and I really thought it was going to be great, but as I got further and further into it, it just sounded like someone who liked to hear themselves talk.  The descriptions were beautiful, but so many unnecessary.  I just finished the book, thinking there had to be a great ending, but there was only someone opining on the meaning of life?  I would scan and skip and scan and skip.  If you have read the book, Atonement, it's just like that.  See the movie instead.  The first 200 pages of Atonement takes 5 minutes in the movie.  The Goldfinch should have been 200 pages long.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EKJVHO6RM2YX?ASIN=0316055441	Much ado about nothing...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can you say, ""Editor"" please? I'm among those readers who kept hoping overblown over-hyped book would redeem itself with me but no. At first I hoped there'd be some positive turns but no that didn't happen...initially I cared what happened...about 400 pages into it not so much and by 600 pages I figured life is too short to waste any more of it on this basically unedited downward spiral.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NZRVNQGUBGHS?ASIN=0316055441	"Torn between 'I don't like it"" and ""I hate it"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Someone once told me that there is no bad art -it's a matter of taste, so, one should say ""I don't like"", but never ""It's a bad movie (book, painting, or whatever)."" Well, I really didn't like this book(read -what I really want to say is THIS IS A TERRIBLE BOOK, in my opinion).<br/>I bought it because after a visit to The Frick, I saw it in the museum store and unconsciously (and wrongly) I expected it to be magical as the painting.  I love art in any shape or form. I love paintings, I love books, I love dance. This book doesn't do justice to art. The story doesn't make any sense, it's sad, the main character manages to always make a bad decision after another for no good reason other than ""my mom died..."" yet he is tried to be portrayed as a good guy whose liked by others, yada yada.<br/>During the first few pages I just thought it was a sad beginning and that if I could just hang on I'd be rewarded. That was not the case. It just got increasingly annoying because again, it doesn't make sense. The goldfinch is not a fantasy book, it is not magical realism, So, is it a (somewhat) serious book? I found it difficult to enjoy a book written by someone who doesn't even have the minimal understanding of technology yet it makes it part of the story repeatedly?. What am I talking about? Well, 13 years ago there were no iphones -iphones were launched in 2007/2008 if I recall correctly. The author goes back between the protagonist using ""iphones"" and then not having a cellphone at all. He snail mails letters!? Does anyone know a teenager that mails letters and doesn't text? That's about technology. I could go on and on with (nonsensical) examples like this. So, would I trust a thing about art written by this author?! Oh no.<br/>Anyway, there's actual fantasy/sci-fi/magical realism (not that this one is) books that are not disguised as serious fiction; books where the characters develop, where you learn something, where the prose is simply beautiful.<br/>Don't waste your money, don't waste your time. Move on to the next book. That's my recommendation.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29D8TDFAYPD3J?ASIN=0316055441	Overwrought Drivel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sent from my iPhone<br/><br/>Begin forwarded  But that afforded the author plenty of time  to hook me and she did not.:<br/><br/>From: frisson310@gmail.com<br/>Date: May 16, 2014, 7:29:33 AM EDT<br/>I read ""The Secret History"" years ago and liked it and I think somewhere in the tsunami of words that is ""The Goldfinch"" there's a good 300-page book. But in its current form, I found it unreadable. Donna Tartt does have a way with words, I will give her that, but she needs to be told by somebody when to rein it in and ""murder her darlings."" Unfortunately these days, publishers with an eye on the bottom line, simply don't shell out money on editors. Many of my issues could have been so easily rectified by the blue pencil marks of a good editor.<br/><br/>Okay, I admit I only read the first part through the catastrophe at the Metropolitan Museum. That afforded the author plenty of time to hook me, but she patently did not. I couldn't continue; it was just so poorly written.<br/><br/>People may think I am overly picky, but I consider myself a well-qualified critic having grown up in New York City enjoying a life quite similar to Theo, fortunately, without the tragedies. I am also an art historian and a writer.<br/><br/>""The Goldfinch"" has been hailed as great literature and even won the Pulitzer Prize! Shouldn't such an award be reserved for excellence?<br/><br/>It's no wonder in recent years I have become very cynical about prizes, reviews and ratings, having seen in recent years overly favorable New York Times reviews written by writers I know to be the authors' friends. Corruption seems to be everywhere these days.<br/><br/>I believe reading a book of this ilk should be effortless, like you're driving down a road and it's smooth sailing all the way. There shouldn't be all these bumps along the way causing you to slam on the brakes. You shouldn't notice the writing at all unless it's something that stops you in your tracks because it's so beautifully expressed, or there's an occasional word you need to look up. While I think digressions can be an effective conceit, experiencing two significant ones in the paltry part I did read, made me suspect that  during the course of the novel, Tartt was going to overuse them. Her ungainly scaffolding and ornate wordsmithery was all too apparent for me and I felt like I was slogging through a morass.<br/><br/>Other specific complaints:<br/><br/>Tartt talks about how precarious Theo and his mother's finances are and yet they live in a doorman building in Sutton Place, take cabs everywhere and seem to eat out all the time.<br/><br/>Would she really have gone into the Metropolitan Museum, which opens at 10 when she had an important appointment with her son's principal across town at 11:30? Much less waste time at the gift shop buying a book for her boss (I know she actually never got there, but she was planning to.) And Tartt obviously hasn't been buying art books; they are hardly ""inexpensive.""<br/><br/>Nobody in New York refers to the subway as ""the train"" it's ""the subway.""<br/><br/>After the explosion, Tartt describes Theo trying to locate train fare--Hello? It would be a Metrocard. Theo suggests getting a Metrocard as a gift for Mathilde so why wasn't Tartt consistent?<br/><br/>Tartt also mentions him taking the train to school. Would he really take the train from East 57th Street to the Upper West Side? Far more likely, he'd take a crosstown bus and transfer to an uptown bus (or possibly a subway at that point). And he'd have a student Metrocard, which would save his mother a bundle.<br/><br/>The boy's conversation with his mother and thoughts and observations about her work at a fashion PR firm were completely unbelievable. He's supposed to be a 13-year old boy, give him the voice, thoughts and mannerisms of a 13-year old boy! During That whole section Tartt seemed to be grandstanding about how much she knows about the fashion world.<br/><br/>I find the reference to a ""school on the Upper West Side"" overly coy. Just name it, or make up a name. She's names the Lycée Français after all. And Theo certainly wouldn't refer to it as ""my school on the Upper West Side"" when talking to the old man.<br/><br/>The death of the old man was excruciatingly long (not in a you-are-there way; in a boring and overly-lengthy way) and repetitive. Tartt could have accomplished so much more with so much less. I suggest she read ""Atonement"" for tips on astringent, powerful prose.<br/><br/>She overused words that tend to jump out at the reader like ""loitering"" and ""grappling."" Does Tartt not own a Thesaurus? It would be so easy to substitute synonyms...<br/><br/>While I thought her observations about the paintings were interesting, I couldn't shake the feeling that she was showing off and didn't quite believe the way Tartt's mouthpiece, the mother, was talking to her young boy. Compounded with everything else it was just too much and it was irritating.<br/><br/>I used to think it was terrible to not finish a book, now I realize life's too short, to wallow through drivel. Next!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UW3RWYPQVOT9?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious, overrated book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As a reader (or listener as I choose the 32-hour audio) I would hope a writer invests more in her characters than in a description of a menu or a room. Tartt spends entirely too many words describing things in several different ways, as if she's impressed with her own ability to be descriptive. The characters are just hideous, with the exception of Boris who seems to know his shortcomings and presses ahead with a positive attitude. I found nothing to like about Theo: I never felt his pain and he was not in the least a redeeming soul. Theo only had one friend that he respected, Boris. Other than that, he was a drugged out selfish jerk to everyone else. The story is disjointed, going for hours and pages at a time to describe events that add nothing, nothing to the story.<br/><br/>What bothered me most is the title: The Goldfinch. It was not about the painting because it seems that Theo had no real interest in this painting, and for a great portion of the book, I had forgotten about the painting and so did the author and the main character<br/><br/>Tartt is a good writer and sought out to prove that she can ""paint"" a picture, but to me it was just a long waste of time for characters who were horrible, places I didn't need to be taken to, and many story lines that were left dangling until the author reached the end of her thesaurus and decided to opine on her philosophy of life.<br/><br/>One note to audio listeners: I found the narrator to be overall good, but his voicing of Theo made the character seem self-indulgent, whiny, and not that intelligent. Every female voice sounded like an imitation of an effeminate man and as horrible, especially Pippa's voice. The narrator was great with accents and consistent with all the the other voices.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIYOP0GPXNDZV?ASIN=0316055441	tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found I was skipping most of the writing trying to get to something that was happening. When I started the book, I really enjoyed the details and meandering ruminations but found myself shocked at times because there were so many ruminations, I had expected a long period of time had passed, only to find that hardly any time at all had changed in the story. The main character is so narcissistic that it became painful to read and I finally had to put it down when I found I was forcing myself to pick the book back up. Sad.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1INS6RKJW7F9W?ASIN=0316055441	I Really Tried.  Really.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to love this book so badly.<br/><br/>**beware of spoilers ahead**<br/><br/>I loved The Goldfinch up until Theo went to Vegas.  From that point on I steadily began losing sympathy.  The premise is fascinating, the description of the destruction, his emotional devastation, the aftermath of a horrible tragedy - all this was riveting.  However, the further Theo sunk into a drug/alcohol induced haze, the more I began wishing that someone would just find the friggin' painting and put us all out of our misery.  It's not that I don't understand why he took a downturn, he had ample reason to escape into addiction - it's more that Tartt makes him so unlikable.  He spends the Vegas years waking up in a puddle of vomit.  At times I could smell him through the pages, while that means that the writing is amazing, it also turns my stomach.<br/><br/>Theo becomes even more unsympathetic as he returns to New York, floating through school, wallowing in a bag of pills, wasting opportunity after opportunity.  Again, not that I don't understand the whys of the situation, but at this point, I just didn't care.  The thing that makes literary protagonists interesting (in my humble opinion anyhow)  is that they have a special something, a spark, a quirk, a something that sets them apart from reality.  Theo has none of this, he is exceedingly average, unlikable and unsympathetic.  The imagined smell of vomit was replaced with cigarettes, and he remained a broken, self-destructive slug.<br/><br/>It's during the early chapters of Theo's return to New York that I wanted to transport myself into the book, call the cops, tell them about the painting and end the whole thing.  However, I kept on reading, I believed that there was going to be some kind of amazing twist that was going to make the whole journey worth it.<br/><br/>Boris.  Where do I start with Boris?  Boris' overly complicated lineage, his entirely absurd network of connections and impeccably impossible timing make him into a caricature rather than an actual living, breathing character.  The fact that he stole the painting made no sense to me, and maybe this is because I don't understand the whole black market underground art trade, however, what did Boris think he was going to do with it?<br/><br/>The entire story is riddled with false moments of suspense.  While I loved Popper the dog, the poor creature was used as a tool to create more false moments of anxiety than the actual Goldfinch painting itself.  I spend the entire book thinking there was going to be some reason for Popper's inclusion in this story, and while I love a dog as much as the next person, I never found that reason.<br/><br/>Overall, I have to give two stars because I loved the first part of this story.  As Theo dissolved into a pit of vomit and vodka, I waited for something to happen that would redeem him and this story.  Never happened.  I will say this, the writing is impeccable, it's just the story construction that left me empty.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DMM99643N8EE?ASIN=0316055441	Verbose to the extreme	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What could have been an interesting story was turned into this mammoth book where the writer is voluble to the extreme.  I did stick with it until the last page where all of a sudden the end came like a train hitting a brick wall.  In fact the ending was so abrupt it had me looking to see if I truly were missing pages.  About the only story line that came to a conclusion was that the painting was back where it belonged.<br/><br/>I found that I couldn't engage with the main character until a third of the way into the book and even then I couldn't care about him.  About the only character that garnered any sympathy was Hobie, the partner of the man who also died in the bombing and , who took Theo in when he had no place to go.  Hobie is the only stalwart character in Theo's life it seems and it's Hobie you care for when Theo betrays Hobie's trust in him.<br/><br/>The main character is a young boy called Theo.  Theo is traumatized when his mother is killed in a bombing at a museum.  Finding his way out of the rubble, Theo steals the painting of the Goldfinch that his mother had loved and aids a dying man who gives him a ring to give to his partner.  From there Theo's life plays out in a series of misfortunes,  drugs and drugs and more drugs, art theft, antique forgery and bad choices in general.  If there is any redemption in Theo's story it is unbelievable as the prior 800 pages have told the reader that Theo reverts to drugs and lies whenever life gets to tough for him.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ONPI99TXI1P?ASIN=0316055441	The author exudes existential  nihilism and contempt for mankind -- read if you like drugs, depression, and negativity	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What starts out as a gripping story of a bright, senistive art-loving innocent 13-yr-old boy caught up in a terrorist bombing of a museum, devolves into a self-indulgent series of chapters depicting drug and alcohol debauchery and a collection of sociopathic and narcisisstic characters with no moral codes and no redeeming features who do not learn from their mistakes.The most likeable though ridiculous character in the 700 page book is a tiny dog.<br/>The author repeatedly portrays almost any group of humans, from the homeschooled to immigrants to affluent privileged socialites, as disgusting and pathetic losers, even the guy who painted a picture of a Goldfinch over 300 years ago that is at the center of the plot. She seems to believe (and expresses through her pathetic protagonist) that life is so miserable it is not worth living, and  humankind is evil and destructive and is just fooling itself by distracting itself with every day things like family, friends, work, and parties.  Life is short and brutish, then you die. Unfortunately this topic has been previously explored, in less than 700 tedious pages, by people who are not perpetually angst-ridden adolescents, and many have concluded that there actually can be pleasure in life, and manmade beauty, and nobility, and concern for others, and value, and productive work, even if death awaits us all. ""Carpe diem"" would not likely be this author's favorite words.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K2KBDRNN9BN8?ASIN=0316055441	wy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were to much describing of each little thing!! I have skipped more than I read.  Not finished with it yet!  Of course I have bad eyes and can't read all day! Wil be glad for the end to come!! I am new on kindle and don't know how to skip to the end!!  Would like to know how Theo ends up.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HJPHA6MDJZ0V?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this book, which won a Pulitzer Prize would be a great book but it was a disappointment! The book was too long and drawn out. The author had too much detail I had to skim a lot of it. By the end of the book I didn't care what happened to Theo I just wanted it to END!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BLSX7AX4JWZB?ASIN=0316055441	not for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like the foul language, nor the use of many foreign languages with no English interpretation. Also, the book was very dark. Nothing good seemed to happen. Left me with a feeling of sadness for all the things that can never be. A ""hopeless"" attitude book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQR7OFVDROKP4?ASIN=0316055441	I hated the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hated the book.  Way  too lengthy.  Author seems to want to impress us with her knowledge in drugs, big words, art collections and artists as well as authors.  I felt that she is on a ego trip and I was not impressed.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F3RFUH6VBAQG?ASIN=0316055441	Just awful;	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I must say that the author writes beautifully. She is extremely descriptive- extremely. However, that is the problem. I really have no idea as to how this book is a Pulitzer prize winner. Not only was it very dark throughout the entire novel (that I could have handled), but since it referenced illegal drug use throughout the whole story....I had to begin to wonder if the author was using illegal substances herself while she was writing it. For example- Five pages (every time) of lengthy description for each and every body movement that the main character makes throughout the entire book. It just goes on and on. I felt like I was being forced to listen to a pot-head ramble on for an hour about how puffy the clouds in the sky are. The entire book was like that. I kept reading, in hopes that it would turn into an excellent story since it was a Pulitzer prize winner....it never happened.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G2TC48OPRUYD?ASIN=0316055441	MORE WEIGHT THAN SUBSTANCE	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I actually had great expectancy over this book.  Though usually I am not one to buy a book because of all the publicity giving over it nor because of the gushing book reviews, I did in this case and I regret it.  ""The Goldfinch"" was sold as yet another masterpiece by yet another Charles Dickens (interesting plots, complex characters, etc), but this book is nothing of the sort.  It is simply a boring, meandering, zig-zagging 700 + page book that has no mystery, no character development, not even much in the way of art history.  You can read dozens of pages and nothing happens, just words that seem to spew out from an automatic word processing program.  It is a lesson in what NOT to buy, even when Amazon and all other book outlets make this a stellar read.<br/><br/>Save yourself the money and buy something else with the $30.00 pricetag.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NB54IFAOQOE0?ASIN=0316055441	In One Word: Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book could have used fewer words and seriously it's just words and words filled page after page. Everything is described in the utmost detail except for the story itself. The story itself, it just meanders around. There is a boy, there is his mother, there is his friend, there is another friend and some more people and god alone knows when these characters will actually do something. Oh and there is a torn painting or something that is supposed to be a big deal. I skipped 5-10 pages at a time and still never seemed to miss a beat in the story which did I mention just goes on and on.<br/><br/>I know this book has received a lot of rave reviews but I am quite sure their copy had fewer words and more meaning. My copy was just a bore. And before I bore the reader of this review, I shall sign off. Someone tell me how it ends since I am still skipping pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T0391D8WTOO3?ASIN=0316055441	Not my taste	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read on and on hoping it would get better. you then reach the point of no return and make the decision to continue, thinking the story will develop and unfold.  No, never happened.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29A3SO7XD4VMD?ASIN=0316055441	Misleading start ... crazy finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was enthralling at the start. But by the end it had devolved into a James-Bond-like mishmash of hard to believe shootouts. The story evaporated in the goofiness.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVA1QLBH0F1RW?ASIN=0316055441	Great up until 93% (according to my Kindle)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a page turner, with an interesting story to tell and compelling characters.  But in the final 7%, the author veers away from the narrative to give each main character a chance to pontificate on weighty matters of life, death, loss, and oh, art.  So rather than the actions and motives of the characters stirring us to our own philosophical musings, we have an overblown version of ""what it all means"" spelled out in evangelical tones.  I cared for the characters, and the story provided some urgent late night reading, but when all was said and done, I was strangely unmoved by the book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAQUNFQO3GZ1R?ASIN=0316055441	Could have used better editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have liked some of Donna Tartt's previous works, and this one started out with an engaging storyline, a fast pace, an endearing main character, and very real human interactions.  The unfortunate part of this is that editors did not take out a lot of the subsequent monotony, rampant descriptions of teenage ill-behavior, and long and painfully slow process before taking the story to a conclusion.  And when the conclusion arrived, it was packaged in odd movie-script kind of twist that was a let down for a reader who is drawn to the complexity that reader of Tartt's deserves.  This could have been a great 300 page story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30JG1TVI7QD7M?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful beginning, but horrible ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't believe a book was so enthralling for the first 3/4, but the last part of it was such a let down!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U722MMN9LL5K?ASIN=0316055441	What was all the hype about?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a potentially amazing book. But as the book wore on (word choice deliberate), it got so bogged down in freak drug trips, excruciating discussions of having the flu (how many times can one get the flu in one book?), and what felt like a ton of dream scenes (hint: NOBODY WANTS HEAR ABOUT YOUR LONG AND BORING DREAMS!).  And what's up with his 15-year pining for a girl he did not even know?  I did manage to force myself to finish it.  But was sorry I did. What was all the hype about?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16F9JEH2MSY3K?ASIN=0316055441	Exquisitely Encompassing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't say I'm a scholar of literature... I'm more an indulgent reader, I base my appreciation of a book by weird factors: 1) Can I guess what will happen (if so, I'm not a big fan), 2) Do I care about the 'main' characters (if not, I barely scratch my way through a book) and 3) Language, I adore word use, and learning new words (and usually, after trying a sample, I never even bother buying, borrowing a book if it's not linguistically mature-- though some teen-genre reads are well done, I'll add that as to not sound like a snob--I'm not, smile, smile).<br/><br/>So: THE GOLDFINCH: I saw it was a huge volume, and I immediately thought 'convoluted' and 'good'. I wanted depth, I was hoping it would be rich in texture and as I read the first sample, I was intrigued and drawn in by Tartt's use of adjectives, weaving full-on, visual scenes I knew, but could feel too... she had me.<br/>Theo, oh the poor kid---what hell of life he was about to be introduced to....and Tartt's depth of psychological machinations, and the ability to bring them from this 'kid's' experience to us the reader was phenomenal.... And her work about Theo's development, how PTSD impacted his life, how crap-parenting devolved him along with the loving albeit unsettling friendship with Boris... but THESE were HIS.... and all that made him who he was.<br/>So, yes, indeed, I cared deeply about this Theo, boy into young adult into almost-but-not-wholly grown man... and I grew to love the people he loved, Hobie and even Welty through the sharings of Hobie.... it became a book, almost a FEEL of the wondering, ""IS THIS A TRUE STORY?"" (Of course not, the horror that opens the story has not happened to the best of my knowledge).<br/><br/>And...NO: I could not remotely imagine the turns and twists this literature (AND I mean, true-blue, solidly written, and I think should be held to the same scrutiny and study as of the greatest authors of all time) would take. There were surprises, that really, in hindsight are 'but of course THAT would happen'...but nothing I'd imagine. And the things we hope for when reading, a 'changed' person or heart, a coupling of two, or an appropriate ending--- all hoped for, but never happened, and yet, always there was more than my limited thinking. So well done.<br/><br/>Language: Simply and apparently  a fine art for Tartt. She wove the use of some even archaic words, so exquisitely into this piece... Rare it is that when I put down a book, and feel so darn contented and satisfied by the wholeness of it that I immediately (like as lightening speed as our DSL allows) search for and buy other works... I often consider the idea, and then skip doing it...But I have bought ""The Little Friend"" and look forward to it (but first must do some other things...The Goldfinch DID take up a lot of time as it is a huge piece, and I let a lot of my world slide as I indulged).<br/><br/>I read someone's review and they spoke of Donna Tartt as a ""prodigious talent""... I must agree: SHE IS --- and I am grateful for her gift, as it is a refreshing find for my eyes and brain! I promise you, those who read this long-winded review, you will not be disappointed. Enjoy!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTJXZ5FEYZYOC?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer is a joke	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this before the Pulitzer based on NYT reviews as one of 10 best of the year. This may be one of the 10 most boring ever. Self indulgement does describe this book. Every adjective and metaphor in the English language is used in the first 20 pages and then repeated incessantly. It's like a college English assignment to see how long you can make a paragraph using only adjectives. Despite this mind numbing diatribe you know everything about the characters in a few pages and they never grow or change or adapt in any way. The story is so predictable but unbelievable. Again a college paper not a Pulitzer novel. Just can't figure what to do with the painting, oh the suspense as he passes by choice after choice and then boom he just happens to meet Boris again in the middle of New York. How convenient that Boris wanders back in and we have to put up again with this completely uninteresting character. This was just a waste of time reading, from now on I'll never get a book recommended by NYT unless I get a kindle free chapter to check first.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QLUNVRCRZG2T?ASIN=0316055441	Fianlly	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As a lover of all things printed (whether on page or digitally) there has been a lack of actual fictional literature lately. With Donna's most recent book I finally felt I had something with weight. yes it's long, but worth it. If you loved the secret history, this is not the same book. This is something entirely different and wonderful in its own right. You have the ability to follow the main character and actually see how a boy and his experiences, becomes an individual. The writing has a way of bringing you TO a scene ( much like history) and allow you to immerse yourself in that moment, then shockingly show the outside  perspective as well. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who love to actually Read, just for the pure pleasure  of it. And everyone else as well.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F4DKRSNDRA6N?ASIN=0316055441	Ugh!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't imagine what put this book on the best seller list.  There must be a lot of drug addicts and criminals that like to read about people who can't kick the habit. I read at least 3 books a week and almost always finish them.  This book I started skimming about half way through. I couldn't wait for it to end.  I did finish it, thinking, it's a best seller, there must be some redeeming quality. But there wasn't.  It dragged and dragged (for 1000 pages), the main characters were horrible people, and I disagreed with the philosophy it advocated. It was a very depressing and disgusting book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M4U1QFBLHWYI?ASIN=0316055441	Grim, Gloomy Disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ugh.  So much hope.  Her words are many and some require a dictionary.  It's often beautiful to read those words -- albeit many, many could have been edited out.  The problem is the book is just plan gloomy.  The characters are not believable whatsoever.  The words Tartt gives to the 13 year old Theo are silly and elitist given his upbringing.  He's depressed and depressing, his friends and acquaintances are depressed and depressing, the story is depressing.  I saw only gray scenery, gray people in a gray story.  The last two pages appear to be from Tartt's own gray life experiences rather than that of Theo.  There is not one ounce of authenticity to this novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17OYYT1JXJ4NJ?ASIN=0316055441	A total waste of time and paper	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this book because it was on the bestseller list. I'm beginning to think I will never understand why such crappy books are bestsellers, or maybe the ratings are a ruse. It wasn't until page 93 that the momentum began picking up but I kept waiting for some excitement, something that would make me continue to read. (The explosion at the beginning was so poorly described that I couldn't get a handle on any of the specifics.) I continued to scan a multitude of useless lengthy descriptions and I finally gave up at page 590-something. I couldn't force myself to continue wasting my time for another almost-200 pages. This could easily have been whittled down to 200 pages and might have made a more interesting story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R2JEGW0K2OLF?ASIN=0316055441	Such a disappointment!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Maybe my expectations were too high. I read all the time  -- great , good, mediocre and really bad. I read this book like I was doing a mandatory assignment in college. It was tedious most of the time. I plowed my way through with determination, anticipating that glorious climactic ending that would redeem it. Alas, the end was just as mundane as the rest of the book. True--some if the writing was great, but too much was plain boring.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KYRUFP1DNDL4?ASIN=0316055441	Awful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I purchased this based on all the rave reviews. In the beginning, I'll admit it was interesting....but by the time I got through a third of the book, I was liking it less &amp; less. I pushed myself to keep reading, hoping it would get better...I got 2/3 of the way through it and just could not finish. Too bleak with no redemption, too confusing and way too much unnecessary profanity. In my opinion, a waste of my hard earned money!!!!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I9XLBOV56V6P?ASIN=0316055441	Doesn't live up to hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One star for good writing only. The story was well written, I'll give the author that. However, it is an extremely long and drawn out book that leads nowhere, I mean it, nowhere. I kept waiting for a resolution, or something to happen.... Don't get me wrong, lots of things happen, but it doesn't lead to anything.... Disappointing end after investing a lot of time into reading a long book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NK0QO46F5AZB?ASIN=0316055441	An Unnecessary Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This well-written but tedious story had no meaning for me. It was a pointless exercise in how to waste time. The premise was intriguing enough had the story been told in a cogent and coherent manner. The extreme wordiness  rendered this story unpleasant, at best. The fact that the author's command of the written word is superb does not save the book from being a tortuous read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SLT3QFDD8GNE?ASIN=0316055441	Not recommended	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long with very little to say. My Bookclub read it and not one of us liked it.  Long and pointless.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWQY3K3Q93CC9?ASIN=0316055441	A Downer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A downer book and I did not enjoy it much. Book club reading, but I was not able to finish the book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JWG8JAD0SXH8?ASIN=0316055441	not an enjoyable read for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I learned a lot about kids at risk, drug addiction, alcoholism, the black market, theft and depression....it was a totally horrible book to read!  If it were not a book club selection I would not have finished it.  Definitely not bedtime fare.  Lots of details that I could have done without!  Although I realize these lifestyles exist, it would not be a book I could easily recommend to anyone else, nor would I read this author's work again.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RD45P5PNX6XE?ASIN=0316055441	just so so	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The main character is so flawed that it becomes frustrating.  For a while you feel sympathetic, but he never learns what is really his fault and  what isn't.  He never straightens his life out and it's frustrating.  He's so stupidly vulnerable.  It could happen to someone with his experiences and age but it grows old.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R661NU9ZEQ7SE?ASIN=0316055441	Oh Please!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ugh... so much gratuitous drug and alcohol abuse use it totally takes over the book- what is the purpose of this???  I've read people comparing Donna Tartt to Charles Dickens and frankly it's an insult to Dickens to put their names together in the same sentence. Where is her editor, you wonder? I could go on and on but it boils down to this: if you love literature don't waste your time and money on this psuedo-erudite trash. Sorry Donna.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MT84GQ10O184?ASIN=0316055441	So disappointed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like other reviewers, I was very excited to read this book because I had seen it on so many top rated lists, but I didn't not enjoy the book at all.  Overall the story was very depressing and very long and drawn out and so many incidents were described in too much detail.  I think the story could have been told in about 300 pages, instead of 771 pages.  I definitely lost interest in the book and just wanted it to be over.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K00SOZYIDTG0?ASIN=0316055441	"maybe it's my ""headspace"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">but, this book is just unpleasant to read.  I don't look forward to reading it, and find it over the top annoying that this child keeps making such horrible choices after all the horrible things that happen to him.  It does bring up many thought provoking ideas, and some of the writing is beautiful.  I just do not enjoy it, and at 50% through it, am giving it up.  (giving up on a book is very unusual for me)</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21MQHQ7ZEMLAY?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful Prose, Profound Insights, Self-Indulgent and Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm guessing that the author is one stubborn woman. Her prose is brilliant. It brought me to tears at times. But she doesn't know when to shut up. I'm sure she refused to truly hear her editor. Hey, she had a NY Times bestseller twenty years ago. It's her book and she can go on and on if she wants. The reviewer in Time magazine was clearly in love with her, said he read her book, Secret History, five times, but he pointed out the obvious on The Goldfinch: it needed to be cut 10-15% (he was being kind). The story of the young accidental art thief was heart-tugging in the beginning. There were paragraphs that were so moving and profound that I wished I were reading a real book instead of my beloved Kindle, so I could dog ear the page and read it over and over (even years from now). It's that good. Unfortunately there were more times when I wanted to shout at the author and tell her to get out of the story. I just finished the book and only gave it two stars, despite Tartt's sometimes brilliant prose. The story died for me from midway on. Endless descriptions of hangovers, debauchery and blurred drug-induced images killed the pleasure of escaping into the characters lives. The ending was predictable, and though I think the author wanted it to be bittersweet. It wasn't.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R177ETNDPOHI19?ASIN=0316055441	Lost the plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a meandering mess. Tartt starts off with a compelling story and then squanders it, much as her characters do, in a repetitive circle of substance abuse and mental masturbation. In that way, it's very similar to her first book, ""The Secret History."" which deviated from an interesting murder mystery of sorts to simply waste time for pages on end in ruminations that had nothing to do with character development or plot. I know some will strongly disagree with me, saying I've missed the point, but to me, there is no point. Great writing can transcend any plot and take on a life of its own. And early on, there are glimmers of this potential. But in the end, it's not enough to inspire me to read even one more page than I already have.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26EYLE626EPHJ?ASIN=0316055441	terrible book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rambling, disconnected, trying too hard, .... Took forever to finish it..<br/>There is a tedium to this book , which after finally coming to the climax of the story, limps on with several chapters of a sore attempt at<br/>philosophy on the  real meaning of life. I can't recommend it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKNR8UK668BUY?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A brilliant, spellbinding beginning. Gorgeous writing. Profound insights. For the first three-quarters. The last quarter I found tedious and preachy. I got that the protagonist was traumatized by the hideous loss  of his mother  and the manner in which he lost her and I got that, at least during his adolescence, he might have gone a bit haywire as a result of the people around him not giving him the support and understanding he needed but then he turns into this inarticulate adult who seems to have no will of his own, just blindly stumbles along making incredibly unintelligent and unintelligible decisions. I got the significance of the painting, art transcending the ugly realities of life, etc. etc. I didn't get the endless goings on about drugs. I mean the first couple of times it was  brilliant, but after pages and pages of it I found myself skipping, like I've read this before, or where is she going with this? I have to admit I also skipped some of her endless descriptions of Vegas and Amsterdam. Same thing. Brilliant but went on way too long and way too much of it, like, I got it already. I also had problems with the plotting and pacing towards the end. Still, it did win the Pulitzer Prize.  No question, Ms Tartt is a brilliant writer. I just think this particular book needed some serious editing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R80X45RQFY9YB?ASIN=0316055441	My great expectations turned to great disappointment page after page and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My great expectations turned to great disappointment page after page and cliche after cluche as the 2-D characters  drank and drugged  and dragged through their  low lives.  Peppering the book with bits of  info on art and antiques could not save the book.  I wish I had not spent time reading this long book, I got to the point It only irritated me to read on.  The last chapter's attempt to give some philodphical meaning only underscored the failure of the book and added to the sense of superficiality.  I love books (including Dickens - comparing this to a Dickens is like comparing a factory knock-off to a real antique chest), but this is one of the very few books that i disliked to the point of annoyance.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J38G8K8DZNTN?ASIN=0316055441	Unbearable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have tried to like this book since the beginning was quite interesting,  but have been dragging through 305 pages of it (skipping quite a few of them) and can't bear the torture of trying to keep on reading  just because I spent some money on it. I'm considering whether to simply remove it from my kindle or leaving it there to try to get to the part pertaining to the painting itself. There is not one single likeable character in the book thus far except for the dead mother at the beginning of the book. Maybe I have to read 300 more pages to understand why it has so many 5 star reviews. I love to read but it has to be an enriching experience and not a torture.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L9CI9DVPWA4T?ASIN=0316055441	A Brave Try	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a mighty long story, told in the first person. As has been said again and again, it's in five acts. It's a tragedy. It's sad. It's thoughtful. It's trying very hard to be transformative, philosophical, and spiritual. There's many different characters, all of whom are very well realized.<br/>As also been said, the book is somewhat uneven. It's griping, and then flags, particularly when we get to Vegas. And I have to say that toward the last two hundred pages, I was in the book's grip but resented being so, as I wasn't getting enough back. I felt like I was trapped with Woody Allen in his most neurotic self-deluded moments. Part of me was saying, ""Just get me out of here."" But in the long run, I liked this book. It was a great investment in time to read it. If you have the time, go for it.<br/>I think there's been way too much hype about the book. I don't think it will be remembered one-hundred years from now. It's not Dickens. It's part of our times, but frankly drugs and sex are dragged through the novel's pages to excess.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FVQ4K7LUTI9C?ASIN=0316055441	Sad and drepressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt like I had been on a trip with a drugged out adolescent. Except for the large vocabulary, I found nothing interesting about this book. I forced myself to finish it and wish that I had not purchased it at all.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UG3M2576E4VA?ASIN=0316055441	less than one star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Prize winning ...whaaat!  Verbose and tiresome prose drones on and on and takes us nowhere.  Tartt steps right into being a depressed teenager and imbues the lad with all the sensibility of an urban litterary snob.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KQ2ANUC7XBRZ?ASIN=0316055441	Marathon Faux Faulkner Contest	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reading this book was like drowning in hundreds of submissions for the Faux Faulkner Contest. I'm casting my vote with the hundreds of other one and two star reviewers. Yeah, what they said. All of them. In CAPS!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMKWCHJM6Y8TZ?ASIN=0316055441	A decent 300 page novel dragged out over 800 interminable pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Where was the editor on this overlong, redundant, tiresome book?  It started with a winning premise, intriguing characters, and stellar writing, then went on and on and on and...well, you get the idea.  If I'd bought the print edition, I'd have thrown it against the wall in utter frustration.  But I wasn't about to break my Kindle.<br/><br/>If you like self-indulgent descriptions of drug abuse and alcoholism, this is the protagonist for you.  He wastes his life, takes advantage of characters who are kind to him in the wake of his tragedy, and gets buffeted around like an aimless boat adrift on a sea of boredom.  Early on, I felt sorry for him.  But after 500 or 600 pages, he still showed no signs of life and I got fed up.  I only finished the book on the recommendation of a friend who insisted it got better.  It didn't.  Maybe every 75-100 pages, there was a brilliant line buried in redundancy.  But not worth slogging through the verbiage to unearth a few tiny gems.<br/><br/>Wait for the Cliff Notes.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF8LEW985XSRB?ASIN=0316055441	Horribly depressing and idiotic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the risk with reading a book that has received an award from some some ivory tower types . Ok, I am not a literary critic, just the average reader who likes various genres of books. While this was beautifully written, to the point you truly felt you were there (especially the critical scene at the museum), the story is just too damned depressing. This idiot could have solved his problems multiple times, with ease. If I had to read one more time what it felt like to be in a drug induced fog, I was going to go get some heroin and OD myself. Geez. Given the opportunity to do well, he squanders it, for no logical reason. Various elements in the story don't hold up to any sort of reason. Every single time he was asked a question of importance, his answer was ""I....uh"".  This from a clearly smart fellow. Unless you want to get as clinically depressed as the lead character, stay away. At the end, I was just flipping pages to see how it ended, which was also a let down. Ick.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HAVGW390MWLI?ASIN=0316055441	Way too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line and the characters were reasonably interesting but I was led to believe we would learn more about the underworld of the art trade, so I was disappointed on that account.  I was not impressed with that aspect of the book.  Mostly it came across to me as an academic assignment where the teacher instructed the students to philosophize and go into excruciating details about the environment, what people are thinking, and conversations people had. To me,  it would have been a better book had it been consolidated into 1/3 to 1/2 of the current length.  I will not be recommending this book to anyone.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYB7IPH97M8M2?ASIN=0316055441	Mishmash	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Starts fine, then becomes a mix of several story lines. It reads as if the author jotted down all the individual stories, then got lazy and decided to string them together. And that did not work well.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R388GVTTU2SOE3?ASIN=0316055441	Emperor's new clothes	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The popularity of this bloated, ill-constructed story is a mystery to me. (Was the Pulizter committee on drugs?) Like Tartt's Secret History, it has a thoroughly sad and unlikable male protagonist who blunders through his life avoiding decisions (at best), doing all the wrong things (which he knows are wrong but can't stop himself from doing), and letting himself be used, fascinated and manipulated by glamorous yet usually evil characters. Interminable forays into esoteric subjects like international money laundering and antique dealing mirror the same formula the author used in Secret History for stuff like Ancient Greek. At best, a piece of high-class trash without one beautiful sentence in almost 800 pages.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QNYBFLEQ0CH0?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While there was a story line, I found it difficult to keep reading because it was very wordy. I chose it for our book club and I was disappointed.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KBSD7OVZN0OP?ASIN=0316055441	long torture about drug addict alcoholics	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book took forever to get remotely interesting. I literally had to force myself to stick it out. It got somewhat better near the end- finally- but, not enough to give this book more than the deserved 1 star rating. I cannot recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19HCJVQS5GAG6?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing and Dysfunctional	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too verbose - repetitions of scenes and thoughts<br/>No moral and no purpose to novel<br/>Deeply upsetting and depressing<br/>A wasted life</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTJ3UG6SMNVGI?ASIN=0316055441	Emperor's Clothes?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How this novel got as much hype is beyond me.  At least 150 pages too long, with characters I cared little about, and red herring relationships.  When Boris wasn't the focus it was deadly dull.  Agonizing to finish but a bit of spark at the end.  Not a shred of plausibility  anywhere in the novel.  Reminded me of a term paper due tomorrow and written on speed the night before.  No more Tartt for me.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L3PB2HTQWBQO?ASIN=0316055441	Yuk and double yuk	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had this book not been a selection for my bookclub I would have stopped reading it after about 100 pages.  I found it very slow, much too descriptive and very, very depressing.  As it was, after 400 pages I could not longer continue.  Life is too short for me to spend my free time reading something I find no enjoyment in.<br/><br/>Come to find out, all of the women in my book club disliked it!!!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TVT2EKN32J8C?ASIN=0316055441	Don't waste your time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was interesting in the beginning, but that didn't last long.  The overwhelming melancholy became a never ending barage of self-indulgent, self-absorbed drug and alcohol benders and abuse.  There were no redeming qualities to the main characters, nothing to make me care or be interested in their lives.  Halfway through the book I skipped to the last chapter to see if it got any better, and it never occured to me that it could have possibly gotten worse -- but it did.  The self-indulgence of the author was overpowering and the diatribe at the end was enough to make me never read another of her books.  Goodbye to bad rubbish!!!!!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RQXA3CBA0KYW?ASIN=0316055441	In my opinion, the author gives herself away in the Picasso quote	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's obvious Ms. Tartt had a good liberal arts education that included some Russian literature, an aquaintance with 19th century English authors, philosophy, psychology, and a working association both then and perhaps now, either firsthand or vicariously with mind altering substances.  To compare this novel to GREAT EXPECTATIONS, by Dickens, as some have done, is an insult to one of the world's great authors.  Dickens had a lucid (and I stress lucid) mastery of both descriptive details and human nature, perhaps only second in the latter to Shakespeare, and while his novels were often lengthy, it must also be remembered that many of them were written in installments, which readers eagerly awaited from one section to the next. The obvious depiction of Theo to be like the protagonist in GREAT EXPECTATIONS, Pip, is glaring, extending even to giving Theo's life long unrequited love interest the name Pippa.<br/><br/>Ms. Tartt mentions another lengthy novel, THE IDIOT, toward the end of the book, and while she adds Russian/Ukranian (some people insist on a differentiation) characters, the only real thing this book shares with the great Russian novels is abject misery and suffering that goes on way too long, but that was before TV and movies...people had more time to devote to reading, it was the only entertainment for many and those novels possessed intellectual integrity, a quality sadly lacking in this book.  What bothered me about this book, other than I spent too many hours wading through it, was its meandering, despondent passages that lacked clarity in the sense that the narrative was often skewed so negatively as to be almost unbelievable.  In short, the experience was laborious, and despite what many who've read the book think, I DON'T see this book as great literature.  Those who do need to pick up some decent reading lists of the classics.<br/><br/>The few positve influences in Theo's life (Andy, Hobie,) lacked any developmental depth and the story seemed to be almost like THE PERILS OF PAULINE on mindbenders.  I was often physically exhausted and depressed by the ongoing, never-ending torture the protagonist endured. The incidence of invoking a reaction by your reader is not always a sign of good writing. The plot(s) seemed to rely heavily on random chance, which Tartt has the characters discuss toward the end of the book in an almost comically adolescent passage, along with Theo's final summarizing of his personal philosopy of art/enduring beauty and standing up to life's difficulties, refusing to stand back, being stalwart and brave, like the little goldfinch; the last several pages had an almost shotgun-like scattering of ruminations and what might be loosely termed as ""conclusions.""<br/><br/>In an art textbook's rendition of the artist's use of trompe l'oeil  in the painting of The Goldfinch, amplified by somewhat fanciful theories,  Theo ascribes various reasons for the artist, Fabritius, for having done so, omitting that it was a new technique in Dutch painting popularized by another pupil of Rembrandt's, Samuel Van Hoogstraten, and Fabritius might have been just dabbling with technique, as it was painted in the same year as Van Hoogstraten's first trompe l'oeil painting.  While modern sensibilities perceive a bird chained up as a pet as being gruesome, goldfinches were commonly kept as depicted in the painting in many households of the period, thus the artist might not have attributed anything cruel to the representation.  The point of trompe l'oeil is to make something appear other than it is.....real, dimensional, not flat, in short, it's deceptive. Much as the perceived ""greatness"" of this novel is, I would add...<br/><br/> Theo finally gets around to mentioning Hobie's reference to a  quote attributed to Picasso....Hobie says, ""Well, I'm just an old copyist talking to myself. You know what Picasso says, 'Bad artists copy, good artists steal.' "" Perhaps Ms. Tartt took this quote to heart....  but more damming, her use of this quote is just one more example of her shoddy research, use of anachronisms and psuedo-intellectualism.  For those who want to read an article that refutes Picasso's coining of this phrase, go to [...]It's a short article written by Nancy Prager, Esq., who took the time to research the etymology of the quote from an indisputable source.  In short, Picasso never said it.<br/><br/> What really saddens me are the 2,000 people who participated in ""follow the leader"" or ""group think"" or whatever term you want to use for those who gave this book a five star rating.  Perhaps its more of an indictment of our increasingly intellectually lazy educational system.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NF9W50IFRA1L?ASIN=0316055441	disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very disappointed 1/3 of the way through and cannot bring myself to finish.  The beginning was promising but 1/3 of the way through the story dragged on and similar scenes repeated (getting drunk/partying in high school).  The language written during these partying high times is also a downer for me.  I really don't like swearing and it is quite annoying how many F-bombs are repeated.  Sorry, if I was at a party and someone was dropping the F-bomb continuously, I usually walk away as I walked away from this book.  I have no interest seeing this if it becomes a movie.  Surprised it won a Pulitzer.  Disappointing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3458F8J7FRRW3?ASIN=0316055441	A Complex Study of What It Means to Be Us	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was prepared to give it 2 stars, or 3 at the most. While I've loved Dona Tartt's writing since her first book, ""The Secret History,"" by a little over half-way through this tome, I realized that I didn't really like the characters--none of the living ones, and only one of the dead ones! But, instead of pitching it, I stayed to the bitter end, only to see in the very last 100 pages or so things come together in such a way that made it clear what she was exploring--the truth of life and living--the shadow-boundaries between good and evil, the metaphysics, if you will, of destiny. I saw opening before me new possibilities for ""seeing"" people in my own life who have been so difficult, and who I had decided to ignore--this novel made me want to keep them closer EVEN in their faulted state, and made me more able to see my own faulted self with less judgment. I came away a richer man for having shared this study of what it means to be a human being, a thinking being that exists in a world of chance, but who knows?--perhaps Chance With Some Logical Order in it? In some way, reading this book, I was able to ""study myself"" as Ms. Tartt studied the human condition. She urges us to have the courage to move on in hope and humor, no matter what seem the odds, and that is always sound advice. Her writing, was fluid and profound--even in the parts leading up to my evaluation that I didn't like the characters (all of whom I did like well enough by the end)--with turns of phrase that resonated in a deep place within me. The story flowed forward and back upon itself like the tide of being that we are. I see no way to give this book less than an excellent rating, and I'm grateful for the work. I shall read parts of it again and again.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVXJX90ZPM2LF?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning caught me but it took so long to get back to it that I found myself skipping paragraphs.  Never<br/>could warm up to the main character, he was such a weak indecisive boy/man.  the length of the book was<br/>not necessary as the story was scattered and the adjectives in excess.  All in all I would not recommend</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTHIBTF1X2H1G?ASIN=0316055441	What's all the hype about??	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read the whole, long book.  I don't know what the excitement was about... i didn't find the characters very believable; the plot was thin, the concept was interesting .....but i found the book flawed.  If this is the best book of 2013... something's wrong!!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21CHSPAYMR7LR?ASIN=0316055441	Can't understand why this is so highly rated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think she really failed. It might sound odd, since the book is 767 pages, but it just seemed lazy to me. I often don't need straight narrative in a book, but this reminded me of my home. Big, open, sunny in places and a total mess. Things piled up all over the place ignored and gathering dust. (Maybe like Hobie's shop, too...) I guess she has become such a literary star that her editor is afraid to actually edit. Too bad. But I do love the cover. I think the goldfinch needs a more disciplined writer, poor thing, maybe we can rescue it somehow, and really set it free?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31C9ZSCDEGG18?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing Story, But Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was totally absorbed in this intriguing story about a 13 year old boy, Theo Decker, and the evolution of his life in the face of tragedy. But, after the 500 page mark, the shear length of the novel became exhausting and a race to finish. It was an amazing book, but editing would have enhanced, rather than detracted, from the work.  The author created numerous fully-developed characters, and her ability to take severely flawed and troubled characters and make them relatable, even likable, was brilliant.<br/><br/>I was so saddened by the circumstances of Theo's life; he was a very passive character, and his loneliness and desperate need to love somebody and for somebody to love him was palpable. The choices that he made for himself, however, were often questionable at best. Thus, despite empathizing with Theo, and even hoping for his happily-ever-after, the reader learned quickly that Theo may very well let him/her down, time and time again. I loved Theo's friend, Boris. Boris was as neglected and lonely as Theo, but there was something very unique and uplifting about him, and even during his most outrageously precarious, criminal behavior, the reader was always on Boris' side. Together, Theo and Boris created a friendship that was more like a brotherhood; despite their dangerous relationship and heartbreaking set of circumstances, there was no denying their connection to one another or to the reader. In Boris, Theo experienced the true meaning of long-lasting friendship, and in Theo, Boris experienced pure, unadulterated, generosity, trustworthiness and loyalty.  To find that kind of love and devotion in the most awful of conditions almost made their fear and misery worth it; it was their dedication to one another that saved them time and time again.<br/><br/>I also adored Hobie. Hobie was one of the few adults that offered Theo kindness and guidance when he needed it most.  He was a gentle, compassionate man who not only served as a father figure to Theo, but who was also an upstanding role model to a young man walking the line between decency and criminality.<br/><br/>Many of the characters were despicable, and it is no wonder that the line is blurred for Theo and Boris as to right and wrong. Theo's father and his father's girlfriend, Xander were two such characters; they were self-involved and neglectful, despite taking very good care of themselves. They hurt Theo immeasurably.<br/><br/>What I needed from The Goldfinch, but did not get, was a real expression of Theo's love for those people who meant the most to him, Boris, Hobie, Pippa, or Mrs. Barbour. Additionally, I would have liked Hobie to tell Theo how much he meant to him. Boris expressed himself affectionately and with ease, and perhaps that is why we loved him so much, even though his actions defied respectability. In Theo's world, there were very few people who stood by him and helped him. I was waiting for those meaningful moments of appreciation and thankfulness. For me those missing emotional moments, would have brought the work to a different level.<br/><br/>The book took the reader on a captivating journey, but its length, 771 pages, overshadowed the excellent storytelling.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10NR8BNR1V77G?ASIN=0316055441	No editing...became unbearable.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really regret persevering with this LONG book. It started off fine, really got my attention but then it just went downhill after that. The section where he went to live with his Dad could have been cut down to a few pages. Instead, chapter after chapter of drug-taking, a theme that continued throughout the book. His life with Hobie was pleasant though he seemed too much of a fool to appreciate what he had. After he went to Europe I really struggled. I felt obliged to see the book through to the end but at times I think slitting my wrists might have been a better alternative to picking up this book. At one point the author was contemplating suicide and I wished he would so I could just finish. I really was sick of the main character at that stage. I really didn't care what happened to him. Yes he had a traumatic event early in life but he also had someone to love him and was given opportunities but he seemed to want to blow it all. I expected a book mainly about art. This book was mainly about drug-taking in any shape possible with art very much in the background. I didn't enjoy that. This book might have been bearable had it been a quarter of the length. You would think after ten years writing the author would have produced a masterpiece, instead she seemed to be wallowing in her own writing style. The main character could not walk down the street without a few sentences on every person, bicycle or tree that he encountered. We can't enjoy a silent moment without a little soliloquy on the telephone or paper rustling that breaks the silence. The story itself seemed to become irrelevant. I will not be reading anything by this author again.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18YHAPY7GH53?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch comes off as a peacock	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This site certainly doesn't need another review to add to the over 7,000 already here.  I won't add much to the discourse, but I'm doing this for my own satisfaction and to write down my thoughts about this book that can be both awesome and awful.<br/><br/>Donna Tartt is at times a brilliant writer and a masterful wordsmith.  But she reminds me of a Grammy-winning jazz trombonist that I saw at a club once.  He was an amazing technician and could coax more notes and different sounds out of the trombone than anyone I had ever heard.  And while I could certainly appreciate his technical abilities and marvel at the otherwordly sounds he could create with the instrument, in the end the performance was not satisfying.  I was looking for some semblance of a melody and artistry at least somewhat pleasant to the ear, but what I got was a cacophanous display of technical ability.<br/><br/>Yes, you can have too much of a good thing.  And Donna Tartt proves it with The Goldfinch.  No matter how skillfully she writes about Theo's drug-fueled escapades in Las Vegas, we are so tired of hearing about them after a while.  And regardless of how well she conveys all of the things going through his mind while holed up in a hotel in Amsterdam, we just don't care at some point.<br/><br/>I understand the tendency of a good writer to do more of what she does well.  What I don't understand is the writer's conceit in not recognizing and overcoming that tendency.  While I see this as a serious fault in a writer, I find it unforgivable in an editor.  Both of them are guilty of taking a 500 page great book and turning it into an 800 page good book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW3WA1MTXJSMN?ASIN=0316055441	"Not for the ""faint-of-heart!"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel made me very uneasy.  I don't believe that the main character was developed properly in the beginning.  As the book progressed, it lost it's impact and probably it's readers.  The story line was a good one, but the details of thoughts and descriptions didn't all add to the story. The  areas dealing with all of the drugs and alcohol were too graphic for me and, also, seemed to be too commonplace which was very disturbing to me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CKW8IOHHDDHM?ASIN=0316055441	the only book that ever put me in a bad mood	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As a native New Yorker the first thing I have to say is the author has no idea what New York City is about. Just about everything she writes about NYC is just wrong-o. Most of the details are just absurd. No one takes the 5th Avenue bus from uptown to Greenwich Village. People don't say ""I 'aint got all day"" or describe a bar in the East Village as a Polack bar. This is just so not us.  The dialog is ridiculous. Really. Then, the whole plot premise of a bombing at the Museum is offensive especially the way this author poses it. That's not the way New York would react. I do not see why this book has merited all the attention. It drones on and on and on; the characters are unbelievable, the dialog is stilted, the action forced. I can only do one thing with this book - throw it in the garbage.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BNQ23LCGWK35?ASIN=0316055441	Should I throw it away or pass it on?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished the first half of this novel, and I cannot go on.  I knew I wanted to read it and bought it as soon as I read a NYTBR review.  Fabritius, New York, a writer who may have spent ten years on it? Sounds great!  I liked the beginning, but once we're in Las Vegas, I could not believe the quality of the writing and the emptiness of it all, page after page after page. I don't think there's much more than a short story worth of plot or character development here.  I'm an English teacher and an avid reader, and I would feel sorry for the writer who produced it, but she just won a Pulitzer Prize for it.  We all have different reactions to novels, and I guess I'm in the minority, but I'm sorry I wasted my time on the first part.  There is so much great literature to read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ACSCE62RTXAO?ASIN=0316055441	It's no Secret History	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">On the plus side, the novel is pretty readable, and for a book that long, that's saying something. I wouldn't call it gripping though, and the main problem I felt throughout was that I just didn't really care about the protagonist that much. About half way through the novel, I actually took a moment and tried to mentally describe Theo, the main character, and it was hard to do. I think that is a pretty huge error on a writer's part. All the characters that surround Theo are extreme and charismatic, and very describable, but Theo, the one to whom we are supposed to attach most is sort of a non-entity, a chameleon, who gravitates to bold characters and then appropriates their characteristics and interests.<br/>Rule number 1 for writing a great, epic, coming of age novel- create a memorable and lovable protagonist to hold it all together.<br/>I also thought it could have used better editing, someone should be steering Donna Tartt away from writing half her novel (in parenthesis.) It pulls the reader out of the reality of the story and draws their attention to the artifice of the novel, and when an adult female author is trying to write as an adolescent male, drawing attention to the authorial presence is the last thing you want to do.<br/>That said, I wouldn't discourage anyone from reading the novel, but if you're stuck on the proverbial island and only get to pick one, read The Secret History!<br/><br/>I've written a fuller review on my blog [...]</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ONP4BL00IPQK?ASIN=0316055441	a twist too far	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the Goldfinch to be overlong .Theo's life in New York was interesting before and after the exlposion L A stretched it a bit but Amsterdam<br/>was definitely a twist  too far.And the ending was so disappointing. All that trite philosophising .She had definitely run out of steam</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCQI42NOVEOBV?ASIN=0316055441	A Very Dishonest Author	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the first part of the book and wanted it to continue.  But when Donna Tartt skipped about 5 years in Theo's young life--and he emerges cheating his antiques customers and becomes addicted to drugs without much motive, I was put off.<br/>  Very dishonest of Donna Tartt to give us a basically naive and tender young man and have him change morals in midstream.  I wasn't interested in Theo then, he wasn't Theo anymore.<br/>I liked her earlier book, The Secret History.<br/> Was she lazy to skip over those formative years without telling us why Theo became a cheat?  I don't know and I certainly didn't see any reason for his moral structure to remold so drastically without explanation.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QODJAE7IR1DD?ASIN=0316055441	A beautiful painting but the book is not.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Innovative idea to guide one through multiple stories by using the painting. However, there are many tried and true plot clichés: Dead parent...plot changes directions, crazy, alcoholic, druggie stereotypical Russian shows up....plot direction changes, switching real art for fake without a character's knowledge, dysfunction in a ""perfect appearing"" family, the list goes on and on. Nothing original other that use of the painting.<br/><br/>As others have written, this is truly a book of at least four stories. Each if fully explored could have been interesting. The reader is asked to suspend belief in reality and not ask why the main character ""drifted"" through life and never took control of his life or even thought of taking control of his life. The novel is truly too long by about 300 pages and really reads like an ambitious first novel. I am surprised at how simplistic it is.  The Amsterdam scenes are truly the most badly written. She is not a crime novelist. Nor is Ms. Tartt a good philosopher: Life is short, Beautiful objects that inspire transcend time, really....???? I never would have guessed those pearls of wisdom.<br/><br/>Not sure how this won a the Pulitzer over Phillipp Meyer's ""The Son"".  ""The Son"" is a much more cohesive story and is much more intelligently written with beautiful descriptive passages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JL67AFS2KH91?ASIN=0316055441	It was good...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked Tartt's first book, didn't care so much for her second, and this one was...ok, good. She really likes to use paper. I enjoyed her language and phrasing even during the parts when a red pencil could've moved things along more efficiently. But after not being able to leave Theo, the protagonist, to muddle through his idiotic passivity without me, I almost quit at the very end when Tartt kept banging me over the head with the same take home points over and over and over and over again. And over again! My suggestion: read the book until things get resolved, then put it down. It's almost the end of the book but you won't miss anything by moving on when you've got the point.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VAKFGIS90USB?ASIN=0316055441	ISO: Desperately Seeking Editor Who Cares About Readers	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The things I learned from this book:<br/><br/>Donna Tartt knows a s*** ton about<br/>- obscure yet important<br/>  - works of art<br/>  - vintage and priceless furniture<br/>- restoration of said vintage and priceless furniture<br/>- veneers, all grains and how to fake them<br/>- wood fillers<br/>- aging wood to deceive<br/>- the myriad policies on liberated minors in Nevada and New York<br/>- explosions<br/>- excessive (like insane-excessive, like these-kids-should-be-dead-by-now excessive) alcohol and drug consumption<br/>- prescription drug abuse and abusers<br/>- opiates<br/>- withdrawal symptoms from opiates<br/>- depression from symptoms of withdrawal from opiates<br/>- theft<br/>- duplicity<br/>- expat Russians of dubious intent<br/>- vodka<br/>- art storage facilities<br/>- how to write about people talking about sailing<br/>- NYC's upper east side and the vacuous culture therein, while also being ""nice"" about it<br/>- airports<br/>- buses<br/>- cool music teens listen to<br/>- vomit<br/>- waking in vomit or with vomit caked on a person<br/>- text messaging as a teenager<br/>- the burning sensation of sunlight on the eyes of an addict or hungover teenager<br/>- smoke, all vagaries: lingering, silvery, billowing, sylvan, streaming, breathy, wispy and wafting<br/>- pool care<br/>- big fancy words, such as ""sang-froid""<br/>- how to waste 250 pages without adding one iota to a story's value or progress<br/>- making you wish you'd read something else.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30VO92Y8JNP4K?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch Flounders	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book, this book!  I listened to it on audio on my commute to work and even let it come overdue at the library for two weeks so I could finish it.  Why?  Because I had to believe the ending would redeem the setup of the book.  Alas, it did not.  Cons:  The ending was overly philosophical and didactic.  Details are essential to any book, but does Tartt have to go on and on and on about every little thing, from drapes to legs of chairs? These are the questions I would ask her: Why did you have so much trouble cementing this book in a time period that was  realistic and coherent? I never really new what year we were supposed to be imagining.  Why did you develop characters and then ditch them?  For example, Xander was an interesting duck, but Tartt left her to dwindle out.  Pippa--Theo's Great Love--is only partially developed and mentioned far too little in this book.  Do you really think a 13-year-old boy (I have one) could be so philosophical, profound, and pay so much attention to the details around him at his age (answer:  no).  Why, oh why, didn't you find a better editor?  Someone that could have cut the book down to half the size?  And what's up with all the drug use?  It was so prolific it seemd as if Tartt assumes every average Joe is on drugs. She really went over the top there.  We got it.  Theo was depressed and bottoming out. If he had taken less drugs, he would have been a more sentimental character (I can only assume he was in a drug haze all the time...maybe that is why the book fell apart in places?).  Finally, it drives me crazy when authors overly use their knowledge (in this case, antiques and art) to dress up a book to a point where the details cause the reader to throw up a little in his or her mouth.  Pros:  I give the reader of the book a thumbs up.  He did a great job with the accents (especially Boris's), but I wish Hobie would have had an authentic New York accent rather than a slightly British one.  He wasn't a foreigner, afterall.  I understand readers (not listeners) of the book also picked up on this accent. This was just one more example of how Tartt over sensationalized the old money glitz she wanted the readers to feel(although when the Barbars went broke, they still had lots of money it seemed).  Tartt DID have some beautiful language woven throughout; unfortunately, her attempt to do it too often decreased the value of the real golden nuggets.  I did appreciate the appreciation of art that she emphasized in her book, but felt all she wanted to say about it got all buggered up at the end of the book.  As I'm writing this, I see that even my pros are turning into cons!  So I will stop, but not without saying how poorly the book ended.  Don't keep reading in hopes of finding a satisfying ending.  You'll be wasting valuable other book-reading moments.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36LKIXO1OQFOA?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling, but sadly, falls short of expectations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found that The Goldfinch, despite its length, continued to be a page-turner throughout. It is a very interesting and complex story, a philosophical and heartbreaking story. Some of the prose is stunningly beautiful, and several of the character portrayals are fascinating. But Theo's great flaw, his inability to make the Good a part of his life, even though he recognizes the goodness in several around him -- his mother, Welty, Hobie, Pippa, and even Andy and Mrs. Barbour, becomes very frustrating, and unbelievable, especially in a character who has a great intellect. His continuing moral and social paralysis, whether in simply making a life for himself or expressing what is in his heart to those he loves, is disappointing, to say the very least. This could have been a great novel, but like so many examples of contemporary literature, there is no God in the lives of the characters. I guess it's a sign of the times, but I really want to read something edifying, and in that department, the novel fails. So what can I take away from it? After hundreds of pages of tales involving drug an alcohol abuse, the author concludes with several pages of artless preaching about the meaning of art and life -- and ending that seems to be pasted on. Very sad. I feel let down.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D3092LWA6WRL?ASIN=0316055441	I'm Confused	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished reading The Goldfinch. I can't, at this point, decide how I feel about it. I was held captive by the plot, in spite of the fact that I often felt that the author was going on and on and needed a good editor. If the lengthy and numerous passages describing the characters' use of drugs and alcohol were designed to place the reader in the heart of their morass, she certainly succeeded. I also, at this point, think that Ms. Tart succeeded beautifully in conveying the eternal and redemptive value of beauty as metaphorically represented by the painting and by Hobie's constant dedication to restoring the beauty in furniture. There was discussion about how a great artist, specifically the one who painted The Goldfinch, includes a ""little joke"" in his depiction. If a novel is a work of art, this one surely includes a ""little joke"" in the ironic twist where the crime of the painting's theft ultimately ends in the redemption of the thief's problems.  So, my ambiguity about the novel arises from its meandering and also from its rather heavy-handed moralizing at the end. Perhaps the fact that it will take me time to sort out my complex response to the story is indicative of the greatness of the work. I'd like to think so.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VRX8F1O1U9K5?ASIN=0316055441	I am deeply disappointed in this highly recommended novel.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am about one third of the way through this story and I have yet to find any redemptive qualities in the protagonist. From the beginning he is in trouble in school, possibly just for smoking, but equally likely for breaking into summer homes with a friend who takes the  keys from his mother who is a real estate agent. It is apparent that the main character is susceptible to the influence of his friends, and he has made some poor choices. His chance connection with the little girl, who is also in the museum that will be bombed thus taking the only caring responsible person in his life away from him, sets up the most positive relationship he will have in the story. There is a whiff of hope when Theo begins to work for Pippa's guardian who teaches him about restoring furniture. This all dissolves when Theo's dissolute father arrives and takes him to Las Vegas. It all goes downhill from there. All the most interesting characters, including the painting, are left behind in New York. I found so little to like about this boy and his choices.  There may be a good amount of reality in the scenario of teenage boys falling into drugs, alcohol and sexual behaviors, but I need a reason to care about this boy and I have not yet found it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K05JIBXQUNK5?ASIN=0316055441	Not even a poor woman's Dickens	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I went into it with high hopes based on reviews and a friend's recommendation. This book has been compared to Great Expectations, and in fact, it made me yearn to pick up this beloved book to wash The Goldfinch out of my consciousness.<br/><br/>In my mind, The Goldfinch was more  Catcher in the Rye, than Great Expectations. Full admission,  I book I read Catcher in the Rye  in high school and did not enjoy it. My main criticism of this book would be that I wanted more character development and less convoluted plot. I never found myself rooting for Theo or really caring much what happened to him. That maybe because of his drug use kept him at a distance from everyone, including the reader. I do not know.<br/><br/>I am a voracious reader and I struggled ... struggled to finish this book. I felt like this book led me through a labyrinth, twist and turns, made me ""work for it"" but in the end left me feeling empty. This book really really really needed a deft editor to come in and prune this story. At the end of the day, for me, this story didn't add up to much.<br/><br/>As for the drug porn, I must say I now have a very clear understanding of the different ""highs"" from acid to oxycontin. T</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2933H6ZPTL9R8?ASIN=0316055441	I had to force myself to finish it, RARE for me.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I purchased this book for my Grandmother for Christmas in 2013.  She is always desperate for new books, and it is difficult to get her anything she hasn't read yet.  She passed it back to me to read afterward with a thank you note inside reading 'Thank you for the book.  It was long.'  Hmmm.  For my New England Grandmother, this bordered on rude.<br/><br/>Then I found out what she meant.<br/><br/>I was excited to read this.  There were fantastic reviews.<br/><br/>I started reading with a lot of enthusiasm.  I lost my enthusiasm and ended up forcing myself to plow through the book as the main character makes bad decision after bad decision.  In addition to this, the majority of those around him also seem to be on a mission to make the wrong decision at every turn.<br/><br/>The book also features an overly done caricature of a Russian/Ukrainian (and he may have also been Polish)?<br/><br/>There was no plot arc that I could find.  I don't want to give any spoilers, but the only one I could even think of as a possibility just does not work from any flow perspective.<br/><br/>I could not really find anything redeeming about the book.  This may well be the worst book I've ever read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY6JV3HY5KPC7?ASIN=0316055441	Overwritten, over-hyped.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The final, lecturing, 30 or so pages of this novel attempt to do what the previous 740 or so fail to accomplish: convince readers they have experienced a transcendent work of literary art. They haven't, Pulitzer Prize notwithstanding. Bloated descriptive passages, confusing anachronisms, and two-dimensional characters do not elevate a trite theme - Life Is Hard And Then You Die - above an overwrought preachy-ness. If you choose to pass on this flavor-of-the-day product you will not have missed much at all.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K3DH0RYOCS8Y?ASIN=0316055441	What is going on with the Pulitzer Prize these days????	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At first I thought I would really like this book - but after the first chapter I never liked our 'protagonist' and ended up hating this book.  I can't decide which is the biggest reason, but one of the worst things about this book was the author's clear love of hearing herself talk and obvious attempt to impress us with her vocabulary - an adjective or 2 (or 10) in EVERY sentence!  And the fact that the book went on and on and on even without a very good story...  Don't get me wrong - I love a good long book, but few stories can hold up for almost 800 pages - and this is not one of them.  (I can't believe Stephen King endorsed this - he is a very clean writer.)  And lastly, journaling is the place to let your thoughts flow and identify your philosophy on life, but PLEASE, dear publishers, don't subject the rest of us to that without warning!  Since I'm 64 years old, I figure I only have about 25 years left to read and I'm disappointed in myself for wasting so much of my cherished reading time on this stupid thing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25IVAT4OC7G35?ASIN=0316055441	Too long; becomes tedious; strains credulity	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This might have been a good 534 page book.  Ms. Tartt overwrites, drags out, repeats and repeats.  Eventually it becomes boring to read e-x-t-e-n-d-e-d descriptions of Theo (and Boris) drinking incredible quantities of alcohol or consuming various drugs in improbable volumes without dying, or vomiting here, there and everywhere.  And there are too many oh-not-that-again plot twists mostly involving Boris showing up just-on-time to keep the story line from following apart because Theo is too lame to punch his way out of a paper bag.  On a more positive note, the narrator of the Audiobook version, David Pittu, is outstanding.  He does a fantastic job with all the voice variations and accents.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23Z4AWLVW7164?ASIN=0316055441	Too much of a good thing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt deals with the theft of a painting from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC during a terrorist attack, and the burden (remorse and responsibility for keeping the work safe ) that befalls the teenage boy who took the painting. Tartt offers the reader a nuanced manuscript full of surprises, and her skills for description and characterization are evident throughout. But it is precisely her ability to bring to life minute details that mars her narrative.  At 776 pages, the book feels overworked, particularly in the final 100 pages. Toward the end, I became restless, wanting to get on with the story and not linger on scenes that stretched forever with attentive details that took away from the whole. Donna Tartt is without a doubt a terrific writer, but she gives us too much of a good thing and that is,in my opinion, too much.  I still recommend this book, and encourage readers to delight in the musicality of the writing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R173QN20K9VYKX?ASIN=0316055441	Very well written but not pleasant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing style was wonderful... so much detail in the descriptions that you can almost smell/see/hear/feel what the character is experiencing. The characters are well developed and, although I know some reviews see the characters as unbelieveable, they are well-drawn and exciting.  The major criticism I have is that the novel stops being fun to read at some point.  The main character makes one bad decision after another and really becomes a ""loser"", even at the end when I guess we are supposed to see some small redemption.  It's hard to keep being interested in the outcome when it seems so predictable that the outcome will be more of the same unhappiness.  I just wanted to say...""get over it and stop feeling so sorry for yourself"".  It's worth reading but if you generally like being happy, manage your expectations with this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CQT31HP19BM4?ASIN=0316055441	Well-researched Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There was so much hype about this novel, I was anxious to read it. I had not read anything by this author so didn't know what to expect. However, I was not disappointed.<br/><br/>The characters are strong, the descriptions of the Museum of Modern Art and various paintings, New York City, Las Vegas, and Amsterdam are vivid, and the sad life of a motherless boy are enough to recommend this book.<br/><br/>The first 550 pages are so well-written that I didn't want to put the book down. But  I did put it down, then picked up it up and it seemed as though I had never stopped! I would have given this novel 5 Stars, but after the first 550 pages, the plot got weaker and slower and stayed that way until the end.<br/><br/>It's obvious Ms. Tartt put lots of research into her novel and she is to be commended. I will definitely read other books by her.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DKXWGGQEQL8S?ASIN=0316055441	I wish I could get back the time I wasted on this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have no idea why this book won a Pulitzer, but I will be sure to steer clear of any future winner, if this is an indication of the quality they are looking for. This book was terrible and worse than that  -- 800 pages of terrible!  The only reason I finished is because I am reading it for book club, otherwise I would have stopped long before the halfway point.  The author was in desperate need of a good editor, I don't know who is more to blame for this 800 page disappointment, this book could have easily been 400 pages max and I am being generous.  I am not sure why we had to read page after page of his drug addiction, his altered mind, etc.  Perhaps Ms. Tartt was on drugs when she was writing the book and wasn't able to comprehend that writing about something over and over and over and over is BORING!!!  Do not waste your time!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QCPPRXARH13H?ASIN=0316055441	Subject matter not my favorite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing was very good but I am not a big fan of Russian or Las Vegas mob activity or children using drugs..  Strong characters but I did not like them.  Glad it was on my Kindle because it was so many pages, would have been difficult for me to hold to read. Make sure you look up the painting to see entire piece, changes how you may feel about the painting and the theme of the book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FQQWS16JYER2?ASIN=0316055441	Could have been a great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt surely must have based her story line on the symbolism of a bird, the goldfinch, which according to the ornithologist, Herbert Friedman, has several symbolic meanings - principally, death, resurrection, sacrifice, and the soul.  Another symbol, he says, is recovery from illness as a kind of resurrection.<br/><br/>All those symbols abound with intricate details in the long work of fiction involving an actual painting entitled The Goldfinch, by the Dutch artist, Fabritius.  It is probably no coincidence that Tartt begins the story with the death of Theo's mother during the bombing of the museum where The Goldfinch has been displayed, similar to the actual death of Fabritius at the age of 32, in 1654, caused by an explosion of gunpowder.<br/><br/>Theo, at age 13, mourns his mother's death and begins a life of incomprehensibly difficult circumstances, of questionable friendships, and of facing the consequences of drug addiction and illegal acts.  His happiness is less dependent on friends and family than on the painting, which he has stolen from the museum as he escapes from the fire and bombing.<br/><br/>Tragic deaths occur, one after the other - his mother, his father, his friends.  His life of drugs and lies is one of little  hope.<br/><br/>Positives:<br/>Tartt displays vast knowledge of artists and writers, of various cultures and foreign languages.  Her narrative is fluid and easy to read.  The transition from one tragic incident to another actually piques the readers' interest.  We wonder how it will all end.  What will be the final outcome for Theo?  So, in a sense, it is tantamount to suspense and we read on and on for the answer.  The answer, it seems, is in the spiritual resurrection of Theo's mind and soul.  Not his actions.<br/><br/>Negatives:<br/>Yes, we read on and on.  Tartt's novel could have been GREAT, not just good, if she had reduced the number of pages by about 300 pages.  It was an arduous task to read the long conversations and descriptions of past events, many repetitive.  I skimmed over many pages.  The excessive verbiage left little to the readers' imagination.  In the end, Theo's spiritual resurrection may have occurred, but his actions leave one thinking that his life is hopeless.  In fact, isn't that what he said?<br/><br/>But...do read the book!!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17XQOL6XHOGEL?ASIN=0316055441	My Final Visit with Ms. Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really wanted to love The Goldfinch. It came highly recommended to me. I was hesitant, because I did not like The Secret History. At all. I wanted to like that novel as well, but it just seemed to go on and on, with so much of the content not really relevant to the plot. Just a lot of tangent. But it's been a long time since The Secret History, so I thought she might have gotten better. Look, I haven't published a novel so I hate to hate on her, but wow, I felt like this one just blathered on and on endlessly the same way as The Secret History. In the most annoying way. I find her prose SO PRECIOUS. The language is like a mash-up of British vernacular and the affected ""upper class"" dialogue that they spoke in 1930's movies. I just found it so self-conscious. And once again, the narrator dithers ON AND ON AND ON. Endlessly. Gratingly. Ennervatingly. I wanted to throw the book across the airplane aisle. And believe me, there is nothing I enjoy more than reading a good book on an airplane. Unfortunately, I was trapped onboard with THIS book. Yet, I stuck with her, gritting my teeth through the last quarter of the book, annoyed and exasperated and yes, hating her. This morning I learned that Ms. Tartt won the Pulitzer Prize for this novel and I thought, well, there must be someone connected with her publisher on that Pulitzer committee who just pushed and pushed and pushed until the poor folks on the committee just gave up. She tries to create a new Holden Caulfield but she doesn't come close. Whatsisname the hero of Goldfinch is a somewhat lifelike mannequin, but certainly feels like a puppet with a drawn-on sad face next to Salinger's brilliant creation.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I3FD3NY469JD?ASIN=0316055441	The nay-sayers read the wrong book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As this book was published a while ago, there are lots of reviews by casual readers on this site as well as others.  It seems people either love it or are puzzled by its success.  This novel is so rich in theme, plot, character development and style, it amazes me that so many posters have nit picked it apart.  I am astounded that several reviewers mentioned that young Theo going through the Met Museum speaks about his cell phone, ipod, etc., things that will not be available to him til later.  And their point is???  This novel is narrated by the protagonist from a future standpoint, and like most humans, his memory of specific details may be imperfect.  All the characters are so richly drawn, and the plot just hums along.  Yes, the story is fantastic and unbelievable.  At times the story is maddening. I kept yelling at Theo, ""Don't do that!""  Or, ""Why are you trusting him now when he has already proven to be so shady?""  I yelled a lot.  And then there are the layers that are revealed over time: the randomness of life; the places where we arrive, not knowing how we got there, or what their outcome will be; what is it about art that draws us to it; which obsessions, which compromises will define us. I could go on for the 700 plus pages just talking about the themes!  I cannot recommend this book highly enough.  Five stars means nothing.  If you appreciate imagination and good writing, this is a must read.  If you are willing to take the ride with the author, you will not be disappointed.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EEQ6HQDS90Z3?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think the story is a good one but there is so much that is not necessary to the plot and it just makes you wish for this book to end! Things like a dream Theo has about his mother.....not necessary to the story at all, and takes up pages and pages and pages...too much time spent on just ""stuff"" in Las Vegas. This book could have been shorter. Unfortunately the ""bang"" of a beginning caught my attention enough that I got dragged into it to the end.<br/>Another issue I had with this book is that it is supposed to be from a male point of view but I found that not really believable. I actually thought at the beginning it was from a female POV, I guess I must have missed something. Then I was surprised when I discovered this first-person voice was actually a male, and then that he was writing an account of things that had happened years before. It would have helped had I known that in the beginning, but like I said I could have missed it - I did find myself speeding through some things trying to get to the next ""thing"" happening and not wanting to read all the detail about dreams, drug highs, stupid things done as kids in Las Vegas (of which a lot could have been left out.) However, it was a good story and some of the detail, especially in Amsterdam, was very well done and helped the story. I wavered between 2 and 3 stars, because overall I liked the story but was really annoyed with how much time I spent with it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F1TV3WE7JSGT?ASIN=0316055441	If you only read one book this year...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book! The plot, the flow, the skill contained in its pages is breath taking! I'd jump out of bed to start reading in the morning and still found turning pages at bedtime. I loved it and was sad at the end of the 7hundred plus pages!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WU8TOVGDXTO3?ASIN=0316055441	I Wanted to Give It Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had heard so many great things about this book that I was really looking forward to reading it.  I wanted it to be a book that I could read again and again for the joy of finding intricacies that I did not piece together before.  I was looking for a new favorite.  I was fascinated by the beginning of the book.  I enjoyed the way Tartt shaped her characters and their relationships.  The tragedy at the museum was well done,  and I couldn't wait to find out what Theo would do with the ring and where this mysterious adventure would take him.  Characters were well drawn and details were crystal clear, but I became disillusioned with too much detail.  I wanted the parts of the book that held me spellbound to be closer together.  I kept thinking that these pages should have been edited and found myself skimming pages.  I never do that when I am in love with a book.  I found the book unnecessarily long--I wanted to get to the end to see the results.  What had these characters learned about life and others and themselves?  I was disappointed with the philosophy and no real enlightenment.  I wanted a ""To Kill a Mockingbird"" but ""The Goldfinch""  didn't fly for me even though it had so much promise.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBS3IOKH3Z5X?ASIN=0316055441	Could have been said and done more expertly in 400 pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">About half way through this book the redundancy overwhelmed me; especially realizing how much there was to still get through and realizing there wasn't a lot to lie, about main character. Yes you could feel sorry for him but then that gets stretched. Much to preachy and speechy with unnecessary density at times. The last few pages were tortuous. Not sure why all the great reviews. It is just ok with the investment of time factored in. Sorry because there were high  hopes.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G1AP9NQ5DPSL?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just finished this book in about four days.....could NOT stop reading! This is one of the BEST books I have read in a long time. One so compelling and transcending that it had me thinking about the book long after it's finish. It is a scope of writing that encompasses so much it's sometimes hard to wrap your head around everything. It is the human condition incarnate.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YQ7ZI92J422P?ASIN=0316055441	Started off well	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning of The Goldfinch had my attention. The longer I read the more bored I became. I was practically comatose by the end.<br/>Gave the author 2 stars for having written so many pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1983KWIKFQZGB?ASIN=0316055441	Surprised at the love / 600 great pages / But 200 bad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't help but think there must be something wrong with me when I really dislike a book that so many readers and critics love.  This book was at or near the top of so many Best of 2013 lists, but I found it to just be over-the-top.  The last 200 pages were like some awful Bond novel, which detracted from a great first 600 pages.  I prefer my buldungsroman's without shoot-outs (unless the main character is supposed to be violent, a la The Son).</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HW30AURWX1UE?ASIN=0316055441	I cannot believe it was so lauded to the skies BUT I am only on page 400 our of 700 plus.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first chapters of New York and the Met were good - some passages even great.  But it is so unbelievable at every turn. When the protagonist moves to Las Vegas you might as well just skip the whole section.  We are back in NY now but I cannot make myself return to the book.  I was very disappointed since I gave copies to my relatives in hopes of a book club type experience over the holidays and no one can get past Las Vegas!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO76XYJRVDG8C?ASIN=0316055441	WHEW...finally finished!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great start, wonderful words and descriptions. I had a variety of feelings towards the characters which made me really want to see this story unfolded. The middle was slow and exhausting to get to the end. Honestly I started off loving this book but the story fell off the track tremendously and never pulled me back in. It could have been 300 pages shorter.  I burned out, lost interest and just wanted to finish.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5L4QSSWG26JX?ASIN=0316055441	Plod, plod, plod!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started off interesting enough, but a third of the way through I began to have my doubts.  Halfway through I couldn't stand it anymore.  Evidently, it follows the life of the young boy protagonist DAY BY PLODDING DAY!  I was so happy when I allowed myself to throw the damn thing to the floor and pick up the latest Harlan Coben.  Might not be everlasting lit-ra-ture, but at least I want to turn the page!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3607XBM7WWJ88?ASIN=0316055441	Is it just me?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">OMG!  I thought I was slogging through quicksand and sinking with each step!  If you weren't depressed before starting the book, you would be after reading it.  At the end when the main character was contemplating suicide, I wanted to go out and buy the drugs for him to hurry him along!  I know it is a best seller and a Pulitzer Prize winner, but the best I can say is grammatically it was well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFYQ0E6K9H85D?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">With all the hype given to this book, I really did want to like it.  But it was all I could to to finish reading it. It is very tedious in most parts of the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC6FYYRXD7VF2?ASIN=0316055441	don't waste your time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Horrible.  Nothing but drugs ands more drugs.......what could possibly make this a best seller???????? Would not recommend for anyone period.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30MDRSZQSOX11?ASIN=0316055441	Please punch yourself before you read this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">All I can say is...wow.<br/><br/>If I can stop even stop ONE person from reading this I will have done my job. I started reading this book on May 30th. I finished on December 25th. I thought it would be a nice Christmas present to release myself from the Vulcan Death-Grip The Goldfinch had on my manhood. I read three books WHILE reading the Goldfinch. Stop-Start-Stop-Start-Stop-Start. So boring. I'm talking like I wanted to light my own face on fire boring. Reading about this kid's drug induced comas and the number of bricks on the building across the street and the (how many pages did she spend talking about furniture restoration) excerpts on furniture restoration.<br/><br/>Let's talk about the ending (I'm going to give it away so spoiler alert)...words. Lots of words. I think Boris came through? That's about as much as SHE divulged. The rest of the ending was words. As if we didn't grasp the point of the whole thing she felt the needed to do some MORE explaining. You are thinking to yourself...""Zach, it's a book. There are words in books.""....NO. The only way to describe the rant that happened the last 50 pages is to type this. BLUUUUUUUUURRRRRGUFPAUFPPPPPPASDFJ. Yep. You just read the ending of The Goldfinch.<br/><br/>Hey, Donna...There is an old woman sitting in the window of that coffee shop. You forgot to describe her shoes to us. What's her maiden name and how much did she spend on her latte? PLEASE....KEEP DESCRIBING THINGS. IT'S ONLY PAGE 645 AND THE MAIN CHARACTER HAS ONLY AGED...WHAT?...A WEEK?<br/><br/>Pulitzer Prize my ass. MTV gives out awards to people for punching each other that are more deserving than anything this lady should have received.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JCJ17KVGV2WZ?ASIN=0316055441	A Great Story (yes long, but don't let that bother you) with a Few Vexing Aspects	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I first encountered Donna Tartt in the eighth grade, when my English teacher, a Donna Tartt enthusiast, told us all about a book that she had recently published. I haven't reread The Little Friend since 2003, though I probably will go back and read it at some point this year, but when I heard about the release of Tartt's latest book, I knew it would have to go on my list. It took me a little while to get around to actually starting it, mostly because of the mixed reviews and the length (just under 800 pages), but I should not have let either stop me. Donna Tartt's novels are right up my alley - dark, a little twisted, fantastic writing, and always a compelling plot.<br/><br/>The novel begins with the main character of this bildungsroman, Theo, visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art with his mother. Two sites that Theo views that day play heavily into the directionality of the plot: the first is a young girl walking with an older gentleman and the second is a painting that he and his mother discuss. A bomb goes off causing, well, the chaos you might expect if a bomb were to go off at the Met. Theo decides to take the painting, Carel Fabritius' The Goldfinch that he and his mother were viewing, giving little thought to the ramifications of pilfering a priceless work. The novel from that point follows Theo as he grows up, adjusting to a vastly changed existence after the attack and maneuvering through life with an invaluable stolen painting. The young girl, Pippa, that he had seen on the day of the attack, ebbs in and out of the plot, a love interest from the moment Theo spots her.<br/><br/>The characters in this novel definitely stand out. Each is vividly written, a unique persona with quirks and flaws not duplicated; each feels real. From Theo's father, an alcoholic with a gambling problem who lives in a large but basically unfurnished house in Nevada with his pill-popping, loud-mouthed girlfriend, to Boris, the Ukranian transplant, who introduces Theo to teenage life, Tartt's characters carry the story. Each has multiple layers and keeps the reader curious and engaged, wanting to know more about their thoughts and rationales. There are dozens of little side stories going on, as the world spins around Theo, and the story that the author weaves is so rich that it's as if any one of these characters could have their own novel.<br/><br/>Let's talk a little bit about Fabritius' painting, because it's very helpful in understanding Theo. I loved the art history tie in and the fact that the details about the artist in the novel were true. Carel Fabritius was a Dutch painter from Delft (same origin as Vermeer). He lived during the mid-1600s, was an extremely talented student of Rembrandt. He died when he was young in a gunpowder magazine explosion, which also destroyed many of his paintings. The Goldfinch is unique amidst Fabritius' oeuvre. It captures a living animal, as opposed to a portrait of a single human or a biblical scene. The bird is bathed in a very delicate light, perched upon a box and tethered to the wall indoors by a thin chain. The painting itself is physically very small, only about 13x9 inches, with rough brushstrokes only purportedly noticed when the viewer is close.<br/><br/>There are a number of links that can arguably be made between the main character and this painting. Firstly, the explosion that kills Fabritius himself and destroys most of his work parallels the terrorist attack that Theo experiences. One might even argue that what is left of Theo's psyche after that day is somewhat like the bird, imprisoned and chained to a bleak and undefined landscape. We could even say, perhaps, that the way other characters see Theo is like observers view The Goldfinch, from afar, he is composed and complete, but up close just a mess of emotions and experiences.<br/><br/>Despite the length, the plot moves quickly as Theo travels about, from New York, to Las Vegas, to Amsterdam. Two parts of this novel bothered me enough to note. Don't get me wrong, they didn't make me rethink my impression as a whole, which was in the strong-like category, but each was slightly vexing. The first was Theo's spiral into drugs and alcohol. This honestly was just not a topic I relate to, and I kept wanting to shake him and say ""get it together,"" always figuring that moment was coming sooner than it was.<br/><br/>The second aspect was the ending, which was not with a bang or a nice little knot, but more of a whisper. There is a surprising lack of resolution for a story that seemed to build to so much. Maybe we can chalk all that up to the post-9/11, ego-centric, and zombified reality that Tartt has created, a neat ending just would not fit in this world. I didn't feel like this story needed the massive zoom-out that it had before concluding, the rehash of Fabritius, the reason for the penning of the tale, Theo's ponderings on what having written all this down will mean.  To me, it felt a little like that section of Atlas Shrugged where you just keep waiting for the author to get back to the story and stop yammering on about this other stuff.<br/><br/>Putting all that aside, if you're a Donna Tartt fan, of course don't pass this up.  I haven't read her other two novels in quite some time, so I can't pass judgement on how this one stacks up in comparison. If you've never read her, well, I might recommend starting at the beginning, with The Secret History and savoring over all three. This is an author who has published once every 10 years, and each novel has some heft, but the stories all move quickly. You have to like dark motifs and twisted occurrences though, so if that's not your cup of tea, you should probably run in the other direction.<br/><br/>Check out this and other great reviews at Bookasaurus dot Weebly dot Com.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMZMI0DJTC9XD?ASIN=0316055441	You can speed read through last half.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story grows tiresome by the time it's halfway through the book.  I finished it because I tend to finish books that I begin.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCRYO79ZUAOJK?ASIN=0316055441	too long and rather boring. I think the author could have made his ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought is was repeticious, too long and rather boring. I think the author could have made his message understood in 3 chapters. You can only read so many pages of someone getting drunk, passing out, getting high, getting sick, etc. the entire book is like this. I am surprised so many gave it wonderful reviews?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU6L79AT8JYQ0?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth my time...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning was intriguing.  Loved the first quarter and the last quarter somewhat redeemed the middle but the middle was well- written depressing crap that made me want to kill myself. I can't believe this got so many good reviews! The only people I can see loving it are psychiatrists and psychologists.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDJO48CZYRCLD?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book kept me engaged for the first 1/4 of the story however, the plot becomes boring and ridiculously long before getting to the conclusion or wrap up. How this book became so highly rated as a  book to read is beyond me. I regret the purchase. I wish I would have borrowed it from the library.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QR7NQETR1D15?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't like this book at all!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is over-long and depressing.  The descriptions of EVERYTHING go on forever and so does this book.  I didn't like any of the characters except maybe Hobie.  They're a bunch of drug addicts and alcoholics and - again - descriptions of the trips on drugs went on forever.  I don't understand the rave reviews about this book.  I finished it but kept checking to see how much time was left in the book - couldn't wait to finish It and move on to something else.  I don't like not finishing a book but really feel this book was a total waste of time for me.  Will not read this author again -ever!!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DB1MHHCV9Z00?ASIN=0316055441	Great story, good description of NYC, but foul language.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossing and well written.  However, I am not a fan of reading or hearing a lot of cursing and expletives in order to tell a story.  I understand that is, unfortunately, the way most people speak, but the same story could be told without bringing the reader down to that level.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24GVVV0X0NINZ?ASIN=0316055441	BORING, BORING, BORING	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read allot but this book is so slow and boring, I am 1/3 of the way through it and not sure if I will even finish it. The author spends way too much time on trivial unimportant facets of the story.  How it got on the today show with all the great reviews I just don't understand. You are never sure of the story line which moves so slowly. The story doesn't seem to be going anywhere, you never know what the reason of the story is. I am not sure I will even finish it if it doesn't start to move along to a real story line. If they make a movie I will really loose it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HG2RVOD6BXFC?ASIN=0316055441	Wish i had read  a review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't care for this story very depressing way too much info that was not needed! Could of cut out 200-300 pages. And all the drug use was too much. I skimmed through to the end after awhile and was very disappointed!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZI1FY0CKD623?ASIN=0316055441	A so/so book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had expected a different slant to the book. It was too long on the details about drugs, alcohol, etc.  After reading page after page about the effects of drugs on the main charters actions, I began scanning and skipping many of the chapters. I am fully aware of the effect of drugs, but I don't need to read a book that is mostly dealing with that view point.  When reading I prefer to not dwell upon only a ""drug"" theme.  I had hoped the author would follow through more on the art and the effect it had on her characters.  Too long, too boring</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R68Q9LTTR63RZ?ASIN=0316055441	Depressingly Nihilistic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a depressingly nihilistic version of Catcher in the Rye.  I would not recommend it. It was written in an extremely self absorbed manner..I kept with it hoping it would improve, but it didn't.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYRS032WM9Y3H?ASIN=0316055441	Great Expectations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit long winded, a few too many descriptions of the after effects of drug and alcohol abuse, but interesting well fleshed characters. .Hobie, a wonderful old Curiosity Shop kind of gentleman, who is Theo's substitute father and benefactor. Boris,Theo's best friend and accomplice in crime, another orphan, a crazy out of control mixed up kid, a contemporary Artful Dodger. Many fascinating details about antique restoration, New York Upper East side society, the seamy side of Las Vegas, how family and art affects our lives and so much more.<br/>Theo Decker, whose adolescence and rise to maturity is the main subject of the novel,  is an interesting combination of Holden Caulfield in Catcher in the Rye and of course Pip in Great Expectations. His mother is killed in a bomb explosion at the Metropolitan Museum, and he suffers from an unrequited love for Pippa, a red haired girl who was also involved in the same incident.  The book is well written and holds your attention, the final chapters set in Amsterdam just go on a bit too long.  Ms. Tartt could have done with a stricter editor.  Overall I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to actually seeing The Goldfinch, the eponymous Dutch Old Master painting which is the touchstone of Theo's life and currently and apparently quite coincidentally on loan to the Frick Museum in New York.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34X03YQCYAQH4?ASIN=0316055441	Did I miss something?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is the second book I've read recently that, at its end, I'm staring at the wall, depressed, confused and as my little granddaughter says, ""Huh?"" After E. Gilbert's huge, disjointed, self-indulgent whirl though decades (in Signature of all Things), from which I was at least able to learn something, I hopefully began Goldfinch. Donna Tart just begins beautifully and then, after chapter 4......... Good grief. It's the most painfully awful bunch of mess I've ever tried to wade through. So I skimmed all of that section, tried to pick up the New York connection and finally said ""Enough."" Except for the brilliant parts about Hobie and his woodworking, there is nothing that I could take away from this book except sadness and a bad taste. I'm done with this mess and I don't even care how it ended.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35A4JRR05ZBW2?ASIN=0316055441	Could've Wait to Read This Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As soon as this book was available I put it into my Kindle imagining many evenings wrapped up on a delicious, unforgettable story. At about the halfway point, I wondered what all the fuss was about. I didn't like or care about any of the characters with the exception of Hobie. I believe that Ms. Tartt needs to learn to clip her sentences and streams of consciousness in half and allow her characters get over themselves. This book was very difficult to stomach to the finish. Not recommended.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLFVV5SQJ2MHW?ASIN=0316055441	Left Me Mystified and Depressed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""The Goldfinch"" may have won a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, but this book left me wondering what I had missed that made this book such a noteworthy piece of fiction.  I struggled throughout the book and kept thinking that while reading this book, I was living in a world of drunkenness, drug addiction, and total depression.  I kept trying to figure out what lesson or meaning that I was totally missing - nothing ever got better for the main character, Theo.  Maybe that is the lesson that the Big Three D's (drunkenness, drug addiction, and depression) is.  Life NEVER gets any better - I don't think so and I sure hope not!  Maybe I'm just not smart enough to get the meaning of this great piece of literature, but I would never recommend it.  I have spoken with a friend who is in a book club, and seven out of eight members strongly disliked ""The Goldfinch"".  Frankly, my husband is so happy when I finished this book - he said all I did was complain about how horrible it made me feel........Barbara Cognetta</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VGF5P74JVED8?ASIN=0316055441	Take out half of the book and it'll be good.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The storyline was good, but it was boring when the author became philosophical. I would skip pages to get through with the book. At least half of the book could have been omitted. Where was the editor?</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R390DY2UVCMOVX?ASIN=0316055441	GOLDFINCH Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long and detailed yet far too compelling to put aside.  The characters, flawed and detestable at times, are dragged and stumble through life taking the reader with them from beginning to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PZ8N1YGDTNK0?ASIN=0316055441	Don't get the rave reviews	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm with several other posters here - I just don't understand how this book gets such high acclaim.  Usually I stop reading a book if it doesn't grab me in the first few days, but I kept plodding through this waiting for it to get better after everything I had read about the book.  By the end, I was just flipping through the pages to see how it ended, but not really caring.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16SJ1635PM4O6?ASIN=0316055441	You will be amazed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt writes with a wisdom and precision and beauty unlike ANYTHING I have ever read. Just read it! And be grateful for this piece of art that will lodge in your heart forever...</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R479L7HIO7L75?ASIN=0316055441	Terrific book, not for the casual reader	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a wonderful book, intricate in detail, description, and character. It is not for the casual genre reader, but for someone with the patience to see it through over 700+ pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17FC6WHXY13R0?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really became engrossed in the book because of how easy the plot unraveled and the wonderful way this author described the characters. You won't be disappointed. Great depth.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36G19BQYJ8MKJ?ASIN=0316055441	Too much drug abuse in the story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I  was amazed what I learned about drug addiction and how prevalent it must be in our society which saddens me.  She is a good writer but I did not like the seemingly glorification of drugs, continually through out the story.  I will no recommend it to anyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R271TQ3ZR94ULO?ASIN=0316055441	Well written and unique plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author had great characterization and it was well written.  However, the end of the book seemed to drag on forever, and I ended up skipping many pages to get to the end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28368WAPB25UX?ASIN=0316055441	Long book. Interesting read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">We'll written and interesting story. Keeps various story lines coming. Charactor portrayals Are so descriped you fell you know them or have met them at see time</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10EX5JSP4LOA?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch will keep your attention with every page	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book of 2013. Rarely do I find a book that keeps my attention page after page with twists and turns around every corner.  You'll find it hard to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ARU2XASH8DYQ?ASIN=0316055441	great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It catches you from the beginning and stays with you long after you're done. It reminds us that art is one of the few things that makes the journey possible.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N6HGE2GOX1EO?ASIN=0316055441	A wasted week of my life.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">**********SPOILERS***** Please do not read if you don't want to know what happened******SPOILERS*****<br/>I started off loving this book. The opening, the explosion and the events immediately after it were all well written, pages turning stuff. The author's prose begged to be read aloud and the imagery was amazing. Then the Dad shows up and off we go into a wholly different book. Fine. Fine. Still a little interesting...but the main question (What about the painting?) becomes an after thought as Theo turns into a drug addict and alcoholic while really having no self evaluation about the physical side of his bromance with Boris. This side story line become predictable as we all know fairly early on the trajectory Theo's father is on. Ok. Pack your bags we're going back to NYC for yet another storyline with Hobie. Things start feeling a little on the unbelievable side while the reader is subjected to a mind numbing education about restoring old furniture. Hang in there because the author's math starts getting fuzzy too. Theo is 15 when he stores his package in some cash only storage facility--because we pan eight years into the alternate future: My math tells me Theo is 23 but the author says Theo is 26. And continues to repeats this bad math in several places. The almost romanticization of our pill-popping, drug snorting hero carries on throughout the book to the point where I question if our author is preaching from the pulpit of ""Been There-Done That"". Then hark, Lucien Reeves shows up and I perk up again. Someone is actually looking for the missing painting. Oooh. It looks like he has our hero dead to right....and then the book shifts again and our former bromance returns to word-vomit all over an unGodly number of pages that he's been up to for the last 8? 11? years. Wow. His life seems a whole lot more interesting than the drug haze that we've been forced to read about. AND none of it actually feels like it's true. Of course the evening is ruined when Boris drops this incredible story. Well, not incredible to the reader if they were paying attention to the kind of person Boris was in Las Vegas--but incredible that he fessed up to it. And here's the kicker, you're never really quite sure why he showed up to spill his guts so many years later. Alas, our Hero is upset and races to his private storage place and Voila. Theo is hurt and upset. But then here's the weird thing, instead of saying to himself well, this puts me in the clear and I don't have to worry about this anymore like I'd imagine most sane people would say, the two best buds sets out out find the painting again. Nothing that comes out Boris's mouth sounds feasible or possible but Theo follows the man around like a puppy. The Kitsey thing was another head scratcher. Are we going to get a confrontation with Tom Cable? No. Platt comes off sleazy and seems to be angling for some thing. Nothing happens with that. The girl we're kind of fooled to believe is his destiny, Pipa? Nothing. But hold onto your hat, the book is going to switch gears again as Boris shows up to the engagement party and they take off to Antwerp with very few questions as to why. Plus, why DID Theo have a passport? He's never left the country--never needed one. So I'm sort of surprised that he has one. Usually people get those on a need-to have basis. This is when everything gets really, really (I can't type the amount of reallys that need to be in this sentence) unbelievable. A Russian B-movie plays out as Boris word-vomits all over the pages with more unbelievable stories with stereotypical Russian thugs. The first time in a long while some action happens. Fine. At this point, I'll take it. Of course everything goes south and Theo returns to his hotel with his life turned upside down and then I'm forced to read about 40 pages of our hero building himself up to commit suicide. I'm not going to lie. I was rooting for the suicide. Either Theo's or mine, I can't recall now. Then Boris pops back up to word-vomit all over the pages again and to top it off, suddenly he's somewhat of a philosopher. More wasted pages of Boris's world view and Theo acting like he doesn't understand where he's coming from. Code for: please tell me more. At this point I'm glad that I don't actually keep a  gun in my house. Oh, well, No big deal, here's your passport let's go back to NYC. I'm in full panic mode because there are still pages in this damn book. Clear things up with Hobie, but wait, Hobie has some more never heard of stories that he'll like to share with us. (I'm pretty much crying now and want my mother.) But everything is ok. Theo's rich and he can take his time cleaning up his mess and going back to ignoring Reeves. Maybe he'll get married, maybe he won't. But wait, Theo wants to give us his PhD Thesis on the Goldfinch painting and his own philosophy on life. Please spare me. How did this author's wonder prose descend into ridiculous bloviating nonsense? Who are the judges for Pulitzer Prize? Are they insane? Suicidal?  The one MAJOR problem is that our narrator (supposedly Theo) is a heck of a lot smarter than the actual character. (That, plus the narrator knows how to make a Thesaurus her *itch) Theo was supposedly this young genius who read A LOT, but never exhibited any sort of intelligence outside of the author just telling us he's smart. We don't even know if he ever put himself in rehab or quit the drugs. Frankly, Theo is not interesting enough to carry a 771 page novel. It would have been best to split the book's narrative between Theo and Boris. That way we could have experienced all this other stuff that happened off the page. (At 771 pages, there shouldn't be such a thing as off the page action) When I started the book, I raced to come to Amazon to put her other works in my cart. Now, I since deleted them. I don't mind large books, but seriously, if the scene doesn't drive the story forward, you don't need it in the book. I have too many scene to count where I've marked with a ? in wondering what was the purpose of that scene. I guess, with it taking 11 years to write, that the author kept changing what this story was supposed to be and in the end we got like 4 or 5 different stories that really didn't satisfy. I would have liked to have seen how Boris got off that bridge. How he called the German SWAT. How they busted Sascha. All the interesting stuff happened off the page and I'm more than annoyed about that. In the end, it troubling to give this book a 2 star because the author does know how to write...but she can't find a plot even if it bites her on the behind.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BKXU7PVEEK4?ASIN=0316055441	Promise Thwarted	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't read the author's other books so I didn't come to this book with preconceptions - good or bad.  My writing teacher recommended it to our class, saying it didn't quite have the gravitas to win the Pulitzer, but who knows how these awards are decided....<br/><br/>For me, the writing soared in many places and dragged interminably in others.  The plot was compelling. The beginning was superb, beautifully and sensitively rendered, if a tad drawn out.  After the tragedy, the painfulness of Theo's predicament was palpable. The Barbour family was fascinating, Mrs. Barbour in particular.  Don't we all know someone like her? The author has a way of capturing the essence of personalities, especially extreme stereotypes.<br/><br/>Then I began to feel as imprisoned as the Goldfinch.  Chained to the promise offered in the beginning of this ultimately lengthy, verbose, self-conscious novel. a promise thwarted by the writer herself.  I felt like a guest at one of the Barbour's insufferable dinner parties, backed into a corner by an officious old drunk, spitting saliva at me in his wired attempt to control my escape...  Get me outta here!!<br/><br/>Outta here we got - to Vegas. The Vegas years were mildly interesting when Xandra and Dad appeared on the scene. I'll never chew juicy fruit (my secret addiction)again. Boris was implausible and his in extremis background added nothing to his credibility. But I loved that accent!!  The macho bravado, yah!! He was Borat with criminal intent, no?!!  Then, I began to miss the Barbour's boring dinner parties when the excruciatingly boring boring boring drunken and drug-fueled escapades of Theo and Boris took over maybe a hundred pages. It felt like a hundred years. Held hostage waiting for something to happen. And what decade were we in anyway, the crash of 2016 followed by the war with Russia? No external world as an anchor except the fantasy of Vegas. And there is nothing worse than watching someone get drunk while you are sober.  Unless it's watching them get drunk and vomit, over-dose, whatever..  We saw some of that too.<br/><br/>Meanwhile, implausibly, the Goldfinch remained in the background.  Why the Goldfinch?  The author explicates a rationale somewhat at the end of the book  but it essentially eluded me.  I confess, I skimmed my way over the last half of this book so maybe that nugget of insight was hidden elsewhere.<br/><br/>Then the descent into despair.  Theo returns to New York and the kindnesses of many offer redemption.  Theo, we want you to be redeemed!!!  Instead, we watch you destroy yourself - almost. Borat, er Boris reappears.  Maybe we don't even care at that point. And who the heck thinks Amsterdam is an exotic location?  Maybe we back in 1960's, no? Yah, get good drugs.<br/><br/>Less would have been more. A good editor and someone to step on the author's self indulgent ramblings would have made a just OK book fabulous.  Sad, really.  What will future generations say about our literary pretensions?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18TTMDEYRSRDQ?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful description, great characters, improbable plot, lousy pacing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a fine writer.  The book takes place in 3 cities, Manhattan (no outer boroughs in Tartt's New York), Las Vegas, and Amsterdam.  I've been in all 3 cities, and Tartt gets each of them -- Manhattan with its elegant towers and parks and multi-ethnic neighborhoods; Vegas where subdivisions fade into the desert; and Amsterdam with narrow houses, canals, and labyrinthine streets.  But the description goes on for pages and pages (I imagine, since I read it on a Kindle) with nothing happening --just endless word pictures.<br/><br/>The book is as full of interesting characters as a Dickens novel, but one never sees inside any of the characters.  Even Theo is a bit of a cipher.  He's constantly taking drugs -- halfway through the book we learn that the pills and heroin keep his paranoia at bay.  Well, it makes sense that a man caught in a terrorist attack would be paranoid, but how about showing and not telling?  All that verbiage, but not a word until then about Theo's fears and how the drugs keep those fears at bay.  Andy, the school friend whose family takes Theo in, has been bullied by his siblings; this we learn in retrospect -- not while its ongoing.<br/><br/>There's a lot of action in this book, be it the drawing room drama of the Barbour family or the derring-do of various underworld figures in New York, Vegas, and Amsterdam, but all of this is rather muddy.  When the book revs up, it's so fast and furious that it's hard to tell what exactly is happening.  Boris, Theo's Russian gangster buddy, always seems to have some kind of racket going on, and he sort of explains it, in his thickly accented English, but not clearly enough for someone like me who hasn't had to deal with art thieves or international gangs.  It all has something to do with a kingpin named Sascha, and there's some guy named Horst who's a baddie with an appreciation for art, but how this all fits together is really confusing.  In fact, most of the action-packed sections of the book go by in fog and smoke.  Why is the Metropolitan Museum attacked?  What is Boris doing behind Theo's back in Vegas?  Is Theo's father just making bad bets, or does he have some other kind of racket?  And who is Lucius Reeve?  It's all kind of a hash.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2702YHUWPCHRG?ASIN=0316055441	Whew....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm glad that is now over.  I couldn't not finish this book.  I had to put it down over and over again because it was SO depressing all the way throughout.  I like a well done tragedy... In fact, I LOVE stories in which the characters learn much from life's Journey... Which is often times, messy.  From these books I feel I can grow as a person.  But  As stated in this book, unless you recognize and realize there must be ""shadow""  in order to truly appreciate the light and joy.  THIS BOOK IS THE SHADOW EXPLORED.<br/>  I realize it wasn't meant to be a fluffy unrealistic epic of triumph.  It was a nihilistically painful epic.... With out much hope, at all.  It was well written.  In so far as the quality of its literature.... 4 stars...  I will remember these characters, it's fictional events and the character evolvement will remain real to me, as does all well developed characters and stories that maintain depth of character and story line ""realness"".<br/>  The depth of the philosophy that embodies this work is profound.... it's a philosophy that makes me SOOOO  very sorry for its beholder..... The questions asked at the end of this book are, indeed, important questions, but, I strongly disagree with this characters conclusion.  This work did it's desired job, most likely, as evidenced by me getting fired up about its content.  I just CANNOT read books of this nature to often.... They tempt me, and I believe everyone, to fall into complacency with what they believe is to hard to change about oneself.  On the other hand...  It is indeed healthily to have different views explored.... To understand how someone comes to a way of thinking is good spiritual exercise!!!!!<br/>  IF YOUVE READ THIS BOOK AND ARE LEFT WITH A HEAVY DULLNESS that's hard to shake off..... TALK TO SOMEONE who can help you out of the funk,  help you achieve a healthy balance of thinking. .  Or, write out your feelings about it. ( as I write this, that ""nihilistic"" cloud is lifting).<br/>  That being said, ,, My life's experience wasn't filled with this level of trauma.... My life's ""teachers"" have time and again turned me to the assurity of an eternity, to the assurance that YOU CAN INDEED change what you do not like about a characteristic you have developed. .... And SHOWN me that it's a DIFFICULT, TO THE CORE, FIGHT.  In fact, I know these ""to the core battles"", are ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY in the discovery of your TRUE SELF.  None of the characters had the benefit of this nature of instruction or viewpoints.  ( other than one who passed away).  Thus an exploration of deep darkness of the spirit.<br/><br/>  I believe that if you act AGAINST your true nature....  You invite and live with the constant stress and misery described by this character.  In fact that type of misery and stress can be a helpful indicator that shows US... WE need to continue to seek... To journey.....  In our perceptions, our minds, hearts and spirits.  It is a worthwhile and LIFETIME process.<br/>  To surrender to what you know is destruction .... Just because you always find yourself ""there"", is well, truthfully, part of human nature, but also is DEFEATIST  in attitude.  Let those of us who find ourselves in this pattern.....  Seek out...  Seek OUT of it....  It's worth the struggle. Seek realistic positive teachers, even if they don't know what you seek.  Make those repetitive daily thought changes.... It takes TIME but it DOES WORK.<br/><br/>A DEEP SENSE OF LASTING PEACE IS POSSIBLE ON THIS EARTH.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R332XSWV8OHF4F?ASIN=0316055441	Not Worth The Time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Starts off so strong and really pulls you in.  That's actually a problem because the rest of the book doesn't live up to its beginning.  Instead it goes on for pages and MANY pages of repetitive phrases and repetitive scenes that go no where, yet we stick with it believing we'll be rewarded with the same skillful storytelling that Ms. Tartt displayed at the opening.  No such luck.  The story contains many ""mysteries"" that at first are interesting alluring but they are never resolved with any kind or realism or satisfaction.  By the end, I think the author went into ""super wrap up mode,"" quickly resolving all the long-unanswered main plot themes with slap dab, cartoonish twists that are beyond disappointing.  I could rant on with a LONG list of examples why so much of the plot doesn't make sense, the story is poorly conceived and doesn't even follow ""truth in time,"" and why the entire book is simply poorly developed and written, bla, bla, bla...but it's really not worth more time than just saying bla, bla, bla. I think other reviews go into these details if you need them.  But to me that's just wasting more reading time on this novel.<br/><br/>Sadly, the most interesting characters are seen the least in the book, and the most seen characters are the least formed out.  There's just too much muck to wade thru to get out the few worth while nugget. I was quite annoyed after spending many hours of my interest, and faith for better writing ahead, to this bloated bobble head. How it sold so many copies is a bigger mystery mastered by the author than the flimsy ones in the book.  I would have given one star, but for the fact that the beginning is really that good, and that the author took the time to write so much...meh...</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S6PTBDNJVOTU?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is most likely going to be my favorite book this year.  The story grabbed me right away and held me until the end.  I actually didn't want it to end - it could have been twice as long and I would have been happy to hang in there for the ride.  Theo Decker's story is wonderfully Dickensian, with great characters that almost leap off the page and shake your hand.  My favorite characters were Hobie, the furniture store owner who takes Theo in and teaches him his trade, and Boris, Theo's friend and partner-in-crime in Las Vegas.  I think I'd give the book 5 stars on Boris alone - especially the way the author suggests his Russian dialect with it being annoying to read, as dialect often is in less capable hands.  I think The Goldfinch has emotional and literary depth that is rare today and I hope more readers are able to discover and enjoy it.  Highly recommended.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YHSXFEUVE7S8?ASIN=0316055441	Immerse yourself in a rollicking literary ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this sprawling, wordy, image- and detail-rich immersion of a story about 13 year old Theodore Decker, whose life goes into a tailspin after he is a victim of terrorist bombing in a New York museum, killing his mother and leaving him essentially to his own devices for the next several years. As he bounces from place to place, he obsesses over a huge secret, falls in love, falls in love some more, falls into drugs, falls into the antique furniture world, and wrestles bitterly with anger, loss and guilt while trying to find some beauty and redemption in the world.<br/><br/>This is one of those big books that is at once literary, a mystery-thriller, a coming-of-age, a picaresque journey, and a meaning-of-life story. The ending felt a bit obvious as the narrator sums up what he learned, though it it written so beautifully that it felt right.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JUBQHBKA26IG?ASIN=0316055441	If you are a casual reader, don't waste your precious time on this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to give this one no stars but the system would not allow it.  After reading the wonderful reviews of this book I was excited to read it.  It started out great. The writer quickly captured my interest, but once the story morphed from Theo's life in New York City into the weird and otherworldly existence in Las Vegas I struggled to remain focused.  I like a book to tell me a story.  I don't want to have to figure out the metaphors.  In the end I struggled to complete it and was glad when it ended.  I would not recommend this book to the casual reader who reads for pleasure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JISMXX601XNA?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An exceptional book. Don't be fooled by the slow start-it's needed to set up the characters who are rich and complex whilst flawed in their own ways.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UXYRJD6LLBIE?ASIN=0316055441	maybe the first 100 pages were a great read. Great development of characters and vision	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started this book with high expectations. The first section...maybe the first 100 pages were a great read. Great development of characters and vision, and really felt the emotions. But...what a disappoitment. The middle 400 pages were filled with drug use details on and on and on and on...I was skimming during pages 300 - 500/600....I got the point!!! I didn't need to hear again and again about the drug use. Totally over explained. I was bored. I couldn't believe how many good things I'd heard about it, so I finished the book. The last 100 pages  - thank goodness. But I def would NOT recommend this read. I read her other book THE SECRET HISTORY, which I thought was great....so this was definitely a disappointment. Have told my bookgroup and we are changing books. One other of our members read it already and felt the same!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OVV5XY5R8KG6?ASIN=0316055441	dislike	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I feel the author spent way too much time describing art, furniture restoration and the effects of drugs. She ends up trying to be a philosopher. There was only one surprise in the novel that deserves mention but I will not go into that out of respect to others who may wish to read this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24O102PELNXJC?ASIN=0316055441	Truly an unforgettable book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow, having just finished the book I am in awe. Gorgeously written, characters developed so well you feel you actually know them, relationships between the characters incredibly real and a great plot as well. I hated for it to end! Great fiction, I truly appreciate the talent of the author.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TTPWAUQP5451?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed this story and the suspense lasted nearly the whole book. I found myself thinking about the characters when I wasn't reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BNEY3BU1243B?ASIN=0316055441	well written novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">interesting story but mostly very well written and difficult to put down. Keeps changing course and therefore maintains  a high level of  interest</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHLISN63ORZFA?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unnecessarily drawn out. Unlikable characters. Wish there was more detail surrounding the painting itself and the story of the paintings journey.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKFM8AGOF5C9L?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully Written is the Understatement	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is one of the best books I have ever read. It is tragically beautiful in its story, and like poetry in its descriptions.<br/><br/>Having lost our only child 12 years ago, I found the grief descriptions deeply moving and 100% accurate. In fact, I found myself highlighting the grief sections more than others. Tartt is either ""walking the grief journey"" alongside the rest of us, or really did her homework. As a grief specialist and the founder of the nonprofit organization [...] I have and will continue to recommend this book to all of my clients, friends, and those who are grieving. In fact, I purchased several Kindle versions and gave them as Christmas presents and plan to read sections of the books in my grief groups.<br/><br/>One thing that occurs to me after reading a book of this caliber is that it is very difficult to go ""back"" to reading something else that is not meant to be of this quality (can you say ""murder mysteries?"" which I do love for fun reading), so that is what led me to the book that followed The Goldfinch: The Orphan Master's Son. To those reading this, do yourselves a favor and read The Orphan Master's Son soon! The author won the Pullitzer for Orphan Master, and you will see why when you read it.<br/><br/>Books such as The Goldfinch and The Orphan Master's Son don't come around very often, but when they do, I am SO thankful.<br/><br/>Susan Whitmore, BSBM, CGS<br/>Founder &amp; President, griefHaven<br/>Grief Specialist</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J54VWNBPDYAP?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer prize winner. Really?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In looking for books to read I kept seeing The Goldfinch at the top of every reading list--for weeks and weeks--so I finally broke down and purchased the 700+ page book.  Big mistake.  Ms. Tartt could have cut about 150 pages from her book and made it a much more enjoyable read.  There were entirely too many pages of 'inner reflections' by the storyteller which added nothing to the plot.  Once I realized how much of the story was actually just 'filler', I was able to skim the many pages of unnecessary verbiage and (mostly) enjoy the storyline.  I really wouldn't recommend this book to anyone--the plot wasn't that gripping, because the author made us spend too much time between scenes that mattered by filling pages with unnecessary words (maybe just so she could say she wrote a 700+ page book).</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KFTWKO522LT5?ASIN=0316055441	someone hire an editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt constructs beautifully written sentences. But this book had far too many of them. There weren't just paragraphs that served no purpose but entire pages. I had been given to understand that this book was like a modern version of a Victorian mystery, layers upon layers of intricate detail where even there'd hearings have meaning. Instead this is more like Brett Eaton Ellis meets Hunter S Thompson and they rob an art gallery in a drug fuelled haze. The characters were flat bits of cardboard with stereotypes hung on them. Far too many characters who add nothing to the story making passing entrances and exits for no purpose. On and on and on for 775 pages. An absolute waste of my limited reading time. Though there were a few paragraphs of striking beauty that redeemed it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UGVUPLK1LUYW?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful writing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There's a reason this novel has stayed on the NYT's best seller list for so long. Ms. Tartt is a gifted writer and a wonderful storyteller.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7IKGJB857Z4P?ASIN=0316055441	Great New York story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am about 58% of the way through it and am having trouble putting it down...Can't remember the last time I was this engaged with a novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R332GW5FVG5CIS?ASIN=0316055441	775 Perfect Pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is exquisite and the story-mystery sublime.  I could not put this book down.  So few books make me really happy, this one did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13FATMEI16AI4?ASIN=0316055441	Takes you away	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch was captivating! Tart's descriptive writing had me right there with her characters and scenes. Couldn't put it down! Great read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28Z3Q6R3VYT1G?ASIN=0316055441	Make sure your seat cushion is ample and soft - it's going to be a LOONNNG read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has gotten so much attention that it almost has to disappoint.  How over the top can the reviews be and remain credible? No doubt about Tartt's skill as a writer, and her ability to weave a tale with many twists and turns (see ""The Little Friend"").  This book is no exception.  The story is compelling, the characters well-developed, but honestly I want to ask WHERE were the editors?  The book is just too L-O-N-G.  Too, too, too LONG.  Thirty percent of this book could have and should have been cut, and we'd have had the same quality story with far fewer bumps of cocaine.  I mean, we get it already.  Still, this is not a book to ignore.  She will win awards that she deserves, along with the prize for the needlessly overly longest book of the year.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DY4QCPPA6G60?ASIN=0316055441	Life is short, but this book is long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Having a degree in Art History always draws me into stories about art and artists, so I grabbed The Goldfinch off the shelf in anticipation of the seven hundred plus pages of pleasure to come.  I'm sorry to say I have to agree with the other readers who felt it was in dire need of editing.  It's not that Ms. Tartt's writing isn't excellent, but her narrative is so protracted and detailed that she loses the emotional impact for her characters.  I'm a patient reader, but this book was a trial. Halfway through I no longer cared and I was skim reading through the last third of the book to come to an end point that could have been conveyed on the back jacket of a paperback self help book.<br/><br/>Dear Ms. Tartt's editors: Just say nooooo.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUPHJOYVAYJ0V?ASIN=0316055441	Where was the EDITOR?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are some books you just don't want to end.  You just want to read, read, read.  This is NOT one of those books!  This book could lose probably 300+ pages out the massive 775 pages presented to us. There are some very enjoyable parts of this book - everything up until Ls Vegas, for example, and the part when they FINALLY get to Amsterdam.  In between the plot moves at the speed of  glacier with one drug scene after another - BORING!  I just don't understand how anyone thinks this is a 5  star book!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R286VCUOR7MCJF?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was interesting but way too long. I would advise my friends to read it but be sure to allow plenty of time for reading</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LGPPOE0BNM2G?ASIN=0316055441	engrossing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was initially not planning on reading this book until someone gave it to me.  I had read both of her previous novels, The Secret History and The Little Friend and very much enjoyed the first but not the latter. The Goldfinch, however, is a return to her much better work.  It is creative, humorous, thought provoking and well written.  As with her other books, the reader requires some leaps of faith in how life unfolds for the characters, but it is well worth the time and, while it is a lengthy novel, it is fast paced. I plan on visiting The Frick to view the inspiration for the book's title; the connection between what happened to the painter and what happened to the main character is a clever jumping off point for the novel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14CZ2HIX65VX8?ASIN=0316055441	Truth is beauty, and beauty truth	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a long (but wonderful) story of loss, love, friendship and coming of age.  The protagonist is Theo Decker, and the book follows him from age 12 into his 20's.  I don't write spoiler reviews, so I will not describe the plot of this masterpiece other than to say that the art world figures prominently, so much so that a painting might be considered a second protagonist of sorts.  I bought this book for 2 friends before I was even halfway through it -- it is that good.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI0ZA3EY1NVNX?ASIN=0316055441	Disturbing, epic journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">That a tiny, valuable piece of art could be the catalyst for the journey of an orphaned boy is incredible.  This novel takes the reader to settings in New York, Las Vegas, the drug world, the world of crime, and the dark world of loss of love. The reader is sucked into the vortex of a life that is as blown up as the Art Museum, as twisted as the delinquent father who leads a son to drinking and drugs and the strange connection to an eccentric antique dealer who provides some semblance of safety for this young, damaged boy.  At times, the reader wishes for some normalcy in his life, for the painting to be returned to the Museum, and for healing.  At every twist and turn, there is another layer of angst placed in the way of the young man.  This novel is full of rich characterization, engaging the reader in a spiraling story always permeated by the painting of a small bird.<br/>Pat O'Neill<br/>Hartville, Ohio</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CLA1NDFM1RB4?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not stop thinking about the characters in this book.  Tarte's descriptions of environments, people, and scenes are amazingly vivid and at the same time the story is so enthralling that I couldn't stop reading.  One of my favorite books!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W4LUREVDSQCK?ASIN=0316055441	Is this novel for you?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Do you sometimes find that even when a novel is highly acclaimed and has wowed thousands if not millions of readers, that it just didn't grab you personally? Me too. So rather than explain why I gave it five stars, which I couldn't do if I wanted to, I thought I'd attempt a 'you'd probably like this novel if' approach. BTW, with the 'send a sample' option for Kindle, I know you can often decide that for yourself fairly quickly, but I didn't think that was the case with this novel. So here goes-<br/><br/>You'd probably like this novel if:<br/><br/>You usually prefer a first person narrative style, where you experience and feel what's happening through the protagonist's point of view.<br/><br/>The main characters are openly flawed, dubious in motive, but for the most part likable.(sort of Elmore Leanord style)<br/><br/>The plot line itself keeps you page-turning, and often on the edge of your seat, but more so because you're invested in the characters than in the plot itself.<br/><br/>You'd rather focus on a a few key players than try to keep track of a lengthy cast of characters.<br/><br/>You've read so many novels that you're pretty savvy as to what will probably happen next and how it'll end. This novel winds up alluding you on both counts.<br/><br/>I hope this helps. It's a lengthy read, so I thought I'd try and give a heads up in advance.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2224NIACXLEZG?ASIN=0316055441	Not quite what it promised to be....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started so well, great expectations, but went on far too long! Initially I could not put it down, but eventually it felt as if it would never end - disappointing</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17NVWZUR75JNJ?ASIN=0316055441	For thinkers	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It has been many years since I've read a book that I've enjoyed so much. There were a couple of parts that I was tempted to skim, but they are necessary to the book. The book kept my attention and I found that I was making excuses to stop doing other things, to go back to this book. The characters are interesting and very much alive. I think I read the last chapter three times.<br/><br/>If you don't think about your life and aren't interested in how to examine it, don't bother. I think almost all of us can identify with parts of these people. We've known them or have been them at various times in our lives. I hope this self examination has made me a more whole  human being, but how can I know?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20FX7KU8R7AT4?ASIN=0316055441	Good story. Lacked satisfactory ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story well written ,  too philosophical at the end. A bit ""draggy"" at the end. Would have liked a  real ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GH3VVAUHI72C?ASIN=0316055441	Book of the year.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read all year. This is the ""Catcher in the Rye"" for the Millenial generation ( and I'm a baby-boomer)</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X2WDV13O47D5?ASIN=0316055441	Art, takes many forms	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant book. Not for the faint hearted. So much is packed into this one volume; yet I am grateful it is complete in one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SUUSOH78NM7Y?ASIN=0316055441	A must read !!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is beautiful ! Story engaging and keeps you on edge - a must read !!<br/>This author does not disappoint you!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17IEL1ABMR25Y?ASIN=0316055441	Another great book by Donna Tartt!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love Donna Tartt!!  I have read all of her books, and this one was long,  but still kept my attention.  I'm still a fan.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GFUKLP6G62TV?ASIN=0316055441	Deserving of the Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">13-year-old Theo loses his mother when the Metropolitan Museum is bombed. After a fateful connection with an elderly dying man, Theo steals a priceless painting. In numbed shock he stays with a friend's rich family on Park Avenue until his father and girlfriend show up to drag him to Las Vegas. Here Theo meets the worldly reckless Boris who will change his life. Some of my favorite vivid scenes are the two teenagers high and crazy in a swimming pool or under a colorful desert sky. The death of each of Theo's parents deepens his sorrowful and cynical awareness, while the jubilantly derelict Boris saves him from despair. The stolen classical painting of the title is transcendent for Theo:  a connection to his lost mother and to the girl (his unrequited love) who also suffered from the bombing. There is so much amazing detail, from the off-kilter privileged Barbours to the kindly furniture restorer Hobie who offers Theo a second chance to the multilingual frenetic Boris. From a dusty antiques basement in the Village to a terrifying bloody showdown in freezing cold Amsterdam, what really impressed was the equal detail given to Theo's inner life. The voice is right on as he grows up to be a young man: savvy, unstable, drug-addicted, yet visionary, philosophical.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PJTZIH7ZN8M2?ASIN=0316055441	bittersweet	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very dark, deep, and moving. Made my last few novel reads seem like comic books; unrequited love, Russian hero-villain, NYC socialites, international art theft, extreme tragedy, and terrorism-- this book has it all!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5IB6MX3OB6B4?ASIN=0316055441	Whew	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this book down.  I found myself mad at the characters, protective of the characters and disgusted and disappointed with them.  I loved the voice of Boris.  I hated Boris yet laughed with him.  I knew it was trouble with a twist when Boris was involved.<br/>My mind can't comprehend how Donna Tartt pulled this book from her mind.  It is excellent and unlike anything I've ever read before.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R310OAV3KYVJMP?ASIN=0316055441	It's Long But It's Worth It	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's writing is superb. The Goldfinch turns a piece of art into a talisman that carries more than one life through troubled times. I believe that art is redemptive but Tartt demonstrates this as fact in The Goldfinch. Theo Decker's life has been both tragic and unplanned while also riddled with fortunate turns of fate. This is what makes the story compelling. For instance, at the beginning of the story he survives an explosion in the Meteopolitan Museum of Art. His mother is killed and he ends up walking out of the museum carrying a valuable masterpiece by Fabritius. And if this isn't bad enough for you an alcohol and gambling addicted father shows up to stake a claim on Theo, hauling him off to Las Vegas and essentially abandoning him in a failed housing development where ""even Dominoes won't deliver."" At least half of my reading time was spent on the edge of my seat and the other half hoping for a break to get this kid/young man out of the hot water he kept pitching into head first. And along comes Boris Pavlikovsky, Theo's best friend and one of the most endearing hoodlums you'll ever meet. Like I said, the book is long but it's one of the best stories I've read. PERIOD!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FFGH8HN7COQ6?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing and sublime, a full course meal	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing read on many levels. So well written, deep beautiful flawed truths. Gives you a lot to think about.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S9WP69RSGK26?ASIN=0316055441	It's all about the fiddly bits.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not sure if it's masochism, but I always read the one star reviews of a well-loved book first.<br/><br/>The primary complaint I've read about this book is that it was either ""too long"" or had ""too many words."" These complaints are along the lines of the quote from ""Amadeus""—""It had too many notes."" To which Wolfgang replies ""Which few did you have in mind, Majesty?""<br/><br/>I would contend that as the art Ms. Tartt so eloquently speaks of (and by extension, has created), this book has ""just enough"" words. I have a tough time with novels in general, finding I've invested too much time in characters I feel have nothing to tell me by the book's end. Quite the opposite here. People complaining about the overly ""philosophical"" ending? Did you miss the previous 700 pages?! Considering the nature of the character, the nature of the story, the nature of life and love and art, is ""too long"" a valid criticism? For those with short attention spans, or who have no interest in the three aforementioned subjects, yes, please pass on this one.<br/><br/>For the rest of you: read this. I plowed through this book in just over a week, and at no point felt I was wasting my time. In fact, like any good story, it builds speed and momentum in the second half. The Vegas interlude? Completely necessary, and, I would add, the emotional core of the book. Everything that comes after is completely dependent on Theo's nihilism, dread, and Boris' joie de vivre. A thoughtful treatise on ethical pragmatism, if there ever was one.<br/><br/>Outside of that, being an artist myself, I was A). disappointed that ""The Goldfinch"" actually exists; and B). disappointed in the painting. And not because it's a wonderful painting, which it is, but because as this book explains it, and the whole of art so eloquently it left me reeling. It's as beautiful as your favorite painting, and as important as the one that will become your next.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34RY4S8G8A4QK?ASIN=0316055441	Even better than expected, a fantastic read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fantastic read, took a little while to get fully engaged but after that couldn't put it down.  The twists and turns were fantastic, didn't see them coming.  Characters were well developed and interesting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L4ALKV9M9SXY?ASIN=0316055441	The best book I've read all year!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is as talented as a writer as Fabrituis is a painter.  She has produced a masterful work of art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UPMVDANGS0EN?ASIN=0316055441	well-written & impossible to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful vivid character development, excellent plot; hard to put down.  Absolutely loved this book. Caused me to download an older book of hers, this is so well done. Love the art history references too.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FOTFSP2QT8BH?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant writing!-a journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">5stars and a great reference for living!-love the end with all the poetic philosophy so harshly learned through the life-journey that this book takes the reader along for...inspiring and a truly great read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NCP8KSDPNK00?ASIN=0316055441	Hated the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this book right up until the moment it became a sermon about why it's okay for certain people to be drug addicts. The main character was messed up for a lot of good reasons I suppose, but the way the author gave him the huge free pass to remain a junkie was just disappointing. It's okay to let a character wallow in his self destructive, bad behavior up until the end, but don't justify it with some weird ""what is truth"" soliloquy as if the character has reached a plateau of cosmic understanding the rest of us can only hope to attain. It was a stupid ending to a relatively good story and I felt completely cheated. I went along for that ride assuming we were going to resolve a little mystery and get on with our lives. Tacking on that ending took me from relatively satisfied with the outcome to just irritated. The characters and the action didn't justify the sudden turn from a well written action story to a deeper glimpse into the soul of a tortured young man. The questioned that needed to be answered was answered, the long winded explanation of how he intended to proceed with his life from that point offered nothing worthwhile.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CCJG47OXJ633?ASIN=0316055441	Cant believe a woman wrote this.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very well thought out story with turns at every corner, keeping me as a reader,  on her toes.  Beautiful.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKJHJGN7YK7GR?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book very compulsive shocking reading  in the first half . Twelve year old Theo and his mother are in a bomb blas in an art gallery  and he gradually realizes over a period of hours and days that his mother is dead and not coming back.<br/>This trauma led to his dysfunctional growing up in various situations where he was basically left to his own devices living with adults who were preoccupied with their own lives.<br/>I found the book quite upsetting and wondered where Donna Tartt got the psychological understanding from.I did learn some new things about art which was interesting.<br/>I</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD5H9PFAJTUYA?ASIN=0316055441	A masterpiece and a compelling read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's long enough for three books, but It's hard to put down. It's a fascinating, dark, modern day Dickensian tale, but not sentimental at all, for those who may think Dickens was a sentimentalist. I'd like to offer more helpful modern authors as reference points, but it's hard to do. Even from the beginning, long before I got to the end, where one might see the Salinger connection a bit, I was thinking ""Dickens with a dash of J.D. Salinger."" That's not right, though.  This work is wholly original. It's a masterpiece that uses a painting masterpiece as a focal point.  It's long, but every word is a gem.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S8W4IUCDQ3IZ?ASIN=0316055441	in Defense of Art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel reminds me of the Churchill quote about fighting for works of art during the War.  You know the one. A beautiful character development and an astonishing soul's offering. Definitely recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A4MSQ3QNO9UL?ASIN=0316055441	Don't bother	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A big disappointment.  A coming of age story told through a drug and alcoholic haze.  Not even one character to care about.  It was a struggle to read the entire book.  Don't understand all the hype.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NJRUM0NP97Q8?ASIN=0316055441	I hated it early on	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can honestly say that this is the very first book that I simply could not finish!  I hated it early on!  I know that the reviews are tremendous and that this book was first on the best seller list for a very long time, but I have spoken to my friends who have read this book, and none of them liked it!  It blows my mind that it has been on the best selling list for so long when I know that people close to me hate it as much as I did!  Reading it became laborious to me; I was determined to finish the book because I never leave a book unfinished...this will be my first unfinished reading!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NQA6E95U7EM0?ASIN=0316055441	Worst novel ever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would give it a minus one! I was the worst novel I have read in decades!<br/>Do not waste your time!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27GWLGV393B9H?ASIN=0316055441	The soul is an artist	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would give this title 4.5 stars.<br/><br/>I truly love the story, the internal longing to understand the world, and the quest to represent that longing in the form of art. It reminded me of Eli Sylvan in that book THIS SIDE OF A WILDERNESS; both characters seemed lost and alienated, but find themselves through a journey of introspection. Delves into the topics that my favorite novelist, Hermann Hesse, explores. I didn't expect this book to move me so much. Unfortunately it was a loan from a friend, but I don't want to give it up - this is a title I want to keep on my shelf...</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VONS8M5PSCVL?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book opened a new window for me on the art world, tragic loss and the different ways people deal.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SHX4MG4IKAUD?ASIN=0316055441	Really, really good until the last few pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this story the entire time I was reading it, right up til the last few pages. Tartt does a great job of completely drawing us into her creation: the characters were palpable, as was the sense of NYC and suburban Las Vegas. A very original storyline, with excellent character development and plot narrative. However, I was let down by what seemed to be the author's 'after-school-special' moral judgments that felt shoe-horned into the final few pages. The first 99% of the book could've been written by Don Draper; the remaining 1% felt like it was written by Judy Blume.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5LZHQ8B1OJF9?ASIN=0316055441	Loses momentum at the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very good read. The central character was developed nicely as the story progressed, although that progression was bleak at the best of times. It was hard to feel any kind of sympathy for him.<br/><br/>I was disappointed with the closing chapters. The majority of the book is very much plot-driven, especially the climactic scenes in Europe, but then the closing chapters grind almost to a halt with lots of pseudo-philosophical ruminations on the meaning of life. Various plot strands are deliberately left dangling, such that the ending felt unsatisfying to me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10R6H63HG7T33?ASIN=0316055441	Well meaning but long winded	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The start, opening hundred pages or so, was excellent - gripping, very poignant, uniquely plotted. Then the meandering started and the plot became overblown and turgid. Donna Tartt writes really well, no overused cliches or basic literary construction from her, but after the brilliant and unforgettable ""The Secret History"", she seems to have gotten weighed down in her writing, and I found ""The Goldfinch"" got lost in itself and could have done with some serious editing. I really wanted to love this, but in reality, it was a struggle - a pity.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D4T2478CXVYC?ASIN=0316055441	So long winded and pointless	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book could honestly be half the length it is. Pages after pages of ""I hate myself"" and ""The world is so twisted let's get high"", the author repeats himself over and over just saying the same thing in a different way. I spent the first 300 pages thinking,""Where are you going with this?"" The only reason I gave three stars was because of superb writing (NOT storytelling) and the middle of the book pulled me in for a while before completely boring me for the last 150 pages. Different strokes for different folks, but this didn't do it for me at all.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BLRNFVN0QI6T?ASIN=0316055441	needed cutting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""The Goldfinch"" was repetitious and overly long.  I would have enjoyed the language of the novel so much more if there hadn't been so much listing of drugs taken, vodka drunk and boyish reactions to the substances.  And then we learn the point was art appreciation.  I'll never trust the Pulitzer Prize committee or reviewers again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AM2C37KL61UY?ASIN=0316055441	A marathon. Phew.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A couple days of reading a chapter or so at a clip and one 12 hour stretch -- done. Had to finish it. The story was great, the philosophizing became tiresome but overall it was entertaining. Loved the characters -- painted beautifully -- but again, felt like we were beating a dead horse at times. Found myself right there on the streets, in the rooms, smelling the filth and watching the films they watched. Brilliant. Glad I can cross it off the list and won't reread, but happy to have entered the dysfunctional yet relatable world for the week.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PZZ0B88LPBJC?ASIN=0316055441	It's wonderful to read a long novel again...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So many novels are 200-300 pages and tend to lack development of their main character.  That is not a problem in""The Goldfinch""by Donna Tartt which is nearly 800 pages with a main character who has a chance to grow over a period of 14 years. And Theo Decker goes from a tragic young boy orphaned at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to a 27-year old man who survives a rough life and emerges a full human being.  Do you remember Tom Jones or Holden Caurfield?  They are Theo's book comrades and his story is enthralling and beautifully told.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ENG3S0O0GGRO?ASIN=0316055441	Meh.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although epic in some ways, I was frustrated at her utter lack of grasping how a 12 year old boy might perceive things; she wrote the child, then teenager, then man, as a middle-aged woman, through the eyes of a college-educated middle-aged woman.  Still, the story kept me reading, right through. She also wrote many characters as though they were British. Having lived in England for many years (over 7), I can tell a britishism from an americanism. It was just bizarre and jarred me right out of my suspension of disbelief a number of times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FGJ2R7BR7O7V?ASIN=0316055441	A Treasure of Suspense, Sorrow and Wit.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Everyone I know is reading this book.  It was so enthralling I could not put it down.  The complexity and richness<br/>of the characters and the backdrop of New York and Las Vegas was so beautifully woven into this very Dickensian<br/>story.  Her character of Theo who fit in both worlds of wealth and prominence and the seedy underground drug and crime scene was fascinating.  The major characters spoke with wisdom, wit and profound insight.  She (Tartt) did all of her research and  brought forth this timeless novel.  Wonderful.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PYAEB5BVN28U?ASIN=0316055441	Mixed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first 300  or so pages were great. I was riveted and anxious to read more. Then it rambled on seemingly inconsistently for about 75  pages. Finally a plot twist presented itself and I was again riveted,....briefly. But found myself just skimming each page for the remainder of the story,in an attempt to ascertain some resolution. I had truly grown tired of the giant spaces between any sort of change in the story line. The best part of the book is that it's beautifully written. I guess you just need  patience to read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KVK38R5XUO0J?ASIN=0316055441	Dreck	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is so crashingly poor that I gave up without even reaching page 50. How can drama be so utterly drained? There is no selection of detail, so everything in a scene becomes a blur of meaningless trivia -- even the parts that should have been anything but trivial. The scenes go on forever; it feels more like a teenage girl's diary than a novel. Meanwhile, the protagonist is supposed to be a boy but he is unmistakably a girl from page one; there is nothing whatever boyish or masculine about the character. Amazing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R2EKWEY0FB6V?ASIN=0316055441	You don't just read this book - you have an experience that will effect you long after the final page	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are only a hand full of books that have stayed with me long after I have read it - I call them WOW books because after you read the last page and close the book for the last time you sit for a moment sad that its over and the only word that conveys your feelings is - WOW! The masterpiece is not the painting of the Goldfinch but rather the masterpiece of the characters and settings painted by the words of Donna Tartt. Be forewarned this book is not for everyone this is literary fiction so if you are looking for a fast paced shoot'em up who dunnit  this book is not for you. However if you want to experience a story that is so well written you feel emotionally part of the hero and scenery so vividly written you can actually feel you are there then buy this book. I was so engrossed in the story I felt that Theo Decker was a part of me I felt his heartaches and feelings of desperation. If the purpose of writing is to evoke emotion then this book deserves a Pulitzer.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TMZ9AIEMMVA7?ASIN=0316055441	The importance of good editing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really wanted to like this book.  It was  such a compelling plot, but sorely in need of editing.  There were cliff hanging segments in the story which were painfully obscured by a compulsive  avalanche of words, words, words--distractions of every imaginable size and shape.  It was  as though the author was afraid to miss one tiny observation or  researched detail  and in  giving the same emphasis to everything  lost the momentum and impact of the story..  The last chapter seemed like  an exercise in not letting go...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BK6XV4ZYHX5D?ASIN=0316055441	Really really really hated this	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""Dickensian,"" the reviewers said.<br/><br/>Well, I think Dickens got paid by the word, and even so he would have cut this mess by 50 percent. I made it about three quarters of the way through and decided that it was aging me, killing me.<br/><br/>""Are there no editors?"" Scrooge might cry out.....</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWYE66J1TJDV7?ASIN=0316055441	Masterful Writing......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Once I started reading ""The Goldfinch"" I was ""hooked""! This is a fascinating story --however, it is also a VERY ""dark"" story - the interraction between the two main characters, spanning many, many years and experiences, is ""frenetic"" and so gripping that I found myself ""drained"" and had to literally put the book down to ""rest"", but at the same time, drawn back to it time and time again, trying to figure out what would happen next!<br/>Donna Tartt's talent is incredible -</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RINHXUTL9MTIL?ASIN=0316055441	"""The loneliness that separates every living creature from every other living creature. Sorrow inseparable from joy"","	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has managed to do something rather wonderful and the mechanism is mysterious. I had been definitely absorbed in the book, in a satisfying page turning sort of way; then there came a point when I fell inside the spell of the book - its world becoming real and textured.<br/><br/>At one and the same time I was eager to be making the continuing journey of narrative , and yet - I wanted to stay exactly where I was and savour the moment, the reality of where the characters were NOW - she had somehow stopped time for me and I was reading in a very present way, inside the world<br/><br/>Tartt managed exactly this trick with her first book The Secret History, creating something special and magical. Her second long awaited book, The Little Friend, was a huge damp squib, for this reader, her sharp intelligence and precision somehow soft: it irritated me, I disliked it.<br/><br/>But here she is again, and this one is fabulous. Set across America, primarily in New York, but also in the wide-open spaces of Nevada, in the hinterland of Las Vegas, the book opens in Amsterdam, the central character a man somehow on the run, hyped up, holed up, hiding in a hotel room, sweating, edgy, on the edge of panic. The trajectory of the book is to start him on his journey to reach that anxious opening, and then go beyond<br/><br/>The book is like a large 5 act play - and in some ways reminds me, in its structure, of Shakespeare's last plays, the ones that move beyond tragedy to redemption and understanding - Winter's Tale, The Tempest etc. We have a journey for the central character of the dreadful, lacking - not so much self-awareness as the discipline to manage his character flaws, a certain feckless, dark, damaged nature - and the journey is really to a better accommodation with self. Not the Hollywood journey, the, `make it all better tie the bows and open the box of chocolates journey, but the more bitter, more mature journey of better understanding, and ability to live within the flawed self, and within a flawed world.<br/><br/>I am surprised at all the references to Dickens, how like Dickens this was - for me, this connection was not there at all - where I saw Tartt inhabiting some nineteenth century place it was the Russians - and particularly Dostoeivsky.<br/><br/>Theodore Decker inhabits a dark, despairing nihilistic universe, which may not take him into such wrongdoing as Raskolnikov, but he does have extremely flexible attitudes to right and wrong - that is, not so much to how wrongdoing damages him, merely that he is not quite able to avoid making poor choices. He combines despair with a fervid appreciation of the value of art and beauty, and transcendence. Some very complex, layered depth of character.<br/><br/>Though there is of course a story, as we know from the start, connected with the mysterious Dutch painting of a goldfinch, this is not primarily the story of the painting - there is indeed a strong narrative, a very strong sense of time and place, but what Tartt is doing is exploring the complexity of character and also of ethics.<br/><br/>Her writing is beautiful, measured and potent. I particularly appreciated the change landscapes and times imposed on her language in the different sections, moving from a beautiful evocation of wintery Amsterdam, to the vibrant nature of New York (separated by a passage of time, two `acts' here) and the weird, frenetic Las Vegas excess and waste setting, before returning to the start, and travelling beyond, now we understand Theo's journey<br/><br/>And, running like a lest-we-forget throughout, the reminder of the potent Goldfinch painting, which is both a real object, and a deeply charged, talismanic, symbolic item.<br/><br/>Here is an extract, with a flavour of her writing - gorgeous, evocative - and deadly<br/><br/>""Sometimes, in the evenings, a damp, gritty wind blew in the windows from Park Avenue, just as the rush hour traffic was thinning and the city was emptying for the night; it was rainy, trees leafing out, spring deepening into summer; and the forlorn cries of horns on the street, the dank smell of the wet pavement had an electricity about it, a sense of crowds and static, lonely secretaries and fat guys with bags of carry-out, everywhere the ungainly sadness of creatures pushing and struggling to live""<br/><br/>That paragraph, started, for me, to play, strongly, Gershwin's Rhapsody In Blue, and just as I was comfortably in the blue melancholy, Tartt, as so often, delivered a harsh punch to the gut. She shows you beauty, and immediately nestles you up against the flip side of rot, despair, decay.<br/><br/>So, having stunned and grabbed this reader with that first book, this magical third has been waiting 20 years to grab me again with its mix of dark and light. Hope It doesn't take her another 20 to produce something this fine!<br/><br/>And I am properly envious of anyone about to start reading this; enjoy the catch of Tartt's carefully crafted spiders' web novel, hover round the edges as long as you can, I'm sure she will stickily, skilfully wind you in and tie you up tight ere long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C7C52V5G20J6?ASIN=0316055441	A fantastic read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the moment I picked up this book, to the moment I put it down, I was completely engrossed.<br/>It is a book of our time…..describing through the pivotal characters our world today.  At the same time, it brings to the fore the importance and relevance of art…….and how a work of art which has tapped into intangible elements lives on through its beauty, mystery, and of course monetary value.<br/>The Goldfinch takes the reader on a poignant, amusing, tragic, and often dark journey, never ceasing to surprise.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OKXGBOYZVNHX?ASIN=0316055441	What a read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you don't like descriptive writing, or philosophical discourse, I would say this book isn't for you. BUT... If you DO, I highly recommend this book. I am not one to tell you the story, and it's a doozy of a story, but the inner life of Theo and appreciation of Art and Furniture Making is a major part of this story. I would say alcohol and drug use is present in equal measure. It is well worth the time investment to read. Although I just finished reading it, I don't think I will ever forget Theo and Boris.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LPW2VU8VW1MS?ASIN=0316055441	Worthy of the Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You know that feeling you have when you've just finished a really good book that you've been immersed in for days? It's been a long time since I've read a book that had me so completely drawn in and that I would consider worthy of a five-star rating. The Goldfinch is that book. I lived in Theo's world for several days, unable and unwilling to extricate myself. When I finally emerged, everything seemed surreal, as if I was trying to awaken from a vivid dream. Part of me is still in the world of The Goldfinch.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MI23UJ50UAIF?ASIN=0316055441	Like watching a train wreck in very, very slow motion.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There's no denying that this is an exquisitely written book.  But from the very beginning, it's a story where the protagonist does stupid things and has excruciating things happen to him.  And you just know that it's never really going to get better as his background and his basic personality result in him sabotaging every chance that comes his way, and sinking himself deeper and deeper into difficulties.  It's a very long book, and while there are some moments of transcendence, there's so little happiness.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MDIRVL74ELIW?ASIN=0316055441	"A modern ""Dickens"" tale"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed reading this book. It has the ability to engender nearly all emotions. Parts of the book are really funny, there are some sad moments, courageous moments and exciting moments. The tale is well told and the messages Donna Tartt gets across are well made and well argued.<br/><br/>Once begun, this is a difficult book to put down - its big but it captures the attention like few books do today. If Dickens was alive today he would be writing about the subjects Donna Tartt tackles so well here.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30KCHHHRJXS59?ASIN=0316055441	The Bird Sings	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely wonderful writing. She takes years to write. The result is beautiful, albeit tedious at times, consistentcy. If you love art history you'll love the bird.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R218TYGZ5G1IY2?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought a Secret History was depressing but heard that this was a great book so decided to read it. I made up my mind to finish it no matter what and really trudged through the too long descriptions of every little thing. The main story was very creative and interesting but I think this author is obsessed with young people and drugs. Maybe I'm naive but come on, how can anyone take so many drugs and alcohol and survive. I know that is not the point of the story but there was just too much misery for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R333030G5JHKG2?ASIN=0316055441	A Work Worthy of a Dutch Master	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don’t be put off by the heft of this book. At 771 pages, The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt is not light reading on any level.<br/><br/>It starts off with Theo Decker, age 27, holed up in a hotel room in Amsterdam, deeply troubled, and then circles back to the shocking event that kicked off his extraordinary journey. Theo’s life changed forever many years earlier, when as a 13-year-old boy, he and his mother, Audrey, are killing time before a dreaded appointment at his school for disciplinary reasons. Caught in a sudden thunderstorm, Audrey and Theo duck into the Metropolitan Museum of Art. When his mother decides to go to the gift shop, Theo stays behind to look at a painting, while entranced by a young girl who is at the museum with an older man. That’s when a terrorist explosion rips through the museum. In the hazy aftermath, the old man gives Theo a ring and urges him to take a painting that had fallen to the floor, The Goldfinch, painted in 1654 by Carel Fabritius. A Dutch painter, who ironically died in a gunpowder explosion, Fabritius was Rembrandt’s pupil and Vermeer’s teacher.<br/><br/>With Theo’s dad, a failed actor, alcoholic and gambler, out of the picture, the 13-year-old boy ends up in the posh Park Avenue home of classmate, Andy Barbour. He traces the ring back to an antique shop in Greenwich Village called Hobart and Blackwell and eventually meets James “Hobie” Hobart, who explains that Weldon Blackwell was the old man who died in the terrorist bombing and the young girl was Pippa, his niece. Hobie, a gentle and thoughtful man, takes Theo under his wing and teaches him the furniture restoration trade. Theo comes to view Pippa, injured in the bombing, as his soul mate and the only person who understands his pain as he tries to cope with loss.<br/><br/>As Theo struggles to adjust to life with the well-heeled Barbours, his AWOL father shows up with his pill-popping girlfriend, Xandra. They spirit poor Theo away to a never-finished housing development on the outskirts of Las Vegas, where he befriends a similarly motherless immigrant from the Ukraine, the irrepressible Boris Pavlikovsky, the most captivating character in the book. While his dad is gambling and Xandra is off working, Theo and Boris pass the time watching TV, drinking beer and getting high. They scavenge for food and shoplift to get whatever they need.<br/><br/>The painting is sealed in a pillowcase hidden under Theo’s bed. For years, Theo battles against the natural instinct to turn in the painting, but he hangs onto it. The painting is a connection to something beautiful and a reminder of his mother and it soothes his aching heart.<br/><br/>Theo eventually finds himself back in New York City and Hobie becomes his temporary guardian. His turbulent journey to adulthood includes heavy drug use and a harrowing experience with underworld associates of Boris.<br/><br/>This is as much a book about the intersection of art and life as it is about the journey of a flawed young man. The value of an artistic work, in this case the pilfered painting, lies in its simple beauty and what Theo sees as its connection to his mother.<br/><br/>Tartt is an accomplished writer whose vivid and incisive prose infuses every page with energy. Despite the book’s length, the story never drags. Theo’s final reflections provide a superb capstone to this powerful story. Theo speaks about a middle zone between reality and where the mind strikes reality, “a rainbow’s edge where beauty comes into being, where two very different surfaces mingle and blur to provide what life does not: and this is the space where all art exists, and all magic.”<br/><br/>Theo continues the thought, “And—I would argue as well—all love...”</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8AYNRY4GPNE7?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best stories I've ever read......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""The Goldfinch"" by Donna Tartt. This is an extraordinary, brilliantly written story, that I really struggled to finish because of the incredible level of detail, grief, dysfunctional individuals, criminality, self absorption, and selfishness, exhibited  by the majority of the characters featured in the story. This story is not for everybody.  However, to the contrary, the storyline is immersive, compelling, frustrating, challenging, mellifluously paced, masterfully scribed, with exquisite wordsmithery, it's totally captivating. There are very few authors that I've read in my life with the ability to place their readers inside the story, this story does that and you can't escape. I had to stop reading the book, and threaten myself too not return, to cast it aside and move on and try to forget the anguish I was feeling for the grief stricken, immature, roguish, substance induced, behavior of the two  leading characters. But I was to involved, to engrossed to chance not knowing how this haunting story and the characters would end up, so I endured to the last page.<br/><br/>Picture yourself being written into the script you are reading, being placed in the cast of characters, feeling the insufferable moments, occasions, events, and situations, and know that you cannot intervene but can only read, absorb, observe, and agonize, about what's happening...you can't say to the characters  ""Stop, please Stop""...you can't say ""Think about what you are doing to yourself, to your friends, to your loves, and to those around you...please Think."" What an amazing narrative, what an emotional reading experience!<br/><br/>Would I read it again? Maybe, but probably not. It's to intense, digs to deep into the human psyche, and is too unsettling and overwrought, but I will never forget ""The Goldfinch,"" it's truly a masterpiece from the mind of a master storyteller...simply Magnificent in so many respects!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCH54LM457ITO?ASIN=0316055441	Great start but frequently lost interest as the book progressed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really wanted to like this more than I did but that just didn't happen at the end of this long and often rambling book (don't even get me started on that last chapter). I love long books, so long as they're long for a valid reason. This was not one of them. There were a lot of sections that could've been pared down without losing the feel or meaning of the book. In fact, cutting down on the extra fluff would've made the remaining sections and sentences clearer and more meaningful.<br/><br/>The premise was great and the beginning had me hooked, but then somewhere along the line Tartt just lost me. I don't need to like or identify with characters in a book, but I have to find at least one of them compelling enough to read. I never quite got there with Theo.  One of the reasons I love to read is so that I can immerse myself in a new world with interesting new characters. But with this book I couldn't wait to be done with it and shake off Theo and his self destructive path filled with terrible decisions. I suppose that's also a compliment to Tartt that she was able to capture Theo's spiraling downfall so well, but instead of feeling intrigued and engrossed, I trudged along, wanting to just finish it to find out what happens and be done.<br/><br/>My last criticism is with the first person narrative and philosophical ramblings throughout the book.  First person narrative is fine when done right, but there were times when I felt like I was reading a philosophical essay by Tartt instead of a novel.  And the philosophical arguments were not very well done or compelling anyways.  That last chapter was just out of control.<br/><br/>There were parts of this book that I enjoyed reading, but there were other parts that I could barely get through and had to skim. And for a book of this length, just a slip of interest can derail the reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1STMBZMCJFTLE?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this rating because Donna Tartt totally captivated me with her writing and I simply loved the book! The plot was as addictive as the drugs consumed - the characters - all so real you felt everything they were going through. I found myself googling images, searching for back ground information, believing in it all. This book makes you think about what you yourself believe in and where your limits would go. And what innocence is and knowledge and chance and the big wild open world out there...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34EGGWFUVC334?ASIN=0316055441	cant put down this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book takes you on journey of the life of this boy. Wants you start to read it you cant stop. It took me 2 days to read because I could not put the book down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X7NNH1C6A8AT?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't like it one bit	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the Goldfinch was overwrought, overdone, overworked and overcooked.  There were only two characters with which I could empathize:  Pippa and Hobie.  There was nothing noble or redeeming about any of the other characters in the book.  There were too many words for such an unsatifying read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z6MNV0PN0VU5?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this while traveling recently, and read it even when I was exhausted from a day of sightseeing. The writing is excellent, and I was riveted by the main character Theo. The story of Theo's unimaginable trauma and hardship kept me engaged until the very end. Although I didn't care for some of the plot twists at the end and what I thought was unnecessary violence, I still loved this book. It made me think about how childhood trauma never really leaves you, and secrets can destroy your life.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EA6JYV5DYZCG?ASIN=0316055441	This is reviewed well????	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the most boring stories I have read in a good long while.  It draaaaaaagged...  it rarely got the the point and when it did FINALLY have an interesting plot twist it draaaaaaaaagged on again.  Good grief...  where was the editing???  Probably hanging out with the story...  M.I.A.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UY28LBJ4KD9D?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed, especially since Amazon said it was the #1 ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was at least 350 pages too long.  Way too many pages on one thing...too descriptive.  Disappointed, especially since Amazon said it was the #1 book of 2013.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P6OJLPJ4QAHZ?ASIN=0316055441	Strange book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What started out as a WONDERFUL novel slowly disintegrated to a bunch of rambling. It's like her editor died for the last 1/3 of the book. Very, very strange.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U34Y8J19BVIX?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing and long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's just amazing. And loooooong. But if you like to read, you won't mind. It is gripping enough to be a good beach read, but complex enough that's it's not really in that beach-reading category. Other reviewers will analyze the plot and characters, but suffice it to say, the people in the book are so real, they are like people you know, or good friends you wish you know, and you really wish would get on the wagon. Tartt's portrayal of a kid going through high school, her depiction of overly bright people who can fail to ""reach their potential"", her vision of Las Vegas as well as the city ... just amazing. It's a modern day Catcher in the Rye - what Holden would do if pharmaceuticals were within reach, and if he were burdened by a secret possession of a work of art so beautiful, it changes all who encounter it. btw this is the first book I've ever reviewed, or even wanted to bother with reviewing. i'm only doing it to counter those people who didn't appreciate it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI9WZ3WHNOR1C?ASIN=0316055441	Don't waste your time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If this book had been written in 300 pages or less it might have held my interest.  Bad things happen to good and bad people but to listen to someone feel sorry for themselves except the last 10 pages  was tiring.  I also did not care about all the drugs and their side effects.  Rather than pointing out dangers of doing different drugs the author seemed to glorify.  By the time the ""Goldfinch"" was found I really didn't care any more.  I would not recommend this book to anyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BU4MCCX7K939?ASIN=0316055441	I admit, I just abandoned this novel ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read a review of this book and had to have it.  What a mistake! I was reading it at the same time a friend of mine was reading her copy.  We both gave up.  I lost it when page after page was dedicated to describing furniture legs.  Let's put it this way, after the initial shock (bang, boom, similar to a 9-11 disaster), it was all downhill, BORING BORING BORING.  I could care less for any of the characters and just felt very disappointed in this piece of , what? literature? nope.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M5FAPGFBPPQJ?ASIN=0316055441	Redundant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Should have been edited to half it's size. The author repeats herself constantly. She is a good writer, but I cannot imagine how the people at Creative chose this as the best of the year. Donna should read a little Hemmingway to learn how to be intriguing and concise at the same time.<br/><br/>I loved the plot, but it could have been so much better. It was overdone to the point of boring and I would never have finished it if Creative hadn't voted it best book. I do not agree</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23TTMYJ7MDHY9?ASIN=0316055441	Well written, longish, all about people and living with their flaws	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I do not think this is quite the classic that some presented it as being.  It did more or less break up into multiple stages of the main character's life, but I thought all those stages were absolutely necessary to explain who he was and who he became.  It left me thoughtful about life at the end but not to the degree Great Expectations did at the time it was written  It is not suited for anyone who wants mostly action.  It is about people.  Perhaps more like the Kite Runner.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23POYLFWSV3Z8?ASIN=0316055441	A Beautiful Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""Composed with the skills of a master, The Goldfinch is a haunted odyssey through present day America and a drama of enthralling force and acuity. It begins with a boy. Theo Decker, a thirteen-year-old New Yorker, miraculously survives an accident that kills his mother. Abandoned by his father, Theo is taken in by the family of a wealthy friend. Bewildered by his strange new home on Park Avenue, disturbed by schoolmates who don't know how to talk to him, and tormented above all by his unbearable longing for his mother, he clings to one thing that reminds him of her: a small, mysteriously captivating painting that ultimately draws Theo into the underworld of art. As an adult, Theo moves silkily between the drawing rooms of the rich and the dusty labyrinth of an antiques store where he works. He is alienated and in love-and at the center of a narrowing, ever more dangerous circle.""<br/><br/>I somehow have not read The Secret History yet, but after reading this wonderful (and long) novel, I'll definitely be picking it up. Like most, I was a bit intimidated by The Goldfinch's length originally, and I put off starting it for a couple of days. But as soon as I began to read, I was drawn into Theo's singular story, and his both clear-eyed and not way of narrating. Only 12 pages in, I was already hooked. That's the power of a great writer for you.<br/><br/>There are so many heartbreaking events in this novel, random twists and turns of fate. After all, in the very first few pages, it's just sheer chance that Theo's mother gets sick in the cab, they have to get out, it starts to rain, a businessman gets the last taxi, and they decide to take shelter in the museum. That short section was so beautifully written, especially for one who knows what's going to happen. The sequence afterward the accident was brilliant too, brilliant and dream-like. Really, the entire book is composed of stunning language and beautiful, disturbing snapshots. Characters, places, and events were beautifully described and portrayed. Donna Tartt's writing style is a bit dense and descriptive, but it didn't feel overwritten; it felt amazingly perceptive and smart. Tartt also builds dread amazingly well, in the aftermath of what happens in the museum and later on. There's great foreshadowing in The Goldfinch.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch has been called Dickensian many times, and that's fairly accurate. The writing is not very similar to Dickens (although there is a lot of description), but the overarching story could be, with strange and cruel twists of fate and fortune, and some very unique, twisted characters. What happens to Theo after the museum is quite improbable: he is abandoned by his father and ends up living with his old school friend on Park Avenue, while meanwhile serving as a sort of apprentice to someone who died in the museum right in front of Theo's eyes. And that's the whole similarity to Dickens. The Goldfinch also has a lot of Gothic elements to it.<br/><br/>The central symbol and motif of the whole novel is, of course, the small painting of a captive goldfinch that Theo dazedly steals from the museum. As the story unfolds, it becomes to him a talisman of his lost mother, something tangible to remember her by. After all, it was one of the paintings she loved the most, and as the days go by it becomes harder and harder for Theo to think of a way to return it. The irony is, that it turns out for many years he didn't actually have this painting that became an object of dread for him. I'm being vague on purpose of course.<br/><br/>There were some great descriptions of the city and of other places too, and I really enjoyed reading about Theo's relationship with many of the other people in the novel, particularly Hobie, the friend of the old man who died, and Boris, who he meets in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas section was kind of the most depressing, especially since I can related to the whole New York longing thing (sort of). Boris, however, was a character both humorous and sad at the same time, and he was quite irresistible. I didn't really like their whole relationship though, and it was awful to see Theo turning away from his old life and using drugs and all of that.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch is so, so enthralling and I absolutely loved both the plot and the writing. I would highly recommend this excellent, smart, literary novel, and I'm very glad that I read it. Even though it's long, it's still definitely worth the time spent on it. There are a lot more things I could say about the book, but the problem is they've already been said by other professional reviewers: here and here. Go check out those reviews; they're amazingly well crafted, although not as well crafted as this marvelous book.<br/><br/>I received a review copy of this book from Little, Brown; thanks so much! It just came out today; go check it out.<br/><br/>[...]</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O5JKJZGHNPBO?ASIN=0316055441	Cant stop thinking about it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am not a professional critic or literature major, so no eloquent review here. What I will say is that this novel consumed me for a couple of weeks. I knew the characters. I lived their lives and their struggles. I was frustrated by their mistakes and overjoyed by their happiness. The Goldfinch is that kind of novel.<br/>Donna Tartt puts words together so precisely and cleverly. So many times, I found myself reading passages over and over again in awe of her craft.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31OIV9ELXHIBR?ASIN=0316055441	Accomplished	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It has taken months for me to read this book because it is mostly boring with too many random details. The main character is victim of his own inability to make a decent decision for himself which is a very small theme for such a long book. Many of the smaller plot lines are never concluded, including some that are developed throughout the story and very closely with the main story line. The only reason I finished reading at all was simply because I paid for it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27KWT0OR803ZL?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of 5 days	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this novel solely because of the reviews and I was misled by the preview. The book was too long, shallow in its international stereotypes and art description and unnecessarily elaborate and long-winded in describing mediocre events and scenery. It was as if the writer pulled the text from a thesaurus for a story that just had to be this long. At some times, it was excruciatingly painful to read, and despite that I repeated reading the last part in disbelief in case I happened to have missed the ""wisdom"". The conclusion to me sounded like an uneducated drunk trying to be intellectual and philosophical. Very depressing, hardly any likable characters, nothing to quote or learn. The worst part is that I waited for it to get better but it felt like a soap apera that just gets less interesting with time, and at the end I realized I burnt 5 days of my life. Now I sound like Theo, I know!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RY7OOX077D2S?ASIN=0316055441	Glad to be finished with it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to stick hot pokers in my eyes by the end. Glad to be finished with it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M92F9WFJJNLR?ASIN=0316055441	Skip this one despite the reiews	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found it difficult to identify with any of the characters and found the book to be a depressing read even though the ending was somewhat positive.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19ODHUJM44UAY?ASIN=0316055441	The character of Boris was a waste. Hobie was the only remotely likeable charcter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't finish it. TOO long,too much repition, completely unrealistic. No one could consume the amount of drugs and alcohol these people did and still be alive at the end if the day. The character of Boris was a waste. Hobie was the only remotely likeable charcter.  Read the last few chapters so I could be a part of the book club discussion, and the ending was lame. WE ALL agreed, even the two English Lit. teachers. Back to the drawing board on this one.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32G2MSUTMRWNO?ASIN=0316055441	A fabulous Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you want to have a super read, read the Goldfinch by Donna Tart! Although its long, it is so well written you will barely notice it.The story starts out when Theo is thirteen, and loses his mother in a domestic bomb attack. It rhen evolves into a whole bunch of adventures as to what happens to him and where he goes, all tied up with the painting of ""the Goldfinch,"" which Theo takes from the scene of the bombing. I could not put this book down!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D95M2QY5POZ2?ASIN=0316055441	love this brilliant book.!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tarrt is a fabulous writer  Her first book was one of my favorite books and this one is even more wonderful.<br/>Theo is such a wonderful character, one cannot help but love him with all his tragic self loathing , anxieties and  brilliant observations.  I also loved Boris !<br/>The descriptions of life at the end of the book is eloquent and so true<br/>I recommended  this book to everyone !! and especially to  my school ( work in HS) book club.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27EPZF8PSSWAR?ASIN=0316055441	boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just kept slogging through this huge book continuing to hope it would make sense. I really didn't like the author's way of writing sentences within sentences that rambled on and on. I cannot understand how this book could be number 1 on the best seller list.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NFTDQIZK0AEG?ASIN=0316055441	Who edited this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the author is an eloquent writer, I must blame the editor for not doing the job they were hired to do.  There are pages and pages of passages that could have easily been edited out without affecting the story and character development.  The story is a tragic tale of a young boy severely affected by a traumatic event and his journey to adulthood carrying the heavy burden of the loss of his mother and the life he once knew in New York City.  What could have been a well written book turned into a lengthy novel that wastes the reader's time with excessive rehashing of small incidents and experiences that could have adequately been described in a sentence or two.  Sometimes the editor has to make the difficult decision to eliminate what is not germane and allow the beauty of the remaining writing to shine.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMHC3WHHJATAP?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious rambling  but good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Honestly?  I good story... but too much rambling on and on when the author is trying to describe a situation or a scene... it gets sooo tedious. I actually found myself skipping page upon page of information that just was not necessary to understand where the character was or what he was feeling etc...  The book could have been about 1/3 shorter had the author been a bit more concise.  Overall a good story but could not wait to finally be done.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NCWQHW6G42F7?ASIN=0316055441	I could have edited this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book reminded me of how I feel about a lot of movies that I have seen lately, they could cut out 30 minutes and the essence of the film would be better served.  I am not an editor but right from beginning, as I read the museum passage  I knew this was going to be a drawn out read.  I appreciate Ms. Tart's writing style,  which carries the reader along easily, but then she repeats her thoughts over and over.  My desire to learn the outcome of the Goldfinch pushed me to finish the book.  I could care less about Theo,  over 700 pages and I am still not sure what motivates this character.  The dysfunctional Las Vegas period could have been written in 75 pages.  I won't go as far to say I shouldn't have read it as there were moments that I was engaged, but 300 less pages would have made it a good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U3TWWF1RGKI1?ASIN=0316055441	This a purely personal opinion - the book has been recognised gobally as a masterpiece.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a new author for me and I'm afraid I was lured into buying the book for all the wrong reasons! The number of pages! Not a good reason for purchasing a book. I'd heard it reviewed by a respected reviewer but I'm afraid I simply could not finish it. I persevered for 3 weeks through long winded, convoluted pages of a tragic and desperate 13 year old hero whose life disintegrates  after the death of his mother into something almost unbelievable. I abandoned it this afternoon - something I do very infrequently.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22BZ3RTHN05EH?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've read this year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Combines intellect, action and philosophy. It is a  Great book.  You can have fun choosing a Russian accented actor to voice in your head.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VYD9FCMORGOO?ASIN=0316055441	did I just learn the true meaning of life?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a difficult read.  Don't misunderstand.  It's beautifully written.  Almost like poetry at times.  Descriptive.  But the heartbreaking misery encountered by the narrator forces you to take breaks and walk away from it.  You have to take a rest and catch your breath.  But in the end, it will all have been worth it.  This is a fictional Masterpiece.  Every bit as much a work of art as the painting it draws it's name from.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5MO1DT4N4CV1?ASIN=0316055441	Good Book; Bad Ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the book kept my attention with interesting plot lines and good character development, I felt that it fell apart in the last 150 pages. It seemed as though the author was unable to come up with an ending that would have been consistent with the complexity of the book and opted for a long philosophical treatise on the painting and on life. It seemed grafted onto the book and left the reader feeling disappointed and unsatisfied.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CJVFVE9ZHZ7Q?ASIN=0316055441	Don't Miss This Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best read I have had in ages! Beautifully written, compelling, surprising and utterly believable. Move over, Holden Caufield.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34KJLC46MW1DD?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written, but unfulfilling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a remarkable book in scale and beautiful prose.  The story of Theo Decker is heartbreaking, fascinating and sad.  Ultimately, the only beauty in his life comes from an object, the painting The Goldfinch.  Even that is something Theo cannot enjoy without stress or guilt.  I wanted Theo to end up in a better place, but it doesn't happen. Great writing, deserves its ""best of"" status, but ultimately sort of a downer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JZBJN5IFGQ0A?ASIN=0316055441	A good story, funny at times, but somewhat lacking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was engaging enough straight from the start, It went on through some excessively disgusting details of drug abuse and with it, came my dislike of Boris. Theo was a nice enough guy and towards the end of the book, it's clear that he's gonna have a well deserved happy ending after all and finds a reason to carry on living... well with some million dollars in my bank account, who wouldn't find life a bit more bearable?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18K8ZE0TMSL3Z?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an INCREDIBLE book. It's a mix between Great Expectations, The Mixed Up Files of Mrs Basil E Frankwiler, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. It's a beautiful narrative that is simultaneously compelling, a rare combination. Definitely read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT05PR81AYJYK?ASIN=0316055441	Uneven and disappointing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book gets off to a great start driven by an extraordinary premise. About a third of the way through the arc shifts and the book loses it's way. It becomes a tiresome replay of the usual substance abuse scenario. The climax is a further shift into a boring action thriller. The themes opened up in the early pages are abandoned and the early expectations are left unfulfilled. Very disappointing. Very over appreciated.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWVXCVQ70I717?ASIN=0316055441	It's Like Cilantro	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You either love this book and think it is the most amazing piece of prose ever written in the last 50 years.....or.....you hate it.  I worked so hard to get to the halfway point, and then I realized that nothing had really happened. I tried.  I really tried.  I am so glad this was not selected for my book club.  It would have been the end of us.  This is truly awful.  I have no idea how on earth this won the Pulitzer.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A62I7GX0LFIY?ASIN=0316055441	painful, dark, rich and uplifting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was a very painful gut-wrenching read at times. The prose is so rich that I felt connected at a visceral level to Theo. the best way to describe this book is that you are taken on a journey, a very scary one at times, that is unpredictable, rewarding ,crushing, frustrating and exhilarating. I'm left with a lot of self-reflection. This book will stay with me for a long time. Why not 5 stars? I'm not sure.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LYXY32POCMRA?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing, dull and long, with some minor moments of brilliance.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My first and last Tart novel. Though there are some beautiful descriptions they are often of minor elements that are never tied back to the story. There are so many terrific ways this story could have turned or characters could have been linked. Instead it is a dull read with an ending that fails to capitalize on any of the details that were previously provided. Instead, some hand-waving ensues with the hope that previous details will go ignored by the reader.<br/><br/>Though the descriptions suggest skill and talent this book is a disappointment. Like watching somebody paint a wall white with the smallest of paint brushes. If you are on the fence regarding reading this book, I suggest you read any other available book first. A truly regretful read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3REKI76KFNUW?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though at times the plot takes a few sharp turns, the characters and the underlying voice of the author make this a wonderful read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FGVIU9E3VQ14?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read a lot and don't do book reviews, usually.  This book is different.  This author writes in such a way that you are ""hooked"".  Some books can be a struggle to ""get into"".  This book hooked me from the first page.  I had a hard time putting it down.  When I had to put it down, I couldn't stop thinking about it.  I would say that is a really good book. It is long - but I finished it within a week.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25F22IKSPWOGA?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I started this book I loved it for the first couple of chapters.  But when it got so heavy into the abuse of drugs,etc., I felt too much time was spent describing the trips, etc  The book could have been shortened considerably although it was important to follow the boys life, it became so depressing I wanted it to hurry up and end.  I also think the ending was a bit dramatic and didn't quite follow.  Oh well!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKU37RGPRC6D5?ASIN=0316055441	What was this book about?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Worst Book I have ever read as it took every bit of energy to finish as I stayed with it to hopefully read an amazing ending...sorry to burst your bubble, it didn't have any amazing anything.  This book has so many unnecessary boring tangents, characters that do not meld together and overall I have no idea what the true premise of this book is about....a stolen painting written in over 750 pages?  Really?  Read the Thomas Crowne Affair if you want intrigue and mystery in the art world as this book has so many pages of nonsense, ( a child sneaks a dog across the coast in a bus?) excess sentences, drugs violence, death and random names to get to the fact (I assume) that a painting was stolen?  I am still overly confused what this book was about.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYEIIJ5DWWUXV?ASIN=0316055441	A remarkable, sparkling book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt writes wonderful books, but The Goldfinch is truly remarkable.  As a person who lived in New York City for more than 20 years, I was drawn in by the story, most of which takes place in the City, and by the evolution of her main character, Theodore Decker.  The book is also full of references to art, both real and not.  I honestly could not put the book down.  I will be rereading this book and soon!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBYN86KGXR4VV?ASIN=0316055441	I must have missed something	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't get it.  All my friends loved this book, it came highly recommended.  I couldn't get into it.  I didn't stop reading it because I kept thinking it would get better but it never did and now I'm 85% of the way through so I want to finish. I never connected with any of the characters and I found the writing so hard to follow in many places.  The transition to new chapters was not logical or consistent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R99LBVZKSF1VY?ASIN=0316055441	"Better than ""The Secret History"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read ""the Secret History years ago, and still remember how much I liked that book.  It was a slow drop from the surface into an unexpected and strange world.<br/><br/>""The Goldfinch"" has that same sort of structure, but worlds revealed are fascinating, yet all possible.  The characters are exquisitely drawn with great depth.  The plot speeds along; at times you just can't read fast enough.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12J987K6XADQF?ASIN=0316055441	excellent, though very long.  Definitely work the effort.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this book down and for a 760 page book, that is making a major commitment.  A great story and a strong ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ER29QKBJ8V47?ASIN=0316055441	"my vote for ""book of the year"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating! Compelling! Can you not put down a book with over 700 pages? Well, this was one of those rare finds. A must read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R154KL3JEPGVBK?ASIN=0316055441	Good Story Drags On, Becomes Philosophical	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A compelling coming of age story woven with threads of disaster, neglect, drug use, and unconventional friendships, this story becomes weighted down with heavy philosophical overtones and I couldn't put it down soon enough.  The writing is beautiful, lyrical, extraordinary, but the plodding plot line and unfulfilling characterizations drain the pleasure and, in the end, I could not recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3398P5BWT5HT3?ASIN=0316055441	A journey of self-destruction and redemption.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story slowly reeled me to a number of very different worlds and introduced me to many vividly-drawn characters.  The plot is brilliantly constructed and Tartt forces her readers to confront their inner prejudices, beliefs regarding right and wrong, and the complexity of life itself.<br/>I found the novel too long, and the story became somewhat repetitious and  pedantic in the final chapters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R80Q4M6NZ5I1I?ASIN=0316055441	Book of the Year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a long, incredibly involving read, telling us the story of Theo Decker, whose life takes twists and turns reminiscent of a Charles Dickens novel.  Along the way, the author exposes the reader to meditations on art, beauty, history, life and loss, in a way that seeps into your consciousness in a masterful way.  It took ten years for Donna Tartt to write this, and the time was well spent. She has aimed high by writing such a book, and she has triumphed.  It's such a huge task to tell someone how great this is; you just have to read it for yourself. I don't think a better novel has been publshed this year, and I hope The Goldfinch gets the recognition it deserves.  Truly a superb, sublime read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HEUKLXH5CLZD?ASIN=0316055441	An incredibly profound look at life.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a richly nuanced read for those who love brilliant description, soul searching characters, the world of art and superb writing.  A caution to the reader:  once you begin this book you will not be satisfied until you finish it!  It is a brilliant novel, filled with poignant scenes and profound reflections about life.  This is one of the best novels that I have read in a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VH3AOTSO24EC?ASIN=0316055441	Entirely Engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch lives up to the hype. You are absolutely transported to another world. At times oit was hard to read because it is so absolutely gut wrenching but Ms. Tartt's narrative won't let you put it down. You simply MUST find out what is to happen to these characters. Her insights, woven throughout, on the moral dilemma and gray area of the human condition are beautifully insightful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GWKR8U0C9AGK?ASIN=0316055441	The Best Novel of the 21st Century (So Far)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story in The Goldfinch is haunting and unforgettable, as many have noted. What amazed me was the dexterity and wizardry of Donna Tartt. The Goldfinch is a novel that will and should be studied for decades to come as a shining example of a brilliant, creative writer firmly in control over 800 dense and compelling pages. POTENTIAL SPOILER ALERT AHEAD! The very first sentence of the novel foreshadows the central event to come: Theo's dream of his mother. It is only then that he is relieved of the guilt and pain that had made him suicidal. So much of what we gradually come to know of Theo's pain does not come from his mouth -- he is, in this regard, an unreliable narrator. Theo himself speaks rarely of his pain, and when he does he minimizes it. But only when we learn (from Boris, from Pippa, and from his dream) the truth about Theo do we come to realize how deeply he is haunted and hurting.<br/><br/>Donna Tartt reveals this central truth with astonishingly deft mastery. The novel left me with a deeply profound admiration for what she has created in The Goldfinch, and the sublime nature of her literary skills. The Goldfinch is, truly, the most unforgettable novel I have ever read, in my 50 years of reading and studying fiction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22K1H7DNX3R3R?ASIN=0316055441	New classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She should get a pulitizer for this one!  It is one of my new all time favorites!  At times hard to read, but it has been a long<br/>time since a book has stayed with me like this one.  Beautiful writing style, multi-faceted characters,  among them the<br/>settings which contribute so much.  I recommend it to any adult with eclectic reading tastes who has respect for good literature.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHNKH9II825QW?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author overwhelms us with details from swathes of life one seldom knows much about--the personal effects of terrorism, the world of art dealing, the under-belly of Las Vegas, serious addiction issues with vivid descriptions of use...she might have used an editor with a more disciplined pen, but it is a book definitely worth devoting the time it takes to get through 800 pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PILD8PFZX3N?ASIN=0316055441	Glorious Goldfinch!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't think of anything bad to say about this book.  That said, it is too long. But- there's not one sentence I would want to be eliminated.  I wish the author would write a sequel but I know she won't. There's nothing left to be said. But- I would like to know the next chapter in the lives of all the people in the book.  This book ranks in the top of all books I've ever read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R315X1BHGMSSV0?ASIN=0316055441	An Good Read and a White Knuckle Ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a compulsive read without sacrificing  good writing or character development.  Start to finish, you are engrossed in a well-woven story that is a plausible snapshot of our world.  The Dickensian characters are alive on the page, all with distinctive voices.  It's wonderful storytelling and, above all, a valentine to great art and its ability to stir the soul.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E2GMDM9LPY6L?ASIN=0316055441	Zero stars. Pretentious and unending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wish to echo all the other scathing reviews of this burnable book. After suffering through many aimless pages describing two drunk teenage boys going from one empty house to another, I threw in the towel. What an insufferable intellectual show-off! It's true that no editing could save this thing, but it could have made it less painful for many dedicated lovers of fiction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XO71SEF3XZ8P?ASIN=0316055441	the book stayed with me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is one of the heartfelt, beautifully descriptive books I've read in a very long time.  The reader feels like they personally knows  the charactors and can hear and see them.  The theme of the book is well thought out, adding mystery, sorrow, thrill and happiness to the mix.  Donna Tartt is among the elite writers who can implant a story in your brain, forever.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33XJYH0H7CUEZ?ASIN=0316055441	Aht, dahling. Aht.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's good.<br/>It's long.<br/>It's about a painting you have to like.<br/>It deals with drugs, requited and unrequited love, crime, antiques, one Russian, misguided youth, low life,  high life and rich people.<br/>What's not to love. And you only have to take one book on vacation, unless you are a really, really fast reader.<br/>Why only four stars? It does not float.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PBTBYHE4M6IZ?ASIN=0316055441	Well-written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this book was so worthwhile reading.  It was very long, but it was so beautifully written that I looked forward to reading on and on.  To me it was an extraordinary book, deep, interesting and intelligent and one that I would highly recommend to anyone wanting to read something of substance. it has been quite some time since I found a book to fit that criteria.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LOBNU8VSFWU2?ASIN=0316055441	Endless	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I should know better than to read a book that's on the ""Best Seller"" list. This one goes on…and on…and on…and…<br/>Some sections of it are interesting, many are lengthy descriptions of teenage debauchery. And in the end, I didn't give a flying feather what happened to him.  It got BOR-ING. It ends with some home-made philosophy of life. Wish I'd skipped it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VDUDSR2V89XK?ASIN=0316055441	Plot twists unpredictable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very engaging from the beginning - but even more so about one-third of the way through.  The lesson I took was that ""all is well that ends well""(my own thoughts, I'm not quoting the author).  Also..I appreciated the lesson that we should not get bogged down in guilt..often good comes from bad.  The last few pages were my favorite - thoughts to ponder there.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KU0LI5NX7T14?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding and intricate, with a magnificdent summary	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An astounding novel.  Superb writing is at the top of the list, rapidly followed by amazing plot.  Donna Tartt writes with clarity and  insight, creates characters that are so easy to picture and understand I felt they were sitting in the next chair.  It took a long time to read, but it was worth every minute.  The Goldfinch deserves its Pulitzer.  And a lot more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQN1W7M5AQOSJ?ASIN=0316055441	magic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating and beautiful. One of the best books I've read in a very long time. I wish it wouldn't have ended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFFID3H147HMH?ASIN=0316055441	This is a masterpiece of story telling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The language alone is worth the read.  The book is brilliant.  I went out and bought her other two books.  I would recommend you read this on a Kindle because the book is heavy!  900 pages.  Or wait till it comes out in soft cover.  It's a brute to haul around....but every word is worth it.  It hangs around in your brain for days.  This will become a classic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38H7W7HVR5206?ASIN=0316055441	Mesmerising	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Once you get caught in the grips of this novel there is no putting it down.  Loved it. Will recommend to all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NOX3ZRRDB8GA?ASIN=0316055441	Too much.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author needs a new editor.  The novel is way too wordy and overly descriptive; her attempt at ethnic speech in a main character is not only poorly done, but uneven; and vast sections are either long and boring or run by too quickly.  The novel's plot line is a good one, but poorly executed.  I frankly do not understand how this novel is/was so popular!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MYU1KQL502X3?ASIN=0316055441	WOW	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put it down, so many different people in the story, all of them very interesting, antique dealer, drug dealers, blue bloods, and the star of the book, a druggie by the time he was thirteen, also, I am an artist and originally from New York, visiting the met many, many times, so that part of the story was very interesting and exciting and scary.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIEPURN516NDQ?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch review - started strong and then limped along	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the first 300-400 pages.  The problem - the book is close to 800 pages and the last half dragged on and on.  Not crazy about the ending, but was thankful it did in fact end.  Clearly Donna Tartt is a talented writer and I would expect her future novels to be worth checking out.  A little more focus in the second half and a better ending could have made The Goldfinch a masterpiece.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UTS4N71U7OA?ASIN=0316055441	would not chose this for a friend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">disappointed in this book. much, much too wordy and long winded descriptions in most cases could have just been skipped.  I read the first 1/3 of the book then skipped to the end.  MAYBE  I will go back and read the other sometime in the future.  do not understand why this is a best seller</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TCSIC3CFFN48?ASIN=0316055441	How many times does opportunity have to knock before the character finally makes a sound choice?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Time after time this character, who experiences a terrible tragedy as a 13 year old, repeatedly makes poor choices--even into his adulthood--knowing full well that his decisions are bad.  Opportunities abound for ""doing the right thing"" in ALL aspects of his life, yet Theo is stuck in the mind of a 13 year old boy.  I'm 3/4 of the way through this book and all I want to do is shake him and say, ""GROW UP!--Stop looking for an easy way out, stop screwing people who obviously care and love you.""  It's like watching the same train wreck over and over and expecting a different result.  I'm hoping there is some decent resolution to this horrific story.  Realizing that not all lives have positive outcome, this character's death wish is sickening.<br/><br/>1/31/2014 -- It's a few days later and I'm still bored and wishing the book to end.<br/><br/>While the book does have some remarkable moments, those moments of brilliance are overshadowed by the many verbose descriptors and unneccesary ""tidbits"" of information.<br/><br/>I believe Ms. Tartt feels she is a master artist of the written word--maybe she should have taken a hint from the masters--too many brushstrokes may ruin a painting.<br/><br/>2/1/2014 -- Very dissatisfied with this novel.  As though this character is doing something nobel in the scheme of humanity... ?  Well, you at least received some royalties from me, Ms. Tartt, you won't be getting any more from me.  You're not my type of author.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE1OS483HY035?ASIN=0316055441	A good book which could have used some editing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the plot was good, but the book was WAY too long and repetitive for my taste. I have read both of Ms. Tartt's previous books, so I was expecting better writing than this from her. Others will disagree I am certain.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSWBY4EXJU7CX?ASIN=0316055441	Good enough, but not great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch was certainly a compelling novel, but I was disappointed.  Theo, the main character, wasted his life, both literally and figuratively and though I felt sorry for his situation, I did not feel sorry for him.  Though I could not put the book down, as I had to know how it would end, I was really glad when it finally ended.  It wore me out!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D1R70KGZM1DM?ASIN=0316055441	who picks these pulitzers!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was chosen for our book club so I faithfully slogged through it.  How this book got to be so popular I'll never know.  It is too long and too ridiculous and too amateurish to have gotten a good review.  Makes me wonder who chooses the pulitzer and what in the world they could have been thinking.  What a waste of good time and money.  A</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q3372LZBX7YJ?ASIN=0316055441	Complex, dense	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not really a ""coming of age"" story.  Much more violent and sick than that.<br/>Not a comedy.  Too much tragedy and too many mistakes in the two main characters lives.<br/>Very difficult to return to as you kept hoping for enlightenment on someone's part.<br/>It continued to tumble into deeper and deeper depression and poor decisions.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I9KHQT2D7C87?ASIN=0316055441	Just awful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not sure what book the 5 star reviewers read.  It couldn't have been this one.  Depressing is an understatement.  Long winded sentences ran 2 Kindle screens without punctuation ... ramblings of a teenage boy who encounters pretty much the worst life can hand you.  Nothing redeeming or of value.  I kept thinking ""ok that was pretty awful what happened to him but now his life will get better and the story will improve.""  Nope.  Just continues downhill.  Don't waste your money or your time.  There are plenty of good reads out there.  This isn't one of them.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KTFABM1IR9YN?ASIN=0316055441	She desperately needs a good editor.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i cannot fathom why this book won a prize. The author is severely afflicted with logorrhoea.<br/>She desperately needs a good editor..l can't think how l got through the miasma of verbiage.<br/>l just kept hoping it would get sorted out or calm down and stop all the tangent chasing.<br/>l do wish l knew just what the judges were thinking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20WUWUTI9MCR9?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch--Goldmine	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is one of the best books of the 21st century.  It took Donna Tartt 10 years to write it, and it shows.  It is a finely crafted<br/>story with multiple layers.  My only criticism would be that the Las Vegas section is a bit long and could be cut.  But I feel as if I should reread it because it is so dense with plot and meaning.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R380OYB2S8T6PN?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written, emotional journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Recently abandoned by his father, who moved out of the family home in Manhattan, Theo Decker, 13, and his beautiful mother are making it on their own in New York.  After Theo gets in a little trouble at school, he and his mother have an appointment at school to discuss his issues. With some time to spare before the appointment, the two stop off at the MET for a Dutch art exhibit.  Theo is not at an age where he appreciates fine art, but he does notice a pretty red-headed girl about his age and an elderly man who catches his attention. He is curious about the girl and the mysterious older man she is with.  So when his mom suggests they visit the gift shop, Theo declines to stay close to the young girl, and in an instant, his life is forever changed.<br/><br/>After an explosion and the rubble which resulted,Theo is unable to get to the gift shop or locate his mother. He does find the now dying older man (Welty) who gives Theo a ring and tells him to take it to a place called, Hobart and Blackwell and to ""ring the green bell"", when he arrives.  Welty also tells him to take the small painting which had fallen to the ground after the explosion. The artwork is a priceless 17th century, one of a kind painting which depicts a little yellow pet finch that is chained at the ankle, ""The Goldfinch."".<br/><br/>Dazed in the aftermath, Theo now sees his life defined as ""Before Mom and After Mom"".  He is haunted by what has happened; he blames himself for his mother's death. Child protective services intervenes and Theo's journey to adulthood takes a most unconventional course.  From living with a wealthy school friend on Park Avenue, to being dragged off to Las Vegas by his loser, gambler father and his girlfriend Xandra, Theo's life is in chaos. The only comfort for him is, The Goldfinch painting, which he clings to like a security blanket.<br/><br/>Theo has kept the painting hidden since the tragedy, for it reminds him of his mother.  But, what can a young man do with a priceless piece of art like The Goldfinch? For a number of years, he keeps it safe, and gazes at it occasionally in private, until years later when, a seedy friend from Theo's teen years in Las Vegas resurfaces in New York and has a plan.<br/><br/>In The Goldfinch, the reader is transported on a spellbinding journey into the lives of The Barbours, the wealthy, Park Avenue family that took young Theo in. Hobie, the antique dealer and former business partner of the elderly man who died in the explosion, who gives Theo a place to live and work when he returns to NYC. There is also unpredictable Boris, who Theo befriends in Las Vegas after Theo's loser dad and girlfriend take him from NYC to live with them.  Both boys are left to fend for themselves, and except for the occasional left overs that Xandra brings home, their consumption seems to consist primarily of food they can steal or alcohol and drugs.<br/><br/>Told from the first person looking back, The Goldfinch follows Theo from the ages of 13 to 27.  From New York to Las Vegas, back to New York and even on an international journey to Amsterdam.  The author creates a memorable cast of characters and imagery. The characters are so well drawn, the writing is fabulous and both colorful and suspenseful.  For me, it novel was, at times, an emotional journey. My heart went out to Theo, even when he made some poor choices along the way. I loved the way the novel drew me into the world of art, and although it can't be considered a happy story, it is a story that, for me, had a very satisfying conclusion.  So far it is probably one of the very best books I've read in 2013, even though it was well over 700 pages -- I never felt bored.<br/><br/>Be sure to read this one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R150LZHEWXWM2M?ASIN=0316055441	spectacular	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Two decades ago when I was fresh from college her first book spoke to me, and now a half my life time later her new work does the same and for entirely different reasons.  Do our artists age with us or do we know art as a result of our age then? I hope to re-read this one in twenty years and find the answer.  Though it may already be there.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L5H9JQGQ2BJW?ASIN=0316055441	Not good !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way to wordy! Dragged on &amp; on. I was frustrated by the book and the ending was anti climatic. Not good.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PK4BLTEU0MQB?ASIN=0316055441	Once in a decade...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wait and I wait for that book that leaves me in awe and talking to everyone about the experience...and this is it!  The main characters are both beautiful and disgusting, the tone and atmosphere, both warm and dark.  The ending...so obvious once you get there it brings laughter and a sweet release of anxiety.  A once in a decade read!!!!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJZI4PN8X5VP9?ASIN=0316055441	Those Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an amazing book with intrigue and great character development. As the plot carried me from chapter to chapter, the author kept the trade deeply involved with the main characters.  I have rarely been so involved in the family dynamics of the characters as they grappled with life, death, and life's meaning so deeply.  A great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M5MLINVW5FY8?ASIN=0316055441	Worth purchasing and reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Remarkable book. It still stays with me many weeks after finishing it. The book is troubling, interesting, sometimes gut-wrenching--but even the most flawed characters have redeeming values that kept me reading and hoping for their success. My husband read the book after I did--on my recommendation--and he, too, found it to be compelling.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34FWIYA2MV1DM?ASIN=0316055441	Beauty buried	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If ever a novel needed an editor, this is it. Brilliance is overshadowed, sinking beneath the weight of too many words. Vivid characters are muted, by too many words. Such a shame that Tartt didn't take her cue from the painting itself, and concentrate on the fascinating central story. I would love to read a 350 page version of this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAITEUQ0L97UU?ASIN=0316055441	Seldom give up on a book....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had supposedly received good reviews and was on the recommended book lists. That said, I thought it would never end.  And, indeed, I gave up on it right near the very end because by that point I really didn't care how it ended.  The main character is so self-absorbed that it was impossible by the end of the book to even care what happened to him.  The book was plodding and endless with no redeeming value and no point.  Hated it.  Don't think I have ever said that about a book before.  So, if you want an ""endless"" summer book, this may be the one for you.  Buyer beware!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSRR9LC6ZD3ZQ?ASIN=0316055441	Highly overrated!  Horrible!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is just a mess, starting with the author's misinterpretation of the famous painting, ""The Anatomy Lesson.""  Halfway into the book, after the author had managed to kill off so many of people, I found myself skimming, just to see where the story could possibly be going.  Long wordy chapter on character's drug withdrawal.  Long wordy chapter on details of character's flu. This book is just a big downer. Unbelievable relationships. The last chapter makes you think the author is on a drug trip herself, full of her depressing philosophies on life.  Don't waste your money!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11P3F2OM5YFDH?ASIN=0316055441	not that great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am surprised this book won anything!  It just went on and on and just got way too wordy and complicated in it's description of events.  I found myself flipping through pages just to end it all. It could have been a great story but I think the author got carried away and made it far too ridiculous to believe even if it was fiction!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9STFPTD543OS?ASIN=0316055441	good  ideas, good characters, lost in the jumble	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An engaging plot and characters lost in a stodgie, self indulgent writing style.  Needs a good editor to keep it moving and avoid the retelling of events by characters.  Some sections were laborious,  Some loose end introduced either were killed quickly or never resolved.  The book seemed as purposeless as the characters at times.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VRP4RMQJRBQI?ASIN=0316055441	too cerebral for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms Tartt is an amazing writer, it is clear.<br/>However, I couldn't wait to finish this book and found it agonizing read. The story line is interesting and most of the characters fit in well but the writer made the main character, Theo, pathetic.<br/>Too much time and too many words spent explaining emotions, especially of Theo.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E3Y5O6QT0K4Q?ASIN=0316055441	Perfect book for me to read right now!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">5 Stars because it is so well written. And many feelings portrayed by the characters are how I feel too. So I can cozy up inside myself, and cool out after work and be soothed. Yet, also many incidents are nothing I have ever been involved in, the story is told so well that I can understand and weave into my own life experiences.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19ZEYP1S9VXHP?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best book I have read in years. Prepare to stay up late, you will want to read straight through</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H9XR7B1UCBGF?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story has many levels and sub plots which are beautifully written and joined seamlessly to the main story. My attention was captured from the first page and involved me with this unfortunate young man and his journey to manhood. I have no hesitation recommending this book as a particularly interesting and arresting read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C2D8PWBMCOHJ?ASIN=0316055441	What a disappointment!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Bloated and gratuitous descriptions that didn't add insight to the characters, move the story or create any texture. Unsympathetic characters, most of whom I didn't care much about - and, to the extent I did care, I couldn't wrap my mind around them.  A depressing, nihilistic world view.  The ""feel good"" (and rather preachy) turn at the end did nothing to remove the taste of the preceding 700+ pages.  In short, every time I thought it would get good, it didn't.  That said, it is otherwise well-written and the ""plot"" would make a good 200 page story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGMRRUXSWWIOD?ASIN=0316055441	"A ""Cannot Put Down"" Read"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The descriptions are through and there's always some mystery to keep you reading until you know the answer. The story is so real it lingered in my mind all day and into the nights until I finished it. If you love reading, the Goldfinch is a must read.<br/><br/>The final chapter is very philosophical and thought provoking.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TF3Q6C905122?ASIN=0316055441	THE GOLDFINCH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">NOT WHAT I WAS EXPECTING.  I AM TOO OLD TO READ ABOUT DRUGGY LOST KIDS.  VERY SLOW IN THE MIDDLE.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSOXJ1LL4TM5B?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was our book club selection and everyone loved reading it with the author's descriptive writing where she filled all your senses so that you could see, taste and feel what she was describing.  This is a long book, 775 pages, but a real page turner that I could not put down and lost a lot of sleep until I finished it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FFMUME9DHT2N?ASIN=0316055441	"An appreciation of ""The Goldfinch"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is mesmerizing. Here's something I wrote recently for the St. Louis Beacon's ""Popcorn"" feature in which staffers present writings or ideas that have popped up in the previous week to engage or amuse or infuriate them:<br/><br/>'The  Goldfinch'<br/>In the writer Donna Tartt’s transportive new novel “The Goldfinch,” Audrey Decker, walking on the narrow edge of the precipice of doom, provides her 13-year-old son, Theodore, a lesson on 17th century Dutch painting that is at once historically informed and divinatory. This passage from her lesson concerns “nature morte,” the “still life.”<br/><br/>The boy asks:<br/><br/>“How long did it take him to paint that?”<br/><br/>My mother, who’d been standing a bit too close, stepped back to regard the painting – oblivious to the gum-chewing security guard whose attention she attracted, who was staring fixedly at her back.<br/><br/>“Well, the Dutch invented the microscope,” she said. “They were jewelers, grinders of lenses. They want it all as detailed as possible because even the tiniest things mean something. Whenever you see flies or insects in a still life – a wilted petal, a black spot on the apple — the [painter is giving you a secret message, He’s telling you that living things don’t last — it’s all temporary. Death in life. That’s why they are called natures mortes. Maybe you don’t see it at first with all the beauty and bloom, the little speck of rot. But if you look closer -- there it is.”<br/><br/>-- Robert W. Duffy, associate editor</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFMN41TL1P17X?ASIN=0316055441	Good book, lots to talk about!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did enjoy the book but REALLY, how many bad decisions can one person make in life? Like a tumbling castle of blocks, one bad decision leads to another and there was really no need except that I'm sure it made a significantly more interesting book. I never quit rooting for Theo and I guess that does say something!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R171EU5X8GVPLV?ASIN=0316055441	A. Young man's struggle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The details. Immerse you in Theo' s struggle to recover from the tragic loss of his mother and the responsibility placed upon him. It is a very believable account of how a young man would think and act without a parent to guide him.  It is clear that  Ms Tartt did a great deal of research to prepare for this story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S4VCE0WE6OC?ASIN=0316055441	The New, Modern Coming of Age Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Growing up, I was obsessed with _Catcher In the Rye_ because it was my first encounter of an author using stream of consciousness to drive the narrative. Tartt has beautifully honed her author's craft to create such a beautiful coming of age novel.<br/>I am already looking forward to reading it again, and again.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G1LOQB0WO1FM?ASIN=0316055441	Magnificent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reading is an experience, often in the fast paced world today, that experience is formulated, the writing conformed to patterns of interest.  Not this author, she blows you away with sensual, observational, and exemplary detail.  She leaves me feeling, she found me reeling, and like Conan Doyle, provides healing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U1N6JYR02JZ3?ASIN=0316055441	I also felt that the editor of the book went missing now and then regarding the dialogue and the book might have been just as go	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the plot to be quite engaging with many twists, turns and suspense.  The main characters were well developed and dialogue flowed.  However, I also felt that the editor of the book went missing now and then regarding the dialogue and the book might have been just as good minus a couple of hundred pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3170UH3EM67GK?ASIN=0316055441	Surprise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt this book dragged at times  but as I continued reading and got toward the end I understood why there was so much in it.  I thought this book was very well written and it gave the reader so much to think about.  I will never forget this book and it brought out a lot of emotions in me.  So glad I read it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTB2S52B8G239?ASIN=0316055441	did it work or not?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to love this book, and sometimes I did. But just as often, despite the wonderful writing, I hated it.  And then, as I approached the end too much didn't end; I found myself considering how each potential relationship was simply a vehicle for the inevitable explanation of life view.  In the end, meh.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JD9OM6NUB48W?ASIN=0316055441	What storytelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An epic, entertaining and completely absorbing story. The extent to which one identifies and empathises with characters who are often cheats and criminals, testifies to an author capable of writing amazingly strong and real characters. This is some of the best storytelling I have read since Charles Dickens.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHXE2I4K1X4LU?ASIN=0316055441	moments of brilliance among the cliches and tedium	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant beginning, agonizingly repetitive middle, and exceedingly pedantic and self-serving end. I'm embarrassed that I gave this book as a gift to others based upon all the positive reviews...and during the holidays, no less, the least appropriate gift for that time of year. Reading this was an ordeal.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X186M59NE383?ASIN=0316055441	Just plain amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So much going on! The friendship and love between Boris and Theo was my favorite part, along with the relationship between Theo and Hobie. Just a really long and winding journey that makes you ache for Theo. At times I wanted to hug him, at other times I wanted to slap him. This might be my new favorite!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NIR8J66H3Y4F?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is the most boring, uninteresting, and verbose audiobook I have had misfortune to purchase. Perhaps it something happens closer to the end, but its so slow I can't get to it. I am on the 12th cd and am waiting for a story to develop. I will endeavor to finish, only because I paid for it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNK8GNZMF84FJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the beginning, I was engaged by the plot and the protagonist who was by turns admirable and despicable.  Tartt's use of the stolen painting was ingenious.  I  immediately looked for another book by the same author but did not enjoy ""The Secret History"" as much as I had ""The Goldfinch.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDSC3CROMPNSQ?ASIN=0316055441	An excellant read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book will stand out as one of the best examples of wordmanship I've encountered in my more than 40 years of compulsive reading.  In spite of the richness of the tapestry and the many layers of the story woven into it, it still manages to move fast and keep you spellbound with characters that are unusual and events happening against a background which constantly changes - exposing mankind in a way which allows you to associate with the story on an intesnely personal level.  I cannot recommend it strongly enough</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KIFY7A1A7NBI?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an exquisitely written book, well worth reading, but I found it so depressing I had to put it down from time to time. It's kind of an adult ""A Series of Unfortunate Events"". The ending is very philosophical and beautiful. I think this is a book people will be reading for generations.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y91441RKRRR4?ASIN=0316055441	The book that wouldn't die.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can not criticize the prose or the fact that it managed to keep me involved to the end of this very long novel.  But I must say I started looking for a conclusion about midway through and reading to the end was torturous .  I was relieved to be done. I wanted to party. It was like a monkey off my back.<br/>Some of the descriptions were laborious and unnecessary.  This novel was depressing and not in a good way. It was like sitting bedside a dying man on a respirator , waiting and waiting for his last breath  .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IXP91BXLULL8?ASIN=0316055441	The marvelous reviews made me want to read this novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As I read I just couldn't wait for those reviews to come true. Never happened. I finished reading still waiting for the wonderfulness to come through. OK is the best I can feel about the main  character and his attempt to lead a fulfilling life. Probably just me as it continues to be a best seller.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ABDSBWXF8H00?ASIN=0316055441	In the Wings	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book came recommended highly, by a woman who happened to sit next to me, as we are seated when we buy tickets, at City Winery in New York. We were attending the musical event to raise money and consciousness for the terrible tragedy that upset Nepal. This event was called Everest. An avid reader, I confess to not hearing before about this book. It's a huge tome of a book. The skeleton Story has been reviewed here, by many. A major event, a bomb that devastates in a famous Art Museum, is the proximal event that becomes a haunting Story that is about art theft, adventure, mystery, drugs, shady characters, loss, abandonment, love and more. I found after a while that the drug scene and the violence, that is also part of the story, and the betrayals, very hard psychologically to get through. But that is me. I would say the last few chapters, the existential analysis by Theo Decker of his Story, is worth the read as in the question we all ponder which is, What IF, as in the patterns of a life going down the years, how it fits together, and what to make of meaning in the<br/>deepest sense of Story, of God, the Universe, how we are moved. His story moves out of the details and into the cosmic realm of a meditation on life, as it is lived, what we surrender, in every way, in passing through. This is the poetry within a book. Many books become a heavy read, and then there are passages that lift the reader right out of the action into the realm of hard questions, the coeur of heart, and heart ship. What is hardship, friendship, and love. This book does this kind of sore and soar. And so what's in the wings, a meditation on Art of all kinds, being within Heart, it surpasses, in being about The Mystery itself.<br/><br/>And I have detailed in so many ways, how I was caught short, totally astounded, by how the contents of this book mirrored what I was writing and thinking at the time. But that is in my on - line FB Diary, and I can say, truth IS stranger than fiction or could it be, a merger, the real world with the reel world?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WYG7BRKJZVVB?ASIN=0316055441	A Problem of Character	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms. Tartt’s new novel has much going for it.  First of all, it has some heft to it.  There’s something said for a novelist willing to dig into a story and suss out its depths.  Ms. Tartt’s descriptions, particularly of antique art and furniture as well as locales around NYC, provide a texture too often missing in shorter works, not to mention the time she spends delving into the personality of her main character, Theo.  In general, she has created an experience well worth having.<br/><br/>In longer novels, too, it is easier to be forgiving of weaknesses in plot and character.  Unfortunately, Ms. Tartt is in need of quite a bit of forgiveness.  Plot holes fall within the scope of suspending disbelief until near the end, when we end up in a parking garage in Amsterdam.  Of course, near the end is probably the worst spot to place your most unbelievable scene, as it sticks in the memory.<br/><br/>The biggest problem, however, is the personality of our main character.  Clearly, Theo undergoes a severe trauma at the beginning of the novel which follows him throughout his life.  Still, it can be difficult to sustain interest in a character that develops very little over the course of his life.  One can understand his descent into drugs and crime as a teenagers cast out on his own, but as he grows older and nothing really changes for him, it becomes more difficult to sympathize with him.  After 500 pages of drug-addled poor decision-making, things get a bit boring, relying on secondary characters and surprises—a couple real poppers—to keep the interest going.<br/><br/>Granted, there are some great supporting players here.  Boris, Theo’s friend in exile, is the unforgettable, charming id of the book.  Hobie is a great, gentle, imperfect father figure.  Pippa is the girl on a pedestal.  Even the wealthy Barbours, who help Theo in a distracted way near the beginning of the book, becoming quite interesting, especially when Theo encounters them again later in the novel.  But they cannot quite counter the weakness in Theo as our guide.<br/><br/>Still, there are pleasures to be had throughout the book.  The first half is spectacular, really capturing the despair of a teenage boy in crisis.  The second half is tougher going, but is by no means a disaster.  Ms. Tartt deserves credit for producing another quality novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROSR4928OWC8U?ASIN=0316055441	Great book; lackluster ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First, I do want to say that this book is a bit long and very heavy. There were times I had to put the book down and read a bit from something lighter. That being said, Donna Tartt sucked me in from the very first lines of the book. I was captivated immediately. The book actually starts with Theo as an adult recounting his life. It doesn't become clear until the end of the book why he is doing this. (Don't worry, no spoilers for those of you who haven't read it yet!) The description of the explosion and its aftermath at the beginning of the book was everything it needed to be: suspenseful, emotional, painful. There were a few things that happened in the beginning that the author doesn't really explain until later.<br/><br/>I don't know if anyone else is bothered by this, but sometimes I feel like some male authors just cannot write for women and vice versa. I know I'm not a man, but I do feel like she wrote for men (and especially a 13 year old boy) and she perfectly described the emotions of a young boy grieving for his mother. He refused to talk to anyone really and it took him a long time to accept the reality of his mom's death. I was incredibly moved by the descriptions of this boy's emotions and how they evolved over time. His grief as a boy turned into anger and shame as a man. Theo's best friend, Boris is someone that I am still not sure whether I loved or hated. It was probably a combination of the two. He was a really funny character and he made no apologies for who he was, which is what Theo needed I think.<br/><br/>Here are a few issues I did have with the book. As I mentioned, the book was very long. I felt like it was too long. Because it was a story that spanned decades, there were times when the events were very dry. There were a lot of events that didn't necessarily need to be there. There were some parts that were harder to put down than others. Also, the ending was a bit anticlimactic for me. It felt like everything that happened at the end was something out of a TV movie and that it was done merely so Tartt could wrap everything in a neat little bow. Maybe it's just me, but I don't always need everything neat and tidy at the end of the book. This is one that could have used an ending with a little mess.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGGIFGGFG9X7V?ASIN=0316055441	Not your average plane-read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For quite a while now I have been reading Mystery and Suspense stuff on my Kindle; worth about 350 pages in paper-and-ink, and lasting maybe 2-3 nights before lights out. Quick and easy. It took one paragraph in “Goldfinch” for me to realize I was in for the long haul: the prose is as fine champagne is to 7-Up. This is not an airport costume novel. And for the record, the painting, “The Goldfinch”, is quite real. It is by Carel Fabritius, a pupil of Rembrandt and teacher of Vermeer, and is priceless. It hangs in the Mauritshuis, The Hague.<br/><br/>The novel is, oddly, a sort of Tom Sawyer-Huck Finn tale, set very much in the present. Tom is Theo Decker, recently deserted by his father and left completely bereft at 13 by a terrorist bomb explosion which kills his mother at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. All of this is harrowingly described by Ms. Tartt: not only Theo’s escape from the wreckage, alone and badly concussed, but the awful dawning that, after he makes his way back home, his mother is not there; in fact, she will never be there again. Also, in the aftermath of the blast, he innocently comes into possession of “The Goldfinch”, on loan to the Museum and buried in the debris. When he reaches his room, he dazedly pulls it from his book bag, wraps it carefully, and puts the bundle on his closet shelf. Henceforth, it will go wherever he goes.<br/><br/>Huck appears in the person of one Boris Pavlikovsky. Theo meets him in Las Vegas almost a year later, where his father, who has resurfaced as a professional gambler, has taken him. Boris is a fellow student at Theo’s new school, and like Huck is very much a free spirit. He introduces Theo to a world of sex and drugs completely new to him. Ms. Tartt’s descriptions of the sand and wind and blinding light of the Nevada desert, by the way, are spot-on. Theo is soon in deep addiction, and he and Boris become almost feral in their escapades. (Be calm; except for one early, unsatisfactory fumble, they are completely asexual with one another.) Several months pass in a stoned haze, but then Theo’s father falls heavily into debt to another gambler, who uses baseball bats as collection instruments. Ms. Tartt again shows her virtuosity by conveying the screaming terror of a doomed man. Mr. Decker gets blind drunk, speeds into the desert and collides with a truck. Theo leaves Vegas that night, with Boris in tears. The bundle goes with him, back to New York.<br/><br/>Here the story slows, as Theo, now all of 15, actually begins to live a normal life. He is taken in by Hobie, a man he met after the explosion. Hobie is an antique furniture restorer/dealer, who trains Theo as his assistant. Now almost drug-free, he finishes his education and, a better businessman than Hobie, gradually becomes his partner in an increasingly prosperous enterprise. Unfortunately, he has inherited some of his father’s taste for risk-taking, and without Hobie’s knowledge has begun selling some heavily restored pieces as originals. Eventually, a customer, a shadowy socialite named Lucius Reeve, sees some serious over-work, and begins making blackmail threats. The business, which is after all based on trust, faces ruin. Further, and far more disturbing, Reeve seems to be aware of some connection between Theo and the Goldfinch.<br/><br/>Theo, now under heavy stress, begins renewing his drug connections, and soon Boris, who has become a successful international dealer, reappears. He is still the Happy Warrior, and when he hears Theo’s troubles, jumps in to help. He of course knows all about the Goldfinch from their days in Las Vegas, and Theo is thunderstruck when Boris tells him that he, Boris, stole it long ago. The precious bundle only contains an old Nevada schoolbook. Boris has since used the painting as collateral in a series of high-interest loan scams which have made him rich, and is ironically grateful to Theo. Where is it now? Somewhere in Europe, Boris thinks, in his network, but if Theo insists, he can get it back.<br/><br/>Getting it back involves much thumping behind the scenes, and I cannot go further without spoiling things. Buy the book. You will be richly rewarded; by the writing, the character development, and by a delicious twist in the tale itself. In the final pages, Ms. Tartt includes some ruminations on good and evil, and the role of art in bridging the mysterious gap between the everyday world we know and one we are only dimly aware of. These are by nature rather obscure and may not be to everyone’s taste, but they are, like the rest of the book, intelligent and provocative.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD88DHCTWUVMN?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant Psychological Portrait of a Troubled Person That Loses its Way in the Final Section	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After all the praise heaped upon Donna Tartt's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, it's difficult to know quite what else to say.  Constructed in picaresque form, the action shifting from New York, to Las Vegas, back to New York and Amsterdam, THE GOLDFINCH traces the life of Theodore Decker from gawky teenager to twentysomething salesperson in Hobie's furniture-restorer cum antiques shop.  Author Tartt has some trenchant comments to make on the vagaries of the antique trade, especially on the ways in which supposedly ""rare"" pieces of furniture, fixtures and fittings turn out to be not quite what they seem.<br/><br/>At a deeper level, however, THE GOLDFINCH has a lot more to do with the idea of being in the contemporary world.  Following his mother's violent death, Theodore is engaged in a search for identity - something he believes will not only guarantee him a place in society but will make him feel good about himself.  Despite the ministrations of several people - social workers, psychologists, friends, and the like - he cannot seem to achieve anything.  The only source of stability he discovers is through the Old Master painting ""The Goldfinch"" which he has purloined from the New York art gallery where his mother was killed.  In the picture of the bird chained by foot to the perch, he finds some sense of permanence; the fact that it has survived for so long in such a pristine state gives him inspiration.  However there is an obvious irony behind this: the sight of the chained bird suggests that the painting itself offers nothing more than a form of imaginative imprisonment, not far removed from the physical imprisonment Theodore feels when he stays at the Barbours' household, headed by a socialite and matriarch whose entire life seems to revolve around surface appearance.<br/><br/>When the action shifts to Las Vegas, Theodore thinks he has discovered some form of liberation, as he leads a hedonistic lifestyle with new acquaintance Boris.  Tartt's contrast of the desert landscape with the wintry built-up world of New York is masterly; the desert not only suggests freedom but loneliness as well.  This is precisely what Theodore feels; the only source of stability for him is the stolen painting, which he keeps in plastic bags bound up with duct tape.  As the novel unfolds, however, we understand that even this source of security no longer exists: Theodore is like a ship without a rudder, always looking for something (or someone) to rely upon or trust.<br/><br/>When the action returns to New York, Theodore appears to have made something of his life, as he secures a job in Hobie's antiques firm and makes a good living selling antique furniture to well-to-do customers.  Unfortunately by doing this he has committed himself once again to a world of surfaces; the ""truth"" underlying them is willfully ignored.  The only way out Theodore can find is by taking drugs, or contracting a loveless marriage with the Barbour family's daughter, but neither of these solutions provides any satisfaction.<br/><br/>So far so good: at this point, about four-fifths of the way through the novel, Tartt has woven a compelling narrative which not only encourages readers to want to find out more, both in terms of plot and psychological analysis, but provides a vivid representation of how people have to fight to survive, both financially and psychologically in contemporary America.  Once the action shifts to Amsterdam, as Theodore and Boris go off on an adventure to recover ""The Goldfinch"" painting, the tone of the novel changes; it becomes more of a conventional thriller with familiar Russian baddies and scenes taking place in bars or dimly-lit small back rooms.  Tartt seems less interested in examining Theodore's state of mind and more concerned with telling a good story.  Although the novel possesses an intriguing coda as Theodore starts to take stock of his life, we feel that it has been tacked on to the narrative, as it does not emerge organically from the preceding action in Amsterdam.<br/><br/>THE GOLDFINCH is an undoubtedly compelling read, but we do feel that it could have been transformed into something much better if Tartt had ditched the Amsterdam sequences and re-situated the action in environments she understands more instinctively, such as New York and Las Vegas.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROYP8MQYT14QV?ASIN=0316055441	Dreaming about The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After more than a week of what felt like reading, eating, sleeping, and dreaming about it, here are my thoughts on Donna Tartt’s acclaimed masterpiece, The Goldfinch.<br/> For the first 500 pages of the novel, I was more than anything, frustrated with the pacing. The story itself was interesting. I enjoyed learning about the antique trade. The characters were also compelling. I grew to love the affable and sweet Hobie, the irrepressible Boris, the Luna-Lovegood-like Pippa. But my goodness! If something could be said in 10 words, in The Goldfinch, it took a page.<br/> The strange thing about this is that, as in the way of some other long, but good, books I have read, the fact that The Goldfinch was so long meant that I spent more time with the characters than I do when reading shorter books. So, about 500 pages in, I started to realize that I was growing attached to the narrator, Theo, his best friend Boris, and to the wonderful little dog Popchick. I began to realize that I would miss them when the book was over.<br/> It was at about this point in the novel that the pace suddenly increased from about 5 miles an hour to 150. All of a sudden, The Goldfinch became a hard-to-put-down thriller, reminiscent of a movie like The Italian Job. I found myself saying out loud, “no, don’t do that!” to the characters, in much the same way viewers caution girls not to wander off alone in a horror movie.<br/> And then, it stopped. I hesitate to say that the story ended, because as we leave Theo, he lives in a kind of exalted, dream-like limbo. The final chunk of the novel consists of Theo talking to us about what his life has meant, the epiphany that he has come to, and what he “urgently” wants to tell us.<br/> Ahh, the Pulitzer-Prize winning conclusion. I have very mixed thoughts on the epiphany that Theo/Tartt shares with the reader. On the one hand, I felt a little like I was being lectured to, in what I would guess would be something like Ayn Rand style. Also, the switch from plot-driven story to theorizing about the meaning of life seemed abrupt and not particularly subtly written. As well as this, some of the things Theo was saying were actually ambiguously written, or I just didn’t get.<br/> Which may, I am absolutely willing to admit, only reflect on my own lack of insight.<br/> However.<br/> There were some ideas that Theo shared which did strongly affect me. Which shook me. Which made me uncomfortable, and made me tread new ground in the possibilities I saw in the world. For literally less than a second, I experienced a glimpse of how it would feel to live my life in a completely different way. And then, as conscious restrictions took over, the threat/fear? of this revolutionary vision vanished behind the sealed door of my habitual safe patterns.<br/> I don’t know if I will be able to sense that new way of being again. I think the door opened because I didn’t see it coming. I plan to reread the ending of The Goldfinch, and over time, I will know more, perhaps, of what I feel about the novel.<br/> Right now, I’m not really sure. It might have had some brilliant, affecting insights. At the same time, something in Theo’s assertions was unutterably bleak. Even as he exorted us not to despair, his epiphany left me feeling horribly sad.<br/> Perhaps, for this reader, only time will tell.<br/>The Goldfinch left me thinking, rather than shutting down my thoughts. I’m not sure I agree with what Donna Tartt has to say, I’m not sure if The Goldfinch will ultimately make me a happier, or a sadder, person. I don’t even know if it will stay with me, or fade, much like spiritual experiences of great love that seem impossible to recapture in the mundaneness of everyday life.<br/> But the fact that I am even comparing reading The Goldfinch to a spiritual experience speaks for itself, and may be, in the end, why The Goldfinch was awarded the Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X8F3R611V90T?ASIN=0316055441	Struck me at my core - ready for the big screen	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best novels I've read in a long time, a very long time. Many late nights, some until 3am, were invested in The Goldfinch. It's a sweeping story, so big, so broad. While it definitely gets verbose at some parts (some might suggest unnecessarily), even a bit pretentious (as if Tartt is flexing, perhaps unnecessarily) at others, those opinions are largely superseded by the richness and detail of the story. What really impressed me was Tartt's uncanny first-person descriptions of certain nefarious and ""immoral"" behaviors and activities that the main character undertakes, some of which I can relate to all too well, only furthering my surprise at the authenticity of the writing, as if Tartt herself has personal experience with these activities (or was it mere research). Also exciting is that the first person view is at once totally honest and yet not quite so honest, as the character is eventually revealed to have been hiding parts of himself from the reader.<br/><br/>The almost metaphysical and existential undertow of the story is very powerful, to some it might be too stark, too nihilistic or absurdist. For me it was immensely relatable, to the point where there is awesome beauty in the starkness and gloomy metaphysics of it all. While the first 96% of the book only received one or two highlights from me, I highlighted numerous sentences in the final 4% - sentences that struck me at my core.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch will undoubtedly be translated to the big screen. I just hope that whomever screen-writes it, whomever is cast for the role of Theo (aka Potter!), of Boris, of Hobie, of Mrs. Barbour, of Pippa and other critical characters, and most especially whomever ends up directing it does it all justice. I don't know why but I keep coming back to Terry Gilliam or Ang Lee - yes, two very different directors but both directors could do amazing things with this story in ways only they can in my opinion.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBF5K4KNZO7QJ?ASIN=0316055441	Mixed Reaction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have mixed feelings and thoughts about The Goldfinch.  There were times when I couldn't put it down.  There were also times it bored me nearly to death.  This is a story, woven around a lost object d'art, about love and friendship through suffering and hard times.  That part I liked.  Love between Theo Decker and Mrs. Barbour, who took him in when she was well-to-do and his mother had just been killed in an explosion and whom he befriended near the end of her life.  Love between Theo and Hobie, a master craftsman who provided him career opportunities but whose loyalty he betrayed and spent years making amends--not so much because Hobie demanded it but because it was the right thing to do.  Love between Theo  and Pippa, the girl, who was also in the explosion that killed his mother (and nearly killed Theo) but whom he didn't marry though she'd never been far from his thoughts.  And most of all love between Theo and Boris, whose heart I also loved but had a hard time figuring out and at times accepting.  I also liked the development of Theo's character, which was anything but one dimensional.  The author's herky-jerky style at times contributed to the suspense and at times got tiring.  Here's a sample from the very end of the book and which may be its main point:  ""I feel I have something very serious and urgent to say to you, my non-existent reader, and I feel I should say it as urgently as if I were standing in the  room with you.  That life--whatever else it is--is short.  That fate is cruel but maybe not random.  That Nature (meaning Death) always wins but that doesn't meant we have to bow and grovel to it.  That may be even if we're not always so glad to be here, it's our task to immerse ourselves anyway: wade straight through it, right through the cesspool, while keeping eyes and hearts open.  And in the midst of our dying, as we rise from the organic and sink back ignominiously into the organic, it is a glory and a privilege to love what Death doesn't touch.""  .I'm not sure I like this.  I get the part about ""it is a glory and a privilege to love what Death doesn't touch"", and I understand that for many people life is a cesspool, but I don't believe ""we rise from the organic and sink back ignominiously into the organic.""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H977R5HWASCX?ASIN=0316055441	thousands of reviews and no one wants to comment on the protagonist's alternative view point on drug use?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">4:1 based on review stars is the ratio that says this one is worth your time, the prose is pretty great, even though the book  is long and slow at the end. (Jesus just put to it rest already!)<br/>I want to talk about the drug use which was a theme woven throughout the book.  I think this book is poignant on so many levels, and for me, I've laid matters of faith, the meaning of life, good and bad, God and Spirit, souls and the afterlife, the value and influence of art in our lives etc. to rest. So, those issues in the book are less striking to me personally.  What does strike me as very insightful is the stream of consciousness writing from the perspective of the protagonist, Theo, with regard to his drug use...that was illuminating to me!  Perhaps is was the 15 years I spent as an nurse working in county hospitals, encountering so many addicts, but I really enjoyed seeing things from the perspective of the drug user.  (I also enjoyed the movie ""Limitless"" (2011) for the same reason.)  I mean, this book showed what it's like to have PTSD from childhood and survive with it using our current system, or lack thereof.  Lots of kids (and adults) suffer from PTSD due to accidents, emotional or sexual trauma, crime,or the odd bombing event (which is far too common in other parts of the world).  How does one cope with the anxiety, troubled sleep and other symptoms of PTSD?  It's a huge problem and one which traditional therapy sessions does not completely or even adequately solve.  Did  he once get a massage, or explore meditation, get his meridians balanced with bowen work or accupuncture? No, but he did seem to know all about the pills, and his rationale for taking them was understandable. I mean, we know it as self-medication, right?  But it was also the prose she used about the drug use, weaving in about the throbbing in his neck when he was high on cocaine, along with the other symptoms he had while using drugs it made me wonder how she knew, from interviews or personal experience?<br/>Anyway, as a parent of middle school kids, the perspective on the drug use was enormously helpful to me.  I mean, I'd rather be able to articulate for my kids an understanding of why people may choose to use various illegal drugs rather than just tell my kids that drugs are bad, stay away.<br/>Don't get me wrong, I hated the drug use section in some ways, it was hard for me to read, I kept thinking, ""No! Theo is a good kid, why is he doing this to himself?!""  Yet, I also thought ok, there is a compassionate way to look at drug use.  I mean how many times do we ever meet a person with drug problems and also know and understand their whole life story?  You don't, yet in this book your get to explore what things made it possible for this gifted kid to become a full blown addict. I just wanted to explore one of the less commonly discussed themes of this book.  To me, it was the most important, actionable, and revolutionary theme of the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MVHT9VIX6E5V?ASIN=0316055441	A love/hate read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book club selection, this book was one of my first kindle purchases, a good decision since the book is so long. Reviews that reveal too much of a story's plot frustrate me, so I'm glad I read the book before I read reviews.<br/><br/>The first pages of The Goldfinch drew me in so completely that I read for hours. Donna Tartt is a masterful writer. Her knowledge of languages, art and artists, cultures of varous countries and cities is impressive, as is her descriptive passages of her characters' drug use.<br/><br/>The bombing of the art museum stunned me. Although Dekker told us in the first pages that his mother had died in the horrendous explosion, I kept hoping with him that she might have survived. But therein lies the story. His journey from that moment, through all the changes, relocations, drug usage that should have killed him, all the while trying to protect that tiny piece of art, kept me up nights, reading just a bit more, then a bit more.<br/><br/>As satisfying as the story is, I sometimes grew weary of pages-long paragraphs. I kept thinking that I needed to breathe, to catch my breath somewhere. For me, it would have been easier to read if they had been broken down to half a page or so. Nit-picking, perhaps, for I was compelled to keep reading.<br/><br/>Two-thirds of the way through, I began to skip over the long drug-use descriptions and Dekker's pining for the red-haired girl. I wanted to ""get on with it,"" to discover what was going to happen to the ""Goldfinch,"" who would get it and how.<br/><br/>The revelation was both maddening and hilarious, one of those classic ""duh"" moments, as well as one of the most satisfying. I kept thinking, ""Why didn't they just do that in the first place!"" Ah, but youth is not that smart or clever. Ms. Tarrt is. The ending, itself, deserves a five star; but the passageway there gets a four star from me.<br/><br/>I will read more of Donna Tarrt's works. She is a skilled, memorable writer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R234I1WBH4S1R5?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to Believe it Won Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well, I’m glad that’s over.  At least 500 pages of this book were extremely depressing, and it went on and on, page after depressing page.  The remainder of the book was often sloppy and improbable.  I would give a pass to a self-published author with the kind of mistakes found in Goldfinch; but this author had the help of a staff of editors, and there’s simply no excuse for it.  For example, the one use of Spanish in the entire novel was wrong.  Obviously, the editors depended on Google translator instead of asking a Spanish-speaking person how to say french fries.  The ubiquity of cell phones amongst middle-school kids 14 years ago struck me as wrong.  A 14-year-old referring knowingly to a fertility drug.  The comment that Boris was most comfortable speaking in English followed by him speaking in broken English for the rest of the novel, and Theo teaching him U.S. idiomatic expressions, made no sense.  The way the characters talked, on and on, philosophically, in the end when they weren’t even on cocaine (frankly), was weird.  Even the end went on for ten pages too long, and the reader is supposed to take seriously the pages of a character’s grand philosophical reflections on life when he’s just off of a serious, long-term bender with no treatment or period of sobriety whatsoever?  I found myself wondering why anyone would enable this screwed-up kid by listening to him talk for so long.  Send him to rehab first, for God’s sake.  Having said all that, Boris was a fabulous and memorable character (although his final scene was ridiculous); some of the other characters were great; the writing was very good; and I stuck with the story because the author did make me want to know how it would turn out.  (And, for all that, I will give the novel four stars.)  However, at some point I did wonder whether the Pulitzer Prize is fixed like World Cup soccer.  I find it hard to believe that this was rated the best book of the year.   </span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SUIJFSG7M0HM?ASIN=0316055441	A little long but well worth reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I picked this up recently and was surprised by how long it was. Despite the length, I must say that for me it was a real page turner. My favorite characters were Hobie, Boris and Theo in that order.  Of the women in Theo's life, Pippa was my favorite and I was not exactly thrilled with the author's choice for how that relationship worked out.  I was not thrilled by a number of choices Donna Tartt made in this book but I enjoyed it all the same.  One of the areas I wasn't that happy about was the way she allowed Theo to dabble in drugs without many consequences.  Another area was the way she seemed to equate the impression of a thing with the reality of the thing.  There is such a thing as truth and it isn't in the eye of the beholder.<br/><br/>It turns out this book is about a real painting, though none of this stuff actually happened to it (thank goodness!).  The painting was recently in New York. I guess I missed that opportunity to see it but I'll see it one day.<br/><br/>So why 4 stars instead of 5? I think it's the length of the book and the lack of momentum in a few spots. I felt things should flow one way but Donna took them another way.<br/><br/>This next paragraph is a bit of a spoiler...<br/><br/>Sometimes when I really like a book but I'm not all that happy about how things worked out, I'm tempted to write my own epilogue.  If Donna hadn't had Boris call the art cops, I would have added it in my version.  I saw this coming and I would rather have Boris burst in on Theo sooner.  I didn't enjoy seeing Theo suffer so much in Amsterdam, whether it was his Damascus or not. If I wrote my own epilogue for this book that whole Kitsey thing would be called off and Theo would go find Pippa. Now. Also I'd have most people with Hobie's reproductions refusing to sell them back and have them worth even more because Hobie is an artist in his own right. Kind of like that guy a few years back who was ""selling"" 100 dollar bill ""art work"" that resembled money but was obviously hand drawn.<br/><br/>Ok you can open your eyes now.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K8BXK9S6X1Q4?ASIN=0316055441	Well drawn charaters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If I were to compare the style of this story I would say it falls between Charles Dickens' Bleak House and J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye. Although I was picturing ""Rizo"" from Urban Cowboy as I'm reading the book, which is told in first person by Theo Decker as an older man, relaying his childhood trauma of being in the Metropolitan museum when it was blown up, living with an odd, rich family, and his subsequent disturbing life.<br/><br/>Like with any Charles Dickens book I was hooked by page 75. After my initial shock wore off that the Metropolitan Museum of Art was bombed (This is not much of a spoiler since this has been much talked about since the book came out.) I was intrigued by the boy's plight. His anguish and reaction in this section of the novel was truly well-written. Bravo.<br/><br/>However, by page 413 I did begin to wonder why the bombing wasn't made more out of in the book. Even though we are in the viewpoint of a character wrapped up in his own worries, I think there should be more of a deal made of the Met's bombing in the news (in the book). By page 500 we do see some news about the painting, so that helped in grounding this to reality a little better. The painting, The Goldfinch, seems to have been forgotten for large portions of the book. It's hard to care about it when it isn't mentioned for fifty pages at a time. It became more central to the story line towards the end of the book.<br/><br/>The author is a talented writer. I loved the sharp descriptions of each of the characters and even some of the very minor characters. I did have a difficult time liking Theo, the main character. The author may have been going for realistic but we don't necessarily love watching the depressing twists and repetitive turns of real life. At the end of the book Theo says that he wrote what he did because he was trying to figure things out through writing them down, but came to the conclusion that life is what it is. It wasn't a satisfactory ending. Would I recommend it? There are too many other fine stories available to spend so much time on this one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U3CZHL5FFUKC?ASIN=0316055441	This book confounded me!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first chapters of this book are like nothing I have ever read.  The panic, the loss, the sudden binding of two strangers, one in death and one in following instructions of the soon to be dead, the enormous importance of a tiny priceless work of art..it all just blew your heart up.<br/><br/>The opening chapters soon truncate out into the lives and aftermath of the tragic bombing of the NYC Museum of art.<br/>Theo, a 13 yr old boy, loses his Mother in the bombing.  He has nowhere to go since his Father left long ago.  Theo's luck changes when a very wealthy Park Avenue family allows him to stay with them.<br/><br/>Theo's real spiritual connection happens when he meets Hobie, an art restoration expert.<br/><br/>The real story of this book, however, is the progression of Theo's life through sympathetic orphan to art-shark.  In the latter phase of his life, he comes full circle to inflict pain on those he should morally be the least likely to ever want to hurt.  He dives so deep into the world of self pity and self righteousness that you fear he can never swim back up to the surface.  The reader will learn of his ultimate sink or swim story by the end of the book.<br/><br/>This is a VERY long book.  The characters and locations and nationalities are numerous and extremely interesting.<br/><br/>The real story, though, is what does an adult , jaded, ashamed Theo decide to do with a priceless image in precise detail of a tiny Goldfinch, forever portrayed with his tiny foot chained by the shortest slim length of chain to the branch on which he perches?  For me,  the idea of the Goldfinch and what he represented came to be more important than the cast of living characters.<br/><br/>This was a great book.  The characters turned in very unexpected directions.  Heroes became villians and back to heroes then back to humans,<br/><br/>This review was extremely hard for me to write because the cast was huge, actions were erratic yet had enormous consequences and no one behaved in a predictable way.<br/><br/>I don't know if this painting, ""The Goldfinch"" actually exists but for me, it does.  I can see it precisely in my mind's eye.  Don't worry, I'll Goggle it one of these days.<br/><br/>In short, The Goldfinch is one of the best books I have read.<br/>S OBrien, IL</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12I3J3UJGGIDP?ASIN=0316055441	Mesmerizing and Masterful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is simply one of the best contemporary novels I have read.  It is a black comedy, laced with existential musings and expert prose.  Donna Tartt's previous books were very good, but this one is a masterpiece.<br/><br/>Ignore the reviews that complain about this book's length.  The characters are brilliantly drawn and the story is gripping.  Yes, it is long, and yes, sometimes painful to read, but the plot's roller coaster ride is worth the price of admission.  Ignore the reviews that say the book promotes bad behavior.  It is an unapologetically amoral story, using humor and pain in an unblinking look at horrible family dynamics and characters who watch their lives spin out of control.  Can good come from bad, and bad from good?  Yes -- but we all know that.  Ignore the reviews that glibly classify this book as a ""coming of age story"" -- which by inference lumps it in with a lot of seriously awful contemporary fiction.  Is Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man a coming of age story?  Sure, I guess so, but so what?<br/><br/>Boris is one of the best characters anywhere in fiction, and Hobie and Andy are wonderful as well.  The narrator, Theo, is almost transparent, like the canvas on which the story is painted, less a character in his own right than a reflection of others and a vehicle for moral ambivalence.  Tartt's ear for dialog shows her perfect pitch, and Tartt's descriptions of human weakness are rare, compassionate, and amusing.<br/><br/>I finished this book about a month ago (listened to the audiobook, which was very well narrated) and have thought about it often, and wished there were something else this good to be reading right now.  But no such luck.  I guess I will have to wait another decade for her next one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I9G6ZW7RG7ZU?ASIN=0316055441	Am I Glad I Read The Book?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">(Spoiler alert!)  My wife actually bought this book for herself, but I started reading it first.  It took me a couple of weeks to read it, as it is 771 pages long.  When I started reading her book, she said ""Don't tell me anything about it.""  Early on, I was commenting to her that it was a very unusual story, and wonderful writing style.  The characters were many and interesting.  Then, as I read on, as the drugs began, I would tell her ""I'm not sure you'll like this book, but I do.""  I found myself reading every chance I could, but at the same time, found myself getting more disturbed with the story line.  Theo was becoming a very unlikable character.  But I kept on reading, wanting to see how it would end.  When the story moved to Amsterdam, it really became unpleasant.....violence, tension, and finally murder.  The lost passport was very stressful.  How would Theo ever get home?  Then Boris reappears, and everything had worked out great, the painting was saved, and they were no longer in trouble.  And then the last chapter, which so many reviewers commented as being so wonderful.  It left me very frustrated, with no conclusions about Kitsey, Pippa, and other story lines, and most of all, seemingly no remorse or consequences for Theo for murdering someone.  And the book ended.  My wife came in the room and said ""Well?""  I said I just didn't know.  Then she said ""Are you glad you read the book?""  I had to think about that for a bit.  There were parts of the book that I found wonderful.  The story was unusual.  But after contemplating her question, I had to say ""No.""  I spent so much time reading the book, but after finishing it, I could think of no one that I would tell to read it (especially my wife!), and the book is headed to Goodwill.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HTF5R2SC95MH?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written, wonderful audiobook	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I listened to this as an audiobook. Very beautifully performed and terrifically entertaining. This is not a book to hurry through. If you can believe it, I think it could have used a few more chapters -- I wanted more closure with a few of the characters (I won't spoil it by saying who), including Popchik!!<br/><br/>Some people were turned off by the Vegas section but thematically it is very important to the book. Be patient and stick with it. (Plus, the audio portrayal of Xandra is hilarious and perfect.)</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LON2I6PZHC8M?ASIN=0316055441	The master talent has returned for all you Secret History ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The master talent has returned for all you Secret History fans and all who thought that The Little Friend was excrement, Tartt redeems herself with this intriguing masterpiece in contemporary story telling.  A page turner and a miss the characters when there gone and rejoice when reappear epic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D2WU8XHFXWQK?ASIN=0316055441	Editing Needed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long by half. I got really bored with Boris. Bored with endless pages of Theo's thoughts. Bored with<br/>Tartt's bad repetitious  habits: shaking hair off his face; running hands through his hair; interrupted ""I""….<br/>Bored with the drug and drinking scenes that went on forever.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q6SW1MXUC1AJ?ASIN=0316055441	HER DEATH WAS MY FAULT	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">THE GOLDFINCH<br/><br/>My sister highly recommended this book, kept telling me what a great read it is.  Wow!  Was she ever right!<br/><br/>I, for one, loved this book.  It is action packed right from the start, full of characters that just scream REAL.  It is full of adventure, family, suspense, love, good guys/bad guys -- just about everything you can think of, all rolled up into one big blast of a read.<br/><br/>No need for me to go into the bones of this book, it's been done thousands of times.  I will say I loved how the book moved from one part of Theo's life to the next.  I loved the advancement and maturing of Theo and all of the other characters.  Ah!  The characters -- from our main man, Theo, who is narrating his story, to his friend/keeper Hobie, his passion for Pippa, the affluent Barbour family, and my favorite of all characters, the wonderful Russian, Boris.  Each character is full of delight and plays a huge and definite part of Theo's life.<br/><br/>From New York, to Vegas, and all around the world, this tome was a great read.  At times, yes, Tartt tended to prattle on and on with some rather long and obnoxious sentences, but in the long run, I was glad for each and every word offered up, for a twisting and turning plot, for being taken by the hand and walked through the world of art, drugs, gambling, love, antiques, furniture restoration, growing up, and the world of the rich and snooty.<br/><br/>If you are looking for a book that will take you places you will never go yourself, one that you can completely immerse yourself in, and one you will think about for a long time after you have finished reading it -- this is a book you would certainly enjoy.<br/><br/>Thank you.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UOZDQX21M4Q5?ASIN=0316055441	a work of art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like the painting itself this story was about secrets held at a distance, lives stolen by whim or choice.. and eventually to be set free by either grace or providence... perhaps both. Each page was an artistic rendition of even the simplest of everyday images; a lone can tumbling down a sandy street in the quiet of 2 am... the scent coming from a restaurant bringing with it an onslaught of memory.. and etc.. It was all brought very much alive in this book. It haunted me for days after I'd completed it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1STL12R7XPARY?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best novels I have read in years. Donna Tartt is able to combine so many elements into a coming of age story/thriller that really get your attention.  I really enjoyed all the (flawed) characters and the descriptions of the varied setting made you feel like you were there.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MHPRW6QMWF56?ASIN=0316055441	Book Club gave Rave Reviews	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not only did my book club give our highest rating for content and style, but everyone I see reading this book loves it.  It captivates from chapter 1 and keeps interest through the entire book.  Extremely well written and includes great research.  The book and subject appeals to everyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTZFUPCSZVOHP?ASIN=0316055441	The best nove I've read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Despite its heft, this novel captured my attention completely.  Donna Tartt has an extraordinary talent for describing the sensations of profound moments in life in a brilliant way.  Phrase after phrase put into words feelings I had never been able to describe.  This was an amazing read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K454K0E8ZV28?ASIN=0316055441	A Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The journey that this book takes you on reaches far and wide on the emotional spectrum.  Her  characters are rich and draw you into the story. Another great book from an amazing writer. Trying to describe plot simply diminishes the complexity and wonder of taking the journey personally.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BS6NZL6H93FI?ASIN=0316055441	Don't waste your time unless you're considering suicide. If you are, then this book will help push you over the edge!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was depressing and had absolutely no redeeming value. None. By the (very very long) time it took to get to the end it was like ... if there was a next chapter were we going to be treated to graphic details of a suicide or something more morbid than that? It's been a few days since I finished trudging through the book and now I'm starting to feel angry that the author wasted my time getting me to wallow in the misery of the story. My only excuse is  that I always try to finish books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15G83HTASBYS5?ASIN=0316055441	Beyond Fabulous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have a pounding headache from staying up two very late nights after my work days reading this book.  I ""squandered it"" really . . of course I should have taken my time but I couldn't.<br/><br/>Fabulous -  I will re-read (very rare) - incredible talent from Donna Tartt.  I haven't read any reviews, I pre-ordered as I am always wanting Good Fiction and this is it.<br/><br/>I want to know all of these people better.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26XBVGXS0RZDE?ASIN=0316055441	THE STORY WAS VERY GOOD, BUT VERY DRAWN OUT	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story is basically about 2 young men Theodore and Boris. who both lost their mothers at a crucial time in their lives. They met at school and found they had a lot in common and they basically spent many hours getting drunk and using a lot of drugs. Another tragedy happened and Theodore moved back to NYC, where he had lived with his mother prior to her death.<br/>Theodore had been with his mother at an Art Museum in NYC, when a bomb exploded and killed his mother. Theodore had seen a young girl and her uncle in the museum and he was fascinated with them during his visit to the museum that day. The bomb killed the uncle of the young girl and the girl was badly injured. There was a painting the young girl and her uncle were looking at at the time of the explosion. Theodore was in shock by the event but not injured. He went over to see how the man and the girl were and the man gave Theodore his ring and Theo held the mans hand as he died. There was nothing Theo could do and rescuers were coming in to assist the injured. Theo suddenly decided to grab the painting the man and the girl were looking at and he ran looking for his mother, who had been in another room in the museum. When Theo couldn't find her, he went home to wait for her. She did not return.<br/><br/>I don't want to ruin the story, but I felt the story could have been told without drawing out many of the details. I felt the story could have been told just as well in less than 500 pages instead of the 775 pages. There were times as I was reading that I almost quit reading because of way too many details and hum drum moments. The story was good but too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A3FJXNIKELA5?ASIN=0316055441	I'll blame myself	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I do cave and read books that have gotten hyperbolic reviews, and I do like books that have great book jacket designs, and I remember thinking what I read of ""The Little Friend"" was good (even though I never finished it because I was too busy with work.) Ultimately, though, what is on the page is on the page for the reader (who unlike the imagined audience in this novel's last chapter is reading.)  There's just too much in this novel that doesn't add up; I feel like I should have been reading something better.  I kept on hearing Tartt stretching to sound like a 21st century Holden Caulfield.  Theo Decker isn't thrown out of Pencey Prep (although he is suspended from school) and set loose in a world that's confusing and out for itself; instead, he's put into the world by an act of terrorism.  Instead of clutching to the thought of a duck in a park, he carries around a painting of a bird.  Throw in a bit of ""Rule of the Bone,"" ""Pulp Fiction,"" and when completely in a tailspin turn Theo into Pip from ""Great Expectations"" and the final portrait is simply not the work of an old master.  Readers are real; this one wasn't the audience for this book.  Why wasn't I reading (or rereading) Alexander Hemon, E. L. Doctorow, or Marilynne Robinson; better yet, why not all of Virginia Woolf?  Towards the end of the novel, the narrator says he's had time to consider ""what's completely foolish to pursue.""  That was one lesson from the novel I could understand.  I do know that if I'm in the Bodleian or the Morgan or the Huttington when terrorists attack, in the confusion and dusty aftermath, I'll be grabbing something other than this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I4OUGALLNTK4?ASIN=0316055441	One of the most engaging books I have read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author picked me up by the collar and refused to let go throughout this entire book. Sometimes when a very good book ends, I mourn the loss of new friends. However, as much as I loved this book, I wanted it to end because I wanted some resolution. I worried about Theo throughout the day, as I was reading this book. As a mother, the beginning broke my heart and set me off to root for his life to improve. Sometimes I felt a bit tormented by the author as she put him through so much. However, I grew very attached to these characters, extremely quickly, and am grateful for the 700 pages to enjoy them. Unlike some others, I was not a bit disappointed in the ending. In fact, I think it was remarkable. This book is more literature than novel, in my opinion, and worthy of an investment of time. The plot was captivating, intriguing, often unexpected, and yet believable. One thing I particularly enjoyed was learning about Theo after his growing up process, through the memories of his old friend--memories the reader had not experienced first-hand while observing their time together. I will admit that I felt anguish and pain, I worried, occasionally cheered, and always felt completely drawn in. This is not a usual read. If you're looking for pure entertainment, perhaps a lighter more cheerful novel is the choice for you. However, if you enjoy literature and enjoy being wrenched into a chaotic life that incorporates art, antiques, love, friendship, and moral nuances, you may find yourself as big a fan of Donna Tartt as I am. I bought this as an audiobook, which took a very long time to finish, but the narrator was tremendous.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F43476A4H25I?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book, from the first page, totally engaging and compelling.  Truly couldn't put it down.  I had read one of Donna Tartt's earlier books, which I liked but didn't have the same reaction to as I have had with The Goldfinch, I think this is the book of the year for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24DE3C1E3MGHT?ASIN=0316055441	MMAY BE THE BEST BOOK I EVER READ......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Or else perhaps it's just that long that I've read something, despite the description, that feels like Literature. I loved the characters and was captivated by the intricate plot. It wasn't afraid to deal with life's larger questions and I loved that.  Hated to see it end......</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1796PYWKGQ2FH?ASIN=0316055441	Way, way, way, WAY too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story and (some) interesting characters but unbelievably long.  Scenes go on and on and on.  Philosophizing, too.  Didn't Tartt have an editor?  Some of the writing is very nice but a whole bunch of it is just self-indulgent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VJDGSACCOAFM?ASIN=0316055441	author is riveting story teller	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">donna tartt is a master story teller. with her words one can see the characters as well as the rooms ands cities that her characters roam in. no matter how many pages long.................her book left me longing for more. kept my interest from the first page to the very last.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OR9LEP0CCTLP?ASIN=0316055441	Absolutely Worthwhile	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a long book but absolutely worth the time it takes to read. I essentially couldn't put it down and am so glad I stuck with it to the end. The author has created something totally unique but many of the themes are universal and found in other great stories. Get to it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15J3CIV23PIRM?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting, compelling and exhilarating as a roller coaster.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Always forced to a precipice, then brought back down - this story is exhausting. The hope that all will be good is just a tease.  The details of the characters, surroundings and emotions described by the author provide an instant visual translation.  Thank you for the ride!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OZGQGOE0VMBF?ASIN=0316055441	Remarkable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The most interesting look into the mind of a young-boy-to-man facing his devils that I have ever read. Donna Tartt must be one of the smartest and most intuitive people alive. Her incredible portrayal of very diverse people, experiences, and places continually blew my mind.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VNE2ZK3SMXNO?ASIN=0316055441	Too Beautiful for Words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked this book. Tartt has a magical gift for description. I've heard that people don't like the last chapter. I loved the last chapter. It was like eating a rich, decadent dessert. I kept slowing myself down, rereading bits and pieces-----being sure to savor it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ARXGYQOAQ59U?ASIN=0316055441	A Difficult Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I downloaded it on my Kindle, I didn't know it was 800 pages. It kept me fairly well engaged for the first half, and then it just fizzled out for me. The last 25% of the book was almost painful.<br/>Would I recommend it to my Book Club or a friend? I don't think so.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R363R22VO0MVR1?ASIN=0316055441	Glad I got over my resistance	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book.  I had to start it four different times but once I was in it was compulsively readable.  It was a book club selection and I felt a bit of trepidation because I found the Secret History to be a bit of a slog.  I know there are some in the ""literary circles"" who've got their panties in a wad because they feel this isn't ""literary"" enough.  I've read accusations that it's children's literature akin to Harry Potter and that it's lazy writing filled with cliches.  There was one woman critic - I'm not naming names - who's decried the fact that the book is only popular because people don't know how to read anymore.  While it's true that we live in a world where many people use the letters ""u"" and ""r"" as words (and not just in text messages) I have to disagree.  As a reader I want to spend time with characters in a world that are interesting enough so that I suspend my disbelief and keep turning the pages to see what will happen and in this case I want to know what will happen to Theo Decker.<br/><br/>This book is total escapist fiction in the very best way.<br/><br/>My life just seems to get more and more busy and stressful and I don't want to read a book that feels like homework in my English Lit class.  I want someone to draw me a world in words that is just a great time out.  Although there was that one day where I read it for six hours straight and got dehydrated.<br/><br/>Other books that gave me a similar experience were Shantaram and The Brothers K - I got lost in the Goldfinch in the same way.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GD9ED7V6YRKW?ASIN=0316055441	Fans of Dickens will LOVE this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Were you sad when you finished reading David Copperfield? Then snuggle up with The Goldfinch. I realize that ""Dickensian"" is an over-used and slightly annoying adjective, but it couldn't be more fitting in this case. The protoganist and his situation, one of his romantic attachments, the names of the characters (Lucias Reeve, for instance -- of course he's a villian!), several of the plot twists, etc, are nearly lifted from Copperfield, but all updated in a plausible and riveting fashion.<br/><br/>Immitating Dickens is a wicked-tough trick, and Tartt pulls it off. The settings and the characters are thoroughly fleshed out, believable, memorable. And the writing itself is tremendous! Also enjoyed the art history as a bonus but I won't get into the plot here since so many other reviewers have already done so.<br/><br/>I simply can't relate to the reviewers on this site who have complained about ""getting bored"" halfway through. I tore through this book months ago and haven't stopped thinking about it.  While there is one section of the book that could have been trimmed in my opinion, it doesn't detract from the overall experience. The ending will not disappoint.<br/><br/>In the meantime I've recommended it to friends who are well-read, voracious readers -- and they all loved it. Having said that, if 800 pages sounds scary -- rather than meaty and potentially satisfying -- this might not be for you. But if you're wondering if it's worth the time commitment, and does it hold up? The answer is absolutely yes. The Goldfinch is a gorgeous read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QQ0RT99JYEI6?ASIN=0316055441	Best read in ages!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this book down - read for hours at a time!  Well plotted, well written (though in spots a little overdone), characters interesting and believable.  The last section where the painting was recovered was a little too complicated, but I really loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MIPK8QIYOVEC?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although long, I didn't want the story to end.  Some of the wording is so beautiful, that I re-read phrases again and again, trying to commit them to memory.  Disturbing and haunting characters add to a plot full of twists and turns.  I strongly recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJMP7AZW1JHG1?ASIN=0316055441	It addresses a very tragic and sad scenario, about a young boy that looses his ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I gave this book a 5 star review, but with a ""strong footnote"". It is not for everyone. The subject of the book is serious, timely, and very well aproached. It is very wey well written, in the first person, but somewhat verbacious at times.<br/>It addresses a very tragic and sad scenario, about a young boy that looses his mother during a terrorist attack on a museum in NY, some where close to the twin tower attacks on 9/11.<br/>This young man finds solace by random, through this other victim of that attack; an older man who has a significant history behind him too!<br/>His quest for survival and existence collides with several situations involving other participants in our contemporay life in this century, where values and priorities are changinging and are often conflicting. These include his father, that left him and his mother for selfish resons; a wealthy family that tries to adopt him, because their son was friend of him, but they also had their own agenda, and that of a on older man lost in his in his own world, trying to find meaning to his own lonely life; not to mention this Young man's quest for love by some other young woman.<br/>It is a very serious book, with a strong message that made me stop for a while and ponder about what life is all about.<br/>This is a serious book, that, if it appears on screen, would place a serious challenge to the screen writer, to the casting team and most certainly, to the producer(s).<br/>I did enjoy it, in a smewhat masochistic way; but I do cautiously recommend it highly.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQZA8UB6X8320?ASIN=0316055441	Promising but disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started off as a very promising story and then it descended into a chasm of despair and drug abuse. It was almost like the author couldn't make up her mind in which direction the story should progress. The book could have been much improved with tight editing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13UR5B1GNS5PU?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful in all ways...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""The Goldfinch"" by Donna Tartt is one of the best books I've read so far this year.  It has moved into the number one space, moving a few others down my list.<br/><br/>I was amazed at how carefully and sensitively the author followed Theo Decker from a child through his early adulthood and how he coped with the losses he experienced in his life.  The plot surrounds Theo and a painting called ""The Goldfinch"" that was painted by Dutch artist Carel Fabritius.  It seems to be the only link left between Theo and his mother, because she loved the painting and it was her favorite.<br/><br/>The bird in the painting has a thin chain around its leg that it attached to the perch it sits on and so it has no freedom and is tied.  As I read, I couldn't help but think that Theo and most of the characters in the book were just as tied to their lives and their choices, good or bad,  as the bird was to the perch.  The decisions that Theo and his friends and family made set the course for their lives and sometimes they weren't the best decisions.<br/><br/>The dialogue between characters seems very natural and character development is excellent.  Having the book divided up into several sections helped me as the reader because the book is very long.  If it had just been written in chapters it wouldn't have seemed as organized. At 771 pages, it's long, but I read it in a matter of days.  I found it very hard to put down and the ending was a satisfying one for me.<br/><br/>I highly recommend ""The Goldfinch.""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I7579VET44AE?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt is no Dickens	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thirteen year old Theo Decker and his beloved mother are visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art when a terrorist bomb explodes, killing her and most of those unfortunate enough to have been in the gallery. Theo finds himself on the debris strewn floor lying next to an elderly man who is obviously dying. As he tries to provide some comfort, the man gives him a signet ring and an address. Next to him on the floor is Fabritius’s tiny masterpiece, “The Goldfinch”, blown out of its frame but otherwise undamaged. The dying man indicates that Theo should take the painting and get out of the building while he still can. From that moment forward, the novel’s central metaphor takes hold, that being that , just as the bird is chained to its perch, Theo will be chained to the painting, his only tangible tie to his mother, for the rest of his life. What follows is the story of Theo’s coming of age.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt’s third novel, is very like her first two. Buried under a plot loaded with fantastic tribulations is an interesting situation, and Theo is a winsome protagonist. But it’s difficult to believe that this book won the Pulitzer. Heavily overwritten, its cliches, its redundancy, and its reliance on outrageous happenstance make it difficult to care what happens to poor Theo. I was willing to slog through all 700+ pages because I wanted to know the fate of the painting, and the final resolution was imaginative and surprising, but it was very tempting to skip to the ending. Good story, way overdone.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q5N0W4HCJAAH?ASIN=0316055441	Good story, better stories	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can be brief, which is a quality Donna Tartt should give a go in her next novel. This book would be twice as good if it was half as long; or a lot better if it was divided into focused, linked short stories. Having said that, she writes beautifully at times.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXT1X35VVU351?ASIN=0316055441	Don't Bother	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tedious,pointless story with the two main characters drugged and drunk throughout a story that goes nowhere. I regretted reading this slop. BestSeller? It's amazing how low the standards of the general public have plummeted to. A waste of my time and money.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UHL0CXC72VGO?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the plot. Just wish she could have moved it right along.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm an avid reader and approached the fatness and promise of The Goldfinch with wonderful anticipation. The beginning is riveting, powerful, tragic and draws you right into the lost world of Theo Decker, orphan. The section when he lives with his Park Avenue friend and family avoided too much stereotyping. The living in Las Vegas and introduction of Theo's gambling<br/>dad, his drug-dealing girlfriend and Boris, sentimental, animal-loving, glue-sniffing. abused teenage gangster is a wonderful ride. But eventually, i found myself skipping pages. There were enough dream sequences, drug-addled trips to the playground and descriptions of the Nevada desert and sky to put anyone to sleep.<br/><br/>Back in NY, after a wonderful sequence of Theo's bus trip across the country with his dog hidden in a shopping bag, the novel picks up pace. And then, sadly, seems to die a slow, lingering death in its last few hundred pages. How, you might ask, can a writer make this modern-day Holden Caulfield cast from the same cloth as father he loathes, gangsters, stolen art, infidelity and murder so utterly overwrought and boring? Ms. Tartt managed it. The ending was so much a letdown that I was relieved to have finished. An editor should have brought this book to better life and pace in 600 pages.<br/><br/>In summary: great plot, great characters and, yes, some great writing. But I kept thinking, plowing through yet one more too-long description, that this is a writer in love with a thesaurus and herself.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ADP0I61C88V?ASIN=0316055441	Boring and repetitive story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was boring and repetitive.  It was tiresome to keep reading about drunkenness and drug trips.  And apparently most family members loathed each other.  The author has a habit of using a hundred words when a few would do.  A disappointing book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15NQ307J5MXFW?ASIN=0316055441	A teenager's challenges	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A  multi layered complex story about a teenager trying to find his way in the world after his Mother is killed in an explosion! How he copes with all of his challenges (not so well) produces a long and fascinating journey! I enjoyed the ride!  Sarah sweet</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROS0LV4X5ZV1D?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is pure gold!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was simply intriguing from start to finish , with all the elements of a true literary classic. Donna Tartt is a first class author who makes this fascinating story so real and engrossing. I couldn't put it down! The ending was perfect! Loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19ZSFOSYIHC8A?ASIN=0316055441	Well-written page-turner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch starts a little slowly, but don't give up, as a cousin of mine did prematurely:  It soon grabs you and keeps you to the end.  This is a beautifully written book, especially for art and antique lovers, but for everyone who loves a fine novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HXB1OQZNHATZ?ASIN=0316055441	OOOPS!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">OOPS!!!<br/><br/>I initially gave this book 3 stars with no review.  I was disappointed by  several things. The use of language was often awkward, especially the similes. Some of the plot twists were tedious and contrived.  I was annoyed by the pretense that this was a private journal which no one  else would read. Boris' Ukrainian word usagfe appeared and disappeared quixotically.  The book was too long, though raced through it, if somewhat grumpily).<br/><br/>BUT  - ""The  Goldfinch was the last thing I thought last night and the first thing I thought about this morning. Its complexities haunt me.  I have never read a book before where the protagonist sank to such extremes of  dissolution without  becoming  an antihero. Theo Decker is ennobling, simultaneously embodying deep corruption with deep love and idealism.  This is an astonishing achievement. I was also really moved by the exposition of the unique power of art.  This was not naïve or sappy but true and risky given the amount of cynicism in our culture.  I speak as  a painter who knows all too well how easy it is to forget why we fell in love with art in the first place. We inevitably get hung up in its politics, its egotism and academic debates. But this is part of  the  wonder of this book- that deeply flawed individuals and cultures can produce  sublimely beautiful  possibilities for experiencing what it is like to be a human being.<br/><br/>I took off one star because of my quibbles- but  DO read this book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLZZPM2DQHDTC?ASIN=0316055441	Hooked in the beginning and then so disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I LOVED this book from the start.  And then...  The book was really well written in the beginning--and up until the last quarter or so.  Then what happened?  I was crushed to fall out of love.  I'd been enjoying reading every day.  The characters were so well developed.  Early in the book, the writing and plot were simple--in a perfect way.  But it is almost as if the author got to a point and realized she didn't have a conclusion.(?)  Or maybe she got tired of writing and someone else took over.  (?)<br/>Many reviewers commented on a need for an editor and YES!! Where was the editor?!  Had the writing remained as strong as it was in the beginning, this could've been one of my favorite books ever.  Instead, the characters end up in Amsterdam and it's like they ended up in a completely different novel.  Just when it is probably supposed to seem exciting, the plot really drags.  And then... and then... the author has 3 of the main characters  arbitrarily deliver lengthy monologues on their personal philosophies of life.  It's really bad.  Bad philosophies and just a bad writing technique--to get to the end of a lengthy novel and then have the characters ramble on to make sure the reader gets some point that maybe the book was trying to make.  It just really felt like a great author ran out of ideas or maybe--for the sake of ""research"" was sampling the drugs her characters were abusing--and she just lost track of where the book was headed.  So disappointing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3COPTB5J8ZLP4?ASIN=0316055441	I knew this was Pulitzer material and am thrilled it won!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I savored this book and, despite its length, was sad to reach the final page. Having read it as soon as it was released, I recently decided to reread it, and the second time around was even better. Kudos to Donna Tartt for an amazing work of fiction.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LW85XMB7PVQ5?ASIN=0316055441	Hated it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this would be a good book based on all the rave reviews, but I never could get into it.  It kept bouncing back and forth; there was too much rambling and what I consider ""filler"" material; way too much drugs involved; just didn't like it.  I kept reading and reading thinking for sure it was going to change, and I would end up liking it, but that never happened.  A complete waste of time in my opinion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R679ET9PS4GFH?ASIN=0316055441	best fiction I've read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrific plot.  You'll be swept up in this book.  But there's more than plot.  The writing is pitch perfect, and the characters are alive with complexity and nuance.  Theo and Boris are characters that will live on for me.  So glad I read this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24CYGUAX7HJV8?ASIN=0316055441	Trauma Felt and Lived With	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">trauma felt and lived with<br/><br/>beautifully written;  facinating characters blending psychological vulnerability with strengths in the strangest places;  life affirming  path out of trauma.  I am a psychologist and found it practice-changing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MEX5VFGVUKLL?ASIN=0316055441	An Amazing Accomplishment---worthy of a Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's exquisite writing style and ability to tell a story and build characters is truly unique. Just a marvelous accomplishment---the phrasing, descriptions of events, and overall use of language made this a very special reading experience.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OXLAFOK8F4BD?ASIN=0316055441	I loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was blown away by this novel.  Tartt does three things exceptionally well -- descriptive writing, characterization and dialog.  Many writers do only one or two. You can see, feel and smell Hobie's workshop.  The description of the aftermath of the explosion is brilliant.<br/>The characters are memorable, but my favorite is Boris with his many faults, some spectacular as Theo says, and his sometimes fractured English.  Some nit pickers contend that Boris came to the US at the age of two and should have spoken perfectly.  His father was an immigrant and he spent much of his time speaking other languages.<br/><br/>The painting and its significance for Theo as a cherished memory of his mother resonates throughout the novel.  Theo is not a perfect hero, but some of his shady dealings, the sale of Hobie's reconstructions as genuine antiques, are done to help Hobie out of certain bankruptcy.  Hobie is a unflinchingly honest in a world inhabited by fraud and fakes.  The Barbour family is a very complicated and tragic one, but some of their members evolve for the better.<br/><br/>Random choices, events and amazing coincidences bother some people but here the comparisons to Dickens are valid.  Yet, nothing is gratuitous or random in Tartt's writing.  Everything fits together.<br/><br/>My only criticism is that the book is overlong -- the Las Vegas part could have been shorter, but considering how great this novel is, this is a minor quibble.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIAFMY8MEBJ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was exciting to read. It was a real page turner. The book was full of action and suspense. I enjoy books that have plots that are not predictable. The Goldfinch story would be a great movie. I especially loved the character of Boris.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V0CDFR9A7ZRL?ASIN=0316055441	More than 5 stars............	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the very first line of The Goldfinch, I was hard pressed to stop reading and  attend to the mundane tasks of daily living. Donna Tartt is a MASTER novelist.  Hopefully she will keep us reading many more of her books in the foreseeable future.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R322RUQNE05Y1V?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those books you can't put down and can't wait to get back to when you do.  The author's descriptive style makes you literally feel you are in the scene, and Pippa, and Theo, and Hobie are as real to me as members of my own family.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RSOYZZSTX8IU?ASIN=0316055441	Stunning!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rarely does a book leave me astounded and in tears by the end. This book explores the power of secrets, guilt, love and fear as the main character comes of age after the violent loss of his mother. This book richly deserves it's Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS97ILMWCFFP5?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was like a series of mini books or stories within it, told through the eyes of the boy. It kept me captivated and wanting more. Just when you thought you had an idea where it was taking you, it goes another direction. Would recommend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HBDTUZTSBCYE?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book that art lovers will especially appreciate. It's full of imagery as well as being an incredible tale. The characters are clearly drawn in a story that pulls you in. Sometimes the reading gets tough but it's worth it. A must read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23O6ISL92QWCR?ASIN=0316055441	The unbearable longness of book...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Critical reviews fall into two camps and I fall into the ""hated it"" camp. The language is pretentious and excessive; the story meandering; the characters bland caricatures with no depth or redeeming qualities. The ambiguous morality and ridiculous discussion of ethics near the end of the book was unfathomable. I just do not understand why this book is sooo long.  A good edit would have been welcome.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMTPGO5NEAMRM?ASIN=0316055441	DON'T GIVE THIS AS A PRESENT	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good writing marred by monotony of drug problems and wordy self doubt and self analyzing. By the final third of the book I became bored at times. On the plus side there are interesting characters. Doesn't seem worthy of the Pulitzer though.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TVS8BEQ7CJUG?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It has taken me time to finish because of library books in between. I love the ties between are literature and people. This book gives you much to think about in the realm of the many eccentric personalities and how their lives entwine.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNXU7ITMCQZ22?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing Story Telling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms. Tartt spins such a magnificent tale here, I have decided I must take up her earlier works.<br/>Her knowledge and rich characterization make for a fascinating read, and the plot line(s) should engage even the most discerning reader.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSJYTVW8MQMP2?ASIN=0316055441	This is an excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was immediately drawn into the characters and couldn't put the book down.  With that said, let me add that I probably would not have read 'The Goldfinch' had I known the main character would be put through so much pain and suffering.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VBPDWFQAXN29?ASIN=0316055441	Overkill	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like a movie that is longer than necessary for a satisfying experience.<br/><br/>Storyline is good and so is the character development.  But it takes so long to get anywhere.  It seems that the author beleives that if there is one way to demonstrate a feeling or event, then there must be twenty.<br/><br/>So, all in all, I ended up very frustrated and not inclined to recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16FHKHD4K88LF?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the twists and turns of this book. It is a well-written book with colorful characters, somewhat flawed, but basic character strengths and a will to survive. I loved the book from start to end and had trouble putting it down.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CVFJNCVXWV7U?ASIN=0316055441	AN INCREDIBLE BOOK WELL DESERVING OF A PULITZER PRIZE ! ! !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a fantastic novel ! !  I can certainly see why Donna Tartt, the author, was awarded a Pulitzer Prize.  This is one of the most ""different"" books that I have ever read. I usually avoid thick books like this, as you must devote such a lot of time to get thru it. But not this one! The 1654 Dutch painting by the name of ""The Goldfinch"", an oil painting by Carel Fibritius that the novel revolves around, is one of the most beautiful paintings I have always admired. First and foremost, is the writing of Tartt - it is stunning, especially in her descriptions of scenes and thoughts of Theo, the main character. Her descriptions are like poetry, where you can lose yourself in her words. There are 12 Chapters that chronicle Theo's life that involves a tremendous amount of drug usage. If you can wade through that, you can see how difficult his life was and how he struggled through it as he aged. It is difficult for me to write much about this book without giving too much away, but I could empathize most of the time with his life and the various dilemmas that he experienced. I consider myself honored that I was able to read such a book - this is not a book that just anyone can read &amp; get anything from it. An open mind is necessary, I think. The author received other awards for this novel besides just the Pulitzer Prize, and is well deserving of all of them !!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6H09OW0542JO?ASIN=0316055441	One of my favorite books, ever.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was ""hooked"" from the first paragraph until the last. I was a reader obsessed by the story, the characters, and the<br/>writer's ability to reach into my mind and take me on a roller coaster ride that I didn't want to end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3265HUZBAETMS?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt--wonderful story- teller	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the very first page, I did not want this story to end!  I am half way through the book-- savor it each time I pick it up ( as I did with Kite Runner).  Kind of like a special box of extra- delicious chocolates-- make them last!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14WC1LCX9SQ82?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An extraordinary book, so well written. I found it a bit disconcerting in the beginning .. too dark, too narcissistic, but that was a temporary feeling. I so enjoyed the honesty and realness of the protagonists, no holds barred ...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7D1N2TT2EHQV?ASIN=0316055441	Skip This Very Very Boring Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredibly boring!  Could not even get through it!  Way too descriptive, 800 pages REALLY!  Seem to go on and on forever and get nowhere.  Biggest reading disappointment of the year!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TVOCKBYL5J69?ASIN=0316055441	Grossly overwritten	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Grossly overwritten.  This author had WAY too much useless information, making me want to scream, ""ENOUGH ALREADY!!""  Unsympathetic characters, dropped plot lines, boring ending with her erudite philosophizing.  Forget it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16H7ZH5HU34UV?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing, capturing your imagination and compelling. I found myself in the story with Theo and Boris. holding Theo's secret close in my heart. The turns and twists of the story unfold and I just kept reading into the late hours.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KDQTSFC675GJ?ASIN=0316055441	Exhausting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">whew...hooray for my little life.  Theo wore me out.  I couldn't put it down....had to know.  The philosophy laden ending compelling and could generate some lively discussion.....if I find someone.  my book club didn't choose it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPIOXS2W428UX?ASIN=0316055441	Where was the editing?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read at least 2 books a week and always finish one I've started.  There were parts of the book that were well written and interesting but parts that were tedious, pedantic and a wandering stream of consciousness.  Where was the editing?  The ending if I can call it that was 100 plus  pages of rambling......by then I was completely fed up with the whiny , poor me main character.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29O6BIUSBMZVX?ASIN=0316055441	An amazing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This Pulitzer Prize winner did not disappoint. It is one of my all time favorites. I was immediately taken with the author's ability to ""paint"" volumes. Quite literally, I've never quite experienced the sensation of volume in the spaces depicted in this book in any other book I've read, whether it be city street, imposing museum or desert. I will be re-reading it to study just how Tartt did that. It's also a love story - that of a son for his mother - more touchingly told in word and story than I can ever recall. True, the son often sees and describes things as a woman would see and describe them, but give the author poetic license on that for the richness it brings to the novel. The main character will frustrate you with his poor judgment and choices in life. I believe Tartt exaggerates this to illustrate the ill effects on a child who is growing up without a close parent, until he connects with the nearly perfect surrogate (and one of the most likable characters in the book). Still, he falls prey to nearly every temptation available to contemporary youth. And even in this relationship, he is nearly beyond redemption due to various twists of fate, and tosses roughly about in his unique, stormy world like a ship in a hurricane. Or, like someone who experiences a bomb in a museum filled with precious but unsavable treasure.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26B0Q1I3KCBBK?ASIN=0316055441	GREAT READ	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I GOT INTO THE BOOK AFTER A FEW PAGES. IT TOOK UNEXPECTED TWISTS AND TURNS. THE HERO (THEO) WAS BELIEVABLE. THE AUTHORS DESCRIPTION OF THE LAS VEGAS LOCATION AND ACTION WAS BELIEVABLE. THE NEW YORK ACTIONS WERE ALSO BELIEVABLE.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFNBKK3ETOTP5?ASIN=0316055441	Great Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this was a great story.  Almost like a modern day David Copperfield.  It is a long book but I enjoyed being with the characters so much and the writing is just terrific that I enjoyed spending the time with this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10TNPUUMYG04T?ASIN=0316055441	I cannot imagine how this ridiculous crap won a pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cannot imagine how this ridiculous crap won a pulitzer. I would rather read a cereal box!  I have two masters degrees in international literature. This convinces me that either I should start writing or civilization is lost.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32KFFFJIM3XPI?ASIN=0316055441	A Gripping Hulk of a Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don’t let the size and weight of Donna Tartt’s 771 page novel, The Goldfinch, put you off.  My first reaction was “Oh Lord, how will I ever hold this, much less read it?” until I discovered that this novel does not need to be pried open page by page, but actually falls open to whatever page you might be reading. Unless you are a discus thrower, however, don’t try to hold and read this book, prop it up on something sturdy and let unravel itself.<br/>That said, the book’s explosive opening – the terrorist bombing of a New York City museum—sucked me into the story. Carel Fabritius’ masterpiece, The Goldfinch, survives the blast (as it did in 1654 when a gunpowder factory next to the artist’s studio, exploded, killing the artist.  Also surviving is a thirteen year old boy,Theo, whose mother dies in the explosion. Theo awakens from the concussive power of the bombing buried in debris along with an old man who points to the dust-covered painting and pleads with Theo to save it. Before dying, he gives Theo a ring and babbles a name and tells him to ring the green bell. What begins as a surreal journey from devastation and loss, gathers momentum as Tartt thrusts us into future, pursuing Toby and the painting through years of suspense, terror and heartache.<br/>While I'd have liked to read The Goldfinch straight through, it’s size demanded I stop so more often than I wished. Tartt's eclectic cast of characters leap from page to life: Hobie, the gentle restorer of antique furniture under whose tutelage Toby learns the trade; Toby’s brilliant but gambling addicted father who drags him to Las Vegas where Toby befriends Boris--a Russian teen whose presence throughout much of the book drove me nuts with his unbridled euphoric, eccentric, and peripatetic personality. And then there’s the painting, both treasure and tyrant that drives the story to its violent yet satisfying conclusion.<br/>The book was at least 100 pages too long and I had more than my fill of drug and alcohol abuse running rampant throughout the book  -- from Las Vegas onward. Would I read it again? Perhaps? It’s an amazing, complex, plausible, and gripping and wondrously written hulk of a novel. I wonder if you feel the same way.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZMZJJWZZF65Z?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing ending.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love her style of writing. The ending of The Goldfinch was awesome. I went back and read the ending again.. Immediately started another book by Donna Tartt called The Secret History. So far I am truly impressed with it too.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAEJU7YLG5H07?ASIN=0316055441	couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It has been a while since I stayed up late reading . This story was very current with a post 9/11 feel. I think having lived in NYC added to the enjoyment, although that is not a requirement . A good and well written story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XNK4UB0B3G2R?ASIN=0316055441	Destined to Become a Classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt has produced a haunting story and character around the painting of the Goldfinch. This story stays with you even after you read other stories in between. Compelling story, charismatic character, beautifully written!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BUPL6D0EC8SX?ASIN=0316055441	Multiple Stars For Anything But	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Five stars are indeed needed for this tome of a novel in which the author attempts to blur the lines between genres and to include references to not only works of art but also literature (isn't that also art?).  Five stars are necessary as the author uses an unreliable first-person narrator who is also male. When can we believe him?  Is this the language of a ten-year-old, a teenager, an addled, addicted adult?  The author does make us question.<br/>  Five stars are in order for the attempt to include multiple thematic strands in the novel and to employ allusions to multiple authors and philosophies.  Dickens is gloomy.  Salinger is absurdist.  Shakespeare keeps pace with blank verse.  Dostoevsky  and Camus addle us with facing the brink of the abyss.  In ""Ode on a Grecian Urn"" Keats used fewer stanzas in which to convey the last half of the book.  One could mention more such.<br/>  Five stars are imperative for the author's finding a publisher that dispensed with a good editor and whose publicity department must have spent hours in promotion for the launch of the novel, as well as making sure the Pulitzer Committee received initial stellar copies.  Finally, five stars for showing how pointless a life of drugs, alcohol, and self-destructive behavior can be.....not to mention just boring.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19TZR9NHWSL43?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch was always going to be a winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing, as always, is superb.  The plot holds the attention, but is a little more commercial than her previous two books.  However, anything is forgiven because the writing just gets better and better with each book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U68BE5902HMD?ASIN=0316055441	A True Comment on our times...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch is a true comment on our times, taking a snapshot of early 21st Century urban America, through the experiences of Theo and everyone he encounters.  The audio recording is exceptional; the voices are perfection.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R156UQRGIPO4K6?ASIN=0316055441	If you're only reading one book this year, choose this!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is brilliant writing with incredible character development, compassion, and a good story.  The understanding of loss and broken attachments is deep, offered with the hope of connection and healing, without judgment.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GLUZJ06TZ8VF?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt is an artful storyteller if ever there was one!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As a writer and editor myself, I was in awe, envious, etc of this woman's prodigious talent. I loved the premise, I loved Theo and Pippa and Boris and Hobie. I would put Tartt at the very top rung of American novelists.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16HXL3QBB8HPB?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch movie review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fans of Donna Tartt’s “The Goldfinch” will be pleased to hear that the story is now coming to the silver screen, with the film scheduled for release around Christmas of next year. “It’s a Miserable Life” will feature Theo Decker, a nihilistic drug-addicted narcissist. Self-absorbed, self-indulgent, self-pitying, and just plain selfish, Theo is a master of melancholy and a defeatist at heart.<br/><br/>[WARNING MOVIE SPOILER ALERT!] At the climax of the movie Theo is shown with his back to the camera, standing in a shadowed hotel room adorned with a single drab painting of wilted flowers. He can be heard saying, “For me, and I’ll keep repeating it doggedly ‘til I die, ‘til I fall over on my ungrateful nihilistic face, and am too weak to say it: Better never born than born into this cesspool. Sinkhole of hospital beds, coffins and broken hearts. No release, no appeals, no do-overs… No way forward but age and loss, and no way out but death.” Theo is then seen dropping to his knees in a pool of his own bloody vomit, surrounded by empty vodka bottles and a scattering of oxy. With a final gasp he groans, “Does it make any sense at all to know that it ends badly for all of us? Even the happiest of us? And that we all lose everything that matters in the end?”<br/><br/>In “The Goldfinch” Tartt answers many of life’s most difficult questions:<br/>Where did we come from? Filth and desolation.<br/>What is life’s purpose? Anguish and despair.<br/>What hope is there for the future? Death and decomposition.<br/><br/>Bravo to the Amazon editors who chose “The Goldfinch” as their 2013 Book of the Year!  Simply amazing!!! I can’t wait for the movie.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R386N3HBSNFENJ?ASIN=0316055441	Not what I expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like the book at all! Too much information and long dialogue on drug culture. I could never warm up to characters nor did I want to. I have read all Donna Tartt books but did not care for this subject matter.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ND8FWBD2ESDY?ASIN=0316055441	A Communion Wafer's Space Between a Read and a Rave	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First: I am awed by how many times I underlined a phrase that was so pithy that I could not read on for a time. I want to think that Tartt spent every minute of that 10 yrs improving this and eliminating that( Although, she didnt eliminate much!).  What an accomplishment!  I was enthralled with the romantic leads: Pippa, Hobie, Mom, Mrs. Barber and all their story lines peccadillos and obsessions. I can say: This is a quality read.<br/>But more than half the book was murder and mayhem, drugs and despair, loneliness and not belonging.  The long passages of self hate and the attempts right to the unbitter end to show us the meaning of our existence. I have to call Bulls*** on all that drama and melodrama. Too much Too much Too much<br/>I am a slow reader. I never skip though passages. I did with this book. Too much Boris, too many drunken drug addled rambling scenes. Perhaps they replicate the EXACT feeling one gets under the influence. Those addicted will have to attest to that. I'm not a prude but I didnt enjoy the  sheer quantity of depression I was asked sit through.<br/>I think I agree with those that say this belongs in YA.  I think I disagree with those that say Pulitzer.<br/>All the same,  there are many phrases I wont soon forget and considering passages skipped-well worth my time.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KLQNTDBFTPZY?ASIN=0316055441	A must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a beautiful story of pain, suffering, friendship and love.<br/><br/>The author brings you into the pages brilliantly and beautifully.  You become one with the characters, with their trials and tribulations.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11VPMMAFK67CE?ASIN=0316055441	Be prepared for much vulgarity	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading 40% of this story, I am fed up with the vulgar language and dysfunctional behavior. I do not intend to finish this book and recommending to others in my book groups to not even consider this a choice</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVN22WE0Y0J9P?ASIN=0316055441	If you have an artists soul you will love it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is for the seasoned reader. I absolutely loved it. I felt I really got inside these characters. I loved the philosophy the author imparts. I read the soul of an artist.......will read it again for sure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XYH9XOURGGA0?ASIN=0316055441	Too Much Description!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Despite all the hoopla and advertising and high ratings this book got from more than one source I found it disappointing.  It takes more than the first 2 chapters just to get into it and then having done so, you don't find it all that great.  There is such an abundance of description that you have to weed thru in order to keep the plot going that it's impossible to keep up with it all so you just have to skip some of it.  It is not what I'd call a page turner but it's okay enough to read.  No wish for more when finished.  Quite enough, thank you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN89JZU0V6051?ASIN=0316055441	What a surprise.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put down this book.  I was hooked from the 2nd page.  This story was unpredictable, brought you around bends that you didn't expect and had a very satisfying ending.  Love it and recommend it highly.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15C8W76J9OCB7?ASIN=0316055441	Great idea for a story, too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story is wonderful and poignant, and there are many great observations on life and art.  However, this is another example of a book that could have used some excellent editing.  It is long and repetitious.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RJ1HY51CVO2R?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down. Loved the characters and became totally invested in the plot. Was devastated when I got to the end because there was no more to read. Also read her book The Secret History. You'll love it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HI0PW35E8GKU?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I absolutely loved this book. The twists and turns made me not want to stop reading. The descriptive words utilized by the author made me feel as if I were part of the story. I would highly recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZO475F4FIUKY?ASIN=0316055441	First 1/3 is wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch caught my attention immediately during the first few pages and drew me in with the best writing I've read in a long time.  This, however, is probably why the last 2/3 of the book couldn't live up to the first.  I don't want to spoil the ending for anyone who hasn't yet read it, but I will say that it was far too philosophical and none of it essential.  The story had so many twists and turns and different facets that it seems unnecessary to weigh it down with paragraph after paragraph of elementary philosophy.  Once I got to that part I couldn't wait for it to end.  I kept reading, regardless, hoping for something special to emerge.  My favorite part about the end of the book was when I finally read the last word, relieved of what felt like my duty to finish the book.  It is long, and I didn't want to give up.<br/><br/>I wish this had been a series.  Tartt could have explored each phase of the life of this interesting character in separate volumes without having to cram in a ""come to Jesus"" moment at the end, wrapped in unbelievable psychobabble.  It's as if even she didn't know what to say at the end so she said everything.  Perhaps a little more thought could have gone into a dignified way to end the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPNEEMS0S85V6?ASIN=0316055441	My eyes, my eyes!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think I might have permanently ruined my eyesight, so damn you and thank you, Donna tartt!  This is by far the best novel I've read in 15 or 20 years.  I was apprehensive and read most of the previous reviews before purchasing the kindle edition.  Here's the review I was looking for:  I loved secret history and couldn't get through 1/3 of little friend.<br/><br/>As to the goldfinch, there is a richness to this novel that has been lacking in any of the novels ive read in years. Oh my gosh what happened?  I think the Dickensian references are apt.  We think of these novels as 'classics,' but remember in their day they were considered contemporary fiction.  She writes so beautifully and seemingly effortlessly, which given the time it took to produce, is obviously not the case.  I can't stand it when authors employ every literary construct so self consciously.  I don't want to watch actors 'act' or writers 'write,' if you know what I mean.  I simply want to be drawn into a compelling storyline. I was all in from start to finish.<br/><br/>I've enjoyed the novels I've read over the last few years, the usual oprah book club stuff but I'd forgotten what it was like to really be engaged so thoroughly.  However, I don't want anyone who loves to read to be put off by the length or my glowing reviews of style. This is not in any way an inaccessible novel, not at all!<br/><br/>Could not recommend more highly.  Not sure if this is the proper forum, but would love any recommendations for other reads from fans of the goldfinch!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2369M7WLA1WRJ?ASIN=0316055441	Something to believe in	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">if anything, this book has changed the way I feel about life. it ran the gamut of emotions and left you wanting more.Beautiful and poignant.....I would highly recommend this book to anyone who questions life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ54ZOYM9D987?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. It's a page turner. I couldn't put it down. This is true literary fiction. None of the same old plot or same old story. Every chapter kept you wanting to read more to find out what happens.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SJVKW7P8BHI8?ASIN=0316055441	Intelligent and beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo is a very likeable though flawed character who I totally enjoyed. The story, his story was tight and beautifully written.The authors first book, ""Secret History"" was good but ""Goldfinch"" is spectacular.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SY45B284NEW8?ASIN=0316055441	Best Sellers Can Be Deceptive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best Sellers<br/>Just gave up a losing battle with a Goldfinch, a sophomoric, overblown  tour de force that never gets entirely off the ground, or really makes a point.  It rambles, through endless corridors, arriving nowhere.  Originality is difficult, no doubt about it, but quality is also a factor, and good writing, like good art, unless your knowledge, experience and instincts guide you, is virtually unattainable.  Author Donna Tartt has been tagged as ""Dickensian"" but I think someone influential made the pitch and others jumped on the bandwagon, for a free ride.  We might also detect shades of Ian Fleming, or Dan Brown or even Tolstoy, but their novels move and flow and in the end hold up.  In all truth, regardless, this book is boring.  More than Dickens and his garbage-strewn Victorianism, it would like to be ""Shantaram"" but never even grazes the surface, despite a showy writing style, which dazzles, then hits a clunker,  or like its characters, who aspire to something memorable and end as very Americanized clichés.  Even the art is treated in worn-out terms, not as the product of pain and inspiration, but as property, to be valued.  So does the cost confirm the worth?  Not even remotely.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S9QPHY52FGFG?ASIN=0316055441	A Masterpiece!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an amazing crazy journey with a cast of characters who are so well described, that you know them as if they are your REAL friends + family. Truly superb writing. One of the best books I have ever read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UUHP1CT4EY4O?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Utterly absorbing book. I wanted to cancel everything and read the book straight through. Mysterious and surprising at every turn. If you like to lose yourself in a long and marvelous book, this is for you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQE2G5WOHTJFP?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just started this book, and it's got be intrigued.  It was recommended by a Language Arts Teacher in my school, and I think it's a ""keeper.""  I definitely would recommend it for a ""buy.""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20ZUSC2D0QX1Q?ASIN=0316055441	The GOldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the story compelling for the first half of the book. When the drug usage became so heavy and the story lkost focus and dragged on and on, I lost interest and by the end I just didn't care anymore.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A6863N2VOPYR?ASIN=0316055441	The perfect novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of those rare books where everything just comes together. I have not had such a satisfying read since 1Q84 and The Children's Book.<br/>Ms Tartt's language is so rich that I keep repeating sentences to myself and wish I were the type who could memorise lines from books and impress people with them at parties...<br/><br/>The way the book takes off and the way we're introduced to its protagonist Theo are marvellous - we're hauled in very effectively within the first 30 pages. Throughout the first part of the book I kept wanting to grab Theo by the ear and scream to him to stop his relentless self destruction - such a brilliant young man holding so much promise cannot ruin himself like that!<br/><br/>Well, I don't want to spoil it for those of you who haven't read it, so no more about what happens on that accord. Another main theme (or THE main theme) in this book is the inexplicable love of art and antiques that some of us have and how silly it makes you feel to realise that you have ""real feelings"" for inanimate objects!<br/><br/>I cannot imagine a single page cut from this long, long book, it is so wonderful and charming and a thriller too!<br/><br/>Read, read, read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B5UAKUUHTNJS?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't like the book at all and especially the characters. I realize Theo had no one capable of proving<br/>The support he needed, but stealing and hiding the painting when he knew it was wrong, made me not<br/>Like him at all and only increased as the story moves forward. Drugs and violence,and all the other<br/>Unfortunate deaths, isn't what one wants to read about for recreation. Worst book ever!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22USHHX5X43P7?ASIN=0316055441	great story, beautiful prose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a beautifully written, compelling story of a young man's journey<br/>through life, loss, and that is as far as I've read.  Book club selection is a very captivating and enjoyable read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LGUCED69UKEL?ASIN=0316055441	glorious!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What beautiful prose. How close can one get to oppressiveness and fears,  loneliness and loyalty without experiencing them oneself? By reading and feeling this book, that's one way. Ms Tartt, thank you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LF2X5ZNTK112?ASIN=0316055441	I tried to like this book, but....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I tried; I really tried to like this book since it was recommended by raving friends and received a Pulitzer.  I kept thinking there must be something wrong with me because I tried it twice.  For me, the long descriptions (one sentence was beyond compound/complex - it was actually almost the entire Kindle page.!!) were too long - it felt like a fire hose of words, and just got jumbled; or I had to re-read the sentence to find where it as supposed 'to go.'  Plus the main character, though traumatically flawed, granted, was not 'likable' to connect me at all to what was going on in the book.  Some characters were interesting but seemed to go nowhere, no substance.  The ending seemed contrived, sad, and not at all realistic...I will not give away the plot, but I could never see the beauty in the book; and the 'neatness' of how it ended was a let down.  Lesson learned - I do NOT have to finish any book I don't really like - no matter what the accolades or the awards.  It is OK for me not to like something and waste my time to finish.  Book Club be damned...life is too short, and reading is subjective and to enjoy for yourself -- this was the most important thing I got from the book!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QO5SV60A5WQK?ASIN=0316055441	Simply Stunning...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">We get it.  ""The Goldfinch"" is not an app.  That's right...you can't download it in 3.2 seconds and share it with your friends via text.  Yes...it is 771 pages long.  Yup...that means you have to commit, sit down and devour this book.  I mention this only because I tire of hearing reviews of ""oh my gosh...this book is so long""!  And what of it?  It is absolutely long!  Absolutely long enough to leave you superlatively engaged with the host of fantastic and perfectly developed characters.  Absolutely long enough to leave you breathless until you find out exactly what happens to Theo, Boris, Pippa, Hobie and the rest of the colorful host of fiends that create this must-read of a masterpiece.<br/><br/>This ain't no Boone's Farm, folks.  This is a fine first growth Bordeaux of a book.  Sit down.  Cherish. Read.  Look back at the passages that you didn't read slowly enough in the beginning.  Read the last chapter again.  Savor the story and the fact that you've picked up a book that comes along once in a very great while.  Don't worry...the ""Real Housewives of Beverly Hills"" is Tevo-able and will wait...<br/><br/>If only this treasure was 771 pages longer!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12VP2RZG1IER8?ASIN=0316055441	A Keeper	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most profound books I've read. The writing is flawless! The story is compelling. The ending is unforgettable. A book I'll re-read…which says a lot because I seldom, if ever, re-read a book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HU8N1OV3JN2Y?ASIN=0316055441	A Poor Bird Gone Wild	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the beginning of this book imaginative.  As I continued into what I considered an overly-long, overly-descriptive, repetitive saga about a most unfortunate boy and his mother who died too soon, the continuing maze as the boy suffers through his life gets more and more confusing and he never seems to find the outlet.  While the characters are quite complex and unusual, their psychoses and neurotic existences become a labyrinth of abject pain and misery and nothing else.  The title of this book seems like an  irrelevant excuse for a mystery of which there is none.  The artist's picture of the poor featured bird is dragged all over hell and back for no concrete reason.  It is ""Hitchcock's McGuffin"" I'm afraid.<br/><br/>Many of the characters were despicable.  A Russian boy appeared in, of all places, Las Vegas, becoming the ""hero's dubious playmate"" .  This book never seems to get better.  It just continues on its astoundingly long agonizing journey.  The locales of New York City and the Vegas desert which are normally a good dichotomy, seem to be contrived for some more colorful excess here.<br/><br/>Personally, I looked forward to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q2G16OZZ407O?ASIN=0316055441	So good!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. Couldn't put it down! Donna Tartt is an amazing writer. It's refreshing how she keeps to herself while writing. I don't want to wait 10 years for her next book, but it's worth it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12TQW8BF51F05?ASIN=0316055441	boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Drug addicts, alcoholics, boring.  Like the premise, not the execution. Author spent the last chapter trying to explain the meaning of the book and comment on the meaning of life with too many words, like the rest of the book.  Even skimming over the repetitive, long winded parts, not enough real content to be worthwhile.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LT27HT3SDK5I?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing, but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just too long.  I was just intrigued enough to finish, but often wondered why. I really enjoyed the first 300, lost interest in the second 300, and had just enough curiosity to finish the last 175.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYADKNN6MCNCM?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was insightful, with greatly flawed but lovable characters!  Found myself reading through this 700+ page book at break necking speed, unable to put in down for even a moment!  Must read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15RP97M3TFI3T?ASIN=0316055441	Powerful and Provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me awhile to make it through this incredible book. Reading it is like reading poetry. I must admit I had never even heard of Donna Tartt, but she is a treasure. The book is amazingly written and Ms. Tartt accurately captures all of the nuances of Theo Decker as he grows from a scared 13-year old to a desperate 27-year old. His manner of speaking, his use of vocabulary, his idiomatic expressions, are all spot on. As are those of Boris, his best friend and an extremely compelling figure himself. The Barbour family, which plays such a prominent role in this book, is a flawless rendering of idle wealth in New York City. Hobie, Theo's caretaker, comes alive as equally well as the other characters.<br/><br/>I will not forget this book. There are so many lessons to be learned from it, but for me, being a musician, I found the connection between beautiful art and all things eternal to be the most fulfilling. No one who reads this book can walk away from it without some sort of lasting impression. But it is ultimately for the reader to choose which of the many truths and consequences are the most indelible.<br/><br/>An amazing masterpiece!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8F0TME89HXR1?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The narrator's future relationship with his two love interests was left dangling and the philsophical ramblings which concluded the book seemed like  filler in a book that was already too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SZ9384605YSS?ASIN=0316055441	couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've neglected my children, my domestic duties, my work. Theo draws you in, horrified at the immensity of his experiences, tragedies, want for real love and comfort but stoicism in its lacking.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R142X5J70O0D9J?ASIN=0316055441	"A Boy and ""his"" painting"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A simplistic description of this book is that it tells the story of a 13 year old boy living in Manhattan with his mother who comes into possession of a painting while waiting out a rain storm at a museum (the MoMA or Met).  The book itself is anything but simple.  There are elements of mystery which are complex and expertly woven throughout the narrative which is provided by the boy, Theodore, grown eventually into a man.  There are several romantic elements and lengthy, excessively detailed and depressing descriptions of the perils of chemical and alcohol addiction.<br/>I have not read any other books by this author and based on this book I would not read any in future.  There were dozens of pages of detail that I skimmed because they seemed to veer off into the author's mental maze.<br/>If I had to use one phrase to summarize the book it would be a quote:  ""Because I don't care what anyone says or how often or winningly they say it:  No one will ever, ever be able to persuade me that life is some awesome, rewarding treat.  Because, here's the truth:  life is catastrophe.  The basic fact of existence--...is catastrophe.""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H5BSHI1RVM2T?ASIN=0316055441	slow read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This  book never really took off for me. I really liked an earlier book by this author, The Secret History. This book was so well reviewed, but I just couldn't say I enjoyed it. It was very slow. I had no sympathy for the main character, Theo. All of the characters were dismal. I thought I would never finish it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OIBF02XU06W8?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books I have ever read, and I read many, many books.  I still find myself thinking back to it.  I've never seen anything quite like it.  There are probably not more than ten books I've read in my life that I would rate at this level (and I'm 65), but this is way up at the top of my list.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FPPN8IT7WZYM?ASIN=0316055441	Ordinary hero	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best book I've read in a long time, from the first page to the last.  I listened to the Audible version, which was so well done, I didn't read a word in the paper version (although I have it, sitting right here).<br/><br/>The story starts with Theodore Decker, a thirteen-year-old boy, and his mother, on their way to a meeting with the principal to discuss Theo's latest transgression.  On the way there, they stop in the museum.  There's an explosion, and Theo's mother dies.  Theo remembers seeing a pretty girl seconds before the explosion, and he spends a dying old man's last moments with him, lying in the rubble. From there to the end, Theo's life is one grand adventure full of grief, friendship, massive amounts of drugs, art theft, good and bad decisions, and fortuitous circumstances that end up leading him full circle.<br/><br/>Theo lives and learns, and imparts his lessons to the reader. It's a fabulous, all-consuming, dive-in-able story, and if I didn't have a stack of 10 books to read on my shelf right now, I'd read it again.  Immediately.<br/><br/>I hope Donna Tartt is busy writing another novel...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YPFBESXT5TMV?ASIN=0316055441	awesome read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just what I needed. Deeper than the normal beach novels. I couldn't wait to get home and learn more about each deep, dark character. I recommend to anyone looking for their next great book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EQX5IGJ0TXSY?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Outstanding and worthy of it's praise.  The story and character development are terrific.  One of those rare books that makes you sad to finish because you will miss being there with them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6I1LFITRPJ9D?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt is a master storyteller	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story begins with a tragic loss for young Theo and the book largely chronicles the aftermath of this event. For me, Tartt's matter of fact dealing with the tragedy evoked more of the fascinated observer than the weapy sympathizer which allowed me to focus on the story instead of my reaction to it. There are a number of intriguing aspects to this work.  The Goldfinch painting may be more metaphor than theme in that the bird is shackled to the perch in much the same way Theo is shackled to the early tragedy in his life. Theo is no more capable of freeing himself than the bird is. Tartt's characterization of Boris is exquisite and provides the counterpart that best illuminates Theo.  I found myself truly enjoying, rooting for, and counting on Boris' indomitable character even though he's cast as the shady Artful Dodger.  Actually, all the other characters in Tartt's masterpiece, through their strengths and limitations, paint the background for Theo's life just as the beautiful yellows and umbers of The Goldfinch bring the bird to the fore.  A riveting read that I couldn't put down and will not likely forget.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VPQL3DR4GZ6D?ASIN=0316055441	I am only reading to finish the book. It is so boring.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chosed the booked because it sounded interesting but it is not.<br/>Too much swearing, bad lifestyles of so-called parents and others.<br/>I would not recommend it.<br/>It drags on from one scene to another and then another corrupting youth.<br/>My advice is not to even bother attempting to read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G6HTJGHCOUSB?ASIN=0316055441	starts strong.  then dwindles	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was so excessively wordy and overly detailed that t got exhausted wading through detail after unnecessary detail that I began (horrors) skipping whole pages!  Editor was derelict I think.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HEAMFLV3GF1J?ASIN=0316055441	Good read...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A lesson in understanding the phycological impact one's childhood can have.  He was at the point of being paranoid about the picture but couldn't give it up for what it symbolized to him.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29S4BZ7P4FFMB?ASIN=0316055441	Uneven but worthy.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Early this year when I set my reading goal I scaled back about 30% because I had some rather lengthy tomes on my ""to be read shelf"". At least 5 of them exceeding 750 pages, including this one, and I suspected I had kept myself from diving in since I knew it would take awhile. I knew from reading her previous work ""A Secret History"" that Donna can get a bit wordy in places and expected that would be the case here and I was right. And sometimes, as is often the case with ""literature"" good enough to win a Pulitzer Prize, the material does not lend itself to ""blitz"" reading since, among the plodding sections - and there are a few, as least in regards to moving the story along - there are some truly amazing descriptive portions. The story is interesting, the characters well drawn and the philosophical musings re the role of art and beauty and love in one's life well worth the time. If you are looking for a breakneck pace, skip this one as it could certainly use some trimming. But, if you want to get lost a world that few would experience with depth and dimensions, have a go!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XTO8SBN3K7SI?ASIN=0316055441	I loved most of it but found the ending to be ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved most of it but found the ending to be a bit contrived.  The story was fascinating but I could have done with a little less drug taking and boozing.  The characters are memorable.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UKDCJRKG4HFS?ASIN=0316055441	A strange thing started happening half-way through...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a big, baggy novel that isn't at all what I expected.  I came into this novel expecting a rather high-brow story involving the art world and perhaps even a parallel story taking place during the time the titular painting was created (1600s).  Frankly, the thought of that kind of story (which has been written a thousand times) bored me.  What I got instead was a contemporary drug and alcohol-filled coming of age story, complete with a shoot out.  As I was reading the first third of the novel, I felt the story dragged on quite a bit and was overlong.  Donna Tartt certainly takes her time telling the story and developing the characters.  But a strange thing started happening about half-way through:  The story became real to me, and these characters were almost like friends and acquaintances of mine.  Because the story is so long and so detailed and very much in the head of the protagonist, it really does come to life and become a part of the ""real"" world.  I spent weeks reading this novel, and I'm sure I will spend many weeks more thinking about it and wondering how the characters are doing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FT6038K07SP0?ASIN=0316055441	Should have been 200 pages shorter.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the basic story, but it should have been 200 pages shorter. While the ending was somewhat satisfying, the author went on and on and on. Please tell me why this won a Pulitzer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S1PPO664YWU9?ASIN=0316055441	Too Much Fluff	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book caught my interest after reading the first chapter but is filled with too much fluff. It is a very slow read. I struggled to finish it. Good plot but alot of unneeded details.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QX7SC8SWHQ46?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Would recommend to anyone, really lovely book, fantastic character development, and despite it's somewhat imposing length I found myself so unable to put it down that I flew through it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XF67B9W01EP?ASIN=0316055441	Too Dark	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy the constant drug-taking and cheating. I hated Boris!!  I thought the author failed to tie up the loose ends, just went all philosophical at the end and left it hanging.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P3QD15YO3806?ASIN=0316055441	Absorbing, shocking, tender	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though Goldfinch tended to be overly long, wrung-out to the nth-degree of what it's like to be high on drugs and how easily one can turn criminal, the characters are like people you've known: which you wish had never been allowed in your life, yet wish they were still there.  One review er thought it was really four books bundled togther, which may be true for authors who don't want to stick their neck out and take each scene and event to a full working out.  But:  I loved it.  Loved it.  What heart!  the author's characters surprised you over and over again.  But the society woman who took him in after the disaster could be one of the rare people on earth: keeping up appearances, doing charity balls, being 'correct' while all the while her own world was close to falling apart and helpless to do anything about it.  And yet, she does one huge 'donor pledge': she takes in the boy who survives (if you could call it that) the bombing and the death of his mother.  The Goldinch is full of human-ness, of loss, of betrayal, of utter meaness: Life in the Dark Lane; Small glitters of awesome light.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SWVB9U3IOJDA?ASIN=0316055441	Painful; beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing. Just finished it last night and it was like the white whale, too big to really see in totality or take in from one read. Moby Dick is one of the novels it reminded me of; also Faust. A quick scan of the reviews finds everyone using the term ""Dickensian"" ... I remember thinking it was distinctly anti-Dickensian but in hindsight I can see some comparison in the themes and brilliant evocation of characters. But, seriously, Dickens should be so good. Another book it reminded me of is The Goldbug Variations - the pathos of helplessly responding to beauty in all its forms, even when it's stippled into horribly ugly experiences - the twilit sky in Las Vegas; the tapestry in the drug den; the cheating girlfriend ""adorably"" asking for help reaching down wine glasses. Maybe Sartre has a place here too, the ache of being moved by what is beautiful inside a life that is meaningless and painful: the masterpiece in the blasted museum, the gorgeous bird chained and unable to fly. And worse, to embody that same paradox within oneself, the power and sympathy and heart of one of God's angels trapped in a human existence in which pain so often generates not art but cruelty and destruction and desperate self-interest.<br/><br/>It's that big. And that good.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25QZ6WWBBHKJT?ASIN=0316055441	well done	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">tour d force<br/>excellent characters and dialogue<br/>Theo (the hero)  think of Theological/Hero<br/>and Boris (think of Bullwinkle Moose/.Natasha cartoons)<br/>are unforgettable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XOOSTS5GX48M?ASIN=0316055441	Liked, but mostly disliked	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to like this book. I truly did. But it was such a long, sordid shaggy dog story. I found it difficult to stay engaged with the story, so it took forever to even get through the book. And eventually, I felt it just went off the rails into an entirely different kind of book in the end. The ""deep thoughts"" section seemingly came out of nowhere (the pushed timeframe at the end seemed absurd...as if the author didn't know how to resolve the protagonist's relationships...so let's just skip ahead and wax poetically about life, love and all other philosophical ideas for an inordinately long time.)<br/>What I did enjoy was the author's powerful descriptions of people and places. As a native New Yorker, I kept nodding in agreement...""yes, this is exactly what Hobie's apartment and neighborhood would look like."" ""Yes, I know people just like Mrs. Barbour and Kitsey."" ""Oh yes, the doorman would act just that way."" There wasn't a moment of disbelief in her clever setting of scenes and characters. If the author had applied those skills to a less rambling, more believable story, I'd be sold.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B0GXBVORF3EC?ASIN=0316055441	I understand why this book won The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading some of the other reviews, I just had to write my own. I find it very hard to understand how someone couldn't like or feel sympathy for Theo. Obviously, they have never had anything gut wrenching (and that's an understatement) happen to them in their lives. He was 13 years old when this happened. How could you not have sympathy for a 13 year old orphan, regardless of how many drugs he did? I just don't get that? The drugs was almost inevitable, when you find out he's going to Las Vegas, of all places, to live with his alcoholic, runaway Father. And the people who didn't like the drugs part - well, all I can say is it's very well written. I remember thinking to myself, either Ms. Tartt has had the experiences, or she did some awesome research. I'll leave it at that. Yes, sometimes, I too, wished for the book to move along, but it was only because I wanted so badly to know what happened to Theo, while at the same time, I did not want the book to end. I also loved the character Boris. He reminded me, in a way, of a whirling dervish, say Shams of Tabriz on drugs. Bravo!!!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JH8TRWQR1H0H?ASIN=0316055441	Hated it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writer took an interesting concept and in my humble opinion, ruined it by ruminating over and over and over and over about<br/>the same detail.<br/>Donna Tartt killed her novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHUH8YD42BC4J?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked the first half of the book, but the second half dragged.  The author could have cut half to a third of the story out and made a more engaging book in my humble opinion.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RC0PSGG3JEM6?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious reading, didn't hold my interest	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read it through the characters childhood, but when I got to his adulthood, it just became tedious. I very rarely don't finish a book, but this one held no interest for me to finish.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A88AL0B7YG0F?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth the investment of time to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rated #1?  Reminds me in some respects of a  Wally Lamb book, and although I may be in the minority on that face as well, I do not mean that as a compliment.  There are some parts of the book where I was very drawn in, but for the most part, it dragged me to a depressing end.  Thanks for nothing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O5LEQ7OOP2GN?ASIN=0316055441	The most powerful, touching, thrilling, page-turning, adrenaline pumping book I have read in some time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo Decker is only 13 when he loses his mother in a tragic terrorist attack on a museum.  The book could have become mired in this incident, but it does not.  It tracks Theo, who finds himself alone in the world after the tragedy and who, in many ways, remains that way for the rest of his life.  He floats between existences with the wealthy family of a friend in Manhatten to time with his no-count father and his loser girlfriend in Las Vegas.  Theo makes a friend for life in Vegas in the Ukrainian immigrant Boris, and he finally finds a home with antiques-restorer Hoby back in New York City.<br/><br/>Still, the explosion at the museum guides his life from that moment forward.  A chance encounter with a beautiful girl, the dying moments of an elderly man, and a small painting Theo takes from the museum all impact his life from that moment on.  He suffers, battles addiction, and falls to the depths of shady antiques dealing and the underworld of stolen art.  Still, Theo perseveres and shines from time to time.<br/><br/>You will not soon forget these characters or this story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KY94ZHNK1USP?ASIN=0316055441	Book of the Year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the best book I've read this year (2013).  I'm considering buying it in paper form instead of just having it digitally, and I've recommended it to all of my reading friends.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTZTBQYRESZJE?ASIN=0316055441	Painful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dreary, improbable, dull, meaningless, jumbled story that does not end. The author had no vision for the novel. She just rambled on, and on and on. So sorry to have wasted my time reading it. I kept hoping for something to happen but it just kept getting worse. A total waste of time and money.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31U4ZE6T7YWGF?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious and ANNOYING!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was terribly disappointed with this very long, drawn out boring tale.The time line was also a little confusing at certain points and didn't make any sense.The story far fetched as well. Although the characters start out being very engaging, all the painful details dis attach you from them as you go along. It was physically impossible to tolerate the over emphasis of every innuendo Tartt focused on in the story. It should not take 50 pages to explain the details of a chair that Theo casually glances upon while walking through a furniture shop.  This painful novel unfortunately carries on that way throughout the whole book. Detailed me to death.  800 pages of uneventful tedious information and does not constitute a ""Great Piece of Work"" because of its size. There is an abundant amount of gibberish and unnecessary detail page after page. If your able to hang on to the end you will find yourself begging for the torture to stop, and a loud screaming in your head saying  ""WHO CARES, JUST GET IT OVER WITH""!  The most agitating book I have ever read in my LIFE!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YRUD2DX6VMDQ?ASIN=0316055441	"God-Awful ""Plot""!  Cardboard Characters that Vomit!! Ghastly Interminable Sermon At the End!"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I so wanted to love this book.  I so, so, so did NOT.  The Pulitzer Prize committee needs to have its book review license revoked because they have done all of us (with the notable exceptions of Ms. Tartt and whoever published this crap) an enormous disservice.  So much of this book is senseless drivel.  Some people call it ""beautiful writing"".  I like beautiful writing.  George Eliot, for example, has pages of beautiful writing in her books.  Marcel Proust can carry on for paragraphs about goddamned COOKIES and carry it off beautifully, for Pete's sake.  But this woman just is screaming for some very stern editor to get out his or her sharp red pencil and start crossing out.  If you read the verbosity carefully, you'll find that whole sentences, whole paragraphs don't make a hill of beans worth of sense.<br/><br/>And then the characters.  Oh, God.  The characters.  Not a single real person inhabits this book.  They're all caricatures.  Every one.  Pulitzer Prize?  What the heck?  Did you READ this piece of trash, or did you just read the press release?  Did money change hands?  Did someone bribe you?<br/><br/>Every other chapter, there's some wild atttempt to make the implausible plot somewhat plausible.  Then there are vague references to Dickens that some think make this Dickensian.  It's not.  Not in the least, unless you do a headcount of all the parents that die.  Everybody's an orphan!  What are the chances?  Cue up ""Oliver!""<br/><br/>So Stephen King wrote a blurb for the dust jacket.  Let me tell you a little industry secret:  The blurbs are written before the books are even finished.  Blurbs mean nothing.  Never buy a book based on what some other author wrote on the back.  I guess you can't rely on a Pulitzer Prize as a recommendation either.  Hopefully, this is just an off-year for the Pulitzer Committee, sort of like when ""Babe""--that children's movie about a pig--won the Academy Award.  At least Babe didn't go on a fifty page diatribe at the end about the significance of itself. Yuck.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13OGFJ432LQGH?ASIN=0316055441	Some books are read and easily forgotten.  This is not one of them.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some books are read and easily forgotten.  This one will stick with me for a long time.  The characters are powerful, the writing is impressive, and Theo's fall through life is heart-wrenching.  It all starts with a single, random, destructive event that will shape Theo's entire life.<br/><br/> ""It happened in New York, April 10th, fourteen years ago.  (Even my hand balks at the date; I had to push to write it down, just to keep the pen moving on the paper.  It used to be a perfectly ordinary day but now it sticks up on the calendar like a rusty nail.)""<br/><br/>I talk in some detail about the plot points here.  If you don't want to be spoiled at all, just get it and start reading, it's a great book.<br/><br/>The explosion and Theo's escape is brilliantly written.  Tartt captures Theo's confusion, disorientation and desperation with great realism.  Theo's interaction with Welty, and witness of his death had me entranced.  Tartt managed to evoke deep empathy and connection with this man, essentially a stranger, by sharing the intensely personal final moments of his life.<br/><br/>And so begins Theo's fall.  It seems to be arrested fairly quickly as the Barbours step in, but soon takes a turn for the worse as his father appears on the scene.  The sequence of callous actions taken by Theo's father to sell his dead wife's possessions, Theo's failure to fight to keep his new and beautiful friendship with Hobie, and Mrs. Barbour's seeming failure to raise objections to Larry Decker's obvious unsuitability as a parent make for a chilling and depressing turn in the story.<br/><br/>Theo moves into Larry and Xandra's huge empty house in a failed Vegas housing development, befriends misfit Boris, and begins his drug habit.<br/><br/> ""It seemed like the kind of room where a call girl or a stewardess would be murdered on television.""<br/><br/>I found this incredibly hard to read, there's something deeply disturbing about witnessing a promising young life slide inexorably towards disaster.  There reached a point when 14 year old Theo was having a thanksgiving dinner of stolen potato chips and vodka, getting drunk and watching the Macy's Thankgiving Parade with Boris, that I began to despair of there being any good news or a chance for Theo to turn his life around.  Theo and Boris' drug experimentation felt rather Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas on a number of occasions.<br/><br/> """"Of course,"" said Boris, looking less and less like a person every moment, and more like some degraded piece of silver nitrate stock from the 1920s, light shining behind him from some hidden source.""<br/><br/>Eventually there's another big change that at least gets him out of Vegas, but his life begins to be ruled by the stolen painting, particularly his fear of discovery and jail-time for the theft.  He's so afraid of Hobie discovering the painting that he only leaves the house in his company and spends most of his time indoors scarcely leaving his room.  Any hope I had that getting out of Vegas would set him back on the right track is soon crushed.<br/><br/>His trauma over the death of his mother, and years of mistreatment and neglect by his father have left him isolated and unable to relate to his peers, even when he does get back to something like normal schooling:<br/><br/> ""They lived at home with their parents; they worried about things like grade curves and Itailian Abroad and summer internships at the UN; the freaked out if you lit a cigarette in front of them; they were earnest, well-meaning, undamaged, clueless.""<br/><br/>For a large part of the novel I found myself floundering around, desperately hoping for the hint of a happy resolution: that Theo and Pippa will be able to make a relationship out of two broken pieces, that Theo could make it as a legitimate antiques dealer.  While this deep emotional connection is the sign of a great novel, it was also intensely depressing and made for some difficult reading.<br/><br/>When Theo takes his international trip I felt like the person watching the horror movie yelling out ""Don't go in there! Turn around!"", it was so obviously a terrible idea.  Having said that, I thought the ending was decent, there's some resolution, but not too happy as to be out of character with the rest of the novel.<br/><br/>My main regret is that the details of art forgery and the international art-crime underground weren't explored more, perhaps through Boris' point of view.  The glimpses we got from Theo were fascinating:<br/><br/> ""Short of black light or lab analysis, much of Hobie's fudging wasn't visible to the naked eye; and though he had a lot of serious collectors coming in, he also had plenty of people who would never know, for instance, that no such thing as a Queen Anne cheval glass was ever made.""<br/><br/>A very impressive novel.  4.5 stars.<br/><br/>Read more of my reviews at g-readinglist.blogspot.com<br/><br/>Edit: added a spoiler warning.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E3295VISJWNH?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book---Amazon needs to be better with packaging it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this book for my Kindle, I was traveling, and wanted a good read for the plane.  It's been a long time since I read a book that was so well written, so wonderful...it's such a cliché, but I honestly have trouble putting it down.  Buy the book, it is a real treasure!  I love this book so much, I decided I wanted the actual ""book"" to finish up with when I got home...and I ordered it while I was away.  The weather at my home address ended up being a mess and we were delayed a day in getting back.  I was a little worried when I got the email that it had been delivered, knowing what it was like at my house, rain, snow and ice, but I comforted myself with the fact that Amazon packages books in plastic, underneath the box it arrives in, so I didn't worry.  Much to my dismay, this wasn't the case.  My book was wet, and warped, and not packaged in plastic...snow and water had seeped in through the corrugated box.  I spoke to a lovely representative, and they sent another book to me the next day, which was wonderful.  I opened the box right after it arrived today, and couldn't believe that it was again, not wrapped in plastic, it was just inside the box, unprotected.  I couldn't believe it.  Thankfully, I retrieved it before more moisture seeped in.  This will sound silly...I love that I can have books on my Kindle, and not have to lug them around while traveling...but I still love physical ""books""...I truly hope Amazon hasn't become disrespectful of them.  I'm not a weirdo, I'm not a freak...I'm just the kind of person who still has some beloved actual paper and binding books in my house from my childhood.  I read these to my own children when they were little, and they have some of their own that I hope they will do the same with. There's something important in keeping that alive, too. I'm really hoping that this experience was a fluke.  I've been an Amazon customer from the beginning, for people who love to read that live in places that don't have great bookstores (chain or independent) within driving distance, it has been a godsend for a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30CN75IJ7DJWP?ASIN=0316055441	Complex, Subtly Compelling, Long and Thoughtful - Worth the Time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt’s “The Goldfinch” is a richly textured story of beauty in the midst of overwhelming trauma.  Underlying the story like a literary desktop background is Carel Fabritius’s 1654 painting of the same title that carries the main character, Theo, through a life story that begins in horrific tragedy and careens from struggle to struggle while holding out a sustaining hope that somehow Theo will overcome his great loss.<br/><br/>Tartt is a gifted writer who captures the essence of her characters in a true to life way that brings to mind Salinger’s Franny and Zooey (which is actually mentioned in the novel).  Goldfinch is a long story, some 775 pages, but Theo’s unvarnished perspective and drive to reach outside his world of tragedy to the realm of artistic perfection as embodied in the painting keeps the reader clinging to the hope that Theo will overcome.<br/><br/>Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an important plank at the story’s base. Those who struggle with this awful malady will closely identify with Theo.  One of the more compelling aspects of the story is the undercurrent of the constant, muted inner turmoil mingled with artistic beauty, a struggle Tartt masterfully conveys.<br/><br/>The story begins with an explosion at a New York art museum where Theo and his mother have stopped to kill time before a meeting at school that Theo is dreading.  Theo survives the blast, but his mother dies and Theo’s life is thrust into chaos.<br/>Before the explosion Theo’s mother points out the first painting she ever really loved, The Goldfinch.  While she fondly describes her fascination with the picture and tells Theo the story behind it, Theo’s attention is simultaneously drawn to a girl around his age and an old man accompanying her.  The girl has a sparkle that fascinates him as much as the artwork his mother is describing.  The old man is equally enchanting and Theo is drawn to them as much as the Goldfinch.  It turns out the 1654 painting was created the last year of the artist’s life.  The artist died that year in an explosion from a gunpowder factory, but the painting survived.<br/><br/>As Theo and his mother head toward the museum gift shop, she decides to take one last look at another favorite painting and tells Theo to meet her in the shop.  As mom heads off, Theo takes the moment to introduce himself to the sparkling girl and the mystical old man.  He never gets the chance as an explosion rips through the museum.  Theo’s next conscious image is rubble and chaos.  The old man is there dying.  He tells Theo to take the Goldfinch painting with him along with a ring with a message to “ring the green bell” at an address in New York.<br/><br/>Theo somehow manages to wend his way through the destruction and carnage and extricate himself from the museum.  Separated from his mother he heads home, the agreed emergency rendezvous place.  He learns of his mother’s death from strangers.  Theo’s life from this point becomes a patchwork of survival and providence undercut by the constant drumming that any moment his life could crash and burn while he protects and clings to The Goldfinch.<br/><br/>The story spans approximately 12 years where Theo continually battles with drugs and alcohol to quiet the traumatic rumble of his past that continually keeps him on the edge as if a pending disaster waits around every corner.  The constant drug use is troubling, so much so I wanted to put the book down a few times.  But Tartt deftly keeps flickers of hope alive despite Theo’s inexorable binges.<br/><br/>Despite the trauma of Theo’s existence, Tartt skillfully weaves beauty among the chaos that enfolds him.  Enter Hobie, the antique restorer.  Hobie is the proprietor at the New York address given to Theo by the dying old man at the museum.  Hobie rises above the other fascinating, but very flawed characters as an oasis of peace and protection and the best hope for Theo’s personal restoration.  Hobie also provides connection with the sparkling girl from the museum who remains at the center of Theo’s soul through the story.<br/><br/>Theo’s heart is captured by the young girl, Pippa.  Pippa, like the Goldfinch, is Theo’s inspiration to live and love but dwells on the rim of the story that continually tantalizes Theo.  She is uncapturable in her closeness, like a letter that brings intimacy, but never the in-flesh communion.<br/><br/>The art of the story is the metaphor of The Goldfinch as Theo’s anchor to sanity.  The Goldfinch is the connection to the life of love he remembers with his mother that is gone but holds Theo together in the hope of a future that will restore that loving cohesiveness.  But even this anchor is not what it seems.<br/><br/>There is also the overarching sense of providence keeping Theo’s head above water and his heart from despair.  References to God are scant and unremarkable through the story, yet time after time, Theo is lifted from despair by the hand of Providence.  Theo’s needs are met, at times miraculously and at other times with gentle poignancy.  In the rubble of the museum there is the old man who gives Theo direction, there is the painting itself, and there is Theo’s survival.  There is Hobie and Pippa and at the center of it all the stoic and defiant Goldfinch, tethered to his perch but very much alive with hope despite his confined existence.<br/>The author has a sense of a world greater than the one we inhabit, one where beauty and meaning are more than fleeting moments in a setting of despair.  Yet she, like the Goldfinch, is shackled to a reality of tragedy from which she cannot break free.  There is no God in Tartt’s story, but there is the unceasing hint of a realm of beauty.  She tells us in the many ways Theo’s despair is muted by people like Hobie and Pippa and the devotion of his best friend, Boris.  Yet she holds back from offering a shining salvation.  She says, “But [The Goldfinch] has also taught me that we can speak to each other across time. And I feel I have something very serious and urgent to say to you, my non-existent reader, and I feel I should say it as urgently as if I were standing in the room with you. That life— whatever else it is— is short. That fate is cruel but maybe not random. That Nature (meaning Death) always wins but that doesn’t mean we have to bow and grovel to it.”</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U9RIPR80I7YR?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'll start by saying that I would read anything by Donna Tartt, regardless of a review. In fact I generally dislike reviews. Publisher's reviews are enough to make me not want to buy or read the book, 90% of the time. Individual reviewers are on the whole awfully finicky and critical, imperiously suggesting ways the book could have been written differently. Huh. Well I didnt major in Literature and I'm only literary in an average sense. And I wont be trying to rewrite this book for her, efforts that to me suggest something not so pleasant about the reviewer. No wonder she claims not to read her own reviews, who could blame her.<br/><br/>There were many things I appreciated about the book. Enough to make me do a little research to find that Ms. Tartt and I both have shared a fascination with Hunter S. Thompson, mine played out long before did hers, simply because I read him in the 70's. So for me picking up on that tone in the book seemed very familiar and comfortable. Nihilism has always been a focus, an escape.<br/><br/>The use of a real work of art and similar painterly circumstances (without revealing too much plot line), including the protagonist's name as 'Decker', was exciting to read. This was a highly ambitious project, which after such a long pause, was really welcome. I fantasized the author as maybe feeling the need to live some of her life before continuing on her author career which began at such a young age. Whatever, it paid off. Her writing is as if she has access to some literary cornucopia, with literally a wealth of references at hand.<br/><br/>I don't agree with many of the other reviewers that the story line was improbable. Not in the least. Obsession with high art may be something many reviewers have not only never experienced, but cannot imagine either. Pity. Experiencing profound grief is also apparently beyond the scope of experience for some readers, not for me, so I could relate.<br/><br/>I usually hate referring to someone as a genius, out of envy perhaps, the desperate clinging to status among named geniuses is fairly boring. Donna Tartt qualifies as being an extremely rare writer, with an astonishing gift. I read that her early mentors found her as such and was gratified to know Id reached the same conclusion about her. Yes, she is decidedly a genius, not talking IQ, who knows on that. But she writes in ways you or I cannot. Her descriptions are rich far beyond expectation. Like Ms. Tartt I also value Dickens, maybe there is something to the notion that one appreciates reading authors with whom you have a bond of commonality in other revered authors.<br/><br/>I rated only as a four star, why? I think because in the end the story seemed to sort of jam together. Since Theodore had become an adult and stopped being so vulnerable, I found it harder to relate to him. At the very end it seems the author abandons her protagonists voice and begins speaking in her own. Dont get me wrong, I loved that. I felt as I was reading that the author had some things she felt some urgency about conveying, it wasnt wrong, in my view, but kept the book from being a complete package in some way. A minor criticism, for an overall very enjoyable book I had trouble putting down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4IN2VNI1F8D9?ASIN=0316055441	makes it up as she goes along	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is pretty good, and I thought the story line was fine for a while, but the ending is tacked on to finish the story. It is as if she had to figure a way to stop writing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25JIRTVZOO19N?ASIN=0316055441	Mind experience	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">775 pages!  I couldn't stop reading! What a wondrous adventure! The story...the words...the imagery...the weaving of a masterful tale that by its title seemed so Simple changed me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H1PON1ZBIMJQ?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hated this book. It was nothing but lots of boring words. I have told anyone who would listen not to waste his money. Just check it out at the library so you won't feel cheated.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PFPT302CVO8O?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a real page turner. Kept me on edge throughout  the whole book. I was disappointed that Theo and Pippa did not end up with each other. Other than that I totally enjoyed it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CC30731K20AQ?ASIN=0316055441	Rambled	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very slow going rambled a lot.did  not need over 700 pages. it read like she was trying tp fill as many  pages as she could. basic story was good. just rambled in too many places.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CIXDZM3I5VXE?ASIN=0316055441	Glad it's over	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started to like this book, the beginning captures your interest quickly. The book needs some serious editing. I felt sorry for Theo but mostly he just depressed me. A long book that at times is so I unbelievable, I was glad to finish it. Good writing but I can't say I liked it too much.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24G7I7HYTRF8N?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is too depressing and sad. I have yet to finish it. Just when I think it will get better something else bad happens.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16GGB3JMTDTTH?ASIN=0316055441	Literary work at its best.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book drew me right in. I lived inside it for a week while I read it. The language is elegant, the plot first rate. I will read it again to experience it again in the future.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG6J9W8HEU8PP?ASIN=0316055441	exquisite writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful language, incredible plotting, serious thoughts about the human condition.<br/><br/>Hard to ask more from a book. Boris one of the great characters in all of fiction.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GO6QNW0MKR9T?ASIN=0316055441	I wanted to like this book because the premise was so promising	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was overly long.  The female characters were ill-drawn and sometimes incomprehensible.  The boy's mother was the only female that was sympathetic and interesting.  At one point I double checked the author because I assumed the writer was male as her understanding of women was . The character ""Boris"" was a mystery; friend one moment, thief another.  The plot was convoluted - moving from New York adventures to wandering around Europe.  At times I had to go back several chapters to pick up the thread of what was going on.  The boy was unlikeable - a 15 yr old drug addict and alcoholic who sponges off people without a moral center to guide him.  He stole a valuable painting from a museum but seems to have no remorse about that.  And about that ending!  After sticking with a story for over 700 pages the last thing I needed a moral lesson.  To be preached to was insulting.  One more example talking down to the reader.  I wanted to like this book because the premise was so promising, but I was disappointed and puzzled by the Pulitzer price.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMMN9J29BHERS?ASIN=0316055441	Dismal	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Why this book ever won a Pulitzer is beyond me. Trite and boring with characters I didn't even begin to like. After reading half of this very long, boring book I had to give up.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LO8GFQOSB6EM?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written....a captivating coming of age novel that touches one's heart and fills it with compassion for a young man's struggles to survive physically and emotionally.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KT8BCNY1AU1Q?ASIN=0316055441	really engaging read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though it dragged a bit in the beginning, it is a great book. I had to know what was going to happen. I was pulled in and anxious for the character, and protective and appalled.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39RKIK7KZGVZ9?ASIN=0316055441	Waaaaay too long for the story line.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line is interesting but where is the EDITOR???  Waaaaaaay too long.  I listened to it on tape which was good because one of the things that kept me listening was the voices given to the characters especially Boris and Hobie.  I talked with a friend who had read the book and asked a couple of questions about the plot ending.  She said that she had liked the first half but was a little bored with the second.  She suggested I skip to the last CD so I decided to skip about five CDs and listened to the last two.  I don't feel like I missed a thing and I was able to return the book on tape (divided into two sections, total of 26 CDs) without wondering what happened.<br/><br/>The drug use and personal reflection of the characters was overdone.  The point was made after the fifth time Theo and Boris had sessions of drunkenness and drug use.  Who cares!?<br/><br/>There are many requests and long waits for the book on tape.  I have no idea why this book gets so much attention.  There are so many better things to spend time listening to and/or reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R946KHFVVZTFB?ASIN=0316055441	Painful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I struggled with the slow pace of this novel.  I don't give up on books, and was continually hoping it would improve.  The ending actually was the worst part!  Save your time.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OC6H7BTPVU5W?ASIN=0316055441	Well-written but SAD	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Look, she's obviously a talented writer. She captures depression, loss, escapism, and self-loathing with extreme precision and empathy. Having also lost my mother at age 14 in a very sudden and unexpected manner, I found that aspect of the book to be very cathartic and extremely accurate making me feel like I experienced something universal. However, this book is sad, sad, sad, and as much as I wanted to like Theo, he is extremely unsympathetic and self-destructive. Maybe it's because I also suffered a tragedy similar to his and escaped the cycle of self-destruction that I judge him more harshly. Also, I found the portions of the book regarding art and furniture making to be too drawn out, pretentious, and inaccessible. Anyway, I finished the book, which is not something I do if I am not into the story, so it is good. The last 300 pages or so were pretty suspenseful. However, I am not sure I would recommend this book to too many of my friends unless they were really in the mood to feel suicidal for the month or so it takes to read it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R273CXM7V7I3RL?ASIN=0316055441	very disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Run on sentences constantly. One sentence paragraph long.<br/>Overly descriptive which outweighs activities<br/>Terrible ending without revealing story status or conclusion</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YDLTG61C11BS?ASIN=0316055441	Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Totally engrossing novel. Worthy of a Pulitzer Prize. Captures the timeless nature of art through a brief but exciting moment of a rare paintings existence. Great characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M6W0MS36ZDAM?ASIN=0316055441	"A bad ""trip"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Perhaps I'm just not sophisticated enough to appreciate this work.  I liked the first quarter, but as it went on, it was a downward spiral/intimate view of dysfunctional behaviors.. by most of the characters!  I was reminded of how I felt when years ago I attempted to read Nietzsche...  I am aware that the author received a Pulitzer for her book, but it was lost on me.  I can appreciate her research into the subject of PTSD, drug and alcohol addiction, art, antiques, and the industry of ""fencing"" art masterpieces.  Being inside the head of someone who is suffering from PTSD, drug and/or alcohol addiction is not how I would choose to spend my recreational reading time.  I was away on a long vacation and had I had The Goldfinch in paperback or hardbound copy, I would have left it lying on a hotel table top halfway through.  I so wanted it to have a fantastic turnaround ending, but that didn't happen.  I'm sure the failure of the book to entertain me must have been a shortcoming on my part; still uncertain of its point.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM29SB2ULG7NG?ASIN=0316055441	Not the best book I've ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To much of book spent on teenage drug use.  Also this is a very wordy book, meaning to much explanation in some parts of the book.  Could have been 100 to 200 pages shorter.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD7LH8UF4UZF8?ASIN=0316055441	Non-stop entertainment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an excellent, highly entertaining ready that had me engrossed fair into the night. Despite its nearly 800-page length, I can honestly say I was sorry for it to end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JMZVU0T0EGSC?ASIN=0316055441	First-rate read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt does beautifully constructed sentences and has woven a most intriguing story.  I would recommend it to everyone who loves a great story and a well-written one at that.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZNUQMOP5YTAM?ASIN=0316055441	Rare indeed for book lovers	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cannot imagine anyone spending ten years to write a book that took me two nights to read. So much enjoyment packed into that time frame. I felt like losing all my sleep time for the next 30 days to have that kind of story to continue. I know Ms Tartt  is from MS, however she must have lived for some time in NYC (as I did for seven years on West 78th) to be able to bring that story to us in real time and place. A must read for all book lovers.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17T96Z1UX6HPP?ASIN=0316055441	Really liked this one!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even though this is a LONG book to read, I thoroughly enjoyed it! Loved the irony at the end of the book. It was a great beach read but could be an ""anything"" read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ME1CQ2BDI5WD?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book provides a very powerful evaluation of the meaning of life. It has an engaging storyline with a thoughtful theme.  All members in the bookclub enjoyed this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17MZ6B967TR3O?ASIN=0316055441	Shenanigans!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to like this, I really did.  It is on everyone's best seller list, supposed to be so good.  It is long, so you are making a definite commitment reading it.  But the more I read, the more I thought - I am just missing something because I am just not on the love bandwagon for this book.  The writing is actually good, but the characters and the plot - not so much.  The main character has had some hard knocks, but really blows so many chances at redemption, that he came off just being whiny and needy to me.  And the plot - oh brother - I can't say too much without blowing the book, but what was supposed to be a twist, mostly just ticked me off.  And I like to figure out my symbolism myself - the last part of the book just hammers it into the readers, like they are idiots.  And the overall message of the book - I guess it is supposed to be realistic, I thought it was a cop out.  So I say Shenanigans on this supposed NY times bestseller - I DO NOT recommend it, and I DO regret wasting my time on it!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WYT7SKX3I4F7?ASIN=0316055441	Enthralling!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's been a long time since I've found a book to be so engrossing and so affecting. I couldn't put The Goldfinch down, to the point where I stayed up past 2 am for two nights in a row just to take in as much of it as I could. Tartt's language is gorgeous and deeply evocative, and her protagonist, Theo Decker, is complex and appealing. I've been a big fan of Tartt's since reading The Secret History, and now with Goldfinch, she's created something even more impressive and powerful.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QQ534ZA0KOX6?ASIN=0316055441	Wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the story was good, I did not care for the book because it was too ""wordy"". I feel like the story could have been well told in half the amount of words.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R120OT7GCXAMM8?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has created characters who reach out to us and absorb us into her works.  The Goldfinch was an exceptionally well done book.  I look forward to her next one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JUIT5IXS3EY2?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like the plot, I kept hoping the character would change and he never did.  Good story line.  I could visualize the painting and the environment he was in. Well written</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y93ZV5UVKLUT?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Definitely deserves its place as a best-seller!  Suspenseful, surprising, riveting, the novel evokes an array of visions of experiences not open to many or most readers.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFVT3J717LUU3?ASIN=0316055441	Torturous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too much detail!  Took a mile of text to say what should have taken an inch. Even the end had too many words, but I was left unsatisfied with the character wrap up.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33LQG7SV96Q4F?ASIN=0316055441	So much potential	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is fantastic up until Chapter 5. Great writing, characters, stories, I was so happy.<br/>Then from Chapter 5 onwards, forget about it. What a disappointment.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IJUMB80J2WAM?ASIN=0316055441	Painful to read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Painful to read! I kept waiting for something good to happen and he just kept making bad choices. Would not recommend unless you are just too happy and need something to bring you down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37GSMT24XZEBG?ASIN=0316055441	Wish I could have given it 5	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Raise your hand if you skimmed through the last 200-300 pages. I agree with most reviews here, terrific story with great potential that turned into a self interest philosophical meandering. I loved the beginning (although again, I thought the Theo would never get out of that museum with all the rambling) and I loved the part in Las Vegas where Theo transformed from the sweet kid with a loving mom into a lost boy of the desert. The character of Boris was a captivating diversion and so central to Theo's dark development. Hobie was so central to his good side. Once the whole fracas of the drug and art dealing ran on and on at the end I was disenchanted and disappointed that an exciting intricate story turned into a sleeping pill.  Some good editing would have made this book a 5 star book easily. I loved the Secret History and it was the only book I've read twice. I was hoping this would be as well written. Hopefully Ms Tartt wll learn from her readers comments and make the next book her best yet.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16HLOH7P7HYPX?ASIN=0316055441	Time Suck	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Maybe if I hadn't heard the glowing reviews -- no; without the buzz I wouldn't have been able even to finish it.  Nothing surprising or unexpected.  The writing is not bad, pedestrian storytelling.  I like that it's just a story and not a ridiculous metaphor.  But she's got the timing all wrong.  When are these events taking place?  We know that Theo is 14 in the beginning and that it's after 9/11 but Andy has an iphone already.  So that would make the instigating event sometime in late 2007 at the earliest.  So 10 years after that ithere  isstill gonna be a boarded up St. Vincent's?  And the Grand Union? I don't know when that went out of business.  Why not just say 'the store'?  Why?  This book is sooo long but it's no big thing.  And over the years Boris' syntax gets worse?  So many Russians.  Is  this trying to be a Tribute to the classic  Russian novel?  Because those books not only told a story; they told us readers something about ourselves.  Ugh. So I satisfying.  I feel like a sucker.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R355AOT9HNEL2U?ASIN=0316055441	A must read for all ages.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would have gave it 5 stars except she did not do very good research of his time in Vegas. This was suppose to be in 1992, The gambling and drinking age was and is 21. She talks about the side of town being outside the strip, the outside areas were built in 1998-2005. She talks about him living in a foreclosure area that did not happen until 2008. She makes mention of the shoe bomber and things that happened recently in history. Other than that I fell she did a good job with the characters. I fell the pain this boy has went through. The feelings of hopelessness and being lost. A lot of reviews say how depressing the book is. The book is real life. Life is not a fairy tale and there are a lot of people living this life right now. Kids who grow up with addicts have no extension of family because their parents avoid the Grandparents and other family members. I think this is a great book for all ages. With so much fairy tale junk books it is nice to have a story with so much true feeling in it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36CNGGE772EQX?ASIN=0316055441	Not sure I would recommend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">2.5 stars -- I liked it and I didn't like it.<br/><br/>LOOOOOONG. Depressing... Thought about quitting several times. However, I'm glad I finished it... Good ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J9CGRP14Z0B0?ASIN=0316055441	Splendid	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story captivates, start to finish.  Pick it up, read intensely, put it down.  The images of the bird, Theo, and Hobie stay with you.  Don't miss this opportunity.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO58GS7ZG0HJH?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written and engrossing.  When I finished the book, I felt as though I knew the characters, and thought about them afterwards.  Wish I could visit them again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O23OAIX2YQIK?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this book solely because it was on the best seller list. I tried, and tried to get into it. The story was depressing, and way too long. How much description do we need for 2 kids continuously overdrinking, over-drugging, vomiting, starting all over again. I read the whole book hoping (silly me) that something would come out of this in the end. And yet, nothing. So disappointing and a great waste of my time. Hated it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N3BFLQU4FD3M?ASIN=0316055441	A Let Down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Having enjoyed Ms. Tartt’s earlier work (especially “The Secret History”), I feel let down by “The Goldfinch.” Far too much philosophizing, a lot of repetitiveness, and far, far, too much of Boris, who must be up there among the leading contenders for the all-time grand prize of boring, unconvincing fictional creations. A coincidental meeting on a New York street, and it’s Boris. The unexpected knock on the hotel room door, and, yes, it’s Boris. The novel starts brilliantly. The whole sequence of the terror attack on the museum, the hour-long friendship with the dying Welty, Pippa, Theo’s relationship with his Mom, the slow discovery of her death, the Barbours… all this is wonderful. Even Vegas, with Dad and nasty girlfriend, is entertaining enough at the beginning, but that’s when Boris first comes along, and all bets for sustaining a good, or even great, novel, are off. Most of the Amsterdam sequences over the last 100 pages or so of the book are just plain silly as well as unbelievable.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SNJHH5UZFQTT?ASIN=0316055441	I didn't want to read a 755-page novel--but I did and I'm glad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had I seen a physical copy of The Goldfinch in a bookstore I would have weighed it in my hand and walked away. I don't read 750-page novels--life's too short, book's too long. But I downloaded the Kindle edition, gave it a try, and I was hooked. Here's some of the best writing I have read in a long while, along with compelling characters, emotional depth and some passages that are laugh-out-loud funny. The young protagonist came alive as the most authentic teen voice I can recall since Holden Caulfield in Catcher in the Rye. His Ukranian-born friend Boris is a marvelous if disastrous character, and Tartt's handling of Boris' dialect and humor is one of the most fun aspects of the book. I thought the story bogged down late in the book, before finishing strongly, which is why I did not award 5 stars. But it's worth all the time I put in on it, and I know I will remember this book long after having forgotten most of the novels I have read lately. Don't miss it if you value writing that soars.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SPLOY8BYR5U1?ASIN=0316055441	Different	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I must admit I was completely surprised by this book. It is an extremely well written book and a most unusual story. I found it almost too descriptive to an extent that sometimes I felt that the style slowed the story down excessively and I was not sure it needed to be. However, the style is so unusual that what results is characters that are completely alive and places you feel familiar with. The author's knowledge about the subject(s) she is writing about is absolutely uncanny and particularly so when the protagonist turns out to be a boy who becomes a man through out the story and a very unusual boy at that. I can't but wonder how a woman knows so much about the opposite sex. Some of the passages are absolutely beautiful and the entire story is a very unique and fascinating one. You certainly will never look at a painting again without taking into account the what it might have gone though. It's definitely a book worth reading and one that you are likely not to forget any time soon.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10T7D3HX1T9J9?ASIN=0316055441	Much too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is very well written however if 50% of it was not included it would be a 5 star book.  Very wordy, very drawn out.  A struggle to finish after a great start.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38Z48BPUHC2LZ?ASIN=0316055441	A tedious read at best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book started off with promise with interesting characters and a trauma that resurfaces throughout the book. However, the book and quality of writing soon descend into endless details of drugging and drinking. The book becomes fragmented and disjointed along with the mental deterioration of the characters, Theo and Boris. I found it difficult to empathize with their outlandish and sometimes implausible behaviors and to sustain interest in them. I kept hoping for resolution regarding the theft but instead met with more  tedious and lengthy chapters dealing with their substance abuse that only detracted from the substance of a potentially interesting story .As  a physician, I  think it was highly unlikely that Theo or Boris would still be alive given the massive amounts of alcohol and drugs they consumed. I finally gave up on the book having plowed through three fourths of it. The book called for lots of editing<br/>and the story could have been told in half as many pages.,</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4JBZ68RPA43E?ASIN=0316055441	A complete waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As I was reading The Goldfinch, slogging through the endless pages of tedious, mostly superfluous detail, I kept telling myself that the novel won a Pulitzer, so it has to get better...but it didn't.  In addition to her penchant for excruciatingly detailed descriptions of the most mundane situations, Ms. Tartt apparently has decided that she is being charged for punctuation marks – commas, semicolons, quotation marks, and especially periods are used very sparingly, making many passages difficult to read.  One sentence I encountered ran for almost three (e-book) pages before she at last, mercifully, saw fit to insert a period.  I suppose she was trying for some sort of stream-of-consciousness effect, but for me it was just confusing.<br/><br/>I gave the book two stars only because the basic premise – an art masterpiece stolen after a terrorist bombing of a museum – had such great promise.  I've never before rated a book on Amazon, but I needed to vent.  Thanks for listening!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CFERTV4JUUP8?ASIN=0316055441	Love between birth and Death	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch becomes the symbol of what Death can't touch. As Theo travels through hell in a transcendental existence, he emerges with the understanding of Beauty.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DDDLB57V0O1V?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I mainly enjoyed this story, which was very well written with rich and powerful imagery. It just went on too long, really. It needed better editing, in my opinion .</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FQWH0ZXVC7EA?ASIN=0316055441	Looked forward to this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For the most part I liked the story,however found some parts repetetious and much , too much detail about drugs..well researched, but would not recommend to anybody</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HLDD2PQO2906?ASIN=0316055441	Great story until the end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was engaging and even a page-turner for most of the book but the ending turned into a philosophical treatise and went on and on. I gave up and never finished it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L2CTP2U6OJVD?ASIN=0316055441	The Emperor has no clothes on	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to quit this book several times a chapter. But, with all the great reviews I felt there would be a redeeming factor somewhere.  Alas, at end of book I was still looking.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38M99OACYG8H7?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyable read that could have used a better editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read The Goldfinch as, probably similar to many of the other reviewers, a huge fan of The Secret History and slightly disappointed by Litte Friend. The Goldfinch was.... Somewhere in the middle? I think as far as pure story line goes it engaging and enjoyable but I couldn't help but feel Tartt needed a better editor. Exceptionally long repetitive passages were at times excruciatingly emotional and others just excruciating. The actual plot probably could have been contained in a novella and it's a testament to Tartt's talent that certain characters (certainly not the protagonist) were strong enough to carry the lengthy book. At parts I couldn't put it down, and at others I had to force myself to pick it up.<br/><br/>If you're a Donna Tartt fan this won't be a disappointment but it's not nearly as immediately gripping as I found The Secret History. If you've never read her works before you will find this an engaging story that just drags on a bit in the middle.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19PP885X0TUQ9?ASIN=0316055441	couldn't put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent read, well written, fascinating story, which would appeal to readers with varying tastes. quite a long book, but keeps your interest all the way through</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YZSF1RM4LD1K?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a Great Story.  It is written so well that I did not even realize that I had read half the book. I remained Interested in the characters and what happens to them.  I felt a strangeness walking past the Metropolitan museum.  Thank goodness it was so long because I did not want the book to end.  I originally read the book on Kindle but then had to have the real book to keep.  I look forward to rereading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R2XNZZWMDYQ5?ASIN=0316055441	Not like Ms.Tartt needs another good review but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">...best page-turner since 'Thornbirds'!  Beware.  Once in a blue moon I come across a plot I cannot bear to put down married to living people who obsess me, make me love them, make me suffer for them.  When the tale is baited with rich details of art, antiquity -- quirky cultures and exotic pockets of humanity, I am so hooked.  When all my canny-voyeur cleverness still cannot predict what will happen next, I know I am trapped.  You will be too if you are the kind of reader who willingly jumps down the rabbit hole running with all your heart to keep up.  You will put your real life on hold...stall...rationalize that a few more minutes can't hurt.  You will be tempted to read on feverishly into the wee hours and may even find yourself calling in sick to finish up the latest development.  You will be hung over when the story's done and in despair over what to begin next.  You will know nothing can compare.  You only meet such a book once in a quarter of a century.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K7X154GFHSN6?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize? Absolutely!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My God, what a book. Some novels stay with you, most do not.  This will never leave me.  Thank you for this beautiful work of fiction with its' universal truths.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKN2DKC5NVWYO?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down and now that I've finished it, I can't stop thinking about it.  Brilliant character study.  Also loved the unexpected plot twists and turns.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P30ZAE79P90T?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Have not quite finished reading this book. but love the story.  Sad and poignant but yet a wonderful read.  Everyone who enjoys books should give this one a try.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROB1EM99G2BG0?ASIN=0316055441	Spellbinding!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not put it down!  No wonder it took her 10 years to complete. The characters were so well developed and the story so complex, I found it amazing to follow.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16G4LWFY3MXOL?ASIN=0316055441	Just too much...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not someone who writes book reviews, because my literary taste is not what you'd call average. However, I'm getting tired of our book club picking books that are rated so highly, and not enjoying them at all. So I have decided it is time for me to write a review. The author is obviously skilled at describing characters, they were all very complex. Too complex. The book was too long, and the last 100 pages or so, it seemed almost like a different author took over. It was rushed and you never really get the answers you want, just the ones she decided should probably be answered. The book is depressing, dark, but not in a ""makes you reflect on your life"" way. A for effort, but putting a long time into building characters does not create a compelling story. Too fragmented, with detailed sections that are not necessarily relevant then glossing over other important scenes. if you have a lot of free time on your hands, by all means go ahead and read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32CIXJ5Q59C72?ASIN=0316055441	Overpraised, under-edited	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel has some fine parts, but the characters are mostly caricatures, and not very nuanced.<br/>The description of Greenwich Village is a few decades out of date (and I would know) -<br/>and there's too little description of the Village itself to evoke much visualization if one doesn't know the place.<br/>The descriptions of the Las Vegas outskirts, however, are surreal and memorable.<br/>In fact, the Las Vegas section was my favorite part of the book.<br/>After that, it gets repetitious (especially with illnesses) and there are far too many ""chase scenes"" - as if the author was consciously writing it for a film adaptation - but by the last one, I only wanted to skim it, because it was too obvious how it would turn out.<br/>In general, this novel is overblown and over-written, and suffers from the editor having indulged the writer<br/>instead of encouraging her to cut and be concise.<br/>NOT a great novel, but it has its choice parts.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNUORJQBVDNY8?ASIN=0316055441	the good things. The characters were very clearly drawn and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First, the good things. The characters were very clearly drawn and some of the descriptive passages were sharp and lovely. But seriously, I'm not sure why this book is a Pulitzer prizewinner. It's an engaging enough story -- it kept me turning the pages, but so do many lesser praised books. Overall it felt unnecessarily overwritten and rather impressed with itself. Too often the words got in the way of the story, and slowed the narrative energy to a crawl. Never a good thing. I skimmed a lot of portions that felt like wading knee-deep through molasses. It took forever to get to the point; three quarters of the way through the book I was still wondering what it was about. And then finally, almost to the end, we get it. But THEN, it goes on for another 20 pages or so, wandering in several other directions, muddling up what could have been a very nice resolution. I'm still not sure what I was supposed to get out of it. Good enough summer read but no more.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20KUL30GG99N?ASIN=0316055441	LIked it; Didn't love it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is beautifully written and very engaging. I was drawn to read it, but did not have the ""I can't put it down"" experience many others have had.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HHL5G1WNE5PM?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A friend recommended this book to be. My only regret I cannot put it down. One of the best that I have read this year. I have already recommended it to others.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3955A6YGPY8VP?ASIN=0316055441	A spellbinder!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna's  special writing ability weaves a story that is very intriguing and unusual. Scary, emotional, sometimes sad but draws you in to her world. Great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RHK1SU8IEHWP?ASIN=0316055441	Poorly written book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could hardly read up to page 200 it was agony, and, I had over 500 pages to go. I frequently read long books so the length did not turn me off it was the book writing. So I gave up. An overblown book with much to dislike. The rambling of details which do not add anything to the story or advance the plot at all; the one-sided characters; the improbability of the story line; all this leads to a book that I would not recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4APZKOXJSSLF?ASIN=0316055441	Existential Gem	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book tells the story of many deeply flawed characters who flow back and forth through each others lives. The protagonist is connected to the others by being in an explosion at an art museum that kills his mother. This man definitely has ""mommy issues"" and for that matter issues with all the relationships with women in his life. The most engaging character in the book is his unsavory Slavic friend Boris with whom he shares a life long friendship bonded by alcohol, drugs and scrapes with underworld figures. The Goldfinch is a painting that is the central unifying theme of the book. The main character over thinks everything he does and for matter finds it difficult to commit to virtually anything. Also, I feel he is of a much more of a feminine mindset in the way he approaches the world -  through sensitivity and an artistic outlook. Boris is the male - male here. The book is well written but ultimately  has a existential message.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RZAL6WTOSBAU?ASIN=0316055441	I was not impressed with The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book ""overwritten"".  It is much too wordy.  Instead of reading it word for word, I found myself skimming paragraphs and skipping portions.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IKAMT3CWBHBV?ASIN=0316055441	Life is a castrophe.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not going to write a long, literary review.  As a former art dealer, I've read enough art reviews to know that many reviewers don't know how to explain anything about the art of which they're writing.  The book was a great STORY, one you could not put down.  It was not an easy read as its plots were very hard for an average person to live with.  But, after you finished the story and were nearing the end, the author's point of view came out and it was not a popular one.  Most of us have to believe that there is a reason for our life; that is is somehow important and meaningful.<br/>But, in fact, it's not.  We're just here and things happen, many of them bad. There is no fairness or justification for what happens.  As Tartt says, ""life is a catastrophe"".  And that is what most people cannot accept.  Theo's life was a catastrophe - his entire life.  That's the theme that we must<br/>live with and that is not an easy theme.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BMYIU9106XUK?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A heartfelt story and a good lesson for parents;  trust and dedication will go a long way even if it may take some time for the reciepient to come to terms.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N3R6URT0B8KM?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i really loved reading the Goldfinch it is an exciting and well written novel with  great character development, suspenseful and well developed story line.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IVCCTJTRCKN3?ASIN=0316055441	Not for the impatient reader who wants it all spelled out for her	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dense, intense, too much, overwhelming, rank, overwhelming, obscure, familiar, sweaty, bloody, addictive, compelling--must come up for air to get through!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NU4W1YQF7J7E?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A heartwrenching tale of an orphaned boy and how he survives through a lot of turmoil.  What a good book.  It's one that I tell my friends they must read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28PHS1SRAN613?ASIN=0316055441	Great ending!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Moved through so many emotions, so many errant behaviors in all characters at different  times...through it all the little bird was hidden but so present.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HTVXG1VA5DN9?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating, thought provoking read. Takes you on a somewhat Dickensian journey with many difficult choices along the way. You won't want to put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V9W8KEKV0AVJ?ASIN=0316055441	Terrible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I selected this book from Amazon Top 25 The reviews were all five star. What a waste of my time and money! The drugs, addicts, woefully sad lives of all the characters .... I wish I could get a refund. This is a horrifically depressing story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PU6EO96Z8CBZ?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderfully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writer captures the character's personalities and experiences so well. It transports the reader into their lives. A long book, but hard to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RROAR6YQSBN44?ASIN=0316055441	Boring...........	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have never written a review before, although I read every day but felt compelled to write as most of the reviews here are so high.  This was the wordiest book I believe I have ever read and the story litterally goes no where.  I always read reviews, as I base the selections for bookclub over the past 17 years on what people are saying............  I do NOT reccomend this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N09OE045EXUI?ASIN=0316055441	No editor working, here?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This woman writes well, no doubt about that. Yes, I really enjoyed the first few pages of this book. However, it quickly became a matter of well written ""stuff"" that went on and on and on and- - -. I knew I was in trouble right after the museum explosion. I thought that the next seven hundred pages might actually be about the main character wandering about the museum, such was the pace of the writing. I skimmed ahead to make sure the main character actually got out, only to find that in his next ""setting,"" the events there, also went on and on and- - -. Enough! I skimmed the rest of the book and, unfortunately, found it insufferable. A synopsis on Wiki allowed me to quickly take this thing back to the library. A brave editor, up to the task, should have cut this book down to less than half its size. I have to add that I'm not sure why this won a Pulitzer. The plot was fairly absurd.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YZRNGS9U1NAQ?ASIN=0316055441	Rambling.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Over all the story line was intriguing but I have to be honest I skimmed over many pages to continue with story.  I found the character ""insight"" to be to rambling and much to long.  I wouldn't reccomend this book for that reason.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LUK5W442SS74?ASIN=0316055441	like Boris and even the dog	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very overrated!  I had such high expectations for it based on it winning the Booker prize and the glowing reviews of some of the other reviewers.<br/><br/>From a positive perspective, it was an interesting story and overall, engaging written.  The characterisation of some characters, like Boris and even the dog, Popchik was well done and the dialogue brought some characters alive on the page.<br/><br/>From a negative perspective, the writing is often unnecessarily longwinded and good have done with some solid editing.  It seems like the author was trying to be profound or philosophical but often it just ended up being boring or pretentious.<br/><br/>The main character was hard to like and I found that I did not empathise with him or care what happened to him at all.<br/><br/>I have read this book being compared to Great Expectations and I can definitely see the similarities.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI7NWDO4T9PRA?ASIN=0316055441	Well done!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was ""into"" this book from start to finish. The protagonist's Dickensian life from New York to Las Vegas and back kept me glued to the pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24UBFGAF0VIOQ?ASIN=0316055441	Almost Awful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The two stars are for the side characters. Vibrant, endearing, and raw are Boris and Hobie. Truly treasures and brilliantly written. The main character, however, becomes annoying about a third of the way in. His whining self-absorption drowns the joy created by the others.<br/><br/>This book needed to be cut down to a third of its current size. I skimmed so much, I couldn't have read more than every third page. Woven throughout is a wonderful story, but it is so buried in the exhausting laundry list of Things the Author Wants You to Know She Knows About (think of the way Anne Rice ruins her books with her looooong descriptions of New Orleans and other things she wants readers to know she's worldly about), you simply cannot enjoy it. It's completely overblown with Author's pontificating and mediocre grabs at philosophy. At least 70% of this book has nothing whatever to do with the story line.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28K1CWH669B88?ASIN=0316055441	A beautifully rendered story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling characters and breathtaking story result in a marvelous read. I felt the pull of this book from the first chapter. I'd recommend reading this book when you can afford to do nothing but read read read it from beginning to end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJPKBX729DN43?ASIN=0316055441	Hated it. Pulitzer prize why?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thus book needs some serious editing. In spite of all the critics a claim it was an endless story of the same endless events over and over again. Ugh</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YONJP6LPVILT?ASIN=0316055441	Highly recommend it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent writing- so many stories in the book- hard to put it down. I have a mental health background and this book is perfect for intense analysis.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13KWC50EC3FCB?ASIN=0316055441	An intriguing read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Complex and extraordinary character development and storyline.  Location descriptions put you there on every page of this beautifully executed novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QHBLFW84GC12?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible read, lefts wanting more!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book although left me feeling a little depressed at times.  I could not put it down.  The writing and story line would make a great movie.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FOH61YGQULT2?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant but frustrating....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a terrific writer - with the ability to let you feel what her character is feeling.<br/>The problem with that is that her main character, Theo, spends most of the book getting drunk to the point<br/>of vomiting, or drugged to the point of near-death.  He makes terrible choices in most ways, and is chronically depressed<br/>and in post-traumatic stress.  So the book is a really difficult place to dwell! I kept wishing that Theo would wake up, tell the truth,<br/>stop self-destructing.  It felt miserable, being inside his life and inside his head.  But the writing is so good, so vibrant and compelling that I kept reading even though it was far from comfortable in there.<br/>Theo does find redemption of a sort at the end, although it's not really his own choices that bring him to the solution of his problems.<br/>Still - the experience of this book is worth having.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3573MN6D7HREA?ASIN=0316055441	Good reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book........Enjoyed reading, could not put it down.<br/>Love the author.<br/>Will read more of her books.<br/>I would recommend this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MUHIO1NUOO40?ASIN=0316055441	life is far to short to waste on badly written books	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a book group read, so I tried to finish it. Got to the 67% mark (on my kindle) when I had an epiphany: life is far to short to waste on badly written books, and this one is a stinker of the first water.<br/>I read fiction to be entertained. This wasn't entertaining. In fact, it was a downer that only got further down as things went along. The protagonist doesn't try to fight upstream: he merely drifts with the current, feeling awful. The descriptions never end. It's 'show-don't-tell' on steroids. Ms. Tartt shows Every Little Thing. And then she sets up another fictional scene where she repeats the same point. And again. Just in case you didn't get it the first time.<br/>I doubt I will bother with any other Pulitzer Prize winners. The fact that they chose this wordy pompous bore of a book has convinced me that we have very different standards on what is good fiction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11G6I9H9MQVIQ?ASIN=0316055441	Time Waster...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms. Tartt is a phenomenal  researcher and has a tremendous grasp of the English language, this is what a good education will provide.  <br/>But I promise you, all of that research must work in tandem with feeling, in order to be an emotional moving piece of literature.<br/>The ability to tell a story, not just to describe every single detail (and I mean this book was ALL detail, ie. ten pages describing a single<br/>room), leaves the reader completely frustrated.  The story moved so slowly, that your only obligation to finish the book was out of sheer commitment once <br/>page 522 out of 732 was reached.  The characters, often thrown out from nowhere and never fully allowed to breath, die amidst all the lost words, descriptions,<br/>art history lesson and antique furniture restoration lecture.   This book is a great example of a well researched paper missing its heart.  </span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R198KB65J3Y99Z?ASIN=0316055441	Best I have ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books I have ever read. The use of language was scintillating and the characterization was nothing short of unforgettable.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21WZH5QA3B8YM?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was not a page turner.  I would fall asleep reading .  I thought I would never get to the end.  Almost started a new book several times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26PMEJM6B9EQU?ASIN=0316055441	wow- what a book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So specific is the description of Theo's life- you can insert yourself into his predicaments and so very clearly understand his life.  Incredible.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R157L8FKSZFBJR?ASIN=0316055441	RE Narrated book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Here's the problem:  it's so good - so amazingly narrated - that I had to stop for several days after disc #17 because I knew that shortly this wonderful listen would be all all over.  I am ready to swear that David Pittu sounds exactly like a 13 year old in the beginning, gradually getting older and older.  Nothing gimmicky in the reading - just an ear-candy transition of voice.  Amazing.<br/><br/>I do believe if I had read the hard copy I would have skimmed over the adolescent angst years - not because that section is not well written, but because Tartt's writing of those years is painfully palatable to anyone who has ever been a teenager...under any family circumstances.  And that would have been a huge mistake.<br/><br/>I am now working on finding other books David Pittu has narrated [sadly, too many are for young kids - sure they are all well done, however].</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11C98NGLKQMK7?ASIN=0316055441	loved this	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an incredible read, but bittersweet and painful to read at times.  There were times I had to put it down and take a break from the pain.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UWODNE0H21AE?ASIN=0316055441	modern Dickens, Hugo and Harry Potter for adults	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved The Goldfinch unreservedly. Loved the Dickensian patterning, the intertexuality, the art referencing, the adventure of it all. A favourite.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NJZ95SA51VDJ?ASIN=0316055441	Thought it would never end!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This has to be the longest read of any book I've ever encountered.  I do not understand why it received a Pulitzer Prize.  Although I realize that mine is likely a minority report, I remain unconvinced that the book has any real redeeming value.  The language is convoluted, disjointed, but often seemingly stream of un-consciousness to describe the protagonist's rationale for his hedonistic, drug-crazed and self-centered life choices...someone gave me a priceless treasure to protect and I didn't even do a good job of that because, hey, drugs and the lure of wealth are taking over my life and by golly, I'm not responsible for any of it...it just happens to me.  But I'll do as I damn-well please because that's just who I am!  I'm sure I missed something really significant and life-changing in this book, but I'll not slog through it another time to try to figure it out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K83SPJCZJJ7X?ASIN=0316055441	Over-rated by others	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Vastly over-rated novel. Good story largely diluted by middle fifty per cent of the book which is a too wordy, dissipated coming-of-age segment.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BBUBMMM502BC?ASIN=0316055441	The beat read ever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a real page turner---always something new and startling. Never could guess what was happening next. A must on everyone's reading list!!!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9GIKIEKHZP5P?ASIN=0316055441	great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the pace and story and characters. Her descriptions of family disfunction and drug users was spot on. Reckon it would make a great movie</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E6V3SI883NLV?ASIN=0316055441	A must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is definitely a book you can't put the down.  I didn't want it to end.  It's a coming of age saga that keeps you on the edge of your seat.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YLWN7Q0T3QSI?ASIN=0316055441	Being there with the protagonist	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a well-written, profound novel and should receive 5 stars; however, it's too lengthy at 700 pages: For the first 600 pages I enjoyed every word.  But towards the end I had had enough, wanted to go onto a new book.<br/>  The protagonist and his mom live quietly, happily, in spite of  the runaway father/husband.  When he's grown up, engaged to a rich, extravagant woman, there's a culture clash and he and the reader are exhausted by the spending, the $4,000 plate.<br/>  So much happens in the book, several plots are sustained.  But, the most important are the grieving for his dead mother and his owning the Goldfinch painting which he loves,  But ownership gives him feelings of guilt and terror when the painting is stolen, not well taken care of.  The drug culture occupies our hero for many years, and even at the end we feel he'll never be drug free.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZP22F2B9EJVT?ASIN=0316055441	A Chore	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the last 175 pages, or so, of ""The Goldfinch"" to be very painful reading about characters and a plot twist that rather painfully bored me.  The only reason, in fact, that I read the last section of the novel is that I had already invested five-day's worth of reading time in it (and had read about 500 pages of the book).<br/><br/>The first part of the plot is powerful and all the way through the main character's growing-up days with a low-life father in Las Vegas, there were interesting character developments and relationships.  Then, very slowly and very gradually, it became apparent that the main characters (with one or two exceptions only) were all basically a bunch of losers who were only going to continue rolling all the way down hill in their personal lives.<br/><br/>A book does not have to be filled with ""likable"" characters in order to please me, but the characters do have to have a little life to them.  Unfortunately, the main character of ""The Goldfinch"" is so passive and lifeless that I began to hope the worst for him, and I doubt that's the response that Donna Tartt was going for with him.<br/><br/>And, frankly, I found the last dozen pages of the book to be the most painful reading in the entire book.  It came across to me as pretentious and unworthy of the rest of the novel.<br/><br/>I really don't recommend this one...but if you read it, and like it, please feel free to tell me what I missed.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G826501BQC52?ASIN=0316055441	LOVED IT	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a book that I couldn't put down until it was finished- Great characters- laughed, cried. I was sad when it came to an end. LOVED IT.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PYTW21A7ZBCA?ASIN=0316055441	A beautiful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was so wonderful, I couldn't make myself start a new book after I finished this one.  I just wanted to think about it and savor it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GFSATM7JNNDN?ASIN=0316055441	A must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had read The Secret History and loved it but was doubtful that a second book could be as good.  This one might be ever better! Outstanding!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TBTFBVB4NX0C?ASIN=0316055441	Long and interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">situation was unusual....boy was believable.<br/>would make a good movie<br/>Plot made me want to see what happens<br/>end was a bit wierd</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19EQ4Q15FFFTX?ASIN=0316055441	wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is so powerful, so beautifully written that I don't quite know how to describe it. An incredible story, it really will leave you wanting more of Ms Tartt's writing. Don't pass up this book. It is simply amazing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JZ4NQF15W348?ASIN=0316055441	Masterful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am a passionate reader of fiction and I have not loved a piece of literary fiction this much since I don't know when. The novel is epic in scope taking us from New York, to Las Vegas to Amsterdam and from Theo at 13 to Theo at 26 and beyond. I can't recall a novel so big and busy since I read ""Middlemarch"", or ""Great Expectations"" .<br/><br/>But, like all great books, it is also delightfully intimate, presenting a never-ending stream of memorable and rich details that comprise the lives of its characters. Whether it's Theo's tortured thinking, or his mother's ice blue cashmere sweater, or Pippa's hair, or Boris's butchered English, everything and everyone is exuberantly alive and beautiful.<br/><br/>I can't recommend this book highly enough. I anticipate re-reading ""The Goldfinch"" with great joy sometime soon.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RSIISTHS6406?ASIN=0316055441	A Modern Saga of Growing Up in the US Today	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a rich casserole of cultures and levels of society is presented by Donna Tartt, as she develops this fascinating tale!  I've read reviews that describe her narrative as ""Dickensian,"" and it does have some of that novelist's techniques.  However, this book does not have an overwhelming social justice flavor, but is decidedly non-judgmental, and the principal youth is not a hero, although his friend just might be..  The cross-country trek is a part-quest, part crucible of terror --- a breath-taking mini-story that is reminiscent of Huck Finn's adventures.  This is a book that encourages the reader to slow down and appreciate the care invested in its dialog and character development.  The art history commentary is thought-provoking all by itself.  ""The Goldfinch"" merits the accolades that have been showered upon it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R116CNV7SIJK1T?ASIN=0316055441	Terrible story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't wait to finish this book - it was tedious. Following this boys' life was depressing and so crazy! I disliked every aspect of it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LUPLH0XF5D2R?ASIN=0316055441	A Special Page Tuner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. It has a different interesting style. The story and characters are sensitive, serious, fascinating, fun, and intriguing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RFB6C21A3FW2?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful writing that told and an engaging story that kept me inside reading for the few short days it took me to read it start to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19PJUZ8V1HRZM?ASIN=0316055441	You will miss them at end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent writer best read in long time ,characters are funny and sad...the parable one of favorite parts!  He got his point across anyway.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21L55QAX3M4ID?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed in the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long and overly wordy as if this was a creative writing thesis. I did not like the main characters and the plat just took me round and round with nefarious characters that exposed the underbelly of various worlds that I did not care to visit. Theo was a pretty not nice guy and the death of his mother does not excuse his awful treatment. He uses her death and that of his father to explain away the good things his mother taught him. He abuses his relationship with Hobie and thinks that money will cure his problems when in fact his character is lacking. I suppose I personally did not enjoy this book even though the chained goldfinch maybe the underlying message here. Maybe its ultimate return to the rightful place set Theo free but found I could care less and 748 pages could have been helped by cutting it 200 pages at least.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PYQ7IN52D5AS?ASIN=0316055441	took me months to finish...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can zip through a really great book in a week or less. This was the most painful book I've ever read. Don't get me wrong, there were some parts that had my attention. But then it just rambled on and on and on and I had to stop. I only finished this book be uses I'm not a quitter and have a really hard time just leaving things undone. Although I'm not sure you can classify it as finishing it, even. The last 3-5% of the book I flipped through and skimmed to make sure I wasn't missing any dialogue or a crazy twisted ending... Nope, just more rambling and introspection as far as I could tell. And if there was some big plot twist that I missed, I don't really care. You couldn't make me open it again. That's how much I hate this book. Also, you should know I've never written a review on here before... Ever. But this book deserved it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JCSNWW058B5Q?ASIN=0316055441	terrific!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is as un-put-downable as it is long. Donna Tartt has given us a masterpiece that examines love, good and bad, life and death in a prose that is so vivid, you can't help but feel part of this touching story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NYU6EVVSPLS3?ASIN=0316055441	I couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the smartest, most thoughtful, philosophically capacious, lyrical, and moving novels I've read in a long time. I have all of Tartt's work on my shelves; this is her finest--a mature, confident, riveting story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IGMZELL7LFXT?ASIN=0316055441	It was on the Best of 2013 lists for a reason.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an intelligent, well written, captivating, character driven book Ms. Tartt has written!<br/><br/>The subject of the title is a famous painting, the importance of which ebbs and flows over the course of the book. The book follows a young boy from about age 12 through his mid-twenties, and how he deals with the death of his mother (revealed in the first page, not a spoiler!), moving, poverty, neglect, drugs, thugs, and the importance of the kindness of relative strangers. And yet, it is somehow an uplifting book.<br/>The main character is compelling and well rounded.<br/>Although this is not “YA” fiction, and the themes are pretty intense, the plot is the coming of age of the main character, and therefore, the book is not entirely inappropriate for an advanced high school reader.<br/>Truly, this is a great work of fiction and one of the most well written books I’ve read in a long time. My ONLY criticism is in the ending, Ms. Tartt did not let the relationship between the significance of “The Goldfinch” painting and the main character stand, she could not help but explain it. In that, one can see her deep understanding and love of art, but it was unnecessary:  the book was well written enough that the reader already understands how the painting and the protagonist are alike.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CJED5LZJQHG9?ASIN=0316055441	Luminous . . .	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the most beautifully written novel I've read in a longtime.  The nature of the story is extremely contemporary, and yet it exists in the luminous space of the best historical novels . . .  a wonderful read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U3KU69P9W8SZ?ASIN=0316055441	Exquisite Start, Strange Ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished reading The Goldfinch and though I rarely leave a review of a book, this one compelled me to do so. The start of the book is so beautifully written, I found myself underlining sentences that were just so perfectly executed. I loved the main character Theo as an adolescent and loved the intertwining of art masterpieces throughout the story. I also adored the character Hobie and it's clear that the author did too. But after what started as a glorious book turned and twisted into a strange tale. I felt like things were left hanging and found the end to be rushed and written not at all like the beginning. I'm not quite sure if I would recommend this book but am glad that I read it, if for nothing else the writing throughout the start of the book is so vivid, descriptive and at times just breath taking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LX4XBKQHGZ9J?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible achievement.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is almost hard to describe what a tremendous experience it is to read this book.  It's like living another life, so fully realized, so beautifully written.  Best book I've read in a long time without a doubt.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VP3T33XLJV5N?ASIN=0316055441	Lame	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">stupid. I hated everyone in this book and had to force myself to finish it for book club because I didn't care if anyone lived or died.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y19AL44ROLYV?ASIN=0316055441	loved This Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like reading several novels in one; deals with art, life, psychology and philosophy.  Holds the reader's attention throughout the story</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R383DXXVNINPOA?ASIN=0316055441	Sublime	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An allegorical tale covering most of our lives; warts and worse. Beautifully written. This is a book I'll be rehashing for a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36K1DE9JXZWMK?ASIN=0316055441	A masterpiece of Dickensian fiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book about the life's journey of a young boy dealing with the aftermath of his mother's sudden - and violent - death.With a wonderful ability to keep you turning the pages, Donna Tartt elicits many gut-wrenching emotions from the reader. It's not easy to read about someone coming to grips with the idea that the one person in their life they could depend on is gone forever. However, it is also a story of getting on with things... and the finding of hope and love in unexpected places.<br/>Don't be put off by the size of the book. You'll hardly notice the pages turning and you may find yourself delaying finishing just so that there is some more to read the next day. She only writes a book a decade, so take it slow and enjoy the ride. A book like this is a rare and wonderful treat.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27SJX90AOUTLB?ASIN=0316055441	Great Expectations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">We read this for book club and while a looonnnggg read, we enjoyed it, especially the characters. Everyone loves Boris, aka the the Artful Dodger.  So many Dickensonian themes and books here!  Our one complaint was the repetitive drug use for pages and pages, we started skipping.  I suspect about 200 pages could have been trimmed and we would have gotten the picture just fine. Boys' brains are undeveloped at best and this was a great illustration. Things happen. People are who they are, it's in their nature.  The last 10th of the book are almost lost in the attempt to finish the book, but will be reread and savored more.  Many good thoughts that were almost thrown out there at the end that we felt could have been dropped in there and there rather than piling on at the very end. It would be a great movie!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30QKERGXRIPOD?ASIN=0316055441	wordy and boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long...too much filler...couldn't wait for this book to end. Frustrating to read...waiting for something to happen that never did.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8J76H7RMDBU0?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long but compelling which makes it go faster. I hooked up sound toward. The middle and had it read to me. It is an exciting book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K9YAZOTVR6UY?ASIN=0316055441	Dragggggssss. Oooonnnnnnnn.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked the book for the first 25 percent.  By the 41st percent, I gave up.  Once he got to Las Vegas and it was nothing but gambling, alcohol, drugs; over and over and over with no redeeming merit to the book, I jumped ahead nubby 60 pages and it was still the same stuff.  By then the story line was going nowhere.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT5IC1IVNA1B5?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt compelled me.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found myself transported by this account of a boy, Theo, whose perceptions of life and art are distorted, but also expanded and intensified by the traumatic loss of his beloved mother, followed by neglect in his adolescence and years of drug use and alienation into adulthood. Theo commits serious crimes but it becomes very hard to say at some point if these are wrong, if they create more harm than good, if they outweigh his impulse towards nonjudgmental friendship, caring and love, and if--even though Theo feels persistently, deeply guilty--he is guilty in a moral sense. A gripping mystery, interesting characters and relationships, compelling philosophical questions, and beautiful, sensual descriptions. This book explored things that are hard to talk about--the feeling of timelessness, severe painful beauty and specialness that are the strange compensation for trauma, depression and marginalization; the alternative ethics that may accompany unspeakable experiences and the perceptions that they yield; and, most impressively, the way that art can draw us into that timeless, sweet yet painful liminal space between the sacred and profane. I couldn't stop reading the book, read it too quickly even though it's long, and miss it now that I'm done.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P7JBXMFELQS?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In desperate need of an editor!  And for me, even with an editor, this is not Pulitzer.  I stopped 500 pages in.....I kept hoping....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDIIT05UMOQJC?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be very engaging.  Read it in two sittings and would recommend it to anyone looking for excitement in the chase.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H8LNV37APSXZ?ASIN=0316055441	Too long - needs serious editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book starts brilliantly, with fascinating descriptions of a child who is orphaned in a terror bombing.  He rescues a prized painting of a Goldfinch in the aftermath of the bombing, and this becomes his most prized possession.  The book then becomes a detailed story of a teenager's move into a drug addicts life.  It then spends many pages describing the thoughts and impressions of a young man who is involved in scams (selling fake antiques).  At this point boredom set in, and I started skimming pages, jumping forward.  There is a side plot of a character ""Lucius Reeves"" who decides to destroy the young man - we don't really know why.  Also a side story of a bunch of thieves, who steal the prized painting.  I forced myself to finish the book and felt that the ending was a total letdown.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R393V0O066G3SB?ASIN=0316055441	Laborious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting but too long. Loss interest near the end<br/>Couldn't stay focused  not sure what point  Donna Tatty was trying to make</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRJXZOG365SIK?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth your time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was too woody, too technical, had little plot except how high you could get on different drugs,  too lengthy, with no resolution.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FCKAMBQQDY2H?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrific Book, very rich in characters! Well written and takes you on a roller coaster<br/>ride. Looking forward to the movie!!!!!!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J2I72WOQZ126?ASIN=0316055441	Page turner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book, lots of twists and turns with great description.  Would recommend it to any one who enjoys a good novel!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R83B9QDMHQGBQ?ASIN=0316055441	Worthy read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had trouble starting but well worth the read once I got into it. Reminiscent of ""Catcher in the Rye."" Glad I stuck with it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTW6U1V5CPBG9?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am still reading it ... can't put it down and when people ask "" what is it about "" .. can't answer .. except IT IS GREAT!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HX7E4NSSO0H4?ASIN=0316055441	Characters to love and hate...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Am easily bored by facile characterizations...no depth, no interest. Donna Tartt is all about the good and bad faults in all of us.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ORFTKZUA8TE1?ASIN=0316055441	Great book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very entertaining; a real page-turner.  I enjoyed the length of it, I never lost interest in the story although it was a long book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RQXPQ7G81RHM?ASIN=0316055441	BORING, Torture	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring, too descriptive, I often forgot where the story was going. The author is a great writer but I just gave up after 400 pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XDCWR8S99EWE?ASIN=0316055441	A Huge Disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to like this book; it won awards, everyone seems to be reading it--however, it is one of the worst books I have EVER read (and I'm very well read).  It is 800 pages of listening to a child become a thief, alcoholic, addict, and pretty much unadmireable human being.  I kept reading in the hopes that I had somehow missed what was so great about this novel--it did win a Pulitzer--but yet, I found nothing worthy of its awards.  There are very few books that I have reacted so strongly to in the sense of putting it down and exclaiming (which I did with this): ""That was horrendous! What a waste of time!"" There is so much wonderful potential in Ms. Tartt's style of writing, her sense of description, but beyond that I can say very little good about this.  A huge disappointment.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DVMGHW6IO1GU?ASIN=0316055441	Feels like it will never end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the characters are interesting at some point the story should move on. I kept hoping it would pick up the pace and it never really did.  On the up side you can put it down when it is time to sleep.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXL0FW5PPQR2P?ASIN=0316055441	A Fascinating Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I both liked and disliked this book.  I appreciated the well-drawn characters and the dilemmas they faced. Tartt's descriptions of the events draw one in until you feel like you are experiencing them also. Some of the issues she addressed in this work made me uncomfortable but that didn't make them any less relevant to the story. It was a long read and there were times when I had to take a break because of the intensity of the story.  I wanted there to be more hope and redemption for the main characters at the end; but I also realize that there are people in the world who don't give up, while leading desperate lives.  I am glad that I read this book and it will stick with me for a long while.  Life is so complicated and Tartt did an excellent job of communicating that in this novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SPSM7ZZ5PF2R?ASIN=0316055441	Well worth the long read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was worth reading, but I do have some criticism.  It was too long!  I found I was skipping over what I considered excessive description.  I know setting is important, and the author did a good job of it, but it went on for far too long - especially the ride back from Vegas!  As a result, momentum slipped.  While I found I could identify with the main character, I found the others more like caricatures, especially an important one like Boris.  The story was compelling and the climax exciting, but the anti-climax was the real jewel, and the thoughts expressed worth remembering.  I think I read the last chapter(s) over again to try to truly grasp the depth of thought.  Having said all this, I did enjoy the blend of art history and literature, and the lessons to be learned from both.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DF6NN0KMCPG9?ASIN=0316055441	looked forward to reading this each day	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the writing style, the character of Theo, getting familiar with restoration of furniture, settings of NY and LV. Haunting.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WNDZXPVHQVIJ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch - an unworkable mishmash	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is arguably the worst book I have ever read. Tartt attempts to give us four stories for the price of one, and the resulting mess is like mixing pickles with Corn Flakes with orange sherbet with olive oil. The overwhelming story line was not about the painting at all, but read like a manual of pharmacology. Then there was the story of the painting - that would have made a good story. Then there was the story of the protagonist's relationship with his employer. That would have made a good story. Then there was the story of the PTSD. That would have made a weak story. And, thrown into the mess are the sub stories of the protagonist's relationship with his friend Boris and with the woman he loved and who remained unattainable. There was also the story of his relationship with the family with whom he lived for some time in his youth and who he rediscovered on his return to New York. Well, you get the idea. Definitely worth a pass unless you're fascinated with the effects of several intoxicants combined, the high and lows of the psychedelic experience and the seamy underside of Russian low life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17XAUGTMDD4LI?ASIN=0316055441	great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">really enjoying cant wait to read the rest of this authors books.  witty and smart - well deserved on winng alocolades and prizes</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25DPTAHSURUI9?ASIN=0316055441	instant classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theodore decker will be as unforgettable as Dickens' protagonists in years to come.  You grow and learn along with the character, and feel the power of his tale as if it were your own memory speaking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KIE9UUBSSNSZ?ASIN=0316055441	Memorable characters, but is this really great?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm never sure what constitutes Pulitzer Prize material. This novel was certainly full of memorable characters, some of which I cared about and followed with interest. Some characters I just didn't understand. This story is divided by events before Nevada and events after. It is the after-Nevada that becomes confusing. In particular, it was difficult to understand how one character became such an 'international figure' (trying to avoid spoilers, here). It is a very convenient plot device that the 'international' character pops up and has morphed into an all-knowing of things underworld. I wonder if the author got Pulitzer kudos for writing about this underworld that depicts almost feral children who become survivor adults, as if to explain why and how some people came to be.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RST3Z8KFTWO32?ASIN=0316055441	Ridiculous plot, cartoon characters, don't bother.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How this book won the Pulitzer prize is beyond me.  The plot is somewhere between ridiculous and implausible, not a single character is developed with any authenticity and the writing is amazingly thin. Did she have a B movie in mind that starts with an (unexplained) explosion, morphs into a display of street drug knowledge (spoiler alert -- the hero never uses a needle!  so refined of him!)  and ends with a (gratuitous) shoot-em-up in Amsterdam? The  ""amazing small painting""  theme is so strained as to become pointless both to the reader and to the alleged plot. As an author, Tartt is a show off, but that was OK by me in &lt;The Secret History&gt; which I liked despite the spun out denoument.  This is a very disappointing, failed effort.  Don't bother with it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB2NRSX252JP2?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch fizzles early	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You know it's not going to end well when it starts in a dark, depressing hotel room in Amsterdam. But I didn't really care, becasuse I never really got to like the main character, Theo.  The first novella describing events to befall Theo as a child are moving and gripping, but unfortunately, it all goes downhill from there.  While I appreciated the plight of young Theo, it became increasingly hard to care for this flawed character.  The plot just went more and more off the rails until Theo just ends up floating through airport terminals and foreign hotel rooms in a state of total conscious despair.  The takeaway: life isn't really worth living and you're better off to know this and wallow in your torment.  I think I'm going to stick to more cheerful books from here out!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KFUQD2TUM1CZ?ASIN=0316055441	Well written and kept me reading.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written with many twists.  Kept my interest through the entire book which due to it's size is amazing. Highly recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KHNZ838KESKE?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the book ,the whole story,the prose though I felt at times,overwhelmed ,by the excessive descriptions of the drug usage.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QGIPREQD5E6C?ASIN=0316055441	Much too self-indulgent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did Ms. Tartt win the Pulitzer based on number of words?  I agree with the reviewer who stated ""there are plot twists that are beyond absurd, there is far too much self-congratulatory philosophizing stuck in at the end. . . . .The end reads like student work. The characters are unlikeable, and there are pages, pages and pages of drug addiction descriptions that begin to read like pornography.""  In reality, the severity of alcoholism and blackouts that were attributed to the main characters would render most people nonfunctional.  I read a lot and a variety of genre.  I was looking forward to reading a masterful work, but concluded that this was way too wordy, overly hyped, and would have been much better had the author self-edited and cut out about 300 pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IUOZ1S7EILUH?ASIN=0316055441	It's a 5 until the last 20 pages!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book until the last 20 pages when he gets overly philosophical and introspective. Great story and great characters.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XJXDFTA86FRA?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful writing and made me think. Fantastic and surprising--it goes where you're not expecting it to go. I really loved it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAUV7820D5CCM?ASIN=0316055441	Powerful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful writing. Intriguing story. Couldn't put it down. Difficult topics to read about but so well done. Would recommend it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO19RGRXBBZGV?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the  beginning but after the plot  switched to Las Vegas and the constant drugging bored me. There were other parts I enjoyed but I was beginning  to think I would make  it to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V44JAFLBE0EC?ASIN=0316055441	disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too long...too many dead spots...struggled to finish...pluses were wonderful phases and descriptive<br/>terms... interesting look at drug world but still way too many temptations to  skip ahead</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8B80KHIH5ADQ?ASIN=0316055441	A great gift recommendation from Amazon!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My wife loved it!  Great recommendation from the book experts at Amazon!  She finished it in a week and highly recommends it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZHCZE26R21SX?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Powerful &amp; Descriptive. At times difficult to read, Gripping emotional story line, and I  missed the characters at books end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I11708OX2VKW?ASIN=0316055441	This book kept me reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although it is a little too long, the book is interesting and entertaining.  I couldn't bear to leave it for too long a time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFHSWNLDUGXT1?ASIN=0316055441	A dreadful, bloated book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazon needs a negative star rating to describe this book. Save yourself and don't buy it. Don't even check it out from the library because watching paint dry is a more effective use of your time. I kept hoping it would get better, but alas, no luck.<br/><br/>Tartt starts out with a good, though somewhat implausible, storyline. However, the story line is then dropped in favor of a chaotic rendering of life in Vegas, which, at most only needed 100 pages, not the vast amounts it took up. Also, she's a great example of the type of terrible writing you get when too many adjectives are strung together.<br/><br/>How this won the Pulitzer prize is a mystery to me. Needless to say, It stains the reputations of all previous winner with bloated, inky pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3138G5O3VKN28?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first book I have read by Donna Tartt and now, I will read everything she has written.  The characters come alive with masterful detailed insight into troubled lives from childhood to maturity.  The story is intertwined with human struggles, intrigue, love, big city society, historical antiquities, tragedy, and laced with philosophy. As I was reading this extraordinarily well written novel, I  found myself wanting to know more about the author and how she created the characters, their path in life, how their lives played out together in a world complicated with human failures, addictions, tragedy and triumphs.  Bravo, Donna Tartt for writing an award winning novel that has the capacity to cause one to pause and evaluate their lives here on earth.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A5FNT5H4OUAZ?ASIN=0316055441	A Dark Fairy Tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book challenges the mind in the way a great novel like Moby Dick does. The writing feels like its from another time too. Tartt's descriptions take you right to the place where the characters are rather it been a cluttered room with amber light or a vast empty desert.<br/>The story is creative and surprising and thought provoking. I loved following our hero (and often anti hero) through his young, fascinating life. There's a magical quality to it and yet it feels fresh and current. It's happening now but it could be happening in another time too.<br/>Most of all I enjoyed the peaks and valleys of this book. The dark macabre places we followed the moments of joy and ecstasy. It's a long deep read and worth every moment of the journey. Thank you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JTG0CIIMTMGH?ASIN=0316055441	"I did it - finished this  ""sorta"" good book!"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very long book that at times hooks you in, however could not be happier to be done with it as opposed to the book that makes you sad when done.  The characters are very flawed developed, unique, varied and complex.  The characters are the draw and what keeps you reading versus the many existential philosophically oriented ramblings. Explored in this book are many heady topics including issues of PTSD, depression, drug abuse, relationships, blurred lines of love/hate , good/bad and of course life and death. This is all centered around a small but deeply valued famous painting of a gold finch. For such a long book the ending was very unsatisfying for me as I would have liked an outcome of the characters instead of meandering generalizations of life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O61CKBRN1SXE?ASIN=0316055441	Exceeded Expectations!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a ride! Amazing! Awesome! I wish she would publish more than once a decade! Miss Tartt is an America literary treasure.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ARQ5BKT3MF7E?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous story, waaaay too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing saga, but like some good movies that run about 20 minutes too long, The Goldfinch could have been 200 pages shorter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23423EKDY8OXT?ASIN=0316055441	why in a gods name did I read this???	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pulitzer Prize, you've got to be kidding me? The first 30% of this book was spectacular. The set up for this book grabbed me. I love every minute of the first 30 %. The characters were developing nicely. The setting clearly set in my mind. When setting changed to Las Vegas it went all down hill with a huge bang.<br/><br/>I won't even go into details about the story but it went from understandable to the theatre of the absurd. Drugs was the theme of this book more than that stupid painting.<br/><br/>It got one star for the first 30% of the book. I was really into finding a great book for the summer, this was not it.<br/><br/>Save your money, downloads whatever for this book only got Pulitzer for the number of words in it, useless words.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R773LLNM7GZDZ?ASIN=0316055441	Sorry	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book did nothing for me. Boring!!! Could not wait to put it down. Too much description too many useless conversations.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REEMXOL6N1FMW?ASIN=0316055441	too many words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Takes her 12 pages to say ""good morning"". Verbosity kills the action, slows the moment to the point of disinterest.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P1MRZLIRA7CT?ASIN=0316055441	stunning book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging from the start and a journey of hell, poetry, literature and fiction.<br/>A classic, worth the wait, a must read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS5OZFRO6WAEV?ASIN=0316055441	Emotional roller coaster!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author makes the characters come alive bringing the reader through a whirlwind of emotions - anger, sadness, joy, fear.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QURR1IA03XT8?ASIN=0316055441	just the most awesome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt continues to be the best. Her cult is so deserved, and this book will surprise everyone and their expectations.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GXT5MMYC0NEQ?ASIN=0316055441	Intense atorytelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is full of twists and turns. It is intelligent, moody and features well drawn characters, particularly the leads.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T5VVFMUO9228?ASIN=0316055441	boring, esoteric	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was burned by another popular, 'everyone is reading it' book called ""Freedom,"" by Jonathan Franzen a few years ago. Somehow books like this appear in popular tv shows and People Magazine, and then everyone feels they have to 1. Read them and 2. Pretend to have loved it just like everyone else. I pushed through five chapters of this book and could not tolerate it any more. So, I went back to the start and re-read those five chapters again to really make a thorough effort at it. This book has no hook. There's a lot of references to New York City and some young boy who apparently knows Franny and Zoey by JD Salinger pretty thoroughly (What's the chance of that?). This book gave me nothing to value, nothing to wonder about. My only assumption is that this author is well-connected in literary circles or something to earn such acclaim and accolades for a book this lame. I wish I could force myself past the five chapters, but I'm not that eager to have my heart broking by another plodding, esoteric, boring book like Freedom again. I wouldn't steer you away from trying it yourself, but I'll say this- don't believe the hype.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TLFBWB28HRHC?ASIN=0316055441	"""Bad Artists Copy, Great Artists Steal!"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt includes this quote, usually attributed to Picasso, in The Goldfinch, perhaps as a way of acknowledging the plot, character and scene similarities to other great works of fiction.  As other reviewers have noted, the book includes elements of Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, and Harry Potter (mirror of erised, anyone?) .  I'm sure it nods to other great novels that I have never read, particularly Russian works.<br/><br/>Nevertheless, this is a wonderful, engaging, plot-driven book.  Though it draws on the traditions of 19th century novels, it is very much a 21st Century work.  Each paragraph is beautifully worked; each word and name carefully chosen.  Moreover, the psychological elements of the characters appear particularly well researched:  Theo (like Van Gogh's brother? God? the Antipope?) and Pippa (nod to Great Expectations?) are suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome. This is a key part of who they are... ""and the damage is part of the attraction.""<br/><br/>I cannot recommend this book highly enough!  I am already of jealous of all you readers out there who still have this delight in your future.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JVGXXL0HYDB3?ASIN=0316055441	The book's length interrupted a good story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a novel of a boy who is given one of the world’s most famous paintings, by a stranger, during a terrorist attack.  It is also a book that vividly paints the idiom, “No good deed goes unpunished” while adding the phrase, “and no punishment is without reward.”  The essence of the book is excellent.  When Ms. Tartt writes action, dialogue, plot points and descriptions of the locations within this book, there were few better books published this year.  This excellence, however, is often lost among the (seemingly) endless discourse of the narrator, Theodore “Theo” Decker, about the minutiae of an observation, memory, place visited or the present distraction suffered by the Hero.  The book would have been on par with Gone Girl were it 400 pages shorter, alas, it is almost 800 pages.<br/> Theo Decker’s father went to work one day and never returned.  They learned of his abandonment weeks after the fact when he contacted them.  His mother, already working to support the family, was making Theo’s life as full as possible when they stepped into a museum to escape a thunderstorm at the absolute wrong moment.  What occurs in the hour they were looking at the paintings was a moment that defined Theo’s life for the next 13 years (the duration of the book).  He lives with the family of a schoolmate, a wealthy New York Old Money clan that embraced him quickly.  When his father shows up to “claim” him, he relocates to Las Vegas, where the safety, direction and care he knew in NYC is nonexistent.  He meets Boris, a Russian immigrate whose father is as dependable as is Theo’s; they are left to raise themselves.  Theo moves back to New York City in hopes of finding the life he once knew and any memories he can find of his mother.  In all these moves, he takes with him the painting handed to him during the disastrous museum visit.<br/>How an adolescent can keep a world famous painting safe and a secret, all the while worrying what to do with it, yet never considering returning it to the museum, is never addressed.  The issue of “what to do with MY painting” is so frequently raised that it becomes but one of the distractions of a plot that, eventually, fulfills the promise of being a fine story of life, friendship, fidelity, faith and destiny with a bit of mystery, intrigue and violence in the mix to give it flavor.  There is a moment of graphic violence, descriptions of violence done to a child and plenteous drug use within its pages.<br/>I doubt I will read another of Ms. Tartt’s books unless she finds an editor that knows her/his job.  There are too many words used to relate the story.  I felt, at points, that she was testing the editor (and reader) to see how much she could write that had little to do with the plot flow and it be included within the pages of this book.  Her other two novels, according to the dust jacket, have been translated into 30 languages, if this one is likewise translated, I hope it is done with more clarity and succinctness than is found on these pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LFUE63TBUK3D?ASIN=0316055441	One of best fictions of 2013	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's debut novel, The Secret History (which I loved), has been talked about as a ""contemporary classic"" in the twenty years since it was published, so she had a lot to live up to with The Goldfinch. But, she hit it out of the park! The Goldfinch is definitely one of my favorite fiction books of 2013 and I liked it even more than The Secret History.<br/><br/>It is hard for me to boil down what this book is truly about because it covers such a huge breadth of themes and I also don't want to ruin the suspense. Perhaps what best captures the essence of the story is Theo's statement that he had ""the conviction that my whole life was balanced atop a secret that might at any moment blow it apart"".<br/><br/>Tartt includes so many disparate topics/themes (art / art crime, drugs, antiques, gambling, mental illness / trauma, love, friendship, and family dysfunction), while still making it all feel necessary to the story. In this way, it reminded me a bit of Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore. The other thing that reminded me of Penumbra is that much of Goldfinch takes place in a dark and somewhat mysterious antique shop (like the old book store in Penumbra) and the mentor type relationship Theo finds with Hobie, the proprietor of the antique shop, is reminiscent of Clay's and Penumbra's.<br/><br/>Tartt managed to combine two completely different types of books (a coming of age story and a suspenseful mystery) and actually make it work. The book is initially more focused on the coming of age angle and then builds into a suspenseful art / antique crime mystery. I'm not at all interested in art or antiques, so was worried I wouldn't like The Goldfinch as much as others did, but Tartt managed to keep me engrossed anyway…the mark of a truly great story teller.<br/><br/>As evidenced in The Secret History, Tartt can be incredibly dark at times and, while The Goldfinch is certainly somewhat shadowy (or at least operates in a shadowy underworld for much of the story), it has elements of warmth, love, and some good hearted characters to balance out the darkness.<br/><br/>I admit that I worried about the 770 page length, but I shouldn’t have! I think the setting changes and sheer breadth of things going on keeps things interesting. However, the length is keeping me from adding The Goldfinch to my Book Club Recommendations List, but it would be a fabulous selection if your club is especially ambitious. I think The Goldfinch is one of the Best Books of 2013 (check out my blog, Sarah's Book Shelves, for my full list).<br/><br/>For more reviews, check out my blog, Sarah's Book Shelves.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OOI9ZE7229EC?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Doesn't Soar	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would probably rate it a 2.5 stars.  I actually liked the writing when it didn't blather on and on.  I found the characters interesting and the story line moved in a way that compelled me keep reading to find out what would happen next.  The problem for me was that it took too long to get to the ""next"" part.  This book could have been quite good if it had been much, much shorter.  It just went on and on and on so many times that I actually found it quite tedious and started skimming which I almost never do. There was a dream description that I'm sure went on for longer than all of the dreams I've had in the last month.  Despite the fact that several in our book club really enjoyed it I would not personally recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17BBOOXFXXBHJ?ASIN=0316055441	Utterly Amazing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this down! This is an exquisitely written book telling a breathtaking tale. I highly recommend this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R183Y7K5EJXJ2W?ASIN=0316055441	Expected to enjoy this - disappointed. Did I miss something?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Having really enjoyed Donna Tartt's previous two novels, and after waiting the pre-requisite decade for her latest offering, I had no hesitation in promptly whooshing it into my kindle for immediate consumption. Sad to say, that's where this novel's movement ended. I found it tedious, repetitive, stagnant in fact, - effects which if  engendered by some covert authorial plan to evoke a surprising terminal emotional response (then perhaps there would have been some point to it) backfired badly as I instead had a terminal response. Finally admitting defeat, I abandoned her darlings to their final chapters, took what remained of my reading life and ran. I can only assume that those who rated it 5 stars stayed on for the last dance.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T6ETJYTF9Q3C?ASIN=0316055441	Art in all of living	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Art and life are shown to be symetrical in this wonderful novel which embraces all the inconsistencies and inconsistencies and mysteries of life. Truly a delightful and insightful read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N27FC7UF7XCE?ASIN=0316055441	Avid reader	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's very well written and builds suspense. The characters are well developed and I enjoyed seeing Theo mature and grow.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F9KK9I1N3OL1?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a masterpiece!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have had The Goldfinch sitting on my Kindle for some time only because I have not had time to get to it. That being said, this novel is one of the truly great reads of this summer for me. Firstly, Ms. Tartt weaves an amazing tale of our young Theo as he takes this circuitous life journey. She focuses on the essential plot elements and does not bore the reader with unnecessary details.  Secondly, her characterizations are flawless, leaving no stone unturned in her masterful portrayal of each one. Lastly, my favorite element is her beautiful language and descriptions of people, places, and things. I am an English teacher, and some of her passages reminded me of Faulkner, and that's the ultimate compliment coming from me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11KQKR6EC3KI6?ASIN=0316055441	Best 5 books ever read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best 5 books ever read. Intense, compelling and deep insight. She goes where few thread! Highly recommended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T7WFH4GEO273?ASIN=0316055441	disappointed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I do not know what all the fuss is about this book. It was too long and the main character was the sorriest person ever . It took forever to get through it, I was hugely disappointed</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PYUJV74WLQHR?ASIN=0316055441	Simply awful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the worst books I have read lately...constant booze and drugs.  Only kept at it to find out what happened to the painting. Who needs all that self analysis and breast beating.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9V13Y8S1VKUY?ASIN=0316055441	Generous three stars rating.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very tedious reading. The descriptions were elaborate but excessive. It was a chore to finish but I did it!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13BE20GG187CY?ASIN=0316055441	Sixs and Sevens	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really had a difficult time giving this book a three star rating.  I was leaning toward a one or two star only because I was so frustrated and miffed by the end of the book.  Her writing is beautiful, but this is a great example of someone who is so enthralled with her own words that she doesn't know when to stop.  The first 60% of the book is really good and holds your interest.  But, and that is a huge BUT, after that it just drones on and on when it should have been wrapped up.  Even when she finally does end it, there are several questions you will have concerning the main characters.  What happened to them, where did they go, etc., etc.  To me this was just a wonderful read turned into an endurance trial.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWSRMFPQBSNZK?ASIN=0316055441	A literate page-turner.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you enjoy getting lost in a book, getting caught up in characters and settings that stay with you, this is the novel for you. Having done part of my growing up in the Hague, I used to amble by the Mauritshuis on my way home from school. Faustivis' bird on a chain was one of my favorites and this drew me into the narrative immediately. That I live in Manhattan amid the locations and settings of some of the narrative was fun also. But what lies in store for Theo was a harrowing and daunting ride. I was touched several times, sometimes to tears. This is story telling on a Dickensian scale, with a wonderful Artful Dodger kind of character named Boris among the standout characters. A first rate and memorable read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L0ENO8C7OKYR?ASIN=0316055441	DONNA ROCKS!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author of The Little Friend...Donna Tartt has written another stunning creation. I am only into it a chapter, but...this is creation is for those who like high art. In the tradition of the true southern writer, great attention is paid to detail...and the assumptive notion that the reader is intelligent...there are expanses for the reader to create their own movie...their own thoughts...good writing is in the empty spaces...<br/>We read The Little Friend every single year...as it reminds us of Welty, Capote &amp; O'Conner all merged into one great writer...does Donna Tartt model herself after the main character's mother...? Stay tuned....I do believe she was Harriet in The Little Friend...okay...that's all Amazonians...buy it!<br/><br/>UPDATE: I finished this book too quickly...I looked forward at the end of every evening... to finishing my night with more of this kinetic book...full of colour, body, art, antiques, drugs, alcohol,class, classlessness &amp; all sorts of International drama, i loved the characters. Donna, if you are reading this, congratulations on another home run.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25TI7T6E9YUSH?ASIN=0316055441	TOO MANY WORDS!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I became interested right away in the main character and the span of his life that's covered in the novel. I stayed with it to the end despite the many repetitious meandering descriptions about how different drugs react on him or how some buildings and rooms make him feel or how the weather affects him or...well, you get the picture (pun acknowledged). Several of the secondary characters are more compelling than the protagonist, which is not a flaw, but the over-written book is dense with digressive detail that neither fleshes out character nor furthers the story. My friend who recommended the book admired the many lengthy, extraneous passages, and apparently the Pulitzer committee did as well. I did not..</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W26ZKG1ONX4N?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book made the top 10 books for fiction and I am not sure why. There are so many themes in the book and the author jumps around from one to another.  I enjoyed reading about antiques and their restorations.  I enjoyed some discussions on art but the author begins to throw  a lot of artists names around with a lot of philosophy.  Interspersed with this we have the theme of post traumatic stress and the drug culture.  Then in last part  the author tackles allot of philosophical issues.  These themes did not flow together.  The themes could be edited and somehow combined to make a more (and shorter) book.  Although everyone does not like the same type of book I do not think I would recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WWQJFNDS6XQL?ASIN=0316055441	Philosophical jibberish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was at least 200 pages too long. I read professional reviews and noted that two reviewers from the NYT had it on their top 10 books of 2013. I certainly will not consider their opinion very highly on the future.<br/><br/>Every reviewer gives a brief description of the opening events so I'll skip that. I'm not sure the author wants us to empathize with the protagonist Theo, but I found his self pity, drug addiction, criminality and selfishness to be boring almost pointless.<br/><br/>The book devolves into pseudo-philosophy that is pure jibberish.<br/><br/>The only reason I even gave this three stars is because I did like her literary, although, as stated, the book is far too long.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20CQSOTVPXZKD?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch reviewedi	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this story and the way it was written. It was one of those stories that you think about when you're not reading it. You have the urge to talk about the characters with people who have never even heard of the book, almost as if they were personal acquaintances. I longed for Theo to make a good decision, but was fascinated by the bad ones he ultimately made. I want to know Hobie and Boris and I think I would probably not want to spend much time with any of the Barbours. Especially the surviving ones... some characters that seemed relevant disappeared, such as the lawyer. But I suppose it's good the story didn't go on any longer. Quite a lengthy read. But very, very well worth every second.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YZNZL7NR7QPI?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written and difficult to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a beautifully written book that keeps one interested and coming back for more for over seven hundred pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3YFIHO6JHKLL?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best novel I have read in year's.  Couldn't put it down.  Right glad it was in my Kindle though, pretty hefty book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XR7RSLGKV4FF?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I have read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book kept me on the edge at all times. I can't wait to read her other books I am sure to tell others about it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIC8XAOURQFME?ASIN=0316055441	Too wordy, Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished the Goldfinch and I have to say that I'm exhausted.  It took me days to get through the last 15% of the book. When does that happen? Most often I can't wait to finish a book to find out how the story ends. In this case, I kept putting down the Kindle because I couldn't bear the long drawn out descriptions and repetition of yet another drug induced experience.  I somewhat enjoyed the plot but I will not be reading anymore of this author's work. I gave it 3 stars partially because I felt that I should have enjoyed it more based on being a best seller and other reviews. I could have easily given it 2 stars if I wasn't questioning my own lack of sophistication in reading choices. HA</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHVAWPHVCUR13?ASIN=0316055441	Wanted to like it more...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">But, and in this age of instant information and gratification, I suppose I should be grateful for a writer wiling let the narrator mull and reconsider his feelings and reactions, but these responses and observations often leave me wishing for a broader visual fel of the world of the novel and, for that matter, for the narrative to continue with some pace.  Truth is, I got frustrated with a lack of narrative drive and it took me months to finish the book, just note that this is a very long book. A book of similar length, ""The Son"" by Philip Meyer, was also Pulitzer nominated and while, sometimes, vastly sad, wrestled a bigger story to the ground with a,similar amount of personal insight.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SNDTYGHH2L1L?ASIN=0316055441	Worth every minute	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a rare thing - a novel that is poetically written, and has a ripping good story with a proper ending (unlike Ms. Tartt's Little Friend.)  To all of these negative reviewers I can only say go watch TV, you ninnies, if you can't handle a long book.  I am not unfamiliar with novels that drag on and go nowhere.  But this is not that.  The character who narrates this bildungsroman endures a succession of traumas that twist him in pitiful ways that break your heart.  But he holds on to certain transcendent things and people until ultimately he is redeemed, ironically by his most secret sin.  I am too busy to read much these days, but I longed to return to this story every time I closed the book.  It is not a mystery in any sense, yet it has Wilkie Colins style elements of suspense.  The descriptive prose is like Proust put down the teacup and took up neglected little boys sniffing glue.  And in the end it has something eloquent to say about art and the human soul that is wise, and uplifting without being maudlin.  How sad for readers who didn't get it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OATK99T9GLMB?ASIN=0316055441	Wordy and unbelievable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So many reviews have been written of The Goldfinch that it hardly seems worthwhile to add another, but the book irritated me so much upon reading it , after all the hoopla it received at its launch, that I feel compelled to add my two bits. My two main objections are: too wordy and too unbelievable. Life is strange enough as it is, so that fiction has the license to include the unbelievable, but that a 13year old boy can remember 14 years later the  minutae of what he saw, heard and felt as described in the book is beyond the possible. He could not have had the vocabulary and the perception.  This amazing capacity for memory feeds the wordiness, so that the book goes on and on, senselessly.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YKVOWAOCQL4O?ASIN=0316055441	So very glad it's over!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most depressing books ever written. Add to that, it was wordy wordy WORDY!!! The large print book is 1240 pages compared to the 784 pages in the regular size printed book. It was far too heavy to carry, let alone hold while reading, and I had to force myself to stick with it because all the teensy tiny story details were so very unnecessary really. I had to skim through the last 100 pages or so, just to find out how it ended, and it wasn't worth it once I got there. The only thing I took away from reading this book was information about the painting. Otherwise it was a complete waste of time, and a huge downer.<br/><br/>I suppose it did help build up my arm muscles though! ;-)</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R40A3XU4QCL16?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling, rich	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was drawn in from the beginning and held in an hypnotic trance throughout this deeply affecting narrative, that explores the nature of attraction. ...to life, to art, to danger....The audio performance was perfection...I felt the personality of the characters through their voices and intonations...the affable, comforting Hobie, like a favorite sweater....fearless and rakish Boris..... The  story  and Theo's character unfold layer upon layer, and there is not a false note to distort the imaginary world introduced. The ending was satisfying and wholly consistent with the story and characters. Thank you, Donna Tartt for writing this gorgeous tale and inviting me into your world....loved it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GG7E0DXVGR46?ASIN=0316055441	Too much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I enjoyed early parts of the book, I found it to be way too long and ponderous.  I did not care much for the main character and the book just seemed to drag on forever.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KPIMMXP4C3HC?ASIN=0316055441	Excellant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Held my interest couldn't wait to get back to reading every night<br/>I Loved the ending something to think about</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OYU0YL7UG17N?ASIN=0316055441	Like the Dickens	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this reminds me of a modern day David Copperfield. One of the best novels I've read in years. Worth the long read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BPTFVU67CQZ2?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love a good book. This novel is smartly written, a page-turner and I liked the length so I could savor the read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL2ZPQV8EQS7U?ASIN=0316055441	Very good reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not even 1/2 way through this book, but what I have read is very good, can't wait to get back to it every day!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EHSHQ2LO4KB7?ASIN=0316055441	What were they thinking?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have a hard time understanding why The Goldfinch was awarded a Pulitzer Prize.  Had I been editor of this book, I would have wanted the author to reduce  it by at least a third.  In my opinion, there was way too much  description of the vile life the main characters were leading.  I grasped the picture of their drug use and poor morals early on and didn't appreciate having to wade through excess garbage.  The route of the art piece was interesting, but it was difficult to sort it out from all the side issues the author contrived.  I probably would have stopped reading it mid-way through if it weren't for thinking I would find something to substantiate the Pulitzer committee's selection!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12PENK0NPX5UW?ASIN=0316055441	Don't read this book.  Not worth your time.  And it takes a lot of time to get through it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Only the first 10 pages and the last 10 pages are worth reading.  Takes forever to get through this book.  Drags.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RFE03XQ0MFES?ASIN=0316055441	A Must Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing and engaging book...highly recommend.  Couldn't wait to see how it would end - yet didn't want it to end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T3RZKOLPBO?ASIN=0316055441	I don't understand the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I forced myself to finish this book. While it had moments of being good, it just went on and on and on to no end!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB7YYUJK94JH9?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch-a review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely well written!  I have not finished the book, but it is one of those rare gems that is hard to put down!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCR7C7BAP8HP3?ASIN=0316055441	Well Deserved PP	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My favorite novels leave me missing characters when I have finished the story. It is as if I actually knew them in a very personal way - even more deeply than I know some close acquaintances. Hobie, Theo and Boris are characters that most touched my heart. I do miss them. The research Donna Tartt did to create this writing is so impressive. It leaves no question as to whether she deserves the Pulitzer Prize. I will read other work by her. I think her most important legacy is leaving her readers with a deeper appreciation for all art. No matter where that  appreciation fell on the spectrum before Tartt takes you on this journey, I know it will have grown when the last page is turned.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U6H4O1BO0LN4?ASIN=0316055441	Had potential	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first third of the book was well written and engaging.  It had potential to be a great story but somewhere along the way the writer got lost in trying to create an elaborate plot and talking about drugs.  Only two if the characters were likable and they were minor.  The last 200 pages were full of two much plot twist and espionage . I had difficulty finishing because by that point I did not care how it ended.  I was ready for it to end about half way through this long book.  Also way too much time spent on the period in Vegas describing the antics  and drug/alcohol abuse of Theo and Boris.  I am very well read and can finish almost any book but found this difficult to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DAUB0M1L5N4K?ASIN=0316055441	A Wonderful Coming of Age Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An absolute masterpiece. Every single word, every single paragraph, every single page is pure perfection. I am a reader. I read well over a hundred books a year &amp; this book is one of the very few that gets a five star review from me. It is actually four books in one. I should say four wonderful books in one.<br/>Our protagonist spends time in New York, Las Vegas, Europe &amp; all the stories are fabulous.<br/>Having spent my teenage years living in Las Vegas, I cannot believe how spot-on Ms. Tartt's descriptions of this section of the book were. It was if she had read my diaries!<br/>Heartbreaking, smart &amp; funny...""The Goldfinch"" has something for everyone. Read this book!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGPOMQ6HPD4WM?ASIN=0316055441	I book I thought I would not enjoy...but I could not put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story of this young man and his journey from the opening disaster to the years afterward is enthralling. His adolescence is portrayed through his eyes, his emotions are so well described....you can feel the hormones raging. I found some of the chapters almost too descriptive, thinking of Stephen King's telling us to ""write what you want and then go back and take out most of the adjectives"". The author could have used that advice in some chapters, but she is good at describing the inner feelings of this tortured soul, so some of her descriptions were needed.<br/><br/>It is a good read, make the time to sit down and read without interruption. You will not be sorry!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AZ21DJRK244P?ASIN=0316055441	A pretty good yarn.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this book.  I loved the characters, all so different, so individual, dare I say, so likeable.  This is not a fairy tale, it is not a particularly happy story, but it is entertaining.  I loved the writers clever use of language, her ability to create a scene and conjure up a mood from her descriptive writing. I found it easy to keep reading even when a passage may have been a tad wordy.<br/><br/>I thought the intertwining themes in this book were fascinating.  It is hard to imagine the despair that any child put into Theo's position would endure.  Life is complicated and unfortunately not always happy.  I wish I had the gift this writer has to create a story so fine.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UJPVMILGBLMB?ASIN=0316055441	I listened to this book on audible version	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I walk each morning and listen to books. I got this book due to the excellent reviews. The narration was outstanding as the actor did a great job with Boris, Hobie and the other character's voices. I think this helped me get through the book. I kept waiting for something to lead somewhere. It never did. I guess this is one of those books we are supposed to look for the higher meaning of it all. I found myself listening to the book in my car on a two hour drive just so I could finish it to get on with another book on tape to listen to on my walks. Bottom line: What was all the fuss about?<br/><br/> I was almost going to give it two stars but enjoyed the job the narrator did.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CBPC0YTRQG1A?ASIN=0316055441	stuck in the middle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">was interesting in the beginning... i'm stuck at 80% 3 hours left and have lost interest. first time this has ever happened to me. the story got very boring and tedious.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1653L2C9Q4BZ2?ASIN=0316055441	An Incredible Experience!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow. What an incredible read. Donna Tartt paints a picture with words. She immerses you in the scene and you swear you can feel it, smell it, hear it, like you are right there vividly experiencing it for yourself. And, that is the way with this book; You don't read it, you experience it. This isn't a warm and fuzzy, fairy-tale, feel good novel. It is real and raw. But, it is beautiful. There is much to be said for the statements made in this book, but that's best left for a much more in depth discussion. Certainly one review could never scratch the surface of what this book has to say. Just read it. It has been many years since I've experienced a book quite like this one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4YAIJBXDMB2C?ASIN=0316055441	Not too happy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was interested in the story until the ending.  It just didn't make sense.  It was too boring and not expected.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R117CC2FWEVV71?ASIN=0316055441	Mixed feelings.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is exquisite. Even when I really wanted to ditch this book because of the tales of violence and especially the self destructive abuse of drugs and alcohol the author left a hook; a ray of hope. She would end a chapter where she described something ending with a statement that told you it wasn't 't the end. You knew he'd see that person again. But how? She always left you hoping. And we all want to hope. We hope those we love will stop drinking too much or will get out of an abusive relationship or any number of other hopes for our selves, those we love and the world we live in. I couldn't' t give up reading this story because to do so would end all hope.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16Q1B1QDJBTNG?ASIN=0316055441	Great Great Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am a very casual reader, so I was skeptical about my ability to finish a book with nearly 800 pages.  However, that was before I started reading The Goldfinch.  Saying that Donna Tartt is a genius is putting it lightly.  I have never looked forward to my reading time like I did when reading The Goldfinch (I actually starting going to bed an hour earlier just so I could read more each night.)  I think that everyone should read this novel at some point in their lives.  I am currently reading another work by Donna Tartt - The Secret History - and I can't wait to see where it takes me.  In summary, if you are debating on weather or not to read The Goldfinch...READ IT!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AKT9ELLZGQKV?ASIN=0316055441	What a disappointment after The Secret History.  I wouldn't bother.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a disappointment after The Secret History. The New York part almost became interesting after about a hundred pages but then off to an unspeakably dull endless time of soporific puerile Vegas dullness that forced me to pull the plug after 370 pages. Whatever wasn't immediately predictable was too crazy to ring true. Hats off to those who actually enjoyed 800 pages of this but likewise, what a delight to be able to call it a day and move on to something that is actually enjoyable to read. Congratulations to those of you who stopped at page 100 and even more to those of you who never paid good money for this miserable over-long tedious piece of yawning bilge.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GCU2L14INM49?ASIN=0316055441	A Long Dazed Journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's first two books were terrific and I had high hopes for her third novel.  After an ""explosive"" start it stumbles as Theo begins his journey from New York to Las Vegas back to New York and on to Europe.  She's a skilled writer but she reminds me of someone knitting a sweater who has great technique but can't keep track of the pattern or size.  The result ends up being colorful but too long and bulky. It's sad because there was potential for real suspense and intrique in this book were it not for all the loose threads that were never tied up.  And was the excessive drug use really neccessary for the plot?  Let's hope she does better next time around.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EMQW35SIY4HX?ASIN=0316055441	Could have been...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an undisciplined sprawl of a book! A potential masterpiece, however dark its soul, but missing the mark by miles of unnecessary verbiage and ideas that are not quite in focus.<br/><br/>Our hero, Theo, is as unformed a person as the adult narrator of his story as he was as the thirteen year old who suffers an unimaginable,  cataclysmic shock and tragic loss.  He is rudderless and ethically adrift along with being emotionally numb. It seems as if Tartt is trying to see how many tragic flaws can be balanced on the head of her protagonist before the whole edifice topples: unfortunately, too many, here: the whole thing, in my mind, is left in a jagged heap.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TURPDFYUGGLN?ASIN=0316055441	Les miserable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enough. Five hundred pages of this pointless slog is all I can take. Sure, the Goldfinch painting has some irony(a bird chained to its post), but to be hit over the head with it in this endlessly depressing doorstop continually is asking too much.<br/>This book has a paint by the numbers approach attempting to be a work of art; maybe a creative writing workshop that went on too long?<br/>Pulitzer prize-winning? This isn't the first series of mediocre writing to get a prize. There's so much trying to associate the multitude of characters by comparison and contrast, it's just annoying.<br/>Depressing for the sake of being depressing-just because ""I can"".</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UX784OWFQVQJ?ASIN=0316055441	best book I've read in a very long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unbelievable! best book I've read in a very long time. Great.makes me want to head to the museum right away.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20UQMCY061QNS?ASIN=0316055441	A great page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was rooting for Theo to come out okay. Very well written &amp; great mix of  current , past, art, love &amp; life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6W80W3NOEVT7?ASIN=0316055441	Finch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hated for it to end because it was a magical and touching story... start to finish. Very Catcher in the Rye.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R4UORVLMP3S8?ASIN=0316055441	It was totally worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">ELEVEN YEARS!! It's been so long.<br/>She has an effortless way of pulling an awkward character through their story at a clip that Stephen King has too. I love her protagonists. You never feel like you can identify with them but you root for them all the same and understand them. Secret History sucked all the air out of the room when I read it. This one's the same way. I loved The Little Friend too, I know not everyone did.<br/>All I know is, I've been trying to replace her while she's been gone and I never could. And she doesn't disappoint this time either.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RB74LLLYCEDN?ASIN=0316055441	Delicious writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The most atmospheric book I have read since Dickens. Could read it again and again it was really that good.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CPU0BW74S42O?ASIN=0316055441	Art and danger	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Writer uses language to surprise seduce and keep you reading. This is a book about survival. Art is a need.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LZ0FOGIVTFGN?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer. Really?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's usually best to read a book before all the hype. Expectations aren't as high. I might have given the book four stars if I had read it before the hype and wasn't expecting pure perfection. The book has many excellent qualities. The best being the descriptive prose that makes you feel like you are in the room and feeling all that the main character feels. Alas, it was too much, too long, and too depressing. The main character, while his apathy was understandable, wasn't very likable for a large part of the book.  The gangster scene seemed fake; I seriously thought our hero was going to be double-crossed in the end.  The actions and words were so corny and contrived. The ending was a flood of philosophy on life that would have made a bigger impact had it been directly addressed throughout the story rather than dumped in the last pages. All this being said, the writing itself was superb and I will read another book by this author as this was my first experience with her.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLWWNALHN16BJ?ASIN=0316055441	Not on my Best Seller List	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a dark comedy! Tartt writes in a very engaging way until she gets long winded and goes off on tangents that, frankly, I felt were irrelevant.  And very quickly into the read, I kept hoping for some pages that made me feel good. They were few and far between. So a tragic story of a young boy who, through a horrific loss and an experience of mega proportions, wallows through life with no purpose, no self-awareness, no lifelines to cope, still grows up, finds wonderful Hobie, but has no way to be able to truly trust and relate to him. I am going to take my time on Best Seller lists as this is not the first time I felt, good but no way great.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37VEEPGKAFK3Q?ASIN=0316055441	Was not impressed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I do not understand what all the buzz is about this book!  The plot is weak and the writing is average at best. I had to make myself finish this book....I thought that it would get better, kept hoping it would get better- it never did!  I have a fine arts degree and thought this book might deal more with the influence  this painting had on the main character, but the painting is really just a small part of this book, at times even forgotten.  There are numerous long descriptive passages of drug use and teenage angst that I skimmed. The author could have written this novel in half the pages...and I still wouldn't recommend it.  Save your money.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33ZWS17PF406Y?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting premise, however, it quickly became a long, meandering book that never quite got to the point.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHD3IZ3JI45CC?ASIN=0316055441	Read this book!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book ,nice easy read.I will recommend this book to all who ask me about it,I like this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OWQE5Z1EVTZH?ASIN=0316055441	worst book I ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read the whole book hoping it would improve.  It didn't. If you take pleasure in someone else's tragic circumstances and destructive behavior, read this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R204SRKC3MTH30?ASIN=0316055441	awful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Never before have I wanted to jump inside a book and strangle the main character. What an idiot this guy is!  Besides that the book slowed to a boring conclusion and I wound up skimming the last 50 pages. 700+ pages of wasted time!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SH1Z45CAGOJ0?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just a wonderful read from the very beginning. A long book but you didn't want it to end when it did .</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ID7KU76H7PF2?ASIN=0316055441	Very good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great book, a little dark but written very good. Not what you call a feel good book but a good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ELE2J88WIB4O?ASIN=0316055441	Slowwww mooootion nonsense	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pulitzer prize? Really? The story started out holding my attention, but fizzled fast. I skimmed the last hundred pages just so I could say that I finished it. Getting to  the end of this novel was like trying to accelerate mass to the speed of light- the closer you get, the heavier it gets and the more impossible it becomes! My Kindle literally felt heavier by the moment! After Ms. Tartt spent 47 pages describing the main character in a hotel room experiencing numerous drug-induced halcyonic thoughts, I was just saying to myself ""please just let it be over with!"" A couple of hundred hours of my life I'll never get back!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29VZ65XPOPSEE?ASIN=0316055441	More Goldfinch, Less Falcon	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The 17th Century painting of the title is a symbol of all the beauty and truth missing from the life of the adolescent protagonist, whose world is hyperbolically full of terrorists, gangsters, intoxications, cheats and murders. For all of its extravagant wanderings through the adult underworld, the novel keeps finding such convenient solutions that even the most ingenuous of readers will blush. The book has way too much of the cloak and dagger to mount a serious portrayal of a modern life. Too bad it could not have been better informed of the manner of the diminutive masterpiece it claims to hold so dear to its heart.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DNZISC21UC7I?ASIN=0316055441	no disgust, no anxiety	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a rare book that I find challenging to finish once I start, even if I'm not loving it. This one was a bit of a chore. And I eat fat books for breakfast, so it wasn't the bulk. Bloated. Overblown. Overwrought. No one fleshed out and feeling real. No connection with any of the characters. Felt no sympathy, no disgust, no anxiety, no compassion. Nuthin. I'm not a big skimmer but gotta say, I'd cover 9-10 pages in seconds. He turned his head....  6 paragraphs later he's still turning his head. What a yawn. Kept hoping it would engage me but eventually it just felt like a project that needed to get finished. Tedious.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E2TZ0GYSKQ4J?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch needs editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I gave this book two stars rather than 3, because I did not truly enjoy reading th book. Often I found myself reading pages of description of drug use, that really seemed too much. Or, very long paragraphs of detail about restoring antiques....not that interesting. Basically, the first half of the book could have been condensed.<br/>Also, I found some of the plot resolution to be somewhat  unsatisfying.<br/>What I did like about the book was the character development, the twists and turns of the storyline and the main object of the protagonist's obsession; a great piece of artwork.<br/>Very dark piece of writing.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EGFTR2XLASFY?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch provided a great diversity of characters, dilemmas, and schemes. The characters' development<br/>and the basic plot were excellent. The references to a variety of artworks and history of various artists was very<br/>enlightening. This reader tired of the ongoing multiple indulgences of drugs and alcohol. The stability of specific characters was gratifying, yet, most characters had continuous struggles with conditions of heredity, environment, crime and wealth. I would recommend this book and found it to be a page turner in certain chapters, but overall I would not consider it ""light"" reading.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R300FIWERYWUDC?ASIN=0316055441	Gripping read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a story of a man's life and retribution! I had a hard time putting this book down, even at work!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PAT9EZBTF584?ASIN=0316055441	It's not great literature and it's too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was an interesting read but I found some of it highly implausible.  The writing is overdone and verbose.  Although the author's analogies were rather unique and thoughtful at times, there were a number of connections she tried to make that seemed a stretch - as if she were trying to impress the reader with the diversity and extent of her knowledge.  I found the characterization one dimensional and cliched. The ending seemed to wrap up quickly and neatly as if the author wanted to be done with it, regardless of the logic in it.  It's not great literature and it's too long, but, for the most part, I enjoyed it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23S6UHONM217V?ASIN=0316055441	depressing and a struggle to finish...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the top 5 worst, most depressing books I've ever read. A self-absorbed, schizophrenic protagonist without the insight to fully realize that he's his own worst enemy. This could be the anthem of nihilism.<br/>Sorry, Ms. Tartt. I'll not be venturing between your pages again. Stephen King was wrong about this one. (And that's rare).</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26XG29T2JQCA7?ASIN=0316055441	LOVED IT!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read in ages.  I could not put it down.  I look forward to her next book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13CYZ05AJJF98?ASIN=0316055441	Love it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a real page turner! And a couple of twists I didn't see coming really kept my interest.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FHDR5DLJ9KUG?ASIN=0316055441	never ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So long. So wordy. Stopped caring. I loved it at first but by the end...I just did not care anymore.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFN0AZ3PH5LQG?ASIN=0316055441	Remarkable Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a well-written, complicated story, a woman writer and a male protagonist convincingly portrayed.  The author has remarkable powers of observation and description, reminding one of the writings of George Eliot.  The reader, often uncomfortably, enters the world of PTSD, drug and alcohol abuse, abandonment, fraud, love, betrayal, and finding one's place in an adult world, in addition to insights into the collection and restoration of antiques.  Those who are moved by art would be particularly pleased with this book.  I found it an engrossing read and a book I shall gladly read again, soon.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIC2Q4CEYCUQN?ASIN=0316055441	I kept hoping	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Life is misery.  Misery abounds with but brief interludes of respite provided primarily by alcohol and drugs.  Is there something in the great beyond---perhaps but most likely not.  Nevertheless this book is fascinating in many ways.  The reader becomes totally immersed in Theo's life, shares his various hopes, sorrows and disappointments and regrets his destructive decisions.  His dislike (hate?) for himself pervades the book.  Beautifully written but depressing.  I had grown very fond of Theo and so my hope for his eventual acceptance of self and happiness, which continued until the end, was thwarted.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14VJZIQZHCBBF?ASIN=0316055441	Meandering, murky mess...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Meandering, murky mess. It will trick you in the beginning, intrigue you, make you think it'll be worth your time and money. Don't be fooled. By the 37% point you'll be wondering who switched out a potentially excellent novel for a depressing, overwrought piece of garbage that seems to be going nowhere -- very, very slowly. At first you'll keep turning the pages, thinking: ""This must have a point. If only I read on, I'll discover it."" Nope. Don't bother reading on. There is no point. Or if there is, life is too short for the time (words upon words, upon redundant words!) it takes to get there.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IB7NRDW7JQH2?ASIN=0316055441	Tortuous and wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not know length of book prior to my purchase.  It would not have stopped me from purchasing it.  I mention because I felt like I had been reading FOREVER and was slowly going somewhere...I think.  Which is when I noticed I was 50% done.  This could have been a good story at 400 pages because many of the pages are filled with unnecessary words.  My ***  at some point I'm thinking I cannot continue to read this book and will just not finish it on purpose, something I have done about 3 times in my life.Now 64% through and don't think I will bother as I no longer care what the hell happens to Theo.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RCCKMXYOF34C?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth your time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of those books that I tried hard to enjoy, but never found it possible.  I would have stopped reading it far before the end, but I had convinced myself that there must be a big reward awaiting since it won a Pulitzer.  There wasn't.<br/><br/>The main character starts out as a likeable 13-year-old who is befallen by tragedy, encouraging our sympathy.  He wears that out by continually making stupid decisions throughout the remainder of the book (into his mid-twenties), leaving him as a very unlikeable character.<br/><br/>On top of all this many of the premises are simply unbelievable.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCZGDR9HJXKT5?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldrinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow, boring so far. If this book doesn't pick up soon I'll give up. I think reading books on my kindle may be my problem as I prefer holding books</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AAEP9IZJFUZ4?ASIN=0316055441	Inarticulate Addict	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A self-centered addict without an ounce of empathy or compassion, Theo is inexplicably condoned and assisted throughout his life while obsessing on his dead mother and the painting of the title.  The book has two main parts:  addiction - anything that can be smoked, inhaled, drunk, or ingested on a daily basis including vivid descriptions of the color of vomit; and restoring antique furniture - a much more charming and educational part of the story.  This must be the ""Dickens"" part reviewers have mentioned.Theo is numbingly inarticulate:  ""I..."" followed by three pages of narrative; ""um..."" followed by two pages of narrative; ""well..."" followed by five pages of narrative, etc.  I just wanted to shake him!  Bought this book based on the reviews and because my husband had given me a Kindle gift certificate for Christmas.  If you're into addiction or furniture restoration, you might like it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G2KIK7420SI7?ASIN=0316055441	To paraphrase Salieri, too many words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like the book, but it suffers from a lack of editing. Some scenes are overly long and redundant, especially the ones in Vegas. They are ENDLESS!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TD434RN4PRZ2?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is Superb!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I recognized a winner when I began reading the Goldfinch. The language and flow of the writing, thoughts, and scenes just totally drew me in. As I read, I kept asking my friends if they had read it, and had great discussions with those who had. The characters are very real, well rounded in description, dialogue, and action. The twists in the plot keep the reader guessing all the way to the end. Beneath the story lies the essential question of how does one undo an unintended wrong and make things right?  Donna Tartt is definitely gifted. Now I am curious to read her other books. Denise Greller</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23OSO02S6GRQC?ASIN=0316055441	Did not finish this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't seem to keep up with the subject.  I  skipped a large portion of it.  I  would not recommend it.  Guess I don't relate to these people.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VCKHP5RLU64E?ASIN=0316055441	I have NEVER posted a negative book review before, but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hated this book...I didn't think it would ever end!  I skimmed most of the excruciatingly long passages that went on and on and on as the main character's mind meandered through monotonous reasoning and descriptions.  Because it was awarded a Pulitzer Prize, I did hang in there, thinking perhaps I wasn't in the right mood for such a heavy book. Unfortunately for me, it didn't improve.  I was relieved when I got to the end, but am mystified as to why it won ANY awards.  What this book really needs is a GOOD EDITOR!  I not only am NOT recommending this book, I'm warning you to stay away!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32IZC1QREJX9C?ASIN=0316055441	Weight of Content	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The weight of the content was not equal to the weight of the book.  The whole plot development could have been accomplished in about 60% of the pages.  If I had not been reading this for a Book Club I would not have finished it.  It took me three attempts to slosh through the entire book. My thoughts on the book were reflected by all of the members of my club and those I have heard from others clubs.  We all question the wisdom of a Pulitzer Prize for this particular book.  I will have to think long and hard before I read another book by this author.  It was definitely not worth my time.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21LTGDVVG1Z86?ASIN=0316055441	Not what I expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading a summary I prepare myself for a story about young boy strongly connected to the art world living through some kind of adventure... While first pages of story let me believe that I understand the main line of the book correctly... the events which followed after the explosion proved me wrong. I wasn't expected drug addiction, mafia, life of constant degradation in different forms and aspects. As a good part- it could really happend. It's like an article in a newspaper or a story told you by friend of a friend... Also the prose is really good. But sometimes seems overloaded.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EF1ECEH8L61Q?ASIN=0316055441	Fell apart in the last 100 or so pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have read and thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Target's and loved most of this book as well. I wish I could give half stars because I would give this another half start. The premise is brilliant and Theo Decker is lovable even at his worst and you are held captive by his voice until in those last pages the author goes off into a kind of philosophical rant that list cohesiveness for me an disrupted the flow of a beautiful story.<br/><br/>That said, I would still recommend this book and urge readers to skip the last chapter entirely. Of course everyone's opinion will differ and that's ok too.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PILDQN2Q1LDO?ASIN=0316055441	Very Readable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I sometimes find these award winners too ""literary"" to be truly enjoyable. As an English major and teacher, I love a great story and appreciate lovely language, but a good book needs both. This selection has them both. The story got a bit muddled at times, but it was very believable (if dark in places). I could have lived without all the drug use, but it was an interesting story.<br/><br/>I rated it 3 stars because it didn't quite live up to all the publicity, but I would recommend it to certain friends. I'm not sorry I invested my time, but I'm not raving about it, either.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WUNE7YXFGPVP?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting Book but Much Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have mixed feelings about this book.  When I first started reading the book, I thought, wow this book is going to be great.  But soon I found myself skimming entire sections of the novel.  There are just too many long overly descriptive passages that simply did not hold my interest, and didn't add anything to the characters or story line.  Theo's life is complex and tragic but I found myself not caring about him after pages and pages that rehashed the same themes. The basic story is interesting and intriguing, and would have made a 5-star book if written in a more succinct manner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7C7PGT2QU1C4?ASIN=0316055441	Could have been considerably shorter...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book for my book club. The other six who attended LOVED it, but not me. The book dragged horribly through the middle section; it became tediously wordy and these 200+ pages could have been pared down to about 50. I slogged my way through, and if it weren't for book club, I would have abandoned this book. My book club buddies went on and on about how powerful the book was with its depth of character development, etc., etc. I kept wondering what book they had read! Certainly not the same one I did. I'm really not sure why this book won a Pulitzer. I was quite disappointed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HVIU2HGNB3RD?ASIN=0316055441	Another excellent read from Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was beginning to think she was not going to write another book, but it was worth the wait. My feelings for the main character varied from pity to mild disgust and back to pity, and yet I always wanted things to turn out for him in the end. Tartt does it all and does it well: characters, dialogue, action, introspection, philosophy. Towards the end of the book I realized it would make a good companion piece to John Irving's A Son of the Circus, with some overlap in topic and with the same high quality of writing. I just hope she doesn't make me wait until retirement to read another.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27J5G4Y1CDP2P?ASIN=0316055441	Worst book ever.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to pay someone to finish this book for me.  I am not a literary genius but I do read a lot and this book is at the bottom of the list of ""must reads"".  Theo &amp; Boris were two of the most unlikable characters in any story I have read.  The story itself would have been wonderful had it been written as just that.  However, we had to endure dreams, imaginations, and descriptive events as told through a drug induced character that never made sense even on a good day.<br/>I truly hated this book and will never understand the Pulitzer Prize nor the praise it has received.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NKLPWM2DP5UC?ASIN=0316055441	enough with the drugs already	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book gives a graphic reminder of why illegal drugs, prescription or otherwise, are a bad idea. The novel is interesting as a study of PTSD but drags in the second half when he gets to Holland and the long section at the end is worth skipping. The first section when Theo Decker is still in New York is quite compelling where you see a semi-outsider manoeuvring New York's upper social rungs and when he moves to Las Vegas the portrait of the cities uninhabited suburbs is fascinatingly bleak. However, it's not a book that will be staying on my shelves to be reread - once is enough.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5UUUDI740B18?ASIN=0316055441	Life (and art) is all in how you look at it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The novel, The Goldfinch , is a very unusual piece of work  -just as it's namesake the art work is rare. The themes are many - death, addiction -drugs and alcohol, relationships, and interpersonal skills among a few. While the writing can often  be extraordinary and insightful into the human condition, it's just too long. I understand that Ms. Tartt  took ten years to research all of the background, but the plot often became very lost in the ramblings of too much detail. Give yourself plenty of time to read the book and it certainly has many discussion points for a book club.  -fmc</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35BH5WXKJT97F?ASIN=0316055441	Awful read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy, too long, digressed continually, very upsetting, authors meaning was completely obtuse.  Not worth the time used to read this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BSE3SEW8MF5H?ASIN=0316055441	Magical Storytelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am a slow reader and so the thought of reading such a hefty tome felt too daunting an endeavour. But once I started the words just seemed to flow and I devoured Goldfinch under two weeks. The writing was rich and powerful and the character development was masterful. Isn't it funny how a writer can make someone seem so real, down to how they smell? I despised Boris and his negative influence on Theo, but then he grew on me and I loved reading his philosophy of life and found his English charming. I dabble in woodwork and could identify with Hobie and his artisan mentality: so much fun to make something, who cares if it sells? Anyway, the Goldfinch delighted me on so many levels. But more than anything it made me appreciate life: art and people and wonderful books. In addition to reading the book I also recommend the audio version as David Pittu is simply amazing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O9XQLQH6BPZI?ASIN=0316055441	Angry at myself for having wasted reading time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cannot believe that this train wreck of a book got a Pulitzer. I am almost at the end of it to see if the author ever pulls it all together. She does not. Most of the 1 star reviews represent my feelings and reactions exactly. Unlikeable characters, unlikely situations even for fiction, desparately in need of a stern editor. The would-be Faulknerian sentences were maddening. Many read like a bad imitation of Whitman's catalog-type poems. I'll give her future books a pass. There are so many books to be read and so little time and I resent having wasted so many hours on this one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37H8P5ZXF6992?ASIN=0316055441	it wasn't a pretty story to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">'The Goldfinch' grabs your heart immediately and doesn’t let go.  No, it wasn't a pretty story to read, there is tragedy, shock, grief, darkness, and brutality.  If you want to read something that restores your faith in humanity or makes you feel all warm and fuzzy, this probably isn't the book.  However Ms. Tartt’s joining of two components, 1. the genuine believability of her characters (with all of their failings and imperfections), and 2.  Her entrancing plot, kept me riveted until the end.  With a dozen books or so in my queue, I may just read it again ... it was that good.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BDZR715NB4N0?ASIN=0316055441	Editor desperately needed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a mystery to me why it is on so many best lists.  The beginning starts out really well, and the Las Vegas section is just super, but the last third of book - is just down right boring - pages and pages of description of delerium!  I was skipping /skimming for pages.  Apparently this took ten years to write, a good editor would have saved her 5.  The story idea is great, some characters very clever, but it lacks say the tension/black humour of a John Irving.  To top it all off - the climax is kind of anti!  You find yourself thinking -  700 pages of reading for this!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R205RBEW3O7QCF?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What I loved most about this book were the relationships between Theo and his mother; Theo and Hobie; Theo and Pippa; although brief, Theo and Welty; Theo and Boris; Theo and Andy; Theo and Popchik; and Theo and Mrs. Barbour. Parts of the book were mystical: Theo and Welty in the museum; Theo and Hobie in the workshop; the meetings and interactions between Theo and Pippa. Tartt took me under her spell in feeling the sadness, loneliness and lack of belonging or a sense of place that Theo felt after losing his mother and then both his parents. I love how she cast him into the safety net of Hobie. Tartt undertook a large endeavor and she brought it all together. A bit too long, but I appreciated learning along the way. I very much enjoyed this book, its characters, the relationships and story. Worth my endeavor. Thank you, Donna Tartt, for writing this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ916EGT9WH58?ASIN=0316055441	Art, opiates and fate	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great book that works on so many levels, about loss, obsession, art, opiates, friendship and existential angst, the writing both precise and beautiful. A convincing portrait of a boy growing to be a man damaged by one random event – or perhaps doomed beforehand to his fate. But if that sounds too heavy or miserable it’s not – it is funny, fast as well as moving. The story is gripping, something a thriller and a mystery in parts. The middle section is a little predictable, bad teens coming of age on dope and pills and vodka, but it only seems slight  by comparison with the rest.  The robust comfort of the old antique shop, Boris’s cynical dialogue, the evocation of Theo’s love for his mother and the mayhem at the museum are all beautifully drawn. Theo’s final almost life affirming philosophizing amid his nihilistic rage is wonderfully done. A must read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLIBMC5O6V6Z3?ASIN=0316055441	a treasure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love, love, love this book.  I wanted it to never end. A jewel to stay up with all night long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AYA3UPPPUN4R?ASIN=0316055441	Greatly Overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Do not understand what all the fuss was about.  Dreadfully written--well, perhaps not dreadful, but,certainly pedestrian.  In the end, which took,an awfully long time to get to, there were perhaps one or two interesting passages, but taking some 700 plus pages to,get there . . . well, certainly not worth the time.  Why did I finish it?  Because, at that moment, I had nothing better to read.  A ""good read"" I suppose, in the sense that one felt no desire to put it down, but that's about the best I can say for it.  Greatly overrated IMHO.  No more Donna Tartt for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N0A5ZXZ0CSF3?ASIN=0316055441	Ornate Austerity	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">THE GOLDFINCH captures the reader on that fine chain that connects and restrains humanity, as surely as the painting in the novel holds the attention of the main character. The author not only controls the reader's interest throughout, but also manages to bathe the reader in a sense of oneness with all art forms and the very human need for beauty and understanding. A lovely book extremely well written, it offers individuals and clubs ample material for discussion and self-examination. Its contrast of flourish and plain spoken truth leave the reader filled with admiration.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YTJOOEGRFAC5?ASIN=0316055441	Deserving of 10 stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I recently read an interesting article in Town &amp; Country about the authoress, Donna Tartt, and decided to give her work a try.  Reading 2-300 books a year, 90% of which are in the crime, courtroom drama, espionage genres - a la John Grisham, Michael Connelly, Daniel Silva, etc., I was not sure how I would receive her decidedly different subject matter and writing style.  I started off with The Secret History, and could not put it down.  Having grown up at a much earlier time and in a part of the country, where the strongest substance kids could get their hands on was ""rabbitt tobacco"", where alcohol abuse was definitely frowned on, and the mentally infirm were behind the walls of asylums, I find it remarkable that I could become so absorbed in her characters.  Ms. Tartt's story telling expertise draws the reader into the story in such a way you feel you are there, experiencing the events as they unfold.  Now I am finishing up The Goldfinch (I do not want it to end) and I honestly feel that this book will ensure her ranking in the top tier of great American writers.  Thank you Ms. Tartt for the 10 year effort, and I hope we do not have to wait another 10 years for your next offering.  The Goldfinch would deserve 10 stars if the ratings went that high.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE8T190NEGVEJ?ASIN=0316055441	Easily one of the greatest novels of the twenty-first century...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is one of the best novels I have ever read, and might very well go down in history as one of the greatest novels of the twenty-first century.<br/><br/>While the overall theme of the story centers around loss and sorrow, the writing itself is very uplifting.  The character dynamic between Theodore Decker and his benefactor ""Hoabie"" (in the beginning at least, very reminiscent of the relationship between Bobby Garfield and Ted Brautigan in Stephen King's novella ""Low Men in Yellow Coats""), as well as the relationship between Theo and his best friend Boris are incredible.  I personally enjoyed reading the conversations between Theo and Boris: it was all too easy for me to hear Boris' thick eastern european accent, a true testament to Donna Tartt's dialogue writing.<br/><br/>In short, I highly recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R43YSZYIYS72A?ASIN=0316055441	A novel written by the ounce	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is a pretty good story at the kernel of this book, but there is absolutely no reason that it should be as long as it is. My impression is that its construction is very padded and that its pseudo-philosophizing is pretentious and irrelevant. Lengthy episodes are tangential and unnecessary, and the reader simply does not need the life histories of every character in the book. My guess is that some editor decided that this book needed to be a ""block-buster"" and encouraged the author to bulk it up. Since when did they start giving Pulitzer prizes for shlock?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LPHY3VCAI4KD?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got tired of reading page after page of drug taking, drinking, and wasting a life and time</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHUKCOQ7206GX?ASIN=0316055441	Too much detail. Less is more!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The explosion scene was a good read. However, the rest felt like that long cross country drive listening to your mother-in-law's boring ""long story short"" endless rants.<br/><br/>I found it difficult to stay engaged. The story left my mind wondering on other things causing me to have to go back and read again. My stubborn ways is the only thing that got me through this long and repetitive drug high.<br/><br/>Cut out the fat, I want the meat. This 800 page book can easily be trimmed down to under 500. Yeesh!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4EKT6AEKA08P?ASIN=0316055441	Gave up on great writer due to lack of good editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At the beginning, this book was a five star for descriptive, thought provoking writing and a story that caught me up right away.  However, I gave up reading it by page 475 when I got tired of trudging through it's lost storyline.  The lack of good editing really bogged it down, and I couldn't face slogging through 300 more pages to finish it.  I actually went online to search how the story ended, and wished that the middle section had been much more severely edited.  I do want to read another novel by Ms. Tartt, though, as she is obviously a very gifted writer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N8KV03DD7OXO?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read the book because I am a painter and have been fortunate enough to have visited most of the worlds greatest museums. The story is about an explosion, in an art museum and a painting goes missing. A 14 year old is in the museum at the time, with his mother.<br/> The most enjoyable book I have ever read. So much so that when I finished reading it, for a few days, I was still hearing the accent of Boris, the Russian friend in my head.<br/><br/>I have read a fair amount in my life. I am 55, have traveled extensively outside the U.S. and have 19 years of formal education.  I wish the author of the Gold Finch would use the style she used in the Gold Finch, to write another book.  It was sooo descriptive, I felt like I was right there .  It had all of my attention, took unpredictable turns.  It is a book I will never forget.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AAEEOARAC9FB?ASIN=0316055441	but not a great one. It certainly kept me reading however in ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's new book ""The Goldfinch"" was an enjoyable read, but not a great one. It certainly kept me reading however in some places it seemed to drag on, eg Boris's adventures became very tedious and unbelievable at times. I also felt that Tartt overdid the descriptions, every little thing was described to the ""nth"" degree, a bit of editing wouldn't have gone astray.<br/>I really couldn't warm to any of the characters. While I had sympathy for the main character, I kept hoping he would take himself in hand and stop wallowing in self pity.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M683U5QRORXZ?ASIN=0316055441	too philosophical for my taste.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not dislike this book, but I didn't like it either.  I would never have finished it except I read it for my book club.  It is well written, and the author is very good at descriptions.  BUT, I simply wasn't interested in a long description of person at a hotel desk, who is never mentioned again in the story.  There was way too much of that in the book to suit me.  Also, there were too many of the same descriptions describing drug and alcohol use.  The first time she wrote about it was informative, but there was too much of it!  It made it very boring.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O4OLMRJMXFRQ?ASIN=0316055441	This book needed an editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the story.  The writing is good and the story is engaging. But the author doesn't know when to stop writing.  The book could have been half as long and twice as good.  I was engaged at the beginning of every chapter, but half way through I was over it and wanting to go on to the next chapter to find out what happened next.<br/>Some of my friends didn't get very far into the book and gave up just because of that.  I finished it because I wanted to know how it ended but I had to start skimming.<br/>I would recommend the book but be prepared to skim.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JXWLTP8MBU3Q?ASIN=0316055441	Remarkable, thought-provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">We all should have a Goldfinch in our lives ... and we all should have a Boris and a Pippa.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ2OJ18MVY16W?ASIN=0316055441	Needs Editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't understand the accolades for this book.  Passages go on for pages describing drug or alcohol binges and major plot lines are revealed in one sentence.  Other than feeing sorry for the main character in the beginning, I really didn't care what happened to him.  He was so unlikeable, I was having trouble figuring out why people cared about him.  Actually thought Boris was the most interesting character.  Because Theo had so little self control, the insightful philosophy at the end seemed contrived.  The Book was probably at least 200 pages too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXT5HLIWDUH3Z?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose 4 instead of 5 stars because there were parts that I felt just got a bit draggy compared to the mostly exciting pace of the story. Endings are difficult and I loved this one. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters in the book. They were quite alive for me. Their challenges and sufferings were vivid, recognizable and familiar. The ups and downs and turns are what being human and alive was well demonstrated. Life is not about right or wrong.  There is fate  and choice but it is all mixed up. You get one chance, here, so it is up to you to make it sing.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EGV9COH1LGEH?ASIN=0316055441	Alas for him and us..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pultzer Prize book but not all that interesting or enjoyable.  Well written technically  but subject matter was mostly a downer...Characters in the main were unlikable and sketchy.  The ending was philosophically rambling.  I stuck with it because of the award but didn't enjoy it or learn much.  If you want to read of a sad young man who falls from loss of mother to the underbelly of life in New Your to Los Vegas to Amsterdam.  He is exposed to some goodness and people to love but drugs, booze and immoral choices are the story.  Hoped for something more.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R372YLP5V08IPD?ASIN=0316055441	10 STAR BOOK- MY FAVORITE BOOK of not just 2013 but one to always cherish.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is 10 stars!! As an avid reader of non-fiction, to get me really into fiction is a huge challenge. I absolutely was intrigued with reading The Goldfinch. The complex story development and rich character profiles were stellar. Just when I thought the book would be finished there were exciting twists and turns . Donna Tartts story telling ability is superior. I am glad she is getting the recognition. If you are looking for a great book to sink your teeth into- this is one to read!!!!!! Do not hesitate, I promise you will love it as much as I did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TVB8CNII2VAL?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful beginning. Ending was like slogging through molassess	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the Goldfinch for the first three quarters. In fact, I recommended it to several friends. That part of the book I would rate a 5. The writing was beautiful, and for the most part did not bog down. But at about the three-quarters mark, it began to slow down. If I hadn't been so invested in the story, I wouldn't have finished it, but I wanted to find out what happened. My take on the ending was that it was very self indulgent for the author. I sped through and tried to pick up the plot points just to get through. Honestly, I was so disappointed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BR849GJ8HSW1?ASIN=0316055441	why the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was the worst I have read all year.I can""t believe I even got through it.Page after page of descriptions that I had to skip through.NOT A PAGE TURNER....This book stinks.....Nuff said</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TXEBJROFMTWH?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible storyteller!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such an engaging novel. Writing and storytelling that transports the reader to heights and despair while touching on lifes greatest mysteries.  Beauty and love, sorrow and resignation. Such a deeply moving novel that will join a short list of literary greats.That said, her editor missed the mark. Much of the elaboration and explaining of some beautifully written thoughts were extremely overwritten. There was a good many pages at the end that I merely skimmed.  Perhaps a couple hundred pages could have fallen away without losing anything of the story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ3GBOXM20ZJY?ASIN=0316055441	This novel is intense and absorbing--but not without effort!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is fascinating, sometimes hard to put down, but not exactly uplifting, even though the centerpiece is a beautiful and mesmerizing painting.  The plot involves deep social and moral issues, loss and abandonment, grief, drugs--heart wrenching character development, primarily but not exclusively, for the main character.  No character escapes the anxiety and trauma propelling everyone, including the reader, toward an evolution of some sort.  The struggle of the young protagonist Theodore Decker won't be lightly observed or easily forgotten.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CK6TUYBMKZZK?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize Not What It Used To Be	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I agree about ""The Secret History,"" a good read if there ever was one.  This book is about 200 pages too long, starts off well enough but loses steam due to overlength and poor story development - Donna Tartt is no Charles Dickens!  I actually started this book  and lost interest, then when it won the big prize picked it up again and finished it, albeit with judicious skimming here and there.  The concluding rhapsodizing about the importance of art feels simplistic and tacked on.....should be in a chapter entitled ""Author's Message.""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KOKZELZ08GEQ?ASIN=0316055441	Good read but weighed down by too much prose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has some great passages. It was well researched and the details are accurate. It was just too long..cut out some of the repetitive sections and the trajectory of reading the book would have been smoother. In the end the author through the main character appears to transcend the page in a pedantic and almost preachy way. This also would have been better left unsaid. Donna Tartt in her effort to leave no t's uncrossed has left little room for inference on the part of her audience and it comes across as a heavy hand by the end of the novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5LK9FWR6GJJ5?ASIN=0316055441	Easily read; don't be intimidated by the length	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I won't review the plot; you can get that elsewhere.  I will say that I read The Secret History and The Little Friend before reading this.  I loved The Little Friend especially, although I thought coming in at 550 pages it could have used a bit of editing.  So I was nervous that a book this long (700+) would also feel the same way.  But it doesn't.  I was riveting through most of book, fascinated with the dramatic changes of lifestyle and scenery he endured.  Don't be intimidated by the length, if that is what is putting you off reading this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N1YFEL4018DW?ASIN=0316055441	Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story line and love the details on the art and character interaction. More about drug world than I ever wanted to know though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NC3AQFIR2DLD?ASIN=0316055441	Too Wordy and Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just MADE myself finish this book on my Kindle. I read constantly and rarely find one that I do not like. I do not understand the four star rating. Usually, if a book gets four star ratings, it is good. This one was repetitive, tedious. I found myself skipping over many pages. I also felt it was just too much about drugs and unhappiness. I would NOT recommend this book to anyone, particularly not to my book club. I read it thinking it would be a good one for book club. Glad to know beforehand that it would not be one I would like to recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCERQB0WNL3TZ?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt continues to excel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the moment I first read The Secret History, I fell in love with Donna Tartt and could not wait for her next novel to come out. Of course, I did have to wait. And wait. Then, after The Little Friend, I had to wait again. The wait is always excruciating, but the result is always worth it. She is truly one of the finest authors of our generation.<br/><br/>It doesn't really matter what the goldfinch is about, it only matters that it is her work. She writes so magically that you are always guaranteed a gorgeous (and often heartbreaking) story with rich characters and unexpected turns. There are plenty of reviewers who will happily outline the plot for you. I simply urge you to read the novel because she wrote it.  Then, if you haven't read her earlier works, go get them and read them right away.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P4786TJF4F0T?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I read in 2013	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book reminded me that there is nothing more pleasurable than a great read.  I am going to start handing it out as a birthday gift to readers and non-readers to see if they react the same.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M8YPR6Y8LO2N?ASIN=0316055441	Rich detail, but drugs	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book begins with fantastic descriptions of New York City-the imagery painted makes it easy for the reader to picture walking those same streets, especially anyone who has spent time in NYC. However, towards the middle it becomes repetitive-constant drug overdoses and stupid behavior.  There is very little character growth in the main character-he tries to grow, I suppose, but ultimately is a weak character who does whatever other people tell him will make him feel better. He uses his past as an excuse to continue acting like an idiot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FDLT8A66TQDK?ASIN=0316055441	A book for those who love to read. So well written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought a sample and later the entire book after reading some of the reviews. One that stuck with me was a person saying they were sad that it ended because they had been reading it for so long. That was exactly the kind of book that I wanted. Something to get lost in like a 1,000 pg Ken Follet book. Tonight I finished it in a race to finish it before my wife did and I too am sad that it has come to an end. I have read this every day during lunch and sometimes at night for the past three months. ( my wife has done it in less than 30 days ) I will miss it.<br/><br/>There was another review that I want to share with you that kept me motivated in the slow points. I wanted to know how he ended up in Amsterdam. Yes there are some slow points but they always set you up for a great big rush where you ask yourself. Do I have time for just one more chapter? When it gets slow remind yourself this.<br/><br/>There is a constant and I mean constant sense of nervousness for the character. Thank the editor for not editing the book down. Her lengthy descriptions of the scenes put you in the rooms with the characters. The author tells the story in the first person. If the character is impaired then the writing is. Remember this if you get the sample and can't understand the ramblings especially early on in the book. When something happens like when he gets bumped in the street you can't help but wonder if it is for the detail of the story telling or did the guy pick his pocket. Again you are nervous.<br/><br/>But my favorite part are the philosophical view points shared by the main character that are just wonderful and I am not the only one who thought so based on the number of highlighted passages.<br/><br/>I encourage you to get this book but only if you want to get lost in a book and are willing to give it time. I promise you will enjoy it if you enjoy reading but it is a slow enjoyable burn.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K59WJATUG9QU?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written dreck; a pretentious Louis Auchincloss strikes again!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Now halfway through Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch I continue to be amazed at her ability to write gorgeous prose, and her complete failure to string them together into a a story about the lives of persons most people would care about. Having chronicled the behavior of the mildly distasteful but always pretentious, privileged youth in The Secret History (one of the most overrated novels of the 90s) Ms Tartt now gets down in gutter (so to speak) settling upon the Upper Middle of NYCs Upper West Side--wannabees and hangers-on to Park Avenue's Gilded elite.<br/><br/>SPOILER ALERT: paragraphs below sketch the broad outline of the first third of the book's plot to highlight my point above.<br/><br/>After attacks upon our financial center (the World Trade Center) and our military-industrial complex (the Pentagon) where do hate-filled terrorist believe they can do the most damage to our collective psyche?  MTV studios pumping out sexually provocative hip hop propaganda?  Madison Avenue's culture of consumerism and wanton consumption?  Certainly not, silly!  Blow up a Met Gallery of Dutch Masters--those timeless symbols of American Hegemony. Huh?!?! It is this complete disconnect from the real world, its influences and everyday travail that make the author's novels both implausible and unmoving.<br/><br/>Rising literally from the ashes of Al Qaeda's disdain for Vermeer and Phillipe deMontebello is our hero Theo.  (an homage to Theo Van Gogh, probably). A  Holden Caulfield sort who has just lost his beloved mother in the blast.  Indeed, rather creepily, Theo's<br/>mother is his best friend, unforgettably beautiful, an autodidact art historian and pretty much every cliche necessary to emotionally scar and immobilize an impressionable lad.  To suit her narrative,  apparently blast victims can wander out of bomb sites unimpeded, with the book's eponymous masterpiece tucked under an arm. Happily for Tartt it doesn't occur to NYC emergency services, firemen or policeman that a bloodied boy in shock, tattered and covered in plaster might require assistance. phew! Close call, that!<br/><br/>From there Theo wanders effortlessly into the 14 room Park Avenue apartment of a casual family acquaintance. Apparently socialites with no time for their own kids don't mind having a near stranger set up house--providing of course they can sedate him as they please.  Where is NYC Social Services during this travesty? Apparently they neglect the well-to-do as readily as the poor, and are as eager to medicate teens as any PA doyenne.<br/><br/>All of these highly improbable doings are essential ingredients to concoct the character the author loves to explore:  An emotionally bereft and estranged dilettante with addiction issues--Tartt's sweet spot, as it were.  As of this writing, we are mired in dissipation in Las Vegas.  My headline compares Tartt to Auchincloss, and as I sketch the outline of her latest work I fear I have done Louis a disservice. LA's work portrayed a different class and world without ever seeming pompous or pedantic. Ms Tartt's Theo begins with a enormous potential and has devolved into a self-absorbed, self-pitying jerk who squandered anysympathy I had for him a 100 pages ago.  He is presently in Las Vegas wallowing in the morass of his addiction and the author is starting to pontificate (some reviewers have said philosophize but my patience is worn).<br/><br/>So I am taking a break. I am putting this aside for a week or so and see if absence makes the heart grow fonder. I am not hopeful. Too bad. Her prose is quite wonderful. Unfortunately, the story is just rubbish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGCQ3QYK9UBM?ASIN=0316055441	Badly in need of a firm editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved The Secret History when it first came out, but rereading it again recently as an adult I was struck by how many draggy scenes there were involving characters moping around getting drunk. This book takes that tendency to extremes. From the beginning part of the novel (explosion in the museum), and worsening as the story went on, each section could have benefited from being shortened at least by one-third. I read this book on a Kindle, so I had no idea how many ""pages"" it was, but about halfway through it certainly felt I was slogging through a 900-page book.<br/><br/>I am not a wimp when it comes to long books--two of my favorite novels are Infinite Jest and Ulysses. However, as other reviewers have stated, for a book of this length to hold one's interest, there must be forward motion and an interesting narrator. During the first part of the book (when the narrator is a child/teen) I was driven by wanting to know what happened to him, and horror at his predicaments. However, the older he got, the less likable he became. To some degree, I felt this book was like an episode of Three's Company where the entire plot hinges on someone not doing something obvious. Whenever the narrator has the opportunity to be truthful (which would make his life so much better) he inevitably lies. As a result, his life spiraled downward and downward. Once he became an adult, he was so unlikable and passive that frankly, I didn't care about him at all and was driven to keep reading only because (1) I really liked the character of Boris and (2) I really liked Hobie and the entire world created around him.<br/><br/> Tartt does an amazing job of creating the feel of both Manhattan and Las Vegas. However, I don't feel that we needed quite so much description of endless teenage druggie afternoons in Vegas or endless adult druggie days and nights in Manhattan. In addition, although I really enjoyed Boris and his talkative nature, his endless speeches didn't ring true. I read once that in real life, no one says anything over a paragraph long unless they're making a speech. There is a lot of speech-making here. In addition, as another reviewer noted, the female characters all pretty much seem like paper dolls with no real personality - just ""types"" of girls (slut, preppy, golden idolized girl). The only woman I had any interest in was Mrs. Barbour.<br/><br/>By the end, I was exhausted and the payoff--a lot of highfalutin' talk about art, beauty, love, yada yada that went on for pages and pages--just did not affect me at all. I think this could have been a great book if someone had reined in the author's tendency toward endless description and endless conversation.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GVPGY8HG1XSH?ASIN=0316055441	The ending is just rushed like she wanted to just get it over with	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dreadful book. Hundreds of pages of character development with no plot. The ending is just rushed like she wanted to just get it over with. If the author had given the book to someone else to finish that developed a plot and added a good ending it may have been worth reading. I only tried the book because of its Pulitzer prize. I now know that the ""Pulitzer Prize"" is worthless and must just be a marketing tool to sell bad books. Will not buy another Pulitzer Prize book without having got good recommendations from reliable sources.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K8XTUTBG41HM?ASIN=0316055441	astonishing and brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful prose framing timeless themes within contemporary story lines.  A joy to sink into.  One of the very few books I've wanted to begin reading again the moment I turned the last page.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S98BSL6ZR385?ASIN=0316055441	Deeply enriching and thoroughly enjoyable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rich prose, realistic characters, interesting twists, and such an unusual story kept me wanting to read each and every word.  The details in Hobie's furniture renovations, making tea, Theo remembering his mother, Boris and his enlightening outlook on life, all of it transcended me to the very spots where the scene was taking place. The author's spot on depiction of what goes through a teenaged boy's mind and her ability to weave characters in and out appeared flawless.  I was sad to find myself on the last page.<br/>Thank you Donna!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6BFML6364NQY?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be very hard to get through. Very bizarre story and way too wordy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDCMLNGQKFUF5?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliance and boredom	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the literary style (found in so many enjoyable language ""paintings"") becomes submerged in unnecessary, lengthy passages that detract both from the engaging plot as well as the reader's concern for the unique, credible characters.  in short, the novel is too wordy.  a good editor could have turned a good novel into a fictional ""best"".  a work of literary merit well beyond a contemporary novel on the best seller's list. the author's ruminations on the puzzlements of life and death may indeed define what makes this novel worth reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OGXR21DJQJLX?ASIN=0316055441	I only finished this horrible thing because I am WAY too stubborn	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">ACK!!!!  I only finished this horrible thing because I am WAY too stubborn!!!!!!!!!!!!  Over written, under plotted, and a cast of characters that no one could possibly care about.  Boris throughout the book -- a Russian thug and drug enthusiast -- oh please!!!!!!  I'm sorry I wasted the time.  I kept thinking surely I was missing something, but I don't think so.  I ended up cursing the narrator, yelling in frustration when Boris showed up yet again, and wondering how anyone could be as lame as our so-called ""hero.""  Yecch.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15IASRCZ1Q194?ASIN=0316055441	a fun, immersive read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I know this has gotten mixed reviews from readers, I loved it.  Sure, the story tended to drag in a couple of places, but I enjoyed the scope of the story, which covers many years and several situations.  My favorite parts involved the crazy Russian, Boris, who is a really compelling character.  The madcap, action-packed sequences and the way that the book evokes places like Hobie's shop or the desert wasteland of Las Vegas are the best features of the book.  It is weakest when it tries to be overly philosophical and deep.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10R8I82YCKKY8?ASIN=0316055441	Painful plot, frustrating, depressing story line!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I struggled to finish this book, and at times, decided I'd put it down and not bother to finish it. But, I kept hoping that there would be a twist and turn, at the turn of the next page, and the direction of the book would change in a positive way. But, this did not happen. It is truly one of the most painful story lines I've read in a long time. Just when you thought things couldn't get worse, they did! It is so well written, that I hesitate to give it such low ratings, but if you're looking for an uplifting book, this is not it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UZJG4R2WGVU?ASIN=0316055441	... half (approximately) of the book was original and had amazing descriptive qualities	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first half (approximately) of the book was original and had amazing descriptive qualities.  HOWEVER, the next three eighths of the book contained long drawn out descriptions of drug use and some pretty mundane topics which became utterly boring and, after the first few, added nothing - downright tedious.  The end was not well organized and finished with some pseudo- philosophical meanderings.  I think the author tried to take this tale in too many directions and could not bring it together (unless she's planning on a sequel).</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18W8ZMPBAJOUE?ASIN=0316055441	Epic and Powerful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A journey through decades highlighted by the writer's gifted prose. I haven't read something this thought provoking in ages, and to be truthful, I thought this kind of writing had been lost forever. It is a bit long in spots, but Donna Tartt's words have an elegance that more than makes up for it. Don't get me wrong, it's a challenging read, but worth the time. And time is what you need to appreciate this. It isn't a summer page turner, it's much, much more, and it's worthy of the effort you need to put in to thoroughly enjoy it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OR1DXMRL2BE?ASIN=0316055441	Atruly great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the book very much and now that I have finished it, I miss it. Hoping to find another book that I will enjjoy as much.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKRZA23Z76HZD?ASIN=0316055441	Overblown	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was looking forward to this book due to the reviews, but I found it too long and sometimes repetitive,  so much so that I began to  loose interest and became exasperated.  The plot twists are frequently absurd,and the philosophizing reminds me of  moral tales read in high school. The characters are not likable, and I almost OD with the drug addiction descriptions.  There are well developed parts, but there can be too much of a good thing and then it's not so good. I wanted to recommend this novel to friends, but I can't.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROQNU7YYFFDIU?ASIN=0316055441	Too much of a good thing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt’s writing is beautiful but, in the end, there’s too much of it for the story she has to tell. She creates many intriguing characters – real people with flaws and contradictions, strengths and weaknesses – and situates them in the equally intriguing world of art and antiques. The first two-thirds of her book are riveting. The last third drags with endless re-runs of the highs, lows and drunken stupors of Theo and Boris who are Tartt’s male leads. Her plot is a little suspect as it relies on people bumping into each other at opportune moments. And the book finally becomes didactic as Tartt indulges her characters with long speeches(more like lectures)which seem designed to ensure that readers have understood the moral issues she wanted to air in her book.(less)</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R202DPWBGLF46R?ASIN=0316055441	too too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I understand the trauma one may carry on in life. In the beginning I was rooting for Theo, poor boy, then well OK, no so good living with dad. . I found the constant descriptions of the antique store, his drug deliriums and constant fear and mother flash backs really tedious and sometimes just annoying. I just started skipping paragraphs especially at the end. I would have liked it better if it had been more abbreviated.  The last part where Theo is telling us about why he is writing this left me completely cold.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6N02MSMLKOK9?ASIN=0316055441	Tooooo Long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As an avid reader I was delighted to see another Donna Tartt book published.  WAY too long and dragged out. It was almost like two different authors were involved. The first author for about 2./3 of the novel and another for the end. If you really want to read, be prepared for a really downward spiral. I have spoken with others who have also read, and their reactions were exactly the same.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CZMGDT4JZK8P?ASIN=0316055441	Not impressed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the pacing to be off.  The first 2/3 of the book cover 2 years of Theo's life, then skip ahead 5 years for 1 chapter, then skip ahead another few years.  I couldn't finish the last 50 pages because they were just summarizing Theo's life philosophy.  I already gleaned his philosophy from the book; I didn't need to be hit over the head with it.  I have never put down a book with 50 pages to go, but I did here.  I was finished with the character and the main conflict had been resolved.  It should have ended there</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15OTQSLX7ZYC?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book was horrible and drawn out.  Read for book club and we all pretty much agreed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFP1LA1VTS6SB?ASIN=0316055441	Very interesting story. Good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story with lots of twists and turns and new characters constantly joining the plot.  However, I find it unrealistic that the teens in the story would know so much about art and music and have such a wide vocabulary, but perhaps they have very cultured adults in their lives to teach them. The American characters from New York also use an awful lot of British language, such as Crikey and knackered, so I would swear that the author must be British.  Beyond that, I do like the story and it held my interest.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OLV3YHY0TRA9?ASIN=0316055441	I like it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms. Tart has, no doubt, a masterful command of the English language and an ability to evoke deep emotional responses from her readers. I could not put this book down. I found it intelligent, engrossing and so emotionally engaging, I had to find out what happened next. That said, I ended up feeling quite sad and remorseful for Theo, and most everyone in the story. I finished, thinking I wanted more, and had an unsettling feeling inside. I loved The Secret History, and will read Her other book straight away.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UKE0H9V2N8HL?ASIN=0316055441	Awful reader	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't stand this guy's voice and the way he dopes every single female character in this book. I can't understand the hype around the book either. Tiresome characters, too many drugs, too much drinking, too much vomit, too many fights. There are nuggets of good things--the furniture refinisher, observations about the edge of Vegas, but it seems to be a hopeless, vast, and empty landscape. So much of the plot of the novel is telegraphed and cornily done. I don't really want to finish it but probably will.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P5A55HZ9FYMJ?ASIN=0316055441	Yes and No	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I stayed with this novel thru all 700+ pages only to be disappointed by the ending. I wanted to love this book. All the art and antiques and aftermath of a child-mother tragedy seemed like the perfect recipe for a great story. I did enjoy the story and character development,  up until the period when the main character returned to NY. At this point it felt excessively long, almost interminable.The descriptions of getting high, getting drunk, recovering only to do all that again and the introduction of the engagement to Kitsey (totally unnecessary in my view,""kitschy"" in fact!) was disappointing. All of which is to say, I very much enjoyed about half of this novel and perhaps if it was half as long I would have rated it 5 star.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXQEHBBKU0STN?ASIN=0316055441	Overblown, narcissistic, self-important twaddle.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt like I wasted many hours of my life reading this boring book.  I thought it was poorly constructed, poorly written and overall unauthentic.  I would not recommend this book to anyone.  The worst parts were the long paragraphs taking place entirely in the narrator's head, which was most of the book unfortunately.<br/><br/>The narrator was a very unlikable sort, who only used other people for what he could get out of them, but never seemed to really know them.  Therefore neither does the reader.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34HGXSO31MPP2?ASIN=0316055441	Like father, like son	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the first two parts of this novel: the explosion and Las vegas. Outside of the part of the trip back to NY on a bus, the novel for me started to deteriorate. Particularly unnecessary in such detail was the Amsterdam episode and the still seamier part of the novel.<br/>Pippa was an unnecessary character as some others characters.. I suppose when one writes a 800 page novel, there are parts that could be eliminated. I think the author had too many themes such as the decadence of the rich of NY</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MUOS1P72ZAPH?ASIN=0316055441	Long and detailed read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall a good story, but almost too detailed in some of the storytelling, to where interesting plot lines get bogged down. Although not one of the most likable protagonists, it seems a very realistic portrayal of how a person could react to such a traumatic event in their life. Theo's sometimes self-destructive nature seems likely, but makes it a frustrating read at time. I really didn't like Boris but, ultimately, he saved Theo by stealing the painting years before, which made him an unlikely hero.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29SMXRKW7VU0T?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful and thought provoking.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got this as an audio book, and it took me a lot of long car rides to finish it, but it was well worth it. I hated pressing the pause button, and leaving this stressful, vibrant, and poignant world. I am glad I met Theo, but I am torn as to whether I would want to see him again. He is a wonderful and complex character, but maybe a bit too real, a bit too much a lost cause, and a worthy rescue, too tightly balanced to figure out which aspect will win out in the end. I will have a big story hangover!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJDYSERX9Z8VL?ASIN=0316055441	Flight of The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch has the scope of a Dickensian novel and the dynamics of a Harry Potter tale. Tartt's language is muscular and poetic at the same time. Her characters are all vulnerable and revealed as subject to humanity's weaknesses and power.  It has that quality that all good art has of feeling as if it as always existed, we just needed to find it and revel in it's familiarity. The power of art exists in the small painting of a captive goldfinch that has impact on every life it touches. We are swept from one intriguing location to another like migrating birds landing in strange places. When I felt Tartt begin to apply the brakes to the inexorable forward movement, my sense of loss began because I knew the story had to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L295S8WA79GT?ASIN=0316055441	so disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The ambition is high, but the execution falls way short. Ms. Tartt sets out to write a Great Expectations for our time, but sadly succeeds only at matching the Dickens masterpiece in length. The writing is very unclear at times, and rather that focusing on important details to pain pictures, she provides us with endless lists of relatively banal descriptors that one soon starts skipping over to get to the plot - often dropped for hundreds of pages on end. The characters soon descend into cliches, and the narrator is so unlikable that it is hard to spend time with him. The final section is a sermon - a lecture on - what? It's not clear what points she is trying to make in this final section (read the sentences carefully - they don't mean anything), the writing is so unclear and poorly focused. And who needs a lecture on ""what it was all about"" anyway, unless the point of the book was obscure in the first place - which, alas, it is.<br/><br/>I wanted to like this book. Instead, it left me frustrated and even angry at times. Where was her editor?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z7KI98Z6X9OX?ASIN=0316055441	BORING!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book after reading Amazon's description and reading some of the customer reviews. I'd been ready to enjoy this book. I should begin by stating that I to listen to audiobooks because, being I'm quadriplegic (I cannot hold a book in my hands). This being the case, it sometimes happens that my opinion of a book is somewhat affected by a reader's voice and the way he/she reads, but I doubt it. This book was WAY too long. The protagonist's ruminations went on interminably. The book would have been much more interesting if the writing had been much `tighter'. It was just so boring; I simply lost all interest in Theo. Boris was much more interesting!<br/><br/>Having said this, I cannot give this book a good rating.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R201MVU17IYEW0?ASIN=0316055441	beauty marred by tedium	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the most beautifully written books that I have ever read. The precision of her prose is glorious; she paints with words as Fabritius did with his brush. But there were times when I SO wanted her to get on with the story and worry less about the craft. It is clear why it takes her 10 years to write a book as each word is chosen with purpose. But sometimes I found myself feeling that instead of the characters.<br/>I liked it very much. I did not, however, love it, which made me sad.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGCN1B38DZ2SD?ASIN=0316055441	Another injured soul dealing with issues by indulging in drugs and booze	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even though it is written quiet well, it did not need 800+ pages to tell the story. Hard to find the redeeming value.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFSJ7C5UV92ZN?ASIN=0316055441	How did this make it past the editor?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt wants me to treat this novel like an intellectual challenge without actually writing a challenging work. She curates a plot around images and ideas that she assumes carry intrinsic symbolic weight (art! violence! drugs!), writes a book, and then goes backwards to reassure me that all those elements mean things. The preaching in the final pages falls flat and those ideas should have been woven throughout the text, not written as an addendum to ""Dear Reader.""<br/><br/>Her character writing and dialog are both insufferable. Boris was the redemptive element of the novel when he was the amoral, off-beat best friend with whom Theo hammers out every possible adolescent anxiety. But I'm supposed to take him seriously as a intellectually engaged moral agent?  You must be kidding.<br/><br/>Most of us are very comfortable with the idea that asking big question makes us super clever, by default, without any intention of real answers. Tartt, likewise, wants credit for Asking The Questions (see Boris in there, scolding me that I don't understand how important he's being?) but she'll hand-wave away any real attempt at conclusions. The ending did not ring true. Plot line after plot line --- she wanders from place to place and idea to idea. I believe she has mentioned every major theme without actually exploring any of them. This book was a literary disaster.<br/><br/>Two deeply unhappy boys finding solace in each other in dangerous, broken, genuine ways is meaningful and engaging. Why can't I read that novel?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G6F220D5GOCA?ASIN=0316055441	Far too slow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wish I had read reviews before starting this book. Although I love her writing, and her turn of phrase throughout the book is the literary style I love, this book fell in a heap for me. It stared brilliantly, so much so I recommended it to friends who also downloaded it. Big mistake. She seemed to want to write a lengthy book and was determined to do so. The plot took too long to unravel for me. The previous reviews on this site that I've read with similar ratings are spot on in my opinion.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6UASKAFC1S5Q?ASIN=0316055441	Not for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finished the book but just barely. Maybe I'm not""literary"" enough to understand the significance of this author's work, but I had a hard time appreciating anything about the character's lifestyle or why the author felt driven to drag readers into the depths of his alcoholic and drug infested life. The monotony of the writing style  did not appeal to me.  I was more than ready for the book to be over about 3/4th's of the way through. Sorry, but I would just not recommend this as a good read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15TUCO16L1T66?ASIN=0316055441	Art, Antiques and Artful Dodgers	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When teen-aged Theo Decker survives a terrorist attack on the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, it sets off a suspenseful novel of intrigue and adventure among international art ""acquirers"", drug dealers and users, wealthy and privileged New Yorkers and Las Vegas gamblers.  Author Donna Tartt interweaves the lives of Theo, Boris, Pippa, and Hobie and produces a novel that is both poignant and edgy.  The common thread that guides the action involves a small painting by the Dutch painter,Carel Fabritius, that has survived the explosion that destroyed much of Delft in 1674,only to be lost again as a terrorist bomb planted in the gift shop of the Metropolitan explodes in the first decade of the 2000s.  The tiny goldfinch as depicted by Fabritius is possibly the most famous bird in the history of Dutch art.  Tartt has done her research in art history, and her ability to capture and portray the underbelly of major cities reveals a depth of understanding rarely present in contemporary fiction.<br/>Liz Wildberger, Fairfield, CA</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O755ZMYVHDU4?ASIN=0316055441	Don't waste your time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The most depressing and laborious book I have read in years. Troubling on so many levels. The drugs and profanity are practically intolerable for anyone with any reasonable level of a moral code. The fact that Theo gets away with murder, even if it is a scum bag low-life, is totally unacceptable, and disgusting. The use of prepositions is confusing &amp; incorrect in many instances, the various scenarios go on insufferably long, and the ending is completely incompatible with the character of Theo. Hardly any of the characters are likeable, or even believable, and the few who are, are not sufficiently developed. I am astounded that this book has received the rave reviews that it has. It is a big zero in my opinion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27E0742IXAL1D?ASIN=0316055441	A compelling meditation on damage and the meaning of art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The powerful theme of The Goldfinch is damage and it permeates both the characters and the narrative. At turns gritty and visceral, the story also explores how beauty sustains us and in hot flashes of insight points to the meaning of connection with others, even when they are randomly conceived. At nearly 800 pages, one would expect occasional lulls, but the dramatic tension remains taught throughout, and we cannot look away from the damage inflicted upon the characters or the equal damage that they inflict upon themselves. Moreover, Tartt delivers surprising twists and never relies on expected plot conventions, continually offering fresh perspectives. The book continues to resonate long after the last page.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T3YPMLBELF0C?ASIN=0316055441	A great collection of well written sentences	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I started reading this book I rejoiced. The sentences were beautiful, well written, compelling. And then...nothing really happened. The book went on and on and on losing itself in meaningless dribble. I couldn't believe it wouldn't pick up somewhere, so I have put it down four times only to pick it up later, trying to find out if it is just me, or this book. Halfway I put it away forever. Still I feel it could have been a good book, if it only was rigorously edited....and shortened.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UQJ9AHJVY5QD?ASIN=0316055441	I did not enjoy the book but liked the story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I do not know what the requirements are for a Pulitzer Prize winning novel.  My expectations, though, were for something more....not sure what, but more.  I can imagine this being made into a movie that I would enjoy.  This is not a ""life is good"" story but not a ""life is bad"" story either.  It is a story of survival and friendship.  I feel the author spent too many words describing feelings, emotions and sometimes area (scenery).  That was when I would start skimming.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T22FU4LHQSJ9?ASIN=0316055441	I thought it would never end!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is descriptive then, there is excessive. I mean do you need 6 times in two pages describing his mom wore a white trench coat tied at the waist?  When he was taking about suicides I was hoping he would do it so the story would just end.  I was depressed the entire time I read this book.  I am not sure how this author won a Pulitzer. She goes on and on with non value added excessive detail.  If this is how she talks I would have to punch her if I was unlucky enough to know her.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EWBBSP0GNG7C?ASIN=0316055441	Memorable!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was certainly engrossed by this thrilling, sprawling novel.  The writing is luscious and captivating.  Even when the inevitable plot-advancing coincidences start to pile up, you are so relieved that our heroes, Theo and Boris, are able to stay with you another day.  It's quite odd to read a book of 770 pages and, when asked what it's about, to say ""Oh, a boy who loses his mother, goes to live with various people and has a lot of adventures.""  While the comparisons to Dickens have been made, I also saw a close literary connection to Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.  It's the detail, the moods, the artistry, the beauty that makes The Goldfinch so compelling.  Just the act of spinning an entire saga from such a small and delicate painting is remarkable and miraculous.  I may forget the details of the novel in time, and am perhaps already forgetting them (the scenes in Amsterdam were exhausting), but I will never forget the little goldfinch, chained to its perch, that provoked this literary fantasia.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JYRE41IJFA5T?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a lovely journey through this young man's life.  I could not put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FFLYOKD3V47Q?ASIN=0316055441	On and on and on....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully well written. An author of much talent and  creativity. The book does , however go on forever and  some of the sleezier characters engulf the story. One is reminded of Holden Caufield  on steroids..  Would that the book had been just as riiviting as the elegant goldfinch painting to which it refers. That is the power of an elegantly presented painting over  a book that feels as if it will never end. The painting of the captive bird and the beauty  of it says it all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z6CIGB8G89HH?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It had been awhile since I'd read a book that I didn't want to put down, but ``The Goldfinch"" came along and kept me up way too late on several nights! It continually surprised me with its plot twists and turns. I am well aware of the stinging literary criticism of the book, and I totally disagree. I found Tartt to be a high skilled writer and her characters to be extremely well-written. And don't be put off by the length of this book. It's a thick tome, but easy to read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ITOV81AOS07W?ASIN=0316055441	Swept away!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Glides effortlessly down a twisted road.  Glad I had four days to devote to nothing but reading because I could not put this book down except for a few breaks.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGWFABR5EQ7SL?ASIN=0316055441	A disappointing novel that won the Pulitzer Prize	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy the laborious detail.  Sometimes it worked, but most of the time it seemed redundant and unnecessary, particularly the descriptions of drug use.  Enough!  The endings are so important in a novel and this one was a letdown; a bit preachy and maudlin.  The basic theme was interesting and by-and-large I could have dealt with the overabundance of description if the ending was a zinger, but it wasn't.  It was a letdown. I would not recommend it to a friend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R244HTBEHB34GI?ASIN=0316055441	this is more a philosophy book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although started out really liking this book and the story progression, eventually I wanted to throw it in the flood waters.  Ms. Tartt was very, very long on the philosophical prose.  I got to the point where I was skipping huge chunks of her words to just try and get to the story progression.  It's never a good thing when the reader can skip huge portions of a book and still not lose the story thread.  This bool should have been written in 500 pages instead of 755.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDGSWLP6QCDA0?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would have flown through the pages of this book if I didn't have a life I need to lead and a family to take care of.  There is nothing simple about this book.  The characters seem to all be a hot mess in their own way and yet I wanted to know how each of them was doing until the very last word.  I read Secret History and expected to see similarities in characters.  These are new characters and a very different story.  The book was a gift, I consider it a good gift.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21ERTL4MTYL2R?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch an intense read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">an intense read.<br/><br/>this book deals very well with the eternal themes of love and loss.. also the way art and the creation of beautiful objects<br/>can heal the soul.<br/>life is presented as chaotic and meaningless .<br/>each person has to find his or her own meaning in life in order to go on.  so the things of the spirit like creating art  and music<br/>and also the human connections which are<br/>forged  shape our lives and give us a reason to live.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GAKKFN8SFIEC?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book for adults. It explores the horrors of post traumatic life: lives interrupted by trauma. It delves into drugs, and insecurities of every level. It is written on a level above excellent, reaching into the emotions and troubled lives of ordinary people that have experienced untold internal pain and turmoil. Not for the pleasant random ho hum read, this demands thought, and compassion that should go somewhere and offer help victims of terrorist trauma.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MFFP9WQKJ39Y?ASIN=0316055441	Total downer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't understand the popularity.  It is an interesting concept, but the two main characters have no redeeming moral or intellectual qualities.  Indeed, the only secondary character who was thoroughly admirable was the protagonist's mentor.  I did not care what happened to either of the two main characters. I finished it only because I kept thinking that, given the book's popularity, there must be something toward the end that makes it worthwhile.  There wasn't.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MH8I6C27UEIQ?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed in a long read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not a quitter and persevered through this novel. The beginning got me and I wanted to learn what happened to Theo, but once he moved to Las Vegas it was not enjoyable. Of course, the ""f"" word had to be a constant in their vocabulary and I guess that goes along with the world of drugs. I could have lived my life without reading this and would not recommend  this as a good read. I am trying to figure out how and why it was awarded the Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K6X91CR05DYD?ASIN=0316055441	A rich and multi-layered tapestry of plots, characters and colors.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so absorbed in Donna Tart's extraordinary new novel Goldfinch that four trans-continental plane trips passed by too quickly.  I fell in love with Theo who, like Holden Caulfield in Catcher in the Rye, dispassionately narrates the extraordinary evolution of his life.  We assume that, like Holden, Theo was about to be expelled from school when a terrorist bomb explodes inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art and changes the course of his life.  The author artfully combines extraordinary events and characters - Boris the Russian drug dealer, Theo's deadbeat dad and his Vegas girlfriend, Hobie the antique conservator and the up tight Upper East Side Barbours (to list just a few)- and weaves them together to create a believable and vividly entertaining plot.  Theo's coming of age and wisdom are exquisitely voiced.  The insights into the international world of drug dealings and art theft are fascinating and credible. This is an immensely satisfying read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R353HWMOZ5CC3C?ASIN=0316055441	Why the accolades?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">All I can say is that I will never get the hours of my life back that it took me to get through this novel. I can honestly say that grocery shopping and yard work would have been more enjoyable. While it's well written, it's dank, dark, depressing and frankly unbelievable. Do yourself a favor and don't succumb to all of your contemporaries recommending this Pulitzer Prize winning novel like I did. It's 800 pages I will never get back and completely not good.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13EWR963JTQN4?ASIN=0316055441	This book is in serious need of a good editor. Although the plot is intriguing the author ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is in serious need of a good editor.  Although the plot is intriguing the author gets carried away with her thoughts and the book begins to sound like a series of notes.  There is an incredible amount of unnecessary detail on many topics.  It drivels along becoming way too long and self indulgent. At half the length it would have been long enough. I wouldn't recommend this unless<br/>you are an insomniac and need something to send you to sleep.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG154YDN9MJHZ?ASIN=0316055441	A fruitcake of a novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has now been on the best-seller lists forever, but if you're one of the handful of people who haven't read it yet, be aware that - like fruitcake - it's not something you can finish in one sitting. Tartt's plotting is excellent, but she's never met a simile she didn't like, &amp; places &amp; characters are constantly being compared to this, that &amp; the other thing. Like fruitcake, it's dense, rich, &amp; even fulfilling, but just a bit cloying after awhile.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39TSWYL4NQQ8M?ASIN=0316055441	Though she can still write beautiful sentences and create memorable characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unfortunately, this novel confirms my belief that Tartt will never live up to the potential she showed in The Secret History. Though she can still write beautiful sentences and create memorable characters, she no longer has those flashes of brilliance that illuminated TSH. Instead what we get are sentences that seem designed to showcase the author's style rather than develop the plot and characters who are unlikable. I got halfway through and gave up.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12A9K82IEHS22?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling; quite an investment but worth every minute!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A Catcher in the Rye book.  Really loved the characters, but the trajectory stalled, and this book woud have benefitted from a<br/>good editing.  (Just two examples:  we don't know until the very end that Theo has been journaling all along, or had taken some control of his health by seeing a dentist.  Unlike other commentators, I enjoyed the evolving and complicated life processing of Theo and Boris, and it is important to understand the impact of drugs, alcohol, poor nutrition and total lack of care on a developing person.<br/>These characters do entwine themselves into your brain, and the philosophies and thoughts on art, fate, parenting, morals, and sense of place, to name a few, nag and niggle long after the book is closed.  I remain horrified at how adults can so baldly abuse children, and those in a position to help, don't.<br/>I think this is a very important book to read.  I'm likely to re-read, which is rare for me</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RITLSRCHWKO6A?ASIN=0316055441	To much fine writing for this retail reader	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to read a Pulitzer Price winner for my own writing improvement. It was a beautiful read and poetic at times. It reminded me however of a college writing assignment of a 20 page paper on a 1 page subject. As I got into it--it became a slog of pages that could have been said in paragraphs. In her defense, there are retail authors and fine literary artists. Like wine, my pallet enjoys a 15 dollar bottle while she writes for 50-dollar tastes.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QKNE8O1XATRX?ASIN=0316055441	This was an amazing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has a way of weaving a story that captivates, informs, and, at moments, teaches us along the way.  The book is written in the first person which allows the reader to really understand the depths of thinking of  the main character as he takes his journey. I generally finish a book and go right on to the next.  I found myself thinking that I wished the book was more, more to read and more to think about. From my perspective...great book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J5XODQWZOZP5?ASIN=0316055441	Highest recommendation :  The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a wonderful read taking the reader through great personal loss, doubt, love stories, family dynamic and, mental health issues of very different types while set against the background of antiques, art, history, NYC (intimately) and Europe.  I couldn't put it down!  All my major interests were encompassed in extremely well written prose.  A feast for the creative mind...I would write more but my break at work is over!  Read this book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9JKFJ3BKU06P?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well, I started with great expectations.  Although it was very well written, it was so depressingly hung up on the dark side of human nature that it was really difficult to read.  Normally, I digest a book in a day or so but this was a lingering, long process. I only hung in there to see how it ended and that was even depressing.  This was a chronicle of human addiction and bad choices!  I sure wouldn't recommend this, Pulitzer Price or not!!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27I9FPISE8VB5?ASIN=0316055441	Much better than 'Little friend' but . . .	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Obviously no problems with the quality of the writing, but she flogs every scene and every incident to death by water torture - virtually without exception all are too,too long. I wanted to scream ""OK, I've got the point, move on!"". Almost as if she is wallowing in the belief that her writing is so good that the readers need more of it thrust down their throats. Remember, Donna, less is more in most things and particularly in writing.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMLMIYOISAGVJ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good premise for the storyline, but thought it was overly wordy.  While it's not the primary element of the story, the book deals openly with excessive drug use.  To the author's credit, she does not glorify it.  I did enjoy the main characters, and particularly felt a kindred spirit with Hobie.  His kindness was the saving grace for Potter.  The story wraps up with a plausible finish, and you get a sense that life will be better for Potter.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LRH6H53ZBEC?ASIN=0316055441	Book of the Year, maybe decade	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters in this novel, who grow from childhood to adulthood or from maturity to old age are all rounded people who grow at the same time that the plot progresses.  We are given early clues to their later development but are always aware of roads not taken.  The descriptions of crowded noisy New York streets, the confusion that follows a bombing, the bright sunshine and vast open spaces of Nevada and the comfortable stability of an antique store are so well drawn that reading the novel feels like a visit to those places.  This book is almost as long as 'War and Peace' and can reasonably be compared with that masterpiece.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17A0VCMX702OW?ASIN=0316055441	Very good aside from the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I assume that writing the ending to a book is the hardest part of the process. The Goldfinch was, for me, yet another really good book where the ending disappointed. Unlike other books though, this one trailed off into something that wasn't even in the same voice as the rest of the book. It actually started to go downhill around 85% (per Kindle %) with one ""upswing"" still left and then fizzled. 3.5 stars is a more accurate rating.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWKS8G6XRQ810?ASIN=0316055441	This was a teeth grinder!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is one of the more unusual books I've read.  I had a love hate relationship with it.  It tends to become repetitive a times. The author brings you to a point of exhaustion and then a new chapter begins and you find some relief.  This continues through the entire book.  Her writing is both beautiful and at other times morose  I lived in NYC for many years and without a doubt she nails the feeling of the city right into your soul.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19C0R5A8E8S3F?ASIN=0316055441	Eternal Verity	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a fabulous novel--I will never forget it. Our hero, a sometime junkie, hopes to avoid cosmic level pain--he is a victim of terrorism, of lost and inept parents, of peripheral adult involvement. His talisman is the goldfinch, painted over 400 years ago, a bird/prisoner chained to a post, a representation of stablity and permanence in world bereft. Theo is taken in and cared for by a variety of families--some distant, some more lovable. His enduring family is Hobie, an antiques dealer (permanence) and Boris (wacky eternal friend).<br/><br/>The last twenty pages or so are an absolute paean to art and its importance in our unstable world. It moved me to tears. Theo survives; a lover who gets part of what he wants, a successful human being who is only too aware of the fragility of this life, and a thoroughly sympathetic character who will break your heart and then put it back together again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8IAR6YC4RH5S?ASIN=0316055441	Please spare me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was truly one of the most overrated books I've ever read. Do yourself a favor...unless you are an art fiend this book has so much babbling I could have edited it down to 300 pages. I have never rated a book this low. I believe it got a Pulitzer simply for the same reason people told The Emperor his new clothes were so fabulous...big words, artsy talk and a sprinkle (albeit a small one) of a story. Ugh...save the hours of your life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PZ6S9R0GAA38?ASIN=0316055441	Intricate, intimate, engrossing story telling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is told by an intelligent narrator who seems to remember every detail of the story -- a story which is full of tragedy and drama and self-reflection and great characters and intense description.  At times I felt it was just too long, the out of control teen years in Las Vegas, but I couldn't think of anything I would have cut.  This is a story that I have never read before -- that's another reason for the five star rating.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WTJF86GAPCSW?ASIN=0316055441	An unexpected treasure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long and marvelous read. Unexpectedly addictive. I haven't become so totally involved with a book in years. I simply could not put my kindle down until the last sentence. This is not a perfect book. It has many rough edges and the description is sometimes over the top. Still the characters drew me into their world and held me there. I saw a quote from Stephen King, comparing The Goldfinch to Great Expectations. Of course, NO book is really like Great Expectations... and yet, there were times when I was reminded of my first introduction to Pip or David Copperfield. Ms. Tartt built a world that I did not want to leave.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MLKVM2DJ571J?ASIN=0316055441	This book won the Pulitzer???	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How did this book win a Pulitzer Prize??? My book club slogged through it with only one person finishing it and everyone else giving up somewhere around the middle. Everyone in the group felt the same way about the book - it was a painful waste of time. The language was lovely, but for crying out loud, sometimes you just need to get to the point! And the characters were mostly unsympathetic. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMCWGWJFEQF7A?ASIN=0316055441	Don't waste your time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No likeable characters except one, who got screwed. The never ending saga. Pages of useless depiction. Reminded me of the movie the English Patient.  Don't know why everybody is so crazy about this read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A9K0TJERAF9?ASIN=0316055441	Editing badly needed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a major disappointment this book started out great and then droned on and on then got better--then when the ending came it was utterly BORING--pontificating beyond--it felt like a self-help book gone bad! I so love sharing books with friends and co-workers but absolutley cannot do that with this one! In the future I would hope her work would be edited! I cannot attempt to read her now :(<br/>This book left me FRUSTRATED!!!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NZPOH4GCJ7OZ?ASIN=0316055441	Be in for a long ride.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Possibly the longest most tedious book I have ever read and I have read many.  I found myself skimming a good part of the book and only read it as one of my friends recommended it.  Examining each thought that the main character had, delving into each dream and experience he had ever had, became just a long boring book.  The basic premise and story line could have been good if it was about 300 pages shorter.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAW8G6LUCTXCI?ASIN=0316055441	Less Great Than I Hoped	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning of this book was powerful, almost mesmerizing. The characters (the mother, the boy narrator, Hobie) as well as the plot were spellbinding. Although the book has great descriptive and imaginative passages, after several hundred pages the reader wants the story to end. However, more places and many more characters show up and it goes on and on and on. I particularly liked Theo as a child but not as an adult. Enough.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YCIG66L4N01V?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If I could give it zero I would. Miserable and melancholic from beginning to end. I feel polluted.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20989Y8T7YZEE?ASIN=0316055441	Great beginning, weird end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lost sympathy for the character in the book's transition to adulthood. Made it harder to believe the sequence that led to the final events of the book. The author's exposition at the end about the hopelessness and meaningless nature of life tied nothing together, did nothing to further the character.  Liked the first part, which was most of the book, which is why the four stars.  I would probably, if able, have given it 3.5.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8HJ1T5WMELTQ?ASIN=0316055441	The Book Of Life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo Decker's story in The Goldfinch is one that tells us, and beautifully so, that even tragic events are part of humanity and one of the many threads that really do tie us together. Donna Tartt has crafted a profound story that takes readers through Theo's adolescence and adulthood as he struggles to understand how his emotional wounds result in a heart that can still love and a life ,after all, that remains worth living.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OE0LDLC2C9SH?ASIN=0316055441	Drawn out story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt the story line was lacking with lots of details about drugs and paintings etc and although there was always a thread, the storyline fell flat for me.  It also seemed improbable for a teen to be so heavily involved in drugs and alcohol without much notice from the school system but maybe that shows my naivety of never having lived on the dark side of life but I am a school nurse and I think someone would have noticed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13FU2D2HG70KA?ASIN=0316055441	disappointed me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the first two thirds of this book.  When it got to the part where our hero is grown and runs into his childhood friend it got so wordy I didn't think we would ever find out what happened to the ""bloody picture.""  It seemed like she didn't know how to end her story.  And while all the soul searching and introspection is well written I found myself skipping along to get through it all.  Not a very good sign.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCQUYYLTRPGQF?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch, a novel.  Why a Pulitzer?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the most depressing books I have ever read!  It was unending with poor choices and I kept searching for some redemption---not to occur,. It was a good example, however, of why this is a ""fallen world"" in which we live. I would not recommend it to anyone. Perhaps the author meant to show this very thing perhaps?  I would love to hear some other comments on it to understand why it received a Pulitzer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KJFIUVIB5F9K?ASIN=0316055441	Too Long and Nihilistic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As well written as this novel is, it suffers from the bloat of any book nearing 800 pages.<br/><br/>Theo is a downer. He's  nihilistic, self-absorbed, and directed at the whim of his Mother, Father, Pippa, and especially Boris. Everything happens to him because he makes nothing happen. Boris is easily the most interesting and delightful character with fatherly Hobie destined to be played on the big screen by Stephen Fry.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29LU75KUPQXUP?ASIN=0316055441	Woe is me!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When Theo Decker and his mother are caught up in a random act of terrorism, Theo's life is ripped apart. The mother he idolised is dead, his father had abandoned them a year or so earlier and Theo is left at the mercy of the social welfare system. Fortunately he is taken in by the rich parents of his school friend, until his father turns up to reclaim him. This is the story of Theo's growth into adulthood and simultaneous descent into a drink and drug fuelled world of cold-hearted socialites and East European criminals.<br/><br/>There's about enough plot in this book to make a decent short story, or possibly it could stretch to a novella. Unfortunately Tartt has decided to drag it out for 771 pages, filled primarily with unremarkable prose and repetitive descriptions of drink and drugs binges, vomiting and hangovers, occasionally interspersed with a bit of random and unlikely violence. Sadly, I got the image in my head fairly early on that Tartt had popped into the local word shop and bought a couple of the huge economy bags rather than going for the more expensive select boxes - fewer words but more highly polished. Having bought them, she then seemed determined to use them - again and again and again.<br/><br/>The title of the book would lead an unwary reader to assume that the plot might have something to do with Fabritius' picture of the Goldfinch - well, it starts there and ends there, but the five or six hundred extremely tedious pages in the middle have little to do with it. In fact, there's very little about anything in the book other than Theo's depressed and depressing descent into his cycle of self-destruction - and unfortunately written so pedestrianly that it failed to move this reader with any emotion other than irritation and boredom.<br/><br/>Then there's Boris, who becomes Theo's friend in his teen years, introduces him to the wonders of drink and drugs and then...disappears for hundreds of pages, before suddenly re-appearing to help tie the thing up all nice and neatly; because that's how life really works, isn't it? Neat solutions and happy ever after - even if as in this case happiness consists of an acceptance of dull depression and hopelessness as the human condition. Tartt's depiction of Boris is so badly done it's almost (but unfortunately not quite) laughable. He goes beyond caricature to cartoon - think of every cliché you know about Eastern Europeans, add the old chestnut of the good-hearted villain and tack on a mock accent that's about as convincing as Dick Van Dyke's Cockney. I'd love to know why, though he lived in Australia and then the US from an early point of childhood, Boris never properly mastered the language.<br/><br/>But then that's not the only inconsistency. Given that Tartt spent ten years writing this, I'd have hoped she could have spared an hour or two to google some of her 'facts'. For example, Theo apparently has an iPod in 1999 - amazing, since it didn't go on the market till 2001. But his mother is even more amazing - apparently she was able to text when Theo was 10 - 1996, by my reckoning, at least 4 years before it began to be a real possibility for ordinary people. Theo worries about the 'shoe bomber' at least a year before that event actually happened - psychic as well as technologically advanced. And finally, would a young man in his early twenties in the US of around 2010 really say that his girlfriend looks like Carole Lombard? Who, for those of you who are too young to remember, was a film star who died in 1942. I googled these little factlets - what a shame Tartt didn't. It might have meant the book, or at least Theo's voice, would have had a little more authenticity.<br/><br/>But I could probably have overlooked these inconsistencies had the plot been more interesting, or the writing less prosaic, or the whole thing about 75% shorter. There are undoubtedly some good passages here, and occasionally the writing rises to a high standard, but these positives are completely swamped by the sheer weight of nothingness that fills most of the book. Since Ms Tartt is not afraid to deal in clichés, my advice to her - less is more. I've seen this book compared to Dickens - while Tartt has undoubtedly tried to take some elements of Great Expectations and work them into her plot, I find the comparison not just facile but vaguely insulting. As you'll have gathered, this one emphatically does not get my recommendation.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33TTO7BC2MFLB?ASIN=0316055441	Really, really worth reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is amazing.  It's epic in scope but it has to be in order to prove its point.  And it builds to a compelling point that she succinctly summarizes in the final pages for people like me that sometimes need a little extra help.  Tartt's prose is of the highest quality and provides rich and satisfying descriptions of both people and things.  Also,  Tartt, in my opinion as a guy, nails the first person narrator who begins as a boy and progresses into manhood.  Not that a woman cannot write from the perspective of a man and vice versus, but she does it so well it was a little disorientating.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OZGD25NZDVUW?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very long book (771 pages).  While it was a fairly good read, I thought it could have been pared down somewhat.  The<br/>main character was a likeable boy, but I really didn't connect very much with him.  I'm sure that others may find more<br/>to like about this book, but for me, it was too long and not worth the time it took to read it.  I may not have finished it had<br/>it not been a selection for my book club.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NW4SO3SCAAJ7?ASIN=0316055441	Golfinch Not Gold Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought that since this book had been listed on the New York Times Best Seller list for weeks that it would be a sure thing when it came to pleasurable reading.  Was I ever wrong.  It was the most depressing book I have read in a long time.  I literally forced myself to finish it, hoping to the end that the main character would stop having a pity party.  What a miserable excuse for a human being he turned out to be.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQUKUT52KNLOR?ASIN=0316055441	3.5 ... good but not quite there	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">well, now that i am a week past finishing, i do miss it (the characters) a bit. however, while i was up in the middle of it, not so sure, just felt there was something exciting missing. at the same time that there were too many sidestories going on, just a lot of details. it could probably have done with an edit. and the ending was a bit too preachy. besides, the way the story went it wasn't really set up for an end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39MP51EMDCIGP?ASIN=0316055441	Book Review of Goldfinch....a big  disappointment!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had such high hopes about this book but was disappointed.  It was not evident to me or the 4 other women in our book club as to what qualified this book as a Pulitzer Prize winner.  The whole book was nothing but  endless prattling from one person's perspective. I never knew that one person could have such intense thoughts and all times and so many of them.  We were all a bit disappointed in this book.  Thank you.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PN37VZ640W38?ASIN=0316055441	A Beautiful Tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoroughly enjoyed this novel.  It was long, like reading two books in a row, but I always looked forward to picking it up again.As may be expected with such a long book, parts seemed to drag a little, but other parts, made me ""soar"" spiritually.  The author knows how to tell a good story, how to build suspense and how to peek one's curiosity about where the tale will go next.  It is definitely a good read!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NG2JL4CHPTZ5?ASIN=0316055441	Sinks in and stays.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is unlike any other book I've read. I read it slowly, savoring it and, at times, rereading entire chapters. I did this for two reasons; one being that it was so beautifully written that I wanted to take it in again. The other, because I wasn't always certain of what the point was. I would step away from the book, thinking, ""What's the relevance, the significance of what I just read?"", only to have it twist around, spinning and evolving and taking shape in the back of my mind, the centrifuge making sense only when seen from a distance. Even now, it stays with me, heavy and palpable.<br/>I won't bother giving a summary of the plot (I think that's better left to dust jackets and website summaries). I'll just say this in closing: I don't think I'll ever read this novel again, but that's okay. It's a part of me now</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MBXKM4POK2T4?ASIN=0316055441	Less than expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this for a book club.  If not for that, I don't think I would have finished it.  It was pretty unbelievable that a young boy found a painting that consuming, and depressing how this character could make wrong turns most of his life.  Does it compare with real life?  I don't know, but his depression, drug use, and dishonesty were all the things his father had been and he had hated.  Maybe he was even worse.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRGLVT6FSJL73?ASIN=0316055441	Would Not Recommend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch painting was only peripherally related to the story.  It could have been any significant painting, which could have been stolen.  The real story was depressing -- one sad event, after another -- one more opportunity for a young man to make a bad decision.  And tedious!  I thought I would never come to the end of the book, but kept reading in the event it would suddenly become worthwhile.  It didn't.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BD5NEQ8NCBV1?ASIN=0316055441	Please don't waste my time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very pretentious writing that strays off topic with needled minutia and fails to move the story forward. I'd rather go to the dentist.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UZB8P7AJ5PU9?ASIN=0316055441	trapped in a cage of bad prose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the writing in this tortured book is horrible; save yourself the time and effort of plowing through this forced and unconvincing saga.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FQWJBOS9WSQ8?ASIN=0316055441	disappointed, and not a book that lived with me ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reminded me of Prince of Tides. Well-written, engaging, but after a while, it doesn't seem that special any more. I took a fiction writing class years ago, and I'm fixated on the tool/trick for writing that involves taking (unexpected, unanticipated) left-turns. A lot of left turns in this book, but not all of them ring true. In the end, disappointed, and not a book that lived with me very long after I was done.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R83CJ4AACCXIB?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch is about human nature not birds	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long and winding story that takes the reader into a wild cross-section of society.  The number of reasons people are who they are are uncountable and remarkable.  This story convincingly reminds us that the simple direct line logic on TV dramas ans most popular news coverage is no match for a real life  understanding of what makes people tick.  Great book.  The ending was a little weak.  A wimper, not a bang.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A7SN31BZPQDN?ASIN=0316055441	Stop Reading While You Can!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book came highly recommended and after seeing so many raving reviews on Amazon, I couldn't wait to read it. I was engaged from the first page and settled in for a good, long story. Unfortunately, it was a boring, repetitive and exhausting one. I kept reading with the hope that it would somehow redeem itself in the end. It didn't. The story lines were ridiculous and the drug scenes so over the top, that I don't understand the appeal. I scanned the last 20% just to see how she was going to wrap it up. She didn't. Save yourself over 700 pages of agony. It isn't worth your time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R254770J9010YR?ASIN=0316055441	Wildly unrealistic!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'd love to see the painting, but you couldn't pay me enough to wade through this overly long and wildly unrealistic book again.I kept reading because there WERE some interesting parts, but by the time I was finished, I was asking myself Why? Why? I suppose there were occasional glimpses of hope that the ending might make it all worthwhile, but turned out not to be so. Would not recommend this book to anyone.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4P3QNFQH903Z?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging and thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am not a critic but an avid reader. There are books you read just to read. They are just a tool which takes you away from the mundane and repeatable tasks that are necessary to survive. But then there are those books that inspire you to think deep and ponder. A book you can't get out of your mind. Always wondering what will happen next and how it relates to you in so many ways. This is one of those books.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31VX4PFZNAM2E?ASIN=0316055441	I loved Donna Tartt's first book and the reviews for this ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved Donna Tartt's first book and the reviews for this one were so good, I had high expectations. Unfortunately, I agree with those who have posted that they kept reading just to finish the book. Tartt is an excellent writer and describes scenes so that you can really picture them, but, at the end of the day, reading the entire book just wasn't worth my time. I won't be recommending it to our book group.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C4QEITKU3ZJ8?ASIN=0316055441	Another 500 pages please!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt like I became an ""extra"" character in the book. the author had me hooked within a few pages. Her characters are so fully developed and their dialogue fits each perfectly. what a combination of extensive knowledge of art and language ---beautiful, descriptive prose and a work searching the soul and searching for meaning in life--- .  most deserving of a Pulitzer.  hope there is a new book coming soon!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJYECEA8DP98X?ASIN=0316055441	Grim, depressing and in need of editing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am baffled by the praise for this book. Theo is a thief, a liar, a swindler, an addict and a killer; a charmless, humorless human being who elicits no sympathy for the tragedy he has suffered. The painting of the title appears rarely, the author often devoting paragraphs to its packaging and hiding places. There are long discourses on gambling (Theo's father), whether only good results from good or bad from bad (Boris) and a dreary page-after-page ending summation from Theo on the meaning of artists' intents and suffering, oh, and the goldfinch painting.<br/>There is far, far too much description of drug and alcohol use, to the point where I wondered how the author did her research. Points are repeated ad nauseum and meaningless details pepper the book. Parenthetical asides are voluminous and unnecessary. The author appears never to have met an adjective she doesn't like. After about 100 pages, I realized I could skim entire sections of chapters because they were not germane to the story; not a good sign. I would give it no stars, but that's not an option. If you are determined to experience this book, get it from the library. I regret paying for it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AABT04OVO871?ASIN=0316055441	A disappointing book, even as an intellectual exploration of the mind of a pathetic human.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a difficult time even finishing this book. The author was clearly very bright, had a strong vocabulary, and was a clever phase-ologist.<br/>But for every sentence which advanced the story, there was 1 1/2 pages of vocabulary, endless and pointless descriptions. I was reminded of a baby enthralled in sounds it could make. This book literally drooled vocabulary. It would not have been my prize winner.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LMKZKY42BGV7?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">struggled to finish - lost interest in plot -- very disappointing</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTB47VKA9QYII?ASIN=0316055441	Too much contains too little	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At times bloated and boring, at times compelling and engrossing, this book ultimately disappoints because of its trite musings on the value of art.  The themes and the plot could have been conveyed with more economy and discipline.  This bulky tome tries to match in meaning what it contains in pages and words, but ultimately the work is an exercise in self indulgence that leaves this reader wanting less.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7SD5O2NAYUIJ?ASIN=0316055441	A Pulitzer Really??	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A tedious combination of ramblings and pretentious nonsense. The basic premise was really wonderful but it was unfortunately stretched into a quest for greatness that never happened. You always know you are in trouble when the author starts speaking directly to the reader near the end as if they are pleading with you to not resent the time you have spent reading this drivel that you can never get back.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6P1DOJGQG99?ASIN=0316055441	A gut-wrenching read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This compelling book is one intensive read. I could not put it down.  If you're looking for a feel-good type of read, you probably won't find it here in this book. However it is a book that will make you think and rethink what life is all about. Sometimes good things happen from bad situations and sometimes bad things happen even when you do everything right. You are who you are and life is what it is.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10FWBPZS29LP7?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When did Pulitzer prizes started weighing quantity over quality?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AE006V4J3J0C?ASIN=0316055441	Painful to finish but worth the first 30%	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At first I could not put it down, and later I could not touch it.  I finished it mainly because I kept hoping it would give me something worth hanging on to.  Unfortunately it never did.  Donna Tartt needs a better editor.  It could have been so much more.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RYV5YDF0KS4Z?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't have much to say except that it was a very interesting book. As soon as I started to read it, I couldn't put it down until I finished. The effect it had on me was one of having to know right now how the story would end. Any book that produces that type of doggedness in me has to be interesting. I'll probably read it again this summer in a more laid back, casual way since I know the ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R278LDS1ETIQWS?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth the effort.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am not one to write book reviews. I am a voracious reader and it is virtually unknown for me to not finish a book. This one I didn't finish. Captured my attention at first, but lost me in the overindulgent descriptions and lack of forward movement in the book.  Lost my attention early,  didn't like the main character and just couldn't waste my time with it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CS8VGA0T458P?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel took me through an emotional roller coaster as Tartt led the reader through Theo's life.  I laughed, cried and felt all the pain that I am sure his mother would feel if she were watching what happened to her beloved son after her death.  As I was reading it, I felt that every parent should have a will providing for the care of a minor so that Theo's fate would not repeated with anyone!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R55TPGITPZBPR?ASIN=0316055441	Unsettling & depressing from page one	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I decided to purchase this book because it was suggested that those who enjoyed A Light Between Two Oceans would like it.  For me, that was absolutely not the case.  I found it to be a huge downer.  I don't want to spend my time with characters who bring me down down down.  I do not recommend it.  The writing my be good, but be one heck of an all time happy and up person if you want to read this.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FQG9VD575OD7?ASIN=0316055441	I don't get it!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this allowing myself to be influenced by the reviewers of the world and the fact that it's a Pulitzer Prize winner.  I have never read a book that I had more trouble understanding the reasons for the raves. Maybe for the most creative use of very adjective in the dictionary.  It's 775 pages that could have been 350 without all of the superfluous words.<br/><br/>Not for me and ever again</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE621PSFI89NQ?ASIN=0316055441	Don't understand the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this because friends were gushing about a new Donna Tartt novel.  It is overlong.  The endless inner dialogues were tiresome.  The main character is sad and as a reader, I felt like shaking him.  If you want to get depressed, this is the book for you.  That said, the writing is superb and I did read to the end to see if the plot would resolve itself satisfactorily, which, I guess, it did.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MYUUZCYHYODM?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to Manage	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not get into the book.  This happens when I get lost in what the author is trying to say.  The Goldfinch helped try the story together.  The language and use of drugs for the entire story was another factor that  did not help tell the story.  My daughter in law really liked the book.  The positive outcome was we have had great discussions.  This makes it a good book for clubs to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AYGCELKBHOK5?ASIN=0316055441	STOP WRITING WHEN THE STORY IS OVER	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. It is engaging and beautifully written.  It's very, very long.  And that's great as long as the story lasts.  But the last part is rambling philosophy or an attempt a words of wisdom.  It's fine to let the reader know how the lesser characters fared but when it's over, it's over.<br/>This book won the Pulitzer Prize over ""The Son."" I liked ""The Son"" better.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R371FYY3DZES5K?ASIN=0316055441	Love Donna Tartt but this book was too long and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I ate this elephant one bite at a time and while able to move through the story, unfortunately the story did not move through me. The story line was slightly absurd, the characters less than likeable and the writing style wavering between teen fiction and required high school literature.  Love Donna Tartt but this book was too long and the end was a huge, overly complicated mess (much like the characters). Truthfully, the only character that I cared about was the dog. Would I recommend the book? Yes. Do I think it warrants the accolades?  Not so much.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NAH3KP9UVL6D?ASIN=0316055441	disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">By the end of the book I just wanted it to end.  It was hard to relate to the characters.  Their life experiences were so surreal they were obviously fiction.  I never got swept up into the story and had lost whatever empathy I may have had for the characters by the time the boy had ""found"" a home with Hobie.  It's not a book I would tell my friends, "" You have to read this!""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X5HMNJJQBGW4?ASIN=0316055441	Gripping but Too Long ... or ... Too Long but Gripping	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch has been highly praised as a wonderfully written and gripping novel, and it is. But I can't help thinking it would benefit from being cut in length by about a third. Much repetition could be trimmed without losing -- indeed with strengthening -- the narrative and its impact. I loved it but confess that I got tired and began skipping pages at a hundred or two pages from the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZMKKT3GUE0VJ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this story..it was well rounded...a slice of life out of a young man's journey to adulthood. It was well told but for me, it got a little slow and drawn out in areas, a bit wordy, and I found myself getting bored here and there. Then the action would pick up again and I'd get into it once again. But I do recommend it. Stories are all subjective and you might have a different view. :)</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E70HVPRFS93L?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written as well as plot driven--an experience in reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing style is, without a doubt, both literate and compelling. If there were a category for 4 1/2 stars I would give it that, the reason for the missing half star which would have made it perfect, is the ending, which goes on and on. My impression is that Ms. Tartt didn't want to leave her characters and just went on a bit too long. Having said that, I would highly recommend the book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21SHUFWFX9OR0?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt's writing is simply beautiful and reminded me of writers such as Dickens	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Yes, the book is long, but yes, the comparisons to Dickens are on point. I was completely swept away by this book and felt a strong emotional connection to the imperfect protagonist. Tartt's writing is simply beautiful and reminded me of writers such as Dickens, Elliot, and Hardy, who are long on detail, but allow you to melt seamlessly into a different world.  Destined to become a classic!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22ITE3TOOPT3I?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed in The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very tedious read.  there were long flights of descriptive fancy that bogged down the story.  The author seemed to be trying to impress us with her vocabulary and her language skills.  The last chapter was almost entirely a long negative philosophical essay the presented a hopeless view of life and the world.<br/>What were the Pulitzer judges thinking?<br/><br/>t<br/><br/>t</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NUZA1E692J3M?ASIN=0316055441	Actually 4 1/2 stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was very well written although there were places I felt were a little slow.  I think the best part was the last several pages explaining life!  It took me quite a while to get thru the book and maybe that it just didn't hold my attention that much.  But enough that I did finish the book so it did interest me enough to finish it.  Thank you for the book, I did enjoy it after all.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R291FW10FD4UAW?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch - read it all . . .	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be a swindle! How could it have been judged a Pulitzer winner? Where were Donna Tartt's editors? So many continuity mistakes! A good editor could have refined the telling of this quite repetitive tale down by half. Perhaps I ought to give myself some reflective time - I've only just finished reading it - and perhaps may then feel kinder towards it, but I doubt that.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPFAUZ4H641SB?ASIN=0316055441	totally captivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I agree with all the criticisms of this book being overly long and in desperate need of editing, but I loved it anyway and reread many, many passages just for the beauty of them.  The character of Boris is one of the most well-developed, indelible characters I've ever met in a book.  He lives on in my head.  So many dimensions to this book that it's hard for me to wrap my head around it.  Have patience--if it grabs you in the first few chapters, which it will, and then starts to flag, stick with it for great, though sometimes slow, rewards.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KMDTD29CJZXB?ASIN=0316055441	Well deserved award winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I absolutely loved this book.  Theo's character pulled at my maternal heartstrings from beginning to end.  The writing was so well crafted and kept me guessing as to what would happen next.  A coming of age story of a young man put through trial after trial and many missteps.  Fortunately there were some positive figures in his life.  Anything more would be a spoiler; so just read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R44M9T2MM3LOU?ASIN=0316055441	A sad story with no winners	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It really grabs your interest from the beginning.  The character development is meticulous. Half way through the book you begin slogging through detail with the addition of many characters who end up being marginal. Constant is the mental torment of Theo and his ways of handling the pain.The resolution leaves you feeling a little empty, however a worthy reward after nearly 800 pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JQEZMH288QFR?ASIN=0316055441	who chooses the Pulitzer Prize Winners? why did they choose this one?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was the biggest waste of time I have ever expended on a book! I kept reading because, since it was a Pulitzer prize winner, I thought it must have s-o-m-e redeeming qualities. I can not say I found even one! I did learn how to mix drugs and be awful to others and be crooked and what It looked like when people were high. Is that the purpose? Do not bother reading this trash.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLNU00LI43HY?ASIN=0316055441	Detailed without Purpose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I listened to this book for 20 hours of the 33 hour audio book, but will not listen to another minute. It has a few moments where the laborious writing is lifted and a ray of hope appears...but is soon darkened by the rambling disjointed plot and unnecessary detail. The author has written a book with uninteresting characters and plot. Who cares that she can take the mundane and write about it for page after page after...well you get the point. How it makes anyone's top list this year or any year is beyond me. Writing assignment gone bad.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UJZRNBR9B18E?ASIN=0316055441	Long slog to nowhere	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one long slog of a read. The hero, who is a drug-addicted liar and thief, is hard to relate to. You read on in his depressing story, thinking there will be a turning point. But there's not. What a negative life view, surrounded by a lot of pomposity about art. After a while, you feel like the goldfinch, chained to a book you're supposed to love, but actually find loathsome.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ7R4NOLYRKLA?ASIN=0316055441	excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was excellent! I enjoyed the information about the art, but the writing was so well done that not only did you feel the writer was very well educated, but you were transformed into the story and felt you knew the characters. The descriptions were detailed to where you felt,heard or smelled what was happening.  Nice story with life lessons to keep you thinking. A must read!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HHWVPKMSFGO7?ASIN=0316055441	Best Book I've Read in Years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book touches upon so many things. A tragedy, grief, love, longing, despair, addictions, art, beauty, friendship and caring, Told by a boy who tragically loses his beloved mother in an unthinkable explosion while only a young teenager. It follows the twists and turns of his life, forcing us to think about what is important in out lives. Hate to have to sat goodbye to this story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TLBV7K6NG7WZ?ASIN=0316055441	Really long....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book started off very strong.  The first third of the book is great, the second third is good, the final third is painful.  Tartt needed a good editor; there was no reason for this book to be as long as it is.  The last 100 pages are very philosophical and Tartt presents a very pessimistic view of the world.  Disappointed I invested the time, even if it did win the Pulitzer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKLO2W6VW7V8W?ASIN=0316055441	Great Start Interesting Middle Flat Ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the book as I was reading it.  The beginning was great and it lead into a very interesting story.  As I was getting to the end I set myself up for a really good ending with perhaps a surprise.  I was very disapointed after reading page after page leading to the ending and then the ending in my opinion just left you flat.  That is the reason for the 3 star rating.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26DY8XYI6G1F8?ASIN=0316055441	Too much hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked it but the size of the book detracted from the well written parts. It should have been half the amount of pages and then it would be a better novel. I really liked the sections about art but so many parts of the book went on and on and the end was so ridiculous. Also there weren't any female characters that were fleshed out, they existed in relation to the main character.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19ZYXOW92KG6W?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is an absolute page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's ability to affect the voice of an adolescent, and then adult, male is spot-on. Her portrayal of loss after the death of a loved one is nuanced and accurate. Her plot is full of deftly executed twists and turn, especially in the last few pages, that she grips you till the very end. I've been waiting a long time for a Donna Tartt book, and this was worth the wait.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1993PTBBK2ZVX?ASIN=0316055441	Pretentious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a slog from start to finish. I blame the Pulitzer for my foolish and stubborn commitment to finish this novel. The plot? Bad things happen to Theo, life is grim, hope is elusive, art matters. Maybe it would've been a better read at 500 words. But then again, maybe not. What were those Pulitzer people thinking? Did they stumble onto Theo's stash of drugs before voting? Oh well, at least I finished it; I'll be able to banter honestly with other Tartt readers at cocktail parties. If only I went to cocktail parties . . .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUKQGMH6WCAW8?ASIN=0316055441	Fell deeply in love	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could have spent more time with these characters. The Las Vegas chapters were a blurry, brilliant mess that I wanted to end... and to never end. Never have I been so filled with fascination and dread for/by/of characters. What would they do next? Who would they do it to? Was it unbelievable? Yeah, maybe. But I didn't care because I wanted to believe it. Did it need more aggressive editing? Probably. I still didn't care because I was hooked into their dark, twisted world. One of the few books I intend to read again someday.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J534FUSV9O25?ASIN=0316055441	Insuffrabe preaching.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too tormented for me.  This could have made the point in half the length.  Way too much Las Vegas.  Yes, I understand you were sick in Amsterdam, buy some clothes, get some food, see a Doctor.  Addicts are good liars, he could have dealt with the passport issue.  This was like a Sunday sermon where the Pastor makes the same points over and over but in different words.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R174CDK1Y7XBBK?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful story about the complexities of people, relationships and the unique interconnections that bind them and their fates. Not everything is so cut and dry, lines between good/bad; right/wrong in some instances can come down to a matter of perspective from one person to another and at times within ourselves depending at which point in our lives we are seeing it from.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCJMZWBQDJWK?ASIN=0316055441	disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first half was so well written and engrossing only to deteriorate in the second half. The beginning is full of drama and heartache, the characters are well portrayed and the writing is so descriptive. But the second half of the book is full of violence, drug use and crime. The likable main character is slowly diminished into a loathing character with an aimless life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R208CB9GJ3MU2C?ASIN=0316055441	Very detailed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is so well written.  Creative and not missing any details.  I felt as though I was watching a movie the imagery was so life like.  The down side is that it takes a while to read given the amount of details and the plot is just so depressing that at times I just had to take a break.  I wouldn't discourage anyone from reading it but give yourself plenty of time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OT73V2N2MJJM?ASIN=0316055441	Epic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved Secret History, put down Little Friend early on, pre-ordered The Goldfinch from Amazon. 760-something pages and I read it in 2 1/2 days. Could not put it down. It's shades of Great Expectations, Catcher in the Rye, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. It's an epic. The writing is pitch perfect. The characters are fully drawn &amp; you deeply care for them, in all their flawed glory. You will laugh, you will cry, you will not find a better read this year. Buy this book. Maybe on Kindle, because it's as big as your head.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GVNEHB85C5HT?ASIN=0316055441	Amazingly beautiful writing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although this book centers largely on the timeless beauty of a painting and its impact on the lives of various characters, the writing itself should be considered a thing of beauty. Tarte is remarkable in her ability to set a mood, describe a setting, or most especially a feeling. And the intricacies of both the plot &amp; characters is fascinating. I couldn't wait to get back to this book each evening ~ I kept it for my reward at the end of each day, and just didn't want it to end. This book is itself a work of art!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MP217ON6KX8K?ASIN=0316055441	Beauty and Destruction, Meaning and Chaos	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo Decker survives a terrorist bombing in NYC. As a result of this monstrous event, he acquires a priceless work of art...which, of course, the world wants to see recovered. This is a story of Theo's search for beauty,meaning and Truth in world full of violence, chaos and deception. It is a story of loss and redemption,and the razor-thin line that separates the two.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFMJT4UCCJA02?ASIN=0316055441	Opinion of the book The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Now I Know why this book was number 1 on the New York Times Bestseller list. Donna Tartt is a brillant writer and grabbed my attention from the start. There's so many books that you have to read 50 or even 100 pages before you ( get into it) . EW are reading this book for a book club I belong to. Even though I have already read it I am anxious to hear the disscussion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BD8YX98VF40H?ASIN=0316055441	Intelligent Storytelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is today's Charles Dickens.<br/>""The Goldfinch"" is a modern ""Great Expectations.""<br/>It is no coincidence that Pippa is similar to Pip.<br/>And, tell me that Hobie with his wood shop and furniture business is not straight out of Dickens' world.<br/><br/>But Tartt takes us places that Dickens never dared to dream.<br/>And we experience both Theo's sorrow and adjusted happiness firsthand.<br/><br/>A very beautiful, but bittersweet, revelation.<br/>My favorite book of the year.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VTAJ0REH1281?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer is going begging these days	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is Dickens without the stuff that makes Dickens great. It's long, very long, and terribly tedious, and there is a dusty old shop. That's about it. No Trabb's boy. No Joe explaining to Pip why he should not return to see Estella, as only Joe could. Nope. Read the whole thing and you've only wasted more time. I cannot imagine what the Pulitzer folks were thinking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI1C6TFZLGRGQ?ASIN=0316055441	BIG disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was 300 pages too long. It was repetive to the point where I found myself skipping pages and wishing it would end. I would not recommend this book to anyone.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZT1H2KWHPRSQ?ASIN=0316055441	The first chapters were great, and at the end there was promise of ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Made for Hollywood, not a Pulitzer. The first chapters were great, and at the end there was promise of a well-written conclusion to this journey of  a young man. But all the teenage angst and faux international thriller in between were far below great novel material and far above the necessary page count. Maybe cable writers could turn it into something worthwhile.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C5KFYOA7DY4H?ASIN=0316055441	Could use a good editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has an excellent ""hook,"" which quickly drew me in. Unfortunately, it took a looong time--way more time than necessary--to satisfy my curiosity about it. Ms. Tartt, while displaying a depth of knowledge on many subjects, wastes way too many words sharing that knowledge. In fact, the excess of words gets in the way of what is otherwise an interesting story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJZ4XGSOI9JKH?ASIN=0316055441	Great writing and character development.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The ending was very strange--very philosophical or something. After reading about intense characters and their internal struggles and external mistakes, the book just seemed to leave the reader with pages and pages of questions. I felt for Theo and even for Boris with all the painful losses they had experienced. It was mainly the ending that I had difficulty with.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIEBGOJGF9HGQ?ASIN=0316055441	a good beginning, and then it fizzled...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i am so glad my New Yorker magazine arrived because i couldn't read another word of this book. The beginning was fabulous (story and writing) and i was eager to read more. But then i struggled to read another page! i was falling asleep reading about the repetitive, and borderline abnormal drugging and drinking adolescent antics.  When and where was the denouement?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZW7UYJQ16FN2?ASIN=0316055441	10 stars out of five	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have ever read, this epic tale describes the interplay between bad and good, and how what we think of as bad behaviour (drugs, thievery, even murder) does not exist in a vaccuum; that bad can inexplicably lead to good because some of us live under the influence of saints in our midst (though we don't recognize them as such, as we only magnify their flaws).<br/><br/>How good is this book? I don't read with my glasses on, I put them on the floor next to my chair. I got up to get a cup of tea and stepped on my glasses, crushing the chassis. I was momentarily flustered and then returned to the book because I had to know what happened next. Literally this book had me under its spell.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IED0TBGRVVSB?ASIN=0316055441	Ugh!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am, I guess, in the minority because I did not like this novel at all.  I guess Ms. Tartt is a good writer but I gave up after reading about 2/3 of the book.  Only one of the characters was at all likable or a decent human being and the story seemed a dead end.  I almost never do this, but I decided not to waste any more precious time on it---so I gave it away!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKGQLWBI6GEHA?ASIN=0316055441	the length is a killer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If I had enjoyed this book, I would not have minded the 775 pages. I made myself read it as I felt it had to be good because of awards it had achieved. The descriptions were excellent, except they went on and on. I found it to be thoroughly boring. I only wished it would end. Sorry, but it definitely was not my kind of book and I would not recommend it to anyone.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL44EWUZUYVF0?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed the read but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story held interest and characters were believable. The novel might have been two books ...""eight years later..."". Couldn't help but feel the ending was rushed and possibly the publishers trick of leaving room for a sequel. Anyway, enjoyed the read but the ending was disappointing? confused? a cop-out?<br/><br/>I'd still recommend it as a good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NW9O9VYVRSTK?ASIN=0316055441	A beautiful book in many ways.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written with descriptions that place the reader in the scene so seamlessly.  The plot is clever and intriguing; the characters are quirky but real.  I loved learning about appreciation for the various techniques that artists use in their paintings.  I was sorry when it ended because I love Tartt's writing; her words are wonderful as is her phrasing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R95UO1VV1SEPD?ASIN=0316055441	Best Book I Have Read in Years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first book I ever really loved when I was a kid was Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens.  When Donna Tartt's new book was called Dickensonean in character, I had to check it out.  I love a good tale of adversity and hardship, mixed with somewhat comical moments.  Never will I be able to look at another homeless kid the same way again, even if they display unacceptable behavior.<br/><br/>This book isn't for everyone.  People who don't care about art, wonder about the true meaning of life, or have difficulty with gray areas won't have the patience to read an almost 800-page book like this.  But I couldn't put it down, and I haven't felt this excited about reading a really good novel in many years.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VLULOEZXF767?ASIN=0316055441	I just wanted it to end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story started out promising.  It held my interest, the characters had depth and I enjoyed most of them.  I would say a little more than half way through I just was waiting for the end.  And the last fifth of the book I was doing my own version of speed reading.  It became so slow and boring.  I really didn't like the whole book by the time I finished it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21BHUAKNZHWM2?ASIN=0316055441	So wanted to enjoy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was a fan --a big fan of this author's mesmerizing, THE SECRET HISTORY and I have so wanted her to match that first effort.<br/>But she has not. And I am baffled at the praise for this very large and long-winded story that has such a weak center at its narrative core. I really didn't care much for anyone--much less for Theo. I invested a few weeks in this.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R214YWFF7523JI?ASIN=0316055441	lovely surprise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Take your time when you read this complicated yet prolific story that touches deeply into ones soul. The language alone is reason to delve into its pages but the depth of knowledge in the characters' development  seals the deal. While at times fairly unbelievable, at least to my simple life story, it is at once told with such truth that one wants to believe.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CKFN5JSM770Y?ASIN=0316055441	Long winded	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The start of the book really hooked me but as I read further I felt that the author went off on tangents. The only reason I finished the book was to see what happened to the painting. After page 500 I was wishing this incredibly long book would end. In my opinion Donna Tart could have wrapped this story up a lot quicker and I would have been more impressed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36J0U0ENWS44Z?ASIN=0316055441	the author's descriptive language was so beautiful for such a dark story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It never took me so,so long to read a novel!  However, the author's descriptive language was so beautiful for such a dark story, that I became raptured by the wording.  I found myself rereading paragraphs for the depth of the descriptions. And then I had to put the book down for I was too overloaded with knowledge and shaken up by actions of the characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35MUVO1T7A2M3?ASIN=0316055441	Too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My book club just finished reading The Goldfinch and we were all in agreement that we liked the story line, it would make a good movie, but was too wordy and you got lost in all the adjectives and excess to the point of distraction. It would have been a great book in about 400 pages. We all concurred we probably wouldn't read it to do over or recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4G4FP10W2C7E?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had such promise. But it devolved into stories of wildness and drug use, the main character never seemed to grow at all until the bitter end and the story went from a interesting tragedy-based dilemma to a wild and unbelievable international art recovery. And the lecture on the value of art at the end was far too heavy-handed. I was disappointed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29SV880ML2FES?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is sure to be a classic.  Not only is the story captivating, it's told with skill and technical artistry.  The characters are as rich and complex as the use of language that brings them to life.  The technical artistry and use of complex sentence structure never interferes with the story, but adds a texture and richness seldom seen in modern fiction.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLNJ0NCQ9EKZD?ASIN=0316055441	indulgent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At times, beautiful prose, glints of light on the page, epic storytelling. Unreasonably and unnecessarily long. Indulgent. An odyssey. Get to the point. After all the painstaking detail (SPOILER ALERT), all the love interest gets in the end is a parenthetical. Everything you're told not to do in writing class, and she gets a Pulitzer. Wholly unsatisfying.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6AL2N93DJ785?ASIN=0316055441	... me for believe ing that because this was a best seller it was worth reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Silly me for believe ing that because this was a best seller it was worth reading.  I stuck with it through 755 long and arduous pages waiting for something to happen or connect or make sense.  I was skipping whole pages and then sections just to get through and kept asking myself what I was missing...the answer is nothing.  What a colossal waste of time.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q9PEK8OZV3ID?ASIN=0316055441	Remarkable story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo Decker presented himself as a whiny kid without a clue, and he stayed that way for hundreds of pages, through which we hear his excuses, his weaknesses, and his poor attempts to rise above his situation. It isn't until the very end of these wonderfully written pages does Theo finally emerge a wise and remarkable character. The wait was worth it, the writing beautiful and compelling, and I'm so happy to have been a part of Tartt's story for the weeks it took to finish this lengthly book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30V9B01J5HL20?ASIN=0316055441	Exhilarating and exhausting.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unlike anything I've ever read, this book was often like witnessing a car crash; tragically terrible, but you can't look away and you have to stay at the scene until they cart away the victims. So compelling, yet so unnecessarily wordy at times that I wanted to skip pages at a time. I'll never forget it, but I'll never read a word of it again. Loved it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WZ2KOIO32T02?ASIN=0316055441	A Difficult and Long Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Far to wordy. I did not appreciate the excessive commercial fashion naming. (New York posh) The story line was excellent and compelling which of course kept me going. The long phrases seemed incorrect at times forcing re-reads. I should not have bothered. I quite agree with her philosophy on life and death which may pique my interest in her other books.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OU0XMMOTWSFU?ASIN=0316055441	too many drugs	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love the beautiful style of writing and the story this young boy had to convey. However as he became a man and became involved in so many drugs so many drugs the topics became boring. I liked the story line but there was just too much detail about his drugged state of mind. I would have understood it as well with 100 pages less of his drugged flights.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MFEOOKTZ8NJ?ASIN=0316055441	Wasted my time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My time should have been spent on something productive, maybe even house cleaning, weeding the flower beds, walking the dog; at least these would have led to accomplishment instead of being depressing.  Ms Tartt should have found something redeeming in someone instead of going on and on down the drain.  Is this real life?  Maybe, but no hope found here.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BWVI5Z9A2H9M?ASIN=0316055441	dreadful in every way	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brain dead dialog, poor character development, should have been less than half the page count.  Shocked by how truly awful this book was.  Forced myself to read to the end because I was sure it was going to get better.  Impossible to read every word and survive.  Next project is to read why this book received the Pulitzer for fiction.  Hard to figure.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC0008INOW6N5?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy this book.  I felt like the author was just using way too many word, sentences and paragraphs to convey a thought just to make the book longer.  The ending was disappointing because it was so anticlimatic and took again way too long to say very little.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33F4AHXCXZZ1?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of valuable reading time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After NPR reviews and a whole lot of hype, I waited for weeks to get this book from my local library. I trudged my way through about a third of the book thinking it had to get better, but it never did. I did not like any of the characters, the never-ending descriptions of drug-induced stupor, and Boris is no Artful Dodger. It is very rare that I don’t read a book to the end, but I turned this one back in without finishing it. What a waste of good reading time. Theo must have shared his trove of drugs with the Pulitzer judging committee.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G6AW2QW9YSD2?ASIN=0316055441	Great start, but lost steam	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I started, and through at least the first half of the book, I thought it was one of the most wonderful books I ever read.  And all of a sudden, this cool teenager, this poor kid who lost his mother with whom we empathize enormously turns into this horrid adult, thief, scam artist, drug addict, alcoholic and we don't know how or why.  And then he gets involved in even more criminal activity, in unlikely shootouts and I felt that the author was doing everything she could to prolong the book, because she didn't know how to end it.  The worst part, in reading through all the ins and outs of where the painting was is that the reader no longer cares..... we are forced to read about this scam and then that scam and then this person has the painting and then that person, and we no longer give a good damn.<br/><br/>Further we are ""treated"" to  agonizing long conversations about simply nothing, once such when Theo, Boris and whomever had a shoot out in Amsterdam and we have to read all of their nonsensical conversation in their getaway car.<br/><br/>What was Donna Tart thinking?  Did she have such a magnificent idea for a book, but didn't have the whole plot figured out?  Did she think she would figure it out as she was writing?  Did she start to write a 700 page book and tried to fill in what should have been a book at least 1/2 or 2/3 that length.  The book so badly needed editing, and what a shame because she does know how to write and her descriptions can be so poetic.<br/><br/>And, how did this book ever win a Pulitzer?  It probably was too long for the judges to read it in full!<br/><br/>I agree completely with Jean Savitsky's review, as I too was skipping pages at the end.  And, worse of all, the end meant nothing.  There were just pages and more pages of philosophical thought that meant nothing to no one and there never was an end, good or bad to the book.<br/><br/>It seems the only one who can write a really great long book was Tolstoy.  I had the same experience reading Shantarum.  For the first 70% (of its 900 pages), it was magnificent.  But then, the reader had to, again like this book, see the noble hero be turned into a criminal, living on the shady side of society.  Bah humbug!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RVSMMGPUW52V?ASIN=0316055441	Tell me the criteria for a Pulitzer prize	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author seemed very willing to let you know that she knows a lot about certain topics. That does not make a story plausible, interesting or captivating. I kept wondering what is the criteria for a Pulitzer prize, because I don't understand why this book was awarded it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VYKVS79N41FL?ASIN=0316055441	Very disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you like books about boys stealing, drinking, doping, killing and  minipulatng, this one is for you. If this kind of writing is now worthy of a Pulitzer, heaven help us all!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UFEKC0XXLGLX?ASIN=0316055441	Tough to rate this one...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a tough call to make.  On one hand, the writing is superb--she truly has a gift for description and words.  One would think with such amazing writing that it wouldn't matter how long this book is, you might never want it to end, right?  But no, it was torturous and long and really hard to motivate myself to read each night (I had to finish it or could not participate fully in our discussion).  It needed some serious editing and something else I can't put my finger on.  I'm sad to say that I was disappointed with this book--I was really looking forward to reading it and it obviously has won some major recognition, but I'm just not sure why.  What am I missing?  Several weeks of my life, that's for sure...sigh...</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SUAFRYHPAL0I?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">frankly i thought it was tedious...if boris was going to shake his hair again i was ready to &gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;thankfukly he just left it there...i truly thought Donna Tartts' editor did not do her any justice...all those asides in brackets were overkill...i finally started skipping them...let's face it, she was discriptive enough....Sorry.... you asked . molly</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QSF0QOMV6W0I?ASIN=0316055441	PHEW I got through it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This could have been a really good book but being that I personally do not have a drug addiction or do not have an addictive personality and (sorry to sound mean) have no sympathy for drug addicts and I do not care for art or furniture restoration and have no inclination to read about art or furniture restoration or drug addicts, that is what a lot of this books details are about. It took me about 200 pages to finally START getting into the story and even then I still skimmed through a lot just trying to get past the details to the story. Which the story alone is good.<br/><br/>AND THEN after close to 800 pages I felt like the book left you hanging! Yes close to 800 pages and it left me thinking ""but what happened to Boris? and did he ever get married"" etc.. Geez after 800 pages you can at least give us a conclusion.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WGSUP5VBRRGB?ASIN=0316055441	Had to skip parts of it.... too much detail and not enough storyline. It was REALLY hard to finish!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was REALLY hard for me to read. There was way too many teeny tiny details that were totally irrelevant to the plot. This book was 700 long, boring pages and it was hard for me to sit down and read it. I really wish the author would have just gotten to the point. This book could have done the same job in less than half the length. Also, a lot of the information just didn't add up as far as the time line, the author provides, and I found myself re-reading through and it contradicted itself over and over again (what was written at one point in the book and then later on did not mesh) and most of it was just totally unbelievable. There were certain characters that didn't belong in the story (they served no purpose at all and seemed to be just thrown in there for no reason at all!) I just kept trudging along (it wasn't easy, believe me!) and telling myself the ending MUST be good. The ending was as big a disappointment as the rest of the book. I would not recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K4ONQ9Z811VO?ASIN=0316055441	overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">did not feel any connection at all to the major character who never felt like a real person.<br/>Last 200 pages were endless and pointless.  Same could have been achieved in 50 pages</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VVI8V1XZBOGK?ASIN=0316055441	Powerful, Quirky, Uneven	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What I loved:  The beginning, the intrigue, the relationship between Theo and his Mom, Theo and Pippa.  P.S. Is Pippa the Goldfinch?  The changes of scenery from poor in New York to rich family in New York, the Vegas years, the short bit in Amsterdam.  The lady can write.<br/><br/>What I didn't love:  The length of the book... too much repetition; too much effortful philosophizing.  I didn't realize it had won the Pulitzer Prize, and at first that made me impressed, while eventually it made me surprised.  I don't think it was that good.  Not on par, for example, with Kavalier and Clay.<br/><br/>What I disliked:  A little bit too wacky in terms of plot.  Boris is endlessly amusing but so out there it was hard to believe he would survive... and that they'd remain friends.<br/><br/>I only just finished last night, and I read this book over about five days, staying up too late twice, first because I was compelled to read it, and then because I was ""just let's get this finished.""  Definitely could have been edited down by 100 pages.  Who edited this?<br/><br/>Bottom Line:  Lots to enjoy, lots to wish was better.  But the most disappointing part is that BORIS is a much more interesting character than Theo.  Boris talks (a blue streak) while Theo hems and haws and ruminates without actually expressing himself.  Even, finally, at the very end, when he confesses all to Hobie, we don't hear it!  We wade through 700+ pages and we don't even get his explanation of it all.<br/><br/>And this is my problem with The Goldfinch.  Things HAPPEN to Theo.  Even his existential moment, when he takes the painting, only occurs because he is directed to do so by Welty.  All of the rest is reaction.  People send him here, send him there.  Kitsy pushes the engagement on him; Boris pushes the trip to Amsterdam on him.  All the time people are literally pushing him.  He's a stalled protagonist--until the very end, with the trips to buy back the furniture (scenes we only hear about via telling) Theo doesn't do much.<br/><br/>I think there are flashes of brilliance in this book, and some very good sections, but ultimately it is deeply flawed.  I'm a writer myself, and I am not surprised that the original 2008 date for publication of this book slipped by half a decade.  Somehow it seems they were attempting triage on this grand, messy, tome.  To me, they did not completely succeed.<br/><br/>But read it anyway... for the good parts!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6LM1NZD7JRHT?ASIN=0316055441	Too much filler	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the first half of this book and the last chapter.  The rest was just more of the same ""ugly"".</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUC402KHTBVYW?ASIN=0316055441	Underwhelmed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book wasn't bad, but it wasn't all that good in my opinion.  I definitely don't get the Pulitzer award at all.  It's a really long book about an extremely dysfunctional child/teenager/adult who never seems to get his act together.  Stream of consciousness of a drug addict, while I'm sure takes skills to write, is not easy to follow or enjoy.  I didn't like any of the characters except Hobie and Popchyk the dog, Pippa OK but very underdeveloped (and considering the length of the book, surprising that was the case).  I finished it just to see if it ever got better, and I will say the ending was somewhat satisfying, but overall a completely underwhelming book that took way too long to finish.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I9VWOJ14HRQL?ASIN=0316055441	Doesn't live up to the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I saw a lot of buzz on this book and knew I had to give it a try. When I saw how many pages it was (Almost 800) I was willing to give it a shot, but I typically do not read books this long. The premise of the book is this: A boy, Theo, finds himself in the middle of a terrorist attack, with dead bodies everywhere. He somehow ends up with a world famous painting, The Goldfinch, in his possession. Should he keep it, return it, give it to someone? This painting haunts Theo but at some point he also falls in love with it. It is the one constant Theo has in his life. You will follow Theo through many tragedies and at points even wish you could jump within the book to give him a hug or a word of advice. This book has almost everything: Love, Death, Drugs, Murder, Money, Etc...<br/><br/>I rated this book 3 stars for multiple reasons. Negatives: The biggest being I felt the author gave WAY too many details and this made the story crawl along. I will admit the author did a fantastic job writing this book but I feel that half the details could have been omitted and you would still have the same book. Another reason I didn't love this book is there were many times I felt myself getting mad at the author because I felt the story was standing still. I wanted more plot or was waiting for the next thing to happen. I felt this way for about half the book. To be honest I was simply bored for majority of the reading and only kept reading for the sake of finishing what I started. I also felt that this book was simply depressing. Read it and I'm sure you will agree with me. Positives: This book really makes you think about how much one event can change your life forever. If Theo didn't get suspended from school or it wasn't raining in the beginning of this book than it wouldn't have started the snowball of events that forever changed who Theo became. It didn't just change him on that day but who he is as a person. Otherwise, He would have probably of grown up to be a normal law abiding citizen. This book makes you think about those events that have forever changed your life to become who you are today.<br/><br/>With that said I haven't heard if this will become a movie or not but I have a feeling it will become one at some point. I also think that the movie wouldn't be half bad either. The story wasn't terrible (although depressing) but if you leave out all those details and the slow moving story line you would have yourself a decent movie.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REXKQJVIUQMVG?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Zzzzzz - pretentious! I could not wait to finish this book, only because I was told that the ending justified the droll. It didn't.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J0I2KAF0BY3O?ASIN=0316055441	After 100 pages...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">..l  thought this was going to be a really good read. I found her writing style easy, interesting and inviting.<br/>After 300 pages I thought where have all the editors gone?<br/>After 771 pages I thought it could have been a really great book if she gave all her notes and ideas to someone else and let them write the book.  And I thought where have all the editors gone.<br/>For me the story just got bogged down in drugs and prosthelytizing, hence the need for an EDITOR.  I guess I made my point.  I feel like that about many books and movies these days.  I ended up giving this book a 3 star,  because some parts I thought were 4-5 star; others 1-2 star.  If you can deal with that in a book,  then it might be worth reading.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IAJXKCQEDHVR?ASIN=0316055441	Would not waste my time or money on this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is way too long, way too formulaic, and just plain ""meh."" Neither good nor bad, but mostly a waste of time.<br/>The coincidences are too many, there is not one character I liked (the dog Popper comes close and Boris second--at least they were lively). It felt like Jonathan Livingston Seagull for the 21st century.<br/>If you want  a book about ""objects"" I highly recommend The Hare with The Amber Eyes--Excellent (reading and writing).<br/> There are too many other good books out there (classics and contemporary).<br/> I feel Ms Tart is counting on name recognition. If you must read it--borrow from a friend or wait till it is available at the library.<br/>I do not recommend-- a waste of time and money.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13U3N1HLGRERA?ASIN=0316055441	Not the feel good book of the year, but incredibly well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo Decker is a lost boy.  He loses his mother, his life as he knows it early in the book.  Bouncing from home to home, his story becomes even more tragic but the painting of hte Goldfinch is his constant companion.  It's a wonderfully written character story.  The characters are well developed.  As a reader, you can easily picture each of his living arrangements, each of the quirky people he befriends and you can feel his tragedy growing with each page.  I didn't want to put it down, but was not entirely satisfied when it ended, so that's why the 4 instead of 5 stars.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HOEG1ADESU8A?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing-I couldn't finish it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">By the time I managed to get halfway through, I realized I could not read another page. The writing was repetitive, boring, the Las Vegas scene went on chapters longer than it should have. The drugs, alcohol, cigarettes scenes were described so many times, it was like copy and paste. The story was so improbable it was hard to get invested in it. Hard to believe it's on the Best Sellers' List.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22TDBHK35QBHI?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most depressing books I have ever read.  Not a book I couldn't put down.  Had a hard time finishing it because I didn't want to!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B1QKZXFQISLO?ASIN=0316055441	No detail is too small	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Remember when Dickens got paid by the word?  Tartt's  'Goldfinch' must surely have been written for as much money as all the words in world could buy.  Boring beyond belief.  No detail is too small to be left out.  By the time she tells her story my children were grown.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRKX3Q2N2Y4JC?ASIN=0316055441	Cannot understand all the parise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was too long and looks as if it had never been edited. The author just kept writing on and on as if she wanted to cram everything in one book. It started out OK but took a turn for the worse.The characers were not really believable. I don't usually skip pages but I did on this one.. I did finish it as I had invested so much time but I do not recommend this book..</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROQIT04UFAG9I?ASIN=0316055441	In a word, LONG.  Missing word, Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I truly do not understand the rave reviews about this book. I really, really tried to like it.  If it had been edited to about 1/2 it's length it might have been a good book.  The first part of this mammoth book was somewhat compelling and tragic, but once they moved on from the museum, the bombing and the immediate aftermath, it drifts into a story about a boy who makes bad decision after bad decision.  It wanders on and on and never takes you anywhere. I put it down 2 different times, then picked it back up to try to finish it.  Ultimately, after suffering through what seemed like thousands of pages, I gave up.  It was just more and more of the same, the story did not develop into compelling conflict, an interesting moral dilemma or anything that might have made it worth trudging through more of the same. The main character's conflict about the piece of art, which is what the book is named after, is strangely detached from about 95% of the book, so you stop even thinking about the piece of art until it pops back up in a very unlikely way. The main character is not all that likeable and most of the other characters aren't either. Just another view of what appears to be a book given rave reviews based on the prior work of an excellent author.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q3GFUI3SFEVX?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling story -a good read with a caveat.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love an interesting story and The Goldfinch certainly offers that within it's 800 pages.  Credible plot?  That depends upon your life experience and for me it rang true.  Theodore Decker, the main character, is that person you know who blows with the wind, not for lack of intelligence, but perhaps because of an abundance of it.  The life thrust upon him and the choices he makes are heartbreaking and exasperating at the same time. Not a teenage coming of age story, but a mini-saga, it presents the idea that any of us are a sum of our experiences, the choices we made and the people we were impacted by along the way.  Not 5 stars for me, because along the way the story becomes muddled by the author's need to display her command of high literary prose.  Descriptions of scenery, emotions and thoughts running for pages which divert the reader without adding much to an otherwise interesting book. It is worth powering through to regain the thread of the adventure centered around NYC, art and love in it's many variations. For me the ending was neither obvious or astonishing, it was plausible given this character. You won't regret the purchase or the time to read it, if you exercise a little patience with the author's excesses.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBFKNR55QZB30?ASIN=0316055441	Where is an editor when you need one?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a writer who can turn a phrase like no other writing today.  Passages of The Goldfinch are a joy to read, they almost (but not quite) make it worth reading this way too long tome.  The sad thing is, a really strong editor would have made this woman pare this down, keep the good, cut the purple, and it might have been a master piece.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SO4E1UA56Q7D?ASIN=0316055441	Just wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow, I have to say this is one of the best books I have read in a very long time. Beautiful narrative, eloquent, and creative. I really could not put this book down sometimes. I haven't been able to stop talking about it since I started reading it! Totally worth every penny I paid for the ebook, and I am even considering buying it in hardback too!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GD9SQP4TSQM6?ASIN=0316055441	It's Alright!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Super poetic, very beautiful. There's poetry, suspense, action, drama, coming-of-age stuff, it's a lot of books in one. I'm a fan of the amount of travel and the stark differences of landscape. There are moments where it won't stop going on and on, though. And whooooa not much ethnic diversity. But really, towards the end, I couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R230W4TRIMPBVY?ASIN=0316055441	Wanted to love it but......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this on January 29, 2014 and started reading.  Today is 23 May, 2014 and I have not finished this book and until I saw it come up on items to review I had forgotten I had it.  It's not a bad book but so far it is just ordinary and has not grabbed me as I had hoped it would.  Also it has been sort of depressing and I sure don't need that.<br/>Update- it is now 27 January 2015 and I have finally finished this book.  There was a time that it really grabbed me and I thought I finally found what all the hub-bub was about -wrong.  Good story for awhile and then sunk into ""what is life"" crap.  Yuck</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WWTFFURBQ8AW?ASIN=0316055441	Really enjoyed this!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I was interested in the main character from the first page. He was very likeable even though he did some more -than -questionable things. I found it easy to understand him.<br/>It was obvious why the author won a Pulitzer for this. Great read for someone who wants a story where the characters are so real.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R234RJV266KUFB?ASIN=0316055441	Started skimming at page 500...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book would have been better with the services of a capable editor.  While at times it was completely captivating, at other times it was totally frustrating.  From plot elements that went nowhere (think of Welty's exhortation to Theo that he warn Hobie) and to spelling inconsistencies (Popchik vs. Popchyk), the writing needed some polishing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E3NKFFY5RKT?ASIN=0316055441	Dear Lord, I didn't think it was ever going to end!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book started off so well, but the farther I got, the more I started losing interest.  It took quite an effort for me to push all the way through to the end.  During the last 50 pages or so, I started skimming paragraphs and saying ""blah, blah, blah"" til I got to something that looked like it may be important to the plot.  I'd say this book could be cut in half and would be way more enjoyable to read.  It is incredibly well written, there's just way too much of it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20XRIAJV3WQNN?ASIN=0316055441	What a sad depressing group of characters!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a sad depressing group of characters. The main character was moderately likable but wasted the first third of his life, which is all we read about, on a stolen painting.  Besides the people 65 and older in the novel, these other characters are who your mother and father have  always warned you to stay away from.  Unfortunate waste of time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13YRCAAHWMY9C?ASIN=0316055441	My favorite book of all time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the beautiful prose to the vivid characters and settings, this book has it all.  Theo and Boris became a part of my life for the all-too-brief time that I read The Goldfinch, and I was sad when the story inevitably had to end.  As much a reflection on beauty's influence over good and evil as it is a fascinating story, this book weaves death, addiction, betrayal, friendship and unrequited love into a must-read experience.  All other novels will pale in comparison for me.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R49ZFRIQBV42S?ASIN=0316055441	capitvating read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had read Tartt's first book (the secret history) about ten years ago, and I started but never finished ""the little friend"". This was more like her first book; in my opinion. A lifetime long story of a relatable and down trodden Theo makes this story a page turner. If we had never gotten such a detailed time line of his life we would not be moved by the ending. Also as a spoiler alert, and in my opinion an important fact worth noting, the dog doesn't die in the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U3NQLX2U5E97?ASIN=0316055441	Was ready to love this book and did for awhile	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was ready to love this book and did for awhile.  The descriptions of Hobie working with the wood, doing his renovations, were wonderful, but Theo even managed to sully that in the end.  So much of the book was drugs and unhappiness.  I finished it hoping that some happiness and redemption would come in the end, but they never did.  Depressing!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FEND8DZDC2C5?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tedious full of endless angst with characters I didn't care about.  Takes twenty pages to say what could be said in two.  The prose was not particularly inspiring; going on and on and on does not create imagery.  I was really disappointed in this book.  I quit reading probably thirty pages from the end because I couldn't stand one more minute.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZZ4BQC1JVHQC?ASIN=0316055441	Read it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Initially nervous to return to Tartt after Little Friend disappointed so but excited to give the great author of A Secret History another go. Rewarded by the best first chapter in memory. I loved everything about this book, was late to meetings because of this book, called out sick because of this book, possibly lost friends because of this book. The characters in this book are so alive for me that, months after reading, I catch myself feeling I need to check in with them.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OCDIJMKXKRY6?ASIN=0316055441	Too Wordy!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a magnificent writer, no doubt about it.  She paints pictures with her words, however, she uses way too many words and as a result the reader loses interest. I found myself skimming (which I hate to do) just to get through several pages.  I did not, however, give up on The Goldfinch because I wanted to know how this epic ended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15NUEDTQIBFHH?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting and Gripping Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I am an art historian, I thought the major insight in this book was about the development of character of Theo as he was tossed about in uncontrollable circumstances.  Tartt really understands the adolescent male mind.  She created an extraordinary young man whose behaviors and attitudes reflect ""the survival of the fittest.""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R221DFYWNTD3VP?ASIN=0316055441	engaging but author needed to cut to the chase.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning was slow, I almost didn't feel like reading it.  The author pulled me in and I couldn't put the book down.  Off and on through the book I was similarly affected in a tug of war of not wanting to finish the book and then the need to see it to the end.  I would have liked the author to edit at least 200 words to cut to the chase.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PG7MWHFPHECC?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing story and writer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It has to be a complex, well-written book to keep me turning 775 pages. The author's knowledge of the intricacies of the art world, antiques world, youth drug culture, international art theft, Russian/Ukrainian-Americans, and the sense of place of New York City, Las Vegas, Amsterdam, etc., is astounding. I was intrigued right up to the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPR5GSBWQI4G6?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappointed. If Theo's great awakening was his summation in the last very long<br/>paragraph, Duh. I learned all that without getting wasted once.<br/><br/>Took a long time to read. Lost interest in Las Vegas and every subsequent time<br/>that Boris reappeared. Lost respect for the protagonist early and never got it<br/>back. Glad it was only $7.50 and sorry I recommended it to my friends. I bought it based on the fact that Charlie Rose had gushed<br/>over it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BO4WZQU32TOW?ASIN=0316055441	So dark.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really dislike abandoning books, and indeed can probably count on one hand the number of books I've abandoned.  So I am slogging my way through this.  I thought the premise was interesting at first, but I don't like just rambling, drug-filled, violent, and bizarre stories.  Only a few more pages to go and I can pick up something better.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J011K0BY8UVN?ASIN=0316055441	amazing writing and ridiculous book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After dragging the reader from pillar to post with more horrible things happening to the protagonist than seem possible, the author ends with about 20 pages of various character monologues (several tedious pages long per character) explaining the deep meaning and mystery of life. Vivid characters and story line, but in the end, it was like being beaten up for several hundred pages followed by a hundred pages explaining the cosmic meaning of the beating. No thanks.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FZBU5YISGPM2?ASIN=0316055441	Destined to become a classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this because it won the Pulitzer.  I didn't expect to be sucked into the story and walk around the house with my nose in my Kindle until I was finished.  It's a great read and the writing is ""yummy"" - language as art.  When I saw  that the author was from Mississippi, I was not surprised.  Southern authors are the best.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UGRANLM82UQX?ASIN=0316055441	The Godfinch Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I happened to see an interview with people who had traveled a very long distance to see the painting and a remark that it caused instant attention much as the Girl with One Pearl Earring had done some years ago. So I decided to read the book. I could not put it down. It is a very fast paced read. I felt the last section of the book got a bit preachy instead of having the characters act the philosophy. Goes back to advice for writers' guideline:  do - not tell.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HUVR7KTM1G7V?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved every minute of this book!  It's they type of book that, when you have to set it down for work or chores, you can't stop thinking about.  It was long but I never wanted it to end.  I can't imagine what I could follow this book up with.  I think I'll need to take a break just to let this masterpiece sink in for a while longer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VAQSJP8HPO4?ASIN=0316055441	Longest book I've ever read...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">...and I have no interest in reading another 750+ page book.  The story and characters are very well written and well developed.  There were twists in the plot I didn't expect - but then there were cheesy parts that were very predictable.  I could have easily cut 100 pages from the time with Boris in Las Vegas....that's all I'll say.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R73EIT4DVOVDP?ASIN=0316055441	I got through it but it was a slog at times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I won't add anything more to what has already been said but just to say, I managed to get through the novel although there were times when I almost put it down.  There were some highlights that kept me engaged enough to get to the end but the editor should have pushed more to trim this long tome down.  It would have read much better if about 25% had the story had been removed as there are passages that just go on and on and on and felt really unnecessary.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PXAZJNU0KZG6?ASIN=0316055441	You've got to be kidding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book because of all the hype. I have to say I hated hated this book!  The story started with an interesting idea and became a long, boring,ridiculous,and depressing ordeal.  I continued to read it expecting something to happen that would enlightened me as to the books ""greatness"". Never happened. Don't waste your time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SXDGXALU5IS0?ASIN=0316055441	Tiresome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The novel dragged on and on--it was exciting in the beginning but as it wore on and on, the characters failed to develop and remained true to their original selves--no learning occurred.  There were too many pages devoted to substance abuse and the relationship between Boris and Theo.  I kept hoping they would join AA and move on.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJMWL44XKQIVT?ASIN=0316055441	Never compare to Dickens	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even though this book has been on the New York Times best seller list for 27 weeks, it is not worthy of 5 stars, if the ending would have come a few hundred pages sooner it may have received more stars. I enjoyed the book only up to a point then it got so tedious that I struggled to read the rest, at times only skimming the pages.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL91F0TT701JU?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had hemmed and hawed over whether I would like this book, but it was intriguing from the get-go. It really made me think about how one event and/or one decision made early on in life could affect the rest of your life. I loved it! My only complaint, which is so minor that it didn't affect the rating, was the lengthy philosophical ending. In my opinion, that could have been cut short because there was plenty of that throughout the book. Read this book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26GGHWRY5IP6J?ASIN=0316055441	Tour de Force Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt creates a tour de force novel, bringing the reader inside the alternate worlds of drugs, antiques, fine art, and their cataclysmic intersections.  The characters are so finely rendered as to be 'real' to the reader in all their frailties, faults, and soaring moments of love.  To date, I have read and re-read the ending at least 3 times, and plan to read it again and again, as it resonates with all the reasons why mankind strives eternally to create and why we all respond so viscerally to some creation, place, or moment of beauty.  Do NOT miss reading this exploration of so many vivid areas of our current world!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39SJOO6VQHZDN?ASIN=0316055441	Extremely wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Does not get going for 400 pages. Last half well written but a Pulitzer - really????. Extremely dark and depressing. Sorry I cannot highly recommend this book although I am an avid reader. There was so much unimportant digressing it was difficult to discern exactly what was really important. Better editing would have been a plus.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O29JYNEKX333?ASIN=0316055441	A book that will hold up for years to come	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cannot recommend this book more highly.  Donna Tartt has created a whole world with fully realized characters.  The prose beautifully describes every setting, dropping the reader at turns in the rainy streets of New York, or the glare of the Nevada desert, the blast of icy air conditioning, the feverish dreams of Theo Decker, and the safety and comfort of Hobie's workshop. Her craft is evident in the choice of language, the syntax of dialect, the color of descriptions, and the authenticity of every character, each multi-dimensional and complex.  It's a long book at almost 800 pages, and I was so sad that it had to end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CT5OOTUUAR2D?ASIN=0316055441	Review of THe Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book was very slow in places and there were many loose ends left at the end. I'm sorry to disagree with finer minds than mine, but I didn't think it warranted a Pulitzer (and neither did my book club). It could have been about 400 pages instead of the length of 700+ and I think it would have made for a better book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FGNGUN8RGJPH?ASIN=0316055441	too much drugs	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Having seen people with drug problems I'm not sure any one could take that many and mixture without having more side effects than the main character.  It seems like the whole book was pseudo intelligential or just didn't ring true to life.  Having said this I have talked to people who loved it.  Maybe just not my typed of book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26STSPOETCUZ6?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a wonderful writer and this is a great book.  My regret is that after spending so much time reading (it is over 800 pages in length), getting to know and enjoying the characters, I felt sad that I'd finished and had to let go of them.  I've reread the last 20 or 30 pages of the book at least three times.  I love the philosophical conclusion, I love this writer's work.  And, the price was great, the timely delivery of the book as well.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R182NMOB10EQ4W?ASIN=0316055441	such a sad story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just a character study of a traumatized and mentally unstable man who never finds a way out of his funk. The story had great potential, but never quite reached it. I hoped for much more from this book. Would definitely NOT recommend it to anyone as it was just a colossal, depressing waste of time. Pulitzer Prize? Really? Sigh.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O0Q3XQQLTZWU?ASIN=0316055441	Long & Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm so glad I'm done and so sorry I finished this rambling, alcoholic, drug infused story!  Could anything be more boring?  I'm sorry I wasn't one on the 'nonexistent readers' Tartt refers to in the ending chapters. The hopelessness and destructive characters are anything but riveting and interesting. Very depressing and slow.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35CVBOVTQ54YL?ASIN=0316055441	excellent prose- disjointed but interesting novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the story of the painting and learned to love the painting itself.  The characters were well drawn , and there was suspense. Unfortunately the suspense was interrupted by hard to follow sometimes philosophical and sometimes wandering and meandering stream of consciousness.  Would not recommend this book energetically.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y39IKCT28IFZ?ASIN=0316055441	self indulgent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best thing I can say about his book is that it reminded me of Catch in the Rye.<br/><br/>But The Goldfinch is so self indulgent and pompous.  And sooo looong.  My God!  I cannot remember the last time I had to speed pages and skim ahead through pages and  pages of verbosity.<br/><br/>I'm glad it's over.  Never again.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LAJ0P7PSEBGA?ASIN=0316055441	A disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">With the high ratings I saw, I expected this to be an engaging long read. Part one seemed to promise just that, but once the story moved to Las Vegas it devolved into page after page  of alcohol and drug abuse with little story, plot, or movement.  The book could be summed up in a quote near the end, ""life is catastrophe."" I finished  the book hoping  for something to redeem  it and make it worth the hours spent reading it, I was disappointed.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M3V0SE6G2FNI?ASIN=0316055441	long and boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was very long, overly descriptive and extremely slow moving. A psychological study of a young mans struggle though life which I found boring.It is very well written which I presume is why it won a Pulitzer, but  I found it was easy to put down and not rush back to read. If I had trouble sleeping I would pick up this book</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC0EQ0AIBDZF8?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch--A little too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I have read rave reviews of this book, I have another take.  The first 300-400 pages were fascinating and fast reading.  The last one hundred pages were also excellent.  However, in between, there were several hundred pages that lagged.  Perhaps the book was just too long, like a movie that lasts a half hour too long.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19OYB42ORMG8F?ASIN=0316055441	If there was a no-star, I would give it that.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Simply, this book is a waste of time and money.  What could have been a good and interesting story is boring and long-winded. I've been skimming and skipping just to get to the end, but it seems endless. How did this book win a Pulitzer? Maybe the judges were on the same drugs and alcohol mentioned endlessly in this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LPLQKCU2HALE?ASIN=0316055441	A gifted author, well written book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't often give low scores.  I liked the style of writing, but the story was so miserable and mournful with such temporary, brief moments of happiness that I decided it was giving me a sadness inside and, as a melancholic, I really don't need that.  I know it's a bestseller and many will love it, but it's not for me.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGIPKXCCY67Y2?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was hard to put down.  Really well written with great characters and a story that was exciting and fun, while also heartbreaking and uncomfortable at times.  What stuck with me the most was seeing this sweet, innocent kid's life turned upside-down on one tragic day that spiraled into a difficult childhood, then watching him become a fairly awful adult.  It made me wonder how he would have turned out if that day never happened.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J0SX9HVZZ57C?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch a novel that kept me interested until the last few chapters.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I throughly enjoyed this book, the twists and turns of the life that the main character lived through was amazing and his will to live was even more-so!  However by the time the final chapters came along, I was very very disappointed with the ending, or nonending.  It was a real disappointment to have it end so flatly.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I1MMVYM8NKQH?ASIN=0316055441	Absorbing Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was totally caught up by the richness of characters and themes when reading The Goldfinch.  From the opening chapter to the final pages, Donna Tartt carries the reader through questions of loss, choice and the consequences of actions.  Are we controlled by our choices or by the circumstances into which life and fate thrust us?  This is one of those rare books that offers many issues for thoughtful discussion.  I highly recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36OYN92STRX78?ASIN=0316055441	Where was the editor?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The endless and overwhelming descriptions of almost everything almost made the plot disappear.  Over done in scene description, over done in drug use description and underdone in character presentation.  Wolfe's editor could have made this a truly great novel instead of a merely passable one. Too bad.  Great idea.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O4CDJL3DTUM3?ASIN=0316055441	Greatly Over rated.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">BORING.....I found myself flipping and skipping numerous pages. How many pages does it take to tell us Theo (Potter) and Boris are drug addicts, sniffing and snorting, popping pills and vomiting? Same thing over and over, page after page. Boris reappears as an adult - again I'm skimming, skipping pages.  I read on and on just to say I read the book. I was so happy to finally reach the end!<br/>A Pulitzer Prize winning novel???</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MXATYY1KI89F?ASIN=0316055441	Just ok for me...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't hate the protagonist as much as some other critical reviewers, but I also didn't see what was the fuss.  The story did not seem original or particularly interesting. The writing was fine, but nothing close to mind-blowing; there was nothing particularly revealing about the art form or the subject matter.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GLZO1YU94EJB?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked this book.  It's a modern day saga filled with unique characters, especially Theo's friend, Boris, and kind Hobie.  The story is a vivid trip following Theo's life from when he was thirteen to about 28 years old.  There were happy times, but sadly more difficult times.  I was hooked from the first page with this enthralling book, it's a long read, but it doesn't drag.  Donna Tartt is an outstanding storyteller!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N66I1YW3G8GC?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant Writing. Lazy Ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch follows a motherless teenager through a druggy and alcoholic haze into a seemingly endless loop of bad decisions and heart-warming redemptions. In the opening chapters, I worried that Theo Decker would turn into yet another pathetic Holden Caulfield, stumbling through the usual misunderstood boy in private school situations. However, as the story migrates from Manhattan to New York and Holland, Theo's story transcends the cliche. Though the writing is almost sublimely brilliant, a preachy, overtly philosophical final 50 pages was like an scratch across a masterpiece.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UWSCJNWRA8TO?ASIN=0316055441	Painful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so excited to see this book released, ""The Secret History"" is still one of my favorite books of all time.  I honestly must admit that I am doubtful that I will finish this book although thank merciful God we left Las Vegas finally.  I'm so glad others enjoyed reading this book, I cannot endorse it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U2LKF26TWTU5?ASIN=0316055441	This novel is brilliantly written--the descriptions were so vivid I could see the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is brilliantly written--the descriptions were so vivid I could see the scenes clearly in my mind, and really got into the main character.  The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is that it is difficult for me to handle all the stress in such a dark story even though there were a few lighter parts.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LBV6TDLT7FC4?ASIN=0316055441	Story of a Hop-Head Without Brains God Gave Him	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Our hero Theo took advantage of people who took him in, couldn't pass up the drugs and couldn't figure out the right thing to do with the title painting. The final blow to this reviewer was the last few pages where Theo set forth the philosophy he didn't follow at any time in his life. I did not like this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMYDUZJRSVKKX?ASIN=0316055441	vivid	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredibly vivid and accurate portrayals of many of life's best and worst feelings through the eyes of the main character .  Tart has an amazing ability to bring any scenario to life, make you feel you are right there in the moment.<br/><br/>Page-turner, thrilling, but depressing in an addicting kind of way.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R170R6T6T5RAC8?ASIN=0316055441	Page after page describing what it is like to get high	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing story of a young man's drug addiction due to tragedy of losing is mother. Page after page describing what it is like to get high, what is like going through withdrawawl, and then repeating the cycle. This is coupled with a teenager stealing a famous painting. Hard to believe this book won an award.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KQGK2BRXHH0Z?ASIN=0316055441	Worthy of the Pulitzer Prize	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book was masterfully written. It was our book club selection and caused a spirited discussion. I would recommend this book to anyone. It is quite lengthy but moves quickly and one shouldn't start skimming as you will miss the author's wonderful prose and intricate storyline . I loved reading it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18GXCDVK7UI5M?ASIN=0316055441	It's a long story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit too long, and the descriptions went on forever.  Our hero's grief and obsession often became tedious.  However, beautifully written, wonderful plot, well drawn characters, and philosophican musings that really left me thinking.  As other reviewers have noted, it's hard to miss the Dickensian overtones.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FRGQMGWEJ0R7?ASIN=0316055441	mixed feelings	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book held my interest until near the end.  I did not like the  endless philosophy of life coming  from Theo nor did I like the way the questions about  the fate of characters that we had come to know intimately were not answered.  I feel that I invested emotionally in the book and came away unfullfilled.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPSSA67R1RPH5?ASIN=0316055441	The audio version is FANTASTIC	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">34 hours of excellent reading out loud!  The reader captured the accents, the teenage nuances,  and was well worth the extra fee for audible!  This was our book club's monthly choice.  I bought the kindle version and then clicked on the audible button. Easy. An excellent book to discuss with family members.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W33ZQOH4PZ46?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love really talented writers who craft a great story. After reading so many books that are like Captain Crunch for the brain, this is a pure pleasure to read. Beautifully structured by making you at once laugh and wince, rejoice and ache. To occasionally have to look up the meaning of a word is a delight.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13PSFFMY5XRUY?ASIN=0316055441	Best most expressive fiction in many years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story of Theo Decker and his custody of an invaluable painting is extraordinary.  The richness of description (the terror scene which effectively opens the story is remarkable, and only the start.  The strange and wonderful characters he meets along his path, especially the bizarre and fascinating Boris are sad, beautiful, and hilarious.<br/><br/>Best read of contemporary fiction I can remember in a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XCZDFR3YH9W4?ASIN=0316055441	Exceptional Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was recommended to me by a friend who loves books and she did tell me that it was a long read.  Yes it was, about 740 pages but certainly well worth the time it took to read it.  This is a very special book and so detailed and the author most be congratulated for writing an exceptional novel</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKKSVEA3T2ZQW?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Read  *****	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a fantastic read. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the storyline, and found myself wanting to get back to the story every time I had any free time.  MS Tartt has done a remarkable job of telling a story as a 13-yr old boy that grows into adulthood. I would highly recommend this book to all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39PMO4I5GXGFY?ASIN=0316055441	a decent story with too much moralizing at the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall, Goldfinch is very well written with interesting characters and a well-drawn, if a bit fatalistic, plot. However, the author spent the last 5% of the book spinning out her views on life and death, and that part dragged. It would have been nice for that to develop more naturally in Theo's thoughts.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3XY3ZXN2L2U3?ASIN=0316055441	Be thankful for libraries!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i got this book from the library and am very glad I did not spend any money on it. It started out well, but around the time Theo heads to Las Vegas would have been a good time to quit. Unfortunately, I didn't. The book is way too long and rambling. I found myself skimming more and more. A waste of time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XEBZK8N2FE2Y?ASIN=0316055441	It is a good tome but falls off at the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book was good but it seems somewhat confused to me.  It is this grand story and then it falls into a bit of a cliche suspense book and then it spends the last 30-40 pages lecturing with no solutions.  I really liked reading it but I felt a bit low after finishing it and was not satisfied.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30YICN16IY2B4?ASIN=0316055441	raw and real	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No sugar coating here. Life is where ying and yang exist, joy and despair exist. There's no getting away from it. The characters are lovable, raunchy and charming. Each are beautiful and ugly at the same time. At times the story drags, but so too does life. Overall, well written and a thoughtful read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GLDKG79QQ2D3?ASIN=0316055441	Poor Little Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Seven hundred and seventy one pages of drugs, f...words, unlikeable characters, overly written passages, and improbable plots.<br/>The only reason I finished it was because it's for our bookclub.  Should make for a good discussion.  I know there are those who liked it.  This remains a mystery to me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZBW7JZ6JS6RX?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch started out great! The story was so interesting and the writing ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch started out great!  The story was so interesting and the writing was excellent!  I enjoyed many of the characters, especially Boris.  However, toward the end of the story I was sick of the drug abuse and the poor choices made by the protagonist to the point I almost abandoned the book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZTQ5XBZSV7AS?ASIN=0316055441	ponderous and self absorbed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">thoroughly unappealing characters. ponderous and repetitive, long and labored descriptions of drug induced states. improbably plot line. made me tired just reading it. ending was pedantic and annoying. I would not recommend this book to anyone, unless they were looking of a jump start on depression.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J83MG29TL7OA?ASIN=0316055441	... found parts of the novel to be affecting and beautifully written, but overall felt it could have been ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found parts of the novel to be affecting and beautifully written, but overall felt it could have been much shorter. So little happened in much of the book, and the protagonist's inner monologue became repetitive instead of illuminating. Over all, it seemed a bit like a long road to a small house.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RG6T46ZC0H7B?ASIN=0316055441	Long and wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long and wordy.  Too involved and hard to read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S6VIE97ZIRM8?ASIN=0316055441	Way too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to like this book and I did, in parts.  But some of the scenes went on and on and on.  Exhausting!  I saw it through and finished it, but sorely disappointed in the verbosity.  Found myself skipping through parts that became overkill.  Expected much more and resent the time I spent on it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL4LN8GP5JGIX?ASIN=0316055441	A classic in the making	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Future generations will certainly be assigned this book in English literature class - I loved it, and those I have recommended it to did also. It is long, it is a mystery, the characters of beautifully drawn, and the book is beautifully written. Incidentally, it recently won the pulitzer prize --</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R95XI6KRXI0KW?ASIN=0316055441	disjointed, bleak, does not ring true	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting philosophy.  Some good thinking points. Way too long for content - too wordy.  Best skimmed - otherwise a serious waste of time.<br/><br/>Lots of hanging facts, improbable events. Huge money gift from doormen?  Why?  How?  Starts with "" I killed my mother.""  Then no backup.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EWZ4X5LC9JE5?ASIN=0316055441	The  Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was enthralled by this story.The  characters are people we all know or know of and who inform our lives in some way and so are their stories.The book makes promises that the story keeps almost to the end.Dissapointingly the end is not committed to the same and I<br/>felt let down and lied to.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TWC8AMTRXF7M?ASIN=0316055441	Not so great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the first quarter of this book.  The story of the young boy dealing with the death of his mother was very moving.  But the rest of the book left me cold.  Too many drugs, alcoholism, and creepy people. I lost interest.  Tartt writes beautifully, but the plot didn't work for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY1U1IWCI757F?ASIN=0316055441	A LONG novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is interesting and engrossing. I really cared about Theo. The furniture refinishing details were fascinating. She needed an editor; many descriptions, e g drug using in Las Vegas, seemed endless. It inspired me to visit The Goldfinch at the Frick, and it is indeed a perfect painting.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FUX3FONKUK1?ASIN=0316055441	Good book but not as good as the reviews had led me to expect.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book but must admit I think it was really over-hyped.  I had seen it compared to the likes of David Copperfield and Dickens it is not.  The characters and story are interesting but not memorable.  Worth the read but not one I'm ever likely to reread like so many of my favorites.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZAK0675IOZ0A?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is long!  But stick with it, it's worth it.  The reader follows The Goldfinch painting and its perilous journey over many years. The friendships that develop throughout the book and the strength of the main characters made a good read. It's a wild ride but one well worth the journey.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PPVN7WU2HTBO?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great insight into the concentric and ever-expanding ripples that grief makes when dropped into a child's life.  Secrets, unfillable voids, trauma, furniture restoration, the redemptive power of love are turned over like stones along a path in this book.  Also wonderful a examination of the futility of drugs to medicate the existential dread that we all having lurking beneath our regular lives.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR3GV6GQGEGUB?ASIN=0316055441	Could Not Wait for It To End	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you want to surround yourself with a cast of thoroughly unlikable and mostly nihilistic characters for 800 excruciating pages than you're more of a masochist than me. I have absolutely no clue what the Pulitzer committee was under the influence of when they voted to give it their prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S8A82PM1DSY?ASIN=0316055441	Weary...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book's plot was very interesting but the length was way too long.  I just skimmed the last 1/3 of the book to finish.  Everything  was described to the nth degree -- reminded me of 'An American Tragedy' which I just finished the same way -- skimming the last of book to get to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NO62NFBMJUBC?ASIN=0316055441	Very well written with fully drawn characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I kept wanting to tap on the literary window and whisper, ""Don't believe him! No, not that way. You've SMARTER than that!"" But like all good fiction, the protagonist ignored me, the reader, and occasionally chose exciting over smart. He gets himself into the proverbial briar patch more than a couple times and you just root for him to find a place where he once again is truly loved.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DMPY49EAXH8S?ASIN=0316055441	A little too much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I choose to read this on the opinion of another.  The beginning grabbed me but the middle lost me.  To many ideas flowed out of the pages.  The author lost in his own words.  It took me a long time to finish but I was in too far to give up.  I don't think I would recommend this to anyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGPEJQ3MRTOZ?ASIN=0316055441	Why the Pulitzer?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can't understand what the fuss was a about this book.  Dragged myself through it as I thought it would get better. I asked the opinion of several friends who also read it. Four our of six agreed with me while two raved about it. I was never able to like Theo or Boris. Perhaps I'm too old.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MOUDBYZ00E9W?ASIN=0316055441	I found the beginning of the book to be great! It drew me into the story quickly	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the beginning of the book to be great! It drew me into the story quickly. Reading on I found the story dragging and so much about the drug world that it turned me off. I did however finish the book to its philosophical ending. Can't say that I would recommend this book to friends.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VCT9AXAOVR8B?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book, and didn't want it to end. I wish it was 700 pages longer. Donna Tartt is a beautiful writer, and her characters were so well drawn. I was rooting for Theo every step of his journey, and wanted so much for things to work out for him. It was a wild ride, an amazing book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D0Q1HKO596XG?ASIN=0316055441	Did not live up to the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can usually read a book in 2-3 days.  This book took over a month because I COULD put it down.  The author goes on page after page with one description of something.  The story itself was ""okay"" but it did not hold my interest.  I did finish the book, but would not recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IWQ8ZH384JYZ?ASIN=0316055441	very intensely personal and insightful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story pulls you into it with very raw emotion and brings the reader back to childhood and then grows I to adulthood before your very eyes.  I loved the book although, for the ending after such a dramatic climax, I wanted a bit more personality along with his generalities about life.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NUC4LVZMBAFD?ASIN=0316055441	Everything else in the interim was beyond boring. I do NOT recommend this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book drags.  I only continued reading it because I'm one of those people that 'if I start a book, I need to finish reading it'.  The book was slightly interesting in the beginning and then at the end.  Everything else in the interim was beyond boring.  I do NOT recommend this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB55FVFZVQR64?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful prose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">but....bogged down in places where brevity would have been preferred.  Her characters were well developed, and exposed how frail and imperfect is man.  Tartt's ability to create visions from metaphor and beautifully phrased rhetoric is astounding. Understandably a Pulitzer Prize winner.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HGQAVNQ2RZ01?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully Written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is beautifully written prose about the life of a young man as he deals with many hardships. It is a long book but soon one becomes part of his life. It was slow toward the end but it was still hard to put down, although depressing at times. I have recommended it to others.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PX442TBLCRBC?ASIN=0316055441	what a disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch started with the promise of a rich and deeply satisfying story and ended in a stamina battle to slog through to a bitter ending. To add insult to injury, the author felt a schoolgirl obligation to hammer home her moral insights and homilies at the conclusion over and over.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38IYRHF6R5XX2?ASIN=0316055441	Stunning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished this book seconds ago and never wanted it to end. I'm not even equipped to describe it but words like masterful and profound, which I rarely use, come to mind. This book is even better than Secret History, which is saying a lot. It's unfortunate that Charlie Rose had clearly not read this book when he interviewed Donna Tartt recently - he left so many questions unasked!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OB1N1Q9V015?ASIN=0316055441	two books in one	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the first half - lost me the second half. With all the hype I was really looking forward to this read, but after page 400 the book turned from an amazing story of growing pains from a very real character  to a cops and robber story with a character so unbelievable it was comical.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18ZLEXPHWYM4X?ASIN=0316055441	Clever Premise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved it and couldn't put it down--always a good sign for me--even though I often wanted to shake Theo!<br/>The European escapade in the latter part of the book was rather improbable...but then again, this IS  fiction after all!<br/>I'm now interested to read more from Donna Tartt.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7A7FMOY83GXK?ASIN=0316055441	THE WHOLE RAVE THING IS TRUE	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A most unusual story, a tad wordy at 775 pages. I would say that about 675 are captivating, enthralling and poignant. If I awakened in the night, I would grab my IPad and read for a while. I was ridiculously hooked!!  I am awaiting a sequel, hoping that the end is still being written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LHWR8FI5UKWP?ASIN=0316055441	Way to long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found myself skimming through the chapters. This book could have been a lot better if half of it had been edited out.  It rambled on, beating a scene to death.  After committing all the time it took to read I found the ending to be a let down. The basic story was interesting though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11QO1D1AA73VV?ASIN=0316055441	Ho Hum	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Maybe I'm not the targeted audience - I found the book a bit tedious. Repetitious descriptions of drug and alcohol abuse... boring!<br/>Some of the museum and furniture repair stuff was interesting. I'm thinking that I'm not the right reader (I was alive in the 60's, 70's and 80's).</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27SXC6CRYH1FP?ASIN=0316055441	A little disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the last 100 pages difficult to power through. I went from a feeling of  can't put this book down to wondering if it were ever going to end. I kept hoping my Kindle page counter was off--sorry to say. Maybe I had expectations for a Pulitzer Prize winner that were unrealistic?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21W3I65IS0KI5?ASIN=0316055441	I Hated It	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a book club selection, not my personal choice. The writer had diarrhea of the pen!  I would d skip pages to get on with the darn story  Over 700 ppm,for what? I found no redeeming qualities of main character.  It was painful and fulfilling to read this book to the bitter end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WD9IUNHFZ6ST?ASIN=0316055441	Remarkable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A young boy's tragedy follows him through adulthood. The choices one makes and does not make. How an object, a moment, a relationship frames who we are and what we search for. Something matters to us and speaks to us. Others may not see or understand, but you do. Highly recommended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F0AR969KSI9I?ASIN=0316055441	Life sucks,and then you die.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a downer! Randomly opened the book to page 506,after  asking myself,""why are you spending so much time with such unhappy creatures?"" From page 506:""ugly echoes from childhood,"" ""tragedy,""""illness,"" ""death,""""delusional.""And that's just the first two paragraphs.<br/>If misery is your idea of the theme of a very long book,enjoy!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P7PIM7TH7RJZ?ASIN=0316055441	too much of a good thing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant author cannot stop herself from writing. The book, as wonderful as it is in so many, many ways, is about 200 pages too long. It is a shame to finish a masterpiece like this one feeling,""Thank goodness it's over,"" rather than ,""I wish I were just starting.""</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SJ1YDWCK9Y0G?ASIN=0316055441	Not All that Glitters is Gold	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the moment I began this book, I was caught up in the intrigue of a great story line.  I prefer novels which are believable and yet an escape from the mundane.  I could easily image the young Theo being thrown into such an incredible and horrific circumstance.  I enjoyed the author's unfolding of his life.  However, as I continued to read, I found the attention to infinite detail becoming tedious.  I was curious as to the ending of Theo's life, but not curious enough to continue my read.  I ceased forcing myself to investigate further at about two thirds of my venture into this novel.  I simply could not endure more.  What began as an illuminating rocket fizzled all too quickly.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XGOMKLGL8DUP?ASIN=0316055441	I felt smarter as I read it! A fantastic book. Thank you Donna!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A primer in art. An appreciation for citizens of the world like Boris. An honest look at addicts and the way they live- and an acknowledgment that functioning people can be addicts. A philosophy of good and bad that I have never considered before. All of this in a wonderful story!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L6VXNI7VHAH0?ASIN=0316055441	Prize-worthy!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story is so rich with authentic people, places, and scenarios. Tartt writes with such detail and truth I kept expecting to look and see the characters sitting there in the room with me.  The humor, the hopelessness, and even the sense of redemption- I loved reading this book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNH7W2895CS9N?ASIN=0316055441	Great Story but long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very good story, it kept you interested, and hard to put down at times, other times I just skimed pages.  Very informative about the art world and antiques.  A good example of stream of conscious writing.  It seemed like the author got paid by the word.  Just too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FYW6OK1RYYAO?ASIN=0316055441	Balance and cadence of this book is uneven and annoying. So much description is spent on certain sections ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Balance and cadence of this book is uneven and annoying. So much description is spent on certain sections that, at the end, resolution is not achieved, such as his relationship with Kitsey. Would not recommend this book despite the fact that it received the Pulitzer for fiction.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SOFDAIY4T3HV?ASIN=0316055441	Five stars!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The authors skill of imaging distinct characters left me seeing them smelling them and hearing their voices. The storyline held captivating twists. There were such intense coincidences yet so believable. The ending perfect neither mundane nor saccharine. A five star read for me.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22MPLZ66EBN97?ASIN=0316055441	good promise but fell short	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were definitely parts I liked - Hobie, The Barbours, scenes in the workshop - but overall this was a big, long drugfest that I did not enjoy. I agree with several other reviewers that I enjoyed the first 100 - 200 pages and had hopes to enjoy the rest of the book. Too bad.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P5PIU5NH9VEK?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed Goldfinch! it is so well written and is paced perfectly for my taste. I had no prior knowledge of the buzz about this book. You will have a difficult time putting this book down.  It is dark and sad and doesn't have a happy ending but I found it so moving.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWX6DFNFDB9RP?ASIN=0316055441	An awakening...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was recommended to me. It was a hard book to put down once I got into it. The deepest book I have ever read,  I am somewhat awestruck by the author's ability to lay bare those places in the human soul that we all know about, and spend our lives seeking to define.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PQS0578PQV15?ASIN=0316055441	a choice for our book club	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">We have read her other 2 novels as well.  The length was daunting for me and I did what I do when I finish a book,, I start it over, reading the first chapter or two, and see how it pulls together.<br/><br/>Seemingly it is the book everyone is talking about this year.  I do recommend it and agree with it being compared to Dickens.  I can't say it is a lovable book...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19KSNT72X9CXV?ASIN=0316055441	Only if you are retired and have lots of time to waste!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First, before I launch into my tirade about The Goldfinch, I must proffer full disclosure: I did not READ The Goldfinch but rather, listened to it as an audio version. Having stated that, I ask, why did Ms. Tartt win a Pulitzer for this??? The Pulitzer should have instead been awarded to the three reference books she evidently used to write this novel, i.e., The Great Big Book of Similies; The Great Big Book of Metaphors; and, The Thesaurus. This audio version was 26 CDs long!!! At around CD #16 I wanted to quit as the thought of another 10 more was almost punishment for some past act of negative karma<br/><br/>It takes, at the minimum, two things for an audio CD to be at least good: a good reader and a good story. This had the former but not the latter.<br/> The narrator, one David Pittu, is an excellent reader. He brought many characters to life with his ability to adopt accents,tone and inflection as they might have had they really existed. But, by about disk 15 or so, I grew very weary of his voice. It wasn't his fault, it was the novel. I mentioned the three reference volumes above, even if two do not exist, because it seemed to me that for every verb or adjective Ms.Tartt wanted to use, she referred to the Thesaurus and used every synonym she could find and aplied them rather than just the word itself. In the same manner, every event was described with every available simile and or metaphor she could possible pad the sentance/paragraph/novel with. Towards the end I found myself groaning aloud things such as ""Come on already, what is it you want to say!"" or, ""Get on with it!"". Fortunately, these statement were made on my early morning walks with few people to startle.<br/><br/>I found the main character to be whinny and basically ineffectual  but instead, warming up to Boris's carpe diem nature. I mostly enjoyed the passages in which he was featured but that in itself was not sufficient for me to give this review any more than one star. If it had not been for the raves my family and friends gave to The Goldfinch and, in particular my ex wife, who persuaded me to continue on when I was ready to can it at disk 16, claiming that it ""got really good"", I would have quit - and it takes a lot for me to quit a book! Unfortunately, I persevered and in retrospect, I am sorry I did for the promised ""really good"" ending was just rambling sophomoric life philosophy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JGX9H3K2M82E?ASIN=0316055441	Huck Finn, The Drug Addict Version	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is Tartt's attempt at the Great American Bildungsroman.  The story of Theo and Boris calls to mind the story of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer with its narrative of the orphan and the otherwise neglected youth left pretty much to fend for themselves.  Other classics of the genre are also called to mind - Oliver Twist (orphans forced into the underworld), Great Expectations (the unattainable childhood love and the wealthy benefactor), The Catcher in the Rye (anomie of confused youth in Manhattan).<br/><br/>But more than anything else, this is a book about a drug addict.  Clocking in at nearly a thousand pages, Tartt takes her time in developing a detailed narrative of the hero's plunge into abuse of alcohol and other numerous drugs I didn't know existed.  The drug use and the minutely detailed passages on Sotheby's-class American antique furniture is handled lovingly by a born writer.  Sadly, however, for most readers it will seem way too extended and numbing (esp. the drug abuse) for them to feel appreciative by the time they finish the book.<br/><br/>You can tell that Tartt is a great writer.  Her handling of the museum scene after the explosion is like nothing I have ever read before - she does an awesome job of capturing the disjointed, dreamlike state of Theo and the old man.  I will remember those passages for a very long time.  She handles dialog throughout the novel quite well too: many of the conversations feel real by capturing the fragmented logic of real people talking.  And as others have mentioned here, the first 40% of the book dealing with Theo's childhood in NY and Las Vegas are excellent.<br/><br/>But when Theo returns to NY and we enter his young adulthood, the writing feels like it is just dragging on.  By the time it becomes a Hollywood action flick in Amsterdam, the action picks up but strangely that is when the reading becomes the hardest slog.  The end of the novel is quite in keeping with Huckleberry Finn, with its deus ex machina resolution (and a money reward to boot!).  But while Twain prefaced his novel by saying that anyone attempting to find a moral to the story will be shot, Tartt devotes the final 30 odd pages to Theo's moralizing which proves unsatisfactory.<br/><br/>In the end, one is impressed by Tartt's writing skills and some really brilliant writing here and there, but it is the story of a heavy drug abuser that is too long.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GK6KZPXNMAXO?ASIN=0316055441	A stunning, complicated, and at times dense book that will keep the pages turning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Is it possible to both like and dislike a book at the same time? To answer my own question: yes, it is, because that is how I feel about The Goldfinch. And that is exactly what I think makes it so great.<br/><br/>I have no idea how to succinctly summarize this book in a few sentences, but I'll take a stab at it: A young Theo Decker survives a terrorist bombing at a museum, where his mother does not, and he now feels ultimately responsible for her death. Before leaving the museum after the bombing, Theo steals a painting (though not entirely with the thought of stealing on his mind) that his mother adored, and spends the rest of the novel in deep, deep agony and anxiety over the thought of getting caught with it. However, the rest of the novel also follows Theo's extremely complicated life as he grows into a man, and also how he becomes involved in the dirty, gritty art-thief underworld.<br/><br/>I'm not sure when the last was that I was this conflicted about a book. There are pages and pages of details that could easily be removed in an annotated version (not that I'm suggesting there actually should be an annotated version - I don't). However, the book would lack much of its character without the details - they are part of what makes this novel work so well.  Dashes, as well as all other forms of punctuation, are used a lot, and there is a  major sense of stream of consciousness that permeates Tartt's writing and drags the reader along for a whirlwind of a ride. I love her style of listingHer writing is so strong and almost obnoxious at times that I wouldn't disbelieve someone having a physical reaction to it. I could feel myself panicking along with Theo; I could feel my heart racing as Tartt's sentences became short, hurried, and jumbled. It's not a very lighthearted book, but it's also not in-your-face dark. It sort of drags on in this somewhat negative, somewhat ho-hum manner.<br/><br/>The characters are also hard to love, but also hard to hate. At times, I understood Theo, but at others, I couldn't stand him or figure out what was going on in his head. Deep down, Theo is simply the result of fragmented and broken childhood, struggling to make terms with himself and figure out his own life. However, he doesn't really actively try to figure out his life; instead, he just goes along with the flow, letting life take him where it does. There are few instances where Theo decides that he is going to take the reins and do something his way, such as when he decides to leave Las Vegas. Even then, though, this was a direct result of other circumstances (which I will not mention so as not to add spoilers). Theo is quiet and reserved, yet also impulsive and risk-taking. All these qualities in Theo makes it hard to decide whether he is one that should be pitied for having such a difficult life, or disdained for his irresponsible and sometimes uncaring behaviour.<br/><br/>We also have Boris. Where do you start with Boris? How does one even describe him? Boris is the son of a Ukrainian man that Theo meets in Las Vegas, who soon becomes one of his closest and only friends. Boris is free-spirited. He does what he wants, when he wants; he's extremely street smart, and seems to know everything, including how to get out of any sticky situation. Tartt does a really wonderful job of conveying Boris' accent; I swear I could actually hear that odd, English-learned-in-Australia-yet-Russian accent, and it was perfect.<br/><br/>There are so many other characters that I would love to delve into more, such as Andy, Hobie, Mrs. Barbour, Pippa, Kitsey, Xandra, and Theo's father, but I will refrain myself. Theo has many, many interactions with various people, and it is through these interactions that we begin to more fully understand who Theo really is as a person. Each relationship seems to reveal a little bit more about his personality, history, or opinions, and it provides a vast amount of information about Theo's character.<br/><br/>One other quick point I wanted to touch on regarding character relationships was Theo's relationship with his mother was also somewhat puzzling to me. There wasn't anything inappropriate, so I'm not implying that. But it didn't seem like the normal mother and son relationship; of course, everyone's relationship is different, but the way in which he reminisced and thought about their time together was displayed in an odd way. It was more like a long lost lover than a motherly relationship; he dreamed of their moments together, but not in a truly grief-stricken way. At the end, he mentions that<br/><br/>The Goldfinch is really rather haunting. Even when I put the book down, I could feel it lingering around me; I could still feel that bleak, drug-riddled mania that Theo so often had. I felt like I was constantly reading this book, and it felt as though it was taking me ages to make it through. It's a depressing book. I never walked away from it feeling happy or satisfied; I felt, instead, as if I were missing something - it was an uneasy sort of feeling. That being said, it's still addicting. I went through many phases where I truly enjoyed the story, and others when I just wanted it to be over. By the last 200 or so pages, I just wanted it to be over. Unnecessary plot lines and events became too much and I needed to finish this book so that I could move on with my life. At times it was difficult to remember what the plot or point of this novel was, and I could never truly decide if this novel was more about Theo and the painting, or Theo's personal life and development. Despite this, Tartt's prose truly does have moments of utter beauty; there are many passages and quotes that I would love to share, but I will share just one that I feel exemplifies Tartt's meaningful, deep, and breathtaking style:<br/><br/>  “That life - whatever else it is - is short. That fate is cruel but<br/>  maybe not random. That Nature (meaning Death) always<br/>  wins but that doesn’t mean we have to bow and grovel to it.<br/>  That maybe even if we’re not always so glad to be here, it’s<br/>  our task to immerse ourselves anyway: wade straight<br/>  through it, right through the cesspool, while keeping eyes<br/>  and hearts open. And in the midst of our dying, as we rise<br/>  from the organic and sink back ignominiously into the organic,<br/>  it is a glory and a privilege to love what Death doesn’t touch.”<br/><br/>I've seen quite a few people compare this book's style to Dickens, and I can actually understand the reference. The wordiness, the long, long sentences, the over-exaggerated need to add extra details and information - it's all there. She also takes time to explore and comment on the various social classes that inhabit the many different places Theo visits. She also takes great care in delving into the lives and details of a wide cast of characters, even those that the reader may not particularly care about. There are also a lot of orphans running around in this vast book, which is, of course, reminiscent of Dickens.<br/><br/>Honestly though, I don't know who to specifically recommend this book for because it covers such a wide variety of subjects. There are drugs, art history, young boy/teen adventures, bad parents, good parents, thievery, antiques, international travel, and so much more. If you have time, patience, and a thirst for something different, then I would implore you to give The Goldfinch a chance. It is long, arduous journey, but I think you'll be just as intrigued by Theo's life and struggles as I was, and therefore unable to put that book down. Even when you do, it will still remain stamped in your memory, and for that reason, I feel it deserves four stars.The overarching theme that ""life is short"" is a beautiful ending to this book, and I believe that it is something that everyone can learn, and no one can ever hear too much.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LIQJLQUGPIC6?ASIN=0316055441	THIS BELONGS IN THE AMAZON HALL OF FAME!!!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This masterpiece of divine literary art from Donna Tartt is an unequivocal joy to read.  There is no surprise in store for me that it was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction back in 2014; what *is* surprising is that it failed to win more prizes of an international nature.  One doesn’t simply *read* THE GOLDFINCH, one experiences it; one is uplifted by the attention to detail, and one is forced to sit in wonder at the effect it has on one’s soul.  The writing style used in the book is incredibly detailed; but therein lies it’s rub.  For some readers that is the major problem with the book.  In my opinion, it defines, and completely justifies, the book’s existence.<br/><br/>The story opens with a glorious dissertation on the wonders of love, art, devotion to one’s family members, and death.  A young boy is taken to an art gallery in New York City just when it is attacked by terrorism.  Before the chaos hits the building (and that of the book), a portrait featuring a tiny finch is described by Ms Tartt and excruciating, but heartbreakingly beautiful detail.  Hence the book’s title.  I am not sure if Young Theo is impressed by this pseudo lecture, but I certainly was, and even now, I can’t look at the book’s cover and not be moved by it.<br/><br/>Once the bomb goes off, many people are killed, hundreds are wounded, and most (if not all) are traumatised for life.  This book focuses on young Theo Decker, whose mother is the book’s brilliant, art-loving super star, and sadly, also one of the victims of the book’s opening attack on freedom.<br/><br/>It takes close to 150 pages for the boy (Theo) to even come to grips with the loss of his mother, but on every one of those pages, close to every sentence is a jewel for the reader to pick up and examine.  Plot strands become entwined as the story progresses (obviously) but the book’s first true literary highlight comes at the start of chapter four (’Morphine Lollipop’) when Theo returns a ring to its rightful owner.  And as it happens, another young visitor to the museum that day, one that was lucky to (barely) escape with her life - lies in a room darkened from reality at precisely the same address.<br/><br/>A fan of this work will find it hard to put the book down.  Conversations between characters (as well as the book’s standard descriptive text) are so sublime, and beautifully drawn, and potentially pivotal to the story line, that you simply can’t wait for them to come along in the book.  And the book’s characters themselves are so detailed and exquisitely presented to the reader that they become embedded into your mind (and heart, and soul) by the end of their relevant introductory paragraphs.<br/><br/>There are only 12 ’chapters’ in the book, which totals almost 900 pages.  But if you treat each chapter as a ’part’ then the book is easily broken down into sub-chapters, which no doubt makes the book less of a challenge.  Not that it needs to be made any easuer.  This Rolls Royce of Literature just about reads itself.  All YOU have to do is turn the pages!  Each ’part’ is given a rather abstract title however.  Chapter one is entitled, ’Boy With A Skull’, and chapter 2 is, ’The Anatomy Lesson’.  I must admit to not seeing the connection between each of the titles and the action contained in each chapter, but I expect by book’s end I will be more experienced in divining Ms Tartt’s thought processes than I was at the start.<br/><br/>So what do i think of this book?  It is an amazing and incredible read.  It is uplifting, funny, sad, realistic, but gruesome, extraordinarily emotive and happens to be one of the most beautifully written books I have ever come across.<br/><br/>Novels this good don’t deserve a five star rating.  They should be given a HALL OF FAME AWARD and be given six.<br/><br/>BFN Greggorio!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FIGIB0VUOIF0?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I spent about two months wrapped up in this world, and I was sorry to leave it when I finished the book. (I read mainly at bedtime, and this was a very long novel.) I loved this book. It covers so much ground, so many emotions, pain, loss, happiness, love, yearning, addiction, family love and dysfunction, friendship, loyalty, self-destruction and then redemption, survival, spirituality, and so much more than I can describe here. The book follows the main character, Theo, from his teenage years, just after a tragic incident, through adulthood--and with unbelievable detail that put me right into his world at every stage of his growing up. The author could have broken this down into two or three books with all the events and situations that occurred in Theo's life. And that's a compliment to her, because she packed this thing full of story and I'm glad I got it all at once.<br/><br/>Some may feel that it veers off into different directions, but that's exactly what I liked about the book. She always brought me back on track to Theo and the Goldfinch painting, which was the thread that ran through from beginning to end. She does delve quite a bit into addiction and I have to say that some of it was hard to read, but it was so realistic and written in such eloquent detail, I really could understand it and feel what the characters were feeling. But there is redemption and it is not a dark book: it's inspiring, but with some dark parts that are necessary to bring it all together in such a powerful way. (I also learned a little bit about antique furniture restoration.)<br/><br/>I'm really impressed with this novel and all the work that must have been put into it to create the long journey of Theo. Though different people have different tastes, I hope you will enjoy this book as much as I did. It's really refreshing to read something so compelling.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EH0LLG7F6K4G?ASIN=0316055441	A Book That Will Change Everything For You.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What I knew before embarking; 'the story of a boy, his mother, and a life-changing work of art' Sounds pretty straight-forward, right?<br/><br/>WRONG…<br/>If you have been to an art museum as of late (if you haven't...good luck with that thing you call a life) and have been in the presence of great art, then you have experienced the moment when you take a step closer and see the individual movements created by the artist to pass along his/her message to those fortunate enough to share in the moment. These movements (for poetic beauty, brushstrokes) when looked at closely each have their singular magnificence, purpose, and without which would leave a picture unintelligible. Donna Tartt's explanation 'a boy, his mother, and a life-changing work of art' remarks a vagueness reminiscent to Fabritius' movements of burnt umber. They are not the whole picture but when put in tandem with the other movements create a true masterpiece; The Goldfinch.<br/>To put this novel under a singular genre such as; historical fiction, or coming of age, or mystery, would be a disservice not only to the novel but to all other genres. This book has a little bit of everything with an artistic finesse guiding the reader from one archetypal genre to the next.<br/><br/>Beginning with a life-altering accident, and 15 years later concluding with Theo finally reaching the clarity and belonging he had been searching for since that fateful day, we learn that there are no “good” people nor are there any “bad” people, that are merely people. With people come flaws and differences that can ultimately lead us to subjectively deem them “good” or “bad”. The Goldfinch finds Theo ripped from his comfortable, single-parent mother and home that he cherished and follows him as he attempts to find this same comfort in the multitude of homes having relative relation to his former life.<br/><br/>While Theo’s journey is arduous and enthralling for the reader to witness, it is the group of caretakers and friends he encounters along his troubled way that gives this novel the praise it so rightly deserves. Tartt’s band of supporting characters weaving in and out of the, increasingly, hazy focus of Theo’s mind are written with a sense of stereotype respective to each character. Characters such as the Russian friend who drinks only vodka and grows up to be a Mafioso-type thug, or the upper west side heiress housewife more focused on public perception than true family, or even the irresponsible Vegas waitress-turned-stepmom who looks 10 years older from the strict diet of Margaritas and Rx cocktails. The majority of characters in the Goldfinch are well defined within their stereotypical limits, but what sets them apart is the amount of depth brought to these characters.<br/>As was said before, the primary lessoned learned is: we are neither good, nor bad, just human. The best examples of this archetypal limbo are the supporting characters. While one character is initially presented as bad, Tartt challenges the readers perception with moments of good which pushes said character out of the realm of bad and gives the reader a position to question what good or bad really means. Conclusion: Each character is merely human, pulled into a portion of a horrendous situation that challenges every person involved, situations much like those you or I would have to face.<br/>In the 775 pages that make up The Goldfinch Theo travels across the country and across the world trying to find meaning and belonging in a world constantly reminding him of that fateful day. Our natural inclination as humans is hopefulness, so to see Theo struggle, with fleeting moments of relief, the reader feels an overwhelming urge to continue, page by page, with the hopes that Theo Decker gets a hold on the clarity that he is grasping for.<br/>Tartt’s narrative, though extreme at times, at its core is a story we all can relate to. The Goldfinch at its core is about a boy seeking the innocence and splendor from his childhood, but all the while struggling to see the beauty of life in front of him.<br/><br/>After this book I can truly say that my perspective on what is true literature has changed. Before it was science fiction, young adult, and coming of age, but after this masterpiece it has become clear that every genre has genius works that should be acknowledged and given the respect true works of art deserve. Occasionally you will find, when taking a step closer, that the individual movements of a novel can transcend genres and in extension the readers who are lucky enough to have read it. Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch is a new classic that should not be looked over on the shelf of your local bookstore.<br/><br/>You can see all my reviews here: https://ello.co/montag-winston<br/>My Youtube Channel (all about books):https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSk8</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QEKSLBGTCAY?ASIN=0316055441	but not for any good reason. It didn't keep my interest	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started the book, and until I got the main character's name, I thought the character relating the story was a female.  I should have stopped then, but I didn't.  I slogged through the book. I'm sure I'll remember this book for a long time, but not for any good reason.<br/><br/>It didn't keep my interest.  There was a lot happening in terms of plot/action details, but there was too much over-researched description and philosophical, convoluted, mental swirling trying to join the action/plot together, and this didn't work in creating a coherent novel out of what might have been several decent shorter stories.  It could have been a good novel, but it went on far too long and created a character that was complex in his inconsistency.  He was a different person three or four times over, at least, without any base, defining, underlying structure that stayed consistent throughout.  The beginning few major life changes were the easier to read about/trudge through, but the character/story really took a downturn once the main character hit his 20s.<br/><br/>But I persisted, figuring there was enough book left for it to redeem itself.  I waited until the last page.  It didn't happen.<br/><br/>I hit one point in trying to keep the sense of yet another ""meaning of life"" internal diatribe by the main character where I stopped mid-sentence.  I didn't finish reading the sentence, but I inspected it.  It was 236 words long.  I remember that but not at all what was being said.  No self-respecting editor should have let that sentence stand.  I quit reading the book then.  I read three other books before I picked up The Goldfinch to attempt to finish it.<br/><br/>There are so many looses threads that are just dropped, and threads of plot that try to wrap up before they drop, that the ending was torture.  The last section of chapters has a feel of a writer trying to wrap up a story but can't find the end--it winds around and around without going much of anywhere.  So we don't get an end.  We get even more philosophical ramblings that are good in bits and pieces, but here are strung together over and over and over until we lose all sense--and this is supposed to indicate the main character finally doing serious soul searching to find himself, fix his life, and define his overall perspective on the ""meaning of life"".  Well over half of that whole section could disappear and it would have been much better.<br/><br/>Toward the end there was this very jarring ""by the way, all this you are reading is writing from my notebooks that I've kept for years"", which I guess is a last-ditch way to explain some of the books more convoluted sections--it's the character's journal and people ramble and rant and go in circles when writing in a journal, it's cathartic.  But with the too little, too late, multiple declarations of ""no one's ever going to read this"", coupled with the odd question of ""what happened that we are reading it now"", it added to the sense of ""nothing ties together into a whole"" that I got from this entire book.<br/><br/>HOWEVER, the book was a bestseller for months, and got a Pulitzer, so there must have been some redeeming quality that I missed, some thread to tie it all together to make it really good, just a thread that I didn't pick up.  But for the life of me, I don't ever see a day that I would willingly read this book again to find that thread I missed.  I disliked it just that much.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSJXIYGL3K4RU?ASIN=0316055441	this was not good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished this book and cannot understand the high reviews and accolades.  I was so bored!  I skimmed so much because I wanted to get to the end.  Some parts are interesting to read- like the beginning.  After that, it seems the writing just loses its effectiveness and just kept losing me.  There were countless descriptions of the same thing, just different day.  I was extremely turned off as a reader by the crazy long paragraphs with dozens of commas that described moments I could not care about.  I saved this book on my kindle with anticipation thinking I may read a modern classic.  Instead, I was tricked by the accolades.  This book did not deserve it, it only deserved an editor.  I actually feel like I wasted my time.  As a voracious reader that saddens me.  I feel numb about the weird journey of Theo.  I wish there would of been a story about Hobie.  He can be long winded and absent-minded, but at least he had passion.  I can't help but be disturbed by how the author treated her characters.  Theo's life really sucks and his successes were always tainted with his negative or just blase attitude towards everything.  He never gets to be truly happy.  We are to believe he was never really happy again after the accident until the end, I guess when he figures out life's meaning. What a mind-numbing character to read and be in their head.  Even his love for Pippa gets to be over-analyzed and it's deep-rooted 'truth' discovered.  He so self-aware when she wants him to be yet he acts so stupidly and makes terrible decisions about his life.  Frankly, reading characters who do not care about life and abuse drugs to numb themselves in annoying and repetitive ways is a depressing and boring read- at least the way Tartt did it.  I would never recommend this book to anyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWWYTFKZ5RWNZ?ASIN=0316055441	This is the Great Expectations and David Copperfield of this decade	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It has been about a year since I finished reading The Goldfinch. I think I needed some distance to be able to reflect on the novel and make a careful assessment. In summary, overall this is an excellent novel. It is the Great Expectations of the decade with all the wonderful literary tricks and strength of narrative that Charles Dickens brought to his novels. The novel is the David Copperfield in the age of international terrorism, housing bubbles, drug epidemics, and class warfare.  The section on the bombing of the metropolitan museum followed by the disorientation of a young boy could not have been better. It is true that creating a novel where the narrator is a highly engaging and sympathetic naive child certainly hooks the reader as they identify with the terror that this child experiences returning to an empty apartment to wait for his mother after the bombing. Like Dickens, both the good characters and the bad characters are drawn with such energy and skill that virtually every character is three dimensional and bursting with life. The scenes of upper East Side old money were astute. The arrival of the long lost father and his girlfriend were studies in cheap charlatans. The experiences in collapsed housing developments in Los Vegas were a highlight of the book, since the narrator has become a teenager and has some of the astute analytical skills of Holden Caulfield in Catcher in the Rye. The drug induced world of these boys who drink vodka for breakfast and smoke a joint on the way to school was frightening because of the ring of truth that surrounded each escapade. This novel is exceptional which compares with such greats as Jonathan Franzen’s The Corrections, which is strong praise. One literary critic says that Tartt uses every literary trick in the book. Well Picasso used every painting trick in the book.  It is not how many tricks you have in your hand, it is how you play the cards.  Tartt deals the reader a full house.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CUNJMLYDC5ZO?ASIN=0316055441	Discursive and Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book bothered me. It has such literary acclaim and fanfare that the stakes were pretty high. First off the positives were the writing style which is superb. It is rich in detail, there are lots of terms for furniture and objets d'art that I learned.The vagaries of different languages, the style in which the Ukranians and Russians speak is quite interesting. Theo Decker is a very accessible character while he is young. The story with the rich friend's family was quite absorbing and portrayed well the weirdness of never feeling totally comfortable with another family. The Las Vegas section was very bleak and sad. It showed how Theo changed into a nervous, irritable, insecure person who really needed to drink and get high to function. Although it was interesting, it was quite repetitive at times and it affected the impact of the plot.  After that section, its harder to connect with Theo. You feel that he is always holding back. From the Las Vegas point to the rest of the novel, he carefully selects what you find out and you wonder why he didn't tell you about certain things. For example, the part where he goes through withdrawal is quite engrossing, but then you never find out about how he slipped back into the drugs. Or the part where you find out that he is engaged seems to be as if the author uttered a loud, ""ANYWAY, let's just move this along!"" and you feel a little hustled.<br/>The book is obviously emotionally engaging but that means that you have to satisfy the reader's need to know things. Otherwise, they feel abandoned. Why was Hobie so nice to Theo? Why did Theo pick Andy's family to live with? Why did he simply go along with Boris' harebrained plans against his better judgement? Especially as an adult in Amsterdam? Why did Pippa even try to keep up a relationship with him when he was such a dolt around her?<br/><br/>I agree with many other reviews here, that once he starts falling into his insecure, nervous philosophical rants, the writing gets tiresome. Like someone swallowed a poorly translated ""Eastern Religious Philosophy"" textbook and churned out fortune cookie versions of the concepts. By the end of the book, I was rushing to get through it and I was annoyed that Theo's character remained unchanged since Las Vegas. Boris and Theo's father had some depth to the portrayal of their characters, but many of the other characters were  flat and too much like  ""stock"" characters - which restrict your understanding of Theo since his reactions to them are generally predictable.<br/>Overall, I am glad I read the book. I really appreciated the idea that the secret of the Goldfinch painting gave Theo such a strong sense of purpose and identity. However, I don't think its one of the best books I have read and I feel that reading it is like finally getting a date with the really handsome, accomplished guy that you have admired from afar. The buildup was much more interesting than the reality of a lavish but drawn-out, repetitive, long-winded date who made you long for the solitude of your tiny studio apartment.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IZ62A5CI3XIK?ASIN=0316055441	A Goldfinch tampered with.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book starts intruigingly well, what with the Amsterdam atmosphere I know well and the protagonist, Theo Decker, in the hotel. The story then moves back to America where an endearing mother-son relationship is depicted. Even if one's own such relationship is not so strong and inescapable one easily empathizes.<br/>The big bang in a New York gallery that sets the action going is superbly described and easily relates to everyone's nastiest nightmare.<br/>The following large chunk of the book situated in New York, Las Vegas and back to New York successively is thrilling, to me that is, Dickensian in its development of plot and characters such as Boris ('The Artful Dodger'), Theo's unstable and deceitful father and the latter's sponging partner and the ever so sweet and altruistic Hobie as Theo's teacher and sub-father. Not to forget the elusive Pippa whose constant absenteeism makes Theo's imagination run riot. The return to Amsterdam is sudden and instigated forcefully by Boris. Theo's second stay in the Dutch capital is unintentionally gangster-like, violent and action-packed for a short while only. Theo's long wait for his now partner-in-crime is tedious not to him only.The dénouement therefore is almost hilarious and surprising.<br/>Still, the last Amsterdam episode is truly long-winded and full of would-be character description and philosophical grubbing. However, heaping minute details of Theo's drug-related claustrophobic days in Amsterdam upon one another made me read the last one hundred pages or so diagonally.  I am a poor judge of the drugs scenes the book is saturated with. Both Theo and Boris take drugs and consume booze as if  they were indispensable to life, accepting the hangovers and addiction as inescapable side-effects. Not my cup of tea, really.<br/>Yes, it is heard more often nowadays: half the length of the novel would make it twice as readable.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QRXEG9WRQ9DO?ASIN=0316055441	I feel like I need to wash my imagination now that I have read this story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Writing is a series of choices. The author makes those choices for the characters and crafts the story. Good storytellers can make you want to read to stories that (in less capable hands) would be boring, terrible, terrifying or weak.<br/><br/>Here, in this story, I think the author made reasonable choices, but the story is so bleak, dirty, hopeless, loveless, rudderless... there is no redemption, hope, courage, goodness. If characters are kind, it is accidental. If characters are honorable, it is due to circumstance. I feel like I need to wash my imagination now that I have read this story.<br/><br/>And then -- the author's rather tedious philosophy lecture at the end of the book from characters so broken and flawed and tragic -- that is almost an insult to me as the reader. If I have hung in thorough 750+ pages, I don't think I should then need to be told the point of it all -- if I haven't gotten the point on my own from the story, why write the story? Write an essay on your philosophy of life and be done with it already.<br/><br/>I haven't read Secret History.  I may read that some day and give Donna Tartt another try, but I am going to get some distance first... a friend said once that there are books you finish and you feel like you need a cleanse -- that's how I feel after this one.<br/><br/>I think books can be tragic and hopeless -- think East of Eden -- and still be astoundingly riveting and absolutely fantastic. I don't think all of the kudos given this book are warranted. I am walking away from it feeling like I have just had a week-long argument with someone who wants me to believe that meanness, hopelessness, addiction, manipulation, dishonesty, theft and abandonment are normal parts of a worthy life, and reality is a world where evil triumphs, bad behavior wins, children are disposable, God is dead, and art is the only good and true thing. Pulitzer prize, really? Good grief.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F0IJTYT8K93I?ASIN=0316055441	I struggled to finish this audio book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book did not work for me.  It had moments where I listened in rapt attention and others where I was lost listening to long, monotonous discourses on some abstract topic that I couldn't relate back to Theo and his plight.  On the whole, there just wasn't enough of the compelling passages for me to recommend this novel.  I'm sure there are many who disagree with me, as this book has won numerous notable awards.<br/><br/>The story starts in New York City while 13 year old Theo is visiting a museum with his mother.  An accident takes the life of his mother and in the confusion that follows, Theo takes The Goldfinch, a painting by artist Carel Fabritius from the museum.  The reader then follows Theo for the next decades while he attempts to resolve his angst over what has  happened in the past.<br/><br/>A coming of age novel for a boy without a suitable/stable adult influence.  Even before the accident, Theo had set a pattern of not learning from the bad decisions he made.  This doesn't change regardless of the many second chances he is given.<br/><br/>Two characters helped to redeem this book for me.  Theo meets Boris about a year after the accident and together they get into all sorts of risky situations.  Boris is the bad boy type that as a parent I don't really want my child to hang out with, but as a literary character, I can't wait to read about his next exploit.  Shortly after the incident that killed his mother, Theo meets James (Hobie) Hobart, a elderly furniture restorer, who later becomes his guardian and mentor.  This is a man who you want to know and would trust as part of your family.  He is a stabilising factor in Theo's life and he keeps the story grounded.<br/><br/>I listened to the Hachette Audio book version, 32 hours and 24 minutes and read by David Pittu.  He did a good job of the many characters and their different ethnicities.  Hobie and Boris became real in my mind while listening to them talk.<br/><br/> ""The Goldfinch"" by Carel Fabritius is a real painting that is part of The Frick Collection that is housed at The Royal Picture Galley Mauritshuis, The Hague.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBXMOAA5VIJ67?ASIN=0316055441	Flawed beauty	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To get right to the point: This is a book worth reading. Which is saying something, given the length and the parts that drag. That said, I still don’t know it won the Pulitzer.<br/>Bullet Points:<br/>* I was expecting more. Though the prose is nice, it isn't beautiful, and it never really reaches the transcendence it aims for. There are clunky metaphors and lazy cliches. There is an awful lot of high brow/boarding school elitism that would go down better if Tartt trimmed it a bit – or maybe deflated the balloon from time to time. Sometimes it feels like you are being beaten over the head with class references. And the long passages about furniture and drugs and whatnot just go on and on.<br/><br/>* Really, the book would have been much better if it was about 1/3 shorter<br/>.<br/>* That said, it is still interesting, but more because of all that Theo goes through. It's a bit like watching a disaster movie. An orphan train wreck-cum-Italian Job.<br/><br/>* There is something very weird going on with the when of this novel. Though it's not sci-fi, it seems to be set in some alternate universe. But it's not just the big events (a terrorist bombing at the Met serves as the key early plot device) that are out of place. Little details, like certain technologies being invented/introduced out of order, the drinking age being different, that sort of thing. Honestly, I think this is intentional. The author goes into great detail describing a Rembrandt painting (The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp) where details are intentionally ""off"" in order to attract your attention. But I can't see the purpose in the ""off"" details in The Goldfinch. It just felt irritating.<br/><br/>* At it's core, the book is about losing what you love, and loving what you cannot have. The books is about life, and beauty, and God, and chance, and choices. It’s about…well, I’ll just let Theo sum it up for you:<br/><br/>""That life – whatever else it is – is short. That fate is cruel but maybe not random. That Nature (meaning Death) always wins but that doesn't mean we have to bow and grovel to it. That maybe if we’re not always so glad to be here, it’s our task to immerse ourselves anyway: wade straight through it, right through the cesspool, while keeping eyes and hearts open.""<br/><br/>* For all its flaws, there is a joyful sadness and a melancholy tenderness in it too. It says that, while you can’t choose what you love, you can choose to love it well. That even if life is short, the beauty you create and care for can outlive you. That “it is a glory and a privilege to love what Death doesn't touch.” That we may die, but love and beauty live on.<br/><br/>So, yes, read this book. Just be patient with it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q3V0DYUDLEQ8?ASIN=0316055441	Don't drop it on your foot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked, not loved, The Secret History. I made it halfway through The Little Friend before giving up. And I made it two-thirds of the way through The Goldfinch before peeking at the end and calling it a day. I just didn't want to be with those people in this Donna Tartt created world anymore. I anticipated a book about art theft -- instead this is 700 pages with drunks and druggies.<br/><br/>Our hero, Theo Decker, is not a particularly appealing figure even before he loses his beloved mother in a bombing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art -- Tartt's stand-in for the Twin Towers. I found the book disorienting from the start. Adult Theo is looking back 14 years to the past. The voice of the narrator as the book stars sounded like a woman's voice to me, and this was a problem all the way through.<br/><br/>Still the first part of the book was gripping. Theo and his mother are separated during the blast. Theo revives and receives a ring from an old man and directions for returning it. As he wanders through the ruined galleries, he swipes an old master, Carel Fabritius' The Goldfinch. Theo escapes with the painting in his bookbag. Several days later, his mother is declared dead. His father has been AWOL for a year, and his grandparents don't want him. So he ends up in the Park Avenue apartment of his friend,Andy. Andy's parents decide to let him stay until the end of the school year, and Theo has the usual conflicts with Andy's brothers and sister. He returns the ring to the address given by the dying man and meets Hobie, a furniture restorer and the only character in the book I would personally spend more than five minutes with.<br/><br/>At the end of the first section, Theo's Dad and his slutty girlfriend come to New York and take Theo back to Las Vegas with them. At that point, this book died for me. Reading other reviews, I see there are people who like to read about teenage boys drinking and taking drugs. I am not one of them.Boris, Theo's Russian comrade in crime, struck me as charmless and boring. I skipped most of this section.  Theo's Dad dies in a car crash at the end.<br/><br/>I picked up again when Theo returns to New York, moves in with Hobie and gets into the antique furniture business.For me, the sections about refinishing furniture were the most interesting in the book. Theo grows up, reunites with Andy's family, although Andy dies in a tragic accident, gets engaged to Andy's sister, and then Boris shows up in New York. At the point, I gave up.<br/><br/>Critics have compared this book to a work by Dickens, but Dickens included a mixture of good, evil and just plain funny characters. In this book, Hobie is the only decent person. You could say that Theo is broken by the tragedy of losing his mother, but he was in trouble before that. He and a friend were breaking into people's houses on Long Island. The reason he and his mother were in the museum was they had an hour to kill before a meeting with Theo's school principal. He is like a sitcom character, hiding this valuable painting in a storage locker because his is scared that if he returns it, he will be prosecuted. I could see a 13-year old boy thinking that, but a grown man?<br/><br/>The timeline also bugged me.  The book starts with Theo looking back to what I calculate is 2000. But everyone is using cell phones and texting -- which kids that young were really not doing until 2005 or so.<br/><br/>Dickens wrote long books because he was writing for newspaper serialization and got paid by the word. The longer the books, th more he earned. Tartt doesn't have the same excuse. She needs to learn how to stop.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSU3ERI7SKLTW?ASIN=0316055441	I was annoyed pretty early on when the narrator admits he doesn't ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What am I missing? Why this book won the Pulitzer Prize is beyond belief.  I was annoyed early on in the book when the narrator admits he doesn't speak Dutch, yet the author writes some phrases in Dutch. Other than to impress, why bother? Some of her metaphors are brilliant; I loved ""rain drops jumping white in the street."" However seven hundred pages edited down to half might have resulted in a less laboured read. There are grammatical and other errors including repetition, an awful lot of 'telling' instead of 'showing' not to mention a whole army of adverbs. To me the story darts frustratingly from scene to scene. Eager to bite the metaphoric carrots offered by the author, they are promptly snatched away for later, by which time I lost interest and didn't get to the end of the book.<br/><br/>I read this passage over and over again in disbelief:<br/><br/>""The rain poured down from black, heavy clouds. Like Zeus himself was suffering the pains I felt. The slick drops dance on my forehead as I stared into the cloudy, chaotic abyss. Tiny, shimmery, wet tears splashed into the puddles around my worn, rustic, beloved leather shoes, making ripples like the cosmos. Ah, the cosmos, so vast, so infinite, so lonely. Like the cicadas in the moonlight of my childhood home. Ah, my home, which brings only dark memories of my father. That wretch, now living on house-boat on the Thames, selling yo-yos to passing children. The yo-yo, so symbolic of life and death, yin and yang. It reminds me of the first time I had Chinese food in a small restaurant in Brooklyn. Brooklyn, the smell of hard work and dead leaves. Dead leaves, a subtle reminder of the finite, fragile lives we lead. Everything ends, everything dies, everything is silence. Like the silence of the bridge, which I head to.""<br/><br/>There are so many merry-sounding cicadas in my garden that they could never be lonely!<br/><br/>How is it that Tartt can win a prestigious prize with what amounts to verbal diarrhea?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE493ITQGXKXF?ASIN=0316055441	"Ditto Lorin Stein: ""Crap"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started reading this book several months ago. Because apparently I live in a cave, I had no prior knowledge of the acclaim it received. I usually read history and biography, rarely fiction for it is a rare fiction (Louise Erdich's The Roundhouse a rare exception) I have found worthy of my time. That said, I started reading it several months ago. Put it down because, in Lorin Stein's (editor of The Paris Review) eloquent turn of phrase, I thought it was ""crap."" Last week, a friend of mine said she was reading it because her book club was reading it, so I decided to give it another go. Finished it last night and everything, to a T, that the Paris Review, James Wood (I missed that issue and I don't know how for I read every syllable of every issue of the New Yorker), and the Sunday Times wrote about it validated the number of times I said out loud to my long-suffering husband, Jesus H. Christ, this is really stupid; or oh my god, this is ridiculous; and it really hit a fever pitch in the Vegas scenes and the Amsterdam scenes with the hackneyed Russian mobster characters and the comic book version of antique dealers and the underground art collectors' world. James Woods pointed out (I learned all of this after I finished the book) in his New Yorker review that clearly Tartt, like AJ Rowling, is a good storyteller. But she is not a serious storyteller. And, after the fact, Francine Prose in her New York Review of Books: ""Reading The Goldfinch,"" Prose concluded, ""I found myself wondering, `Doesn't anyone care how something is written anymore?' "" Evgenia Peretz covered all of this in her Vanity Fair expose. Again, discovered after I finished the book. Geez, that will teach me. Although these esteemed and well respected reviewers validated my response to the book, I could have saved myself a little money and a lot of time a grief by reading their views first. This was a big waste of time and a small waste of money. Don't bother. (It also further diminishes the Pulitzer about which I have held little regard for years.)</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FW0QBU9JYMI6?ASIN=0316055441	Different	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is most difficult to be concise when a book is almost 800 pages long and to boot is the winner of the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction but I will do my best to be short and sweet. “The Goldfinch is a sweeping odyssey of loss and obsession where people do strange things in the aftermath of tragedies.<br/><br/>The author’s engineered plot opens with a catastrophe, an explosion at New York’s Metropolitan Museum where 13 year old Theo Decker and his mother where enjoying the exhibition of the Dutch Golden Age, mostly admiring Carel Fabritius exquisite tiny oil painting of a goldfinch. His mother is killed but Theo is spare although disoriented and feeling claustrophobic he manages to comfort an old man who entrusts him with two objects: one is a signet ring and the second is the canvas of Fabritius “The Goldfinch”.<br/><br/>With a sustained and sprawling narrative Ms. Tartt expands her drama with her main character tormented by the memories. Down the years as he grows up Theo clings strangely to the captivating painting and glides in strange places that will make him travel from New York to Las Vegas and Amsterdam and ultimately bring him into the criminal underworld.<br/><br/>It takes a steady patience to read this book, there are so many details to get lost in, it was rather frustrating at times: Ex. long scenes of furniture restoration although what save it for me was the art-heist action with shootout, fancy cars, the Slavic gangsters and all that good stuff a plot driving full of energy brings. The novel connects with the heart as well as the mind and it reads with a mixture of terror, excitement and expectation. It is slow to build but is eloquent and assured. It combines vivid characters, mesmerizing language and breathtaking suspense.<br/><br/>Only a skilled master could compose such an absorbing old fashioned story. It is of no surprise this machination of fate was a winner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAJ4KYQFEY72G?ASIN=0316055441	Decent but not great.  I did enjoy it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story about Theo, who is at the museum with his mother.  It is his fault that they are in the museum.  For Theo got in trouble, and they were waiting to meet with the school principal.  There is an explosion, and suddenly, Theo's mother is dead.  Theo steals a painting, the eponymous Goldfinch.  After Theo's mother's death, he is left with the eccentric Barbours - manic father and sophisticated mother, until his father comes to take advantage of him.<br/><br/>With any review, there are SOME SPOILERS.  I did enjoy the book.  It was not great, but certainly very good.  I especially loved the first third of the book.  The parts in Nevada were particularly enjoyable.  Theo's relationship with his father and girlfriend was another highlight.  But the gem of the first part was not Theo's esteemed elegant mother but Boris.  Boris was a teenage alcoholic, loving his beer and sweet tea, and he had an abusive father.  Boris could be selfish and cold, but he could also be caring and kind.  He liked Theo, and he felt empathy for Theo's father.  He and Theo had chemistry, which was unfortunately lost when they reached adulthood.<br/><br/>I actually disliked Boris's re-entry into Theo's life.  Perhaps what was charming in an adolescent doesn't have the same feel when found in an adult.  Also, Boris's re-entry was abnormally too convenient and absolutely lacked any modicum of credibility.<br/><br/>I won't say the book fell apart, but I really disliked the latter half.  The book tries to redeem itself with the noble Hobie, and the gentle Samantha Barbour, and some poignant odes to refurnishing but almost all the scenes in Amsterdam were disappointing.  Boris was also aggravating.  I also wasn't really fond of some of the new characters, particularly Kitsey.  So though I really admired how the character of Samantha evolved, it was not enough to win me over.<br/><br/>Still it is a very good, interesting read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R221295VE2GOXG?ASIN=0316055441	Hijacked By Co Dependency	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found myself chained to the perch like the Goldfinch trying to remain steadfast without acting in or acting out.<br/><br/>The goldfinch on the cover of the book was half way in and half way out.<br/><br/>  How many of us are scapegoats in a crazy making addictive/alcoholic family system either acting in or acting out?<br/><br/>  If I had a father or grandparents like Theo's, I would have drank too! Children with un empathic parents either turn toward, away or against other people in order to make it.<br/><br/>  I saw Theo as the placater who turned to drugs  in order to cope .  ""Why does my heart seek destruction or nothing it all?' Hijacked by his co dependency, he lost his self and his self esteem in the process.<br/><br/>  I interpreted the private lies of Theo's father to be more of a nuclear weapon than the explosion in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.<br/><br/>  ""Psst from the side of an alleyway"" the Goldfinch tells me that this novel is more than about naming co dependency, post traumatic stress syndrome, or addiction.<br/><br/>  Donna Tart's The Goldfinch is double visioned.<br/><br/>  Donna told Charlie Rose in an interview  ""from up close you can see the artist and from far away the brush strokes""<br/><br/>  The lone bird on its perch is hidden away on the cover of the book. I can barely see the artist or the brush strokes. This is true for co dependents who lose themselves and their will in the process.<br/><br/>  Theo was hidden away to me too as I was shocked to discover later on in the reading that Theo was a ""black out drunk""?<br/><br/>  He had me totally fooled.<br/><br/>  Alcoholics do not usually ask ""why does my heart seek destruction? Why do I do the wrong things or nothing at all?"" Why?<br/><br/>  Being self reflective and having remorse are not a part of the drinking life.<br/><br/>  By all accounts alcoholism and addiction is a disease of self deception.<br/><br/>  Theo was a hero that I can believe in because he continued to ask himself this question.<br/>.<br/>  It was his way of COMING OUT OF HIDING. What is Theo hiding from? He called it his ""shameful threadbare self""<br/><br/>  Other than drugs/alcohol Theo was addicted to the perfection of what was unavailable and illusive to him:<br/><br/>  His pursuit of beauty and art was his cover up for his feeling defective. His grandparents didn't even want him.<br/><br/> Perhaps this is what drives many adult children of alcoholics and their pursuit of money ""the disease of affluenza"" .<br/><br/>  It is a cover up for toxic shame that says ""I am a mistake"" rather than ""I made a mistake""<br/><br/>  The cover up for his shame was his fantasy world: the playful ability to steal back his life and the painting, the one that had been stolen from him.<br/><br/>  He had fantasies about his unvailable Mother (deceased) and his abandoning father (Dr. No)  as well as all of his unrequited longing for Pippa.<br/><br/>  He could paint them however he wanted in his magical fantasy world re storying and restoring them as a piece of damaged but beautiful vintage furniture.<br/><br/>  He re storied his life as Dr. No while he lived in Las Vegas. I got a chuckle over that one.<br/><br/> Dr No taught him that his father at least wanted to want the right things by choosing his Mother.<br/><br/>  These are the lovely brush strokes I saw from afar but not from up close. Thank you Donna Tartt!<br/><br/>  Theo did not get to chose his parents or his fate. He felt powerless. Did that lead him to a Stockholm syndrome becoming the pepetrator of his father?<br/><br/>  Is Theo a heroic figure in the novel if the heroes journey is about the struggle to separate and become your own man with sobriety?<br/><br/>  There were  too many SOBER moments for the growing Theo. If you spell out sober it spells S O B everything is real.<br/><br/>  Can addicts be heros with a thousand faces?<br/><br/>  The book was 800 pages to match the  800 pound gorilla of addiction.<br/><br/> The hero of a thousand faces is on the cover but patially veiled. There are  more than 800 reviews of the Goldfinch and that is the power of art.  Each reviewer sees a different perspective coming from his/her point of view.<br/><br/>  ""People who get punched in the face by the 800 pound gorrilla of addiction and live to tell about it are remarkable human beings"" and this is what I saw in Theo..<br/><br/> He was Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens, Dr. No all in one.<br/><br/>  Art and parables are for those who have eyes and cannot see and ears that cannot hear especially if it is too painful to look at.<br/><br/>  ""We have art in order not to die from the truth"" Nietchze<br/><br/>  Paradise is not lost on this 800 page sketch!<br/><br/>  Well Done.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KTMDCSV5QUEG?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth all the fuss	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a long book seems deserving of a long review. It was well written, a solid story, but for me, it just fell quite flat. I sympathized with Theo, but I felt no connection to him, and that after spending hundreds of pages together. Tartt can obviously write, but I wonder whether she isn't a closeted short-story writer, rather than a novelist, because that's kind of how 'The Goldfinch' felt, like many vignettes featuring the same characters vaguely strung together. It wasn't that I didn't like it, it was a fine book, but after the tremendous amount of positive press and attention it has received, I was very wary to even read it, almost knowing I would be disappointed, and that has, unfortunately, been the case.<br/>The idea of the story being tied together by one small painting really intrigued me, as I'm very interested in art and art history (though actually there wasn't that much of it in the book). I also found the people Theo met (Hobie, Pippa, Boris) to be the real highlights of this book, rather than Theo himself, who, even as an adult, is entirely uncharismatic. We are told relatively late that he and Pippa still suffer from PTSD, although it is obvious, really, that Theo was quite badly damaged by his traumas. I don't know whether Tartt intended for Theo to be so distant to show his trouble in connecting to the world, or whether it is just the way I interpreted his character. In either case, it prevented me from being as drawn in as I was, for example, with Boris' story. For the most part, I felt everything was told with a strange level of detachment wildly at odds with the deeply personal themes.<br/>Tartt's style reminds me a little of Joyce Carol Oates in that there is a lot of descriptive, almost stream-of-consciousness style language. I generally find this method a little annoying and sometimes even inaccessible, so it obviously is not a plus in my eyes in relation to THE GOLDFINCH.<br/>All in all, I'm not upset that I read it (although it really felt long, where others of similar length have not). I was curious what all the fuss was about, and now at least I know for myself. In terms of elegance of prose, Tartt is very accomplished and if that is the criteria, she certainly is deserving of the Pulitzer. The story was not that special, but it wasn't awful either, just depressing. In the end of the day, I think I just got tired of 700+ pages of almost unrelenting melancholy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J54YHBA8UJ71?ASIN=0316055441	At 775 pages, this novel is long enough for Dickens, but that's where the similarity ends.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In the immediate aftermath of a devastating terrorist bombing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a 13-year-old boy who's shaken but not injured by the blast slips a small 17th century masterpiece into his backpack and makes his way out of the museum and back to his apartment without being intercepted by any of the rescue workers at the bombsite. After that scarcely believable beginning, Donna Tartt's novel goes all in with tabloid tawdriness that many reviewers likened to the work of Charles Dickens, a comparison that seems more apt in terms of length than in terms of language. In the two decades that follow, keeping the secret of the stolen painting becomes a continuing problem for the boy, Theo Decker, as he moves through a series of new homes, including a brief stay at the elegant apartment of the family of a school friend who take him in immediately after the bombing, a lengthy stay at the Las Vegas rental home he shares with his estranged father and the father's girlfriend, and a final home with an eccentric Manhattan antique dealer whose partner was also killed in the Met bombing. For me, the tedium of this novel arose in Las Vegas, where Theo's mostly left to his devices as is his new friend, Boris, whose expat Russian father leaves him on his own for weeks at a time. Tartt spends endless pages detailing the drug and alcohol exploits of the adolescent boys, which Dickens might have made interesting but she does not. Unfortunately, much of the rest of the novel is given over to the logistics of Theo's drug addiction but not in any revelatory way. The reader hears about Theo wanting drugs, needing drugs, seeking drugs, finding drugs, and taking drugs, but it's all very generic stuff - Wow! What a rush! -- with less depth than an elementary school DARE assembly. Meanwhile, the story continues in tabloid -- oops! -- Dickensian fashion: a two-timing fiance, a Russian mobster, a fraud of bogus antiques, a shootout. Tartt's characters don't engage the heart or the mind, her plot offers no special insight into the way we live now, and her language is pedestrian. At 775 pages, this novel is long enough for Dickens, but that's where the similarity ends.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R382MFTCMKTUHA?ASIN=0316055441	Where's the beef?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I feel that some aspects of this narrative were really good.  The opening is wonderful. The author gets you into the story immediately and presents the reader with characters who are interesting and compelling.  The mother, although she dies at the start, inhabits the book as a ghost-like presence. In some ways she hovers in the background throughout. The descriptions of setting are great as well--the aftermath of the explosion, the seeding backrooms of the world of Boris, the arid, inhospitable world of Vegas, the dark and mysterious world of Hobie, the depressing and deadening world of the Amsterdam hotel room-all masterpieces of language that takes the reader there and keeps her there to witness what is to come. Unfortunately, the plot is over long, rambling and the characters were ultimately unsatisfying. I'm sorry but I agree with the many people who don't understand why this book is a prize winner.  It takes 800 pages to tell a 300 page story.  The book rambles all over the place before culminating in a chapter that seems tacked on to a narrative that seems to go nowhere. What happens to Hobie, Boris, even Theo?  Characters enter and leave repeatedly. We see how they impact on Theo but they drift in and out of his world without much explanation.<br/><br/>Theo is a compelling character at the beginning of the book. I can accept that this character is rudderless once he loses his mother, the only anchor in his life and that the people who surround him offer little guidance.  But while the mother inhabits his thoughts and emotions, there is no discernible impact on his behavior.  Even when faced with some hope for redemption (Hobie and Pippa), Theo pushes it away continuing his downward spiral. All too soon he becomes a repetitive and banal personae for whom I lose empathy or even interest. How can I hang on with a character that has no self-reflection for 3/4 of the narrative?<br/><br/>Then there's the problem of editing. Is there room for subtlety or does the reader have to be bludgeoned with scene after scene of self-destruction? Do we really need that interminable section in Las Vegas, or all the details of the episode in Amsterdam? How many times do we have to suffer through Boris and his influence on Theo?  Do we need to be dragged into the bowels of a drug induced hell for page after page after page, chapter after chapter?  Do any of the characters have true depth or experience any kind of growth? Even Hobie, who seems to be the one hope for salvation has an inexplicable (and unclear) reversal.  And Pippa, the only other pinpoint of light in this very dark story, is kept at arms length, entering and leaving the narrative but never leaving a satisfying mark. And what about all those threads that are never connected? And then there's the narrative shift in the last part, where all of a sudden, the narrative voice takes over and addresses the reader.  I felt like I was being manipulated, with the character filling me in, after the fact, of events that should have been disclosed within the narrative arch. I kept hoping that something would justify all of this at the end.  Instead I get philosophical treatise that is unconvincing and seems to have little to do with the rest of the novel.  I truly wanted to like this novel.  Instead I came away feeling that I had wasted a considerable amount of my reading time for very little return.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPQFKUMK88BRC?ASIN=0316055441	Does Size Matter?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is long book, maybe 350,000 words. Sad most of the early going because main character Theo has suffered loss of his mother in wild museum explosion. Theo gets mistreated by most people but does receive some affection from man who does restoration of antique furniture. On and on this sadness crawls, until Theo--in Las Vegas with his unaffectionate father of all people--starts up relationship with imaginary friend Boris. Boris unbelievable, but maybe all imaginary friends are. Boris speaks a kind of ""broken Ukranian"" that never clarifies or simplifies anything. Theo likes Boris because Boris always has some drug or other at hand to sniff, snort, suck or whatever. Things go very very slowly while they are high, but they seem to enjoy being high so much that they get high like always and book really almost stops in traffic. All of a sudden Boris solves everything and retrieves astoundingly valuable art work that Theo either took from exploded museum or imagined he took from exploded museum--it doesn't matter, Boris is high and the piece if art is somewhere safe and the money is outrageous and the drugs should be supplied like always whenever. Book never anything but sad. Boy lost his mother in violent explosion that rattled his not superior brain and had no recourse but to find some peace in drug dependence with imaginary friend. This is a long book.<br/>Lots of description of efforts to restore antique furniture, so not every page is a trip.<br/>Saw book title on best seller lists for long time, so I bought copy. Book actually seemed longer than it is, which is long. As Boris might observe, if you focus on length of book you maybe not see depth or something but why bother worrying about things you can't control since the book has already been written and it is the size it is because that's the size it is.<br/>Book maybe best understood like ""Goldfinch"" painting is revered: you see its beauty and uniqueness or you don't. Does not matter. Still there when you are somewhere else. If you had never read the book, you would be nobody knows but the book would still be long.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CG1WO74V205B?ASIN=0316055441	Three stars for the first 300 pages of this 755 page tome.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading the first 300 pages of Tartt's 755 page tome I e-mailed all my bookworm compatriots and highly recommended The Goldfinch. OOOPS! Man, oh man, did I ever jump the gun because after trudging through the remaining 455 pages of this novel I had to  confess that I was horribly mistaken. Having the prospect of a literary gem suddenly snatched from their bedside tables my bewildered friends wondered aloud to me, ""Well, did you at least like it?"" To which I responded, ""I keep asking myself that."" After much contemplation I have concluded the fatal flaw of The Goldfinch is an unlikable protagonist, Theo Decker, who also serves as narrator. We first meet Theo as an adolescent boy who begs guilt by association for his misdeeds. Because of Theo's youth and a horrific tragedy he experiences in those enthralling first pages we forgive him. As a young adult Theo blames a reprobate father for his increasingly criminal behavior. The reader is now finding Theo's unwillingness to accept responsibility for his actions tiresome but we continue to hope for his redemption because GOOD LORD there are still hundreds of pages left in his story. Finally, Theo is saved from his wretched existence by a kindly antique dealer who takes him into his home as a son and teaches him his trade. Theo thanks this saintly character by defrauding the man's customers of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Theo only recognizes the gravity of this transgression after the threat of being exposed. So what does he do about it? He commits murder, gets away with it, and then resolves his conscience by concluding that good and evil reside in all of us.Yeah, I'm not kidding, that is the big reveal! I dare say that anyone willing to tackle an 800 page Pulitzer Prize winning novel is already aware of man's never ending struggle with the opposing forces of good and evil.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHN3CK6F3PLP9?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer, Schmulitzer!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not one to often read popular fiction, I downloaded The Goldfinch based on a quick glance at ""five stars"" and ""Pulitzer Prize"".  I was immediately gratified by the succinct language via the thought-voice of 13 year-old Theo, the central character. Then the bombing tragedy in the Museum, his mother's death, his ""acquisition"" of The Goldfinch, a small and priceless painting. And  Theo wending his way toward home, alone, in profound shock, covered in blood not his own, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art to Sutton Place, and no one stops him or helps, no one inquires.<br/><br/>Absurd, of course, but I was still in thrall to the eloquence of description.  At long last, by default, Theo winds up in Las Vegas in the care of a father who had abandoned him and his mother. This location comprises  an achingly long section of the book. Theo meets a Russian immigrant boy named Boris, quite wily and feral with an absentee father. The reader suffers through a shocking amount of drug and alcohol abuse by these two boys and, frankly, wonders how they've managed not to fatally o.d.  Here the story begins to degrade into the just-plain-stupid and unbelievable. One reviewer has described the book as a series of novellas and I agree. The 750-odd pages could have easily been pared down by half as so much of this saga seemed, to me, pointless. One good book, and 2 novellas which I wouldn't have bothered to read.<br/><br/>Eventually Theo, now about 15, returns to New York. He begins to grow up and as he does the story takes an even sharper turn toward the ridiculous into the territory usually occupied by television soap operas. I came to hate this boy. There was no rhyme or reason for his seemingly pathological distrust of all the adults who were tasked with helping him after the tragedy. Thus he never told anybody the truth, though we, the readers, get to know his thoughts. And mere aging didn't help him break that pattern as the story progressed.<br/><br/>For me, the story itself was a big disappointment saved only by the author's eloquent writing. However, never again will I be impressed by the headline ""Pulitzer Prize Winning Novel"".</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EUKONZG13LCK?ASIN=0316055441	"""Just. Wow!"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch will make devotees of literary fiction recall why they love to read the novel at all. Donna Tartt writes with philosophical and psychological intricacy and depth, fine poetics, and a solid grasp of world and art history. Her book holds together and resonates, seemingly, without device. Theo insinuates himself into the reader's subconscious and hijacks our world view for a time, much as his ""partner in crime,"" the worldly and unruly Boris, captivates and melds with him during his unparented adolescence in Las Vegas when he lives with his con man father and his father's overmedicated girlfriend, Xandra ""with an X."" Theo's life after the attack in NYC is chronically unstable, though it was pretty marginal prior to that (at least in economic terms) even before his mother's death. The mother is a grand dame in the classic style-- elegant, beautiful and highly nuanced with the modern twist of having pulled herself from obscurity into an absorbing art career. She talks to the young Theo as though he is an adult and they share a warm and cerebral intimacy. Tartt works her characters until we can find every scar and can all but smell them ourselves. Her writing is addictive. Theo's drug and alcohol interludes are so visceral that they were dizzying; I needed to splash cold water on my face. Tartt renders her characters' sense impressions and interiority just that closely. There is a feeling of knowing Theo his whole life, not just for a glimpse of it. This work is capable of sparking us to rethink ourselves and the big questions of life and art. Why do people come and go? What drives it all? Is there a purpose? Does anything last? What can fine art do to us, within us, and for us? Are we really alone? What is art for? How can we relate to one another or a masterpiece of music or paint? The novel is an experience, one that this admirer/reviewer recommends wholeheartedly.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10KV43K1YD9O8?ASIN=0316055441	Moving and Masterful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My review is for the 26-CD audiobook read by David Pittu, a prolific and accomplished audio actor, who also read another audio book that I listened to last year - The Marriage Plot. As in that epic length novel, Pittu is the master of developing different voices for the main characters, each distinctive and appropriate - Boris sounds Ukrainian, Hobey sounds elderly, Theo's childhood friend, Andy, sounds nerdy... This acting skill makes the time fly when you're listening to such a long novel. At 26 CD's, the book required more than 3 weeks of daily commuting to complete!  But I actually looked forward to that time in the car each day to hear more of the adventures and challenges of Theo and Boris.<br/><br/>By now, if you've glanced at any of the other 14,000+ reviews for this astonishing book, you will have the gist of the plot, so I won't repeat much of it here. Theo's beloved mother dies in an explosion at a NYC museum when he is 14. During that catastrophe Theo met a dying man who gave him a ring that lead Theo to Hobey, who would eventually become his guardian. During his panicked escape Theo also snatched the priceless painting of the Goldfinch that his mother loved and he had admired so many times. He knew it was wrong to keep it, but couldn't figure out how to put it back without getting into trouble. Theo veers from living with the rich family of a boyhood friend, to moving to Las Vegas with his father, where he started his long friendship with Boris, then back to New York to stay with Hobey, an antiques dealer/furniture restorer who had befriended Theo after the explosion.<br/><br/>The narrative is filled with endless detail of Theo and Boris' exploits - doing drugs, getting drunk regularly, stealing food from the mini-mart. They were unsupervised and unloved and had only each other. This time in Las Vegas occupies about the middle third of the book, and there is actually little mention of the Goldfinch during this time. When this time comes to an explosive end, Theo packs up the Goldfinch painting and escapes on a long bus ride back to New York. Fortunately, Hobey took him in with few questions, and he started to get his life back on an even keel. But there's still another third of the massive book to go....<br/><br/>The narrative bogs down a bit during the New York years when Theo finishes high school and begins his long apprenticeship with Hobey as an antiques dealer. Theo's college years are skipped by almost entirely, and there's little mention of the Goldfinch during this time. When Theo gets involved in some shady dealings related to selling so-called ""antiques"", the plot thickens. Boris comes back on the scene, and things get very complicated. Though the plot sagged about 2/3rds of the way through the narrative, and it felt like you were trudging through page after page of quicksand, the pace picked up considerably towards the end.<br/><br/>The final chapters where all the loose ends are tied up and Theo does some deep soul searching are some of the most beautiful and moving writing I have heard in a long time. Some of the critical moments were so emotional and raw that I was nearly brought to tears. If I had been reading the book rather than listening to CD's, I would have had had the highlighter out and would have many dog-eared pages.<br/><br/>Theo spent his entire life trying to find his lost mother - he never stopped missing her. The themes of lost love, trying to find love and that severed maternal bond were pervasive. ""The Goldfinch"" is a masterful achievement that will linger in your memory long after you've finished the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12W5OSVVGOVL8?ASIN=0316055441	Could've done without the last 100ish pages...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is the story of a boy, a painting, and how their lives are intertwined. It follows the life of Theo, whose life seems destined to be a series of unfortunate events. It's a story of love, kindness, and trying to find happiness, a rumination on goodness, badness, and whether one can stem from the other.<br/><br/>While I loved the book, and recommend it overall -- Tartt's writing, as always, is masterful -- I do present several caveats. The first: this is, quite possibly, the only protagonist in literature (except perhaps Holden Caufield) on whom I wished death at regular intervals. He makes mistake after mistake, and seems to get by only from the kindness of others or -- more often -- luck and the skin of his teeth. If you are averse to this type of experience, then this is probably not the book for you. The second caveat: the last hundred or so pages are an unnecessary philosophical rumination, an ""If you missed these themes and the questions they raise, let me bash you over the head with them"" experience that weakened the entire book for me.<br/><br/>On the other hand: Theo's love of his mother, and that angle of his story, was heartwarming and heartbreaking; I felt immensely homesick when I read almost all of them. The story of his relationship, too, with the painting is wonderful, and very much highlights the importance of art to life. It also induced a fleeting desire to leave grad school and become an antiques dealer.<br/><br/>While I found The Secret History by the same author to be a much better book, I did enjoy this one, and recommend it on the whole -- it's got an excellent plot that makes you keep reading; a twist that made me sit up in bed and shout at the book (scaring my boyfriend), and writing that will knock your socks off.<br/><br/>Started: July 5, 2014<br/>Finished: August 21, 2014<br/><br/>Rating: 8/10</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPRWY30CTJVGX?ASIN=0316055441	Worth reading but a long haul	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a hard book to review. There were parts of the story I absolutely loved and parts that I endured.  It’s such roller coaster ride. A 3 1/2 star rating would be the more appropriate rating but I decided to round up because of the quality of the writing. The story of Theo and his mom captured me immediately. Donna Tartt's writing draws you in and I felt that I knew the characters and could picture their surroundings.  I became invested in Theo and felt such connection to him. I had moments when I realized I was actually concerned for him, knowing only a good writer could evoke those emotions. I read many reviews about the characters being unlikable and some are. But I didn’t dislike Theo. I felt sympathy for him and his situation despite his many questionable decisions. (Boris and Larry are different matters all together.)<br/><br/>The problem with the book is that all of that detail sometimes turned into repetitive rambling. I got bored with the Las Vegas portion of the story because the drugs, drinking, hangovers and overall bad/stupid behavior of everyone became wearisome. I would say the same for the lull when Theo is in the Amsterdam hotel drunk and high and being philosophical about his life. I also didn’t like the gloomy ending. I didn’t expect a happily ever after but it made me sad to think after all Theo had survived and essentially triumphed, his culminating thought is “better never born, than born into this cesspool. Sinkhole of hospital beds, coffins, and broken hearts.” I read that passage and thought, that's the culmination of all this? While Theo is somewhat  morose through much of the novel this level of pessimism seemed incongruous to all the talk of the beauty of art and love of the things he truly valued.<br/><br/>Definitely worth reading but prepare yourself for a long haul.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10JR7A7F6FOEK?ASIN=0316055441	Very long, but almost perfect.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First off, it is huge, 771 pages. Secondly it took 11 years to write. Thirdly it won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. A very big book in so many ways. It is also very very good - engrossing, page turning, full of surprises and twists, exquisitely drawn and very human characters, a terrific story, and after so many pages, an ending that really is quite satisfactory. Author Stephen King said about it ""a smartly written literary novel that connects with the heart as well as the mind."" Little more to be said really.<br/><br/>If you can apply yourself for that number of tightly typed pages, and allow yourself to be lost in the tale, this really is a fabulous read. 13 year old Theo Decker happens to be in the museum with his mother when a terrorist bomb goes off, killing his mother. In his panic, fright, and confusion he comes across a seriously injured an elderly man who gives him a ring and indicates to a picture on the wall, which Theo pulls off the wall and flees. This chance encounter and acquisitions dictate Theo's life for the duration of the story.<br/><br/>I really loved this novel, although it is a shade too long perhaps....there is no doubt it is very wordy, and there are places in the story when I wished it would just hurry up and get on with it, but the author's mastery of the language and how she simply carries you along with the train of thought sort of takes over until before you know it, things are happening again. Not having been a 13 year old boy, I don't know how their brain patterns work, but here is a child desperately trying to survive with no parents, no love, no direction, growing into a man probaby suffering from Post Traumatic Stress, with the only constant in his life being a small priceless painting some 350 years old. I couldn't put this down, and found myself drawn to it,  having to sneak-read another page or two in the long compelling saga.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37I9C5YWS05XV?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing, but I hope the movie will be good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Where to start with this...<br/>First off I want to know who is on the Pulitzer panel, because I am having a difficult time believing this was the best book out there last year for this award. As a writer, it is difficult to criticize an author who spent ten years writing a manuscript and who created some wonderful characters in the process, but it is impossible to overlook the fact that this book needed a HUGE EDIT.<br/>While the characters are sometimes strong, the story is bogged down with excessive details about people, places, and characters I didn't care about. If these descriptions had been beautiful or poetic or original, I would have been happy to follow along, but because most were pedestrian repetitions from all the books I've ever read, I found myself skipping paragraphs then pages and finally chapters to finish. This is a first person narrative but lacks the richness I would have expected from such a high-achieving book, the central character, and, of course, this author. It rambled all over the place, and for a hundred pages at a time absolutely nothing happened. Since the character's feelings and observations weren't compelling enough to keep me intrigued or reading along just to see what he had to say, I had to force myself to pick it up and finish, and I am the kind of person who reads Moby Dick without skipping a word. I think this book could've been great if 200 pages had been cut and a lot of small talk and small details and lifeless observations had been excised. As it is, I now wonder what the characters COULD have been if she had handled them differently, because I was, on some level, interested in them, which is the conundrum, and also makes me sort of sad. As it is, I got to the point I either wanted to know what was happening with the painting, or wanted to care about what was happening with the characters, and I ended up being disappointed on both counts. After all the hype, I really was hoping we had a new and astoundingly brilliant piece of literature, but, in fact, we have another best-seller which might become a movie in the end, hopefully with a great screenwriter and a spectacular cast.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IJL4URTLK6M7?ASIN=0316055441	Part Holden Caulfield, part Oliver Twist	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's prize-winning novel revisits the theme of her first novel, <a class=""a-link-normal"" href=""/The-Secret-History/dp/1400031702"">The Secret History</a> which is debauched, wasted youth. Theo, the fifteen year old protagonist, suffers a huge traumatic event and then spirals into neglect, abandonment, addiction and frankly, crime. This is one of those picaresque, coming-of-age novels that are irresistible. Theo is part Holden Caulfield, part Oliver Twist and the book has a definite Dickensian quality--the attorney Bracegirdle is nothing if not straight out of ""Bleak House"" and Theo's father and girlfriend Xanrdra have something vaguely reminiscent of of Bill Sikes and Nancy. And one character describes another as ""The Artful Dodger""--none of this is an accident. Dickens looms large over Tartt's Manhattan, converting it into grimey Victorian London.<br/><br/>The characters are so well-drawn, reading this is like watching a film. It was so vivid, I went to sleep and my dreams literally continued it on. There are flaws, overwrought sentences, the ending (which has garnered a lot of criticism)--did she change it? The last 100 pages are kind of a mess and the very last page seemed to me to be some kind of excuse for how the book ended. It built up to quite a lot of drama then...well, no spoilers but I'm sure I'm not alone in being a bit let down. And the anachronisms? Tartt breaks a rule of fiction, don't put in dates if you don't want your work to be dated, let alone the fact her technology and events don't square with the dates. And New York City--I'm no New Yorker but I do know how to get around on the subway system on occasional visits and even I cocked an eyebrow at a few things. This could have been easily fixed by having someone do a critical reading for accuracy of dates and geography. I got the impression that Tartt's agent wanted this book out by a certain time and hustled her along.<br/><br/>The part of the book that is disturbing, yet amazing is how easily Theo falls into a debauched life, for the best reasons, for no reason at all. You could blame it on genetics, on environment, and that would be true, but the transition is no less horrifying and the author is wise enough not to have us totally love Theo. Sometimes, we want to wring his neck or drag him away from the cliff edge. It's not a perfect novel but it's well worthy of the Pulitzer, though I can see the reasons some people felt it was not. I look forward to more from Donna Tartt.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYNAX6UEI8QBE?ASIN=0316055441	An engrossing, emotional experience of a book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I read three or four books a week, I don't often review them, because I immediately start another when I finish one.  However, after reading The Goldfinch, I wanted to be sure to come back and review it, in light of the many negative reviews it's received, which I believe are unfair.<br/><br/>I'm a very fast reader (as in, they studied me when I was a kid) so I read this book much more quickly than most people will.  I started it on Saturday evening and I finished it on Tuesday afternoon (in between working two jobs and going to school.)  You will probably not read it that fast, as it's 800+ pages and not light prose.  However, despite the fact that many people have complained about its length, I personally would have loved for it to be even longer.  Even I would not normally finish a book of that size so quickly, but I found it so engaging, and the reading of it so rewarding, that I couldn't wait to get back to it every second that I was not reading it.  It is that good.  Yes, it rambles occasionally, and not all of the descriptive passages were integral to the story, but what's the point of a book?  I like to lose myself in a story, being able to visualize every scene and character in the manner the author intends.  This book makes that possible.  While I was reading this book, I imagined myself in the sweltering desert of Vegas, in the mahogany-tinted gloom of a New York City antiques shop, and in the morose frozen landscape of Amsterdam at Christmas.<br/><br/>Some reviewers have complained about the flawed personality of the main character and his closest friend, suggesting that the author should not inflict ""losers"" like that on their readers.  I love flawed characters.  I don't want to like every character I get into the mindset of, because I am flawed, and so are you.  The more realistic a personality, the better, in my opinion.  I loved Boris and liked Theo, despite the fact that their many mistakes very directly caused them all of the strife they experienced throughout this story.  If they weren't screw-ups, the plot of this story could never have feasibly occurred, and this book would not exist.  No fine, upstanding citizen would have made the decisions either Theo or Boris (or most of the characters in the book) made.  That's why it's a book and we want to read it.  If it was a story about a squeaky-clean kid that left the painting where it was, the story would have ended there, in the first chapter.  That's the beauty of fiction.<br/><br/>I'm one of those people that re-reads books, and I'm looking forward to the day, five years down the line, when I'll be ready to read this one again.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GV6EAYGIJQCN?ASIN=0316055441	Self-plagiarism?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch:<br/>""It was Mr Barbour who opened the door: first a crack, then all the way. ""Morning, morning,"" he said, stepping back. Mr Barbour was a tiny bit strange-looking, with something pale and silvery about him (...); his eyes were a queer unstable gray and his hair was pure white, which made him seem older than he was until you noticed that his face was young and pink - boyish, even. His ruddy cheeks and his long, old-fashioned nose, etc.""<br/><br/>The Secret History:<br/>""A minute or so passed, and another, and then the white door opened just a crack. A face looked out at me. It was a small, wise face, as alert and poised as a question; and though certain features were suggestive of youth - the elfin upsweep of the eyebrows, the deft lines of nose and jaw and mouth - it was by no means a young face, and the hair was snow white.""<br/><br/>Written more than 20 years apart!<br/><br/>There's more of that. Theo's dad is reminiscent of Bunny's, Xandra's vulgarity reminds one of Judy Poovey, and the drowsy, flushed Pippa Theo is so taken with resembles the drowsy, flushed Camilla Richard is so taken with...<br/><br/>Time stands still for Donna Tartt...<br/><br/>After further cogitation on why this book doesn't really work for me, I can add the following:<br/><br/>Implausibility:<br/><br/>Theo's apartment remains empty for months; even though a minor, he has full access to it. Is it likely that a landlord would accept this situation? (this apartment is needed in the plot because the painting is stowed away there, without Theo seeming unduly worried about it). Another plausibility problem is posed toward the end of the novel, when (the criminal) Boris wants to store passports in the car, oddly respectful of Dutch regulations on proof of identity (this is necessary to explain why Theo is holed up in his Amsterdam hotel without a passport and has a lot of lengthy boring telephone calls with American consulate, trying to find a way home). Author, holed up for 12 years writing this novel, seems disconnected from real life.<br/><br/>Dialogue:<br/><br/>Author does not have an ear for dialogue, nor for accents. Doormen discuss the weather. Boris's accent resembles the doorman's accent: sentence structure, omission of words. Russian is like Portorican? When a dialogue gets lengthy, one of the characters will run a hand through his hair, take a sip of something, etc. Take any good writer: the interruptions of a run-on dialogue will be relevant, meaningful, indicate something about the character or the action. Not with Donna Tartt. This was already a major item in Secret History.<br/><br/>Characterisation:<br/><br/>The characters seem trite while they're alive and present, first hand, for the reader: once they're dead and live on in Theo's memory, they take on a complexity and profundity they did not initially show (the mother, the father). Is it because the book took so long to write that the author FORGOT what the characters were like?<br/><br/>The speech mannerisms of characters such as Theo's father resemble what has already been used for Bunny and Bunny's father in Secret History (""yes, yes..."").<br/><br/>Resemblances with Secret History:<br/><br/>This is a bildungsroman, a coming-of-age: how is it that, apart from some hints at sex between Theo and Boris, we have no news about his first girlfriends, his first real sexual experience? This was the same in Secret History, except we always had the feeling a girl was writing the book, so author felt obliged to mention that Richard was sleeping with this or that student so as to show him as a heterosexual.<br/><br/>The girls (Camilla in Secret History and Pippa here) are always enchanting, flushed, drowsy, sleepy, and beyond the narrator's reach.<br/><br/>Characters:<br/><br/>Apart from Boris, none of the characters (including narrator) seem to have much substance. Xandra and the father are trite cliché.<br/><br/>The mother sounds shrill, agitated, in a constant rush, her charm doesn't get through, we have only a few pages of direct experience of her, yet narrator spends the rest of the novel moping, and gives us information toward end about her personality etc. that didn't really transpire when we knew her.<br/><br/>Pippa is love object of narrator? She only turns up a few times in the book, and nothing much happens.<br/><br/>Hobie: supposed to be this gentle wise character, but just like Julian in Secret History, he doesn't have much substance. In the Secret History Julian was also this major, central figure, who had very few pages, even less presence in the novel, and we're supposed to believe he was a major influence for the students.<br/><br/>Everything is improbable from the start to the end. An old man, dying, finds the energy to entrust Theo with a ring AND a painting, and gives him an address that Theo remembers in all the confusion (he's also had concussion). Too many McGuffins in the plot, totally artificial. What works for Dickens doesn't work for Tartt.<br/><br/>We think that Theo's descent into a life of crime is due to the loss of his mother and Boris's influence, but we realise that right at the beginning, at age 14 he was breaking into summer houses with a school friend. Is he a likeable character?<br/><br/>Toward the end, the last quarter, the narrative at last starts to roll, like waves coming in on the beach, as if the publisher was finally putting pressure on the author to finish. It gets more urgent, to the point, the themes appear, but also, as mentioned above, there is a new redefinition of the characters, we hadn't seen them in that light, she invents new things about them in Theo's memory.<br/><br/>The whole is pretty amateurish stuff written by an apparent recluse seemingly disconnected from the technical realities of life.<br/><br/>Notwithstanding, the characters and the story, Theo's descent into hell, the crossing over into troubled adulthood from troubled adolescence, Boris, the loss of innocence, do have staying power and a certain haunting quality, there is a sort of overall epic ""breath"" in the telling which I suppose is why this sort of novel attracts so many readers.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CKI562TLUX7V?ASIN=0316055441	"""its glow enveloped me, something almost musical, """	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The novel opens with Theo Decker ensconced in an Amsterdam hotel scanning Dutch newspapers, which he can’t decipher. Theo is looking for his name in any and all articles that relate to criminal activity by way of their photographs. Before Theo’s circumstances are explained we are transported back fourteen years when he was only thirteen.<br/>On a visit to New York’s Metropolitan Museum with his art-loving mother a terrorist bomb explodes killing many people including his mother. Theo comforts a mortally wounded old man who asks him to take his signet ring and return it to a local antiques shop, a place that will profoundly change Theo’s life. With not only the sound of the blast ringing in his ears but also his mother’s last words, “anything we manage to save from history is a miracle”, Theo scoops up Carel Fabritius’s small painting, ‘The Goldfinch’ and makes his way through the falling debris out of the museum unnoticed.<br/>With the death of his mother, Theo is placed by the authorities in the care of the wealthy Barbours, the family of a school-friend. While these same authorities attempt to place him with his unlikable paternal grandparents his estranged father appears at the Barbour’s apartment and sweeps Theo off to Vegas.<br/>The Goldfinch is a bird that can be found in innumerable Renaissance paintings by the likes of Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael to name but a few. In many of these works of art the bird is invariably in the hands of the infant Jesus. It symbolizes the soul, revivification, sacrifice and death and salvation. Legend has it that a Goldfinch plucked a thorn from the head of Jesus as he made his way to Calvary and some of Christ’s blood splashed onto the head of the bird.<br/>The afore-mentioned symbolic interpretations of ‘The Goldfinch’ painting are at the heart of the novel. Theo’s metaphysical ‘soul’ is at times on the point of being ruptured due in some small part to the guilt he feels over the theft of the painting and his belief that he may have inadvertently caused the death of a parent. Revivification comes through Theo’s various new beginnings, his rebirths that punctuate his life. Sacrifice, death and salvation come in many forms in Theo’s life.<br/>The painting becomes the one constant in his life. Not only does he need to possess it but he must gaze on the painting’s beauty and artistry often.<br/><br/>“Too much – too tempting – to have my hands on it and not look at it. Quickly I slid it out, and almost immediately its glow enveloped me, something almost musical, an internal sweetness that was inexplicable beyond a deep, blood rocking harmony of rightness, the way your heart beat slow and sure when you were with a person you felt safe and loved. A power, a shine came off it, a freshness like the morning light in my old bedroom in New York which was serene yet exilerating...”<br/><br/>There is a genealogical line that could be drawn between Salinger’s Holden Caulfield and Theo Decker. They both have problems at a private school that initiates problems for both. They both wander the streets of New York recognizing and rejecting phoniness. Both are clever and perceptive but their narration is one of scepticism and jadedness.<br/>The book is wonderful in its scope and intentions. It may be too easy to see this novel as a comment on 9/11 and its aftermath but it does pervade the novel. And not simply due to the act of terrorism that explodes through the museum and from the pages of the novel. Like many of those who survived 9/11 Theo is suffering from survivor’s guilt, that corrosive, disconcerting internal dialogue that creates feelings of shame and ignominy.<br/>This Pulitzer Prize winning novel is sublimely intelligent but is also mordantly funny and in particular when Theo is living in Las Vegas with his alcoholic, gambling father and his copper-skinned girlfriend Xandra.<br/>It is only after Theo has had the painting in his possession for some time that he notices that the Goldfinch is harnessed to the perch by a small chain that encompasses its ankle.<br/><br/>“Only occasionally did I notice the chain on the finch’s ankle, or think what a cruel life for a living creature – fluttering briefly, forced always to land in the same hopeless place.”<br/><br/>This short sentence encapsulates the novel as a whole. Theo believes for short periods of time that he is free from all restraints; family, guilt, shame etc. Inevitably, he notices the ‘chain around his ankle’ and flutters back to his perch returning to the “same hopeless place.”<br/>Carel Fabritius’s ‘The Goldfinch’ is in the artistic style of a trompe l’oeil. This style uses realistic imagery to create the optical illusion that depicts objects that exist in three dimensions. This style of painting has the effect on the viewer of wanting to look closer at the painting; to study the brushstrokes, the depth of paint on the canvas, the lushness of the colours. I believe that this is what the author, Donna Tartt, is trying to achieve. She wants you to not only look and read her three dimensional book but to lovingly scan the words, sentences and paragraphs individually and this will ultimately enable the reader to appreciate and enjoy the novel as more than just a singular entity chained to a bookshelf.<br/><br/>First Line – “While I was still in Amsterdam, I dreamed about my mother for the first time in years.”<br/>Memorable Line – “The painting, the magic and aliveness of it, was like that odd airy moment of the snow falling, greenish light and flakes whirling in the cameras, where you no longer cared about the game, who won or lost, but just wanted to drink in that speechless windswept moment.”<br/><br/>No’ of Pages – 771<br/>Sex scenes – Yes<br/>Profanity – Yes<br/>Genre - Fiction</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38FMQX4BYPDBO?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I picked up this book simply because I was looking for something new to read on the same day I happened to hear it won the Pulitzer. I'm glad I did, however, because it was exactly what I was looking for. Engaging, well-paced (especially for its length), with interesting and (mostly) well-rounded characters. I took me a bit to get into it, but once I did I was hooked entirely--often reading it when I really should have been doing other things. Tartt excels as exhibiting Theo's journey so naturally and seemlessly, that every action he takes makes complete sense for his character. You completely understand why he gravitates to the people he does, why he needs to self-medicate the way he does, why he follows the path he follows. Many authors tend to shoehorn these details into their characters in order to further their plot, but with Theo, his causes and effects made perfect sense.<br/><br/>My problems with the book, while I adored most of it (particularly Theo's youth), the last bit--the ending--felt off. There was a lot of exposition, which the reader needed for closure, but it came off as quite the ""info-dump"".  The last scene with Boris, followed immediately by the last scene with Hobie--it was very much one character telling us everything we needed to know, while Theo stood in for the reader asking the questions we had in a very ""so then what happened?"" manner. Yes, we got our answers, but given how great the book had been, I was just hoping for it to play out a bit differently.<br/><br/>Also, there were time where the lengthy descriptions of unnecessary things (furniture, for example) got so detailed that it would take you out of the book; I'd find myself skipping paragraphs a time and losing nothing from the story. The book probably could have been 200 pages shorter if an editor had simply trimmed some of the superfluous descriptions down.<br/><br/>Lastly, I didn't find any of the female characters to be as fully fleshed out as I had hoped. Each of the more prominent ones seemed to filling a very particular place hold in Theo's life, but I knew very little about any of them outside of that role. In turn, you look at characters like Boris and Hobie, who also hold specific roles in Theo's life, but yet their characters also stand on their own two feet outside of Theo. I would have loved that for more of the females.<br/><br/>Enjoyed the book on the whole, however. Would recommend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30NBRRAL2GL9E?ASIN=0316055441	Great book - but DON'T read the very end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did really like the story telling and the funky and weird characters. I got completely captured by the story and could not put the book away. It is well told and beautiful in a way. Often in the book you feel disappointed that a certain phase in the protagonist's life finishes and another one opens but then it turns out that the new one is a lot of fun and interesting in a different way. I also liked the fact that the characters are not at all black and white and give you a lot of meat to chew on. I don't agree with some of the reviewers that the book seems to consist of parts that are too independent and I liked it that the book was so long (so it did not end so early ;). A lot of the fun of the book is to detect the fundamental strands tying the experiences together and think about some of the underlying points to enjoy and learn from.<br/><br/>However, this is also related to my big beef with the book: The last one or two sub-chapters are a long and boring explanation about what the readers have just read, about what the reader ought to have learned from the story, and about what the official moral of the story is.<br/><br/>I can not describe how angry and disappointed that made me feel.<br/><br/>First of all it seems to be a sign of incredible insecurity on the  author's side. You feel like telling her ""if you wrote a good book, it will speak for itself, if not, no explanation will help - so why the heck to you feel you need to spend two chapters to tell the reader what he/she was supposed to have learned?"". The second - even worse feeling is the fact that I was feeling extremely patronized by that. If the author gives me a story, I feel it is my right to create my own world of imagination around it, my own judgement of the people and my own understanding of the morality. If the author than says ""no, you got that wrong, this is what you are supposed to feel and think"" I feel cheated out of my experience. It is like the stereotypical bad high school teacher that believes that there is only one correct interpretation of art and/or literature and it is not your right to feel what you want.<br/><br/>I have a hard time to even give it 4 stars because that was so annoying but everything other than these two last sub-chapters was excellent. So my advice:<br/><br/>- read the book it is great!<br/>- once the actual plot is winding down and kind of resolved and there are only a couple of sub-chapters left, be on guard to the onset of reflection on the book / i.e. the onset of the protagonist reflecting on his life<br/>- STOP reading there! I promise you there are no plot twists anymore (in fact there is no more plot)<br/>- bask in that great feeling that you just read a truly captivating book that transported you into a quirky and interesting world<br/>- reflect for yourself<br/>- Write a 5 star review ...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XF6KDVF6FUGB?ASIN=0316055441	Simply brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't so much read The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt as I was swept up in its powerful and sublime narrative with its exploration of love, loss, beauty, material objects and the relationship we can form with these and other people in our lives and how the choices we make, which are embedded in a moral code, define us.<br/><br/>The novel tells the tale of Theodore Decker who, suspended from school because of a questionable friendship he has formed as opposed to his own behaviour, has his life upended and shattered when he survives a tragedy that rocks New York. In the moments before and in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, he forms a bond with a young girl called Pippa and old man named Welty, both of whom become touchstones in what his life will become. Amid all the horror and shock that unfolds, Theo does something quite strange, he takes something extremely valuable and beautiful and tells no one what he has done.<br/><br/>The consequences of this one action will echo and influence his life choices, merge into the memories of his past and erupt into the present in a prescient manner offering escape, promise and danger.<br/><br/>The novel then follows Theo's life and the impact loss and accidental gain have upon him. His grief, his torment, the monotony and loneliness of his days are charted as he becomes not so much a victim of circumstance, but a victim of those determined to follow bureaucratic processes, tick their boxes and do the 'right thing' by this silent and oft sullen young man. This section of the book is heart-wrenching as well-intentioned people fail to see or understand how much Theo needs connection, longs for real communication and feeling, for someone to do more than simply satisfy the social niceties and offer platitudes. The only thing that allows him a link to his life before the tragedy, to experience and build any kind of emotional bridge is the object he has stolen. It speaks to him in ways that the humans in his life, even those closest to him, cannot.<br/><br/>It isn't until he meets James Hobart, Hobie, an antique restorer and friend of Welty's, and is reunited with Pippa that a semblance of meaning, if not hope, enters his life. But even this is transitory as Theo is at the whim of forces he cannot control and so his life is taken on journeys, undergoes trajectories he can neither navigate or foresee and, on the way, he collides and connects with others: his recalcitrant father, the ebullient and wonderfully strange Boris, the aloof but kind Barbours. Anchoring him on the ride his life becomes is his great secret, the object that has come to fill the hole left by the absence of those he loves.<br/><br/>From New York to Las Vegas to Amsterdam, from high society to the seedy underworld of crime and shady deals, drugs and booze, the novel follows Theo from his teens to his late twenties. Exquisitely written, it is a story I could not put down. Tartt's ability to enter the mind and hearts of adolescents and adults is acute and heartfelt. Often philosophical and littered with references from popular and 'high' culture, the reader is swept along in the currents and eddies of Theo's life in much the way he is. Filled with rich and complex characters, humour in surprising places, touching scenes that wring the heart and others that leave you frustrated and discontent, there is never a dull moment and, frankly, I was astonished by a few readers' reviews that declared nothing happened in this novel. It may centre on a character who fundamentally embraces nihilism - or attempts to - but everything happens in this book. Everything that makes us human, that drives our needs, desires and hopes is explored. It seeks to understand what is free will, what is determinism. It ponders the great questions that have entertained and confounded philosophers since Aristotle, questions about life and death and meaning. It also asks, do we make our own luck or misfortune or is it somehow predestined? It is a morally and ethically complex novel that among many notions teases out the idea: do good acts necessarily lead to good outcomes and vice-a-versa? What if the wrong or bad decision can lead to the right ending? Or a good one bring about catastrophe? Does that make the entire choice or the person making it evil or their choice necessarily wrong? These are questions characters unconsciously embrace and finally ask outright. It’s left to us, the reader, to decide whether or not the answers are worthy or right (or not).<br/><br/>A fantastic story that lingers in the heart and head and which, like the object at its centre and the young man who obsesses over it, captivates you and whispers, “I have been written for you alone.” (Something that will make sense once you have read this utterly beautiful and haunting tale). Cannot recommend highly enough.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BW8SDM2W0DQH?ASIN=0316055441	Art Imitating Life Imitating Art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In The Goldfinch, Theo Decker gives us a first person account of his troubled life and his obsession with a painting of a caged bird by a Dutch master purported to be the bridge between Rembrandt and Vermeer.  Tragedy brings the painting to young Theo, a tragedy in which he loses his mother.  He ends up in a ghost development on the fringe of Las Vegas with his erratic, alcoholic father.  There he meets his best friend Boris, the novel’s truly great creation.  Con man, doper, holy fool, Boris plunges headfirst into the messy business living.  Boris weaves in and out of Theo’s life with results that vary from comic to cosmic to tragic.<br/><br/>After his father dies, Theo ends up back in New York selling antiques for Hobie, a genius furniture restorer, and yearning for Pippa, a girl he met during the tragic event that killed his mother.  A galvanic mix of desire and despair,  Theo turns into the kind of adult who wants deeply without ever quite believing in the validity of his desires.  Intermittently ethical, verging on drug addicted, he might have veered into unlikeable.  He’s redeemed by the pain of his losses and his stubborn love for the people who matter to him.<br/><br/>The book is almost 800 pages long, but the story arcs hook you.  What will happen to the painting, especially after Theo loses it?  Will Theo ever figure out how to be happy and shed his incapacitating anxiety?  There’s a bit too much Message right at the end, of the “life sucks but you have to try” variety, but it’s easily forgiven because the writing throughout is very strong.  Tartt is a great noticer and describer of the physical world.  The New York street scenes are especially well rendered.  She doesn’t stint on the big emotional encounters, and often lands them in places that feel both unexpected and absolutely right.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch is a high novelistic achievement.  Similar to Dickens’ Great Expectations, Tartt creates a world you can sink into, narrated by an orphan worth rooting for.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VS9EHPUI6C1E?ASIN=0316055441	Holden Caulfield sequel, with a bomb, art theft and drugs	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Here we have a novel that in some ways is Holden Caulfield in reverse, or in depth, or perhaps in sequel. Thirteen year old Theo Decker is in trouble at school; he and his mother are summoned to the principal; delayed en route, they visit a museum; a bomb kills Theo's mother, and in a kind of recompense he steals The Goldfinch, a (actual) trompe l'oeil painting by seventeenth century Dutch Master Carel Fabritius. The saga that follows--Theo placed in a foster home on Park Avenue, then transplanted to Las Vegas by his renegade father where he meets life-long companion Boris, then back to New York to live with furniture restorer Hobie, one of the more eccentric and endearing characters in modern literature. Of course there is a love interest: Theo meets and falls in love with Pippa, whose grandfather Welty was killed in the museum blast. Without revealing too much, suffice to say that Theo's infatuation with Pippa symbolizes his life before the bomb killed his beloved mother, and both he and Pippa understand that.<br/>Donna Tartt has a curious writing style, a way that made this reader want to keep plowing through a Dickensian, Tolstoyan-length novel that must have given her publisher serious hesitation prior to release. At 784 pages, the book should not have commercial viability in a 140 character world. But it does, its gripping voice, heart-embracing characters (even the nasty ones-especially them!) and its scene composition make it a book that will see many readers miss their subway stop.<br/>There are a few dangling plot lines. For one, the drug/art-theft/homicide in Amsterdam is somehow disregarded, despite the seeming efficiency of Dutch police. The engagement of Theo and Kitsey is left undone as well, with no clear resolution, and the same may be said for Theo's relationship with Mrs. Barbour, who becomes the boy's surrogate, but then is left with nothing more than a letter from him to explain his whereabouts.<br/>Regardless, The Goldfinch is an operatic, character-rich, sumptuous novel that satisfies on many levels.<br/>Byron Edgington, author of <a class=""a-link-normal"" href=""/The-Sky-Behind-Me-A-Memoir-of-Flying-Life/dp/1622490371"">The Sky Behind Me: A Memoir of Flying &amp; Life</a></span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CAKEEHMK90S0?ASIN=0316055441	The Transformational Nature of Literature	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Imagine a book written in the twenty-first century with pen and pencil in notebooks, work on the novel taking place over ten years. What would such a book be like? How long would it be? What impact would it have on readers? Judging by sales charts in the New York Times and others, this 770 page book is wildly popular. But why would so many readers tackle such a book in this, the age of thirty-second attention spans? I may not adequately answer the pithier of these questions, but here goes.<br/><br/>Ms. Tartt has created a bildungsroman here, its first-person narrator and principal character a boy named Theo Decker. Theo’s father has wandered away from his parental responsibilities, his mother has died in a museum explosion that Theo not only survives but walks out with a priceless painting, The Goldfinch. He manages to hang on to the painting (or he thinks so) through life with a rich, troubled New York family, then with his father in Vegas, a friendship and drugs with a Russian boy alienated from his father (mother dead), and finally college and apprenticeship to a New York antique restorer. The painting’s presence in Theo’s life allows him to hang onto his mother and his childhood until he realizes that it’s wrong to cling to the past, that it must be returned to its rightful place in society.<br/><br/>Tartt’s voice here is stupendous; her Theo consistently presented, and her narrative descriptions of New York’s busy hustle, Vegas’ barrenness, and Amsterdam’s freewheeling life are among the best I’ve ever read, seemingly tossed of as if in conversation over a glass of scotch. But she isn’t satisfied to depict the seaminess of youthful drug taking, abandoned children, the danger and depravity accompanying the art underworld. At book’s end, she gives us a philosophical treatise on the true value of art and of life itself. We may never understand life as we live it, but the true artists of each age allow us to see bits of life in perspective, as Carel Fabritius did by painting his goldfinch, a beautiful bird, but chained to its perch by a chain so finely rendered that a viewer may not at first notice it. Art, then, reveals the patterns and fixtures in life that both free us and imprison us, as family does, as childhood freedom does, as romance and marriage do, as education and career may do as well.<br/><br/>No novel is perfect, and one may select certain passages to fault here, but the value of literature isn’t in the precision of its grammar, the lapses in inspired prose, it’s in the energy that drives the life of the novel. So of what artistic value, then, is Tartt’s Goldfinch? What impact does it promise its readers? In a certain sense it’ transforms the pre-Victorian urges of Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina and War and Peace and Flaubert’s Madame Bovary into those of a postmodern, existential reality. In doing so, Tartt has proven that art is perhaps the better depiction of ethics and wisdom than those of religious texts and dogma. As times change, but as the underlying patterns of life remain a safety net between us and existential collapse, literature adjusts, it paints the picture anew for each age.<br/><br/>My rating: 20 of 20 stars</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8QN25XSMKLSV?ASIN=0316055441	Oh, wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book held me in its grip from beginning to end.  And, if memory serves, it was not a short book.<br/>The main characters feel fully fleshed out, one sees both their good and bad sides, not such an easy thing to do when at first blush a few of them seem fairly irredeemably bad!  The author allows the reader to get to know them in a natural rhythm that draws one into the story.<br/>The story centers around a character who is 13 y.o. when the book begins.  He is with his mother at an art museum when there is an explosion and she is killed, but he is not.  In the chaos following the explosion, he is compelled to make off with a very unique, priceless picture of a goldfinch.  He spends the rest of the book, alternatively trying to figure out what to do with it, fearing discovery, wanting to give it back without being caught.  The story moves from a wealthy family who lives on Park Ave. in NYC, to Las Vegas, then back to NYC with a different guardian.  There is so much happening to him along the way that it might spoil the story to those who have not read the book, so I am not going to cover that.  Needless to say, he has quite a few adventures, not all of them good.  But, I believe, at heart, he is a good person, who is unable to deal with the loss of his mother, whom he loved so completely.  And the picture is a representation of that, in some psychologically complicated way.<br/>There are two other fascinating characters in this book.  His friend Boris and his guardian in NYC, who technically owns some kind of antique shop, but really only wants to restore furniture.  One represents love, friendship,  stability and responsibility, the other represents love, friendship, adventure, chaos, and trouble.  It's just a fascinating interplay of forces in his life.<br/>Once I started this book, I could not put it down.  It reached me in the way very few books do…a good story, wonderful characters, rich with emotion.  I highly recommend it.  It is probably the best book I've read in 2-3 years.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LOG04FTX128T?ASIN=0316055441	About suffering they were never wrong/ The old Masters:	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a big, big book. I just want to warn those of you who don't like big books. Because this be a big book.<br/><br/>And although some parts lagged for me (especially the middle), I loved it. I loved her language. I loved the way the painting mirrors the plot mirrors the characters mirrors the message. I loved the characters, Dickens-like in their variety and layers and cheek and exaggeration. I loved the message, articulated with courage (I think) in the last, luminous paragraphs of the book - a tumble of words I kept underlining in large passages and will read again to feel the warmth of their meaning.<br/><br/>This isn't a book for optimists, even though it ends more optimistically than one of its echoes, Great Expectations (also Oliver Twist; but she summons many other literary ghosts too). This is a book for people who aren't sure about the patterns life makes, but get swept by them all the same. It's a book of how we suffer, how good goes bad and bad goes good, how the innocent are lost too soon and the bad get to live so many more days than they deserve, how we decide poorly, how we rely on the kindness of others without seeing the depths of their giving, how the ones we share most of our time with shape and reshape who we are, how we can fool everyone (even us) into thinking we are a solid personality of consistent decisions and actions, and how life and art are an act of constant interpretation without all the necessary background information, causing us to limp and glide and stumble through what we think we should make of them both.<br/><br/>It's a gift to be alive, sure. It's also a mystery. For the people who struggle with the mystery part (especially since Sept. 11th), this book will peel back a layer to make peace with the near-constant confusion. For the people who most often feel blissed and blessed - well, this may not be the book for you to enjoy. But it may increase your compassion for those who struggle, who wonder, and who live in repeated uncertainty of what life and they are or should be or may be or could be still.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I8S02S2EV5IV?ASIN=0316055441	A grand accomplishment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Nothing is more satisfying to a reader than a big, thick book with a suspenseful plot and a multitude of interesting characters, all of whom come alive on the page. It's an added plus when the dialogue is natural and sounds distinctive for each character, and when the setting is so clearly described that a reader can visualize and feel the surroundings. Dickens could come up with such novels, and so, it turns out, can Donna Tartt.<br/><br/>The story begins in Amsterdam, with 27-year-old Theo Decker, terrified and ill, hiding out in a hotel room after an unnamed violent event. Through his narration, we are taken back to the thirteen-year-old Theo, who survives the terrorist bombing of an art museum which takes the life of his mother. Clearly suffering from survivor's guilt and PTSD, young Theo is taken in by the wealthy family of a friend, his alcoholic father having recently departed for parts unknown. We follow Theo from his life in New York as a private school student to the desolate outskirts of Las Vegas when his father reappears. Then it's back to New York as a partner in an antique business, before Amsterdam and a reluctant involvement with the criminal underworld. Binding the plot together from start to finish is a small painting, 'The Goldfinch,' the reason Theo and his mother visited the museum.<br/><br/>Tartt is particularly successful in the depictions of the many characters, through both indirect personal descriptions and accounts of their actions and an abundance of distinctive dialogue. The alcohol and gambling addicted father, the antique restorer Hobie who becomes a father figure, the amoral Russian boy Boris who befriends Theo in Las Vegas--all seem so real I can see and hear them in my mind.<br/><br/>I have never been to New York. I have never been to Las Vegas. I have never been to Amsterdam. But I feel that I know them, through Donna Tartt, just as I know Victorian England, through Charles Dickens.<br/><br/>This seems like an old-fashioned novel in many respects, in that it tells an extended story in detail. That seems to be rather out of fashion these days. But it is a modern novel in other respects, in that it addresses both current and universal human predicaments. The realistic ending is not ""happily ever after,"" but then whose life ever is?<br/><br/>Onward through the fog.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQRBMIBCB78EN?ASIN=0316055441	Despite Captivation, The Goldfinch Left Me Unsatisfied	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was immediately captivated by The Goldfinch and found it to be the perfect immersive vacation read. The prose is beautiful, the characters are distinct, and the premise is entertaining, if not a bit depressing.<br/><br/>My disappointment comes from a discordance between my expectations of the book and the actual intentions of the author.<br/><br/>The way the story was written gave me the sense that it was either not fantastical enough or not realistic enough, and Tartt should have chosen which direction to go in more clearly.<br/><br/>The way the plot is built up in the beginning chapters, I was anticipating more of a mystery, more of an interweaving of details that would add up to some bigger meaning in the final pages.<br/><br/>Instead, I discovered that The Goldfinch is much more a story of human desperation, of existential quandary, and the discordance between longing and physical reality.<br/><br/>Had I approached the book with this understanding I might have enjoyed it more, especially toward the end.<br/><br/>My primary criticism of the book, in fact, lies within the final chapters.<br/><br/>After a relatively enjoyable plot progression, in the final portion of the book Tartt suddenly changes the writing style to one of philosophical rambling. I get the sense that she arrived at her book's conclusion and realized that the moral wasn't explicit enough in the preceding pages, and thus decided to hit the readers in the face with what she was actually trying to get at the whole time. It would have been much more effective had she woven those musings into the previous chapters.<br/><br/>Moreover, aside from the plot, I found that there were numerous other loose ends that could have been tied together more elegantly, but the manner in which she attempted to do so felt a bit contrived.<br/><br/>I was addicted to listening to the story and found it to be the perfect companion as I traveled between airports, but I was addicted in anticipation of a conclusion that never came.<br/><br/>Instead I was left with a bored and dissatisfied feeling at the end of the book which tainted my reflection of the whole experience.<br/><br/>Would I recommend this book? Sure, but only to readers who are seeking a study of an unfulfilling and often desperate reflection of human potential (or lack thereof).</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9KTXVE2OP7QV?ASIN=0316055441	The Boy Who Lived ... Just Barely	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was looking forward to The Goldfinch, but didn't read any reviews of it because I didn't want other people's thoughts to taint my experience. Now, wanting to lend my copy to multiple people on order to ensure they read it, I took a look at various reviews. Most seem to center on two things: one, the Easter egg-like brilliant discovery that Theo Decker is really Oliver Twist, or Pip or Holden Caulfield; and two, the book is too long.<br/><br/>I take issue with both of these. Art's effect on its audience is one of the major themes of the novel. While Tartt is focused on the visual arts, it is also clear that she is considering other art forms such as the more tactile art of furniture making as well as the impact of the written word. Thus one need not feel too clever for identifying the unspoken parallels to other books. She's got plenty of specifically mentioned ones right there: Harry Potter, Dorothy Gale, Disney Princesses and by extension the myriad fairy tales featuring parent-less protagonists. Russian novelists. Inter-war poets Yeats and Auden.<br/><br/>The other major theme is loss. When something is lost, what do you do? You go on a quest of course. But what do you do if you don't know what you're looking for, precisely. If you're Theo Decker, you stagger and stumble and err for years, and you still might not find it, seven or eight hundred pages later. The journey's the thing, and it is ongoing. People don't always find tidy endings and tight plots, and you shouldn't expect it here. Theo is the boy who lived, but it wasn't easy and he didn't have magical power to help him; instead he suffered post traumatic stress and drug addiction but also found friends and a dog who inspired him to a little heroism, and had a love of art to keep him putting one foot in front of the other, eyes on the horizon.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23U86C7T913TM?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What is it with Southern writers? Faulkner, Styron, Conroy - all bring out the most tortured attributes of human nature in their characters - both self-imposed inner demons, or the external dark side of environment or circumstance. I have not read Donna Tartt's earlier works, but plan to now.  She has a wonderfully alliterative style that made we want to re-read and remember many passages - some descriptive of my own life in many ways, and in other ways, places I would not want to travel but have ached to experience. Some critics have described the work as Dickensian, and I can see that in the experiences of the protagonist, Theo Decker, as his associations and emotions run a broad gamut from woozy and depressing lowlife to perhaps more depressing wealth and brittle elegance. His brush with stability, and relative peace, is in a happenstance home and furniture career that fits him variably like an old bathrobe and a cheap suit. The romantic threads are interesting, but perhaps a little pedestrian, but to me this is not a story of boy-girl romance by any means, and I could not read it that way. The broader interpersonal relationships were far more interesting, and insightful. The book is long, and only occasionally stumbles or drags, but recovers quickly. If there's a disappointment, its in the last few pages. The story ends almost forgettably, which may be Ms. Tartt's intent, and does not detract from the story; but the beautiful writing style falters in those last few pages -where did that memorable style used in most of the book go? I wish she could have saved her best for last so I could linger a little longer, with the book in my hands, and let my emotions drain slowly away. Perhaps Ms. Tartt's emotions drained a few pages earlier, which is unfortunate. but understandable. Or maybe I just did not want to let go.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DVDQW24OMQS?ASIN=0316055441	Great Story if maybe a bit too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I almost loved this book but it just ended up being a bit too long.It was a fascinating story with great character development.<br/><br/>I devoured the 1st half of the book really quickly but the 2nd half just seemed to drag.<br/><br/>Overall though, an interesting read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14ZQ44G9MWY5N?ASIN=0316055441	Boring!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was totally bored.  I kept waiting for something to happen beside the characters escaping into drugs.  It's possible that this held so little interest for me because being a female, I truly could not relate.  Although I read all 776 pages, I just didn't enjoy this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R319ABH97RJX4Y?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really didn't like this book. Not sure why I finished it since it's such a long book. I guess I kept thinking it had to get better given the fact that it's been on the best seller list for so long. It's way too wordy and the characters are unsympathetic. Skip this tome.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FX21IZK6FOKW?ASIN=0316055441	I thought the book overall was excellent - gripping and engrossing plot and memorable characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book overall was excellent - gripping and engrossing plot and memorable characters. The story becomes trite toward the end and I had lost suspension of disbelief before it was over.<br/><br/>I haven't read a 700+ page book that quickly in years though. :)</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NZGTUNUAEWPZ?ASIN=0316055441	MENTALITY DRAINING	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">INTERESTING READ BUT MENTALITY DRAINING.  STRANGE ENDING. SOMETIMES DISJOINTING. SAYING ALL THAT I STILL COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN, BUT IT WORE ME OUT TRYING TO KEEP TRACK. IT WAS INTENSE. AFTER READING GOLDFINCH I WANTED TO READ SOMETHING LIGHT AND FUNNY TO CLEAR THE BRAIN.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KNX92HFTKZFL?ASIN=0316055441	Was so caught up in this awesome read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The hype did not disappoint. A layered, well-written tome that reads much faster than its 700+ pages. The first part of it feels very Young Adult-ish (in a good way). There was some issue with the timeline and the ending was somewhat of a letdown. But overall a fun ride.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F5KIJVL6C9OG?ASIN=0316055441	Good Enough but not Great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is well-crafted and arresting. But the prose is sometimes too purple, and the last section is a peculiar monologue in which the protagonist reflects at the level of an introductory student of philosophy, and that kind of vapid reflection is not good enough.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ENNH020HWQTF?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book very much, sometimes her narrative became a little boring, however her language skills are superb.  the ending began to drag and I did not like her conclusion...too wordy.she had no choice with the conclusion but could have summed it up much quicker.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RKWR2I3VA5DR?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the novel has great narrative drive, the main characters have little psychological nuance or introspective development. I found the the many  minor characters, subplots and twists distracting. I read the book through, but it felt like a snack, rather than a meal.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV3N9159ACZHZ?ASIN=0316055441	very boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much detail made it boring. Thought it would never end. Would not recommend it. Just stemmed to go a lot about unnecessary information. Could have been a lot shorter. The only reason I finished it was because it was such a best seller. I kept looking for something.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GX9ESKL7ZRE?ASIN=0316055441	Read The Secret History and The Little Friend, But Skip This One	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">2.5 stars<br/><br/>Having truly enjoyed The Secret History and The Little Friend, I was really looking forward to The Goldfinch. Unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations.<br/><br/>There's no denying that Tartt writes beautifully. However, there's an old saying that I think is particularly apt here: ""She was talking just to hear herself talk."" This sums up how I felt about The Goldfinch; Tartt was talking, but there was no real substance. With the exception of the opening scene in the museum, nothing that happened to Theo drew me in, and, as the book progressed, I found myself disliking him more and more. I would have liked to see more of Pippa, but even she seemed to be just a prop on which Theo could hang his unrequited love. The painting also played very little role in the story, making it seem as though it was just scaffolding meant to hold the whole mess together. By the end, when Tartt sank into maudlin sentiment, all I could do was wish for the end to come quickly.<br/><br/>I would have given The Goldfinch 2 stars for its ""plot""; only the quality of Tartt's writing earned it the additional half-star.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M9WCXJOZ72NQ?ASIN=0316055441	good but I waded through parts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first half was riveting but I was appalled by what he became and the platitudes bored me. At times I could not wait to finish the novel. Not a character I connected with at all. The end was a fun surprise. Too long and just made me sad about life which is not me.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UT0ZQ1DPT2BB?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Honestly, I don't know what all the hub-bub was about this book. I thought the story could have been about 300 pages shorter. I finished it, but it was a chore. I like books that flow smoother than The Goldfinch did. I found the history of the painting interesting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QBMQF4XSZ4N4?ASIN=0316055441	Well written and engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written,the author makes you feel like you're in that era.<br/>The characters were likeable and I particularly liked Hobie and Andy. The Barbours were an interesting complex family.There was a little too much detail on the furniture restoration for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20OQQAUA1U5GP?ASIN=0316055441	Should be handing out Pulitzers for finishing this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In my mind, the novel consists of 3 different novellas with a bit of character overlap tying the story together.  The first novella is pretty great and really pulls you in, the next part takes place in Vegas and although a little less intriguing still held my attention rapt, but where the story really falls apart is the last novella.  There were times (namely every moment between 75-99% of my kindle percentage bar) that I thought about quitting (and did a lot of eye rolling).<br/><br/>I have no problem with a novel being long due to the amount of material the author wants to cover (e.g. The Winds of War) but this is long for the sake of being long...and a little narcissistic.  I was annoyed by the end of the book by the sheer fact of understanding that this author just wanted to hear herself talk and I was over it; I wanted to move on so badly but she wouldn't let me. After the last adventure of the book, the author gives her philosophical views on the world relating to art, misery, happiness, and love.  I wish, after all this time spent reading (and reading) this book I could have walked away with a-ha moments from that monologue (which didn't even sound like the title character speaking anymore) but I didn't.  I honestly came away with more metaphysical meaning after reading A Fault in Our Stars.<br/><br/>It is obvious that this author did tremendous amounts of research and invested so much time and care into this book and these characters which is why I hate to disparage it in any way, but it could have been accomplished in a lot less pages (or Kindle percentages as is my case). This book had its moments and I'm glad I read it, but mostly, I'm glad it's done.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27TIXGQ8Y980I?ASIN=0316055441	Seriously?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have finished every book I ever started reading until this one.  I arrived at page 617 (out of 771) and realized that I no longer care if Theo ever gets the girl, or stops doing drugs, or drinking anything and everything until he passes out.  I just can't read this anymore.  I can't imagine why anyone would care about characters who are so terribly non-redeemable.  If Hobie were the main character, the book might have been more interesting.  I can't believe this is on the best seller list.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25V4RHQPWY4NX?ASIN=0316055441	A Novel to Savor Slowly	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful. And one to take your time with. It's extremely long, and I wish I'd forced myself to slow down so I could have enjoyed it for several weeks' worth of evenings. Now I miss Hobie, Theo, and Boris, but at least I've discovered Donna Tartt and can find her previous novels. Slowing down wasn't possible on this one. I was as tethered as Theo to his heritage and addiction, and the goldfinch to his perch, and couldn't stop reading. Beautiful imagery. Small bursts of charm such as Theo describing how he dusts so Hobie won't. So very much more.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHX2QDLUILL7U?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a masterpiece!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was curious about this book, because it won the Pulitzer, and because the author is such an enigma. Just like some so-called great movies, not everyone will like it, but I found the writing to be insightful; the story, touching, yet not cloying or sentimental.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9295D4095KC5?ASIN=0316055441	A waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you like spending hours and hours reading about the highs and lows of a drug addict, you might like this book. There was very little story line. I plowed all the way through it thinking there must be some redeeming value - but it was a total waste of time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32619698NSFS6?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars, no more, no less	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very, very long! The middle was definitely the best part. It was very well written and I enjoyed the characters and getting to know them. The last 100 pages bored me.....as did about the first 100. Overall a decent book, I understand why it won its accolades.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HF6FVBC841XQ?ASIN=0316055441	The story line was great and took interesting twists and turns	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line was great and took interesting twists and turns. However, it was too wordy with all the descriptions distracting.  I wasn't in the mood for philosophy or being angry at the main character through 90% of the book.  It is not a fun summer read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R93AT8IEQIZS6?ASIN=0316055441	I so loved the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I so loved the ending, in which Tartt celebrated her craft with the reader, by exposing her brush strokes at one level which became the thing of art at the other level (or in-between levels)… just at the moment she was talking about that very thing. Chills.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BTW3QR564CG3?ASIN=0316055441	too much talk.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those books you wonder if it will ever end!  Situations the main character finds himself are unrealistic and disjointed. I am an avid book reader and wished I had spent this time reading a more interesting and better written piece of fiction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3011E7AHL2EG0?ASIN=0316055441	failed to hold my attention	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had high hopes for this book; unfortunately, it lost me about half way through. It started off very well, but then I found myself losing interest in the characters; the kiss of death! Maybe I'll try it again…after I'm finished zooming through 'Gone Girl'!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMNIP08PL9BIE?ASIN=0316055441	Returning fan	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though not as magical as The Secret History, this book does stand up with its deep philosophical spin between different degrees of right and wrong depending on that character's perspective....what's better...a junkie who smokes crack or one who shoots it...or are they even junkies.  And again, who is really the victim and who is the martyr?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NFBRPDT8EAK7?ASIN=0316055441	amazing journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I never write reviews for anything but this book was so incredible I felt compelled. The prose is at once vibrant, alarming, captivating and deep. I would highly recommend The Goldfinch to anyone looking for a beautiful ride through a tortured soul's mind.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EUEDQ3XPC2S0?ASIN=0316055441	Great but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really loved most of the book but felt the last segment set in Europe was not really necessary. The books lives the lives of the two boys so beautifully, so sadly but intensely, you hang on to each word. Sadly let down by too much rather than too little.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28LP8H5AQ1ZPZ?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Finally finished novel after three weeks,never took that long to finish a novel .well too much drugs really not my cup of tea</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UURFM12ANBRR?ASIN=0316055441	Too Many Words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a long story, and really, too long. My husband and I listened to it (very good narration) and we both got so frustrated with the story in many parts. Theo tells the story and he goes into way too much detail about so many things, like his life in Las Vegas when he meets Boris. On and on about their day-to-day druggie dysfunctional lives, and how they occupy themselves and what they talk about, what they eat, what they drink, etc. etc. etc.<br/>I felt like the whole story hinged around the tragic museum explosion and his meeting Welty and the subsequent ""theft"" of the painting. The fact that he kept the painting for all those years, not understanding why, really, was, to me, the main thrust of the whole story. Yes, it is about art, but mostly at the end where Tartt gets really philosophical and talks about the influence of great art.<br/>At the end, I really wanted to know more about Boris, the only character I felt was real. I ended up liking him, but Tartt never follows up on him other than to have him tell Theo that he knows alcohol will get him eventually.<br/>Kitsy and Pippa, the two women in Theo's life, are both very two dimensional. I know this is common in first person narrations, but I would have liked to know them better.<br/>All in all the story was intriguing, but there was too much inconsequential writing that distracted from the focus of it. It was almost like you keep trying to see through a foggy window, knowing that there is something really beautiful out there, but every time you wipe the fog away, it layers on again until you forget what it was you were trying to see.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD9NNI74CNMZX?ASIN=0316055441	Much tooo long!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I will admit  Donna Tartt's writing is intelligent and she has a wonderful vocabulary.  Having said that, I must confess  I forced myself to finish reading this rather tedious tome,  wasn't worth the time, ending a big disappointment.  Sorry all you  readers with your glowing reviews,  I would be curious to know if anyone agrees with me!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z6EBCI2WYOBW?ASIN=0316055441	Don't waste your time and money	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I waded through this depressing book, where little good happens to the main character and when it does he still chooses to be a thief and a drug addict.  Over 700 pages of one awful decision after another.  Just a terrible book with nothing to redeem it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A7Z4O98RIQ0D?ASIN=0316055441	Needs editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Curious mixture of art, furniture restoration and dealing with drug addiction. Not sure where the book was going and only perseverance took me to the end, which was a huge exestential rave. Not much light or hope. Secret history was by far her best book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15OH6OW3CXYBB?ASIN=0316055441	Long & a bit dark but worth it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has done it again. Theo Decker was a kid who would have had a most dramatically different life had it not been for an unspeakable tragedy. As a result of that life-changing event, his entire world shifts to the dark, the seedy, the underbelly, while, most of the time, having the appearance of perfect propriety. Fascinating.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYB2OZTVFG0M8?ASIN=0316055441	Finally finished it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I almost gave up finishing this grueling, overdrawn book. The author is entertaining herself more than her audience.  Enough already, get on with your story.  You kind of feel good at the end, there is some redemption and art sustains through the ages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z0UCPHKU1HJZ?ASIN=0316055441	Read this book. There are many reasons it won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So I finished The Goldfinch around midnight last night and awoke this morning with a strong impulse to reread the last segment. The philosophic musings led me right back to the beginning in order to somehow try and bookend Theo's story to the reader (no one?). I was struck with the troubling thought that I almost lost the drive to continue it somewhere around the time of Theo's engagement, having almost lost interest in what good could possibly happen with the treasure safely locked away, and feeling discouraged with how Theo's unsettled and unfulfilled life was unfolding. However, the painting itself seemed to beckon and thank goodness it did, because it would have been such a terrible thing had I not read just a few pages more! All of a sudden, I was turning pages as fast as I could - so fast, in fact, that I would go back, frustrated with myself, to make sure I devoured all the details. Then, finally, to my relief, I saw a way out of the strife -everything would be ok -Theo and the poor little bird would be ok! At last, all seemed right with the world again. Feeling as though I had somehow escaped some great near disaster, I relished the end, and finally absorbed what it all meant to me, personally - an epiphany, really.<br/>To those of you who have not read the book, you should! To those of you stuck in the middle of this book, keep reading, and take me at my word that it is ALL necessary for the complete tale (saw in an Amazon review a comment about editor needed?). Finally to those who have finished the book, and have my feelings about it, we know we share a rare secret, don't we?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28YY7Y5C1USG9?ASIN=0316055441	This was the absolute worst book I ever actually finished - I kept hoping ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the absolute worst book I ever actually finished - I kept hoping that it would have something of ""redeeming value"" - there were about three sentences near the end that might be worth repeating.  It was wordy - could have told the whole ""story"" in half the space.  I did not find her characters very realistic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33T6GG4EM8ZYH?ASIN=0316055441	A Work of Art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A perfect story. A work of art. I will miss - the mood of it, the many life questions it asks and, of course, the characters namely Theo, Hobie and Boris. It is a long story that will take awhile to read, yet for the last quarter you will be torn between wanting to know what will happen, and being sad that the story is going to end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DIDOSN3LOKVB?ASIN=0316055441	a little disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book got such amazing advance press that maybe my expectations were too high.  It was well written, but the hero spent way too much time lost in his grief and not learning anything until he was finally forced by circumstances outside his control.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1880UAQPSLOMC?ASIN=0316055441	Gorgeous writing, depressingly disappointing story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">200 pages into this book I was recommending it to everyone I knew.  Tartt is one of the most gifted writers if had the pleasure to read when it comes to imagery.  But somehow I expected this book to go somewhere else than it headed.  By page 550 it had fallen into the category of one of those books I look forward to finishing simply because I want to get it over with. (I’m one of those readers that rarely quits reading a book simply because I don’t like it. OCD in that regard perhaps.)<br/><br/>Goldfinch is a book with sparkling images, sentence after sentence, often glowing with brightness like a crystal reflecting the flames of a fireplace or fireworks on New Year’s Eve in the crisp cold of the night.  But sadly the storyline simply doesn’t measure up to the quality of the writing.  At the very end of the story, Boris seems to try to tell the reader the meaning behind the story, then Hobie basically reiterates the moral behind the story as it were again, then Theo ends the book with a long explanation about how the entire world and life is so dreadful: “Because here’s the truth: Life is a catastrophe…better never born, than born into this cesspool.”  “That maybe even if we’re not always so glad to be here, it’s our task to immerse ourselves anyway: wade straight through it, right through the cesspool, while keeping eyes and hearts open.”  What the storyline expounds is that we should feel lucky to love certain objects of beauty, like art or furniture, which outlast people.  Personally, the quality of my life, and I hope yours, is better than that and certainly has more meaning.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KE9F2DOVDF2V?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldgrinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so eager to read this book, but I was disappointed in the end. I was glad to reach the end. I kept wanting to take out my red editing pen and slashing some of the overly long parts, especially the episodes with his ""best friend"" Boris, who quite frankly spoke at boring length taking pages to get to his point. I thought the plot was good, a bomb set off in a museum with a boy taking a painting his mother -- who dies in the explosion -- adored. But this is the story of a boy/man in trouble all of his life -- he and his mother were on the way to his school for a disciplinary talk with the headmaster -- diverted to the museum to kill time before the school appointment. They never get there, but after the bomb the boy is in one predicament after another -- his father comes to claim him, he loves Pippa but doesn't end up with her, he falsely sells furniture as rare antiques, and uses drugs, drugs and more drugs. I did like discussions about art and paintings, and particularly like the place where Hobie talks about how one particular painting will mean different things to each individual.This end of the story was so phony.  Boris discovers The Goldfinch painting in a European apartment that has a trove of stolen art and gets a huge reward that he shares with Theo. This relives Theo of the weighty issue of getting the painting he stole years before back to the museum. From the start, I was the one with the problem reading this book. I didn't realize until the end that this was Theo's diary, so this stream of consciousness writing made sense, but it was still too damned long.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPIMLE6PUK5TX?ASIN=0316055441	Haven't finished but like it so far..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">`I feel that sometimes she appears to be paid by the word.She needs to be more succinct. I found myself skipping whole lines in impatience, and I love a slow read. I hate to finish a Wallace Stegner book. I mourn. Now there is a true Pulitzer winner.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXB9YX9BKHGPA?ASIN=0316055441	Dull	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Still can't plow my way through this book. I've been trying to give it the benefit of the doubt for months now. The story seems to get stuck for long periods of the plot. Yet still unsure of just exactly what the plot is? I don't recommend this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QJ91GHO50TS5?ASIN=0316055441	This was a great book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I will definitely stash this book in my cache of keepers.  I definitely want to read it again.  The story is completely engrossing and the language and prose superb.  I most assuredly want to read her other work.  I think the Pulitzer well deserved.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38EG965B2C9UE?ASIN=0316055441	Started well and then .........................	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt that the first 150 pages or so was one of the best novels that I had read; I didn't want to put it down.  After the main character moved to Vegas, though, the story seemed to drag on and on; I wanted the book to just hurry up and get over.  The premise of the book is good, but a shorter version might have been preferable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24GV0706ONUWS?ASIN=0316055441	I SO wanted to like this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so excited to read this book. So many reviewers have described the plot, so I will skip that and get right to my personal perspective. The number of pages was a plus as I wanted a sink-my-teeth type of novel. Some parts were very intriguing and I found myself reading way past my bedtime to find out what would happen next. Sadly, my best description of the whole work is ""disappointing.""<br/>Pros<br/>1.Well-researched and descriptive in many areas<br/>2. Inspired me to honor my desire to stay and stare at paintings to which I am drawn.<br/>3. The first section pulled me right in, wanting to know what would happen to this sensitive, intelligent near-orphan.<br/><br/>Cons<br/>1. Most of the writing flowed, but every so often there was a shift in grammar style or an absolute error, and it caused me to lose the flow of the story point. More editing was really needed.<br/>2. There was way too much mindless description of the character's various hallucinations and vomittings during the myriad of drug use scenes. I suppose one could try to examine them and concoct meaning, but  they were just too tedious, and the descriptions detracted from the story.<br/>3. The ending seemed quite abrupt, preachy, and tied up in a bow, as if all the horrors all sort themselves out.<br/>4. This is not Pulitzer Prize writing.  Perhaps, if it had not received the award, I would have had lesser expectations. It had so much potential, but somehow it seems the writer got bogged down herself and it showed. Perhaps it is the best on the current market, but if so, shame on us!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OJI3NGCDM7DO?ASIN=0316055441	What a rambling waste of energy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a rambling waste of energy. One doesn't ever care about this group of young junkies, thieves, amoral rich kids, all wrapped up in the very most bland story I have ever spent time on. Why write one clear word when you can use two hundred. The author must have worn out her thesauri's on this one! Don't waste your time.......</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PFW0G573JY9?ASIN=0316055441	I thought that there was great character development	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought that there was great character development, but that so many of those characters never amounted to anything. I was really quite dissapointed in the wrapping up of the novel. I didn't find some of the characters all that believable either.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FP27U6KMBV?ASIN=0316055441	Dont understant the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not sure why this is so highly acclaimed.  I found it tedious and unbelievable.  Disliked the main character based on the bad choices he keeps on making.  The first third of the book was very good, I will give that, but it was down hill from there.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMOIZYE7IURIF?ASIN=0316055441	disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had great expectations for this read but found it tedious.  Author told somewhat of an interesting story but he should of stopped when he was ahead.  I also found it depressing without a solid foundation developed in the story line.  Way too long!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YD9E6XVGV30G?ASIN=0316055441	Ecstatic reviews, big dissapoinment.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Having loved the Secret History I was really looking foward to her follow up especially after the rave reviews. I'm not sure what book the critics were reading but I left half finished which I rarely do. Unappealing protagonist in dull situations.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R161JK0CNIFYA2?ASIN=0316055441	Good but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really wanted to love this book and on a surface level I did. I liked the story and I liked most of the characters, but it would have been great if 80% of the protagonists introspective clutter was taken out. This could have easily been 3 books.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QA33FPFBYRQ9?ASIN=0316055441	Dragged on too long after a promising beginning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the beginning of the book but then it became boring, detailing a life of drug taking and delinquency in more detail than I care to know. I scanned through pages and pages and eventually finished the book. It could be condensed and greatly improved. I was very disappointed given the initial promise of an exciting book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27NB9LUXPY1D?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing and infuriating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was an enormous disappointment to me.  Not only was I a huge fan of The Little Friend, but the glowing reviews and the Pulitzer prize led me to believe I was in for a treat.  Not so.  It may have been aiming for Dickens but instead reads like an amateurish impersonation.  After a promising plot construction in the beginning, the book falls into incredible repetition, with the constant drug reveries or fevers afflicting the author, obsessions about Pippa and Boris, and infuriating amounts of description repeatedly detailing meaningless things like what Theo decides to eat for breakfast and how he feels after he vomits it up and what drugs he decides to take and how Boris looks and how rich so-and so is and what every item in their apartment looks like. Pages and pages of pointless details! The repetition is multiplied by the author's continual reference to Theo's past. Yet in spite of all this description, the characters are bland and/or outright unlikeable. Meanwhile, important pieces that are ACTUALLY needed for the plot - like what actually happened to the painting and why - are brushed over in nearly unintelligible babblings from Boris and drug fogged questions from Theo. Editor greatly needed here!!!  Was Ms Tartt being paid by the word?  There are good intentions here - including a great attempt to draw larger meanings out of the experiences of the characters - but it's all lost in a sea of messy dialogue, superfluous description, and unlikeable characters.  I REALLY wish an editor had tightened this up because IT COULD have been so good!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X3RMGO0TWODY?ASIN=0316055441	Was there more than one author?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a riveting read….at least initially. Then it morphs into a twisted series of implausible international crime with drugs, murder and unbelievable plot twists which almost made me give up on it. Was this necessary to sell the book?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBNI1VEMQCCOU?ASIN=0316055441	Great writers need great editors	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fascinating premise, engaging plot and intriguing characters all dulled by a book that was 30% longer than it needed to be, inflated by an ever-present sense of self-importance. It should have been a joy to read, rather than an endurance test.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24UOS0IP06SS5?ASIN=0316055441	A book that will knock your socks off.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book gives the reader a very thorough look at the dark underbelly of the fine art and antiquities world.  It is a coming-of-age novel about young Theo Decker who loses his mother under very tragic circumstances at the age of 13.  The book takes us on a very long journey from New York to Las Vegas, back to New York and as far afield as Amsterdam as we follow young Theo.  He leads a rootless existence after the death of his mother, and he never really gets over the tragic loss.  He makes a lot of tragic and catastrophic decisions, and in his search for acceptance, he also makes some questionable choices in friends.  It's really hard to like Theo, and I found that I kept having to remind myself that Theo was a true lost boy after the death of his mother.  The book is extremely moving and the glimpse that it gives us of the underworld of art and antiquities is very enlightening.  The story revolves around Theo and a very famous little painting that he has inadvertently acquired.  The painting becomes an obsession to Theo as he carries it around with him for most of his young life.  Ms. Tratt paint extremely vivid and lifelike characters.  Her writing is almost visceral and it's what kept me reading through the numerous pages.  I found the end of the book was rather tedious and that it didn't sustain my interest as much as the rest of the book did - hence the 4 stars rather than 5 in my rating.  The prose, the story premise, the characters are all exceptional in this mammoth novel.  It is exceptional and therefore a worthy Pulitzer prize winner.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IBNYKE5HOJXS?ASIN=0316055441	Not as good as they say.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't understand why this book got such high marks. Yes it is well written but there is almost no plot, just the very boring life of some kid. Just a miserable read. If you want to be bored or need something to help you sleep then go for it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4GA7YOXZFXOA?ASIN=0316055441	Book Boring and disgusting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought that this book was one of the worst books I have read for a long time.  It was very repedative and the main characters were heavy into dope.  I kept hoping for a better out come but not came.  Hogie was the one clean (er) character .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J95JJI1WS7S?ASIN=0316055441	A Big Disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first half of this book was somewhat interesting. No doubt about it, Donna Tartt is a fine wordsmith - a storyteller, but this book was filled with unlikeable characters. There was nothing to grab that really held my interest. By 2/3's in, I didn't care what happened to Theo - a despicable human being. And when Boris shows back up, I started to read every third page - just enough to move me to the end of the book. Great disappointment. It doesn't matter how big a talent you are, if the subject matter and the characters are bad - the story is also bad.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C3BI5ODJ4W5?ASIN=0316055441	A DISAPPOINTMENT	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am probably very much in the minority of readers of this book, but I found it at times boring. It did not hold my attention throughout. When I started turing pages (on my kindle, no less), I knew it was not something that I would recommend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23MFFWCVCVHY9?ASIN=0316055441	Not completely for the birds....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I personally love long novels and did not see this as 3 separate ""novellas"" as others have suggested it should have been.  Having said that, it does have a lot of extraneous explanations and extensive detail about things that could certainly have been omitted.  I remained interested in the story and wanted to see where the plot took me next, but I did find myself skipping pages of text to get back to where the story was leading me.  I agree that with some of the plot lines you have to suspend your literal mind and just take it as a work of fiction and not over analyze how realistic the story line is. Several sequences left me thinking it was a bit far fetched. But it is fiction and I have certainly read books that take far more license with reality.  Having said that, I do think the author was infatuated with her own prose and turn of a phrase, which lead her to take far more time to get to the point she was trying to make.  In some areas it reminded me of a person who loves to hear themselves talk....  After slugging through this entire novel, I felt like the end was wrapped up a little too conveniently and neatly... and the closing pages were a lot of ""self reflection"" on the part of the main character that frankly I did not care about... none of the reflection was particularly profound or surprising.  The ending was a bit sophomoric for the massive story that came before.  I found myself wanting to finish the book to move on, and the ending left me saying ""Is that it? Really? After all of these pages?""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MP2VIQE9IG5S?ASIN=0316055441	When you finish you'll be sad because you aren't in the story anymore	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch is one of those books you live with. The vivid writing and shocking events will make you want to give advice, scold, cheer and read every carefully chosen word. When you finish you'll be sad because you aren't in the story anymore.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UH9Z5GLTU2CC?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch - great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this story, it's an engaging, fun read and very well written. The protagonist is someone you care about immediately as he navigates his way through his young life without parents, but with wonderful and sometimes horrible guardians. One of the best novels I've read in a long time. I can highly recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L81E3BKJWE0Y?ASIN=0316055441	Self Study	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The more you think you understand happiness and beauty in life..the more you realize you don't..  Strip away the layers...and discover how superficial your self knowledge was...and always will be...but never stop trying to learn the truth.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27IWE9IT0GXIP?ASIN=0316055441	Story stumbles...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first quarter of the book was engaging with great character development, but about halfway through, it bored me to tears.  I had no interest in finishing it, which is a rarity for me.  And, I don't understand why it is so highly rated.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTG7MEBEJI8D9?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch.  Donna Tartt does it again	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent story with fascinating, complicated characters.  The premise of the story sounds unbelievable until you read it.  Donna Tartt is a master story teller.  She sets her  characters in rich tableaus and gives so many minute details so as to make the characters and story immensely entertaining and believable.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YOXBG7CDRAE0?ASIN=0316055441	enh-	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WAY too long. By the end, the events seemed too contrived and no longer plausible- police procedurals on TV are done better than the scenes with the gangsters. I liked the concept of the importance of a painting from various perspectives.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SJCCIND06OH1?ASIN=0316055441	A fantastic, engaging novel that's impossible to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It really is as good as everyone says it is - the story is dynamic, I loved the writing style, and it was unlike anything I've ever read.  I read it whenever I could and when I wasn't reading it I was thinking about it.  Highly recommend!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PHJ0WIW2H7GN?ASIN=0316055441	Such a waste of precious time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just finished the book for my book club and came to Amazon to read the reviews. I usually read reviews PRIOR to reading the book but since it was assigned by my book club (plus it has won a Pulitzer prize), I just read the book without reading the reviews. Well, it was wrong! I will no longer be reading books - especially so long ones! - without first getting a general idea what it is about.<br/><br/>This is the longest and senseless book I've ever read. I was trying hard to make some sense out of it but I couldn't. I would suggest reading all those books that are mentioned in this one (by the way, ""Idiot"" is such a good read!) instead of reading this book. I would also suggest reading books by Margaret Atwood if you like such philosophical considerations intertwined within the story (I especially loved ""The Blind Assassin""). Can't believe people actually enjoyed reading this. One 5-star reviewer said in her review that this is the best book in many years, and I feel sorry for her because I can only imagine how miserably one must feel all the time to relate to this book and find solace in reading it. Failed unrealistic life of a disturbed drug-addict and his unrealistic Russian-born friend - I believe there are authors who could make something out of it much better than this author did. Wasted so many hours (and several night's sleep) over this poor lye sited book - consider yourself warned and don't repeat my mistake! As for Pulitzer, from now on I will take it with a grain of salt.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6LLHNDCE695P?ASIN=0316055441	A Collage Rather Than a Painting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Since on one level The Goldfinch is about art, the book can be compared to a painting, to the eponymous work at its heart: one perfect little painting, jewel-like and shimmering, with a depth that makes you want to return to it again and again. This is not that kind of book. That book might be one like Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day, or The Great Gatsby.<br/>This book is more collage than painting, a pastiche of lyrical prose, delicious description, James Bond films, and Hunter Thompson’s writings, along with many wonderful lessons on the art of furniture refinishing and the shady side of the antiques world. It has overtones of Malcolm Lowry’s Under the Volcano and Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited, with art standing in for religion. Even though I have never actually read Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, that title might be applied to the Las Vegas section of the book. And is there a touch of The Golden Bowl here? It is wordy like Henry James, especially toward the end.<br/>It dazzles to begin with, grabs you and won’t let you go until at least page 47. Hobie and Pippa are endearing treasures, and the main reason I kept reading. The picture Theo cannot seem to part with can also be seen as a metaphor for some mistake or injury in our past that gives us trouble--that we hold onto tightly –and the holding changes our life—and we make rationalizations for not letting it go—and it keeps us from becoming whole. The book is brilliant. The problem is that I didn’t feel better for having read it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IK8QEVHRK3D?ASIN=0316055441	NO stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If I could give it no stars, I would.  Not my cup of tea.  The ""episode"" descriptions were long and tedious and detracted from what might have been a better story.  Pulitzer Prize?  I don't agree, or I don't understand the rules.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RISAJEQ0UF3YV?ASIN=0316055441	almost pretty good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In a word : almost. Luscious descriptions that run on too long and add little to plot. A few great characters however exasperating dialogue. Clever story but inane structure. Not so much writing as flogging. But in the end, yes, release.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAXOSIKTFWLF6?ASIN=0316055441	Not near as great as it was rated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have a tough time with people who create their own misery.  So many missed opportunities. Tough to read a whole book about it.  Ya, I understand profound impact of the loss/events.  I would prefer to read about those who get beyond it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FTAGE1PS37NH?ASIN=0316055441	Overdone	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read on an e-reader and really disliked this book EXCEPT for the last 15%.  I felt the author spent too much time on one event...often repeating herself.  I didn't need to hear an entire chapter on their drug exploits...over and over.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KDCZYUQHDDQS?ASIN=0316055441	WAY too many holes in the Plot!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As I began to read I tried to figure out who Theo was (age, personality, etc.) I wrongly assumed in the beginning that he must have been about 16 or so because he was taking AP classes and Honor classes were mentioned....Turns out he was 13. Two or three times Tartt mentions that Theo is underage and won't be able to legally drink until he is 18 (I believe that the drinking age throughout the USA is 21). The whole bombing incident is hardly ever mentioned again, and didn't seem to have New Yorkers very concerned.<br/><br/>I've been to Las Vegas before and didn't begin to recognize the airport or anything else about the place in Tartt's writing.  But some of the most strikingly unbelievable parts were those where Theo is dealing with the adults at the start of the book.  Why would anyone think that the ex-husband that walked out on his wife would be the one that could legally go in and take everything and Theo not speak up at all about all of the things that they were taking.  He never said a word about them putting ""everything in a garage sale.""<br/><br/>Lastly, I found it terribly unbelievable that Theo ever felt anything for Kitsy and I couldn't think why in the world he was so obsessed with Pippa.  They all seemed to have nothing whatsoever in common.  As others have said they we very unsympathetic characters and I really didn't care what in the world they got up to.  I suppose that I was just saying to myself ""Ok, Theo THIS time make a good decision!"" and he never did.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IUXZ5BZW4T08?ASIN=0316055441	better in some areas - then slow and frustrating again	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't really understand the hype. This book was really slow in spots, better in some areas - then slow and frustrating again. Too many motherless characters and weird tragedies all centered around a silly story of ""stolen"" art.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG8J1HXHWAKZC?ASIN=0316055441	Too Long!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a great story, but I feel that it would have been better at 400 pages vs. the almost 800. Parts of the story were so great that I blasted through them while others were so dry and drawn out I nearly quit. On to the next one...</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PYFQBXEL2HID?ASIN=0316055441	Very long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love to read, and I had so much hope for this book.  Recommended by NPR.  The book went onto to a point midway, that just seemed to drag on and one.  Every page seemed like I was reading the same thing.  Because it was recommended, I continued.  By the end, I could barely remember what the story was about.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR2BXULTZD63?ASIN=0316055441	I don't like reading about constant daily drug use	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Far too many words.  She could have written it as a shorter book. Got tired of all the verbage. Lost my enthusiasm to finish, but I did.  Thought the whole book was very depressing. I don't like reading about constant daily drug use.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JNZ1LOKOXZOT?ASIN=0316055441	Life Is Short, the Novel Isn't	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">With almost 17,000 reviews, The Goldfinch hardly needs my two cents. But that is how I catalog my reading- with Amazon reviews, so here it is. Why so late to the party? Amazon reviewers kept me away. Just take a look at all of the disappointed people here. That unfortunate choice of jacket pictures for the author didn't help either. She looks so cold and uninviting. Why would I want to read her, arms crossed, manly clothed? But a friend really liked this novel,so I agreed to take his word for it that I would like it. But it was hard, I must be honest. The first 400 pages left me rather cold. It was okay, I thought. But finally it took off, and I really liked much of the last 370 pages. Did all of those disgruntled reviewers stick with it? I doubt it, or they wouldn't be so disgruntled. The story does become much more interesting, and involving. One cannot root for the main characters, Boris and Theo, as they are thieves and liars and abuse the trust of just about everyone. Only Hobie, in my opinion, comes across rather well. (Okay, the goldfinch proves to be the winner.) But the author wants us to see that Theo and Boris are not so unlike everyone else. She goes deeply into Theo's (her!) philosophy of life as the book winds up. Life is short, we are told on the last page. This book is not. Could the author have done the same story in fewer words? Probably. But I do see that sticking with it was rewarding, so, in the end it seemed worth the wait. And my friend is redeemed!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZK6QW0LLSFGX?ASIN=0316055441	5-Star? Tough Call	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a tough review to write, but I feel compelled to do so since it has become Amazon's Best Book of 2013.  I'll not reveal anything about the story, except to say that the novel is about a young boy and is split chronologically from the age of 13 through about 16, and then picks up later after he completes college.  On the one hand, the storyline is fantastic--I've not ever read anything like it, and the author has written the characters to life.  They are heartbreaking, endearing, pitiful, sinister, compassionate, snobbish, wild and reckless beyond belief.  This novel also contains probably some of the best penned dialogue I've had the pleasure of reading, as far as exposing the soul of each character.  I bought the book because it was an Amazon Editor's Pick, but shortly into the story it became so bogged down* I began to question what made it such a grand novel. Just as I wondered whether I would finish the book, happily the story picked up.  Another fact to consider is much of the plot is quite depressing for the greater part of the novel.  If down-and-out characters aren't your cup of tea, then you may not rate this tale as worthwhile ""entertainment.""  This long novel contained gratuitous sections (*descriptive or philosophical ramblings) which should have been edited out or shortened, especially the ending (on and on and on)!  This is the only reason I didn't give the book 5 stars.  Shame on Tartt's editor for not helping her turn a really good book into a gem.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36XV7E497RIQM?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hated the language and the subject matter. I kept hoping there would be some redemption for the characters. That was the only reason I kept on reading through a much too long book. The final explanation was not good enough for me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TCWDGOYJ9WR5?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize Well Earned	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The problem with reading a Pulitzer Prize winner is it often comes with disappointment.<br/>This was not a problem here. I can see why people give it from one to five stars.<br/>There were times for me in which this was a definite five (still…), yet there were times I thought it devolving into an emotional massacre. OK, maybe not devolving as it is emotionally intense, and it is supposed to be. However, there was a point where I got the sick feeling that Tartt was going to kill the damn dog too! Don’t worry the dog and Bambi are quite safe (about the only ones).<br/><br/>While it dragged at times the detail was not gratuitous. The characters are flawed to say the least, but human and sometimes even loveable. I thank Amazon that the Kindle has a dictionary, translator and Wikipedia. I used all of these often to make sure I understood what I was reading. There were several languages used and I suppose I could have done quite well without knowing what was said. I’m glad I did though. The amount of research and time put into this was amazing. The writing is superb, which doesn’t always mean I like a book (I gave e.e. cummings “The Enormous Room” two stars and the prose were incredible).<br/><br/>This is not an easy read. It is hard on your brain and sometimes on your heart. It is a monstrosity of information and emotions and some things you will have to just puzzle out. If this intrigues you than plunge right it (and don’t forget to come up for air, you’ll need it).</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCYRZB86JD90I?ASIN=0316055441	Over rated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How this book ever made it to the best seller list, I'll never know.  A depressing tale that never offers redemption, the protagonist is an adolescent boy from New York who speaks as though he's a woman from England.  I wonder why.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M7EWHH5UTNVF?ASIN=0316055441	quite readable, but unlikable characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a fast moving romp, with an improbable plot.<br/>Hard to like any of the characters much, or at least those that featured as prominent in the book.  Nice twists to keep you interested, some were telegraphed though. Quite a boring ending ...only a little wrap up for the people in the story, and a long and rambling commentary on life by the unlikable narrator for many pages at the end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AQ01VMY3Q7KV?ASIN=0316055441	... my way through tons and tons of pages of boring details, preachings	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I pushed my way through tons and tons of pages of boring details, preachings, and drugging experiences thinking that it had to get better.  Instead I found it to be a downer that seemed to be written by an author paid by the page.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26YMBMHBXTJU6?ASIN=0316055441	Keep it as a private diary	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think that if there was supposed to be some great epiphany (or a redeeming point) to this way too long novel (or introspective diary as I think of it), it was made in the last chapter. Just read the last chapter and you're good.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA5V3X494ECBU?ASIN=0316055441	6 star rating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredible read!!!!  How it all comes together those last pages is remarkable.  How Ms. Tartt was able to write so beautifully as this young man was just mind boggling.  I had to keep checking the cover to be sure she was a woman.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R307SMCJX3150B?ASIN=0316055441	A spectacular, beautifully written novel!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Truly a wonderful tale of heartbreak and love.  The characters are well developed and interesting.  They are human in all sense of the word.  God, bad, ugly!!!! I highly recommend this book, one of the best books I have ever read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GSH5WZVBTM5I?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The concept of the story was good but much much too long and extremely wordy.  Found myself skipping pages.  If I wasn't reading this for a book club I might not have finished or skipped a lot more pages and just gone to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO279IKJ7FOLA?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book immensely. It contained both beauty and sadness, which I feel was the intent of the author, to explain life and all it's joy and sorrow. I would recommend this book to everyone, but especially those with ""sensitive souls"" and enjoy art expressed through words and paintings.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D95XQO9SP1ZH?ASIN=0316055441	Where was the editor????	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Winner of a bevy of awards; harped and hyped as the book of the year; so why oh why don't I get it?<br/><br/>Donna Tartt's 700+ novel is a doorstopper and while reading it I also felt it was an albatross around my neck.  It was selected as the September book for my bookclub and I did not let those 700+ pages deter me in my enthusiasm.  But, I knew trouble was ahead when I actually skipped pages in the first 100 pages of the book.  Not a good sign.<br/><br/>I noticed even the positive reviewers all have to say the same thing about this novel; it needed better editing.  Tartt loves to write and uses intense descriptive prose and has a fine eye for the details.  However, she just doesn't know when to stop.  There are passages that become mundane and laborious to read.  At some point you start to yell ""YES I GET IT, MOVE ON"".<br/><br/>The author's inability to edit her own voice overshadows the story plot line.  There is beauty in her words; words that can be used to coax out the hidden trauma and ugliness in Theo's life, but then the narrative becomes bloated and the magic begins to wear off.<br/><br/>Characters also suffer from the lack of an editor situation.  Like her prose, they become muddled and 2 dimensional.  Very few stand out as realistic.<br/><br/>Putting mechanics and editing aside, I did like the plot of the story but perhaps not the execution.<br/><br/>This is a big novel to tackle and you will need lots of patience.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VVJ7VFQ8EB35?ASIN=0316055441	I find some good books, & sometimes great books find me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was not a book I jumped on at release. I had read The author's first book after a recommendation from my sister who was living in Grenada, MS. It was ok, but It didn't make me want to read another of Donna Tartt's novels. But I kept seeing reviews an decided to try The Goldfinch. So glad I gave her another chance.<br/>I related to Theo's angst at being an outsider in elementary school, to his shock after terrible trauma, and to his battle between being good and yet having demons always nipping at his heels.  His defining of his life before and after the trauma rings so true, as well as how a traumatic event effects the rest of life. The author beautifully describes unrequited love, love of one who has shared an important event, love of those who accept unconditionally, and love of old friends who share so much past that you know they will be your friend until the end. Most importantly, I loved Theo's self examination and acceptance of life on life's terms. And that even bad behaviors can lead us to good understanding of ourselves.<br/>Tartt's attention to detail in the world of dysfunctional families,moneyed or not, and to the ugly side of addiction, show much research to tell these stories in a raw and honest manner.<br/>This book definitely found me, enveloped me, and made me sad to say goodbye to Theo. I would recommend this book to anyone who has struggled with finding a sense of self or loves someone experience this struggle.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38LX670T9C5MG?ASIN=0316055441	All chaff, no wheat	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This could have been a splendid novel at, say, 250 pages. It has a good plot and a number of clever twists. But it truly gives wordy a bad name. The author reports irrelevant conversations in laborious detail, provides unnecessarily precise (and wordy) descriptions, and generally goes on and on. And on. Without advancing the plot. I think she thinks it is suspensful, but it sometimes seems as though she is using the novel to show her erudition, particularly about art, antiques, furniture restoration, and drugs, both licit and illicit.<br/><br/>I thought that the novel went badly off the rails in Las Vegas, about a third of the way through, and I almost gave up at that point. I continued, to some extent against my better judgment, and I thought that the dénouement was entirely unsatisfactory – at the risk of giving something away, it reminded me of The Threepenny Opera, where the Queen pardons Mack the Knife and instead of hanging him gives him an estate. But that was satire. I could also have lived without the pseudo-philosophizing near the end of the book: Do we really need to be told that good can come of evil or that life is essentially pointless?<br/><br/>I have never read a Reader's Digest condensed novel, but this disastrously bloated, self-indulgent novel made me long for one. Where were her editors?<br/><br/>I award the novel 3 stars in the same way I might give a student a C for trying hard: good ideas, poor execution.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC0DT9QNIKHII?ASIN=0316055441	an uneven presentation	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some parts of this book were very well done, riveting even, but other parts were rather drawn out and boring.  The end of the book was a trial to read through, too much blather.  I was left wondering just what to think of him.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23SNAORAC4T05?ASIN=0316055441	Terrible Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">625 pages of self destruction cannot be redeemed with 25 pages of monotonous self (or more correctly mankind's) redemption.  Well written, but totally a negative experience.  I should have deleted it after the first 100 pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QUJ1F9WAW8DA?ASIN=0316055441	The end was so boring and disappointing I hated that I spent so much ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could have been written in 300 pages or less. So. Much. Rambling. There were build ups and then nothing happened. The end was so boring and disappointing I hated that I spent so much time just trying to get through the book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11AWG5FUE5LK?ASIN=0316055441	A Sheer Gold Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a can't- wait- to- get-back-to-reading kind of book!  The author's sheer story- telling skills are fantastic, and her character development, authentic settings and breathtaking use of words in every paragraph are among the best I've read in years.  I can see this becoming a classic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LOGQUZEY76GV?ASIN=0316055441	The best part of the book is the first 50 pages ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is not worth a Pulitzer.  The story is long and rambling.  Difficult to identify with Theo who is a total loser.  The best part of the book is the first 50 pages and the last 50 pages everyting inbetween is fluff.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GOE9TC4CWJAS?ASIN=0316055441	I did enjoy this journey with them	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tart writes deep, rich characters that go through a marathon of life to find themselves.  I did enjoy this journey with them, though I think it is at least 100 pages too long.  Moment by moment is not always the best.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AH2XIW9O00Z3?ASIN=0316055441	"A real ""barnburner"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just finished reading ""The Goldfinch"" by Donna Tartt.  It moves right along in a highly detailed way.  Characters are very well drawn and the story is very readable and understandable.  I highly recommend this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32HYPN7BAQR0E?ASIN=0316055441	Loved first half	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the first half. I was very disappointed in the second half; it was as if it was a completely different book. I could not stay connected to the characters, and found myself just wanting to finish the book and move on.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YA8OGAKPHREG?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated. Don't waste your time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really overrated. Gave this a good go, but the voice of the narrator is so false. It's not a 13 year old boy's voice, nor an older boy retelling his impressions. There's also nothing to reveal any unreliable narrator (first person). I know cabinet makers. They don't use the word 'whom'. I know 13 year old boys. And was one. They don't notice the grace of a man, what's on his feet, dusty ostrich feathers. There's also no 13 year old boy who'd be in a bombing and not scream for bloody murder, head injury or otherwise. There's no sneaking home. I was surprised to get 75 odd pages into that and thinking Tartt still felt as she was writing that would be effective for this boy. Sure, there's dementia--in the man who dies in the accident. By sitting with him the boy reveals a lack of it. Very strange. The Secret History was such a smart, well-crafted book. This one is so poorly executed. Firstly, just the wrong choice of narrator/protagonist. And the fault of an absurdly over-controlled, passionless sense for character action. Just funny that an author would get so far without questioning these things. Clean prose, grammatically well structured. That's all fine. But Theo reads like the oddest 13 year old boy you'll read. Not worth finishing. Unfortunately it reveals much about who's sitting on the Pulitzer board as well. Flavor of the month readers. Too bad because a lot of really good work came out alongside this.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YPJAB8AV120K?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful Language But Needs to be Condensed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Breathtakingly beautiful language that drew this reader in immediately.  However, so much time spent on worrying and drug induced thinking.  I skimmed through much of the book…if only the author had condensed those rants.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB10NY5GMIR8C?ASIN=0316055441	Grr...the ending...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a really long book for such a crap ending! I think it's pretty much a unanimous agreement amongst those that spent so much time reading it. I never read the last chapter b/c it dragged out &amp; just wasn't worth it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DA0R5L25CHKF?ASIN=0316055441	not my favorite book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the story was interesting and imaginative. the parts of the book that were philosophical seemed to be added as filler and were of no interest to me and therefore difficlt for me to read, i was lad when the book was over.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ET9UJCAEBQCS?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to like this book, but it drones on and on.  You wanted to care for Theo and his unfortunate circumstances but the continuous boring pages of him and his friend Boris being high, drunk and wasted was so boring.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ANMR72JARJ5U?ASIN=0316055441	A book that one will savor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I normally comm through everything I read for entertainment or learning. This one slowed me down. I took time to enjoy thy story as well as the growth of the characters. a<br/>It is a very thoughtful study of what did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MV0DMPHWDEKA?ASIN=0316055441	Snail's Pace	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really wanted to fall in love with this book. Isn't that what we all hope for when we start a new book? I mean, heck, this one's even a Pulitzer prize winner, so I had very high hopes. Lots of people have sung its praises, including a number of my blogging pals and fellow writers, who have given it glowing five-star reviews.<br/><br/>I really wanted to fall in love with this book, but I didn't. I'm in awe of how much research Tartt must have done to compile such a book, and at how well she tied everything together. Some of her writing is beautiful, without a doubt. I found some phrases to be so pleasing, I paused to savor them for a moment or two before trudging forward.<br/><br/>Yeah... trudging. Therein lies my problem with this book. It isn't its length that bogged me down; I've read many other books of similar or longer length, but I found the pace of this book to be tediously slow, and only by sheer tenacity was I able to finish it. You know how you feel at the end of some books... exhilarated, stunned, amazed at its brilliance, full of smiles or deep thoughts, etc.? With this one, I'm afraid all I felt was relief that I'd finished it.<br/><br/>Am I sorry I read it? No. Like taking a dose of castor oil, I'm sure that on some level, exposing myself to this Pulitzer prize winning novel was good for me. Lots of people far brighter than I loved this book. Maybe you will, too.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REPIB5K6595E5?ASIN=0316055441	Repetition makes it tedious at times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Needs lots of editing, The same story could be told in half the pages.  Repetition makes it tedious at times.  Good story, interesting philosophy toward the end. Limited audience appeal.  That being said I did like it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQA9B2TFNNVFK?ASIN=0316055441	Exhilarating read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hesitated to buy this book, but it kept getting recommended to me. Am I glad I read it! I devoured it. I could not put it down, and ultimately I was glad it was 700+ pages because that meant I got to enjoy it longer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUJ7QL6E74KZU?ASIN=0316055441	Wanted to really like this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first third of this book was great...but then it just bogged down and was so long winded.  During the first one-third, I would have given it 5 stars.  I'm not sure what qualified this book to win a Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1COEC8X4D2GC8?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story, tedious to read in parts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was creative and compelling, making me read to the end.  However, I found the long passages of existential angst from the main character at every turn just too much, hence just the middle-of-the-road rating.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNDLLUPWZUJA1?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book had a great story line, however, it was about 500 pages too long!  Additionally, the ending does not satisfy the reader.  It does not wrap any of the story up.  There was way too much attention on the drugs.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VT5IM257UO4L?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt's best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Obviously this book has been hugely hyped, but it is good, and better in my opinion than the also well known Secret History. Indeed, The Goldfinch is more moving and has more psychological veracity to it than Tartt’s earlier works. It also involves high stakes for its protagonist, and works better on the whole. Theo Decker has been the victim of a bomb attack in a New York museum where he has lost his mother. With his father missing, and an alcoholic and a crook anyway, he finds himself having to fend on his own. Complicating things further, Theo has seized a precious miniature painting, The Goldfinch by the seventeenth-century Dutch master Fabritius (a real painting by an actual painter), in the daze of his being hit by the explosion. The picture, a tantalising object he cannot bring himself to give up, brings an excitement to Theo’s life without which he couldn’t bear to carry on, but as stolen art it also constantly threatens him with catastrophe.<br/><br/>Tartt is good at characterisation, and this has a wide cast of protagonists ranging from the Manhattan social elite to the edges of the petty crime world. The novel deftly moves between New York, Las Vegas, and Amsterdam, and it weaves between coming-of-age story and thriller. The book is well written, and it is good on the art and antiquities world without being pedantic. At 800+ pages, then, it is quickly read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN5XIY536W7MA?ASIN=0316055441	drawn-out druggie scenes was just tiresome. I'm glad I finished it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The basic story was interesting, but finding it among all the long, drawn-out druggie scenes was just tiresome.  I'm glad I finished it, because maybe 7/8 through was a surprise, but overall a waste of my free time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PELLZGHG0BCO?ASIN=0316055441	Memorable Characters But...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wanting to find out what would happen to the characters -- especially the main character, Theo -- kept me reading this novel, but I could not help but wonder ""why the Pulitzer?""  I remember a slogan on one of the major television networks during my childhood years:  ""Your child will see bad guys, but not in the role of heroes.""  This novel could not make the same claim, and that is what kept me feeling a great deal of discontent, if not outright unease, as I read.  The characters we follow most closely are the bad guys of  pulp fiction, or close to it:  thieves, even high-stakes international art thieves; alcoholics; drug addicts; con men; eventually violent even to the point of murder.  Yet because we have begun with their childhood tragedies, because the tale is told from their viewpoint, because we see that they do still have some redeeming qualities, are we meant to suspend our morality regarding these choices?  The pull to do just that and not care about the very real victims of people like them is what left a rather bad taste in my mouth.  While I do still sympathize with Theo and Boris, what a terrible world it would be if such people were to be viewed as ""good guys"" in the real world.  On the other hand, the novel kept me thinking deep thoughts while I read, and for days after finishing it.  Thus, the mixed review of three stars.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27ZNRV9VJL80J?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this story.. It certainly could have been 200 pages shorter but Theo is an interesting character and his relationships are explored well. I am happy I read it- although by the end I was happy it was over!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NBUM73T7AYZ4?ASIN=0316055441	Not inspiring or even interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not care for the book at all.  For a pulitzer prize winning book I had hope to see something a little more inspiring.Her use of the word retard  in describing a person is not acceptable in todays vocabulary</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ2ZIWZ0RCJV?ASIN=0316055441	"""not hard to see the human in the finch"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This long but engaging novel follows Theodore Decker from when he is 13 until he is in his mid to late twenties.  It includes his relationships with his deceased mother, his living but irascible father, his friend Boris, his mentor and business partner Hobie, his girlfriends Pippa and Kitsey, and a host of other people who figure in his life over almost two decades.  Oddly, the characters, though many, are not difficult to follow.  Characterization is deep and complex – there are no saints.  The plot has many twists and surprises, which along with characterization, keep the reader engaged, even though it’s a long book – 775 pages.  The reader learns a great deal about antique furniture restoration, art appreciation, the effects of a variety of street drugs, abused controlled drugs, and alcohol – as well as about the lives of the characters involved in them.  The experience of grief is deeply and intricately imagined, as is the experience of violent catastrophe.  There are some lines which are beautiful for both their wording and for the depth of thought they express.<br/> There’s some wordiness, some repetitiveness, that could be edited out of the story without diminishing its impact.  My only other problem with the book was that occasionally, good things happen a little too easily – this is in service of the plot, but it does feel contrived.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EJDPWHNM1R6Q?ASIN=0316055441	What was the Pulitzer Committe thinkin?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot is disjointed. The main character is wholly dislikable and his dissolute is not credible. The closing nihilistor soliloquy, left me unpersuaded that life is a river of crap where we find moments of joy.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z9E8GH4J0RVH?ASIN=0316055441	fascinating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinated by the journey it entangled me in.<br/>I wished it went on and on...<br/>Recommend it to all who are enamored with life and all its enchantment, anguish, surprises, disappointments, sadness and joy.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RT3SEZJ2VAAU?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The reason I bought this book (for my I pad) is because of the many good reviews and the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.  I definitely agree with the reviews, the book is great!  The version for my I pad is perfect.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VXT79QXSJ6AS?ASIN=0316055441	Tiresome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I don't like to be negative this book was tiresome.  Too many pages of ruminations where one or two paragraphs would have sufficed. Some of the details regarding antiques,art and restoration ,while mostly accurate ,were drawn past the point of interest. The story line  was brilliant,however I was glad to be done with this particular writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW4XEDGGV8O8C?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch...and everyone who ever had a terrible father.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I only bought this because of all the amazing reviews and awards.  I should have learned by now, but I suppose I'm still influenced by the opinion of the masses.  Like others have said, this book started off strong and emotional but quickly became tedious and, frankly, boring.  I can't say I skipped entire pages.  I did skip many many paragraphs in the last 200 pages just to be done with it though.  My god, I had to force myself not to skip the last few paragraphs.  I kept drifting off.<br/><br/>I suppose my biggest complaint would be that there seemed to be no point to the story. No redemption, no lessons, no morals of the story.  After what I can only suppose would be considered the climax of the story (trying to keep it spoiler free, so I'll just say when he returns to NYC), I expected something...anything interesting to happen, but nope.  From the 3rd sentence of the summary: ""Shootouts, gangsters, pillowcases, storage lockers, and the black market for art all play parts in the ensuing life of the painting in Theo's care."" I guess I selfishly anticipated those things to play out in a suspenseful way throughout the entire book.<br/><br/>Also, I'll say this.  If you had a bad father, you'd be able to identify with (I'm not exaggerating here) 99% of the characters.  I would be shocked if Donna Tartt had a decent father.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC3DL5T3RVYBW?ASIN=0316055441	A great story buried in a mess of wandering thoughts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Finishing this book was a monumental task. It's not only very long, but it's very dense. I'm the one to blame for reading it, because I was the one who suggested it for my book club. And the reason I suggested it was that for every book I bought on Amazon it came up as a recommendation for me to read. Then I saw it got the Pulitzer Prize and that pushed me over the edge to want to read it. A typical 400+ page book, that I like, will take me a week to read, this book took me six weeks. It wasn't really the length that made it so slow it was the way it was written. There were just pages, upon pages, upon pages of thoughts and descriptions. And yes I did appreciate the wonderful, well thought out, and very illustrative writing, but it was just too much crammed in-between the pivotal actions of the characters. It meandered too much. It had too much dead space that was filled with wandering thoughts.<br/><br/>Don't get me wrong at the core this books tells a very interesting story. The key events and primary actions that happen around Theo are gut wrenching and incredibly compelling. But there is so much else that's thrown into the story line that the brunt of all those powerful things is dulled by mess around them.<br/><br/>And then there is the very dark world view. You just can't come away from this book feeling great. There is so much guilt, drugs, illicit behavior, and corrosive thoughts that you come away thinking the world is just a horrible place where we're all just putting in time before we die and the only way we can transcend our experience is to create a work of art that outlives us. And that is just way too dark, way to tragic, and way too horrible a way to think.<br/><br/>I appreciate the tremendous amount of work that went into writing this book. I know it had to be an emotionally draining experience for Donna Tart, but it's really hard for me to recommend the Goldfinch because I didn't walk away excited about the writing as much as I did disappointed in its view of the human condition.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BFAS8N4TZ9AU?ASIN=0316055441	Just Terrible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The way the protagonist describes his mother, the fabrics she wore, the furniture in his apartment, the decorative houseplants, art, people, everything.... Not for one moment was I convinced this was a heterosexual male (as the character is indeed just that). Accuse me of stereotyping if that makes you feel better, but not once was the voice distinctly male, whereas it was distinctly female pretty much every other page.<br/><br/>Now, I wouldn't have such a problem with the above if the narrative held my interest enough for me to forget my disbelief, if not suspend it, but the story was surprisingly lacking for a near-800 page tome. Although this becomes far less strange when one recalls that hundreds of pages were devoted to single episodes, even a single day. It's been said by many already, but seriously, what was, if anything, edited out? Throughout much if the novel I was actually physically stressed and furious at the author for electing to festoon her prose with rehashed repetitions at the expense of efficiency of art.<br/><br/>First, this is a narrator speaking directly to a listener/reader. With this limited narrative device would he really have such eidetic memory of every trivial detail and nuances of dialogue? Verisimilitude is flexible in fiction, but the ridiculous is always ridiculous whether in life or make-believe. Second, what purpose did all the excessive verbiage serve? It was rarely poetic, it was almost never clever, it provided almost no necessary details. One of the most difficult narrative skills in writing long fiction is knowing what to include and what to omit, all the while providing the necessary information, entertainment (dramatic design), and the art of language. The Goldfinch failed in every one of these aspects.<br/><br/>An absolute chore of a read, especially in its overt and clumsy effort in attempting to qualify as literary fiction. I'm glad to see that the Pulitzer committee is expanding its literary scope, but Tartt is not a good representative of the new age of literary fiction. If anything, her work is more likely to reinforce the preferences of the dry academics for the traditional literary fiction where the book is written more for academic dissection than for the sake of telling a story worth being told.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A2S8OOKQGY72?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant, fascinating, with some flaws ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cannot give Donna Tartt less than 5 stars for this tour de force. The book can also not be summarized or boxed or easily put in some literary genre. But let's start at the beginning.<br/><br/>For the first 60% of the book I literally could not put down my Kindle. (Sorry, my Kindle does not have page numbers, only gives percentages of how far I am with it). Normally this ""story of a boy"" (at the start) would not fascinate me so much, but for almost two-thirds of the book Tartt is on a roll and I rolled with her.  That part is brilliant and keeps you enthralled.  Well, it did that for me.<br/><br/>I do not want to go into the story -- I believe the paper book has 800 pages (?) -- as it is a very convoluted tale. And in spite of the 5 stars I gave it, the fairly densely-written story dipped towards some tedium two-thirds through. I found that parts of this intensely-researched book tended to the obscure and the unbelievable. It is as if the author is lecturing the reader on art -- both with regard to old furniture and Old Masters paintings.<br/><br/>(I say ""intensely-researched"" ... yet some bits did not make sense. In the timeline of the main character's life at 13 iPods did not exist, and not every child -- if any! -- had a cellphone. Being in South Africa, I cannot comment on possible inconsistencies regarding the descriptions of Las Vegas, New York, buildings, apartments, etc.)<br/><br/>Where the story bogged down for me was when characters appeared (later in the book) who were scruffy, immoral criminals from the murky world of art smuggling, yet they knew so much (so eloquently!) about art and painting itself. This part of Tartt's telling of the tale --  it moves across Europe too -- becomes somewhat obscure and hard to follow, and was certainly not completely credible -- for me. (I must, however, take for granted that the author would have done her research on this underworld as well)!  Things deteriorate for Theo and Boris in this underworld of art smuggling, and there is even a Mafia-like shoot-out in a parking garage -- all about a painting -- which was like some scene from a 40's movie.<br/><br/>The main character, Theo Decker, is a kind of anti-hero, awkward in his relationships with people and too often monosyllabic at important times, so the reader feels like giving him a kick and saying, ""For heaven's sake, get on with it! Say it!""  His relationships with women come across as equally awkward, and not very convincing even when he is engaged. Why did he get engaged?  He is not in love with the girl, and seems to have done it for the sake of her mother -- who fostered him for a while. Having lost his own mother in such a shocking way, it is understandable that he has empathy for this older lady; subconsciously he is forever mourning his dead mother ... but this is never properly articulated. Theo often seems melancholy and a sense of fun, humour and sparkle is not part of his personality --  except now and then when he's on some drug.<br/><br/>Long parts of the story are too long and too detailed. Donna Tartt obviously polished her thoughts and her style -- word for word this tale is perfectly thought out, perfectly written -- and sometimes perfectly obscure. The last (many) pages at the end consist of Theo's philosophical treatise on life and its possible meanings, also as it relates to his own life -- but honestly, Donna, I so got the impression that that was your own voice intruding on Theo's narrative, and that you were also lecturing your readers.<br/><br/>Donna's shining intellect is impressive ... often I found myself re-reading sentences, paragraphs and utterances, and still not understanding what the author was actually trying to say.<br/><br/>However -- this book kept me glued to my Kindle, and if you don't mind a few frazzled brain cells, read this book. Apart from my niggles above, it is a brilliantly-written book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R197XSXTZJG5LP?ASIN=0316055441	The Most Pretentious Novel I've Read in Years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is meandering, repetitive, and dull, but that's not the worst of it.  The final plot twist, after so much waiting, is convenient and unimaginitive, and that's not the worst of it.  What really makes this book hard to stomach is its overwhelming literary pretention.  The main characters (and implicitly, the author) make a point of being conspicuously more sensitive and intelligent than the rest of us, but their philosophical musings are about as substantive as ""Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy"" from Saturday Night Live.  The more profound Ms. Tartt strains to sound, the more sophomoric the result, especially towards the end. How did an editor fail to tone those passages down? (Way down.) Not many characters are likable.  The protagonist, Theo, is endlessly sorry for himself, and his best friend, Boris, belongs in prison, but Ms. Tartt portrays them as precocious dears: at 15 years old they know almost as much about great paintings as a master of fine arts would. In real life, to gain such knowledge is hard work, but Theo and Boris spend every afternoon doing drugs, shoplifting, and watching horror movies, and so their cultivated artistic sense comes off as false.  Incongruities too numerous to explain here confirm the characters not as complex, but made-up.  The novel's mood, dour throughout, has a few rare flashes of supsense, but the book is almost never funny, and its one sincere romantic attachment, which spans the length of the novel, is an unrequited love that turns out to be not a very big deal after all.  Ms. Tartt's  Anglophilia is distracting; her constant over-use of British figures of speech, in both the narrative and dialogue, is silly and forced, and, in the case of one character (a furniture mover's son from Albany), comically extreme.  Remember when Madonna moved to England for a while and came back to the U.S. with an English accent?  God, she sounded stupid.  Donna Tartt is almost as phony.  How do I sum it up?  If you liked Cold Mountain, you'll hate The Goldfinch.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LD645PIO1JY5?ASIN=0316055441	Truly Deserving of a Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are novels one reads that even if they are engaging and well written, are forgotten in a short time.  Then there are novels that feel almost like they become so much a part of your soul that you know you will never forget them for they are embedded in your memory.  You are fascinated and awestruck not only at the exemplary writing, but also at their ability to pull you in.  The Goldfinch is one such book.  This is a book that is not merely telling a story but is opening your mind to many feelings.  Whether it is the ultimate tragedy that befalls a young boy and the deep pain and confusion that comes with it, to the ugliness of surviving day to day using whatever means that will help you get through those 24 hours, or to the lowest depths where you lose yourself completely and the mental and physical pain and struggle it takes to hope that maybe you will see light again.<br/><br/>From the moment the reader is introduced to Theo, you are pulling for him at every turn in his life.  He is a gentle spirit that has been given the worst that anyone could at such a young age.  As you follow him on his journey, you can’t help but remember the worst of times in your life thanks to Donna Tartt’s writing, as she has the ability to wonderfully translate sadness and grief to the reader without being sappy. You are able to feel Theo’s frustration and anger at this mess of a life that he has been dealt with and can only hope for a way out.  As in all traumatic situations there is usually one thing that the survivor has to hold on to in order to prove to yourself that you made it through.  In this case, it is a painting…The Goldfinch.  But it is not only a painting as much as it is an important key to all major players in this novel.<br/><br/>I don’t want to give a play by play description of the book because a book like this needs to be experienced solely by the reader to arrive at their own meaning of each situation.  If you want a suspenseful, on the edge of your seat type of book then this may not be the book for you.  While there are elements of suspense the book does not revolve around them.  It is more introspective coupled with a great story.<br/><br/>It is quite apparent that Donna Tartt took her time in writing this book and it shows.  Pages are not filled with meaningless dialogue and trite descriptions.  Research abounds in this book so much so that she does not skim over descriptions but provides thorough explanations that contribute to the storyline.  Yes, at times it can get dark and depressing but that is part of the heart of the book.  The other part, you will have to come to that conclusion yourself.<br/><br/>I have not read a novel as good as this one in a very long time.  Novels like this come along just once in a while.  Do yourself a favor and delve right in.  I don’t think you’ll regret it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RQP1YHATI0YG?ASIN=0316055441	Pure Gold	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If reading fiction is an escape from reality, I’m having trouble big-time with re-entry. It’s been over a week since I finished The Goldfinch, yet the book is still one of the first things I think of in the morning and that I return to several times during the day. Somewhere around page two- or three hundred I took up residence in the rich and crowded world created by Donna Tartt, and I’ve yet to move out. (“...with very great paintings it’s possible to know them deeply, inhabit them almost...” —from The Goldfinch.)<br/><br/>The Goldfinch however, is no escape: it thrusts us into a merciless awareness that the only way out of our troubled lives is death, a truth most of us tend to avoid. When forced to face it, our reactions can range from depression to anger to thoughts of suicide (as in might as well get it over with). I don’t know if this was Tartt’s intention, but it was, at least for me, the novel’s ultimate point. Not that she doesn’t offer glimmers of joy and hope along the way, particularly in her long summary-like ending: it’s just that the dark side overpowers the light.<br/><br/>A plot-driven novel, The Goldfinch is full of twists and turns and moments of nearly unbearable suspense. Unlike most plot-driven books, however (see John Grisham, James Patterson, Nora Roberts, et al), in which the action is fueled by stereotypical cardboard characters, The Goldfinch is populated by realistic, multi-layered and fully developed human beings: Theo, the narrator around whom all others spin; Boris, his chief sidekick who’s dragged all over the world by his abusive businessman father; Pippa, the girl Theo falls in love with just minutes before a bomb goes off in the New York Metropolitan Museum, setting the plot in motion; Hobie, who is kinder to Theo than anyone since his mother died in the explosion; and a cast of hundreds more. I can still vividly picture every one of these characters, though Tartt, thankfully, allows readers to fill in most of our own visuals—which is odd, considering she’s so heavy on other kinds of descriptions.<br/><br/>As both a reader and writer I’ve never been that interested in description, whether of city streets or country roads, lavish mansions or run-down hovels. Thus, Tartt’s long, detailed word paintings of whatever’s going on while what’s really going on goes on, annoyed the hell out of me—that is, for the first hundred pages or so, until I surrendered to her descriptive prose. Even when her descriptions are relevant, the plot is so engaging that I impatiently scanned the page (or rather Kindle screen), my nerves twitching with Come on, get to the story already! For instance, just as Boris is about to tell Theo (and us) what’s become of the treasured painting at the center of the plot, Tartt deviates from the conversation to let us know what’s playing on the barroom television! She also employs that famous plot device, or rather plot-avoidance device, the flashback: right after the explosion, Theo is crawling through a collapsed passageway seeking an exit, when Tartt flashes back to a time in his life when he was stuck in another small space.  Sometimes she even writes flashbacks within a flashback!<br/><br/>At such times I became distracted and annoyed, reading as quickly as possible to get past these...but then a funny thing happened on my way back to “the story”: I began to notice that my impatience was similar to what happens when I’m reading suspenseful passages. Tartt’s long flights of description and flashback left me literally suspended. I wanted to know what would happen next: I had to turn the page. Are these devices, then—descriptions, flashbacks—purposeful techniques employed in order to create suspense? Are they what make the story so compelling? Perhaps. No, more than perhaps: probably.<br/><br/>It’s worth noting that The Goldfinch is only Donna Tartt’s third published novel, and that she spent eleven years writing it. At a time when authors attend workshops on “How to Write A Bestseller in a Weekend” and toss off a book every six months, Tartt is holding down the fort of literary excellence.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNDD467QJO47Y?ASIN=0316055441	superb craft from one of my newest, most favorite writers	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this tale about how a famous Dutch painting, ""The Goldfinch"", is the catalyst for a unique story about a disenfranchised, disaffected and disappointed-in-life individual who eventually decides to grow up and face reality with those he loves, dreams of, abhors and finds reconciliation.  The main character - narrator is a young male who is caught up in the aftermath of being jettisoned alone into the world with little to anchor him to the comforts and securities of past realities.  In the course of his struggles, Donna Tartt very skillfully and cleverly leads the reader into often bizarre settings via the superb use of language and extremely well-developed, very unique characters.<br/><br/>In the first half of the novel, the boy, after becoming suddenly and violently orphaned is left almost alone to fend for himself.  He goes from the warm, loving harbor of his beautiful, caring and much-admired mother; then miraculously into the heart and hands of a loving, caring man to whom he is placed by desires of a dying stranger;  further, through a series of well-intended legal battles, as he runs the gauntlet of child protective services; and then into the erratic, neurotic and awkward hands and harsh life of his estranged father.  In his struggle to survive, as naive young teenager in a very new place, he picks up a variety of sympathetic accomplices, in order  to furnish his body, heart and mind with sustenance and, sometimes, not-so-healthy ways of coping with his life changes.  At the sudden, violent death of his father, the boy escapes back to his home city, only to find himself alone, scared and desperate again, still needing refuge for his tired soul and body.  He falls again into the care of the kind, benevolent and generous adult who had once before taken him into his heart and home. From this place of renewed security and calm, the boy begins to unwind from his recent abuse and neglect, only to find that he must eventually relaunch himself back into a life that seems to be endlessly going nowhere, a human condition of our times.  Yet he finds renewed friendships to help him find himself, in the aftermath of his travails.<br/><br/>As one meanders along the story line, the tale becomes very dense  and often fraught with very long, yet poetically wrought descriptions of setting detail and character interactions.  But I found the the density to not be tedious in any way. Rather, one becomes more entrenched and entranced with the whole story. The detailed settings and plot seem to be very well-researched, including: art history; international art trading and theft; antiques and their restoration; illegal drug acquisition and use; regional and international settings; use of foreign languages and foreign cultural groups;  and the many-layered cultures and societies that coexist in the story's various settings.  The author weaves all of these elements into a tale about how the human heart is a mystery to the main character and to us all.<br/><br/>This book is very long, very dense and very complicated.  Some say, ""Too much about nothing..."".  For me, it was a wonder of beautiful language; a bevy of intense, very interesting characters; a storyline that moves, not plods, along; and a true literary masterpiece for our times.  In this novel, Donna Tartt skillfully concludes her tale with more dark characters, actions and settings.  However the author does bring the end of her story through a fruitful, if not a bit fruitless, denouement and conclusion.  I was sorry the novel had to end.  Yet I was wont to wonder if our own dark sides were not eluded to in this tale.  Maybe Ms.Tartt's message is to illustrate how we must struggle to survive the darker depths of ourselves, or at least in how we cope with the inevitable changes in life, as we must recognize and accept the help of a few loving and loveable comrades along the way.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVRUSOVINY7Y1?ASIN=0316055441	The Gold Standard	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best things in life, I like to tell my kids, is getting caught up in a great book that you don't want to/can't put down.  This was, for me, one of those (all-too-rare) books.  I read it over a few days last week, while on vacation, and was mesmerized.  You never know where it will go, and when characters will recede and emerge again.  The author's intimate knowledge of vastly diverse milieux (e.g., upper crust NYC society, Las Vegas exurban wasteland, furniture refinishing, stolen art) is breathtaking, her wisdom always evident, and the writing is often sublime.  There were so many beautiful passages I felt compelled to blurt out to my wife; I mean, where else do you read a sentence comparing a prospective marriage to death; ""hence the pomp and spectacle of the arrangements, the grim sense of ceremony, as if [the bride-to-be] were some lost princess of Ur to be feasted and decked in finery and -- attended by tambourine players and handmaidens -- paraded down in splendor to the Underworld.""  If you are flipping through reviews trying to decide whether to buy the book, don't hesitate -- it's really a great read.<br/>That's not to say it's perfect.  As many other reviewers have noted, it's too long; the author would have been well served by a no-nonsense edit, and at least 100 pages could have been lopped off (particularly in the Las Vegas section) without a trace.  The very last chapter was a bit too didactic for my taste.  I'm surprised that such an obviously sophisticated author wouldn't just readers draw their own conclusions about the various themes of the book -- I would have just ended things with the question at the end of subpart vii on page 758.<br/>But the bottom line -- it was a joy to bask in the author's luminous intelligence.  Nice in this day and age to know that people are out there writing books like this.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZJHZQI28IW29?ASIN=0316055441	Love this story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">heo Decker leads us through his life in the fictional novel ""The Goldfinch"" by Donna Tartt. At the age of thirteen Theo, living in present day New York City with his mom, miraculously survives an accident that kills his mother. With no known contact with his dad in over a year, Theo is placed in the care of some close friends. Hanging on to two items that you acquired during the accident; a ring from a dying man and a famous painting ""The Goldfinch"" that reminds him of his mother. These two items pave the road to his future.<br/><br/>“…awful to learn,  by having it suddenly vanish from under me, that all my adult life I’d be privately sustained by the great, hidden, savage joy: the conviction that my whole life was balanced atop a secret that at any moment blow apart.”<br/><br/>I will not go into great detail about the story due to the fear of spoiling the multitude of events that make this novel so interesting. The main characters were well written. I was astounded of the details that were presented about their lives. The author made the backgrounds of the main characters so complete you feel like they could be real people. My favorite character is ""Hobie, most well-intentioned and unworldly of persons."" Hobie is a character that Theo meets through the ring he receives from the dying man during the accident and who ends up have a great deal to do with Theo’s adult life.<br/><br/>I did find myself at two points in this book thinking “why in the hell did he choose to do that?” I don’t know if it was just me or in these two instances the author was trying to make the story a little more interesting by having the main character taking the least likely choice set in front of him. Then again, I am not a risk taker and the main character clearly is so this might be why I was lost a couple of times.<br/><br/>I also want to point out that due to the details and information provided in this book, I feel I have learned a bit about art, antiques, and other tidbits.  Not only was it a page turner but you learned a little bit too. The author clearly did her homework.<br/><br/>A great book and a must read to anyone who likes realistic modern day fiction and doesn't mind a long read. I found myself having to watch the clock to make sure I didn't get to lost in the book and lose track of time because with this book I could easily get lost in its pages. I also recommend this book to art lovers, too.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C04MDFKE2V8M?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic!  I loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""The Goldfinch"" is going on my list of all-time favorite novels.  It doesn't fall into any particulate genre.  It's not a mystery or romance or espionage thriller.  I'd call it ""Literature"" with a capital ""L"".  It kind of reminds me of a 19th century novel in that it has a cast of exquisitely rendered and fascinating characters, perfectly described settings that let you smell and hear and see the locations, and an old-fashioned, unhurried pace.  It's also a novel of ideas.  How do we live our lives knowing - as the saying goes - that none of us are going to get out of this world alive? How do we know right from wrong when the line can be so blurred at times? Whom do we love and what is love?  Is there a greater value - beyond the monetary - of a beautiful object that will survive beyond one person's short lifetime?<br/><br/>I loved the the settings:  New York City, Las Vegas, and Amsterdam.  At one point the lead character Theo was whisked away from NYC to Las Vegas by his alcoholic, gambling addicted father.  The way the author described life in a practically deserted Las Vegas subdivision lost to the foreclosure crisis was spot on.  I could see in my mind's eye exactly the type of house she described.  I understood exactly how it was furnished.  ( ""It seemed like the kind of room where a call girl or stewardess would be murdered on television"".)  ""The Goldfinch"" is full of such perfectly observed details and perfectly turned phrases.<br/><br/>The characters are rendered with the same precision.  I loved the portrayal of Theo's friend Boris, the Russian teen who's travelled the world with his alcoholic father.  He's exuberant, full of life, and wise in the ways of the world, but is also a lost soul, drawn to alcohol and drugs.  The description of the boys' friendship rings so true.  The book is full of fascinating characters.  Theo's father is a former actor who's now an alcoholic gambler looking for the big score in Las Vegas.  Theo sought refuge for a while with a NY high society 5th Avenue family that was much more troubled than first appearances would lead you to believe.  He forms a lifelong relationship with a somewhat reclusive man who is an expert furniture restorer and a partner in a high end antiques store.  All are expertly described, unique individuals.  And then there's the criminal element.....<br/><br/>This novel is long....  Very, very long.  This is not the book for you if you want to polish off a novel in a couple of evenings.  It's not for you if you like to hit the high points of the plot in as few words as possible.  But if you enjoy a novel that's exquisitely written by an amazingly talented author, give it a try.  It's well worth the time and effort.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CR2VHK33DAEF?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is hard to review succinctly because there is so much within its pages for discussion	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a difficult book to review, simply because there is so much here to digest.<br/><br/>The story unfolds as a young boy's loss of his mother leaves him unmoored and far from shore, as he stumbles through dysfunctional relationships and treads always on the periphery of a lawful and wholesome life.  Theo, our protagonist, has so much potential, which always succumbs to the invisible scars that define the walls of his prison, from which he cannot break free.<br/><br/>The Godfinch is at once sad, constraining, elegaic, intriguing, romanitic, suspenseful, imagenic, and I could not put it down until the end.<br/><br/>I think many readers will be dissatisfied with the last chapters, which provide little relief from a view of free will as a myth.  Some will protest that Theo in the last pages of this novel only serves as a platform for the author's view of the world as providing only an exit to the abyss, and that the immortality of art is life's only salvation.  Tartt quotes Nietzche: ""We have art only to not die from the truth.""<br/><br/>Contrary to the view that  Theo in the last chapters of ""The Goldfinch"" becomes the disembodied voice of the author, I would contend that Theo has always possessed a fierce acumen and  an interior monologue that has finally broken free to full expression in these last pages, and his musings are true to his history and his personality, expressed today as PTSD, an affliction that will never be outgrown.<br/><br/>Theo does care about the beauty of the world in which he lives and recognizes that the salvation of his soul rests in the intricate beauty of a painting with its gold glow and impasto lines, its softness, and yet he sees himself within the infinite sadness of a bird chained to a perch who will never fly free.<br/><br/>I highly recommend this novel to any reader who wishes to climb inside a story and be captivated by its descriptive magic, its emotional depth, and its metaphorical power.<br/><br/>Edward Mowry, Author of ""So Close to Dying""<br/><a class=""a-link-normal"" href=""/So-Close-to-Dying/dp/1482622769"">So Close to Dying</a></span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROITM7YUS6FLU?ASIN=0316055441	Glad I was persistent!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Finding the words to describe this book is very difficult for me. What I want to convey is that, although the book can feel slow and cumbersome at times, it is well worth your time to finish it.<br/><br/>Tartt's use of language and prose is gorgeous! It's one of those books that made me want to immerse myself in the words. The sublime unification of poetry and prose kept me totally engaged for the first half of the book. At that point, however, I began to question her skills as a storyteller. I loved read her long and detailed descriptions but about half way through I was wondering if the book was missing the necessary elements of a good story. I came here to read other reviews, trying to decide if I wanted to continue reading it and if the story was going anywhere at all. The negative reviews caused me to put the book down, with no intention of ever picking it up again.<br/><br/>But I'm so glad I did! In the end, I was compelled to pick it back up again. And, yes, the story moves on! There is a beginning, middle, and end. There is a climax and a denouement! Had I not read the negative reviews here I likely would not have stopped reading it, so I want to encourage anyone who is feeling bogged down by the slow-moving story to persist. The middle sometimes feels slow, heavy, and ponderous. On some level, I feel like that was a mistake on the writer's part, but on a deeper level, I feel like it was necessary to the story. The book must be read as a whole. It's not just a sum of its parts, but a complete masterpiece painting, with all elements necessary to its total iconography.<br/><br/>And finally, I want to comment on the many comparison's to the writings of Dickens. Although I can definitely see the rationality and obviousness of this analysis, I think it only fits in the most basic, Sparks-notes-type, shallow literary analysis. I'm sure many convincing, A+ essays have been written on this thesis. On a deeper level, however, it felt much less like Dickens and much more like T.S. Eliot. At several points in the novel, I got quite a profound, deep, Eliot vibe which was even more pronounced after reading the concluding chapter.<br/><br/>So, if you get to the middle and are wondering if the storytelling is going anywhere and if you should continue reading, then my answer is, ""Yes!""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I1GQGWN0P9EL?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting and rich but also long and indulgent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to like The Goldfinch. It came highly recommended to me, and it seems many feel this book should win awards. In the end, I couldn't shake the feeling that the journey was not worth the time and effort.<br/><br/>There are portions of this book that are perfect--where every single word and nuance helps to paint a picture of the protagonist and his challenges. But there are lengthy portions of this book that could be ripped out without impacting the plot, character development or story.<br/><br/>Donna Tartt seems to be the kind of writer who cannot merely say that a character in New York's Upper East Side, ""storms out, starts walking, and before long is surprised to find himself in the West Village.""  Instead, the character storms out, looks in store windows, considers a crack in the sidewalk, wonders if he should see a movie, remembers some past event, walks past a park, wonders if he should see a different movie--on and on and on for a dozen pages, and to what end? I have no idea! At times I loved the organic feel of The Goldfinch and at times I resisted the urge to simple start flipping pages to get to something--ANYTHING--that advanced the plots.<br/><br/>To me, the rather indulgent pacing might have been excusable, but there were some nagging inconsistencies that began to bug me as the book dragged on. Because the book pokes through the mind of the protagonist, Theo, at great length, the reader comes to understand Theo's every thought, every idea and, in some sections, every moment of his life. But if we're to believe that he is obsessed with a painting--that his very being is caught up in possessing this painting--why doesn't he give it a thought for tens of pages at a time? Later in the book, Theo declares how a character he encountered once has been with him every moment since a pivotal event, and I couldn't help but think, ""Really, because I just read 600 FREAKIN' PAGES and you barely gave the guy a second thought!""<br/><br/>To be honest, part of my misgivings about this book comes from having to spend so much time intimately bound with a character who is pretty damaged. Theo seems to pathologically avoid getting the answers he wants from people, so conversations go on and on for pages before getting to the point. He too often puts himself into seriously weird situations without applying any sense of care of logic. He whines a lot, wonders why he feels as he does, is fatalistic, lies for no apparent reason, obsesses about a girl without actually doing anything about it, and eventually throws himself into alcohol, drugs and scams that put his only friends in jeopardy. Perhaps if I had spent only 400 pages in Theo's passive, addictive head, it wouldn't have had such an impact on me, but after almost 800 pages, I was glad to put down the Goldfinch, pick up another book, and spend some time with a character that wasn't quite so dark, frustrating and depressing.<br/><br/>If you're a patient reader who loves lots of detail and richness, The Goldfinch is for you. I loved portions of the book, was frustrated with more of it, and cannot recommend it without reservations.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A57BQWF5W15W?ASIN=0316055441	le sigh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had heard this book was amazing and set in the art and antique world which I have inhabited. I therefore appreciated the detailed and lovely descriptions of creative works as seeming living, breathing objects with the power to change us. I still didn't like this book, but at the same time I can't get it out of my head either. I initially was rooting for Theo the protagonist, wanting him to survive the horrible and unjust experiences of his youth. I need to like the protagonist to enjoy the book and perhaps that was the main problem, because Theo decays and begins to obsess about and use people the same way he uses and obsesses about illegal and prescription drugs. As he comes into ""adulthood"" he fully takes on the characteristic traits of a drug addict and an Adult Child of an Alcoholic. Still I labored on hoping for redemption and resolution, as perhaps does Theo. However, the best Theo can come up with is to conclude that perhaps we have no choice in who we are, in the wrong desires of our hearts, it is all fate. He is self aware yet helpless in every situation, being carried along in the currents of others' ill intentions, others actions and on the high of his last bump. The reader lives in Theo's head the entire time as does Theo, and he is so self-obsessed, rarely looking outside of himself such as with his life-long obsession with Pippa. Never once does he seem concerned with how she is doing having experienced the same trauma, only that he wants her to want him. In the end she has to point out the obvious, that they are both broken people with nothing to give, therefore his pining for her is another act of self sabotage. But he concludes ""So what?"" A good third of the book consists of endless descriptions of drug and alcohol abuse, self hatred, passive aggression and shame. Theo doesn't make a mistake, he is a mistake. He doesn't feel shame, he is shame. Theo is in desperate need of a 12 step program, therapy and a life coach. The author is very talented, but she should breathe the same life into her characters that she does so easily for works of art.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AQL4D6ZZPYZ0?ASIN=0316055441	Complex but rewarding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a hard book for me to evaluate. The writing is, for the most part gorgeous, but I fear the author is a little bit too much in love with her abilities to write so well. Maybe 100 pages shorter. Still when all is said and done this is a remarkable book,one of the best of recent times.<br/><br/>There are a couple of reasons why I had some difficulty evaluating it. For one thing somehow the author has people using cell phones and iPads around 1998 or so. Really? Cell phones maybe but not carried around by a 13 year-old kid -- not then. A small matter, but still... Another is that the plotting depends almost entirely on coincidences, some of which really do strain credulity. So sometimes I would stop and say to myself that this was getting silly, but then I'd get caught up and push ahead. In most ways this is not a happy book; it's a bit like watching a train wreck, and on occasion I'd have to stop because of the tension. Also the characters are, to be blunt, quite unbelievable in many respects. Boris, in particular, is one of the great characters in recent fiction, but could he exist? Never, and perhaps that's a good thing. But then neither could Oliver Twist or Pip.<br/><br/>A number of people have commented on the similarity to Dickens both in plot and character. He is one of my 2 or 3 favorite authors, and when I read him I suspend all reality testing. His characters are also unbelievable and his plots coincidence driven. But somehow it doesn't matter; his books were written at a different time and one always has to make allowances for character absurdities for the long ago when writing conventions were different.  So you end up not worrying about it much as you do when you watch plays or operas. If you don't expect high fidelity you're not bothered. All that said, it is, at least to me, somewhat jarring to see the same kinds of conventions applied in modern fiction where most authors try for verisimilitude. I never bother with reality testing when reading Dickens or Austen (does anyone really think that someone like Darcy could exist even 200 years ago?) but somehow we expect more adherence to reality when we read about folks in more modern times. As I say this bothered me, but once I got in the rhythm with Goldfinch, I got lost in the story and the characters, and really who cares?<br/><br/>Although some people (including some of my friends) have said they had trouble putting the book down, I found that  the richness of the writing and the sense that disaster was just around the corner, forced me to read only a few pages at a time. Sometimes it's slow going. This is not an easy book to read. But it is a rewarding one. And as a bonus I got to renew my acquaintance with the remarkable goldfinch painting which I saw several years ago at the Mauritshuis in the Hague. It's now in a show at the Frick in New York and apparently drawing huge crowds in part because of the book. With the wonderful Vermeers and Rembrandts at the Mauritshuis it is an easy painting to over look (and it is tiny), but I remember being struck by it in the Hague and I've looked at copies now and again since then.<br/><br/>I've read some of the negative reviews posted here, and I can understand why some people might not like this kind of book. But despite my reservations, if that they be, I recommend it highly. A strong candidate for the National Book Award.<br/>.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BIW2LMPMUX06?ASIN=0316055441	A gorgeous, epic read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When 13-year-old Theodore Decker and his mother get called into his school for a disciplinary meeting, they stop into a museum on the way. While they are admiring the paintings, there’s a huge explosion. Theo’s mother is killed in the blast, but he escapes from the rubble… taking with him a small, priceless painting of a goldfinch.<br/><br/>After his mother’s death, Theo lives for a while with the wealthy family of a friend. Later, he finds himself living with his absentee father in an abandoned Las Vegas suburb, where he befriends a classmate named Boris. With very little adult supervision, the boys get into all kinds of trouble — drinking, shoplifting, and experimenting with increasingly dangerous drugs. After a few years of this lifestyle, Theo hightails it back to NYC, the city that had been his home until his mother died.<br/><br/>Back in New York, Theo falls in with Hobie, an older man who expertly restores furniture. They become business partners, Hobie conducting the restorations and Theo dealing with customers. Still struggling with the loss of his mother and drug addictions he is unable to shake, he makes some… rather shady business dealings.<br/><br/>Throughout these changes in scenery, Theo keeps the goldfinch painting close, obsessing over it and its connection to his mother. To say he is haunted by her death puts it lightly. He is shattered by it; nothing in his life is ever the same again, and he can’t find a way to cope with his loss.<br/><br/>Although reading The Goldfinch feels like a huge commitment, it’s such a great journey. Theo takes us from the comfortable New York City of his childhood; to the druggy haze of his adolescence in Las Vegas; back to a New York that reminds him, devastatingly, of his mother at every corner; to scenic Amsterdam for a thrilling heist; and finally back to New York, yet again, where Theo must try put the pieces of his broken life back together.<br/><br/>From a pure entertainment standpoint, The Goldfinch is fantastic. But it is also beautifully written, and it portrays such perfectly damaged characters that I wanted to hug them even while shaking my head at their decisions. The ending of this book is incredible; it’s beautifully introspective as Theo works through his life philosophy — that life is a catastrophe, but that we can find meaning in art and love.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch is a gorgeous book. It’s long and expansive and almost Dickensian in its attention to detail. It is at once a tale of the harsh, random, inevitable tragedies of life and an ode to the redeeming power of love and art.<br/><br/>See the full review at Books Speak Volumes, a book blog.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FD74LT22RKSC?ASIN=0316055441	A Nice Surprise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Readers have waited ten long years for two esteemed writers, Jhumpa Lahiri and Donna Tartt, to follow up their bestsellers with a new novel this year. While beautifully written, The Lowlands was somewhat of a disappointment, leaving many readers to wonder if Lahiri shouldn't stick to the genre of short story. On the contrary, Tartt's The Goldfinch, a 700+ pager that takes the reader on a bleak but fascinating ride with 13-year old Theo Decker, was, overall, well worth the wait.<br/><br/>From the first page, Tartt sweeps us up in Theo's story. Like many kids his age, Theo, a promising student who lives in New York with his mother (his alcoholic would-be actor dad having simply disappeared one day), has fallen in with the wrong crowd. Theo knows that this day's outing to the art museum, to be followed by lunch, will not end in a pleasant mother-son conversation; but he has no idea that a disaster is about to occur that will change his life forever. As his mother pops into the gift shop and Theo follows a red-haired girl who has caught his eye, a massive explosion rips through the museum.<br/><br/>Tartt's description of the immediate aftermath is horrifying and heart-wrenching--but nevertheless necessary if we are to understand the emotional roller coaster ride that Theo embarks upon. When he regains consciousness, the only living person he sees--the elderly man who was with the red-haired girl--is clearly dying. It is he who encourages Theo to take ""The Goldfinch,"" a small 17th-century masterpiece, and who gives him a token that will lead him, later, to the man who will give him a second chance at life.<br/><br/>I won't spoil the novel by giving away any further plot details. Suffice it to say that one thought that struck me is how desperate life can become for those who, like Theo, don't have caring families to rely upon. His one devoted friend, a Polish-Russian boy named Boris, comes from a family even more fractured than Theo's, and it's as easy to damn him as to praise him. Nevertheless, he's an unforgettable character.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch is not a flawless novel, by any means. For me, the long, drug-drenched sections got a bit tedious, and Tartt falls into the overtly philosophical towards the end with musings on life, death, love, art, and beauty. Still, there's no denying that she has spun quite a tale, created some unique characters and made us feel not just for but with them, and painted a seductively visual atmosphere with her detailed descriptions.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCSWJOMZSHXUC?ASIN=0316055441	mark twain said Classic is A book which people praise and don't read, then donna tartt just made a further step toward dickens..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wish I could give this book five stars, I truly wish,because I have loved and love donna tartt soo much .<br/>to put it this way, she said in the end ,that ""life ,for whatever else it is, is short.."" i really want to say, actually it REALLY doesn't seem to be short by reading your book.it took me nearly a month to finish it ,unbelievable!!!<br/>I have read the secret history and then got absolutely stupefied wondering around at school, not because the book was in any way really gripping ,it was flawed and little long-winded , constantly giving readers leaks and later failed addressing them properly ,repetitively brandishing the grandness of the theme(ie the title) and inevitably leading up to a huge bringdown.<br/>The difference is ,I falled in love with &lt;the secret history &gt; because I was attracted to the core mantra “beauty is harsh” and the distant pensiveness of those characters, of course they were just fictitious characters who were endowed by tart with rare talent and cultural cultivation, but it didn’t take me much effort to lure my self into the fishy authenticity of the book, I was drunk in it ,I loved the extreme way they believe in loyalty piety and sacrifice, which is still what I believe made &lt;the secret history&gt; so powerful to me-------- a gesture of beauty.<br/>But &lt;the goldfinch&gt; ,lord , this is the kind of book you can pick any page to read without missing much, I spent a couple of weeks slogging through it , i m still a college student,while I’m at canteen I read it with my kindle, when I’m at a class I give it a peek, but everytime when I picked it up it became a dreary matter,I thought to my self, where was I again?nah..it doesn’t matter, it reads like the same anyway... i haven't read a single page of IN SEARCH OF LOST TIME, but after goldfinch, it will be wise for me to cross it off from my bucket list.<br/>i don't think i will be the lonely voice from wilderness to say that ""goldfinch"" is flimsy,The protagonist , one of the voices have the lone reeds , did drug with his bff boris, (sufficient gesture description ,sketchy emotional connection). Some of her description of people seem too stiff like “he brushed/flick/push his hair aside”, that’s an awkward way of trying to flesh out the characters in a non-consuming, natural way.(not everybody start a sentence by touch their hair ,at least not most of the time ,)<br/>Why don’t you cut out all those totally unnecessary daily routine between theo and boris ,and replace it with some more details about his encounter with pipa, so the ending wouldn't seem so abrupt(as always.....)<br/><br/>For those of you who give the book 5stars ,you either are more serious a donna fan than me ,or you are out of your minds</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R121E3U8DC01UZ?ASIN=0316055441	Modern-day Dickens.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I rarely take on books more than 500 pages, largely because I fear they will bog down, as they often do, and because there are so many good books to read, I rarely dally with anything too long. Not to mention a 100 page rule – if the book isn’t interesting enough by then, I’m done.<br/>Oddly, this season alone, several great writers have released very long books, including the previously reviewed and much admired Elizabeth Gilbert, and Donna Tartt tops the lot at 770 pages.<br/>For those of you also fans of The Secret History, released twenty years ago, this third novel is long awaited and has received mostly positive reviews. Thus, as the days grow shorter and winds pick up, seemed a good time to curl up on the couch with a great big book.<br/>It is a truly big book, not only in heft but in depth of human experience. A few characters dominate the narrative and they are all a captivating, my favorite, Boris, a ne’er do well Russian émigré, dark at heart but light of spirit, whose voice is pitch-perfect and often hilarious. However this novel is about Theo: orphaned at thirteen when a bomb blast rocks the Metropolitan Museum and in an odd twist of fate ends up walking away with a famous painting, The Goldfinch, by the Dutch painter, Carel Fabritius. You may remember the little gem: a golden bird chained at one leg to his perch. Ah, a metaphor is born.<br/>Theo, chained to the memory of his mother’s tragic death, his survivor guilt, the post-traumatic stress that ensues, to his self-serving, gambling-addicted father, and to loneliness. And, as it turns out, chained to the painting itself, which serves as both anchor and tormentor, and ultimately salvation.<br/>Tartt’s descriptive prose is scintillating. Many scenes, occasionally too long, and dialogues, also occasionally too long, nonetheless enthrall the reader, as we move through a decade of Theo’s personal apocalypse. Through drug and alcohol-ridden escapades, thugs, well-meaning socialites, unrequited love, lost hopes and ultimate redemption, Tartt now and then drops in an allusion to Dickens, as if the reader was not already aware that this novel is an homage to Oliver Twist and David Copperfield, among others.<br/>I loved Dickens for the same reason that I so much appreciated this book – for the detail and the vividness of characters. We take the journey with them, which makes for great fiction. Tartt also peppers the narrative with profound observances related to relationships and the supremacy of friendship. She also deftly illuminates the weaknesses of the social services system, and the adult failure to fully understand the mind of an adolescent, as well as the human kindnesses that make up for that.<br/>Curl up on the couch reading, for sure, but make sure to buckle your seatbelt, because the trip from NYC to Las Vegas to Amsterdam and back again is a wild ride and goes faster than you might imagine.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R344RGTYWUBC1B?ASIN=0316055441	Years ago I really liked Donna Tartt's Secret History	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Years ago I really liked Donna Tartt's Secret History. This book was every bit as good. I loved the writing style and the story, felt like Theo and Boris were part of my family. I didn't want the story to end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FLWMG9NERMFY?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were parts that were good...overly descriptive....disappointing. A good book you don't want to end, this was one  that made me feel like it would NEVER end!  A Pulitzer Prize doesn't make it a good book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FXOXR2TCCPFX?ASIN=0316055441	Too much, too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Parts of this story were emotionally gripping and parts were downright dull. Overall, just too long, repetitive. The story could have ended when he returned to NYC from Las Vegas and that would have been fine.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O6ZSH8LUPSH5?ASIN=0316055441	thought provoking and also entertaining	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to read this before the movie comes out - and am glad I did. Some of the writing and thoughts in this book is simply gorgeous. All that, plus a thriller buried in the middle and some great characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9NXJ9ORCFRCL?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long, but you'll want to finish it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book Is so well written that I just had to see it through, which I found painful at times, because it really is too long. The story is about a tragic little boy, Theodore, who grows up terribly sad and depressed due to an unspecified act of terrorism in a famous New York City museum that kills his mother (for which he feels responsible). In the few seconds after the bombing, Theo steals a major artwork- an oil of a beautiful bird chained to a window perch, Theo had just looked at the painting with his mother before the bombing. No one knows the story about why this beautiful bird is chained nor why the famous painter chose it for its subject, which mystifies its admirers,<br/>  Theo's survival story is a great human interest story and makes him into a media sensation, with an aura of mystique surrounding him as a result.  Like the painting, no one knows what Theo is really thinking or feeling, but lots of people want to look at him. A young boy losing his mother is heart rendering, and it makes for a tragic picture, but a beautiful kind of tragic picture.<br/>  So, the painting is a metaphor of Theo's life. Theo cannot put his story into words because the dramatic nature of the event and the huge bag of emotional havoc running through Theo makes it impossible for him to talk about it. The caregivers who may have been able to get Theo to talk are caught in the many intrigues occurring in Theo's life, and Theo never gets to really talk about his own parts of the story or how he is feeling about it. His impulsive, but almost completely unnoticed. theft  begins to becomes problematic. He must carry it with him wherever he goes, the painting is like a chain around Theo's foot, and hampers his growth and development.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A54X769B8Q0U?ASIN=0316055441	Not my type of book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was highly rated, so I tried it out.  Didn't know anything else about the author and never heard of the book before checking on Kindle reviews.  It was OK, but probably not my type of reading.  Too much on the drug and alcohol, I found myself wondering if anyone could really survive the stories of drinking and drugs.  I would think a fatal overdose would have occurred, or permanent brain damage, but the characters seem to love the hangovers, and headaches and vomiting, and continue on in what appears to be relatively indestructible health after years of drugs and binges, which I found unbelievable, but who knows, maybe I am naive and it's possible.  Then there is the painting and the obsession with it, which I didn't quite find believable either.  I don't know too many functioning drug addicts who could continue to hold such an exquisite interest and appreciation of the fine arts...  Parts of the story were OK, but overall, this was not a pick-me-up happy book, instead kind of a long drawn out metaphorical death that ends with too much babble about a painting and how it can entirely affect everything in one's life, and I skimmed and skipped most of the ending.  I would rather read something intriguing and offbeat, that takes me to another place, but is still believable, and doesn't lose me in the metaphorical babble.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18E8ZT1CGDYFG?ASIN=0316055441	I wasn't impressed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was over long which I guess that means it was overwritten. it was well written I guess because I did finish it. That philosophy at the end was not understandable. Psychobabble. I would not give it a prize.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LJQ2M8YNKLC9?ASIN=0316055441	Too much philosophy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I absolutely loved this book until the last 25 or so pages.  It became so wordy that I actually skipped most of it.  But, the first 90% was wonderful.  I loved the characters and could visualize them vividly.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RIW65MTC0IDI?ASIN=0316055441	Just disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So much I  this  book was so dry an  dragged  on for chapters.... I eventually learned to quickly skim through most of it as I was determined to see how it ended. Now I wish I'd never wasted my time  with it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZAVGP400L5PY?ASIN=0316055441	Not terrible, but THIS won the Pulitzer?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am not particularly impressed by this book. Having been given it as a Christmas gift by my husband, I made myself read the entire thing. But it rambles and raves, and its characters are a bit flat. I think the critics are perhaps impressed because it is a story about ""Art"", and the importance and deathlessness of great ""Art"". I rather like antique furniture and classic art myself, but their presence in the story does not make up for the ultimately depressing story and lack of focus. The ending of the book, particularly, just fell apart into endless blather.<br/>Having read The Secret History as well, I got a little tired of the world of privilege that Tartt's characters move through. And the endless debauchery. I have never known anyone that could keep up the pace of drinking and drugging that Tartt's people manage. (Of course, I don't associate with many of this sort. No matter how much money or privilege, I generally regard people of this ilk as lowlives.)<br/>That said, the beginning of the book, through perhaps half of it, was clear and engaging. The scene of the tragedy around which the story revolves is well-drawn, and the emotional landscape of that time was clear and affecting. Tartt's a decent writer, and can put a good sentence together. Still, I doubt I will ever pick up any more of her work.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P4F36PRBY09A?ASIN=0316055441	GOLDFINCH AN EXCELLENT READ	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters came to life. The ending was phenomenal - very thought provoking book<br/>Many things to discuss  I also had the audible versions. The readers were excellent!<br/>I would definitely recommend this book to a friend. We are reading it for our book club.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UDCMLIY53LJ6?ASIN=0316055441	This book shocked me when a well-mannered boy became a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book shocked me when a well-mannered boy became a juvenile delinquent after being in a museum when a bomb went off.  His personality changed completely while suffering from post-tramatic stress syndrome</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TL76CPYNZPG2?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""So many times the hype about a book exceeds the book itself. This one elicits strong feelings on both sides. But I was really satisfied with Goldfinch. It was a great book to start the year out with. I certainly was not disappointed. One of my good reads pals who reviewed this book mentioned that Donna Tart is a fan of Dickens. And it must be true because I couldn't help but notice the comparison to Charles Dickens throughout the story. Remember reading all those Dickens novels where young boys are orphaned, waylaid and put upon by all sorts of bad characters. Life has suffocated all sense of proportion, good and balance. Then some kind soul reaches out in the bleakness of their life and offers some hope.<br/>This novel shares the harshness of the realities of todays world. You'll find language, drugs and violence. I didn't feel it was overdone like some have. I needed to feel Theo's despair, and emptiness, his loss. If I hadn't keenly felt his suffering I wouldn't have reveled in his joy with the same passion. I loved the characters, like I have not loved characters in a long,long time. I don't have words to say how much I enjoyed this book. I'm not a writer. but I will say that it's not often that books come along that I feel deserve the title of literature or even great literature. I feel this is one. ""</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R125RWJ748TG40?ASIN=0316055441	What's the Point?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was not immediately drawn to the author's method of telling the story, however the characters and their lives grew on me. By the time I was close to 3/4 finished with this book, it was not only the story I read on the elliptical when I worked out; it was what I read whenever I had a chance to read; including very early in the morning. It took some time, but the story did eventually draw me in. Details were extensive and at times too much for my taste, although I did learn a lot about antique furniture and art. I was most disappointed was the dark life styles that the main characters, Theo and Boris, lived. I kept looking for the silver lining and just did not find it. If I kept my focus on the fact that they became friends out of the need for human contact, it was a great story about friendship, sort of. However they had such tragic lives together and away from each other; such demented drug experiences and antagonizing love encounters, that I just felt sad and sorry for both of them. Hobie was a compassionate,kind and intelligent person it just seemed he never looked up...if you know what I mean. I appreciate the beauty of art and other things, and this story highlighted how we, as human beings, can become totally involved and in love with inanimate things,which left me with something to think about, I guess.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V2IM4WQCZNK?ASIN=0316055441	I'm in awe of Donna Tartt's beautifully descriptive writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm in awe of Donna Tartt's beautifully descriptive writing. But I'm in despair of the meandering, navel-gazing, repetitive, boring swaths of this book. It started out great, but it's like the editor stopped reading it and the author was allowed to indulge in a narcissistic exercise where she floridly describes every.single.thing that the narrator encounters, thinks about, might have once had a fleeting thought about, etc. etc.  Every character except possibly Boris (and that's only because of the accent) talks like Donna Tartt. The narrator, Theo, is difficult to picture as a fully fledged character because he seems to be more just a mouthpiece for Tartt's descriptive musings on everything.<br/><br/>I don't mind as much that the plot is inconsistent (especially the last third) and the characterizations are uneven (Hobie seems like different people at times, as does Theo). But I really minded the endless, boring, often parenthetical descriptions. At first I just enjoyed the beauty of the language. But then I started to feel as though Donna Tartt decided she was going to gather up all the scraps of research on everything she's ever done and jam them into this book whether or not they added anything of value to it.<br/><br/>But then again, it won the Pultizer for fiction. I wonder if they read the whole thing?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G00NWKEKW0EJ?ASIN=0316055441	One beautiful sentence after another	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One beautiful sentence after another, philosophical and smart, and yet a great summer read as I could not turn the pages fast enough and was totally mesmerized by wonderful characters and fast-paced action.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R157NDWQZBQN94?ASIN=0316055441	Very good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the book; although it was long and the story line drug in parts.  Tartt pulls the reader into the scene and makes it pretty real.  Poor Theo - someone should have told him he was suffering from PTS!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RK7T89JLJVZN?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling story line and brilliant writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a book that pulled me forward by the force of its imagination and character development.  The alcohol and drug consumption by the characters was monumental  It was amazing that any of them lived. Loved the settings and people even when I hated their flaws.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UTS2L5B6ZH1C?ASIN=0316055441	A Master Storyteller In The House !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an exllence book.  It's well written. I have not read a book like this  one in along time. I could not put it down.I am now a fan of Donna Tartt. I will be reading more of her books. I wish I could have gotten an autograph copy. She is a master storyteller.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BUQDB9AEBF71?ASIN=0316055441	Words, words, words that did not keep my ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Words, words, words that did not keep my interest.  Finished it but can't say I finished ""reading"" it because I could not possibly slog through the amount of words used to express a single thought.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19F1W84U9ANKO?ASIN=0316055441	boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't understand how this won an award and is so popular. It started out somewhat interesting but then it rambled on and on with the philosophical thoughts of the main character over and over and over...</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22EGRZF6RIE11?ASIN=0316055441	Good book . . . but way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is no question that Donna Tartt can write.  She has a kind of weird, formal, old-fashioned style that initially made me question the present-day setting.  This is an odd example, but it is one that stood out to me: she uses the term “harum-scarum” three times in the book.<br/><br/>Toward the end of the book, she employs style and technique to convey different emotions and states-of-mind (run-on sentences, lack of punctuation, extended dialogue, etc.).  Despite the fact that it’s a little out-of-place as compared to the rest of the novel, it’s pretty effective.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch is definitely not as good as The Secret History, but it’s still worth reading if you’re willing to wade through it.  Admittedly, this is a better book than many of the other books to which I've given a 3.  But my standards are a little higher if a book is 800 pages long.  I think that’s perfectly reasonable.<br/><br/>Pros:<br/><br/>-- Beautiful, beautiful writing<br/>-- Fun, weird, complex, compelling characters (filthy rich New Yorkers, alcoholic 14-year-olds, Russian gangsters, a hunchback)<br/>-- Crazy, exciting antics (drugs, thievery, death, affairs, murder, Baccarat)<br/><br/>Cons:<br/><br/>-- Unnecessarily long<br/>-- Inconsequential tangents<br/>-- Unsatisfying, surprisingly feely/schmaltzy ending</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PU1YJMZN0HHD?ASIN=0316055441	There aren't enough stars for this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book I could not put down and when I got to the end, I started it again. I wanted to help this boy with what he was going through after his mother died. But of he went on his own, then more interesting characters join the story. Each one is so interesting and believable. But I will not write more, as the reader must travel this journey.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3592ADTGQSVLT?ASIN=0316055441	Why so long?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book was well written but could have easily been half the length without anything really missing. There is a story, then there are all the deep reflections, and then there is all the extra writing...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O9WYW9MGOW0R?ASIN=0316055441	Long, detailed and awesome -	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I found myself eager for the story to move at times, I understood the need for detail once I completed the book.  A very thoughtful and thought-provoking read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Bravo!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TKOAZHNCBVH?ASIN=0316055441	and while some writing was good, I found a lot to be cringe-worthy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not sure why this book won the Pulitzer Prize.  While I appreciate the effort that went in to writing this novel, for me, it was too long, with too much description, and while some writing was good, I found a lot to be cringe-worthy. The writer wanted to show off her research, which to me is a burden to the reader. Overall, Goldfinch is not worthy of adult fiction, in my opinion. I was never 'lost' in this novel.  For me, it was always her voice speaking through these characters - the voice of an educated, adult female. For some time now, I have been mulling over what makes great literature.  I have a vast library of great works and whenever I look at the tiles of these books I am filled with wonder and love in my heart.  Whenever I pick up such books, I can open them at any page and feel inspired by the writing, feel goosebumps at the turns of phrase, the honesty, the brilliant use of words.  I will never pick up Goldfinch again.  Goldfinch did not feel like an honest piece of fiction to me.  It felt contrived. Perhaps the intention was to write a bookt hat could be turned into a movie?  How many times can people possibly bump into each other in the street?  This was a lazy way to move the story along.<br/>However, many people love it, and it can only be a good thing that books are being read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LRXOY5C8B0KZ?ASIN=0316055441	don't bother	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved 1st quarter, endured second quarter, never finished this - too unbelievable, felt I was being manipulated. Note this is on a list of the most famous books never finished so many had same experience</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R376QJ0EJAV004?ASIN=0316055441	Gave up	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It may be beautifully written but who cares.  I gave up at 50 per cent and glad I did.  My husband told what happened<br/>Honestly this book was torture and I read all Pulitzer Prize winners of fiction.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M0K12W2RD0V1?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good at times but excessive time spent in Las Vegas, reappearance of Boris, silliness of confrontations in Amsterdam and lack of any mention of Kitsy towards the end, made this a disappointing book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KQEU5NK7TW1Z?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Garry	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A phenomenal book! For anyone who has lost something or someone important, she touches on the simple and inexplicable universality of the rift but somehow finds the eternal hope and beauty of connection.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RWNO80QGCR3H?ASIN=0316055441	Long book and a slow read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book sometimes seemed like it was in need of a good editing.  It. bogged down at times.  particularly towards the end where the author got lost in general philosophy.  Interesting characters though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQTFR6SQI591D?ASIN=0316055441	boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wish I had never started this book. What a waste of  time.Not any characters worth  wondering  about. I am not familiar with the author and I'm not likely to look for anything else she may have written</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3REZJK59OOSSK?ASIN=0316055441	A loooong slog through banality	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Yes I came late to the party. The stoner crowd in the corner is insightfully discussing the intricacies of this novel, along with, perhaps, a few shots of Russian Standard vodka. Amongst themselves they are witty, the talk is serious. However, to a more sober listener on the periphery. Not so much<br/><br/>Everyone knows the gist of the story by now. Young Theo is with his mother in the Art Museum when a bomb goes off. She is killed, he luckily survives. He is traumatized and we can sympathize with the boy. After about 200 pages of this, I'm afraid my compassion wore a bit thin. His mother was a remarkable intelligent compassionate woman whose worst mistake in life was marrying a charming neer-do-well husband. The father's best deed was deserting the family.<br/><br/>Theo is probably the most boring and egocentric of protagonists. As previously reviewed, a host of Dickensian characters help and sometimes hinder our<br/>young friend. Including The father who comes  back for a relatively brief (or in the case of this book a mere few hundred pages) nefarious appearance<br/> Boris, our Artful Dodger, introduces Theo to a veritable Physicians Desk Reference of drug experiences and our man is made. Theo is basically as skeevy as his father but without the charm<br/><br/>All  the other characters in this book are far more interesting and more realistic but unfortunately peripheral.<br/><br/>This book is just way too long. In the midst of the dross, I think the  story of The Goldfinch is actually a gem. There is a potentially fine Novella in here<br/><br/>PS. And what about that gratuitously violent episode in Amsterdam???  Pulitzer Prize. Really???</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1198NRZCYHQQF?ASIN=0316055441	More entertaining than I expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is almost a Four Star, but the lag in the story about sixty percent through knocks it down a bit.  It does pick up again for the final, say, fifth so that I truly did want to know, ""How will she (Tartt) get out of this?""  All in all, she pulls it together nicely.<br/><br/>I think the marketing of the book as ""literary"" fiction does it a disservice, as several of its characters are fun, something I find to be rarely the case in lit fic.  Michiko Kakutani's review rightly praises the pairing of Theo and Boris as one of the great partnerships in fiction.  DON'T, however read that review if you haven't read the book, because it gives away too much of an enjoyably picaresque tale.  One theme of the book is the joy of art, its obsessive hold on some people (myself included), and I think that's why the lit fic label has been applied, but this is not a gloomy book,despite the real tragedies at its core.<br/><br/>I did think the female characters were weak, other than Theo's lovely mother, and that's another reason for the Three, rather than a Four, Star rating.<br/><br/>The writing is excellent, without being pretentious, and most of the time, the book was buzzing around in my head, calling me back, when I wasn't reading it.<br/><br/>So I do recommend it.  Enjoy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DCUOEVDMX7QF?ASIN=0316055441	Thank you Tartt!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Andre Malraux said, ""Art is a revolt against fate.""  And Theo's attempt to preserve a great masterpiece is his private revolt against his own fate. I loved reading this book, such a delight, and the best from Tartt yet. Read it and savor the delicious prose! It would have been nice to have seen an epiphany work in Theo's life at the end, and perhaps it was working in a quiet way but not satisfactorily enough for me, having come so far with him. It is like partaking of a fabulous meal building to the climax of an amazing dessert only to find...an after-dinner mint. Theo seems to just limp off the last pages into an amoral and meaningless universe devoid of the chance for anything but illusion. Is it not possible in our age for the protagonist do otherwise without seeming emotionally spurious? I believe it is. Still, it's a really good book and I don't know what that better ending would be, except something that indicated more growth of Theo's soul than the meagre philosophy at the end. Malraux summed that up better, anyway, when he said: ""The great mystery is not that we should have been thrown down here at random between the profusion of matter and that of the stars; it is that from our very prison we should draw, from our own selves, images powerful enough to deny our nothingness.""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TC4JQVEB8Y2K?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was way too long . It was well written, but seemed to ramble on and on in different directions.<br/>I would not recommend this book . I know several people who loved it but also several who didn't.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15RQK66CYSDWZ?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too dark; too long' too preachy</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13EUG7PDPUNJA?ASIN=0316055441	LOOOONG READ	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Honestly can't believe I finished this entire book. The story was interesting enough but did lag at times. This was one of those books that you keep on reading just knowing it's going to get better....unfortunately for me, it never really ""took off"".</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13P9T9ZKRAKJK?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize Committee Asleep at the Wheel!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was awarded the Pulitzer Prize last year.  I am baffled as to why.  Who sits on the committee to have chosen such a poorly written book? I can only conclude that the Pulitzer has fallen to mediocrity.  It is because The Goldfinch received the award that I read it. Almost immediately I I hated it.  I told myself that I should stick it out and keep reading.  It won the Pulitzer, after all.  It didn't get better.  Donna Tartt's smugness comes through loudly and clearly in her self-indulgent yammering. Her references to this painting or that foreign film, and on and on, taught us, the readers, nothing to make us love them or want to learn more.  (Where is the wonderfully erudite Barbara Kingsolver when you need her?)  As I read other reviews of this novel, I learned that Ms. Tartt doesn't read negative reviews.  That's too bad.  She could grow and learn from what people think.  If she wants to ever improve as a writer, she will dive in and strive for improvement.  Sadly, she is content to assure herself that the stuff she writes is just fine.  She needs an an editorial staff who will insist upon eloquent, lyrical and crisp writing, nothing cliche and dopey.  This silly story could have been told in about 700 fewer pages.  Even then it would not have been very good.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PN88MR7J43F0?ASIN=0316055441	I became weary of all of the characters half way ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I became weary of all of the characters half way through and did not care about their journey. I think I had such high hopes after the first quarter. It did not fulfill my expectations of a Pulitzer.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6UQT04TMEYO4?ASIN=0316055441	interesting book, personally, would be better if it was paced well.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, overly descriptive for my taste. Had me skimming through pages a few times to get the story moving. I can see how a lot of people will and do enjoy the narration but it was too slow for me.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15ESOHBU5VXD7?ASIN=0316055441	The Sum of its Parts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The reader gets a lot for their money: a fine-arts lecture; an account of techniques in furniture restoration; a clunky gangster plot; a master-class on using the adjectival clause; numerous passages of beautiful prose; descriptions of the effects of cocaine and heroin; a travelogue roaming across Manhattan, the seedier suburbs of Las Vegas and on to Christmas in Amsterdam; and convoluted navel-gazing about the ‘line of beauty’ in a despairing world.<br/><br/>Sadly, what I did not discern in this ambitious novel was a coherent protagonist narrator. For this reader, the ‘truth’ of Theo Dekker, the druggie and fraudster, simply couldn’t emerge from under all the above. In addition, the surrounding of him with three larger than life characters (Hobie, the haunted Pippa and the nihilistic Boris) is like placing three mirrors around a small candle – all one sees is reflections. The dialogue at times, seeming to mix the uses of language of these characters, didn’t help.<br/><br/>I wonder if Tartt should have emulated John Irving’s rewriting of his long novel ‘Until I Find You’ from ‘first person’ to ‘third person’ to give the reader some distance from his story’s self-absorbed protagonist. Perhaps this would have given more space for my engagement with Theo to develop.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26KPOSEQI9LDT?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing read. Spent way too many hours on this.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not sure why I kept reading this. I was excited with the hype and the overwhelming high star reviews BUT am sorely disappointed. I could have put it down any time, but I didn't. I kept hoping it would get better. The characters are extremely well written but the length is long and often tedious.  Detailed background discussions and conversations about characters who are mentioned once and don't show up again added to the length and seemed to me to be unnecessary.<br/><br/> But the thing that troubled me most was the prevalent drug use. I found myself not really liking the main character, who is an accomplished alcoholic/drug abuser who lies, cheats and steals and spends an awful lot of time feeling sorry for himself and creating his own problems, while dragging those who care about him into his sordid world. I really didn't care what happened to him. Two of the most likable characters are killed in the first few pages and the few who are left tip toe around this young man and accept his behavior.<br/><br/>What did I learn from this book? Way too much about drugs and people who use. Very sad. High reviews, even a Pulitzer Prize don't necessarily equate to a good read. Next time, I won't spend hours hoping the story gets better or the characters redeem themselves.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TZJEA3C7L2R9?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Every reviewer in the world loved this book and called it Dickensian.  A little long, I didn't notice or mind.  It reads quickly.  The plot is unbelievable and surprising; the prose more astounding.  Donna Tartt is one of the most fantastic writers alive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QMH1MRIO1XMF?ASIN=0316055441	Page Turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was difficult to put this book down. I was captivated by the events of the life of the main character, Theo, Read the whole thing in less than 1 week. Would definitely read more from Donna Tartt.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24HDH0Y0O8S7R?ASIN=0316055441	disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a real disappointment.  It was captivating for the first third of the book, then I merely waded through the rest so that I could critique it for bookclub.  Too much drama for too long!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U8Q6H5AA2DSB?ASIN=0316055441	This author is horribly and unnecessarily loquacious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">About 10 hours of my life I won't get back.  Read the first 50 pages then skip to the last 20 and you'll still know what happened in the book.  This author is horribly and unnecessarily loquacious.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RODEYSHH9ULHH?ASIN=0316055441	Stop after you read a third of it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boy, this book started pretty well, and then after he leaves Vegas, blah. The entire ending was supposed to be deep meaningful and make you think, but all it what made me want to do its skip pages.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK8L8GWA5CPVX?ASIN=0316055441	Would not recommend this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even though you should feel empathy for the main character and all the terrible things he had to endure, the author failed to make me care about any of the characters. The book was not engrossing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X0E1EWO7TOQ5?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt has delivered an intimate and fascinating, not to mention well-researched, journey into 21st Century America	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No one can accuse Donna Tartt of being prolific. THE GOLDFINCH, which came out last fall, is only her third book, her first, of course being THE SECRET HISTORY, one of the most-read and talked about books of the early 90s and, in this bloggers opinion, one of the furthermost decade defining books of the grunge-tinged era. THE GOLDFINCH has so much going for it, and so much in it, and such vivid characters that the lapses of logic and character continuity are easily washed away by Tartt’s march through time. The plot? You want to know the plot? Tween Theo Decker lives in New York “in the past” (though they have cell phones) with his mother in the East 50s. After his father leaves the home the mother and son have a stronger bond despite Theo’s involvement with his private school’s “wrong crowd.” One April morning when they are on their way to a school meeting they stop off at the Met, where an incident happens that shadows the novel. I know that many reviews give this key moment away, but the sheer audacity of the event, as well as Tarrt’s descriptive narrative, fills the scene with terror and redemption. You’ll need to read this section several times as you traverse the book to keep yourself grounded. From there this Lamb-by-way-of-Dickens novel introduces a slew of fascinated, flawed characters, as well as locales, from the Upper East Side to the Village, to Vegas and Amsterdam. The end tapers out in a Martin McDonagh fashion that doesn’t match the tone of the rest of the novel, but still, Tartt has delivered an intimate and fascinating, not to mention well-researched, journey into 21st Century America.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VLVXD5PWDJV1?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Story and Super Characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I truly enjoyed this one. Tartt weaves an excellent story and the characters she builds are superb. Only one place in the entire book bogged down for me, otherwise it was a true page turner. Certainly in the top 10 books I read in 2013. Please try it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MNDON0YFPFPG?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not only an engrossing story, but a host of believable and outstandingly interesting characters. I have known people remarkably similar to one of the main characters. The author's insight into their motivations left me eager to read more of her works.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OC7WOAWPM8FD?ASIN=0316055441	Poor Bird - All Opinion	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Aargh! I can't believe I spent so much time and energy reading such a depressing book in order to understand the narrator's opinion that life is fatalistic. Yes, the writing is good. Yes, the character development is good. Yes, the scenery is well-depicted. But the story is horrible, and I do not need to read 700+ pages in order to understand why this protagonist believes his life is ruled by fate. I read the book for book club and even though there are many topics to discuss in connection with this story, I don't find it a noteworthy novel. I'm glad I read the book for my cultural literacy. I'm grateful the writing was good enough for me to continue reading. True or false,  I marveled at the types of lifestyles depicted that I've never seen or experienced. I was horrified by the boys' living conditions in Nevada. I was horrified by the boys' personal choices, even though each knew right from wrong. The limited and perverse expressions of love between the protagonist and his pal were both good &amp; bad. The protagonist's feelings towards his father (love/guilt/hate) were immature and unsatisfied. The author's perfect ending (all wrongs are righted) weakened the force of the novel, as did the protagonist's lecture on why he believes in fatalism. I understand why this book is a best seller: the story, the writing, the titillation, the action. Unfortunately, the book ends with all problems neatly resolved (not realistic) and the protagonist's personal take on life (an opinion limited to his individual experiences). All characters live dismally ever after, and from my point of view, they've all earned it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NMM0U82N9875?ASIN=0316055441	can't believe te rave reviews	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finally gave up on this book at 62%.  I was mildly curious about where it was taking the lead character, but he was SO unlikable as an adult that I decided I just didn't care.  Long.  Too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GBU1P8VIU7JC?ASIN=0316055441	What a pleasure to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This goes on my shelf of books I will read again. It is not a large shelf. A wonderful, look forward to , full read. So much to think about and enjoy. Such a pleasure to read  a well written book that does touch heart and mind. Thank you Donna Tartt.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MS74B3YVR514?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not enjoy the book at all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EL61KJLV8BJ3?ASIN=0316055441	A very wordy read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very disappointed with the ending. As wordy as this book was the end was lack lustre ..I felt after reading almost 800 pages that the ending could have been clearer and less philosophical.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OAV4GHFAG37P?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautiful, tumultuous tale of love and loss, art and treachery.  It is a thought-provoking novel that compels the reader to race breathlessly to the very end and then wish you had read slower.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SGTKF971D1XO?ASIN=0316055441	loved it with one exception	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very good read but wish there wasn't so much talk of doing drugs, alcohol and their effects. The repetition in those topics almost made for tedium but it was rescued by an excellent story arc.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G783AP1KJSC7?ASIN=0316055441	Wished I hadn't read it !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Usually I find characters I know, but there were none I knew in this novel... nor any I cared to know.  It took me into a world I didn't care to know about.  It is not a book I would recommend.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VMFR5P2YC6N0?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall a good book, although at times overwritten.  Both the beginning and near end read fast, the middle and last chapter were very wordy, to the point that the purpose of the book was lost.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EYWD9E4OE8R1?ASIN=0316055441	disgusting characters well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well, I finished the book. I figuratively threw it across the room many times. And I shall never get back the time I wasted on these characters/caricatures. This book won how many awards? Ugh.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C883HIBYX0DM?ASIN=0316055441	ending is confused	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book but I don't think Donna know how to end it so it gets all analytical and wierd with no substance whereas there has been substance in the whole story so disapoints in the end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37EJACUCQSIQ?ASIN=0316055441	A Waste of Time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beneath the many pages of well turned phrase, this novel rides an empty shell of callous, meandering existences. And the pretense of the evocative painting? Well, just so unreal. I feel used.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z3H00KNKBT10?ASIN=0316055441	okay	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was depressing.<br/>I didn't like all of the descriptive details of  the effects of drugs.<br/>Most often when I finish a book, I am sorry to see it end.  Not this time.  It was to long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JZO281ZN5TQO?ASIN=0316055441	Melissa McCormack	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awful book. Long-winded and boring coming of age story. The beginning of the book (what happens in the museum) was amazing. The book read like it was written by a different author after that.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18VYAQ0BISC4O?ASIN=0316055441	FAR too long. Delightfully started but bogged down in ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">FAR too long.  Delightfully started but bogged down in drugs/alcohol with nary a commentary on PTSD and other disorders Theo might have had.  Hard to imagine reading another by Donna Tartt.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWTGEK09QRJ2E?ASIN=0316055441	A disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">With so many recommendations I bought this book. The first third of the book was so good I could not put it down. It later was not so compelling. I was very disappointed in the final pages.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P6I6YL08J1K3?ASIN=0316055441	Good Migrations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt, without a doubt, is an exceptional writer. This book is filled with beautifully crafted sentences and paragraphs.  I enjoyed that aspect of the book and I think that was enough to warrant finishing this book but this was a close call.  The downside, for me, is that 770 pages of linguistic gymnastics starts to take its toll when the substance of the novel does not match the ornamentation in which it is delivered.  So many of the situations and inner thoughts of the protagonist just do not ring true and the number of threads that Ms. Tartt follows from start to finish begin to feel like an unravelling sweater that leave the emporer naked at the end.  I really endured the novel more than I enjoyed it.<br/><br/>Many reviewers have covered the plot so no point in belaboring here.  I would note that the beginning feels like a Dickensian tale (death of a parent, child adrift and alone in society, sub-optimal caregivers) and then shifts clunkilty into the description of a very unlikeable adult who covets a painting.  I read dozens and dozens of pages about that painting without ever understanding why everyone who sees it is so covetous to possess it.  In the end, I did not really care why either.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23Y9ZMY3CF9LX?ASIN=0316055441	Almost a Great Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was, indeed, a good book.  I mostly found it hard to put down,  but I was somewhat disappointed as I found it overtly manipulative.  It just didn't quite ring true.  Pulitzer Prize???</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GDFPN9GR1GYR?ASIN=0316055441	A miserable trip	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long.  Some lovely writing, but I despised the main character and quickly tired of his dilemma.  I soldiered on to finish the book, but wish I'd done something else with all that time!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H34DAFEZD8U9?ASIN=0316055441	Terrible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrible book. I usually try to finish any book I start, but gave up on this one after 150 pages. Could have been a good 300 page novel bloated to over 600 pages. So much for the critics.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FU0WFH7YH2Z4?ASIN=0316055441	long winded	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning of the book was great then it went down hill from there. It is a slow read. The author is very long winded and too descriptive in the details. Would not recommend this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R168VP4V9D33BP?ASIN=0316055441	Long winded, sad.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were some interesting plot points, but the book was bogged-down by extraneous reflection, description, and introspection.  The book is not redemptive and not worth the time to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32BS3SAK1SGBU?ASIN=0316055441	Uplifting wisdom that leaves you a better being for having endured it's length.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found Donna Tartt's novel, ""The Secret History"" so breathtakingly haunting and brilliant through all 590 pages, that I was confused when I repeatedly stumbled while reading The Goldfinch. At first I imagined I'd somehow received an unedited version in error, but I was determined since she is such a beautiful writer of prose. I almost cast this novel aside, and when I was nearing the end, I found myself intoxicated by the depth of phenomenal writing with life changing words and images teaching that we cannot control our hearts, and all yearnings are uniquely our own. I feel my life is often challenging to almost a point of insanity, however the wisdom exuded through Ms. Tartt's writing, forever changed me in a positive way.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch is a best seller with thousands of reviews, and it has ignited conversation among literary students worldwide. In one writing forum I read that many people simply refused to undertake such a huge body of work, thus did not read it. I remain emotionally mixed.  Too much time was spent sorting though fluff, however when I read the last twenty or so pages, I felt uplifted by Ms. Tartt's absolute conviction and the heartening wisdom she imparted.<br/><br/>Still, as I end this review, I feel disappointed that so many unnecessary pages filled with fodder (at least for me) were inserted, and it took so long to get to the brilliant intent the author wanted to instill within readers.<br/>But then, Ms Tartt is a phenomenal artist, so how she chooses to write is her prerogative.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ILK23VN10AT6?ASIN=0316055441	Wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I kept putting off reading The Goldfinch because it is so loooonnngg.  But once I started reading, I couldn't put it down.  Great characters, compelling story, excellent use of language.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VL9ZW2B0I97Z?ASIN=0316055441	Too longwinded	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story, a bit longwinded especially towards the end.  Could have been reduced quite a bit in pages to keep it more interesting and agile.  I lost my attention towards the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17USKJUZRLY1D?ASIN=0316055441	Don't think I would call this a Pullitzer-winning book....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gosh this is a long book!  Moments of insights, yes, but also many moments of very un-memorable prose and prattling on.  Don't take it on holidays unless your trip lasts about 6 months!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZCJLH61K2TL9?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In all my years, and there are many, this novel has absolutely captured my heart - no wonder it garnered the Nobel Prize for literature - cannot put it down and can't wait to reread it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33ANQYMXBYVBH?ASIN=0316055441	Worst book ever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The booked grabbed me from the beginning however the further I got into the book the more boring it got. I fail to see what all the hype was about! Would not recommend this book at all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34SIWD5L6U283?ASIN=0316055441	Almost like two different books!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is another one of those books that I so wanted to adore since it got such rave reviews.  Unfortunately, I cannot add to those raves.<br/>Once again, Ms. Tartt, as she did with her other novel, The Secret History, takes way too much time to tell her story...at least way too much time for me.  It is not that I am against very lengthy novels; there are many that are wonderful and held my interest so much that I wish they would not end. It was just that in this case, I kept thinking that this book needed a great deal of editing --- the last 200-300 pages or so read to me like a drug addict's diary.  There was too much time spent and way too many pages written about how the main character and his pal were getting high.  I was not at all engaged in finding out about these characters or their mis-adventures.  I found them not only uninteresting but their story seemed forced.<br/>I will say that the beginning of the book was interesting and I felt absorbing.  Unfortunately, the book started to sag around about 1/3 of the way in,  and so did my interest.<br/>I am debating on how many stars to give it --- seems like it was two books:  the first with 4 stars and the second with 1 star.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20NNMC2M75S5S?ASIN=0316055441	A Long Hard Slog	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a long book. A very long book. And in my experience, there are two kinds of long books: those you wish would never end; and those you can't wait to end. For me, at least, the Goldfinch fell into the latter category.<br/><br/>The story just wasn't interesting or plausible to me, and I really disliked the main character. Theo was reckless and irresponsible, right up to the end. And not in a roguish or charming way. Just a thoughtless creep. And yet he clearly wasn't thoughtless.  As the narrator, he seemed both thoughtful and caring, but in his actions, he was just the opposite. There seemed to be a real disconnect there. Almost two different characters.<br/><br/>As for the other characters, mostly clichés. There's the unbelievably beneficent benefactor; the cold, calculating fiancé, the unattainable love of his life, and numerous others, none of which are particularly memorable or well fleshed out.  One exception might be Boris--a much more likeable rogue than the main character.<br/><br/>There were some interesting observations at the end about the nature of art and human character.  But not nearly profound enough to have made the nearly 800-page slog worth the effort.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR4DWM3GSVPST?ASIN=0316055441	I can't say that it was boring. It was not	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had very high hopes for this novel.  An explosion in an art museum that causes some very important art works to be destroyed/lost/pilfered.  The same explosion causes a tragic death of a young boy's mother.  What will the boy do?  He is long estranged from his ""can't keep a job"" type father who left them a couple of years ago and hasn't been heard from since.  Grandparents who aren't very close to the boy either. What the VERY long book ended up being was an extended ""Holden Caulfield"" story where you felt virtually little or no sympathy for the young man and his friends. As in an Oscar Winning picture for acting, I was waiting for the profoundness, the redemption, the chapter that would bring everything together.  ""The Oscar Moment"" in the book.  Sadly, there was none.  How this book received the Pulitzer Prize for Literature is beyond my comprehension. I can't say that it was boring. It was not.  It did keep me interested until the end, but there was no payoff.  I wouldn't recommend it to anyone unless they LOVED ""Catcher in the Rye"" and want to read more and more and more about what a ""Holden"" type character would do further in his life.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ASH1N0ZD7O4O?ASIN=0316055441	A rambling long, long narrative stretching your patience no end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this novel on the strength of it winning the ' Pulitzer Prize for Fiction '. I am no literary critic but I really was dumbfounded as to the merits of the award for this novel. Though the writing is topnotch, I found the novel just far too long for the story it had to tell. The rambling narrative went on and on and I just could not wait for it to end. I have read many long novels but this one takes the cake for being boring to the extreme. But I managed to finish it, skim reading many draggy parts. Could have been told in about 500 to 600 pages. I felt that the story did not quite match the blurb on back of novel. I was expecting something else. Perhaps more of Pippa and less of Boris and the drugs scene. I wondered why the character of Pippa was introduced but left undeveloped, just popping up now and then. Maybe the five and four star reviewers can see something which I failed to do.<br/><br/>Unless the reader has great store of patience, I would not recommend this novel. Just before starting on this novel , I had completed Wilbur Smith's Blue Horizon; now that is exciting reading with no let up in the pace of the story telling even though it is a long novel. Read like an epic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EE9MV3RG6OGR?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the hours I spent with it and am sad it is over.  The twists and turns were amazing and the descriptions were luscious.  I will miss Theo, Boris and Hobie.  An incredible book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN95HCLIQW977?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A highly over rated read in my opinion. Slow moving and the characters and their actions became monotonous. Very predictable and after a while, the situation became mundane and boring.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKZWL8CEXJACL?ASIN=0316055441	Predictable and Poor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't care if this book just won a Pulitzer--it isn't worth the time it takes to read it. The characters are irredeemable, the plot is contrived and predictable, the writing is poor.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10TYFDZS1AZ5C?ASIN=0316055441	A literary gem in a sea of pulp diction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I admit I was drawn to this book more by its achievement (Pulitzer), than it's subject matter or reviews. I've been burned too many times getting books that simply sounded good or had all glowing reviews. I liked the fact that this one seems to be getting more scrunity it's because of it accolades, and seems to read more scathing reviews of it befor I actually picked it up. It's not that I don't enjoy a summer quick read, but I really wanted something I could sink my teeth into, something I wouldn't finish in 2 days, something that took time to digest, and Goldfinch delivered. I agree that the books starts off strong and ends with a slight poof. In fact my voracious reading at the end had more to do with finally finishing this beast than being taken in by the prose or the plot.<br/>With that said, I enjoyed it thoroughly, and really felt the protagonist/anti-hero/storyteller was not just believable, but sympathetic, deep, and multifaceted. I enjoyed the descriptions and prose and any shortcomings or inconsistencies I felt were due to the state of mind of the storyteller and not the author.<br/>With a sea of pulp fiction, this is certainly a gem, and certainly a worthly read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTY8QPTW47VL0?ASIN=0316055441	Not for the faint of heart	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did I like it? I stopped reading it several times in exasperation. It can be a grindingly depressing book to read, but I did not throw it away, and that was surprising to me. Usually my husband does not like me describing what I'm reading to him at length - and this time was no different, but then he asked, so what happened to so-and-so? That's kind of how I felt reading this. I would have appreciated a bit less of the helpless I-cannot-accept-anything, trust anything-from-anyone, but the story line takes a lot of interesting twists and turns. Very nice bad-guy-or-not-so-bad-guy character development. I found the last 5% of it very well written and wished the rest of it had been written that tightly (and about 200 pages less). I liked it that the ending was very genuine and well-thought-out. Very refreshing perspective on humanity. Often I feel like the author ends the book with a patronizing pat on the rear, ""On your way, now.,"" attitude. But not this one.<br/><br/>If you're contemplating whether to buy this, I'd say it's kind of like Pulp Fiction in that you have to be able to put up with a lot of drawn-out misery in the story, but given that, it's a page-turner.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31A9926WN2OQ6?ASIN=0316055441	Good but flawed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There's a lot to like about The Goldfinch but also a lot to dislike.<br/><br/>The opening is very intriguing and drew me in quickly but that is followed by a less interesting stretch that follows the teenaged protagonist, Theo, through some overly dramatic and, yet, somewhat trite adolescent angst. The novel picks up the pace after that but the last third is a bit of a mess.<br/><br/>Throughout, much of what happens in The Goldfinch borders on the improbable. Too many coincidences. Too many things happen out of nowhere. I was able to suspend my disbelief for a while, but the last third of the book, beginning with an unlikely chance meeting between Theo and an old friend, strains credibility.<br/><br/>The other main problem with the last sections of the book is that they lack the drama that was so prevalent throughout the rest of the novel. The main resolution occurs while the main character sits in a hotel room. He only finds out what happens when his friends comes and tells him about it. And then they talk about The Point of all that happened. And then Theo returns home and sits in his friends shop and they talk about The Point of all that happened. And then the final section is Theo addressing the reader directly explaining The Point of all that happened.<br/><br/>Given all the hype surrounding The Goldfinch and all the high ratings, I have to say I was a bit disappointed. I hadn't read many new releases last year but The Goldfinch certainly pales in comparison to The Flamethrowers.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PMRKALD68GWF?ASIN=0316055441	dissapointing second half	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the first half of the book, then it was downhill from there (Amsterdam and on).  Found myself flipping through pages.  Couldn't put it down but couldn't wait for it to be over.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27N64N0JNWY9Y?ASIN=0316055441	Finished the book because I wanted to know the end of the story and was disappointed at the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I will never read another book by this woman.  Finished the book because I wanted to know the end of the story and was disappointed at the end.  Should have been about half as long.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R344JYYI7RJQ7K?ASIN=0316055441	Too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As the story lined progressed the writer spent too much time describing the feelings of the characters,  It broke up the story<br/>I do not know why it has recieved so much acclaim</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ALS85KRRK0O1?ASIN=0316055441	Dull and Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book held my interest greatly in the first 100 pages and then plunged into a dull, desperate attempt at a story. I read hundreds of pages with hope that there was a purpose to all the depression, drug use, (pages and pages of descriptive drug and alcohol abuse-over and over again). The book continues on into nothingness. Poor philosophical ideas, absolutely ugly, slow, and boring. The ending was benign. Hope that I can save someone else from wasting their time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WDGYHHRNFH0Q?ASIN=0316055441	Refreshingly different	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a refreshingly different work of fiction involving orphans and art work, terrorism and antiques, Las Vegas low-lifes and NY society types, loves on many levels and high stakes crime both foreign and domestic. Everything fits together neatly and plausibly, for the most part, with a morally satisfying ending. That's the 4 star part.<br/><br/> It's missing one star because I was initially put off and not at all engaged when I first started to read it. It began with a disjointed segment from what was the end of the story. I'm guessing that the intent was to pull you in to learn what was going on.  I picked up the book a couple of months later and got past my initial bewilderment to the true beginning of the story which proved to be quite engaging.  An 800+ page book has got to be engaging if it's to be read.  That being said, I thought that there were a couple of segments that were much lengthier and repetitive than they needed to be, particularly the Las Vegas time period and the ending. I found myself thinking ""I get it already, let's move on"".<br/>I would highly recommend this book as it is well written, engaging and satisfyingly different.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN1WGTMLJ2M4C?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is well written but, in contrast, I found it was too drawn-out and it failed to hold my interest a lot of the time. In essence it was long-winded, philosophical clap-trap.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H0RBBA6LW0VP?ASIN=0316055441	A terrific read! Engrossing! I couldn't put it down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A well deserved winner of the Pulitzer prize. The historic depiction of events leading to WWI were well done. Also the espionage<br/>necessary among nations leading up to the war.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHU5GUEIDVCNJ?ASIN=0316055441	Good story but needs editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting tale with richly developed characters but far too long and drawn out. Needs to be edited as the dreary monotonous drug induced scenes were painful to plough through.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O8GT23Z6J2PC?ASIN=0316055441	What Am I Missing?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ugh. As another reviewer said - who are these people who liked this book? And how in the world did it find its way onto the NY Times best books of 2013? I know I'm in the minority opinion on this, but goodness was this book horrible. Perhaps I have no taste.<br/><br/>Complaints: Way too long. In need of a good editor. Rambling, unbelievable plot. Completely unlikable characters. Depressing. Unnecessary profanity (while not my preference, I can tolerate strong language when it adds to the story or fits within the context of what's happening. But there were certainly places here where it was gratuitous). Excessive drug use (and excessive, repetitive descriptions of the same). Self-indulgent philosophizing.<br/><br/>She does write well, at times. (She also rambles. And does this stream-of-consciousness bit that is highly distracting). She drew me in with the first 100 pages or so, which were intriguing (and clean, from a drug/language/sex viewpoint), but the rest of the book was painful. I kept hoping it would get better, but it never did. If I didn't have the compulsion to finish the books I start, I would have quit halfway through. I wish that I had.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D9TCT0CBP9P3?ASIN=0316055441	Deserving of the Pulitzer It Won	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are thousands of reviews on this site saying this is a great book. Look at them.  Believe them.  This is probably the best book I've read in a couple of years.  When I downloaded it to my Kindle and saw that it is over 700 pages, I thought I'd bitten off a big chunk, but the pages flew and I found myself ignoring the dust bunnies under the sofa and the laundry piling up.<br/><br/>This is the story of a 13 year old boy who experiences a traumatic Sept. 11 kind of event and the ramifications of that as he grows up.  The book follows him for about 15 years or so.  It is serious, it is funny, it is an examination of the randomness of life and of how what we choose to do matters - or does it?  Are poor choices always wrong?  Does good come from bad?  Does bad come from good? Big questions, big story.  There is something for everyone in this novel. References to music, literature, art and antique furniture abound.  There is a thread of underworld activity and a sweet romance.  There are questions of class. It is engaging, scary, fun, sad, joyous.  You will find yourself having sympathy and rooting for unlikely characters. It's a must read.  Really.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9ML94DU1TTTH?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent, but too  wordy.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the story, but the book was too long. Last 100 pages or so seemed rambling, altho in general, the book was beautifully written and definitely deserved Pulitzer in my view.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16XMYRY4XZ4XM?ASIN=0316055441	Theo Van Gogh is far more interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started off quite promisingly, but, oh dear, whom ever thought this deserved a Pullitzer must have been following  Theos' example, &amp; imbibing heavily. Couldn't even finish, life's too short to spend time on an unpleasant book,</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKHUBABGNF5MT?ASIN=0316055441	Simply Beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">“And isn't the whole point of things—beautiful things—that they connect you to some larger beauty?” Donna Tartt, in a staggering show of literary aptitude, unveiled a beautiful masterpiece with The Goldfinch, her highly anticipated third novel. Initially slated to publish in 2008, the novel did not make print until 2013, even after 8 long years of writing.  The captivating story and intricate, complex characters truly illustrate the amount of time and care Tartt afforded to what critics have dubbed her greatest feat as an author to date.  Yet, every great warrior possesses an Achilles’ heel and this book’s singular weakness culminates in a good (but not great) ending that completes the story but lacks resolution that readers seek in a novel as complex as this one.  Donna Tartt, in her dramatic novel: The Goldfinch, analyzes the nature of art, its importance in modern society, and explores complicated topics such as grief, responsibility, and the power of coincidence. An instant classic, it would not surprise me to see The Goldfinch on a high school student’s required reading list within the next ten years.  Everyone should read this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11GEDGUWJ1B6D?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although not an easy novel to read at times, a wonderful story about the darker side of life. Beautifully written, just like Tartt's other novels. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OZAGVFG1B9IN?ASIN=0316055441	A terrorist bombing, drugs, alcohol, more drugs, stolen art, Russian mobsters, lots & lots more drugs...UGH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I too was intrigued at my first encounter with Theo Decker — and admittedly was compelled to read (with growing horror) of the bombing at the Metropolitan Museum that kills his mother and almost everyone around him — I found this book SO disappointing!! Donna Tartt is one of my all-time favorite writers. I could not put down The Secret History which was beautifully written, carefully and expertly paced, and altogether fascinating. [The way the truth of that story unfolds feels like a spinnaker unfurling in a strong wind, for those who like sailing metaphors.] This book, in stark contrast, felt like a badly cut mash-up of CSI:New York and a Rocky the Squirrel cartoon starring just Boris and Natasha. Take heed, dear reader: If you want many hours of pleasure, read The Secret History! But skip this juvenile drug addled story that hits the ""high notes"" (literally): life is s***, drugs and booze make it barely tolerable, only art survives, and we are all tethered to time like the Goldfinch. Did I mentioned that I was SO disappointed? P.S. I bought copies of The Secret History for two of my young adult grandchildren, who also loved it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R264ATRWWOONFM?ASIN=0316055441	It's astonishing that so little can happen in such a great lot of reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I slogged through the nearly 800 pages of this overwritten and pretentious account of a single character's younger life, hoping that at some point the plot would take an upward trajectory and the character would actually develop. Didn't happen. Apart from product placement and name-dropping, there is little here to justify such a large commitment of time and effort. Over-detailed, repetitive, redundant, and obvious, the prose moves with glacial speed. The main character, Theo, is interesting only up to a point, but he hits a certain level of ennui and self-recrimination early and never quite gets beyond that. His simpering romance with a fantasy that he has created in his mind vies with a dark secret that, as it turns out, isn't a secret at all, but it's a long way to go to figure that out. In the meantime, there are red-herrings, dead-ends, loose threads, and dangling plot twists aplenty. It's astonishing that so little can happen in such a great lot of reading. A half-decent editor could have trimmed five hundred pages out of this without harming a thing, How it received the highest writing honor available is a complete mystery.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TWKQLQ5ZQ0B7?ASIN=0316055441	The book was way too long. After reading about ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was way too long. After reading about 2/3, I felt it was just filled with a lot of the same thing using too many words and sentences to relate something to the reader.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RESO38KW2EV7G?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started off slow and I didn't know where it was going, but once I got past the first chapter, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's the first book in a while that I liked this much.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P4AYIIJY9FWC?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Longest most boring book I ever read. Too many plots, endless descriptions, story was all over the place. Book was way too long which made it impossible to keep your interest.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KDP5C5KH8FB3?ASIN=0316055441	Not golden for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters were well developed, but the writing style became tedious. More than that, though, the subject matter was depressing and there was little redemption at the end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10715GOE8EWSZ?ASIN=0316055441	Best novel of the year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Bravo! This is an incredible work of literary art. Its a big, sweeping novel that is part Charles Dickens, part J.D. Salinger, part noir suspense and part philosophical treatise. The plot has been summarized elsewhere although a plot summary in no way does justice to this book. Donna Tartt is an excellent writer and experiencing her prose is a major component of the enjoyment of this book as is the unpredictability of the story. This is a book that will make you think about some of the important questions of human existence long after you've finished reading it.<br/><br/>There are numerous ""How to Write a Novel"" books on the market that will tell you to utilize details of the senses, create memorable minor characters, generate a clear sense of place, make dialogue realistic, etc. I would suggest that if you're a budding writer you simply throw all those ""How To"" books away, read The Goldfinch and do it like Donna Tartt does it. You can't go wrong.<br/><br/>One last point. I'm not by nature a visual person but after reading this novel I will never again view great paintings in a museum with the same casualness I did before. They are far more unique than I ever dreamed. Needless to say I would highly recommend this book to anyone who says that in a world of movies, cell phones and the internet the novel is a dying art form. If you read The Goldfinch you will probably want to rethink that idea.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30UE03FXJJ42I?ASIN=0316055441	Long and tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At almost 800 pages, this book is long winded and tedious.  It starts depressing and never stops even to the last word.  What the author could say in 5 pages, she says in 25.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VXDDAMDUOR1W?ASIN=0316055441	review of the Goldfinch.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">didn't like the book.  Started off being a good story and ended up being unbelievable, even for fiction.  Too bad as I was looking forward to reading it.  Very disappointing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R54OUE39IGDFB?ASIN=0316055441	stunning!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Anyone who appreciates the way art can make you feel will just love this book. If you're a New Yorker, you'll recognize so many places and it will surely bring back memories!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SXW32B51K2ZN?ASIN=0316055441	There are too many books in the world to waste your time on this one.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed reading the reviews more than the book itself. I wanted to like it and slogged through the whole thing thinking there would be some payoff. No dice. Almost everything was just so annoying. It's hard to pick the worst parts.<br/><br/>The characters are all very flat and shallow with no growth through the excruciatingly long story. The plot apparently spans a 13+ year time period but it is impossible to tell exactly when the story takes place (normally I don't like to nit pick details about whether or not certain technology existed at a particular time, but it was so bad in this book that it was distracting). The main character goes on and on about how smart he is but at every point in his life makes the stupidest choices. You almost want to kiss his friend, Boris, when he finally shows up at that stupid hotel in Amsterdam and tells him to throw away the ruined coat and buy another.<br/><br/>Blah! The book just ended up making me angry that I wasted so much time on it. I guess someone must have loved it for it to have won the Pulitzer so my advice is to give it 100 pages, if you don't love it, move on.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL1J9LI21M7UO?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I learnd a great deal about art, drug abuse and love lost, parts of the narrative just went on too long . Much of the stoned and drunken musings left me not caring if I continued to read. Yet parts were brilliant.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IJBPWQ8S5GE6?ASIN=0316055441	Too much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While this book is extremely well written, I feel like I've been on a wild goose chase for weeks, as that's how long I've been reading it, and ultimately the goose got away.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NYV1OF6VDEN8?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant But	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a brilliant book...but it needs much more editing...many of the scenes go on for much too long...however the characters are wonderfully drawn and the story is riveting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSYAYLHZ480RT?ASIN=0316055441	I cannot believe that this book won any prize or is a best seller.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A crashing bore.  Started out fairly interesting - a few highlights - and then deteriorated into drivel.  I cannot believe that this book won any prize or is a best seller.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRAN05NIBEG8E?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I have read all year!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is so well written and the story just flows. I really cared about the characters and I love leaning about other cultures and languages. A must add to your kindle.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N4K6ISUMB573?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book. It was long but a great story. I few parts of the story really stuck with me. I just finished reading the book last week and can't remember how it ends.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19IVN9JC8Z82F?ASIN=0316055441	unnecessarily long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked how the author switched styles of writing with the character's state of mind, but overall it was unnecessarily long. By the end, I scarcely cared about the outcome.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZATPHDK1SZQ4?ASIN=0316055441	An eye-opener!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Family life sure has changed.  While somewhat depressing, a worthwhile book to read.  Very well written. The accessibility and use of illegal drugs is dangerous to society.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ3QGGPPGXKHH?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful, Enjoyable Read!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">THis book was recommended to me by a friend who travels with me to NYC every year.  I enjoyed the native descriptions of the NYC neighborhoods and also the Las Vegas ones.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13GXN8BVSY6VJ?ASIN=0316055441	very long, very repetitive in nature.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book had a great beginning.  However it got somewhat monotonous.  It had areas where you wanted to keep reading just to find yourself skipping pages to get on with it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TGLAFB51BWE?ASIN=0316055441	Fun and engaging but not a masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt’s great strength is her characters: the smokey, indefatigable Boris and the brooding, melancholic Theo.  Boris in particular is a delightful creation -- enviable for his energy, optimism, and non-conformity -- but like Theo, seeking refuge from a dark past.  However, taken as a whole, Goldfinch is more of an enjoyable read than a meaningful work; it does not make the sort of lasting impression that Tartt achieved with A Secret History.<br/><br/>Goldfinch is a little a little long, but the pace is fast and the suspense builds nicely.  In addition to complex and engaging characters, Tartt creates delightfully atypical but credible settings (a feral adolescence in the desert outside Vegas, an opiated apprenticeship to a furniture restorer) that excite the imagination.  Her weakness is prose, which though eminently readable, does not delight or add to the story.  The conclusion of Goldfinch is also a disappointment; not satisfied with the story’s ability to speak for itself, Tartt pontificates at length on its core themes - an unnecessary and obvious exposition that I mostly skimmed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ODTXKVTZOB2S?ASIN=0316055441	80% waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author understands drugs, alcohol, and  language, but misses the boat on human relationships and logic.  She could have told the same story in a couple hundred pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N8WNUEG71POS?ASIN=0316055441	is it possible to actually fall in love with a character?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">yes, it's possible because it happened to me. boris has filled my head for the weeks. he is the bad boy that, when i was young, i would fall in love with. this novel was one of the best listens this year. the narration was perfect. each voice recognizable that if i had read the book, i don't think i would have enjoyed as much.<br/><br/>i agree the story did start out a tad slow but not so much that i would stop listening. once it took off, well, i listened in the car, at night, in the afternoon on the patio, any chance i could;  i was drawn right into their world. my head spun with theo and boris' drug fueled partying, and i was always waiting for the shoe to drop. the description of their exhausting drug and alcohol debasement was spot on. i had hangovers after reading those chapters!<br/><br/>theo's travails from nyc to vegas and back with stories weaving in and out on the way gave me the apprehension of sitting on the edge of your seat during a movie. i was never sure where we were going. and then boris was back!!!!<br/><br/>my only criticism of the book was the very last chapter.  the author's proselytizing went on a bit too long and she kind of lost me at the end but i saw it through by listening twice. i understand the wrap up, but it could have been a bit more brief. all in all, this was definitely the number one audible book of the year!!!! not to be missed.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNDBMDH63IMYP?ASIN=0316055441	Get the Audio version	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have read a lot of people's comments on how long this book is and how difficult it is to get through not only because of its length but also because its filled with a lot more descriptive writing than they would have prefered.  However I have had a completely different experience and that may be because instead of reading this book I have been 'listening' to the audiobook instead... and I have to say I am fascinated and enthralled.  The author is exceptional at describing not only the scenes and what is going on but also what the characters are feeling and doing.  As I listen to it while I'm in the car driving or walking my dog, I relish every minute of David Pittu's exceptional narration, delivered in wonderful unique and varied voices and accents.  Unfortunately while reading a review to decide whether I should buy this or not, I read a spoiler about the ending which I could not unread.  But that has not kept me from wanting to get back to the book each day to see what comes next in the life of Theo.  I can see why the author won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for this work.  Loving it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L88F1U2R2PPC?ASIN=0316055441	Dishonest writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It’s instructive that I didn’t realize that the narrator in Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch was a boy/young man until page 29.  Could I really have been that oblivious?  Perhaps the gender might have been readily implied or out and out indicated far sooner, but I contend that the “Voice” in the highly-heralded novel is never really 13 or 23 or perhaps around 30 as the novel ends.  Continually, I get the idea that it’s the voice of a 40-50 year old, gifted woman whose sense of perspective is an exhilaration, but at no time a young man.<br/><br/>Consider 23 year old Theo Decker as he views the character of Horst as a “scuffed-up version of some below-the-title Hollywood character actor from the 1940’s, some minor mitteleuropaisher”  Squeeze me?  This lad, without a college education whose been much emotionally abused for the first 574 pages has this sensibility about him?  This of course is not the only moment where Ms. Tartt seems to be the one truly in disguise as Theo Decker in a novel where the author’s gifts are on full display, much in the way a triathlon athlete is able to display his or her stuff with impressive abandon, but leaving the reader to wonder if there’s really a viable story here.  It is sprawling and ambitious and succeeds at many levels, the final ten or fifteen pages are truly some of the most sublime I recall being written in many years.<br/><br/>My problem is that true critics have not challenged Ms. Tartt (I am not a critic.  I am just a guy.)  They seem convinced that Dickens himself seems to float over the narrative.  Float, nothing.  The Master is shoehorned in with fragrances of Great Expectation, Oliver Twist and a bit of Copperfield for good measure.  With Dickens most all his characters were charming, immensely likable and hardly forgettable.  Ms. Tartt does not fair so well.  Only three that I can think of will stay with me for any duration, one is killed off early, the narrator and his best friend Boris.  Boris, by the way, I figured to be the Artful Dodger some 200 pages before Ms. Tartt blantantly advises us of the fact.<br/><br/>The dishonesty in the writing is on full display when one compares the climax of the action at hand with that of the first Harry Potter book. (Allusions, purportedly comic, are given throughout.) Do you recall when right at the precise moment all is lost and Harry passes out, only to regain consciousness to find that everything has wrapped up perfectly?  Mr. Tartt is only half-chromosome removed from that conceit when she relegates Theo to his hotel room for around twenty pages, without his passport (which has been taken from him for no explicable reason) and suddenly someone enters to let him know the immediate crisis has been solved. (Saw it coming a  mile away.)  This protagonist is denied the opportunity to make the choices necessary to alleviate this unusual predicament that resulted from being whisked away from his own engagement party in New York to Antwerp. (I remember when that happened to me.)<br/><br/>Don’t want to say don’t read.  Smarter people than I have gushed, and maybe they’re the ones to listen to here.  I just worry about literary criticism in this day and age which seems so incestuous and part of a pecking order, one is hard-pressed to truly believe that a masterpiece is really a masterpiece.  Have we gotten that hard up for a modern day classic?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22IKXHYD1P9CH?ASIN=0316055441	A Pulitzer?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Real disappointment, overly long, could have used good editing. A far fetched story that goes on forever.  I don't understand how it was considered worthy of a Pulitzer.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34BUR0M614BU1?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt has done a fantastic job of weaving the characters into a great story line which leaves you thinking about its meaning long after you've finished reading the book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFVEF3DRWYUYF?ASIN=0316055441	A new all time favorite book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I will never forget this book. You feel that you are living inside the characters head even in his craziest times. This had just become one of my all time favorite books</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36KN7F46D6A74?ASIN=0316055441	Unforgettable....unfortunately.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If I ever find out that I have only three weeks to live, I want to spend it reading this book because every moment will seem like<br/>an eternity. Pulitzer Prize? Why?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L101J3B6CJAL?ASIN=0316055441	Already on my all-time favorite works of fiction.....it has my highest recommendation!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Simply stunning work of fiction, laced with profound comment on life, love, art, and purpose.  I was swept into the drama immediately, and could not wait to continue to read.  It will enter my all-time favorites list, and be re-read eventually.  I can hardly wait.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GS7VF2NS7O6F?ASIN=0316055441	terrific, thought provoking, enjoyable, troubling!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Life and death, mysteries of love, beauty, sanity, healing, addiction--life in its contradictions and mood altering circumstances--all compete in this remarkable read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKBZOMV1T42G4?ASIN=0316055441	Two hundred pages too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Towards the end of this book, Theo, the hero, says, ‘I’m not in the mood to intellectualise right now,’ and neither was I. Easily two hundred pages of internal dialogue about the meaning of life, tedious, tedious, tedious. Yes, it’s a good story up until Boris, Theo’s childhood friend, returns on the scene, and then, for me, entering the world of criminals got out of hand. There is a wonderful section in Las Vegas with his father and Boris when Theo is a young teenager, and some of the New York period explains why this book won the Pulitzer, some brilliantly  descriptive writing. However, I felt that having spent ten years writing this novel, Donna Tartt was determined to use every word. Theo, in the first part of the book, is buried under rubble when a bomb explodes in the museum and kills his mother – page after page after page of description, I skipped, skipped, skipped. How could one person’s life be nothing but nervous fever, despair, and terror? Six hundred pages instead of eight hundred would have made this a much better book. (Freak Out! My Life with Frank Zappa)</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YGGZVFHYCTDL?ASIN=0316055441	A do not miss	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this on my Kindle.  It is a novel and if you want the official review go to the New York Times.  If you get the 'hard' copy it is a large book and you probably do not want to take it with you while traveling on the plane.  WOW is my reaction to the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZTJJHYEDCZLF?ASIN=0316055441	I would burn the book if it wasn't in my Kindle.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finish what I start, and very rarely do I abandon a book, but this is one I should have thrown in the towel right away without looking back. To begin with, for the first 100 or pages, I assumed the narrator was a female child. I don't think Theo ' s identity was made clear enough in the beginning, and because of that, I was not invested in his character. Children are unreliable narrators - I get that.  However, I could never quite get a sense of time in this book. In one bloc of time, it could have very well been the 1930's. Then Theo *suddenly* has an iphone, and time has jumped again. I'm then to believe much of Theo ' s youth was spent in the late 90's, but one thing  thast bothers the heck out of me is him calling his knockout girlfriend Carole Lombard. Umm, not a sex symbol reference for anyone under the age of 35-40. It's that kind of indulgent crap that makes this the worst book I've ever read.  Oh- that and the preachy lesson the author includes in the ending pages which is all crap metaphors and symbolism that a true work of literary merit would never *need*.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S6E5YKRL1LD5?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating and thought provoking story of a boy growing through life-changing events	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A young boy is orphaned from the mother by a life-shattering event where the boy inherits a painting that becomes the mascot of his life, sealing his faith.  The book offers an array of interpersonal relationships between the orphan, Theo, and a mix of characters and concepts. Theo and his mother. Theo and his alcoholic dad. Theo and his russian half-orphan friend who is being raised by an alcoholic miner dad. Theo and his caregiver, Hobart. Theo and Pippa, the little girl who witnesses the tragedy herself and looses her guardian, Welty in it. Theo and presently deceased Welty, Pippa's guardian. Theo and Goldie, the doorman from his deceased mother's apartment building. Theo and the building itself. Theo and drugs that he takes to help himself sleep through the nightmares he inherited from the tragedy. Theo and Popchik, a pocket-sized dog he rescues from neglect. All these interactions and relationships are stand alone phenomena, yet interrelated into a complex canvas of Theo's life as a survivor, orphan, drug addict, and just a boy who's mother's memory keep him alive.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12UBY1A8FH0Z9?ASIN=0316055441	thought i would never get through this book....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very dark and depressing story. Characters were not likeable. Too much detail made this book excessively long.....story could easily have been told in half the pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A1H85MPBR147?ASIN=0316055441	Not a great read, too long and a lot of boring characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was twice as long as it should have been and had a ridiculous premise. The only two interesting characters were Boris and Hobie, the rest bored me to tears.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TPG8PTZ7PU45?ASIN=0316055441	Felt as if the emperor has no clothes	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Both the book by Donna Tartt and the painting by Carel Fabritius are equally disturbing. However, in the painting, the unsettling chain around the bird’s leg is artfully disguised by a torn white paper that allows only part of the painting to be seen. The reader is not granted such protection by Ms. Tartt, so I stopped reading on page 291. Yes, Ms. Tartt managed to evoke emotions in me, but not the right ones.<br/>I used to force myself to finish books, but no longer. As the hackney expression goes, there are too many books and too little time. This book’s theme is despair, the characters are all unlikable, the plot seems to continue spiraling downwards. A reader will put up with difficult circumstances, always hoping for a change of events. But, from the synopsis it seems the protagonist will just sink deeper and deeper. I just could not read another detail-laden depressing page. She is an excellent writer and the Pulitzer committee agrees, but a book is more than good writing style. The characters and plot in this book make me feel like the emperor has no clothes.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSG7KZBL4WB7Y?ASIN=0316055441	excellent writing tale, subject depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The tale of a boy becoming a drug addict adult is not a story for entertaining but for reflection. Life as is has its own complications. Why read 700 pages about it?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SKLX7NBLIE1I?ASIN=0316055441	Much too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the beginning and the end, but the middle section of the book was sooo very wordy. I know this book is THE BOOK OF THE YEAR, but I just thought it too long</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF7PTACQWCYXY?ASIN=0316055441	Unfortunately, I kept reading...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Is this a good book? Yes. Is it great? No. The first half held my interest to the extent that I thought, ""wow, maybe we have a true literary giant here"". Unfortunately I kept reading. The writing has a strong taint of arrogance like a prima doña at a cocktail party, ""I can write forever without punctuation, or better yet, without taking a breath. After all, am I not an artist?"". There is an underlying threat to this writing in which Tartt dares you not to consider her as perfectly brilliant. I kept picturing Tartt typing madly at her keyboard, challenging herself (and us) to see just how much depression she (and we) could tolerate. Nearing the end I had my own fantasy of slapping Theo across the face in the famous Cher rendition of ""snap outta it!"". I may stand in a small group that deems this book less than excellent. But reading it was like slogging my way through mud pits. In the rain, no less. Theo's rambling, ending monologue was so self serving both to the character and to the author herself, I literally said, thank god THAT's over.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30LAPVF0DFR8D?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Does it Again!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am a big fan of Donna Tartt's book: The Secret History- which I have read a few times. So when I read some reviews about this one, I got really excited: and it has not disappointed.<br/><br/>Each day during my reading, I looked forward to seeing what Theo [the main character and narrator] was up to. What mess awaited him after the huge mess that started it all. Basically, the story revolves around a bombing attack at the New York Museum, an encounter with an antiques dealer and his ""protege"" and a famous painting. Oh and not to mention a family tragedy. [don't want to give away too much here]. Everything that happens leads him to new friends and patrons who pop up in other places, giving a sense [false or not] of groundedness to Theo's otherwise chaotic existence.<br/><br/>Each time Theo gets ""comfortable""-if you could actually describe what happens to him as comfortable- something comes along that propels him into a completely different world- though the tragedy and the painting are constant companions to whatever is going on in the present. From New York to Las Vegas and back again and into Europe Theo is tossed and turned aided by his good friend Boris and his longing for Pippa.<br/><br/>Tartt's novel is an achingly moving account of a young man's journey through life....and we are with him all the way.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3YNF4W3V09TT?ASIN=0316055441	Have never felt so irritated on completion of a book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have never felt so irritated (and angry actually) on completion of a book. There were far too many issues and questions about characters that were raised only to never be resolved. I felt all these threads would be tied together/explained and for about 200 pages or so I was really enjoying the book and trying to guess how all these things would be resolved. As I neared the end, I kept on thinking that there weren't many pages left to have all these matters tended to and I was right. It was as if Ms Tartt created a whole lot of intrigue here and there throughout the book and raised our interest and curiosity only to leave us all high and dry at the end with just a quickly slapped together ending. Another main problem I had with this book was that it was disjointed. I felt there were chapters in it that did not help the story progress and in regards to the artwork - there was a twist in the story that I felt was rather contrived. My other main disappointment was that I ended up not caring about the main character. I did not like the person he ended up becoming.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C69XF5ZSN1XD?ASIN=0316055441	You can spend your time better reading something else. Beware the length of this tiresome novel.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I slogged through this 700+ page book on Kindle always hoping it was going to get better. To me it seemed as if the writer was squishing four (or more) different personalities onto one wimpy and dissolute young New Yorker who wore horn rimmed glasses and a sport coat. So many of the major plot turns just seemed fake to me, starting with the big explosion in New York, when he lost his mommy.<br/><br/>Author's use of metaphor seemed formulaic too- whenever she can't quite nail it she'll use the expression ""like some...(insert clever here) I don't know, it just bugged me. The Russian character was the best, when he's on stage it's enjoyable, but those Wasp-y characters in New York seem cliched and uninteresting, and I didn't believe the main character knew as much about art history is portrayed. Maybe it's better on the audio discs. This isn't the first time I've thought a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction was a poor choice. Near the end the author gets dreamy philosophical but I was so soured by the 700 pages that came before, that I couldn't float along with her.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CLK9Z496A786?ASIN=0316055441	Such as drag...SPOILER ALERT	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Having received the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, I just NEEDED to read this book. In fact, I don't think I have ever read a book before that had received that prize. So I was very excited about it. Well, this novel didn't work for me. It is dragging on and I don't have the feeling it's leading to anywhere. And I can't say I didn't try: It took me WEEKS to get through half of it. I tried and tried and tried again but the storyline somehow doesn't move forward. I decided to no longer waste my time and give up on it. This rarely ever happens but it just wasn't worth it anymore.<br/><br/>Theo's character is quite likeable and when the fatal incident occurs in the beginning of the book, you would think that it would continue to be fast-moving. But it's not. Also, the settings seem all so depressing: The apartment of Theo's friend in NYC where he lives for a few weeks, his dad's place in Vegas...Ugh! Not sure if this is intended.<br/><br/>I simply didn't like it and wasn't interested in the ending anymore. Sorry, Theo, I hope it all works out for you in the end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R18MVXH6QC3V?ASIN=0316055441	A lovely and waspy journey .	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Please allow my ego to step in. I am about to talk to the perhaps 3 of you who told me you enjoy my reviews.<br/><br/>I will not give your lazy asses a summary of the book--read the blasted thing.<br/><br/>The book itself is a page turner and it is to the point that I can tell Tartt wants it to be a movie (movie rights bought BTW) .<br/><br/>I love the unapologetic drug use, the bromance and enter Borris (I hope he gets his own novel, please hear me Donna) . Then there are the waspy family members of Theo's friend Andy which were spot on as in they do not talk about feelings.<br/><br/>So, other then the above what does the novel have? It is full of people you will love and people that I love; the morally ambiguous. Throw in some international art intrigue and you have Tartt writing a really smart popcorn novel. It IS really smart but it will make a underrated movie on the level of now you see me.<br/><br/>Enjoy it. I am glad to hear her voice again but it is no modern classic on the level of ""A Secret History"" and to be fair to the author.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T5ZUAIQGCZ2A?ASIN=0316055441	I read for enjoyment and this book was a downer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it too long and convoluted. I read for enjoyment and this book was a downer !<br/>I especially didn't enjoy the long moralty sermon at the end of the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V3W5ZQXV5H13?ASIN=0316055441	"This is a ""don't miss"" book!"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While not necessarily a ""feel good"" book, I thought the writing, characterization a and descriptions were wonderful.  I could t put the book down.  Read it!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XUZYVSEQQA5X?ASIN=0316055441	Not taste in stories	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not the kind of reading I enjoy although the writing is very skilled.  I am not enjoying the story or the characters.  Their lives and values are too objectionable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CR92OTWY114G?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I read in 2013!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books I have read in years. When I was not reading it, I kept thinking ""What is Theo doing now?"". So I just picked it up and kept reading. Everyone should give this one a go. It's a too short 771 pages long. Terrific read !!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37IGPQ9EUA0A9?ASIN=0316055441	a character study and wonderfully written book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a thriller, a character study and wonderfully written book, all in one.  It is one of the best books I've read in the last ten years.  Others, I am sure, have detailed the plot: NY teen's life is upended by the dramatic, violent death of his mother in a newsworthy catastrophe, who then reconnoiters his way toward adulthood amid the chaos in which he is forced to live.  But this is NOT a ""coming of age"" story in the dried toast sense of the phrase.  It pulses with amazing, yet believable, characters, a thrilling plot line that is completely unpredictable,  yet cohesive.  The author gives us almost an ""anti-hero"" that we cannot stop cheering for, and for good reason.  Despite the extreme neglect this young man endures, the chaos around him, and an array of both good and bad characters who endeavor to sway him to adopt their way of life, he emerges as himself, an amalgam of all his experiences, but with the indelible, enduring mark of his mother and others who were kind to him.<br/><br/>It's a lengthy book, but the time will fly!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSYDPHDO57S1B?ASIN=0316055441	Better time spent elsewhere	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i kept waiting for something to make me glad I read this depressing book.  Too ""Dickensie"".  What a sick world to write about.<br/>Wish I had not read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQX6FCNTJIUOF?ASIN=0316055441	most depressing book ever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One sad event after the other, too many implausible situations and was too many drugs. Loved the book until the protagonist went to Las Vegas, downhill after that.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19HIBK23SCK10?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was FAR too long.  The author has a way with words but it was not necessary to use them all in this book.<br/>I did finish the book but did not enjoy it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FNYURIUUNXYF?ASIN=0316055441	very wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story plot did not support the length and died several times throughout. However the writing was exquisite and the subject thoughtful and interesting at times.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UXR1EOBEZ53T?ASIN=0316055441	Not as good as I thought it would be	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very Hard to get into. Had a hard time for first one third of book to get into story. then it got very interesting but too much about the drugs and hallucinations.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA4S3HI49LGD6?ASIN=0316055441	pulitzer?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excessively wordy.  Requires more than suspension of dis-belief.  Makes everything negative.  Would not recommend this book to anyone!  Life is too short to waste.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IIEU8A3F3WOK?ASIN=0316055441	Being a best-seller is misleading!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is overwritten. It is too long, too wordy, with too many characters. The point of the narration gets lost in the writing. I had to force myself to finish.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7XZJCQWEKMMZ?ASIN=0316055441	disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">We'll written but slow.  The story line is mysterious throughout but in the end disappointing.  The character development is excellent although it was work to read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIEWPLQGVB5OT?ASIN=0316055441	Longest read....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the most drawn out book I've ever read and had to skip the last few pages.  The beginning was fine but the last several hundred pages were just boring....</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XOYKZMT7OWFC?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfich was recommended by a girlfriend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfich was recommended by a girlfriend. I normally enjoy fiction and have read almost every prize winning author's works from the last fifty years but found this one lacking.  Maybe it's my age.  Maybe I'm just an old tired reader who needs to read something really extraordinarily unique now, but I wasn't impressed.  Maybe, the message was a romantic one for non-artists (I'm a visual artist myself).  Maybe I've become too jaded by life and find the drug laden, thug antics not particularly thrilling and just a bit tired.  Don't get me wrong, the author is very skilled. When I first started reading I was struck so deeply by the writing that I stopped to marvel at her descriptive language but this wore off by the middle of the book.  Something about the story became too drawn out and tedious.  Then I began to skip whole sections of inner dialogue as the main character lamented life choices etc., etc.....  This ""skipping sections trend"" continued with me until the end of the book, as I worked my way to the end.  It is well written fiction.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN4R9HDIH2XDX?ASIN=0316055441	Believe the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are very few times when I agree that the near-universal adulation surrounding any work of art (literary or otherwise) is truly warranted. ""The Goldfinch"" is one of the rare exceptions. Tartt hops between genres in a way that, frankly, shouldn't work -- but largely does, by virtue of keeping the narrative shifts tethered to Theo's believable maturation and his tortured relationship to the titular masterpiece. The story morphs from ""Great Expectations"" to a substance abuse ""Huck Finn"" to something like a Bret Easton Ellis novel about a high society con man to, finally, a Norwegian crime thriller, and (almost) each turn is as surprising as it is well-executed.<br/><br/>While I thought the final chapter played a bit too conventionally, and Tartt spends more pages than I'd like hammering the theme on the home stretch, her characters and the worlds built around them stay rich, complex, and singular enough to justify the hefty page count. The Goldfinch flies by quicker than I could have ever expected, and I'm happy to have spent the time following it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HBBT7V7IE0QH?ASIN=0316055441	Easy to understand why this is a Pulitzer winner for Fiction!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a great book, I can't pick up another! I'll just have to read The Goldfinch again! And much slower so I can savor every word! Hope this is made into a movie!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IV44ERWNZ8X6?ASIN=0316055441	More is less	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm only a quarter of the way through and had to stop and check reviews to see if anyone else found the book as annoying as I do. It's just too Rococo and Fragonard, overly lush and verdant and treacly sweet like one of those horrid air fresheners. What can all of this descriptive detail be harboring? Detail should lend realism to the story, but somehow here it detracts. I don't feel drawn in by the description, but warded off by it - ok, put off. Stay tuned.<br/>OMG! Now we're into child abuse and neglect, adolescent substance abuse, and (gasp) a faint odor of homoeroticism (or is that the air freshener?) I'm trying to analyze why I dislike this book so much apart from the fact that my willing suspension of disbelief has snapped. It's interesting because one would think that attention to detail would be evocative and resonant, and to a degree it is: I can see the Barbour's apartment, Hobie's shop, the outskirts of Vegas, but it's like looking at comic book drawings. I don't get that 'click' where I'm locked into the story. I may not make it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8NXCVJO8VXUC?ASIN=0316055441	Sometimes you have to loose to win.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For the first 300 pages Goldfinch is just so so.  However, after that it becomes the page-turner everyone is talking about.  The type of page-turner that makes you literally LOVE a book.  Donna Tartt uses long sentences to create long paragraphs that flow in an elegant and insightful tone.  Although many times while reading Goldfinch I couldn't wait for a paragraph to be over so I could take a ""mental breath"".  The main character is male and Donna Tartt's ""male voice"" is right on.  In the last hundred pages I was concerned about her pulling off a good ending but she did it!  I feel that the story ends with a moral. I can't tell you the last time I read a book with that type of old school notion, but I have missed that without even knowing it until I read this book.  ""Good things can come from bad things.""-Borris  ""Sometimes you have to loose to win.""-Theo's dad.  My favorite notion, to paraphrase Theo, is that we cannot decide what we want.  Our wants are inherent.  People say when deciding what to do in life you should follow your heart.  But what if your heart is flawed?  Wow...  Thanks Donna, after you are gone from this earth your master piece that is Goldfinch will live forever.<br/><br/>At the least you should put Goldfinch on your list of books to read but I would recommend starting it today.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DEHKW96SUJAS?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For a book that was that long I was surprised that the ending was so abrupt.  I am still trying to  understand why the author felt that was the right way to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T40MXSWURW1Q?ASIN=0316055441	entertaining page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book really keeps you engaged, hoping and wondering if all will turn out right. The author leads you to contemplate right and wrong, and how life plays out.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NGX83JJT1QSY?ASIN=0316055441	A waste of my valuable time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Except for the last few poetic pages, the book was among the most boring books I have ever read. In fact, it makes me distrust the L.A. Times Best Book ratings.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R99EPNC88NK9C?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt's novels take 10 years to write and this one felt like it took 10 years to read....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved The Secret History and I tolerated The Little Friend? But this novel was tiring and dragged on. Forced myself to finish it but I am no better for it....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GDL5RZ1UFU28?ASIN=0316055441	outstanding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An event that takes a boy on a different path and the influences of people close to you on your journey.  Fresh, superior research and writing skills.  Loved it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12OIN5PQ1941P?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful tragedy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't help but to feel sorry for Theo. What a truly staggering amount of events and tragedies infused his life with unreliable and or incapable forces constantly perpetuating the PTSD he was obviously experiencing for many years. It's a real wonder that he had any sense of morality at all.<br/>All together a interesting and moving read. Many places in the story spoke as to the connection between his perceptions of outside things and how they reflected his own situation and or personality The one thing that when I read it and knew he was referring to the Goldfinch but it was so obviously a statement about himself is when he stated, ""Only occasionally did I notice the chain on the finch’s ankle, or think what a cruel life for a little living creature— fluttering briefly, forced always to land in the same hopeless place."" It so accurately described his life after his mother's death.<br/>When the story ended I still felt unsettled about where Theo was but at least there seemed to be hope. A metaphorical releasing of the bird.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CSNGBSSQE0BM?ASIN=0316055441	A truly epic picture of a mutilated life. However ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A truly epic picture of a mutilated life. However, incredibly detailed and sophisticated for a tale supposedly told by the protagonist. Too long to be dynamic.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLIG09KH2Z17N?ASIN=0316055441	too much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many words confusing the intention and spirit. Good story and interesting personalities. Like fine dining, a bit too complex and not quite value for money.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NT8A7YV66CA1?ASIN=0316055441	Mixed review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Parts of it are quite depressing, but others engrossing. Couldn't decide if I really liked it or not. I did finish it but would not recommend it to my friends.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R4HY4KWMLHXG?ASIN=0316055441	Long and slow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was really slow in some parts. I kept putting it down. It was sometimes too wordy. Had it been more interesting I could've finished it more quickly.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12G7RYDYJ77UY?ASIN=0316055441	Quite an emotional trip	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long hard read.Surprised by the ending as Tartt waxed elequent and bared her soul . Will  read her other book now. must confess I wanted him to find  P again.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LLI5PJCF9TOH?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was well written and an enjoyable read.  It captivated me and was hard to put down because I kept wanting to find out what was about to happen next.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H07A03D79BXH?ASIN=0316055441	A disappointing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book needed serious editing. First part was tiresome, repeating same scenario. There's no character development to speak of. The painting seems to have no role until the very end. there's no sense of what this painting ever meant to the main character and not until the very end does the author spend a whole chapter telling us what the book is about, an existential coming to terms with life. There's no epiphany for the main character and he doesn't seem to develop at all until the very last chapter and then it's all thrown in there. Even in the midst of Tartt's lecture to her ""non reader"", she goes off for a bit to throw in once again another character's drug use and then back to the lecture. I made myself finish the book but Pulitzer prize? And I don't buy the Dickensonian comparison. This is not about social classes as some claim and nothing of Dickens--his language, his characters (who do evolve and change) or his tight plots--can be found in this book. I really wanted to like it. I was disappointed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23E9UN36IXFKJ?ASIN=0316055441	Sorry I wasted time reading the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing story....existential nihilism ... .the ending was totally disappointing.  The main character never developed into a good person, very sad story...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35K3PNJSA7UQP?ASIN=0316055441	Page-turner and Dickens homage	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brava Donna Tartt:  I was sad to finish this book; a page-turner and a modern homage to Dickens.  Marvelous, unforgettable characters:  Theo, Boris, Hobie, Mrs. Barbour, and even the dog Popchyk.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NTH66RS2M5L9?ASIN=0316055441	You'll Be Chained To This Novel For A Week	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best novels I've read in a long time. It's extraordinarily smart and well-written and is filled with complex, flesh and blood characters I'll consider for a long time.<br/><br/>One of the novel's most impressive achievements is the Tartt weaves the symbolism, compositional elements, and even biographical context of Fabritius's Goldfinch into the plot of this modern bildungsroman.<br/><br/>All of that said, there are portions of this book which ALMOST jump the shark. It's probably about 100 pages longer than it needs to be, and the ending, though comprised of some of the book's most poetic writing, feels exhaustively verbose and incredibly awkward in its metafictional posture. These moments aren't enough to knock even one star off the constellation of this novel, but it is worth noting that Tartt has room to improve, which is scary.<br/><br/>This is a no-brainer purchase. If you care about modern American fiction, art, and the ways we find to deal with suffering, this book is perfect.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FZKAER6W6RMR?ASIN=0316055441	The writing was excellent. But I just couldn't get into the story ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing was excellent. But I just couldn't get into the story or connect with the characters. I really didn't care about  what happened or how it ended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EPT02SH6AG6L?ASIN=0316055441	Hugely disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring.  Long and very drawn out.  Pointless. The whole time I was trudging through this book, I kept telling myself ""I must have missed something.""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D4XS5H5QSLTO?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best novels I have ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is so well done.  An epic novel that will be placed along other classics for mandatory reading by literature students.  This is absolutely a must read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N6VS7VUJAJOZ?ASIN=0316055441	horrible book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So glad it's over.  I have never struggled so much to find any attractive qualities in a main character.  This one lacks redemption on nearly every level...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ADTYNOBWEII2?ASIN=0316055441	Not for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really tried with this book. Surely the thousands of positive reviews couldn't be wrong. It's not them, it's me. Reading this book made me feel hungover.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R79S6YL0J0FES?ASIN=0316055441	Don't bother reading this!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this for my book club--thought it was awful.  Too long, full of characters I couldn't stand.  I can't understand how this book became a bestseller.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K6JIMYXION46?ASIN=0316055441	Good book but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good reading but found it much to wordy.  Good storyline and good writing. Liked all the characters  good read for a book club...lots happen in this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HOUE60N0YAUX?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Stunning and captivating ala John Irving.  Family tragedy - violence, child abuse, drugs, death, angst. A great novel, exceptional writing. Read it twice.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REJODSYFMXZZU?ASIN=0316055441	All good except for the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written and spell-binding.  Extremely well developed characters. A very sad and melancholy portrayal of the protagonist's life.  The ending was a long, drawn-out disappointment, however.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JT0SVBJYUCW7?ASIN=0316055441	Objects of affection, enduring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you want to be a writer, you must read this book, and particularly the final few chapters, where action, suspense, attention to detail and a bit of stream of consciousness combine for a deeply felt reading experience. ""Psst, hey you. Yeah, you,"" says the object to the person, and only to that one person at that one point in time ~ so says Hobie, and he is correct.<br/><br/>If you revere antiques, art and the human spirit, this book will ring true. The spirit of Theo, damaged by terror, and his loves, and his friends including the free-wheeling Russian, Boris, infuse this tale. Possibly purposefully modeled on Dickens, the characters will be memorable for many years. Part of the magic is not knowing what next will happen to dear Hobie and lucky Boris, long after the tale is told.<br/><br/>Donna Tartt was born in Greenwood, Mississippi, and reared in Grenada (down the road). Her writing speaks of sorrows that linger and ties that live on even as circumstances and people change.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15IXEBO673MNE?ASIN=0316055441	incredible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dana Tartt is an outstanding author. Her character development and way with words make Goldfinch thought provoking.  Plot twists make Goldfinch another can't put it down book-all 700+ pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TN1MMX1C3W48?ASIN=0316055441	First 140 pages recaptured an area I love. It then quickly moves downhill to the Las ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I debated between 1 and 2 stars.  I'm feeling generous, or sorry for Ms. Tartt, so gave it 2.  The Kindle book is 775 pages - and, with the exception of the first 150, or so, pages, all taking place in New York's Manhattan Upper East Side where I lived so found that early part of the story lovely, charming and recaptured an area I love. It then quickly moves downhill to the Las Vegas experience with approx. 200 + pages of drugs, tripping, stealing, lying, vomiting, bloody fighting between the two 13 to 15 year olds - page after page after page with no let-up.<br/><br/>Hoping that the story would elevate to a level of decency and worthwhileness I tried to continue - however, flipped to the end to see if there was, indeed salvation?  Nope.  An entire book about deception, dishonesty, lying to the man who saved Theo's life, etc., -  plus, a story concentrating on drug use and drug effects have left me saying:  IF THIS IS PULITZER PRIZE FICTION - I""M THE POPE.<br/><br/>775 pages - don't waste your time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWLO8TKJ5URCS?ASIN=0316055441	Bleak and depressing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first 50 pages were compelling. The rest of the book was a mess. I should have stopped when it became depressing as it was only downhill from there.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PCW1K5JCDIUA?ASIN=0316055441	Just get to the point	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt developed most of her characters well in this novel, however it went on and on and on! Too much extra stuff that wasn't relevant to the plot line.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RRU43UX9ZG71?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Dazzles	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch, though starting with a bang, feels a little slow for awhile.  Then, it takes off and soars for the rest of the book.  Highly recommended.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGFN09PE271DK?ASIN=0316055441	I didn't want it to end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoughtful, suspenseful, engrossing and very emotional...makes the reader want to reach out to anyone around in real life who might be suffering alone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HIIUKDZ3E5QT?ASIN=0316055441	Painful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think I'm the only one but this book was so painful to read.  Broken, rushed dialogue, protagonist that meandered on a wordy path of self destruction</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I4WH2YOSQELW?ASIN=0316055441	too many useless words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Basic story is quite interesting but it takes way too long to get to the crux of the book.  I got tired of waiting then waiting then waiting some more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9RPGZTSMNE8R?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lengthy narratives and descriptions not really pertinent to the storyline which were boring.  I did not enjoy the book and found the end disappointing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34ZOP8Z87137Q?ASIN=0316055441	left breathless	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i never thought i wouldn't want an 800 page novel to end, but this book ripped me apart, expanded my pieces, and sewed me back up in a more full whole.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36CHRHFMQ3TXA?ASIN=0316055441	Outrage...............	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This to me, was one of the most depressing books that I have read in a long time.  What a waste of my time but did cont. to read it.,  I wanted to put it down most of the time but didn't.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC2I93NPDC2I?ASIN=0316055441	Not your ordinary coming-of-age tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While less intense than Tartt's phenomenal debut novel, The Secret History, The Goldfinch is nevertheless a highly engaging read. This book follows young Theo Decker's journey from the survivor of a mysterious explosion to the aftermath in adulthood. Throughout the book, as Theo moves between different guardians (some more benign than others) he is accompanied throughout his ordeals by the titular stolen painting, which is a source of both guilt and comfort. The characters, while lacking the mystique of the clique of students in Tartt's Secret History, are quite memorable. Images of the Mafia gangster Bobo Silver, as well as Theo's drunken, gambling-addicted father, sickly, reclusive Andy, and Theo's delinquent, self-destructive best friend Boris are all likely to haunt the audience long after the book has finished. With its sprawling plot and exploration of the main character's movement between various social classes and sometimes abusive guardians, comparison to Dickens is certainly not unwarranted. Indeed, The Goldfinch is a triumphant return to some of the themes that define Tartt's work: class and culture in American society, the nature of guilt, and the untrustworthy nature of love and friendship.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IJYH9R7ENMWV?ASIN=0316055441	The Joke Is On US	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Since I'm a Mississippian and Mississippi seems able to turn out one good writer after another I became interested in Donna Tartt. After reading The Secret History, which is the best book I've read in a good while, I was looking forward to The Goldfinch, the Pulitzer Prize winner. Big disappointment. Too long, too boring, too much silly detail, not much action, not much plot, ridiculous. How in the heck did this win the Pulitzer? Tartt did a pretty good job in The Secret History. telling the story from a young man's point of view, but when she tries to do younger boys, she really misses the boat. Well, I guess that would be hard if you've never been a boy. No boy is his right mind would be so conscious of room details, clothes, food, etc as this kid is in this book. Tartt seems to be unable or unwilling to write a whole paragraph in which something actually happens without describing the clothes, furniture, etc of the setting. A big failure, and a mockery of the Pulitzer.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2USLHDWNF6J4M?ASIN=0316055441	One of the few.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know everyone else loves this novel, I tried to like it, really, really, I did.<br/><br/>I think what sticks in my craw is that Theo is such a turd.  He is not a good person, he continually makes bad, then even worse decisions and tries to cover up, get away with, make do with the results.  Sure, in the end he tries to make retribution for scamming people out of their hard earned money, but is it really because he wants to make amends or is it because he got caught?  He certainly puts partial blame on these people for falling for his shenanigans.<br/><br/>We can't blame his mother's death on his bad behavior, they were on their way to an appointment to discuss Theo's chicanery at school before the museum bombing.  I think in the end I can't identify with Theo, I believe you are responsible for your actions, he never put thought into doing what was right, and we all know the difference between right and wrong.  I have no sympathy for him.<br/><br/>As far as Tartt's writing style, eloquent, visual, she does paint a pretty picture.  I could have done without the last 20 pages of existential blather; beauty, truth, love.  I am happy for the people that this novel touched, it touched me not at all.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SIKHQVON5V0J?ASIN=0316055441	Absolutely Brilliant Until the End	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is crushing for me because this book should be rated five stars.  I thoroughly enjoyed this story.  You will have absolutely no idea where it is going and it is such an enjoyable ride.  It is well-written and tells a unique story that is unexpected and engaging.  The prose is some of the best writing I have read recently, and I loved the unpredictability of this novel.  The reason I gave it four stars is because of the last 100 pages or so of the book.  It is like I picked up a different novel to read.  It meanders and drones on with pointless self-reflection (reflection may be too generous) in a storyline that makes no logical sense whatsoever.  Had all of that been skipped or reduced to a few pages and then the last five pages or so had been reduced to three, it would have made my top ten of all time.  And that is heartbreaking.  It's such a great book in the beginning that I have to still recommend it; just be ready to be angry and frustrated a little at the end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26ISZG1KRZE93?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book sorely needed an editor. Very repetitious. Never any paragraphs or chapters that made you want to move forward  surprised it was a pulitizer</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C0AUHOW0XPV?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Superb Reading<br/>just brilliant brilliant brilliant brilliant brilliant  brilliant brilliant piece of literature. Highly recommended to anyone who has an appreciation of fine reading</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HKMMNKLCPHWB?ASIN=0316055441	Too many ramblings!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very hard to get through this book. The beginning was okay, but it rambled on, and on, and on. Donna did great research and the art history was great but the story line was very boring.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7C6VXOU4TC3T?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The control of language in the book haunted the pages. The plot engages the reader as Ms. Tartt dresses each scene with startling imagery and detail.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAA5TIEGV2KIQ?ASIN=0316055441	Meh - If it were half the length it might have been great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was well-written in some parts but so seriously overwritten in others that it was painful to slog through.  Ms. Tartt can write well, but she really needed a good editor to let her know when she was going around in circles, saying the same thing 50 different ways.  Yes, we see you can do it, craft great sentences 50 different ways, but then you have to pick one or two or even three or four and go for it, not give us all 50.<br/><br/>And then, the book just disintegrates at the end, not the end of the plot, but the after-comments, which are just ridiculous and bordering on high school writing class.<br/><br/>I did love the character of Boris, who delivered almost all the humor in the book, although I had to suspend some belief to accept poor grammar in a foreigner who arrived in American as a teenager and would have learned to speak proper English.<br/><br/>I cannot recommend this book, but if she had had a good editor, it could have been brilliant.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J06LIXKBVJU4?ASIN=0316055441	far too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intensely self-indulgent. This book could have used an editor, especially in the second half. Yes, it's Dickensian, for better or worse, but I'd rather read Great Expectations any day.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNLMPHUN98WKQ?ASIN=0316055441	This book is a classic!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was recommended to me by several people, but I never expected it to be this good.  I literally couldn't put it down once I started reading it.  The writing was excellent and insightful and the story was so compelling.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15PV078X7ZL8E?ASIN=0316055441	Started strong, but too much work for too little return (spoiler alert)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was really looking forward to this book, but ultimately was disappointed.  I really liked the 1st third of the book, but found it hard to stay engaged or concerned about the characters after that.  Way too much going on, no clear reason for all the events and long and detailed descriptions provided, which just ended up detracting from the main story and making it hard to follow.<br/><br/>This book is also too long, and needed editing.  I found it very unbelievable that Theo never would have looked at the painting all those years.  He was off the hook when he learned he no longer had the painting - problem solved, but he went on that ridiculous and boring trip to Amsterdam to find it anyway.  And the ending was the worst - suddenly he has been chronicling everything since his mother died for no one to ever read (except for lucky you)?  And he really needs to tell us what we should have learned from his life, 800 pages later?  Terrible, self-indulgent ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROEOJXGPTAMND?ASIN=0316055441	too long....I kept reading because I thought I would miss something...... I didn't.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This author made valid existential arguments but took waaaay too much time getting to them. Wordy and exhausting!  I've never skimmed through the end of a book the way I did this one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PMAQ923KTWP3?ASIN=0316055441	my opinion	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I moderately liked it although I think it could have been better if shorter. I also found the last chapter's philosophy either pretentious or fuzzy.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34ABA1MZM0AX0?ASIN=0316055441	"Review of ""The Goldfinch"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't like the subject matter<br/>Author rambled from subject to subject<br/>Book too long and unable to concentrate clearly on author's subjects</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZALHNG0C2FBU?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the author wrote beautifully but I found the characters and the story line to be extremely depressing. It's not a novel I would recommend.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17AK67GYR8DVG?ASIN=0316055441	Just awful - buy the Kindle and spare a few trees....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a self-serving, meandering hot mess this book is!  Trust me, by page 300 you won't care WHAT happens to anybody, much less find any of it even closely believable.  Virtually no research whatsoever, rife with clichés and inane dialogue, and a ""culture is our salvation"" sermon at the end that belongs in a Mary Mapes Dodge novella, not a Pulitzer-prize winner.  Seriously, Committee?  Was this the best you could find?  And the comparisons to Dickens are laughable:  while Dickens created - and caught - the stark realities and conflicts of Victorian life, Tartt's New York and Amsterdam settings at what a sheltered, stay-at-home housewife might imagine based on too many Jacqueline Suzanne novels, little connection at all with experience.  I found the novel disappointing and a thorough waste of $11.  Hopefully you're on Kindle Prime and get a discount...or buy the printed book, at least you can use the heft to weigh down a trash bag or press leaves.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R5R0EPV76S2Y?ASIN=0316055441	I hate quitting books that I haven't finished but I find ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hate quitting books that I haven't finished but I find myself checking how many pages i have left every time i finish a page.  Still 200 pages left and I have been laboring over this book for days upon days.  It started off okay and I genuinely cared about juvenile Theo.  I think about the time he got to NY or found out about Andy I could have quit reading but still I labored on.  That is when it really gets monotonous and hard to believe.  And the Pippa character?  So shallow and ridiculous.  Like she doesn't know how he feels about her?  The Barbour's, all of a sudden the mother has a soft spot for Theo.  If she cared about him before, I didn't pick up on that.  The book has endless pages of antique restoration information and then all of a sudden he is an adult and guess what?  In another messy situation.  Goodness it becomes all so unbelievable and boring.  I loved the premise of the book and just wish it was condensed to about half the length.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KAZ0JDZQFNBR?ASIN=0316055441	Elegance, Truth, Love	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No detail is spared. I fell in love with the characters and continued reading, at times, as if I were snooping through a troubled writer's journal.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BXNJOTVGNHTE?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story, well written, although Boris' Russian speech sounded more like Tonto. The author loves her laborious descriptions more than the reader.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYIJIGUDMW8QA?ASIN=0316055441	great beginning, then the abyss	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt’s The Secret History is one of the best novels ever, and her sharp, clear, gripping style is on display in the first quarter of The Goldfinch.  Then the novel descends into booze and drugs, booze and drugs, booze and drugs, cheating and lying.  The series of events in The Secret History have the (rather heavy-handedly obvious, but still exhilarating) inevitability of a Greek tragedy, but there is no believable motive for the intelligent young Goldfinch narrator’s descent into this messy abyss.  It’s clear what the reason is supposed to be, but it’s not realistic.  I don’t understand how the author of The Secret History could produce such torrents of repetitive long-windedness, and put artificial-sounding speeches about art and its effect on the soul into the mouths of one character after another.  The everything’s-tied-up-neatly ending is tacked on to a book that it doesn’t harmonize with at all, and that should have been heavily edited.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QYA67PQ6UVQO?ASIN=0316055441	A place for every word and every word in its rightful place	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Along with ""The Art of Fielding"", this is the best of modern novels.  Great story, great characters, great prose, and all  so beautifully revealed by the author.  Even at its substantial length, I wished for it to continue.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PXB9516OZN6D?ASIN=0316055441	Are you kidding me?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I reached the end of this (with a lot of waiting for it to get better) and then wondered how in the world it won a Pulitzer. Closing the book, I felt duped. There is exactly one character who is at all sympathetic, Hobie the antique dealer. Everyone else is tedious, mostly drug-muddied losers. Surely I was missing something. Then I sat down the next day, while waiting for my car servicing at the dealership, and noticed the woman next to me reading the book. Striking up a conversation, I asked how she liked the book. She groaned and replied she was finishing it only to be able to discuss it with her book club. Turns out we are both science/math teachers, so it's not as if we have not read our share of books. Like me, she could not wring out a bit of empathy for any character in the story except Hobie.<br/><br/>Further, a friend of mine was anxious to read it as well, due to the attention the book was getting, so I gave her my copy. She is a highly intelligent woman and a voracious reader. Asking me if I wanted it back, I said ""No, pass it along to someone else."" She replied, ""If you don't mind, I'd rather just drop it in the trash."" Ya gotta wonder!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R79B78Q47D1CY?ASIN=0316055441	Too Long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was too long and some of the major characters are not likeable. The orphan protagonist was sympathetic but made some really bad, bad decisions.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RY6X3AX3FVU2?ASIN=0316055441	Harry Potter on Drugs	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's as though Donna Tartt decided that she could create Harry Potter for adults, complete with Theo as Harry, Hobie as Dumbledore, Pipa as Hermoine, Andy and the Barbours to resemble Ron and his family, Boris as a kind of far fetched Snape -and so on and so on. The thought occurred to me soon into the book, so I laughed out loud when Boris started calling him ""Potter"".<br/><br/>Donna Tartt is a gripping writer at the same time she is a wasteful writer.<br/><br/>The sorry part really though, is how beautifully Ms. Tartt writes. She is a like a singer with the most gorgeous voice who sings all the wrong music for her own instrument.  She has phrases that are at the same time breathtaking and utterly unnecessary. She could take any one paragraph and design an entire book around the ideas in it if only she could focus and integrate these dazzling phrases into a cohesive whole. And she doesn't.<br/>The book was rambling and couldn't decide what it wanted to be. It seemed to be looking for the very thing it gave as the secret of life at the end - living in that middle place between illusion and reality - and she did not find that place even after 771 pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LCU0CN4R0AO5?ASIN=0316055441	THIS BOOK IS PURE PORN	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is what life - and birds - look like when you live on 7th Avenue in Manhattan - or sit on the Committee awarding the Pulitzer Prize.<br/><br/>On balance, the ""One Star"" reviewers have it right:  This book is boring.  Needed - needs - editing.  Has no redeeming social message any more profound than 'Drugs are bad'.  We move from alcohol abuse, to coke, to glue sniffing.<br/><br/>Sniffing glue is a fine way to fry your brain.  The lethal dose is extremely close to the effective dose.  Generally, no recovery in function is possible. Glue permanently damages the basal ganglia:  The wind blows through the Pines forever and no one is home ever again.<br/><br/>At the end of 750 pages what we do get is a lecture on drug abuse.  And the author is still riffing on the joys of getting stoned.<br/><br/>This book is less than worthless.  If there was a zero-star button, that would be my choice.<br/><br/>THIS BOOK IS PURE PORN.  Don't was the time reading it.  Or the money buying it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R380O4TKZ52A2K?ASIN=0316055441	Not my cup of tea!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is too  long with too many words-needs editing!  It has an unbelievable ending<br/>The characters were not worth caring what happened to them</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LI8ZLM96WAJZ?ASIN=0316055441	Psychological Tour d' Force	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Am impressively well written book.  Tartt is an exceptionally gifted writer.  Her psychological insights are stunning and her narrative gripping.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JK0UKVVHRZOA?ASIN=0316055441	Can't believe this was compared to Dickens	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first time I read Dickens I didn't fully appreciate it because it was so belabored in school.  Later, when reading it on my own I fell in love with his writing.  Witty, tragic and everything connects.  The people are imaginative in his novels and are likeable--this novel is the exact opposite.  I have been listening to it and don't think I would have finished it if I were reading it in print.  LOTS of unnecessary swearing, I ended up skipping the scenes with Boris and haven't had a problem understanding the rest of the book--that's a bad sign; it means a lot was unnecessary.  I also can't stand the main character, he's so stupid! When there is a decision to be made, bank on it that he's going to make the wrong one.  All. The, Time.  I feel like the author also thought, ""How can I make his life miserable? Oh, we'll kill everybody he likes!""  If you have nothing else to do you could read this book, but I wouldn't recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8RLBD3YJHUIU?ASIN=0316055441	I thought it would be a good read. I lost interest in the character	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Since the book won a Pulitzer, I thought it would be a good read.  I lost interest in the character, but I did finish it.  I cannot recommend it</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OLZSC2Q4J779?ASIN=0316055441	I've read much better	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much too long. Too much description got so dragged out at the last 50 or more pages I didn't care how he got the painting or what happened to it</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE52I8O0FOVVQ?ASIN=0316055441	Boring writing, mostly boring characters, nothing to feel good about here	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm reading this for book club, otherwise, I would have given up on it in about 10% of the way in. It is long and rambling. The writing is grammatically correct, clear, but artless. And without art, the long descriptions are nothing more than mundane details. Do you have friend who recounts their day in excruciating, mindless detail? Well, this is like talking to that friend. Regarding the character: there is nothing that attracts me to the main character, nothing. I'm mildly interested in some of the other characters, but he author provides no interesting insights to draw me in. It is like looking at the surface of the ocean. You know there are really interesting things on that coral reef, but you can't see them. I'm mildly interested in how this is all going to turn out, but I'm not cheering for any particularly outcome. I'm about 2/3s in now--not sure I am going to make it because my brain keeps falling asleep while reading it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30L76MPZYN3I5?ASIN=0316055441	Bloated but beguiling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A helluva yarn that could have been edited down to relieve the bloat of Tartt's often tedious language: three metaphors for a sunset when one would do, contradictory descriptions (one character has eyes with ""a careless power like the eyes of a kitten"" [whatever that means], and yet three paragraphs later her eyes are ""long heavy-lidded, with a tenderness that reminded me of the angels and page boys in ... Northern European masterworks""). Most of the characters are straight out of central casting: the beautiful saintly mom, the drunk and abusive dad, the kindly old antiques dealer, the prim and remote socialite. It's almost as if the author had to overwrite  to convince herself of the reality of her people. Tartt's book has been called Dickensian, but Charles Dickens was never this sloppy in his writing. Still, if you can get beyond those annoyances, it's a wonderful story. But it does make you wonder whatever happened to editors.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RQAXWGDHOWG6?ASIN=0316055441	Detail, Drugs, and	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms Tart certainly gets an A for effort, but Theo Decker's frail shoulders are not strong enough to carry 771 pages of epic misadventure.  The author is brilliant at detail, creates wonderful situations and characters, knows a lot about drugs, and tackles some big questions.  Still, the novel does not hang together, she loses control about half way through, and I found myself becoming increasingly bored and disenchanted with the text.<br/><br/>Much has been noted of the borrowings from other authors and the use of the famous Picasso quote. Some of the borrowings don't work: Theo's mother seems to have floated in from a Truman Capote novel and Kitsey is Daisy Buchanan lite. Like innumerable American authors before her Ms. Tart devotes time and talent to the puerile antics of the American aristocracy. We've heard all this before, it is not original,or even interesting. Tart is truly formidable when she creates  outlaws and losers, she also does well with dogs, little Popchik is  not the least of her characters.<br/><br/>The  meeting between Theo and Pippa is pure magic.  The little dog, the dark, highly decorated bedroom, the wounded girl and her morphine lollipop.  Wonderful. Writing on that level is probably hard to sustain so Pippa doesn't surface as often as she should. Instead we get way too much of the idiotic rich girl and her unfortunate, but entitled, family.<br/><br/>The Las Vegas section is flipping brilliant. Every time Boris appears the story perks up, he's had a rough life, but his spirited response to misfortune is like a tonic or a line of coke. When Theo is with Boris he seems most real and most human.<br/><br/>This book is by no means a masterpiece, but Donna Tart is a very good writer.  I see her as a detail person, a miniaturist, and I have no idea why she insists on writing these unwieldy tomes when she could probably achieve perfection if she worked on a smaller scale.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNOS5ETYU41UH?ASIN=0316055441	Not a must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book somewhat depressing and the many vivid descriptions of the mind during the ingestion of drugs and alcohol more than plentiful.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RHT20AKXOEFX?ASIN=0316055441	a wonderful read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo is the main human character, but Boris is the one who remains imprinted on my mind. The Goldfinch is really the main character, of course.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J8ZFZT0AZGF9?ASIN=0316055441	Not a good read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story could have been told well in a much shorter version  It did not keep my interest and I had to force myself to read to the conclusion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KSA13WHQU8MU?ASIN=0316055441	Lovely novel, but with some flaws	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved it, but there were some flaws. Without any spoilers, the very end of the book just comes to a screeching halt, where on the last few pages, the author is just waxing on and on about the meaning of life. It feels very tacked on, and I think it would have been better to just end the book in the story, rather than having a whole epilogue-like chapter that almost feels like it was written by a different author, or a year later.<br/><br/>Also, if the narrator is in 2014, and he's looking back to the explosion, which presumably occurred in 2000, it's inaccurate. The story has people texting, teenagers with cell phones and people taking pictures of the scene with camera phones. None of those things were ubiquitous until years later, and thinking about that took me out of the story.<br/><br/>That having been said, I'd give it a 4.5 if I could, because it was beautifully written, and it is a memorable and enjoyable book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NLYK8WCLZC2V?ASIN=0316055441	Must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love it  it is so well written that I felt like I was part of the story and knew the characters.  It was very hard to put it down. I have ready recommended it to  my friends</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GV3O0X1DRS3O?ASIN=0316055441	Did Not Enjoy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Almost immediately I felt myself getting annoyed at the long-windedness of this author. I became quite impatient to get on with it. Even started skipping entire pages and passages just to hurry things along. I did want to finish the book so that must count for something, right?<br/><br/>I intensely dislike authors who are extra wordy and descriptive and who linger on plot points for far too long. It  doesn’t carry the momentum forward in any way and is quite stagnating. Kind of self-indulgent I think. Some restraint and focus would have done wonders here.<br/><br/>SPOILERS … SPOILERS… SPOILERS…<br/>Don’t quite understand why after learning that the picture had been stolen, Theo didn’t just leave it all alone at this point? Why become embroiled in this whole mess with a man that you had not seen in years? Seemed way too convoluted and unnecessary.  Theo acted incredibly naïve and trusting throughout that whole debacle.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5VLPH3OYM6ZM?ASIN=0316055441	Exhausting. The Emperor's New Clothes.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I still don't know whether I liked this book or not. There were aspects I did like - the characters are memorable and the story (though hidden underneath about 23,256 extraneous words) was enough to keep me wanting to find out what would happen. Ultimately though, I'm landing on the side of thinking this is a case of The Emperor's New Clothes in which everyone ooh's and ahh's (It won a PULITZER for heaven's sake!) so if you don't think it's wonderful and brilliant you risk being accused of lacking sufficient intellect to get it. Here are my complaints: Is it really necessary to describe ONE thing 6,256 ways? Sometimes the imagery is quite brilliant, but there are pages and pages and pages...and pages describing one thing. And does EVERY character, no matter how minor, need a complete back story? I loved Theo. I loved Boris. I loved Hobie. I care what happened to them. But I skipped hundreds of pages of distracting and unnecessary verbiage in order to find the story. And even at the end, when the author tells us the point of it all - she tells us three times! Theo tells us. Boris tells us. Hobie tells us. We get it! Enough already.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BGQZ0RUBO2AI?ASIN=0316055441	Big Disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many words. Great yarn and situations, but exhausting. The ending is phoney, gutless. The last chapter is crap. Too much blah, blah, blah.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R94KYA2YLTQ12?ASIN=0316055441	amazing story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So well written it pulled you in and you could feel what the character was feeling. When he was high I felt high, weird really. amazing story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38Q86OYQQKTHL?ASIN=0316055441	Too much detail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Realizing this book is on the best selling list, I found it boring.  For me there was way too much description and detail.  The plot was week.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JSZH28PPWBK9?ASIN=0316055441	What is so wonderful about endless descriptions of the experiences of children on drugs	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am just 40% through the book and was so unimpressed that I went back to read the reviews.  I can not believe that people have reviewed this as high as her previous books.  I know her subjects have been less than comfortable but I don't ever remember being bored with her books before.  I recognise some good writing in parts but throughout I have felt that it has been written by  a child impressed with drugs, fights and 'what they like or think would be wonderful' who has tried too hard to fit too many 'interesting' bits in.  Perhaps there will be something to tie all these parts together but I can't think of how such a long long story about Boris and two wiped out kids and a gambling father are going to add substance to the plot about the painting or even his life.  The stresses and essence of this period of his life could have been condensed and the tighter book would have been so much better written.  I really don't have to read so many detailed drugged out accounts to understand and FEEL that the boy had a strange, drugged and un-cared for period in his life or to set up the plot for the next move.<br/><br/>I am reminded of the author in wonder boys who just keeps writing and writing never finishing the book.  A good edit could have made this an excellent book.  As it is I am wondering if I will even finish it because right now I am bored to tears and wondering why I'm bothering.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM9IFK1Z8L13P?ASIN=0316055441	Biggest waste of few weeks' worth of reading time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Biggest waste of few weeks' worth of reading time! Ms Tartt obviously is extremely eloquent but there was such little story in the book that it was a very painful read. I found myself wanting to skip whole pages where the description of the setting or the body language or the thought process just goes on and on. I feel that the characters despite the verbose nature of the novel are never fully developed even till the end....but then that might have been the point. Again I emphasize, for the volume of pages, very little story. The conclusions regarding human life, ambition and where we fit into the big picture of things....all stuff i have heard before, nothing earth shattering making the book even more pointless. Unfortunately for me, I am old school such that once I pick up a book i have to finish it out of a weird sense of loyalty. So if you are somewhere through the book and wondering if it gets better....it doesnt.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AP07GMDNM2SY?ASIN=0316055441	A great novel!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Winning a Pulitzer prize for fiction should be enough reason to read this book.  Well written, interesting and unique storyline.  I loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A9UGVUN7X8U7?ASIN=0316055441	I personally disliked this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I personally disliked this book. I got so tired of it. The beginning was good with Theo and his mom, and a bit of his journey afterwards was ok. I felt it dragged on and on. And frankly I got so tired of reading the F word. Since when does a 'good' book have to be filled with that? I wonder if the writer read The Brother's Karamazov and thought we need a style of book with a person constantly striving with his conscience and bad choices? I get that, but this seemed to go on and on. It took me all summer to read, as I got so bored with it and would read something else for awhile. The final pages finally summed up the end. I would not compare this to the great books of our time, To Kill a Mocking Bird or a Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I had readers remorse when I finished those books, I truly missed reading them. Sorry to be such a spoiler for some who think this is going to be great read because it won the Pulitzer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VTTG22KOVZRG?ASIN=0316055441	Very poor bestseller choice	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An utter waste of time.  Took forever to get nowhere.  The boy has a conscience, and it's implications wore on him.  For way too many pages.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TC9H5G1L07RP?ASIN=0316055441	Loved It!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is superb.  Incredible character development and gripping story line.  Would read it again.  Thank you for this gem Donna Tartt!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMYTVPWQ0X9TZ?ASIN=0316055441	Waited a long time for an anticlimactic ending.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book took much too long getting to the point, although it was well written.  I'm sure there are a lot of readers scratching their heads.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38RXCRAASIFP7?ASIN=0316055441	Bloated and glacially paced.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book could have been ""at least"" half the length, maybe less.  There's an axiom in writing that less is more, IE, create lean, meaningful prose.  The problem is not so much her sentence structure, but that there are just too many sentences, too much description and narrative.  Every scene is over stuffed with narrative about smells, color, texture, flashbacks, etc etc.  For example, getting across the museum room in the dark after the incident was, what, 5 to 10 pages?  It could have been done in two.  It's like the passage of time slows down to be slower than what it takes to read it.  After a few scenes like this, I was (as was pointed out below) screaming, ""Get on with it!"".<br/><br/>As for the prose itself, maybe if it was exceptional, I might have stuck with it, but it's not; it's good, but it's too lengthy.  I just handed the book to my wife with a bet that she wouldn't finish it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33DVN920CXT7Y?ASIN=0316055441	disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this sroy starts out well, but becomes quite disjointed.  Ending seems more like a sermon than a good conclusion. leaves to much unsolved./</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29473CGF7116U?ASIN=0316055441	a beautiful novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A perfect read. One could highlight the intelligent truths that Tartt presents, but little would be left unchecked. Loved reading this book</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AVH5CVU4L5DM?ASIN=0316055441	Great read: interesting story, wonderful characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I came by this title through reading reviews. I'd never read Donna Tartt before. She is a top notch writer and she tells a wonderful, sad, funny, interesting story here about a boy named Theo whose tragic childhood leads him indirectly into the underbelly of the international art/auction world as he grows to adulthood. Along the way we encounter an array of colorful characters and go for some wild rides. The characters are so vivid I find myself thinking about them even weeks after finishing the book. I am a big fan of Dickens and this book struck that chord for me, albeit in a modern sense. There are graphic and frequent drug references throughout so that may put some readers off. I felt that it served the story and felt true. Note: I listened to this book on audible.com and liked it so much I bought this book copy as a gift for someone. I highly recommend the audiobook if you like listening to books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PLZ57LSV6UVL?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put this book down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You will enjoy this book if you are a mystery book reader, an art lover, or have ever lived in Manhattan.  I had read Donna Tartt's earlier novel, Secret History, many years ago. When I heard she was publishing a new novel, I just had to order it because I could not stop reading her other book. While this novel is quite long, it doesn't feel that way, and you are really absorbed into the story of this boy and how his life has changed because of the painting of the goldfinch. Before you read the book, I would highly recommend viewing the famous painting that inspired it all. I would also discourage you from reading any of the multiple book reviews, newspaper articles, or blogs that describe the characters or plot in detail - it's best to be surprised. This is precisely why I'm not divulging any details. I was very impressed at the price of the kindle edition- $7.50 compared to the $30 hardback price.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKV9N21Z04UG5?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful characters; couldn't stop reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch starts out with a tragedy from where the narrator, Theo, just keeps spiraling downward. However, his saviors are the beautiful and lovable Hobie and Pippa, both of whom Theo adores immediately. However, the story goes from bad to worse and the reader is mesmerized. How in the world is Theo going to get out of this mess? I laid on the couch for several days doing nothing else but reading this stupendous novel. The characters are so richly described, I felt like I was there. The details and the dark humor are just wonderful. Boris, Mrs. Barbour and Xandra are characters who are so memorable they will go down in the annals of literature. The hilarious descriptions of each of them make the novel so rich! When the climax of the novel comes at the end, the reader is surprised and elated at how the universe works together. A great achievement. I can't wait to read Donna Tartt's other novels.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R378RLL1I8A2A1?ASIN=0316055441	READ THE TWO STAR REVIEWS BEFORE DECIDING ON THIS BOOK, ALL 100 OF THEM	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""Bleahh!"" as Snoopy would say. In a nutshell, I thought the first third was excellent, the second third was very disappointing, and the last third was poor. Theo is in Amsterdam at the start of the book, 27 years old.  He reflects back on events leading to his Mom's death when he was 13. At the art museum in NYC, a terrorist bombing.  Long, touching scenes as he regains consciousness, assists an old man as he lays dying, walks out into the chaos of first response and excited crowds.  Then makes his way back to the apartment to wait for his Mom, who never comes.  Alex hooks up with a classmate's family, incredibly interesting characters.  Then, more than a year later Dad shows up with GF du jour to collect Theo.  Off to Las Vegas where he meets Boris, and ramps up his alcohol and drug use (modern day Dickens? , I don't think so) Oh, and he has a very valuable painting that he took when leaving museum, the subject of the book's title. Along the way, people die, Theo does furniture restoral in lower Manhattan.  He cheats in a rather disappointing way and is forever talking about making it up.  He falls in love, but like two ships in the night....but there is hope, right? Needless to say, it's way too long.  The ending is hugely disappointing and the last five minutes of philosophizing about protecting things seemed silly to me.  Bleahh !</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R319EYTHS7GWU0?ASIN=0316055441	Right up there with the very best I've ever read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo, Boris, Hobie, and even Welty are characterized so completely.  They are as fascinating as the story line. This is a very long book but I was never bored, not once.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SUIBMUNGN4GX?ASIN=0316055441	Good but unjustifiably lengthy.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story with wonderful writing. The length was not justified and economies would have made this novel an easier, more pleasurable read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OUV7LTEAO1O?ASIN=0316055441	Too much of a good thing is not good!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Redundancy ruined it for me. This novel could have been 390 pages shorter! It seems to have been written in hopes of getting a movie deal!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JX5I6DAL9K4U?ASIN=0316055441	Suzi says	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the finest books I ever read! The depth,the feeling,the characters are magnificent.very touching and thought provoking. A must read</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RR1JE66G4BHY?ASIN=0316055441	A Bestselling Slog	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was assigned to my wife by her book club. Often, I will actually read the book to her if it is too long, or just because we enjoy that. I must say this was one of the more turgid narratives I have ever had to read. The internal cognition of the main character has a plodding rhythm that is beyond irritating, and there are far too many similes and metaphors (phrases similar to ""it was like..."" are like a pestilence!) crammed together with descriptive lists and physical details of the surroundings that verge on obsessive monotony. This novel has been (like so many large novels) compared to the sweep of Dickens, but that is without critical merit as a comparison: Dickens had pacing, portentous Gothic atmospheres, charm, and abundant humor of both bawdiness and good cheer, and certainly did not rely on a tedious internal voice from a character who frankly bored me. It was a slog...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S6MF904YUEEV?ASIN=0316055441	Like other one and two-star reviewers I was very disappointed ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like other one and two-star reviewers I was very disappointed in this book. I had read A Secret History and thought is was fabulous. It was literature and one of the best books I had ever read. While reading this book I kept thinking it could not have been written by the same person. The author of A Secret History was brilliant. Her use of language, literary references, character development, and overlapping plot lines were so refreshing I could read it again. While reading Goldfinch I kept asking myself, Who is this person? Where was her editor? I was shocked to see all the 4 and 5 star reviews. I found myself asking the same question of all those readers. Who are these people? Did they really think this was good? Could all those 4 and 5 star reviewers be friends and relatives?<br/><br/>Hey 1 and 2 star reviewers if you haven't read Stoner by John Williams yet read it you'll feel better.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M7V4BWF6QHXY?ASIN=0316055441	Too much details that really don't develop into anything meaningful ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much details that really don't develop into anything meaningful or significant. It's really slow to start and I couldn't get into it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROZIW8B0U7GNG?ASIN=0316055441	Sublime	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just finished reading and I don't know how to say anything about this book. Incredible?, Beautiful?, beyond word?, deeply soul touching?,</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OQD7W6PJVIXP?ASIN=0316055441	If You Can Say it in 100 Words why not write 1000?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Art lovers &amp; especially art history majors will love it. Ok, it won a Pulitzer, but personally, I did not think this book would ever end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z62KAYRAA61Z?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous read, couldn't put it down and didn't want it to end.  One of the best books I've ever read.  Donna<br/>Tartt is a true talent.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20XI0MGA5STXM?ASIN=0316055441	Dark, thought-provoking bildungsroman	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very intense read full of descriptive passages, heart-wrenching moments and multi-dimensional characters.  The tone of the book is sombre but thoughtful, with main character Theo Decker the unreliable narrator who progresses from 13 year old to 26 year old, all the while grieving for his mother and the people who left him behind. The novel's themes of fate vs chaos, and whether events are bad, good, or only made so in the eye of the beholder, emerge throughout the story and are elaborated on at length in the last chapter.  The book could've been a couple of hundred pages shorter (almost every scene and character is described in incredible detail, even if they don't move the story forward) but overall The Goldfinch is a book difficult to put down.  Tartt considers the aspects of life that we often don't want to think about, and does it through beautiful language and compelling characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23ZUQ9D6HY93E?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An extremely depressing book, and very hard to get through. But the last page made it worth it. Only recommended for the strong at heart</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMI8CKVSO5V7P?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just started reading this book and I already love it. Great storytelling even though a female author is writing from a male perspective.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31F5SCME7TCXL?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer..really?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line was interesting but the book rattled on and on about the same thing over and over.  The days in Vegas became very boring.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16I78U8GQ04JD?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed the first half but not the last	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book got my attention immediately but then got to caught up in detail the second half and so I didn't enjoy the second half at all.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D6EEAUOW9BAK?ASIN=0316055441	unrequited love and, finally	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This impressive work is unusual in that it covers so many genres of fiction. It had me guessing as the focus changed from grief &amp; loss, dislocation and parental abuse, escape through addiction, fraud &amp; dishonesty, unrequited love and, finally, redemption &amp; philosophical rumination. All the while, our central character is on his path from adolescence to adulthood. Only a writer of the first rank could take us on an interior journey of this kind in such a sure-footed fashion.  I'm still not sure the work hangs together as a cohesive whole, but I do know that the author has an engaging writing style, a real ear for dialogue, a lock on the details of time and place and a wonderful ability to generate believable characters. She wisely dismisses the cliche homilies that so often substitute for life understanding and, instead, grapples with the mystery and complexity of the human condition.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JW53Y7ZIJ0LF?ASIN=0316055441	I have yet to meet anyone in person who enjoyed this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is no denying that Donna Tartt is a skilled writer. But this story was not my particular taste. I enjoyed the Hobie portions, but trudging through the rest felt like homework. I would have given up, but the stellar reviews led me to believe that it would get better. For me, that never happened.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVU7F7ITR47B9?ASIN=0316055441	Worth waiting 10 years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long, thoughtful book with a unique focus on life's ups and downs seen from the eyes of one incredible young man. Deserves to be one of the best books of the year!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RARE1MPEGAZWX?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt is a wonderful writer who could use a good editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting in some sections but bloated and self-congratulatory.  I think Ms. Tartt is a wonderful writer who could use a good editor.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SJ8YZQTHF88P?ASIN=0316055441	Not uplifting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but low review is because I personally do not enjoy reading about lowlifes and deadbeats which consumes much of this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38H1F7V1WXCK0?ASIN=0316055441	Boris Will Grow On You!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I very much enjoyed the book with great good humor and very interesting character development.  Our only criticism is we felt the author went further overboard on the details of drugging and alcohol abuse.  Describing every last drink and drug became quite a drag and remained all the way through.  Boris was such an interesting specimen - loved his humor and manner of speaking.  My husband, Bob Scarcelli, gave me the Kindle for Christmas and set it up for me with his name as the owner.  I, Joanne Scarcelli, am the owner!  I read the book first and have nearly finished reading the entire thing to him whenvever we go out in our car.  I never tell him what will happen next; but he and I ""get it"" about Theo's adjustments and his love for Boris.  They are two lost souls who found each other and played off each other for the betterment of both.<br/>  ........Joanne Scarcelli.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DC4GD6SWL6VG?ASIN=0316055441	Masterful storytelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Secret History is one of my favorite novels, and I thought The Little Friend was one of the best novels set in the South (and with a child as protagonist) in a long time. Like all Tartt fans, I endure the long wait between novels. This one was worth the wait!<br/>What especially strikes me about The Goldfinch is how much Tartt *knows*. The Secret History revealed Tartt to be a very intelligent writer, but The Goldfinch surpasses Secret History in the number of subjects it discusses--not at all in a pedantic way but as part of a compelling story. The world of international art is revealed, but so are marvelous little history lessons about painters and their times. One learns about furniture and porcelain and design and auctions, about drug culture and international criminal rings, all part of one masterfully-told story, one long, enjoyable, intellectually satisfying novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LHM7YF0XX8XF?ASIN=0316055441	Blockbuster	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read. Great characterization unusual plot beautiful writing I compare this book to Bonfire of the Vanities  I wish I had another just as good to read next</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROI6O9HDJPR66?ASIN=0316055441	One of the worst books I have read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I picked up this book because Amazon associated it with another book I recently read, ""All the Lights We Cannot See,"" which was one of the best, most poetic, books I have read in a long time.  Unfortunately, this book was the opposite.  I'm not exactly sure what the point of this book was, but it read like an unedited journal and was shallow, boring, and not credible as coming from the voice of a fourteen year old boy.  I kept hearing the voice of a middle aged woman, things that would've been important to that age group were focused on and not things that a 14 year old would notice or care about.  I found this novel dreadfully dull and it hurt my brain with the amount of cliche comparisons the author used and the obsessive superlatives.  God, I need to read some Camus and Cormac McCarthy over some Whiskey just to get some stark reality back into my life after this!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13F4VC927EUVM?ASIN=0316055441	I thoroughly enjoyed most of this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed most of this book. The language is lovely, the pacing unique (it feels slow and relaxed, but there is a lot of fast-paced action), and Theo is a character I became emotionally invested in right out of the gate. Sometimes I wanted to hug him, sometimes I wanted to spank him, but I couldn't wait to learn what would happen next with him.<br/>But, I feel like, after following his extraordinary journey, the ending was a letdown. Honestly, I can't say what would have felt truly satisfying -- maybe I just didn't want it to end -- but I felt like I didn't get the payoff I expected. It left me annoyed and kind of angry, very different from the rest of my experience with the story.<br/>My roommate, who also read this book, says that has stuck with her. I expect the same. It made me feel, it made me think, and I look forward to talking about it with my book club</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4BWDBJYRHX9N?ASIN=0316055441	A confluence of coincidences	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is unquestionably the best novel I have read in the past two years. Donna Tartt has written an epic saga of a boy whose life changes in a instant setting him on a course that will bind he and the Goldfinch, a painting he purloins following a terrorist-detonated explosion in the New York Museum of Modern Art. The story that ensues is replete with unexpected twists and turns, the most interesting of which include the sudden reappearance of characters that the reader might assume to have vanished from the narrative. The plot recounts some 20 plus years of mishap and adventure of 13-year-old Theo following the death of his mother in the museum attack, shifting focus from New York to Las Vegas and back to New York. During his relocations, Theo encounters several interesting characters among whom is his estranged father. But the most fascinating of Ms Tartt's bevy of personalities is Boris, a Russian/Ukranian ex-pat with whom Theo establishes an unbreakable bond that endures throughout the story. Perhaps the most outstanding feature of this novel, aside from the ingenious plot, is the splendid development of virtually every character who makes an appearance. In its entirety, The Goldfinch is a book that grabs hold of the reader from the onset and refuses to relinquish its grip until the very end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L72EFUSHP2F6?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the beginning but it was tedious in the middle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the beginning but it was tedious in the middle.  The ending left me unfulfilled.<br/>The characters were beautifully portrayed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OV01R8QGUBOM?ASIN=0316055441	Too lengthy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a gripping start  with wonderful descriptive prose.the novel laboured in the middle and finished in a slightly disappointing way.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R5N627DI0K21?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a great read. I really enjoyed the characters who were well written. I could see this book becoming a movie, full of twists and turns I didn't see coming.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VRFPRQJ6ZDMC?ASIN=0316055441	Horrible drinking, puking, beating .... what the hell?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There may be a good book burried there, but it is completely unbearable to read about a young boy drinking and puking and friends puking and drinking and puking and drinking and drugging and getting beaten by their drunk, drugged out dads.  Really?  Is that what you're interested in reading?  As with her first book about young people drinking, drugs and killing, repeat that over and over and over again.  Vomiting on the floor, vomiting in the toilet.. waking up in vomit, the dog s***ting all over the rug.  I kid you not, there is very little else in the pages of this book.  Boring, overwritten, explanations of ridiculous details that are unnecessary to the story and then she goes off telling us again, every detail about every last beer and shot of vodka and vomiting.  Boring!  How is all that necessary to tell a story?  That's only the first third of the book.  AWFUL!<br/><br/>Is this a Pulitzer Prize Winner?  Who decided that???????  This story could be told in 200-300 pages max.<br/><br/>Seriously, DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME.  I am sure you can find better things to do!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WSX875J7SHQT?ASIN=0316055441	Ignore the bad reviews, The Goldfinch is a wonderful novel about flawed and vivacious characters.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book that will haunt you in the best sense of that word.  Ignore the snarky reviews that claim the book is defective because it has a young protagonist.  So did ""Catcher in the Rye,"" and several of Mark Twain's novels.  Having a young protagonist does not make this book a ""Harry Potter-style, children's book,"" as several of the book's most famous critics have asserted.  The Goldfinch is a story of a young man who is lost emotionally and mentally after his mother is killed in a terrorist bombing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  He survived, and events occurred during the bombing and its aftermath that unfold in the book.  I loved this book, and I loved the flawed and wonderful characters that Donna Tartt brought to life, including the artist who painted the Goldfinch, and his vulnerable little bird.  If you love to read good books, you will love this book</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24BM26RYG20H?ASIN=0316055441	fascinating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tedious at times...the stream of consciousness...but what a life he led! I loved the first half much better, but well worth the read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V70UQOKM8O3D?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is an excellent book and an excellent price we got it for on Amazon. My wife is presently reading the book.  Thank you.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GVJEGFUHRP9?ASIN=0316055441	Rose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unnecessary long and  boring story with a disappointing ending.  I won't recommend nor do I plan to read other books from this author</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R1J2TQ2CANP7?ASIN=0316055441	depressing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love a psychological slant, but this was exhausting. Too much introspection, and most of it, very depressing.Wouldn't recommend it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K8AYYRSWNCWG?ASIN=0316055441	A literary classic, deeply moving	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rarely have I been so moved and so involved in a novel as by The Goldfinch. The characters are so richly drawn, I felt I got to know Theo and the people who were important in his life as if they were real. The novel is long, but I was sad when I finished it because it meant saying goodbye to Theo, Boris, Hobie, and Pippa whom I had come to know so well. Theo, the main character by whom the story is told, is someone I could strongly identify with. His faults, and their are many, make him more human, a Holden Caulfield for our time who grows up amidst tremendous adversity. The writing is beautiful, and we are reminded how heartbreaking it is to fall in love and think you've found your soulmate, only to discover that love isn't always returned, that things don't always work out the way you want them to. Thank you, Donna Tartt, for giving us this richly rewarding tale.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34F8NWNU9ADX5?ASIN=0316055441	amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was wonderful.  Sad that I finished it so quickly!  Difficult to put down and difficult to forget - like The Secret History.  Donna Tartt is truly one of the greatest writers of our time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F1Y6LVS5LOF2?ASIN=0316055441	Great writer....long story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love Tartt's writing, but the story was so long and so detailed it felt at times as if she was writing just for the sake of writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNCZUDY66DQBT?ASIN=0316055441	Haunting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An angst filled, multi-layer story with characters you will never forget.  Beautifully written, a must read. A classic for our time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF9UPJIRZICPU?ASIN=0316055441	Best fiction - great plot twists and character development	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best fiction I have read in years. I usually read history and non fiction. Love the character development and location descriptions especially of New York City.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U1YZYRM6XNIG?ASIN=0316055441	Stunning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not want to read this book. The description of the storyline didn't interest me at all, the reviews were mixed, and I didn't want to commit to something so lengthy and questionable. But then I lost my job, and something lengthy and questionable became more appealing. I'm so glad I changed my mind . . . I loved this book and made myself right at home in this amazing story. The characters, I thought, were beautifully rendered. Theo: "" . . . groundless and flux, nothing to hang on to."" He was rooted in grief, and overwhelmed by the chaos of life. And Boris . . . I loved Boris! ""As long as I am acting out of love, I feel I am doing best I know how. But you--wrapped up in judgment, always regretting the past, cursing yourself, blaming yourself, asking 'what if,' 'what if.' 'Life is cruel.' 'I wish I had died instead of.' Well--think about this. What if all your actions and choices, good or bad, make no difference to God? What if the pattern is preset? No no--hang on--this is a question worth struggling with. What if our badness and mistakes are the very thing that set our fate and bring us round to good? What if, for some of us, we can't get there any other way?"" I loved this story for the questions, and I loved it for the voices who raised them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PH9UFJFCIR92?ASIN=0316055441	terrible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is too long, self indulgent and beyond loquacious. Such a waste of time. It is so terrible. Only one star. Deserves less.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D87VKEYG0ZER?ASIN=0316055441	Good story, but a bit dragged out.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read.  Certainly felt sorry for the life of the main character.  Sad life for a young boy.  He had a poor father for an image.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HP5VVVXAYOBR?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed thoroughly	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A thought provoking novel that forces self evaluation, and encourages relationship reassessment. I enjoyed it very much a must read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A4W9TLB4KFAZ?ASIN=0316055441	I read it because of the award...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">And it's magnificence is astounding.<br/>I tell people to read this book, but I don't tell them what it's about.<br/>Why ruin it?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZXELRUCW124W?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is tarnished beyond repair.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am giving this 2 stars instead on one because I did get through 3/4 of this long, depressing book.  I kept waiting for something concrete to connect all these characters, most of whom I did not give a thought to, together.  I wanted to know what happened to Theo.  After droning on through most of this dreary humdrum manuscript, skipping long drawn out descriptions of things that, to me added nothing but length to this book, I read a synopsis to see how it ended.  So glad I did not waste another moment of my time on this.  I am not sure how the Pulitzer Prize<br/>is judged and frankly, do not let accolades influence what I read, however,<br/>I must admit, this came as a surprise.  This book was on several must<br/>read lists, so I thought, ok, I will give it a shot.  Damn, I will never get the<br/>time back, wasted on this drivel. Who, what, where was the editor?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4ZBH41PQNX49?ASIN=0316055441	Thank you Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I read The Secret History in '93, I was blown away.<br/>When I read The Little Friend whenever that one came out, I was underwhelmed.<br/><br/>When I read The Goldfinch this year, I was enthralled.  Donna Tartt is a master at her craft.  She may not be the best storyteller in the sense that everything is fun, exciting or enjoyable, but she builds a story so well that reading her work is like peering into someone else's life.<br/><br/>Since many other reviewers have already gone into great depth about the story, I'll skip that and simply express my gratitude for a great experience.  The Goldfinch was at times funny, sad, dreary, suspenseful and even frustrating.  The mood was incredible (the only real sun or warmth throughout the story was while Theo lived in Vegas).  The characters were real with all that that entails: selfish, dumb, brilliant, humble.<br/><br/>Though I agree that it was a bit long, I really didn't mind.  I enjoyed just about every page; enough, at least, that I feel I can forget about The Little Friend.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQYFJG54NRZPA?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't fly for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very excited about this book and waited for weeks to read it. I wanted to savor it, by taking my time and really enjoy it. I did try to find things to agree that it was a thought provoking and deep novel. I think it must have been too deep for me. I got annoyed because the book seemed to exist in a some realm I time that didn't match with reality. I couldn't put my finger on it, but it felt off, like a foreign film where the words couldn't't keep up with the mouth movements. Tartt spoke about things that didn't exist at the time the book took place, and the mother's actions seemed forced. The whole novel seemed indulgent, as though she just wrote whatever she was feeling at the time to create situations in the book.  I read a lot of the reviews, and books are subjective. What works for one, doesn't for the next guy. This one didn't work for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RN35BYO2C7RE?ASIN=0316055441	emotional cocktail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I recommend this book to those with an artist soul. Who are open to exploring layers of themselves while relating to the narrator.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JTP2K7UQBN2?ASIN=0316055441	frankly awful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing book leaves you feeling completely dispair .  Kid has an awful life.  Wouldn't recommend book at all.  Sadly disgusting</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB14W55TYAVF4?ASIN=0316055441	A thoughtful, touching read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is much more than one story told.  It resounds with love and misery, with disparity and atonement.  This book reminds me that not all the burdens I bear are meant to be borne alone.  It spoke to me in a language that I not only understood, but recognized, either from another time or place, or from deep within my own heart.  I usually don't read books written by women, although I am one myself, finding them too sentimental or even cloying.  In my middle age I find that my feelings of love and living are closer to the bone than in my youth, and I find myself wanting the story told cleanly, without someone else telling me how to feel, or even how the character feels.  Tell me what they do, and what they say, and let me decide for myself how they feel.  For this reason I have passed on this book many times, but have always been drawn back to it.  I am glad that I let go of my prejudice against female writers, at least in this instance.  This book has given me much to contemplate.  I like that, and am thankful for it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC1WRN6NZJ17G?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer and I disagree and I am fine with it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You know that feeling when you're 531 pages into a book and you wonder if you should just stop but there are only 200 more pages to go ... well it never got better. This book is dark and twisty but not in the super awesome way and the plot moves as fast as a blindfolded turtle who can't get past the paisley print on his blindfold.<br/>Problems and annoyances abound in this book.<br/>It opens with a flashback and then present day doesn’t show up until about page 600. (I tried reading random pages to see what the heck happens.)<br/>Character development is low – the main character starts at the age of 8 and doesn’t develop heart, courage, or many abilities throughout the narrative.<br/>Mostly a vanilla storyline that has random seconds of excitement which quickly fizzle out.<br/>She tells us what to think about people through description and doesn’t let us form our own opinions.<br/>Hard to read and I am a good reader.<br/>And many more. Nor am I the only one with this opinion – many share my thoughts on this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLJUU8GKTMS07?ASIN=0316055441	Wordy, much?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">OMG! 700 something pages of minute, minutia. There may have been five passages in this book that, for a moment, held my interest.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KHR49N44HVK2?ASIN=0316055441	Over-rated; not a compelling read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of my least favorite books. It was incredibly verbose with too many sub-plots and characters, and I couldn't wait for all of it to be over but the book was a bear to finish. The last 10 pages were the worst. The main character Theo had no personality or backbone, but I loved Theo's mentor Hobie, but that was it. Theo and Hobie's connection and the development of their relationship was the best part of the book, but once the book started veering off into shady characters from the antique collectors world, rich families, Russia and the Netherlands, I gave up. I got lost trying to keep track of where the book was going and all the assorted characters. I just wanted to be done with it all. I did feel better knowing that despite the rave reviews and Pulitzer Prize, the book was panned by many critics who expressed the same frustration as me.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38K9UE2KB43SP?ASIN=0316055441	Repetivtive Ramblings	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would give this a No Star rating if I could.  What a sloppy book - rambling, overwritten, under edited.  There is some fine writing, there are some interesting characters, there are some fascinating plot lines, but...I found it shapeless, repetitive and tedious, and could not be bothered to finish it.  I loved ""Secret History.""  Shame on the editor?  Perhaps.  The hype and rave reviews elude me.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HXBCZ0JMQWMX?ASIN=0316055441	Where was the editor?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would have given it less stars but the first 250 pages engaged me with some wonderful character development, interesting and surprising plot twists. imaginative and sophisticated writing. I was loving this book. Then the author forgot to get an editor. The last 200 pages I wanted to shoot myself. I ended up skimming over pages, skipping whole pages and in the end just jumping to the last page to get the torture over. The author didn't know when to stop. She must have included every small and large idea she ever wrote down on a napkin or thought of while waiting in a grocery line, then created long rambling paragraphs of 3 word phrases and lots of incomplete sentences. The middle of the book which is another 300 pages, was readable however unbelieveable and sometimes ridiculous. Getting from the beginning to the middle was ok, finishing this book was impossible,.<br/>It amazes me that this book could get such good reviews. When I think of the other books I could have been reading it feels like a waste of my time.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K7QIMUOA4AE?ASIN=0316055441	Dragged too much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started off to be an interesting book but I found myself skipping pages and pages of lengthy and repetitive descriptions of la-la land. Would not recommend it unless you are a very patient reader and like redundant scenarios.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R366381C2WOBN0?ASIN=0316055441	This book got a lot of good reviews. I don't know why	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book got a lot of good reviews.  I don't know why.  To me it was just okay.  I finished it, but it was a struggle to do so.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z51742ZZQJJJ?ASIN=0316055441	A very long and tedious read with no real action	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very long and tedious read with no real action. The reader keeps waiting for something, anything, to happen and it never does.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39S59UZW11XC3?ASIN=0316055441	Not a recommended read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Pulitzer Prize? Really?  This was such a drag of a story!  Why waste time reading about such a pitiful life!  So depressing!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R5VJI7PJIFVN?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely amazing writing.  I was gripped right from the beginning to the last page.  Can't wait to read more from this writer.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NYS0UE2I4L8E?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out strong...fizzled some for me from the middle to the end. It has an interesting storyline and some beautiful writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DXYQI4RN7GO4?ASIN=0316055441	Unimpressed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very disappointing read that might have been tolerable if it were 300 pages shorter.  The themes of loss, self-discovery, and redemption couldn't be carried out by lack-luster characters and unbelievable plot twists.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLVEYM9D74BME?ASIN=0316055441	too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ugh long, long, and always saying same things over and over . First half of book much better than ending,<br/>How predictable!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14ANH2RY3ZZI4?ASIN=0316055441	A very hard read. Very disjointed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I recall feeling the same about Catcher In The Rye and Catch 22 as required reading in college lit.<br/>Not enjoyable reading.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NE3JN9QHDU1F?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful novel beautifully written.  Donna Tartt won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction hands down.  I recommend it to everyone.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4OO46TL8SARS?ASIN=0316055441	Must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely amazing! Beautifully written. This has become a novel I will absolutely push into people's hands. Buy this book now!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V3RZE8KDRD2P?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it for about 3/4 of the story. Then began to get bored with the endless dialog and little, if any, movement of the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R199B02B229QMN?ASIN=0316055441	There were parts I truly enjoyed and sentences that I reread because they were wonderfully ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were parts I truly enjoyed and sentences that I reread because they were wonderfully written. However, I found much of it repetitive and even boring.  It's as if Tartt was trying to extend the book through (mainly) scenes of drunkenness, drug trips, and the subsequent vomiting and hangovers, with all the gory details. How many times do we need to read about that?  Ten? Fifteen? TWENTY-NINE?<br/>  I don't see much support throughout the book for the ending, i.e. what actually happens to the painting. It is as if Tartt gets near what should be the end of the story, has figure out what to do with it, and decides it needs to be interesting to try to redeem the story. As for the last 20 pages or so, if an author has to spent that long explaining and re-explaining the meaning of the book to the reader, she has missed the mark.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R136W5KC9JYZ4R?ASIN=0316055441	An outstanding read!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is my favorite Donna Tartt book . . . not by far, but by a margin.  That's because, in my opinion, all three of her books are outstanding.  All three of her books are long, but each is worth the journey.  This book kept me in suspended anticipation throughout.  You can read a summary of the book elsewhere, so there's no need for me to play the literary reviewer here.  I'm not one, by the way.  The portion of Theo Decker's life journey that we're privy to is maddeningly agitating.  I worried about him from the beginning to the end with only a few periods of non-worrying along the way.  There's a dog in the book, too.  As an animal lover I also got to worry about the dog's future.  The Goldfinch is just a beautiful and well-written book.  Donna Tartt is a wonderful writer who fully deserves the Pulitzer Prize for this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SH28A63VJFFJ?ASIN=0316055441	I know why this won the Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book I wish I'd bought in hard copy. It is meant to be read and reread, and puzzled over and thought and thought and thought about.<br/><br/>Mystery meets LIFE. An ancient painting (the Goldfinch of the title) taken by a young teenager during a terrorist explosion in a museum, resulting in the death of his mother, all intertwined with the rest of his life, and the balance of his life.  The mysterious Boris, best friend, alcoholic and drug addict, philosophical pal, and ultimately.....to be discovered.<br/><br/>This is depression full throttle.  Somewhat overwhelming at times, but like a beautiful painting, with all it's complexity and nuances.<br/><br/>Inexplicably, may make you cry, not by circumstances, but by sheer power of expression.<br/><br/>Unbelievably well written. I was awed. I'm buying a hard copy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10JTZO1QY5QBP?ASIN=0316055441	A terrible beauty	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A painful read but worth it. Seemed repetitive at times. love, life and mystery of it all revealed in all its terrible beauty.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17L3GHTMR8T9T?ASIN=0316055441	Good story but much too wordy.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Almost 800 pages, much of it about the drug addiction of the two main characters. The story about the painting was compelling.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNL6DU633OROW?ASIN=0316055441	Did not enjoy the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sorry did not like this book..good writing but no happy with the story line...went on way to long...Last 2 paragraph were good</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16N102JKH87AS?ASIN=0316055441	boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This said the same thing over and over.  I did not like the book at all.<br/>The story line was very bogged down and boring.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2326NMKP553IT?ASIN=0316055441	Did not like all the coruption of the life in Vegas.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story after Las Vegas was gripping and there was a beauty to the life with Hobi. Of course it had to go back to bad part.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QAN07XVQC9E6?ASIN=0316055441	A very strange experience	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Im torn between giving this book a two or a five. There is no question Ms Tartt is a master word smith but there is something uncomfortable about  reading her work that i find hard to put a finger on.<br/><br/>The form is dickensian with the sweep and scope of his novels with a smorgasbord of characters and a nineteenth century victorian painter's eye for detail. However, Ms Tartt lacks Boz's humour. Her characters have the unrelenting alienated psychological frailty that is more like Tennessee Williams, with whom one doesnt want to spend 700 pages.. I am left feeling like I am wondering through Ghormanghast without Peake's irony and satire.<br/><br/>You can see why Im struggling to place this book. In short it is probably a great work of the art that glooms of greatness but for me it was not a pleasant journey.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NQ7UMJR5DJ4P?ASIN=0316055441	Long way for the payoff	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Glad I finished. While there were a number of accurate insights in the book, and a number of different characters, there were a number of topics -- perhaps too many, which included drug use, death of parents, murder, theft, and more -- for me to truly appreciate the end conclusions that the author drew from the story. And a long story it was. While the book's central elements, the sudden death of a parent and the theft of the painting, I found the patina overlaying those elements very distracting, including the unlikely associates and incredibly detailed descriptions in overly long sentences. I did finish it, although it felt more like a slog than an enjoyable read. Makes me wonder the criteria for a Pulitzer Prize -- or whether I'm just stupid and didn't appreciate the elements leading to such a prestigious award.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KN08Q5TA6YAS?ASIN=0316055441	Way Too Long For No Good Reason	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Several issies with this book which I was initially very excited to read. Was riveting in the beginning but started losing steam mid-way. As another reviewer mentioned, it seemed like several books in one but not in a good way. It felt as if the author couldnt decide whether it was a book about loss and trauma, growing up or a thriller about a missing artwork. I liked the book when it was about Theo, the protaganist of the story but somewhere about two-thirds in, it turned into a very convoluted plot to recover the painting which is the title of the novel. Biggest complaint was that it was way too long to hold my interest. In the end, I was kind of pissed off because I invested close to three months reading this book and just could not force myself to finish if even though, according to my Kindle I read 93% of it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C2EUWHUR0WU5?ASIN=0316055441	Misleading start	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My feeling, after having committed untold hours to this book, is resentment at the instantly engaging scenes at the beginning, which led me to believe the entire tome would be as exciting. I found myself skipping pages in frustration, as I was looking for the story and the author was busy in the intricacies of #10 drug-induced dream, or descriptions of furniture or high society ladies, none of which was interesting or really relevant. Irrelevant would also be a way to describe the constant name-dropping of haute clothing brands and such, the only one of which I recognized was Morgane Le Fay. (Pippa just HAD to buy a last-minute dress there, for like $800, while there are 10 or so more affordable stores in the vicinity.)  I just want a good story, and it's in there, but you have to wade through a lot to get there.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKM7YFKKA7PJ?ASIN=0316055441	Too much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think some will love the descriptive language and style, but for me ... too much babble and not enough substance.  Sorry!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V8DSW0D7GA5W?ASIN=0316055441	Substance abuse	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was dismayed by the amount of substance abuse, not surprised, as I have worked in the field.I am amazed that all survived.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PJIQ2YMSRRBM?ASIN=0316055441	Good story but too long winded	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the scenario was great but the language was too descriptive, particularly the ending.  Not good for speed readers!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MFOQA85SK7FZ?ASIN=0316055441	Less would have been more.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book throughout the first 300 or so pages, and then it just became so damn tedious to read. I felt like nothing was happening, which quite literally there wasn't since there were how many multiple year gaps throughout, and came to a point where I didn't care what happened to the painting or Theo. I just wanted to move on with my life. But I kept reading and my interest was somewhat renewed, however, without actually caring still. And that's how it ended for me, apathetically. I don't think Tartt intended to write such an unsympathetic character, but then came to a point where she was like ""oh shucks"" and spent the last 200 pages trying to remind us why we liked Theo in the beginning. You know, victim of some violent act that was never addressed later in the text. Eh, this book could have ended before halfway and I would have probably given it at least 4 stars, quite possibly 5. Alas, all of the prose at the end just left a bitter taste in my mouth.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZEF9E4L9X662?ASIN=0316055441	everything in between is a waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read the first 50 pages and the last 10 pages.. everything in between is a waste of time... author like to ramble on and on</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBTURO5KY8DX0?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The absolute best book I have read in years. It was so beautifully written, and compelling from the first page to the last.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FA1SNB9O4439?ASIN=0316055441	really disliked this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">boring, too long, blogged in such details that the storyline gets all messed up. Tries to hard to be a literary masterpiece but to my humble opinion, it does not even come close.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BO9FDTPAPAAD?ASIN=0316055441	Skip it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't wished so much for a book to be over since I was plodding through the second epilogue of War and Peace.  At first I was drawn in by the overwhelmingly detailed description of the explosion at the museum, but soon realized it didn't mask the lapses which made the plot so unbelievable. (Speaking of unbelievable, I can't believe this book got a Pulitzer prize.)  The construct the author falls back on of stream-of-consciousness  run-on sentences, with paragraphs that go on and on for pages with no break, soon became monotonous and annoying. I love to read, but it got so bad I found myself skimming pages just to plow through the never-ending useless trivia.  It didn't help that all the characters were predictable and unlikable.  Don't waste your time on this drivel. I certainly regret that I did.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VLXQ7O3L3EBO?ASIN=0316055441	Luminous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an unusual style!  The lengthy run on but tangible descriptions of things, impressions, feelings was beautiful.  The resolution to the central problem of the painting was genius.  I think the true ""love"" story in a sense was the friendship with Boris, the very memorable tragic but full of life character without whom this story would be much less enjoyable.  You always want to know what is next with Boris.  As for Pippa his love for her was painful and I wish there had been some connection between them at the end however I suppose this was more realistic.  The role of the painting was so symbolic of many things both tragic and beautiful all the way through to the end and a tragic figure in its own right.  A very unusual well researched and transcendent book, considering reading it again!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PSOOJM1IHOV4?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch:  a bit tarnished	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch begins with the  best dramatic action of any novel I've read in the last 5 years.  It simply grips you, and pulls you into the story before you have a chance to remember you are reading not living the story!  It keeps you out of breath.<br/>However, to sustain this level throughout the book is impossible.  From Manhattan to Los Vegas, and back again, the characters keep reacquainting themselves with each other, yet, keep key attributes hidden from each other and the reader as well.<br/><br/>The twists and turns of the plot show the author's craftsmanship; maybe they show it too well.  The second half of the book becomes a tedious read, through heavily burdensome prose, to try to find out what happens to whom.  I actually skimmed the last 100 pages in an effort to make sure I finished the book.  For my sensibilities, it was too much of a good thing, too self-consciously written to satisfy my reader's need to let the characters reveal the story</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T9ZCYCYJFM6T?ASIN=0316055441	verbose and depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not at all engaging. Had to force myself to finish and now I wonder why I bothered. No resolution, no hope for the future.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TWRXV36XZUAF?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">and I hated to have it end.  I may have to read it again, this time more slowly, to really appreciate it on all levels ...</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RE29J23VD95B?ASIN=0316055441	godfinch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">enjoyed the book but his drug and alcohol use all the way through marred his personality and became annoying. great story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H1X0NG3ZDSUD?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought book went into too much details and would have been better book in cut in half.<br/>Overall depressing story line</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28IMAK7470YYW?ASIN=0316055441	A Story of Modern-Day Idolatry	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an amazing author. It’s no wonder that The Goldfinch was a 2013 Pulitzer Prize Winner and is now being adapted into a movie. It’s full of twists and turns as we see Theo’s ultimate fate unfold before our eyes. The characters from Mrs. Barbour, to Andy, to Boris and Theo’s father are so vivid and colorful. The story itself takes you in directions you would never expect. It’s amazingly complex and yet has us wanting more and more every time. I especially enjoyed the Audible version as each character was given their own voice and cadence (audibly) and I think it added even more to the richness of the story. I honestly think this book is on its way to becoming a classic novel that multiple generations will read and appreciate. You can see more of my review on www.thehippiebookworm.com.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MVVPXKYRL7XN?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the book.  It was engaging from the first page, and I loved the characters.  I wanted to know how they turned out, I was dying to find out.  But I think the book needed an editor with a firmer hand to reduce it by half.  It reads well, everything is thought out well but all the endless descriptions take away from the story.  Too bogged down.  Sad really.  I am a very fast reader and read it in 2 days but I had to skim through a lot of boring descriptions.  Also, I thought that the Boris character and his whole plot line was a bit much.  Now that I've read this I want to read the author's earlier books, which I understand are much shorter.  While I love her writing style it seemed like this book was delivered in this state to the editor and the editor let them publish without cutting much.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6HVJBGJL9VGW?ASIN=0316055441	There were great passages and insights written here	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a slog. Just finished it - read it through to the bitter end. There were great passages and insights written here, some very good writing to be sure. But this book could have been cut by a third and no one would have been the wiser. The ending in particular was difficult to wade through. Truth be known I skipped a lot of pages just to get it done. And Theo, what an unlikable character. His drug and alcohol abuse was hard to relate to. His life after the death of his mother was difficult to relate to. At any point he could've easily done the right thing and didn't, for no apparent reason. At his relationship with Boris, well that was just weird. But I guess we've all had ""friends"" like Boris before. Your life would be far better off without knowing them, but much less interesting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKFCVR3AMPTIJ?ASIN=0316055441	Terrible read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depraved and sick.  Worst book I have read in years.  Do not recommend to anyone. Cannot understand rave reviews it gets.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YUR4GK51TCOX?ASIN=0316055441	Don't start it unless you have time !!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard to put this book down. A great story with  beautiful, flawed, yet intriguing  characters. Fiction truly at its best.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UJP1UDJQPV9F?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting for awhile	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting for awhile but then it went on and on with little point.  The writing was good however. Much too long though.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ4JUEHG2H08N?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of time to read ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long --  boring --  drugs, lies, theft  etc!  Plus repetition ---  can't believe it<br/>Was rated a best seller!!!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVSAX6ZYFZTF9?ASIN=0316055441	Was the editor intimidated by Donna Tartt?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The novel started out with a very compelling story, foreshadowed in the opening lines. This tale spans many fraught years over the course of one unfortunate man's lifetime. However, Ms. Tartt sorely needed an editor. There are many passages which go on so long it actually takes one out of the story. You begin to be able to hear and visualize Ms Tartt thinking and reaching for prose. I estimate this same story could have been told just as effectively in about 600 or so pages. And the ending was rather rambling yet perfunctory, which I know is somewhat contradictory but that's the impression with which I came away. This review is vague because I don't want to spoil any plot points, but I have to say overall this is her weakest novel, although I suspect it is the one she labored over the most.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38XCZTP69XL8U?ASIN=0316055441	"Tartt's Goldfinch proves that ""enough's as good as a feast."""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I acknowledge having read most of the book, glazed over some sections and concluded that Tartt does have something to say.  But she need not have taken so long to say it. I felt as if eveything I needed to know I learned in the first section and 700 odd pages did not further the message.  Praises sung for the Dickenslike knitting together of all things relevant took me directly to the Emperor's New Clothes. With Dickens things just fell together; with Tartt it felt too much like work. A better or different editor might have pulled this back from the over wordy, occasionally grammatically incorrect and annoyingly parenthesized presentation it became.  That an author takes many years to present his/her next opus should not assume that we readers yearn to know where they've been all that time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18694E6GR399X?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was mesmerizing.  It is extremely well-written, with fully developed characters and a plot that keeps on giving.  Just when you think something more startling and unexpected couldn't happen, it does!  It has been compared to the best of Dickens and it lives up to that moniker.  There is an intimacy to the book, despite the largeness of its geographical and emotional terrain, mainly because it is written as a first-person memoir.  You literally feel to the core the  heights and depths of the hero's (protagonist's) roller-coaster literal and emotional experiences.  Ms. Tartt also does an astounding job of dropping the reader into the lives and surroundings of various personalities, adeptly capturing the colour and charcterististics of various locales.  Time and again, you think, she gets it!""<br/><br/>As harrowing and heart-breaking as some of the plot lines are, it is pure pleasure to pick up a book that you can't put down.  Bravo!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12QI5IAI976OL?ASIN=0316055441	De-press-ing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While there were a few suspenseful moments, most of this book is depressing, ruminative, and just plain painful to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38Q1TGXAK6J3B?ASIN=0316055441	Not Great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was unable to finish this book (rare for me). I found that every time it started to become interesting..... it didn't.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KI0RRE8H3PM?ASIN=0316055441	Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book.  It had a few twists and turns that kept it interesting.  Would recommend it as a pretty good book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6NM542LGPE64?ASIN=0316055441	Existential Depression	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book and, like so many who have read it, didn't want it to end and will continue to think about it for a long time. Theo Decker is a young man who is stricken by an existential depression after the sudden brutal death of his mother and abandonment by his father. This kind of depression is not biochemical and may be more common in the gifted student characterized by a unique sense of hopelessness and a feeling that life is without meaning. He goes through his life underachieving and trying to self medicate with alcohol and drugs. His only hope is a work of art that may keep alive, for him, the memory of his beloved mother. He is a character in the tradition of the existential philosophy that humans find meaning in life through our own choices. We are free to do that and therefore responsible for our own misery or happiness. Theo is a victum of random events, but is tied to a work of art that gives his life some chance of meaning.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BGAD2RIWHSV8?ASIN=0316055441	I found myself quite bored with Theo and Boris' s drug escapades	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading ""The Goldfinch,"" I have to admit that I expected more from a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. While the relationships between Theo and his various compnions were interesting, they certainly weren't riveting, or even memorable. I found myself quite bored with Theo and Boris' s drug escapades, and thought they added little to the plot. Instead, I would have been more intrigued if Tartt had explored the history of the painting and involved Theo more directly in its creation,  rather than loosely suggesting that it was a symbol for him. Was it, even? I saw little of the bird's bravery in the face of despair in Theo's character. Unlike the abject sadness one feels seeing a wild creature prohibited from taking flight, one feels no pity for Theo and the choices he makes.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GAPAH57E0T6N?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful - Probes all the 'Big Questions' While Staying a Page-Turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In all my reviews, I've never written 'masterpiece', but I think this one might actually deserve it. To think I initially resisted reading this book, as it sounded too depressing! And in many ways it is depressing, but it is also very warm and real, and filled with moments of beauty and love. And this is exactly what the novel probes- the tragedy and pain of the human condition, and all the myriad ways we suffer, but also the moments of depth and beauty, that keep us going, and make life more than simply denial.<br/><br/>As for the plot, this book mostly takes place in the 'underbelly' of society - amongst addicts, trauma survivors, gamblers, hustlers, and the mentally ill. Anytime a character arrives that seems like they might actually have it together, we quickly learn their ways of pretending, and of coping. The Goldfinch of the title is a painting, an extraordinary one whose whereabouts drive the plot of the book. Enough has been written about the plot, and honestly, it's better to go in not knowing too much, so you can let it unfold.  Just don't be put off by the description - this is so well-written and compelling.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M73WCJBNM77T?ASIN=0316055441	soooooooooooo slow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too descriptive<br/>Too long<br/>Too wordy<br/>Waited so long for nothing to happen<br/>Needed it to just let it be</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TKW6M9LV0KNE?ASIN=0316055441	I hated this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hated this book! I found it pretentious and weak. I did not like any of the characters and found the plot ridiculous.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TSIA68NYHPQ7?ASIN=0316055441	It's gold for sure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a good read unless you get bummed out by the heavy drug use. The characters are well defined and have great depth.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D8J72PH75G33?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing and Lovely	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best book that I have read in a very long time.  Lyrical writing and a fascinating story line.  Highly recommended!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S3WBJEUTO6F6?ASIN=0316055441	All the rave reviews are true	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A total but sometimes troubling delight. Very best book I've read in the last few years. Modern day Catcher in the Rye.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YVXEM7UNJ3XB?ASIN=0316055441	A modern Catcher In The Rye	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book because it was well written and edgy. A realistic look into the human psyche and the reality of life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34X8Q30ULJYDR?ASIN=0316055441	750 pages in 3 days. A real page turner.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was the best page turner I ever read. Her descriptive passages were so vivid I felt as though I was seeing a movie.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJLJL5TRHH47E?ASIN=0316055441	EARNED ITS PULITZER	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best read in a looong time. You won't be disappointed. Have ordered the rest of her books based on this one's quality.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10W71MU0PTC2B?ASIN=0316055441	Good but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author gives amazing details.. some necessary some just mundane.. making the book way too long and boring at times</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LQSB270B661G?ASIN=0316055441	much ado about nothing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very long read. Interesting in places, depressing in others. Sorry I took the rime and spent the money. Way too dark</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHZ97T91W7XHV?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the writing style, but the story was just too dark for me.  I would definitely try this author again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23NZMVUZFHOSE?ASIN=0316055441	Black and gold	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved The Secret History, and was worried that The Goldfinch wouldn't meet the high standards I've come to expect from Donna Tartt, so much so that I didn't purchase her new title immediately when it was released. I didn't want to be disappointed. What an idiot I am! I went 6 months without knowing Theodore Decker and Boris. Now that I've not only met them but lived them, cried with them, laughed with them (Boris and Theo as teenagers are laugh out loud funny and tragic, often in the same sentence), I can't imagine not having them in my life. Reminded me of Wally Lamb at his best...raw and painful yet beautiful and inspiring. Reading this book is one of those rare experiences where you don't care that you have to be out of bed at six in the morning - you simply must keep reading. I was gutted when it was over. Am now worried I won't be able to find anything even half as good to move on to...your suggestions are welcome!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DRY8FMZ25P4N?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent, compelling, I'll remember this story for a long time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As an undergraduate in college, I majored in English Lit, so I've read a lot of books, and continue to read every day.  This is one of the best books I've ever read.  The author really pulled me inside Theo's head, and I actually became him while I was reading.  I always read when I go to bed, and one night after falling asleep I dreamed I was doing what he'd been doing in the book, and felt the same determination and anxiety.  It was very profound, and stayed with me all the next day and beyond.  I couldn't wait to get back to where I'd left off.  I felt that way every day, looking forward to touching the Kindle app on my iPad to open it up, and with just a few words and I'd be totally drawn into his world again.  I completely understand why it won the Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WGULBIWNMPNL?ASIN=0316055441	Ladened with excessive details	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read somewhere that Ms. Tartt spent ten years writing this book. I had to wonder what that might have entailed: three sentences a day? The feeling I kept getting when reading this very large book was the author is a very isolated and insulated individual--this is not unusual with many writers. But essentially, the sense I picked up was: she really doesn't like human beings all that much. Well, whatever it may be, I found the premise of this story to be weak grounds for a 800 page tome. A boy loses his mom at the Met museum in New York in a bombing, and ends up with this classic painting...the rest is just not worth it.<br/><br/> Some have compared Ms. Tartt to Dickens--which she is clearly not. Dickens had a liveliness and a juicy richness to all of his characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MZ34U19F6CMP?ASIN=0316055441	One of the worst books I have ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One  of the worst books I have ever read.  Keeps going from one place to another.  Cannot believe it is a best seller</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38EZ3RL1AS5UH?ASIN=0316055441	Too tedious!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I expected more since it was #1 on the best seller list!  Way too long and depressing. If you haven't read it, don't.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IWPLM42QUP6K?ASIN=0316055441	Pageturner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have to admit despite the size of Donna Tartt's new book, I whipped through it in two sittings. And then went back and reread the first 2 chapters (highly recommended). Though at times I felt the sections in Las Vegas dragged on a bit, I think we as readers were supposed to experience something like a 40 year sojourn in the desert as we watched the protagonist and his Russian friend almost destroy themselves with alcohol in the wasteland outside of Las Vegas. I loved how the book was narrated - we cared deeply about the protagonist, rooting right along with him and the friends he makes throughout the novel. As others have said, a bit of Catcher in the Rye, a true Bildungsroman that leads us from one coast to the other, always landing solidly in NYC. With the background of the stolen painting and memorable cast of characters, I find myself thinking about the book weeks later. Her best since the Secret History.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CO4JUXPAG30P?ASIN=0316055441	Difficult to hang in there.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book started out magnificently.  However having to read every single thought that lead character was thinking became very tiresome.  I almost made it to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LQN4D7HHKFBJ?ASIN=0316055441	Did not enjoy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy this book.  I found it extremely boring and difficult to finish.  I kept hoping it would get better.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5J72S6SITM6X?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book should have been edited!  Some of the characters did not seem real.  I did finish it but I don't know why.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UTFFXVX1GRRK?ASIN=0316055441	Ok	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring in so many places. Dragged on for an eternity, some held your interest, others flip pages as fast as possible</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P8HFMW9AQVNT?ASIN=0316055441	Very Good Book, Very, Very Good Book, But a Long, Long Road...for Theo Decker and for the Reader...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book, great  book, certainly worthy of the Putlizer Prize,. Great story and even better character development. Superb!<br/><br/>But it is too long....<br/><br/>How do you say that a book you describe as ""good"" and ""great""?<br/><br/>It's simple:  As much as one may enjoy the book, you can read most of the night and hardly make a dent in its 775 pages.<br/><br/>Reader fatigue?  No, probably not.  Just a good story that goes on and on and on...<br/><br/>The reader may, at some point, think about all the other good books waiting to be read and become weary of spending so much time on this one book.<br/><br/>A good book, well worth the read, but be prepared for the long haul.<br/><br/>In the end, it's worth it.  Just be prepared to stay awhile.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R172YWQTF7QZSD?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting but no Secret History	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a remarkable achievement.  Tartt's knowledge alone, of topics from the effects of drug use to furniture restoration to art history, are mind-blowing.  The story is indeed a page turner and the character of Boris is one to stay with you for a very long time.  (His use and misuse of idiom is a sheer joy!)  There are passages, such as her description of clinical depression and the way an antiques dealer preys upon the customer's wish to create an image of himself, a ""stage set"" for his life, that are perfection.  However, Tartt plays some dirty tricks when we realize she withholds information on the flimsiest of pretexts.  We are also to suspend disbelief when the main character does (and doesn't do) certain things for the sake of her plot.  Finally, some dialogue, especially at the start of the book, is not convincing.  (Both Boris's and Pippa's effusiveness upon first meeting Theo is strikingly inauthentic to me.)  So while The Goldfinch is not as cohesively perfect as Tartt's first book, more rambling and diverse, it is still a wonderful read that thoroughly engages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KJY55DBDS7XB?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch: A Novel.  A total waste of my precious reading time.  I kept hoping it would get interesting.  Not!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TSR39FA0TNG2?ASIN=0316055441	Good read a little long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a good read. It could have used some editing in my opinion. But its worth the effort and a good summer read</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21EYE3IUODHPD?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to keep with.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was wordy, unpleasant, and hard to enjoy when the main character showed no spine.  I hated the parts with Boris.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36KWJ3623EU5L?ASIN=0316055441	The best of her three books	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What brilliant writing.  I went back and read her first two novels as well and was just stunned at how beautifully this woman can write.  Goldfinch has a strong plot that kept me turning pages and wonderful characters, who really lived. Tartt can write fantastic dialoge..  Some readers had trouble with the darker areas of the book, but I think it was important to be shown how a young boy, struggling with PTSD can descend into darkness and despair before finding his way toward living with joy, despite all he'd been through.  I read it twice and then went back and read ""The Secret History"" and am now in the middle of ""The Little Friend"".  Goldfinch is the best of the three.  Can't wait for her next book, but it may be another ten years!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ACJZYDG3VP59?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch ruined me in the best way possible.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book definitely doesn't NEED another review, but I have to put in my two cents.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch ruined me in the best way possible. I am an avid reader; typically I can jump from book to book seamlessly, one after another. But THIS book stopped me in my tracks.<br/><br/>I've been struggling for two weeks now to start another book, but I cannot get my mind off of The Goldfinch. Donna Tartt's prose is stunning, the story is heartbreaking, real, poignant. It moved me in such a way that I haven't been moved since... gosh, since Anna Karenina or Gatsby.<br/><br/>I cannot even sufficiently put into words what it is that I love so much about this book, but I know that I cannot recommend it enough. Just beautiful. This is one for the ages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REONGBEZSEGU0?ASIN=0316055441	A pretty strong plot line is almost submerged in the unending ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am not the fastest reader in the world- I usually take about 8-10 days of spare time per book. Goldfinch broke all records for  endless reading time. There is a plot line. But this  author is so gifted with the ability to weave a story that the weaving  becomes almost a detriment to the flow of story. The description of personal reaction to places and things and people goes on and on, it's effusive and longwinded where at one point I actually succumbed to skim reading just to try to get to the point at any given situation. A pretty strong plot  line is almost submerged in the unending descriptions - walking into a room can take 3 to 4 pages of character reaction and recollections---every time, to be honest I had to plod through to get to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K3ZIBEESK050?ASIN=0316055441	Required History of Art Course Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Liked: Her descriptions of weather in New York and Amsterdam, cold, rain, canals - are paintings with words worthy of Monet and Van Gogh</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28CAKIMWHAHLO?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good descriptive passages, but clumsy shifts in plot, and I didn't find convincing explanations of the characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X98BVDPHFDXS?ASIN=0316055441	terribly wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So long and drawn out.  Uses paragraphs to describe a situation that could be told in a few sentences.<br/>Boring</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37LD5UHOK2AO6?ASIN=0316055441	I was amazed at how convincing the author was able to write ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was amazed at how convincing the author was able to write in the voice of a young adolescent boy..  I was pleased to know that whatever Board that governs the Pulitzer Prize was not afraid to honor Ms. Tartt with this prize.  I say this because there are a lot of pretty wild characters…..but mostly a lot of serious drug users.  The Board might have thought this would send a bad message from their organization if they endorses this as the best of the best.<br/>I happen to live in NYC and know all the places the author wrote about and have met similar characters throughout my 50 years of living in Greenwich Village….just a few blocks from Theo.  The book was a real page turner so much so I have neglected my NY Times and The New Yorker magazine.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S19OX0FGXJQ0?ASIN=0316055441	Starts Strong...Ends Weak	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read The Goldfinch followed by All the Light We Can Not See, and the differences in how similar story elements were handled is striking.  Both books' focus on an object that the main characters lives directly, or indirectly, revolve around.  My view of The Goldfinch may be tainted by Doerr's stunning work in All the Light We Can Not See.  Tartt's narrative is taunt in the first two parts of the story, but meanders there after.  The characters re-emerge in haphazardly arranged meetings that have little finesse.  The book, generally, held my interest for about 600 pages, after that, I was reading to finish it, and relieved when it was over.  For me, this book started with great promise, but couldn't sustain the energy created in the beginning.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q1Y9KSXKM385?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the first 750 pages....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">...but the last 30 to 40 pages lost me.  After such a long and engaging read, I was hoping for a finale as great as the rest of the book.  Unfortunately the last pages are tedious and even pedantic as Tartt slips into the world of essay.  As some commentators have noted, the editor of this book should have cut out the many unneeded pages.  That said, this is a wonderful book which like all great novels is both timely and timeless.  In addition to the modern day Holden Caulfield leading character and the Dickensian cast of eccentric characters, the book is loaded with LOL moments I am sure  I will remember years from now.  At the same time, it asks serious questions particularly relevant in our post 9/11 world like how we deal with the loss of loved ones when catastrophe strikes.  Bottom line, despite the disappointing ending, this is a great American novel that I strongly recommend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R45CC2CDEEA?ASIN=0316055441	Very disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too slow moving and too long.  Not credible at all.  I would not recommend this book.  It was very disappointing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4LG5QPCTK4KM?ASIN=0316055441	Great talent wasted on the expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I pushed through this novel, because I found myself wanting to see the main character through to the end.  While Donna Tartt has such incredible gifts as a story-teller and her prose is amazing, I really felt it was wasted on such a sordid story. We have so much violence and apathy in this world - I found it hard to continue to read page after page of drug, violence and alcohol related shenanigans by teenagers and young adults.  I can watch the news and get the same thing. While the main characters' story is a sad and complicated one, the choice to have him succumb to the expected on such a vicious level was really disappointing. I am going to look into some of her other books in the hope that she uses her gifts for a more redeeming purpose.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3215X1CN8RS5Q?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First thing I might say is take your time reading this.  I have read alot of negative reviews on this book and have realized the reviewer must have read the book too fast.  Most of the things said were not at all reflected when I read it.  This is a most enjoyable book to read.  I only put it downto charge my Kindle.  I could have read it charged in, but felt I needed some reason to take a break.  This gave me the time I needed to think about what I had read.  I love art and I wish I could have the chance to see little bird in my lifetime. But until that happens, I will always have this story to remember.  Well worth the read.  I just have to say, start your read with a clean slate.  Then follow this little boy through his life. Enjoy..</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVA972HXWZ0AA?ASIN=0316055441	Detailed story of one person's journey through a difficult life.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing story, lots of twists and turns. An up close look at the dark side of the art world and antique dealing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P6G0DUTJ46HM?ASIN=0316055441	Good for the summer.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A interesting read. The male perspective presented by a woman can be difficult but the author does it very well.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P0MG41TVK80O?ASIN=0316055441	literature, poetry, philosophy, and a damn good story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm sure I'll read this book again. There is too much to absorb in one reading. Very deserving of the accolades!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OS3UHWFXRFBW?ASIN=0316055441	Don't believe the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was not only a difficult book to finish it was trite and depressing.  I would not recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCL977BXKF1SV?ASIN=0316055441	A monumental waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am aware of the positive reviews the book has received from a variety of reviewers.  However, it is seldom, after reading a book that I have the sense I have just wasted my time.  The book is overly long.  The characters demand no sympathy for their problems--most of which they bring to themselves.  The principle character, for whom we seem expected to hold great sympathy because he lost his mother tragically when he was quite young, and that sympathy is supposed to last well into a troubled adulthood is not sympathetic.  The main character strikes one as quite stupid for being unable to solve the simplest of problems, that is, returning a painting to a museum.<br/> I would not recommend spending the time to read an inconsequential book with no point to it.  But, if you enjoy drugs, alcohol, thievery, and nonsensical violence, by all means waste a few hours of your time.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGFJBEE1TQ8ZR?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting  But Overblown	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just finished reading this 700+ page novel. I know that it has been widely praised and tops the Best Seller lists. But for me, it was kind of an overblown mess. I really had to skip through many of the tediously long descriptive passages looking for something that moved the story forward. Although the book covers around 14 years in the life of Theodore Decker (the narrator), and he certainly was dealt a lot of sadness and trauma in his life, the story would have improved with some serious editorial tightening. Many of the characters seemed like cliched stereotypes: unsupervised teenagers dabbling in crime and drug/alcohol use, deadbeat alcoholic dad with serious gambling issues, New York society family with closeted mental health issues, quaint (but slightly naive) elderly guardian/mentor, and drug-dealing east European criminals. Just not the type of book that I prefer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6EVJV78AT35Q?ASIN=0316055441	Moving with a sublimity that threads it's way into the reader's heart	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">We witness Theo's personal evolution in a very intimate way. That said, there were passages that were a little too drawn out. For this reason I've given this work 4 not 5 stars.  The story is a beautiful one on so many levels; bringing to life other great literary and visual works of art. It is very often difficult to like the protagonist, however, the reader sticks with him throughout: rooting for him in his journey. Theo embodies so much of the universal human experience that, at times, we don't want to acknowledge.<br/>I really enjoyed traveling along with Theo and getting to know the people and places he encounters along the way.<br/>Compelling plot, spot on imagery and nice exploration of the human experience. Wonderful read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OHWLME6FYUD7?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing Look at the Art World	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel starts with a bang (literally) into the realm of important paintings, antique furniture and brilliant forgeries.  Its semi-orphaned, teenaged protagonist bounces from both the moneyed and bohemian neighborhoods of Manhattan to a sterile, underpopulated subdivision in the desert outskirts of Las Vegas to the dangerous underbelly of Europe.  Complex, well crafted characters include a repressed Upper Eastside wife and mother, a young Russian emigre and budding career criminal and an obsessive love interest.  The Goldfinch is a lengthy read and the slower sections feel like they are set in real time.  Still it is that rare literary page turner and I finished before I knew it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QN0RVNMQA2OM?ASIN=0316055441	Dragged on and on	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dragged on and on. Found myself skipping a lot of pages. Wouldn't recommend it to my friends. I was very bored.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J2UFIJ30QH2R?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to Stay Involved	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The basis of the book was good, however the author tends to wander. I had a very hard time finishing this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MVJP2VD2NQXH?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful but wordy...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book started out great...captured and held my interest for many pages. Then the endless pages of over-explanation started and actually got progressively worse as the book went on. There was no need for the very, very, very, very, very, very, -  you get my point - lengthy, wordy explanations or descriptions of people, places or things (writing about the entire menu in the cafe where they reclaimed the painting). I skipped pages and pages of this book and never missed out on anything. The drawn out dialog between the characters was very often unnecessary, and almost made me lose total interest, besides frustrating me. All of that being said, I still enjoyed the story. She's a good writer, but needs to reign in on the words.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I7LGU075D4JZ?ASIN=0316055441	A brilliant and captivating story with unique characters who blend really ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A brilliant and captivating story with unique characters who blend really well together despite their widely varied sensibilities and backgrounds and outlooks. The plot always makes you hungry for more, always the sign of a great book, and it has wonderful varieties of pace that never disappoint. The novel reaches across the whole social spectrum seamlessly and the characters are so well drawn that they inspire a full range of emotions as you discover them. The plot builds to a series of climaxes and if I have any criticism it is that when the pace slackens as it does from time to time to reflect on the characters, you become impatient to move on, but that is maybe a reflection on how good the plot is rather than any defect.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16513FOO2KAAY?ASIN=0316055441	Just glad I didn't do the audiobook	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hmmmmmm, book shoud've ended at least 100 pages earlier.  Yes, Donna Tartt is an exceptional writer. But that's about all I can say about this. Just glad I didn't do the audiobook. This way I could just skim over the final chapters. I think if I had had to read one more self-indulgent, sweaty, self medicated moment in our hero's life, or ""listen"" to his equally self-obsessed Russian friend blab on forever, I would have screamed. I think I did actually scream. (Sorry, can't even remember the characters' names. It's been a while since I read it). Modern writers seem to be into repeating the characters' psychotic breaks over and over.  Thank you. I got it the first ten times.  They don't seem to be able to wrap it up.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12XL11EV3LSJ4?ASIN=0316055441	Wordy, But Fascinating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was held in thrall by this book for about the first 600 or so pages.  Then I began wishing it would end.  Most of the book, though wordy, was great to read because the story and the suspense of the stolen painting were fascinating.  But - spoiler alert - the last fifty pages were excruciating - overwritten, verbose philosophizing from the main character, which pretty much added up to life is short and disastrous, but there is joy and beauty to be had during your split second in eternity.  And somehow the painting of the goldfinch symbolized this.  An outlook depressing enough to make the reader want to take up transcendental meditation.  Maybe I'm wrong, but only a rabid Donna Tartt fan could gift this with five stars.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ9F81RCIP62Y?ASIN=0316055441	The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo meets the French Connection	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is where the sureality of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in the beginning of the book meets rush of excitement of The French Connection near the end of the book.  Its a big book, a big commitment is required.  The development of the story was fascinating and satisfyingly complete.  All the details were there to make it a believable and sympathetic reading experience.  It reminded me that no one ever knows where someone else is or why they are there.  Theo was thoroughly trauma bludgeoned, sufficiently so that the ten or so years of oblivion was to be expected.  One cannot toss off trauma with a shake of the head. He survived only by slowly crawling his way out, thru some good luck and some bad.  Good book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Y6J6LC48Y4Q?ASIN=0316055441	Savored this book (until the very end)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cannot give Donna Tartt a bad review for ANY of her books.  I would rate Secret History a 5, Little Friend a 4 and this one gets more like a 4 1/2 (was not an option).  Although it is a hefty novel and looks (and feels- talk about a HEAVY book) a little intimidating, I sailed through the book!  That is, until about the last 50 pages.  The ending kind of fell apart- Donna tried to get a little too philosophical and it was lost on me.  But aside from the ending, I applaud her and I thoroughly enjoyed (most of) the story.  It gets a little long and monotonous in some places, but nothing unbearable.  I was hooked from the first page- her character development is always amazing and she doesn't disappoint in The Goldfinch!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLQH2EXM6QJVR?ASIN=0316055441	sue	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept scrimming the words to get to the story, just didn't capture me, too many words around the story for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHX19TTVLKVL5?ASIN=0316055441	'the Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">would not recommend this to anyone - could not wait to finish this book. I'll never read another Donna Tartt.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T7TQ501PPHN7?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">whilst the book started off well, towards the end it just became tedious and hard to read and I lost interest</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A23692WTYCCA?ASIN=0316055441	A Pulitzer Prize?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A lot of writing for very little story.  I like to read a book that makes me feel something and this did not.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z6TQPVFW4QK7?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was gripping and at points I could not put it down. Unique and interesting story line. Would recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33YH6L5B9EOQS?ASIN=0316055441	slogged	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the writing is, on the occasion, inspired, but in the whole careens from mind numbing descriptions of the minutest details of things no one could possibly have any interest in and overbroad, hyperbolic cliched philosophical speeches, punctuated by the most unbelievable series of dramatic events that don't seem to intersect with one another or reveal any apparent linear storyline. I more or less disliked or could care less about nearly every character in the book, each one, including the storyteller, seemingly amoral, horrible examples of the worst of humanity, which made walking through the fantastic situations more an endurance test than a suspenseful or enjoyable read. Many people liked this book. I give it a meh.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26QIPLK08IMPZ?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. I'm still thinking about it! This is a book that draws you into the characters and makes you care -- deeply.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R365I7RSSPFPCE?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt does an excellent job of developing the characters and we get into ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Certainly a well-written book and I can understand it earning the Pulitzer. But I found it to be too long for the story it tells. Ms. Tartt does an excellent job of developing the characters and we get into the heads of all the major players. However, taking three to four pages describing a thought or reaction is a little too much for me. Saying that, the story is interesting, well-developed and compelling. The characters are complex, and even though often predictable, worthy of a readers interest. Maybe it was just me, or maybe it was my mood at the time of reading it, but I kept waiting for the next thing to happen and when it finally did, I sort of felt that I should not have had to wait so long for it to occur.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PHTNLDG14R9D?ASIN=0316055441	Pompous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just starting and can't keep from rolling my eyes, page after page.  Story and actions are so implausible.  Seems written specifically for a self-congratulatory New York dandy who loves to hear himself talk.  Use of the word ""silver ware"" instead of utensils, cutlery, etc. was just one small slip.  The writer can help herself from mixing signs of wealth with signs of the average man. How did this kid from a family with financial challenges attend elementary school and live in tandem with the kids from the most affluent families?  Can't believe this story captivated the Pulitzer judges - unless they are the same self-satisfied New York dandies for whom this book was written.  Going to keep reading - for now.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMDKMEWLR2QB2?ASIN=0316055441	Say What again, I dare you, I double dare you..............	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was Theo hard of hearing?  I'm tempted to listen to the whole book again just to count how many times he says ""What?"" or ""Sorry?"" when someone says something to him.  It's got to be like at least 50 times!!<br/>I'm not quite done yet.  I'm on the next to last disc and hating it, but at this point I just refuse to walk away with so little left to go.  Who in he!! decides on the Pulitzer Prize???  And what is with Ms. Tartt and drugs and alcohol?  I read The Secret History by her and every character in that book was constantly taking pills and/or drinking just like in this one.<br/>I think there could have been a good book in there somewhere, but Ms. Tartt managed to lose it in endless depressing unneeded detail.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HF3UT6JK1JS3?ASIN=0316055441	painstakingly good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put it down yet the novel novel was so good I made it last for days. There are so many layers to this delicious book you truly become enrapt in its hold.<br/><br/>If you've never read anything like this before or you just haven't found a good book in a long time, this book will swallow you whole and spit you out with perhaps a jaded but refreshed perspective on all the nuances in life in addition to this idea that we really are all part of a pattern in life.<br/><br/>And love for beauty and the beauty of objects primarily art is what connects us generation to generation and allows us to communicate through space and time.<br/><br/>Not even death can take away the power and intangibility of love.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AUUNS35ZNO2Y?ASIN=0316055441	Not nearly as good as I hoped it would be	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not nearly as good as I hoped it would be.  The story could have been shorter and still had the same effect.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NPL3K4OOSL10?ASIN=0316055441	way too long winded	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No, I would not recommend this book. Sorry I started it.<br/>I did finish it, but kept wishing it was over.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16OFT2JOGJS7Z?ASIN=0316055441	Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long and too many descriptions of the same things over and over! Parts were just hard to get through</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R43O2VDD0JCI4?ASIN=0316055441	"""Read"" the recorded version"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Every once in a while a book comes along that is so brilliantly narrated, it's actually better to listen to it than read it yourself.  This is such a book.  Not only because the 800 pages will fly by and you will not have to deal with a hefty book or flimsy paper. but more importantly because the narrator of this book, David Pittu, so brilliantly captures all the voices the characters will become completely real to you.  His vocalization of Theo's Ukrainian friend, Boris, is incredible.  You get every nuance of the crazy, drunk dialog.  His voice for Hobie is gentle and kindly; his voice for Andy distinct and exactly as described in the book; Xandra (Dad's girlfriend) is brash and grating.  I loved this book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18C4UTF9H4QRA?ASIN=0316055441	Horrid book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was by far the worst book I have ever read.  I'm a pretty avid reader and was impressed with all of the good reviews, so I thought I'd give it a try.  The writing was absolutely horrible.  The author would drag on a provide so much unnecessary details during the times when nothing of importance was happening.  Then when something of interest finally came up, everything was glossed over.  I could not get into any of the character so.  The main character, Theo, was depressing to read about.  His best friend, Boris, I was annoyed by everything about this character.  The one character I did enjoy reading about was Hobbie; that is who the main character should've been.  Don't waste your time with this book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FED4SJS4KC43?ASIN=0316055441	Thought most of the book was excellent, but did not care at all for the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought most of the book was excellent, but did not care at all for the ending.  It ruined the book for me.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EYPUVZKO1NBJ?ASIN=0316055441	good story but dragged out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the story but got very bored and sicken with the drugs. I believe the story was dragged out a bit</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DJB66BNRBBZI?ASIN=0316055441	Good to the very end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it on many levels.  How eternal art is, how flawed we are but still try, how important compassion is.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LUOL8XYCQL36?ASIN=0316055441	Wanted: Editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As I began this novel, I found the  story line and characters promising and interesting, but I struggled to finish  it, distracted by the  drug-induced dialogue.  For the most part, well written with good descriptions, but  the author didn't know where to stop and  her editors seem to  have been asleep on the job.  The story could have been told in half the length and would have been  a stronger piece of literature.<br/><br/>A  side note: I agree with other reviews who pointed out the errors in timing (iPad, texting, etc.) but I also thought it strange that Boris in the second half of the book seemed to have more of an Eastern European/Russian accent  as an adult.  In serious need of some heaving editing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UPXD744YPYM0?ASIN=0316055441	Stunning book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a deep and loving look into the interior landscape of someone who was fractured in time. Loved it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6VADTFQNNQWB?ASIN=0316055441	the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So multi layered. Written by a woman in a male voice that is impeccable an utterly believable. I loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXOCJUEXXD5JF?ASIN=0316055441	... a review by Jill Stevens which I think is excellent and she gave the book 3 stars --I think ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is a review by Jill Stevens which I think is excellent and she gave the book 3 stars --I think that is probably fair. That said I felt the strong parts were so incredibly strong and thought provoking that I could not help but give it a five. I thought some of the characters were well developed and the experience of Theo and the range of interactions with adult was so strong I would like to assign parts to a mental  health practice class I teach. The machinations about tracking down the painting got a bit tedious and I agreed again with many that it bogged down a bit in the last hundred pages or so leading the to final sections.  In the end I still think it will be long viewed as a great book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AFIH2UY0E9P5?ASIN=0316055441	If it can get worse, it will	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really don't care if it won the Pulitzer. I rarely stop reading a book, especially one that I bought as a recording, but this one did me in. I suffered through NINE discs before I finally admitted that the story was annoying, ridiculous, unrealistic, etc. I disliked almost all of the characters and resented the assumption that the reader would just put up with any character or plot twist presented. Of course there has to be conflict in a novel, but we also want to root for someone. In this book I wanted them all to check into rehab. The incessant inner dialogue and helpless whining made me feel like I was reading a book for rich, secretly at-risk youth. I know I have better things to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14NW9NB8PDVUE?ASIN=0316055441	Fails to meet expectations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch starts with a bang, literally, and for the first two hundred pages keeps the reader enthralled. Then the vivid descriptions become laboured and boring, I began to skip through them in order to find out what is going to happen to Theo, the young character, who at first I loved but as time goes on, even he becomes boring. At first, I'm reading to find out what is going to happen and then at some point, I don't care anymore, and I do - one of those rare things for me - I give up reading. After 600 pages, I didn't care enough to even skip to the end.<br/>This would be an excellent book if it was half the length and half the descriptions...or maybe not.<br/>I don't recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YTH39UE6OLFB?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful but Empty	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I may be the only person on Amazon who didn't like this book.  I slogged my way through the entire 800 pages, but my only feeling for the lead character was, ""eh?""  Who cares?  DonnaTartt has written a protagonist with almost no redeeming characteristics:  he's a drug addict, an alcoholic and totally without heart or empathy.  I found it interesting that near the end of the book he says that his fiancé showed no feeling for anyone, yet he was the most self-absorbed, hollow character that I've read in a long time.<br/><br/>As everyone else says, the writing is amazing and evocative and beautiful.  If Donna Tartt could only have engaged my sympathy, empathy, compassion for Theo, I would have liked the book.  As it is, Theo was, for me, so self-involved and shallow that I simply could not like the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25DX45LN8FPUE?ASIN=0316055441	WHAA WHAA !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book ""The Goldfinch"" is a nihilistic, hedonistic example of all that is wrong with literature today.  Sure it is a good read, Tartt has made us care about the main character, who because he has experienced pain in the death of his mother and because he has survived a random act of terrorism, is allow to become a shit to all he meets and as a results betrays not only those who care for him but also renders his mother's death meaningless.  She fails to rear a child who will break the chain of his father's juvenile behavior. Character is not his strong point and I suppose that his unrequited love for the young girl who shared his trauma that violent day allows for some sort of consequences for his actions in that she can't resolve her fondness for ""Potter"" with his proclivity for asininness. Spoiler alert:  He doesn't get the girl he loves but the one he deserves.  If art reflects the culture in which it is written then I suppose this book is for you but if writing influences the culture in which it is created then this is just another attempt to sabotage what is left that is decent in the human soul.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R363HBZVP13OGV?ASIN=0316055441	A long, long read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A gifted writer  -- but the story and spirit of this book got lost in its vastness. Too long -too wordy.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34MAODXYSKH5D?ASIN=0316055441	I was entranced	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a compelling book; not a 5 star because it needed to be edited down a few pages in my estimation.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GF9OBTTRI6IG?ASIN=0316055441	Found it to be worth the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it! Too much advance word here made me reluctant to pick this one up, but a great story well-told.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R132BPTCWT3IFT?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found this novel to be way too wordy and way to long. The characters were unlikeable and I soon lost interest in them and what happened to them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21LEUBF196FTM?ASIN=0316055441	WARNING: EXTREMELY DARK!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is brilliantly written as many knowledgeable reviewers have noted. BUT I'd warn anyone having a problem with depression to avoid this book as it's EXTREMELY negative tone might push them over the edge. The central character is constantly plagued with unfortunate circumstances and when you think that it can't get any worse - IT DOES! I found the book to be gripping. While I fervently wished for this ordeal to end, I could not put it down.<br/>In simple terms: If you like reading about a person whose life is more miserable than yours, then this is the book for you.<br/>Personally, I wish that I'd never picked this book up, but as I noted, I was unable to stop reading all 771 pages.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2008VBDJ8P351?ASIN=0316055441	Holds attention	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read in years.  Wish it had been longer.  I'll be reading the others by her.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36RBLZBCHME2R?ASIN=0316055441	A masterpiece of fiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A completely absorbing book with Dickensian overtones and the theme of how vital art is to our existence as human beings.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4NTH2JFCJOVN?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The overly written prose in this book, is it's downfall. It took everything I had to finish the novel, it went on and on. So few happy moments just made it depressing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N1187HC8PE8N?ASIN=0316055441	that might not have been the best choice. ) I only recommend this book to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WOW! This book is LONG! But anyone can see that. What is most disturbing about this book is the near-obsession the author seems to have about drug use. I found it so depressing that a little more than halfway through, I had to put it down for a lighter read. Oddly, I find the book extremely well written and after 3 days of abstinence, had to go back to it. I couldn't stand not knowing how it ends. (After reading other reviews, that might not have been the best choice.)<br/>I only recommend this book to hearty, intellectual readers. If you are faint about the number of pages and thrive only in sunlight, you will never get through this book. The bottom line: Read with caution!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JRE8SJAAOZPD?ASIN=0316055441	Don't know how this is on the best seller list.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I fought to get through this book.  Too wordy!!!  Could have written the whole book in half the pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM5SXHGVIO9WH?ASIN=0316055441	Flinch flinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the last chapter is an essay- the rest of the book as an action movie waiting for a director<br/>tina</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KAK95H7EKUMY?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very well written but way too long!  I lost interest about the time Theo left Las Vegas.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HRZSLBBKZ1PN?ASIN=0316055441	a must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is a reason it won the Pulitzer, is read by every Book Group and is on the lips of every reader.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MOFV26U85VUH?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch a Downer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were definitely striking passages in this book, and the characters were extremely well-drawn.  However, I had the feeling of trudging through a very long novel, waiting for something positive to happen. The addiction issue was difficult for me to handle, as it seemed to be never-ending, and color the wonderful writing with negativity. And I happen to be a ""meaning"" freak, but this wasn't one of Ms. Tart's caveats for me, anyway.  There were four or so meaningful passages in the last 20 pages or so, but that was a long haul just to get there.  Some critics call The Goldfinch a masterpiece, and it may very well be, but it will never stand as such in my memory.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BP2SDTGJ9Q8D?ASIN=0316055441	Pretensious Crap	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt""s book the Goldfinch is a pretentious, boring piece of crap. Not only are there glaring grammatical errors but it reads as if she has thrown every big word she has ever heard into the book. Unlike the beauty and vitality and true art of Fabritus""s actual painting Tartt""s book is dull and lifeless. I was shocked by the 5 star reviews of some authors I have respected and read throughout the years. It makes me wonder if reviews are paid for as I cannot imagine any author with any integrity could give a good review of a book that is so obviously written as if only to show how intelligent the author is with her huge vocabulary. I have never written a review before but I was so disgusted by the pretentiousness of Tartt and her winning of the Pulitzer that I felt I must.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ7R4XLEGV2LF?ASIN=0316055441	Exhausted	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very well written book with an interesting story line. Nevertheless, it could easily have been several hundred pages shorter. For example, Without giving away the story, the Las Vegas portion goes on and on as the reader tires of the amount of drugs and alcohol consumed by two teenagers. The book ends with an eruption of musings by the author on the meaning of life, it's vagaries and futility which finally exhausted this reader.<br/>  The book obviously speaks to many readers as it has been on the best seller list for a long time. This reader, however, suggest that reviews that claim the reader could not put the book down and stayed up all night to finish it be summarily dismissed. Just didn't happen, unless the reviewer happens to be a speed reader of extraordinary prowess.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NMK8DMVFLGYJ?ASIN=0316055441	Starts out with a bang but ends with a tweet	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book starts out strong with this poor kid being shunted off from house to house but then loses its way somewhere after he grows up.  A good 200 pages could've been taken off with all the bloated descriptions --  furniture restoration (enough!), drunken drug sprees (ick, I get it), endless details about what happened to the Goldfinch (I know it ended up in a museum but still can't figure out how the hell it got there with the endless characters and machinations).<br/><br/>The author couldn't decide if she was writing a sensitive literary novel or a thriller and somehow got caught in the middle.  I started out loving the book, tolerated it in the middle and by the end was ready to throw it across the room.  End this thing!!<br/><br/>Final opinion: don't understand all the hoopla.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N9JQDKTDFOLK?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Parts of the book were beautifully written. Could have been 200 pages shorter and been a better book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26ANSLJ7KWXI3?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but painful! I did not think I would ever finish. Not sure how it won the Pulitzer Prize</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19SL46KU55MXG?ASIN=0316055441	A primer on post traumatic stress	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very original needed some editing got a little trying in some parts.  All in all it was quite a read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TI4SJR8VLPKB?ASIN=0316055441	A book to get lost in	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I Loved this book. It was a treat to get to know Tartt's characters. I was sorry to finish this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F7ROQAPCHKO2?ASIN=0316055441	Interminable!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At least I learned a good lesson:  Even a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel with nearly 20,000 reviews on Amazon can be an interminable bore. If belly button gazing is your thing ... if taking longer to read a scene than it would take to live it in real time is something you enjoy ... if every piece of clothing, thought, eye color, and expression on every person in the scene is important for you to know, then by all means line up on the side of the many who seem to think this novel is fascinating. If not, read the one- and two-star reviews and avoid this one. I wish I had! Tartt is clearly a talented writer who needs an editor to tell her, ""Enough, already!!!""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FFWTV7F5YAXR?ASIN=0316055441	Droning on and on...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Echoing what most of the other less than 5 star reviews have said, I really wanted to like this book, but I agree- way too long. Needed to cut the crap toward the end and get to the point. I lost interest and momentum with it somewhere between pages 500-600. The moral of the story could have been told in more concise manner with many fewer pages. At some points it just seemed like the author was just writing to toot her own literary horn and make herself sound as descriptive and intelligent as possible. Don't get me wrong, she's a good writer, but at some parts it felt excessive and unnecessary. It became exhausting.<br/><br/>Honest advice, don't waste your time.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R64Y2OY0ZNIDY?ASIN=0316055441	The novel of the decade; I couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a richly textured, psychologically layered story of a boy coming of age after the death of his mother.  One need not be afraid of the length as the elegant writing is a river of silk that carries the reader from page one effortlessly and unflinchingly  throughout the story; there is not one wasted word or scene. A raw story of the ravages of grief, it is also a gorgeous meditation on the transcendent power of art, and more psychologically of the transitional object imbued with the beauty of the mother. Like To Kill A Mockingbird or Gone With the Wind, one cares deeply about the main character, Theo, and feels vividly the atmospheric settings.<br/>A great read and a masterpiece, I would recommend this book to anyone for either the writing or the characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R382CRLLIFVMZ4?ASIN=0316055441	it was just painful to get through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I realize this was supposed to be THE book of the year. For me, it was just painful to get through.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FZIJ9P47KGIV?ASIN=0316055441	who never wasted a single opportunity to make a wrong decision and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can’t remember the last time I failed to finish a book – let alone after reading 500 pages. I bought The Goldfinch on the strength of a number of glowing reviews but right from the start found it hard going. Every episode is long drawn out and I was forever wanting Tartt to get on with the story. However, what finally put me off was the main character, Theo, who never wasted a single opportunity to make a wrong decision and gradually dug himself into a hole from which he seemed fated never to emerge. When he finally got engaged to a girl that he obviously didn’t care for in the least, I decided it was time to quit. I was no longer interested in him.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JPP2IV9477HS?ASIN=0316055441	one of the best I've read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. Was compelled to come home and read it until I was done. I recommend it highly.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJZ2MMHAT9OZH?ASIN=0316055441	The author got lazy, and everyone lost out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book could have been a classic.<br/>However, all books need to be edited and edited until every word is just so.<br/>This book reads like a book that is halfway through the editing process. It needed to be cut in half.<br/>It's a shame when writers don't take the time to bring out what a story could actually become.<br/>The writing here is so beautiful. Everything needed is here; if the unnecessary parts were cut then it could be a gem.<br/>But they weren't.<br/>And at the end, all the vivid action turns into one pseudo-philosophical monologue, all telling and no showing, below the intelligence of the reader, unsatisfying and unconvincing.<br/>It was doubly disappointing because, as other reviewers noted, the book started out with such promise.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH13OUDBSRSY3?ASIN=0316055441	repetitive and boring. I did finish it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was interested in the beginning in hopes that the boy would be able to cope with the events that happened in his mid teens, but it just got depressing, repetitive and boring. I did finish it, but did not see the point of going on and on about all the same old problems over and over again to a main character who was not interesting enough to warrant it.<br/>I can't imagine a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for such a depressing book. How about something uplifting for a change?<br/>My husband read somewhere that 30 or 50% of those who begin reading the book never finish it. I certainly have not recommended it to my friends or family for them to read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZXN7V3RP5FID?ASIN=0316055441	Where was Tartt's editor?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long book does not mean it is a good book.  Donna Tartt has written an overlong, overwrought story that could have used a better (or bolder) editor. The story drags in too many places and many characters are unbearable, one dimensional (Boris, Mrs. Barbour, Kitsey) stereotypes. Despite the length of the story, Tartt does little to delve into why Theo would be so attached to Pippa(a girl he saw few times), the Barbour family (a family who initially had had little concern or time for him) and a painting he looked at for five minutes.  Theo makes one stupid decision after another and the reader rolls his eyes and goes along for the endless ride.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BCR97DZW4W6D?ASIN=0316055441	Glad the torture is over	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So I just finished this book this morning.  I have to say.....I loathed it.  Tartt is an excellent writer....no doubt about it.  But therein lies her problem.  It seemed to me she was flaunting her poetic writing skills for 700+ pages with lots of rambling taking way to long to move the story along.  I found the whole thing quite tedious.  Plus....I just didn't like the two main characters Theo and Boris.  I have a hard time warming up to self-loathing, self-destructive characters that never seem to learn from their mistakes and grow from them.  After awhile, I really didn't care what happened to either one of them.  Hobie, Pippa &amp; Mrs Barbour were the only characters in the book I actually cared about.  I did finish the book....but it was tortuous.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H6QNBGLLALNW?ASIN=0316055441	I felt like some major characters were left hanging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Welllllllllllllllllllllllllll, it was looooooooooooooooooong.  I finished the whole thing but I must admit I skimmed the ending as I'm not in to a lecture or being told how to interpret the book.<br/><br/>About 3/4 of the drug and alcohol use could have been cut out while still getting the point across.  I felt like some major characters were left hanging.  What the heck?!  I want to know what happened to them.  I don't need a loving, wrap up, but to simply drop off, not one paragraph, nothing?  The ending felt stuck on, like someone was telling her to get it wrapped up so it could go to print.<br/><br/>I wish I hadn't wasted my time.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SS3GDXHEAA15?ASIN=0316055441	Life lessons: sometimes heart warming, sometimes stomach churning, always engaging.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch gets away with its substantial volume by being, in its entirety, totally engrossing and far more complex than it would at first appear. The closing pages offer up an intriguing recap of the concepts and values with which Tartt has infused the entire work.  Well worth several re-reads -- of the last 10 Pages, that is, as one would not want to jar loose the memory of the first 765.<br/>  I'm no author – obviously – but it occurs to  me that Ms. Tartt might have considered publishing this book in three sequential books, though I'll leave It up to the pro's to figure out the details.<br/>  In any event, The Goldfinch is a memorable read, right up there with my top ten in terms of importance. For best results, set aside a week!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWDC1X2D2ZM1X?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written. Spans continents and years in a satisfying	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A writer's book: beautifully written. Spans continents and years in a satisfying, well-told tale. Still, not for readers who like concise prose. The writing sprawls, the plot sprawls, the narrator is by turns beguiling and whiny. And it is a curiously depressing tale. Art may save the soul but unlike art itself--a Henri Matisse painting--there is little joy in this story. The colors are muted and the images are grimed and blurred by time and grief. Art and prose offer a blue-tinted, chilly view of childhood. Adults hover like gargoyles over the scenes; refuges are mirages. In the end our narrator is lost in the painting and so are we.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R337RI4WGVHSRA?ASIN=0316055441	CHASING A GOLDFINCH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I began ""The Goldfinch"" not expecting much, mainly because we live in this world of real live spectacles overloaded with wars, rape, poverty, blatant fraud, false smiles and theft.  However, Donna Tartt very nicely incorporates our culture in her pursuit of the purity of art.<br/>The lack of depth in portraying her characters is merely a reflection of the 'selfness' of our society.  For us there is no time to see the depth in others as we are so absorbed in our own depths<br/>I enjoyed ""The Goldfinch"" very much even some of her musings that I couldn't put together.  I also thought her use of language was outstanding.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGR6ZJGGIZMSN?ASIN=0316055441	OD'ed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">About 100 pages in, I was confident I was reading a truly great novel.  The plot was intricate and gripping at the same time;<br/>the description dazzling; the characters--Welty, the Barbours, and especially Boris--brilliantly conceived and executed.  Then came the drugs.  I have no problem with characters who take drugs, but as the bouts of drinking and doping accumulated to the point of incredulity, first, and then, finally, boredom, I began to wonder if it was all so necessary?  During the last two hundred pages or so,<br/>I began skipping a few paragraphs or even pages at the first sign of yet another drug binge.  Along with Theo and Boris, I was just plain OD'ed!  By the end, I decided I had read a truly great, but flawed novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R144SEINN3237S?ASIN=0316055441	Where was the editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy, tedious in some spots, more than was needed to tell the story. Othetwise it wss an interesting read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MIDXOTJ7CZMP?ASIN=0316055441	FIrst half engrossing, second half torture...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After all the hype about Goldfinch being THE book to read, I took the plunge.  The plot drew me in immediately--Theo, his Mom, the horrific goings on at the museum...Reading about Theo's life post-incident was riveting  and heartbreaking all at once.  The characters were full, well drawn out and believable.  UNFORTUNATELY, once we follow Theo into adulthood it went downhill fast for me. UGH!  The plot became so convoluted, with characters coming out of thin air. Words, words and more words.  Uncle!  I did hang in there and finish the book, though I was tempted to jump ship many times.  While I'm glad I did, I could not really explain in detail how the ending came to be.  WAAAAAAAAAAAY too much... Bottom line, Goldfinch is hard work--</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R299TDK7GDP7T?ASIN=0316055441	I Really Wanted to Love this Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This looked like my kind of book...long enough to provide fodder for a number of cold winter days, and it really sounded much more interesting than it turned out to be.  The relationships developed then fell more or less flat, and  the problem/ mystery was solved without any real consequences.  About the best thing I can say about it is that it showed that drug addled minds can form friendships...however bizarre they might be, and that the language is generally beautifully written prose.  Maybe I missed something, but I really can't say I'd advise my friends to waste what amounted to quite a bit of time plodding through this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5SVGDYETOLD5?ASIN=0316055441	A long, tough read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book received rave reviews by critics and consumers alike so I decided to read it even tho it was 700 pages.  Personally, I found that the 700 pages of text could have easily been 500 pages or less if Donna Tartt skipped over some pretty insignificant details that pepper this book causing boredom at times. If you like to read pages of minutia, then this book will thrill you. I found myself skipping over text and didn't miss one beat of the story line. My friend was reading it at the same time and commented the same--the details were overwhelming. Someone said (maybe a critic?) that the ending will not disappoint. Well, it did--a very soft landing after vesting so many hours into this novel.  Not my favorite read by a long shot.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JLK9J1KDYXO4?ASIN=0316055441	Looonnngggg	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long and boring for me. I did not care for this at all especially when I got to the end</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V9E5J0XOQMPU?ASIN=0316055441	This was the most tedious, descriptive book I have ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the most tedious, descriptive book I have ever read.  She could have written the story in less than half the pages.  Her prose takes us forever to get to the crux of things.  She gets off on tangents at every turn.  I stuck it out because I kept hoping it would pick up the pace.  I liked the character of Hobie, but Theo needed to learn to speak in sentences, not just one word.  There were a few parts I liked, but in my opinion don't waste your time or money.  Don't know how it has been on the best seller list for so long.  Just my opinion!  This review should be for the kindle edition, not the audio version.  Sorry.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31CFUTQ7YOV9T?ASIN=0316055441	original, captivating, and thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This clever novel is original,  interesting , and very well-written, the characters lovable and engaging.  The theme of a random vs. a planned universe adds another level of interest, and the relationship  of art to the human psyche is profoundly presented. As a musician, I found the turning point of this story to be a real tribute to the power of classical music, and to be an excellent twist.  Above all, the book's subtext is a redemptive one, without minimizing the agony of its main characters.For me, however, the novel  really ended before its final short chapter, which I found to be disappointing. But BRAVA to Donna Tartt.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O99CMND0QPFU?ASIN=0316055441	Not my favorite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is well written but it is 771 pages of the sentiment expressed in this mid-book sentence: ""Kids shouting and skidding in the playground with no idea what future Hells awaited them: boring jobs and ruinous mortgages and bad marriages and hair loss and hip replacements and lonely cups of coffee in an empty house and a colostomy bag at the hospital."" - The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt<br/><br/>I felt like I was in this very, very, long journey sitting next to someone and listening to their story but don't really like. By the time you figure it out though, you are more than halfway there so you might as well finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZCBGYXBCM6IV?ASIN=0316055441	Read Once, Be Inspired, Read Again	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such beautiful, beautiful writing.  A long, slow, character-rich story.  Compelling story of a boy who suffers a great tragedy  and PTSD as a result, which thwarts his emotional and mental outlook well into adulthood. The 700- plus pages will discourage many, but this is not a story to be rushed. Just wrap yourself in author Donna Tartt's  evocative language ,  and you will be richly rewarded with uniques insights into a damaged soul,  and an amazing plot revelation for the finale .<br/>Suspend the need to hurry through to get to the ending.  Read this one just for the joy of reading something extraordinarily well-written.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K7N4VOJHJ90H?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize... really?!?! ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pulitzer Prize...really?!?! I thought about putting this book down SO many times. Ultimately I'm frugal and wanted to get my money's worth. But it really was a struggle to plow through. Tartt takes forever to make a point. There are conversations and paragraphs everywhere that add nothing to the plot or the ambiance and just take up space and time. I also had a really hard time feeling connected to the main character, Theo, at all. Not all characters have to be likable, but I just found myself not giving a rat's hiney what happened next. 500 pages in the plot FINALLY thickens a bit, but the last 100 pages do not need to be there at all. The massive Las Vegas section was also obnoxious to witness as a reader. Overall, meh.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RPUF96RTOCLM?ASIN=0316055441	needs a clean edit	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book broke into my heart from the outset, with a clean narrative that tied me to theo and Welty as universal, but particular friends. But as the plot progressed, it became unwieldy, often a seemingly gratuitous dribble of words which needed a good edit. The author apologizes for the diaryesque writing at the close, but it is too late for the reader who has schlogged through the relentless infestation of overwrought sentences and verbal diarrhea.<br/><br/>I suggested our book club consider reading it but two members said they'd already  read it and couldn't recommend because of the reasons above. Strong imagination, strong writing on art, drugs and wisdom but please, please assign ms tartt an agile editor or two!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C45UO74TSWMV?ASIN=0316055441	"After all these years, ""too much book!"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm giving it three stars because the first half or so was terrific (although a young teenaged narrator, however well-educated, would not use such an unrelenting tide of cultural references/scholarly turns of phrase!).  Then, I started skipping ahead -- an indicator that I'm having trouble staying in the world of the book.  I love Donna Tartt's writing -- her masterpiece, I feel, was The Little Friend -- but I think she tried to cover too much ground in the space of one (very long) book.<br/>And that narrator really got on my nerves.  The only character who really made sense was Boris!<br/>Perhaps, some day, they'll find the book's editor wrapped in pillowcases and packing tape, stowed in a Manhattan storage unit...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH6XFRH4XXE37?ASIN=0316055441	Great Beginning and Middle....the End falls apart and becomes tedious.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. It's at it's best in the beginning in the middle....really gripping quite frankly. I think it gets lost and meandering towards the end and should have been edited down a bit because the final 100 pages really didn't lend a lot to the overall story. Donna Tartt is a masterful writer...breathtaking in some cases in fact. I have never read an author who says things the way she does...just mind boggling at times.<br/><br/>This would have gotten five stars if she'd edited down the ending which I felt was rather anticlimactic and was a fraction as good as the rest of the book.<br/><br/>Worth the read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31L2PS53A8WQW?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading all the hype and seeing this on best seller lists, I settled down for a good read.  Now I'm trying to figure out what all the hype was about.  What is the point of this book?  I struggled to make myself keep picking it up to finish it. I am an avid reader and can read a book this length in no time if it catches my interest.  I wanted to give up but kept hoping it would get better.  I finally did complete it, and now wonder why.  Some parts were ok that's why I gave it a 2.  I know there are some readers who may think I am a dummy because I didn't like it, but believe me I'm not.  I have a graduate degree and read all the time.  This one did not provide the hook that reels me in for thorough enjoyment.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TNSW3MYLMGV3?ASIN=0316055441	Did NOT Live Up to the Hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">THE GOLDFINCH, Editors' Choice/Best Books of December.... after I finished reading it, with a gun to my head for most of it, I thought that I must have read the wrong book.  I liked the beginning, the idea of the close mother/son relationship, the mother's attachment to the painting which so strongly influences her son Theo, Theo meeting Welty and Pippa and the importance they both play in his life, the explosion in the gallery, her death and his constant struggle to recover = all good.  And, I liked the ending, once Theo is back in NYC, his finally telling the whole truth to his mentor Hobie, redeeming himself and making good on his past fraudulent mistakes and his thoughts on life  BUT....  the majority in the middle, his endless drug days in Las Vegas, his ill-fated engagement to Kitsey, the mess in Amsterdam was just .... AWFUL !!  I still cannot understand what it was to have been voted a best book of any month, and I'm sorry that I wasted my money on it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GW29AOQ0YRHX?ASIN=0316055441	Very difficult to get into	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but wish it was not so long. Took me a year to read. Certainly not a page turner</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CTE43MDKQ6AH?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't understand how this won a Pulitzer prize- no one I kniw, including me even finished it!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27SKCTUXQ45O7?ASIN=0316055441	I've come to learn that I have to like at least one of the character's in a book ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ugh.  These books that are award winning must just not be more me.  I found it very difficult to get into.  I just couldn't get into any of the characters &amp; after trying to read this book, I've come to learn that I have to like at least one of the character's in a book to enjoy the book.  The gals at my book club who liked it said that's it's a character study - which is why it takes so long for things to actually happen, and when they do, why they don't happen very fast.  I gave up because I just didn't care what happened to this kid.  I'm just bummed I bought this in a hard cover.  I wonder if I can resell it....</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LS0LQUT2WN4Z?ASIN=0316055441	Get the Audible version!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very hard book for me to rate.  It is breathtakingly beautifully written.  I bought it for my Kindle and after a few chapters, I knew my husband would enjoy it as well, so I bought the Audible version for us to listen to on a recent trip.  The narrator is beyond belief superb.  Five stars for both aspects of the novel.  The rating downgrade comes with the subject matter.  At some point, it just gets too deep into drug and alcohol use for my taste.  Without giving anything away, the ending, while absolutely appropriate to the story, is not to my Pollyanna liking.  I recommend this book with reservations.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RURIDB4EF8NED?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling character study	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Secret History is one of my favorite books of all time, so I picked up The Goldfinch with a sense of anticipation.  It didn't disappoint.  It was a beautifully written tour de force character study, with a compelling plot.  Trivial gripes: There were 3 or 4 instances in which I thought there were potential continuity issues (but too nebulous to define), and from time to time I thought it could have been edited to reduce its length.  However, it is a remarkable work of literary fiction.  Ms Tartt's writing makes me very conscious of the meagerness of my own writing skills, while thrilling me with its artistry.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S7E2N0I7FXZY?ASIN=0316055441	Deeply Engrossiing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is hard to review this book and add anything to the reviews already presented here.  This is a deeply engrossing novel about one character's very complex life.  I thoroughly enjoyed every part of this novel.  The main character, Theo, does not always make the best choices for his situation but the author allows us to feel his emotions with clarity and understand the choices he makes, some good some bad.  The reader does not have to agree with Theo but one does feel a strong empathy in each of his dilemmas and therefore the author presents the reader with a good deal of moral questioning that stays with one long after the book is finished.  Yes, it was a very long novel and yes it could have been shortened but why??  Does one read to race to the end of a story or to be immersed in the expertise of the writer to tell a complex story?  Some reviewers did not enjoy the story at all and found it depressing but do we read only things that make us comfortable or to we sometimes want a book that tests our complacency in life?? I will be thinking about Theo and his friends for a long time - well done!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV7T0TTLTYK23?ASIN=0316055441	Sad & shocking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Is the kind of book that makes you wonder about life .....but the final chapter really makes you think Wow</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25YSO718ICF8M?ASIN=0316055441	Not worthy of Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was hooked by the poignant descriptions of the child's memories of his mother.  Entertained by the author's descriptions of various locales.  Bored by non-stop flow of thoughts with connections to other thoughts and other thoughts: endless ramblings.  Angry with the author for seducing me to care about this person whom she led astray.  So bored and angry as things deteriorated, that I skipped many a page, racing to the end to see how the author resolved the situation she put her character into (and dragged me along).  Was not really satisfied with the resolution.  How did this novel win a Pulitzer prize?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OLKDVU5PHKTH?ASIN=0316055441	Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the story, but at times found myself wishing it was over. The last part of the story dragged on too long, the first part kept me very interested. I really felt for Theo. Boris is a character I really didn't like or trust. I really think this book could've told the whole story in half the words. As I neared the end, I really just wanted it to be over. It got quite frustrating at the end, difficult to keep my interest yet I really needed to know what happens to Theo. Would I recommend it, yes with a warning-interesting story, rich well developed characters, plot just dragged on forever-too wordy.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RBEDZ7ZXYGEN?ASIN=0316055441	The review panel must have been smoking what was left over from Theo's and Boris's drug stash when reviewing this poor fictional	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How this book received a Pulitzer Prize is astounding . It rambles endless, creating numerous sub plots and ends on a silly fiction yet never ties any plot together. The review panel must have been smoking what was left over from Theo's and Boris's drug stash when reviewing this poor fictional mess. What makes me angry is that I labored thru the endless verbose retoric for 775 pages without any real conclusion to the various issues raised. The reader was left hanging with only some poor intellectually dishonest verbiage about the essence of the painting. Calling this Dickenseque insults a great writer.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TPJBHS1ZLQXZ?ASIN=0316055441	YA novel? Literary? Drug book? Damned if I know	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started out really liking this book but then it went all over the place. Did it want to be a beautifully written literary novel or a YA book or a mystery a la ""The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo?"" I was put off by the long artsy passages that didn't move the story along. Too much navel-gazing! Also I was annoyed that big plot developments (a death, the big climax) were described and not shown--the pitfall of a novel written in the first person. I found the ending anti-climactic and the fact that characters with absolutely no sense of remorse pretty much went about their little lives unscathed.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PVCPZXSOS3IQ?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An incredible read.  Too long and not long enough at the same time.  In today's trilogy-driven world of books this could easily have become one...but then I wouldn't have been able to sit down and devour it for five wonderful days.<br/><br/>It lost some steam around 75-85 pages from the end...a rush to tie everything up...when the best thing is that 99% of the book doesn't rush.  It meanders through a richly colored tapestry of experience.<br/><br/>Best read in over a decade!  Thank you, Donna Tartt...for sharing with us:  Theo, Hobie, the Barbours, Boris...and a little bird chained to his perch.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IDZSCX9HT9AV?ASIN=0316055441	Gave me a headache to read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too cumbersome. Could have been 200 pages shorter. Topic kept getting seedier and seedier.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FA9IQF6LIWSH?ASIN=0316055441	Her writing is amazing, that's true	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Snooze fest! Her writing is amazing, that's true, but she could have cut FIVE HUNDRED PAGES &amp; it would have been an improvement. When I cease to care about the main character, or skip huge chunks of the book, only to find out one Minh has passed in the storyline, it's time to end the boredom. It started out great. I looked forward to reading it, but unlike other very long books, it became tiresom. The main character was a fool who never really got his act together. I honestly do NOT understand HOW this book got the Pulitzer Prize! I have read many in my life and this is the first I found annoying.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2APCJTC5JZQOA?ASIN=0316055441	I really tried	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really tried.  Pulitzer Prize winning novel, avid reader, I should enjoy it, right?  Wish I could say so.  I finally gave up after 1/4 of the book, and based on the reviews, it looks like I read the really good part.<br/><br/>My main beef is that I really, really disliked the main character, Theo.  Yes, he's had a tragic life, but I just couldn't stand his whiny teenage  behavior going on and on and on.  And the novel is written well, so that you actually feel him.  I found myself in a selfish and drugged-like stupor, just like him, throughout most of the novel.  Not an enjoyable feeling.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QGF7K7BG25YJ?ASIN=0316055441	... this book after two of us found it long boring and pointless	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Our book club decided not to read this book after two of us found it long boring and pointless. The main character's page after page drug use, drunken musings and pointless life were hard to wade through and never seemed to lead to any changes or self awareness in character until the totally forced last chapters with a shoot out etc. that could not be believed. We wondered it the literary criticism world is like the story of the emperor's new clothes, one good review spawns another and only found one critic who said this book was over hyped. Don't waste your time reading this too long book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BLFLW3PFBSX8?ASIN=0316055441	REAL characters.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exceptional book--not the sort of story I would normally be so invested in (drug addictions and abusive adults tend to bore me when used to express themes of conflict) BUT this novel is different.  The deep character development is beautiful and I felt like every single, unique character was so real.  They lived and breathed--they were complex, you missed them when they were gone, you worried about what they would think...I am a reader who thinks excellent characters can make up for any number of evils.  I'll read everything Donna Tartt writes now, and I'll recommend this to almost anyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GXVT7FOLOL2C?ASIN=0316055441	over rated and over written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was impressed that the author as a Woman could capture the interplay between two teenage boys a well as she did. But overall the book is just too long and sequences just too heady. The main character is so unsympathetic by the time the conclusion rolls around, that I no longer cared how she ended it. Then the end was a bewildering lecture. I don't understand how this won a Pulitzer. After sorting through other reviews, I remembered what bothered me more than the tediousness of the story and that was using devices that just didn't exist or concepts that weren't available such as texting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29G5FSY2JZ4XR?ASIN=0316055441	Wow.  A masterpiece.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a vivid reflection of what it is to be human, to be flawed, to grow up, to feel, to love.  Bravo.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GQNZDQJD1LU7?ASIN=0316055441	Exquisite Novel and Parable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is seldom that the narrative of a book is written with this degree of skill.  The language is complex and mesmerizing.  While this is a long book it ends too soon.  The characters are so vivid that I feel as I Knew them intimately.  The relationships between the characters are a mixture of intuition a startling surprises.  The issues raised by this book are timeless ruminations on being human and vulnerable.  The painting at the heart of the novel gives a heartfelt portrayal of beauty and sadness.  Given that the painting was created 400 years ago it is hard to exaggerate the bridge it poses from past to future.  I will look forward to reading other books by this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13SK0VUU4S4T6?ASIN=0316055441	The beginning is brilliant. It is down hill from there	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning is brilliant.  It is down hill from there.  I found myself constantly checking the % read icon on my Kindle.  It just wasn't going up fast enough for me.  I spend months reading this book thinking since it won a Pulitzer Prize, there was something I was missing.  By the time the book came to its unsatisfying ending, I did not care about any of the characters or what happened to the goldfinch.  I gave it two stars because one star meant I hated it , and I don't like the word hate.  Perhaps if the book were cut in half, it would have been a better read.  But what do I know.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E62QMJREDDST?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Drug section too long - Las Vegas - Ending so complex - frantic - would not get my vote!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHSK8VKNFLXAS?ASIN=0316055441	A Never Ending Story About a Big Loser!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not wait for the main character in this book to die! Sadly, he doesn't!  I wanted to be put out of my misery so badly.  I thought this would be a clever ""Catch Me If You Can"" type of story.  Instead, it is the story of a big-time loser drug addict with no purpose other than for the author to bore you with her philosophical thoughts about art in the last ten pages of her book.  She could have spared a lot of readers from a lot of misery by just writing a blog about her views of art. I wish I would have listened to the 1,600+ one star reviews and never touched this book!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TOTE8J5XTNP4?ASIN=0316055441	Great beginning and premise, greatly in need of editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The idea started brilliantly but deteriorated into too much substance abuse and below-normal lifestyle.  A good editor would have made all the difference.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34UFEWU0XG9IY?ASIN=0316055441	BORING	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've tried to finish this book.  Not that far from the end.  But I'm giving it away today; I find it one of the most boring books I've ever read.  Life is too short and there are too many good books in the world for me to continue reading this just to finish it!<br/><br/>What I find incessantly boring is the non-stop dialogue about drug and alcohol induced states.  It goes on and on.<br/><br/>I'll ask my friends who did finish it how it ends but I am perplexed about how it has received such favorable reviews.  The writing (except for the very beginning) is nothing special at all.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY9IXTIULPSHK?ASIN=0316055441	I know why the caged bird sings	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Initially, this book reminded me a bit of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - young boy loses parent in New York bomb explosion, then through an important memento comes into contact with a few strangers with whom he develops close, life-defining relationships. But whereas Extremely Loud had an insufferably precocious protagonist and maudlin overtones, The Goldfinch is deep, rich, and satisfying. My head hurts a bit trying to think about all the symbolism and themes of this book. I think it's better just to enjoy it as one of the most engrossing coming of age tales I've come across.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YH00TRWS8DU8?ASIN=0316055441	Excitement, Tradegy, Action & Beauty!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was well written, having a steady flow of action that kept you wanting to read until you were finished. Theodore Decker is writing his story from when he's a child, unfortunately he has a slew of tragic events occur both unexpectedly and some brought on. However, with the Goldfinch painting, two good friends, lessons of life - he's grows into a man who learns to finally be himself and truly follow his heart. Thinking of art, whether a painting an antique or oneself - ""beauty alters the grain of reality - it must be wedded to something more meaningful"" (Tartt, 2013).  I can see why this book remains number one on reading categories. I really enjoyed it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17R9F9GT1S23E?ASIN=0316055441	Artfully-written neurotic slop moving at glacial speed: not much story here	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like long, intellectual, esoteric novels, but this is no such animal: a 750-page non-starter that doesn't even begin the main plot until page 150. This book could easily have been 1/3 its current length, and would have still felt overwritten and stretched out. Very very slow, with characters I have a hard time giving a damn about. There isn't much actual story here, just endless trifling details and uninspired philosophical musings on life as an orphan in NYC. I do not understand why everyone praises this book so much, I have read automotive shop manuals more riveting than this.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNZA8GZRZGDJ6?ASIN=0316055441	All that glitters...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In spite of myself I eventually finished this book, stuck on a long flight in a seat without a working in flight entertainment system. (Spoiler alert) Like a friend, I discovered, when we later exchanged notes, I bowed out in Las Vegas, only return driven by the greater boredom and frustration of an endless flight. The scenes in Amsterdam were tedious, and the denouement and coda simply annoying. The first few chapters are terrific, the plot is intriguing, and of course Tartt is a talented wordsmith. But in the end I resented the hours I invested in this overblown bildungsromane.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG8HB89J3G9RE?ASIN=0316055441	"Tartt lapsed into a lot of ""telling"" rather than the wonderful, engrossing ""showing"" she had done for the majority ..."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would have given it five stars except for the last chapter, where much of what enchanted me about this book evaporated. I can't go into a lot of detail without letting out HUGE spoilers. But suffice it to say, at the end of the book, Tartt lapsed into a lot of ""telling"" rather than the wonderful, engrossing ""showing"" she had done for the majority of the book. I loved the characters, who were the kind you wanted to keep knowing about, like why doesn't Theo have a FB page so I can follow his adventures? Overall, it was a great read but perhaps 100 pages too long.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A94HZSV94L8U?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read the Secret Story in the 90's and loved it. I didn't finish The Little Friend but decided to give this one a try, once it received such good reviews and the plot seemed interesting. But I was disappointed. I read till page 73, in the hard cover version, and gave up there and then. The plot doesn't flow and there are too many details. The scene in the museum after the explosion goes on and on and on just like the one in which the boy arrives at home, after the explosion. I didn't feel engaged by the story and couldn't care less about what was going to happen next. If a book doesn't get a hold on me till page 50, I normally give up, like I did with this one.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21KSWOD16R79L?ASIN=0316055441	"Influenced by ""Great Expectations,"" but my expectations were too great"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a little disappointing compared to Tartt's earlier works.  The characters are  not quite alive and neither are the plots or sub-plots.  There is a lot of straining to create serendipitous situations, unlike the Dickens version.  One of the real faults is the author's deep need to display her erudition--art, antiques, the Russian Mob, Las Vegas--you name it and she clearly knows everything.  I like long books, I read Russian novels, but there is far too much blathering verbiage here to justify the length of this book.  Still, I say, read it and judge for  yourself.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P1CWY50ANZG6?ASIN=0316055441	In the end, I hated this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Author takes a promising premise and ultimately drowns it in self indulgence.  Every passage in this book is too long and wildly overwritten.  The author continually delves into 10 page long descriptions where one sentence would do.  You slog through the nearly 800 pages hoping that at the author has some point, any point, to make other than ""life is bulls***"".  But she doesn't.  Ultimately, like the book's protagonist, The Goldfinch flirts with depth and sophistication, but ends being being shallow, empty and a complete waste of potential.  How it won any prize is beyond me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3704DZX03VT7T?ASIN=0316055441	The GOLDFINCH Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely spellbinding!  I could not put it down.  Every person &amp; happening fits together especially, by the authors' beautiful prose.  In any other hands I cannot imagine the book working!<br/>I chose to steer away from these characters who would lead me astray in my life but I had parents on hand.  The entire story seems credible given the circumstances of Theos' life.  Theo is a poet, at times a philosopher &amp; true to life, he did not end up with Pippi as I was hoping. That probably would have been too much to ask for, given the death of his human tragedy.  Thelma Safarik</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16LTCNVOMTA77?ASIN=0316055441	old main character Theo often has laughably sophisticated observations about fine art which seem to come from the mind of	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">True to Donna Tartt's particular talent, ""The Goldfinch"" is seeded with irresistible plot hooks and an ingenious, up-to-the-minute sort of heist. The 12-yr. old main character Theo often has laughably sophisticated observations about fine art which seem to come from the mind of, well, Donna Tartt. And a fine mind that is.<br/><br/>However, the writing is rife with clichés and stale metaphors. I want to get through this book one of these days, but it is so over-long that it makes for a slog. Maybe her next effort will be back in fine trim. I'll look forward to that.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V8BXZ3RNIBB6?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed after all the talk about this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was excited to learn what the ""buzz"" was all about when I got this book.  After starting to read I thought, oh my, this is almost 800 pages, what did I do?  Quickly I was immersed with the characters, locations, the unfolding story, the goldfinch and even занятие с ukranian акцентом.  Sadly, the last few hundred pages was the downfall of the book, in my opinion.  I thought Theo was ultimately unoriginal, just like so may other characters, in so many other books.  Nothing new, verging on despicable..  Wished he had some sort of epiphany but maybe that was the point?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G4QZZWI4DDU4?ASIN=0316055441	Caution:  Not For Everyone	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Major waste of precious time.  Lots of empty ""filler"" in dire need of editing.  Occasional brilliant insights become lost and sidetracked in subplots.  If you begin reading it,  let the Las Vegas episode be an indicator of pages to come.  If you make it through that crime and punishment, you may enjoy the remainder of novel.  UPDATE:  The last few pages reveal the ""deeper"" meaning of the novel.  It is apparent the author has built upon a significant concept (which I think has Buddhist origins) but the journey is much too long and the lesson is clouded if not entirely lost.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F3EEUK9IO5MZ?ASIN=0316055441	Sadly, a waste of time for me!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't like Donna Tartt's style of writing, I guess. It was tedious and far too detailed!  I found myself skimming a lot in this book, which I rarely do.  There was just so much detail is some places that the story got lost for me at times.  It has taken a long time for me to read this book. Not only is it a long book--nearly 800 pages--but it just didn't ""grab"" me like I thought it would from reading some of the reviews out there.  I read books in between finishing this one.  Maybe if I would have stuck with it until I finished...no, it just didn't do it for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX5MXAQJ10KF5?ASIN=0316055441	Can't get all the time wasted on this back.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fooled me! For hundreds of pages I kept the faith that I was paying my dues and I would be rewarded with it finally coming together; it didn't. I don't understand why such an accomplished writer needed 770 pages to tell a story that could be told in half as many. Seems that would be an attribute of a good author. I can't get back the time I spent slogging through this. If you undertake this and enjoy it early on - good for you, you will probably enjoy it over all. If you find you are having the same experience I did, find something better to do with your time and abort.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B5PD3FACQ1E4?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in ages. It has everything and more. I can tell why it took a decade to write.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JRI80J2G6DJR?ASIN=0316055441	An excellent piece of literature	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt much the same way ending this book as I did finishing The Secret History. There's a sense of loss and nihilism but nonetheless a joy in the journey, even if it ends in catastrophe of death. Narrated first-person (again), Theo Decker attains an original of the painting The goldfinch, and it inadvertently leads him on a search for identity and love all throughout the world. But the real beauty here is in the language Ms. Tartt uses, as much as the story itself, which ends in to somewhat unsatisfying miasma of self-reflection. Nonetheless, I think this is deserving of the Pulitzer, and I hope it's not another ten years before we see her next work.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QR2XJO6KFPGW?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I saved this book as truly you must make time to read it. Once you get into the story, the characters become so real. The 700 plus pages seemed to quickly be devoured as your world and that of Theo, Boris  and Hobie all become one. Yes it is a wonderful story. It is also a psychological book that examines so many questions we all have regarding our values of life. The ending was full of many thought provoking questions. I am not sure if the ending was what I expected. However, with such a dynamic book and story one just has to look at the whole and say WOW! Brillant!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OD96UNJB0LNS?ASIN=0316055441	It was a good story, but was too long and very descriptive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author was too wordy. It was a good story, but was too long and very descriptive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XNCWQ9PYWIMN?ASIN=0316055441	Not My Cup of Tea	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know this is a Pulitzer Prize winner, but to me it was not an enjoyable read. I personally didn't like any of the characters nor the situations they found themselves in. I thought the overly written descriptions made the book about 300 pages too long. By the end I early didn't care what the lessons were that the protagonist learned, I just wanted out. I know I'm in the minority, but this is my experience as it was of several other people I spoke to who read it. I certainly wouldn't read another book by this author knowing the amount of overwriting I'd be in for.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZG9VYYEAWUO8?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of time and money for this rambling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Waste of time and money for this rambling, disjointed, poorly written book.  Slog, slog, slog on to the end only to find----Tartt couldn't figure what to do.  Shallow characters with little insight into any of them or reason for their actions.  Not even one well written, thoughtful sentence to ponder in this miserable, massive thing.  Most people do not finish this mundane book-see BuzzFeed article below.  Do not waste your time or dinero on this one.  http://www.buzzfeed.com/josephbernstein/publishers-know-you-didnt-finish-the-goldfinch-heres-what-th#.le7mGAoe6</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SUM3QYTKULUZ?ASIN=0316055441	Very Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would say 3/4 of the book was great and i pushed myself to finish the book.  The part about Theo losing his mother in the explosion; living with his friend's family in NY and then moving to Las Vegas to live with his shady father were all interesting.  But the last couple of hundred pages were AWFUL in my opinion and I only finished the book because I had invested so much time in it.  Have no interest in reading any other books by this author and the fact that a Pulitzer Prize was awarded - does not make sense to me --- I have read much better books - I am an avid reader - getting through the end of  this one was like pulling teeth to me..</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CG01YWUVGVKV?ASIN=0316055441	A worthwhile read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't want to say a thing about it-just that you should read it·<br/>It is a well told story_</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WPDG7M3VHSSR?ASIN=0316055441	Really long and rather depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really didn't enjoy reading this book. Although the character development and imagery in the book is very good, I really, really didn't like how incredibly depressing the book is overall. The main character goes through so much turmoil starting from the very beginning of the book that I don't see how readers can read this and not feel dragged down by so much suffering. I think the part near the end when the character goes on about how miserable and painful life is that I felt that summarized the book's overall mood and perspective. With so much suffering in the world, I really wish I didn't both with this book as it was such a drag.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16UP1GSG9K8JN?ASIN=0316055441	A RECOMMENDED READ? YOU BET!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started reading this novel without knowing anything about the storyline/plot. New York City,a boy and his mum stopping by an art museum okay,ho-hum, but then...tragedy,-mystery-love-excitement-danger...you name it, The GoldFinch has all that and more.<br/>Accolades to author Donna Tartt! The twists and turns of the plot makes GoldFinch  a ""can't put it down,"" adventure. Tartt's descriptive skill is extraordinary...I felt and saw the places she took me to. Her characters live. I came to know them...came to love some of them, fear some of them, feel sympathy for a few, admire others and all the while hoped for a happy ending.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6XBZBZVVPHT8?ASIN=0316055441	A long and difficult novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long and difficult novel – some gorgeous language about life and art, but immense stretches of verbiage that made me feel like a jungle explorer hacking my way through with a machete.<br/><br/>The characters – I felt tremendous sympathy for Theo, but frankly thought his substance abuse was too much.  I couldn’t imagine him still alive at the end, given the sheer amount of booze, cigarettes and drugs consumed.<br/><br/>Of the other characters, only Hobie and Mrs. Barbour held my interest. The others, including Boris and Pippa, were forgettable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39JVOWFO3UFPM?ASIN=0316055441	It's not the Goldfinch chained to the perch it's you, the reader	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She can write, and write and write some more.  Her characters are original, engaging, and sometimes very boring.  The<br/>plot awaits you while you find out what they ate, what they drank, how much dope they stuffed up their noses, etc.<br/>The small detail gets as much attention as a fast, high curve ball changing the plot.  The stunners are<br/>mixed in with the salad.  But I plodded ahead waiting and waiting.  After all this time I still have another novella sized<br/>portion to finish.  I keep asking myself, why does all this good writing have to be loaded down with so much<br/>trivial stuff?<br/><br/>Ben Ordover</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R227NG1350P0Y7?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize?  Really?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The most confusing thing to me is why did this book received a Pulitzer Prize Award.  I didn't find this story  that interesting, or  inspiring. The story is way to long and wordy, it should have been half the size. The first 25% of the book was well written and interesting, but then it was a challenge to stick with it.  I found the interaction between the characters repetitive and predictable.  The only reason I finished it is because I thought I would at least i would understand why the Pulitzer Prize award,  I really don't understand the hype.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LQS74E8Q17IO?ASIN=0316055441	minutia and a load of terrible people	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book got a lot of press and I took it with me on vacation with other people who were reading it at the same time. I quit about halfway through. The main character, Theo, goes through his life without his mother, and a father who only uses him, and then dies. If the story wasn't painful enough...it sometimes takes the writer 100 pages to tell you how horrible something was. I finally stopped reading it..stopped caring about any of it. Two out of 4 of us reading it didn't like it. The other two finished it, but were relieved when it was over. Interesting, but ultimately terrible story that drags on in too many places.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ECFWPYGSTNE8?ASIN=0316055441	Still Waiting to Feel Hope	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I plodded through this book and several times contemplated leaving it unfinished.  I was disturbed by the notion that the author wants the reader to see Theo's crimes as victimless or perhaps even justified.  I kept reading and wanting to feel hope or redemption, but that never came.  I also hoped that the book would be framed around the art, in the same genre as Girl with a Pearl Earring or The Birth of Venus, but the number of pages devoted to art history are probably fewer than 10%. Topping it off, I also found the book rather poorly written.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JSN5NP6JETDE?ASIN=0316055441	what a rich and thought provoking book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the reality of this book. So often the characters could have been a little more lovable, their flaws less flaw-some, but the author finely tools her descriptions and development of them.  The level of suspense was great. The detail I really appreciated is how the author dealt with substance abuse. So often people don't recognize that people addicted to substances (narcotics and alcohol) are walking among us. While some addicts reach the level of homelessness, so many more are struggling while they work next to us, are in our family,etc.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EZZNEUOZD646?ASIN=0316055441	Counting the pages.  Will I finish?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am on page 174 and this book is so agonizingly slow that I don't know it will ever be possible to finish it.  The action that has occurred during this time could be summarized in four sentences.  Basic conversations are recounted word for word, even though they do not illuminate the story or the characters.  I sincerely strive to find the reason this book won the Pulitzer and cannot.  Maybe one is obvious by page 700 but, if so, I will never know it. This could have been a very interesting 275 page book. But if you like a book that is entrancing and eye-opening, with characters you deeply care about, look elsewhere.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AWHWP75FKEKB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sad and amazing story of survival. I love the way the ending tied it all together</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34YFDF0JGNZJX?ASIN=0316055441	Starts Great! Then, Not So Much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book started-out with so much promise:  great writing, and a very compelling story.  But then the story drifted into something more mundane, and stayed there.  And it's a long, long book.<br/><br/>The thing is, if you find yourself thinking you wouldn't really mind if all of a story's characters died together in a plane crash, there might still be reasons to continue reading: great writing, for instance.  But if you reach a point where you WISH all the characters would die together in a plane crash (and soon!), then it's probably time to put down the book and read something else.  I reached that point, so I did.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EPGHQOCUGE69?ASIN=0316055441	A burdonsome, troubling read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I realize this is a Pulitzer winner, but I am not so sure why it garnered such a prestigious award. As with so many fiction reads today, this read starts out beautifully, but as I went along, it slowly became overly descriptive and downright tedious. The problem was for a novel this length, the main character could not sustain and carry all the excessive heavy prose heaped on top of him. He's not really all that interesting, actually, and the drug abuse was so depressing and unending that I honestly found it hard to trudge to the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W59YMW021XSR?ASIN=0316055441	Disjointed and uninteresting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was expecting a much more riveting read than what I experienced.  The author sometimes went on and on for several pegs describing a room, experience or setting.  I felt I ""got it"" after 1-2 paragraphs, but the descriptions continued for pages.  The dialogue between two main characters, Theo &amp; Boris, is difficult to follow and filled with interruptions.  At times I felt like I was experiencing James Joyce and stream of consciousness type of writing.  And for the most part, I found the plot relatively boring.  I am sure others will like this book, but it sure was not written in a style that I enjoyed</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U1H7I55Q5PFD?ASIN=0316055441	Moving and Beautifully Written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not going to summarize the plot or characters or themes since that has already been so well done in the customer reviews.  I will say that this book moved me beyond my expectations, and it hijacked my beach vacation (was compelled to stay indoors and find out how the threads would come together!).  I also thought some of the dialogue -- among the Barbours, and from Boris -- was laugh out loud funny.  If you're on the fence, buy this book and invest the time necessary to read it.  It was a worthwhile, emotional, and satisfying ride.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15EW7DTDUO898?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can only say the characters were so vivid I couldn't quit thinking about them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7THTHHH250Z2?ASIN=0316055441	A quick turn off	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I listened to the book on Audible and I hated the voices of the mother and her son. I immediately got exasperated when the son was so hungry but he was too wimpy to go have something to eat! Jeez. Then the mother's predictable descriptions of the paintings in the Met. Turn off three. She was a very un appealing character and seemed stupid in that stupid narrators voice. I immediately disliked her. I thought the two were uninteresting losers so I stopped listening even though my friends really liked this book. Forget it! I'm moving on!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LSS0D575HOWP?ASIN=0316055441	SO LABORIOUS ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm 300 pages into this book, I can't quit it now, but I am getting exhausted... wondering if I am wasting my time.  It started out well enough but is in a plateau stage now in the middle, I can only hope that it improves towards the end.<br/>I came to Amazon to read some reviews because I have a lot of other books to read, like everyone else I'm sure, and started wondering if this book was worth it.  I'll give it a little more time but please, Ms. Tartt, future books need not be so extremely laborious in order to make an impression.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36JBFMQ6I9BNQ?ASIN=0316055441	Needs Editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If this novel is to represent contemporary times, our modern generation, then I am quite depressed.<br/>The author appears to understand much about the drug culture and finishing antique furniture, but the supposed 'who done it' looses steam.<br/><br/>The book launches from an interesting plot idea in the first quarter of the book, but then drowns the reader with a deluge of useless detail that fails to evolve the plot, develop the characters, or entertain. I slogged through it waiting for a curious twist and turn, given the book's hype.... and found myself bored through large sections of the storyline.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VPVGHMELWW9U?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am always looking for a good long book that will hold my interest.  The Goldfinch is one of them.  The characters, though, somewhat shady and living on the fringes are so lovable.  In particular the central character, Theo.  I love how the author has brought all of these peoples lives to life.  I feel like I know them personally.  I am surprised with myself how I have become attached to drunks, drug addicts &amp; cold hearted women.  The characters are funny, sad and real.  I am not done with the book yet and I am already  sad thinking about saying goodbye to Theo and his friends at the end of the book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUI8GOOM3G8A0?ASIN=0316055441	I started it and loved it, then got bored with the overly descriptive ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ethos book took me nearly 10 months to finish.  I started it and loved it, then got bored with the overly descriptive passages so I would stop reading it for a while.  Then I would read something else until someone again talked about how ""amazing"" Goldfinch is, so I would read again for a while.<br/>The plot was very good- very unique.  But I really could not stand the main character.  Nothing good happened to him ever!<br/>I don't mind a great long book, but this book would have more enjoyable to me if it were shorter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34ODSTQK7FASG?ASIN=0316055441	Best Book of the Summer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was so compelling on so many levels.  I found myself alternating between rooting for Theo and desperately wishing he would clean up his act, settle down and comply. And, in the end, that's what it ended up being about for him. Tart's character's (particularly<br/>Boris and Hobie) were so genuine and yet so flawed. The fact that the author brought Theo so very close to the brink kept me turning the pages and hoping for some kind of resolution.  It's one of those books that you can't get out of your mind for weeks.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZUN3MBDAW3UE?ASIN=0316055441	It is a good story, but with a modern worldview.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am glad I read the book.  I gave it three stars, because It is a good story, though slow in parts.  I couldn't wait to leave Las Vegas and Amsterdam.  Those cities showed our modern world as it is.  Also, Boris' dialogue was hard to understand.  Overall, the similarities and differences between Theo and Boris showed how art affects the soul. Although this novel is well written, I missed characters that had a more positive worldview, like those in Michael D. O'Brien's novels. Still, it is worth reading this Mississippi author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26GU1BU7TUVKL?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down.  Couldn't force myself to finish it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was really wrapped up in the story at first but by the second half it seemed to be nothing but a story about the main character's drug use and questionable morals. It seemed a lot of the threads that made this story seem intriguing at first didn't really lead anywhere worth going.  I tried to make it to the end, but gave up about 3/4 of the way through.  Whatever sympathy &amp; interest I had for Theo was totally gone by then.  His terrible hardships weren't enough to redeem him.  I cared more about what would happen to his dog.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KNMCIN85OS2S?ASIN=0316055441	The book is beautifully written and the plot is compelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is beautifully written and the plot is compelling. I would agree with other reviews that it began to drag a bit during the last third of the book. The plot got a bit convoluted and my interest began to wane. I think that had the book been about 200 pages shorter, it would have completely held my interest from beginning to end. That being said, I did relate to Theo and found him to be a likable character, despite the choices he made and the company he kept. And the crafting of the narrative made this a delicious read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVK81LXJDMTU8?ASIN=0316055441	Writing is great but story is shallow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was intrigued by this novel because it won a Pulitzer Prize.  The author is very skilled in putting words together that describe the story teller's thoughts.  I kept reading because I loved her writing style.  But the story itself was shallow and lacking to me.  The characters were very real (to the extent that I pictured who could play them in a film), but again, the full storyline just was not there, and by the end it was just downrigth depressing.  I am left wondering why it won a Pulitzer Prize.  Am I missing something?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14KR0T09NP6CW?ASIN=0316055441	Long, pointless, self-indulgent.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm doing this on my smart phone so it will be brief. I am an avid reader and love good literature. I am not, however, into pointless ruminations and plot lines that are dark and offer little resolution of a sad and un-enlightened life. Ugh... I have only written a couple of book reviews in my life because, frankly, I'm selfish and I generally agree with mass opinion anyways. But in spending this many hours finishing this book, only to be left so disappointed and disgruntled...  I felt I needed to warn the general public who likely share mg taste in popular literature. If you are looking for an entertaining, funny, or meaningful piece of literature, do not waste your time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VN983IL3YNIL?ASIN=0316055441	It was like Tartt herself was over the book as much as ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out really strong and engaging but about 75% of the way through, it seemed to become dismantled but at that point I had already spent so much time reading it that I wanted to finish. The ending wrapped things up too briefly, making an effort to tie together loose ends but unsuccessfully. It was like Tartt herself was over the book as much as I was a reader and tried to end it within the mater of 10 pages. I wish I had spent my time reading shorter, better books in the time it took me to read ""The Goldfinch"".</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVEK2DJ29FY75?ASIN=0316055441	New favorite book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hands-down, best book I've ever read. I gave it the maximum allotted five stars, but my heart gives it 100 stars. My poor, poor bleeding heart. It's going to take awhile to shake this one off.  Unfortunately, I'm too emotional about it &amp; completely incapable of writing a proper review. Things I can say: Donna Tartt is one of my favorite authors, this book is the best book I've ever read, &amp; I CANNOT stop thinking about it! If you read &amp; liked her earlier book, The Secret History, this is along the same lines. Read this book!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MGAD222Z7FV8?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very disappointed with this book.  Can't understand how it won anything.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ4GVQT4K6QXQ?ASIN=0316055441	I know this was on the best seller for over a year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know this was on the best seller for over a year.  However, I did not enjoy it.  I  plowed through all 850 pages because I hate to not finish a book.  It went on and on describing drug filled fantasies and whining about unreqiuted love while indulging in meaningless sex. The protagonist was a morally sick man and not believable.  At the end of the book there were several pages where the author evidantly was trying to be philosophical.  Very poorly written.  Don't waste your time when there are excellent books available.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R312R15YAXW88C?ASIN=0316055441	I finished it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slogging through the tragedy of the explosion, his living large with a friend, going to live in Vegas with his  thermally immature father, took tenacity.  Learning more than I ever wanted to know about taking drugs pushed the book further from my life<br/>references.  Brings growing up ""on the streets"" a new reality, even though I taught some of these unfortunate children in<br/>Public school.  The painting becomes more of a concern as Theo ages.The Russian boy who was a criminal and sociopath gave the major sparks to this book.  It made me wonder about the Pulitzer Committee.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31EOTWGCXDZOE?ASIN=0316055441	Another literary tour de force	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an extraordinary writer, with pitch-perfect characterizations.  The orphan hero makes a series of mistakes that haunt him, makes friends that turn on him, yet the resolution of the story makes things right.  The problem was that most of the way through the book, the solution to his problem was painfully clear.  It started to feel like the author was trying to drag the story out, which seemed unnecessary.  I guess I get bored with characters that writhe in problems that have an easy and obvious solution.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16GKIRA7BD83L?ASIN=0316055441	One big run-on sentence	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am an avid reader of many genres however I was only able to read chapter 1 before I was annoyed. It seemed every paragraph was one long run-on sentence and written in a style one expects from a literary review class in college.  Not enjoyable because clearly every paragraph was intended to  create great thoughtfulness and an end of term essay. Had I been able to preview even one page of the book online, I would not have purchased this book. 2 stars because clearly, it is a best seller; though why I will never know.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8JAJCD0VYJHL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great read! Learned a lot of different  things from this well written book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11UNA9HNA4FY?ASIN=0316055441	Great beginning, weak ending.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This began as a great story. It is well written, and the detail brings you into the characters' world. It sweeps you along the journey, and you happily comply. There is a spot, however, far along in the story, where it should have ended. Instead, whether through the writer's burst of creativity or (more likely) the editor saying that the story should be longer, it dragged on through an unnecessary section followed by a weak ending. I was disappointed because it had the potential of being so much better than it was.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17FLG4F2QRNRJ?ASIN=0316055441	I see both sides of the argument	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At times I felt it was too meandering, but at the end I found a reason behind all the seemingly unnecessary details. I find it logical when people from different place, backgrounds, cultures feel disagree about a work of fiction and therefore won't try to change anyone's mind.<br/><br/>My question is fairly arcane, but I have to try to satisfy my curiosity:  the author was born and raised in Mississippi, so why did she have her main character, a boy born and raised in New York of American parents, use English terms like ""gobsmacked"", ""loo"", and ""bed-sit""?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HANK6NV2P63H?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book at the recommendation of my daughter who works as a re-framer for The Chicago Institute of Art. I thoroughly enjoyed reading  it and finished it in less than a week . Many of the descriptive passages reminded me of the work of Wallace Stegner who taught English at Harvard in the 1940's. Donna Tartt has a command of the English language which compares to Dr. Stegner's. ( I took English from him in 1943.) The plot develops slowly and the ending is surprising. I will be eager  to read her next novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QWQWGYFWAGDK?ASIN=0316055441	Great story but a bit overly long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had read The Little Friend years ago and remembered really enjoying it, so when I saw that Ms. Tartt had written another book, I purchased it right away, unaware of its length.  She does a great job carrying the story for about 600 pages - a true accomplishment that deserves praise.  Unfortunately, the ending was unsatisfactory for me and the last 20 pages or so were completely out of character.  Overall, this is a great book - but either put your life on hold for a few days or plan to be reading it for a while.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LA4KZ2ORIN9T?ASIN=0316055441	Love the story (would make a good movie)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love the story (would make a good movie), but labored through many pages. While the writing is absolutely beautiful,  I thought the book could have been about a third shorter than it is. Page after page after page of descriptive prose, but with nothing happening to move the story along. It felt like the writer got so carried away with her words and so engrossed with her writing descriptions of places and things that she forgot to make the story move.  Great story and beautiful prose, just a bit too much of both.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WTY4NYA8JRH4?ASIN=0316055441	Deserves the Pulitzer Prize,	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating - gripping- raw - exciting. Tartt sees into the heart, the soul, the guts of the main character, and into the twists and near-madness of obsession.  Plenty of 'action' (violence, drug use) played out against the tenderest of loves.  A coming-of-age story which makes us alternately despair and rejoice. I give it four stars because I felt that the violence was laid on with a heavy hand - but then, what do I know about the brilliantly-stupid international drug and art theft world?  It may be realistic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RP88NYN8V3P9?ASIN=0316055441	The book is extremely long and bogged down by unnecessarily long and tedious descriptions of the most mundane items	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Honestly a really disappointing effort by Donna Tartt.  Each one of the main characters are so shallow that it is difficult to care about any of them.  The book is extremely long and bogged down by unnecessarily long and tedious descriptions of the most mundane items.  The kindle version has so many spelling errors I wondered if I had the ""self-published"" version.  The ending was a betrayal to the reader.  In all this was several hours of my life that I will never get back and I feel supremely cheated.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2712RA3LR98GH?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant start.<br/>Then it deviated and deviated.I laboured to finish it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RALM3FW1ZC6KK?ASIN=0316055441	I don't recommend this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the book is well-written, it isn't very engaging or all that interesting.  It drags on and on and becomes a drudgery to read.  There are some interesting philosophical themes about the meaning of art that are thought-provoking, however this does not make it worth reading.  After investing so much time in it already, I struggled to finish it out of sheer determination and was just glad when I was done with it.  Because of the Pulitzer prize, I thought it would be better.  Don't bother with this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FEH3CO6BUQ7S?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful Essay!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hesitated for many weeks before buying this book because of its 755 page length.  After it received the Pulitzer Prize, I bought and read this work of fiction.  The Author succeeded in developing some of the characters, and failed at others.  At every opportunity, and there were many, the Author shared her perception of our purpose in life, and did so at the expense of development of some of the key characters, as well as execution of her story plot.  It seemed like I was reading a college essay on existentialism.  I would not recommend this book to my friends or family.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R918A9TS0DJD4?ASIN=0316055441	good read but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You know how sometimes you wish a book would never end?  This was not one of those books!  While the writing is beautiful and the story is very interesting and engaging, it was way, way too long.  I usually love a good, long read, however, there were sections of the book that just dragged on and on….there were parts that were magnificent and parts that were painful to slug through…..""come on, come on, get on with it"", I thought.  Had this story been better edited, it would have been an amazing read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38STTHLJS7XTW?ASIN=0316055441	Could have been a great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch could have been a great book--five stars, no question, if only Tartt had had a decent editor.  Her periodic loss of control of her material reminds me of Thomas Wolfe at his worst.  While I really enjoyed the overall plot and theme of the book--that great beauty exists in the midst of hideous ugliness, which parallels the human situation-- I too often found myself rolling my eyes and thinking, GET ON WITH IT, especially during some of the interminable explanatory conversations toward the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z0A7HLAUH13I?ASIN=0316055441	Good Plot Gone Bad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was very readable- although extremely verbose. The writing overtook the story- rather than following the storyline and making it interesting and exciting through movement, the author decided to over-describe and over-write the thing until the story nearly gets buried under the prose. The entire last chapter could be removed and I would have enjoyed this book much more. The last bit is SO preachy, I feel as if I'm being given a lecture on humanity according to the author's ideology. GAG.<br/><br/>In total, I sort of liked it. That's about as much as I can say.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HP7CLKYUDID1?ASIN=0316055441	Plowing through bestseller	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though it endured on the NYT bestseller list for so long, I felt as though I was plowing uphill through someone's life who initially had my empathy but then continued to do such incredibly dumb things that I lost my positive feelings. The side stories became my favorite parts. My favorite character was Boris. The writing was good. The story could have ended at least 100 pages sooner without losing too much character development. I understand why critics liked it but this is not a book I'd take up lightly.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36QBHV2W7IBKV?ASIN=0316055441	A GREAT LISTEN	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first time through this novel I was completely enthralled, not so much by the novel itself, but by the narrator David Pittu.  What a joy for those who really enjoy audio books!!!  Sections of the plot that I personally found to be problematic were easy to forgive and ignore because Mr. Pittu did such an amazing job of continually drawing me back into the problematic world of Theodore Decker.  Is The Goldfinch as a great novel?  I'm not so sure.  Is The Goldfinch great listening material?  Absolutely!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4HWM4R4PQ3OX?ASIN=0316055441	Warning!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After 2 weeks and 700+ pages this is simply a warning: if you begin to lose interest half way through (somewhere in Nevada) put the book down and walk away. I kept waiting and waiting for it to get better but it never really does, and there are just too many unfinished plot lines in the end. I have never left a review for any of the books that I've read, but I was so disappointed in this 'critically acclaimed' novel that i figure if i get one person to avoid the mistakes I've made than its worth the time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6QQGG1QE7T2P?ASIN=0316055441	Terrible....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is, without a doubt, one of the worst books I have ever read.<br/>It is boring.<br/>the characters are not developed.<br/>when I wrote a paper for Creative Writing, I often got a grade along with the comment, ""Wordy""....If anybody wants to know what that means, try to read this book.<br/>I have been ""trying"" for two months. I will finish it this evening....I hope.<br/>I pick it up, read for fifteen minutes, and fall asleep....And I, folks, am a reader.<br/>What are they trying to put over on us???<br/>Awful. just awful.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OCE4KFOASSBE?ASIN=0316055441	How and why did I finish this?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Three questions re. this book.<br/>1) Why was it written, what was its point?<br/>2) Where was the editor and why was he scared to cut the wordage by 75%?<br/>3) Who are the Pulitzer judges who awarded this tedious, pretentious, pointless book a prize?<br/><br/>But my main question is how did I get through it, albeit with lots of skipping?<br/>This has to be the most irritating book I've ever ploughed through.<br/>I still don't know how I reached Page 864, perhaps to realise just how awful it was?</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P5YAWKTU2648?ASIN=0316055441	There Should Be Ten Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The size of the book had me nervous--we are reading it for a building book club.  I am sharing it with another person.  I was worried that I didn't have enough time.  Well  --NO PROBLEM--once I started it I couldn't put it down.  The writing is incredible--the story is engaging.  Ironically I had seen the painting while on a trip to Europe.  I can't say enough about this work.  I don't want to spoil anything by telling any of the plot but when I had to do something else I couldn't wait to get back to it.  When I finished it was like losing a friend. Please D.T. more.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6T9TKXZR5ZN8?ASIN=0316055441	A future classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a masterpiece of modern literature. Donna Tartt is truly a master novelist. Not only dos she weave an immersing storyline, the detail is amazing. I most enjoyed the in depth psychological detail, Theo being an extremely sad character, whose fragile existence was thrown into turmoil following the death if his mother.<br/>Donna obviously has explored and researched the art word in great depth and her narrative is fascinating.<br/>Longwinded at times, however I did not find this a distraction as the gravity of information was excellent.<br/>Loved it !!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FPNACHSFLWLO?ASIN=0316055441	A very long tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought, after reading most of the reviews that this would be a book I would be interested in purchasing.  It was not what I thought it would be.  Chapter after chapter, I thought it would get better and it didn't.  Characters were interesting but I didn't feel anything for them, with the exception of Hobie.  I feel the author could have written this story in less than over 700 pages - I didn't want to read every little minutia in each conversation that took place.  Sorry, Ms. Tartt - it was boring..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VK6ZFM1GQ51T?ASIN=0316055441	Uneven	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoy long books and do not think this book is too long.  However, while the plot and characters are interesting, there are many tedious parts that I had to skip.  Most of the book involves poor Theo feeling sorry for himself.  Certainly he had good reasons for this, but Theo looses my interest when he constantly abuses drugs and steals from others. Vast sections of the book detail Theo's drug abuse and other vast sections rehash all that he has suffered.  I had high expectations that were not met.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QHFB6DECUJ6Z?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A disappointing book. I was a fan of Donna Tartt's, The Secret History, but this was a let down. First off, the editing (such as it was), was poor quality. I didn't like any of the characters. None of them seemed to have any redeeming qualities. Mindless repetition of waking up with hangovers from drugs/alcohol were unnecessary. The book meandered and was too long, though I was determined to finish it, hoping it would get better. There were some lovely passages, but not enough to justify the length.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JJN1XOHA2DS7?ASIN=0316055441	It didn't have me at 'hello'	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is an example of why I am slowly drifting away from fiction. If it doesn't have me at 'hello,' (meaning, the first chapter), I'll set it aside as a bad investment of my time. Neither the narrative, the opening scene description, nor the first apparent theme are genuinely innovative. The characters are not engaging. The Puerto Rican character (Goldie), is yet another trite attempt at painting the NY City scenery with one more stereotype of Newyoricans.<br/><br/>Dear Amazon, please don't suggest any more of these best sellers. I prefer best readers.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFWM18PC6FWNA?ASIN=0316055441	Promise realized	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">All this talk of how “Dickensian” Donna Tartt’s novel is is curious—is it because it has many characters and takes its hero from Park Avenue to an abandoned Las Vegas development returning to the desert  in the rubble of the housing bubble? Maybe. But it could also be for another reason. Remember those stories of people waiting on the dock for the next installment of a Dickens novel to arrive by ship from England? I could not wait to get home to pick up “The Goldfinch” and see that happened next. Donna Tart has truly realized the promise of her earlier novels.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TASJ3FRCJDDS?ASIN=0316055441	... guess it was me because it was on the best seller list	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I guess it was me because it was on the best seller list.  I liked the underlying plot and them of the book.... but the mindless, meandering verbosity of the characters as they bemused their plights.....  the Dutch phrases I couldn't understand.  The expounded upon philosophies....... I thought the plot was good, but it was too wordy, too long, which made it become boring.  I always finish a book.  But I skimmed paragraph and paragraph, page after page..... just to finish the blasted thing.  Sorry.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TYCYN584IN2X?ASIN=0316055441	This tops my best read list for the last five years at least	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book kept my attention from start to finish. I didn't want it to end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R389I1GCYDP74M?ASIN=0316055441	Please tell me it gets better....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm about 1/3 of the way through this book...please tell me it gets better! As an avid reader, I hate walking away from a book—it always feels like I'm abandoning a friend—but honestly, I can hardly face reading this book any further. It feels like a lot of dead end plots that are boring me to tears! Just when I think something great is going to happen, that vein of the story ends. I don't want to give up—but I feel like I'm wasting my time here. I would love to know if there is any hope. Thanks.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VGMBVBAMW19X?ASIN=0316055441	How Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How could this book end with the author claiming to have preserved and shared beauty and truth in spite of the ugliness and futility of life, when he hid the painting away, unable to share it?  It was shared not by him but because of the actions of Boris in an attempt to ingratiate himself to the author for money.  The last pages seem disjointed from the rest of the book.  I feel very frustrated and disappointed, expecting more from an unusually interesting story. I became invested in these characters for what reason?  It seemed to me that there was an emotional attraction to the painting because of the author's trauma in the bombing.  Turning it into a ""love of art"" is too much of a stretch.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18I3UBFAOLLGH?ASIN=0316055441	The Poor Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning of the book was brilliant. The description of the 'traumatic event' was beautifully written.  It was , after that, a disaster. The author introduced every idea for a book she had ever thought of and explored every one of the sordid themes ending with an anticlimactic hodgepodge of simplistic philosophy. I I think the author had a very gripping premise and hadn't the remotest idea ho to develop it .  I blame the publisher...she needed some strict editorial advise and got none.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TKYX02G7VHAX?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I first heard that Donna Tartt was releasing this book, I was quite excited because I loved the Secret History.  I was a little reluctant to read it when I found out it is was so long.  I also was a bit reluctant because I heard her second book (which I have not read) was a disappointing follow up to the Secret History.  I am so glad I ignore all my misgivings because I loved this book.  I could have easily kept on reading another 700+ pages about Theo and all the great characters in his life.  I think I might take a chance on her second book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5OIWJC1B3GWL?ASIN=0316055441	Masterful story telling. Pulls you along effortlessly	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed The Goldfinch and it lead me to read Donna Tartts other works. Her words flow like butter and her imagery is very strong. The characters have considerable depth and breadth. The only thing I found unpleasant was her summing up her story at the end saying what the messages were to be. I prefer to have authors just show me and what I come to understand is a mixture of what is portrayed and what I personally bring to it. The explanation at the end flattens my experience.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19KTUOFWW3YBU?ASIN=0316055441	I will never understand good reviews of this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I heard so many good things about this book, and I'm completely puzzled as to why. I am an avid reader and enjoy dark complex books, but this is just too depressing, tangled and just plain annoying. I hung in there for much much longer than I should have. I wasted valuable time trying to hit the part that was going to make it worthwhile. Got half way through, and it never happened. Didn't like the plot and didn't like the writing.  When I read the other one star reviews, I was comforted.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HQV8GW3LC2WW?ASIN=0316055441	shallow character development results in uninteresting characters which leads to a monumental waste of time devoid of meaning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Scattered, contradictory, shallow character development results in uninteresting characters which leads to a monumental waste of time devoid of meaning, action, or suspense. Interesting that I just happened to read American Pastoral by Philip Roth (a true work of literature) and I think this author borrowed a lot of ideas from that book. Gloves=furniture, brother's end monologue=Boris' end monologue. Anyway, one is brilliant the other falls completely flat. Why do people like this book?</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R9XH6CYAF6WV?ASIN=0316055441	Lacking in believability, sincerity - and editing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Written by a superb and poetic mind, but one that doesn't understand the teenaged brain. She should can her editor, who it seems did nothing. I was more angered than enlightened by this novel, though it had many bright moments. In my book group, half loved it and half had major problems with it - so it's likely an excellent book for discussion.<br/><br/>And why did it win the Pullitzer? I suspect that Donna Tartt won the Pullitzer, and The Goldfinch was simply her latest work. Oops.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XJPIMRJ2SVBG?ASIN=0316055441	Good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms. Tartt weaves a story that kept me thinking ahead as to where it was heading.  Where it headed was a surprise, one that I enjoyed.  The author's descriptions of the use of drugs, various events and relationships that unfolded during the story, were exhaustive and sometimes felt heavy yet, in the end of the passage,  the picture she painted in my mind was real and vivid.  The last bit of philosophy woven through the last several pages of the book will need to be read more than once.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVD6MZK2S02T6?ASIN=0316055441	music and the ups and downs of drug use and the effects it has on the lives of the rich and poor, down to the Russian Mafia	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Starts out very interestingly, but 775 pages of being all over the place, from art, antiques, books, music and the ups and downs of drug use and the effects it has on the lives of the rich and poor, down to the Russian Mafia, seems too much information for what seemed like a good story. The authoress describes scenes very well. It is well written, yet it seemed like she couldn't get to the point, without wondering all over the place. Otherwise an enjoyable read, just too longwinded.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34KEKA9FSXW0C?ASIN=0316055441	A Little Bird Told Me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Contemplation is but rehearsal<br/>(Ancient mariners knew it best)<br/>Every trek is true reversal<br/>You reach the east by sailing west.<br/> - Reloj Bowden<br/><br/>I've read the Russians, the majors, all of Faulkner and Jane Austen, Kerouac and Ulysses twice, but right now my favorite novel of all time is this one. I don't want to say any more about it, except you'll spend less time reading it, and derive a greater benefit, than you will watching a season of Downton Abbey.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IUYZQ80I6OR8?ASIN=0316055441	Really 3.5 stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A most unusual story that seemed to drag on for too long at times. And yet, I wanted to finish it and am now glad I did, finding the last few chapters really satisfying. The story brought me to depths of human baseness that made me uneasy and wanting to put the book down, which I did for a while!The tension for me was why they did what they did...bad choices? life circumstances? There's a moral to the story that,  in retrospect, is present throughout but not understood until the end</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B8L2B8IQ4T2G?ASIN=0316055441	Careful reading required!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is listed as one of the best of 2013.  Personally, I did not care for it myself.  As an English teacher, I did recognize the beauty of the plot ad of the language; however, I found it tedious reading.  The setting is New York City and the language is English.  The author's plot is not that difficult; but, the use of unnecessary details and lack of necessary details makes it very difficult to follow.  I do plan to read it again in order to determine if my fame of mind had anything to do with the tedium I experienced in reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E2O2DRWTW4CG?ASIN=0316055441	Mixed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting premise to base a book on unresolved and undiagnosed trauma/PTSD,and it revealed how unresolved pain, grief and depression can impact all facets of one's life throughout the duration of life. I enjoyed the first and middle parts of the book; after those the author became so mired in details that I found myself both distracted and frustrated.  I could turn several pages at a time and not lose the gist of what I was reading.<br/><br/>A family member recommended this book to me</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C3NZBYP8XNDO?ASIN=0316055441	Yes, it's worth your time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An 800-page book is an investment, and I believe The Goldfinch is worth your time and money. It's a book I looked forward to coming home to night after night and for which I would free up an entire Saturday afternoon. The characters were so real I still find myself wondering how they're doing... Donna Tartt is a talented writer. She pulls you in to the story immediately and you can't wait to discover where the story will take you next. I will remember this book for a long time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OUVG8BHVGEPM?ASIN=0316055441	There are so many levels to enjoy, but like all great works of art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book in three days, compulsively, couldn't stop.  There are so many levels to enjoy, but like all great works of art, it takes a certain person, and a certain openness of heart, to have the most intense experience.  I only wish that if you are reading this review, wondering if this book is for you, that you take a chance and read it with an open mind and heart.  Because if it speaks to you, as it did to me, you are in for a giddy and transformational experience.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21414Y19U1UXY?ASIN=0316055441	Stop reading now, it doesn't get better	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's not good. I'm a lifelong reader, will read anything as long as there's a plot and some meaning...<br/>I was at the airport, I wanted a long book but a long great book. It's a Pulitzer winner, it must be great. I paid full price, no Amazon deal. The beginning is great but then it sucks ur life. I kept leaving it but never gave up on a book before. So I continued. It's bad. Just give up, u don't have to finish it. U will not be satisfied.<br/>2 stars for trapping me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3264LREUYRYHQ?ASIN=0316055441	Quit in the middle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this because of the reviews, and it's place on the best seller list. MISTAKE! I should have looked at the distribution of reviews here.<br/><br/>The main character is unlikeable, which makes it hard to read a book that occurs solely inside of his not very interesting head. Especially since I don't find substance abuse, crime, depression, dysfunctional families and PTSD entertaining. I skimmed pages at a time.<br/><br/>By the middle, I realized it was going no where and decided to see if I was alone in this view. nope.<br/><br/>So I am stopping right now. A weight lifted.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZKDH9G9BYOIM?ASIN=0316055441	I had no sympathy for the characters and the story just kept getting more and more boring. And why was it like 800 pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had such a hard time with The Goldfinch because I just didn't care about anything that was happening. I had no sympathy for the characters and the story just kept getting more and more boring. And why was it like 800 pages? I don't mind long books in general, but it has to be worth the effort (which this one wasn't). I've just started reading The Secret History which is already about a trillion times more enjoyable than The Goldfinch. Don't waste your time on this one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22CADKCX4XL25?ASIN=0316055441	I kept seeing The Goldfinch on book club lists and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I kept seeing The Goldfinch on book club lists and hearing references to it. The writer has a gifted writing style which kept me going. There was way too much drug-taking and description for my taste but I stuck with the story to find out what happens to the painting. Won't spoil the story by commenting here. It's certainly an unusual story with plot twists but I question the amount of time I committed to it. In future, I would put it down and move on to something else.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMMYWSW7791VC?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although this is a highly rated novel I felt it  unbelievable in all aspects.  The main character (Theo) who we met at 12 yrs old would not have spoken in the voice given to him at that age so to me he was left undeveloped by time, even though he was highly intelligent.  The part of the story I enjoyed was the relationship between Theo and Boris when they were in Vegas as that was (for the most part) believable and consistent with what unsupervised teen boys MIGHT do.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R89D6UUFR8WGN?ASIN=0316055441	Where was the editor?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wish my KINDLE would've paginated this book for me or given me the usual percentage left to read because I would've known to quit before I was trapped in this overwritten, truly silly book.  The characters are ""types"", the narrative clunky at best, and the writer in love with her own trite philosophical meanderings.  I am astounded that this book was not cut down to something resembling a good yard--because there is a yarn here but it is buried deep in triviality masquerading as depth and literary philosophy.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32RI5W6X124R0?ASIN=0316055441	Warning--- read this book only if you have a lot of extra time on your hands	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wish I would have seen the size of this book when I downloaded it to my Kindle-- It dragged on and on about the same thing-- I felt tortured to fish it-- however there were parts of it that were interesting and went quickly--- however when reading an 800 page book  you would like to find enough interesting parts to read at a faster pace instead of feeling the necessity to be done with it-- I know it was reviewed very well but it was just my choice for a great read</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10LEIDPVD41AD?ASIN=0316055441	Very Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">With such beautiful prose, I wanted it to be a better book ... I wanted it to be great and it was just ok. I was really hoping this book would grab me and it never did. The writing is beautiful but I never believed the characters. The main characters, Theo and Boris, are damaged goods ... that should be interesting, haunting ... they never felt real to me. There were times when I thought (hoped) the story would take off ... it didn't. The last pages were laborous.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E80M42I1RLTD?ASIN=0316055441	Interestingly mundane	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very excited to get my hands on a copy of the Goldfinch having read many excellent reviews of this novel.  However,<br/>I must warn the reader; the author doesn't know how to end a descriptive narration.  On and on and on to the point of<br/>pure boredom, describing a landscape, describing a feeling, describing an incident, wishing it would just move on.<br/>The author could have made the story line much more believable and enjoyable if she had shortened this<br/>book in half to 400 pages.  I finally worked my way through to the end, and am happy to say it's over.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VL0897SGIG7G?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of Time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know, I know. Everyone loves this book, it won the Pulitzer. I'm sorry but this book was just horrible. I absolutely love Donna Tartt! I have read her books and given each of them 5 stars. I was so excited for this book to come out. To say I was disappointed is a vast understatement. It's just horrible. The main character Theo comes off as a whiney kid who turns into a poor excuse of an adult. I just could not even like him, much less feel sympathetic for him.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KQ8470H6R685?ASIN=0316055441	Abusive alcoholics suck	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story starts out with a loving mother dealing with her son's suspension from school ... a mundane matter that ends in a freak tragedy.  I put this book down and decided not to pick it up again about 1/3 of the way in, when child neglect, drug abuse and alcoholism-fueled violence, cruelty and petty crime became the major themes and did not seem to have a point worth making.  Yuck.  I would not have bought the book if I had known it would be this depressing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OWL7O002JP7Y?ASIN=0316055441	Enough	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Somewhere I saw that the author said ""reading is no fun unless it's fun. It should make you you feel like you can't get enough of it.  A good book should give you a breathless desire to want to turn the pages, to learn more about what's happening to these people"". For me this book missed the mark on all counts.  A very dark and distrubing book with deeply flawed characters with few redeeming qualities. I skimmed through page after page of desriptive language.  I can't believe how highly this book. rated.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW11XJZI0MGH1?ASIN=0316055441	I really loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really loved this book!  It was hard to read at times when I felt Theo, the main character, wasn't making good choices, and I was really concerned about his friend, Boris, who I ended up absolutely loving.  The book ended up being very philosophical, filled with insight about good and evil, light and dark, how one cannot exist without the other, and how not only the good things but also the bad are necessary sometimes to bring about the best overall results.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12VXR6KIOKCRH?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful story well told but it could have been 500 pages, not 775.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24OG98XZ5P7PQ?ASIN=0316055441	This book is a gem!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those books that so well written that you really feel like you know, and can empathize with the characters.  Also, you will be able to visualize where the characters are by the unique way the settings are described.  I really enjoyed the book, despite its length, I thought the pace of the book was perfect and kept be interested all the way through.  When the book was over, I was kind of sad and will miss the characters I came to know so well.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REPEKHTUFVU1Z?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch, great story that needs re-editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a wonderfully creative story with great character development and brings out several of the perplexing issues of human life.  Probably could have made the necessary points with a shorter book.  There is a great deal of writing spent on the details of drug use/abuse by the main characters that was important for the story but, for me, detracted from the story because it seem to drag on and on.  I know many people would be turned off by this.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VSXK4AO2PU5Z?ASIN=0316055441	A Long Book, WELL WORTH reading!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one LOOOONG book! And I loved every page of it! The details were not superfluous, though they took patience [and time] to read. The plot was ingenious- mystery, intrigue - and the characters, wild and varied... The genius of the length was to make the reader feel every pore and breath of the characters' emotions and actions at all times! We were there with the characters, just as we are present in the multitude of details of our own daily lives.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUD686BMC308B?ASIN=0316055441	Not Recommended	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Of course I picked this book up with high expectations as it has received so many awards. Maybe I had a little too high of expectations. Never have I read a book that rambles more and veers off course of the story. I understand the point at the end the writer is trying to make about life, but you have to fight your way through page after page of disappointment, despair and depression. Obviously only my opinion but there was nothing enjoyable about this book, not even the writing. I would not recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11L4LA4ED3TFM?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing lengthy read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well-written; but lengthy and felt story could have been condensed.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZEYXLW29GXC6?ASIN=0316055441	The Golfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was in the mood to get lost in a book and it arrived in time for one of the many wintry weeks of this Winter.  I could not put it down, the writing was engaging, her descriptions while wordy were relevant and pertinent to the narrative.  The subject of the Russian Mafia<br/>was captivating.  Her characters were 3 dimensional and my reaction to them fluctuated between great sympathy and at other times  impatience with their ""flawed humanity"".</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29OLO72DTKIM9?ASIN=0316055441	repetitive, overly description, dragged on and on	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author is definitely not less is more kind of girl.  Which is not a good thing when you spend 90% of the book on disturbing and/or depressing events or situations.  I also got the feeling she was trying to impress people with her knowledge of art or antique restoration at times instead of writing a story.  It was like being in stuck in a room with that person that drolls on and on and you just want to scream - just get to the point.  And at the end, she tries to say, look, I fixed everything but it was, to use a cliche, a day late and a dollar short.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1535P50A3V43Q?ASIN=0316055441	Read it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Through a very long story you are keen on knowing how it will all end up. During the story you get to know different ways of living and different human types.<br/>And you are not dissapointed.<br/>Though English is not my language, I enjoyed the writing, both the caracteristic of the persons and the discriptions of surroundings and milieu.(You could feel the heat, and damp and cold and sense the personality of the persons we meet)<br/>Hanne Nielsen</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MEYNQE4FPM1Q?ASIN=0316055441	"""SICK"" BIRD??????"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">DECIDEDLY ""SICK""…..THE LESSON OR ""POINT THAT THE AUTHOR TRIED TO MAKE COULD HAVE BEEN MADE WITHOUT SUCH DEGRADATION AND ENORMOUSLY REPETITIVE ACTIONS……I DO LIKE TO ""LIKE"" SOME OF THE PEOPLE I READ ABOUT BUT FOUND IT HARD TO FIND ANYONE OR ANYTHING TO ADMIRE……OF COURSE, A MOVIE WILL BE MADE, WHO EVER WOULD DOUBT THAT?….IT WON'T QUITE BE THE BLOCKBUSTER THAT ""SHADES"" WILL BE BUT…….? THAT WAS EVEN SICKER!!!!DOES ""PULITZER PRIZE"" NOW MEAN…..""PULLING YOUR LEG?""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MXG9YVXIL2EL?ASIN=0316055441	Someone stole my goldfinch!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I so looked forward to this novel but someone stole my joy of it right out from under my nose.  I truly cannot say with any real delight that this story did.  I know, I know -- the WORLD is reading this one and gloating over its contents.  Count me out....as a matter of fact, count out most of this drug-addled, verbose, lifelong script and I might like it much better.  There is certainly a good story here, the only problem is that it just gets stretched as thin as taffy does after a very long pull.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CU3SIIBT326B?ASIN=0316055441	The book is boring, repetative and disrespectful towards the reader by waisting ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This writer is in dire need of an editor. The book is boring,  repetative and disrespectful towards the reader by waisting pages and time on total nonsense. Things that can be understood in two pages take 25. Other subjects are done with in half a page, leaving you puzzled 'where did that come from,  did I miss something?'. Can't believe this writer received a Pulitzer.<br/><br/>As much as I loved the Secret History, so much I dislike this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DWDQA01I14CG?ASIN=0316055441	Disapointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I feel a lttle foolish rating a Pulitzer prize winner as a 3-Star, but our review system is based on Like or Not like. Although this novel is probably brilliant; it bored me . I still haven't finished  and maybe I won't. I didn't care for the protagonist or any o his friends, most of the symbolism, I missed or failed to appreciate.  It does portray New York City in a different way, but I'm not certain the writer has ever been to Las Vegas, Nevada.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KJ2H39T1J1WR?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth the time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While this book had potential, it is entirely too long and verbose. I found myself finishing out of obligation more than desire. Wordy, rambling, and worst yet, preachy towards the end, this book is about 350 pages too long. Tartt's wandering prose reminded me of a time when authors got paid by word rather than by the book as a whole. While the story itself is good, the reader must wade through pages of unnecessary details that do nothing to further the story. Tartt is in need of a good editor.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R319O022T2WCN1?ASIN=0316055441	great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, I couldn't put it down. Be warned that there is a lot of swearing and drugs in the book. I was constantly annoyed by the main characters bad decisions but at the same time you understand why he was doing those things because of his situation. I became obsessed with this book, thinking about it all the time and I feel like it gave me a glimpse into a world I never knew about before. It is a tragedy but don't worry, the ending is happy.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R186MTB5OK215C?ASIN=0316055441	The Goodfinch lays an egg	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Preposterous story with despicable characters and meaningless plot</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R94EIGUCNK7UB?ASIN=0316055441	far from my favorite book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This obviously is a good book judging by the fact it's been on the best seller list for 49 weeks at this point.  But my complaint is that it is an almost 900 page book that could have been written in 500.  It was just so wordy in spots for no good reason.  Long descriptions of places that weren't necessary to tell the story.  I finally started to skim some of the areas that were going on to long.<br/><br/>A good story but far from my favorite.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DD55M8V54VOP?ASIN=0316055441	A lifetime with a simple message	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a long journey of a lifetime that really only became clear in the last couple of chapters, when the writing became eloquent and the meaning simply said but deep in meaning. I'm glad it came together as it did because although I enjoyed the colorful journey, the author had me stymied as to her purpose. I was glad to read how the appreciation of the art was used to see life's value. The book kept me interested and did not disappoint.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U064UIPVUGWC?ASIN=0316055441	Very disappointing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A 300 page book hiding in over 700 pages of text. I so very much wanted to like it.....and couldn't.<br/>Could have been a compelling story were it not for all the excess verbiage. Also too many bothersome anachronisms. For example text messages way before they were used.<br/>Unsympathetic characters. I never believed in Theo's 'voice' . Did not sound like a boy but a literary lady...<br/>Some excellent patches of descriptive writing - how much better this book could have been had it fallen into the hands of a thorough and capable editor.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19IXL6B3GNJWR?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoroughly dissappointed in this book. The author starts out by giving us clear concise views of each important scene, then proceeds to belabor each scene to the point of boredom. More importantly, the premise simply does not make sense. A child, injured, blood soaked and dazed walks through 12 city blocks full of emergency first responders and no one helps him. It goes down hill from there. Ms Tartt has a gift for beautifully descriptive prose, she just needs to use it more judiciously.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EQOX9QD6HAGX?ASIN=0316055441	A story that never delivered	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is well written and if you enjoy authors who go to great depth to use words to paint a picture about emotions, motivations, settings, etc., you'll find a lot of that in this book.<br/><br/>I found the plot thin and over-explained.  I kept thinking some kind of interesting plot twist was just around the corner, but it never came.  I didn't even find the characters all that compelling or endearing.  I would not recommend this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CEBWEQIONSAL?ASIN=0316055441	Review of The Goldfinch book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the cultural stimulation of this book.  It was easy to get right into as I read it.  I was slightly disappointed near the end when it sort of dragged on with little plot.  A book of 771 pages long should be pushing itself through, not get bogged down, and I think that the ending could have been better done and a bit more stimulating.<br/>I did buy two of these books.  One for me and the other for my avid-reading daughter-in-law.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36X03BXKIB1GY?ASIN=0316055441	or give us a better understanding of the characters or their motivation	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm no quitter, which is why I even finished this book.  An okay plot, but it was a drudge to read.  Donna Tart certanly writes well, but this novel was just a rambling mess of flowery descriptions that did nothing to enhance the plot, or give us a better understanding of the characters or their motivation. If her objective was to bore readers to death, she succeeded.  A less indulgent editor may have been able to save this book.  I have no idea what the Pulitzer judges were thinking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EMHLW7AEXSD1?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated and ultimately disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great beginning.  Wonderful characters and depiction of their worlds. Often gripping.  But although the writing was generally excellent, it was also very self-indulgent and repetitive, and the book was twice as long as it needed to be.  Also, all that ""college dorm philosophizing"" shoveled in at the end seemed to be a last-ditch attempt to make the ""message"" of the book more meaningful, but it was awkward and pretty awful.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUQ1OCIA2NA3M?ASIN=0316055441	It was several days after I finished . .	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book that I stopped wanting to claw my eyes out, to sever my page turning fingers, to confront every hoity toity reviewer who can't find enough gush for this piece of tripe and introduce him/her to real literature.  Reduncancy, filler material, and then the (becoming far too common) soliloquies at the end to wrap up plot points and resolutions, and in this case even worse, some self help gobbledygook the author wants to deal out.  I said when I first heard this author's name that it sounded like one of Jerry Seinfeld's tv girlfriends . . I wish now I had watched some Seinfeld reruns.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S9RK0I7IM8CI?ASIN=0316055441	Gave Up On It	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I checked out this book digitally from my local library. I majored in English, so I'm used to slogging through long books.  No problem there. However, I gave up about half way through The Goldfinch.  I really liked the first third of the book. It was a gripping story of loss and abandonment, but then it became nothing more than a tale of drugs, alcohol, and more drugs without much cohesion. Others have liked it. Unfortunately I didn't and found the use of the f** word very tedious.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UKKL42IK1M69?ASIN=0316055441	couldn't put it down but the ending disappoints.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book over the weekend and I loved it, until the last 50 pages or so. the ending was anti-climatic, which is why I rated it 4 instead of 5 stars. I grew to care about the characters, although Boris got on my last nerve. My mother died in an ugly way when I was 11, and the descriptions of trauma and grief made my heart ache. Clearly this is a gifted author and the first book of hers that I read, but I wished the ending was more....solid, its like she ran out of steam.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R395JYNSG9UZQK?ASIN=0316055441	Literary Trompe l'oeil	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt knows how to conjure with mere words, and has successfully transferred the emotive quality, confusion and pure tension, of a painting created in 1654 to a work of fiction keyed in 2013. No small feat. The author creates a world of characters, all of whom are as tethered and as brave as that little bird. Her wriiten words fool the mind of the reader with an expertise not unlike that of Fabritius and his troupe l' oeil art.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YRG35OVDXM0Q?ASIN=0316055441	Overwritten, endlessly trite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you read Shantaram and liked it then this is the book for you.  Blood always wells, hallways are unspeakably eerie, boats dance and frolic on the sea, ice glistens.  Every trite phrase or adjective you have ever heard is strung together here for an interminable 771 pages. It is hard to keep remembering the storyline as you drown in the superlatives. There are so many great books out there, do yourself a favor and pass on this one.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VB03DUS3KUC9?ASIN=0316055441	Good but pace is a bit slow in parts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good prose but definitely self indulgent and lingers in spots...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O1ZSWOSWAWUO?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the worst books I have ever read. Boring. Non stop drugs.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9YQIB6LIFU5?ASIN=0316055441	... expected from title and from knowing the person who recommended it to me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Far from a light read as I expected from title and from knowing the person who recommended it to me. The twists and turns in the story were interesting. I wanted to like the main character but I became frustrated with his returning to drugs and crime. The ending was like a psychology lecture and far from the ""happy ending"" I like and I feel it could have had.  Mind you, probably a realistic version of modern life for some.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19LYCX4XE03UK?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful language and imagery	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAy too long ! Beautiful language and imagery ! I can't remember when I have ever read a book into which I felt so completely a part . Every description puts you IN it.The story is unique and fascinating, but the overall length was enough to make me wish it would end. Characters were so well drawn, and every wist and turn unique and mostly unexpected. I would strongly recommend it with a warning regarding the length</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU5N7S97UJBT5?ASIN=0316055441	Endless rabbit trails.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love a book with complicated plots and good character development that incorporates accurate, detailed descriptions in its contextual references. This writer (and publisher) does not know how to edit the work appropriately to avoid getting lost in endless rabbit trails. it comes across as a lengthy rattling on of  the author's stream of consciousness. Unfortunate, because hidden within was the potential for a very good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZR65TGT1L2KT?ASIN=0316055441	Overwritten and Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though I enjoyed the beginning of the book, it is hard to like a book when the main character is so unlikeable. The book is full of overwritten passages that seem to go on without end and that seem to have no purpose other than to try to impress the reader.  Frankly, I felt the book was pretentious and badly in need of an editor.  Neither the plot nor the relationships seemed to ring true. I am baffled by the wonderful reviews, and was sorely disappointed in the book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QSQL8SM8JNTS?ASIN=0316055441	Undeniably a read that pulls you away from the rest of the world	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am going to be honest, at first I had serious trouble reading this book. It was until I hit the halfway mark that I began to really immerse myself in the book. Tart has enabled the reader to put themselves in the book. When Theo had a high fever, I actually paused to see if I was burning up as well. Ridiculous I know, but the detail in the writing had me completely immersed. The ending was everything I could have hoped for.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXBPQUENZODI4?ASIN=0316055441	Could have been a good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I give this book 4 stars for storyline and 3 stars for writing.  But good grief, at least half of these 771 pages are filled with boring repetitious  drivel.  You keep hoping that something interesting will happen...but no....just hundreds of pages of Theo doing drugs, recovering from doing drugs..etc.  When Theo is stuck in Amsterdam, the author's excruciatingly boring wordy details of Theo's every waking minute made me wish that he would accidentally step in front of a bus.  (And I was skimming at this point!)</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17ZDFG9V17DKX?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hate to give up on reading a book but I finally gave up on this one.  The author delves excessively in detail to the point where I skimmed thru a lot of the pages.  I had difficulty associating with the character, Theo and even more difficulty with dealing with Hobie.  The book could have been cut down to half it's size and probably been a better, more enjoyable book.  I don't like books where the author uses many words to say what could have been said in a few words and a lot of what was said was unnecessary.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38LAJQ4FZXKHH?ASIN=0316055441	Well worth the investment of time to read this entire book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reading This novel on the kindle did not seem as long as many reviewers complain about.  The characters were well developed, making me envision the casting for the inevitable movie version. The plot twists and turns, and while some portions are predictable, others are unexpected.  I could not wait to find time to sneak in another chapter!  The end is a bit sad from a thought-provoking sense, with Ms. Tartt writing what many people are afraid of actually admitting.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z51ZXFW2010G?ASIN=0316055441	chained spirit	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An exquisitely written book, illuminating dark aspects of the human condition and philosophically commenting on it, but it needed editing.  The description of drug incidents was too dragged out, making the reading tedious.  I stayed with it because the tension was always there.  I always needed to find answers, endings, but I hated having to go through another intoxicated event.  Talented writer with amazing imagination.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBS5LC3OHW3FM?ASIN=0316055441	Too long but masterful, meaningful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful and thrilling story with a grand message, finishing in a sweeping summation that will make you cry and I'm sure was the cherry on top that gave her the Pulitzer. But oh how much greater it would be as a reading experience if either she or her editor had had the guts to cut at least a hundred pages out of it, especially the Vegas sections, which I found myself skimming, muttering ""We get it, we get it""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V4MV3WF9ZEXS?ASIN=0316055441	A glass half full and, definitely, half empty.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book begins with a bang, quite literally, and goes out with a whimper, or perhaps, more accurately, a whine. After 350 pages, I was enthralled. As I read on, her narrative spiraled down in the quality of prose and story telling. It was like being stuck in a corn maze; fortunately, I could skim through chapters and get to the maudlin, gag-me, pontificating end. Donna Tartt needed an honest editor and did not get one.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31027U7EDYAJH?ASIN=0316055441	... who've commented that this book could have used a better editor. Solid writing but story would have been ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Agree with many who've commented that this book could have used a better editor.  Solid writing but story would have been told just as well with a few hundred less pages.  Also agree if you aren't interested 100 pages in...don't keep going.  I read it in sections over a few months.  It was interesting enough to keep me wanting to finish it, but tedious enough in parts that I needed to switch to another book now &amp; again.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XG0HCG494UT4?ASIN=0316055441	sad to say, I would not recommend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, but it doesn't feel like there's a pay off. Ever. It feels more like work, and I can barely care about the characters. If I am going to read 700 pages I don't care how well an author is at being descriptive and painting me a picture when they are unable to make me feel one way or another about the picture in the first place. I can't believe this won awards, unless it was purely based on technical ability.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13H14HY9PEH00?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I guess I don't know what good is. But I thought this really dragged in the middle and somewhat contrived. How did it win such acclaim?  Not sure. But the main character has a serious drug problem that he never gets help for and yet somehow pulls himself out of and turns out OK??!! Not bloody likely!! Some of the writing is very good. It does hold your interest a good bit. But it's way too long and really overrated.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I990KI88TTS3?ASIN=0316055441	Almost worth it...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It could have been a great heist story except all the fun was taken out. It could have been a great coming of age story except the epiphany was missing. This book could have been many things, but it ended up being an unfulfilling slog, mainly due to the angsty, juvenile nature of the drug addicted protagonist. I was hopeful throughout but, in the end, neither Theo nor I learned anything worth noting on this journey.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MZ9VU95YQSB1?ASIN=0316055441	Glorification of evil	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While well written according to many, I felt that this book was a well (either experienced or researched) of the evil inherent in some, the violence, greed, and desperation was more than I could handle, and I saw No redeeming qualities in the novel. It was repetitious, seemingly enjoying the evil of the main characters, It was engaging, similar to watching an auto accident, and I will never suggest it to anyone else</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFXMCPDIWH9Y0?ASIN=0316055441	Tell the story already.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed The Goldfinch. Having said that, it was too long, the plot was convoluted, and often confusing. I rarely have the time to sit for hours reading so I read a chapter or two a night before bed. Every night I would have to refresh my brain about where I was in this story. I like the premiss a lot. The beginning had me hooked but come on.....spit it out already. Not any way what I would call Pulitzer material.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVU5GDIMEV0J3?ASIN=0316055441	Why did I put off reading The Goldfinch? I ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Why did I put off reading The Goldfinch?  I think the synopsis of the story was off-putting, not a compelling scenario....not sure, but because of procrastination I packed an absolutely captivating read on my September vacation.  The Goldfinch is not for the faint of heart; but then it IS for the most sensitive of us.  The story is so original, so gratifying, it is unique in its position among contemporary fiction.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23ZR948RL7H3D?ASIN=0316055441	because I knew it just had to get better. At the middle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I pushed myself through the whole thing. At the beginning, because I knew it just had to get better. At the middle, because I'd invested this much time already. At the end, because... well I was so close to being finished. Blah. I am so perplexed about the award for fiction. Mind you, it wasn't absolutely horrible, or I'd have stopped reading altogether. But it was by no means above average; let alone exceptional.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKMTQI6L9CZX9?ASIN=0316055441	Strap on your seat belt for this roller coaster ride!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What struck me most about this story- it is beautifully told.  It is written from the view point of a young man who has experienced far more than his share of sorrow in his short years. It is about heart wrenching loss, loneliness, confusion, guilt, compassion, love, caring, desperation,self destruction, and finally hope for the future. All these emotions are conveyed with a pitch perfect note, never overly sentimental.  I found myself astounded, thinking how did she do that?  How did the author get into a young man's head and replicate his thinking, even in terms of the language he uses to talk to himself, or his long winded stream of conscious ponderings?<br/>The characterization is rich and multidimensional.  Each character is unique and full bodied. Hobey's gentleness and patience touched my heart.  Boris brought me smiles and laughter.  I wanted to protect Theo from himself. Suffice it to say - I was involved! I haven't read anything written so well in quite a long time.  Bravo!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGI9QDJHJVCXP?ASIN=0316055441	Gail Annie	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have read quite a few Pulitzer winning books but for the life of me do not understand why this book was even considered  except for the final few paragraphs..The book went on and on forever about a poor oh so sad life that just dug deeper into a never ending pit..It did not even qualify as a sad life..To me it was a nothing to live for life that never got better for even a day. The end explained it perfectly.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AW2DEORDZLEV?ASIN=0316055441	One of the great novels you'll remember	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo and Boris, the central characters in this rich, long, extraordinary novel become a part of your life. Highly recommend that you get the Kindle edition along with the Audible version, as they come in a package deal. The reader on the Audible version brings a wonderful dramatization of Theo, Boris, and others. Using the Kindle app, move back and forth between reading and listening. Gives another dimension.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WX8VLSH3BMRQ?ASIN=0316055441	A novel you'll remember	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To say this book is eloquently descriptive is an understatement. It is not only the physical environment that a reader experiences, but the emotional, personal, one as well. Many moral, developmental, parental, educational, friendship, and even substance abuse issues could be topics of book club discussions. Although this is a long book, I read it quickly, because it kept me so engaged. Well written novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9GP6F2XEEWHZ?ASIN=0316055441	A good read in need of editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfich has many interesting ideas and characters to ponder, but the narrative is slowed by verbage and what a friend calls ""too many words"".  I found myself skipping parts of page long run-on sentences.  Lazy?  Maybe.  But I did say out loud ,""Just get to the point!""  That said, I enjoyed the story a lot and relished the tales of the art world told with some very fine writing indeed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30LF45DUSZ85L?ASIN=0316055441	I have love Donna Tartt's work since The Secret History	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She needs a serious editor. This dark, dark tale just goes on too long. I couldn't put the book down because the train wreck of lives was simply impossible to resist. Still, when it was finally over, I resented having to read through all those pages that never went anywhere. I have love Donna Tartt's work since The Secret History. She's a brilliant writer. That said, she still benefit from serous editing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28JCV4ZA03N1Q?ASIN=0316055441	Really?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am reading this on my Kindle. I am 40% into the book only because I have skipped so many words, paragraphs and pages. Does not Ms. Tartt have an editor? And if she does, does that person understand what editing is? This novel initially showed promise but Ms. Tartt's continuous and lengthy ramblings are leaving me bored to tears. This could easily have been a short story, instead it is a wasteland of unnecessary self-serving prose. Would hate to be sitting next to her at a dinner party, undoubtedly she would never shut up!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVJXZ22K6H2T6?ASIN=0316055441	Meh.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A really long book with a really strange plot. I finished it, but it was far from a favorite. Also, the underage alcoholism and drug use, although ultimately a necessary part of the plot (I guess), gave a really grimy feel to the story. I wouldn't recommend it unless this is specifically your thing in literature. There is enough grime and darkness in the world without making more in fictional stories. On to better, brighter books for me!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KE3FSFK5SQS2?ASIN=0316055441	To coin a phrase, I couldn't put this book ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To coin a phrase, I couldn't put this book down. Extremely well written with such interesting characters from meek to violent.  All have their place in  an intricate plot dealing with a small boy who obtains a painting of a goldfinch. The deceit that grows as he grows, the kindness of others, a dysfunctional childhood leading to an underworld connection and everything in between.  Gripping to the end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YIEG03F9X8HJ?ASIN=0316055441	Almost perfect	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would have given it five stars because the writing is incredible and the story intriguing, but the end section seemed to veer from the story line and turn into a diatribe on the misery of life. Although well written, it appeared to be written as an essay that the author loosely connected to the story by dropping the main character's name in now and then and attributing the thoughts expressed to him.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EBLU80CLRBO7?ASIN=0316055441	Deep and dark	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very emotionally deep. How our lives are formed from the things good and bad that happen to us depending on our personal reaction to the occurrence. I found the drug usage to be dark. It droned on forever causing me to become very bored with the main characters boyhood. The ending was also to Drawn out I lost interest and basically quit reading it. Skimming over the last couple of pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FGY4UK5D0LKY?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was a fan of her first novel The Secret History; but Goldfinch drew me in and wouldn't let me go.  I'm actually mourning and distraught that the book has to end and I don't want to let go of the characters.  It drew me in like a great movie; the kind during which you lose yourself and forget where you are.  Books like this don't come around too often so it is such a disappointment to reach the end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAVXGIR4BUD3T?ASIN=0316055441	Good, the other 2 Tartt books are better.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love this author and all 3 of her books are worth reading. I was so close to rating this book a 5 star masterpiece till the last 10 percent. The  book is so intelligent and sensitive to art and the thrill of desolate beauty yet entertaining with great characters but the last bit was a let down. The end is satisfying as far wrapping up the narrative but is also filled with explanations, justifications and loopy philosophizing...completely unnecessary. Where was the editor?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC0VO42OTLQV4?ASIN=0316055441	on and on and on	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first one third of the book is very good but it took 12 pages to walk through the museum. The book would get going on something and then peter out because time and again it went on and on and on to get to the point. Was this book ever edited? If so shame on the editor for not fine tuning what could have been amazing!  This would have been a great 350 page book if the editor had done his/her job!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O2NV4Z8RDYDG?ASIN=0316055441	Not my favorite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took about 80% of the book for it to start meaning something (kind of).  And this author obviously believes we just like what we like good or bad and to own it - well I think when you're being self destructive and you are smart enough to know it and just make the excuse well it's just what I like, I have no control... That's giving up and making excuses / being weak.  We don't need more of that.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27AC9NELD675Z?ASIN=0316055441	2.5 stars really.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the characters. The book was easy to read but I found myself skipping pages about 3/5 of the way through. I wanted to know what was happening I didn't want to read all the excess ""fluff"" that's never happened to me so I'm going to assume the book was to drawn out. It wasn't a complete waist of time,  but because of all the negativity I wouldn't recommend this book. Sorry Donna Tartt</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WYH4WQGP2KM8?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the beginning of the book and New York<br/>Lost interest in Las Vegas<br/>Stopped caring about the character after he returned to New York<br/>Agree that the painting, as some have said,  gets lost in the story and while I realize it was the vehicle for the story to begin I expected it to be more important as the book went on<br/>Still I hope to see the painting on my next vacation south</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XWVJM8BSQCFV?ASIN=0316055441	Tough call	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was drawn in by the Pulitzer Prize award. I started reading and started doubting. On and on, page after page I hoped that things would come together, find a rhythm, a purpose. It wasn't until the last pages, the very end, that the author found her voice and gave us something to think about. Just read the last chapter, the rest is unedited, random chatter, snippets of other stories not fleshed out.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F2VQ556YW9LX?ASIN=0316055441	While I loved the detail and the introspective nature of the narration	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I loved the detail and the introspective nature of the narration, I found it a little slow moving at parts and a little hard to stay interested in others.  Lots of drug use and there were places where I thought the main character was slow at picking up on the plot (parts where I, the reader, figured things out and was waiting for the main character to catch up).  Maybe it was over my head?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R338BPW5FAY7CF?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this story! Following the life of the boy Theo, from tragedy to desperation and anxiety, to oddness and to friendship and survival into adulthood, and always intertwined with the Goldfinch. You never can guess how things will turn out until the end, but it always keeps you thinking, and I will be thinking about life and art and what it all means for a long time. Thank you, Donna Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RML73IDCIYHO9?ASIN=0316055441	I was disappointed in the book and would not recommend it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was disappointed in the book and would not recommend it. It was long, drawn out and depressing. I am not sure why it receive such high ratings.  As a retired R.N., I am very familiar with depression and I am not sure how this young man could have survived his battle with drugs and overdoses and still be able to function.  Obviously  it was a downward spiral and left me feeling rather empty.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NMJE6VAE5L74?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't read it. The end is awful - how did it get a prize?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7Q3TFV4E03LT?ASIN=0316055441	Miserable read...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't waste your time reading this book.  This turned out to have the most static protagonist ever.  I was bored beyond belief and couldn't wait to get to the end of the book hoping for some twist or turn around.  There was none and then I was shocked to find that Theo, the protagonist, who learned nothing from the events of his life tried to impart a confusing philosophy on how to live one's life.  WORST BOOK EVER!!!!!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R198HWG36QU3J5?ASIN=0316055441	... to figure out why this book was on the best seller list for so long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am 600 pages into the book and have yet to figure out why this book was on the best seller list for so long. I believe that the story could have been told in far fewer pages. The only character I found had any redeeming value at this point is Hobie. I feel for the main character but he does nothing to help himself and is offered many ways out of his circumstances but wastes them all.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L9BEHQHOUKR0?ASIN=0316055441	Gold for someboby else.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A difficult read for me.  I gave up2/3 through the book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AAGDQLWH8JKH?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the first half of the book but got bogged down .</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H82QBSSGLK08?ASIN=0316055441	A big disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am an avid reader and never, ever give up on books, but The Goldfinch proved very hard to read. I wanted to chuck it in the trash almost daily. It is obvious that the editor was sleeping on the job. Almost every charachter uses the phrase ""at any rate"", it's infuriating and insulting the reader's intelligence. The book drones on and on, an endless, boring trip to nowhere.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVAGFQLB81SZS?ASIN=0316055441	Hooked me from the start	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book hooked me completely after the first 25 pages or so. It does a magnificent job of painting the picture of the long term effects of childhood trauma on a young man's development. The beauty is in how Tartt builds characters who feels so real that you feel as though you are truly with them, thinking and feeling as they do. If you read only one book all year, read this one.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SOJBVAAD12G0?ASIN=0316055441	truly deserves pulitzer prize.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I put off reading this for so long, because there are  so many low ratings.  I am at 85% of the book, and unless it ends really badly, it does not deserve less than 5 star.  Every good thing you like in books is there.  The book is long, but includes so many story lines, it is necessary.  So, basically, I am angered by the low ratings that kept me from the amazing book for years.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGWWDJLH5AD0F?ASIN=0316055441	Too long and full of misery! Painfully depressing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first 20% of the book was beautifully written and a great story line. The next 80% of the book a very long story filled with characters with no redeeming values. It could just be up setting my Midwestern values, but this book is filled with substance abuse and personally I just couldn't stand to read about it any more. How in the heck did this book receive the Pulitzer Prize?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DCA8462ITRXC?ASIN=0316055441	tedious and boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think the author could have written this book in half of the pages that she did.  It became laborious, tedious and boring.  I could barely summon up the energy to continue reading, but wanted to finish.  I thought the story was ""unbelievable"" at most times, and the ending left me wondering what became of this young man's life.  I would not recommend this book to anyone.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XF9HPDKE5T8N?ASIN=0316055441	I had trouble finishing it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know, I know, she's a Pulitzer Prize winner and all, but I found The Goldfinch to be tedious and rambling and I never connected with its protagonist, Theo Decker. In fact, I found most of the characters unlikeable. I struggled through it, then it picked up again, but then it just dragged to an almost ridiculous ending. Shame, though, as I really WANTED to like, I just have to be honest and say I did not.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QGFSLO0MLY9S?ASIN=0316055441	Why is this a best-seller???	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book starts out rather interesting but then seems to go completely off course. I always finish what I start and I must rate this book as the most difficult to finish of all the books I've read. Boris was the worst character. Actually, most of the characters in the book seemed rather one-dimensional and useless. The drug abuse depicted was disturbing and added no interest. What a supreme waste of time!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15VY5P908LBMI?ASIN=0316055441	Dull, Boring, a Chore to Finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Through the  beginning, I thought I might really dig into this book. As I read on, I became very impatient with characters. i disliked the floundering  stream of consciousness style prose that went on waaaay too long. I found no redemption for anyone in this novel. It was a chore to finish and I truly wonder what has earned this book so many accolades. I do not recommend it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R7VIDIA3WWWO?ASIN=0316055441	Verbiage	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A typical Pulitzer Prize winner ! Description forever. Weak and uninteresting plot. Unlikely situations - how many people are nearly killed in a bomb explosion and then can claw their way out of the debris, run around a large museum, escape through an unused<br/>door and run some more amid rescue workers. I slogged  through a quarter of the book and then erased it.<br/>Where do they find such critics ?</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CC4D9T3NK848?ASIN=0316055441	A mixed experience	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a mixed reading experience. At times it was captivating and difficult to put down. But I also caught myself skipping pages and pages as I was bored and wanted to get to some action again. Perhaps the biggest let-down was the end. Pages and pages of musings from the main character without any real closing of the story.<br/><br/>I wouldn't really recommend the book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V0KMXF2QYJC8?ASIN=0316055441	I really wanted him to get the girl and be happy I loved all the characters and read the ending ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book still haunts  me. The life truths still stick with me.  Right does not always begat right, and wrong does not always begat wrong.  I honestly had no idea where it would lead.  I really wanted him to get the girl and be happy  I loved all the characters and read the ending at least three times to really understand what the author wanted you to see.  Loved this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J0HFZ8BMTN6A?ASIN=0316055441	An odd congruence	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book got enormous press from Entertainment magazine. Obviously, it is being considered as movie fodder. I liked the bits about the painting itself, the refurbishing of antiques and the NY lifestyle. I didn't like the time the protagonist was in Las Vegas and lived on drugs. It didn't seem to connect with the measured, careful descriptions of the antiques culture in N.Y.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W2QS4Q0LM6EK?ASIN=0316055441	Four stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">All through the book I wanted to love our flawed narrator. I always want to like the protagonist. Theo is hard to like. He's intelligent, curious, deep, and has serious flaws. Bravo to Ms Tartt for creating a protagonist like him.<br/><br/>No spoilers ahead. Read the book and you'll understand how art can you, get inside you, give you a reason to live or a reason not to.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QCCPLU0LW87Q?ASIN=0316055441	Why do authors think they have to write the great long novel for it to be good?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was way too long.  Why do authors think they have to write the great long novel for it to be good? At times I really enjoyed it and then it would just become way too worded.  I would have enjoyed it more maybe if it was split into two books, His early life then his later life.  I know it had some great reviews but I don’t like reading when it is a challenge to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WBIGZ2B09W80?ASIN=0316055441	Luxurious Description	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Demanding and invigorating. This novel is rich. It is so well detailed that reading is close to living through it. But, I found the end chapters to be taxing, saying to myself, ""come on with it""  as I read. I was too ready to move on from the novel to remain focused enough to wrap my mind around the philosophical ending. Still, I would recommend it to any academic reader.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJUMU5TN2XGX7?ASIN=0316055441	I finished it only because I kept hoping for something good and honest and progressive to happen	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not care for this book.  There was nothing up lifting or entertaining about the story or the main character.  I finished it only because I kept hoping for something good and honest and progressive to happen.  The end showed a slight glimmer of hope, but not enough for me to recommend it!  I will say, however, that it WAS well written.  It just told a terrible story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UG6IRC2FGGB7?ASIN=0316055441	I was so disappointed after finishing this that I wept for the loss ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so disappointed after finishing  this that I wept for the loss of time I put into reading it. The story is lackluster at best with historical facts so out of time and place that I wondered if somehow I lived in another reality.  And the central icon of the book (the goldfinch painting) doesn't even need to be a part of the narrative. Why did this win so many awards?</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFVAWV6317I95?ASIN=0316055441	You'll Be Lost in This Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">With all the demands on my time and energy, it had been a while since I purchased a best seller, read it and thought about it when I wasn't reading it! This was the book that put me on the Donna Tartt bandwagon. Her writing pulls you into the story - even when you want to turn away - and introduces you to characters you'll remember long after the pages are closed and the book has been put on a shelf.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TEGVT37JT17P?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it! Great book especially for this New Yorker	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it! Great book especially for this New Yorker! Ms. Tartt captures this city and others so well. It had me from the very first page. I am thankful that my book club made me read it otherwise, I would have never discovered it on my own (I am sorting my way through all the classics I missed in high school and college at the moment). Read it, you won't be disappointed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z946CI0GUHQ?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to keep reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Here is story which overwhelms the reader with the drug and alcohol use and abuse from very early age, and continues regularly thoughout the lifetime of the book.  Yet you are meant to glide along accepting that both these boys grow up to be somewhat successful and principled, when from what we are told about alcohol and drug use and abuse I would expect a life somewhat different to that portrayed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AMOTJHBGUZHM?ASIN=0316055441	Don't bother	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is unique. It started out well. By the last third of book I had to force myself to keep reading in order to finish the book. The author's writing style is flowery, verbose, and becomes extremely annoying about half-way through the book.  I found myself distracted from what the author was saying because of the way she was saying it. I don't recommend this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19MTCFB8EAR43?ASIN=0316055441	good story but boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story, very interesting and well decribed charaters. If I were to stop there I would give it 5 stars. Stopping there is the problem. The author dribbles on with endless details, boring conversation and and what think was intended to be deep philosopy. It just turns out to be common knowledge observations streached far too thin.  Next time arm the editor with an ax.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14JHVGYER67F0?ASIN=0316055441	Fun and Enjoyable read...Loved the characters.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this story refreshing, captivating and enjoyable.  Unlike shorter books, I did not feel the book dragged at all nor did it feel ""long"".  Each section had a reason and a placement.  I loved Theo and how he dealt with his challenges along with the mix of wild characters, yet the deep grounding that I believe his mother played in his life.  Fun read for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13IZO6EZ9WHPI?ASIN=0316055441	THE GOLDFINCH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I will not waste anyone's time by writing a long review.  I just finished THE GOLDFINCH.  I found it incredibly boring and hated most of the characters, except Hobie. The timeline of cell phones, Harry Potter and Las Vegas disturbing, the author should have done her homework with better research.<br/>Nothing was compelling in this 771 page book or seemed true to life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N1F239M5T3VR?ASIN=0316055441	No diving allowed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overhyped. Tartt had GPS trouble navigating her course, and tried to pack too much into a novel that ran out of gas. Where was her editor? Tartt wrote about her character, Theo, and his response to courting a shallow woman, ""as wading in knee deep water, hoping to find a drop off in which to swim"", and it could be a fitting epitaph for this disappointing book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HEWOHXCMPOWD?ASIN=0316055441	A beautiful read .	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the ten best books I have ever read. The writing is sophisticated, the characters are intense and the plot is solid. Only at the end of the book was I ready to stop reading. I don't understand the the criticism of the book and can only agree that the end dragged on slightly but it did not take away from the total enjoyment that I received from reading the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P9LXS4J0MDRW?ASIN=0316055441	Nihilism and love	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A breathtaking book that will throw you away from your mundane existence reminding you of all your fallen hopes, you daily sadness, you becoming older and the inescapability of life: death... Other than that - it is fantastic - alcohol is the only thing that will bring you back up - that - and may be a kiss from your child... the rest is meaningless. Happy reading :-)</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV84N6WAARFYL?ASIN=0316055441	(700 in the hardcover edition) She should edit out all the unnecessary padding and clutter and then it would be a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would give it five stars if she'd make it 300 pages long instead of dragging it to 860!  (700 in the hardcover edition)<br/>She should edit out all the unnecessary padding and clutter and then it would be a really great book!<br/>Loved the story, the characters, the emotional charge, the love of art, and some interesting info about art theft and antique furniture</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNR0FWUBYSUTV?ASIN=0316055441	Maybe if it were a couple hundred pages shorter!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It droned on and on, I finished it but only because I expected it to somehow turn into the book I thought it would be; sadly it didn't.  There is a story in there somewhere, but it kept getting lost.  Very disappointed. Maybe if I hadn't just finished Sycamore Row which was wonderful from word one, I would have like it better; no, don't think so, it just didn't mesh.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15LVOHGJ42G3C?ASIN=0316055441	Lost interest	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Initially I was enthused by the language, the characters and the story line. However, after about two thirds through it  I lost interest and stopped caring about the story and the characters. The Russians portrayed in Vegas were stereotypes (I come from North-Eastern Europe, I have met such people before).  I got bored by the dialogue.  I have yet to finish the book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24TSL5E3JI7KL?ASIN=0316055441	Over-rated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's literary strategy, over-reliant on long lists of adjectives, phrases, even independent clauses, becomes tedious pretty quickly. Worse, the characters are not much more than reactors to an accumulation of difficult, sometimes tawdry events.  We get little development of the narrator's interior consciousness, and his philosophical musings at the end are either trite or merely true.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9JJ5E7B6T2K8?ASIN=0316055441	Too much violence & drugs. Not Pulitzer worthy.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was expecting more from this book, with the Pulitzer and all that.  Let me start by saying that I did like her writing style - thoughts that were at some times brilliant and wonderful.  But, I really hated the gratuitous violence, drugs, and language that seemed written just for the to-be-made action/thriller movie.  I will not be reading another Donna Tartt book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ITUXFUIQ487N?ASIN=0316055441	I am still not sure if I liked the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was written very well.  It did leave you pulling for the main character.  I thought it was a little too long in places and too many drug use episodes.  But, after our book club discussion, the characters came to life differently for me and I thought about the book for a couple of days after.  I am still not sure if I  liked the book, but am glad I read it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HZ2LD0PZXOUO?ASIN=0316055441	Did the Pulitizer Board Phone it In?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't believe this book won a Pulitzer !  I forced myself to finish it because I believed there must be redeeming qualities somewhere. There weren't !  I would be angry that I wasted my time except it proved to me that the Pulitzer Board can get it wrong. Where was the editor for this book?  There was a story there, but it was lost in boring, overwhelming drivel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SETJEAKH2LWZ?ASIN=0316055441	This glorious novel will be long remembered	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has surpassed herself.  Never a writer to skimp on words, she uses every one of the 700-plus pages of this monster to total effect.  In Theo and Boris she has created the most likable bad boy twosome since Butch and Sundance.  And the suspense is masterfully managed and heightened by the wonderful full-payoff ending.  I am glad Donna Tartt took so long to write this book.  It looks like her masterpiece to me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U3K56AG5QE6S?ASIN=0316055441	Imagine putting Great Expectations, Harry Potter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Imagine putting Great Expectations, Harry Potter, Bonfire of the Vanities and any Britt Easton Ellis book in a blender.  Unfortunately, it is not the best of all of these worlds but a very uneven mix of them.  Sometimes it works, but more often it does not.  The ending seems to bother a lot of people in its preachiness.  For me, that was the best part of the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KLI7ABMWMVS2?ASIN=0316055441	Good but slow at end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm a little surprised by all the raving reviews out there. It starts out well and initially I was engaged in the story - but once he moves back to NYC, it started to really drag. I wasn't invested in the painting or main character. It was a struggle to finish it and I resorted to speed skim reading. I appreciate what the author did here but it's not for everyone.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14G324RJDC9TC?ASIN=0316055441	Must be patient to go on this journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book started out like gangbusters. I was hooked &amp; couldn't put it down.<br/>Then it began to get very complicated, repetitive &amp; by the end I couldn't wait<br/>for it to be over. It's long, as there's a lot to get through, so I don't recommend this<br/>one to everyone. If you're impatient, not the book for you. The message is a bit<br/>depressing as well.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NF0O25KNVSGO?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated in my opinion.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very eager to read this book because of all of the great reviews and the lists it has been featured on.<br/>There were interesting parts but overall I think the story was very drawn out and far-fetched. The narration went a little too far with the philosophical explanations and analogies and by the end I just kept finding myself wishing the book would end!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EQVFHY19S5BR?ASIN=0316055441	a slog through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't finish it. The book should have been a lot shorter and be more about the plot of the Goldfinch painting than slogging through several sections of the protagonists life that never mentioned how it all connected - I got fed up with it. I don't mind long books if they are interesting,but this did not keep my interest in either the protagonist or his life.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X1Z186OEEGA5?ASIN=0316055441	I had to read this whole book as I had ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had to read this whole book as I had unfortunately picked it for the book club that month. Please do yourself a favor and skip this book, but if you really have to read it just skip the whole Las Vegas section. Book dragged on and on and was just too depressing. I am sorry this earned the Pulitzer as I think the agonizing over and glorification of drug abuse is completely inappropriate.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SKSIHVMCM8RF?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first part of the book was very well written and so interesting! But after awhile the suffering heaped upon the main character, Theo, became utterly ridiculous! It's as if the author tried to see how many terrible things she could do to him! It became distracting and unbelievable. I would've given it 2 stars except I enjoyed the 1st part of the book so much.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EB92ILQCUB7S?ASIN=0316055441	So much expectation but such heaviness!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's not often that the optimism with which we approach a novel with a tragic beginning is not satiated. So many chances to redeem himself, yet the central character frustratingly continues to choose the way leading to destruction. Haunting and enticing descriptions, of both physical and psychological scenes make this an equally delightful and cumbersome read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDZ3ZI27V5LK4?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms. Tartt obviously knows how to write well and make the reader interested in continuing with the story but it goes nowhere and has endless wordy descriptions that are often unnecessary. At approx. 800 pages this book should have been edited down to a maximum of 500 pages.  There are some good messages about life hidden in the story but they are essentially trite and do not provide any new insights for the reader.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R3T14L9OBFTB?ASIN=0316055441	rip-off?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book, while strangely highly readable, is at least in half a complete rip-off of Infinite Jest, among other books; that is, it is not merely influenced by Wallace, as you could say it is influenced by Dickens or Margaret Drabble or a whole host of other writers.  It actually reads in the last half exactly like the last quarter of Infinite Jest.  Bizarre.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14OT55XH6D5FA?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written, probably the best prose I've ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, probably the best prose I've ever read.  Very descriptive.  However the descriptions go on and on for ever and it moves very slowly along.  I have friends that haven't gotten through the whole book.  I did enjoy parts.  Not the first Pulitzer I was disappointed by.  Remember Shipping news by Prolux, I couldn't finish that depressing tomb.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ7J2V4OI4QQL?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Prophetic, amusing, heart-wringing, soul searching. One of the most unique books I have ever read. I am amazed by this story. I love the dirtiness and despair of a true and honest portrayal of life, an anti-hero that you cry for, love for and yet cannot condemn any of the other characters and their flaws. You love them because they encapsulate a part of you.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28FV5PN0Z8OSG?ASIN=0316055441	delicious, dark stuff	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's been a while since I've gotten so close to a character in a book. And his relationships. I hung onto so many of Tartt's sentences--rereading them and soaking in each word. Delicious, dark stuff. The forceful nuances (almost fillers) were incredibly well done. Hard to leave this book behind in my mind. It will be awhile until I can think through another.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVWA6DT8XDKF9?ASIN=0316055441	I loved it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved it... fast-paced, hearty, romantic, intellectually-stimulating... well-developed characters, interesting dialogues, realistic settings... and and having art as an ongoing topic underlying the entire plot was just awesome... I didnt have a boring moment reading this book.. nothing is perfect, neither is this book.. but its a damn delicious fast read..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8N7EQK38NZC0?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read, with lots of action and mostly good ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read, with lots of action and mostly good character development.  Author's ability to inject suspicion and doubt about characters and their motivations was masterful.  The treatise about why we need art at the end of the book seemed an afterthought. Was it a statement to please literary critics who might otherwise have resented good storytelling?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25X7CCXSRMS0Z?ASIN=0316055441	I just don't get it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book continues to sit on the best seller list and I have no idea why.  I like a good analogy as much as the next person and I fancy myself fairly enlightened but this book became painful to read.  I plodded on sure whatever it was everyone was raving about was just around the next chapter but it never came.  What a complete waste of my money and time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BLH4WN6XH9GO?ASIN=0316055441	This book needs a really good editor. Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book needs a really good editor.<br/>Too long, too detailed that the reader loses interest. The same details are repeated over and over again; like Theo's love for Pippa, the tragedy of losing his mother in a terrorist attack, getting high on different drugs.<br/>The book may have been good if it could lose like 300-400 pages of nonsensical details</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLE30RSFZPCJH?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am an avid reader that usually enjoy any book I read. I was very disappointed in this book. It rambled on and on at times, saying things that could have easily been said on one page. I was going to recommend it to my teenage granddaughters to read but I was so disgusted with the glorification of the drug culture that I would not recommend it to anyone.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SIJMQ3G0SFFY?ASIN=0316055441	Insults its namesake	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am about 32% of the way in and just can't stomach another page. The other reviews on this site give enough justification as to why that may be, but suffice to say that the definition of hell would entail being locked in a room with only this book. On the other hand, the Fabritius painting is lovely, and this book in no way should be associated with it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZWY73FB2D3K9?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I expected more from a Pulitzer Prize winner. The first part of the book was a beautifully written page-turner.  I didn't want to put it down. After that, I felt it was in need of editing. The writer seemed to ignore the ""show don't tell"" maxim. After brilliantly laying out a philosophy, the author seemed not to trust the reader to figure it out.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KJJUWCLJ0P5A?ASIN=0316055441	Where was the editor???	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most compelling openings I've read in years, and the first 300 pages or so were spellbinding. After that, well...like the heading says ""where was the editor?"" I slogged through the second half with more than an occasional roll of my eyes. A shame, really....I was captivated at first, bewildered then bored. It's now in my donate pile...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BUAAXX6E9WEC?ASIN=0316055441	Did not like	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To be fair I very much dislike the style of writing used by this author and usually close a book immediately when I encounter it.  I managed to get through this one by skipping a lot.  I thought it was depressing.  I don't think that today's 14 year olds are as naive as this one appeared to be throughout the book.  And who was paying for his cellphone?!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R55C3MTZNA77Y?ASIN=0316055441	Yuck	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was overlong, exasperating and boring. The drugs, absurd situations, and improbable characters were offensive. How on earth did it ever receive the Pulitzer Prize? Deserves zero stars. I gave up after 545 pages. There is no excuse for such a novel (?) to go on and on and on.  Anyone who reads this book to the bitter end deserves a medal for bravery and endurance.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R7LJ9GFJAFR1?ASIN=0316055441	Not so great.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is interesting at times.  I had to wade and wade through parts that have no meaning.  A drug-induced fatalistic view of life and meaning is not for me.  Even the ending was hard to take and I found that I had to force myself to the end.  I've had hard times but am not strung out on alcohol and drugs, not murdering people, are not ripping people off.  Not a good book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GJVAF1ICIMHN?ASIN=0316055441	Wish I could give it 10 stars....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a masterpiece.  I have never highlighted anything in a fiction book before but the writing is so elegant, so meaningful and true that several passages deserved to be remembered.  Donna Tartt takes the reader into the deep chasm the main character, Theo, experiences after the death of his mother.  It is a dark journey but in the end, this beautiful story is pure gold.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EQ6Q6IB050BJ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch was an interesting read. The complicated life ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was an interesting read. The complicated life of Theo Decker (the main character) took many a turn. Trauma affects everyone differently and he was no exception. This book was an accurate description of our society's ability to burry our feelings , fears and anxieties from those around us. The Goldfinch is a long book but worth the read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X0TK1X0NR29R?ASIN=0316055441	Don't believe the hype!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Severely over written and under edited. This book has proven to me that the system of publishing and distribution can put a ""novel"" on the best sellers list even if it's poorly written. The lengthy, overly self-important passages written in this book beg to be skipped over and the repetitive, contrived emotions are a bit much. Don't believe the hype and skip investing time reading this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U2JK5KTBFT46?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very tedious.  I admit, there were times when I couldn't put it down, but I became tired of the endless descriptions and coincidences.  I'm still trying to figure out what Ms. Tartt was trying to do with this book.  The story, in about half the number of pages, would have been good beach reading, like a Kate Atkinson ""Jackson Brodie"" mystery.  Not Pulitzer material.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H5V83XDQU8VR?ASIN=0316055441	Don't bother	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wish I had the last few weeks of my life back. Wonderful characters but WAY too long and involved in telling the story. Very unsatisfying, even although beautifully written. Can't imagine why it has such a following and the Pulitzer. People have better things to do with their lives - like sorting the garbage - rather than invest this kind of time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27PV28U5YANS8?ASIN=0316055441	Worth reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a fascinating book.  It was our summer choice for our book club and for once, we all enjoyed the book.  Usually at least one member doesn't like our monthly choice, but this was a absorbing tale, with all sorts of twists and turns and I found it hard to put it down.  It generated a long and positive discussion in our group.  Worth reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CVNCW4BEU7SN?ASIN=0316055441	"Like now the book wants to be ""deep"" after 700+ ..."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">(My review include spoilers)<br/><br/>The story started out so interesting. I was so excited at first listening to it while I drove to work. But boy did that novelty wear off quick. I wished I skipped the ""teen"" years. The characters he meets during that time were so cliched (even his Dad's girlfriend from Florida with a raspy voice, tanned built body and sketchy friends). I fast forwarded through some chapters, rolled my eyes, and giggled at the ""philosophical"" questions at the end of the book. Like now the book wants to be ""deep"" after 700+ pages of drug use, drinking and fraud.<br/><br/>I'm very surprised this won the Pulitzer Prize. I also read ""Burial Rites"" by Hannah Kent http://www.amazon.com/Burial-Rites-Novel-Hannah-Kent/dp/0316243914. That book is far more interesting and the characters were more fleshed out and complex.<br/><br/>I wouldn't recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXU6V8HF5ZNXJ?ASIN=0316055441	magnificent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a page turner, a magnificent masterpiece delving into the psychology of loss, loneliness, bravery and infatuation. A very deep and thought provoking, beautifully written work of art.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ABOB3KLIREI3?ASIN=0316055441	So well written and I enjoyed the intensity and the wide range of feelings and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So well written and I enjoyed the intensity and the wide range of feelings and reactions generated in each character.<br/>I is certainly recommended reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U1IHY0CHCVG9?ASIN=0316055441	a 3~star read....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It kept my interest and was well written but too much ""space"" between chapters. A little too slow for my liking. It was good but does not warrant a Pulitzer in my opinion.  I have read far better books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VFEH05R8M9NA?ASIN=0316055441	"It did get pretty ""wordy"" at times"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It did get pretty ""wordy"" at times, but it was a very good read.  Thank goodness for the Kindle, tho, made reading a lot easier.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CXBQVVEVFWCV?ASIN=0316055441	This book takes off like a rocket.  The storyline, the writing style,	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the characters so well defined.  I could hardly put it down, couldn't wait to pick it up again to see what would happen next.  It was so captivating!  But sometime between the middlle and the end it seemed like a different person was writing it.  I began losing interest.  The plotline became redundant - too many new characters were introduced, their identies became muddled.  Too much time wasted on an uninteresting event.  Then, the book began getting so abstract  and philosophical - and also very repetitive that I found myself rereading paragraph after paragraph trying to understand the ""hidden meaning"" behind the elegant words on the page but I was still in the dark.  Very soon this became frustrating, then annoying,  then boring.  I only continued reading to the end because I had invested so much time reading it I felt kind of obligated to finish it.  At that point, the thrill was long gone.  The rocket took a nosedive and landed with a thud.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FDPILW3MWEU3?ASIN=0316055441	I DIDN'T GET IT!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I simply don't understand why people think this book is worthy of the Pulitzer Prize. I thought the beginning was very good, got bored with the Boris, Las Vegas bit, and about 2/3 through, decided there were other books I would prefer to spend my time on and left it. Since this is #4 at the moment in sales on Amazon, I'm sure the deficiency lies in me, but I did not think it was worth the time or money.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K5RNE5T61DT4?ASIN=0316055441	boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">bought bc of the positave reviews, put it down after 100 pgs bc it dragged on, went no where and was terribly boring .</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37C967A2O8LOS?ASIN=0316055441	NOT FOR ME	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know it's been on the Best Seller's List for quite some time, but I had to put it down. Just couldn't get into it. I'm probably more than half way through it, and will most likely got back to it. Too depressing...needed something more upbeat. Just can't understand why it stays on the Best Sellers List.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MBDT1GB4E37J?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing. Sorry!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Through chance and unluck, Theo Decker survives a brutal bombing at an art museum, that takes his beautiful mother. While there, through a series of strange events, Theo snatches The Goldfinch, a beautiful painting that, in all of the commotion, is said to be lost forever in the bombing. Shuttled between NY and Las Vegas, Theo grasps onto this painting, his only connection to his dead mother and the life he left behind.<br/><br/>As Theo grows up, moving through elite Manhattan society, The Goldfinch moves with him. Taking him through an adventure he would never have thought possible. Filled with intrigue, black market deals and some very, very bad men. Including perhaps, his best friend.<br/><br/>Theodore Decker. 771 pages of Theordore Decker. 32 hours and change on audiobook.<br/><br/>This long, narrative story begins slowly and drags on, weaving us through Theo’s life with his friend’s family and then onto Las Vegas with his mean and sometimes abusive father.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch has just won the Pulitzer Prize and I have to admit, I am a bit shocked. This lengthy story, while well written and intriguing, moves too slow for me with weak forward motion and, sadly, only one likable character. And it’s not Theo.<br/><br/>Theo, lost boy abandoned by his drunk father and now orphaned by his art loving and too good to be true mother, goes to live with his friend’s family, the Barbers. His grandparents, far away and emotionally removed, don’t want him and it is at the Barbers that  he comes to terms with his new lonely existence. This is short lived though as quickly things happen and his life tumbles out of control.<br/><br/>Theo should be a sympathetic character. He is orphaned, lonely and taken advantage of. And when eventually, his father stumbles back into his life, full of malice with not so warm intentions, Theo is smart enough to see through his father’s lies. So it’s quite a sad shock to me, as a reader, to find Theo later in the book, all grown up, and very very similar to his dad. Maybe it’s about not liking characteristics of other people you see in yourself. Or about how you can grow up with good intentions but still end up like your parents. In any event, Theo’s fall from boy to shady young man is sorta heartbreaking and by the end, I was so annoyed at him, I wasn’t sure I cared what happened to him at all.<br/><br/>Bringing me to Boris, his best friend and perhaps the only interesting character in the book. Boris is complicated, loyal and sad. He is abused as a child, neglected, and has to find his own way. When Boris comes back into the picture, so many years later, I was thrilled, hoping the story would pick back up. And it did, at least, for a bit. Boris is the only character that I feel has any life in him at all. Theo is almost zombie like next to Boris. Which just makes Boris more likable, more relate able. The black market art thief/dealer with girlfriends and connections is more relate able than Theo, our main character. Yeah….<br/><br/>The last bit of the book (about 10%) goes pretty fast and a lot happens. But really, having to wait around so long for it made me antsy.<br/><br/>And then we come to the painting itself. The painting, The Goldfinch, the love of Theo’s life. The representation of his lost mother, his childhood, his safety and security. The item that he so recklessly handles. The painting that makes him become one of those characters who KNOWS what to do, who sees what he should do, but for whatever reasons, usually selfish, doesn’t do it anyway and then wonders why everything is falling apart around him. How much is Theo the Goldfinch, chained to his perch, able to fly but only in a small area around his branch. How much is Theo’s chain his own making? The painting, as its own character, is the strongest feeling in the book.<br/><br/>Don’t get me wrong. It’s well written with a slow build. But for me personally, the plot moved too slow, the characters too unlikable and the premise too boring. Maybe at 500 pages I would have given it more stars, but after so many hours in the car on my commute, I wanted something a little more. A bigger payoff. A story I was more emotionally invested in.<br/><br/>It seems like the reviews are pretty divided on this one. Some really love it, and some really didn’t.<br/><br/>I admit that I didn’t love it, nor did I hate it.  If it wasn’t a book club book, I probably wouldn’t have finished reading it, or invested that much time. It didn’t grab me, it didn’t keep me. Why I continued reading, I’m not totally sure.  But overall, I’m glad I did. I’m glad I know how it ends. I’m glad it’s over.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16RLL9W3DJ48E?ASIN=0316055441	Could have been better	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was the best of times and it was the worst of times. But mostly spending hours and hours reading this book was the worst of times. I would call it an action, fantasy, mystery, crime, thriller and romance all in one book. And it went on and on and on. The book touches on many subjects. Death, love, life, drugs, money, friendship, violence, poverty, abandonment, neglect... Why not just pick a two or three? I think DonnaTartt was feeling like a superhero when she wrote this book. There were very few instances when I was moved. The friendship between Theo and Boris, while they were young was endearing at times. Certain moments Theo recalls about his mom are touching. His character as a young boy is likeable and I really cared for him. But as the book progresses he becomes less and less likable. I felt like he just doesn't grow up and is very self absorbed.  A real downet. His drug and alcohol abuse become redundant and annoying. As a result of reading this book I've gained extensive insight about prescription drugs,  how to self administer drugs, the side effects of a variety of drugs and that Eastern Europeans really really love their vodka.<br/>For some reason everything seems to conveniently come together for Theo. His feelings about life are summed up by the author in the last 30 pages of the book as she makes him sound enlightened.<br/>For me looking at the silent painting of The Goldfinch evokes more emotion, thought and is infinitely more moving than this 771 page novel.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8QUREJW7R3XT?ASIN=0316055441	Just not there for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the beginning of this book; the parts that centered around Theo's youth. I did not enjoy the second half of the book that centered on his adulthood. Too many relationships that were not expanded. Theo and Kitsey, Theo and Pippa...<br/>Also, I had to work to get through the very end....too preachy and philosophical. I just wanted it to end at the last few pages and plodded on just to say I finished.<br/>I actually liked the character of Theo; I just felt the author fell short in growing him once he became an adult.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NCHCBEPC01PB?ASIN=0316055441	I liked the begining and the ending, skip the middle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would recommend drastically condensing the middle of the book where the main character, Theo, binges day after day after day after day with Boris on drugs and alcohol. Just skim this section. It was so repetitive and boring. Out of my co-worker's book club of about 25 people, only 3 finished the book. They gave up in the ""wasteland"". I don't understand how this won an award with the middle dragged out so much.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IJQ4RJNCROOG?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wild and well written.  It has many twists and turns.  Hard to believe what will happen next.  Really good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REERW4CKCHYY6?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent proze	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the language of the book immensely.  The moment you open the book, you realize, that you are up for the treat.<br/>The characters are very well defined by their language, manners, it is impossible to put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22KRTTHG71ASX?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An extraordinarily well written book with an interesting premise.  Despite it's 800 pages it was very easy to read, so don't be afraid to give it a try.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C8FJQQOWUA13?ASIN=0316055441	The Late Capitalist Gothic Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This page-turner is the late capitalist iteration of the the Gothic Novel.  It's an orphan Annie story about a vulnerable boy who is simultaneously delivered and doomed by a famous dutch master's painting of an equally (and obviously) vulnerable little birdie that is chained to a bar -- and is now chained to a novel with hundreds of pages of plot twists.<br/><br/>The Gothic Novel is almost inseparable from the definition of the novel itself. It's the great grandma of all genre fiction. If you are not aware of the Castle of Otranto, the Mysteries of Udolpho, or Jane Eyre, just note the formula: a sympathetic childish character is cut adrift in a social milieu of minor nobility or 2nd tier aristocracy that appeals to the reader. A non-stop barrage of pseudo-paranormal disasters leads to Romanticism with a capital 'R.' The advantages of this form are endless. The author can rely on 'suspension of disbelief' to pleasure the reader's transcendental tastes and appetite for plotting while avoiding the intellectual traps of self-aware irony or verisimilitude. It's Stephen King, to a degree, but with Donna Tartt, the story is unfolded with researched precision and expert facility with language.<br/><br/>Theo, the main character, is an empty shell who weathers a surprise disaster every 25 pages with poignant innocence and a fairly reliable voice.  As many reviewers have pointed out, Theo's voice is at its most rich and imaginative in the first two sections of the book in New York and Las Vegas.  In these parts, the cultural capital that is all things Manhattan and the deeply nihilistic friendship with Boris, the implausible Russian sidekick, come alive with hints of real experience from the author. The rest of the novel unfolds in a more clockwork and contrived fashion, but, as with a Stephen King novel, you've been sucked in by the plot! So, for example, you just have to see how Theo survives art theft violence in Amsterdam. What could possibly happen next, you ask?<br/><br/>The fact that this novel won the Pulitzer Prize is a glorious monument to the intellectual poverty of our times. The Goldfinch is more profound than US Magazine but not as intellectually othering as the average episode of the Daily Show. And you know why it won a prize.  Drawing on the Pierre Bourdieu analysis of class consciousness, the novel is packed with tags or 'cultural capital' that reels in the narrow slice of readers who recognize (or think they recognize) the trappings of surplus wealth in Manhattan. While these educated types relish the opportunity to critique this culture as something potentially alienating, they also prize this culture as the zenith of everything there is to know about culture by cultured people: Art History! Europe! Money! Tragic (yet harmless) debauchery! Post-Colonial Disenfranchisement! And it was disarmingly fun to read! Congratulations to the one percent for producing another novel by them for them. No real ideas advanced - check.  No real criticism of American society - check. I basically enjoyed reading this ornate book, but I'm sorry they gave it the Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N6IHA66WZGWC?ASIN=0316055441	well plotted, well written, well characterized book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt is the story of Theo Decker.  At the start of the book he is 13 years old and the victim of a life changing explosion in an Art museum in NYC.  His mother is killed but Theo manages to escape with a small painting, The Goldfinch, his mother's favorite.<br/><br/>His obsession with having and holding on to this painting leads Theo to an upper crust Park-Avenuesque family destined for loss of their own: to Las Vegas with his dysfunctional father; to the studio of a restorer (and manufacturer) of antiques and eventually to the European continent.<br/><br/>Along the way he falls into unrequited love with a fellow explosion victim and befriends a Russian, alcoholic, wheeler-dealer whose schemes somehow always involve Theo.  Drugs, alcohol, antique forgeries are the layers that Theo builds his life upon until the day he finds, unbeknownst to him, that his life may be based on a straw man fallacy.<br/><br/>This is a well plotted, well written, well characterized book of over 750 pages that is not over-written.  I loved every page.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GL6FYVDVEZD0?ASIN=0316055441	Life changing moments	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although this literary work is rather ponderous, it holds the reader's interest in an escalating way. Amazingly drawn characters with very human flaws survive the tragedy of life  by loving each other in the impossible flawed way of failure, betrayal, dishonesty but sublimely at times with authentic Divine love, true devotion reaching the height of heroism and inspiration. Thoughtful insight into the dilemma of evil and death draw the book to a cohesive and insightful conclusion that produce a potentially life changing effect.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JES4CV4LNUW?ASIN=0316055441	If you are looking for adventure this might not be the book for you.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt writes more like a poet than a novelist.  Her description of objects goes into minute detail.  She seems to have a compulsion where no detail can be left out.  The book is about objects and before long I was thinking ""a plate is just a plate"" so let's get on with the tale.<br/>The pacing of the book is very slow due to all the detail.  Any sense of adventure is lost due to the lack of momentum.<br/>At first it seemed like the characters would carry the day but they didn't change or grow.<br/>The tension and suspense got bogged down by the lack of good pacing.  If you are looking for adventure, this is not the book for you.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12X8NHL10BL9Q?ASIN=0316055441	"""We have art in order not to die from truth."" -Nietzsche"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am very on the fence when it comes to this book. The philosophical underpinnings of the entire narrative are philosophies I do not agree with because I believe in self-invention and individuals choosing to take actions towards becoming the person he/she desires to become; the ability of people to choose amelioration or stagnation. Although, I can also appreciate how Theo comes to the conclusions about fate because of the experiences he has. I found echoes of Dostoyevsky in the most poignant parts of the novel, both Crime and Punishment &amp; The Idiot, shined through Theo's experiences with obsession and its effects on his life. I love Dostoyevsky and enjoyed these parts, but I also found it at times unnecessarily laborious, the length and density of this work were often superfluous.<br/><br/>To see full review go to:[...]</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUR9EPMTK5UR6?ASIN=0316055441	mining for diamonds	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a lot of trouble just getting into this book; and, by the time I did, it had taken me somewhere I didn't want to be be - Vegas - reeling around drunk and/or stoned through this wasteland.  Minimal improvement in scenery and people is a long time coming.  It was peopled with characters that I didn't like, and didn't want to spend time with.  There are passages that are beautifully written, very evocative; but, they are like a few lovely ornaments on a nearly bare, needleless christmas tree.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R389ZGCN273A0B?ASIN=0316055441	Art for the Non-Art World	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Big long thoroughly enjoyable read. It is both  a coming of age novel more artsy than most and a literary novel which stays lively. Plus I adore Boris.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AFOESBECE09X?ASIN=0316055441	Birdman or Birdbrain	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo Decker, the emotionally scarred protagonist of Donna Tartt's massive novel, is forever linked to a valuable  painting of a bird; namely, the goldfinch of the title. He comes into possession of this masterpiece at a young age when his mother is a victim of a terrorist bombing. That act merely serves as a dramatic device to emphasize the traumatic nature of his loss. Iimplications of and responsibility for the event quickly become irrelevant to the main thrust of the story. One doesn't have to be much of a psychologist to know that young Decker has mother issues (understandably) and that a coming of age novel will ensue as his life choices (mostly bad) are influenced if not governed by his possession of that damn bird painting. So, until he can somehow physically and symbolically rid himself of the painting, its tormenting hovering omnipresence will forever impede any efforts to accept and reconcile himself to the fact of his mother's death. Author Tartt leads us through many reflective psychological streams of conscience on the meaning of life as Theo works through his issues. Clue: ""love"" has something to do with it.<br/><br/>Author Tartt takes us on this journey through Theo's first person narrative as he recounts his life from the perspective of an adult. Her writing justly deserves all accolades. Descriptions of events, people, and places are intense, vivid, and original. They can run on, as if to say. ""I'm not going to stop with my accounting of these things until you fully connect with what I'm trying to convey!"" Yet, the writing is not overly  flamboyant or precious either.<br/><br/>That said, reading  this novel's is an endurance event and Theo's various stops on his destructive journey of self discovery linger and linger.For example,  I was ready for him to leave Las Vegas long before he escaped. Similarly, his friendship with Boris became tedious after awhile, although he play a key role in Theo's quest for achieving closure.<br/><br/>Pleasure for the reader is achieved by basking in Tartt's magnificent literary quality writing. If the story drags on a bit in parts, then remember that the writing takes precedent over the plot. Could she have achieved all that with a tighter plot? I doubt it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27HD38KWN24NG?ASIN=0316055441	I Can't Believe it Won a Pulitzer Prize	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to like this book, I really did, but it just wasn't to be.  I have been working my way through Pulitzer Prize winners from the year I was born forward, in no particular order, so this was on my list.  Some of the ones I have read so far are good and some not so much, but I would put this at the bottom of the list.  I couldn't believe that it took almost 500 pages before the author finally got around to tying the painting into what was happening in the story.  Before that point it was just rambling nonsense about the main character and what a raw deal he has in life.  The incredible amount of drug and alcohol abuse in this story was unnecessary and distracting.  The author almost seems to condone that behavior.  Several characters who seem to have a great impact on the main character's life are never really explained, Pippa and Mrs. Barbour for instance.  Overall this book was far too long, with tedious descriptions about unimportant events.  Don't waste your time and money.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2769Z3KATN3M3?ASIN=0316055441	Maybe needed an editor, but to miss one story of his experience would moot the point	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Got through this in a 2 day stretch, with breaks to keep me alive and rested.  The protaganist is a difficult character to root for - he throws a lot of opportunities away, he abuses drugs and alcohol, he is not honest and attracts some very odd friends.  But the pull between the good and the bad - in his parents, his life, his friends, his loves, comes together in the end in a message that clearly states that we don't chose who we are, that some of us need to follow a not-socially-acceptable siren call.  It is LONG and I wondered if there were parts that could have/should have been cut, but it's hard to know what would have been lost with those cuts.  I adored this book but would be hesitant to unilaterally recommend because it is difficult in parts and a time committment, but if you get into it - you will love it as a very worthy spend of your time and attention.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R273MPYOUDVX9Y?ASIN=0316055441	too dark	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author goes on and on about so many subjects needlessly.  It gets monotonous.  It's a lot of time spent reading about how 2 young people make terrible decisions over and over with little regard for other people whatsoever.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REIXFC4X6638Z?ASIN=0316055441	A Pulitzer for the Millennials	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great story wrapped in about 250 extra pages of run-on dialogue and preachy b.s. Also, the drug scenes were excessive - you can only hear about a near overdose so many times before it becomes tedious. Although I do see how this overwrought, torturous book reinforced the main character's view on life.<br/><br/>That said, Boris and Hobie are two of the most memorable characters ever written, just wonderful. It certainly was an extremely human story. I don't regret reading it but sincerely wish the author had the benefit of a better editor. Perhaps this is what wins awards these days - appealing to self-absorbed Millennials who grew up believing the world is fascinated by every single precious boring idiotic moment of their lives.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BNWYKI3YZ5K6?ASIN=0316055441	Cut it in half	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was lent this book, nervous at its size which makes page turning like a visit to the gym. To start with your right hand bears the weight then as you progress, this is transferred to the left, though it was close run thing that I got beyond the first 100 pages at all.Where this book fails is that it is monstrously over written. You may be happy to have the narrator, Theo set off for breakfast with his mother but for me, I loose interest when, 10 pages later, they have only managed to progress from the apartment to the street. Throughout the book the narrative swings off into Theo's rambling thoughts, sometimes so long winded that you have actually forgotten the story line. Call me anything you like but the incoherent wanderings of an incapacitated drug addict that go on for page after page are not my thing. How does Theo keep going for another ten years when, already aged 15 this slip of a youth seems to have lost everything except his hankering after drugs and pills ? His acceptance into his adopted family,even given they are mostly bonkers themselves (is anyone normal in NYC ?) is just as unbelievable as is Hobie's extraordinary inclusion of Theo into his business, home and life.It's all very American, so if, like me you have not watched the movies, or listened to the music or know New York, or been catatonic from drugs then like me, you will be lost. Why do American authors constantly feel the need to refer readers to movies or obscure books that none of us elsewhere have ever heard of ? Well, I suppose because that is the world they inhabit but it ain't mine.<br/><br/>How many pages did I skip ? Probably a hundred or so. Those were the ones that were blocking my access to the end because I simply wanted to know what happens, not just to the painting but to Theo but when I did get to the end, it all fizzled out. What an anti climax ! Like many others (just look at the number of  1 and 2 stars there are), this book was not for me. It has potential and would probably have scored double if it had been half the size with fewer twist and turns that I simply was not interested in following.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ54HK7CIZ24C?ASIN=0316055441	Glad I checked it out from the library instead of buying it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Add my 1-star review to the other 600+  negative reviews. Life is too short to waste it reading about such banal and amoral characters. Unfortunately, I read almost half of the book before reaching this epiphany.  Too many hours were wasted that cannot be reclaimed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM0NRRR4SZA3W?ASIN=0316055441	A definite read. You live through this book with Theo.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book keeps go on your toes all the way through. Donna wrote this book about the character Theo like she lived it herself and I certainly wouldn't want to have lived it! I also loved the characters Boris and Hobbie. The end trailed off a bit but overall it was a great read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CFSF958N7GSC?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing after very good start	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First half v good after that way too long much too drawn out towards the last quarter of the book easy to lose interest</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF422CDZWYQP1?ASIN=0316055441	Eh.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Felt overly long and full of metaphors - like it was very full of itself and Very Important.  Hard to describe, but it made it very hard to slog through at times and was pretty annoying.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IMGYA1J1HJ2W?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept me wanting more. Loved the story! Interesting and not at all predictable. Was looking for a different ending but overall the book was excellent.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N8J595PKQB0W?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book could have been 200 pages shorter.  Some of the chapters dragged on.  I do not feel it was great as some people said.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RB3NSH7M286Q?ASIN=0316055441	entirely too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It wasn't a bad book,  but 755 pages was way too much.  The author spent entirely too much time building scenes.  She could have accomplished the same message with perhaps 300 fewer pages.  After finishing the book,  I was not happy with myself for spending so much of my precious free time on it.  I doubt I will read another Donna Tartt book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I7XYVSIHBDIE?ASIN=0316055441	The flutter of the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling beginning. Way too long and tedious with detail which clouds the focus. The ending seemed like rushed writing to clarify what the author was trying to say with the book, loading too much philosophical reasoning to tie together the loose ends in the plot. Why not have the narrator, who is articulate, voice some of these things during his life? I think there was a glimmer of purpose brought out in the ending centered on ""the place where reality strikes the ideal."" Preserving treasured art is worthy and endows the art with a human-made gift of immortality that future generations can experience.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R232N976FUMZF6?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long story with whole chapters that didn't need to be.  Terrible, unfinished ending. Not worth the time to read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DEENWFIHNCCF?ASIN=0316055441	overly wordy and unrealistic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book would have been so much better if the author had not spent so much time describing everything in minute detail. As a result it is easy to speed-read, but it still takes forever. And, the story is so unrealistic. In the end I decided the author used the book to describe her experiences, musings, beliefs, and philosophies. Can't believe Amazon gave it such a high award.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KBDWSWU9MCL?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book started off OK and I cared  for the characters. The suicide plan was distracting and unbelievable. The end was along time coming.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MG4S254SK1EG?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth the time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not worth the hype. I have tried over and over to finish it, but it is just too tedious. I had to give up!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24EI3YRZ5PO12?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth the time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was really disappointed by this book. I had read great reviews and was really looking forward to this read. However, I found the book to be an annoying description of a self-centered, over-privileged, self-destructive character for whom I felt neither sympathy nor empathy. Only guilt and the feeling that the book had to get better led me to finish the whole thing. The last two pages are beautifully written, at least. I rarely share my opinion of books, but I felt that I had to be a voice of dissent on this one.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28HO5OEJD84M2?ASIN=0316055441	Good but way, way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The premise of the story was great and a lot of what Ms. Tarttt has to say is profound and beautifully said. But then she ruins it by trying to say the same thing multiple ways and just beating the thought to death. This book should have been 200-300 pages shorter, and it would have been a masterpiece.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EZULMWUUWELF?ASIN=0316055441	a novel within a novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In many ways Donna Tartt's `Goldfinch' is a novel within a novel, just as a painting is within a frame, and just as our viewing of a piece of art is colored by our unique experience and knowledge, so too is our reading of the story skewed by the idiosyncrasies of the narrator, Theodore Decker.  Theo suffers a childhood trauma that becomes inexorably linked to the famous `Goldfinch' painting of Carel Fabritius.  The little bird in the painting clearly becomes an analogy for many of the novel's characters and Theo's life particularly.  The story meanders and sometimes seems to stall, but these details serve to color in the analogy, which is obvious enough without the final chapter in which Theo reflects on his own narrative.  This is Tartt's third novel and I believe she is gaining more control over her craft, so the awkward feel of the final chapter is intended to add one more layer to the narrative, just as a painting is within a frame.<br/><br/>***SPOILERS ENSUE***<br/><br/>The novel begins at the end of the story where Theo describes a dream of his mother, foreshadowing her death that casts a shadow over the whole narrative.  She is ""...a force all her own, a living otherness.""  In his description of this dream we get the first glimpse of the way that Theo's life and even his perspective is skewed by the loss of her.  ""And as much as I wanted to, I knew I couldn't turn around, that to look at her directly was to violate the laws of her world and mine; she had come to me the only way she could.""<br/>Tartt, Donna. The Goldfinch. (p. 7).  Because he cannot directly connect with his mother, he connects with her the only way he can, though `The Goldfinch' painting that he comes to possess.<br/><br/>For Theo, his mother is the little yellow finch in Fabritius's painting.  In his narrative of the fateful day of her death she is described as ""...always perched on the edge of her chair like some long elegant marsh-bird about to startle and fly away.""  Theo ""...loved the rustle of her starched shirt when she swooped down to kiss [him] on the forehead."" (p. 8).  And again, ""The white coat-- flapping in the wind-- added to her long-legged ibis quality, as if she were about to unfurl her wings and sail away over the park."" (p. 16).  He sees her as having bird-like qualities and like the finch of the painting, she is chained.  She was chained in life to a husband and job she did not love.  Even when Theo sees the painting for the first time with his mother in the museum just before the blast that takes her life he says, ""It was a direct and matter-of-fact little creature, with nothing sentimental about it; and something about the neat, compact way it<br/>tucked down inside itself-- its brightness, its alert watchful expression-- made me think of pictures I'd seen of my mother when she was small: a dark-capped finch with steady eyes.<br/>(p. 27).  The painting then becomes an analogy for Theo's life as he's chained to death of his mother and this, the first painting she ever loved.<br/><br/>Fabritius's famous painting, shown in the Kindle edition of the novel at least, shows the finch chained to its perch.  The perch and background are well rendered in clear detail, but the bird itself is rendered less clearly, with a looser play of color.  Theo's narrative mirrors that rendering.  ""The background-- a rich chocolate black-- had a complicated warmth suggesting crowded storerooms and history, the passage of time.<br/> (p. 23).  Thus the story seems to lag and digress in parts.  Rather than being insignificant filler, dwellings on the simple motivations of minor characters, the drug and alcohol fueled hazed of Theo and his friend Boris's life in Vegas, all the details of architecture, art, and furniture restoration techniques serve to establish a vivid and concrete backdrop to Theo's life, the passage of time.  As his mother says that day in the museum just before the blast that kills her, """"Well, the Dutch invented the microscope..., They want it all as<br/>detailed as possible because even the tiniest things mean something."" (p. 24).  While his narrative is certainly detailed in certain aspects, Theo's own motivations and constant unhappiness are comparatively fuzzy.  His relationships speak to the ""...impassable distances between people even when they were within arm's reach of each other...""<br/>(p. 603).  At the same time, his relationships to objects, especially antiques, grows. ""to destroy, or lose, a deathless thing-- to break bonds stronger than the temporal-- was a metaphysical uncoupling all its own..."" (p. 695).  He echos his mother's sentiment from that museum, """"People die, sure,"" my mother was saying. ""But it's so heartbreaking and unnecessary how we lose things."" (p. 28).  The blast that kills his mother uncouples him from the world of human relationships and entwines his identity with that painting and the world of objects.<br/><br/>The analogy of Theo's life to the painting is clear.  There's a balance of realism in the early part of the novel with some unlikely plot twists towards the end that works because as Theo writes, ""It's the place where reality strikes the ideal, where a joke becomes serious and anything serious is a joke. The magic point where every idea and its opposite are equally true."" (pp. 766-767). Indeed this was implied throughout and this explicit reflection on the story that happens in the last chapter feels awkward and unnecessary and left a bad taste in many readers' mouths, this one included.<br/><br/>""And as much as I'd like to believe there's a truth beyond illusion, I've come to believe that there's no truth beyond illusion. Because, between `reality' on the one hand, and the point where the mind strikes reality, there's a middle zone, a rainbow edge where beauty comes into being, where two very different surfaces mingle and blur to provide what life does not: and this is the space where all art exists, and all magic."" (p. 770).<br/><br/>Why does our narrator feel the need to repeat one more time what the novel is about? One explanation is simply that Tartt lacks an editor, but this is a woman who writes a narrator very aware of the way artists speak through detail.  So then it must be another layering.  Theo tries to fit his morally ambiguous narrative into a logical philosophy, and in doing so loses some credibility.  Is Theo another writer, like Tartt, making up stories about strangers he saw?  Is he another artist, like the Dutch Masters, creating that ""Stillness with a tremble of movement?""<br/>(p. 23).  He is.  And his entire narrative is that ""middle zone"" where the different surfaces of the real and the fantastic, the object and the perception, meet.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RSW1MR4126LX?ASIN=0316055441	"interesting ""take"" on life"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Actually found this story to be somewhat depressing. How much can one person go through? Would have liked a more upbeat ending; but that does not mean you should not read it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNPIR58WB0WL7?ASIN=0316055441	DIMINISHED HOPES	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had such great hopes for this book when I first started reading it.  The characters were so real and their tragedy so overwhelming and then the drinking, drug sequences just went on and on and on.  I flipped page after page trying to get back to the ""story"" and only found substance at the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRUSGFV1DK3C3?ASIN=0316055441	Sometimes engaging, sometimes meander	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although this story begins with a unique and captivating plotline, Tartt takes the reader on a long and sometimes frustrating journey as she unravels her tale. Many of the characters are wonderfully developed, and the overall storyline is good; but the length often feels unnecessary, and I often found myself shouting at my Kindle, ""WHERE ARE YOU TAKING ME??"" The last ten pages can easily be skipped, a superfluous expounding on what may be the author's own life philosophy. If you have some time and patience, this is a decent book to pick up.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20JFP45HVGVV9?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the most long-winded book I have read. The detail is extraordinary, very boringly so I feel. The story was interesting enough but the length of time it took to get there was scarcely worth the read. I kept reading just to see how it could all end but even then it was surprisingly unsatisfying. Not the greatest read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HW7E2W02AYMN?ASIN=0316055441	A little too late, a lot too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At some point, the author has the main character say ""to make a long story short"" when beginning to tell an irrelevant story inside the plot. Only at this very point it is late to make it short, we are well into 500 pages of an average story with some good insights about the ways of life. It could be a good book at 350 pages but there is so much you can take when the author repeatedly decides to fill several pages to make a point like a minor character being obnoxious or plain boring. Honestly, most of all reads like a waste of time, long novels these days must work much harder to justify the extra time invested by the reader.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24CNHQMYN1VUW?ASIN=0316055441	Dark story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dwelled too much and too long on the addictions.<br/>Lost sight of the painting for most of the book.  Best part was when  he was an adult.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20E290DF2CZY8?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't know what to say about this book.......I did not like it at all!  The best part was the end......very depressing to read about young people using drugs, drinking, stealing, etc. in the name of fun.......no thanks!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R623VMFBJXV2U?ASIN=0316055441	don't waste your time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, extremely dark and depressing! Starts off well and then degenerates into a horror tale of drug abuse and views of sad and miserable lives. Had to force myself to finish this book and even the end was not satisfying. Don't bother!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39WWLOKH0ST5J?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I do no understand how this novel received great reviews.  The best part was the beginning.  After that it dragged and I struggled to finish it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TXT96059DGJO?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling Characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How does a book hold your interest for 800 pages? Not many can hold mine but Donna Tartt succeeded where others failed. Her characters are compelling: I loved Theo, hated Kitsey, and alternatively loved and hated Boris (and maybe Pippa, too). I came to know these characters so well that even when I hated them, I loved them - I felt that sweet tender, often confused center that seems to drive one's action. It's rarely good or evil; it just is what it is. I have to re-read the first and last chapters, though - it's a treat that I'm saving for myself.<br/><br/>My advice: don't be daunted by the book's length; skim when it moves slowly (as it does at times) but stay with it because the glimpses of people's soul is worth it!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QT3SV0VRN1KA?ASIN=0316055441	Gold finch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very slow read. It dragged on and on with a lot of filler and for long stretches went no where.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL0PTGJANNKZN?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating story well written but lengthy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The end cold have been much shorter.  I did enjoy it, but had to skip over material at the end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXBZMOA9M019M?ASIN=0316055441	Well-written characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The parts of the book addressing Theo's sense of loss concerning the sudden loss of his mother touched a raw nerve with me as I, too, lost my mother suddenly when I was not quite a teen.  Almost sixty years later, reading about his bewilderment and determined courage to deal with the situation caused me to relive that sad part of my childhood.  To that extent, Donna Tartt is very successful in breathing life and genuine feelings into the main character, capturing him at such a tender age under heart breaking circumstances.<br/><br/>Probably b/c of the generation and cultural gaps (I'm an immigrant, not native-born), I didn't identify well with the drug-using parts of the book.  It's fine to weave this in but some parts felt overlong and repetitive.  The Boris character is well written and the Hobie and Pippa are wonderful.  They came across most real, as opposed to the Park Ave. clan.  But maybe this is b/c I have no experience with the latter.<br/><br/>I'll look up Donna Tartt's other books.  She's indeed a fine writer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KVODSA6AY1H3?ASIN=0316055441	Not the kind od book I enjoy reading.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't like the book at all.  It had too much profanity, too much drug use and was way, way too long.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C665CLTY7R60?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch Rates Poor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is way too much 'drug use' and very poor choices made by the main characters.<br/>I can't imagine why this would book would be a 'best seller'.  It is ugly in various parts<br/>and not conducive to finishing the book.<br/>I would never recommend it to anyone!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L0VLGD9R6FD4?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing!  Brilliant!  Tedious!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is all these things.  Some parts are exhiliarating and some parts are just too long and labored.  She could have really used an editor with a firm hand.  At the end of the day it was a slog.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BPXWAV97RE94?ASIN=0316055441	I do not recomment this book at all.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt the author kept going off on tangents that weren't necessary in her descriptions throughout the book and felt the descriptions were too long. The story could have been written in half the amount of pages. The ending I'm not sure I understood.  Wouldn't recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I720M8ANL3UZ?ASIN=0316055441	BORING	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First 50 pages was great about the relationship of the young boy and his mother. The story devolves into a drunken saga for the rest of the book. I gave up 95% of the way into it. Save your time. Read something better,,, like the phone book. One star for trying.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20PIMDWXP22DU?ASIN=0316055441	Slow read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">BORING!! Some parts were interesting, but I was left hanging on so many details. Left me frustrated. I finished it thinking ii would finally get some answers to my questions.....no answers though.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PXZE842W6W1Y?ASIN=0316055441	Serious reservations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long (needs serious editing), too repetitious ( scenes of drug and alcohol indulging).  The reader feels beaten at every page by the anxiety of the main character who never grows out of it.  And yet, quite fascinating and powerfully written.  I am too ambivalent about it to give it more than 2 stars.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E349ZZ6PPQA1?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting enough tad tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long and winding story, interesting enough to keep going, tedious enough not to want to! Characters pretty interesting...a bit shady</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJSE1D0838NLM?ASIN=0316055441	Too  many details	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many details.I liked the essence of the story but got overwhelmed by worthless information.  Was not an easy read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GN5TU5JRINF5?ASIN=0316055441	horrible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't like it at all, slow book with bad ending , I skipped more than few pages. Thumbs all the way down</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RIDEY52C2UWK?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I began to read The Goldfinch I thought I had found something unique, a well written story with an unusual subject. Suddenly things changed.  Tartt' s writing became tedious, as the main character self-destructed and I found myself flipping through pages hoping it would improve.  It only got worse, not worth reading.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGY4IKT2SJD8W?ASIN=0316055441	Very difficult to read about this drug 'culture'	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The down turn of his life was so depressing and never ending until the very end. I kept at it but it was difficult.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REQ40WT1EDWM4?ASIN=0316055441	Golffinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a good read with lots o excitement at the beginning, but it got long and drawn out. I am glad to be finished with this 700 page plus read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RJ22VE0A6LX3?ASIN=0316055441	Why I liked	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just finished enjoyed a bit far fetched could have been condensed but nevertheless very enjoyable - good for people interested in art</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KTUNWK1OM1KZ?ASIN=0316055441	No way out but death...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In my opinion it could have been so much more.  It was well written with plenty to keep ones interests, but the main character's fell flat on so many levels that it was hard to continue reading to the last page.  The summary toward the end of this read, ""No way forward but age and loss, and no way out but death"" leaves me wondering why I ever thought it would or could ever end on a more positive note.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24HXLRHHKR4YM?ASIN=0316055441	NOT A BOOK I WOULD RECOMMEND	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I REALLY DIDN'T LIKE THIS BOOK AT ALL!  FIRST OF ALL THE AUTHOR GOES ON AND ON WITH NEEDLESS DETAILS AND THE LAST THIRD OF THE BOOK IS AWFUL!!  700 PAGES OF A STORY THAT HAD POTENTIAL  AT FIRST....AND THEN JUST FIZZLES...THE SUBJECT MATTER HAD A GOOD START, ALTHOUGH VERY SAD, BUT THEN ON AND ON AND ON ABOUT DRUGS AND TWO RELATIONSHIP S WITH THE LEAD CHARACTER THAT ARE TOTALLY BORING...HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH BORIS, WAS JUST TOO OVER THE TOP CRAZY.  I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AT ALL!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IMHEZ83EUE60?ASIN=0316055441	No very enjoyable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was mostly about two drug an alcohol dependent teen agers to young adulthood boys/men and was very depressing tp read. I was so glad when I finished the book. I did not really enjoy it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24105NFPF6M02?ASIN=0316055441	the most touted book of the year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i had high expectations for the Goldfinch but it was a big<br/>disappointment.  too long and didn't care about the main<br/>characters</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F0I1SNYM4ALK?ASIN=0316055441	Really, folks?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not sure why so many people gave this overly-long, nearly stream-of-conscious novel such high marks. First of all, it could have been 400 pages, not 770. Maybe I would have liked it better if it hadn't dragged out so long.<br/><br/>Theo and his mother are at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC when there is an explosion that kills his mother and a mysterious older man that Theo sits with during the man's last moments. The man instructs Theo to take a famous painting, The Goldfinch, as it won't be destroyed and sets the stage for the rest of the novel. Theo's father had abandoned them a year prior and his only other relative, his grandfather, can't/won't accept responsibility. So, Theo goes to live with the family of a childhood friend until his father shows up 6 months later to claim him. His father, who makes his living gambling, takes Theo to live with him and his girlfriend in Las Vegas, where the basically ignore him. Theo befriends a Russian boy, Boris, whose own father neglects him. They spend their days drinking and drugging (in lots of excruciatingly boring detail). Theo's father dies in a car accident and he, fearing child services and foster homes, takes off (at 15, mind you) for NYC, where he turns up n Hobie's doorstep. (He had met Hobie because the dead man, Welty, gave him a ring before he died and told him to take it ti Hobie.) Hobie takes him in and teaches him about antique furniture and eventually, 9+ years later, Hobie makes him a partner. One of the clients realizes he may have stolen the painting and a whole, unbelievable underground black market plot twist takes over that last third of the story. When it ended I had a WTF moment about the whole book, not just the ending).<br/><br/>The only characters I really liked were Theo's dead mother and Hobie. I could have liked Pippa is she'd had more dimension. I get why Theo gets taken in by Boris, but he is bad news and Theo himself is kind of an ass.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NBAGBKVWZ53I?ASIN=0316055441	a wonderful yet wordy read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has written a book with an intriguing, rich, characters and a great story line. However, I wish she had let her well nuanced descriptions speak for themselves instead of adding large, clunky paragraphs of philosophical explanations or drawn out chapters that make you feel like you are actually on a bender with the characters.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R303MSJAXP7OR8?ASIN=0316055441	Sorry I Read This	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the premise sounded exciting, then I read the book.  I suppose, if you choose to be depressed, this would be an excellent book.  There were numerous opportunities to take this story to many different exciting climaxes but just when you thought it was going somewhere good, it took a different, frustrating, path.<br/><br/>Maybe there are people who live awful lives such as the characters in the book but stop with the non-stop drugs and booze!  The story could have offered so much intrigue yet all it offered was disappointment.<br/><br/>PS, I grew REALLY tired of the Russian guy's character and dialog.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M6AV2ARRS24G?ASIN=0316055441	Too Much/Too Dark	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story seemed contrived and the characters most unpleasantly and needlessly dark.  The book was also exceedingly long ... I think it might have held my interest if it had been edited in half.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q427IH5HQVZ2?ASIN=0316055441	travelswithlinda	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My book club is trying to figure out why this is and has stayed on the best seller list.  There was not one of us that liked it and 1/2 of the book club did not finish it.  We would never read another one of Donna Tartt's books.  We are a group of women in our 50's, 60's, and 70's.  All avid readers with very eclectic taste.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RRVBYU2M3V4K?ASIN=0316055441	TOO LONG and NOT THAT ENGAGING	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I LOVE to read.  I was a literature major and I couldn't wait to read this book, but in all honesty it was far too long...too long-winded...too dull.  I had to force myself to finish it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ1BK5M7WYCFA?ASIN=0316055441	terrific	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a beautifully written book. The story is intriguing and make it a page turner. The length was at first imposing but the pages flew by and I couldn't wait to read it all. I plan to read another of her books soon.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JRCPX02VCNFH?ASIN=0316055441	Really loved this	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a great read really really enjoyed this book. Would highly recommend, its like being in another time and place.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE9P01LWLAZBI?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Maybe, I missed the point, but I did not enjoy this book as much as I would have liked.  Not a bad read. Just, not great.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CZNOGU0ZXFB7?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Others may have liked this book but I found it without any redeeming quality. I thought it was depressing and a lot of unnecessary description downward things. Hated it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JT4G4R62FGX7?ASIN=0316055441	Suspenseful tale marred by wasteful length and preachy ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So when a friend foisted a copy of ""Goldfinch"" upon us, we could barely turn down a best-seller it seems everybody is talking about. But what a tome!! Surely some editor could have braved carving two or three hundred pages out of this thing, not to mention the 100+-word sentences...<br/><br/>Yet it was a suspenseful tale that held our interest almost throughout. When 13-year-old Theo survives a bombing in an art museum that kills his mother; and an older man dies practically in his arms in the ensuing rubble; the lad claws his way to the outside with a small board-mounted painting of a goldfinch as well as directions from the old man to take a ring and a message to his partner at an antique shop. Theo eventually is fostered by a rich NYC family ere his ne'er-do-well biological father traipses him off to Vegas for a couple of years. There he meets Russian-born Boris, and the two become blood-brother friends, through both thick and thin, and alcohol and drugs. Eventually Theo goes back to NYC and shacks up with the antiques dealer partner of the old man - they hit it off and he eventually runs the shop for the old man, who primarily spends all day copying or restoring old furniture pieces. Meanwhile the painting he salvaged from the bombing becomes a source of concern, both to protect it on one hand, but conceal it on the other. Time mosies on, and then a twist we didn't at all see coming changes everything. Prior to a wedding to a former foster sister, Theo travels with Boris to Amsterdam on a mission, and finally all is resolved in this nearly 800-page volume.<br/><br/>Now we understand the very high and low reactions to the book. While much of it was a page turner for sure, it was way too long, way too wordy, and way too boring in some parts, causing a tendency to skim, a practice we barely endorse let alone practice. The Amsterdam part of the book was little better than sickening; and the final ramblings were better left to philosophy class than this coming of age novel with the art object as a major driver to the plot. Indeed, we and many readers resent forty pages of preaching at the end of a long book.<br/><br/>All-in-all, while we had some fun along the way, we felt the ultimate return on investment was merely run of the mill.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JAKQEVOX5982?ASIN=0316055441	Must Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was an amazing, well-written novel.  I felt the son's pain at the loss of his mother and could hardly wait to find out what happened to the painting.  Great book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N983UV9I5R38?ASIN=0316055441	I struggled to get through this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, too dark. I usually read a couple of books a week.  It took me a month to finish this and I had to force myself to do so.  I, obviously, did not like it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XZC6MOK6612O?ASIN=0316055441	Long depressing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great plot but over written to the point of boredom. Depressing and wallowing in descriptions that could have been much more interesting. Confusing as it almost seemed like two different writers with shorter exciting areas then back to bogged down to boredom again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUCBGZOJ786RU?ASIN=0316055441	Terrible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the most depressing book I have ever read. I almost stopped reading half way through, but decided to continue to see if the second half might be better than the first. It wasn't!! Wish I hadn't wasted my time!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IUNENT6OVQC7?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At the outset, let me say that I did not finish the book. It was well-written but long and tedious. I didn't like the narcissistic main character and didn't care what happened to him.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CNA3Q2C4WHWC?ASIN=0316055441	Painful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Painful!  Our book club read it and only 3 finished it out of 12!!!!  at every turn....the writer took 50 pages to say what he could in 5 pages.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D7WP66JV0ANE?ASIN=0316055441	Detailed and rambling to distraction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While admiring the author's artistry with words, I found myself wishing there were fewer of them.  Slogging through pages and pages of description to put across a scene, state of being, or event tried my patience.  I had the feeling that Tartt loved her brilliant words so much, she couldn't part with any.  She is brilliant.  Her understanding of paradox and contradiction as they affect each life and the intertwining of lives is sublime.  A very worthwhile, if strenuous, read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26BDU9X02BZCM?ASIN=0316055441	Meh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I never had anything sympathy or empathy or felt much for any of the characters. I could barely even finish it. I was so sick of how self-absorbed the characters were. The writing was good hence the two stars but if it were just the story, I think I would give it one. I am a prolific reader and it took me a couple for weeks to recover from the tedium of this book. All the rave reviews actually shock me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9OPUQVZVUQ11?ASIN=0316055441	my bookclub loved it, but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I guess I didn't really like the main character most of the time so I was  not as into this book as I cold have been.  Or maybe it isn't that I didn't like him so much as it didn't seem worth my time to read about the tortures and tribulations he went through (the fact that many were of his own making didn't help me want to follow).  I did like the beginning, and the end would have been truly lovely if I was still into it.  I only finished it to see what happened and ended up skimming a lot of the more angsty parts.<br/><br/>I could see myself getting into it more in another frame of mind, but if you are angst averse right now, give ths one a pass and maybe try again later.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V0G3EMTRNIN5?ASIN=0316055441	an unusual page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very insightful story about a young man's odyssey as a lost soul to reconciliation through worlds unknown to the average reader. A little too long.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9OXCVHO3IQ5C?ASIN=0316055441	The beginning - I was breathless!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning of this book had me completely engrossed. I kept thinking how incredibly interesting it was. About 3/4 in I became bored with a lot of it and only sporadically did I glimpse the greatness that was the beginning.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IV0DXZ086WVB?ASIN=0316055441	Too long and too cliched	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm struggling to decide how much I liked this book. I enjoyed it enough to finish it, but it was a challenge. It's a book that is at least 200 pages too long. Every nuance, breath and detail is recorded in immense detail, something which I find unnecessary. I think it's slightly insulting to the reader to feel that so much detail needs to be put onto paper.<br/><br/>Theo, the main character, is unreliable and not always likable and for that fact is by far the best character. The other characters are a little cliched: the dodgy Russian, the older man with strong morals, the perfect mother, the terrible father, the nerdy best friend.<br/><br/>The setting seemed a little off, but I can't put my finger on why. It felt, to me, like it was set in the seventies and I had to keep reminding myself that it wasn't. Other people I've spoken to felt it was set even earlier (especially due to the old-fashioned Barbour family).<br/><br/>""The Goldfinch"" is not a book you can easily pick up and put down again, so set aside a decent amount of time, like a long plane journey. Despite it being well-written and sometimes compelling, you might otherwise want to consider whether you really want to read it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U0V1JLIQPY94?ASIN=0316055441	A too long mystery.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the premise of the art mystery and the book was quite well written.  However,<br/>There was just too much emphasis on drug use and dysfunction of the main character.<br/>When was he ever going to get over his Mother's death?  Yes that was a terrible incident<br/>but get over it!  The development of characters was well done and the plot interesting though<br/>it took forever.  The best part of the book was the ending.  I almost didn't get there but my time<br/>was invested and someone told me the ending was good so I persevered.  Anyone on that many<br/>drugs should have been dead by that time.  Sorry for those who think this is a great book..Not me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3228ZZE3QIMV0?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of a Read! 900 pages I will never get back...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I knew that this was going to be long.  I also was under the impression from all the ""best of"" lists it was on that it was going to be great.  I was 50% prepared.<br/>It was long.  But not just page wise. I mean long winded.  Like...rather than telling me something once, it was spelled out numerous times.  The author painted a picture (no pun intended) that was more interesting in parts than the story.  She had the start of a story (and although pretty unrealistic in parts) she could have taken it parts but the laborious writing style, the descriptions, the unnecessary amount of forgettable characters made the reading tiresome.  Even the end (though had some good one liners) was soooooooooo not worth the entire read.  I'm not sure if the author was too cheap to hire an editor or if she got paid by the word--in either case, this book doesn't deserve to be on any best of lists.  And the people giving it 5 stars fascinate me....what about this book did you think made it worthy of 5 stars.  Through the book (at the start...circa up to page 500) it read like a wannabe The Catcher in the Rye (which I didn't care for either)...and then it just went in circles: drugs, paintings, booze, drugs, antiques, russian oligarchs, drugs, painting...I mean....please get to the point.  900 pages later...the point was a disappointing finish.  At some point the character contemplates suicide...and, as the reader, I was hoping he would...to wrap up the book's never ending story.<br/><br/>I wouldn't recommend you waste your time, your money or your e-reader space reading this book.  And if you bought the book, it might be good for some arm weights...that is the only benefit after reading it.<br/><br/>Such a disappointment.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SYEUFZ1WOTNQ?ASIN=0316055441	Confusing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book plot was very confusing.  Too much of characters thoughts, dreams, nightmares and not enough actual conversations. Overall it made me want to finish every last word to see what would happen to Theo.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G1VEYCM5ANO7?ASIN=0316055441	Endless deadends	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's prose is sometimes brilliant flashes. The premise was so promising. 200 pages in I began to skim the endless pages of description. Some 500+ to go!  I put the book down and took it up again many times. So, a painting is a talisman for a life. Where does that get one? Sadly nowhere. No resolution; no redemption. A book begins with hope, and ends in a personal hell. Beautiful goldfinch, symbol of rebirth as its plumage changes to bright gold in the Spring. No rebirth here however; the bird, like this book, is chained to its perch  to face a dreary end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJT19QWZ8F0LO?ASIN=0316055441	A really good read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book.  I felt like I was right there with Theo!  Sometimes too much description, but a really good read!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R248ZIQODN5VZD?ASIN=0316055441	GoldFinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the main character, Theo, was quite interesting and very human.  The author writes very well and portrays the characters well.  The book was enjoyable in most every way except it was too long, but I have completed it.  Thank you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29ZYJEM4NLCBA?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This, in my opinion, is a well-written and captivating novel.  Furthermore, since I was fortunate enough to view the painting, The Goldfinch, at the Frick Museum in NYC, the novel has even more meaning.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PQZY0RONXNH5?ASIN=0316055441	Everything it was hyped to be	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an extremely well-written and entirely engrossing story. The characters are well-developed and the plot, while somewhat improbable, is nonetheless engaging, with a nice balance of character-driven and plot driven narrative.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK9CS0P6ROPKK?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a splash of cold water in the face of growing up in artsy New York culture.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a modern tale of coming of age literary fiction which has been written from a knowledgeable viewpoint of art history using a no-holds-barred noir voice.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHSOCSNL2EWA4?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredible character and plot development.  Mindful writing.  Simply wonderful. Wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who appreciates classic literature, because this is extraordinary.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19S2VBLFBCXE?ASIN=0316055441	Flattered to deceive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first three chapters were absolutely brilliant. Unfortunately, the book seemed to lose its way. I had much the same feeling as in The Secret History.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T9TW4YN9QMGG?ASIN=0316055441	Powerful, moving, and addictive.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Descriptive insight into a life that becomes part of your own, Donna shows the true power of creating intense character verisimilitude to move the emotions of its reader.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K08EDQX3DE06?ASIN=0316055441	Extraordinary beauty	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is heartrendingly beautiful, a painful, poetic story of that 'rainbow width of space between reality and dreams, where true art and magic reside.'</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R145Q6TFMYJ29J?ASIN=0316055441	Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Strange little book. The boys lives were tragic and broken. The last pages were stupid. Theo was clinically depressed, and Boris was suicidal the living dead. Very disturbing book. Did not agree with the author's end thoughts.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EYQ6Y1YDGFWW?ASIN=0316055441	can't  put  it  down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It  is  almost impossible  not  to empathize with  Theo. The  author  showed  a  genuine understanding  of  how a young  person's  mind  works  regarsing  parents. I  couldn't  even  dislike  Theo  when he was  doing  drug.  He  has his  own  moral  code,  forged  by  his  mother &amp;  the  ensuing  circumstances.Excellent  reading  &amp; a testiment  to  our  times,  when  young  people  must  sometimes  create  their  onw  families.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZDWSDLCU7PQL?ASIN=0316055441	The Reviews Do Not Do This Book Justice	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The character analysis in this book is simply overwhelming! As in real life, no one is totally good or completely evil. The characters are developed in a way that brings each and every one of them to three dimensional life. The life of Theo Decker is complex and anxiety ridden and totally believable. The is a truly excellent read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7N74MQ923F3A?ASIN=0316055441	Superb!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How many other authors can write a 600 page book and make it as compelling fromstart to finish?  Not many I believe.  What a wonderful read.  Time well spent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7MT4PJPWX371?ASIN=0316055441	great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great, compelling, smart. it is the type pf novel that makes you relate to the characters, even if the circumstances are totally different to your life. i enjoyed it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ36I1WB1W4BO?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would say this is one of the best books I have read in years. Definitely destined to be a classic!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CS5OHOME18OP?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing. Could not put down.  Loved the characters. Loved the descriptions of art and antique restorations. Comparable to The Seret History</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XCIHL39A69QY?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was so very good- and so very hard to read at times. You'll find yourself becoming part of this boys life- smiling at the few times he does catch a break and grieving with him when he doesn't.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PEQA6XGKPSPK?ASIN=0316055441	Unexpected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting  &amp; in part very intense.  Educated on drugs that I never heard of.  Guess its survival of the fittist?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1014X2B6GGKAY?ASIN=0316055441	what a book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was so hard to put down. You just wanted everyone to be o.k and I could not wait.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SJ17RPEP60ZN?ASIN=0316055441	Gut Wrenching Realities	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing story of the human condition and the intertwining of emotions, lifestyles and survival.  Very good visual, extraordinary language that gives you the desire to climb in the book and fix the issues.  You can really feel the pain and struggles of the main character.  The story is always taking an unexpected turn. It's hard to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GE0XJCN5N3NO?ASIN=0316055441	A Tangled Nest	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">THis book is full of intrigue, emotion and many angles.  I highly recommend it to art lovers, antique hunters and all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYRJZESG2DUK7?ASIN=0316055441	Great Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the book. The author writes beautifully and the story is outstanding. Tartt keeps the reader from putting the book down as the story goes on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NO76WE4GB67H?ASIN=0316055441	Best seller	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In my opinion this book clearly deserves to be on the best seller list. Theo is not a victim as Ms. Tartt may want you to believe. He volunteers for every situation he puts himself in. It amazes me that he has lived so long. I hope as he gets older he finally grows up and changes his life. Donna Tartt did her research on NYC and the drug scene and culture. She makes it real for any New Yorker who knows it or has been through it. I highly recommend this book for all to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P06SHLBC2M1R?ASIN=0316055441	Love The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a beautiful and complex book that makes for enjoyable reading. I am so glad I bought it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GED9UO0KLU7Y?ASIN=0316055441	A study of life & art not to be missed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, so many ""highlight-able"" passages to reread and wonder at, and with a story and characters that never seemed unreal, unlikely, or weak. A long, thought-provoking gem worth every page.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7XFIWAA99ADD?ASIN=0316055441	You will not be disappointed!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Is there a 10 star reading? The book was that good!! I have already recommended the book to my bridge and pinochle friends. It absolutely kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading and I could not put the book down. What a great read. I love art, so that added to my enthusiasm for the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25MX7OH3QAUSK?ASIN=0316055441	A gem	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A gem - passages of beautiful evocative writing and an exciting page turner mystery that is the vehicle for this coming of age story</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R390V3CU9ZVQM4?ASIN=0316055441	For me - an instant classic.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is an investment of time. It is a long book! But I could not stay away from dear Theo - to see what he was going to go through next. The characters are so richly drawn, right down to the doormen at the apartment where Theo lived with his mother. An excellent read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VD7GHRBIZ9L9?ASIN=0316055441	Strong start, anticlimactic ending.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the beginning but had a hard time remaining interested. The prose was eloquent and characters strongly developed, but somewhere I stopped caring.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P2O450KG3UBD?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has done it again! She is adept in immersing the reader in her character's thoughts and actions. She is a great story teller.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JZU0FH3J1XE8?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I finished this selection, I found the storyline tedious. After reading other reviews, I was expecting a more engaging book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UWIJ7J13R4PK?ASIN=0316055441	Heartbreaking coming of age story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A story of devastating loss for a young boy and his struggles that result.  Some heartwarming characters as well as some shocking turn of events keep the reader on edge.<br/><br/>Couldn't put the book down and felt as if I lost a family when it was over.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PHAI61UWS1ZO?ASIN=0316055441	Dickens for today	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Totally absorbing; big fat old-fashioned read chockfull of characters, details, and a fascinating plot. A novel not to be missed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBN6HNAQV44HB?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've read all year!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has great character development and great local color.  Donna Tartt takes you on the fantastic journey as you follow the life of a struggling young boy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FZC19T9OMPV2?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the portrayal of characters was so precise that I felt I would recognize them if I passed them on the street. however, the end of the book was too long, too contrived, too set. a disappointment</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VA68SRU65I6I?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the author's descriptive abilities of both the characters and the surroundings. Couldn't put the book down; felt I was in the museum, in Las Vegas, in Amsterdam. What I didn't appreciate being immersed in was the lifestyle that the main character became immersed in.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UNT0FYMPLEI1?ASIN=0316055441	superb literature	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms. Tartt has a voice that needs to be heard, a world view demanding attention.  She is just wonderful.  Her style is Faulkner and Conroy, but unique.  A woman's voice but timeless and without prejudice.  I could go on for a while, but would be unable to really express why this is one of the best books I ever read.  I want my friends and children to read it, my wife and brother; everyone.  And we could talk about it and it's various passages for a long, long time.  Congratulations, Ms. Tartt, on a sublime piece of literary art.<br/>WEH</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R239CXX934TH6J?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the book was long it held my attention from beginning to end. It would be a great selection for someone traveling.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DTOHC9THIZ1C?ASIN=0316055441	Love/Hate	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The start of this saga drew me in but along the way it became tedious and I found myself wanting it over.  I stuck with it, though-- to the end and felt just so so.  I guess I wanted more.  There were parts that I enjoyed and parts that I barely scanned.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DXJXEMGKE7EW?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch<br/>A complex, engaging, well written coming of age novel...  Over 750 pages but could not put it down. Donna Tartt did a superb job of presenting the male psyche in Theo.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HME6R6L59O19?ASIN=0316055441	A great American novel.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An instant classic. The latest incarnation of The Great American Novel. This is not a narrow-focused story, but a book about many things. Each character had a distinct personality and style of speech, a literary feat carried out with strength throughout the entire story, which had me engrossed from the beginning and yet left me feeling strangely satisfied at the end, not wishing there was more to the story and happy where it left off. Rarely have I highlighted so many passages in an e-book. I especially enjoyed the brilliant and deeply personal and philosophical last twenty pages or so.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMO6N67CE1G3V?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very engrossing tale of a young boy's journey through life after a terrible tragedy. The characters are well-developed and the plot is quite unusual. Kudos to Donna Tartt for such a interesting book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ETCQQP07A8RI?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is one of the best books that I have read in a very long time.  The complexity of the characters combined with the descriptive narrative provides a reading experience that makes you want to read it late into the night.  I'm looking forward to reading more from Donna Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R353V9LEMMBNIH?ASIN=0316055441	One of a kind novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The character development with Theo was charged with life; it's sorrows &amp; unfolding of love &amp;maturity. The book held a mystery with the Goldfinch. You'll have to read it to find out. I did get bored with length &amp; wanted to hurry through the last 200 pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37P206DY6UIP6?ASIN=0316055441	Could not put this book down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a great book.  Donna Tartt describes the situation in such a way that you are there, you feel what they feel.  It gives a real insight into how teenagers without supervision can fall into drugs and alcohol and how hard it is to get away from that later in life.  And, how it temporarily eases their pain.  It's about the importance of relationships and art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13TR4EA46U4BN?ASIN=0316055441	Thank you for the book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have been waiting for Donna Tartt's next book for a long time. The wait was worth the wihile. The book is a wolrd if its own; skilfully created, touching and rewarding.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5BATLD4G948B?ASIN=0316055441	Stunning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt is a modern day Dickens and this is a<br/> thug of  a book. Hauls you in, grabs you by the throat and alternatively woos and whips you. Wonderful</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G5GT7JY6PS5D?ASIN=0316055441	Wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is great. It is very long but time flies because the author keeps the story interesting. I've already recommended this book to many people.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVSOGQZPMJ1JV?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have read in a long time. Beautifully written; poetic. Page turner. Takes a commitment to get through it, but once I started I could not put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z6H1CQJG2PYF?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An extraordinary work. Such insight into grief, childhood, and human frailty. How often what we say is not what is heard.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJMYXUCA87V5H?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic writing; engaging and very real characters.  If you can handle some tough psychological trials and like your stories raw and close and real you will love this novel!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R140Q6ETFMTLKP?ASIN=0316055441	a tedious disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i am utterly disappointed with The Goldfinch. it was supposed to be one of the best books of 2013, so i at least expected it to be somewhat good. it was not. the book couldn't figure out what it wanted to be. parts beautiful prose, parts pointless babble, characters whom i assume you were supposed to have sympathy for but really you end up hoping they get what's coming to them, a whole fourth of the book devoted to glorifying alcoholism &amp; drug addiction that could have been omitted, and a sudden shift from tedious drama to international art heist caper adventure in the last 100 pages... this is an uneven book, to say the least. hopefully other readers have had a better experience with The Goldfinch, but i can't recommend reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FPIDHV29S80C?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Super read from beginning to end. Story written so well loved reading every minute of it. Would highly recommend to anyone.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SKK3SHPTSS70?ASIN=0316055441	Thank you Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love this book. It took a hold of me and never let me go until the very last word. I am forever changed and now understand how I view the world because of Theo.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T73SBTVCY9DZ?ASIN=0316055441	Checking out a best seller	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it. Couldn't put it down unless circumstances forced it!  Enjoying good mysteries and thrillers still, love a novel that ""paints a picture"".</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GXMM3N4JODJD?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was hesitant to buy this book, as the last book I bought that was lauded as a bestseller was a dud. But I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. A unique story that held my interest from start to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R264V9FY76RN1A?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was hooked at once - this book is really a good read.  Donna Tartt does not disappoint.  Her latest book is absolutely satisfactory.  I recommend reading her other book as well.  Job well done :)</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3API4GTWW8ZTL?ASIN=0316055441	Something wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful, suspenseful, intriguing.  Use of language was complex and powerful. I never expected the ending, as memories flooded my senses and truths were offered. The author takes death and life, juxtaposes them with harsh reality, capturing beauty and connections with impermanence and lasting song.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMY31T8Z4KLHA?ASIN=0316055441	Unbearably attractive, unbearably painful, unbearably fulfilling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is so good that one lives rather than reads this story.  It left me searching for the theme that has been part of everything I have experienced and every decision I have or haven't made.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KXV7BYYOCU0D?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful, engaging novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the best books I've read in recent years.  The characters come alive in the pages, and Theo's story is at the same time both profoundly devastating and ironically humorous.  Everything that could possibly go wrong does, from the loss of his mother, to accidentally ending up with a historic, priceless painting and finding himself in the most unpredictable situation in the end yet you continue to believe that Theo will pull through in the end.<br/><br/>Highly recommend this novel.  It's somewhat of a fast read, if mostly because it's nearly impossible to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJXNWL5J83OOL?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">my first book ordered on my Kindle.  Would have hated to have over seven-hundred pages lying on my chest while reading it at night.  Loved the writing and the story, although, needed some editing - went on and on at times and I wanted to know ""what happens"".  I'd like to read her other books now; good author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXAEDFSVQICGY?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A gripping story, well written, the 800 pages fly by because you just have to know how it ends and what happens next</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CWCHGCFVG9ZY?ASIN=0316055441	GOLDFINCH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">waayyyyy too long.  I loved the first 1/3 and could not put it down.  Then it became so tedious &amp; boring.  Too much drugs.  Could have ended this book 400 pages earlier.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XZGT2FTCKYG4?ASIN=0316055441	couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I first saw the book was over 700 pages long, I was a bit intimidated. But this novel is so griping, so beautifully written I found myself using every extra moment in my hectic life reading feverishly. I wouldn't be surprised if they made it into a movie.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AX8902GBOBMR?ASIN=0316055441	A Pageturner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has passed through the hands of first my daughter, me and now my husband.  This novel is well written and has a beautifully developed plot. The piece of art that this book describes, The Goldfinch, is one that I would wished to have seen on exhibit in NYC when it was available.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35LDFHT5CZNMB?ASIN=0316055441	Touches your soul.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is all encompassing in that it evokes just about every human emotion.  Fascinating that these words could be conjured up in the authors mind.  Loved every single character in a different way.  I felt their pain and their joy.  Wanted to clap for them at times and other times wanted to slap them for their utter stupidity.  This is a mystery story, a love story, a coming of age story, a family story and a story of compassion.  You will keep turning the pages because you have become so invested in the characters lives and you will question in your own mind  some of the ideas the author has presented.  This is absolutely one of the best books I have read in a long while and I read a lot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BR5P37DCCY5A?ASIN=0316055441	Is life coincidence or divinely appointed?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfish reels you in and keeps you reading, becoming absorbed in the characters. I found myself rooting for Theo, the main character, but struggling with not liking him very much at times. The depth of characters and settings are captivating. Questions of fate, God, fairness, compassion present throughout the book. Why do bad things happen to good people? What is the purpose of life? Even when life is bad, is it still worth living? If enjoy pondering these, you will love this book?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YQGOOUEFBFMS?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this is beautifully written book.  densely layered - unpredictable, heart warming / heart wrenching.  Lots of fabulous reviews out there about this book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TTWVJ6SC9NG1?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Donna Tartt Click the stars to rate i	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a great story, a page turner.  Donna Tartt is perhaps too descriptive and in the beginning of the book I speed read these long writings about nonessential things.  But when I had read around 100 pages I did not skip but read these long interludes carefully. I have not quite finished the book but so far I am totally engrossed and cannot wait to get back to it.  My husband is also reading it on his Paperwhite and also loves it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS7KMR97LM5KZ?ASIN=0316055441	this book stays with you	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has a compelling story, realistic and interesting characters. It is a mystery, a romance, an art history all at times. The narrator tells his life story and a story about life. Read it wYou won't be sorry.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L89AKTK396R?ASIN=0316055441	Only 1/4 way through and I enjoy it very much.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am not going to go in depth about the characters, plot, or summarize the book, I'm saying that I love it. Theo is an eloquent boy (at the point I am at) and Tartt has developed the characters excellently. Her style of writing is extremely easy to visualize every detail she puts into the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S88V0OQFOIPB?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it!  It was a great story, with intrigue, definitely not predictable. It was educational and I loved Ms. Tartt's writing style- colorful, descriptive- and the characters were so real. Finally. The fact that it is a real painting makes me want to see it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24HF8KS03PB53?ASIN=0316055441	I would not recommend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful start-weak body-disappointing finish. I felt the author did not develop the plot. The beginning was strong with great possibilities but she did not develop those possibities. It was a waste of my time and I do not feel that way about 90% of the books I read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BMJBXUP7XMKJ?ASIN=0316055441	Too complicated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was intrigued by the idea of art theft .  But found it tough going when the hero's teen years were complicated by everything from uncaring parents, to unruly friends, to loss of a moral compass. And then "" life's anesthetics""  like alcohol and drugs took over the characters lives in way too much detail.  I only decided to finish it because I wanted to know how the author would rediscover the art.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZVL20ZEX8HB1?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch is a great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love her writing style. The character development in this story is amazing! Theo and Boris will be with me always.  I would definitely read another of her novels.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WHHHT6WN0C3T?ASIN=0316055441	Very disappointed...too long...exhausted when finished	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I kept debating about purchasing the book. I kept watching it rise on the bestsellers list and finally made the leap. Big mistake! Started out good but then went downhill fast. This book is way too long and I felt like I was swimming upstream the whole time I was reading it. Would not recommend even trying to read it!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DV1I7YKGATAS?ASIN=0316055441	dissatisfied with ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was too drug out and drugged out!  I was also hoping for more intrigue regarding the painting.  A long book for little reward.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q2NESQKB26KE?ASIN=0316055441	Exceptional	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an exceptional novel.  One of the best I have read in a long time. Didn't want it to end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HIRVMTKJKZAN?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very enjoyable book. Fun characters, interesting story. Type of book that you look forward to getting back to when you can.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AZMWKO1JKQ7P?ASIN=0316055441	My view of Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It just went on to long, someone should have edited it better.  Started out okay but it just rambled on about problem after problem and lots of them redundant.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TMGGF7LIRWDB?ASIN=0316055441	Gorgeous, as usual.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt is a magician. Most of us can only dream of using words the way she does. Her descriptions are rich, complex, palpable, and painfully intense. Also in her usual style, this is no short book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NY5IDVTGOC4R?ASIN=0316055441	never have I read such a beautifully written work that took such a nose dive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful writing, never ending plot lines that drag more than they should have. Was reading to ensure I was fair to the author</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TP7Q2L6SMMRQ?ASIN=0316055441	exquisite work	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">stunning!  breathtaking! heartbreaking!<br/>this book hit all my buttons, and more.<br/>another great tome from a southern writer,<br/>the daughter of one...</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29BA3DMULHPCV?ASIN=0316055441	whirlwind adventure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a page turner!  The writing was so brilliant, detailed and beautiful. Really took me on a journey!  HIGHLY recommend!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O6F1B3ME3HIM?ASIN=0316055441	Say it once, say it twice!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I forced myself to read the first 10% of the book before getting into the story.  Finally it took off and was interesting until once again it got too wordy and repetitious.  I did finish but had a hard time with the ups and downs.  It is not an easy read would not recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CKO6ML83MF4M?ASIN=0316055441	Like the goldfinch, I was chained to the narrative	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Followed along the disjointed and tragic story to the end, finding with the narrator a fragile peace or redemption along with him and an acceptance of my own character flaws!  Wonderful!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LK4SGV69QQSE?ASIN=0316055441	Love it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm always afraid of reading long, long novels.  The Goldfinch was so fabulous that I read it as fast as a 350 page book and it was 770 pages long.  A very fascinating tale and I really liked Theo the main character.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15UDXY0VNF9Z7?ASIN=0316055441	I cant recommend this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first half of this book was the best book I ever read, I was lost in the second half of the book.  I just didn't care for the ending and it seemed to just go on and on without direction.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R364KWHB67TT8B?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyable reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book.  Other reviews give a good synopsis of the plot, so there is no sense in repeating that.  It's a very long book, but I promise you won't lose interest.  The characters are all quite memorable in their own way, with their unique individual flaws.  At the end, everything comes together nicely.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OYSEJ5EIY04Z?ASIN=0316055441	Facinating Characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reading this book on a Kindle, I did not realize how long this book was, but it did not matter.  I did not want to put it down.  The story of how this painting and how it influenced the life of our protagonist was fascinating but the real value of this book is the crafting of the characters.  You may love them or hate them, but you certainly know who they are and why.  The value of character development along with a story that keeps you turning the pages is what I value in a book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G71U3SUSZM4Q?ASIN=0316055441	Want to stay up all night reading this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So this was picked at my book group. Have a great deal on my plate right now and was a bit daunted by the length, but don't be. It is a good read. A read you want to stay up all night reading even though you know you have to get up with your small child and go to work early. Every night I mean to only read a chapter and I end up telling myself, after then next page, which ends up being 30 pages ago. What I am saying is it is a really good read and I read a lot have not had one in awhile that made me want to play hooky and read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FQP5C75VSNRQ?ASIN=0316055441	Great to Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch captured my interest and heart initially but unfortunately, I found both the writing and storyline to lag by midway.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WQU5VPN1BX3S?ASIN=0316055441	Easy reading but difficult subjects The book centers around a teenage boy and all the changes in his life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story centers around a young boy whose life is shattered after his mother dies from an explosion in a museum. His tempory time  time living with a very rich family in New York City and his transfer to Las Vegas to live with his alcohic father and girlfriend  and his meeting with a student who is from Russia. He is easely transformed into a life of drugs, alcohol and violence. It is sad to see how a young good boy can be so changed by his surroundings. I enjoyed the book but was sad to see how losing the one good person in your life could turn everything upside down and for the worse Catherine Hollo</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21KPT3ZFJSFE?ASIN=0316055441	WHY IS THIS BOOK SO POPULAR	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think the author's characterization was great - I could imagine Theo &amp; Boris clearly in my mind's eye, but the book was so depressing, Theo's life was too sad.  I had to keep reminding myself that it was a novel, not real life (thank goodness).<br/><br/>I don't have a problem reading lengthy books if they are enjoyable.  My biggest complaint with this book was that the author rambled, and went on and on, where I just felt at a certain point she should  get to the point.  I think should and could have been more concise and we still would have appreciated her writing talent.<br/><br/>I don't know why I finished this book.  I guess I wanted to see what happened to Theo &amp; Boris (I loved the Boris character) and to figure why it is so popular.  I would not recommend this book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UEAOE3EP5NUI?ASIN=0316055441	Not up to her standards	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She will never be able to duplicate the wonder of Harry Potter but this was barely interesting. She is trading on her name and history to be a best seller.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VB1U9I0XOL8B?ASIN=0316055441	Too long for what it had to say	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting book, but too long mainly because of the drug induced dreams and musings of the main character. Enjoyed the parts about antique repair and sales.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CDWEAFY7PKQ7?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch saga of theoutcasting of two boys by their parents, which led to DRUGS!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the first half of the story very much.  Couldn't put it down; then the last half took forever to<br/>get to the final story.  It was tedious reading.  too too much information about drugs,love affairs<br/>etc.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFRMYTCRHCYEY?ASIN=0316055441	Two Hundred Pages Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written and interesting concept.  The Ukrainian character was very believable and the author's ability to present countries, languages, and different  arts was impressive.  I just got bored in the desert feeling we overstayed our welcome there.  Beyond that the protagonist lost my interest and, I felt, became less believable for me.  There were some rabbit trails I would have preferred not to travel as I didn't think they added to the story line.  This is why I say it could have been a shorter story and kept my interest better.  However, I appreciate the author's work and efforts.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUEK8Z2B66NZY?ASIN=0316055441	blah, blah blah	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I kept reading thinking the story would develop but at 500 pages I finally realized it wasn't going to amount to anything other than 800 pages of blah, blah,<br/>There were never any characters that I liked. A waste  of 800 pages.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTKAOM78ZVAMQ?ASIN=0316055441	way too long and not an easy read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the story itself, but it was way too long (770 pages) and she seemed to add things which did not have any relevance to the story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17ZRY1LWDGOM2?ASIN=0316055441	Good for 1st 100 pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read the first 100 pages then gave up. The writing is not bad but lacking a dynamic story line. Slow.  Don't waste your money on this one.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TD32I62OU07H?ASIN=0316055441	Fair	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too wordiy...Had to skip a  lot to get to the story....So much dope in the story it must have been written by a doper. Bacis story was not too bad...</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R374W3I99NTT6P?ASIN=0316055441	Dragged myself through it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't remember the last book I didn't finish reading-until I started reading The Goldfinch. The beginning is wonderful. I loved the characters and the pathos of the situation Theo, the main character, finds himself in. But then the story falls apart. I was forcing myself to keep reading, hoping to reengage. That never happened. Finally I put it aside for a week, then picked it up and gave it another go. Still couldn't find anything to keep me reading. Set it aside and I am pretty sure I won't be able to force myself to resume reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TM9G2WDKUZVP?ASIN=0316055441	Way too much!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was exhausted by the time I read the first page.  I like descriptive writing, but not a ton of it.  It was like a flood of words that pours over you and doesn't stop.  Somewhere in there I think there must be a story.  But If so, I never got caught up in it. I think if this author stopped being so ""literary"" and wordy, it I might have found something worthwhile in it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYSCCUFNSM7MM?ASIN=0316055441	Painful read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a great story about an extremely interesting character but I felt like he did so much damage to himself all the time. It's hard to enjoy a story with so much dark pain in it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32MAGV2WKXIHS?ASIN=0316055441	downer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book was so unremittingly depressing that I finally had to quit reading it.<br/>The description at the beginning of the tragedy that led to all else, was stunning in its seeming accuracy of what it could have been like and led me further into the story.  It was beautifully written.  I just couldn't take the continuing downward spiral of it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ30U7CZ396EC?ASIN=0316055441	Different	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very disappointed; not at all what I was expecting. Disjointed writing and dialogue was hard to follow. A slow read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BQG452D2Q1QX?ASIN=0316055441	Not for reading on gray days	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I can't say I particularly enjoyed reading this book, I found I couldn't put it down .  I kept looking for the ""feel good"" part.  There is none.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQI5FW97JTELS?ASIN=0316055441	disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning of this book was very interesting. The latter parts dragged. Toward the end I was disenchanted.<br/>Long road to nowhere!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z4N9FE9SDTFS?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch was a disappointing read considering its best seller status.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The text needed tighter editing.  Too much repetition.  Too many descriptions of drinking and drug binges.  The beginning showed so much potential.  Very sad lives for the survivors.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMS39KX8TZPFJ?ASIN=0316055441	Kept Hoping It Would Get Better	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though the story starts out slow, it soon becomes very engaging and hard to put down. But what kept drawing my on was the hope that this poor kid would finally make some good decisions and life would improve for him. Though he certainly has a series of unfortunate circumstances conspiring against him, much of his misery is his own making. I was hoping he'd finally see what a gift he had in Hobie, Pippa, and Andy but he neglects them though they don't give up on him. It seemed like he enjoyed being miserable. Very frustrating story. Don't read it for uplift!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LEXC6WPD8W78?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out fast moving and interesting story.  Place toward the end it was hard to figure out who was talking to whom and about what.  It could have been about 200 pages shorter to hold your interest.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP52Y4IO53NIG?ASIN=0316055441	Good if you're trapped on a desert island	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous story &amp; characters, but long, long, long.  I enjoyed finishing it even more than reading it.  Movie version can be done in four parts</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R253FVFUG8WK7O?ASIN=0316055441	What a drag!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read a lot, and a lot of different types of books. While this book is brilliantly written, the story line is killing me. I can't remember if I've ever read a book that brought me down so low.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUCY6DWLXS70D?ASIN=0316055441	The book is well written,needs more editing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is very well written and the characters are interesting and well developed.  However it needs more editing. At times the story seems to meander.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z2T8G5G2LR0W?ASIN=0316055441	Torn on how to feel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i'm so torn on this book. I breezed through the beginning, got stuck in the middle and then breezed through til the end. It was a lovely book and you could tell Tart really enjoyed writing it-I'm just not sure if she went in the right direction with alot of the characters. They weren't completely fleshed out to where I felt much of a connection to them-and what happened to them. it started out with such promise and such beauty that I expected that to continue throughout the book. I'm glad I finished it but it wasn't the book I hoped it'd be.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YEA073C0WZ31?ASIN=0316055441	Time wasted reading this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finally finished reading this book!  I chose it because of all the good reviews.  Personally, I don't understand why it was on the best sellers list.  I found it to be dark and depressing.  The main character gets involved in a life of drugs and is infatuated with a painting that he takes from a museum after the museum is bombed.  I found the writing style to be too tedious for my liking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWA9RV8OT796Y?ASIN=0316055441	It 's too bad!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the beginning of this book and initially could not put it down.  Unfortunately, the plot became silly, lengthy, and inconsistent .  The author seemed unable to end the book! The last 200 pages were tedious.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H7B0RA7IVB2C?ASIN=0316055441	Good Story, but	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wayyyy  toooo Longgggg and wandering off the subject at times to go into details that were not necessary.  I thought it would never end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JHQDF1JBZ56M?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the first half of the book a lot more than the last half.  Hopefully, some good editing could have tightened it up a bit.  The overall concept was interesting.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXPX7LOKM3MWH?ASIN=0316055441	great beginning then....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most amazing beginnings I have read in a while.  The middle was extremely slow.  I got completely bogged down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R178JC9XUMND4Y?ASIN=0316055441	Not what I expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Based on the numerous mass media reviewers, I expected a more engaging story and better writing. Most of the middle part of the book repetitively describes massive drug use. Many sentences go on for half a page or more, and I would get completely lost in the word tangle. Glad I got it cheap on my Kindle.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P0OKDULNWGG0?ASIN=0316055441	good but long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story warrants reading but found the book itself dragged out. Theo had a complicated life that ranged from boyhood to manhood. Through love, despair,drugs,violence,stealing etc. a hurt boy who lost so much and could not find his way.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LZ8LFN75M3IV?ASIN=0316055441	On and On	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a good writer; if this book had been half the length it would have been much better.  The more I got into it, the more I started skimming through the pages and pages of dense prose that did nothing to add to the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q8XX5R5S978Q?ASIN=0316055441	frequently terrific-sometimes painful-always long winded.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I became hooked early on and enjoyed the book, I felt it rambled on in places and would have benefited from professional editing. She had editors, right?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U0LQCOS6SGD1?ASIN=0316055441	Did not like this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't get interested in reading this book.  Couldn't get interested because of all the dope and their getting high all the time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W07PMS7EC957?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written, but intellectually lacking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a professor who once compared reading to the act of scavenging like a magpie. Magpies are those birds that are attracted to shiny objects (No, not a Goldfinch. Yes, I'm talking about an entirely unrelated bird). They'll pick through heaps of rubbish if something twinkly catches their eye. Then they'll hoard it and treasure it forever and ever, until their tiny bling hoarding hearts die. Bling hoarders? I'm going with it. So, these bling hoarders made sort of a little nest in my mind, sitting there, preying over their glittering valuables--at the time I was in school, nose deep in essays, highlighter poised, trying to see the oh-so-elusive tree from the ugly theory-laden forest. Yes, I realized dumbly, this is the tedious lot of the reader starved for a connection to something that is, on the face of it, just paper and ink, and words fussed about with by someone you don't know and will probably never meet. We're magpies, hunting for those shining examples of why reading is, and always will be, sustenance.<br/><br/>My ""bling"" hoarding takes the form of an ever growing word document of book quotes, and a couple of spiral bound notebooks where I would occasionally scrawl lines from the latest novel I was reading in between class notes. (Not to mention all the loose papers I thought I could keep track of that have some author's brilliant insight scribbled on it, lost forever in the shuffle of moving and cleaning, and getting on with life. Is someone out there working on a non-life threatening way to burn books into our brains yet?)<br/><br/>So I guess I'm getting around to making a point now. And the point is, I finished reading The Goldfinch with not much blingity bling to show for it. Is Donna Tartt's writing style really, really, ridiculously good? Yes. She takes a damn decade to finish a book--I can just see her hunched over a notebook, spending an entire day obsessively rewriting a 4-sentence paragraph. ""Worth the wait"" lingers predictably on the tip of my tongue. But I think The Goldfinch is missing a kind of profoundness that transcends the world of the book. For me, it's telling when I haven't dog-eared like every 20th page or so. I'd done a fair amount of that with The Secret History, to the point of it looking slightly accordion-like from the side. Quoteworthy is what I'm talking about. Shiny objects. Something worth hoarding. Absolutely I'll take a ballpoint pen to this.<br/><br/>Okay, so plotwise, I had no idea what would happen next, which I love. And I thought the characters were intriguing and setting descriptions masterful--so detailed and precise it feels like you're watching a cinematic epic. And I could rhapsodize all the live long day about the elegant writing that conjures a mood so pervasive you can inhale it. But what's underneath the elegance? Where are those piercing insights that would sooner make me rip out the pages their printed on then forget them?<br/><br/>Bringing me to the ending, which deserves a big fat *facepalm*. What's under the elegance, you ask? Well, here, let me try to cram some meaning in at the end. Really. The last chunk of pages are just drenched in weirdly self conscious musings that should have been subtler and sprinkled throughout the entire book. I mean, some Nietzsche loving, horn-rimmed glasses wearing liberal arts student is writing a version of this book's last ten pages in a Moleskine right now. ""That life--whatever it is--is short. That fate is cruel but maybe not random."" ...said every moody young adult/adult, sitting at a desk facing a window, pen hovering over a journal, pensive, squinting at a setting sun, contemplating the ""meaning of life.""<br/><br/>I remember reading somewhere that Tartt has a stockpile of ideas in notebooks going back decades. Which makes me think that's the problem with taking so long to write a book--you end up trying to write the book a 20 year old you imagined after taking one 100-level art history course and spending a semester abroad.<br/><br/>I suppose a few eye-roll worthy reflections are to be expected in a near 800 page novel written in first person. But confronting it in all its heavy handedness, after hundreds of pages of sprightly atmospheric prose, altered the whole tone of the novel. I wanted something more from The Goldfinch.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WG48RUKZG6O9?ASIN=0316055441	It's O.K.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall it is a good story, but it seems author was ""straining"" to string out certain themes that could have been handled with less<br/>dialogue.A little too much detail with philosophical points.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S471T2NO2XRG?ASIN=0316055441	Too bad it fell apart	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Should have been edited to half. Like others noted this novel promised much at the beginning but became overblown and melodramatic by the final third. Disappointing and ceratinly not worthy of the hype.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QM7EACY8TIN?ASIN=0316055441	good read, but needs editing badly	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the first half of this book, then it got pretty repetitious. I think it could have benefitted from a good editing to half its large length.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23SZC4H4J8ID2?ASIN=0316055441	Too addled	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is no question that Donna Tartt is a good writer. However, sections of the book just dragged on too long. I was also disappointed that the relationship of the paitnting to Theo wasn't more developed. It seemed too incidental.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HHDNKSCD4M2X?ASIN=0316055441	Entertaining and meaningful but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author and editor needed to shorten the story.  It was entertaining enough that I did finish the book but it was about 200 pages too long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3298MZHTY38E8?ASIN=0316055441	A bit disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book until the last part.  I felt it became so philosophical and a bit boring.  I am concerned that our 20 and 30 somethings are so engaged in drugs and alcohol as this book predicts.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TK1BXWNRQ3CM?ASIN=0316055441	Good start, a very long middle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good start but the book lost its way for about 500 pages.  There was a lot of repetitive unnecessary detail.  About 400 pages too long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JGOQQDDP9ZV2?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The original idea is not bad.Needs editing badly! I do not recommend it. It gets lost in details. Good luck!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LFDWKOG1B1D?ASIN=0316055441	meh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good writing but meh storytelling. I don't recommend it. Tries hard to feel like a classic. Just read a classic.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JVK5EI3UH39?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wordy, boring and almost pointless in places.  The story could have been condensed into less than half the pages.  Can't believe it was in first place on the review list.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD1ZYFNSBXHHX?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I still didn't finish - , so far, I find it so repetitious, I would have eliminated at least 15 pages &amp; I am only up to page 250, but, I do like the characters &amp; I think I will stick with it to the end, in the beginning I was not sure I wanted to continue with it.  Ask me later.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OGC6N6B7R0A8?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the story was very interesting, I grew weary of all the drug and alcohol binges.  The main character had ""no character"" until he became wealthy.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18RGBZG0LH52A?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow...my expectations were high. And I was disappointed. Some sections were actually painful, wading through endless dialogue, only to end in a predictable place. This novel could have been half its size.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ADTT7TDLKAZQ?ASIN=0316055441	Thought Provoking!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What I can say is this.: Depressingly Catastrophic! I would not recommend this Book because it is so depressing.<br/>Well written if you are in the Mood for this type of Book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5UL54KQPHNVT?ASIN=0316055441	High expectations but wasn't my cup of tea.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading reviews I was looking forward to this book. The plot itself is interesting (Master fine art works goes missing during terrorist bombing/son and dad relationship stress/art theft). But the writing simply went on and on for far too long in too many parts of this book. The writing is good and often beautiful, but sometimes it felt as though I was reading sections that had already been flushed out - which made for tiresome reading at times. I rarely flip pages forward if ever, but in this one I did simply to get through some sections that started to ramble. Overall an interesting plot but the outcomes of the relationships of the characters didn't feel authentic or consistent. I finished it but it was work.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9ADLMBA47P29?ASIN=0316055441	Good but not great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was interesting but some parts dragged on.  sometimes the details seemed to go beyond where they needed to go.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF3EI4K4JJHKL?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much repition in  descriptions. Good storyline . Could have been written in half the space. Enjoyed the mobility of character. Did not like the descriptive drug encounters</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CMO21ZDJTO83?ASIN=0316055441	Could have beem a great book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started to enjoy his book but somehow it got away from me.  It ended up being so bizarre that it was unbelievable.  Of course, It was fiction but it seemed that the author got lost in the ending.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14WSBZIOGIYZX?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting idea but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The concept of the story was interesting, but I found that the development of the plot bogged down and became repetitive at points. The ending also seemed far-fetched.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IIYIISQBGA0N?ASIN=0316055441	Entertaining and weighty	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At times a little over the top, but epic and engrossing. To me not the masterpiece so many profess, but a marvelous achievement!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S1AJCYF77BCZ?ASIN=0316055441	Review The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a well written book. The way the language flows is wondeful. However, the plot is too complicated and the book is way too long!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMQTHCV6CSO51?ASIN=0316055441	I can't get interested in this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I probably shouldn't be writing a review yet as I haven' finished the book. I am having trouble getting interested in it.  The writer is certainly talented, so I guess it's the subject that is uninteresting to me. I think I will go back to books like the ones John Grisham writes. I just can't get interested in The Goldfinch. Sorry</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16CP4D5L3CFVU?ASIN=0316055441	it became overwrought	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have no clue as to why this is on the best seller lists. The book started off promising and I enjoyed the read. However, half way through I got frustrated with the ongoing plot . Deleted The Goldfinch. This is the first book I have ever not finished through to the end AND deleted from my Kindle.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JKE1MRC1Y0MV?ASIN=0316055441	Not my favorite book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Maybe I am the only person in the country not to love this book. While there are moments of beautiful writing,<br/>I find many of the characters to be superficial and stereotypical.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN95WWMNEYCFR?ASIN=0316055441	Could have been done in 400 pages!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The parts that were good were very good but there were waaaaay too many involved and boring pages that had nothing to do with the plot. Too many pages of descriptions of things that didn't need description over and over and over again! I loved the plot but often lost the thread of the story. Definitely not a re read for me. I actually deleted it from my Kindle. I would not recommend this book to any of my reading friends.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ROB03PTXSBOU?ASIN=0316055441	A case of expecting too much ?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning of the book was well written and the story heart wrecking.  However this deteriorated into a long winded bore, with drawn out descriptions of drug usage and binges - perhaps of interest to addicts?  Sorry.... just thought a brilliant story was ruined unnecessarily.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AHH1FKS8AJG5?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch starts well.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch, although, well written, went on and on a bit long.  I wanted to finish to see what ultimately happens to the interesting characters, but it could be about 200 pages shorter.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J8POBY0DHF0F?ASIN=0316055441	Struggling through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the Goldfinch depicts the story of one mans semi-interesting life, the length of time it has taken to read it feels as if it is taking mine.  I'm 67% into the book and keep plodding through night after night hoping I'll glimpse the masterpiece others describe.  Sadly it appears this is not to be.  But I'm no quitter so I will see this through.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R265LH3CPHYNZ6?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written with many twists and turns making it a page turner.<br/>Once I started reading, it was hard to stop.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L6V63R8E3WP2?ASIN=0316055441	A Great Book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book grabbed my interest right away. It kept it until the end. It was like I could see everything happening . Donna is a very talented writer. I will read her other books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UHZ3S2MABMZ5?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfince	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has narrated a compelling storyline which spans many years.  She has developed the characters well and you can relate to them very easily.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UZOF9ADKJPG5?ASIN=0316055441	Dragging on	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As many others, I was impressed by the initial reviews of this book and bought the book. The storyline sounds interesting, but the book fails to deliver. There are multiple story lines, or novellas, in this book, which makes it very long and overly complicated. There is a lot of unnecessary rambling about the hardship of life as a substance abuser (duh). Sometimes I could even smell the booze while reading! In general, a whole lotta unnecessary text that I found to be quite distracting. I also found the general story plot not as good and deep as it could have been. If you strip the book of all the unnecessary text what remains is a very thin plot that isn't even all that good. In the end, I just wanted it to end, just like Theo.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHRHQ6PLEBAK8?ASIN=0316055441	Most amazing book ever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Deeply moving in unimaginable ways. My words feel shallow to describe how touched I have been reading this book. A must read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IMUKR8640ZY?ASIN=0316055441	Really liked it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Several intertwined plots going on. Good writing, interesting characters, Places where I wanted to save quotes--that is unusual for me</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSOBAZEXY7AKP?ASIN=0316055441	must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has it all....a coming of age story of a more or less orphaned adolescent.  Lots of action, adventure, art and art crime, played against the backgrounds of New York, Amsterdam, and Las Vegas.  Sounds odd?  Not at all.....you won't be able to put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2STV4MDE61NE?ASIN=0316055441	excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is beautifully written and mesmerizing. Each character is well developed and really compelling. Though very dark at times but full of understanding and redemption without a predictably  saccharine ending. I loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CIK5FV4Z2YEE?ASIN=0316055441	Tragedies and Poor Choices	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book.  Donna Tartt's writing is excellent. It is well worth the read.  It is many stories; it is about life, about class, about tragedy, about loss, and poor choices.  I certainly mourned with the main character and wondered why someone didn't come along to really help this poor child, but then again, that is a story in and of itself.  The twists and turns were very uncomfortable; I cried aloud. Some of the characters had depth while others didn't but we could envision them as maybe we've seen them along the way.  Although the book is long, I highly recommend it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PMB5I2TNCAJH?ASIN=0316055441	Intense	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very heady, and brilliantly detailed. If you want to stay safe, don't go here. Satisfying closure to the reality we experience as life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R117JDRCE2YABR?ASIN=0316055441	A current epic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">History, humor,very emotional and a realistic current story re addiction life &amp;love.  A surprise that wants you to re-read like a classic novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XW3GP0BVKQMK?ASIN=0316055441	so far so good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not done yet-about half through but cant wait to see how things will work out.  Great read.  Hard to tell where Theo will go next.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DXNXPS2S0ZDL?ASIN=0316055441	Must Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is well written, gripping, one that you ""can't put down.""  It calls up a whole range of emotions  in the reader, and will leave you well satisfied at the end.  It is full of rich prose, not to be skimmed over or read quickly but a book you will savor and read intensely.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H7HV2MEQ1MK1?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book, it is a long book, but kept me captivated the whole time, many twists and turns to it. Excellent writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZZE3U0FSFPCR?ASIN=0316055441	A page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Many interesting characters and changes is the story to keep reading to see what happens next. Donna Tartt is an excellent author!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OSLC13PSN7NL?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good book - highly recommend it. Couldn't put it down. More on the literary side, but definitely readable and entertaining.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REQJFSVPI7UQ1?ASIN=0316055441	A truly remarkable tale of life, love and mystery  as seen through the eyes of a young man with a gift for eloquent observation.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although life is not kind to the narrator and main character, he doggedly sticks to his task and conveys to us the story of a life of pain and hard won knowledge mixed with love and beauty always with a promise of a glimpse into the truths we seek throughout our wanderings on this earth.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G5NO03SETSRO?ASIN=0316055441	one compelling read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">THe Goldfinch had me interested on page one.  I couldn't leave it alone.  The storyline brought me in from the beginning.  Who would NOT want to find out what happened to a young boy who lost his mother, helped a dying man, and stole a priceless painting to book.  The vocabulary choices brought each situation into clear and honest view.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OEY1R1Z66YT4?ASIN=0316055441	Dark and wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved Donna Tartt's The Secret History but just couldn't get into The Little Friend although I tried twice. I bought the Goldfinch on the strength of the reviews and wasn't disappointed, quite the contrary. Her writing is so immediate and direct and yet the descriptive turns so evocative that I would often re-read them just to savour the images generated. I'm not a huge fan of sweet, nice novels so the slightly disturbed and disturbing characters were heaven to me and yet for all my review title, this book is about redemption, not despair. Definitely recommended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OE5Q3XHO1EVY?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch.....don't miss this one!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book grabbed me from page 1.  Absolutely wonderful.  Donna Tartt;s descriptions are sometimes so sad and other times so funny I laugh out loud.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39G50NGI66HS?ASIN=0316055441	HEART OF DARKNESS	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch.  A masterpiece  in contemporary English literature. The author, Donna Tarry,  has an  exceedingly capable command of  the language, a rarity in these, at best,  clumsy  linguistics times.<br/>  Succinct  when  appropriate,  erudite in her examination of  detail (with apparently  a lot of help,  as she acknowledges, from experienced and informer  consultants)  matters,  and incorrectly  with regard  to the essential pathos  of the human condition,  although with occasional light  she'd on the darkness.<br/>  And, a good read!  Thank you  Donna Tarry.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZEQDYZTJHIAZ?ASIN=0316055441	Connection to beauty	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a famous painting by a Dutch master that ends up in the hands of a 13 year old boy, Theo Decker, when he and his mother are victims of a bombing in a New York art museum. He, the painting, and a young girl Pippa, whom he was admiring in the museum survive while his mother and the young girl's uncle don't. Theo narrates his life from that point on, families that don't really want him and how he finds one that does, friendships, drugs, social services, love and more death, and a career in dealing in antiques, beautiful things and restored furniture. Through it all is The Goldfinch, his line of beauty connecting him to his much loved mother but also to his unlikely friend Boris and the underworld of drug and art dealing. This book moves along at a fast pace and is difficult to put down, but at the same time is very descriptive of people and places that inhabit it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3056ZTOE6V6H2?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book - was sorry when it ended!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My only comment was that it felt like the ending was written by a different author. The book, even though long, was a great read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZJ3EO15J1B8G?ASIN=0316055441	Contemporary masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A story of anguish and beauty and addiction. A story of addiction to anguish and beauty. Tartt jostles you back and forth between compelling, concrete storyteller's prose and shimmering figurative fugues that evoke the best of Pynchon or Faulkner all while advancing an engaging plot that unapologetically takes place in the exact cultural moment we are living in today. This is a beautiful, rich and fantastical story that I could nonetheless believe happened to someone I went to school with.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YLXHKUDJPWXE?ASIN=0316055441	Fast read!?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a book that kept me up late reading! First book on my new kindle,too! Incredible story teller. Characters will stay with me. The drug use lends a darkness throughout. Next choice for my university women book club.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TOLFGJDJUSV7?ASIN=0316055441	Remarkable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was superb and I have recommended to my friends as a Must Read!  What a beautiful writer Tartt is.  You are reading literature...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M6Y3ZXU0NSNY?ASIN=0316055441	My 2013 favorite book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not only my favorite book of this year, but one of the best novels I've ever read. Besides being such an incredible tale it is so well crafted. The language of  each of the characters brings them so fully to life. It is a memorable read from which you will also learn about the world about life and about ourselves. Not for those of shallow mind.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IX3ONA7MM7N6?ASIN=0316055441	Life and Death	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was entertaining, fast paced, plus it was, as a review said, a perfect blend of heart and mind!  I've noticed that the other 2 Donna Tartt books center around a death. Death serves as a catalyst for the protagonist to find his place in the world.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDDX7YZ7F5HA5?ASIN=0316055441	fabulous read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best I've seen in a long time!  Never slow; never boring; good style and very good characterization</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C0BXD4AADDNX?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is disturbing but the author is a genius.  I read the book in a week, losing lots of sleep because I could not put down the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S7OGAVIQAW4V?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt's tale of a boy stumbling through life after a horrifying incident in a NYC art gallery	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging story involving a young man left adrift when he loses his mother in a bizarre tragedy. His encounters on his way to manhood fill the pages with fascinating detail. A well written literary work exposing the undercurrents of the world of art and antiquities</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VI5M7BM2XTT1?ASIN=0316055441	Read slowly so it won't end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wanted to read this book because of the subject had to do with art and I paint.  WHAT a surprise..love story, mystery story<br/>historical story all rolled into one great entertaining book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KLLGZKBYJBQ8?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent! Character interweaving is superb. Cast covers total spectrum of who we are. I would be interested in spin off featuring Boris.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UHVO0I0KOGAC?ASIN=0316055441	Wow! What entertainment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was contemporary, gripping and incredibly well written. Loved every page. You really get your money's worth because not only is it a wonderful book, it is long, meaty and meandering.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16FYJ5H8EZ256?ASIN=0316055441	has to press pause on life while I read this...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compulsive reading experience. Haven't experienced such intensity of description in a long time. Saturated with colour and sensation, language precise as scalpel and yet so evocative and metonymic, treacle dark, intellectual, visceral writing. Amazing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O1UP0V97NEDP?ASIN=0316055441	Way, way, too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot of this book is intriguing and the book is well written, but it is way too overly long for what it needed to be in order to accomplish what it needed to do.  As an example, I nearly gave up about a quarter of the way through with the whole Vegas scenario.  Sure it was important in establishing one of the characters, but it could have been done in half the time. Other examples abound.  Unfortunately, the beautiful magical story of this book became tarnished for me as I slogged my way through it.  A real shame.<br/><br/>The story could be 4 stars, the length of the book 2 stars, so I settled on 3.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20Q26SH2K83PX?ASIN=0316055441	Rides a line between Literary Fiction and Thriller.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch has perhaps received more hype than any other book released in 2013, and I was eager to find out if it could possibly live up to all the acclaim.  For me, it did without question.  However, the book deals with some deep and dark subject matter that will prove more than some will want to spend their time reading.  This was my first experience reading Tartt, and not knowing what I was in for, I came away amazed with her prose.  The book is nearly 800 pages, but when I finished, I wished there were more.<br/><br/>The novel opens with the two most stable things in young Theo Decker's not so stable life being taken from him.  First, his father, very suddenly and hurtfully, chooses to walk out on his wife, and Theo.  As a result, Theo is presenting with behavioral issues in school and he and his mother are summoned to meet with the principal.  It is on the way to this meeting, that Theo and his mother take a brief and fateful side trip to the MOMA to view a painting, ""The Goldfinch"", and are involved in something that takes his mother's life.  This event also puts Theo in brief contact with a dying man, which contact alters the course of Theo's life.<br/><br/>The story takes Theo from NYC, to Las Vegas and back again, even over the Atlantic to the old world for some adventure.  The story is interesting, unique, and for me it was quite suspenseful.  This novel rides the line between literary fiction and thriller, and those who do not enjoy, or have not read much literary fiction may find themselves thinking that the plot moves too slowly, and that there is too much description. But Donna Tartt tells this story beautifully, even if the subject matter is not always (or even often) beautiful.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch is an excellent novel that I believe will end up on the Pulitzer short list for 2014.  I highly recommend it, again with the Caveat that it tends toward literary fiction, and one must be prepared to follow the narrator into a nihilistic existence as he tries to find his hope in the one stable thing in his life; The Goldfinch.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20G0O25PT7G5C?ASIN=0316055441	Endless...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was completely drawn in at the beginning, so well written, fascinating characters, art!, adventure, cute dog. But then came the Las Vegas section in which the endless tales of drugs and drinking became boring. And then came the Amsterdam caper at which point a literary book turned into a confusing murder mystery.<br/><br/>I could not wait for the book to end - I was clicking ""next page"" on my Kindle like a stopwatch.<br/><br/>What happened to editors? Do book publishers not employ them anymore? This book needed a sharp sharp pencil.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N3EAYR3CNJHJ?ASIN=0316055441	An amazing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Completely absorbing. The characters are very well drawn. I haven't quite finished so I don't know how it ends, but I find it hard to put down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LX28C9SWQSTK?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was way to long and drawn out.<br/>I liked the beginning but lost interest in the middle of the book.<br/>I was eager to finish this book and put it away.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G1TZ26OGUQ9K?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is an incredibly interesting book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found The Goldfinch to be a book that's hard to put down.  Tart definitely involves the reader in the whole process.  One can't but help feel sympathy for the son and his problems.  I would highly recommend this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OEFTELMQB9YP?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful Writer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an excellent author. Her descriptions of people, items and events are beautiful, intense, thought-provoking and so many passages are worth rereading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11FWPHDHHRUF3?ASIN=0316055441	A very  unusual story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written. It was Interesting from start to finish. Ending has a very unusual twist. a must read story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TLTP8SJHFRGN?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was an excellent read.  There were many stories that could have been culled from it.  Events, people and places were minutely described.  And there were many life lessons to be learned from reading this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WRH21PVLTE7Q?ASIN=0316055441	A book you remember forever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a thriller, a coming of age story, a bromance, a romance, an exploration of life -- everything!  Such beautiful writing, such remarkable characters and such a breathtaking read that I felt I'd lived the story myself.  Truly, a book you remember forever.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6EDTPVYFOCEM?ASIN=0316055441	Great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What wonderful writing.  Don't want to put it down simply because the writing is so well done and the story told so effortlessly.  Thank you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB885PMW8IS3K?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing characters who reappear throughout the story. Truely a page turner because the story takes so many unexpected twists and turns.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VLH7X9BJSOQ?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book for Awhile.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this book was outstanding for the first two thirds, then it fell apart.  The author threw in the kitchen sink for the last third.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXKSNRJ5P3ZL2?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderfully written!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous story and writing! The book is suspenseful, emotional and sadness is laced with hopefulness.  Worth every minute to read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LNI64BMSFHJ?ASIN=0316055441	THE GOLDFINCH WAS GOLD	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. Very articulate. Perhaps a little bit indulgent here and there, but still enjoyed it a lot.<br/><br/>When you read the story thing you will be a little surprised that author is not male.<br/><br/>Peter</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ7R3OBC3ITB5?ASIN=0316055441	Much Ado About Nothing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was looking forward to reading ""Goldfinch"" after reading several editorial reviews. I would have done better to pay closer attention to the Amazon reviews. Totally cannot understand why this book has received such inflated hype. I agree with another reviewer about the power of the beginning of the book (the explosion and its immediate aftermath), but it plummets downhill from there. By the time the main character gets to Las Vegas I could barely stand the story, and the page-after-page, day after day, of excessive drinking, drug-taking, vomiting, and ridiculous behavior - regardless of the motives behind it - are completely disgusting and not worth reading. I expected the storyline to improve once he returned to his home turf, but his narcissistic, self-indulgent, and illegal behavior simply continues. The painting which is purported to be such a prominent feature of the story disappears from narrative (and seemingly the character's memory) until it returns with his unpleasant buddy of Vegas days, and the story rushes to a why-did-I-even-bother-finishing-this-book climax.  I was so turned off I ended up speed-reading and skimming the last half of the book. That was far too great an investment of time.  If you really feel you need to read this, BORROW IT - don't waste your money buying a copy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R178HP4OUB789J?ASIN=0316055441	Very enjoyable book, although tedious at times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoy a book that challenges me to think, one that challenges my vocabulary and the way I look at life and the world. This is one of those books. A wonderful book! One that really makes you think about all kinds of things: beauty, philosophy, life, death. It does get bogged down at times (for example, excruciating details of the main character's experiments with drugs), but it also pays off in the end. And the characters are so well drawn (I wish Boris were my best friend). Don't give up on this one; you'll be challenged with grammar, vocabulary, critical thinking, philosophy, and so much more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HYNJAAZ24SP2?ASIN=0316055441	do it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very enjoyable read with plenty to think about. Loved the storyline and the storytelling. Hard to believe the author is a woman because it is so authentically told from the perspective of a boy.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N559HVN74Y03?ASIN=0316055441	Great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not stop reading.  The part written about the explosion was terrifying and exciting at the same time.  A book to be kept &amp; reread many times.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KJP4EWQSPI4V?ASIN=0316055441	I Loved This Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Yes, it was long and took me a long time to finish it. But I was always engaged in the story and was sorry it was ending. It was a sprawling novel. I marveled that the author came up with this intricate story. I learned a little about the art market and the painting. I  saw that many people went to see it when it was in New York recently.<br/>This is the best book I have read in a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BLI5LQ7XO888?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is nothing more that can be said about this extraordinary book.  If you have not read this book do so soon.  It is so good you will not be able to put it down which will drive your family and fiends crazy as it is a rather long book.  READ IT!!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMCQUDU1BSKMW?ASIN=0316055441	LOVE AND HATE	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I REALLLY LOVED THIS BOOK==THE AUTHOR LETS YOU KNOW THE CHARACTERS SO THAT YOU CARE (OR DON'T CARE) ABOUT THEM.  HER BACKGROUND DESCRIPTIONS ARE GRIPPING SO THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS A WORD.  I'D LIKE TO READ MORE OF HER BOOKS.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28S97QWS39NMS?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I have read in years.  Loved the writing, story, characters.  I wanted to savor each page.  This will definitely<br/>be a movie.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25TYTYHAM6QU4?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the most enthralling books I have read it a long time. It is entertaining and a wonderful look into art, art theft. antiques, and family issues.....Very engaging....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXNNGXP2XOWR9?ASIN=0316055441	One of the books recommended by Best Books of 2013 Readers Guide	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredibly well written. The in depth description of how the main character felt using various drugs was interesting. Also, the book helped me feel more compassion for neglected children and people living on the streets. The story was disturbing at times and also gripping.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CWLB8X25A2CC?ASIN=0316055441	Confused	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I started reading this book, it grabbed my attention, but the middle sections and endings were tedious and painful to read. If I was a quitter, I would not have finished the entire book, but I read on thinking, ""this is on the best seller's list, it has to get better at the end."" I was sadly disappointed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HC49EE7JSRSR?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An absorbing and engrossing story about randomness, choices, suffering, redemption. Fascinating characters, well-developed and beautifully written. Don't let the length put you off... the story has enough twists and turns that it moves along at a quick pace.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TUUBO4V39617?ASIN=0316055441	Superb modern book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's long but worth the time. The book is so touching. Poor main character...<br/>But it's just a Superb modern novel. And Boris is admirable!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R369VZ94ALJT2T?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book as much as Donna Tartt's other  books. I loved the blending of fact and fiction amid the wonderful character development. This was a book that I looked forward to reading each day. The plot twists were exciting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16HXFBDP18TGI?ASIN=0316055441	I would give this ten stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt writes so beautifully that I try to pace myself reading her books.  I hate it when they end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YKEUS1ABEJFK?ASIN=0316055441	Great Characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I finished the book, I missed the characters.  I felt as though I had come to know them personally because Ms. Tartt  included so much information about them.  And that is my only criticism - sometimes there was almost too much information there, but I'm glad I read it because the book kept me engrossed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DOLD5GAFQG2Y?ASIN=0316055441	Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">5 star and very we'll written.  The author has a mature sensitivity to her style of writing.  Look forward to reading others of hers.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QOAIMLQ9DZ6U?ASIN=0316055441	excellent novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this novel because it was well written and I fell in love with the antiques dealer.  Interesting plot and beautifully w oven.<br/>I recommended this book to my friends.  I also went to visit the painint at the<br/>Frick.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25SCFBT3UR2VV?ASIN=0316055441	I loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I confess I was nervous about the length, when I first held it in my hands. But I need not have worried. I ripped through it in only a few days, totally absorbed in the story.  The end was maybe not as strong as some of the other parts, but it didn't bother me.  It wasn't until I read reviews here complaining about the ending that I had any thought that it was moralizing.  I'll pay attention to that next time I read it, which I absolutely plan to.  I'm listening to the Audible audiobook version now and hope to pick up a used library copy of the print book some day (or I might break down and buy the e-book).<br/><br/>""The Goldfinch"" reminded me a bit of Mark Helprin's writing in the breadth and depth of story and character, though Donna Tartt has a style and voice of her own that I thoroughly enjoyed.  I now have to go and find her earlier books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KGQ5OHRNNX7P?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book!  The plot was captivating, yet believable.  I thought the characters were terrific.  I could imagine Theo and Boris as teenaged boys, watching movies, getting high and sharing everything.<br/>The dialogue was great fun to read between them.  I learned a lot from this book.  The author is clearly well read and very bright!  I've downloaded another of her books and look forward to starting it later today!<br/>I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes current fiction with absorbing characters and true to life dialogue.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29PKXS9DMM4RZ?ASIN=0316055441	love LOVE LOVE this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this is currently my Kindle Fire read- I'm approx. half way thru it- and I will say that it is one of THE best books I have read to date.  Donna Tartt is a gifted writer for sure.<br/><br/>I have read approx. 30 or 40 books since purchasing my Kindle in 2011.  one of the few books that I TRULY look forward to getting back to - and even find myself thinking about the characters during the course of my day.  I really enjoy the main character, Theo, and find myself rooting for him in a real maternal fashion.  Love experiencing his journeys through life and different circumstances and the very interesting characters he meets along the way.<br/><br/>Very detailed writing, sometimes I feel as if there is just SO much detail that I really need to read it with all attention to absorb it all - but also- you really feel as if you're right there in Theo's head with him as he describes the details of his experiences.  Loved Boris also hoping he comes back into the picture at some point in the book.  5 stars for sure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R185E757WSB0ZH?ASIN=0316055441	tonya	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome. Suspenseful . I found myself wanting to follow this guy's story as he was growing up. Surprise ending , not predictable at all. Would recommend this for anyone . Lot of lessons for young readers to learn in this story. Many different characters all having something to give . Really makes you think about feelings of losing a special someone too and how that stays with you over time and while you are aging yourself .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TH2M5MC55UG4?ASIN=0316055441	I suffered and deserve a medal for finishing this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was so excited, the jacket made it sound exciting and I am a King fan or used to be when younger. So my sister and I were looking for something to read on our kindles now that we dont live in the same state and have a little ""book club"" between us. She finished faster then I did and told me not even to finish. I did but it was pulling teeth.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BA8SJGC0GUX9?ASIN=0316055441	A literary delight	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Characters that I cared about. Brought into the day to day life of this boy who had one tremendous loss after another and routed for him every step of the way. Couldn't put it down.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32WKIWIIR3TME?ASIN=0316055441	Spectacular	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant book! Very engrossing story, well written, full of great details and observations... Best thing I've read in years! Her writing on beauty so great!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X3PE64SHE31D?ASIN=0316055441	Very touching	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed reading this book.  Very touching and well written.  I gave it five stars because it was a book that carried me through from beginning to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S913A5SZRIF8?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Caught my attention from the first page and I could not put it down! Highly recommended read, it won't disappoint you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HEAJF9KX7OPD?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Initially, I did not want to read such a long book, but once I started, I couldn't put it down and wished it were even longer. Donna Tartt is a master of description of people and places, and what a story she tells!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I7W6XXXQ4R9X?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome Book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I gave The Goldfinch a 5 star rating because it is a terrific book on every level. Great character development, intriguing story, twists and turns, etc. It takes you on a captivating journey thru life...it's joys, heartbreaks and surprises.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWCH2KHO66E1C?ASIN=0316055441	un-put-downable!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a treat to find a book ...to get lost in...to want to add hours to the day so you can read more... and to then find yourself reading the last pages slowly so that it doesn't end. Enough said. I loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R861BLUXXB5LW?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A compelling read that really made me want to keep on going and not put it down. I would definitely recommend</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR4ZCQUW5HEZX?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked everything about this book. Not only is it a good story the references to art and literature are appropriate and interesting. I will be recommending this book highly</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A0THSLR8DO25?ASIN=0316055441	Great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long book but worth it. It is not always plot driven but kept me interested. Not for everyone-- the hero is flawed and complicated and lots of drug use. I am glad I read it and sorry to be finished.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKSLCX7GQ9M7V?ASIN=0316055441	incredible read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this novel, so well written, Donna Tartt's prose is poetic.  There are so many layered sub-plots and magnetic characters, not because they are lovable but because they are deploy flawed and human.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OKHCEP3GWGJ3?ASIN=0316055441	My favorite book of 2013	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Finally a book that was moving, thought provoking and filled with interesting, complex characters.  While long and sad at times, the overall story painted such realistic illustration of life - beautiful and ugly at the same time.<br/><br/>Especially if you like art and and like to think about the meaning of life, this book is for you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BEVKP5D055WB?ASIN=0316055441	Very hard to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My first book by Donna Tartt.  Started a bit slow for me, but once it took off she took me down intricate roads with details I could feel.  The characters are rich and the story line ever evolving with nice expected twists and turns.  My next will certainly be another by Donna Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11HDBYLELVKDH?ASIN=0316055441	Superb writing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am not yet finished reading the book, but no matter how it ends, I'm sure I will not be disappointed.  I am the kind of reader who values the art of writing as much as the story and Donna Tartt does not disappoint on either score.  The story is gripping, disturbing, and mesmerizing.  The characters are well-developed, interesting, and complex. I can't wait to see how it ends.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38NN0NZ1APYU1?ASIN=0316055441	Don't Miss!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is powerful and well written  - on many levels.<br/><br/>The drama is exciting with unexpected twists and turns to keep you turning pages.<br/>The author gets the voice, insecurities, craziness, and flawed decision making of teen age boys just right.<br/>The voice of the Russian friend seems very authentic and just like my Russian friends!<br/>The backdrop of the art and antique world (and underworld) is fascinating.<br/><br/>I'm a hard grader and this book gets top marks from me.  Don't Miss!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L4AEBWCGDS6C?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved that book. Donna Tartt is such a good author. I read another book by her some years back, The little friend, that was also a 5 star story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14EG8KLWZKWSZ?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch was a great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very surprised that a book of over 750 pages could hold my attention and  I could finish it in such a short time.  I very much enjoyed it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8NGKM5WW0IQ8?ASIN=0316055441	I'm plugging on through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Been reading for a month and I'm only 30% through.  It is so well written that I refuse to give up.  I'm totally sick and tired of the subject, but refuse to quit.  I keep waiting for some sort of uplifting to happen.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ZG4DK6SBL8A?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch.... everyone should read this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful, heart wrenching, and profound story of life and love and how we are a sum of the choices we make in life or don't make, and that bad is not always bad but tragedy, and fear and ugliness can bring you to a place in life that you were meant to be, and to meet people that you otherwise might not know and there is beauty and richness from these moments in our life. The last 30 pages about truth and illusion and that art is found somewhere in between the two is breathtaking...... Do yourself a favor. Read this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IFAMUY899D0C?ASIN=0316055441	it will stay with me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating.  Tender.  Exciting.  And it will stay with us and provoke you in unique ways.  I can't wait to read her other books.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RROHCY5765IFP?ASIN=0316055441	a classic masterpiece!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">donna tartt wrote a classic masterpiece! her characters were brought to life by her exquisite detailing and a somewhat suspenseful style.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFDDJ17B142P6?ASIN=0316055441	a modern masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Evocative, racy and wonderfully descriptive. A terrific account of the fall and corruption of  contemporary society as acted out by one protagonist.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38ZVHSTD6MEWH?ASIN=0316055441	Long tale that would not quit	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I kept reading to the end because I thought it would get better - not because I was so interested that I did not want to put it down, not my cup of tea !!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SVI8AU9L7NJY?ASIN=0316055441	loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a gift of words and story, tried to read it slowly to make it last as long as I could</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MHRPFMSZJEBY?ASIN=0316055441	First rate.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing book...very dark, psychological thriller, but ending on an up note.  Could hardly put it down!  Look forward to reading other works by this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M36269L2BNM6?ASIN=0316055441	"""Playing a Poor Hand Well"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is not very often that one wants a book of over seven hundred pages to continue. Many reviews, both professional and amateur, have railed at the length of The Goldfinch. Some suggest that a greater economy of words would have served better. I disagree. Tartt writes with a rich elegance that illuminates even the darkest subject matter. As we follow young Theo from tragedy to tragedy, commencing with a highly indiscriminate terrorist attack, the words build upon each other creating an increasingly layered world.<br/><br/>Understandably Theo is overwhelmed with what that world delivers, “But sometimes, unexpectedly, grief pounded over me in waves that left me gasping; and when the waves washed back, I found myself looking out over a brackish wreck which was illumined in a light so lucid, so heartsick and empty, that I could hardly remember that the world had ever been anything but dead.” It seems that all poor Theo accumulates is loss. Yet, when we look closer he is actually acquiring assets of experience and benefits of relationships whose value is priceless.<br/><br/>Theo begins to discover this and rather than expecting or running from his plight, he contextualizes, accepts and begins to accept it as making sense. Life may well be ""about about playing a poor hand well.” As he plays his hand, Theo interacts with some amazing characters. Tartt has assembled a modern Dickens-like cast that are colourful, engaging and endearing. Boris, his Ukrainian high school chum, is a bluntly wise and risk-taking Artful Dodger. The seemingly dreadful Barbours are worthy of their own novel and the reader's empathy. I brightened every time Hobie, the kindly artisan, appeared on the page. Resolutely calm, patient and measured, Hobie is the epitome of old world charm and trust. He takes all in stride, “Who was it that said coincidence was just God’s way of remaining anonymous?”<br/><br/>I was entertained by the Manhattan society skewering, the numerous Ukrainian references (as I am a Ukrainian Canadian), and the tension created by secrets and deception. There was one thing I could not reconcile, as agonizingly human as the novel and its characters are, at the heart is the love of inanimate objects and commercial things. Theo's life is marked as much by time and scarring events as it is by antiques, video games, museum pieces, the right clothing and, of course, The Goldfinch itself. Tartt sums this with the following “...as we rise from the organic and sink back ignominiously into the organic, it is a glory and a privilege to love what Death doesn't touch.”<br/><br/>Strangely The Goldfinch gives Theo a bizarre purpose and a rationale for his own life because the two share a sad nature, “When I looked at the painting I felt the same convergence on a single point: a glancing sun-struck instance that existed now and forever. Only occasionally did I notice the chain on the finch's ankle, or think what a cruel life for a little living creature--fluttering briefly, forced always to land in the same hopeless place.”<br/><br/>This novel is a wondrous accomplishment and one I love forward to rereading in time. To conclude, I have a suggestion. Print out a colour picture of Carel Fabritius' The Goldfinch. Look at it as you read the novel, use it as a bookmark. This will add to the enjoyment of this amazing work.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R156N7XJ1R53RR?ASIN=0316055441	whew	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I Loved it though the last 30 or so pages were just a little hard to muddle through.... Great read!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NRPJY0RM8ATU?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this down! Amazing story, writing, character development, etc.  I would highly recommend this book to anyone!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8VKZ3O27KJ9F?ASIN=0316055441	Too long, too lurching	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The episodes are disjointed and it's all too long, but I had trouble putting it down each night.  The Boris bits will be too much for some readers.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SYVJJ6PXPCP5?ASIN=0316055441	Well crafted, yet so very sad.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many drugs for these tortured souls.  It was painful to read about.  Great storyline and engrossing read, just so very dark.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R144USRAYQD728?ASIN=0316055441	Mauldlin, self-indulgent, tasteless	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was cheap in Kindle, the earliest part of the book was pretty good, and perhaps a little at the end.  All accounts for the extra star.  The F-bomb as noun, verb, adjective, adverb, conjunction, preposition, and article must have kicked up the strength attributed to the the book by some ""professional"" reviewers.  However my take was not so kind as it seemed to take the place of story.  Too long, too profane, and presumably very hip and current to be a best seller.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NNO0I0F1YTH3?ASIN=0316055441	I've been recommending this book to every reader I know.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It definitely belongs in the ranks of the select group of ""best books I've read.""  The characters are complex, interesting and appealing, and it explores several interesting different worlds..</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LQOXC6LTC7YW?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although, originally intimidated by Goldfinch's 775 pages, I was sorry when it ended.  I loved this, but it is not for the faint of heart.  Tartt takes her readers into a dark world where the bad can be good and the good can be bad.  She takes (the reason for the 775 pages) her readers deep into the details of every scene.  But there's not a character you won't care about if she wants you to.  I adored Boris, the spirit of joie de vivre and fatalism, Boris, the bad boy who is good.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4CHKARVJ00JY?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was not what I expected.  It's not light reading - it takes you right into the life of a young person damaged by a tragic loss who is, as you might expect, seriously impacted just as any human being would be, including the whims of circumstances, the errors of choice, and, ultimately, the courage to overcome.  If I wasn't reading this book, I was thinking about it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R88NL6S3UM8A?ASIN=0316055441	A wild ride!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A glimpse into what can happen when there is tumult and disorganization in a young persons life.  Amazing writing....great character development. Not a short read.... I ordered from my kindle and 1/2 way through reading the book for what seemed like a very long time over several days I realized it was 711 pages long. I really enjoyed it...and was worried that the ending would disappoint but it did not.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RODIL7Y5IK5R0?ASIN=0316055441	Couldnt put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very intense but eye opening story. To experience life through this characters eyes was sometimes cruel and ugly but at the same time beautiful and hopefull.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YXCU24LJ8EE5?ASIN=0316055441	Longer than necessary	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning of the book draws you in. However, by the time the character reaches adulthood you begin to stop rooting for him to win. It also appears the author had an end page in mind as the book drags on several pages longer than it needed to.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R75KM1W7LLB2T?ASIN=0316055441	Not too good so far.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am still reading it, but find it so unbelievable.  I am disappointed so far.  I am hoping I feel better about this read as I continue.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T31XF7NOIFVP?ASIN=0316055441	great character development	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author writes so beautifully with metaphors and descriptions that enable the.reader to feel the characters and the settings. I very much enjoyed this book anxiously turning the pages to see what happens next in Theo's tumultuous life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29PDF97ICAORI?ASIN=0316055441	So So	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First half of the book was excellent. Then there was too much boring details about personal lives of subjects. To Bad.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QM65QGY606NH?ASIN=0316055441	Terrific read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books I've read recently.  You really come to care about the characters Tartt created as though they were real people.  All the people are so well drawn that you think you know them and still wonder about them after you've finished reading the book.  Kudos to Ms. Tartt.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26CVLV7AA2B3W?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Cannit put this book down!  One of my all time favorites!  I'll be sad when finished!  So glad that I read it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10HMSICEHB56G?ASIN=0316055441	A little slow in the beginning & parts too long winded but is a good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First 1/3 of the book dragged on a bit but then it picked up &amp; I got really into the story. Satisfying read if you can hang in during the ""not getting to the point"" long winded parts.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IZ184R0E6Y9M?ASIN=0316055441	I'm so disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hd heard so much hype about this book and I'm not sure, now, why.  It starts off promising, with a clever idea and likeable characters (the boy, his mother, the antique dealer).  But it quickly moved in an odd direction.  I seriously felt as if the writer was making it up as he went along.  I read A LOT and on the rare occasion when I've chosen a book that disappoints, I'll not finish it--life is too short--but I felt like I had to give this one a chance as it will probably end up a choice for my book club.<br/><br/>Sorry, but I can't recommend it.  I just don't think Donna Tartt knew where she wanted to go with her original premise and she chose a long, meandering, ""who cares"" road to go down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K9JJBHTBRTIS?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a Winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch<br/>Both realistic and metaphysical , The Goldfinch is a moral tale which tries and sometimes succeeds in explaining fate, love and the meaning of life.  All that,  plus one heady plot surrounded by plot satellites which seem to increase in direct proportion to visits with our protagonist's friend Boris?  The plot and characters are first rate.  The author is wordy but eloquent.  The Goldfinch is a must read for fiction lovers........or not. Slick</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D3F2G5B5DZAB?ASIN=0316055441	a reminder of the beauty of art and love	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written.  It was hard to put done.  She wrapped it up in such a philosophical way, i kept rereading the last few pages and wrote down some of it which I will keep as a reminder.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UBY7TKZO88BS?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read....hard to put down. .....thought provoking and very informative,albeit a bit on the dark side...really liked the twists and turns.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30A6FASB8IT3N?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such an articulate , woven tale and so current . Amazing how the author speaks from a young man's voice and experience.<br/>I so enjoyed this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12K7YG3NO6Z1C?ASIN=0316055441	An interesting read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an incredible author who hooks you into her stories.  I couldn't wait to find out what happened to the painting, but by half way through the book, I didn't really care about the main character anymore.  The section in Las Vegas seemed to drag on to long and I started losing interest there.  But I still was fascinated by the story and stayed up late several nights to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHZV617KGKHEC?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous!  Hard to put down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow, I just LOVE this book!  I wish I had bought the hard copy so I could loan it out when I'm done!  I've fallen in love with the characters, and can't wait finish it...but it's a long book!  I'm only halfway through.  The author builds on each relationship and every character is so interesting.  This book tics off so many things I love  in a novel (intrigue, mystery, crime, antiques, art, travel, more) and makes me want to know that Theo will be OK.  Keeps me guessing, but teaches me something along the way.  Will have to check out Donna Tartt's other novels!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D7WAXXN5RU6X?ASIN=0316055441	boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It made me feel unclean. I only finished it because I had purchased it. Skipped through most of the last half.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T3DLXVHI1X6H?ASIN=0316055441	Work of art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Insight into the realities of life, the shocking and the loving of human relationships. That touch us all in ways as individual as we are. Wonderful ending. Worth the investment of time.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6Y73RXDHMGT4?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've ever read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I emailed several of my friends to tell them to read it.  I really loved it.  I read constantly, so Goldfinch had lots of competition/.<br/><br/>I would not recommend it to anyone who likes a short funny read-- this book has a lot in it to think about and it takes a while to finish it.<br/><br/>But to any real reader, reading group, High School or College student-- I would say-- yes! get this book !</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KKKRO7DTPECX?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long read in the John Irving tradition.  Great character development.  Saw the big Flemish painting exhibit at the deYoung in San Francisco so was filled with recent visual memories of paintings refered to in this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26HPYR6TXI5ZP?ASIN=0316055441	Too Long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">That said, I loved this book and was so disappointed when I finished it, wondering what on earth I could possibly read next.  I wish she had written it as two books or tightened up some of the over-long spots.  I ended up skimming through Vegas and again at the end when he's holed up in a hotel.  I could see the shop in the Village and swear that I'd been there myself.  I plan to read both of her earlier books.  This is kind of writing that makes me love literary fiction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R298OANKO3JG49?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book.  It touched on so many issues of our times - the aftermath and long-term effects of a terrorist act, the impact of divorce and distance from extended family on kids - especially with regard to family tragedies, the art world, diverse lifestyles.  So many different things interwoven to contribute to the story.  Interesting characters, plot with twists and turns, settings - the whole package.  I started it hoping I would like it since it is long and ended up being sad when it was over.  This was one of my two favorite books this year and I read a lot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G9QRH5LLPQWH?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book and had trouble putting it down.  The story unfolded slowly at times, but had wonderful detail, an interesting plot and fascinating characters.  I would recommend to my friends without hesitation.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWYAN2I7M4TQR?ASIN=0316055441	Why is this book a best seller?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is long--too long.  It features people you don't like in unlikely situations.  I made myself finish it, but that's no way to enjoy a book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R386NYNKAJFW2G?ASIN=0316055441	sleep deprived, but worth  it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">memorable characters= in a few words she defines each one.<br/>a wonderful sense of place= bustling New York, arid Los Vegas,rainy sinister Amsterdam<br/>a linear plot line that keeps one interested<br/>could have used an editor to trim some repetition, but a wonderful read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EUNC90BA8375?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the writing style	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved it-the writing was magnificant and the story line facinating with lots of twists and turns. Great read for those who enjoy a complex tale.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JPGL3MQPM9OS?ASIN=0316055441	page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is not often that you find a book so well written that you also can't bear to put down because you must see what happens next.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HH44HF3JNRRM?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Strong in both character and plot The Goldfinch kept me captivated throughout.  Tartt presents characters that are well-developed, believable, and outside the artificial dichotomy of good and bad.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35A7IKLNPCWY1?ASIN=0316055441	Exquisite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's been a pleasure to read. Can't put it down.  Hope she writes another one soon.  Memorizing.  Captures so well the feelings of  a young person as he grows up and deals with tragedy, the allure and transformative nature of art, the nature of family (sometimes ones 'newly knitted family' suits you better than some from your first) and  the endurance of the human heart,</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XTNAXKY183F5?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is so well written and the plot is full of surprises that you can't stop reading it....<br/>I didn't know this autor and it is a discovery!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLWFVF4MDX84Y?ASIN=0316055441	A big disappointment , too boring in large sections	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was rather disappointed whilst reading The Goldfinch, finding that I made myself continue as I had to get to the end to see if things improved. Having read another of Donna Tartt, I conclude that the style of the author is to get too involved and bogged down in certain parts of the story. So much so that the reader gets bored. The concept behind the book us fascinating, this tiny intricately painted masterpiece which has such a huge effect on the young teenager Theo , who escapes with the painting from the ruins of the art gallery, grounding him during his emotional journey to survive after his mother's untimely death. His mind blowing drug experiences with his pal Boris,  who fell In and out of his life at crucial points, did not appeal to me , they bored me to tears. The pages spent with his useless alcoholic father and superficial girlfriend were equally mundane. Little was gained by this section of the story I felt. I actually admit that I skipped pages , something I rarely do when reading! .,What was good was the build up to his special relationship to , the old furniture restorer , Hobie, who really cared for his future  and gave him a reason  to pull his life together. His saviour in fact.,Even his special relationship with Pippa did not ring true. This novel  was a big disappointment  for a book that was so well publicized. I'd rather see the painting than recommend someone to read the novel .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W1MO6CWCNC77?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Right on description of 21st century American life. This book captures the nuance of modern life for young an old alike.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GLUZLN8LTOP7?ASIN=0316055441	Very enjoyable read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is magical! You start reading and lose all track of time! You are so immersed in this kids life that you forget about your own.  It's a long book but so worth your time. Not wordy, very well written. I read a lot and have stopped reading books because they are too complicated or too descriptive. This one is perfect! Highly recommend it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RWMHMB9KPA20?ASIN=0316055441	Great, well written mystery	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Almost finished with the book. (Less than 10% to go)  The character development is amazing and the writing puts me at every scene.  Tartt writes so vividly.  The book is a mystery surrounding a painting taken from the wall of a large NYC art museum following a terrorist attack in the museum.  The story traces the famous painting of a goldfinch and a boy over several years in many different situations.  It's hard to put the book down.  The many locations and characters are woven together so creatively in this amazing read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBHCPN57OP85N?ASIN=0316055441	My first great read of 2014	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a great old fashioned piece of literature showing that a book that is very dark and serious in its essence can still be a page turner. You could say that at 775 pages it's sometimes self indulgent, but then those extended sections where the narrative does not move as fast as it could only get you more deeply involved with the characters. And what unforgettable characters they are. Theo, Boris, Hobie, Pippa, Mrs Barbour are brilliantly drawn characters, old fashioned in the best possible way. These characters are people you will live with.<br/>The book deals with loss, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (doesn't every story these day?) and nihilism, but it has room for nostalgia, comfort and love too. And art with its redeeming quality ties it all up into a fantastic package. Enjoy. It's worth every minute of your time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDTXG96LW756O?ASIN=0316055441	very good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the description of the painting<br/>Disliked all the drug use<br/>Loved the time passage as the character grows up</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLNF97WKGRZQP?ASIN=0316055441	A beautiful book with so many layers	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is such an amazing read - the only problem is that I can' t put it down -  not that it's a page turner in the conventional sense - but you feel that you are on the journey with the main character and you want to see how he gets on as he hurtles along on his journey.  I ve learned so much while reading this book - about the upper classes in New York - kids' experiences as a result of selfish parents - the abuse of prescription medications and last but not least a glimpse into the world of the corruptions of the  'antique market'  and the art world.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G6QI1HWF5Y3J?ASIN=0316055441	gripping	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was totally caught up in the lives and their locations.  Donna Tartt's clear flow demands the readers attention. This book is very difficult to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R172F27C1PVZ0Q?ASIN=0316055441	Uplifting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent story, many twists compel reader to keep reading. Author  uses vivid descriptions throughout the long, but never tedious book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T4QC5CHG2TSV?ASIN=0316055441	Exciting novel that keeps you interested for 700+ pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel has a unique plot and very well developed characters. I read this book straight through its 700+ pages and it got more engaging as it progressed. At times hilarious but also extremely sad, this book was a very rewarding read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CK3107XZ5R8Q?ASIN=0316055441	Conversations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The conversations between Theo and Boris, Theo and Hobie and then to Theo himself can take many perspectives, what it is to be a citizen of the U.S.A., how other foreign nationals see us, what it is to be human, the human condition itself, morals, priorities and on and on the list goes.  I first heard of The Goldfinch from an NPR review.  I've recommended this read to all my reading acquaintances and now I'm ready to explore Ms. Tartt's other works.  An old Hawaiian friend once told me that from darkness comes light which is an apt description of The Goldfinch.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34ETKI2WEUT?ASIN=0316055441	Deep	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A well written book. Very philosophical. A strange turn of events during the whole book. I think it was too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DCH4J0EQMX1C?ASIN=0316055441	Good but long and drawn out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I usually am able to read a book quickly but this book was difficult to finish. Too long with little happening</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MMZ9LLCD1CZF?ASIN=0316055441	Unsatisfying ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">if I am going to wade through 700 pages of demoralizing life patterns I would like to have something better than what the meaning of a fictional painting means to the overall value of life. No Connection. The story did keep me hanging in for some reason and then got disappointed</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C6WTU75VB04B?ASIN=0316055441	I can't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a master of words.  Her adjectives create pictures in your mind.  Her vocabulary is rich. Her plot is captivating. You will love it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LHNHSOU47JBJ?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing In So Many Ways	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms. Tart is a wonderful writer and I was enthralled while reading the first part of the story when it was set in New York. But after the “hero” moved to Las Vegas with his father it went downhill. I read to the bitter end and admit that I skipped some of the long-winded passages. How the lead character survives all that drug consumption without drastic withdrawal lacks credibility.. The main character’s friend, Boris ,is a sociopath in the extreme and doomed to no good end. The first part of the book had a Dickensian quality. It’s too bad that it didn’t endure.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HLDT159L8621?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing Writing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The level of rich detail as well as the depth of character development is of superior quality! A must read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P0RUEH845NSN?ASIN=0316055441	Beauty at its best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not know what kind of story this was and I wasn't even sure three-fourths of the way through---would it be a mystery or suspense or great literature?  It turned out to be a great story.  The reviews I read tell that the main character is a victim of a terrorist bomb that kills his mother and he ends up living with an upscale-New York family---but that is just the smallest beginning of the story.  For this is a kind of ""Great Expectations"" story that goes on and on with the protagonist seeking the meaning of life.  And perhaps he finds it.  I read two or three books a week, but this book took much longer than the pages as I had to read every word---wonderfully crafted characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M8KSRSVNFOL2?ASIN=0316055441	good characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book for snowy days. I found too many pages devoted to feelings from all the drugs used.<br/>What a tale.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4IKIXJP29WBE?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book that will hold your interest.  The picture that the book refers to was in the news recently.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H0PAM60BZQQI?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book kept me glued to the pages from beginning to ending. In one review I read it said it dragged a bit in the middle, but I didn't find that to be true. I'm an art lover and amateur artist, so the emotional connection to the painting was interesting to me. I really came to like several of the characters, as the book progressed, and was sorry to say good-bye when the book ended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R287FB71ZS1DPZ?ASIN=0316055441	A great novel that touches you heart and soul	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is not a ""light"" book to read, but it is very deeply gripping.  Donna Tartt, takes you inside the mind, and soul of it's main character Theo Decker (Potter) and you live through his dreams, failures, sorrows and hopes.  Donna Tartt's writing is so descriptive it's almost like poetry.  I loved this book, it's so though provoking in many many ways.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ITUCXHJV26KH?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I never read a book quite like this.  It was very long and a little too wordy at times, but I forgave it wholeheartedly.  The story took  me into the depths of degradation (alcohol and drugs) and into the heights of the tenderness of true friends.  The main character was always trying to do the right thing even though he made many mistakes.  It was uplifting and demonstrated the stamina of the human spirit.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FAZOX6NJDGOZ?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read!  700 Pages Felt Like 200	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read, especially for an art lover.  Author was spot on with depictions of bright teenage boy caught in a small web of moral conundrums and tragic loss.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35X07QLJO5PTT?ASIN=0316055441	Disliked this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like this book at all, but I suffered through the 775 pages to find out how it ended.  I guess I could have skipped to the end, but would have lost a lot of the ending's meaning.  Would not recommend this book at all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23PTD466FA1SD?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story had me hooked right away..the main  character Theo was complex and  lovable, but so many times naive  and a partner to some outrageous escapades.  The art subplot was very interesting.  This story might be too wordy for many but I enjoyed every page like I would a conversation with a special friend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GGOGBCUY5LP6?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love this book, I'm only about half way done with it, but its very well written, super interesting, i cant wait to find out whats going to happen to Theo. I read her other novel ""A Secret History"" and loved it as well. I was worried this one wouldnt be as good as that one, but its just as good, and longer! so theres more to savour! Great novel. I'm loving it, mickey-d's style.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I9YNM3ABC1HZ?ASIN=0316055441	Moving story about an unusual situation	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating<br/>The characters are so unpredictable and interesting.  Storyline like I have not seen before.  I have been engrossed since the day I started it and can't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OEAW8OMJ9JVU?ASIN=0316055441	Don't miss reading this wonderful novel!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was amazing...It was an easy... comfortable read....It was my first time reading a Donna Tartt novel...<br/>but certainly won't be my last!!!  Bravo!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L9M691WDL6NW?ASIN=0316055441	long but good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is skillfully written and tells an interesting story. It's very long, and could have been edited down a bit, but it's worth the time. It looks at big ideas and raises some interesting questions about being orphaned; coveting beautiful objects; bad actions resulting in good outcomes; family values and parenting; friendships; love; drinking and drugs, and so on. I loved reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNH9GRQ0A6LTM?ASIN=0316055441	I highly recommend this book!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, beautiful writing. Even though it is long, I couldn't believe how fast it read. It's a must read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MAFZM61J9A6G?ASIN=0316055441	So much more....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was swept into the pages of this book....and felt as if I was experiencing the trauma of the lead character's life firsthand.  All the years of my own life that I spent worrying that my parents would die and leave me behind....were suddenly in print for everyone to read! I could only read on to share the many harrowing chapters of his life...and was helpless to put the book down. My interest waned a bit when  he returned to New York, but my heart was a prisoner of the story....and as my old English professor used to say:  the length of the book is the reader's problem.  It is, as another reader has said, the fight between good and evil in the lead character.  And it is so much more.  The author has put so much of herself into this book that I am very touched by it.  It is a very, very personal experience.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IP86U6Q2DMA3?ASIN=0316055441	it was one one of the best books I have read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author was over the top in the historical and back ground information through every phase and location where Theomwas.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ID5TLGLHGJX8?ASIN=0316055441	great story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've been dreading finishing because I didn't want to leave.<br/><br/>Read along with the Audible version. Readers voice is spectacular.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MC8V1654OQW0?ASIN=0316055441	fabulous.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wish it never ended. Wanted the story to continue. Great character development. One of the best books I have read in a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R706STOYQBQJF?ASIN=0316055441	A modern allegory	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the most provocative books I have read in a while and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Not only is it a heart-rendering story but I was totally absorbed with the characters.  After reading the ending of the tale, I now think it is a modern day allegory of the struggle between good and evil in the human character.  It raises the age-old question of the role of the environment versus or in consort with inherited qualities in determining our fate.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR0I3UE1UOF37?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put this down once I got into it.  The subject matter in the beginning of the book made it a little difficult for me to get through the few few chapters.  After that, I couldn't wait to turn the page!  Took some art classes in college, so the book really appealed to me.  Would recommend it to anyone, especially those who like historical fiction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10CF0USPDURVG?ASIN=0316055441	Favorite book in the past year.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is quite a wonderful writer, and she'll be the first to admit she works hard at it, taking 10 years or so per book.  The Goldfinch was so worth the wait--except I really want another from her much sooner than 10 years.  The story is well enough known by now not to dwell on plot points.  Instead, I'd like to point out that this novel is so many things: it's a mystery; it's literary fiction; it's a picaresque novel that could easily be called ""modern-day Dickens;"" it's an adventure; it's philosophical, and more. In spite of the genuinely good and sturdy plot--no big holes here and a satisfying wrap up at the end--the book is more character driven, with 3 of the best characters I've read in a long time--Theo, our narrator, Boris, a flamboyant, fearless Russian, and Hobie, a quiet and kind man, a character that is difficult to depict, yet by the end Hobie possibly wins the favorite contest.  This is a long novel, but you won't want it to end.  When it does, it's a lost-my-best-friend moment.  Take your time--if you can.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LCSX1NVIK9NX?ASIN=0316055441	FalseGold	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think the beginning part of this book was extraordinary and did hold your attention.  After Las Vegas, it lost some of its magic.  I found it to be long and cumbersome and thought a great deal of it didn't add to the plot - in fact it confused the plot and you found yourself wondering what the painting had to do with all of the action.  It could have been stated in similar terms and in a more exciting manner.  The philosophy at the end of the book is moving and rewarding only it, too, gets bogged down in so many words and losing its meaning.  I think the author should have edited the book and made her points resound with clarity.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VG96N59NJMH7?ASIN=0316055441	very thought provoking book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was interesting to see how alcohol and drug use, started in the teens, follow you into adulthood. Not much to say for our youth of today.  The book was extremely well written and kept my interest the whole way.  I love books that I'll think about for a long time and this will be one of them.  Highly recommend it.  Rating should be more than a four star.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FJDBK89UT36S?ASIN=0316055441	5 Stars for The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a superb novel. It is a hard journey and coming on age story for a boy who loses his Mother in a bombing in a museum in NYC. The last section of the book is a wild ride and certainly a page turner. This is a must read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV5P6TWIGYQEY?ASIN=0316055441	Good but overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch has gotten rave reviews and some considered it ""the book of 2013."" My book club selected it for this reason.  While Donna Tartt has a penchant for prose and detailed description, I felt it was a bit over done.  I loved the major characters she built, though lesser ones were quite one-dimensional. I loved that it was a coming of age story, much like Jeffrey Eugenides Middlesex, but SO much more wandering and wordy.  This book would have rated 5 stars if Tartt had cut 200-250 pages out of it, which I felt she could easily have done without damaging the story. But if you are up for an epic read, this will capture your attention.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E2ZM0S22LIZQ?ASIN=0316055441	worth reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">well written. Story line kept me involved and friends with the characters. Would definitely recommend this book to anyone that enjoys good reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JA54X4H56R46?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was captured from the first chapter and absolutely could not put this book down.  An unlikely story with enough twists and turns to give you whiplash!  The characters were well-developed, the story line edgy, and the ending marvelous.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZX0TT9TCID3N?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is A Golden Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A story that takes you on a tumultuous heart pounding adventure from the minute the reader opens the book. Thank you, Donna, for the vivid memory of a story that I really connected to. I didn't want the words or the pages to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MFTO8KERJCAV?ASIN=0316055441	Gooseberry	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One if the best books I have read in ages. Very well written..  In depth characters and plot. Recommended to all who will listen... Immensely enjoyable !!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFFEFNWEEEYM5?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch  my opinion	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an amazing book! I would most certainly buy it again and have recommended  it to many other people.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FCXZ421V22AO?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic read and great discussion topics for any book club	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch is a well written story for all ages.  It is fast moving from the very start and on any day difficult to put down.  It is a long book, but well worth the read.  This book reaches the heart and sole of anyone who has loved and lost someone important in our lives.  Can't wait to have our book club meeting on this book.  Consider this novel the book of the year, it is one which will be remembered for a long time.  A must read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKME79I88MJOQ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So far, I am still reading The Goldfinch, but am enjoying the book very much.  Can't wait to see what happen next.  Very good book, I recommend it highly.  Good job Donna Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4TZDZ48NLZZZ?ASIN=0316055441	Great, but not to the finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Impressive writing until it became absorbed in the drug culture and dirty language.  I was enjoying the escape of reading the book  when I was going through a really tough time with family health issues.  As it became so disgusting, I had to put it down because it made me upset.  Too bad because the author writes beautiful prose.  If I met the author, I'd want to punch her in the mouth just like Boris's dad.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FGJTC1SLCSXS?ASIN=0316055441	I love this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I considered taking the time to build some type of rebuttal to the detractors but decided against it. Not everyone will like this book. It's not that type of easy read that people will be able to kick back with to escape their day. To me it was brilliant. I've recently started reading literary fiction because I like great writing. This is great writing. She creates a world and breathes life into it. Tartt has a way of using the perfect word, phrase, or metaphor to convey real depth to the reader. She is able to describe a scene in incredible detail, right down to the inner-most feelings of all involved. I think she could describe anything, perfectly. Her skill is intimidating.<br/><br/>That being said, this book is long. There are long slow sections. The main character almost never speaks, you get to know him through his thoughts, which are almost never what you want them to be. He's completely broken. There's not really anyone to cheer for. It's not that type of story. It's actually pretty ugly most of the time. But it's good. I've read a book a week, give or take, for twenty-eight years and this one is unique. Tartt's voice is special. Story aside, I just like to spend time with her words and explore her vision of the world.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RF0O24SHC0DM?ASIN=0316055441	Thought Provoking, Deep & Fabulous!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book and could not put it down.  It does have a dark side and sometimes almost hard to read what the characters experience and feel, but still I could not put it down.  So descriptive was the experience that I had to go to New York and spend an entire day at the MET!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBGP9R70P89H1?ASIN=0316055441	A Painting speaks volumes	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disturbing but hard to put down. I recommend to anyone who likes a contemporary mystery/novel. NYT Best sellers list for weeks.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF88P04L7YDA3?ASIN=0316055441	good beginning but..........	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a story of two halves. The beginning was a first rate thriller, tapering off to a disappointing second half.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32C5GW0R552SJ?ASIN=0316055441	Mesmerizing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt has managed to make the fractured interior life of an adolescent boy an accessible space.  Every detail of character, location and emotional layering is complete.  The success of this novel is in the fact that Tartt tells us enough to appreciate the details without allowing the plot<br/> to lose pace.  Well done.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I8GKHHIJLMQ5?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm currently reading the Goldfinch.  It's totally entertaining.  I've enjoyed it as much as I did the Kite Runner.<br/>I'd definitely recommend this to anyone.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGOE8X31HRC0B?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written and hard to put down. The characters stay with you long after you finish reading.  You can't ask for more than that.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROMQ18YDJ1M7S?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the story and the narrator!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A truly great audio book. Could hardly wait to get back to it and sad to have it end.  The narrator, always an important part of enjoying an audio book, was a master at telling the tale.  Highly recommend The Goldfinch!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ4XF68KB11FZ?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Only about a third of the way through the book, but I'm hooked.  The main character is resilient even under the worst of circumstances.  I'm hoping to find something positive happen in his life.  The people he befriends are what gets him through each of his challenges.  I would highly recommend this book.  in some suspenseful ways it reminds me of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WEHB2TXD143R?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">best book I've read in a long time. can't wait to read it again..very powerful and felt this story in my heart.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JJKBKNBQA8WK?ASIN=0316055441	The book is absolutely too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author has spent many pages describing long periods of drinking which was very boring and had very little to do with the story.  The story of the picture did not need to be spread over all the time it took.  I did not like the path the author took for Theo and the influence she allowed Boris to have on Theo.  The book could have been written in half the pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KLHRG1D674PJ?ASIN=0316055441	Thought Provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I struggled with the rating of this book.  Overall I would probably have given it 3.5 stars.  I found the book compelling and an interesting read for about the first 500 pages or so.  For me the book became more tedious and repetitive after that since this is where the author really begins to devote much of the text directly to philosophy and viewpoints on life.  It becomes pretty heavy and complex.  Maybe trying to convey similar views over and over in different ways.  The book is not really uplifting and for the most part the characters are dark and flawed.  However the idea the story is too unrealistic didn't bother me as I never imagined that ultra realism was the point of the story.  Although I would say that there were many realistic aspects to this story which is quite a disturbing thing for the average person to accept.  You won't feel warm and fuzzy after you finish it.<br/><br/>As far as the characters go I came to the conclusion that most, if not all, of them were used to represent various aspects of the philosophical view the author was trying to convey.  To some degree this takes away from them as fully developed characters or 'real' people.  They weren't necessarily one dimensional but they definitely each had an overriding characteristic that was perhaps over-emphasized.<br/><br/>Generally I thought the writing was very good, descriptive and moved the story along until the last third or so of the book.  This was the place where I began to skip or read rapidly through wordy passages that from my view didn't add anything at this point.  I gave the book a fairly high rating because I think it is thought provoking overall and makes you think about life in ways you might not otherwise.  Having said that I do understand why some readers didn't find the book interesting or enjoyable.  I think the summary of the book may lead you to expect more of a dramatic story with, probably, a satisfying outcome along with some philosophical views.  But the book is more a complex philosophical outlook illustrated through characters in a dramatic story.<br/><br/>It is interesting to see the diverse views on the book.  I would say if you enjoy a more typical dramatic story with at least a somewhat satisfying outcome then you will probably be disappointed.  If you can alter your expectations to allow for a different type of story and some complex views then you might find it interesting.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UNTIQ7BXNE8L?ASIN=0316055441	Terrific Book !!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Only problem with this book is that it's soooo hard to put down. Descrptions so good that you can see the places and feel that you know the people. I seldom suggest my choices to friends ...but I think that most everyone would enjoy some aspect of this story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34OETWH4LIVBM?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it is spell binding…you do not want it to end and you do not want to put it down…I am reading it and listening to it…both….makes it more fun!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DIYO365VY4CZ?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best reads in a long time. We'll written, fast moving and insightful. I will try her others soon.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R152AIBJBCHM4D?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">“The Goldfinch” opens with great potential. The tale is told from the perspective of a man in his late 20s who blames himself for his mother’s tragic and unexpected death when he was 13.  We are introduced to intriguing, complex characters and taken on an intimate tour of his life in Manhattan, including the passion he shares with his mother for the art collection of the Metropolitan Museum in New York City. We care about the young boy and worry about what will happen to him. The description of grief and his struggle to heal while dealing with inept counselors and case workers ring true and kept my attention for the first third of the book, at which point I grew weary of the increasingly awful circumstances into which he was thrown and the ridiculously bad choices he makes as a result of these circumstances.<br/><br/>From that point forward, most of the characters unfold as sordid and disagreeable, living lives of desperation and violence, even those who at first seemed to be safe, pure and guileless. I skimmed through the middle third of the book because I really did want to find out how the protagonist ended up in Amsterdam reminiscing about those horrific events that took place in Manhattan half of his lifetime ago. I waded through long soliloquy-like narratives offered by many of the important people in his life, explaining long ago events that forced them into seemingly inexplicable and unpleasant behaviors.<br/><br/>I suppose The Goldfinch, which in the story is an extremely valuable painting in the Metropolitan collection and is described as masterfully haunting and beautiful, is symbolic of all these despairing lives. The bird is in a cage, longing to be free, leaving the viewer wondering why the painter kept the goldfinch there as he painted, rather than allowing it to fly free. In a very real sense, the painting informs every life decision the protagonist makes, culminating in an unexpected and not entirely satisfying climax, at least not for me. I feel certain that there are subtleties that I didn’t pick up, but, the fact is that, overall, I did not enjoy the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROLHZI038HYGS?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch--what a book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the best books I have ever read!  I was amazed at the author's empathy with young people.  I also found this book to be difficult to put down as almost every page was like turning a corner in a new city-something different and interesting every time.  I had to wait a week or so when I finished it before I began any more reading as I needed to mentally digest the insights the book presented as well as its interesting story.  I like a book that is not easy to figure out and this one certainly gave me a ride!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CA91JOYQEIG7?ASIN=0316055441	An Amazing Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had heard that The Goldfinch was ""Dickensian"".  It is all of that and more.  The plotline moves like a freight train, the characters are richly drawn and the sense of place, especially in the New York scenes, is pitch perfect.  I can understand how some reviewers could be put off by the attitudes and actions of some of the characters, but not everybody and everything is ""nice"" in the real world, either.  The insights about art and how we relate to it are revealing and touching.  The author did a masterly job.  I could not put the book down, and was sorry to see it finished.  Highly recommended!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37EAWAZ9LE3ZL?ASIN=0316055441	I am sleep deprived because I can't put this book down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is such a fun ride! I usually read before bed but am honestly am having trouble sleeping because this book gets me all rilled up and I can't help but keep reading late into the night!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18VI1G25V6590?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderful book for anyone, but especially  if you have teenage boys!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was not the kind of book I was expecting, but it was so well written and when my Kindle ran out of ""juice"" I<br/>couldn't wait to get it plugged in so I could keep reading!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBYI18ZMPNMQI?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pulls out all the stops. I loved it and highly recommend it. The portrait of the young boy is especially touching.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UQTLTNM31R5U?ASIN=0316055441	THE GOLDFINCH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">MY REVIEW OF THE GOLDFINCH IS AS FOLLOWS  A WONDERFUL BOOK A PAGE TURNER KEPT ME INTERESTED TO THE VERY END</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26065MI44TLV?ASIN=0316055441	Thought provoking but disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy the ending because I thought Pippa was Theo's Goldfinch. I wanted them, both perfect and flawed, to end happily together in Manhattan. It was so thought provoking that I had to read the end again. That is what a great book ought to make us do: think deeply. I am torn between whether these heavy thoughts were those of a doped up kid or a deeply perceptive philosopher.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P2Z1Z0HWJXUK?ASIN=0316055441	A heart tracing story, beyond creative..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An Amazing read.....I was so impressed with story and writing style...was very difficult to put down.<br/>If you like mystery-- love---spellbinding novels... This is for you.  Very 2000....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IDEV4LAJG6J6?ASIN=0316055441	An amazing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is an amazing piece of work. I truly believe it is the best novel I have ever read.  Ms tart's ability to create believable characters and situations across a wide range of topics is again, amazing.  Although the book is long, I tried to read it in three sittings!  Don't miss it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJRV1ECTA3IJC?ASIN=0316055441	Dynamic Writer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story, great attention to detail, i.e., character development, setting, realistic scenarios.  Tartt accurately researched and portrayed her settings sustaining the reader's interest.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6F0IY4C7DJHD?ASIN=0316055441	unexpected and fascinating study of a boy to man in worst circumstances	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put it down. Much of the time I was so dissappointed in the choices of the characters, but that is an amazing story of how life unfolds. I want to read more from this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U6AS7QFDU8NI?ASIN=0316055441	Could not put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a big book, 775 pages, but it has no dull moment and keeps you interested all along! Very well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPD7HKP7ANIFJ?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the story fascinating and loved the contrasting settings.  And of course learning about the underground world of stolen art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M6ITY590ZKS9?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling characters / excellent prose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">On my Kindle, this is not the long book that other reviewers mention. The different episodes in Theo's life are better managed here. Tartt does have a knack for capturing the visual. I paused frequently to savor some of the images and traces of images she evoked. I'm on to her Secret History now.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJPA3NG8RD8BN?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing author	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My attention was captured throughout the entire read..I truly enjoyed this story..a wee bit long, but well worth reading..Lovely to savor words from a contemporary author..<br/>  Susan Dunne-Lederhaas</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SEN7S9J81YN7?ASIN=0316055441	Highly recommended	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very absorbing and wideranging - to me as an abstainer,  lot of research had to have been done on the affects of alcohol and drug misuse by the characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLGSSKUGIE4T3?ASIN=0316055441	Grest read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an excellent read - so well written, exciting, with lots of plot twists.<br/>Recommended for all ages - enjoy!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ8LXBD1JLLRP?ASIN=0316055441	an intellectual page-turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely loved this book - couldn't put it down.  Characters were fascinating and the plot twist was a total surprise to me.  Loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IJG167R327LS?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book, it was captivating and turned out to be hard to put down. Great story line although it was a slightly long book. I'd recommend it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R189MYYBQH8VML?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best reads I've had in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not quite done, so maybe I will be disappointed in the ending, but I gave it 5 stars because, no matter how it ends, I've enjoyed reading it so much thus far that I can't imagine changing my rating.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IG5IC6WGUUJ9?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is expertly written and the author has made her reader care about the characters. She has spun a wonderful story and I will look for her other books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C8RW2CNFTAV?ASIN=0316055441	Most enjoyable read of recent months	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not being familiar with the writing of Donna Tartt prior to downloading ""The Goldfinch"" on my Kindle Fire, I am now a fan and looking forward to my next Tartt-authored book. ""The Goldfinch"" held my interest from the first page and I could barely put it down.  Yes, it's a long book, but one so well written that I dreaded coming to the end of it.  I recommend this book without reservation.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNXOH13QUI466?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books that I have read, could not put it down.  The beautiful writing and character development made it a delight.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AU1L2NFB1TW3?ASIN=0316055441	Read this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this fabulously written book!  It is such a creative story, beautifully written, and totally engaging. A must read!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q4JFPN1VCFMX?ASIN=0316055441	Absorbing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book catches you early in the reading and then you can't put it down.  The twists and turns of the plot not only hold your interest,  they motivate the reader.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP9IVZWBO40OK?ASIN=0316055441	a must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a master story teller - you don't know where she is going butcan't stop reading as the characters and the story(stories)unfold.Beyond tat it's a profound view of life that had me reread the last 70 pages 3 times. I think about the characters as if they are people in my lfe and wonder what they are doing now - the book lives on for me as real life experiences..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDGFCSJS34QBF?ASIN=0316055441	Loved It!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If I could write a book, Id want it to be The Goldfinch. She had fleshed out, fascinating characters, a plot that was fast paced and unpredictable, with some history thrown in. I went right out to buy the poster of The Goldfinch as as a reminder of the book! It hooked me in the first chapter and didnt let go till the final paragraph.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D0712JKU74F5?ASIN=0316055441	boring!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She carries on and on about a hopeless drug addict and his miserable life....found myself skipping great portions of this book just to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIRVCHWOK6PGH?ASIN=0316055441	what a story!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent. Grasping story. Keeps u interested. Well written, though  sometimes overblown narratives. The author has the potential to excellent at her craft. Could someday be listed among the greats!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVKFKNDISIFTP?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Had no idea what to expect but loved it. Beautifully written, soulful, and intelligent.  Great read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VINJMNRTUEOQ?ASIN=0316055441	intriguing story with philosophical messages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I always enjoy Donna Tartt's books and this was no exception. Interesting characters in an intriguing story that takes place in NYC, Las Vegas, and Europe. I especially enjoyed the philosophical messages and symbolism that arise throughout the tale.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HO6P31Y4LL8P?ASIN=0316055441	A must read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gripping.  Thrilling.  It renews my  interest in newer fiction.  It  remindsme npt so much of Dickens but of Dostoyevsky.  A triumph.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W4KZV6VB978N?ASIN=0316055441	A well-written book for the intelligent reader.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the spread of years although some of the drug and alcohol lifestyle years were a little hard for an elderly woman to take; however, it is such a large part of life today for the young and middle-aged, I wouldn't give up reading the book because of it. The ending chapters were wonderful, and I was happy I read the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LN3THVFOX3HB?ASIN=0316055441	addict's rant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What would have been a very good book was ruined by the drug induced rants of the main characters.  I wish the author had stuck to the story, which was really fascinating.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YXDM42TYJRGD?ASIN=0316055441	Contemporary Literary Excellence	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is the most fascinating book I've read in a long time, at least partly because Tartt's narrator is a male. She understands men, captures their thinking and their voice. And what an interesting, complex narrator! If you like antiques, art, New York, Amsterdam, off-beat but brilliant characters, crime, philosophy and much more, you'll love this book. I'd spend big money to spend a week with Tartt. Ultra cool book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKAE003NQ6UC3?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I have read in a long time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written book! I can picture myself in many of the scenes.  Great character development. Hard to put down! Highly recommend reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RED84HRVO027?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is the best book I've read.  The choice of vocabulary and storyline kept me wanting more! A definite read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JCGQBT7WA3M?ASIN=0316055441	A real page turner...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't stayed up all night reading in a long time but I did with ""The Goldfinch.""  A terrific read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27YMRKNAMRCW9?ASIN=0316055441	Love this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I never know what's going to happen.  Would recommend it to all of my friends and especially my sisters.  Hooray</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3637XD15P9YLC?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging and rich. A nice long winter read. Details of the surroundings and emotions of the characters vivid. Loved it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DUXHAUGZPICO?ASIN=0316055441	Memorable story, exquisitely written, didn't want it to end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My god Donna Tartt can write.<br/><br/>She is one of those writers who seems effortless, yet her writing is beautiful, taut, and so  compelling that you live in the world of her books when you read her.  As painful as if was to watch the  agonizing adolescence and coming of age of Theo, as the character goes down really, really wrong paths, still you are compelled forward.  All of the characters have flaws, some quite deep, yet you are so fond of every characters' foibles, humanness.  It has been hard to leave that world of The Goldfinch.  This is a must read.<br/><br/>I echo the other reviewers sad tales of having had to pick up other books to read after finishing the Goldfinch and finding everything wanting.  I'm waiting to be as stunned as I was with this wonderful work.  I suspect it will be quite some time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMLR21CLC3KJ5?ASIN=0316055441	Great fiction!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was totally engrossed in this book from the beginning.  I love long books and The Goldfinch kept my attention throughout.  I will admit it tended to be a little wordy at times, but it all made for a very worthwhile read.  I would recommend this book to anyone that<br/>enjoys a long tale involving the varied aspects of human behavior.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z8S71VHW0JKI?ASIN=0316055441	Eh???	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Am I the only one who found this very long, very tedious novel, very depressing?  Donna Tartt writes beautifully and truly did her research, BUT:<br/>Theo was the most self-indulged, self-absorbed, depressing, stupid character ever.<br/>Hobie was the only character of true interest.<br/>Boris the only one who could figure out what to do with the painting and it took most of the book to figure this out?<br/><br/>The story truly DRAGGED on  - I took the time to read it through, but must admit that the last 50 pages or so, I skimmed. The ending was sooooo anti-climatic, especially the Pippa part.<br/><br/>Sorry - really wanted to like this book because of all the acolades - but I feel I was generous in giving it 3 stars.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15807MBWDZ093?ASIN=0316055441	A great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the first page onward, a well written story with believable characters and dialog.  Your heart will break for this wise, 13 year old boy as he tries to find something or someone stable in the aftermath of great loss.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R1J1N1IKYOO9?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book very much. The story flowed and I was able to identify with the characters. One of the more enjoyable books I have read recently.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TQ4NT8QJQXXZ?ASIN=0316055441	I liked it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was intrigued by the cover, with the little bird chained on a perch.  This visual image was a subtle presence throughout the book.  Theo’s struggles kept me engaged, looking forward to his next challenge.  Yes, I would recommend this book and I see why it has been so highly rated.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OXCNM0EYIGYZ?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One I didn't think I would like but  kept me  interested and  reading  .  Would  certainly recommend it as a  good  read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BV10ULBM7JXQ?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoy longer novels containing a story within a story. This book does not disappoint. The character development, plot and overall flow are excellent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YC8VR9HD2ZSJ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""Hard to put this book down..."" heard myself say, and said by many who are reading or have read this book.<br/>Donna Tartt creates a riveting story, creative and real!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YFQW8J10IYPH?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story line.  We'll written.  Some angst and unusual turns of events.  Many philosophical interludes.  Worldly atmosphere.  Wide range of social strata.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ8WS6GWMAGMU?ASIN=0316055441	5 Stars for Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a well researched, captivating rendition of betrayal, love, and the circle of life.  When I wasn't reading the words, I was thinking about the experience!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KQ3JFVWS7C3D?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written page-turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a fascinating and original story. The characters and settings are unforgettable.<br/>Sometimes you feel you are reading a modern-day Dickensian tale, yet it is so original that it cannot be called derivative. The title and motif of this story is a symbol only, not the subject. The subject is a very human and moving experience. Amazing and memorable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H20KCDE6D7JW?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tart	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an interesting book as it kept my attention to every twist and turn....Donna Tartt does it up beautifully and you still want more!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JTKV1JHWK7E?ASIN=0316055441	Powerful but Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose it on the recommendation of a friend.  The sections which describe the painting were powerful.  The main character's drug and alcohol use was depressing and graphic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LO8S8PH4MLJB?ASIN=0316055441	Heart wrenching and inspiring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An engaging and exciting rendering of the artistic world and the people who are involved with art in particular. Heart wrenching loss of parent at a young age and an accident that basically defines characters'  lives.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MSV4K29G8HC5?ASIN=0316055441	very intriguing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept my interest and I wanted to make the story last as long as I could; didn't look forward to having the story end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R131FQY3XUFHQO?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just loved it, very long, yet VERY GOOD! I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen every time I put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LRI2S53BZHLY?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This author is a gifted descriptive narrator.  However, her main character Theodore Decker, like many kids and most families from time to time, has a dysfunctional family.  Instead of returning a valuable painting that he took from a museum after a terrorist attack he keeps it for various reasons.  In his guilt and selfishness about the painting he justifies a world of drugs, alcohol abuse and continues to take the path of least resistance in his life.  I found that he had moments of great clarity about what to do with his life, yet he remains (I have read 3/4 of the book and find it easy to almost abandon, but look for redeeming events) lazy and unmotivated.  Teenage angst I can understand, but now he is 26 and he is still like a dandelion blowing everywhere in the wind.  .  Personally i can not understand why it is on the NY Best Sellers list as I find the character feckless even when given great opportunities.  It is also inordinately long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1COWOP03XXXPM?ASIN=0316055441	An engrossing drama	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the subject matter is a bit dark, the characters are very well drawn.  You become immersed in their journey.  The author takes great care in describing each scene.  I.E., I learned allot about furniture restoration that I never knew.  This fine detail lends itself to this wonderful art or storytelling.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RS7AZXGCIP8S?ASIN=0316055441	get out the kleenex	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book.  I lost my own parent at 8 and totally lived every emotion in this story.  I don't cry often, this story brought me to tears.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EOD1QOVRY5CA?ASIN=0316055441	EXCELLENT READ!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books I've read in a very long time.  How Ms. Tartt was able to get into this young man's psyche is incredible!  Her writing style is superb and I hated to see the book end.  I have recommended the book to many friends.  I hope to see more from this author and hope she continues with her excellent character development.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H70K5LLFAT1Y?ASIN=0316055441	Fast paced story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite a story -- a lot of drugs and alcohol as well as criminals though.  I would not give it to my young granddaughter!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U6L9IMTMGS32?ASIN=0316055441	Read it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt delivers again a superb story.  It's very difficult to put this book down before one finishes reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XGYWOB1HV8RG?ASIN=0316055441	Applause to the author	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This well written book held my interest to the last page.  Plot was well developed and drew you into the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F13GN6XCCV5I?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best novel I've read in years.  Unforgettable characters that run the gamut, artistically created with great humanity.  A gripping plot and a wonderful feel for the setting, this book has it all.  Truly, a brilliant work</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ECDFS769KGTF?ASIN=0316055441	Don't see why it is recommended so highly	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Miserable story; did not seem worthwhile read. Long book which could have been greatly condensed with no loss in story line or plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZNTETNIKGLFW?ASIN=0316055441	Highly Recommend!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story that revolves around the painting The Goldfinch is wonderfully told and takes you on an adventure that equals none!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A2OTFDHLLJZO?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating character study. Shows how life's events,good and bad, can affect us for a lifetime.Kept me interested and involved all the way to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AOATPMZWTERM?ASIN=0316055441	This novel deserves to be on best seller lists	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So many of today's best seller are formula novels, very predictable with wooden characters.  The story line is nuanced and fascinating.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQD8ZH64DVUYV?ASIN=0316055441	engaging from the first moment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has all of the elements required for a good read.  It was superbly written, the character development was excellent and the plot kept me up to way past my normal bedtime.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KU04MF2EBJ29?ASIN=0316055441	Important Literature	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best novel I have ever read.  Definitely one of the greatest ever written.  Not a dull moment either!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFFYF3U6LUOLL?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a Real Page Turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Everyone I know who has read this book has found it hard to put down. A real page turner from page one to the end. One of the most original books I have read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MYCYU4DZN713?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, hard to put down.  I would highly recommend.  I'm looking forward to reading more books by this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MLAFM0PX2SU8?ASIN=0316055441	Pretty bad.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Painfully full and long descriptions of drug induced emotions.  Very dark book from start to finish.  I guess it describes the underbelly of the world well if that's your sort of thing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MDA7KOWMYJX6?ASIN=0316055441	Just. So. Good.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book.  I felt about this book, at times, as the main character Theo felt about the titular painting.  As if I was holding a beautiful little jewel box in my hands.  The imagery of the settings, diverse as they were, was evocative enough to make me long for the lush summer rain in Central Park.  I love a story that takes you on a journey and this book does that - to places I've never been, in life or literature.  This is a book I read on my Kindle and now will buy in hardcover to keep as a reminder of the lovely time I spent taking it in this winter.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WGD86WI2E9RX?ASIN=0316055441	Worth a Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very good book to read, a sort of coming of age story with plenty of twists. The author does her best with creating characters and making them lovable and realistic with their faults and personalities.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q2WPAKR3QXMY?ASIN=0316055441	Best novel I have read in years!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best novel I have read in years. It is a page turner based on intricate and fascinating character development and situations. I can't praise it enough.<br/>Alyse</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16339235HVTZX?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I have read in a long time. I lost someone close to me last year-- in a very tragic way. The author does an excellent job of elaborating on the depression, guilt and what-if mentality of the person/ people left behind</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C02K1ZEKMK6S?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible author	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The description in this book is incredible.  You can visualize every character &amp; every scene with little effort!  So we'll written but such a sad story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S0KDSXHMM5Y6?ASIN=0316055441	Exceptionally well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's been a long time since I've found a book as mesmerizing as The Goldfinch. Donna Tartt is a word artist; she drew me deeply into each scene. I felt that I was IN this book, rather than just reading it. I was glad that the book was long, I didn't want it to end. This is not a book for someone who insists on high levels of action, but rather for one who appreciates great literary fiction.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HYXPNE5E2OT5?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the story to be compelling and the writing is superb. One of the best books I've read in a while,</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R120E6NZ1D6LPD?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful piece of writing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a beautifully written, captivating story. Loved every page. Would definitely recommend to anyone who appreciates fine language and strong character development.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FPTR0NX6VNQF?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it - very slow to start, but stick with it.  It draws you in.  Basically the life story of a young man - very interesting how he handles challenges and tragedy</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J3R60RNCYQ7I?ASIN=0316055441	Totally rivetting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a great book...such a satisfying ending. Really interesting story about a boy who lost his mother, how he survived and the people who helped along the way.  Great read...interesting characters, interactions and locations;  NYC, Las Vegas, Amsterdam and art smuggling, drugs, gangsters, society people....775 pages, read it on the Kindle....didn't seem that long.  Really worth reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OF7A2NR92CY8?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing work by Donna Tartt. This epic novel is extraordinarily crafted in its detail, as well as its ability to capture the monotony, the joy, and the pathos, evoked by the life of each of its characters! Did not want it to come to an end!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLYOVF80Q38F4?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book!  I want to read the rest of her books!  Lots of twists and turns.  Unpredictable ending which I like!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J55ENCTVACXP?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is an utterly absorbing novel with characters and scenes that one will long remember. Set in New York, Las Vegas and Amsterdam, each city comes alive with the author's vivid descriptions. Cleverly plotted it is long (771 pages) but at the end, I wished for more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XXMB7E0GSBJY?ASIN=0316055441	Intricate	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intricate plotting and interesting characters with a lot of sadness, grief, guilt, and love. Very good read. What brought me to the book waa a mention in the New Yorker of the painting itself being in an exhibition. I will never get to see it. Interesting characters, fully developed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RPWOLK605TXS?ASIN=0316055441	correction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was an astounding book only one slightly irritating reference twice to a Turnbull and Asser suit, I believe they are shirt makers and not suits !</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L4C9B2RNP9QA?ASIN=0316055441	frustrating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I purchased this book as it was reviewed as one of the best novels in 2013. Reading it was frustrating and I kept having to put it down as I was drawn into the characters lives. I found myself becoming agitated and perhaps angry. I wanted to scream at times. Written well, the story itself moved me in uncomfortable ways.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UGWALWF87UR2?ASIN=0316055441	to much detail and overly long to tell the tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read but so long to tell the tale. I enjoyed the plot but the characters described at such length. I guess this book took more time than any other I have read since the trilogy by the nordic author Larsen.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28Q6AT0Z4WXOY?ASIN=0316055441	Well worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the way this book is written, it is easy to read and carries the reader along with a mention here and there of more mystery to come.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22T5RW5K3SGCD?ASIN=0316055441	Don't read if you need your sleep!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I spent far too many late nights absorbed in this book! Five stars! A white knuckled ride through the life of Theodore Decker.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TUBHUP2VQ0CX?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I have read in ages!  Couldn't put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was so interesting from the very beginning.  It covered so manly topics and relationships.  The best part of it was the author's character development, and everyone was unique, but you know every flaw and every strength to their being.  The story line is very exciting and the fact that it involved travel made it more interesting to me.  I could not put it down and it is a very long read because you don't want to miss any of the details.  Excellent book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9TGHFIZ23Z94?ASIN=0316055441	Boring and tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This pathetic character narrates his life after the trauma of loosing his mother to a terrorist attack at the Met. However, the narration is tedious, tiresome and it just goes on and on. I had a hard time finishing reading the book. The characters are interesting but the narrative pretends to dwell in a sort of stream of consciousness but the author cannot get it right. Sorry what a disappointment.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29V90E81UIFYV?ASIN=0316055441	A  Real Page Turner...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">...and by page turner I mean turning page after page without reading or caring what I was missing.  Given all the book's praise and premise I expected to really enjoy this - as I did The Secret History.  The book started out strong, well written, tense and heartbreaking.  And then it was as if the author ran out of ideas and decided to write a story that seems to have come from pulling random plots and characters out of a hat in order to advance the story.<br/><br/>Each subsequent chapter starting from the dad so miscast as to be wholly unbelievable given the description of Theo's mother, to the last third of the book where the relationship with his paint by numbers fiancée is conveniently ignored in order for him to play with guns, this mad lib ride of literary fiction was one I had to get off of.<br/><br/>Having someone around to cut at least 250 pages would have been welcomed, as the heart of this story would have been far more powerful as a result.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LZW1JKBSWENF?ASIN=0316055441	Life is catastrophe...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't agree more. ""To love what Death can't touch."" Great. Reread the last chapter a couple of times, so much there...</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CHT31S7B999Z?ASIN=0316055441	Pacing and Character Development Issues	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a problem with most long novels and Ms.Tartt falls into the same trap. Excellent beginning and then after a major action sequence leaves us listing in a ""too long"" protagonist inner development free-fall. I got to the end of a very long 1st chapter and found it not promising enough to go on. If anyone would like to see how to handle pacing and character development in a 600+ pg book I'd wholly recommend The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMINEEU6V7ISJ?ASIN=0316055441	Long story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although this book had a good story and message, I found it tedious.  It was very wordy in spots and I tended to lose interest.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XDR6H9GS4WBO?ASIN=0316055441	Not for the faint of heart	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">But well worth the effort.You don't need or shouldn't expect to read this major tome at a single sitting. I read this book at a leisurely pace leaving it for a few days on end, then coming back to it not missing a beat! It is extremely well written and easy to read. It is a story that spans a number of years but flows well and is easy to read. The characters are fairly well developed and their numbers are not excessive despite the size of the manuscript. That a teenager would be able to think and converse in such a sophisticated manor is sometimes a bit of a stretch but this does not jump out at you as  improbable and is easily overlooked. All in all I was very happy reading this book and was actually sad that it had to  end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A301XOP1WPJO?ASIN=0316055441	Too Wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought ""The Goldfinch"" had a great story and it was quite well written. However, it was a chore to finish as it was quite wordy. In fact, the story could have been told in half the pages. We didn't need so many detailed descriptions of rooms and the insides of taxi cabs. Nor did we need a 20 page philosophical soliloquy at the end. There was too much description of drug abuse and time spent in hotel rooms and none of it was necessary. The story's main character was unlikeable, making one bad choice after another and wallowing in self pity. Though I enjoyed this book, I didn't love it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTFE0RH55TSU8?ASIN=0316055441	600 pages too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing story. As has been said before, editing was blatantly missing. She meanders on and on in unimportant and boring diatribes. And the voice of ""the boy"" often sounds like a woman. It felt like a victory to make it through. Don't start it if you're one of those who has to finish.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33OKGFTU5T25U?ASIN=0316055441	Complex Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the book and its premise, but I was put off by the drug use in it.  It certainly had a lot of twists and turns!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RA1U26H5TWXA?ASIN=0316055441	Long but intriguing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a talented fiction writer. She develops intricate details, so you know her characters well by the end of the book.  You follow their lives through many excapades and events.  It starts with a young boy, age 13, who loses his mother in a NYC art museum that is bombed.  He miraculously survives and is convinced by a dying victim to take the painting called The Goldfinch along with him out of the museum. That victim later dies.  The boy then is fostered by a wealthy family whose son is a friend. Being homeless and motherless is a life experience this boy, Theo, must overcome.  The relationships along the way, various changes in location, people he meets and lives with, makes this an interesting read, in particular if you like intricate descriptions of art and antiques.  It could have been easily shortened in places, since 775 pages is a long read these days!  But the author is one of the true fiction writers who likes to develop her characters to the ultimate, inhabiting their minds and following where their thoughts lead them. Drugs, drinking, theft, all are part of this. Not for the weak-minded or those who want only happy thoughts.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VGE22HAYLSX2?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch,an extraordinary book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was beautifully written, almost poetic at times.  The protagonist, Theodore Decker, explores the meaning of life and some of his conclusions are quite profound.  I was thoroughly engrossed in the book and could not put it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21C1LFG1622A3?ASIN=0316055441	Well written, hard to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a well written book that was very hard to put down.  The writing style makes the characters seemingly real  I enjoyed this book immensely.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZCQ4IIA2RLKJ?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch rrview	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this story. It was well written and kept me thinking about it and some of life's issues that we don't like to think of...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15ICNLFRIYN16?ASIN=0316055441	Do not miss	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this down.  It is full of heartbreak, action and unconditional love. Extremely well written.  Gives an interesting look into the antique and art worlds. Loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE5P1SIPPWK15?ASIN=0316055441	speechless	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the most wonderful books I have ever read. Rich beautiful language,complex engaging characters ,love death and the meaning of life,and that's not all.l a so glad I read this book. It made me happy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T2HKCSM2K5V0?ASIN=0316055441	one of my favorites	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an excellent read - great characters, suspense, and a wonderful story - it is long, but worth it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FLDKZIWLB0G7?ASIN=0316055441	One of my favorites of the past year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't be daunted by the length of this book.  You will be rooting the whole way for Theo to somehow live happily ever after a tragic loss.  So many of the characters face very tough times and unhappiness, so this is not a ""feel good"" read, but really a wonderful story with very vivid characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WFALNT8MPN2C?ASIN=0316055441	a work of art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Without the talisman, The Goldfinch, Theo would have crumbled.  I believe even with all the ins and outs of how that art work made its journey through Theo's life, if that art work would have gotten lost or wrecked, Theo would have been nothing.  That art work was the meaning for his life.  And what a life he had!  I really enjoyed the Russian - like philosophy of life at the end of the book.  That tied everything together nicely.  The characters held true to who they were, and I appreciated each for their personal peculiarities.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGX2CGKOM1PXO?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is extremely well written.  It took me off guard &amp; praise to the author for original content.  The art references are lovely.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZRQ2DJM81QAM?ASIN=0316055441	will captivate your soul	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story does not end as you would expect.  It is a ride through life with the characters.  Well worth while.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V8M8789Q57L9?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book, excellent writer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book you will not be able to put down once you start it.  The story is great and Donna Tartt is an excellent writer.  I cannot wait to read another one of her books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X3JJVK4F042Q?ASIN=0316055441	Great Beach Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had no idea just how long this book was when I purchased it. But I am glad I did. Loved the book and would recommend it for a beach read......that is as long as you have a good long vacation.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PGRDE3YC8MBR?ASIN=0316055441	Do yourself a favor and read this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's hard to put into words how great I thought this book was. But how's this: As soon as I finished it, I started over at the beginning - because, obviously, I hadn't wanted it to end. I was as equally stunned by the fabulous writing as I was the first go-round. You can find out what the book is about in the reviews of others, and you should do so. But it almost doesn't matter what it's about. Ms. Tartt's writing is what matters, and it is fantastic. It is outstanding. I've never read a better-written novel. I loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27H0WD7ENBZA8?ASIN=0316055441	Deep, dark, engaging.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put this book down. At times my heart raced reading faster to see the outcome.  I would love to see the movie version.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C6Z64V5ZBLJQ?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This books had so many layers and such an interesting story I couldn't put it down. The author obviously did her home work. It was so well written it is one of those books you might read twice just to get the full just of it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WMPO4IUWGRPM?ASIN=0316055441	Too many words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too many words. The drug scene went on terribly long. Please respect your readers time more ms Tartt. Disappointed</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TQD0DRLHW8CO?ASIN=0316055441	Could have been shorter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I liked the style of writing, I thought the book was much longer than it needed to be.  Too many pages devoted to the alcohol and drug use - it got to be very repetitive.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QQS9RXUEZOB6?ASIN=0316055441	Too rambling and wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book was much too long for the story that was being told. Also the ending left me feeling that  I was dangling in space.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GDNRWCWVKT9M?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a beautifully written, moving novel.  The story is sad, even tragic, at times,but the author does such a great job of capturing both the upsides and downsides of humanity.  I could hardly put this book down.  Kudos to Ms Tartt.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SRGR0Q3FFCQF?ASIN=0316055441	So well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed everything about this book. Though very long, I didn't want it to end. I look forward to reading more Donna Tartt!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ME501DV1GKU4?ASIN=0316055441	what a read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story.  Excellent writing.  The descriptions of people and situations are amazing.  You will love this boy and his story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EDULXUBQSZ6O?ASIN=0316055441	Great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a wonderfully crafted story that is full of twists and turns.  You really get to know the characters and it is hard to put down</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W1BEA9HH71LF?ASIN=0316055441	Truth	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""For only by stepping in to the middle zone, the polychrome edge between truth and untruth, is it tolerable to be here.""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4S58UCIY71CD?ASIN=0316055441	A long and lovely read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel has vibrant characters and beautiful writing throughout. Many reviews have referred to it as Dickensian, which is very apt. A lovely journey.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGTCWQ06CUTTZ?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Original and captivating coming of age, family dysfunction novel. Slow in a few spots but overall an engaging read. .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UFTT3M9V68R3?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful ! Captures attention,	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You still consider how forgiveness works, weeks after reading.  How important it is to forgive ourselves, it's life.  Slow but great read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RORU8NPH55B7Z?ASIN=0316055441	I felt chained to this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I skipped so much of what seemed like stream of consciousness writing.  I think the author was trying to make a point but I was so exhausted by all of the escapades, yet I felt compelled to see how all was resolved.  It was unsatisfactory.  And the point being?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI85395CGGU6P?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story but a little too much crammed into last part of book. Enjoy her story telling and writing styles.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC5K56W2TAU6A?ASIN=0316055441	Story of a struggling boy into manhood.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a sad and deep story told from a boy, Theo, who was in a museum bombing in New York that killed  his mother and he survived.  His estranged dad retrieved him and took him his home in Las Vegas, where dad was a heavy gambler and an alcoholic.  Theo became a latch key kid in a practically deserted tract of homes, except for one boy, Boris, who lived close by, and with whom he befriended. Boris's life started in Russia, and his was dragged all over the world with his widower and crazy dad.  Boris exposed a dark life of drugs and alcohol to Theo.<br/><br/>The first half of this story is so colorful that it captures you immediately.  The last half gets a little long and drawn out with details of Theo's drug habit and his guilt feelings, and life's predicaments, etc., but I had to finish the book to find out if he escaped the dark tunnels of his life.  Donna Tartt is a very good creative writer so it's easy reading, but a long book.  If you like to read about family disfunction, a complex but interesting and deep story about a basically good boy, then I recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7579SKGG1W5O?ASIN=0316055441	I Couldn't Put This Book Dow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although this book is quite lengthy, I finished it in a very short time becaue I found it hard to put down.  All of the characters were so real - I loved the way the author described Boris - he reminds me of some Russians that I've met. It amazes me how a person can come up with such an extraordinary story and keep it going for almost 800 pages without getting boring.  I highly recommend this masterpiece.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3INX3WGSXDVJ5?ASIN=0316055441	Good idea for a plot, lousy development of plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much boring drug and alcohol abuse.  I couldn't wait to get through it.  If I had the book, I would have read the end and thrown it away.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26BS5QX8G4CJ1?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long and wordy!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book needed a good editor.  We also lost track of the painting and then it would come up again.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9MRS8DDSLMXU?ASIN=0316055441	Well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is beautifully written.  Some sentences you reread just to enjoy them.<br/><br/>The book goes awfully long, but it didn't lose my interest.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLBFK321DWQI6?ASIN=0316055441	Needed more editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved parts of this book, especially those involving the Barbour family, Hobie, and Pippa, and although I found Boris engaging as a character, I found the Las Vegas section too long and repetitive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXIQG1523GNTZ?ASIN=0316055441	Exceeded expectations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am not typically a fan of mysteries or crime thrillers, but this book really held my interest.  The characters are so finely and deeply etched, and the writing is often quite lyrical.  Tartt goes deeply into the nature of being as much as the equally intriguing nature of art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PH0MUGONEW5K?ASIN=0316055441	Best of 2013	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. I devoured it on my Kindle. Hooked from the first sentence. I highly recommend it and have already cast the movie in my mind.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LQL4Z278YEWT?ASIN=0316055441	Too long, too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book could have been shortened by 200 pages! The Las Vegas portion was awful. Drugs, alcohol sex and it went on and on and on. Then all the philosophical stuff put it there by the author drove me absolutely nuts. I kept skipping huge chunks of the book when she did this. This book could have been amazing. I couldn't put it down at times but it really needed to be cleaned up. Where was the editor?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24K85WR3JMBK?ASIN=0316055441	A Must Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had me totally absorbed.  It was a unique story with colorful characters.  I couldn't put this book down.  Finally over, I can get some sleep!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R193YKH8OVVUVL?ASIN=0316055441	A gift to the reader!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Took me about one minute to get into the story then I was hooked until the end.  So well written that you are sure you know these characters and you've been to all these places.  I believe it is a must read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12WRRIN2QIU29?ASIN=0316055441	Amsterdam was good, but when he started lamenting his mother...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you love elegant, even elegiac prose, this is the book for you.<br/><br/>If, however, you require action every twenty pages or so, look somewhere else.<br/><br/>Admittedly, my patience with the laborious pace and descriptions wore thin after only 76 pages, but by that point the rules of the book had been established.  It wasn't getting better.  And if I'm really honest, and I mean to be here, the narrator's lamentation of his dead mother, which begins with the clunker ""Things would have turned out better if she had lived,"" ruined any emotional attachment and excitement about the novel.<br/><br/>I would try a book by Donna Tartt again because it's obvious she can wield a sentence.  I might even browse ""A Secret History"" assuming it was properly vetted by an editor who believes less is more.  But I knew once the mourning began that the effort to finish ""The Goldfinch"" wouldn't equal the emotional payoff, so I stopped.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V44581J3M264?ASIN=0316055441	Totally absorbing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'll confess I don't read that much fiction these days, but The Goldfinch really grabbed me and I finished it in a few days. Some of the material is definitely disturbing. Theo is a troubled young man who careens through life in great danger of self destructing. But what is amazing is how much you care about him. It's the hallmark of a great fictional character when days after finishing the book, you miss his presence in your life.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1COB7BLR4V2CY?ASIN=0316055441	wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">best book i have read for a while. it will be a literary classic thru the years. remarkable penmanship. wow and wow.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU0RVFVD6UN8A?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing book.  Could not put it down. Had to tell friends about it and recommend it.  Will look for any more of her books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39DLSID3HIZQT?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way to detailed and the characters get very confusing toward the end. . Just kept reading it because I had put so much time into it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30T2XGM9797Y6?ASIN=0316055441	Page Turner.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read this book if you love a long involved story. The characters are unforgettable and well developed. I couldn't stop reading because I wanted to know what happened to all of them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RANYWHMMO36KQ?ASIN=0316055441	Book is confusing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For me it was a struggle to finish. I think it gets hard to to follow in too many places  because of over descriptive scenes and feelings.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OFZ071W674L6?ASIN=0316055441	Long but worth the time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am reminded of Karl Ove Knausgaard's ""My Struggle.""  The descriptions of emotions, memories, reactions to the words and looks and presence of others, are so detailed and so personal that one forgets this is a novel.  I'm still early on - about 20% read - but I am fascinated, as the story begins to unfold.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AAZFRQGXJNPA?ASIN=0316055441	A Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was a fabulous story.  Absolutely loved it. The beginning pages are deceptive: keep with it and you'll be richly rewarded.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LKLOZUNDIVV8?ASIN=0316055441	AMAZING	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best long novel I've read in years!  Not often is a book of this length so engaging from the beginning to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R74TIZ9UZPSAH?ASIN=0316055441	Bizarre but catchy nevertheless	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch gets off to a good start, however, as the story progresses, the plot gets weaker and the characters become increasingly shallow. What could have been a great novel turns out to be a disappointing hit-and-miss series of shallow adventures involving Theo, the teenage main character, and his dysfunctional extended family and best friend, Boris. I kept asking myself ""why am I reading this stuff"" but kept on reading as I was curious about how the novel would end. The last few chapters are the most engaging and thought provoking of the book as the author raises fundamental philosophical questions that every human being is faced with sometime in their lifetime. I would not recommend ""The Goldfinch"" to anyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S1QE3QQAI7LG?ASIN=0316055441	unusual	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very moving story of a boys life after the tragic death of his Mother.  A new twist &amp; turn on every page.  Very well written and such a different, unusual story.  Couldn't put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G0173UTQP9U1?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful prose.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book was long but a complex story.  Beautiful language.  I started it again as soon as I finished to savor it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R190G3HXDTQ78S?ASIN=0316055441	Great story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love the details of the story. Only wish I had more time to read it!<br/><br/>At first I thought there were too many details but then I got into it.  Haven't finished it yet. Can't wait to get back to it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R144LUTWDS20IQ?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book. But I also hated it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you removed every third sentence from this book, I think you'd have a really powerful work that had a lot to say about the nature of loss and addiction, and about beauty and fate. As it were, there are about four hundred pages too many.<br/><br/>Far too often the author will come tantalizingly close to an emotionally satisfying moment, only to drown her reader in needless verbosity. The pacing is maddeningly inconsistent, with the plot at times grinding to a halt in order for our narrator to carefully describe everything he sees and hears (or to tell a nearly pointless anecdote, which is probably meant to offer the reader a history lesson and some insight into a particular character, but often ends up reading like a study guide for a high school exam). At other times you are whisked randomly into the future, only to have Theo explain what happened in the interim. The whole book suffers from a lot of telling versus showing. You never feel as if you're a part of events; they're always blandly related back to you after the fact. You are positively submerged in details, but none of them make the world your reading about feel any more real. It has the opposite, in fact. By leaving too little to the imagination, the author comes across as disingenuous, as if they're trying to cover up a lie by piling on distracting details.<br/><br/>I have no problem with a flawed protagonist. It's essential. Without flaws, there can be no growth, and without growth you lack a compelling story. You have to give your character a chip on their shoulder so that they can struggle to remove it. Tartt's narrator, Theo, has no shortage of chips. What he lacks, however, are any qualities by which he can be redeemed. You can guess the trajectory that his character will take, and I'll admit I didn't hate wallowing in his vices (even if they were conveyed rather clinically; you simply have to take his word that he's an addict, much like you do with everything else he says), but his development never quite manages to get past them.<br/><br/>Perhaps that's the point, and that Theo represents the books central theme, that of obsession and fixation, as he feels more like a force that influences the other characters in the book rather than a fully developed character himself. You can feel the empty space that he should occupy, which at times feels like a glaring flaw in the book's structure, whereas other times it helps put a spotlight on the books supporting characters, which, to the book's credit, are rich and colorful.<br/><br/>Buried somewhere in this too large tome is a compelling story filled with some of the best characters I have read in a while. Had an editor been more ruthless in what they cut out, undoubtedly this would have been a masterpiece, although it very well may be anyway, warts and all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KR1RQVUU7DHY?ASIN=0316055441	This book is hard to put down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I downloaded this to my Kindle - needed something in between book club books and this sounded interesting. Well, I haven't picked up my book club book for the month because I can't put this one down.<br/>Intriguing, a bit of mystery, good writing.<br/>Would recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25ZI34UF97K83?ASIN=0316055441	But I must protest one detail (not a spoiler)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For all her time and research, why doesn't Ms Tartt know that you do NOT need a passport to buy a train ticket. Your name won't even be on the ticket. During that scene I kept thinking, ""GO FIND A MACHINE!!""  As long as you are traveling within Schengen, you won't even have to SHOW your passport.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HBURS860R4W7?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best I have ever read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is so good, and I love the characters and plot.  The ending is so good!  I recommend this book totally!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPLFWQSXZYQ0M?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a compelling story,  Donna Tartt is an extremely talented author.  I look forward to her future  journalistic endeavors.<br/>I've recommended this book to almost everyone I've come into contact with.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MVW83HTKISMJ?ASIN=0316055441	interesting on many levels	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the best books I have read in a long time. It was interesting on many different levels.......romance , intrigue, drugs,<br/>art, history.......thought provoking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O756UJWHXKM?ASIN=0316055441	outstanding...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is such a brilliant writer and it amazes me how she can engage you to the point that you feel like one of the characters. I hate to leave Theo and Boris.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWRJW86188NLD?ASIN=0316055441	impossible to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It sucks you in to its gritty reality and spits you out 780 pages later. It's engrossing and beautiful. Loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q6MC18AVA38M?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!  Maybe an over simplification, but it is almost a  modern day Great Expectations, but with a likeable main character.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UUW8VV3B3NAP?ASIN=0316055441	Just read it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I generally prefer to stay away from a lot of descriptive writing, opting instead for action and dialog but the descriptions here just hit the nail on the head! Very good characters and plot. I'm sorry, I feel I'm not doing this book justice so as I say in my headline, just read it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PFE2EEEU46A6?ASIN=0316055441	War and Peace Move Over	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not only a compelling plot, this novel is full of information about art, antiques, and the crimes associated with them. This is a real page turner but also includes essays that rival War and Peace.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROWXXXBM15YGO?ASIN=0316055441	Could not put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have told everyone about this book. Most already know. This is a great read. Went the other day to the Frick in NYC  to see the actual painting. Seeing the Goldfinch was icing on the cake. The story will stay with you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H4AJFNCHTLNQ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch - Deserving of 10 Stars!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best book I have read in years!  It grabs you and pulls you in from the very beginning.  She writes so beautifully, I had to slow myself down so I could absorb the words, but that was hard because I wanted to know what was going to happen next.  I plan to re-read it and bookmark some of the passages that are especially meaningful and poignant. I am telling everyone to read this book, so I'll have someone to talk to about it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36RQ3O0J2KP0C?ASIN=0316055441	supurb writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I originally bought The Goldfinch for my sister-in-law for Christmas.  I started reading it, got hooked, bought a copy for my cousin, &amp; also downloaded it to my I-pad.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VYO3MDVM4MOA?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author spent to much time describing each character and the happenings in the story.  Over 700 pages and the story could have been told in 300 pages...Did not care for this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R153Q2YF1B51L3?ASIN=0316055441	Worth Every Page	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A while back, I had read Donna Tartt's, THE LITTLE FRIEND. Aside from a few exciting and memorable scenes, I wasn't all that impressed. So when this book came up for a book club read, I thought, ""Okay, here we go - seven hundred plus pages! Hope the interesting scenes are more numerous, the characters, more developed, and the whole story more interesting..."" Well, my hope paid off - big time - and some! Aside from what I hoped for, there were so many wonderful themes that came from this book. And the sentences - long, descriptive, and highly evocative of images, feelings, and the senses -fit in perfectly with the prevailing mood. I loved the art history aspect, the sense of suburban Vegas, NYC, Amsterdam, and the portrayal of many human behaviors.<br/><br/>I believe people of many interests will find something to crow about with this book. I truly enjoyed it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PX43ZGI9LC2F?ASIN=0316055441	Not Impressed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was not impressed by this book despite the hype.  Although well written the story itself was often boring and in some places moved very slowly.  I was disappointed with the ending as well.  I felt I wasted a lot of time reading a book that ultimately ended up where it began.  I did enjoy the references to the antique world, the character of Hobbie, and the depictions of Las Vegas.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZJ3AQZ110Q38?ASIN=0316055441	excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I give this novel 5 stars because of the beauty of the language the author so skillfully uses. I love the English language and it's so rarely used today in the way Donna Tartt employs it. The story itself holds one in its grip, so that it's very difficult to put it down when<br/>it's necessary to get some sleep. I highly recommend this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31018UF4IJKYH?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had heard good things about this book but  I thought the book too long and it became tedious. I was also put off with all the swearing, drugs, and sexual activities. Don't consider myself a prude but this was way over the top. The excess really was not necessary of the plot development.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JU68U3WC14QF?ASIN=0316055441	I will never forget these characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a powerful story, I could not put it down. An engaging character study about loss, family, friendship, love and life. You will not be able to forget these characters. Theo and Boris in particular offer such an unflinching look at life, they will make you question many things about yourself and the way you look at things.<br/><br/>I feel like we will be talking about The Goldfinch for centuries, an instant classic. I cannot get it out of my head.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YDZQTHZTRD8L?ASIN=0316055441	unbelievable!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book on vacation.  It was a great read, well developed characters and very deep. Loved it and would recommend to all the people who love to read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XZLQOA9LIHWO?ASIN=0316055441	Well Written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautifully spun tale of free range children and the powerful lessons they learn playing adult games.  Wonderful imagery and artistically cultivated scenes put you next to the narrator at every turn.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10L7TY3N8KCA9?ASIN=0316055441	now one of my favorite books	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the first few pages, the style of writing just draws you in.  Both the narration in the First person, and the very current references, make this a must read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M5WQ8EWANPS8?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Highly recommend this novel as a great read. A few flaws, but mostly  complete page turner. We are all reading it in the office.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T0VB5QNFYSG5?ASIN=0316055441	Indiscriminate Use of Words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I, too, was disappointed in this book, and I find it hard to understand how it has garnered so much praise. There is no doubt that Ms. Tartt is a beautiful writer, but it's also obvious that she loves words - too much! I found myself skipping over long paragraphs where she said the same thing over and over again, only using different words. It shouldn't take twelve different images to get your point across. Does she think the reader isn't smart enough to ""get it""?<br/><br/>The Goldfinch is an interesting story, but it could have been so much better if it had had more astute editing. Also, I had difficulty identifying with the protagonist, who has one thing after another go wrong for him, then relies on others to save him with minimal personal growth.<br/><br/>I wouldn't recommend this book unless you like depressing stories and enjoy being told the same thing repeatedly.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36GU7RRWLY8M4?ASIN=0316055441	a real page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this is a fascinating look at the lives of two uprooted and unrooted boys who are the one steady person in each other's young lives.  lifelong friends with widely divergent paths and experiences.  great for art and furniture lovers.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KMC94LDOK77X?ASIN=0316055441	A great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Writing is superb. Reader is intimately involved in hero's life. Details of drug culture are disturbing and at times too intense. Character development excellent. Moving and often sad story but a great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTLJMEJ58QRND?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing story that pulls you in from the very beginning. Compelling characters and storyline. However, it was a little long (700+pages) and some passages just way too wordy. Other than that, I loved every minute!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9BI6IGO44CET?ASIN=0316055441	Transcendent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written with a powerful message about the transcendent effects of art and beauty. A few places dragged for me, but overall it was one of the best books I've read in awhile.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HVZU729T2NJG?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a wild ride!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's, The Goldfinch, is a complex journey that has an explosive beginning, the shockwaves of which echo through the story of a young man's life.  All the big themes are covered, love, loss, betrayal, friendship, beauty and art.<br/>This story will take you on an emotional roller coaster ride that is almost too much to bear, but leaves you thinking of the characters long after you have finished the book.  The best thing I've read in a while!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IM3G447PT7YT?ASIN=0316055441	This book continues to develop and develop a intriguing story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story of a tragic life, in most respects,but very interesting and very well developed story. I very good read that will keep you turning pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J9TIIVEJFMSP?ASIN=0316055441	A must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book kept popping up in my recommendations. I finally chose to read it and I'm so glad I did! It's an amazing story. It was one of those books that i couldn't wait to get back to reading everyday when I got home from work.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R58HO6L8FH5RR?ASIN=0316055441	gripping intense rad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the pace of the book, the detail of the characters and the intensity of the lead characters.the descriptions of thebackgraound felt like you were there</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O2FDNFNRXFZ3?ASIN=0316055441	GREAT READ	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great read and well worth ordering.Felt I was going on a long journey through America.Her descriptions are beautiful.she certainly knows how to draw you in.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BQNPO1MBV54U?ASIN=0316055441	original....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought provoking, heart wrenching, eye opening, and....had me researching art history, something I know nothing about! A can't put down thriller, and yet philosophical at the same time!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L502NSYHU395?ASIN=0316055441	great literary fiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms Tartt is a master of character development. This book initially reminded me of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Foer. But it did not take long to relate to the character who takes you in, making you as reader a part of his life, leading you on a wild ride. Though it is a bit lengthy it is well worth the time. This is one book that really draws you in and leaves you thinking about life. After completing it I found myself sorting back through its content to refer back to the author's earlier references.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17RF69EFBMGFL?ASIN=0316055441	Best read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read all the time and this book by far is my favorite this year.  There were many nights that I was left worrying about the young main character.  I recommend this book to anyone looking for a great book.  I wish for more books like this one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BWXUJM5GZJMQ?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've read in a very long time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is long and I didn't want it to end.  Wonderful characters. Unforgettable lines. You won't regret the purchase of this novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG6OOVUC547Z7?ASIN=0316055441	Too much of same concept, over and over.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, too much of the same .  Too much substance abuse.  Liked the story though .  Good writing.  Graphic .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R355TJ3HKDGZ3?ASIN=0316055441	Imaginative & Beautifully Written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Having never read a Donna Tartt novel before, I had no preconceived notions about this book. I ordered it on a whim while on vacation, desperate for something stimulating to read. I was not disappointed. This novel held my attention from start to finish, with an astonishingly beautiful narrative, realistic dialogue and interactions, and a storyline plausible enough to make readers believe that the events COULD have happened, despite knowing from the start that this is a work of fiction. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an intelligent, articulate book that will leave you literarily satiated. It's easy to see why ""The Goldfinch"" was selected as one of the top ten books of 2013 by The New York Times Book Review editors.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSQQ5H28N7SSW?ASIN=0316055441	She holds you close on this wild ride!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She holds you close as you receive instruction in the history of art, furniture, and much that is folded into nuanced New York new money ruling class mores, seen through the eyes of a boy as he single-hands his journey from adolescence to adulthood, all the time shouldering a curious but onerous burden. Tartt's language is always lucid as it billows over time and reaches across variegated landscapes.  Sometimes there is too much drinking and vomiting, but there are also moments when the story crests, offering just enough insight into certain character tropes authors usually don't explore. These serve to restore the reader's equilibrium.  When she lets you go at the end, you wish like hell she hadn't.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VUBZP4K7L0NS?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an extremely thought provoking read. I could not put it down.  A little slow at times but it seems to me that all the extra detail is somehow needed to understand the characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R273NEZG2F8J2?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read from start to finish. Captivating. Was able to see the goldfinch painting at the Frick after I finished the book..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17A0UQ9IQ2Q3O?ASIN=0316055441	Sorry couldn't finish it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unfortunately, I paid full price for this one.  Tried, really tried to see what was so appealing about this book, this author.  Had I known the topics we would dwell on, pre teen drinking and drugs involving youth with whom I would never have  cared to associate, I would have not clicked ""buy"".  Lost my faith in the Amazon reviews...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E3FTMWZBBR2E?ASIN=0316055441	Love this book hold on to your seat toward the end of the book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love the development of characters and the speed of the story.  Starting out with a slow pace and increasing the speed as the story progresses.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GJO55GJSPCZ4?ASIN=0316055441	Could not put it down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be extraordinarily well written and interesting with characters who could be known in their unique realities.  There is sadness, losses of many kinds, real world lives.  I enjoyed the shifting scenes and demands on the reader to persist, as this is a long imaginative tour de force.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EZEQHGFKYJHS?ASIN=0316055441	Early contender for my best read book of the year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dickens meets Salinger. Careful as to when you pick up this 700+ page tale as it hard to put down.  Mississippi author btw.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QI1B4MV2898H?ASIN=0316055441	well written depressing book. very few redeeming qualities except for the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a well written depressing book.  I do not feel it is necessary spoend my time<br/><br/>I have not recommended to anyone</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2170JGZKC2TAE?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed reading this book. It is a page turner and was well written with an interesting and evolving plot.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FDXJ70IK4586?ASIN=0316055441	excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">deals with life's basic questions in an unusual way...is a real page turner...gripping story with twists and turns which affects<br/>ones emotions keenly</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SQ2AR5YYGQXD?ASIN=0316055441	unforgettable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those books that fits right into that space in your heart... the characters are so well written and unforgettable. You won't be able to put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FLTKXQDDQWC2?ASIN=0316055441	Like a modern Dickens or Stendhal	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If I made a list of my all-time favorite novels — the ones that have stayed in my mind, that I still pick up and read again every few years just because they’re so damn good — a lot of them would be 19th-century titles. Dickens, James, Dumas, Hugo, Stendhal. Don’t ask me why.<br/><br/>I finished reading Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch last night, and loved it so much I just had to post. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a newly-written novel that pulled me in this deeply. I can’t think what to compare it to except those 19th-century yarns — maybe Oliver Twist or The Red and the Black — only it’s set NOW, and doesn’t feel dated by even one minute.<br/><br/>Without trying to recap the plot, I’ll say that unlike most well-reviewed “literary” fiction, where gorgeous prose and philosophical ramblings often mask a boring plot, this one’s got it all: international art theft, kids growing up in dangerous circumstances where adults can’t be trusted, young love, lifelong friendship, rich people, good people, bad people, violence, New York and Europe and Russian gangsters and shysters and more, that is to say, STUFF HAPPENS — only it’s not a crime novel and doesn’t follow any standard genre formula. It’s so rare to come across a plot that actually feels fresh.<br/><br/>I can’t promise you’ll love The Goldfinch as much as I did. But it sure kept me turning pages long into the night.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJLT1C3XL603U?ASIN=0316055441	Another great Donna Tartt creation!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a great story - I love Donna Tartt's books because she can come up with off the beaten track story lines and turn them into realistic, interesting reads through her great character development.  It is a long book, but I read it quickly as it held my attention.  If you have not read any books by Donna Tartt, you are missing something.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CPM4SQTNHIAX?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My bookclub read this book.  I can't believe how long it is.  Too many side bars to keep my attention.  The ending is nice and makes you think about the ways of the world and doing good vs. bad.  It could have been a 400 page book and cover the same topics.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQMGNU9PG6CKM?ASIN=0316055441	This is a fantastic book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt wrote these characters in such a real and loving way that I couldn't put it down. The plot twists and turns and just when you think you understand things turn in another direction. I can't wait to see what she writes next!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAGSSQVACL9J4?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm only 150 pages in, but I'm hooked!  Beautifully written, with brilliant descriptions of people and behaviors, the story pulls the reader in and doesn't let go.  I can't put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9OVDIPYYSPHA?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book that is hard to put down. I can highly recommend it. The characters are well developed and interesting!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NKDAZPY8UI62?ASIN=0316055441	PTSD Art Adventure!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long and epic story of Theo Decker that is brilliantly written.  Excellent character portrayals, symbolic art themes and crafty plot twists.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PP762FB7QLR5?ASIN=0316055441	the Goldfinch mesmerizing!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book riveting and the characters so mixed up[ and interesting. Some in our book club found it the book to be too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMMZV18ALIOYM?ASIN=0316055441	gold finch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too wordy. too many ""F"" and ""S"" words. too convoluted .  No idea what the author was trying to convey</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O1K9IAMIGT3C?ASIN=0316055441	Too long and involved	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read only about two-thirds of the book - then I lost interest. The writing is well done, and for awhile it ""grabbed"" me - but eventually it got too belabored.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37HD3W7R6KDRG?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful book, can't wait to read it again. Bought it on my kindle and went out to the store to buy a paler copy so I could savour it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NST0Y94J2KZ3?ASIN=0316055441	Very talented writer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although this writer is very talented ...I found the book to be almost obsessive in many parts.<br/>This was not my cup of tea.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F0QK5DR6BKYR?ASIN=0316055441	The perfect novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt does it again. I couldn't put this down. Originally leery of reading a book about a terrorist attack and a dead mother, I instead found myself engrossed by the story of the surviving teenage boy dubbed ""Potter"" by his quirky Russian immigrant friend, who is easily one of the best characters even drawn in fiction. I hope there's a movie version just so I can see Boris brought to life. Tartt somehow manages to tell the story of a teenage boy's inner life, with pitch-perfect dialogue that also amazed me. The reader learns about art theft and antiques restoration in equal measure, told through characters who are rich, vivid and interesting. The ending is satisfying. If there is a perfect novel out there, this is it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXF3SFFJER3UA?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a pleasure to read a book that is so engaging and current.  I've already recommended this to everyone I know who likes to read really good books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QXLSDALEYZ7W?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've read in months!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best book I've read  in months. The characters were alive to me and I couldn't put it down. The authors description of the painting makes you see beauty, cruelty and hopelessness all at once. Can't wait for her next book!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC1AW8A3XF28G?ASIN=0316055441	intriguing story, slightly long-winded	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The last surviving work of a Dutch master is stolen by a child, a terrorist bomb, a coming of age in New York &amp; the lost suburbs of Las Vegas, the good &amp; shady worlds of antique furniture restoration &amp; the underground market for stolen &amp; fake art are the ingredients of this intriguing novel.  The characters are well drawn, but for this reader ""The Goldfinch"" suffered from the weight of expectations that book reviewers have piled on it.<br/><br/>The book moves at the pace of a slow Sunday afternoon. Less would have been more.  The ending, while appropriate, was slightly flat.  Not in my top for for 2013.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6BHUB45RPW3H?ASIN=0316055441	My best read in a decade	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An astonishing read. I simply couldn't put the book down, finishing it just after sunrise one morning. Hobie is my new favourite literary character, closely followed by Boris. It's hard to say too much without plot spoiling but the twists and turns keep the reader alert, fascinated and shocked. I never, ever expected the events in the last third of the novel.<br/>Utterly compelling writing.<br/>Jan, Melbourne, Australia</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EL30BXZFYXUX?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely loved this.  Creative, who would da thought of this.  Loved the characters and plot.  I really enjoyed the talented writer, but I kept hoping for a fairy tale ending, alas. Well worth the reading. Everyone was flawed in this story, but you were rooting for them regardless of their foibles.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWMHELVIVAGKZ?ASIN=0316055441	Exquisitely written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is exquisitely written, suspense filled, full of vividly drawn characters... the best novel I have read in years.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39CBRO0V7IXMT?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written and a compelling story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The larger themes were woven into the body of the story. I liked the concepts of art, life and death interwoven with the story of a boy who loses his mother and how he learns to deal with this loss.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F6N03JSI6GXB?ASIN=0316055441	Page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent writing and a story that keeps you reading until all hours of the night!  Donna Tart excels as you follow a boy and a painting across time and countries</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RJXLUJID1NH4?ASIN=0316055441	Very long book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was not that impressed with the book. Yes I read it but I would not like to read it again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUMUC4P2QHPL6?ASIN=0316055441	Dickens reimagined	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A difficult but wondrous and rewarding book. Highly recommended. If you love Dickens you'll love The Goldfinch. Will re-read many times.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KMH7T4OWA7KJ?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing and novel story, engaging characters, imaginative descriptions	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">All lovely show, show, show until the last few pages of tell.  I am recommending this book to all my friends.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BNMVSOPB9KGI?ASIN=0316055441	Quite a pageturner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Smartly written and thought provoking for the reader. Especially when read on a tablet one would never guess it was 700 some pages long!<br/><br/>CF,- Poughkeepsie NY</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R40R4TOW9MJK0?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch Medal	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's writing style is exquisite.  I've bought 3 copies as gifts for friends who are also enthralled.  A must read for anyone who likes writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D2M3SEVU52UT?ASIN=0316055441	A rare find!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read a lot and generally consider myself pretty good at picking books that match my interest.  Probably like most people however, sometimes I pick a run of books that are quite disappointing.  Either they aren't written well (which really ruins it for me) or the story just does not keep my interest.  I read a lot of reviews and it takes me quite some time to pick a book since I consider it an investment of my time.  When I read the reviews for this book having never read Donna Tartt before most were positive but some were worrisome.  I decided to take a chance and I am so glad I did.  If you like beautiful writing, amazing characters and a book that makes you think about life, choices, consequences and relationships.  You will enjoy this book.  I feel obligated to include this.  This book does not hold back at times on the darker and perhaps morally questionable aspects of our society today.  While realistic, some people looking for a ""clean or Lifetime network"" type of story may at times be offended.  To me, this just adds reality of our current state of society and does not take away from the thought provoking messages layered throughout the story.  I hope you find this review helpful as I truly enjoyed this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FCTYBC9LEP77?ASIN=0316055441	"great, if you loved ""we are water"" prepare to be blown away"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very engrossing! Loved this book. Just wish I had more free time to enjoy it longer. Buy it, you won't regret!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F5RII613CQMM?ASIN=0316055441	As deep as it is wide.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt is such a good book that I don't feel like I am a good enough writer to review it!  I don't think there is anything I can say that will do this book justice.  It is a long book, and it is a deep as it is wide.  I fully admit that there were probably passages that I should have read 3 or 4 times to totally understand what she was saying.  Deep, philosophical thoughts that I read, but didn't spend nearly enough time pondering.<br/><br/>Yes, it is filled with a lot of deep thoughts, but it is also filled with characters that I came to know and love.  When we are first introduced to the main character, Theo Decker he is  in Amsterdam.  He is sick and holed up in a hotel room.  A hotel room strewn with newspapers that he reads, struggling to translate, for stories of him.  Even though he doesn't see his name in print, he can see the photographs of crime scene tape, and photos of police cars.  Then in then next chapter he begins his real story, with the death of his mother.<br/><br/>The death of Theo's mother is the driving force behind everything that occurs to Theo.  It is during the explosion that killed her that Theo takes The Goldfinch, a small painting.  While scrambling through the rubble looking for his mother he finds an old man clinging to life.  A man that Theo had just seen alive a few minutes before.  He gives Theo a ring and a few mysterious words.  The little girl that was with the man also survives the explosion.<br/><br/>The painting touched something in Theo, something he didn't really understand and only partly figures out many years later.<br/><br/>After the death of his mother, Theo moves through life, not really settled anywhere.  As he moves around, he is surrounded by some fascinating characters.  From his friend, Alex and his wealthy parents who originally take him in, to his alcoholic father, his crazy Ukranian friend Boris, and Hobie (my favorite) the old man with an antique store.<br/><br/>This book has a little bit of everything.  It's deep, thoughtful, humorous, a bit of a mystery, a bit of a love story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NQHE24VLV10D?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best authors today	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a must read!  Donna Tarit is a brilliant writer who creates rich characters and stories.  I really loved it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R253UNE4CS9LSW?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read- Donna start is an incredible writer. Book is long but hard to put down. Especially fun if you have spent some time in NYC.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HG7HR7XTWJ9?ASIN=0316055441	disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At times I loved this book and the characters, but other times the story dragged and it seemed to spin its wheels and lose focus.  Mediocre book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y312999626TK?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've read in a long time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Highly recommended. Tartt is a master of imaginative description, bringing tho life every fascinating scene in her masterly crafted plot. This book will grab you immediately and not let you go until the last page.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15KWTLC32INQ4?ASIN=0316055441	Obsessive!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I choose this book because it had good ratings and the description sounded interesting!  Oh, my it became an obsession.  Things are falling down around me and I don't care...I had to read it every spare minute.  I'm an average reader, not over educated, just average so some parts were beyond me but still the obsession to find out what will happen next.  I would recommend this book to book clubs but be aware that it is 784 pages long.  This is a book I will not soon forget.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMDB4AGQ9FMR8?ASIN=0316055441	Best of the Best!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books I have read in a long time!!!! Could not put it down! A must read for everyone!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MT55QZY22JL6?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very poetic descriptions of events, people and scenes. A riveting story line that was easy to follow but hard to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R120B1PV22OPH9?ASIN=0316055441	incredible story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So well written. Twists and turns in an incomprehensible life!<br/>The best ending chapter I've ever read with true insights to life with a depth I never realized</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JAOB197SE5W2?ASIN=0316055441	Wading through the cesspool of life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It has been many years since I have been so obsessed with a book. I ignored everything, sleep included, to continue on to the end. I was not disappointed.<br/><br/>The story took turns that I found exhilarating. The characters were real and people I would really want to know. The depth of writing was brilliant.<br/><br/>This book is a must read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFKSL9AHX7YY5?ASIN=0316055441	so unique and intriguing, it kept me going right to the end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very enjoyable read.  Different from any other book, I loved the art theme and the surprises that kept coming at every turn.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QV7HVL42PM2Z?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely loved this book. The concept of a mystery wrapped around a tragedy and a painting enticed me to read it. As a painter I loved the author's insight  into the theme and methods of the painting . I also loved the twists and turns in Theo's life. I could have done with a little less male bonding highjinks during his adolescence but otherwise a wonderful and absorbing story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYP97UHUNHSQK?ASIN=0316055441	Nice read...but a tad long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was a real page turner...just to see what this young man was doing and why....it was a tad bit tedious because of the length. Could have been shorter by a 100 pages and still gotten to the point quite nicely.  Great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27HK19D85NVJF?ASIN=0316055441	Intense	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this book down. It was incredibly well written and very thought provoking. I learned a lot about the Goldfinch painting and restoring wooden antiques. Life as portrayed in this novel at times was very disturbing but none the less intriguing. I shall have to read her other books now. Glad to be introduced to her writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF35IXIGPJ9KD?ASIN=0316055441	Edgy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was always wishing the main character would find peace and happiness.  I was on edge so I had to keep reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8EHCQK1NR7XT?ASIN=0316055441	good so far	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I Haven't read the whole book yet but so far it is an interesting read.<br/>hope to finish it soon.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q90B65CVG61C?ASIN=0316055441	So good...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">New York City, an antiques shop, and art history drew me into this book. The writing is great, plot moves at a perfect pace. Couldn't put it down. One of the best books I've read in a while.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EL5FYD0V7UPK?ASIN=0316055441	You Won't Forget This Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch should become an American classic. The writing is superb and the characters are vivid, memorable, and well-drawn from start to finish. The easiest reading 700+ page book - gets your heart racing and the pages turning. Great for book clubs and literary analysis courses. So much to think about and discuss.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RJ0O9LFVD8I8?ASIN=0316055441	One of my favorites.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was hooked from the beginning. The characters and their stories are compelling, complex, and I think everyone will find someone relatable here. This is a story that has ups and downs and jaw-dropping moments that make any reader sink and soar. This is what fiction is all about.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O8O111JE7YXX?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thank heavens I finally finished this heavy heavy deep book.  If you like light reading  this is not for you.  Although author writes well and has ,obviously, a deep artistic appreciation , it just became very repetitive, and therefore a bit to drawn out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OU9P38H10O45?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would highly recommend this book to readers of all ages. A wonderful, well written book that kept me wanting to read more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38HMCAUXB1UQC?ASIN=0316055441	Sensitive, thoughtful and very intelligent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lively plot, characters with depth.  Difficult human experiences illuminated beautifully.  Thoughtful, sensitive, humorous and very intelligent.  Worth the long read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R156BR1SI05R1T?ASIN=0316055441	Worthy of multiple readings	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A friend asked me what this book is about and I didn't know where to begin. It's about art and the importance of beauty in our lives. It's about insight that comes with living through hard times. It's about furniture restoration, drug abuse, art history, art theft, New York, Las Vegas, Amsterdam, humor in unlikely places, friendship and loyalty, kindness, love. And so much more. There's even a cute dog. It's a big book in every way, but don't be put off by the number of pages. I did practically nothing else during the week I read it, and, while I'm taking a breather and reading something less engrossing now, I plan to start at page one again soon.<br/>On the downside: there are places where it gets a little preachy, goes on a bit, especially toward the end. But that is a small quibble. This book is amazing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ALFTBL39H1LT?ASIN=0316055441	not to be missed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">beautiful<br/>every page is poetry<br/>will read again and again<br/>Tartt is the most talented writer we have<br/>should be reaquired reading for all</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG26Z9G2LZB8B?ASIN=0316055441	Love art subjects	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a long book and I am Three  quarters thru and I can't put it down. The writing is excellent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R1VY8XQ4AAD9?ASIN=0316055441	Powerful, compelling .	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put it down. have chosen it as my book club choice for members to read. strongly recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NVG4V40EYRWW?ASIN=0316055441	Don't miss this one.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read if you love a page turner!  I was torn between empathy and moral judgement for the main character.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CTTBCI630MPH?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing after a good start	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the first few chapters of the box, but unfortunately it went downhill from there. I rarely stop reading a book before finishing, but the only way I made it through this was by reading the first sentence of each paragraph after I got 1/2 way through. I found the book unnecessarily wordy and tedious, the characters boring and whiney, and the plot implausible. Overall, a big disappointment!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U807MDO5INU?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent read, great characters and storyline. Impossible to put down. Highly recommend. Donna tartt is a great contemporary storyteller.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VNRLH4UOA5YP?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was hard to read for me because it was so detailed.  I kept wanting to go faster, but the detail helped me to understand the big picture.  Although I don't speak Russian, I could still understand what was happening.  To sad the story ended.  I get attached to the characters, especially Boris.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15CN89794RXQQ?ASIN=0316055441	what a great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you are a DT fan you will not be disappointed.  I was able to purchase this for my kindle at a wonderful price.  I wish there were more writers like this.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R225FA1U5K2RAP?ASIN=0316055441	great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not finished yet but love it.  Great characters, incredibly great story, not hard to read, very much holds the reader's interest.  Beautiful writing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NXE99VWFL3ST?ASIN=0316055441	Some like it:Others not so well	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line may be of interest to many younger persons but as an older adult, I found much of it depressing and not especially of interest. The author does an excellent job of descriptions of characters and settings.The protagonist struggles with his life situations but also seems to focus on how others affect him/it as well. In the end, his achievements of recognizing and resolving the PTSD do give a resolution that fits the story line and feels rewarding.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HJ2PLYBRBUO9?ASIN=0316055441	All nighter....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Several all nighters in my case. This book is facinating and informative on so many levels and will leave you in suspense literally all the way through. I'm from Boston and couldn't help but remember the art thefts at the Isabel Gardener museum there....which have not been recovered to this day.  The world of art/antique fraud was another world of interest to me. All these worlds are wrapped up in the facinating physiological study of young man growing up with what I presume is PTSD.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM8VDGUKDZU0F?ASIN=0316055441	Multidimensional Ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent storyline, great insight into multiple worlds of art, antiques, and drug trade. As a PTSD sufferer I found the experience well examined in this text.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18QF94P5CNQ92?ASIN=0316055441	A page turner.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can't put this one down.  You never know where it's going.  Tartt has a wonderful way with words.  Read it now .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W00ECANFCKMZ?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Holds your attention from the onset and I have found myself ruminating about it during the day.<br/>Not often does a book do that....good read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBO5J5X28EL41?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful and engaging.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written novel.  Fascinating story with many, many unpredictable twists and turns.<br/>Well worth the read and will leave you thinking about it for a long time afterwards.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DWFGCDZFX7TM?ASIN=0316055441	Best read 2013!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not put this book down! Great story, great characters, great read. You can not wait to see what happens next.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R386QT4SDNTP0L?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo has been in my head for a while.  He will probably always be there.  That is really all I need to stay.  It is quite a read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3380GU62345KS?ASIN=0316055441	Would not recommend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very disappointed in this book after all the accolades I had read.  I am no stranger to long books and if I am enjoying the book I  am sad for the book to end.  That was not the case with Goldfinch.  I had to force myself to finish.  Goldfinch lost my interest in Vegas. I can't recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2887YH3Y8RFCC?ASIN=0316055441	The Great American Novel.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Skimming the reviews, it's easy to run out of unique superlatives to describe Donna Tartt's ""The Goldfinch.""  It is an astonishing achievement, a supremely well-plotted, closely-observed, brilliantly-written literary novel of epic length and breadth.  Comparisons to Dickens and Tolstoy are common and well-earned; though for my money, the central inspiration and theme is Dostoevysky's Crime and Punishment.  Theo (our protagonist) survives a terrorist attack in a museum his mother does not, and ends up walking out with a famous painting for reasons which seem plausible in context.  Through a combination of overwhelming grief, adolescent pique, weakness of character and circumstances, he ends up finding it difficult to give back; and the mix of emotions he feels in this situation (guilt, terror, pride in the painting and the association with his mother) is fascinating and realistic.<br/><br/>The criticisms to me seem misplaced -- complaining that a work of literature isn't realistic is comparing apples to oranges.  Moby Dick, Oliver Twist and Lord Jim aren't YA fiction with plot-driven pulp, but they are like this.  This novel, like all great (not necessarily quick read books) has its own logic and tempo and you have to give it its space.  If you do, you will find a compelling novel whose prose you can wallow in happily and a plot you can enjoy.<br/><br/>My first reaction upon finishing it was to immediately begin to reread it, and I'm glad I did, because I'm picking up language and details I totally missed.  A book for the ages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C0M7ZEH61CLP?ASIN=0316055441	amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Back to the secret history caliber of writing. Totally immersed in the story and invested in the characters, even when completely unlikable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXS7PYH3M302V?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is well written but	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt does a good job of making her characters believable. The lack of growth in her main character and all her characters for that matter was something I didn't like. The high use of drugs by her characters was disturbing and is probably a personal prejudice. At one point in the book when Theo was again lamenting his bad luck, I remember thinking ""would you shut up!"".  Just one persons opinion.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PP38LJ5FCAX7?ASIN=0316055441	Stunning imagery, voice	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author's command of language is superb--metaphor, sensory, and theme expressed in ways that suggest Miss Tartt was speaking eloquently from the womb. Character voice, especially Boris', reminded me of the steep hill in front of me in my own writing. The authenticity of voice and the style and content of the dialogue for nearly-forgotten, drug-addicted, unreliable, and yet totally vulnerable youths was stunning and memorable. The drawback,  for me, came 85% into this soaring book, when the central character--the author--became self-indulgent. The rants about life-as-crap became tedious. And one other detail was disappointing: to have spent considerable-entirely pleasant--time on the obsession of the protagonist for Pippa only to have him dismiss the years of longing with ""She's right.  We're too much alike"" in a line or two was unsatisfying; it made the words about joy and love at the conclusion ring hollow.  Despite these drawback which, admittedly, may be a delight to other readers, I recommend this novel as one of the most compelling in recent literature.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R163P9BNHUY981?ASIN=0316055441	Long winded	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although a well written and descriptive read, I found this book long winded and boring. It starts off well, but I really struggled through the rest.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V07QT6WUZ3YO?ASIN=0316055441	The book certainly is thought provoking about the way our lives and choices we make.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't always enjoy the detail of his choices and where it took him, but in the end the book did make you think about life choices, random<br/>events that can effect all of us, and how we might be transformed by them.  It also shows how even those who seem to be of questionable morals, can have loyalty to certain people and still care about those that have been kind to them.  A worthwhile read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCH0OMU83BOHV?ASIN=0316055441	"A ""WOW"" of a book!"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow.<br/><br/>I've read some good books lately, but I'd been searching for that &lt;I&gt;extra special&lt;/I&gt; book for a long time -- a book that I can get thoroughly and completely involved in; a book I hate to put down and cannot wait to pick up again; a book that, when I have finished reading it, I grieve that there's not more. Because I'm hooked. The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt, was that book for me.<br/><br/>A short synopsis: the main character is Theo and the story is told from his first-person point of view. His entire life is affected by the events of one tragic day in New York City when he was 13, the day his mother died. In his words, <br/><br/>&lt;i&gt;""... though everything that's happened to me since then is thoroughly my own fault, still when I lost her I lost sight of any landmark that might have led me someplace happier, to some more populated or congenial life. Her death the dividing mark: Before and After.""&lt;/i&gt;<br/><br/>The tragedy that took Theo's mother's life (and almost his own) was an unexplained explosion in an art museum (terrorist bombing?). It also took the life of an elderly man, a complete stranger, who spoke his dying and somewhat incoherent words to Theo, entrusting him with a ring and one of the paintings that had been knocked off the wall of the museum. The painting had a very special significance to the old man, who seemed to fear it would be destroyed if Theo didn't take it. The painting, it turned out, was a priceless 17th century masterpiece titled, you guessed it, ""The Goldfinch"".<br/><br/>Theo's father had abandoned them some months prior to the explosion, so his mother's death left Theo a virtual orphan. Thus began his search for a home, a sense of belonging, shelter for both himself and the purloined painting and a long, grief-filled journey to adulthood. His journey began in the home of a school friend, where Theo was fostered for several months. During that time, Theo found Hobie through clues provided on the old man's ring. Hobie later became the closest thing to ""family"" Theo would ever know. Meanwhile, Theo's absentee father showed up and whisked him off to Las Vegas, away from all he'd ever known. There he met Boris, a refugee from just about everywhere. Boris became a lifelong friend, who provided both salvation and damnation in equal doses. The boys indulged in alcohol, drugs and petty crime and thus began Theo's self-destructive slide into addiction. The untimely death of Theo's father made Theo a true orphan. He caught a bus back to NYC, to more familiar surroundings, in another attempt to find ""home"". Theo found Hobie again, and ""home"".<br/><br/>Donna Tartt's skillful narrative is amazingly compelling. Her descriptive passages are so beautiful and perfect that even when she is describing abject depression, she paints with words a picture that is complete and truthful and irresistible. In this passage Tartt, through Theo's voice, describes his abject grief for the loss of his mother, a recurring leitmotif that haunts Theo (and the reader) throughout the book:<br/><br/>&lt;I&gt;""But sometimes, unexpectedly, grief pounded over me in waves that left me gasping; and when the waves washed back, I found myself looking out over a brackish wreck which was illumined in a light so lucid, so heartsick and empty, that I could hardly remember that the world had ever been anything but dead.""&lt;/I&gt;<br/><br/>Not only can the author deftly describe depressive states, but also glorious, though fleeting, happiness as in this passage:<br/><br/>&lt;I&gt;""And the flavor of Pippa's kiss--bittersweet and strange--stayed with me all the way back uptown, swaying and sleepy as I sailed home on the bus, melting with sorrow and loveliness, a starry ache that lifted me up above the windswept city like a kite: my head in the rainclouds, my heart in the sky.""&lt;/I&gt;<br/><br/>When this author describes a city street in New York, the reader is right there, in New York, hearing with perfect clarity the traffic and experiencing the smells of the city. When she writes about a failed housing development on the outskirts of Las Vegas, you can easily visualize the desert reclaiming the abandoned streets and the emptiness of the sad, lonely houses. Upon entering his father's Vegas house, Theo observed: &lt;I&gt;""The air inside smelled hot and stale: old cigarette smoke, new carpet, and--no question about it--dog shit.""&lt;/I&gt;<br/><br/>I could go on -- boy, could I go on. I highlighted so many passages of this book -- passages that so completely and totally spoke to my heart -- that if I cited them all here, I'd be guilty of reproducing so much of the book that Amazon would ban me. In spite of the fact that I, personally, don't usually like to read about addicts, I couldn't help but stay with Theo and wish for him redemption and healing. He's just that kind of character. And Donna Tartt is just that kind of author. This book left me wanting more -- not because anything was left out, but because it's just so good. And that feeling doesn't happen often enough.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I296K0E4MS9T?ASIN=0316055441	Not my book of the year.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unlike Ms. Tartt, I am a woman of few words, so all I can say is, “Really?”  Exactly how improbable must be the characters and events in a literary work to categorize it as a “fantasy”? There is little in this overly lengthy, but beautifully written novel that rings true. Bits and pieces, perhaps, but in its totality – not a chance. Way too indulgent and overwrought for my taste.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BA7S4NKMFZER?ASIN=0316055441	A challenging keeper	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extraordinarily well written and engaging.  Kudos to Donna Tartt for mastering and maintaining the speech patterns of non-native English speakers.  Characters are well-drawn and developed.  It might have been more judiciously edited and shortened by 100+/- pages.  By page 700, this reader was mentally exhausted, thinking, ""Enough already!""  Hence, the 4, rather than 5, stars.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W64NUZ9AVJG0?ASIN=0316055441	A contemporary classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a wonderfully layered and complex story!  It felt very Dickensian, which was the intention, apparently, as Hobie compares Boris to the Artful Dodger about halfway through. I'm not sure how Theo compares to Oliver, but I felt the atmosphere of Dickens throughout the entire length of the book.<br/><br/>Theo is a somewhat hard to like hero, facing unimaginable tragedy and never fully recovering from it. The loss of his mother sets the theme of the narrative, and is a ""can't read it, but can't look away"" part of the early storyline. His descent into delinquency is also hard to read, but felt true to his storyline. The book is long, but the story moves at such a compelling pace that the reader is 400 pages in before realizing it.<br/><br/>I highly recommend this novel. It's not a particularly ""feel good"" story, but it's satisfyingly complex, with layers that will keep your mind and imagination engaged for hours after putting it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C7NIKK3E7I00?ASIN=0316055441	Which Came First - the Story or the Painting?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Look at Fabritius' Goldfinch painting, and a  lack of color may be amongst the first qualities you observe.  Secondly, the stiff, almost statuesque, nearly lifeless body of the finch draws attention to its chain and the large ring secured around a bar at its perch.  The ring appears to disappear into either end of the perch signifying no escape.  The fate of the Golden Finch is sealed which lends itself to the bird's expression.  I looked at the painting after I read the book and doing so actually pulled the whole book together for me.  Theo is the Golden Finch.  To the author, I wonder which came first - the book or the painting?  The painting draws the mind to tell its story.  The mind follows the painting's story that endlessly loops back into itself, blurring the lines between a beginning and an end.  Like the painting, The Goldfinch doesn't really have an end.  The story is an exploration into how life can play out and how fate can determine the experience.<br/><br/>Parts of the book ring true, parts are unbelievable.  Some of the characters hit home; some are disjointed.  Honestly, had I closed the book at the end and never looked at the painting, I would have been left with many of the same interpretive thoughts others have shared.  But in the end, I have to say the brilliance of the book is Tartt's ability to  translate the colors, hues, and interpretive aspects of the painting into Theo's story.  From a bird to a boy.  Theo's fate was sealed in the museum as was the bird's in the painting.  After that moment there was no escape.  One can imagine the bird flapping its wings and lifting off the perch to a height no taller than the length of its chain just as Theo could never raise his heights or change his fate.  The aggravation of the drug abuse, the 360o of poor decision making and hosts of uninvited characters in Theo's life were a result of his life being suspended on a perch that he did not choose for himself.<br/><br/>Did I enjoy the story - I'd take a middle road response to that question but I very much enjoyed the literary expression of the senses and the pure genius behind Tartt's ability to translate the symbolism of a painting into a human experience of tragedy and fate, leading the reader into further philosophical inquiry almost as if he/she were sitting on a bench in the Metropolitan Museum of Art staring at The Goldfinch.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R152VH99V3U9AI?ASIN=0316055441	Get over it already	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was 200 pages to long. The Las Vegas part was too lengthy. Granted the main character had a horrible but I wanted to shake him and scream get over it already.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HBZJX0OAVY96?ASIN=0316055441	An engrossing, thought-provoking story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are no false notes in The Goldfinch. I felt while reading it that Theo was a part of me.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R124JL7SF1VF8?ASIN=0316055441	The best book I have read in years.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So well written.  The descriptions of Manhattan and the Met Museum (my home town and favorite place in it), are perfect,as  is her ability to write about loss.  The characters are so well developed you love them through thick and thin.  I was sad to close the book after reading all 771 pages.  It's a modern day masterpiece.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNCT7PWSAMBZZ?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was quite surprised by how much I loved this book, a lot of the reviews were very bad and put me off a bit.  It held my  interest every step of the way, just couldn't put it down.  Very glad it bought it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38G4CGJC3YXUH?ASIN=0316055441	Good Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the story and the characters were well developed and real. I found that the book bogged down somewhat in the telling of the time in Las Vegas. The continuous  and ongoing drug scenes became boring. I just wanted to get through them.  I empathized with the two young male characters and could well understand their growth and decision making processes, but was so glad that there was a ""Hobie"" mentor/character.  It was well written and I had a very hard time putting down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JUL20675T6NT?ASIN=0316055441	Long and depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading and thoroughly enjoying Wally Lamb's, ""We Are Water"", I noticed that The Goldfinch was recommended in the little, ""Customers who bought this book"" section of my Kindle screen.  First, I can say that the the two books are only remotely connected by the subject of art.  While the Goldfinch was well written, I found the characters and their lives to be way too depressing for my liking.  I forced myself to finish this very long book hoping to come away with some uplifting tidbit.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OK1QD70Z558E?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is too long, many un necessary chapters, I could put this down and not care what happened next.  I am amazed that so many people in the Wall St. Journal  book review loved this book.  That is why I bought it and gave it for Christmas presents, one  person said it was not worth the read, and maybe the other people were too polite to reply.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D7F2ZCWAXUAR?ASIN=0316055441	SPOILERS -- My fellow 4-star reviewers, please help me out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">SPOILER WARNING<br/><br/>I'd like to get some help, especially from my fellow 4-star reviewers, on a few of my questions and problems with this book.<br/><br/>SPOILERS BELOW!!!<br/><br/>1 - Did anyone NOT have a problem with the last 20 or so pages? I appreciate Theo explaining why he told us the whole story, but his discoveries about life, truth, beauty, art, suffering, etc were so rambling and dense that I pretty much gave up and skimmed. My eyeballs snagged on a few nuggets, but overall I thought the whole bit could be reduced to a page concluding with something like ""So this has been written for Pippa, even though she will never read it.""<br/><br/>2 - What is your idea about why Pippa and Theo can't make it? Perversely enough, while Tartt rambles and explains to death in the final pages, she gets all coy and mysterious on this one point! Page 762 (on my Kindle): ""I realized instantly, and with considerable astonishment, what she was getting at. (Dumb of me not to have seen it earlier...)."" Well, dumb of me too. After thinking about it, I guessed that Pippa may be so damaged physically that she believes she can't give herself to true love any more than she can give herself to her true vocation of playing the flute. (That's where I started drawing parallels between the chained goldfinch and Pippa -- unable to fly but unable to die, only able to flap her wings a little and land on her tiny ledge.) Anyone? Why can't they make it?<br/><br/>3 - One reviewer said the only reason we know Theo loves Pippa is that he keeps saying so; apart from his assertions we never get a sense of his passion or need. Was anyone else similarly unconvinced? I did have that problem in The Secret Society.<br/><br/>4 - I couldn't quite tell a) why Theo took the painting out of the museum, and b) why he didn't return it while he was living at the Barbours'. He was flailing and wallowing in guilt, but for heaven's sake, he was a kid in an explosion in which his mother died. Who's gonna throw him in jail? Even a 13-year-old should know that, especially one as otherwise smart as Theo.<br/><br/>Don't get me wrong; this isn't my entire view of The Goldfinch (I do, after all, give it four stars). I loved so much about this book and I think Tartt was so fine in most ways that these problems stick out all the more and have sent me running for other impressions and insights.<br/><br/>Thanks in advance for your ideas.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GRTC0ZSMCOQW?ASIN=0316055441	An awful lot of good writing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I went into this book with lots of hope, having enjoyed her previous novels, and kept it up pretty well, until about 85% through (Kindle) and then gave up totally, threw up my hands, and took it off my machine.  The amount of information transmitted was wearing - conversations that go on endlessly, detailed descriptions of everything - weather, illness, destructive effects of terrorist bombs, furniture, and on and on.  I wanted to edit out a lot of things and condense it down to plot.  I enjoyed the characters, especially Boris, but found them all a little unbelievable.  The angelic Pippa, the nerdy Andy, the boorish and then beaten Platt, the shallow Kitsey, the good Hobie, and on and on.  So many people spread over so many pages.  I could talk further, but I think you are beginning to get the picture.  All in all, too much of a good thing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U7COSZZQQS8A?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There was too much time,drugs,and alcohol in Vegas.  The friendship could have been well established with lot fewer pages.  Likewise in Amsterdam.  Too much unnecessary detail.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23O7QS0CWCZ6T?ASIN=0316055441	Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, great observations, but somewhat self  indulgent on  the part of the author. Too much description and telling of every thought a  character has which makes  me think she  doesn't trust her readers to infer a single thing. It's like 12 years a slave, I'm glad I saw it but can't say I enjoyed it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR2AY4MPFD0FQ?ASIN=0316055441	it drags way too much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Its o.k. in parts, but then it drags on and on. Sometimes I thought, didn't I read this already?<br/>A 13 year old boy falling in love with a 12 year old, by only looking at her, its kind of hard to believe. His feelings are way too overwhelming for that age.<br/>The book is too long, it may have been o.k. in a shorter version.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S6VH9S79VLY?ASIN=0316055441	Some lovely writing...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book for the first half but felt the author 'over wrote' the second half and the constant description became tedious and the story lost its way</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K9A6DAYSMJJF?ASIN=0316055441	Slow to start	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am half way through and it is engaging.  However, it is a bit drawn out and could have been condensed a bit. It took awhile to get into it as it seemed to proceed slowly, but once connecting to the main character it became more engaging.  But parts are tedious.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IYZCBRTXTJC2?ASIN=0316055441	Great, but too much drugs.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't wait to start this book,  couldn't wait to finally get to the end!  Its a lot of pages, and while its well written and holds your interest throughout, it is a long read.  Wish there had been less drugs and a more satisfying ending.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3770NA4P95COV?ASIN=0316055441	how exciting!! . . . well . . . yawn . . .	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt has a knack for writing, no argument.  But in this novel, she lacks the knack of saying anything, philosophic though she may wax. A page turner from the beginning, by half-way (page 400???) it was clear the anti-hero was going to do yet another line and there was just nothing the author (or the reader) was going to be able to do about it.  WAY too long by half, I persevered for naught.  That bird had flown.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DVIHLN9N0RMU?ASIN=0316055441	just right	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An easy, enjoyable, linear read that kept up the pace and plot throughout. Some appreciation of art and antiques (and Russians!) may help sweeten the story. Not earth shattering, but certainly a pleasant read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKNT1WFPUK6TC?ASIN=0316055441	What a life!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Felt like the middle section when he was in Nevada was just a little too long and was too detailed.  Was a very interesting book, at times I couldn't put it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I97C75S99Q09?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">if one is a art or antique lover, it's a terrific book, although a bit too dragged out in places.  Both symbolism and the piquing  of the readers interest in the psychological motivations of the  characters is a tool well used to move along the plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K2VFB2ZBK6FU?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing given the hype around it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book went into too much detail that didn't seem to add to the story as a whole.  The amount of description around the drug taking of the young people following on to their early adulthood was nauseating.  I am not a prude and appreciate that these things to go on and colour the behaviour of people but there was endless detail about the episodes that was to my mind tasteless from an author of this calibre.  On the plus side I loved the concept of the lost work of art its journey and final restoration.  The characters were finely drawn and there was real excitement at times. In my opinion the story could have been told in about half the pages and would have then been a good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OSOG08USFW3D?ASIN=0316055441	good plotting, relentless detail, moralizing end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Subject line sums it up: she's given her young ""hero"" plenty of adventures, some interesting, some pathetic; she piles on all details she's learned about drugs, antique furniture restoration, the art market, post-traumatic stress disorders, and her philosophizing as she (finally) winds down her story is not as profound as she means it to be.  Why has this book gotten such rave reviews?  It's good but not that good.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BQYBLI837J5D?ASIN=0316055441	ending is slow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i loved the beginning and 90% of this book. the last 10% was so boring that i just skimmed the pages wanting it to be over.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X6N31YSSBLST?ASIN=0316055441	uck	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like this book , it was too long, too wordy and maybe it is an age thing but I see no good in exploiting drugs in kids</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDEBPGI6K9EJD?ASIN=0316055441	A beautiful painting; a terrible life.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so excited to read this book because of all the raves and ratings.  So I was very disappointed in the story and didn't even get involved with it until the last few chapters.  I have always know life was about choices and what you did with your life; this kid was a wreck and how he survived is beyond me.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20V0DUHQYSJXC?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating but dark	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a well written and intense book but took us into a dark world staying there too long.  The characters were well developed and very vivid. The descriptions in the book were too wordy and too intense &amp; I did not like the ending as much was left unresolved and it seemed very hopeless.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11Z5PBL36GLEZ?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious detail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story is wonderful, but the excessive detail loses some  fun in the reading.  I find myself skipping ahead, scanning over pages to get to the story….</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L3YYN8D13MPC?ASIN=0316055441	Review of Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started this book hoping that it would be entertaining.  I plowed through it and was disappointed with all the foul language tht kept on comimg up.  In fact I skimmed the last 1/3.  I did not enjoy the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TMEPWP0RQ78M?ASIN=0316055441	So Many Mixed Feelings . . .	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not sure where to start with this review. First, the length of any book isn't a problem for me when the content and the length mesh. In 'The Goldfinch' the content seems to have been inflated to fill about one-third of the page count, which could well have been left blank. I understand Tartt's obsession with detail, and I suspect her intention was to write a picaresque coming of age novel in the tradition of Dickens and Thackeray. The trouble is that her protagonist seems to be flailing around in a tumble dryer instead of going on a journey of discovery.<br/><br/>At the end it was clear that the author was trying to talk about the place of art in our lives, and how we can be consumed by an obsession with material goods. But that thread was lost through so much of the narrative, that I found that bit of philosophical exposition a surprise. The painting which was supposed to have entered Theo's soul and justified his existence in his own mind, disappears during much of the book. If we had been given more description of his relationship to the painting, the book would have been more cohesive, and the philosophical explanation at the end would not have been necessary. I would have preferred to have come to that understanding on my own.<br/><br/>I think Tartt is so devoted to the process of writing that she finds it difficult to think critically about what she is doing. I suspect she can't bear to lose anything through editing, and her editor can't override her wishes. Her graceful style carries her along, but is often obscured by holes in the plot and character inconsistencies. The ending seemed to be tacked on because someone told her that the book was getting too long, not as a natural outgrowth of the events previously written. I wish there were better and stronger editors out there who could give writers the gift of looking at their work clearly and as dispassionately as possible.<br/><br/>Would I recommend this book to a friend? I would, but only for a few of my friends, and with a strong caveat to be patient and suspend disbelief.<br/><br/>I was given the hardcover of 'The Goldfinch' after I had purchased it for the Kindle. I read the book in both incarnations, and while I definitely prefer the hardcover in terms of absorbing the material, the Kindle made reading a book of this size in bed.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTVRQ70OWMAE5?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well developed characters and smartly written plot. You feel part of the setting and get wrapped in the emotions.  Hard to put down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OKI6HYL653CA?ASIN=0316055441	Got carried away in  some parts.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the subject and I was interested in the art and the different cultures.  I did not care for the (off on a tangent about the politics). and the under world insertion into the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IIGI4TO21OKP?ASIN=0316055441	Absolutely GREAT read!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this story of a young boy who, at an early age, gets into the art underworld.<br/><br/>The story begins with a chapter from present time wherein the boy talks about how he hasn't thought about his mother in a long time. Then the reader is whisked back to when the boy was 13 years old. The author tells a beautiful story whereby you feel you are there. I'm not sure if the author used research or memory to get you through the Vegas days, but it was very real.<br/><br/>I highly recommend this book. While a little lengthy at times, it's is definitely a must read!!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM1W0FY6SV23V?ASIN=0316055441	My current favorite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book from the first page.  Immediately wanted to read more and find out why this charachter was apparently hiding out in a hotel in a foreign country.  I relished every page and at the conclusion,felt that I was saying goodbye to a friend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BW64LAR2RUJW?ASIN=0316055441	The Best of the Year and beyond	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved every word!!!  I rarely have problems putting a book down but this was the exception - I lost sleep and appointments because of the exceptional quality of the writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GJ8VI57GR1UO?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book received wonderful reviews and I was so looking forward to reading it.  I have been struggling through it and decided to put it on hold for now and perhaps come back to it another time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y8AXKQER74X9?ASIN=0316055441	Great Writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a master of combining adjectives to force all your senses into the time and place of the story.  The Goldfinch is a treat to read and savor despite being told from the point of view of a clinically depressed young man and hosting a cast of characters that are not like people you would ever meet or know.  I would recommend this book to those who love great writing and have the patience get lost in the journey.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O53XNM6V8WZ8?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I have read in a long time!  Donna Tartt is a masterful writer.  Her way with words describing events and characters is wonderful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KOJ2RW13WN36?ASIN=0316055441	A book you can sink your teeth into	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An intelligent, beautifully written book that you don't want to end.I found myself re-reading some paragraphs because they were achingly beautiful.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FS13P4MROTR6?ASIN=0316055441	Slow to develop	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, but the story takes way too long to develop. A good deal of editing would have helped. Save your time for another book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QBQMN7EG0XK4?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed 500 pages of this novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">but was made to suffer through an additional 200 plus in order to finish it. Enough is as good as a feast. Editor please.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R147DV4VGU4BLP?ASIN=0316055441	thoughtful intelligence	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From beginning to end, The Goldfinch was one of the most idea-driven, beautifully written literary novels, I have read.  Donna Tartt's confidence never failed me and it's ending did not disappoint me like so many otherwise well-written novels have.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R299DVXJ05JIH8?ASIN=0316055441	Gorgeous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is as beautiful as its subject, the chained goldfinch. I read it over the winter holidays and rode it slowly, fearing the loss of the people living in the pages. What will happen to the protagonist, his Russian friend and his two loves? Now it's over and I feel bearably sad and richer somehow. I remember a similar feeling reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance about 30 years ago. How do these authors do it? How do they see into our souls, wants and needs? Where do they get the wisdom? Read this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EJJ0WKV9YB5A?ASIN=0316055441	Moving beyond words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. Yes, it was long (not that that is a bad thing) and somewhat depressing--certainly not a feel-good book  It was, however, a fascinating tale and coming of age story.  The writing was beautiful and the story so well crafted that I couldn't put it down. The ending of the book moved me beyond words--the character's verbalization of his philosophy and outlook on life and how the painting really defined and shaped this philosophy moved me to tears.  I was sad when the book ended--books like this are few and far between.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SUTPH6K0AKUR?ASIN=0316055441	It is a riveting read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch provides the rare experience of counting the minutes until one can get back to reading one's book.  It is difficult to feel the emotions of a 13 yr old boy, empathize with his angst and painful loss, and experience his rude awakening to the depravity of the adult world and the adults in his world, especially being a secure, older woman in an upper middle class life.  Yet I felt all of the emotions and frustrations that Theo lived. Although he was not an especially likable, warm or personable teenager/young adult, I found myself rooting for him and hoping that he would extricate himself from his many predicaments and find peace.  Each character was so well drawn that all of us who have read and discussed the book, talk about the panoply of characters as if we knew them personally and well.  I couldn't wait to finish the book and at the same time did not want it to end because I know that books like this are few and far between. The Goldfinch deserves the critical accolades it receives.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKI1CN1O1TE8A?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch will keep you engaged until the very end.  The authors style of writing allows the read to become fully engaged, almost like watching the movie.  One of the best books I've read in years.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMTI3BL5RLPH1?ASIN=0316055441	What a ride!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great way to start the new year, by reading one of the best books of 2013.  Making the journey with the book's protagonist is a reading pleasure beyond words.  I highly recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PDYLGDJPIA1C?ASIN=0316055441	One of my favorite books ever.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book grabbed me from the first page.<br/> The story is intricate and marvelous and the writing is sheer beauty.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30PZ36AXPXC9P?ASIN=0316055441	Barely got through to the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book goes on and on and on on the main characters morose look on life.  Although the storyline was interesting and I love art .  The author eloquently wrote this book in a boringly slow pace and spent so much time in the mind of an excruciatingly lost loser.  No hope in sight for the main character.  The only character I liked was Boris who was left on his own in this book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GQBUKMIY2DIU?ASIN=0316055441	One of those rare books you cannot wait to get to each day.  Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book so much.  Great writer.  I will look at other books by Donna Tartt.  Lost sleep due to inability to put this book down.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26K8Z9BIE14OI?ASIN=0316055441	A bit tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many words. No particular plot. I guess characters will be hard to forget but confusing in parts, especially in last 10% of book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R380JJ6VPXKNBL?ASIN=0316055441	LOVED IT	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book of the year, hands down. Simply delicious, I couldn't wait to finish yet was sad when I did.  I'm going to get the audible version and enjoy it all over again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P0WMS4Q8DSQJ?ASIN=0316055441	Long and almost as complex as reality itself	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">intricate characters, sensual detail that gives it life, the smells, sights, sounds, vibes, all of it is so real. the plot has just the right amount of twists to remind one of the paradoxical nature of life. the author has a profound sense of art</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RX7I6TS0FYJU?ASIN=0316055441	Good, but a little long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Everything was fantastic, except for the too-long Amsterdam sections.  The information on art history and antiques, as well as the interplay between the narrator and Boris, kept me turning pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VJRXECMWHD3V?ASIN=0316055441	pure gold	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've loved all of Tartt's books so far and The Goldfinch is a worthy successor to The Secret History and The Little Friend, although not so tortured. It's a coming-of-age story with all that entails, and a good one. Tartt's characters are unforgettable and true to life. The painting in question is intriguing, and her fictionalized tale parallels its showing in NY, interesting coincidence.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HW1K1WICW9MR?ASIN=0316055441	I'm  a big, big fan	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I downloaded this book moments after I read its review in the Amazon Best Books of 2013.  I can't say it better than dozens of others. I finished far too quickly maybe two weeks ago and it has stayed with me.  The characters became so real to me that I miss hearing about them.  Maybe a sequel, hello Donna?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUI6PXO8KTERG?ASIN=0316055441	Best of the year; possibly best of the decade	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of my favorite novels of the last several years, and richly deserves the wide praise it has received.<br/><br/>Part coming-of-age novel, part thriller, part psychological character novel, and a clearly well-researched guide to antique furniture restoration and sales, not to mention the Dutch Master painting of the eponymous title, I was riveted to the book from beginning to end.  Tartt is brilliant and I can't wait for her next book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MT6I3RW17CZM?ASIN=0316055441	Not a book for everyone	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished reading ""The Goldfinch."" Not the type of book I would recommend to everyone. The author took 11 years to write this book and I honestly enjoyed about 75% of the book and then the end takes you into a drug filled world that makes one wonder if the author was on that same ride herself. I guess I was hoping for a Disney ending which never came. I pretty much judge how good a book is by how many times I read it. I don't think I will be reading this one again but now I'm curious to read her books written years ago. Too bad, this women has so much talent but I think somewhere along the way she has become ""benumbed"" as she would put it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R146VYZ28LK6GK?ASIN=0316055441	Great book - vivid detail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book - could not put it down and read all of it within a week.  Beautifully written and captures your attention from the beginning.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R271L5EIMB86BW?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is extraordinary!  The writing is surperb and although I finished the book a week ago, Theo Decker and his story is still with me daily.  This is the first Donna Tartt book and have since also read ""The Secret History"".  The only mild issue I had with the story as I was reading it was all the drug use in the book.  I found these scenes disturbing at times.  Somehow, though, those passages further shape Theo's character in a way no other experience could.<br/><br/>Good writing is so important to me when I read and although I read reviews for a book before I purchase and many times they state that the writing is ""good"" once I have purchased and read the book, I am disappointed in what was catagorized by ""good"" writing or ""well written"".  In this case, Donna Tartt is, in fact, a great writer.  She is very intelligent and had me caught from the opening pages.  I am not going to recap the story here as I don't enjoy reading reviews that do that.  What I will say is Donna Tartt's characters are very believable and in-depth.  For instance, there are moments when I would want to speak for Theo, speaking up about what is really going on, particularily with Hobie.  But, I believe this is what makes Theo so believable.  He has flaws just as all of us do.<br/><br/>As for the lenth of the book, the longer the better.  There is no more of a committment in reading an 800+ page book than reading a 150+ book.  If I finish a short book I am into my next book right away.  Reading continues.  Why not get so much more absorbed in a story that can stay in your presence for a longer period of time.<br/><br/>I miss Theo and he will be in my heart for some time to come.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W2ZPM8ERK178?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've never read anything like this.  The author definitely did her homework.  The amount of detail is incredible but at times you may get lost in the main character's train of thought.  I loved this book but found myself needing breaks because of how morbid it could be.  The writing alone makes this book worth reading.  It sucks you in with the level of description and display of knowledge of art and culture and the human mind.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15PXT0PO52C8?ASIN=0316055441	YOU HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the first book I've read of Donna Tartt's and I loved is so much, I went back to read all her others. It's so many stories within a story, and includes art, romance, lonliness, loss, intrigue.<br/>It's the type of book that grabs you into it, and you are no longer on your couch, airplane, bus, but you are within the pages, and become friends with all of the characters. Wonderful book, that I have been recommending to everyone that I see!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NTCTBJQF9U6?ASIN=0316055441	Be ready to surrender days to this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Another great one by Donna Tartt -- totally engrossing, so beautifully written, and a wonderful story of loss, love, art, loyalty, and friendship -- and when all those things are turned upside down and sideways. The descriptions of the places - NYC and Vegas - are spot on and transport you to those worlds, with all the grit and longing that each of those locales emanate expressed in stunningly vivid language and imagery. And the characters are also unforgettable -- I'm still thinking about this book a couple weeks after I finished it. I'm a fast reader, and it still took me reading nonstop for a good week to read and absorb, so be ready for that ""I can't put it down,"" reading scenario. Highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EY5INRASK9BL?ASIN=0316055441	Profoundly Great!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Author, Donna Tartt, writes with passion and captivating imagery. She adeptly mixes knowledge with adventure in a way that makes the reader want to turn the page. She makes the characters - Theo, Hobe and Boris really come to life. Her style reminds me of J. D. Salinger's ""Catcher In The Rye"" and I personally think she is definitely in Salinger's league as a writer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NC4MTDJNAYF7?ASIN=0316055441	All because of a painting...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch follows a paintings adventure and the lives it touches. How does this prized piece of art escape the musuem? How does it manage to stay hidden for years? And how it affects the people that have seen it ""out in the wild"".<br/><br/>My favorite character is Boris, a rough, tough and honest kid that enters the story in his early teens. You will feel sorry for Boris, hate him, he will disgust you but in the end you understand how life has made him who he is. Kind of reminds me that there is a little Boris in all of us, none of us are perfect, we all have our vices, that less than ""perfect"" childhood but it doesn't make us bad, only human.<br/><br/>I HIGHLY recommend this book. I picked it out for my Kindle not expecting much but it sucked me in and the story did not go the way I expected it to which for me is refreshing.<br/><br/>Happy reading friends!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q8BBS98W08M3?ASIN=0316055441	The most engrossing book I've read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt did an amazing job in creating characters and locales.  I felt like I'd been there and knew these people personally.  In fact, I'm still thinking about Theo and wondering how he's doing.  It isn't a lighthearted read, but there were some great laughs.  I was profoundly moved.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28W4I2DHZ50Z?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No let up in the depressing situations.  Destructive personalities, dysfunctional families, and too much description losing the story in the telling.  I kept reading because I hoped there would be a little happiness.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZICFE3RM9XLE?ASIN=0316055441	Must Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an incredible book.  Best I've read in a while.  The descriptions are awesome!  It was difficult to put down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQCD2ONQLH5B0?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I have ever read....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was completely captivated by this story from the first couple of pages and did not want to put it down.  The story is written beautifully and the way the author paints a picture with the written word is perfection.  You become engrossed in Theo's world and his mind.  If I could give it another star, I would.  Absolutely loved it!!  Looking forward to Ms. Tartt's next book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38MH0E2248TON?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging story and characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book pulled me in from the very beginning, and held my interest through to the very end.  Tartt's style is very vivid and engrossing.  For good or for ill, the main character spends a good portion of the book either traumatized or high, and with the first-person perspective and Tartt's language,  I often looked up form the page feeling totally disoriented myself.  That may put off some readers, but I enjoyed her ability to put me so completely inside the narrator's head.  Her sense of place also comes through very powerfully.  NYC, Nevada or Amsterdam, I loved her eye for detail.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PBW9HTWNBFPX?ASIN=0316055441	Why all the hype?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had heard nothing but good things about this book.  In fact, one of my book club members said it was the best book she had ever read--and she is a well read individual.  I found the entire book contrived and the writing was labored, and rather amateurish.  None of the characters were believable not likeable.  Maybe that is the main reason for my dissatisfaction.  I didn't want to spend any time with any of the characters. I usually finish books, but I couldn't make it through to the end on this one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REBN84IIG5Z54?ASIN=0316055441	Not what I expected.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Spent way too much time describing his drug use. Could have been a very interesting<br/>story but that got in the way.  Found the one interesting fact that it came out just as<br/>lots of lost art stolen by Nazi regime was discovered.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q043AE1WUFUX?ASIN=0316055441	An action packed novel.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books I've read.  I was delighted to learn the Goldfinch is an actual painting hanging in an art gallery.  The action in the book is exciting.  It is beautifully written.  I want to read more book like The Goldfinch.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A26RO3BO6PBG?ASIN=0316055441	Not an uplifting story so far.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have not finished the book because I found it too depressing. I do like my protagonists to have some redeeming qualities. The protagonist in this story is a thief, a liar, a drug addict and a confidence trickster. I haven't found anything to like about him so far. I might finish it later if I am desperate for something to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMBMGBHNNHBUF?ASIN=0316055441	Best book that I've read in years.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Complex,articulate and colorful.<br/> The thoughtful sentence structure is reflected in the characters and background of an original story.<br/> Even the punctuation is a thing of beauty which by itself demonstrates the precision of this work.<br/>I would recommend this book to anyone who appreciates quality writing and a good plot.<br/> Contrary to what I see that is popular and (unfortunately) bestselling,I feel that reading this book was actually a GOOD use of my time.I'm sorry that it I'm done with it-now what am I gunna do? Guess I'll have to read another Donna Tartt.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HY5ZD92W7UFZ?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful for art lovers	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Many reasons keep you turning the pages of this wonderful book. Started reading without knowing what it was about and to my surprise I had seen the Goldfinch by C Fabritius in SF back in May.  Beautiful little picture! I was hooked and the end was better than I expected. Love art, love reading, great book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HTON4CK5QXBR?ASIN=0316055441	Too long, too wordy.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the epic story, well-defined characters and the subject matter, but Tartt often gets hung up and sidetracked on long sequences that don't really support the main story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G4AK5RA21TSB?ASIN=0316055441	A Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book lost me half way through but I still enjoyed it very much. Parts of it seemed to drag before it picked up again towards the end. I would recommend it to others for the fascinating story line.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9311Z4C87151?ASIN=0316055441	An exciting romp from NYC to Vegas to Amsterdam	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like Dickens, a favorite of Tartt, a chain of events creates a narrative with memorable characters, very well drawn, believable dialogue and a page-turning mystery story. Better written and more fun than most of what's offered to the contemporary reader with a taste for the classics. Minor cavil is Tartt's language gets fuzzy and hard to comprehend when she leaves the story and delves into universal truths.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TKEFK74PBK5W?ASIN=0316055441	A Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent writing and a masterfully told story. It runs a little long, and if you're not the type to appreciate a book that has to be savored rather than chugged, then you won't like it. But if you let it do its thing, you will love it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XBL1G7K1ZI39?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't make it half way through this one	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very descriptive story with well developed characters.  This tale just couldn't keep my interest.  The author really put some work into this book.  Not my type of story is all.  Didn't finish and haven't looked back ...until this review.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19JK8F0MNMLB6?ASIN=0316055441	Welty	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I continued with this book because I had read the good reviews but I never came to care much about the main character and his exploits. Further I thought it highly improbable that he would have carried around the painting through so much and not even looked at it.  It was the low point for me. I think the most interesting character of this story was Welty.  I would much rather have read his story then Theo's.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUJ9BPK8S8HK1?ASIN=0316055441	Too much self-pity	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">New Yorkers may like this book, but I advise most everyone else to steer clear of it.  ""The Goldfinch"" is beautifully written, but it is basically a descent into a bottomless well of self-pity, gloom, and urban angst.  Our hero Theo Decker has more than his share of bad luck, but as a result, he wallows in drug abuse, deceit, self-pity, and dishonesty.  We are supposed to understand, forgive, and help him to rationalize his bad choices .  With only a few exceptions, most everyone in this book is deeply flawed, and the author is more than happy to enumerate those flaws, one by one.<br/><br/>Surely, living in Manhattan cannot be this shallow, this unhappy,  and this devoid of meaning.  Yet, that is basically the message of this book:  life (at least in New York, maybe everywhere) means nothing, and you might as well get used to it.<br/><br/>If you decide to read this book against my advice, at least lock up all of your sharp objects, lest you be tempted to use them on yourself.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31425P6SV5XZI?ASIN=0316055441	Sorry I read it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read every word of the book and every review I could find.  Neither changed my mind.  I did not like this depressing book!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JYSVIYCYUJVI?ASIN=0316055441	Great Story, Weak Ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the story, and I reached a point where I could not put it down.  Unfortunately, Ms. Tartt indulges in philosophizing at the end of the tale.  This was unnecessary and while it did not negatively impact my overall appreciation of the book, I did find it tedious.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC9PWIFMO5QFJ?ASIN=0316055441	What was this author thinking?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In my opinion, this book was a downer the entire 800+ pages!  If you like reading scores of pages of drug-induced dreams, imaginary conversations with imaginary people, more drug-induced fantasies, near-impossible situations, more drug related situations, etc. etc. this is the book for you.  When I was about 400 pages into the book, I remarked that at least one-third of it could be omitted.  After finishing the book (through sheer determination) I think now that at least half of it could be omitted and the reader would still have the story.  Whew!  What a tiresome read. I would not recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12VCE4V8NVC0X?ASIN=0316055441	The Gold Finch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much dwelling on drugs…very wordy without any impact on the story.  I would not recommend this book.  It is depressing.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R291MWTMB59R9Q?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started out great but lost speed quickly. Then, it just droned on and on and on. I didn't like this book at all.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A02VWMUDCOQM?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the main character was likeable (sometimes), I truly wished for a character who grew from all the misfortunes and his following mistakes.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXLATBESUTAX6?ASIN=0316055441	Starts out good slow and rambling by the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was really looking forward to what was going to happen to the characters.The writing is very colorful and interesting. About half way through the book it starts to drag, By the last chapter I was just skimming through all the rambling just to find out what happens to the characters.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10RLJ48MIZQAC?ASIN=0316055441	donna tartt does it again!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love this book. The author manages to make us care deeply about the protagonist as we watch him cope with the untimely death of both his parents.Both the New York and Las Vegas setting come alive for the reader as Tartt paints the quirky richness of each town. Not only does she compare the glaring brassiness of LA to the cultural hub that is NY, but she also uses similar techniques to highlight the difference between Theo's parents and the many people he meets on his journey to maturity.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R213XFQBYGN2Z4?ASIN=0316055441	Too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Previously read reviews warned of the slow start,the middle third was the most cohesive in the story line, the last third mostly drifted. I skimmed 2/3 of the book, all the lala talk while doing drugs went on and on, and there were a lot of those. But there was very little character building, too many unconnected dots. It was if the author finally ran out of walls, ceilings, lights, and streets to describe and had nothing left for the plot. I doubt I''ll read any other of her books.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YFZJZQ13TLOR?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really didn't care for this one...  He got away with a lot of bad behavior with no serious consequences.  Maybe it's just me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K7NZQJTHBTWI?ASIN=0316055441	Could Not Put It Down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Became thoroughly engrossed in Theo's story and could not put it down. I would have given it 5 stars, but I felt the ending was a little muddled. Would highly recommend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ARKJQZXZTKY8?ASIN=0316055441	What were they ON!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the story.  The characters are riveting.  The language is a delight. You want to read it slowly!  It certainly peters off a bit near the end however.  I'm no prude but could this be that you just get sick to death finally of the plot being driven by all the bad decisions that come about from too many drugs.  This does get boring.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI9NSAD048JE6?ASIN=0316055441	Kind of a crazy book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I never did get the book. Not my kind of story. It jumped around too much and was way too negative for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JDDE3BQ4EGN3?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book.  It had lots of unexpected turns and the writing was lovely.  The characters were flawed and yet I was hopeful that all would turn out well somehow.  I liked that it dealt with the fragility of life and how one incident colors everything that comes after.  Innocence can be lost in a fraction of a second.  It is also a testament to the power of love and friendship.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7MD48FQNROW6?ASIN=0316055441	A good book that could have been brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought long and hard between wether I should give this book a 4 or a 5, but I finally settled on a 4. Could have easily been a 5, however at times I found that the book was a bit longwinded. However saying that I did manage to  make it through this near 800 page book in relatively quick time, which perhaps is a credit to the authors writing style. But at the end of the day, for the complexity of the plot, I felt that a book of about 500 pages would have sufficed. And for that reason I give this book a 4.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7MC3ILZGSQC6?ASIN=0316055441	Not my favorite read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started good! Very good beginning! After about 200 pages, I felt like I was on a psychiatrist's couch, but it was someone else who was having the problems.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PVWUZAVNDKZE?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read the entire book but could never really understand what the author was trying to say.  I guess it is not my kind of story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q4VIY2PSB248?ASIN=0316055441	Very wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love description and appreciate philosophical musings....but...this was  like reading a speech by someone mildly intoxicated and very boring.you know those people who.keep going on even after you have given them every social cue to stop.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX4EBQXNN9ZLB?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought it because of the hype associated with it and the fact that it had something to do with art, but it's tedious and overly long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15QENVWY7JKQD?ASIN=0316055441	writing beautiful, content doubtful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved Donna Tartt's writing; the beginning was especially lovely, describing the relationship between Theo and his mom.  From the moment he moved to Las Vegas, however, I lost interest in him as the protagonist and felt very little empathy for him throughout the rest of the book.  In fact, I felt little interest in most of the characters.  Aside from this, Tartt's writing is beautifully descriptive.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X2XH7KUZL3NP?ASIN=0316055441	Fizzles out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out interesting and intriguing with a lot of movement. The characters are realistic and engaging.  The main character was endearing and the excessive drug use didn't fit his strength of character. About the middle of the book, I just got bored with the story and the ending was hopeless.  Just my opinion.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UGZTP0L70VWH?ASIN=0316055441	Well written but really depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No doubt, the quality of the writing is very good, which is the only reason I finished this book.  Too much loss, too much drug involvement.  It's hard to root for the main character.  Too dark for my taste.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ERX48GP2VDZ8?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't finish it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not sure if I should rate a book I did not finish.  It started out great, then there was a long dry spell and I decided I wouldn't finish it for the first time.  Gave it another chance a few days later and reached a very interesting section that captured my interest...until another long dry spot.  At this point, I'm not finishing it.  I really think this book would have been so much better if the author had kept it more reasonably sized.  I don't understand why it's so long, it's hard to keep everyone's interest when a book goes on an on like that.  I'm disappointed because the reviews were so great.  Maybe it's just me and my review should be ignored!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MZ7O1QEKDWKC?ASIN=0316055441	Took too long to tell the story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you like 14 line sentances describing inner thoughts and details, you may like this book. I found it covered a lot of ground for too long and didn't really add much to the tale.<br/><br/>I also found the premiss that it's not wrong to do something if it works out for the best, a bit difficult to take. When you do something wrong you don't know if it will work out in a beneficial way, so you shouldn't do it with that as a hope or possible justification.<br/><br/>I know this is supposed to be a great book. I didn't think so.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TBF2TH9NQCO0?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first part of the book was amazing and i could not put it down.  the secodn part was too filled sith drugs  to satisafy me until the last part of the book whic again became quite exciting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1URSWSUEJLBHB?ASIN=0316055441	A look into the psychological depths of the main character.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is absorbing but I found too much time spent on the drugs and booze of Theo's teenage years.  Also, the author seemed to be inside the head of Theo and at the end, too much so.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UY5XXZ46B4WL?ASIN=0316055441	Haunting and hard to put down...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully well crafted characters with layers of story upon story like the layering of paint . Liked this book very much, highly recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZTMJFHX36VEW?ASIN=0316055441	Overwrought	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms Tartt didn't seem to know how or when  to stop. Many of the characters were too dramatically drawn and the plot kept having one more amazing twist. Moments of good writing which gave perceptive insights into human condition were welcome, but were few. I read this book on a 14 hour plane trip from NYC to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and it worked fine to keep me awake and occupied</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30QYLL3QB8U8Y?ASIN=0316055441	Long and drawn out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book, while interesting at first, drones on and on about nothing most of the time.  More than 70% into the book I was bored and begging for it all to stop</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QO3DDSLMGS92?ASIN=0316055441	Drugs and alcohol	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much of this long, long book allotted  to description of young boys use of excessive  drugs and alcohol, and their abusive fathers.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FO81SW0DB4NS?ASIN=0316055441	Lost	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was so long that by the end of the book I was a bit lost. I think it could have been shortened by a couple hundred pages.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FOAR62Q7HXNW?ASIN=0316055441	the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was just OK.  Lots of drugs and alcohol and sex. I'm not opposed to these but they seemed to be the basis of the story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REYFCO0P5JFA5?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the beginning of this book - once the scene changed from New York to Las Vegas, the story and the characters went downhill. I kept reading hoping it would turn around but it never did. I disliked all characters except for a secondary one. I cannot understand the high marks given thismbook.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAB8ACN5TE2K2?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book kept me thoroughly engaged.  I got slightly sick of the main character being so out of it most of the time. It is a story which keeps the pages turning without quite understanding it's allure.  I haven't read The Secret History but it is next on my list!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FU3RAKFKM6UA?ASIN=0316055441	Epic tale of an accidental art thief	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Every page of this book was a joy to read, although heartbreaking at times. While several things are left unresolved, it was a satisfying ending filled with the right questions... because the thing about life is that there really are no answers -- it just is what it is.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C2P3YZM4ES3T?ASIN=0316055441	Artful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a philosophical read! The writing itself is as much a work of art as any masterful painting; it's absorbing and thought-provoking. I have to admit that the book began with a bit of a ramble, but once Theo got out of the museum-disaster rubble, both his life and the book picked up pace. The audio narration by David Pittu was equally masterful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTBC2UA6MP3HP?ASIN=0316055441	Slow pace	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The concept was a good one but I felt there was too much inner reflection and drug related confusion that became a slow down of a good story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30OGMNGFFMULW?ASIN=0316055441	Ultimately....unsatisfying	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was a great fan of The Secret History, intrigued by Donna Tartt as an author, one of those whose next work I anticipated with excitement. So the beginning of The Goldfinch certainly delivered--riveting, almost sparkling writing, matching the ""fireworks"" of the plot.<br/>And I DID finish it, which is something for a book of 700-plus pages. But alas, as I look back on my reading experience, I was sticking with much of the book after maybe its midway point, to see if Tartt could turn it around and deliver a reading experience that would make it all worthwhile. For me, as I view it now (the day after finishing) that didn't happen.<br/>Unlike some reviewers I rather appreciated the final philosophical musings and yet even those pages didn't redeem the book. Maybe I'll come back to it and see where it sits after a month or so---maybe it will stick with me in surprising ways.<br/>Meanwhile though, I'm glad I purchased it for a very reduced price as a Kindle Daily Deal and don't think it will be high on my recommendations.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MX1R5W12MZLR?ASIN=0316055441	Big Bang.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book started out with a bang--literally. It was a page turner, at least in the beginning, and I could hardly put it down. Then, after 3 or 4 hundred pages of drug-addled, strung out escapades,I lost interest in the story. Donna Tartt is an excellent writer. The Goldfinch is full of beautiful descriptions. But in the end, I couldn't see the point of the book. Some of her images stay with me. The story does not.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19WPZNJVVBDI5?ASIN=0316055441	Don't fall for the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Others have articulated the issues with this novel - no likable or relatable characters, illogical history,etc.  I won't reiterate.  Suffice it to say that I finally dragged to the last 15 pages and set it down - so exhausted and bored that I didn't even feel like pushing to the end.  Several days went by before I finally finished it.  I can't think of a time that I've even been that close to the end and not cared to see a book through.  Ugh - glad to be done…perplexed by what others found so enthralling.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NADWIN50DSLH?ASIN=0316055441	Great writing, depressing topic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't say I loved this book, and I so wanted to!  The writing is great, but it needed major editing - how many times do I have to get the details of this guy being high on drugs?!  The overall message is basically that life is extremely hard (abuse, neglect, death of loved ones), that we have to find ways to cope (in this case, drugs, alcohol and violence), and that good things can come from making bad choices.  Not very redeeming.  I was depressed for days after reading this book, unfortunately.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AT7FFVL6NFAO?ASIN=0316055441	A dreary slog!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is far longer than it needs to be and depressing from the start.  It's well-written but such a dreary story that it feels like it may never end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WXR4P0JHD0CI?ASIN=0316055441	How to Make a Short Story Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While it took me a while to get into this book, I persevered because I though it would be worth it.  After all, it's on the best seller list.  About 200 pages in, I was engrossed in spite of the long descriptions.  Then it just got repetitive, and I found myself skipping pages.  Then I gave up altogether.  It's too bad, because this author writes well, and her descriptions are great (the first time around).  All in all, a story that would have been great in 200-300 pages ends up being a short story made VERY long.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SHQ5E8N35RXS?ASIN=0316055441	long and laborious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book depressing and labor intensive. I felt exhausted by it. I kept reading, hoping that there would finally be a ray of hope for Theo. Sadly, he was thrust from one terrible situation to another, complicated by his terrible decision making skills.  It was possibly true to life. But this much raw, gut wrenching realism is more than I care to digest.  I gave it two stars and not just one because there were times when Ms. Tartt had my attention, then the down only roller coaster would take a new plunge.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L7LGOEVS5CWX?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to get through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just can't figure out why this book has been rated the #1 Book of the Year.  I am forcing myself to finish it since I bought it.  The constant abuse of drugs and alcohol just doesn't fit with the style of book I like.  At times, it does pinch my interest but I will be happy to get through this very long book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36I58REJMT7C8?ASIN=0316055441	Lives up to the promise of The Secret History.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's always a long wait for the next Donna Tartt novel, but always worth that wait. Theo Decker is one of the most compelling and realistic fictional characters I've met in years and I loved all the literate and insightful asides about life and love and art from the author and her cast of interesting characters. This book deserves its place on all the 'best of 2013' lists it's appearing on as this year ends. At almost 800 pages long, it almost seemed too short. I hope for selfish reasons that I don't need to wait another decade for Donna Tartt's fourth novel; those of you lucky enough to be starting with 'The Goldfinch' can go back and read 'The Secret History' and 'The Little Friend' for the first time.<br/><br/>(As an aside I also want to add that I have been a staunch proponent of paper books over their electronic facsimiles, but this was the first electronic text I read on my new Kindle Paperwhite. The sentences were so compelling that I didn't miss the tactile sense of ink on paper.)</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZC329Q9UUREJ?ASIN=0316055441	oh my	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First, I chose to rate this high because regardless of the readers situation it causes you to think, ""hard"".  Any one of us who has lives a thoughtful life has carried with us rage, pain and sheer ecstasy. The language is fine and so exquisitely honed that it never fails to prob our most painful moments. How is it that events that have occurred in our moments of complete  innocence can live for so long in our psyche and cause indescribable pain. I am old now, but I still pray for redemption.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30QG5A3MYHG0L?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I have ever read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, especially if you enjoy art and antiques and this book has wonderful characters who I will never forget....I loved this book from start to finish, as long as it was I couldn't put it down!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R1SDG1LEONUF?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing characters, interesting story, insightful and thought provoking.  Art, Manhattan, Russians, Vegas , love, crime, good intentions all make for a great read. Loved it. PS, because of this book I stood in line for 40 minutes in 30 degree weather to see Goldfinch at Frick museum in NY.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V66KHJ31UL2C?ASIN=0316055441	The book is very well written BUT..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's much too wordy.  Instead of 700 pages it could hve been written in 400 or 300 pages.  I found myself skipping over pages and stll have not finished it.  It reached a point where I just didn't care what happened to the main character!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QTWL7VQXUU7T?ASIN=0316055441	Still with me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book a month ago and it's still with me. I mention it to friends and family, ad nauseum! - Have you read this book? I ask and they turn back to cutting up carrots saying, ""You asked us that last week.""<br/>It's so well-written. It's not a quick read but I kept wanting to get back to it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37LJ12XKG7J20?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant as the bird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Do you love art, children, antiques, beauty?  Does reading a well constructed sentence give you pleasure?  Are you ready for twists and turns?  Does the concept of paradox intrigue you?  If you answer yes I promise you will enjoy The Goldfinch as I did.  Highly recommended .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31N99OZJNOUR2?ASIN=0316055441	Space in the Middle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The most fabulous book I've read in a long, long, time. It so speaks to the reader personally....I was sad to reach the final words....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB6M9P513YKUA?ASIN=0316055441	A different read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Page turner.  Interesting  Smart and well written. Ms Tartt takes her time between novels......but it is truly worth the wait.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKLA73IJ0HGL2?ASIN=0316055441	Wow. Just wow.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. Maybe ever.  And as long as it was, I didn't want it to end.  I have luxuriated with it for hours on end the last couple of weeks and hate for it to end.  There were parts I didn't love but overall it was mesmerizing. I will miss the characters dearly....although somehow I suspect they will be with me for a long time. Some unexpected philosophizing at the end but it worked.  Highly recommend!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15XJI1REC92SS?ASIN=0316055441	worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book or I should say this author takes a while to get to what she's trying to say,that being noted, I really enjoyed the secret history and the goldfinch also.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSZ1QJYZZXY90?ASIN=0316055441	Review for Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought that the Goldfinch was too wordy and not believable.  So many times Theo could have said ""No"" to Boris, but chose to follow a thug.  All the explanations were way to involved. The book should have been edited and the pages reduced to 300.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G5LU6KS53EQ1?ASIN=0316055441	well written-excellent  read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt daunted to tackle such a long book, but the goldfinch was well worth it.The story flows and propels one forward.  Donna Tartt does an outstanding job strongly characterizing both the inner and outer life narrative of the protagonist.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EXT1XHEOWFLB?ASIN=0316055441	way too many words for the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book spends way too much time describing minutia. I actually lost track of the story line in the avalanche of irrelevant words</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UXFNAVN93XPY?ASIN=0316055441	A study of grief and the strength of the human spirit.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A page turner.  Heartbreaking story with beautiful insight into the mind of a child who has lost his mother, and the world as he knew it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSLFUK5BD7CCK?ASIN=0316055441	Hard book to finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The main characters were so totally lacking in moral fiber that I found it very hard to like them or sympathize with their plight.  And the author wrote in so many minor characters and scenes that did nothing to enhance the overall plot, but just made it a slow read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FSVXSNBIBDPF?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch is addictive and hard to put to down from the very start --I loved this book! There's a reason this was on a lot of top 10 lists for 2013</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPXN9EJMMYS32?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long and drawn out....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I totally agree with other reviewers that this book could have been half as long and been a better book.  The Las Vegas narrative was extremely boring....went on and on and on about the drug use of the two teens, Theo and Boris.  Jeesh.  Ms. Tartt's writing skill is good but overly self-indulgent.  Almost like she enjoys the sound of her own voice kind of thing.<br/><br/>I did like the last part of the book.  She wraps up the thinking and learning curve of Theo in a concrete manner that brought some needed relief from all the depressing content.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBGXV6AKRRFYA?ASIN=0316055441	A Must Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">All I wanted to do was read this book all day long.  I picked it up first thing in the morning, could barely put it down to attend to the necessities of  real life, read it until I couldn't keep my eyes open at night, and if I woke up during the night,  I reached for my iPad and turned down the brightness of the screen, so I wouldn't wake my husband up.  I believe it will be viewed as a great American Literary Classic.  It is an intensely philosophical novel, but action packed and full of surprises.<br/><br/>It explores themes of randomness, grief, drug abuse, art, it's meaning and value, obsession, love, and time.  This is the kind of book, you almost don't want to finish, because you have become so attached to the characters.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23LINHMJX4NEW?ASIN=0316055441	Great start, poor middle, fair ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I looked forward to reading this book because of the glowing reviews by book critics and readers. I enjoyed the first quarter of the book immensely: Interesting plot, characters I cared about, phrases and descriptions a joy to read. During the middle half of the book, especially while Theo was in Las Vegas, the plot and quality of writing dropped precipitously. The descriptions of Theo and Boris'  drug use were endless and dreadful. After New York, Theo's character and qualities abruptly and immediately changed. His mother, and the painting, were nearly forgotten. He was no longer intelligent or curious.There was no transitional period, just an immediate change. In real life, changes in one's inner core happen over time. During the last quarter of the book, the author began to tie things up (a bit.) The painting became important again. Its loss to Theo and then Boris' discovery of the millions of dollars in finder's fees for the painting and others (including a Rembrandt, how miraculous is that?!) was just a little too convenient. I really, really wanted to like this book but ended up disappointed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KVK2QV72E1RP?ASIN=0316055441	So good~	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved Donna Tartt's other two books.  This one was wonderful.  Really compelling story (which made me want to read quickly) but really well read (which made me want to read slowly)</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JOCPO87X9MYU?ASIN=0316055441	A great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Another amazing book by Donna Tartt! Couldn't put it down! Her descriptions of PTSD, addiction, and the world of antique restoration and art dealing are incredibly in depth. A very good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NMHOSKB8Z4ZL?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Never knew what would happen next!  Extremely colorful characters and plot twists.  It was also a bit philosophical in unusual ways...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36QW5FRQ8WMPV?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written, emotional rendering of a story, the book grabs you from the start and drags you through a whirlwind of action, rollercoaster of emotion, and leaves you gasping for air at the very end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JJ8N8IHNSP0C?ASIN=0316055441	What is your talisman?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Prepare to commit yourself to this lengthy work that is in turns fevered and trudging.  Stability is in our protagonist's past; hope dances at the edges of his life in the form of Pippa, a haunting spirit who cannot be contained in a traditional relationship.  Abandoned--and later reclaimed--by an alcohol compulsive gambling father, literally blasted from his mother's protection in a terrorist explosion, he is pulled into disparate orbits where the most common connection is the dulling relief of drugs.  Throughout, the tiny painting of a goldfinch is his talisman, representing what he has lost and what he searches for.  The brief sparkles of light and life are never as bright as the glowering gloom that envelopes him until rescue arrives even when it appears the talisman is lost.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M2CKCTI2QBOI?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting to say the least	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can understand why it took the author 10 years to write this book.  She must have gone through a lot of different fazes and zeroed into each one of them.  It was interesting but got very depressing at the end.  I would read the first part again but the end was too dark to go through again.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R168M18P2Q30JW?ASIN=0316055441	the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I Chose this rating because I found the book sad but yet hopeful... There was alot of wit in it</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZVSJ7B439MQ0?ASIN=0316055441	Great book - well written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved it. Would have given it five stars if I liked the ending better. So well written.  I read it on my kindle and then bought a hardback for a Christmas present.  Wish there were more good books out there that didn't cost much. I read a lot these days</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8Z6ZM4TO8YKD?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing was incredible because you could visualize each character as they were speaking. Although it was disturbing at times to read, I couldn't put the book down. If I wasn't reading the book, I was thinking about it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIDWJ7B3WXB4X?ASIN=0316055441	2013 best novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Most readable novel of the year. Tartt's best book.  Amazing story of a memorable iconic character. The masterpiece was a perfect vehicle</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EEGJYM1VNX00?ASIN=0316055441	Read it if you haven't...you won't regret the time put into this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a novel!  Each chapter a novella on it's own.  I stayed up late at night not wanting to leave a chapter until the next day.  A remarkable story that was as sad as it was joyful...each balancing the other emotion out, leaving me with a satisfaction rarely found in today's novels. Theo's life in Vegas really hit home for me, reminding me of my ""high"" school daze. Such a wonderful journey of life this book takes you through, with such an enlightening ending that will make you think of your mortality in an inspiring way.<br/><br/>I loved some of the lines Donna Tartt came up with... a few I will share with you below:<br/><br/>...silent Frankenstein flashes of lightning twisted in the darkness.<br/><br/>...I'd stopped myself from blurting the thing on the edge of my tongue., the thing I'd never said , even though it was something we both knew well enough without me saying it out loud to him in the street - which was, of course, I love you.<br/><br/>...the present contained such a bright shard of the living past, damaged and eroded but not destroyed<br/><br/>Never do what you can’t undo.<br/><br/>He will find some other rich man to live off of. That is what he does. Good work if you can get it.<br/><br/>You know what Picasso says. ‘Bad artists copy, good artists steal.'<br/><br/>and the best line of the book:<br/><br/>...does it make any sense at all to know that it ends badly for all of us, even the happiest of us, and that we all lose everything that matters in the end—and yet to know as well, despite all this, as cruelly as the game is stacked, that it’s possible to play it with a kind of joy?<br/><br/>Read it if you haven't...you won't regret the time put into this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPEB8KLFZE9WO?ASIN=0316055441	A long, long book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is full of wonderfully developed, sympathetic and unique characters some of whom I would have liked to spend more time with in the course of the story.  This work also makes some powerful philosophical statements that are very astute and worth thinking about.  My only negative feelings are about the countless pages devoted to excruciating details of life in an alcoholic and drug induced state.  I found those pages to be redundant and offer disgusting.  Otherwise a beautiful read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRWV07A9JAH6Z?ASIN=0316055441	A little depressing but keeps your interest	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a little depressing.  Couldn't anything really good happen to this kid?  I think since everything that happens is so plausible, you really feel bad for this 13 year old kid.  That said.  It is a very interesting tale, and you will have a hard time putting this book down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W32USKONSB1K?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Having lived in Amsterdam and grown up in New York City, the spot on detail in this book got me right from the start. Brilliant story telling of the highest caliber.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YD3U1ENTRZD9?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautifully written book that accurately depicts loss and grief as well as the redemptive power of friendship and art.  A great read for the holidays!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R140SUY3SI6S6S?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I highly recommend this novel by Donna Tartt.  It's beautifully written, a true masterpiece.  ""The Goldfinch"" is considered to be the best novel of 2013; although I haven't read them all, I certainly agree that it probably has no equal.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SFO0B088S1H3?ASIN=0316055441	A  Wonderful Modern Old Fashioned Saga	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A Dickensian tale for the 21st century. From its initial premise - a bombing at  The Metropolitan Musuem of  Art- through its conclusion-a tale of loss redemption and the importance of art in our lives - it was a book I wanted to keep reading and did not want to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26D9GWVL4TNDD?ASIN=0316055441	Art gets under your skin!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long story, but engrossing. Somebody really obsessed with an object of great value. Starry writes carefully.you really know a lot when you finish. She claims it takes a decade to do a book, and she hopes to complete just one more. I'm glad I read it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RENMK357RVL9J?ASIN=0316055441	Great writing, I was hooked and couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a great book, the characters are so real that you feel like you know them and the places, New York, Las Vegas, etc. so well drawn you feel you are there.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IBDALU9V7DDT?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt ... have not read her novels before. Couldn't put this down. Great story of human nature. It was a bit lengthy, but I wished it had gone on forever!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TM3VW6KGPPCK?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a fast read and engaging from the first page. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I look forward to future books by D. Tartt!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YKC53Q7WUQLX?ASIN=0316055441	Artful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful use of the language, fascinating story line, and an insightful look at the world of art and antiques for those of us with little knowledge thereof.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIOB6ZWP6LDQ6?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting story you'll think about all day!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Riveting story you'll think about all day!  Each sentence is a masterpiece.  i've recommended this book to everyone I know.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QIQ5WYOMGWWI?ASIN=0316055441	Great Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like her debut masterpiece, The Secret History, this book held my wife's attention through several days of mesmerizing story-telling. Bravo to Ms. Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B1I7JLHMZ0ZR?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are only a few books that I give five stars, but The Goldfinch, to me, is certainly deserving. The writing is beautiful and engrossing. Donna Tartt has made me feel lucky.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VW9KTHUVYU28?ASIN=0316055441	Best of 2013	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An unusual tale about a baffled boy dealing with loss and finding security with a sweet mad Russian and a priceless painting. Vivid cruel and heartwarming.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F5H2Y1NE7J0O?ASIN=0316055441	Love it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's sad, funny, sweet.  I read this on the recommendation of a friend and am so glad I bought it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B46H7G4OCOKD?ASIN=0316055441	Immersive!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reading this book is like being immersed in another person's life. A searing depiction of what happens when a child goes from living in a loving household to having no parental supervision at all. A timely reminder that adults need to serve as role models not simply live their own lives ignoring their dependants.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1849ZL8178O1C?ASIN=0316055441	Lovely...yet something missing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">(Warning: contains some spoilers)<br/>This was, on many levels, a wonderful, intelligent, lyrical novel. The author's prose is strong, with imagery that pierces the heart. She is a powerful storyteller, too, who sucks the reader into her world. I spent several days reading compulsively, eager to find out what was going to happen next. There were unexpected twists and surprises, too, most of which worked (one didn't...Theo didn't unwrap the painting for years and didn't realize it was missing? Huh??). There were several awesome characters (Boris, Hobie,) along with a bunch of others who, for the most part, left me cold.<br/><br/>Where the novel failed for me was in the character of Theo, the protagonist. It wasn't so much that he turned out to be an amoral thief, drug addict, liar, and, let's not forget, killer. I really despised his father, and hated to see Theo turning into Daddy as the novel progressed. Still, that might have worked. But there was a disconnect between Theo's narrative voice--passionate, reflective, poetic, artistic--and his pond-scum actions.<br/><br/>I found this particularly disturbing at the end of the book, where he seemed to be able to gloss over everything he had done by concluding that he could be at peace by accepting that he was basically screwed up. That he *liked* being screwed up, and wasn't going to change. That may have worked for Boris, who had a convincingly good heart even when he was blithely committing mayhem. But it didn't work for Theo, who came across as cold.<br/><br/>His betrayal of Hobie was, for me, unforgivable. Even worse was that after he confessed it, he still lied and didn't try to put it right until he got amazingly lucky at the end. Remorse? Not so much. Growth and change and the desire to lead a better life? Nope. He'll be scamming someone else as soon as he gets the chance. Thus the disconnect, because the same voice that meditated at the end, and elsewhere in the novel, about the vitality and passion of art just didn't sound like the essentially soulless Theo. Can you separate yourself from your actions? Not really, dude. I wanted to see some character growth, some rehab of the soul, something to make me care, at the end, about this kid whose life I had been following for 800 pages. Instead I got the voice of the author writing passionately about the beauty and power of art. That was lovely. But it really didn't sound like Theo.<br/><br/>All in all, the novel is a significant achievement. It was worth my time. But for all its beauty, it didn't move me deeply, nor did it make me care about the main character. If it hadn't been for Hobie and Boris, both of whom I loved, I might never have finished reading the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QYCG0A8IA2UF?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was deeply affected by the characters, the rich details, and the utter agony of the story.  An amazing read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W9SUQIV7MRXV?ASIN=0316055441	A New Classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The ""Goldfinch"" is one of the best books I have ever read.  The writing reveals a depth of understanding of the human condition and the language is both straightforward and evocative.  I couldn't put the book down and was undaunted by its 775 page length.  I hated to see it end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LABB98UBUKU3?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'll start by saying this book is LONG.  But the further I read, the harder it was to put down.  The characters are complicated and developed fully.  The painting is at the center of the story, but really only as the backdrop that determines Theo's actions and personality.  I found the people to be sad, damaged, and very believable.  I would definitely recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JFS6X1J3XH9V?ASIN=0316055441	A Big WOW	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just a great book...quite possibly a masterpiece.<br/>I never much enjoyed this author before but this time out, she has written<br/>one of the most frightening and realistic openings and sustained the<br/>suspense, intrigue, horror throughout.This is the definition of a<br/>page turner."" Skillfully written and beautifully told.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WOKVQPVAX0MS?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've read in 2013	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an incredibly gifted writer. Sit back and allow her words and this story to envelope you. Enjoy!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1244IAJ5PH9B8?ASIN=0316055441	well done!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is an epic tale. Though some parts are long and tedious, the book for the most part reels you in and keeps you captive for all 700+ pages.  I was mesmerized by the characters, they were beautifully created and had distinct personalities and traits.  It was fascinating how Ms Tartt wove everything together.  However, I didn't like the end and how Theo profited from the crime he set in motion. His mother would not have been pleased. His father?  Well, let's just say ....the sins of the fathers......  Overall, a very good read. Lots to think about.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37PHCCB0N1URG?ASIN=0316055441	A very fine but uneven novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved parts of this  novel--the concept behind it is moving and original and what the author is trying to convey here is likewise moving and quite profound. The main character, who is also the narrator, is very well and sympathetically drawn on the whole and Boris, a major character, is brilliantly drawn. The author has a huge talent and is a wizard with words. The writing at best -- especialy the descriptions of settings --landscapes and room interiors--is very evocative and moody and the author conveys Manhattan and Los Vegas and the desert so visually and vividly it's as if the reader is there. She is a very visual writer and what she has to say about art and loss and  life itself is conveyed with a fine subtlety and poignancy. The ending was so moving and beautiful it knocked my socks off.<br/><br/>That said, I found the novel too long by far --  there is far too much minor and often superfluous detail and at times  its just dryly reported --a mere flat itemizing of room furnishings, what people are wearing and the like. Up to a point, this kind of detail is necessary to the subject matter but there's just too much of it and when it's merely reported flatly reported by the narrator, it's not only  tedious but breaks the otherwise fine immediacy and personal voice of his narrrative. Ironically, this kind of impersonal reportage is the more obtrusive because the story is so very involving and immediate on the whole.  I also found the story itself just plain too long--there are too many minor episodes so that the flow of the story and it's main outlines get submerged. I think this novel needed ruthless editing and cutting back. This is just my view -- a friend of mine disagrees with me that the novel is too long but I got so bored at times I even thought of not finishing it. I did, however, because it is essentially too fine a novel to give up on and I would have missed the sublime ending if I had done so.  I think this novel is a flawed masterpiece or, if that is an oxymoron, that it would have been a masterpiece if far shorter and the writing less uneven. Flaws and all, however, it is one of the best contemporary novels I have read in years.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UI25HHGMSPQW?ASIN=0316055441	A must read!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book! Fascinating characters and a moving story of a boy who is raised to love art. A heart touching story of a boy and his love for his mother, a must read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JNM8GZ1D3D2?ASIN=0316055441	A fun read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Actually I very much enjoyed this book  it was fast paced and the character were very real and attractive  the story had depth but  not  hard to follow.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2USA589NKW03L?ASIN=0316055441	brilliant!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put it down!! Incredible concept as well as characters. Very well written. I am anxious to read her other books now!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDVV3BT0A2WNF?ASIN=0316055441	excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm half way through- it's a great story, well written and well paced. I'm going to follow this writer and read more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WOFAQCNYF13Y?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a Golden Tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best story written in a long time. The complexity and always changing circumstances for the main character (Theo)is a modern day comparison to a Dickens novel.  Very hard to put this tale down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GRR45JAN7HU8?ASIN=0316055441	absolutley loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Have not read a book that is written in such detail.  Evoked a considerable amount of emotion.  Original characters and absorbing events.  Will look forward to reading another book by this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34UHDZTGD8EIG?ASIN=0316055441	just started to read this	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the book was on every top 10 list, so I said what the hell and started to read it.  I had no idea what it was about, and found it to start out a little slow.  I'm now about half way through it and can't put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26D1LP533R7RY?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've only just started it - in about 200 pages, but I'm loving it! Her descriptions are wonderful; the characters are well drawn and I'm fascinated by the story. Can't wait to find out what happens to Theo and the painting! When I'm finished reading, I will come back with more....</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PS7R83H0VNJX?ASIN=0316055441	Let it be over.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gave it four not five because it was 200 pages too long--needs a good editor. Boris is a great character.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9CHCTRPYFCIL?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the Wait!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A most interesting coming of age tale, heart wrenching, yet warm and filled with human insights. Filled with characters both rich and shallow, lovable and disgraceful, the story could not have been properly told in fewer words.  Highly recommended reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q2D7OLOFO8WB?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be so intriguing that I could not put it down until I finished it.  I wanted to know what was happening to Theo.  I loved the characters--they seemed so real and some of them, so needy.  It was a wonderful read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HRFUH6H8RJXK?ASIN=0316055441	Great book of the Year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this all too quickly since I was sorry when it ended. But it was worth the purchase on my Kindle so I can go back and read it anytime and I will.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F9KJZCKEJRM5?ASIN=0316055441	Best book this year.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So many twists and turns. There were some selliquais that made you just think WOW this is great writing.You just can't put the book down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OF4OCDTL2FNH?ASIN=0316055441	A fascinating tale!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a classic! The depth of the characters and the richness of the plot make this book one of my all time favorites. This complex tale will stay with me always.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CFJTQDU9AY55?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch - a must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I do not read much fiction, but decided to give ""The Goldfinch"" a try. The reviews were very positive. I am very glad I did!  An extraordinary book, one of my top ten. I have bought this book for my family..from Amazon, of course. This is one of the most well written novels I have ever had the pleasure to read....totally thought provoking....reaches into the soul of the boy to man experience, a very tortured soul with huge depth. There is so much to take in, atmospheric and prosaic, a truly one of a kind book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PW6PU8R7IV5I?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved The Goldfinch.  Ms. Tartt brings New York City alive in her vivid descriptions of people, places, things and events.  She portrays real people, with all of their flaws and foibles, and I had a hard time putting the book down.  I highly recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F7FFA8H9GDWJ?ASIN=0316055441	incredible book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books i've ever read. the plot is layered and twisty but believable, modern yet old-fashioned (in a good way); characters well-rounded and full, the writing so beautiful and descriptive that you feel as if you are there, wherever the story goes. It's dense without being heavy-handed, though it's not a light read. Makes you wonder if the author has gone through much of what she writes about... how else could she make it seem so real? The wild tale ends in a satisfying way, though the last little bit is quite a heavy philosophical bite. Still... a great book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R61RY8KUD8E99?ASIN=0316055441	The best book ever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was captivated from the first page.  There was lots of really great stuff about art that i had never heard, and I studied art history for several years.  I did learn so very much from this book about unbelievable circumstances.  Take a chance on this one, you will not be sorry.  As Stephen King said, ""Awesome"".</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZSCY0NJUVAHD?ASIN=0316055441	Read This Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Classic characters and seat-edge writing that will resonate with the reader long after the last word is read. Don't delay the experience.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OAXVYHYI2Z77?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I discovered Donna Tartt through The Secret History and, although I enjoyed The Little Friend, I didn't feel it was in the same league as her debut. So, I approached this novel with some trepidation but, I am delighted to say, it was unnecessary. This is a masterpiece - in fact, it may well end up considered her greatest work. A huge, sweeping novel, which takes you on a roller coaster ride, doesn't let up for a minute, and has a breathtaking ending.<br/><br/>Theo Decker is a young boy when we meet him, who lives with his mother in an apartment block in New York. His father has left and his greatest worry at that point is that he has been suspended from school. On his way to a meeting with his headteacher, Theo and his mother visit an art gallery and his life changes forever. A bomb explodes and Theo is unable to find his mother. Instead, he finds an injured, elderly man, who he had seen before wandering the gallery with a young girl. Before dying, the man gives Theo a ring and he also takes a painting - The Goldfinch, a masterpiece painted in the 1600's. That whole scene is like a dreamscape, as Theo emerges onto the street almost unnoticed and returns home. However, he cannot remain alone forever and, before long, social workers emerge on the scene. From that moment on, Theo is shuttled from place to place. He spends time at the home of a school friend, visits the antique shop of the man he saw in the gallery and finds his business partner, James Hobart 'Hobie' and meets the girl, Pippa, is reclaimed by his estranged father, befriends another lost soul, Boris, at his new home in LA, before returning to New York. Throughout his travels, Theo is neglected, often lonely, always feels an outsider and, although he fears discovery, clings to the painting that he took that day. It is meaningless to say more - this is a huge book and you will need to give it your time and attention, but it will reward you amply. A stunning achievement and possibly the best book of the year.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E8UJ2I9P3Q6E?ASIN=0316055441	Once read, never forgotten!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch in an incredible novel about the devastating effects of violent loss and the redemptive power of art and love.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QLWYVW2275M8?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderfui book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It really is a 4 star book (due to questionable editing---Tartt does go on and on at times) but the writing is so fresh and the imagery so luxurious that it stands out as the best book of the year for me.  I can see how people who like crisp writing and get-to-the-point books will hate this novel but those of us who love to read will appreciate the incredible gift of Tartt's prose.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PVH9COBTFDDA?ASIN=0316055441	Almost a great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would have given 5 stars except for for two criticisms. 1) I thought it was too long, especially after near the end (after the climax) and the section that followed could have been edited. 2) While most of the characters seemed fresh and unique, the Boris character was kind of a stereotype of the typical Eastern European immigrant. It wasn't that he was unlikeable, just kind of predictable and cliched.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TTTH8TTJXD44?ASIN=0316055441	Mind blowing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story drew me in quickly and continuously. The words that she used where rich and refreshing! I have found my favorite author.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WM8F42PYLJC4?ASIN=0316055441	Guilt, loss, and a masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I started reading this novel, I positively luxuriated in the writer's prose. It is so gratifying to read good writing. And so rare. It's been called Dickensian by critics. It certainly is an epic journey, the relationship of a young boy in New York City with a small (physically small) masterpiece painted by an important if relatively unknown painter. (This is a real painting, too, you can look it up. After reading the novel and looking up the painting on the internet, I was a bit surprised at how subtle and small it appeared.)  The story starts from a credible (in this day and age) terrorist event happening at the art museum in New York, and follows this boy through his turbulent adolescence into a shaky adulthood. Perhaps the novel is Dickensian because at the start he loses his mother, with whom he had a sweet and safe intimacy, and he has to depend on others who are not always so reliable. The picturesque characters he encounters come to life for us. And there is always the painting, The Goldfinch, an entity that takes on a personality. Donna Tartt does not pretty things up too nicely, but the ending is satisfactory. The boy truly grows up. Guilt and loss take their toll, but he learns how to trudge through his life with a certain dignity.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DSIWLBG3MWSM?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you start this book, be prepared to be sucked in and have to struggle to find a stopping place. “The Goldfinch” is a real find that comes along perhaps half a dozen times per decade, a smartly written work of literaturel that connects with the heart as well as the mind. I read it.  I loved it.  It definately will leave a long lasting memory!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY7LA048F71YT?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully-written novel well worth your time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best novels I've read in a very long time, and I read quite a bit of popular fiction. The writing is beautiful, clear, and achingly insightful, and yet has the wonderful quality of not getting in the way of itself. By that I mean, sometimes beautiful writing can make for a plodding, difficult-to-read book. Not this one. The story moves along at a nice pace - not what I would call an absolute page-turner, but it definitely kept me interested and up late reading and I finished it in only a few weeks (fast for me for a 750 page book!). I found myself quite attached to the characters and very much wrapped up in their world. Certainly the kind of book you can snuggle up with for hours at a time.<br/><br/>As others have said, it is a bit like a handful of novellas put together, as the main character progresses through a few different stages of life across the different parts of the book, but I did not find them disjointed at all. I enjoyed jumping ahead a few years every now and then so I could find out what happened to him next in life and how he had changed. Some have noted that the plot is unrealistic. Perhaps, but that really did not bother me or stand out to me at all. In fact I'm not sure I would have made that observation myself if I hadn't read it previously in a review.<br/><br/>I look forward to reading Donna Tartt's previous books and will eagerly await the next, even if it takes another ten years. In the mean time, I may just re-read this one!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11USWRJKQWG8M?ASIN=0316055441	Great coming of age novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a 700 page investment with wonderful returns. the relationships between Theo and the other characters is wonderful. Boris is such a dynamic character. I originally hated Boris, but soon I appreciated his circumstances.  The final chapter was disappointingly drawn out.  Not being an art history aficionado made appreciating the chapter much more difficult.  The story reminded me a lot of Rule of the Bone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13XKGU252J0FP?ASIN=0316055441	Hop in the Tartt taxi	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">best descriptive writing I've come across in years. Truly transports the reader to New York without having to pay cab fare.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SNOPJX9GMKUJ?ASIN=0316055441	So, I am glad I listened to The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the only book I have read/listen to by Donna. Tratt. The narration  was great and probably why I finished the 20+ hours of listening. Lots of  twist and turns. The main character becomes somewhat predictable as an unpredictable drug user with no faith in anything including himself.<br/>This book answered some questions I have had about people who live in a world with a perspective dominated by drugs and alcohol. I have wondered why people would rather lie when the truth could benefit them so much more. I discovered why the future to some is only 15 minutes away or at least the next fix. How someone could say ""I love you."" or NOT say ""I love you."" and walk out the door and out of someone's life without thinking of consequences. And finally, why people think a good time is time an oblivious high.<br/>I wish Tratt's characters were unbelievable, but I have met some of them. They think and talk of how much they care or want the kids, girlfriend, boyfriend, family, and friends and then do what they really want to do, and that is to get high. I think HER writing HIS thoughts gave me an incite of what women think men think. (I do the same visa versa.)<br/>If her theme is ""life is short, enjoy it."" then her definition of enjoy is much different than mine.<br/>So, I am glad I listened to The Goldfinch.<br/>Thomas Mitchell Shamburger<br/>Author: Inquest: Living With the Dead, Weddings, Music for the Not So Rich and Famous.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFRM0RVUPS5FY?ASIN=0316055441	really enjoyed this one	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading Secret History some years ago, I thought Tartt was all foreplay--engrossing and entertaining as it was--but no finale. With this book, she got it just right: a deep, intimate, finely textured, deliciously vivid story with a satisfying ending too. Great characters, suspenseful plotting. I didn't want to put it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHH2SM8253SVJ?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have lived in the world of The Goldfinch for over a week.  It was nearly 800 pages but I read slowly to absorb and appreciate the story.  I cared greatly for Theo but couldn't understand some of his choices, appreciated Hobie, and had a love-hate relationship with Boris.  There were so many other important characters who I ""met"" but these three were most important.<br/>  There were times the details bogged down the story but on the whole every word mattered.<br/>  I would cautiously recommend this book.  I'm very glad I read it but it does take time and some work.  The characters were not always lovable but were strong.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OW49VCI9HA73?ASIN=0316055441	Don't miss this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long and fabulous book.  The characters will remain with you forever since they are described in such thick detail.  The plot is so clever and so intriguing.  The book asks some serious questions, among them, ""Why should we live?"" and makes the reader question all the twists and turns in his own life depending on the circumstances that occured.  I do think you need to be an above average reader to understand this book.  I rate it among the best I have ever read.  Donovan</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3POFYEN58FRMI?ASIN=0316055441	"""Get PIP"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt can write beautifully. The beginning of the novel is very good and gives you something to anticipate. Perhaps a good editor could have saved the remaining story. Imagine ""Great Expectations"" interpreted by Quentin Terrantino, and you've encompased this book. This is not meant as a complement. I forced myself to finish this novel; after throwing it down in frustration more than once. If I want to read about losers, druggies, and alchoholics.........I don't.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18KXADYMD2L6O?ASIN=0316055441	AMAZING BOOK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This has become one of my favorite books next to To Kill a Mockingbird.  The writing is amazing.  I could not put it down.  I read it within two days because it was such a page turner.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LLO05O9LH04M?ASIN=0316055441	Modern Dickens	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While reading this I had absolutely no idea where it was headed, and it didn't matter, I was just thoroughly invested and captured by Theo and his exploits. At times I found the book maddeningly wordy, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment, and I would say for roughly ninety percent of the book I was completely captured. It was only in the final-and I really mean final-pages that I found myself wandering as the narrative was suddenly peppered with philosophical musings, as the story wrapped up. The comparisons to Dickens aren't unwarranted both for the size and scope as well as the richly textured world, here New York and Vegas, as well as a collection of unforgettable characters. Sweet Hobie, Boris, and of course lovely Pippa. A contemporary book, that feels instantly classic, it certainly is worthy of its praise.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SZ74JTJHY84Q?ASIN=0316055441	Finest novel I have read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the finest novel I have read in years. It combines story telling,an in depth character study and a fascinating discussion of fine art history and philosophy.This is a coming of age story marked by a succession of traumas and their long ranging effects on this adolescent boy's development. Even though there were over seven hundred pages to read I found all of them held my interest and stimulated my thinking. I thought that all of the characters were extremely well drawn from the dysfunctional Park avenue family to the Ukrainian friendwho had undergone his own repetitive traumas. I found the settings of New York,Las Vegas and Amsterdam to be very evocative in the way that they were drawn and very moving in terms of their impact on this young person's experience.<br/>  I highly reccomend this book to all of my literate friends.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WZKT7E5JEE1D?ASIN=0316055441	excellent read,too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">if they had cut about a hundred pages from this book ,I would have enjoyed it more,but I did think it was very good and so well written,thought the end was too long</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R327VT6UGM0IX2?ASIN=0316055441	The saga of a yoing boy who  steals a painting  during an explosion in the museum	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the story of a young boy who is in the Museum of Art during an explosion. He leaves with the painting The Goldfinch .His mother is killed in the explosion.  The reader follows his story and the relationships that he develops. This book is extremely well written and engages the reader. My one negative comment is that it is very wordy and thus unnecessarily long. Not withstanding I do recommend it</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNKXFRM3GJZTV?ASIN=0316055441	A Good Story in Too Many Words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this book quite alot but it really was way to long.  The basic storyline was very good reading and it held my interest to the very end.  What I did not enjoy were the pages and pages spent discribing drug and alcohol induced stupors.  Tartt could have told her story in 500 pages rather than 700.  Her philosophy of life was interesting at the end but that could have been shortened also.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G8DOHO1WTBM3?ASIN=0316055441	A Dickens of a Tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a great story filled with interesting characters and fascinating info about the dark side of art dealing and forgery. The underworld denizens are colorfully drawn and are a there to advance the storyline. Don't be put off by the length of the novel. Once you start reading you will not want it to end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIRMULWE4BL0Y?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is wonderfully written and has an excellent story.  Well worth the time!  Best I have read in a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RDP0C7LYZVEC?ASIN=0316055441	I'm loving it...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm loving the book!  I actually bought it as a Kindle then upgraded to audio and I really appreciate hearing the story as well as reading it.  It's a beautifully written book.  The characters are real and believable making the story that much more amazing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H545QGL61XI?ASIN=0316055441	Sad, sad novel.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There was no redemption in this novel.  It started with a sad, horrific scene and they kept getting more and more sad.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GUI3A0YX3G45?ASIN=0316055441	Mesmerizing Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written and mesmerizing story of a young boy and his argument with his conscience. There were many factors in the story that influenced his character. I have recommended this book to many friends.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WA3K8NLX5LO3?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt Has Done It Again	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt may have been faulted for loose plotting in the past, but that isn't so in this novel. The plot moves along, so much so that the book is hard to put down at times. Wonderful writing, inventive descriptions, excellent background research, fully-realized characters. Only the ending disappoints, being a bit pontifical without full resolution.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R6CR7G0A5766?ASIN=0316055441	Beyond My Expectations!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Confirms the possible power and joy derived from a novel. The range of the tale, details and character informations takes the reader on a wonderful journey. Loved it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MCTDI4MM07AC?ASIN=0316055441	The most downtrowden among us can still sing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line remained clear thruout the book.  The emotions of all of us from the simplest of love to the deepest of hate, from the fierce  passion to the complete desolation hence the goldfinch in a cage with no freedom except to sing and so he sang.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R391ERFZ6IRMM5?ASIN=0316055441	A very modern novel with a Dickensian heart	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book.  Beautiful writing with standout characters and a page-turning plot.  A very modern novel with a Dickensian heart.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WEPILWVM5KF3?ASIN=0316055441	Talent personified	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best novels I've read in years. Great character development but not crazy about the didactic ""this is the meaning of life"" bit but enjoyed it immensely none the less.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KR5TKVJRAZKW?ASIN=0316055441	Mesmerizing Dickensian tale.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The entire book was mesmerizing. A modern-day Dickensian tale. Description and characterization second to none. I had to set an alarm to make sure I didn't spend all night reading this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M0QQLWHAD8LD?ASIN=0316055441	Little yellow bird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A vision of the little bird remains with me. It is worth reading if only for the descriptions of the painting.  At some points I strongly disliked most of characters.  I am glad I kept going.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20FCEBOO04UO1?ASIN=0316055441	answers	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The prose at times is poetry. This is a hard journey but one I will treasure forever. Thank you Donna Tartt from Greenwood Mississippi for this literary masterpiece. I will read again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YU37OQTPR573?ASIN=0316055441	Mesmerizing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't remember the last time I read a book of this quality. I would wake up during the night and start reading because I just couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J891OC05PM68?ASIN=0316055441	A first-rate remarkable novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This remarkable book was pure reading pleasure.  The cast of characters, especially one named Boris, are complex and intriguing.  They become real, surely someone you know.  We understand why they behave as they do because Donna Tartt provides solid underpinnings for their actions.  There is humor, sadness, adventure, mystery, tragedy, and hope.  You can forgive the few somewhat improbable situations because you know life is even more unbelievable.  No spoiler here; read and be ensnared by this rich and rewarding novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21FJNFO7GS3RY?ASIN=0316055441	Happening now	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A contemporary and insightful novel. Loss of loved ones and how it can impact your life. Circumstance and choice? Who? If anyone decides. In the<br/> end we can only hope for the best...<br/><br/>Benjamin</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CEIWBVLGMC7G?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing In Parts But Rambles	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch has so many beautiful moments spread throughout the book. The first 1/3 is amazing and so perfectly done.  After that, you get the feeling that the writer decided to go with a stream of consciousness writing technique that rambles and meanders and all the while you have to wait for the story to begin again.  The reader gets exhausted, the story tedious. And, this writing illness gets worse as the book progresses.  Many long rambling passages of sheer boredom.  Editing would have helped immensely because a beautiful story is buried within.  I kept with it till the end and it was beautiful but I had to work hard for it...really hard.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ISHJM2VRI7K9?ASIN=0316055441	No better way to spend your time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A perfect example of the phenomenon it tries to explain. Art and how it impacts the individual and speaks across time</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHJJ5GV16TVNC?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt a master at description	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In terms of the beauty of language and the ultimate point arrived at through a haze of danger and drugs, and in terms of captivating readability, consistent characterization, and insight into the world of collectors' and museum art, The Goldfinch is a five-star book. If you are looking for an easy read that won't make you uncomfortable, forget it. If you just started your 12-step program, you, too, might want to leave it alone for a few years. These things aside, I felt that just marveling at Tartt's way with words made the 700+ page trip worth it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33A3Q97UQO7SR?ASIN=0316055441	Terrific in every way	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really loved this book and since I was disappointed by her first book 20(?) years ago, I was not sure I would. Great characters, great story, beautiful writing. A meaty book that was fun to read, with themes that are worth discussion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7P1Q37ZVOOQ0?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch was a grabber!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch held my interest until the very end! I was impressed that the female author was able to use the male voice and image so effectively. Readers learned mcuh about the antique refurbishing and marketing trade. The conclusion was realistic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KBO607N4Y0IA?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's beautiful.and the characters are really well drawn and believable.  You just have to root for them, and the suspense builds as you wonder what will happen to the painting.  Loved Boris.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QKWIX4J26I3X?ASIN=0316055441	Best read of 2013	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written!  This book is written so well it feels like I am watching a movie in my mind.  Makes me want to read any other works by this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IDWZ40AK2A2C?ASIN=0316055441	Art...and its impact on a life!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It got a little long about a third of the way into the book, but continued on with the story of this young man...and the story of a beautiful painting that has such power, as many pieces of art do, to have impact on so many lives.  The musings at the end of the book are meant to be read again and again, about the possibilities and power of art on so many lives, inlcluding this young man.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CHO07DT62CJM?ASIN=0316055441	Meaning in madness, purpose in the chaos?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Painfully peeling away the false sacrin Disneyfied layers we have painted for ourselves on top of Reality (synonymous with Truth and Beauty), Donna Tartt takes on the big questions.<br/>First rule of restoration: do nothing that can't be undone. She carefully strips away our comfortable false constructions and lets us see this old world of ours for what it is.<br/>This is beautifully written. Artfully told.  Warm and with a certain humor and great adventure.<br/>Besides all of this good stuff of which great novels are made, there is also the world of the underground art trade AND furniture restoration!!!! Perfection!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BKB57SNCXRA0?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinsh- highly recommended!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is not the normal genre that I tend to read... I generally go for suspense, crime fiction.... Lisa Gardner, Karin Slaughter, Tami Hoag, etc.  After reading the NY Times review as well as of the of The goldfinch, I had to pick it up.<br/><br/>I absolutely loved it! I would read pages any chance that I had. Tartt's detail and beautifully wrought descriptions of everythi9ng n the book was a joy to read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z466H3JE4ZCE?ASIN=0316055441	Relationships between men and good and evil	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the main characters.  The art world was fascinating to me.  The friendship between the two guys was both endearing and sad.  Loved how the deception was dealt with. Good , good book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27CDVP6IS4KJ9?ASIN=0316055441	terrific book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">fantastic, beautiful prose  and a moving story  which i enjoyed hugely and will read parts of again and again. yes</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9JOYM93G68UQ?ASIN=0316055441	I expected more of this writer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing skills ,convoluted  story . Since I love NY it was nice to see it  so well described .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34P20VKLC7ZMV?ASIN=0316055441	You should read this book!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book and wanted it to never end. I especially loved the part that took place in Las Vegas. What an amazing time.  I also felt that by the end of the book, I started to think about art in a different way, as a part of life that stood above it and was timeless. I realized it  could play a part in my life, like the painting played in the life of Theo.<br/><br/>The author is an exceptional talent. I also loved Freedom, by Jonathan Franzen in a similar way.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TZ5227AEALLO?ASIN=0316055441	You will not forget this story or these characters for a very long time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow! What an amazingly beautiful piece of work! I usually read straight through books, and can finish one in a day or two and go on to another. But this book was so captivating to me that I actually read for a while and then set it down just so I could absorb all the emotions and events before moving on in this grand adventure.  The characters are wonderful and real and unforgettable. It is a story that will stay with me  for a very long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I5IRPM9JBKKZ?ASIN=0316055441	Realms of Bronze	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms. Tartt has gifted her readers with a long-awaited 3rd novel that absorbs the attention and captures the imagination as thoroughly as any novel should.  The character of Boris, by itself, is worth meeting for its nuanced ambiguity and sheer fun.  This is a book to savor on a grey November day, or any other day.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N77Y71UUABKT?ASIN=0316055441	what a ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story -- compelling and honest; I couldn't put it down. This is one I'll read again and again. So glad to have found it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EF3X0PW0P3ZC?ASIN=0316055441	A book written like a painting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story pulls you in, the characters manage to be likable even when you think you're just about ready to hate them, and every word feels handpicked, intentional, and luscious. I did find that the ending was too long and repetitive enough to get me skimming through some parts, but overall the length and level of detail seemed just right.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EVXKX1KYTMXH?ASIN=0316055441	An outstanding story that captures you from page 1	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have loved every single Donna Tartt book, and this is no exception. Superb.  It's like a grown up Catcher in the Rye, but more beautiful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FK7FKKPPK9QA?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put it down, the characters and situations are compelling, you won't notice the length. It is a great read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZLXIZ1YYD13Z?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it!  I like Ms. Tartt's style of writing.  I recommend both this book and The Little Friend.  Quite captivating.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O81Z9CKHM7R6?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard to put down.  Gave me much to think about in art and life.  Knowing that the Goldfinch was in New York made it less suspenseful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QTQHWEJQKULF?ASIN=0316055441	A reader's delight	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This in one of the first books in a long time that had me reading it straight through the day and into the night.  Wonderful story-telling, and excellent characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22E7VHEOYGB91?ASIN=0316055441	A compelling read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story was compelling and beautifully written.  The reader genuinely feels Theo's struggles as he attempts to make sense of life's jarring events and moral ambiguities.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ5P1W5ZPU7D0?ASIN=0316055441	Make sure you have time for this one!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't quite finished reading it but this is a hard book to put away.  I find it pulling me in from across the room. I have read the authors 2 prior books,  also great.  Good stories that are told to perfection.  Keep writing Donna!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REHMHZW0QKF3S?ASIN=0316055441	A step up in authorship	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was captured by the writing, and became involved in the life of the characters. I believe that is a sign of a very good book. A welcome departure from some of the awful best sellers in the market place.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18ALKJA5AXO1W?ASIN=0316055441	Great after 90% so far	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, intriguing twists - trying to read before seeing author in Dublin tomorrow night, Nov. 15. On 90% Kindle now.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38O1RCDPKCTB4?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt's best novel so far, recommended !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very gripping tale, hard to put down, lots of fun to read in one continuous drag. Tartt's best one so far !</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QLU7HECKYR7?ASIN=0316055441	Spectacular	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't stop reading and I never wanted it to end. Every sentence is a masterpiece I standing alone. It will be hard to wait another ten years for her next book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U2WSSVGV7N93?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I have ever read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful, the writing is clever, majestic and leaves you loving the bad guys, or unable to even tell who they are. I loved this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IYI373HDWP2V?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully Written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it / hated it -- could not put it down!  Some passages so eloquent they will haunt me forever.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11OUAXHU3R2F2?ASIN=0316055441	Unputdownable book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't remember the last time I found it SO difficult to put a book down! The characters are absolutely compelling and the story line is massively entertaining AND educational - a bonus!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R170CB7WBCZYRD?ASIN=0316055441	Breath-taking, and surprising	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So much has already been said about this book, I don't want to be repetitive. It's been years since I was so excited about a book. It took my breath away at several points.<br/>Here's one thing I do want to say: I hesitated over getting this because I was not interested in the thoughts/actions of a young teen-age boy, as written by a young woman. I thought it would either be fakey (becasue the author is an older-than-him woman) or boring, because what 13-year-old is that interesting?<br/>I was so wrong on all points. His voice sounds realistic, and he's realistically sophisticated enough to be interesting---especially given all the other characters, and locations.<br/>This is a truly stunning, in the best way possible, novel. It's literary, AND readable; it's kept me up at night.<br/>If anyone is thinking wrongly like I did about the main character, don't make that mistake. It's inceredibly good.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32YLBG9MMC84H?ASIN=0316055441	Gripped by Beauty	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch pulls the reader right into the life of its young protagonist Theo via a violent event, a terrorist attack in an art museum, where Theo's mother dies and he steals a painting, a masterpiece. This pivotal event powers the plot, which is credible only through Donna Tartt's brilliant writing. Theo's character is developed through dramatic hardships. He struggles with PTSD and an obsession with a girl who was also damaged in the museum explosion.<br/><br/>But it is Theo's obsession with the painting that explores the theme of beauty and the power and purpose of art. Because Ms. Tartt creates her characters so skillfully and builds the story so competently, I was completely invested in her view. The power of the aesthetic experience is understood here. We are led to wonder where meaningful beauty and idolatry intersect.<br/><br/>Theo's experience of love is twisted by his neurosis, but the novel's exploration of romantic love, practical pairing versus true love, is universal. Actually, there are many ways that Theo rejects the ordinary and chooses the extreme, even when it's quite destructive. He learns about fate and luck from his gambling father, and forms vague beliefs based on his dramatic experiences. His philosophy of life is understandably grim. But this is a character we root for, and this is a book that I am very happy to have read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2464SS4E4I6EY?ASIN=0316055441	Three out of three	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a great book - a great study of grief, survival, family, addiction, art, furniture, drugs, redemption, and the fraught passage from childhood to something a little closer to maturity. Like the book of Ecclesiastes, nothing is excluded, nothing invalidated. Go for it - go for it all. Nothing matters, everything matters, out of great good can come great evil, yet out of great evil, great good. The writing pops. How did Donna Tartt get to know all this stuff? I loved her other books, and this one makes three out of three.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EPJJUZOZZJM7?ASIN=0316055441	incredibly beautiful and always compelling.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sad to have finished this wonder book. Relevant to our violent culture by forcing us to see the beauty that remains, within us and beyond us.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KCJZTLY7384V?ASIN=0316055441	amazing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a beautiful book. I could not put it down! I recommend it to everyone who loves art and life!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVHCGA42PM5WA?ASIN=0316055441	long and glad of it.  fascinating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">especially enjoyed Tartts's ability to keep each segment compelling and vivid...  The painting itself is a perfect touchstone for the meaning of the whole book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8YSKSCBQQIFN?ASIN=0316055441	Moving, weighty story about art and beauty, grief and guilt, which keeps you thinking long after you've finished...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Whoa. This was a big book in every sense of the word--big in size (nearly 800 pages), big in adventure and characterization, and big in ideas--about life, love, art, and destiny. While it times it moved a bit slower than I would have liked, it felt smaller (in a good way) and much more accessible than many novels of this size do.<br/><br/>Thirteen-year-old Theo Decker had his life change instantly when he survived an accident that killed his mother. With his father's whereabouts unknown and no other family to be found, Theo moves into the palatial Park Avenue apartment home of a distant friend. As he navigates the interesting dynamics of this family, and tries to deal with his overwhelming grief, the one thing he has that makes him continue to feel connected to his mother is her favorite painting, a small, affecting painting by a lesser-known Dutch master.<br/><br/>""But sometimes, unexpectedly, grief pounded over me in waves that left me gasping; and when the waves washed back, I found myself looking out over a brackish wreck so illumined in a light so lucid, so heartsick and empty, that I could hardly remember that the world had ever been anything but dead.""<br/><br/>In addition to his friend, Andy, Theo's closest companions during his time in New York are antiques expert James ""Hobie"" Hobart, who takes him under his wing and teaches Theo everything he knows about furniture restoration and the appreciation of antiques, and Pippa, a young girl with whom Theo has a powerful and tragic connection. And when Theo's father shows up in New York and moves him to Las Vegas to live with him and his cocktail waitress girlfriend, Xandra, Theo's life changes again.<br/><br/>While in Las Vegas, Theo befriends Boris, a troubled underachiever with a passion for money and drugs. Their friendship is intense, and Boris' influence changes Theo in many ways. Both see the other as a refuge from the chaos of their own lives, and as Theo realizes that his father's life isn't as perfect as he's made it seem, Boris helps him cope--mostly with the help of illegal substances.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch follows Theo's life into adulthood, with his return to New York, and finding himself constantly facing challenges. He is never truly far away from his grief over his mother's death, or his obsession with the painting, which leads him into the art underworld.<br/><br/>""Caring too much for objects can destroy you. Only--if you care for a thing enough, it takes on a life of its own, doesn't it? And isn't the whole point of things--beautiful things--that they connect you to some larger beauty?""<br/><br/>Even though his character was tremendously flawed, I loved Theo and was completely immersed in his story. I also found Hobie and Pippa's characters tremendously fascinating, and developed a warmth for the Barbour family as well. Sadly, I wasn't as enamored with Boris' character--I felt that every time he spoke in the book, he spoke for far too long, and Donna Tartt's portrayal of his accent made much of what he said a little hard to follow. I found myself imagining what it might be like to get to know Hobie and Pippa, that's how fascinating I found them.<br/><br/>This book tackles some important questions about art and beauty, loss and living up to one's destiny. But beyond that it is about how powerful an anchor grief and guilt can be, and how dramatically the two can change the outcome of one's life. Donna Tartt--author of one of my most favorite books, The Secret History--is a wonderfully enigmatic and captivating storyteller, but I felt as if she crammed a little too much into this book. I honestly could have done without the whole art underworld thread of the plot, and I don't believe it would have affected the book.<br/><br/>You may think to yourself, almost 800 pages? Is it worth it? Will I be able to get into the story? I'd say unequivocally, yes, to both of those questions. While not a perfect book, The Goldfinch is one that will leave you thinking long after you've finished it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11VCKI8KSKMI3?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would say 4.7, but din't know how to do that.  It was a long page turner and I wanted it to keep going, loved all the characters.  My only complaint, more selfish, is I wanted to see how the key people turned out, maybe not all the way but at least a few more conversations at the end. Why did Pippa never acknowledge that she saw Theo in the museum or what his Mom said about the painting, etc?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RX0NKRCVFH3M?ASIN=0316055441	incredible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Addresses the complexity of life and the intricacies of relationships, the quest for Beauty rather than Truth, that art, although a creation of the artist, becomes alive through the viewers, listeners, recreated again and again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QS0LJY0BUT8?ASIN=0316055441	fabulous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading Tartt's other work I could not wait for her to write another book.  The Goldfinch is compelling and intelligent.  I was yet again reminded of Tartt's depth of knowledge and her power of description.  I was excited when Tartt referenced one of my favorite European writers, Sigfried Lenz.<br/>Hope to see more from this amazing writer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H3EKOEQMU16H?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch in the Coal Mine	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have a hard time understanding why this 700+ page book has been such an overwhelming best seller. The plot is not that remarkable. The vast, unnecessary detail is reminiscent of 19th Century novels, maybe something of Henry James. I know it has been praised and has received awards and such, but I think it is overblown and not that outstanding.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ARV742GXGSV2?ASIN=0316055441	It seemed so repetitious and boring. I eventually quit reading it and have no ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started out enjoying the book  but about 1/2 way through I started to tire of the story, especially when the two boys were in the desert area doing drugs and drinking. It seemed so repetitious and boring.  I eventually quit reading it and have no idea what the conclusion to the story was. I would not recommend it to my friends who read a lot.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUOJZIYQYCRZ?ASIN=0316055441	I always read an entire book even if I don't like it, but I put this one down to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It starts out so well, especially the details of the bombing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, then drags for way too long. I didn't really care about the main character--to me a tragic flaw.<br/>I always read an entire book even if I don't like it, but I put this one down to start reading Runaway Slave, which was fast-moving and interesting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VBSO9NZF8TEG?ASIN=0316055441	this novel fell into a protracted and tedious style that made it a chore to keep reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After a riveting beginning, this novel fell into a protracted and tedious style that made it a chore to keep reading.  I loved the storyline itself, so I became especially frustrated with the lack of narrative movement.  In my humble opinion, this novel does not stand up to the type of literary perfection we have seen in other Pulitzer winners.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKDI0L509SIIJ?ASIN=0316055441	finished this Pulitzer Prize winning novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author is more on the night shift than the day shift. Living death instead of life. I loved the story and rich prose and twists and turns. Disbelief had to be suspended at times. At times you want to scream at Theo to ""wake up and smell the coffee."" Good ending, without a good ending I'd just as soon not read a "" good"" book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R228T0GBNKAS01?ASIN=0316055441	This book had an interesting start, then dropped into ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had an interesting start, then dropped into pages of drunken/<br/>doper activity and quickly became a chore to read.  I forced myself to continue to the end, only to find the last pages filled with a philosophical excuse for felonies, unethical behavior, and drunkeness.  It was a trivial reason for all the unpleasant activities through which I had plowed.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23L34SDVZHTO2?ASIN=0316055441	A Too Long Book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was way to long for the story being told. Too much detail being put into unimportant aspects of the book, like the debauchery in Vegas. How could he stoop so low to tarnish all the goodness and grace his mother taught him? I just read ""The Shoemaker's Wife"", it is an excellent book and thoroughly enjoyable. Do not think I will read Ms Tartt again.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H8YDQTFGVX63?ASIN=0316055441	Speechless	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a work of art. I savor end it and did not want it to end. It is a combination of genres: mystery, thriller, fictional auto-biography, love story and ultimately, our unending search for meaning. It's so much more than just a great book. But it's that too. I read constantly and forget much of what I've read but I won't forget this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FL4XYY5QTZOU?ASIN=0316055441	Becomes tedious after about 300 pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started out liking the book and really interested to see where it was going to not being able to wait until I finished it so I could move on. The story starts out strong and seemed to loose it's way and things that could have been described in 2-3 pages took 10. I'm an avid reader but really was glad to finish this book and be done with it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A0SGVFQ8P2Y2?ASIN=0316055441	An exquisite work	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was the best book I've read (or in this case listened to) in I don't know how long.  Several reviewers complained about the length of the book and what consider superfluous passages, words, paragraphs, information etc.  However, what they're calling ""superfluous"" is precisely the wonder of this writer's exquisite work.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O5PTT3RO7TID?ASIN=0316055441	was a big disappointment to me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book, while it did have some powerful moments, was a big disappointment to me. It was way too long, way too many stories in one story, way too verbose. I finished it to finish it, thinking that I would get to the end and have a moment of acceptance and catharsis, but, alas, that didn't happen. I will not recommend this book to anyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LLCWCRH8AXDW?ASIN=0316055441	Worth Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book held my attention and was interminably slow in parts. At the beginning it seemed to me Theo's thoughts were more like those of a fifteen year old than of a thirteen year old. The book does engender empathy for people we disregard or condemn,whose inner life we cannot fathom. I loved the questioning ending and the conclusion drawn.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3562L19FIQ8W1?ASIN=0316055441	boring...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">overlong and tedious.  the narrator did not seem very interesting, and short of the museum scene in the first chapter, which to me also seemed dragged out and unsuspensefull..nothing much happens for pages on end.  kind of like real life but hey who wants to read about it?<br/>I enjoyed the secret history..not sure what all the hoopala is about with this one.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAWLCNIISY0FZ?ASIN=0316055441	a comfortable read .... mostly	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could happily put this read down and pick it up - like an old friend. I wasn't compelled to finish it in a hurry ... One of those lazy reads. Storyline was varied and interesting to a point. The last pages though I felt were laborious and superfluous to the plot ... I wouldn't rave about this book but would recommend to others to read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26L0E6E1ZI6Q7?ASIN=0316055441	but a terrific story that held my attention	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Resounding 5 stars. A bit long, but a terrific story that held my attention. Nothing formulaic here. I couldn't predict what was going to happen next. Tartt captures the flow of consciousness in a very realistic way, with writing that flows like poetry. This is a novel you really ""feel."" Deserves more than a Pulitzer, in my view.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R961UKQ4B9310?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">That much whining should not be allowed in print.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PWARAXB3LHA4?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book--couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book--couldn't put it down...until about halfway through, when the writing seemed to nosedive. I wondered if the same author was actually writing the second half. Plots that started at the very beginning of the story still hadn't been addressed by the time I was more than halfway through the book. I gave it up as a bad job.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J06GNJNXJRVG?ASIN=0316055441	Not impressed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read the book, almost gave it up several times.  I see that it has won a Pulitzer Prize.  However the characters especially central characters were hard to feel for.  I understand that life serves up some very crappy lives to many people, this however did not lend me any kind of insight that I didn't already have.  Nor did it move me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R86TOQHK02482?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully Written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms. Tartt's descriptive prose allows her readers to enter the characters and understand, and even predict, their actions. The characters are far from perfect, but surprisingly sympathetic. She does this without bogging down the reader in detailed descriptions or explanations.  My only complaint is that the length was a bit overwhelming.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K368Z7G2AG9W?ASIN=0316055441	difficult at times - insightful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is recommended to those who can persevere. The truths, the symbolism, the philosophy were beautiful.  But it was very hard to read the excruciating details of drug abuse and parental neglect, of intellect juxtaposed with chance, life-on-the-edge, cold lifeless existence. If you can make it through, you'll be greatly rewarded.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R383XQCDQ3TIA4?ASIN=0316055441	furniture making & fine art, it was bewildering just trying to figure ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many twists and turns for my taste.  Between the teen angst, drugs, furniture making &amp; fine art, it was bewildering just trying to figure out how it all fit together to come to an end.  It really gave me nothing to look forward to, nothing to peak my interest.  This is one book I was happy to finish reading just to be done with it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RERYU450RYX7Q?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love this book and the characters!<br/>I have been waiting so long for a new novel from this author, and it was worth the wait because the book is full of charming characters. The different locations make it an interesting read.<br/>Tartt is always coming up with exclusive situations that keep the reader engaged and turning pages.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q7NNMAK2ZY5J?ASIN=0316055441	Fast out of the gate, slow finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the first half of this book was excellent and a great read. It was beautifully written throughout, but became repetitive half way through. The last bit of the book was laced with one big issue after another that the previous content didn't support. By the time I got to the end my overall impression was one of disappointment.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R275CLXQB81NA5?ASIN=0316055441	disgusted	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not read this book to the end.  If this is what makes a prize winning book then I will no longer chose one.  The use of four letter words and being drunk or drugged does not appeal to me.  I am sorry I purchased this book.  If I had gone to a book store I could have spent more time looking through it and never have bought it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FBXMPYUJGMWJ?ASIN=0316055441	Less could be more	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could have loved this book, but there is too much.  The last 100 pages should be edited down to 10.  There was too much angst and dispair.  Not everything in his life had to be destroyed to have a great novel.  I found myself in several parts of the books, just scanning the pages because there was just too much that was not needed.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AEQGT3HGRU28?ASIN=0316055441	A Fascinating Tale That's Captivating from Start to Finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most compelling novels I've ever read. I was drawn into Theo's story right away and could not let go of him no matter what wild twists and unbelievable revolutions his story took. Thank you Donna Tartt for not only a memorable story, but for many invaluable life lessons. I'll never forget ""The Goldfinch: A Novel"".</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCSUD72XGGJAN?ASIN=0316055441	Good beginning, slow ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked the first part of this book and was getting in to it.  Then, I don't know what happened, but about 3/4 of the way through it, it just got more and more repetitive and boring.  When my kindle showed I was 93% complete, I really couldn't bear anymore and gave up - something I never do, especially that close to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTR4X91F5FX9A?ASIN=0316055441	Drugs and alcohol ad nauseum	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Another Donna Tartt book with repeated, detailed descriptions of drug and alcohol excesses.  Seems to be something she knows a lot about.  I would rather go to an open AA meeting to hear such stories- at least they end with strength and hope. Gads, how depressing!<br/>I don't have the desire to go on for another 400 pages of this.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N2ILE05VU9OY?ASIN=0316055441	An Artist's Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is an elegant, beautifully written book with so many twists and turns it is dizzying. It is part mystery, part art history, part love story and at it's core a morality tale.  I could not get anything done including sleep with this book on my mind. Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Descriptive passages that visual and visceral.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32V3CP7U9HE?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A too-long tale which aims very high and misses.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKV8A51RRU561?ASIN=0316055441	Tarrt's language tolerates (1) multiple blasphemies, (2) four letter ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tarrt's language tolerates (1) multiple blasphemies, (2) four letter terms for sex permeate her style, and (3) four letter words for the toilet are on almost every page. f wonder how this drivel won a Pulitzer Prize. I felt this was the most toxic  novelI've ever read. When the name Tartt shows up in further Amazon titles, I will know what to avoid.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TPYXLJPXJLE?ASIN=0316055441	intricate reading - but a wonderfully vivid story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was challenging the first 60 pages or so. The rhythm and language of the writer are unfamiliar and textured. The Goldfinch was highly engaging once I pushed through. This was a delightful, detailed story with bright characters and extensive plot development. It's unique, entertaining and a worthwhile leisure investment.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IBXJ1I9ZDCLF?ASIN=0316055441	An epic journey into the transformative power of art and loss	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is so beautifully written.  Tartt has an incredible eye for detail and ear for dialogue, which reads as so true, like a photorealistic painting.  Reading this is also like watching the most beautiful train wreck wreck happen slowly over 700 pages; we know the crash is coming, and it unfolds in waves of revelation about human longing and suffering.  This is a book that will stay with you for a long time.  I found myself slowing down my reading so that I could savor the characters -- wanting them to last. They had come to inhabit my life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8VHGJHSOTFO2?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch-a metaphor for heroin	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So after 800 pages we see that Theo is chained to drug use and his love interest is a junkie too.  Tartt has the ability to create great<br/> scenes but I hated it by the end and resented having to grovel through the mire to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QFJAP9INUFUE?ASIN=0316055441	Too Much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much detail, description, character development and dialogue . So wordy, too much. I blasted thru  the last pages, I was so fed up, doubt there was anything more worth reading . Is she writing this as a screen play? YUK. Move on Donna Tart</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C3YJ6KI6V7I3?ASIN=0316055441	A long winded book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have had a difficult time getting through this book. I have stopped reading it after about plowing through 1/3 of the book. I may try again if I am bored and need to find something to do.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDCXJYFQ4MMJH?ASIN=0316055441	Too long!!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">300 pages too long - Redundant- Boring, etc. etc. Overly descriptive on every topic and point. The main character was an absolute jerk. Would not recommend.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VDYF0CQ1MVY6?ASIN=0316055441	how did this book ever get so many good reviews???	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Where to begin? This book is twice as long as it should be. If you removed all the repetitive descriptions of being stoned, high, drunk, vomiting, hallucinating that alone would reduce the book by half. Take out the endless strings of adjectives and you would cut another third. And then you would see what is really there. A skeleton of a plot with a cast of cardboard characters that never really are developed into flesh and blood people. I forced myself to read it all. It was a most unpleasant chore. It is a soggy mess of gloom.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ALNS0XRN8E6P?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a lovely meditation on beauty and self destruction, with characters so well observed I was on the edge of my chair whenever they were endangered which was often. I read it and listened to the audio when I needed to brush my teeth wash the dishes.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NBVF679DLYPN?ASIN=0316055441	Totally annoying, cumbersome and slow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm a reader, but found this novel cumbersome, slow and totally annoying.  Wondered why I was wasting my time on this self-absorbed, shallow lead character.  Would like an opportunity to strangle Theo with my bare hands. Cumbersome, tiresome, and tiring sentence and paragraph structure.  Could not understand why I was wasting my time on this novel that had received so many accolades.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UWK0QR59F8UF?ASIN=0316055441	If I could have the hours back...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would gladly take them. I am an avid reader and I honestly do not understand the praise heaped on this book. It should have been no longer than 350 pages.  I felt the descriptions of non descript events went on ad nauseam while more pivotal points in his life were like an afterthought. I can usually find some redeeming value in reading a book but this one I consider to have been a complete disappointment.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R152C52YZ4A5SG?ASIN=0316055441	Too Loooong	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book drags on &amp; on with a never ending theme of self destructive behavior!  I kept waiting for it to turn around &amp; it's not until you have read 85% of a 700 page book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R18MTGJRRJAG?ASIN=0316055441	Why so big, Tartt?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Toooooo loooong. It was a see saw-interesting when up, longwinded and boring when down. Clean and spare is the best writing-why is this on the ny list?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M36BLV2LR6NZ?ASIN=0316055441	Huge disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was MUCH more enjoyable reading the other 2-star reviews than reading The Goldfinch.  Each one captured in its own way what I felt about this slog - she dearly needed an editor, the characters (other than Hobie and to a degree Boris) were all unlikeable - Theo in particular was awful, the repetitive descriptions were a form of torture, the lack of a plot, or a believable plot, the dragging, dragging, dragging out of every scene.  I could go on hating on it for another 700+ pages but I'll stop.<br/><br/>I loved The Secret History and liked The Little Friend - The Goldfinch was horrible.  So sad.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RDTQHWDB480M?ASIN=0316055441	worst book I've read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's  hard to believe this book was a best seller - I tried to stay with it but finally had to skip through.  I will not buy this author again. I would give it a zero.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZPEA0XXOI4VC?ASIN=0316055441	I liked but.............	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not wait to be done with it!!  This poor kid lived about 3 lives in this story.  Just when I thought his life could not get any worse it did and he just kept making bad choices.  I liked it but not the kind of book I would read again.  Kind of like  Osage County, great story, great acting by the entire cast, but I will never watch it again.  I am the kind of reader who can literally become the person in the story, and these stories were very dark and stay with you for awhile.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EL33M4IKTBVT?ASIN=0316055441	how long was this book!?!?!?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I guess i'll have to pay more attention next time i buy a kindle book..this was a very long book...especially in the middle. I liked the beginning, i sorta liked the ending but i was mired for a hellish eternity in the drugged and hung over middle..how many cantos of hell did we go thru? How many ""trips"" did we take??? Boris was, oddly enuff, fun, tho. liked him better than the""star"". 'Twas one of those the negative can be positive books. Hmmm.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CL3QCGFOTU71?ASIN=0316055441	Hyped to death	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really just too many words. Very descriptive, but after all 700 pages I still didn't care about the characters. A few philosophical lessons/ insights at the end don't justify all the raves this book received. I have been duped by the first page reviews on the NYT Sunday Mag before and probably will be again, certainly this was in that category.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RST29BZPFG5ZQ?ASIN=0316055441	Tarnished Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overlong, tedious, tiresome descriptions of drug and alcoholic episodes - No aparent  redeeming qualities in<br/>principal characters - Degrades the human spriit.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D7YULEYHR63B?ASIN=0316055441	What a Bore	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This author used 100 words to say what could have been said in 10.  I would scan a whole page just looking to get back to the story line.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L5WX0HKS9PYR?ASIN=0316055441	Get to the point already!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I tried to like this book, I really did.  However, it took WAY too long to tell the story and I just couldn't get through it.  It just dragged on and on and on and felt like it was going nowhere.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYDOU1J18A6F?ASIN=0316055441	I Must Be An Idiot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazon awarded this stream-of-conciousness-style novel it's best book of the year 2013.  Well ugh to that unless you're about as desperate as are the characters in this novel.  Just long and longer and too many words.  But that's just my opinion.  Obviously many others found it a worthwhile read.  I was just glad when it was over.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R388QKGJYBDFQL?ASIN=0316055441	Finally Finished!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Why did I waste my time reading this.....drugs, alcohol, depressing, fifty words where ten would have been more than sufficient.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JEAEQD2O1CYB?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story started out very well, moved along nicely.  Then it became very dense and murky, difficult to read for more then thirty pages at a time.  Tartt dragged out too many story elements. I would not recommend this book, It was an excruciatingly long, drawn out story!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UYKO2LND772X?ASIN=0316055441	Can't do it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Breaking through a heavy fog of undisciplined, ponderous verbosity are some brilliant passages, a tantalizing hint of a central theme, and some vividly drawn characters.  After slogging though approx. 30% of this thing called a ""great American novel,"" I grew suspicious it was leading nowhere.  Reluctant to give up on my week-long struggle, and still hoping the detours would lead back to a rewarding destination, I came here to see more reviews for moral support. Too many of the critiques support my doubts, however.  I've seen reviews proclaiming people who share my dislike of this novel to be ""uneducated dimwits.""  So, with deepest apologies to all the UCLA profs who tried their best with me, this is being deleted from my kindle forthwith.  This novel could have used some ruthless editing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C25SL5X1A8YI?ASIN=0316055441	"Do not abandon the journey as ""The Goldfinch"" is so worth the ride..."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is beautifully written yet an unnecessarily long read.<br/>I agree with readers who found the book's beginning and ending chapters beyond well written.<br/>Tartt loses her audience with too much unnecessary detail as she builds her story.<br/>My guess is that some may have put down the book altogether in the middle chapters as there were moments when I felt swallowed up in detail.<br/>If only the author had used her words more judiciously, the book would be among my favorites.<br/>My advice to potential readers is to not give up part way through as the end of their reading journey is well worth the ride!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL7DD16P55DVS?ASIN=0316055441	Not on my top 10 at all	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is entirely over-written, over-wrought, and needs a much better editor! I don't know why people say it was so well-written - other contemporary books are much better (try Andre Dubus III Dirty Love if you want a great read where every word counts!)Tons of anachronisms, the voice of the younger Theo is entirely unbelieveable, and the random last chapter that included popular culture was really odd,  Every other sentence was a metaphor or simile. The only interesting character was Boris. Meh.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35XNGC7HI54ZA?ASIN=0316055441	What I really thought of a terrible book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book was way too long and unrealistic or even more unbelievable in most parts I was tired of all the drugs alcohol and throwing up. It SUCKED!!!!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2883ZHP40JCUD?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't wait for it to end!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Is it me, or am I the only person who could not wait for this book to end?  It was the ""wordiest"" book I have ever read.  Just when I thought it was going to get really interesting, I was let down again.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MSQJE8L9K2TD?ASIN=0316055441	A Classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of my new favorites, a wonderful juxtaposing of intellect and heart.  Finished it with an aesthetic buzz.  You should invest in this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RD92J1CMG74?ASIN=0316055441	Just not my kind of novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">10% through the Kindle edition I have decided to just move on to something else. I have found this book to be extremely depressing, so slow moving as to be interminable and of a length that given the preceedings seems more than tortuous to contemplate.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R66TVV9IL4Z77?ASIN=0316055441	HARD TO DESCRIBE!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just a very well written novel, with great character development, and lots of strange twists and turns. A long read, but well worth the time. I keep thinking about the characters long after I have read my part of the book for the day.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PQPZALSZTX1R?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt is an extremely talented author!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depth and quality of this novel was probably even better than 'The Secret History' which was superb!  Gripping to the very end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RNZDV1PG4PHE?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long and verbose book but it kept my attention the whole time and I couldn't wait to finish it.  The imagery of New York and life in New York made the book feel real.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EH4OCM9TW4Y0?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm almost finished with The Goldfinch and am savoring it.  It's long and chock full of detail, but I have been nothing but totally enthralled. Theo is a tortured soul and no wonder, given his traumatic history.  The sudden and horrific loss of his mother colors his life from then on and his situation keeps descending into hellish scenarios that are hard to believe could get worse, but they do. Theo's saving grace is the friends he manages to attach himself to along the way.  He and the rest of the characters are fully drawn and captivating, settings incredibly realistic and the story first rate.  I cannot put it down, can't wait to finish, but dread being done most of all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBIZYNSCRUFEZ?ASIN=0316055441	one of the very best ever read !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this was a novel I could not put down..exciting to read, marvelous characters who came to life on the pages. Ms. Tartt writes with such gusto and style that her novel becomes part of the readers daily life until it sadly comes to and end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TUVMFXUK11B?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm less than half way through, and I'm enjoying it so much I lose track of which subway station I'm in.  Very creative twists and turns.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CPQ5A3DLERUS?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's not a masterpiece or anything, but it's a great read.  It's easy to get through and really enjoyable.  I was really invested in the characters.  This book was recommended to me, which usually means I'm going to be disappointed, but it met my raised expectations, and I found it to be a perfect diversion to curl up with while the winter snow fell outside.  Good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BC48XK8DFDVO?ASIN=0316055441	Unpredictable, entertaining, what else can you ask for?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Definitely deserves the acclaim it has received. I enjoyed every second with the book and never felt bogged down any part of it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T7W9R8ESDFGA?ASIN=0316055441	What is all the fuss about.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Why all the fuss? Just an awful example of ones writing obsession. It drones on and on with out ideas or. Plot. It's as if this was a creative writing class and the teacher said, "" take one sentence and expand it over 20-pages. Could hVe been interesting however the author has chosen to show off and not really tell a convincing story. Very, very disappointing!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R8UAIEY57M9E?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch- a review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a complex absorbing, disturbing read.It moves from lyrical descriptions, rich with imagery and colour, of New York,<br/>Amsterdam, museums, art and antiques to harrowing, edgy scenes of drugs and depravity. The main character is tragically flawed but one can't help identifying with him.Its not an easy read and certainly not for people who don't enjoy introspective themes and descriptive passages. I have enjoyed it immensely,</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AG6DOLCWG8H?ASIN=0316055441	fantastic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a book. Couldn't put it down. The characters were amazing. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. Super.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L5O0JW85COWO?ASIN=0316055441	Best Wordsmith I've read in some time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt draws the reader in to experience a richly written young man's tale.  We cry with him, we cringe at some of his choices and we rejoice when things seem to turn around for him.  Tartt paints a very relatable world for her novel.  We can see and smell the smoke in some of the traumatic situations.  We appreciate the beauty of art through an amazing ability of description that does not bore, but draws us in, allowing us to experience the environment of the characters. I could not put the book down!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZM35UB4Z0KJU?ASIN=0316055441	an unusually well-written and enthralling book, one of the best of this year...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the first page when we meet the protagonist as a young boy to the last when he is grown and has gone through many experiences in his lonely life, I was interested in what would become of him.  Donna Tartt successfully created memorable settings, distinctive characters, and suspenseful plot lines.  The nightmare of a child losing a parent under violent circumstances and having to depend upon uncaring and incompetent relatives, father included, was only the beginning.  Along the way, he meets various good and evil and puzzling people who affect him in many ways.  Some are supportive, others dishonest, others enigmatic, but all are colorful and each unique.  I was reminded of David Copperfield in that respect, but of course, in a contemporary setting.  I give this novel five stars because is stands out as a very high quality work among all the other new novels I've read in the last few years.  This novel has made me a fan.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SW7S6CHCD428?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I totally loved this book. It was so amazingly good.The very best book I've read in a very, very long time.This story is unlike anything I've ever read before and it touched me on many levels.I know I'm failing miserably in this review, but this is the best I can do right now!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OSOAWM9VFU8W?ASIN=0316055441	Holden Caulfied with an extra bag of phony issues	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I so much wanted to love this book, based on the glowing raves of the popular press, etc.  And for the first third of a very long read, I did love it.<br/><br/>But the characterizations stumble, the plot threads thin irrevocably, and the length begins to numb the reader by page 400!<br/><br/>Someday I may revisit those excellent first chapters- just to see again the great potential that was eventually squandered.  Still, they were good enough to earn three stars, in my opinion.  If that quality, drama and characterization had continued, this would have been a five-star review.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13L1P5JY9DBLO?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's not an ""easy read"" and it's a somewhat ""dark"" story but it's well worth it.  Once you get hooked into the story, it's hard to put down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15HPC5TERZBA3?ASIN=0316055441	Hauntingly beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an amazing story! Disturbing on so many levels. A deep reflection, in the end, on the meaning of life and the beauty of art, of love and loss, of friendship at its best and worst. From the halfway point I could not put it down . . . and I think it will haunt me for the rest of my life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OXZJR5L8P4IB?ASIN=0316055441	superb writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If the story didn't pull me, the writing did.  I loved every heartbreakingly beautiful moment of this book.  I'm sorry it's over.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTI0FDNG0ANB8?ASIN=0316055441	Great beginning but fizzled out halfway through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book grabbed me from the first page and I simply could not put it down and then I got to about the middle and I found myself just wanting it to end. The story was moving along at a quick pace and then all of a sudden there were pages upon pages of drug-fueled dream sequences and art metaphors.  When I was about 2/3 of the way through the book I briefly flirted with the idea of just reading the plot summary on Wikipedia to see how it ends so I could stop reading. I ended up reading the entire book but I'm regretting that last hour I'll never get back.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N2PMS90NYUH8?ASIN=0316055441	Some great writing, iffy plot, too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning grabs you like few books.  The middle muddles, the end is unnecessarily drawn out.  Too long for the return on invested time.  But the beginning?  That is special.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27C1OT3JFGMS3?ASIN=0316055441	Couldnt put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read in a long time.  I was so into the characters that I felt like I lost some friends when the book ended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OUJOYVUPH1W?ASIN=0316055441	dynamic and descriptive writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has created a person and story that the reader becomes so involved in, it's nearly Impossible to put down the book.  The language is dicey but it is the language of teenage boys raising themselves in a parentless environment.  The lessons learned are applicable to each of our lives. A message which one wants to re-read to fully comprehend the significance.  One of the best books I've read in a long time!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTZU59JBC29JU?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best novels I,ve read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tremendous command of descriptive wording of what her characters are experiencing.  The author transport's one throughout  the protagonist's experiences in a most profound way, not knowing what will happen next (and what happens is invariably not expected).  I could not help feeling that the author is one of the finest that I have read in a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31I26M6GA4WQA?ASIN=0316055441	A writer who stands in a class by herself...superb literary achievement	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel deserves 5 stars because the writing alone puts it into a class all<br/>it's own. Add to this talent the complex character development, life themes,<br/>and the ability of the author, using all the afore- mentioned expertise, to make<br/>the reader identify with the protagonist so strongly that we start to imagine<br/>ourselves in his circumstances and wonder how we would have handled the chaos in<br/>his life. At times the descriptions could have been briefer and so my biggest<br/>criticism would be that the book needed to be edited with more care.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RZ3S5SBK7G4V?ASIN=0316055441	Boooooring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How many bad things can one person do to his life to foul it up?  Must confess I didn't finish it.  The repetition got to me after the tenth complication he threw in his own path.  And the drunken times and the  drugs he took!!! OMG I didn't think young guys could afford that many.  Didn't like any part of the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22CFK99WF8FBB?ASIN=0316055441	too wordy, too sad, very disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting start, but too soon it became too wordy, too sad and more and more depressing. I've stopped before I was halfway and am not going to finish it. What a waste of time and money.<br/>I read Tart's previous books and really enjoyed them, that's why I got this one at the top price. Should have waited.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWH60S94O9ARY?ASIN=0316055441	very depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Strong and interesting start .  Long and painful story that detours into a splintered and sadder story that I wish I did not start.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ETBALBTH5WKQ?ASIN=0316055441	Horribly negative...glad it's over	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not one positive or uplifting thing in 800 long pages.  One character totally dominates and everyone close to him dies.  He then becomes an alcoholic drug addict thief and general dirtbag crook.  His main friend is more of the same.  Sound good?  I could not wait for it to end.  The only reason I stuck with it was to see if this would change or hopefully, he would finally successfully commit suicide.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3374AVWZGQFWS?ASIN=0316055441	Unmistakable beauty, difficult to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's triumphant masterpiece brings readers into the romantic modern cobbly streets of New York City, exposing the underworld of art theft, drug fueled adventure, and terrorism all coated with the bright polished sheen of modern anxieties.<br/><br/>It is an amazing book, and one that is difficult to compliment and study in a review without giving a fanboy's dam-breaking flood of emotional ""squee"" resulting in my dear readers being spoiled of every element of the story from beginning to end. But I must attempt to review it, frustratedly scratching away at the plot as a drunk adolescent delicately scratches away at the newspaper, bubble wrap, and packing tape hiding his Fabritius masterpiece.<br/><br/>Erm... Well, that is in the first few pages, right? I mean...<br/><br/>Out of all of Tartt's explorations into the golden haze that is adolescence, The Goldfinch is a triumph that blends modern thematic sensibilities with the classical humanness of existence. Many reviews I read of this book prior to reading it all suggested that it was akin to Great Expectations and many of the works of Dickens, for its style and bildungsroman attributes. Frankly, it took me a little while to warm up to this analysis given by many reviewers, but it is absolutely true. The Goldfinch features the building up of some tremendously dynamic three-dimensional characters, thrown together by circumstance and masterful plotting, into a tempest of energy and circumstance rooted in reality.<br/><br/>The delicate crafting of the writing in this piece is what sets Tartt above her peers in this book. Where we are not often graced by American masters - presumably because of the publishing industry's overall lack of attention on the literary and more focused on the young adult and sexually charged romance/occult bestseller lists - we are given an amazing piece that ages its diction, tone, and complexity as our protagonist ages. I found myself highlighting minuscule phrases to giant chunks of text for each chapter as the book progressed. Where we have not seen a master like this akin to McEwan in the United States for some time - although some of our living masters have retired - Tartt is an extraordinary writer and storyteller whose Goldfinch is a breath of fresh air.<br/><br/>I will be recommending this book to people for ages, as enthusiastically as I did for The Little Friend and The Secret History. But with those two books I had some little gripes. With Friend, it was the story lines that Tartt introduced but never followed through with to completion - which is ultimately realism defined, however vexing to an audience hungry to escape. With History, it was the uncomplicated easy-way-out of the last two pages - I enjoyed every sentence of that piece as well, but I felt that the ending was just a little too surprisingly out of character for the protagonist. Of course, I did the only sensible option by tearing out the last two pages, and we have been in business ever since.<br/><br/>Just kidding.<br/><br/>In all seriousness, The Goldfinch is perfect. It is a triumph of showcasing a reality of poverty, aging, love, addiction, modern anxieties, the love of art, humanness, violence, being American, truth, human behavior, and so much more. The book is a cat-crusher, but I find myself wishing I could have lived in it for another 750 pages. I will be revisiting it often, and musing on many of the same thematic elements in many of the same ways that Theo Decker did... Its beauty and reality cuts to the bone, and we are unlikely to see a piece with such an accurate emotional resonance to our generation than this for a very long time.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYYK2MJ74LRNG?ASIN=0316055441	an extraordinary writer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sorry, no time, except to say that a novel like THE GOLDFINCH comes along once every 10 years. Tartt's prose alone makes the novel a worthwhile read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PFE3JFR8ORDL?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have read thousands of novels, and this has become one of my all time favorites. I think about it every day. I cannot recommend this book strongly enough!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP76GDB1RZKXR?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of Time and Money	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First ""book"", great.....Second,  tiresome and repetitive....Third.....didn't even bother.  Might get to it eventually, out of sheer curiosity; perhaps!  At least I'll see on what I wasted my time and money!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXFYI8AT3TMPA?ASIN=0316055441	a pathetic book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Actually, it is less than one star.  I thought it was terrible.  Unnecessarily long, (Did she have an editor?)  too much depressing detail about the drugs and alcohol, and for what purpose.  I kept looking for the redeeming value in it all, how was she going to pull it together for a good reason.  I actually only got to 70% on my reader, and as the book club thought the ending was less than satisfying, I don't think I will finish it.  I've NEVER done that before, and I am a voracious reader.  But really, it was a waste of time wallowing through trash accompanied by constant foul language.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25AEGO3GEUI8Z?ASIN=0316055441	disturbing drugs ruined story for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch had excellent highlights and beautiful passages. But really did the the author need to describe the aftereffects of taking illegal drugs in all its gory details for pages and pages?  I for one don t think so. It ruined the book for me, that and the unresolved ending. And yes with maturity and work some endings can be resolved one way or another.  So i find myself Not recommending this book to my friends or recommending it with reservation.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20FVDUA2PWMIU?ASIN=0316055441	Too much Drug description.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very disappointed in so much description of hallucinations,  etc from drug use.  Good story line,  but  didn't think description was needed for the story to get point across.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ONO9LOX3BR10?ASIN=0316055441	almost unreadable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting plot hidden in the midst of a failed attempt to write literature instead of a very good novel.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JUA1OC598BLF?ASIN=0316055441	Sonomareader	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't entirely love this book. A bit too long and several of the plot lines were very predictable. Others were just plain unrealistic. I read it to the end out of obligation but would not be able to recommend.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JVCAVA78G4B8?ASIN=0316055441	Oh so disappointing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Other than some insight into the antique and refurbishing trades, one would have a difficult time finding any redeeming qualities in this tome!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15VY3R7O1918V?ASIN=0316055441	Not sure I will finish it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I tend to finish whatever I start reading, this book might be one I simply cannot finish. I have come to both dislike Theo and think he must not be very smart. He certainly cannot be naïve although he does seem to lack good judgment. The book is long with many sections that I just skim through as there is simply too much detail to be interesting. Some of what happens certainly seems implausible and leads me to close the book and go watch television. I read many reviews before buying this book and I can only assume that those positive reviewers are as enraptured by wordiness as is Tartt. At least I have found some of the over-the-top escapades humorous. Certainly there are folks out there who will enjoy this book as so many reviewers have, but I can honestly say I have not, so far, enjoyed much of it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BFBXG78SW3S8?ASIN=0316055441	Scattered	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i had difficulty understanding and following the main person in this book.  It was frustrating reading so I eventually stipped and didn't finish it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R46G8TX9U8F2H?ASIN=0316055441	A Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a literary masterpiece. It begins with a young boy's tragedy, a moment in time that changes everything.  What follows is his incredible journey through life, at times privileged, at times unspeakably difficult.  An amazing story in which goodness and honesty and redemption prevail in the end.  Amazingly written, prosaic.  I loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYK51GS6Z2TR6?ASIN=0316055441	I found this book to be depressing and too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I struggled to get into the meat of this book and found it to be depressing and deprived.  Drug issues went on and on.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XWWRUTGB8XJU?ASIN=0316055441	Mixed reaction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Perhaps this writer either had no editor or refused to be edited? Either way, while this book does have much going for it, the sad fact is that it is overlong, overblown and a general downer. True, there is a standard, Hollywood-style ending to the general horror and foolishness, and the language and writing are often beautiful, but do yourself a favor and wait for the inevitable movie, which will probably tighten up this story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O4FBGUP0568G?ASIN=0316055441	I know i am in the minority...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the story was very dark and I really had no empathy or like for the central character.  I felt the plot was a bit contrived, and that the book was too long.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RTZLIEDGKIU3?ASIN=0316055441	Worst book I have ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is absolutely no reason to torture yourself.  Rambling and excruciating dialogue.  Poor timelines that make no sense.  Don't read this.  I</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QRDHAR7GR7Z?ASIN=0316055441	Don't waste your time or money	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring and tedious. I just wanted to yell shut up towards the end. Worst I have read in a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VUTLGV03BKCL?ASIN=0316055441	I Can't Remember A More Self-Indulgent Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've now read all three of Tartt's novels and I can say without any equivocation: this will be my last. The first one was excellent and I couldn't wait for the next one. That second one was engaging though rambling but when it came time to pull it all together, she couldn't figure out how to do it so she contrived some completely out-of-the-blue ending and cheated us all. A complete waste of time.<br/><br/>Now The Goldfinch. I had to find out if Tartt had fixed her problems and so I read it on my Kindle (Ha!) had no idea of the size of it, just knew that I was reading and reading and reading and still hadn't gotten THERE. (BTW I'm a voracious reader and this coincided with a bit of a cold, so it only took me a few days which made my sense of how much reading I'd done before I got to the actual story all the more acute).<br/><br/>I have never skimmed so many paragraphs in all of my reading life and yet I was compelled to read it to the end. And so I did. It's not that it's too long (which it is!), it's that it's insulting to the reader. While the author has the gift of setting the scene with fine detailed description she doesn't know when to stop and the editors don't seem to be able to help her. My sense of it was that she had two versions of everything she wanted to describe and instead of picking one, she used both. Every. Single. Time. Additionally, I was annoyed by the supposed voice of a male, 13-year-old only child who used a pregnancy metaphor, as if!, among other completely distracting and unbelievable bits. So much so, that I wondered if I'd missed the fact that we weren't listening to a 13-year-old at all.<br/><br/>Donna Tartt turns out to be a sloppy, self-indulgent story-teller. She doesn't seem to care if the voice is wrong, if she hasn't told us something germane, if she drops in an anachronism or two. She forces the reader to ask themselves, 'Did I miss something?' She obviously loves to write and she does a great job of using imagery but she is like a child whose voracious appetite for candy must be controlled by a caring adult. The editors failed us, once again. Clearly they are completely enthralled.<br/><br/>By the time the ending finally rolled around, there was a neat sentence that should have done it, but NO - there was another who knows how many pages of her rambling, unoriginal philosophy before I could say - ye Gods! It's over!<br/><br/>So the mystery (my mystery) was solved. She did handle the ending (well, the story part of the ending) better than she did in The Little Friend, but I don't remember being so annoyed by a book in a very long time. Actually, not since The Little Friend. If it hadn't been on my Kindle, I would have thrown the book on the floor and kicked it across the room.<br/><br/>Finally, I take great exception to all the commenters who used Dickens' name in the same sentence. Are you kidding?!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YKBFSCNG03DL?ASIN=0316055441	Review of The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writinng can be clear and engagng and then jump into page long tangents -- this needs a good edit.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZCJJ1HGOZ0CH?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Decent storyline but way too long! Could have removed all of the time spent ""tripping"" and wouk d have been a better read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33J38NQPP0112?ASIN=0316055441	Slow mover	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story but way too flowery - too much unnecessary description that  dilutes the story line and slows the progression</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NVH3PMHEIHPG?ASIN=0316055441	bleak, unsatisfying book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Why anyone would write such a bleak and depressive book, I will never know. It starts out with a boy losing his Mother in an explosion and stealing a painting as he flees the trauma. He goes home to await the return of his beloved mother. The state tried to put him with his grandparents who do not want him. His dad deserted him many months ago. His best friend's family takes him in. There are so many dysfunctional families in this book that I just can't believe it. The only kind seemingly functional person is the Antique dealer with whom through a quirk of fate, he finally gets to live with. He learns about restoration and salesmanship but gets into so much trouble from selling antiques that are really not true antiques so someone tries to blackmail him. I had to force myself to read this books. Too much drugs, bad behavior and and lack of human goodness. I do believe in the true spiritual goodness of the human race. While I know that humans can reach the low levels that the character in this book, I choose to believe in the goodness and the love that God means for us to share.....to be examples of goodness to all, to heal and restore those who are wounded. We are. Enter than the characters depicted in this book. I am sorry I wasted my time and money on this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30ECW9EQGLXRF?ASIN=0316055441	great dissapoinbt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">an overwritten piece of writing about the upper classes. How it won the prize it received is a mystery to me.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHJABWS6VGLTA?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too much detail --- got to be boring.  Didn't get the gist of the plot except life is a cesspool.  Did not care for it that much and don't understand why Amazon would pick this as the book of the year.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MINDACI9FMGO?ASIN=0316055441	Not for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is just the rantings of two drug addicts and it gets tiresome.  The whole book is about one mans misery.  Even<br/>though it is on the best seller list I would not recommend it to any of my friends.  It is far too depressing.  It really makes<br/>me wonder about the author.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE3GLF053IE9X?ASIN=0316055441	Too much of a struggle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's just more than I can bear to read.  It's a dark book about a teenager who is continually in trouble, and I just couldn't continue.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RPA8JY4OP68Y?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ought to have been edited, too long, too wordy, NOT beautiful prose - I simply do not understand the brouhaha surrounding this book - i thought her earlier work was better.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KX73FJHL7OQX?ASIN=0316055441	quite a disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book because Amazon cited it as the best book of the year.  I am not sure I will take their advice again.  While the story itself was engrossing and well developed, I found the stream of conscious meanderings tedious and truth be told, quite worthy of skipping pages at a time.  Need to be careful not to miss something important, though.  I think this book needed a different editor.  It was way too long and the story line was definitely not enhanced by its length.  I couldn't wait to finish it and do not recommend it as an enjoyable read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2REKR3UXDA4BG?ASIN=0316055441	Overdescriptive and downer all the way	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The only nice thing about the book was the name and thought of a pretty bird (which is a painting). There is not one uplifting thing in this whole book.  Mother dies, father disappears, reappears and dies.  The main boy at the beginning of the book is 13.  He gets hooked on drugs and remains that way his whole life. He make amost all the wrong choices.  I will never read another book by this author.  Very over descriptive.  Author takes 3 pages to descripe when it should only be a few paragraghs.  Its like the publisher said to the authors that the book is not long enough so make it longer????</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DKA2P11SK5PI?ASIN=0316055441	Unclear she used an editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A 200 page story crammed into almost 800.  I seriously wonder if she used an editor and if so, she needs to find a new one.  Every chapter was long and drawn out.  I'm not really sure I got the point as it was lost in WAY too many words.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R120XBU39X9HIV?ASIN=0316055441	Please do not bother	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very disappointed with this book.  The secret history was one that I enjoyed very much and had anticipated this to be a better story.  I basically did not enjoy it at all and finished it because I was stuck on an airplane.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CBSSHAO340GV?ASIN=0316055441	So much potential; ultimately disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There had been so much hype surrounding this book that I came in with high expectations. The beginning was promising; the writing is crisp and strong and the story grabbed me from the beginning. Unfortunately, Donna Tartt never quite managed to fulfill the promise of the beginning. She loses her grasp on the characters around page 400 and never manages to get it back. Her characters flounder on for hundreds of pages, and there is nothing to redeem this sense of aimless wandering when the reader finally reaches the end. Even the goldfinch painting, allegedly the centerpoint of the story, seems unimportant; I stopped caring what happened either to the painting or to our hapless narrator.<br/><br/>Don't believe the hype; this book would have done much better as a short story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R220AXW3U8E9VQ?ASIN=0316055441	The dead goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard to read, don't know what all the fuss is about.  Was in Europe recently, saw this book everywhere.  This was a book that could of gotten the message across in about half the amount of pages.  Painful to read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HK52AOF5R7FY?ASIN=0316055441	Ugh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has received so many accolades and I just don't understand why. There are no redeeming qualities to any of the characters, so you don't feel invested in what happens to them. I literally dreaded picking up the book each night. I stuck with it until the end, hoping I would discover why so many have declared this the ""book of the year"", only to find an ending that tried to be sentimental and inspiring, but felt so disjointed from the rest of the book that it was just silly.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TNDXXXTWX0G5?ASIN=0316055441	I expected more from  such a highly rated book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got into the book easily but it did not hold my interest.The main characters were lost in drugs most of the book. They were weak in character and did not hold my interest.  I did finish the book but then I ask myself ""Why?"" I would not recommend this book to anyone.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IGEYFJY6P23T?ASIN=0316055441	Just not my cup of tea	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this Kindle edition because of its critical reviews. Quite a few friends are reading it parallel to me and seem to be enjoying it. I didn't really care for it.<br/>I skipped many pages of drug and alcohol- fueled dialogue and social interface between Theo and Boris. I loved Welty, Pippa and Hobie. I found the Barbours vapid, which Ms. Tartt got exactly right. I needed more gentle love and pure art history. I am not a student of the new SSRs or Eastern Mafia. I have no doubt Boris and his coterie exist in many guises, I just don't care to involve myself in that form of human drama and ruthlessness.<br/>I can't recommend, as I regret buying this novel.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P11C0RJ3YOJ7?ASIN=0316055441	Good story, but hard to read, too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the premise of the story, but found the book ""overwritten"". I thought it was much too long and wordy - points were well coveyed, but then the author continues for dozens more pages - unnecessarily. I actually was screaming for it to end as I read the last chapter because I just wanted to be done with it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18XAFXU97YYRA?ASIN=0316055441	This was No.1?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tedious is the best word for this book!  The story was interesting but overtold, hence a good editing might have saved it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ONICMGSX6ACS?ASIN=0316055441	Such a disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A disappointing book, conceptually as well as well as far as character development is concerned. Plot drags along at a snail's pace. Clearly the editor was either overruled or was not interested or is a Donna Tart groupie as the book comes across unedited. What is worth reading are the descriptions of the art and antiques, but that does not make a book. I have no idea what the hype as a bout and I am sorry I wasted my holiday time on reading it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZTKX5RHWLQUH?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">would give this a minus rating  - most boring book I have ever read!  a total of money and time</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C7RUXT03L9R6?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Soooo long without much of an ending. I just don't see the point. Most of the book was written with exceptional detail and each section was very drawn out. However, the ending left much to be desired.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROV5HG7YUKM81?ASIN=0316055441	Good but	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Liked book as it was well written but felt it was too descriptive in places.  This made the book a slow read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FNFAAHEVZPY6?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I read in 2013	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story of an early teenage boy caught in a terrorist explosion at an N.Y. art museum where his mother was killed.  The book chronicles the problems he suffered from childhood to adult from the trauma, and the guilt he felt for stealing a valuable painting loved by his mother named ""The Goldfinch"" from the museum after the bombing.  His life adventures included dealing with depression, fear, PTSD, drug use, and the people who befriended him while trying to survive. The book is so well written I couldn't put it down.  All the book's characters come to life on his journey to find himself.  I loved it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R326567AYAIEHX?ASIN=0316055441	The more I think about it the lower the rating goes	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started off intrigued by Theo at the beginning, but he developed into such an unlikeable nitwit. In the end I only found the dead mother and Hobie sympathetic. Oh, Pippa could have been interesting if author had spent any time developing her, but instead she comes off very 2 dimensional which is a shame because interaction between the two could have made Theo likable.  I was so bored I skimmed the last half of the book - seriously it could have been way shorter if author had trimmed some of the useless prose.  Also, all the revelations of Theo at the end just seem hollow and preachy coming from Theo where I am sure the author thought she was giving Theo great revelations.<br/><br/>I started off thinking this was a four star book, but during the Las Vegas crap it went down to a three and just kept sliding down because Theo was so unsympathetic and don't even get me started on Boris. I am ok with unsympathetic characters if they are at least interesting but sadly most of the characters just weren't interesting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF2B8ZIC89CQD?ASIN=0316055441	monotonic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What began as a retrospecton  in the first few pages turned out to be the rest of the novel, all of it a dreary memory with no clue as to why the reader should be sympathetic to the boy, beyond that he'd had a horrible ( and rather unbelievable) experience.  I would have stuck with the fellow in Amsterdam ( his older self and his predicament, whatever it was) but I gave  some 60 pages on when it seemed he, and we, would never get back to the present tense.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15FM35PHYSRQ0?ASIN=0316055441	Boy this is a slog!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book started out great...interesting, exciting. Then it slowed way down. As an e-reader I didn't know this tomb is gigantic. I still haven't finished it...it's so dark and full of unending twists and turns. Not a fun read!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LZ9HT1MZXN93?ASIN=0316055441	I don't like it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book was well written with an interesting and complicated plot.  However, page after page of drug and alcohol abuse were hard to wade through.  None of the characters was appealing.  I was left with the impression that the whole thing was very, very sad.  This is not a book I could recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38LXK1IRDF805?ASIN=0316055441	Love Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a wonderful - but sadly not very prolific writer.  Her other two novels - The Secret History and The Little Friend, were also books that I would rate highly. Each book has unique locations, and characters and situations that bend the curve of plausibility - but yet everything works (at least to me).  After reading a Donna Tartt book, I feel somewhat exhausted - and usually will have to choose a more sedate book to bring my blood pressure down a bit.  The Goldfinch is no exception. The book is a modern coming of age story chuck full of wild and outrageous characters, great dialogue, and mind bending plot twists. Tartt provides such a level of detail in her writing that it truly breathtaking.  I strongly recommend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDBTVDFWRA4JQ?ASIN=0316055441	The mercy in this book is that it ends	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't hate this book. I read the entire book. However I grew so weary of the depression, the angst, the narcissistic examination of every raindrop that I often considered putting it down or flipping to the end just to see if there was one. Then something would draw me back in and I'd read more, my interest renewed. Overall the book is an ambitious effort and the characters seem well drawn even if I found myself not really caring for some of them. But that is the essence of development.......<br/>Boris seemed to speak in the same voice throughout with few changes in character as he aged. He was exhausting.  Would I recommend this book? Probably as the sheer magnitude of finding so many ways to say ""my life sucks and I'm determined to blame a long ago tragedy as the catalyst for all my misadventures"" is a worthy read for aspiring writers of short stories.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FUC6DGQKN31M?ASIN=0316055441	Well written but a painful read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a long book that held me in thrall till the end, but left me unsatisfied. There were two reasons for my disappointment. First, I found it unpleasant to spend that much time dealing with the grim consequences of PTSD in three attractive teenagers. Second, the author boxed herself into such an impossible plot corner that she had to resort to a glaringly deus-ex-machina denouement.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVFMDBMJGD0CI?ASIN=0316055441	A mixed bag	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked the first part of the book! I understood--for the first time -- how a severely traumatized child might be affected by that trauma.  It was interesting to learn about how the trauma of losing his mother in such a violent way tore him loose from his mooring.<br/>I got lost (and less interested) when his deadbeat dad showed up and introduced him to the life of drugs and gambling.  I became even less interested when Boris came into the picture.<br/>The book makes leaps in time and reader's understanding of events. I was greatly disappointed by the last 1/3 of the book, but I hung in as long as I could.<br/>I wouldn't  recommend this book to any serious reader who wants to read a believable but enticing yarn.  This was too far-fetched, too much meaningless detail, and, in the final analysis, not that interesting a story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K14PM8IYQYV?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was disappointed in this book. It started out good but it went on and on about the drug experience until I couldn't wait until the book ended. The entire middle section could have been left out. In addition the conclusion was disappointing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12BUY772QBBF?ASIN=0316055441	Started with a bang and then faded	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started out awesome.....caught my interest right away.....about 65% into it....i LOST interest, in my opinion it got very draggy and boring....more and more depressing as it goes along...i kept saying, ok move it along will you....i do not recommend</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RB9OUSJ4WTTT?ASIN=0316055441	Rave review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely loved this book - loved the way it is written - contrast of different ways of life - the drama - suspense - everything! Have read Secret History and the Little Friend so am obviously a fan of this writter.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ILUN4OSFAWWZ?ASIN=0316055441	THE GOLDFINCH:  a perfect metaphor for THeo's predicament.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a sweeping, picaresque story!  Tartt captures a young boy in tragic circumstances and, through an alchemy of language, transforms him into a tortured orphan, a lover of beauty and a prisoner, so like the little bird he so I admired and identifies with.  THEO Decker is the GOLDFINCH.  They are chained yet each accepts his fate.  A remarkable book, one I won't forget.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L1EN474RVJ3D?ASIN=0316055441	Stunning, powerful and gripping, one of 2013's must-read's	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A stunning book, marred only by  its overarching ambition.  I hated The Secret History so it was with great trepidation that I picked this up, deciding that I should suspend disbelief, if only temporarily to at least see for myself if it lived up to the many positive reviews.<br/>It did.<br/>This a fabulous book, with phrasing so glorious, observations so astute, and descriptions so strikingly visual and at once lyrical that I got lost in them, and read them over and over, like one would roll a hard candy over ones' tongue to get every bit of flavor.  To write a single sentence, almost anywhere in the book involved an internal perceptiveness and command of detail that reflected true craftsmanship.<br/>The story wasn't bad either. It is a strange tale that manages to be about good and evil, the meaning of life, luck and tragedy, while at the same time involving stolen art, growing up--oh--and it's a bit of a love story too.<br/>I dreamed about this book. I couldn't wait to finish this book and at the same time I was racing to the finish, I wanted to savor and luxuriate in this book and didn't want it to end.<br/>The book would have been a five star, it deserved a five star with the exception that towrds the end, it got a little preachy, if not subtly pedantic as if the author feared she had not made her point and needed to actually hit the reader over the head with it as if she didn't have the confidence to realize that less is more. Despite that little bit of criticism, it was an edge of your seat couldn't put it down kind of book that I would read over and over, just to relish in the details and pick up what I missed, it was that good.<br/>Read it. You won't be sorry.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1APBGAS6DT867?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt - another masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have read all three of Donna Tartt's books - a actually have them all and she is perhaps one of the best writers of contemporary fiction. By some standards the book is long, but the plot development, characters and that special Tartt treatment of the story make this the best I've read this year (and I read a lot). I have recommended it to all of my literary friends. I just wish we didn't have to wait so long between books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJIRY6W8DO1S1?ASIN=0316055441	Fast Paced First, Slow down Second	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've read Donna Tartt's other books and especially enjoyed The Secret History. I was drawn into The Goldfinch immediately. It takes off on a fast pace for several hundred pages and then it begins to slow down and go off on a different track. It loses its rhythm and after a while became a bit annoying and totally unbelievable. My three star rating is for the beginning pages. My three stars are for research on fine antiques and the pages I enjoyed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFT43F69WNYBD?ASIN=0316055441	Will It Ever End?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know I am in the minority by only giving this book two stars but so be it! I am an avid reader of all kinds of genres of books and frankly, this is one long, depressing, cumbersome novel.  Yes, the writer is talented but honestly, 800 pages of the same thing over and over again. I agree with several reviewers who felt Theo should just get over what happened to him.  If you like a totally negative and relentlessly depressing story line, then this is the book for you.  If not, save your money and buy something fun like ""The 100-Year Old Man!""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R85V4TRTCI6V4?ASIN=0316055441	Good art, bad drugs	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Starts extremely well, but then goes on and on and on..... Overwritten, and too many tedious accounts of drug or alcohol related wipeouts. A very, very good writer, but self-indulgent and undisciplined. Will still sell huge numbers.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTCHHWYULL34Q?ASIN=0316055441	rambling and going nowhere	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i have never written a review before but am an avid reader and enjoyed the secret history so had high hopes for this. i am so disappointed. the protagonist is unlikeable and shallow and the story is too. i did stick with it in the hope it would improve and i am a fast reader but it only deteriorated. do not waste precious relaxation time on this.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCQP7CVZDW35V?ASIN=0316055441	Pure Gold	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot of this book is so unusual and the characters so vivid with well-researched details and well written prose, I can't praise it enough. I have to say that I read the author's other books including her much-heralded debut, The Secret History but this book is really her magnum opus. I can't recall ever reading such beautiful descriptions of people, places, and objects.<br/><br/>At a very young age, Theo Decker comes into possession of a rare painting, a masterpiece, under calamitous circumstances with lasting effects. This event defines his future. The people it brings into his orbit -- such as his surrogate family, his estranged father, a description-defying best friend, and an adoptive mentor -- are a rollicking ride through existential territory.<br/><br/>Donna Tartt is a master storyteller. The words that flow from her form a masterpiece on par with the rare work that is the book's title.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MVC0FISQKQZ6?ASIN=0316055441	Is bigger on inside than on outside	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a big book, big ideas, big canvas, big characters painted with bold strokes, benday dots, and lovely, subtle, nuanced, feathers all, eventually, working to define a great, glorious, artful line.<br/><br/>It is a coming of age story something like Great Expectations in it's scope and range, hence all the Dickens comparisons. It is filled with references to art, literature, video games, furniture, architecture, history and the contemporary scene in a fluid, polyglot smorgasbord.<br/><br/>A wonderful read, well worth the readers time if he is willing to let the story unfold at its own pace.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GAZFRZUXSFCK?ASIN=0316055441	triumph!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, fully formed characters, awe-inspiring insight.  Not to mention the spotlight given to a precious work of art unfamiliar to many. To offer us this story, and this homage to The Goldfinch, is truly a gift that I appreciate on so many levels.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROY03RZM8AJC0?ASIN=0316055441	Could have been shorter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are two ways of looking at this book. One, it is an interesting story - with enough twists, turns, surprises and suspense to do someone like Jeffery Archer proud - padded up to nearly 800 pages with a lot of psychological and philosophical stuffing. The other way is to see the story as the scaffolding on which the author builds a profound literary work going deep into the inner lives of its characters and shares her reflections on the meaning of life.<br/><br/>Donna Tartt obviously would like us to take the second approach - as is clear from the concluding part, which is a long reflection by Theodore Decker, the main protagonist, on the significance of all that has transpired. She doesn’t, however, lose sight of the importance of the underlying story to hold the reader’s interest and skilfully uses techniques like giving tantalizing glimpses of what is to come to keep the reader plodding through the often rambling psychological detail. There are places in the book where Theo finds himself in a tight corner with no easy way out of it. On the next page, however, we find him getting along with his life quite comfortably a few weeks later and need to read on for another one hundred and fifty pages to know how he got out of that tight corner.<br/><br/>Tartt succeeds in holding the reader’s interest enough to let them complete the book. She doesn’t however succeed in using her philosophical reflections and painfully detailed descriptions of people, places and situations to raise the level of the book to a great work of literature. Despite all the details the reader fails to get under the skin of the characters. One doesn’t feel happy and sad, elated and frustrated with them. The philosophical musings also fail to trigger the reader’s own thoughts on the larger questions of life. I am no expert on the art of writing, but I can't help feeling that it would be possible to flesh out the characters and to make the reader feel and think with them with far fewer words.<br/><br/>Overall, I am happy I read this book, but I wouldn't rank it among the best I have - despite all the praise it seems to be getting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SK39XYZJN33N?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I simply couldn't put it down! I felt like I was on the journey with Theo. Vivid characters that stay in my mind after the last page is read and a wonderful study of human nature....the good, the bad and the ugly.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QV0IQJNQ1VFL?ASIN=0316055441	What attracted me was the way the development of the characters allowed you to feel like you were inside their heads	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Usually takes me about a month to read a book of this length, but since I absolutely couldn't put it down, I finished it in 4 days! What attracted me was the way the development of the characters allowed you to feel like you were inside their heads, and the family dynamics that brought out the choices the characters had to make.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVUP1D64SQQA9?ASIN=0316055441	Verbose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is 5 star in some parts and 1 star in others. While reading some parts I couldn't put it down, in others I seriously considered not finishing. The author was wordy ( verbose- I never had a use for this word). The basic story was very good, but the end was, to me, not satisfying and it took me 3 renewals to finish it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3525EAGEMZI1I?ASIN=0316055441	it had to get better. It didn't	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I kept reading this book thinking that since it was a Pulitzer winner, it had to get better. It didn't. The author seems to think that she should use 50 words when two or three would convey the meaning just as well, if not better. If you are looking for a tale filled with drug use &amp; four-letter words, this is the book for you.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LNUIK3OFMAT8?ASIN=0316055441	The style of writing can also get tedious, endlessly stringing together adjective phrases	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although at times impossible to put down, I had to read this book in three chunks over the space of a year, as I would get so sick of the main character's self-destructiveness.  The style of writing can also get tedious, endlessly stringing together adjective phrases.  I also fundamentally disagree with its nihilistic theme.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13G8PMI1QCY1R?ASIN=0316055441	good intense	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intense dense read that is thought provoking and disturbing. Theo is not likeable, but he is interesting-- fascinating even. I definitely will review carefully my plans for guardianship for my children as there is a debate in my mind as to whether Theo would have turned out similarly with a better guardianship plan in place.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VLXNU0M18EAG?ASIN=0316055441	Wanted to like it but kind of hated it...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really wanted to find out how the story developed, but I did not enjoy the rhythm of the writing and couldn't get into a groove. In fact, by the time I gave up, each sentence was getting on my nerves almost irrationally. Not a keeper, though the story and the details about the characters seemed quite good as far as I got.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YDB5Z0SOMIWD?ASIN=0316055441	The Great Cosmopolitan Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I see this novel is not going unnoticed so I will only say that I dove into this novel and didn't come again for days.  It has one of the great literary characters ever -- Boris.  I love Russians anyway but Boris was up there with all the great Russian characters by the great Russian writers.  All together, a tour de force.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FNXIZZ31ES54?ASIN=0316055441	Very Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to enjoy this book so much.  Especially, since I was getting bad reviews from other's who had read it.  I wanted to prove them wrong.<br/>Alas, I can't.<br/>Perhaps if the author could have condensed the story, and had not dragged it on for so long, it might have made a very big difference.<br/>Susan S. 9/16/14</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRO953LS3C4BL?ASIN=0316055441	an excellent read, could have been shorter without sacrificing anything	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first third and plot setup are superb with richly drawn characters. The middle wanders a bit but still well written and interesting. The last third is too drawn out searching for a conclusion and offering a number of false end points. All and all, an excellent read, could have been shorter without sacrificing anything.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE9S3VOJZSTM0?ASIN=0316055441	Not Sure Why It Was a Pulitzer Prize Winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Since I had heard of the novel, but without any other information, I was surprised that it had been awarded the Pulitzer Prize.  Although an interesting story, it seemed too long and some of the writing was not on par with other prize winners.  As I neared the end of the book, it had become more of a chore than a pleasure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ASYPO7WPTUC?ASIN=0316055441	TOO MUCH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had a good idea to start but became very tedious and long in doing into detail about a drug addicted character.  Too much of that and I found myself waiting for it to finish.  I belong to a book club and many others found the same thing.  Really, do we want to spend so much time getting into the mind of a druggy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NG6281QDOTZV?ASIN=0316055441	How did this win a Pulitzer?!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I began to feel like the chained goldfinch in the painting as the book dragged on and felt as if it'd never end. There's a reason only 40% of those starting the book actually finish it. Very cliche storytelling with a Hallmark card ending. I've no idea how this won a Pulitzer. So sad to have wasted 32+ hours reading this.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J5NS4UH99MSG?ASIN=0316055441	Really? Pullitzer prize? I find it hard to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really?  Pullitzer prize?  I find it hard to believe this.  While the story is cute, there are mystery writers who could write circles around this author.  This is no piece of literature.  It is obvious from the lack of editing.  There are whole chunks of this book you could leave out and it would still be the same story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M9PN5M7MMF5W?ASIN=0316055441	But definitely a good read. You really feel for the characters and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story and it does pull you in.  The reason I didn't give it more stars is that I thought the last quarter of the book got a little disjointed and wordy - not nearly as tightly written as the first three quarters.  But definitely a good read.  You really feel for the characters and they are very well developed.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQX2VY097G2DO?ASIN=0316055441	An unusual story that gets to the nub of human emotion	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very complex and interwoven tale of a young boy's journey from a relatively calm and predictable life to one of complete uncertainty, longing and travail. A work of art and its allure seem to be the one constant throughout.....a compelling read. A very descriptive and detailed account...this reader enjoyed the journey.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NFL71VVYX6LS?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A hyped novel from a known author that disappointed this reader.  It starts out with a bang and has an interesting story which gradually and relentlessly deteriorates into a drug culture  haze.  The people deteriorate and so does the book.  One truly cannot judge a book by its cover or its exposure and media promotion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JCKWM8NDHB13?ASIN=0316055441	Worthwhile Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing starts out a bit self consciously but by the middle of the first chapter it picks up speed and the characterization a can be intensely delightful. Boris is a character for the ages, as are Hobie, Platt and kitsey. The protagonist can get a bit gloomy and internal, but Tartt doesn't let that get too extreme.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B3MR897E8BQK?ASIN=0316055441	Blah!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm amazed that this book has received the Pulitzer prize. I found this book to be unmanageable, too cultural (with incorrect references) and written in a movie script fashion.  I'm no reviewer but I have read many books and this one does not measure up to the hype.  Disappointed in other reviews that sold it as gold.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP5ICB3ND8TKO?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Probably the most depressing book I ever read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VQ9YCXZPTKQT?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This so beautifully written, I catch myself stopping and re-reading passages. This is a book about love and loss, of grief and redemption. A long journey with a frightened and lost young man. You spend the entire read trying to decide if  he I going to self-destruct or save himself. No wonder it won a Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14BL2O74A43S5?ASIN=0316055441	I wasted my time reading this...........	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A much too long book that frequently wasn't believable.  The only character who was even likable was Hobie.  I found the description of  drug use and irrational behavior repeated so many times it became the focus of the book.  To me it was about people who chose to waste their lives.  I would not recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X7BMWVXFH3LE?ASIN=0316055441	I am having a hard time getting into The Goldfinch ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am having a hard time getting into The Goldfinch, therefore, I am not qualified to give a review, however so far I have lost interest in it.  In the beginning the main character, writing in the first person had no real identity and there seems to be no improvement in the  author's ability to maintain my curiosity.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G5TA65LRGSW4?ASIN=0316055441	Horrible waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wasted my money and energy - like paying for a useless storage vault thinking there was value inside. Don't be naive and led astray into folly by the hype as our hero and me!  I read a similar review to this one before I bought the book and ignored it due the the Pulitzer status. I'll not make that mistake again.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31XKBSVJY0YAL?ASIN=0316055441	I am sorry I wasted my time on early 800 pages of this thing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have just finished ""The Goldfinch"".  I can't decide if I want to give it away to another reader or just throw it away.  I don't want to inflict this dribble onto someone else.  I couldn't wait to finish this book.  I am sorry I wasted my time on early 800 pages of this thing.  What an unsatisfying downer.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R150W0HJPIS4RK?ASIN=0316055441	Don't even start it's not worth the effort it takes to finish.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the worst books I have read in a very long time.  Paragraph upon paragraph of totally skipped over writing is the only thing that got me through to the end.  This whole story could have and should have been told in a fourth of the pages it was written.  This is not a book I would recommend to anyone.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TW6G570THZ2?ASIN=0316055441	a disappointing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the story tedious and repetitious in many places.  if I wanted a course in art history, I would have taken it in college.  the book could have been shortened by 400 pages.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GJL75URKQVYK?ASIN=0316055441	A GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It has been a very long time since I have read such a long, drawn out and bitterly disappointingly depressing story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ3SBP2N9BOOC?ASIN=0316055441	USLESS WASTE OF TIME	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i  CAN NOT THINK OF ONE PERSON i WOULD RECOMEND THIS BOOK TO. i WAS DISGUSTED WITH MYSELF FOR WASTING MY TIME ON IT.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB5W9IZVKFJGK?ASIN=0316055441	Long and drawn out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Full of drug usage and dysfunction and sad lives who were just hopeless and fell into a trap that took meaning and purpose to living from them.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y5KCGGAGBVD4?ASIN=0316055441	Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not like it at all, started out nicely, but deals way too much with drugs etc.<br/>Way too descriptive and repeats the same thing over and over.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R304TCPIIPA0ZO?ASIN=0316055441	Only suffered through 1/3 of this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't remember the last time I didn't finish a book after getting this far, but I got to a point in Goldfinch when I couldn't spend any more time reading this good story that is poorly written.  Don't ignore all the reviewers who say similar things like ""her editor should be fired!""  The story is actually very good, but each interraction, event, and chapter of this boy's life drags on and on and on and on to the point where you get completely sick of reading about it!  Too bad, because I think this could have been a really good book if it was half the length.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZIBSZP39NF8Y?ASIN=0316055441	yuck	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too depressing.  Drugs, drugs, and more drugs,  As in life, this became the ""current du jour"" of the story and I couldn't get past that to enjoy the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JKD1PGKFVM13?ASIN=0316055441	Awful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very wordy book, not concise or very good.  It spent too much time on all of the alcohol and drug usage and much too long.  I did not enjoy a bit of the book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBTJ212993XLR?ASIN=0316055441	Made it to last five pages and then thought, 'why?'	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted very much to love this book. I liked Theo, I liked Hobie, I even liked Boris. The plot was not bad, if strained sometimes. Theo's motivations and actions made no sense. Why didn't he just turn in the painting immediately? Even for a child, his reasoning was off. But what ruined it for me was the constant philosophizing, repetition, restatements. And the last ten or so pages were just claptrap. Reminded me of my diaries in the ninth grade. I like some literary fiction but in spite of the good reviews, this one doesn't cut it. I hardly ever leave bad reviews. I love most books I read. But I felt betrayed by this one. The hype took me in and I kept reading waiting for the promises to come true. They never did.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J6VWHAVJ7V0M?ASIN=0316055441	Really folks??	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If my expectations were not so high, this book may have received a more positive review. Maybe 3 stars... Maybe...<br/><br/>However, I struggle to understand how this is such an amazing book; the story is so-so and the message 'I can do what I want, hurt people, and still win' is offputting.<br/><br/>I consider myself fairly well read, and so a 'difficult' book, as this certainly was at times, doesn't deter me in the least... Actually, it excites me.  This book was difficult for all the wrong reasons.<br/><br/>My advise, skip it!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JXL7C9MDOD03?ASIN=0316055441	awful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I only finished this book because I can't stand to not finish one I have begun.  This was an extreme waste of my time and the trees that had to be chopped down to make the paper for printing.<br/>I can not understand how this book got on the best seller list. I am just glad I did not pay full-hard backed price for it.<br/>If I could have; it would have gotten Zero stars!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PIQ2LZXNN6AI?ASIN=0316055441	Got to 137. Tapped out. Didn't care to read another page.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dear Lord did I try. It's not that it's badly written or that it's not descriptive enough, whatever the reason this book just didn't hook me or pull me in. Even in the face of an explosion I found myself disnterested. The story has a pacing that spans what seems to be the actual lifetime of a boy growing up and has parenthesis every page or so giving you insights into his thoughts at a later date as if this entire store were a diary. I got to page 137 and tapped out. If people love it, fantastic. I personally couldn't fall in love with it no matter how pretty the other reviews painted it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE305CMAZVHXE?ASIN=0316055441	I wish I hadn't wasted my time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Seriously? Best seller of 2013? Not in my opinion.<br/>I downloaded this book as a Christmas read because of an Amazon.com email showing it as the #1 book of the year. By the end of this far-too-long book, I simply didn't care how it ended.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6HB0K6DQJEII?ASIN=0316055441	Very disappointing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How in the world did this essay of landscape adjectives rate a Best Seller listing?<br/>I usually give a book 100 pages before giving up, but I couldn't wait to delete it.<br/>I need a book to bring forth interesting  characters or a plot.  There are too many really good books !</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25JGI8A95K9WD?ASIN=0316055441	Verbose and Ponderous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I tried, but couldn't get past 120 pages, which I thought was a fair effort.  I just didn't see what others were seeing -- all those who gave a 5-star review.<br/><br/>For me, the story seemed to drag as in it took an enormous number of pages to describe something that was a relatively short event.  I lost interest in the main character.  Also, the story seemed downbeat and somewhat depressing, which made the verbosity not worth it for me.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6969AHJ5U291?ASIN=0316055441	Long and depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Despite the many good reviews of this book, I did not like it. I found the main character, Theo, not very likeable as he grew older.  Boris and Hobie were my favorite characters. I grew tired of the long, drawn out descriptive sentences and soon was skipping over them. The excessive use of drugs was depressing and the lecturing at the end of the book was boring.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R277WYAI8ZZFYA?ASIN=0316055441	In general, thumbs down! Hated it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This has not been fun to read! I finished it because I had to know the ending, but it was depressing and I actually felt sick to my stomach much of the way through. I started the book and felt as someone else has mentioned in a review that this was going to be a Dickensian tale, but that feeling soon ended. Granted, Tart is a wonderful writer, she had so much to say, much that was interesting about life and art, the characters were so well drawn that I could picture all of them, see them and hear them clearly, but these things got lost too easily. I liked few of the characters and I came to hate Boris quite quickly and his meandering stories, and rather evil ways. I hated all the drugs and alcohol and the sleazy characters, with blow by blow accounts of nasty binges and sickness to follow, the vomit, the blood, etc. Descriptions of such nasty, nasty places - all far too clearly written! I hated the stay in Las Vegas as well as the time in Amsterdam. I found myself quickly skipping pages, especially when Boris was on the scene. Theo I came to have little sympathy or respect for, he seemed never to be sober enough to figure out some simple ways to get out of predicaments, to handle simple matters like getting a temporary passport, although I'm sure being paranoid and nearly brain dead from drugs and alcohol had much to do with that. Hobie was THE bright light in the story and I wish there was so much more about him and his life and furniture making. A fairly normal person, tho not really when he had a small chance to tell some of his own story; he was for me, by far the most interesting character. There was little love or real expression of it, no warmth, no lightness and really only cynical humor. The book certainly affected me - here I am a couple of days later still feeling sick to my stomach and kind of angry when I think about it. This would have been a great book and better story to my mind if it had been edited down drastically and was 300-400 pages shorter! Sorry, I had to vent!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RT4R2J3OMKPG?ASIN=0316055441	Great Disappointments	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this book as a result of a tumultuous number of reviews by respected critics.  The book starts with a terrible event and then goes on to perhaps equally terrible events for about 700 pages or so.  All throughout reading this I was asking myself, why this young lad did the things he did.  He was constantly following what others told him to do (even before the first of the terrible events, including the loss of his father).<br/>I never learned why he did all those things...even at the end going to a drunken party because his GREAT friend Boris insisted on it.  I gather from further reviews that this book is ""Dickensian"" in spirit.  That is not a good reason to read it.  I enjoyed Dickens immensely, but I was always aware of the native intelligence of the main characters in each.<br/><br/>Not in this book, not at all!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SR0SIHJYXML2?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant Story, Wish She Had A Stronger Editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a brilliant story with memorable characters and most of the book is incredibly well done and fun to read.<br/><br/>""Most"" being the operative word.<br/><br/>Tartt needed an editor to cut out a lot of the repetitive detail (Like several other reviewers, I too found myself page skimming -- sometimes the detail is fascinating, oftentimes it's unnecessary and just slows down the story.)<br/><br/>There are a few other nits a good editor could have fixed, e.g. the internet makes cameo appearances but it's inconsistent - characters will make use of it in the way people do in 2013 but then later in the same scene they seem to forget it exists (and there's much more of the latter than the former-- Tartt recently did an interview with the New York Times where she admits to only using the web ""to look up phone numbers"" and her unfamiliarity is pretty evident, which is a problem in a novel whose main protagonists are 20somethings), a number of key plot points are telegraphed way in advance in a manner that feels more heavy-handed than than skillful, there are minor-but-critical unexplained plot points (e.g. why Theo's mother never considered leaving his father) whose omission seems curious in a novel that goes into such minute detail about everything else. And then of course there are the adult Theo's relationships with women, all of which seem overly chaste and prim and bloodless (especially compared to his relationship with Boris)-- even when he professes otherwise.<br/><br/>There's a lot of Great Expectations in this novel-- I can't imagine it's coincidence that one of the main characters is called Pippa-- and Tartt frequently uses Dickens beloved device of the happy coincidence to move the plot forward. Usually Tartt makes the device work, but there are other times where the plot twists seem plucked from a forgettable TV movie of the week.<br/><br/>The final chapter could also have used some heavier editing--"" philosophizing"" is a great way to end Theo's story, but the chapter just drags on forever, like a well meaning guest who won't stop saying goodbye.<br/><br/>I gave it 4 stars because it's a really masterful story and the fairy tale quality makes it markedly different from so much of modern fiction. I just wish the editors would have had a heavier hand.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X4G9JYC63TXK?ASIN=0316055441	Contemplations of life and relationships plus an enjoyable plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has some really enjoyable contemplations of life and relationships on top of a thrilling plot. Like:<br/>- """"I love this painting because it speaks to all mankind"". Thats not the reason anyone loves a piece of art. It's a secret whisper from an alleyway. Psst. you. Hey, kid. Yes you.""<br/>- ""There's a doubleness. You see the mark, you see the paint for the paint, and also the living bird.""<br/>- Stay away from the ones you love too much. Those are the ones who will kill you. What you want to live and be happy in the world is a woman who has her own life and lets you have yours.<br/><br/>One interesting aspect of the book is that there is hardly any sex. Which would be really easy to put in - criminal world, Las Vegas, Amsterdam, relationships with two main female characters, lots of drugs. But this maybe reflects actually cool arrogance of the author - yes its easy, yes its what would sell. But I can make good literature without the sex.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CBPGSS3FXJQS?ASIN=0316055441	Too long...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I usually give a book at least 100 pages...Well, I read 400 pages and thought, why am I finishing this...I wasn't into the strange family, the teenage friend drinking and stealing all the time...The whole time in Las Vegas could have been skipped...Anyway, 600 pages too many based on the storyline...Skip it and read a good book...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LJQ6PRLE6ECK?ASIN=0316055441	I wanted to like it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was so long and dreary that I am depressed finishing it. I kept waiting for it to get better. The writing was top notch, I could envision all the writer had to say however the story anti-climatic. I spent many nights reading, hoping for that part of the book where I would say wow!...which never happened.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J5HANC1ZK3Z4?ASIN=0316055441	Breaking Bad of books	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The subject matter is very much different but it conjured up similar feelings in me. At times it was difficult to read as BB was difficult to watch. You care so much for the lead character that it hurts when they undergo destructive behavior. The book is very good and I can't wait until it comes out in movie form.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E5YH3DM65C?ASIN=0316055441	waste	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If this diatribe took a decade to write, the author wasted about nine years that would have been better spent reading a few good books. The editor wasted an opportunity to make something decent of a mostly cluttered, terribly overlong mess. the publisher wasted way too much paper and I wasted my money and my time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTFVEI0A2S5PJ?ASIN=0316055441	Painful to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">All the 1 star ratings are correct! Painful to read. The first thrird to one half you can get through and it's sad, the rest is TEDIOUS!!!! Painful to read the constantly repeated descriptions and themes and just when you think they MAY be getting to an actual point, nope, back to painful long drawn out detail....</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HFIJGTECAHBF?ASIN=0316055441	Accept that the choices you made in the past you would do again.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt the author illustrated through Theo and Boris that with out role models early in life they were unable to understand or appreciate intrensic rewards and thus were drawn to lifestyles that brought immediate self pleasure.  They both understood they were living for the moment, however only Boris accepted it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UUQ0EF03B56S?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book is one of the most well written books I have read in years. beautifully told,keeps you guessing and wondering and has the most realist look on life. It has put my faith back into the well written author. I would be surprised if this doesn't become a classic novel through the years. an absolute must read</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JWZD2FR0UB3M?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't work for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know this has received acclaim.  For me, it just went on and on, circles of tedious bad choices, and I finally gave up.  Maybe a good editing would have helped - hard to believe all those pages were needed to tell the story.  I guess I would say this isn't a book for everyone - but some of my friends liked it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16KDVSK8KUBZ2?ASIN=0316055441	Don't waste your time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't know what the criteria is for Pulitzer Prize winners, but I found this book to be tedious.  It was A Series of Unfortunate Evens peppered with the F word.  To be perfectly honest, I didn't care about anyone, except maybe Hobie, all of the other characters were unlikeable, and unrepentant.  It was trash.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q1E83T99P0O4?ASIN=0316055441	Overly long, overly depressing with completely unlikeable characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hoped I would like this given the overwhelming reviews. I find it overly long and depressing. I don't like the characters, what's to like about a druggie, thief, flim-flam con artist. For those who think this book spoke to them I suggest therapy! I would rather have paid or a cup of coffee as wasted the money on this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36P7QMTCC721A?ASIN=0316055441	love and art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A remarkable work on several levels. Complex characters move through an inventive plot across cultures ... all in the context of a thought-provoking reflection on beauty, love and art ... interwoven with ""how are we to carry ourselves in this increasingly difficult experience called ""modern life"".</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J8DELTZOQBZT?ASIN=0316055441	Good but not Great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful descriptive language - the author is a master of this. Only three stars as it was too redundant  and long winded. At times I wanted to shake the main character Theo, probably because of how he made his choices. I lost patience with him. At the end I skipped many pages. Generally a good read though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJRSMRV44AVQW?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I agree with many reviewers that the book starts great, but becomes tedious. The author loves adjectives! The details of drug highs, drug lows, adolescence angst, etc. really detracted from an otherwise interesting plot. I finished but it was work. Fortunately had two plane flights to trap me for four hours.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R4V7F43BMEUL?ASIN=0316055441	This won a Pulitzer Prize???!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very disappointed with this book.  I believe the plot had potential; however, I did not personally like the writing style and the seemingly glorification of drug use/abuse.  The run-on sentences and repetition could have been reduced to make it a much shorter and concise book, which may have held my attention better.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVX4TVHCNJ0W4?ASIN=0316055441	A superb book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Worth all of its nearly eight hundred pages.  This is a book I intend to re-read, for there is too much in it to absorb at one go.  The characters are wonderfully alive and complex and the significance of the painting grows continually from the first chapter to the last. Bravo, Donna Tartt!  You have written a masterpiece.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SMFFCK4ESIC1?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I slogged through this book so you don't have to.  After the first few chapters grabbed my attention I began to become impatient with not just the protagonist but the self-absorbed characters in his life.  There was no character growth or insight until the final chapter.  By then I felt too cheated to care.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IY1AEDX3HQTE?ASIN=0316055441	layer upon layer of meaning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One could enjoy this book simply by following the plot line. There is enough suspense and twists and turns to keep us turning the pages. Nevertheless, on a deeper level the story helps us to question our common assumptions about the life worth living and our understanding of the sources of human complexity.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31RZM7JM83F4V?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed in the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not enjoy this book at all.  Too much description, too much bad language, too many times I was just reading words that I could not make out what the author was saying.  The storyline would have been good if it had moved quicker and not so much detail, especially when the main character was in Las Vegas.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7RN9DK7DPNV?ASIN=0316055441	Don't read it...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Save yourself the time &amp; don't read this!! It is depressing, boring, &amp; I didn't like hardly any of the characters. I kept reading thinking it would get better. It did not. Also, many unusual things happen throughout that are never really explained. I cannot understand the great reviews this book has gotten.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I86D1RQV0R0D?ASIN=0316055441	Great, but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a great book, but a tad over-descriptive – too wordy – in parts. Particularly in the last quarter of the book I found myself skipping over whole paragraphs to get back to the main story line. Other than that, I enjoyed this book immensely. Take away about 100 pages and I would have rated it 5 stars!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AMSSUP85ZZUA?ASIN=0316055441	a very disappointing book. the author wanders all over and it seems that when she can't fogure out where she is going she brings	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">in more characters, leaving yu wondering what happened to the previous group. the book started out with an interesting premise,<br/>that somehow got lost in favor of drugs which abound in this book and characters who you quickly learned to dislike.<br/>i wouldnot recommend this book and doubt that i would read another by this author.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BA54J39KTJM5?ASIN=0316055441	A young man is beset with trouble and he makes terrible choices over and over again	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a hard time with this novel. A young man is beset with trouble and he makes terrible choices over and over again. He is not honest with himself and from there proceeds the dishonor he heaps on even those who are nice to him. I finished about three quarters of the book,and I really wanted to like it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KA7HUTU5P3QK?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it. Even though Ms	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it. Even though Ms. Tartt is a bit verbose in some areas, the crafting of the language was like a song weaving throughout the novel, cadence and timbre rising and falling with each sentence. I loved all the insight into artwork, and how the right piece of art can change a person's life. Great story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSGTT4768UGFN?ASIN=0316055441	absorbing and deserving of its prizes	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved that I didn't know exactly how all things would play out, from the shocks of exploding bombs and people's tempers and lies. The discussion of art and how it can speak to and for us across the centuries is memorable and poignant. Loved it. Loved the distinctive characters, especially Boris and Hobie.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29Y8EZVVKWUB7?ASIN=0316055441	Too much, too much.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some of the 10 years spent writing this book should have been spent on editing the long drawn out segments down to a brief, tight and interesting book. I loved most of the characters, but they were hidden by the over-written story. Why take hundreds of pages to tell this story? Was the contract by words or tonnage instead of quality?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R286IUO67P1JNN?ASIN=0316055441	Truly horrible. I kept reading this dreadful novel in the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Truly horrible. I kept reading this dreadful novel in the hopes that it would redeem itself but it is full of pointless philosophizing with a main character who failed at life. Theo did not grow or develop but remained the same depressing, pessimistic individual that he was at the beginning of the novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KPE3XT2FFKJ?ASIN=0316055441	Don't waist your money	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the most boring books that I have ever read.  It just goes on and on with nothing interesting as the plot....</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FXCLWF8P62PT?ASIN=0316055441	Careless and inconsistent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed Donna Tartt's two other novels. This one missed the mark for me in several ways. I won't spoil anything by giving details, but to elaborate, I spent most of the book trying to figure out when the story was taking place because the cultural references were often incorrect and inappropriate for the timeline. The characters were neither dynamic nor sympathetic; they all seemed like contrived caricatures. The portrait of addiction and trauma was incidental in that Tartt occasionally threw in some qualifiers to remind the reader that these were issues, but in general, the characters were rather bland and insipid. The ending was wrought with immaturely composed nihilistic prose. I found this book unsatisfying in so many ways.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10TQFZGUZB1H1?ASIN=0316055441	Forget it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the biggest waste of time. Bob finished it and told me the end, so I just deleted it and was happy not to spend any more time on such a dumb book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32K5CFDTEDC61?ASIN=0316055441	Don't believe reviews	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many wasted pages and my time  could have been spent on so many better books .  Don't understand why this book was rated high.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R341POOM0706V1?ASIN=0316055441	A story that could have been a masterpiece, but was spoilt.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At the beginning of the book I was hooked. The text reminded me of Tartt's masterpiece ""The Secret History"". However, with the departure to Las Vegas, the story loses momentum. The endless vodka sessions not only cause boredom, but almost cause physical pain. Page after page is all about Boris and vodka. From time to time Xandra and his father are woven into the story. At least this many pages could have been omit and ""The Golffinach"" would have been masterpiece. - Pity about the story that started so well and then totally got out of control, and too bad for the time it took me to read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJKM956URU1SF?ASIN=0316055441	Where is the TEN STAR BUTTON?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">OMG, awesome book....spellbinding, fascinating, breathtaking....could NOT put it down! One of the absolutely BEST books I have read in a long time. Highly recommend, worth every word!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11SJY3DR5J8C?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the first 500 pages!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first 500 or so pages were great! But from there on I just got bored. I loved the beginning. I loved the middle. The end just dragged on and on. It was interesting because I kept having to reset my thinking. I would be read page upon page as if in a Dickens novel and then out of nowhere a cell phone or computer reference would be made. -Reminding me that this novel was set in 2000.  The dialog and mannerisms of its characters was very unsettling (in a good way) to the time frame and circumstance surrounding them. It is hard to go into what I did and didn't like about the book without giving the whole thing away. So I will just say that you should go ahead and read it. You won't be sorry. Although at about page 550 (if you are anything like me) you will no longer be straining to stay wake to read further.  In fact, in May just aid in helping you to fall asleep.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AVW9NF1A308?ASIN=0316055441	Unbelievable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in 20 years. It. Is destined to be a classic. Engaging. Profound. Inspiring. A ""must read"".</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHCC9FS5JQM2Z?ASIN=0316055441	Hated it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I tried to like this book. But the style was so boring. Most of the time it was filled with philosophical rambling. The protagonist was probably the weakest push over I've never read. I gave up the few pages at the end. My first Pulitzer's book. I don't think I'll read another one. What a disappointment</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRV7GTL04LV8W?ASIN=0316055441	What a disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A Pulitzer Prize and I don't know why.  Length?  Forever dialogue that goes on to boredom.  I read intelligent books and drop out of life mysteries and a variety of others, so I was relishing an amazing read from a prize winner.  I don't get it ( why the prize) and I couldn't finish it, sorry to report.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IHNKO3B97FA2?ASIN=0316055441	"This book was one of the most ""wordy"" and boring books I have ever read"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was one of the most ""wordy"" and boring books I have ever read. The storyline was stupid and the characters rediculous. The events that occurred were simply improbable and unbelievable. I had a hard time even finishing it. The author over describes everything. Get to the point already!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGNPNFBB2NEDB?ASIN=0316055441	JUST READ IT	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Bold, sensitive, relentlessly possessive of your heart and mind ! This book is for everyone whoever hurt or suffered loss or tried to get a life or wanted to learn more about writing. Anyone who doesn't enjoy this novel is either impatient, jealous, or well ...critics have been nit picky in my opinion.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R224D3J4BD2EXQ?ASIN=0316055441	no redeeming qualities...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What can I say that the other people who rated it a 1 haven't already said? They were spot on!<br/>I believe this is Tartt's version of Cormac McCarthy's ""The Road"" from a drug addicted kid's point of view.<br/>Which brings me to the question.... What is wrong with Ms. Tartt?  Clinical depression, perhaps?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWLXE7QSYG3E5?ASIN=0316055441	I would recommend it to a friend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a rare book, which I couldn't put down, yet didn't really care for the central character.  I would recommend it to a friend, as it's not just a story, but a fascinating look at the personal value of art, growing up with PTSD, and learning what makes lasting relationships.  Complex and moving!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I3T8FE8NISEX?ASIN=0316055441	rambling ad nauseam	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose the book because of its Pulitzer designation.  I forced myself to finish it as a matter of pride. I wanted to throw a party when I finished!  Certainly I deserved something for two weeks' of torture.  All I can say is I have no respect for this author nor the committee that awarded this prize.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHO1FSKEIAGL0?ASIN=0316055441	Total waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I never review a book, but feel strongly about this one and wonder why I finished it.  I honestly believed it had to get better and that there must be a purpose.  The only character that I cared abut was Hobie.  However the novel did make me research criteria for Pulitzer Prize.  Total waste of time.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PVNMX05PWADI?ASIN=0316055441	Terrific. Best book I've read this year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrific.<br/>Best book I've read this year. Great characters living real lives in a real world.<br/>I thought it especially poignant that it was written by a woman from the first person<br/>male narrative. Donna Tartt nails it...<br/>Just read it, really, really read it, you'll be better for it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JNRXSK9MIADY?ASIN=0316055441	This could have been a fine book if the editor had done his job	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This could have been a fine book if the editor had done his job. Parts were mesmerizing, but then other parts lapsed into meaningless and painfully boring detail - akin to be trapped on an elevator with a wordy bore who never tires of listening to himself speak.  A very rambling, disconnected ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VSEASSX0UITV?ASIN=0316055441	It seemed like a very weak plot device	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I kept thinking the main character was a girl.  I came away with no idea of why he/she took the painting or why he/she kept it.  It seemed like a very weak plot device.  I didn't care what happened to it.  I was sick of hearing about it by the end.  I didn't care what happened to the narrator either.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WVPJD03E0N12?ASIN=0316055441	Mundane, disappointing, and way too long. Doesn't ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Mundane, disappointing, and way too long. Doesn't this woman have an editor? I was really bothered by the ending as well. It didn't feel satisfactory and I'm still unclear how the main character justifies his feelings....maybe I missed something. But this is the last book I will read by this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL3D18JAHMT22?ASIN=0316055441	started out wonderful and got too wrapped up in drugs	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the start of this book and although I almost gave up in the middle when the main character was spending all his time either drinking or drugging or both. I did finish it and was quite disappointed by the ending. I thought the whole idea of the painting was a great beginning but it fell short at the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HBXC38K4OMVJ?ASIN=0316055441	I'm Surprised This Won a Pulitzer Prize	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm surprised this won a Pulitzer Prize. It was overly long with way too much detail on drug use. The author could have spared many of the depressing pages &amp; still could have gotten her message across. I finished reading it only because I wanted to see why it got a Pulitzer Prize! What a let-down.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CDB07GE3XBYX?ASIN=0316055441	The best book I have ever read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is as much a work of art as the works on canvas described within. If you read this and come away unchanged then I hope you you will go back and examine some of the many passages that are simply brilliant in their construction and their content. Thank you to Ms. Tartt for this gift. D.K.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DV11OW24KFKB?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Starts off beautifully written and highly captivating, but devolves into a self indulgent rambling diatribe with one of the most irritating and unreadable characters (Boris) that I've experienced in a long time. This won a Pulitzer? Very disappointing book that made a wrong turn half way through.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B7KU1RQR7RGQ?ASIN=0316055441	Major issues with writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So like many others I take great exception to this novel being raved about as one of the greats. My major issues were:<br/><br/>1. Character development: Even from the beginning I felt like i did not have a firm grasp on who Theo was (was he a good kid? bad kid? smart? lazy? If his mother raised him so well - why did he not apply himself at school? what are his motivations in life? why was an AP kid who defends/protects another AP nerd hanging out with a kid smoking and got suspended - not that it doesn't happen but understanding his motivation there would have helped paint a better picture of WHO Theo is as a 13 year old. ) and what made him an interesting protagonist. The descriptions of the mother were also very hectic and there was a lot of back and forth even just discussing whether she was beautiful or photographed well.  Lastly the father is painted as a total bad guy and yet the mother has not sought a legal divorce? She's so afraid of him taking money but did not seek a divorce?  The lack of development of characters early on made it hard for me to feel drawn into the novel from the get go.<br/><br/>  Boris is very fake. There are no high school drop outs/alcoholics/drug addicts doing heroine and cocaine who are reading great literature when sober (which it seemed he never was...) and are able to speak 5 languages. I'm sorry - where does the author get this from? She should have spent more time and researched real characters to base her fiction characters from and less time watching Hollywood movies. I felt like this book was written in the hopes of becoming a movie instead of being true to human nature.<br/><br/>  The father/girlfriend and how they suddenly ""disappear"" all the time in LV is also not believable. The fact that the father is there portrayed and somewhat loving but doesn't provide food for the child regularly and is aware/ignores his 14 year old sons alcohol use, smoking, etc. is not realistic. The fact that the son is regularly destroying the house (multiple descriptions of vomit everywhere, etc.) does not match up with earlier descriptions of the father freaking out over the dog peeing in the house. None of this adds up to real human beings. Lack of consistency in how the characters respond to situations which makes them seem fake.<br/><br/>  I could go on and on about this made for TV/movie ""novel"" and it's lack of realistic/developed characters.<br/><br/>2. The plot: 9/11 type books have been done quite a bit. The whole PTSD angle causing a lifetime of bad decisions and decision paralysis (to confess about the painting or not) is very very very far fetched and a disservice to all that suffer from PTSD.  The romantic aspects of the plot were very shallow and unrealistic. The finale so-to-speak (drug exchange shootout in Amsterdam with a death that is never ""caught"" by police) is also not from the heart and more from the author watching thug movies.  Not realistic and at that point you care so little about Theo I'm not sure I would have cared if he was killed then. I might have thought it was his final lesson to be learned the hard way.<br/><br/>  Social services represented horribly: Where was social services in the transfer of Theo to his fathers care? Social services would not just hand over a child to a dead beat father and then would not do it without close follow up - aka visits to the child at home etc. It angered me they were painted as ""bad guys"" yet in a real life similar situation they would have been the ones that would have prevented this whole thing from happening.<br/><br/>3. Lots of stuff that didn't add up time wise/lack of attention to historically correct details<br/><br/>4.  Drug Use: Again - not realistic to have the main character dabbling in heroine. Maybe cocaine but not heroine. The pill taking and drinking descriptions went on and on and on. The author really wanted to get down and dirty in this novel but it was again - not realistic. If the main character was using as much as she described - not only the constant oral opiates but also doing cocaine, heroine, LSD, X, etc. EVERYONE would know about it including Theo's partner. It's pretty obvious to spot people will that level of a drug habit. Heck we can all spot the xanax popping rich ladies at the local pharmacy.  He would have had issues with significant side effects that would have interrupted his professionalism at work and it would not have been as much of a secret.  He would have had at least one crisis in that time that landed him in the hospital. Most drug users of that level are frequent visitors to the ED.<br/><br/>5. The end. Only Tolstoy is allowed to spend that much space just babbling on about philosophical view points.  By that point in the book I just skipped it all because I could already tell the author and I had MAJOR differences of opinion on these viewpoints. The editor should have cut out most of that.<br/><br/>I guess overall I would say the author spent 11 years on this and for all that I would expect her to know her characters better, develop them better to help those of us who don't find selfish drug addicts appealing - help us find what we are supposed to in this character to draw us in. Nothing drew me in. I despised the characters and not even knowing the author I honestly don't think much of her right now either.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PGMMRCEU4GIB?ASIN=0316055441	Beyond excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Utterly unique and utterly inimitable. The Goldfinch is a work of genius. It is not just a great novel; it is a peeling away, layer by layer, of all our hopes and fears. I have not read such an exceptional book in a very long time. Once you start reading it, you will not be able to put it down.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LW3UE0F02FWM?ASIN=0316055441	I really didn't enjoy this book very much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really didn't enjoy this book very much. It was depressing; I do not enjoy reading about people who continually do self-destructive things to solve their problems. I was super disappointed to spend so much time on such a lengthy book that had such strong reviews and then not like reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R306T0KONY4XPU?ASIN=0316055441	what's a time waster?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the first part of the book was good - prob 1/3 of the way in.....and then I found myself turning pages just to get finished.  I also found myself asking couldn't this book have been 400 pages rather than 700+++.....good golly miss molly.....save yourself the time and move on to something else.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLWEW56QJKBLO?ASIN=0316055441	Not a bad story, but I am missing seeing what all ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a bad story, but I am missing seeing what all the hype is about.  WAY too much detail about a Russian ""friend"" throughout the novel; most people I know quit reading during the long ordeal in Las Vegas with him.  If you can get past that part of the story, it is an intriguing read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NVLI0M1QEQK7?ASIN=0316055441	Great opening and hook to Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great opening and hook to Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch. I went to bed with this book every night and found it difficult to put down. The characters were flushed out well. The art theme was compelling. A deeply disturbing yet engaging view into the life of an orphaned young man and his friends.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FRC91331TZLV?ASIN=0316055441	I cannot say I enjoyed the book but I would recommend it for it's ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long. The characters were difficult and unpleasant. I believe that disliking a character is a plus for the author who did not falter in her characterization. I cannot say I enjoyed the book but I would recommend it for it's literary style--just know it is over long and somewhat drawn out.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33BWF5HMZIYJQ?ASIN=0316055441	I liked the beginning of the fiction very much but only ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the beginning of the fiction very much but only up to I was half through the book.  Then I lost the interest, it was too much talk about drugs.  All these details which drug does what wasn't of any interest for me. I made 3/4 of the book and I don't know whether I will ever finish it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REKT7PD2O3MMV?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossing - but overly long and detailed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24C8MSZUNMSLL?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like the premise of the Ending .</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39BOQSGOX4P3E?ASIN=0316055441	Not a fun read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was probably the most depressing book I have ever read. It was well written and had twists and turns but the basic story was about bad choices. I actually have a hard time trying to understand how this book got such a good rating. Maybe I'm not cerebral enough to grasp the concept ....</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R353QWXT1JJWVO?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Was Immensely Enjoyable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The subject was a tad dark, but handled in such a way that you felt the chief characters were your best friends. Each paragraph was molded artistically.  It was difficult to put down. I wanted to continue knowing the main characters after the story concluded. Wonderfully &amp; expertly written.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22FX16GAJ8ZF8?ASIN=0316055441	Looked forward to listening	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I listened to the audiobook while driving around town during the past few weeks. The reader did a great job in portraying the characters. Loved the New York descriptions. Since ending the book I miss Theo and Hobie - wonder what happened to them. I want to go see the Goldfinch at the Frick.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35V1N2VM76WM7?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Loved the history, learning about far off places and art and antiques and even addiction... All while telling a touching story about life and love, colorful characters and the question of why we exist, the battle between good and evil... highly recommended!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JI3YJT6JZZM9?ASIN=0316055441	... even one star since it is one of the worst books I ever tried to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am hesitant to give this book even one star since it is one of the worst books I ever tried to read. I gave up on it about 1/3 way through and never finished it. What a waste of time. Can't believe the good reviews; all my friends had the same experience I did and quit before finishing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZZAO3OLF8MO3?ASIN=0316055441	worst book of the year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the worst books I read this year. The plot is lost in too many boring details about drugs and alcohol, too much repetition, disjointed sentences.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LASE6V09PT72?ASIN=0316055441	Why is this a best seller?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first 50 pages of the book is interesting and the rest of the book is about a self-centered character making bad decisions, wallowing in self-pity, concluding with an ending that is totally unrealistic.  The only reason I finished it is because I was on a six hour plane ride and I had nothing else to read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RST8DSQ0JVIP?ASIN=0316055441	Enthralled	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Full disclosure:  I have not finished the book but yesterday when I received it I sat  down to read for a few minutes and when I looked up again I had read 200 pages.  I'm not the first to notice that there elements of Great Expectations in abundance and I look forward to more pleasure from within these pages.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CJQOLTC1646U?ASIN=0316055441	Moving story of a boy's path to redemption	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this was an exceptionally well written story of a life out of control.  it was engaging and easy to read.  not concerned about happy endings or resolution.  the last 75 pages were a little too philosophical for my taste but perhaps necessary to give some meaning to the choices one makes.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R289ASUBLPS5MC?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story kept me guessing and interested the entire time, it had many twists and surprises. The character depth and description is amazing, so well written, I just wanted to curl up and read this book to the end once I got started even though it has about 700 pages! I highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QJG76Q8LZ64J?ASIN=0316055441	Astounding comprehension of the human heart	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Astounding comprehension of the human heart from all walks of life. A vision, a philosophy, and a very very rare thing these days - understanding. A damn good storyteller, a truthteller, and an A student in the school of life. Thank you for this gift, Ms. Tartt. You have a wise and beautiful soul.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25RWYY0IEB82T?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very disappointed in this book.  I thought it was a wonderful idea for a book. The first few chapters were intriguing and fairly well written but in my mind it was all downhill from there.  Overlong, overwritten, overwrought.  I cannot in conscience recommend this book to anyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G7F4GD977S27?ASIN=0316055441	This may be one of the best works of fiction I have ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Everything about this book says ""greatness.""  The characters, even the not-so-nice ones, draw the reader in completely.  The  plot line keeps us spellbound.  And the depth of the insights into the main protagonist are masterful.  I cannot wait to read Donna Tartt's other books.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R77N1KC6IM9KR?ASIN=0316055441	Low juice to squeeze ratio	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unecessary long with anticlimactic ending</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUGA09X7UVEA8?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really good; It dragged a bit at the end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RTOYNSUFL27Z?ASIN=0316055441	This is an amazing book. It captured me from the beginning and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an amazing book. It captured me from the beginning and actually drew me into an adventure I never would have expected.<br/>The descriptions of inner processes, weaknesses and attempts to change are fascinating, intense and very clear in a very unclear setting and development.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L8PMF6RAA0DF?ASIN=0316055441	Long story, great characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Anyone who reads this book will be drawn in to the rather lengthy story by the interesting characters playing out the drama.  The story held my interest for all 775 pages, but definitely tested my resolve in some sections.  Worth the investment, but unlikely that I will read it again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1493KMLEKRNQX?ASIN=0316055441	Well written, but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to like this book, but didn't. I finally gave up. Tragedies need some comic relief and I found none. I like a book with some interesting or novel ideas. Maybe I didn't stick with it long enough, but I didn't think I was going to get to the end and find the suffering worth it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YOHPU3PGRWZR?ASIN=0316055441	I was disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning started out fine but by the time we were in Las Vegas it was all downhill. There was too much details about the drug usage and constant usage of alcohol. I was ready to call Social Service to remove the kids from the home!!!! Why did this novel receive a Pulitzer Prize?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32A3APWQ623EL?ASIN=0316055441	SOUL TALKING	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sensitive, deeply personal, intimate, poignant and searching story of a young man's life after a bomb goes off at the Met and his mother dies.  This is not a heart's  and flowers kind of book. It is dark and troubled and violent but also honest, intelligent  and wonderfully artistic.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RBN6BQGXCCZJ?ASIN=0316055441	One hit Wonder	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I truly believe Donna Tarrtt  a 'one hit wonder' The premise and glimpse of the world of fine art  could have been the basis for a great novel.it wandered to such a lengthy,verbose conclusion that the reader might wonder if she were taking some of her main characters pharmaceuticals!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROS8BM3C1BNHB?ASIN=0316055441	Almost great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely well written. Nearly 800 pages just flies by.  It is hard to say much else without giving things away. Characters' involvement with drugs became tedious but is necessary for evolution of how you judge main character. Ending disappointing but I won't spoil it by saying why.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PEBI3TCVI3E?ASIN=0316055441	Survival	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch explores the life and mind of a boy, struck by tragedy and how it impacts his development and survival.<br/>He learns the vulnerability of others in his journey and his 'painting' takes on meaning and danger as he grapples with life and values through the eyes of trauma.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RM1ISRWMR3ZG?ASIN=0316055441	Difficult to put into words the immense joy and wonder I experienced while reading this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms. Tartt has a lovely way with the written word.  To be able to see the richness of colors and depth of human joy and sorrow that she imparts is a glorious thing.  I am an avid reader and by far, this is the most wonderful book I have ever had the pleasure of reading.  Well done.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZX22GDS6PR3I?ASIN=0316055441	Yes and No	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are moments in this book in which I couldn't move because I was so struck by what was going on. And the writing is magnificent. But I think it took to long to get to the beauty of the book, the last 10 pages. Still, it was very rewarding to read and I don't I will forget it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BNJVW9BXU3HY?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A delightfully layered story, with characters who leap off the page. The authors marvelous, descriptive writing transports into worlds you're unfamiliar with, yet the detail she provides makes the experience very personal and engrossing. A very easy read, despite the books length.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1899GGY9M63HR?ASIN=0316055441	Good writing, desperately in need of editing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an excellent writer, able to effectively delineate character and convey a sense of place.  She needed an equally excellent editor, as far too many passages just go on and on, and/or are unnecessarily repeated.  This book, in my opinion, would be much improved if it were cut by a third.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REQPMDT91J0SA?ASIN=0316055441	Long ride to nowhere	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you want to seek inspiration from someone who has found no meaning in life, cannot rise to greatness though given the chance, hits bottom and wants to take you along for the ride, a very long ride, this is your book. I'm glad I skipped the last 250 pages and jumped to the end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X20C5KVA0HFC?ASIN=0316055441	excellent story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a saga-length terrific story of a young boy's tragic life. It spans his young life to adulthood in great detail, focusing on characters, relationships and life experiences. When reading this book you are living in his world from beginning to end. It was a great read!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G8QRG9T7XIUJ?ASIN=0316055441	highly recommend!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story right from start.  The timeline of the story was very effective and really helped develop Theo's character.  I couldn't help feeling sorry for him but then would get frustrated at what a loser he was.<br/>The final chapter of his reflections really tied it up nicely.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CCZ9TEJZ19Z7?ASIN=0316055441	Awful read...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was boring from the very beginning but I forced myself to the very end hoping to find some redemptive element in it. That never came. The author drones on and on failing to have very much action in the plot at all. I would not recommend putting your money or time into this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ5P5T3WDZLFX?ASIN=0316055441	here is another book that held my attention	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a serious study of art, it's meaning and today's society all rolled into one. I think that this book needed more editing as it was so lengthy and at times seemed to drag but it was definately worth reading and I will be thinking about it especially the last chapter for a long time</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R33C045YKLFQ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by D.Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not quite finished reading this book yet.  It kind of goes all over the place and even at 75% read, I still have no clue of what the point is. Well written but let's move on now.<br/>I would not recommend it to friends.<br/>What made me get the book is the Design of the cover!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAO4L98ZPC05M?ASIN=0316055441	Not Impressed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very depressing!  It really had very little to do with art.  It's a long tale of self-absorbed people, alcoholism, and drug abuse with a little moral thrown in at the end. It says much about our society that this book about dysfunctional people's lives was on a best-seller list.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S2LQ5NMSM0K6?ASIN=0316055441	A lot of horrible things happened to our hero but over all I ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the beginning I was pulled in by the story, but I wanted more from the writing. Eventually the story and the writing seemed to complement each other.  A lot of horrible things happened to our hero but over all I loved his progression and specially the warmth of his friends.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AERX7DL7SSFV?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't finish it! I put it down 3 times and each time I thought of all the good reviews and decided yo try again..but got me it went on and on and on. And I didn't really like anyone. I got 80% thru and thought life is too short . But the people who like it... Good gor you!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33ZOEWLCHQ8TI?ASIN=0316055441	Sometimes an author can kill a really good plot by beating you to death with details that ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out well, but it just went on and on.... couldn't wait for it to be over...Sometimes an author can kill a really good plot by beating you to death with details that pound into a state of ""I don't care""<br/>Too bad.. good idea killed by blah blah blah... endless</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11XGPCTTZG819?ASIN=0316055441	DISAPPOINTING	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Highly overrated and incredibly depressing. This author writes beautifully. The beginning is compelling and draws you in.....the last chapter is redeeming but the bulk of this novel is even more lost than it's main character Theo is. Much too much minutia that is so very dark.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XWSVNJJ3GNZ6?ASIN=0316055441	I can only recommend it to people who would enjoy a well-written narrative ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was an intriguing read once I got into it. Characters were complex and well-developed.  However, the ending was a non-ending with a blob of pseudo-philosophy thrown in. I can only recommend it to people who would enjoy a well-written narrative about a tragic, misspent life.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RITMAOXMQTEA1?ASIN=0316055441	I like fast-moving stories and this is anything but	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like fast-moving stories and this is anything but. I trudged through it, and it took me forever. There was definitely some beautiful writing and some big ideas to contemplate, but for me it was just a really long story with very little reward upon completing all 700+ pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1POUUXZRZLP88?ASIN=0316055441	Really great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is well written and kept my interest the whole way even though a reasonably long book. I didn't want it to end. The characters were all so well done. It is a bit on the dark side and normally I would not necessarily like that but this was just so good I didn't care.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKL3M2JBB2FG3?ASIN=0316055441	mml	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long<br/>Too graphic. Boring<br/>Disappointing<br/>Don't waste your timer money<br/>On this one<br/>Characters are one dimensional<br/>Not a bad beginning and the storyline had the potential to go in so many good directions instead of the vile one the author chose</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R353GCOEMVU2ZY?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize for Lack of Integrity	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extreme lack of morals, widespread vulgarity, detailed alcohol and drug use, presence of cheating, lying, stealing and violence, lack of integrity and strength of character. Author switches near end of book to ""talk"" to her reader. Not recommended for all audiences.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PCLG1MA1AZLN?ASIN=0316055441	Exhilarating and breathtaking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Stunning journey in pursuit of beauty and love and the love of beautiful things, through the eyes of a damaged, but resilient, infinitely introspective, drunk and drugged out young man. Intensely eloquent writing, with the rare pairing of a gripping, page turner of a story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38I6ANW3BKT1P?ASIN=0316055441	not worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a long and dismal book, but once started I determined to finish it - after all it's a prize winner.  I disliked the vulgarities, immorality and general muddling around in the baser aspects of life.  Just like the way I live, I avoid mucking in mud if I can help it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1REDLFLMNVRVI?ASIN=0316055441	Happy ending!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put it down!! Happy ending!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RB4IEETXF01R?ASIN=0316055441	... is a fabulous writer with a novel concept and great characters. However	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt is a fabulous writer with a novel concept and great characters. However, in my opinion, the book could have been 200-250 pages shorter without losing any of its quality. It was almost a chore at the end. Still, worth reading - just be prepared for a long commitment!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WL89D831WYWK?ASIN=0316055441	My New Favorite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This rather lengthy novel is perhaps a tad too repetitive in terms of description, but nonetheless eloquent and painstakingly researched. The basic premise is far-fetched but the characters capture the veracity of the heart, making the narrative believable and compelling.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R3A266EUGK8D?ASIN=0316055441	like wading through molasses in the dark	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read and really enjoyed The Secret History - not this one.  I put this book aside after reading then skimming the first 60 pages--page after page of detailed, meandering description.  It was like standing at a cocktail party forced to listen to someone drone on.  I walked away.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6X6PGRB8CGYH?ASIN=0316055441	This may be the best book I have ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This may be the best book I have ever read, and stands tall against the best of modern American fiction. So good I had to ration how much I read so I could savor what I just read and leave something in which to read later. This is a very special work; rare and brilliant.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJG5UX10RJCHV?ASIN=0316055441	Got this because of reviews	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this because reviews on TV said it was great. I didn't like it. I have a hard time caring about the characters and about half way through just quit reading. Maybe it got better, but I'll never know and I'm fine with that since I didn't like any of the characters anyway.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HLHWY65LHD7T?ASIN=0316055441	A little bit pretentious and double the length that it ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little bit pretentious and double the length that it needed to be to convey the same idea.  A little full of itself - the book has some enticing elements and a certain thread of tragedy runs through it.  But in the end it is too much verbiage and too little substance.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROUD44UPTPMQH?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't wait to read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful writing, great read.  I'm assuming this will be a movie soon, and I will definitely attend!  It was very intriguing to have a main character, Theo, that I was never sure I liked or hated.  But I wanted to find out what happened next with every page.  Loved it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2516FNDTXC4WK?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer schmulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pulitzer schmulitzer.  A little boring, a lot repetitive and uninteresting.  The voice of the author was all over the place - I'm a boy, I'm an adult reflecting on being a boy, I'm a philosopher, I'm an adolescent.  Good try, but misses the mark of an outstanding novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11LGMEU5T7FFD?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's writing is perfectly exquisite.  I've been a fan[atic] of Tartt since The Secret History and the old adage, quality over quantity is proven true here.  Goldfinch is a wondrous piece of fiction, filled with characters beautifully drawn and walk-off-the-page real.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BYE2G8S1YR2S?ASIN=0316055441	Reader rover	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long journey with demented people.  I felt like I was reading a  Dickenson novel, paid by the word.  lots of interesting characters  but never quite complete. like meeting people at a party and never getting to know them.  I. Read it all but wasn't worth the journey.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R391M9XN7O5VGN?ASIN=0316055441	looking for the meaning of life? it's in there...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dark twists and suspense give way to a deep and intellectual account of life and all it's mystery, heartbreak, pain, triumph and delight... Must most of all love and beauty.  This book is not an easy read on many levels, but the story is amazing and will stay with you.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T1DIMCJ91NSA?ASIN=0316055441	I LOVED this book till about 2/3 done with it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I LOVED this book till about 2/3 done with it.  The author is very descriptive but in a good way.  Puts you right there.  The boy fascinated me due to the loss of his dear mother.  It all of a sudden got too weird with his Russian friend and I did not enjoy that part.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E784218ZTN0G?ASIN=0316055441	Editing Required	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This overly long novel seriously needed editing. The storyline surrounding Hobie and Pippa were interesting but much of the book simply rants. I found myself skimming the last 200 pages or so. I can't understand why this book has become so popular. I would not recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R90UDPT0OSZ8N?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the worse books I have ever read and wasted so much time hoping to find some redeeming quality to it.<br/>At the completion of the book I was regretful of the time and money spent.  No positive qualities at all and totally depressing a read!!!!  Nothing more to add.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPOKQESK7D7KT?ASIN=0316055441	Wow, and not in a good way!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like to read books that make me feel good, make me laugh and teach me something.  This book did none of those things. So very depressing. I kept waiting for a moral and the last five pages were not enough of one to have made buying and reading the book worthwhile.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R272AH140ZE3XZ?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've read in a while	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book. The writting is sublime, you cannot put it down and also if you sit back and observe what the author is doing you can see how clever her tricks to offer the information in a a way that seems to flow without effort. A masterpiece in my humble opinion.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE57W9RV9R3ER?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent ... and yet ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This hugely popular (and huge) novel had me at the first page. I could not get enough of the writing or the characters or the plot .... then ... about 600 pages in ... well, I felt that the tone of the book had kind of gone off the rails and I just wanted it to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HUSZO5H1IB3Y?ASIN=0316055441	Lost in the philosophical mumbo jumbo	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story could be interesting but it is agonizingly philosophical. The main character is introspective to the point of stupidy. His internal soliloquies far too long and pointless, the concluding being the worst offense. Kudos to Donna Tartt though for the attempt.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D7E7EYGUGQ71?ASIN=0316055441	long winded and a bit cheesy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though a good story at times, the prose is long-winded and it drags on forever. After awhile it is just the protagonist repeating over and over again how desperate of a person he is. It is, quite frankly, tiring not to mention over the top. No idea how this got a Pulitzer.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4HPJUFTSMPQ6?ASIN=0316055441	Glad I finally finished it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great reviews and acclaim, and yet I almost didn't finish this book.  Hundreds of pages of self destructive pathetic people torturing themselves and us With seemingly endless acts of depressing idiocy. And yet now, having finished it, I'll admit it was pretty good.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AEIY21ITWKL0?ASIN=0316055441	The first 1/3 was great, the middle 1/3 was ok and the last ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wish I had put it down sooner...it's SO LONG so if you need to get to the end you can just skip the over and over again that keeps happening.<br/>The first 1/3 was great, the middle 1/3 was ok and the last bit was up and down enough to make me finish it but ugh.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IEX9AH84WELD?ASIN=0316055441	Ehh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first half was good. After that it went downhill. The end was tedious and a bit sophomoric. Painful to finish to the point of skipping pages. Glad it's now over. If the excitement and steadiness from the beginning continued, it would have been a hit in my mind.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AMHUZWIEV4SB?ASIN=0316055441	long slow decline	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book starts brilliantly with some very fine writing, then slowly degenerates as one waits desperately to get to the inevitable conclusion.  It needed masses of editing and the descriptions are long, often tedious and self-indulgent.  Paradoxically, every now and them</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LKIBAIBJA57X?ASIN=0316055441	artistic, but needed more hands-on editor.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling treatment of a child's loss of a parent, as well as intimately knowledgeable discussion of art.  However, there are some unbearably tedious passages in the middle, during the Las Vegas portion, that should have been edited to eliminate repetitiousness.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J0KP2SORZ189?ASIN=0316055441	Great Yarn but not enduring literature	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very good yarn but it is not Pulitzer material, even in a bad year for Pulitzer, and the English were correct in denying it a Brooker which many thought it deserved. It is an enjoyable story and reminds me of Jeffrey Archer in its storytelling approach.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6XVLQ45GYC91?ASIN=0316055441	"... only so many pages of peoples drug addiction and bad "" trips"" and bad parenting etc"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book really started out strong - but I have to say there are only so many pages of peoples drug addiction and bad "" trips"" and bad parenting etc. that one can read before it becomes very off - putting. A good read but not a strong finish of the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22WKWL9K04HZ6?ASIN=0316055441	A totally different novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How a young boy suffers through the loss of his mother, becomes a drug addict and a thief.  He learns about art and restoration.  This is a novel like no other I have read.  The characters were great.  A book any artist or any one who appreciates are would love.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF9WWYRZDVZJ5?ASIN=0316055441	Hated this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this book was the dumbest book I ever read.  I kept thinking maybe there was a story line. I'm sorry I started to read it.  When I told my daughter I was reading it she said she had a tough time trying to finishing it.  This book was not worth reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ATRMP1B5DMTK?ASIN=0316055441	Most readable and enjoyable to the end!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing was superb--use of language particularly inthe initial pages.  Felt somewhat anxious for some kind of conclusion toward the middle but the end hit me like ""Wow"".  I enjoyed it so much that I bought and sent copies to all of my adult children.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R117OJ7NTEH6YP?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. Fully worthy of the NYT favorable review. One of the few books I  had a difficult time putting down. Riveting and illuminating story of art theft and coming of age from innocence to the hard world of the art underground. Worth a second read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCETGCLDGBKLK?ASIN=0316055441	Ok, but drags	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found The Goldfinch overly long. The book starts out with an exciting premise, but the strange sidetrack in the center of the book lost all momentum began in the opening and the book never regained the excitement it should have in the final pages of the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M3FGN0C7THVW?ASIN=0316055441	Villains are also heroes.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are many layers in this novel.  The line between right and wrong becomes very blurred, and villains are also heroes.  Your life can be forever altered by one moment…..a lesson well learned by the main character in this complex and thought provoking story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FJFVLGUPFTNH?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No wonder this book was in the top book sellers of 2013. I could not put this book down. The story, the writer, all of it was totally great. This book is one of my all time favorites, and will keep me wondering where and how the main character ended up with his life?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MQJVLMG83E27?ASIN=0316055441	Extremely well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My problem with this book was that I didn't like the main character. It made it hard to plow through the book as a result. He had options to better his life, but kept making stupid choices....made me want to shake him!<br/><br/>Characters are well developed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CN115VW3QJ31?ASIN=0316055441	Solid 4 Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has a beautiful story that is very emotional. I really loved the way this book started off. I will say however I lost most interest about 3/4 through. The last quarter of the book I only read to get answers, but really had to force myself through it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16ET62FYY37IM?ASIN=0316055441	Not quite sure...................	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I first started to read this book, I wasn't sure I'd like it but I could not put it down. Very well written and held my interest. I'm not a critic  of literature by any means and can only tell you what I enjoyed sitting and reading. This was a good book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F20226RW5KDW?ASIN=0316055441	Once in a decade ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">... a novel comes along that for me surpasses all other reading experiences in that span of time. We're only 3+ years in, but it's safe to say this will be in the winner's circle. Past winner's: The Bonfire of the Vanities, The Stand, A Prayer for Owen Meany.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25K4E9RJRF8CI?ASIN=0316055441	A massive downer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Where to start.....an extremely well written preachy and depressing read.  By the time it is done you will despise almost everyone.<br/><br/>The very first section will grab you but my recommendation is to stop there.  The rest of the book is a slow tedious read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNQ3OHY63I7GN?ASIN=0316055441	don't bother	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">couldn't finish it; not worth my time</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O1SB8Y4SMM02?ASIN=0316055441	I would not recommend it to anyone and I sure can't see why ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I agree with many readers that it was too long, no plot, and I couldn't wait to finish it! I would not recommend it to anyone and I sure can't see why it was on booklists. The ending was a take off on philosophy of life and art.???? Save your time and money.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM1WG0LND4VVB?ASIN=0316055441	""" I had heard such great reviews but I found it depressing"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it too long so much so that I began to think of it as, ""the never ending book.""  I had heard such great reviews but I found it depressing.  I love to read and I am glad that I read it and finished it but I am not recommending it at this time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E1IJJAPJNX2E?ASIN=0316055441	I couldn't put it down or get it out of my mind	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the writing style of this book.  I thought it was so clear and beautiful in language.  It was not a happy book but I always had hope for the characters .  I like happy endings and this left me with an empty feeling.  Still, reading it was wonderful!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L3YYOPEADZES?ASIN=0316055441	grabbed me all the way through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book had unusual and fascinating characters in it. Many ups and downs through a world not seen by ""normal"" readers. I can see why it appealed to readers as it took us out of the usual everyday characters in mysteries and gave us a chab</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R350UZ3WUX1EDW?ASIN=0316055441	The Mystery of Art & how it Touches Us...Manipulates Us	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's writing is thrilling to read. She takes you on a journey through light and utter darkness. The characters in this book are all of us with our faults and grace. Superbly written. Leaves your mind in turmoil and understanding! Book Club worthy.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXAU86SC0C7Q6?ASIN=0316055441	Ok not great.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me forever to really like this book. I'd say it was a 1/3 way into the book before I found I was interested in it. It was a decent read, but a Pulitzer Award winning book!!!??? The end of the book got real preachy and lost me. It was ok, not great.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FDBDE5E9BF0P?ASIN=0316055441	I was very disappointed with the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very disappointed with the book; I was expecting something much more in a work that received a Pulitzer Prize award.  The author can write...she just needs to cut out words.  The book started very strong but became very tedious after about 400 pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19EHHH7WMN9DJ?ASIN=0316055441	DEADLY BORING AND DEPRESSING	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is incredibly boring!  It's very long, very wordy and the words are the ramblings of a teenager who is drunk, high and crazy.  Yes, he had a horrible life but I couldn't continue to read about it!<br/>I cannot believe this book won a Pulitzer prize!  Yuck!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1INPX8IFKODXT?ASIN=0316055441	I returned it to Audible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very disappointed with this book as I read such good reviews about it before I purchased it.  It was the first book by this author that I tried to read.  I did not even make it through the explosion part - maybe listening to it was more tedious than reading it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PYVIHS4M60PN?ASIN=0316055441	A rather wording book; what could be said in ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A rather wording book; what could be said in one page took this author five. Depressing most of the time with hopeful moments.  Characters all well developed but I found I just wanted to finish the book so I could get away from the depressing characters .</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BAF7UEOAFGEN?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book very much and give it 4 stars only because I found it just a little disturbing. However it was very well written and grabs you from the very beginning. I wanted to keep reading. I am going to go back and read Donna Tartt's other books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JV6E2DMZGM4N?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic read with many twists and turns.  Kept me intrigued the entire way. Beautiful writing style.  Interesting and exciting subject matter.  If you enjoyed ""The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime"" you might really enjoy this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15TS5H0NKLGYR?ASIN=0316055441	Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">On the whole I enjoyed this story. That being said I found myself reading ahead to get past so much rambling. I would just about decide to give up on it and then read ahead where the plot would focus again.<br/><br/>Glad I read it and happy it's done.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D6HQKPBEUVTY?ASIN=0316055441	Worst book I've ever read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is full to overflowing with drugs, booze, and dysfunctional people. I actually enjoyed the first part of the book, but it's too bad the plot went so dark and depressing. It won the Pulitzer Prize. I don't think I'll trust Pulitzer ever again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R337YU18TOXBAU?ASIN=0316055441	Very disappointing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Upon other raving reviews, I recommended this book to our book club.  I may be lynched at our next meeting.  How and why did this receive such positive reviews?  It was disjointed, overly wordy, and not at all enjoyable.  Would not recommend to anyone.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R334939FJD3UL9?ASIN=0316055441	I finished the book only because I had paid for it and felt it a waste of money not too	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Went on and on. There was never a section in the book where I wondered what was going to happen next or felt I couldn't put it down. I finished the book only because I had paid for it and felt it a waste of money not too. Ended up wasting my time.....</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M1YYXMIYATW5?ASIN=0316055441	Big disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book dreadfully boring and could not finish it. I stuck with it for 100 pages. But the plot plodded along, virtually nothing happening. I also found the main character, the young man, to be naïve and not at all like a New Yorker would be.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K1UT0ONI4JC7?ASIN=0316055441	Too much detail!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was good, but this book could have been shortened by half.  The author had too much detail for me.  Some people like all the detail, if you are one of those people you may enjoy the book.  I will not be reading any more of Ms. Tartt's books.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38G87D3DHEATZ?ASIN=0316055441	A mighty fine read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a story about resiliency, compassion, relationships, and the power of art to touch a souls in a multitude of ways.  The author writes beautifully.  I would recommend the book to someone with time to read.  It's long but I couldn't put it down.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBL8CFGWUDQUW?ASIN=0316055441	Too long, way too wordy!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have to say that parts of this book really captured my attention.  ALthough, the book is too long and too wordy and could have been much shorter. There were times where I couldn't focus because it was so wordy, so I found myself skipping paragraphs.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTS3IWO1GNFHI?ASIN=0316055441	I found the story like a modern day Disney movie-one or more parent dies	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the story like a modern day Disney movie-one or more parent dies, child left with evil step-parent.  I did not care for the fall of the main character and his destructive relationship with Boris.  Sadly,I was disappointed in the entire novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CAMMD70CA7O5?ASIN=0316055441	Magnificent Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am an avid reader and have not read a book of such quality in many years. Ms. Tartt is a master novelist and her vivid characters and storylline captivate you and prevent you from putting it down. I have recommended it to everyone I know! THE BEST!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30SZNV5PHCSFD?ASIN=0316055441	A book to be treasured	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Author captures the essence of her main character's sense of loss and does this with a writing style that is worthy of great praise. I esp enjoyed the descriptions of indiv characters; her attention to detail and the artistry of a well written page .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT3SERUHS65Q0?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful prose, moving and engrossing for those with patience.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those novels that is either adored and devoured or hated and lumbered through. It was the latter for me, mostly. There is some truly spectacular writing in this book - I've never highlighted passages in a book as often as I did in The Goldfinch - and I ended up caring for many (not all) of the characters for most of the book. This is what I'd consider a tome, not a quick read.<br/><br/>**spoilers***<br/><br/>First, the bad:<br/>Once I rejoined Theo in New York and 8 years have passed, he very slowly started to wear on me. What I found tragic about him, what I wanted for him all changed when he grew into a self-indulgent liar and drug abuser who treated those who cared for him most with dishonesty and apathy. He had many chances to do what was right, treat Hobie well, get off drugs but instead continued to behave selfishly. It is understood that he was a broken person, that his childhood wrecked his adulthood, but I have little empathy for a character who has every opportunity to turn things around but does not. At some point one has to be responsible for their actions today. I don't need to like a main character to enjoy a book, but it was a harsh transition for me after I had grown to care for this character so much through the majority of the book. His relationship with Boris, which had been so brilliantly developed, became sour, predictable and stereotypical and his wallow in self-pity in Amsterdam was annoying. I wanted to shout ""Get it together, man!"" to my Kindle on numerous occasions.<br/><br/>Now, the good:<br/>Theo is a tragic character for 85% of the book, the description of the grief he has over the loss of his mother is tangible, the transfer of this grief to the painting is understandable as is his spiral into drug abuse and despair. His time in Vegas was evocative and his relationship with Boris was mostly wonderful and fascinating, and occasionally funny.<br/><br/>As I already mentioned, spectacular prose. Even during the quieter passages in the book, I was enthralled by Tartt's use of language, descriptions, themes, perspectives on art, family, friendships, life. The description of the explosion left me smelling dust, the dizzying heat of the Las Vegas desert was palpable, Hobie turning a chair leg left me giddy. I could go on, but you get the gist. The more profound ""manifesto"" portions of the book seemed to have annoyed some readers but they still captivated me.<br/><br/>Various characters are said to be one-dimensional or pointless fillers (such as Xandra) but I didn't feel that way or if I did on some level, it didn't bother me in the context of the book. Some people do sway in and out of your life and may leave more or less indelible impressions. Boris has been criticized as being a stereotype (Russian burn-out who reads Tolstoy, becomes a criminal) and yes that would be true if he were nothing more, but he isn't. The same applies for Mrs Barbour, the brittle, stoic blue-blood New Yorker. I found her to be much more than met the eye.<br/><br/>***<br/><br/>If existential themes interest you, if you love art and are interested in participating in a person's tragic life in evocative settings, then you might like this book. It is very long and develops at its own pace which was perfect for me, but if you're an impatient reader or prefer a plot which moves quickly, this might frustrate you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SYI5KPR67T7V?ASIN=0316055441	... books of 2013 and one which became an instant best seller upon its release late last year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Celebrated American novelist Donna Tartt’s “The Goldfinch” was one of the most anticipated books of 2013 and one which became an instant best seller upon its release late last year. It seems that Tartt likes to keep her many fans waiting as “The Goldfinch” is only her third novel in just over twenty years and its publication ended a ten year absence from the literary scene. Her sweeping and utterly beguiling new novel, her many fans would argue, has been more than well worth the wait indeed. A Dickensian epic in scope, plot and style, it often reads like a classic Victorian novel such as Dickens’ “David Copperfield” or “Great Expectations” but transplanted in a modern post 9/11 America. The novel encompasses a vast array of characters, fantastic coincidences, intricately plotted reveals, reversals and a near overwhelming abundance of themes, concepts and ideas.<br/><br/>“The Goldfinch” tells the story of thirteen year old Theo Drecker. In the opening pages, Theo both loses his adored mother in a terrorist attack on the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan and steals a priceless painting – “The Goldfinch” of the title by Carel Fabritius. Theo is taken in by the Barbours, the family of a wealthy school friend, before his reckless, alcoholic, gambling addicted father returns and drags him out to Las Vegas. Here Theo becomes increasingly unhinged in his behaviour and embarks on a path that will shape the rest of his life. Returning to New York as an adult, Theo remains haunted by his mother’s death and obsessed with the stolen painting and becomes embroiled in a mystery that will eventually take him to Amsterdam. Donna Tartt’s “The Goldfinch” is a big, sprawling, ambitious novel with a deliciously addictive plot and a series of enticing characters and situations. It is truly a novel to get lost in for days and ignite (or re-ignite) a reader’s passion for storytelling.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WIG4E1JOTTUE?ASIN=0316055441	Yes, this book is as good as everyone says!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story is a wonderful character study of how our main character, deals with horrendous pain and becomes an accidental major art thief.  It's like a Dickens story of a sad orphan trying to make his way through a tragic life.  His mother is killed in a terrorist attack, and his father who abandoned his mother and him early on, shows back up but is an alcoholic/gambling addict and instead of being a comfort, hurts him more.  He is fortunate to be taken in by the family of a school friend,  All though this family sees willing to give him a home,  there is no security in it, he's afraid to be sent away at any moment.  It's believable that under those circumstances, he would drink, use drugs and make some bad life decisions.  Then his father dies and he's left facing eviction from his fathers girlfriends house that he has someone he knows in NY, where he can show up on the doorstep and be taken in--all though his tragedies are heartbreaking, he also has angels in his life.<br/><br/>There is a lot of lovely philosophy about art and some interesting delving into the fear and loneliness that these losses cause our hero.  A tragic and unattainable love interest makes perfect sense in the story. I wanted to shake the kid about why he didn't just talk to the one trustworthy adult in his life about how to deal with his wonderful stolen treasure .  But I did believe that at that age, with his experiences, he would keep everything to himself and not reach out for help. The author even made me care about the poor goldfinch, living a life chained to a perch, never able to fly.  The crazy finale seems to guarantee that this story will be made into a movie. I loved the ending, though I won't spoil it.  There seems to be the possibility of redemption and making things right.  I loved it and recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I54RTAF6X6HC?ASIN=0316055441	Gorgeously written, life-changing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I feel obligated to write this review as a counter to some of the negative ones... I don't frequently write these, but this book changed my life in a small but important way.<br/>Gorgeously written, engaging and easy to read, I'm surprised there are so many reviews complaining about it's length. I could hardly put it down, and found myself excited by it's length and the knowledge that I had more to enjoy.<br/><br/>I could sit here and over-intellectualize it for you, but I think that would be a bit of a crime; a previous review had complained that it would have been better in the form of several novellas. That may be so, but is such a minor and absurd complaint in light of what a masterpiece it is. Divide it up yourself if it's such an issue, but to pass this book up would be a mistake.<br/>My point is: this book absolutely deserved it's Pulitzer. Donna Tartt gently guides you down a rabbithole of ""big"" questions; the typical literary fodder questioning morality, the meaning of beauty in life, etc. But she does so in such subtle ways, starting out innocent enough, but throws a wrench in the typical recycled scenes we are all used to from the million other books asking the same questions. You find yourself unsure what direction everything is going to take, then out of nowhere you find yourself reading the most simple but gorgeous sentence, a straightforward yet perfect truth. Then, another dark or startling turn of the story leaves you questioning everything she had briefly established. The end result is a novel which makes you question the way you see yourself, in which you feel deeply for the main character (having grown to know him so well), and makes a stunning case for the importance of true, meaningless beauty in the world around us.<br/><br/>I can't recommend it enough.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q6FPX8WBC6P1?ASIN=0316055441	Sweeping story of loss, love and life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">http://www.theinkgobbler.wordpress.com/<br/><br/>If you were to ask me what this book was about, I'd be at a bit of a loss to say. Is it about how a boy comes to age after his mother's death, and the role a work of art played in his life? Is it about the often blurred connection between loss and love, between good and bad, anxiety and happiness, reality and the most delicate of hopeful fantasy? Or maybe it's about time, its relentless forward movement, onto which some people hang the word ""fate""? Simply put, yes, it's about all these dizzying, grandiose-sounding things. But it's also about life, just life as it's handed to you, too. And that, I think, is what makes Donna Tartt's ""The Goldfinch"" such a literary triumph, the reason for its placement on the ""bestsellers"" table at bookstores: It exposes to the world the tangled intricacy of reality, reminding us that even the simplest of things that most people take for granted - life - is a puzzle all on its own.<br/><br/>As a poignant coming-of-age story, ""The Goldfinch"" loosely encompasses Theo's life since his mother's death. While this may sound slightly paradoxical, it is ""loosely encompassing"" in that the novel doesn't seem to be tightly focused on any one thing. Instead, it follows Theo through the various stages in his childhood and later, his adulthood. While this made the storyline a little slow and uneventful at times, in hindsight there persisted a constant forward momentum throughout the entire novel. And what you come to realize as you read on is that everything is connected, whether they're big things like the painting or smaller ones, like a magician-cabdriver's tip on misdirection. They all come back later on in the story in one way or another, a clever web of connections that you only appreciate looking back. In fact, the final chapter of the novel helps to wrap everything up, perhaps not in a nice and neat package, but in a way that's loosely bound, with a few strings left untied here and there. While this may frustrate some readers, an understanding that this is the point, that life itself doesn't come in perfectly wrapped packages, allows the reader to appreciate what the novel is actually about. Admittedly, the danger with this is that it might come across as an attempt to impress a Big Philosophical Meaning upon the readers, and to an extent, it is. But I figure we can always do with some thoughtful contemplation in our lives.<br/><br/>Just like the connections between different events and objects in the storyline, the relationships between the characters is just as strikingly wrought in the novel. Let me begin with Theo himself. Our protagonist starts off as a pretty ordinary thirteen-year-old New Yorker, living with his mom since his father abandoned them. By the middle and end of the book, however, Theodore Decker has transformed into an outwardly self-assured, drug-taking art dealer sporting suits and leather shoes. Although the eight-year jump from kid-Theo to adult-Theo took me by surprise, it ultimately served as a sharp contrast, allowing me to clearly see just how much the main character changed. Central to the development that Theo undergoes throughout the novel are his relationships with the various people in his life, namely his mother, his father, Boris, Hobie, Pippa and the Barbours. I especially loved the character of Boris: lively and likable despite his troublemaking tendencies (to put it lightly), seamlessly inserting himself into Theo's life as his high school partner-in-crime and best friend for life. The way that he talks, like him, is jaunty and animated, and added some much-needed comic relief to the novel. More than that, his simultaneous contempt for and faith in the world makes him the perfect foil/companion to Theo, and the way in which they shape each other in their actions, attitudes and worldview is so realistically rendered that their friendship becomes firmly cemented in one's mind. Similarly, Theo's relationships with the other characters is nuanced and dynamic, yet each one is unique and colours Theo's life in different shades and ways.<br/><br/>The author's writing aptly lends itself to the events of the storyline, as well as to Theo's character himself. The sweeping prose depicts his delicately nuanced emotions in a way that subtly reveals the truth under the characters' self-deception on the level of the story, and the truth below the surface of the words presented on the page on the level of the writing. For example, Theo, as the narrator, might say that everything's swell, that a drug-induced, directionless life is perfect for him. Yet the author, always the master puppeteer behind the black-and-white curtains of the words, reveals that it is everything but. Theo's keen anxiety, the steadily encroaching and all-encompassing darkness and delirium that invades his very soul from the moment of his mother's death onward are all exposed through Ms. Tartt's intricate writing. That being said, one caveat was that there were moments in the prose when things just didn't flow very well, whether because of the author's persistent use of semi-colons when simple commas would do, or because of the actual sentence structures themselves, incomplete and sometimes downright confusing. While this may capture Theo's state of mind - the novel is, after all, told from his point-of-view - the writing often obfuscates and confuses, at times detracting from the forward momentum of the novel.<br/><br/>All in all, ""The Goldfinch"" is a poignant, soaring story that sends the reader catapulting into the deep recesses of his or her own thoughts and contemplation. Its status as an international, prize-winning bestseller comes as no surprise. But it's not about how many prizes it wins or how many copies are sold, but about how it resonates with the readers and their personal lives, despite the fact that they themselves may not have lost a parent in a fateful accident or the many other things that chances upon Theo's life. Really, it boils down to the keenly intimate connection Ms. Tartt weaves between the reader and the novel, and she does this in a sweeping, yet subtle, manner that leaves you in contemplation of loss, sublimity and love.<br/><br/>Rating: 4.5/5</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M5WHMDOC5WXO?ASIN=0316055441	Long but a beautiful read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed _The Goldfinch_ much more than at times I thought I would.  I’ll forego a plot summary since by now the story is probably pretty familiar to anyone reading reviews.  I’ll simply state what I did and didn’t like, and my “like” list is a lot longer than my “didn’t like” list.<br/><br/>Many other reviewers have complained about its length, but, unlike another 700+ page novel I reviewed recently (_A Little Life_ by Hanya Yanagihara, which I also liked) I found it to be exactly as long as it needed to be.  Throughout the first 150 or 200 pages, I struggled often with whether or not to continue listening to the novel for one reason:  I did not like narrator/protagonist Theo Decker at all.  But the book is so beautifully written, and the character of Theo is so thoroughly laid bare, that I couldn’t help but enjoy being taken along for the story of his life and, eventually, developing a grudging respect for him.  After all, it is possible to dislike someone intensely but still care about what happens to him or her.<br/><br/>I haven’t read Tartt’s previous works, so I don’t know if she is typically adept at characterization, but she excels at it here, parading a truly Dickensian cast of characters across the book’s various stages.  All of the characters, major and minor, are colorful, believable, and memorable.  Even flat characters and foils are portrayed with enough of a personality that they often appear to assume, at least briefly, an outsized importance.  The major supporting cast members (Boris, Hobie, and, to a somewhat lesser extent, Pippa) are so detailed and complex that they could probably each sustain their own novel.  Dialogue goes hand-in-hand with characterization, and Tartt has a gift for it as well.<br/><br/>Tartt’s prose is rich, elegant, and beautiful.  She describes places, objects, people, and emotional states so accurately that I was quite often transported and had no trouble at all picturing everything she describes.  I have complained in a couple of recent reviews (of _The Pines_ by Blake Crouch and _Demon Camp_ by Jennifer Percy) about the overuse of sentence fragments, especially in descriptive passages, but here Tartt gives a clinic on the practice, using fragments to masterful effect when Theo is describing his surroundings during brief fugue states, periods of intoxication or drug-induced euphoria, or during stream-of-consciousness interior monologues as he tries to make sense of or come to grips with his experiences.  _The Goldfinch_ ends beautifully with Theo offering his somewhat lengthy personal Apology, in the classical sense, SPOILER ALERT his justification for carrying on in our flawed and often miserable world, and his final barbaric yawp is evidence of his dawning realization that broken, selfish, deceitful, even criminal individuals like himself can discover reasons to live and socially acceptable ways to be happy and fulfilled.<br/><br/>A final thought:  David Pittu gives a bravura, virtuoso performance as the narrator of the audiobook, and he richly deserves his 2014 Solo Narration - Male Audie Award.  If you’re having trouble deciding whether or not to read _The Goldfinch_, compromise with yourself and listen to the audiobook instead.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21DQ1905QKQCU?ASIN=0316055441	Four golden stars...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Four gold stars for masterful writing, story development, character development and creating an Objective Correlative that ebbs and flows from a painted masterpiece of a goldfinch. This is a novel that requires stamina from its reader--it is quite long, and the main character, Theo,--damaged and suffering from post traumatic stress disorder--reels through his story with maddening self-destruction at every turn. The passage through his teen-age years is too long. The endless chain of bad choices and substance abuse becomes hard to take. Yet this device succeeds in raising and sustaining tension as the reader can't help but become concerned for Theo's future. This tension is mirrored and concentrated in the climax during Theo's hotel stay in Amsterdam.<br/>""Only occasionally did I notice the chain on the finch’s ankle, or think what a cruel life for a little living creature— fluttering briefly, forced always to land in the same hopeless place.""<br/><br/>I felt the resolution was too long and needed editing. Because the  writing IS so descriptive, the reader doesn't need the prolonged and unwieldy ""closing arguments"" to wrap up the story's meanings. Better to let the reader savor and reflect than to serve up the gist of deeper meaning through stale, rehashed leftovers.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch examines the interface between idealism and the harsh reality of human existence. What is the meaning of suffering, if any? Do bad/ good things happen for a reason or is Life a matter of chance and Fate? Are there ""old souls,"" angels, and ways to gain insight into hidden, predictive patterns? Or are we pawns in a bigger picture? Are we responsible for unintended consequences or is a Life story dealt at the mercy of events, existing as  flotsam and jetsam upon an ocean surface? The Goldfinch is an ambitious and worthwhile read, even if the questions posed cannot be fully known.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OIW7KJRFHU5N?ASIN=0316055441	worth reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's been a month since I read the book, and I still think about it. Due to that fact, my rating is higher than I might have given it before (though I can't quite give it a 5.)<br/><br/>I love books about art, so I was eager to read this book for a book club meeting.  My enthusiasm dampened only slightly when I saw that my large print version had more than 1200 pages. There were sections of this book that were achingly beautiful, and the story quickly drew me in.  I loved the descriptions of the paintings and the work done to restore antiques. The story quickly inspired me to start planning my own trip to New York City to visit the Metropolitan Museum. I agree with others that the book is too long and uneven, but I really enjoyed the author's writing style, even through the dark and tedious parts of the book. ( I kept imagining that the author was under deadline, and didn't have time to go back and tighten up the story.)  The basic plot is fairly simple with some good twists, and I think it would make a pretty good movie. There is also some more depth if that is what you like.  The writing is vivid and I think that each reader will come away with different images etched into the mind.<br/><br/>A note about the ending (no spoilers): I like to sit and think about a book after I finish it to wonder what it all means and to gather some insights about life.  In this case, the author does a lot of that for you at the end of the book in a meandering way.  I found it annoying at first because I would have preferred to discover these insights myself while reading the story, and because I had my own thoughts about it at that point. So I put the book down for a few days with just pages to go to the end. I don't think I've ever done that before!  When I returned after thinking about it for myself, I found it much more meaningful than if I just plowed through to the finish.<br/><br/>Aside from the major plot twists, I was most taken by a few things that the character did not reveal about himself until the end. It reminded me that in each story, a character tells only a part of the true story. We each choose to edit out (or forget)  pieces of our life story, in either the telling or remembering of our lives.  This has increased my appreciation of every book or movie I've seen since.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38PIXYAF71IZ3?ASIN=0316055441	A story that gets under your skin.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ah, what can I say? This is one of those stories that gets under your skin. Love it or hate it, if you make it to the end, you’re going to remember it. So, on the face of things, this is a coming of age story, but it’s also an art heist, a romance, at tragedy and a philosophical commentary on the meaning of life (frequently diverging into whether life, with all its heartache is worth living at all, and whether doing the right things and being a good person actually mean anything, too).<br/><br/>You might have noticed this won a Pulitzer Prize. I noticed this, too. Was it a factor in finally picking this up and reading it? No. Do I understand why it won now that I’ve read it? Yes. It’s a masterpiece--hard, emotionally taxing, uplifting and depressing, all of these things woven in at once. The characters are real (they come alive in the pages), and the significance of the painting, The Goldfinch, while elusive as the pages fly by, is never completely abandoned. The symbolism in this story is heavy and wrought with meaning, but I think every reader will see and hear something different.<br/><br/>That’s why I think book clubs tend to choose this book so much. My friend is one of the folks who hates this book; I’m one of the ones who love it. I can totally get why she does. This book spans over a decade of time and it gets there at a snail’s pace, though I read late into the night for a week (thank goodness for vacation, or I’d have been useless at work). Yet, I couldn’t put it down. It’s odd, a page turner that I could totally see myself working my way through for a month or more. I tried to calculate how long it took me to read it, I gave up. I’m not sure some of the time wasn’t spent half-dozing at 4:30 in the morning, just trying to get to the end of a chapter, to find out what kind of crazy Theo’s friend Boris would deliver next. Hours lost to this book, but I don’t regret it.<br/><br/>I couldn’t read anything else while reading this, either. I often read two or three at a time, just shuffling between them whenever the whim takes me, but not with this one. I think I had to keep going because the threads, as they are woven into the tapestry of this book, are thin and easy to miss. This book requires focus, an absence of distraction. It is, by no means light reading.  In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen sentences and structure quite as complex and mindboggling. One sentence lasted over a page. Just one. The author favors a choppy style, tossing images and impressions out like handfuls of bread to a pigeon, but it works. It flows. The world and the people in it bloom in the mind from these snippets. At times grammar is abandoned completely, but on purpose, definitely on purpose. It’s one of the things I found so interesting about this book, but I think it might drive some folks crazy trying to wade through the organized madness.<br/><br/>I loved this book. It’s a tough read and a page turner all at once. I think it’s worth giving a try for folks who like an immersive reading experience, but folks who want that clean happily ever after, who like a book that gets to the point in short order, may find this one daunting. This truly is one of those love it or hate it books. I think it demands to be discussed, so really, the book clubs have it right.<br/><br/>I borrowed this book from a local library so that I could read it for a book club I just joined.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25UMXRQOSJWXT?ASIN=0316055441	What an amazing writer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though I had a few small qualms, I had to give this book 5 stars and consider it a wonderful accomplishment.  First, putting plot aside entirely, I think that Ms. Tartt is a great writer.  She has an impressively broad vocabulary (as one who really appreciates that), she writes dialogue really well and is a master describer of things. Also, I was really impressed how she seems as comfortable discussing high-minded and scholarly topics (including but not limited the topic of the book itself) as she is with more lowbrow popular culture things (Soul Train, tv shows, etc.)  Also, she must have had to do an incredible amount of research to write this book.  For example, I am assuming that before she wrote it, she did not know the first thing about furniture restoration, but my god, you would have thought that that was her profession, so much did she appear to know about it. I also found some of her meditations on life at the very end to be extremely thought-provoking.  I wonder if that was her speaking or simply Theo speaking.  The New York Times Sunday Book Review often has an interview with a famous author and one of the questions they always ask is: What authors would you like to have dinner with?  Well, she would be one of mine.  She must be a fascinating person.  I wonder if she is a happy person.<br/><br/>I also a disagreed with those who said either that the plot was too slow or too confusing (that coming from one who is easily flummoxed by confusing plots).  (In fact, looking at the reviews as a whole, I was surprised by their overall harshness.  3.5 average stars for a book of this quality?  That's amazing to me.)<br/><br/>I did think that the book was a little long and that it could have been shortened without any loss of mood, atmosphere, plot (obviously) or message.  In particular, there are a large number of looong paragraphs and I find this annoying because I think it is hard to keep mental focus towards the end of those long paragraphs.  The mind starts to wander.  If some of those paragraphs had been shortened, that would have taken 100 pages off the book right there.<br/><br/>Finally, the first 3/4 of the book  was more bout people than plot.  The pace was fairly lanquid and I was fine with that because I viewed that part of the book of primarily a portrait of a person and about how people and events affected his life.  I thought I was wonderful.  Then, in the last quarter of the book, it seemed as if someone else came along and said: ""Ms Tartt, you will still be the writer but I'll take over the plot from here.""  It very abruptly transformed into a mystery-action-thriller-whodunit-James Bond movie on steroids.  I for one found the transformation to be rather jarring.<br/><br/>Anyway, quibbles aside, I think that the book is such an impressive accomplishment.  5 stars</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TI08NDXUTKM?ASIN=0316055441	A College Student's Perspective	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have always tended to reach for books that are overly complex, surreal, and even metaphysical. Picking up this book was an outlying occurrence; however, one that I am grateful for. The overall tone is that of a closet-writer's journal, jotting down memories, their accompanying thoughts, emotions, and observations as if he knew that they were to be read by distant strangers in the future.<br/><br/>Fifty pages in, I fell in love with Tartt's writing, specifically the ways in which she is able to describe emotions and sensations that are seemingly impossible to put into words. I found myself thinking, on more than one occasion, that finally someone was able to translate an inner human experience that most undergoe, but are unable to accurately recount. The same applies to characterizations - despite the number of characters that appear and disappear, each is distinct and well-developed. They become real people that exist somewhere in the world, rather than fictitious individuals.<br/><br/>I blazed through the first 400 pages in a week, breaking my committed schedule of reading for only 30 minutes before bed. But I found that by the last portion of the story, I began to lose interest in the storyline (oddly enough, when most might consider it becomes the most exciting). While I did pick up this book partly because of its length (hoping it would last me awhile, for my college-student budget has limited my rapid summer-time intake of novels I otherwise don't have time to read), I found the pace to become much too slow for my liking. I did, still, enjoy the read.<br/><br/>The dark undertones, in-depth characterization, and vivid imagery made me glad to have spent $20 on this book. I enjoyed the writing just as much as the story. While slow-paced, it follows the rich path of one man's difficult yet meaningful and life. I plan to pick up Tartt's other books in the near future.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HPNOZRYCVJYM?ASIN=0316055441	Lovely but Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a long book. Almost 800 pages. It is double almost anything I read. So of course I am going to do a mini review! I found it so hard summarize my feeling and thoughts so this was the only way.<br/><br/>Long story short (really long story really short): Theo lives with his mom. They go to a museum. It is the target of a terrorist attack. She dies. He takes a painting. Theo ends up with the family of a childhood friend, Andy. While there he goes to see Hobie, the friend and partner of a man that Theo spent his final moments with who urged him to seek out Hobie. They become friends. Things are kind of normal. Until his loser, gambling dad shows up with his girlfriend, Xandra (with an X not an S) and takes him to Las Vegas to live with them. Here we meet Boris who becomes Theo’s best friend. They get into trouble – steal, drink, do drugs. When something happens to his father Theo books it back to New York and goes to Hobie. He stays there and learns the business (antique furniture, furniture repair) and becomes a partner. All the time Theo is dealing with the fact he has this painting. No one knows. He can’t do anything with it as he would be in trouble for stealing. Also, he is dealing with his love of Pippa, who was the dying man’s niece and close with Hobie. We have to see what happens – to the painting, to Theo.<br/><br/>Well there is a ton more (800 pages remember) but thats the gist. Overall, I really enjoyed this and would love for everyone to read it. Just be prepared for how long it is and you should be set.<br/><br/>THE GOOD<br/><br/>I really enjoyed the overall story. I think it was interesting, enough conflict, good characters, different premise.<br/>It was very well written (see Pulitzer Prize for proof)<br/>Hobie and Boris. They really made the book for me. Especially as their times in the book didn’t overlap.<br/>Hobie was such a kind man. He may have been a little oblivious (on purpose at times) but had wonderful intentions and really took Theo in and treated him like family.<br/>Boris was crazy and totally a bad influence – but he was also funny and added a little crazy to the characters (in a good way)<br/>Popper the dog. I was in constant fear something would happen to  (Spoiler: nothing did thank god!)<br/><br/>THE BAD<br/><br/>I wanted more Hobie and Pippa. I really enjoyed them as characters and their interactions with Theo.<br/>The whole Amsterdam section towards the end. It was confusing with lots of new names and such. I know it was necessary but still threw me off a bit.<br/>The whole ending in which Theo, in my view, gets a bit rambly. I will admit I was rushed toward the end so this could have influenced this feeling.<br/>It was 800 pages but felt like it could have been less.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D60IQZ206PWP?ASIN=0316055441	Suspenseful Story -- Very Hard to Put Down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book fairly quickly for me--nearly 800 pages in a few days. Let's just say that sometimes I couldn't put it down, that I loved the protagonist, Theo, through thick and thin, and that by the end I was sobbing. So I really wanted to give it five stars. However, not every word rang true for me. Too many endless details. Too much adoration of art.<br/><br/>But much of the story flowed and took me away. I could feel the emotions of a 13-year-old boy who loses his mother suddenly in a bombing. I tried to picture how I would have felt had I lost my mom at such a young age and so I felt his emptiness, his terrible detachment from the world, as he tries to put one foot in front of the other, admittedly with the help of many drugs and a lot of alcohol. I ended up feeling the same disdain that he felt for his father whom he is forced to live with and feeling a similar fondness for the man who acts as a surrogate dad in a way intermittently throughout his life, Hobie.<br/><br/>This story goes from being a story about a grieving child who acts out in various ways, keeping us on the edge of our seats on opposite coasts of the U.S., with Theo going back and forth between New York and Las Vegas, and then takes us into an exciting, suspenseful international story centered in Amsterdam. It's not a pretty story. It gets ugly and I, a 68-year-old woman, have never enjoyed stories that make me brush figurative elbows with thugs and live life vicariously in the underworld. But it's Theo that makes this story bearable. If it hadn't been for Theo, I would have put the book down before finishing it.  I prefer sex to violence any day! But I wanted to see if Theo was going to survive--bodily and spiritually. Maybe you too will get caught up in Theo's adventures and want to see how it all turns out. I was swept away.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KGZJTWV0GQO5?ASIN=0316055441	Not quite five stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I give The Goldfinch only 4 stars and here is why it didn't get 5. While I enjoyed most of Ms. Tartt's lengthy descriptions and nuances, I did feel she discussed way too much minutia and for far too long. I really didn't want to know all the affects of vomiting, drug reactions, hangovers etc.., but was bombarded by them anyway. I really didn't care for the Boris character and thought he was truly leading this innocent kid, Theo down the wrong path. While it was different than anything I have ever experienced personally, she depicted Las Vegas as an interesting place. While in LV, I so wanted her to get back to Theo's relationship with Hobie in NYC, and skimmed over the parts where the two were not in the same room. She could have written an entire book on Theo, Pippa, and Hobie's relationship, plus that of the painting and his mother, of course, and I would have been a far happier reader.<br/><br/>One big error:  who doesn't know that museums give reward money to those who return lost paintings? This seemed to be a no brainer and caught me by surprise...that Theo hadn't thought of this far sooner than when it was revealed. Ms. Tartt could have eluded to that much earlier, and then placed some comment that they wouldn't be entitled to a reward--or she could have trumped up some reason why it's not done that much. Returning stolen paintings are always accompanied by many questions from the authorities. Still, the topic should have been addressed before 2/3 of the book had been read. That was a mistake on her part as author...to not set that up at an earlier point, even if the characters didn't think that solution was valid.<br/><br/>I'm not sure what qualifications are required for The Pulitzer Prize, but Ms. Tartt did write an amazing and complex story. Would I recommend this to others? Absolutely, and I have. It's a long one, so take it slowly and savor each scene. Will I read her next book? Without question.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTEN2AY6Q4SDL?ASIN=0316055441	Art Theft	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thirteen-year-old Theo is at the art museum with his mother one morning when there is a massive explosion.  Theo is knocked out for some time, and when he comes to, he is disoriented, separated from his mother, and surrounded by the dead and the dying.<br/><br/>Theo fixates on an elderly man whose lower body is a ruin.  Before the explosion, Theo had been trying to catch the attention of the girl who was at the museum as this man's companion.  The girl is nowhere in sight and the man is obviously close to death.  Before he dies, he gives Theo his ring and instructions on where to bring it.... and he tells Theo to pick up and take with him a painting that has fallen off of the wall.<br/><br/>The rest of Theo's adolescence and young adulthood is chaotic and uncertain.  He is moved from place to place, into the homes of different potential caretakers, never sure if he will stay long-term.  The one constant in his life is the painting, which he takes great pains to carefully hide and guard.  Many of his decisions are based on doing what is best for the painting, and ensuring that he will not be caught with it.  Even when his personal and professional life seem to be unraveling before his eyes, Theo continues to take comfort in and simultaneously be terrified by his prize.<br/><br/>I loved this story, the way that a person's life could be so ruled by this one possession, and the way someone could be accidentally drawn into a crime from which there seems to be no good escape.<br/><br/>Although I didn't always like Theo, I really enjoyed the secondary characters, especially Boris and Hobie, who shaped Theo's life in indelible ways.  I liked that the relationships among characters were messy and complicated, and very realistic.  I especially liked the way that the ending was able to wrap everything up in such a satisfying way.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A7ZWKX2B3FUW?ASIN=0316055441	The Gold&white Dress	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I feel this book is the gold and white, er I mean blue and black dress of the literary world. Many people see the The Goldfinch one way and love it, others see it another way and hate it, and most agree that cutting some of its length couldn't hurt.<br/><br/>I didn't like it.<br/><br/>I haven't read any of Tartt's other books, and it's not that this one was poorly written. The craft is there, and it is obvious she spent a lot of time and effort on this novel. Many reviewers are calling it extremely layered and nuanced, and I suppose that could be true. The problem is few of those layers resonated with me, and the ones that did were poorly executed or nonexistent. When it comes to the protagonist, I was pulled out of my suspension of disbelief a lot. I'm a male of around the same age as the protagonist/writer/narrator Theo and I didn't find him to be believable in the details. There is talk of movies, and video games, and drugs and drinking, that seem to have been written by a middle aged woman rather than a teenage male. All of the words and descriptions are more or less correct, but the tone is all wrong. Theo seemed inauthentic to me for most of the 750+ pages of this book. I'm not sure where this problem stems from, but it could be the first person narrative. Tartt's other characters were believable enough for me, but I suppose we weren't getting as intimate of a look into the inner workings of their brains.<br/><br/>I'll admit that I probably don't know enough about art, or antiques, or high society to be sucked into those narrative threads. There is a lot of detail about the art and antiques that I probably skimmed through. When the art and furniture aspects were used to create human connections, they came across as cliche and on the nose to me. Unfortunately there weren't any huge philosophical revelations for me here.<br/><br/>I liked Pippa a lot, and the passages describing her were some of the few that I found to be engaging and enjoyable. Unfortunately Pippa finds her way into a maximum of 20 pages in this novel. I don't know what Donna Tartt's sexuality is, but her first person descriptions of the protagonist being attracted to this red headed girl from the age of 10 through late 20's are extremely poignant. The obsession is very believable as it starts in an innocent childlike way (messy first kiss), and progresses into something more mature (deeper love and jealousy). The attraction is interesting though in that again, it doesn't come off as distinctly teenage/ 20s male, at least not to me anyway. Theo's sexual attraction to Pippa manifests in a much softer and atypical way. He describes her hair, catching a glimpse of her armpits as she removes her sweater, and reveling in the smell of her room and bedsheets. Whatever the impetus for writing about Pippa, the feelings came across as genuine and intimate. Theo's unrequited yearning for her didn't seem cliche at all but rather wounded and detached. Most of Theo's and Pippa's relationship seemed very authentic.<br/><br/>Those still reading this review probably want to know If I think they should read this book. I haven't read Tartt's other works, but her debut novel ""The Secret History,"" seems to be more universally acclaimed, so maybe start there first. There are many great works of fiction in the world, and I feel that this one can definitely be skipped without missing much.  Much of the acclaim for this work seems to stem from the idea that it references Russian literature, and Charles Dickens, and Greek mythology's take on the peculiarities of fate. If that is the case most readers will probably get more joy out of reading Russian literature (""The Idiot,"" ""The Brothers Karamazov"") Charles Dickens (""Great Expectations,"" ""Oliver Twist"") and Greek / Roman mythology (""The Odyssey, Ovid's ""Metamorphoses""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NC9QAOBP4WL1?ASIN=0316055441	'Meh!' (I actually said it.)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I read 'War and Peace' I found so many moments and characters brought me to tears the absence of that cast at the end of the book affected me deeply, as did the war in which the action took place.  Tolstoi wrote an amazing epic that combined minutiae of history and family in an intricate way.  His technique propelled both story and character forward in every paragraph. Unfortunately, 'The Goldfinch' is swamped by redundant detail just as the world has become swamped by selfies, shots of meals and manicures - detail without emotional connection and that convoluted embroidery is never stitched into anything that moves the story on.  Fact: I went to bed early to get in a goodly amount of time so that I could finish reading the book.  Sadly, I had actually finished the book on the previous night and hadn't noticed there was no more. I expected something more for my effort in wading through the results of the author's research. The failed attempts at resolution of story arc and the amount of purely reflective material towards the end buried the character in a quagmire of self-indulgent wallowing to the degree that I actually uttered the word 'Meh!'.  Theo ? I didn't care a jot for him, not for one moment after the really great initial premise.  Timely, certainly, but I can't believe this won the Pulitzer.  It has some feats of pretty decent research, the impact of which is lessened by the fact that most of that is now widely available on Wikipedia or The Travel Channel. But all that detail is not like Chekhov's first act gun - it never gets fired. So much of that nice writing should have been cut out and replaced with something that made us care about at least ONE of the characters. And in a book like that which is so research based, it would be lovely to see some scholarly attributions. I think I would have preferred Paul Auster or Peter Carey to have told this story so that I at least gave a tinker's cuss about Theo and the rest of the cast.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR2LOMQHRH7SI?ASIN=0316055441	Ugh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'll start by saying that I really enjoyed Tartt's Secret History.  But this is a review for The Goldfinch of course, and I'm so annoyed by it that I have to vent a little in a review.<br/><br/>SOME SPOILERS BELOW.<br/><br/>Firstly, we start with the narrator in Amsterdam, feverish and talking about dead bodies in the street and as the reader you think, ah, juicy!  You'll have to wait about 700 pages to see what he's talking about though.  First he goes back in time to when he was 13, and throughout the following hundreds of pages you realize that that's as mature as he ever was, even though the book ends 14 years later.<br/><br/>After a few hundred pages, the book randomly jumps ahead in time by eight years.  So once again we're just told everything that happened to him in summary.  It's like reading a Cliff's Notes version of the novel Tartt meant to write, except of course this is not a succinct summary but a long, rambling, self-indulgent monologue.<br/><br/>There are two major instances in Theo's life where he's been duped and it was immediately clear to me as a reader that I couldn't fathom how he, as the narrator who basically told me to look out for the deception, was fooled for so long, all hundreds and hundreds of pages of it.  The first is when he loses the painting.  There are lots of red flags when Theo tells us that he doesn't recognize the way he wrapped it and has been hanging out with a druggie petty thief, and most importantly, after he keeps looking at the painting regularly for the first 200 or 300 pages, he stops looking at the painting at all right after he doesn't recognize the way he wrapped it.  For over 8 years he doesn't look at the painting!<br/><br/>Then when Theo gets engaged to Kitsey, who had been dating a guy her family didn't approve of and who hides her phone from Theo when it rings at all hours of the night and is never available when he tries to call her out of the blue-- I mean, was anyone but Theo shocked that she had a double life romantically when it finally came out?<br/><br/>The main thing that turned me off from this book was that it's basically all written like a synopsis of things that already happened to the narrator.  There is never any urgency that makes you as a reader want to keep reading.  Even in moments where there could have been tension, Tartt tells us not to be tense; she spoiled my reading experience by telling me beforehand that Theo's mother died or that it would be years before he saw Boris again, for example.  And oh my goodness.  The last 20 pages or so are just Theo trying to justify to us why he had written what he had written.  Completely unnecessary and a waste.  And by the way, he just jumps another year into the future randomly in these last pages.  To what end, I have no idea.<br/><br/>All told, this was a highly unsatisfying read and I would not recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R115W8AYFCKKIP?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story but editor needed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo Decker, 13, and his mother, were on their way to a meeting with Theo's Principal.  Since they had a little extra time, his mother decided to go into the NYC museum to check out an exhibit. While viewing the painting, 'The Goldfinch', Theo becomes enamored with a little girl with red hair. As his mother moves on, he stays behind to be near the girl. In a flash, there is an explosion. Theo awakens to see the destruction and smoke around him. He eyes the elderly man who was holding the red hair girl's hand and goes over to him. The man, Welty, is severely injured. He hands Theo his ring, points out the Goldfinch, and gives him the name to take his belongings. Theo grabs the painting and is able to get out of the building but cannot locate his mother. He heads home amid chaos on the street, but continues in hope that his mother will be home when he gets there. She doesn't arrive after several hours, so he calls a number to report her missing. He soon is informed that she died in the explosion and must now live with his father, grandparents, or a friend. Since his father cannot be located and his grandparents, whom he hardly knows, cannot take him, he moves in with his school friend Andy.  Andy's wealthy family lives on Park Avenue.<br/><br/>Theo remembers later what Welty had told him. It was the name of a business. He looks up the name and finds an address. He sets out to return the ring. He hangs onto the painting as it is now the one thing that connects him to his mother when she was last alive. When Theo arrives at the door, it is an old building downtown with an antique shop attached. Hobie, friend and business partner of Welty's, opens the door. Theo returns the ring and is surprised to discover that Pippa, the girl with the red hair,  is there recuperating from her many surgeries since the accident. Theo returns many times and finds comfort spending time helping Hobie refurbish the antique furniture that comes into his shop.<br/><br/>As summer approaches, Theo's father appears with his girlfriend Xandra, and is told he will be moving to Las Vegas with them. His dad goes into the apartment they once shared and sells, donates, and takes whatever he wants out of the apartment. Theo grabs some clothes and the painting.<br/><br/>While in Vegas, Theo becomes friends with Boris. Boris has lived all around the world traveling with his father. Boris is a mix of Ukrainian, Russian, and Polish descent. He is able to speak in many languages but mostly Ukraine. Boris is left on his own as his father takes off for days at a time for work. When not working, he drinks as does Boris. Boris started drinking when he was ten.Theo's dad also is an alcoholic and an absentee father. He gambles to make his money. Boris influence on Theo is self destructive. Both boys are now drunk or doing other drugs all the time.<br/><br/>After an event,Theo finds his way back to New York City, painting in hand. He begins to settle into a routine with Hobie until Boris shows up with news that shocks Theo. This sends the two of them on a dangerous course leading them across the ocean.<br/><br/>This book won Tartt the Pulitzer in 2013. There has been much controversy as to whether this book should have won.  The one big question our club had, along with many others, was, ""Where was the editor?"" Tartt gets really bogged down with details. She spends way too much time on an occurrence that lasts pages and only takes place in an evening or a couple of days. This 771 page book could have been cut down by at least 150 pages or so.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B41V07FP50FX?ASIN=0316055441	I simultaneously loved and hated it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For years I’ve tried to pinpoint what it is about my favorite books that makes them my favorites. For a while I thought those were just the books I really loved and that was that, but it’s so much more. Sometimes a book is your favorite because you both loved and hated it. Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch reminded me that it’s ok to simultaneously love and hate a book and for that I am grateful.<br/><br/>The book tells the story of Theo Decker. He is 13 years old when his mother is killed in an explosion at an art museum. Theo survives the attack and takes with him his mother’s favorite painting. It’s a small painting of a tiny yellow finch, chained to a perch. The rest of the book follows Theo as he weaves through his tumultuous life.<br/><br/>One of my favorite things about the book was Donna Tartt’s ability to set the scene. Each new chapter of Theo’s life was captured so well that when he moved on to the next, I felt like I was being pulled out of that world along with him. This compartmentalization of his experiences reminded me of White Oleander by Janet Fitch. Both books are about children who lose their mothers and how that loss changes the course of their lives and shapes who they become.<br/><br/>The other thing that drew me in was the theme of connection. Theo’s relationships with the people in his life are all interconnected through shared experiences. So many of our human relationships are built on a connection we may not even realize is there.<br/><br/>As Theo grows up, he changes. Many times I caught myself thinking about how I really didn’t like the person he was becoming. Though I got pretty caught up in the book early on, I became frustrated later. Theo was frustrating. His friend, Boris, was frustrating. At first I had a strong aversion to those feelings. I thought, “Well I’m just not going to like his book.” Then I realized how silly that was. Instead, in those moments, I tried to look at the book like it was a person. People can be frustrating. Sometimes you meet people you don’t like. Sometimes people do stupid things in the process of growing up. I know I did. I tried to have a little more compassion for Theo and for his story.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch is long. At several points I thought I would never get through it. By the time I only had 100 pages left I was sure I was going to hate the ending, but it surprised me. I don’t need endings to be tied up with a bow. I don’t need complete closure. Rarely do we get that in life and though fiction, by nature, is not real, I do appreciate when it reflects some aspects of our reality. I felt sort of at peace with how I left Theo. It was like saying goodbye to someone for whom you have a deep affection but little tolerance.<br/><br/>I think if you’re looking for a challenge and a journey, definitely read The Goldfinch. However, if you’re prone to letting your frustrations get the best of you, maybe pass on this one.<br/><br/>For more reviews visit [...]</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14KUCIDQZJ2E4?ASIN=0316055441	Dissatisfying, Disaffecting, and Desultory	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Either Americans can no longer write or the Pulitzer process is broken. (Though I will say that while some feel that The Goldfinch doesn't qualify as literature so much as entertainment, that's a bridge too far. It's literature; just lightweight and riven with flaws.)<br/><br/>The book's best quality -- it's only one -- is that it's a reasonably good story, moderately well-told; that's what kept me turning the pages even after I'd abandoned hope that I was reading a literary chef d'oeuvre.<br/><br/>Tartt is the Toyota Camry of writers. Her sentence structure, wording, and rhythm get the job done but never approaches first-class. From a technical perspective, I can't think of a single sentence that gave me joy or stands out in my memory -- just hours removed from completion. Her final sentence is indicative of the problem. You can tell she spent a great deal of time on it, working and reworking, no doubt feeling she had unleashed a corker. In the end, though, she took what could have been the best sentence of the book and screwed it up with two egregious errors. Fortunately, most of the time she makes no attempt to reach for the stars, just as a Camry doesn't try to be a Bentley. Her straightforward writing style, while immemorable, gets the job done.<br/><br/>A more severe problem is the lack of depth; nowhere do we find convincing meaning. Tartt writes so shallowly that she felt compelled to append a final chapter in which she explains to the reader what the book is supposed to mean! That speaks volumes; especially when it's not at all clear that her tacked on meaning is found in the text itself. Worse, she breaks the established voice of her narrator, Theo, so she can deliver to us her final sermon. While not intentional, one clearly hears Tartt's own voice interjecting itself into the narrative; the author, not at all confidant that she had delivered the goods, wants to go out making certain that we Get The Point. A painful misstep that could've ruined the book; the silver lining is that the book had already been ruined -- hundreds of pages ago -- so no harm done. You can't kill the same goldfinch twice.<br/><br/>A symptom of the shallowness of her writing is that our narrator -- our hero -- Theo is one of the most boringly rendered sociopaths in contemporary literature. It's almost always the other characters who give vibrancy to the scene and momentum to the story. I'm convinced this is not intentional. It stems from the realization that the more time we spend with Theo, the less compelling he is. Straight from the get-go, even before the tragic terrorist attack that sets the plot in motion, young Theo is a thief and liar.  As Tartt piles up the cliche's, next he becomes a drug addict, and then finally a killer. Is Tartt cleverly manipulating us into rooting for a borderline sociopath? Alas, no, I think Tartt is sincere in her intentions. More's the pity, as about halfway through the book, as I found that I couldn't care less what happens to Theo, this would have made for an intriguing twist that might've breathed life into the dreary experience.<br/><br/>Even the central metaphor of the goldfinch fails, disintegrating upon careful examination. The claimed meaning derives from attempting to deceive the reader with the cheap surface elision between the chained goldfinch and our emotionally chained hero. If we thought about it all, the metaphor doesn't hold (think about it). It has all the veneer of Important Theme without any of the structural work or mental elucidation. Alas, we aren't meant to think deeply about it too much; all too clearly, Tartt hasn't.<br/><br/>A disappointing book all-around. Read it only if you feel you must be in on one of the major (lightly) literary releases of recent years. Otherwise, there are (perhaps tens of) thousands of novels more deserving of your time and contemplation.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R248NCNYI7AGCE?ASIN=0316055441	A Riveting, Brillant Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is one of the best books I have ever read.  It is one of my top ten reads.  I was totally mesmerised with this story of young Theo Decker, who looses his mother in a horrendous accident, a blast in NYC museum. The plot twists and turns as Theo tries to come to grips with the loss of his mom, who is caring and loved by many others, and he is wracked by guilt.  Landing in various households each with problems, he travels through his years missing his mom, but still taking steps to better his situation.  This doesn't always work for him in the moment, but each is a worthy effort.  And each new experience brings people that tie back to the blast and each of them help him through out his life's journey into manhood.  Not the least of which is  because when dazed in the museum wreckage, he is compelled by another to ""rescue"" Fabritius' Dutch masterpiece of the little bird.  Yes, this book is very long, but Tartt brings forward with every word. It is at once compelling and depressing, this story speaks to a child's resilience, that  even with all of the trauma he experiences starting with the loss of his mother, but certainly not ending there, he can move forward.  He is vulnerable, being so young and has no control of his life, for several years, post blast.  The damage  is huge, but he is inherently his mother's son, sweet and liked, and he learns to live by his wits.  He experiences abandonment and loss, over and over, but keeps moving forward grabbing onto things to which he feels connected...the painting, a little dog, a ring from the blast victim in the museum who encouraged him to take the painting.  He also expereinces drug addiction,  on-going throughout the second half of this novel.  I have never read such a compelling description of addiction, how he cannot escape it though he tries, and other times how he just gives into it. He also experiences unrequited love, and Tartt's descriptions of this are heart wrenching.  Through all the loss and damage, Theo remains viable if culpable in dubious activities. The ending is bittersweet, as it could only be.  He does find ""family"" in those he has gathered from the many acquaintances he has met along his journey, the Barbours, Hobie, and even Pippa, and, of course Boris, who do matter to him and who care greatly about him.  In the end, Theo finds comfort if not great happiness.  Life is not fair, we all know this.  This book beautifully personifies that, and redemption as well, with great style, character construction, and fascinating descriptions of human frailties and triumphs.  I highly recommend this book</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8MYAZLL4DIIM?ASIN=0316055441	Uneven, but Glorious on So Many Levels	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a master at creating quirky, flawed, but somehow still sympathetic characters, and The Goldfinch is filled with them. Theo, the protagonist, a modern day David Copperfield, orphaned by the death of his mother and the emotional distance of his alcoholic father, becomes entwined with a host of delightful others in his epic and twisted journey post-museum explosion and death of his beloved mother. There is Welty, whom we meet only briefly in the museum, but who inspires Theo to take the painting that is the novel's pivoting point; Pippa, damaged, ethereal, and subject of Theo's longing; Hobie, gentle giant, foster parent, lover of antiques, and creative genius; Boris, proverbial ""bad influence,"" endearingly optimistic; and the Bournes, privileged, strangely alluring, sometimes awful. Tartt falters somewhat in the father characters who are stereotypically addicts, but the leading characters are the force that drives the novel.<br/><br/>The best parts of the book lie with these characters -- the museum scenes leading up to the explosion; the horrifically beautiful scenes following in which Theo bonds with the dying Welty and then escapes the tragedy; the foster home that peels back the veneer of the socially prominent and privileged Bournes; and Theo's apprenticeship under Hobie in the museum-like shelter of home/workshop/shop. Tartt creates visually gorgeous scenes that capture her reader, atmospheres into which we are plunged wholesale, only to look up from the text, surprised that we do not actually reside in the worlds she has captured.<br/><br/>Where I struggled as a reader was in the last quarter of the novel in which a reunion with Boris becomes thriller/action film degenerating into Theo's too lengthy breakdown in Amsterdam. I slogged to the climax and am glad I did, but I can relate wholeheartedly to critics who found the book too long, too clunky, too overblown.<br/><br/>I am a Tartt fan, but I would be thrilled if she would learn to edit herself. I'm certain The Goldfinch did not need over 700 pages. That said, I would still recommend this book as a worthy read. The glorious bits endure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11NBIS7DBZ2Y0?ASIN=0316055441	Ambitious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is hard to articulate how I felt about this book after having spent over a week with it.  Watching Theo grow up, his meanderings, the ebbs and flows of his very complicated life were things to be savored.  While there were some periods of tedium in his misadventures, at a certain point I realized how vested I was in his story.  But there were phases of his life that were so distinct from one another, I feel it’s best to break it down as follows:<br/><br/>-New York, before, during and immediately after “the tragedy:”  I thought Tartt captured the utter confusion of the museum and 13 year-old Theo’s discombobulation, panic, and guilt.<br/>-New York, after: When Theo convinces social services to let him stay with his childhood friend and his family, the atmosphere seemed more like Theo was a fish in a glass bowl on 5th Avenue;  a grief-stricken little boy-fish among the polished, shallow, society types.<br/>-Las Vegas: A total 180 from Theo’s life in New York.  Under his dad’s “care,” Theo completely lacks structure and discipline.  I liked Boris, and as obvious as it was that he was a horrible influence on Theo, he also helped him maintain his sanity.<br/>-New York:  This was my favorite part of the book.  I enjoyed how Theo reconnected with his life, established himself, and created his own little non-nuclear family.  Sure, he’s made some shady deals, poor choices, popped some pills, but he seems to have his life on track.  Then Boris.<br/>-Amsterdam:  There was a chaotic quality to this whole episode, something self-destructive and desperate that made me feel anxious and uneasy.<br/><br/>Then after all that, I wasn’t entirely satisfied with loose ends that weren’t tied up.  Of course, I knew the conclusion wouldn’t be tidy, but I didn’t think it would end with such ambiguity (capped off with a final chapter philosophizing about the nature or art/love/blah).  The most fulfilling aspect of the end was learning the fate of the titular painting.<br/><br/>Though it had its flaws, I did like the book.  Theo is messed up because of the trauma he suffered, but without that defining moment, his life would not have taken the path it did.  Though he’s often unreliable and dishonest, there are things that make Theo sympathetic: his ambivalence about the painting, his fallibility, unrequited love, his tragic past.  I appreciated the atmosphere that Tartt was able to convey, especially in Hobie’s dusty cluttered townhouse where the smell of wood varnish practically saturated the pages.  No doubt, Tartt is a skilled storyteller, and it was easy to get lost in Theo’s complex world of antique furniture, cocktails and painkillers, high-society and petty thugs.  But after devoting so much time into such a heavy book, I was left wanting more from the finale.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R382JL29XDVNIN?ASIN=0316055441	Deciding whether to invest your time?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""It would have been better if she had lived.""  This is an extremely compelling opening line for a novel. Its an interesting understatement of course.  Then the questions roll in.  Who is ""she""?  How did she die?  The only problem with this opening line is that it is actually several pages in to the book.  What really opens the book is a vivid portrayal of scene and character that has you right ""there"" in the moment without being overly literal in its description.  That pretty much sums up both the beauty and Achilles heel of this epic novel.  Tartt has a gift for prose, especially when setting a scene and describing action.  The issue I have is that she is fairly indiscriminate in its use.  Like an American Idol singer who wears out the listener with too many runs, Tartt doesn't hold back the descriptions for effect, at all.  I agree with other reviewers about the book being roughly in thirds.  I think the first third of the book is what got her the Pulitzer.  Engrossing and engaging, the descriptions are paced appropriately and support the plot.  By the middle third, the descriptions, back stories and side stories grow a little tiresome, but you have faith because of the strong open.  Plus, the side stories serve to develop the characters.  By the last third you start to realize that not all of the back stories and side stories advanced the plot and the characters are fairly well developed at this point.  Just as you are cruising to the conclusion, Tartt throws in multi-page speed bumps.  But you can't put the book down at this point!  Finally, she closes with some very preachy, downright pedantic truisms.  The first third may have gotten her the Pulitzer, but in my opinion the last third is what made that award so controversial.  So was it worth it?  I think so.  I enjoyed the book in spite of some of the flaws and can't wait for the movie, which I hear is forthcoming.  You can check other reviews on the plot summary itself, but it is interesting and covers some pretty dark territory.  If you are looking for a casual read for a long weekend, this is not it.  But if you have the time to invest and want to marvel at just how good writing can be, or you just want to have a point of view on the controversy, then this is a good choice.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C7OUQD40AMTQ?ASIN=0316055441	WHY do I always read books that break my heart?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finished “The Goldfinch” a couple of weeks ago, but I am still haunted by it; more specifically, haunted by Theo.  I have a 13 year old son myself, so during the entire book I felt very protective and worrisome over Theo.  Every few days, I would say to my husband, “This book is killing me!”  Donna Tartt’s ability to create her characters so thoroughly, her granular detail of emotions, and the way she details a scene is so pulling that it’s hard to emotionally escape when you put the book down.  It definitely deserved the Pulitzer.  With that being said, I need to get a few things off my chest so I can finally get this book –and Theo- out of my head; yet, never out of my heart.  Yes, this book is long, and sometimes even tedious, but in hindsight, necessarily so, I think.<br/><br/>Theo’s mother was his anchor and his compass.  After she was killed, he probably would have been okay (better?) growing into adulthood had he continued to stay with the Barbours.  He would have had a more stable home base and been held to higher standards, such as with his own mother.  But, then we wouldn’t have the same book, now would we?  Being forced to move to Vegas with his “father” was the pivotal point, and of course, the very worst thing that could have happened to Theo.  I don’t agree with some other reviewers that he is an unlikable character.  Even through his callousness and chill, I could still sense how fragile he really was; therefore, I held no negative judgment toward him and I feel the need to defend him.<br/><br/>With no love, care, understanding, or responsibility, his young life turned to what most in that same situation turn to:  drugs, alcohol, bad crowd.  He never got the kind of direction or foundation he needed as a young man.  Even he recognized this:  “Things would have turned out better if she had lived.  As it was, she died when I was a kid; and though everything that’s happened to me since then is thoroughly my own fault, still when I lost her I lost sight of any landmark that might have led me someplace happier, to some more populated or congenial life.”  How powerful is that?<br/>His best friend, Boris, may not have been a positive influence – the worst, actually (even so, I still found Boris hilarious)- however, he came along when Theo needed a friend of any kind.  But, then he could see how opposite his life had been in Manhattan compared to how it was in Vegas:  “How had I fetched up into this strange new life, where drunk foreigners shouted around me in the night, and all my clothes were dirty, and nobody loved me?”  That single sentence was so hauntingly accurate; the grief in it is heavy and lost.  I think this is the sentence that actually broke my heart for the rest of the book.<br/><br/>I don’t know if Donna Tartt intended this or not, but to me, Theo IS the little yellow bird in the Goldfinch painting: Forever chained to the bombing (PTSD); forever a hostage to the never-ending grief over his mother; forever alone in his unrequited love for Pippa; and of course, forever shadowed by the painting itself.<br/><br/>The only thing that brings me any relief from my grief over this book is that Theo didn’t die at the end.  Rather, he is actively attempting to right all of his wrong-doings, and he is finally starting to live life for the first time without the painting hidden and looming in the background.  He’s trying to make sense of it all, of his life, of beauty and death, and everything in between.  And, actually, in a very twisted way, maybe Theo had managed to do exactly what his mother said in the museum shortly before her death:  “I guess that anything we manage to save from history is a miracle.”  He may still seem jaded about life in general, but the last chapter gives me hope that Theo is starting to see a glimmer of light; after all, he’s still young enough to catch his breath again.  And so, to help get this book and Theo out of my head, I’ve concocted my own continued ending of this book (further beyond the book’s ending) where Theo does find his landmark that leads him to happiness and a more congenial life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15XEV6EQGVT87?ASIN=0316055441	Sucker-punched and disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Here we go, once again:  disappointed and sucker-punched.<br/><br/>I was really disappointed in the author's first novel, The Secret History.  But was optimistic that The Goldfinch would redeem her for me.  But alas. I should have inserted the word ""cautiously"" in front of the word ""optimistic.""  Nearly 800 pages later, I'm just as disappointed today as I was a few months ago.  Given my reaction, I was glad to have been able to access the audiobook through my local library rather than having bought it.<br/><br/>The book seems so ill defined to me:  is it a piece of adult fiction, or just -- as critics have noted -- a Harry Potter Coming Of Age story.  The beginning and ending of the book don't hang together to support the voluminous internal contents.  If this is truly a story about the agelessness of art, then, as Captain Picard would have said aboard the Enterprise, make it so.  My feeling is that Tartt was writing to a specific audience (which I am admittedly too old to be a part of) with all the flash-bang in the middle and seeking to pull the rest of us in with a few brief chapters bookending the coming of age story.  Personally, I found this very insulting.<br/><br/>And that's another interesting thing.  The whole coming of age thing in The Goldfinch just didn't have an air of credibility.  Theo became more of an unreal figure as each page progressed.  By the end, when he's in pontification mode, I'm thinking the drugs are definitely responsible for brain damage.<br/><br/>I have to agree with critics who question the ""literary"" value of the book, which is being highly touted.  Yes, a potentially interesting story is being unfolded.  But it's done with too much hype, not enough delivery.  At times, the author just seems to trip over her own words.  Perhaps if I was a teenager or in my early 20s, I'd have different take on the story.  But I seriously doubt it.  Yeah, it took a prize.  And yeah, it's going to be made into a movie. Yada, yada...<br/><br/>The one thing I did enjoy was Boris naming Theo's dog Popchik.  My mother was Russian, and that's what she called my father.  That was probably the warmest personal moment I could glean from the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA2Z5J26WI7GP?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt shows herself to be someone who knows a great deal about many things that most people know very ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To start on a positive note, the book most certainly reflects the author’s brilliance, not so much as a writer, but as a savant.  In “Goldfinch,” Ms. Tartt shows herself to be someone who knows a great deal about many things that most people know very little about (and may care about even less).  Her novel is 771 pages long, and most of those pages are devoted to details that are descriptive in the extreme.  The title of the book refers to a famous painting by the seventeenth century Dutch artist Carel Fabritius, and, as might be expected, Ms. Tartt provides intricate details in her protagonist’s first-person narrative about the artist, this particular painting, and the period in art history it represents.<br/><br/> But she also provides intricate details on dozens of other subjects, ranging from furniture (historical styles and methods used to refurbish worn or damaged pieces) to sailing (including even how to tack against the wind).  And many of these subjects are of only peripheral relevance (at best) to the underlying story she is telling.<br/><br/> That story, told by a male character who is thirteen when the book begins and maybe in his mid-thirties when it ends, is decidedly thin when all the “excess baggage” is stripped away.  It could probably be told succinctly in one hundred pages and would contain precious few page-turning sections.  In sum, it concerns how the thirteen-year-old came into possession of the painting, how he attempted to safeguard it for many years, how he lost it, and how he went about trying to regain it.<br/><br/> Of course, many a great novel has been constructed out of a thin story; such is the magic of great writing in literary fiction.  But great writing also requires compelling characters and vivid descriptions of setting and action.  In this regard, Ms. Tartt is only moderately successful.  Many of her characters are only superficially drawn, principal among them being the protagonist’s parents, both of whom are central figures in the story.  Ms. Tartt alludes to characteristics without providing insight into how or why those characteristics exist.  In particular, the protagonist’s father is portrayed as a stereotypical loser, bent on self-destruction.  As the protagonist takes on many of those same characteristics over the course of the book, it would have been helpful to have a better picture of the genesis of the father’s flaws.  None, unfortunately, is provided.<br/><br/> The protagonist himself is less than fully explored, so that his “awakening,” if it can be described as such, in the book’s concluding pages, is far less compelling than it could have been.  The metaphysical musing he engages in at that point is certainly the book’s pay-off, and it raises legitimate existential imponderables, but a reader might well wonder why and how this particular character came to think along those lines after having shown so little propensity to do so over the course of the preceding 750 pages.<br/><br/> And then there is Ms. Tartt’s prose, which is, um, excessive.  If you like overly long sentences, you’ll love her book, because it is replete with many that run over 100 words.  Here’s one such sentence:<br/><br/> I couldn’t stop thinking about the Thanksgiving before; it kept playing and re-playing like a movie I couldn’t stop: my mother padding around barefoot in old jeans with the knees sprung out, opening a bottle of wine, pouring me some ginger ale in a champagne glass, setting out some olives, turning up the stereo, putting on her holiday joke apron, and unwrapping the turkey breast she’d bought us in Chinatown only to wrinkle her nose and start back at the smell—“Oh God, Theo, this thing’s gone off, open the door for me”—eyewatering ammonia reek, holding it out before her like an undetonated grenade as she ran with it down the fire stairs and out to the garbage can on the street while I—leaning out from the window—made gleeful retching noises from on high.<br/><br/> That 137-word sentence might be fine if it described anything of consequence to the story.  Suffice to say it doesn’t.  But consider reading a succession of such sentences all interposed as “color” around the basic story of Theo and his possession of the painting.  It makes reading this novel far less pleasurable than it otherwise might be.<br/><br/> Finally, a word about the story’s denouement: it takes place “off-screen,” meaning it is not told by the protagonist but, rather, is told to him by his best friend.  And so the reader is deprived of a first-person description of these events and is instead given an account, almost as an aside, by a secondary character.  It will be interesting to see how the screenplay version depicts this end of the story.  A good bet would be that it will be shown as an action scene and not as a narrative from a friend.<br/><br/> “The Goldfinch” is the work of a brilliant writer who writes with an academic tone.  It’s the kind of book that many have apparently found engrossing, but reading it is also, in a word, laborious.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28E0VWKFTZI2P?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent piece of literature. But it's long and meanders, rather than races, to the end..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My response in a sort of nutshell: It is so well written. Tartt seems to have really gotten into the minds of her characters to draw out their personalities and emotions and philosophies. The ""happenings"" -- i.e., what is actually going on -- for/in each phase of the book (Theo at ages 13, 14, 19, etc.) are quite interesting. The characters are all lovely -- even the ones you don't like! Of course Hobie is a favorite... reminds me a bit of a really smart Hagrid ;)  But. The only real ""but"" I have is there are a *lot* of pontifications... Theo is often musing on big life questions and Tartt herself seems to be inserting her own reflections by way of her various lists. These lists are not bulleted or numbered, of course, but I mean, she'll take a concept and then take it all the way to the end -- rather than simply stating something like ""there were a lot of annoying types of people,"" she'll go through and list 'em all. Which is interesting and, as I say, SO well written... but sometimes made the whole thing feel drawn out a little bit much.<br/><br/>The synopsis in a smaller nutshell: Theo Decker loses his mom when he's a child -- only 13 years old. That's not a spoiler, you know that right away. The book takes you through Theo's life and covers all the consequences, physical and emotional and psychological, for the next ~14 years (not year-by-year, but more like phase of life by phase of life). I simply cannot say more about the plot because that &lt;i&gt;would&lt;/i&gt; be a spoiler... but suffice it to say that Theo's life does NOT follow the normal trajectory, not even for someone whose mother died when he was 13. (you can read more in the Amazon blurb, above :))<br/><br/>Overall, a really excellent piece of literature. It's not a beach-read, nor a quick read, nor a plot-driven adventure. But it is engaging and cozy. Somehow, you feel wrapped up in the blanket of Tartt's novel, notwithstanding all the philosophical ponderings and rage and depression.<br/><br/>Definitely recommend... but make sure you have the time!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EZ2F9MXKVYR2?ASIN=0316055441	to his suffocating love for friends and family	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">“When I looked at the painting…Only occasionally did I notice the chain on the finch’s ankle, or think what a cruel life for a little living creature—fluttering briefly, forced always to land in the same hopeless place.”<br/><br/>So the narrator—Theo Decker—describes the eponymous painting that becomes his obsession, his identity, and the catalyst for the majority of the plot in Donna Tartt’s latest novel: The Goldfinch. The book begins with the death of Theo’s mother in the wake of a terrorist attack within a museum, his subsequent theft of the Goldfinch painting, then follows the precocious teenager’s attempt to navigate life as an orphan within the sprawling metropolis that is New York City. Luckily, the devastated adolescent finds solace in the form of two guardians: the Barbours, an upper-class, sophisticated, yet flawed family that welcome Theo into their home; and Hobie, an antiques repairman that Theo finds after his business partner is killed within the same terrorist attack as his mother.<br/><br/>This first section begins incredibly strong—wallowing in atmospheric details that firmly situate the reader within the pandemonium of the attack and Theo’s rollercoaster range of emotions in its aftermath. A sequence that details Theo’s disoriented escape out of the charnel museum and into the rainy city streets evokes a grim psychological state that’s amplified to devastating effect upon his return to an empty apartment, where his mother is still missing. Tartt’s astounding ability to imbue sensory details into a manifestation of dread transform this simple scene set within a small apartment of a thirteen-year-old boy anxiously awaiting for the return of his mother into a torture chamber of agony. Every passing car, tick of the clock, groan of the floorboards becomes an omen of doom, as it becomes increasingly, obvious, and disturbingly clear that our narrator’s mother will never be returning to this apartment.<br/><br/>While too many books in this genre often drown themselves in the maudlin emotions that surround such a traumatic event, Tartt wisely eschews such melodrama in favor of focusing on Theo’s utter confusion and sense of existential self-removal. Though Theo certainly narrates with shades of the Holden Caulfield variety, his voice remains original and compelling throughout—his range of emotions always relatable and distinct: from the depths of depression, to laugh-out-loud descriptions, to the haze of drug addiction, to his suffocating love for friends and family, to the permanent abyss in his soul left by his mother’s death.<br/><br/>The real motions of the plot come into the play when Theo finds the gregarious giant Hobie, who takes an instant liking to the boy. More importantly, Hobie serves as Theo’s connection to Pippa—a young girl that caught his eye just before the museum attack that connects him to Hobie’s business partner. Nonetheless, the friendly oldster and the abandoned adolescent find an immediate connection—kindred souls with an unspoken bond of familial love for one another in the midst of having lost people so important to their day lives.<br/>The arrival of Theo’s father—a deadbeat gambler that fled to Vegas after years of abuse and mean-spirited drunkenness—marks the major next section of the novel. Though he appears to have turned a corner since abandoning him, Theo’s father returns as a supposedly new man ready to resume his position as Theo’s father in Las Vegas. Here, at his new school in the desert, Theo meets the unforgettable Boris—a Russian immigrant and veritable alcoholic in his burgeoning teenage years that introduces Theo to the wild world of habitual drug use, while also providing a genuine and anchoring friendship amongst Theo’s roiling lifestyle.<br/><br/>Although the former and latter third are fantastic, this section remains the absolute highlight of the piece. Tartt peppers in small pieces of plot amongst incredible character development and allows even the most minor details to have incredibly awarding pay-offs, while still successfully managing multiple levels of narrative progression both in plot and theme. Specifically: the exploration of confused adolescence, Theo’s descent into drug addiction, the foundation of his friendship with Boris—all of these major milestone occurring while the inevitable dread of the stolen painting and Theo’s escalating drug abuse loom over each event with palpable dread.<br/><br/>Moreover, Tartt ingeniously deceives the audience by repeatedly introducing an ostensibly positive element into Theo’s life (namely his father’s newfound resolve) only to yank the rug away and reveal his true intentions at the worst possible moment to superb emotional effect. By the climax of this section, Tartt converges all these small set-ups sprinkled just moments before into a single catastrophic moment that has been so brilliantly, invisibly constructed that its relentless downfall is capable of leaving the reader visibly shaking in its vivid and painful execution. As Tartt completely detonates Theo’s world with applause-worthy aplomb before transitioning into the concluding chapters, she has already solidified this portion of the novel as prose that deserves to be recognizes and commended as some of the best contemporary  writing in the field.<br/><br/>Although still engaging and expertly emotional, the last third remains the weakest of the major sections. Without going into spoilers, Theo has now become engaged in a variety of illicit affairs within the art community at large. All the while, the constant in Theo’s life of his purloined Goldfinch painting remains the unsubtle, yet perfect metaphor for his life of continuous change and simultaneous inescapable return to fate. This conclusion is only marred by the virtue of the plot suddenly overwhelming the previous character-driven execution of the previous section, along with certain passages of expository spouting that break the fourth-wall in their occasionally clunky reveals.<br/><br/>Still, the final chapters provide an opportunity for Theo to expound upon the novel’s various themes—most prominently, those pertaining to the importance of art in relation to the human condition and its legacy for the future. These passages sing with some of Tartt’s most gorgeous prose, and articulate the profound influence a single piece of art can instill over the life of both a single person and society at large. Conversely, this demonstrates how destructive the loss of single piece of art can hold for a society capable of permitting such destruction without calling for greater alarm and caution.<br/><br/>All of these ideas, of course, proven through Fabritius’ Goldfinch. A painting whose existence has come to define Theo’s life for the best and worst: the painting that led his mother to an early grave, that became his connection to her in death, that led to his meeting Hobie, then his best friend Boris, then to all the enormous highs and lows of conclusion—all due to the existence of this painting.<br/><br/>Moreover, the painting so perfectly personifies how such an entity can be responsible for the confluence of uncontrollable factors that later govern one’s life, as viewed through Theo’s own narrative. While at times, Theo’s life trajectory plunges to the absolute depths of despair—rendering destitute portraits of a life seeming to spin hopelessly out of control—Tartt’s final pages explicate in moving detail how the landscape between suffering and sublime often exist within the same vortex occupied and exemplified through art. Like the metaphorical Goldfinch chained to his perch, Theo recognizes that so much of the heartache in his life has also made manifest those moments worth living for: his friendship with Boris, his love for Pippa, his kinship with Hobie. More importantly, he recognizes that in telling this story how he’s made possible the transformation of his suffering and the sublime into a work of art as immortal and profound as the very painting responsible for inspiring him to produce it. As Tartt writes in a final passage:<br/><br/>“And as much I’d like to believe there’s a truth beyond illusion, I’ve come to believe that there’s no truth beyond illusion. Because, between ‘reality’ on the one hand, and the point where the mind strikes reality, there’s a middle zone, a rainbow edge where beauty comes into being, where two very different surfaces mingle and blur to provide what life does not: and this is the space where all art exists, and all magic.”<br/><br/>http://nickyarborough.com/book-review-the-goldfinch-by-donna-tartt/</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25PFYWSORZC6G?ASIN=0316055441	A Pulitzer? Really?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was absolutely amazed when I found that this novel was a Pulitzer Prize winner. Not going to write anything about the storyline as you can view that anywhere. What I want to mention was how irritating  your main characters could be. At the first, your main character Theo is someone who you feel very sorry for. Only 13 and  he and his Mom, whom he adored, get caught in some sort of attack in the  Metropolitan Museum in his home town of New York. The descriptions here are very real as to what it might have seemed like caught but not killed in a horrendous bomb blast. Once Theo is out of the blast area and finally gets back to their apartment, the story deepens. When Theo meets Hobie, you find a very enjoyable character that makes you like him. Pippa, although a dream girl to Theo, is never really fleshed out except to be the center of what Theo wants all through the novel. The fact that he settles for Kitsey is one of the things that makes me twitch. She is EVERYTHING he hates in her lifestyle yet he gets engaged to her and obviously cares for her. Boris on the other hand .Crazy boy from Los Vegas  is really well drawn character and oft times, you want to pop him in the nose along with shaking Theo by his shoulders and telling him to pay attention. . That said, the character of Theo was way more hard to deal with than Boris. Theo with his drugging constantly where he wasn’t really a functioning human being drove me crazy. I just basically got so that I didn’t like him at all.  I know that there are underlaying stories and that for a Book Club this was probably a must read but really, a Pulitzer?  Obviously I am not deep enough mentally to understand that at all. The story seems to disappear into the foggy distance at the end where you don’t end up with a whole lot of understanding of where Theo will finally settle into some sort of realist life  and personally, I didn’t much care by then.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HNP99FJ7B0IM?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent writing, unsymptahetic characters, boring plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The thing I most want to say about this book is that it is superbly written.  Each word, sentence, paragraph was perfectly placed and can only be described, for me, as melodious. The author obviously has a brilliant mind, as is evidenced by her subject matter in both this book and in A Secret History, another of her novels that, personally, I like far more than this one.<br/><br/>Having said all that, if the writing had not been so good I doubt I would have stayed with the book, as I truly disliked so many of its characters, which is why I gave a rating of 3.  It's rather disappointing to see a writer of her skill level write a book with so many hideously depressing characters whose world view is, at best, impaired and, at worst, absolutely tainted .  So many of the characters in this book were flawed to the point where I felt absolutely no connection or sympathy for them, including Theo, the main character and the book's narrator.  What a depressing view of life!  I suppose in a world in which your mother dies and every other adult is either a drunk, drug addict, self-absorbed, or just a bit vacant, it could be said that the fact Theo made it to adulthood at all is a miracle.  It is because of this that I feel I should be more sympathetic regarding Theo, but I'm simply not.<br/><br/>The part of the book where he is in Amsterdam goes on for WAY too long.  Everything that happened while he was alone in his hotel room could have been conveyed in far fewer words and, by then, I just couldn't wait for the book to be over.  In addition, the story is just not that interesting.  It could have been, but it just wasn't.<br/><br/>And, finally, due to the constant talk of suicide and the lack of consequences for prolific drug and alcohol abuse, I would not want my teenage son to read this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F4N26MCYENEA?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt takes on post 9/11 American identity in her brilliant Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow. Major book critics like James Wood from The New Yorker and Stephen King writing for The New York Times missed the point -- though Wood hated the book and King loved it.<br/><br/>Tartt slams her latest, wonderful book smack down into post 9/11 New York, examining what the American dream looks like in 2014. She does not let us forget that our new normal is living with a national system of terrorist alerts. This is a book about post-traumatic stress, experienced not only by her main character, Theo, but as we readers know thousands of real-life New Yorkers, a medical condition that functions as a metaphor for our fractured national identity. Who are we now and what do we stand for?<br/><br/>Let's take a look at our protagonist. Theo is on the run, orphaned, geographically dislocated, addicted to drugs, easily seduced by criminal pals, and not overly apologetic about his own criminal actions. And we love him! He succeeds, in many classic ways: saving a worthy business, winning the pretty girl, getting off drugs, and wiping clean his moral slate. Yet, what a compromised picture of success. Welcome to the new anti-hero.<br/><br/>The backdrop of Vegas is a perfect metaphor for Theo's struggle to come of age in a country built upon raging environmental consumption and broken capitalist dreams at a time when the borders of nation states are becoming increasingly porous (due to technology, ideological doubt, black markets, etc.). How can we keep aligning the promises of our forefathers with the realities of today?<br/><br/>Tartt's brilliant subplot around Boris lays bare the roving immigrants who occupy a no-man's-land of economic, cultural, and familial identity, groups resisting the traditional assimilation narrative and finding a home most convincingly in a shadowy, global community whose members (of which Theo is arguably one) move easily and mysteriously across (many types of) borders. This is not our grandparents' America where immigrants from Europe came to make a better life and establish a new lineage in the ""New World."" Our country is built on shifting sands (back to Vegas!) that fail to offer a true ground for a functional, stable, persistent identity, personal, sexual, national or otherwise -- the list goes on.<br/><br/>Tartt quickly wraps up the ""hero's narrative"" at the end of her sprawling, ambitious novel, a move that frustrated a lot of readers. But are we to take this move seriously? Instead, I see her ending as a prop, an obviously weak nod to the linear arc of the traditional hero quest -- a narrative arc that no longer makes sense in a post 9/11 era. We can't wrap up Theo's story. He hasn't come to all that much. Yes, he's healing, and he's been saved, in a sense, but how much do we trust that he won't sabotage his life again and again? In a national security system built on terrorist alerts, Theo's life has been upgraded from red to yellow. Hardly reassuring, but perhaps the best, these days, we can hope for.<br/><br/>https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1102624602</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WYDTJ2JNQFEW?ASIN=0316055441	but some pages require good editing. Only some parts of the novel are ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was looking forward to reading the Goldfinch. On the visceral level the book might be fascinating, but some pages require good editing. Only some parts of the novel are compelling. In the very beginning I enjoyed reading it. The terrorist attack at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the death of Theo's mother and his emotional roller coaster are very heartbreaking. However, this book is supposed to be fiction, but not fantasy. Being originally from Russia myself gives me the opportunity to analyze some details much more critically. The cultural life of people from Eastern Europe is not well researched by the author. While working on the book, she should have consulted more people from Russia and Ukraine. The narrative is solely based on some myths and stereotypes. Tolstoy and Dostoevsky are not widely read in Russia nowadays. Especially, they are not widely read in Ukraine due to the fact that many Ukrainians enjoy reading their own writers.  Dostoevsky's novels are supposed to be a relic of the nineteenth century and read only by highly intellectual individuals or students as a part of their high school or college assignment. Many teenagers find these books too boring, so they just try to obtain the summary somewhere. Most Russians like to read modern crime fiction, fantasy or love novels. The author should have done a better research on what is read by Russian or Ukrainian teenagers. Typically, such thugs as Boris's dad never carry any books with them, so it would be almost impossible for the boy to obtain it in Nevada in Russian. ""The Idiot"" is a very thick book; it contains many nineteenth century expressions that are not used today. The author said that Boris's Russian wasn't excellent because he had spoken Polish and Ukrainian more often, so it would be almost impossible for him to understand this novel. Unfortunately, the mental and verbal capabilities of children are not deeply studied by Ms. Tart. Some other cultural aspects are not researched as well. The description of the Russian party in New York does not seem to be truthful. The normal Russians do not glorify Stalin; and they would never put any Stalin's era decorations on their Christmas tree. He is considered to be an awful dictator, especially by people from the immigrant community in the U.S. I doubt those people could not afford some cheap made-in-China Christmas decoration. The old soviet coat worn by Boris is also an absolute nonsense. I would believe in it if he was ninety years old because some old people like to wear cloths bought when they were much younger. In the world of modern globalization, all the American, Russian, Ukrainian, and Australian stores look pretty the same; they are all full of made-in-China goods. I would never believe that Boris's dad, who travelled around the world so much, didn't have money for a cheap modern coat for his son. The book definitely has other flaws, but these seem the most ridiculous to me. I apologize for my tautology, but the end of the book is endless. The author keeps repeating the same things over and over again. I only liked a couple of pages devoted to the remarkable painting, the artistic work of Fabritius. These pages are brilliant! The book also contains some unnecessary description of furniture restoration and Theo's business with Hobie. These details do not have a strong connection to the main idea of the story. In general, I can't say that the novel isn't interesting, but it needs a good deal of editing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NJO7Y817G544?ASIN=0316055441	Long, but well worth the effort!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Let me first say, I read and listened to this book.  The audio version is superb!  If I only read this book, I may have reviewed it with less stars.  Although,  I don't know that for sure.  It was nice to hear a reader with so many unique voices, which helped me with my own visualization.<br/><br/>The reason why I loved this book so much was because of the controversy!!  Thousands of readers reviewed this book on Amazon!  It is amazing the divide of opinions.  Vanity Fair published an article that explored these questions - Is it art?  Was it good literature?  Was is it fluff?  How did this book win a Pulitzer?<br/><br/>I am a reader.  I love a wide variety of genres - fluff and great works.  This book made you think.  It made you re-read portions to ensure you understood it.  It made you love the characters, even though some of their actions were unbelievably stupid.  It made you almost shout ""NOOO""!  I also love art.  I love how art makes you think and feel.  Ms. Tartt nailed a great plot.  Yes, she was wordy and yes the editors could have had a field day.  But, would this work been as good?  I say - no way!<br/><br/>My advise for those that haven't read it and were thinking about reading it - do it.  Just don't think you can read it mindlessly.  Sometimes when I had too much on my mind, I found myself drifting.  It's not necessarily a page turner packed with plot twists and explosions that keep you on the edge of your seat.  It is a deep and thoughtful survey into the mind of Theo Decker who navigates himself through a life full of loss and disappointments.  At the center of this book is the painting, The Goldfinch.  You will be enriched for your effort at the end of this book.<br/><br/>Who am I to have this opinion?  I am just a reader (not a fancy critic) who was deeply touched by Ms. Tartt's extraordinary work.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R376AU6KO5VH1Z?ASIN=0316055441	I liked, but he story seemed fragmented, and the storyline has no credibility as a realism novella	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">“The Goldfinch” has received many awards. Although the critics are controverted, it seems to be loved by most of its readers. So, this is just my feelings has a reader. I’ve heard the audiobook. As you may guess it was really long; more or less 32 hours. So I was concerned if it would be able to keep me interested enough to get to the end. I did end the audiobook, but there were a few times it failed to keep me engaged.<br/><br/>The first 25% of the audiobook was amazing. The description of the relation between Theo and his mother, the explosion and its immediate consequences were my favourite’s parts of the whole story. The author spend a lot of time describing the New York city and the museum, which I loved. The relation between mother and son was somewhat dysfunctional, but has it is presented seemed so beautiful. And the survivor’s guilt that Theo suffers afterwards and his disconnection with the world is so well described.<br/><br/>From there on, the story seemed fragmented, and the storyline lost most of its credibility as a realism novella. I actually didn’t understand how easily he went to live with his father, who had disappeared for years. Tartt focus so much on the child care authorities when he is with the Barbour’s family. So I was shock they just disappeared when his father just came to get him.<br/>The all part of the story he was living with his father, the story lost some of the beautiful initial traits. The author scarcely describes Los Angeles. The new characters seem cartoonish. Theo’s father could be an interesting characters but it came across lacking, his father girlfriend has no impact in progression of the story, and Boris is just a sum of all the prejudices westerns have against Russians. Actually, all the non-american characters are cartoonish.<br/><br/>There were some interesting characters besides Theo, I loved Hobbie and Pippa. I would have loved to have had more of them in the story. They were interesting, with depth and full little side stories about art, cinema and music.<br/><br/>Another thing that put me off, was the fact that all the families were dysfunctional. There wasn’t one family with a good environment in this book. All the characters are broken; or because they have a mental illness, or because of alcohol or drugs, or just because of the way they were raise (and sometimes all these together). But there is more, most of the children that have some relevance in the story are orphans.<br/><br/>And then there the action scene in Europe, which ruined most of the ending for me. That scene made no sense in the type of story presented. It seem random and (sorry to tell) poorly executed. It was just an excuse for Theo’s final change.<br/>Finally, about Theo, I loved the character until the end. Theo was so dependent of his mother that was never able to overcome her loss. There wasn’t any other relation that could be compared to the one he had with is mother. He wasn’t able to cope with the dead and around him, nobody really knew what to say or do to him. You can feel that the other characters don’t want to know about his feelings or how he is dealing with his loss. They just want him to get over with it. That’s why we can feel so at ease with Hobbie. Nevertheless, Hobbie is not Theo’s mother. And he can’t never understand how shattered the child is or the adult he becomes. Nobody really knows Theo. His inner world is closed for everyone. Even his love for Pippa is a poor excuse for a romance. Theo is so empty inside that the alcohol and drugs are just the best part of the day. And as every drug addict, he can lie and deceive like no one can imagine. This character is amazing!<br/><br/>For me this book was mostly about the missed chances, the inability the overcome adversities and the apathy that fills you when you don’t believe that there might be something better for you. But then, there is this final message of hope and I was a bit disappointed by it. For me, that change of heart of the main character made no sense.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN7767V4NCZBR?ASIN=0316055441	Unputdownable.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">OK. All right. I'm going to do this. I'm actually going to attempt reviewing this book in a way that does not give too much way, but somewhat conveys how I felt about it.<br/><br/>For starters, allow me to just say, this book is the reason I've been so behind on all my reviews. I've been putting it off for so long that I just had to sit down and go for it. So here it goes.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch...what can be said about 700+ pages of beautiful prose, and deranged plot?<br/><br/>Set in New York, Las Vegas, New York, Amsterdam, and finally New York, Donna Tartt definitely takes you on a ride that never seems to slow down long enough for you to catch your breath. And this makes an interesting point so I'm going to start with that - i.e. setting.<br/><br/>Tartt is very gifted in depicting the place she is writing about, her descriptions breathe life into her words that you cannot help but yearn to be there (New York of course), or feel repelled by the place and dry empty vastness of it (Las Vegas). The setting is also very symbolic of the events taking place in the story - the hustle and bustle of New York city, the traffic, the crowds, the weather, the parks, and bakeries and friendly doormen all play a part in illustrating what Theo is feeling and going through. Whereas Las Vegas, with its torrid, sweltering, endless desert illustrates Theo's sense of loss and confusion and his efforts of escaping in that space. Trying to disappear, to get lost, to remain unconscious and as hazy as that horizon.<br/><br/>For my part, I love New York city, I love any and all stories set in New York. Naturally, I therefore enjoyed the parts set in New York a lot more than those set in the desert. But let's take a few steps back and outline what the story is about even though it's been told a hundred other times by many other reviewers.<br/><br/>This is a story that chronicles the life of Theo Decker, a boy, who at thirteen, tragically loses his mother at a museum when it is bombed in an act of terror. Theo survives the attack, and in his confusion finds himself walking out with the Dutch painting by Fabritius ""Goldfinch"", which was the same painting his mother was constantly raving about before they got separated and the explosion occurred. But that's not all, at an old man's dying wish, he also finds himself walking out with an antique dealer's ring to be given back to his partner, Hobie - one of my favorite characters in this book.<br/><br/>After the death of his mother, Theo is placed under the care of his friend Andy's family, who try their best to make him feel welcome, but he remains resistant to their efforts and in denial of his loss. As time passes, it becomes more apparent that he should give the painting back, but he doesn't know how to do it without implicating himself somehow. Instead, he proceeds to find Hobie, and gives him the ring, which strikes up an eternal friendship between the two, as well as Pippa, the redhead beauty who enchanted him at the museum and was also affected by the bombing, both physically and emotionally. Pippa lost her uncle in the explosion, the old man with the ring, and she stays with Hobie from time to time. The connection between Pippa and Theo is undeniable, it is the kind of electric feeling that vibrates through every word written and said between the two.<br/><br/>In fact, one of my biggest grievances with the book, is the fact that there just wasn't enough Pippa. I honestly thought Pippa would play a much larger role in the overall storyline, but you only see fleeting glimpses of her as she is interwoven in and out of different phases of Theo's life.<br/><br/>Eventually, Theo's father shows up with his new girl friend, and snatches him away to Las Vegas. That is when a clear shift in the story occurs, and you can feel Theo changing and adapting to the circumstances thrown at him. When they first gave him a Vicodin to calm him down on the plane ride to Vegas, I thought to myself, of course...here we go. The downwards spiral begins. And I hated it. I hated that it had to happen, even though I knew it would. When he met Boris, a Russian kid with zero adult supervision, he didn't just make a friend and a brother, but he met the guy that would lead him into a hedonistic lifestyle of women, drugs and alcohol abuse. A lifestyle that haunts him right into adulthood, long after Boris is out of his life.<br/><br/>When he eventually finds himself back in New York and at Hobie's doorstep, Hobie takes him in and becomes his mentor. Theo grows up to take over the business from Hobie, and despite the sudden normality of his life, he is far from being and feeling normal.<br/><br/>At that point, I felt the story begin to drag a little bit. I didn't mind it so much though because this is a very thorough portrayal of a boy's life, and Tartt is trying to create a sharp contrast between every phase of his life from adolescence straight into adulthood, and she can only do that by dragging the pace when it needs to be dragged. Sure, I found myself a tad bored at one point, and was wondering where this was leading, but then all of a sudden s*** hits the fan and I found myself gasping in shock at the turn of events and how it all happened so quickly.<br/><br/>I don't think I would've been as shocked, or it would've had as strong of an impact had I not been reading 200 or so pages of day to day quasi normal happenings of this seemingly ordinary man.<br/><br/>When events suddenly moved to Amsterdam, everything was happening so fast that I just couldn't seem to read fast enough as I skimmed through passages quickly (my version of covering my eyes and peeking through my fingers to see what's happening, but not really). It was just too much, and it became action driven and insane, very very quickly.<br/><br/>This is a book worth reading I think. I admit the reason I picked it up was mainly because I heard they were adapting it into a film, and I wanted to get on that bandwagon before it became popular for its film version.<br/><br/>I kept describing this book as unputdownable, and it was - for the most part. Great book, great writer. I can't say I've read anything for Donna Tartt, but I was very impressed with this one.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LVN62O0WOVU9?ASIN=0316055441	If you are a bird chained to a ledge break the bond that bind you and move on--don't bore me with your misery!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would only recommend this to someone who doesn't mind reading excruciatingly lugubrious and pointless detail.  The story is self absorbed, dreary, and a total downer; not to mention utterly implausible.<br/>So you steal a priceless 16th century Dutch master from the Metropolitan Museum of art, Even if there was a fire or explosion and the ensuing chaos it is highly unlikely that anybody is walking out the door and getting past anyone as easily as this guy apparently did.  But then,  if I am the writer, I can write anything I want!  and Ms Tartt does just that over and over and over again. This kid/guy manages to squirm his way thorough life situations in such ways that I found myself thinking,  ""well that's totally unlikely in any America suburbia, let alone Manhattan or Las Vegas"" And, I'm not even getting into the total inaccuracies about city of Manhattan or standard institutional procedures that she depicts.<br/>By the time I got to the middle of this door stop sized volume I found myself saying this is so insipidly depressing!  Who the hell cares about this derelict kid who has no backbone?  I made it through the 200 page or so  Las Vegas sojourn in about 5 minutes flipping pages reading maybe a word or two on each page wondering if there was any point to this painfully detailed description of this pointlessly nasty human descent into degradation?  Maybe Tartt was being paid by the pound?<br/>Then there's the over arching and utterly unlikely plot itself. In the first 50 pages there was at least 10 opportunities to give the painting back. In the next 750 or so pages there had to be at least a million more opportunities... so truly Donna Tartt what was the point?  The emotional attachment to the painting was so weak and unsupported that you can't possibly explain that the self centered looser at the center of you story had an attachment to a painting of a bird on a ledge?<br/>So once this thing gets sort of back on track  we still see that main character still sort of has no backbone,  no will power, no sense of morality, no integrity and lots of self centered self pity. WOW!  what an uplifting story!  And, if that's not enough, Tartt brings back the other main character who makes Dickens' Fagin seem like an alter boy by comparison.  OK so Boris likes to play with little dogs and occasionally says something pithy that might lead to believe for a fleeting second that he has some sincerity.  Guess what?  most antisocial personality disorders can do this but that doesn't mean you befriend then because maybe they might have a soul .  This character should and would have been in reform school or prison 500 pages ago! Or most likely killed &amp; forgotten in a drug trade gone bad!<br/>If Tartt's point was to show us how and why rotten people are rotten, well so be it, she did. People are faced with choices everyday, You make the wrong choices it's simply your own damn fault. There are plenty of people at all levels of the social strata with no moral's, no integrity and no scruples,  Go stand on any corner in Tribecca and a million of them will pass you in a day; that's life!<br/>So why did I continue skimming and flipping pages to the end?  I paid 30 bucks for this book and wanted to see if somewhere in all this lugubrious writing there might be a story.  I suppose there is but I still feel cheated that I gave up that much of my non refundable life to discover.  It's true, someone told me once because it's a best seller usually means it should be avoided; that it wins a prize is even further proof.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RDP055H5E06Q?ASIN=0316055441	Limited Psychological and Theological Ruminations of The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Francine Prose is wrong. It’s on the sentence level that The Goldfinch is most successful. Many of Tartt’s metaphors sparkle, the imagery is alive, and the book’s rhythm is harmonious—it sings its song with competence and artistic beauty. Donna Tartt is a gifted and skilled artist, and little escapes her well-trained eye.<br/><br/>Toward the end of Goldfinch Boris loses some of his distinctive English-as-a-second-or-fourth-language speech, and he also gets funnier. By the end of the novel we know that Boris is Tartt’s philosopher stand-in. I can see Tartt herself being more like Theo, I think most writers are. If we tolerated people and the world well would we really hole ourselves up in our houses and avoid people in order to write all day? But Boris is who many writers try to become through their writing—fearless and accepting.<br/><br/>Boris’s philosophizing toward the end of Goldfinch is where the novel runs into trouble. This is not a character-driven story and I doubt the psychological insight necessary to write a character-driven story is within Tartt’s skill set and whether she even wants it to be. She’s highly skilled at what she does and there’s no reason she has to be every kind of writer at once. But because the characters lack depth it’s a challenge to take their “deep talks” seriously.<br/><br/>That said, my favorite part of Goldfinch is the end because I love to know what a writer thinks, believes, and cherishes. But it’s also the weakest (readers and critics are right) because Tartt is no psychologist or theologian. In order to have something to contrast her philosophy with Tartt introduces Dostoyevsky’s The Idiot (disclaimer: The Idiot is my favorite novel). Whereas Prince Muishkin (protagonist of The Idiot) is a wholly good person, listens attentively, loves unconditionally, and forgives all, Theo and Boris are selfish, easily bored, and Theo in particular, unforgiving. And whereas Muishkin suffers straight through to the end of The Idiot, Theo and Boris are able to eek out some relief-from-suffering for themselves by the end.<br/><br/>As readers of The Idiot know Muishkin is a Christ figure. He is good, he doesn’t do good. He listens because he loves, he accepts because he loves, he feels foolish because he loves others so much he thinks he must be an embarrassment to them. And he is seen as a fool by everyone (though he comes to be seen as a wise fool by many). But Theo and Boris aren’t fools and they aren’t very loving either. They aren’t particularly good people (only through true love can we become good people). Look at how they make each other feel in their presences. They don’t listen, they talk over each other, they want each other to be different from who they are, and are easily frustrated by the reality of other people. Muishkin accepts and listens to everyone without trying to change anyone. He is never frustrated by who other people are.<br/><br/>What Boris and Theo do at the end, however, is do good. After a long time of doing the wrong thing, the pair, one knowingly and one unknowingly, do the right thing and it feels great. They feel elevated, relieved, and magnanimous. And this elevated feeling is what Boris builds his philosophy on (and which is repeated by Hobie), that if you behave badly long enough sometimes you come around to doing the right, good, and just thing.<br/><br/>There’s another philosophical point Tartt makes, through Theo’s own words, at the end and that is that we all have the temperaments we’re born with and we can only live and act in the world through the intermediary of our own fixed hearts and temperaments.<br/><br/>Whereas earlier in Goldfinch Tartt speaks beautifully about the paradoxes at the center of everything meaningful and important she seems to forget one of the great paradoxes, that our hearts and temperaments are both fixed and subject to evolution. That if our hearts and temperaments were truly fixed there’d be no need for Christ, the story of Prince Muishkin, the Buddha, or storytelling at all. It does require the compost of our experiences and nature to grow the fruit of our more conscious, Christ-like selves—our own pasts and temperaments, whether they be slow to anger and quick to envy or quick to anger and slow to envy or whichever variation they come in, are the stuff we use to awaken, become forgiving, and see ourselves in others.<br/><br/>Like Christ and Muishkin, it’s not very important that we do good, but that we are whole. That we see ourselves as not very different from others. Where Tartt, through Theo, seems to find our unchangeable differences of the greatest interest (though in actual practice the characters are little interested in seeing anyone else as fully formed human beings), the great paradox is that for all those differences we are much more alike than different. Our temptations, our flaws, our virtues, our healing, even our temperaments—we can always find someone who shares them.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33MTFDO7K4P2I?ASIN=0316055441	Uneven	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch is too inconsistent, variegated and laborious - almost life-like. Therein lies its charms and therein lies its flaws.<br/><br/>The story is actually a fusion of at least three different tales. The first part is about a child losing a parent in a terrorist attack. Despite some haunting scenes, emotional threads surrounding the tragic event are similar to those bared much more heartrendingly by Foer in ""Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close"".<br/><br/>Goldfinch is repeatedly called Dicksonian. This is perhaps not valid for the whole book, but the orphan stage(s) - in NY and Nevada - are loosely similar to the works like David Copperfield. All the characters and incidences here contain shades of gray with the apparently dysfunctional yet routine life turning into a good, engaging narrative. The author does a remarkable job wading through highly complex relationships without any needless distinctions between good and bad, or even legal and illegal.<br/><br/>The final adult stage is mystifyingly converted into a highly predictable, and remotely not-so-thrilling crime novel - with the author picking her favorites and forcibly moving the story to a happy ending where her good guys get all things sorted despite some unpardonable acts and unbelievable coincidences. A potential, understated love story or two - which could have exploited nice connections established in the previous sections - are also sacrificed in the process. The section is also marred by long bouts of explicit preachiness where the author is almost compelled to justify all her intentions behind every concocted outcome.<br/><br/>Overall, there is a lot to like and a lot to yawn over in this book. The unevenness is not just limited at the macro level described above but in almost all individual sections and chapters. The same is also in the language which would often go from sublime to trite and/or reverse within paragraphs.<br/><br/>And finally the headline art-part: it just appears too artificial in all the various contexts created and resolved through the book. Its sole purpose to add some purpose and commonality, and it barely does that.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34JF339CW15T9?ASIN=0316055441	A Delirious Bildungsroman	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a delirious bildungsroman that centers on Theo Decker, his theft of Fabritius’ masterpiece, and the unrelenting wheels of fate. It is a work eleven years in the making and might even be called Donna Tartt’s magnum opus. I found myself intrigued and repulsed in equal parts.<br/><br/>Theo’s mother dies in a terrorist attack while on her way to a parent-teacher conference about her son’s recent suspension. Theo finds himself unmoored, surrounded by people who either feel obligated to help him or who are paid to do so. He finds little happiness with his temporary guardians, the Barbours, though he hopes to find a permanent home with them. All the while, he’s sick with sadness and guilt, not only blaming himself for his mother’s death but knowing he’s stolen something of great value: The Goldfinch by Fabritius. He hides it in a pillowcase and worries about what will happen to him if someone finds out he took it. After spending a year in Las Vegas with his father, Theo returns to New York and finds a home with an antiques restorer, Hobie. He’s the business partner of a man who also died in the museum accident.<br/><br/>The novel then skips the ensuing eight years, showing Theo as a young man. He partners with Hobie to sell furniture.  However, unbeknownst to the older man, Theo swindles and cheats many of his customers, offering Hobie’s own creations as genuine originals. He makes a ton of money, which melts away in the face of Theo’s drug habit, but catches the attention of a professional con man, Lucius Reeve.<br/><br/>Theo Decker is a thoroughly unredeemable character. He refuses to take responsibility for his actions, or lack of them, and instead blames fate and bad luck for his general apathy and ennui. In the beginning, I pitied Theo—a young boy who’d lost his mother. What’s not to pity? And, yet, he begins the novel with a lie: “Things would’ve turned out better if my mother had lived.” No, I don’t think so. His dad’s sudden departure had elicited pity from his teachers, who allowed him to turn in work late. Theo took full advantage of this and, instead of applying himself, skipped class to hang out with friends. He probably would not have ended up in the fraud antiques business, but he would’ve been doing something as equally contemptuous.<br/><br/>His thought processes are sublime. Tartt’s descriptions and details border on stream of consciousness and, though I’ve never done drugs, I now feel as if I know what that’s like.<br/><br/>[The glue we sniffed came on wit a dark, mechanical roar, like the windy rush of propellers: engines on! We fell back on the bed into darkness, like sky divers tumbling backwards out of a plane, although—that high, that far gone—you had to be careful with the bag over your face or else you were picking dried blobs of glue out of your hair and off the end of your nose when you came to. Exhausted sleep, spine to spine, in dirty sheets that smelled of cigarette ash and dog, Popchik belly-up and snoring, subliminal whispers in the air blowing from the wall vents if you listened hard enough. Whole months passed where the wind never stopped, blown sand rattling against the windows, the surface of the swimming pool wrinkled and sinister-looking.].<br/><br/>Descriptions like these are what makes Tartt’s style so gripping—there are almost no full sentences. It’s just one little detail after another after another and, before you know it, you’re seeing things in the book as you actually see things: little details that form a bigger whole, your brain processing one little piece at a time.<br/><br/>By far the most captivating passages have nothing to do with the plot but, instead, with antique restoration.<br/><br/>[Soon he was teaching me how to lay down the red on white ground for gilding: always a little of the gold rubbed down at the point where the hand would naturally touch, then a little dark wash with lampblack rubbed in interstices and backing…And if, post-lampblack, the gilt was still too bright and raw-looking, he taught me to scar it with a pinpoint—light, irregular scratches of different depth—and then to ding it lightly with a ring of old keys before reversing the vacuum cleaner over it to dull it down.]<br/><br/>However, I found the most prominent themes to be the most disturbing and the weakest parts of the novel. Namely, in the inability to change anything. Ourselves, outcomes to our actions, our lives, other people, our situations. Everything is fated and unchangeable. In context of the novel, this explains Theo’s self-destructive tendencies and his complete and utter inability to control himself. Tartt leaves us with the notion that bad deeds may inadvertently produce good results (and, of course, the opposite is true as well) and that a love of art connects humanity, lifting us up into a realm between reality and whatever lies beyond. The last portion of the novel is a delightfully sprawling mess of philosophical notions and cynical worldviews, a natural conclusion for a novel that borders on delirium in some of its more powerful parts.<br/><br/>In conclusion, I’m sad to say I didn’t really like “The Goldfinch.” I wanted to like it. However, it is a must-read. The painstaking attention to detail, the perfect rendering of thought process, and the characterizations are enough for me to recommend it. The themes contained within “The Goldfinch” turned me off. Fate is a man-made construct, a convenient excuse for people who’d rather not take responsibility for how their lives have turned out. To read through a narrator who hated life, and the idea of life, so much was almost more than I could bear. Still, it took me to places mentally and emotionally I very rarely go, which, to me, makes “The Goldfinch” a modern masterpiece.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ATRUW57JVVD3?ASIN=0316055441	worth the time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Teenager Theo Decker loses his mother in a museum bombing in New York, and this event pretty much defines his life.  First, there’s the obvious loss of his mother, and his father is a deadbeat dad, whereabouts unknown.  Then there’s the matter of an old man, mortally injured in the explosion, who gives Theo a ring and some encouragement to make off with a 17th century painting—The Goldfinch by Carel Fabritius.  Finally, Theo has a bad case of PTSD that causes him to find solace in drugs and alcohol, but actually he probably has a death wish.  At first, he can’t quite grasp the idea that he can’t continue living in the apartment that he shared with his mother.  For a time, he lives with his school chum Andy Barbour, whose family is dysfunctional but with mega financial resources to cushion the blow.  Next Theo finds himself in the Las Vegas outburbs where he becomes fast friends with Boris, who has also lost his mother.  Finally, he takes a bus back to New York, painting in tow, along with a small dog, hidden in a paper bag.  Theo’s next living situation is his best so far—with Hobie, furniture restorer and business partner of the old man who died in the museum.  I was not surprised to learn that Tartt is a great admirer of Dickens, because Theo is basically a hapless kid, surrounded by colorful but not-so-helpful influences, who finds his niche in the world by underhandedly selling Hobie’s rebuilt antiques as the real thing.  He gets Hobie out of debt, at the expense of potentially sullying his reputation.  When a sinister character starts threatening Theo with revealing all of his dirty deeds, including Theo’s theft of a certain lost work of art, Theo’s world starts to unravel.  Our next setting is Amsterdam, where things really get dicey.  Although most of the novel takes place in New York, sort of a safe haven for Theo, the seedy and contrasting backdrops of Amsterdam (dark and watery) and Nevada (sunny and desolate) make for perfect locales for a variety of criminal activities and reading pleasures.  Certainly the length of this book is a bit of a downside, but I never felt that reading it was a chore.  On the contrary, I had to find out if Theo could get his head on straight, despite Boris’s unexpected intrusions, luring Theo back to the dark side.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ADSNQ5KD9UPZ?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story. Made me think for DAYS afterwards.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although quite interesting and very well written at times, there were other times when I wanted to just bury my head, stop reading, or go take a nap. It is hard to do a review on a book that I loved at some points and hated at others. There were many times when I wanted to quit reading but I persevered and I only realized at the very end (and the next day) that it wasn’t actually the length of the book but the lack of feeling for the main character among numerous other things that led to my dislike of this book.<br/><br/>Theo is a pain in the ass. There is no other way of saying it. He looses his mother early and this tragedy begins a horrific situation in which he finds himself more often than not, alone and depressed. Many times throughout the reading I asked myself if I remember reading his age and suddenly it would pop up that only a year or two had passed. So I knew he was quite young and with so much going on I don’t expect him to make good choices exactly, but he makes SO, so, so, so, SOOOOOO many bad choices.<br/><br/>And if the bad choices were not the only issue, I think the main reason to dislike this book is that NOT ONE adult told Theo that he was being a pain in the ass. Everyone walks around him like he’s something to worry about and fret over but not too much because the poor kid might break! Things just get worse and he starts stealing, taking drugs, all manner of which should have been taught to him by his non existent guardians. Ugh!!! At this point I obviously wanted to throw my hands in the air and give up entirely… but I soldiered on.<br/><br/>When he finally gets a guardian that seems to care for him even that guardian doesn’t pay attention to his drug addiction or the fact that he is gambling with not only reputation but also money. I just didn’t get it.<br/><br/>Ok, enough with the guardians… let’s talk friends. I mean Boris is ok. I liked him sometimes. But Boris is even worse at times than Theo. These two are not good together. AT ALL. Boris helps Theo to get into trouble multiple times. These two… sigh! Andy is at least half way decent and seems to have a good head on his shoulders. I think I liked him the most. He’s pretty much a geek and I like my friends that way!<br/><br/>And then there is the painting. I loved the idea surrounding the painting and why Theo took it. That part totally makes sense to me. What bugs me a bit about the painting is that we learn (which is awesome) quite a bit but Donna Tartt tends to be quite repetitive with this subject. I found myself losing interest instead of being excited by the artwork.<br/><br/>While speaking of being repetitive… we also learn a lot about drugs, a LOT. Theo is constantly fighting this battle and over and over and over again Donna talks about this battle. I know that this molds who Theo is but it’s the repetitiveness that got to me. Not only that but later in the book someone else brings up his problem with drugs, I mean finally at least someone does but it’s a bit too little too late.<br/><br/>In reality, looking back the book made me a bit miserable. I was worried and anxious for Theo all the time. Is this a good thing that at least the book made me feel something for the main character? I’m really not sure. I do know that I absolutely do not want to read this again even though I did love Donna Tartt’s style of writing. It’s very poetic, even if long winded.<br/><br/>In short! If there is such a thing for this review… The book did surprise me but I came close so many times to putting it down. The ending was the only part, other than the VERY beginning, that I truly enjoyed.<br/><br/>3.6/5 Stars</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VFV4QKDUECWL?ASIN=0316055441	"Leaving the Nest: ""the Goldfinch"" by Donna Tartt"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the Militant Recommender Book Review Blog:<br/>http://militantrecommender.blogspot.com/<br/>I liked the Goldfinch. Mostly. This is not my usual 100% LOVED IT recommendation because the author, Ms. Tartt, may not have made the choices for her lead character that the Recommender would have liked. ""Oh Nos"" were yelled at the Kindle, and much worrying on behalf of the characters was done. But who is the Recommender compared to the Pulitzer Committee??? They seemed to like these choices. It is up to you whether you want to invest hours in these characters and see what all the fuss was about.<br/>The opening was one of the most powerful and almost visually stunning beginnings of any book, ever. 13 year old Theo and his smart and beautiful Mom, a former model and art lover and such a warm, true presence in both Theo's life and ours, the reader's, duck into the Metropolitan Museum of Art on a rainy day to take in an exhibit of Northern Masterpieces of the Golden Age. They are too early for a meeting with Theo's school principal... so they make their way around the exhibit, taking in Rembrandt's the Anatomy Lesson and then, Carel Fabritius’s the Goldfinch, the title painting one of his mother's favorites.<br/>Theo is taken with a girl who he's seen going round the exhibit with someone who seems to be her grandfather, and when his mother dashes back for another look, while Theo heads toward the gift shop to wait for her, keeping an eye open for the girl and then KABAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM! Theo wakes up amidst the rubble of what had been an exhibition hall.<br/>This is SUCH a believable scene and if you've ever spent any time at the Met you can picture the mayhem and destruction.<br/>Everyone knows that Theo ends up with the title painting through circumstances you will have to read the book to get ALL the details. Unable to find his mother, wounded and alone he makes his way home, the meeting place if they are ever separated, and waits, and waits and... the book is about Theo's loss, his scramble to find a safe place, with the family of a rich friend and then with his father, who had walked out on the family a year or so earlier. What he goes through, where he ends up and with whom is all part of this journey. My favorite character, bad influence that he might be, is Boris, a Russian teen Theo meets at his new Las Vegas high school. Boris is left alone a lot by his father, a brutal mining engineer who travels the world dragging Boris with him. These two boys on the loose get up to all kinds of things, but often hope for something as innocent as a real home-cooked meal. So, in fact, yes, I am recommending ""The Goldfinch"" because it's something of an epic and the characters you meet along the way will make it worth your while.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OQSPVKE1OKPT?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of Time and Money	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am shocked that this novel could receive the Pulitzer Prize. It it not well written. Every character makes lots of statements that end with a question mark? Really? And a 14-year old Austrialian/Russian/Ukranian/Polish kid has lived practically everywhere in the world, because his insanely abusive mining-engineer father apparently works in one place for only a few weeks at a time, but the kid has two years to form a lifelong friendship with the main character. Which is it? Plenty of time to form friendships or moving constantly? And our main character has a very high IQ, but can never figure out how to get the goldfinch into a safe place without getting caught at it, even though he is so worldly and understands people so well that he can actually sell fake antique furniture to sophisticated collectors and get away with it. Which is it, a competent smart person or a dumbkopf? And how is it that no matter how big a time-crunch he is in, no matter how urgent it is that he get moving, the main character always has 2 full pages-worth of time to describe every detail of every photo and every photo-frame and every wallpaper and every light fixture and every piece of furniture and every everything in every scene. But the foregoing merely an annoyance compared to the biggest problem, which is the number of not-quite-believable plot twists. How many not-really-truly-believable plot twists does it take before even a reader like me -- who wants to like this book because it won the Pulitzer -- can no longer put up with them. I could believe the part about the Ukranian kid tracking down the main character, since he had a way to find out where to look. But for the main character to wander aimlessly around Manhattan and simply stumble into a strange bar where the Ukranian kid happend to be hanging out at that moment. No Go. That was the final unbelievable plot twist that broke the camel's back. I can't take any more. I'm not reading another word. This was a waste of my time and money.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6RPPLWUUA934?ASIN=0316055441	Richly written and not to be missed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Let me first say that I am often drawn to books by their covers. Interesting artwork, unusual designs, intriguing color combinations have always been first to attract my attention. I don't always read the books that I've picked up because of that, but I will say that sometimes my artistic divining yields a winner. That being said, when The Goldfinch was chosen as one of my book club's selections I was prepared to not like it, and for the silliest of reasons.<br/><br/> Years ago, having seen another Donna Tartt book's cover (I think it was ""The Little Friend"") I was so turned off by the image (a creepy doll face) that I decided I wouldn't read anything by her. The cover intimated chick lit to me (an abhorrent term if there ever was one) and I decided to forego any of her novels for those two reasons alone. Luckily for me, a trusted reader friend told me The Goldfinch was worth a try. Plus, I did find the cover unusual, and when I found out the story had to do with a piece of art, I was hooked. And when I began to read Ms.Tartt's luminous and rich prose, the line and sinker followed in kind.<br/><br/>If you've read this far, you're wondering when my review will begin, and I apologize for causing any impatience. So now. without further ado...<br/><br/>THE GOLDFINCH IS ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I""VE READ IN THE LAST 5 YEARS !!!!!! I absolutely love an author who writes in a painterly way, and Donna Tartt is such an author. There are innumerable parts of this book that are written in a way that places you in the story. You can feel the dust and debris filling your lungs and stinging your eyes. You can smell the basement dankness and the sharp smell of wood stain and turpentine. You can see the empty deserted street in the abandoned subdivision lit by a single streetlamp. If you've already had the opportunity to read this excellent book, I hope you'll agree that I haven't given away too much. I would guess there are many different passages you read that transported you to another place in the book. Reading this novel was like eating a delicious and decadent dessert, and savoring each and every bite.<br/><br/>The story itself is quite simple, but it is completely fleshed out by the embellishments of those words, the detailed attention to each character - and there are many of them -  and the ease with which the author sails from one chapter to the next. It is a very long book, nearly 800 pages, but don't be surprised if you find yourself going back to something previously read, just to relish a description or enjoy a certain paragraph one more time.<br/><br/>Narrated by a young boy who is thrust into chaos and traumatic changes all around him, he grows to become inescapably entangled in webs of mystery and deceit. He is scared; he is lonely; he is hurt; he is disappointed. He has a secret; he becomes addicted; he falls in love; he tries to make wrongs right.  This is definitely not your usual coming of age novel, although that is one of the themes it presents. This book is so lush and full that you will not question the Pulitzer Prize it was awarded. I would think that a book club could easily find enough topics and subjects in The Goldfinch to take them through a whole year of meetings.<br/><br/>I did find that the casualness of drug use depicted in the book disturbed me at times. I was surprised at the lack of accountability, and the almost laissez faire attitude the characters displayed as they went along with their lives, seemingly unaffected in the long run by the constant abuse and abundance of pills, liquor and ""bumps"" throughout. My objection is probably fueled by my own naivete', and it is certainly outweighed by the numerous other kudos this excellent book deserves.<br/><br/>I would highly recommend it to book clubs (don't be dissuaded by the page count!) and to anyone who enjoys the well written word. It is engaging, interesting and should be kept on your bookcase for future re-reads. It was a very pleasurable surprise for me, and I'm so glad I read it. I shall keep it on my highest, best-of-the-best shelf.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P8C7V1BVZC8A?ASIN=0316055441	Food for Thought	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Here’s how I feel.  I just finished The Goldfinch.<br/>The novel kept me engrossed and emotionally involved. Tartt’s writing is exceptional.  I am not happy with Theo’s view of life.  We are born into catastrophe, etc.  He seems to put more meaning in art works that have been handed down through the ages.  (I have to read over the last few pages that include his philosophy of life.)  I can’t imagine that he would have to take that many trips to rectify his duplicitous dealings.  I’m still up in the air about his relationship with Kitsy.  In a way the Goldfinch painting is sad because the bird is chained which Pippa points out.<br/>These are my initial thoughts on completing the novel.  I’ll have to wait and see how I feel after the plot and characters stew in my mind.  This story also kept reminding me of Gone with the Wind and how I felt at its end.  I have to give a lot more thought to Boris’s ideas about good sometimes leading to bad and bad leading to good.  There is something else I read recently where a character tried to do good, but it turned out badly.<br/><br/>Theo had my sympathy somewhat at the beginning of the story, but I kept wanting him to speak up and tell the truth. Nobody made him go into houses with Tom Cable and take things.  I liked the relationship that he had with his mother.  I was emotionally involved in Theo’s story and kept wanting him to make better choices. At the same time, I was making excuses for him: he was traumatized, timid, wanted to please. The lengthy descriptions of his alcohol and drug escapades almost made me put the book down.  At this point, I wanted to skip and scan, but I didn’t.  Even though he had absentee parents when in Las Vegas, Theo made the choices.<br/>The author’s descriptions of New York’s streets, places, and environment were enjoyable.  However, toward the end I tired of Theo’s seemingly endless walking both in NY and Amsterdam. At the last part of the novel, I started to skim and scan through the descriptions.  Was I anxious to discover the outcome or just tired of the itemized surroundings?  I keep thinking I may go back and read the Amsterdam descriptions I missed.  Why was Theo so stupid that he went with Boris to Amsterdam to recover the painting? When they were in the U.S., Theo never made it clear to Boris that he just wanted to return the painting.  Also, there are 2 or 3 separate times when Theo is under stress that he suffers from a high fever, coughing, aches and pains. The one in Amsterdam seemed to go on forever.  Also, with all of Theo’s walking, I had images of Holden Caufield.  I’m glad Tartt never had Theo refer to Catcher in the Rye when referring to his high school assignments.<br/>I found the inside information about dealing in antiques interesting.  (I don’t know how much I’ll remember.)  I liked all of the art descriptions and art dealing details.  I could relate to getting lost in the museum.  I enjoyed all of the references to literature.  I might read The Idiot.  All of the characters need analyzing as well as the depiction of the wealthy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O3I1EWFXDAXK?ASIN=0316055441	This novel's like sugar - it can give you a rush, but can also be a bit too much!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked ‘The Goldfinch’, but I didn’t absolutely love it. Actually, until about half way through I was loving it, but after that, although I liked it,  and always felt engaged in it and by it, to be honest, I sometimes felt as though I was trying to get through it, rather than really appreciating all of it.<br/>I imagine that every other reader, like me, would have loved to be Ms Tartt’s editor, with the power and influence to highlight long passages for removal. And although I’m certainly not one of those readers who counts the number of pages, and seems upset by long books, I think cutting it would have made it a better read. There were sections which, for me,  bordered on tedious.<br/>However, I totally disagree with those ‘critics’ who lament the fact that it won the Pulitzer prize, and debate whether it is great fiction. Of course it is. Unlike many of the dozens of  books I read in a year, ‘The Goldfinch’ will stay with me for a long time: it has many  wonderful and amazing characters who are brilliantly drawn; it inspired me to do some research about some of the artwork it mentioned, and has moved me enough to write a review – and that doesn’t happen often!<br/>Apart from the characterisation, and the vividness of the descriptions, I also really appreciated much of the form of the novel. For example, I loved the fact that during the very first scene, which originally remains unexplained, Theo’s mother appears to him in a dream while he’s holed up in a hotel in Amsterdam, and this is described again towards the end of the story – showing us that the story, we the readers, and our understanding, have come full circle. In fact, I would have loved it even more if the second time it had used  exactly the same words. As it was, it had me scrabbling with my Kindle, trying to compare the half-remembered description.<br/>I also disagree with those reviews I’ve read which want more closure on what happened to the characters, rather than the painting. Although I didn’t much care for the tone in the final chapter, rounding up Theo’s philosophy on life, I did feel that we got enough information about the future of the characters. I’m sure that the wonderful Holbie will be fine. The ending of Boris is likely to be unsavoury, so best not to know about it; while  Theo himself has always been a ‘flawed’ character, compounded by the trauma of his mother’s death, so he will probably continue to have ups and downs throughout his life.<br/>The only real problem I had with this fine book was the basic premise that the guilt of having the painting was so over-bearing for Theo, that he couldn’t move on with his life in any satisfactory way.  I know it was probably only an excuse, and he was suffering from a kind of dislocation from life, and was traumatised, but why didn’t he just put on a hoodie as disguise and drop the painting off  in a gallery, a police station , a church or somewhere? I got so frustrated, while he was expostulating about being so guilt-ridden that it was ruining his life, I was shouting at the book – ‘well just get rid of the … thing.’ Then I realised that this couldn’t happen because, had he done so, we wouldn’t have had the pleasure of reading this book in this form. It would  have been far shorter, much less satisfying – and I, for one,  don’t like short stories!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V6TV0FOEXEDD?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt obviously is a very gifted novelist. I loved the story, the well-developed characters, and getting to know them through  first-person narrative, which left much to the reader's imagination and contributed to the book's suspense. This device nurtured my desire to continue with  the very-long book; I wanted to see how it would end. I liked the ending, but feel like the author over-explained why things turned out as they did. I believe she could have ended the story with less words. I, as a veteran reader, had already figured out many of the ""why's"" of the last chapter, so it felt just a bit condescending to read what felt like a final but somewhat re-hashed synopsis.<br/><br/>In fact, the only criticism I have of this book is that it felt too wordy at times. I understand the character development is outstanding: readers get to know them quite well. It just made me tired and a little impatient at times; I wanted the author to ""get on with it"".<br/><br/>Yet, probably to best tribute I can give this book is that it, like the greatest novels, demonstrates man's struggle to free himself from the ravages of trauma inflicted by persons and events, and, particularly, his own flawed nature nature, and believably making progress through these attempts. Tartt carefully weaves the miserable failings of some characters and the unselfish heroism of those who, in the end, help our young man grow emotionally and spiritually into a person who wants more and better for himself, a person he can learn to respect. She demonstrated that goodness is stronger than evil. And she expertly shows evil and goodness as palpable choices, no matter what our backgrounds are.<br/><br/>I believe there is more to this story worth telling. I would love to read a sequel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ULZINO9U6U5S?ASIN=0316055441	One of the absolutely best things I've read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm a very heavy reader. I get through 120-150 books per year, and have for several decades. So when I say this is one of the absolute best books I've read in several years, that means something. Usually, when I begin a really fat book (and this one is 775 pages), I know that, however good it is, the sheer size will become wearing and I'll have to take a break from it halfway through and read something else for awhile. But that never happened with this one. As I came to the end of each section, with Theo being dragged off to Vegas, or trying desperately to get back to New York, or packing for Amsterdam, rather than pausing, I just kept going, anxious to find out what was going to happen next.<br/><br/>I found Tartt's first novel, _The Secret History,_ beautifully constructed and haunting in its characterizations. I've read it three times in the past twenty years. Her second one, _The Little Friend,_ wasn't nearly as successful. The characters were somewhat unconvincing, I thought, and the pace tended to plod. Again, that is very definitely not the case this time.<br/><br/>Thirteen-year-old Theo Decker is the quintessential young Manhattanite, not-so-great student in a leading private school, and completely familiar with the transit system that will take him from one center of culture to another. He lives alone with his mother (""beloved"" is the word there) since the disappearance of his overbearing, alcoholic father, but they manage. (In fact, there's a bit of _Catcher in the Rye_ about him at this age.) And they're visiting a new exhibition at the Met -- Theo would rather be going out to lunch but his mother is an art expert -- when a terrorist's bomb changes everything forever. Tartt's evocation of this event and the immediate aftermath, and of Theo's reaction to it all, is horrific and terrifying and absolutely riveting.<br/><br/>The picture they were there especially to see was the portrait of a captive goldfinch, a canvas no larger than a sheet of notebook paper, painted by the young Dutchman Carl Fabritius in 1654, shortly before his own death in a massive explosion. And there was another visitor to the museum with an interest in the goldfinch: A elderly man, now dying, who was accompanied by a girl Theo's age, both of whom will reappear as important icons throughout the book. And the shell-shocked Theo, as he tries to crawl out of the smoke and wreckage, finds himself also carrying the undamaged painting, which was knocked off the wall by the blast.<br/><br/>The goldfinch will become the center of gravity of his life for the next dozen years, a symbol of all that he has lost but also of all that he has newly found. Because he ends up at the old man's antique shop in the Village, where he meets Hobie, a talented restorer of furniture, and who becomes the ""lifeboat"" of his existence. Because all this trauma at such a young age has made Theo a very needy person.<br/><br/>There's far too much action to try to summarize the details of the plot, but I will say that as you get to know the various new people in Theo's life, each one of them alone is sufficiently developed to carry an entire novel. Besides Hobie, the gentle giant from whom Theo learns enough about the world of antiques to become a dealer himself, there's the Barbour family with whom he finds refuge. In various ways, he almost becomes a Barbour himself. There's his wastrel father, who drags him away from the only world he has ever known, apparently in an attempt to make things up to him, but he has more practical motives, too. And especially, there's Boris, the Polish-Ukrainian kid whose mining engineer father moves to a new country twice a year. Boris becomes another center of gravity in Theo's life and he's one of the most fully realized characters I've ever come across. But even the minor supporting players are very nicely done -- the doormen at Theo's old apartment building, his father's semi-ditzy girlfriend, his mother's lawyer (and good friend, as Theo eventually learns) who maintains his trust fund.<br/><br/>The themes Tartt wants you to consider are pretty obvious once you get into the story. Loss, of course, but specifically death and how we deal with it. There are a lot of deaths in the book, most of them shocking, even a little upsetting.<br/><br/>And there's terrific writing on nearly every page, including scores of great descriptive passages: On first seeing his bare room in his father's equally bare house on the edge of the desert, Theo notes that ""it seemed like the kind of room where a call girl or a stewardess would be murdered on television."" Of his father's down-market but oddly sexy girlfriend, with whose company he is now saddled, he says, ""I might have liked Xandra in other circumstances -- which, I guess, is sort of like saying I might have liked the kid who beat me up if he hadn't beat me up."" Sometimes Theo is so enveloped in despair, even wild nights of drinking and drugs with Boris at the playground lead only to unmanageable hysteria. ""There had been nights in the desert where I was so sick with laughter, convulsed and doubled over with aching stomach for hours on end, I would happily have thrown myself in front of a car to make it stop.""<br/><br/>It's obvious that Tartt takes art seriously. Hobie speaks for the author in describing what art really means, how it affects the individual: ""Great paintings -- people flock to see them, they draw crowds, they're reproduced endlessly on coffee mugs and mouse pads. You can have a lifetime of perfectly sincere museum-going where you traipse around enjoying everything. But if a painting really works down in your heart and changes the way you see, and think, and feel, you don't think `Oh, I love this picture because it's universal, because it speaks to all mankind.' That's not the reason anyone loves a piece of art. It's a secret whisper from an alleyway. `Pssst, you. Hey, kid. Yes, you.'""<br/><br/>Finally, a warning. When you get to roughly page 600, you will want to find a quiet room with a latch on the door. Clear your calendar and turn off your phone. Because from that point to the supremely satisfying end, everything moves at a dead gallop and you're not going to want to stop reading for any reason.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35LMGC80Y3CI0?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderful, delicious, frustrating novel.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hate this book!  It is disorienting.  I had to read the first bit three times and still couldn’t quite make sense of it.  There are places where just the simple math doesn’t add up.  There are sentences that were terrible.  Steven King reviewed this novel (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/13/books/review/donna-tartts-goldfinch.html?pagewanted=all&amp;_r=0) and he said that what you look for in an 800 page novel is that the wheels don’t fall off.  He feels that they don’t.  I think they wobble.  A lot.<br/>I love this book!  The characters in this book are incredibly three dimensional, gritty and realistic – that is when they aren’t made of fairy dust and everything sweet and unbelievable.  The narrator is incredibly easy to identify with – a character who wanders through a crazy life, observing it, taking it in, and, for the most part, remaining largely unaware of the activity he is engaging in and his role in shaping the world that he will inhabit.  Even when he fires a gun, it feels like an accident rather than an intentional activity.<br/>I think the things I hate about this book are, for the most part, intentional.  If not intentional, they are at least consistent with the central concern of the book, which is how trauma alters us.  How it takes who we are – the external and internal context of our lives - and splinters us so that we preserve, but also protect ourselves from the feelings of loss that we have both want to know and not know, because knowing hurts too deeply.  I suspect that the book won the Pulitzer in part because it portrays a post 9/11 America – one that is splintered and confused – and this portrayal is primarily in the psychological functioning of the central characters, but we also see, almost as an added bonus, the decadent American world that they are walking through.<br/><br/>To see the rest of this review, Google Goldfinch The Reluctant Psychoanalyst</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XXFLEPWK140F?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the time, fiction that's poetry often, but she could have used a better editor with a stiffer spine	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is only the second or third overly long book I've ever read and I'm 61. Some famous writer once said ""If it can't be told in 350 pages, you've failed"". Or words to that effect. But good advice that's stayed with me a lifetime. One of those books was her The Secret History actually....<br/><br/>I read mostly for the language, the beauty of words in and of themselves, not plot, but its all here folks- great writing + an intriguing plot. Others have written about how outlandish the plot can be, but I didn't find it so.<br/><br/>That said, her editor didn't say no to Donna enough and this could have EASILY been edited down to 450 pages imo.<br/><br/>Instead of thrilling the reader here with my erudition or prolific reading history/analysis (as so many do here- their critiques aren't about the book, but THEM, the egotism just bores me, but I digress), I will post some of her best passages, which you will read and re-read as I did. Just finished the book this morning btw:<br/><br/>*The sky was a rich, mindless, never-ending blue, like a promise of some ridiculous glory that wasn’t really there.<br/><br/>*But depression wasn’t the word. This was a plunge encompassing sorrow and revulsion far beyond the personal: a sick, drenching nausea at all humanity and human endeavor from the dawn of time. The writhing loathsomeness of the biological order. Old age, sickness, death. No escape for anyone. Even the beautiful ones were like soft fruit about to spoil. And yet somehow people still kept fu*king and breeding….Squirming babies and plodding, complacent hormone-drugged moms. Oh, isn’t he cute? Awww. Kids shouting and skidding in the playground with no idea what future Hell* awaited them: boring jobs and ruinous mortgages and bad marriages and hair loss and hip replacements and lonely cups of coffee in an empty house and a colostomy bag at the hospital.<br/><br/>*I waited, uncertainly, my eyes on the Japanned chest. It was a beauty, a prize for a retired sea-captain’s home in backwater Boston: scrimshaw and cowries shells, Old Testament samplers cross-stitched by unmarried sisters, the smell of whale oil burning in the evenings, the stillness of growing old.<br/><br/>*Because- what if that particular goldfinch…..It can never have understood why it was forced to live in such misery: bewildered by noise (as I imagine), distressed by smoke, barking dogs, cooking smells, teased by drunkards and children, tethered to fly on the shortest of chains. Yet even a child can see its dignity: thimble of bravery, all fluff and brittle bone. Not timid, not even hopeless, but steady and holding its place. Refusing to pull back from the world.<br/>And increasingly, I find myself fixing on that refusal to pull back… Because, here’s the truth: life is catastrophe. The basic fact of existence- of walking around trying to feed ourselves and find friends and whatever else we do- is catastrophe. Forget all this ridiculous “Our Town” nonsense everyone talks: the miracle of a newborn babe, the joy of one simple blossom, Life You Are Too Wonderful To Grasp, etc. For me- and I’ll keep repeating it doggedly til I die, til I fall over on my ungrateful nihilistic face and am too weak to say it: better never born, than born into this cesspool.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YXTEYQUCXX3B?ASIN=0316055441	Richly Deserving of The Pulitzer Prize - An Instant Classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like the fine work of art that is at the heart of this novel, Donna Tartt's masterpiece benefits from being viewed both from near and from afar.  I rapidly plowed through the first half of the story of Theo Decker and his life after a terrorist bomb in a New York museum changed his life forever.  I followed his physical and emotional pilgrimage from living with the rich but emotionally distant guardians, and then being dragged to the outskirts of Las Vegas to subsist with his alcoholic father and the father's self-absorbed girlfriend.  An unlikely best friend enters in the picture in the person of Ukrainian-born Boris.  Theo's saga now enters the world of drugs, of the Las Vegas underworld, of physical abuse and neglect.<br/><br/>When his father dies unexpectedly, he returns to the Greenwich Village furniture store that had served as his second home after the bombing.  Pippa, a fellow victim of the bombing, had become the love of his life - although that love was returned only in the form of friendship.  Pippa's guardian, Hobie, becomes a surrogate father to Theo and teaches him the trade of restoring rare antique furniture.<br/><br/>All the while, Theo harbors a secret - that in the confusion following the museum bombing, he has taken a rare painting of a Goldfinch, which becomes a talisman he is reluctant to let go of.<br/><br/>On top of the intricate plot that she weaves for almost 800 pages, Ms. Tart treats with a long list of themes:<br/>The nature of family<br/>The nature of loyalty and friendship<br/>The role of art in private and public lives<br/>Growing up amid tragedy and chaos<br/>Living in a world of monetary privilege and emotional poverty<br/>The source of personal identity<br/>Is that such a thing as one true love?<br/>How does one grieve irreplaceable loss?<br/><br/>Part of her genius as a writer is that Ms.Tartt has created characters whose fates I was deeply interested in - even those characters that were largely unlovable.  She is richly deserving of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33RE4HJOBNVOU?ASIN=0316055441	Will a chained bird sing?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ekphrastic poems are poems about a specific work of art.  In that case, what do you call a novel written about a specific painting?  Perhaps it hasn’t been done enough-writing a novel about a specific painting—to warrant a defining label. Yet,no matter what we label The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, it will fall into the enviable category of “books you cannot put down.”<br/><br/>The Goldfinch is a real painting by a real painter, Carel Fabritius, a contemporary of Rembrandt .  The rest of the book is unabashed, compelling fiction. When reading this lengthy novel we are introduced to a young boy named Theo Decker who narrates in an urgent and disarmingly honest way his story which begins with unimaginable trauma, progresses through years of dishonesty, escapism, and obsession in the company of some very unsavory characters and ends, less than a dozen years later, with a kind of battered understanding that life is never what you hoped it would be.<br/><br/>Along the way Theo takes advantage of some, and is taken advantage of by others.  With a shocking lack of adult guidance or concern, Theo is handed around among various “caregivers”, including his charming ne’er- do-well, usually absent father and his specious girlfriend, and the well-to-do , icily polite family of one of his eccentric school friends.  Perhaps no one makes quite as strong an impression on Theo as Boris, another young boy equally neglected by his mostly absent father, but more accustomed to the violent and law breaking side of life.  Under Boris’ tutelage Theo begins a long, slow decent into alcohol and drug abuse as a means of trying to fill up the endless pit of his loneliness and the heartbreak of losing his mother.  Yet through every vicissitude Theo holds on to his stolen talisman, Fabritius’ Goldfinch, the delicate painting of a chained bird shackled to its perch.<br/><br/>For all the violence and despair in the book, this is not a grim story.  In fact, Theo lives a life not just of despairing escapism but of daring escapades as well.  The last quarter of the book is an edge-of-your- seat thriller that would translate beautifully into a fast-action movie.  And at every corner the opportunities are there for Theo to change course and against the odds take back control of his own life.  It would be an unusual reader who wasn’t rooting for him, all the way.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39RTARIFV0577?ASIN=0316055441	the middle was pretty good...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am not the great literary critique of our time, I admit, however... why this book won a Pulitzer is beyond my scope of understanding. I could not engage at all until the explosion, then the writer went into a different mode and made it all so real, from then to the point her young man left Vegas, she had me.<br/>  In the first chapter I had a hard time getting past the vocabulary she'd given her 13 yr old hero.  I don't care how smart the kid is... he's 13, and his inner voice is that of Steven Hawking's??? really?<br/>  then , BOOM, and the boy turns into a boy. confused, dazed, disoriented... and there's an elf, of sorts with his magic bean.  and the dilemma that keeps the next few chapters page turners.  the relationship with the fathers family, the father, the rich folks and all that dysfunction, all readable, believable and kept you waiting for the shoe to drop. and when it did, what a surprise it did so in Vegas, and then the Russia deal... again I have to ask, really????<br/>  So, a couple chapters into the Vegas section, she tones it all down a bit, the Russian boy and his father become almost believable. and then, we do a u turn back to new York where the total stranger at the shop takes him in through adult hood, his boyhood crush with the poor little rich girl fades into a broken heart and perhaps the beginning of addiction issues( how boring and repetitive) , he hooks up with Kit , the queen of dysfunction, also from childhood, and oops, that which the story has been based around has disappeared.  and the Russian steps back into his life?  Like Years later, totally out of the blue... nope, couldn't make that jump.<br/> this is the point where, for me it becomes a little to  "" Dynasty,""  I can't say much more as this is where I closed the book in frustration and total loss of interest and opened , "" The Most of Nora Ephron."" A good decision on my part I think.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZT3391RWV24C?ASIN=0316055441	Best Conclusion	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author mentioned that meaning of the painting differ from viewer to viewer. Similarly, the take-home message can vary from a viewer. According to my understanding, book is about imprisonment, limitation and interdependent of all human beings.  The book is about a 13 year boy named Theodore; he is living in New-York city with his mother and alcoholic father. It seems like he does not have any proper conversation with his father and he doesn't really like him. One day, his father suddenly vanishes from New-York without telling his family.<br/>Theo's mother takes him to the museum, in the museum while observing Goldfinch bird painting, he comes through a girl (Pippa), and instantly he falls in love at first sight. The girl is accompanied with her father who is somewhat older. After few successive events, museum is blown-up by terrorist bomb, in this bomb attach Theo loses his mother. The elderly person (Welty) who is seriously injured is above to die, before passing he tells Theo to give his ring and a message to Hobie. Theo escapes unhurt from the museum, steals the goldfinch painting.<br/>Until, Theo gets another guardian, he stays in wealthy school friend's home, Andy Barbour. Andy stays with his parents and three sidling Platt, Kitsey and Toddy. After few days, he goes to Hobie's house to return the ring; he again meets Pippa. Theo had good conversation with Hobie, and he also learns that Pippa is supposed to move to Texas permanently. One day, his father reappears with another woman. His father is now earning decently and no more drink alcohol, convinces Theo to live with him in Las Vegas. While in Las Vegas, he starts going to new school, were he engender tight friendship with Boris. Even in unknown world, Theo constantly misses his mother and lives in relentless fear as he keeps stolen painting with him all the time. In Las Vegas, he spends good time with his father; he comes to know that his father is not as a bad person as what he thought, however, one day his father died in a car accident. Theo again don't have anyone, so he decides to come back to New-York.  In New-York, he stays with Hobie and works in his antique furniture shop. Afterward, he comes to know that Andy and his father die in a ship accident too. Platt takes Theo to meet his mother; Theo found that Andy's home is not that filthy rich anymore, he and Andy's sister Kitsey start dating. Boris Pop-up again in New-York, who is now very wealthy, he tells Theo that he steals his painting and he will remain him soon. After Theo and Kitsey get engaged, Boris and Theo go to Amsterdam to get the painting back.<br/>At the end of the story author explains the meaning of painting and philosophy of life. I personally believe that most of the individuals are chained-up, and whenever they try to fly fetter pull them back. There are certain secrets in our life, which will always restrict us from flying freely. Even in happiest moment, those secrets will limit us to enjoy without restrictions.  Author successfully expresses the perspective of male characters in the book, even though author is female. Furthermore, she clearly describes life of American people, their culture and their problems. The ending conclusion of the book is certainly best part of the book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VDKJYAMAYTH4?ASIN=0316055441	A good read if you have the time to invest and don't mind muddling through a section here and there.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First, I am not an avid, nor intellectual reader so I am not going to write a long synopsis of the book.  I am just going to state what kept my interest, what lost my interest and if it was worth the time investment.<br/><br/>There is definately 3 distinct sections with several mini sections in this book.  The first section, (from explosion to moving to Las Vegas) is very interesting and will hold your attention.  You are drawn into the story and develop an emotional caring for Theo and what happens to him.  The Las Vegas section was much less inviting and I did find myself putting the book down and waiting a day or 2 before picking it up.  Some of the story line seemed a little pushed and forced, and there was some scenarios which really were not needed or given so much time to as they did not help advance the story line.  The third section of moving back to NY was almost a combination of the first two.  Some of it was captivating and I wanted to keep reading, a few places seemed a little unlikely, (running into Boris at just the exact moment), some unnecesary to the plot.  I must admit the part I liked the least was the last half dozen pages which felt preachy and out of character for Theo. I ended up barely skimming through the last 4-5 pages just to get it finished.<br/><br/>Pros~Story line was well thought out<br/>  Major characters were developed<br/>  I wanted to see what was going to happen to both Theo and the painting<br/>Cons~Some unnecessary scenarios, especially in the middle section<br/>  The drug use seemed ""light hearted"" without any true consequences of it's use<br/>  Some of the deaths seemed unnecessary and left me a little wanting<br/>  The last several pages could have been left out and would not have affected the outcome<br/>As a whole, I felt the book was a good read if you have the time and don't mind muddling through a section here and there.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AF44ZG8ZQDL?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize Worthy in my Opinion	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First of all, let me say that I didn't realized there was such a debate about whether The Goldfinch is a Pulitzer prize-winning novel or one that demonstrates the decline of American literature.  In my book, The Goldfinch is a winner.<br/><br/>Tartt's description of the explosion that killed Theo's mother is what really pulled me into the book.  She had to have talked to an explosives specialist to be able to describe how the concussive waves spread from the source of the blast.  I felt Theo's sense of desolation and abandonment as he walked home after the blast.<br/><br/>He is enchanted by Pippa before the blast in the museum and remains enchanted by her throughout the course of the book.  Maybe it's a result of their shared experience and recovery from the explosion.<br/><br/>Would Theo had turned out to be a different person had he not lost his mother?  Hard to tell.  Theo loved and adored his mother and she was a disciplinarian.  He was in trouble as the novel opens for smoking on the playground and he and Tom Cable has burglarized some homes which was unknown to people other than Theo and Tom.  In many ways Theo is a lot like his father with his ability to size up potential buyers in the antique store and to get the maximum profit.<br/><br/>I wonder how Tartt was able to put herself inside the head of a 13-year-old boy as he grows to a young adult.  She makes Theo a very observant and perceptive personality who is able to tune into the mind of those he encounters.<br/><br/>The drug scene gets tedious, but I guess it's reflective of the times (unfortunately) and the world Theo inhabited.  Once again, I ask, how was Tartt able to describe the highs and lows in such detail.<br/><br/>So despite what the critics may say, I got caught up in the book and enjoyed it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CQHJYO0IZR5Y?ASIN=0316055441	First person is dead.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">LEAD SNARK: Since the age of the blog has made everyone ""a writer"" I believe that the level of pretentiousness in an author is directly related to the rate of colon, dash and semicolon usage in their paragraphs. Victor Borge would run out of spit if he were doing his punctuation schtick with the first chapter of this sucker.  I won't bother with a full or terribly serious review; there are too many here with all my complaints fully realized. Some are a little butthole for the sake of being butthole but some are spot-on.  I will gripe a little for fun -afterall, I am a human of my age and this gives me a godlike moment to critique someone's writing when I should be writing my 1000 words instead.  And hopefully it will aid you before you select that oh-so-hateful-and-sexy ""buy with one click"" button.  Why snark at all?  Because she won the pulitzer and anyone who wins that is fair game for the quiver and bow, and because that button is just not fair. And she won the pulitzer and I want it. I want it like my dog wants my sexy leg in a blue jean pajama.<br/><br/>CAN SHE WRITE ? Sure, she is gifted and all that; sure she is worthy of our respect; sure she can whip up a semicolon, colon and dash omelet that would make Capote tinkle his pants.  But in reality she needs a Maxwell Perkins to reign in the excess and cut the fat. I mean, just look at the third paragraph for chrissakes.  She devotes a whole paragraph to jabbing down the damn colon and semicolon and dash like a bunch of fenceposts in poppy field. These things are just relentless. My least favorite instance:  ""Her death the dividing mark: Before and After.""  There is so much pretension squeezed into this little sentence or whatever it is, with the capitalized ""before"" and ""after"" and then the attempt at profundity without losing the hipness of first person but still plagued with two cliches on both sides of the colon divider, I just wanted to throw the book across the room.  But it was on my computer so that would have been dumb and expensive.  I soldiered onward because everyone just seemed to letting a little pee out whenever this book was mentioned.  I kept thinking, this should have been the book that J.K. Rowling penned after Potter...  This sounds like Rowling trying to be serious and profound.  (Don't get me started on Casual Vacancy- Hatred. that's what that book produced in me. Not a lick of magic or Dumbeldore. Ripoff.)<br/><br/>WHAT'S IT LIKE TO READ? I was truly excited when i started this book.  But then as I rolled along and with each paragraph leading with some redundant on-the-edge-of-cliche-cliff statement like ""Agitated, gnawing at my thumbnail"" I had the feeling that I had been duped by the herd and by corporate big money jamming cash up the behinds of the Times reviewers, once again.  Looking back, the first page actually reminds me of viewing a Kenkade painting for the first time. He dazzles you with some tricks and a little personality (in a weird emotionally molesty kind of way) but then, deep inside, you begin to reject this image and all that it stands for and you long to return to VG's Starry Night and to study the lightless church building and its deeper meaning.<br/><br/>WHAT ANNOYED MOI? I can't say enough about the dashes and colons and semicolons. I bet this book made Cormac McCarthy want to write a new novel about a serial killer who kills authors and eats their colons.  If you want to see someone use the colon/semicolon properly or with integrity and not like a we just arrived at semicolon hooters (It should almost feel unnoticed.  It should make reading the paragraph much easier.  It should feel like there is nothing else that could be used there. If you've used a bunch of periods instead of a semicolons to describe something, it should unsettle you and leave you a little like you've just spent too much time in a parenthetical aside) read the first chapter of Breakfast at Tiffany's because Capote was the master at it.  Also Tolkien was quite good at it (comma) too.<br/><br/>GOOD STUFF IN THERE?  It's entertaining. It reads fast. It has some style. She's a good writer. You'll like it if you forget that she won the pulitzer for it.<br/><br/>THE ""LESSON"" CLEAR? The psychology on the final pages (and throughout) is amateur at best...  Something happens to authors these days when they find great success.  They get preachy and they meander as if we want to hear every single thought that comes into their heads.  Even the great Thomas Wolfe (not Tom Wolf) understood that an author needs trimming and he let Perkins work his magic on the mountain of pages before him every time Thomas turned in a novel.  In this book I wanted to burn the painting by the end of my read.  That chat about who God really is and destiny at the end made me gag.  It's so philosophically noncommittal I bet Anne Rice would even get annoyed. Or turned on. Or thirst for blood. Or to be sexed up by a big werewolf.<br/><br/>DID IT SCRATCH MY LITERARY ITCH? Nope. I need to read some Salinger to clean the palate. In my opinion, there have been three great novels written in 1st person: Lolita, Huck Finn and The Great Gatsby.  Only one of those three truly sustains the tone all the way through without plunging into the depths of indulgence and that is Fitzgerald.  But he was an indulgent person by nature and the novel is written about overindulgence so any time the air cleared it gave it breath.  Genius.  Lolita has maybe the best first chapter written in the last hundred years of literature and we are all the children in the shadow of Huck Finn.  But Twain was a mastermind and forging new territory.  All these men were masters of prose, grammar, logic, humor, characterizations. (Especially Twain) But if you want to read another great novel in 1st person and one that shares the Pulitzer prize but is a far better book, read Gilead. That novel may be the last beautiful sunset on the art of first person storytelling. Goldfinch was the mushroom cloud that came on the horizon shortly after that sunset.<br/><br/>WILL IT SCRATCH YOURS? (GROSS) There *is* something magnificent about a mushroom cloud.  From a distance.  And then its gone.  And you get sick and will probably die if you are close enough to see it. So if you like mushroom clouds, and you wish J.K.R.R.C.S. Rowling had written something else besides her festering turdly pile of letters she titled ""The Casual... Vacan...snore"" well, this book's for you. (Another couple of great first-person guilty pleasures are Anne Rice's Lestat and Delores Claiborne. The second being maybe King's best book. Great fun!)<br/><br/>BUT WHAT ABOUT STEPHEN KING'S REVIEW: And as for Stephen King's glowing assessment of this novel -- this would be the kind of novel that he considers one of those five that come along every twenty years or so.  Having King make such a statement is like a Viking saying that this prime rib steak down at the Outback is the finest piece of cooked meat he's gobbled down in twenty years.  I'm not sure he has the palate for that sort of discretion. He is a creative genius and can slaughter the high octane hordes, no doubt. But that doesn't make him Gandhi of high-lit criticism. Most great authors make pretty bad critics anyways. (Although, Hemingway was usually spot on and quite honest.) Most times, it's impossible for them to get out of the way.  King is an overall exception and can USUALLY be trusted.  Give a good assessment of Hunger Games? Yes. He's the man for the task of critiquing that sort of book. And just about any other book.  I love his book ""On Writing."" And bless his awesome awesome soul for he is my favorite paperback indulgence. (Harold Bloom can suck it.) His review is the reason I purchased and the reason I am nailing my 9 thesis on this cyber door.  I think he owes me eight bucks.<br/><br/>But seriously, read Gilead instead. Better for you and better writing. Goldfinch was: Sort of Dumb;</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N9J3K21ENLX7?ASIN=0316055441	The story doesn't speak for itself - the author needed to explain it all at the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best writing occurs in the last few pages of the book. Unfortunately, Ms. Tartt uses them to essentially explain what the prior 767 odd pages were all about. If, in fact, she left off this final philosophical summary of the protagonist's thoughts and feelings about life the reader would never have come up with it on his or her own.<br/><br/>Much of what went before was dry and wry and gutless and inorganic and heedless of character and voice. By that latter I mean that I never once thought that Theo was a believable 13 year-old. Understood, this part of the narrative - young Theo - was supposed to be written by his twenty-something self but still it was a poor literary choice to present Theo in this way for its lack of authenticity. Even Hobie was given poor voice in that he was so droll and jaded in dialog with Theo the 13 year-old immediately after Theo's trauma of the terrorist bombing and the death of his mother. It was as if Ms. Tartt wanted to write Hobie this way regardless of the emotional and circumstantial context of the story. In other words, if she didn't want Theo to talk like a 13 year-old and used a retrospective narrative to avoid it then Ms. Tartt should at least have had Hobie and the other characters - in the present - act accordingly. She did not and it was a jarring mistake. To be sure, Ms. Tartt has some interesting and even beautiful things to say in those three summary pages at the end but it simply does not justify the ponderously wordy portion that goes before it. She has something to say and, though it isn't necessarily new (Life is hard. Things happen for a reason. Good and bad, light and dark are the counter-valent forces that make life difficult and sublime.), she might have served the novel better by utilizing her writerly powers to boil down her themes and intent to a more compact and therefore more powerful size and let the story speak for itself.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QI3P363WYKBL?ASIN=0316055441	Not exceptional but very good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good EXCEPT that whole piece of Las Vegas and Boris was a bit tedious. Glad when he fell out of the story, though I suspected he would return later. Why are modern writers so taken with Russians? I am too, I admit, but every ""good"" book seems to use them for stereotypical thug characters.<br/><br/>A problem with first person ""coming of age"" tales is that the narrator/character is always innocent, caught in a bad spot and forced to do things they know are wrong, but at a loss to control, having excuses for committing sins and crimes, and in general being a creep. I admire Tartt's making Theo somewhat less than sympathetic. I shake my head in annoyance at him, but at heart, he still meets the old criteria of ""basically good."" It may be too convenient. In some ways, ""Goldfinch"" is like Saul Bellow's ""The Adventures of Augie March,"" yet ""Goldfinch"" far surpasses ""Augie"" in its engaging, realistic and interesting episodes. Bellow did the same thing with Augie. Made him an innocent caught in multiple acts inspired by circumstances he just ""fell into."" Bellow also had implausible, long-winded passages that even in retrospect could have been cut at no loss to the story.<br/><br/>I have a theory about motherless boys -- both fictional and as writers. Boys who grow up without a mother of any kind are a different, needier breed, as children and adults; literature makes great use of this disadvantage. Tartt put two motherless boys together, both with lousy fathers and both with issues around women, romance and sex. In this case, we are not seeing a split personality divided into two characters. These are two complete studies. Theo and Boris are NOT cut from the same cloth. They are thrown together because Boris pursued Theo's innocence and ""outsider"" status in Las Vegas. Wherever Theo landed, he absorbed the culture around him. He acted as he was expected to in each situation.<br/><br/>But, no matter what travails and adventures Theo, the hero(?) endures, I (the reader) continue to keep my eye on the picture that kicks off the early scenes. The story is about Theo and Boris and art and love and growing up. But The Goldfinch of the title is the thread. And, except for some of Theo's minor thoughts about it, that thread disappears from the plot for hundreds of pages. I, for one, never stopped thinking about it, never stopped wondering why Theo was such a wuss about it, why he never gave the beloved Bird its freedom.<br/><br/>After the big chase scenes that signal the end, with all the misunderstandings, and red herrings, what the story comes down to is that this book is a conglomeration of several religions, philosophies and themes in popular literature and the importance of art. Theo's final soliloquy is boring and self-indulgent. More Hobie, less Theo, I say.<br/><br/>Problems/Questions remain (for me)<br/><br/>1. Why is Theo so stupid? How can he not trust Hobie (a true father/mother figure) and instead put his life so often in Boris' slimy hands?<br/><br/>2. Theo's ""romances,"" such as they were, were empty and expressed no passion, not even toward the beloved unattainable ONE. He simply observes and does not ACT. He is dragged along in an aimless, spineless march to the altar.<br/><br/>3. Did Tartt need to beat us over the head with the allusion to ""The Idiot"" in order to understand her desire to make a Myshkin out of Theo or maybe it's Boris -- not sure? Once was enough. The near ending backflash of a very early scene with Boris' reading ""The Idiot"" is downright insulting.<br/><br/>4. The mirroring of the the boy and their fathers is too symmetrical.<br/><br/>5. The big surprise about the contents of the storage shed was good, though not surprising enough. Didn't we all know already its fate was not secure? Why did the explanation of what happened require pages of cat-and-mouse play between Boris and Theo?<br/><br/>6. The rescue and return were implausibly committed. Theo, who had done NOTHING for the entire book, suddenly is alive and self-preserving. Still, he is conforming to the company he keeps. He acted as they would have acted, not as Theo. The real Theo would have died in that scene.<br/><br/>7. I am still not clear where ALL that end of story money came from. It was very convenient to aid in Theo's claim of legitimacy, but it was strange and convoluted. It required way too much explanation. The ending explains why Theo is where he is when the story opens, but the connection is not strong enough. It carries the same maudlin tone as the opening, as if Theo has been left to wander the earth to buy back his soul. Somehow, I just don't find any joy in Theo's redemptive acts. It was too easy.<br/><br/>8. I liked the final conversation Boris had with Theo as the resolution became clear, the honesty from such a liar and poor friend was refreshing, unexpected and it ""felt"" real, though with Boris, who can be sure?<br/><br/>9. What are we to feel at the end? Does Theo ride off into the sunset of every country he visits making restitution? Does he return and resume his life? Does he win the princess? Do we really care? I felt a bit cheated at the end.<br/><br/>Despite how the above may sound, I did like the book. I started out LOVING the book, and now I just like it. It is worth the investment of time and it is well written, though in places too tediously detailed. There were chapters which held me back from doing anything else. And then there were days I did not return to it for the mind-boggling litanies of who did what, when, how, and the drug-induced monologues that went nowhere.<br/><br/>As has been said, it compares to ""The Corrections"" in breadth. It does not measure up to Franzen's ""Corrections,"" despite the thread that keeps it all together. But ""Goldfinch"" lacked the nuance, the unspoken as well as the end-of-story revelations which made ""Corrections"" knock you out at the end. ""Goldfinch"" left me without a strong ending and proper resolution.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13IHKD5MUIE6I?ASIN=0316055441	"""We have art in order not to die of the truth.""--Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Louise Tartt was born on December 23, 1963 in Greenwood, Mississippi, and is a graduate of Bennington College (Vermont). Her first two novels, ""The Secret History"" (1992) and ""The Little Friend"" (2002), have been translated into thirty languages. ""The Goldfinch"" (2013) won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. The judges described this 771-page novel, which took Tartt 11 years to write, as ""a beautifully written coming-of-age novel with exquisitely drawn characters.""<br/><br/>At the heart of Ms. Tartt’s novel is an eponymous painting, “The Goldfinch” (oil on canvas, 1654) by Carel Fabritius (1622-1654). This Dutch masterpiece, which shows a goldfinch tethered to its perch by a chain on its ankle, is now worth millions of dollars. Shortly after he completed the painting, Fabritius was killed in an explosion in a powder factory in the city of Delft, the Netherlands.<br/><br/>Flash forward three and a half centuries . . . Another explosion destroys a large section of New York City’s Metropolitan Art museum, killing the mother of 13-year-old Theodore ""Theo"" Decker. Traumatized by the death of his mother, whom he dearly loved and who dearly loved him, Theo staggers through the fire and smoke, chaos and debris, of the shattered building, but not before a mortally wounded antiques dealer places in his hands an expensive ring and the rare, world-class museum piece, “The Goldfinch.”<br/><br/>A central theme of this novel is an oxymoronic concept: “the randomness of fate.” An accidental 17th-century “cause” has uncanny connections with 21st-century “effects.” Chance occurrences shape one’s destiny. The psychologist Carl Jung deals with such connections (or the perception of such connections) in his analysis of the concept of synchronicity.<br/><br/>The story moves from New York City, to Las Vegas, back to New York City, and on to Amsterdam. Haunted by memories of his mother, Theo becomes—as an art thief, in danger of prison—a fugitive, seeking to elude Interpol. Moreover, his life is threatened by minions of the criminal underworld peopled by art thieves and drug dealers.<br/><br/>Theo develops a dark, nihilistic perspective of life: “an unsettling sense of transience and doom”; “the absurdity of human affairs”; “groundlessness and flux, nothing to hang on to”; “chaos and uncertainty of the world we live in”; “the darkness of nothingness.” “All human activity seemed pointless, incomprehensible, some blackly swarming ant hill in the wilderness. . . . For humans—trapped in biology—there was no mercy: we lived for a while, we fussed around for a bit and died, we rotted in the ground like garbage. Time destroyed us all soon enough.”<br/><br/>For readers with a philosophical bent, The Goldfinch provides many such metaphysical and existential musings. Donna Tartt is not only a high-echelon literary artist and stylist, but also a provocative philosopher and psychologist. She challenges us to ponder questions such as: (1) Do our lives, and the existence of the universe, have any pattern, plan, meaning, purpose, or goal? (2) Are truth, goodness, and beauty merely relative—artificial, arbitrary prejudices constructed by our own conceits? Apparently, the answer to the first question is no; the answer to the second question is yes. It’s a gloomy world-view: Life is short. Death is sure. Period.<br/><br/>How can one cope with, and overcome, such debilitating nihilism? What antidote can be found for such skeptical doubt and pessimistic despair? Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch suggests Nietzsche’s answer: “It is only as an aesthetic phenomenon that existence and the world are eternally justified. We have art in order not to die from the truth.”</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M8E3FIISN2WT?ASIN=0316055441	Mammoth rendering of an unusual journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An epic novel, The Goldfinch is the type of book that assuredly most fiction writers strive for, notwithstanding the Pulitzer (which was well deserved in my opinion). Deeply flawed characters that are fully developed and explored along with an admittedly long but still gripping plot, this work was, for me, an amazing read. Add Donna Tartt's obvious and meticulous research and subsequent expertise on those many diverse subjects which become then integrated into this flowing, sublime storyline and I'd wager that this becomes an amazing literary experience for you as well.<br/><br/>We follow Theo Decker from his early teens through early adulthood, starting with a personal and impassioned tragedy which establishes the essential roots of the story. Accepting and then coveting a profound gift throughout his life, this ""secret"" goes on to become his life's albatross as he's then forced into a drastically altered life in an uncertain and unfamiliar society. Tartt's execution and organization of the plot here, with her firm and full literary skills at work describing each character and setting is masterful. Detractors of this work have criticized the ""wordiness"" of the writing but I found it largely meaningful, always insightful and at all times, superb. I felt that the prose provided depth not only to the characters but to the storyline while always embracing my attention.<br/><br/>It's next that we meet the clear vehicle of the story, Boris Volodymyrovych Pavlikovsky (I had to go back and look it up, his full name is only mentioned once in the book, I believe). Boris is Tartt's masterpiece, a character of unending sides and multiple contradictions. Being raised by a single abusive father, Boris and Theo establish a life-long friendship which, of course, plays itself out in the climax. But it is during the buildup to that climax that Boris is exceptional...speaking with Ukrainian inflected broken English, he bumbles and stumbles along, leading Theo into all methods of madness while completely keeping the reader entertained.<br/><br/>The epiphany of the story involves this ""secret"" of course and it is entirely captivating...many twists and turns keep the reader guessing right through to the end. For the detractors, I will admit that the very ending, perhaps the last ten pages or so, are perhaps overkill but all in all it is still intriguing reading.<br/><br/>Summarizing the content of this book is really very easy...it's not been on the best-seller list for months for nothing! I urge you to go out and get it and I'm sure that after making the commitment, you'll be glad that you did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U14LPBKR1ZSQ?ASIN=0316055441	The story is beautifully executed, with unexpected twists & turns	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just finished reading this engrossing novel in 1 week, as I couldn't put it down.The story is beautifully executed, with unexpected twists &amp; turns, and I felt myself pulled into the life of this novel and the protagonist Theo. The authors writing style is lyrical and her language use is gorgeous. This book is partly about the power and immortality of art, and that drew me in entirely. I was never bored despite the 800 pages. That said, the reason I  didn't give this 5 stars is that I found he book overall very depressing and parts of the story unbelievable. Despite the opening tragedy that befalls Theo, I was constantly appalled at his consistent bad choices and betrayals of those who tried to help him. It didn't seem reasonable that despite the exceptional care he received from 2 separate families in the aftermath (exception; father), nothing influenced him to reexamine his life as he grew into manhood. I so wanted to warn him as a young teenager to stay away from Boris, a bad influence if ever there was one; however his fall into drug addiction was  believable given his family history and his need to self-medicate away his pain. However after escaping from Las Vegas and ending up at the doorstep of Hobbie, the antique dealer, he could have turned his life around at any moment. The love and support he received there was palpable. I could not understand the authors choice of not allowing Theo to take Hobbie into his confidence about the painting. Instead Theo takes advantage of this trusting soul, who gave him a stable home and taught him his trade. I also found perplexing Hobbies' lack of outrage on hearing about the extensive fraud. The authors description of Theo's reaction to Kitty's infidelity also did not ring true. Why would anyone continue an engagement to a person who cheats on them before they are married? We are to believe that Theo is so damaged, has such low self esteem, that he will stoop to any and all depravities. This seems to be the authors theme, that bad stuff happens, and we bear no responsibility when we behave badly as a result  because we can't help ourselves. I find this a very negative and fatalistic viewpoint. I realize that much of the reason I couldn't stop reading this book was to see if Theo could eventually chose otherwise and redeem himself. In a sense, he does so in the end, but not fully. Donna Tartt ends the book with the conclusion that life is catastrophic, even a ""cesspool"", and we just have to wade through it. A better conclusion would be that people have choices despite their calamities and by choosing differently, can change their lives.  A great read but very depressing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R223NCE2AXKN1T?ASIN=0316055441	Great work of Art... I mean the Book Literally!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Have you ever been thunderstruck by the simple beauty of an image that speaks to your soul and heart, this is the underling theme carefully threaded through out the Goldfinch. Theo Decker as an adolescent suffers both a great awakening and a great tragedy at the same time. The choices  he makes with all the best intensions takes him through decades of painful years navigating through life under misguided parenting, Dysfunctional families, alcohol and drug addiction, un requited love, and  isolation. His persistence to escape from under this vortex of doom is guided by holding onto a thing of beauty,which represents innocence, persistence, love and strength. His intensions are worthy and he finds situations of joy and hope to cling to. The stollen art work connects his past and future and  guides  him through unexpected twists of fate, thus this small image is his driving force creating a purpose to live for and it is the glue that connects all the characters in this book. In a conversation near the end a character notes that ..."" good doesn't always follow from good deeds, nor bad deeds result from bad....Even the wise and good can not see the end of all actions. Scary idea!""<br/><br/>While reading The Gold Finch I spent several nights reading into the wee hours of the morning, completely entranced and loving, and or despising  the many characters Hobie, Dad and Xandra,, Andy, Boris Pippa, Kitsey and even Popper were believable to the last detail and vastly entertaining. Some reviewers feel this  book is too long or unedited, I fail to see a need to cut one word. It is a book perfectly crafted and like the dutch master painting the ""Goldfinch"" can be both a great beauty with immense value  and can also embody so much ugliness and pain.<br/> Overall this was one of the best reads I have had in years, I was over joyed in it's length instead of the<br/>formulaic mediocre length that publishers hack or edit books into. I highly recommend this to anyone searching for beauty, adventure, art, history, philosophy, addiction, redemption  and a book to escape with for a long time...<br/>And please if this goes to the big screen don't change a thing!!!!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XAVPTDNVCVY8?ASIN=0316055441	What defines you	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I picked this book up because I loved ""The Secret History"" when I was a teenager. I was then immersed into the world of Theo Decker and his life.<br/><br/>The book seeks to answer the question of how our lives are affected by tragedy. Theo is 13 when he and his mother are victims of a terrorist bombing in a New York art museum. In the rubble, waiting to be rescued, he connects with an elderly man who came in with his beautiful young niece. The man dies, but gives Theo his ring and indicates that he should take a painting of a bird, the goldfinch. Theo then escapes and has to deal with the tragedy. In a book that spans roughly 15 years, we follow him on his journey to try to make a life when his has been blown apart.<br/><br/>I think the book resonated with me because it felt like a real portrayal of life after tragedy. In America, we like to see the hero rise above the circumstances and deal, nobly, with the cards life has dealt him. We never think of the times that isn't true, we don't like to deal with the fact that, when you've had a traumatic loss, life is split into the time before, and the time after, and you spend the rest of your life mourning the time before and struggling to get back to that. Tartt portrays this so vividly; Theo was just a normal kid, who is dealt a crappy set of cards, and it changes his life, making him obsessed with this one connection to the time before his world was shattered. He's just trying to survive, really; I get that, I've been through it, on a much smaller scale. Tragedy leads you to make wierd choices, as evidenced by his friendship with Boris, his dark twin really, a boy who is also dealing with the loss of a mother, an alcoholic father, and life in a new place, trying to make his way. Their lives very much mirror each other, even the descent into the illegal.<br/><br/>The only criticism of the book was that it seems like it ran long, then tidily wrapped up in an improbable ending. All in all, it was a good book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LUW0566GRQ1J?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt compelled to write a review of this book after reading many of the one-star reviews. To give a book like this a one-star review is quite frankly, absurd. If you can write better than this, start writing. You can quit your depressing cubicle job and become a celebrated literary sensation instead. What are you waiting for?!<br/><br/>For the numerous people who seem to despise this book because Theo had an iPod and they feel that is anachronistic - did they stop to consider that maybe the end of the book occurs beyond the current time? I don't recall anything that references specific dates, so for all we (the readers) know, Theo is 27 ten years from now.  While I agree with a lot of complaints about this book and I noticed flaws myself; I think the sheer astounding ability of this writer to bring an entire world to life and her amazing facility with language is being totally overlooked by all the negative reviewers. The author is a 50-year-old woman who did an excellent job in creating a character who is both male and young. Not only that, but her nuanced, detailed descriptions brought the book to life. I've read so many popular books where the characters are so flat and undeveloped, I couldn't care less what happens to them.<br/><br/>And this is more than just a story - it is philosophy. It is about life and the terrible things that can happen to one and the ways in which we choose to move through these events. For those who find that depressing, consider yourself lucky that you've lived a relatively uneventful life - tragedy catches up with us all at some point.<br/><br/>And for the people who hated the ending - that was my favorite part! Unlike her two previous books - this story actually has resolution and some postulated insights into the meaning of art and life. Despite some of the flaws, Donna Tartt is quite simply, brilliant.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PVW039F7850G?ASIN=0316055441	A good read that runs out of steam	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is undeniably a good writer.  The first 600 pages--did I say 600 pages?--of The Goldfinch are entertaining, fast-paced, lively and interesting.  Tartt knows every nook and cranny of Manhattan, and her 200 pages or so based in Las Vegas seem equally accurate,  although I have not been there in 45 years.  Certainly she depicts the life of the mass of mobile, unrooted, unfocussed America very well.  And her view of the life of the New York financial-artistic-literary intelligentsia and their camp followers, servants, vendors and hangers on is equally good.<br/><br/>One develops a certain level of sympathy for Theo Decker,  the central figure, who has lost his beloved mother in an inexplicable tragedy and then loses his not so worthy or loved father as well,  even though Theo is a druggie, a thief and a swindler to boot.  His life has its fascination, and Tartt gets it down lovingly.<br/><br/>However,  once a reader hits page 600 or so,  the book loses steam and focus.  I won't say what is the fulcrum event as that would be a bit of a spoiler,  but the last 170 pages seem to reflect a writer who has run out of options as to how to bring the thing and its various strands to a conclusion, including what to do with the stolen painting.  I found myself plodding toward the page 771 goal line, and it seemed like it took forever to get there.<br/><br/>Finally, in the last 15 pages or so,  Tartt unconsciously discards the Theo mask and talks to us willy nilly directly, revealing her writing methods (this gleaned from interviews) as well as what looks like her world view, on life, art, and other Big Ideas.  Maybe it isn't what she actually believes,  but whether it is or not,  it reads like a Bennington College senior English or Philosophy paper.  It is post adolescent, and unworthy of someone who seems to aspire to be a serious novelist,  even if the bulk of this work is only slick, if engaging, entertainment.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O61XNBWA00BF?ASIN=0316055441	Holden Caulfield in the Age of Opiates	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm really going to be the black sheep on this one, but I gave myself permission to stop reading this book before finishing it. First, let it be said that Donna Tartt is an excellent writer, and I freely concede that the fault may lie in me rather than in The Goldfinch. I liked the author's writing style, loved the detail she used to create a richly pictured world, loved Hobie (such a kindly character),and loved Theo, but then... at a certain point, I didn't love Theo so much anymore. I felt bad for him, but when he went to Las Vegas and dove into drugs and sleaziness with Boris, I became discouraged. I waded through page after page of depressing stuff, of Theo's undoing, and I just didn't want to read any more. I was reminded a little bit of Woody Allen's movie, Blue Jasmine. Kate Blanchett did an amazing job of acting in the movie, and I was intrigued at some level, but I also remember thinking as I watched the film that there wasn't one character that redeemed the superficiality, self-centeredness, or corruption of the rest of them. It's my own bias I'll admit, but if I read a story, I want to find something uplifting. Even if there is tragedy, I want to be reminded that some human beings, at least, have the capacity for nobility. Maybe things got better in The Goldfinch, but that't not the impression I had from another reader. If they did, and I ducked out too soon, I apologize to the author. If they didn't... I just didn't want to stand by and watch Theo's drop to the bottom.<br/><br/>Update: After talking with some writer friends, I decided to give Goldfinch another try, and I finished it. I upgraded my rating from three stars to four. One reason for that is my appreciation for all the work that went into this novel. It is a symphony. My original uneasiness remains, however. Theo is a much-expanded Holden Caulfield, and my sympathy for these characters is mixed with sadness, disappointment, and a certain amount of frustration. Theo becomes a sort of Dickensian orphan on losing his mother, but it seems to me that his descent into drug addiction and criminality comes as much from self-indulgence and weakness as it does from sorrow. Boris is a fascinating character, but he is also the devil to whom Theo sells his soul. Near the end of the novel, Boris uses Dostoevski's The Idiot as a means to justify his own criminal behavior, and it seems as if a case is being made for moral relativism. I know good novels deal with ambiguity and moral dilemmas, but for me this one leans uncomfortably toward our dark side.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSRJFQZC7QVQS?ASIN=0316055441	Boy in Limbo	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hate to rate a book 3 stars - that's like neither here nor there. But with this book, a middle ground seems firmly where I stand. I liked parts of it - in fact quite substantial parts, especially the first quarter or so, when Theo Decker, the little boy who loses his mother in a violent incident, tries to find his way out of his trauma and loss when he is all of 13, and recently abandoned by his philandering and washed-out-bit-actor father. There is real pathos in the gritty portrayal of the hapless boy's struggle for survival against the well-meaning Social Services, while his ""providential"" possession of a secret that leads him to Hobie, the kindly furniture restorer, with whom he finds a deep sense of kinship. The reader heaves a sigh and shares his brief respite as he finds solace with Hobie and childhood friend Andy Barbour and his family, before flinching at the sudden return of his estranged father and his paramour, the platinum blonde girlfriend, Xandra, who whisk him away to Vegas, with dubious intentions.<br/><br/>But even in the midst of the admittedly absorbing story, one can't help but feel that Tartt could have fared better with more judicious editing. It was just too long - so by the time Theo reaches adulthood, and STILL harbouring his SECRET, I couldn't help but feel a little annoyed. Given, there is a thematic reason for Tartt to keep reviving this detail in the story and it ties the whole novel together, making sure it all comes together by the end of the narrative. Unfortunately by then, the reader would have been numbed into a psychedelic dreamlike state which just goes on and on to care (much like the trippy experiences Theo shares with his junkie best friend, Boris, the wisecracking Russian emigre in Vegas, who loses the ability to speak Americanese at inopportune times, when Tartt wants to remind the reader of his nationality). The philosophical musings to suggest an epiphany of sorts comes a little too long, too late.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYDIAAHHZOZZR?ASIN=0316055441	4.5	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My Review: 4.5 stars<br/>I’ve waited a few days before reviewing this book because it’s a lot to absorb (literally at 771 pages and figuratively as my mind is still picking up on nuances) and therefore hard to put my reactions, feeling and review into words. First and foremost, this is excellent writing. Beyond superb. I had more dog-eared pages of quotes I liked until I had to give up because it was getting ridiculous. Through other reviewers I learned that it took the author 12 years to write this book. It doesn’t surprise me, although I hate to think about her editor having to read and reread each revision. The plot was seemingly simple and stolen art isn’t new to fiction, yet this author crafted a story which gave The Goldfinch (the piece of art in question) a character all its own, and created some of the most tragically damaged characters in fiction. These characters basically grew up themselves and there was a lot of reckless debauchery. This pained me as Theo and Boris both had so much to offer. Theo using terminology such as “his clothes fell well” or “his features were sharp and nervy, cavalry hero by way of concert pianist” allowed me realize his potential to be so much more had he different circumstances and made better choices. Boris was the most sad, philosophical, daring and outright hysterical character I’ve yet to come across in fiction. I can understand why this book is getting either excellent reviews or horrible ones. It’s easily a book that can be considered love-hate. I definitely can see why an editor had a problem shortening this book, however it did get annoying lengthy at certain parts and with certain, not so important background characters. I’d love a novella about Hobie and his relationship with Welty as well as one about Pippa’s future.<br/>Quotes I liked:<br/>- “They want it all as detailed as possible because whenever you see flies or insects in a still life--a wilted petal, a black spot on the apple--the painter is giving you a secret message. He’s telling you that living things don’t last--it’s all temporary. Death in life.”<br/><br/>- “Well--let’s put it another way. Who was it said that coincidence was just G-d’s way of remaining anonymous?”<br/><br/>- “Caring too much for objects can destroy you. Only—if you care for a thing enough, it takes on a life of its own, doesn’t it? And isn’t the whole point of things—beautiful things—that they connect you to some larger beauty?”<br/><br/>- “Well—I have to say I personally have never drawn such a sharp line between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ as you. For me: that line is often false. The two are never disconnected. One can’t exist without the other. As long as I am acting out of love, I feel I am doing best I know how. But you—wrapped up in judgment, always regretting the past, cursing yourself, blaming yourself, asking ‘what if,’ ‘what if.’ ‘Life is cruel.’ ‘I wish I had died instead of.’ Well—think about this. What if all your actions and choices, good or bad, make no difference to God? What if the pattern is pre-set? No no—hang on—this is a question worth struggling with. What if our badness and mistakes are the very thing that set our fate and bring us round to good? What if, for some of us, we can’t get there any other way?”<br/><br/>- “We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others, that in the end, we become disguised to ourselves.” —Francois De La  Rochefoucauld<br/><br/>- “A great sorrow, and one that I am only beginning to understand: we don't get to choose our own hearts. We can't make ourselves want what's good for us or what's good for other people. We don't get to choose the people we are.<br/><br/>Because--isn't it drilled into us constantly, from childhood on, an unquestioned platitude in the culture--? From William Blake to Lady Gaga, from Rousseau to Rumi to Tosca to Mister Rogers, it's a curiously uniform message, accepted from high to low: when in doubt, what to do? How do we know what's right for us? Every shrink, every career counselor, every Disney princess knows the answer: ""Be yourself."" ""Follow your heart.""<br/><br/>Only here's what I really, really want someone to explain to me. What if one happens to be possessed of a heart that can't be trusted--? What if the heart, for its own unfathomable reasons, leads one willfully and in a cloud of unspeakable radiance away from health, domesticity, civic responsibility and strong social connections and all the blandly-held common virtues and instead straight toward a beautiful flare of ruin, self-immolation, disaster?...If your deepest self is singing and coaxing you straight toward the bonfire, is it better to turn away? Stop your ears with wax? Ignore all the perverse glory your heart is screaming at you? Set yourself on the course that will lead you dutifully towards the norm, reasonable hours and regular medical check-ups, stable relationships and steady career advancement the New York Times and brunch on Sunday, all with the promise of being somehow a better person? Or...is it better to throw yourself head first and laughing into the holy rage calling your name?”</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA6QZE5G06VQV?ASIN=0316055441	Not Much of a Character Arc for Theo	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The set-up for THE GOLDFINCH involves a museum explosion, some sort of homegrown terrorism, in which fourteen-year-old Theo Decker’s mother is killed. Ironically, when Theo comes to (he’s also knocked out) he pulls an old man from the rubble who gives him a ring and directs him toward a painting on the wall that he wants Theo to take.<br/><br/>The painting is THE GOLDFINCH a famous work by Fabritius, a student of Rembrandt’s. We don’t know for sure if the painting was ever stolen, but it is an actual painting you can look at in a Dutch museum. The irony is that Fabritius was killed in an explosion himself that destroyed most of his paintings. Tartt gives us a little lesson on why the painting is so valuable. The bird is chained to its perch, but its feathers look real, except for a brush stroke along the side of one wing, which Fabritius purposefully adds to show the viewer his technique as an artist rather than a photographer.<br/><br/>Decker bounces from New York to Las Vegas and back to New York, where he finally uses the ring to get in touch with the old man’s partner, Hobie, who’s a master craftsman who uses bits and pieces of old classic furniture to make it look new, but he’s a lousy salesman and that’s where Theo comes in. He sells the furniture as if Hobie’s “creations” were actual valuable antiques.<br/><br/>Back in Vegas Theo met Boris, whose accent was hard to pin down; it was part Russian and part Australian. Boris’s father was a miner and had been all over the world and so had Boris. They take a lot of drugs and skip school more than they go. Another character who figures predominately is Pippa, the dying old man’s ward, whom Theo falls in love with. He’s not sure whether she loves him back, and that’s part of what little plot there is. Will Pippa and Theo ever get together? Theo's father, a failed actor, is significant for a while; he had left Theo and his mother in the lurch, but after the bombing he’s suddenly interested in Theo, and that’s how Theo lands in Las Vegas.<br/><br/>The painting plays a role throughout the book; it’s lost and found and lost again. The most painful part of the book is when Theo is stuck in a hotel room in Amsterdam without a passport to leave the country. What we have here is a “talking head”, what writers call a character alone on the stage, essentially talking to himself. If it hadn’t been like page 700, I would have quit reading. The word “whiner” wouldn’t be too severe a description of the boy Boris calls “Potter” because of his round glasses.<br/><br/>Then there’s the relationship between Boris and Theo. The reader should be wondering if Boris is “playing” Theo. He’s already crossed him once. This thread could have added some suspense to the plot, but Tartt has already foreshadowed where that relationship is at the end of the book. Theo tells us when he meets Boris in Las Vegas. There also isn’t much of a character arc for Theo. Although he’s trying to make amends for his shady dealings, he’s the same miserable introvert at the end of the book that he was in Vegas, and we don’t see a whole lot of hope for him.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31K5WTYOKRWRA?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing, but not without faults	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I truly enjoyed this book.  From the very first page, the vivid prose is absolutely mesmerizing and the strong narrative-drive carries you through despite the book's length.  Not that it's without drawbacks (hence the four stars, not five).  Brilliant passages are intermixed with irksome sections that actually made me rail aloud.  (Apologies if that sentence sounds pretentious. The book's intermittent grandiloquence is contagious.)  At times the language feels affected--for instance, the multi-clause sentence describing nothing more than the color of a woman's fingernail polish, or certain unnecessary British-isms (""pram"" for baby carriage, ""programme"" for program, ""pyjamas"" for pajamas).  And many characters are right out of Central Casting, from the large black woman bus driver to the alcoholic gambling father and his cocktail waitress girlfriend.  Finally, certain details undermine my willing suspension of disbelief: that a 14-year-old boy would think so little about sex, for instance!  Also, middle schoolers don't take AP classes; they're for upper-level high schoolers to skip college-intro courses.  And how can the protagonist claim to have never missed a day of work yet have a passport readily available in his desk drawer?<br/><br/>This carping is trivial, however.  The book is masterfully wrought--intelligent, stirring, vivid.  To be sure, some may find it too serious and literary, others too commercial.  It is both.  There's a lot there to sink your teeth into.  How well it stands up to time remains to be seen.  I doubt it will be judged an ""important"" work.  But it is a singular accomplishment for the author, and a decided pleasure for the reader.  Do see for yourself.  You will not be disappointed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34MVAG0X5QBU7?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch:  Beauty and Wretched Excess	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pow. This book starts with a bang. Grabbed me by the collar and dragged me into a fabulous, vivid, bizarre-but-familiar world. There were moments at the start of the book where I think my heart was beating to the rhythm of Tartt's language. I didn't care that the book was long -- in fact, I loved having this secret world to come home to every night after work. That said, about halfway through the book I realized that my engagement was wilting a bit. Maybe I, as a reader (and Tartt, as a writer) was loosing a little steam. It wasn't that the story waned, it just all became too much. Too much story, too many words, too many twists, too much unhappiness. I needed something for a counterpoint other than Pippa's red hair. Even the vibrancy of the goldfinch painting was smeared by a grey of confusion and loss. I kept asking myself, is life really this relentless? Might I answer yes if I'd been raised in the Ukraine underground or had my mother vaporized by a terrorist bomb? Okay. Yes. But -- but then the overly long meditation at the end of the book seemed to say something like, ""don't over think these things; smell the roses while you can""....or, maybe I missed the point because by the end I had unfortunately stopped caring what happened to Theo and the painting.<br/><br/>Some things I loved: the book's effective portrayal of the long sticky tentacles of grief; how alive and real Boris felt and my joy that (spoiler alert) he didn't disappear; Tartt's skill at showing how a violent alcoholic home can create a passive overly analytical child; the trap doors of the world of art theft; Theo and Hobbie's connection through dusty furniture and shared loss; the nightmare of busted Las Vegas; and the profound connection that can sometimes exist between a mother and child...<br/><br/>Some things that disappointed me: wretched excess -- drugs, alcohol, words -- too often there was just too much of all three; Pippa -- a critical character who never left the page for me; the convenience of the (spoiler alert) return of Barbour's, especially the very unsatisfying Theo/Kitsey relationship; the whole Horst character/story; the fact that no authority (not Mrs. Barbour, not a teacher, not a social worker....no one) stepped in to actually understand Theo's loss (are we accepting that a child cast out into space with such velocity can become invisible?).<br/><br/>I just finished the book last night so maybe, over time, my feelings will change. Sometimes there is a period of percolation, especially about such a big read. We'll see. This was the first book of Tartt's that I've read and I'm not sure if I want to try either of her earlier books. Any thoughts? I wish I could give partial stars as I'd really rate this 3.50 but I'm going with a 4 because I think motivated readers won't be sorry they spent time in the amazing world Tartt has imagined for us.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BUP43VZQB402?ASIN=0316055441	Not Perfect, A Bit Long, but HUGE on the Enjoyment Factor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved The Goldfinch. Tartt created characters I cared about and dramatic situations that had me hooked in suspense. She explores a wide range of experiences in a sweeping novel, covering a lot of geographical as well as emotional territory.<br/><br/>Tartt won the Pulitzer Prize and personally I thought she deserved it, for me this book was on par with Tom Wolfe and Kurt Vonnegut with the introduction of many fascinating characters, told from a fresh and contemporary perspective. Tartt has possibly created another classic, time will tell. But any winner of this award is going to be under intense scrutiny from reviewers. The recent Vanity Fair article shines a hard cold light on the book's deficiencies and Tart's literary shortcomings, and some of the points of her critics are certainly worth considering.<br/><br/>Yes, the book was overly verbose in parts, particularly the end, when Tartt, in fear we might miss her point, reverted to a lengthy summation which just stopped short of insulting the reader. Tartt should have given us more credit and assume that could connect the dots she so skillfully had drawn. Isn't the first ""rule"" of creative writing ""show don't tell""? She didn't trust us.<br/><br/>The Vanity Fair article cites the panned reviews from the The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, and The Paris Review, described as ""three institutions that are considered, at least among their readers, the last bastions of true discernment"". I read all three of these publications, and enjoy them, but let's just say we will have to agree to disagree. There is a place for highbrow, but highbrow is becoming less and less relevant.<br/><br/>People no longer read long, esoteric volumes in one hand while flipping through dictionaries in another. We are a second generation  text-speak culture now, we are lucky anyone still knows how to read at all. Dostoevsky's The Idiot is no longer assigned reading in high school. The standard bearers need to adjust their expectations for the times.<br/><br/>The complaints of The Goldfinch's  ""lack of seriousness"" because it doesn't contain enough ""truth"" to elevate it to ""literature"" is too snobbish. I found plenty of truth in this book. The standard of ""greatness"" for me is being engrossed in the story, caring about the characters, being frequently surprised and emotionally transported. I want to stay up much later than I should because I can't stop reading, and then when the book is done feeling sad to no longer have this awaiting pleasure.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch did all those things. The book is not perfect, but four stars is ""like it"" and five ""loved it"" so five stars it is. The critics certainly have their points, but you will just have to judge for yourself now won't you?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13P0TO6I2KFH?ASIN=0316055441	Life may be short, but this book is not.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the first book I have paid for in a long time (minus any Bible study books or gifts).  I read and finished some 50+ books in 2013 but none appeared on the best seller list so I felt the need to check off just one.  After reading a few reviews, but mainly making my purchase on it’s 4 star Amazon &amp; Goodreads reviews, I decided to dive in.  I don’t like to be negative, but it was a bit underwhelming.<br/><br/>If you’d like a better summary, read some of the 2,000+ reviews on Amazon or 3,600+ on Goodreads.  But the book follows Theodore Decker from the age of 13 into adulthood.  The book begins with the tragic death of his mother and introduces the reader to “The Goldfinch”, a painting by Carel Fabritius, which pops up occasionally in the first half of the book, but then is the meat of the story after the mid-point.  And I’d have to say, the last 40% or so was much better than the first, but got pretty deep and philosophical at points and after 700 pages and reading late at night, was a tough read for me.  Not a bad thing, I think I just wasn’t in the right mind-set to appreciate.<br/><br/>It was well-written, very descriptive, I felt like I knew each of the characters introduced throughout the book.  I wanted to reach through the pages and shake Theo, as he was so frustrating and continued to make poor choices, yet being incredibly smart.  Many of his actions were calculated, but others I never really did come to understand.  And Boris, while entertaining and somewhat unpredictable, I never did really trust, and he just made me mad too.  I enjoyed the interactions with the Barbours, but just felt bad for them.  Hobie was an interesting character, but I found myself almost feeling bad for him at many points too.  And then Pippa, I’ll just say I wish things were different there and leave it at that.<br/><br/>Then, as mentioned above, the end got deep.  Exploring good vs bad, and a line that stuck with me was about coincidences really being God wanting to be anonymous.  An opportunity the Christian in me would have liked to dive into deeper, but I think that was one of the only mentions of God.  And I think reading late at night, much of the “deep” discussion was lost on me, as after so long, I was ready to move along.<br/><br/>It was very well written, just not my taste, or maybe one to try again at another time.  It’s the kind of book, I should have done a bit more research on before reading and I may have enjoyed more in a different state of mind.  The overall tone was not happy and with it being so long, I was really ready for it to end.  The ending was fine and not predictable, which I did enjoy and kept me turning the pages to see what happened. If you get a chance to read it and have a few weeks, you may enjoy and hopefully I haven’t ruined it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO31KDPBQVBYP?ASIN=0316055441	An exceptionally good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thirteen year old Theodore ""Theo"" Decker, the book's protagonist, happens to be present at the Metropolitan Museum when a terrorist's bomb wrecks the building and kills a number of visitors.  He escapes with the title painting but later learns his mother has died in a related accident.  The painting becomes a strong bond to the memory of his mother and is far more valuable to him than what a rich collector might offer.<br/> Author Donna Tartt builds tension steadily throughout the book as Theo copes with living in a new home and is tormented by other kids at school.  Later in the book when Theo is an adult, there is a terrifying scene in a deserted parking garage at night where bullets fly and blood flows.  A single sentence takes up  nearly an entire page and made me forget to take a breath until I reached a period.<br/> We arrive at the book's half way point after six chapters (375 pages).  It occurred to me that, with a little tweaking, this much could stand alone with the second half a promising sequel.  Whenever I opened the book after a break, I found it easy to pick up the plot thread immediately.  I attribute this to having the characters and setting still vivid in my mind.<br/> Tartt gives the reader great heapings of detail about what the characters are doing or thinking and the various geographical settings.  I understand that it took her ten years to write the book.  Her research shows well in showing such locales as New York, Las Vegas, and various cities in between.  Among other things, we learn plenty about restoring valuable pieces of furniture.  However, about the only negative I can offer is that all this detail slows the telling of the story.  I found myself skipping some of it near the end of the book to reach the much desired conclusion.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U3R3NJM2WUIV?ASIN=0316055441	The book of the year!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't believe this book currently has 4 stars on amazon -- are we collectively crazy?! It's the best novel of 2013 by a country mile (trailed only, at least as far as I've read, by The Good Lord Bird), and it's the kind of book that once you finish it, you'll immediately think about how soon you can decently re-read it. While I don't love it as much as I love The Secret History, that's really not saying much because I don't love almost ANY book as much as The Secret History. Both are masterpieces. (The Little Friend, not so much -- but even Dickens had Barnaby Rudge!)<br/><br/>Donna Tartt is one of the few contemporary writers who can describe modern life in terms that seem timeless. Although I thought there were definitely issues with dating the start of the action in this book (it must be post-9/11 because there are references to that previous tragedy, yet nobody has a cell phone and if it's already at least 2002, the present action must take place in the future, etc. etc.), all these petty concerns will have evaporated in 5 years' time, when we can no longer remember/care exactly when various technologies became widespread. Things like that just don't matter. What matters instead is the unforgettable characters; the gliding, effortlessly beautiful writing; the constant underlying note of humor just below the saddest and most horrifying moments; the confidence of the narrative voice, which picks us up on page 1 and refuses to drop us even once throughout the story.<br/><br/>Like many readers, I see echoes of Great Expectations in this novel, but trying to pin them down is a useless exercise. The characters are all Dickensian archetypes, which is about the highest praise any character can receive. The plot has worthy twists, though like many Dickens plots, it is not impossible to anticipate many of them. You won't care whether you think you know what's going to happen -- it's the journey here, not the destination.<br/><br/>If you haven't read it yet, read The Goldfinch. If you started it and then stopped because (like one of my friends) it made you sad, or (like another) you felt you couldn't concentrate properly on all the nuances, get up early one Saturday, brew some coffee, turn off the phone, and give it an hour of your time. You won't be sorry.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZYS8DNM7LBFG?ASIN=0316055441	Great Choice for Book Group!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Midtown Atlanta Book Group rated The Goldfinch 4.6 out of 5, which is an extremely high rating (Outstanding!) from this diverse, very literate, often highly critical club.  Because of its heft, at 700+ pages, we split the reading into two parts and extended the discussion over November and December, typically light months in book group participation.  The overwhelming enthusiasm for this book drove record attendance two months in a row, during the busy holiday season. The Goldfinch was so good, most of our book group members devoured it completely before the November meeting, and we still had plenty to talk about in December.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch gets off to an explosive start, literally, with a terrorist bombing in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Out of the chaos, a young boy stumbles away with a priceless work of art, and begins a life adventure he could never have anticipated. We follow this young man, as he struggles to overcome tragic loss, dysfunction and deception, from New York to Las Vegas to New York to Amsterdam.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch is a brilliant kaleidoscope of a novel, where everything gets broken -- smashed beyond repair at the beginning -- and comes out irreparably skewed, patched back together in a dozen different ways. Donna Tartt offers many threads, masterfully woven, with a cast of characters both dazzling and desperate, from our unreliable narrator and his underworld friends to the denizens of New York society, high art, and the world of fine antiques.<br/><br/>Although it is a tragedy, start to finish, The Goldfinch is every genre rolled into one: mystery, romance, suspense, comedy, young adult, and international intrigue. At a time when readers are snacking on fluffy, low-cal supermarket bestsellers, Donna Tartt puts out a literary feast -- a five-part meal, so varied, so delicious and satisfying, you'll be exhausted, but you won't be able to stop until the end.<br/><br/>-- Sherri Caldwell, Humor Columnist &amp; Reviewer at RebelHousewife.com<br/>Co-Author, The Rebel Housewife Rules: To Heck With Domestic Bliss!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R63CK7AVNHYQC?ASIN=0316055441	Modern Picaresque	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A 2013-vintage Jonathan Trollope. I won't comment on the author's panoramic vision, her descriptive writing (beautiful and lyrical), that flip/flop sense of drama that comes from being solvent at one point, and then homeless, penniless the next - in various forms and at various times during the story. I relate completely to the protagonist's cobbling together his many methods of managing his industrial strength PTSD. And I think the novel could have benefitted from a few (more?) shrink scenes to clarify what's really going on in Theo's messed-up mind. As if there weren't already a plethora of words with which this 600-pg book is built. This has all been discussed by other reviewers.<br/><br/>I want to get one thing straight - I did ""enjoy' the book - my basic requirement for ingesting the written word. However I read this as an audio version downloaded from my local public library, so any of my ""negative"" comments should be considered in that perspective. I found all the preppy, privileged names (verging on ""Buffy"" and ""Missy"") and accents just simply tiresome after a while, as well as all the snobbery centered around historical furniture attribution. But the narrator was perfect for this project and at one point, for one character, he seemed to be channeling a hybrid of Jeremy Irons and William F. Buckley Jr. Unfortunately there were way too many characters to get a fix on any one player. Having said this, it was still possible for a reader to find ""True North"" with the primary dramatis personae.<br/><br/>However, spoiler alert here: I kept waiting for the Vegas gangsters to resurface in some way and for ""The Goldfinch"" painting to come into some sort of role in paying them back. These sorts of people do not go away, even though their primary target (in this case the protagonist's father) has made the ultimate escape through accidental (?) death. It would have been interesting to see how these butchers tracked down our dear Theo and tried to exact their final payback. A technicality like death does not stop these people. Someone ends it all? Heck, they just go after the next person with deep pockets.<br/><br/>I cannot give this book a ""5"" because of the obvious bypass of this glaring gift of a plot line. I also cannot give it a ""4 because it was just too long - not necessarily for my tastes in particular - but just because the many novellas contained within offered way too many opportunities for story-line abandonment, much to the frustration of the reader.<br/><br/>Still this is an ambitious work. Not sure if the author is actually of the female persuasion, but is a guy writing under a pseudonym. Whatever the true gender of the author, this book gets many kudos from me for writing from the male perspective.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F2GESSR2CO1B?ASIN=0316055441	This was where he first laid eyes on a beautiful red-haired with her grandfather	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very long book that follows Theo Decker from losing his mother in a terrorist bombing at a museum they were visiting. This was where he first laid eyes on a beautiful red-haired girl with her grandfather. When Theo awakes, dazed from the explosion, her grandfather beckons Theo, thinking he is someone else, gives him a ring and an address. He also points to a piece of canvas in the rubble, The Goldfinch, a rare painting that was a favorite of his mothers. He takes it, still dazed and looking for his mom. He can't find her so he heads home, following a plan they had made for emergencies. But she never shows as she didn't make it out alive. Theo goes to live with the family of a school friend, until his deadbeat dad arrives to take him to Las Vegas. There Theo becomes friends with another outcast, Boris, a well-traveled and far more experienced person than Theo. Then things change and Theo finds himself back in New York now living with Hobie, an antiques dealer, who lives at the address given to Theo by the man at the museum.<br/>Throughout his travels, Theo keeps the painting close to him as it reminds him of his mother. But as the years pass, Theo realizes the painting is on a list of paintings that most likely survived the blast. He is now scared of getting in trouble and causing trouble for the people he knows.<br/>For the most part I really enjoyed this novel, much more than The Little Friend. But it could have used some editing. The story is many things, a coming of age story, which can get a little tiring, especially during his time in Las Vegas. I liked Boris but a little of him went a long way, then he shows up again when Theo is in NY, engaged to be married and working with Hobie.<br/>I also found it annoying how Theo hid the painting, afraid to get caught, instead of mailing it back anonymously.<br/>This could easily had 200 pages cut from it, and the ending after the ending is just a long, rambling philosophical extra that should have been cut. I don't know how these almost great works get by a really good editor. It was worth the read but I'd never re-read it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RRVOS76VCY5F?ASIN=0316055441	Well Worth the Weight	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""The Goldfinch"" deserves high marks for the sheer pleasure of reading it.  In fact, I'd love to re-read it at some point, when I have the time to gulp it down hundreds of pages at a time, as I think that's how it deserves to be, and should be, read.  Unfortunately, I started it at a time when I was insanely busy and only had time to read it 20 pages at a time, with an occasional 50 or so; however, I never lost interest in it and was always delighted to pick it up again (despite its weight!)<br/><br/>I heard Ms. Tartt on NPR or elsewhere talking about her love for Dickens, and her book honors him in untold ways.  Aside from being a wonderful read, her evocations of New York City are in every way as brilliant as Dickens's of London (though I know New York far better than I do 19th Century London!).  I am one of those people who don't like Las Vegas, and I haven't been to Amsterdam in years, but in both cases she captures what I remember (and both like and dislike) about both cities.<br/><br/>I wouldn't say the book is long on plot, but it held my interest through all but the last 25 or so pages.  The hero, his tragedy, his peregrinations, and the fascinating, idiosyncratic people he meets along the way, were more than enough to keep me reading.  As others have noted, the ending was somewhat disappointing - inconclusive and a bit pontificating - but in a way it was a suitable ending given all that had gone before.<br/><br/>As a postscript, I should point out that I was one of those people who did not like ""The Secret History.""  Perhaps it was the fact that I read it as our daughters were going off to college, and the haughtiness of late adolescence (as well as the excesses in which the characters engaged and the horrible things they did) did not appeal to me.  So when ""The Goldfinch"" started getting rave after rave, I was highly skeptical.  However, it's a keeper - and by that I mean something that will stay on my shelves and, hopefully, be re-read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39TLFDBBR2YTH?ASIN=0316055441	Impressive book both to its volume and quality, made by skillful storyteller	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""The Goldfinch"" by Donna Tartt is a literary work that will take some time to read it, but you'll enjoy it fully, both during and after its reading, due to author's masterful style and interesting story.<br/><br/>Main character named Theo Decker when he was young survived an explosion that killed his mother.<br/>He will be left by his alcoholic father, his grandparents that are his only family will ignore him, until he would be accepted by virtual strangers and drawn into the underground world of art.<br/>Feeling only love considering the art, reader will accompany Theo on his life journey, through all the problems that would be placed before him, somehow looking that he puts almost none effort to change his life...<br/><br/>""The Goldfinch"" is somehow dark novel but what makes it great read is primarily the author's style and level of details which is hard to describe, managing to make even ordinary things that are happening in everyday life interesting.<br/><br/>Tartt knows with the words being an excellent storyteller, she draws pictures using her words, provides so much details that resulted in a work length of 800 pages which will be really challenging for some readers.<br/>But, those patient readers will enjoy her style certainly; when for example she speaks about winter days reader can actually feel like looking at the scene with her/his own eyes...<br/><br/>Also, what is impressive is how good Donna Tartt managed to write this novel from the male perspective that's a quite uncommon especially given the length of her work.<br/><br/>Speaking about novel's characters, they are nuanced and will quickly go under your skin.<br/>Considering main one especially, the author must get credit for his creation because Theo is well-made and believable character throughout his all turbulent maturing which is followed in the novel.<br/>At the novel beginning he seems like a nice guy to who life wasn't fair, but as plot will gradually unfold he will slowly ceases to be so likeable, given the many opportunities that life affords him to get out of trouble.<br/>But on the contrary it seems that he likes to be around people and getting into situations that will make his life even more complicated.<br/><br/>""The Goldfinch"" is an impressive book both to its volume and quality, made by skillful writer that know how to deal with words which are all of them enjoyable, literature work that shows how art can expand human life and make changes in ourselves.<br/><br/>And due to all of that this novel can be highly recommended, although be prepared for a long but pleasant journey through its 800 pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQTF5A32H008M?ASIN=0316055441	A modern day Dickens tale and one of the finest pieces of intelligent fiction in many years.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A jaw-droppingly good novel that calls to mind the finest work of Charles Dickens as translated in the modern world.<br/><br/>Young Theo experiences tragedy at a very early age.  As a young boy he and his mother are visiting a museum in NYC when a terrorist bomb goes off killing dozens --- including Theo's mother.  The immediate moments following the bomb roll out in a dream-like sequence where a dying elderly man is able to pass on one of the museum's paintings to young Theo.<br/><br/>The painting, a world-renowned and extremely valuable one entitled The Goldfinch, becomes a travelling piece for Theo and a symbol of his lost innocence and harbinger of the travails that are to come.  I see many comparisons to OLIVER TWIST --- with the newly orphaned Theo Decker dealing with an abusive/self-destructive father, a best friend eerily coming across as a Russian Artful Dodger and a series of vapid, greedy adults all of whom prey upon Theo's psyche and help to shape the man he is to become.<br/><br/>At nearly 800 pages in length, this novel in the hands of a lesser writer could have been a giant bore.  Instead, Donna Tartt has created a masterpiece of intelligent, modern fiction that focuses a harsh light on the life of one person and peels back each layer with painful expertise.<br/><br/>Her first novel, THE SECRET HISTORY, is one of the best books I have ever read.  Her second novel, THE LITTLE FRIEND, was a decent thriller but failed to meet expectations.  How an author with her talent has only written 3 novels over the past 10+ years is a head scratcher and I only wish she could get more work published.  Then again, if the lengthy wait between novels produces work like THE GOLDFINCH it will be well worth the wait!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X1XO0ZJHK8YQ?ASIN=0316055441	Do not waste your precious time, I did it for you.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very disappointing, alas. With rare sparks of good prose it was a drawn, exhausting, maudlin book about utterly unpleasant humans whose fate was of absolute no interest. First 100 pages were promising and then it dissolved into pretentious melodramatic mess.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6SVW8LU9K6SO?ASIN=0316055441	I thought the plot was a really good one and I would have enjoyed it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the plot was a really good one and I would have enjoyed it, but this book is almost 800 pages.  It could have been done in 1/2 that.  The author drones on and on about minor details that don't matter and it really ruined the book for me .</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25921I5BTLYF?ASIN=0316055441	My first Tartt outing, maybe my last.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'll be brief. That much I learnt from reading this highly recommended book. Over indulgence in verbage is boring and leads readers to skip passages, even whole pages. What The Goldfinch needed was an astute editor who erred on the minimalist side.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V3OYH5U46MCS?ASIN=0316055441	The author has a wonderful story line but keeps on slowing the last third ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author has a wonderful story line but keeps on slowing the last third of the book down with irrelevant detail.  I would also have liked to have read a more appealing ending with more action than the philosophical meanderings Donna Tartt chose.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QG43KXS6HBWZ?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent, descriptive prose. This is the book you should study if you want to be a fiction writer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">OMG! This is one of the best books I have ever read. Not only do you feel as though you know the charaters intimately, the plot keeps you constantly engaged. I can see why this book took her 11 years to write. It's a masterpiece of modern fiction!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36JFY4ILZZ88F?ASIN=0316055441	It could have been a good story line and the character development was complex and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ugh.. verbose and pretentious. It could have been a good story line and the character development was complex and compelling. But it drug on and on, and the preaching about the ""meaning of life"" directly at the reader was just too obvious.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HCAFKBXOC4Y1?ASIN=0316055441	Call me stupid, but I just don't get it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pulitzer Prize for Fiction???  You've got to be kidding.  This was by far the most inane story line I've ever encountered.  I skimmed through the last 150 pages because I just couldn't bear it any more.  Call me stupid, but I just don't get it....</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCOXIT4D67XDX?ASIN=0316055441	A fantastic journey!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt again is able to weave a fabulous tale of a life that carries on in spite of repeated tragedy from a young age. Life is what you make of it but is completely dependent on the strength you have within to survive whatever comes your way.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G0Q8FC80VRVZ?ASIN=0316055441	Radiant storytelling, well worth reading despite minor shortcomings	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What I loved about this book is the friendship between the protagonist, Theo, and his delightfully penned, dodgy Ukrainian/Polish mate Boris. The staging for the story - loss of Theo's mother at 13 to a bomb in a museum and his subsequent acquisition of a world famous painting - is fascinating and compelling. The main premise of the novel, that the possession of one piece of extraordinary art can shape a man's life, is intriguing. Theo's relationships with his dead mother and his no-hoper father are also well-written. The narrative arc is strong and the story ended in a way that surprised me.<br/><br/>However, I did find it difficult to believe that Theo would accompany Boris on his madcap trip to Amsterdam, when he had spent all his life up to that point being incredibly careful. For me, the novel slightly unravelled from this point onwards, despite the fact that I enjoyed the final plot twist.<br/><br/>I have read most of the criticisms here in the reviews and find many of them far too harsh. There are copious descriptions of drug use (both legal and non-legal), but I felt they were justified. It seemed to me that part of the thrust of the storytelling is to give the reader a character who is both conventionally off-the-rails, but somehow still going about his life. Most fiction takes a very tedious line on drug use, characterising users as either baddies or victims. Theo is neither. This fascinated me.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch is a splendid work of fiction, with compelling (and sometimes entertaining) characters, a strong plot and an interesting message. It's also a great read. Do not be put off by the slaters, The Goldfinch is worth the time it takes to read, despite it's minor shortcomings.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REJ8386MR2V5?ASIN=0316055441	Started off really well... literally with a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started off really well...literally with a BANG! Meandered and wallowed in self-pity, self-loathing, self-abuse, and hating those he loves. Ended with a decided whimper...not sure how this won The Pulitzer Prize...it was not worthy of that honor.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QXEWFGNB0D3V?ASIN=0316055441	Intriging and verbose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent writing style, character development and storyline.  However, too many unresolved issues at ending and far too many words.  Verbose!  Needs 33% decrease in length.  Too many words lead to boredom and skipped pages looking for substance.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKJHDA54DQVN6?ASIN=0316055441	Such a good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book kept me engaged despite its length.  Really strong characters and the whole atmosphere of New York City came through in the narrative.  A bit too long for book-club but would recommend it strongly.  I am now reading The Secret History!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XOAJ3RF81P63?ASIN=0316055441	I hated this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unfortunately just because a book is a best seller does NOT mean it is a great book!  This is one example, right along with Gone Girl.<br/><br/>I read this book for my book club and finished  the whole thing, hoping it would get better.  I hated this book for quite a few reasons.  The book is full of filthy language and there is way too much description of drug use by the main character and his ""friend"", both which contributed to the book being way too long. It is a tragic story which I found depressing to read.  I cringed at the incredible amount of smoking, drinking, drug use, plus the casual sex and also the lack of parenting Theo had.  At one point Theo says how he functions better when high on drugs, which does not send a good message. Every character had their issues.  I could not relate to any of the characters or their life styles. Theo had potential and could have turned out to be a great guy, if he hadn't had such trauma, guilt, the bad friend, bad choices and if he had been parented and helped in dealing with his issues.<br/><br/>The author begins the story with a scene from near the end of the book and then the rest of the story is chronological. This did not  give any surprises away, but did not add one thing to the story, so I found it pointless.  The whole thing about the painting is a bit strange -  though the painting had an impact in some things that happened to Theo, it really wasn't as prominent in most of the story as I would have thought it would have.  Some of the things that happened were a bit far-fetched.  I doubt Theo could have remembered all those details as he told his story, even though he had written notes throughout the years.<br/><br/>One thing I found annoying was in the dialogue of some of the characters, the author put question marks at the end of their statements instead of a period, even though they were not asking questions. That may be trite, but it bugged me.<br/><br/>I did not care for the philosophy at the end of the book - it was very hopeless.<br/><br/>I am really puzzled as to why so many people love or really like or enjoyed this book.  Perhaps it reflects how de-sensitized people have become as we have lost our moral foundation for living and things that were once not OK are viewed as acceptable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWPTUL2QRIGYT?ASIN=0316055441	Mixed Messages In A Too Long Book...Bombing, Drugs, No Lives	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first 100 pages are basically about a boy loosing his mother in the bombing of the Met...this was of course sad, but more so confusing as I didn't know if this was addressed to the generation that was born around 9/11 and might have lost their parents.  Are bombings of great public institutions in NY supposed to be a trend in literature now?  The next 200 pages were about the same boy going to live with his dead bead dad in Las Vegas and befriending a loser European kid.  They decide to do hard core drugs all day all night throughout their high school years, not caring about school, or the future effects drugs would take on their bodies.  Reading about high schoolers' drug usages, detailed bathroom scenes, drunk and hangover stories got incredibly old very fast.  Sooo were the first 300 pages supposed to be ""cool?""  I decided to read on because I thought definitely not.<br/><br/>Through the entire book I was thinking, there is probably some great underlying meaning I am missing.  I was looking for a stellar conclusion to the end of the book and was even more disappointed.  The last chapter I guess was the author's way of trying to sum up the books' message.  Usually what happens in poorly written books anyway.  Lame and it didn't work for me.<br/><br/>I would say the character development was poor and the writing was not impressive.  Maybe at a junior high level.  I was confused as to who the author was trying to connect to through her style and themes.  Kids in high school?  If this is what Americans want to read and applaud, I would be incredibly disappointed.<br/><br/>I'm very surprised this book won the Pulitzer.  I wouldn't recommend it and it got me to write my first review on Amazon for a book, even though I borrowed it from the library and have probably $10 in overdue fines.  It's not cool and I don't understand the hype.  Use your time to read the Fountainhead or Catcher in the Rye.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39536JWOS8NKG?ASIN=0316055441	Does anyone have an antidepressant?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossing at first.  Then you realize that Camus and Voltaire already did these themes, better and in fewer pages.<br/><br/>Talk about a downer of a book.  It's about the horror and meaninglessness of life no matter how much the blurb tries to make it about a man and a painting.  Tartt tries to save it at the end by rambling on in Theo's voice about how there's a small window for happiness at the edges of the madness of life, but for me, it didn't make up for the 700+ pages of mind-numbing misery.  And truly, Theo IS a miserable character, an addict, a con man, without any self esteem or an assertive bone in his body.  His refusal and/or inability to engage with life or mature emotionally lands him in untenable situations.  He spends much of the book paralyzed - by grief, by PTSD, by his drug use, by Pippa, by his love and fear for the painting, by his inability to say no to just about everyone...the list goes on.  If nothing else, Theo is a compelling portrait of addiction and mental illness...and I was sick to death of him long before the book's conclusion.  It's not just him; most of the characters are borderline intolerable by the end.<br/><br/>My dislike for the story and characters is multifactorial.  The plot sometimes meanders and loses focus, only to then jump forward unexpectedly.  Tartt is a good writer with a talent for description and metaphor, but she needed an editor to trim the considerable amount of fat off of this one and streamline the flow of the story.  The sheer length of the story and amount of time you are forced to spend with the characters is a problem, because the longer you observe and interact with them as a reader, the less sympathetic and likable they become - and to be honest, most aren't terribly likable to begin with.<br/><br/>I will say that I appreciated Tartt's obvious love of art, which was clear in her descriptions of the painting and her linking of the goldfinch to the plot.<br/><br/>It could be that my feelings on the themes and characters are exactly what Tartt intended.  But to call this book a pleasure to read, as one of the major reviews does, is a stretch.  By page 200, it felt like a chore.  By page 784, I was annoyed that I had spent so much time on the book.  To sum up, the plot is good and Tartt's talent is indisputable.  It's the execution, themes, and characterization that ruined this one for me.<br/><br/>I'm sure in another year or two, an Oscar worthy film adaptation will be made, and I might see it, because it would tell what could have been a good story in 3 hours rather than the 33 it took me to wade through this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRHMPZP7WMTSS?ASIN=0316055441	How I spent my summer vacation, and I'm not happy about it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After an incredible start, it was a steep and LOOOOOONNNG decline towards the finish. What a slog. A most maudlin and BORING protagonist who never really SAYS anything, even in the limited dialog this book offers. It's first-person, so the real action takes place elsewhere -- because our character is so dull and never does much -- and is reported second-hand to him. The best friend is sketched out like a cartoon character, and Theo describes his every mannerism in detail, how his friend eats, drinks, walks, talks, etc., but  the object of his affection is never fully sketched out for the reader, making it impossible for us to feel as if we know her. I swear the author drew on Bullwinkle for the character of Boris, and various Wes Anderson films for the Barbours. Tartt gets sloppy with details at the end, as she attempts, finally, to wrap-up this interminable tale of a morose, navel-gazing young man. Are we meant to feel sympathy for Theo because of the tragedy he endures? Because before I was halfway through this tree killer I started to loathe him. I am still not even finished with this cinder block. How often does a good book keep you up late when you know you are nearing the end? This is not it. I am crawling to the finish two or three pages at a time before I doze off. And each night, as I do, I think that I need to get an Amazon review out on this tragedy of a good idea, so tepidly executed. Ms. Tartt has killed any initial interest I had in her character. And I did many double takes with her inconsistent description of the limited action scenes in this book -- which actually managed to keep me awake. She had a kernel of a great idea here, but killed it by destroying any empathy one might have for her dull main character, who showed so much promise in the early going. Go read ""The Catcher in the Rye."" It's about 1/4 as long as this and at least we feel like we actually KNOW Holden.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M2F0K3H4DMXQ?ASIN=0316055441	Agonizing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm completely baffled by the praise this book has received.  The writing is poor, full of overly verbose pages of descriptions that still manage to say nothing.  The plot of mostly nonexistent to pointless - Theo simply drifts through the arc of his life that's described in the novel.  None of the dramatic changes in his life that take place after the bombing - staying with a wealthy dysfunctional family in New York, being forced to go to Vegas with his messed up father and becoming an addict, going back and having a meteoric career in antiques - seems to affect his psyche at all.  If one part of it were taken out it wouldn't change how we see him.  Maybe that's supposed to be the point itself, but if so that makes it even more silly.  And the characters are mostly ciphers or cliches with little to actually do themselves; Pippa in particular seemed like she should have had an important part in the story, yet ended up being completely inconsequential.<br/><br/>The only way it makes some sense to me is if Theo is an unreliable narrator and the whole thing after the bombing is a fantasy/dream played out in his dying moments.  That would explain the weak characterizations (since they're just what he came up with based on glimpsing Pippa and a few words with Welty), Boris' switching from stilted Russki accent to perfect English when he goes on longer monologues (that was jarring, and surely intentional), the technological anachronisms that others mentioned, and his miraculous survival.  But then there's nothing that really makes this clear, so if that's the way it was intended it's not a very good example.<br/><br/>I was about halfway through when I first considered just giving up, which I now regret I didn't do.  After all the positive reviews (including from my mother!) and awards, I kept hoping it would get better and it just never did; it only became more painful to read.  It might have made a decent novella of about 100 pages, with the bombing and its leadup, a highly condensed version of Theo's childhood and apprenticeship to Hobie, and then skipping ahead to the ending in Amsterdam, leaving out the tedious and self-indulgent concluding chapter.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1STYUIABPNWEU?ASIN=0316055441	too many inconsistencies	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So I am reading the reviews, with 'newest' first. I got to page 17 in the reviews, all posted from July 15th until today, July 21st (I didn't bother going farther than page 17),  All 5 star reviews, all non descriptive. Does this not bother anyone else?<br/><br/>Now back to an actual review, after actually reading the book.<br/><br/>I read the Secret History many years ago and loved it. Have read it a few times since and I still like it. When her second book came out, I was truly excited. I never managed to get through it though although I tried many times. Too boring.<br/>Someone gave me the Goldfinch and I was not looking forward to reading it.<br/><br/>Well, at least I finished this book. Some other reviewers already commented on the wacky timeline (iPhones, Harry Potter at a time where it didn't exist yet) so will not go into that more, although it did bother me.<br/><br/>I am Dutch. Part of the story (although small enough) is set in Amsterdam. I sincerely doubt that Ms Tartt has ever been to Amsterdam. The so called headlines from newspapers would never have been actually phrased like that as they wouldn't make any sense.<br/>The Amsterdam described was maybe the Amsterdam from the 70's (housewives carrying flowers, hippies) but that doesn't work with the iPhone reference so can't be.<br/><br/>As for the story and the characters itself. This book has some moments. Pages that are well written and entertaining. Mostly in the beginning though so if you are bored with the first 400 pages, don't bother to read it until the end as no, it does not get better, it gets worse.<br/>The ending is a complete joke. Some over chewed life lessons crammed in the last 50 or so pages. I don't need a lecture. I can think for myself.<br/><br/>The characters are not well thought out and I could not relate to them at all. I just don't feel that they could be actual people. Maybe the most entertaining was Xandra.<br/>A little hopeless love story written in and why it could never happen for reasons that are totally ridiculous.<br/><br/>More could have been done with Theo, Pippa and Hobie (who doesn't like Hobie). I didn't mind the Boris character so much, like other reviewers as I could see why he had a purpose in the book. However, he was a flat character, no depth whatsoever to him or to anyone else much for that fact.<br/><br/>Lot of people in there who could have been more interesting (maybe with connections to his mom) but were left dangling and served no purpose at all.<br/><br/>Drug abuse was described over and over again, without it making you feel sad or desperate (something a great book would have achieved). It is there, but never to a point that it has any meaning at all or makes you think about it. It doesn't seem to have many consequences for the main characters, so why should we care.<br/><br/>All in all, I found this book a waste of my time. I did read it quickly, I am a fast reader and read 1 or 2 books a week. I will not recommend this book to my friends.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RIPU9KZP51QH?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt's novel certainly merits the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for fiction, but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt’s novel certainly merits the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for fiction, but does have some discernible flaws (we will discuss later). I saw the CBS interview with Donna Tartt and now understand why her prose is so impeccable. She takes ten years to write a book! She wrote one novel each at the ages of 29, 39 and 49. She is influenced by the writing style of Charles Dickens, which accounts for the incredible descriptive writing she did throughout the novel. The aftermath of the museum explosion extends for a suspense filled eighteen pages (31-48). We see the outcome of the detonation through the eyes of our narrator and protagonist, Theo Decker. This was one of several sections the author wrote that I thought was exceptionally proficient. I also thought introducing Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s 1868 novel, 'The Idiot' was a clever writer’s ploy since the Russian novel is a classic study of the conflict between good and evil, which abounds in Tartt’s novel. Lastly, this might seem trite, but I loved the author’s generous use of commas, semi colons and dashes. I know that there are grammatical rules for their usage, but I like ‘a little extra cheese on my pizza’ (is that a idiom?). What is the story about?<br/><br/>Okay, Theo Decker is a thirteen year old student living in N.Y.C., who gets into dubious trouble in school and gets suspended. Now his estranged mom and Theo head for the school for a meeting. They are early, it’s raining, so they duck into an art museum to pass some time and see the Dutch artist exposition, mainly Rembrandt’s The Anatomy Lesson and C. Fabritius’s The Goldfinch. Theo is mesmerized with a red headed girl (Pippa) his age accompanied by a old man presumed to be her grandfather (Welty). As Theo and his mom walk to the gift shop, mom decides to go back to see the painting one more time, leaving Theo in the shop alone when he spots the girl and her companion again. Just as he approaches the girl, a massive explosion occurs in the museum. He is covered in debris and disoriented. He hears the old man groaning and goes to him. The girl is nowhere to be seen. The old man is dying. Where is mom? The old man spots “a dusty rectangle of board” covered in rubbish and wants Theo to get it. My God, it’s The Goldfinch painting. The old man (Welty Blackwell) wants to know where Pippa is. Theo doesn’t see her (why am I using so many short sentences?). He gives Theo his “heavy gold ring with a carved stone” and tells him to take it to: Hobart and Blackwell. “Ring the green bell.” Theo finally finds his way out of the museum, dazed and hurt, unable to get anyone to help him. He still has the painting. He walks home in the rain to wait for his mom to return from the museum. Guess what, she’s dead and suddenly Theo is alone.<br/><br/>Is Theo going to experience the same problems that Pip in the Charles Dickens novel, 'Great Expectations' endured? Maybe. Mom doesn’t come home, a social worker from the Department of Child and Family Services calls and the story is off and running (idiom alert). The reader is going to encounter the peculiar Barbour family, agonize over Theo’s life with his dad in Las Vegas, meet his crazy Russian friend, Boris, and delight in Theo’s relationship with Hobart (Hobie). What happened to Pippa? And what about The Goldfinch? Who has it and what will become of it? It is the focus of the story, yet the author occasionally seems to forget about it for a hundred pages, or so. I guess that can happen in a 771 page novel. The cigarette smoking, vodka drinking, and drug using Boris is a character that the reader loves and periodically hates. The author has the unique ability to make the reader like the characters she wants you to like (Theo, Hobie, Pippa, Mrs. Barbour, Andy and sometimes Boris) and hate the characters she wants you to hate (Theo’s dad, Boris’s dad, Lucius Reeves, Tom Cable and sometimes Boris). Can this lady write, or what?<br/><br/>Alright, now for the flaws. When the reader gets to page 643... suddenly it’s a race to the finish line, the author can’t wait to get to page 771. Why? The novel was plodding along nicely for 642 pages and probably nine years of Donna Tartt’s life. If you are writing a book that long, what difference does it make if the novel is a couple hundred pages longer? The extra pages would have given the author the time needed to develop all the new characters that turned up near the end. Lastly, what was that life and death tirade (in the last five pages) all about? Don’t get me wrong, I loved the book...it’s just that it could have been better.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X7FVIWO8WSH?ASIN=0316055441	Forgettable Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Take a look at the list of Pulitzer Prize novels and notice how many you've never heard of. I predict that in a briefer time than you might imagine, this will join them. The one, two, and three-star reviews are the ones to watch here; they've got it right: this is an  overwritten, overlong novel with a meandering plot;too-long conversations that are repeated over and over and characters that remain emotional tweens right through their next decade and beyond (and the reader who noted the hero is an emotionally overwrought,  self-involved girl, not a guy at all, expressed my impression precisely.)<br/>There are some good things here for sure. The novel, as others have noted, begins well. The writing leading up to and climaxing at the museum is among the most exciting I've read in many a moon. But Tartt should have worked on the next two hundred pages (the right size for the novel) rather than stringing it out for another 500 in a bid for A Great American Novel<br/>(And doesnt this fiction have MOVIE written all over it: gratutious sex and drugs and handsome Bad Boys plunging Down the Tube .. It's shame, since the novel seems a willful squandering of a significant writing talent. A few of the scenes and bits of dialoge were great: others would put high school writing students to shame with their cliched ananities (I would cite chapter and verse, but I can't stand to open this monster again.)<br/>Let me just end with a couple of side comments: first, Tartt seems to forget what she has written: once or twice, she mentions that Theo has a major anxiety problem; but this announcement never works its way into the plot despite all the hero's navel gazing. He travels  himself around the world and back without much  effort. He' s a gutsy thief and liar; anxious people generally have trouble with such things:  they are afraid of getting caught. I suppose you could argue the drugs covered all that up, but the author seldom makes this point (she makes a point about most everything in this novel at least once)..<br/>Secondly, is Theo an alcoholic or just a boring druggie? (This book must have set some sort of record as containing more scenes of ingesting controlled substances than any other fiction.)If Theo is an alky, at least we could look forward to some real tragedy in his next decade or so. But nothing so realistic is suggested; just more of the same apparently. My problem with all this is that Theo remains an 11 year old throughout the story. This is not a bad description of an alcoholic (never grows up), but that would be too uncool for Tritt to argue; but his going on about the  meaningful meaninglessness of life (or vice verse, who knows?)at the (endless) end of the book suggests he is a candidate for rehab. Totally incoherent non-philosophy of life (though granted, that seems to be America Today).<br/>Who was it said something like ""too many authors haven't the time to write a short book""?. Never have I seen a better example than this time waster.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33ROLGNA9VT88?ASIN=0316055441	Hear Me Out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I behave in opposite manners regarding film and books. With a movie, given that I'm generally going to shell out $12-17 for the ticket, plus whatever before-and-after food/drink I might indulge in, I want to make sure that I'm making the best possible decision. I'll read multiple reviews, check and re-check ratings on various websites, and many times I'll go back and forth on my decision for a week or two unless I can get a good opinion from a close friend. With books, however, I leave it all to mystery. I do generally pick a book up based on the recommendation of someone else, but I refuse to research the book (or the author, if I happen not to have read anything by them before) or read any reviews until I am all the way through it.<br/><br/>I'm going to admit that with this one, I struggled. At nearly 800 pages (and a whole month of reading, since most of it was done on the train during my daily commute), there were many times that I felt the need to have a little check-in to see if anyone else shared my thoughts or feelings. I also wanted to know what the painting itself looked like, because despite a minor in Art History that I halfheartedly completed six years ago, I honestly can say I've never heard of Fabritius. Thankfully, I was strong in my resolve and I suffered through the final pages, just as many of you did as well, before unleashing myself on the internet.<br/><br/>Listen. I had many similar gripes. I don't understand the cell phone usage earlier on in the book - my mother had a cell phone around 1999 but it was a brick of a thing with no texting capability. I'm confused about the progression of time with the Barbours and how Andy happened to have an iPhone when he did, and yes, there are several other technological blunders throughout. Anachronistic references could be excused though, given the overall quality of the writing.<br/><br/>Tartt's descriptions are transcendent. To her credit, I'll say that the way she writes about New York (this coming from someone who lives here) can be breathtaking. Theo being carted away to Las Vegas made me feel a deep sorrow and even at times panic because I imagined myself in his situation. How can you even begin to imagine being extracted from a place that is so vibrant and unique and taken to a place that might as well be on another planet, and against your will, when New York is all you've ever known? She was able to make me feel emotions that many writers have not been able to (and that was true for many other parts of the book as well).<br/><br/>That being said, there was a certain tedium to the way she wrote. This, for me, always centered around that stupid painting. Every time Theo looked at the painting, thought about the painting, envisioned it, or had some kind of bizarre fever- or drug-induced dream about it (and it's hard to tell, because he always seems to have a fever or be on drugs), I wanted to chuck the book (excuse me, my Kindle) out the nearest window, which given that most of it was read on the L train, would have involved it getting fried on the third rail, and possibly deservedly so.<br/><br/>So behold, I make it to just past 90% (so my Kindle informed me) and what do I get as a reward? No advancement in plot. Just more of that self-indulgent overly-verbose drivel that I was willing to excuse earlier on. The worst part was that I felt like Donna Tartt, NOT Theo Decker, was telling me what lessons I was supposed to take away from the novel. Forget it. I actually felt like it didn't belong in the novel at all. It seemed like an Afterword. I'm sorry, but I felt like, at that point, I hadn't been trusted to draw my own conclusions and formulate my own feelings based on the previous 700 pages. I might as well have been boxed into a school desk, tapping my pencil or doodling on a sheet of notebook paper while my high school English teacher droned on about the significance of whatever we had just read for class.<br/><br/>Now, to address what I liked about the book and why, prior to finishing it, I recommended it to so many people (in moments of what now seem like foolishly rapturous praise): Donna Tartt somehow, whether by knowing a friend or family member closely enough or experiencing it firsthand, understands depression and drug addiction very well. It made me sad to read so many reviewers calling the book ""depressing"" or saying that Theo is completely unsympathetic. To be astonished by his long string of bad decisions is to neglect to understand that sometimes people, at least in the eyes of society, are fundamentally flawed.<br/><br/>Throughout the novel, I was haunted and yet comforted by the fact that I had so much in common with Theo. Certainly I have never experienced tragedy on such a grand scale, but if you think a person can't continue to make one ill-thought-out decision after another and back themselves into a corner and jeopardize even their own life in the vain pursuit of short-lived pleasures or, more often, out of fear, constant fear, and still be believable, you're wrong. Not only have I made some life-cripplingly bad decisions for some very inane reasons, I am surrounded by evidence that many other people have done the same.<br/><br/>Spend some time navigating the NYC subway system and be confronted with pleas for a warm meal, hot chocolate/coffee, or any change that can be spared to help someone buy a winter coat when it happens to be 10 degrees out with deep snow on the ground and negative wind chills and you'll understand, instantly, that all bad luck aside, people can bring themselves right to the verge of absolute destruction and yet still plod on, day after day. Listen to the (likely apt) criticism of those who beg and you'll hear that no one feels like giving a dime of their hard-earned money to someone who is just going to throw it away on whatever substance or addiction got them into their predicament in the first place.<br/><br/>So yes, Tartt's prose was often dry, certainly pretentious, and borderline preachy at times near the end. She exalted art the point that I was actually ashamed that I had ever decided to study it myself and wondered if I had ever sounded so insufferable. But her ability to carry a narrative in the words of a wounded, flawed, often despicable yet still, in my opinion, well-rounded protagonist such as Theo makes me believe that she is indeed a great writer.<br/><br/>I don't care that some of the other characters were such outright caricatures. And how dare anyone complain about having to sympathize with such a disappointing anti-hero. This is nowhere near the first novel to struggle with a protagonist that is far less than perfect. And speaking of perfect, no piece of writing is perfect, either. Tartt is brilliant, and could have used a skilled editor to pare this piece down into what might actually have deserved the distinction of being hailed a ""masterpiece"" of modern literature.<br/><br/>Take it for what it is. I gave it three stars, but in truth I feel it deserves about 3.5. It's a rather unbelievable story that gets wrapped up and tied together with a bow and string (much like the painting itself does) in an all-too-convenient way. And that followed by an epic post-narrative section that feels like an undergraduate paper on art history meeting and breeding with Philosophy 101 makes it even harder to still call this novel a success. But at nearly 800 pages, it seems rather unfair to discount the incredible work that most of the novel consists of. I can't dismiss the greater parts simply because of the lesser ones, and I think that, if you have the time and the will, this is a book worth reading.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C967RYELB54L?ASIN=0316055441	Odysseus meets Nietzsche	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book contains multitudes. At once a story about the lingering Doppler effect of a deep tragedy, to a story about a boy and his friendships, to a story about a boy and his loves and obsessions, all under the copious umbrella of a boy coming of age under the worst of circumstances. And faintly under it all, the classic ethical dilemma: ""If you were in a burning house with a Van Gogh and a cat, and knew you could only take one, which one would you take? And why?"" If you don't have an answer in your mind already to that question, this book may certainly help you answer it.<br/><br/>Our bar for the credibility of a tragedy that clearly borders on the absurd has certainly risen since 9/11. Nonetheless, what happens at the beginning of this novel will leave you sick and reeling. You want it to mean something, and it does: the metaphor of lost life leading to a found painting, which focuses the energy of a lost little boy, is meaningful. But, somehow the metaphor isn't as redeeming as you'd hope it would be. There's no convenient way to wrap your head around what happens to Theo. The Goldfinch is chained to its perch and so is Theo to The Goldfinch and to the parts of his story he's helpless against.<br/><br/>This book is peopled like a Russian novel, chock full of variously interesting and all remarkably different characters. From upper east side to downtown, from enchanted Manhattan, all the splendors you'd expect in a place that's been at it for longer than the entire nation, to seedy Las Vegas, where abandoned foreclosed houses are being reclaimed by the desert. Multitudes of personalities and quirks and dispositions: ones you wouldn't expect to ever see appearing together in a book, but perhaps are purposely blind to the fact that they do in fact appear together in life, more often than we'd like to admit.<br/><br/>Tartt has an ear for dialect and for dialogue in general, albeit, most of what we hear from Theo happens inside his head. He's a boy turned inward, like a pill bug curled up around himself, endlessly trying to create a barrier from the onslaught of stuff that keeps happening to him. His only extensions into the physical world are either through the tenuous connections to his mother and father-figure, Hobie, and of childhood friendships or through self-medication. It's not that he walks around in a fog. He does feel everything, but never too much and never too closely. He's curious about the world only insofar as what life rafts he can climb into for his own survival. Unmoored, no anchor. And yet, what is the painting but an anchor, to his mother, to his innocence, frozen in time. And, as we learn, it's not the first time nor the last that a work of art has saved a soul.<br/><br/>You feel sorry for Theo, but this isn't some big pity party. He lives it, you watch it, and that's all that you can do: mostly just really really hope he pulls through it all somehow.<br/><br/>Long descriptive prose can work, especially when it contains that deep poetry, those lucid observations that show you something new about the world. Tartt does touch on that kind of poetry sometimes, splendid language that rings so true, eg Hobie touching a picture of Welty, ""a communion wafer's space between the surface and his forefinger"". And especially when she's talking about the painting: ""There's a doubleness..you see the mark, you see the paint for the paint, and also the living bird."" Too often though, the prose is rambling, long, seemingly unedited and repetitive exposition. (exactly what had me abandoning Tartt's The Secret History mostly unread) How many times, after all, do we need to see Boris pulling his hair out of his eyes? Even towards the dreamlike end, we want Tartt to say just one thing, cut to the chase, so to speak, not continue elliptically from thought to thought to thought, all equally beautiful, but still seemingly interminable. But, having said that, I still wanted the book to never end.<br/><br/>Ultimately everything gets thrown up in the air and its anyone's guess where it will all land. The lofty meets the profane. The incredibly incongruous genetics making up Theo meet in the middle. This novel reads like a morality tale, one that Iris Murdoch or A.S. Byatt could have written, where the nuances of good behavior, bad behavior, love and not love, truth and not truth, all the gray between all the extremes is explored. But, ultimately it's about the power of art to linger, haunt, weaken even as it empowers, to transform the mundane into something exceptional and allow us to be grateful for whatever humanity we can muster, to realize that ""it is a glory and a privilege to love what Death doesn't touch.""<br/><br/>ETA: Rarely give 5 stars to anything, but since it's been several days since I finished this book, and since I'm still thinking about it, it needs to be a 5 star. Long, but a page-turner you don't want to end. Phrases that'll stay etched in your mind. So, yeah, five stars.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M6T9H8JV5A1?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch has everything a reader could want in a great absorbing novel of growing up in the age of terrorism	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a national treasure!  It may take her a decade to write a novel but her craftsmanship shows in her beautiful poetic language rife with literary citations evident in her wide reading. The novel is narrated by Theodore Decker the young hero of the story.<br/>  The 784 page novel is  long becoming tedious in spots. Yet the reading process is made well worth the effort  as we meet such intriguing and colorful characters as populate Tartt's many paged epic.<br/>  The  novel is the story of Theodore Decker. Theo's mother and he are in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City when a terrorist bomb explodes. His artsy mother is among the casualties of the attack. She and Theo her only child live alone after the father abandoned the family to move to Las Vegas. Theo is sent West to live with his father. Mr. Decker is a former minor role actor and is an avid gambler and alcoholic. He  has remarried to a rough talking woman. The couple take drugs. Dad Larry is in constant trouble with gambling debts; the mob is always a threat. After his father dies in a traffic accident, Theo returns home to New York. He becomes engaged to a shallow woman who is a member of the family that brought him in to their home following his mother's death. Theodore tells no one of his rescue of ""The Goldfinch"" painting by a famous Dutch artist painted in 1654. The book is a bildungsroman (novel of a character's maturation). The Goldfinch is also a picaresque novel as we follow the journey of Theodore to manhood. He becomes an antique dealer in New York in association with James Hobart an erudite furniture dealer. Theodore also falls in love with Pippa, the niece of Hobart.<br/>  The bare outline of the book given above is but a skeleton of the rich meat found in this hefty work. The Goldfinch is a symbol of the fragility yet permanence of artistic genius throughout the ages. Tartt knows that life is tragedy but in our moments of creation and the enjoyment of beauty we find love and a reason to savor life. the book reminded this reader of an amalgam of ""Great Expectations"" and ""The Catcher in the Rye.""<br/>  Tartt's literary idol is Charles Dickens. Like Dickens who reversed the first two letters of his name Charles Dickens to become David Copperfield so too does Tartt take the first two letters of her name DT reversing them to become Theodore Tartt.<br/>  Author Tartt tells a big shaggy dog story which will surprise and delight you. It is the best contemporary novel I have read it years. the last one hundred pages drag as the author searches for an ending. It will keep you up reading all night and thinking about for a long time to come. This novel is why we read and savor literature. The book is far from perfect but Tartt's book is heads and shoulders over most shallow formulaic fiction which wins popularity on today's market.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXSITUFINEZN1?ASIN=0316055441	Could be half as long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an excellent writer and can offer incredibly descriptive and vividly beautiful passages, however, she went completely overboard on this book. The reader must forage through pages and pages and PAGES of nearly unneccesary details, and bits of conversation that are too ""everyday boring chatter"" to add anything substantial to the plot. I skipped many of the last 20 or so pages just to get to the end of the book, and I don't believe I missed out on any information crucial to the plotline...just SO MANY DETAILS and lengthy philosophical conversations (these mostly towards the end), it was exhausting. A detailed story of Theo's life could have been easily told in half the pages.<br/><br/>Additionally, I was slightly confused on the timeline when references to technology were made... is the 27 year old Theo living in the near distant future? Based on some simple math and general knowledge of tech gadgets, many of the toys 13 year old Theo and his friends had were not yet in existance. This aspect did not deflect from the storyline for me, but it was something that I pondered on multiple occasions.<br/><br/>Also, the end of the book was pretty anti-climatic for me. (Spoiler alert) Despite the action in the rest of the book and all the chaos of the Amsterdam adventure, by the time the reader closes the book, all is good for Theo (though still without Pippa), Boris, and Hobie, and everyone is rolling in money and everything worked out for everybody. No one goes to jail, no one gets caught, no one gets killed, and everyone is friends again. BORING.<br/><br/>Overall, I will not recommend this book to others based on its length despite the fact that I did mostly enjoy the story, that is, when I could find it through all the details (which is why I gave 2 stars instead of 1).</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IMJFGIJQV58W?ASIN=0316055441	Anchor in a Sea of Troubles	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Leafing through an art book, scanning the internet, or visiting a museum, you've probably had a work of art captivate you and then reappear in your mind at various times, perhaps even many times over the course of your life.  What it means to you is personal, for good art is personal.  And so it is with Theo Decker and Carel Fabritius's The Goldfinch.  For Theo, the painting is an anchor to his mother and a representation of order in a disordered world, a world of happenstance.  For everybody else in the novel, faux art dealers, thieves, and his friend Boris, it represents commercial value, value that, ironically, can only be realized indirectly.  Alone, for Theo, it is his anchor in a sea of troubles.<br/><br/>And those troubles abound, recalled from their culmination in an Amsterdam hotel room, beginning with an infraction committed in school that has teen Theo worrying about his fate.  But his real fate proves worse than he could have imagined.  Visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art with his mother, both deserted by their alcoholic and gambling addicted father, they are caught in a terrorist bomb attack.  It leaves Theo separated from his mother, who he learns later has perished, dazed, with an old man he had noticed earlier with a girl his age he found himself drawn to.  The man seems to encourage him to take a painting and entrusts a name and a ring to him.  Theo, with no help in sight, flees with The Goldfinch in his possession.<br/><br/>Now his trying journey through life and maturation begins.  He meets Hobie and the girl Pipa.  The wealthy Barbour family take him only to have his father reappear and remove him to Las Vegas, painted by Tartt as a blown away dream of success and prosperity in a desolate ocean of foreclosed and half-built homes.  Boris, a teen Ukrainian criminal in training, befriends him.  Drugs and alcohol possess him, until he returns to New York to live with Hobie and learn the art restoration business.  He becomes a success.  Unfortunately, he employs devious means that return to bite him.  Worse, a person claiming to know he stole The Goldfinch reveals himself.  Then another more startling secret divulges itself in the person of his long lost friend Boris.  Which, toward the end accounts for Theo's febrile presence in that Amsterdam hotel room over Christmas.<br/><br/>There you have the barebones of the story, but none of its heart, none of Theo's angst over stealing and concealing the painting, or the haunting pain of losing his mother, or his desire for acceptance and love, or his threading of an often hostile world, or the lessons he learns about life, about the chaos and unpredictability of it, and how he comes to terms with himself after little more than a decade of struggle, both inner and imposed.<br/><br/>Some have described The Goldfinch as a Dickens-style novel.  It's that in the expansiveness of the adventure, in the profusion of characters, and in the propulsive plotting and twists.  In many ways, it reminded me a bit of Thackeray's <a class=""a-link-normal"" href=""/Vanity-Fair-Barnes-Noble-Classics/dp/1593080719"">Vanity Fair (Barnes &amp; Noble Classics)</a>, in that Theo develops and employs his cunning to survive and prosper, though Becky Sharpe never becomes as introspective and reformed as Theo.<br/><br/>Highly recommended for the story, the artful plotting, the colorful and colorfully presented characters, and Tartt's impressive knowledge of low- and high-life, as well as the meaning of art and the art underworld.  It's a tale you'll easily lose yourself in.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A65T0WQKLE98?ASIN=0316055441	Great story ruined by far too many words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This will likely be the most complicated review I've ever done. I absolutely loved the plot and the characters and would have loved them even more were there 400 less pages. Everything every good review has said is true. However, about every other page you will find Donna babbling on and on but adding nothing to the story. Without sounding trite, if you were to ask her what time it is she would tell you how to build a watch and throw in a detailed description of how Big Ben was built: Nail, by nail, by nail. Sadly buried within all this gibberish are some very meaningful parts that can easily be missed if (like me) you find yourself trying to skim through the minutia.<br/><br/>About midway through the book I also had the feeling she was trying to use every word ever created; and some I think she created! She also came up with a whole bunch of new ways to use words that totally puzzled and confused me. (Often leaving me to wonder if I really got the message. Or if there was one in their somewhere.) Add to that, sentence after sentence that were just left hanging in almost every conversation in the book. I actually found myself looking for complete sentences, by anybody, about 70% into the book.)<br/><br/>Would I recommend this book? Probably not. It's got some great attributes but getting to them requires the patients of a saint and a mind that can sort out the plot from the irrelevant babble. (No, I'm not talking about the drug or alcohol induced ramblings which I got but rather the constant mind wanderings of every character that added nothing to the plot.)<br/><br/>I wish there was a way to go from the first 50 pages to the last 50 pages and understand the last 50 pages! For, it's the last 50 pages that make this book so wonderful and worth the Pulitzer Prize. So, if you can slog your way through page after page of mindless wandering, the end is worth it but it's truly a long haul!<br/><br/>If you do decide to read The Goldfinch have plenty of time and a good supply of alcohol on hand. The stronger, the better.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MFZ1PNAUSAV1?ASIN=0316055441	Slow boring and sluggish...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story got so slow I fell asleep reading it numerous times. I gave up reading it three times and finally forced myself finish because it was a prize winning Novel! Who the heck ever though tiis book deserves a prize needs their head examined!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EKYIL3ZVJSAK?ASIN=0316055441	I wish she wrote more often...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like anyone who reads and loves Donna Tartt, I eagerly await her new novels.  This is the most complex to date, but the world is so carefully drawn that you feel like you're living there; sometimes feeling euphoric and sometimes seedy right along with the characters.<br/><br/>It's really a coming of age story, but not in the halcyon days of summer vein.  Theo Decker is a smart kid left to grow into a man on his own after a tragedy kills his mother (this happens right away and is not a spoiler), the only person in his life who could have really guided him.  As a  result, we're basically watching him mature by nature alone with very little nurture, aside from Hobie, his eccentric friend who moves through life bounded by the barriers he's set up against the outside world. When Theo steps outside Hobie's boundaries, he's on his own again.  When he meets Boris, a Ukrainian student at his high school in Las Vegas, they play out the fantasy of two young high school kids with little supervision.  Boris lives this role easily, Theo less so, although Boris becomes his family and the time they spend together gives Theo a skewed sense of stability.<br/><br/>All along, Theo holds onto The Goldfinch, a thing of beauty and the last remaining link to his mother and the man he might have become and still may be.<br/><br/>Beautifully written, The Goldfinch reminds you that some people have a remarkable gift with words.  While some have said it was slow, I didn't find it to be that at all.  It was rich and sensual, meant to be savored and not blown through to see what happens next.  Plenty happens in this book, but to understand Theo's journey, you have to take it with him and that takes some time.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R313I6YMBBSZ28?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent reading!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm so glad I chose to read this book. Beautifully written. Difficult to put down. The characters and story stayed with me when I wasn't reading it and pulled me back into reading. It certainly deserved the Pulitzer Prize. It will stay with me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14FOUE533KN6P?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book and Tartt is a good story teller	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book and Tartt is a good story teller. It got to a point where I wondered however if there was ever going to be an ending to all of it. In a way there really wasn't and I'm wondering if the tale is still spinning in the writer's mind.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZZ5P8K7H67AB?ASIN=0316055441	boring the reader	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The descriptions in this book were too extensive and seemed to drag on and on and on ..... boring the reader.  It took all of my will power to finish the book in time for my book club night.  Shorten the book by half and it might be a good read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJKAB85ETJIA0?ASIN=0316055441	... can only say that I thought the book could easily be cut by a lot of pages that really ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can only say that I thought the book could easily be cut by a lot of pages that really did not need to be in the book. It was long, and<br/>very tedious reading.  The story line was truly interesting, but I found myself bored in many places.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D3438RJ1CT2S?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize? I labored to slog through 800 pages ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pulitzer Prize? I labored to slog through 800 pages of minutiae and laborious use of language and endless description. The last couple hundred pages were especially sleep-inducing, and then the resolution of the plot(s) was disappointing to me.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCX102MC44XHO?ASIN=0316055441	A great story, just too much of it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I expected to love this book. After all, it's almost 800 pages of Pulitzer prize winning material.  But, I didn't.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch is the story of Theo. When we first meet Theo, he is 13 and has been suspended from school. On the morning that Theo and his mother are supposed to meet with the school, they take a detour and visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. They go to see his mother's favorite picture, a goldfinch done by an old master with very few remaining art works in existence.  A stunning act of violence takes the life of Theo's mother (and many others); Theo himself is injured, and when he awakens from the explosion, he finds himself in a room with a man he saw earlier in the museum, with a girl his age.  Theo stays with him until he dies, and then leaves to find his mother, who he does not know is gone.<br/><br/>The premise of the book is great, as is the writing. The problem with the book is that it takes almost 800 pages to say what could better be said in 400.  The 13 year old Theo first stays with friends, there is a hunt for an appropriate family for Theo, then the father who abandoned Theo and his mom years before shows up to take him home. Theo's life continues in this vein, as he struggles to fit in,  and has to deal with real issues that remain from his mother's death. But the descriptions go on forever, and Theo does the same things over and over, and I found myself flipping through the last third of the book because I wanted to know how it ended, but I didn't want to read every single page.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch is worth a try; some people I spoke to loved it, some people felt more like I did. I just think there needed to be less...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9D96R0ULKKBX?ASIN=0316055441	I found it hard to follow, fragmented. It ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it hard to follow, fragmented. It took forever to get from one disaster to another and never came to a resolution. When I finally completed the book I was reminded of a line of poetry ""… it ended not with a bang but a whimper.""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSAWBGE8GOZ21?ASIN=0316055441	The author gave what I thought was an accurate and painful portrayal of how a young person can slip into ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although this book got a bit longer in places than I might have preferred, I really couldn't stop reading it.  The author gave what I thought was an accurate and painful portrayal of how a young person can slip into a situation out of control.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGU1VU2J3W5I1?ASIN=0316055441	This book started out very strong-otherwise I wouldn't have stuck ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book started out very strong-otherwise I wouldn't have stuck with it. Then it dragged on and on and on. I skimmed over long, drawn-out dialogue, and ridiculous amounts of detail, hoping it would either become interesting again. It didn't.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UDZ73I8NTL17?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought her style of writing was superb. However, in many instances, there was too much info. especially concerning the section of his friendship with Boris &amp; the drug culture. Way more than I needed to know. My favorite character was Hobie.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWPHMSIC5O7RA?ASIN=0316055441	This won a Pulitzer Prize?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">God, I hated this book. I really should probably give it only one star but somehow I felt bad giving only one star to a book that not only got a slew of ecstatic reviews in some of the better book-reviewing media but actually won the Pulitzer Prize.<br/><br/>Overwritten, pretentious. The book seemed be trying to say Something Important and Significant, except it didn't. Still,I  plodded throiugh to the end, mainly  because after all I was kind of interested in what happened to that painting. She had me worried about it -- was the panicky protagonist going to end up pitching it into one of those canals in Amsterdam or something?<br/><br/>Overall,, what a BORING book. I can't believe that some reviewers actually compared this novel to Dickens. Well;, I could see that she had, at some timne, read Great Expectations -- but Dickens, Donna Tartt is drfinitely NOT. Heck, she's not even Wilkie Collins. Those guys knew how to write a good story.<br/><br/>I don't think that my dislike of this book is based on the fact that I didn't like any of the characters much.  I don't need to like the characters to like a novel, but they need to be interesting and at least somewhat recognizable as real human beings.  Dickens' characters are sometimes implausible but rarely uninteresting.<br/><br/>Tartt's  worst characterization was probably Boris, the protagonist's Russian pal.. She gave every standard, stereotypical ""Russian"" characteristic to Boris.<br/><br/>Years ago I read and hated The Secret History, -- so I should have known better, but all the good reviews of this one suckered me in.<br/><br/>Will try not to be fooled into  reading another Donna Tarttt novel ever again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P60WFCD41RZB?ASIN=0316055441	Love	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am going to give it away here, as I understand it anyway, so don't read this if you don't want  to. The Goldfinch: Why does an artist take the time to create even what will be an enduring masterpiece of art, when the subject is a small, helpless creature, chained to a post in such a way that the artist, onlooker, could easily set him free, but doesn't? It is as if the artist/onlooker doesn't even think of setting the bird free. Herein is the metaphor for this 782 page sprawling novel, which covers the trajectory of one gifted, innocent boy, whose life is decimated when his mother is killed when he is 12 in a 911 like blast at of all places...the Metropolitan Museum of Art.<br/><br/>Much happens, but the boy, and the young man he grows into, comes to seem beyond help. People come and go, the scenery changes and no one is really willing or able to intervene and or help or heal the catastrophic loss in young Theo. The reader reads on, enthralled by the great writing, carried along, appreciating descriptions, insights, such well drawn characters. But the metaphor of the painting invites us to a deeper experience. I think Donna Tartt is asking us to feel deeply for Theo, and  for all the other wounded characters who bumble along, sometimes quite brilliantly, in the world, all the while unable to feel deeply or genuinely enough to be of real help one another or themselves. Ultimately Theo (spolier alert) is able to pull himself up by himself and find some redemption. There is a kind of crucifixion (i.e. the painting again) event (in Amsterdam, at Christmas) and resurrection.<br/><br/>I finished the book more than a month ago. It has taken me all this time to find these bumbling words for deep thoughts the book started in me. The key to this very big book is to hold all that happens within the simple idea of the bird and it's artist/onlooker. The masterpiece of this novel is pointing back at us, asking us about us.  We look on, we read, but are we affected, heartfully? Do we learn from art something moral, generous, or are we merely consumers? Wouldn't it have been better if the bird had been set free?<br/><br/>Wouldn't it have been better, as Theo/Tartt says, if Theo's mother had lived? We are called to compassion. Most of all for all small, broken creatures, most of all for ourselves, and for life, so filled with onlookers too busy and themselves too broken to ever be able to love us as much as or as well as we need to become the fulfillment of our great potential.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TTZITG564ODT?ASIN=0316055441	Just okay	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although it gets better in places, I didn't find the book terribly engaging. I found myself just trying to get through it so I could move onto something else. Has interesting aspects, however, and does leave you with something to think about.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38LQQMPEHKQK?ASIN=0316055441	... and his journey from childhood into manhood and the good people who helped him along the way and the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An absorbing well written story of a lost boy and his journey from childhood into manhood and the good people who helped him along the way and the not so good people who opened up other paths that could have destroyed him. Totally absorbing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIRWY3WHFJ4QQ?ASIN=0316055441	All in the Small Details	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The smallest thing can have the largest impact on your life. It can be the cause of endless ""what-if"" moments that bring you to question everything. This kind of thinking hunts Theo of Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch.<br/><br/>A tale of tragic loss, secrecy, and superiority from knowledge of that precious secret. These small moments have a tendency to define us. Following Theo through his life after having taken the priceless Dutch painting ""The Goldfinch,"" we learn about the stresses and pressures, and their short and long term effects, that come from the secrets that our youth so commonly hold, and, in Theo's case, that ""The Goldfinch"" fosters.<br/><br/>It was incredibly descriptive language that carries the reader through the tome of 770+ pages of narrative. The parallels drawn between surface and depth with ""The Goldfinch"" painting and the people in Theo's life was well done and rather subtle in it's delivery. Good character portrayals; I had a good sense of who they were, particularly Boris and Hobie (who reminded me of a combination of Hodor and Hagrid).<br/><br/>How things all worked out was far too convenient for my liking--it had more of a Hollywood ending that frustrates me because it's nothing like the harsh realities of real life, which there was plenty of in the beginning of the novel. I felt the story was not established in time too well in the beginning when the catastrophic events occurred--case in point is that I thought that it was part of 9/11, but it seems to have taken place at a different time. I then just suspended a need to know when it took place.<br/><br/>Overall, I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AVRXIJDZ7IAD?ASIN=0316055441	Found myself skimming paragraphs towards the end. I am ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found myself skimming paragraphs towards the end.  I am personally not a fan of writing that uses 20 words when 3 will do, regardless of how artfully those 20 are arranged.  The story was not all that unique, and in the end, not satisfying.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10KPNJB8H1ND4?ASIN=0316055441	Learned a great deal about myself and the value of giving others ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reading this novel kept me on an emotional merry-go-round.Every minute so worthy of my time.Learned a great deal about myself and the value of giving others the patience it takes to appreciate their lives. ABSOLUTELY a 5 star piece of work.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38KXDAARBX0Y5?ASIN=0316055441	Well-written. long engaging saga	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It felt like I was watching each scene it was so vividly described.  it is all there in the life of the protagonist: tragedy, loneliness, desolation, love, redemption.  It is long but stay with it to the end/  You will be glad that you did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ3D5NKDE2QHO?ASIN=0316055441	Worth it, but you better make the time...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, but it takes commitment. It's certainly a remarkable story, but often times takes too long to arrive at a point. I remain a fan Tartt, however, and look forward to her next endeavor...as long as it's 200 pages shorter.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UUULX7YKT8ZB?ASIN=0316055441	The first 1/3 - to 1/2 is very engaging, ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first 1/3 - to 1/2 is very engaging, you won't want to put it down.  I thought it was well written and engaging to that point.  The last 1/4 was weak - I lost interest and had to flip through pages of philosophy to find the plot again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R128M05XD22GZS?ASIN=0316055441	Painting a story with words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt uses words to paint a masterpiece, incorporating ""The Goldfinch' as its central focus.<br/><br/>Carel Fabritius, a Dutch Master, captured the essence of this innocent little bird, sentenced to spending its life imprisoned by a chain to its perch. Through unfortunate circumstances, Fabritius was killed in his studio by an explosion that occurred in the area. Centuries later, courtesy of the talented Ms. Tartt, the bird in this little painting becomes an innocent participant imprisoned by many chains of events.<br/><br/>Theo (the narrator and central character of the novel) is a survivor of a terrorist bombing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which claimed the life of his mother and that of other patrons. After the explosion, during his search for his mother, he befriended a dying antiques dealer who pleaded for him to save the painting. This chance encounter lays the foundation for the story as Theo absconded with the painting. The story line through the use of flashbacks chronicles Theo's life before, during, and after the explosion. The reader is swept into Theo's journey (and that of the painting) as survival in his now motherless life is challenged by a cast of dysfunctional characters, plunging the reader along with Theo into what is sometimes an unforgiving and nefarious world.<br/><br/>The vividly descriptive narrative gives the reader the sense of physically being in places along with Theo, and seeing the world through his eyes.The story has many unforseen twists and turns, creating a novel that the reader cannot put down. This novel won the Pulitzer prize for fiction, and I couldn't think of a more deserving award.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REONHY59OD1VZ?ASIN=0316055441	This novel needed a good editor who would have cut the book in half	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel needed a good editor who would have cut the book in half. The last 50% of it is interminable, goes around making no progress on the plot and repeats itself in a maddening fashion. The novel has no true end. Don't torture yourself.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C90A2S4WB62H?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize wasted on this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Life is too short to spend time wading through this preposterous novel, full of sickeningly wordy passages glorifying drug use.  Moreover, it was unevenly written, at times strikingly well, but predominantly trite and verbose.  I loathed it!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PJZFLUNSTY8Y?ASIN=0316055441	Magnificent and moving	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I was immediately taken with Donna Tartt's rich, authoritative writing, it took me awhile to get pulled into this book. Some elements are so Dickensian (not to mention the broad picaresque sweep of the narrative) that they seem plucked from the 19th century and jarringly anachronistic when juxtaposed with terrorist bombings, cell phones, and the like. The main ""maguffin"" driving the narrative--that a teenage boy is obsessed by a small, intimate, 17th-century masterwork that by a freakish twist of fate comes into his possession--is more than a bit of a stretch. And parts are admittedly a bit overwritten and repetitious. However, if you allow yourself to go along for the ride, the vivid depictions of place; the intricate interactions of the characters; the eventful story irresistibly propelled by the quirks of personality and the mysterious workings of destiny; and raw, insightful musings on what it all can possibly mean are absorbing, compelling, and extremely poignant. Many sentences and passages are beautifully written, yet they never feel like showboating; they are always in the service of conveying Theo's incisively intelligent and anguished response to a tumultuous world. Now that I have just finished reading it, I feel both enormously satisfied and bereft--and since I recently learned that the movie rights have been sold, I am busy casting it in my head (and praying Hollywood doesn't make a hash of it). I couldn't help picturing Ciaran Hinds as Hobie, and Chloe Moretz could make a fine Pippa. This could be fun. If anyone has any other casting ideas, please chime in. Perhaps the producers will pay attention to our recommendations!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HXF7BF157B7L?ASIN=0316055441	Most depressing book ever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would not recommend this book to anyone. It was torture reading it. It is based on the premiss that you have no control over your life and that bad can lead to good or vice versa. it is the worst book I have read perhaps in my entire life</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HR2ULFBMY540?ASIN=0316055441	Hang onto your hat!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book.  It was a real page turner and brought wonderful characters to life that now seem bigger than life.  I recommended this to friends, saying it was somewhere between Catcher in the Rye and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R139PDRELZT2YT?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't Put It Down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't know what to expect before reading this book. All I would like to say is that the story will totally pull you in. I had a hard time putting it down quickly enough to jump off at my subway stop! Wish I could read it all over again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19PIIMUQDO51K?ASIN=0316055441	very disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had such high hopes for this book.  The second  chapter was interesting and the plot seemed intriguing.  I just wish the book took a different direction from early on.  If only I could have the time back I wasted finishing this novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXT0L87XNAW21?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to put down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent story.  Well told, although a bit on the dystopian end of the spectrum. The redemption element is not as prevalent as I had hoped.  Once one gets into the story, it is difficult to find a convenient point to give it a rest.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LHBW3YJ6C9JJ?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has a complicated and creative storyline, but the forward motion of the story kept stalling, and the book seemed endless, but not in a good way.  This book needed a good editor to cut extraneous text and keep the story moving.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM78TWGWAUC61?ASIN=0316055441	Loved This Book-One of My Favorites	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book! The characters were well developed and the writing was beautiful. I understand it took the author 10 years to write-it was well worth the time she took to present this book to the public. Do yourself a favor and read it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DVUHUN2D9VZL?ASIN=0316055441	long and wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Many people told me to read this book and when I finally did it took me quite a while to ""get into it."" While it was intriguing at times, I also found it tedious and slow much of the time.  And at the end I kept expecting more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AR8LLNYDVXPJ?ASIN=0316055441	I would not recommend it to other readers	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the author is an extraordinary writer, I felt that the story got bogged down with too many words.  I also didn't care for the message of the story and found the book very depressing.  I would not recommend it to other readers.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R138Q4I67ZU0UE?ASIN=0316055441	Mercurial Feelings	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How can your heart not go out to Theo who obtains a glorious painting (and mysterious ring) after his mother dies from a bomb explosion?  As the plot progresses, you feel a wide range of feelings towards this young man.<br/><br/>No matter how mercurial my feelings towards Theo ranged, I could not help but love him.  He is bounced from place to place with the stolen painting being his dearest touch to his mother.<br/><br/>Theo moves in with his friend Andy's family on Park Avenue.  Andy is sickly and Theo has a complex fascination with Andy's mom.  Yes Andy's ""mom has got it going on.""  Andy spends his free time at an antique shop run by a Boris Karloff-like antique restoration artist named Hobie.<br/><br/>As a teenager, Theo is living outside of Vegas in a pretentious Kardashian-like home with a grown-up Honey Boo Boo for a step-mom.  His father is out of touch and could possible be an angry zombie from the ""Living Dead"".<br/><br/>Wouldn't that drive any teenager to booze, drugs, and PIZZA?  Thank heavens, Theo finds a best friend in Boris.  That adds a whole new dimension of life, excitement and danger for Theo.<br/><br/>Dad dies, Theo returns to New York to the one consistency he has had in his life beyond the magic of the ""Goldfinch"" painting--antiques.  Theo loves to work with antiques, sell antiques and hang with Hobie.  Wax-on, wax-off...is the key to taking care of fine antique wood.<br/><br/>However nothing is always as it seems...danger is afoot.<br/><br/>Till the end of the book, I found myself cheering for Theo and then missed him immediately upon reading the last page.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKI893L1KW2JU?ASIN=0316055441	The worst book ever !!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't believe this win a Pulitzer !! A drug addicted thief !! I forced myself to read it,,, waiting for a story !!!  There is no story line ... Just blather ... Non stop<br/>Absolutely awful !!!!<br/>Shouldn't even rate 1 star !!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MHPQZSKZZILQ?ASIN=0316055441	This book was way too long. The story and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was way too long.  The story and the characters were interesting but it was so drawn out in so many places.  It all could have been said in half the number of pages.  I never give up on a book but I almost did with this one.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AFZ30AM1CRGK?ASIN=0316055441	lived up pretty well to all the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I heard a lot about this book and had to see what all the hype was about. The first 100 pages or so were hard to get through. I'm glad I kept reading to see the rest of the plot. The ending made me think and didn't end how I expected.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VJXLWT5RB95U?ASIN=0316055441	Spectacular	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not for the reader who likes rock em sock em action, but rather it is to be read and savored and enjoyed. I took my time reading it, and delved as deeply as I knew how into the narrative. I absolutely loved it. Thank you, Donna Tartt!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R284M0ZMV5PVXP?ASIN=0316055441	Pip meets Oliver Twist in post-9/11 NYC.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Modern-day Dickens tale replete with great characters written in an elegant prose that remains steady at full gallop. An engaging and affectionate portrayal of modern youth that's clear-eyed and unsentimental. Best new novel in years.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JWUBH3Q1SXEF?ASIN=0316055441	What was the fuss about?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I saved this one for  vacation, because it had been on the Best Seller list for so long.  The beginning showed promise, but by the time this poor kid was dragged to Las Vegas by the father who had abandoned him earlier, I gave up on it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GMI79JO0VLV9?ASIN=0316055441	The Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In a way I am giving myself five stars for staying with the book.  This book would never work without the reader understanding the bond between Boris and Theo and Hobie and Theo.  The plot is irrelevant but believing in the bond of the characters is what makes the book.  The author is very good at building relationships that move the plot.  I really liked The Little Friend  for the same reason.  I also liked this book in spite of the author spending the last twenty pages hitting me over the head with the ""Big Truth.""<br/><br/>The other thing I liked about this book is that Theo sometimes has so little to say and doesn't know what to do or how to act...especially at pivotal moments.  His best trait is listening and trying to form sense from what he's hearing.  When he is alone and with himself...a totally different Theo emerges to narrate.  One who is sure, ironic, sometimes sarcastic, but someone who knows what he wants right at the moment.  It's the two Theos that kept me interested.<br/><br/>While reading I was reminded of Allesandro from A Soldier of the Great War by Mark Helprin who risked capture and death from the Germans to go to visit and see a painting, La Tempesta as the woman with the child in it are the only ones who can calm him in his increasingly mad world.  In the Goldfinch, the painting plays a far more significant role but something about the younger Theo brought me to remember Allesandro and a book I hadn't read in twenty-five years.  Both authors were making the same point that is isn't the painting as much as it is the world we are living in and the painting that makes it make sense.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F5M0G5E21MUR?ASIN=0316055441	OK for a light holiday read - not too taxing on the brain	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I vacillated for ages about whether or not to read The Goldfinch.  I was discouraged by the negative New Yorker review (with which I mostly agree now that I have read the book) but I knew that the book's popularity was an indication of how it was enjoyed and devoured by many readers.  The factor that encouraged me to read it was the fact that the novel won the Pulitzer Prize.<br/><br/>I see no reason to write a long review because there are hundreds to choose from.  My brief opinion is that the book is a cut above ""Gone Girl"" in terms of literary merit but that's not saying much.  It is entirely plot driven and its the author's self-conscious cleverness is irritating.  The plot twists are predictable where they are internally consistent and laughable when they are not.<br/><br/>The main character remains juvenile even into adulthood and Boris (who is the most interesting character by far) is a caricature and entirely unconvincing.  The best writing is early on in the book and the scenes in Las Vegas when the main protagonist is young but his behaviour and internal dialogue as an adult is laughable.<br/><br/>Although I've only given the book 3 stars I would recommend it as a light holiday read or an audiobook for a long journey because its easy on the brain and generally not taxing or requiring great concentration.  I don't know what the criteria are for the Pulitzer but if this is an indication of what it takes to win the prize then its imprimatur is not of the highest quality.<br/><br/>I would recommend it for young adults but there is a lot (and I mean a lot) of illicit and inappropriate drug use.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VXMZL3LVU1L3?ASIN=0316055441	Tome of a book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This tome, (Very LONG) is an interesting insight into the drug world and how perceptions are clouded when drugs, alcohol included, are involved.  Our book club had a very interesting discussion on not only the book but also the author.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K1WU4HYQOKBW?ASIN=0316055441	The perfect novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely stunning. Stephen King was absolutely spot on when he wrote that a book like this comes along only 3 or 4 times in a decade. I never lost interest for a moment. An amazing writer. Tartt is the real deal. Don't miss this one.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PG49HSG7F60G?ASIN=0316055441	It would have been so much better if it had been half that length	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was too long!  It would have been so much better if it had been half that length.  I kept looking for some redeeming qualities to show up in all the drugs and alcohol.  I was disappointed in the Pulitzer Prize winning novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE8IZ4YFYF876?ASIN=0316055441	Good (albeit lengthy) read--	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">engrossing, fascinating, and at times I had to keep reminding myself that this was not a true story.  I loved that the timeline is ambiguous, as if it could be happening in present day and in the future.  Great read, would recommend.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XM7MMCTAZNHQ?ASIN=0316055441	While the story is interesting, I find the overuse ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the story is interesting, I find the overuse of semicolons and colons maddening. There are nine semicolons and colons in the first three paragraphs. The lack of clear and concise writing is not so award-winning, in my opinion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LIGCP26UZH06?ASIN=0316055441	A review of 'The Goldfinch' by Norma Pace	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book probably relates more to a young audience and is desperately in need of an editor who can do his/her job of proofing Donna Tartt's work.  Young people have grown up with issues being broadcast over TVs as soon as it happens.  It seems to me that they are also dealing with issues on a day to day basis with coworkers, associates, friends, and family that I did not have as issues as a young adult.  Some of the issues dealt with in this book are:  drug use, stealing, drinking, lying, and killing.  I'm a grandmother and my generation did not have all of the wonders of tech items like computers, smart phones, digital TV cable news broadcast day and night, and seeing war being brought into our homes on TV at the six o'clock news when families were sitting down to eat.  Today's generation gets to see breaking news instantly and so do grandparents but being able to visually see happenings in the news quickly, was not something that was available 24/7 during 1950-1960.  Where were the editors who edited this book?  Did they take a nap and just put their stamp of approval on the contents and send it off to be published?  Do editors look at the punctuation or grammar like my English teachers did when I was writing in high school and college?  I cannot find any support to give 'The Goldfinch' a Pulitzer Prize.  The writer, Donna Tartt, is a gifted writer and so talented but, she needs help.  She needs to sit down with a teacher of grammar/punctuation to go over her book because editors have not done their job by letting punctuation/grammar errors slip by them. I would give 'The Goldfinch' 1 star.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUDWSOEKDHQ89?ASIN=0316055441	One of the year's best.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the book.  It is very dense with detail and a plot that spans several decades with many plot twists and finely wrought, downright Dickensian characters.  Donna Tartt is a towering intellect and accomplished writer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCLXGN9P9TOMW?ASIN=0316055441	I really did not like the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It starts out to be a very interesting and exciting book, but halfway through it, it back very long, drawn out, and wordy. I finished it, but it took me a long time because I don't give up. I really did not like the ending. Sorry.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WZMDC66OJEDP?ASIN=0316055441	Characters come alive and the plot transfixes - not a book to be put aside.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How many life lessons can be taught in one book?  Enter Donna Tartt's world of art, drugs, functionless families, and the yearning we all have for friends and family devotion and you may wonder as I did at how innocent I had been.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R288MZC0MPX3Y4?ASIN=0316055441	Thought provoking book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was excellent. It is really unusual and made one think about one's values and what is important in life.  The characters were so well drawn.  The main character may not be your typical 'good guy', but he was so likeable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37FDG3XM655GA?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is in competition for the Best Book I've ever read!<br/><br/> I thumbed thru a paperback copy in Costco awhile back-- way before I heard of it's winning the Pulitzer. I actually ordered it as a Kindle special later on when I had time to devote to an 800 pg. book. Now I can't find it in paperback in any bookstore so will order the hardback now &amp; paperback later. Yes. It's SO good I have to have it in 3 formats.<br/><br/> I was actually pacing the floor while reading the last portion of the story because the tension to find out how the resolution would come was kin to the final scenes of a truly tense cliffhanger film. Just had to read while pacing. So well written that I didn't want to skip to the end to find out.<br/><br/>  I won't divulge any details because I hadn't had any when I began reading and found that that fact  added to the enjoyment as the story unfolded. Suffice it to say that Donna Tartt  is wonderful, wonderful storyteller &amp; writer. I would be amazed if anyone disliked this book even if they aren't as amazed and thrilled as I am.<br/><br/> I've read some reviews that state that her previous book ""The Secret History"" is better &amp; I have to disagree. I read it after I finished ""The Goldfinch"" &amp; while it is definitely well-written and worthy, I find ""The Goldfinch"" to be a better *story*all around. Polished writing and a wonderful, involving, tale-well-told.<br/><br/>  I've recommended this book to all my bookish buddies and will do the same to anyone who asks.<br/><br/> Obtain this book by whatever means necessary. It is That Good!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26OW0FIYYK5XV?ASIN=0316055441	Depression as a vocation?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Let me add my voice to the chorus of thousands who enjoyed Tartt's latest book.<br/><br/>A bomb, an impulsive theft, chance encounters that change a life -- these are the themes. As woe compounds upon woe, it becomes sometimes difficult to suspend disbelief. Her protagonist drift through life, a casual drug user without any apparent passion. Imagine a Russian novel without the moral angst. That's Tartt's world.<br/><br/>Oddly, I read the first couple of hundred pages of the book quickly, and then put it down, only to return to it months later. Perhaps that reflects the strengths and weakness of the work as a whole. The writing is lovely, and setting familiar and rendered with care, and the loss of a mother to violin compelling. What will become of the boy?<br/><br/>I lost interest when he left for Las Vegas, to struggle in America's wasteland.<br/><br/>But I cared enough about his life course to return, and I followed him back to New York, and then to Europe. All along the way I kept waiting for him to awaken to a greater sense of self. Tragically, he never does. He drifts, perhaps benumbed by all that he lost. But, more likely, he was never really alive to life's possibilities.<br/><br/>I don't know Tartt's work, or Tartt. I will read more of her. I can't tell whether her gift is to render the depressive's world in exquisite detail, or whether her message is simpler: there is nothing to hope for, and life is an amazing drift from here to there, a random ride about which nothing much can be said. The point, she may say, is not to live well, but to write well about living poorly.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R364PUMOEV5M6U?ASIN=0316055441	Good story line	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very good in the beginning and middle but not the end. It went on for to long...seemed like it would never be over. Not sure I would read another by same author for fear it will drag out the same way this story did.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OISLWRHDKNV8?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those rare books where the words disappear and the story truly comes to life; I knew that if I took the subway downtown and walked past Welty and Hobie's shop, Hobie would be on the other side of that dusty window.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FTRR63J5MC27?ASIN=0316055441	Badly overwritten novel with unappealing characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'd been putting off reading this book, despite all the accolades it garnered, until I had some uninterrupted time to devote to it.  I'm compulsive about finishing what I start, but my compulsion was sorely tested this time.  Some of Donna Tartt's writing is simply gorgeous, which might have been sufficient to keep me interested in her massive novel, but from the first chapter she seemed determined to throw me out of the story.  The sheer unlikeability of almost all the characters (with the occasional exception of Hobie and young Pippa) gave me nowhere to pin my loyalty.  Theo's unhealthy attachment to his mother, to the exclusion of everyone else in his life, rang false.  Has the author never known a 13-year-old boy?  That's the age at which children begin to pull away from the psychic umbilical cord and begin to push against the boundaries of the cocoon their parents have spun around them since infancy.  Theo never grows up; he is the least self-aware narrator imaginable.  And as for Boris -- this young, degenerate, drug-addled, alcoholic, dirty-minded stereotype of the bad-boy best friend served no purpose in the book other than to show just how weak and easily misled Theo really was.  I despised him from start to finish.  His presence was an excuse for pages and pages of repetitious descriptions of drunken episodes fueled by drugs and alcohol.  I've seen too much in real life of the effects of this sort of self-indulgent, perpetually adolescent behavior to find it interesting, much less compelling.<br/><br/>In short, Donna Tartt could have used a good editor.  (Loved the painting, though.)</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15JY26ENXSKV9?ASIN=0316055441	Still wondering about  the 'point' and main idea	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was an interesting journey to take with this author. The ride was exciting, yet mundane; uplifting, and still depressing; significant, but dismissive. I find myself wondering if there was somehow a deeper point that I missed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EDRCBBZAJ3VV?ASIN=0316055441	very mediocre reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading this novel, I now seriously question how this one got a Pullitzer. The storytelling was at best mediocre and boring. There is nothing that fascinated me or kept me glued to the book. I would not recommend this book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UAKSUE5DXMWO?ASIN=0316055441	Too many words!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were so many unnecessary adjectives, my head was in a spin.  Okay, I get it.  It was magnificent, but stop with more examples.  This was a tedious book and the only reason I finished it was because we had it for Book Club!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36SSU3QCLR9PG?ASIN=0316055441	This book is not easy..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you’ve not read The Goldfinch and you’re trying to decide if you should, first figure out what type of reader you are. How much are you willing to tolerate while reading a book? Do you sometimes choose to struggle through a classic or highly praised novel just for the experience or do you read to relax and escape? This book is not easy...it is not an escape...and you will not be relaxed while reading it; but I can’t say that I’m sorry to have struggled through the almost 800 pages. I am sure there are excerpts and ideas from this book that will stay with me. But overall, the book is way too long, goes off on ridiculous tangents (does the author have ADD?) and is full of hopelessness, depression, and darkness. Even Theo’s philosophical ponderings (meant to make sense of it all) are idiosyncratic.<br/><br/>It’s difficult for me personally when I can’t relate to or care for the main characters in a book. Although Theo’s situation is heartbreaking and I was angry at the system for his circumstances, I wasn’t able to ever accept Theo’s decisions and actions. But overall, what killed this story was the droning on, constantly off topic interjections of the author. Just when I’d be at a highly anticipated section in the story, Tartt would go off on a confusing spiel that left me scrambling to interpret.<br/><br/>I recently heard that The Goldfinch may become a movie...I think it could be an interesting, exciting movie...in the same way that Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is interesting and exciting. In this rare instance, I think I’ll enjoy The Goldfinch movie more than the book!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22T1R4V72F0CN?ASIN=0316055441	Long, long, story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It must have been a slow year for Pulitzer Prize contenders. While the book is fast-paced and interesting in the beginning, it begins to slow down in the middle the plot involves too many characters. Theodore Decker and his mother are the victims of a terrorist attack at the Metropolitan Museum of Art when Theo is just 12 years old. His mother  is killed and he survives long enough to be the recipient of a famous painting, ""The Goldfinch"", which is left hanging on the wall, undamaged. An elderly man who is dying tells Theo to take the painting and gives him a signet ring. Theo escapes from the museum and goes to live with his wealthy friend, Andy. Theo's father, who left him and his mother, returns to New York from Las Vegas with his girlfriend and they take Theo back to Las Vegas to live with them (no one knows Theo has the painting). In Las Vegas, Theo becomes friends with Boris, a Ukranian student, who leads Theo into drug abuse and petty thievery. Theo's father is killed in an automobile accident, so he goes back to New York and lives with Andy until he figures out from an inscription on the ring where the old man lived. It's an antiques store and is run by the old man's partner. Theo lives with him and goes to college and runs the museum while his roommate restores furniture. Long story short, Boris returns and tells Theo that he has taken the painting to use as collateral in drug deals. Theo and Boris go to Amsterdam to retrieve the painting and a murder is committed. You'll have to read to find out how the story ends. Not worth the Pulitzer Prize it was given.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ3TIFGUCYIVN?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really struggled to get into this book and to eventually finish it. If it was half of the published length perhaps then it may have received a better review. It had far too much unnecessary detail and the ending left me cold.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24BHJFUCPWZFN?ASIN=0316055441	Ecclesiastes at it's finest.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Eternal themes, mirror dimly truths, whatever your stage of life, this book resonates. Are you prepared to ask the questions that plumb the depths of human happiness, pain and purpose? If you are, then The Goldfinch is for you.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBWNZFN5PLN4T?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyable!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is our current book club selection. The detailed writing is exquisite, however, all that detail makes for a very long read at 750 pages+. A great read for a long, winter season. I say take your time and enjoy the prose!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN2VGUBFS2NQF?ASIN=0316055441	Lost Treasure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch eloquently leads us through a journey of darkness and light, discovery and loss, with depth and complexity.  The book is a gem, worth savoring, while at the same time a fascinating story that is hard to put down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16IGAZU5XET0V?ASIN=0316055441	an instant classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I happened on this book a while ago and what a surprise it was to find this gem and the knowledge that it would be an instant classic.  Now to find out it is a Pulitzer Prize winner for Fiction.  I concur, it is a worthy read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRCD3G6SUHLLK?ASIN=0316055441	Love	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has been highly panned and highly rated...all reviews are dead on....lots of detail, if you like that, this is your book! I feel like I now know all of the characters and am/was invested in the story. Great read...!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V79HI807OAU3?ASIN=0316055441	An Overly Wordy Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is an interesting book, but, for my tastes, has many too many long, intricate descriptions of many things - drug use and effect, relationships, etc. I felt it all could have been said just as effectively in half the words.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R258IZ5HVQC1TY?ASIN=0316055441	rare	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is epic and ambitious. The many fantastic reviews it has received are well warranted. It takes risks, and they worked magically.<br/><br/>Books as pleasurable as this are rare events and I wish it were not so.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LYX25JJRYWUO?ASIN=0316055441	Wordy!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was horrible! I only kept reading cause I wanted to know what happened to the kid but the writer was way too wordy! I skipped whole pages without reading them because it just kept going on and on! Not worth my time!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UGQ23NVG5YMY?ASIN=0316055441	Too philosophical	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Need action &amp; events in a story. Way too much sharing of philosophy of main character's life. This book needed more editing, it became tedious &amp; boring.  Tartt writes well but is too hung up on being verbose with her writing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HMHVS7DOK3ZE?ASIN=0316055441	Chains of all kinds	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is an unforgettable book. It's a series of linked stories about a boy-grown-to-man named Theo, whose mother dies a terrible death while his life is spared in the same tragedy.  Through this incident, his choice to become involved with a very old painting called ""The Goldfinch"" dictates the rest of his life.  The painting is of a goldfinch chained to a little box hanging on a wall.<br/><br/> I can't tell you how many times I felt like that bird.  While I deeply admire Ms Tartt's crazy-good descriptive talents and ability to get into the mind of everyone from Theo himself, to his selfish father to a self-absorbed but caring woman, to a thirteen year old Russian boy/man - not to mention her knowledge of New York, Las Vegas, Amsterdam, antiques, drugs, the underworld of Russian immigrants and American addicts, and not least, art---I felt at times like I was drowning in words.  Sometimes I felt chained to the story (""I want to fly away, I want to land somewhere else, where the story continues and I don't have to wade through all these words"") - but because Ms Tartt is so talented, I read every word.  Now that I'm done with the book, I realize I could have skimmed some of the more introspective battles Theo has with himself. They got fairly repetitive, especially when he was doing drugs or trying to come to terms with his feelings about Boris, or the painting, or Pippa.<br/><br/>But all in all, the hold the chain has on the Goldfinch is the hold the painting has on Theo is the hold the book had on me. It's a truly stunning story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PDCPE645317X?ASIN=0316055441	I agree with the critics who panned	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just finished ""The Goldfinch"" and couldn't understand the Pulitzer or rave reviews. Thankfully I'm not the only one. It has a fantastic story line but it doesn't ring true. It is not whole. Reads much more like a beach book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IGQCC55KN1X1?ASIN=0316055441	awesome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It has been along time, since a book has latched on to my psyche and simply blown me away. I can always critical of books written to fulfill the author's pride. This book is brilliant, thoughtfully written and a worthy read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BBA8EAP86L6E?ASIN=0316055441	Art and Life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She did meticulous research on art and international theft rings to be able to write about this topic, and her characters were well drawn and convincing.  The end seemed abrupt and felt as if she was just ready to finish it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13KU5WKPJV8N6?ASIN=0316055441	beyond comprehension!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story started out with a lot of potential and I read about 400 pages hoping it would improve. It didn't. so I skipped to the ending which was totally incomprehensible. One of the worst books ever, don't waste your time!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWVJNS96D07MJ?ASIN=0316055441	The last 200 pages suck	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She could have ended the story with the hero selling Lucien Green a forgery of the goldfinch and then giving the original<br/>back to the museum and getting the girl he always wanted. Who wants to read about losers losing?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S1WPXVUOKU2I?ASIN=0316055441	Man This Book Has A Lot of Words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You remember when that guy was telling Mozart about how his new diddy had a whole lot of notes?  This book is kinda like that, a whole lot of words.  Most of the time one right after the other.  But as a cure for my insomnia it was awesome.  It was evident from page one why it won the Pulitzer, density of words.  I had an argument with an old buddy in college about the pronunciation of Pulitzer once he was one of these U people who say Pughlitzer like the research company whereas I prefer to Pullitzer like I'm pulling on my dangle.  Guess it really doesn't matter but he was a real jerk.  I digress.  Back to the book, so what does a lot of words equal you may ask.................a lot of pages!  That's right dear readers 784!  I don't know how many pages are in the Bible but I doubt it's 784 unless you include maybe that whole thing in the old west, but I'm not even sure that's official.  Point is Jesus kept it real he didn't go on and on for 784 pages just to hear himself talk.  I had a Bible once given to me in Sunday school and it was just a tiny little thing no more than like 4""x4"" certainly not enough room to cram in 784 mind numbing pages.  However on a positive note this work of fiction is excellent for keeping your in-laws out of the bathroom for hours on end.  I used to have a few copies of Maxim in there and every time my buddies or cousins would come over for the holidays or some such they would stay in there forever.  Since I replaced the aforementioned magazines with Miss Tartt's tome it's been nothing but in and out.  :)</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNT0840WRKASS?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Deserves A Middle Finget Award!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This award winning book is a sure example of litrary incompetence!  When ONE sentence can run on for an entire page ... need I say more?  There are no words to express my frustratioms for the acclaim this book was awarded!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30UD40IIRZRDI?ASIN=0316055441	Glad I Got Through It!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's a talented writer, but this novel was too long with all its rambling thoughts, introspections, and reflections. Beyond Theo, not enough character development and few reprieves from the darkness and disappointments.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YT6MWT6B3DHK?ASIN=0316055441	boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After plodding through 82 % of this book I couldn't even finish it. What a disappointment ! It is unbelievable that so many terrible things can happen to one person. It is negative and boring and a waste of time and money.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XUFJ1HQOOG2H?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing book about how life changes in the blink of ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing book about how life changes in the blink of an eye and how all experiences are relevant to who we become as human beings and what matters to us the most. Could not put it down. One of my favorite books of all time.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RBK2DA09G40Z?ASIN=0316055441	disppointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The actual writing is excellentThe plot is too long and drawn out.Many of the characters are not easy to relate to and not that believable.One easily loses patience with the bizarre, episodic story. This is no masterpiece.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R353NBBKT7TJQ4?ASIN=0316055441	A boy's life that an elderly woman liked	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was exciting.  Who knew that you could learn so much about antiques and furniture restoration in a wonderful novel? Lots of surprises which keep you turning pages. A little more violence tan I like but a terrific ending</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YK2RMKC6KMBZ?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize, yes; masterpiece, no	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found The Goldfinch a compelling read, held back from greatness by an unrealistic ongoing orgy of drugs and alcohol and less-than-masterful prose. Yes, you'll find yourself devouring Donna Tartt's latest opus in huge bites, but the idea of two teenagers ingesting as much narcotics and booze as the core duo of Theo and Boris do is ludicrous; they simply wouldn't be able to function. (Heck, legendary alcoholic Winston Churchill wouldn't have been able to operate.) Also, even though Tartt explains the book's atrocious editing and imagery at the end by revealing that the narrative is a transcription of Theo's diary, by then it's much too late, the reader has suffered through 750 pages of run-on sentences, incomprehensible syntax, lack of punctuation and, most pointedly, endless stilted metaphors. Still, the characters are rich, and that of Boris is one for the ages. (Even if it's a stinker, I'll go see the movie that is inevitably made just to see his character in the flesh.) All in all, for me, The Goldfinch is clearly deserving of the Pulitzer Prize it has received, but is not in the class of Dickens' great coming-of-age novels as some reviewers have gushed, nor other Pulitzer fiction recipients such as The Grapes of Wrath or The Age of Innocence. Tartt may be one of the premier authors on the contemporary scene, but she is no Roth or Updike, nevertheless Steinbeck or Wharton. Still, an also-ran to Roth and Updike ain't bad, and neither is The Goldfinch. It's quite good, in fact, for my money one of the best books of the 2000s so far.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB9FK97T2R5Z7?ASIN=0316055441	The opening had potential but it became increasingly boring. Got about a quarter of the way in ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be slow and plodding. The opening had potential but it became increasingly boring. Got about a quarter of the way in and gave up. Started to not care what happened to this kid. Just not my cup of tea.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R246PSHQ8MI6JK?ASIN=0316055441	What a great tail!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can usually tell where the author is going and I am not surprised often.  There were at least 5 times that I was totally surprised and pleased with where she took the story.  A fine read and her writing was outstanding.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26NU3K8IC0043?ASIN=0316055441	A terrorist attack, theft of a centuries old masterpiece, drugs, murder, despair - it's all here, and more. A braver gal's eye v	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch<br/><br/>by Donna Tartt<br/><br/>I have been reading this book forever! Okay, maybe just the past seven weeks but it feels like forever! It is 775 pages and there were times, and not just a few, that I found it difficult to find the impetus to pick up the book and continue reading.<br/><br/>The story is a good one. A terrorist attack strikes an art museum in Manhattan and there are few survivors. Among the survivors is a 13-year-old boy, Theo Decker. Among the dead is Theo’s mother. Beautifully written, the bombing of the art museum and its immediate aftermath draw the reader immediately into the story, and the book begins as a hard and fast page-turner.<br/><br/>It is during that moment of terror that Theo impulsively grabs The Goldfinch, a small painting, a masterpiece painted in 1654 by Carel Fabritius, a painting that Theo knows well to be the absolute favorite of his mother. Theo spends all of his teen years and many years more protecting that painting, always looking over his shoulder, fearful of being discovered, his mind ever-occupied with worries about just how to protect it and how to return it.<br/><br/>From his turbulent teen years to adulthood in a world of art forgeries, theft, scandals, and fraud, Theo Decker travels through life with a monkey on his back. The storyline, however, takes many  tangential paths. Intrigue? Yes, I did want to know where Donna Tartt was taking me. The ending was satisfying, but getting there was oftentimes trying.<br/><br/>I can’t believe I read the whole thing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E5MFD1T3OJJR?ASIN=0316055441	Too Lenthy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy it at all. The  author digressed from the main plot and belabored on uninteresting events. The book could have been shorter..  I would not recommend this book.  Although the author is an excellent writer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IEAJFREILTOD?ASIN=0316055441	read the last few pages and save yourself some time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long winded trip to nowhere. Call me suburban but this was just a read that you wanted to go somewhere but never really did. Decent characters that kept me, like the goldfinch, a prisoner chained to the books end but never satisfied.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KDXBLB3HPL22?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. Beautifully written. Donna Tart's master piece. We actually used it for a white elephant exchange and it was a hot item! It got stolen several times.great plot. Keeps you glued to the book until the very end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2863AJVZJ2AOO?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written but not my cup of tea	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I guess I was supposed to love it? But it was so relentlessly depressing, I couldn't get past the first quarter of the book.<br/><br/>Donna Tartt writes beautifully, no question about that. But as the Publishers' Weekly review stated, there could have been considerably less prose in this novel. I'm beginning to think that editors aren't pushing back on popular writers to pare it down a bit.<br/><br/>I like novels about real people in everyday situations. The Goldfinch is definitely not one of those. The situations and characters she describes are so awful, and the descriptions themselves so long, that I had a very hard time feeling any empathy for the main character. It seemed like everything was so black and white. Some characters were relentlessly awful, yet his mother was perfect in every way--I can't imagine a 13 year old boy thinking that. I kept thinking that maybe things would be revealed that would change his way of thinking about her, but I just couldn't get through all the negative stuff that kept happening to him. I lost patience. And there was absolutely no humor in the narrative.<br/><br/>I far preferred J R Moehringer's memoir:  The Tender Bar. A wonderful, true, story about a boy and his mom, and the flawed, yet caring characters in his life. His father was no prize either, but the story is sooo much more touching--heart wrenching yet uplifting.<br/><br/>I kept thinking I wanted to find out how the story with the Goldfinch would unfold, but I couldn't go on reading--it was totally bumming me out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FBO9PXORIXVA?ASIN=0316055441	Pedantic mediocrity.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is over rated, pedantic mediocrity.  Weak and superficial character development that skips around for limited purpose.  I'm shocked that this has received popular appeal.  This shows the low bar for modern writers.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2516WUON69SFO?ASIN=0316055441	A powerful book that lingers in my heart and soul	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Complex, richly textured, well-researched (so much information!), intricately plotted. Most particularly - the clearest, most accurate and painful depiction of untreated PTSD I have ever read. An amazing accomplishment.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRXNG0S0AJG7G?ASIN=0316055441	Yes, it's damn good...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Truth be told, if one of my best-read friends hadn't gifted me with 'The Goldfinch', I would have simply looked at the page count and thought it might be OK, but it won't be great. Few can spin a great yarn that goes on that long. Few.<br/><br/>But Donna Tartt, who I haven't read before, is a helluva yarn spinner  when it comes to the bones of story, giving us indelible characters who, warts and all, keep the show going, rendering story with a content range that rings true to the lives she depicts. I dare suspect Tartt has seen a bit of the world that I have, and not once did I roll my eyes upwards at anything that felt gratuitous or poorly represented. And yes, there are a few 'E ticket' story features––a terrorist attack, violent underworld characters, drugs––but there isn't anything gratuitous about this tale.<br/><br/>The dynamics in the telling render a full scale story that touches on the deepest questions surrounding the great old question––'to be, or not to be? And with that, of course, there is beauty and there is love––not the goopy, Hollywood movie kind, but of many renderings of love there may be when a heart pumps full on and devil may care if that means, ""abandon all sense of security, all ye who enter here"". And in the deepest current of this tale, threading attention ever onwards, is the little bird, tiny in scale, but fraught with an ocean of meaning, for which this novel is titled.<br/><br/>I read every one of these 775 pages right down to the last exquisitely written closing. Bravo.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGYX3SHV8DWUV?ASIN=0316055441	It was hard to read and gave me a dirty feeling just reading the words in certain scenes	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was very, very dark. It was hard to read and gave me a dirty feeling just reading the words in certain scenes. In addition, I had to skip several pages throughout the entire book because it just rambled on and on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AFBUHBXNW3IQ?ASIN=0316055441	a beautiful painting of words.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Each page is so descriptive, it's as if you're experiencing the beauty of a piece of art or a good movie. This book brings you in right there, in the experience. Incredible piece of writing. I'll read it again &amp; again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25O7JJ94FNY8Y?ASIN=0316055441	6 STARS - For This Literary Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For me, this was nothing short of a masterpiece of fiction! No wonder it won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Rich detail, emotional content, and profound themes are just three descriptors that come to my mind.<br/><br/>THE GOLDFINCH is not just well-written, but beautifully-written. Don't be put off by its length because you will fly through this page turning plot, with fully-drawn and resonating characters, believable dialog, and insightful perspective on us humans and our desperate little lives. It is also one of the saddest books I've ever read.<br/><br/>The book tells the story of Theo, a teenage boy journeying into adulthood, after the sudden and tragic death of his mother. ""The Goldfinch"" is the 17th Dutch century painting by Carel Fabritius that accompanies Theo on his journey. Moving in and out are an array of fascinating personalities and seemingly disparate strata of society- Russian emigres, furniture restorers, illegal drug users, child protective service workers, high society in NYC, loan sharks in Las Vegas, and art thieves in Amsterdam.<br/><br/>It's also a story about human vulnerability, where a single random event can completely redirect one's life. And about the core meaning of concepts like love, trust, and right and wrong. Also, the role art plays for humanity.<br/><br/>You can't help but become deeply involved in Theo's life. You will feel his disappointment when those he depends on let him down. You will sympathize when he sometimes makes bad decisions. And you will worry about him until the very last page. Enjoy!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K195JPD58YIL?ASIN=0316055441	When bad things happen to not that good people	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I give this four stars for two reasons. One being that I could not put the book down, finishing it in a couple of days. But mainly because of the account of the aftermath of the explosion at the museum which is about as riveting and harrowing as anything I've read. ,<br/><br/>Pluses: It wasn't predictable. Even towards the end when it looks like the main character Theo's fate is about to be sealed, the plot takes another turn. I also thought that Tartt was wonderful at setting the scenes at the various locations ranging from New York to Amsterdam.<br/><br/>Negatives: Even though, yes, it is fiction, some of the things that happen are just so glaringly implausible that it took me out of the story. For example, when after Theo escapes the museum and walks home, nobody seems to notice a 13 year old covered in blood and debris, including the emergency people on the scene. A minor example, but I am trying to avoid spoilers. Also the over the top drug and alcohol use gave the whole thing a throwback to the 1980s feel.<br/><br/>Main problem was how the book just sputtered out at the end. The last 70 or so pages is devoted to Theo's philosophy on life, which I guess we are to believe has been honed by the almost laughable amount of tragedy he has endured. Then some points about beauty and art are made, because, oh yeah, ""The Goldfinch"" painting. It's all very wabi sabi.<br/><br/>At book's close, I realized I was more interested in the fate of Theo's friend Boris, as much as a rotter that he was.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H36LUBNKLZ2Y?ASIN=0316055441	We read it for book club and more disliked it than liked it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really tried to read this but just couldn't.  It's too long and basically repeats the same thing over and over and over.  We read it for book club and more disliked it than liked it.  Save your money - not worth it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDP9CHH2D2W17?ASIN=0316055441	Start Reading this NOW!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">By far, THE best book I have ever read EVER!!!! I was hooked from the first page.  The author's use of language and sentence structure was a positive JOY to read.  This will always be a story to remember and revisit.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNV5WKMF3JM5P?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging but verbose.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An engaging story with good character development. However, the author preferred twenty lines of prose when two would suffice. Not sure how this won the Pulitzer but neither would I discourage anyone from reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13CE4JKMLCE9Z?ASIN=0316055441	An emotional rollecoaster ride from start to finish.  Buckle your seat belt upon opening the book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me a long time to read this book.  I would get so afraid or emotional, I'd have to put the book down and walk away to calm my racing heart. WOW!! What an emotional rollercoaster ride - if one can survive it!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19FPB6OYNIMZW?ASIN=0316055441	Maudlin, wordy and dumb!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I do not believe I have ever managed to actually finish a novel worse than The Goldfinch. I kept at it by thinking that as a best-seller, it must get better. But it didn’t. The flaws are broad and major. It is implausibly plotted. In almost every major turn in the story, the lead characters, particularly Theo took an action as though he had no other choice, when he did have other and better choices. We are expected to believe that a gifted youth could not find other choices for dealing with the stolen painting. His not even knowing that it had been switched for a decade or so was laughable.<br/>But worse than the hokey plot was the terribly wordy, maudlin, over-wrought style of the author. More words are wasted than in almost anything I’ve read. The endless, tiresome, self-pitying soliloquies by Theo were unbearable. And most of this was unnecessary. If he loved Pippa so much, why didn’t he go after her? If he was so guilt-ridden over his unethical antique sales, why did he do it, and why couldn’t he see that he could explain away or deny any misrepresentations like any other slick salesman would when a buyer became unhappy? Virtually all the endless anguish was unnecessary.<br/>In the midst of laboring through The Goldfinch, I was travelling without the book and happen to read instead, a Dick Francis novel. I was struck by how well Francis could get said in a couple paragraphs what Tartt would take a chapter. While of a different genre, he was a master. She should go back to Creative Writing 1A.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFU3LHE60MW4I?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's well written. And the characters are extremely interesting; deep.  The story is original, and the plot was thoroughly engaging.  However, I was a little disappointed with the philosophical questions at the end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LRUZU6FCIRT8?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfish review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing book.  I enjoyed it very much.  So wished for true love to win out but story developed better without.  Many wonderful,  rich characters.  Such a great and tragic journey.  Definitely recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XRHVLMBSCAFC?ASIN=0316055441	THOUGHT_PROVOKING!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was not are all what I expected it would be! While the author spends a great many pages developing her story (in other words, the book is longer than it needs to be), she does an excellent job of developing her characters. Theo, the tortured, wounded protagonist, shell shocked from experiences no child should shave to endure, spends his life protecting the painting, his only link to his mother. In a tragic twist, he becomes the little caged bird, so brilliant of mind but scarred of nature, unable to reach or even imagine any form of self assurance let alone happiness, consigned to the life of a drug addict. Boris, the ""anti character,"" mat have been the best and worst thing that ever happened to Theo. Boris understood Theo like no one else could, but his influence seemed to rob Theo of any sort of healing or peace. And the father was the exact opposite of. what Theo so desperately needed after his mother's death. Pippa herself was a caged Bird, perhaps the only soul who really understood what Theo had gone through, but smart enough (even with a brain injury) to recognize that she and Theo could not help each other. And then there is Hobie. Dear, kind Hobie, and by extension the departed Welty. Good men, well-adjusted, like ""true north"" to Theo, one alive, one just a brief memory. They were the anchor to this plot, never wavering, never harmful or vengeful, steady as a rock. I only wish Theo could have been more like them, so perhaps his life could have shown a glimmer of hope.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B5H2VGMFOWXZ?ASIN=0316055441	Save your time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't waste your time on this book. I am so disappointed. The book is too long and extremely boring. Contains no surprises and the story develops in such a slow pace that I couldn't find any motives to keep reading</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WGHTH3Q8PJK1?ASIN=0316055441	Great start -Longs winded finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed it up until the last 200 pages which dragged on &amp; on. From the beginning, it had me on the edge of my seat.  I was disappointed, not at the ending itself but the long and rambling way it ended.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28ZC8COELVI4Y?ASIN=0316055441	Never stopped surprizing me!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not predict anything that happened in this book.  It was a surprise.  I kept reading to see what would happen to Theo.  So many changes. His reaction to those life changes....  You will not be disappointed!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OSGJH96S72XY?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic book!  It's been a while since I so enjoyed a book. It was captivating, well-written, intelligent and touching.  I will definitely be re-reading The Secret History, but this one, for me, is a masterpiece.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1882EZXOEDASZ?ASIN=0316055441	Much to ponder in this amazing work of literature!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting book.  In terms of the story and also the writing styles.  I say ""styles"" as it seemed to me that the style of writing changed from one part of the book to another (and so on).  That made me ponder how one theme of the book - art and artifice (or copying of art) - was illustrated in the very manner of writing.<br/><br/>Let me give you some examples of what I mean.  When the book opens we have very lush writing.  A mother in love with art and the close relationship between mother and son, including the wander through the museum - with a style of writing which (to me) reflected going from one room to another, one place to another.  Then... (not to give away the plot) a ""crisis"" which occurs and the disjointedness of an unexpected event - written in terms of that disjointed event.  Later, in Las Vegas... disjointed writing to the max!  As the situations and characters deteriorate.<br/><br/>The the long interlude in the middle, which some reviewers here feel drove them nuts.  To me that part seemed almost like a riff on Proust's writing (which, yes, can drive you nuts!).<br/><br/>So my reading of this novel was on a number of levels.  As I kept wondering about the writer's craft and the varying styles of writing, which seemed to draw attention to that craft in subtle ways as well as illustrating the themes of art and artifice.<br/><br/>It's definitely a book I wish I could discuss with the writer.  I might reread it one day.  But it's unforgettable!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HTADOAEOA9P1?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">By no means a perfect book - in parts it felt unnecessarily drawn out - but overall a stunning book. Beautiful writing, three dimensional characters and a slow burn to an ending that I found incredibly satisfying.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5JB9BOY13W6F?ASIN=0316055441	For a book so loved by critics and winning so many awards I don't ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For a book so loved by critics and winning so many awards I don't know if I was more underwhelmed, irritated or surprised by this book. It is so very tough to read- meandering off into endless pages of descriptions on paintings, New York scenery and my God- the self pitying prose of a drug addicted irresponsible art thief.<br/><br/>Let us get real- this book is about a boy who steals a painting, develops a sort of lust for it and never ever gives it back despite knowing this is wrong. Instead he spirals into some self indulgent drug addiction, alcoholism and fraud- none of which by the way are related to the art theft in any way- a completely different issue.<br/><br/>For all this to be somehow justified and validated later by prose on how sometimes objects simply possess us without our understanding why and this is the hallmark of a good piece of art is utter nonsense.<br/><br/>To be honest- my issue with the book has nothing to do with the morals but like I said- the meandering prose of the book- going off into long winded descriptions of his various drug induced hazes, and yes the epistles on art. This was a book very easy to put down and very hard to complete, and I am very bewildered at the very high ratings all of you seem to award to this book.<br/><br/>This book completely reminded me of My Name is Red- another award winning book that was tiresome and disconnected- read this one if you like Orhan Phamuk. If you are like me- and don't like one, don't pick up the other.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CII64S3L0RQ?ASIN=0316055441	Horrible read. It follows a loser	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Horrible read.  It follows a loser, who lives with losers, engages losers-- and it just keeps getting worse.  I kept with the book, hoping against hope that it would get better and it never does.  Save your money.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF496RY2C3B9C?ASIN=0316055441	too much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were too many words to tell a very simple story of love, beauty, chance and time. I found all the drug and alcohol use overwhelming because it never seemed to have a point or to end. Depressing look at life.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11389Q8P7KG18?ASIN=0316055441	Don't miss it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The second best book I have ever read (after Cold Mountain) in my 60 years.  Incredible detail in a page turner with many eye-opening lessons of life.  I have told everyone I know, who is a reader, not to miss it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ANUQBG7O0UZQ?ASIN=0316055441	I didn't enjoy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was too long. It took too long to conclude anything.<br/>The drug use and alcoholism became too much.<br/>I couldn't wait for it to be over so I didn't care how it ended.<br/>Boris was a little over the top.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28PL444JHEAJB?ASIN=0316055441	An awesome book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the longest book I have read for a while that I finished.  I keep thinking about Theo.  He was such a brave young man and needed much more support after his mother died.  The book would make a great movie.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA2SY4WTAP6S0?ASIN=0316055441	Unfinished Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is beyond my comprehension that this book has been in the Best Seller List for months.<br/>It is also surprising that the author was given the Pulitzer Prize. However, the only criterion for the selection of winners at Pulitzer is that the submitted works must meet a standard of excellence, which is left to the discretion of the jury, since “Standard of excellence” never has been defined. This could be considered a supporting argument for those criticizing Pulitzer for favoring liberal entries.<br/><br/>It seems the author is one of those that leave the completion of the main plot to her readers.  I felt frustrated when I arrived to the last paragraph and realized that there was no closure for the various threats of the main story.  I wonder if it is a plan for future literary projects.<br/><br/> It is obvious that the author has very lenient and/or understanding editors. The book is at least one inch thicker due to a boring, rambling, and extensive discussion about behavioral science, metaphysics, and philosophy in general, which many readers, including me, had a heck of a time trying to decipher. The analysis of  hallucinations and crazy dreams of the protagonist, while being under the influence of narcotics and all kind of drugs, was extremely well researched and exposed in minute detail in many, many pages, that were for me totally unnecessary. In the future I will be very cautious before I embark myself in another reading adventure of one of this author’s books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11U9ZUVCYYISH?ASIN=0316055441	total waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Perhaps I'm too shallow to comprehend the underlying meanings of this llllooooonnnnnggggg book but I found it irritatating and did not connect to any of the characters.  I would not recommend this book to anyone!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11X8MBT8NZ1O9?ASIN=0316055441	Very disappointing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a relief to finish. I liked it at first and then it turned into a long, boring slog through drug use, drinking, and a horrible story. A complete waste of time. Very well written, but an awful story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MAFH1ZSDAE82?ASIN=0316055441	not that great..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was not as taken as most people,good writing but it is anoying in its repetitiveness and towards the end I started skipping just to be done, disturbing at times and dark, life is dark enough  without this book!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QWPE6XF40HHE?ASIN=0316055441	Don't bother	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not finish this book.  Starts out OK, but when two 12 year old spend the day drinking, smoking, little  parental supervision, a violent dad, etc. I quit.  I've got better things to do than read this junk!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R106SCGS24T0XO?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't know what made me pick this book. It had a title that seemed like an old dusty book from another age. I had no knowledge of the authors work. Yet it sucked me into it's story.<br/>Very well done indeed.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14ZOY29V7K6C9?ASIN=0316055441	300 pages too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A sweet, poignant, not particularly well-written story with perhaps several hundred extra pages of art history 101 rambling.  Very odd as well that Tartt was never convincingly able to project male subjectivity.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LV5XZJABHB7J?ASIN=0316055441	This book was overly long. 300 pages should be ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was overly long.  300 pages should be cut out.  I got tired of reading the long descriptions about a tortured young man who needed psychological help.  The ending of the story was not satisfying to me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JN8BN5G92WV8?ASIN=0316055441	no personal honor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The main character had no inner strength or morality. He was unappreciative of anyone who tried to help him, and weakly went along with illegal acts and behavior, and actually abused those who tried to help him.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSOXP85TQ6MEI?ASIN=0316055441	Great novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt has a great ear for dialogue. She created a sympathetic protagonist amid a vivid group of characters, and a plot that makes it hard to stop reading. The evocative descriptions of New York City are spot on.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MBYGXTZR3YHH?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't live up to the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book did not live up to the hype. I was very disappointed and annoyed that I spent so much time on this book (it's a long one). This must be one of those books the critics love but normal people don't get.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ACCHEGBFPRBP?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book you can get lost in. I could not put it down. Donna Tartt is a beautiful and gifted writer. The book reads like poetry, yet it is exciting and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat and wanting more.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26LX20SVVQ3GS?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch far from a golden delight	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring until the end where there were some ideas worth reading  Much of the book focused on drug use and other issues that were so repetitive that they were boring and became redundant .  It dragged on and on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TVL3PO4UPZI6?ASIN=0316055441	Boring and repetitive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't believe this won the Pulitzer!  Boring and repetitive, and at the end, pontificating, everyone in my Book Club hated i!  In fact if I didn't have to read it for Book Club, I would not have finished it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NV47J383P79M?ASIN=0316055441	The first half of the book was riveting. Then ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first half of the book was riveting. Then, the story line got convoluted and very unbelievable.  I wanted to skim numerous pages to get to the ""better parts."" The second part was really depressing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUWCFAWSXVJR3?ASIN=0316055441	Great price and service, book more engrossing than the NYT review suggested.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The price was spectacular and the delivery great.  I don't suppose I am being asked to review the book, but it to is one of my better reads in a long time.  I will have to look back to Ms. Tartt's other books.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PZJSGAIGSTKV?ASIN=0316055441	Beauty, deception, and what we notice	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My friend Kerry said she would wait for my review before she bought this book because she heard it was a ""commitment.""  Goldfinch does take some time to read, but it was worth it.  I was never bored, and didn't feel that anything in the book should have or could have been cut.  This is not book for a quick read on an airplane or a day by the pool.  It's a book to spend some time with, read a bit and think about it, let what you just read digest a bit and then move on.  I have always felt that some people notice things better than others.  Tartt must be a master of what she notices, because in this book she creates characters who notice what a young boy would notice, what a young girl would notice, what an elderly man would notice, what a mother who appreciates art would notice, and on and on with each character.  Then once she establishes this theme, she starts to chip away at it by revealing that what they notice may not be real; that what lies under the façade may be quite different.  The blending of these two themes, the details we notice and the reality we miss, makes the read quite compelling. The painting of the goldfinch is but one common thread that ties the themes together.  People, places, events all get the dichotomous treatment. By the end of the book, I felt like I understood myself better, and that maybe I will pay even more attention to the beauty around me, even the hidden beauty.  Not many books can provide a gift like that.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YZXQ694JCR44?ASIN=0316055441	A Beautiful Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt paints beautiful pictures with words, that make an 880 page book seem too short.  Her writing skill draws you in to be one with the charcters.  One of the greatest books I have read in my 79 years</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2US7RI1C4VZ6?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing story beautifully told - hard to explain but must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a brilliant book. It didn't receive a Pulitzer prize for no reason.<br/><br/>It's one of those books that's really hard to categorize or even explain, you just have to read it. It's more or less a coming of age story, of a boy who loses his mother as a teenager and goes on to meet some rather interesting and colorful characters who become his mentors of sorts. It's also about the world of art, antiques and paintings mostly, and about the underworld associated with it.<br/><br/>But none of that really does the book justice, as I said, you just have to read it. You will rarely come across such well-formed and realistic characters, they will haunt you for a long time after you've finished the book. The plot twists and turns and never goes on quite as expected, never quite makes it to the happy ending you hope for during the entire story, but at every moment brilliantly told. Donna Tartt's writing is at once poetic and realistic, many sentences so perfect you feel like re-reading them several times, bringing the story to such a vivid light you feel like you are immersed in it yourself.<br/><br/>Note: I listened to the audio book version of The Goldfinch. While I usually prefer the actual book, I have to say that this audio book recording is brilliant. The narrator is very talented, the speed is good and fast enough, and the various accents (there are many) are outright perfect. I can recommend the audio book wholeheartedly</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CIN7ZWTINPZH?ASIN=0316055441	desperately needed an editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After slogging through the first 10 discs of the 26-CD audiobook, I tried to revive my interest by listening to it backwards. I left Theo vomiting in Las Vegas and found him on disc 25 vomiting in Amsterdam.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15W7MQFDOCIWF?ASIN=0316055441	it was by coincidence that this book found me when I needed it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful tale that brings home meaning to many of life's quandaries. A perspective on decisions made and chances taken that opens the mind to a new way of exploring experiences and worries, burdens carried</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIEV0PW0YYFAQ?ASIN=0316055441	Gold medal Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If I could give it a constellation of stars I would.  I loved it from the beginning - the interesting characters, the sensitivity of lives, the wonderfully thought provoking end... top to toe.... beautiful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRRZRZSTU78RY?ASIN=0316055441	Theo's Tragedy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo Decker is thirteen years old when he and his mother visit the Metropolitan Museum in New York just before the Museum is bombed. At the Museum he meets a girl named Pippa and her Uncle Welty. Theo's mother dies, and so does Welty, but Theo escapes after rescuing a very valuable painting (The Goldfinch by Carel Fabritius). He goes to live with the family of a friend in New York and later with his estranged father in Las Vegas. He and his best friend there, Boris, get into all sorts of mischief. Then his father dies and he returns to New York, where he goes to live with and learn the antique furniture trade from Welty's business partner Hobie. Pippa also survives the bombing but is badly injured. Theo is obsessed with Pippa but the latter goes off to England, so Theo is left on his own to help Hobie run the antiques business. The painting, meanwhile, has still not been returned to the Museum.<br/><br/>This is my third novel by Donna Tartt. It is certainly the best of the three. She is fascinated by the dark side of human behavior and there is plenty of that in this book. There is lots of alcoholism and drug abuse, but also other forms of skullduggery. Her characters tend to come from the privileged classes, and again this book has such characters in abundance. The book is beautifully written but overly long. Nevertheless, there does not appear to be a lot of wasted verbiage in it. It tells a compelling, sad, but beautiful story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1449YGSLC1PHM?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful Writing - Far Too Long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is best described as a collection of many detailed novellas.<br/>Donna Tartt excels in her rendering of Theo’s long story. The characters [my personal favorite being Hobie] are real and fleshed out before us. They are kind, impatient, addicted, angry, distracted and many other things. They are imperfect. They are human. The novel’s creative plot involves movement to let us see characters in many different lights – high in the deserts of Las Vegas to wedding parties in New York to death. Although we only meet Theo’s mother for a short number of pages, I felt her death strongly and painfully through the rest of the novel. Tartt’s writing, with its prose-like quality, is mesmerizing to read and even more fun to picture, and I can imagine a film in the works soon.<br/>While the book is beautiful and detailed, it is also, in my opinion, far too long. While reading, I felt that I could only read 75-100 pages without getting tired of the novel’s extremely slow pace, caused by long passages of meaningless detail. Another point of contention I had with the novel was the plot retrieval of the painting. The Goldfinch is Theo’s motivation to live – yet it is Boris who retrieves it on [of course] Christmas day. Rather than a satisfying ending, Tartt leaves us with a neatly tied conclusion followed by a strange ten-page lecture of Theo’s musings on chance and fate. I would think twice before recommending this book to a friend.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGY9BZVNM70GX?ASIN=0316055441	Bad language.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long and wordy. Bad language.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SAF44V67UF1K?ASIN=0316055441	A good tale badly in need of an editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good tale badly in need of an editor.  The ending did tie things together, but by that time I was out of patience, out of humor, and happily out of the drug world.  Memorable, if not likeable, character.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IA6WCF8N058I?ASIN=0316055441	In need of a good editor, but so was Dickens =)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story type is that of Dickensonian (child with no parents and his adventures to maturity), but it is in no way the quality of a masterwork.<br/>This book is neither the masterpiece that Pulitzer would have you believe or the total piece of trash that the single or 0 star reviewers would have you believe.  This work contains a kernel of a great story in need a a heavy edit job.  The basic tenant - life is short and some people can enjoy it more by appreciating art  that transcends the canvas (or whatever medium contains it greatness) is a simple, but good theme.  The story starts well, with a literal BANG, but meanders for too long until it it completely changes in the 4th (yes 4th!) act climax and then ends with a demount that is murky and unclear at best.  It leaves too many plot holes untied for the casual reader.  Some people will say this is purposefully done as a masterwork, but I don't agree.  This is a good novel, with a lot of passages where you are TOLD (sometimes for 50 pages) and not shown.  Those are primarily thesis level discord on life and art. Interesting for the naval gazer, but not for the common novel reader. Is Donna a hack? No, she is a good writer, with very important things she wants to say. While I enjoyed most of this novel, her important points on art and life were buried. Just show the reader in 400 pages next time. It would have made the book 10X better. At least it didn't end like Gone Girl =)</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MHCZ119OFX3B?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointment.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book began with so much potential but went downhill about 1/2 way through.  It felt as though the author ran out of ideas and was grasping at straws to finish the book.  I felt like I wasted my time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQIYACEGK5ROX?ASIN=0316055441	Smut at its worst	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Nothing redeemable about this book. Hate the characters, the story is overly long and not very good. The content leaves a lot to be desired. Pure disappointment. I finished it against my better judgment.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5K26ZZLU5EZZ?ASIN=0316055441	This novel is fantastic for the first chapters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is fantastic for the first chapters. That is until the death of the hero's father. After this it becomes laboured with occasional flashes of brilliance. The whole novel needed ruthless editing</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37U2IYTVLGKOU?ASIN=0316055441	Captivated.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The weave of words dreams and art and you are riding the shuttle. Donna Tartt is a formidable conjurer of feelings, evocatrix of haunting moments. The book is a feast to be wantonly consumed. Have at it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AVLHZ2OCFYL4?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Puhlease!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had not known this had won a Pulitzer but knew it was on the bestseller lists for weeks so I think it must be somewhat good. However this novel can be summed up as being about an unlikeable kid who grows up to be an unlikeable adult. The book was well written but I always felt like I was reading and never got lost in the story. The author was trying too hard to be deep and meaningful like an independent student filmmaker with a lot of potential. Boris was the only semi interesting character (not recently deceased) and even as we learned more about him he seemed to be a compilation of a Russian/third world country/army brat minus the army stereotype. New York was well described but Las Vegas wasn't and maybe this was because I've been to Vegas numerous times and have friends that live there and have only visited New York once. What I know about New York I've read in books and the author captured the east coast feel but whether or not it's an apt description I wouldn't know. It was a really easy book to put down, a struggle to finish, and I'm shocked it won a Pulitzer. It goes to show nowadays ignore the awards and borrow the book if it doesn't capture your interest don't let other people book shame you as people have done to me about finishing this boring book urging me that it will get better- it won't. I'll finish with a deep meaningful cliche as well, "" Life is too short.""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJWLNYSY23IHG?ASIN=0316055441	Highly over-rated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long, too much repetition, shallow characters, and LOOSE ENDS. I just kept flipping pages thinking there must be a point here somewhere. Very boring, long, over-rated book in my humble opinion.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q5Q3SNFH435Z?ASIN=0316055441	Spellbinding!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The BEST book I've read in many years.  The characters are so well developed that I had true emotional responses to them.  A book that articulates the human condition.  Magic flows from Ms Tartt's pen.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLY0215UHYFM?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguingly Quirky	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to like this book much more than I did.<br/>Tartt is a wonderfully gifted writer.  Her use of language, dialects, and her ability to make characters (mostly) completely believable is astonishing.<br/>The Goldfinch is a story about a young boy, Theo Decker who was a victim of a homegrown terrorist attack in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  He is one of two survivors who we know of.  But his beloved mother died in the carnage.  Theo's father had abandoned him and his family was non-involved leaving him alone but for the largess of a friend's family.  Unbeknownst to anyone, Theo smuggled a small, but great work of art from the museum.  Had he given it back right away, there most likely wouldn't have been any consequences.  But he didn't know how to go about returning it, or, more likely, didn't want to return it, and the consequences of not doing so are the meat of this story.<br/>In attempt to recover the painting, which was stolen from him, Decker gets involved with people he knows aren't good for him, without really knowing that anyone knows what they're speaking about.<br/>Decker has a moral core, despite doing some horrible things, and tries to make amends when and where he can.  But he's too smart to behave as foolishly as he does, and the last third of the book, from the time a childhood friend of his resurfaces, the plot becomes convoluted and you stop caring for the protagonist.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N33XC93UX6ZH?ASIN=0316055441	eh?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a very well written book to start but I found about 2/3 of the way through, I found I simply didn't care what happened to Theo. He kept making stupid life choices and was harming others. Sorry.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VC8RXTO4Z7KY?ASIN=0316055441	I did not enjoy the writing style of Tartt and am not sure ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy the writing style of Tartt and am not sure how it qualified for such a top prize. It was not a totally unsatisfying read but I don't think I would search out her books for another try.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4F13RY8ESMKE?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful story. But at around 780 pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful story. But at around 780 pages, this book is just way too long. Donna Tartt could of easily could out about 200 pages and had a much tighter book. Very excited for the upcoming movie though!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9HKL48DLXVST?ASIN=0316055441	A magical coming of age metaphor!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was split about this book. On one hand, this story is thoroughly and lovingly written with its beautifully poetic descriptive writing detailing the most relevant areas of Theo's life in furniture restoration,the Goldfinch painting, Pippa and Boris.  However, I think that the plot actually lets me down somewhat - with Tartt's deep insight on the philosophical elements in this story.<br/><br/>The graphic drug and use/criminal dealings was not part of the lovely elements and a real time waster-not from a sense of morals, I simply found myself skimming over those parts.  However, I did gain a better understanding of Theo's justification for self-medicating with or without Boris' influence.  I also understood the metaphor in Theo's relationship with the painting as a symbol of his life during that period and his supposed hoarding of it.  Despite my usual preferences for shock- and- awe fiction, in this was a case, I was exceptionally happy to stay with the story to the end for a taste Tartt's fine words take  hold of me to see how they played out.<br/><br/>Although the book very drawn out, the ending was not what I expected, I would have liked some of the loose ends to have been more neatly (happily) tied up, but I am very glad that I endured this novel to meet the very likeable characters of Hobie and Boris!<br/><br/>A story that will stay with me,but I will not dare to read it again</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33NFZLIFCOIRP?ASIN=0316055441	I have read Pulitzer Prize winners before and enjoyed them but this is no Pulitzer Prize	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think it was extremely long and wordy.  Las Vegas lasted forever and it could have ended 200 pages sooner.  I have read Pulitzer Prize winners before and enjoyed them but this is no Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KD539O43LZMK?ASIN=0316055441	Cumbersome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In my opinion this would of been a decent book if the publisher did their job and edited,I have never been so bored reading before ,if MsTartt stayed with the story line it would of been a nice read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LGL0N64UC2UO?ASIN=0316055441	Popchyk	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My favorite character in this book is Popchyk. He is prominent in the two best scenes--- the bus trip and Theo's surprise for Boris. I also like Mrs. Barbour.  Although she isn't warm and fuzzy, she cares for and protects Theo in her own subtle ways.  It is a break from the stereotypical cold rich bitch so often portrayed in literature. Boris provides some wonderful moments of levity, but is a bit far fetched.  I didn't know what to make of the Theo character.  The scenes after his mother dies, when he shuns help from social workers and psychiatrists ring true and give the reader an intimate understanding of this young boy's internal suffering, as does the wonderful, touching scene when he first meets Hobie. This section of the book is brilliant and so beautifully written. But after that Theo's character doesn't seem cohesive.<br/><br/> I didn't mind the length.  To me it was like taking a very long interesting walk in the woods.  The problem I had with the book is that at the end of this long pleasurable hike, I felt like I stepped into a huge pile of s***.  I HATED the ending.  I hated the whole ""save the day"" feel to it. Completely unrealistic. And the sermonizing at the very end was condescending. Generally it is best to let the reader draw at least some of his/her own conclusions, rather than spelling everything out (or in this case whacking him/her over the head).</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37URQSC9ZN5X0?ASIN=0316055441	I would love it, then hate it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, and too wordy in many parts.  I would love it, then hate it, wanting it to end!  I had lost the beginning by the time I got to the end.  Very engaging characters, but too much is too much!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34R7BBNRNZV02?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">moves along well and informative....you can relate to the emotions in each character....a good book for all ages.....the detail could be a little less but dose not take away from the main themes....</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M6H4RZXUBM1A?ASIN=0316055441	The Best!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First of all this book is amazing!  Not just the story in the book but the story of getting a hard cover bestseller for half the price of the book stores!  Yippee!!  We love a good read like this!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3717YMQVL1CKY?ASIN=0316055441	Not what I was expecting...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know this novel has gotten all kinds of great press, and it DID win the Pulitzer, so I really, really wanted to love it.  And I think I might have - if it were about half as long.  The story itself is a good one; no complaints there.  The protagonist is a very real person, easy to relate to, and easy to like in spite of his flaws and questionable behavior at times.  My biggest problem with the story is that I felt it was simply too, too long -- to the story's detriment.  So much of it could have been (at the very least) edited down or omitted altogether without harming the integrity of the story, which to me, seems like an editorial issue.  I write myself and would be the first to admit that I'm too long-winded, but if I ever start sending my stuff to publishers, I assume (and expect) an experienced editor will trim, and trim well.  It seems like the author's editors were either forbidden or too lazy to tackle this epic tome.  The story line stalls in so many places, it's like being stuck in rush hour traffic and I had to push myself (hard!) to keep slogging through.  I actually put it down, twice, which I rarely do.  I read the author's first novel after hearing so much about it, but thought it was just OK.  This work is much more mature and certainly better quality writing, but just too darn long.  I doubt I will read anything else she writes after being disappointed twice.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROJ10GZMRG5KN?ASIN=0316055441	Warped and Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has been on bestseller lists for so long, what more can be said? Well, lots really--being a fan of Tartt's Secret History, I knew this would be a good read. But it ended up being more of a journey with characters so well-defined, and a plot that reminded this reader of Pat Highsmith--a little warped, but in the richest sense and most definitely, very confident. I have to say the last few pages of this novel required a blue pencil as the opinions of the novelist became more evident, or overrode the thoughts (written in a notebook) of the main character, Theo...although rich in philosophy, it could have ended a bit sooner. I did not want to say a negative and that is not really too harsh I hope, because I did spend a lot of time underlining and dog-earing pages! Afterall the story, laden in post-911 sensibilities, has to address soul-injury and death and one cannot be a lightweight and take that on. It is a novel of perseverance and reinvention, of isolation and dependence. If you are the type of person who sees the cracks and knows they need to be there, or who does not complain ""not fair"" then you will love this novel.  This short blurb does NO justice to the story, but go online &amp; read about the Pulitzer Prize winning novel.  I was slow to get on board, maybe because of all the accolades, (hate to always drink the koolaid) but should not have waited so long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLLAYPDAISMVC?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize for What?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Honestly, I'd like to know how they determine what merits a Pulitzer. This novel did have a strong beginning. The prose was undeniably beautiful in places, and the character development was striking. That said, the story was relentlessly heartbreaking, and I don't mean in a Jane Austen or Charles Dickens sort of way, although it began in a manner reminiscent and worthy of those fine authors.<br/><br/>A grieving little boy whose life has been shattered and who is cast from one unstable environment to the next becomes a drug addicted thief and con man who hurts the only people who truly love him.<br/><br/>The End.<br/><br/>Really? If this is a representation of a work of ""literature"" worthy of the greatest recognition in that field, I'll stick to chick-lit, murder mysteries and horror/fantasy, thank you very much. At least I won't be depressed and disappointed at the end.<br/><br/>This novel would have been better if the protagonist had just died at the end. He still would be an ungrateful piece of scum, but at least he wouldn't be alive to keep screwing up everyone else's life, too. There seemed to utterly no point to everything he'd gone through, everything he'd put everyone else through. There was no redemption, no atonement, no point to this entire story, let alone the protagonist's miserable life.<br/><br/>I don't know... Maybe it's just too cerebral for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19EQFW1Q2TIW9?ASIN=0316055441	What a waste of time and money	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a waste of time and money.  After 4 months, I still have 6 hours left... but cannot stand it for more than 5 minutes at a time.  Guess I am just to old to find anything worthwhile in this book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BXLJQPOZY719?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written, but desperately needed an editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know no one else agrees, but this novel which started like a run away train, stalls shortly with its drawn out explanations of everything under the sun. Much much much too much exposition for me.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAWK2ZO3L6EXP?ASIN=0316055441	Such Promise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">...but fell way short. Too much Vegas, too much drug use and not enough character development. This book wn from  thoughtful and heartbreaking look at pople to  silly , farfetched wild goose chase.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BYV2UQIZRFZ5?ASIN=0316055441	A seemingly interminable read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I tried to love this book, and at times throughout the reading experience I thought I could really engage and, finally, give in and at least appreciate the story.  Neither happened.  All I could do was get through it, and it took several attempts to start, stop and continue reading.  Finally, after finishing less than an hour ago, I'm relieved that at least it's over, but I am still processing why I simply do not like the book.  At all.  I can think of a few reasons.  While the characters are well developed (I can actually picture the main characters and even imagine that I've met someone who looks like or displays their mannerisms), none were likable.  At all.  Even the characters for whom I feel some form of sympathy had so many ""issues"" that it was hard for me to want to get to know them more than the author allowed, if that makes sense.  Secondly, the two main characters, Theo and Boris, had profound substance abuse issues so a large portion of the story revolves around their addictive behaviours and impact on others.  Very unpleasant. Third, parts of the book dragged on and on.  About nothing.  During those moments after giving up or getting bored with the writing, it took a great deal of resolve to pick up and finish the book.  While I'm sure there are good reasons Ms. Tartt won the Pulitzer, similar to the point of her book, I just don't understand why.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBGMTY06VMHY7?ASIN=0316055441	Still Don't Know What This Book Was About	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't know what I missed but I thought the characters were weak, spineless, and dishonest with each other and themselves.  How much of that can one reader take?  I'm glad to be finished with it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B9DR86FMTMHI?ASIN=0316055441	I could not help but feel sad that Theo's soul never found the ability to sing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the story interesting but quite depressing... Very wordy; I could not help but feel sad that Theo's soul never found the ability to sing, dance, praise, love without passion, and be loved.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GRJLDH5B7AQU?ASIN=0316055441	Hated it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hated it!! So Slow, long winded and SO depressing. Hated the characters and was hoping the main character would successfully kill himself and who could blame him with his totally depressing life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R328NOUE523X0E?ASIN=0316055441	This story is a little wordy, but you want ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story is a little wordy, but you want to know what happens to the main character. He really had a problem with drugs and that got old to read about. However the ending was worth waiting for.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQYT9ULPURUN3?ASIN=0316055441	a luminating and yet dark read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the beginning- the description of the bombing and the aftermath was amazing. I actually felt there- the smoke, the fear, the terror.  Could have done without Las Vegas.  An incredible read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R70U2D542XRSO?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written,	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this heart-wrenching coming of age story (a la Salinger's Catcher in the Rye) follows a young man as he deals with loss and post-traumatic stress disorder. Very intelligent and thought-provoking!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RKOYB2SS26M5?ASIN=0316055441	extraordinary	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The language is so Beautiful. Tartar is a master at seeing her subjects as fully developed human beings. The complex relationships are real, if dramatic. I can see and smell and taste thus story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U9HZM19SATUC?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In full disclosure, I was looking for a quick read to take with me on vacation this past summer.  When nothing caught my eye, I went to the New York Times best sillier list and saw that it's longest resident was this book. I knew it was long but decided I'd rather have so etching memorable.  Boy, was it!  This is really a modern day Huck Finn:  a boy finding himself orphaned, an uppity family who takes him in, an adventure, some lawlessness, and a social message. This book does not ever get preachy.  It doesn't try to be. But it does have an extremely strong protagonist, as we are taken through his coming of age story, and the twists and turns that he goes through. Through every page, we root for him, appreciate his flaws and beg for him to get better. We have one of the best sidekicks I've ever had the joy of reading about in Boris and a rich menagerie of flawed characters who we love.  These people are real.  There is no pure villain, but there are those who present obstacles. There are no purely good people, but there are those who are decent and help. As I was reading this, I was absolutely amazed that the author could get the inner thoughts of a 13 year old boy so right. I'd go as far as to say that this is a must read. It's literature, but without being wordy and stale. I suspect it will be taught in Schools before long. Read this. You won't regret it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31SXYA8ZX83TI?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth your time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just kept hoping he would take the overdose and put me out of my misery.  I only finished it because I paid for it.  Seriously it was long, boring and full of extremely pathetic characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19JZ20K4T13H?ASIN=0316055441	A Very Good Book a Strong Editor could have made Great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch, while long, covers a lot of ground in terms of time and locales, so, unlike others, I am not inherently critical of the book's length.  The story line had a lot of ""Breaking Bad"" in it--a bad decision that seems to have a chemical-like reaction leading to more (and worse) decisions makes Theo a compelling character.  Many of the other characters, especially Boris and Hobie, are very well drawn.  And the undercurrent of what is real in art, furniture, and relationships gives this book some intellectual as well as physical heft.<br/><br/>However, I concur that some editing to streamline the story and correct facts--on Theo's bus trip from Las Vegas back to New York, the Continental Divide is described as being east of Denver, not in the mountains to the west--would have improved the book.  And a strong editor may have been able to improve he book's unsatisfying conclusion:  both Theo's unrealistic and improbable travels without any ramifications  from his drug and alcohol addictions and Ms. Tartt's philosophizing about the meaning (and nature) of life were inconsistent with the strength of the rest of the book.<br/><br/>While the last few pages were disappointing, most of the book was excellent and I'd be interested in reading about Theo, Boris, and Hobie in another few years if Ms. Tartt decides to write a sequel to The Goldfinch.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PTN1FXL8OO0T?ASIN=0316055441	It won a Nobel Prize.  Why?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't know how this book got any kind of prize.  It just goes on and on and on about nothing.  I read to page 645 and quit.  I'm sure there's a good ending, but I'm too exhausted to get to it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EKBBJ6FMIRX6?ASIN=0316055441	Epic disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very disappointed--for such a relevant disturbing topic, I expected to walk away from this read with something....whether a lesson, a feeling, something to reflect on.  Epically missed the mark.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JCTBJXL9N0NI?ASIN=0316055441	tiresome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was unnecessarily drawn our in parts and became tiresome. I would have enjoyed it much more if it were half as long.  Felt like the author was trying too hard to make it feel important.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PMIQ54A3U342?ASIN=0316055441	Glad I finished that . . .	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Why on earth did this book win a Pulitzer Prize?  Too many words. Way too many words. Quite painful actually. But for Book Club assignment I would have cast this aside after the first 100 pages.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UKTDQIOP61GO?ASIN=0316055441	A master author is like a master painter - you can't get enough of either	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully and intelligently written, with fascinating deep dives into the worlds of antiques, art (painting), and drugs. The adventures of the main character keep you turning pages. He makes you crinche when he opts for the ""wrong choice"" and root for him where he decides to change courses. In other words, he becomes your friend, or depending on your age, he becomes your son. The theme of ""distance"" is familiar to Donna Tart, and in this book too, her character has trouble connecting, difficulty trusting others. Something we can all recognize in general. The childhood of the main character explains why he struggles with asking for help, letting others in. His attachment and loyalty to a piece of art is stronger than to any other human relationship in his life. The question is, can he change that. Can he let those who love him in, or do the trauma's of his youth make that permanently impossible? Does his bond with that wonderful piece of art lead him to utter and irreversible self destruction? Donna Tart is a true artist. I can imagine that writing her books, can take 10 years, for the research alone. But I hope she won't let us wait so long again or I would have to re-read her debut novel (Secret History) to shorten the wait. Still, however long Donna Tart needs, I'll wait patiently and respect that the best books can take a long time.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MZUR1YBDEMFC?ASIN=0316055441	DON'T BOTHER!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good character development, but this is boom is waaaaaaay too long.  It is filled with so much non-essential verbiage, I started skipping pages just to slog through it.  Would not recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q4IK3YI73H4C?ASIN=0316055441	Great but rambles way too much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the writing and story. But it tends to ramble almost endlessly in places. The are some great twists and character's. I am glad I took the journey and enjoyed the descriptions on New York.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R55YQIL0O27J?ASIN=0316055441	Very Dark, But Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting read on many levels.  I did find it disturbing and hard to read at times (too many drugs) , but the characters are compelling and you care about them.  Boris, dangerous, but fun!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G1H56AM64EM1?ASIN=0316055441	Don't read if you suffer from depression	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this was one of the most depressing books I have ever read.  Even the final musings were depressing.  Can't understand why this was so high on the New York Times Best Seller list!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OKGP59M9XNJH?ASIN=0316055441	A Fantastic Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best-written, most engaging novels I have read in a long time. No surprise that it won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It's a long book, but don't let that stop you from reading it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SFONZXBBXKZ3?ASIN=0316055441	My wife liked it and asked me to read it and again ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't finish it and can't figure out how it got a Pulitzer Prize.  It was a little too far out and disconected.  My wife liked it and asked me to read it and again I say I didn't like it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFQLZ6SD96H97?ASIN=0316055441	Difficult book to get through.  The author goes in to way too much detail.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good character development, however it got logged down mid way through with way too much detail about drug use.  This book could have been 100 to 150 pages shorter and been a much better read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KYV0GRB1UQ14?ASIN=0316055441	unedited, taxing to the max	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What happened to book editors?  Has the category vanished?  This book could have packed one hell of a punch and it failed to.  No reader should be taxed as casually, as thoughtlessly, as this.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16A2QLTKQ6NGR?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Decent story, but too long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LSDFD4TYJEMS?ASIN=0316055441	Sometimes you get a great story, sometimes you get great writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sometimes you get a great story, sometimes you get great writing. With the Goldfinch you get both. This is one of those books I do not want to end because every page is such a delicious trea.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11CU349172NTZ?ASIN=0316055441	One Painting Many Decisions	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Outstanding use of the English language with wonderful unexpected plot twists and turns.  The protagonist makes a reactive decision in his youth and the plot takes off from there! Great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG634BXNRDTBE?ASIN=0316055441	A lengthy journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose to read The Goldfinch because others recommended it to me. I'm glad I did. While difficult to get through at times, it was worth it. I wish a separate story was written about Boris...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14NRRWAM5ZJRV?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fabulous read! Intriguing story, believable characters, delicious descriptions! It makes future reads pale!<br/>I would recommend this to everyone. Although long, you won't want it to end!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F12JO8P1VMA6?ASIN=0316055441	it's just ok	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very excited about this book when I heard about it on the radio. Somebody said it was like Harry Potter? So I nabbed it from the library and started reading it for my spring break. The beginning is very engaging; Theo's love for his mother is wonderful. Though, maybe I'm underestimating 13 yo boys, but I thought his thought process was a little too precocious. Anyway, I thought the whole book would be about the Goldfinch, as it says in the title. Nope. There's a whole section about his life in Las Vegas with his pretty bad influence friend Boris that drags for 100s of pages (if not, it certainly felt like it). There are sordid details that seemed to drag on and on. I was so sick of it, I started skipping about 20 pages to hopefully get to the next part. I had to do that about three times. By the time he got out of there, I started to lose my interest, but thankfully there was one mention of the Goldfinch before I finally closed the book. From other reviews, the book is ""apparently"" (Xandra anybody?) supposed to get better by the end, but I don't have the patience and I have to return the book by next week (sorry this isn't actually an ""amazon purchase""). Ah I feel a little cheated. If anybody is really gung ho about the book and would like to advocate for it, please find some way to motivate me to keep going.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FY0Y02O20SCG?ASIN=0316055441	Long goldang doorstop of a book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved her first book. This one was just overly long and tedious. I liked maybe the first 120 or so pages. I ended up not liking the protagonist. I ended up being bored out of my mind.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19NLFR81VKAFT?ASIN=0316055441	Worth Reading Once	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can see what readers can find negative about The Goldfinch. Almost 800 pages, slow starting, a sometimes very annoying main character, pages of monologue that probably could have been taken out; but changing any of these at-the-surface problems would have diminished the integrity of what maybe one of the best description-intense novels written in the past 15 years. Look past these apparent issues and you will be greeted by a true work of genius because, at least one time during the novel, you will ask yourself, ""How could an author know that kinda of intimate detail about something while probably not having those life experiences themselves?"" If you are on the fence about getting the book, there is one question you can ask yourself that will help determine whether this is truly a waste of time for you (because I know this book isn't for everyone). Did you ever have any appreciation for Charles Dickens work? (Whether you like to watch any of the A Christmas Carol movies to enjoyed reading Great Expectations/A Tale of Two Cities in school.) If yes, this maybe for you. If 800 pages is too intimidating, invest in the audiobook/whispersync/audible. It will help cut thru some of the bulk. It's that simple, but be honest with yourself on your taste in novels. The Goldfinch will influence you, somehow, if you give it a chance.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20C5HC6Q6OG2K?ASIN=0316055441	Not one of my favorites.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this book was too long and a little boring. I read it through to the end hoping it would get better, but was disappointed because it got more boring, and the ending was a letdown.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W90NR0R0EC9K?ASIN=0316055441	A real winner.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best novels I've read in a long time.  It captures you from the first page and doesn't let you go.  Beautifully written, well-developed characters, and a wonderful story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X2ZPCQ9HMMDI?ASIN=0316055441	The story itself was pretty good, but	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story itself was pretty good, but,  dear lord there were a lot of words.  Seems like a lot of flowery words to make a little bit of thought.  Went on forever.  Skipped a lot of dialogs.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTQHQEC0YYCUF?ASIN=0316055441	Just fantastic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Of the many, many reasons I loved this book, I became quite attached to some of the characters, and found myself not wanting the story to end.<br/>That is the mark of a well-written novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34DXI1V6J7Z8D?ASIN=0316055441	Audio plus the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm in the process of listening to the audiobook and interspersing that with the actual book. It's a real luxury to be able to do that.<br/>Just reporting that the audio book is excellent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYTT5EA5SWRVN?ASIN=0316055441	It's a Novel about a Boy & The search for His Deceased Mom & the Value of Art & Living	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wept at times while reading this engaging, beautiful Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, that kept me turning page after page! And, I read more non-fiction than fiction, but this one had me at the first page. It's a story of the love a 13-year-old boy has for his mother. It's a story of holding on to something that cannot be held onto but appreciating its beauty and value. It's the story of loss and love, a story of the value of art and beauty.<br/>. . .It's a story of what is important and what is valued and how we cannot chain up love or life. It's a reminder to live now, but that life is not perfect and that's okay. There are so many great quotes in this book-Like: ""...there's a middle zone, a rainbow edge where beauty comes into being, where two different surfaces mingle and blur to provide what life does not: and this is the space where all art exists, and all magic.""<br/>The quotes about his mother made me weep: ""I've never met anyone who made me feel loved the way she did. Everything came alive in her company...to see anything through her eyes was to see it in brighter colors than ordinary.""<br/>And ending, perhaps the message of the book: ""Maybe if we are not always glad to be here, it's our task to immerse ourselves anyway, wade straight through...while keeping our eyes and hearts open.""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSJNZEMCKP2OL?ASIN=0316055441	I can't help feeling like somehow I failed as a reader here	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finished this book a couple of months ago, but have put off writing this because I hoped the book would sink in more. It has not. I can't help feeling like somehow I failed as a reader here.<br/><br/>I loved Donna Tartt's two other books. I liked this one. I have to say I was somewhat disappointed, but can't put my finger on exactly what disappointed me here. So, I'm going to tell you what I liked and didn't like.<br/><br/>Didn't like: --The ending! What was all that rambling?<br/>--The length. I hate to agree with those who said this should have been shorter, but it should have, could have been shorter.<br/>--Hobie character isn't so realistic to be THAT understanding.<br/>--Most of the stuff that takes place in Amsterdam<br/>--Theo isn't that likable in the end<br/><br/>Liked: -- Helped me gain an understanding of what it's like to suffer from PTSD<br/>-- Contained one of the most beautiful scenes I can't get out of my head: When Theo kissed the damaged gal with the lollipop<br/>-- Wonderful descriptions that made you feel like you really knew these characters<br/>-- Bomb scene description<br/>-- Good coming of age story<br/><br/>I hope that Donna Tartt doesn't make us wait so long for the next one, but she probably will. She remains one of my favorite writers, and I'll read anything she publishes.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12HREAVPY78MN?ASIN=0316055441	While the writing style was engaging, the book should ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the writing style was engaging, the book should have undergone some serious editing.<br/>It was several hundred pages too long--and, in my opinion, not deserving of any major prize.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R293V4ZZK3SO1M?ASIN=0316055441	The little bird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book was ok.  It was far too long and there was too much about drugs and booze.  I was disappointed because it has been a best seller for so long.  Parts of it were very sad.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33BIEIZQOGRVE?ASIN=0316055441	The Bookschlepper Recommends	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For once, the hype on a book is accurate. This is a superb novel, exactly as long as it needed to be. I have read on the Internet that some people are put off by the excessive drug use; it is integral to the plot, indicating Theo’s place in life at the time and a microscope into his father. I felt I knew Theo and I carried him with me through the days as I was reading the book. Each of the characters became well-developed over time, even the “stepmother” although only in background. Some events seem a tad bizarre  but life is bizarre, starting with the bombing at the museum. The description of Theo post-explosion is exactly as I imagine it would be and his behavior quite in keeping with his age, from stumbling through the smoke to comforting Welty and the acquisition of the Goldfinch to the frantic calls for information on his mother’s whereabouts. The various families who take Theo in resonate as real people, flawed but surviving. Hobie is a delight but, again, a flawed survivor just as Theo and Pippa are but, then, aren't we all? Theo’s relationship with Pippa is charming and the windfall conclusion only leads to more appropriate questions, like “will this really solve Theo’s problems?” The perfect prose and characterizations and the too-perfect ending compliment the absurdity and mayhem between the covers.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DTNKKU460FPM?ASIN=0316055441	I was glad to finish the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book in my opinion,it goes on and on, drugs, pain, more drugs, pages and pages of description and more description, it never ended, I was glad to finish the book.  I became depressed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HS8KCUXLY5NM?ASIN=0316055441	Catcher in the Rye Meets Unbearable Lightness of Being	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you enjoyed Catcher in the Rye, Rule of the Bone, or any other ""coming of age"" novel, you will enjoy Tartt's ""The Goldfinch."" The catalyst is a horrifying 9-11-esque tragedy affecting the narrator. However, Tartt does not get hung-up on the details of the tragedy or the political implications. The focus is entirely on how the narrator reacts to the tragedy and how it dictates the course of his life, sending him from New York to Las Vegas back to all around the world.<br/><br/>There is even a Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer quality about the narrator and his friendship with ""Boris."" They are held together by loyalty but have completely different perspectives on the world. While the narrator is bound by the ""heaviness"" of his past, Boris moves through with a ""lightness,"" detached from the anchors of morality and expectation. Hence, the reference to ""Unbearable Lightness of Being.""<br/><br/>You FEEL this book. You hate the people you are supposed to hate, love the people you are supposed to love, and feel ambivalence towards the people you just can't be sure about. It's a story about how different people react to similar situations, but it is also an adventure story. Definitely worth a read; you will be amazed by how quickly you get through the nearly 800 pages.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SSQ1SJC6GJ7W?ASIN=0316055441	3 & 1/2 stars---clutching the unbruised part of the life,	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What makes sense in the randomness of tragedies and the evil?  How to preserve the unbruised part before the evil turned your life upside down and you are left completely devoid of common sense and minimum security?  The story is long and at times appears to be too ambitious, turning a very thoughtful story into an action movie like, but it is an engaging story with a thought provoking theme and interesting and cohesively designed story, not only about grief over the losses but also about the precarious, unforeseen fear of the unknown, lurking in the corner.  The 17th century Dutch painting came to SF a few years ago, and among many incredible paintings, this Goldfinch was my favorite, which was what attracted me to read this book.  There are wonderful parallels between the artist, Theo, Welty, Boris--all captured in the eyes of the bird looking at you, telling you so much, fettered, but looking so willful, make you wonder about the stories behind the bird and the chain. For Theo, perhaps it is that tiny bit that helps him understand the world at all, for Welty, it is the memory of original happiness, and for Boris, it is like The Idiot, ""what if it is more complicated...if bad can sometimes come from good actions?"".  And to the artist, who knows what would have this painting meant?  Maybe the bird knows?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6M1KO0RWPP3B?ASIN=0316055441	"Reading ""The Goldfinch"" was a lot like being a bird tethered to a post"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reading ""The Goldfinch"" was a lot like being a bird tethered to a post . . . I mean the elements of greatness are all there . . . awesome characters (Hobie and Boris stuck with me the most), an unlikely but interesting premise, art, antiques, New York, Las Vegas, love, loss . . . but in so many ways these elements were prevented from reaching the heights they were capable of by the redundant passages (much too many descriptions of life through drug-addled eyes) and the books tremendous length.<br/><br/>I really wrestled with what I should rate the book and determining if I liked it or not . . . all in all there are more parts of the book that I liked than parts that I didn't. But I don't think I would ever recommend the book to anyone . . . not because I didn't like it, but because I don't know if I would want to send anyone else on a journey that left me so torn.<br/><br/>No doubt about the excellence of the writing, but I do agree with those who say that the book would have benefited from more editing. But for those looking for an original story with many unpredictable twists (that are just a bit too slow in presenting themselves), the book is certainly not a waste of time. Ultimately, I think my primary problem with the book is that I found myself liking the supporting characters so much more than the main one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23ET9CL1M1124?ASIN=0316055441	about 50% too long and ridiculously mprobable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt needs a firmer editor... Too much melodrama, too much repetitious description. The narrator's misadventures were over the too...you just want to shake him.  And yet I kept reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E4YL69NSPMRQ?ASIN=0316055441	Wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story unique. The writing so eloquent in its description and definition of thought I haven't enjoyed a novel so much in a very long time. Couldn't put it down. Wish I didn't have to.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YKS6OIPI1BPM?ASIN=0316055441	Absolutely one of the best books I've read in years.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like a contemporary Dickens--David Copperfield maybe.<br/>Beautiful style.<br/>Fantastic characters.<br/>I was late for work for days because I stayed up too late at night reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N3TVKWNP5PLX?ASIN=0316055441	A most spectacular story on so many levels.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't want this story to ever end and felt saddened by the act of having no more of this incredible tale to read. And, even after reaching the last page and putting it down, the story stayed in my mind like a vivid, beautiful dream, recurring throughout the days. What an unforgettable character is Theo Decker. From inception of the book and his tragic disaster through his many ordeals, down to the last scenes. The journey, the plot, the characters, the language, are all superb. I felt I was living through every one of Decker's lives, from glitzy, stuffy Park Avenue to sleazy, boozy, drug-filled Vegas and back. I came to love, despise, pity and root for his side-kick, Boris, who while making a wreck of Theo also brought him genuine love and street-smart lessons that came in handy as he trudged along later without him. The twists were delightful. The descriptions awe-inspiring and  poetic. I haven't been touched by a novel like this one in a long, long time. Already a Donna Truitt fan, I am now convinced she is one of our greatest living writers. Philosopher, master storyteller, and with her extraordinary command of the English language, Ms. Truitt had me in her grip and mesmerized from the first suspenseful chapter until the thought-provoking ending. Pulitzer Award caliber through and through.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I72A8I1G1XGW?ASIN=0316055441	I think I enjoyed it? But I am not sure...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finished this book last night. My husband asked me what I thought of it, and I honestly couldn't tell him. I kind of enjoyed it, but at times I just wanted to finish it on principle.<br/><br/>I found that the main character was very difficult to like, and therefore really hard to sympathize with in any way. For an 800 page book I feel like with a lot of main characters you want to be barracking for them/in the corner. I really wasn't with Theo and sometimes I felt like I just wanted to pick him up and shake him! The character was extremely self indulgent in his dealings with grief and how it really ended up defining him as a person. I thought it was too much. There needed to be some 'light' in the book and I feel like there was no happiness really portrayed which you need. Rather than trudging through a lot of sadness.<br/><br/>I guess I am left confused by this book and a good book doesn't make you skim read sections due to overly long descriptions of drug abuse too.<br/><br/>The descriptive writing was excellent, there is no doubt that the reader would be left confused with a scenario/person/setting as it is really well done on that behalf. However, I didn't feel like I was taken on a journey of different emotions, I felt I was just trudging through the very sad life on an individual.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15OT7SX1LJER0?ASIN=0316055441	Great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing in this book is extremely well done, carrying a terrific story all the way to its end. And when you close this book for the last time, the one thing you'll wish for is more.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FQ5I0P8O7OFV?ASIN=0316055441	A huge let down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">During interviews Tartt described her favorite author as Dickens and how his massive works such as Great Expectations has influenced her. In book reviews many people also compared this work to Dickens. I thought if the hype were only half true, this book would be worth reading.<br/><br/>It isn't.<br/><br/>It's very long but unlike Great Expectations/David Copperfield,classic Dickens epics, where the plots (and all the subplots) are engaging, the characters fascinating and complex and the dialogue funny and entertaining, Tartt fails to sustain these qualities in her 200 thousand words or so. Even if the book had been cut down to half its size it's still not worth reading (at least not cover to cover like I did).<br/><br/>Like some other reviewers have said many of the characters are a little dull. The main character, Theo, is hard to identify with. He and his best friend Boris get into a lot of trouble and there is endless detail about their drug-induced shenanigans.<br/><br/>The end of the novel actually is extremely weird: it's like a letter to the reader about the life lessons and philosophical worldview Theo managed to achieve. But it reads like a mishmash of incoherent gibberish, vapid cliches and other things you're likely to read from incoming freshmen in Intro to Existentialism.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NCJNSRHPCDYV?ASIN=0316055441	Good. Not great.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a really good story but I didn't love the ending; I felt it left part of the plot unresolved. Some of it was so wordy; I skimmed through the last pages just to be done with it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CJ8QN4X39KTX?ASIN=0316055441	klcr	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">50% longer than the book needed to be.  Creative writer however seems to get too caught up in creative writing and goes off on rants that drag on and on. would not recoomend this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26HVE2XLQSWDE?ASIN=0316055441	Twist of fate	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to keep reading about this boy, who ended up much better then I could have imagined. I was very happy with this book, I especially liked the little twist, I didn't expect it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ3PEQOXC1EVJ?ASIN=0316055441	To love what death doesn't touch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I highly recommend The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. It follows the life of Theo Decker, who as a boy survives an explosion in an art museum that kills his mother, and many others. Injured and dazed, he escapes with a valuable and important painting. Throughout all that follows - life as a Park Avenue orphan, then as a delinquent on the streets of Las Vegas; then in New York again dealing antiques with a debilitating drug habit - Theo drifts as an impartial observer, certain only of death's eventuality. Life means nothing except for one thing: his hidden secret, the stolen painting of a tiny chained bird that seems to point to some greater truth, which ties him to the final memories of his mother. When that, too, is finally lost, it seems Theo is lost as well...<br/><br/>Something I have always loved about Donna Tartt is her ability to touch on the darkness and reduction of the human spirit - and to make it seem okay and most of all, understandable. There's a part about following your heart, and being true to yourself always, ""that even a Disney Princess can understand."" But what if your heart is black and being true to yourself isn't good for you, or anyone? What if life means nothing - What then? That's what the novel asks, and explains, and ultimately attempts to resolve.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32DE5U4W8J74U?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent, engrossing human drama	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossing, intelligent novel. Deserved the prize. Loved the characters -- unrich, private schooled son of divorced mother, and his crazy Russian friend, growing up from boyhood to young adulthood.  These characters become lovable by dint of their humanity and intelligence and humor.<br/><br/>There is only a little bit of a plot, but the somewhat picaresque, coming of age narrative, even at almost 800 pages, keeps moving, often providing intelligent insights into human nature, love, and the need for attachment. Also the author provides insights into the joys of various recreational pharmaceuticals. Dropping acid in the desert sounds way better than being addicted to pain killers in the city, as you would imagine. Much on Dutch art, of course, and classic furniture making. A fine portrait of upper class old money New York at this moment in time, along with the people who prey on them, with interesting descriptions of the fraud mechanisms in the high end antiques business.<br/><br/>Among other things the novel makes the case that the anchor of a mother's love is about the most important thing in life. Absent that, a good gay uncle of the old school sort is the best surrogate.  I am mid50s and I enjoyed the book a lot. My 19 year old daughter and her friends enjoyed it as much.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WGW5QGP9XMX1?ASIN=0316055441	"""It's not about outward appearances, but inward significance""--why you should read this book!"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book touched me.  As a kid with his own parental issues I found the portrayal of Theo quite on point and I became impressed that Donna Tartt, as a female author, captured the feelings of a teenage boy to the extent she did. Bravo.  As other reviewers have posited, this book could be several books in one with different genres and different themes.  That said, aside from the very end, which I found a bit long-winded, I was left very impressed by the way all those themes corresponded and came together in a unified whole.  I've read some good books lately but this one took the cake.  The historical alliteration, the art scenes, Manhattan high and low brow, Las Vegas, Holland and the connections to the Ukraine and Russia all combined for a pleasant and flowing read that I felt I needed to return to and did in a quick and dirty five day read fest.  Both philosophically and beautifully written, our author must be keen on literature.  And her work, maybe Dickensian, maybe Faustian, maybe that ""novel of the ages"" alluded to in discussing the ""fundamental discrepancy of love"", is definitely one I enjoyed and would recommend to anyone.  Nice work!<br/><br/>I wanted to read this after reading the NY Times review of it and luckily, my wife bought it and did so.  The bo</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6XZ7TQCQ58AK?ASIN=0316055441	I did not like reading about the alcohol and drug problems and the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was a long and complicataed story.  I appreciated the writing, the descriptions, etc.  I did not like reading about the alcohol and drug problems and the foul language.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RREC46A61NGJ?ASIN=0316055441	The Meaning  of a Painting is very Personal	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book cleverly linked how different  life experiences reflect  the way we view art.  Does the artist always have a message to send, or is it the viewers need to be introspective?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBQL2PBJUC3P9?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant big book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love the evocative language and the pace, and the characters, who are so well described. And I love that it's so long, the story can plow on and on, which is completely engrossing!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10GSHPXY9DSDE?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth 475 pages.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Astonished that it won a Pulitzer. Main charscter intensely self-absorbed, and his PTSD is not enough of an excuse. Wouldn't have finished it if it weren't our book group selection.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EWU1JFTIT0FU?ASIN=0316055441	Great Intelligence from cover to cover	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How rare is this book? Amazingly so. Ms Tartt is not only able to articulate the main character's brilliance but almost every page here is full of wild unusual wonderful brilliance--in the writing, in her characters, in an emotional rightness and most especially and in Theo, the most memorial of her brilliant characters.<br/><br/>For me, this book has an equally rare coherence. I do not see it as a series of novellas, but rather from page one till the very end, Theo and co. are amazingly interesting, all alive, fascinating in their interests and loveable to the max.<br/><br/>Every ""minor"" character is vivid too, also unique. Every move made by the main character makes unremitting sense. With the exception of Hugo, I loved each relationship and the subtitles' therein.<br/><br/>Unlike some other reviewers, I never felt bored nor turned off because we read for language and philosophy; relationships and fate; coincidences and the relativity of good and evil.<br/><br/>This is likely one of the three best novels I've had the pleasure to read with total immersion in my long life.<br/><br/>Thank you, Donna Tartt for giving us such a rich and long story. I didn't put it down except to sleep and am only sorry it is now over for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13ZV6ZYJFNWPB?ASIN=0316055441	Immortal ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A brilliant twisting escapade that comes to a crescendo at the end, releasing a most magnificent conclusion that fits the entire sequence of events in an otherwise subliminal plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVZM5SJCVEAUX?ASIN=0316055441	Her language is beautiful. But the book is too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Her language is beautiful.  But the book is too wordy.  Drug reactions descriptions are overdone.  After finishing the book, I began rereading it which helped understand it better.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RW54P4T4DLKQ?ASIN=0316055441	I have recommended my book club not read it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While captivating in the beginning, the story and the characters only continued to get depressing.  It was difficult for me to finish.  I have recommended my book club not read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CU8487WCUWNF?ASIN=0316055441	Dreadful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am an avid reader and I am not going to elaborate on my feelings for this book. I have read the reviews both good and bad. It has taken every bit of my being to finish this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNLIM1QHC0XTY?ASIN=0316055441	I was in love with this book during the first couple of chapters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was in love with this book during the first couple of chapters.  But then it dragged on and I no longer cared about the characters.  I only finished it out of sheer stubbornness.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAV37R22L1SLS?ASIN=0316055441	Prose soars like a free bird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extraordinary. The Goldfinch is a deeply satisfying blend of gorgeous literary writing with a thriller style plot and Charles Dickens-esque range of scope. Theo Decker is a character we watch from boyhood to manhood, in peril for much of that time, in possession of a cherished gift. It's a gift meant for all people who appreciate art and beauty, not just for him, but it ends up in his hands to secretly protect and preserve. After surviving an explosion that takes his mother's life he moves through his days recklessly. As a teen in his father's careless charge he immerses himself in drugs. As an adult who has somehow managed to secure a comfortable lifestyle with the seemingly non perilous job of selling antique furniture, he is continually drawn to danger. His mindset is practically suicidal, we readers care about him more than he seems to care for himself. He is also cared for by those in his inner circle: his best friend Boris, father figure Hobie, and Pippa, the girl whom he loves from first sight but has no idea what to do about it. Theo protects a masterpiece meant to be displayed on museum walls much as he guards memories of his mother who was taken too soon. Memories never have to be surrendered, but eventually we all find ourselves needing to let go.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KW0DYY3CZ31D?ASIN=0316055441	Another Beautiful Tartt Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Spoiler Alert.<br/><br/>I've had several weeks of traveling for work, and read The Goldfinch on my Kindle. It's the first book I've read on Kindle, and I decided I liked it very much. It's probably going to change my book buying habits. But enough about the media. I loved The Goldfinch. Little Friend is still my favorite of Tartt's three books, but The Goldfinch is a very close #2. Tartt did her usual fantastic job of creating a complex plot with believable and interesting characters.<br/><br/>The ending was slightly disappointing (a little too ""happy ending""), though I definitely wanted some way for Theo to get out of the mess he'd created. It would have been incredibly unfair if he'd ruined his own and the wonderful Hobie's life though his actions.<br/><br/>I loved all the characters, even the despicable ones. I kept imagining the book done as a movie and thinking about who I'd cast. I tried out several 20-30-something actors, but never settled on one that I thought could do the part justice. I couldn't even come close to casting Boris (I loved his spirit and philosophy on life). I think it would have to be someone who's not currently a lead actor; perhaps not an entirely unknown, but someone whose roles have been small and almost unnoticed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G0LOS5DLHUT2?ASIN=0316055441	Sad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very sad and distressing, although eloquently written, this book gets more depressing with each passing page. I'll give the author vivid imagery, and brilliant choice in verbiage.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYD29K7QF431A?ASIN=0316055441	"... on the ""verified purchsse"" reviews since they tell it like it is"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wish I had concentrated on the ""verified purchsse"" reviews since they tell it like it is. I just don't get how this book received so many awards. Don't waste your time or money.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NSOZLH3L6AJ2?ASIN=0316055441	This book absolutely lived up to its reputation! The ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book absolutely lived up to its reputation!  The twists and turns keep the reader turning pages (or hitting the next page button).  I definitely want to read her other books!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TL024CVK0GIX?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating, but too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating story and intriguing writing. But it is too long. Perhaps Ms. Tartt could have made it into two, or even three, separate novels? None the less, I enjoyed it very much.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP4YYCDU5LVIQ?ASIN=0316055441	Tough read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the hardest book to finish that I've almost ever read.  It had a good story but it was so painful at times.  It did get good at the end but I'm not sure it was worth it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N9IY5LIEHP2C?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch - Not Impressed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have had The Goldfinch on my Kindle for a year.  It was too daunting to think about reading a 700+ page novel so I procrastinated.  In the meantime, I read all 8 of the Outlander series and 12 of the Poldark for a total of 15,000+ pages.  Realizing the length of the book was no big deal, I dove into The Goldfinch and read straight through over the week.<br/>This is my first time reading a Pulitzer-prize winning novel so I expected to be mesmerized.  Unfortunately, that is not what happened.  I found the book to be ponderous, complicated, depressing and really inferior to the many other books I have read.  I went back to the reviews,checked out the one and two-star ratings and found I agreed with them.<br/>While I felt compassion and fondness for Theo, Boris, Pippa and Hodie it was all so exasperating with the endless descriptions of alcohol-drinking, drug-addled teenagers, furniture restoration, the history of The Goldfinch painting, Amsterdam at Christmas, Theo and Boris's totally dysfunctional adult years.  I wanted a happier ending and certainly was not impressed by Tartt's philosophical preaching of the last 20 pages.<br/>Shamelessly, I'll brag to everyone that I have read the 2014 Pulitzer for fiction but I will not recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21FE1HMFX466V?ASIN=0316055441	An amazing novel that only let me down at the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Through the first 600 pages, I was riveted to this amazing novel. I felt that it was one of the best I had ever read. Each change in venue and each set of new character made me fear that it would go downhill, but I loved each new stage in the life of Theo Decker, a boy who lost his mother tragically in a terrorist bombing. The bombing scene might be the single greatest one I have read. The author, Donna Tartt, reminded me of John Irving at his very best, even better, actually. The last 150 pages took the reader into the world of art theft, and while filled with more plot/action, this subplot engaged me less than any other. I still enjoyed it, but did not love it as I had each previous segment of this amazing novel. Only the end of the book actually disappointed me. A long, philosophical monologue stated so much that had brilliantly been implied in the novel, touching on the themes of love and art. In spite of what I saw as flaws near the end, this book is still my favorite novel in many years. I should also say that I was worried that this would be too high brow, given that I am not an arts aficionado. That was not the case. Fascinating characters and great writing made this novel great. This story drew me completely into its world, art and all.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32WE6QT4KYHHK?ASIN=0316055441	Enthralling book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have been enthralled by Donna Tartt's rich, picaresque novel, The Goldfinch. Theo, the young narrator of this lengthy but compelling tale, yearns to find a way to cushion his tortured existence. This average boy, adored by his art-loving mother, and ignored by his alcoholic, gambler father, is forever haunted by his mother's violent death in an art gallery's explosion. Theo escapes the gallery with a painting that becomes the focal point of his life, the Dutch painter Fabritius's priceless work, The Goldfinch. Theo ducks the clutches of child protective services, and teeters between the apex of high society and the depths of the drug and art underworld, preferring companions who ""ignore health, domesticity, civic responsibility...and all the blandly-held common virtues,"" and who throw themselves ""head first and laughing into the holy rage."" Although the plot includes one action-adventure style shootout, this is literature at its best. The deep, provocative prose and the pitch perfect characters shed light and humor on the wrenching tale of a boy as entrapped by heartless fate as the goldfinch that is eternally chained to its perch.<br/>Constance Emerson Crooker<br/>Author of <a class=""a-link-normal"" href=""/Melanoma-Mama-On-Life-Death-and-Tent-Camping/dp/1937839044"">Melanoma Mama: On Life, Death, and Tent Camping</a></span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XRIT07E3XLMF?ASIN=0316055441	Unfortunately, No.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm so sad that I cannot finish this book.  I always finish my books, even ones that I'm not particularly fond of.  I tend to trust when so many people highly recommend something.  I looked forward to reading this book for months so I could dedicate my time into reading it.<br/><br/>I'm a little more than 20% into this novel and it is just so boring! It has taken me 2 WEEKS to get this far because I don't care to read it and thats coming from someone who typically reads 2-3 books a week in the summer.  I'm about 150 pages in and I don't feel anything for the characters involved.  It's kind of like how you feel about a stranger - I hope everything works out but I'll probably never know and won't try to find out.<br/><br/>Theo is not a bad character, but Tartt has not provided me enough to really want to know and care about this guy.  I have completely neutral feelings about him - if I heard an indepth summary of the book, I'd be happy but I won't seek it out.  I think there's a good story in there but it's bogged down with too many pages of worthless information.<br/><br/>One reviewer mentioned they felt that Tartt is trying to flex her intellectual muscles and I think that's pretty accurate.  Why else would she include all this nonsense?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAZA9L3JKXW2N?ASIN=0316055441	I was very glad that I stayed with it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this novel was fascinating, without necessarily liking the characters.  I was very glad that I stayed with it, as the plot is a very interesting one....Well-written...</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17E54IZM9D17E?ASIN=0316055441	Superbly written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story is exciting<br/>Characters are exquisitely delineated<br/>Universally appealing<br/>Education about drugs, art, furniture repair, friendship.<br/>Easy and fun to read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DGIWF5SZ1P8Z?ASIN=0316055441	the all too human emotions give the book an authenticity that can only come from understanding love, loss	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a lengthy saga but worth reading. The characters are interestingly drawn, if not always likeable. Human flaws and frailty are what the book is about with glimpses of friendship and loyalty  that provide hope for the characters and the reader. A world of circumstance and contingency surrounds the main characters and motivates them to commit both crimes and acts of kindness. However, the all too human emotions give the book an authenticity that can only come from understanding love, loss,grief, depression, and an appreciation for art. Some of the writing approaches the poetic and the philosophical explaining the events in the story. The author provides an example of the impact of loss and grief on the development of a young person into adulthood and shows how much context shapes the human spirit. Hopefulness and hopelessness are in constant tension in this story, The author's conclusion that we do not choose the person that we are or what our hearts desire seems deterministic. It presumes that we do not have choices in life and seems less optimistic that an existential view that posits that it is choice that makes the difference in who we are.  Nonetheless, I'm glad that I read the book, and that it kept my attention to the last page.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXRGZ0IE0ZRU7?ASIN=0316055441	Good but not great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the saga of a 13-year-old boy who is in the Metropolitan Museum in New York when it is bombed,killing his only parent and where a dying man he tried to help insists he save a valuable painting from the rubble around them. Donna Tartt is a wonderful writer and deserves the Pulitzer, but this is a very long book--- more than 700 pages. Well before the end, I felt a closure could have happened instead of drawing it out so long. The parts of the story that take place in New York were the most interesting to me becasue I grew up there. Another large part is set in Las Vegas where the young teenager spends most of the time using dope, living a bare existence, influenced by a new friend of questionable character who lives dangerously and draws him into his intrigues. From there, he returns to New York and follows his quest to Europe, in an effort to recover the Goldfinch painting which his friend had stolen from him. The plot gets so convoluted there,  I felt impatient for it to be resolved. After I finished The Goldfinch, I read another of Tartt's books, A Little Friend,  but found myself skipping to get to the denouement, which was one long exhausting sermon.Although I think she writes very well, I probably won't read more of her work.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZP8HBVUUBV65?ASIN=0316055441	Boris turned out to be his best friend. While it was a bitter disappointment that ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The protagonist had a rough life, losing his Mother in such an unexpected fashion, as well as being with the owner of the antique store when he died.  Having the ring from his finger led him to a place where he could live and be fed and sheltered.  That led to his career in the shop, and he learned to value and sell precious items.  As he said at an early point, Boris turned out to be his best friend.  While it was a bitter disappointment that he was never able to have the Goldfinch painting as his own, through Boris he was able to get millions of dollars, and the painting was in a museum along with other missing valuable works of art.  He was able to get the antique business back on a firm financial basis, and spent a year traveling around the country buying back the antiques he had passed off as valuable, when they were second-rate at best.  Although he was never able to be with Pippa, the love of his life, and never married Kitsey, he still maintained a strong tie to her Mother, and visited her often, and warned her to never let the charlatan in her house, as he would have undervalued items and cheated her out of what she should have been paid.  All in all, a fascinating story of one young man's life, his mistakes and achievements.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R78YMVTR7Q2XI?ASIN=0316055441	enjoyed the first half	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theodores journey held me captive until page 500....or maybe 400?  The book is very well written and had me wanting to stop by an art museum.  However, it is a bit long winded.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVJCPS2S53LYD?ASIN=0316055441	Good but not Great; could be shorter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is good, but not great.  In fact, I do not understand how it won a Pulitzer Prize.<br/><br/>It is an interesting story with well defined characters.  However, the book is too long.  The author drags out too many parts making it tempting to skim over some parts and possibly miss important points.  She is as thorough as Dickens was describing the characters, but this is both good and bad; good because you really understand the characters but bad because her descriptions (like Dickens) are often too detailed and just boring after a point.<br/><br/>Likewise, the author is very thorough describing scenes and the thoughts going through the main character's head, but these are also often too long.  As an example, the last 12 or so pages are philosophical thoughts by the main character; way more than is required.<br/><br/>One minor complaint is that the characters are too stereotypical.  The author could have been a little more nuanced with the characters.  However, this did not greatly detract from the story.<br/><br/>Despite these negative comments about the book, I did find it to be an intriguing story - it certainly kept my attention.  I just think The Goldfinch could have been 450 - 500 pages rather than 775 pages</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YL9ZH0R9GGW7?ASIN=0316055441	too many pages of introspection that read like the author's chance to get her own thoughts down ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story line,  however, too long, too many drug scenes,  too many pages of introspection that read like the author's chance to get her own thoughts down on the page.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK93G2BFEJ4BI?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch flies	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written and detailed story with wonderful character development. I enjoyed the art and antique restoration details. Was shocked by the underworld criminal element.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R49CLKG5DP01G?ASIN=0316055441	Three books in one	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch had moments that were great and others when the book dragged.<br/>I felt the book could have been tightened up. It really was three books in one.<br/>Way too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3685IKBYFVYT4?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt is a genius!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this first, loved it, and promptly bought and read Donna Tartt's The Secret History and The Little Friend.  Her novels are classic instances of the genre preciously called the literary novel.  This means that character development is all, and plot is a mere scaffolding.  Like Philip Roth, she sort of gives away the ending in the first chapter.  And Vladimir Nabokov would love her works, for they produce that supremely aesthetic tingle in the spine that he says is the be-all and end-all of all great literature, without the cheap thrill of suspenseful plots (such plots make a novel not worth reading a second time, Nabokov maintains).  Tartt's novels are VERY worth reading a second time.  Her Pulitzer Prize for The Goldfinch is richly deserved, though I think her The Little Friend is even better.  She later got trashed by the New Yorker and the NYRB for The Goldfinch, by small-minded, perhaps even jealous, reviewers, but I think reading The Goldfinch is a wonderful treat.  When each of her three novels was coming to an end, I just didn't care that, at long last, the obvious plot was resolved--I just wanted the story to continue and continue.  These are all long long novels, perfect for absorbing winter reading.  Donna Tartt is a genius.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S29PO9HY1FD1?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful discussion of the meaning of art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the discussions of art, antiques, &amp; philosophy, and the capriciousness of life.  The rest is there to support that last point, but hat doesn't mean I have to like it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPPMORYSNUUNG?ASIN=0316055441	I think this book is actually less than one star ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think this book is actually less than one star.  It is the only book that I have purchased on my kindle that I could not finish.  I am shocked it has received the Pulitzer.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EQ2O4L6XVXKT?ASIN=0316055441	Covers a myriad of emotions...makes for a great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At times, I felt weighed down by the details of this book, although at other times, the lengthy description entranced me. The Goldfinch is a wonderful, heart wrenching novel.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AZG57T2HRERU?ASIN=0316055441	Long and boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Worst book I've read in a long time! I could hardly stand to keep reading it, but kept going to the end because I had to see how it ended, which was also disappointing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T2ZLSZFCJDX?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt writes beautifully! Indeed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch has generated widely divergent reviews -- extreme praise (winning the Pulitzer, for heaven's sake!) and extreme pans.  I do agree with the negative voices that The Goldfinch was not deserving of the Pulitizer.  However, some of the criticism is just nasty and unjustified.  Several of the negative reviews, for example,  criticize Tartt's prose style and mastery of English,  and cite the cliches and  slangy turns of phrase which occasionally do turn up  -- but rarely in over 700 pages of prose.  On the whole I would argue that the prose style is the book's strongest point.  Tartt writes beautifully!  Indeed, it may be that her savouring of the English language is also her weak point.  Her descriptions and analyses  go on too long, and the narrative bogs down.  This book, like her others, is painfully SLOW.  She's been compared to Dickens -- No!  She  is far from the storyteller he was.  She just  cannot seem to let go of the narrative when enough has been said.  The ending is a good example of her tendency to overwrite ---she just natters on, far beyond the point when her point has been made.  I'm surprised that her editors don't intervene.  Maybe Tartt is just too much of an icon to touch.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R338CX6AKD36S9?ASIN=0316055441	serious book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was difficult for me. I found it for the most part depressing. The plot seemed to drag. Beautiful prose, though, and worthwhile  reading when all is said and done.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC5DK0WZUXDP9?ASIN=0316055441	to be immersed inside the horror combined with beauty	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, tragic, glorious and maddeningly heart breaking The Goldfinch brought you through the world of Theo and how a soul can rise and fall in a single breath.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP5L7E4NQIRAR?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is so well written and not a light read.  It has depth and is so well written and is enthralling from start to finish.  Looking forward to Donna Tartt's next book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CAXDE4YHCZZN?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written, but you gotta commit to it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i never thought i'd finish THE GOLDFINCH.  i can see why it has gotten so many glowing reviews, yet i had a difficult time getting through it.  honestly, a few hundred words could have been cut out of it and it still would have been a great read, maybe a better one.  maybe it was because i was under pressure to finish it since it was on loan and the late fees were piling up, but just when i'd start getting into the plot again, it would go into these absurdly long narratives that just made me lose interest.  yet i do mean it was beautifully written, and there are some unforgettable characters in the story.  aside from theo, i absolutely adored his friend, boris.  i liked him better than theo, actually. he was unpredictable, shady, yet sweet and loving in his own weird way.  and hobie, who became a father figure to theo. he seemed like one of the relics that filled his shop - lost to the modern world and refreshingly predictable.<br/>i think some of the problem is, when you are a book lover, you forget to read the books.  like me, i'm looking for my next book before i finish the one i'm reading so there will be no book gap. but if you take the time to read TG and let it settle, i think it is a very satisfying read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TYEN75GG1KBH?ASIN=0316055441	Yes, it's too long, but it is redeemed by great characterization	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is no accounting for taste.  I bought the book after reading a flat-out rave review in  ""The New Yorker"", and I'm glad I did.<br/>What helped me, was that I read the book at the same time I was listening to it on tape. The reader did a perfect Eastern European accent for Boris, and almost a British accent for Hobie. (Someone pointed this out in a review here.) I can't cover themes in this book, because I want to use the space to discuss the characters. I agree that Theo was unappealing (couldn't stand him).As some would say,  ""He needs a good smack !) "" :)  He is a self-pitying,  sniveling  alcoholic  drug addict, and I agree that too much time was spent describing his druggie  hallucinations. On the other hand, I thought Boris was great ! He is charming, eccentric, and doesn't take himself or life too seriously. Yes, he is also an alcoholic  addict, but he gets right up and continues his life.<br/>There were only three other sympathetic characters:  Hobie, Andy,  and Pippa.  Pippa is the only sympathetic female character in the entire book, except for Theo's mother ( who doesn't last long.) I guess a case could be made for Mrs. Barbour after her tragic losses, but the case is not strong.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU543YTVKS0SA?ASIN=0316055441	Review of The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would normally not read a book like this. I am much more a sci-fi, fantasy, apocalyptic, mystery type reader. Thinking that these choices might restrict me in some way, I looked around for a book that was not in those genres. I did enjoy this book although the length of this book put me off so bit at first. I just want to say that this is the most beautifully written book I have ever read. I had said that about ""Life After Life"" but Donna Tarrt's prose is so beautiful that in many places, it brought tears to my eyes. The challenges Theo faced over the years echoed in my mind in ways I have not expert before.<br/><br/>I read this book voraciously up until about 100 pages from the end when Theo made his trip to Europe. I fully understand why he had to make the trip but the book bogged down, at least for me, at this point. I loved Theo and Boris but all that self examination just did not click with me although many other readers may find it fascinating. In general, I agree that we have to pursue life with a the energy and passion we can. We only get one shot at this.<br/><br/>I highly recommend this book. It is worth getting through the almost 800 pages if just to experience Donna Tarrt's beautiful prose.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34OETGSFBN0QT?ASIN=0316055441	An Incoherent Mess	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""The Goldfinch"" is one of the best-selling books of all time.  It is also an incoherent mess, and the worst part is that it drags on pointlessly for over 700 pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QX6JTHYXOT53?ASIN=0316055441	Can' believe it was a Pulitzer Prize winner.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not like this book.  I finished only to find out the ending but it drug out way too long. It was rather depressing.<br/>I can't believe it was a Pulitzer Prize winner.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15HRJVHG02ACF?ASIN=0316055441	Don't bother	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Simply put, this book is not worth the time to read.  I finished reading this book only because it was a ""book club read.""  Save your money, the hype is inaccurate.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXBB19XPDRSOD?ASIN=0316055441	Don't Miss this One!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As fine art is one of the themes of this amazing novel, it is a work of art itself.  Beautifully written, and although a length read, it keeps your attention from beginning</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29FW8CWHMHXGT?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started out really grabbing my attention.  I got bogged down in the middle.  I found it hard to finish but did enjoy it.  Author is very very descriptive in her writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WU8IUQ2I0BGZ?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful and poignant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Breathtaking language and capturing the vulnerability of children.  A look into the world of things that can go wrong in life.<br/><br/>PS.  It is long but very worth it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HBEIJ6UVBKSC?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent, sprawling story of a sensitive adolescent boy adrift in present day Manhattan. There's a reason this book made so many of ""the best of 2013"" lists.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10LSZJ9IYB35J?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't know when to quit	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the plot was a stroke of genius. Then it seems to me the current popular  objective is to add as much description as possible whether it pertains to the text or not. This is similar to so much reportage that begins something like “It was a bright and sun filled morning filled with fluffy clouds before a rainy afternoon when he sat on the concrete step cutting his nails …blather blather."" I found the description in the goldfinch book to be excessive so that I felt I’d walked into an overdecorated room.  When I remember the experience of reading the book I first remember that there was a little boy named Bart who was walking down the street with a man. Bart was not integrated into the plot and never showed up again, poor thing. Then the drug and alcohol in the plot was so repetitious, fully described, and extreme I can’t believe the main characters lived.<br/><br/>Back to the plot: it held me loosely until the last 200 pages, when I was worn down with so much bash, dash, scrape, and escape that I just no longer cared. I didn’t finish the book and still don’t know if the goldfinch ever got back to the museum. Did Bart ever come back? Anyway, I did enjoy some of the first 400 to 500 pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GVIPFG40X3BB?ASIN=0316055441	A Long Slow Burn	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This, as many have pointed out, is a long novel. There were times when I loved it, and other times I questioned it. It is certainly complex, but kept me thinking. I wish I had read it with a book club. It is the type of book that sparks conversation and deep thought. I realized that the characters (who are so flawed) are familiar characters in every day society. They live a life very different from my own, so it was interesting getting a glimpse into their thinking and why they make the decisions they make. I found Theo's meltdown in the hotel in Amsterdam toward the end rather fascinating. The philosophical rant at the end of the book was a bit too much for me, however (and the reason I gave the book 4 instead of 5 stars). I found myself nodding at one point as Theo painted himself as a nihilist. That's exactly what he is, but the course of his life led him to this. It was quite a depressing story, but then again, there is a lot in life that is. In this way, the book was very real. I would recommend this book to only certain people. It is not for everyone. It is not a breezy beach read, far from it. Personally, I thought it was very unique, unlike anything I have ever read. I am happy that I read it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZLCI5QANE9OD?ASIN=0316055441	I know everyone loved this but I thought it stunk	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know everyone loved this but I thought it stunk, quite frankly.  Muddled through as much as I could and put it down about 2/3rds of the way through without finishing it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RHQZ215LPSXP?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How this did not win the Booker Prize is beyond me. It is one of those books where you have to fasten your seat belt and hang on for the ride. Unputdownable!!!! Fantastic.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LEA2ZHW1C9IA?ASIN=0316055441	Great from beginning to end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book.  The story wrapped up on a philosophical note that was respectful to the story and matched the serious tone.  I felt privileged to have found this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VZA08HMXP3NA?ASIN=0316055441	Not for mom's of young boys.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I gave this two stars because of the great angst it put me through. Though well-written, clearly by how disturbed I was at reading it, I found it painfully hard to read as a mom of a young boy. It made me want to tape our ""plans if something happens"" all over the house, his backpack, etc. I like to read when going to sleep and this just gave me nightmares. I would not recommend it to anyone with young children.<br/>Despite the above, the story was good and very 'real' feeling. I've worked in the juvenile justice system and have seen kids make a series of poor choices, with limited adult guidance/supervision and can see how the spiral can easily happen. When drugs are involved, it is even that much worse in all areas.<br/>I did think that the author devoted too much time to the drug-induced ramblings of the main character. Also, his self-talk towards the end became tiresome, but perhaps that is because I was so eager for it to be over and somehow learn he turned out ok. I'm not sure he did turn out well, or happy and guess that he will continue to live in a haze, almost in an 'as-if' capacity.<br/>Clearly, the book struck me. It troubled me and I disliked it, but I couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N6BE3XWXCZ5A?ASIN=0316055441	I'm an avid reader, but this was just too ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm an avid reader, but this was just too much..Too long and drawn out and a little too much drug use. By page 250 I wanted to quit but had to finish. Thank god its over.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KVDY5HLMMB9M?ASIN=0316055441	one of the worst books I have ever read and I am avid	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it may be a book someone else likes but I found it a slow read and did not keep me interested in the story.  one of the worst books I have  ever read and I am avid reader</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LOBOJF9A0EP1?ASIN=0316055441	A novel to savor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written -- author drew me into the story, and I savored it.  Spurred lots of interesting discussion in my book club, and I've recommended it to all my other friends!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C5V7BC6EEN8A?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling and historical fiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful characters; beautiful writing and loved all the descriptions of the art and stories behind them. Just bought another book by Donna Tartt. Looking forward to it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VXTGCPUJSRFU?ASIN=0316055441	Pulls you in	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a crazy ride through a life of a boy - whom tragedy is his middle name but rich with characterization, vivid pictures and description.  all I can say is wow</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3489NV2QWS3BV?ASIN=0316055441	So-so Bird Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This won the Pulitzer Prize?  Why?  Many other reviewers said the same thing I'm about to say---I ""finished the book just to finish it.""  I'm not into tortured, lost souls.  I'm more into heart-warming, or exciting, or creepy, or whatever, but having to live through Theo's years of poverty with his mother, then the museum explosion with death and destruction, then life in Las Vegas with his criminal father and drug-dealing girlfriend, living with Boris (that could be a whole 'nuther book!), the heavy-duty drugs everyone used, his life-long infatuation/love for another museum explosion victim (if he'd only told her years earlier about his feelings for her, she could have spared him decades of heartache by telling him it would never work and why), the world of art thieves, big money, criminals, high stakes, more drugs...anyway, Theo lived a very sad, unfulfilled life of his own choosing, even if he thought God had chosen his life long before he had been born.  I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.  Heck---I could also tell the author is British because many of the words in the story were spelled using British spellings instead of American.  She could have used an American editor.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R321QVSGO96317?ASIN=0316055441	The prose killed it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started out fantastic but soon fizzled out. At page 627 I realized what a chore it became and I didn't think I would have the stamina to finish so I decided to throw in the towel early. I ended up reading the plot summary on Wikipedia just so I can find out what happened to The Goldfinch painting, which really was the most interesting aspect of this novel for me.<br/><br/>The writing: Less is more. Too many details. Too many long passages that tended to drag on unnecessarily and I admit I skimmed some chapters. Donna Tartt provided great details of NYC and the desert surrounding Vegas that it came alive on the page, but at the same time the writing itself was not beautiful. It wasn't until page 561 when I came across the first passage that caught my attention.<br/><br/>The characters: The characters themselves were okay, but I mostly felt ambivalent about Theo and Boris. Drugs drugs drugs. Teenage angst. Criminal activities. I wasn't emotionally involved in their plights and demons. No matter how much he tried, Theo eventually became a carbon copy of his father.<br/><br/>But I have to admire Tartt's recurring theme of CHANCE and the role it plays in our lives. Really well played.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13CCOYRTKMFJ0?ASIN=0316055441	A good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit of a slow start but then it took an unexpected turn and rolled in a direction I didn't want it to go.  From then on I didn't want to put it down. A very good read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KG6WTVWLZ6O1?ASIN=0316055441	I found myself putting it down disinterested but always picked it up again and did not want it to end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Completely engrossing.  Many levels of interest.  Beautiful prose.  Characters well defined.  Always easily read regardless of subject matter.  Read about my life often.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YS2A1JW546MK?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written and a fabulous read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sometimes when I read a book I have a thought, ""oh, I should be a writer, I could have written this"".  Not because I think myself so clever, but because the story is imaginable, the prose  - while it may be good - is as you would expect it to be, with descriptions, metaphors and images that are all right there at the tip of your mind when you read them.<br/><br/>Well, not this book.  This book is so well crafted and the imagery so rich and well articulated it is an absolute joy to read the writing while the story itself is completely engrossing.  The characters are detailed and know-able, and the narrator utterly believable - even when you want to reach into the words and shake him to do something other than what he is doing.  There is deep philosophy, undying love, coming of age, suspense danger and intrigue, oh - and art.<br/><br/>The story spools out at such a clever pace that when things speed up and slow down - as they must in an 800 page book - the tempo is easy to maintain and I was carried along without a hitch.  I could write more here, but why waste your time reading my review?  Go read the book! You won't be sorry.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9MWCOU6OQ0A0?ASIN=0316055441	So boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could barely finish it. The author goes on for pages about absolutely nothing.  The story takes so long to progress. I wanted to like this but it was just not for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R40Y420EY7T37?ASIN=0316055441	Too much!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am not interested in reading a detailed description of the drug scene.  The author writes beautifully but gives WAY too much detail.  I kept thinking, ""OK I get it!"".</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R188AYRSZRNLZY?ASIN=0316055441	Ugh!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It reminded me of one of those people who like to talk just because they like to hear themselves talk. Similar to the energizer bunny. It went on and on and on and on.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV6UQRSDQYERZ?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author writes brilliantly enabling the reader to visualise everything in great detail BUT..... an incredibly long and very dark book!!!! I did not enjoy it at all.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H8ZG1Q3BOYGJ?ASIN=0316055441	A modern day thriller and adventure story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story that held my interest<br/>Some parts could've been more precise and not so wordy<br/>I enjoyed most of the characters and wanted their stories to continue</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GQ92F0UTWKEV?ASIN=0316055441	A great storyline, but....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This had all the makings of a great book for me.  Wow, Pulitzer Prize.... But it was just a bit wordy and much, too much, graphic information about drugs for my taste.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JIA4O7LUC337?ASIN=0316055441	prolix and aimless	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book sorely needs editing. Stuffed with uninteresting characters and boring, unending subplots. At times, I felt as if I were reading the script for a B-grade movie about an art theft, but with none of the suspense or spark of the Thomas Crowne Affair.<br/><br/>Nor did the many allusions to furniture and its restoration seem convincing. Indeed, some were nonsensical, as when the author wrote of a ""drake front"" chest, presumably meaning either a drake-foot chest or perhaps one that was a ""breakfront.""<br/><br/>Description of New York society is also lame and does not ring true. The characters are stereotypes written by an unconversant outsider. For an authentic - and hilarious - portrayal read Bonfire of the Vanities.<br/><br/>Can't imagine why it received a Pulitzer. This is a waste of time. Don't be misled by the cover image of the Fabritius masterpiece. The book sadly has little to do with that artwork. One forces oneself through the pages out of curiosity as to how the author will eventually lead that artwork back into the narrative, but it's simply not worth the effort.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LJY913YH7ALI?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed it very much!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed the book and Tartt's writing style. Not only did her thorough descriptions of scenes not bother me as they did some reviewers, but I was enchanted by them. I found myself rereading sentences from time to time, just because of being so taken with her exceptionally lovely weaving of words. I didn't find anything repetitious, as some had mentioned, even though I'd been prepared to be put off by it - it felt to me that it just kept moving along. I don't feel that the characters in a novel need to be likable - I can't related to that idea at all - but I did find the main characters perfectly likable, and I cared about them to the extent that I had to remind myself when I get tense for them that it was just a book. I wonder if we've lost a lot of our our collective ability to just relax and enjoy a book for the journey rather than being in a rush to get to the destination. I've talked with friends who've had the same positive reaction to The Goldfinch as I did, and I've recommended it to friends with no reservations. One friend brought it up the other day to recommend it to me, forgetting that I was the one who recommended it to her. It's an enjoyable read!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29LGW4UL74Y9P?ASIN=0316055441	Too long to finish!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This thing was too depressing and too long for me to even consider finishing. Don't buy this book because you will be pissed that you spent the time reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10S8HEBMNOLMG?ASIN=0316055441	an adolescent's book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the beginning, but the end was about a hundred pages too long. The characters became increasingly unlikeable. Frustrating because it is beautifully written...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VIC5JA1SEHK6?ASIN=0316055441	Started out good and had some gripping moments but it ran out ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out good and had some gripping moments but it ran out of steam. Finally, I was looking for it to end and the writer seemed to have lost interest in the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VJZJNVHX9KKM?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The ending was the worst part. Only reason I didn't give 5 stars. Rest of the book was good and suspenseful. Ending was too philosophical and different from the rest.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REN13QY71KKX9?ASIN=0316055441	Good reading, a bit too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book, although I feel that it could have been shorter and still got the story across.  It was an interesting and fun read and I do recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SPV15QB9GT45?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""I was stalled about 40-50 pages near the end for two reasons. First of all, I did not want this book to end, I love this author's writing style tremendously. I truly believe she could breathe life into every object, every human, every feeling and every action she describes. Nothing fails or escapes her pen. I wanted to keep reading the book non-stop. I also heard that she spent 10 years between her last book and The Goldfinch, I'm afraid I can't wait that long for another work of hers.<br/>The other reason: I hadn't been able to put the book down for more than a few minutes since I started. I was actually late one day for my daughter's lesson since I could not bear not being able to continue reading while waiting for her in the car, so I drove back to my house after discovering the Kindle was forgotten. I was really worried that she would blow the whole book by giving it a wrong or mediocre ending. I lingered, and dawdled, and prolonged as much as I can... Let just say, I can finally breathe now that the book is finished, but it's still a sad situation that most seekers of great writing will understand. The ending was so good that I read it three times.""</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R143XYYINBBEF1?ASIN=0316055441	Starts great, then just doesn't end....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel starts with a bang--literally. The pain of the boy who loses his mother in a terrorist explosion in a museum is rendered with sensitive, beautiful prose. And we follow the boy through the uncertainty of his growing years without his mother, all written with a keen eye to teenage boys' angst and quirks.<br/><br/>Then begin the drugs and the prescription pills, following Theo well into adulthood. And they don't stop. The reader is treated to chapter upon chapter of life in a haze while a part of him still manages to function in the antique business.<br/><br/>And it still goes on.... I lost patience with Theo. I could no longer love the man who despised himself--or was despisable when he made himself charming. When I put down this door-stopper of a novel 20% before the end, I found myself bored and unwilling to pick it up again. I no longer cared how it ended, although I knew more or less because there was a chapter about it at the beginning of the novel. (Or was it a prologue? It was so long ago....)<br/><br/>I give the novel 4 stars just because it kept me so long in the hope that things would become as engaging as they were the start of the novel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R3RQAEBDAO1I?ASIN=0316055441	Starts off great, then fizzles.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much hanging around drunk and/or high. Hard to love or believe the main characters. It's not the epic it should be for the number of pages. Not worth the effort.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7H5E1EXYO12P?ASIN=0316055441	Hated it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hated this book. It was long on descriptions and depressing. I stopped reading for a long time after reading this story. Really two pages describing a drug overdose?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LX2QGF9W1WY0?ASIN=0316055441	Good Plot Spoiled	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good plot, well written, but 700 pages?<br/>About 200 pages are wasted on lurid descriptions of trips taken using various and sundry chemicals, weeds and alcohol.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TZWUOQ2L7XLW?ASIN=0316055441	I would give it 10 stars if I could.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Simply extraordinary.  I am not much of a fiction reader - and I couldn't put it down.  I wouldn't be surprised to see her as Pulitzer finalist -- if not the winner.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SDIQF3DLY4YT?ASIN=0316055441	DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not like this book. Too long and too much of the same pathetic details.  Not worth all that time reading, kept hoping it would get better, but it did not.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGN3N0Z8397WV?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is Golden	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's almost 800 pages and one would ask ""do I have the time to read it""?  But once you dive into the mountain of densely rich pages, you will ask ""is this task at hand worth keeping me away from ""The Goldfinch""?  Donna Tartt's book will take you on a journey in vivid detail by placing you among a diverse cast of characters as Theo Decker - a boy who loses his beloved Mother to a terrorist bombing searches for meaning of truth as he tries to define the sorrow, despair, struggle, and path of his life. All the time his acquired 17th century Dutch painting of the Goldfinch accompanies him. The parallel between the work of art and Theo's journey is cleverly composed. Some reviewers state that the author goes a bit far with the details, but I believe she could write about paint drying and make it interesting.  This book is the work of a master, and will surely be read &amp; studied by generations to come. If you hunger for fine American Literature, then this book is the best buffet in town.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E9JYFNJMY4LZ?ASIN=0316055441	While the book was good, I felt it was too long and I ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the book was good, I felt it was too long and I also felt their could have been more character development.  I do not think it was worthy of a Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2511108PS2O8B?ASIN=0316055441	Long and boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't understand why the reviews on this  book are so good. It took me forever to get through it. It was really drawn out. I feel it could have been half as long!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WX39FYBFLC8U?ASIN=0316055441	Long but Powerful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">that's this book. Everyone who reads it will be on the internet looking up the painting.  As for the seller - book was perfect and arrived within the allotted time.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3541YKDP8V9GD?ASIN=0316055441	If you removed the truly endless descriptive text you'd have a pretty short story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just finished this book. If you removed the truly endless descriptive text you'd have a pretty short story.<br/>There is a strange incongruity in the book, the main character always has this crisp exquisite ability to describe scenes and details, drawing fantastic metaphors at every turn, but has no insight into his own actions.  The main character describes details of his past as if having a photographic memory, whether distraught, high as a kite, whatever...  he just can't see into his own life and make a decision.  It's like all the authors skill is in metaphor and simile.  That's it.<br/><br/>There is a theme of fraud in this book.  There is a point where the author describes how to make a piece of furniture look like some famous master work, and as I read it I could help but think Tartt effectively did this to the Pulitzer committee.<br/><br/>So, it's well written if you like endless metaphors and similes,  you'd think it was masterfully done.  But, read Annie Proux and you'll see a master,  just the right balance, and go back and read Tartt and you'll see something ""less"".  For a Pulitzer Prize winning novel it's pretty easy to forget.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIBLDUM587QH5?ASIN=0316055441	Read It. Now	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read it. Now. Yes, at nearly 800 pages, it's a time commitment, but time very well spent. The writing is extraordinary, the story is compelling and the characters are fully drawn. The main character is Theo Decker, who is 13 when we meet him as he miraculously survives a bombing in an art museum in which his mother is killed. Confused, dazed and injured, he steals a small painting from the museum--one his mother loved. This one act plunges his life into chaos and terror as he desperately tries to recover and carve out a life in a world that is always colored by grief. I found the entire story from start to finish an exhilarating read--a kind of literary roller coaster. Just when I would catch my breath, we're off again! With shades of ""Great Expectations"" and ""The Great Gatsby,"" this is an English major's dream book, but also one that is equally good for the less literary soul, who just wants to become immersed in a good story that is told well. My prediction: This Pulitzer Prize-winning book will be read 100 years from now in college English classes. It's a classic in the making. If I could give it 10 stars, I would. Yes, it's THAT good.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R47PLQAOT5KE9?ASIN=0316055441	Kudos!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you only read the last 60 pages of Tartt’s new novel you will elevate your perspective on life and what we make of it; but you’ll miss the incredible writing and fully drawn characters that populate the story.  A catastrophic event shapes the life of Theo, the story’s narrator, and provides the landscape upon which the reader grapples with fate and faith, good and evil, beauty and desire.  As the story unfolds, I was constantly reminded that there are no absolutes in life but many choices; no right or wrong, but decisions and consequences.  Nothing is purely anything.  Everything exists within some context that shapes it, changes it.  ""The Goldfinch"" provides many opportunities to suspend judgment and embrace love.  Tartt manages to deepen my appreciation of art, in all its forms, while keeping me thoroughly engaged in the lives of her characters (human and art form).  ""The Goldfinch"" is crime and mystery, romance and history; delivered with writing that hovers about the core of one’s humanity and describes the very thing that you can’t put into words.  This story is a journey worth taking; all 771 pages of it.  Highly Recommended!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X6A33P58RSDP?ASIN=0316055441	poor character development	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I would not have awarded this book a Pulitzer, I think it was probably qualified by virtue of  occasional philosophical paragraphs about the nature of grief, or the role of beauty, or human nature in general, which were really quite well written and thought through, but they bear almost no relationship to the plot itself. Though the premise of the story is strong, I found it unsatisfying, because the plot and characters are not remotely credible. Though some sections hold together nicely, the characters in one section have no relation to who they are in the next, and they show no evidence of learning anything from their experiences no matter how dramatic and supposedly life-changing those experiences  are.  Emotions, values, relationships or personality do not evolve, they seem imposed on characters willy-nilly,with no purpose, except to explain how a character suddenly shows up again, or does not, moving the plot forward by jerks and shoves rather than development. The long middle section that is dominated by drug use serves no purpose and could be cut out, with no loss, to everyone's benefit.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RBCCFHFHQ901?ASIN=0316055441	A modern Oliver Twist	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love the unpredictable plot and the fundamentally human characters. There are no villains or heroes, just people. Good can come from bad deeds and bad from good.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12BXT15EU9OFW?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderfully written. A fascinating story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully written.  A fascinating story.  There was little relief from the overwhelming sadness of the story. Very depressing, but I still  couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OKCWZ33GB68U?ASIN=0316055441	Very well written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing story. Stimulated the desire to research the painting and artist. Easy to identify with the human frailties and desire for the greater good and reality.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PXI6TO4Z8KZM?ASIN=0316055441	a masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Once you begin- prepare to isolate yourself until you finish- it is that good. Best book I have read since ""To Kill a Mockingbird"" when I was 10 years old.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXDZLBLIT64ZC?ASIN=0316055441	Redemption	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I often lose patience while reading a fat novel. I find myself selecting how many hundred pages could be jettisoned without losing much value. While Donna Tartt’s novel, The Goldfinch, comes in at just under 800 pages, I never once found myself impatient or wondering which pages could be deleted easily. Tartt’s plot kept me engaged from the opening crisis through the redemptive denouement. The protagonist narrator, Theo Decker, calmly relates his coming of age story from age 13 when an accident kills his mother, until about a dozen years later when his moral compass finds a true course and leads him to face the consequences of his past mistakes. The many other characters are all complex and interesting: fully fleshed out humans whose actions, like ours, are a mix of doing good and choosing a lesser path when expedient. Tartt uses a painting to hold the novel together, and that layer alone made the construction of this novel both interesting and enjoyable. I loved the plot and the characters, as Tartt’s language brought me hours of reading pleasure.<br/><br/>Rating: Five-star (I love it)</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA9NYKOEEMX3D?ASIN=0316055441	I liked the way the author held to a strong central ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the way the author held to a strong central theme throughout and in the final chapter further clarified her view, a view skillfully created in the voice of a young man remembering the events of his life-very well done. This is a work of fiction with a message and the reader can not miss that point. It is also perfectly constructed to keep the reader engaged with surprises and marvelous prose that fill the reader with imagery and send the mind in interesting directions. The humanness of this main character's predicament is almost palpable throughout. Nonetheless, I only give it four stars because I felt some of the writing was too heavy, that she could have trimmed out some bits. It seemed that some passages turned out too precious to edit because they were too clever to delete so she left them in and in so doing sometimes took me to the writing session and called attention more to her facility than writing for the sake of the story line. This very thing, even in an excellent work of fiction is what often keeps me from reading fiction in the first place. That said, this is one of the most memorable works of fiction I've ever read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW2HGIUK9DDJI?ASIN=0316055441	A thirteen year old boy becomes a victim of a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A thirteen year old boy becomes a victim of a bombing while visiting an art museum.  He survives but bears the scars of the violence, that also takes his mother's life,  into his adult years.  The title of the story comes from the famous museum painting, one of his mother's very favorites, that the hurting boy carries out of the museum with him.  Later the painting is taken from the boy without his knowledge by one of the few friends he was able to make and eventually is the center of attempts by unsavory characters to make money off the stolen painting.  The story was interesting and even, at times, riveting.  But  there were also times when it got bogged down in endless descriptions of the boy's teenage years and introduction to drugs.  Again, toward the end of the book, it gets bogged down when the boy, now a young man, contemplates solving his problems by taking a deliberate overdose.  It is as if the author did not trust her words to convey the gravity of his despair but felt the reader had to suffer through many pages of despair to create the required mood.  The result was a novel that was considerably longer than it needed to be.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26T74QPL2DMLB?ASIN=0316055441	What Death doesn't touch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much has been said, so I won't say much else. Overwritten, wildly so at times. Don't give me this, ""It's Dickensian"" stuff. Nonsense. Over-written.<br/><br/>SPOILER: Major plot problem for me: Theo absolutely should and could have returned the painting anonymously much earlier. I know it's the spirit of his mother and its his specialness, but it worries him so that, for the sake of realism and authenticity, he really should have unloaded it. But I suppose authentic and real is not what this book is. It's a wonderment and a journey through an almost dreamlike world.<br/><br/>Not at all convinced Theo writes this as a memoir. Too much proof of authorial erudition on art and furniture, and too much authorial intrusion, philosophizing and pontification regarding same. Especially at the end. Sounded like Donna talking, not Hobie and Theo. That said, the sentiments were lovely and poignant and rather genius. Childlike wonder permeated throughout and I loved that. Page turning and highly artful and ""literary"". Compelling, unique story and characters, beautiful prose and thinking, deserving, worthy, profound. Unforgettable.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38K6X283NWGP4?ASIN=0316055441	I would not recommend this to anyone	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have no idea how this was so highly rated.  I sincerely tried to finish the book at least three times but just couldn't.  I would not recommend this to anyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G3W8SNT0XDJQ?ASIN=0316055441	A WORK OF ART	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Maybe the best novel I've ever read. Great characters, fully engrossing. Adventure without melodrama. Darkness and lightness. Buy this book. You won't regret it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KDBMESCECUP9?ASIN=0316055441	dissapointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I expected to love this book based on all the glowing reviews but was unable to get into it.  The protagonist felt fake and its far too detailed.  Gets annoying.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CF8GA5H9HDIA?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize???	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I must have missed the criteria that won The Goldfinch a Pulitzer Prize. Or my reading choices are too plebian. The story line - a young boy loses his mother in a traumatic tragedy and, at the same time, acquires a priceless painting. So begins his journey through a foster home, reunion with a long absent father, a drug hazed friendship with a Russian boy destined to become a life long friend (?) who ultimately steals the painting from him, adoption by an elderly craftsman who teaches him a love for antiques and provides a means to a career which he abuses, a life long unrequited love for a girl who shared his childhood trauma. The story revolves around his obsession with the painting and his possession of it although he doesn't even look at it for years. While the author writes beautiful prose, she sometimes seems to get lost in her own words. I felt no connection with any of the characters. I felt no sympathy for his trials and tribulations. Except for a few well written passages, I was not a fan. Having just completed The Nightingale and All The Light We Cannot See, both of which I found exceptional, perhaps I expected too much.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JEMMHTY3IYD1?ASIN=0316055441	Well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but tedious at times. I kind is skipped through the last pages because it started to really drag!! Great characters, great story...just...too long!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TSVIMLG6CE8X?ASIN=0316055441	Dark exploration of the meaning of life and art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging style of writing with a deep sense of understanding the human experience in grief and depression. Interesting look into the world of art and antiquity.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26XMX20GB5LPM?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the hype!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have had this book on my Kindle for months, knowing it would take at least a week to read. It was worth the wait and stellar reviews! I found myself looking forward to reading more of Theo Decker's adventures. Tarrt weaves an intricate story comprised of interesting characters, such as Hobie and Boris, who represent many of the good and bad forces in Theo's life. Actions have consequences and we see his development from childhood to adulthood. The prose makes this one of the best books I have read  this year and certainly worth the Pulitzer Prize. Although the novel is long, only the repetitive descriptions of drug use were overdone.<br/><br/>The art history in the novel is welcome and necessary. I have casually enjoyed art museums, but after reading The Goldfinch, I can understand the obsession one can develop for a particular piece. Basing the novel on an existing masterpiece is brilliant! I enjoyed doing a little research on The Goldfinch for more detailed information.<br/><br/>It seems a reader either loves or hates this book. I find the opposing views an excellent reason for one to read The Goldfinch and form their own opinion.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35T8FBQ7N4DGU?ASIN=0316055441	SPOILER ALERT: The End Sucks!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. It is so beautifully written. I was totally engaged with it and found it hard to put down. But, to complete a book filled with so many complex characters, so many hapless schmucks (like we all are at times), some of them trying to be honest and kind-- with an, ""Oh life is a cesspool""--so buck up and slog through the cesspool. And, might as well shoot heroin --why not?--and, keep the alcohol and opiates flowing. She wrote, ""better never born than born into this cesspool."" (pg 767) While Theo is globe-trotting to right his wrongs.. for who... Hobie...? WHY? So one can stay drunk until they die? Many humans who have been through extreme trauma and near death actually appreciate life more. I did. Maybe I am choking on my own optimism-- but the end was a huge let down. Very disappointing end. Had she and her editors watched too many episodes of ""Breaking Bad?"" Of course, we all have capacity for good and evil but she would choose, ""never to have been born?"" This is a sad invitation to suicide, which can sadly suck everyone around it into a self-perpetuating, black hole. Lighten up Tartt, life isn't all sour.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFYK6HE80CDT7?ASIN=0316055441	exquisite!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tart captured words that have been in my heart and put them out there. Loved Boris and Theo, excellent! Entires cast resounded with authenticity! Movie please.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VGBUAOLFWHAY?ASIN=0316055441	Good story, but about 200 pages too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story, but about 200 pages too long. Parts of it reminded me of Victor Hugo's 87 page description of the Paris sewer system in Paris in ""Les Miz"".</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22X46UC8P544D?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hated this book. Had to make myself read it. Too long. Too much about drug use. I love this author but after reading this book will not read her books again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VXOWXX5REQ7R?ASIN=0316055441	Thank you Donna Tartt!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful read!!  I hated it to end.  First book since I read Unbroken that I have been totally immersed in from beginning to end. It is beautifully written.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ENMWD7CGBMUC?ASIN=0316055441	Most painful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Most painful book I have read in years.  If I could give negative stars it would get 10.  Do not waste your valuable time reading there are great books to read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMVIYHDY2HOWP?ASIN=0316055441	A dark tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written - in the beginning - but the drugs, alcohol and foul language left me feeling like I wished I hadn't read it. Can't understand the Pulitzer Prize!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGWENRL6I5T80?ASIN=0316055441	.For anyone who has ever heard past in the gallery	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">And turned to find a painting that comes alive as you look at it, that you continue to visit year after year - finding it is no more the same from one year to the next than the trees growing on either side of the marble steps. a brutal delight, if such a thing exists. A professor of art history in my youth used to put up two slides, side by side-by-side -one, a Raphael Madonna and Child; the other, a Jackson Pollack, and ask, what do these say about what it means to be a human being? I argued with him for a time that there was more to art than realism. He would ask if the building were to collapse around them, would you be able to tell that the Pollack was a ""great"" work of art and not a drop cloth? Eventually, I realized that there is something that a work of art has that fills some of us with awe- some truth about life itself is there - yes- and we are never the same after the encounter. Wonderful book.  Capturing the exact nuance of every conceivable mental state of every single psychotropic chemical did get tedious, though. if you have to drink or drug to write, well, so be it, but maybe write about something else.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MSYX30OCJTXP?ASIN=0316055441	like many other great works of art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The spirits of Charles Dickens &amp; James Joyce meet in the voice of Theo Decker, a PTSD victim, who survives a traumatic explosion and weathers an equally traumatic childhood (like Pip &amp; Oliver Twist).<br/><br/>Although often laden with overly-detailed descriptions of furniture restoration and Russian mob stereotypes (Boris Badanov, really?), the novel is a page turner as an orphan--who waxes philosophical on the purpose of art and existence--straddles the world of aesthetics &amp; the shadowy underworld of drugs and stolen masterpieces. Apollo butts heads with Dionysus.<br/><br/>Theo's ruminations on art remind me of those of Stephen Dedalus, both protagonists being uplifted by the personal epiphany [or truth] that beauty evokes. Tartt has created a flawed masterpiece, like many other great works of art. If identification with a timeless truth is the purpose of art, then this novel succeeded on that level, for it provided me with a number of sublime moments tucked away in its cavernous vault of words.<br/><br/>Beauty is truth, truth beauty,"" - that is all/Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know"" --John Keats</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GYFDX51G5GQ3?ASIN=0316055441	Best read so far this year.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Secrets, it seems, are at the center of everybody's story, at least according to Donna Tartt, in each of her three novels.  In this most recent effort, we are treated to abrupt , profound and unexpected changes of direction virtually throughout this wild, wonderful trip.  I found myself gut-hooked by the perfectly wrought characters, their travails and interactions from the first page.  One is tempted to say the book was impossible to put down, but the truth is that several times during my reading I was compelled to put it down for the sheer sensory overload and need to reach back and keep the threads connected.  Worthwhile books require such work, but return on investment generally is good, and for this book extravagant.  Endings for most novels can be tricky, and this is no exception.  Up to the last several pages I was anxious for the outcomes for all the players, and Ms. Tartt did not disappoint with her denouement.  By the end, to extend the fishing metaphor, I found myself the subject of a catch and release imperative, knowing I must wait patiently for her next effort.  So far, each experience has been worth it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23O3VR5FFU7A2?ASIN=0316055441	"Intimate invitation to flawed and exceedingly human ""protagonist"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Stunningly written narrative that transcends the complications of mere teen hood and takes the reader into the heart and soul of a troubled life plagued by misfortune (or fortune, depending on your read of the book's conclusion and theme).<br/><br/>I hesitate to offer too much of my opinion because the intimacy shared between the reader and the story line is palpable and one of the work's invaluable undertones it offers to it's audience.<br/><br/>On the surface, the plot is dense with colorful characters and interesting events. However, the real treasure of this lengthy read is its depth of philosophy through smooth and unforced delivery. Unlike other books that force an idea or tenet of humankind, the book unfolds naturally to expose the many layers of the human psyche in relation to the seemingly dichotomous notion of good and evil.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch painting carefully and quietly string the reader throughout the novel. The end surely leaves the reader with an individualized impression, so I will not comment on it.<br/><br/>Beautifully done and one of the best books I have had the pleasure of reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF6HUU583JIX?ASIN=0316055441	Reading was a chore	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My book club was split down the middle over this book...I did not not care for it and I found reading it arduous. There were very few characters that I liked.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C9A7JEM3JQMV?ASIN=0316055441	I would say the best part of the book was being finished with it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not quite sure how this kept me reading for the whole book; thus two stars rather than one.  I would say the best part of the book was being finished with it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LZ56RY9AM3TR?ASIN=0316055441	Sublime, hypnotic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A deep dive into an existentialist view of the world of art, love, desperation, decay and death. And that's just the first read - looking forward to the next!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JJ0D5O0HJNO5?ASIN=0316055441	It's finally over	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There was a good story here but it was buried in so much overblown rhetoric that I simply didn't care after a while. It completely fell apart towards the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVYBCWWXS2I4Q?ASIN=0316055441	This novel held my attention but definitely wasn't the GREAT novel of the era	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel held my attention but definitely wasn't the GREAT novel of the era.  I don't get what all the raves were about.  I wouldn't give more than 2 stars.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD9R9UO515GZ4?ASIN=0316055441	Sorry, not for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love Donna Tart, but this is not my favorite. I know it received many awards, but it began to lag after the first 50 pages or so. Just did not do it for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIMMCCHS8YUP6?ASIN=0316055441	sad and deeply flawed characters we can all relate to	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tremendous use of language and description, sometimes ethereal but always enjoyable. The allegory of the goldfinch and tortured human existence is undeniable.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z68DD0JUGXHB?ASIN=0316055441	Great beginning. Downhill after 60 pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great beginning. Downhill after 60 pages. Do you want to read hundreds of pages about young people and drugs ? Then this is for you. Not well written, either.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KC6WV09PDXRQ?ASIN=0316055441	A Prize Winner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely well written. Kept the reader interested in the development of the characters throughout the story.  A story you certainly would want to read again!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QSPEZ3VIKF6L?ASIN=0316055441	overcoming the drug subject	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hated the constant drug scenes but the writing language and character development was exceptional and kept me going. She is a writer in charge of her craft.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28CK0UVNQEPYM?ASIN=0316055441	A Blockbuster!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the writing excellent, the plot spellbinding and the characters fascinating. I hated to see the story end. That is the true test of a good book to me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22OXYDVYA87P9?ASIN=0316055441	Slow moving 755 pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I will save you the agony of reading 755 pages:<br/><br/>My dad is an abusive alcoholic who left my mom and me and moved to Vegas where he is a drug abuser, alcoholic, and gambler living with a trashy woman who abuses and sells drugs. My mom and I live in NYC and she dies in an explosion in an art museum when we were there one afternoon. I escape with a famous Goldfinch painting that I keep hidden in a pillowcase and bring with me every place I live. I temporarily live with my friend and his wealthy family who don't want me before I have to move to Vegas. Dad and girlfriend don't like me, I am on my own. I become friends with another boy who is from a motherless crummy home being raised by an alcoholic dad. We become drug abusers and I become attached to my dad's dog. Dad dies in a drunk driving accident, his girlfriend doesn't want or care about me. I run away back to NYC and look up a furniture fixer and his niece whom I had befriended when I lived with the wealthy family. They care about me.<br/><br/>I haven't reached the end of the story yet and will let you know what happens when I get there. Stay tuned.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M8LWCJOA8LEE?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very depressing story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33EI0BXISD2OI?ASIN=0316055441	The ambiguity  of life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You can love beautiful things or experiences and somehow that love continues through all of the pain, loss, hope and despair of life, however it is lived.  Theo as a youngster was damaged severely by a tragic loss and catastrophe. But in that loss he found something beautiful and precious which bedazzled and bedeviled him for so many years of his life.  His survival and his pain are told in excruciating detail, you experience the pain as the seconds go by for him.  At the end I was struck by a realization that for me, as well, there was a time when to be someplace else was the most important thing and where I wanted to go was into beauty, perhaps to counterbalance the pain.  Often I went toward music and got lost. That and art and books were my escapes.  Now I realize how the pain in my life was paired with that absorption.  I don't know if this book will speak to you the way that it did to me.  Everyone has his or her own journey. But the book is wonderfully well written, painful to go through, but enriching.  You will meet wonderful characters.  Go ahead. Climb on the roller coaster.  Because that is life.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13JK4MSZWTDSI?ASIN=0316055441	the story is a very good one, and much of the material on art ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Throughout my reading of this novel, I kept inwardly asking why in the world it had received a Pulitzer prize.  Was it its length (in excess of 700 pages)?  The subject matter relating to youth coming of age in the midst of art and drugs?  Theo's relationship with his beloved mother?  The plight of a young man who faces being placed into a dreadful, foster care system?  The manner in which we become obsessed with possessions and let them control our lives?  The moral dilemma facing Theo relative both to the painting itself and an act of violence?  The effect of art on the human psyche? In the end, I'm afraid that the answer to my question escaped me.  Admittedly, the story is a very good one, and much of the material on art and antiques is interesting.  But I found myself skimming through tons of descriptive text looking for the story to move along.  In particular, the early relationship between Theo and Boris with all its drinking and drug use is much, much too long.  I did make it through this work, but I'm afraid it was a little like cleaning my plate after receiving an admonition from my mother to do so.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRJHD2Z0SZSPN?ASIN=0316055441	Loooong book, but worth it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I picked up The Goldfinch, I wasn't sure what to expect. I knew it was quite a hefty novel, clocking in at over 700 pages, and that in itself was a little intimidating, but the description on the jacket looked intriguing, and good things were being said about this novel.<br/><br/>The story begins with a teenage narrator, Theo, and follows him as he ages and deals with a tragedy that occurred when he was younger. He loses his parents at a young age, and meets many interesting people as a result of being unsupervised in the city of New York. Theo is also keeping a secret--one that weighs him down and makes him feel as though he must hide from authorities and keep an eye out for any trouble. He is forced to share his secret one day, and this throws him into a new adventure he never would have expected.<br/><br/>I am glad I decided to read this book.  It was a bit long, but there was always something that could keep the reader interested; whether it be the introduction of a new character, the killing off of an important character, or an intense scene where you weren't sure who would make it out, sanity intact.<br/><br/>[...]</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QMJMY4EVM9SH?ASIN=0316055441	Did not meet my expectations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Maybe it was the Pulitzer generating a too high expectation for me, but the plot never reached a truly ""nail biting"" rhythm instead was very slow throughout.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3041OBF5U3BR1?ASIN=0316055441	Long an windy like a desert road, but still meaningful. Loved Tartt's other books more.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Secret History was one of my favorite books ever. I also loved The little friend. The Goldfinch is a grand and impressive story, with interesting characters, very well written (of course) and it has a good underlying plot. But I find this book too packed with information -- too long and windy. Too much detail descriptions that pause the action (like a series of still pictures in the middle of a movie). Also the epilogue was a bit confusing, seen in relation to the rest of the book. Theo's philosophical thoughts are interesting in themselves, but it kind of took me out of the story line I was following. The plot would have deserved a clearer narrative thread, in my opinion. Maybe fewer characters too. But regardless, I liked the book. I skipped quite a few pages here and there without missing out on the plot. It still left me with an impression that meant something. I feel like I know Theo and that I have experienced his (winding) life alongside him. It gives an inside view of a modern, wrecked life -- mirrored by great art. Worth reading if you don't mind long life stories.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN5N3G4XF7784?ASIN=0316055441	DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUSS IS ALL ABOUT!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">TOO LONG<br/><br/>LONG WINDED,GETS BORING VERY SOON.AFTER 15 HOURS OF LISTENING I STARTED GETTING A HEAD -ACHE.<br/>I will not re-count the story only convey my impressions.<br/><br/>There are some good descriptive passages which denote the author's sensitivity,such as the post-traumatic symptoms after the explosion and the passages of Theo and Boris getting stoned together.<br/><br/>However,the story becomes increasingly implausible and long winded,causing you to lose interest.<br/>I suppose that if it was a book i was reading as opposed to an AUDIO-BOOK,i would have probably skipped countless pages,such as the detailed descriptions of how to restore old wooden furniture.<br/><br/>The characters are often flat,with the exception of the protagonist,Theo.<br/><br/>Also,towards the end,when there's supposed to be a DENOUEMENT of the plot,the author goes into a wild,exaggerated and again,implausible imaginings and lays it on a bit thick with all the intertwined criminal gangs that are hard to follow.<br/><br/>Often touching,but often absurd,the book was too long.nevertheless,at times enjoyable.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VWVCZJUCT96H?ASIN=0316055441	A wretched mess	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The prizes for this book confound me.Almost 800 pages of single spaced rambling word-stuff and a wandering mess of a plot mostly written at a mediocre level. The first six page are well-written and interesting, but not phenomenal. Just a guy in a hotel room in Amsterdam and he' sick and maybe paranoid and the reader wonders what is up, especially given that the reader knows this book won the Pulitzer. Then it just falls off the cliff into rambling blather.  I wonder how this got marked for a prize. Was it that it was written over an 11 year span, no doubt continually described as ""what happens to a boy's life after a terrorist's bomb goes off in an art museum in NYC"" and that had appeal to the publisher and backers there? That would be success for reasons other than writing though. There is a story behind why a book of this wretched quality got the Pulitzer and whatever it is is an indictment on the process. But there is a leveling wind in literature which prevails over jerry-rigged hype and fame that has for a brief time imposed a quality label and got people to fawn over that which is not good.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R253DSVNGCIQ7H?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the read? Depends!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I picked up ""The Goldfinch"" on recommendation. I began reading a month ago and finally finished. Without spoiling anything, the book was interesting at points and at others, very long-winded.<br/><br/>Pros: the characters were interesting; her writing is extremely vivid (I can clearly picture what she imagined), it is refreshing and it is nice to go into another world sometimes; there were times when I read 120 pages a day (and I was at college, and certainly had better things to do, but I chose to read the book). I liked the ending.<br/><br/>Cons: her long-windedness (there were parts when I was just thinking ""thats great, now lets move on"", but there were still 3 more pages on the subject; this, in turn, leads to a very long book, one that you really need to commit to; it will seem like you are making no progress sometimes; the ending was too long (though I enjoyed it, as I said above).<br/><br/>Closing remarks: if you have the perseverance, I would highly recommend it. The writing is some of the mot vivid I've read, and the ending means so much more after 750 pages of investment.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGY29Y864V8WO?ASIN=0316055441	Very depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but extremely depressing. Will recommend my book club drop it from reading list. I kept expecting some ray of hope and it never arrived.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V9LGVBNDIMN9?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the story--it's got a deep down haunting quality	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the story--it's got a deep down haunting quality. Boris is the best character. The main guy gets a bit tedious and it could have been edited way down.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHTYW5TIFFZX3?ASIN=0316055441	dang.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was slow going in the beginning which is the only reason I gave it 4 stars. But just wait til Theo gets to Las Vegas. Hold on to your seats folks!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39BBBR1PGX7FU?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was absolutely amazing.  Over and over again the author paints a vivid picture of each and every experience the narrator has.  A true work of art!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16F8MWQUMKXW9?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it even though it was long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I completely enjoyed reading this book, although it was such a long book. Beautifully written, great characters and story. One of the best I've read lately.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24WP17RP8WMFL?ASIN=0316055441	How ever some of my fellow readers disliked the whole concept of the story and wanted to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I belong to a book club. When I started reading ""The Goldfinch"" I was transfixed immediately. Sort of adopted Theo has a son. How ever some of my fellow readers disliked the whole concept of the story and wanted to drop it. I pleaded my case and won. I love the author's style. She developed each character in such a way that one gets to know the strong impact they had a Theo's life. Maybe too descriptive at times but not for  me. Some events were far fetched for instance ,leaving your engagement party and take off to Amsterdam. But then Boris had a strong control over Theo.  I sensed when Pippa would return to the scene, since she was not mentioned for a long time.  I admire Hobie and his tolerance and love for Theo.  Could anyone be so forgiving as he was?. There is much discussion to learn from this book. Losses in life (his mother and the painting) that can lead to addiction, and depression. Theo's desire to possess the painting kept him ""chained"" and lead him to crime. Which I feel was not his true self at all. It took me 4 weeks to read this book but I enjoyed every minute of it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OY966HP198N6?ASIN=0316055441	An intelligent, enthralling novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a  completely enthralling novel.  Yes, it’s long, but trust me, once you get going, you will have no trouble turning all those pages.  They will fly right by and you will wish there were more of them. Vivid characters and a wonderful plot with lots of twists and turns and sudden changes of venue.  Intelligent and interesting philosophical discussions and very well written.  This author has real brains in her head. It starts off in NYC with 13-year-old Theo, who loses his mother tragically in a museum bombing but gains a masterwork of art in the process.  It becomes his pride and joy, his lifeline, his secret and his shame. He lives for a while with the Barbours, the kind and sympathetic family of his best friend Andy. Then he’s suddenly whisked off to Las Vegas by his drunk and disreputable dad, where he meets his next best friend Boris, an unforgettable character if ever there was one.  After that it’s back to NYC and eventually on to Amsterdam for the wing ding climax.  If you don’t yet know the answer to the question “Why is art important?” you will by the end of this novel. You will.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZFKOMCTYIJWS?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of money	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was not engaging. I never got into it. I made it though about 3/4 of the book and finally have up. The book was an easy read and good quality but</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GZYQY241ZWBR?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read.. I couldn't put it down..interesting characters and story line..story flowed nicely.I like books,with a darker side and this didn't disappoint.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9XU5UOQPJ7LM?ASIN=0316055441	I found the story som boring and I usually fins many books exciting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pardon me, but I thought the book would never end. I found the story som boring and I usually fins many books exciting. I thought the story would never end</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VBE2L6RFN92P?ASIN=0316055441	Do not waste your time!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have read all the reviews and I do not get what the hype is. I thought this book dragged on and on. The author could have written this book in 200 pages.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA573SBG9DA6K?ASIN=0316055441	Please read The Goldfinch!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It hardly seems that The Goldfinch needs any more praise, (Pulitzer) but I'll try anyway! It is a lengthy book, but it needs to be, as it encompasses a vast array of important subjects, the first one being the importance of a mother's love as told by a young boy who has lost her, and because his father has been absent and unreachable, becomes a ward of the state. He and his mother shared a love of art and he continues to treasure art and all things of beauty, which will become his life's work. The author's description of  finding a kindred spirit to travel thru adolescence and into manhood with has produced a most colorful bromance, full of joy and sorrow and mischief of all sorts. The danger of keeping a secret is well documented in the Goldfinch as well as obsessive love.  These topics and more are written in the most descriptive flow of language I have experienced.  I am still living with the characters and wondering what became of them.  I am amazed by Donna Tartt and the power of The Goldfinch.  Incidentally, a beautiful Goldfinch is visiting my deck and birdfeeder every day now.  Lovely!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZV1ZZEWLEUDE?ASIN=0316055441	I expected to hate this book and ended up loving it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished reading this book for my book club. This is why I love book club. I don't think I would have ever read this book otherwise and I would have missed out. I'm not sure why exactly, but I went into this book thinking I was going to hate it. I was worried it would be too depressing for me and it seemed from the reviews that people either loved it or hated it. I really loved this book. It was the best writing I've read in years. The descriptions of everything were amazing.  The characters were so well developed that everything really came to life for me. This was my first time trying Amazon's WhisperSync, and while WhisperSync didn't always work perfectly, it was nice to listen and read this book. The narrator for this book through Audible is very, very good. Not sure if it's because I read and listened, but it really didn't feel that long to me and I don't think the end dragged like others have said. I found the story engaging and interesting from beginning to end. The story is a bit dark and depressing but I would recommend checking this book out just to experience Tartt's writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYWT523V9YX59?ASIN=0316055441	Take your time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As many others have critically observed, this novel is lengthy, but, I *finally* finished The Goldfinch! Even though I usually read pretty fast, I personally had to put this novel away for weeks at a time, because I couldn't bear to see what Theo did next. He is a character you will achingly watch as he makes bad decisions, repeatedly. Take breaks, it helps. Too many others have paraphrased The Goldfinch, and critiqued the boring parts (all long books have a few slow parts), no spoilers from me. But the very human themes of luck, loss, beauty, friendship, grief, lying, fraud, self destruction, coming home, losing home, cruelty, redemption, and in an odd sense love - together they hold The Golfinch together, and make the reader feel satisfied at the end. It is a long smart somewhat flawed novel. Art lovers will be engaged more than others. I enjoyed it even though it took me months to read. Now I feel that was the right way to read The Goldfinch, except the last quarter, when all the criminals come in the picture. They start to blend together and I forgot who was who if I put it down too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38PY2I3QN8V6Q?ASIN=0316055441	Great summer/book club read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book isn't about art, it's about loss.  If you've recently lost someone close to you, I would advise waiting a bit before picking up this novel.  Without giving anything away, there are several twists and turns in the plot, some of which I saw coming, but others caught me completely off guard.  Fantastic story with wonderful, artful descriptions.  The vocabulary is rich and varied, and sent me reaching for my online dictionary more than a few times, which is why I recommend reading this on a Kindle or other device with a dictionary feature.<br/>The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars is because I did not care for the ending at all.  A few loose ends I wish had been tied up were not, leaving me wondering, ""Whatever happened to xxx, yyy, and zzz?""<br/>If you choose this book for your book club, be sure to give your group enough time to finish it, as some key plot twists happen in the last third of the book.  It's tough getting through the first 100-150 pages, and it is a long-ish book.  Give your group plenty of time to discuss it too, because discussion is sure to be lively.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RDABOREH60SV?ASIN=0316055441	Wish I had read the reviews first!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't have time for a long review, as like anyone who read The Goldfinch, I lost a lot of time with the book.  I agree with many of the reviews I read AFTER finishing the book and only wish I had read them BEFORE.  Too long and GREATLY in need of a good editor.  Sentences and stream of conscious ""insights"" that went on far too long.  Hated having the last chapter ""explain"" the book to me.  Agreed with the review that questioned the timing of events with text messages and Las Vegas real estate collapse being out of sync with the chronology of the book.  SPOILER, at the end, when Theo is ""visited"" by his Mother and then looks out onto the snowy streets of Amsterdam, I thought we were going for pure ""Ebenezer Scrooge has change of heart just in time for Christmas"" - way to borrowed.  Characters were hard to like and personally weak even without the extensive time spent on drug habits that was just no fun to read.  Ultimately, I just couldn't figure out how an intelligent boy of 13 couldn't figure out the best time to turn a painting in is when you are a minor.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EPIES6KI9J8L?ASIN=0316055441	Slow Moving but does Make You Reflect	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is interesting but could have been more enjoyable with less description of every emotion that seemed to go on and on and on.  The characters are  somewhat trite but the book does raise some worthy philosophical questions about life.  Her message to me was life sucks and then you die!  Her leading character Theo in my mind seems to connect with the goldfinch in the painting as both he and the bird seem to be living a life that neither would have anticipated; the Goldfinch chained to a perch and Theo chained to the memory of his mother lost at the beginning of his adolescence.  The entropy of life leads Theo to meet some interesting characters through random collisions due to changed circumstances.  I for one enjoyed the book but found it tedious to get through. Tartt ties things up with a narrative at the end to make sure that you get her meaning...kind of like a fable.  Good prose should not have to articulate this...it should come through like  the meaning of the painting.  It will be interesting to see whether this novel endures the test of time like the masterpieces depicted.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7M09T5DLQTII?ASIN=0316055441	Book was very interesting and kept the reader coming back ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book was very interesting and kept the reader coming back for more.  It was  a bit wordy.  Author was over descriptive with much of last third of the book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HOHVHQDI1Q1E?ASIN=0316055441	five stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A brilliant work of literature. Full of the vagaries of life and yet filled with hope and perspective.<br/>I look forward to reading it again.<br/>Wayne</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R63TRHREHR9ZA?ASIN=0316055441	Was the ending written by someone else?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a fabulous and fascinating read with an ending that left me bitterly unsatisfied.  The sweep of the novel is undeniable.  It is a compelling and often moving read, with bits of real suspense and interest.  It also has vivid characters.  But that end . . . wow, it's terrible.<br/><br/>And not terrible in the ""oh, I hate what happened at the end!"" type of way.  It's terrible in the ""did the same person even write the end?"" way.  It drones on and on, saying not much of anything, and it is chockful of banality.<br/><br/>I realize other readers saw this same faults in the novel overall, but I didn't.  I LIKED the majority of the novel.  This is a book I wanted to recommend.  And then the ending just tore my enthusiasm into tiny pieces.<br/><br/>I have no idea how to rate a novel that gave me hours of enjoyment before crashing and burning.  I don't know if Tartt though the thoughts at the end were actually worthy and profound (or even representative of character) or if she just had no idea how to end this multi-decades tales.  I just know that I hated it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S111RSAK4EHM?ASIN=0316055441	Rising from the Ashes	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In some ways The Goldfinch reminds me of the movie Midnight Cowboy.  You see a supporting character, Boris, born in Russia, who grows up on the margins of American life. The central character, Theo, starts out getting a good education at a private school in New York and has a fun mother who takes him to places like the art museum. When Boris and Theo meet in Las Vegas, at the public high school, they are each living with dysfunctional fathers. They form a lifelong bond but must find their way through a maze of drugs, disception, and situational ethics in order to survive. In one brief vignette, Boris, who had once been Muslim, shares how friendly, kind, and nonviolent they were. He explains the difference in stealing wallets from individuals or steaks from the supermarket this way, ""Stealing from working person? And stealing from big rich company that robs the people?"" You begin to get a sense of different moral rules, but nevertheless still rules. Theo rises from the ashes at the book's beginning, and several times throughout, somewhat like the Phoenix bird of old mythology.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PVWWKQBNOFFY?ASIN=0316055441	rti	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Having heard laudatory remarks about Goldfinch from several friends, I embarked upon reading it with great anticipation.  It didn't take too long, however, for me to lose my momentum.  I laboured on, over several weeks, to the end, increasingly puzzled as to why this book was Pulitzer-worthy.  In my view, it is not.  I found it far too long (though I like long books), and there was barely a sentence that stood out for the beauty of the writing or the profundity of the observation.  I never found myself preoccupied with the story or the characters, and I felt nothing to draw me back to the book other than my commitment t finishing it.  Particularly irritating to me was Tartt's ubiquitous conceit in describing a scene - using short sentences to try to capture a mood or place, e.g.  ""windswept corner; grimy windows"" etc.  While a little of this is allright, the book was loaded with it and I found it tiresome.<br/>All in all, so much more could have been done with the important themes of the power and transformative potential of art, and the human impact of loss and isolation.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK9JPGXKENO6R?ASIN=0316055441	Worth every minute	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It'll take you awhile to read but it's a great book, at times I grew weary of the in-depth thought and I would speed read through it,but mostly I didn't.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BTLA7MA6FN1L?ASIN=0316055441	one man's journey under the spell of a little painting of a bird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I did not approve of some of the actions of the main character, he maintained a good heart.<br/>I do recommend this book. It is very well written.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HD6HGD40DPEO?ASIN=0316055441	Different type of story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lots of extra words/passages that didn't need necessarily add to the book. Had to ""slog"" through so to speak<br/>Frustrated knowing what he needed to do</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39E7S0Q2Y3X76?ASIN=0316055441	depressing but written so well you could feel the misery	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was hard for me since I have brother who has been an addict since  childhood, and this book shows exactly how drugs will take over and rule your life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14OQ97V6EDNP9?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch reviewed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Descriptive, poetic, full of fine imagery . Great story . Well told . Did not drag .Overall ,I had to have it inorder to read again and share with others</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RICQL1WJB8RPW?ASIN=0316055441	Writing Excellence!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful storyteller and developer of characters. Comparisons to Dickens well earned. Looking forward to the next novel ...sooner rather than a decade</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CRKVNHTEPQ0Z?ASIN=0316055441	Who is Theo?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this to be a tedious read. Too much description and exhausting  detail which didn't add to or advance the story. I never really made a connection with Theo because he never felt like an authentic person. Many of his observations about the sights, sounds and smells of his world sounded like the author, not a 15 year old. Same when he was a young man. At the end suddenly Theo is talking to me, dear reader. What? The end was a muddle with Theo telling us about life? For me, an unsatisfactory end.<br/>I liked the basic story. There were several interesting twists. Good characters. Boris, thief, alcoholic, addict, but always loyal best friend. With all the bad things he did you had to like him. Hobie, mentor, master craftsman, gentle man as well as gentleman. Theo's mother, dead, but present throughout  the book represents that best that Theo could be. His father and Xandra, the worst. The Barbour family a definite influence on his life. And then there is Pippa, Theo's hearts desire. An elusive shadow who weaves in and out of the story and, like life always just out of reach.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E83SL7I6YRY?ASIN=0316055441	Paid by the word?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am beginning to think something is wrong with me and I may need to stick to reading pulp-fiction novels and mysteries. How can I read a book that is masterfully written with vivid descriptions of place, time and characters and hate it. I don't know what the criteria is for Pulitzer Prizes but it may have to do with the number of words used. I felt the novel was overly wordy to the point of leaving me skimming to get to the point. I also actively disliked the main character and most of the supporting as well. Even those peripheral players that I liked initially I found to be made banal in the end. If you enjoy child abuse, drug abuse and addiction, bleak global view, unrequited love that is based on something so ethereal to be ridiculous and an overall bleak, joyless existence, this novel is written for you. Obviously my view is not shared by many who read this book. I would not have finished except for a tenacious desire to see if the main character died, unfortunately this did not happen. I hope that isn't a spoiler.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KHYSCJVBXRGF?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't like the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting style of writing but it became too much after the first half of the book.  Didn't like the ending, boring.  I would not recommend this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NGZ8U91S94IZ?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful on many levels	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am so amazed that someone who hasn't lived many ages in this live time can write such a univerisal work!<br/>I loved it..the best book of the decade.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DVB2GRPIFNXQ?ASIN=0316055441	Fast start but slow reading through most of the book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The last paragraph was the best part of the book. The Author drew me in immediately but it ended up a little long on misery for me. Beautifully written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FFNJG0W9TAYK?ASIN=0316055441	Great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this book down.  It is written in such a way that I found very easy to read.  I always wanted to keep reading and not put the book down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXLW8P7KPCFPO?ASIN=0316055441	I Have Bloodshot Eyes!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It won the Pulitzer Prize. It has been on the best selling lists for ages. It has to be great, right? I check it out of the library and find it is 771 pages long. My first thought is...are you serious?  Can I read this in the three weeks alloted me without renewing? I mean, I have a life! Well...apparently I don't, because I read it in less than three days. Let's say I couldn't put it down....eating, sleeping, etc took a backseat to the life of Theo Decker. My eyes are bloodshot!  I think this book is a serious literary masterpiece. Yes, it is too long. I heard the cries of the one, two and three star reviewers wondering and  whining about what her editor could have been thinking to allow her to write this lengthy tome. And I agree with those who felt the rambling philosophical pages  about the meaningless of life that comprised the ending to be a bit of a let down. But you know what....I excuse an editor for not wanting to edit someone who can concoct such masterful sentences (well, for the most part).  I won't forget this book or the little Goldfinch chained to its perch.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H4JCGFVXHSTJ?ASIN=0316055441	I thought it was the worst book I've read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I only continued reading this because it was for a book club.  I thought it was the worst book I've read in years.  I would not recommend it to anyone.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EWCL3CXI1LUK?ASIN=0316055441	love the characters , thought the reader on audible edition was 5 star , amazing story., although pretty depressing at times.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love the characters , thought the reader on audible was 5 star, amazing story, although pretty depressing at times. All in all totally worth 775 pages!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CGY46T218Y0W?ASIN=0316055441	Perfection	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An absolute masterpiece of a novel. Donna Tartt uses language like no other contemporary authors. I can't recall the last time I read a book like this!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY42MQ2LKFF51?ASIN=0316055441	Quite a slog	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Painfully verbose.  Lots of unnecessary name dropping and stuff that did not jibe. Only finished it because I was sure it must get better. I was wrong.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZE37WRTI81OY?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story-Interesting characters. Could not put this book down. One of the better books<br/>I have read in recent years. Ending was very satisfying.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F1HFFVIJIPLG?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Gobbles You Up	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It makes me feel like I am sinking into a pool of poetic quicksand.  I am taken away from my own life and into The Goldfinch each time I open the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNTCF034FZBKS?ASIN=0316055441	The meaning of life?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">1 star for creativity. 1 star for ""kept me reading"". I finished the book and asked myself ""what was that all about""? - despite the fact that the main character, Theo, explains what it was about for pages and pages at the end.<br/>The book got off to a good start - a 20 something Theo is holed up in a hotel in Amsterdam, obviously involved in some criminal activity. Then flash back to his youth. He and his mother are in the Met museum when a terrorist explosion occurs. Theo survives and as he is escaping, he grabs a famous painting of a goldfinch (a real life painting by Fabritius). The novel traces Theo's miserable life after the explosion. The main plot driver is the painting.  The plot twists involving the painting provide some dark, farcical fun. However, the characters are either cartoonish, unbelievable, or unlikable. The author clearly did some research on art history, drugs, and antique furniture and forces all of that research into the novel. The result is a bloated, pretentious novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14F9IUISXAA9M?ASIN=0316055441	Spellbinding, near the top of my list of great fiction.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tart's The Goldfinch is near the top of my great novels list, along with other great fiction that is spellbinding, full of action, and meaningfully engages the reader. It covers deep issues about how one lives one's life, the need for deep meaning to justify beauty and make it more than just a fashionable whim, and what a person decides to do with the life situations specific to him or her. It is eloquent and readable, lovely writing. There are whole sections that are like long modern poems. Each chapter ends with meaning that is as strong as most books' last pages. There are scenes that are graphic and violent, but not for show, but instead to pull the plot line and the themes of the book forward. I cannot say enough about Donna Tart's novel. It definitely deserved a Pulitzer. I will put it aside and read it again in a few years. It is like having a cohesive series in one book. It is lovely, it is engaging, it is full of action, full of love, a page turner, a witness to how to make choices and how to give meaning to our lives and the beauty that surrounds us.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YY6S2GNOB9HB?ASIN=0316055441	Hell of a Good Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one hell of a cracking good read!  I loved it that it was so long!  I cared about Theo.  I even know perfectly well what he looks like (behind my eyes).  I see people on the street, and I think:  That's Theo!  I cared about Hobi, dear Hobi.  Boris was usually disgusting and basically immoral (except that he loved Popchik, which endeared him to me at times) and his character was so accurately drawn that I had to wonder where Tartt had encountered that particular type. I was grateful that Popchik was not killed off for the sake of cheap pathos, as nearly always happens in films.  I loved the writing.  Yes, there was certainly sometimes ""too much of it"".  So I did a little skimming, if I felt like it. Who cares about the chronology concerning the ipods?  I certainly didn't.  What difference does it make?  As far as what drugs do:  I was interested in that, never having taken any myself.  (At age 72, I don't plan to start!) However,  I never heard of anyone living in Germany whose name is Ulrika.  It's always Ulrike!  That bothered me a bit!  LOL...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MLAICM8ZTPBH?ASIN=0316055441	An enjoyable read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was definitely one of those books I couldn't put down. It was so easy to lose myself in the story.<br/><br/>That said, I'm surprised it's as highly acclaimed as it is. I spent a lot of the book frustrated with the decisions the main character, Theo, was making. When the book begins he's a thirteen-year-old boy in New York City, living with his mother and with an absent father. He and his mother go to a museum, and a bomb (or two?) goes off while they're there. Disoriented after the explosion, he takes a famous painting, ""The Goldfinch"", and ends up escaping with it.<br/><br/>The rest of the book is about what happens to Theo in the aftermath and as he grows up, with The Goldfinch being this over-arching presence. But Theo isn't always a very likable character, and some of his frustrations seemed so easy to fix, I wanted to yell at him through my Kindle.<br/><br/>The writing was also a little weak at times, I thought. It was mostly good, but I'm a little surprised it won a Pulitzer.<br/><br/>All that said, it was definitely an enjoyable read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16WFBGO9HC7AA?ASIN=0316055441	I love the character development	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the most emotionally moving books I've ever read. Spoiler alert: I love the character development, this story is very well written. I love how I really felt like I knew the mom in the book even though she died in the beginning. Some of the critics of this book say that they are sick of stories being about young people, where are the adults? My argument to that is that first off, the ""coming-of-age,"" story will NEVER get old because no matter how old you are, everyone feels lost sometimes at different seasons in life. Also, the whole second half of the book, Theo is in his twenties, so that complaint about too many books about youth doesn't really hold water with this book.<br/>The only thing about this book I didn't like was the nihilist ending. I wasn't expecting Theo to run away with his love and live in a house with a white-picket fence, but the ending was horribly depressing. I wasn't looking for a fairy-tale ending, but maybe one with a small silver-lining.<br/>Even with that, I would totally read it again, it was a beautiful story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SV4V7FEXVKM6?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating and often shocking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">With excrutiating detail, Ms. Tarlt tells a fascinating and often shocking story of a boy as he copes (barely) with a difficult childhood, is scared by crisis and carries emotional wounds and a valuable, stunning painting into adult life. The painting is both a blessing (bringing him to the adult who becomes his mentor and lifelong friend and showing him beauty in art that becomes his life's anchor) and a curse (as he stole it without bad intent when a young boy, but then cannot find the way to be rid of it). It is a symbol of his life's tremendous burdens, which haunt him, but ultimately free him. He barely survives but for the kindness of a few adults and a dangerous friendship with a loyal, sociopathic comrade. By revealing the boy's thoughts and feelings, his self-destructive actions become believable and to a degree understandable. It asks the question: are good deeds the only way to do good? Or, are there alternative paths that some are destined for that are just as noble?  Sometimes, the descriptions are too exhausting to read, but it is well told story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NXKQ9AOUUBV7?ASIN=0316055441	Won't be finishing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've read and enjoyed Donna Tartt's books in the past, and so looked forward to reading The Goldfinch. It's rare for me to put a book down mid-stream, but I won't be finishing this one. The characters are a string of cliches: everyone from the high society mother with the nerdy son, to the absent father and his girlfriend....I felt as if I was reading something written by a teenager (i.e., actually written by a teenager).<br/><br/>Many reviewers have objected to the length, but this doesn't trouble me at all. I've recently finished Bully Pulpit and the Luminaries - 2 very long tomes that didn't seem lengthy at all.  If the characters in The Goldfinch were better developed, unique and less cliche, I probably would continue. The writing was also not very compelling, in my opinion. Maybe it's a ploy by the author because the story is written from the viewpoint of a teen (at least at the stage of the story where I stopped). It could also be that juxtaposed against the Luminaries, which was truly brilliant, The Goldfinch just paled in comparison - at least for me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36KCUO7GH7TB4?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book!  She definitely deserved the Pulitzer for this – extremely well written.  At almost 800 pages I never found a point where it dragged.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE5M215T0CMU3?ASIN=0316055441	4 Star Plus	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've not finished reading The Goldfinch, but I'm hooked.  I love the contradictions in Theo's character - so much his Mother's child and his Father's.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V1E1BQKFR6NK?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent material, though uneven at end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a long book; be prepared to enter a journey that is equally long.  The character grows with you.  You understand what makes him tick.  You understand his pain, his elation, his loves, his friends, his life, and his emptiness.  You understand why he clings on to the painting that reminds him of a time that will never come back.  You understand all this, and you are drawn into the mesmerizing tale that Ms. Tartt weaves together so beautifully.<br/><br/>For about 5/7 of the book.<br/><br/>The last 2/7 of the book descends to pulp fiction.  The sort of thing where you know what is going to happen and are not surprised when it does happen.  The sort of thing where the bad guys keep on ticking and our intrepid protagonist keeps on ploughing ahead.  The only surprise that deviated from the pulp fiction part was what happens to the love of the protagonist's life.  That part was well done.<br/><br/>In sum, I was not disappointed by the book.  I wish the last 2/7 would be as brilliant as the first 5/7, but I enjoyed the book nonetheless.  (September 2014)</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RI6VLPYHT24K?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like everyone says, this is the book of the year, and probably makes my list of all-time favorite novels. Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch is a rich, raging, page-turning epic that doesn't skimp on the vividly detailed descriptive passages, AND features countless brilliantly observed set pieces and character studies, AND serves up tons of pure, often heartbreaking emotion, AND doesn't slow down even during the ruminations on art and humanity. It's also funny and warm. And sad and provocative. And completely honest. And it's filled with complicated people. Just fantastic, all all of it. I won't reveal any of the plot (not that it's super-twisty or anything), but will just say that from the harrowing opening scene in which our narrator, the then-13-year-old Theo Decker, goes to an exhibition of Dutch masterpieces at the Met with his mom; to the fully satisfying series of endings some 15 years later (the first resolves things dramatically, the second emotionally, the third philosophically), a hundred things happen, some terrible, some joyous, some banal. I loved it</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AQ25G42TSZN0?ASIN=0316055441	Long winded	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Let me start with the fact that I love Donna Tartt's writing.  I have read every one of her books and have a pretty good grasp of her style.  That being said I found The Goldfinch to be very long winded.  Her two other books lagged a bit in the middle as well, but this one is probably 150-200 pages too long.  An immense amount of detail is prominent through out the book, but especially so in the middle chunk.  I loved the story at first but it kind of goes off the rails mid-way through with obsessive thinking that leads absolutely no where.  I found the last half of the book to be rushed, as I did her two previous books, but more so in this one.  There is a long stretch in the middle where basically nothing happens followed by a flurry of anti-climactic activity within the last 100 pages.  In the end the story just kind of piddles off.  Not impressed by this one, and I am surprised that so many people are.  Don't get me wrong, she does write very well, but just because you can write a 740 page book doesn't mean that you should when it damages the storyline.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R211EWERL53GWE?ASIN=0316055441	Ok book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was ok. I didnt think it deserved a pulitzer prize. Ive read better novels. Its not a book ill be recommending my to my friends. Or reading again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12L9542KC9PKW?ASIN=0316055441	For such a heralded and acclaimed book with so many ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For such a heralded and acclaimed book with so many details, it was okay. I didn't really get anything from it. It didn't leave a lasting impression.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO0TBBOMPMHOE?ASIN=0316055441	This won the Mann Booker Award. Hundreds of pages ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This won the Mann Booker Award. Hundreds of pages about going through adolescence. Way too much about the evolution that all adults have experienced.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BKE0O17PRH80?ASIN=0316055441	"Sometimes felt like author just wanted to ""hear"" herself write"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very wordy and some unrealistic story lines.  Sometimes felt like author just wanted to ""hear"" herself write.  Great insights at end of book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F0AYYYID14E0?ASIN=0316055441	Not a fast read, but the author's attention to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a fast read, but the author's attention to detail made me feel as if I was a bystander to the story and not merely a reader.  A very unique read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q8O7E0S4LOXF?ASIN=0316055441	I started out loving this book--then hating it at the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started out loving this book--then hating it at the end.  about 80% of the book kept me absolutely riveted, then it took a left turn toward drivel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLYRXPACCYS2P?ASIN=0316055441	Made my heart ache for this broken man.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you are looking for a happy little read, this isn't it.  Here is the story of a young boy who lost his mother and never seemed to find his center.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBW1U5MXD33AZ?ASIN=0316055441	One of my all time favorite novel, because it dares to ask the important ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of my all time favorite novel, because it dares to ask the important questions about life . Art plays a big part in my life so I could appreciate the role it plays here and how it can affect people different ways. Not for the faint of heart, our hero goes through many experiences that are rough , but emerges triumphant . Thats all I hold give away.<br/>If you have ever stood before a painting and felt your heart stir, or something deeper. Sometimes it is an emotion more primal that can bring tears to your eyes, because you can feel the pain the artist is trying to convey. If art can speak to you like this, then you will understand  Goldfinch and why Theo says .....Between ""reality"" on the one hand and and the point where the mind strike reality, there is a middle zone, a rainbow edge where beauty comes into being , where two very different surfaces mingle and blur and provide what life does not: and this is the space where all art exists, and all magic<br/><br/>With writing like this, it is no surprise that this won the Man Booker Award.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BESLAJOK2CUG?ASIN=0316055441	Powerful and painful.  Like reading vomit.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is like reading vomit.  You can't resist but it is not fun. And you hurt and feel ragged.  Red and orange and clumpy slurpy smelly ropey wretchedness.  Here it comes again that book the sadness the weird gut wrenching and you can't resist it and on and on it goes.  Will it never end.  Drunk and dirty and brutal; bad decisions.  Fin de Siecle but from the beginning so worse and worse.  An upchuck of poetic imagery.  Sadness.  Three stars for engaging turn the page and prose but I'm not sure I would want to do it again.  Wish I hadn't like one too many beers with the vodka and burp oh well.  Who said we need art because the truth is too horrible.  Horrible artistic too much truth? Want to go back and unread and that's the problem in the book, too; want to go back and undo.  Ack ack. Powerful and painful.<br/><br/>Also: is this not a grown up Harry Potter?  Main char called Potter by friend; mom and dad killed off; Tom Coddle=Tom Riddle = Voldmort; magic=drugs/drink; Hogwarts=Hobie's; Pippa=redhead=Ginny; language; heavy danged book; etc.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK9LZIYEHWV0S?ASIN=0316055441	Long ad incessant. Paragraphs seemed to run on and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long ad incessant. Paragraphs seemed to run on and on. Had to force myself to finish. Actually skipped many pages but didn't feel I missed anything.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O3AJY88ED0HU?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent writer..depressing story!!!! Too long and Theo couldn't get a break!!! Drug addiction, death, deception, and dysfuntional relationships...</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR5VRTRS3S041?ASIN=0316055441	I love the sense of place(s) in this novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would have given it 5 stars until I got to the last chapter, which was just too preachy for my taste.  I love the sense of place(s) in this novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM8F2TDCYT82G?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing but still worthwhile!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappointing.  Gripping story, but written like an extra long YA novel.  Worthwhile, but not what I would expect of a Pulitzer Prize winning novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5317DKALUHBO?ASIN=0316055441	Different	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I never guessed the ending.  Almost a saga. The character develops from childhood to manhood with so many twists it holds your interest all the way.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NQO9T1Y53TA?ASIN=0316055441	good-	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">did not like ending---dragged at times--don't think it is a ""GONE WITH THE WIND"".not convinced that he was part of "" good- evil syndrome</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSS42MAK46Y88?ASIN=0316055441	A true disappointment... didn't live up to the hype.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Oh, I wanted to love this. Especially since my hero Stephen King raved about it in the NYT Book Review.<br/><br/>The mountain of descriptions was ridiculous... It's bad enough to describe every room and character's appearance, smells, ""reminds me of"", etc, but this happened EVERY TIME a character appeared, even ones we'd met several times. Because of this, I skimmed a great deal.<br/><br/>The protagonist was rarely likable. This story was dark in a way that made me feel guilty and yucky... And I like dark! (See: Stephen King)<br/><br/>It had its appeals. In fact, I probably would have rated this differently at every point in the book. I give it two stars because at the end I wasn't sure who I was rooting for or what I expected... And nothing satisfactory came out.<br/><br/>I WILL say that I'm one of the weirdos who doesn't get ""Catcher in the Rye"" and I feel those two books have a kinship... So, totally make up your own mind. But maybe think about the Kindle version, unless you're working on toning your arms. It's hefty!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10G15HGWUJ00L?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful, though more like a Renoir nude than a Fabritius finch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A literary novel about one of the world's great paintings, a mysterious artist, a cast of dozens in a coming of age tale spiced with crime and art history; capped with thoughtful ruminations on the meaning of life. It has all the pieces of a great novel. Still, it's like a Rubens or a Renoir nude for me: brilliantly done, but I'd like them even more if they'd shed just a few pounds.<br/>After a taut opening, not much happens until around page 300, then slows again until the last 100 pages. Ironically, Tartt handles the faster-paced scenes (i.e. guns and explosions) masterfully, but there's not a lot of character development in 770-odd pages, and in the final chapter we find out why; Tartt and her admitted-nihilist protagonist Theo don't seem to believe in it. Which is a valid argument to make, and she does (just not terribly rewarding as a reader). Aesthetically however, in its length and breadth Tartt overlooks a principle that Carel Fabritius knew well: that what you leave out of a great work of art is just as important as what you put in.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13CHRN7H3W89U?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hoped to find in ""Goldfinch"" the creative quality I enjoyed in Tartt's previous work.  Gave up less than fifty pages in.  The book rests heavily on stereotypical constructs such as the all-bad, absent father, thereby forsaking opportunities to create for us characters blended from subtle and conflicted ingredients.  It spends all of its creative capital obsessing over descriptive details of setting that fail to move the story along or to offer an original perspective on any significant human theme.  After a couple of chapters I did not buy into the improbable actions of the main character nor care about their consequences.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WI1EI4UWHB6U?ASIN=0316055441	Gross	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not for me...prolonged descriptions of vomiting and other drug and alcohol use side effects.  No way I cared about any of these lowlife characters.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTKL101HIBL5U?ASIN=0316055441	Gripping beginning...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">...Boring middle and end. Too bad...I thought it sound a good before I read it. Be wary of starting this monstrous-sized book...it drags on and on.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RKPQY4CLJXLI?ASIN=0316055441	Author's vanity writing so many pages.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Felt hoodwinked after I got to ""Las Vegas."" What a waste of time after that.  My poor book club! Author just went on and on for her vanity.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BES3BU4U48V9?ASIN=0316055441	Hate to give a so-so review to a Pulitzer Prize ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hate to give a so-so review to a Pulitzer Prize winner but for me it was way too long<br/>with too much unneeded information.  Good story though.;</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L0JXMB6UK1DD?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tarrt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch by Donna Tarrt is an outstanding book . It is on the New York Times best seller list &amp; I`m sure it will stay there for a llong time .</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V9WYAABV76AN?ASIN=0316055441	Wanted: A Tough-Love Editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is no doubt Donna Tartt can write.  She can turn a phrase, bring outrageous and colorful characters to life, and paint a beautiful picture (on various levels, given the premise of this novel).  But something is missing here.  Some call her Dickensian.  But there is a common thread of humanity that runs through Dickens, giving his works a moral heft that Tartt lacks.  The showy drug use is wearying, as are other literary trinkets which seem more for show than for illumination.  In the end the novel failed the most important test for me: I didn't really much care for, or about, the protagonist.  Also, Tartt needs a tough-love editor.  It feels like there could be a great novel in here, but, if so, it would be about 200-300 pages shorter.  Still, there was plenty of great writing here, and some compelling characters (just not the protagonist), and some interesting themes.  This novel is certainly better written than most of what gets published these days - so while I thought about giving it three stars, for me it (just barely) gets four.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LBCO2AZ3STU1?ASIN=0316055441	eh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great diction and writing, but really didn't enjoy reading it and actually disliked the story. I won't be recommending this to any fellow readers.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VKTC5T8ZB7Z6?ASIN=0316055441	great and then not so good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really love the 1st 2/3rds then it fizzled.  I kept waiting for it to get good again and it never did.  To bad, could have been a phenomenal book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R294NIQBY077IM?ASIN=0316055441	How to ruin  a great story idea	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written...liked the characters..but page after page of drug use..very unreal and depressing ..there was no closer to any of the characters...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CC0UCPW2242Z?ASIN=0316055441	not what I expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this read down. So interesting as I read about a life so not like my own, but found some basic truths. Rather haunting in summary.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PXO5L4WWOJK?ASIN=0316055441	Wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful language, vivid images, but very dark. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I savored it. I can't wait for the book club discussion!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8TG1IS1LBQLL?ASIN=0316055441	this book was brilliant. I finished it a couple of days ago ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Keeping it short, this book was brilliant. I finished it a couple of days ago and I keep on thinking back to the characters. Absolutely fantastic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RHP5GVYM8HDS?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch - That Elusive Little Bird!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's LONG . . . but excellent. I would not recommend it for the faint-of-heart! It's a robust story! Even learned to appreciate some art! SMILES!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRS2GFC4KC10A?ASIN=0316055441	addiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I skipped through most of the chapters, because they seemed to be filled with the same addictive chaos, which after a while seemed to be the same.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N8DLTZAX7EQL?ASIN=0316055441	excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book. I couldn't put it down. Really felt happy, sad, scared, abandoned, etc as Theo felt these things. Wonderful character development.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3YXQ8DOPC1H6?ASIN=0316055441	Perfection!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is sheer perfection.  Donna Tartt's writing is sublime, the characters are flawlessly developed and the story is  engaging and gripping.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRZNW43E5J1JF?ASIN=0316055441	We've waited 10 years for this and it was worth the wait. She is a great writer.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a writer.  The story is intriguing, the vocabulary excellent..she is a wordsmith of the fiest degree and the title Dickensian is appropriate.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34RKLXZQAUIAK?ASIN=0316055441	Recommended	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After 13 year old New Yorker Theo Decker survives a museum incident that kills his mother, he essentially becomes an orphan , having been abandoned by his father years earlier. Where his future will lead him is strongly influenced by a strange series of events including a dying older man, a young redheaded girl, a signet ring, and of course a priceless painting The Goldfinch. From art , antiques, and love under the tutelage of Hobie and in the company of Pippa, friendship and culture from the Barbour family, to the dark underworld of drugs, alcohol, and crime that Boris ushers in, Theo's journey is quite an adventure. This is not an easy read, even though there are lots of events there are also lots and lots of details. An often beautifully written story, with plenty to ponder. I was personally disappointed that the young, innocent and very likable Theo gradually became someone more and more difficult to like. I also thought it could have been 200 pages shorter without much harm to the storyline. Overall a very good read. 4 stars</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W3ZCPA5S18AN?ASIN=0316055441	Exceptionally well written, well thought-out characters and events, and completely engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo Decker is a 13 year old boy whose divorced mother dies during a terrorist bombing of a New York City art museum. Theo is in the museum with his mother, but survives the bombing; he leaves the museum in possession of a famous panting: The Goldfinch. Theo spends the rest of the book feeling that he is to blame for his mother's death and, as expected, has a difficult time adjusting to life without her. Theo has an obsession about his appropriated painting and keeps it despite his reasoning that he should really return the painting. The book details Theo's life from age 13, just prior to his mother's death, to age 26.<br/>This book is exceptionally well written, has well thought-out characters and events, and is completely engaging. I would have given The Goldfinch a rating of 5 out of 5 but for a single problem: the last 100 pages or so become very verbose and philosophical, deviating from the quality that was delivered in the preceding 600+ pages. Nonetheless, it is a very good book and worth the investment of time and money.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5UPVM2LEVNY6?ASIN=0316055441	A bumpy read -- but worth it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's hard to review this book without spoilers, but I will say this.  It's a great book and a real page turner (screen flipper) most of the way.  I found the last 150-200 pages to be a bit of an aggravating slog (just when you would think a page turner would get to be the most interesting and exciting).  There are some great characters, and some great situations and events.  But there are places in the book where it feels like the wheels come off entirely.  You'll keep reading though, because you've invested too much time not to see the whole thing through.  There a lot of places in the book, where the author is talking about one thing, sometimes for 20 or 30 pages, when you really need to know about something else. Slowly, you come to understand that Donna Tartt is doing this intentionally, to set up plot twists and surprises. Sometimes it pays off, sometimes you feel like she didn't need to waste so much time diverting your attention.  Read it anyway, because for such a long book, there are long chunks that I'll never forget.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29S6ZA2RVO2L2?ASIN=0316055441	It's just ok!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and too many words could have said the same thing 200 pages less.  Some interesting parts and some things I could have cared less about.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26EVAMU3S03MR?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderful story about art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful story about art, love, and life.  The characters are real and believable.  Surprising plot turns kept me reading late into the night.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C8B9691WRQUU?ASIN=0316055441	I did not like this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like this book.  I felt that in many instances the plot was not plausible, repetitious, and without any characters I found interesting.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VDYTQVK88HFI?ASIN=0316055441	Drivel.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel will appeal to middle-aged women with a lot of time on their hands, and who don't have experience with truly great fiction, i.e. classical fiction. The author made a tremendous tactical error by envisioning the lead character as a male, a gender which she was woefully unprepared to represent effectively. She has made the amateurish blunder of transposing her own feelings and personality into the main character in a subtle but annoying manner that detracts from the whole story. I probably shouldn't even write this review because I was unable to complete this ponderous, tedious story. Culled down to a simpler narrative, this soap-operatesque work would make for an excellent Lifetime movie, sure to be appreciated by stay-at-home mothers and GED holders everywhere. Let this be a lesson to us all that inclusion on the NY Times Best Seller list is, sadly, no indication of quality after all. If you must read this story, wait for the paperback version, or buy is second-hand, there undoubtably will be many copies available.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYVS7LPT8YN1U?ASIN=0316055441	An editor, an editor, my kingdom for an editor ( for the Goldfinch)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book for a Book Club - and did not read the perceptive reviews below until I had, exhausted, finished the book.  Like the others, I am wondering why so many critics raved about this, indeed, how it won a Pulitzer Prize.  I can only surmise that many of the reviewers read the Cliff Notes version - and perhaps read in whole only many of the its beautiful, mind-bogglingly perfect insights.  However, and this is a big however, this book, which apparently took 10 years to write, needed at least a year's worth of very serious editing.  While the story is quite Dickensian in its many odd charactered- odd situations - there is way to much internal and external ""speechifying.""  I was continually annoyed at Theo's inability to let others, with clearly important things to tell him, finish their stories.  And even at 13, let alone 27, how much bad judgement can one person have?  Oh please, Ms. Tartt, find yourself a good editor - and let her/him really CUT.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R199ZEGZ4FJ0IM?ASIN=0316055441	A modern masterpiece.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thanks to the holiday season and all the activity that comes along with it, it took me a bit longer to finish this one than I would have liked, but now that I have I can only say that it deserves all of the accolades it's been receiving. The author's prose is always engaging and often quite poetically beautiful. The characters are memorable and endearing, even with their many, many flaws. While I didn't find Theo's life to be especially relatable, I did relate to much of what he was thinking and feeling growing up over the course of this book, and despite the somewhat extreme circumstances in it, I think many of us will be able to empathize with his thoughts and motivations. Without giving anything away, I can say that while it is ostensibly about an unintentional art heist in the aftermath of a terrorist attack, it is really about so much more. Essentially a meditation on the meanings of love, art, and even life itself; this book should not be missed. A new masterpiece.<br/>[I originally posteds this review on GoodReads]</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y1B5DIEM9YCP?ASIN=0316055441	A beautiful book. Incredibly vivid glimpses of so many people	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautiful book. Incredibly vivid glimpses of so many people, places, conditions and things. It regenerated my nearly lost passion for reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R206IC2QJ39EJO?ASIN=0316055441	Great suspense	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful writer.  I had already enjoyed The Secret History and the plot here unfolds in the manner of a masterful suspense.  Highly recommended</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34KHZFPI8O60C?ASIN=0316055441	there is more to art than life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">-compelling to the end<br/>-long passages of thought, often skipped<br/>-so many ways to interpret Theo<br/>-stay with it until the last word</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XUDC8V6O9BT?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the beginning and the ending of this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the beginning and the ending of this book, I almost gave up in the middle, I thought too much description, but well worth it in the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14UWDN72W2TMW?ASIN=0316055441	Remarkable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This took me forever to finish but well worth the investment. I think it would be a good book for high school English summer reading assignment.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31PWX8MKBAWQS?ASIN=0316055441	PTSD and QEI	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">as Queen Elizabeth I asked Shakespeare to write a second play with Falstaff, so shall I ask the for a sequel with Boris.  Bravo the Goldfinch!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35NJALQSJIBT0?ASIN=0316055441	Great reading!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love the book, and am reading right through it::<br/>the writing style, the background, the story!<br/>It is all compelling and interesting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31SGVDEC05LXV?ASIN=0316055441	Unexpected joy and tears	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Given to me by a friend, The Goldfinch is one of the most riveting I've read books in years. It was a beautifully written and captivating story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23D3HLBYAY9J1?ASIN=0316055441	A Gift	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just finished it. I'm certain, in time, the lump in my throat will go away. I kept one through most of the book. I've read others' reviews. How long it was. I'd say it was sweeping. I found it brilliant. I feel exhausted from the depths of emotion, the exquisitely drawn characters -- empathy. One does not have to survive a bombing to relate to Theo's utter abandonment by circumstance. You'll recognize the ""Hobie's"" in your own life -- those generous spirits that show up and stand by. Yes, I found the story captivating. But the writing. I was so moved by her phrasing. At the beginning, I started to jot down snippets of sentences. Pearls. There were just too many, The Goldfinch is not just a ""good read"" in my estimation, it is a memorable one. One of those books that afterwards, you keep thinking about. The metaphors. The metaphysical analogies. If it doesn't answer life's big questions about fate and chance and whimsy, I feel like I understand them better. The Goldfinch was a gift to me. Treat yourself.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB8TV2LD9XD0T?ASIN=0316055441	MEH, what's the hype all about?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good Lord, what a tedious book!  Liked the story, hated the book.  Waaaayyyy too long, too much unnecessary detail.  At first, I really felt sorry for Theo, losing his mom was the pivotal point in his life, he went downhill from there.  Ah the story went on, I liked him less and less, and couldn't care for him anymore.  He was a self-centered, un-feeling, miserable human being.  The story weaves around the painting, but eventually I could not care less about him squirreling it away.  The ending was way too quick and tidy, the book went on and on with so much minute detail, and the ending was BAM, life is short, it sucks, then you die.  The time-line for me was confusing as well, we start as his 13 year old self, complete with iPods and cell phones, and then modern day, which seemed to take place today.  I think that they whole story could have been written in half the amount of pages.  Some of the detail was so tedious, that I just skipped portions of it.  Wish it held my interest more, and have some redeeming ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UB22YFM3X7NN?ASIN=0316055441	""" The author has developed an excellent plot, creating a number of smaller stories as ..."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the first page, it doesn't take long to start being swept up by Donna Tartt's well-crafted story in ""The Goldfinch."" The author has developed an excellent plot, creating a number of smaller stories as the main action ensues. I found it totally enjoyable. Keep in mind, this is not a thriller or a pre-formatted genre novel. It flows naturally and feels authentic. The events could have happened. It is the kind of novel, even as long as it is, that is a pleasure to pick up and continue reading. The characters are well-drawn, and the plot unfolds smoothly, and many of the twists and turns are nicely unpredictable. That is the sign of an unusually talented writer.<br/><br/>While not a negative, I'm not sure why The Goldfinch won the Pulitzer Prize. It is not extraordinary prose...meaning ""literary prose,""<br/>which I prefer. This novel is good but does not reach the uncrowded plateau of greatness.  It is a thoroughly enjoyable tale, and the author deserves recognition as a fine craftsman of fiction.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TCEQJ0ZDNN4P?ASIN=0316055441	So very very disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so disappointed in this book. I had to force myself to read it. I only finished it because it was for book club. My main thought about the book is that Donna Tart talks too much. I have no problem reading long books as long as they have substance. This book just rambled with unimportant repetitive details. If this book was 300 pages it might have been good. I liked all the characters. My heart went out to Theo. I can't imagine having to be on your own at such a young age. I certainly don't condone his drug use but do understand it. Having grown up in a loving family I was appalled by the fact that his father was so abusive to him and took such advantage of him like he did. I think the fact that Theo loved his dog,not his drug use, showed his true character . I am not sure how the book ended because it rambled on so I had to skim through it .  Without adding spoilers I felt it left you hanging on all the details of the characters that would had made the book worth while reading. I can not recommend this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P4MZ9ICM6NNX?ASIN=0316055441	like it or not	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought it was much too long...it could have been cut in half.  When I start a book I finish it, like it or not....I had trouble with this one.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18STMS7CRSTDN?ASIN=0316055441	Pigeons	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Say something!  You take long enough and tell me nothing except your poor use of the language<br/>Well, I guess your spellcheck is pretty good</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ULAKIY61V09J?ASIN=0316055441	a fast read for 775 pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not stop reading this book!  An outstanding description of characters and setting.  I highly recommend this book for book club discussion</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SVZ1U0KYLZVT?ASIN=0316055441	Not to be confused with the Bullfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At first, I thought something was wrong with my Kindle. After reading to --someplace around-- page 100, I noticed that I had read only 10%-12% of the book. It was at that point I discovered that this thing is about 2/3 the length of War and Peace. The good news is that it was very enjoyable and a lot easier to read. I liked it; I liked it a lot. It may be (because) so many of the locations and settings were very familiar. The characters were all familiar, too. Sometime or another in my life, I think that I have met all these guys and gals and their strange friends.  Everything about this story was a real treat to ""get back to"" after a break. I am looking forward to the movie. Here's a bet, though----I have one single dollar that says-- (and you can mark my word on this the 24th day of October, in the year of 2015)--- the director, producer or major financial backers will likely cause a major change from the ending in Donna Tartt's novel. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys epic stories.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F5DDB99F5OQ7?ASIN=0316055441	Thin characterizations; overly verbose. Where was the editor to say, less IS more?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I dithered about this. How can I, a mere reader give an award winner three stars?<br/>Talking it over and over, thinking about it during Chicago Grant Park's concert last night--and having The Husband explain why he LOVED Zorba the Greek (the movie) again--it hit me. The characters. And the verbosity.<br/>In reverse order. Verbosity. Yes she is a fabulous writer, but. She is also too enamored of her vocabulary, descriptive fluency and it got redundant. The first chapters, it was lovely. By Las Vegas, getting tiresome. By Amsterdam, boring. Just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should.<br/>Characterizations. It pains me, truly pains me to say that despite the plethora of words, the characters are thinly drawn. Maybe that was part of why, too many words about rain or urine smelling NYC (all true). Nothing left for the red-headed Pippa, or stereotypical Russian/Ukrainian Boris.<br/>Almost 800 pages I read. Afterwards I felt like I needed to read a more satisfying book. All of which is too bad.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSU3HPUSDG1KF?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully Written Boring Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book reminds me the coffee eclair I had last week. It looked perfect from the outside: lightly golden dough with caramel colour glazing and cream inside. The first bite was ok, but after the second one I didnt feel like finishing it. Too much jelly like cream in the centre and soggy pastry. In the end I regret eating it.<br/><br/>Similarly, this book, made me regret the time it took to get to the end of it. Beautifully written, but lacking the storyline.<br/>Theos transformation from a thoughtful and a smart boy, interested in literature and art, adoring his mother, to a young adult, now self destructive, careless, deceitful with still ongoing and now slightly unhealthy obsession about his mother.<br/><br/>He had a personality of a victim, somehow passively indulging in his misery and depression and making ever more wrong decisions and turns.<br/><br/>A lot of bloated, heavy prose along the way. Last pages left me feeling nothing other than regrets about spending so much of my time on this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JVMNGVACWJ4E?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be monotonous and kept thinking it would get better, but found I just wanted it to end so I could get on to my next book!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R251FCWBJFPEIF?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A superb novel. Beautifully narrated with a gripping storyline and deep, convincing characters. Even better than the author's previous novels.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E8XXD8NA543R?ASIN=0316055441	good story, pretty good writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">kind of long for what it is but I enjoyed it, listened on audio, good reader voice which is essential for me to keep going with an audio book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YTGXSF05W95O?ASIN=0316055441	I don't get it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For better or worse, once I've passed the +/- 10% point of a book I simply won't quit. In many, many, many years of reading I've never come upon a book that challenged me more on this front. I've likened it to running a marathon in dress shoes. The story itself is lovely but the utterly needless efforts on the part of the author to extent its length for no good reason was maddening, and honestly, Vegas / Boris almost killed me. The writing is good, at times, but often feels a bit quilted, with slight shifts in voice and language and occasional repeated verbatim technical descriptions suggesting an effort that was, at times, a bit unaware of earlier writing. Again, My principle reservation is the ridiculous length for no good reason. The story itself is fine, even wonderful at times but as I might suggest to my painting students; try not to be all you feel you can be in a single work. I'll also note that I, well, hated, the last few silly pages where in a manner, Theo dissolves, morphing into the self-conscious author who offers up the kind of goofy existential assertions precocious adolescents might drum up...fine, but not quite the finale I'd hoped for...perhaps the author needed more time. As to posterity, I've recycled the book, literally, a first for me. I simply don't get the outstanding reviews here - and also don't quite get the Pulitzer - perhaps there were other factors?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S9T1YQU3EVVX?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful, Broken-heart Story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. You do need to give it time. It's LONG, and not fast-paced. I think there were some parts that could have been edited out. HOWEVER, I loved the main character, Theodore Decker and his story. It was enjoyable really getting into his life with him. Detailed as it was, you were RIGHT THERE with him, in his journey. There are a lot of beautiful, painful, deep insights. The intimacy of writing, emotion and character are one of the book's best features, I think.<br/><br/>The more I think about The Goldfinch, the more I like it. Such a lot happened - it was a very full emotional journey. It follows Theo for a good decade of his life.This book would make a really great movie. It's full of great characters, moving events, and is very visual. I hope somebody good does make a movie out of it. I would love to see it. Because I love dark, damaged, troubled souls who are sad, passionate, intense, and love beauty. I love Theodore Decker. I miss him very much, now that I'm finished with the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R260P10WOOSVAA?ASIN=0316055441	I would proudly place it next to Fannie and Zoe as one of the best coming of age stories	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Remarkable book, very well written and fully realized.  I would proudly place it next to Fannie and Zoe as one of the best coming of age stories, with a very contemporary twist.  Brought back many memories of teaching and raising teens, and hitting an impenetrable wall of resistance and secrecy.  Theo and Boris are left to raise themselves and make sense of life while exposed to every kind of dysfunction and risky behaviors.  Outside of the fact that they managed to survive, they expose so many flaws in systems and families that they end up the heroes of their own fumbling progress to adulthood.  I was so caught up in this book that I immediately reread it, to experience it again, and also because I didn't want to let go of the story and characters.  This is a very original story, fresh, inventive, philosophical, consistent and logical, even though the big questions asked of life, art, love,the flow of good and evil, and the meaning of our existence remain, as always, unresolved, I am thankful to the author for her contribution.  I'm hoping for a sequel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29IZMR8574II6?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt - a non-starter for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How did this book win the Pulitzer Prize?  After the first chapter and wading through mounds and mounds of minute detail about everything, animate and inanimate, I was bored and not interested in finding out any more about this story.<br/><br/>I bought and downloaded it onto my Kindle because it was a Pulitzer Prize winner. However, after that first chapter, I decided to read some reviews by other readers to find out if I was missing something.  Hardly anyone of those reviewers had anything good to say about the book.  I was annoyed with myself for not checking them before I got carried away with buying this ""Pulitzer Prize winning book"".<br/><br/>I decided that it was not worth my time trying to finish the book and deleted it from my Kindle.  I know from the reviews that there are some good passages, but I didn't want to spend time getting to them.<br/><br/>It is just not the type of book that I like to read, and I am going to be very suspicious of any books that win Pulitzer Prizes in future.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DQUXJVEKB6YV?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is an extremely convoluted and disturbing story extremely ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is an extremely convoluted and disturbing story extremely well written.  Empathy for any of the characters was not to - for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3114M9E35U56X?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best reads in a long time.  I did not want to put the book down. Loved the characters. The book painted a picture for me.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ6G9WJOKI3A5?ASIN=0316055441	Upholstery	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt because the novel provides a startling view of our culture in the United States as well as our vanities when examined through the distant reflection of the painting The Goldfinch.  She has written an excellent novel of suspense, fleeting assumptions &amp; anxieties, nurturing lectures on Hals, Coorte, Rembrandt &amp; Vermeer, inexplicable violence, the unceasing grief for a beloved mother, the convoluted &amp; fragmented care by a father, deception, libertine excesses, theft of exquisite works of arts, families where the practice of love is completely absent in their relationships, tragedies following human hubris, free will versus determinism, vivid depictions of life in New York City, NY; Las Vegas, NV; &amp; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Hobie's due diligence with antique furniture, the layered realities of Polish, Ukrainian, Russian cultures, &amp; the escapades of Theo &amp; Boris, revolving around a painting entitled Het Puttertje, The Goldfinch, by Carel Fabritius, 1654.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BD2GDMMIRGLR?ASIN=0316055441	An Endless Disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sadly, I just didn't like this book although I wanted to and even expected to.  Here Ms. Tartt seems to be coasting purely on reputation and she suffers from a lack of good editing.  Although it began well, it seemed to quickly get bogged down in endless descriptions - of scenery, people, places, and the drugs.  No recovering addict should read this book.  The drug scenes seemed to be the whole point of the book at times.  A better writer would have conveyed the descent into self-medication with brevity and clarity which are both lacking here.  The last 100 pages were almost pure torture.  I just wanted to know what happened.  Or didn't happen.  I just didn't care anymore.  In the end I didn't care about Theo or anyone else except Hobie, who sadly remains a cipher no matter how much the book drones on.  If about 300 pages of endless, pointless conversation and side eddies into other people's lives were eliminated it might be a good read.  C'mon Donna, give us the Readers Digest version.  PLEASE!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T7MZAC7DTUYK?ASIN=0316055441	Awful!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not finish - and forced myself to read as much as I did.  Do not understand why it is so popular - and  I know of no one who liked it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19TK7IUIXEUK6?ASIN=0316055441	Great Start.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was really disappointed in the book.  The end was kind of jumbled. I feel my opinion is insignificant since it is a Pulitzer Prize winner.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PXI9211JE4K2?ASIN=0316055441	This was a labor of love by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a labor of love by Donna Tartt. The writing at times was exquisite, but overall should have been edited and shortened by 100 pages.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16IX03E5686I5?ASIN=0316055441	A tale that rattles on and on. Full of ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A tale that rattles on and on. Full of vile language and images. Forget this book. I tried and went thru 75% of the book. I finally gave up.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZA2SC4AAWZ8E?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna tart captures the essence of a great character in this story.  Theodore decker was the ultimate protagonist. Really enjoyed the story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NQVZ1TWRI12D?ASIN=0316055441	Just about 400 pages to long: ( The characters ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just about 400 pages to long :(  The characters I was most interested in were never developed.  Got tired of reading the drug infused hazes.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SQFHLB9NBX5J?ASIN=0316055441	Truly awful. Long winded and I ended up hating ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Truly awful. Long winded and I ended up hating the main character. I put it down with about 10 pages left. I just didn't care what happened.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21EQ6FW5W2GSU?ASIN=0316055441	loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really connected with the characters.  I found myself wondering what I have held unto as a survival raft, and how it is beautiful to only me</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3689S5H2DLUQC?ASIN=0316055441	loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great story....well written......best i've read this year...recommend it to anyone<br/><br/>once started i found it so hard to put it down</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZVHQWUNT6C7W?ASIN=0316055441	A rare treat	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful book. Beautifully written with engaging characters. I miss the characters now that I have finished the book. Highly recommended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM1ZZACVQD2U2?ASIN=0316055441	Truly Great..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Truly Great...if you understand why<br/><br/>I've read reviews on Tartts earlier novel ""The Secret History"", which I did read subsequent to this novel. Many people believe this is a ""sequel."" It is not. As she indicates, a poor artist copies and a great artist steals. Here, she steals from herself and probably many before her.<br/><br/>This is truly great IF you can stand the moments when asking yourself ""Is this really going anywhere???"" Yes, she plugs them in much like she did the Secrets but she learned from her own writing style never to give away too much or explain the unnecessary.<br/><br/>Once she takes you past the points of your own ""Really?"", in comes the shock and information needed to complete your OWN analysis of the book. Thanks to Tartt or friends, she realized that the reader needs to actually feel something and not the necessarily the one intended.<br/><br/>My only drawback on 5 stars is that I did struggle and her public will as well.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RDXLNCF04G3J?ASIN=0316055441	Highly recommend!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book....don't let the 700 plus pages keep you from committing to the read - it is worth every page....did not want it to end!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI51PSHMBOFDU?ASIN=0316055441	Shock, Awe, and... Ouch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such mixed feelings about this book--there were passages about the human condition that moved me deeply but at other times the author's philosophizing seemed preachy, cliched, and cringe-worthy. Lovers of art and antiques will appreciate the passionate and sensory detail that enlivens the story. But as stunning as the prose is at times there are other times it reads like a writing workshop exercise that got out of control. Above all, there is a real problem with pacing. Instead of allowing the story to gain momentum and hit the climax hard the main character continues to writhe in his internal, self-absorbed monologues to excess. It's like when someone tries to describe a very weird dream to you--it's unrelatable but they keep trying to make sense out of it. Theo's prolonged stay in the Amsterdam hotel was painful to read for all the wrong reasons. A sparer hand and more disciplined editing and this novel would have earned its Pulitzer. P.S what's up with Kitsey's dialogue? Is it the 1950s?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5DRUXUF4NIZO?ASIN=0316055441	Meh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was incredibly long. I lost interest in the parts of the book with the Russian mobsters. I could hardly wait to hit the last page.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KF4BWTQCONGM?ASIN=0316055441	Way too wordy.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a prize-winning book . But it  is unconscionable  that editors would not have done  a better job.<br/><br/>It is  way  too wordy.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OI0WMVU418QU?ASIN=0316055441	I loved it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not put this book down.  It was mesmerizing.  Great story.  Wonderful characters.  I wish I had another one like it to start reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JD7DXRH85C15?ASIN=0316055441	Ugh. Just ugh.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel dragged on and on. I am not one to stop reading a book halfway, as there is always the hope that it will get better. Unfortunately, this one did not. I actually listened to this via audiobook, and the only saving grace for me was the narrator, who did an excellent job despite the laborious content of this book.  Mundane descriptions and repetition are among my biggest complaints, and I found myself experiencing déjà vu moments when the book actually repeated entire lines over and over again. As if it were not bad enough the first time around. I was not invested in any of the characters in this book, and quickly grew tired of Theo's woe is me attitude.  I could not have cared less about the art thefts and the painting itself. In truth, I could not bear to listen to the last 35 minutes of the novel and just shut it off mid sentence. What a waste of time and money. I give it two stars because the author was able to string sentences together, but clearly lacked a diligent editor,</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R307TC7ZU0FUJJ?ASIN=0316055441	Connected by a Chain	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo and Boris are two of the most captivating characters I have ever found in literature. In a book that combines human struggle, art, and relationships, the author Donna Tartt gives intelligent, philosophical life to every page. Everyone connects through Theo, who after a museum explosion, wherein his mother is killed, and ensuing possession of the painting of the Goldfinch, leads us through a lost childhood dealing with obsessions, emotional upheavals, and love. Love, good and bad, is the most gripping viscosity of the story. Who can we trust, how can we trust, and how do we resolve the realizations discovered? In the painting, the goldfinch has a tiny chain around its leg connecting it to a perch. In a parallel existence, so is Theo chained to the painting - hiding, cherishing, respecting, and protecting it. In several books, the next scene or the ending is predictable. No so with The Goldfinch. The only thing predictable is that you will pull for the main character's survival throughout.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27Z4ME256FFPB?ASIN=0316055441	No so Golden	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story is of a young boy and his beloved Mother living downtown New York.  The plot begins when the boy and his Mother on the way to his school counselor take a moment to visit the Metropolitan Museum.  What ensues from the point on changes young Theo's life forever.  Unfortunately he has to live with his absent father in Las Vegas where he makes a Russian friend name Boris that takes him into a lifetime use of drugs,  There were way too many drug related stories that took away from what the book was about.  This book was 200 pages too long and I found myself bored many times.  I actually listened to this on Audio and found myself wanting to skip ahead because there were many chapters that went no where.  The other problem I had was way too much description.  There was a very compelling story lines they just got overshadowed by the drugs, description and the need to draw out the story. If you are interested in drugs and a messed up young man read this, if not don't waste your time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FH2DH0HE6Y6D?ASIN=0316055441	Buy this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a long book, so make sure to clear your calendar - because you won't want to put it down. Here's a passage from near the end (not a ""spoiler,"" I promise!), so beautiful that I typed it into an email for my best friend:<br/><br/>...I stayed in a Mexican seaside hotel where the halls flowed with blown curtains and all the rooms were named after flowers. The Azalea Room, the Camellia Room, the Oleander Room. Opulence and splendor, breezy corridors that swept into something like eternity and each room with its different colored door. Peony, Wisteria, Rose, Passion Flower. And who knows - but maybe that's what's waiting for us at the end of the journey, a majesty unimaginable until the very moment we find ourselves walking through the doors of it, what we find ourselves gazing at in astonishment when God finally takes his hands off our eyes and says: Look!<br/><br/>If you love beautiful writing, a compelling story and terrifically drawn characters, you'll adore this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SHWFSUJJ7TR8?ASIN=0316055441	Mixed feelings	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is obviously a talented writer with an amazing command of the English language and extensive knowledge on a range of subjects, and I would have had to be living under a rock to be unaware of the awards and accolades The Goldfinch has received, but for me, this book was just OK. Much too long in my opinion - 300 or so pages probably could have been shaved off - and the level of detail described in some passages was so extensive it became almost mind-numbing to read. And some sections seemed repetitive and to drag on - how many times did we need to read about his drug-filled days in Vegas?<br/><br/>In a nutshell, I found The Goldfinch dark (literally and figuratively - so many scenes and settings were described in gray and bleak terms) and depressing. I realize that life is not all sunny days, cute puppies and happy endings, and that there is evil and suffering in the world, but at the end of the day, this book just left me feeling cold and a little troubled and hopeless.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C4R4FMI6IC03?ASIN=0316055441	An excellent story with engrossing charadters and plenty of twists	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thirteen-year-old Theo Decker's life changes dramatically when he and his mother stop by the Metropolitan Museum of Art on the way to a conference at Theo's school. While browsing the gallery Theo spots an elderly gentleman (Welty) escorting a teenage girl (Pippa) with whom Theo is instantly enthralled. Shortly afterward a terrorist bomb levels part of the museum, Theo's mom is killed, and Theo - shocked and confused - makes off with a small masterpiece, Carel Fabritius's painting ""The Goldfinch"". Theo's deep mourning over the loss of his mother, his illicit possession of the beautiful masterpiece, and his infatuation with the badly injured Pippa profoundly affect his ongoing story. To me the very last part of the book - where the author philosophizes about art and beauty and life - was slow and somewhat incomprehensible. For the most part, though, this is an excellent book with a good story, well-rounded, engrossing characters and enough twists to keep the reader interested.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YWETQ99OOQID?ASIN=0316055441	what a slog	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow... this is an 800 page brick of a book that only has about 300 pages of relevant story(if that). The book is bloated with page after page of utterly boring, unnecessary descriptions. It will say something like ""Hobie likes to cook for us.."" and then it will go on for two pages talking about what Hobie cooks. Or, there will be 4-5 pages of details about what kind of tripped out drug induced dream Boris or Theo were having. It just goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on... you get the idea.<br/><br/>I was fairly interested in the book up until Theo moved with his dad... it was pretty downhill after that. Boring, slow paced, overly detailed and (with the exception of Hobie) all unlikable characters. How on earth did this book win a bunch of prizes? Sometimes I wonder if people don't just act like they like a book because someone ""important"" said they should</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JQ6M8U2HD0GI?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderfully Absorbing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I resisted buying this novel for a year! I had glanced through its first pages when staying with a friend and was impressed how it almost immediately hooked me. Its length, though, put me off. As another reviewer stated, I was not sure it would maintain the momentum I'd need to read it over several weeks. With several long flights and lazy days on a recent vacation, I finally changed my mind. For a week I was enthralled as I was gradually drawn into a wonderful story filled with sudden plot twists and fascinating characters. Some of the situations the main character young Theo finds himself drawn into are seemingly bizarre and only remotely unconnected. But Ms. Tartt gradually and masterfully draws all the strands together as the novel reaches its climax. It is only here that I found the tension slackening and the descriptions of Theo's plight somewhat overlong. Or was I just near desperate to find out how the novel ends? Whatever, it is superbly crafted and a wholly absorbing read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C7PX9X8ON7KG?ASIN=0316055441	A GREAT BOOK.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book grabbed me from the beginning. I was always in the same room with Theo seeing all he saw. Target's writing is at times so beautiful as to be poetic.<br/>I became almost too close to Theo for during those Las Vegas years I was so emotional about the drinking, drugs, neglect and loneliness on two young boys that I had to put the book down for a time.<br/><br/>Equally perturbed by Pippa' distance and Theo's acquiesce to a miserable engagement I struggled, disgruntled, on with the book.<br/><br/>There is great reward for continuing onwards to Amsterdam and the denouement. Target's final CHAPTERS lay out plainly and  a mastery of language that touched me deeply. Her philosophies regarding the purpose and meaning of art are inspiring and deep.<br/><br/>She also has done the world a favour by reintroducing us to that magnificent little known painting by Fabritius known as "" The Goldfinch"". I encourage all readers to search it out for themselves. What does it depict to you?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14MA3LPAM8YZG?ASIN=0316055441	Where was the editor?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book for book club. At times, it was gripping. mostly though, it was MUUUUUCCCCCHHHHHH too long. The author wastes at least three hundred pages dwelling on Theo and Boris drinking and doing drugs, Theo sick at home, Theo sick in Amsterdam, etc... Tartt clearly believes 20 adjectives are required when one will do. This story would have flowed much better and been more readable if the editor had actually done some editing. In some ways, the editor is very much to blame for my loss of interest in the storyline. By the time I was 3/4 finished, after reading about 600 pages, I began to care less and less about Theo, the painting, and the story would be resolved. The ending was weak particularly. Without wishing to spil the plot, I will just say that a wishy washy ending is never satisfactory. The storyline was ultimately far too encumbered by unnecessary descrpitive passages that impeded the flow of the book. I don't recommend it, and the editor needs remedial editing skills.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15AAWHQMID0TP?ASIN=0316055441	Too bad - such potential.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm glad I read it, but I think it loses its way at several key stages, (this, ironically, may have helped in the contest to win the Pulitzer) keeping it from being, in my opinion, a GREAT book.<br/><br/>The character, a sensitive young boy who is devoted to his Mother, when not living obsessively inside his own head, rings mostly true from a former boy's point of view. However, the author's perspective that ""life is a cesspool"" contaminates the protagonist's perspective throughout. This, and her decision to end the book in Theo's late 20's, prevents him from returning to a ""safe"" place at the antique shop with his father figure to enjoy that companionship and to develop a fulfilling life's work - the source of rising from the cesspool for many of us.<br/><br/>Too bad - such potential.<br/><br/>I must say, however, two major themes: 1) the exploration of grief in a young person, and 2) the meaning that art can give to our lives are both spectacularly depicted.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HEIPCZUZ4DC7?ASIN=0316055441	A gem of a book, from every perspective.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Astonishing, beautifully written, compelling.  The finest of novels.  A masterpiece.  A gift to the reader.  With gratitude to the author.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R153TJUD14A9WF?ASIN=0316055441	Confused over accolades. Found neither a compelling plot or likable characters.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finished this novel driven more by the hopes that it would improve than  compelling  plot or characters. The story follows the life of ""Theo"" Decker, set adrift with the loss of his mother in an unlikely accident. As narrator, Theo's language is articulate and musings often erudite.  Unfortunately for me, I found it incongruous that a drug and alcohol addled youth would be so eloquent. As much as I enjoy great descriptions and metaphors, this novel suffered from ""too many adjectives"" and not enough plot. I found the main character Theo unlikable and his best friend Boris despicable.  The ""Goldfinch"",a painting by the Dutch artist Carel Fabriius ,which Theo steals, plays only a tangential role in the novel. I think any metaphorical connection between Theo and and the captive Goldfinch of the title is a stretch.<br/><br/>I found this long novel neither uplifting or interesting. I would look elsewhere to invest precious time for reading. Maybe ""The Prince of Tides"" or ""The Thorn Birds"".</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G698B4OH97?ASIN=0316055441	Read it for the story. Read it for the writing. Just read it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read the whole thing.  That's saying alot considering how many pages this book is and how many years this book spans.  I have not read anything previously by Ms. Tartt, but I was intrigued with what I had heard about her.  She came highly recommended by a friend who had been waiting for her next book.  It was a good story and well written.  There was maybe too much reality it in this book for me, but it was captured well.  I enjoy reading about unsual topics or characters with complex relationships and this is definitely a book, that has those.  I did love the way the characters were so well developed, that you could imagine running into them sometime in Vegas or New York.  You might pass Hobie's shop while driving down his street or read about the Barbour's in the paper.  I love art and that was a major plus because the painting is a large piece of the story.  Loss, heartbreak, theft, friendship, loyalty, betrayal, addiction, redemption, all the things you look for in a story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RYAVHJ7ELYR5?ASIN=0316055441	Why All The (Parentheses)????	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I admire the ambition, and it's an interesting concept. It usually kept my interest, but like others here, I think the story could have been told in less than 771 pages. It left me with many questions, and not because I believe the author wanted issues to be ambiguous, but because she just failed to flesh out some aspects of the incidents and characters' motivations. I think the philosophizing and deep thinking of the two lazy, drug-addicted, unschooled main characters rang false.<br/><br/>A big irritant was the endless—sometimes lengthy—side remarks in parentheses. Some pages had TWO or THREE of these on them. A made-up example: ""I bent to tie my shoes (black, leather, wet from the rain and too tight—my mother warned me against buying them a size too small), and saw a penny on the sidewalk."" Aaarggh—obnoxious. In my opinion, if it's not important enough to make it part of the main text, then leave it OUT.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q665C0C0Z4GU?ASIN=0316055441	Liked it...but wanted more of an ending....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a choice of our book club. The book size was daunting...so I started (on my kindle) to read a certain percentage points each day (for non-Kindle owners...the percentage complete of a book appears on each ""page"". I found the book haunting in a way...throught about it during the day. I was constantly impressed that a writer could write that much...it really does or at least for me think that I was inside Theo's head.<br/><br/>I didn't love it because I thought the ending was not an ending...not the part about the fate pf the picture...but his life going forward.<br/><br/>A recommendation I have is to get one of the books that are published for book discussions groups. I borrowed one through my Kindle Unlimited membership .This has a supurb synopsis of the book. It helped me remember parts of the book that I had read in the beginning...and offered insights that I hadn't picked up on or had totally forgotten. It will save me in the book discussion coming up...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX917GHHPOMFY?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt is a great writer, serving up wonderful imagery	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't normally post reviews but felt the need to do so in this case. Ms. Tartt is a great writer, serving up wonderful imagery, realistic dialogue and interesting characters. The story was good, the lead sympathetic despite his faults, and the conclusion satisfying. So why the three stars? Well, as other reviewers have pointed out, there is just too, too much. The writer has the ability to create pages and pages of well written prose that nevertheless really doesn't push the story forward, at least not with the speed that was necessary to hold my attention. I found myself skimming forward to find dialogue, knowing that I wasn't going to miss anything. The wrap up thoughts at the end of the book, once the story has been tied up, usually comprise a couple of paragraphs. In Goldfinch, they are 20-30 pages. I found myself impressed that the writer could go on and on but found myself wishing she hadn't. Back to skimming. If this book were 400 pages, it would have been a five for me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P0N39SYRXHYE?ASIN=0316055441	Haunting, and deeply satisfying!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love a long gloriously entertaining story. I love a character driven novel, that makes me feel and care about the people in the story I am reading, or I won't care enough about what happens to finish the book. This book gripped me from the first page. I was sucked into the life of the main character who happens to be a teenage boy. I was completely haunted by this book, was even brought to tears, and also laughed aloud! Yes it does jump around a bit and is pretty descriptive at times, but so what?! It was deep, and rich, smartly written, and satisfying! I had not enjoyed a book so much since I read Pillars of the earth by Kenneth Follett. Now I am reading The secret History from Donna Tart as well. It is also amazing, and haunting, although as different from the goldfinch as it could possibly be. Written in a totally different style. I love The Goldfinch and how emotional it made me feel, and I am a fan of Donna Tart. Thanks to her for creating something so lovely to read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VO08646K8WKL?ASIN=0316055441	Troubling, Deep & Touching!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow, I loved this book and I disliked this book all in the same breath.  Talk about sad &amp; depressing and yet full &amp; meaty.  I'm not gonna go on and on I can see why some people love this and others hate it.  I hated the ending.  It really was self serving preaching.  I cannot imaging having my 1st genuinely healthy thought at age, what 29, 30...  Even with all that this man has endured and been through.  There are so many areas of ""hmmmmm"" but I want to say that I loved the characters, I loved the overall story.  I loved going from childhood to adulthood with this very troubled young man and living through all the insanity that is life.  I loved Hobie and I loved the young girl, oh!  No HEA here.  Even Boris has his redeeming qualities.  This would make a great movie I think...  It's very well written and thought out.  So many ties &amp; webs that eventually reveal themselves as the book evolves.  Overall I give it 4 stars.  I do recommend this book.  It's a great tail.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25PVE49ATCJW9?ASIN=0316055441	What???	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have read 100 plus pages of this book and I am going to quit. This is a rare choice for me. But I have read enough to know that I don't care about any of the characters. I am sorry that Theo's mother died in the explosion. However, in order to commit to the rest of the book, I need to love him and to be vitally concerned about his plight. I neither love him nor am I concerned about his plight. The writing is so over descriptive that it starts to contradict itself. At one point, the author refers to the painting as ""unimportant"". Really? It's the title of the book. Viewing it was with his mother was their last shared experience ever. So it's unimportant? Whatever. So is she going to spend 650 plus pages over explaining about how it IS important? From a logical point of view, I think many other reviews have explained well how something that could be said in two sentences becomes two paragraphs. From an emotional point of view, I want to care about Theo. But I don't.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TIR3W0L2P3J?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hate to not finish a book I've started but was really tempted with this one. I found this story boring and all the description tedious.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BQNAHX551ELO?ASIN=0316055441	Your time would be better spent in other ways.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">LONG and so slow. Was she paid by the number of words? She didn't need that many. It took forever to read and was not worth the struggle.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P4UWWZ0ZOP7O?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing book!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing book! Read it in 2 days. Couldn't put it down. This is probably in my top 3 books of all time. Haven't stopped blabbing about it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN0PW6FA7R7A2?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Definitely in my top 5 books for 2013. A wonderful read! Loved the Boris character. The final 30 pages or so were a bit weird for me tho.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYUQFSPYSHF68?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought overrated</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HFLS9RE5AGXU?ASIN=0316055441	Not a Goldfinch more of a turkey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At the beginning I was starting to think it was going to be a sort of contemporary tale paying homage to 'The Girl with the Pearl Earing', which I would have enjoyed very much. However back to 'The Gold Finch'. Hobbie and Pippa were the two characters I also enjoyed and hoped would have enjoyed a more Dickensian ending. The very graphic and specific information about drug taking was I think a very egoistic indulgence by the author trying to demonstrate how 'hip' the author is. All the drug taking was of no interest to me and was not relevant to the tale which I think would have been better without it. I would not recommend it to anyone as I think there are many more books more deserving of the occupations of our neurons and time.<br/>I am sad it was short listed for some prestigious literary prizes; an example, I think, of 'smart' people thinking that all the drug taking references showed insight to contemporary youth culture (which at the moment I think is an oxymoron).</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGYU0QPCTNR1T?ASIN=0316055441	Hefty, Heavy Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There was so much going on in this boys/guys head - parts were difficult to wrap ones mind around &amp; process.  I was born to a generation that encouraged independence and freedom; but we all knew it sometimes came with a price we were unwilling to pay, so it came down to the choices we made.  This complex story line that spans over a decade of poor choices...and lack of direction, right &amp; wrong &amp; familial guidance.  As a child he is sucked into the vortex of adversity and then won't or can't seem to help himself out of it as a man.  I would only recommend this book to friends that would have time for slow, indepth concentration.  If you want a quick read, this isn't it..... The child's/adult's muse, the painting, is what kept me involved in this novel to the end, but it was brutal.<br/><br/>Purchase of the book was quick and easy and I was pleased.  Could have used a little more packing in the box between the four books I purchased - some pages were creased a little...</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FY5RR28GKMLG?ASIN=0316055441	A roller coaster ride of a book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book.  I couldn't put it down and was sorry when it ended.  The story was extraordinary and sometimes unbelievable, however it was exactly this fact that kept me reading, sometimes into the wee hours. It is beautifully written and very readable.<br/><br/>The story captures the hardships and heartache of the human condition, but also the resilience, need for self preservation and the desire to survive, that keeps us fighting our way through life.  Through sheer strength of character, a bit of luck and love, this young boy, who loses his mother and is left in the hands of an inadequate father (to say the least), manages to navigate his way in and out of some unbelievable situations.<br/><br/>The characters were interesting, colourful and lively; the plot gripping.  I loved the reflective ending.  A cleverly written story with extraordinary twists and turns.  The golden thread throughout is a painting which is cleverly woven into the fabric of the plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O1CC3S3FI4H?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was somewhat interesting .. but as it went on, I was reading as fast as I could to finish and move onto another book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF8JWNLQA0LRT?ASIN=0316055441	good case for trauma being a root cause of mental ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Badly edited.  Much too long, good case for trauma being a root cause of mental illness and addiction, but the book just went on and on!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DNVZBY7MWBNO?ASIN=0316055441	I had separation anxieties when it ended!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WOW! What a great book even with a minimum of sex which is my favorite subject. Once I started it I could not put it down. Thanks Donna.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X89RYEMX2SHO?ASIN=0316055441	Catcher in the Rye meets Crime and Punishment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good story that kept me interested, but like the above books, I leave it with a love/hate feeling. It's also long. So. Freaking. Long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3434D7K2ALBXO?ASIN=0316055441	Could not stop reading!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Every single word of this was chosen so carefully! I could not sit it down. I fell head over heels in love from the very first sentence.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO2AIUDADJO6E?ASIN=0316055441	fabulous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is so well written with its depth of characters and multi-layered symbolism. It was sad and dark and edgy and hopeful somehow.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25SV478ABXRC5?ASIN=0316055441	Overwritten Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author drops too many signature names - plot is too obviously constructed - an abundance of unnecessary details throughout the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R859CNHL5UNU5?ASIN=0316055441	Long & boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely Boring and painfully slow.  Kept hoping it would get better but it did not. Probably will not try this author again.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIUPEORHXVPY6?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling and Inventive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A true work of art. Thrilling, inventive and compelling . An amazing mix of characters who the reader truly gets to fully see and know.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29R50DAUE0WR9?ASIN=0316055441	BUY THIS BOOK IF YOU WANT AN EXCELLENT READ.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WOW! Still getting through it. It is so richly written and so involved.  I can't put it down.  I can understand why it won the Pulitzer</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R113FV3SG9Z2YX?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting, but I'm surprised this is a prize-winner.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put this book down for the first half; had difficulty finishing the second. The story seemed to fall apart with the character.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXYLG0ORX9AB5?ASIN=0316055441	Good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent writing and interesting plot but the character's constant drug and alcohol use became a tiresome element of the story for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VL3XCGIHA9GO?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing character development.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic read! This other has amazig character development and writes with such great clear detail. Thrilling story with great ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGBPKPHXNMGBG?ASIN=0316055441	Book of the year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely gripping and Dickensian in scope and narrative. She created characters I will never forget and I think this is a masterpiece</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IAXBHSME9MIZ?ASIN=0316055441	Granular View of an Alternate Reality	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For me, this book succeeded as fiction in that it removed me almost entirely from current reality.  After an hour's reading, it would take me more than a few seconds to bring myself back to my own life.  There are very few novels which capture an alternate reality so vividly.  I think it is the granularity of the narrator's recollections that do it - fragments of thoughts, bits of visual information communicated not in sentences but in bursts of words. The images of Las Vegas suburbs and of Amsterdam were particularly well crafted.<br/><br/>It is a long book and surprisingly literate for a best seller.  It moved well for me and kept me interested.  The plot is clever and has some wonderful twists to it but it is the inner life of the narrator and the contrast of that life to his external life that kept me reading.  Even though the basic plot is well wrapped up in the end, I would like to read more just because I want to hear the rest of the narrator's life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MAC0UK3H55EC?ASIN=0316055441	Read It No More Forever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I managed to read the first 100 pages of this book and put it down.  How this thing ever made it to the top of the best seller list is the best piece of promoting that I've ever seen.  I have read many, many books, and some of them bad, including an Agatha Christie thing about anarchists in the 1930s and more recent ones like The Woman Who Lost Her Soul and Gone Girl (which, at least, had a good plot).  Perhaps, readers today just like reading ramblings and meanderings, not for pages at a time, but chapters.  After putting this thing down, I picked up a Brady Coyne novel, which had a concept well in mind after the first two pages.  Man!  This was terrible.  I hate to trash a text with so many pages and I might even give it another shot after I settle my mind with another couple of books.  However, there are thousands of books out on the market I would suggest before wasting one's money on this.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23SO10ITZSONW?ASIN=0316055441	See the painting first	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read it on a Kindle for six dollars and thought it well worth the time and money though in the end found it a bit disappointing. Tartt offers a well crafted, knowledgeable narrative, but doesn't trust one or two adjectives for description, preferring consistent overkill that eventually becomes tedious. Her characters are interesting, unusual and well drawn. There is an education to be had in art, drug use, the maturation and development of abandoned, wounded children, the lifestyles of wealthy Manhattan socialites, and furniture restoration. Overall a tad too nihilistic for my taste. A bit of muddled philosophy at its conclusion, but a well reasoned take on why art and all things of beauty transcend time. In summation worth the read, but vaguely unsatisfactory in delivering on the spiritual payoff it seemed to promise. I'd suggest taking a minute before reading, Google Carel Fabritius, and see the painting. It will add something to the reading experience.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q82RWOZ10K9R?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is not a fast book to read.  I found myself immersed in something close to a difficult relationship.  It took me, seat belt-less, on an adventure ride much darker than I wanted to venture.<br/>As a reader, I want to identify with the main character.  Theo was someone I might have sought out in my destructive youth-moody, petulant and destructive, but while magnetic, irreparably damaged.<br/>I was uncomfortable enough to put it away for close to a year-it languished, shuffled in the que under newer, more palatable books on my kindle, virtually forgotten.<br/>Then I brought it home from the library.  (Committed now by a childhood agreement with myself to finish every book I checked out)<br/>Now, having arrived at the end of Theo's story, I award 4 points out of respect to Donna Tartt, who writes with mastery of artistry and subject, in the unflinching presentation of characters and their stories as finely wrought as a Hepplewhite table leg.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGUDPYCBC8QFO?ASIN=0316055441	A long, crooked journey, but a rewarding one	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is an intriguing novel, with many twists and turns. It actually reads more like three novels packed into one, taking place in NYC, Las Vegas, and NYC/Amsterdam for the final part. The story rambled quite a bit during the final third; the angst experienced by the main character Theo was tiresome and repetitive, and the portrayal of his Russian gangster friend Boris was somewhat shallow and cartoonish. The best parts of the books involved Theo immersing himself in the craft of antique furniture restoration with the assistance of his mentor/guardian Hobie, who was by far the most sane and stable character in a novel chock-full of people who are dysfunctional and (in several instances,  such as Kitsey and Platt) damaged beyond repair. The book is a bit of a chore to read, but worth it, thanks to Tartt's insights about PTSD, family loss, depression, addiction, suicidal ideation, and the crooked journey taken by Theo in combating all of these afflictions.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E3C95DCLVL7X?ASIN=0316055441	What was the committee thinking? At page 774, was still trying to find the plot.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What was the committee thinking? At page 774, was still trying to find the plot. Donna Tart is no Willa Cather... just saying</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36BP6TR2RIH27?ASIN=0316055441	End with a whimper	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started with a bang, literally.  I had high hopes because the personal and legal conundrums that existed for Theo were both novel and compelling. But, in the end it was what the author left undeveloped and unresolved that made the story mediocre for me. Given the length of the book, you would think this proposition unlikely. However, the girth of the book is due the author's painful attempt to be deep and philosophical which would have been appreciated maybe the first or second time, but not the forty-eighth. The imagery became quite repetitive and unnecessary especially after the Amsterdam section that truly bordered on a scene from the movie, Hangover, complete with a crazy ""Asian"" character. This inconsistency was also noted in Boris's dialogue. There was no trace of his foreign accent when delivering his moral and ethical summations. I felt that the author's need to hit the reader over the head with an explanation of why to be patronizing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OSZ8N3B12BYP?ASIN=0316055441	Birds of a Feather	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt wrote a brilliant novel with ""The Goldfinch."" The book is absorbing and wouldn't let go until I knew how the main character finished his story. I was totally immersed into Theo and his dilemmas.  While Tartt brilliantly led me on an emotional journey, and, an art and antique trip where I learned a few things. I felt close to and loved being an observer in Theo's life and it's many turns. I find that now that I finished it, I want to compare it to ""Catcher in the Rye."" Both books had a similar storyline: two adolescent. New York born &amp; raised boys, sophisticated and knowledgeable about art, books and life among the intellectual and socially elite. Both books take the reader into the protagonist's troubled life experiences. And the reader feels deeply for both Theo and Holden. When these books are read, put back on the shelf, lost or given away, years later, the reader still maintains an emotional connection to these characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35919DXW7Z1CF?ASIN=0316055441	Not sure I get what's the fuzz all about....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had high expectations that were sometimes met, but I was mostly disappointed. Could have been much shorter and yet maintain the plot</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39QXKSXV69WLB?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a waste of 700+ pages. There is actually a good plot in there if you can find amongst the 3-400 pages the editor should have cut.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TR8PIT1P4JVS?ASIN=0316055441	Not my favorite.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Plot rambles &amp; drags. Not my cup of tea. Occasionally story would pick up only to<br/><br/>.begin to drag again. Very disappointing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GCHRR7NLKHHK?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful writing. Beautiful story.  Highly recommend. Don't let the length of this novel keep you from starting. So hard to put down.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GQSH3AVKTCYV?ASIN=0316055441	Far too long, not enough payoff	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First any book that gets 1,402 1-star reviews should give one pause about all the fawning publicity for this book.<br/><br/>My view--it is a good (not great) story with excellent character development BUT it has flaws. First--it is too damn long and for no good reason. Book could easily have been reduced by 150-200 pp and suffered nothing by the loss.<br/><br/>Related to this--much of the dialogue (esp. between Theo and Boris) is tedious, slow, and not related to the plot or narrative. With very few exceptions, all scenes need to advance the plot, but Tartt has too many dialogue heavy scenes that go nowhere, esp. about drug use. She forgets that the reader does not need/want too many pages devoted to conversation for no reason.<br/><br/>The story itself is a good one, and the author has several very good turns and twists, but again, due to the excessive number of useless pages she writes, these narrative turns happen too far apart to make the story driving or exciting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14O5N2D0WQ99Y?ASIN=0316055441	Two Aspirins and a Box of Kleenex	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""The Goldfinch"" is a depressing, confusing novel about a young man's journey through his teenage years into adulthood.  He and his mother are abandoned by his alcoholic, gambler of a father when he is very young, leaving them to fend for themselves.  He and his mother lead a Bohemian lifestyle in New York City.  On a visit to the art museum, he sees a  tiny, exquisite painting of a goldfinch, shackled to a perch by a chain, and becomes obsessed with it.  ""The Goldfinch"" is one of the most difficult books I've ever read; I was determined to get through it and find out what becomes of the painting.  The hero, ""Theo"", can never seem to communicate with anyone!  He goes on for pages and pages of thoughts going through his mind, but he can't articulate them to anyone else.  ""The Goldfinch"" reminds me of Thomas Wolfe's ""Look Homeward Angel"", or J. D. Salinger's ""Catcher in the Rye""--depressing and miserable.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHVLR0MYS5OR1?ASIN=0316055441	Not Sure What All the Fuss is About	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel begins by gripping you and taking you in.  You think you are at the beginning of something really wonderful.  But about half-way through, I no longer cared for the main character.  I had forgiven him so many sins due to youth and tragedy, but my patience wore thin as he just kept using drugs, cheating, stealing and lying his way into the lives of those around him.  I struggled to finish the book, and found myself skipping whole sections during the pages where he was in Europe with his childhood friend (now a very shady and scary Russian mobster wanna be?).  It began as a very beautiful and heartfelt study of a damaged and very alone boy and became a story of an addicted thug who conned himself as much as he conned others,<br/>really couldn't recommend this book but suggest you read the author's other books instead (I purchased this one on the basis of her other 2 books.)</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12MQGRITAHA00?ASIN=0316055441	Something for Everyone	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've never been so obsessed with a book that I couldn't stop thinking about it from the second I awoke to the minute I put it down to go to bed.  Sometimes I loved it for its humanity; other times I was frustrated with the main character for being a good person who couldn't stop making bad decisions; and yet other times I had to take a break from it because of the foreboding of what was about to happen.  It felt like a lot of different types of books all rolled in one because of the various cast of characters and time periods in the character's life.  The main themes were powerful: antiques, art, music, tragedy, Eastern European culture, abuse (verbal, physical, psychological), friendship, kindness, existence, and even Vegas.  I was only disappointed in the few moments where the author started to ramble and go off on strange tangents, such as the last 1-2 dozen pages.  Otherwise, it was an enrapturing and thought provoking book.  A little strange.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AS6RNVWSWKLW?ASIN=0316055441	A long book. Too wordy for me. Too ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long book. Too wordy for me. Too much alcohol and drugs. I had trouble relating to the main character - too much ""poor me.""</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW9DPQFUYTSQ2?ASIN=0316055441	end already	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Endless and, worse, pointless. By page 500 I could care less about the painting and hated myself for insisting on finishing the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RES310MN6JTNC?ASIN=0316055441	Hard work for poor return	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Somewhere in here there is an interesting plot, smothered by an excess of description and irrelevant detail. It needs a massive edit.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNXO03O78UES0?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is superb	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">one of the best books ever read! The characters are fully explored and developed.The story keeps calling you back if you take a break</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HAX9C4Y15DLG?ASIN=0316055441	This is a wonderful book -  believe you will enjoy it very much.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a difficult book to put down; it was a great story!  The book is long, but worth taking the time.  I highly recommend the book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IFGTLBLIOJCP?ASIN=0316055441	Does this damaged individual become a bad person as a result of his experiences	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The novel follows the life of Theo as he recovers from the trauma of not only losing his mother in a bomb attack, but then the guilt of trying to hide a priceless painting which he took while in a state of disorientation.<br/>How Theo's life is changed by his possession of a precious object is the subject of the book - and as it moves through various phases, and as Theo is formed by the influence on him of the various families he lives with, we fear for his innocence and morality. Does this damaged individual become a bad person as a result of his experiences?<br/>In this sense, the novel reminded me of Tolstoy and it asks the big questions of life - giving the protagonist a series of moral dilemmas to solve. Yes, some of the characters verge on the caricature but they were all distinct and memorable. I was in Amsterdam when reading the ending - recommend being there to savour the atmosphere of the canals as you reach the climax and resolution.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JIQGMAWLYL2A?ASIN=0316055441	A great achievement	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I briefly considered abandoning this book at about page 550. Not because it's bad, but because it's that good. Donna Tartt had me caring very much about the narrator and central character of this book, whose life was a disaster, a tragedy, in almost every conceivable sense. And this character seemed so absolutely doomed I just didn't know if I could behold his end. But at every moment I felt confident of the next step in his life, something completely unexpected came. This is just an extraordinary read, packed with richly presented characters, a plot both intricate and sprawling, and an amazing insight into the mental life of the main character. I will not forget it and will likely invest time to read this 770+ page novel again. Some have suggested that the book would have been better if shorter. I respect that and I'd even say that at maybe 100 fewer pages, I think it would be as good as it is at this length. But, I was never bored or impatient.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R42DB005ZM94?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know I should be raving about this book as it seems that many people loved it...including some people I know personally. However, I found the whole story line deeply depressing and disturbing.  I read the entire book hoping that Theo's life was salvageable and ended up feeling disappointed. Given what his life had been up to that point, it seems the author felt that offering a spark of hope at the end  would be the most believable ending. However, at my age I already know that  life can be difficult and that it is how we choose to deal with what life throws at us that makes it meaningful.  I just don't enjoy immersing myself in someone else's overly detailed, very sad life story.  The author's philosophical attempts were many but did not hit home for me.  This was a very long, at times very difficult book to read.  I am left again wondering what criteria is used to make a book a Pulitzer Prize winner.  Good thing I am not on that committee.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXHWH0F0JTENM?ASIN=0316055441	A must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Finished reading this a few days ago, and I was very impressed with the writing and the story.  The book received many awards, including the Pulitzer, so I was expecting it to be good, but the story didn't sound terribly interesting from reviews I'd seen.<br/><br/>Boy, was I wrong about that!  This story sucks you in early on and keeps you wanting to find out what happens next til the very end.  Ms. Tartt is an excellent painter of characters and surroundings, so you feel almost like you are living inside the story with them.  I won't go into the story plot, since it's already well known.<br/><br/>The book is rather long, and that's the only knock I have against it.  I think the editing could have been a bit tighter.  I wouldn't have missed some of the descriptive passages, but otherwise, it is a very excellently written book, and if you are a serious reader, do yourself a favor and read this one.  Well worth the investment of your time.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KJICAS8IB1KC?ASIN=0316055441	TETHERED	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""The Goldfinch"" is one of the best books I've read in several years.  The scope is amazing.  The plot is compelling and exciting, moving from NYC to Vegas to Europe.  The main characters are fully developed, and Boris is unforgettable.  The storyline wraps around a painting of a goldfinch by the Medieval painter, Fabritius.  The story is narrated at the beginning by a young Manhattan boy and follows his tragic life after he acquires the painting under very unsettling circumstances.<br/><br/>The bird is tethered which is theme of the book.  How does one survive in a setting not of our choosing?  Or in the many different changing situations in our lives?  How do we develop values between the extremes of good and evil when they are always around? The narrator's conclusion is very intelligently presented.<br/><br/>The only flaw in the style is that it is wordy--too much embellishment tiring the reader who is anxious to get on with the story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2386ANIMVMDCT?ASIN=0316055441	Here's a way to tell whether you'll love it or hate it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">People seem to have widely differing views about this book and I think I know why. I loved this book because I knew many people in real life that were almost the same. Or I've had moments in my life or relationships with people in my life that I could see reflected in Theo. Tartt describes these feelings and times so realistically, I sometimes wondered if she was in my head. The details, the accents, the feelings were so accurate, it was painful.The book is about redemption or the lack thereof, but life nonetheless - isn't that what we all live through at some point?<br/><br/>I see other reviews that describe it as a book about demented people or sick people or unrealistic. I guess it depends on your life experiences. Perhaps you've been lucky and not lived through anything similar in which case the whole 700 pages will seem very tedious, boring and horrid. But I think a lot of us will find at least a sliver of ourselves in Theo or Boris.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LQHACYV5GH5S?ASIN=0316055441	ah, God, what a beautiful book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Why do critics so often call this ""Dickensian""?  That's so limiting.  If we must label it, let's call it ""Tarttian"", because it's so uniquely hers. I will not engage in deconstruction because that's too easy and what people want to know is whether it's worth the extraordinary time it takes to read it (it surely is), and most important to me, do I believe in the characters (I surely do).  I liked the pace, the way she set up the scenes, the way she captures NYC, and Vegas, and Amsterdam, and I like  the subtle symbolism that let me give a brief nod of recognition and then get back to the story.  I hate self-conscious, writers group fiction.....this is her work and her vision and it feels like it. No, it's not perfect (I appreciate the absence of graphic sex , but found the drug scenes very disturbing, almost pornographic),  but it's the best fiction I've read in 30 years.  I have to give myself a few weeks to decompress then I will read it again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KU3HWIL4V1A?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a magnificent read. Am devastated to have come to the end. I suppose we have to wait another ten years for another masterpiece.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MHS5GBXGYIUU?ASIN=0316055441	Very Well written but so many long descriptions that seemed ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very Well written. The opening chapter was unforgettable though I found myself unable to relate and care for any of the characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R301H4CLNDIJY3?ASIN=0316055441	too long to get nowhere	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Omg finally over . This could have been written in half the pages. Way too wordy and drawn out<br/><br/>  Painful together through</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R168PNCOQHSJRZ?ASIN=0316055441	Not an attention grabber	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">With all the reviews on this book !  I thought it would be a book I couldn't put down .... Well I put it down and never finished it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKQA4H3CRNZLI?ASIN=0316055441	A masterpiece of American literature	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's so rare to find this combination of compelling plot and exquisite writing. I couldn't put it down. Best book I've read in ages.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39M52MG77WV8D?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. The writing is extraordinary and the  story is captivating. Well worth the time needed to get through 700+ pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IG4LNVDC1RF9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it, loved sinking into Tartt's gorgeous, layered prose; a special treat because I knew nothing about the storyline/arc ahead of time; I entered blindly &amp; she blew me away with her vision. Her descriptions are so authentic, so real -- it's like I was existing in Theo's head... seeing, breathing, living his life &amp; somehow, oddly, Tartt seemed to be in my head too, thinking thoughts I would think, noticing the same odd or mundane details, musing about the same things. I was completely transported into the story &amp; yet felt like Tartt had always existed in some corner of my mind, waiting to stroll out &amp; converse with me on thoughts I was already having, thoughts in tandem with her story, musings on a weird, harsh, confusing, wonderful, limited yet timeless world. Wonderful characters (really I adored Hobie, Theo, Boris &amp; all the rest, flaws &amp; all), fabulous story, gorgeous writing. Well worth the wait &amp; highly, wonderfully recommended</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JRNP3AO16URI?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When people said ""Goldfinch "" is a book many start and few finish, I thought, before I read it, that the problem was its length; not so. In fact it's a hard book to put down, and does not lead to easy sleep when it's closed for the night. It's the pages (and pages!) of unremitting pain, as we accompany Theo through his years of anguish, numbness, and separateness from others, his  secrets, his horrible decisions and addictions. PTSD indeed. And the secret presence of the painting, always there for Theo--and the reader--an unbearable weight.<br/>  Wonderful descriptions of the painting throughout bringing it alive, as it was for Theo--its beauty, transcendence, metaphorical significance, and finally its immortality, in contrast to our brief, and as Theo would say, desperately painful lives.<br/>  Secondary characters are so very well realized. Layered, complex, even when only briefly captured alive. Settings, especially NYC and Las Vegas equally well depicted, though not as compelling as the characters that rule this book. And oh god, what a corrupt, depraved world we must contend with, though not without  redemption throughout. Lots of rumination and reflection, which could become difficult--abstruse for this reader; these thoughts are, though, Theo's, and therefore very much a part of the novel.<br/>  And a satisfying but not an easy end, which somehow made it more satisfying. Quite a read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EOOQZO47QA0O?ASIN=0316055441	Glad to be done	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very dark story that left me wanting to read something else quick to get the taste from my mouth. Perhaps just not the book for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FZFW4WQO7HB3?ASIN=0316055441	I kept thinking something wonderful would happen and life would get better	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was depressing.  I kept thinking something wonderful would happen and life would get better, but it just got worse.  I hated it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RAEYCZAC9KZQ?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put this book down.  So much pain and intense surroundings... wonderful... except for the chain I would buy the print...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MDOZKEXGCQ93?ASIN=0316055441	Great gift.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this for a client, who enjoyed reading it and passed it on to her daughter-in-law. It's a very large book and quite heavy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCJ3V5AU1YOE2?ASIN=0316055441	easy, feel good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found it was hard to stay connected with this book as it was so full of such deep sadness and despair. Yet, once I started reading it, I could not get it off my mind. I had to keep returning to see if Theo was ever going to find his ""place"" in the world without his extraordinary mother. How was he going to resolve the dilemma of his theft? Why couldn't he see how self destructive he was being? How could Boris manipulate him so?  I found that this book kept raising questions in my mind about how little we really know about many of the people in our lives. What we see on the surface can be so different from the complexity and turmoil of their true selves. Not a book for a quick, easy, feel good read....yet in the end I did feel good that there are beautiful things and people in this world that can give you meaning and focus and make life's struggles worthwhile and that a ""happy ending"" may not be what you had expected.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTVFI1HG7PABL?ASIN=0316055441	Nary a thought left unwritten.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Listened to this on audible and started out loving it for the detailed character development and interesting ""start"" to a storyline. It had so much potential. BUT, after awhile it felt like the author wanted to take every single thought she'd ever had, or anecdote she'd ever heard and put it to use in this book. I never would have made it through this tiresome, repetitive novel had it not been for the actor who read the book and brought the characters to life. He was definitely the best part of the book! I was extremely disappointed in the end that Theo didn't seem grateful to Hobie for giving him love and a place to live, and a trade that he could capitalize on. The ending left me feeling like the whole novel was a waste of time, and the ending itself was just an endless diatribe. As I said, good thing I listened to it, so at least I was able to do other things (exercise, drive, etc.) instead of just sitting there reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34Q9QL80MBUPX?ASIN=0316055441	Don't bother	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel would have deserved the Pulitzer prize except for the following factors:  It's overlong at 771 pages and grossly overwritten, its main character goes from sympathetic to repugnant and never quite becomes sympathetic again despite the author's best efforts, the main character is too recklessly self-centered and just plain stupid to easily resolve his dilemma regarding the painting early on and avoid all the later complications (otherwise this would have been a very short novel), the elitist overtones are annoying and off putting, and there are long sections of the novel (think Las Vegas and Amsterdam) that nearly bring what little pace there is to the story to a grinding halt.  I managed to finish the book only because I'm a sucker for coming of age novels, and because I was curious to see if the author could redeem herself by the end.  She did not.  This is yet another disappointing winner of a major award for fiction.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O85PSAMIM8TS?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious and disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book went into tedious detail and was boring  skimmed the last third of the book ,<br/><br/>Was not worth the read,</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F335U0YG1GFJ?ASIN=0316055441	I read The Secret History several years ago and it has stuck with me as one of my favorite books.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Somehow, Donna Tartt manages to profoundly capture what it is to be a 13 year old boy. While I'm fairly certain that Donna herself has never actually been one herself (though I by no means rule out a possibility), she clearly has an insight into what it is to be human and struggle.<br/><br/>The book centers around Theo and an old, rare, one-of-a-kind painting capturing a lone goldfinch. Throughout the novel, we are filled with an inner monologue full of struggles to hang on/survive mixed with intense guilt. She captures how one seemingly rash act can affect the remainder of one's life and, ultimately drive it.<br/><br/>I read The Secret History several years ago and it has stuck with me as one of my favorite books...mostly because of how long it lingered in my head. Here, Donna Tartt accomplishes a similar task. This book runs through my head almost a month after reading. I cannot recommend this book or Tartt more strongly.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F2MYVQL0DJPD?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was refreshing to read a well-written novel. There was never a moment when I found my mind wandering. Some friends complained about the details about furniture repairing and restoration were unnecessary, but it inspired me to restore an old table that I've had for many years. Others found the time in Las Vegas uninspiring, but I found that despite the lack of parental supervision, the protagonist rose above his lack of fatherly guidance. Would I recommend the book to friends? Yes and no. I know that the language and the use of drugs would be off-putting to some readers. Despite it all, the protagonist survives, when in actuality one would think that he would be a failure. I would have liked a different ending, but not all our life's endings have the character riding off into the sunset with the love of his (or her) life, and to live happily ever after. Everyone in our book club, mostly women (only three men) loved the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC0UUIUIK0SMO?ASIN=0316055441	Addicting read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Twists and turns at every page, this novel makes you question right and wrong, good and evil, and love - both true and unrequited.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17JAMAYRI9JC0?ASIN=0316055441	... Pulitzer Prize committee must have been hard up for good selections from which to choose to give this book ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think the Pulitzer Prize committee must have been hard up for good selections from which to choose to give this book that honor.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L57K4ZNXNNLG?ASIN=0316055441	to long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first 80% of the book was good but at the end I could not wait for it to end , he went on and on and on with bla bla bla......</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKV46G7Z2UOOK?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to get through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just couldn't get into this book. A friend said ""wait until you get to Vegas-it really picks up there. Nope-still didn't take off.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TZTD7RWK4R0?ASIN=0316055441	Love to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love to read, but, not this book.  It was long, wordy...like sitting in a Dr.'s office and wondering if they forgot you. Not good!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IWJCGNFLLJ67?ASIN=0316055441	walked through Theo's life side by side with him	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book is filled with very dramatic events but very realistic thoughts. So well-written that I often finding myself within the book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDLSL61IAHJDL?ASIN=0316055441	gold finch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long, boring, depressing.  The main character lost his mother, used drugs and alcohol, had a worthless father.  sorry I bought it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34LOUZBJ9U1IQ?ASIN=0316055441	Boring. Too many words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't understand what's all the fuss about this book. Have tried to read it and just can't get in to it. Boring. Too many words.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11P2HOPONAOQ1?ASIN=0316055441	a good read, but needs editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were great parts, but many more were overly wordy. I found myself bored for pages at a time. I think the book is over-hyped.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O5U0ETIIZ1XZ?ASIN=0316055441	I do not recommend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">All that needed to be said could have been said within 200 pages. This book was way too wordy and descriptive. I did not enjoy it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13E7LAI1VE5C4?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent novel, sad, desperate, but a very poetic ending.  An interesting perspective of the life of a teenager in today's world.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ENMZ2W6E0KBA?ASIN=0316055441	Poignant story... Great character development.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the friendship, the backdrops of New York, Las Vegas and Amsterdam... Beautifully written testa money to the power of art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VB3LZD4JSXQ5?ASIN=0316055441	Very good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It really keeps the reader involved and it reads so quickly. You really care about the characters even though they are so hapless.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TGI1O2XC6UJL?ASIN=0316055441	Where is the editor???	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enthusiastically started this book at the recommendations of a co-worker and a friend. I plowed through the last three-fourths of the book in two days, only to be very disappointed in the last third. As other reviewers have said, The Goldfinch could easily be edited down to 500 pages.  There were too many needlessly long dialogues that strained to get to the point or explain the next turn of events. I found myself becoming angry with the characters (Come on, Boris, what did you do???) as they conversations spun off on tangents and in different directions.<br/><br/>I was also tired of the overdone descriptions of drug use, only to see characters pop back, ready to indulge again.<br/><br/>Donna Tartt's writing, however, is beautifully crafted.  I am envious of the way she has taken a rather simple story and has turned it into a saga that spans fifteen years.  Some actions stretch the imagination, but hey - it's a novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VBXJMYN8M2EO?ASIN=0316055441	A better doorstop than a novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Oh..this book. Somewhere, buried in the 770++ pages is a really good story concept. But I sincerely wondered as I slogged through page after page of rambling overblown, non-plot necessary prose if the author was being paid by the word. How many times did she have to describe Theo's drinking and drug use?  I'd have so much rather she delve into his character than describe yet again how much vodka he consumed. By page 600 or so I began to feel like I was on mile 20 of a marathon. I'd come to far to give up. By page 700 I was skimming large portions, and I will admit to not even bothering with the final 20 or 30 pages- there was nothing more that the author had to say and I'd lost all interest in the characters. (It says something about character development when one of the only characters in the book you empathize with is the little dog).<br/>I've no idea why this won a Pulitzer Prize, the writing was ok but not memorable.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F1NSCKXNZQP6?ASIN=0316055441	"TOP OF MY LIST OF ""BESTS"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book ever.  Now at the top of my ""Favorite Books"" list.  Characters with depth and clarity, regardless of their social status or motivation.  It's like being inside Theo's head throughout the book; his stream-of-consciousness, erratic and often jumbled thoughts made perfect sense to me.  Drug addiction plays an important, though not overwhelming, part in the story, and further explained to me the compulsion and attraction for the addict - - pain is a forceful motivator.  Theo's friend, Boris, is bigger than life, becoming the perfect foil and the perfect friend.  The last chapter, the resolution and ""redemption"" for our main character, was particularly compelling for me.  The philosophical and metaphysical elements flow into one another and combine to finally make sense of Theo's lifelong quest, questions and state of mind.  A part of my own life found new meaning and resolution.  Thank you, Mz Tartt.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4FEFVCUIT4E9?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful and haunting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have admired Donna Tartt as a writer ever since The Secret History, but The Goldfinch blew me away. Nightmarish and fanciful, painfully poignant, it is a no-holds-barred dive into the dark places of the soul, written in such vivid, luminous prose it is almost like a master painting somehow turned into words. Theo's experiences are unrelentingly tragic, yet they reveal so much about what it means to love, and to (ultimately) accept life on its own terms. As with painting, a strict adherence to realism is not always the only (or indeed, the best) way to reveal the essential qualities of the subject.  Tartt pulls off an amazing feat; she somehow captures in words what it feels like to sense something that can't be put into words itself: the ineffable interplay of beauty and horror, and a transcendent joy inseparable from the unbearable fragility of life. This is one of the most gorgeous and moving novels I have ever read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROOPINBFGYDZ7?ASIN=0316055441	Very engaging.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first thing that piques your interest is the cover. What a great choice. When tragedy strikes Theo, you instantly care about him and root for him. That doesn't mean you always approve his actions in his young life. But it makes you wonder what would of transpired if he had the most important person in his life, instead of putting together an existence the best he could, considering the odds facing him. This novel has some pretty vivid characters that surround Theodore Decker. While the read was not always flowing like a river, most of the time I found myself quickly turning the pages to see what was next. And although Theo makes some bad choices that made me wince, I realize everyone has their demons and unfortunately it can be ones that get you through difficult times. An appreciation for the preservation of antiques and art work will most likely be an acquirement after finishing this book. One I won't soon forget.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLZ33V8O5RGI6?ASIN=0316055441	It was wonderful in parts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was wonderful in parts, but so SO ponderous in others.  I probably skipped 1/3 of this book.  Can't believe it won a pulitzer!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QERF5FCUL1MP?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love the writing but the ending was not satisfying!  Interesting story but all relationships fell apart. To much philosophizing .</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13TQ95BNCVEH9?ASIN=0316055441	Pluses & Minuses	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is no doubt Tartt is a genius word craftsman or craftswoman I guess I should say. Her talent to describe environments and conditions of normal life circumstances and human character and interaction is the some of the best I have ever read.<br/>You feel like you can close your eyes and see the places where Theo esist in the book. However, I would agree with many of the other lower star ratings I have seen on this book that point out the over emphasis of the drug stupors and alcohol  lack of resolution of many plot threads and a rather bizarre ending to a magnificent look into to a young man's life after the death of his deeply loved mother is a little odd - almost like Ms Tartt didn't know how to end it and just finally came up with an ending that worked and said that is it.<br/>But who am I to criticize she is truly an ingenious writer and way over my head intellectually. It is a great read you will enjoy it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REZE8OX3THBHX?ASIN=0316055441	It takes a while.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt is one of the best writers I have ever read.  A master of the craft.  And the story of ""The Goldfinch"" is a compelling one, with both good plot and character development.  You grow to live for the plot turns and you get to know the people well and, in the end, you want them to trundle through.  ""In the end"" is the issue.  The book is painfully long, with challenging hills and boring craters that one must make their way through.  I found myself skipping whole sections, especially in the last third of the book, which is a sin considering the quality of Tartt's writing.  But I just wanted to get to the ""what's going to happen.""  At times, I wondered if Tartt was a script writer in another life, her environmental detail being so lengthy and specific.  In the end, I loved the book but found myself frustrated that it took so long to tell the story, which eliminated some of the pleasure for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TTMQJRVGHZBZ?ASIN=0316055441	Bojana	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Okay. Interesting. Long and dragging at times, but never the less good. Great for a cold February read. I enjoyed the adventure.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KFSW55WL5W1V?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She deserves the Pulitzer for Fiction - loved the book. Great plot and emotive writing - wry humour and heartbreak hand in hand.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TCFG1EWQBJV4?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully Done	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So well written.  This book takes you for a ride.  Be prepared to live and breathe with these characters.  Couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V9WUBHJ8E65H?ASIN=0316055441	Great Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My first time reading this author.  I could not put this book down.  A real page tuner.  I  will definitely get her other books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F1UYYD5S0VLH?ASIN=0316055441	Expected better, unfortunately	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was hoping, given the reviews, that this book would live up to the hype.  It did until the last 1/3 of the book.  This compelling page turner was sadly transformed into a wandering bumble of characters, whom I felt little connection to.  I almost feel as if the author ran out of ideas for an ending, since the first 2/3 of the book was excellent.  I thought the ending and its characters (too many) were convoluted; I felt betrayed after having grown to care about what happened to the main character.  Also, I think the author felt she had to state the overall themes of the book that she was hoping to convey throughout the novel.  While I found these themes interesting, I really felt like they were coming from her rather than the main character.  I will try another of her books, however, since the reviews have been positive.  Overall, I have to say I was disappointed; I wish the last 1/3 had matched the first 2/3.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DX9F3HK7FR7I?ASIN=0316055441	What?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the worst books I've read in years.  The plot is so-so.  Theo has got to be one of the biggest losers in literature history.  He has an affair with a woman who has a fiance but can't figure it out when the same is happenning to him?  I was hoping he would commit suicide just so the book would end.<br/>  The writing is so pretentious, name dropping again and again.  The similes have no connection to the characters in their world of experience. (He was like a Yank being bayonetted.  He was lost at sea. (He had never been on a boat))  She can't even decide which description she wants to use.  It was like this...or this.....as if .....  There is no true craft here.  The book might have been okay if she wasn't trying so hard to make ""art"".  Let's just hope she waits a lot longer than tens years if ever to write another book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XCCZ6WYGC8US?ASIN=0316055441	Scratching my Head...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read all of the hype.  I prepared myself to dive in and go for the ride.  Usually when I write a review, I do it within a day or two of finishing the book.  With the GoldFinch- I gave myself a week to process the experience- the week stretched into two months.<br/>---Once I started the book, I was obsessed.  It is a book of three segments. The first segment, ""New York"" was the best.  The second segment, ""Las Vegas"" was perhaps the most unsettling and definitely danced on the edge of the bizarre!  The last segment, ahhhh, the last segment....!?!  When I read the last page, I stared off into space for awhile<br/>Sometimes I like to go back and read the last chapter or two of a book- to read it with a more objective mind.  I didn't do this with the Goldfinch.<br/>---The setting and subjects around the plot were great- Art History, Antiqueties, the underworld of art theft and its significance.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKXMORF4LN8RJ?ASIN=0316055441	art mystery	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""Goldfinch"" was the kind of book that I could sink my teeth into. I loved it! The beauty and meaning of the cover, the quirky characters, the absolutely amazing drama were fascinating. On top of that, Donna Tartt's writing was incredible. I had to re-read sections that required extra thought to process the beauty of them. The book starts with a dramatic event at a museum. This literally changes the life of the main character, a young boy, Theo Decker. Throughout the story,we follow his life as he grows up. We meet many interesting characters: his wonderful mother, deadbeat dad, Andy, Hobie, Pippa, Boris,and Kitsey. The flow of the story reads like a mystery and yet there is so much more. A great deal of time is spent philosophizing about life and educating about art and art history. I relished all the twists and turns that the story took. I just could not wait to finish this spectacular piece of work!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G1WEF5C5X58O?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't love it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">About halfway through the book, I wanted to give up but had already invested too much time not to see it through. By the time I finished it, I was glad, not because it miraculously transformed itself into some wonderful enlightening epistle (it didn't), but because I was finally done with it. I will say the characters were well developed, but I struggled to connect with them.  For example, I couldn't see the Barbours living in modern-day New York - they seemed more suited for Downton Abby. Same with Hobie - though he was a primary and integral character, he seemed to be transplanted from a different era. I wanted to like this book, and I did find myself rooting for the characters. It just went on waaaaay too long and lost my interest. I wouldn't discourage anyone from taking on this book; however, I would advise you to be prepared for a long, slow and often painful journey to get through it. Just my opinion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PTRAJOUTULI3?ASIN=0316055441	Attention to details!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not get bothered by the length of this book as others have mentioned. I became engrossed in the lives of the main characters and even though their life choices irritated me no end I found them to be extremely colorful characters. I absolutely adored Hobie for his ability to work at what he loved regardless of what was going on around him and to love and trust others. A friend everyone could love. At one point I was afraid for him thinking that because of all the drugs that Theo and Boris were doing it would all end up in Hobie's lap and  harm him. Glad it did not.<br/>I hated the realistic disregard for nature, morals and laws. This is how the world is, people just trying to score their next big pay or high. No concerns for mother earth or the desire to do the right thing. Oh what a world we would have if everyone just did the right thing.<br/>It was a good book in that it brought out emotions in me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EIP26PVA09G?ASIN=0316055441	A DEPRESSING disaster of bad writing, pathetic characters, and ZERO redeeming themes	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A DEPRESSING disaster of bad writing, pathetic characters, and ZERO redeeming/attractiveness when it comes to mood/plot/themes.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12DOY0TY6751D?ASIN=0316055441	I wouldn't recommend it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out interesting then it just dragged on and on.  I didn't even understand the end.  Huge book, I wouldn't recommend it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCSYJJI8HPZSC?ASIN=0316055441	It became mundane. I got tired of reading about ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It became mundane.  I got tired of reading about nothing but two boys experimenting with drugs and alcohol thru the whole book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VVDYMW7CIH97?ASIN=0316055441	How Could This Terrible Book Win The Pulitzer Prize?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrible book.  Convoluted, much too long, confusing and boring.  Packed with drug use and violence.  A complete waste of time!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLUB8W6EWFT8I?ASIN=0316055441	A must on reading list	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not put this book down. Characters are so well developed and the story is intriguing. One of the best reads I have found.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE7FC1O8BQ1BG?ASIN=0316055441	compelling from the start. painfully real and thought provoking - and just plain entertaining	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The  Goldfinch took me on a journey. A very private and personal journey that has no return. Simply put: it's a ""trip"".</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OK0D6KRM78BO?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I kept reading this book thinking that it had to get better.  Although I read it to the end, I felt the whole premise was weak.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHCLFYIWMG747?ASIN=0316055441	What Death Doesn't Touch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms. Tartt's incredible novel is truly a work of art that ""is a glory and a privilege to love what Death doesn't touch.""</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NG4ZN13AXZM3?ASIN=0316055441	Awful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would not have hated this book, but instead merely disliked it, if it had not been so ludicrously over-praised. As it is, I feel cheated. The characters are wooden stereotypes who never, never come to life. I agree with others that there is a decent story about loss and trauma there, and some good social (not psychological) insights. But those plus points are barely detectable amongst the dreadful, repetitive cliches to the extent that I wondered whether I was hallucinating or suffering from Stockholm syndrome when I fleetingly thought there was something good there. I was impressed by Stephen King's generosity, but then I realised he is a serial over-praiser. I hate giving up on books, so struggled on, only to feel ill for a week. Please say that now the Americans are being allowed to compete for the Booker, this won't win it. Please.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AQ7YLIU3B4KT?ASIN=0316055441	"none as worse as his dad who tries to ""borrow"" his inheritance ..."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredible story of a boy and his mother who visit an art museum while it is bombed. As he develops into manhood with the help of drugs and a painting he stole after surviving the bombing, he learns to survive on his own staying with a school friend's wealthy family since his dead-beat dad left when he was young.  This is a must read for the characters that pass through his life; none as worse as his dad who tries to ""borrow"" his inheritance to pay off a gambling debt,  or the crook who realizes he must have stolen the goldfinch painting and stalks him. A remarkable character is a Russian student he meets at school and all the drugs and dealings they two have together.  From hiding and protecting and the shocker--the Russian friend trading the painting to a drug czar when the protagonist unknowingly reveals its whereabouts during a drugged out fugue. They pursue the painting and get it back.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I1WS40YFB3ED?ASIN=0316055441	This was one of the most engaging novels I've ever ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the most engaging novels I've ever read.  I found it hard to read anything else for months after finishing it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7MYZSKC5V9AR?ASIN=0316055441	A tedious read. A small plot lost in a hallucinatory ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A tedious read. A small plot lost in a hallucinatory haze of drugs and alcohol. The main character was weak and unsympathetic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJX06EKKN90DU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">complex characters with twists and turns that take you on a wild ride through a vast spectrum of life experiences and emotions</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP6SJRA9VMHLM?ASIN=0316055441	Dark Existential	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Explores a very dark side of existence. Almost a modern Heart of Darkness, exploring t the why of existence. Decently written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QV22CMJP5KM?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed this! Fresh writing, the story grips the reader and pulls them to unexpected places. Had a hard time putting it down!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36VZ5XJNFLI90?ASIN=0316055441	Book review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book.  The author writes really well and has great depth.  It's an engaging story, one definitely worth reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6WHQKQN5KJRQ?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book! Wonderful flawed characters wrapped up with real world ugliness and beauty. Loved every page and was sad it ended.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R317M9YUMDU4IM?ASIN=0316055441	Can't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic.  Could not put the book down.  An odd coming of age book, and also just an adventure story.  700 plus pages of fun!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R7S2CLU4Z0BZ?ASIN=0316055441	LOVE this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thriller!  Page turner. Very thought provoking. Great discussion in our book club and everyone felt they couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18ICU8KINLYIN?ASIN=0316055441	Can't put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am engrossed in every page of this book and can't put it down! I love fictional books about art and this on is no exception!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RNIV8XE1F2EV?ASIN=0316055441	listen if you have a long commute	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo is a dislikeable protagonist. The subsidiary characters are more engaging so if you can put Theo aside, you may enjoy the story better. The story takes too long to get interesting, and before you get there, you'll have to deal with Theo's depressed and depressing attitude. His reactions do not seem natural. True drama does not garner the emotions you'd expect, but minor matters are blown out of proportion. The author never met an analogy she was unwilling to try out. She lost me with ""scuttling like a giant squid"" and I found myself noticing more than I should whenever the narrator said ""like a"" or ""as if"". The narrator has a disturbing habit of fading in and out of the character's unique voice, and his female voices were too mannish to enjoy. All in all, its main strength is its length, filling hours of deadly commuter miles. I don't understand the hype or the success.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21JKXURIL9UKM?ASIN=0316055441	Your not stupid.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book actually made me question my intelligence. How could I dislike such a well-received book? I very rarely give up on a book but after getting over halfway through, I decided my eyes would be better strained elsewhere. I felt vindicated when I did some research and found out that the most prestigious literary journals actually panned the book.<br/><br/>It has nothing to do with length, either. The last two books I read were War and Peace and 1Q84. It had to do with the cliche characters. A scattered plot. And a protagonist that seems caught in the tedious riptide of the initial incident.<br/><br/>If you're a voracious, and patient reader with a high attention span, then by all means, give it a crack! But if your like me and you don't read as much as you should, don't feel bad if you end up not making it all the way through. Your not stupid. The book just didn't resonate with you (or me).</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PNY0ATVZEQMC?ASIN=0316055441	AWWWW, why did the editors let it go 40 pages too long????	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Let me say that I was unphased by the length of this book and in fact, thrilled with its heft when I started reading. If you're loving a book, why would you want it to end? BUT. But. Tartt devolved into preachiness in the last 40 pages or so during which nothing happens but the writer speaking to the reader through Theo. UGH. Tartt should have been talked out of that. You don't, as an author, get to preach to your faithful readers. The part where Theo/narrator says he will always believe it is better not to be born?? Well, I'm sorry, NO.<br/><br/>I understand (though don't applaud) Tartt's reluctance to give the much-desired Hollywood ending of Pippa and Theo getting together (though she leaves the door open for that to happen off stage). But this prolonged lecture was unacceptable and saddening at the end of what was otherwise a masterpiece. As the book says, bad comes from good and vice verse.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DFY1YMPUQHLO?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch is Gold	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Five books in one. Starting with art and ending with art but everything else in between. A fascinating journey. YAY!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RR5VFNIUH6NY?ASIN=0316055441	Don't bother!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is terrible. Do not waste your time. I listened to it on Audible. Wasted over 32 hours of my life</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I4T2U15SB4H7?ASIN=0316055441	OK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am surprised this book got a Pulitzer.  It was nicely written, but at times tedious and unnecessarily long.  I also found some parts unbelievable -- like a 13 year old emerging unnoticed from a building that was surrounded by firemen, police and onlookers; and once he emerged, no one took notice of a smudge-,soot-, and blook-covered kid pleading for help finding his mother.  In the beginning I cared about Theo, but there came a point when I no longer did.  I kept hoping he'd redeem himself, but he really never did.  The author's use of sentence fragments was, I guess, intended to suggest a still-life painting?  Unfortunately, I found it distracting, overused, and mostly just annoying.  I was most disappointed in the end, though.  Essentially, it felt like, ""and here is what I've learned,"" which was Theo philosophizing about art and life -- not really worth the 700+ pages, in my opinion.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21TQZ2SM3FRNR?ASIN=0316055441	Might have been ghost written by a 16 year old with ADHD	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had heard what a great book this was so I was very anxious to start reading it. But it didn't take but about 50 pages for it to become a tedious chore to finish slogging through this rambling, babbling ranting dialogue which reminded me of a 16 year old with ADHD. The only reason I finished it, or I should say half-way finished it (I skipped so many pages, I can't say I actually read the entire thing) was to see what happened to the painting. The main character is the type of person to whom you keep yelling ""what an idiot, why are you doing that?"". I cared more for the painting than the main character. After painfully getting through a third of the book, I quickly rifled through each page looking for anything about the painting until I was satisfied that I got the final results of its' status. After that, I could not wait to find the DELETE icon on my Nook and get it out of my library.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31VGYKARCROKX?ASIN=0316055441	A rollicking great read that combines moments of sheer madness and at ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I picked this book up again after a few months when the first ten pages didnt grab me.  Don't know where my head was at then because I was immediately hooked.......young child alone in New York using all his wiles to avoid social services stepping in,  scholarship boy landing himself in the midst of an anaethestised Park Ave socialite family before catapulting into a crazy drug fueled Las Vegas roller coaster ride with a gambling father and the irrepressible Russian street kid Boris before the next big castastrophe lands him back in NY while the story of the goldfinch painting simmers away in the background with addiction, ennui, wronged romances and missed chances for redemption descend into a climax bordering on keystone cops but still edgy enough to keep you in there.  A rollicking great read that combines moments of sheer madness and at times painful insights into the highs and lows of life</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SCTZXBW02QW8?ASIN=0316055441	Excellence	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best fiction read in 5 years.  Raw, real and beautifully written.  An original and important journey you won't regret taking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z465WWX74CQA?ASIN=0316055441	One of the worst books I've ever read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring, endless, sense less and horrible. What is wrong with the author? Only a tortured soul can write a book like this one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15OJCNR0681OF?ASIN=0316055441	A real prize winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous read. Extremely well written. Draws you in from page 1......700 plus pages you can't put down. A definite must read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UOK8EV5R4GJM?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a very long read but the different places, characters, and stages of Theo's life will keep you interested AND engaged.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7JEM15PI2NPS?ASIN=0316055441	A must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the good stuff! I tend to stay in my sci-fi rut. It's what I like and thanks to Amazon there are endless options. This book is a far departure from my normal literature. I'm well read from high-school and college but few and far between are the novels I read that don't take place in space. I dragged myself out of my comfort zone for this tome and man am I glad I did! This book is brilliantly written. The characters, and even more so, the places are so vivid! You're transported to these various places, behind our protagonist's eyes, in a seamlessly convincing way. The dark &amp; unnerving story never makes you, the reader, uncomfortable. Still, your sympathy for the protagonist is complete. The prose is brilliant, transforming, moving, eloquent. These are not things I tent to spout when reading a space-battle book. This baby won the Pulitzer for great reason. I highly recommend this book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q72OOLBBXSSY?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic start, struggle to finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To keep it simple, I can break this novel up into thirds:<br/>The first third pulled me right in.  A unique, beautifully written, flowing story line.  Loved it.<br/>The second portion's story twist (Vegas) kept me interested, but not quite as much.  Boris is a great character.  There should have been more exploration of his and Theo's relationship, and less of their constant intoxication.  It was tough to see the deeper meaning to this relationship for the CONSTANT drunken blackouts and acid tripping...way too much.<br/>The final third basically lost me.  And I tried hard to stay with it.  I can say I am impressed with how well the author connected Theo and the painting throughout the first 2/3 of the book; it was almost a humming in the background.  The reveal that the painting was never with him from Vegas back to NYC was almost painful.  After that, it was a struggle to get to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3491Q0K0DM0X4?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book, Worth A Second Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Oddly, while I have not enjoyed any of Donna Tartt's other books, well-written though they were, I very much enjoyed this book. I like that the narrator is a blank slate and somewhat unformed, while the people around him are interesting and even fascinating. (Boris!)<br/><br/>This is not a book for anyone who wants to think life is all kittens and rainbows, but that does not mean it is a book only for literary snobs, as I am neither. I avoid reading anything on the New York Times Bestseller list, as the books are either poorly-written trash or tedious and long-winded writers with no tale to tell, but this book was held my interest from the start. (Although I agree with other commenters that a good 50-100 pages could have been cut with no harm to the story.)<br/><br/>Ms Tarrt has succeeded in doing what so few writers can do anymore, which is to get out of the way and tell a good story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DJKHJ1PCI3R6?ASIN=0316055441	I was immediately sucked in by the plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a love/hate relationship with this book. I was immediately sucked in by the plot, and fell in love with the characters. I HAD to read several chapters every evening because I was curious to learn more about how their lives progressed. About two thirds through the book, however, I felt like I needed to take a shower. I began to dread reading even one more awful decision made by the characters. And I actually skipped a few chapters when the details became too painful. I became angry with the author for dragging me through the dregs of humanity and for providing so much rich detail to describe the amoral choices made by the characters. And I recognize that only a really well written book can bring out such emotion. I finished the book, relieved to find a shred of sunlight toward the end, but my overall reaction was that I wish I'd  invested my reading time into something more uplifting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LK66GTXY5HKF?ASIN=0316055441	Powerful Living ,Deconstructed,Constructed,Lived Powerfully..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is certainly a tour de force. It brings the reader into a riotous melange of antiques,the reconstructing of antiques,the antique trade. It brings the reader into the dizzy confusion of two teenaged boys living,scavenging and abusing themselves with overuse of substances on their very scatterbrained attempt to survive on their own.It begins explosively and beyond sorrow,but at its heart,this novel has the peace of an eye of the storm which conveys a truth that there must be love to make any sense of life.There must be true love which causes one to grasp the beautiful,the truth and the final goodness that must make up a life if it is to be a sustaining force for an individual. Through The Goldfinch,the reader gets to see how the past so very much dictates our present ,but one must construct a life with purpose,direction and a love that is inclusive ,if anything is to have meaning.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L70B2Y1C376F?ASIN=0316055441	A good read, but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good read, but too long.  Has a great deal of detail which is well written, but about half it should have been edited out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5S1D4UVJS633?ASIN=0316055441	It is the most boring book I have ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have never read more run on sentences.<br/>It is the most boring book I have ever read. Worse than Michener's pre ambles.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R89IWNZ3NIV7O?ASIN=0316055441	It was a good story, but sections of it rambled on and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a good story, but sections of it rambled on and on.  It is memorable and was a good read for a book discussion group.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N619EQHTC03F?ASIN=0316055441	Near Miss	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Why does it feel like it should have been better, should have been magical and timeless. So close to something wonderful ...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FW10DZUPB0R1?ASIN=0316055441	awesome read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is unlike any book I have ever read.  Informative, interesting, sweet and tender.  I highly recommend the novel to all.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WW32OXVWG6XA?ASIN=0316055441	Poetic and thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautiful read. I mix of melancholy and beauty. Donna Tart is literary beyond literature and this is sure to be a classic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E2Z4YMREYK1V?ASIN=0316055441	Too much work!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Since I checked out the book from the library, I felt rather intimidated by its length, given the three-week rule imposed by the library.  I finished well within that time period, but my eyes and head hurt.  I struggled with the last 1/4 of the book.  And I was offended by all the editing errors, most of which didn't appear in the first half of the book.  The last part of the book was a real stretch. The story, which started so well, petered out by the end.  In discussions with friends who had already read it, I found that none of us felt satisfied by the ending.  It felt to me like she was in a hurry to meet a dead-line.  She is too accomplished an author to finish such a well-written book in such haste--if it was haste that created such mush.  I don't regret reading it, but it would have been better if about 250 pages had been edited out.  I'm still unclear about how the thing ended!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J5YPATP6HU8F?ASIN=0316055441	Long...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was long....long...long...thought of abandoning it several times along the way.  I kept hoping it would get better.  I should have abandoned it!  (But alas I have never really abandoned a book...only thought about doing it 2 3 other times and was glad I didn't with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)  So I continued to trudge on...but  never connected with any of the characters, and there were many of them.  In fact I thought the main character was selfish and destructive...and my opinion never changed.  Hard to learn any kind of lesson or point from any of the horrible characters in the book.  The is mom and friend Hobie were the two shining characters...but even they had character flaws.  I kept hoping something good was going to come for some of the characters...but it never did.  I was very disappointed!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GRCYBE5RF3HX?ASIN=0316055441	A Dirge for Desire	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book grabbed hold of me and pulled me through the dark and despairing life of this boy. Then through the degenerate and deportable life of this young man. Then the despicable and desperate life of this man. It has taken me nearly a year to finish, not because I was bored by the story or felt frustrated by the reading of it. The truth is, there were times when the darkness overwhelmed me, and I would have to set it aside. Because, while the atlas of this person's life was compelling, the relentless dirge of sadness would occasionally become to hard for me to bear. And it really was that- a dirge- a keening lament. I was never fully brought to tears, but the feeling of being moved from the metaphorical funeral parlor to the grave, never really subsided for me.  That said, I'm glad I made it through. It was a well written and thought-provoking book, that was well worth the effort.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13PC8A0PJB6BJ?ASIN=0316055441	I am happy for the author's success but it is just not ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I mainly clicked one star to get amazon off my back when I finished the novel. They insisted on me rating the book before I was allowed to go to the cover. But truthfully this book lacks a lot. I am happy for the author's success but it is just not great literature. And there is confusing inconstancy re what was present at given time periods (cell phones, Harry Potter etc). And the conclusion goes on and on trying to reap some meaning out of the story for the reader. When it really is just an entertaining read. And thus the author tells us she has no faith in or respect for the intelligence of the reader. All levels of readers can make their own meaning (if they choose). But here, in the conclusion, the author robbed the reader of their own experience with the material, the story, the events. The analysis at the end feels a bit tacked on as well. But good for a read in bed a night.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22CE76N9BKDRW?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I seldom get lost in a book but this one kept me engaged and interested for days. The narrator lived in a world that is in many ways foreign to me when seen from his behaviors of the major characters as complex human beings. At the same time the descriptions of New York City and Las Vegas put me back in streets and neighborhoods that were very familiar in my experience.<br/><br/>The characters and their relationships were continually fascinating. The uncertainties of life and the role of chance in determining who we become was a clear theme throughout.  The details about the worlds of antiques, art, and drugs gave the story a feeling of truth and reality along with the depictions of our human imperfectness.<br/><br/>The closing few pages perhaps went on longer than needed but although I often resist tackling a book of this length, I couldn't let this one go until I finished it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q3HV0Y8BNLST?ASIN=0316055441	A worthwhile venture...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Every now and then I will venture into the world of fiction to ""cleanse the pallet"" from the non-fiction I read. In doing so, I picked up a copy of Donna Tartt's, The Goldfinch, from my neighborhood book store. I didn't know what to expect, but I had positive expectations given the reviews for the book. What I like about this book specifically is Tartt's attention to detail. She describes Theo Decker's (the protagonist) world in colorful detail, from his observations of other people to himself, his emotions, his sense of smell, etc... To write in such detail (and gracefully I might add) requires significant observatory skills by the author, and the ability to transform those observations into meaningful words which convey the essence of a story. If I've learned anything from this book, it's to be more observant of the world around me, and to read more of Ms. Tartt's books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F5S0U7DLBTC?ASIN=0316055441	Fate	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So glad this book was recommended to me.  It was beautifully written, thought provoking, and one, I'll pick-up and re-read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RSPQSL9ZP3RS?ASIN=0316055441	too long and did get away from the story too ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too long and did get away from the story too much drugs  never got to the point<br/>not enough about Goldfinch work of art</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRBPFCRFOJG3U?ASIN=0316055441	so over blown	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Our entire book club of highly educated women found the book overly long, lacking momentum, and after 700 pages, contrived.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21SYO1M0NZNSI?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am still in the middle of reading it, but it is so interesting that I hate to take time away from reading it. Engrossing!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA5X8HH2SMJIO?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Myself and my bookclub members savored every word of this book.  We all highly recommend you set aside the time to read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T9WK7DMGMLXE?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely fantastic read . I could not put it down and will probably reread it .  It was worth the wait between her novels</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37Q93QKPI6T?ASIN=0316055441	A heterodox opinion	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Everyone loves this book. Well, everyone except myself and a couple of people I've spoken to. I wrote a three-page single-spaced screen after finishing the first fifty pages and moving on to something well-written, but in a nutshell: this is pre-fab prose, its long-windedness and clumsy metaphor-mongering insufferable after fifty pages. I wanted very much to be drawn in by the plot, which I am assured is gripping and clever and fascinating; but I could not get past what I saw as the dreadful inadequacies of the language. To put it another way, I could not see the wood for the insufferable trees; this is a minority opinion, so I need not worry about affecting the sales of this Pulitzer prizewinner of a doorstop. Maybe some day I'll take it up again in a different frame of mind, but there are so many well-written books in the world, I did not feel like devoting the time to it now.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROQXUBYDWGPN5?ASIN=0316055441	A book I won't forget.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I grew up in New York in the 50s and 60s, and while this book was set later than that, it was very recognizable to me.  Even in the late 80s and 90s and prior to 9/11, there were settings and people like this. By now they've pretty much disappeared, and the only thing that I found a little odd about this book was that it wasn't quite contemporary. And having the Met attacked by mysterious right-wing bombers was very PC but at the same time ludicrous.<br/><br/>Other than that, it was beautifully written, had great characters who were very sympathetic, and really brought me back to my childhood. It also brought me to the childhood of one of my daughters that I used to take to the Met's  children's programs, and to the many things that children wonder about art and beauty and how this plays out in one's life.  I loved this book and literally kept reading it at every free moment.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB9PEOQ1JAK99?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful book but could have been about 200 pages shorter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's beautifully written and thought provoking. Donna Tartt is able to put the relationship we have with art and creativity into words. It's one of those books where I highlighted like 50 passages and thought, ""Exactly!"" However, the story could have been more engaging and just as effectively told in 200 less pages. Take out one of protagonist Theo's high fevers (why is he constantly sick?), the long silences between Theo and all of the other characters and his lack of comprehension of every scenario. Bam. Awesome book.<br/><br/>While Tartt's philosophy and ideas really resonated with me, she does get a little preachy toward the end. I was hooked for most of the novel, but I read the last 100 pages or so out of duty since I was too heavily invested to put it down. I would have given it five stars if Theo's character wasn't so annoying it caused the plot to drag on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LHG2LBECTON6?ASIN=0316055441	ART THEFT GIVES SHAPE TO COMING-OF-AGE STORY	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For one thing, this book is very long. For me, during a cold and snowy winter, it was a great companion. It tells the story of the  life of Theo Decker,  from a catastrophic event he suffers at the age or 13, through young adulthood. Giving shape and content to the story is the theft of a work of art from the Dutch Renaissance.  I found myself absorbed in Theo's life, thinking the last time I was so Intrigued by the life of an adolescent boy, his name was Holden Caulfiield. As a native New Yorker, I enjoyed Tartt's vivid descriptions of New York City. On the negative side, she occasionally deals in stereotypes, ethnic and economic, from Russian gangsters to One Percent WASPs. And I could have cut at least 100 pages by eliminating seemingly endless descriptions of the effects of  drugs and alcohol on the human body. None of it is news to anyone. Overall, though, a great read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z4UZWB2860LV?ASIN=0316055441	love this story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is story telling at it's best and I love a good story.  Just read it and enjoy every word, you won't be disappointed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VLX0KY2N3OMT?ASIN=0316055441	Started great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept me very interested until the end, wanted a different ending. Written superb, still will recommend this book to others</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UZ9OXBEBQ6QX?ASIN=0316055441	Would not waste my time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like the book at all,  The book was constantly repetitive: drugs, drugs, and more drugs.  Where is the mystery??</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R397OVNWAU20K5?ASIN=0316055441	Good read but a bit slow.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very interesting story, although slow and tedious in parts.  I definitely recommend it and the ending is worth the wait.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DRLH52FB4GMH?ASIN=0316055441	Summary	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow…this is a MUST read!  I loved it.  The book is long, but well worth the read.  The story line is complex and riveting.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC2J5LD52VIUF?ASIN=0316055441	... adjectives possible into paragraph after paragraph does not equal good writing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Simply stringing together as many obscure adjectives possible into paragraph after paragraph does not equal good writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25YNP78RTSF49?ASIN=0316055441	Really?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much ado about characters I cared nothing about. Interminable read, streched out over a year of trying to get through it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35WYQASUH61KC?ASIN=0316055441	most depressing book I have ever read. And it ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">most depressing book I have ever read.  And it took a long time to get through it....only to remain depressed in the end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R958URL0YQXWV?ASIN=0316055441	Loved reading it so much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved reading it so much, I actually ordered Donna Tartt's earlier Secret history and enjoyed that book too on my kindle!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QNS2WYUM0QAA?ASIN=0316055441	I had to force myself to page 178.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like many of the other readers I had high hopes of reading a really good book.  One of those you can't wait to get home from work, relax and unwind as you get totally immersed in the story and character.<br/>I generally make myself read at least 100 pages before I give up and close a book that I simply cannot finish.  Which incidentally there haven't been many of.  I'm the type person who thinks ""hey, I paid $12 for this, I'm a gonna' read it"".<br/><br/>I forced myself to page 178, thinking surely it would improve, I mean after all,look at the good reviews it got.<br/>The story just seemed never to go anyplace. It just seemed to ramble on and on, getting 'tied-up' in mundane details and descriptions.<br/>I read for escape and relaxation, if I have to force myself to read something it does not qualify for either.<br/>I had my fill of that in college.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33078ZQMYJCS6?ASIN=0316055441	Mind numbingly boring and drawn out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book eagerly, based on the recommendations of fellow readers whose suggestions are often a good match for my reading preferences.  I can best describe this book as a ""Catcher in the Rye"" meets ""The Tiger's Wife"".  Loved the former, hated the later.  I gave this book 2 stars only because somewhere in the 775 e-reader pages was a decent story that just got lost in way too much drug induced redundancy and over-description.  It did not need to be so long for the main character to traverse through the highlights.  Please note I can read a long, dark, well told story.  Some of my favorite books; ""A Prayer for Owen Meany"", ""Unbroken"", ""The Art of Fielding"", ""Devil in the White CIty"" and ""The Night Circus"".  It took me almost 6 weeks to get through this book...not what I had hoped for in a summer read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZECGVGEVRJL8?ASIN=0316055441	Pretty good, pretty satisfied	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book would be good for anyone who is questioning their own identity, their role and place in, for lack of a better word, the world. Tartt does a fantastic job creating consistent and realistic personalities of her characters, and by doing so, delivers a great message-- keep questioning the truth. Like the endless pursuit of perfecting an art, the truth can never be reached, only constantly refined.<br/>The book's length is arguable as to whether it was necessary or not, but the end of the book tries to justify it. The narration felt slightly forced sometimes, which demeans the narrator and protagonist's character as a fictional but realistic human, like when Theo, who seems so unfamiliar with music with Pippa, describes music he's heard years ago as a ""minor hexachord"" like an unwitting musical prodigy.<br/>But that doesn't hurt the book's core too much.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR8H0LG63VYNY?ASIN=0316055441	Had to force myself to finish this book. Slow ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had to force myself to finish this book.  Slow, long and did not see the merit of following a drug addict's life around.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F0GRGDIU5ALL?ASIN=0316055441	A rather depressing view of a young man growing up ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A rather depressing view of a young man growing up without much of a moral compass. Kind of a shallow look at the world.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VSB490CHCF9N?ASIN=0316055441	Art and Pain	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The continually tragic story of a boy and a painting:  moments of love, humor,friendship intersperse the sobering story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DY1ACGPZQ0KF?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the beginning and middle of the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the beginning and middle of the book. Probably the first 500 pages. The last 275 pages was torture to get through.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25XTEQQ48Z4QN?ASIN=0316055441	Way to wordy - hey girl, get to the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way to wordy - hey girl, get to the point.  Most of your scenes could be about 1/3 of what you wrote.  Editor, please...</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W5ANAD6WDETZ?ASIN=0316055441	This is a great story that creates intense feelings of empathy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a great story that creates intense feelings of empathy. I thought it was very well written and enjoyed the read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U05R9LYH548L?ASIN=0316055441	Had a message re housing/mortgage debacle. No need for ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had a message re housing/mortgage debacle. No need for the graphic depictions of drug and sex abuse. Do not recomend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R266RZRYPXWA9G?ASIN=0316055441	boring! not my preference	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I<br/>Just not my kind of book to read. Wanted to get to story without all the description. I skipped over a lot of it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OO60EOSY2ZOH?ASIN=0316055441	Good discussion	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I ordered this book for book discussion and really liked it...however, I felt it was way too long for the story it told.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XRJG7FOMR7MX?ASIN=0316055441	A book to read and read again	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book held me entranced from start to finish. I  loved the descriptive language and the plot. And for all 700 pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17WOAYP0OVCE4?ASIN=0316055441	Were people who gave this great reviews,reading the same book as me???	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read some of the reviews before I purchased the book but thought I would try it to see if I would like it since everyones tastes are different.The book could have been written in about 500 pages(my kindled showed 755 pages). There is too much non essential description thought out the book. It's very tedious and boring and you lose the concept of the story.<br/><br/>Also one the things I dislike in any book,is when the author writes in another language but doesn't translate what was written. There was way too much of that in this book. Was lost in what was taking place because of it.<br/><br/>I was disappointed in the ending,not what I would have expected after reading the book for over 700 pages. I definitely would not recommend this book(in fact my neighbor is reading it and feels the same way as I do) and would not read another book from this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E36P6DEBJH04?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the book and the mystery involving the painting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the book and the mystery involving the painting. The writing was wonderful with descriptions that brought you right to Las Vegas, and Amsterdam and of course NYC.<br/>The story is about a young boy whose mother dies in an explosion in a NY museum. In the chaos of the aftermath of the explosion  he steals the 16th century painting of a Dutch master, ""The Goldfinch"". His mother's favorite painting. His journey into adulthood is always about the protection and ownership of the painting. Should he turn it over to the police and suffer the consequence? Circumstances take him to an old antique dealer in NYC who teaches him the restoration of furniture and the value of antiques. He developed a life long friendship with a young  Russian boy who involves him in drugs and the unsavory characters of drug dealers and ""Russian mafia"" types.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9Y0TYN1TY15F?ASIN=0316055441	Wasted too much time on this	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wasted too much time on this.  Should have been edited to half its length.  The Amsterdam scene was a mess. Oh, editor!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GT62I0UETIGA?ASIN=0316055441	Too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way tooooo many details.  Book could have been half as long if every description wasn't so wordy. Plot was good enough.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AJGOQUSR0BZR?ASIN=0316055441	Started off interesting then fizzled mid-way and you then stop ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started off interesting then fizzled mid-way and you then stop caring for the main character as it meanders to the end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25RELZ192ELAC?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like this book, it has been on the best sellers list and it is worth the read.  Will recommend it to friends, family.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R129UTSKT6W8AF?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting, if poorly edited.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is excellent.  Period.  It would be nice if her editor was too, because the primary issues I had with this novel is in that it felt poorly edited.  Parts of it should have been pared down or taken out completely.  If you like Jennifer Egan, Jonathan Franzen, et all than probably you will enjoy this book.<br/><br/>I could not put it down, and I had a baby in the process of reading it, so that is saying something.  Tartt is a genius of research, exceedingly careful.  The end is very fast and kind of ripped off from a hokey thriller but it doesn't kill it.  Several of the characters never quite popped for me.  Boris is excellently done, but Tartt does overdo it by telling you things that were also shown, this is an issue where editing could have polished things up.<br/><br/>It's very enjoyable, Tartt is very gifted with language; read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KGDEQWWPJQS2?ASIN=0316055441	"I grant you it is well written and a good story. A previous reviewer wrote ""when you see ..."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've read other reviews of this book and here is my take:  It is thought provoking but a depressing book.  I thought we readers would never get out of the museum.  The book is too long and could have used more editing.  The reader gets the message that life is short, fate is sometimes cruel.  Its about loss at an early age.  I grant you it is well written and a good story.  A previous reviewer wrote ""when you see a black spot on an apple in a picture the painter is telling you that living things don't last... its all temporary.""  Besides that message there is a good story of a young person growing up without a landmark.  We follow this person who lives an unreal life:  doesn't attend school, drinks, steals,  does drugs, etc. but you are asked to believe he matures into an honest, successful, loving human being.  That was a stretch for me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP5E6AV9SJFIT?ASIN=0316055441	Long for the sake of being long.  Beautiful all the same!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a beautiful story about a boy who suffered a life filled with trauma and mistakes that he owned far too much emotional baggage over for a young boy.  It made the reader feel sad for him even in spite of his own self destructive behavior and poor choices in friends and women.<br/>The story unravelled in an interesting way and the writing was absolutely stunning!  However, I'm docking one star because it was long for the sale of being long.  The amount of time it took to get to Vegas and learn about the father and the girlfriend drug out way too long.... And then ironically ended abruptly!  We then miss the next 8 years of his life growing into an adult when we'd read hundreds of pages of a time that only encompassed a year or two of his life.  The choice to reveal his life indepthly or not at all seemed not well thought out by the author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZYRBS0VGK4TI?ASIN=0316055441	So disappointed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first 150 pages were great. Once the story moved to Las Vegas, the whole plot went way down.<br/>Save your money.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GK83YCGPI06U?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Catcher in the Rye revisited. Long book but I really got into it and by the to e it was over, I wished there was more.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R295K6PYDE6BWI?ASIN=0316055441	The Worst Ever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is honestly not one redeeming quality about this novel.  Could not identify even a smidgen with any of the characters. As the story progresses, it becomes more and more farfetched, and the ending was the icing on the cake.  I actually had to laugh when I finished it out of sheer joy that I was finished with this absurd read.  As a literature major, I appreciate well written novels, novels that have several meanings within the written word of the author, and novels that are very true to life - whether it is present day or one thousand years ago.  This novel was the furthest thing from reality with the exception of the protagonist being a drug addict who can't quit his seedy habits even when he reaches and is far into his adulthood.  And the Pulitzer Prize?  Laughable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPAYIZK4Z375Q?ASIN=0316055441	The reading itself was so fantastic, I felt like I was in a theater ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got the recorded book, since I have a long drive. The reading itself was so fantastic, I felt like I was in a theater watching a play. Each character, especially the accented Boris was truly amazing. Hats off to all the narrators.  The language is beautiful - very Dickensian  in parts, and I am a devotee of anything Dickensian- looking at the world through the eyes of a child.  But I never understood why it had to be so long. It especially seemed long towards the last chapters, may be because it had such a brilliant opening,  the last parts seemed slow by comparison. Other than the length, I could not find a single negative thing to say about this book. She is a great story teller, and at the end of each chapter, I could barely wait to start the next one. I cant wait to read her other works now.Thus, she has achieved the goal of every writer.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MZTIBUX5BEAG?ASIN=0316055441	Well worth the time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Golfinch held my interest, though I admit there were places where I became a bit bored.  That said, I was very impressed with Ms. Tartt's depth of knowledge of the art world.  She either did heavy research, or was educated in the disclipine. The story gets high marks for believability, however unlikely.  Bad things happen sometimes by chance and sometimes by choice. As I think she intended, I was led into and out of frustrating situations.  The novel evoked emotion, which to me is always the sign of effective work. I continued to hope for good outcomes for the protagonist, and was at last mostly, but not completely, rewarded. Specifically I wanted the years-long love interest to work out, but I understood why it could not.  The action picked up significantly in the final few chapters with a satisfying conclusion. A good read to be recommended.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HSU21X020TIQ?ASIN=0316055441	If books were rated by the movie folks, this one is Rated R	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As others have noted, this book is VERY long.  Any writer would be challenged to keep a reader's interest for over 20 hours of listening to the audiobook version or reading the tome.  So like many modern entertainment writers, this one infuses the book with a lot of drugs and violence.  The key story for me was that of the young man's internal journey after his mother and he were in a tremendous explosion, which killed her, and left him in a legal lurch and an emotional turmoil that I had hoped this book would address.  I was engrossed in the beginning...but toward the end I kept wanting to learn more about him and less about drugs and violence.  Suffice it to say, I forced myself to finish the book.  Having said that, if you want to read it (or listen to it), I suggest stopping midway through.  It leaves a more satisfying experience that way.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R240O6YMR1YMOB?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't consider myself a sophisticated reader, meaning I don't judge a book on writing techniques or use of language. I am a recreational reader looking for a good story that will entertain me, teach me something new, or touch me in some way. Having said that, I enjoyed this book. It was very long and many time I did not know where the story was heading. However, I found the story interesting in the way it showed how one random and tragic event can set in motion a whole string of random, tragic events.  However, it also led to meaningful relationships and a realization of the checks and balances in life, such as evil leading to good.  Not sure if that was the intent of the author but that's what I got out of it.  The narratator was excellent. He consistenly changed voices and accents which effectively brought the characters to life for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W4U5R3OBVIXO?ASIN=0316055441	I'd give it 10 stars if I could	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've just finished reading this book for the second time and I ask myself quite seriously, just as I did when I'd finished it the first time, what is the appropriate length of time to wait to read it again???  I know this is a serious, existential question book lovers everywhere ask themselves time and time again upon sadly and reluctantly finishing a beloved book.  I waited almost an entire year before reading this a second time and, yes, there were many things I'd not remembered or perhaps even fully assimilated upon first read.  So, so good....maybe it's because I can relate to the main character so much...or because Boris is that crazy, exhilarating best friend we've all had and been slightly afraid of, slightly in love with, but I know somehow, on some level, this is the childhood that could so easily have been mine...been all of ours.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36EKDXSWCDOLH?ASIN=0316055441	the characters and the beautiful writing. Soon after I began reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow, this is a tough one. I started out and remained fascinated with the unique story, the characters and the beautiful writing. Soon after I began reading, I was already recommending it to friends, and saying I'd be sad when it was over. But then a character was added to the story - one with whom I tried to connect - unsuccessfully. Of course the theme of writing a novel wherein the true central character is a gorgeous 17th century, painting,  little known heretofore, but now famous world over, was a brilliant idea. I can understand why the Goldfinch won the Pulitzer Prize, and I don't regret reading the book. But I would have enjoyed it much more if the entire ""Boris"" story had been edited out. Maybe other readers loved that character, but I could never warm up to him, his portion of the story and his effect on the main character.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AEQ5T5BMXMXO?ASIN=0316055441	Give me more great long reads	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I promised to read this Award Winner selection before the time for my book club discussion and to give them a sense of the book given its length. I have now finished The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. I can only say that this is the sort of long book I search for, mostly in vain. Why do you want a great read to end? I actually read it in one day less than 2 weeks.<br/><br/>The story never bores. That should be enough. I will say that it is certainly a story different than what you probably read on a regular basis. But I think that is why we are in a book club. There are themes here of family, recovery, perhaps even redemption. Oh yea, there is also theft, drugs, violence but hardly any sex. So there you have it, a great read. One reviewer I know thinks we will be reading Donna Tartt's books 100 years from now (a shout out to Maud Newton here.)</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BOQNGN0ZHVBS?ASIN=0316055441	Is anyone else bothered by the numerous anachronisms in the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am only about a third of the way into the book and finding it enjoyable for the most part.  However, there are so many anachronisms that it is making it harder to suspend my disbelief.  The opening section is supposed to have happened 14 years ago, which would be 1999.  Yet, when the bomb explodes at the Met, a bystander references New York being hit by Bin Laden again, even though 9/11wasn't until 2 years later.  Also, Theo borrows his friends I-phone, which didn't come out until much later and when he gets to Vegas uses an Ipod, which didn't debut until 2001.  Finally, before getting on the plane to Vegas, Theo's father has to take off his loafers.  I don't think we started taking off shoes in airports until much later, after the aborted shoe bomber.  Anyway, these kinds of things, IMHO, distract from the story and show sloppy editing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X403B36AIMCK?ASIN=0316055441	epic novel of immortality, belonging and friendship	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Epic indeed. With many themes well woven together, this book is a real journey, not for everyone but worth traveling.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JTGV9Y1T5PLC?ASIN=0316055441	riveting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down. From start to finish an unbelievably well written story.  A must read for sure. Just brilliant.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PKGF453I2M99?ASIN=0316055441	OK. This won awards. It is poorly written ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">OK.  This won awards.  It is poorly written and the author has not interested me in the characters.  Very over-rated!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22X3BIIHIR466?ASIN=0316055441	The main character spends most of the book complaining, ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The main character spends most of the book complaining, and as this is a long book it seemed to drag on way too long.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BJTFN7YJF01K?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it very depressing and with way too much detail.  The whole story could have been told in half as many pages.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VJDKSCQDBDZT?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the long read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A really good book! Makes you think about life in general, and all the depressing, and beautiful things in your life!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ENA6QKF57H2J?ASIN=0316055441	One of my all time favorite novels	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is spectacular. It reads like a dream. You can really read the fascinating story fast due to the writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S5WSNBQGZY8A?ASIN=0316055441	Fly, Fly Away - Far, Far Away	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To say that I disliked this book is to put it mildly - I hated the amount of time and energy required to read about the excessive alcohol and drug use, and the disgusting results in lifestyle and physical surroundings. And that took up fully one-third of the book. The main theme of the novel wandered in and out as an afterthought and was only primarily addressed in the last couple of hundred pages (and this is an excruciatingly detailed 700-page book), and was quite contrived and difficult to believe. And the characters - don't get me started. There was only one that I would have wanted to spend any time with. After finishing, I couldn't decide if I needed a stint in rehab or a fumigation process.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M8QWNQVBRYXV?ASIN=0316055441	I grew to like him and understand why he did the things he ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Throughout the nearly 800 pages of this book I got to know the utterly imperfect Theo, and even though I didn't often agree with his choices and ideas, I grew to like him and understand why he did the things he did.<br/><br/>Although I enjoyed reading it, I don't have much to say about this book. I liked getting to know Theo and those around him, but i would've liked to get to know the secondary characters more intimately. All we really know is based on Theo's perception of them--which I guess is partly the point. But still. People like the Barbours rang rather flat at times. I started to lose interest at the end. I enjoyed the NY and Vegas sections much more than the Amsterdam days.<br/><br/>I read this book at the same time as I was rereading The Catcher in the Rye and in combination these books made me want to go to a museum.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AU820CQTOQRL?ASIN=0316055441	A fantastic epic journey in a life full of downs but ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fantastic epic journey in a life full of downs but also kindness along the way, a must read in your lifetime book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16Y1A17PX0HH5?ASIN=0316055441	can't believe the hype!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't like it! Struggled to get through with it! Only continued to read it because of the hype. Very disappointing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M80OHBITF6T6?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful on several levels	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is beautifully written, with characters well drawn and a plot that kept me wanting to read to the end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NB4RXNWW4M8J?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating but difficult to finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has a way with words - obviously. Her characters are drawn vividly, and there is plenty of intrigue built into the stories of her protagonist, Theo, and those who share the pages of this suspenseful novel. I was entranced by the first three-quarters of this book, from the criminal machinations in the art world to the obsessive prism through which Theo views Pippa. And although I at first did not think I would enjoy the portions of the narrative about Las Vegas life, they, too, were thoroughly entertaining.<br/><br/>By the end of this almost 800-page novel, however, I simply got tired. With some trimming, The Goldfinch would have been one of my favorite novels of the year; as it stands, Donna Tartt's latest work still captivates, but does not rise to the level of her twenty-year-old master work, The Secret History.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W4WTOGDXNQSW?ASIN=0316055441	A long dark journey without a clear destination....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Over a 2-week period, I listened fitfully to the Audible version. It took a lot of listening to realize there was no hero in this book, no particular plot line, nothing for me to figure out, no dominant timeline ordering the saga for me and making it easy to predict.  It was not a quick and steady read, so that affected my grasp of the story.  There are many characters and many side trips into their consciences and motivations. I got lost in the wanderings of Theo's thoughts and activities, in understanding his friends, his enemies, his demons, his efforts to live life after sequential significant losses. This book is a sojourn, depicting how life happens, how ""...way leads onto way.""  It is not a moral statement on the darkness in us.  A little light pierces through.  Overall, it is not a hopeful book or a quick read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL3NHJW6YQ1KZ?ASIN=0316055441	like his drug addiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This epic tale commences well with a dramatic scenario at an art museum that sets the underlying story and character development of the main protagonist, a young boy whose life we then follow. The painting of the Goldfinch and what happens to it then becomes the dominant idea. I felt that the tension and interest was well maintained until over halfway through when suddenly there were huge chunks of his life that were casually mentioned, like his drug addiction, shonky antique deals and friendships from his youth that dominated his psyche. Backtracking in this way, for me, detracted form the storyline and I thought that excess descriptions of thoughts could have been shortened without losing anything.<br/>An excellent story, with a great narrative that becomes a bit lost in the mind of the main character. Worth reading though.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TKAW6HHC6VMZ?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing contemporary novel!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's contemporary novel The Goldfinch is the story of a young boy who suddenly loses his mother in a huge museum explosion in New York City. As he crawls out of the endless rubble, he meets a dying old man who gives him a ring and some instructions. He also bumps into a small painting of a goldfinch chained to a perch that his mother loved, so he takes that with him. He makes his way home to the apartment where he and his mother lived and waits.<br/>From there, author Tartt weaves a story with so many twists and turns that the reader wonders how this can possibly all come to a conclusion, but it does, and in a most satisfying way.<br/>Tartt is a skilled literary writer where every description moves the story forward, and every action leaves you thinking,""What? No, don't DO that!""<br/>Great job, Donna Tartt!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BWJPQXAVM3UV?ASIN=0316055441	Awful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hated this book - can't seem to find what everyone liked about it. - a painful read - repetitive and dull</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5LRZ7HRB5M3B?ASIN=0316055441	A Work of Art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch is an extraordinary achievement on multiple levels.  I rate it less than five only because (no offense, Donna!) it's what I'd call proud of itself. Ms. Tartt is so virtuous in pursuit of the craft of wordsmithing that at times the language seems to be giving itself applause. What could be said in two pages takes five.  But.  Donna Tartt may be our era's peerless writer.  Her capacity to craft characters of both genders with a suppleness that defies the imagination is unmatched save for perhaps Cormac McCarthy's, the latter achieving through starkness what Ms. Tartt does with prose of such elegance that it envelopes the reader.  Bottom line, this book could become the 21st century Catcher in the Rye -- required reading for any serious student of culture and defining contemporary sociology.  And you'll enjoy studying.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KZTKK4AQ754M?ASIN=0316055441	Trashy.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was not pleased with this book.  Too trashy.  Hard to believe this book won any kind of prize. If one is interested in the details of the drug culture, this may have some appeal.  The story is about alcohol addiction, infidelity, thieves, and deception.  The author likes street language to a repulsive extent.  I would hope none of my teenage granddaughters are ever exposed to this book.  There are too many uplifting stories available with some redeeming value to waste time with this sort of junk.  The book was suggested to me by a female friend.  I am surprised that she liked the story and do not plan to discuss with her.  I had a difficult time finishing the last 100 pages.  I regret that this book will be read in foreign countries and that those readers will think the characters in the book represent main stream America.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38142TBPWDH3T?ASIN=0316055441	Life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book until the last chapter then I felt it kind of dragged on, but just until the last few pages then I felt fulfilled again.  It is a long book but it really doesn't feel like it, there really is so much happening and you become invested in the characters.  I found myself hoping that Theo would make better choices and rooting for him to make it in life.  Tartt shows that life isn't always full of beautiful painting, flowers, and love but that we have to deal with a tragic thing called death and that all of us will die at some point.  We shouldn't all live our lives to die but we should enjoy the beauty in life.  The very end of the book really touches on life itself and to enjoy the beauty in it until your time runs out because life is too short not to enjoy it.  I'm still rooting for Theo (and Boris).</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DXH14HXOQIIY?ASIN=0316055441	The sad side	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long sad lonely book that is very well written and zeros in on a side of life and living that is hard to dissect.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EL7C8T1441VE?ASIN=0316055441	Terrible had I actually know it was a about an ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrible had I actually know it was a about an addict never would had bought it. Also the intro was also misleading</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39KLAX0U730ZY?ASIN=0316055441	which was too bad, because the concept was a really good one	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Literary diarrhea, plus highly unpleasant characters, which was too bad, because the concept was a really good one.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VUUUVXBVTQ?ASIN=0316055441	I found this novel to be boring. I ended up not liking the main character	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this novel to be boring. I ended up not liking the main character. Would not recommend this book to anyone.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q3BZIRBJJ81C?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a gift to a family member who requested it for her book club.  She was very pleased to have it.  PatB</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG2R5OPEKJX8W?ASIN=0316055441	Verbose, but a Wonderful Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As many have mentioned, the fatal flaw of this book is its verbose narrative. For two-thirds of the book I was engaged and riveted by the story, wondering when it would twist the the point you knew it eventually needed to arrive at. By the last third of the book I was flipping pages begging it to get to the climax I expected a long time ago. Perhaps the trick is that the perceived climax really is the denouement, but the point is: it eventually dragged. Descriptions got so long that I found it difficult to stick with and the end attempted to be far more philosophical than needed. I kept seeking that one sentence that would just sink in, but never found it.<br/><br/>The story is beautiful and beautifully written. Despite my comments, I strongly recommend this book as long as you are prepared to stick with it until the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FMPXDIOV2Q69?ASIN=0316055441	I thought The Goldfinch was a good entertaining read all in all	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought The Goldfinch was a good entertaining read all in all. It started out slow in my opinion but definitely ramped up with the appearance of Boris. Boris is one of those characters you really really like in spite of everything he does. The reader just can't help but feel for his situation in life. The way characters drift in and out of Theo's life is both intriguing and somewhat annoying. The author does a great job in making you care for these characters (such as Hobie, the benevolent beneficiary) and once the reader is invested in the story you just want more and more of their involvement. I was a little disappointed in the ending of the book though. I thought it was all wrapped up just a little too neatly and things were just explained away while at the same time in a way things weren't really explained at all.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T34YS7F8EMQK?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I went to Bennington, and I am used to Bennington alum becoming famous writers, or at least attempting to become famous writers, but Tartt really has a talent.<br/><br/>Great premise, great characters (Love Boris! Was reading with a Russian accent for weeks after reading this!), AMAZING dialogue--it had me skipping some parts just to get to more dialogue.<br/><br/>It is a bit long winded, as others have commented. The story itself could have ended about 25 pages sooner than it does. But, she is attentive to detail and it shows her dedication to research, accuracy, and details so I appreciate it.<br/><br/>Tartt really gets you attached to Theo. My favorite section of his life is when they're all in Vegas.<br/><br/>This book came highly recommended to me and I loved it, so I highly recommend it to others as well.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23L39BMZWKFJU?ASIN=0316055441	I thought this book was way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is strong but I didn't care for the characters and after about 450 pages I lost interest in the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R303VUVUI9V6PX?ASIN=0316055441	Did not like it at all	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not like it at all.  The beginning rambled, the middle was tolerable and the last 10% never ended.  Too wordy.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R323SCO53P7A74?ASIN=0316055441	Bah Humbug	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would not give it even one star but I had to in order to give my opinion.  How in the world did she win a prize?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NCLV21ZAZ3QW?ASIN=0316055441	Good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. Good details to enhance the story and keep the reader intrigued. Would recommend to all of my friends.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OK66Z65GORJS?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best book I have read in a long time.<br/>It was recommended to me and I am certainly doing the same.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MPOUUOF14MZ3?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be fascinating at the same time it was ponderous and discouraging.  This young man's life was so fraught with disaster--and his inability to find a safe person, a sane, safe person, to be his friend and to care for him was the hardest part.  I know there are people whose lives mirror his in real life, but it seemed that a person could not possible survive the amount of addiction that he sustained and grow up to the age he was at the end, making wiser choices.  In this respect, it was unrealistic.  I agree with the NYTimes evaluation that the ending did not fit with the rest of the story. It was unsatisfying and felt ""tacked on"" to bring a conclusion to a book that had no ultimate purpose statement.  Having said this, I found that I could not stop reading.  I kept hoping for redemption.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VMMYCD1DCTHO?ASIN=0316055441	Different and absorbing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the book, at least most of it. I thought the characters were well written but I do hope most teenagers in Las Vegas do not use as many drugs as the teenagers in the book do.  I'm used to long books, so that's no problem but there was so much detail about New York City, especially the streets, that I could have omitted.  I could also have omitted the philosophy in the last 5 to 20 pages. If I wanted to read philosophy, I would not pick a current novel about teen age boys/ young men. In a lot of ways, it seems Theo is wasting his life.  He flew around buying back furniture he should never have sold.  I thought Boris was portrayed as a young Russian in a way that is almost a cliché.  He drank too much, too many drugs, crime, criminal friends. I feel that too many Russians are shown in this way in literature.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRS2GY1XAB5G7?ASIN=0316055441	Maybe It's Just Me. . .	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Maybe it's just me, because I know so many people loved this book and devoured it. I have been slogging through it for over a month now, and while I certainly like it - and the first section of the book *is* very gripping, I have found it slow and ponderous in some sections.  Don't get me wrong - I think it's a fascinating premise and  well-written.  The characters are well-defined and engaging - although I don't get a very strong sense about identifying with any of them, and there are so many characters woven in and out of the story.  I almost feel apologetic because I recognize the sheer accomplishment of writing such a book, and I also feel like a ""spoil-sport"". So this is neither good nor bad objectively.  I think -- It's just me.  (And I will finish it and if my opinion changes I will edit my post.)</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NRCU7VJPWSHQ?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth the time it took to read it. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not worth the time it took to read it.  Way too long.  Only finished it because it was a choice for my book club.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20APX6MZV0VL?ASIN=0316055441	love it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Big book, so far so ,so good! Not finished yet but already know it will be a favorite. Great plot and characters.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LC6ESQ14I2GS?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldmammoth	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After hearing so much about this book its great to have finally powered through this behemoth. Clocking at almost 800 pages I wouldn't embark on this one unless you are in for the long haul.<br/><br/>The first thing that struck me about Goldfinch, was the high level of descriptive language presented without detracting from the smooth flow of the novel. One felt like they were in the same place as the protagonist.<br/><br/>The story is a big achievement cataloguing the narrators loves, vices, passions and dreams all a huge epic tale.<br/><br/>My only fault for this piece was the at times meandering plot let me down in terms of tension - Theo felt like a man thrown around by circumstance and of course was not the purest of souls, so I often found myself wondering what I was actually rooted for in this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ROQJWBPWRWMT?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved, loved The Secret History; loved The Little Friend and was greatly disappointed by The Goldfinch.  I hope the Pulitizer was given for the bulk of her work as I don't see The Goldfinch as being that deserving of the prize.  The story is engrossing at first but is very slow and cumbersome at other parts.  By the end of the book, I found myself wishing that Theo would commit suicide.  Talk about a worthless life!  I know he experienced a tragedy but, come on, I don't think it was all that bad.  His heavy drug and alcohol use became a total issue for me.  Tons of the story line is almost unbelievable.  Like, why would he follow Boris to Amsterdam, what was the possible reason for that???  Sorry but I have to say, don't buy this book.  Be happy with the first two and hope that her fourth is on a better note.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NJOUD33NW8MV?ASIN=0316055441	"Read ""The Secret History"" Instead"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It has taken me a long time to write a review for this book.  I first heard about the author after reading an article about Ms. Tartt in Vanity Fair magazine.  I read The Secret History and was hooked!  The book had me glued to it.  Based on that I could not wait to read The Goldfinch. Although some parts were a little far fetched, I was enjoying the book until the end.  Without ruining this for anyone, I will just say I felt I was watching an episode of ""Designing Women"" and Julia Sugarbaker just finished one of her ""speeches"".  However, when Julia Sugarbaker spoke, it was shorter, to the point and much wittier!<br/>Other readers may end up with a ""take away"" message from this book, but unfortunately for me, The Goldfinch ended up taking time I can never get back - very disappointing.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27JW74A7TRCU5?ASIN=0316055441	An experience	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'll be the first to admit it took me more than a year to complete this read and, all along the way, heard nothing but fellow readers and reviewers lamenting it. It took me so long to finish, not only because of the obvious length, but because it was so amazingly well written that I actually had to put it down for periods at a time because the difficult scenarios Theo encounters were just too emotionally painful. It depressed me in the best possible way. Even as I sat at a coffee shop reading the final pages at break-neck pace, desperate to finally find out what happens, I realized the stranger across from me had just begun reading the same book. Continually distracted, he kept checking his phone and said, ""I hope it picks up soon..."" No, this book is not for everyone, but for me it was an experience.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IUIJJAKO5B19?ASIN=0316055441	Fasten your Seat Belt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I guess I have to give it four stars since it won the Pulitzer.  It gets a little long, but the author has a tremendous feel for the prose and vivid descriptions of the Art world, drug use, addiction, antique furniture and teen age angst.  Wow, how did she ever acquire all this knowledge. The story revolves around Theo, a young boy who loses his mother at a young age and a famous painting called the Goldfinch, which is actually a real painting.  The story is too long and involved to describe in a review, but it covers a lot of territory, can be slightly depressing at times but will hold your attention until the end. It's not your average quick read with a familiar plot with boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love, boy and girl break up, boy and girl get back together and all is good.  Fasten your seat belt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9W717NZG05PV?ASIN=0316055441	BRILLIANT FIRST THIRD - WORTHLESS LAST THIRD, OH WELL, SO MUCH FOR THE PULITZER PRIZE	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WHAT STARTS OUT AN EMOTIONALLY MOVING AND SURPRISING ENGAGING REMINISCENCE OF EARLY STAGES OF LIFE, EARLY DEPENDENCY UPON OUR MOTHER'S LOVE, AND THE EARLY AWAKENING OF THE EXPLORATORY MIND, TURNS INTO A CONFUSED RAMBLE OF AN AUTHOR WHOSE IDENTITIY FUSES WITH HER PRIMARY CHARACTER, WHO'S BRAIN, IN TURN, IS COMPROMISED BY ALCOHOL AND DRUGS, AND A CHRONICALLY IMMATURE, UNDISCIPLINED CPNSTRUCTION OF REALITY.  SHE ALSO SLIPS INTO MEANDERING, FRIVILOUS, 13-YEAR-OLD-GIRL, EMOTIONAL REACTIONS TO THE EVENTS OF THE STORY LINE BY THE END OF THE LABORIOUS READ. IT FELT LIKE I WAS READING THE SECOND HALF FOR THE 10 YEARS IT TOOK FOR HER TO FINISH THE BOOK. SHE NEEDED TO GIVE THIS BOOK TO A RESPECTED FRIEND TO EDIT OUT AT LEAST 250 PAGES LINE BY LINE AND THUS REVEAL HER WONDERFUL TALENT ON THROUGH TO THE END OF THE BOOK.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L9BFFZ6GK99G?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a work, a challenge for me. Sometimes I wanted to stop, to quit, but I couldn't. It pulled me in. The Goldfinch is beautifully written. You connect with the character, you almost feel like his parent, rooting for him and scolding him when he makes a wrong decision. I didn't really understand the point/theme until near the end, when all the different parts of the story came together to give a powerful message about love and lost, about how one thing can determine who we are and what path we will go down for the rest of our lives. I would recommend this book to people who want a challenge. If you want a book that is exciting and makes you want to keep reading, don't read this. But if you start reading this, you have to stick with it until the end. It is worth it. This was very powerful writing</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R2S8MR48Y6YC?ASIN=0316055441	Over written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really struggled to make it through this book.  It was very slow reading.  This book is boring and depressing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HW6U48M2A6CP?ASIN=0316055441	GREAT WRITING BUT DEPRESSING STORY	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author of this book is an outstanding writer and deserved the Pulitzer.  But, God, it is a depressing story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8FNQ0LK85IJW?ASIN=0316055441	Taking literature to another level	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No words come close to capturing the depth and sweep of this incredible novel. Not only is the story completely compelling but the writing is, quite simply, beautiful. There are times when the action moves with such momentum that you could almost miss the intensity of the language, which makes it a book I'll keep returning to, if only to savour the words themselves.<br/>Few novels deliver everything but this one does: vivid and complex characters; delicate observations of everyday details; a plot which is intimately connected with the lives and emotions of the characters; philosophical ideas cleverly interwoven with the story; stunning and powerful writing..<br/>The scope and range of this novel is vast, intricate and unforgettable; a book you can't stop reading and yet you never want to reach the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REAA6RQ3LFBJQ?ASIN=0316055441	solid immersion required!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First 2/3 of this book was a page-turner. I mean, a stay-up-reading-till-2AM kind of book.  Ms. Tartt deserves kudos for being able to write a story from a man's POV.  The book held my entire interest, even excitement, to see how this scenario played out, at least until the Amsterdam story.  At that point, it seemed to be disjointed to me, almost like a jarring other book I might be reading at the same time.  As events unfolded in Amsterdam, I was disappointed that Theo as I had known him seemed to become an alien; another persona in his body.  The conclusion was wordy, confusing, unsettling--although the darkness was obviously the point the author wanted to convey.  I will be re-thinking this book for some period, and only time will tell me if I actually ENJOYED it, or if I wanted it to be so much more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LCVARVW93ADC?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have 100 or so pages to go of this book but what had kept me going was the stolen picture.  However, I lost interest when Theo bumps into Boris in New York.  Theo's interest in following Boris to get the picture back after all these years seems  implausible and I felt like commercials were being thrown into the story even in the last 150 pages when the plot should be moving fast and furiously.  But no, more sidetracks and therefore a very protracted storyline.  I am just wondering what was the point of the story.  It didn't really have a message.  I loved some of the characters and yes, the beginning and Las Vegas were great reads with great imagery and strong characters. it was a thriller but definitely not a clever one.  In the grand scheme of things, in my opinion, the story did not add up to much.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DVS825UDBYWM?ASIN=0316055441	Too much of the dark side	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is vivid and descriptive of the events that shape the life of the main character.  At the beginning he is very likable and you clearly empathize with his situation on all fronts.  But when his life takes a downturn, which I understand is necessary for the plot development, he becomes unlikable and my interest in reading further waned.  I did finish the book and interest did pick up again in the last third but it fell off abruptly in the way it finished.  I bought this in hard cover with the hopes of it bring my contribution to a New Year's eve book exchange, but given my overall evaluation, I am not going to do it as I would not recommend it to those in my reading circle.  BTW the Goldfinch painting is currently on tour in NY at the Frick Museum where I saw it just before starting the book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CDE52YB6LAYM?ASIN=0316055441	Yummy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Many readers have criticized Tartt for her unlikely premise in The Goldfinch. Some have said they didn't care about the characters. I have a feeling it is fashionable to ""dis"" her right now because the book is popular, so it is cool to say it is too flawed a novel. Well, she had me within a few pages--I willingly suspended my disbelief on all matters and dove into the book, unwilling to come up for air except to eat and sleep. I did care about the characters and the plot was wonderfully Dickensian. A big, fat, juicy, novel. Yes, things got wrapped up in a tidy fashion, but this did not detract anything for me. My only criticism is the length of the ending...she could have cut 20-30 pages for a slightly tighter narrative close--got polemical at the end, which was distracting and not necessary.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MUIDX7UF3AUY?ASIN=0316055441	well done and creative like a detailed painting of a Dali and the suble ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is captivating. I could not put the book down and the characters were created so well that they became a member of my own family.  On a psychological level, the author gives us an understanding of the personal torture of loss and abuse and the wound that does not totally or necessarily heal.  Each character was driven by his own imprint with the author's view that hope of a 'good' outcome can sometimes propell a person away from the 'bad' by colliding life circumstances and characters that have the wit to sieze an opportunity.  We get a wide range of understanding and the motivational choices of characters that are in emotional pain and their struggle to be whole.  This is a book well worth reading, well done and creative like a detailed painting of a Dali and the suble glow of a Rembrandt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36PBNEH0RPTDF?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt's book Goldfinch focused upon the main characters' drug use ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's book Goldfinch focused upon the main characters' drug use as a result of boredom teens feel when their parents are absent, a need to escape abusive parents, and as  a fear response of young adults who have experienced tragedies which affect them throughout their lives.  One theme permeates the book: fate takes a turn and forever changes our lives without regard to socioeconomic circumstances or age.  .  At times the drug use and aftermath of blackouts and crazy decisions as a result became too much to take.  However Donna Tartt masterfully concludes the book with connections of the human condition, and the tethered Goldfinch.  The offensive drug use and the masterfully written conclusion left me with a WOW response.  A truly unique book with several important themes for all of us to ponder.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JJR6JUTNKNO0?ASIN=0316055441	Average, that best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading the reviews, by publishers and by the average Joe, I had high expectations for this book. I delved into it with excitement, and for the most part in be beginning part of the book, it held up to the critics review. It was powerful, eloquently written, and moving. That, however, was before the main character seemed to flounder mid-way through the book. Without giving way any details, in case you haven't read it and/or are still deciding....once the character makes a major life change, after the death of his mother....I felt he was just existing. It was slow placed, even though there was character development. I often felt myself flipping through the book to see how much I had left to get to the next chapter. It didn't quite live up to my expectations, but maybe I had my bar set too high?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WWY3VUC0LJFF?ASIN=0316055441	I'm really puzzled by The Goldfinch's best seller status and all the kudos it has gotten	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ugh!! I've read almost one-third of the book and I'm seriously considering not finishing it, even though I usually try to finish everything my book discussion group reads. (This is one of three groups I belong to, so I'm a very dedicated reader.) I haven't been a Donna Tartt fan in the past, and The Goldfinch reinforces my opinion. I'm really puzzled by The Goldfinch's best seller status and all the kudos it has gotten. Her authorial vision is so DARK that in spite of her obvious skill as a writer, I find her works depressing and hard slogging. I see from other reviews that I'm not alone in this assessment. However, the wide variance in opinion about this book might make it good for discussion in our group. I just have to decide if I'm going to bail or keep reading something I DON""T enjoy . . .</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35WN1ZM1BRGIQ?ASIN=0316055441	long but good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Plot was good but drawn out and anticlimactic<br/>I was for more of a twist. First half better than the second</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28L5SYCA9XAU7?ASIN=0316055441	much too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book could have been done in one third of the pages.  Very disappointing. I would not recommend this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FRU191HURQV7?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was brilliantly written.  I am sad that it is over!  I will be looking for more books by Donna Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25377IHXSNG71?ASIN=0316055441	Somewhat interesting, but not my type of story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have not finished reading it as it seems very convoluted.  The narrative does not seem to flow very smoothly.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S5R1HQISY0NL?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting plot, but the author is way to wordy ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting plot, but the author is way to wordy.  The book should have been cut in half.  Writing is mediocre.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L2KTTXQ1ZJDM?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome novel. Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome novel. Loved it! Loved it! Loved it!  Hard to put down.  A page turner.  Wanted it to go on forever !!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IDCA2PFL8372?ASIN=0316055441	Oliver Twist meet the Maltese Falcon with Great Expectations and it's too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really wanted to like this book... the hype was great so the let down was even worse.  It was too darn long and not interesting enough.  It felt like a whole lot of little stories stuck into one book.  I feel terrible to say bad things about something someone worked so hard to do, but I decide oftentimes whether or not to buy a book based on the reviews.  I find that many books get hyped and then it's like the Emperor Has No Clothes... the book is not that good but because everyone is saying it's good you think you are missing something.  There's a little of everything in this book if that's what you are looking for; a little Oliver Twist, the Maltese Falcon, and Great Expectations sans the good writing.  My book club really wanted to read it and most liked the book and all agreed it's too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17OPSFQ72UF30?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!!!! Crime and Punishment, Catcher in the Rye and Harry Angstrom all in one	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The protagonist Theo Decker is, as Ponyboy Curtis describes Dallas Winston in The Outsiders, ""so real he scares me."" This novel does a wonderfully realistic job of taking the reader through a lifelong journey of putting wrongs to rights. The main conflict begins in a visceral moment for a readership that still recalls the raw horror of the attacks on September 11, 2001.<br/><br/>After that painfully similar event, which occurs in Manhattan of all places, Theo conducts a meandering crusade to correct mistakes that he has made, only to make new mistakes along the way. If that were not enough, the hero carries the cross for the sins of other major characters in the book, blaming himself for their actions and outlook on the world. All the while, he tries to find a solution to an unwavering problem -- return a priceless treasure that he finds himself to be in possession of. Unlike Frodo Baggins who returns the one ring with a single minded focus of triumphing over evil, the hero is not gallant. He is flawed, scared, scarred, selfish, cowardly and rash in his decision making.<br/><br/>Increasingly penitent for his sins, the hero keeps making mistake like Updike's Rabbit Angstrom. However, Theo Decker never gives up his quest to pay for his sins, like Dostoyevsky's Raskolnikov, Decker maintains a single minded focus to reconcile his wrongdoings, and, more importantly, a way to finally feel comfortable in his own skin.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22W7I00UBWY4B?ASIN=0316055441	Classic American Fiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this story for multiple reasons: That is it about art and antiques, about relationships gone awry &amp; betrayal by parents and friends, about people who end up being your family when yours is too screwed up from people's own misadventure,  or through life events out of their control ... and about the fallout from trying to escape childhood, coming into your own, making mistakes when young. Very few books drive me to finish, but this one was different. I wanted to see where all these people went and where The Goldfinch ended up. Technically, I liked the reading level of this book and the author's style. The story is worldly, deals with damned dirty habits and gritty elements of life, but also shows that love comes from unexpected places. There is a reason it won a Pulitzer and well-deserved.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A14VIK17LJEP?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt has a gift of beautifully describing everything. From  characters, scenes, inner thoughts, redemption, death, addiction, pain, and joy- she truly allows the reader to feel and experience them in a way that makes the words seem as if they were your own.  Some passages I wanted to share aloud, as I felt they so adequately and eloquently described my experience with the subjects or brought such a vivid picture to mind. A book this size is a commitment, but I enjoyed it and would recommend it to avid readers.  I cannot decide between four and five stars because I do not want to punish an author for filling a book with so much rich detail, but I would love a novel I could devour quicker!  I gave it five because I wasn't desperate for it to end-and- at this length, for me, that is quite a feat!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUQ52QJLE8ZEW?ASIN=0316055441	A boy who held on to love	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Goldfinch. It is the story of a boy who held on to love... It was well written and it kept you guessing.  Succinctly describes the young boy's confusion, fears and ultimate reasoning. ""A tumbling weed has no control where the wind blows it.."" a boy left adrift,  for he too was at the mercy of adults/ authorities. His trepidation, his relationships with others and his dysfunctional family. His courage in putting a strong face and guard his vulnerability. I felt for him; I was engrossed in his plight, that I was distressed about the possible murder wrap. It echoed our modern day lives, in where we are so involved within ourselves, that so much goes unnoticed; or that we have become immune to others. And kids have to grow up, quickly. It's an adult world!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GR033WA2P0CP?ASIN=0316055441	Great audiobook.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great novel, many twist.  Listened to it on audiobook, on a long trip.  Made the driving a lot more enjoyable.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17TZWS1YVXWTA?ASIN=0316055441	I thought this book was depressing, and had no ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this book was depressing, and had no redeeming qualities!  I had no idea why it was an award winner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E9RUAE51P21E?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved part of it, couldn't stand other parts, and was bored by others.  The writing is excellent throughout.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N4ZHK5845MPF?ASIN=0316055441	Started off great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book. however, it ran a bit long. The author should have edited out about 75 pages of the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19JE3EK8FZMGW?ASIN=0316055441	Astute, careful, and creative	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is unbelievably astute, careful, and creative.  How does anyone write this well?!  Her literary novel started off feeling like a stranger I happened to be sharing the living room with, and finished feeling like a friend, who had just confided in me.  This work of art is flawless - plot and character development must have been done with painstaking care.  I agree with other reviewers that some parts are slow, but that only added to my enjoyment.  Real life alters it's tempo.  Real people do get stuck in habits that aren't good for them.  Real people struggle daily with living.<br/><br/>I expect I will be reflecting on this novel for weeks, and intend to re-read it and recommend it to friends who will appreciate a thoughtful novel.  This is not a thriller, but it is thrilling.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LC432VJYSQL9?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful piece of art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Despite its indulgent length and the sometimes dry or overworked writing, this book about art is itself a work of art.  A lot has been made of echoes of Dickens but it also very deliberately evokes Proust, in story, structure, scope and the writing itself, and in its sweeping evocation of sensuality in many forms.<br/><br/>The painting is a deep, rich metaphor but at the same time an actual character in the book, whose story and meanings are mined beautifully.  There are sections so overdone one must slog through in hopes the story will get better, and it does.  The end is gorgeous and on the first read renders the author's excesses forgiveable.<br/><br/>Tartt has much to say, at times too much, but her ""Goldfinch"", like the painting, is a beautiful, deep and significant piece of art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZFZWNYX0Q8R8?ASIN=0316055441	Holden Forever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a beautiful coming of age book, Donna Tartt is a wonderful writer and I am reading it very parsimoniously, in the hope it never ends. It is only inspired by The Catcher in The Rye, but a completely different fiction, it has a bombing in the Met,  it has Vegas, russians, a stolen classic painting, it is enourmous and very difficult to stop reading it and get on with your life. The New York the book describes is more real, more dirty, more dangerous, more ruthless. Our hero is not so pure and naive It is a whole new word, a whole new book, written by a very great new writer with her own pathos. Sometimes Is stop reading it to cry a little. I  shouldn't write this comment before finishing the book but, as I said, I think that I will only finish reading it for the trhid time in 2015.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R226DIORO574SN?ASIN=0316055441	Over the course of the books beautiful prose and contemplative passages I felt completely immersed in ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a book.<br/><br/>This is a dark, twisting, journey into the dark underbelly of the art and antique world as well as into the mind of the main character Theo. Over the course of the books beautiful prose and contemplative passages I felt completely immersed in Theo's mind. I felt his grief over his mother, the connection to the beloved Goldfinch painting, and his longing for the lovely Pippa.<br/><br/>The themes of art and it's connection to life, grief, individuality, fate, happenstance, and love really got to me. While both Theo and his friend Boris are not particularly savory characters, Tartt wrote them so well that they are real people. Completely three dimensional in a way that makes you accept their flaws and see not the deeds that they did, but the intention behind them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NDJBNHNK7NBB?ASIN=0316055441	A Superb Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch pulls the reader in ways that reflect the best writing. Donna Tartt's writing is superb. She offers description and elaboration on characters and events in ways that enliven both. The characters are intriguing as they are presented in depth and as real and complex at the same time. They evidence a broad range of emotions and are dealing with life's challenges in the best way they can. The characterizations are so powerful that the reader can picture the main cast as if watching a wonderfully engrossing movie. The plot is intriguing and it consistently engages the reader throughout the book. The chronicling of a young man's journey from childhood to adulthood accurately portrays the confluence of choice and circumstance and how it plays a role in our lives. This is a must read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G4RZWHGAW28K?ASIN=0316055441	And at best I had only a superficial understanding or the other ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I guess it just wasn't for me.  I felt the author languished in details that did not drive or help tell the story.  I had no feelings or empathy for the kid and no understanding of his erractic choices as a child or adult. And at best I had only a superficial understanding or the other important (or at least often mentioned) characters.  I never felt connected. I finished reading the book because I had great expectations and had invested so much time.  My mistake.  This story has had no impact on me and I'm fairly certain that for me it will only be a memory of finite, limited reading time wasted and lost forever. Upside:  Reading the description of the painting did make me want to go to a museum.  For me, looking at beautiful art would have been a better option than reading this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YRZVMJOUUCNO?ASIN=0316055441	I know why the caged bird cries--it had to read this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not as big a fan of this book as it's many accolades led me to believe.  I found the book a bit 'draggy'.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CC0WB94SWUTK?ASIN=0316055441	I bought this because it was on the NYT best seller list	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this because it was on the NYT best seller list.  I ploughed through it, but would not recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3314TCIBUBGGS?ASIN=0316055441	Sounded like a drug addicl wrote this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sounded like a drug addicl wrote this book. The basic story was interesting but the other stuff got in my way</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NL0X4YFQHHMQ?ASIN=0316055441	Sparrows are just as good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How does this get on the best seller list.  Starts out great and then moves into predictable stuff.  Come on!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36QF85ASA3WV9?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt, a very fine writer.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading the Secret History, her first novel, I was hooked on Tartt.  Then followed The Little Friend and then the long wait for novel 3 The Goldfinch.  It's a very long read and my only complaint was that I feel at least 50 pages could have been left out or maybe I was just tired of reading it and that is why I did not give it the 5 stars that I think it deserves.  Donna Tartt digs deeply into her characters and inserts her razor sharp observations about people who get in trouble and can't find their way out.  Somehow, they do.  It is important to me when reading a novel to know the characters intimately, Donna Tartt provides this intimacy and you feel as though if you saw these characters in real life you would be able to pick them out of a crowd.  It was worth the 8 yr. wait.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F0Q05JMKYOBY?ASIN=0316055441	Immersive and Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the type of book that I didn't want to end.  Donna Tartt opens a door to her main character young Theo's thoughts, feelings and world, and that world is so real that I lived Theo's life wth him -- for good or for bad.  Often, I know a book is a book when I'm reading it and am critiquing it in my mind as I turn the pages, but the best books are different:  they are like holodecks in  sci-fi movies -- I am present with the characters (happy along with them and frightened along with them) and not at all a separate person considering their ideas and actions until perhaps the very end when the last word is read.  That is what Dickens and other great novelists do for me.  So does Donna Tartt.  Also,  I suggest her first novel The Secret History, one of my all-time modern favorites.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O3ALPAN9ZVGI?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt is the most amazing writer.  I remember how impressed I was with the Secret history.  Then I read the Little Friend and thought- wow- completely different and even better!  Now we have a 3rd book, totally different from the other two.  I wouldn't have known Tartt wrote it if her name wasn't on it.  And it's exceptional.  Might be even better than the Little Friend.  It's Dickensian in scope- and sort of a Great Expectations coming of age story, or maybe it's Oliver Twist- I'm not sure, but the scope is great, and yet, there's also an intimacy to it since we are so in the mind of the protagonist.  I really enjoyed this and could not put it down.  I read it much too fast, because I liked it so much.  At some point I will have to go read it again so I can savor Ms. Tartt's prose.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UHEK0K6VU6ST?ASIN=0316055441	The good - fascinating story with many interesting characters and unusual ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The good - fascinating story with many interesting characters and unusual and creative circumstances. The bad - the book seems to be what happens when you take postmodernism to its logical conclusion--a main character that is so bland as to be hard to remain interested in, someone without any real moral compass, without a real purpose, without any defining characteristic, without sufficient drive to fight or pursue anything with vigor. The main character is almost a spectator in his own book, simply carried along by events driven by others and passively absorbing without the strength of purpose to direct himself in any meaningful way. So I enjoyed the story telling but found the main character difficult to bother with and a lot of his internal thoughts and feelings grew tiresome.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z9ACCNB4447V?ASIN=0316055441	The descriptions of PTSD were so tedious that i almost developed PTSD from reading them	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Parts of this novel were fascinating. Some of the characters held my attention. Boris was an interesting character as was Hobe. The main character was less satisfactory. He starts out as a derivative Holden Caulfield. Then he grows up to become a yuppy substance abuser. Ultimately, the entire mood of the novel was very dark. The descriptions of PTSD were so tedious that i almost developed PTSD from reading them.  The ending seemed patched together, like she could not figure out how to end it. So, she threw out a bunch of platitudinous abstractions that anyone with a half a brain would have derived for himself/herself. Even the whole bit about the Dutch painting seems like it was derivative of The Girl with The Pearl Ear Ring. So, I was stunned as to why this won a Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YOQFL4H9N5K8?ASIN=0316055441	Awful book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hated this book.  I don't like Theo and I can't relate or even feel sorry for him.  Don't waste your time.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J3PPU8OWX976?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very good read interesting lead character very intriguing, sometimes kind of got ponderous but worth reading</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31CTG7W8I216S?ASIN=0316055441	Half a star!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book most difficult - I think the award was entirely unjustified. Time can be far better spent!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLXWRWWN8QQ4U?ASIN=0316055441	"Thanks to Seth Myers for recommending ""The Goldfinch""!"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thanks to Seth Myers for recommending ""The Goldfinch""! It has EVERYTHING you want in a novel. It definitely deserves all the accolades it has received, and was a revelation to me about what being a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel means. I always assumed that meant dry, wordy, high-brow fare unsuitable as an entertaining read. Boy, was I wrong! You will be transported into an amazingly rich landscape of love, angst, terrorism, intrigue, art, abuse, redemption, crime, culture, craftmanship, history, murder, courage, salvation, fear, philosophy...everything you can imagine artfully and engagingly portrayed in the story of the life of one young man who finds himself living through one extraordinary circumstance after another. Get it. Read it. Be haunted by it. You'll be glad you did.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CYH8OVU60NIT?ASIN=0316055441	Prizeworthy but flawed at the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a fascinating story that was both fantastic and did not suspend disbelief.  The characters were well developed and consistent.  I enjoyed it very much.<br/>My fault with it is in the ending, where desperate circumstances are suddenly resolved and the narrator shifts to a non-fiction tome on philosophy, seemingly to justify all that went before.  That seems the new Deus ex machine technique, which Green uses in ""Looking for Alaska"" and Zuzak in ""I am the Messenger"".<br/>Don’t get me wrong.  I enjoyed all of those immensely.  I just wish fiction authors would finish what they started the way they started.  I know, it is difficult to write out of a corner one has created.  There are alternatives -  Steinbeck simply stopped the story without conclusion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VJC95CNZFEFK?ASIN=0316055441	Very Good; Not Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">With all the ""hype"" about this Pulitzer Prize winning book, I thought for sure I would end up rating it 5 stars. I didn't because IMO it doesn't quite make the grade. Don't get me wrong -- for the most part I did enjoy this book, and it's very well written with wonderful descriptions. I guess mostly I was disappointed with the ending -- things got wrapped up so quickly/so neatly that that it almost seems like the ending to another story completely. Also, the book/story could have been tightened up quite a bit and nothing would have been lost. There were several places where it rambled and spun off into philosophical tangents that really didn't add anything to the story; rather they seemed out of character for Theo. I mean, who actually goes around thinking like this?(</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R361XQG38X0WOQ?ASIN=0316055441	Simply an amazing novel!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've read literally thousands of novels in my life, but none have quite grabbed me and held onto me like The Goldfinch before. Even days later I continue to think about Theo, Boris, Hobie, Pippa and the countless others traveling through this exploration of humanity and life.  The novel not only entrances the reader with a terrific story and adventure, but also propels the reader to ask themselves important questions about life, success, happiness, love and good vs. evil.  This was definitely one of the best novels I've read in the last decade or so; the only other novels I can think of that impacted me quite as much recently were The Life of Pi and The Kite Runner.... Do yourself a favor and read this beautiful, tragic, intense and sweeping story...you won't be disappointed.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U1CP9KHSJ89Q?ASIN=0316055441	The book, lists of words, 700+ pages of them, separated by commas.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this because it was a Pulitzer Prize winner. It was mildly engaging; however, I listened to others in between. I asked others who had read it if it was worth finishing, and I was told yes, but not enthusiastically. The book could have been cut by 300 pages. The writing style, incomplete sentences, separated by commas and colons, lists of words, meaningless words meant to be descriptive, and they went on: words, stringing together, by commas, meant to convey what Amsterdam looked like to someone who was ill, meant to convey what a boy felt, running away on a bus, a dog, huddled in a bag, eyes wide, looking up, bow still in fur, no hairballs for dogs. You get the idea. I did enjoy the ending, both that it was over, that I had endured, and for a wee bit of the message.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FFUJ9APFC92A?ASIN=0316055441	AUDIO BOOK - many twists and turns	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So I listen to books every week. I found this book, like many audio suspense books have a lot of details to describe the backdrop of each scene. From the start it was interesting but as time went on, the book became more interesting. Then I found myself, listening to the book on the way home as well as, sitting in the driveway to hear what happens next. About half way the story begins to have twists and turns and you begin to wonder where the relationships and situations are going next.<br/><br/>I would rate this 3.5 out of 5 stars.<br/><br/>33+ hours for an audio book, overall I was pleased with the book.<br/>Many times I thought to myself many times while listening to the suspenseful situations in this book; What are they doing and boy, I am not going to that mistake!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O4OC6XV8E2M0?ASIN=0316055441	emotions and art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliantly crafted! A real page turner following the life of a troubled young boy and his relationships with people he met through unexpected events and in the first case a disaster in the museum!! This connected him to Art, in particular the painting of the Goldfinch. Relationships are drawn so well and many of the characters come alive and are cared about by the reader. The only section which I did not particularly enjoy was later in the book surrounding events which happened in Amsterdam. Background information seemed more sketchily drawn than other parts of the novel, However, I still feel it's a great read! Would recommend it to gain an understanding of how troubled youths think and act and how Art can impact on such people during their life and as they slowly mature.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GCZFJ5CIB6GS?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed the book very much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book very much, especially the characters.  I could vividly picture each one in my mind and thought they were well developed and consistent.  The plot was interesting and I looked forward to where the story would take me. The author has a knack for narratives and descriptions and for drawing the reader in.  However, though I think this is one of her strongest attributes, and this may seem contradictory, I found the length of descriptions often times to be distracting.  I found myself at times going back just to count how many words were in a sentence; for example, I counted one sentence with 432 words.  During those seemingly endless lines, I found myself focusing on that and not what was actually written.  Fortunately, the vast majority of the book was great!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF3EB5IORUFB0?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer? How embarrassing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I think of the Pulitzer, I think enlightenment. Heart gripping, mind-bending. This book obviously brings Art along, hoping to achieve that goal. For me, it falls quite short.<br/>Good story line, for city kids. Shades of 'Catcher in the Rye' in its initial setting and characters. But that I suppose is designed to make up for later triteness and fairly sloppy plot. Boris conveniently Ukrainian demonstrating how little what an American knows about the world. Other characters used and dismissed in short order without any real significance. Way too long (shades of Russian literature), with what amounts to an apology at the end, just in case we didn't 'get it.'<br/>Pulitzer prize? You must be kidding me. Would recommend to readers with lots of time and low expectations.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HRD21UPZPBX7?ASIN=0316055441	Tough Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was counting the pages to completion. To say that this was a tough read would be an understatement. The characters were somewhat original and interesting; however, none, including the main character Theo, could glean any sympathy from this reader. They were individuals whose lives were shaped by their own poor judgments and mistakes. Yes, they were abused and misguided by others, but they all seemed powerless and unwilling to change the course or direction of the paths they had chosen.<br/><br/>This book seems to epitomize the writings of so many authors today, brooding and fatalistic, dark and humorless in substance and tone. Also, the Pulitzer committee seems to gravitate to these types of novels. They are too long, too philosophical, too unrepentant, and colorless.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19VSLZKI6D48S?ASIN=0316055441	exceptional book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As a writer, I seldom see the type of book I write and want to write and this most definitely is one. Superb in so many ways- characterization, dialogue, plot, general concept. No doubt Tartt kept a picture of The Goldfinch near to her writing space as the feel of the painting infused the book. How amazing that a Dutch painter in 1654 should touch a writer in 2013 in such a way that she brings viewers to his work so very many years later? This book is superb in the same way that To Kill A Mockingbird and so many special books are - with the ability to evoke feelings beyond those for the characters, leaving the reader to wonder abut their own lives, loves, mistakes, and joys. Love to Ms. Tartt from all of us trying so desperately to write books that mean something. Bravo.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SYO92AEOBP0?ASIN=0316055441	Overall good, but disappointing  (Possible spoilers)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am a fan of Donna Tartt, but The Goldfinch was just disappointing.  The first 3/4 of the book are good.  Really good.  Engaging, interesting, keeping you guessing.  But - the last quarter.  Tartt essentially writes herself into a corner and can't figure out how to get out of it.  Angst-ridden, manic Theo ends up....getting engaged? Old, important earlier characters end up reduced to the edges, or dead.  And the final chapters are just ridiculous.  Tartt attempts to solve all Theo's troubles with a bizarre, gangster-riddled episode in Amsterdam, culminating with a solution that wouldn't even work in Hollywood.  At times, it felt like Theo was the doppelganger of Richard Papen (The Secret History), if he'd continued devolving into a strung-out addict.<br/><br/>Too bad.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JMNZ9D0WBH68?ASIN=0316055441	Could not wait for it to end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had heard good things about the book, but I will not recommend it to friends. Tartt is a good writer, and there are paragraphs and pages in the book that are very worth reading. But, taken as a whole, the book is phony and quite overdone. Basically, it seems to be in sections that don't always fit together. The painting is lost to view for chapter after chapter. The boy (and young man) is not believeable and is so shallow as to be almost one-dimensional. Pippa hardly gives the reader any reason for the boy and man to be fixated on her. His attachment to the ""fiancee"" is even less believable. I had to finish it, and was glad when it was finally over. I know good literature - this isn't.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG759I05ORXIK?ASIN=0316055441	If a Friend Recommends this Book, They're Not a Friend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hated this book and so did my book club.  Completely overrated.  Confused as to what all the buzz is about.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TLOKIYXIZQP3?ASIN=0316055441	winner?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">way to long and to many words.  I felt it drug on at the end.  I was surprise it is a pulitzer prize winner</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QDXDJ7LG6E9C?ASIN=0316055441	Thoroughly enjoyable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic modern literature. Interesting and unique story, told elegantly - I thoroughly enjoyed this book!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39K4SUIWWK5MO?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Still trying to make myself finish this book. It rambles way too long, without anything actually happening!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TEV35CWTHJV7?ASIN=0316055441	There was a good story in there somewhere	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just wanted it to end.  Way, way, way too long and descriptive.  There was a good story in there somewhere!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YRF8GXTKO3U1?ASIN=0316055441	A Modern Odyssey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought that it was a complex, interesting book.  Her description of the reactions, dreams, and thoughts of a young boy, who had suddenly lost his beloved mother in a violent fashion, rang true to me.  Having also lost someone very dear very suddenly,  my dreams, etc., were often the same.  I also have a son.  I thought that the protagonist' s turn to drugs and booze was also very realistic given the example set by his father &amp; his girlfriend.  The descriptions of the times, different locations, the main character's<br/>adventures all reminded me of Balzac or Dickens.  Reading was often a painful experience as the character suffered so much and the suffering was so well described,  but, all in all, the book was enlightening, thought provoking, and very well written!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U2OJROX5HN0C?ASIN=0316055441	Disgrace to the Pulitzer Prize!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read the free preview on Kindle and thought the book sounded intriguing. Soon after I paid for it however, I realized my mistake. Prospective buyers should read the negative reviews; every word is true. The writing became so tedious with unnecessary details that I had to stop reading. Also, some of the details describing the protagonist are absurd and could not have happened during the time period in which they took place. I am spared encountering the other problems mentioned by reviewers.<br/>Did the editor even wade through this book? If so, what a sloppy job!<br/><br/>Pulitzer Prize winner? Outrageous and sickening! Literature is in a serious state of decline. The prize is worthless.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LDCBYAZQDSD?ASIN=0316055441	Grabs you in the beginning but then is dull.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book started off well. It was interesting and thought provoking.  But as the story progressed I became disenchanted with the main character and the story line.  By the end of the story, when the author spent page after page after page after...well you get the idea...of telling us her answers to life I was just ready for it to end. In addition there were too many characters just left out there with unfinished stories.  In fact I would have rather learned of their stories than drug through those last 50 pages of monotony.  I wanted to know more about Hobie and Pippa and even his wild Russian friend Boris. At the end of the book I found myself just reading as fast as I could to ""just get to the end already!""  Pulitizer Prize? This reader doesn't think so.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAQVYCPG90P5U?ASIN=0316055441	Meh...it's okay	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm sure I missed something... It's a great story but could've been told in less than 500 pages.<br/><br/>I am not a high brow novelist reader, however, the writing is awesome and clearly Tartt is extremely talented but I am the type of reader that gets bored with over descriptive paragraphs and chapters.  Aynn Rand does the same thing but Atlas Shrugged is one of my top 5 faves.  I loved Theo but got a lil bored with his constant dumb founded'ness in tight situations.  A very symbolic book with lots of love and pain in it, this I thoroughly appreciate.  BUT, again, it could've been executed in 4-500 pages easy.<br/>I actually searched for what makes a Pulitzer prize a Pulitzer Prize... Never found a clear answer.  Again, I'm just a middle of the road reader...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MV8GFK3RMNVU?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">intriguing, but through a boy's perspective. Now 1/3 the way through am still not rushing home to read on.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6SOD58Z9TF9H?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was just ok.  Had a hard time reading to the end. Skipped over most of the last several pages. Got boring.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V59OKQL31Z6J?ASIN=0316055441	Not the greatest	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's really hard to get into. It loses my interest and then I have to keep re-reading what I already read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2482KG0E3V07M?ASIN=0316055441	What started off as a promising read eventually became tedious and I couldn't wait for it to end - ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What started off as a promising read eventually became tedious and I couldn't wait for it to end - a pity.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QREXPRLDTVCU?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really long read.... The story jumped all over the place and the ending was a little ridiculous... Enough!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UZNPSKSAJZKP?ASIN=0316055441	Stupendous. A masterpiece.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I must re-read immediately, so I can capture the deeper meaning beneath the story. And what a story it is!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DFFXCZYP80JQ?ASIN=0316055441	... about a 3 star rating 'cause the writing is good and the story interesting but the book is too ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not quite sure about a 3 star rating 'cause the writing is good and the story interesting but the book is too long with subplots that don't add to the story nor move it forward. Still, I was compelled to read it to the end. The author is a master at suspense. What happens to the painting a 13-year old stole from the museum? Will he ever he ever unite with the girl he saw at the museum and that caused such a  burning flame inside him? These are the questions that keep the reader turning page after tedious page. After a while I started to skip reading through some very long parts that distract from the story and don't add to the wonderful literary style--the superfluous brush strokes that get the viewer's eye rambling through canvas, away from its focus point.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UI9FDHGQT59M?ASIN=0316055441	Are we all Goldfinches?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The fight between the inclination to go good and/or evil is an ever present backdrop in The Goldfinch.  Every individual is given both.  Some call it free will.  Each character in the book is imbued with both and how they deal with it makes for excellent reading.  The painting of the Goldfinch is ever present in the background but also emerges at different times as the main character.  In essence the author compares our personal psychological battles to the physical being of the bird in the painting. Thought processes about the book only start to emerge towards the last chapters.  In other words, the book leaves a lot to think about. The only reason I have not given this book five stars is that I feel that there are a number of passages that were overly verbose.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11G0GEM51W089?ASIN=0316055441	What a gem I stumbled onto!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is worth taking your time to read and re-read chapters for the mere beauty of the author's orchestration of sentences. The story is an Odyssey  of a young boy understanding the role of tragedy in life and fighting for his place in the world as his life. The book is my new favorite classic right up there with Junot Diaz's The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. I  am not a fan of art history due to two traumatizing college courses but very pleased at the way the author explained the art without it going over my head. Wonderful read and this author has the Paulo Cohelo gift of making you want to whisper quietly to yourself quotes from the book until you are able to over-use them in everyday circumstances. Will be re-reading this until I am able to do so!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO48OC0USQC5U?ASIN=0316055441	indifferent Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't understand how this won Pulitzer other than her writing style is different and her story imaginative. Hated the first 100 pages or so, started and finished another book, then picked this book up again. Writer is very creative, if not a little self indulgent with fantasy and outrageous scenarios for a coming of age story. Enjoyed following the character's journey despite the tangential writing. Last 25 pages were a bit self indulgent and pedantic about ""life"" - not sure I can recommend generally bc I think it takes a quirky reader to fully enjoy the entire book. Plus given it's nearly 800 pages you have to be a bit of a masochist since it's a slow read.  Didn't love it ...but at the end -didn't quite hate it either.  Worth borrowing but not buying.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B3DE7J2JZR0O?ASIN=0316055441	Less is more	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'd be willing to bet that everyone who gave this 4 or 5 star reviews only read the first third. That part is engaging and full of interesting characters and situations. If only an editor had convinced Ms. Tartt to cut 200-300 pages, it might have deserved the accolades. Personally, I was engrossed by the NY sections and grossed out by the Las Vegas and Amsterdam bits-- drug and alcohol induced hazes that seemed endless. And, for the love of Pete, how many times did the poor kid have the flu? Seemed like he spent months at deaths door making one HORRIBLE decision after another. It's frustrating when an author with such talent and such a good premise gets lost. And it's baffling to me how nobody along the way, like her agent or her editor, said 'less is more.'</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18R1CAV8S7F14?ASIN=0316055441	Well Worth the Wait	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First, The Secret History is my favorite novel. It supplanted my then-favorite, Catcher in the Rye, when I first read it when I was a sophomore in high school in the 1990's. I have since read The Secret History many times, generally at least once a year. While I was not as impressed with The Little Friend in 2002, I respected what Ms. Tartt was looking to do. The Goldfinch, however, takes me right back to what I love about The Secret History and her writing. It is epic yet small, smart yet not snarky. I do not often devour novels, but I certainly did this one - and I am sure that I will be re-reading it for years to come. It is a novel not without flaws, but still, a novel well done.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUW1N2GMZBCTB?ASIN=0316055441	Hold on to your dream!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I absolutely love the portion of this book that tells about how this boy finds his way after his mother is suddenly taken away from him. The memories that guide him and the author's way of bringing him together with important people in his life are stunning. The descriptions of furniture restoration and all the many unexpected twists and turns of this trade are enlightening. Something  surprising and unpredictable always happens just when you think you are getting settled in to the story.<br/><br/>The part I did not care for was the time spent describing the grungier experiences he had to endure- though true to life,  it became boring at times.<br/><br/>Recommended to readers who like good character development, some mystery, and exploring relationships.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM83M9TDUZLFW?ASIN=0316055441	Not my favorite Donna Tartt book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved Donna Tartt's previous books and was excpecting to feel the same about this one, especially considering the glowing reviews.  But I found that it was relentelessly depressing for one thing, and slightly more than 3/4 of the way through the book, I gave up and skimmed through some pages and read the ending.  And I was glad to have done so, as I would have been disatisfied had I continued the slog.  I enjoyed several aspects of the book, individual scenes stand out in my memory, particularly ones involving the dog.  (I loved the dog/bus ride segment).  But I started to think of the old silent movies I'd heard about called The Perils of Pauline, where just one thing after another was thrown at the character, just so much badness in one life. no thanks.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AQQERV6DU7B3?ASIN=0316055441	totally engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not a great writer of reviews, but just have to say something about The Goldfinch. It's one of those novels that I didn't want to come to an end. I was grateful for its 800 or so pages so that I could keep picking it up night after night and reading it before dozing off - although toward the end I found myself awakening in the night for a bit more and finally reading it through breakfast the next day. I think more than anything (although I loved the overall plot) was the way events and characters were described. The descriptive psycho-traumas reminded me (as I think it did others) of Dostoevsky (although I'll admit it's been a long time since I read Dostoevsky). Anyway, this is one of the very best, totally engaging novels I've read in a very long time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EPGHMVWAWHCR?ASIN=0316055441	Undeserving of a Nobel Prize.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would have never given, The Goldfinch, a Pulitzer prize. It was so unrealistic, and its prose unworthy!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13693EJLIF8O3?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated - difficult to read - nothing like her first book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overrated  - difficult to read - nothing like her first book.  Wonder why it took 11 years to write this.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q06MI88G8MVU?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long to tell the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">lots of drugs, drinking and self indulgence.  I did read it to the end and was disappointed in this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGGDLAD57WT6J?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I'm not a reader who expects or wants a happy ending in every novel, this book was beyond dismal. Theo was a victim of tragic events, yet there were definitely moments of hope and possible redemption. Kobi was a character who, despite his eccentricity, offered some kind of stability. Instead, Theo continues down a path of decadence and personal ruin. True that he was dealt a very bad hand, but to see such an intelligent young man find himself succumbing to a life that would cement his fate was very sad. I found the last 100 pages of the book to be an oddysey beyond credibility.  I started this book with such enthusiasm, and recommended it for my next book club selection. I'd never have done so if I'd finished it before doing so. Very disappointed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FH7T8ZGVN7DI?ASIN=0316055441	Plan on dedicating some time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hmmm...I really wanted to like this book, and I did, in fits and starts. It's a quite wordy book, full of many descriptions and introspection. The urge to skim is quite strong at times. Yet there are also times when you hang on every word and can't wait to see what's next. There were situations that were downright implausible. Theo could be amazingly gullible at times which made the story unbelievable. But overall, I would have to say that to write this book was an ambitious undertaking, and I have great respect for the amount of time and thought that went into this. Would I read it again knowing what I know now? Probably not. It required a great deal of dedication to get through it. But having said that, it's a good story. Just a lot of words spent telling it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DVC5CXVFWXZV?ASIN=0316055441	Long book worth buying	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very interesting fairly long (possibly too long) novel that includes a lot of threads leading to many important social, political and criminal issues of the day. It starts with domestic terrorism and the consequences therefrom. It continues with family custody and informal foster care issues. Art theft (and marketing) and fraud and forgery of antiques are involved.  Gambling and other problems of Las Vegas come up.  Interpersonal relationships: romantic, male bonding and family relationships are part of the mix. Russian criminal activity gets into the picture and a famous painting is the center of the book though sometimes submerged. It includes some adventure.  There is a lot to think about. It is a long and slow read but definitely worth it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F9KDEPWGISR2?ASIN=0316055441	You must read this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an amazing twist and turn page turner this book turned out to be!  By the time I reached the Las Vegas portion of the story, which removed me way beyond my comfort zone with foul language and life experiences that far exceeded any of my own, I was way too deeply invested in the protagonist character of young Theo Decker to even consider not finishing the book.  I HAD to know what became of him at all costs.  I was disappointed in the ending (it did not exist), but it gave me hope that a sequel could follow with an actual conclusion.  It deeply delved into the very real possibility that too many children experience undetected and therefore unaddressed PTSD that a singular event can trigg er and ultimately determine the outcome of an entire lifetime.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MHRXQC0PS88H?ASIN=0316055441	creative story--much too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A unique, inventive story captured my interest only to be halted by rambling descriptions and thoughts of the main character as he stumbles from one misfortune to another. His Russian friend, Boris, is especially difficult to follow as his conversations are indirect and he seems incapable of expressing his actions in understandable English. The author has a beautiful command of language, an almost poetic voice when describing art work of any kind, but I felt that some judicious editing would have made the reading experience a truly memorable one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D6AC5ELG24L1?ASIN=0316055441	Spare me from latter day Scott fitzgeralds	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pretentious, sententious witless. Could only read half. Good marks for so much work for so little result</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MIF8KIT24VWG?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just WOW... How will I start a new book - I didn't want this to end, this journey through life with Theo</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33VFALWLIL0NU?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this book down! It keeps you engaged from beginning to end. In my opinion, well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MN6JC04LRXO0?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling but not without flaws	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were times when a turn of phrase so original and evocative broke my heart and then mended it again. There were other times when Theo's endless internal agonizing left me drained and simply wanting to be done with the bleakness. Nonetheless, a compelling and captivating story that sucked me in then spit me out repeatedly. Boris and Hobie and Pippa were the light that shone through Theo's darkness and coaxed his own light from a flicker to a glow. Bogged down toward the end by Theo's philosophical wanderings. Tartt's immense talent sometimes veers into self-absorbtion in her characters and her writing. But her ability to plumb the depths of those characters and their relationships amid a plot worthy of the best mystery writers is her redemption.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O561WI2DT4XS?ASIN=0316055441	A totally engrossing reading experience.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an exceptional read.  It kept me totally engrossed and sometimes quite breathless with anticipation.  Sometimes I felt I could not bear to read another word and needed to take a break because of the sheer emotional involvement in Theo's self-destructive journey, in which his obsession with Fabricius' painting of a goldfinch plays such a pivotal role.  The final passages are magnificent - the sadness of the description of the chained goldfinch and Theo's cynical  and desperate opinion that ""Life is catastrophe"". But, ultimately, the timeless and sensitive painting  show him that beauty does not die and that we can rise above the horrors of life :""The goldfinch has taught me that we can speak to each other across time"". I like to think that his mother reached out to him through the painting.  Having savoured every page of this  wonderful book I now find myself bereft on completing it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JHKOKV2EVV8P?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch was one of the most intriguing books I have read in decades.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I sort of slogged through so much of The Goldfinch weighted down by the impossible childhood of a young man and then older man to whom I just wanted to feed some chicken soup. His childhood was the most bleak that I can imagine. I forced myself to follow him into adulthood, all the time marvelling at the exquisite detail Tartt gives the reader.  I am so pleased that I stuck it out because the conclusion was golden.  Any artist who isn't touched to the core by this book isn't worthy of the title.The Goldfinch reflects everything W.B. Yeats meant when he wrote, ""Ï will lay me down in the foul rag and bone shop of the heart"". No wonder The Goldfinch received a Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29GF0ZPFA5BHG?ASIN=0316055441	good reading but too much drugs and russians, as for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book with a lot of philosophic statements about life and  feelings, with many art descriptions, nice characters and variety of feelings - both: the main character's described and a reader's to switch.<br/>Beginning seemed more promising from emotional point of view, middle of the story was a bit uncertain and covered longer period of time with less events and seemed boring for me. End was expectingly happy but still surprising.<br/>As fluent russian and native Ukrainian speaking person need to recognize perfect transcription and interpretation of slavic words, expresions, citations, etc. But hardly imagine a russian teenager, of nowdays, with a specific life style, living in US and reading ""Idiot""))))funny, not realistic at all))))))</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33KH3QE20Y8GX?ASIN=0316055441	Glorious! Buy yourself a real treat!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow!!!!!  I love this book! It is absolutely wonderful.<br/><br/>Okay, it is a coming-of-age book. New York bred upper class Theo Decker grows up, but fear not. This book really defies genre classifying. It is art, religion, mystery, crime, disaster, fantasy, finance, fiction, food, history, humor, pets, science, society, stage, travel, war,  and so much more.<br/><br/>Donna Tartt's Seven Sisters sophistication is entrancing.<br/><br/>This is a 3-D hi-def mind-blowing blend of love, loss, alienation, addiction, universal truth, and brotherhood, routed through the seven circles of hell.<br/><br/>It's not a hodge-podge beach book. It is a bonafide big read.<br/><br/>The writing is dynamic, lush, glorious. Such a treat! Buy! Buy Buy! Enjoy!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16N77APH51854?ASIN=0316055441	Lost in the Mire of Writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although many individual parts of the novel are touching and beautiful, there are areas that could have been abridged to keep the book from slogging. If the ultimate message of the story leans towards fate and nihilism, then reaching that sooner would have made the slow parts less of a trial.<br/><br/>Although the final few chapters contain redemption of the characters and story, there are many plot devices that feel not only contrived but too fictional this pulling the reader out of the story. The sense of willing suspension of disbelief is often overturned with the ""seriously?"" Moment that distracts from the overall sense of continuity with the plot.<br/><br/>A decent story, but not ultimately worth the hours spent reading 775 pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EINP7BSOLGAX?ASIN=0316055441	Descriptive writing at its best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's story in The Goldfinch is powerful, though not necessarily comfortable. Her descriptive abilities are incredible. I wish I could have lived in Hobie's woodworking shop. It was one of the most comforting places I've encountered in literature; right up there with the stuffed chair on the porch in Barbara Kingsolver's Prodigal Summer.<br/><br/>The protagonist's journey was frustrating and intriguing. Still not quite sure if he was a good guy or a bad guy. I spent most of the time wanting to give him a good shake.<br/><br/>I would recommend the book to anyone who is willing to devote the time to a major endeavor and is willing to withhold judgment on a young kid who is swept along by life events that are both heartbreaking and frustrating.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33QX40RW263IA?ASIN=0316055441	Don't waste your time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hated the book! There is a good story there but it should have been told in half the words.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33BIRTSN7S4BC?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting style of writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would not have purchased this book if not for my book club. 750+ pages was 300 pages too many. However, the style of writing (in parts) was delivered in a staccato &amp; agitated pace that compelled you to read on. The self destructive personality of the main character, his father and his friends was disturbing and in some cases fascinating. There were times when the author had a thought and simply went on with it for 8 or 9 pages with little sense or impact to the story other than to prove her point that the characters were continuously spinning out of control. I think she tried to ""make you think"" during the last 40 pages but left me only wanting to get to the end.  I'm sure a bunch of psychiatrist would have a field day with the subject matter!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15HRZGDGPRDB7?ASIN=0316055441	A must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When it is On it is absolutely right on. The allusions and analogies are brilliant when they work, turgid when they don't and the experience of finding the right read and correct understanding is thought-provoking, exciting and rewarding. So much I do not know about the arcane world of art restoration, frauds and the consequences of them all; a better perspective on the all too real damage of PTSD, drug addiction served without approbation, depression and human nature generally often viewed in a cold, clinical way. I have BA in history, a Law degree and, during my retirement, have read hundreds of books, this is the first I will reread immediately. It lives within me and I in it. First rate! If this is not the best it is a very clever imitation!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XYYS03F9T3ST?ASIN=0316055441	This book came highly recommended. The author is very talented	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book came highly recommended. The author is very talented, but the book really would have benefited from a strong editor. The incessant lists, as is the current style of description, were overdone, and overused. The story rambled, which was actually fine, but was much wordier than was of value. In general the characters were good. Boris, in particular, was extremely well-drawn. I wanted to love the character of Theo, but was annoyed that all his bad decisions were the result of shock, illness, and a drugged brain fog. That didn't work for me. All in all the book was disappointing, though I look forward to more by this author, but hope she works with an editor that has the talent and courage to guide her toward a much tighter writing style.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L6KIJXPV586E?ASIN=0316055441	LOVED the audio version	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I listened to this on audio CD and I couldn't wait to get back in the car to keep listening, and found myself driving to places I didn't need to go just to keep the story going. The audio characters are portrayed so beautifully, especially Boris. Yes, some of the plot line isn't extremely realistic, but it's a descriptive, engaging story. The changes in location, the description of how the hero gets from one place to another, the interesting characters, and the suspense of what will happen next kept me hooked. I could visualize the characters perfectly, especially Theo, Boris, the father and his Vegas girlfriend, the fiancee, and Pippa. So many of my book club members started reading and loving it that we had to move it up on our reading list.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9NM79RMCGJA8?ASIN=0316055441	Plus and minus	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If I were a counting person, my goal would be to list all the alcohol consumed by the characters, either first hand or told later.<br/>Then add the LSD, various painkillers, pot, cocaine, morphine, E, etc.  Pretty much an every page event.  Except, when Theo is with his mother.  Then I would count Tartt's sentences, some a paragraph long, which were written with stop in your tracks observations.  I wish there had been more.<br/>We had reading group last night, where I said ""After finishing the book I needed a shower and a plate of steamed vegetables.""  Just for balance.<br/>NYTimes said it was about art.  It wasn't about art saving us. It was more about how we can save ourselves.  Can art make a difference?  It can.  It didn't here.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U0A5NFIQIMOT?ASIN=0316055441	Boring. Our book club of 8 women didn't like ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring. Our book club of 8 women didn't like it at all. We can't figure out what all the hype is about!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XNPF3488QK05?ASIN=0316055441	Dull, Dull	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the dullest book I have ever tried to read. I can't imagine why it was a pulitzer prize winner.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OTKKMYMFC777?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I have ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's tough for me to stay engaged in anything 800 pages long. This book never lost me, not even 1 page.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVDVPQGBAC5DL?ASIN=0316055441	and extremely boring in many places	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book was very long, and extremely boring in many places.  Of course, that's just my opinion............</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE0F75L2RNHK8?ASIN=0316055441	Great companion read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like an odd friend on a long trip. Moved cross country and as moments allowed I would read. Good story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JYK8DNWUEXSO?ASIN=0316055441	Great for art lovers.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Should be read by anyone studying the philosophy of art.  A real pleasure with lots of meat to chew on,</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS3HVF8N1WZ3G?ASIN=0316055441	Treasure a Treasure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossing tale that enfolds you through a youth's loss of his mother in a horrible tragedy, the limbo of his life until his errant father whisks him from the grey streets of New York City to the desert suburbs of Las Vegas. Everything in his life shifts except his grief over his mother's death and his guilt over a small priceless treasure he conceals and obsesses over. His travels, the dangerous people me meets and nearly becomes carries you along until reeling from some stern realities of life, he comes to see himself as he is, trying to make sense of who the has becomes and what is now significant.Deeply absorbing and last with you.  I need to reread the last bit several times more.  Theodore Decker is the Holden Caulfield of this century.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWFHCRDDFVZKR?ASIN=0316055441	We all have our burdens...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is rare that I feel strongly enough about a novel to spend time writing a review, but this is one of those times.  As a kindle reader I am sometimes unaware how large the novel is since I am not holding the volume.  This is a NOVEL!  From the set up to the character development and all the story in between, this is epic.  The slow steamed warp of the protagonist psyche is a marvel to behold.  I was reading other novels in between and was always drawn back in to this fascinating character study. Let's face it, all of life is dysfunctional, it's how you adapt and develop coping mechanisms that creates the nuances of mental health and strength.  I love the woven pieces that all come together and create this amazing gift for serious readers.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R144X8IMD0UX80?ASIN=0316055441	Not a good book, but a great book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The verisimilitude about so many different areas of life, settings, and types of people- Park Avenue snobs, bad rich kids, druggie lowlife Working class Vegas, high school, public and private; antiques, art, criminal syndicates, bad marriages.  Drugs.  The way people who are important at the time can slip away.  And sometimes come back into your life.  And sometimes not.  Literature.  Did I mention drugs?  Ok, this was a full on A plus novel.  To be so strong, at such length- really reminiscent of the Russian greats. Donna Tartt is special.  She really puts her back into it.  Or her soul, really.  Lots of creepy, depressive, negative stuff here, I know why reviews are mixed .  But it's incredibly well written, and as true as fiction can be.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZN7G7NU5D7AP?ASIN=0316055441	A big book with a big story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great brick of a book, so make time to read! I really enjoyed this story, it is well written and comes from a seasoned author.<br/>This is the story of Theo Decker, who tells us his story looking back on his life. The story starts with scenes of Theo and his mother visiting a museum where an explosion rips through the gallery they are in. His mum is killed but he escapes through the rubble, clutching the picture of The Goldfinch which he rescues more out of impulse than anything else.<br/><br/>He has an unusual life and journeys through the USA living with his father and various people, always overshadowed by the painting and what happened in the gallery.<br/><br/>Well worth making the effort to read even though it is a hefty volume.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUO924LXVR6KE?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt is one of those rare authors who is knowledgeable and intelligent without being condescending and stuffy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finished this book last night and my only complaint is I wish it was longer!  The characters are so real, I didn't want to let them go.  Ms. Tartt is one of those rare authors who is knowledgeable and intelligent without being condescending and stuffy.  Anything she describes, I see or feel.  Don't let the length of the book put you off.  I've been bored with long books in the past but not this one.  There's not one word or scene that I'd cut, every single page is worth reading.  There were many phrases that I read over and over, sometimes out loud to my husband.  ""The nail where your fate is liable to catch and snag.""  Indeed.  This is the first time I've finished a book with the certainty that I'll be reading it again and again.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RW29ZEYH4JZ2?ASIN=0316055441	This book is so boring!! I don't understand why so many people ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is so boring!! I don't understand why so many people like it. Put me to sleep so many times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S8MSHJ3S4P0T?ASIN=0316055441	She needed a good editor to cut most of the drug abuse middle ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She needed a good editor to cut most of the drug abuse middle of the book - it was boring and tiresome</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R8OP0JXC38JZ?ASIN=0316055441	4 stars for The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read somewhere that it took the author over a decade to write the book, which may explain why it can feel slightly disjointed at times. I had difficulty with the first 200 pages or so that portray Theo and his mother up to and including the explosion; for some reason, this first part did not gel with me. Once Theo's story joins up with that of Boris, I was hooked. In a way, their friendship is the most fully realized and honest relationship in a book that on its deepest level, is about *relationship* to others, the world, and ourselves. The Goldfinch left me thinking about the mysteries of life and love and I feel richer for having read it. I don't understand all the haters out there giving it one star reviews...petty and ridiculous.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WREQF3VHTVSE?ASIN=0316055441	I found that I did not care enough about the characters to enjoy reading it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is VERY long (well over 700 pages in the regular print form) so I purchased it on Kindle so I could actually carry it. I found that I did not care enough about the characters to enjoy reading it. I felt that Theo did have a terrible trauma and miserable life, but he could have handled it without all the drugs etc. I have a relative who was at the Boston Marathon bombings, and has suffered from PTSD, and she did not turn to ""pharma"", cocaine, and every other imaginable form of self destructive behavior. The author could have expressed Theo's miserable life in MUCH shorter format without losing content, flow, plot, language (and readers!). I truly to do understand the rave reviews or Pulitzer Prize award for this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5YY1CZUI13SU?ASIN=0316055441	Long, Suspenseful, Grim	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Here's another wonderfully written (cerebral, lyrical, funny, wry, insightful) intricately plotted story full of characters I'm grateful not to know--almost. Tartt is one of those writers who can get away with saying everything in three or more different ways without making a reader skim just to get on with it. She knows so much, she could probably compose half of Wikipedia all by herself. Her settings vibrate with reality, her dialogue is incredibly believable. It's the people who come off like superbly sculpted puppets. Maybe it's just that I'm too old for the time and places and catastrophes her characters bring on themselves. Wonderful, depressing read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMINRTQBQM1UW?ASIN=0316055441	This book was recommended to me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was recommended to me. I listened to it in Audible and found myself driving around just to keep the story going (""I HAVE TO GO TO THE STORE!""). This story captivated me and kept me completely engaged. Perhaps it was the narrator, but I doubt it. He was excellent, but it was Theo's story to which I felt compelled to listen.<br/>I have since recommended it to other people who also fell loved the story  (1 audible listener, 1 kindle reader).<br/>Was it long? Yes. Were some parts too wordy and overly descriptive?  Probably. Was the work to get through those parts worth it. Totally.<br/>I both wanted to know what was going to happen while simultaneously wanting the story to go on. Isn't that the sign of a great book?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7MJT7WDAH5KC?ASIN=0316055441	Great Beginning, Meandering Middle--But You Know You'll Have to Get to the Finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Once I started it, I couldn't put it down--for the first section. Then, there were parts where I was lost or wanted to get lost from the absurdity or excess. Then, you just had to know the outcome. I can't say I read every word, but I must say I wanted to get through to the end. Lots of intrigue and mystery, both of which went into oversupply at points. While reading it, I found myself asking friends and family if they had read The Goldfinch and telling them I couldn't set it down, yet I may have glossed over 20 pages in the last reading session. A mystery within a mystery. I have heard that Warner Brothers picked up the movie rights, and I look forward to seeing how these unique characters may appear on the screen. Involving novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KPTUTKUR5FU4?ASIN=0316055441	I stuck with it and liked it, but certainly not a favorite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So dark and depressing...also very long!  I stuck with it and liked it, but certainly not a favorite!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ADRJ47Y9YRM8?ASIN=0316055441	A Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I shall have to read this book.again and again. it moved me more than I can say what amazing messages</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GAY7B7KVP816?ASIN=0316055441	Not a good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like this book at all.  Very depressing to read.  I'm not sure why it won a Pulitzer prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VT4VIHG5LP3Z?ASIN=0316055441	Mindblowing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I find it most of all extremely interesting. Then again it is an irritating book where I always waited for him to come to terms with his mother's death and the fact that he had a horrendous life. He never really acknowledges that he can trust nobody except for Hobie who aftes as a real parent to him. The psycology is complex and it is odd to experience this person who seems to be Living in an isolated bubble. Do persons with severe traumas feel that way? It must be terrible of course, but then even worse not being able to get back to a life as such. He always seems to be standing outside of life watching everybody perform their roles while he is in outer space - mentally speaking. It certainly is a book that I will never forget.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMB5G7DTB2659?ASIN=0316055441	Why the Pulitzer?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very difficult to get through. What was her editor thinking?<br/><br/>The central thesis was great. It was just overwritten, overwritten, overwritten. Doesn't give the reader any credit.<br/><br/>A modern version of Oliver Twist. But because of endless scenes, the marvelous characters became annoying.What may have worked in 19th century literature doesn't work now.  I couldn't attach to Theo. Boris could have been one of the best characters written in a long time but he was so over the top for page after page, he became a cartoon. Loved Hobie and Pippa because of their moderation.<br/><br/>Why the Pulitzer when there are so many beautifully written, compelling books?  I'd love to have heard the discussion among the judges.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GUGBXZ6QQ9QO?ASIN=0316055441	Not as concise as it could be	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I will not write parts of the book as those have been handled in many of the other 5,000 plus reviews.<br/><br/>To add my two cents:  This book makes me think of the quote from Mark Twain,  “I didn't have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.”<br/><br/>Perhaps if you are a fan of literary fiction, then perhaps this is exactly what you are looking for.  For me, however, I found that while some parts really hummed along, and others got bogged down in words or distractions, just dragged or were not really believable, especially toward the end and in context of the rest of the book.<br/><br/>That being said, it is an entertaining read, though I do not think I would read it again, knowing what I know now.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32D036HU5M8K0?ASIN=0316055441	A Fascinating Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This very long novel is worth the time it takes to read it.  There are, of course, parts that could/should be shorter, but it has enough plot twists and surprises to hold one's interest. Further more, It is a goldmine of descriptive detail and character development.  Tartt's conclusion leaves the reader with the sense that Theo has finally become mature enough to determine the direction of his own life, without Boris or anyone else doing it for him.  Even though we do not know what that direction may be, we feel that it will be positive.<br/><br/>There is much more to be said about this fascinating book.  I do recommend it, and I hope to find time to read it again--and to read as well other works by this very talented author.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UYVG5HSO2Q0S?ASIN=0316055441	Eh.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I might be the only person who thinks is but I found this book to be boring and drawn out.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXBFFE2ZARBSP?ASIN=0316055441	Pure Agony	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If ratings were the product of length, this book would get and deserve 5 stars, but that is not the criteria.  Occasionally, I got into this book, only to be again mired into tedious details.  I read this for a book club discussion so I made myself finish it, the only reason I finished it.<br/><br/>The painting was a major character in this book but was not even mentioned for hundreds of pages.  It was so obviously a symbol of Theo's mother.  He went into the museum with his mother.  He came out with the painting.<br/>I read a wonderful book, John Adams, that was about the establishment of our country, the Revolutionary war, and the many obstacles creating our goverent.  It was 23 pages shorter than this book.  Enough said.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU5VU83KB449A?ASIN=0316055441	it is not an easy read. Many long almost convoluted sentences do make ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book starts out simply enough with a boy (13) and his mother in New York City. It quickly changes when there is an explosion in the museum and the two are separated.  It continues with the boy's life after an encounter with a dying man before he leaves the museum, his taking of a small, old, expensive master piece of a Goldfinch and the death of his mother.  Although this is a page turner, it is not an easy read. Many long almost convoluted sentences do make for excellent descriptions of settings, characters and events. This mystery, almost thriller, also turns philosophical especially at the end. No easy, happily ever after ending, but instead, the questions--about life's purpose, God, and how one event influences others.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YYCLPQ1L2BP4?ASIN=0316055441	Is it really fiction?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You must be a committed reader cor this story. It is kind and epic and quite full of ups &amp; downs.<br/>I would say it's about the art of the life. For some  that will mean the trapped bird forever held down from its true purpose predestined for this miserable fate or is it all just an illusion and he was meant for this since his hatching.<br/>The characters seem real it feels like they must be they are so rich. Theo, Boris, Ms Barbour Hobie Pippa are the Finch. They have illusion of lives because of being touched by death.<br/>I'd highly recommend this to anyone who likes philosophical fiction. Facts that seem to blur from headlines into the lives of these New Yorker s And weave a tale that you will delight in experiencing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PN3KZR6WTO7E?ASIN=0316055441	A good read but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I enjoyed the story, at 700+ pages I found the book too long. Early on I wondered if all the daily detail was really necessary and sadly, I was never convinced that it was.<br/><br/>This is a tragic tale of one boy’s life for ever changed by an act of terrorism. “If only…….” his life would have been totally different. Instead, lead character Theo goes from home to home. Drugs, alcohol and depression lead him away from a life that had once promised so much potential.<br/><br/>The characters are well developed, and best friend Boris is vividly brought to life (too much so sometimes). The story will make a great film but I’d prefer to see more made of the ending which as it stands comes together a little too abruptly.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJNWDE9GJQJQN?ASIN=0316055441	The book is WONDERFUL, only a moron could lose interest or skip ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I ""pity the fools"" who complain about the length of books that are worth every page. Can we please stop encouraging Americans towards further stupidity?! The book is WONDERFUL, only a moron could lose interest or skip pages, and I was disappointed for all of humanity by the poor reviews. If you cannot appreciate the beauty of a sublime book long enough to sink your teeth into, then stick to the mass-market airport books and leave your one-star reviews out of it. I devoured this book in a week - and I read hundreds of books a year and have never felt bothered enough by the undeserved bad ratings for a masterful and beautiful book to write a single review. I wish amazom had a feature to sort reviews by user IQ ratings.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38E896W8ROWDI?ASIN=0316055441	Poetic Prose You Can't Put Down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I never wanted this book to end. It is the best book I've read in months, and I read A LOT. Donna Tartt's prose is pure poetry, her plot lines are unpredictable and gripping, and her characters are so well-crafted they practically jump off the page. This book deftly explores the human condition (life is filled with horrible stuff outside our control and then we die!) and manages to be affirming without being saccharine. We are reminded that life is also filled with things of beauty, like art and love (and great literature!), that are timeless and can help us transcend the despair and monotony that inevitably erupts as we live our everyday lives. I enjoyed every moment of every page and will undoubtedly read it again someday!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YGLZ17ZDX5FF?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I have ever read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was thrilled to hear that Donna Tartt was releasing a new book, I considered her other books wonderful and was eager to read the latest after several years since her last masterpiece. The Goldfinch did not disappoint. I was completely enraptured for the two weeks it took me to read it and would never agree that it could have been shorter! I can only imagine what must be like when friends ask how the writing is going after 12 years since her last book. (Of course she has proven her talent with her 2 earlier books.)Sometimes on my way home from work I would drift off in anticipation of opening the book again. Her descriptions are so powerful you are a part of it and the characters become like family. Thank you Donna Tartt!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXELTFKM3660T?ASIN=0316055441	A masterpiece!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has created a masterpiece of fiction.  A story so flawlessly crafted it changes the life of a reader, just ever so slightly, forever.  There are a few books I have read whose final pages I dread, as once consumed their story will leave me alone, out of touch with the characters who have inhabited my life as genuinely as do those I work with day to day.<br/><br/>I stand in awe of Donna Tartt's skills.  She has composed a symphony, and colored it with the context of the lives responsible for its inspiration.  She has done this so compellingly that I must now find my way back down to the glacial pace and monotonous hum of real life.  I am a writer myself, of music, and she has humbled me almost too much to stand.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UVPYKTU9K4WI?ASIN=0316055441	Definitely a Prize-Winner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is long and I found it very compelling so, for the couple of weeks it took me to read it, I pretty much ignored everything but my job. The book is a commitment, to be sure. I loved it, I can see why it won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Ms. Tartt can write! Beautifully! I'm still thinking about the book often a week after finishing it. There are a few times where the wordiness seems excessive and I bet about 100 pages could have been shaved off without sacrificing either the story or the beauty of her use of the language.<br/><br/>But Theo (as well as Hobie, Pippa, Boris, Andy, and even little Popchyk) was such a well-written character that it seems he must exist in the real world and he is fascinating to know.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVEPN0Z3NFJA1?ASIN=0316055441	Glad it's over	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Many reviews already, just wanted to add my main takeaways from reading this.<br/>A good number of places the writing was excellent, really riveting and quite enjoyable.<br/>However, she definitely could have removed large portions of this book (editor didn't do his/her job well) and still<br/>have it be very good. I found myself skipping pages, especially towards the end with the dream descriptions and some other stuff she went into that did not hold my attention at all.<br/>Personally I found certain sections quite depressing, especially the Las Vegas chapters.<br/><br/>Very much enjoyed Hobie and would love to be friends with him. Theo, although frustrating at times, was a smart and interesting character to follow.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R269Z3NGGQ137Q?ASIN=0316055441	Self-indulgent, meandering and banal... and oh yeah the story just sucks.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a self-indulgent, meandering, and rather banal novel. This is the first time I have read anything by Donna Tartt, so perhaps she simply isn't my cup of tea. She is a solid writer but the content of the novel bored me to death. But it was just intriguing enough that I kept reading, all along hoping that it would all tie together elegantly. No such luck. The story, put simply, just sucks. And that is this novel's biggest weakness by far. And when the story sucks, the characters you don't quite connect with, the length of the novel and various other factors just drive you nuts when it's all said and done. I would not recommend this to anyone who isn't a Donna Tartt fan, and even then I would recommend extreme caution.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MCEL7LMCIB4Q?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully Written, Insights on Meaning of Life & Trauma/PTSD	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a beautifully written book with keen insights into humanity's search for meaning. The main character, Theo, has PTSD due to a traumatic event he endures at age 13. This trauma predisposes him to major depression and as a result he self-medicates with drugs and alcohol. I loved the Boris character, and I thought he was totally believable and fun. The author apparently did a ton of research to write this book as there is very detailed information about the furniture-making industry and antiques. The book drags in some places and it is long (775 pages) so sometimes I put it down and read other books and came back to it when I was ready. There are some beautifully written passages and I found myself highlighting a lot.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GG95ZHOOI5OK?ASIN=0316055441	but they drag on too long and parts of the book are tedious.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Her descriptive writing is outstanding, but they drag on too long and parts of the book are tedious.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F05NKER6KIRQ?ASIN=0316055441	This book never says in one page what it can ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book never says in one page what it can say in 50!! Certainly well written but goes on FOREVER!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SCF3YEONAH87?ASIN=0316055441	A Long Satisfying Ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A novel in the tradition of great fiction writing.  I will carry this story with me for a long time.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A16ZFJQ6269Z?ASIN=0316055441	Mesmerizing....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think I was a Victorian orphan in another life.  I've always adored Dickens, and Tartt's books are amazing.  The Secret History, yes, but oh so much more is The Little Friend.  I know every character in that sad southern tale.  Even the water tower!  It's genius.  I'm also a big apple ophile, so I was engaged in the very beginning with The Goldfinch's setting at the Met.  I don't even want to go to Vegas now, because Tartt took me there.  And back to NYC, my favorite town, and to Amsterdam, where the highjinx were just a little confusing, but stunningly atmospheric.  If you've never ""read"" an audio version, do it now. The reader does a captivating job.  I bought this in print and audio. Yeah.  It's that amazing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNUKIEMNP8NGY?ASIN=0316055441	Gag me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Many excellent reviews have preceded mine and summarized most of the negative things I'd say about this bloated, repetitive, ill-researched, poor excuse for a Pulitzer Prize winner. I can hardly believe I slogged my way through what should have been about one third as long as it was.The concept was interesting, but it never really went anywhere. There was no explanation for the course chosen by the novel's protagonist, nor for his utter aimlessness in life. As a side note, I'd add that one or two excruciatingly detailed descriptions of endless drug- and alcohol-fests would have been plenty - we got it. How many times must we hear how many pills everyone took, what kind, in what order, how much alcohol, how many vomits.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R56JET3AXALAD?ASIN=0316055441	Being Shackled to Life Means One Must Live	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The narrator is shackled to life and thus must live it. The author made extensive use of her thesaurus, too much so at some points (read and you will understand) to the extent that it reminded me of being in high school and trying to impress the teacher. That said the prose are beautiful, ""Strange I thought ... how a few hours could change everything, or rather how strange to find that the present contained such a bright shard of the living past, damaged and eroded but not destroyed.""<br/>While some like to complain that the story could have been trimmed by a couple hundred pages it is nice to see that the author took the time (and she does) to nuance the plot and the characters. To let us see them develop as people.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31VL4IPT58H8F?ASIN=0316055441	A lovely frustration	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is an excellent yet frustrating read.  It begs to be loved yet the author takes chances at reducing the reader to boredom on several occasions as she lets the world know how intelligent she is and how well she researched her subject.  The characters are flawlessly developed, with the exception of Boris, who becomes a bit of a stereotype.  The storyline is plausible, for the most part, yet I found myself simultaneously wanting it to end quickly and then to never end.  Speaking of the ending:  it may disappoint many because Madame Tartt builds a compelling web for hundreds upon hundreds of pages, just to have the spider show up and fall asleep in the end.  I'm glad I read it but I could have lived without it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29X1VZX5SOEFU?ASIN=0316055441	I can't decide if I love it or hate it....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like most people I absolutely loved the beginning, I even liked the Las Vegas part, but once the struggle was on to retrieve the painting, it got a little far fetched.  I loved Hobie and wished there was more written about him and his shop.  I loved the Secret History and there was some great writing in this book, like The Secret History, although, in my opinion, nothing can top that book.  I think I'm going to read The Goldfinch again and see if I can better appreciate it.  Parts of the book are still with me, I just wish I'd liked the ending better. I feel that Hobie could have been as wonderful a character as Henry if only he was better developed.  All in all, it was still a great book and definitely worth reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A1OAFBT31PMJ?ASIN=0316055441	The never ending book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not realize how long this book was as I was reading it on a kindle. Wow it just went on and on and on. Would have been a bit better had it ended 200 pages earlier. Found myself skimming pages just to finish it. Overall, it dragged on and had a very boring and depressing plot/ subject. Hard to like a book when you hate the main character.<br/><br/> If you have an endless amount of time and want to read a book about a loser drug addict that does nothing with his life then this is the perfect book for you. If you want to read something half decent then don't bother with this book. Don't buy into the hype, overrated is an understatement!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS2F0AIU3EYT1?ASIN=0316055441	I liked the ending although I know some readers felt it ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Nancee Swartz -The Goldfinch was a Pulitzer Prize winning novel and won the National Book Critic award. It is similar to a Dickens tale with many twists and turns, It tells the story of a boy who undergoes life changes when his family faces a tragedy.  He meets many interesting characters and each cause him to change who he becomes and what is important to him in his life. I would guess they will make this into a movie or a miniseries. The characters are so well defined you feel they are friends as you move along in the story. I liked the ending although I know some readers felt it was abrupt. It is a slice of life story and if you take it as such the entire plot is more meaningful.  I give it 5 stars,  Nancee Swartz</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTBPW475VQVTI?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the Effort	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall, I enjoyed the book. The writing was expressive and beautiful, at times, and while much of the beauty was in the details, that was also the aspect that made the writing cumbersome. I forged through the book at a steady pace, but the last 1/4 of the book felt a bit ""preachy"" and belabored. As the last chapter waxed philosophical, I found myself continuing to read, just so that I could officially finish the book.<br/><br/>Originally, I had given this book a 5 star rating. The beginning of the book was absolutely captivating and poignant. But the laborious turn led me to downgrade my review to 4 stars.  Nevertheless, I would encourage readers to give this book a chance. I don't think they will be disappointed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8HQ1U8TWL2E?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written. You will love it. Or hate it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This might not be a book you can predict whether you will like it or not.<br/><br/>It all depends on if it grabs you in the right way. And it happened to grab me. (And I'm not normally into books that touch on some of the subject matter- the drugs for example).<br/><br/>4.5 stars? 4 stars? It's not the epic of epic tales. But it is beautifully written. Yes, it is sad and haunting and there will be parts of the book you absolutely hate. It's been interesting to see who among my reader friends (with similar taste) have loved it or hated it. Some of have struggled with the ending, but I'm not sure what else she could have done and I'm ok with it. Besides, great books like this aren't really about the ending anyway.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5EY2CAQVROW?ASIN=0316055441	lots of ups and downs....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Parts were great and I was unable to put down, and others dragged so much I wanted to stop reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RFSCRK2HW2L9?ASIN=0316055441	Hard too get through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">On and on it goes and I kept wishing it would end. Only finished it because I purchased it. Boring.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C6H12ZAHFJWH?ASIN=0316055441	I would not buy this book or recommend it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story is long, drawn out, and very depressing.<br/>I would not buy this book or recommend it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F5ATRZMO3MJ3?ASIN=0316055441	There but for the grace of God...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a heartbreaker. Very well written, but a bit pedantic in my opinion. The end left me cold.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3415MCOURRFMO?ASIN=0316055441	Transcendent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A cross between ""The Book Thief"" and ""Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,"" but with a life all its own.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RMTJEGJ89VA?ASIN=0316055441	New Favorite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the book so much I ordered a print of The Goldfinch. I am a new fan of Donna Tartt's works.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K6PAU63L5OLA?ASIN=0316055441	An Artist's Viewpoint	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The making of Art is a personal point of view, an expression in material as intimate or blase as the artist requires it to be. The point of the book is universal; each human or other form of life has an impact on every person or other<br/>Form that is alive, living life with the choices, in the case of human beings, we or others of our species make in the timeline of life.<br/>I loved the writing and highs and lows throughout the novel- especially the choices to use drugs or alcohol to deaden the feelings of emptiness the diseased addict feels he or she has to address. This is very real. This is a part of life none of us seem to accept as reality, but are in reality stop gap measures along lifes paths to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D30CBF52A871?ASIN=0316055441	This was my first audiobook and what I really enjoyed about this book was David Pittu's narration	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have to say that I was extremely excited about this book. There was so much buzz about it and the synopsis sounded very promising. This was my first audiobook and what I really enjoyed about this book was David Pittu's narration. What an amazing job he did with all the characters. I have to say, with confidence, that had I not listened to this book as an audiobook and instead read the actual book, I probably would not have been able to finish it. I would recommend this book despite the fact that this book fell short of my expectations. This book is extremely long and a good 200+ pages of this book could have been removed and probably would have been a more enjoyable book. Overall, I'm calling this book lukewarm.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HYM6LLWZQP8I?ASIN=0316055441	A Compelling Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms. Tartt has a prodigious gift. she reaches upwards, inwards, and in every direction. her characters are vividly immediate. the story radiates a world view that  seems to says ""I know everything and I'm going to tell you as much of it as I possibly can in this long novel.""<br/><br/>the reason i didn't give it a fifth star is that, a novelist myself and a long-time teacher of fiction writing, i think her self-editor was occasionally asleep at the switch. there are passages and even pages that don't do anything to advance her astonishing story<br/>and  could easily have been cut without harm to the narrative.<br/><br/>otherwise, i'm in awe of her breadth and vitality.  my writing name is anne bernays</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14UTC6C8UUI1U?ASIN=0316055441	A waste of time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an awful book! Yes, I read the entire thing. None of the characters were likable except perhaps Hobie, although his character was never really developed. The Barbours were in and out of the story, but never really necessary. Boris was a drugged out annoyance. Pippa never really got off the ground either in character development. It started out interesting when this poor boy lost his mother and we wondered what would happen to him. Then it went off on that crazy Vegas tangent and never seem to get back on track. The only question I have that's harder to answer than why she wrote this book is why did I waste my time reading it all!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IHP8W79XRYAG?ASIN=0316055441	what does he really feel ?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Every chapter the author's mood  seemed to have shifted and the writing changed. Lots of good sentences , thoughtful  musing , good imitation of  Russian immigrant English. But never get to feel that protagonist is making progress in his<br/>personal growth and development.  What, Who , he loves he also ignores, cheates, can't  decide where real value lies. Actually the painting  of the chained goldfinch that is symbolic in the final chapter of some conclusions the author has made about the attitude one could approach life  with is less than expectedwhen viewed. The characters seemed overdone, nonsmpatheitic and I couldn't wait to get  this read over with. 4 stars for style  of writing  but not for  the story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRB6E6U2T8GJY?ASIN=0316055441	"A ""timeless"" Novel; Is there an Editor in the House?"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I join the throngs of other reviewers who thought this book was waaaay too long.  It's a shame, though, because within the almost 800 pages there lies an excellent 500-600 page book.  I don't fault the author, though, as that's what an editor is for--to unflinchingly separate the wheat from the chaff.  And was nobody else flummoxed by the12/13 year old Theo living in the exact same cultural present as his grown up 26 year old self?  I-pods, I-phones, post-9/11 concerns, etc are all exactly the same in the two periods.  Assuming the grown up self is inhabiting the present (2012 for the book) none of these things would have existed in the first part of the book.  Sloppy, sloppy!  Author, 4+ stars; editor 0 stars.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QYIGWOSY72MV?ASIN=0316055441	Near Perfect?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What to add to these 20,400 reviews? Tartt's true-to-life characters and masterful prose are entirely engrossing. Yet the last third of the novel drifts off into the metaphysical, at the same time that the main character Theo Decker becomes unmoored in a drugged compulsion to set the serious mistakes he has made right. The resulting musings on the nature of beauty are less compelling than the preceding story of Theo's insurmountable losses. Early on everyone falls in love with Theo's passionate teenaged friend Boris. It is disappointing to see the fearless Boris return as a less endearing adult, especially as this character is written with less consistency in the latter pages. Boris' accent and grandiose manner blur around the edges, so that the characterization disintegrates. In a few puzzling examples, Tartt's writing then borders on farcical, as with Theo's nervous attempts to cover up blood stains on his shirt by stating to a stranger, ""I spilled chocolate on myself...must be those profiteroles...."" Nevertheless the novel has every quality one would expect from a Pulitzer Prize winner.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPG0ZR5U9L9X0?ASIN=0316055441	OK?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Oh, my, what is the criteria for a Pulitzer Prize in fiction.<br/>I greatly improved my speed reading skills by the end do this book. As one of the other reviewers said, this book started off with enough of a story to catch me, but by the middle, I was mostly exhausted.  It was what I would call a descent into insanity and if it had been more engaging, I might have been homicidal or suicidal by the end.<br/>I wanted to read a Pulitzer Prize winning novel. Well, I did. But I will be more careful in my future purchases that I get something I might want to read again.<br/>Giving it the benefit of the doubt, I gave it two stars, thinking I may just be a little two rednecked to appreciate intellectual insanity!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R277X3F0QMB8MF?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reminded me of the Catcher in the Rye.  Too depressing not at all uplifting just a downer to read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX0RW0CUWGXQR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyable read for sure though I do not get all the drugging and drinking, but perhaps I am naive.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X3WQV42K1AD9?ASIN=0316055441	Art and Orphans	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has surpassed her Secret History, no easy feat, with this fascinating story of Theo and Pippa, orphan survivors of a terrorist attack at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, of Theo's friendship with the inimitable Boris, and the Goldfinch, Fabritius's masterpiece, that survives both the New York and Delft explosions and its illicit collateralization in the international drug trade. The novel sensitively explores the magical aesthetic that gives prominence to our illusions over the realities of our existence. The story almost begs to be further told, to know more about these three principal characters and the progress they make throughout their parentless lives. Few books are so beautifully written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I3COB90X7QDP?ASIN=0316055441	Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read The Secret History years ago, and found it pretentious.  Can't say I enjoyed it much.  The Goldfinch is much more readable, much more accesible; if fact, I found it a bit of a page-turner.  But I do struggle sometimes with a female author using a male voice - although I love Lindsay Faye, I have the same problem with her novels - and Tartt's Theo was very very hard to like and empathise with.  I felt as if he needed a good slapping.  Tartt's characters are intriguing but somewhat two-dimensional and setriotypical - Boris, Kitsey, Pippa - although I couldn't help but love Hobie.<br/><br/>I'm stumped - I don't really know what I think of this novel.  Perhaps you should read it for yourself and decide.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YVT1FVV6Z3YL?ASIN=0316055441	a surprise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A 775 page book seemed to be something unworthy of the obvious challenge created merely by its length. But it won a Pulitzer and as a reader who usually will not even consider books of less than 300 pages, as depth is what I search for, I took on the challenge, and I am so glad to have done so. The writing is wonderful, the story compelling and it keeps your interest throughout. The last pages I read twice to be certain the message was understood. I cannot explain why I frequently felt it personally touched my own life but I think it will touch anyone who lives and desires to comprehend the unreality of life. I highly recommend this book. It is not at all difficult to read and was a pleasure to experience.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RREU79MN4OUBR?ASIN=0316055441	Walking A Labyrinth	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As I read this book, I felt as though I were walking a labyrinth.  Many times I put it down, telling myself I didn't need to read all 'the darkness' but something always compelled me to pick it up again.  I made my way through tragedy, loss, con men, drugs, drugs and more drugs, art thieves, antique furniture restoration, impossible relationships, both positive and not so positive.  What made me continue?  In each moment, it touched a chord in me that said, ""It's not over yet.  Something is happening that can happen no other way!""  And I think, most of all, it was the image of that little golden bird that seemed to say, ""I am neutral""  What will you make of me?  Can you find the gold?""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFF30FZ4PIJV4?ASIN=0316055441	Great writing, not great story telling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The painting, The Goldfinch, was on display at The Frick this past winter which fueled the intrigue surrounding this novel.  Additionally, many friends of mine were reading this novel over the winter and one gave me a copy as a gift.  I was immediately captivated, as it begins in the city I love most and in a neighborhood I frequent.  I did, however, find it to be too long winded.  Parts of the story in the latter third of the novel became quite boring and disjointed, but I continued to read hoping for some sort of cohesive ending which never came. This, along with the fact that I could never conjure the main character (I never truly had a picture of him in my mind's eye) results in my lackluster rating.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y4U4IGHDHNHG?ASIN=0316055441	kept my interest	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is quite unlike others I have read.  The basic ""plot"" is somewhat far-fetched but it really isn't about the plot, but rather all the characters and the way they live their lives.  It was a bit frustrating that the main character had such a tortuous life that seemed mostly brought upon himself.  But it also shows how the loss of his mother at a young age had such a huge effect on him.  The book held my interest to the end and there are definitely some twists that come about late in the book (even though there were very subtle hints about them early on).  While many one-star reviews said the book was needlessly long, I think that was necessary so you really get to know all the characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YAMP9KIWW72F?ASIN=0316055441	Needed a good editor ( all of whom must have been busy ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not get through it fast enough. Book group assignment so had to read. Needed a good editor ( all of whom must have been busy on other projects). Despite my natural inclination to have sympathy for Theo for losing his mother,  Theo managed to kill my sympathy by his self absorbed, immature, drug and alcohol induced behavior all his life. I suppose you could argue that he finally grew up in the end, but I have my doubts.  And let's not even talk about his shallow world view and reason for living.<br/><br/> I actually became fond of Boris who was all ""id"" and unabashedly so. He did not waste my time on wallowing self pity.<br/><br/>Gave it two stars because story did have a decent ending.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QNPGV5XZ8E30?ASIN=0316055441	The GOLDFINCH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I COULDN'T PUT this book down. It grabbed me on the first page and just.pulled me through it. I COULDN'T do much of anything except read it straight through.  I loved the author's vocabulary. I loved her unique way of description. She seems to get into a painting and cull the very heart of it into descriptive words that bring it to life. She displays a depth of knowledge of several artists. And her appreciation of grand antiques brings them to life as well.  I loved her characters. They were so real. I loved how she would use just terse descriptive words to let the reader somewhere they were and what was happening.  This is a beautifully written book. The characters come alive on the page.  I loved it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BNF1XYZZQ5FJ?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The biggest wast of my time!  Cliches were just awful!  How could this possibly win a Pulitzer???</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29QNAAC1CGT7X?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very tedious. I did read the entire book, but it was very difficult to get through.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19D4KY6QIAZH2?ASIN=0316055441	The first half was pretty good, the second was a slog	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first half was pretty good, the second was a slog. I feel this author needed a better editor.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17BUF5G4UPUEB?ASIN=0316055441	so clever and obtuse	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a fantastic read, so well written, so funny, so tragic, so real. It is as life is. Enjoy!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ4GE0KBL7AF7?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoy Donna Tartt's writing style and this book held my ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoy Donna Tartt's writing style and this book held my interest until half - 3/4's of the way through. I didn't like many of the character's aside from Hobie. I had to (intermittently) put the book down and read something else as Theo just never got a break in life (aside from living with Andy's family, which also had its downsides). It provides good book discussion topics - was he drawn to bad characters/bad decisions given his upbringing/early life events? Was he chained to the painting as the goldfinch in the painting was chained to its post? Since I had read so much and I did want to know what happened to Theo, I did persevere and finished the book. Was it worth it? Maybe. It was just too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK9F6NU2ENWRC?ASIN=0316055441	Too wordy for words.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story was a classic example of a story being used to show off the author's ability to describe. It was far too wordy and overdone. When the reader begins to wonder about the need for the extended description instead of the events being described, the author of those descriptions has faltered in her creative effort. In my opinion, Donna Tartt faltered in this manner from an early point in the story and continued to do so throughout her 700+pages. Had it not been for the Pullitzer prize she received for this book, I would not likely have picked it up. I wish I had read the other reviews on Kindle before purchasing this novel. I agree with most of them which criticized the wordy effort of Ms. Tartt.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A20AISSQIGA1?ASIN=0316055441	If you love art, you will love this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's articulation of appreciating art is verbal lacework of the highest order, so familiar to anyone who has been ever been deeply affected by a piece of artwork, yet so difficult for most of us to put into words. The beginning is strong, the middle gets pretty muddy, and yes, it certainly could be shorter. The final musings on art, life and love are quite moving, and if you love art and have ever been stunned and awed by a piece of artwork, I defy you to read the final chapters without tearing up. I savored her writing on every page...though I could have done without quite the level of detail she provides on drug and alcohol reactions. Not perfect, but so masterfully done that I call it a triumph.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K55H7E21CJ7L?ASIN=0316055441	A huge disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ahhhh the Goldfinch...you either love it or hate it. The writing is beautiful, the plot is really something different and the characters are interesting if quite depressing. Seems like a recipe for a fantastic read, doesn't it?  For me, unfortunately not the case. All that beautiful writing becomes a chore after a while. It makes slogging through the scenes interminable.  I only finished because I wanted resolution.  Now I wish I could have those hours back. Where are the editors?  It could have been a great book if it was cut down by about 300 pages. Here's some advice for readers. If you found the first chapter too long put it down now and go do something useful. The pacing does not get any better.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QTJLQ5KTBDRZ?ASIN=0316055441	Too long and too many dark parts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was recommended in the book club I belong to. At over 700 pages, I was hesitant about reading it. But I ordered it  from  Amazon and started reading. I was interested in the beginning when the main character lost his mother in a museum explosion. I read through his grieving period and when the family of one of his friends took him  in. And when he because friendly with a NYC antique and restoration owner. But when he moved to Las Vegas to live with his father and his father's girlfriend, the book took on a very dark character. Lots of boozing, and drugs and unhealthy capers with his school friend. F this and F that, etc. That's when I stopped reading and sold it to a local used book store.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R155UKCC90H8BN?ASIN=0316055441	Quality fiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It can't be easy, writing a character as s/he goes through decades of tumultuous growth. Yet that is what this author has accomplished. While the book's protagonist is usually having a rough time of things, and consistently makes bad choices, the book remains generally compelling and has something to say about these distractions we so often declare priorities.  Its wildly varied environments are convincingly enough painted that I have to wonder about the author's own background. Days after completing reading this book, scenes from it continue to play through my mind, and I re-read the last 5% of it just to cement its closure (and because the next book I picked up was a disappointment in comparison).</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PDFPFIYRMJW9?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt writes a compelling novel involving a young man, ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt writes a compelling novel involving a young man, Theo,  who loses his mom, and telling the ongoing trials that he encounters as he is fostered  to a rich family.  After his father shows up to take him away with him , his father then dies but not before Theo becomes friends with Boris who eventually leads him on a perilous journey for the next several years.  Reading the end of the book makes the time and effort worthwhile.  Tartt's vocabulary is tremendous and slows down the reading somewhat by constantly over-describing almost everything.<br/><br/>Overall, it left me with  a somewhat  sadness, but the reality that all of our lives consists of trials that we must somehow accept and carry on.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V18HD17GZFHO?ASIN=0316055441	A triumph of fiction!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think Stephen King got it totally right in his NYT review when he compared Donna Tartt to Charles Dickens...this is a brilliant story that has a scope that is similar to the great works of Dickens, or in my mind, also Twain, complete with wonderful minor characters that weave in and out, and make the narrative that much richer.  In addition to the gripping story, the central theme of how one's life is interconnected with so many others and gives it meaning, (even though events make it sometimes seem  like a ""cesspool"") was uplifting and ""right"" for me...yes, it is a long story, but never boring, and very, very thought provoking...I was honored to have the experience of reading it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GQTLN6PDW7VD?ASIN=0316055441	Overlong, yes, but very beautiful writing for much of the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Yes, it was overlong and a story of this depth deserved a better ending. But for much of the book, I so enjoyed the journey of Theo. I also really liked the cities getting their own characters: NYC, Amsterdam and Las Vegas. (Tartt really captured how ridiculous Las Vegas is, especially after the housing bust.) The scenes at the Met were beautiful and Theo's love for and loss of his mother was visceral. The Barbours were so spot-on and I had empathy for the whole family.<br/><br/>It became a bit of a slog in the last third of the story - winnowing it down 20 percent would have been an improvement. But I admire the effort that Tartt put in. God knows I could never write anything so moving and epic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37HBX0P9S6HN2?ASIN=0316055441	Great story...at least for the first half of it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had very high expectations for the book which were certainly met for at least half to three-quarters of the story. I loved the book from the start till the point when Theo escaped back to NYC after his father's death which was when the plot started to fall apart for me, I skipped so many pages when Boris came back into the picture and found the plot then rather mundane and couldn't care less to read it (especially since I've already made through at least 400 pages). I believe the story could have been made much shorter to make it a more pleasant and exciting read, something that would have held readers' interest from the start till the end, instead of making them lose steam by dragging the plot.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DYXCLLCGIFF6?ASIN=0316055441	Absolutely amazing !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an amazing book and no wonder it`s  Pulitzer  prize winner !The book is about Theo ... the stolen painting and how his mother dying effected his whole life ahead. Theo gets involve  with drugs and bad relationships.Through the entire book he is in love with Pippa ...""I love her every minute of every day ,heart and mind and soul and all..."" Is life a cess-pool ?...well that's dependents how you make it..and how you look at it ...<br/>Very powerful story,excellent characters that I will not forget them for a while.I always knew that fat books holds great story and this one is no exception ..I just want to say that I really loved the book and will definitely read more by this author...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JU6J66MWI1B6?ASIN=0316055441	Mixed Grill	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very well written, disturbing book. It is hard to identify with the protagonist who appears to be amoral for most of the story. In the end it is a book that raises questions about relativism and absolutism, and what trauma can do to the psyche. On the negative side, the book contains many too long, even excessive, convoluted descriptions about the protagonist's teen years and substance abuse. In summary, the book raises interesting psychological questions, provides some resolution at the end, but also leaves one with dissatisfaction in not providing a rationale for why some individuals can endure trauma and loss and yet rise above them and even contribute to humanity, while other sink very low.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11TDVIQS6SY6L?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love Donna Tartt! This book is beautifully narrated.  Compelling story and complex characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I93MSOJ3IXL8?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Might have been better if half as long.  Paragraphs rambled on for pages.  Very tedious reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HPUVQP8ZS8E7?ASIN=0316055441	A Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't want this book to ever end.  This is the best book I've read in a very long time.  Bravo!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5ZCC6SMVMIPF?ASIN=0316055441	REALLY DRAWN OUT, BUT I FINISHED IT.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started off good and easy to follow ~ then it just went all over the place. not what I expected.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CQK52DTG6UY5?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book - it had me drawn in from the beginning until the end - it was great!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QWZZ8ZQZIJ9O?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt does it again.  Fabulous writing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has written a masterful story.  An enormous amount of research must have gone into this book, as you will read about antique furniture restoration and drug addiction.  It is a long book (770 pages) but I had trouble putting it down.  Beautifully drawn characters.  And you can smell the streets of New Your and Amsterdam, and feel the searing heat of Vegas.  I am not going to describe the story.  I am going to tell you to read it.  It is one of the very best books you will read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11NTKNJA99SK1?ASIN=0316055441	Writing that is Fine Art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Writng as as fine art. The words and the syntax are so carefully done I had to stop and just reflect on how it was accomplished. Very intriguing story chock full of art history and information abut illegal drug use, a strange combination I think. The characters seem to be alive, people you can identify with,and yet they accomplish things most of us might only dream about. The power of a work of art, how it can control our actions, and how it creates its own value are all made clear without being directly addressed.No wonder it took so long to write, the author must have spent a lot of time stoned to be such an authority on these various drugs and their sub-culture. Good for her if that's true.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NSBXB5YFKOWW?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch Disappoints	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is powerfully and skillfully written, no doubt. However, it is one of the few books I have read that was written this well that does not have a single redeeming feature to it other than the wordmaster craft. The main character is a total loser by his own actions and the happenstance that propels him into a life of misery. The reader eventually does not care what happens to him and the sooner the better. The plot is ponderous and predictable. Many of the characters are no more than caricatures. At times it seemed that Tartt moved down a crises list, checking them off one by one, and when she had exhausted all the possible twists she just let the plot dwindle down to an exhausted end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IW5FBC4ARVYA?ASIN=0316055441	This read makes my life feel like a vanilla Unicorn cupcake in Candyland	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch: I’m late to the game crossing this off my reading list bc I didn’t think I could manage getting through the opening sequence. Curiosity drew me in though. And wow. This read makes my life feel like a vanilla Unicorn cupcake in Candyland. Dark as night, so painful and sensitive in parts around human relationships that I felt like closing my eyes (makes getting through a book difficult), heart stopping in showing how fast the influences around a young person can change their life path, gritty drug scenes, fine art insights. Holy cow. Not for everyone, not uplifting but kept my Kindle glued to my hand right to the very end. A humbling writer. Pulitzer v well deserved. I loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KWET81NYOWT2?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappointing</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1276VHCBBLKSA?ASIN=0316055441	This book is one of the best books I have ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is one of the best books I have ever read.  Donna Tartt's ability to describe scenes puts you right there - the sights, sounds, smells, textures and even tastes are vivid.  The story is woven together so intricately that I found it hard to put down.  The characters are also written so well that you feel you know them, especially the primary character.  I found myself both liking him and not liking him.  My feelings kept changing.<br/>This is a must read!  Don't let the length deter you.  This book is so well written that it is worth the time, and I think you will not resent it!  The ending is truly amazing in a very subtle way.<br/>I can't wait to discuss this with my book club.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R94MBU35XOLZI?ASIN=0316055441	A great example of PTSD	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fascinating story that kept me reading and reading... I also suffer from PTSD and I was captivated by the imagery Ms. Tartt used to express Theo's feelings. The ins and outs of the antique business that we learn about was very cool. Ms. Tartt's ability to create believable and interesting characters as well as describe any situation with genius makes it clear why she won the Pulitzer Prize for this book. My only caution as I read this book was the chronic use of aspirin by Theo when he was a teenager. Everyone should use situations like these to let readers know that aspirin use among teenagers is a leading cause of Reye's syndrome, a condition that leads to paralysis and possibly death.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFEY2J3NTMSPQ?ASIN=0316055441	The Tragic and Ironic Twists of A Life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The reader barely begins to get to know Theo when a great tragedy occurs that shapes and propels his life throughout the book.  The event propels his life as pinball flippers propel a ball, sometimes in a chaotic, uncontrolled manner, and at other times in slow, inevitable downward rolls.  The threads that connect each character to Theo and the first tragedy are not unravelled completely until the end of the story.  Beauty and it's profound influence upon our lives is a thread that connects all.  Descriptions of Theo's downward spirals of addictive behavior are more detailed than necessary.  The plot is compelling, but the author tends to tidy up the ending a little too neatly and quickly.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S66XZAQ5QL6T?ASIN=0316055441	A TREASURE TO BEHOLD	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No one writes like Donna Tartt.  Sentences need to be read slowly and then read again to absorb her ability to explain feelings, describe the environment surrounding her characters and to create the most blissful metaphors.  It is as if Donna stands frozen<br/>in the ""scene"" she is writing, observing absolutely everything that surrounds the character, down to the smallest detail...all senses, of sight, smell, touch.  She is a gifted writer who also is an excellent story teller.  I highly recommend this book to those who<br/>like a suspense-filled story unlike anything else published this past year. The length of the book requires commitment, but it is joyous commitment to savor.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R33EX6NXTE?ASIN=0316055441	Good but long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Talented author, but her writing tends to drag on a bit. Book is too long. Good story, but sad.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WOPTKEJAIZQD?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch, a fictional account	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like this book. I find it difficult to write a review as to its value because I am just simply exhausted from trying to finish the long drawn out dissertation of poor choices, bad decisions, and  wasted details of an the author's characters. I believed it was going to be an exciting book about art theft and a look into the world of art valued by any individual of society.  The appreciation of art is definitely a highlight in the book but that was left hanging by the characters philosophizing about ""the meaning of life"" as I shall call it.<br/><br/>I really am disappointed in reading the book because at times it resembled a sordid crime mixed with a poor romance novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VH1WI9LCCZM4?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the trip....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully written novel.  The author put an incredible amount of rich detail in the characters and the wild fates that intersect their lives.  I wanted to know what was going to happen next to Theo.  I learned a lot about art history (and have a new perspective) and life in NYC (despite never setting foot there).  What a treat to read a Pulitzer winner as well.  The author is wicked smart and I like how she gave us a hint about what we were in store for by placing the Camus quote before Chapter 1.  The reader will make a long visit with Absurdism during this novel....which can be seem by some as dark.  But the journey Theo makes to find the meaning in life is worth the time invested.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P5CY1R09B97B?ASIN=0316055441	Powerful story, uncommon characters, fascinating twists and turns	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a powerful book and I'm glad I stuck with it to the end but there were times when I was ready to abandon ship.  Donna Tartt created characters of uncommon humanity; I didn't always like all of them but I sure found them fascinating.  And there were moments when the language jumped out at me for its elegance and its poetry.  Every time I thought I knew where the book was going, I was surprised by a twist of fate or plot, as it were.  In the end, I thought the book was uneven, so front-heavy, then the explosive events of the last third and the denouement seemed to flash by, so much so that I had to go back a chapter or two after I finished to make sure I hadn't missed anything.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTXNFWUKC0VMQ?ASIN=0316055441	A terrific book that makes compelling and sometimes harrowing reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A terrific book that makes compelling and sometimes harrowing reading. It follows the life of a young boy into adulthood, the loss of his mother in an art gallery fire and his theft of a painting. But it is equally about the character of his friend Boris, a Ukrainian, whose debauched yet completely free lifestyle draws in the subject at various times during his life. It is set in New York, Las Vegas, and Amsterdam and explores fundamental questions of existence, life, and death through extremes--alcoholism, drug usage and addiction, violence, and ultimately murder. There are numerous subplots and interesting personalities. The book is superbly written and justifiably won a Pulitzer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37NG6XFD7XVBH?ASIN=0316055441	Intense!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very glad I read The Goldfinch, and I was very glad when I finished it.  It was a hard book to read for two reasons; the lengthy descriptions interrupted the flow of the story, and the story was very intense and often unpleasant.  It was hard to like Theo Decker, the main character,  and also many of the other people in the book, but I cared what happened to Theo.  It was a book of what ifs.  What if he hadn't gotten in trouble at school?  What if he hadn't gone to the museum?  What if he had someone to trust when he was young?  What if he had never met Boris?<br/><br/>The Goldfinch was a mostly well written but wordy book with a compelling story and thought provoking ideas.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RTZ75BBYWQMB?ASIN=0316055441	What a shame!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I stopped reading at about page 365, leafed through the rest.  I suspect that there are a number of beautifully crafted and compelling pages somewhere in the next three hundred, but... I don't care.  The opening of the book is impressive; I was hooked at the start and eager to follow the well drawn characters until... the protagonist lands in Las Vegas and the third of several sub-plots devolves into  Easton Ellis / seamy underbelly/ sexy step-mom/ drugged teens eating chips and smelling dog s***/ bad dad and loan sharks.  By the time Theo Decker gets back to New York and into Euro-trashiness, I was done.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z0CZ0KX5GQPN?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very slow moving. Couldn't find any redeeming qualities in the main charachters. Disappointed.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EKTADIKWQM5Y?ASIN=0316055441	THIS won the Pulitzer Prize?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's hard to believe that we went from last year's Pulitzer Prize winning ""The Orphan Master's Son,"" a very deserving book, to this year's ""The Goldfinch,"" a disjointed, unsympathetic and self-absorbed tale of social pariahs who keep crossing paths, and a famous work of art trying (unsuccessfully) to keep the story together.  The book begins very well, but quickly devolves into a series of depressing drug and pity induced vignettes.  And the ending?  It's like I was sitting through a foreign film and had a narrator come in at the end to explain the symbolism.  I'm not often negatively critical of books, but I expected quite a bit more from a Pulitzer Prizer winner.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ISSODDHDFSM2?ASIN=0316055441	Strong writing, another Tartt anti-hero, and oh so much detail!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like ""The Little Friend,"" in Goldfinch, the protagonist is for me a vivid ""Anti-Hero""  ---- and like Little Friend, Tartt seems to resist the temptation for ""happy endings.""  A spell binding complex novel, I read for hours on end.  However, not too long into the story, like Little Friend, I found myself skimming over long paragraphs of detailed descriptions.<br/>  Don't get me wrong, I believe detailed descriptions are among the author's strong points-----however, she seems at times out of control with detail.<br/>  Her characters, Theo, Boris, Hobie, and others are so strong, I can to feel they were almost part of my family!<br/>  Thank you Donna Tartt!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REU089VWQHXNG?ASIN=0316055441	Incomparable!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It has been YEARS since I have been as engrossed in reading a book as reading The Goldfinch. Just absolutely BRILLIANT writing!Not only is the plot absorbing but Ms Tartt's mastery of language could be studied in writing classes. I am almost finished...I can't stop reading but I feel I have to slow down because I don't want the book to end. Even though I already read A Secret History,years ago,  I ordered it to read again just so I can read more of her writing. I despair at having to wait several years before she produces another book. Well done Ms Tartt and thank you for a WONDERFUL reading experience.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BDEL3L7J9UJW?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the wading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it took me a little while to get into this book because the protagonist tends to repeat himself and go on a bit. Part of this is probably because in the beginning of the book the protagonist is a young boy trying to make sense of a terrorist attack that has left his mother dead and his future uncertain because his father left long ago and he has no other relatives willing to take him in. You find yourself wanting him to just get to the next bit of action instead of reading every single one of his thoughts. However, once the protagonist finds himself in a new city things start to get interesting. His new friend, Boris, has a lot to do with this. A very memorable character!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HGLZBYZGYP5J?ASIN=0316055441	Overkill	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story started out really interesting but the plot was sacrificed for the unending misery of the main character. I suppose if you enjoy characters over a plot you may enjoy it more than I, but the characters unending depression and bad choices left me saying, ""get on with it already!"". I think it's not a good sign when you don't really care if the main character lives or dies. The book was very well written, which is the only reason I was able to finish it. Ultimately the story, the characters and the truths unearthed could have been effectively communicated in way less than 775 pages. Considering the number of people who told me it was a great story, I was very disappointed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O4GH3SW0Q9R0?ASIN=0316055441	I extremely dislike both characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am on page 540 of The Goldfinch as I write this review.  It is against my principles to ever put a book down without finishing it, but it is very tempting in this case.  I started out really enjoying the book (the reason for the 3 stars) until Theo meets Boris in Las Vegas.  I extremely dislike both characters.  It is hard to keep reading a book where you loathe the main character.  I am hoping in the next couple of hundred pages, he redeems himself.  And what happened to the painting??  It seems to crop up every once in awhile in passing.  What I don't understand is why Theo just didn't go out, in the middle of the night perhaps, and leave the painting somewhere to be found.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S6HWEZKXGKOS?ASIN=0316055441	This story will make a great movie, the book was hard to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really wanted to like this book. I bought it when I saw it on the best seller list. I got a deal on a kindle edition. I started reading it over the summer for a summer book club selection. I was suppose to be done in a month, it took me 3. It was so hard to read, the detail in my opinion weighed it down. Not to mention it was so depressing. I guess I am the type of book reader who continues to read a book because you hope that you are going to get through all the turmoil and see the light at the end of the tunnel and celebrate not so much with this book. I will tell you the characters were excellent. I loved every one of them. I do think this story will make a great movie.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT3J5OB4YC2E3?ASIN=0316055441	I wanted to love this novel, but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I so wanted to love this book -- The Secret History remains one of my favorites.  The story was compelling at first, but what happened to the editor?  Some of the characters were wonderful, but the storytelling itself went on way, way too long and I was so ready for it to be over at the end that I'm not sure I even remember what happened.  I think there was a trite lesson in there somewhere.  I'm afraid I fall into the camp that find this novel not nearly worthy of a Pulitzer, with a disappointing writing style and a rambling story that lacked much of the tightness and intrigue of Tartt's debut novel.  That being said, I will, no doubt, read her next novel a decade from now.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MC1MFG2AQRQR?ASIN=0316055441	Overly descriptive... descriptions went on and on ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overly descriptive...descriptions went on and on, and way too much philosophising at the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQKUGC360AYS3?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">did not enjoy this book! Kept reading and waiting for this kid to make something of his life!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LPISZZUXRVON?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy this book at all.  Don't know how it received the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VFWD3BA2NRHX?ASIN=0316055441	... book keeps your interest with many hidden undertones on love, morality	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book keeps your interest with many hidden undertones on love, morality, living and dying.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D0KF5QUE8ETP?ASIN=0316055441	Don't believe the hype.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so excited about this book after hearing and reading all of the rave reviews.  Unfortunately, when I finished the book a few weeks ago I was extremely disappointed.  The book starts out well but then meanders with the main characters physical moves and the characters that he meets along the way.  I assumed there would be a point to all of the lengthy circumstances, but in the end I was left wondering what the point of most of it was.  I don't mind a meandering book (loved Owen Meany for instance,)  but in the end, I need to know why I spent so much time learning all of these various details.  The Goldfinch doesn't wrap it all up.  Two stars because it was frustrating!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26SZ5ETYS905M?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Did Not Sing For Me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I purchased this book and struggled to get myself to read it for months as it is VERY long.  I bought the Kindle version, and somehow that seems even longer as you cannot see physically how far along you are. I'd start and I'd stop after 5% or so.  Eventually I checked out the CD version from the library and listened to all 32 hours!  The reason I did not like the book was that I did not care for a lot of what happens around the main character.  Drugs, stealing, child abuse, alcoholism, abandonment are all major themes.  You work your way through about 700 pages before things get hopeful, and the ending seemed rushed and preachy to me after all the misery that preceded it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CW7YD0YDZC8C?ASIN=0316055441	At almost 800 pages long, The Goldfinch is told ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At almost 800 pages long, The Goldfinch is told through novellas, with each one another important chapter of narrator Theo Decker's life. The book opens with Theo as an adult, stranded and desperate in Amsterdam wondering if his life could have taken another path. Theo is in trouble and as a result begins to reflect upon his life and the first major event that he believed changed the course of his life, the death of his mother in a terrorist attack on the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The tale is fascinating and keeps you gripping onto the edge of your seat throughout the entire wild ride. This is a serious must read and a modern classic. I am a major fan of Donna Tartt now.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YY12P0AJYRZG?ASIN=0316055441	If you like Antiques Roadshow, then you'll love this book too!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the main character was believable without being too unsympathetic, but at times it was hard to root for him because he can be such a s***.  This book is very good, but does feel a little drawn out at times.  How many years can a person worry about something obsessively?  Still, worth the time.  This is one of those books where you find yourself guessing who will play the characters in the movie adaptation--they're drawn so well, you want them to come to life.  There's a certain aspect of the furniture business described in the book that reminded me of Antiques Roadshow -- anybody who is intrigued by how beautiful art can cloud your judgement will enjoy this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GWE3WGQV8UOE?ASIN=0316055441	Starts off well, becomes way too much as it goes along.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Would have given it 5 stars at first, but about half way through I was tired of the verbosity.  Although the author has a way with words, she uses too many.  The story started getting too intricate, too much description.  Toward end the author kept belaboring her point, needlessly repeating the same thing using different words, over and over.  It was as if the author was in love with words, unable to stop herself.  I had to start speed reading my way through the last 20% of the book.  It is too bad a good editor didn't put a stop to it.  It could have been a 5 star with a cut of several hundred pages. Donna Tartt can write well; she just doesn't know when enough is enough!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R271A83SK7H77G?ASIN=0316055441	Much hyped; doesn't deliver	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After a strong beginning, The Goldfinch fell into a miasma of drugs, alcohol, criminality and basically unlovable characters (excepting Boris who, despite his unapologetic shortcomings, is one of the winningest characters of any book I've ever read). I found it very hard to stick with the plot and might have given up altogether if not for the appearance of Hobie, another impossible-to-resist character. After this tolerable interlude, the last third of the book slogged, again. Tartt sometimes wanders into pages and pages of reflection and philosophizing that is as dense as her plot. A disappointment to me. I only stuck with it because it was an assignment for my book club!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G17RWXEV0MQ9?ASIN=0316055441	way way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I never fail to finish a book---but  I did not finish The Goldfinch.<br/>The book was 771 pages and it did not deserve that much paper.<br/>I read 439 and quit. Tartt writes very well.  I like the flow of her words.<br/>The story is told by Theo an orphaned 13 year old boy<br/>There were interesting characters in his life. Hobie, a gentle older friend,<br/>and Boris, a wild teenager, who was also displaced.  There was a tremendous<br/>amount of alcohol and drugs.  I was soon bored with the numerous descriptions<br/> of booze and  drugs.  The plot bogged down and limped along.<br/>I did not have the patience or the time to keep reading.<br/><br/>6 months later<br/>I came back and finished this book.  The last 300 pages were more interesting,<br/>however I stand by all I said above.  Also, the book was so heavy that my arms<br/> would get tired of holding it.  It was too heavy, too wordy, and took too much of my time.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI8H2AENXEJYM?ASIN=0316055441	I have not yet finished this book. It is ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have not yet finished this book.  It is very well written and interesting, but, for me, it gives too much detail.  By the time I finish reading one section, I am tired of waiting for the conclusion of that part of the story line.  In the first section the main character is caught in an explosion at a museum in New York City.  I thought he would never get out.  Each of the sections seems, to me, to be this way.  I keep wanting to jump ahead and skip the descriptions and details and pick up the story line again.  My daughter, who is also reading the book on her Kindle, feels the same way and has not finished the book.  I will finish it.  When I do I may upgrade my score.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25XRCWMEFN45K?ASIN=0316055441	At Your Own Risk	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am halfway through Goldfinch and will probably finish it after taking a break, but the bottom line for me is wondering why this received the Pulitzer. Granted, I am no literary expert or critic, but, when compared to other books that have received the award, I am rather surprised. As Tom Hanks says in the movie BIG, ""I don't get it.""<br/><br/>Update:  85% completed. I've changed my rating to 3 stars (from the original 2 stars).  I like the parts of the book that involve Theo's relationships with others.  BUT this part of the book (when he and Boris are in Amsterdam) is dragging for me and a bit boring.  I read a little at a time and then find something else to do or read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMNQLZRS85WGE?ASIN=0316055441	I was very disappointed in the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very disappointed in the book.  It's much too long and far too self-indulgent.  And I would categorize it as overblown and rather pretentious adolescent fiction.  It has its moments, and certainly Tartt is a gifted writer, but it's amazing this won the coveted Pulitzer Prize.  There are enough cliches to stifle even the most devoted or readers.  And the narrator is truly overbearing and far too puny to carry the sizable weight of this book.  It may have taken Tartt eleven years to write, but it seemed longer than that to plow through it.  I keep hearing that her first book, A SECRET HISTORY, is far superior, but am I up to another Tartt effort?  Not any time soon.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TXNSHDBOT4OQ?ASIN=0316055441	endless	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book started out so beautifully ... the vivid descriptions of New York City , the lovely relationship between mother and son and the eventful day at the museum. I thought I was in for something special. Even the introduction of Hobie and Pippa presented promise.  Next thing I know we are in Vegas and the story becomes a tedious tale of drugs and really annoying antics that never seemed to end. By the time Theo returned to NYC I didn't care much about him even though we meet Hobie again , who I think was the most interesting character of the book. I struggled to the finish because it!s rare for me not to finish a book but this fell short of what it could have been.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BMHECCLPN9TD?ASIN=0316055441	I Just Can't Stand Donna Tartt. (I tried. I really did.)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I tried to like Donna Tartt. I really did. I've had recommended to me 1000 times. But i just couldn't do it. A total waste of money. Her writing makes me insane. (I do not need 20 pages of description of someone walking down the street when one or two pages would be WELL sufficient.) I just wanted to yell at the book, on every page I GET IT! Just tell me the next thing that happens. Ms. Tartt seems to be overly in love with her own prose. Apparently that works for MANY many people, but not for me. I just felt the story was buried beneath loads of wrods that just got in the way of the story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15ERAHYE7GMNE?ASIN=0316055441	t understand how it stays on the best seller list	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overated.  Can.t understand how it stays on the best seller list.  Too long and gets boring.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T2A19QNLPDS3?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I have ever read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Heartbreakingly rich, I laughed out loud  and teared up frequently. It left me wanting more.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D5G0Z5XZPVVD?ASIN=0316055441	Great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing I could relate to Theo it was a great read I really enjoyed it oh man it was so good</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R295BN4BN5VU71?ASIN=0316055441	Phenomenal book, meh ending.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books I have read in a very long time.  The story is engaging and captivating as you follow the main character, Theo, through trials and tribulations over the course of his young life.  It's a story of loss, love, tragedy and redemption that makes the length of the book, which can be daunting at 775 pages, feel much shorter than it is.  I could not put this book down, wanting to see what was coming next.<br/>The one caveat of the book is that the ending leaves much to be desired considering how great the book is up until the last 10-15 pages.  I expected more than the way it ended, but otherwise I highly recommend this book to fellow readers.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31RGQ7FC29OYH?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the book, but not so much Theo....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I understand why this book won the  Pulitzer Prize. Donna Hartt proves she is a wonderful author. She makes the setting of her book, New York City and Las Vegas come alive. She makes you see the different characters of the book in intimate ways.  She keeps you interested and wanting to see how it will all come to an end.  But, I wanted to like Theo, and I didn't.  I felt as if he threw away the life that he was given and I was sad for him.  But, in the end, it is only a book...Maybe the best thing we can hope for, is to realize that the author can help us all see the fragility of life and how easy it is to take it all for granted.  For that, the author was a success.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MHI6DMDYQDMU?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unbelievably beautiful writing that entranced me from the very first word. I initially borrowed the book from the library, but loved the writing so much, I purchased my own copy to have as inspiration. The book is very long, though, and I think it could have been much shorter and still packed the literary punch it was destined to have. Donna Tartt is a masterful storyteller and her characters are well-fleshed-out, vivid and unforgettable. From the book's first tragedy through the mire of drug addiction, alcoholism, crime, and human desolation, she invariably keeps us clinging to every page, mesmerized by her haunting style. This book was a winner - Pulitzer and all.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R118QBTYDBTOD3?ASIN=0316055441	The narrator started to sound like a pretentious college freshman kicking around the meaning of ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">2.5 stars - a little preachy and self-important. This was one of the very few books I have read that I wanted to just put down. And I would have if I were not reading it for a group discussion. The last 150 pages made me antsy to finish. I even started skimming just to get it over with. If you are on the fence worrying you might be missing something monumental, insightful or thought provoking, do not bother. I think I was getting irritated because the pseudo-philosophical musings-found mostly in the last 150-175- pages hit me as condescending and just plain tired. The narrator started to sound like  a pretentious college freshman kicking around the meaning of life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HIG5OQBMZY8R?ASIN=0316055441	It's a Pulitzer Prize winner, but probably not for everyone.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to love this book but the more I read, the more disappointed I was in it.  The first 2/3 of the book kept me interested because of the storyline and I really liked the main character, and empathized with with him for the unfortunate cards he'd been dealt in life.  Hoping all the while, for something good to happen.<br/><br/>I didn't enjoy reading about the drug-filled haze the main characters were embroiled in for years, and that may have been what spoiled it for me.  By the time I got to the last 50 or so pages, I was no longer invested in the story and honestly couldn't finish it.<br/><br/>It's a Pulitzer Prize winner, but probably not for everyone.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OFIVL92725ZX?ASIN=0316055441	Not for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not finish this book, though I read about 40 percent of it.  It is rare for me to drop a book that far in.  At first I found the writing style coupled with an introspective tone charming. Style and tone are not enough. I became disenchanted with Goldfinch after many pages of dysfunctional characters, poor choices, unrelenting angst, and little real action when action seemed most called for. I wonder how so many can like it so much?  I have read, literally, thousands of books over the course of my lifetime, including most of the classics. This is not one of them. I do not feel compelled to return to the book to see what happens.  That, in itself, says a lot.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZIOEOMNLI0QE?ASIN=0316055441	800 pages but totally worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is genius, but it's so real that it's very hard to read. It's about what happens to people when their lives get pushed off the track, either because of something they did, or because something happened to them that was entirely out of their control. These changes can be huge or seemingly trivial, but they leave the characters trying to sort out the consequences and redeem something of their lives. It's a long book, and you watch the characters just living for many pages. These are totally imagined characters that will stay with you for a long time. The Goldfinch is tough sledding, and there's no happy ending, but it's a totally worthwhile read. Recommended.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF3UGZ36VJ5AM?ASIN=0316055441	VERY DISAPPOINTED!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had heard several raves about this book and so I had great expectations but found it terribly disappointing. It took me ages to read as I became quickly bogged-down with the endless elaborations while waiting to get back to the storyline.( In my opinion, the entire ""Las Vegas"" portion could almost have been eliminated, or certainly limited to a chapter or two.) I kept leaving the book to read others, only going back to it determined to finish it only because I had purchased it. The main storyline was very intriguing and would have made a great read in 300 or 400 pages, skipping all of the endless elaborations which is why I gave it a three star. Sorry.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A2MN9V19G4ZW?ASIN=0316055441	The arc of the plot was good, and we had a very lively discussion	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My book club was reading this book; otherwise I would never have begun a book of this length .  The arc of the plot was good, and we had a very lively discussion, otherwise I would have given this a 1 rating rather than a 2.  I  CANNOT SAY LOUDLY ENOUGH THAT IT IS WAAAY TOO WORDY AND WAAAY TOO GRAPHIC.  In my opinion, several hundred long, excessive descriptions do not produce Pulitzer quality literature.  According to Wikipedia, The Goldfinch painting is 13.2"" by 9"", and the novel describes it as a masterpiece of light, composition, and style.  It's too bad Ms. Tartt couldn't have mimicked the artist and provided us with a concise version of her novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZCLPZNHNLWCL?ASIN=0316055441	A bit of a yawner so far	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I probably wouldn't have chosen this book were I not in a faculty book club, and at this point I'm not very far into it.  The writer's style has been difficult for me to get used to--I can't remember the last time I saw so much punctuation used, and that has made it a slow read so far.  The premise is somewhat interesting, but not so much that I'm dying to get back to it.  It's been a bit of a chore to read.  The fact that it's a Pulitzer Prize-winning book suggests it's a great book, right?  So I'm going to continue to plod along so that I'll be ready for book club, and hopefully by the time I finish I will understand why it's worthy of such an esteemed prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J8H8RHX4X2N4?ASIN=0316055441	Worst I can't believe this is Pulitzer Prize material	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't believe I even finished it.  Worst I can't believe this is Pulitzer Prize material.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ5CFJSUDEQBF?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. The end dragged on a bit though and the ending could have tied together better.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSOUKLCMWS23P?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read-Just Very Lengthy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was a great story, well written; however, it was a bit too long in some parts.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JSEDB8Q9D889?ASIN=0316055441	Sorely in need of a good editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The language of this book is wonderfully creative without feeling forced or overthought.  Most of the characters' depictions are psychologically astute and insightful, making them vividly credible.  But unfortunately, the book becomes complacent and self involved for long stretches of time and gets mired into eminently boring excursions into situations that completely detract from the story line and the real contribution the author could have made to fiction. I spent a good amount of time wishing that a competent editor with a discerning and resolute red pencil had gone to town on this manuscript.  Great for a first draft, disappointing as a finished product.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26BJJE82A8BYM?ASIN=0316055441	Too detailed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were times when I loved this book and times when I quickly skimmed through the pages. The painstaking detail was a bit much. It was almost as if the author was trying to prove that she has a grasp of the English language. Hemingway is known for his details, but he is Hemingway. It almost seemed self-indulgent, the amount of words put to paper.<br/><br/>I did not have a liking for Boris, at all. The other characters were interesting and I cared for them. It took me awhile to to get through this book and it wasn't because it had a lot of pages. It was because there were too many inane details and conversations between characters that were not necessary.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WRKUKBLDYVBK?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant, boggy and betrayed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is brilliant.  If you like Wally Lamb you will like this author.  Someone who really paints a picture (no pun intended) of a character; warts and all.  Wally writes about women almost as if he once was one.  Donna, the same gift.<br/><br/>The story got bogged down in places.  Especially when the Russian/Ukrainian friend gets on his soapbox about something.  I wanted to say, ""shut the hell up and tell us what happens next"".<br/><br/>Betrayed because I wanted all the loose ends tied up nice and neatly.  I'm still confused what he was trying to tell us about the love of his life at the end.<br/><br/>Highly recommended.  Almost 5 stars.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L40DIBHOCAYC?ASIN=0316055441	A very dark coming of age novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy this book as much as the hype. It was too long and too drawn out. And for it being a coming-of-age kind of book, it was quite dark and the characters in the book are unlikable. I guess the author was trying to show that each one of the survivors of trauma deal with it in a very dark way, but almost all of them turn to destructive methods! It made me depressed and that might have been why it took me a while to even finish it. It does get much better in the last 3 chapters or so, particularly in the last chapter of the protagonist's introspective moments. I wish a lot of middle chunks were gone and there was more of the beginning and the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FPZ4DZTTGLO3?ASIN=0316055441	an intriguing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed reading this novel and it was especially compelling since I have been in most of the nyc locales described so well in the book.  In addition, her character's drug inspired escapades were amusing to me since in my high school days I was a bit too eager to experience mind altering substances. Even though I felt  that the author, at times,  made the story line a bit too convoluted with awkward phrases it was easy to get beyond it and become involved with the characters. One item  stated in the novel was quite annoying to me. I don't know why Tartt twice writes that 18 is the legal drinking age when the story takes place. It hasn't been  18 for over 30 years.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14R3BZ0HE75JH?ASIN=0316055441	A Dickensian Drama	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I began to see parallels of Dickens' famous works right at the beginning: mistreated orphan (Oliver), his wild friend (Artful Dodger), the wholesome goodness of Hobie (Old Curiosity Shop). There's a Great Expectations quality to Theo too. I wasn't at all surprised when Hobie compares Boris to the Artful Dodger somewhere around page 500. Not a quick read being 775 pages, and the stream-of-conscienceness style of writing was exhausting at times. But I gave the book 5 stars because I was in awe of the author's detail in places, foreign languages and customs, antique dealing, furniture restoration, art history and not least of all the dark side of addiction.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBL93Y1Q4BLDE?ASIN=0316055441	A really interesting read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a very descripted tale of some very interesting people...a young boy is subject to a horrible accident at of all places the Museum of Art in New York City...that incident sets the stage for all the interesting people he will meet along his life path........If you want a fast read this is not your book however if you enjoy the arts and clever dialogue this is for you......You will meet many crazy and wonderful characters along the way and also come to know and appreciate a wonderful painting The Goldfinch........I couldn't put it down I enjoyed it that much.......but I must say in all honestly it is not for everyone.....Just the lucky ones...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BAE4630EFYD4?ASIN=0316055441	I liked it, but thought it a bit too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked it, but thought it a bit too long. Towards the end I was ready to be done with it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DVXVFCN0YU5V?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. First 75 pages are a little difficult to get through. But after that awesome!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CVEGVY70JLTM?ASIN=0316055441	A good story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is very well-written. It is a convoluted story - with many twists and turns.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LPARNILGI557?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth your valuable time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely horrible!  Glorifies drug use and honestly makes it seem like everyone does it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2998TVX30DS4I?ASIN=0316055441	Leads to challenging insights	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story is told so well you feel you know Theo. It is very detailed and real in revealing the depth of his soul. I felt the painting was pivotal because of the connection he felt to it and to his mother. I was at first very negative about his friendship with Boris, yet every part has a purpose. It touches the heart on many levels. I had to read and reread the last several chapters and think deeply. This book is long but well worth the journey. It is much deeper than most of the books I read and also has much more power to open the heart and mind. It is wonderfully written.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ML1JS1WR3GOZ?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting book - one you can read over several weeks if you'd like	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be quite interesting, if not a bit unrealistic at times.  The lives of the two main characters,  Theo and Boris, will keep you intrigued and wondering what is going to happen next to these troubled young men.  At times you just want to take them both and knock their heads together to get them to quit acting so carelessly and other times you just want to give them comfort for all of the despair they are going through.  The book will evoke a wide range of emotions from most readers and I found it a book I looked forward to picking up time and time again over a three week period without any urgency of ""having to finish it now"".</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCQ3326Y68TNM?ASIN=0316055441	It has a wonderful organization that kept me riding the story along at ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put this book down. I know people say this all the time, but seriously, I really neglected a lot of stuff reading this book. It has a wonderful organization that kept me riding the story along at a fast pace and yet had some wonderful side discussions that took me down interesting philosophical side trips. I cared so much about the characters that by the time I was done (it is not a short book) I felt a huge let down. I wanted to know what more happened in the lives of these flawed but hugely sympathetic characters. I will read more of this authors work, but first I have to get caught up on all the stuff I didn't do while reading this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CHXD5OD92GNG?ASIN=0316055441	Drugs Overdone	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As a lover of Russian novels and Dickens in my youth, this book appealed to me and I read it in the span of five days. Like many reviewers, I thought it needed some editing. I found the drug/alcohol usage got a little boring in some parts. I don't see how anyone using as much as Boris and Theo was even functioning into their thirties. I think it  glamorized drug/alcohol usage in a way that could be misunderstood by uneducated  readers. That said, the plot, the characters - especially minor ones -, the settings and the theme kept me engaged. There were times I felt like I was in the room with the characters. I will definitely read more by this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JG29IL8YYBCK?ASIN=0316055441	Listen to the Novel on CD	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read many reviews before deciding to tackle this tome.  I initially thought I might agree with the one star reviews more than the five star reviews.  To address this dilemma, I decided to listen to the novel.  After doing so, I am in the five star category.  The writing flows and is rich in detail.  Some individuals may find the details to be tedious, I did not.  The author inserted a twist in the middle that I did not anticipate.  While the ending seemed a tad contrived, I found it very satisfying.  Ms.Tartt put together an entertaining novel.  Whether the novel qualifies as ""great literature"" is a matter best left to professional critics.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X8MH6ZYPP50H?ASIN=0316055441	... Secret History and consider it one of my ten favorite all-time novels	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though I devoured The Secret History and consider it one of my ten favorite all-time novels, I must confess that The Goldfinch was so awful that I will never again read one of Ms. Tartt's works.  I hated ALL of the characters.  Couldn't Boris have just one time taken a bath, washed his hair, or brushed his teeth?  Is the reader supposed to revel in Theo's constant drug use and underachievement as a human being?  And. . . . does it really rain every single solitary day in NYC?  A really, really bad novel because I just never got interested in any of the characters and I don't know a single person like Theo or Boris (also known as Tedious and Boring).</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37Q08MR2UCGUB?ASIN=0316055441	Love for life, of life, and with life IS important!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have never been forced to become introspective by written work as I have with Donna Tartt's book with the Goldfinch as the symbol that brought Theo through his life.  My emotional response is overwhelming!  My intellectual response is just beginning to clarify to a point from which I can look back and say I will be changed.  Thank you for this brilliant grouping of thoughts we all either hold way below the surface or are afraid to share with others  in regard to our mortality. I re-read the last three pages tonight, and will probably again this week.  This work brought me to help make commitments I hope will enhance my life with those close to me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R73T9VX8OOBXZ?ASIN=0316055441	Is a piece of art worth a life?  Your life?  Can it change a life?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In ""The Goldfinch,""  Donna Tartt creates a world of imagination and reality, of coincidence and purpose, of unique characters who make their mar on your imagination.  From New York City, to Las Vegas, to Amsterdam, you travel with the boy and young man You  who lost his mother.  You want to believe, although you never heard that a museum was targeted by terroriists.  You want the hero to be with the red-headed girl, and you keep  on reading.  Eventually you accept that it's not to be.  But what a world is created!<br/><br/>Although it received some critical reviews, and it is V-E-R-Y long, it is worth the time.  I enjoyed it tremendously.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A1U45F783HSU?ASIN=0316055441	A good book for discussion.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just got back from our book group discussion.  We were lucky that we found goldfinches at our local audubon Bent of the River in South Britain.  We managed to get some photos of them. Thinking of you.  The book was very long and I managed to read it on the Kindle with larger print.  Our group had twelve people there with some food and desserts up in Middlebury, Connecticut.  It is our teacher book group where we have met for more than fifteen years. We started the group a long time ago.  We managed to read a book about a person who died and then came back. Some of us are retired and we have invited other people to our group.  Winifred Brickmeier</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A03504FHMKBU?ASIN=0316055441	Too wordy for enjoyment. could have cut out several hundred pages and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy for enjoyment.  could have cut out several hundred pages and been a good story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TBUC5Y5G4UZ4?ASIN=0316055441	Great read. Unforgettable story Nice fiction w/ real history ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read. Unforgettable story<br/>Nice fiction w/ real history to entertain/ inform us</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3856SSCZZPWMP?ASIN=0316055441	This was a good book, but a little too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a good book, but a little too long. By the end, I was just glad it was finished.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA7V3I9NGHXKY?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Bleak, but I kept reading this interminable tome waiting for redemption.  It never comes.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H5HPXJJAPGP8?ASIN=0316055441	Best Book I've read in a long time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I am an avid reader I have never written a book review before. The Goldfinch was such an incredible book I felt compelled to write one. The book is so well written you feel like you are an actual observer rather than just a reader. The book is long over 700 pages but the story line held my interest until the very end and I could have read some more., It is fast paced and  hard to put down. The characters are well developed and the plot is original which is a rarity. I am hesitant to begin to read another book after reading this one as I know I will be disappointed. I would recommend this book to anyone who has a true passion for reading.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R362GHRPWGGEMC?ASIN=0316055441	I was told that I was almost to the point where the book starts getting good, so I kept reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not an avid reader, but I started reading it based on the reviews. It took me two times starting over because the beginning was really slow for me. Lots of information, spinning wheels, and not much made sense. I was told that I was almost to the point where the book starts getting good, so I kept reading. The last half went fast and I couldn't put it down! It was a thriller with lots of self reflection. I've found myself getting ready to read it again to pick up on what I missed the first time. A good read and I'm glad I didn't give up on the beginning because it all tied together in the end. Almost every last little detail came back into play.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PVXCVJDX48Y0?ASIN=0316055441	Magnificent work of art!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Having read all of my life, there are countless books I look to, reread, and quote from; this monumental story has simply captured the essence of life in all its rapture and glory as well as its utter sorrow and hell.  This is a game changing read, and one I will cherish until I die, because of how poignantly it depicts the daily decisions and consequences that confront us all, but even more than that, the redeeming power of living--really living every day--though some days most definitely prove to be incredibly trying; in the end that is the sum of our lives:  that's what we do if we are blessed enough to realize that it is our choice to do so.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y2EASM95J4T1?ASIN=0316055441	... sure where the story is leading This book was recommended to me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not sure where the story is leading<br/>This book was recommended to me. I ordered it as an audio book for a road trip and for driving to work.  This is by far the longest audio book I have ever listened to - over 20 discs! After having listened to 6 or 7 of them, I am still wondering where the story is leading or what the story even is except a boy's mother has died in an explosion in a museum and he steals a painting. There are so many details that seem to get in the way of a clear story line. My mind wanders while listening because the story rambles on and delays what one wants to know. I am not sure what to think of it but I am not excited.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LDVC3DQ5K7DW?ASIN=0316055441	An important and meaningful novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the book immensely. Even though it was sad in many ways, I thought it dealt with post-traumatic stress and the problems of a forlorn and uprooted teenager and the consequences of his loss and trauma very diligently and convincingly. It is written in a superb and visual language, with humor and perceptiveness, and at a length which makes the boy's feelings creep under your own skin. And basically I like the attitude of the author, her deep understanding of human nature - and as I am myself preoccupied with art history, I also liked the focus on art and its importance and power to raise your existence out of mere survival and basic needs.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R219V1Q93ZXPF?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful but a bit long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's debut novel, The Secret History, is one of my favorite novels, one which bears rereading. Her follow up novel, The Little Friend was dismal, especially in light of her previous work. However, with her latest work, The Goldfinch, Tartt has redeemed herself. A bildungsroman in the best tradition, it is at once intimate and global in scope. Swann has nothing on Theo Decker, and instead of madeleines we get vodka. It's a fair trade. Really. Because this rollercoaster ride needs a shot of Absolut to bring one down a bit while reading it. I loved it despite my desire not to. My only gripe: it was a bit too long. Still worth the time, though. Improve your experience by reading the Kindle Single Fabritius and the Goldfinch which will give you ample background on the painting and the artist which play so central a role in Tartt's novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG7IF2S8B1FAS?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize?  You have to be kidding!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't quite manage to give this tome one star but it was close....  I can't believe I slogged through most of this book, gave up about 20 pages before the end and skipped to the final denouement.  Long winded is the kindest description I can think of at the moment.  My brain actually hurts when I remember how much time I spent reading endless page after page after page.  I agree with one reviewer, or perhaps many more, that this book needed some hefty editing.  I also realised that Boris had nicked the painting during the frantic departure from Las Vegas.  I could ramble on and on about more ramblings but I will give it and my brain a rest.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SEU2ESS60TJL?ASIN=0316055441	life and love are so overtly posed by characters hell bent on ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not sure I can add to what anyone else has said.  This is an excellently written book with stellar vocabulary, turn of phrase, and depth.<br/>For me it was a bit too long and often depressing, which shouldn't be a surprise when questions about the meaning of God, life and love are so overtly posed by characters hell bent on destroying their lives.  With that being said, I found it hard to put down, although around page six hundred something,  I felt like I was trying to wade through quick sand to get to the end..  This and the depressing issues is/are  why the 3 stars. My advice: if you want to read it, make sure you are ready to commit.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S0SG6SCC89BC?ASIN=0316055441	Dumbstruck	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am not sure how accurate a review I can give, as I have just finished the last page and am drunk with it. However, if you want to ruin the total experience of this piece, read the last chapter, as that is what it is all about. Why deny yourself the anger and hurt, love and sympathy, even empathy of this by reading the end, first. I say empathy because Ms. Tartt defines what we all feel and live at some point, but the journey she takes us through is essential, much as it was for the book's protagonist.<br/>So, as special and unique your parents might have convinced you that you are...well, we are all part of the circle. Read it for yourself.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TW6F0NVCJN11?ASIN=0316055441	A weak 4 stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved Secret History. I think she is a fantastic writer, develops her characters well, and writes an interesting well thought out story. However, I, like others, found myself skimreading after the middle of the book.  There were many many many many paragraphs that went on endlessly about some reminiscence that I just didn't care about.  Why the 771 pages? It could have been tightened up.<br/>That said, I thought the first half was a solid 5 stars. Grabbed me and didn't let go.  Rushed home to read it and gave my husband ""the hand"" when he tried to talk to me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R185FG5UISNNCT?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it started out well enough and then got to feel too much detail by too many characters.  Trying to get the main character into a decent life seemed like it would never happen. Did like the end result about the bird painting.  Got mired down again in last chapter explaining what his character had learned about his life experience.  Not sure what I learned either but I always have to finish every book I start. I would say it was an interesting read.  Maybe it is just me,  as I did not think Salinger's Catcher In The Rye novel was an all time great book.  As with any work of author or painting it truly is in the eye of the beholder.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C1ZZ0D60JKK7?ASIN=0316055441	I'll pass	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Where to begin? I guess I'll start by saying I couldn't finish this. It was such a vast, painful read with a few moments of entertainment. I think there have only been 2 other books I could not finish; it is rare for me to stop when I've read 60% of a book--at that point I figure I might as well trudge on!-- but I just couldn't with this. Pages and pages of the same thing, the same scene with every possible description squeezed out of it--just move on please! I can sum it up in these words ""terrorist attack, parental death, famous painting kept hidden and becomes both an enormous weight and savior, drug use and life ruined."" Done.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OPRE0906M4AA?ASIN=0316055441	Missing a Magic Wand?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Imagine Harry Potter/ the Harry Potter books - without the magic of Hogwarts, Dumbledore, Ron, Harmoine, et al. Imagine the tedium of  eight books about a young orphaned boy, struggling to belong, to survive his love of alcohol and drugs, to find love, and to discover the real lesson of this beleaguered expedition. If you find yourself loving this Harry Potter, then you will enjoy ""The Goldfinch's"" lackluster existence: a fairly mundane narrative cloaked in highly pretentious prose. Like the original Potter books, Goldfinch has a distinctive premise. However, unlike Rowling, Tartt and Theo Decker are both missing the magic...wand!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQLCBJ0IX13IR?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent story, and art lesson.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I gave this book 5 stars because of the creative story telling and the rich character development. The relationship between Theo and Boris was key to the entire story. It provided a lot of creative twist and turns. Hobbie was an excellent moral compass, Pippa was a very creative mystery woman, from the very beginning of the story. The author did a great job keeping interest high with that story line. I recommend this novel to anyone who wants a great story with very creative plot twist and turns. The author did a great job of helping us understand the love that someone could have for any art, not just the Goldfinch.<br/>Great story!!!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F4X6ZJR78VJL?ASIN=0316055441	Good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the first book I read of Tratt. WIthout double the well good written and the characters development are very interesting. Despite the written quality, I found the narrative time to slow, some situation are definitely too long described and during the first book half it was difficult for me to keep the motivation to continue. I keep reading the book because everyone told me it was a great book and I wanted to understand why. Indeed is a good book, a good story and a very interesting description of loneliness, but you can understand this only at the very end.<br/>I a dive this book to people whom like introspection and reflexion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UXAEQV2C2373?ASIN=0316055441	It's easy reading and worth a peak if someone gives you ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was entertaining but I get stumped when I see it won a Pulitzer and got such high acclaim.  To me it was full of cliches and ancient themes. Nothing really new. About two thirds of way through I had figured out ending. The book could be cut by a lot with the windy descriptions. One comes to mind: they arrive at a closed basement bar to make an exchange and he ""glances"" through the small window into the dark bar, and then she goes on for a page to describe what he saw. I'm thinking, you saw all that with a glance? It's easy reading and worth a peak if someone gives you the book. Better to read Saul Bellow or Mario Llosa.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PDQO35243UHC?ASIN=0316055441	God I hated the second half of this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">God I hated the second half of this book. It's basically two different novels marauding as one. Loved the first part - the descriptions of the boys in Las Vegas were eloquent, beautifully written, and sad. Then suddenly the book turns into a crime novel - with a completely stereotypical Russian who speaks almost as if he were a caricature of himself, and runs around with loose women and guns. WHAT HAPPENED HERE? I honestly tried to like this novel. I picked it up 3 different times, forcing myself to read another chapter and hoping that the writing style from the first half would return, but ultimately I had to put it down - disgusted.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROZ5SBWNXKPSL?ASIN=0316055441	fabulous exploration of genres	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though it may sound like a contradiction, the novel is quite long and yet the writing is spare.<br/><br/>The more complex aspect of the book is trying to decide what kind of book it is. In parts it reads like a thriller and in ohers it is a Dickensian comedy, though in parts it is romance.<br/><br/>The philosophical musings are reminiscent of Graham Greene but its central plot-line could be straight out of Breaking Bad or The Wire.<br/><br/>It's a fabulous exploration of mixing genres and defying formulaic rules, though it may be frustrating to some readers.<br/><br/>If you like Tartt’s style, you will love it without reserve.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BZP17P763H0E?ASIN=0316055441	Purloined Art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful story about a boy gone bad, but it is fascinating as he learns about life by trial and a lot of error.  There are details which while interesting do not contribute to the story as far as I was concerned, and at 700 pages I might have left them out.  I am sure the Pulitzer prize committee knows more about this than I do.  The descriptions about what makes a painting priceless, and what makes furniture also priceless were interesting and informative.  It is well worth reading.  I was captivated enough to research The Goldfinch, and the piece does indeed exist although the author needed to change its provenance for the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q17O0VT5QI5H?ASIN=0316055441	Drawn, quartered, and reborn, almost	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author is truly a gifted weaver of words and images, almost to a fault.  She weaves a gentle web, snares the reader, then devours you, very, very slowly.  There were many moments when I had to put the book down and take a deep breath before continuing, either out of angst or disdain.  And, other times,  I glossed over what seemed like  endless, prolonged descriptions that seemed to even diminish character development, not enhance it.  There was, however,  the constant tug of beautiful souls and the sorrow of a captive one.  Part mesmerizing, part infuriating, profoundly sad,  yet enough light to sustain some hope for a lost soul.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BXSAUNYU0403?ASIN=0316055441	Not since Catch 22......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I LOVED this book; I've not been so taken with a contemporary novel since I finished Joseph Heller's 'Catch 22' almost fifty years ago.<br/><br/>I've read some of the negative reviews and found many of them to be thoughtful and intelligently written.  I was pleased to see that; it shows me we can still disagree civilly on an intellectual level.<br/><br/>This book IS long and is crammed with detail.  Some reviewers obviously choked on this much detail but I found it pertinent and helpful.  I also found the philosophical dilemma expressed in the last forty or so pages mesmerizing.  I just had to go back and read that section again.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D1P5O4E3XAJ8?ASIN=0316055441	Don't Get the Hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I checked this book out from my local library, after seeing that this book received almost 4,000 4 star reviews. I thought this book would be really great. Wrong. I was interested at first in the story, with the relationship between the boy and his mother. But this book just goes on and on and you're left wondering, what is the point of this story? And where was the editor of this book and why didn't he/she do more to clean up this overly wordy book? Towards the end of the book, I started skipping chapter after chapter just so I could end the book and, finally, find out the resolution of the book. Very boring and would not recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCTL9ZI05FQCZ?ASIN=0316055441	Editor Needed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, too tedious.  Where was an editor.  Cannot believe this won a Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M6S1WDUOG3LW?ASIN=0316055441	Money thrown away	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A total waste of time. This woman cannot but talk about herself all the time. Avoid it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VF8J5OEB0DYV?ASIN=0316055441	Not Prize Worthy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was surprised to learn this novel had won the Pulitzer Prize. While the story line is good, there is much too much descriptive detail in the book which could have been edited to make the novel half its length. It is also a very depressing story and even ends on a depressing note. The title of the book leads one to believe the painting of The Goldfinch is interwoven into the story and deeply impacts the characters. While it is true the painting is featured as part of the narrative, it does not figure as prominently as one would think. I only finished the book to see what happened to the main character. All in all, a disappointment.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AJYIAJVAXAJV?ASIN=0316055441	but what disappointed me most was the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I came to this book with high expectations, given the Pulitzer Prize. I found it to be fairly shallow, but what disappointed me most was the ending. After failing to weave meaningful depths into the narrative from the beginning, Tartt takes the final pages of the book to lecture the reader on aesthetics--beauty, art in relationship to life's meaning. If she would have done that work from the beginning, subtly, it might have been a good book. But, no one wants a lecture at the end of the book telling them exactly what the author didn't portray well enough throughout the narrative. I felt disappointed that I spent the time reading it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37WN4RHP6PJJY?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I so very much enjoyed this book.  My aunt was an antique collector going way back into the 1920's and had her own shop up in Cold Spring, N. Y.  She found pieces for her sister, my mother, that fit perfectly into our Brooklyn, N.Y. Victorian brownstone home, and to this day I have a few of her prizes.  This book brought back all the memories of old antique shops and their wonderful items.  Of course, the story line is not all about antiques, but about a young boy losing his mother in a disaster, but then growing into a young man as an owner of what he believes is a painting of a goldfinch.  A wonderful story with lots of surprises!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LYTUK3F4IODH?ASIN=0316055441	The reader who stays with the dialog and extended narratives will be rewarded with some of the finest writing to be found	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No spoilers in this review.<br/><br/>This is a long book, but well worth reading. As would be expected from a book that covers nearly 20 years of a boy's life, there are many story lines and unusual turns of event. The reader who stays with the dialog and extended narratives will be rewarded with some of the finest writing to be found, at some points reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy or J.D. Salinger. How does author Donna Tartt know how boys feel about things, or what motivates them? How does she know how teenage boys talk to each other when adults are not around?  This is an impressive work that fully-deserves the Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R276BC5EOAE7C0?ASIN=0316055441	An amazing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a unique story.  It begins  tragically when a young boy, Theo, is a victim  of a terrorist attack in an art museum where he and his mother are visiting. He escapes, but his mother dies. Pivotal to the story is a famous valuable painting he retrieves from the rubble which becomes an obsession for him as he attempts to keep and hide it.  As he grows into manhood he is the product of a life lived through abandonment, drugs, intrigue, hope, love and disappointment.  Philosophical towards the end as he works to make right some of the wrongs he has committed as an antique dealer. This is a long book, well worth the time spent.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QLQH6KVI1R5?ASIN=0316055441	Good (almost) to the last drop	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A marvelous book, full of compelling realistic characters, which succeeds both on the psychological and literary levels, and as a popular mystery/thriller.  My only complaint about the book is the last chapter, filled with philosophical musings by the main character spelling out the universal messages of the story.  This was especially disappointing since Ms. Tartt had found, in the penultimate chapter,  an effective method of encoding these messages in the drunken ruminations of her Ukrainian anti-hero.  Much better to have expanded that section a bit, than to have tacked on the ending.  Really a fantastic read, apart from that.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTER0L9NF1CWS?ASIN=0316055441	Stop everything and read this right now.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book will stay with me for the rest of my life, and there's only a handful of books I can say that about. As an English Literature major, I always look for that ""Goldilocks"" book: well-written, entertaining, educational and thought-provoking. This is that book. I put it in the same category as ""Life after Life."" Although I studied art in college, it (art, in general but specifically paintings) didn't speak to me quite like ""The Goldfinch"" did. It took me a week to recover after I finished reading it, and it was very difficult to start a new novel because this one affected me so strongly. Recommended!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19CYQGGGDUJ37?ASIN=0316055441	Some problems but overall a great book. But did the editor take a vacation?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There've been many reviews so I won't repeat what others have probably said better than I can.  In the end I did enjoy this read &amp; it will stick with me. It will be a great one for book club discussion. However, I did have some problems with it - e.g., I felt some pieces of the plot were dropped along the way. Also I felt the book would have been much better if it had been about 300 pages shorter. There was a lot of redundancy of thoughts &amp; themes, and though the detailed description painted the scenes beautifully, we could have gotten there with fewer details - sometimes too much detail loses the pace of the story &amp; the reader.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25FOIL3G3F9ON?ASIN=0316055441	Slow read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me months to finish this book and on several occasions I almost gave up on it but by the time I was really ready to give up I had already dedicated so much time to it that I felt the need to keep going.....I wish I had stopped the first time I was tempted. I kept thinking that something really interesting would happen but it rarely did. Although I will admit that there were a couple things near the end that I didn't see coming. The writing style didn't do anything for me either...it was choppy at times and then other times would go on for pages in what I think was meant to be beautiful prize but it was just wasted pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P26916AV9VPW?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed this book but don't think it rated a Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First - Tartt  needs a relentless editor! She's much too wordy and overuses many cliches - ""only the tip of the iceberg'"" ""a fish out of water,"" ""beating around the bush"" and many more. Second - she needs to vary her formulaic approach to story-telling: starting with the main character looking back and regretting the results. (See The Secret History, her 1992 novel about murder at a New England college). On balance, The Goldfinch is compelling and addictive to read until the end where she can't find a satisfying way to conclude this convoluted saga. I enjoyed this book but don't think it rated a Pulitzer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JBMLOK2STFA9?ASIN=0316055441	Kindle/Audio excellent combo!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read!  I love Tartt's use of language.  Beautifully written!  I know many say it is long but I feel it is worth the time.  I nearly didn't start because I thought it was too long.  Such richly fleshed out characters.  Even though it was long I never really felt like my time was being wasted with the mundane as I sometimes feel when reading other long books.  I switched between reading (kindle) and listening (CD) and really enjoyed the narrator David Pittu.  There is something to be gained from listening to and reading a book. There were several passages toward the end that I both read and listened to.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DYSROP0IJP2E?ASIN=0316055441	Thick With Beauty and Insight	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A big book of big ideas, told through compelling characters and scintillating intrigue, but the end was too self-conscious and drawn out. A subtle nod to the reader from the narrator would have been sufficient but the ""I know no one will ever read this"" journal conceit is beneath the rest of the tale and out of character for the narrator, whose voice is otherwise assured and unapologetic. Amazing insider views of the antiques world and criminal underworld, but the volume of description detracted from the masterful execution of dialect and inner imagery. Less would have been more; I could have used some room to breathe.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHCEII2UJ3WO2?ASIN=0316055441	The true love of objects	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's writing is beautifully descriptive. Her main character Theo Decker grows up through the story. He is not easy to like because we see his inner life and he doesn't make the same decisions we hope we would, but he does feel authentic as a self medicating victim of PTSD who grew up through adolescence without a nurturing adult relationship. I did find the last few pages were unnecessary, I didn't like the feeling that I was being lectured on what the book was really about. If I hadn't been able to work it out firstly just by reading and interpreting or secondly by via Boris' insights I deserved to be left wondering.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAKOTTYHYEFNA?ASIN=0316055441	So Depressing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just can't get into this depressing novel.  I know it's been praised by almost every critic in print, that is why I bought it, but for me it is just so sad that I can't read any more of it.  I keep thinking I'll try it again and so I have not deleted it.  I feel like there must be something wrong with me that I can't enjoy its ""brilliance""-- I wonder if I am alone in this.  But, reading page after page of horror and depression just gets me down.<br/>I like a book which is realistic, and realistically life does have some comical moments.  If you feel like you need some sadness in  your life, this is the book for you!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B9QF5IIMV7CF?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant, engrossing, completely believable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At 771 pages, this book takes a commitment. Fortunately, I was on a long winter break and could devote myself fully to the dark, diverse and always changing world created by Tartt. She is brilliant and her characters intensely compelling. Few will ever equal Boris for sheer ballsy-ness. The main character, ""Potter,"" is a great study in the human response to extreme tragedy ultimately leading to redemption. For any who have read ""A Secret History,"" this is a novel not to be missed. Quality, quantity, and unforgettable characters inhabiting a sweeping landscape of time and place. One of the best books of my life.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QEVM28XJO2WV?ASIN=0316055441	As I'm sure you've already heard, a great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Remarkably well-written, an engrossing story, thought-provoking. Lives up to the hype.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QZ31F9XBMQB2?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was tedious with a few good spots. I am baffled as to how this received a Pulitzer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MU9TK0XRJIX9?ASIN=0316055441	Page Turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great read every page worth while.  Loved the book and highly reccommend it to others.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRNJ3JU9FM147?ASIN=0316055441	Completely enthralling and very beautifully written. I didn't want to get to the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Completely enthralling and  very beautifully written. I didn't want to get to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TOSEPLKFV3R1?ASIN=0316055441	I find the pace and characterization rather uneven - some sections far more interesting and focused than others - and the young	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although one of the most popular books of 2014 THE GOLDFINCH is a surprising choice for the Pulitzer Prize.  I find the pace and characterization rather uneven - some sections far more interesting and focused than others - and the young man Boris wonderfully fleshed-out whereas Hobie appears flat and predictable.  Any book of this length is likely to suffer from repetition and co-incidence, but what spoiled it for me was the bolted-on philosophy at the end.  Had Tartt sprinkled her wisdom throughout the text it would have been far more effective.  That said, I still enjoyed the book and would recommend it for its originality.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WEHEQ6WHMQU2?ASIN=0316055441	with great attention to detail in developing the characters and their ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A deeply touching and insightful novel touching on the lasting effects of trauma on the psyche of young people, and its implications in every aspect of their lives. Donna Tartt has created a gripping story around the lives of the 2 victims of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), and their desperate search for some kind of connection and attachment to repair the damage to the original early attachment.Her writing is precise, with great attention to detail in developing the characters and their interesting and sometimes surprising interconnections. A very good read and I recommend it to all, both professional and lay persons.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39YUP8V7G6YDB?ASIN=0316055441	It's a little funny to me that The Secret History has gotten so ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So it took me over a month, but I finally finished this afternoon. In fact, I read the last 300 pages in the last two days. Yes, it was overlong and could have been shortened by at least 100 pages, but it's still one of the most extraordinary novels I've ever read. It's a little funny to me that The Secret History has gotten so much praise over the past decade because as much as I really like that, it's nowhere near as great as this. As cold and hermetic as TSH could be, The Goldfinch is so suffused with warmth and beauty that it feels like it was written by a different person. This should win every literary prize out there.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OQ2BOH39MM58?ASIN=0316055441	Only for the dedicated. It's long but well worth the ride!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The 15 year old rebel inside of my 50 year old body was determined to hate this book because of it's popularity. The ""cool kid"" can't possibly like what the masses like! Instead I was pretty much hooked from the very beginning. I was so excited to check in daily with the well defined characters and see where their adventures would take us all. Donna Tartt allowed me to feel the dry desert sand in my face and smell the wet NYC streets. I was honestly sad the morning after I had finished the book. How could I possibly get on the subway and head to work without checking in with all of the great characters Donna gave us?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKV7QB78FZHW8?ASIN=0316055441	A tedious book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a.shame. Tartt is a decent writer but she does not know when to stop. I do not often put a  book down, especially when the reviews are excellent. Since I am facilitating my next book group on Goldfinch, I finished the book with my teeth grinding. It was uselessly long. I am not daunted by long books, but they have to be substantive. A few interesting passages on art and antiques was not enough to hold my interest. The book was just plain boring! Had this been 350 pages I might have given it 3 stars.<br/>Do not waste your money or your time!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10FZZPMTZKF2D?ASIN=0316055441	half a brilliant book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I will not pontificate as does the author, to a fault and describe almost every detail of every thing I could critique, until you say enough!<br/>I thought the first half of the book pretty terrific. I could hear and see Boris, Theo, N.Y. Vegas etc... Brilliant like the Goldfinch.<br/>But as the story unfolded it became so repetitive in descriptive details weighing it down ,that the characters became boring<br/>and from then it was a chore to finish. I am probably in the minority, as it received the Pulitzer Prize, but like a film that is 3 hours long<br/>and should have been edited, I felt the same way about this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J8PTFDVDSZBY?ASIN=0316055441	Possibly a better editing could have improved the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is the first one of Donna Tartt's books that I have read.  The first couple hundred pages were a bit of a chore I must admit, there is some redundancy in the writing, almost as if Tartt feels she needs to describe her description of a person or event. The drug scenes I felt were laborious and could have been edited down and still made the same point and have the desired effect for the reader. Possibly a better editing could have improved the story. That being said, the story is good, the characters are well developed and interesting.  I'm pleased that I didn't stop reading it  as that would have been my loss.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCI2NGV1YZ8W8?ASIN=0316055441	Comparable to Work of John Irving	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is brilliant and the characters unforgettable.  The story is often depressingly realistic as Theo, the main character suffers one calamity after another.  The painting, The Goldfinch, is his link to his deceased mother and often the only reason he has to continue his struggle through life.  The book reminds me of Dickens, whose work the author apparently read and loved.  Like the work of John Irving, one of my favorite authors, I found myself stopping the reading for several days respite from distressing turns in the plot. As with Irving's work, the story and characters always pulled me back to finish the book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F531K2JTX0LV?ASIN=0316055441	I Get the Pulitzer Prize!  Great Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story captured me immediately, though at first, I kind of wasn't getting Pulitzer Prize as there seemed to be some holes in it... but, I changed my mind very quickly.  Donna Tartt's writing is absolutely beautiful!  The way she pulls you into the story - seeing, feeling, tasting on so many levels!  The detail that enables you lose yourself is just beyond beyond.  I have loved the ride, and the characters and getting lost in a world that pulsates with so many different emotions and touches so many senses. Now I can't wait to read her other book; The Secret History as several people have told me it's a great read also.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N0SBL9JN7HOZ?ASIN=0316055441	Don't believe the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I too was seduced into reading this book with all the glowing reviews.  When it arrived, I was surprised at how long it was.........normally I do not ""commit"" to such a lengthy novel, but was drawn-in because of all the hype.  After reading a lot of the book, and not being very impressed with the story, I got to page 600 or so and realized why this was a trivial story; it was basically a story about a drug addict and his addict friend.  How interesting could that be?  It was just the opposite.  I gave two stars, instead of one, because the writing was good.  I would never recommend this to a friend or anyone else.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S47AU6GLZGYJ?ASIN=0316055441	Length is a virtue	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Let's answer the burning questions first-- Is it as good as people say it is? Oh, yes. Is it ridiculously long and too heavy to carry on the bus? Absolutely. But you won't care. You will read it at home, in great big gulps, until your eyes burn. The Goldfinch is an old-fashioned book-- by that I mean it is written with sprawling adventures, deeply felt characters and a sense that the reader has the sense to savor it. It is improbable in plot, but the characters are so real, you'll know them better than you know yourself. Read it over a long summer vacation, or in bed with a nasty flu. You'll be better for the time spent.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T0SNS36RZ1TG?ASIN=0316055441	Would I recommend it? Probably not	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had to see what all the hype was about. It was interesting and mostly kept me interested but you do have to slog through an incredible amount of self analysis that is inconsistent and constantly changing. There are tens of thousands of words of that sort of thing. Would I recommend it? Probably not. Lots of students will probably study it in school. Book clubs will have fun with it. There's probably a whole ton of literary folks who are rolling their eyes at me, deciding I'm some kind of ignorant fool for not appreciating all the intricate ins and outs of the book. Whatever. It was okay, but not worth all the brouhaha.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG7LEXG4P05UT?ASIN=0316055441	While I was really excited about this novel and enjoyed the first section I became impatient with the recurring ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I was really excited about this novel and enjoyed the first section I became impatient with the recurring information as though author was being payed by the page.  While I certainly understood the messages, I was annoyed with author explaining it to me at end of novel.  I enjoy drawing conclusions in my reading even if unintended by author.  If a reader is intelligent enough to read this novel in full, the reader should be trusted to draw some conclusions, Pulitzer prize notwithstanding. The characters were well drawn and there was certainly sympathy and suspense.  I think editor should have said enough lecturing!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29PY0J6KDN8QQ?ASIN=0316055441	Finish it, as fast as you can.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It didn't feel like five stars until i finished.  Don't dawdle to long, it works better  in a rush.  I'd fallen in love with the painting at an exhibition at the De Young,  which helped this resonate.  I'd also just been to a exhibition in the galleries at the MMA that Tartt destroyed the day before i started reading this.  These visceral connections helped me engage,  though I kept thinking that she needed an editor.  Several readers i spoke with complained about her philosophical wrap.  It worked for me. I treasured her description of beauty.  Very satisfactory and reasonable character development and plot trajectory.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZHDUJHETNDP8?ASIN=0316055441	Not good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">way too long<br/>way too many drugs and booze<br/>way too long without saying much.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TM3J3UFVQAUY?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but so boring! Where's the story. Ugh! finished it but so happy its over</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10M2X7X80MD69?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book kept me coming back and on the edge of my seat throughout the entire story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T255772PZNLV?ASIN=0316055441	Slow, Long, and shallow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so looking forward to reading this book. Unfortunately, from the beginning, I found it to be incredibly slow - way to many unimportant details that did not add to the storyline or character development. The book dragged on and on. By the end, I was skipping paragraphs at a time, which I Never do! And, as much as I wanted to believe the author was teaching me something important - about some idea, thought, morale, etc, nothing resonated with me. At all.<br/>I have no idea how this book is getting such high ratings. I'm so disappointed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21FR513FEH0S?ASIN=0316055441	Sad, But Worth the Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Books are a positive escape from reality in most cases, however, The Goldfinch is one of those books that is sad from beginning to end. Yet, the author's writing is so compelling and heartfelt that you deeply care about the main character even if his life choices (as well as life happening without his choice) continually mess him up. I don't know if it is right to say I enjoyed the book, because it is sad. I stayed in a ""blue funk"" for two weeks while I powered through. At nearly 800 pages, it was too long. The last 1/3 of the book should have been edited more; it didn't need all those words to finish the book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DNWOTZI8EMMI?ASIN=0316055441	I found the last one hundred pages tedious maybe annoying	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the last one hundred pages tedious maybe annoying. I thoroughly enjoyed it up to that point because I enjoyed the well developed cast of characters especially those in the NY portion of the story. However, a story that is that well developed but then ends with a self - realized awareness of the existential world in a nondescript hotel room is for me a cheat. If that was her goal, she could have accomplished it hundreds of pages earlier. Truly, how many modern day Dickensian situations did this supposedly intelligent and most definitely worldly young man have to experience befor he reached his final realization.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DLF9PHJTJPXE?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent and rich book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch, a small painting of a tiny bird chained by one twig-like leg to a minuscule shelf where it must sit all day, unable to soar but a short arc before being forced to return to that miserable perch--what a metaphor for the human condition.  Donna Tartt's book pulls no punches with this bitter truth.  Yes, the main character is an annoying, self-destructive and flawed individual, but so are most of the other people in this amazing book.  All are chained by circumstance, by fate, by personality to some event that keeps them in place.  The ambiguous, vague ending is right on point.  A masterfully written book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V0CUJR6SGXTE?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written story of a young teenage boy whose life ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written story of a young teenage boy whose life is dramatically changed overnight.  This dramatic life changing event is compounded by an action that brings him on a life journey fuelled with action, drama and sheer obstinate survival.<br/>Its a compelling read but can be a little long-winded in a few areas.  This doesn't detract from Donna Tartt's beautifully written story where she introduces us to characters who are vivid, unique and profoundly humane.  There's a quirkiness to The Goldfinch that exudes warmth while at the same time exposes the gritty realities of the characters and their lives.  Enjoy!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LXAGMZTZ1DOD?ASIN=0316055441	I really wanted to love this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really wanted to love this book! I was so sad when I didn't! It was well written; even beautifully written. The premise was interesting and I enjoyed learning more about art and antiques, but most of the characters were so unlikeable that it was hard to care what happened to them. They were self-centered, shallow, motivated by greed and they didn't care who was destroyed by their actions. The only characters worth loving were Hobie, the shopkeeper, Pippa, the injured musician, and Popper, the dog! The Goldfinch was just too dark for my taste. I could not see Theo ever really repairing the mess he'd made of his life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G0MKSKP0Z9I3?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't enjoy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was looking forward to reading this since it won a Pulitzer Prize for fiction.  I was very underwhelmed.  The writing style is wordy and at the same time choppy.  It jumped around too much.  The Las Vegas chapters were ridiculous - has Ms Tartt ever lived in Vegas or did she just imagine what the 99% do in Vegas?  Again, can't believe this won a Pulitzer.  It wasn't very good.  I think the only way this novel served was as an art lesson.  We all looked up this beautiful painting of The Goldfinch and learned more about it.  The novel; halfway through I wanted to place myself in the art museum only so I could end it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SBJ0QTGRRA5N?ASIN=0316055441	It was very depressing to watch a boy who had potential and the opportunity to make a better life for himself waste it all on se	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is difficult to read a story where the main character is totally unlikeable. I kept hoping he would over come his difficult childhood but it never happens. It was very depressing to watch a boy who had potential and the opportunity to make a better life for himself waste it all on self pity and drugs.  The author must believe that heretitary traits over ride one's ability to make good choices.<br/>This was not entertaining and I almost din't finish it. I kept hoping for a better ending. I assume we are to think that he was as chained to his destiny as was the Goldfinch. Where does free will come into the picture?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BVJ8J6B365FF?ASIN=0316055441	This book caused a multitude of emotions.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The descriptions of surroundings and characters are so wonderful you can close your eyes and imagine how everything and everyone looks.  You become very involved with the main character's life as he goes through many upheavals in his life,  However, the road he chooses to take when he reaches an intersection in his life caused me to get disgusted with the character as he continues to make bad decisions in his life.  For me it reached a point that I did not care that much about his outcome as he continued to make stupid decisions, causing strife for the people who helped him and supported him.  A book of good lessons.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28IY5HCT3KERX?ASIN=0316055441	I wonder what all the shouting is about	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book moved very slowly.  But more than that, it was hard to feel involved with any of the characters.  They varied from not terribly interesting to completely unlikeable.  Boris in particular was a character for whom I felt little to no empathy.  Theo himself went from mildly likeable to someone I really disliked at the end.  Hobie was one of the few characters I actually liked in the book.<br/><br/>I did finish the book because I had liked previous books by Donna Tartt, but it took a long time, and at the end I really wondered if perhaps it was not time well spent.<br/><br/>I would not recommend this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SXTL00MSVO54?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt's writing shines, but her character Theo Decker disappoints.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a captivating work but, in my opinion, it lets the reader down three-quarter of the way through. The main character, Theo Decker, lost my sympathy at that point. I finished the book, but found myself annoyed at the persistent immaturity and self-indulgence of this character. I stopped seeing any redeeming value in him. Perhaps it is too much to hope that a book of some 850 pages would keep its momentum. In the end, things fell into place but by then, I no longer cared about Theo, which was a pity.  I would, nevertheless, recommend the novel for its literary style and Donna Tartt's excellent writing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K733WLLTHW96?ASIN=0316055441	Monumental Feat	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The rating for this book depends upon what the reader wants. Hands down, the book is extremely well written and the author manages to weave many different events together seamlessly. She describes characters and places with precision and clarity, from uptown to downtown Manhattan then across the country to Las Vegas, the author makes it all fit.<br/><br/>My connection with this book broke down with the graphic descriptions of drug use and the people involved in that culture. That's a personal criticism. For anyone to write a book this long and keep it all together while moving the story along is a monumental feat.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29XPPRNY9RJO9?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books we've read in book club	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books we've read in book club... We all enjoyed it.  Long, but grabs your attention right off the bat and doesn't let you go.  Great discussions about characters and circumstances (in group discussion).  Great character development in story and though there are a couple places where she gets a little wordy, you still speed through and enjoy the ride.  Lots of symbolism and a few surprises along the way.  The author is well-versed in many subjects and this information adds a great deal to the story as a whole.  Give yourself plenty of time, something good to sip, and a comfy spot to sit down and read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R1ME9N1R47ZE?ASIN=0316055441	A long way to the end!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't get me wrong...this is a good book. I've rated it a 3 because it is so darn long and some of the narrative goes on and on and on to the point of ""is this necessary""?  Good grief, the kid has gone through enough trials to bend anyone's back but sometimes the narrative adds a bit too much weight. A simple statement by a character can digress into am interminable discussion about something in the past. I don't know, maybe the brilliance of it all has escaped me but geesh this was a long way to 780+ pages. Surely there are parts that are marginal to making it a Pulitzer.  WHATEVER! it's still a good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTMH403UGMNU1?ASIN=0316055441	About 250 pages TOOOO LONG	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book, but about 250 pages TOO LONG! I found myself slogging through the last 250 pages or so, when I really just wanted it to END. The only reason I kept reading is because I had already invested so much of my time to read the first 500+ pages. I can't even really tell you how the book ends, because by that time, my interest was done and I was reading mindlessly.  Up to that point, however, it was a good read, although still some unnecessarily slow sections. There was much that could (should) have been edited out throughout the book to keep it around 500-550 pages; a more appropriate length for this storyline.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FSOD3J3KL9N?ASIN=0316055441	Review of audio edition	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First of all, the stars are for the content of the book.  I liked the it and found it a good study of good, evil, nature and nurture.  There are several parts that I am still thinking about a month after I listened to the book.<br/><br/>I do think the book was overly long and parts could be tightened or eliminated.  The audio version compounded this issue as the reading was done very, very slowly.  There were 32 sections, most over an hour long. I played at double speed, which brought it closer to what I consider ""normal"" speed.  It worked well and even the character with a Russian accent sounded normal.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N54JBPKZB13I?ASIN=0316055441	Art, both high and low	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Clearly from the polar-opposite reviews here, The Goldfinch is not a novel for everyone. I'm sitting on the five-star pole. The Goldfinch is one of those rare books that crept into my everyday consciousness and stayed there. I see it as a book about art, from it's glorious highs to it's dismal depths. The Goldfinch painting, traverses the full range, from priceless place of honor on the walls of the haughtiest museums to the horrifying money-grubbing that comes of putting a dollar sign on great works. Tartt's discussion of what every Disney princess knows as the novel winds down rocked my world, plain and simple.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G6PX767FGP5W?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written epic of the absurd	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very elegant, entertaining, and thought provoking book.  Tartt explores a universe of contradictions - the intersection of art, beauty, and truth right along with violence, absurdity, loneliness, laughter, and drug addiction.  The novel is a page-turner, hard to walk away from, and yet written so poetically and creatively.  I'm still not sure what to make of it, in the end, and perhaps that's what Tartt wants; for us to reflect on the challenge of finding meaning and truth in a life that's inherently chaotic and destructive, but full of patterns and beauty all the same. Unique and  definitely well worth reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H652TII6UKD?ASIN=0316055441	Life without Connections	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt uses a painting called the Goldfinch by Calen Febritius as the metaphor for her coming of age novel about a boy called Theo whose father left home and whose mother is killed in a terrorist explosion that could have killed him but instead leaves him in possession of the painting. Like the bird, Theo appears free yet is tethered.<br/><br/>What happens when a child of thirteen is set adrift into a permissive world of drugs? If his only friend is equally floating without a tether? If he falls in love with a girl truly out of reach? Tartt raises interesting questions, and writes her answers with depth.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FV79H979TODD?ASIN=0316055441	This book is dreadfully boring and not original	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So maybe there is something wrong with me but this book was a giant bore and nothing exciting.  Sure, the art angle is something different but the overall writing reads like a carbon copy of many writers before.  But not in a good way.  I feel like I have read it all before and apparently Donna Tartt thinks she is somehow a better writer, guess what, she's not.  I found myself wanting to finish the book because there are at least 2 characters I wanted to know what happened to - Borris &amp; Hobart.  Much of the story is completely unbelievable.  I think this book is a huge fleecing of readers and that makes me sad.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTJNWQ7JK4IEO?ASIN=0316055441	Instantly became one of my favorite novels ever!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was riveted by this story, from start to finish.  Actually, I went back and re-read the first chapter after finishing.  It's all told in flashback, and I didn't anticipate that when I began reading.  It took a little bit of time for me to get into this at first &amp; follow along, but once I did, it's quite wonderfully told.  The lead character is extremely likable and relatable, despite making terrible decisions, but that of course generates conflicts that keep the reader hooked.  There's so much here in the text, and it's so rich all the way through, I feel as if these characters are real and that I know them.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W0DSHLRGYUFH?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written!  The rich, descriptive vocabulary Donna Tartt uses in her book throws you into the story, like you're right there, living what main character Theo Decker is living.  The plot was intense however, could very well happen in the world we live in right now.  The themes of tragedy, depression, and loss and the affects they have on the human psyche are real as well as rising from the flames like a Phoenix.<br/><br/>I couldn't decide who or what I loved or hated because it changed throughout the book.  It was so realistic and Tartt's knowledge of the art world was deep.  Absolutely recommended!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EJSXDIZ1A65O?ASIN=0316055441	Stick with it...You won't be disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to read this since it won the Pulitzer.  It took me a while to get into it, but I stuck with it and it was worth it.  I always appreciate stories of people in the wrong/right place at the wrong/right time.  The author gives such details of the protagonists inner thoughts.  I yearned for his happiness.  I commiserated with his love of art and his feeling that he had something wonderful.  My heart broke when his dreams were shattered.  And then....he found peace.  I want to read this again.  This book made me want to know more about the art world, stolen art and the underground network for its recovery.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDL045261C6XW?ASIN=0316055441	A great bedside table read, albeit you'll be reading The Goldfinch in every room of your house!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I not only read for content, character and plot, but crave great imagery, writing style, and continuity of theme. The Goldfinch had it all. The story is told from one point of view. Theo's voice manages to engage the reader down a fairly long and winding road, fraught with twists and turns that serve up a plot not unlike trying to pluck out a piece of eggshell after having cracked the egg into a bowl.<br/><br/>""Congratulations!"" to Donna Tartt for having earned the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. This novel captivates!  As an aspiring novelist, I am most appreciative for all that she has taught me!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N9DGK7O65HQ6?ASIN=0316055441	Too many words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a pick for our book group this past month.  We have a diverse group (lawyer, librarian, corporate) and usually we vary in our reviews.  The Goldfinch was the first book in years that evoked a universal comment of ""too many words!!"".  I found myself wanting to read the book as I liked the story but then found myself bound up in too much detail, it was just plain too wordy.  The characters were certainly developed, I felt that I got to know each of them well.<br/><br/>I loved her other books and with so many good reviews I was fully expecting to love this book also.  I came away dissapointed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3149X2101BTAD?ASIN=0316055441	... the right words to describe my impression about this brilliant work of Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not sure I can find the right words to describe my impression about this brilliant work of Donna Tartt. The story she weaves is so beyond anything I've ever read.  The wealth and knowledge she has of so many places, different cultures, types of people, their livelihoods, the arts, education, the underworld, languages.....the highs and lows of the lives of so many mortals on this earth are just mind boggling. Her command of the English language, and her ability to make reference to other languages.....there seems to be no end to her gifts.  I can see what it takes to warrant receiving a Pulitzer Prize!!!!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OTDMPKAA87UB?ASIN=0316055441	Why did this book get such good reviews???	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thank goodness I finally finished it. I am one of those people who will keep reading a book even tho I might wish I had never started it, which was the case with this book. I kept going right to the end-because of all the good reviews-waiting for that moment that made it all worth reading, but that never happened. Without going into too much detail-in case you read it anyway-I will say that the beginning wasn't too bad, as the characters were being developed. Then new characters/locations were introduced followed by the old ones showing up again. It was repetitive, drawn out, and reading it served no purpose.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R73CCWLMULVW6?ASIN=0316055441	Tediously long however the prose keeps urging you forward	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt like I was reading an amalgamation of Catcher in the Rye and Great Expectations.<br/><br/>I'm not sure the criteria for a book to win the Nobel Prize and why this one was good enough to win. It's certainly a good book that asks and deals with some important philosophical questions but I wouldn't classify it as a great work.<br/><br/>Perhaps it won because the terrorists were ""right wing"" rather than radical islamists. Perhaps it won because it glamorizes drugs and casual sex which seem of critical import to the left, who, by the way, are the ones that decide prizes of such great notability.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NULH6SHHB6Q8?ASIN=0316055441	Looking out thru our selves...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Relationships and the shapes they took on were something I both liked<br/>and disliked. Also, the beauty that Boris was always seeing even though his life, especially as a young person was filled<br/>with so much uncertainty. I guess he was living in his own illusions making him always an outsider, impossible for others to appreciate.<br/><br/>I would recommend this to all people that are searching, which makes most of us.<br/><br/>The first person that comes to mind that I will give<br/>this book to, is my oldest son to show him a little of the beauty and mystery his mother sees and loves about life!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBJUU9DSKO29G?ASIN=0316055441	This was a good book but it was a hard read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a good book but it was a hard read. There are relatively few light moments to offset the heavy and difficult themes that run throughout the book (drug abuse, child neglect at best/abuse at its worst, emotional trauma). It took me over a year to work my way through it. I kept having to set it aside and read something else before returning to tackle the next section. I'm glad I finished it but I don't know that I would read it again or recommend it to anyone unprepared for the rough moments (of which there are many) and emotional rollercoaster this takes you on if you are even marginally empathetic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A4I9486L83M7?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully crafted!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've read a great deal of novels, histories, stories and every genre and every once in a while I find a gem.  This novel breathes and lives.  The main character is beautifully flawed and the people that surround him are so well developed I have to believe Ms. Tartt knew them intimately.  It's not an easy book to read as there is great pain and loss illustrated in the pages, but the characters' thought processes  to try and understand what is happening to them makes it so much more interesting than reading that the problems were solved by some miracle.  Well worth the time if you appreciate good literature.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B3M55QQ0N9ZI?ASIN=0316055441	Read at your caution, you will stop everything else to finish.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldnt put this down. I havent been this involved in a book for over a year now.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OPCB96X0JKGK?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm old fashioned, I guess, because the constant drug use was uncomfortable for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUAL7O13CPFOZ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am quite conflicted on this book. Parts of it, extraordinary! Others, no so much.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KOX5M3XPHBR0?ASIN=0316055441	Very well done.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, but could have been shorter.  The character development was very well done.  My favorite characters were Boris and Hobie as they were very interesting fellows, much more so than the protagonist. It's been several months since I've read the book, so my memory of it is a little rusty.  I agree with many that a trilogy may have been a better route to take with this book.  Although I enjoyed the writing immensely the part that had me wanting to drop it and forget about was the hotel scene in Amsterdam or wherever he was.  That scene seemed to never end.  Altogether very well put together.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17O98Z52V43AC?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic Writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has a multi layered  plot with detailed description at all levels. The characters are fascinating.  The settings are carefully imagined so that the reader begins to see the situations within the plot in full detail. In fact the body of the book is so carefully written that the room for philosophical reflection  in the final chapter is<br/>well earned.  We want to hear from the protagonist what he thinks and feels about the meaning of this story, something seldom welcomed in narratives.  Too often endings are over written but not this one.  It is like a final deep breath of shared understanding.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO9V2UEWA0OY?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sorry to disappoint, but The Goldfinch is not going to rank among my favorite reads.  It struck me as redundant...get stoned, drunk and throw up over and over.  Neither Theo nor Boris were heroic, and when Theo go off scott free after killing Martin, well, where's the justice/reality in that?!  I felt that Tartt's attempt at explaining the merits of these two characters in the last chapter elaborated on the obvious push/pull forces in life, and was a quick shot at ensuring that the reader got the message.  Shouldn't this evolve from the story itself?  OK, it received the Pulitzer Prize, so what do I know?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YS496G6DJ5GO?ASIN=0316055441	A Waste of Time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me forever to read the book because it was so depressing and was more of a low life thriller with drug addicts .  why would anyone  put their ife on the line for the painting when I have never heard of it.  Or would you say this was my ignorance.  Nothing positive was ever happening after the mother died and one would think she influenced her son.  the drug information and education was whatthe book was about, a whole waste of life worthwhile but a n education in how to use drugs because....  I would prefer to spend my time reading about a life worth living.  How did it ever get a Pulitizer Prize?</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21ZKT1QIC7AIM?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt is Incomparable!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Any book of Donna Tartt's is like a miracle of reading.  She is the closest thing to reading a Dickens sort of novel today with its density of characters and storyline, mysteries and details of the most minute and miracles of writing.  To read one of her books is to experience a travel that's like no other. Reading ""The Goldfinch"" is like that.  It's her best effort thus far, I think.  It's simply the most amazing.  And, that doesn't mean I don't think you should read her other two books!<br/><br/>I found myself jumping up several times in glee and forcing my husband just to listen to small descriptions of the otherwise mundane in this novel.  She writes so beautifully that the union suit of a miner hanging on a bathroom shower curtain becomes iconic and gorgeous!  It actually is so real, it lives and breathes!!  Amazing stuff...so you can imagine how the rest of her story comes to life.  The repair and care of antique furniture becomes so precious and such an act of love, it reaches your soul.<br/><br/>Tartt's characters are to love, hate, to sympathize with, to disparage, to want to reach out for.  They are pitiful, disgusting, harmful, harmless and worthy of your most tender feelings.  She runs the gamut.  You become fully engaged...it's impossible not to.  They are so alive.<br/><br/>This is a story about relationships of all kinds: parenting, friendship, love.  There's fear and selfishness and other emotions from basic relationships.  It's a story of redemption and finding ones place in the world.  It's an exploration of the world from many sides of life.<br/><br/>I will admit there is so much to take in in this novel that I couldn't just sit down and read it fast like some books.  I had to take it in parcels.  I wanted to savor the words and the journey of its characters, particularly the primary one, Theo.  I've always felt that way about Tartt's books.  They are the kind you don't want to finish quickly because when you do, they'll be all gone!  I hate to turn the last page.<br/><br/>I would welcome you on this journey of a special read.  It's unusual.  It's one that will charm you and touch your heart.  It will cause you to stop and smile, laugh, cry out in surprise, feel hurt and even offended for the characters.  I'd be very surprised if you don't love it as much as I have.<br/><br/>Donna Tartt is a genius author of our times.  Not to read her is like not reading Joyce Carol Oates.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG1WB96SYRW2W?ASIN=0316055441	is anything real?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Is there anyone in this world who is not on drugs and alcohol? It's like reading  Hemingway, where everyone is always smoking and drinking. While I remained interested in what sort of mischief and dishonesty Potter and Boris would get into next, the fuzzy mental rants became rather tiresome. Perhaps Tartt brings up questions of where our character originates, can we escape our genes, etc. I'm not sure if the screenplay should be a comedy or a tragedy. And according to The Goldfinch, it's always raining, everywhere, except in Vegas. Some good writing, but I did a lot of skimming over the monotonous parts.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F24KZ757XRHI?ASIN=0316055441	I think it is no more than a long winded ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think it is no more than a long winded ""yarn"" without any real effort by the author to delinate the main characters and reasons for their actions, but only to just throw them on the page without preparing the reader. Is it just meant  to keep us pepared for more surprises? I think the almost telegram style of describing the actions or non-actions is just a enumeration of  piling on actions, etc. etc. I cannot understand how it received a Pulitzer prize. Maybe I am still looking for a few deep thoughts or at least reasons for actions why certain do them. I think it is no more than pulp fiction.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NBM7HWQ32S5C?ASIN=0316055441	Fully developed characters, twists and turns - an enjoyable novel!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the twists and turns. Aside from the novel revolving around art theft, the author's descriptions throughout make this a very visual story. I love novels where I can learn something new while enjoying a good read and it doesn't have to be ""historical fiction"".<br/><br/>At times, the descriptions were too involved for travel scenes.<br/><br/>The characters are fully developed-in fact our book club had an intense debate over what actor should play Boris.  In the right director's hands, this will make a great movie that I will want to see despite already knowing the outcome.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35R0Q9D94J4G2?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing read...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an odd reading experience. I expected something on the way to greatness given all the hype and the fact that it won a Pulitzer .Unfortunately, it was merely a very long story, lacking  the emotional content and character development that allows a reader to either identify or take something worthwhile away after reading the book . While the author surely can produce many , many words, there was nothing in the book for me that neared literay greatness. I finished it because I wanted to find out what happens in the end  but not because I really liked it! This is not a book I would ever read again!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DQTDD6NCJ6RM?ASIN=0316055441	Where was the editor?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Having seen the book on top of the bestseller list, with some good reviews, I decided to order it from my library. It was a long wait and definitely not worth it. The book would have benefited greatly by skillful editing, which could have cut this ponderous, wordy tome in half and allowed the author to make the same point. Generally, with only a few exceptions, the characters are not very sympathetic, the plot meanders, and the writing alternates between crisp and clear and murky and unappealing. I was greatly disappointed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E514SDIT0M9U?ASIN=0316055441	I would have liked to process those on my own	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a stick-to-your-ribs kind of story. Young Theo experiences a tragedy during which he meets someone who affects the rest of his life, and a very interesting life it is...one of care, neglect, and back again, and filled with art, antiques, drugs, travel, and intrigue. When I was at work or doing anything else, I couldn't wait to get back to reading this book. The only thing that bothered me a bit was that I felt I was spoon-fed the reader takeaways at the end of the book...I would have liked to process those on my own. Nevertheless, this is a story I will carry with me for a long time. Read it!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUU1PV7V5HOPU?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderful journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From start to finish, we follow a young man who lives through a nightmarish experience which takes his mother's life. The nightmare is that he lives through an explosion at a NY museum and loses the one person he loves the most in the world. Escaping, he steals a world-famous work of art, transferring his guilt about staying alive to feeling guilty about the theft. We watch as he is bounced from one family to the next, working out his grief as self-punishment while protecting the treasured painting. This is an amazing tale about how we are never safe from those who would take what we hold most dear.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DZMZ9RBCBFPB?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long and too much information on drug use and reactions.  Very depressing!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GNLUBUSYH7WJ?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can this book be anymore long winded and boring and pointless! Definitely skip it!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17FTUGNB1CE7N?ASIN=0316055441	Doesn't live up to the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book really deserved three stars. I gave it an extra star for the beautiful descriptions of antique furniture and artwork.<br/>But seriously speaking, do you really think Theo and Boris are believable characters? Can a crackhead like Theo really manage to keep sober in a way that his customers won't notice? He did after all immediately realize that something was up with his father.<br/>And what about Boris's English; how does someone week after so many years does not know how to add ""I"" to his sentences, who speaks quite a broken English, suddenly break into flights of such beautiful prose?</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21KSISV0TT3X9?ASIN=0316055441	Favorite of 2014	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Easily the most enjoyable novel I've read this year. If you enjoyed prose that readily evokes the settings and situations of the story, ""The Goldfinch"" is written for you. I could just as easily picture/feel/smell the scenes in New York City (where I have lived) as those of Amsterdam (which I have never visited). And the descriptions of Pippa left an indelible impression.<br/>Of course, if you aren't the kind of reader who can't endure a lot of internal deliberations by a damaged character and some plot twists that are a bit unlikely, this is probably not your cup to tea. As always, YMMV.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IEI2TZXPW0AE?ASIN=0316055441	Insanely great novel that kept me awake long after my eyelids ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Insanely great novel that kept me awake long after my eyelids were drooping. Tartt's details about social class, lifestyles, and locations are impeccable. She takes you right to that place or those people.  The characters are well-developed and they change in believable ways over the course of the book. Many a surprise. The reader gets comfortable with a scenario over many chapters, then suddenly, we are elsewhere. In some ways she reminds me of Ian McEwan in her ability to capture social and physical details while not sacrificing any plot thrills to her literary skill. I was sorry when it ended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVF7F3XHL31KR?ASIN=0316055441	i have to say that this book was good. i started it and immediately couldn't put it ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i have to say that this book was good. i started it and immediately couldn't put it down as i kept hoping for something positive and uplifting to come out of the plot. as much as i didn't love the main character right away, i wanted him to do well. when i got to the end of the book, i felt disappointed but at the same time, i couldn't get the plot of the book out of my head but then i proclaimed that i did not love the book. only several months later after i had finished reading the book, i realized what a good piece of literature this was as i realize that it still has left an impression on me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CUF9P15YCQ0L?ASIN=0316055441	interesting read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Made me stay up nights. Intriguing story line fraught with Russian angst, NewYork ennui, and Vegas bleakness. Rambling metaphors and similes that made me wince yet enjoy. Smartly written and engaging . I could envision the cluttered warmth of the shop, the icy stiltedness of the apartment, the heat and cheap of Vegas, the sweat and panic of the hotel room, the grime and stench of the art filled loft. I was hovering above the blood soaked parking garage and  even smelled the dinner at the knee to knee cafe. But I am exhausted at the end. The moral tale told  the intellectual musings over.  Enjoy</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SWS05KKKTVTJ?ASIN=0316055441	A Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book almost defies description. There were times when I almost stopped reading because it was too painful to continue. And there were other times when I wanted to scream at Theo and others for being so stupid and self defeating. As I reflect on the book, I am amazed that the author so consistently presented events completely through Theo's viewpoint, which changed as he grew and matured -- that of a resilient little boy who suffered immensely and often had no one to help him understand the trauma of his life. And the little goldfinch painting was the thread that pulled everything together.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2615ONXBCN0H0?ASIN=0316055441	Strange book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very weird.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HY7UYARCYJ9S?ASIN=0316055441	Terrific contemporary fiction.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This blew me away. It is so dark and so delightful, so contemporary and so Dickensian. This is a great story. In the ensuing months I remember elements and have to think for a moment, ""Where did that story (or perspective) come from?"" I know this will not be everyone's taste. A cousin who is an inveterate reader had to put it down as the darkness descended. My reaction was to wonder how far the character could sink and if there were any redemption. My cousin made a mistake and missed out on a great tale. I loved this book and savored it during the couple of weeks it took me to read it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MUX802C1XP4R?ASIN=0316055441	Great!!!!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rich in development of characters, some people may find it slow reading at first.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R265SEC9RRHNW1?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Probably one of the worst books that I have ever read.  Maybe I missed something!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROGL9CYVASYLT?ASIN=0316055441	Too much detail and way too boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really had a hard time getting through this book. It has just way too much detail. I don't care to spend three chapters on one day of his life. I skipped chapters in this book and still did not get much further ahead of where I was when I skipped. It could have been interesting. But, she philosophizes way too much on each chapter and every event. Too much mundane detail on characters. I just wanted to move forward. I only finished it because it was a choice for book club. Otherwise, I am afraid I would have put it down in the second chapter.<br/>I would not recommend this book to anyone.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFAJQQSWFSMA5?ASIN=0316055441	Some Gripping Parts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After just now finishing this book, I sit here asking myself why I bothered to finish it. The novel had some very intense moments, but I didn't really enjoy how the author sidetracked the story so much sometimes that I had forgotten where I was in the plot. Too much unnecessary filler especially in the ending. Would I recommend this book? That would be a very hard call. The only reason I picked it up to read because it was our book club selection for this month. Seven hundred seventy-five pages was about 300 too long. Definitely the beginning and middle were more worthwhile and interesting.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQDA0VVDHY3ZY?ASIN=0316055441	A beautifully written book that follows the life of a young ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautifully written book that follows the life of a young boy who allows his life to be defined by a childhood tragedy. You feel his sorrow and how it removes his life from him. He never sees a choice, it becomes fate that is driving him from one bad choice to the next. His childhood friend Boris is wonderfully drawn. I was not always convinced that the characters would have reacted like that in real life however I guess that is why it was fiction. Well worth reading. Warning - The book is long and can be quite slow in parts. This book is not for people who are looking for a light read!.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J70YZNFOBHK7?ASIN=0316055441	Sad beginning with a happy ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The symbolism of the goldfinch- lonely, trapped, is symbolic of Theo Decker in many ways. Theo felt lonely after his mother's death trapped into a life he didn't want. It was fate that brought Theo to Hobie, and Boris life long friends. Both Boris and Hobie taught Theo to live life as you want to live it, wow! It was the painting that lifted Theo to the surface of life where he discovered who he really is. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and how all of the characters are related somehow, and how the goldfinch represents them all. Wonderful story, life lessons, best book I've read all year.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30SRBGQ3AECZT?ASIN=0316055441	Not just art theft....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Whereas this novel has a great  premise and intriguing plot line, the detailed information became tedious in the extreme.  It is one of the few novels I have ever read that I thought would never end, and I kept looking to see how many pages were left.  The author has an extensive vocabulary and a wonderful way with words, but there seemed to be too many of them.  (I have  never said this before about a book)  Besides the main character being nicknamed ""Potter"" there were so many shadows of that other teenage orphan in the book that I would be interested in  J.K.  Rowling's review.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QPH87HIH3FY5?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt writes beautifully, so it was a joy to read her ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt writes beautifully, so it was a joy to read her prose.  The plot was engaging and the characters interesting and well developed.  My only criticism is that sections of the book could have been more tightly edited.  There were segments that seemed to go on and on without any real point (for example, the chapter of the protagonist's life in Las Vegas).  In essense, I self-edited, skimming through some of these sections with the danger of missing some of her lovely descriptions.  Overall, the message of the book was thought provoking and left me with more than just a good story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWFC4P2BYVKGD?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a joy this novel is to read. Tartt weaves a tale that follows Theo from fateful boyhood into adulthood. Beginning with disaster, continuing into adulthood with life punctuated alternately with periods of peace, fear, danger, love, abuse, faithfulness and betrayal. Theo's life is anchored and defined by a painting. The story grabs the reader by the hand almost from the first page. It's the book you can't put down because you are breathless for its end and resolutions yet it is so captivating you want it to never end and rather keep you involved with the characters' lives indefinitely.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17V62S4K9Z0KD?ASIN=0316055441	Excruciating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I agree with many of the others who say this was a rambling, incoherent mess. It goes on, and on, and on, without moving the plot forward. The plot was so absurd that I began to think it would end with the main character waking up after another one of his long, drug induced episodes to find it was all a dream. The main character became utterly unsympathetic by constantly wallowing in his own misery and feeling sorry for himself for his own poor life choices. I would never recommend this book. It is certainly the most disappointing book I have read in a long time. Don't waste your money.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DZNTSFQE1ZYE?ASIN=0316055441	eventually it drew me in	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though I started the book several times without getting hooked, eventually it drew me in. It's an interesting and original story. The characters are well developed. I wish the author had gone a bit further into the depth of Theo and Hobie's relationship and made it plain that they were family. This book is suited for a variety of readers but I would say primarily women between the ages of 25-55. The extensive references to drug culture make me hesitate recommending it to younger (and older) readers, though much of the narrative relates to coming of age under extraordinary circumstances.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LICJ0DDE8MH?ASIN=0316055441	Prize winning and worthy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not quite finished but have to give it 5 stars.  I can hardly get anything done for wanting to read this book.  It's riveting.  Her use of language is wonderful (though I am convinced her editor missed a couple of gaffes - like the difference in mass market and trade paperbacks (got it just opposite) and use of the word malinger).  But it's hard to put down; you become really invested in the characters and the story.  When you start the book, it's good but as you progress through it gets better and better and becomes harder and harder to put down.  I think her Pulitzer is well deserved!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX4TJM6IQZQ7Y?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book so much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book so much! My schedule right now is too crazy to justify reading a book of this size and yet I alternated between the audio in the car (phenomenal reader!) and 15 minutes here and 30 minutes there with the actual book. I started my day mentally planning out when I would have time to read it because I was obsessed with it really. The characters of Theo and Boris will stay with me for a long time, but it was Hobie that I truly fell in love with. I enjoyed every minute of it. I can't remember the last book I looked forward to reading as much as I did ""The Goldfinch"".</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SCB8GMWKGH2W?ASIN=0316055441	Very talented author	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm giving this book four stars because: I love the author's gift of painting a picture using words. One experiences NYC, Las Vegas and Europe and can easily keep a movie going inside their head and almost feel the pulse of the cities. On the other hand, it's a lengthy book and, perhaps, could be condensed considerably. It is an interesting story and I'm amazed at the ability of the author to take the reader along while recounting the story of Theo's life. I hope the book is not made into a movie as a movie would not do it justice. I'm currently reading another book by the same author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDCCP4QU8IRD?ASIN=0316055441	3.5 stars to be precise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Difficult to rate this one, but I'll give it 3.5 stars. It's easy to see why the critics have picked this as the best book of 2013. The writing is great and the themes are deep. However, while I enjoyed the story, I had a little trouble finishing the almost 800 pages - it just got too long. Theo, the main character, was alternately engrossing and then frustratingly stagnant. There was a lot of drug use that got old for me. The relationships and characters were well developed and the story had a lot of interesting facets and quirks - it just took too many pages to finally come together.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VDAP421YQO35?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great writing, but I felt she went off on many tangents not related to the story</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C0ITXE7L4MGT?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My daughter told me not to read it so I stopped after only a couple of chapters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSBMUH7MYPY05?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book needed better editing.  Waaaayyyyyy toooooooo loooooong.  Got tedious.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU7D1BQESL96A?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Grest read, just when you think it's going to winddown a new curve is thrown in!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R128KUIOFV41VU?ASIN=0316055441	I'm glad this woman loves her self so much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">how many ways can you describe rain, I'm glad this woman loves her self so much.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRJ6CF2WQP20E?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read was slow and boring for the most part.  It took all my willpower to finish.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAN91T8KAWHMP?ASIN=0316055441	Not quite what I expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was complicated with a lot of stories within.  While I enjoyed reading it, I also felt bored at times with the flow.  The goldfinch was always there in the back, but was often lost. I read the end feeling pressured to get through, to know what would happen.  In the end, the closure for the other characters was narrow and brief.  The words were jumbled with an attempt to pull together some life meaning.  Overall, I loved the book as a whole because it was somewhat different.  But I want to gather my own points rather than have the author drill them into my head at the end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKXDUCA985JEP?ASIN=0316055441	A booklovers book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Yes, it's long.  I have to agree with some of the other reviewers here in that the first part of the book is a page turner and near the end it starts to slow way down.  I promised myself I would no longer force myself to finish books that don't hold my attention.  But the writing is so beautiful and insightful, I just forced myself to be patient, it was well worth it in the end.  Isn't that what most great things require?  So I would say this, The Goldfinch is a book for booklovers, maybe more than that, good writing lovers.  Take your time, enjoy the words, think about their meaning.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DPK8SMZHO3RQ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch SOARS	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this book as my book club's read for the month. I've not read a Pulitzer Prize-winning book before, and wasn't sure what to expect. Lofty, pretentious? No. WONDERFUL! The deftly woven tale is the most descriptive book I've ever read, and it pulled me into the characters' world as though I were right there with them. I've read books that attempted ""wordy"" descriptions. Ms. Tartt's book simply ""paints"" you into each character""s life, so that you, like the fly on the wall, smell, taste and feel their experiences. Kudos to Ms. Tartt on her well-deserved honor.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQWBEZFAP3K9T?ASIN=0316055441	My heart ached for Theo as he made so many bad decisions, which were perfectly understandable as he was ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a really well-written and interesting book!  I was completely wrapped up in the young boy's (Theo's) life as he moves through it, trying to deal with his dilemma.  I found the ending a little unsatisfying, but the author isn't obligated to provide one -- and a satisfying ending is rather subjective.  But the book really held my interest and the characters are believable.  My heart ached for Theo as he made so many bad decisions, which were perfectly understandable as he was so young and he was dealing with a situation that was way beyond him.  I'm very glad I read this book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VFB0FUSJON0Q?ASIN=0316055441	I did not enjoy it and couldn't wait to finish it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cannot believe this book was rated so high.  I did not enjoy it and couldn't wait to finish it.  I thought it was just me but in passing I was discussing what I was currently reading to a group of friends and it turned out one of them had also been reading Goldfinch but wasn't able to finish a third of it before giving up.  The author draws out discriptions of situations that in my opinion are unwarranted, so much so that I found myself skimming over many of them just to get on with the story.  I won't be reading any more selections from this author because of this writing style.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R103W3AZFVEY4G?ASIN=0316055441	reflections on life's cruel uncertain unfairness	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book captured the life of a likable pre-teen: a lovable relationship of the young boy and his mother, a cruel terrorist attack, ""Helpful"" teachers and counselors, unfair fate, and both destructive and loving friendships.<br/>The book is sometimes over-the-top repetitive ; however, I enjoyed the reading and looked forward to getting back to the story. The conclusion is not predictable, and is both hopeless and hopeful. Although the plot is not the uplifting ending I enjoy, I appreciate the insightful monologue. Great book club book. Should make for excellent discussion</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33SFO8X0ZCKLI?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome literature but heavy, emotional story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This gripping novel justifiably won the Pulitizer. It's masterfully written. But it's not an easy or relaxing read - I don't want to spoil the plot, so suffice it to say that it begins with great anguish and has great anguish throughout. At times it was hard to pick it up again because you go through the wringer with the main character from age 13 until age 35. He makes a lot of bad decisions, has many misadventures, is treated wonderfully by some people and shabbily by others. You live this kid's life along side him, and it was not an easy life. So it's not light reading, beware!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W1PVIS4R1UQL?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch:  A Novel is an example of excellent, unparalleled writing, bringing to life Theo Decker in all of his grief, angst and insecurity.  But enough is enough.  No matter the outstanding writing, when the story and character begin to take on a sameness, the reader begins to flounder, which is what happens approximately 600 pages in.  A book can never be too long if the forward motion of the story and characters propel the reader; however, there was too much of a drop-off in that motion in The Goldfinch.  I have to admit I dragged through the remaining pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AB7PMB4TBMEE?ASIN=0316055441	The storyline is captivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I won't go into detail about the storyline of this wonderful read, as that is covered in the commentary in the kindle purchase process.<br/>I found the book a little slow to begin with and reverted to others in my library for a time. I picked up again where I left off and was  so glad that I did. Donna Tart's insight and depth of  characters was mesmerising and resonates with many about the affect of loss and the genetic lottery of life.<br/>I did find the writing style  a little too enduring at times but that was a minor factor contributing to my overall enjoyment of the book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RNDG5Q6P7WX?ASIN=0316055441	Finish the Journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What ends in a great novel often starts the journey mysteriously, slowly, uncomfortably. With such beginnings, one can doubt the worth of the trip and conclude it too early. Deciding to end this journey before finishing, would be a pity, a loss. Get comfortable with the uncomfortable to meet and know people as you know the people in your own life who truly open the window on their weaknesses, fears and guilts...those you grow with and see develop. Every life has a story and the stories that are lived on the pages of The Goldfinch, are ones that will grab you and stay with you long after the journey has ended.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L4U644LMEXHM?ASIN=0316055441	excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like many characters in prize-winning books or movies, Theo Decker was simultaneously repugnant and appealling. Especially when he was in his adulthood, you wanted him to learn from his experiences and to get out of his own way, to make better decisions, but then the author could not have used him as a device to deliver her deeper message. I did feel like the end, in which she explained that message, was dissatisfying as it left less room for pondering.<br/><br/>Loved Boris, although he might have come across as a too stereotypically nihilistic and world-wise Russian for some.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WSWW6B4CKLWR?ASIN=0316055441	Had I read the last few pages at the beginning I would have had a better understanding of the overall premise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There used to be a TV program called ""You Are There"" which allowed one to experience a past event as if you were there at the time. Well, in this book you are there for every (and I mean every) moment of the main character's life.  It goes on and on and on in a stream of consciousness type way.  I finished the book in the hope it would have some redeeming qualities at the end but I found none.  Had I read the last few pages at the beginning I would have had a better understanding of the overall premise, but it would not have been worth the time to read the 700 plus pages</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5Y0AIHDYWVSM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Delicious; can't take my eyes off of it !! There went my Memorial Day week-end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O0ONRKZYLAUP?ASIN=0316055441	Stick with it....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Took me a long time to finish this one.  Overall I like the book and the theme.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K9N4HHC09U5P?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">was confusing at times. also I didn't care for so many f--- words being written</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LU1S2NMNP62Y?ASIN=0316055441	Hooked me from the first chapter!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch, without question, deserves its place on the best seller's list and its recent literary award. I loved everything about this story: the characters, the tension between economic classes, and the contrast of good and bad.  The story sucked me in from the first chapter and I found it hard to put it down. I felt conflicted at times because, regardless of what went on, I never lost faith in or stopped rooting for Theo.  I read most of the book while on vacation in the Caribbean. It was the perfect accompaniment on the beach and while killing time on my long flights. Enjoy!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z1ZSOLPOZTQL?ASIN=0316055441	A must read. Definitely a classic!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is difficult to find words to express the exquisite depth and breath of the characters, the story itself and the talent of this brilliant writer to pull us into this novel and keep us glued to it on every page. This book is definitely a classic and should be required reading for every student to see how the written word can express every sound, smell,  and emotion to involve the reader dimensionally in the story. I still feel connected to the characters and their lives long after finishing the book as if they were people from some place in my life. Amazing. Can't say enough!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1666IXZS0OCP0?ASIN=0316055441	the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little too dark for my reading pleasure.  The greatest part of this novel is the author's ability to describe people and things ina way you do not think it's being described - very smooth transition, and this I am always aware of.  But the storyline, though believable, was too heavily troubled.  You keep waiting for the moment when he suddenly sees the light but it just doesn't seem to happen.  The first half of the book kept your constant interest, but as time went by you wanted to finish it just to get it finished.  Perhaps because to me none of the characters wre likable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UJC87NL6GCTJ?ASIN=0316055441	My new FAVORITE book.  : )	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is by far one of the MOST OUTSTANDING books I have read ever (listened to). (Prince of Tides may still be my number one for its ""artistry and craftsmanship"" of words, but...), The Goldfinch is neck and neck! It was recommended to me by a friend whose Book Club had read it. As an artist, art historian, and collector of antiques myself--she knew it would be right up my alley, and she was correct! It's a long story in the best way possible. I was sorry when it came to an end. You empathize and sympathize with the strong cast of characters. Definitely worth the read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CPSUS6ML0LFV?ASIN=0316055441	Starts off strong, but drags a little	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At the beginning, I really liked this book.  The characters were interesting and I liked the concept.  However, as Theo grew up, I liked him less an less.  I agree with other reviews that the story dragged at certain spots.  The Las Vegas section and the Amsterdam hotel section almost caused me to give up on the book.  I ended up putting this down and reading something else.  I finished it and although I liked it, it would have been better if some parts were cut shorter in the editing process.  I've been wanting to read this book for a while and it was a little disappointing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23TWJ3ONN2HNP?ASIN=0316055441	Overall, a great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At certain places, including the beginning, this book was an adventure story that captured my attention.  The author has a great concept of human conversations, and she must have done a great amount of research as to how people in the drug and crime underworld live and act.  However, at other parts, it dragged a bit.  I was not too thrilled with the ending, as the protaganist goes into a reverie I felt could be shortened.  If you listen to The Goldfinch book on CD, the story becomes even more compelling, as the reader has mastered the different accents in the book perfectly.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31RC8UCIQOCJZ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch - Loved the first third of the novel.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was totally engrossed in The Goldfinch for the first third of the novel. I loved the setting, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and NYC. The plot was creative and the characters, well developed. It was exciting and addictive!<br/><br/>Then I spent the last three evenings reading about Las Vegas, the new setting and the alcoholic father, the low life girlfriend, and the Polish friend who constantly drank beer. It was boring. I had to stop reading at 33%. Life is too short to continue a read that doesn't hold my interest. I am giving it three stars because of the first third.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TR72ANECBQL4?ASIN=0316055441	Too much philosophizing..characters too flawed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can't believe this book won a Pulitzer.  The author wrote such long and verbose sentences, that it seemed like the writer herself was on drugs, or has been on them.  The characters, Theo and Boris, are anti-heroes who end up having little consequences for their life-style and actions.  In fact they are rewarded greatly for the art-theft, their life of addiction.  What a horrible description of life.  I'm really sorry I wasted my time on this authors drivel and writing style.  I'm sure her English teacher would give her an F for grammar and punctuation, or the lack thereof.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T8NTPKXI8V2?ASIN=0316055441	Living inside someone else's head	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought that this deserved the Pulitzer Prize, hands down. It played like a dream while I read it, and I noted so many moments that I could identify with and feel with Theo - the bus trip back to NYC with the dog, the decision to go back to New York, the hesitance to reconnect with his benefactor family, his unrequited love, and even the lost and drugged up crazy time in Las Vegas - how all of these experiences built character and introspection into Theo, was like a Dickens novel. Donna Tartt, great job, impeccable storytelling, wish I could have a conversation with you.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31XUESQRVSWY4?ASIN=0316055441	A must read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There isn't much I can add to the other reviews other than making the recommendation to LISTEN to the book rather than read it.  The prose is dense and the detailed descriptions can bog the reader down - when you listen to the audio version it's easier (I find) to follow the story and not get muddled in the wordiness of Tartt.  This is a must read and deserves the praise it received.  I did not particularly enjoy Tartt's other works, and am not a fan of fiction of this sort, but the depth of character development and the interesting plot development makes this a knockout.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCE7NPG2GW2CU?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch has many good qualities: Character development	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A story about a young man who has some serious losses and has to grow up the hard way.  He's basically a decent person but does things that are shameful.  How he winds up is yours to see.<br/>The Goldfinch has many good qualities:  Character development, being able to follow the timeline, many detailed and descriptive passages, the true to life quality of not sugar coating episodes of negative impact, etc.  I suppose it is worth reading, but I am astonished at the failure of the editor to tighten the author's belt and chop down about 25% of this book. Too much, too much!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMRR3QSIICRNC?ASIN=0316055441	Too rambling and disjointed. Don't understand this book getting ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too rambling and disjointed.  Don't understand this book getting the Pulitzer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1340F48O00LAY?ASIN=0316055441	Absolute dissapointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Why a fine writer would spend so much time with so little to say is beyond me.  This book rattled around and dilly dallied with side routes but really never lifted the reader to a level that made the book worth the time.  Hardly any redeemable characters appear.  There is little warmth.  The negatives that were aired, wealthy vacuous Park Avenue Family, drug scene, violence, gangster stupidity, were not new.  I suspect that this writer suffers deeply.  I know that I did while reading her work.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9O6CE6W6ZGVQ?ASIN=0316055441	A treasure trove of a novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book really gives you wings. After a bit of a slow start you are rolled into the plot, that evolves and rolls through time and landscapes on a intertstate road trip. Some of it's characters I will never forget: the Russian friend and criminal, the uptown mother, the furniture father and of course, the tiny bird on this touching painting, I have seen many times. It is both a sensitive and thrilliing plot on themes of love, despair, friendship &amp; fakes in every sense of the word.<br/>Make yourself rich, not by stealing art, but by reading good books like this one!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH3UPJQGK54O2?ASIN=0316055441	A trilogy in one	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An enjoyable crowd pleasing read. I really did enjoy this story. The book seems like it is three books in one spanning from adolescence into adulthood Tartt left out little detail. I feel like there was a lot of unnecessary words. But like I said I enjoyed the story. The last few pages seemed very college paper. . And in closing this is my theory . .  And all. I get her point but I feel like a good novel doesn't need that. The reader gets out of it what they read. Other than the wordy-ness I enjoyed the ride. If your looking for a long read I would say give it a go.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGK9ZV926FB99?ASIN=0316055441	Sleepless in Seattle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It has been a long time since I've read such a sumptuous story that it keeps me reading long into the night.<br/><br/>I bought a special signed slipcased limited edition from Powells Books and wouldn't allow myself to read it. So this was my first e-book experience and it has been great.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch reminds me of a dream where seemingly random people and events emerge and weave together. Beautifully written and full of twists, surprises and unforgettable characters, I have to believe this book will be is an amazing experience for anyone who reads it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT7UYMFJ51ES8?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writer has a very literary style , she is a good writer when she does not compromise her values to adjust to the demands of the young generation ' s superficial style of subjects to read and when she does not write in a "" politically correct "" manner . The only 3 stars from me -because the book is too long and the chapters about the fight for the painting in Amsterdam speaks exactly about what I mentioned above regarding lowering the literary value of the book to satisfy the demands of the modern style in the nowadays  literature ......Mariana Ciobanu .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K1EUYFZXCJQJ?ASIN=0316055441	I Read My LP 1240 Pages and Wished There Were More	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the best reading experience I've had since I don't know when.  My LP edition of 1,240 pages was too big to hold and still I didn't want it to end.  I plan to read this author's previous novels because she sure can write.  There were no boring parts.  The book was riveting and engaging on every page.  When I saw the size of the book, I figured it would take me several weeks to read it, but I finished it in three days and wanted more.  The characters came alive and were fully fleshed out. The plot was absorbing. The book had some real surprises.  I loved it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X4I5IP5EYSGZ?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappointed. Found it easy to put down. Skimmed to finish it- lost interest.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JUO9X452TP8N?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little dark and gloomy. Very long. I had a hard time finishing this one....</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NMIA1FN1QIA2?ASIN=0316055441	off to a good start, then just dragged and dragged	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">needed serious editing..off to a good start, then just dragged and dragged...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28E4F5IE0RZ1O?ASIN=0316055441	Diverging from the crowd... This book was just OK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I realize that the vast majority of readers disagree with me, but I didn't think this was the epic novel that the rest of the world believed it was.  I'm a fan of Donna Tartt and was really looking forward to reading The Goldfinch, but I found it disappointing.  I thought the writing was heavy-handed and that most of the characters lacked a sense of depth and believability.  The end was particularly disappointing, there were a good chunk of rambling pages in there that made me wonder what Tartt was getting at.  I'm still a fan of Tartt, but just not of this novel.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ELP5R0G09KQN?ASIN=0316055441	Well-worth the long journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I first read The Secret History and was amazed by Donna Tartt's incredible writing and storytelling. I was excited when I heard she had released another novel and dove into The Goldfinch. Again, Tartt proved her writing ability with this emotional journey of a young boy and a beloved, stolen painting. While this book didn't leave the same impression The Secret History did, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and its Pulitzer was well-deserved. There are a few moments when I felt the book dragged (and it is quite long), but everything still felt necessary to the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17WDEGE7Q9UHJ?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the plot, however I found the book wasn't the page turner I had I had hoped for. I found it rambled it places about senseless and unimportant points. On the whole if your interested in American history, art, literature you will probably enjoy it. The concept is fantastic and I get what the author was trying to achieve, however it just didn't quiet live up to all the amazing reviews. If you are like me and like an easy, exciting page turner then this is not for you, if you like books that are in depth and have that slightly academic feel then you will enjoy</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R331F0KY7AA78H?ASIN=0316055441	She is an excellent writer, can turn a phrase beautifully and convey ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She is an excellent writer, can turn a phrase beautifully and convey sweet or sinister thoughts heartbreakingly clearly.  He writing is just wonderful.  But, she rambles on and on.  This book was about 300 pages too long, I actually did a little speed reading here and there.  I can't say that I liked the main character or too many others, but there were a few that were likable.<br/>She has all the talent and imagination one could ever want it just needs to be reigned in a bit.<br/>Of her other books I really liked ""The Little Friend"".<br/>Happy reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNI7BMAWWT4SS?ASIN=0316055441	I know I skipped a lot of these pages because it was boring. It made me less sympathetic to Theo because ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The prose is descriptive and interesting, and kept me into the book despite its flaws.  I was put off by all the drug use and thought there was too much time devoted to it. I know I skipped a lot of these pages because it was boring.  It made me less sympathetic to Theo because of it.  Theo trusted no one with his PTSD issues from the blast and loss of his mother.  Everyone was scamming him one way or the other, and he never wised up about this, even as an adult.  He never tried to get meaningful help for himself, and I guess that is the whole point of the story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AN4SNZ9KQ2F7?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt does a fine job of inviting us into a story which includes ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a marvelous story that grips the reader from the beginning.........Donna Tartt does a fine job of inviting us into a story which includes a young boy and his trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.......where a fire changes his whole world..........We get to know a part of New York tourists do not usually visit.....and anyone who lives in other boroughs probably does not know this one either!  The Goldfinch itself is an important part, small as it is.......and I will not spoil it for anyone.......Definitely worth reading and enjoying!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CI5IOXGF94KJ?ASIN=0316055441	Borrrrrring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was painful to read.  I read it because it was on every best seller list out there.  All I can say is she has the best PR person ever.  Where was the editor with this book, it droned on and on about the same thing.  I felt like I was reading the same chapter over and over again.  I found the whole thing farfetched and the characters rather annoying.  I would not recommend this except if someone needs something to put them to sleep, which I did many times trying to get through it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UEDYF3MQAZW8?ASIN=0316055441	mesmerizing but preachy toward the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Being the mother of two sons, I was completely drawn to this story, given how the protagonist' own mother's violent and sudden death causes his life to spiral out of control for several years. The characters seemed three dimensional and the dialogue believable. However, I found the end of the book to be long winded and preachy. The author had already shown us how the protagonist had evolved. No need to tell us too with platitudes about the meaning of truth, love, etc. Nevertheless, other parts of the book are so beautifully written and compelling, I forgive her.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D0I8K6EFGJYO?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant! I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this book given the divided review. However, sadly, I have finished the book and think that it is one of my all time favorites.There are layers upon layers here. An interesting story about a boy growing up in a very unusual way and the friends he makes who influence him. Yet, there is another philosophical, metaphysical layer, that it is easy to overlook and sometimes hard to figure out its relation to the story. I will read this book again and highly recommend it to those who love great literature.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6LOEBCNBQM2?ASIN=0316055441	A very good start, a very long section in the middle ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very good start, a very long section in the middle where I hesitated whether to keep reading or not, and a slightly more interesting end. But overall I am disappointed by this book. The story is very linear and I felt that there was no direction. Pages and pages of quite pretentious descriptions of drug use, antique furniture renovation. It is trying to be cool but failing. I had high hopes for this novel, after the Secret History, and despite The Little Friend. But the pretentiousness  and lack of pace made it difficult for me to root for the main character.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JLEA6E4XNUA3?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the book at the start - incredible talent for ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book at the start - incredible talent for description of the opening disaster.  I felt like I was living through it as did the book's main character.  Then, the whole storyline took a sharp turn and Theo became a character I didn't like<br/>in a plot I didn't like.  That continued to be the case throughout the rest of the book.  Long after the storyline should have ended, the author went on and on in a philosophical discussion to explain why the characters did what they did.  I tuned out at tha point.  Very disappointing for a book with so much hype.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24FNR6WDKGR4B?ASIN=0316055441	A fantastic read.  Thoroughly recommend it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a deeply satisfying saga which follows a young boy's life through to adulthood.  It is filled with many interesting characters and the plot keeps moving.  This doesn't allow the reader to become complacent at all during the reading of the novel.<br/><br/>Tartt sets up the book in such a way that the reader feels high empathy toward the main character.  This is needed at times as he struggles to find his way through difficult circumstances alone.<br/><br/>The characters are lively and real.  The situations seem fantastical but we read on mesmerised.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27960X7WY0U21?ASIN=0316055441	The bottom line: perhaps a worthwhile read, but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a young man's coming-of-age story, set in twenty-first century America.The author approaches the subject of grief and grieving with sensitivity and insight. Her portrayal of the contemporary drug culture and the gritty world of chemical dependency was enlightening as well as disturbing. Donna Tartt is a master of descriptive prose, but after a while it became a distraction. I was ready for the ending long before the last page of the book. Because the themes were so ""dark"" and the book was so long, I don't know that I would recommend the book to others.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NETNPPGNZ80G?ASIN=0316055441	The cover of The Goldfinch showed great promise, drawing me in for a deep read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The cover of The Goldfinch showed great promise, drawing me in for a deep read.  At first, the writing was beautiful, but as I moved further into the story, Tartt's characters sank into the murky depths of drugs and drink, a place from which they never emerged. At first, it felt as though they were merely sinking under the weight of the many issues addressed, but in reality, the problem was mine; I was lost, set adrift on a sea of words. I longed for resolution for Theo Decker, Boris, Pippa and Hobie, but it wasn't there. Perhaps they are lost in the painting.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VVC5NZBWMJUF?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't live up to the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was okay. I found the beginning very good but my interest dwindled as the main character spun out of control. As it went on, there were many sections that completely bored me. By the end of this very, very long novel, I was completely disinterested in the plight of the characters. It's not that I wanted a happy ending, just for th  character to have some clarity or regret for his actions. I feel like the author started throwing in late references to PTSD that may have made the characters  more interesting early on and could have been better explored.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KQGFJHQAELN4?ASIN=0316055441	Bravo...a true classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">.I did not want the story to end, but it did.  Tartt is a writer that is intelligent and let's her characters shine so fully in depth almost to the very end.  I don't read many novels, but this really captivated me.  My only complaint against the story line is this:  the last chapter felt as if I was reading her master's thesis on the painting and artist she was exploring.  It's brilliant, but left the reader wanting more of a conclusion to the complex characters she wove throughout her story.  I would recommend this book to anyone hungry for a top rate novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K6FO64GXRADW?ASIN=0316055441	different stars for different sections	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is an amazing book - superbly written and well deserving of the Pulitzer Prize.  I couldn't put it down until I got about 3/4 of the way through at which time I became confused by the newly introduced characters.  I, of course, didn't put it down but had difficulty discerning one character from the other.  I felt there wasn't enough background given on them - it felt as if the author was in a completely different mindset when he embarked on the ending.  So I give the first 3/4 of the book 5 stars and the rest 3 stars.  Average:  4 stars from me!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DAO69AROZCX1?ASIN=0316055441	A completely mesmerizing novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was completely swept away by this novel.  It reminds me of the rich, complex, satisfying novels of the nineteenth century that we just don't see much any more in our age of slick, commercial fiction.  I have heard some people say that there was too much description/detail.  I disagree whole heartedly!  Tartt's prose is so beautiful, her characters so carefully and meticulously constructed, that I felt, by the end of the novel, that I personally knew each character.  The plot is unique and riveting.  This is one of the best novels I have read in a long time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AY9XZ80VA8SG?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch - 'zolotaya ptitsa'	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful, crazy, truthful book. Far from what you expect from a bestseller! Characters larger than life, unexpected turns of the plot, clever observations - reading it was a beautiful experience.<br/>And, being a Russian myself, I should say that though the image of Russians in the book is sometimes too 'textbook' and over-picturesque, like, some odd expressions, too-obvious symbolics, etc - there is a lot of life and truth to it. Something that you do not notice 'from inside', but when you come to think about it... So, for me, this was an extra delight.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MB6GOVTH6Z9M?ASIN=0316055441	I wonder what he was like before his mother died	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I purchased this book because library only gave me 2 weeks to read. I was already hooked and I was reading it in small doses. It can be very intense. I will definitely share this with my friends. We chose this as a book club selection so I am looking forward to discussing it with my fellow bookies. It is such an intimate look inside Theo's mind. I wonder what he was like before his mother died. I think that that one incident changed him for life. The last several pages, especially the last, gave me real insight into what Theo was all about. I love this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAN1NBNAZ3MWQ?ASIN=0316055441	A picture is worth a thousand words....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although you may question the author belaboring some elements of the book, it all comes together magnificently in the end.  The time and effort she puts into the details pays off!!  This is not just a beach read.  It is a very thoughtful book -- makes you think about how small changes, fateful decisions and events (both good and bad), people (both close and not so close), all come together to weave the story of your life.  Donna Tartt does a great job of story-telling and bringing the world of art and antiquities to life while engaging us in this great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FMENFS5D91LP?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I have ever, ever read!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ok, so, I have never put a review for ANY book out there.  However, this book....I just can't stop thinking about it.  Literally, the best book I have ever read! The details, the imaginary, the character, the stories.  What more should I say? Read this book! It's 775 pages, and you will not care about the length, as a matter of fact, you will be glad the author gave you so much of her time.  It's just that good! Imagine a book that you care what happens to the character, the plot, the storyline, imagine the scenery.  It's this book.  I just can't say enough.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JCMWCBJBAN86?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding. Great Read that Keeps the Large Format Novel Alive.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt lost for a few days after reading the last page of this book. Donna Tartt's writing, character development, and plot line weave an attachment that connects you to this book long after you put it down. The opening scene is one of the most compelling scenes I have read, and while the pace of the book varies greatly from the frenetic first pages, it brilliantly captures the ebb and flow of the pace of life. You will leave your experience of reading this book with the character's voices echoing in your thoughts.—Gerry Sandusky, author of Forgotten Sundays</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YWALJ0KU0SF5?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unlike Mozart who did not overuse  notes, Tartt certainly overuses words....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31KXGRPQTKW06?ASIN=0316055441	The protagonist is really easy to like	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long story, but keeps you interested. The protagonist is really easy to like</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TO6DDHKYKG9X?ASIN=0316055441	Not a page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book needed some serious editing. How it won the Pulitzer is beyond me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T39MHLIPBVSS?ASIN=0316055441	Thoughtful book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely well written, loved the ending, but it was a little long in parts.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UH6BF1GUBPPT?ASIN=0316055441	A Stay-Up-All-Nighter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book caught me by surprise!  Entertaining and well written, I couldn't put it down.  This is a book that lovers of great literature across a wide span of time, topic, and interest can enjoy together.  There are strong references to drug use, alcoholism, and foul language (if that is bothersome to you or you are shopping for someone else).  However, these potentially offensive themes weave into a much bigger, more provocative tale with such detail and symphonic movement that they are hardly mentionable in their own right, but for the young or sensitive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR5PHIG1W5SNR?ASIN=0316055441	I liked the book a lot but I am not surprised ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the first Donna Tartt book that I read. I noticed that the author won a Pulitzer Prize for the book .. the storyline is tremendous with a very strong set of characters. I liked the book a lot but I am not surprised at a lot of negative reviews on Amazon. It takes a strong level of commitment to finish this book but it is worth it in the end. The last 30 or 40 pages are really an exercise in philosophy in my view but I like the way the Author ended this book. It was just too long and could have been written in a few hundred pages less. Hence 4 Stars</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38V83J2FYRRYI?ASIN=0316055441	Long, Boring with no closure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First part has a good underlying story.  Second half is absolutely BORING and the ending is pathetic.  The repetition ad nausium of the befuddled ""thoughts"" of a spaced out druggie and the rambling monologues of Boris may add pages to an already too long book but they are meaningless.  Sorry, but I don't understand how people are so enamored about this book.  The conclusion leaves all kinds of strings hanging.... really annoying after having plowed through almost 800 pages only to find basic things like did Theo ever marry and whom left unresolved.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R73MJ72F09VK7?ASIN=0316055441	Great Writing Skills	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As I started on this I thought it was in the best novel I've read in years. After awhile it just grows tiresome and repetitive. But, then, that is the way of the addiction that threads its way through two-thirds of the narrative; obsession and stupid choices.<br/><br/>One of those books you keep on reading even though you don't like it because people whose book opinions you respect liked it, and it has that Pulitzer Prize thingy on the front; so, you think somehow it is going to redeem itself some way and never does leaving you to wonder why you read it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IL63Z5PWUX96?ASIN=0316055441	A brilliant book. I read it through in less than ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A brilliant book. I read it through in less than a week, it was that good. I could not put it down. I found the author to be remarkably perceptive about so many areas of life and different kinds of people. The drug stuff was amazing. I've been there, done that, and she was right on the money!! Got the tone of the characters right too. Boris is so believable he leaps off the page. And Xandra. And Hobie. I can se that this book is not for everyone. It is best to read it quickly and it is best to be non-judgmental about certain things (drug-taking). Read it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q7NZIB15IZHE?ASIN=0316055441	Was great at first	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This writer has an incredible talent for imagery.  I loved her words and images.  I was just entranced by  the story.  Then came a point where the story stalled, in my opinion, with the dark, dark experiences of the main character and his friend.  The drug and alcohol abuse was integral, I think, to the story, but it went on a bit too long.  Once the point is made, I felt it served no purpose. I like ""dark"" but was a bit put off by the length of those passages.  So--LOVED it mostly; felt it needed to be pared down on the ""suffering"" side.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NJ2UM7VYC36Z?ASIN=0316055441	"I'd give it a ""silver"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I heard so many good things about The Goldfinch yet I found I lost interest as the book progressed.  I was enthralled at the beginning and couldn't put the book down yet by a little past the mid-point I had to force myself to keep reading.<br/>The story seemingly grew stale as it continued. Honestly, I became lost within the story and couldn't understand the last part of the book.<br/>Maybe re-reading it at some point will clarify all my unanswered questions but for now I'll just say the beginning is great...it is the ending which leaves to be desired.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H124GT6SXKTI?ASIN=0316055441	An very interesting story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An 800 page fictional novel based around a real painting was very cleverly written.  The character development was fascinating. The descriptions of people and places were well detailed and it was easy to lose oneself in the surroundings of the different locations. If there is anything that would I criticize, I felt that some of the dialogue from Boris was a bit long sometimes. I do realize that this is Donna Tart's personal writing style and can well respect that. It was refreshing that this story was very different than anything I have read in the past.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PVKHFQ94OMGK?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderful journey for the characters and reader	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I have read in a long time. This is why we read. It is over 700 pages of artistic quality, and you never want to rush it or figure out the story. I gave this book to my mother-in-law and she didn't like the book, too depressing for her - which I never found any where in the book. There were some interesting similarities to my own experiences, places, and people so I was immediately drawn into it. I will have to read the other books by this author now, loved the way it was written - so detailed and well written, the way books used to be written.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V3KMRAJTSEOE?ASIN=0316055441	compelled to write review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't usually write reviews (which does not make me proud)…..but I feel compelled write this one because I strongly feel that The Goldfinch does not deserve all the acclaim it's been given. The writing style is okay but the book is entirely too long; the characters do not earn my love or loyalty; and the plot moves at a snail's pace and goes nowhere.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8Z0RFEWWHAOM?ASIN=0316055441	Added to my list of favorites	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the first book in a long time to completely consume me.  The plot moved quickly, yet included such detailed prose about the narrator that you understand why he does what he does even though part of you cringes.  It is a wonderful book about love and loss and what friendship is and coincidence and gambles in life may result in a long line of good and bad consequences that may just have to be.<br/><br/>""Good does not always follow from good deeds and bad follow from bad, does it? Even the wise and good cannot see the end of all actions.""</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LLQTA1ZIQOOY?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I grew weary of all the bad things that happened to Theo. He has no control over his life from the moment the story opens until the last chapter.  It's like falling down 30 flights of stairs, only to pick yourself up and fall down 30 more! We know he's a good guy, but really. You stop feeling sorry for him and his bad decisions after the 40th deliberate choice to do the wrong thing.  Then the author repeats herself and drones on and on about the catastrophe of life. No we don't chose who we are, or what all happens to us, but we CAN make the best of it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29BP915ZM86Z0?ASIN=0316055441	A Contemporary Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt, you out did yourself. The storytelling and prose are close to flawless and the culmination of the novel is a truthful representation of life. Complex in its simplicity, she slowly and poetically paints a picture that is not unlike the little Goldfinch for which the novel is named after. Through Theo, his journey through youth and development as an individual, she reveals the darkest and brightest points of humanity and the human experience, at once celebrating and mourning our existence.<br/>The entire review is at pageterror.wordpress.com</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EG8TX7DPHOTD?ASIN=0316055441	Very in depth character study.  Private thoughts of protagonist are shared.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was very introspective.  The character developed through the book.  It showed the effects of PTSD and the effect of loosing both parents at a relatively young age.  The demons he battled through his young life and his view of the world.  The only part that I thought was a little unrealistic was in connection with the reward in The Netherlands, being that the person who claimed the award would have been highly taxed and no mention was made of any taxes.  I realize that this is fiction, but what government does not tax whenever it has the opportunity.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZO81QIUF06FX?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent start but disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some parts of this book are exceptional. The first third is particularly compelling and beautifully written. After that, the plot slows down and meanders, with intrigue and excitement thrown in at points. I persisted through the 700+ pages with high hopes but was ultimately disappointed.  Toward the end, the author relies on not one but two long soliloquies to convey what is essentially book's main point.  These long speeches were disjointed from the rest of the writing, and I found them heavy-handed.  In the end, I cannot strongly recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXE52V4V6XBE0?ASIN=0316055441	A must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose to read The Goldfinch because it was awarded the Pulitzer. It's easy to see why. While at times I had to force myself to push through sections, Donna Tartt has adeptly crafted a story around a complex character. This coming of age narrative reflects on the impact of an event (terrorism) and its consequences that, though not everyone will experience firsthand like Theo Decker, all must confront the trauma that such an experience had on Theo and how to resolve the negativity of the human experience in order to live a fulfilling and positive life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R279HCKA0XY4NT?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling and thought-provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt as if I had dived into the deep end with this one. At times it was hard to come up for air. The characters are extremely well-drawn, particularly Boris, and though the pacing in the Vegas portion seemed to drag, he made it worth it. At the same time, if swearing and coarse language ruin a book for you--as well as drug scenes--you might want to steer clear. Though they don't dominate, there's more than enough to sour the experience for those sensitive to such scenes. (Indeed, that, among other things, led me to keep it to 4 stars rather than 5).</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z1O87JLKHXJ1?ASIN=0316055441	Worth your Time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this story and find myself still thinking about it.  Even though it is very long, it was easy to read and I got into it very quickly. I didn't want to put it down. However, I will be honest, it did get a bit too wordy for me in parts. I am giving it four stars instead of five as the wordiness may lose the attention of some readers. On the flip side of that, the detailed description was part of what makes this book so memorable and the characters so developed. I still picture the scenes from the story in my mind long after reading that last page.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JEGUJEKB9PCU?ASIN=0316055441	tedious and depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I used this book to put me to sleep at night. Long, tedious and depressing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z74SN6RQ4AW4?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt like the character was rambling. No I would not recommend this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39V9PL23IYKZY?ASIN=0316055441	Living near Las Vegas it was easy to visualize the big empty homes out in the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story kept me picking the book up whenever I had a minute or two.  Living near Las Vegas it was easy to visualize the big empty homes out in the desert.  I do question how both main characters could be so involved in drugs and not have any side effects when they weren't high.  The last ten or so pages were totally confusing!  The author rambled on, but never seemed to go anywhere.  I want to know what happened to all the characters, and the painting, once recovered, where did it end up? Too many unanswered questions for me---unsatisfying ending !</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34QR3PYZS44DV?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm sorry, but I have to agree with those that say this book needed editing.  There are just too many long, rambling ""philosophical"" passages as well as repetitive, boring descriptions of depression and drug use.  This book had the potential to be great (the first two thirds are very good) but I grew so impatient by the end that it was ruined for me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DDX9AAUXR1IE?ASIN=0316055441	"""Teenage Wasteland..."""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As I read The Goldfinch over the last few days, I was so immersed in Theo Decker's  life that when I ventured outside it was a shock to see Florida flatland when I was so sure the New York skyline should be there.  Scene after incredible scene  has bewitched me to the point where I cannot continue reading the last 50 pages because I do not want it to end.  Donna Tartt seems to create incredible middle-of-the-story visuals in her books and in this one it is life in a failed housing development in the middle of the desert, so reminiscent of a surreal painting where children and a dog are neglected while the adults occasionally show up in the teenage wasteland to dispense alcohol, drugs or abuse.  Although Tartt presents us with a down and dirty story it transcends our emotions, enabling us to nod our collective heads and bathe in the humor and love and bits of luck that weave themselves in and out of Theo's, and our own, lives.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K0QE35ZIWBBS?ASIN=0316055441	""" a rainbow edge where beauty comes into being,"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The intricate construction of this book creates a rainbow edge of its own.  At the same time, a traditional plot summary becomes impossible without wordiness and spoilers.  I get a sense of just how good the writing is when I try to para phrase it.  I began caring about Theo, a young boy as the novel opens, from the outset.  His observations bear that Tartt trademark of wisdom without precious worldliness.  Through his eyes unrolls a plot which captures the reader as tightly as it has our Theo.  the peripheral characters are jewels on their own, and combined with Theo create a series of dyads and triads that bring the reader closer to the world in which, ""we cannot choose what we want and don't want and that's the hard lonely truth.<br/><br/>The settings play their own role and many of them serve as characters on their own.  The interiors of the rooms enmesh themselves in our perceptions.  For example, the high society apartment in which he lives is lovely, but it is a touch off.  There is no natural light to speak of and this slight murkiness reflects the opaqueness which can appear in its family.  As Theo travels, he sees the world in context and this vision is given to us.  Another example would be the Las Vegas location with its harsh light and unforgiving vistas.<br/><br/>through the book, the painting of the goldfinch serves as an enigmatic observer and commentator.  Is the bird a glimpse of freedom or does he tell us of our chains with the little gauntlet on his ankle.<br/><br/>I like a good long book to pull me in and entrance me.  This book has filled that job with wit and insight.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NV4J0DJL6QOD?ASIN=0316055441	Deserves the Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating journey of a flawed individual caused by bombing of Metropilitan  Mseum of Art in NYC.<br/>What happens to him is very plausible consideringhis sensitive personality and relationship with his mother who is lost verytragically.<br/>I am a former New Yorker and that helps me unserstand places and events in the story. You always cross your fingers that things turn out well and they do. We meet fascinating, sometimes disreputable characters. This was a wonderful, well written story/ I was caught up in this world and really enjoye the ride.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6VVDMV1HRUMC?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really disappointed! I didn't even know what the book was about but bought it as soon as it came out in softcover. With the accolades it has received I really had high expectations. I found the first 1/3 of the book to be interesting and very sad. It then was unrealistic, too long &amp; by the end I really skimmed the lengthy prose. I too was very turned off by all the drug and alcohol abuse and all the pages that were consumed with this.<br/>I would not recommend it. I was compelled to finish it as usually do hoping it would redeem itself to no avail.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UFLQK39MM2W9?ASIN=0316055441	Outshines THE Master!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Since I was a boy, I've read many thousands of novels including most of the masters of the art of writing.  But I never thought I'd find a work that surpassed THE Master Jea-Paul Sartre.  Tartt's descriptions of people, feelings, fears, joys, and absurd situations are truely wonderful; making the reader reach inside and realize reality.  Her description of the characters' time in Amsterdam reminded me of Sartre's ""Les Mains Sales"" in searching for the why of the what: pure existentialism at its best!  Well done Donna Tartt, bloody well done!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTLYIVCCRPR0D?ASIN=0316055441	thought provoking book taking you to the deep places in your soul.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the lonesomeness and sadness of of Theo. Yet when he found someone or thing he loved, I felt the hopefulness that life can bring. Wonderful characters in the Goldfinch. The excitement and out of controlled lunacy of Boris and the grounded acceptance of Hobie, the crazy welcoming of the Barbours.  I wish that Theo found more happiness, the women in his life were not given as much depth as I would have liked, perhaps more happiness.  All in all a remarkable story of life for urban millennials and their parents trying to understand their world.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6AK9QY0U2QOD?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting and incredibly absorbing but uneven in places	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very interesting book. It is something that I don't think would appeal to everyone, as it is very long and dense and winding in places. What I really liked about it was the level of detail, of being completely absorbed into ""Potters"" world. I think as a psychologist, I found it to be a very rich way to understand how loss and damage can have long-term impacts on us. I found the second part of the book, when we were brought to the present day, to be less interesting, but then the very end brought the two parts together very nicely.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB0WD2YHDZZK7?ASIN=0316055441	A Headache...a heartache	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In the literary sense this book is a masterpiece. Characters are incredibly real, writing is descriptive, plot line is cogent. Why then a 3 star rating? The story dragged in more ways than one. It was terribly depressing, drawn out, and so sad and frustrating I found myself caught between tears and wanting to tear my hair out. Thank goodness for the character of Hobie! Without him the book would have been a total downer. As for the ""Goldfinch"", as a reader I am fascinated by the use of this famous piece of art as the backbone of this story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYZB3I5OU0E9I?ASIN=0316055441	long but worth every minute	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The hazard of digital reading is not knowing or comprehending the investment of time required to read a 775 page novel.<br/><br/>(Tangible hardbacks/paperbacks allow us to dive into or avoid the commitment)<br/><br/>This novel never stops with action and insight. The action keeps you committed (what happens next??!!), but the ending requires absolute resolve to get to that final page.<br/><br/>But oh so worth it...the conclusion brought quiet tears of understanding and acceptance and love and beauty and wonder.<br/><br/>Well worth the read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FGDIPN0ELZBE?ASIN=0316055441	Be prepared for a long story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read, but bestseller for sooo long?  It is a long book covering lots of years and territory. At times I was a bit bored with the meanderings of the story.  I did enjoy the characters and their relationships do feel real. The way the protagonist describes his feelings and reactions also seem plausible, which is important to the story. When I got to the end, and look back on how we got there and what the main character had to say to the reader to close out the book, I was not sure I could see that all the story parts were necessary to get there.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ3VH31F9KIA0?ASIN=0316055441	but I think it could have benefited from a great deal of editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was interesting, but I think it could have benefited from a great deal of editing. There were sections that felt stagnant. Perhaps these conveyed accurately how the characters felt, but they could have been cut in half and still conveyed the same sentiment. I thought the ending was weak and a let down. Although, at that point, I just wanted to be done with the book. It was an entertaining story, but I wouldn't give the rave reviews that I've seen. So many phrases were repeated excessively throughout the book, they started to grate on me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JUCEOCXMB5W0?ASIN=0316055441	I love this book and it's message	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love this book and it's message:  ""Life is not about life's 'stuff' ... it's how you play the game"".  And boy, did Theo  play the game.  I picked four stars, not the full box o five for this reason:  I thought author Tartt expanded too long ... too many words / pages ... on each situation in life which Theo encountered.  For example:  the times in the dessert with Boris stoned to the gills and puking in the pool, scenes with Hobie and the re-finishing of furniture, etc.  Just a bit too long in most cases.  The final chapter is THE BEST.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29KRBK83DBBTK?ASIN=0316055441	Caveat Emptor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have seldom been so disappointed in a book.  Not only did the hero/loser/whiner/idiot never become likable, by the middle of the book I couldn't understand how he had managed to stay alive and actually didn't care if he did.  Talk about your mother fixation. Let those rave as to content, the mix of drugs and art didn't appeal to me.  I had trouble believing this was the same person that wrote The Secret History.  That would have been a good place to stop.  Abysmal.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LSKE55JNXQ0I?ASIN=0316055441	Great book! Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book!  Loved it!  Compelling read!  Wasn't quite sure what the ""gestalt"" of the book was until I got toward the end, where one finally realizes that this is a book about the universal mixture of good and bad in all of us, and in the circumstances that brought us to those decisions.  I think we ""get this"" subconsciously throughout the book, but the author really clarifies this through each and every one of his main characters towards the end of the book. Intertwined with this melting pot of the good and evil that the characters struggle with, is the unreachable and unobtainable Goldfinch painting, which may very well be a metaphor for the tragedy of the Goldfinch's circumstances..and then, the painting itself, which is the beauty and immortality of life that one tries to grasp, but can never quite reach or obtain. This book left me thinking long after I put it down.  Excellent read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12QEJQSHHA182?ASIN=0316055441	You have GOT to read Goldfinch!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">LOVED IT!  I really couldn't put it down until I was finished!  It is very deep....and makes you do a lot of soul searching!  The author is super intelligent and uses lots of words that I needed a little help with....but that was part of the Goldfinch experience.  Many times there was so much detail in parts that I didn't want the excruciating extra words...but I guess that is also part of the gut wrenching fog that she wants you to muddle through...so you can feel how the characters pain was!!  I loved it!!!!  The book made me a better person!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PRP0LH822AAA?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely long book! Very detailed and the ending didn't surprised at all!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CAWKD1L42RRJ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful description of varied sites makes you feel as if you are present</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12A7VVTWMC1GV?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the beginning and the end but the middle was way too long and wordy.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIHDCJ15BFMVD?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Worst book I have ever read - certainly doesn't deserve the Pulitzer Prize</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R307W4K7SSGVYA?ASIN=0316055441	200 pages too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I enjoyed this book for the most part, it took me too long to finish and I owe that to meandering focus of the storyline. Tartt lost me somewhere after 400 pages or so when I began hoping that a change would come either with the lead character or plot. At this point, I gave up on following the story closely and focused on just getting to the end  of the book so I could  finally move on with my life. Somewhere around page 600, I began to see some plot resolution which propelled me to the finish, at which point I became engaged once again.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFPNT8FX56H2K?ASIN=0316055441	Just alright for me...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this book based on some friends who really liked it, so I had really high hopes.  But I hate to say it kinda fell short for me.  Some parts of the book were VERY wordy, where I felt like that wasn't always necessary.  I know this is just personal preference but it was also a bit depressing and dark for my taste.  The drug and alcohol use was a bit much.  Again, just my taste.  I like how it ended, and the last section (in Amsterdam) was very exciting and hard to put down.  It was good, just not as good as I thought it was going to be.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SIQYLTE2Z873?ASIN=0316055441	Highly recommended for all types of readers!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Yes, this book is long and full of fluffy detail at times...but there's an artistic reason for this, as I see it.  That said, I feel this story would appeal to so many different readers.  It is strong down every avenue it embarks upon, providing a little bit of something for everyone.  I highly recommend this intriguing, all-encompassing tale that ultimately challenges the reader to ponder the nature vs nurture concept in human beings, and to expand our philosophical views on all-or-nothing, black &amp; white thinking.  Impressive!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWS0A0AKYVB8K?ASIN=0316055441	New York Times bestseller,  Why?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What idiot at the New York Times thought that this was a great book?  It is full of inaccurate information and mainly about a boy/man drinking and doing drugs.  The time that he was in Las Vegas pissed me off.  It makes it look like everyone in Vegas is a gambler, does drugs and or drinks.  Please, we don't all go to the casinos to eat dinner.  If he lived on the outskirts of town (where we don't have sand), it is a long way to get to the strip to just hang out.  Overall, I got tired of reading this book.  But I like to finish what I start.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TJH1Q8F4KF8C?ASIN=0316055441	I liked this book and the story the author told	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this book and the story the author told;however, there were parts that made me want to scream, ok ok get on with it.<br/>The first half of the book I was telling myself that this was going to be my favorite book of the year.  The second half of the<br/>book I was thinking will this ever end. I found myself doing something that I never do and that is skimming.<br/>If you have the time to invest go ahead and read read read.  The characters are wonderful and the story is great but I think<br/>it could have been 200 pages shorter.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26RQG98YWA6TM?ASIN=0316055441	bizarre	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was one of the more bizarre books I have read. Certainly not a happy story. It made me think about my childhood and relationships and how I have felt and given of myself because of my similar tragic childhood. Certainly I have been stronger than Theo in overcoming tragedy. The way he relied on drugs throughout the book was appalling to me. It really seemed to dictate his life and led to most of his misery. Some of the rumblings got to be boring. I don't have much sympathy for his weaknesses and drug induced seemingly inciteful musings.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HT0OKRA83CYR?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating, well-written novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">We read this book for our book club selection of June of this year and it's definitely among my favorites that we've read during the five years of our book club's existence. It is extremely well written (which is very important to me) and the story. although lengthy, is fascinating enough to have kept me turning the pages. Without going into detail about why, I do want to register that I wasn't so delighted with the last part of the book, where Ms. Tartt pontificates, but that certainly didn't ruin the total experience of the book for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OXESSTFDNIOY?ASIN=0316055441	Poetic & worthwhile	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me a while to get into this book. But once I did, I came to appreciate the poetic narrative of Theodore Decker. His life takes some very dramatic turns, and the storyline takes the reader to unexpected places.<br/><br/>Theodore's poetic narrative is what kept me turning page after page. The book does a great job at taking the reader into the surprisingly introspective mind of someone who is outwardly so dissociated from his own feelings and ruled by misery and anxiety. It is a heavy read (on the heart); but worthwhile for sure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCDYGXM6BAG4M?ASIN=0316055441	I liked the premise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have grown tired of reading about characters that become lost in uncontrolled drinking, etc. and then somehow magically see the light and emerge unscathed.  I liked the premise, I liked the beginning, but then the storyline became this trite homage to drunken stupor.  Although such excess was, at one time, ""fresh"", I suppose, I felt like it dragged this novel down.  I was looking forward to reading this book because it was award-winning and best-selling, and frequently that makes a good combination, but I was disappointed here.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TSKKE4NAT2J1?ASIN=0316055441	A story to remember	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book to remember - not just for the Pulitzer - but the overall storyline along with all the side stories that prop up the main story. Theo and Boris are remarkable characters despite their doping, alcoholism, not-aboveboard ideas of ownership and general lifestyle. It's a story with a positive end recited through the experiences of people who are less than idealistic. I enjoyed the book thoroughly and am amused at certain perspectives I can glean, whenever I think of the storyline, that escaped attention at the time of reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCF6UIGCD7Q29?ASIN=0316055441	Great story, interesting characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long book but it kept my attention.  Great story, interesting characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGMA7FTD2LTNT?ASIN=0316055441	Don't bother.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To quote the Bard: ""A lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing"".</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R102FY0EX10CHA?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful, a classic !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written , raises the bar for all books I read in the future !</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RELKRNEHLXPXG?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the settings both in urban New York and the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I ordered the kindle by mistake and didn't know how to get credit for it, so I bought the book.  Can you credit my account for this purchase.  I do not own a kindle.<br/>The book was riveting and on many levels it revealed the subculture and disfunction in our society.  I loved the settings both in urban New York and the sizzling Las Vegas.  Character development was extraordinary and I experienced total disgust for the boys father.  The message in the end to me was that there is no value in objects we revere, only value in who we are.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SFVJ679U2FBM?ASIN=0316055441	A book that makes you Think	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a great book, but not a light read. Donna Tartt brings her characters to life and you feel their pain like only a few writers I have read. The book is long and the drug use may seem excessive. However if you feel that way you haven't had much experience w people addicted to drugs. All in all it is a book that helped me to understand the mind of a person suffering from PTSD and the damage child abuse and neglect can inflict on a person. Read this book,open your mind and let it teach about the life you hopefully have not experienced.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L92Q33L4MCV4?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Flies	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In reading some other reviews, I notice the complaint that the book was too long, and too wordy. I loved the writing. I loved the characters--some of the quirkiest and most interesting in modern lit. The plot was divided into different perspectives that many seemed to think should be novellas on their own, but that I found to contribute to the main premise of the book-- the painting that holds it all together. I found the ending a bit on the ""too-much-telling"" side, but on the whole, the book held me rapt from beginning to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DR63Z4IU17FX?ASIN=0316055441	but I loved this book's intimate point of view and lush detail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's long, and might be exhausting for some readers, but I loved this book's intimate point of view and lush detail. The Goldfinch is much more interesting at length than in summary, but basically it's the life of a teenage boy Theo after he finds himself in the middle of a terrorist bombing. My favorite aspect of The Goldfinch is the vividly rendered, slightly strange cast of characters. Every person in this story seems quirky and interesting, even relatively minor ones like Xandra, and I loved Theo's friends Andy and especially Boris</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI156YO4DKM7J?ASIN=0316055441	Ultra-slow and verbose book that might entertain the amazingly patient	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is really well written. BUT, every scene drags on and on, and everything is described in excruciating detail for pages and pages, while the plot goes nowhere.<br/><br/>After the initial art museum explosion, essentially nothing happens until page 250+. Characters are introduced and forgotten with minimal characterization, and overall the whole thing is maddeningly slow.<br/><br/>This book is also the opposite of the word ""cliffhanger.""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22ITC6RPPIN81?ASIN=0316055441	I wanted to like this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to like this book,  so I slogged through it.  I checked it out through the library 3 times.  It was well written.  The reader can definitely feel the despair of some characters,  and the disgust of others.  But I can't give good marks for a book that was so hard to read through.  It definitely was not a page turner.  I had to put it aside for extended periods of time,  then make myself pick it up later to read a little more.  In the future,  I'll be more willing to set books aside permanently when they don't hold my interest.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLP86WNTH9ZY0?ASIN=0316055441	Thrilling, tense, enormous, thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book, beginning to end. I started it knowing with some trepidation that this was a very lengthy book. But once starting it I did not want it to end. However the ending is perfect, and I'll leave it at that.  I don't want to spoil it for future readers as the book is a journey with many twists and turns.  Each chapter fits together beautifully.  I believe after some time has passed I'll read it again as I am sure I missed a nuance here and there that will tie some incidence that occurred to another event later in the book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VL7IU079KXW8?ASIN=0316055441	Tough read but worth the effort	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I finished this book many months ago, I still periodically muse on my perception of its universal theme: good or bad intentions are perhaps irrelevant; good can come from bad and vice versa; and that we have to look to our own conscience as the only true compass to guide us in our lives. I admit that I felt as if I had run a marathon when I finished this book,  and wading through the dark descriptions of unsupervised teens and drug abuse was difficult. But I am glad I read it and I understand why it has received such accolades.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMFT6HZ2HS3RK?ASIN=0316055441	Mixed feelings ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An absorbing and credible narrative for the most part of this long and well-researched saga. The grieving young teenager very empathetic, the ""wasted"" youth, a bit far-fetched, the friendship between Theo and Boris, not entirely convincing because Boris's character wasn't consistent.<br/>Other relationships between our protagonist and Herbie, and particularly Pippa, and to some extent the Barbour family, entirely believable.  Though eloquent the bstyle was unfortunately wordy in parts, and the resolution was an anti-climax.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q2BJQDZD746G?ASIN=0316055441	Very realistic, but the timeline is very unevenly paced	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were parts of this book (plot wise) that I really liked, but the longest parts of the book were the ones I was least drawn to.  The writing was fantastic, the characters are frustratingly real (I wanted to shake Theo at various times and say, ""Just be honest and say what you feel!!""), but while so many parts were painstakingly explained, some of the things I wanted to understand most were breezed through.  This book was a bit too jumpy in its pace for me as a reader.  The characters will stick with me for quite a while though.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BESUQUCEZ60Y?ASIN=0316055441	Tiresome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was hoping for so much more, I kept waiting for it to get better. The author spends an exhaustive amount of time describing every minute detail, and after reading (for example) a description of how the light in the room created shadows, with three separate metaphors relating to those shadows, I was yawning. The whole book followed this recipe. Also, the last chapter was the most tedious to get through, so you have that to look forward to. The plot was the only redeeming quality, but unfortunately it's buried far below the surface.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VTRVYWCS09JC?ASIN=0316055441	I realised this was one amazing piece of work	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Several times during the time I was reading this book, I'd wonder why the author went into such details as she had. The book runs into 800+ pages and I wondered whether this book could not have been shorter. And then, as I drew closer to the 60% mark, I realised how everything was connecting. I realised this was one amazing piece of work: for its research, for its attention to detail, and for its characters, who are not without their flaws, and yet tug at your heart somewhere beneath. This book I loved like no other in recent times.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36EEBJ9RM0OX9?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Poeticly written novel, moving and heavy but well worth reading. I couldnt put it down and had to know what would happen next. I was dissappointed when I turned to the last page.<br/>Only criticism I would give, is that the end of the book kind of reminds me of the way you would wrap up an essay.. she overanalyzes and explains everything to the reader where I may have liked some of it left for us to think about and figure out. Perhaps she felt there was a reason to saying it out loud though.<br/>Other than that, a beautiful novel!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18V0GJI2CZR00?ASIN=0316055441	disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Oh, I so wanted to love this.  I am giving it 3 stars irrationally just because I loved Donna Tartt's first book, The Secret History, so much and her writing style really is exquisite.  But, I have to say it: this book is... boring.  It really is.  I didn't like her second book much either, but I still keep wanting to like her.  This may sound strange, but she reminds me of Anne Rice.  The writing ability and style is there, as are the well-developed characters, but it's just not quite a good story.  Something is missing.  Sorry...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT25112BHSO9S?ASIN=0316055441	Good narrative but not real story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the debut novel of Ms.Tartt and that is the reason I bought this one. Unfortunately I am not that happy with this one. Ms. Tartt is without doubt a very good writer. Herr narrative is able to keep you going and reading. The only problem is that the whole is story is missing precisely that: a story. The end of the book doesn't feel like a proper end, it becomes very philosophical but in the essence and according to me it lacks a real message. The end was rather disappointing for me because there was no real end to the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WGN7L50Z268S?ASIN=0316055441	From time to time it had its slumps but for the most part I truly enjoyed this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the Goldfinch to be a very satisfying read considering it is over 700+ pgs.  For those that are lovers of Art paintings the background information that is weaved in the storyline should impress them and this is also true of antique furniture lovers.  The storyline held my interest and I found myself quite interested in knowning the outcome of Theo's( - the narrator) dilemma. The other characters in the story are an interesting lot as well.  From time to time it had its slumps but for the most part I truly enjoyed this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MGOEPAMJ4K5H?ASIN=0316055441	An American Dostoyevsky	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a commitment of time and effort, but it's worth it if you appreciate the craft of writing and enjoy reading an exemplary novel of epic proportions. The two main characters are so deeply developed that you feel you know and understand them intimately. Following the bond between the two boys dealing with extreme hardship is especially compelling. The author has created a masterpiece, and like most masterpieces, it's not a ""fun"" read, but you won't be sorry you soldiered on. Donna Tart is our American Dostoyevsky.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M31LTHTDLJ7J?ASIN=0316055441	a well written book that kept me turning the pages even when my eyes could barely stay open.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book deserves 5 stars!  I rarely take the time to review a book and am often  disappointed by a book that was highly rated.  My 18 year old daughter thought i might like this book so i started reading it without seeing reviews.  I loved the character development even though there were characters I did not like.  The author brought on hard topics like drugs, alcohol, post traumatic stress, and parenting that were realistic and thoughtful. Each page kept drawing me to the next and thankfully the story was long and kept building.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L3ZSBKDCYCIE?ASIN=0316055441	It seemed like nearly every scene went on and on with unnecessary ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Endless. It seemed like nearly every scene went on and on with unnecessary detail just packed in. I agree with reviewers who have said it's almost like a young adult novel. The plot was pretty absurd. And ultimately it was pretty hard to care about or even hold that much interest in most of the characters. I felt like the parts of the book that were supposed to be narrated by a child or teen were not close to developmentally realistic. I soldiered on to the end but found no real reward. Strange it got so much acclaim and attention.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L3KJUJ759XD3?ASIN=0316055441	Read for the style and language, but not for the plot.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is undeniably fantastic at crafting beautiful narratives, but unlike her other works (mainly The Secret History) The Goldfinch falls flat in terms of plot. The characters have charm, but that cannot make up for the lack of substance when it comes to storyline itself. The Goldfinch has intrigue but a shaky plot takes away from this. The book will capture you, due to Tartt’s masterful use of the English language, but it cannot hold your attention span, and skipping chapters and glazing through passages becomes inevitable.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SU0IF6ML9D75?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a great story. I wanted to read it to see if would be something our book club would enjoy. It is over 750 pages but it never got a bit boring, never failed to keep my attention. The author is so good at describing things like depression, taking several sentences to get the whole meaning and feeling of it. Her style of writing is something I really can appreciate. I'm considering reading her first two books now. I recommended this to my book club and to anyone who is interested in art and how lives can be changed by it forever.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JF2IPR5QHGX4?ASIN=0316055441	deep and yet so shallow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writer has beautiful style but at times is caught up in description that it gets tiresome.  Other times she gives little to no detail on people or circumstances.  I found the characters intriguing and unbelievable at times, and wished we had greater insight into Hobie and Pippa.  I guess they were props within the book but I wanted to know them more deeply.  My wife and I have argued about the book and she is over it but I am glad I read it and would recommend it with the advice that you may not be fulfilled on the final page!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EA4M1BIIODA6?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story, but long and rambling.  Not sure that it was worth the time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19UG5VVE2ESTS?ASIN=0316055441	Good writing, good story that could have been shortened	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good writing,good story that could have been shortened... It's too long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35AHWVQCZBEOJ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was good did not keep me locked in thought. I did not like the ending</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VSYY31K8TZAS?ASIN=0316055441	Glad to be done with it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first part was good &amp; some here and there, but unless you really are into reading about drugs, it gets boring!  The plot at the end about the painting was so drawn out, I started just skimming the paragraphs, I wanted to be done with it so badly!<br/>And the last part wrapping up the story was also so much longer than necessary.<br/>I wanted to like this book &amp; parts I did like, but it's not a good sign when you push yourself to read just to be done with it.i really wanted to give it a 2 1/2 stars but that didn't an option.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MVJHKYJ7IXXK?ASIN=0316055441	A book that takes you places you didn't know you wanted to go.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautiful, fascinating, imaginative book. A book that takes you places you would never have thought of going. It has so many aspects and so many layers. So well written that you don't read it, you inhale and live it. It describes drug addiction and crime without judgement, so that you understand how decent people end up in bad situations. It holds so much love and and such unbearable loss, physical pain and the slow pain of redemption. It's a long book, but when you get to the end you realise it isn't long enough. Just read it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32QLJ6RKV902S?ASIN=0316055441	Too Many Words.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know I'm probably in a minority here, but I wasn't crazy about this book. It was just too dark for me, and I really felt like there were too many words. There were several parts of the book where the author just went on and on and on about a section to a point that I was thinking, ""Ok, I get it. Move on."" The premise of the book, which I'm guessing is how one event can totally change our whole life, is book worthy, but it just belabored every portion of the guys life.<br/>My final words on this book.....too many words!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB4F9W4ZTFEYR?ASIN=0316055441	Devastatingly sad...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not surprisingly, The Goldfinch is a complex read. Donna Tartt is a masterful, keenly sensitive writer whose command of structure and language are formidable. I began reading the novel with great anticipation, as I had so much enjoyed The Secret History years ago. So it's with some regret that I write how devastated I was by her protagonist's descent into drug addiction and despair. Hundreds of pages of painstakingly detailed passages about neglect, self-destruction, faithlessness, nihilism, betrayal, and depression were for me unredeemed by the flickers of Theo's wonder at the meaning of life at the end of the book. In my view, Tartt took an enchanting premise (young boy in possession of great work of art amidst personal calamity) and failed to explore its potential in satisfying ways. I expect a great book to break my heart. This book broke my heart gratuitously, self-indulgently, the various loves muted beneath her exquisite portrayal of hopelessness. It is confusing to love sentences, pages, entire sections for their breathtaking beauty (and I did find myself breathing shallowly) and be angry at the unremitting sadness that sustains the narrative. I had planned to read The Little Friend before attending a reading by Tartt next week. Now I'm thinking I'll rest and recover...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQLW7DRKG2531?ASIN=0316055441	Big Words, Good Sentences	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was good. I liked it. writing good. Big words.<br/>Kidding.<br/>The Goldfinch doesn't need my endorsement with 15,000 reviews (I wish!) but let's just say that this reader/author gobbled up the story like I was not only entertaining myself thoroughly, but like I was doing something educational. Tartt's ability to get inside a character and transfer that to page is astounding. Loved the relationships and her development of every single character. No wonder The Goldfinch has so many fans and a Pulitzer Prize. Well deserved.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14SRLEHM3DLXR?ASIN=0316055441	Lllllllllll...ooooo...nnnnnn....ggggggg!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first thing that comes to mind to say about this book is that it is too long. It could easily have been 150 pages shorter and lost nothing. Reading it was like running a marathon, and at the end I literally collapsed I was so happy to be done. That is the reason I give it 4 stars instead of 5.<br/><br/>The book does have engaging unique characters, plot, writing, well done. But, dang, it is a huge commitment of time and I am not sure that the book is really worth all the hours invested. And, I liked her other books better.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CUXLR95KVG0G?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt may be my new favorite author	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's been years since an author has hijacked my attention, wrenched me out of my own life, and thrust me - head first - into a story I felt I was suddenly living.  This book is complicated in its simplicity and reveals the horror of a life overly, yet not quite clearly, examined.  To quote an old line, ""I laughed, I cried, it became a part of me.""  Once I read the final line of The Goldfinch, I immediately downloaded Donna Tartt's other works.  I'll let you know. . .  P.S.  I miss Theo, Boris, Hobie, and Popchik terribly.  :-(</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AOCL715S3XVV?ASIN=0316055441	but I have seldom read about a character who makes so many bad decisions, has incredibly bad luck when he makes ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I could not put it down, when I finished reading this book, my first thought was ""all that, for nothing.""  It helps put art in the place it belongs as inspiration and beauty as it's own reason for being, but I have seldom read about a character who makes so many bad decisions, has incredibly bad luck when he makes good decisions, suffers so much and still comes out as a reasonable human being.  I keep wondering if he ever found any real happiness. Not sure what the point of the book was, but it's good writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JZ7T0J8RCGTN?ASIN=0316055441	This book is like a painting (by design	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is like a painting (by design, I'm sure).  In fact, it's like ""The Goldfinch"".  Some broad, bold brush strokes; some very, very detailed, tiny strokes and daubs.  I think it could've been edited down by 15 or 20% and it wouldn't have lost anything, but I enjoyed reading all of it, even when I was so mad at Theo I wanted to throw the book at him.  Great characters.  Reminiscent of Dickens, as Tartt seems aware, as he's noticeably mentioned in the book.<br/><br/>It's one of the best novels I've read in years.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IIO7A8ZPUQ0A?ASIN=0316055441	it is easy to fall in love with a piece of art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As a volunteer at the De Young and Legion of Honor museums, it is easy to fall in love with a piece of art, and to become devastated when even a new curator moves it a gallery away, or takes it out for a year or two.  To fall in love with a museum is no small matter.  There are always the favorites.  This book resonates with my life, especially the portions regarding Theo's sitting around smoking pot and popping pills.  Short shrifting people on antiques is the norm, isn't it?  At any rate, this book will uplift your heart.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KGZU8RQPCMJA?ASIN=0316055441	Can't say when I've become immersed in a book as ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can't say when I've become immersed in a book as quickly as I was with The Goldfinch. It's long, maybe overly long, and some parts of the plot pushed the bounds of probability. But, as Boris philosophized near the end, ""Who was it said that coincidence was just God's way of remaining anonymous?"" The book's mixture of reality (there is a painting The Goldfinch by Dutch master Fabritius) and fiction (just about everything else) touched on, in the author's words, ""the polychrome edge between truth and untruth"".</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTFP3JRAHHZ7I?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing and frustrating main character. Unclear why Pulitzer awarded</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R143F2X5DNEF7C?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and too wordy......could have used 400 pages to tell the story</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32QWCD6MKMR5N?ASIN=0316055441	Nicely written, lovely discussions of art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Nicely written, lovely discussions of art, beautiful descriptions of NYC and Las Vegas.  Generally don't like coming of age stories, but the main character's childhood trauma made his story a sympathetic one, despite his bad behavior.  Except for the last section in Amsterdam, the character development of the main characters was good.<br/> Overly long in places and could stand some editing.  And the Amsterdam section with the shoot outs, all kinds of new and nefarious characters and the plot resolution was not believable.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NIQ55QTWWGZM?ASIN=0316055441	As good a book as Academy Award-winning movies are to films (that is, usually bad).	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unforgivable cliches and an obvious attempt to write a book that would easily, very easily, be adapted for film.<br/><br/>As soon as she described the museum curator around page 50 as wearing a bow tie and tweed jacket I knew this book was meant for baby boomers with no sense of risk or realism in reading.<br/><br/>Don't let the Pulitzer fool you like the Academy Awards do for poor films, this book is a waste of time. Read something by Elena Ferrante instead.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y5FC2W3K4YXF?ASIN=0316055441	The last 30 pages made this book great. As I was reading the first 700+ pages ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The last 30 pages made this book great. As I was reading the first 700+ pages I found myself thinking ""Eh, what's the big deal? Why does everyone love this book so much?"" Then as I was reading the last 30 pages I found myself thinking ""Exactly! I've pondered &amp; contemplated ALL of these same thoughts &amp; ideas about life."" So...in the end...the first 700+ pages were worth reading. However had the last 30 pages not been so perfect I would not have been happy about dedicating as much time to this book as I did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OGPP1OQCPA1K?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer worthy? No.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There have been several Pulitzer winning book that I struggled with. A Confederacy of Dunces comes to mind because the protagonist was so unlovable. However after finishing A Confederacy of Dunces I understood why it was Pulitzer worthy. With the Goldfinch on the other hand it wasn't so much the characters but the poor editing. Screwy time lines that no matter how much leeway you give just don't work. It's like the publisher didn't read the book before it was printed. Very disappointing choice from the Pulitzer committee.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EGVMNJXSLABZ?ASIN=0316055441	Jesus I'm never getting all that time back	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a DRAG! Now I remember why I don't read award winning books, because the pain of reading them and hoping, HOPING, suddenly they would become interesting or rewarding and then afraid that you won't get to finish the twaddle before your library date is up because you just can't get INTO it but you've put so much time into it you feel like you have to see what happens....GAH!!!<br/>Thank god I'm done. Unless you like endless description about EVERYTHING, with exciting plot points only every 3 hours- pass on this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TH8ZVGOKPLRD?ASIN=0316055441	If you like reading about drug trips	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you like reading about drug trips, this is for you.  There were few characters in this book  I cared about at all.  It is way too long, unnecessarily so I thought.  The main character has few redeeming features.  The end is neatly tied up in a series of highly unlikely events.  There are better books, certainly more enjoyable ones, to spend your time on.<br/>OK, so lots of people are caught up in the Pulitzer Prize thing and think they are supposed to like it.  And some actually do, but for me it was a waste of time.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDVMI1LUDLXT7?ASIN=0316055441	Great Story!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I truly enjoyed reading this book.  Some of the chapters-are difficult to read (terrorism, death, alcohol and drug abiuse, and neglect).  This book really connected with me as I recently visited Paris and saw a painting at the Lourve.  I was able to see the Mona Lisa but that was not the painting that I connected with.  It was The Wedding Feast.  I found myself wondering what the painter was thinking  and why did he add this or that.  Who knew that one painting could have such an impact?  This story offers that insight.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12NPEL0V006MM?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the cover ... the book got tiring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the opening (and loved the cover), the museum and the relationships with Mom and the friendship with old man who eventually becomes his mentor/partner as the main character grows up. Whacking a few hundred pages off of this would have been easy. The storyline got tangled out in Las Vegas, drugs, drugs and more drugs--characters who had little to no redeeming value--characters you wanted to disappear pronto. I made myself read it ... and for the third time ... a major book award winner has led to disappointment.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LZZUQWHTQGR5?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant premise but too wordy at times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's writing grips one into a fascinating and ever changing landscape. However, I found some passages, especially about the character's drug use, exhaustively long and wordy... To the point where I would skim over pages. Perhaps the fault lies in the editing? I also found the 'voice' of the main character a bit hard to believe at times, somehow too smart for his own self, again, wordy and worldly in conflict. BUT, the story is an excellent concept and I think that remains the most important element in a book, STORY.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QPXFMG24WB85?ASIN=0316055441	Long suffering.  Pulitzer?? Really????	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Am suffering through this book on Audible.  I have invested so much time (in the car) that I am plodding through, though can't imagine why there was not significant editorial chopping. At first I liked Theo and love Hobie- but have to keep stopping in disgust as Theo becomes increasingly detestable.  If I were reading the book, I would skim, but with Audible, I just plod along- wanting to give up but I keep waiting for some redemption.  I'll finish it, cuz it was an investment, but wish it had not taken so many hours.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L5RNDHVVUU74?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch a laborious yet brilliant read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished The Goldfinch,by Donna Tartt and I'm exhausted by the life of it and the characters!  Would I recommend it, I guess I have from a four star rating.  However It is not a pleasure read!  I leave it with more questions about life than considered answers. That may in fact be intentional. The descriptive narrative though brilliant in some way, also became overwhelming to me...both the narrative of scene description and the narrative of characters and their relationship and the action.  The world of antiques and art was intriguing.  The symbolic significance of The Goldfinch both from the esoteric value and real value weaves its way through the ""story"" pulling the bizarre world of the characters and events together.  I'm curious to know what others have found from reading this?????</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WTF9HQPTA1CH?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch is a book you'll never forget!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrific book, and a very long book!  Reading it on my Kindle I didn't realize how long it was, but I was thrilled to continue reading, and reading this book.  The writing is excellent, and you will be transformed into the ever changing life of the main character.  I loved it, and continue to think about the events that occurred, considering what it all means...  The author is brilliantly gifted, and tremendously knowledgeable about life in contrasting states and circumstances.  It's a read that you will never forget!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16NBWB10YGRJK?ASIN=0316055441	Get it from the library...even if there's a long wait.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I really didn't like her first book, Secret History, I finished it. I couldn't get through her second book. I was given Goldfinch as a gift and while it had me involved for a while I pretty much lost interest, and the last 150 pages or so I was just skimming to get through it. Maybe a better editor? I don't know how many books I can read in my remaining time on this planet and was thinking I might go for Pulitzer Prize winners but this has given me second thoughts.<br/><br/>I'm always open to suggestions.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38BTOK8EK9SIC?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the first couple dozen pages were a little slow to get into, this novel quickly became engrossing. Donna Tartt has created a complex, and despite his dark side, very loveable character in Theo. His story is, at times,  both tragic and hilarious. This book also wouldn't be the same without Boris. I feel like the author portrayed him in a very believable way and he adds a lot of depth and entertainment to the novel. I just loved reading this and have connected with the story so much that I was sad to end it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC1E9IW2KR3NW?ASIN=0316055441	Oh, my.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is my first 5-star rating. So much to say, but I hate reviews that are as long as the book. Unmatched character development, vivid descriptions, very interesting characters, and a totally unexpected twist. Oddly enough, the main character, Theo, was compelling but I didn't like him.  Boris was far more interesting and honest. I loved this book. Minor irritants were how long it took for things to start happening (200 pgs) and a little too philosophical and preachy at the end. Ms. Tarrt is a very gifted author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HIEOOOPXR0I0?ASIN=0316055441	the whole world in a cup	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an exhaustingly gratifying novel. One of the richest, most satisfying literary sojourns I've ever enjoyed. I am reminded of the labyrinthine novels of the Victorians, of George Eliot's lush and simultaneously constricted worlds. Just a joy from start to finish. Theo, Hobie, Pippa, and, of course, Boris, will remain with me for many months and even years, I expect. Donna Tartt has managed to make me care about and enter their lives as fully as Theo claims the little goldfinch, who now is also mine uniquely.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OX6L19ZZ8B8F?ASIN=0316055441	Mixed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was our book club choice for April and the response was mixed.  I admire Tartt's storytelling and her<br/>writing but there were too many times when she indulged in a tendency to overwrite---book could have<br/>been tighter (and edited with more restraint).  Many times in describing a character or landscape, she<br/>reverts to a series of images which become repetitive (all those commas! &amp; yes, we get her idea). After a while,<br/>this technique becomes tiresome.  No wonder the book was almost 800 pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CYRGUCQZMO7S?ASIN=0316055441	Wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For me, this is a WOW book. So many layers to it. Centering around a painting, we are witness to tragedy that befalls the protagonist in a sort of Dickensian tale of the young boy reaching manhood while wrapped in compounding tragedy and despair. It effectively illustrates a post traumatic event that colors every move, every perception of the characters in the book. I started to lose focus a bit as the tale takes its final trip into a horrific crescendo but persevering is worth it in the end. Terrific, dark read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EMAUZ9ZB3SA6?ASIN=0316055441	enlightening, and gripping	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is absolutely wonderful....but the narrator for the audible version, David Pittu, is THE BEST book narrator I have ever listened to. There are lots of accents in this book he handles with ease....and he doesn't insert his own personality into his reading as, irritatingly, a lot of narrators do. It was a pleasure to switch between reading and listening to the book (via Whispersync) without having to reconstruct the characters through a bad interpretation. I hope I come across a book narrated by him again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUW6T2UVMN7QV?ASIN=0316055441	If you like soap opera	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you like soap opera, you will love this book!  I found the writer's style of writing, that of stream of consciousness, to make the book entirely too long and at times boring.  This kind of writing must appeal to the Pulitzer Committee, however, I think that it made the book unnecessarily convoluted. I would have appreciated learning her idea of the meaning of life in many fewer words and pages.  On the positive side, I kept reading because I wanted to know how the book would end and what would become of Theo.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OJ186QWG7AOA?ASIN=0316055441	half way through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i dont know if i love this novel or if im more curios to see where it is going.  that is why im sticking with it.  there seems to be so much fluff that isnt necessary but then again, it won the Pulitzer so who am i to question, right?  i know one thing, i wang to wrap my arms around Theo and take him home with me.  Surely that is a sign that the character is likeable.  look forward to the second half  over 700 pages..dont normally put much emphasis on that but it's a huge time commitment  hope i dont kick myself</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y02V4QI82MMM?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning of this book really impressed me and kept me absorbed - I felt it was so ""real""; however, from the halfway point on, I found it harder to stay connected. It was so sad to observe such destruction of young lives (especially that of the protagonist - maybe my own reaction after experiencing this in my own child) and to see the hurt inflicted on others by these young men. The end of the book is a bit of an anticlimax - although I'm not sure what I was expecting. It's an original plot, however.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MW4V5V1R3BDN?ASIN=0316055441	why work so hard being a good person when	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Where to begin??? Very gripping thought provoking novel of an interesting scenario starting in a boys traumatic childhood and on into his late 20's. It has so many issues that could philosophically be debated, eg, why work so hard being a good person when, if your heart is in the right place when you do bad things, isn't that enough for redemption? The reader may think at certain points they have figured out how this will turn out but will be fooled and go thinking of another possible outcome. Terrific reading !</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PHQJXE8H8GL0?ASIN=0316055441	Perplexed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like to read books that win major awards because they are generally well written. This book did not disappoint.  I read more than enough drug use by the protagonists than I cared to read.  The story meandered throughout some characters were more interesting than others overall it was probably three major stories in one book and only one came to a conclusion. I was ready for this book to end but the author used the ending to wax a depressing philosophy of life.  I don't understand how it won the Pulitzer prize.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MPJURRVJSUOA?ASIN=0316055441	Good story idea, but unnecessarily verbose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the story overall, but it just dragged in many places. It felt like once it got into a good rhythm and things were moving, there was so much narrative and inner dialogue that it would go flat again. This story could have probably been about half to 2/3 the length and been more engaging throughout. This is supposed to be made into a movie, which I think could work well because you can just get to the compelling pieces of the plot and keep things moving without getting dragged down by excessive narrative.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35UMWA9ZPI650?ASIN=0316055441	The story is fascinating and beautifully written like she is known for	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a book that I could hardly put down.....most of the time. The story is fascinating and beautifully written like she is known for. I think it would have benefitted from some editing to reduce the size. For example, the Las Vegas portion could have shed a few chapters as they did not really contribute much to the story, in my opinion. I still recommend it as a unique glimpse into the world of stolen art and for its portrayal of an unlikely, but enduring friendship between two very sweet but damaged boys.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I7Q3BH7RO28P?ASIN=0316055441	Keepiing it simple	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finished ""The Goldfinch"" (audio version read beautifully by David Pittu, incredible reader!) a few days ago and it has been on the periphery of my consciousness since then.  I am still digesting it and would recommend this book to anyone interested in today's culture and won't be put off by the author's perceived and probably correct view of it.  It is a new world.  I liken ""The Goldfinch"" to ""The Social Network"" in that it speaks of a generation unlike those before it in so many ways.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFXNE6KSNOH9I?ASIN=0316055441	4-star plus for The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although my book club considered The Goldfinch a little too long and the last 50 pages redundant, the story itself held your interest, moved quickly, and kept you guessing while introducing you to complicated characters that enters Theo's life.  The writing is excellent as well as the character development--introducing the reader to the world of art restoration and drug addiction that many of us are unaware of.  All in all I would highly suggest that this book be read if time is not an issue due to its length.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VC1U9XJ2JTQ6?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed it but it wouldn't make my top ten list	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed it but it wouldn't make my top ten list. Certainly the writing is stellar and the story original and intriguing, however, the plot becomes a bit too contrived for me and in places, contrasts quite sharply with the beginning of the story which is alluring and very believable. The Dickens quality of some of the characters and setting was enjoyable and comforting like an old worn blanket...but ultimately the relationships between the main characters left me disappointed. A good book but not a great one.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U9KC1P2ME7OF?ASIN=0316055441	Half Hearted Recommendation	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was engaging. However, it should have been about 300 pages shorter. What started as a wonderful treat in terms of detailed descriptions turned into an overabundance of detail, I found myself skimming through. The themes became repetitive with not much movement. This left the actual story line moving slowly through the plodding descriptions of ordinary situations.  I would recommend it with the understanding that it is too long and if you can glance over much of it, you will eventually get to the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ0VZQGRNEZUR?ASIN=0316055441	Exhausting read...at the end, I really don't know how I feel about this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt compelled to finish it but found myself skipping huge chunks of it due to the rambling descriptive nature of the author for everything.  I didn't want the story to be wrapped up neatly and tied with a bow but there were so many pieces and parts that didn't flow well.  It could have been much shorter if not for the amount of time spent during the Las Vegas period which seemed a bit repetitive.  The same goes for Theo's time in Amsterdam - far too much devoted to illness and dreams.  Quite exhausting....</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQSL6S78DD0V9?ASIN=0316055441	maggiespearl1@aol.com	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an epic novel of great depth, but I found it onerous reading. The basic story line was unique and interesting and many of the characters unforgettable, but oh the unnecessary languorous details had me skimming over large swaths. I think anyone who enjoys art and antiques and has been captivated by them will understand one layer of this multi-layered tome. The conclusion was satisfying and thought provoking and sewed the pieces very beautifully together in the end making it worth the ""work"" 😘</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KK7WCGZJL2RK?ASIN=0316055441	Loose, meandering book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although it picks up at the end, this is a slow-moving book with overly long descriptions of nearly everything the narrator feels.  The plot rests on any number of bad and unlikely decisions made by the protagonist, most of which caused me to lose interest and put the book down for a day or two.  Better editing definitely would have helped, but I felt the plot was a bit weak as well.  The author shows a lot of creativity and parts of the book are intriguing, but there's not enough here for me to recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33GOFQXX76EBW?ASIN=0316055441	Graphomany	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awful... I have managed 20% of a book and it consists of various descriptions of:<br/>1. Traffic lights and sounds outside of the protagonist's window<br/>2. The thorough analysis of appetite - whether it is better than the day before. In cojunction with meaningless dreams of cause.<br/>3. The description of what is on a cupboard or what is a person dress.<br/><br/>Have not spotted the story to that extent and quit.<br/>My wife has still being struggling (about 50%). Has not found much of a story to...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RNN1GOGR23CT?ASIN=0316055441	For those in doubt.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So,first this is a long book and very detailed. It me until I was into the 90's pages before I really started to click with this book so if you are a real reader, stick with it. The author expresses herself beautifully . She knows more words than I shall ever know and now I appreciate that but it took me some time to adjust from everyday reading to Pulitzer level. It's gotten my attention now and I am a fan. Even planning on reading her two previous novels. My advice is to preciveer and you will be rewarded!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RVYND1G4D25Q?ASIN=0316055441	Definitely Worth Your Time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I tried to read The Goldfinch, but I had trouble getting into the story.  Knowing that the reviews were so positive, I decided to give it a second try.  My library had the audiobook available, so I started to listen.  Although the audio version is over 32 hours, it really did not feel like I invested that much time.  The story of Theo Decker came alive for me through the narrator - his loss, his self destruction, and his ultimate redemption.  I recommend listening to this - is is definitely worth your time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QU8YZLOF07Y1?ASIN=0316055441	A damn good book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although it is 800 pages long, this is a very fast read. The author pulled me into the story and I was so engrossed I was halfway through the book without realizing it. The book begins with a profound loss and the reprecussions from that loss propel the narative of the story. I would say that anyone who has had a similar experience might find the first two chapters overwhelming. However, the remainder of the novel has delightful twists and turns and some endearing if not sterling characters. I recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15LHU88H5YWO8?ASIN=0316055441	A trip so worth it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The reviews, of course, have been rapturous and as it turns out they are so deserved! From the first sentence you know you are in for a read that requires a comfortable chair, a cup of tea and a lot of time because you are not about to get up for a  long time. Following a boy and the people he meets along the way requires time. Look how long it has taken you to get where you are.  And it has so been worth it! Just like this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YS7J8ZWISA7S?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic novel. One of the best I have read ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic novel. One of the best I have read lately. t started out kind of slow and was hard for me to understand where it was going but as the novel progressed the characters got more and more complex, the dialogue was mind blowing and the amount of detail, amazing. You keep wondering how page after page the main character can keep going and his permanent reflections on solitude and the reason why we are on earth make you want to reach out to him. Written like a memoir, hard to believe it is just fiction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTMXX55WP0RG3?ASIN=0316055441	Way to long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book because we were going to discuss it at a recent gathering of college friends otherwise I would not have made it pass the first 100 pages. There are some interesting ideas but they are so scattered throughout the book that I never got engrossed in any of them.<br/><br/>I felt the characters were flat and the author was overly impressed with her command of the English language.<br/><br/>If this book was at least 200 pages shorter I might recommend it but as it is - I just wasted my time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I1O0JFD3IQJ3?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing!  A novel fitting to the painting after which it is named.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful story, rich in details, with many surprise twists.  Memorable characters.  Just amazing the fragility of museum pieces such as ""The Goldfinch"" considering their overall value and how easy they are to destroy.  Good study of how we all have different ways of relating one on one to great art - some obsessively, some with reserved detachment, some with something in between.  All very personal and all personally unique.  Thoughtfully written.  Best book I've read in a long time - maybe ever!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O2RRL8LLGQCI?ASIN=0316055441	As much as I tried, it was not for me...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">With great anticipation and setting myself ready to be blown away, I began reading 'The Goldfinch'.<br/><br/>I can only relate my own personal assessment.<br/><br/>I found it depressing in so many veins.<br/><br/>In general, characters were unlikable and drawn out and damaging.<br/><br/>The few special characters could not get me past the continuous and wordy descriptions, interactions, and dialogue that I found so depressing.<br/><br/>I can understand why others found this book to be special but as much as I tried, it was not for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFBR8O453H0IV?ASIN=0316055441	Despite a great beginning and some wonderful characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Despite a great beginning and some wonderful characters, particularly Hobie, this book is MUCH TOO LONG and redundant.  Not to mention the endless individual almost stream-of-consciousness descriptive passages, tiresome Dickensian references (You're no Dickens, Ms. Tartt) and the pretentious ""What is art?"" diatribe at the end.  Speaking of the end, it just sort of peters out with a whimper, not a bang.  AS numerous people have said, where were the editors?  I would call it Diminished Expectations.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X2022STD0M7O?ASIN=0316055441	I found The Goldfinch to have a great story line but found the book more descriptive then ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found The Goldfinch to have a great story line but found the book more descriptive then necessary ( too long !) The book can actually be broken into two stories lines. The story of the collective human condition and the story of the underground world of drugs and art theft.<br/><br/>I was more interested in reading about the lives of the people who took care of Theo after his mother died and enjoyed reading about how people's lives are shaped through circumstances that are in and out of their control.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S7IGWXCXD5SD?ASIN=0316055441	I could NOT put it down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beauty and magic of the words is reason enough to read it.  If Dickens were writing today, he might have written this novel. Yet I cannot imagine anyone writing it but the author. It is that unique.  Very intense.  Entertaining. Surprising. It led me to a very creative perspective of and maybe even some provisional answers to the big questions.  Compassionate portrayals of characters with serious flaws.  I am a better, less judgmental person for having read this book.  Especially relevant to artists.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TPPKHUKBKMG1?ASIN=0316055441	Well-Deserved Pulitzer Prize!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is one of those great books that gave me a ""book hangover"" after I finished it--even the next day my brain was still foggy from the characters and setting, and I just couldn't shake the feeling of living within this novel. I did think it was a fairly slow read at first, even though it does have a good beginning, but when the character of Boris is introduced--wow! This novel completely sucked me in, and Boris is one of the best characters in literary fiction I've read in a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29CDVZR4QUPFH?ASIN=0316055441	Keeps you wanting to read more.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was engrossed in this book, but it would be better if it were cut by about 100 pages, so it's best for those who are patient about a slow-moving plot with lots of detail.  The ending moves a lot more quickly, as if the writer was getting in a hurry to finish the book.  I wondered if it is really possible to function as well as the main character did with so much drug and alcohol abuse, though.  I thought the actual solution to the big problem should have been obvious to the main character a lot sooner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G3NFZKW5ENNB?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is deep book and i found myself thinking about it for days. I would not reccomend it to anyone who suffers from depression because I found it quite depressing and I'm seldom that way.  It is very well written and I found myself completely engrossed in the story and reading for longer than I intended to several times. I can see why it was a Pulitzer winner and yet I'm not sure I'd reccomend it. I know that doesn't make sense but I have such mixed emotions about it that it may take me months to decide</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HKJXNM37IAD?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really was concerned about the length of this book. I am glad I  didn't let it prevent me from reading it. There is a richness that runs through the pages. If words are a writer's tools then Donna is a master constructionist Feelings and emotions become palpable . You become intimate with the characters, and qre drawn into the life of a small lost boy as he goes from being a victim of events to a survivor. The plot is a solid one, although there is about a hundred pages that could have been tightened.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CCD4Z6UM8LVV?ASIN=0316055441	One of The Best Books I've Ever Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is probably now one of my top five favorite books.  I'm not going to go into a vast and endless plot outline, or address any of the over stated flaws in other reviews.  This is a book about big ideas, it is a book about beauty and love and fate and destiny and life.  It is about what the heart wants, and what it means to be human.  it is transcendental.  I loved this book.  I spent three hours reading the last 20 pages and sobbing.  It has left a mark on me, changed parts of me.  I loved this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROQGS5A2OUPVE?ASIN=0316055441	I liked the book OK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall, I liked the book OK.  I did feel that it was too long and wordy in parts.  It probably could have been cut down by 200 pages and still got the entire storyline in.  It had enough problems that I wouldn't recommend it to others without at least a word of caution. I think the ""Pulitzer Prize"" tag made me have higher expectations, but it's probably what made me finish it also.  When it got long-winded and knowing it was over 700 pages, I might have just set it down and not gone back to it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33M5P1BMRA2BM?ASIN=0316055441	read this in two days	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this nearly nonstop. Once I got through the first few pages and the flashback I could not put the book down.  My book group read this and I could not read it at that time. I listened to the discussion but it was a a blur.  I'm glad that I didn't decide to put the book aside after that and now 4 months later I wish I'd bee part of the discussion. The are so many different layers to this book and it is well written.  Great characters.  Although long it is worth the read for anyone. Teen to seniors.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK0TWN7Q986SU?ASIN=0316055441	A beautifully well written story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most beautiful books I've ever read; it was just unbelievably well written. It did take me a month to read it (not only is it long, but some sections are really hard to read through because it can get a bit slow at times), but it does what a really good book should do. It brings you into the story and you feel like you've known the characters for a lifetime. If my current reading list wasn't so long already and if I wasn't starting school in a few weeks, I would re-read this book immediately.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JI38O4UTJAHN?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book very depressing.  I read it on the recommendation of a friend.  It was well written and the characters were very clear and vivid, but I kept waiting for some redeeming value to some of the characters or even the plot.  So many times... and this hardly ever happens to me...I wanted to quit and move on to another book.  Something made me keep going and by the end I understood a little better where the author was heading, but not at all one of my favorites.  Evidently, just not my style.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU7RTZQLHVIDB?ASIN=0316055441	my favorite book in the last ten years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some people say too long. Some literary people seem to want to tear it apart. I read it in three days over Christmas weekend and I wasn't ready for it to end. The character development was so good that I just wanted to wrap myself with it like a favorite blanket. I have the same feeling about Donna Tartt that I had when I discovered John Irving and Kurt Vonnegut in the 80's. I want to read everything that she has written. If it takes her another 9 years to write another then I will just patiently wait.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16PWCE44Q4BQI?ASIN=0316055441	Language Lovers this book if for you!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you love language, you will love this book!  The story is spellbinding and kept me on my toes the entire time.  Before I read this book some people told me that it was slow to get into.  I did not find that to be the case, but I can see why someone could think so.  I, personally, reveled in the extensive descriptions of place and people and interior dialogue.  Some readers might not enjoy that. My best friend recommended it and has been hounding me to read it for months, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B49U2Y47N9OT?ASIN=0316055441	Loved This Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this as part of a book club reading assignment, and although I would have never selected it, it ended up being one of the best books I've read in a very long time.  It's a lengthy book but I read it in no time because I honestly could not put it down.  Donna Tartt is an amazing writer and a gifted storyteller.  I was so drawn into the book, and the main character is so likable, that the story still resonates with me long after finishing the book.  Five stars isn't enough, this book is brilliant.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SCIFZEISXEFZ?ASIN=0316055441	Do not read this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy the book.  It was too wordy and rambled on on and on</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K58M74PQ3MG6?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the narrative too descriptive and I glazed over a few times.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R275ONZPQRAOF?ASIN=0316055441	A drug addict who lies to everyone has a crappy life.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Spoiler alert! A drug addict who lies to everyone has a crappy life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKBZLZO3WONLE?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer worthy? Not so much.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found myself becoming angry with the writing of this novel. The references, and at times the tone, were as though this was taking place in the 40's or even earlier. The first person narrative uses phrasing and vocabulary that seems rooted in British vernacular, not that of an American 13-15 year old. Some of the characters also have characteristics and vocabulary of a British tone, which seems contradictory to the time and places of the story line. I really struggled with these issues while reading.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHPU7G3ZWAY28?ASIN=0316055441	A story with lots of twists and turns.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a fast moving story...with lots of twists and turns.  It was interesting because so much of the story was completely out of my experience...and I would think, out of most readers experiences.  Although I finished it several days ago, I still keep thinking of the characters and have to keep reminding myself, that they are fiction.  If you like some suspense, violence and yet also love and kindness you will like The Goldfinch.  It was a book filled with sadness, but also hope.  I liked it a lot.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36KBSODHAVEGW?ASIN=0316055441	A Masterpiece for the generations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You could read one paragraph and have nothing else in the literary world for comparison. I feel sorry for other authors who read this, they surely must come away with that horrible sinking feeling that they can never measure up to the bar Ms Tartt has set. A masterpiece that will take its place with Lord of the Flies as it provides ""thee Book"" for generations to come. No reason to comment on plotting, this is about loss, finding one's way in a difficult world and finally some sense of closure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LIA2HY3MV9AA?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. I'd heard a lot about it and was worried I'd be disappointed. But I wasn't! Theo Decker loses his mother in a bomb blast at a museum. She had wanted him to see a painting, The Goldfinch. For a time, he lives with the family of one of his friends. Then his absent father returns to claim him and takes him to Vegas. His life there spins spectacularly out of control but he always has the beauty of The Goldfinch to sustain him. Highly recommend this book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R204BQE11H8ITT?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderful adventure and character study	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the most enjoyable reading experience I've had in a long time. Everything about this book compelled me to want to read it any time I could.<br/><br/>Through the author writing  the characters came alive to me and I loved the humanity I could see through all of their flaws.<br/><br/>It reminded me of Catcher in the Rye which I read in high school, but it was so much more as the story unfolded.<br/><br/>Apparently not everyone loved it as much as I did. I felt a loss when I finished it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKORR1QAIFG2I?ASIN=0316055441	"No one would have held onto ""The Goldfinch"" like the protagonist does"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Following the story and wondering what was coming next kept me reading this very, very probably too long book. The plot hinges, however, on an extreme need on the reader's part to suspend disbelief about the basic premise of the book. No one would have held onto ""The Goldfinch"" like the protagonist does. Also, it's dubious that the character from the Ukraine has the correct accent.<br/><br/>If I were to do it again, I would pick another book rather than investing so much time reading this one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LQKI78PML6UB?ASIN=0316055441	his like of recreational and prescription drugs and alcohol	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The storytelling is phenomenal as it takes you from character to character (flaws and all) reacting, more than anything, to their circumstances: Theo the main character and his relationship with his mother and her desires and upbringing which sort of shapes his reactions, his friend the European teen turned shady person, his mentor, his girlfriends, his like of recreational and prescription drugs and alcohol, his chosen career, etc., a true gem of a book, it is a relatable if somewhat noir-ish tale.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C6RWQSNOZFMQ?ASIN=0316055441	not often I am so completely sucked in to another world	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">All the elements of a great holiday read are here for me ... A big fat book ... An intriguing start and so much atmosphere . Sometimes I get annoyed with detailed descriptions and just want to skip to the next bit of action but this writer somehow manages to combine the two perfectly . One is necessary for the other. I did find myself carrying the last chapter around in my mind and it was a treat to know I could go back and join the story and be part of it evolving . Will read more of her work now !</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MQ3ID8T2K841?ASIN=0316055441	A Book of Art and Philosophy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book uses beautiful promise and is very descriptive in thought and content. it traces the life of a young man through childhood to adulthood. His loss of his mother and the loss of his not so great father. His life of drug use and failings in relationships with the only anchor being the painting The Goldfinch. The ending is nothing more than a philosophical discussion of Life. The central character ends, it appears, being alone and not satisfied emotional. I was really disappointed with ending.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AJRZU7P5TIIR?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this story of a young teenager, who lost his mother in an explosion, to be very moving. It often goes off in directions I didn't understand and didn't wish to follow, but I could not stop reading.  While there does not seem to be a normal person in the book, we recognize characteristics of people we know personally or know about in all of them.  The situations Theo finds himself in are pretty fantastic but no less compelling.  All in all a very engaging book with a satisfying ending.<br/>S</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VM3MXWGPWCHN?ASIN=0316055441	An amazing ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Definitely a journey through uncharted waters. One of those books you can't put down and remains vivid a long time after you read it.<br/>Yes, it gets a little tedious at times (think Las Vegas) but the authors takes you from New York to Vegas to Europe and introduces you to the art world, Russian gangsters, the rich of New York. It's sad, violent, weird. Characters drink, do drugs, are abused, starving, have personality disorders  ... A real ride...read this book. No wonder it took 10 years to write.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO8DVU06IR56C?ASIN=0316055441	Probably the Novel of the Year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Every review I've read of The Goldfinch uses the term 'Dickensian,' and it's easy to see why.  I didn't so much read this book as climb into it, immersing myself in its beautiful language and vivid characters.  It was hard to wrench myself back to the world around me, and I found myself reading slower and slower as I approached the final chapters.  It's the richest kind of reading experience.  Very -- well -- Dickensian!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10ZTC2ESF3ZHJ?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. The style is beautiful without being flowery. The precision reminded me of Atwood, who can stun you with<br/>beautiful prose that's  free of even one  extraneous word.If you don't know what I mean, read The Blind Assassin. Tartt's protagonist is a complicated character you will grow to care about. The plot is not self-consciously esoteric, trippy, or disturbing to the point where the horrors overshadow everything else. It's  just a wondeful read. You will be sorry when it ends.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IB63ILAP74XV?ASIN=0316055441	OMG!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I almost didn't finish this timeless masterpiece,because not only is it lengthy,but it is very intense. It often seemed as though every other paragraph held a disaster or poignant line that requires the reader to pause and absorb. It is a story of disaster,longing,moments of sort-lived happiness. It asks the meaning of suffering,can ""good"" result from ""bad"",what is reality. Using the vehicle of a character and plot driven novel it demonstrates ,perhaps universal answers. Astounding on many levels.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F6QBQNLX977K?ASIN=0316055441	A very long story, rich in characters and details.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very long story, rich in characters.  Perhaps a bit too long as the author describes the story in such detail.  The main character narrates in the first person, his feelings throughout.  Probably the best part of the book is the beginning as he travels with his mother before a huge explosion changes his life forever.  And then my other favorite part is near the end as he tries to buy back the ""Goldfinch"" painting and confronts the thieves.  The writing is excellent, and worth the effort.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OL5HZOB6KNCF?ASIN=0316055441	difficult at times but in the end it was a good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a very difficult time reading this until I was about 60% through the book.  there was an infinite amount of information which I believe was unnecessary but ....when you read the last 35-40% of the book I thought it was so huge.  It is nice to see that the author shows things that most people see and have going on their own lives.  We all feel the same way but at times are afraid to speak or elaborate on them. the author was very successful in doing just that.  it was a wonderful and truthful</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXJ7P5362XB89?ASIN=0316055441	This Goldfinch Took A Long Time To Get Here	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fans of Donna Tartt have waited ten years for this modern classic to be published. At almost 800 pages this is not a quick read., but the odyessy that this novel takes you on is at once sad and humerous. We watch as the main character grow up after he acquires (steals?) a priceless painting, The Goldfinch. This happens as his mother is killed in an accident. This best-selling novel is praised by Stephen King, and no doubt Ms. Tartt is penning her next novel on her private estate in rural Virginia.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZEZ5WA4O4OL6?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful Prose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an amazing writer.  She pours emotion and detail into each of her beautifully constructed sentences.  This book was thoughtful, thorough, and beautifully wrought; however, it was really long and dense at times.  The main character, Theo, goes through many wrenching phases in his young life; I had to skim many sections as I got tired of reading about the drug culture that captured him repeatedly.  However, it was worth finishing as the last 20 pages or so are stunning in their depth.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VVHYFSW9BTW4?ASIN=0316055441	DEPRESSING!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">DEPRESSING a! Very descriptive, almost too descriptive, I found myself skimming quite often to find the ""meat"" of the book. The main character keeps taking hits throughout the novel, you think he's going to find peace and then boom! He takes another hit. This is not a feel good happy ending type of fiction at all. NOT a vacation read...this is a seriously I want to cry and read a ton of descriptive narration book...sorry not a good book for me, I kept wishing for happiness, there is none.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DUC0FTAMXBTI?ASIN=0316055441	compelling story about beauty and truth and life and death	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is centered around a boy and a painting, how life and death are intertwined with truth and illusion.  It is a story that had many moments of despairing sadness, heartbreak, and love. Always love.  The story never travels in a straight line, is completely unpredictable, and gives you a smile in as seemingly random ways as it gives you heartbreak.  What else is needed in a great story? Relatable characters, people we come to care about as if we know them, and a story we never want to end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XGA7XYRX8OUB?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long and tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know this book has gotten many wonderful reviews, but personally I thought it was very hard to follow in places, was ""too full of adjectives"" (as I like to say), and loaded with chopped up sentences that went on endlessly.  I couldn't wait until it was over.  Very long and tedious reading.  Sorry Donna.  Maybe it was for those more intellectual than I.  If the story could have been told in half the words, it may have held my interest more, leaving out the plethora of vague descriptions.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XRDRH2CV8E6I?ASIN=0316055441	I love Theo's philosophizing in the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Affected me deeply to my heart.  So real, our own self incrimination. Who needs a god to punish us? I was so struck by a 13 year old's innocent act, entwined and caught up in other emotions, that took him the next 14 years to find to peace with. Such a story for the human heart.  I love Theo's philosophizing in the end.  Do I jump he long into happy abandonment or be ""normal"" (paraphasing).  ""The heart is a lonely hunter."" I love, love, love this book.<br/><br/>Karen Labat, MEd.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R116V6YK0QJM1Y?ASIN=0316055441	Entertaining but not uplifting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not stop reading this book, the story is very captivating, with even a little bit of adventure and therefore might end up as a movie.  However reading it left me with kind of a void, SPOILER ALERT*** because it is portrays the downward spiral the main character takes becoming involved with drugs and alcohol, and never really overcoming his addictions.  I prefer reading books about uplifting stories, of people overcoming adversity.  To me it felt at times like reading Catcher in the Rye...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OP3YGNQFY164?ASIN=0316055441	For the love of God	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For the love of God, find an editor for this book to excise the unnecessary and unneeded wordy James Michenor-Essie minute. I was originally excited to read this for a book club, but the book went from a fairly interesting and engaging plot to the Bataan Death March of reading. I kept flipping through pages trying to find a reason why it had to be so long. In the end, that is a big chunk of my life that I could have used more productively, like cleaning lint from my navel or dusting light bulbs.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F53TWVX12NPB?ASIN=0316055441	A True Understanding of the Human Condition	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I only read about four to five books per year, so I don't have a vast amount of experience with books of the caliber. However, this is the best book I have ever read. I found it to be an easy read and covered more pages per day than normal. I also found the writer brought me into the story so much so that it affected me personally. The book told a story to me of the similar circumstances that I have experienced lately that can only be explained by me as a the culmination of life long experience.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R83QOJNAHMLRE?ASIN=0316055441	This does make you think about what ilife is really like for those who suffer physical	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting concept. A different perspective on the experiencevof those caught in life-changing tragedy and loss. Author is skilled wordsmith but middle and late sections seemed to drag.<br/><br/>This does make you think about what ilife is really like for those who suffer physical, emotional trauma through terrorism or other horrible experiences. Who is really okay after these events? Can life ever be normal? How does a person achieve balance and geace in life after...? Something to consider.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17H0C55WVZW1P?ASIN=0316055441	Another level of existence.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is indeed a superb novel with writing so descriptive you can almost taste the words. I gave it four stars because I would, at times, struggle with Theo's overworked interpretation of a situation, begging for the end of his ramble to get back to the point. However, I couldn't quit reading and felt I was actually hovering in the backdrop watching Theo's life unfold. Overall I enjoyed getting to know him, cheering for him, scolding him and ultimately understanding him. Excellent read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHY4HROMR8RUW?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know a lot of people loved this, but I did not.  It was to wordy.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC7YZXO083XUY?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't see what all the hype was about.  The tempo was moniotonous.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A8ONA8XRJ56A?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch...one of the best reads in ages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have not been so captivated by a book in a very long time. Her writing is so alive. Her characters leap off the pages. I knew every character, every setting, every situation as if I was there. Her highly implausible plot points become as real as the moment. I smelled the city after the rain. I felt the dusty magnificent closeness off the apartment behind the shop. I felt the tension and fear and reckless abandon.  She won her Pulitzer the old fashion way....pure talent translated to the page.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32ST9XTJR7HSO?ASIN=0316055441	The Bar for Pulitzer Prizes Must be Set Very Low	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was this book alone in the competition for a Pulitzer Prize? Was it the only choice in its category? I can not imagine how this won. What a long and painful book! I started out reading this book and was hooked on the great story. That feeling ended soon. It became a chore to read just because I don't like to leave a book unfinished. The main character, Theo, is given so many chances for redemption and he blows every one of them. I was depressed reading the book and could not wait for it to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1325DXFTFOG0N?ASIN=0316055441	Happy reading!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this on a whim as a recommendation from a friend based on its spot on the best reads list. It took me about 100 pages to get into it &amp; then it was hard to put down. I wasn't even sure what it was supposed to be about because I didn't research it. But it's a good read. Most people have events that shape their life, whether they're monumental in nature, or for good or bad, &amp; this seems to be a book about early events that have shaped this boy's life &amp; the paths he heads down afterwards.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RU0HRU279VCF?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've read in a decade	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in a decade, though it made feel like I could take the gas pipe. The book was so tragic, and though you hope and hope the nightmare will stop, it doesn't. All the while, however, the book is written with such feeling and the passages so beautiful and descriptive, I simply had the morbid curiosity to read on and on. The author shows with such clarity how life is so tender for all of us and that everything can disappear in just a hair's breath. I strongly recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14NLZPUJ798MG?ASIN=0316055441	A Pulitzer?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This won a Pulitzer??? I found the narrative to be pure sensationalism...the protagonists return, or shall I say ""Pop Up"" whenever the narrative has gone to the point of no return to enable the plot to move forward.  Characterizations in general were thin. Anything that anyone could do to break the law and descend into depravity is chronicled stage after stage. I read to the end hoping there were some redeeming factors. but found none. For length it gets some credit...but a Pulitzer???</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A209REN8BIWW?ASIN=0316055441	The idea of the story is great, and the book starts out strong	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The idea of the story is great, and the book starts out strong.  The first part of the book is riveting, the characters, the circumstances, the tastes and sounds of the city.  Then the book loses its way.  The editor could have easily cut out a few hundred pages.  The story got boring, characters are unlikeable, and it takes forever for the story to dig itself out of this.  I found myself skimming the last 250 pages just to finish the story.  The reason for the Pulitzer Prize is unclear to me.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O0RRR5Z3Z8VT?ASIN=0316055441	Power of Art & Pathos	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel was well paced &amp; hard to put down.  In spite of this review's title, there are good comedic elements. The narrative with great details and well developed characters was compelling.  I was particularly struck by the social portrait of teen years in Las Vegas.  It was so like my high school time there, some 50 years earlier, but lacking all those drugs, of course. How did she do that?  Overall a great read: outlandish events well combined with insightful, true to life human depiction.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JOXL1VYB7375?ASIN=0316055441	Large in scope and beautifully written. The characters were interesting and fully developed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I understand why this won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Large in scope and beautifully written. The characters were interesting and fully developed. Life shifts and environmental changes to the main character made me wonder who I'd be, or how I'd behave, under different circumstances. Some of the characters in the book I'm happy aren't in my life, and a couple I rather wish were. It's a long book, so plan to read it when you have some time, but do plan to read it if you haven't yet already.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PWWY0BLCOU2R?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book, Interesting Characters, Best Viewed on an E-reader	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the heck out of this book.  It's long, and at times bit verbose, but the story and characters are terrific.  Because the book takes you into the art world, I highly recommend purchasing it in digital format if that option works for you.  I loved being able to highlight the names of the artwork being discussed so that I could immediately view the paintings in Wikipedia (it worked for the vast majority of the pieces the book mentions).  That really added a nice dimension to the story!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JGM1XNSTN5BK?ASIN=0316055441	a work of art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazingly crafted, vivid, and richly woven writing that is a work of art in itself -- (how Tartt express the intuitive ""gut"" grip of art from the many character's points of view surpasses anything I've read) -- with a story that is gripping, tragic, and beautifully painful throughout every page -- only the ending leaves us wanting the full resolution we've been waiting for and the story has been building up to---and it feels like the author ran out of paint on a one-of-a-kind palette!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPEPMCJCMGOJX?ASIN=0316055441	DID NOT LIKE	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like this book.  It had several ""wow"" moments but for the most part it was too long and could have ended a long time before it did.  I always read a book to the end once I have started it.  Maybe I'm not cultured enough to understand all the art parts although I do appreciate fine arts and antiques.  I know all the dope issues were out of my league.  It left me wondering about some of the characters.  I feel sure I'm in the minority as this book was on the best seller list,</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R344AUB58Y58D3?ASIN=0316055441	Not recommended	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book for the first one third of it.  After that, I became very disappointed with so much focus on drug use, failure of the characters, etc.  It dragged on too long with all this negativity.  I like intense books, but this just became boring, but I kept reading waiting for things to get better and faith in the main character to be restored.  I am surprised it won the Pulitzer.  It had a pretty fascinating plot, but then went beyond all reason.  Too bad as the potential was there.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FHGS3VYVXGMB?ASIN=0316055441	Too many words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked THE GOLDFINCH at first, but soon there were too many blind alleys, too many plots and characters which didn’t go anywhere (Judy had a pink coffee mug...so?), too many coincidences happened. There was a tremendous amount of drug culture description for some unknown reason. I had grown to dislike the main character by the time the book ended.<br/><br/>I think Donna Tartt might try experimenting with Hemingway’s “Iceberg Theory” where what you don’t say is as important as what you do.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P45H7224XONP?ASIN=0316055441	The story is captivating and you fall in love with Theo from the beginning and you want to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Breathtaking! There are passages in this book I read over and over again because they touch you so intensely. The story is captivating and you fall in love with Theo from the beginning and you want to follow him wherever it leads. I wanted to stay and as the pages turned and I got closer to the end, I felt like I was losing a friend who had been a part of my life. I read books. I read even marginal books but sometimes we come across one that will stay with us forever. This is one of those.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VHWMC973WIJX?ASIN=0316055441	Fair read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really struggled getting through this book. It started out with a great story with some good twists and characters. But it went on far to long without really adding anything to the value and arriving at the solution that is easily expected. The over stating of drugs became monotonous and again the point had been well made. Even the main characters bad life choices became over-kill.  Forced myself to finish, but almost skipped to the end, which I never do.  Expected far more in less time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13J0K5OC3GTYR?ASIN=0316055441	Sad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As I read, I kept asking myself what in this book recommends it for Pulitzer Prize? The depravity of the characters was so overwhelming and sad, and empty, it depressed me tremendously. I kept looking for hope, but it came only in snatches, and then vanished. Finally at the end, I realized this was a story of the philosophy of many in the world who are overwhelmed by their own and other's depravity where each person is wrapped up in themselves and rarely see a glimpse of another life. Sad!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SIL6U2IOFKEV?ASIN=0316055441	A Must Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the greatest books I have read in a long time! The writing is excellent if you enjoy in depth descriptions of characters and events. Really well done. I think this book appeals to men and women alike. The characters are real with all their annoying flaws. While reading you might get annoyed with a string of poor decisions they make. Lots of action and adventure. The characters redeem themselves toward the end. I would highly recommend this book to anybody who enjoys good literature.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HADNWCW26HM7?ASIN=0316055441	Very slow to me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book started out ok and then after a main event I thought ""Oh this is going to be good""  but it just moved way to slow for me.  The storyline is good but each new event in the life of the boy just seemed to go on to long for me.  I kept trying to read and even skimming through but it just never seemed to get moving for me.  I stopped reading it after awhile.  I usually just push through to find out the ending but just thought it wasn't worth it.  I may go back and read the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FCDLMEKDISR?ASIN=0316055441	an amazing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was so much more than a fiction..it made me think philosophically and analytically about life in general and life specifically to me and others I know-I see myself and others more clearly, less critically and with more understanding.  Sometimes what seems good is bad and what seems bad turns out to be good, so a situation or person should not be considered under the light or darkness of one situation, but saved until the whole scheme of things is revealed, whenever that might be.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3575AC945D3AP?ASIN=0316055441	The mystery revealed in Tart T's dazzling novel is not the one we expect.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt takes us on a wild gallop across continents and deeply into the experience of a handful of unforgettable characters.  At points during this stunning read, I wanted to wrench these people out of their circumstances and into a more comfortable milieu,  but, pages later, their lives had taken yet another unexpected turn, and we were off in yet another equally fraught direction. A gorgeous,  engrossing book that reads much more quickly than you'd expect from its somewhat daunting length.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KRGY3GP0B0R6?ASIN=0316055441	Jumped the Shark  mid-way through...Wish I had followed too	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I greatly looked forward to cracking open this book that made most reviewers' ten best list. Yes, Ms. Tartt can definitely write and write and write....I'm sorry I didn't check the reviews by actual readers in the trenches because I wouldn't have wasted my time with this self-indulgent, inconsistent, barely-edited book. I skimmed the last 150 pages in the hopes that I hadn't wasted my time but it went off in an even more ridiculous direction and I am sorry I didn't put it down at page 200.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD69QH52R58BJ?ASIN=0316055441	Soooo bad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It has been a long time since I have read a book this bad. While the first half was interesting the last half was simply dreadful. I literally had to force myself to finish it. The editing seemed to be non-existent. It is shocking that it won the Pulitzer. I am thankful I checked it out of the library and didn't purchase it. This is not a book you pass along to your friends unless you are nursing a severe grudge.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DFCLFKMLY3UT?ASIN=0316055441	There was no gold in The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wish there was a 0 rating. The beginning sucks those of us who love/like art and a story connected to art, right in. Then one gets lost in the rhetoric of drugs, drug behavior, and sleaze. I thought my kindle would break from using the page turner so rapidly. I kept thinking the story line would win....but it didn't. The drug language and ramblings went on and on. Please do not waste your time on this bipolar book. It doesn't get better, like the life of an addict it descends into the morass of self pity with no resolution.No movie please!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZT0YNUGXG9XV?ASIN=0316055441	sorry, I tried and got tired	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">- can't enter the story over the clamor of the construction. I've never read anything this clever since my own writings in school. I really don't need everything to be described, unless it's Hardy... maybe.<br/><br/>Oh well, onwards<br/><br/>mistake -<br/><br/>had to put it down after the following sentence (well, it's too long to put the whole thing down, but it ends like this)<br/>""... walked backwards down fifty-seventh with his arm up, whistling for a taxi.""<br/><br/>so, how do you walk down a cross street?<br/><br/>... and whistling for a taxi - c'mon - have you heard the noise in this town lately<br/><br/>AND, what confuses me is that this book is #2 on the NYT book-list... probably another ""Book of Mormon"" moment<br/><br/>Over 700 pages to go?<br/><br/>The queen has no clothes, baby</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XSJTRK3XJP5N?ASIN=0316055441	Terrific read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's novel is a bildungsroman with a modern edge to it.  A frame narrative,  the story follows Theo Decker beginning with an all-too-common modern tragedy.  The novel is, however, so much more than this.  The author creates remarkable characters and situations with often cascading sentences and phrases that are a delight.  In addition, there is even another layer that uses the painting of the goldfinch, an integral part of the plot itself, as the means to bring forth the purpose of art in all its forms.  Theo, the writer, speaks of ""...a rainbow edge where beauty comes into being, where two very different surfaces mingle and blur to provide what life does not:  and this is the space where all art exists...""  This is beautifully expessed by Donna Tartt and beautifully demonstrated in her novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AWZGAG67WTA5?ASIN=0316055441	what a waste of precious time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't believe I stayed with this totally sad writing.  While there is an underlying mystery, the drug use, language and disparity make it very depressing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OESBJHNH0R6S?ASIN=0316055441	A book for those that have this terrible decease	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At my age I don't need to read books like this. How people can abuse their bodies and hurt those around them.  A terrible decease.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32X7GZEQ2EV5P?ASIN=0316055441	So very disappointed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awful. So disappointing. Almost 800 pages of a pointless story with constant overblown descriptions of everything. Got the impression that she was having alot of ""Look at the big brain on Donna"" moments as she wrote adjective after adjective. Where was her editor?  I kept hoping it would improve and it never did and then the ending even dragged out.  Author must have just discoved drugs because she chooses to describe in painful detail getting high on every street and prescription drug known to man. If I wanted that much detail I'd just do them myself. Loved The Secret History but will probably never read another one of her books.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMQEPSQEP2V6Y?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Cannot believe Amazon would make this their #1 book of 2013. It was over 700 pages of a teenage boy drinking, doing drugs, and stealing. I managed to finish the book, thinking there might be some redeeming features, yet to come, there wasn't.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R185IYSRQJ96J0?ASIN=0316055441	DEPRAVITY AND DEPRESSING	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hated this book.  I skimmed through a good part of it, as it was so repetitive and extremely boring. I wouldn't care to know any<br/>of the characters in the book.  It was over 700 pages of alcohol, drugs, pills over and over and over.  I have lived in Las Vegas, Nevada<br/>for almost 48 years and there are so many features that are pure and good about Las Vegas.  This book only described the seedier,<br/>side where all the characters are gamblers, with Mafia style hitman coming after them and are on drugs and the children have nothing to do but get in trouble.  There was nothing that showed the other side.  The ending tried to show some redeeming features of the main<br/>character, but this book left me so depressed, I would not recommend it to anyone.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD303OSXPSST6?ASIN=0316055441	Garbage -- don't waste your time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Have the critics read this over-hyped piece of trash? The end didn't make this garbage worth the read. Skip it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZNEE09Q63P6P?ASIN=0316055441	Most painful 2wk read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, too boring, overly flowery verbiage, voice of 13 yo was unbelievable, pontificated philosophical ending was trite, too many side stories.  If you like Dickensian verbosity- enjoy.  If you enjoy punchy Graham Greene novels with carefully driven words- avoid.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R158O1S8U6E3OD?ASIN=0316055441	This is one to skip!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This turned out to be a depressing book about a teen who knows what he should do, but never does it. He and his friends are all unlike able with only one sympathetic character. The writing is way ever done-the story could be better told in half the pages.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YSP8Q4ZWOR4Z?ASIN=0316055441	Crazy story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hated it!!!!  I do not like to have to write a certain number of words just to tell everyone not to buy this book.  It is a weird story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNTG3W20GITTO?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Horribly depressing book.  Ramblings of a drug addict, with no hope of that person ever having recovery.  A very dark book, with no hope.  Not a good book for anyone to read who has a loved one that has addictions.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30P6MK7CJQ61V?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is disappointing. Not a page turner my any imagination. It wafts. It's side bars are way too long. However the only thing that kept me reading is that the characters implored  you to. I would normally finish a book this big in half the time but I kept having to push myself into returning to it.  Out of respect to the author for her famous best seller I preserved. It wasn't terrible it was just way too wordy. The editor should be shot.<br/>If you only read one book a month/year this is not it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AKTUU87Y15LK?ASIN=0316055441	Could use some serious editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long!  Center section was very repetitive.  Was disappointed in the book since it was ranked so high.  Would not recommend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMRVQEVPB2DA0?ASIN=0316055441	Huge disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overly long book! i was bored as the story dragged on and on. Theo, a junkie and a drunk inspired no sympathy.  One wonders why he managed to stay alive.  Big waste of my time.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NS9A4V57PMR2?ASIN=0316055441	Great story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling story. Great writing. Love all the art history references. My only criticism would be that  the unfolding of time is sometimes a little confusing but not enough to detract from my overall enjoyment.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BS40JQ28JXHF?ASIN=0316055441	Theo's mother's love sustains him even after her death.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a tremendously good read with wonderfully drawn characters.  So much happens to poor Theo who continually tries to rise above it all.  His mother's love sustains him, even after her death.  Unconditional love is amazing.  This story shows whether we want to or not, we are defined by both parents and may be doomed to repeat destructive patterns.  Nature or nurture?  Choice or genetic predisposition?  Whatever. We all have to live with the choices we have made and face the consequences of those choices.<br/>Hobie?  Well, I would love to have a friend like Hobie.  What a tremendous force in the story!  There are times he does fail Theo, but once again, sometimes we are unable to do the right thing for those we care about due to forces beyond our control.  Through Andy, Theo's wealthy school chum, Tartt shows us how appearances in wealth and status mask so much dysfunction and at times outright abuse. So many fascinating characters.  Just read this book.  You will be glad you did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KAML353NZ6CO?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't often comment upon what I'm reading, but I have to in this case.  'The Goldfinch' was absolutely worth waiting for.....I loved 'The Secret History,' but this surpasses it with ease. Very easily the best thing I've read in ten years!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KCH1B578YBFN?ASIN=0316055441	Story line goes on forever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy and too many characters. By the end, i was exhausted from trying to finish reading this book. The story line never stopped.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11S2ZNYPEJD05?ASIN=0316055441	Flawless in every way.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite frankly, this book is a masterpiece: a beautifully rendered story, that is honest and lyrical.  It is Tartt's finest piece to date, and that is certainly saying something.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6DRQWGX7UH6O?ASIN=0316055441	A life changing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Iwas completely caught by Theo. When.I was not engrossed in reading the book, I worried about him-what is he doing? Is he all right? If the phone rang while I has the iPad in my hands, I had to drag myself back into the world. I am 90&amp; the last paragraphs about life resonated with me. I want everyone to experience The Goldfinch.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E3XI65OS4D3W?ASIN=0316055441	extraordinary	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Transported by the story and depth of emotion. Touched by beautiful images  and harsh realities. Once started, I could only put down to sleep for a few hours before picking back up. What a gifted writer!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZCTWVVLS6W4S?ASIN=0316055441	A Novel That Makes Your Heart Reel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow! What a beautifully written novel. There is an explosion at the Metropolitan Museum. Thus begins the story of 13-year-old Theo Decker, whose mother was killed in that explosion and he inherits a masterpiece called ""The Goldfinch"".  Although Theo goes to live with what some would say was a perfect family ...there is something that is kept unknown by others.  Unbeknownst to most the painting takes hold of Theo's life.<br/>Things would have turned out better for Theo if his mother had lived. As it was, he lost sight of any landmark that might have led him someplace happier. Her death was the dividing mark: Before and After.<br/>I really liked the novel, the characters and the visually descriptive language. It certainly stirred up a lot of emotion and made my heart reel.<br/>The absurd does not liberate; it binds. ~ Albert Camus<br/><br/>Jeannie Walker - Award Winning Author - ""I Saw the Light"" - A True Story of a Near-Death Experience</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R932BARPO708D?ASIN=0316055441	An excellent portrayal of a very real layer of society....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I finished reading this, I felt sick at heart by what I perceived as deterioration of my world. Upon reflection, I grew extremely sympathetic and had empathy for those who grew to adulthood in a world of unsupervised, undisciplined emptiness through no choice of their own. The characters in this book survived w/o being imprisoned by their own guile which I'm sure I could not have done.<br/>Excellent portrayal of character. I highly recommend this as great ""food for thought.""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCRWFXC00NYTB?ASIN=0316055441	this is the best fiction of last 20 years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this is the best fiction of last 20 years.  in a class with 'the english patient.' 'disgrace,' and 'atonement.'  but perhaps more like 'the french lieutenant's woman,' because it is an amazing story, with searingly memorable characters, and yet filled with philosophical and psychological ruminations that make it intellectually enthralling as well. and despite its bows to nineteenth century story telling it is thoroughly modern, contemporary and culturally relevant.  what a big great book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6NBTAMCCOG2G?ASIN=0316055441	Just too long...plus an error or two.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't think I've ever enjoyed a novel more the first three hundred pages than this one, but oh, it just kept going and going and going, with page after page of editorializing from the author.  Finally, one star is all I can give it.  (Plus how did she make the mistake of having Theo take a bus from Las Vegas eastward, and not until he left Denver heading east did she say he passed over the Continental Divide?)</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13TXJA6H2564S?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very wordy, and lengthy...flipped through many pages at the end...</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R6I9X1JI7JB5?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed reading this story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed reading this story.  It was described as complex and Dickens' like in it's character portrayals and it did resemble, if only slightly, the scope that a Dickens' tale so easily conveys.  However, it did fall short and while I loved some of the peripheral and supporting characters, I often found myself angry with the machinations of the story and  shallow decisions of the main character.  Now, Boris on the other hand....I loved.. It did keep my interest and was an enjoyable read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SZ5CATPXO7DX?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch.  beautifully written but excessively long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't wait to get back to reading this story, but I cannot truthfully say I would read another book by her due to the sheer, overdrawn length of the story.  The final ending was drug out and anti-climatic, in comparison to some of the crazy Boris drama parts.  I was on edge a good part of the book wondering when the next tragedy would strike and when, how or IF Theo would make it through.  Parts of it felt honest and painfully real, and parts of it felt like a Russian spy adventure.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13RUGYYVXEFM7?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an epic novel that will certainly stir a wide array of emotions in any reader.  Be prepared to brush up on some broken Russian and to stay strong through the long and overly verbose sections of the book.  I fell immediately in love with Theo, the main character, however, quickly it became apparent that Tartt is not a concise writer and not all of the information she includes is necessary.  Overall, this was an excellent read and felt like quite the accomplishment once I finished.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBE4N5PH0JKSA?ASIN=0316055441	Life changing though a tough read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exquisite prose questioning life's so called randomness, asking What is Art, What is the Purpose of Great Art &amp; how can Art Affect your Individual Life.  The Book questions Faith, family, love, marriage, parenting...further editing would have improved my experience.  Slogging through endless pages of 2 unsupervised adolescents spending their days strung out on drugs without notice or action was endlessly sad &amp; excruciating as well as other descriptions of walking home in pages of detail.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P42VQHSIO9G7?ASIN=0316055441	Characters well developed and sometimes you like the main characters Theo and Boris and understand what ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, but at nearly 800 pages, it's a bit too long for my liking. I doubt I would have tackled it if it were not on my book club's list. Characters well developed and sometimes you like the main characters Theo and Boris and understand what they did and why. Other times, not so much and you see them as criminals, which they also were. Life circumstances figure prominently in the plot, too. Interesting and overall enjoyable read, nonetheless. Just have patience to get through it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DMPL191YKYS2?ASIN=0316055441	Ms Tartt has SUCH excellent insight into people	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an incredible book!! Ms Tartt has SUCH excellent insight into people. Her characters are unusual, extremely interesting and her book is impossible to put down!! I finished reading it, about two weeks ago and already can't wait to read it again.....but my husband is reading it now...(&amp; can't put it down!!!). This is one of those books that I will measure all other books that I read by, like I do ""A Prayer For Owen Meant"" and ""The Prince of Tides"". Incredible book!!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1379W2063BOIR?ASIN=0316055441	Epic coming-of-age novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was popular a year or so ago, but I just discovered it.  The Goldfinch is a compelling story that spans many years in a young man's life.  The novel focuses on loss and responses to loss, on the meaning of art (primarily visual art) and friendship. The things I really liked about it were the characters and the writing, which is often rich and beautiful, and the suspenseful story line.  The one thing I did not like but was able to tolerate was the repeated references to drug abuse.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VNPQZ48K1RMX?ASIN=0316055441	If You Only Have A Short Time To Live, Read This	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It will make that time feel longer. Much longer. Really, the book never ends. It's goes on and on and then just stops.<br/><br/>I wanted to like it, I really did. The writing is excellent, the basic story is compelling, but it is far too long. So much could be trimmed without losing anything. It rambles, going nowhere. It was a struggle to finish because I had to force myself to care. But I was determined. I did it. I win.<br/><br/>Three stars for an original idea and good writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KBQGLE476K2S?ASIN=0316055441	Hallelujah! This book does end!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's interesting to see some of the reviews for this book. You either loved it or hated it. It's crazy how one book can get a one star rating or a five star rating.  I'm a one star rater.  While I can appreciate all the time the author took to write this novel, it is basically a well written one, but I did not like the characters at all! I kept reading hoping for some redemption. In stead, the characters just blurred into nothing as if someone smudged a painting before it was finished.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W3UTSOLUAWW1?ASIN=0316055441	Superb!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Many reviewers complained that The Goldfinch needed editing ... at 771 pages I can understand their viewpoint, however, I enjoyed every page and was sorry to see it all end.  The writing was excellent ... the characters were so well defined they lingered with you long after the last page and there were  scenes so powerful and real that I could actually ""feel"" what the character was experiencing.  I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a book that will transport you.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSLPEIJ4D8MQ1?ASIN=0316055441	Never ending...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch pulled me in simply because I needed to know how it ended. It was a good story, but it had many long winded, overly philosophical moments where I felt like I was reading a book written by someone who was perpetually high... which makes sense since that is the case with the narrator. There were some beautifully written chapters and others which were torture to read because of how drawn out they were. Theo does have a very interesting (and slightly depressing) take on life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JJOQ3K5AD5FH?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch fine summer read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch did not last as long as I thought it might. I stayed up till 2AM a couple nights reading. Starts slowly, but hang with it, past the scene in the museum. Mid-book was pretty gripping, to the point I bent a few of my personal rules--like don't sit down to immerse yourself until the yard work is done! I recommend this story, although I thought Donna Tartt had a very indulgent editor. Story could have been cut by maybe 200-300 pages, and still have been as fine, maybe better.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TT7600JUT5EN?ASIN=0316055441	I mostly enjoyed the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I mostly enjoyed the book, but felt that there was too much repetition of incidents (like the ""boys') drug-taking and partying.  Some of the story seemed unrealistic like the protagonist's ability to drop the drugs, drinking, and partying so easily; the fact that his benefactor was not gay; etc.<br/>I was surprised by the ending and felt in that way the story was well structured.  I think about 1/4 of the book could easily have been edited out without hurting the book as a whole.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VL9YCKYJKT6I?ASIN=0316055441	some spoilers	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was originally drawn to the language in the opening chapters; however, once Potter moves to Vegas, I struggled to maintain my enthusiaism.  My sister recommended that I finish the book, so almost a year later, I picked it back up.  Overall, it is a book that I am glad that I read, but I wish I had a discussion group to unpack what made it a Pulitzer Prize winner.  The end felt much like The Jungle, moving away from story telling to reveal its truth and into an ideological treatise.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTAHIWDF227NR?ASIN=0316055441	six of us felt that it needed a good editor to tighten up the story because it was ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did decide to finish this novel because of my book group discussion. Of the seven people, six of us felt that it needed a good editor to tighten up the story because it was far too long. The main character was traumatized and it was understandable that he made many bad decisions but there was little to like about him and the minor transformation at the end was simply unbelievable. I cannot say more without having to say ""spoiler alert"". Frankly, it was a disappointing read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FMILTR43PQQ6?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing as the main character that you can't help but like just makes one bad decision after another	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredibly well written and engaging.  Depressing as the main character that you can't help but like just makes one bad decision after another. And another.  Even with that exasperating story line I pulled for the guy all the way along and then was somehow disappointed when it all worked out for him.  Finally figured out that the book was so well written that I was reacting to it the same way I would an annoying friend that does everything wrong but manages to come out on top anyway.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R191LJ7ARM076C?ASIN=0316055441	although I seem to be the only person on the planet who didn't love it! I felt it needed to be refined ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not care much for this novel, although I seem to be the only person on the planet who didn't love it!<br/>I felt it needed to be refined and edited more. The story did not make a connection with me. It was trying too hard to be clever(?) and I just didn't care about the characters. Something about it did not ring true on an emotional level and the convoluted plot did not hold my attention. An unfulfilling book. I did like her first book ""The Secret History"" a lot though.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6T9HTWD60XCW?ASIN=0316055441	Highly recommended, you will not be disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hesitated and held off on buying this book for a long time as the summary didn't sound like it would be that good.  But I gave in to all the other excellent.t reviews and gave it a try.  I love long books for the car as I drive a lot.  This one was riveting.  What a complex and unique story.  It takes place over quite a few years of the main character's life and there are lots of entertaining stories and characters.  Very well written and recommended to anyone that enjoys reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AAZHWTQAIY3Y?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is far too repetitious to be truly enjoyed. The first half of the book reads well ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is far too repetitious to be truly enjoyed.  The first half of the book reads well but then itjust seems like more of the same only in different locations.<br/><br/>It was hard to get a good understanding of the characters since most of them were either extremely flawed<br/>and the others seemed too good to be true.<br/><br/>For people who enjoy action movies with extremely involved daring deeds, the movie version might be a better option.  I will be staying home.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DUYP0YVJ67KL?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very engaging story! The characters were well developed such that you could imagine meeting them and already know them. I had the kindle version. After the first 1/2 of the book, I found that I skipped forward during lengthy descriptions of the main characters thought process that often went into the past and then segued forward to present day. All of that was nicely woven, but I didn't need all of that description to remain engaged in the story and move through to its conclusion.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY39JNEZAECQA?ASIN=0316055441	A true masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is breath-takingly honest, thought-provoking, and touches on all of the complexities of the human spirit, especially the ones that we hide in the darkest corners of our souls. This book is a masterpiece in that it most alluringly and geniusly depicts life's irony and tragic beauty.  I love the authors style, for it is both poetic and philosophical without being pretentious or awkwardly paced. The Goldfinch is a beautifully haunting story that will stick with me for good.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REOBEQHM44BV6?ASIN=0316055441	Run to the Bookstore	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't give enough praise for this book.  The voice of the young man who is the narrator was perfect.  I could hear him and see him.  All the characters were finely drawn.  I was in the room with him and his unsavory friend when he was a teen.  I was in the section of New York where he lived.  I was in the restoration workshop and home where he leared his trade. Tartt's gift for the idiom when delivered by newcomers to this country was astounding.  I was never bored, for a moment.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PLAYO15PDXBN?ASIN=0316055441	details, details	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo's life is one long adventure starting in childhood well before his mother's death. His love and protection of  the rare painting is the one constant element in his chaotic life and the direct connection to his mother. It is a beautiful story filled with detailed descriptions of people places and possessions. It transported me and gave me a perspective on the pure beauty of art and finely crafted antique furniture. This will influence how I experience the world as I go forward.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EEG12V79BXSB?ASIN=0316055441	"""The Goldfinch"" sings!"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a beautifully written book. There is tension, like a mystery, though it is not a mystery. The story develops in unpredictable ways, with the authentic voice of a male protagonist. (In fact, all the major characters are male. So surprising it was written by a woman.) ""The Goldfinch"" is intellectually challenging, filled with factual information in such diverse areas as antique furniture refinishing and criminal activity. It offers much food for thought along the way.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TO9AD851TJBZ?ASIN=0316055441	Can a superb gift for writing transform a low life topic?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story of a boy turned orphan who explored a life of drugs and crime did not appeal to me. And then in the last 10% of the book Tartt waxes philosophical. The parts don't hang together well. Tartt paints an existential landscape, but if the reader is someone who has found a joyful spirituality, the reaction is one of pity. And it is not fair for Tartt to drag others into bleak view of life. Tartt is a gifted writer but she has wasted the gift on her subject matter. What a shame!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R318T0AWEJ722Y?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome can't wait to see the painting'n	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved it. I really felt like the author really did a great job with the characters it was very different from other books I've read. Also I got the book on audio and I loved that more with four kids my reading time is limited so it allowed me to listen on my kindle, then my phone and even the Bluetooth in the car. The narrator did different voices for each character which was awesome ! At the end of the book I ordered a print of the painting and am planning a trip to NY to see it</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18KA36YX5BO14?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not keep my interest until close to the end.....too drawn out</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XPC8DU4CMGUU?ASIN=0316055441	hard to get through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So boring....this book is way too long and the payoff is minimal.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R78OFYLM8QWJ9?ASIN=0316055441	Looooong and Monotonous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book took a ridiculous amount of time for me to finish. It started out with what I thought was going to be an interesting story line, but then slid into monotony fast. I won't mention what happens early on so as not to be a spoiler, but why was such a major event just glossed over? Like others have said, the book is really like several vignettes strung together with no great payoff in the end. If you're looking for an ""I can't put it down"" page-turner, this is not it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MDV6Y3POM5TX?ASIN=0316055441	Must Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best book I've read in a long, long time.  It reminds me a bit of A Prayer for Owen Meany.  Donna has done a masterful job of describing the deepest, most private thoughts and feelings of a teenager before and after the loss of his mother due to a horrific event.  He survives and even thrives as he progresses through his life.  This story has incredible depth and feeling.  The story has many twists and turns, all revolving around The Goldfinch.  Don't miss it.  Really.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10YW7LSS2IEXH?ASIN=0316055441	i AM GLAD i TOOK TIME TO READ THIS IT IS RATHER ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i AM GLAD i TOOK TIME TO READ THIS IT IS RATHER OUT OF MY TYPE NOW THAT i AM OLDER i LIKE SOMETING A LITTLE LIGHTER. i WAS HOWEBER DRAWN TO THIS YOUNG MAN AS HE GREW UP AND THE EFFECT HIS ENVIRMENT HAD ON HEM. in THE END THE WHOOE THING MADE SENSE TO ME AND HE WA RIGHT. SOMETIMS SOMETING GOOD COMES OUT OF SOMTING BAD, i LEARNED THAT A LONG TIME AGO BUT IT AS FOEFILLIN TO SEE IT IN PRINT . AND VEYR NEICLY PUT. SHE DOES HAVE A WAY WITH WORDS AND i DO LIKE BOOKS WITH DELIOUSOUS WORDS</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFF7SAT19NF7F?ASIN=0316055441	I should have stopped before the last 100 pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Nearly each &amp; every review that was less than 5 star hit the nail on the head!!! This book is too long - like 3 books in one.  Although engaging, not ""real"". The last 100 pages ""bummer"" - waste of time.  ""Soul searching"" that went nowhere.  Absolutely, positively a book with NO CLOSURE....NO END.....NO STOPPING POINT.  And, yes, truly surreal, characters were not real life people.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SE6D517XF40P?ASIN=0316055441	Is this book a giant hoax?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Here's a theory - After her last failed book, Donna Tartt the recluse decided make fun of high-society, quasi-intellectual NY Times readers and the pretentious people she makes fun or in her book.  She filled it with seemingly deep literary, philosophical, and art references and surround it by the plotline and characters  of Harry Potter.  Well , they fell for it BIG time.  Good job Donna! If you want to read this book for the possible giant hoax it is, please, go ahead.  Otherwise, stay away.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHRTBTVX2ZTCY?ASIN=0316055441	Some tender and sweet moments, way too many drug scenes	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Relentless writing, far-fetched plotting, bombastically over-the-top adventure, cloying stock characters.  Some tender and sweet moments, way too many drug scenes, both in the middle and at the end.  The goldfinch painting while being the vehicle that drives the plot, is ultimately just a device.  Can't believe people read it all the way through.  This is a very capable author who knows how to write well, but not how to edit.  Story could easily have been told in half the length.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D787WK4DKN79?ASIN=0316055441	High Quality Artistry	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story and characters.  A bit challenging at times with her beautiful, poetic descriptions, wishing she had cropped some of it to keep the story's pace intact.  I recommended it to my wife, then withdrew it when the main character's drug taking became prodigious, then recommended it to her again, then was unsure after I finished the novel if she would be willing to overlook the drug addictions for the all the other wonderful elements.  Nevertheless, this book is a cut above.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IJOXOWCPZIJ4?ASIN=0316055441	How could this trash win a Pulitzer ?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I suffered through the first 200 papers and wondered how I could make myself finish this awful book chosen by my book group.<br/>After reading so many reviews by readers who hated it and said it a big waste of time reading all 740 pages, I decoded not to<br/>continue forcing myself to finish it. I agree with most of the negative criticism I've read.<br/><br/>I left feeling so much less respect for the Pulitzer committee for awarding this book their coveted prize for fiction ?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CELD6B30YTMA?ASIN=0316055441	Great literature doesn't need to spell out the themes and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">plot interesting but I agree that hearing about the drug use over and over was depressing and awful. The last chapter where the author just tells her philosphy of life through the main character is depressing and poorly done. Great literature doesn't need to spell out the themes and meanings. I was always taught great literature shows it does not need to preach or tell. I have no idea why this book won all these prizes. Do not read if you want to be uplifted. Extremely depressing</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YZ78AIOG87AS?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing suspense story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The premise of a missing painting was intriguing to me. The underlying theme of running from your problems applies to virtually everyone at one time or another. I enjoyed the read, The ending dragged to me. I kinda felt like ""bla bla bla/ bla bla bla"" at the end. Kept wishing it would be more succinct, but that's the kind of person I am anyway- get to the point but I do enjoy a good yarn if it's not too long-winded. I especiALLY LIKED THE CHARACTER OF THE OLDER GENTLEMAN.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FSRRG990HFXS?ASIN=0316055441	A story well told!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I fully enjoyed ""The Goldfinch"", Donna Tartt is an excellent writer and keeps your attention through all the twists and turns of the story line.  One thing that I cannot recommend is Amazon's shipping.  If you purchase this book from Amazon, please be prepared for a late delivery -- as much as 5-7 days late.  Amazon has started using a horrible delivery service called ""smartpost"".  The name is misleading because there is certainly nothing ""smart"" about it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q8FHIYE4JGY7?ASIN=0316055441	Good plot but be wary of rambling sections	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I really liked the overall story that was told by Tartt, I found a large part of the writing within the book to be superfluous.  The plot was great and very intriguing, but there was a lot of extra information and descriptions added in that felt more like ramblings to me.  I found myself skimming through those parts in order to get back to the main plot line, and after completing the book, I don't feel that anything was lost by my not really reading everything verbatim.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUUI5CMJ9UFKW?ASIN=0316055441	Can't miss audio book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Based on other reviews this was my choice for audiobook listening on a sun break driving trip. I've read Tartt's first novel and while character and situation description can be exhausting, there was no denying the writing skill. All of the above are true in The Goldfinch. And the plot is finer and quickly reaches that point where you regret the end of the day's drive and the need to wait until the next day. I must admit that I still have some of the book left for the trip home.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32REE4NDXAYWN?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch a hit with me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love it when a book starts with the ending, and then takes another 700 pages to explain why it all happened.  At first I was in a hurry to get answers that I wanted, but then decided to slow way, way down and appreciate everything the author was trying to tell me. The novel unfolds slowly, but there is so much to savor on each and every page.  I found the ending a bit anti-climactic, which is the only reason for four stars instead of five.  I would highly recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10YNY2XH4SLLF?ASIN=0316055441	conflicted	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book both attracts and repulses. Took longer than usual to finish due to so many sidetracked events. I loved the discussion on art and beauty at times but the characters felt contrived and unbelievable. The drugs and alcohol especially the Vegas story seemed over the top and tiring teenage antics. The prose at time was beautiful and at other times too cloying. I finally finished and liked the ideas on redemption and life at the end but not sure the whole trip was worth it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TD4SXE7MN48L?ASIN=0316055441	I finished this terrible book because Momma didn't raise a quitter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finished this terrible book because Momma didn't raise a quitter, but I have no idea how anyone could think that this deserved a Pulitzer.  The first quarter of the book was intriguing but after that it was so bogged down in descriptions and philosophy that was a brain drain.  I never cared a thing about any of the characters in the book, especially not Theo, the main character.  I did enjoy the art history which is the only reason I gave this book two stars rather than one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RWCZ5H10H8UF?ASIN=0316055441	i found myself initially drawn in - i liked the characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">way too long.  i found myself initially drawn in - i liked the characters.  please, can i have that time back?  it took me 2 months to slog through this book.  i stayed with the book hoping that she would wow me at the end....  nope.  i found myself flipping page after page after page - not caring to read the prose.  i liked the characters and some of the story but there was so much other crap thrown in for what reason?  the book could have been just as effective in 200 pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYNR4UGHLEN4F?ASIN=0316055441	Fun ride --- if only it were a little more compact	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite a journey with a boy charged with rearing himself to adulthood surrounded by a crazy diverse mix of associations and influences.  Theo's journey, as crazy as it is, is given some structure by his involvement with a classic museum piece oil painting, the Goldfinch.  While I think the novel would have benefitted from more aggressive editing to limit the ""draggy"" parts that contribute to too many pages, it's a fun experience to take the wild ride with Theo in The Goldfinch.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QCCHFVRWZBZT?ASIN=0316055441	Calling Donna Tartt's editor....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At 770 pages, this is a long novel. I'm not against reading long novels, as long as the plot justifies the length. In this case, I felt that Tartt's editor could have done a better job trimming sections of the novel that didn't advance the plot. I found sections where many, many pages were devoted to essentially the same or similar actions by the two main characters. I recommend the book, but be prepared for times when you start thinking 'Will this plot ever move forward?""</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC8ELYGIGFA4W?ASIN=0316055441	Finally finished!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't even know where to begin. This book was depressing. It took me weeks to get through it. I had to read two other books in between just to get a break from it, but was determined to finish.  I enjoyed the characters, especially Hobie, but the book was too wordy and got bogged down in descriptions and thoughts of the characters to they point I would drift off. Parts of the book were boring. It is definitely not a feel good book. I am not sad to be finished with this one.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QCN0YFO3XZ62?ASIN=0316055441	EPIC!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are certain books that stay with you forever.  This is one.  Glorious prose, and descriptions that can evoke an aura that inserts you inside the book. Wonderful characters, that I miss now that I've finished it.  It is 780 pages, and not to be rushed.  It took the author ten years to write, and it took me an enjoyable month to read.  Not because it is slow, but because it must be digested and enjoyed, thoroughly,  like a fine meal.<br/><br/>Highly recommed this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R135QRDU75VTQK?ASIN=0316055441	A dense and confusing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a difficult book for me. I was waiting and waiting for the author to get to the point, then felt incredulous with the ending. I want to say there is not way the main character would have had that kind of life trajectory in reality but....<br/>the old adage that life is stranger then fiction pops to mind. As disappointed as I Was in reading this, I could not not finish it. Take that as you will. Just know that you will have many conflicting feelings about this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFZPY2IG4NSN?ASIN=0316055441	On the fence.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it hard to get through this book. I am a huge fan of this genre and love stories that are about characters and how they live through and react to situations beyond their control but this book just got too long and unnecessarily complicated for me. The characters were likable and believable but I found that after a while the plot was dragged out beyond the scope of my attention span. If 25 percent of it had been edited out it would have been a tighter and better read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P02F5JUX8ZSI?ASIN=0316055441	A loooong read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First off, this book was very well written. Although I thought the first third of it was great, the rest was a chore for me to read due to hundreds of pages of ""yak-a-de-yak"", and characters that I found hard to care for. In my opinion, 771 pages was about 200 pages too long. Just goes to show that a Pulitzer Prize does not mean very much. Some idiot reviewer stated that the book ""All the Light We Cannot See"" was the new ""Goldfinch"". Give me a break!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K96QO6X0XPWG?ASIN=0316055441	Thirteen year old Theo survives an explosion that kills his ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thirteen year old Theo survives an explosion that kills his mother. Father has left prior to the accident. Theo is taken in by a wealthy New York family. Theo's father returns only take him off to Las Vegas. There he meets Boris. They become buddies.<br/>The small painting brings Theo to almost being shot, to the underworld of stolen art.<br/>The book is a page turner.<br/>One piece I did not care for was all the drugs and drug scenes. That part could of been more brief.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MYHWA8L3MCG5?ASIN=0316055441	I wish I hadn't read it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt has some lyrical prose and wry comments. However, I found the protagonist unappealing and unbelievable. I finished the book to find out what happens because I kept dreaming about it. The plot, based on a series of very poor and weird choices, rambles for a long period. Many of the characters, while perhaps true to life, left me cold. I would not want to associate with most of the people in the story, including the narrator. I'm not sure why this book won the Pulitzer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W89MFKI14JMF?ASIN=0316055441	Top 5 books ever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The detail and beauty of the plot, language, phrasing  and character was near perfect!  I can't remember ever being so swept up by such an incredible read. I could not put it down! I took my Kindle everywhere and read every spare minute I had: grocery store and bank lines,in between patients. It wasn't just a read. It was an obsession for at least three weeks! Donna Tart has written a masterpiece.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IYOI7IO7GQC2?ASIN=0316055441	Great story, too much descriptive writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the story was really great, and I liked the character development. I rated it lower because I'm not a fan of extensive descriptive writing/introspective description, and there is a LOT of that in this book. In some cases, it can help build tension and anticipation. In this book, I just felt there was too much and some sections of it were so long I ended up skimming them just to move on. I'm sure literary types love it, though, and I'm definitely not one of those.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZKJ4JEKPG7UY?ASIN=0316055441	Story could have been told 500 pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At the beginning of this book, I was pulled into the story immediately.  But by the time I got to the 500th page, I had had it.  The story has 145 characters and they were sometimes difficult to remember who they were.  There were so many subplots that never seemed to be resolved.  The author, Donna Tartt is without a doubt a brilliant writer but 775 pages were not necessary to tell this story.  I would have given it 5 stars if I didn't feel so bogged down with the length.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSOUU8CIV7JR8?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished and don't know what to say. There were times when I want sure I wanted to finish this book, share in every traumatic event that defined Theo' s life. However, it was so well-written that I couldn't put it down, couldn't shake the feeling that I'd be sorry if I left it hanging. Books that make you think about life, your place in the universe, even when they are about fabricated events, are always worth reading, and The Goldfinch is that genre of book. Enjoy!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT36FLFXHFJAB?ASIN=0316055441	Addictive Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read a few pages and was undecided, so I read another book.  I came back to The Goldfinch later and quickly got hooked.  It grows on you and has an addictive quality that puts you inside the head of someone who is not like you (or at least not like me).  It was a book that I hated to turn the last page.  Very good writing and I understand the Pulitzer Prize going to Donna Tartt.  Warning: It is not about a bird's life and it uses language that a few would find offensive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NDP9VSOJ19OM?ASIN=0316055441	well written; but very depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A person who can not see the beauty of every new day is a person who will have a  very unfulfilled life.  I pled for Potter on every chapter to find something to find solace in; to somehow replace the loss of his mom.  I had thought Hobbie and the furniture repair business would do that; but alas, down another dark alley.  As yet another hopeless romantic, I needed the happy ending, but didn't get it.  My heart aches for the pure despair Potter lives in day in and day out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZLYWY4N76YIQ?ASIN=0316055441	Slow to the point of standing still	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I must have read a different book from all the other reviews. I found it slow and irritatingly self indulgent. The characters were unlikable so I didn't really care what was to become of them; I just wished something would become of them quickly so I could stop reading. I slogged through to the end. And then was disgusted with myself for wasting all those hours on a story I didn't like nor enjoy.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35ILD5M0P0RCA?ASIN=0316055441	The problem with this novel is that the writer attended ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The problem with this novel is that the writer attended too many writing workshops. Clearly, she got the message, ""use every opportunity to insert concrete details!"" There are lots of baroque curlicues of details about secondary and tertiary characters and events that simply don't matter, but that add physical heft to the book. The lyrical ending tries to be eloquent and should have been moving, but was so obviously trying to impress that the ideas in it got lost.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27DHYKO6ZC5HG?ASIN=0316055441	great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book because of the interesting and probably truthful comments about life and death. I can actually relate somewhat to Theo, although my life hasn't been quite so tragic, and I haven't set myself up for near as many failures or mistakes. I do understand somewhat that middle place between truth and untruth and life and death, but the way Tartt describes it in this book is unbelieving complex and simple at the same time. Great book. I'm glad I read it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3541ZKXDW95N4?ASIN=0316055441	A very good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I learned a lot about art, paintings in particular. Tartt has an incredible vocabulary, and I found some passages to be profoundly moving and insightful. There were times when I couldn't put the book down, and other times where I skimmed over parts that were too laboriously descriptive -I just got lost, and it seemed, so did the author.<br/>It's an intensely intriguing story, at times preposterous, but mostly thoroughly absorbing. I give it four stars, and recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FD36Y5TIIIAD?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful coming-of-age tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt envelops the reader from start to finish in a novel story about a young boy, then a young man's dilemma. A stolen painting of a goldfinch carries the tale through the many trials of this character's growing years. Amazing characters support or attempt to defeat him. But he survives and draws hopeful conclusions in the face of some terrible odds. I would recommend this to any friend who can see the light when the drugs and alcohol seem poised to ruin this young man.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JBW47208U81T?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those ""read all night"" stories with enough twists to keep you awake.  Although I could do without the long descriptions of druggy reality, they were part of the main character's journey to redemption, if not happiness.  The characters were well drawn and I found myself caring about a few of them against my will.  The subtext of the antique and art world's seamier side was interesting but not mired in detail.  I now want to read more by this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5MO4QQEEI27M?ASIN=0316055441	Bestseller List Hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wish I had read the reviews before I started and finished reading this book. It took everything I had to get through. Talk about overblown, flowery prose. The premise is good and tries to be redeeming but 771 pages is about 200 pages too long for this story. There was too much introspection and the character of Theo never really makes you cheer for him. Feel sorry, yes.<br/>I would not recommend this even though I had high hopes after it's time on the Bestseller List.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O8YUA1LBDOR6?ASIN=0316055441	Character is plot and plot is character - thus this ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Character is plot and plot is character - thus this sprawling novel keeps us closely tuned in to the story of its protagonist and the well wrought characters that inhabit his life. I stayed through to the end - no regrets. There was something missing. I didn't know what it was until I saw the actual painting: this little work is just not inspiring enough, important enough to be the engine of an otherwise superb narrative.....regarding the painting - I just don't see it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MXP59JUIBJL3?ASIN=0316055441	life is art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You have no choice but to hang on for the ride with Theo Decker  and his cohort Boris. A novel that speaks to the reader on many levels: the journey of boyhood to manhood, unrequited love, the fascinating world of art and the discovery of who we are in our darkest moments. At times a bit overwritten, yet you still appreciate the eloquence of the words and the images that the words evoke. Not a book for the faced-paced reader. One must take their time with The Goldfinch.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VGYQBHWFJUIS?ASIN=0316055441	Read this.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the scope of this novel to be amazing; it was everything I could have hoped for in a Pulitzer winner. All the elements of ""good"" literature are present, including the sly (and not so sly) allusions to Dickens, Dostoevsky, and others; even so, the author does not forget to relate an interesting story about engaging characters. I really can't praise it highly enough. I will wait the self-imposed obligatory six months before I read it again in its entirety.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXI46F3Q32RMD?ASIN=0316055441	so not only is it a good read, it is educational	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't finished this book yet, but I am so enjoying it! The writing is well done.  The random things she brings up regarding grieving are remarkable, as I have experienced them, but would never have thought to mention them! Also, this book has gotten me to look at art differently, and I have googled more information on the actual painting and artist, so not only is it a good read, it is educational!  I hope the rest of the book is as good as what I have read so far!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1733LKYMWSC7O?ASIN=0316055441	outstanding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books that I have ever had the pleasure of reading. The prose was gorgeous. The characters were wonderful, especially Theo, Boris, Hobie. Pippa was very endearing and Theo's thoughts about their date together were so poignant.<br/><br/>The feelings that Theo had for his mother were beautiful and bittersweet.<br/><br/>I did not want the book to end, in spite of the fact that it was over 700 pages long. Boris turned out to be a good friend, after all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY9FPCEB33SYS?ASIN=0316055441	kept my interest and the ending was like how real life woud be if it would be ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was long, but worth the read. It got an ok start, then seemed to lose some pace, but then when he gets to New York again, it got back on track, kept my interest and the ending was like how real life woud be if it would be true. So, if you want to read this book and don't know if it'll be worth the time, well, I did and I don't have regrets. It was a good book and I recomend it to people. (Also it got picked for a movie , so read it before it gets on the big screen).</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YXSJ418MU3VY?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book, though the last 50 pages got a bit tedious.  The writing is superb.  The character of Theo Decker is a modern day Holden Caulfield, if Salinger's character had been offered 21st century drugs.  And speaking of drugs, Tartt's depiction of Theo's mind on drugs and in the pursuit of drugs was spot on.  Theo is cynical and endearing and doomed by his personal circumstances.  This is a brilliant work of fiction, even if a bit long and rambling at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NOV3TT8RV13?ASIN=0316055441	Spectacular American Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books, fiction or nonfiction, that I've read in years. It's a novel about art, death, parents, drugs, friendship and, above all, loss. It's also about America, from it's toniest Manhattan streets to desolate post-bubble exurban Nevada. I couldn't put it down: in addition to being all of those things, it's also a great mystery and thriller (as all of Tartt's novels are) that will make your palms sweat and keep you up at night. Highly recommended.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11O6BILVJHE5?ASIN=0316055441	Unlikeable characters, and way too detailed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I usually give a novel time, 50 pages or so, to hook me, but this one never did. There was so much hype in the press about it that I gave it an extra few pages, but still no go. I found little to like about the main character or his mother. The descriptions were mind-numbingly detailed, and while that is usually a good thing, in this case it felt manipulative. So I shut the book. Perhaps I should have stuck it out another 50 pages, but I just didn't have the patience.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NCOXUFE90GU0?ASIN=0316055441	Not for lazy and bored people!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrific story that covers all human emotions! Well done as though the author was among these type of people herself. If she really spent 10years on this book it really shows. If you have not had any great loss in your life or experienced great fear..you won't relate to this novel. I didn't want it to end. If you want an easy read like so many who wrote poor reviews of this book..then get yourself one of those 150page romances! I'd give this a 50 star rate if I could.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VAY3TPCHZGAD?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth the time invested!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is 771 pages.  Although the writer is very talented, it often comes off as wordy without clear purpose.  There were many times (especially the last quarter of the book) that I would skim paragraphs trying to find some interesting details regarding the characters and the plot line.  The character relationships are not built up enough and the ending leaves you feeling like you've wasted all the time you invested in the story.  I would not recommend this story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27A282QBM3ROY?ASIN=0316055441	best seller	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read,must give it a chance then won't want to put it down.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYA88W9OXHDWL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read in years! Years I say! Like 20!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37S3OULKZOGDJ?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't often read a book wherein I begin not to like the lead character. I think this is a great feat of writing - this is an incredible insightful emotional journey recorded through the eyes of a human being - not always perfect, not always right. I read and listened to this one as it's on audible. Bought it there because I didn't want to stop reading on my commute to work. It's that good.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSYODNAKS4PZD?ASIN=0316055441	Gorgeous writing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excruciating detail in this novel. I adore finely-written passages and this is a treasure trove, to be sure. However, halfway through the book, I found myself skimming through many of the long paragraphs that were wearyingly detailed.  At three quarters of the way through, I just stared pushing toward the end--too good a story not to learn the ending. Wonderful character development and some surprises in the plot. I feel as if I know Theo as well as he knows himself.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CZSCR1S0KT6R?ASIN=0316055441	Nice story and vivid characters, but way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Nice read, nice story, nice language, very vivid characters (Boris is sooooo cute and true) and sometimes too detailed words. A bit way to long. Many details can be trimmed. I lost my patience in the final 100 pages or so.<br/><br/>The greatness of the painting is the core of the whole book, the key of many characters. However it is somewhat sad for me that I myself am not so moved by the painting, even there are paragraphs of explanations/descriptions in the book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PKF7VDJY6C6G?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful language and imagery	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful language and imagery.  Donna Tartt is a masterful storyteller - it was one of our best book club selections.  The only criticism among our group (including myself) was that it was too long.  We all felt that some sections could have been shortened, such as the illness of the protagonist in the Netherlands and parts of the chapters about Las Vegas.<br/><br/>All in all, though, it was an excellent read and I'm looking forward to reading Tartt's other works.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34H2LOOBITV12?ASIN=0316055441	Not So Shaggy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am the only person I know who has read this book all the way through who hates it so much.  In fact, I have suggested several times that considering its length, weight and color, it should be called ""The Albatross"".<br/><br/>Perhaps I was put off by an early over-exposure to ""The Catcher In the Rye"", but the hero of this tome is no Holden Caulfield , and is allowed to carry on way too long.<br/><br/>The most overrated shaggy dog story ever told.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FT30VW6PGOES?ASIN=0316055441	We have to	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book kept me hooked from the very beginning to the end, and all of the sorrow, sadness, self-destruction, deception etc. made the air thin while reading the book. I've been very touched by the story, and the profound sadness yet beauty of lives featured I the book. I share the author's philosophy: life is short and no one can beat Death. Yet, in the process of dying, we could keep an open heart and eye to love things that are not touched by Death, and we have to.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BGXXS8YHFQXH?ASIN=0316055441	Way more Drawn Out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't really say I liked this book.  More like I was ""deer caught in my headlights."" While some parts, especially the very end where written incredibly well, I wanted the majority of the book to be more concise.  Thus at times I just wanted to toss the book across the room due to the very verbose nature of the writing.<br/>I can't say I'm a fan but you may enjoy reading 300 pages more than needed. It was truly a uncomfortable experience getting through this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JFZ63F44QUX7?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this book because it won a Pulitzer Prize and was on the best seller list but can't understand why it is so popular. I'm certainly perplexed as to how it rated a  Pulitzer.  While the story is ok, the writing is disjointed---reading like a screen play with far too much detail in parts, and like an essay at other times making it tedious and difficult to finish.  I did persevere to the end (which was far too drawn out,) but it wasn't really worth the effort.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J8WJ2B8YJHLV?ASIN=0316055441	A Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not the type of fiction I normally enjoy...however I'm very happy I stuck with this novel to the end.  The writing style is fascinating, filled with long descriptions and detailed narrative.  I really admire Ms Tartt's ability to make this fiction so real.  I'd definitely recommend this book to any reader, with the understanding that one must be willing to dedicate a significant amount of time to it.  Those 771 pages demand time and patience, but are well worth it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EMWGXHDBOHXA?ASIN=0316055441	Total time suck...and not worth the effort unless it's required reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book is fraught with material for papers and book club discussions.  From motherless characters (count ‘em) to a painting that’s associated with disaster (death of the original artist in an explosion; terrorist attack on the museum; fiery death in a car crash of the main character’s father).  Heaped with this sort of thing.  That said, all I felt was relief when I finished this book that I had finally slogged my way through it.  Kind of like watching a train wreck.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HQFR1I1BB20F?ASIN=0316055441	Not my cup of tea	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I expected a lot more from Donna Tart, but this book to me was just plain depressing. If you were suicidal this book would push you over the edge.<br/>I won't go into detail about the plot since others have done it better than I could, but I found it difficult to warm up to the characters, it seemed to me the characters created their own misery and loved to wallow in it. Too long as well.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19F4EWT4TIAG8?ASIN=0316055441	Liked this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Liked this book, but did not love it. The majority of it was amazing, the language beautiful, the characters arresting. There were stretches, though, particularly towards the end, where it could have been tighter. Dialogue sometimes seemed unnecessarily rambling, and descriptions of drug induced illness grew tiresome. I wasn't thrilled with how it ended, and felt like the philosophy in those final pages was overstated, tacked on. Still, great book, glad I read it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R7RZ19SUZWML?ASIN=0316055441	Mouth-wateringly yummy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book captivated me from the first page.<br/>It has something for people of all ages: teenager angst, adult responsibility (and irresponsibility), and elder's wisdom.<br/>Beautiful writing, mystery, romance, and it moves many years thru time and location (NYC, CA, Europe).<br/>This, I think, is Donna Tartt's best book. I haven't even much liked a couple of her others and was, therefore, at first reluctant to take on this tome. But I did, and I'm glad of it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V31X5FD5F3Z8?ASIN=0316055441	Long, but worth it in the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms Tartt has written an amazing book that I found myself engrossed in and many times angry at her.  The book is long and much of the writing is much too long, ie situations are belabored. At times you definitely wonder when will we ever get to where's the goldfinch.  In the last 8-10% of the book the reader has the ahah moment. Ms Tartt is not only a great writer. She is a psychiatrist, philosopher, art critic, humanist etc. What a wonderful way with the language!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N9DK4FVTU3JP?ASIN=0316055441	Such a great book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Set in a bleak situation, the main character,Theo, grips you from the start. Highly sensitive and tortured with ""what if' s"" he struggles to come to terms with the randomness of his mother's death and the disconnected adults in his life. I loved reading this book and luxuriating in the richness of the language. The characters were so engrossing and I couldn't put the book down. There is a real substance to this book and I will be recommending it to all my friends.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ5SNMNGS6CYT?ASIN=0316055441	It's long--and I usually like that--but I can't get into it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm just not feeling this story yet. It's well-written , and I'm over halfway through, but it feels like an oprah book at times. Can one more bad thing possibly happen to this character? Several of my friends raved about the book, but I'm just not connecting with it yet. There are some striking scenes, and I've sometimes stopped to take note of the way a particular paragraph is written. But aside of Hobie, I'm just not feeling too connected to anyone in the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L1G7MJ3FDG46?ASIN=0316055441	It is fun, easy reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the goldfinch is a really well written book that is extremely long which  should have been edited.  The book basically has 3 stories.  They centered around a painting aquired by a boy when the section of the met he and his mother were in was blown up. The stories cover thow he deals with having this painting as he grows up.  It is fun, easy reading.  I really did like the book except for the ending.  The author went off on a tangent.  It leaves the reader hanging.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UZQPOYZAQPAH?ASIN=0316055441	An exquisitely written book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an exquisitely written book, filled with beautiful images and turns of phrase. There are long passages that do require some effort to endure (the endless Las Vegas section could be a considerably more brief), and, at times, I longed for the appearance of a sympathetic character to brighten a chapter. But ""The Great Gatsby,"" which has NO sympathetic characters, is an acknowledged classic, and ""The Goldfinch"" should achieve that same status.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXQ68V0M2BQ22?ASIN=0316055441	GREAT NOVEL	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I lost my mother suddenly and Theo put into words what  I've felt for many years and could not express! The temptation to lose myself in drugs and/or alcohol was always present- the hero of this story succumbed and his life spun out of control! I disliked the morbid outlook on life in the closing chapters! After all, as short as life is, isn't it what you make of it? You can control the outcome of most situations! WHY DIDNT HE JUST LET GO OF THE DARN PAINTING!!??</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J5OWFM9P74LR?ASIN=0316055441	The author used great words and descriptions and analogies	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters were right there in the room with me! I could feel their energy, mood and demeanor.  There were twists and turns in the story which were surprising, yet in retrospect, predictable based on what the author had shared with me via his characters. The author used great words and descriptions and analogies, making the reading a visual experience , with the movie running in my head. The writing, in all ways was definitely worthy of the esteemed Pulitzer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HT95IXP6PWFB?ASIN=0316055441	!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cannot bring myself to finish this book...I've been forcing myself to read it through for sometime now...truly, I cannot endure the suffering anymore...The book starts on a doubtful note...still I believed in all the rave reviews....it had an interesting phase and then it's just spirals downwards...I cannot tell you precisely where I lost interest...but I did.  If you do buy it, I hope that it is along the lines of your expectations and you enjoy it.  Good luck</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38KPSO3L44ILP?ASIN=0316055441	Over-RATED	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow.  WOW.  What a self indulgent, over blown piece of mediocrity. I found nothing about it surprising, inspiring or subtle. I only found a smug author beating me, the reader, over the head relentlessly with long, drawn out, obvious characters and plot lines that would have been much better if it had been mercifully 400 pages shorter.  Can't wait to start something and rid my mind of it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WR9H90AC1T9D?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ugg! This is a tough one to review, it started very slow. It took me a month to get through about the first 5 chapters. But then this book takes off I read like a crazy lady till 3-4 in the morning. But then towards the end very slow again, I struggled to finish. Their was literally no happiness in this book, never even just a silver lining. I almost feel sad and let down, you grow to love Theo almost as your own orphan, you just wanted more for him in the end:(</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KQ4KC2X8VFSD?ASIN=0316055441	a great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was completely surprised by this book. Every time I thought I knew where it was headed it changed direction.  It's the story of a boy and his life and of one event that changes everything for him. I felt for the boy, Theo. Even when he was making mistakes and doing the wrong thing, you couldn't help but pull for him. I couldn't put this book down. I had to know what happened and what was going to become of Theo. a great read!! A book I could easily read again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KA9TF62MKCAN?ASIN=0316055441	Meh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Meh. As many stated, Not My Cup of Tea. Over the top descriptions of drug use and alcohol abuse by teens was off putting to me. If Oliver Twist was a self absorbed druggie, it wouldn't be appealing either. The writer has a lot of fun writing the ""anti-Harry Potter"" story of a teen falling into depression after a loss and bobbing on the currents of life. The art appreciation is the Maguffin. I did stay with it to the end, though. i feel I deserve a medal.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAZBD4744SITV?ASIN=0316055441	"So disappointed in this ""must read"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So disappointed in this ""must read"". I started out loving the dialogue. But after a while I was saying ""just shut up already"". Between Boris and theo I don't know who had diarrhea of the mouth more. It was just too much musing and at times too mundane.  And the ending? How do you let all the major plots of the book (the painting, kitsey and pippa) just hang there? Put us out of our misery with some conclusions or finale after all that verbosity!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REQW7SQJL3SNL?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've ever read. A modern masterpiece. The borders between life and death, love and obsession, tragedy and triumph, pain and joy are probed with such sensitive insight that the reader is brush stroked into the story to converse openly with the gorgeously rendered, tragically flawed characters whose multi-layered psychologies provide the color and splendor for the whole stunning portrait of the human condition. A faultless story. I'm in awe.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R273UX0FW7FAEN?ASIN=0316055441	Don't be fooled by the opening	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch started strong. I loved the opening story with a character looking back on a childhood catastrophe. Therein lies my biggest problem with the book. That opening promises a frame that the ending never delivered. I read an e-version and was surprised and disappointed when the ending suddenly occurred. A reader with a soft spot for difficult boyhoods might love it despite it's lack of closure, but for a reader tied to character, it was disappointing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UX1ONTZCFCW9?ASIN=0316055441	Very wordy!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line kept my interest and the amount of work it must have taken to complete this book is the reason I gave it five stars. BUT - the lengthy, wordy paragraphs used throughout the book didn't seem to fit. It seemed like the author kept going off on a tangent. The story spins itself into different scenarios but the focus always stays on the main character. It was definitely interesting and colorful - just too wordy. Speed reading came in handy at times!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB2DM382QRDV1?ASIN=0316055441	Just cut a few and it will be perfect. Mozart	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While reading The Goldfinch I was reminded more than once of the movie Amadeus.<br/><br/>In one scene there was the following conversation:<br/><br/>Emperor Joseph II: My dear young man, don't take it too hard. Your work is ingenious. It's quality work. And there are simply too many notes, that's all. Just cut a few and it will be perfect.<br/><br/>Mozart: Which few did you have in mind, Majesty?<br/><br/>Donna Tartt's novel made me think of that scene. But I loved it nevertheless.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VK0C0FBGYJK4?ASIN=0316055441	this book is for adults.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing, original and unique. I was hooked from the beginning and so sad that it is over. This novel moved me and made me feel so much for the charaters and humanity as a whole. The subject matter could be intense, however, Tartt really has her finger on the pulse of modern pop culture. Reading this novel felt like visiting a foreign country I have heard about on the news but did not really know exsisted. Her characters will stay with me for quite some time...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG5QLT16R8R1U?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't know what everyone is talking about! This is a best seller?! Yes, there were times I was intrigued to see what would happen...yes, there were moments I felt for the characters...but this book goes on and on without moving the plot along. Overall, there were more moments that I was bored. Plus, I thought the synopsis says we enter the world of the art underworld? That's only for like 40 pages. The rest of the time we hear the thoughts of a troubled boy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13SGA5IV2A57L?ASIN=0316055441	So Much Hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I should have known that with all the hype comes a book that leaves me unimpressed.<br/><br/>Don't get me wrong it's a well written book wish a decent story. Unfortunately for me, it was a book I could stand to put down and didn't rush to read thru.<br/><br/>It wasn't as captivating as other books I've read. This is a one time read book for me. That says a lot.... there are treasures that I love to re-read over and again. This book didn't resonate with me</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FNO9UBZ9GT36?ASIN=0316055441	The writing was brilliant, the research meticulous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing was brilliant, the research meticulous.  Reading about such pervasive drug and alcohol use, however, was highly disturbing to me.  If the writer's intent was to touch me emotionally/physically in the same way well-executed art affects a person, she succeeded.  I just didn't like the feeling.  I struggled with the rating because the book really deserves five stars, but I can't keep my own feelings out of the equation.  Be prepared for a bumpy ride.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DSH0T2MWKKUH?ASIN=0316055441	Dickens and Mark Twain....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">...and a lot of Donna Tartt who not only is a great storyteller but knows how to create suspense make a wonderful read. A melancholic story  about the turbulent life of a tormented boy that reminded me of Dickens, a funny story about the tight friendship of two haunted boys that reminded me of Twain - it was the kind of book that, after it's over, makes you sad because you have to say goodbye to  two people who had become such an important part of your life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M0PXG89CV89K?ASIN=0316055441	This novel IS the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Simply put, this book has all of the characteristics of the beloved painting.  A depth of character (Theo) that is painted so clearly for us to see and feel.  Every detail of his person is revealed so well that the reader becomes truly connected, engaged, and engrossed.  Each new scene comes to life through Theo's eyes and mind. In the end we are left to ponder what our life is really about.<br/><br/>The writing here is absolutely superb. A true must read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HVKV00L4DU0B?ASIN=0316055441	Great story line - horrible presentation	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story line - horrible presentation.  When paragraphs are pages long, you lose the message.  This would have been a great book had it been condensed to a degree that the scene presentation were not so engrossing and dominant that the story was lost.  I had to force myself to plow through all the superfluous and detailed descriptions of every scene and thought.  The story line was captivating.  But that was about it.  A Pulitzer prize winner? Lost on me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OYV5Q3NHULLG?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed the book once I got into it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book once I got into it. In the beginning, Donna goes off on so many tangents and tangents of tangents that I got extremely irritated and almost gave up. Not one of the tangents had anything to add to the story - unnecessary ramblings. The story line didn't flow. After about 30%, on Kindle, the ramblings were not as frequent and it became an interesting read. So either persist or don't bother. There are better books out there to get stuck into.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R93ZCW3ALSMD1?ASIN=0316055441	The final chapter's reflections were awesome. I so appreciate that she did not feel ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The length was a bit daunting, I admit.  But as soon as I started reading it captured me.  I found it engaging from beginning to end.  The characters were well developed.  She had the Slavic thing down pat.  And the anxiety and psyche of the young boys was amazingly well done.  The final chapter's reflections were awesome.  I so appreciate that she did not feel compelled to wrap it all up in a nice package with a bow.  Life is not like that and she knows it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R9AYSNOB2OYH?ASIN=0316055441	Big, sprawling novel that is extremely well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a great novel, a rare find that is so well written- I admit I'm a snob when it comes to writing. It reminded me of Saul Bellow's first novel, ""The Adventures of Augie March,"" a big, character-driven coming of age story.<br/><br/>We read this for our book club and I couldn't put it down. Some people were turned off by certain parts- stick with it, the author ties it together in the end with a special tip of the hat to art lovers everywhere.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MZ9DVNP242K0?ASIN=0316055441	I blame the editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna has far too many side stories and details interrupting what is otherwise a perfectly good tale. I blame her editor for not stepping in and cutting the fat.  Authors love words and not too many love them than Donna.  I can cut about 300 pages from this book with little effort to make it crisp and engaging.<br/><br/>Frustrating for a reader who enjoys book that stay on point.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L1SFG4DFIKHR?ASIN=0316055441	reader's Review of the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed, and even cherished this book.  Ms. Tartt's writing flowed beautifully and seamlessly from one sentence to the next, putting the reader in the same space as the protagonist, and facing the same dilemmas, as well.  Ms. Tartt displayed a keen understanding of psychological constructs as was evident throughout her novel.  This novel is one of the most well-written to be published that I've ever read, and I cannot praise it enough.  Bravo!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21SCEMD6ESCP3?ASIN=0316055441	Deep and thought provoking as well as a good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch touched some deep, thought provoking cords. At times it was difficult to follow the train of thought but at the same time put unconscious thought into words showing how we travel through our life experiences in our mind and our actions are the result, although not adequate enough. Goldfinch will make you think and relate to the struggles the characters endured on different levels. It is worth at least one read, but I plan on reading it again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K5Y03U1K534A?ASIN=0316055441	I really liked the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked the story, but struggled to get through the amount of words it took to tell the story.  I liked the characters but wondered when Theo would clean up as he had so much going for him in spite of his childhood.  I even liked Boris but I scanned through pages and pages of unnecessary description and the stories within the stories were so tedious that I am not sure I would have finished it if I had not been reading it for  a book club discussion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11I1KI547R7WF?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book - Too Wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book very interesting however, it could have been told on vastly fewer pages.  Donna Tartt sometimes put me to sleep and almost had me moving on to some other reading.  But then, suddenly she again caught my attention and I was motivated to finish this interesting story.  I was intrigued by all of the information regarding the famous artworks and the material was presented in a comprehensive fashion.  I do hope that the film is more condensed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FCKGZLZAFL0P?ASIN=0316055441	This is the first book from Tartt that I've read ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the first book from Tartt that I've read. Having gotten through it, I'm a convert. Tartt has a deft hand at creating characters, scenes and emotions. That being said, it did feel that the book could have benefited from more ruthless editing. There was less plot and resolution than requires that kind of bulk.<br/>Overall a rewarding read and I'm excited to read an earlier book from her, The Secret History, which my friends promise is a richer plot.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BC3H6S8M209C?ASIN=0316055441	Not the Secret History, but that's okay	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Secret History is one of my favorite books of all-time, partially because I identified strongly with the characters.  The Goldfinch is an entirely different beast (and at 750+ pages, a longer beast too).<br/><br/>I found that this dragged in the middle in occasions; I never thought about giving up, but certain areas I found myself having to force myself to get back to it.  Once I made it through those areas though, I got back into parts that I loved.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N7NWXERKS7WA?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms Tartt has written a fascinating study into the lives of a generation three times removed from mine! The characters are clearly defined and one immediately feels the urge to protect and help her protagonist, Theo. For those of us with a limited knowledge of the world of antiquities and art, this insight is informative while entertaining. The societal cultures are clearly delineated and one wants to learn more as the story unfolds.  I highly recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3858TTD2G7G7L?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer...Really?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am greatly disappointed in this book. the story itself is bleak and dark and really just disappointing. I wish I could say there was something special about the prose, but I can't. the one redeeming point to reading the book is learning about the goldfinch painting. I would not recommend reading unless you want to say at the end, ""that's x hours I can never get back in my life.""</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31TAEWNZUW7XF?ASIN=0316055441	The words and images are as brilliant and flawed as the story and its outcome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've never won a PP and never will so with all due respects this writer has no clue about daily drug/alcohol use and its devastation.  Theo simply couldn't have survived doing the quantities and  combinations of chemicals described let alone functioned in any semblance of order. It's fiction pure and simplistic that demands of the the reader to leave his or her brains behind. The  words and images  are as brilliant and flawed as the story and its outcome.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PQPP0DNHYYWG?ASIN=0316055441	The character development is excellent, they became very real and three dimensional for ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I spent the time I was reading this book waiting for my free hours to dive back in. The character development is excellent, they became very real and three dimensional for me. The themes touched on are universal. There is a lot of tragedy and disp ointment in this story yet also within the tragedy celebration of life as it is ... Not in a superficial way.... I recommend it if you are up for a story with loss and tragedy and humanity as well as deep love.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RFU34A1HAIUR?ASIN=0316055441	A stunning piece of writing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one extremely fine piece of writing. The writing itself stands on its own. It is a dark, winding story told in a stunning pattern of words. Characters that are crystal clear. I would highly recommend this book to reading snobs. If you appreciate the talent it takes to write a gripping story that is visceral then this read is for you. Even as the story takes us places we may not want to go, we keep reading because we are hooked.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KCVNIJCSLUB0?ASIN=0316055441	A bit of a commitment and not a light summer read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had to read this book for my book club otherwise I wouldn't tackle this book - it's 775 pages and it's summer for Pete's sake! Also its a Pulitzer Prize winner which together doesn't make a beach read.  Tartt is a gifted writer, her prose beautiful and the characters are well developed.  I do think the editor could have chopped about 300 pages at no loss to the reader.  I finished - yay me.  My recommendation is to save this book for the cooler months.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNU0WG3PVXJW?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't Slog to the End	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I gave up after 444 pages of trying to figure out how this book could win the Pulitzer Prize in Literature.  The writing was hardly compelling let alone beautiful.  Awkward in points and repetitive in word choice in went on about twice as long at a minimum as it needed to.  It doesn't hold a candle to the 2015 Pulitzer Literature Prize winner, All The Light We Cannot See.  I think I'll pick up copies of the runners up to see who should have won in 2014.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAE9AT6WX4W07?ASIN=0316055441	A Wonderful Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first half of this book was my favorite. I loved the boys as children but what's more, it made me very emotional. My emotions were so strong in the first half from a maternal standpoint. I wanted to mother both of them. And Boris, how much did I love this character? Even more so when he comes back at the end. I expected him to become more of a bad influence, but ... you just have to read it. I loved Hobie. He is the Atticus Finch of this generation.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R93TSHR72XVEM?ASIN=0316055441	Family, art, devastation, self-destruction, including-spoken love.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had chosen this book based on ratings given by other readers. At times I was intrigued and captured by the circumstances that developed and one tragedy followed the next. However, I also found sections that were too slow, sections that added little value to the story and I found myself skipping over paragraphs!!!!! The end of the book was no more than commentaries and analogies and left many open-ended questions regarding key characters in the book :(</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE8CMCZUZTVM3?ASIN=0316055441	It was OK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story line was good but too much deep thinking of the main character.  I found myself skipping through the parts where the author was going on and on about life and death philosophies.  The ending was a big disappointment but I kind of figured it would be as many of these types of stories end on a note similar to this one.  The ending leaves you wondering about what happened with all the characters in his life.  I read it because it was a 'best seller'.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PCPGOPVZZ3AF?ASIN=0316055441	but I found it annoying. If the plot read more like a detective ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot was interesting enough to keep my attention, but it often got lost amid the author's attempt to over-describe and over-explain every single detail in the story. It seemed as though Tartt was seeking to achieve a somewhat mystical effect with this literary technique, but I found it annoying.  If the plot read more like a detective novel, I would have enjoyed this book much more.  But, I'm sure that is exactly what the author was trying to avoid.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35V06VC4FNAHW?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">We’ve waited ages for this and Donna Tartt has once again written a literary tour-de-force.<br/><br/>As we expect, she presents the same quality of the writing as her previous novels. The plot is excellent, involved, and unique.<br/><br/>The story is of Theo Decker and his descent into despair.<br/><br/>The book demands your attention and holds it as well.<br/><br/>It’s a gorgeous work of literary art that deserves all the praise heaped upon it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20XDQERIWNOLK?ASIN=0316055441	Grat for Art Lovers and others.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an amazing book and I was thinking of it as a gift for my now 14-year-old neighbor boy, but the sex scenes were a bit graphic for a kid that age so I demurred.  I am wishing for appropriate books that will  hold the attention of a very bright 14 year old and an 11 year old boy -- I give these kids books in lieu of other ""stuff"" since they have everything a kid could want electronic-wise or otherwise and I like to encourage them to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PQEM2QTQDWVZ?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Waste of time. Take it from a complete stranger, don't do it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT048Y6Y75Z4K?ASIN=0316055441	OMG! What a waste of a Pulitzer!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Idiotic incomprehensible don't waste your time or your money.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RYDX43U6K2AO?ASIN=0316055441	Not what I expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story dragged at times getting bogged down in too much detail</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BNMS25KVQL53?ASIN=0316055441	Boring.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it dragged badly at various times.  Boring.  Parish</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B42KMTHKPTH?ASIN=0316055441	Too many words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Far to wordy. Eight hundred pages could have easily been 200.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OLRSXFDY3Z0J?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the book until the final chapter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book until the final chapter; it was like the author forgot what she was writing and wrote with a new voice as she tried to sum things up...yet failed to do so in a meaningful manner. I wonder if her editor completed reading her book; this should have been caught before the book was distributed. Yes, I realize my voice means little since the book won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. To be clear, it was a five-star read until that last chapter.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DZMTXDQX60S8?ASIN=0316055441	Not a picker-upper!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to read a Pulitzer Prize book and this one piqued my interest. However, if length of time to read this book is any indication of its prize-winning appeal, I would give it an F. It was extremely tedious and I wanted to give it up. I like to finish books no matter how long they are and I did with this one.  With some books I have a hard time putting them down and with this one I had a hard time picking it up! Sorry-- it wasn't worth the effort.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YVHOMN7UXTKX?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch....There is a reason it won a Pulitzer Prize!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have not read this book yet. I gave it to my girlfriend as a Christmas gift. She is an avid reader, but she told me she had never heard of Donna Tartt. I told her that I had seen Ms. Tartt on two different talk show / interviews and that I found her most intelligent and interesting. So far, my gal friend says that the book is enthralling and she can hardly put it down as she wants to see what will happen next. Now, I can hardly wait to read it too!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GXOJPHYS79YR?ASIN=0316055441	Long and detailed but a truly excellent and engrossing read, and a wonderful story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful book, very well written and very descriptive. Well worth the awards it has received.  I thought the opening part was perhaps overly detailed and that took me a while to get into the book.  It is very long, but once into it, I didn't want it to end!  The only slight criticism I would have is that the ending tends to moralise and dwell on the Meaning of Life a bit, whereas I think we could all well come to the similar conclusions on our own.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VNWEK4BDL9F?ASIN=0316055441	A Beautiful Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The only novel I wanted to start rereading immediately upon finishing it! This is a beautifully crafted novel as well as a big old literary book. It's not a perfect novel; the plot moves a bit slow at times. Yet I was totally captivated by this bildungsroman centered on the life of 13-year-old Theo Decker who loses his mother and gains a famous painting in one terrible afternoon. Both events define and shape Theo in surprising and heartbreaking ways.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WK0F7T8OY7KJ?ASIN=0316055441	Only if you like Schopenhauer....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">All stories must have a crisis but this one never gets out of crisis until the very end and the summary for me was directly out of a Schopenhauer book saying life sucks and then you die. The book was written extremely well...so much so that I experienced illness along with the main character. .. but it was relentless.  If you like dark and stormy, tormented characters. ...This might be a good read for you.  I'm glad I finished it but glad it is over.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z2J97Y0Q0BRG?ASIN=0316055441	Just not an interesting story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think some books just get high ratings because the writing is intricate? I don't know... I found the whole thing tiring. I like stuff, inclusive, reasonable, and simple but still smart and actually interesting (e.g. Rowling, RRMartin). This just didn't capture my attention.<br/><br/>Try the preview. I made it about 5 chapters before I just gave up. If you like the first two chapters, you'll probably like the story. Sadly, I just couldn't connect.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTV99PMSUSDLZ?ASIN=0316055441	This is an excellent source for a reading groups or for coming of ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was rich and meaningful, but there were times where the detail seemed to bog down the story line.  The mid-section of the book especially didn't keep my interest as well. This is an excellent source for a reading groups or for coming of age discussions.  There is so much about relationships, though I didn't feel I could ever 'picture' Potter!  I felt a closer connection to Boris in many ways. A good read that provides a deep and rich story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KJIO7LQKF8NJ?ASIN=0316055441	overly detailed but great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you do not have an interest in art  or antiques or design you will probably  not read very long after the initial chapters. And toward the end I found my self skipping pages.  And  me a fan of Antiques Roadshow!<br/>The story is so well constructed full of plot twists and a great set of well drawn if unfortunate characters that if you can get through all the details you will love it!  And perhaps some of that is designed to set up plot surprises.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JO6E2NBH2H8W?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a dark comedic novel with heavy tragedy and romance, but what makes it great to read is primarily the author's style of writing. Her level of detail is hard to describe, yet she manages to make even ordinary things very interesting.<br/><br/>In other reviews, I've seen people criticize it for being to young adult, but I have to disagree.  If it was geared toward young adults, it did not take away the overall enjoyment I had of it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BN8CM08ZIPRZ?ASIN=0316055441	Will need patience to read this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is well written with an interesting premise but is too long. It could have be a third shorter and still have been effective. Normally I like a good long book, but the story kept going off on tangents, which was not bad in the beginning since you assume the author is setting the stage for later developments, but was annoying towards the end when the story was coming to a head. If you decide to read this book, you will need to have patience.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EN01XSW8IECT?ASIN=0316055441	The author has your attention from the first page to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author has your attention from the first page to the last. She has the ""gift"" of being able to make you feel you actually are sharing the experience with the characters in the book. Not all authors know how to get their readers involved with the characters they are writing about. Donna does leave me wanting to know what happens to each character in her novel after ""The Goldfinch"", but she may feel it is a complete story as it is.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q4E2IAKCH55Z?ASIN=0316055441	Well written but wayyyy too long and detailed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author is a wonderful writer - that is indesputable. But OMG it took me forever to get through this book because there is more detail about every darn second in this guy's life than any reader would need for a lifetime. The plot is interesting, the characters are rich but again, unless you have so much free time in your life, there are better books out there that you will WANT to pick up not just to prove that you can get through all the pages!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I2M0DB17MU6J?ASIN=0316055441	it's good fabrication.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know it won the Pulitzer Prize, and I am halfway through it.  It is very intriguing and I am anxious to find out what happens.  My only criticism is very obvious (to me)  No 13 year old boy notices the things that Theo notices;the placement of furniture, the texture of the upholstery, the probable feelings of other people.  If I assume it was supposed to have been written by an adult after the story was over....then....ok, it's good fabrication..</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JPP4F2P8A7W?ASIN=0316055441	funny, but mostly thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although a bit stretched at times... the Point of View of a teenager/young adult/adult going through plenty of experiences is, at times shocking, funny, but mostly thought provoking.  It is interesting how the adults in the kid's life influence his actions and affects his forward motion, eventually the climax of the book.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch reminded me somewhat of an extended version of The Catcher in the Rye, in its style of writing and POV.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y9V9IFOY980K?ASIN=0316055441	There were some good bits, but I kept wondering why it won ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If I could work out how to do half a star I would. There were some good bits, but I kept wondering why it won the Pulitzer. I didn't really enjoy it, overall, and feel that some editing could have improved it. I'm not really literary, but I do like my books, and read a lot. Usually, if I don't like a book, I stop reading - there are too many good ones out there - but I kept going with this one, hoping for a revelation. It didn't come. Sorry Donna..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AFTAFIORNA3U?ASIN=0316055441	Wrapped in Words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best work of fiction I have read in a very long time.  Her descriptive and evocative words wrap you into the story like a spider wraps its prey.  You cannot get out.  Unlike the spider's victim, I did not want to get out.  I wanted to finish it.  I was sorry when I finished it.  I would have stayed with her characters much longer.  I highly recommend it.  And I won't tell you another thing about it because it may diminish your experience.  READ IT.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FPH0XOHD0V0G?ASIN=0316055441	Well worth the long read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I vacillated between love and hate all the way through The Goldfinch. At times I wanted to scream with frustration over the wordiness and endless descriptions, at other times laugh with amazement over the amazing characters and unexpected circumstances. Is life guided or hapless? Good or bad? I think I'll read the last chapter again and again; pondering Boris's perspective, comparing it to Leo's. And mine. No wonder The Goldfinch won the Pulitzer!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SGVBZ8MV8VVG?ASIN=0316055441	I fell in love with this book in the final chapter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I struggled with this book in many ways. Boris was annoying and aggravating. Theo was good and bad yet lovable. I was rewarded for my persistence.The writing was superb. I didn't realize the total story until the last chapter and this is due to my inability to see the bigger picture, the story within the story. My advice, see the story within, seek to understand the importance of Art in connecting one generation with others. A book I won't forget.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KLSFMR7TJXGD?ASIN=0316055441	An interesting read but not so compelling that you can't ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting read but not so compelling that you can't put it down.  The story is a little too wordy in several sections but that seems to instill an empathy with the characters that sticks with the reader.  The result is you can set the book aside a few weeks and readily get back into the story when you're ready to continue.  The story is a bit ludicrous but it does lead the reader to think of many aspects of life many of us rarely would visit.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21BL9J00ZDOOH?ASIN=0316055441	Very Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Oh My, You have to be aware of the world to enjoy this book, in my mind. Perspective. Very strong feelings while reading this book. Cracks. How many people, kids,cracks. What happens when someone looks away. What a testament to the early upbringing and what it can impart. Knowing. That your reality, even standing beside someone else is not seen by them. Makes you wonder. I will probably read this again!  Yup, it's that kind of book. Well Played!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14QQ9RYQDV5EJ?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think this will go on my list of favorite books.  It is not an easy story to read....at times it is intense that I had to stop...and breathe, and then go back to it.  It breaks your heart and infuriates you,,,,,and,,,the ending is great...a great LONG ending.  I bought the book when it was first published...and was saving it ...I knew it would be satisfying to me,,,I loved knowing it was there, waiting for me.  It is a book that I will re read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z5G8O5P7Q7IN?ASIN=0316055441	wanting a good editor.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">agree with other reviewers that it is wanting a good editor.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30GLAROZ3NZMQ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful plot but way too many descritive passages to read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18OYZ4VTUCH5L?ASIN=0316055441	I got extremely bored reading about the drug use and experiences of the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very disappointing read.  It started out well and I was really interested.  As the novel progresses, I got extremely bored reading about the drug use and experiences of the main character--not interesting to me at all and far too much detail. One of the few books I have not finished.  Given all the critical acclaim for the book and the author's writing talent, I really was anticipating a most enjoyable reading experience--- didn 't happen!!!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WO29JRBDQSLK?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book! Extremely well written and compelling story. You lose yourself in the world of the characters. The main character is very well written, but the author really shines with her minor characters. All of them are well-fleshed out and compelling. The story is great, and while long, a fascinating read. It only loses steam in the last 20 pages or so, where the author chooses to wax philosophically through the lens of her main character.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YRWH0IJWM1EA?ASIN=0316055441	This novel fascinates just as her previous works have..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Another rivetting novel by Donna Tartt. In particular the first half of the novel is so well written, the characters keenly drawn and the plot set up. I did find the last half more difficult to absorb with so many short-term characters and twists and turns. At times I was reminded of Jay Gatsby - the central character never quite fits into his environment and drags flaws and tragedies through his life. Altogether another thought-provoking read .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQSP9AEX51C4F?ASIN=0316055441	Not sure it deserved a Pulitzer.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a really really long book for me, so I'm glad my book club picked it for an over the summer read.  I loved the beginning, but during most of the rest of the book I kept saying in my head ""just how stupid are you???"".  I was very surprized at the amount of drug use.  There are many charming characters (Hobie) and some terrible ones as well.  I'm glad I read it, but don't know if I'd tell someone to run right out a get it.  Sorry!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YUVA0B9M3CJ9?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this book down. It is very well written and draws the reader in immediately. Read the New York Times Review and you will see that I agree  with them. We have not had a book like this in a long time. My book club is doing this book next month ans I am very happy that I will be reading it another time. I rarely buy books since I believe in supporting in the public library system but I am glad that I bought this one. You should too.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L4KQO85OSFKO?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully Written, Pulls at Your Heart	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit lengthy at times, this novel is so beautifully written that you get an amazing sense of who Theo truly is. I often found myself rereading certain passages multiple times because of the song like eloquence. The ending was quite a surprise for me, considering most of the story is filled with self loathing and unfortunate events. I'm glad I was able to push through what at times felt like ramblings. I will read again and definitely recommend</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CZ039K50IV8Y?ASIN=0316055441	This was a really great story! A young boy and his mother have ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a really great story!  A young boy and his mother have this wonderful relationship and then his life changes when a bomb goes off in the museum.  How this child goes from a protected youngster, to a homeless one, just trying to survive is heart wrenching !  The characters in the story are believable and add depth to it. As he grows, and the choices he makes, the people he associates with, made me feel many emotions.  I loved this book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C4B91INGKIIT?ASIN=0316055441	Essential	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Have you ever loved--not really liked, but loooved--a painting, a piece of music, a hand-dyed scarf, a specific piece of furniture, not because of its material with but because it speaks to you do deeply?  Have you ever known another soul with whom you resonated so deeply, beyond words, whether or not you were from the same strata or the same worlds?  This, then, is a book you'll understand and remember and be so very glad is part of your life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29I3ES1MZS6IJ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch, a written work of art, a masterpiece.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The ""pull"" toward this book was 1) connection with a painting I have loved for many years, not realizing its important place in the hearts of people around the world 2) having the kindle short book ""appear"" just two days after receiving the fire as a gift, experiencing absolute wonder at the story of Fabritius and this precious bird and 3) learning about the Pulitzer prize. It did not disappoint, thanks to Donna Tartt's skill. Highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LQVA39NP0D57?ASIN=0316055441	Not my type.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, just not my type of novel. I guess I always want to love, or at least to like the main character, and I just didn't like him. Too self-centered, for example skipping out on his fiancée at her engagement party. On the positive side, the novel is very well-written and I was able to read the whole novel, so that's good. If I hate a book, I will quit reading it. Three stars is as high as I can go on this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34VU0QFN5OJ7L?ASIN=0316055441	Read it now	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A real page turner,because you can't wait to see what strange thing is coming next.  Reminds me of  a John Irving novel(which I love)<br/>I found excuses to read it,not just before bedtime.  It rambles a bit,but you can't  let it go.  So more than a beach read,great characters,funny, sad,hopeless and hopeful.  Really this book is a wild ride,having just a bit of something to do with the rare art it is based on.  You should read this book! NOW!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHXKFF4ZUF9FW?ASIN=0316055441	A Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fascinating story, in different settings (New York after 9/11, Texas during economic hard times and stylish Amsterdam) weaving the story of two young people shattered by divorce and death, who find comfort in contemplating a famous painting. The goldfinch, realistically depicted, symbolic of what what is most highly prized, whose penetrating gaze gives life and hope to those with special sight. It's a long story, never boring, a great read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R102FHFZGO7N5Q?ASIN=0316055441	If you like to think beyond the surface.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Many readers have slammed this work. It is demanding of the reader and I had my doubts with the drug involved years but the whole was complex, challenging, rewarding. It took me back to reread Great Expectations. Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn and other classics that look at growing up in trauma and parenting dysfunction. Also that central issue of our humanity:  what is there beyond this life?  What is worth our belief and commitment?  Why bother?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JPLPIOP67WI?ASIN=0316055441	So Boring it Made Me into a Nervous Wreck	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very boring. This book drags on and on and on. No one cares about these characters who never actually do anything. It is like Anna Karenina. Or like a soap opera. It just goes, and goes and goes and never reaches any answers.<br/><br/>If you like soap operas that just drag you through one meaningless situation to another, and that won't bore you, this book is for you. For me, it was so slow and pedantic that it made me into a nervous wreck.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13WJ5RF4SW63G?ASIN=0316055441	Long, but.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long.  Beautifully written descriptive passages that at first are ""like butter"" to the senses but are used so often that they become tiring.  A complex story with fully developed characters.  Our book club enjoyed the discussion about the characters and the believability of the plot.  Some extremes are a lot to swallow but it introduced most of us to ""drug talk"" and the Russian crime scene in ways that were heretofore unknown.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36UNXNUEGEN4A?ASIN=0316055441	conflicted relationship with this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am so conflicted.  There are parts of this book that were beautiful, engaging, and thought-provoking.  That is what kept me going. But at times it just dragged and I found myself skimming and skipping ahead. I think the book could have been half as long.  Overall, it is worth the read for the beautiful nuggets, but be prepared to speed read through the excessively long parts.  For me, the part of the story that took place in Europe was far-fetched and didn't mesh well with the rest of the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QHBC8BLZQPFY?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent job describing the feelings	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent job describing the feelings, the anquish and sense of loss, felt by Theo after the explosion and death of his mother. Some of his behavior after his father came and took him to Las Vegas, and when he returned to New York and the trip to Amsterdam, seemed hard to believe and became a bit tedious to read about.Overall, a good story, good plot, and interesting characters well portrayed.  It made me wish I could see the actual painting!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKVNFIO5QC10B?ASIN=0316055441	Don't waste your time on this one	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book piqued my interest at first.  Though it seemed a bit wordy, I was taken by the main character.  However about half way through the book it became a rambling, irritating bore.  I found myself disliking nearly all the characters and wishing for the end.  I held out reading it hoping for redemption at the end.  That was not the case.  My review...life is too short and there are so many books to read.  Don't waste your time on this one.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27BZYZNOGRRIB?ASIN=0316055441	Good book -- too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is an easy read.  The writing is beautiful, evocative and full.  The characters are fully fleshed out so that I would recognize them if I saw them walking towards me on a street.  The plot has wonderful twists and turns, some a little improbably but fun all the same.  My only objection is that it is too long.  I think Tartt could have accomplished the same thing in 400-500 pages.  That is the reason I did not give it five stars.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZQ5ES2EWPFSQ?ASIN=0316055441	This gets the Pulitzer????	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ordered this because it was a winner of the Pulitzer prize.  Read all 770 plus pages and was vastly disappointed.  The points made about being held captive, giving up, stuck with one's own faults, making amends, etc. are all good points, but such a wordy, wordy book to use for making those points.  I also found some of the solutions to be very preposterous and highly contrived.  If you order and read this, I hope you enjoy it more than I did.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24103RV7BPCBW?ASIN=0316055441	Good, but LONG.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A clever story. The narration is kind of like Catcher in the Rye, in that the writing changes to reflect the current activities of the main character. The relationships are interesting and complex, but there are so many extraneous characters that don't seem to add to the plot and just clutter the story. I suppose that's intentional, but I found it to be more like the filler you add to essays to make them longer. Overall, I enjoyed the novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q85Y7CKOZJ5G?ASIN=0316055441	You know how when you love a book you feel like you miss it when ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm absolutely loving this book. 530 pages into it and I still can't put it down! The prose is engaging, the story is viscerally felt, the characters so well drawn. It's both meditative and a page-turner. Sheer genius. You know how when you love a book you feel like you miss it when you're done? This one has its great length going for it, in that it take such a long time to be done with it. And yet it never feels like a long book. A triumph!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBFCAUNCXKJU0?ASIN=0316055441	A 21st century masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent read and a real page turner. It was difficult to find a good point to stop and put this book aside for the night. Donna Tartt is a top notch story teller who lures you in at page one and never let's you off the hook. Moreover, she is something rare in literary fiction these days: an author who knows how to write well. Her style is efficient and effective with a firm command of language and vocabulary that is concise and precise.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AKLHMTHZZ9GA?ASIN=0316055441	Worst book in 70 years of reading.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the worst book I have ever made myself finish.  We read it as a book club selection and the members unanimously thought it depressing, lacking in realistic plot, wordy to a fault, and a chore to read.  What a waste of paper and time.  The cover review in no way represents the contents of the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRCKWRUH9HF1T?ASIN=0316055441	I'm not sure how I feel about this	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was chock full of personal perspectives and of these I found very few to be of interest. Factually though it hit the spot.A quick summation? Young men born and bred in New York don't say ""rubbish bins"" I didn't care for the drug nonsense because it became glide over with no purpose whatsoever,and finally? If you're like me as much as I tried I just couldn't reconcile with so much mental agony belonging to someone else.Deppressing!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH9ZWX3UK3F1?ASIN=0316055441	On your mark, get set, terrible.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring. Returned it for a refund. I cannot believe that people consider this Pulitzer Prize worthy. Much too long. Much too slow. There is a token, clichéd gay scene inserted in the middle, I suppose to show the character's ""life changing journey"" or other such nonsense. I did not care about any of the characters in the book. Nothing was really engaging. It was like watching a really subpar television show that goes on for 27 hours.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GU5HULWDCE5O?ASIN=0316055441	... way through the book but it has been a great read! I was unsure about it as I ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am only about 50% the way through the book but it has been a great read! I was unsure about it as I began reading it, but quickly became involved in the story(s). The author has tremendous descriptive ability. I feel I know many of the places and spaces intimately from Tartt's descriptions. It is definitely a series of novellas wrapped into a grand narrative. I can hardly wait for my day to come to an end so I can pick up the book again.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P6LM1VLEGNE5?ASIN=0316055441	Good book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book, although not the genre I typically read and not about a subject that I find interesting, was very good.  I read the AUDIBLE version.  The person reading it took on several different voices throughout the story, which made listening to this book even better.  I did not like the length of the book; I thought it was too long.  It dragged a little in places.  Overall, I enjoyed this book and am glad that I spent the time reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XZ5OENFQME2?ASIN=0316055441	Worthwhile Persisting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line and characterisation are strong and interesting.  In the beginning the writing is excellent, however parts became extremely slow moving and bogged down.  The story gets lost to long disturbing descriptions of the experiences of two very strong characters, but it does recover. The book provides a powerful insight into post traumatic stress. It is also a window into the worlds of fine art, history and the streets of New York.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25ZZV24NCLMX?ASIN=0316055441	The writing is excellent and I wanted to read all 800 pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The only reason I gave this book 4 instead of 5 stars is that I felt the ending was a little weak and depressing. The writing is excellent and I wanted to read all 800 pages, but I did get a little tired of the ongoing feeling bad which didn't seem to change even when the main character moved his life in a better direction. Maybe one more chapter could have given the reader some hope that he would look up as he got his life back on track.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R200XJQFL05GUE?ASIN=0316055441	Being There	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't read a book in a long time where it was more real than my actual world.  I read sections slowly to absorb what was happening to  the characters. I was at the Metropolitan Museum, I was in the Village, I was at the Barbour's home. She is a master at description and never lost me in the maze of her words. Admittedly some might have been a bit repetitive, but I would take that over missing something that was happening in the book..</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TSCQD4V95379?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Dilemma	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I both loved and, at times, was frustrated especially by the authors exquisite and sometimes tedious descriptive banter.<br/>The characterization of ""Dickinsonian"" to describe the people of  her novel is spot on. However, some tedium constantly crept in due to Tartt placing her heroes frequently in states of drug induced dilemmas. Sadly, I agree with the Man Booker jurors to absent Tartt from their 2014 list of top dozen authors.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IB2ZJZAL60F2?ASIN=0316055441	What a bummer!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started off great---his life in New York with Andy’s family was very good.  As soon as he met up with Boris, the story got ridiculous.<br/>The whole thing was a great disappointment---When I read- I give a book 50 pages---the Goldfinch hooked me, but as it got more<br/>absurd, I kept reading, hoping it would get back on track.  Did this book actually get a Pulitzer Prize??  Very nihilistic---is this the best<br/>Donna Tartt can do?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PZA46VT8OQ3Q?ASIN=0316055441	so well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  It was so well written. Throughout the book I kept hoping the main character would make choices and find happiness.  He was dealt a bad hand.  His mother was his salvation and guidance and he lost her.  How many others who have have experienced his loss feel the way he did and had troubles finding their way out of their despair?  This book was wonderfully written and definitely a book I recommend reading.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FQM19RVZD1A2?ASIN=0316055441	Too Wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like great plots and The Goldfinch has a great one!  But there is so much ""writing,"" and while the author writes beautifully, pages and pages do not move the plot along, it's just blah blah blah.  So I'm a philistine.  But I recommend this book because it has a clever, original plot, I liked the characters, and I liked the ending.  Yes, a lot of it is implausible, but I didn't care.  Just skim the yammering and enjoy the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20L1GT4YCNW14?ASIN=0316055441	Not for lightweights!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After finishing this incredible novel, Theo Decker becomes someone you know better than some family and close  friends.  And, isn't that the whole point --plot, theme and moral of the story?  Through Theo, the philosophical debate: humankind--what does it  all mean? looms, weaves and forces introspection, intended or not.  Are we not all in some way ""The Goldfinch""?<br/>Brilliantly written and so well-deserving of the Pulitzer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11DDZ28OY7P81?ASIN=0316055441	exhilarating and stressful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo is a complicated young man.  He is so talented and equally self destructive.  The language is lovely.  The dictionary ap was a much need tool.  I enjoyed the lavish descriptions.  Ms. Tartt made so many references to books, movies, painting, architecture, etc.  I felt the need to look up many of her references.  The book was wonderful.  It kept me enthralled until the last page.  Don't be daunted by the hype.  This is a great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N8BDXR0OFG5E?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredibly tedious.  Truly, half of the book could have been edited out with no negative impact on the plot.  Endless descriptives, multiple paragraphs with random thoughts going through the main characters head between spoken conversation. Precious little action.  I got through it, because I don't give up on a book, but I really had to wonder what was special enough about the book to win a Pulitzer prize.  Definitely not a page-turner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3COJORRTNEMDG?ASIN=0316055441	The first 1/4 of the book was really good. Loved the plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought The Goldfinch, because it was a ""Pulitzer Prize"" winner.  Wanted to see what a prize winner would be. The first 1/4 of the book was really good. Loved the plot, the characters. Then the protagonist just has the worst life that he can make for himself. I read to the very end hoping there would be a final bit of happiness, of glory a moral to the story. I guess all worked out in the end, but he still had a miserable life.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKIBCN90SVS0V?ASIN=0316055441	Decent story impeccably told.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was torn a bit in deciding how many stars to give this book.  In the one hand the story alone would have me suggesting 3 stars.  It was interesting but I was hoping for a different ending.  On the other hand the prose was exceptional.  I can easily see why this won a Pulitzer as I frequently found my self stopping for a moment to think about how elegantly a passage had been written.  So I bumped it up to 4 stars.  I would recommend it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTFHGD24PH6H3?ASIN=0316055441	I don't know if i would have gotten through this big book had it not been on audible or CD but I'm so glad I listened to this st	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was my first audio book and now I'm hooked!  I don't know if i would have gotten through this big book had it not been on audible or CD but I'm so glad I listened to this story.  Loved the characters, the reader/actor....I actually looked forward to my commute and kid shuttling in Washington DC -- a chance to see what was going to happen next.  The only downside is this is the audio book by which i judge all others.  Gold standard!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34QGN1EYWPOJQ?ASIN=0316055441	GOOD BUT NEEDED BETTER EDITING	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have mixed feelings about this one.  I enjoyed most of the plot lines and characters but  there was a fair amount of unnecessary repetition.  That made It  toooooo long!  Where was her editor?  Words should move the story forward, explain character; do something more than add pages and pounds to the volume. Long windedness does not make a great novel. Getting to the end became a real trudge but I was determined to see it too it's end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXPACHZOH2AY6?ASIN=0316055441	great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the first six hundred pages. This is a great tale with many twist and turns, very interesting characters, and lots of surprises. Plus I learned about the art world. I was disappointed in the last two hundred pages where things really slowed down and got too much in Theo (the main characters's) head. I wish an editor would have done some slashing there. I would still recommend the book but be prepared to skim the ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NAD059HFQU1I?ASIN=0316055441	too long and boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I tried to read it because of all the hype, but it was way too long and boring.  I got SO tired of reading about Theo's drug trips, vomiting, and of Boris' bulls*** (he seemed to be a totally unbelievable character).  Half way through, I didn't give a rat's arse about Theo or the picture.  I think Ms Tartt should have edited out about 1/2 the repetitive content.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R386OBSV4ANAAR?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written. The words used were to me done ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. The words used were to me done as an art form. The story was okay and  it seemed to jump unlikely from story plot to story plot with no real rhyme or reason. Not much to say about the characters relationship with his mother, though sweetly described in the beginning snippets, there wasn't much to hold onto throughout the story. It was based more as a story of friendship and trust, but I was not emotionally stirred.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WISLNY1C35ZN?ASIN=0316055441	I don't understand all the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this book because it was rated one of the top books of 2013 on several websites. But after finished almost 800 pages, I was disappointed. The first 100 pages were wonderful, but it quickly went downhill and stayed there. I felt like the main character did a lot of drugs and made a lot of bad choices, and had a hard time turning his life around. I do think the writer developed the characters well. Would not recommend this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UWW6KYT5SL84?ASIN=0316055441	I chose to read this because it was a best seller and Pulitzer Prize winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose to read this because it was a best seller and Pulitzer Prize winner. However, I found it dragged in many places and did not have to be so long. I read the first 400 pages and put it aside for five months because I lost interest and just recently, I decided to finish it. While it was not a bad read, I found a significant part of the plot was unbelievable and Theo's escapades with Boris bordered on tedious. Sorry, not a big fan.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L778QR3Q351K?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book started out with so much promise. I know its a good one when I look forward to sinking back into the story after a busy day. I enjoyed almost all with the exception of the adult characters later life in New York. I found myself skipping over parts and becoming irritated . Finally I just lost interest rushing through to the end. I feel the story descended into a mushiness of psychoanalyzing  of self and other. Lost its zing !</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32EGL8KH7ZYTQ?ASIN=0316055441	The premise is interesting and certain parts engrossed me. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The premise is interesting and certain parts engrossed me. But I found it in need of heavy editing. I ended up skimming through a lot of the pages in order to avoid a digression that didn't add anything to the story or characters. Alternatively, the author at times wallowed certain scenes way too long (ok already I get it) and I got impatient so skimmed. But overall, it was interesting enough that I kept up this odd method of reading.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14IU8C07YW0OP?ASIN=0316055441	"Just could not seem to ""enter into the book"". ..."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just could not seem to ""enter into the book""....found myself skimming....and it's just the beginning....plowing through the museum trek with his mother on the way to school....seemed a forever one that would have made them extremely late for ""the meeting"".  Maybe I'll get back in to ""the mood"" to ""try again"".  I downloaded onto my Kindle never realizing that it was an 800 pager.  Pulitzer Prize winner??</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N0YO2GJZY5V2?ASIN=0316055441	This had the makings of a great book. What I found tiring was the fear ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This had the makings of a great book. What I found tiring was the fear of truth. It was very engaging, the characters were varied and interesting. It certainly could have been shorter. Half way through it became tedious and redundant. I did love how it took you so many places, unraveling so many different life styles and facades. If only these characters weren't so consumed with fear. I find that very irritating for such a long book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI9LHMEG0FF1Y?ASIN=0316055441	The ending tends to become a little too philosophical but does not diminish the fact that this is a truly great work of literatu	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was written by an author who is clearly at the top of her game. Masterfully crafted and filled with keen observations of human existence, the author is able to keep the reader fully engaged despite the overall depressing nature of the story. The ending tends to become a little too philosophical but does not diminish the fact that this is a truly great work of literature. I highly recommend taking the time to read this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGEVI2G50V6A8?ASIN=0316055441	Understanding mystery	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Why do we love? Why do we persist? A page turner of a story to explain the beloved irrational that makes our mortality beautiful and our choices seem right if not rational. Many unforgettable characters :some only appearing briefly but swiftly defined with a few brushstrokes and others so lovingly introduced that they are like uncles or grandmothers you might wish were yours<br/><br/>Cannot wait to reread but must catch up on sleep</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29M7I6OA9ELG9?ASIN=0316055441	I am near the end and it has been a waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me several times to start and when I finally got into the book I kept wondering what is the point .  I am near the end and it has been a waste of time. The book is so repetitive and wordy.  Drugs of all kinds are used throughout the book.  I felt no sympathy for any of the characters .  This book has not one redeeming quality.  I do not recommend it and CANNOT understand what it is doing on a best seller list. It is terrible.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VTJT2TBQ2IL2?ASIN=0316055441	To long and yet to short	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read this book during summer vacation -- in many ways it is a good story but some parts of it are on too many pages - the first Boris era was too long -- the later too obvious and the in between -- could have been more!<br/>Wonder as it took so long time to write why every sentence was not more of an art more of words<br/>Donna Tartt is however a good author -- but maybe not in the shoes of a boy who is recovering from a great loss</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T321SU8ER55R?ASIN=0316055441	Mixed Feelings	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have very mixed feelings about this book. First, it took me way too long to read. Though some have called it Dickensian; I would say it's more like James Michener's writing; slow and painful to develop but with a climax that somehow makes the time you've invested worthwhile. As for the story, I guess I'd call this the ""Breaking Bad"" of the art and antiques world. If you pick this one up, be prepared for an arduous journey.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D0GVY27RTGJC?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well, it could have been 300 pages long and still made its point. No need to beat your readers to death with endless repetition of the same old information over and over again. One scene of drug and alcohol abuse and child neglect would have been sufficient. I felt like I was lost in quicksand. Tartt's editors should be ashamed of themselves. Maybe Tartt is endlessly fascinated with her own word smithing, but the rest of us are not.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT9FJOYJQZK5X?ASIN=0316055441	A long read and almost worth it !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was suggested by friends.<br/>While its a good story, I found the prose somewhat overblown.  I did not warm to the characters, or form any sort of empathetic relationship - which is essential in a good book.<br/>The story was original but the long passages of explanation - or thoughts behind the main protagonist's action - were too much.<br/>I have however given 4 stars for the originality of the ideas and the plot line.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGDW0VZO0S7CL?ASIN=0316055441	Mediocrity	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those books I finished only because I had invested so much time getting to the middle that I didn't want to give up - even though I was totally bored by the predictable plot. Tartt is no Dickens; The Goldfinch is like a Lifetime movie. But it will probably work better in the cinema than it does on the page because no producer is going to sign-on for a screenplay with all the filler the author crams into her narrative.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22HE8E7X3HANT?ASIN=0316055441	was never bored, and enjoyed very much the questions the author ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've read many reviews of this book, both pro and con. I was deeply affect by the quality of writing, was never bored, and enjoyed very much the questions the author asks about right and wrong, adjustment to trauma, moving forward and how we do so. It's long, but to me, not as much in need of editing as some others say. It is chewy, and some of the passages are profound. A worthwhile read on all counts, well deserving of the effort.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RUZDTJJEQURJ?ASIN=0316055441	This Won the Pulitzer??	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">...was my first thought as I turned the last page.  My second thought was, ""wow, how disappointing.""  I really enjoyed the first half of the book.  I couldn't put it down.  Then about 600 pages in, Theo's life just gets, well, weird.  I couldn't help but thinking that I was reading the author's slide into drug abuse, not Theo's, as the writing went from crisp to limp; from intelligent to rambling.  I was incredibly let down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU9U9R0XG2C0N?ASIN=0316055441	Ponderous. Self-indulgent. Silly. Simply dreadful. Ugh ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ponderous.  Self-indulgent.  Silly.  Simply dreadful. Ugh.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R285Z9TYK69KU1?ASIN=0316055441	Dirty Bird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too much drug culture for my taste.  Rambles at times.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REDX4F5TLPV4A?ASIN=0316055441	A Work of Art, but not for everyone.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an interesting book but at the end of the day not really my sweet spot.  Characters were extremely well developed, and the tie in to an actual work of art original (to me, at least).  But the endless drug and alcohol highs and lows became tedious and the Amsterdam trip seemed a bit out of place with the rest of the book.  Still I will confess that I had a hard time putting the book down and especially enjoyed Pippa's role.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNS2LPI3MY8CF?ASIN=0316055441	Long Patient Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book requires your time and patience. Every bit of its 700+ pages is filled with descriptions and details that you have to pay attention to. It weaves the reader through Theo's past (from young boy to grown man) at different speeds and if you aren't paying attention you will miss key points. I was very pleased with the book. It's a journey through pain and how one copes with loss, but it is wonderfully written and mesmerizing</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAQ3XE9MKMXB1?ASIN=0316055441	Don't waste your time or money	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After I got the book I was told it was one that was often unfinished.  I get that - I did  struggle to finish to see if the book redeemed itself in the end and I didn't think it even came close.  Would not recommend it or buy it for anyone - unless you like drawn out descriptions of drugs and drug use with violence added in.  I read voraciously and all across the spectrum of novel genre.  This ranks, to me, as the worst book ever.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCW6O53W1IW32?ASIN=0316055441	Big addictive reading commitment - interesting story is worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First, advice. Reading this book is a big investment of your time - I'm still thinking whether it was worth it.<br/><br/>This is a ""thinking"" piece combining a simple story with meta physics. Nicely written, it's like a very detailed carpet that has many symbols and colors. Essentially the story is about an unlucky boy, his dead mother His life wayward journey that pivots around three friends and is realty, difunctional.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AAO22W8SVT49?ASIN=0316055441	Sorry Mum!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have an apology to make. Each year for Christmas I buy my Mum the best book I read that year. Last year I had just had my first child and so read a lot less than usual and hadn't read anything that I thought she would enjoy. So, on the basis of Amazon recommendations and other reviews, I went out on a limb and bought her this.<br/><br/>I am now, later, reading it for myself. I am half-way through.<br/><br/>I'm so sorry, Mum!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R322U5KSFHGO4B?ASIN=0316055441	Needed Editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book, but it was just too long. The sections taking place in Las Vegas and in Amsterdam were a bit interminable. I really felt this was a great story in need of some serious editing. I am also wondering who Boris could have been alive, given all of the drugs he was doing. Seemed implausible. But the ending was great and really tied it all together. Such a long book with so many  underdeveloped themes and characters.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13BT4E7AXXRL?ASIN=0316055441	Last 50 pages or so were where all the philosophy came out and I did not even like the philosophical direction the author was ta	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was waiting for the Pulitzer Prize moment for 720 pages. Last 50 pages or so were where all the philosophy came out<br/>and I did not even like the philosophical direction the author was taking by the last paragraph.<br/>Having said that, it's not that I would never read anything by Donna Tartt ever again (I still think she is talented may be?),<br/>but it was just very dissatisfying, depressing, and even cliched by the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R94HIGAN4DZSZ?ASIN=0316055441	Ambiguous about this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was in the middle of this book when it won the Pulitzer Prize and was quite surprised that it was considered the best book of the year.  The supporting characters were more interesting and likable than the protagonist.  I read Tartt's A Secret History after this and am still thinking about the character's inner lives and motivations.  Maybe the difference in the two books is that the characters in The Goldfinch are too obvious.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BZ0F06MY77IE?ASIN=0316055441	This novel changed my brain	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me a day or so to really get into it, but then I couldn't put it down.  I loved it.  The ending changed the way I think, at least for a few days.  It was really good, and I can understand why it won a Pulitzer.  I was kind of wishing I had bought it for my Kindle, because the hardcover is thick and heavy, but on the other hand, I am glad I bought it in hardcover, because this book is one for my lifelong library.  Read it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPM38XKO17JKT?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating storyline good character development	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was a really great read. Even for being rather long it held my attention and compelled me to finish quickly. The character development was good. The characters were multifaceted and interesting. My one complaint would be that some of the language used in the ending, the whole addressing the reader bit, seemed a bit self serving and out of place given the rest of the book. Overall I would enthusiastically recommend!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GWTF5Z1E89DC?ASIN=0316055441	sublime	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't help but feel both more grounded *and* uplifted at the same time after reading this book. The protagonist is a total disaster, but - as with his whole story - that's what makes him and the book so beautiful. A really rare book... novels like these make me just want to turn to the Nobel Prize committee and go ""What are you kidding me? No great literature coming out of the West anymore? What are you talking about?""</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21QKNDJB3KPFM?ASIN=0316055441	As a language teacher I will say that some of the writing was quite good, but I became bored as I got into ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so eager to read this book because of the incredible reviews.  As a language teacher I will say that some of the writing was quite good, but I became bored as I got into the story.  A friend said the same thing.  Perhaps it just wasn't my taste, but I was disappointed.  Now I am constantly amazed that it stays on the best-seller list.  It's certainly not for the average reader.  But, again, de gustibus non est disputandum.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9Y3NQMP6VA2T?ASIN=0316055441	Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a masterpiece. The author takes you through life’s tragedies and triumphs without being superficial. You feel the characters experience through actions and language. You find yourself identifying with the characters or understanding how one could be so stupid and wrecked by life’s curves. The book is long, but it is worth it. Just when one road is thoroughly traveled then another path opens up. It astounded me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16PQK0TLQWE05?ASIN=0316055441	Was she being paid by the word?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A so so story that the author takes way to long to tell. She seems to be in love with her own writing, exemplified by long winded continuous embellishments on everything from descriptions of settings, scenery and the feelings of the characters. After the story is finally told, the reader is treated to a long winded account of what the protagonist his learned from his experiences, in what turns out to be a truly, endless ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11M1UEYBNCEQ6?ASIN=0316055441	I liked learning about certain thing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Its kind of all over the place. I liked learning about certain thing, the antiques trade, mid-level wealth in NYC society and the social structure of it, ,shady dealings from Russia to Las Vegas. Gambling and other addictions, underworld figures and many implausible and unlikely events that seemed to be dropped in, advancing the plot in an awkward manner.a. It just was not the book I was expecting, but one I liked nonetheless..</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTD8PAL9PJX4M?ASIN=0316055441	Really don't understand what all the hype was about but I do plan to finish just to see if it gets better and to see if all the	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">haven't finished reading it yet because it just isn't all that exciting--very dysfunctional and uncomfortable to read--a bit monotonous and taking too long to get to the point.<br/>Really don't understand what all the hype was about but I do plan to finish just to see if it gets better and to see if all the time I have spent reading it will pay off...from what I hear from others who have read it...I am in for a disappointment</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28N4UA8OFDO0?ASIN=0316055441	Long.. and you will feel every page of it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is beautiful and descriptive and far too long. I feel like I slipped into a deep depression just reading it. This book takes it's time really getting you into the life of a fairly unlikeable character.  I slogged through it for a book club, only to find almost no one else finished it.<br/><br/>It may just not be my kind of book, but I think the author could have cut a hundred pages and no one would have missed them</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TPNAZKVN0S57?ASIN=0316055441	The book was wonderful. But I don't think I would have had ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is my review of the book on CD read by David Pittu. The book was wonderful. But I don't think I would have had the stamina to read through all of the minutiae of this book. But with David Pittu reading, it was amazing. He had the characters down pat, the accents, the attitudes.<br/>I was so sad to leave Theo and Boris and Hobie behind. I'll have Boris's accent and Andy's flat voice in my head for ages to come. Wonderful.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KSA44OUPMJNF?ASIN=0316055441	In the end the author is generous in giving the character time for self analysis and reflection that helps us to better understa	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt spins a compelling tale of a young man growing up through increasing adversity. She explores how his core values persist while his adaptive behaviors carry him further and further into treacherous territory. In the end the author is generous in giving the character time for self analysis and reflection that helps us to better understand the wild ride we have been on with him. It is a compelling and satisfying read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15RHVCGV6205V?ASIN=0316055441	The 2014 Pulitzer Prize Winner for Fiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awarded to ""The Goldfinch,"" by Donna Tartt (Little, Brown), a beautifully written coming-of-age novel with exquisitely drawn characters that follows a grieving boy’s entanglement with a small famous painting that has eluded destruction, a book that stimulates the mind and touches the heart.<br/><br/>For distinguished fiction by an American author, preferably dealing with American life, Ten thousand dollars ($10,000).</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCCSM85RSCCHF?ASIN=0316055441	Reading this book became a chore	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters and story line of the Goldfinch has been wonderfully written.  Donna Tartt has an incredible skill when it comes to writing in the voice and mind of unique characters.  Unfortunately this book needs more editing.  Though I finished it and was eager to know how it ends, it was a struggle to make it though.  I have nothing against long books but this one gets dragged down by too much minutia and repetitive detail.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S8WY1TYKB2PT?ASIN=0316055441	A big mess of a book crying out for an editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Given the Pulitzer Prize and buzz, this book was a huge disappointment.  I plowed through w/ the conviction that there had to be some ""aha"" moment that when reached would reveal the previously hidden genius of the book.  None came.  Of course, awards are neither the purpose or measure of literature, but it is troubling that this book won such a high prize while being a complete disaster of a book.  I'm glad it's over.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R114D7SY05PFRQ?ASIN=0316055441	A worthwhile read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well-crafted and beautifully written novel.  I would give it 5 stars except sometimes I felt as though the sentences were almost too well-crafted (if that makes any sense).<br/>This is a great book about grief, adolescence and finding yourself.  The characters are so well developed that you suffer along with them, get angry at them, cheer for them and grieve for their sufferings.<br/>I can't wait for them to make the movie.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AUQV0TGVFLIN?ASIN=0316055441	Talented writer, complicated story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book took me a long time to read - it is a very long book, plus sometimes the story just left you feeling down due to its subject matter.<br/><br/>I felt sorry for the main character, but I did not like him. He grew up to be someone I did not respect.<br/><br/>The story started off well - sad, but with hope the main character would be more of a redeemable person. Just by the end, I was ready for the story to be done.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPIEWMC63OUK8?ASIN=0316055441	If you need a buzz kill....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Clearly, I'm no expert since this won a Pulitzer Prize; I thought the book was dreadfully boring and depressing.  The writing was fine - from a literary viewpoint - but the story, characters, etc. were not my cup of tea. I found myself slogging through evening after evening, waiting for something positive to happen.  An analogy, if you read the Bible; try reading the major prophets without becoming depressed.  Same deal here.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EHLLRMLNS6RM?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it was good, but depressing, but I could not put it down.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z8L1LEDZWCF1?ASIN=0316055441	Great Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall, I enjoyed this book and I would recommend it.  For most of the book the narrative is captivating and propelling you to keep reading. Than at other points the story gets lost in the descriptions and I had to skim over them until the storyline picked up again. Towards the end I found myself unable to put the book down and I wanted to find out how the protagonist would fare. The ending is a bit depressing but poignant.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ759X5C30JCL?ASIN=0316055441	An insight into the human soul	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent!  It's a book that takes more than one reading. The complexity and richness of thoughts, emotions and life experiences deserve more than one reading.  The love, pain, joy you develop for Theo and Boris is wonderful.  The author connects the reader into the soul of the characters, allowing us to feel them every step of the journey.<br/><br/>I just finished reading the book and am excited to start it all over again</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F4F9VUXMO5CZ?ASIN=0316055441	Whew!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is going to take me a while to digest this. Rather an exhausting last 2/3 of the book and I confess I raced toward the end with an urgent need to finish. Very Keats in some ways - beauty is truth, truth beauty - and EM Forster - only connect, but much earthier and less glamorous. A hymn to the intermingled beauty and nastiness that is readily apparent in our 360 degree instantly visible world. Quite a feat to write this.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OVMSTDOOKRMC?ASIN=0316055441	I did like this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did like this book, but it was a bit on the dark side.  I don't usually mind dark movies or books, but the main character was not very likeable, and this was a turn off for me.  I suppose some would argue that that is how life and real people are, but there was something about the book (over 700 pages if I recall) that was too long and down for me.  I put it in my donation box and don't plan on rereading it in the future.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30JXA3UCLSVP1?ASIN=0316055441	Mixed review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the author's wrting style (for the most part), and the book kept my attention (most of the time). There were definitely parts of the book that just were tooooooo long and toooooo drawn out. The character development was well done and I came to care about the characters. The theme of the book was intriguing and makes you think. Biggest problem with the book is just that it was too long, especially the last 100 pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I6SPOBWXZCBD?ASIN=0316055441	Briefly it is a beautifully written book rich with many metaphors and imaginative connections	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Briefly it is a beautifully written book rich with many metaphors and imaginative connections.  It fits well with American realism and its characters are complex with many sides and complex relationships.  The plot lines are generally predictable but occasionally catches the reader by surprise.  I found the story engaging and at times sad but I guess that is life and Tartt attempts to be realistic throughout. A worthy read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R66FA9DHDTT4E?ASIN=0316055441	Read it as a fine story of very troubled lives or as a philosophical theory of the meaning of life, but do read it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author has a distinct way of exposing you to the results of parenting at it's worst and, perhaps parenting and love at it's best.  It delves deep into the ideas of 'the human dilemma'.  Do we make the best we can of what we have? Do circumstances and our changing understanding of them justify our actions, our wants and desires?  I loved the book, did not necessarily like the characters, wanted the story to go on and on.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYOHYMHEZ5DBJ?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing, Must-read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was one of the best reads I've read in a very, very long time, perhaps ever!!! Full of depth and beautifully paced with plenty of twists and turns throughout with never a dull moment. Thought provoking with diverse, lovable characters, built from many many insightfulul layers andvirtues both pure or slightly compromised, never the less,<br/>always having the best of intentions despite free will in a broken would.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AAI2A6VQB7KK?ASIN=0316055441	Three books in one	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a book that captured my attention from the beginning and maintained it throughout the 750 pages.  It was like 3 books in one but you didn't have to wait for the sequel.  It was already there at the end of one exciting journey after another.  Characters were well developed.  You became familiar with each one through the eyes and mind of Theo but also through the conversations with each as well.  Extremely well done!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19PO89T1JGZJL?ASIN=0316055441	AND SO?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book could have been 400 pages instead of 700+.  Seemed to ramble on about half-way through.  I've never quit a book but at one point I thought about it. How many times does a writer need to go into detail about over use of alcohol and illegal drugs? When I finally finished the book  I thought AND SO?  I even re-read the last 100 pages thinking I missed something.  No, still rambling on and on and left me with AND SO?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R285VGJIN6ZHLF?ASIN=0316055441	Sad to say	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sad to say, The Goldfinch was one of the most tedious novels I've ever read. It was difficult to plow through just because it failed to hold my interest, but eventually I did it. All the drinking and drugs didn't offend me morally, but artistically, since it had little to do with the book except to show that the boys were screwed up and they bounded. I have three terms for this book: Plodding, preposterous and predictable.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDLYA6BUKL2BY?ASIN=0316055441	A book to make you love reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Begrudgingly, I read it and even begrudgingly I liked it. There are parts of the book that are exquisitely crafted, forcing you to underline or highlight phrases or even entire sections. It is a book lover's book and one I thought was too bandied about within the general zeitgeist to be truly interesting but I loved it.<br/><br/>The characters are well formed, the plot is compelling and the writing is damn good. Read it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7AQEFZGWZTRZ?ASIN=0316055441	This novel would have been better if the episodes had been shorter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The struggle of a young boy's trying to find a stable equilibrium after the loss of his mother and his whole world rang true in quite a few episodes, particularly in that most people who tried to help him did not really see him for the person he was. However, I got impatient about the length of some the episodes, particularly the long period of drug use in Las Vegas, but also the time of drinking and deception in New York.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q7SNS97HZV4Y?ASIN=0316055441	Written beautifully but while I was drawn in and captivated by ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Written beautifully but while I was drawn in and captivated by the art, I was put off with the overdose of drugs &amp; alcohol in the lives of the main characters.<br/>Maybe the author thought it was needed. I thought it excessive.<br/>Putting that aside there are so many artful passages. I learned some things about art and wish I could "" find"" that antique shop in New York. It kept me reading in spite of the binges.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JQ6QJ43AT2XB?ASIN=0316055441	Deeply moving	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To fully understand what the author is trying to say -- and she is telling her readers something important -- you have to have lost something or someone you treasured above all else. As a frequent occupant of the polychrome edge, I fully understand it. I was moved deeply. I won't presume to review ""The Goldfinch"" further than this, because all of the important critics and other literary people have already done so.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27JXD1SYE1UVD?ASIN=0316055441	Intricate detail, heady philosophy, and moving story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The pull is in the telling of the story.  From the opening to the finale, this is a gripping and extremely colorful tale of growing up under adverse circumstances, of the delicacy of the psyche and its difficulty to accept the reality of life.  Sometimes the meanderings of the hero's broken mind are long and burdensome; however, the painstaking explaining is worth meditation by the reader.  Truly a thought provoking book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB2DW1ZXM5UZT?ASIN=0316055441	"A ""golde"" book for adults"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant and compelling, heart-wrenching and complex about a boy who loses his mother and who on the path toward finding a replacement sense of home, brings the reader into his experience with old money, mental illness, suicide, commitment to art and antiques, the lure and ruin of drugs and terrorism. This is a brilliant Bildungsroman. I would have edited it by at least 100 pages. Otherwise, it is the best read in years.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N8MPCWC6R8FG?ASIN=0316055441	exceptional	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a wonderful journey, a boy into a man, living with loss and despair and how the choices and experiences we have shape who we become. I enjoyed this book because it was so true to the reality of pain, loss, friendship, despair and recovery but it wasn't sappy or over indulgent, it had the most important message about how to live our lives, awake to the truth of death but choosing to live in the present of our lives.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VP9YUHMI9GNR?ASIN=0316055441	Very perplexed how this book could get such high reviews ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very perplexed how this book could get such high reviews... it was simply awful and took everything I had just to finish it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S3GAJ794KVRY?ASIN=0316055441	difficult to finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a long book that seemed very long. At times interesting but went off in different directions.  Don't recommend</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DH8GH6J8BBZB?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and laborious.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU8P6723U2DH3?ASIN=0316055441	Finishing this book was like finally getting relief from a throbbing tooth!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Think of your most disagreeable chore and then how good it felt to be done with it. That was the best part of this repetitive and almost everlasting story. This was a  story of the drug world that sounded as if it were bein  g very personally experienced and reported throughout the book. Then there was the Russian Mob, a couple of love interests, an orphan's  life gone bad, no good, no bad,not sure. And let's not forget the long strings of random philosophy, seemingly also associated with those drug binges.<br/>I rated this a one star because the author is due something for  churning out all of those pages</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI0JJVTLE893N?ASIN=0316055441	ugh, what's everybody so excited about?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Is it me?  What's everybody like about this book?  Here's the story in a nutshell: ""I'm a kid, I get drunk and do stupid things.""  I put it down about half way thru.  It started great but once he moved to Vegas it got way to depressing for me, that was enough.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30XD37NWL9DQ0?ASIN=0316055441	i hated this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the book was painful to read. boring,depressing, wordy to the point of incoherence. Time i will never get back. I kept holding out hope that it would get better but it never did. No climax to this story, flat and solemn.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP6TABX5P2BX3?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely wordy.  Started out well, then just became more and more depressing.  I did not care for it and can not understand why it has been on the best seller list for as long as it has.  Very disappointing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VVE73I0LCUS0?ASIN=0316055441	BORING ,BORING, BORING	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">IT WAS THE MOST BORING BOOK I HAVE EVER READ.  How it ever made the best sellers list I will never know.  I read three other books while trying to read this one.  I would get so fed up and bored with the book  I would stop reading it  and order another book and read it and then go back to ""Goldfinch""  to see if it might be getting interesting.  It never did.  The ending was terrible.  I felt like I was left hanging in mid air.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QLKEEJCQVCQG?ASIN=0316055441	Worst book I've read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was way too long and so boring that I found myself skipping through large sections as I grew closer to the end.  The author went into excruciatingly painful detail about things that really didn't contribute to the story.  I had to force myself to finish this book simply because I had already invested so much time.  Truly the worst book I have read in a long time.  A complete waste of my time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34QP3WK203XQY?ASIN=0316055441	Get ready for a work out!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was well written and the characters were well developed, but then it just bombed in the end.I Hated the ending. Rambling and rambling. It made me wish I had never started it. I will never read anything by that author again. If it won a Pulitzer Prize, then I also may skip prize winning books from here on out. I read a lot, but that book made me feel like I worked so hard keeping up with all the crap that poor boy went through, and then it just left you hanging and worn out. My husband and I were both reading it at the same time and when he got to the ending my husband just closed his book and waited for me to finish, the next afternoon. I was stunned and just moaned. He burst out laughing and said, ""You too!"" Don't ever order anything by that writer again. She had me and then just let me crash!"" Not a book that leaves you with a good feeling or that you even learned anything from it. UGH!!!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27LV63R80K9U4?ASIN=0316055441	too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many words to get a simple idea across. Drags most of the book, seldom a true 'page-turner. Don't spend the money.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12S6AT85XJYK6?ASIN=0316055441	wouldn't recommend!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">chose for book group.  this guy is a loser!  one bad choice after the next.  well written but too wordy.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18ZKDVET5J1MI?ASIN=0316055441	too sad and wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy, too depressing. The first half of the book was interesting, but I found the second half much too wordy0. Did not even finish last 5% of book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R5ULWL281262?ASIN=0316055441	I thought this book would never end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tedious. Depressing. Took 700 pages to finally make its point in the last 75. Regret sticking with it so long</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A5C28M6GSHFX?ASIN=0316055441	Editing required	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Are there no editors at the publishing houses any longer?  Someone should have told Tartt to tighten this up.  It's good, but could have been better.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D5313CM76BDQ?ASIN=0316055441	Pretenious and overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tries to read like the Russian novels that are referred to throughout the novel. Overly descriptive elements take away from the story's semi interesting plot. Jumps through critical plot events while goes on and on about things irrelevant to the story. Do not understand why it won a Pulitzer.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D3RDUD4XBZYC?ASIN=0316055441	Few redeeming qualities	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I never give up on a book, so I stuck it out to the end, but I hated this book.  The premise was intriguing, as Theo tried to deal with the death of his mother and an absent father.  However, it quickly turned into a long series of bad choices, and he never seemed to learn from his mistakes.  By the end, I was flipping pages at top speed to get to the end, as the plot turned to a storyline that was impossible to understand and difficult to believe.  The characters who were flawed but honest, Hobie and Pippa, were not in the story enough.  Everyone else was a disappointment.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P9ALNTD6JARO?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer?????	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pulitzer???? Whaaaaat? I guess I just don't get it. Very long, quite boring and repetitive in places.....what are Pulitzer criteria?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XOOEIKHSDWE?ASIN=0316055441	A Little Bird takes the Big Pulitzer Prize!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's  writing flows beautifully through tough subjects such as rejection, death, drugs, teenage years, and crime. She sweetens  those issues with  intelligence, art, culture, wealth  and most of all - LOVE!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CFFDXITI9CXD?ASIN=0316055441	Entertaining &  Articulate	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the story as well as the language of the book.  This book was a great change of pace - new vocabulary challenging me to get out my dictionary, and with none of the typo's and word misusages to which some ebooks are prone. Long, which I like, and held my interest.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REB2G9U04BJFL?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. From start to finish it is a great read. I read it on a flight from Shanghai to Los Angeles and was not even tempted to watch any movies. Ms. Tartt captures the emotions of her subjects and the reader becomes invested in their lives. The final chapter becomes very philosophic, and probably could have been cut out of the book, but in all it is a great read and keeps the reader engaged and excited to pick it up.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25JONU472HCJP?ASIN=0316055441	best seller,,,,,NOT	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I as so disappointed in this book.  It took me so long to finish it, I did a lot of skimming.  The author indulged too much in useless information making the story boring.  Not worth the money.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RUCPW3TIDAUD?ASIN=0316055441	21st century Moby Dick	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredibly long winded and never really gets to the point. If you love a book that will talk about a single scene or object for a full page or two then this is your book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M7HRY1TPKKBC?ASIN=0316055441	Run-on Sentences	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a lot of  trouble with the descriptive long sentences...just did not enjoy the writing. .. a bit too ponderous!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT8KI0U0IKRE8?ASIN=0316055441	don't waste your time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So depressing and meaningless. This book could have been wrapped up in 200 pages. So much detail about drug use it made me feel dirty. Definitely would not recommend.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTT3KXB6II0WL?ASIN=0316055441	not that interesting, boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book could have been written in half as many chapters. The characters are mostly unlikeable. The writing is way too descriptive, too wordy for no reason. I was not on the edge of my seat reading this. It was laborious. I kept reading because of other good reviews, sadly never found any part in the entire book which made say""wow"".</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AA83ZQVSOI3E?ASIN=0316055441	Highly overrated book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book shares the dismal and wasted life of the main character from beginning to end and then tries to come up with some wise, positive end to make it all worthwhile.  To me it showed the depravity of man and the bleakness and purposelessness of life without a faith in a loving, redeeming God.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XYI1WU3HZUKJ?ASIN=0316055441	Total waste of time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you value your time don't waste it on this long, poorly edited (if edited at all), rambling novel. The ending is awful...leaving the reader unsatisfied with the unresolved relationships of the characters</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z5T7R9C05DYC?ASIN=0316055441	Really enjoyed it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read.  Grabbed my interest from the start. Well-developed story line. Boris is one of my new favorite literary characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCLP7KRLK95C1?ASIN=0316055441	"A  ""so, so"" read"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt the author spent too many pages on the two boys use of drugs and the stupor they experienced.  Not enough of the effect having the picture had on him or his activities,  The story just didn't move and develop.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C6WNGPD9G7VE?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of my time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted so much to read this book but I was so disappointed upon finishing it.<br/>Some parts were interesting others BOREING!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSORJ2T21KAX3?ASIN=0316055441	"Too ""wordy"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Felt the book was slow in developing. Depressing, and very ""wordy."" Held me in though, and wanted to keep reading to see if the depression would end</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R58YAEETKQNOS?ASIN=0316055441	Too tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know I am in the minority, but I had a hard time finishing this book.I have no problems with long books but I found myself skipping page after page.The chapters were too long .I like to end at a chapter but found myself,too often, nodding off.I feel the author could have told her story in 300 less pages.I did not care for the main character,there were ancillary characters that were more likable.I enjoyed the beginning when he was a child and at the  end the author showed interesting insight about life and death ,but this is a book I would not recommend</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BENW8W3CLF2N?ASIN=0316055441	a dumb thing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">senseless characters, flawed story, impossible scenes.......time didn't seem to move....I could go on and on, but you get the idea.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L1E8ZZMG7IZ1?ASIN=0316055441	Lousy!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and too philosophical. Worst book I have read in years. Nothing more to say.  This critique is too long, too.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29VGXMLPFKFBT?ASIN=0316055441	Sort of like a Malaysian jetliner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very intrigued for the first 500 pages, but I never trusted the protagonist enough .  The theme seemed to be, ""You can never recover from PTSD. You will be incapable of making a good decisions for the rest of your life"".  I wished the book had ended with Boris' philosophical rant on the meaning of life.  The bit about beauty at the end seemed like a band-aid on an other wise wasted life.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31M5ZH0I2ERBU?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was hesitant to read this book as I am a mom and I thought it might be too sad but straight away you are drawn in and become absorbed with the outcome and journey of the main character Theo. one of those books u can't put down and you don't want to end!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VCEFHK8VCO04?ASIN=0316055441	protagonist completely unlikable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Utterly boring. Had to force myself to finish. What should have been a marvelous and intriguing story was horribly related through an annoying child/man.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REUXIVM8E24L?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch: A minor character	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The premise of this book is a good story concerning the theft of a painting at the Metropolitan Museum in New York after a  terrorist explosion.  Then we hear about the Goldfinch occasionally in 700+ pages and in the last chapters.  The intervening story is about drug and alcohol life and given in excruciating detail.  It was easy to skip many pages at a time to avoid disgusting description of that life which did nothing to trace the disappearance of the painting.  Once the problem is solved, the author goes into great philosophizing about life.  Do I really want to hear what a major addict of major substances thinks about life.<br/>The book was too verbose and a waste of time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LXEIYLL2PXFO?ASIN=0316055441	Thumbs down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Early part was alright but I didn't need to read all about the slimy details of the drug experience and it went downhill from there</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27KKFJBWMFMLE?ASIN=0316055441	I'm grateful it's finally over.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read to the very end, continuously asking myself if a book that apparently is so transcendent to others can seem so overwrought and unengaging to me.  Answer: indeed it can.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VZUM05HL4WOB?ASIN=0316055441	brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is an amazing story. It is so diverse in it's line. It is not really clear where the side stories will lead and then there you are tied up in life's wavering time. I truly loved this story. So gut wrenching real and fantastical at the same time.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21D2PT5YDZQKV?ASIN=0316055441	I wanted to like it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first part of the book was as other's described: well-written, fascinating...I had a difficult time putting it down. I was totally engrossed and cared deeply what happened to the characters. Sadly, I will probably never finish reading this book, though I have tried. I've lost interest, not only in the plot but in the characters. When I no longer care what happens to the characters, I find finishing the book almost an impossible task.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10W5439W5LRCZ?ASIN=0316055441	Morality Tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A contemporary morality tale rationalizing human frailty, self-indulgence, idolatry, and decadence....I thought drug episodes were excessive and detracted from the story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XX1G3APQATKL?ASIN=0316055441	Heart Wrenching as well  as Exciting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought The Goldfinch to take on vacation and I read it on the plane and on the beach on my new kindle. From the first page, I was hooked. It is beautifully written with lots of wonderful descriptions of cities, people, antiques and art. I thought the various characters were described so accurately that they have stayed in my mind still, weeks after reading the book and maybe will be real to me in my memory forever. This is a long book, but the pages flew by and I didn't want it to end. Many subjects and ideas were addressed through the story: trauma, ethical issues, family relationships, good and bad parenting,addiction,friendship, loyalty and trust, to name a few. I liked that most of the characters were not all good or all bad, but many shades of gray.<br/>The story has many twists and turns and is quite exciting, often sad, sometimes very funny and fun. I like a book that is both well written and engrossing. The Russian accent of one of the main characters feels very accurate. The sense of place whether New York City, Las Vegas, or Amsterdam seems perfect. This book can be read quickly for just the story without thinking of the deeper meanings, or the questions posed can be explored on a deeper level.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZL4YMR8JP15H?ASIN=0316055441	Good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an interesting premise and early on I thought masterfully descriptive. Unfortunately much too long in the telling, and I thought left an important issue unanswered, and philosophical the last 15 pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6JRZ3Q6MMJAA?ASIN=0316055441	too much 'fluff'.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many descriptive paragraphs. It becomes bogged down. It seemed the author was trying to fill up pages. Good luck.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AMVBAUDU83HN?ASIN=0316055441	Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was attracted to the story line.  The first chapter was very interesting.  Then it descended in a vat of drug use.  It seemed that she got lost in the story she was writing and went off in another direction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WJA89EQVZ63B?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was dragged out, the story was wonderful and had a few chuckles in the main portion but it went on to long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FQF1XMP2RSXU?ASIN=0316055441	I can't believe I read the whole thing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read lots of fiction, particularly crime and suspense novels and in some ways the Gold Finch did fit into my genre choice. However, I found I was reading page after page of lengthy discourse on taking drugs, coming out of a drug or alcohol induced fog or finding sources of new drugs. Just not my cup of tea. My estimate is that were about 300 pages of interesting, well written character interactions and plot suspense. The other 400 pages were tedious.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EVHCJJHMMKMF?ASIN=0316055441	Too obtuse	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just can't get interested in this character.... I paid for it and kept trying to read it, hoping it would get interesting... yet to finish.<br/>The writing itself kept me engaged at the outset, but not enough for me to continue reading.... Too many good books to spend time with the mediocre.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FBOUMGAGYMHA?ASIN=0316055441	way too many words in this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started out really liking this book (hence the two stars and not just one) but it went off on so many tangents that it became diluted. The last chapter put me right to sleep.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28XKF6RRHI2SX?ASIN=0316055441	700+ Pages of Whining	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have enjoyed this author's other works and looked forward to this one, but I can't love it. Maybe I'm showing my age, but I didn't need to read every detail of the rather unsympathetic teenage narrator's drinking and drugging bouts, complete with ""and then I threw up,"" and then ""I passed out."" There is some great writing and some great, if somewhat cardboard,characters, but it really doesn't add up to much after a really really long (and I do mean LONG) slog. (Are there no editors anymore?).</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B2ZW6WSS50GA?ASIN=0316055441	Too many words; too much nonesense	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt threw everything but the kitchen sink into this book - bah!!!!  The writing style is over the top - nothing is ever just said - it is said, resaid, and then said again.  The characters are contrived; the narrator, for whom one initially feels compassion, is apparently a vehicle used by Tartt to spew well-worn philosophys about beauty, the darkess of life, blah, blah, blah.  The reader ends up exhaused and bored.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K71RLP7OW3BR?ASIN=0316055441	Rambling book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the plot of this book but that's where it ends. This author can rabble on and on and say something a multitude of different ways. It's not so bad at first but when Boris comes into the book it's a down hill side. The alcoholic nights and drug activities just rabble on and on. Honestly I skipped most of the last half and scanned pages and pages of nothing that added to the plot.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WVLS2B120CWW?ASIN=0316055441	don't bother	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">long, tedious, dark &amp; not interesting.  hard to get through, did not enjoy it.  painful, depressing; don't waste your time</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PI9H18571YDR?ASIN=0316055441	It is big and fantastic!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am in the middle of this story, loving it and now fretting that I will be coming to the end all too soon.  Tartt has a writing style that is surprisingly different and a joy to discover. Lucky you who will be just starting the journey.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P60DAMDS9O61?ASIN=0316055441	ENDLESS!!!!!  Editor, where were you?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have read very long books before and haven't wanted them to end.  This had everything in it but the kitchen sink and a lot of horrible characters. Very jumpy and disconnected. Skimmed wordy and excessive descriptions. I don't understand all the hype.<br/><br/>DEPRESSING!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WW7J2TC8520R?ASIN=0316055441	Too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really  care for the writing style. Just me, have friends who adored it and read through the night a day or two.  =^ &gt;=</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R147QZKOGYXS8L?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing. Too long and verbose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was engaging for the first 300 pages or so, but by the half way point I was ready for a wrap up. Much of the last half was a slog; at one stage I just flipped through pages of over-written angst, guilt, and drug-induced meanderings. Way too much. Some of the writing is good and the book could have been very good with the help of a ruthless editor.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36VB96H4MUE71?ASIN=0316055441	Long but good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is, I thought, a very worthwhile read.  It is long and at times I wondered if it was too wordy, too long. But eventually I realized you had to be with the main character through everything, in order to understand his choices and eventually his decisions later. The ending insights are well worth the reading.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QVGCC8GC2E62?ASIN=0316055441	Too dark.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was dark and sad and never gets any better. I cannot recommend it, because I did not enjoy it at all.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I9XF6K14CDJX?ASIN=0316055441	A Good but Tedious Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a well written book which is why I gave it 3 stars, however I  found it tedious. The beginning of the book was very good. I really became engaged in the story and was anxious to continue reading. However the middle of this book was tedious with the main character, Theo, making one bad decision after another. It was depressing and that pattern continued until almost to the end of the book. Theo was given so many chances and opportunities and for some reason, never fully appreciated them until things were out of control. I am sure there are many readers who enjoyed reading this book, but I wasn't one of them. I especially disliked the endless explanations that followed the simplest events described. I eventually found that I would read about about 100 pages of the book, put it down and reward myself by reading another book before picking up the Goldfinch again. I am glad that I finished this book because the end was a lot more interesting then the middle. At over 700 pages, this book is about 300 pages too long.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24P4TYG3NUBN1?ASIN=0316055441	skip it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some good, but skip it<br/>Too many drug trips, never seeming to end<br/>Some great scenes, a struggle to reach</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4MKNCRUR7RER?ASIN=0316055441	I don't get it?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How did this book become so popular? Pages and pages and pages of endless, pointless rambling. Story lines that just disappear, characters coming in and out character (if that makes sense) and did I mention the pointless rambling? Others said it could have been 100 pages shorter-I would say more than 100.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9JNHWUO73X8J?ASIN=0316055441	unreal	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Epic. Sublime. Existential. (Yes, both!) Coming of age for the ages, yet so rooted in our lonely time. Loneliness explored on such a minute level that you cannot help but understand it, if you've never lived it yourself.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCKZBAOLKY1QM?ASIN=0316055441	Was drawn to the title - but then taken in by story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt can weave a converstion, a place/discription, thought process to places I never would have dreamed for a book.  I was totally and completely wrapped up in the characters.  Saw their faces, their body language, etc.  I was very pleased with the ending.  This is the longest book I've ever read.  When I saw the number of pages I thought what could possibly be said or happen that it would take so many words?  Well, I took the leap and was glad I had.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LAK6Z6E5UEFQ?ASIN=0316055441	Best novel I have read in a long time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put it down and I miss reading it!  I am sorry it is over!  Great writing by an amazing author!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PIOSVDX6980?ASIN=0316055441	Such a great story. Love it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I have read in years. I love the prose and how the author describes Theo's thoughts. I am going to miss reading this book every night.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWW4XMHE7H6R7?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't finish it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not a very good writer so i will just ssy what I think  I bought the book because it was a best seller and a deal for the Kindle edition.  I liked the story when it started, but, it dragged.  I was paging through it to get past the draggy parts then picked it up again when the describing parts were over.  What makes a book a best seller?  This one doesn't have very high reviews so why does it stay on the best seller list?  Anyway, I never finished it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CJLAXP8QZD6Q?ASIN=0316055441	My opinion of The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started out liking the book a lot.  But about 1/3 through it, it bacame rambling. I don't care to know how someone feels when under the influence of drugs.  Nor did I care for the almost incoherant Russian mumblings of one of the characters who ran all his thoughts together.  This went on and on for many pages.  The underlying story was intriguing, but I would not recommend this book.  It ended up being a depressing story, not at all uplifting.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DBQ3PS07HS7I?ASIN=0316055441	What have I missed?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What have I missed in my reading of this novel?  It has been such a chore to get to the end--but I shall make it, even as bored as I am with the plot!!!  I do not want this review published on line.  It is obvious that I am in the minority with my disappointment with this novel.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFBU8GZ3R9GLI?ASIN=0316055441	Near Perfect	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A Tribute to the healing powers of Art. Van Gouge comes to my mind as Donna Tartt paints a canvas with her powerfully touching words describing the horrific impact that a young boy is forced to deal with when his mother is ripped from his life in a senseless act of terror. Choices made more out of instinct for survival then calculated thought we see his pain real and unvarnished. Art always sees even the most tragic events of life beautifully and the Goldfinch is a true work of Art.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XP59SKK2FGK4?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very interesting read! Although the book is a bit longer, it definitely read quickly for me. I look forward to discussing with friends, who have taken up my recommendation.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R498XL01PGNQ2?ASIN=0316055441	Could pass on this one	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This has received great reviews, but it simply did not appeal to me  I felt that in many, many instances the author could have said just as effectively in 20 pages what it took him 60 to say.  It seemed just a repeat of similar actions with similar results over and over.  I like long books, but almost 800 pages of repetitious writing is just too much.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6HQJD9B3G4YV?ASIN=0316055441	long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is long and heavy- I see it as a future required reading at school as it begs those questions: meaning of life, purpose, good vs evil, innocence stripped away, why we do what we do.  It is well written and explores heart and soul questions. If you like happy endings and feel good books, this is not for you.  This is a deep and dark read requiring an openness and acceptance of the lot we call life.  The low rating is because I personally want entertainment from a book, not heaviness.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WFKVFDJUQMEC?ASIN=0316055441	There will be the temptation to continue reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a difficult book to put down as soon as I began to read it. There were nights I lay in bed reading this book on my Kindle and a bomb could have been dropped next door and I would not have heard it. This book is not unlike an addiction. I would put the book down to go to sleep for the night and at work the following day I kept wondering what would happen next. Also, I grew so attached to the two main characters in the novel that when I finished the book I felt the kind of sadness one feels when one has to say goodbye to friends you may never see again. I highly recommend this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XM92RH6WV7DE?ASIN=0316055441	drags	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a real downer that drags and drags.  Sorry to have wasted good $ on it.  Could NOT finish it - guess the good rating is early buzz and a lot of people getting sucked in.  UGH!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31XTGX8LF5L5V?ASIN=0316055441	Intricate and wonderful read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book was recommended to me by another constant reader and he  was so right!!  This is a wonderful tale that weaves all over the place and leaves you totally exhausted and satisfied.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QZRM8SBZ1KF7?ASIN=0316055441	Unequivocally...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best novel I have read in years.  An extraordinary New York story that maintains a vice-like grip on you from start to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JAJAXFRDZ2XZ?ASIN=0316055441	The eloquent Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A powerful coming of age story.  Beautiful prose paint a graphic and textured picture of how the winds of fate and chance shape lives.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTL5AMH59UDV4?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very well written and the characters were very vivid and memorable. However, I really don't want to remember them. It was much like a bad dream that you just can't forget.  The beginning of the book was captivating and I was hooked. But the story was extremely depressing on so many levels. I kept reading in hopes of a happy ending. I wish I had never started this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W1DWI5PVPMT8?ASIN=0316055441	The GOldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I swear! This novel had some of the most quirky and memorable characters I have EVER read!!!!  The novel hit home in many ways I loved it - NO WORDS can explain!!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRPAOK51YZ8C0?ASIN=0316055441	My new favorite book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I took The Goldfinch with me on a week long vacation and was immediately engrossed in the story and the characters.  As I got closer and closer to the end, I slowed down my reading pace - because I didn't want it to end!  What can I read next after such a wonderful story, beautifully written and thoroughly engaging.  Thank you Donna Tart and Bravo!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HCGVVEDB1FNY?ASIN=0316055441	suspense thriller existentialism	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's hard to classify this compelling, at times exhausting, thought provoking coming of age thriller that carries you through the worlds of art and antiques, barren Las Vegas suburban life, NYC high society, drug addiction, deep personal struggles and unresolved sadness.<br/>It was one of those 'can't put down' books that even during the passages that seemed too long, over done at times, it simply accomplished the intended effect of bringing you into the very same, exhausting miasma of experience that the protagonist is going through. And that's not to mention the great character development especially that of Theo, who's voice narrates the entire story.<br/>Totally enjoyed this wonderful story that seemed far shorter than its 770 pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PFF2XAF05YJZ?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a long read, but so rich with detail of the main characters, that they really come alive.<br/>One of the best books I've read in awhile.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UFFFY4UK2Z7?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book! Excellent writer!<br/>You cannot put the book down!<br/>I would not recommend it for kids in their early teens, especially immature one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJNZBX33459D8?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredible story. I've read her other books and they were great, but this one is the very best. Relatable characters and plenty of twists and turns.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VNBBV4LAF9LC?ASIN=0316055441	couldn't put this one down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thanks to a few snow days I read this book in 2 days.  Couldn't put it down.  It gives the reader a lot to think about.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBDZSDF8U9GSP?ASIN=0316055441	Could not stop reading.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow.  It has been a while since I kept putting off other things I needed to do so I could read a book. It was so compelling I just could not stop reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H2LJLOQC5YXD?ASIN=0316055441	Brutal, gut wrenching, nightmarish read....beautifully written, profound messages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hate to have loved this book. It was so gut wrenching to read. In fact, I found some parts simply disgusting.  The protagonist, along with many of the characters, is completely dissolute and shabby. With a few exceptions, The Goldfinch is populated with self-indulgent drunks, liars, addicts, thieves, frauds and murderers. But Tartt magically gives them such richness, makes them so vulnerable and heroic that I couldn't help but care about them.  Well, not all of them.<br/><br/>Because of the skillfully wrought descriptions, I couldn't put the book down even though I found it hard to stomach. Sharing the descent of various characters into a shadow life of pill and alcohol induced existence is painful. Yet the book has so many brilliant qualities. For example, The contrast between the dark musty calm of Hobie's apartment and the bright jarring chaos of Vegas was genius.  The disaster that starts Theo's downward spiral is so beautifully spun, the details at once surreal, stark and terrifying.  Even the ending scenes - bordering on comic book ""cops and robbers"" drama - were somehow exactly right ...and absolutely okay in the context of the book<br/><br/>Many reviewers have suggested that the book needed editing...I presume in reference to its heft. To me, the joy of this book was in the reading. It ended too soon.<br/><br/>I absolutely understand the strongly mixed reviews on The Goldfinch. It is not a middle-of-the-road read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S3GL8I1YR5JE?ASIN=0316055441	Long but worth the effort	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book. It made me rethink my visits to art museums and my interpretations of different artwork.  It was a good vacation read, although somewhat of a downer at times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GLRN46GCLO7R?ASIN=0316055441	This was a great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story kept you turning the pages and had an unpredictability that most books these days lack. It also had a literary depth and quality rich with words, textures, metaphor and meaning behind meaning. It is very difficult to achieve such a combination and tell such a wonderful and thought provoking story woven with intricate characters and masterful detail.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33KSFU8NPE57J?ASIN=0316055441	MMMMMMMMMMM	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">best book i've read in years.  sheer joy of language and characters I'll always remember.  B.ut you can see the writer is female</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25MK0EXH9AY2X?ASIN=0316055441	brilliantly written, dark story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">one of the most beautifully written books I have read in a long time.  crisp, expressive and attention to detail - as i read i thought i was with Potter and Boris the entire time.  the bombing scene was simply amazing as was the trade for the Goldfinch in Amsterdam.  While i would love for my 16 year old daughter to read the goldfinch for the beauty of the writing and to improve her vocabulary, the darkness of the characters is a part of life she can wait to learn about.  too bad because the wriing is brilliant!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C9DZ4HC8X4PU?ASIN=0316055441	A very grim tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got very tired of all the drug use, the nefarious dealing and sleazy people. The story is too dark and depressing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S0QSO4QF94W3?ASIN=0316055441	disappoining	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was overly morbid and unreal...I had to make myself finish it just to see why it was reviewed so well...sorry deeply disapointing</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R76IZY0B6G9WL?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is an enjoyable read. I found myself totally engrossed in it and couldn't put it down even when I had things I needed to do</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AFSZG27FXZT1?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent book  for someone who only reads mysteries this book was fantastic. I would recommend it to anyone who loves to read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JHM04YCEEUOZ?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writing of an amazing story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book gets all five stars from me.  The book is many pages in length, but it is one that I did not want to end.  The writing is some of the best I have read, ever.  Donna Tartt does not lead you into a part of the story and then make you wait for the next part of that particular part of the story, she continues it on in the next chapter so that you are not continually frustrated with the characters in whatever they have done or failed to do or say.  I have such great admiration for Donna Tartt's developing of her characters.  Not only does she give each of them the most individual and compelling voices, but there is not one character that I did not feel that I knew and cared about.  This is by far my favorite book of the past several years.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGOY2I72CM7T3?ASIN=0316055441	Love!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book, I loved every character, situation, and even the way it meandered.  You will think it gets too informational towards the end, but stay with it, you will be glad you did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M9325CDERLWD?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book.  It was recommend to me by a friend in a book club, when I went to search for it in my library I knew it must be great there were over 35 people ahead of me to check it out so bought it to take on vacation.  It is full of avenues in the life of Theo Decker.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20CA917PJNJOM?ASIN=0316055441	Tears	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is 12:15 in the morning and I have tears streaming down my face, because who can ever figure out the meaning of life and how everyday we put so much into our  work, family, and other relationships, and the beauty of seeing each new day to suddenly leave it all behind.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23ZB5HJ4OAI0D?ASIN=0316055441	absolutely beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I want to meet Boris for a drink, coming of age, life affirming, thoughtful, soulful. It felt modern yet so very old</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHCLQ38WLDFMV?ASIN=0316055441	Oh Will You Just Get On With It!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Have you ever had somebody tell you:  ""You won't believe what happened to me today"" and then have them go on and on in such excruciatingly minute detail, that you just want to scream out ""Will you throw in some verbs and get going with it?""<br/><br/>This book has a lot of positive reviews, but I can't be one of them.<br/><br/>The author seems to get lost in her own narrative, the writing unnecessarily descriptive, going off in such tangential directions that it loses the reader in the process.  It grabs your attention in an ""explosive"" way, you become engaged, but then become frustrated with the pacing and editing.  The author uses spikes to drive in points, when a finishing nail is all that's required.  It becomes tedious.<br/><br/>There is nothing particularly wrong with the book, it's hard to put my finger on.  It's like baking-- You have all the right ingredients, in the correct proportions, but maybe you beat it too long, or overcooked it-- and it comes out dry or rubbery.  It is not a page turner, it is slow, slow, slow.  and if you are the impatient sort, you will be bored.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G0CKOE2BBJCZ?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed this book. Excellent!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An in depth character exploration of multiple life journeys detoured by traumatic events and the determination to find healing through acknowledgment and understanding, if not acceptance, of these profound influences. It's a long book and well worth the read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16VQQRAN14KCW?ASIN=0316055441	Great beginning goes to nothing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wish I had stopped after the beginning scene in the museum as the book quickly went totally downhill into a very deep depression. Not a book to read before bed if you want to sleep well. Fortunately the Kindle makes skimming easy as this book calls for a lot of skimming with no loss to the mood, character (an odd word to use in describing some of the 'characters') development, plot line, etc.  Yes, I did want to know how it ended so I stuck with it and found myself accepting the ending more from a sense of relief that it was over without more tragedy and unhappiness, then from a belief that the plot worked at all. Tartt's ending soliloquy was especially pitiful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSGBH3W7GRE7I?ASIN=0316055441	Major Disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The reputation of the author drew me to buy this book. If I knew it was just going to follow drug and alcohol binges I certainly would not have wasted my money!  I don't know how t got on the best seller list. The story was very thin and wordy to the point of being painful to read.<br/><br/>Don't waste your time or money</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XTRK5SINVEFQ?ASIN=0316055441	Boring book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a major bore.  Started out promising, but just couldn't relate to any part of the story line.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20LOTR04HWSAY?ASIN=0316055441	Reading this was torture.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There was too much description !!! It took a long time to read even when I would speed read. How many words do you need to tell about one thing? I read another book before finishing this one.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R124NDVG0U8SIA?ASIN=0316055441	Wow, really boring.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought I was given a school assignment that I was required to finish.  Very wordy, what good writers say in a sentence takes a paragraph in this read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G3PU5BKFPG7Z?ASIN=0316055441	tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">probably would be a decent read if it was about 1/3rd as long. tedious detail,especially about the drug use in Las Vegas.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ME1PI41EL2BJ?ASIN=0316055441	Disappoint ment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How many days can you take drugs?  How many days can you react unfavorably to drugs? It was repetitive, disjointed and poorly written book..wasted my time reading it and took nothing from the reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RAJH7R7K1BF8?ASIN=0316055441	Way too verbose!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow. I had to force myself to finish this book. I kept hoping it would finally get out of its own way, but never did. The never ending run-on sentence.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRX2T03PRE659?ASIN=0316055441	lovely	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow to start, characters built to last, a novel that reads like my subtitled subconscious. 5 more words required. One more.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SMB7E8AGA8ID?ASIN=0316055441	waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story was disconnected and hard to follow. Would not recommend to my friends  sorry I read it waste of time</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HFVLLA16X4VC?ASIN=0316055441	Did not enjoy.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Waste of my time. Wordy, boring . Disappointed. Loose ending,  One of the worst books read this year.<br/>WR Avid</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO6NY79I2VBC0?ASIN=0316055441	amazing writing with too much tragedy and sadness for my liking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Better writing than storytelling... Much of the book is devoted to descriptions of depressing thoughts and atmospherics.  for every good thing that happens, ten bad things happen.  There is a formula underneath all of this:  tragic loss, chance meeting, quest for a girl, an adventure, trying to come home... but it's like Tartt is trying to hid the formula by over-weighting it with sadness and hopelessness.<br/><br/>The quality of the writing and the density of information about art, antiques, Russian, drug addiction, and so many other subjects helps replace the sadness.  This is a greatly crafted and amazing story, just not to my taste.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RC5FGOAZPOEK?ASIN=0316055441	Don't waste your time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although this book started out with a strong premise, it soon degenerated into a mess of unbelievable characters and totally implausible situations.  Don't waste your time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KP5Z10CKKTYR?ASIN=0316055441	Needs more stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've ever read.  Just bought her other two.  Hope they're as good as Goldfinch is</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R152ODNB9OOBIZ?ASIN=0316055441	A Lasting Impression	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is one of those rare novels that creates a level of intimacy with its characters that remains in tact long after the story is finished. The characters are complex and unpredictable, extremely human and occasionally divine. The storyline is fascinating and compelling. While I was reading, I didn't feel manipulated by the plot construction or falsely enticed by cliffhangers or manufactured suspense. The characters pulled me forward, not with a shallow lust for more, but with the fluid movement of art and masterful character development. This book will never be one that I see a few years later and can't remember what it was about. Like all masterful art, its impression on me is here to stay. I'm not sure when it happened, but its characters feel like intimate friends rather than casual acquaintances.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20CUB62DQ8OGB?ASIN=0316055441	Over hyped.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't finish this book. Read 557 pages and put it down. I found myself skimming and skipping pages and finally decided that I just didn't 't want to be with these people any more.  There are only three likable characters and one is a dog. I see where people call it Dickension. That may be my problem. I do not enjoy Dickens.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TBX6REHNH8DM?ASIN=0316055441	disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know that everybody is raving about this book, but I did not feel that way about it.  I thought it was too long, inconsistently absorbing and often tedious.  I completed reading it, because I was curious about how it would end  I the last 200 pages it was very absorbing, but perhaps it could have been shorter and more to the point</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GDQIGQ210CZE?ASIN=0316055441	Long, boring, and disgusting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">just couldn'g wait for this long,long, book to end.  Very disappointing--can't beleive it's on the New York Times best seller list.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21AZM0MFR9DT5?ASIN=0316055441	Unpleasant story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy it at all.  Very disturbing story about people I would not wish to know, all of whom were disfunctional and many drug addicted.  Not pleasant reading and far too long.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MWMXLDZMCIW9?ASIN=0316055441	Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first part of the book was wonderful and held my attention.  However, she should have ended the book earlier.  The further it went the worse it got.  I finished it, but just barely.  I will not recommend it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26UAC8Y905QTE?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love the way Donna Tartt writes. This book got so much buzz but I wasn't impressed with it. I think the story was great but could have still been great in half as many pages. I didn't like the ending because too many things were left undone.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RADK5ZWBISOS7?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love this book. A great read. I would recommend it to anyone and I would read it again and again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OOO84SLFQC1S?ASIN=0316055441	loved this book. such a great message at the end. I want to frame the words and read them everyday!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved this book. such a great message at the end. I want to frame the words and read them everyday!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39V0K30BYXRV?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't get into it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading the rave reviews for this novel, I purchased it for my kindle. I tried and tried to get involved and interested in it, got as far as two-thirds of the book, but gave up. Some parts were interesting, but it's way too long, too bleak, and especially I couldn't care enough about the characters and the story. When I really like a book, I can't wait to get back to it to see what will happen ,and it wasn't the case with The Goldfinch. I do not understand why the reviews are so enthusiastic. Maybe I'm missing something.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LCHXP15GR20V?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Through the vivid descriptions the author makes you feel and experience the feelings of the characters in the book. The only part that seem to go on to long was with all the drugs the character was taking.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L9PYAD8SX0CN?ASIN=0316055441	Too detail-oriented	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some of it was too detail-oriented and bogged down  I had a hard time understanding the Russian guy and his actions</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10UMQJW19U2TV?ASIN=0316055441	It just went on and on and on...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a good story which simply goes on for way too long. I couldn't wait for it to be over. (Because I just wanted to know what happened to the painting!) The main character ends up being a not very nice person which made it difficult for me to emphasize with all of the terrible things that kept happening to him. For some reason, this book brought to mind some of the early VC Andrews sagas that never seemed to end.Tragedy following tragedy following tragedy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18OPILG9TR6CS?ASIN=0316055441	NOT WORTH IT	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this book.because it was tough as the no, 1 book of 2013.  sorry, I have to disagree. long, endless babbling chapters. finally at the end is a good life lesson. so sorry. not my type of read;(</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R153UV3IZZXSVE?ASIN=0316055441	Just OK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i FOUND THIS BOOK TO BE TOO LONG AND DRAWN OUT.  Too much discussion of what drugs they were taking and their experience.  Just went on and on.  I was disappointed.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BE5P7CAK3T8O?ASIN=0316055441	So anticipated ... so disappointed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading many of the reviews, I couldn’t wait to start the book.  And the first few hundred pages of this book were absolutely fantastic, a delight to read.  However, the last several hundred were pain and agony to get through.  The part of the book that talked about the museum explosion and the subsequent time period when Theo lived with the Barbours was really interesting and well written.  However, the story lost its luster about the time that Theo went to Las Vegas.  I did not enjoy the alcohol and drug induced stupor that he and Boris participated in from then until the end of the book.  There were some parts during the last portion of the book that were interesting, but overall I felt that the author really let us down.  Because of this, I don’t feel like I can even give 3 stars.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OVCIU4FD6MQ5?ASIN=0316055441	Too Long, Too Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As a person who hates to finish a good book, I was very surprised when I couldn't wait to wade through this one. It is just too long and too sad to merit so much time and attention.  There is very little joy or wit to relieve the constant heavy burden of the main character's life.  A childhood full of trauma leading to an adulthood full of repeated bad choices gets exhausting. I ceased to care about him after a while and the secondary characters became much more interesting.  I wonder how many readers began this book only to give up on it in exasperation.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36R9K97CG6IOU?ASIN=0316055441	How did this get good reviews?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First 100+ pages grab you, who wouldn't be grabbed<br/>by a bombing in the Metropolitan Museum, then the<br/>story fall off the cliff into drugs, filth, and poverty. No<br/>redeeming characters. Save yourself, put it down.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R122M6E2ZBKZCP?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book started out with an interesting story of a young boy's tragic life, but after his mother died and he became an ""art thief"" I found it to be tedious and much to long.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AD0P2LHRPOB0?ASIN=0316055441	Save your money!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first few chapters were enthralling, but once the father took Theo to Las Vegas, it was all down hill for me.  I found the majority of the book to be very ""trashy"" and I do hope that young teens are not strapped in a life like Theo's.  If so, no wonder we have so many problems in our society. The truth about any event is normally the best course of action, as revealed in this book.  Thank goodness for Hobie; otherwise I might not have finished the book.  I would not recommend it to anyone.  M.C. Adair</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17S40H8D658J2?ASIN=0316055441	Boring!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy.  Repeated the same thing a number of times.  Left too many unanswered questions about the story.<br/>Too long.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J133JRZW9UWZ?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't even finish it...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book started out with great potential and just went on forever and ever....random ramblings...disjointed story line. It reminded me of the TV show ""Lost"" where nothing is ever satisfactorily resolved. Ugh. I can't think of a time that I disliked a book so much that I couldn't finish reading it. I finally gave up and decided not to waste any more of my life on this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZPS9882GENZZ?ASIN=0316055441	Laborious.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I get it, you did a lot of drugs.  I get it you were ill.  Don't need to belabor it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V5P9CCD5GP0U?ASIN=0316055441	very difficult book to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What could have been a good story was actually a painful book to read, with pages of verbal diarrhea describing unrelated scenes and activities. I do not recommend this book, unless you enjoy being tortured, page after page.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QMB3MSCR0VOH?ASIN=0316055441	Not what I had hoped	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did finish the book but with much difficulty.  Could not care about these characters.  A real chore to finish.  Would not recommend.  I guess I didn't find what others liked in this tale.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JO5X16JNMCSX?ASIN=0316055441	blechhhh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't care less about Theo.  The author did nothing to pull me in....to make me care what happened to him.  Took WAY too long to tell his story.  Cared more about Hobie...<br/>Got bored and disgusted.  Decided life is way too short to read a book that I don't like.  Stopped about halfway through.  Perhaps I  missed a great ending.  Doubt it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39RND9ZCFZYW4?ASIN=0316055441	Good but too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Its a good book but the author is longwinded in her descriptions. The book definitely didnt need to be nearly 774 pages long.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B4ICJXSYB6NK?ASIN=0316055441	A Not Well Written Page Turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Once you start not easy to stop, but hardly worth the effort to complete almost 800 pages unless you want to know a lot about furniture refinishing or illegal drugs. Interesting protagonist and other characters but way too long. Don't know why it received the fiction award for 2013.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11LL9F4A8GO02?ASIN=0316055441	None	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How this made it to the best sellerlistis beyond me.  would not reccomend this book to anyone.  The plot drags and ends poorly.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJG63Q4AYM1D?ASIN=0316055441	Not as good as it might have been	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overwritten--in need of a lot of editing.<br/>Bogs down about half way through and then it would be better to skim.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P472J9FLFICS?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book difficult to get into and in the end I gave up reading it. As far as my tastes are concerned I found it rubbish.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQX0TIGT9K1T8?ASIN=0316055441	overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, too boring, too depressing.  You must have better things to do than read this book.  I suspect the kindle bargain price was incentive for sales.  Made it to the halfway point and quit.  I had no feeling for the few characters we meet.  And the ""Goldfinch""  was still wrapped in ducktape at that point - long forgotten.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFAPR5FS727GO?ASIN=0316055441	very boring book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read about 50 pages and was bored to death.  this book is very<br/>disappointing to be a best seller.  I quit after 50 pages, and figure<br/>I just lost that money. ha.<br/><br/>don't buy.<br/><br/>Benny</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LMQDDMG0HP1P?ASIN=0316055441	What is wrong with me??	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Considering all the good reviews that this book has had  I feel guilty for not  liking it. It is way too ""wordy""  I get that  Theo is shattered by the  loss of his mother and the aftermath of the  explosion  but going on and on with all this angst and continually worrying about the painting  I may be a too literal  yankee  but  I am feeling  ...""Oh  take the  darn painting  back and be done with it !""  I will probably finish  it  but quite frankly  it  just doesn't  hold my  interest.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCRQPUF2HJN2E?ASIN=0316055441	SKIP	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the worst book I have ever started----I didn't bother to finish it.  I kept going back to the beginning, thinking that I'd' forgotten/missed something; it rambled on, nothing seemed to connect!  MOST FRUSTRATING.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R355RXEKDI98M6?ASIN=0316055441	Desperate for an editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wish the editor of this book had been as talented as the writer. Elegant prose that goes on far too long. Some books you never want to end but this one kept me wishing for it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QSQ816H41H16?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too detailed,too vile ,too long too raw..the descriptions of places were good..Her knowledge of art was good..  The detail was tiring. The slag was offensive..</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IDIJNPLAQI4Y?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I totally did not like this book.  It drug on and on and to me really had no point and was very boring.  I have a hard time figuring out why it was named the Amazon book of the year.  Certainly not my choice......</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV3WCNX2D4043?ASIN=0316055441	Did Not Like It	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was an endless downward spiral. I did not finish the book and that is something I almost never do.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20BC9KF14HHAF?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the writer has created a unique and engaging plot and has a singular ability to create mood and develop her characters, I felt at times like I was brow-beaten. Take just one of many examples: for way too many pages the protagonist is stuck living in one of the ""died on the vine"" housing developments outside Las Vegas after the housing bubble burst. The sense of desolation in the environment and the character's predicament hit home too well - I found it horribly depressing to wade through what seemed like hundreds of pages of repetition. Personally, I could see editing about half of this book, then it would be a real gem.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25O8Z6L5X95PT?ASIN=0316055441	Painful to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started off loving the book but after about 150 pages I began to think that Donna Tartt made a list of all of the bad things she could think of that could happen to a young boy and then dragged us through the muck. The characters were so flat.....his mother, father, Andy, Tom, Xandra, Kitsy, even Boris. And even more disturbing was the crazy timeline of the story. A previous reviewer explained it perfectly. The timing of the events doesn't work unless the opening scene (Potter in Europe) was in the future. I am truly surprised that the NY Times and NPR gave the book such rave reviews.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3445HAMFQ22NZ?ASIN=0316055441	Most depressing book I have read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Only read this book if you want to know how people feel on drugs!!! Very sad story and detailed accounts of how the main character experienced his various alcohol and drug abuse events. If I had checked this out of a library, I would have stopped reading after a couple of chapters. I kept thinking it would get better and all it did was get worse. I only finished the book because I had paid to read it on my kindle.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR5YGZJZV92K?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't like the main characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were times when it was very gripping and I couldn't put the book down. However, those were a minority of the 700+ pages that fill this novel. The thing is that it's really hard for me to enjoy a book (especially this long) when I don't really like the main character. At first, I sympathized with Theo and gave him a break because of his tragedies and his father's issues. But, as his life continued and he made poor choices and acted illegally, irresponsibly, and selfishly (not ALL the time but most of the time) I just wanted to shake him and ask him to get the help he obviously needed. Perhaps I'm being insensitive to mental illness but I really don't think he had mental illness, per se. He was just dealt some very difficult cards in life and made bad choices. He was fortunate to have a few good people pop up along the way (Mrs. Barbour and Hobie). For some unknown reason which was never explained, he did seem to care about Mrs. Barbour (as an adult). The other people he really cared about, Pippa and Boris, were, unfortunately, a bit poisonous for him. And he entirely overlooked and didn't appreciate Hobie's generosity most of the time.<br/><br/>Aside from not particularly liking Theo, I disliked all the drug use. I get it...Theo's a mess. But, I got tired of reading about his drugged episodes in detail and his misery and ridiculous activities with Boris. I mean, they were an interesting pair but why did the author feel this story was so important? If it was all the negative philosophy at the end of the book, I didn't buy into it all. My outlook is obviously much too positive to appreciate the doom and gloom of this novel. I love art and I loved all the author's comments about why art is important and beautiful and appreciated, but all her other philosophies fell on deaf ears for this reader. I have no idea why this was Amazon's book of the year. Although, I've never liked angst-y books....or angst-y people. I think that's the problem here.<br/><br/>I did like all her characters' names. I did like learning about the Goldfinch. I did like the first part of the book before the desert life starting dragging it down and it never got back up.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y25QE3JSZU12?ASIN=0316055441	Fifty Shades of TRASH!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Someone must have received a very big bribe to tout this as a great read!  I kept on hoping it would get better. Ironically the only likable characters name sounds close to hopeful ( Hoby). If you enjoy reading endless verbiage about sad, sick characters and their endless rounds of drugging ann drinking, startingg</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJENH0PIZ7K46?ASIN=0316055441	Started strong, but drug on...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I seldom read fiction, but was going on vacation over the holidays, thought a novel would be a nice change from non-fiction during a trip, read many reviews and selected The Goldfinch. I was into the first 40% - 50% of the story, but then became bored with Theo's self-absorption and page-after-page of descriptions of drug taking and getting drunk. I just found myself not really caring what happened to either Theo or Boris, though I did have a warm spot for Hobie.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HQ0S7KQ1P1BN?ASIN=0316055441	If you have lots of time to read......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very ""wordy"".  Story could have been told in half the pages.  Very much a Dickens type plot.  It took over 400 pages to find out where the painting was.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17MUS6ZTP8WHZ?ASIN=0316055441	disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best part of this book were the last few pages because it was finally over and the author finally had some great things to write in beautiful language about the meaning of life.  She just could have said it all in aless convoluted way and in much fewer words</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NMYIVC3ES2S3?ASIN=0316055441	verbose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line was interesting as was about 60% of the copy.  However, it is difficult to plough through the introverted wordiness!  Much of the excess can be eliminated without damaging the overall introspection.  I would not read it again.  Some tough editing would make it much more readable!...a four star or better!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1117HQOLWKDDQ?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first parts are beautifully written, and the story has a certain urgency, but then it gradually begins to drag. By half way through I was looking despairingly at the percentage that I'd read (on the Kindle edition) and skimming pages. I gave up shortly afterwards - I do have other things going on in my life. I cordially suggest that Ms Tartt needs a very good editor.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33K0L17R1N8C6?ASIN=0316055441	Not a good book for me.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt that there was WAY too much drug usage.......the story could have been told without that many drugs being used..</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17EDJJ52HK8C4?ASIN=0316055441	Not sure how I feel about this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As a person who loves to read, I will always give any book a shot up to 100 pages. If I hate it when I reach 100 pages I usually put it down. I should have known better than to continue this book after it took me three times to get past the first chapter. The book was recommended to my mom and since we have similar tastes I started reading it. The beginning threw me a little, but once the story comes back to NYC I started liking it. After his move to Las Vegas, the book just didnt capture my interst but I was already too invested in the book to not finish. I am about 90% done with the book but I am not a fan of the writing style. I find there are times where I have to go back and figure out what I just read and some parts of the book just don't seem real. It is also very drawn out and I feel like it could have been shortened and the story would flow much better. I don't think I would recomend it to my friends but everyone else seems to love it so maybe it's just me?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGK6G80KIWQ0U?ASIN=0316055441	male-identified	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have to say that I quit about halfway thru the book, (or as my kindle would say, 47%) so my reactions are based on only a partial reading.<br/><br/>Like most of the negative reviewers, I found this book to be overlong and over-written. But what really bothered me was the author's treatment of male versus female characters.<br/><br/>It's not just that the main focus is on male characters, it's that the author's interest and sympathy so clearly lie with the boys and men. Those characters are fully fleshed out individuals, whereas the women are stereotypes. The protagonist's mother and love object are Madonnas, and most of the remaining females are dumb trash. I'm suspicious this may be one reason why The Goldfinch has been so promoted and praised. That and the pretentious use of fine art as overarching symbol. The Da Vinci Code has much to answer for!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MEY1R9A2LCAJ?ASIN=0316055441	Tough to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and too boring.  The need for description went way beyond what was necessary to get the point across.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RYMVSDOWI205?ASIN=0316055441	Despicable main characters.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Main characters are truly unlikeable. Drug and alcohol abuse is rampant. I kept thinking that the plot would get better but it did not.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFIVJIJ5TB55E?ASIN=0316055441	Dreadful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't even imagine how or why this book got on the ""bestseller"" list - I will be much more careful purchasing these recommendations in the future.  Couldn't even get all the way through it, in fact, I didn't get more than about a quarter of the way through before deleting it.  Don't even care how it ended or what happened to him, that's how uninspiring it was.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CW0H0ZJ6ZKIO?ASIN=0316055441	Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I picked this book as it was recommended from amazon .  I only read about 25 % of the book.  I really didn't enjoy the book much.  Purchased a book by Linwood Barclay and really enjoy it!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T8X57AV574J6?ASIN=0316055441	Mixed feelings on The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I downloaded this because of a sterling review by Stephen King I read in the NY Times and a Kindle special deal. Happy I didn't pay full freight.  Finishing it was a real slog for me, and perhaps the subtleties of the characters, especially the main characters, and their journeys were lost on me. Hobie was almost the only likable character in the whole book, and the central character's ability to hurt everyone he met, no matter what they did for him, was, finally, irritating.  The unremitting drug use in many forms I ultimately also found very off-putting. In a way it was like reading a Holden Caulfield character well into adulthood.  The information on furniture restoration was actually for me the best part of the book.  I'll defer to others, but can't in good conscience recommend this to lots of folks.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BQG314ZZM035?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging plot and characters, but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I agree with another reviewer that this book could almost be broken up into novellas. I was thoroughly engaged with the beginning of the book, but found myself skimming the last 100 pages (which were very verbose) and the conclusion of the novel falling flat (soooo disappointing to invest in an 800 pg book and have a blah ending!). While the plot was interesting (somewhat) and the characters seemed interesting, none of them ever developed, with the exception of Theo, who honestly, wasn't that great of a protaganist. Boris's story would have probably been much more interesting! Maybe so many reviewers loved it b/c it delved into NYC society and art scene a little? I just personally wasn't the biggest fan of Tartt's meandering style of writing. I don't mind a writer becoming ""wordy"" :) but paint me a picture with your words, don't give me random internalized thoughts of the protagonist that really have no effect whatsoever on the story. Now, I'm not upset really that I read this book, but will summarize with an ad Theo saw that was in the book, ""You can look at a picture a week and never think of it again. You can also see a picture for a second and think of it all your life."" Well, I spent about a week reading this book...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVKB1RU3NA9DI?ASIN=0316055441	Life is too short	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">And there are too many excellent books to read rather than slog through this.  Based on so many rave reviews, I purchased this book.  I have yet to find a strong enough hook to pull me into the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33QBLHBEDJNW9?ASIN=0316055441	Still Puzzled About the Messages in This Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Difficult to read and the author flipped flopped too much for me to get the real meaning of the book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KJBJUTZRQD72?ASIN=0316055441	Very tedius	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The descriptions go on and on and the story seems to be secondary to the detail.  Not sure if I will be able to finish this book.  I have rarely put a book down but this could be one.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNZLEFNWSGRDB?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had technical problem's, with whisper net had to get help and was disappointment with that. since all other books have been great. Not only 700 pages of problems to read it, the story was so disappointing. In stead of supporting the main character as I read it  I became totally lost interest.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXY2WLVVAW542?ASIN=0316055441	Biggest Disappointment in a long time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I fully expected to love this book and for the first few chapters I though I would.  But I soon found myself just wishing it would end.  I disliked her style (24 metaphors when 2 would do) and the characters were boring and sad.  The whole premiss was contrived and unrealistic.  It was a waste of time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14Y8UK779NR4G?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overly long with too many rapturous drug experiences ( opiates, alcohol, cannabis, amphetamines, LSD, ecstasy etc. etc... )  needed editing!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TRYH94KMGJV0?ASIN=0316055441	Book rambled on.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story rambled on &amp; on. Much of book was written about being in a drugged state..<br/>Difficult to read and pointless at the end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G69Q56FD9VJ7?ASIN=0316055441	lengthy and too detailed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the writing for the most part was well done, the author tended towards wordy, long descriptive passages of unattractive happenings and the story became tedious.  Although one wants to find out the end for the protagonist, most of the characters are not likable and the story leaves one rather down.  I really couldn't recommend this book unless you are uplifted by the occasional philosophical passages about life, art and old age.  Apparently Donna Tartt is heavily into musing about life.  I would actually have liked to see more of that and less of the drug descriptions, which would appeal to drug addicts who I doubt would read an 800 page book, if at all..... I gave it 3 stars for the musings.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MNOHT73GQUVD?ASIN=0316055441	Great book until the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I started this novel, it totally enveloped me. The beginning captures your attention with such an unexpected event. Following Theo through his disreputable life was fascinating and it was written so well it kept you on the edge of your seat. And then...there was the last eighth of the book, which became so esoteric it seemed to come from another writer. Had she mixed more of this in along the way, it might have been more acceptable. Yet we moved through reality with very in your face situations until the end where I felt somehow Theo went to a psychoanalysis and we missed that part. I'm not saying we can't learn from our life. However, not only was there no true conclusion to the book, we had to have the rambling musings on the meaning of life. I wish I could have given this book the  5 stars most of it deserved. But the ending totally changed my view. How sad for such a promising book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R224M1FP8N24EP?ASIN=0316055441	Way too wordy.... overkill!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was annoyed with the over describing of every little detail. I started flipping through pages half way through the book and found I was still reading the same scene.  It could be a great book, but every time I thought wow, I got bored with 20 pages of what I already read.  This is a perfect example of how less would have been so much more!<br/><br/>And the ending...really!  Over 700 pages of what???  I went back to the first chapter... the first few pages anyway, just so I would at least end on a good note.  That's the most engaging pages of the whole book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MN47MYJO2UO8?ASIN=0316055441	Pointless.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some of the characters (not the protagonist or his pal) were interesting, but the rest of the book was one long agonized addict's whine.  By the time I got to the end (and I don't know why I read that far) I didn't care what any of his conclusions or opinions were - so I quit reading it shortly after the ""plot"" seemed to be over.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFBPUJAUTCE8B?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A rather long saga that begins with a tragedy and after prolonged prose seemingly ends in sadness.  A rather nihilistic view of life brightened only by a painting and be perhaps friends; none of whom are lasting.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J8L0ZR2VMA0H?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not sure what all the fuss is about about.  It was suspenseful and entertaining enough that I made it through to the end, but nowhere near the ""best book of 2013"".  It seemed to me that there were many, many pages that could have been edited out without hurting the plot or the flow of the novel.  It is absurd that this went on for 700+ pages.  The dialogue was often stilted and the descriptions went on far too long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R362FUHM6D0LJ9?ASIN=0316055441	A most unfortunate and unnecessary ode to drugs, self destruction and nothingness	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This exasperatingly much too long book (it could have been written in half of its 800 pages) tries to built a case for the importance of drugs in our lives, which seemingly are inescapably driven towards despair and nothingness after a reckless journey without any values and meaning.<br/><br/>Having said this, I must add that I am very sorry that I did not stop reading this book after the first 80 or 100 pages (The kindle edition does not indicate pages), when Theo's first ""great expectations"" crumble because of the sudden reappearance of his runaway father.<br/><br/>Had I stopped right there, I would have given the book Five stars and more if that had been possible, such is the crafted and beautifull writting of those pages full of insights on love, hope, and, again, ""great expectations...""<br/><br/>Why Donna Tartt felt the need to gradually destroy the enchantment of those firsts chapters with incessant descriptions of drug's related ups and downs and reckless hippie type of living, which drives the actors of the drama towards a seemingly inescapable and senseless nothingness...?<br/>Towards the end of the book, in a very long reflection on the tragedy that life generally is, Theo suggests that the painter chose to paint a chained bird as an image of his own life, which turned out to having been a premonition of his imminent accidental death... Perhaps it is not the painter but Donna Tartt herself who is trying to share with her readers her tragic sense of a life which had its moment of glory but that inescapably is heading towards oblivion and nothingness, chained to an incomprehensible and seemingly unjust fate...<br/><br/>So, Donna Tartt seems to invite us to continue to explore, to look for a way out, having repeatedly learnt in the past that there really is no way out...<br/><br/>Life here is certainly not heaven, but, does it have to be total hell?<br/>Perhaps at 83, I am too old for this kind of literature on chaos and nothingness.<br/><br/>But, what a waste! So much talent which could keep alive in us the ""great expectations"" we once had and that we continue to search for, as Quixote...?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R1SNV7HBV7K?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was intrigued by the beginning similarity to ""Great Expectations."" The terrorist attack at the metropolitan was a timely start to our protagonist's story, but the novel was a disappointment from there.<br/>I was sorry to have read over 700 pages to learn the author's belief that life is a catastrophe with only a short ""middle"" ground where true beauty is revealed.<br/>If life is such a waste of time, the reader should find better use of it than to read this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNZC83Z52KJMI?ASIN=0316055441	Good read until the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the twists and turns of the lives of Theo and Boris.  The characters were vivid and interesting.  I have not read many books where the characters are so involved with drugs but still seeming to function.  This book was a 4 star in my opinion until the last chapter.  It left me disappointed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3APKPQRIOSNL1?ASIN=0316055441	Moments of genius punctuated by almost unbearable tedium	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is a great storyline and some great characters are developed, but the story depends on seeming never-ending sections of excruciating detailed drug and alcohol use that brings the story to a dead stop, over and over. I really wanted to enjoy this book, but it ultimately became a chore to finish it. Disappointing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R258PODJYQC9AO?ASIN=0316055441	this has to be the most overrated book of the year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">skip the 800 pages folks.  about 250 make up a decent narrative, the rest is tedium.  all the comparisons to Dickens are laughable.  if you want to read a rich, socially conscious, character driven novel, take the real thing.  Even a minor Dickens is better than this repetitive, aimless work.  Is it possible Ms. Tartt was paid by the word?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BMGV1EI79YG5?ASIN=0316055441	Great yet a mess	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is like most, a mixture of good and bad. Randall Jarrell said a novel is a somewhat long prose narrative with something wrong with it, and I'd say that's true of this novel too. As an avid reader, author of seven published books, editor and college writing instructor, I look at books in several ways, which makes it complicated to write a simple review. I look at character development, story, and language use to begin with, and I'd say this one shines in those areas. The plot, however, is, as expressed in the current trendy expression, a ""hot mess.""<br/>The main character, Theo Decker, starts out as a 12-year-old who's in trouble at school for the same reasons he's in trouble throughout the book: he's smart but very passive, and he allows people to force him to break the law over and over, from the fellow student who gets him suspended for smoking at school, to the antiquarian who tells him to steal a small jewel of a painting after an explosion in a New York art museum, to his father and then his friend Boris, who really uses him to break the law.<br/>There are good friends like Hobie and Pippa, however, who don't use him.<br/>Over fifteen or more years the story takes place in five places: New York City, Las Vegas, New York again, Amsterdam, and then back to New York. The overwhelming sense of disaster drags us through those places and made me wish I could put the book down, but it's well enough written that I finished it.<br/>His father and Boris drag him through a violent, distasteful underworld that I'd rather not spend so many hours in, the book being too long by about one-fifth. Most of us are impressed by a novel that's so long, but we shouldn't be; editing is as important as the writing itself.<br/>There are lovely passages on art and antiques that made me think deeply, so this book is worth it for many people.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF61PRKOFDZNV?ASIN=0316055441	Completely engrossing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, so absorbing, full of details of the worlds in which the protagonist, Theo, moves and lives his life. Disturbing at times, certainly ""Dickensian"" as many have described the story and circumstances. Despite its length the book moved swiftly. A recent viewing of the painting which inspired the novel certainly contributed to an appreciation for its fascination as an object of beauty.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V7DN4BF7SSOU?ASIN=0316055441	Marie	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best book I've read in quite some time. The characters are so well developed that you feel as if you know them and are watching them talk to each other as if you are in the same room. They came to life in a way that will make you think of them long after the last chapter and wish they were real people.<br/>I was absolutely lost in the book and will read every word written by Donna Tartt.<br/>Some reviews mentioned long rambling parts of the book... I do not agree. There may have been long rambling paragraphs but few and far between. As for all the discussions on antiques it is not boring at all, but is presented in such a way that the reader becomes interested the same way the main character became interested. And this is coming from a person who is completely turned off by 'old' things.  :-)<br/>If you read anything this coming year let it be The Goldfinch.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPVWTD42UCM7H?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best reads...........so far	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Yes, it's long.  And yes, it's detailed.  It is also enthralling.....every word of it.  I am three quarters of the way through, and will be sad when the last page is read.  I don't want it to be over.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W52PE48SRKK3?ASIN=0316055441	great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put this book down.  It was one of the best books I have read . Not my normal type of book to purchase glad I did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YEQK5L0XBS0W?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is some of the greatest prose written. Loved loved loved this book! A testament to the enduring qualities of outstanding literature.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S4GY1KLGPUXL?ASIN=0316055441	Modern American Dickensian Tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When you finish a book and start missing the characters, then you know.  Overwhelmed by Tartts writing, plotting and descriptions.  I am rating this book as my best for the year.  Just read it!!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LSK8JGYJN7SY?ASIN=0316055441	Thudding disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are so many enthusiastic reviews and so much applause for this far-too-long book that I'm almost convinced that I read a different effort. Perhaps I just found it difficult to develop or sustain interest in the tedious pace and the self-indulgent, binge-drinking, junkie teen-into-young-adult main character. I simply didn't care anything about him. At all. I cared a lot more about the fate of the small little painting of the title, which--since at the halfway point, I couldn't stand it for one more page--I will never know.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLNVU2RBE0U6V?ASIN=0316055441	For the birds!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Plowed through until the bitter end of this too long story.  It needs a good edit.  There were only two sympathetic, i.e., likeable characters in almost 1000 pages - or what felt like 2000 pages.  And neither of them was the leading character, Theo, who I really disliked immensely.  The writing was very literate but would have been more effective if someone had put the brakes on.  Or taken a good eraser to it.  Still, I'm glad I read it so I would know what everyone was talking about.  Just a lemming, I guess.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FUT7QZBKHIKF?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked it but it needs a good edit . It is way too long and the ending seemed contrived. It is doubtful that he could mature into a model citizen.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ERLRRAFTLAD8?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing and strange	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">5 stars with reservations.<br/><br/>Not sure what to think of this. On the one hand, I am in awe of the research involved in the writing, of the author's ability to convey information and understanding of varied subjects, from the worlds of antiques, art, drugs, adolescent boys, the rich, the poor, the old and the young. On the other hand, the story is so grim, the sets so gritty, and the probable outcome so hopeless, I found myself dreading the next installment and even dreaming about it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG07DJ41Y2Z8Z?ASIN=0316055441	A tantilizing read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has it all. The power to interest the reader, to make you ponder,then speed up and  finally to try and guess the ending. It has the knowledge of the antique trade , mixing old world granduer and the progression to the new world where drugs are a part of life. The lure of money and which way it takes you, crime ,prostitution, arranged marriages and more drugs. Finally this book has at its heart a very troubled young man who survived it all to tell his story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG9HYXFSZP7IK?ASIN=0316055441	Folks this was not reading.  This was an experience!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I won't forgot this story. Like the Goldfinch you will be chained to it's strange dark beauty and forever haunted by the very real protagonist as he wars with himself.  one of the best novels in years.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DV0D2RH8ACF6?ASIN=0316055441	A thought provoking read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A  young boy experiences Tragedy way too early in his life.  ""The Goldfinch"" tells the story of how he coped with his unspeakable loss and how he became uniquely associated with a valuable and precious picture taken in haste at the height of his chaotic disaster.  The young boy moves on with his life and makes poor choices and amazingly loyal, lifetime friends.  The reader is dragged through the cloying, inexplicable world of mind altering drugs and the resultant destructive behavior so that we can all appreciate the uniqueness of each person's journey through grief.  This book captured my attention, frustrated me and gave me a richer understanding of the complexities of life.  I would recommend it to my friends with the caviat that it is overly long, challenges your sense of right and wrong and causes you to re evaluate your outlook on life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GQCCWE8DDJPY?ASIN=0316055441	Too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the story line but much too wordy. All descriptions were too long.  I was skipping pages and couldnt wait for the story line to begin again.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VQ1OOHO3X3SA?ASIN=0316055441	simply amazing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great fluid writing, storytelling, and yes, suspense.<br/>Plus you learn a lot about art and antiques.<br/>Keep an eye on Boris.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11H6HCHYHMW3P?ASIN=0316055441	Uneven	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was hard to stay with.  It would have benefited from some serious editing, since the author perseverated in many sections far beyond what was needed to make the point.  A stoned coming of age story about a traumatized boy melds  into a disjointed international intrigue.  An occasional misused word sprinkled into long repetitious passages made for heavy reading.  I liked the concept, though, and kept reading long after I normally would have given up.  An uneven read for sure...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BGJ7F3RLJHD0?ASIN=0316055441	Well written, amazing story that touches all of your emotions.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am a Donna Tartt fan so I was anxious to read her new book.  It has not disappointed me at all.  I am over half way though and I really hate to put it down.  I have recommended this book to all my friends, male and female,  Can't wait to finish it although it will be bittersweet,  I will miss this young boy.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZFWVWFG4YKYM?ASIN=0316055441	Boring premise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Redundant view of dysfunctional people I found boring  and finally have up on it  . I rarely stop reading a book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLG58LFHWQ59K?ASIN=0316055441	a classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a rich wonderfully crafted story.  a classic.<br/>Donna Tartt is new discovered by me but I will read everything she writes.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z22RL9ZRA9WH?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">GREAT READ<br/>IT'S ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS THAT I HAVE READ IN A LONG LONG TIME.  SUCH AN INTERESTING STORY, A REAL PAGE TURNER!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T9OT3HM6NWDJ?ASIN=0316055441	A Great American Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ever since reading Donna Tartt's first two novels, I have considered her the best writer of literary fiction in America since Mark Twain and one of the finest writer's in English since Keats.  This latest book continues and enlarges that reputation in my mind.  I am so pleased to see her recognized now at that level.  I very much disagree with critics that her second book The Little Friend was somehow a lesser novel than The Secret History.  This third book is quite different from the other two, but like those shows her consistent quality in plot, character development and ability to entertain; and her freedom and discipline in creating magnificent sentences, her ear for dialogue and her concrete description matched with marvelous metaphor and analogies. Fresh, vibrant, spectacular.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZH1NRLVY6861?ASIN=0316055441	Get ready for a great ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a wonderful story that just seems to go on and on. I have to admit every once in while the pace slows but the plot itself makes it worth reading this book. I rarely skip ahead to the end but I did in this book and still  had no clue to really what was going to happen. Definitely a great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNRCI2F877PYD?ASIN=0316055441	Unique story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I recommend this book because it held my interest for the first 600 pages or so. I loved following Theo and his exploits. Always wondering what twists and turns his life would take - very creative. There really wasn't much of a plot and the characters were not really engaging. The drug addition got to the point that I can't imagine anyone functioning - still I couldn't put it down. SPOILER: But the last 200 pages or so got ridiculous. The section on his trip to Amsterdam and justified or not, he murdered people and it's all kind of excused. It sort of ends in a negative way that life is a cesspool and we all end up the same way. Even though art keeps our eyes and heart open and speaks to all generations and transends time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NO3SXM0YGOTA?ASIN=0316055441	Good, but....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a good story.  Different . But at some point, the editor needed to pull out the red pen and cut back on the wordiness.  I would have enjoyed the book much more if it had been shorter .  I was a bit disappointed because of this.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25FH1AI8OJY83?ASIN=0316055441	unmissable!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book totally engaging, hard to put down. Great story, beautifully written, insightful and dramatic. Her best book. When I wasn't reading it I was thinking about it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CQ2694PW1X05?ASIN=0316055441	really disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rambles, repeats, delays - some editor didn't do her job here. And even after all that, it's a confusing narrative</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE9CN6SRBSH8W?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch Misgivings	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Despite the fact that I paid Amazon almost $8.00 barely 3 weeks ago and it now selling for $1.79, this is one heck of a book. I'm doing the best I can to overcome this disappointment in their pricing policy because The Goldfinch is worth every cent..</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIS8V98QILE1S?ASIN=0316055441	QUITE A PROFOUND AND DEEPLY MOVING READ	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WOW. that's all I can say when an almost 800 page book holds my interest for that long!<br/>It kept sucking me back in and I couldn't wait to pick up where I left off the day before.<br/>So many really neat insights but the writer. Really moving and interesting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E7B7SGBHQPT?ASIN=0316055441	Hated it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really disliked it.  Finished the book as I expected the novel to somehow redeem itself.  Never did.  Plodding , gray, tediious.  Don't even understand why it is on the best seller list.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVYA6X6VIJPM9?ASIN=0316055441	Starts strong, but then wallows for too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book--for the first third. Then the plot seemed to loop endlessly before veering off into some ridiculous shenanigans that looked like a script for a Hollywood heist movie. Finally, the last pages evoked the tone and high quality of the beginning of ghe book</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ30F90NHFT2B?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt sets a gold standard!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The narrative is utterly absorbing and the prose simply shimmers. I can't remember when last I enjoyed such  total immersion in one book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY6BDHRGJX4LG?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Voice similar to Holden Canfield catcher in the rye, just visited metropolitan museum so vividly related to my experience and love.  Illustrates the impact guilt and love can play in our lives .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IS1ADOVQHG8I?ASIN=0316055441	24-carat Goldfinch.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The word 'journey' is bandied about far too frequently these days: My Weight Loss Journey anyone? Perhaps 'odyssey' would be a better way to describe this book though it somehow conjures up a majestic mode of travel, and really, that couldn't be further from the case here. This is (there's no getting away from it) the story of a boy's tormented journey from teen-hood to maturity wherein love, loss, art and death are the prevailing themes.<br/><br/>The first section of Donna Tartt's long-awaited third novel is a tour-de-force, a compelling and completely convincing rendition of what it must be like to survive a terrorist attack and essential to understanding what happens subsequently to the book's narrator, Theo, as he gets buffeted along by the fates, alone and abject. A spectacular quote plucked by the author from Nietzsche sums up Theo's belief that ""We have art in order not to die from the truth"". The bewitching Goldfinch painting could either save him or destroy him.<br/><br/>""...as I walked I had the oddly appealing sensation that I was undoing myself, unwinding myself thread by thread, rags and tatters falling away from me in the very act of crossing Thirty-Second Street and flowing along amongst the rush-hour pedestrians and rolling along from the next moment to the next."" The writing throughout is formidable and I found myself utterly immersed in this other world, this inner and outer world of Theo. I could quote whole chunks but Ms Tartt's book is a threnody, a complete and beautiful thing, to be taken as a whole.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RN83G5U4988N?ASIN=0316055441	Does the chained bird sing?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Elaborate, dense plot.  Two very Existential protagonists Theo and Boris make up their rules for how to live.  Also a very good lesson in art appreciation.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B01GOYOBZ4K7?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is possibly the best book ever.  I couldn't believe 800 pages could go so fast or that I would be wishing it would go on another 800.  Donna Tartt only produced a book a decade, far too long to wait in between, but when she does, it is a whopper.  Now I want  a reproduction of The Goldfinch to hang in my house.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R232THKWJNEBCK?ASIN=0316055441	Lovely book, maybe a bit too long though	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really loved this book. It was beautifully written. Others have spoken in their reviews of the worthlessness of the protagonist, but I don't agree with that. I cared about him for the very reason that he, like all the rest of us, was terribly flawed. I think he said it well himself: that we cannot help who we are. In the end, he was changed and he did finally do the right thing. Sometimes it takes us a lifetime to do that, and sometimes we never make things right. I felt it was a great book. It took a lot of skill to write about the convoluted story line. I do agree that some of the details and long sentences, although very lyrical and beautiful, did bog own a bit and maybe some of the longer passages could have been pared down. I say that with a bit of sorrow, because I love long books and I would be hard-pressed to say which parts should be cut down. And, quite honestly, I'm unsure of what that sort of altered book would look like, and the cuts might even ruin the novel, I really don't know. So, with that ambivalence in mind, I'll still say that I loved the book. A great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PR0FAQ7B0EDO?ASIN=0316055441	755 Pages of Alcoholism and Drug Addiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So, I am in this book club and we have to read this, and I downloaded a kindle edition, and you have no IDEA how long this freaking thing is in a Kindle edition until you realize you are reading and reading and reading and not making a dent on that little scroll bar that indicates how far you've come, so I take a look online at the paperback edition and  it is 775 Pages!!!!! 775 pages  of Alcoholism and Drug Addiction, and self-absorption, and some unrealistic bits...and.... I kinda hate the main character.<br/><br/>Not a place I thought I wanted to go, and often I wanted out. Slogging through mountains of text about teenage castaways...I was hoping it would say; ""then they all blew up-the end"".<br/><br/>But, no such luck. I kept going, because I am not a quitter, then, suddenly, in one chapter, we fast forward and they are in their 20's.  I realize that if I think of Boris as Eugene Hutz from Gogol Bordello....then it becomes positively cinematic and fun.<br/><br/>So, I got to a place where it was worth hanging out with the Royal Tenenbaums in their fishbowl (that family with the matriarch), and Eugene Hutz (and the Gogol Bordello creww) and being in Central Park and with the Addams Family in their antiques shop house and then, Amsterdam and Vegas in retrospect, even. It became more fun connecting characters from other things I have enjoyed with these characters. I turned the dad into Ryan ONeil and that also helped. Also I have a little dog that snores and sleeps with all four feet in the air on her back...and that helped weverything.<br/><br/>There were some good bits of writing. There were some ""meh"" ideas...nothing actually new, but that's allright. There were waaaaay more drug scenes than I ever wanted or ever needed....but I think, on the whole, the book  will work for you if you find a way to make it fun. Ya gotta work hard for it, though. WARNING!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX82C9IO0DN6J?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I almost didn't read this wonderful book because of mixed reader reviews, but fortunately listened to a good friend.  I finished in about 3 days, resented every interruption:))  Truly one of the best books of the last thirty years.  I completely disagree with those who found the book too long and those who did not like the ending.  The length of the book was perfect, the ending was beautiful and true.  Could not more highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JEF6SAF22S5K?ASIN=0316055441	First Donna Tartt book I've read...not the last!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down!  Obvious huge amount of research went into the development of this story that is compelling and educational!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSXJZ95RTF8UF?ASIN=0316055441	Such a treat!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This ia a beautifully written, gripping read. It's so rare to find a book that you both can't book down because of the ""page-turning"" quality of the story, and because the highest level of skill and craft  infuses all aspects of its creation.<br/>The characters we meet are some of the best, quirkiest and heartfelt people I've met in any book in recent years.<br/>Often when the side characters are so strong, the main character and ,in this case, narrator, tend to be weak by comparison. Not so here. Wonderful. I loved this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GNB6S3ZCJ6UX?ASIN=0316055441	So enjoyable on every page!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As always Donna tartt takes us into worlds few of us know first hand. Throwaway teens and rarified air of upper east antiques, melded together beautifully. Read it twice in a week.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R141D1QAI1OYPK?ASIN=0316055441	Best in a long time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written and constant in keeping<br/> the reader enticed.  Visually poetic in descriptions of events.<br/>Even the ugly and dark lives of his family are acutely shared.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M3SP7S68QEOE?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book, but loses some impact in the middle.  The book starts off strong, well-written giving you a real feel of life in NYC and relationship between mother and son. It really is a beautiful story and I couldn't put it down through the first 1/3 of the book. The writing is so strong and vivid that you feel like you are really there and there were times I found myself holding my breath. However, the story loses steam once the setting changes from NYC to Las Vegas.  While it's still a very interesting story and you find yourself attached to some of the characters,  I found myself wanting to skim in the middle because the writing had lost it's strength. Had the writing been edited for a tighter story this would be a 5 star rating instead of 4. Overall, I highly recommend as it's a compelling story and beautifully written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TVZHR0D5ZSO2?ASIN=0316055441	A Big Disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good in spots.  Large sections were tedious.  Too much about drugs, alcohol and art.  I forced myself to finish it.<br/>Especially disappointing because I thought her first novel, The Secret History, was great.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DOSN6BK2PFAO?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a masterpiece!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is true wordsmith and plot twister.  Eloquently written! One of the best reads I've had in a long time.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7PU4LWXZM7UY?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the most depressing and boring books i have read in a long time.  save your money</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L8K98IN8NUZY?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant, richly dense, characters who will haunt your dreams. Find a comfortable chair and some uninterrupted time. Worth every minute.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TDMSS9D9LVSQ?ASIN=0316055441	Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel was just too long and tedious to keep my interest.  I found the first half of the book to be much more intriguing than the second half.  In the end, I was so exhausted reading about this tortured soul and his bad choices that I really had to push myself to finish the book.  I'm assuming Theo's self-destructive tendencies were meant to mirror the dysfunction he learned from his father.  This reader was left to believe by the final pages of the book that the bleak Theo was not able to find his way off of his ruinous path.  And I really didn't care.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8JW1LUGD0MVF?ASIN=0316055441	I am still moved by the beauty of the descriptive prose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the finest reads for me in many many years...my jaw continued to drop at the elegance of the descriptive prose..especially during the Pippa passages. I was amazed at the clever plot twists.I re-read much of it over and over. I was so moved by the time I finished the book, that I haven't been able to pick up another one...I need to savor the Goldfinch for awhile yet.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HS950ZWKE8Z2?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting, complex	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Riveting, the characters are endearing, complicated. I learned something about the black market for art and art in general. I couldn't put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q4AH2GKRZWI9?ASIN=0316055441	Simply superb	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A true gem, beautifully written, meaningful and, an immensely entertaining story. A story involving New York City, Las Vegas, Amsterdam and masterworks of art, is going to be either a bomb or brilliant. Fortunately for us it's brilliant! Enjoy!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R257LLHD3Z7G7S?ASIN=0316055441	What a book,what a book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read this year.  Will win National Book award.  Can't say enough about it.  I'm whacked out about it.  Donna Tartt is a true master.  Just read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYMCU5ZO1X7JC?ASIN=0316055441	A Pageturner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put  the Goldfinch down...it covered so many of my interests.  The characters were superbly defined as were the diverse l the locales.  A great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SLA8TFSUML2V?ASIN=0316055441	The best book I've read it a while.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was reading it on my kindle, telling my friend how good it was, when she told me it was almost 700 pages long. I found it hard to believe as I started reading it only 2 days prior and I was about 30% of the way through!  This is an exceptional book...well written, great characters, and a heart wrenching story.  I loved it!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E8G7B47NGW1S?ASIN=0316055441	Gold finch by Donna Tartt is the BEST	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic story beautifully written. Donna Tartt's very best book yet. Have read all of her books and once I started Goldfinch it was hard to put it down. Don't let the length be daunting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QT9FO5EPG3PR?ASIN=0316055441	a real pleasure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a great pleasure this book was! Exciting, profound, moving. As a painter, I enjoyed the deep understanding of a beautiful painting that this narrative is woven around.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MUEQ8004SOU8?ASIN=0316055441	You Won't Want To Put It Down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great read. Moves along at a good pace, allowing the reader to envision each character and their surroundings as if you were there watching the story unfold. Easy to read late into the night or at anytime, giving intriguing, non-stop enjoyment.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25U5D6B4OPDBW?ASIN=0316055441	The power of art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a story that pulls the reader on and on.  The characters are clearly defined.  The Goldfinch remains the central figure as events move along.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38V1PAPVNI2LT?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of these rare books that you really live in while you read it. Exciting from the first page on. I loved it! I started reading it again right after, because all other books on my kindle suddenly seemed dull in comparison.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C0YSKKJ7PWPR?ASIN=0316055441	Ruined my sleep	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is so well crafted and characterized, it sucks you in. I was afraid the terrorism part of the plot would be lurid and overblown, but it completely incidental to the real story. The portrayal of unthinking resilience in the main character is right on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7VW0KXE4TDYP?ASIN=0316055441	Breathtakingly Beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I never wanted this to end. I literally ached when I wasn't reading it. It was so complex and yet so simple a story.  I'm honored to have read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQRABFEZC5HT?ASIN=0316055441	loved 7/8 of this...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Got tired of the less than zero turn at the end...she captures grief in a young person perfectly. Long finale.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2STTGK9GHSAQ3?ASIN=0316055441	I just plain enjoyed reading it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cannot really explain why I loved reading it, but if you make it 100 pages in or so, chances are you will be sucked in to this amazingly detailed and unique series of worlds. This is probably not a typical style of book I read, I generally like more humorous or books with action or whatever, but I am glad I read this. It may not grab you right from the start, but it is thought provoking, rich, at times funny, exciting, and sad. It is most certainly not a feel-good type of book, but I really enjoyed it. Sometimes I was frustrated at the choices the characters made, but I think they were appropriate because of how richly the characters are described. This book can leave you sitting contemplating about it and is a great discussion book.<br/><br/>I could go on about the plot and other things I liked, but instead I will offer a slight critique that I did not read anywhere.<br/>One thing I would say negatively is that sometimes I felt like descriptions of rooms or whatever sometimes went on for too long. That is partly why this world is so rich, but at times it just seemed like irrelevant details and after a few pages about a cabinet, I was just like, ""alright, I get it, move on"".  The other thing is that I have never read such long run-on sentences. It is kind of the style and worked at times, but literally whole-page sentences were just awkward, occasionally.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39XC2HJ91Y9ZB?ASIN=0316055441	Why the trapped bird sings.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful tale, a deep consideration of the tragedy it is to be human and why we need/desire/love art. What makes great books great: I cared about and suffered with the characters and wanted to know what would happen next.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SUUI41E2W06L?ASIN=0316055441	A must read....be prepared to be lost in another time and place.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have to say that the writing style of Donna Tartt in The Goldfinch was beyond brilliant. I was captivated by her ability to use what we used to call ""run on sentences"" to articulate the characters mind chatter in the most amazing ways that would describe in such utter detail many feelings and nuances that I think most would not have been able to find words for. But there they were....words streaming across the pages that captivated and enthralled and now causes me to actually miss Theo. I didn't want this book to end and I recall the characters every day, now weeks after I read the last delicious word.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DSG6FMQEX55A?ASIN=0316055441	Good yarn	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I learned about this book through Goodreads. I found it absorbing, although it lost the plot a little in the middle. I had to keep reading, even though the principal character became quite unlike able.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K4IVVPPIK1BV?ASIN=0316055441	Best Book This Year!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't decide between 4 and 5 stars and finally 5 won out because this book is long. Really long. And yet I was never bored. I didn't skim sections or hurry past certain situations that were not my favorite and I didn't ever wish that I had almost reached the end. Instead, I looked forward to immersing myself in this masterful, sprawling, Dickensian, character-driven drama each and every time I picked it up. Tartt's narrative is captivating. I actually finished the book at roughly 2:30 AM today. I was having a hard time staying awake somewhere around 11 PM but went into the kitchen for a drink of water and came back with a second wind, glad to be able to keep my eyes open long enough to finally find out what happens in Amsterdam! If you haven't read any other reviews of this book yet, don't. You don't want any spoilers! There were sections of the book that were not my favorite and one or two characters that didn't quite ring true to me, but for the most part the story, setting and characters are extremely well thought out and realistic. Hoping we don't have to wait another ten years for Tartt's next novel, but I can certainly understand how it might take that long to write something of the magnitude of The Goldfinch.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HNUF7XHVHHMX?ASIN=0316055441	transcendent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The entire novel is the narration of the character Theo, from childhood to age. Never have I gotten into the most subtle nuances of another mind.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC31XJIN2UVQM?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't even begin to say how much I enjoyed this book. The main character Theo was so fully developed I actually thought about him and his welfare when I wasn't reading the book. Not only did the author dig deep into all the characters but she showed you how layered and complicated they were, resulting in a sensitivity and empathy to every character introduced. Donna Tartt weaves such a contemporary New York tale full of suspense in a intelligent and meaningful way - I couldn't out this book down and was sad to see it end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2URV7DW870TH?ASIN=0316055441	For some, a life-changing experience	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You could quibble with any masterpiece.  Yes, maybe it's a little too long but from Donna Tartt every word is a gift, as far as I'm concerned.  For some, this book could be a life-changing experience.  It is more real than life itself, surreal at times.  As everyone says, though, it is grounded in the great classics, especially Dickens' novels and out of all his wonderful output, it reminded me most of David Copperfield.  Theo Decker lives for me and I really hope his dreams comes true at long last.  Donna, a sequel, PLEASE.  NOW !!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD7XYT5CFPLVG?ASIN=0316055441	Really Like This Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this book based on the Book Review in the New York Times written by Stephen King. When I began to read and still reading, I was intrigued how the author was able to touch on the emotion of losing a love one. I began to cry I was so moved by the loss, confusion, and the daze that the this teenage boy was going through I just wanted to hug him. Based on what I have read so far this book has me intrigued to find out what happens to him. This an excellent book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R145SL5DKPTFMP?ASIN=0316055441	A Life-Changing Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this in one week, a daunting task for such a long book but I could not put it down and when I reached the end, I had tears in my eyes. The last five pages are so beautifully written that I had to read them aloud, in a very quiet voice, while sitting in the corner at Starbucks. Someone, please tell me, is there another book as compelling as this? Really. The last time I enjoyed a book this much was when I read George Elliot's ""Middlemarch."" Books that engage you so fully, from beginning to end, are rare. I envy the reader who is just beginning ""The Goldfinch."" You are in for a life-changing experience.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5INQN95X7OWT?ASIN=0316055441	Sad!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've enjoyed her other books so much more! Let's hope her next ones measure up. I am clearly a fan.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K67B38PK92DI?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is Donna Tartt at the top of her game.  If you thought ""The Secret History"" was good, you're in for yet another  display of her considerable talent.  The only problem with ""The Goldfinch"" is that whatever you pick up next will seem like very thin gruel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OM02T1M1PSNB?ASIN=0316055441	moving	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even though it was difficult to come back to occasionally (Amsterdam), the story moved forward to a logical, meaningful conclusion. Almost all of the characters were well drawn as mixtures of dark and light. The prose was highly polished yet felt as though it spilled from the author's mind in one sitting, which is truly remarkable. A wonderful two week read.<br/><br/>Note: The crux of the biscuit is, of course, the apostrophe! A memorable Frank Zappa song made great by the extraordinary bassist Jack Bruce.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9AALY4SIZV5W?ASIN=0316055441	enter the cesspool exit by the light	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As dark and disturbing as it is, you don't want it to stop and you can't tear yourself away. Just like Boris, we could stop by why?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MOUABNMSMZ50?ASIN=0316055441	The best book I've read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Before downloading The Goldfinch I read at least 5 reviews, 3 of them from the NYT, and all laudatory.  All referred to the length (almost 800 pages) of this bildungsroman, to its Dickensian and Dostoyevskyan similarities, to its magical descriptions and Tartt's ability though female, to get inside the heads of its male protagonists, particularly in portraying their friendship. All referred to her sublime use of language, her story-telling talents, her ability to reach the depth of emotions.  So you might say that I was prepared to embark upon an engrossing read.  That's the understatement of the year!  I blazed through this remarkable novel like a band of locusts and had to force myself to put the book down each day so that I wouldn't finish it too soon.  I even flirted with the idea of immediately beginning again.  That's how good it is.  For plot see Michiko Kakutani's review in the New York Times and Kamila Shamsie's in The Guardian below, but above all, treat yourself and read The Goldfinch.<br/><br/>Normally I keep a list of books for future reading, but Donna Tartt's exquisite prose has made it impossible for me to even contemplate anything of a lesser nature.  Either I'll have to go in a totally opposite direction (Doris Kearns Goodwin's forthcoming tome, The Bully Pulpit), or with a classic (Dostoyevsky's Crime  &amp; Punishment).<br/><br/>The painting by Carel Fabritius central to the novel actually exists and will be on display until January at The Frick Collection in N.Y. in an exhibit of 22 Dutch Masters.....Rembrandt, Vermeer, Steen, etc.  Fabritius was a student of Rembrandt and the teacher of Vermeer.<br/><br/>[...]<br/><br/>[...]</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14UQ96TOWB3JH?ASIN=0316055441	A Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was completely blown away by The Goldfinch. Finished the book (all 700+ pages of pure genius?) in 4 days and still I could not get enough of her writing. It is THAT good! Tartt had successfully elevated my reading experience to a whole new level, I don't think I'll ever feel as satisfied again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXQHSWD0050BM?ASIN=0316055441	Magical	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's captivating and compelling story weaves destiny, choice and beauty into an enjoyable tapestry. It is the modern day Great Expectations.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZHZNLSIDQXR4?ASIN=0316055441	Took over my life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very meaty, long, captivating. Draws you in a stays with you long after it's finished. The painting itself is perfect for the story and you can understand the attraction. I didn't like the summing up at the end, very poor but I still gave it five stars, don't bother to read the last 10-20 pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CIISOURQIEET?ASIN=0316055441	wonderfully written, compelling...but empty feeling at the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms. Tart has, no doubt, a masterful command of the English language and an ability to evoke deep emotional responses from her readers. I could not put this book down. I found it intelligent, engrossing and so emotionally engaging, I had to find out what happened next. That said, I ended up feeling quite sad and remorseful for Theo, and most everyone in the story. I finished, thinking I wanted more, and had an unsettling feeling inside. I loved The Secret History, and will read Her other book straight away.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ELHV9ZVR531G?ASIN=0316055441	Magnificent Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a total pleasure every moment in this book was. I don't know when I have read anything like it and while others have commented on the length I didn't see any way to take anything out of it and still have the same impression. It was excellent in every way and such a pleasure to read a book that was written and edited correctly all the way through. Thank you Donna Taart and all who participated in this wonderful book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RKQRRGRZQC2X?ASIN=0316055441	My wife and I both loved this book (thus a strong endorsement for mixed gender ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My wife and I both loved this book (thus a strong endorsement for mixed gender book club!). Rich characters, great tension, interesting plot.  Although a little slow in the second third, it was generally a page-turner and went quickly.  The finish was worth the wait! The epilogue was dark, and it was a little disappointing that the author did not find something more positive and optimistic to take away from her own tale.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27FNDGSIUG1QH?ASIN=0316055441	Life can get in the way	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A difficult read. I wanted the characters to rise above their circumstances but maybe they did the best for being so damaged from life. It was a book that kept my interest but one I wanted to get through with at the same time. The closing thoughts on life were what I've wondered about but it took so many pages to wind it up. It is one book that you should say you've read. Twists and turns. Author should be congratulated.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7JQOX77TIL8L?ASIN=0316055441	great but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">liked this very much, the beginning of the book is gripping, can't put it down reading.  If I had one criticism, it would be that it's WAY too long, could lose about 80- 100  pages with no problem.  Really starts to slog about 2/3 of the way through.  I agree with the review that describes it as a series of novellas.  However worth the read, the characters are brilliantly drawn, the descriptions evocative and so visual.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E4F71WRPQ8CF?ASIN=0316055441	Plot was good, but WAY TOO MANY descriptives	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Plot was good, but WAY TOO MANY descriptives!  The story dragged on when what turned out to be a 700 page book could have easily been written in 300 pages.  I wanted to just stop reading halfway through the book but was curious to find out what happened to the characters.  Regretfully, after trudging through to the end of the book, I found that I'd spent too many hours on a book I will not be recommending to my friends!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PO2VFABPFA2V?ASIN=0316055441	I thoroughly enjoyed this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the first two-thirds of it were incredible. Amazing pace and character depth combining to tell an enchanting story. I found the last third of the book waffly and felt like someone had pasted in an art essay to keep the book going. Perhaps it was book fatigue that got to me.<br/><br/>I still highly recommend the book and perhaps others will have more patience towards the end of the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGVUABWP3KJ2F?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing story developed surrounding a very small painting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing story developed surrounding a very small painting.  The writing, itself, was the best feature of the book.<br/><br/>The main character's development made him sympathetic, yet fascinating.  My only criticism was the lengthy amount of time spent on the drug and alcohol adventures.  These would have been more effective if focused to prime spots of the story.<br/><br/>I hope this author has more for her readers.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REEACRXNMIJ2G?ASIN=0316055441	Great book. Beautiful writing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the writing. Character development was excellent. Story was long but held my interest. I thought the story of Theo's love life was a bit weak--not much to chew on. I thought the philosophical summation at the end was deep and thoughtful, but  I don't think it left the reader with a conclusion strong enough to carry such a long story. However, I enjoyed the book greatly and will look for more books by the author.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM0ZKOZWNC3CQ?ASIN=0316055441	Great Writing but Tough Subject Matter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is extremely good.  It can be a hard book to read though.  I had to put it down in the middle because it was just so depressing.  But then I picked it up again and am glad I did.  It's a very good book, but if you are the kind of person that just reads for entertainment purposes only, it may not be for you.  It deals with lots of real life, drug and alcohol addiction, abandonment issues and failures in life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BBPWM3NXKHD3?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In a word, EDIT!  Contains some excellent writing, but lacks overall coherence as a complete work. In definite need of EDITING. Dreadfully long and drawn out in spots that almost cause you put it down, but then has places where it is difficult to put down. To me the long drawn out sections significantly outnumbered the difficult to put down ones.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R222SFE7MERSC2?ASIN=0316055441	This book has some good scenes, but it desperately needs editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some say that this novel is Dickensian. Well, I know my Dickens, and Ms. Tartt is no Dickens! This book has some good scenes, but it desperately needs editing. It's overlong, repetitive, and self-indulgent. The last 200 pages were so hard to get through. But actually, all of it was...well, how many times do you need to read about someone getting drunk and vomiting? If you want Dickens, go read ""Little Dorrott""!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBZ3DOBMOHER2?ASIN=0316055441	Like it  but didn't love it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the beginning of the book. I loved the richness and the detail of the characters and the plot. But then...it just kept going. I didn't feel the characters grew much so it devolved into just reading interesting details rather than the story being an extension of the character development.<br/>A reader who likes just to be along for the ride, wherever it may take you, will really enjoy this story. I needed more.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QDGR5YTHU0IX?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it. Worth every minute I had to squeeze ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it. Worth every minute I had to squeeze in between work and kids to finish.  Thought provoking and moving. Unlike some others, I had no disdain for Theo whatsoever. He was doing the best he could with what he had and what he knew. Will wait awhile and read again. Sure there are nuances I missed the first go round. Tartt is from my home state. About 50 miles away. Amazing writing. Makes me proud to be a Southerner</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M88QX4AH7DZ5?ASIN=0316055441	Not the ending I hoped for.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story keeps your interest.  Some of the ""druggie"" episodes made me wonder if the author had also experiened these?  There appeared to be a lot of symbolism thruout, especially toward the end of the story..  I kept hoping that Theo would find his painting<br/>in  the storage area and that he and Pippi would end up together in an ""alls well that ends well"" finish.  I guess Ms. Tartt had other ideas!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LM2VXSSVYMR9?ASIN=0316055441	Absorbing and lyrical	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An absorbing and lyrical tale that never lags in the telling and destined to become a classic.  The characters in this book are deeply complex and the plot is surprising and unpredictable keeping one reading into the wee hours of the morning. I didn't want this 770 page tome to end. Books like this don't come around very often. Highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AEIVDQGEUVSA?ASIN=0316055441	I would not recommend this book to others	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very uneven.  I would not recommend this book to others.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TPEM75CODXOB?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could have been 1/2 of the pages, to get the same story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N6S9XY7BBF7X?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What it the world did everyone see it this book!!!???!!!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GND7E9T72DH5?ASIN=0316055441	Must read. Period.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a must-read and welcome addition to any library.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RICVRLS46KBE9?ASIN=0316055441	One life changing moment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How one moment your whole life can change! The author explores Theo's life and loves and questionable friendships and decisions. Delve into the seedier side of life, lots of intrigue, keeps you wondering how it all will be resolved. Will Theo get the girl? Which one? Will he recover the treasure? At what cost? Along the way, the reader gets a lesson in ethics, good or bad. Sometimes things are not all black and white.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9YEH0V0PL91E?ASIN=0316055441	"Added to my ""All Time Favorite Books"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best book I have read in years. As a matter of fact I have read it twice now and enjoyed it as much the second time as I did the first. (Obviously I don't have a problem with the length of the book as many reviewers do!) I agree that it is like three or four novellas wrapped up in one book and I love how each build upon each other. The writing is superb as is the story line. This is definitely a must read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REBU5T5BPFM1C?ASIN=0316055441	Worth All 700plus Pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was incredible.  It takes you through every emotion.  I took this book everywhere so that if I found myself with even just 5 minutes I could pick it up.  And as a bonus, at the very end the lead character voiced several sentiments that I thought only I had ever thought!  It was like he stepped into my brain and read my thoughts.  I absolutely loved this book.  I think it's the best book I have read all year!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9BY0QN51JAFX?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am probably one of the few people who will give this book a negative review.  I slogged through several hundred pages before I finally decided to quit.  There were jumps in the story that I had trouble following and wondered at times if I had actually missed a chapter or two.  The premise seemed far-fetched, in fact many of the events in the book seemed too preposterous to actually occur.  I just couldn't finish it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R313GWNVNV29Y4?ASIN=0316055441	While I am glad I read this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I am glad I read this book, it proved very disappointing. Quite frankly, editing was needed. The beginning was srong and held interest, however it got as sloppy as if the dysfunctional it portrayed wrote it. The ending proved worthy, however the road there was tiresome. It took a while to get through the last 25% as I dreaded reading it.  I purchased it when the library loan ended and it was downhill from there.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F306I8JI5A7X?ASIN=0316055441	My life is not better because of reading The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a hard time staying interested in this book.  I did finish the book but thought it could have ended with a lot less of the rambling thoughts of the main character.  The gross amount of drug and alcohol abuse was tough to choke down.  His devotion to Andy's mother and Hobie were touching.<br/>My life is not better because of reading The Goldfinch, however I am a little better educated in art since reading this.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R399XYB744DIWJ?ASIN=0316055441	A journey not to be missed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best novels I've read in a long time.  Tartt never wavered from the voice of her characters, there were surprises along the way, good cadence,  the descriptive language and wording captured the essence of scenes in way that I could see and feel.  It was one of those stories that captured my attention from beginning to end.  I am a slow reader and I read the book 4.5 days.  I was sad to say goodbye.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18T99OA8FSTVX?ASIN=0316055441	It should have been a better book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tons of talent - lack of editing. A series of characters who victimize or are victims of fate. If Theo had Breen likeable, I would have liked this whole book more. It took far too long for any personal revelation and,by the time it made it,I no longer cared. The prose was beautiful, if overblown. The plot depended on a miracle or two. Thank goodness for Boris. Otherwise, I don't think I would have made it to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL6XWMI846VTG?ASIN=0316055441	slow paced (except for the feeling like I was out of breath trying to get from ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If this is a Pulitzer Prize winner I must have missed something.  It was an overly wordy, slow paced (except for the feeling like I was out of breath trying to get from one period to the next from the run on, and on and on sentences?)  Very dark but that was OK.  Boris was entertaining.  Fortunately some years were skipped between chapters or it might have taken another 700 pages.  It was a very grueling read for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E45Q1S1I2KBP?ASIN=0316055441	tragedy, coming of age, existential, plot and subplot and sideways plot... superb	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book took me with its protagonist through years and the kind of journey and soul searching I think anyone who has suffered immense pain, loss and tragedy contemplates yet tries to avoid contemplating. The plot (and subplots), relationships, and layers of meaning (or admission of meaninglessness?) are beautiful and awful. I've just finished the novel and I am reeling. I can't wait to read her next work. Stunning.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31QRWHF1MV3BF?ASIN=0316055441	A teenage boy's struggle with issues of abandonment by his ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A teenage boy's struggle with issues of abandonment by his father and then the death of his mother were explored as the consequential drug usage by Theo was discussed. Perhaps life's truths were there in The Goldfinch painting as symbols of life's beauty if Theo ever wished to grow into it. The length of the book was rather bothersome, as the amount of time spent in dealing with his drug involvement seemed excessive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ0TQ23IRA2ME?ASIN=0316055441	A  Consummate Work, but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Expertly conceived and thoroughly executed; the reader is swept into a torrent of situations, characterizations, and kaleidoscopes of times and places--all crafted with meticulous attention and detail. But...this reader became weary of the predominance of the F word by the end of Tartt's tale, and the conclusion presented a belief system which seem bereft of anything that could sustain the grail of ""otherness"" (771).</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUTQ8XSLKDSSP?ASIN=0316055441	Deserved the Pulitzer Prize	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best novel I've read in years. Tartt's writing takes the reader to another place where her characters become as real as the geography they inhabit. The writing is beautiful. I gave it four stars only because at times the drug related parts were too much. However, that was probably the point! Alienation, heartbreaking loss, it's all there, along with redeeming love and goodness. I probably should have given it a five!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O9ZFKQPDN611?ASIN=0316055441	Simply can't believe the story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so excited to read this book recommended to me by a friend who loves reading as much as I do.  I took it to my bookclub because I thought it would be fun to discuss it after reading.  I am struggling to finish the book.  The more I read the less I believe the character of Theo.  I'm far more interested in Hobie and other characters.  Just not my cup of tea and I look forward to bookclub and the other reactions.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JP6RPGYB1PQF?ASIN=0316055441	) The book's plot is too contrived and too long (needs a good editor). Lately	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book won the Pulitzer for Fiction. Why?? (A slow year??) The book's plot is too contrived and too long (needs a good editor). Lately, it seems that fiction is being written with an eye toward a movie deal. I'll be surprised if this one doesn't fall into that category. Perhaps it will do better on the big screen than as a literary attempt.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGZAHXPQRVCBH?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Survives--Just	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very interesting coming of age novel, completely unique in my experience.  (I generally don't like coming of age novels.)  Extremely literate, the novel follows three young misfits from adolescence into young adulthood.  All were seared by childhood trauma; all made it to adulthood, albeit with scars.  (I found out about Narcon.)  Like the painting The Goldfinch, they were all thought lost, but were finally found.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V8JJVI18QHFY?ASIN=0316055441	I loved Theo, his mother	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning of the book was very engaging.  I loved Theo, his mother, and Hobie.  And Pippa.  But then that endless, grim, period in Las Vegas had me skimming.  I think moment to moment writing can be good, but sometimes it becomes self-indulgent.  Theo's friend, Boris, did not seem believable.  The book still finds Theo in trouble at the end, but pulling out of it, and I truly hope the rest of his life is better.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C42G9DO4CFRK?ASIN=0316055441	it's a 750- something paged book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I think that this book was interesting and well written, I think it could have been interesting and well written with less descriptions and internal monologues. Theo is a great character and definitely fun to be with throughout the novel , but I also found him to be unlikeable at times. I wouldn't suggest this book to a casual reader but to someone who can go through it fast, it was a good piece of literature.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REN1WR3VGJSX3?ASIN=0316055441	I am glad I read this book and would recommend it for ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a very well written novel, a little long but very descriptive. The characters come alive and almost become a part of your life that you want to get back to reading so you can find out how they are doing. I am glad I read this book and would recommend it for someone that has the time to read the entire book. It was very interesting, took different twists and turns and had a different outcome than I anticipated.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R307P603OTEUOQ?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Really	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was truly disappointed in this after all the great reviews I read. Long and dragged out, with no sign the protagonist will ever get it, it left me feeling a lot like I did when I read the 50 Shades of Grey trilogy. OMG they're having sex again! the dragged out addiction made me angry (perhaps due to personal experience), but none the less saying, ""for God's sake is he really getting high again-what doesn't he get?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K38OXX25EOQY?ASIN=0316055441	very disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I anticipated a great book because of the Pulitzer Prize this novel received.  Instead, I struggled to understand why anyone thought it was worth reading.  I could not warm to the characters or sympathize with most of their self-created troubles.I dragged myself through most of it, because my book group read it -- but I finally had to give it up.  I feel like I wasted a lot of time on a book that didn't deserve it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37JOZ9SG904U4?ASIN=0316055441	You will either enjoy and love this book by the time you finish ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You will either enjoy and love this book by the time you finish it, or you might throw it across the room and hate it. However I don’t think that decision can be made based on reading a review of the book. I think you need to go out there and pick it up and dive into the story. I was seduced by the painting…maybe you will be too.<br/><br/>For my full review go to : http://www.readinginthetardis.com/the-goldfinch/</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32HOQSE7KL158?ASIN=0316055441	Epic, amazing and captivating.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have been reading Pulitzer Prize winning novels for the last 6 months or so and was intrigued by the varied reviews of this book. I was drawn in immediately by the fascinating, tragic story and couldn't put it down. Ms. Tartt is a genius. I was captivated many times by her descriptions of New York and the wasteland of the seedy side of Las Vegas. Boris is one of the most memorable characters ever. Wonderful read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XIYRK49PFYMN?ASIN=0316055441	FRS	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A well deserved Pulitzer Prize. This is a major literary work ...an addictive read that grab you from the first few pages &amp; does not let  you go until the last one. Excellent characters development . Rich descriptions of art &amp; antiques . A treat for the curious reader .  This a real breakthrough for Ms. Tartt . I hope it will not take her another 10 years to regale us with another magnificent novel.<br/>Well done!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N0GZ7VNWBLUI?ASIN=0316055441	I did love reading it and wanted to get back to it ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't taken on such a book since school, many many moons ago.  I did love reading it and wanted to get back to it every evening, but in the end, it didn't live up to what I expected, especially the ending.  Not sure what I was expecting, but nearing the latter part of the book, I just wanted it to get to the point and started skimming over much of the writing...maybe it had run it's course long before the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T5OV5PWHN2X8?ASIN=0316055441	Sometimes the narrative does get a bit tedious. I understand that two abandoned teens are going ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Of course this prize-winning writer has a talent for description and narrative. The plot is fresh and keeps reader attention to the end. Sometimes the narrative does get a bit tedious. I understand that two abandoned teens are going to use coarse language, but I found it too much and often unnecessary. The psychological challenges this PTSD child into manhood deals with is deep and sad but with a promising ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E1TOH8MNJXIR?ASIN=0316055441	Faulkneresque	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Glorious and painful, words in torrents like paintings in a crowded endless hallway, peopled in such fine detail I could smell their sweat and fear and hear their hearts beating.  Sometimes so painful to read I could barely do one paragraph at a time, how does anyone capture life's ironies and dead ends?  Not a book for the casual reader.  This one ranks with our finest including Dostoyevsky and Joyce.  Brilliant.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G369XLB5TLP2?ASIN=0316055441	The beginning was good, but became tiresome after that	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">LONGEST book ever!!!! The beginning was good, but became tiresome after that. Ending was stupid. The run-on sentences in this book are unreal. One sentence lasted an entire page and then another 1/3 of a page without stopping.  Felt like I was out of breath trying to read it. All I can say is I should have just read the plot synopsis and called it good. Start this book if you don't have anything else better to do.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REJ5AFAYDKK20?ASIN=0316055441	Love, love, love this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is one of those rare jewels that comes along ever so infrequently.  The description of<br/>  every scene is so vivid, it's like watching a well lit movie.  The twists and turns in the story keeps you coming back for more, with a deep longing in your heart that all will be put to right.  With keen insight and deep perception, Tartt touches the soul of the relevancy for life.  I didn't want it to end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NT8Y8A6L7IP6?ASIN=0316055441	Also too much bad language, which was all part of the story ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written book, but much too long.  Too many descriptive narratives about characters which were not main subjects in story. Found myself turning over several pages as losing interest.  Also too much bad language, which was all part of the story but sometimes not necessary.  A lot of drug taking and drinking.  The theme of the book was very interesting and unfolded well, but a bit of a disappointment all round..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JSKJA1TJ6YQ2?ASIN=0316055441	A Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read the  book once and found it dark and difficult to read. Have just reread it carefully for a book club discission, and I saw so much more in it. The imagery is powerful. The symmetry in the story lines. The characters are so well developed that the reader is tempted to give them advice. A really beautifully done book making one ponder the meaning of family, friendship, and love when mere survival is at stake.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R348TBX2412KL4?ASIN=0316055441	Very Insightful Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing was an incredibly insightful, believably honest, and gripping account of a growing child/young adult's experience after the unexpected, sudden, and tragic loss of a close parent. I had a difficult time putting it down until I was close to the end.  I found myself reading only a few pages at a time to postpone the ending of what felt like a long, intricate, and intimate journey with the main character.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24DKH27HEDJ2B?ASIN=0316055441	"""Secret History"" was excellent. ""The Goldfinch"" is tediously boring"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">OMG. Why did I buy this? ""Secret History"" was excellent. ""The Goldfinch"" is tediously boring. Kept waiting and hoping it would get better.  Waited in vain.<br/><br/>Boring, unlikable characters. Wish Icould have my money and time back. Surely it must have been another (but brilliant) Donna Tart who wrote ""Secret History"" and this Donna Tart is but a sub-grade imposter. Very disappointed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OMLN54LLYMAG?ASIN=0316055441	I did enjoy reading the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did enjoy reading the Goldfinch. The characters were interesting, The story kept changing &amp; held my interest.I never would have imagined the ending. It did make you think about how problematic people in our lives can bring about positive change in our lives as evidenced by characters in the story. It also was interesting to see how various characters worked their way through tragedies in their lives. Good book</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36A7SWIRIMWT2?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are so many themes explored in this great novel: love, loss, compulsion, fate and the randomness of our existence, to name a few. As usual, Ms. Tartt writes beautifully and mesmerizes the reader with a combination of humor, suspense and insight into the fragility of existence. On some level, we all wish to be Boris but wind up like Theo. Great characters and a story that will stay with you for a long time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12OUI0MHY9EZ3?ASIN=0316055441	A Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I knew nothing about this book before reading it, but heard it was a good read.  It is definitely a page turner, and it keeps you wondering till the last couple pages. (of the 800 plus pages)  It is not my favorite book, but would still recommend for everyone to read.  A pretty good example of good and bad experiences happening to a  person, and it does keep your attention, especially after you are well into it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UF1YJTVS89AR?ASIN=0316055441	Great book, let-down ending.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I actually enjoyed this book right up until the end.  The last 30 pages just went on and on and on.........  Theo is such an interesting character, so devoid of feeling most of the time, that when he does show emotion, it shocks you.  There was, however, no payoff in the end, and i like a payoff of some sort.  So, i definitely enjoyed the story, but wished the ending had been as exciting as the rest of the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IFFLS3ZMZT3G?ASIN=0316055441	Give yourself the gift of reading this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hated to put this book down every evening.  I became completely invested in the characters and could see, touch, and hear everything they experienced.  The author writes in a very detailed manner but not in a way that bogs down the story. I've recommended this book to all of my friends and I can't wait to read her other works.  I lived in NYC and worked at Sotheby's so this book felt especially personal to me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z6HTVTP090DT?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing, unsatisfying view of a young man's world	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much too wordy (100+ word sentences) descriptions of depressing drug-saturated young man's experiences.  His outlook is not inspiring, in fact I would steer people away from this impression of the world.  For most people, life is much better and there are more positive choices than Theo's example would have you believe.  There are some redeeming pages, but this is an unsatisfying book.  I would not recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31VMWYERTGOGW?ASIN=0316055441	The finch is a rare bird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I mean it. This book delivered a gorgeous, meaningful, story from beginning to end. It was exciting and heartbreaking. Even tho we can't imagine so many scenarios for these lives, we can take comfort in their advice to us. Very well written;  almost poetry at time.  Vocabulary and sentence structure brilliant. I know several people who have read this and it seems t o be either a love or hate novel. Good reading!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T0EHOFIPV08X?ASIN=0316055441	Reading til dawn	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has kept me up nights. I've been under the spell of The Goldfinch. Having also read The Secret History years ago, I've definitively found my new favorite author. This book is amazing; Tartt's prose is so enjoyable I am unable to resist reading it aloud. Haven't read anything in ages that compares. As I neared the end, I found myself slowing the pace. I didn't want to leave the world of the goldfinch...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EPP7EGL5U4NW?ASIN=0316055441	Yuck!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was long, boring and depressing!! DO NOT READ</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FHDKRRVZ0NYY?ASIN=0316055441	Flawed, but couldn't put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is very rare for me to read an 800 page novel within 2 weeks. Although this novel was extremely bloated with details and many of the main characters were unlikeable, I became obsessed with knowing what would happen next.<br/><br/>There are a lot of flaws with this book, and I can understand why others would rate it lower. My rating is based on my interest level; even why I was annoyed, I still wanted more.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JUXKG1KQ73R8?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As with many Pulitzer Prize winning books, The Goldfinch is a good story mired in endless descriptive details that leave the reader skimming much of the content lest one completely loses sight of the actual plot. I found myself speed-reading through page after page of narrative, particularly when Boris was speaking. And in the end, I found myself very disappointed in the way Theo's tale simply fell off a cliff.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LTWL2QG3TZ3Z?ASIN=0316055441	Required reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am a big fan of Tartt's first novel, The Secret History, though not so much of her second, The Little Friend (I just thought it was 200 pages too long, but still a good story).  The Goldfinch is a compelling story with the deeply textured characters and introspection that are hallmarks of Tartt's writing. I finished the book at 2:45 a.m. because I could not put it down. Required; my favorite book of the year.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REKK264X58CWJ?ASIN=0316055441	Modern Copperfield!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this as a gift for my friend.  She had already gotten a copy and raved about it.  I took the book back and began to read it on my own.  I have fallen in love with the modern story of melancholy which is rooted in an earnest feeling of urban life and the beauty that can lay deep in suffering for which we, in our thoughtful selves, ought to be thankful.<br/>All that and I haven't even finished the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GBXSVJOA4MEC?ASIN=0316055441	I never wanted this book to end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are some dark themes running through this novel, which serve brilliantly to shine light on the truths therein. It's a bit like the subject painting. Simple, complex, neither all dark or all real or all anything, but enough to perhaps explain our passion for beauty and equal passion for things which can destroy us. We are who we are, without apology, though in our knowing maybe we can transcend our flaws.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R222UXVGVR9UD7?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wildly original work, often compelling and incredibly interesting.  By the end she was stretching my credulity a bit..but truly worth the trip. I loved her depictions of New York City.  All were easy to accept (except the idea of the protagonists struggling financially while living on Sutton Place.)  But the rest were spot on.  And I learned a lot about European painting and antique furniture in the bargain.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZVUP2CCPB7N1?ASIN=0316055441	One of the better books I have read and have recommended it to everyone who would listen	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book. Characters are so well written and even though it was a rather long book I would have gladly read another 500 pages. The story stays with you and I am really pleased I picked this up, the way she writes the friendship between Boris and Theo is perfection  If you want a great story that gives you both hope and despair in humanity along with love and self reflection then you are in for a treat.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U6IESTR2XJEQ?ASIN=0316055441	Language is beautiful, and the plot has lovely twists and turns	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first three-quarters of this book is exceptional. Language is beautiful, and the plot has lovely twists and turns. The characters (for or perhaps because of all their flaws) are likeable and believable. I had a feeling as I neared the end of this book that the author had considered several different endings. I'm glad she chose one that offered Potter some measure of redemption and provided no easy way out</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XGX98PJ72UY4?ASIN=0316055441	Words on life we dare not say in public	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The line where life is some awesome treat that is a lie, a catastrophe waiting for death is so true and the bird has dignity that most people can never aspire to.  A bit long with parts that I just gazed over, other reviewers were right on that comment, but I enjoyed the book, it is a classic for the ages.  Can now spot fake antique furniture, thanks Theo, and for your words of wisdom regarding life and fate.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L26RBOUDKRMH?ASIN=0316055441	Love and Hate	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved and hated this book all at the same time.  Parts were exciting, intriguing and other parts were boring and dull.  The writing was illustrative and insightful and leaden and opaque.  The editor should have cut out about two hundred pages out of this book and you would have had a great book.  I did finish the book which is a compliment to the author for getting me to the end and why I gave it three stars.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ULDWUE5FTI45?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the Goldfinch!  Donna Tartt is an amazing writer, she has written a story that kept my attention until the end, allthough some of  the characters are flawed, you love them anyway. Her descriptions and use of words are wonderful. I love the ending. It becomes very philosophical and attempts to make sense of all the absurd things that happen throughout the story. I would definitely recommendTthe Goldfinch</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UFF5V6JLVT6J?ASIN=0316055441	You won't want to put it down...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book- the characters were with me for a long time and missed them when I was done, kept wanting to go back to the book forgetting I had finished... wanted to know what they were up to.  The views that some of the characters present really resonated with me, but the ending disappointed me though.  Totally recommend it - beautifully written, with lots of vivid details... you won't want to put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LGWJEFV2ZP9B?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the story and the author paints such an amazing ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the story and the author paints such an amazing assortment of rich, vibrant, haunting, sordid, beautiful, painful, surreal, extraordinary scenes--one after another--that it was hard to believe I was only reading text on a page. My only complaint was that the section taking place in Las Vegas went on and on forever...what a relief when yet another jarring crisis sends the protagonist back to New York.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32MMQQ4BCU3FS?ASIN=0316055441	What a wonderful story. Lots of twists and turns	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a wonderful story. Lots of twists and turns. Such a terrible childhood for the boys. The author is very knowledgeable about the famous art trade,which was a nice education for me. She also knew a lot about Amsterdam which I found fun to read about.<br/>You feared for Theo,wondering if he would ever recovery from the mess he was in.The ending was perfect!<br/><br/>This book would make a fabulous movie</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19HZ1ED44L8LZ?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I CAN SEE WHY THIS BOOK RECEIVED A PULITZER PRize.  the clarity of description, no matter if it being an object or even a thought is incredible.  Just being an ordinary person, it is difficult to imagine the lives of the people around us. My awe of this book lies in the author and how she can make her characters and their thoughts so vivid.  I would recommend this book to all those who need a change of pace.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15KDG935HEVK4?ASIN=0316055441	Wish I had been the editor to cut it by ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wish I had been the editor to cut it by a third; or instructed Tartt to take fewer years to write it. Too long, too verbose.<br/>Though admittedly memoriable, some characters were arguably some of the least savory characters I've met lately.<br/>Theo had too many chances to finally find himself due to the kindness of others. But his vision was tainted with his father's<br/>genes and he was thereby doomed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HJ3K5P9SIPNC?ASIN=0316055441	Exquisitely Written With A Slow Moving Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written with a tremendous amount of detail evidenced by extensive research. However, these descriptions at times disrupted the story and made for slow reading. Definitely not a book that was a ""page turner'"". Instead I tried to skim quickly through some of these descriptions to get to the next stages of the plot. Finally, I found that there were very few characters in the book that I liked.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4IW6TQTYSWAE?ASIN=0316055441	Lost mother/lost boy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">His father has deserted, his mother is killed in a museum bombing, a painting is stolen, and a twelve year old boy begins his descent into confusion,alcoholism, drugs.  He is partly saved by love: his love of a girl, the love of a man who takes him in, and conversley the love of a troubled and troublesome friend. He is the ultimate antihero that catches the reader's attention.  What happens on the next page?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SX62F584GHW2?ASIN=0316055441	One of My Favorites	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Taking place in current times, this book has several unexpected twists and took me through places I've never been while making me relive so many parts and feelings of my own life. It's one of my favorite Pulitzer Prize winners, and I can see myself reading its 771 pages again. I kept looking at the picture of the author, who could be so knowledgable, skilled, insightful and experienced to write such a book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OYFM420XI97B?ASIN=0316055441	Life is Hard is not an Excuse!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have to admit that I finally gave it up!  I listened to the book on CD's, but when into the 18th disc Theo, once again, reverted to drugs, it just left me with no sympathy at all for his character!  It became tedious,depressing and simply pushed me to the limit of my patience with him.  Somewhere I need to find some redemption, even in a bad or stupid individual, but with Theo I lost the battle!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14PLHIQCYG85?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written, fully realized	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, fully realized, very engaging but also relentlessly sad. The book hits the same note too many times: motherless boy succumbs to every kind of degradation in a cruel, cruel world. Two thirds of the way through it started seeming like Theo remains age 13 throughout. Things happen to him but he never makes adult decisions. Still, Donna Tartt is a superb writer and I'm glad I read the book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROP67WTFG99IY?ASIN=0316055441	So deserving of the Pulitzer Prize which it won	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books I have read in a long time.  It is so well written and it was obviously worthy of the Pulitzer prize which it won.<br/>A very very memorable book.  The author knows a lot about art and antiques, and a lot of other things. The story is very compelling and keeps the reader engrossed.  I can lose interest easily if there is not a strong story line,  and this book kept me engaged.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EMH3QJ4WDFDK?ASIN=0316055441	couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hate this book. It haunted my thoughts and wouldn't let me sleep at night. If I woke up for even a second my brain would quickly think ""oh but now I'm up, I can read again."" The beautiful prose interspersed with action scenes and vivid descriptions of three cities that I intimately know (which only added to my emotional involvement) was the worst. Don't pick this book up, you'll never put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R6Y2D60HVHWA?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant character development and a ripping plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extraordinary tale of young people growing up and grappling with the massive trauma at a tender age.  A poor judgement call comes back to haunt the central character throughout his life as he drifts in to and out of relationships with various fascinating characters. The dilemma of the Goldfinch always lingering - got to get rid of it, can't get rid of it.  Brilliant character development and a ripping plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VD5HY0PB00DG?ASIN=0316055441	"A Work of ""Art"" Deserving of The Pulitzer!"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The ""voice"" of the author is captivating.More importantly, the imagery and detail crafted  in each and every sentence, complemented by characters whose realism leaps off the page, well-researched forays into art and furniture restoration,sharp dialogue, metaphysical and philosophical insights - all combine to make this a memorable work deserving of the accolades it has received.A wonderful read. LHM</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LB12U13KWQAC?ASIN=0316055441	I have great admiration for the stretch of this novel and for ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have great admiration for the stretch of this novel and for the characters.  I found the plot a bit contrived to bring everything to resolution.  The dynamic between Boris and the protagonist was brilliantly done when the two were boys but a bit unsatisfying in the end.  The headlong descent into self-harm was dizzying in its' steepness.  All in all, a good read and while a bit sentimental a good message.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GFWL63FCMIYH?ASIN=0316055441	Tragic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a page turner at the beginning.  It is long and too detailed in the middle but wonderfully philisophical in the end.  Stick with it, it is worth the read.  The depressing nature, the drug abuse and the negetism of the main character went against my nature so it was difficult for me to stay with him.<br/>Donna Tartt's writing is awesome!  Her characters are unforgettable.  Don't miss this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NRX1QNBAWG3I?ASIN=0316055441	First half or so was outstanding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first half of the book I absolutely loved and sped through eagerly. Once Theo grew up my interest waned.  By the two thirds point, I started skimming. His self destructive behavior and stupid choices were harder tolerate or justify based on the tragedy he had suffered as a child. The philosophical discussion at the very end was intriguing but couldn't redeem the book enough in my mind to rate it higher.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CBRI8RSNGDKR?ASIN=0316055441	Great Writing, Drags at the End	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing in this novel is some of the best I've read for a long time.  Tartt creates characters who are vivid and realistic.<br/><br/>In a sense, this novel is really several shorter novels with some of the same characters recurring in quite different circumstances.<br/><br/>Unfortunately, the last hundred or so pages really dragged.  So, only a four star rating for what was almost a five star book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VHBEMV4HRMJV?ASIN=0316055441	This book is impossible to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first page to almost the last page, I had trouble putting this  book down. I felt like I was part of the story. Tartt is an incredible writer. The last few pages I had trouble focusing on so many details of art, I had to skim read and was somewhat disappointed that for the most exciting book of my life, it had to end with several mondane facts regarding art, but that's okay, the trip was well worth it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JYDJVSPOO5QE?ASIN=0316055441	This felt like it was never-ending, couldn't wait for it to end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the first time in my life I almost didn't finish a book, actually the last couple of hundreds pages I just skimmed through because at that point, I just wanted to be finished and get to the end. This is not something I will ever read again: it was way too wordy and descriptive, the author went into too much detail constantly, and it just felt like it dragged on. I'm glad I tried, but never again.!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NVKQHXV4A71D?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I knew this book one a pulitzer prize, but I didn't expect to love it so much. Started reading it because a few friends wanted to read for leisure between Grad and PHD semesters and I agreed half heartedly to read along, but I can't put it down. My favorite piece of fiction I've read in a long time. At first I thought it was a little soppy with details, but it builds the character and makes it a rich read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD03JLFOJZ03Y?ASIN=0316055441	started off good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i was excited about this book because i was in need a ""big story"" book. Lately i had been reading what i call ""skimmers"", meaning they are quick and easy to skim through the pages without missing the plot. I was i. The mood fpr a GOOD book. This book started off good, got interesting and then spiraled into a incredibly tedious, rambling of words going nowhere.  really, dont waste your time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JSZAFZT7QHV6?ASIN=0316055441	I really enjoyed the book I didn't realize it was as long ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the book I didn't realize it was as long as it was. However it restored my interest in the arts. I appreciated the way the author brought you in and made you feel as though you were viewing the painting yourself. I could have done without the elongated ending. I get that we may all experience a moment of clarity it just took the main character and awfully long drawn out time to get there.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A710SR06O494?ASIN=0316055441	Sometimes Less is More: Great Writer, Great Story, Too Long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If I could have, I would have given this book 3.5 stars because it was definitely better than average writing. While I did enjoy the book, there were long stretches of the book where I was reading &amp; the story wasn't further developing or going anywhere. Ms. Tartt is clearly a very talented writer whose work I will read again. That said, I think The Goldfinch would have been better with a bit more editing,</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FK8T2MPZQA35?ASIN=0316055441	An exceptional novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't have as much time to read as I would like. So when I heard how long The Goldfinch was, I was not confident that I would have time to finish it, or that it would hold my attention (admittedly, I have a rather short attention span). I found the story so engaging that I couldn't put the book down. I found it to be a beautifully written, with well developed (and flawed!) characters. I loved this book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15OTM4IV9OCDU?ASIN=0316055441	I really liked parts of it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked parts of it. However, It became like a never-ending story. Of course, it was over 700 pages, but still. I think a good editor could have eliminated a lot fluff. I feel it had some deep message but getting there often was tedious.  While reading it, I finished three other books because I got frustrated with The Goldfinch and took time outs along the way because I was determined to finish it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TTBRGAPUTFNN?ASIN=0316055441	I'm not sure I would recommend this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I purchased this book based on the bestseller's list comments and reviews from readers.  I'm not sure I would recommend this book.  The story starts out very interesting and fast, but soon gets so bogged down in repetitive events and too much description.  It's a long book and I did a lot of speed reading.  Think the author could have written the same book with 300 less pages.  A good story, but too long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R97P33F800TSF?ASIN=0316055441	This Goldfinch flies!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At first I felt that the story was somewhat disjointed and had too many plots going on at once.  However, that quickly changed and I couldn't put the book down.  The last chapters were absolutely the best and have a strong message for all of us.  They could almost stand alone in the beauty of the writing and in the message they included.<br/><br/>I loved the book and would highly recommend it to others.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R247XZTLC1L79C?ASIN=0316055441	A Great American Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Truly one of the greatest books I have ever read. I was already a fan of Tartt's ""The Secret History,"" but nothing could have prepared me for this tour-de-force. What I'd like to know is: How does an individual get to write like this?? Page after page contains some of the most stunning, original imagery of a most singular imaginary life. I was enthralled from beginning to end. Absolutely dazzling.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y14N70BF1MZA?ASIN=0316055441	Completely without merit.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got this book for $1 at a library sale.  I had read about it and figured at 10 pages for a penny, what could I lose.  Well I quit reading at p. 221.  I could not stand it.  I draw the line at two teenage boys drinking, using drugs, stealing and other bad things.  Mind you that one of these boys had months before been a well-behaved admirable young man.  Getting a Pulitzer must assure big sales numbers.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QPSEZ7R62SB8?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This review is for the audio book read by David Pittu. I can't say enough about how much pleasure his reading of the novel gave to me. I only listen to books on audio so the actor reading the novel makes or breaks it for me. Well, he's among the best. Yes, the book was long and I alternated between not wanting it to end and wishing it would hurry up. But oh I'm glad I ""read"" such a terrific book!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UHQEDQX1HSGJ?ASIN=0316055441	I did not like this book at all	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like this book at all. It was under the category of mysteries and it is not. It is a boring, verbose story about a kid who loses his parents and makes wrong choices, The character development was not intriguing or captivating. You simply did not care about the main character and you just want it to end, but the writer goes on and on and on...............<br/><br/>This book is not recommended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NWURSW5MW1FT?ASIN=0316055441	Loved The Goldfinch...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Once in a while, I'll start a new book and the next thing I know I've been transported to another place and time. The story and characters feel so real they live in my consciousness for a very long time. I care about them.<br/>The Goldfinch is one of those stories. I loved it, picked it up every chance I had, fell asleep reading it and didn't want it to end. Donna Tartt has written a modern masterpiece!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L5I4XVCFJ2NU?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book to put you to sleep. Too long and drawn out.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C9T2JL0I25V?ASIN=0316055441	didn't like the characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too wordy, didn't like the characters, very depressing</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13ZJAGGY5UP70?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossing for 650 pages, only to collapse at the end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G4EXG3ERTR82?ASIN=0316055441	Good read, but slightly overrated.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch tells the life story of Theo, an innocent child who is thrown into a life of decease and depression constantly. Tartt writes in vivid detail, which is both beautiful and somewhat annoying. It's a long, long read, with somewhat of a disappointing ending. I didn't walk away from the book feeling like I had gained anything, but maybe it's still digesting. I'm not sure if I would recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D9M42VXVBPH5?ASIN=0316055441	Teeter Totter....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoroughly wrapped up in first half of novel. - hence the rating.....then it became too many words and not enough story to keep you locked in. Found myself skimming first a page or two, then looking for a line to grab me back. Never happened. The characters that had such life, blew away like dust under the door....... perhaps I will try to go back and finish it, but doubt I will want to invest the time.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ONURPF8L2GQ7?ASIN=0316055441	The first half of the book is fantastic. Still there is as tendency already there to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first half of the book is fantastic.  Still there is as tendency already there to get too much into prolonged, detailed descriptions.  Later, this is even more obvious and the latter half of the book is not by far as interesting as the first.  The author should have received more editorial assistance to cut down on the volume of this book.<br/>It feels as a pity that the book should drop like this.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LOX1JEK2GFAK?ASIN=0316055441	excellent Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love the fabulous descriptive quality of this book.  Whether characters, or environments, or appearances and feelings, the author puts you within the story.<br/>Occasionally, I felt there was a rambling quality, however.  Would recommend to men as well as women.  Many insightful, philosophical and at the same time earthy qualities about the book.  Hard to put down, particularly if one loves the arts.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38ADKDITU6J9A?ASIN=0316055441	an author that makes you see, feel and think about life and what it means	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed reading this book.  I felt at times like I was right there as part of the plot.  All of our lives have touched sad moments that we don't understand and survive to live another day.  The story is a little out there and fit together to easily at times, but I enjoyed reading it and thinking about what the author wanted us to think about<br/>Life is short and not no dress rehearsal. Enjoy!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MSOVG7REB4R6?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the first third of the book, disappointed by the ending.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the excitement leading up to my purchase of the book more exciting than reading it.  The first third of the book was fantastic, engaging, and I wanted to read more.  Then the second third dragged.  I felt it was burdened by details - but I kept reading.  I kept thinking the protagonist was going to learn something.  The ending, disappointing because the protagonist learns nothing.  Janet Simcic</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MRBLSJNX3DEI?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully drawn characters. An insider's view.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The language is a thing of beauty, the sentences flowed over me like waves and although sometimes I was caught in their undertow, I was not unwillingly caught. I wanted Theo to be more than just a gorgeously-drawn noir character, but feared if Tartt provided a resolution that wasn't utterly devastating it must be maudlin and that I couldn't have borne, having been drawn to his complexity. A great book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8XFRHCE6YNGS?ASIN=0316055441	You really have to like writers who are very descriptive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You really have to like writers who are very descriptive.  It was a very interesting epic of how a disaster can change a life beginning as a young boy and going thru early adulthood.  A lot of it was in the mind of the protagonist, but the discriptions of NY city and the various neighborhoods was pretty awesome.  You won't necessarily like the main character, but you understand where he is coming from.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K8SYCA6CMQM3?ASIN=0316055441	Long gritty--sometimes disturbing--but worth reading in the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long story with lots of startling sometimes agonizing twists and turns--not a story for sissies.  There were times I had to set it down and stop reading because it was so disturbing but I had to know how it ended so picked it up again after I digested the grit in the story.  These factors are probably what make it a good--maybe great--story.  It's worth taking the time but be prepared for a long haul.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N5QHYTO4T73U?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I have ever read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was fascinating because of three things:  1) the story line was compelling, and I had to keep turning the pages to see what was happening to the characters; 2) the story was beautifully written with wow-size poetic prose on every page, and 3) the philosophy of the permanence and ephemeral qualities of Art were so clearly described.  I can't remember the last book that captured me so entirely.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7OZ2ECDIAU1X?ASIN=0316055441	A worthwhile challenge with rewards.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely well written, worthy of accolades, as scenes and characters are painstakingly described.  The ""crushing scene"" gets revisited a whole lot and the boy is given so many character flaws that it makes the bad guys look good.  The female lead is lovable and believable.  Wonderful immersion into antique furniture and fine art.  I have a fistful of notes on things I'm going to follow up on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BFFPE83Y3QTJ?ASIN=0316055441	Make sure you have plenty of time to read this because once you start, there's no turning back!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't pay much attention to the author's name and was surprised to find out a woman wrote it.  Ms. Tartt did an excellent job of writing from the male point of view.  I was completely caught up in this story.  There were times I thought it was repetitive and I do feel it could have been shorter especially when he's back in the city, however I was never tempted to quit reading.  Great story. Thanks.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R92SXNHWL2MFX?ASIN=0316055441	A masterpiece of fiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Easy to see why this book won the Pulitzer for fiction.  Masterful telling of how a child copes with the trauma of losing  everything dear to him.  Characters are so clearly drawn that you know them better than yourself but, at the same time, you will be amazed as the action unfolds.<br/>I would have preferred less philosophical introspection at the end as more satisfying but probably less realistic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J2DHNL188OYD?ASIN=0316055441	An Epic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am 97 % done with the book after at least 3 months.  friends warned me it was a long book.  That is an under statement.  I was thoroughly engrossed through the first half.  That's when I think the book could have stopped.  It's worth reading even if only the first half.  I have to finish though I don't expect an exciting ending.  I'm not sitting on the edge of my chair now as I was at the beginning.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJXWSE3G467GP?ASIN=0316055441	A Long Way From the Beginning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was like a soap opera.  It went from one situation to another but you keep reading because you want to see what will happen.  And because the author begins with the narrator being and Amsterdam and then going to the beginning of the story you keep wondering how and why did he get to Amsterdam.  And - the philosophy at the end is interesting.  There are several interesting character along the way.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38EK37IATUTDX?ASIN=0316055441	Already an American Classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is more than qualified as modern day Charles Dickens.  The Goldfinch is the type of novel readers live with as the myriad of details create moving snapshots of the American landscape, some of which isn't very pretty.  What's most important, however, is the story that compels the reader to keep moving along with the first person narrator capturing hearts with nary a notion of sentimentality.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X35ANB993TSJ?ASIN=0316055441	An excellent read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I began the book I was afraid it was going to be a modern version of the Catcher in the Rye but instead it was an in depth story of a modern boy.  Tartt relays the fears of Theo who is suddenly alone in New York City after a truamatic act of violence and the reader follows him through adulthood.  The book combines an interesting story, philosophy and pragmatism.  I loved this book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J9OK6C9TMWUX?ASIN=0316055441	Don't waste your time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would not even give this book one star.  Agree with the other one star reviews.  How this book won a Pulitzer Prize is beyond me. I had to force myself to finish it hoping some of the hype would kick in. Characters with no depth. I had no sympathy for any of them.  Very thin plot and where was the editor? Don't waste your money or time on this book.  So many good books out there waiting to be read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1797M6EH5PX6H?ASIN=0316055441	Interestingly real in it's sadness	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely descriptive. Which is sometimes a great thing and other times it just makes the story drag, but in a sense it connects you to the main character who essentially has to drag himself through his life. Sadness is a hard thing to shake and this book was, as well. If you're considering reading it  please prepare yourself for the length of the story and the despair the story can sometimes invoke.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R212EIC3S8ZP7J?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt does it again	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is fascinating.  Donna Tartt does not disappoint.  I loved her previous novels and this one is also great.  She is a great master of suspense.  I could not put this book down til I reached the end.  A great summer read...late nights and early mornings spent following the characters through so many exploits.  Also her knowledge of furniture restoration and antique furniture was informative..</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J63WBE3H3JRW?ASIN=0316055441	Not a bad book. It's not considered a plot driven novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a bad book. It's not considered a plot driven novel, as it doesn't have a profound story line. It is a well written novel that was written with intricate dexterity. You get poetry, philosophy and human psychology all in the same novel. It has well thought out back stories for the characters. It has good character development. You literally get to see them grow from the beginning towards the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23E6OYYCZ1IZA?ASIN=0316055441	Pace yourself... a chapter or two a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pace yourself...a chapter or two a day will get you through it.  I'm talking two to three months, depending on how many other things are going on in your life.  I have not finished this book, so I cannot give a heart to heart review at this time.  I did buy this one in addition to my kindle version for one of my avid reader friends.  I wanted to read it through since it did receive a Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24J46N0USU43H?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Products ordered came fast.  Book was a bit damaged.  Debated returning it, but ended up not doing it. Writing was excellent! Really fabulous! There were times  when I thought ""OK, time to move on!"" And I didn't care for the glorification of drug use. But it certainly held my interest and was an unusual story. Reminded me of Dickens where he weaves all the characters together by the end of the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R291OYLQRWSTCE?ASIN=0316055441	A book like this is why we read and love fiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book like this is why we read and love fiction. This book has it all: mystery and suspense, the meaning of art in our lives, the trauma of grief and loss, the nature of recovery and survival, fully developed characters, realistic description of places, I didn't award 5 stars only because there was more didactic explanation of theme by the author than I care for or need. Congratulations, Ms. Tartt!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IZOB9Q7GUHYN?ASIN=0316055441	A  wonderful novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel grabbed my attention from the very beginning. I could not put it down.  Donna Tartt has a way of putting the reader  in the novel with her wonderful descriptions..  I found myself  feeling  and seeing  the  scenes in New York and Las Vegas.  Even though the novel is quite long, I felt myself rushing towards the end.  I am at a loss now as to what to follow this  novel with.  Marian Turner</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LCGIAGBW3RAP?ASIN=0316055441	The best book ever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My favorite book this year!!I even bought a copy for my brother in law who's a doctor &amp; avid reader he mentioned The Goldfinch and heard it won the (Pulitzer Prize for fiction) so I shared with him how much I love loved this book he said he'd like to read it.I even listened to the book on tape and it was really good especially if the narration is good.I can't share how much I enjoyed this story👍😃</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROWQ1RFIFHGZK?ASIN=0316055441	... reading and I continued because I really wanted to like this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After buying the hardcover edition I couldn't wait to start reading and I continued because I really wanted to like this book.  However, it didn't take too long to find it entirely unbelievable.  The protagonist, Theo, was not  particularly likable.  I had just read A Death in theFamily, and found it beautifully written with character so human.  Not a good idea to read these two books back to back.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OKTVTINR9Z6A?ASIN=0316055441	Took me some time to get into it, but wow.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has been one of my fave authors for some time--and this book takes her writing to a whole new level of excellence.  The first few chapters were a bit difficult to get into--not because of her writing, but because I had such a feeling of doom about the main character--but once I really got into the story, I was mesmerized and could hardly put it down.  Read it. You will be glad you did.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18HKVD30YOHM?ASIN=0316055441	Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Eloquent personal description of life's struggle between illusion and reality of human limitations. How necessary is vision, song, all forms of art to fool ourselves into imagining that there is so much more than the socially approved grind. Life is short. Make it all you can. Wade in to the best and worst. Lose everything to see real life between the spaces. Listen to the quiet to hear the music.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AI58IMOL4K1U?ASIN=0316055441	WOW, I can could not believe Ms. Tartt ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WOW, I can could not believe Ms. Tartt could top her novel ""The Secret History"".<br/>I was wrong.<br/>This was a superb read, From page one to the last word.<br/>Couldn't put it down, had to... I am ruined.<br/>Give this your full attention, no distractions.... Ill never forget it.<br/>My Thanks to you Ms. Tartt.<br/>You have; I fear, set the bar beyond all other mortal Author reach.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BZO52V88OHEO?ASIN=0316055441	What a Waste of Time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If The Goldfinch won a Pulitzer Prize, I have then lost all confidence in the supposed standard that award portends to have.  Two-thirds of the book could be eliminated.  The metaphors are mundane examples of thoughtlessness, of unenlightened thinking.  Only one member finished the book in our book club.  I had to because I was chairman.  This book did not catch the hearts or heads of our members.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R63A99QJ9R9N6?ASIN=0316055441	thought it would never end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning set this very intriguing path, how is he going to handle the trauma of the bombing and losing his mom, etc. then the drug use and the violence came after way too much downtime in the book. By the end, I'd wondered if Theo had lost it. I honestly couldn't wait for it to end and kept hoping it would get better. The endless descriptions were tempting to just skip over. Very disappointed</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S2IAII16GIC6?ASIN=0316055441	Could not put this book down and now re-reading the entire thing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A novel like this only comes around every 10 years or so. I seriously could not put it down...reading between red lights, sneaking it at work and in the middle of the night. And the moment I finished it, I began to re-read it, which I have never done in my life and I read a lot!! Ms. Tartt writes her characters with such depth, it often took my breath away. It's really long but it's a great story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AB8U2KBI51TD?ASIN=0316055441	I did not enjoy this book because I felt there was too much ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy this book because I felt there was too much time spent in describing the effects of drugs on the characters.  Granted it was part of who the characters were but I felt it was belabored too much.  The ending where they annalised the characters was very good.  I felt the story could have been told with a few less of the long descriptions which I found, in some instances, distasteful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R180GE2BF3GK07?ASIN=0316055441	HELP!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really really liked the characters and the storyline in this book....but it is driving me crazy trying to understand how the main character can be so morally upset about one thing, the Goldfinch,and totally disregard his morals in all the other choices he makes, especially his business choices...it's hard to ask this question without giving everything away, but is anyone else bothered by this???</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LKM9DK67K73U?ASIN=0316055441	YUCK!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long.... Main character was awful and stupid!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M5PP3URZY3NK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A robust novel with extreme characters and lifestyles</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EICBCB3P5YH1?ASIN=0316055441	Good story but too long- could have been condensed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">, Good story but too long- could have been condensed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WJQSTCMBLG4S?ASIN=0316055441	Not a Pulitzer prize worthy novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Takes a long time to get into the story. Very tedious</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSX61ILODU26V?ASIN=0316055441	It was tedious reading. I did not care for the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was tedious reading.  I did not care for the book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19NBIENB6ZJXA?ASIN=0316055441	The persistance of art and the weight of loss	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a beautiful portrait of adolescent (or any) grief.  Toss in the post-traumatic stress, and you get one likeable but troubled youth.  Tartt left us little doubt that things were probably not going to turn out well for Theo, but I so wanted them to do so.  I felt the weight of the grief and shock, but there was also the permeating love of beauty, the kind in ""Ode on a Grecian Urn.""</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QLUN3TYCDI6I?ASIN=0316055441	Snooze.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I downloaded this book on May 7. Five months later it still sits not even half read. I think there is just too much going on in this book. It's very well written, and so very descriptive of every single action...  so much so that it's quite exhausting, really. I'd read one chapter and have to stop so I could sleep!  If you have a lot of time on your hands and don't bore easily, you  may enjoy it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VLOI5YUK8Y9Z?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great read from beginning to end.  It has it all, a great plot, multifaceted characters who develop over time, beautiful descriptive passages, characters who are good, bad and ugly, conflicting personal philosophies which add to the dilemmas faced by the characters .  A great discussion for book clubs.  It is quite a long book, but I would not have eliminated a word, and I was sad to finish it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WHFTUA4EHQM?ASIN=0316055441	Good not great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm kind of at a loss for words as to why this book gets so many great reviews, yes it's enjoyable and yes, I'm glad that I read it but as it's been noted many times this before me this book is just way to long.  I read in one of the reviews somewhere how it cold have been three separate books and I agree. Good not great book and way to long.  BTW do us all a favor and don't make it into a movie!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ME3JG5OR4WT1?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth 750 pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">wanted to like this book, since she writes so few, but too long 750+ pages and the plot wears thin.  Tartt always writes with young male narrators who have substance abuse issues, but this time the kid is too young and unbelievable.  Her first novel was much better.  ""The Secret History.""  I would give it 2/5 stars.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HL7MMMAF2DWJ?ASIN=0316055441	Please, please write more books!  Please?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As with ""The Secret History,"" it makes me wonder what's with this author?  The talent she has saddens me because there are only two books.  I feel betrayed.<br/><br/>This book is like a deep, sumptuous couch you sink into.  It cradles you.  You carry it around like a wonderful dream that haunts you until lunch time.<br/><br/>There should be 40 books from this author.  Sadly only two.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7WMRH8CLSVVD?ASIN=0316055441	Insightful and intricate novel that entertains and transfixes	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I doubt this book needs much more praise, but I don't mind jumping on the bandwagon.  The main characters are as real and well-drawn as any I have ever seen.  Further, in what seems like it would be a novel that would be primarily character-driven, there is no skimping on plot.  The book ends up going to a lot of places that are unexpected.  Well worth the time (and yes, a little bit of effort).</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LHXZFNQYAJFV?ASIN=0316055441	The relationships are mostly unbelievable and the supposition of the stolen painting on which the story rests is preposterous -	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow - I have no idea why this novel has rated so highly since its publication.  It is very very very long and the tales of drug use are so repetitive that it seems as though the author doesn't think any of her readers know anythig about drug use.  The relationships are mostly unbelievable and the supposition of the stolen painting on which the story rests is preposterous - such a disappointment.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16BQ6CBSBIJN?ASIN=0316055441	I don't understand all the bad reviews this book got	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't understand all the bad reviews this book got.  The characters are well put together, they live and breathe for us.  The story takes on major life themes that concern us all: friendship, filiation, love, faithfulness, the tension between good and bad.  The only negative criticism: I OD'ed on this novel and stopped getting up in the morning or washing up or eating, until I had finished it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TAV6F8W52P50?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful, character-driven story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is absolutely beautiful and immersive, and the characters will be with you long after you close the book. Definitely a character-driven story, so if you are looking for exciting, actiony plot, this is not your book. But if you want a story about characters you can fall in love with, want to shake, want to protect, and just want to tour around the world with, this is a fabulous story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DGV8DV3VO57O?ASIN=0316055441	Loved certain parts and had to churn my way through ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Now this book (all of 740 pages!) is difficult for me to review.  I am in awe of the writing...however, at times, the details became overwhelming to read through!  Loved certain parts and had to churn my way through others!  Yet I was always kept in wonder as to how Theo's live would unfold!  And I found the writing of the last chapter, as narrated by Theo, deep and profound.  I give it 4 stars.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SJ47DWWOW7V2?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting plot with good descriptions of people	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting plot with good descriptions of people, effects of drug addiction, alcoholism and art theft behavior but much too long and extremely wordy.  I thought I would never get to the end!  My sympathy for Theo faded rapidly as he became an addict and corrupt.  Boris would have been good for comic relief except he was such an improbable character.  I would not recommend this book to a friend.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F8MAUWBVTBGS?ASIN=0316055441	loved every word of it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even this book is not a page turner and sometimes I had to take a break even I didn't want to, I loved every word in this book. She made me enter the world 13 years old and not feel like I'm reading a young adult novel, the way she placed me in the center of the world that Theo lived, was what I loved about this book. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys the English language to read this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MGDN0C2V4O9W?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoy Donna Tartt's writing tremendously, the unusual topics she picks, the way she captures your attention from the start and keeps you tangled in multi-layer narrative; she conveys so subtly the imminence of things to come and never dwells on them so it keeps you wondering. There is gloom but there is also life affirmation coming from unexpected places. I wish she was a more prolific writer!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT28FL0KXBJUT?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful - gripping story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of my favorite books I have read.  I love the way the author writes - I was gripped from beginning to end!  It is filled with beautiful thoughts and emphasizes how special childhood friends are and the influence they have on your life as well as relationships with one's parents - and how special moments/ connections with strangers can completely change your life, and of course love.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11HA1BCBGB16J?ASIN=0316055441	Wish it was even longer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This author's talent with words and subjects validates why I could never be a story-teller. A story involving crime, violence, drugs, artistic masterpieces, soul-searching, and survival on home turf as well as in Europe is nothing new,  but to incorporate it all into a lengthy novel that never slowed down, is remarkable. Thank you, Donna Tartt. I have missed this kind of ""read"" for a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24QLDTF4B6IBC?ASIN=0316055441	It's well written and easy to follow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch DOES keep you engaged. It's  well written and easy to follow. I found Donna Tartt's writing style to be smooth, detailed, and whimsical. I thoroughly enjoyed 760pages. Can anyone explain why after such a long journey she drops the story for a celestial preaching rant? Horrible ending. Horrible. Grateful for the majority of the book but not sure how that ending tied any of it together.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U7ODZZPRYJGB?ASIN=0316055441	Extraordinary writing, suspended suspense	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing in this book is really a 6. Like being put into the mind of a very articulate boy and then young man who experiences many difficulties. The writing absolutely takes precedence, however, over the momentum of the plot. And that is why I give it a 4.  At some points descriptions of mental and emotional processes freeze all time and plot movement, although with amazing verbal expression</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27R21AJHPH0ET?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written but long-winded	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's hard not to like the Goldfinch because it is so beautifully written. The characters are memorable and diverse and the author makes  the art and antiques she references come alive. The book does tend to ramble on and could probably be 100 pages shorter, but is so well crafted that you can forgive the overly long passages. I would recommend you read this book to move through it more quickly.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JD9G4DDYADS1?ASIN=0316055441	The description of grief was maybe the best I've ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A tough read. The description of grief was maybe the best I've ever read. Heart wrenching .  The drug use was horrible. I don't know much about the experiences and feelings of drug users so it was almost unbelievable that they would continue to put themselves through it again and again.  Can't wait for the movie.....who will be cast in the several interesting characters not to mention the lead.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VV899C57NT2P?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting read but rather slow moving.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were some interesting twists in this novel; however, getting to them took some time. The book, in general, spends too much time in the dark world of drugs. While most readers can see how the use of drugs has a negative affect on Theo, he still manages to be successful. Reading this book will certainly not leave you with a feeling that life can be good. Be prepared to finish in depression.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25S0Q7P77WCAK?ASIN=0316055441	I really liked the first 100 pages of this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked the first 100 pages of this book, but after that it really degenerated.  To top it off, the book was over-long and should have been edited.  After reading so much hoopla about the book, I was severely disappointed.  I didn't much like the main character and didn't find her writing to be that lyrical, interesting or magical.  I wish I had not bought it, but that's the way it goes.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZEF8P682PMYU?ASIN=0316055441	I labored through the tedious and boring ingestion of drugs and tried to find ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I labored through the tedious and boring ingestion of drugs and tried to find a reason for the Pulitzer Prize.<br/>I require myself to finish a book when I start one and hope I will gain some knowledge in the process,<br/>however, Ms. Tartt can not seem to write a paragraph with out including them.  This is the only publication<br/>of hers that I have read so do not know if this is her M.O.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF06J4IPTJSZQ?ASIN=0316055441	Just to say I read it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finished it.  And only because it was a prizing winning novel.  I didn't like the characters.  I didn't like the drug filled lives.  I didn't like their whiny nature.  Would I read it again? No.<br/><br/>It lumbered until about 2/3 of the way into the book.  Finally, toward the later part of the book, I was able to sustain reading it for longer periods of time.  Basically I can say I read it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J5ZKPF6CL3X?ASIN=0316055441	Good read...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was a good read. Goldfinch was definitely one of those books that will leave an impression. Donna Tartt's writing is superb as always. The last chapter was a bit disappointing. It felt rushed and as the reader, I didn't feel the closure with the book or characters that I would have liked. The rest of it, however, was great. If you're interested in a good, thought provoking read, I recommend Goldfinch.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HSJO8THO2BFM?ASIN=0316055441	I liked it, but I did feel that it sometimes ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This emotionally wrenching, and sometimes dark, novel tells the story of boyhood trauma resulting in manhood character. I liked it, but I did feel that it sometimes dragged on. The novel is quite long, but I enjoyed reading it over a month this summer, and I never had trouble getting back into it after a break. I can see why it won the Pulitzer, and I do think many adults would enjoy the book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TS05RWZC0SML?ASIN=0316055441	This bird soars!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this novel. I'm puzzled that it was so polarizing. For readers who enjoy literary fiction I recommend it very highly. I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen and was so often surprised about the protagonist's journey. There are several memorable characters, and an exquisite statement about the significance of art to our lives. This novel will stay with me for a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12SK5CAPTMWY1?ASIN=0316055441	I was amazed at the author's knowledge of so many fields--art and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""The Goldfinch"" is compelling from the first page.  I was amazed at the author's knowledge of so many fields--art and contemporary European culture, to name a few.<br/><br/>I thought the book could have been shorter. It's not the 700 plus pages that might put some off, but the meanderings away from the central concerns of the narrator..<br/><br/>Nonetheless, a good ""read.""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUBDQPNSQ2TO?ASIN=0316055441	Dirt transcendence !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Words don't work.....vision...empathy....tolerance....the ability to fight for something else...a something your not even sure it exists. That's the gamble...with every endeavor, writing a book, a relationship, a life choice...gambles. Everything worth having is a gamble. Picking up this book...a gamble....that has paid off beyond anything I could have expected. Beauty enlarged.....enlarging!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UGC8DOBZZPKM?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a wonderful book of New York. I loved it and was both entertained and informed. The characterizations are genius and the pacing is really amazing. It has a lot to give to the reader, but hope that we will get a sequel, so that I can continue to watch Potter and Boris grow up. I am left after almost 800 pages wanting to know more. It touched me in so many ways. You will love this book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HWELFC7T10UK?ASIN=0316055441	the Golden Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">fellow readers; I am a book fanatic. I say Run do not Walk to get this book. I sell books, but am keeping this one! held me up for a week, wonderful wonderful writing. such a story, while reading it, i was thinking of the actors I am sure will be picked to be in this movie. character rich, all over the world with issues, art, mystery, sensuous, love story. it has everything. get it now. sak66</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AONQRAWVBAOO?ASIN=0316055441	Long but well worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Warning! If you are one who reads a bit before going to sleep at night, don't read this one until you are prepared to read until the sun comes up. The twists and turns kept me gripping my kindle with both sweaty hands, putting it down only when absolutely necessary. I sometimes cursed the lengthy rambling pages but realized by half way that every word was going to be essential to the plot. .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LOPD9RU3OEMV?ASIN=0316055441	I believe this is possibly the worst book I have read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would really not give this book 1 star other than it is a Long book of fiction!  I believe this is possibly the worst book I have read in a long time.!  I kept thinking it would get better!  Even the end was lame where he just rattled on about nothing.  It was most disappointing and wish I could get my money back.<br/>I don't usually make a point to give my opinion but this was warranted.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROHQYQCWYG8EH?ASIN=0316055441	This is a great read. My wife was reading it for her ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a great read. My wife was reading it for her book club, so I downloaded it and read it in one week. It is a long book that gets very slow in the middle. The reason I liked it was the great descriptions and use of vocabulary. I think I looked up definitions of more words on Kindle Dictionary that ever before. The drug use parts made me think does the author have this much experience ?</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OI9HV9UGIELE?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For a Pultizer Prize novel I found it to be disappointing . Way too much description, philosophical insight, and I found the last 100 pages to be toutorusly boring.. The plot of an orphaned boy growing up through a 14 year span could have been more eventful and substantial . As opposed to using 4 pages to describe every small event.. I'm glad I read it... Very slow... But won't reccome it...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKR66JSAXK707?ASIN=0316055441	Can't understand	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not quite finished yet with the book.  Have been waiting for it to become a page turner that has not happened. The only reason I finished book is that I RARELY stop reading a book once I've started. Lots of drug use without consequence. Hate to admit that perhaps getting older is going to change my choice of novels. 😉</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3URT2QOEZEH5N?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've ever read. It's now on my ""Top 10 List"" and I""m not giving this book away to friends to read. It's staying with me so I can reread it in a few years. Seriously an amazing story of loss and hope and mystery. The ending was so heart wrentching I was brought to tears. I just loved it so much, I'm sad I've finished reading it. Read it, you won't regret it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVRP3IIHRN6CQ?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully, wonderfully written. There were times when I simply could not put it down. However, there were times when I had to put it down because it was too easy to get sucked into and lost in the dark hopelessness and despairdark of it all. Yet, it made me think about the people, places &amp; things in my life. One of the most compelling &amp; thoughtful books that I've read since Le Miserables.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YWZ221G9E5WX?ASIN=0316055441	Gloomy but interesting.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this book well enough, but I don't know that I would recommend it to others. It painted an overall gloomy picture for me and left me sad and depressed, which considering some unfortunate life circumstances of my own at the time I read it, I could have done without. It was well written and an interesting story. I did feel like I knew the characters quite well. Just not my cup of tea.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BQPDIG1UMM7A?ASIN=0316055441	Great story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent piece of work, no wonder it took the author 10 years to write. I recommended it to my sister, which is an avid reader like myself and she liked it but was appalled by the drug use that appears thru the book. I lived that era of drug abuse in the 60's and 70's and I think it's worse nowadays. I think my sister lost the point of the book which definitely is not about drugs. Read it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS7F3HP9QI8PV?ASIN=0316055441	Awful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long. Too much repeating the same thing over and over again. The diary of a drug addict. Not so much the story about the painting but about two crazy people, Potter and Boris doing whatever they wanted. I kept reading thinking it would get better but that never happened. Pulitzer Prize??? New  York tines best seller list?  What were they thinking?  Worst book I have read in a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WLQDWKYW6AVO?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book- the characters leapt off the pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book- the characters leapt off the pages. The writing was mostly very enjoyable, engaging and sparkly. I loved Theo Decker, the protagonist, especially in his youth. Around the middle of the book the story lagged quite a bit, and was hard to be with. Ultimately it was very involving, and all the way through I was very invested - I so wanted Theo to find meaning and fulfillment!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBBH9F6S323X1?ASIN=0316055441	Boring!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long to read, lots of drugs, abuse etc. Boring!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR0T3EBS46N8Y?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read. An unusual story told  in an unique way.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YSHVILC8R6N4?ASIN=0316055441	Sad and real	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Many stories foreshadow movement throughout, as to give a perceived expectation of good or bad or whatever. While this is about following the journey of a boy struck quite tragically, whose misfortunes continue throughout his life, there is no expectation that presents itself as a defined outcome. Theo's life is not wrapped up neatly with a bow, rather it is hopeful in a way unique to him.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK6Z65NFU3RC6?ASIN=0316055441	Good, Not Great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Certainly I was pulled in, seduced by Theo, his angst, his horrors, his innumerable crises and, certainly, a well written book but, for me, a bit of editing would have been welcome. Reminiscent of  ""Catcher in the Rye,""on some levels. Whereas Theo's,soliloquy at the end was insightful and somewhat refreshing, I would prefer to leave some thoughts unspoken, to be discovered upon reflection.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NFAKB8JVNEXV?ASIN=0316055441	They say this author is a bit long winded but I'm glad she breathed this one out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not so much a book as a life experience,this young man is caught in a horrific situation early in his life and forms a relationship with a painting that affects everything that happens from that moment on. Not sure if the story is about art or relationships but I will not soon forget this one for a long time. They say this author is a bit long winded but I'm glad she breathed this one out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LDJRRP9T6CO1?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's been a while since I've read a book that hooked me right away and that I couldn't put down. It's a great story superimposed on an examination of fate vs. nature vs. nurture. The hook is a beautiful little masterpiece painting that the reader is forced to agonize over in many varied settings. Donna Tartt writes convincingly in a young male's voice, and he is a flawed but sympathetic character. His early years take us on a wild ride, where we witness both the seedy and the grand of life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GAQJ1D08487I?ASIN=0316055441	I couldn't put the book down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I very much enjoyed this book. Tartt is a skilled author.  Several times I re-read passages just because I enjoyed the flow of a sentence. The main character is likable, although, you will like him in spite of his actions. Many characters in the book are not particularly virtuous, but they come through as human. I couldn't put this book down and read it in four days. I recommend it highly.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA9OEYWZ76B1A?ASIN=0316055441	This book is too long. The story idea is ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is too long. The story idea is very unique, but too much time is spent on the different time sections of the book. The idea of Theo's problems and emotional down spiral could have been delivered in a more concise manner and would have been able to get the point across. It took me a while to get though the book, though it is engaging in several parts,particularly towards the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MC7DGBUU5YYM?ASIN=0316055441	TMI and Lots of Rambling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book could have used a better editor. So much over describing to the point that I just started skimming pages for info that was important to advancing the story. It felt like the author was lost and uncertain of where the story was going. In spite of all that, the basic story was good and the characters were interesting so I did finish reading but found the ending to be unsatisfying.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SFL1LOMJX3CO?ASIN=0316055441	An Image of a 17th Century Chained Pet Anchors This Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Maybe you'll say 770 pages is too much of an epic read? Maybe you'll say what my friend Harry said when he saw I was reading this book at the beach:  'You can literally see all the places this book takes you, even when you don't want to look.' This novel was the pick of the litter for the year and rightfully deserved the Pulitzer. It's comforting to know that a lot of people got it right.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REZUICB8QNI4S?ASIN=0316055441	An absolute must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you only find time to read one book, this is the one. This author created something brilliant. It fascinates me how anyone could create such alive characters and a story line that weaves these colorful characters in so deftly. I know these people. Through her imagery and amazing dialogues, I wanted to experience more of them. And then the 700+ pages came to an end. Now what do I read?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS6XNM9SA5X8S?ASIN=0316055441	yet somehow wraps up 700+ pages like one of the great short story writers of the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Truly a masterpiece.  Ms. Tartt is a modern day Dickens, yet somehow a romantic, yet somehow wraps up 700+ pages like one of the great short story writers of the 20th century.  Page after page after page is so well-written -- and so wonderfully written --  I wouldn't be surprised if the book is one day on the reading list of every college English/literature/writing course in the country.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y6XFU8NJCUOE?ASIN=0316055441	It was also annoying to have the narrator so frequently say the no ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book held my attention throughout the first 90%, then the author must have lost the plot thread or had another agenda because the final 10% of the book was so abstract that it had little relevance to the characters or the story.  Very disappointing ""non-ending"".  It was also annoying to have the narrator so frequently say the no one would be reading his words.  Come on, now.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJDTCLYRSK0W?ASIN=0316055441	... of the terrorist attack and the gun fight were amazing. But the entire story line in Las Vegas ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think the ""shock and awe"" descriptions of the terrorist attack and the gun fight were amazing. But the entire story line in Las Vegas felt contrived. I must admit that the end had me thinking tragedy, so I was happy when it didn't end that way. I like the whole thing about the space between reality and how we think or imagine the world to be. That's where you find love and art.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O0R9KWU1R4NP?ASIN=0316055441	Awful and boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a total waste of my time.  It was boring and too much repetition.  I don't know how it ever received any prizes.  I've never seen so many question marks as in this book.  It seemed like everyone talked in questions.  The only reason I kept reading was to see why everyone I spoke with prior to reading this book, said it was soooooo wonderful.  I couldn't find the wonderful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H8UTBEFTD8O7?ASIN=0316055441	Remarkable!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depth of feeling, great truths...Tartt describes one person's life, beginning shortly before a tragedy that haunts and changes his life forever. We may never experience what Theo Decker does, but we somehow can identify with his final perceptions of life and the place of art, death, and love in our lives. The final chapter will stay with you, and possibly describe and\or shape your life forever.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1013T3YEFI6HS?ASIN=0316055441	Like drinking a slow smooth glass of rum	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like drinking a slow smooth glass of rum.  This book was a delicious, seriously intoxicating ramble through the life of a young boy/man whose path was tragically interrupted by the whims of life.  Breathtakingly exciting and worth every word.  I've read some stuff about it being too long, on the contrary for me, I wish it had been longer!  Absolutely so happy that it won the Pulitzer!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MPDK8W8EJ4Y0?ASIN=0316055441	Do not waste your time or money.......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If there was a way to rate this as 1/2 star I would do it.  This won a Pulizter Prize? It is a sad commentary on the quality of fiction in today's market that this 700+ page book of tripe could be ever considered in the same realm as To Kill A Mockingbird, The Old Man and the Sea or more recently Beloved.  I slogged through this book thinking (hoping) it would get better.  It never did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LDPM06G2Q76L?ASIN=0316055441	Story and Message	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For a long, long time I couldn't see what the point, the meaning, the philosophy was going to be, but the story and the characters kept me going.  In the end - the very end, I did appreciate what the writer is trying to say and want to think more about it.  If it were another book, I might even read it again to look for threads I missed the first time, but this one is just too massive.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M198730HWPXI?ASIN=0316055441	underwhelmed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I understand the deeper meaning behind the message of living life like death is chasing you in this crap hole we call the world, I'm disappointed in the open-endedness of the story.  I guess I just like to have my endings tied in a little bow and handed to me rather than letting my imagination spring off into a million directions.  But some would suggest that's part of the fun.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZRW752XC45O7?ASIN=0316055441	Long but worth it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Yes, it was long but I loved this book and cried at the end.  I think they were reflective tears or maybe tears of relief that I was finished or regret that there was no more to the story.  There were parts that were hard to read but I enjoyed reading about Theo and Boris and the twists and turns in their lives.  And of course, I had to find out about The Goldfinch painting, and I did!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X444VZAVNSIO?ASIN=0316055441	Future Classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book, but I have to admit I listened to it as well as read it to get through it. It is definitely worth the effort!  The characters are so well-drawn and feel real. And although what happens is incredible, it is never unbelievable. Everyone I have recommended this book to has had trouble getting started, but were so glad they stuck with it.  The end will leave you gasping!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11VF6UY9GAORP?ASIN=0316055441	Unexpectedly philosophical	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author has great descriptive language throughout and creates a curious space for me to keep reading. However, I was NOT expecting the end to be quite so philosophical. The 'voice' of the character was covered by the voice of the Author. And the character disappeared ,melted , into the pages as the author spoke loudly. I wish the character had been more strongly represented instead.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DFG72QX264QD?ASIN=0316055441	Best book read this year so far	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a long one but a story worth reading.  It is well written, good momentum, and by far the best book I have read so far this year.  The last few pages were a bit unexpected in that it was very philosophical after the harsh reality of the previous 800+ pages, but perhaps fitting for the character to reflect on everything he had experienced.  Can definitely recommend the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIQGI5EMXU65V?ASIN=0316055441	Good but could have been great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was really a great read. ...most of the time.  Well written for sure. But the story could have been a lot shorter and even more enjoyable.  Spoiler alert: the spiral downward of the main character seemed to go on forever. So many very good books would be great if the editors or novelist were willing cut and cut until the most essential elements of the adventure were what remained.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LXVWHUWL45Y5?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a very well-written sad, sad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a very well-written sad, sad, heartbreaking story. It's extremely compelling, but the book is so heavy (weightwise not content wise) I couldn't read more than a few pages at a time.  My arms ached.  i waited and waited for the kindle edition, but it never arrived.  Anyway, although it turned out to be something very different to what I had in mind,Ii really enjoyed it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWQSZUA6ISY1Z?ASIN=0316055441	Startling genuine.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What happens in a catastrophic situation? How long do the feelings last? When suddenly becoming an orphan the main character gets by in the world.<br/>I don't know why I first thought that Theo was a girl. I don't think that was made clear at the beginning. I loved the descriptions of the pieces of art. No matter if it was furniture or a painting. Exciting and normal at the same time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AREAM8B3S2RR?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written. That said	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written.  That said, it was too long.  Much too long.  I bought the hardcover book and it was so heavy that I could only read it at home.  Combine that with the length of the book, and it took half the summer to read.<br/>The story is greatly detailed and the characters feel real enough, but there are too many far fetched moments.<br/>So, I liked it but I did not love it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW89QMFAC3E2D?ASIN=0316055441	Avoid, run and don't look back.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Do not buy this book, don't even borrow it from anyone. How in the world this book received any awards is amazing to me. It seems like this book could develop in to a good story at the beginning, but it goes from tragic, to worse, to even worse. I quit before the end. There is so much hope around this kid, but he makes bad choices and the author just tortures us with more bad choices.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW1R5E99F736?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliantly written with descriptions that take you into what the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliantly written with descriptions that take you into what the protagonist is feeling and experiencing. What I did not like is that sometimes the author just goes on and on, almost like stream of consciousness, and it got a bit tedious at times.  The end of the book seemed to be a bit rambling.<br/><br/>Not for everyone, but if you enjoy “slice of life” books, you should read it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WZNC6ZC19QU2?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting and well written!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a well written book that I've been waiting to read for months.  Maybe it was the anticipation and wonderful reviews that left me slightly disappointed.  Although well written and very enjoyable I still felt some of the story was a little far-fetched.  But don't get me wrong it is worth reading and well written.  Enjoyed leaning a little about the antique furniture business too.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UDEBWGACMD6R?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn,t like this book at all. The 1 star is for the plot, and the first chapters. I skipped several pages because I couldn,t stand the main character,s descriptions of his failures, his lack of character, his drugs and alcohhol. The story also takes place in Amsterdam, and the Author fails in his research on that particular city. Sorry to say, but I waisted my time reading this book</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R290SSSFCZMFEB?ASIN=0316055441	New Donna Tartt fan....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautifully written book with a compelling plot and characters.  It inspired me to read Donna Tartts other novels (The Secret History and The Little Friend) immediately after, to continue my Donna Tartt experience. I'm currently in the middle of The Secret History audiobook (read by the author, which is interesting.  She sounds a bit like the actress Holly Hunter....similar accent).</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UNCN4EGM7PFD?ASIN=0316055441	A MUST read . . . . .	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was captivating from the moment I opened the book and started reading it, I was hooked.  Before I realized it I was at page 250.  Yes, it is a long book but worth every page and every time I had to put it down ~ I couldn't wait to pick it back up and read more!.  This is definitely a book you want to purchase.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YIS1M35R0BXG?ASIN=0316055441	Contrary to my friends, I could easily put this down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this, but I did not love it.  I heard from several friends ""You won't be able to put it down,"" but I had no problem putting it down.  It was diverting and enjoyable but more of a beach read than great literature.Had i not gone into it with such high expectations, had I chosen it as a beach read, I'd have given it a 4, but for expecting something great, it was just OK.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV44BHQIY3U1E?ASIN=0316055441	It's been a long time since I felt this disappointed over a book ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's been a long time since I felt this disappointed over a book ending.  Not the way in which the novel concluded, but because I fell in love with this book and never wanted it to end.  Donna Tartt has written a masterpiece and I don't use that term lightly.  What an amazing concept, with witty, flawed, and original characters.  I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q24H8SP1VWSR?ASIN=0316055441	Enthralling page turner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. 30 pages in I was completely absorbed and it was almost impossible to put down. DT's writing is so readable. Actually I hadn't been aware of the author, and randomly came upon the recommendation one day, and then ended up reading the Goldfinch and The Secret History both over the course of a week and a half. So, yes, I would recommend this as a very enjoyable book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROFXAH3RHT9ZN?ASIN=0316055441	Well written, but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am an avid reader and couldn't put this book down for the first 70%. The book is well written and while I couldn't always sympathize with Theo, my frustration with him was emotional. However, the last 100 pages ramble on and I'm afraid I lost interest in Theo as a character. Such a disappointing end to what had the makings of a colorful and pro g found story of loss and redemption.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20JFK76RMGKWS?ASIN=0316055441	Loooong read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Truly I'm not sure how this won the Pulitzer. My first complaint is that the boy never sounded like a kid/teen until he got to Vegas. Before that I never heard the sentence structure or words of a kid. It was a struggle to feel him.  So where were all those diaries all those years?  Why no urgency of packing them when he left Vegas for NYC?  Never any worries of someone reading them?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CX1K4UP0K15N?ASIN=0316055441	Okay Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even though this book is over 700 pages long, I was able to finish it in 4 days. The storyline and writing is wonderful. However, the author was very wordy in spots (so much so that I would skip several pages and not lose the storyline). The book is a litte long for the storyline and could have been shortened without disrupting the premise. Still not sure how I feel about the ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W63ZO5Z1XG6Q?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had to force myself to finish. Drugs, Drugs, Drugs.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T9XD0RFPPK8H?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too long and the characters did not win my heart!!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R166YKBFV5O3QK?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written book and wonderfully conceived	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Please don't read this if you've had any recent loses or are dealing with difficulties Ms Tartt captures the pain of loss all too well. Beautifully written book and wonderfully conceived. In the end... I feel it was about the relationship we have with objects... And particularly 'objects d'art' and how art is immortal and therefor so important to the world. We sometimes forget that.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A4I8P7H99GJO?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed following Theo on his trip through life and witnessing ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a long read but one rich with feelings and emotion. I enjoyed following Theo on his trip through life and witnessing all the wrong paths he took following his mother's death from an explosion in a museum that they were visiting. He escaped with a valuable painting  and hid it for years always afraid that he would be caught. It takes and amazing twist toward the end of the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R390YZIK5E0CPD?ASIN=0316055441	Unfinished Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After the first 75 pages I was bored to death.  I never connected with a single character in this book.  The story line had great promise initially, then just died.  My Book Club read it and most of us could not finish it...I haven't spoken to a single person who thought this was an interesting read. I have not read Donna Tartt's other books but I own them and will give them a shot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ICE7D8CCFPKR?ASIN=0316055441	Good read but lots of drug usage, which I didn't care for.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long: over 700 pages!  Extremely well written and superb characterization.  Held my interest 75% of the time.  Do think parts of it were repetitive and it drug on too long.  Think 25% of the book could have been cut out.  Lots of drug usage, which I got tired of reading about (excessive!)  Book title ties in with a famous Dutch painting of the same name, although it's a novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OYH6Y31B5UO0?ASIN=0316055441	Find a shorter read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is quite improbable on all levels and you often find yourself going ""Whaaat?"" The central character goes through much of his life in such a seedy way. He has so many who would help and mentor. I think the book has an over inflated reputation to be honest. All in all a waste of time. Liked the audio version. Great reader. Started audio and finished the hard cover version.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PY2M5SA45BGA?ASIN=0316055441	I recommend this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the beginning of this book very much, a real page turner, a serious subject.  The story then began to drag along in the middle section.  The story line is very good, but it is a long book, and the middle part, which went on and on, could have been shorter.  The ending section was very good.  I liked the main character and also the book store owner who became his guardian.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRAKT3LPLPJ1J?ASIN=0316055441	A gem of an idea	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author is worthy (interesting, creative) but wordy; I would even say extremely wordy. I found myself wishing she would just move on, especially toward the end. This wordiness made me lose interest very often. Finally, I changed my reading technique and started skimming (and sometimes skipping passages) in order to move on.<br/><br/>The idea and plot are fascinating, however.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24LWT0LH0BO9G?ASIN=0316055441	some parts got long....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a great story but there were several parts that could have had at least five pages cut from them. I grew weary of his self loathing and moping about. But that's what made his character, and it's ok that you don't end up really liking Theo that much. The end got especially long and was pontificating a bit too much. Still, good story, would recommend it, it's worth reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R158CKEHL383YB?ASIN=0316055441	Better on second read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Second read?, but it's a really long book. It needed an editor. I read it over a year ago and now just finished it a second time since it's my book club selection for Jan. I enjoyed it the first time but benefited so much more the second. This book makes you think and ruminate on your truths and beliefs. It should be read slowly and personalized. I look forward to the  discussion.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VC2RV09ZOJ8T?ASIN=0316055441	It won the Pulitzer for Fiction!??!  Really???	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I am only 11% into the book on my Kindle, it is a repetitive, boring account of a child's loss of his mother ... at least, so far. To the point I've read to, I am amazed it won the Pulitzer for fiction. Maybe it improves and will warrant the Prize later. The only reason I am continuing to read is the book won the Prize. I will modify this review later, if I feel differently.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NJ4ICZIDSTZL?ASIN=0316055441	I liked the sub-dividing of the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing was tremendous, the plot development clever throughout. I liked the sub-dividing of the book, because I then felt multiple senses of accomplishment in this long read. I always feel like every time I have moved, I have started a new chapter in life.<br/>The characters were finely developed and I 'went places' I would otherwise never have visited. Thank you Donna Tartt!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30F2BE3FUKBND?ASIN=0316055441	This book is instantly one of my favorites!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't even remember what made me buy this book, but I'm glad I did. As a native Mississippian like the author, I was pleased at how she made each character come to life. There were so many moments in this book that made me it it down and research some of the cities and artists that were referenced in the book. Do yourself a favor and read book and gift it to a fellow book lover.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NIUWWJ5UFMQI?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book up until about the last 100 pages ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book up until about the last 100 pages when it became heavy and unbelievable. Usually it's the start of  books  that can be difficult to get into, this is the first time that I found the reverse. Once I start a book I tend to stick at it no matter how hard I find it, however if the end of this book had been at the beginning I think I would have decided it wasn't for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B85SRGD8YUYH?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch a Pulitzer???	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book makes me really admire people who can write a good short story.  A few pages that knock your socks off. I skimmed so much of this book. Where was the editor?  Interesting characters, story line,  some good philosophical angles but all diminished by the inability of the author to be succinct. I have to say she seems to be a person who just likes to listen to herself talk.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YXCF8VHRELP8?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book.  The story was slow at first but it satisfied in a way not many books do lately.  And just a note on the physical book itself...the paper was so fine and smooth - wonderful feel holding &amp; reading it - reminded me again how much I love physical books.  Love my ereader too but nothing beats the feel of fine paper.<br/><br/>Thank you Donna Tartt - wonderful book!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYIN5ZNS4U1V7?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing and gifted author!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing writing!  I felt like part of the story . . . the descriptions bring all the pictures to mind.  You don't always like the characters, but you do feel like you know them personally.  Lots of twists and turns in the story, for sure, so you will never be bored.  I felt like the last portion of the book could have been condensed by half, but that is just one person's opinion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B8QP8ZTOBKSL?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Perhaps one of the best books I've ever read.  The prose is incredible, the tale a trip through some of the dark corridors of life, with a glimpse of humanity shining through -- as it always does.<br/><br/>This is not book for the faint of heart.  You will be taken to places that are within you, but rarely seen or felt and often repressed.  The Goldfinch is an outstanding work.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G08SZC8OIIYU?ASIN=0316055441	Dry Toast	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was recommended  to me. It did not grab me from the start but I continued to read because I needed to know what become of Theo who lost his mother so tragically. All I can say is by the end of the book I could care less for Theo. I became more invested in the supporting characters. The high point of the book came way too late for me . It was just to long and dragged on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WPM8K0V2SHUA?ASIN=0316055441	A Book to Savor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best novels I have ever read. I loved Donna Tartt's 1st novel, The Secret History, and The Goldfinch did not disappoint. I was immersed in the heartwrenching narrative from the start. It is a long book, but I never grew impatient with it. I deeply connected with the narrator. The writing painted vivid pictures for me of the other characters and setting. Abook to savor.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TFW9DYKM200X?ASIN=0316055441	Amazingly Wonderful Novel !!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's easy to see why Ms. Tartt won the Pulitzer Prize for this novel.  Her writing skills are beyond superb.  And although I felt the book could have been much shorter than it was, the writing made it a page turner from beginning to end.  If you're a fan of great writing, good storytelling with an historical perspective, and an old-fashioned page turner, this is the book for you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13IICNPNA59QQ?ASIN=0316055441	there is a reason this book won the Pulitzer.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this 5 star rating because although it was written with intelligence and fabulous craft, it grips the reader as an way to read pulp fiction book can.<br/>The story is full of love, death, crime, fraud, double crosses, drugs sex and excitement. It is written on a high level so one can read the words and see different layers of meaning. This makes a book a star in my mind.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4TAF1GTAERNW?ASIN=0316055441	Well written novel with memorable characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm so delighted to have discovered Donna Tart's writing. She draws you in immediately to the world of a wounded yet brilliant 13-year old boy as he makes his way through tragedy, loss, and the adaptation of his psyche as he grows into manhood. On his journey he encounters unforgettable characters.  I have found it difficult to put the book down each night. I highly recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZV7F9HOENWQD?ASIN=0316055441	but I think the author's frequent digressions and obsessive listing of details makes this wonderful story a shade less than perf	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Perhaps it's a matter of taste, but I think the author's frequent digressions and obsessive listing of details makes this wonderful story a shade less than perfect.  How often must we be reminded that Boris' tendency to sweep the hair from his eyes is a character trait? I enjoyed the story immensely, but there were many in-jokes and drug references that I just didn't comprehend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CNCZUU6YTZ65?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Definitely a good read. Found myself turning off the boob tube and picking up this book night after night. While I knew it wasn't a true story, enough elements rang true that I found myself getting lost in the possibility that this tale could take place. Was a little disappointed in the ending, but would definitely recommend reading this book - especially if you're an art lover.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DPQ950QGDK2I?ASIN=0316055441	the writing......so talented!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was a very hard book to put down. Donna Tartt knows how to develop a character. You understand the main character, his life from the beginning and completely feel his pain, discomfort and how he was molded by his past. I don't want to give away too much for those of you who haven't had the pleasure, but this novel is so deep and developed. All I can say is read it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XNCSLUAK0KKA?ASIN=0316055441	Drying paint	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was like watching paint dry. You're not sure why you're staring at the wall, but you continue to do it. And the only satisfaction you have is when it's finally dry... But then you realize that you've actually hated the color all along. That's my synopsis of The Goldfinch.<br/><br/>Definitely had a few snippets of a tantalizing plot but primarily, it was exceedingly tedious.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SM9IY3PKJO56?ASIN=0316055441	The writing is beautiful. I hate the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is beautiful. I hate the story. It has been the most difficult novel I have ever read. That character makes nothing but bad decisions. I just get so frustrated with him. I still haven't finished and have been told that there is redemption at the end. I am still waiting. I must say again<br/>Donna Tartt WRITES beautifully. I guess that is why she received a Pulitzer!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33CJMLD5U7MY8?ASIN=0316055441	A prize winner for sure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A tragic tale of a young boy, Potter who lost his mom in a bomb blast while looking at art and how that day changed his life forever. When he steals a painting and meets a dying man who gives him a ring to deliver to a NY address his world changes but the poor young man can't get over his mother's death &amp; deal with events in his everyday life. I would highly recommend this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C5V3I24W22J5?ASIN=0316055441	Book Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the first 3/4 of the book  The last section consisted of the central character's  reflections on life, death, and other weighty matters that went page after page with no plot movement or drama. I wonder about the book being awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.  I waded through the last quarter of the book and wished the author had finished much earlier that she did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDFAMTZ5QOWEY?ASIN=0316055441	Get me out of here	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Considering the promise of the beginning of the book, it really slowed down to a deathly crawl for the rest of the endless-seeming novel. The accounts of drug use seemed repetitive and went on forever, and most of the characters were difficult to relate to. I'm not really sure why I didn't just put the book down and walk away, but I do really like the painting of the goldfinch.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LDAMQB1ZP5RV?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing and Unpredictable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing character development full of conflicts and dubious choices in unpredictable circumstances.  The Las Vegas period a bit too long - but given that its a book you have the choice to skim through it.  Really describes the effects of terrorism long term in a bone chilling way.  Raises the question of how good and bad intentions may not result in predictable consequences.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37RDVYT866M0F?ASIN=0316055441	captured my thoughts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read a lot.  More than most but not as much as some, I suppose.  All genres.  This story captured my thoughts, controlled my dreams, and became a smallish obsession. It is almost indescribable. At its surface a very interesting introspective. Not a book about art, but art itself.  Read,no immerse yourself in this story. You will only regret it if you live a life of no regrets</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HFK87X91LCXJ?ASIN=0316055441	disgusting.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The whole story is so bizarre that I found it difficult to finish.  I only finished it because a friend asked me to discuss it with her.  She told me everyone she has talked to that read the book thought it wa wonderful.  She didn't and wanted to know my thoughts since I  had just started it.  The story is so unbelievable that I would have not read it were it not for my friend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M4TUO3HMKGH2?ASIN=0316055441	Overall I enjoyed it but there were 2 things that didn't sit ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was a very interesting story and very well written. Overall I enjoyed it but there were 2 things that didn't  sit well with me.First I thought the book was too long and could have been paired down maybe 100-150 pages as some passages began to get a little boring. Secondly, there were too many loose ends enough to make me wonder if a second installment is in the future.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGGP7PNQEYSUS?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating for the most part.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is my first read by Donna Tartt. Before purchasing this I read many reviews. Most had the same conclusion and mine is no different. The first three quarters of the story was amazing. Then suddenly the time period moves forward a decade or more. This is where it loses steam.<br/><br/>The end was tough for me to get through.<br/><br/>Over all I would recommend this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JE41MDK6T3WB?ASIN=0316055441	the pursuit of What?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book, however it was very long. I liked the first person telling of it. The author demands that you relate to him. Yet I was totally confused by his actions and his inability to truly interact with others, except for Boris.<br/>To me Boris was the most honest person in this tale of woe.  The book is a slog to finish but to his purpose for writing it, so is life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R110ZMUWDNSV92?ASIN=0316055441	Well Done!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First time Donna Tartt reader here and I say WOW! Well done! This novel is beautifully written and delivers a very satisfying experience to the reader.  The author's reflections on beauty and the nature of same gives flight to the deeper meaning of this story.<br/>She also touches on the very fabric of what it means to live a meaningful life. All this and a riveting story too!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GGCWMF03HV6J?ASIN=0316055441	... off well with some very descriptive passages and a great build up to the explosion	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started off well with some very descriptive passages and a great build up to the explosion.  The escape from the art gallery and stealing of the painting just didn't ring true. Became bogged down with the ""Boris"" experience and I really got fed up with the situation - again didn't ring true. What a weak nasty character our main person (can't even remember his name)was.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBDGXAGOUM1LL?ASIN=0316055441	Too much hype and overrated!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book but not great! Way too much hype around this book...I guess because it won the Pulizer Prize. The story initially draws you in but it eventually becomes a bit of a slog as it goes on and on. I was so anxious for the author to wrap it up. I believe that the author/editor could have cut entire sections of this novel out which would have done this novel a great service!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26PXBDW42PD6Y?ASIN=0316055441	Unforgettable! Don't miss this one!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not one wasted word.  Not one missed nuance in plot and characters.  This is a true literary gem in every possible way.  Every character is perfect, perfectly flawed and perfectly redeemed. Donna Tartt spins a world with a full range of human experience and emotion, characters are astounding in their complete believability.  Do not pass up this novel, destined to be a classic.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MIU9YW12W6DV?ASIN=0316055441	A BIG let down!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very disappointed  given what was termed to be a top ranking book prior to my reading and choosing.. It was a dreary read and took a long time to get to the point. In the end I couldn't be bothered to finish reading this book.  My other book Club members were all certainly unimpressed and the consensus was ""don't bother"". They(4) too, did not finish reading to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JIFQ9ZX9B7I4?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The only hing keeping me from giving it 5 stars is the rampant drug use and vivid descriptions there of. It just bothered me to read it like that. But, I realize it is integral to the story and adds a level of character understanding that would not be possible without it. Hope, tragedy, despair, love, suspense---this book has it all. It is one that I believe I will read again.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NC6GMX8Q2AU7?ASIN=0316055441	More than worth the wait.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's good to know that we can still enjoy the literary works of a truly gifted contemporary writer.  The characters are well developed; the novel delivers.  Thanks to Ms. Tartt for maintaining her standard of excellence.  Congratulations to Ms. Tart on being awarded the Pulitzer prize--which she certainly deserves for this fine work!  It will surely become an American classic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RD5VZ152BXMY?ASIN=0316055441	Kept hoping...never happened	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Horrible...took me three months to get through it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U1J8YVGLBNH9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book! I can see why it won a Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N58F35LSXUXY?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One gets very tired of reading about his drug use.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25XMEH6G8M5EP?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good - interesting characters, but a bit too long.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GNHVLCQ3SRB6?ASIN=0316055441	self absorbed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a long book and I felt it would have been much more effective by being about 200 pages shorter. Just as the main character was self absorbed, the writing was, at times, self absorbed. There were places I just could not force myself to read every word, so, for the most part skimmed them. The plot was good, the big ideas were too, but it just took so long to get there.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R0N3031Q8RPE?ASIN=0316055441	The premose of the book is good. I woould read another book by this author--hopefully ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting, but the story could have been told in less than 400 pages rather than in more than 800.  The author is a true wordsmith.  She paints with her wolrds.  Each character is fully developed.  The beginning and ending of the book were much to slow-moving and detailed.  The idea of the book is good.  I woould read another book by this author--hopefully a shorter one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P9DT8QRWB9BB?ASIN=0316055441	I liked it... a lot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very well written.  The male characters are very well depicted, I was actually surprised when I noted that a female wrote the book ( I looked at the name after I was done).  This book was a very deep and philosophical piece, great vocabulary.  Just really...detailed about life, addiction, intensity, and hope.  Not a super uplifting, happy-go-lucky type of novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE69TWH6IY9GY?ASIN=0316055441	Stop everything!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is unusual to read a book that makes you want to forget appointments, meals and sleep, just so that you can get back to reading!  This book has it all!  Stolen artwork!  Neglected youth!  Family tragedy!  Drugs!  Narrow escapes!  Fascinating complex characters!  I was sorry to have the book end, and it was over 800 pages long!  There is a reason that this was a bestseller.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO8I33443Z8VV?ASIN=0316055441	Long but worth the read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is longer than I would normally chose. I read it for a book club. It was hard for me to get started, but then it captured me and I really wanted to finish the book. It did keep my interest. The very end, very end wrapping up lost me a bit, but it didn't. I would recommend it. The style of writing was easy and the title The Goldfinch, you want to know why is it titled that.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25GZ3M4YOZU5?ASIN=0316055441	Good, not great.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long book, I used the audio version on Ipad and speeded up the speaker a little.  I really enjoyed the booked up to the last few pages when I felt it was a little preachy.  Just my opinion.  It was relevant to today's society.  Drugs, divorce, sex.  Anything goes.  Thank heavens there often is that guardian angel nearby.  Too bad so many kids don't have a guardian angel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMZEC3QA6ZCUO?ASIN=0316055441	Mind Blowing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was amazing how this young man adapted to his environment repeatedly.  It was mind stretching and philosophical to the point that I had to re-read several passages at the end and then take time to think about them.  I read it as a light read for the summer but definitely was surprised as how much I loved it.  I didn't want it to end and that experience happens very seldom.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1STLTI9B1I7VF?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book up until about midway through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book up until about midway through, unfortunately the length started to get the better of me, as did my anxiety and distress at Theo's life, it redeemed itself towards the end and I enjoyed the reflection of life as art in terms of how tedious and anxiety filled it can be (as reflected in the book itself) and I particularly loved the ultimate message of the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO3GFWVGSK864?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I truly enjoyed this story - the depth of the characters, the detail, the art history, the relationships, the path through time.  The only part that I didn't like was the fact that a few sections seemed to drag on a bit longer than what seemed necessary.  The book was so well written though that I just read those parts a little faster - the rest is worth savoring every word.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGIGMATN09V11?ASIN=0316055441	Half the pages = double the stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Nearly as often as I was enthralled by the words I was bogged down by the words! Getting to know Hobie made up for a lot of the agony. Combining the e-book and the audiobook probably got me through to a conclusion that was more positive than most of the book. This is a book that will stay with me but that I wish was less notable for its extreme length. 775 is too many pages!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22K93A0TPLR0J?ASIN=0316055441	Almost loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Been meaning to read for years. Immediately I was captivated by the story and couldn't wait to read more everyday. But i got bogged down heading toward last quarter of book. I lost my train of thought while reading &amp; just wanted to finish. Very disappointed as storyline got more tangled &amp; scenes left New York &amp; went abroad. And all the philosophy for last 20 pages did me in.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DQ2N4KW1TJ5V?ASIN=0316055441	Not necessarily bad, just off putting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing form is fabulous and I can see why he won the Pulitzer.  However, in the story line, I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop.  The main character has so may flaws, and was doggedly on a downward spiral it was depressing.  The ending was essentially the author's testament to himself and the main character ended flat.  Not necessarily bad, just off putting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FJ3XB702MPOW?ASIN=0316055441	My book of the year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is easily my book of the year so far. Apart from being a fine story filled with dazzling prose, the pacing is so good I not only forgave the novel its length but was bereft when it finished. No mean feat for an 800 page-plusser...<br/><br/>I happen to work in The Hague and since reading this novel I've been twice to the Mauritshuis to revisit the Goldfinch!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2POVR10WCDR2N?ASIN=0316055441	Not for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this for a book club I belong to.  Actually I listened to it because I had the audio version.  I found it long, tedious and troublesome.  The story could have been much shorter with the same outcome.  It just was not enjoyable for me.  That's not to say another person would not love the book.  The person who recommended it for our book club thought it was fascinating.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WLZSBYYM39R5?ASIN=0316055441	Should be 10 stars!! Wonderful story!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I needed a 10-star for this book.  Had it digitally but there are times when you WANT to keep a hardcopy so I bought that one as well. Great story, great read....my entire book club did not agree with me, but I was so inspired I painted and made copies of the goldfinch (not for sale! and without his chain), popped them in little frames and gave each book club friend a copy!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JP76Y9RUD42X?ASIN=0316055441	A Darn Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this book was excellent, and its length did not bother me. The long, arduous emotional journey Theo took seemed to require it. Boris, although troubled in his own way, was a delight with his always-positive attitude. I also enjoyed his discussion at the end of ""good and bad."" I am grateful that the story had a relatively happy ending, all things considered.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28YXYZXOE6QGL?ASIN=0316055441	Bleak, depressing, and way too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wasn't fond of this book. I found it to be very depressing, and bleak. The characters were not likeable or engaging. I pushed myself through the entire book because it was picked for our book club, I would never recommend this book to anyone. I found nothing worthwhile about reading it, except for the lasting thought that life is too short to do something you don't enjoy.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P2AP3PCJJPTG?ASIN=0316055441	Good story, way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The basis of the story was good, but it was buried under piles and piles of superfluous, navel-gazing paragraphs. The author has a tendency to go on and on (and on and on and on) about things that have nothing to do with anything. If it was shorter by about half (which I don't say lightly- I love a good, long book with great characters), I would probably give it five stars.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBZ4J4WRRTY8R?ASIN=0316055441	The smartest 13 year old in the history of mankind.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Get with it, already. And I had a hard time believing the 13 year old character had a rather 'rich' knowledge of the world. It started out interesting, but it became work to read it, and what happened to the guy held up in Amsterdam? Out of frustration I skipped ahead, and I am left with disappointment.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IAID5LE62082?ASIN=0316055441	The writing was so good, the ideas brought forward about good and evil ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel was VERY LONG, and I sometimes wondered why so much attention was focused on every minute detail.  Hard reading, at times.  But at the end, I saw it all come together...and I even went back to read the beginning and the end a second time.  The writing was so good, the ideas brought forward about good and evil and how they might work together.  Very  interesting.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J06VT44OE8RW?ASIN=0316055441	... mischief filled modern day story - losing and finding love, the trappings of success	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is a reason why the Pulitzer group selected this coming of age Dickens-like pain and mischief filled modern day story -  losing and finding love, the trappings of success, agony of failure and reality of dealing with and working around the rich characters who inhabit your life  - as told with brilliant detail through the intelligent wide eyes of a young curious mind.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PU1H2B9FLARX?ASIN=0316055441	Very Interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A really really good book.  Kept my attention the whole way through. nicely written along with plot twists and turns, some unexpected and some expected.  Many different viewpoints can be had reading this book about life in general as well as how young people develop into adults.  Interesting plots of how art could be used as collateral, definetly a possibility.  Great book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20131884PLHKD?ASIN=0316055441	not good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was over-hyped by pre-release reviewers.  Tartt is a reasonably good writer, but no amount of reasonably good writing - and the amount here is prodigious - can cover up a thin plot.  I am waiting for Tartt to have a good story to tell.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WS5TPCBK3E2P?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can be cumbersome with all the details about his drug and alcohol addictions.  Not a book for the faint at heart, seemed this was most definitely a vivid picture of an individual suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  Quite troubled individual who finds he can show little for his life.  Well written and I understand why it was a Pulitzer Prize Award winner.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S05LDBFRWCVY?ASIN=0316055441	I fell so madly in love with her characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I fell so madly in love with her characters, her writing, the reader of the audio book and I loved emersion reading (listening and reading together). It went from the house to the car flawlessly. I can't wait until they start adding music to audio portion. It's a movie is my head and I love listening to it in my car.  I'm reading /listening a second time. Love, Love Love.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LVBG2DDG0BJZ?ASIN=0316055441	And I really liked the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">confusing book, after reading it all the way through, I was still mystified, so I started reading it again, and clarified some things, then jumped to the end and read some more to make sure I understood it.<br/>I did. And I really liked the book, I guess I just never got the plot!<br/>Like John Lennon said, ""life is what happens while you're busy making other plans.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EIDHM2QRCA3X?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written...but very long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't think I would ever get through the middle third of this book. I  really enjoyed the story and the writing though, which helped make up for the endless parts of this book. We read this for book club and only half of us made it through the book. Those that read it gave it a thumbs up. I think I would have given it 5 stars if it had been edited down about 200 pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R132JRJ44UK71C?ASIN=0316055441	A MUST READ	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am frequently disappointed in the way an author ends his/her story.  When I am enthralled with a book from the get-go, I save the ending.  Sometimes, I don't read to the end and let the story drift off as life so often does.  I know this explanation won't work for too many other readers.  Go ahead and read from beginning to end.  You will not disappointed.  Marji Butler</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ON1DCERJZIQC?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in years.  I could not put it down.  Great book if you like a story that spans over many years.  Intriguing plot lines of drug abuse, emotional trauma, stolen art, and mafia run-ins.  My only gripe is in the last twenty pages the author tries to bestow some of her own philosophies on life that would have been better left unsaid.  Overall a great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ATKOYY18GZAX?ASIN=0316055441	It didn't feel like a long book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very deserving for the Pulitzer Prize (unlike some others I have read).  Vivid characters in a very compelling and engaging story.  Though it logs in at over 700 pages, it didn't feel like a long book, though I re-read many passages that were so well written and thought-provoking.  I am getting started on the author's other books, as I loved this one so much.  Brilliant!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E40SMV1XRO4C?ASIN=0316055441	Although the novel never stops being readable and interesting, ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the novel never stops being readable and interesting, there are long stretches that are rather disturbing, with a paucity of likeable characters. The reader wonders where the story might be taking her. Then, for the last 100 pages or so, everything starts to fall into place and one is left almost breathless at the tour de force that Donna Tartt has accomplished.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR5B27YNRG59U?ASIN=0316055441	so I don't really feel like I have the language to express my thoughts on ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not a literary critic, so I don't really feel like I have the language to express my thoughts on this book. So I'll keep it simple. The book was overly long, overwritten, and self-indulgent. The opening storyline was great, up until Theo moved to Vegas, but the entire novel went downhill from there. I'm sorry I paid money for this book, and I would not recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R319CDR4FGNQ8Z?ASIN=0316055441	The drugs, the drugs... it is ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The drugs, the drugs...it is hard to believe the main character lived and could go on to live a semi normal life. Certainly, creative writing with spectacularly described scenes, thoughts, explanations of what was occurring. One was there throughout these scenes experiencing the emotion of the situation.  But, alas, it just went on and on! By Gordon Richard, not Alma...</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VR2QTCAG3ZVR?ASIN=0316055441	melancholy feel, but great plot that kept me guessing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">really great writing that drew you in to the psyche if the main character. plot was great, unpredictable, and some good twists. a little too introspective sometimes for me, kind of skimmed through those spots, but overall kept me interested, and i was invested in the character. but, in the end the overall feel of it was sad and a little depressing with its view of life.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R365EV3N3WH7N2?ASIN=0316055441	... why this got such rave reviews - it reads like a children's adventure story and the characters are mostly ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not sure why this got such rave reviews - it reads like a children's adventure story and the characters are mostly stereotypes.  I have to say I wondered what all the hype was about, googled reviews on it, and was happy to see that some of the most renowned reviewers said pretty much the same thing.  Have no idea why it won the Pulitzer and it's 800 pages long . . .</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LNBN5ZT8Y97N?ASIN=0316055441	A true masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those books you come across maybe once or twice every ten years. What should I start with ? The characters are so well built, yet so different that I sometimes thought that the book must be written by several people. It captures beautifully personalities, geographical locations and time periods. This is indeed a masterpiece. I highly, highly recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RHT28HR6FZ9V?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book captured me from the first page.  I enjoyed reading it... there was some disconnect between the main character's words and his actions, didn't seem like the same person as written and I didn't know how it could possibly end but it did end in a way that I thought could be better given the rest of the book. However, I would recommend it.  I couldn't put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KQNKZIHMKBRT?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed after all the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappointed after all the hype. This book was far too long. The Las Vegas chapter was interminable. Hobie was the only decent character. I wanted to shout at Theo ""Move on and stop with the self pity."" The ending seemed too neat and contrived. I am still shocked that this book won the Pulitzer. Don't waste your money with so much else that is wonderful to read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R231CTZKK5LV1L?ASIN=0316055441	Book  Club challenge	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not sure I would have completed this without the push from my book  club group.  However, even though it was a challenge--I'm happy to have accepted it and especially enjoyed the opportunity to discuss  with a knowledgeable group of readers.  It's a book to make you question your own beliefs and a realization that life isn't always a straight and narrow path to success.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SHXTDKMLBCHJ?ASIN=0316055441	Good, BUT...if one questions the plausibilities...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you enjoy the audiobook version of books, do NOT miss this one. Voice performer, David Pittu, gives an award-worthy presentation of Tartt's work. I know that the reason I enjoyed this book so much was due primarily to David Pittu's performance. That said, I have a hard time believing that a 13 yr old, escaping a terrorist bombing is going to stop to steal a painting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R363BING2PWNN?ASIN=0316055441	Brutal with a magic that can't be ignored!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a wild ride.  The characters were so easy to become involved in even if you didn't like them.  The painting and the many symbolisms staggering.  The writing was so evocative I could feel like I was participating not just reading from a safe difference.  Life has so many paths and sometimes the one's not taken can be as profound as the journey's we choose.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GSSNNSIEGGM7?ASIN=0316055441	I really enjoyed this book and noted that the author's Manhattan background ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book and noted that the author's Manhattan background  was up-to-the-minute accurate and its characters beautifully<br/>drawn.  Its length is a bit daunting and its ending  left me down somewhat, too much philosophizing.  On the whole, though,  it was consistently<br/>interesting reading and much the best fictional work I've read in a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H4SKZ1IW36HX?ASIN=0316055441	PTSD for Art Lovers	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book completely given to hyper-vigilance resulting from an explosion, it is written in an explosion of every detail of what the main character sees in his state of ever-ready flight or fight.  While it is an exceptionally long tale compared to most novels on the market today, it kept my interest to the end. Very intense, but a good read for a long vacation or cruise.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REZ1VDBROBAK1?ASIN=0316055441	So disappointing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Two family members hated this book and many friends loved it...so I read it because it was a Pulitzer prize winner.  All I can say is WHY?  I agree with all the other one-star folks.  Way too long; boring descriptions; dark and gloomy subjects.  Skipped over most of the second half and once I finally reached the end I skipped the last chapter as well.  So disappointed!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20NBZ04DW1N6Z?ASIN=0316055441	A test for patience for nowadays readers	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully crafted book. Beautiful and lustrous like the numerous art works described in book. Depending on my mood sometimes i find it too flowery and suffocating to read on. A bit of a sprawl and yes I get it: You really missed Pippa! The language tends to be bit repetitive as well. It was a big, ambitious book after all; better to have a break between each novella.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IZMA3NBCHMCQ?ASIN=0316055441	A great summer read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book I couldn't put down,  there wwere so many facets to it. I fell in love with the characters. Including the Father. Theo and Boris made great hero's of modern times.  Even though both of them abused drugs they were basicly good guys and in the end did the rght thing and wound up being rewarded.  This book was highly exciting and deserved all the rewards it got.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LTKRCVVHSNU0?ASIN=0316055441	Way too depressing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved first half. Started hating main character by halfway, finally threw  the book down at 3/4 of the way.  Just wanted to off myself to think a character like this might be possible. But writing is very good. Story is complex and you will be engaged.  Just not the book for me.  First book I didn't bother to finish.  Could care less what happens to this guy.  Oh well.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FTQUAP6NZAFH?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Decent plot let down by long-winded storytelling.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KMQEYRL4CIQE?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little long winded at times but worth the read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K1WSLD81WSBG?ASIN=0316055441	Good beginning and ending-the middle is blah	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know this book is critically acclaimed but it did not designate with me.  I found the beginning interesting, but then there is a time jump which gets boring.  While the middle of this book is like a roller coaster..sometimes  so interesting and other times horribly tedious.  The last paragraph is beautiful.  But do you want to  read a book for the last paragraph????</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QTX9VM3EOTTQ?ASIN=0316055441	Not a horrible book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I gave this book 3 stars because I didn't think it was a Pulitzer prize winner. It was ok, and I finished reading it but the author made it very long and drawn out. One sentence could be a small paragraph at times, and the main character never was happy. It was kind of a downer story for me. To many drugs, drinking, and just plain sad. Wouldn't recommend it to anyone.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGIOV5O8NF9D5?ASIN=0316055441	Poor Theo	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the first half. The kid Theo with his dead mom and his problems really grabbed me. The adult Theo with his drugs and gang connections seemed tedious. Tartt reaching for the movies and not the stars.  I kept feeling sorry for the young Theo and the dull cardboard he had grown into. The kid had a soul. What happened to it?  Snatch away by an unscrupulous author!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDZI6JBZJGN3N?ASIN=0316055441	This is an amazing story - a metaphor for our times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an amazing story - a metaphor for our times.  What do you do when the core reason defining your life doesn't exist and all you thought you knew, isn't so??  Although it is a very lengthy book, it is worth the effort.  I came to care about the characters, not only because of the storyline, but because Tartt is effective in using dialogue to move the narrative.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HOB5T5G0LTRH?ASIN=0316055441	best book I've read in some time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I won't write much here. For serious readers, The Goldfinch is a must read. Very rich in quality, a compelling story, and thought provoking. I was relieved and disappointed simultaneously at the end - something like finishing a very large and purely gourmet quality meal. Is it over? Thank God. I couldn't eat another bite - unless my plate had one morsel left upon it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYWRTGZ3P6GX6?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent characterizations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent characterizations highlight this novel.  Tartt seems to see into the souls of each of her characters, exposing their flaws, their charms, and the powers they hold over others -- intentionally or not.  Interesting and well-paced, the reader never slogs down wondering how many pages to the end.  I'll now have to go back and check out some of her earlier work.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXD365967PPW7?ASIN=0316055441	but I didn't much like the main character	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is very well written and certainly held my interest.  I'm not sure whether this is a legitimate complaint, but I didn't much like the main character.  While the reader knows more or less what's in his mind, the character rarely speaks intelligently; so I couldn't understand what any other characters saw in him.  The story and the writing make it worthwhile.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OHIOZYC489VQ?ASIN=0316055441	Give Her The Bird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have read so much favorable acclaim about this ,book that I feel I have been duped.  The author just floundered with dialogue to the point that I thought I was reading the diary of a drug addict.  I think that if you gave this book an enema  you could cut the length to about a hundred pages.  It's time to go back and spend my time  with the classics not this tripe.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WBD8F1O1ZFLU?ASIN=0316055441	A rare, beautifully crafted novel...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For those who admire the perfectly crafted sentence, sublime imagery and characters so finely drawn they could be living in your guest bedroom, this is likely a book you will enjoy. I did immensely, in part because I was in awe of the enormous talent it took to write it but mostly because it was an intensely cerebral, deeply felt and above all, a superbly told tale.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OVARG4BWMQ7O?ASIN=0316055441	A Profound Psychological Study	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A superior novel on so many levels...a psychological study of the evolution of a boy after tragedy.  As a psychiatrist, I feel that I can say that<br/>this book contains deep insight. It is also one of the most beautifully crafted works I have read in years. And I loved the ending.<br/>I'm definitely going to make time to visit the Met during my next visit to NYC.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MVUA9WHF5QMI?ASIN=0316055441	It took me back to childhood in NYC. Trips ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me back to childhood in NYC.<br/>Trips to see Nana and her alcoholic friend who let us eat breakfast and feed the pigeons on the window ledge;<br/> play in her fur coats to work up a thirst, then out to a friendly dimly-lit neighborhood bar to collect cocktail ornaments and eat<br/>cherries, onions, and salty nuts. Then to the Met for a couple of hours…..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27SLN1L6V8AYG?ASIN=0316055441	Loved, loved	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved, loved , loved this book. I listened to it, primarily. The narrator of this book is a wonderful actor, and made listening a delight. The writing itself is beautifully descriptive and the story engaged me . It is a long book, which is why I chose to listen as well as read... Made cooking and driving enjoyable, and the book sped by. I highly recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32A4V51PYETP3?ASIN=0316055441	At times very engrossing ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning of this book grabbed my attention. I found the characters unique and interesting. The negative of this book were the portions that torturously dragged on ... specifically when Theo and Boris continuously got drunk and high every day, and when Theo was hiding out after the murders in Amsterdam. This book could easily have been 200 or more pages shorter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWB59ZEA5LDW5?ASIN=0316055441	"i was fooled several times during the amazing journey of reading ""The Goldfinch"" to think that i ..."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a story written in layers and layers of truth. i was fooled several times during the amazing journey of reading ""The Goldfinch"" to think that i understand what the writer was getting at. and i was wrong because the story unfolds in surprising ways and concludes with one of the best conclusions written ever about the meaning or rather the non-meaning of life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AJFTPZTDL6RO?ASIN=0316055441	A fascinating story which, amazingly enough, had a great moral epiphany at the end! It took a long way around to get to it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would have given it a 5 star rating as far as the story line itself. I couldn't put it down for wanting to know the outcome. That could have been accomplished in half as many pages without all the description of drug and alcohol induced meanderings. The characters were very interesting and developed very well, but way too wordy and overly descriptive for my taste.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18XLX28J40PTQ?ASIN=0316055441	One of my top ten fave books ever...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved The Secret History and I love this book too. While they are vastly different, they both are filled with such deep characters. Even though the book is long, I never wanted it to end. I complained a lot about finishing this book b/c I wanted to stick with it and the characters for longer than the pages allowed. I highly recommend this book!! Donna Tartt rules.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T2E3TBQDK8PP?ASIN=0316055441	but then it was pretty worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This one really took awhile to get into, but then it was pretty worth it.  The most interesting character was Boris.  He wasn't particularly likable, but he really kept the story interesting.  Oftentimes, I found myself frustrated with the narrator wishing he'd get his life together: ""be honest"" I wanted to tell him... it would have solved so many problems.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ97QN6B58VIA?ASIN=0316055441	A Dark Journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Most of the book is a surrealistic journey through the protagonist's life with the theme/moral tagged on at the end. The author did a good job with description and character portrayal. At times, I disliked the main character, but at other times I hoped he would arrive at a good ending. The book seems overly long, but it reads pretty well and has a number of twists.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RL8DE5TDAS42?ASIN=0316055441	Good book - Not Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the beginning of this book..in fact, I couldn't put it down. However,once Theo travelled to Amsterdam, I began getting bored and couldn't wait for it to end- I felt like the book went from a really  interesting story of a boy coping with loss to a garbled nonsensical mobster story. I didn't like the ending either. Character development was superb,.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TW40VIHTNOLC?ASIN=0316055441	Not for Me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know this book got critical acclaim, including a Pulitzer.  I loved the first 1/3 or so.  After that it just chronicled the downfall of a degenerate.  I finished it only because I took it on vacation and didn't have anything else to read.  It's way too long.  If you'd enjoy reading the sordid tale of a life gone to hell, this is your book.  It just wasn't for me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7KF8LFBS62KX?ASIN=0316055441	Good story, sad and sweet	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a quick read for me. Long, winding road of a story, very depressing but also very touching. The whole thing felt like wandering around in a museum, like if I had all day I could really get lost but it was hard to read in little snippets here and there. When I could carve out time to sit and read for a couple hours, it would suck me right in. I truly enjoyed it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EWHY1Q2SZXZY?ASIN=0316055441	Better than most books of recent vintage	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very unusual plot--- you keep reading to find out what happens to the young man who goes through many trials and tribulations.  The characters are extremely well developed.  By the end of the book, the reader feels as if he has known these people his entire life.  Ms. Tartt's novel is of high quality, and I would definitely read other books that she has authored.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10OE4V416U2SS?ASIN=0316055441	1000 pages - really?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The last 20 pages were interesting.  The first 980 were well written but unnecessarily long, amazingly dark and this poor young mans life just kept getting worse.  Not uplifting at all, other than last 20 pages of compelling insights. At least he gets out of taking the Goldfinch unscathed and with cash.  Couldn't he at least have ended up with Pippa? Glad I'm done!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O4L81YBRNXUU?ASIN=0316055441	Reminds me of one of the greats of the 60s---Thomas ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reminds me of one of the greats of the 60s---Thomas Wolfe, only more dialogue. Certainly there is more dialogue and less narrative in Goldfinch, but both draw their characters with distinction. Theo will remaining my memory for many years to come.<br/><br/>As a sideline achievement, there is also the most detailed and vivid description of drug use I've ever read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LLBCLN8KF3J0?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best book Donna Tartt has written I think.  She writes like a modern day Dickens.  The story is enthralling and the characters so believable and true to life.  I wish the book had been even longer than it was.  I purposely put it down for awhile so I wouldn't get to the end so quickly.  I think this is probably the best book I have read in a long while.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DT44ETYSVDVV?ASIN=0316055441	perseverance necessary	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was my first book by Donna Tartt, although I felt like I just finished three books. Well written but a bit too long at almost 800 pages. Editors should have picked up on references to items, ipds, etc., that in that time period didn't exist ( nit picking ). If you're used to books by Patterson , Brown, Coban, you'll be disappointed with the pace of this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHP80O4DNYZCM?ASIN=0316055441	... this book was one for me to read or recommend. A very dark and depressing story with the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am not sure this book was one for me to read or recommend.  A very dark and depressing story with the main characters not the type of people I would enjoy knowing.  But I read it all through, guess it will help me to recognize this type of person in the future and know to avoid putting them in my friend circle.  but do not take my word for it, read it your self.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20N2G78ATA3X1?ASIN=0316055441	A good read and interesting story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really engaging novel.  My husband kept getting mad that I still wasn't finished with it.  A good read and interesting story.  I had hoped that it would have been more about art instead of the downward spiral of a drug addict.  Typically, I am not interested in the latter.  Because of the interesting story of a stolen art piece woven into the story, I was engaged.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13TRT88H07VOO?ASIN=0316055441	but was very disappointed. The writing was overly descriptive and I think ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was looking forward to reading this book for months, but was very disappointed.<br/>The writing was overly descriptive and I think the editing could have been better.<br/>I know it won the Pulitzer Prize, but not my cup of tea. But I stuck with it to the end.<br/>Even my daughter, who reads a book in 1 or 2 days, could not finish it. And she never does that.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PN4WQ3QMFNL0?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written tedium.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written tedium detailing every inane thought passing through the head of an insecure teenage boy. Very slow. I finally gave up on it, I just couldn't take it any more. I can't believe this won a Pulitzer Prize. The writing is gorgeous, I admit, but there is only so much teenage angst I can suffer through before something actually happens in this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36RC3KOH4MT5A?ASIN=0316055441	A pulitzer with typos - how charming.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch has a lot of twist and turns and keeps you guessing what's next. It also contains historical inaccuracies, and unbelievable details and situations...... and don't get me started on Tartt's mental masturbation binges on word porn. The story, though, is magnificent and the characters are truly loveable. Well worth the read if you have a month to spare.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R112P1CW3QEQ0T?ASIN=0316055441	One of my favorite books I've read this year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of my favorite books I've read this year.  This tale covers the death of a mother and a piece of artwork that defines and haunts a young boy for years to come.  A look into art and antique furnishings and the manner in which they are sold and how a life is changed by one single moment.  Beautifully written, a complex but compelling story.  Highly recommended!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NDKIBH4A1KUO?ASIN=0316055441	Insight and feeling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was wonderfully written, so descriptive.  It left one with ""something in your hand, to hold"", you are the sum of your life experiences and it is OK.  We just become who we are through those experiences, good or bad, it cannot be helped.  We just need to learn to live in spite of our shortcomings and stay in touch with our own reality and our strengths.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSP2BPAH4YRPZ?ASIN=0316055441	I initially really enjoyed this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I initially really enjoyed this book, but now, 295 pages into it, I am done with it.  Boring and pointless.  Beautifully written yes, but the characters have now completely stagnated for me and I am no longer enjoying the story.  I heard one reviewer describe this book as Dickensian but I disagree as I have read Charles Dickens' works and enjoyed them much more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B8A0ZB4ZWUU3?ASIN=0316055441	I still liked it; however	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I began reading this book and really liking it. At the end, I still liked it; however, as a lot of other readers, I found the novel too long. It wasn't a matter of not liking long books; however, I saw several sections that Tartt could have left out or abbreviated. They were unnecessarily detailed. Because of this, I don't see how the novel won a Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YG9S6DNMO84B?ASIN=0316055441	A Great Love Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are many great love stories in fiction, but this one is about the love and connection one can feel for art. It is also one of the best coming of age novels that I have ever read. Rich in allusion, imagery, and powerful emotion, one steps on the ride of young Theo's experience and finds it riveting, frightening, thrilling and ultimately exhilarating. When i</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QJ9N8H1DEDD7?ASIN=0316055441	Over rated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long, couldn't wait till it ended. Too many dragged out conversations/thoughts that didn't actually advance the story line. This would have been an easier more interesting exciting read if some parts were condensed. Ending was a disappointment..sorta a let down. After reading a book I want to leave it looking for more and I didn't find it with this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17Z78U3K3E7I2?ASIN=0316055441	I liked the characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read this book for my book club. I liked the characters.  The ending suddenly got very philosophical  which didn't seem to match the rest of the book even though there were hints throughout. After all ig theo's drug abuse, I wasn't quute sure where his moral compass was coming from. He didn't appeare to have the tools to know himself  let alone recognize beauty.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11K3CTKNPFVM7?ASIN=0316055441	Three and a half stars......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Definitely worth the time to read.  Perhaps it does not deserve 4 stars but better than 3 stars.  Love the characters, beautifully written and thoughtful.  However, it needed editing!!!  Also, it is hard to get through the numerous bad decisions made by the protagonist.  But a good book is one that you look forward to picking back up.  This is that kind of book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EQ7V4LSB3GWX?ASIN=0316055441	I loved all of the characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So well written.  I loved all of the characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24NPA84IGOH4W?ASIN=0316055441	Too Many Words!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was depressing and way too many words!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C0BOY5NM841Y?ASIN=0316055441	Extremely depressing. Book really went nowhere.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely depressing.  Book really went nowhere.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LILJVS599QJQ?ASIN=0316055441	A Darker Version of John Irving	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I decided to read the Goldfinch because it was a Pulitzer Prize winner.  I found it to be well-written and engaging with some interesting plot twists.  However, while it reminded me of John Irving's style (which I liked), it was far more somber and sad with little humor.  I'd recommend this to anyone who likes Irving but desires an even darker and sadder world.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F9UQR5H0TYAI?ASIN=0316055441	but that's probably what the Pulitzer people liked.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me a while to get into this book but once I did - wow! I was constantly wondering, ""What's going to happen to this kid next?"" or ""How the heck is he going to fix that?"" There was too much musing and deep thinking for me at the end; I read to escape and that's not what I was looking for, but that's probably what the Pulitzer people liked.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIDG5QB2PX3HT?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing novel! So well written, engaging and very different than anything I have read in ages. It's long...I didn't realize how long because I had the kindle version but at some point I had the urge to slow down because I was enjoying it so much, to savor it. I checked and found I had 500 pages left so then I felt ok moving along. Best book I have read in ages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9OVODKD27QV6?ASIN=0316055441	I found it tedious.. the story was fascinating and she is ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it tedious.  .the story was fascinating and she is obviously a gifted  writer but the lengthy descriptions finally got just plain boring.  The author literally took 10 pages to describe a blade of grass.  I found myself skipping pages (which I never do) as the author rambled on and on.  How could she possibly say so much about two people drinking vodka?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MAU7K8Z0PKQ8?ASIN=0316055441	Kept me interested, but is heavy on philosophies and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept me interested, but is heavy on philosophies and individual ""demons"" - bears some resemblance to a study in self-destruction methods, but with an interesting story attached.  Comes off a bit too ""heavy"" for me, but hey - it won a Pulitzer, so what do I know?<br/>If that sort of topic is interesting you to, then this is a very readable book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JI40AU64IPOJ?ASIN=0316055441	Most of this book I loved and I couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Most of this book I loved and I couldn't put it down. To me Donna Tarrt is an  intelligent writer with a world of vocabulary at her fingertips however I found her to be overly wordy at times. Her central character Theo was beautifully portrayed but what a tortured person he was. She balanced him so well with Boris the lovable scoundrel who I thoroughly enjoyed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q8EZE9VRUKKB?ASIN=0316055441	could not put it down!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the kind of book that reminds us of the joy of reading! Ms. Tartt has created a roller coaster ride centered on the famous masterwork.  Kept me on the edge of my seat and yet, I consciously doled it out,as I read a bit, then a bit more, savoring the literary marvel as one would a gourmet feast, so as not to become bloated and ill with the delight of it!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NTT9XH5AV1US?ASIN=0316055441	It was an enjoyable read, but the ending had me regretting i ever started reading it at all...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a great read, until I neared the end, when it changed tempo and tried to push a philosophy lesson at the reader. It also left some questions unanswered and for that I cannot forgive the author. She spent so much time in this lengthy novel to do an outstanding job developing some characters yet how it concludes for them are simply left off the table. Huh?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JGQP6IARYTLH?ASIN=0316055441	Not worthy of the prize,if you ask me...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ok, I wanted so much to  like this book, but I didn't. I couldn't relate to the circumstances, the characters, the total lack of feeling it seemed that any of the characters held for each other.  Parts of it did not ring true with me (the dialog mostly).  I did finally finish it, but it took a while as it was a book I COULD (and did) put down (several  times).</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2578AOX1C4CJS?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book kept me on its own adventure while we were traveling through Greece! I love the characters and the storyline! I thought the author did a wonderful job building both, and the story was rich and dark and stayed with you long after the book ended. I would definitely recommend it to a friend. And I would definitely read other books from this same author!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QEB1WK7MW24N?ASIN=0316055441	90/10 Split	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the first 90% of the book for the interesting characters, locations, subject matter and many other things.  The last 10% strangely morphed into long philosophical monologues by the protagonists.  That's also about the time the novel turned into the lead's memoir. It seemed like there was a struggle on how to finish the book and this was the end result.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R363L7D3Q91QWI?ASIN=0316055441	Love it or Hate it - good source for discussions!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is not a beach - book but if you want a novel to get into I recommend it.  There are lots of debates going about the 'truth' in the art world of theft, etc. but the story is captivating.  There is a plethora of topics to discuss too - underworlds and underbellies, beauty &amp; love - and self-determination so it's a great book club book - for serious readers.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WGK3UFVJX1VJ?ASIN=0316055441	"... would now be joined ""The Goldfinch"" This book is amazing. I can't even imagine where and how Ms"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the books I would take if I was sent to a desert island would be ""The Secret History"" It would now be joined ""The Goldfinch""<br/>This book is amazing. I can't even imagine where and how Ms. Tartt managed to master all the subjects needed to write this book. I love how she inhabits Theo as though he was writing the book. She is a genius.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KZ6G3OCMSTVN?ASIN=0316055441	Deep and thoughtful.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book has a brilliant opening... the narrator feels captive in a hotel room in the Netherlands. Why is not immediately clear to the reader. Actually it will be several hundred pages before the reasons become clear.<br/>It is a fantastic beginning of a novel--the reader is quickly transported through space and time to a moment seven years earlier, when the narrator, then a child, visits an art museum with his mother in NYC, when  terrorist bombs throw his life, his entire universe into turmoil, and sets him on the path for a life of loss and self-destruction.<br/><br/>This quick-paced beginning, and an action-packed climax are fantastically written and deeply engaging to the reading. But the middle of the book, which is about 500 pages, is one long slog. There are brilliant moments, and interesting parts, but most go on far too long, causing even an attentive reader to start to skip paragraphs and skim pages.<br/><br/>The book is the story of Theo Decker and his inadvertently stolen painting, The Goldfinch. It is also a story of fate, temperament, philosophy--there are a lot of good ideas so digest and ruminate about. Tartt's writing is, at times, brilliant, but those sparkling moments are forever in danger of getting lost in the sheer weight of the torrent of words surrounding the good moments. The book needed a stronger editorial hand to let it shine.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWHOAPCJIL8V1?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the Effort	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At first put off by all the details and the fact that the book was too heavy for reading in bed. Amazed by some of the longest sentences I've ever read. But I kept interested and kept reading faster and faster to see how it would all play out.  Now I will reread it before my Book Club reviews it in late July and make a list of new words and facts I've learned.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B2TLGVAK105Q?ASIN=0316055441	What a waste of time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was recommended to me because it has received such high praise &amp; awards.  But after a third of it, I realized it was taking too long to get the story going.  It was depressing, too wordy and no plot to keep the reader interested.  The only reason I finished it was because I thought it would get better.  It didn't; big disappointment.  Don't waste your time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSCZ6ZNQLL4Y5?ASIN=0316055441	Great Literary read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent drawing of interesting characters who move the story in various directions. The author's use of dialects in a few of the characters makes them come alive.  The plot covers several years in the life of a young boy after he experiences a tragedy.  He becomes involved with other characters who influence the course of his life, in good ways and  in bad.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LYEWWRUY9IPB?ASIN=0316055441	Enthralling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the first words, I was unable to put it down.  This is probably one of the most unique and best written stories since Extremley Loud and Incredibly Close or even To Kill a Mockingbird.  It stole my heart immediately and I lost sleep trying to read through the life of Theodore.  Don't waste time wondering if you should read it (like I did), read it today.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5JKE221KC4FI?ASIN=0316055441	Very dark	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I kept waiting for the character to awaken and redeem his life, and at the very end he does, to an extent.  The writing made the characters come alive and my interest in them kept me reading. However, the consistently dark plot and extreme wordiness had me skipping pages, which is uncharacteristic of me.  I read almost everything at least twice. Not this one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GY7707FHG8P9?ASIN=0316055441	Good book, but a bit depressing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful writing, but very long and drawn out. Not really the kind of book you want to relax and read on the beach. Its a bit depressing as it deals with a lot of death, drugs, bad relationships and questions the meaning of life. I would recommend for art lovers though because it does a wonderful job of showing how art can influence people in different ways.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L0V9U8FS2XKS?ASIN=0316055441	Each main character had a troubled up bringing. Their ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Each main character had a troubled up bringing. Their lives reflected the difficulty that brought them to commit many crimes. In the end they redeemed themselves by doing the right thing. Theo saved his friend Boris life. Boris returned ""The Goldfinch"". Theo used the reward money to buy back the fake antiques. In hopes of salvaging Hobie's reputation.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQJ9FQ8L2WFPE?ASIN=0316055441	and loved it all the way through until just before the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was mesmerized by the book from the start, and loved it all the way through until just before the ending.  I lost interest completely and didn't finish.  I have no idea why, because I had been motoring through it the way you do - reading obsessively,  ignoring other things to read it.  Perhaps it just went on too long, or had one too many twists at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2331335IPY24U?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing! A book club pick - not sure I ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing! A book club pick - not sure I would have looked at it - but it captured me from the first words.  These people became part of my world - I understood what they were doing and why - I understood their thoughts and emotions and cried for them and cheered them on and fretted over their life choices.  I was amazed, enthralled and captivated by this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QAD3I04GY447?ASIN=0316055441	I didn't like the characters as persons and didn't feel the sympathy ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is too long, I didn't like the characters as persons and didn't feel the sympathy towards them I thought I would from reading about the book. If you like drug addicts, cheaters, lost souls and people who feel distanced from the real world, this book may be to your liking, but I prefer people who like living and hope to make the world a better place.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O59ZVFGY9JGF?ASIN=0316055441	GOLDFINCH DOES NOT FLY	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">STORY HAS INTERESTING IDEA: YOUNG MAN ACCIDENTALLY COMES INTO POSSESSION OF A PRICELESS PAINTING MASTERPIECE. IT LOSES ITS PROMISE IN A HOPELESSLY TANGLED PLOT THAT UNNECESSARILY BRINGS IN ORGANIZED CRIME AND GLORIFIES DRUGS AND ALCOHOL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. PULITZER PRIZE? I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P5EUWWTQE5CX?ASIN=0316055441	but the author tried to retrieve it at the end unconvincingly I was disappointed. My husband stopped reading after he was 50% ..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think one third of this book could have been eliminated. The drug scenes with Boris were too much. And, the main character lost his way, but the author tried to retrieve it at the end unconvincingly<br/>I was disappointed.  My husband stopped reading after he was 50% through. Lost interest in the character development<br/>Not sure why it got the Pulitzer</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4Z0SD9RFX2ZT?ASIN=0316055441	Depressed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am not sure why this book won a Pulitzer Prize,  The style of writing is very nice but the main character in the book was a depressing loser with no redeeming qualities. I read the entire book but it got more and more tedious as it went along, I would not recommend it and I wish I had not wasted my time on this one. I will spend no more time on the review.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFPOWRF0W2YYJ?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this from start to finish.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I devoured this book. I will agree with some other reviews I have read that certain parts get a bit long, but in retrospect, to understand how Theo ends up where he does, and doing the things he's doing, those long stretches are required. This is a story that changed my world view a bit, and I love that about a good book. Would give it more stars if I could.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B3H9EJDBSCCG?ASIN=0316055441	I wanted Theo to have a happy life and strongly wanted him to ditch the drugs	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book even though it is long, captured my attention to the point I didn't want to put it down.  I wanted Theo to have a happy life and strongly wanted him to ditch the drugs.  This book had so many twists and turns so I was always eager to get back to it when I had other things to do.  It would make a great movie but I suppose a lot would have to be cut.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AM789XNO6TIP?ASIN=0316055441	Magnificent story of a life changed forever by a childhood incident	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is an amazing chronicle of a life interrupted by a tragic childhood event.  Donna Tartt has created a complete life - her main character is so completely developed in this book that I feel like I know him.  The story spans 15-20 years of this young man's life in  incredible detail rich with insights into his psyche.  I was blown away by this story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IL6PN2QPZE6M?ASIN=0316055441	Intuitive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book although long and a few times drawn out was beautifully written.  The feelings and thought processes the author wrote in the characters were moving and intuitive.  I am not sure how she could have written the way she was able to without experiencing the same difficulties that the characters went through.  Highly recommend if you enjoy a long story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B8Z11NO37B8Z?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was the longest I've had the pleasure of reading.  The characters and story were brought to life by uncanny details written so poetically that I truly saw them in my minds eye. Being a recovered addict and therapist I was able to believe this story actually happened to real people whose names were changed for protection. Highly recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P28KBROGFJ4A?ASIN=0316055441	this is a who done it written as a masterpiece of writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a beautifully beautifully written book. As a writer, I found myself stopping and noticing how Tartt organized paragraphs and most often words in a sentence. The book would have benefited from being edited by 100 pages, but the quality of the writing made it worth the extra pages. I was most intrigued to realized that this was a bit of a who done it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VSMSOADPHX1D?ASIN=0316055441	overall disappointed, especially for the amount of time I wasted ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So many positive revues had me hopeful. I must admit that the first 25% of the book had me hooked. However, it seems that the story just drug on and on from tragedy to tragedy, each one becoming less gripping. It was hard to care a lot about Theo after a time because of this. I was, overall disappointed, especially for the amount of time I wasted to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQVST6CNPSQC6?ASIN=0316055441	Great book with amazing story telling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first half of the book got me hooked big time, with great details and gripping events.<br/>But towards the end, the story started to drag a little bit. The main character went from complex to mournful and I ended up skipping a good part of it. But I still really liked the story line and the depth of the characters, which still makes this book a keeper.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TBEWTE5JLO4I?ASIN=0316055441	There are not enough superlatives!  Read this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished reading this masterful novel, and I am almost speechless.  Amazing, heart rendering, awe-provoking, superior craftsmanship!  I probably should have waited a week or so before writing this review because I am still so totally immersed ... still ""living"" within this incredible story.  This may be my all time favorite  ...  Read it now!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C1J7L3XWK0XT?ASIN=0316055441	just like the painting it revolves around	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a gem. A true treasure, just like the painting it revolves around. If you love being sucked in, engrossed, even haunted, this book is for you. Few books suck you in and make you truly FEEL what the character you're reading about is feeling. Amazing story that I will cherish forever. These are the books that make one fall in love with reading...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BA5QGBYP376Q?ASIN=0316055441	the writing is a delight throughout. Tartt is a master of metaphor and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book captures the reader right from the start and delivers throughout. It would gain much from a bit of editing as some passages do go on in description a bit too long. However, the writing is a delight throughout. Tartt is a master of metaphor and her characters come alive with energy and even joy. It's a fine book despite being overwritten in places.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20WBEV8VZCLYP?ASIN=0316055441	Terribly disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pulitzer Prize?  There must be a minimum number of words that must be written in order to even be considered for this award.  It took far too many sentences to get to the point in this book. I did not like this at all.  It just dragged on and on and the summation at the end of the book was simply disappointing.  Do not waste your money on this lengthy read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC2GIIEJTPUBE?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Gold Finch was interesting but the portion of the book that took place in Las Vegas was tidious. At the encouragement of a friend, I kept with the story. It has parts that were in for the shock value and could have been edited and still had a good story. Pulitzer Prize? Read it and make your own judgment. Curious to read another of her books. Which one?</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZEA7A18EYXTO?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thirteen year-old Theo has a singular reminder of the moments he shared with his mother before she was killed in a horrific accident: a mysterious painting by a famous Dutch artist. The painting both guides and haunts Theo, from his aimless adolescence to his misguided adulthood. Tartt's ambitious new novel is a welcome treat for fans and new readers alike.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19NXIJ5CMR8CV?ASIN=0316055441	Great book if 300 pages shorter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great beginning and middle. I had to force myself to finish its 771 pages in paperback. Someone else said it should have been 200 pages shorter. I think it would have been a great book at 300 pages shorter. Much meandering going on without saying anything as the book moved forward. If her next book is anything near this length, I won't consider reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RCPZFY8G3ZGN?ASIN=0316055441	I love reading but I really struggled with this one	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I honestly didn't get the hype with this book. I love reading but I really struggled with this one. It takes 600 plus pages to get to the point of the story. At times I felt like it was just fluff and could have easily been 200 pages. I had heard so many good things about it but it left me feeling annoyed that I took the time to read it in the first place.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYR3HWYZOJ8HR?ASIN=0316055441	A truly brilliant book - beautifully drawn characters and epic tale of ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A truly brilliant book - beautifully drawn characters and epic tale of Dickensian scale.  Tartt has a very compelling and unique voice. I loved every single page and could have continued to read another 1500 pages of this story.  I finished and wanted to start it all over again. This book will remain in my top 5 all-time favorites, for a long time to come.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SPTA7ESYB7SC?ASIN=0316055441	This book has the most amazing beginning I've ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has the most amazing beginning I've ever read. An explosion in a museum that effects the young man who is the main character. There was a feeling (by me) that the author began to run out of steam about two thirds of the way through, and of course the ending wasn't what I expected. I like happy endings. But a well written book by a skilled writer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S8XU6433T92R?ASIN=0316055441	Darkness and Light	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There's a flip-side to everything, good or bad on its face. Theo saw no silver-lining in life...after losing his mother and suffering his father's neglect...but coveted the masterpiece painting Goldfinch, a secret possession inadvertently given to him to return to someone. It becomes a symbol of all he loved and lost...and could cripple or uncage his soul.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JQE659HQDXC5?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this book and enjoyed the story. However good the story was I did not like the preaching quality and reflections at the end. I suppose without all that it would not have won a Pulitzer.<br/><br/>A good book but not a great book. Maybe if I were younger? But I'm a senior citizen of some age and found nothing enlightening. Figured it out years ago.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31IXDYGH5LX90?ASIN=0316055441	Women don't understand men	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Curious that drug experiences are described in intimate detail and are paramount yet juvenile sexual experimentation and experience is totally absent. No masterbation,  no wet dreams, etc. ia woman writing about a coming of age young man who choses an asexual protagonist drug abuseres u</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17ICPOHFJ32WR?ASIN=0316055441	Phew! I finished!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I went from really liking the main character to despising him back to liking him again. The book made me think of David Copperfield with the journey the main character went through. It is a very long book. At times I wanted to stop reading it, but I am stubborn and once I start something I finish it. I was glad I read it but even more glad I was finished.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10S6V34898W7Y?ASIN=0316055441	An Utter Waste of Time to Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel was an utter waste of my time to read. How the Pulitzer Prize Committee could select this novel in the fiction category is beyond me and I emailed and told them so. If you have nothing better to do than read a book about sex, drugs and alcohol then suit yourself. My advice is give it a pass as there are numerous other MUCH better books to read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CTXWZFA12MG2?ASIN=0316055441	Parts are great but some of it rambles	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this book did a nice job of carrying us through what it could be like to suffer deep loss.  The drug addiction, despair and constant tension are awesome.  However this book got so dark and depressing I struggled to get past some of the rambling - there are large portions of this book that have Potter coming off as a giant, mommas boy - cry baby.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGL9M073OH6HB?ASIN=0316055441	drones on and on...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was hard to finish. At it's core there is a gripping drama that makes you WANT to know the outcome. But it's littered with useless chapters and pages and pages of boredom. I found myself skimming and skipping...looking for something exciting to begin reading again.<br/><br/>Could make a good movie if they cut out all the boring self-loathing etc...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6SKPUCN4F2QP?ASIN=0316055441	Definitely would recommend.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">With 18,000+ reviews and counting, I'll just throw in my 2 cents.<br/><br/>The book is engaging with a plot that has depth and believable characters.  Obviously well written, but I didn't find any passages that made me go 'wow' and only a handful of lines that stood out as exceptional.  Hence the 4 stars and not 5.<br/><br/>Definitely would recommend.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK2HRE0GNTDS1?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this to be a very boring book that went on and on without end.  I am an avid reader of many different kinds of writing and many sagas and epics, but this book seemed never-ending and I didn't come to care about any of the characters.  In fact, this book was so wordy and long, that I almost forgot where it started.  I would not recommend this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XY3XS929KOIJ?ASIN=0316055441	Great book. Huge book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book.  Huge book.  Worth your time and energy.  Donna grips you by the throat from the very beginning, takes you on a wild ride and leaves you satisfactorily saited to ponder a great variety of subjects.  I also find myself thinking a lot about furniture refinishing, antiques, museums and art of all kinds not to mention a variety of life's excesses.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B6VKLOTFYJOK?ASIN=0316055441	An interesting journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt writes with so much wit and thoroughly entertaining yet descriptive prose, that all 775 pages of this great book flew by!  With the exception of some passages reserved for experiences under the influence, I found myself rereading paragraphs to savor her style and envision the characters that abound.  I would highly recommend reading this book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REDXH9BQKWYZG?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written, powerful message	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book, couldn't put it down. Wordy at times but her descriptions of everything from the obvious artwork to the smell of Vegas is truly beautiful. A gift that many writers do not possess.  Would recommend to any readers with some time on their hands and don't mind reading about a truthful tragedy of how people really feel about this life we live!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R376VJC4ZKFT54?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story but a little predictable at points.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZEY44XDPN13Z?ASIN=0316055441	Long book but enjoyable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book, however it had far too many details and often times went off track. A lot of the information that was given was unnecessary and which caused me to take longer to read the book because it was hard to stay on track. I really wanted to read this because of the awards it received. Over all I enjoyed it, just was not what I was expecting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HL86DJYFVMW8?ASIN=0316055441	Two a.m I had to read till I finished	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The feeling of constant melancholy mystery, of never quite coming to grips with unknowable Theo, who's brought to life by Boris, Xandra, his Dad, Mother, Hobie, Andy, Mr and Mrs Barbour, the guys at his Mother's apartment, Wytie, Pippa and Kitsey, all such marvellous characters, all under the spell of Theo's obsession with the Goldfinch. Wow what a read,</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RT5XC5CXKZPO?ASIN=0316055441	Tragic, yet uplifting.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazingly captivating novel which pulled me through the main character's trials and tribulations as if they were my own mistakes and bad luck.  Theo thinks he is a failure without love in his life yet he is true to those he really loves without realising how important that love is that keeps him going and carries him through adversity after adversity.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EX7IY3EF2AN?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch, I couldn't put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I absolutely loved this book. I think people who are more Right Brain will enjoy it more than someone who is mostly left brain with a touch of right brain. I've had friends who couldn't get into the book.<br/><br/>I loved the quirky characters, the people this boy met and grew up with. It's a sad commentary on our society but an excellent book to read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22VRN4W8RMHVH?ASIN=0316055441	This novel reads like a modern-day Great Expectations with Dickens-like characters ( instead ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel reads like a modern-day Great Expectations with Dickens-like characters ( instead of a Pip, there's a Pippa) and a compelling plot. The protagonist's emotional dilemma draws the reader to care very much about how his life unfolds and the conclusion doesn't tie up all the loose ends, leaving the reader wanting a sequel to follow his adventures.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRCA3IQFPFW8W?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting story tie ins unbelievable at times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is new and exciting. The way the author ties up unfinished story lines having the character bump into people on the streets of New York after several years was a bit much for me. How everyone comes full circle is excellent. But I would have preferred Theo proactively looking for people from his past rather than bumping into them on the street.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37XT16POX12GP?ASIN=0316055441	Can't rate as it was a distant gift	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a gift that was sent to someone not near us and we have had on comment, other than my voracious reader wife who checked it out at our library and did not enjoy it.  Best advice, scan a copy before you buy it.  Apparently it took almost a month to be shipped... not a particularly happy experience, and we would have canceled if we had none earlier.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27XXC4MFFGYA3?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the many words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The long wait for Ms. Tartt's next novel is well worth it! She has written another amazing story.<br/>Sure she uses three times the amount of words perhaps needed to describe something......but it's<br/>funny and compelling, and you just keep reading.  It's worth every minute.<br/>Be sure and look up Fabritius' painting.  Theo describes it perfectly.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M1GRZ0V6N1FA?ASIN=0316055441	Art imitating life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was good because of its vivid language and the pace that was used throughout the novel. The author executed the pace well, matching the phases of Theo's life as he was growing up. While the life lessons that Theo learned and shared were good, I still was left wanting to know what became of his future after all the lies he kept, came to light.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DOGSJRFGFQPG?ASIN=0316055441	Just fantastic in every way	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt is a Rembrandt who makes other authors look like Neanderthals crudely painting stick figures on the walls of caves.  It's not just superior materials that she gets to work with, it's generation upon generation of improvement in technique that she dazzles her readers with, depth, breadth, dimensionality...breathless and priceless at the same time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZEBY7A2W2BRY?ASIN=0316055441	Those novel does not loose steam halfway through like so many do	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Those novel does not loose steam halfway through like so many do.  The main character evolves through hardships, many of which are difficult - for him and the reader.  I especially loved the theme of art and the meaning it gives to those who value it dearly.<br/>Yes, it is lengthy, but it is thorough, the characters vibrant and unique, and satisfying.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AE2WUB1XTBEH?ASIN=0316055441	Waiting for the story to pick up......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am currently 40% through the book (Kindle) and determined to finish it.  All the people who I know have purchased the book either stopped reading it because they really disliked it; another read it to the end, hoping for a better ending, but had no good words for it.  I have not met a person who enjoyed it.  How could it have won the Pulitizer Prize?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7BH17FFM8YPS?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book put me in mind of some of the Russian novels.  The basic story was interesting and caught my attention, the characters were well-drawn, but there was too much detail to hold my attention.  I would find myself asking "" who cares ? "" when plodding through pages of endless description of situations.  Ultimately I never finished the book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XA304JVQWG7H?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written, so that the depression is even more ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">depressing, beautifully written, so that the depression is even more tangible.  have I said it is depressing?  I think it could have used a good editor as there were long descriptive passages that were repetitive about the traumas and lack of sustenance.  If you wade through that much dysphoria, don't you deserve more of an epiphany than was delivered?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQDXYZCH53HYN?ASIN=0316055441	Recommend to readers loving in depth descriptions of every scene	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Recommend to readers loving in depth descriptions of every scene. It was such a gut wrenching depiction of how fate,especially a tragic event,can mold a person and their erroneous image of themselves. The book was cumbersome at times but in the end I understood why it was written in such detail and really appreciate it. Great read for lazy summer days.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ED7F9MZMMG7P?ASIN=0316055441	Why all the hype?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't understand all the hype . . . The book is divided into distinct sections. The first two were really good but the third deteriorated into binge drinking, dysfunction, and too many drugs. At that point (35% through), I gave up. I read for enjoyment, and simply put, this wasn't it. It was however very well written and hence the three star rating.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQL1LYPUAF3TI?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is so beautifully written, sumptuous with life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Being a senior citizen now, I find that I do not wish to read too much graphic, gritty novels as much . However, The Goldfinch is so beautifully written , sumptuous with life, that I could barely put it down. When I did finish it I felt that I had barely taken a breath throughout . Moving and highly recommended, it should be required reading for many.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SHH78KF7Z7QW?ASIN=0316055441	it has a strong ending and so I felt better about the book when I finished	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a long novel.  About halfway through, I was tired of Theo's troubles.  However, it has a strong ending and so I felt better about the book when I finished.<br/><br/>The character development is excellent.  And, there are several interesting characters!  If you like art history or antiques, you will also enjoy the discussions on these topics.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14K3SJS2RUDGQ?ASIN=0316055441	We are talking canvas of life and the justification of all seemingly effete and useless works of art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Stick with it; at times uneven, but, you can't put it down.  At times written for the movie, but phrases I will remember forever. At times seemingly endless riffs of language but twists that bring you up short.  We are talking canvas of life and the justification of all seemingly effete and useless works of art, in terms no milder than sheer survival.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TQWGGXJ17B80?ASIN=0316055441	love story, youth rebellion	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At over 700 pages it is a reader's book. It has something of everything: love story, youth rebellion, art theft intrigue, drugs, shootout and a good plot. Throw a little philosophy into it and you have an excellent read. Why not five stars? The detail in each situation is perhaps overdone. Certainly deserved the recognition it has received prize wise.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBHUS2PS2O18N?ASIN=0316055441	Just bad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This horribly long winded story just seemed to drag relentlessly on and on. I read the book to the bitter end and found myself hoping it would just end and stop my suffering. The book was poorly written. Often blabbering on for pages while not contributing to the miserably drawn out story line. How this won anything beats me. I have read a lot better.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24P9I44S6Y5DX?ASIN=0316055441	I think I loved it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very interesting.  I loved it and hated it, I couldn't enough of it and then I couldn't wait to put it down.  Wonderful exciting character studies and exhilarating descriptive prose.  I thought I would never finish it. A very odd story - a very weird collection of characters and yet they were all very real and alive.  I think I loved it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBET383GAS6IB?ASIN=0316055441	This is an interesting story, and I really felt ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an interesting story, and I really felt for the main character at first, but I and other readers (friends) thought the author could have told the story in about half as many pages. The author is a compelling storyteller who knows how to write characters vivdly, but many of the scenarios played over and over. Okay, we get it: lots of drugs....</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4EKREEJSJSDN?ASIN=0316055441	The Art of Life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gripping story from the beginning to end.  Life changed forever for Theo when he visits a museum with his mother. Many factors cause him to lead a life that included no supervision, and a hole that not only was in the depths of depravity but always reaches back to that fateful visit to the museum.  Constant hope that he will survive and find his way.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12S23175EHBSU?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a gold mine for book clubs. Tartt, spends so much time creating her characters that they feel like real people you may know in you life. Although this book is long, there is never a boring stretch that drags on. This book is definitely worth the investment, you will come back wanting to know what happens to the characters after the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20WRPTXFO6AZW?ASIN=0316055441	The plot is interesting but way too drawn out. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot is interesting but way too drawn out.  I think the author was on a quest to use every vocabulary word she ever learned.  At first I thought it might have been translated from another language.  Too many words and no clear distinction between speakers when characters are talking or sharing thoughts.  I'm not a lit critic but this was just ok.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GK66ZXZ63YDE?ASIN=0316055441	captive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was captivating,it certainly held my interest,the plight of Theo,the many twists &amp;turns he traveled,although I didn't understand the culture he became a part of i knew where his focus was going. I would recommend this book to a young adult. The comparisons of the Goldfinch,which I found mezmerising,to human lives,who really is the captive??</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1APVE4TJG34J7?ASIN=0316055441	) but I still enjoyed it. The story sucked me in and held ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a hard time putting it down even though it's not the sort of book I usually read. Sure, she uses some words that don't sound right which was a little distracting (what American teenage boy calls his glasses ""specs"" or the bathroom ""the loo""?) but I still enjoyed it. The story sucked me in and held my attention so I recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23I2ID9C6VN5Z?ASIN=0316055441	Small bird creates big storm	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this was a very imaginative plot and for the most part beautifully written. However, I do think it is a Pulitzer Prize winner, It dragged in numerous places, and frankly I was negatively affected by a negative view of Boris (I thought he was a shallow character).and an overload drug scenes. Guess I am too conventional<br/><br/>Steve Smith</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LDIU685G7EM5?ASIN=0316055441	Can't put the book down!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Have not finished it yet, but oh my gosh, I cannot put it down. I feel like I'm watching a movie when I'm reading this book. I'm actually starting to worry about getting to the end of the story, I don't want it to end!!!! It's a thriller, it's a novel, it's a coming of age drama... It talks about art, literature, music... Donna tartt you're my hero!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TLOXAN4X5XCR?ASIN=0316055441	... the fact that this book got a lot of good reviews. I really don't know why either	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I agree with another reviewer who commented on the fact that this book got a lot of good reviews. I really don't know why either. I expected more since this one a Pulitzer Prize and it was no easy task to finish this book.  I would read a couple of pages and fall asleep, it just wasn't that interesting to me.  Personally, I would not recommend this.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16HFR8OQ8U3AX?ASIN=0316055441	I Love the Big Twist	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had never read any of Donna Tartt's work. She writes with such detail, I felt I was in the particular situations she was describing! There is one big twist in the book I didn't see coming! That's unusual for me. Often I have the plots figured out before they're fully developed. I would highly recommend this book. It's lengthy but worth every page!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWCMOVMKF3A8A?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting story and characters, but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's TOO long. The main character seems to go into these rants/ramblings constantly, suspending the story for long descriptions and musings about things that in the end don't add anything to the storytelling. I forced myself to pull through because I cared for the characters, but there were scenes, dialogue and situations that felt very superfluous.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DG07SLMC5W4O?ASIN=0316055441	The best character is Hobie	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line is somewhat unique and the use of the little painting as a tool is enjoyable.  ""Potter"", for I can think of him by only that name, is a whinny self centered twit. Almost unsympathetic.  Ivan is stereotypical of a Russian.  The best character is Hobie.  Much too wordy and preachy at the end (the book not Hobie). A decent read .</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NNJ83FUS79R9?ASIN=0316055441	written beautifully! the characters were very believable and well developed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">written beautifully!  the characters were very believable and well developed. the subject matter is timely and plausible. I would have given 5 stars but so much of the book was so very depressing, though for the subject matter, that would be a given. the ending was good but a bit too ""preachy"" for my taste.  I have recommended it to friends.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R242LY1ILO4WIS?ASIN=0316055441	I kept asking myself why,,,,	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo went through 800 pages of not knowing right from wrong using an excuse of a tragic event.  One reason after another giving himself permission to choose poorly.  Nevertheless, this is a good read and the classic what is life all about question is answered by the author through the connection of a famous painting.  I would certainly recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVIENXQM2NYS?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story, but much too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author must have a giant ego to think that people want to read almost 800 pages of her writing. Parts of the book were so boring that it would have been easy to give up. Interesting story, but it could have easily been written in 300 to 400 pages and it would have been much more readable at that length. Good writers know how to write succinctly.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R391WRIJZX8OX?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent but drags a little mid-story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossing from the start, but began to bog down in Las Vegas.  I had trouble feeling any attachment to whether or not the boy kept the painting.  It seemed odd that he wouldn't have told someone he just happened to have a priceless painting from the Met left over from his trauma.<br/>Still...it's excellent writing, character development, setting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DWO8TP6D1EG7?ASIN=0316055441	Not Worth My Time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The prose was amazing, but I did not enjoy the story of 2 pathetic addicts.  I honestly couldn't wait for the story to end so I could read something that didn't put me to sleep. I will not read any other novels by Tart.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36TPMHVFY3CR?ASIN=0316055441	The writing is so eloquent and flows really beautifully. Original storyline	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is so eloquent and flows really beautifully. Original storyline. I didn't love the ending but it was still a spectacular read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31Z7V8RX2XXRH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A must read.....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8ZQH55FRK7H1?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!  Beautiful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's beautiful &amp; extremely well written.  At times, like the time in Vegas, long but well worth it!  Must read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LOGL19RAUXQM?ASIN=0316055441	Long ,but glad I preservered!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is incredibly well written and engaging. It probably did not need to be quite so long, but it is definitely worth the read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MENWOZVA0ILP?ASIN=0316055441	Not for Everyone	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I expected more after speaking with friends. I taught lots of young people who kept taking wrong turns so this book took me back and exhausted me. I'm not sure if I'm glad I read the book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23E2TFMRQ4W2A?ASIN=0316055441	AWFUL	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not only did I hate this book but my entire book club did. It was slow and miserable. So much sadness and pain in the book and while reading it. Just awful.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UWPJ9EYXP77K?ASIN=0316055441	Too long but rich	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the main character,s insights and observations,  the art talk, and the philosophizing about life. I was uncomfortable with the drugs and the scenes drugs led our heroes into.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SAT3LOWRML3X?ASIN=0316055441	Thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good descriptive writing, but after a while it just seemed to go on too long.  Could have used an editor that was good at transitioning.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F90FJO49KZ9A?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the book.  It's a story of a young boy who's life has been changed as the result of a tragedy.  As the reader you follow his life's journey and all the characters that he meets along the way.  It's a passionate story of friendship and betrayal with some unsuspecting twists and turns. The book is close to 800 pages so all though it is quite enjoyable, be prepared for a long read.  Beautifully written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHU6AHX8ZXWNK?ASIN=0316055441	A new American icon	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has joined other American icons such as JD Salinger and Mark Twain with The Goldfinch. Her characterizations are Intricately woven  in rich threads and her storyline carries the reader away on a magic carpet ride. Ms Tartt has painted, with her words, a story that is every bit as worthy of the masterpiece after which her novel is named.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q57A2NKTXOO?ASIN=0316055441	Meh at best!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A big disappointment of a read.  There were moments of interesting and well developed characters but overall it was a pretty mediocre read without a point in the end. Meh at best.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R186P4P8ERIG50?ASIN=0316055441	A good editor could have made it a great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much too long. A good editor could have made it a great book! Unnecessary descriptions.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AX796TUHQAWA?ASIN=0316055441	... storyline and the on-going development of the characters were excellent; there were many sentences	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The storyline and the on-going development of the characters were excellent; there were many sentences, points of main character's reflection and/or narrator's insight that I highlighted as developing themes. Only downside was, at points, especially in the second quarter of the book, that seemed to be long and it was difficult to hold my attention.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG828DU69KY5F?ASIN=0316055441	... was over-written with too much descriptive narrative that got tedious. I kept hoping the author would get to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had an interesting story that started out well but was over-written with too much descriptive narrative that got tedious.  I kept hoping the author would get to the point in many parts of the book.  There were too many drug addiction descriptions and I felt  the book was too long.  I do not think this this book is Pulitzer Prize material.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DH2B5FL4SFOM?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful story bogged down by too much description	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful story bogged down by too much description.  Manhattan weather constantly raining and repetitively described, endless benders that don't seem to change much from one to the other.  I found myself skipping constantly to get to the next plot device - this is not how I usually read, especially not a prize-winning novel.  Where was the editor?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R44V5OHLZ9RRZ?ASIN=0316055441	I liked it. Not the easiest to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked it.  Not the easiest to read, but once I got near the end, I felt it all tied together.  It's one of those reads that I will go back to look at certain sections again when I think about it.  It has a great deal of ""meat"" to it woven through the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XYAL5LJ9NJZW?ASIN=0316055441	Everyone should read this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was way too long.  Better editing may have helped. . The actual painting by Cael Fabritius is not very impressive when compaired to the color of the American Goldfinch.  Of course the story was excellent especially about the time he lived with the family in NYC and then with his Father to the desert and finally his move to Amsterdam.  This is a book for EVERYONE to read and learn from all the research completed by Ms Tartt.  When I read another of her books, I'll determine how close she comes to Ms Hillenbrand with regards to the reseach.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ONJ3KYGX0OJH?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tarrt is a young master	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This wonderful novel begins with a disaster, so richly detailed that it seems to be happening in real time and every moment is felt with an heart pounding sense of urgency.  By the end of that day, thirteen year-old Theo's life is forever altered and we are hooked, ready to follow his path into adulthood  from New York to Las Vegas and back again with friends, enemies  and mentors of every stripe, all intriguing, intricately drawn and original.<br/><br/>""The Goldfinch,"" itself is a great, priceless painting.  It serves as a plot point of suspense but also as a philosophical question  about our relationship to beautiful, inanimate objects, what these things add to our lives and how they connect us to others.<br/><br/> My large print version was 1238 pages long but it ended too soon.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO60H4MV4XECU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My wife LOVED this book!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38OTSGH039WA7?ASIN=0316055441	The characters could have been good, if only the plot had moved a bit ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">IMHO; I was very unimpressed by this book, it did not hold my attention and seemed to be written with raising the page count more than to get the story told. The characters could have been good, if only the plot had moved a bit faster. It wandered and looped back on itself. I found it a far cry from the good entertainment that I look for in a read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11TH91E30M5D9?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author's writing style kept me reading, captivated and inquisitive. Loved this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EBK49EAZ7RU1?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though acclaimed, I found this novel to be repetitive, and very similar to an earlier novel (Secret History).  The last section's focus on the (new) life philosophy of the narrator seems like it was written by an entirely different person - believable if you buy into rapid character transformation, but I found it hard to take seriously.  A shame...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BKS9NSRADT0Y?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">was a well-written book, but quite depressing. Too long. Too descriptive, not enough dialogue for me.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12YL6UJQDNQTM?ASIN=0316055441	This is the best book I've read this year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best book I've read this year.  It deserves it's prize.  Terrific, nuanced writing, and a novel plot.  As I approached the ending, I realized that it could go anywhere.  It is long, but worthwhile time spent.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ENEPSZ3ALL2S?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">wonderful writing - a little too long &amp; went overboard with the drugs.  How could they still be alive?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EWC1JL2RVVNW?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth your time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was expecting more from this book, especially after seeing that it was a Pulitzer Prize winner. The initial plot was interesting and had promise but went nowhere from there. It was such a slow read. I didn't think the characters were well developed and it was just overall a depressing book.  My last thoughts were thank goodness it's finally over.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H2YEKTPOE9ST?ASIN=0316055441	A smart, thought provoking book about circumstances out of our ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A smart, thought provoking book about circumstances out of our control and the on-going human conditions of inner turmoil plus the desire to survive.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q7VOLC93NZNF?ASIN=0316055441	Wonder characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though the book was dark in many places, I was instantly enthralled with Theo. There is an underlying sense of good and loyalty in both Theo and Boris.  I would like to meet  Hobie and Pippa as well.  Great characters all the way around.  The only negative is how long it is!  Great movie potential.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ0P40E135OCQ?ASIN=0316055441	parts pass as gracefully as a cloud drifting over a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">parts pass as gracefully as a cloud drifting over a still pond...and then there's the dreariness of time spent in  the drug abyss...too mcuh fo this, for my liking...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GVEQIK7WIHT4?ASIN=0316055441	Tiresome story of a person you just can't like	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tiresome story of a person you just can't like.  There are very long and detailed descriptions of every event and person.  You wanted it to just move on.  I got very tired of reading it and it is very LONG!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14OS7OY2OHASN?ASIN=0316055441	Great book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book...a little ""rambling"" at times and I wasn't a fan of the ending. The beginning and middle kept me interested.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DVOBUROMAABZ?ASIN=0316055441	So so	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story, but it was to much at the end. S ok engine  I would get tired of all the details, too.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B2IPOAFUZFBY?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed every page up until the last 25.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JWD9AWKYTQYG?ASIN=0316055441	Sublime	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Transcends the world's of right or wrong, reality and imagination.  Dive into and get acquainted with the world of art.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZLYTYGIT451T?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finally finished this behemoth.<br/><br/>It took me two months, during which time I read other books, but like other massive tomes there is a feeling of achievement in finishing it.<br/><br/>It’s not a book I would read twice, though I suspect a great deal could be gleaned from it if I did. It’s a slow exploration of a man’s characters, and it does often please the mind to be reading it.<br/><br/>I think I may be bourgeois for not falling head over heels in love with it, but then you won’t catch me reading Dan Brown either.<br/><br/>It’s an epic undertaking. It Donna Tart didn’t have such a spellbinding way with words, it would have been painful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28OS803SUKHIW?ASIN=0316055441	The Finer Things in Life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Somewhat  depressing but  well worth hanging in there, as it all came to a very insightful  conclusion concerning the importance of the finer things in life(not to give it away...read it}</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN8DQE6484HG9?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully crafted.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This saga explores the intransigence and elusive sense of joy and love. It illustrates the nadir and epitome of what it means to be a sentient human being. Life inflicts inevitable losses and frustrations. The author, through her flawed protagonists, deals with how reality is relative and unique. This is a brilliant novel and I highly recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LUH8WQNCO8PH?ASIN=0316055441	Though I felt some sections dragged unnecessarily, overall it was very engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book encompassed an unusual tale of art theft, antique fraud and coming of age in the wake of tragedy.  Though I felt some sections dragged unnecessarily, overall it was very engaging.  I was a bit disappointed in the author's compulsion to add didactic commentary at the end, but for the most part it was beautifully written and worth the time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15XEGBVVP311Y?ASIN=0316055441	Quite a tale!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long, drawn out story of growing up and intrigue.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MKX1AL850ZAI?ASIN=0316055441	excellent read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written.  I like the way the story and characters were developed.  Read with my book club and had so much to discuss.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GSJPN91AV3XB?ASIN=0316055441	A wise bird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting, thought provoking, hard to  comprehend the amount of research it took.  How does one find out all the details about  furniture, drugs, and  realistically portray them.  Beautifully written.  N. Scroggs</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IJLJCW39WC06?ASIN=0316055441	BeautifuI insites written with beautiful language, though not sweet and syrupy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Modern,moving,well written. BeautifuI insites written with beautiful language, though not sweet and syrupy.  B</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFD7LKEMX9XII?ASIN=0316055441	The writing and use of the English language is wonderful.. I wasn't all that pleased with the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing and use of the English language is wonderful..I wasn't all that pleased with the theme..too much woozy alcohol and drugs for my taste.  But I'll take that over the more violent novels.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OOS4L0M39RQW?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a Must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed reading The Goldfinch just about as much as any book I can remember reading.  I used to love reading John Irving novels,way  back when he wrote Garp, Hotel N.H., Owen Meany.  The Goldfinch is just as good as those, and I keep re-reading parts of it.  I will re-read The Goldfinch.  This book is why I love reading.  It encouraged me to read her other books as well; The Secret History, which is just as good as Goldfinch and The Little Friend, not as good, but still enjoyable for me.  Donna Tartt is GREAT!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TTCZ4YAY6SEF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put the book down once I started reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRGMGT83QBO44?ASIN=0316055441	Great Beginning Followed By Text that Drags	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I quickly got into this book and found the first few chapters very interesting. After that I found few gems from that time on. This author uses 100 words to say what could have been said in 10. I had to press myself to finally finish it. The other aspect of the book is the way the main character communicates with his friends in New York. The speaking parts were very affected and I couldn't relate them to anyone I know. People just don't talk like that! I think the author needs to be reminded that less is best.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC2YDXY11YH4R?ASIN=0316055441	Great characters and very descriptive writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great characters and very descriptive writing.... too much detail in some of the drug induced dreams and thoughts and not enough detail in the art world</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRFSLJTCJCTX4?ASIN=0316055441	This was the best book I've read so far	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the best book I've read so far.  My husband got tired of me carrying around my Kindle all the time to read it.  I'd heard it got good reviews &amp; now I know why.  I've begun to compare other books I've read to this one (almost as good as..........)</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VKSD3STXHN6G?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is worth reading for the gloriously beautiful writing.<br/>The story is a tragedy of operatic proportions, at times difficult to deal with.<br/>There is much to admire here.....</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KPC4RWIZZ7HK?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Four stars only because it IS too long, but perhaps the length<br/>Was needed to allow us to suffer with the main character, Theo Decker.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ873LT3BKJ46?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slogging.... the story could have been told in half the number of pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15D484BC05IQX?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful holiday read!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K8BK1DOKFZFY?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was OK; story line dragged a bit. A little too depressing for me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4KAT49E0UKP6?ASIN=0316055441	a masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A truly amazing novel. I could not stop reading once I started. This is the best book I have read in years. The writing is brilliant.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYFEDN803SZ83?ASIN=0316055441	There are some very good parts and characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is very uneven and needs serious editing.  Was the editor asleep?  There are some very good parts and characters...I especially liked  Hobie and the description of his loving restoration of antique furniture.  However, the second half of the book was unbelievable and, worse, it was boring.  It is especially frustrating because I enjoyed the beginning of the book so much.  While the first half of the book was very enjoyable and unusual, it needed editing too.  The second half just went on and on and I hated the whole Amsterdam part.  After enjoying the beginning, I was hugely disappointed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZEPLQAWFS6Y5?ASIN=0316055441	The detail regarding art & antiques was enjoyable but tiresome near the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The detail regarding art &amp; antiques was enjoyable but tiresome near the end. Basically loved the first 3/4 of book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13RD3Y6XMHZQ2?ASIN=0316055441	Mesmerizing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The authors words for Theodore are poetic and captivating. some of the best free verse I have ever read. well deserved Pulitzer prize winner.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SJ5H7DHOQNKY?ASIN=0316055441	I definitely recommend this great book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">fabulous book and so well written .  I also loved the length of the book.  It was a nice, long not confusing story that held my interest till the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AIILFAQTVIY9?ASIN=0316055441	I felt the ending did not do the rest of ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt the ending did not do the rest of the book justice.  I t gave me the impression that the author didn't know how to end the story or became tired of it.  The characters seemed to change their entire personalities.  It felt rushed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC8H74WZ44KQ6?ASIN=0316055441	A long and beautiful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Another Donna Tartt success!  It is easy to see how it took her the better part of 12 years to complete it.  Her descriptive details are wonderful.  How does she do it???</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5LF1L0BPWP40?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really long book but liked very much.  Amazing these young men survived all they did though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10NMHF38F6R91?ASIN=0316055441	A Novel that speaks to truth, amid fiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I find myself without proper words to explain the depth of emotion that The Goldfinch brings up for me.  While this is not a happily-ever-after feel-good story, it is the story of transformation and personal redemption that leaves one, if not smiling, at least deeply content that there is a way THROUGH that ""life is suffering"" concept, all the way through to peace.  Following this young boy-to-man's journey took me a very long time, as I was unable to read straight through to the end as I do lighter-weight stories.  No, this journey required me to sit and ponder, to recover, to weep (and even laugh, sometimes), to breathe deeply and consider that while my own journey in no way resembles his ... it is still a journey of pain and pathos, growth, learning, and ultimate out-on-the-other side freedom. Read it.  Don't take it lightly.  Live with it, dwell with it, and reach deep down within to grasp the message Donna Tartt offers to each of us in what must have been a gut-wrenching journey to conceive and to write.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7O594VH711TC?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing and depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is disappointing.  The main character is increasingly unlikeable as the book goes on.  I waited patiently for some act of redemption to make the story worthwhile.  Unfortunately, it never came.  Theo has some very tough luck at a young age.  However, instead of fighting his way through, he becomes a drug addict swindler with no morals, and no self worth.  Every chance he has to do something right is wasted, as he makes one bad decision after another.  This is NOT an inspiring tale.  Guys like Theo are a dime a dozen.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OKRUBZJ02BYJ?ASIN=0316055441	What a story. It's a page turner. How ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a story.  It's a page turner.  How the author has so much knowledge about art, the world, and builds her character is beyond me.  A must read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROKN93HG4M5ZP?ASIN=0316055441	Too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much to wordy.  Very well written but it lost me many times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF14U3T7FRJVI?ASIN=0316055441	a let down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">difficult to get through. This book would have been better if it was 300 pages shorter. It was needlessly long and drawn out. Also, it's a downer. I kept waiting for something positive to happen for the main character, but it never did. Disappointed</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSHIVZYVMY8QQ?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written!  I really enjoyed the book!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GBJS8CDS5GW3?ASIN=0316055441	Some people thought this book was great and gave it an award	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some people thought this book was great and gave it an award. Some people read it and didn't like it as much.  I was one of those people.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPT5BGGSDZJ62?ASIN=0316055441	I think that the author is amazing at helping the reader to really feel the moments ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think that the author is amazing at helping the reader to really feel the moments that she is describing...but this book sometimes is too much of a showcase of that talent and not enough STORY.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB2GN9BB2EZN0?ASIN=0316055441	It was very long. There were times I found ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was very long.  There were times I found it confusing and other times I found it fascinating.  There were several unexpected turns.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC9UYTW5X6AE5?ASIN=0316055441	Loved Theo.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very enjoyable read. Loved Theo.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LFCT76JHM4HB?ASIN=0316055441	4.5	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Maybe 4.5.  I found it a fascinating read, intriguing story and wonderful character development.  I am very excited to hear there is a movie planned for this book.  This book is not a quick read, it takes time to get through the descriptions.  Those looking for a quick snappy read should look elsewhere!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LXRFPTOS27JE?ASIN=0316055441	Very well written. Went into such detail. Did ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written.  Went into such detail.  Did not want it to end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26WSPV9PR1SEC?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully crafted, but too depressing for my personal taste.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QU68KMU19Z87?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow reading</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PZ5WMM8RC45S?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very well written book, very hard to put down</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DD6BRMWON7M1?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting characters and plot development. However very wordy in ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting characters and plot development.  However very wordy in many areas with overly detailed explanations. Ending was unsatisfying to me as a reader of this novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R260OYZG7NVCHH?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great book didn't know where it would take me next</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BJKKRFVXPBEE?ASIN=0316055441	Curate's egg	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like the curate's egg, it was good in parts.  I felt it needed a good edit as some bits felt quite indulgent. As a result I found those parts boring.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SQ3EA4A9A39F?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing detail and insight. Could not put it down.<br/>The detail of the addiction process and the traumas of Life were inspiring</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JLULLC0B01MA?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""The Goldfinch"" did not gain Pulitzer status for no reason. Not only was the story well-written and intriguing, the constant toggle between chance and choice instigated a thoughtful puzzle in the midst of a rapidly moving narrative. Five stars for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A3HR44KO2CE0?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent. Really kept my	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent.  Really kept my interest</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3COKI05M7SVPI?ASIN=0316055441	Felt like I slogged through it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Felt like I slogged through it, skipping entire paragraphs just waiting for something to actually happen. I wanted to like it and I read the whole thing but was unsatisfied by the ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OP8W4AW8H0PI?ASIN=0316055441	In some ways it is like being on a roller coaster ride with the incredible ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In some ways it is like being on a roller coaster ride with the incredible at times, story lines. You have to allow your imagination to accept some of the unlikely twists and turns, as this is fiction and not truth, and the reader finds herself in extraordinary situations. I enjoyed every minute of this very long saga and will now read more of Donna Traitt's writing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PLXFVWSGZNO8?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting plot but gets a bit too wound up in all the head stuff.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROUZPEPO0QXY8?ASIN=0316055441	the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an excellent read, very unusual plot line and a compelling story with a realistic ending. Recommended to all.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24I5A69A7LG8A?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Grabs you from the start and doesn't let go</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OHTSTF9CB8SK?ASIN=0316055441	one for the ages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Save this book as you would save your own precious mementos from flood, fire, natural disaster.  It's a treasure to be loved again and again. Holden Caulfield can't hold a candle to Theo Decker.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNV4IMO69A1OO?ASIN=0316055441	I LOVE long books	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I LOVE long books. I cherish them....get excited for them and then sad when they end. This was not one of them. When I hit the 7/8 point I went to wikipedia and read the ending. I didn't like the character -- he's a lying, cheating, drug using thief. Maybe if it was a few hundred pages shorter I could have read about this guy....but I just felt like it was unnecessarily long.  Just my opinion. I did love all of the NYC references and made me miss my favorite city!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX76MDH83RXDV?ASIN=0316055441	A haunting and somewhat disturbing portrayal about a boy's love for his mother and the person he becomes after ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A haunting and somewhat disturbing portrayal about a boy's love for his mother and the person he becomes after losing her in a traumatic event. For me, a novel is all about whether I can visualize the characters and enter their souls and surroundings. I felt a relationship with both mother and son and everything in their lives, particularly ""The Goldfinch."" I highly recommend this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R80BN34XAIZYF?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent character study	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A real page turner!  Excellent character study!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BJJE1MIN51PG?ASIN=0316055441	Deserving of the Pulitzer Prise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great book. I can see why it won the Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYQ8X3VAVQU47?ASIN=0316055441	I started this book (for my Book Club) with great expectations and it did start with what could have ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started this book (for my Book Club) with great expectations and it did start with what could have been an interesting story, and probably is to some, but the main characters self absorbed ways and life style did not improve!!!  The writing style was good but life is too short to read books that are ""downers"" for me anyway!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T1EHRQDMIHZM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">wonderful book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFZNTDD49RSSK?ASIN=0316055441	Needs editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters were clearly developed. Many chapters were tedious because the author needed a good editor to trim three pages of description to a couple of paragraphs.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJKG8NCVCKLYE?ASIN=0316055441	Entertaining but not particularly rewarding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A rambling tale of an orphaned young man, his unusual friends, surroundings and events. What might have been a valuable philosophical lesson is buried in excessive wordiness at the book's end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B3HRCX61L5WT?ASIN=0316055441	beyond!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I have read in years!!!  Thank you DonnaTartt!  Deserves the Pulitzer for sure. Don't want to leave the characters ever.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HE3S796I65YG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing. This book takes you so many places.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C3LGBHS5IH11?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story, but I thought it was a little long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNA158D0GW06X?ASIN=0316055441	Good, but not Pulitzer Worthy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is very good, but there are a few characters who are introduced who go nowhere even though I would have thought they would have played roles near the end of the novel.  I absolutely loved the characters of Boris and Hobie.  I purchased and read this one because of its winning the Pulitzer.  After reading it, I am not sure why it was awarded this prize.  I really don't think it was THAT good of a novel.  Donna Tartt seems to think that she has to write long books even though they contain extraneous information that really does not add to the action of the plot.  I have read longer books than this in a shorter time span because they have kept me engrossed in them.  It took me a while to read this.  In fact I read two other books--RECKLESS by Cornelia Funke and THE SILKWORM by JK Rowling while I was reading this one.  It kept losing me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KTCFDIC4JCYR?ASIN=0316055441	Imagination and creativity at its best.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A page turner for sure.  I got tired of sex, drugs and blood but who could put it down.  Imagination and creativity at its best.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9QVRC2JFY41R?ASIN=0316055441	Must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book that consumes every bit of you.  Donna Tartt is an incredible story teller.  I have enjoyed all three of her books, but this is my favorite</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WV1SGBRAWZDX?ASIN=0316055441	The story was intelligent and gripping	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was intelligent and gripping.  It was not a happy story, but that was understood in the first few pages of the book.  I felt that it could have been half its length and still tell a meaningful tale.  At times, the writing was repetitive and almost obsessive in description.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QX1GKTRHIPBX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lived up to and surpassed the hype.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I2OMQ4AUS1NQ?ASIN=0316055441	This novel was exhausting. The main character has so ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel was exhausting.  The main character has so many issues that the book was predictable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FUWQMDQCHPHA?ASIN=0316055441	Good read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book very engrossing until the very end. The last bit was too ""preachy"" for me, but I thoroughly enjoyed not<br/>knowing what would happen until then.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BN8CM5CQ2XUT?ASIN=0316055441	Superb!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At first I thought, 775 pgs? Loved every page and am so sad it's over. Very well written and plotted. Read this book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28IN6CAKNI9H0?ASIN=0316055441	Absolutely splendid novel.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Heartbreaking and simply beautiful.  Tartt is an amazing writer (Secret History, her first novel, is also amazing).  Treat yourself this summer to a masterpiece.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDBVFP4EV476F?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book could have been shorter.  I also thought the end was anticlimatic.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E882VNLTVOAY?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overrated, too long and drawn out.  Could have cut out  100 pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3482ONCWUUOLP?ASIN=0316055441	'too bad there's so much drug use	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">'great story!!  'too bad there's so much drug use.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R111FD2FYJ5MT0?ASIN=0316055441	I cannot get through this. I will start over ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cannot get through this. I will start over one more time but if I stop again, I am through.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QF170SGXUDHL?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book but the ending should have been the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book but the ending should have been the ending, felt like a marathon of self indulgent spiritualist waffle for ages after the actual wrap and the good spiritualist thinking was completed, I was at 4 stars before this but it really tainted a great novel for me.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN1JC9E6Q598P?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing book and a must-read</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8N63DIT4T7Q?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good but a little difficult for me as Danish to read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1591AQ184ILWZ?ASIN=0316055441	too long for too little	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Actually, the writing is beautiful, but the story is depressing, even with the ending being slightly more hopeful.  Kept trying to get to the ending... Hung in there, but no great reward :(</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XSHR6DUFH9U8?ASIN=0316055441	I like this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So detailed it is hard to remember it is fiction.  I began to feel I knew the characters well.  I liked how the author combined realism with fiction.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXS23CWS16FY7?ASIN=0316055441	Living life intensely	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Most of this read I felt drawn to trudge forward, but only in small bites.  The narrator's passions and weaknesses weighed on me.  In the end, though, I find he lived life fully. Glad I stuck with this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R121O1PF0B0DL1?ASIN=0316055441	ok	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Most of the story is interesting and all of it is well written. The last 15 pages get awkwardly philosophical and takes a different tone than the rest of the book. Good story but probably won't read again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZRFDX52VP7U4?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt draws you into the life of this tortured boy. You become embroiled in his uncomfortable life and ride along with him.<br/>It's a wonderful read. Maybe a bit longer in the end than it needs to be but the writing keeps you entertained and wondering. I am still wondering.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WL1OXBXPHZ4N?ASIN=0316055441	So many sad things happened to this orphan boy that I had ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it hard to read.  So many sad things happened to this orphan boy that I had to put the book down and walk away.  As a mother, the part when as a teenager and mostly on his own drinking and drugging was heart wrenching.  The ending was a big let-down for me.  I wanted all the loose ends connected.  In my opinion, that didn't happen.  I was left hanging, wondering and hoping for better times.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17KJT0F7MIV3J?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have recommended this book to many of my friends and family. Very well written, interesting and thought provoking. Great!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16WVR0RNP6AOI?ASIN=0316055441	Story in the beginning was engaging. Then the last ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story in the beginning was engaging.  Then the last quarter of the book, it seemed that the author lost track of her ending.  It became self indulgent.  I almost abandon finishing the book at 80%.  I did finished it and by then everything was drivel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FNFDL6AFYTMY?ASIN=0316055441	The book left me feeling a little disgusted with the young man	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book left me feeling a little disgusted with the young man.  Of course I don't know how drugs affect people....maybe I didn't have enough compassion.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQON356DNRMYS?ASIN=0316055441	A disturbing and captivating book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very dark and disturbing book yet I couldn't wait until bedtime reading every evening to find out what Theo was thinking and doing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22R5U8XNJAAZ2?ASIN=0316055441	however a great reminder about how so many children slip through the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, but not compelling enough for me to continue.  I did not find it uplifting at all, however a great reminder about how so many children slip through the cracks of our society.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10C7Y3KTKFIER?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a Long read, but told in emotional detail.  He felt like a real person to me and despite some of his actions, I never disliked him.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O85L2CUXDY7L?ASIN=0316055441	To a life lived on the edge of despair, than never falls over.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is not a happy feel good type of book.  It is often dark and brooding, yet full of life and hints of love.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27ZVW6WZ0E5MJ?ASIN=0316055441	great writing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great writing..but I lost interest in middle… went back after reading another book and finished it. I really enjoyed the ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TQK4M9BOMIDE?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down. Have been very put off by recent books I've read, this one lit the fire for my passion to be consumed in a book once more.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DTMNE86QV7QC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great story of redemption, misery, misfortune and a peek into antique and art scams. Great characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ILSXNG2DNS5D?ASIN=0316055441	An impressive work.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was astounded by the depth and breadth of Tartt's novel.  Philosophical, moral and ethical issues dominate this amazing story and beg to be explored from every angle.  The plight of the finch is a metaphor for Theo Decker's life.  Like the finch, Theo is tethered to a destiny beyond which he cannot move.  Despair and disappointment, with momentary traces of joy and love, mark Theo's journey from boyhood to adulthood following the tragic death of his mother when he was 13.  Studying the painting of the finch, Theo sees ""it's hard not to see the human in the finch.  Dignified, vulnerable.  One prisoner looking at another....The loneliness that separates every living creature from every other living creature.  Sorrow inseparable from joy.""  Theo learns life's hard lesson--""it's not about outward appearances, but inward significance.""  An impressive work.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBV3ZKI1KIFQ4?ASIN=0316055441	classy well told story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I must say this is the best book I've read the past year. Very good storytelling, suggestive intrigue and a verbally variative descriptioning. The first one I've read from Tartt but not the last one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NP64BN5BE398?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">my wife read this and loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L40KXUB2FXOR?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant in beginning and end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant in beginning and end, especially the last chapter. However, for me the writing style was too much. Packed with so many thoughts from the characters that it was a very painful read. I like concise writing, using limited, carefully chosen words. Tarrt's writing style is very rambling, seemingly in an effort to give the reader every thought going through the character's head. But, I suffered through the painful read, and was rewarded with a great final chapter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IKVBE35HUDZI?ASIN=0316055441	I fully expected to love this - it did not live up to my high expectations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brief summary and review, no spoilers.<br/><br/>The story begins with a man named Theo in a room in Amsterdam and he is in fear. We don't know why.<br/><br/>We then go back in time to the start of the story -  we are in New York and Theo is a young boy who has gotten into trouble at school and he and his beloved mother are going to have an appointment with  a school counselor. Due to a series of little circumstances (including heavy rain) they stop by the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art; one of Theo's mother's favorite places. While there his mother shows him her favorite painting - a goldfinch painted by a Dutch master who has few surviving paintings left due to a previous explosion and catastrophe back in his day.<br/><br/>On this day there is another tragedy, and Theo must now find solace and a place to live. His paternal grandparents don't care about him and his own father disappeared years earlier. He hopes he can stay with his best friend Andy and Andy's well-to-do family.<br/><br/>As the story progresses, Theo will visit and live in such places as Las Vegas, where he meets a Russian-born boy named Boris who will become his closest friend.  We meet a lot of down-on-their-luck characters and see the contrast between New York and Las Vegas and the toll this has on this lonely and sensitive boy.<br/><br/>As the story goes forward in time we revisit New York and its environs and meet a variety of different characters both new to Theo and from his past. We see how his past traumatic experiences have so shaped his personality and outlook and affected everything that comes after.<br/><br/>Oh, and did I forget to mention that Theo has stolen the priceless painting ""The Goldfinch"" right after the ""tragedy?"" His motives were innocent and pure but the painting becomes his albatross (because of its value and everyone is looking for it) and it becomes his obsession  - and it colors everything that subsequently happens to him. Also a key part of the story is a young red-headed girl named Pippa that young Theo spots at the museum and an old man who is chaperoning her and showing her the artwork. She and Theo form a bond from shared trauma.<br/><br/>Let me say at the start I am a huge fan of Donna Tartt. I liked The Secret Histories and went out and bought her subsequent book,  The Little Friend, the day it came out. I loved that book, despite its criticism about its denouement. I thought it was one of the truly great American novels.<br/><br/>I love the way Ms. Tartt writes dialogue and descriptive scenes and I disappeared into both of those books.<br/><br/>Saying that, this was a big disappointment. There were parts of this book that I loved - especially the beginning (and really, the first few hundred pages.) I was troubled a little  bit by some of the dialogue which to my ear, at times sounded a little off. (I was really finding myself noticing and bothered by Theo getting constantly interrupted and having one or two word cut-off replies but that may be just me.)<br/><br/> I was also frustrated by many of Theo's poor decisions and his constant navel-gazing - I understand the Dickensian turn his life took but to this reader it started to feel relentless and dare I say it, a little tedious.<br/><br/>So for me, the story really began to slow down and I would find myself bogged down by some detail or description and I would turn the page and be weary of seeing another entire page with no paragraph breaks and I would sigh and read on - which was not my experience with her other books where my interest never lagged.<br/><br/>Mind you, I still think there is a lot to recommend about this book. There were many times I dog-eared a page because the description and the writing was so nice - just as an example Tartt describes acute depression better than anyone I've read before.  The book is thoughtful and clever and brilliant at many points  and I think it would make for a good book club discussion. It's just that for me, I was disappointed; perhaps because my expectations were so high.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKRLNCPPX78E5?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious flashbacks, musings and philosophies ruin a good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tedious flashbacks, musings and philosophies ruin a good story.  If this wasn't a book club pick, I would never finish it.<br/>SK</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R389AZ89BJJNP1?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was such a good book.  Very long.  I am only rating it a three because the last part of the book goes on and on and on trying to make some kind of a point about how people who do bad things can be good and the opposite also.  It was a very long book but was fun to read because there was quite a lot of activity in it.  The ending rambled and let the rest of this very good book down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UU5BFD6HJNXH?ASIN=0316055441	Too much detail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the story to contain way too much detail. I became tired of reading it and was always anxious to keep it moving.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHCC8Y7JOOTAN?ASIN=0316055441	a richly worded novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book takes you on a journey, filled with need details, that brings it full circle.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23092F15YCU4A?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out with promise ended weak -this was not the summer read I was expecting</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L40JRWIHN7MQ?ASIN=0316055441	but I was more than a bit disappointed. I was looking forward to reading this acclaimed ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Far be it for me, a simple reader, to question the kudos of so many respected literary gods, but I was more than a bit disappointed.  I was looking forward to reading this acclaimed book like a fine dessert.  Maybe its my reading rather than the writing.  I just wanted Tart to get on with it. Too much of the book was digression for me. I'm not advocating Hemmingway leaness anf I do admire the complexity of Faulkner.  I just could not wade through all the asides that never seemed to add to the story. Perhaps its a gender issue - lots of my women friends 'ate it up.'  I had to make myself finish it.  I often skiped large passages and never missed them. Although I did find the basic premise of the story-line intriguing and inventive. It was well researched and written with great skill.  I think I will have to read it again ...</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJPOP8X8AH357?ASIN=0316055441	'We can't make ourselves want what's good for us or what's good for other people. We don't get to choose the people we are',	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Other reviewers have said it all, but I must just re-iterate their words of praise for this extraordinary novel. I was completely wrapped up in it, the characters entirely convincing. The tragedies, the thrilling moments, the incredibly touching treatment of death.<br/>Don't be put off, by the way, by the cover blurb about Theo's being 'drawn into the criminal underworld.' i had visions of some action-packed thriller (not my scene at all); and though crime comes into it, it's principally a book about (brilliantly drawn) people.<br/>This is going to be one of my top reads of the year!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S8SCVTI7C2AY?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. I loved Boris and the friend he was to Theo. I was shocked to learn what he had done but also thought it was very characteristic of him as well.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QEI2CCSKM1LM?ASIN=0316055441	As noted by one of the other reviewers.. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As noted by one of the other reviewers....this book was 'tedious' reading a lot of the  time....I got to a point that I just wanted to get through it and for it to be over.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8AQ8GCMB0EL5?ASIN=0316055441	Loved almost all of this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book so much up until about the 90% mark on my kindle.  After that I got a bit lost and confused.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RF59VVPHWW4T?ASIN=0316055441	Really enjoyed this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed this book.  I loved the different characters and the way they interacted together.  I also liked how they'd show up at unexpected times.  I found myself unable to put the book down at times.  I enjoyed this book so much I downloaded a sample of her previous book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDAX5AYV4RQAU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put it down!  A must read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VBE6LICCFP4G?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book gives you an insight into the world from the view of a troubled adolescent, a better understanding of addiction, PTSD and the costs of our questionable judgements and decisions.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DY4O6WZ0IBL7?ASIN=0316055441	I love this story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such descriptive writing, and characters so colorful and diverse. All the while as I am reading this story,I'm wondering where it will go. In the end it was beautiful.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RODD0L1L26HSJ?ASIN=0316055441	I found this book to be deliciously written and a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be deliciously written and a real page turner.  Never have I read a 700 page book so quickly!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YM4DKG3JHYZA?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it was ok but i felt like it dragged on for too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MO0QE7GVR48?ASIN=0316055441	Deep. Thought Provoking. Intelligent. Masterpiece!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some of the most absolutely memorable lines I have ever read.  This novel impacted me on a very deep level.  I'm actuality reading it again, one day after I finished it!  I have never done that with any book in my life!  This Novel was truly deserving of the Pulitzer. I was amazed with this authors creativity and intelligence. I will be reading her other books as soon as I'm done reading the Gold Finch again.  Donna Tartt you have a fan for life here! I've been reading about 2 or 3 books a month for years now and this one, by far, is my favorite book I've read to date.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VO3OQQD1PWBA?ASIN=0316055441	this is one of the best books I have read in the last decade	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">hands down, this is one of the best books I have read in the last decade. I flew through the first 700+ pages in a week only to realize that my days in Tartt's world were number. I managed to stretch the last 50 pages over 3 days. yes, it was that good. the story is inspiring and raw.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LKWFUBGBOLHT?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting ideas and a great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Instead of reading The Goldfinch, I listened to the audio version , narrated by David Pittu. I mention this because I noticed how many of the other reviewers think this book is too long. Listening rather than reading gives a different perspective on any book. First of all there's the interpretation of the reader. But there's also the fact that, outside of an occasional rewind, the words keep moving forward. There's less time to dwell on a thought or to wonder about a plot twist or character decision that might be clear a few paragraphs later. So listening rather than reading might have been the reason I didn't feel the plot dragged. Some of the drug scenes, especially the ones in Las Vegas, could have been shorter, but those parts aside, I felt the book moved well. At the end Donna Tartt allowed her characters to reflect on what had happened. I generally don’t like authors telling me how to respond to what they’ve written, but in this case it worked. The ideas were novel and interesting. They made me think.<br/><br/>I read Tartt’s The Secret History less than a month ago, so it’s been fun comparing the two. They certainly have a lot in common: crimes that the main characters are pulled into, almost unwittingly; and plenty of heavy alcohol and drug use among all the characters. But I found Richard (in The Secret History) to be unlikable, whereas, in this book, I grew quite fond of Theo despite his flaws. I felt the same about Boris and thought Hobie was a wonderful person.<br/><br/>There were plenty of moments when I couldn’t stop listening, times when I’d sit in my car for an extra few minutes after reaching my destination. Still, those moments weren’t the reason I loved the book. What made The Goldfinch special to me is the time when I wasn't listening, the time I spent contemplating the ideas. The novel has so much to say about art and its place in our culture, about situational ethics (or doing “what you had to do” as Hobie said), about forgiveness, and about the randomness of fate. If you’re the kind of reader who wants a book that sucks you in then lets you go, The Goldfinch is probably not for you.<br/><br/>Since The Goldfinch is told from Theo’s point of view we readers get more of Theo’s impression of Kitsey and Pippa than we get of their actual personalities, but they both have moments during which their dialogue reveals how they actually feel: Pippa’s frustration with how her injuries have affected her skills and Kitsey’s explanation of how love and marriage do not always mix. Other characters reveal themselves through action. Hobie is always there for the people he loves. Larry (Theo’s Dad) is not. Boris is a great friend who doesn’t believe in rules and wears his emotions on his sleeve. Mrs. Barbour is a formal woman who doesn’t show emotions until events break her. I love how these people are all full personalities and, at the same time, all unique.<br/><br/>Steve Lindahl – author of Motherless Soul and White Horse Regressions</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A8YLXA7H2V5B?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great summer read, well written, characters development  was fantastic. The best between good and evil.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S7IFG65OTOIE?ASIN=0316055441	Just read it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a remarkable work in male or perhaps human psychology, covering our perceptions of good and evil, right and wrong, and the unexpected outcomes of actions with seemingly predictable consequences. It is a modern classic.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O2EAO4RRDONA?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful character development	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Heart wrenching and heart warming at the same time. Grabs you from the first page. Wonderful character development. Never wanted it to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20HGD10TCNB6S?ASIN=0316055441	What a pleasure to read. Tartt has a gift ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a pleasure to read.  Tartt has a gift for building scenarios with her characters that the reader relates to with heart tugging realism.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20FG1H42WLDE5?ASIN=0316055441	Guessing till the End..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved all the twists and turns. I could have done without all the philosophising at the end.. the story got the point across perfectly and didn't need the point laboured. I found it fascinating that I cared about the fate of basically such unsympathetic characters. Great writing!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35HKD68BE3ZL8?ASIN=0316055441	Wading through the quagmire foretells the sublime.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Recommended to all garden variety cynics. Ms. Tartt has crafted a saga born of loss and escape that illuminates transcendent beauty.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY4P7CR6BRRZT?ASIN=0316055441	Best read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am difficult to please when it comes to books, usually finding the storylines too predictable or, if intelligently written, too boring  Believe me when i say The Goldfinch is everything i had hoped and much more  it is not just a story but a journey  and not just a journey but an education for anyone who has an interest in art and famous painters  Tartt is one of the best authors I have read in ages  can't wait for another book from her  hope it's already in the works!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MKDC2D9HW52W?ASIN=0316055441	incredible book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most unusual and well written books I have ever read.  I can't recommend this book enough.  It is brilliant.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D09FJU7EYE54?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book. I couldn't quit thinking about it. I like books that don't just zip through in 3 hours and it kept me occupied for  3 weeks - even through an 8 day vacation.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LCCTMDEA3HZT?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this rating because I  really didn't care for it. it was two long and wordy and I really didn't like. the.main characters of Theadore and Boris. I felt they had no redeeming qualities about them. I would not suggest this book to<br/>Any of my friends</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F2433WXOADG?ASIN=0316055441	Transporting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You are both a witness and participant while immersed in this fascinating novel. I immediately decided to reread, more slowly this time to again find and loose myself with Potter and Boris.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28A4UT8WSY6PV?ASIN=0316055441	a masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book...couldn't put it down or stop thinking about it.  Even when it was too dark and hopeless, I kept reading on voraciously and was rewarded with more surprises and beauty and light,</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N1OMV73HI565?ASIN=0316055441	extraordinarily well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoughtful meditation and rant and memoir. Beautifully described life and love story...amazingly real, poignant  characters; wonderful dialogue...wordsmith genius of a writer to so straightforwardly tell this complex story of a boy's journey through his surreal reality life following a devastating, cataclysmic disaster.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RPVZ5AHFGK5P?ASIN=0316055441	Wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dark and disturbing.  I learned a lot about drugs and art.  The plot and character development were unique, surprising, rich and complex.  A completely gripping story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGV40O39JSNYS?ASIN=0316055441	It is to long and part of it could of ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is to long and part of it could of been left out or written shorter.  Interesting as it is written through a young man.  Most people<br/>do not have as many drama as he did.  The picture exhibit on fake pictures at the Ringling museum is more interesting<br/>than some of his merry go round. I am probably the only one that felt this way.  Caryl Cat</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE5A3FX6CCI8P?ASIN=0316055441	A well-wrought odyssey of a book. Thank you, ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A well-wrought odyssey of a book. Thank you, Donna Tartt, for taking the time to construct such an entertaining, thought-provoking read. I finished this book a week ago, and have felt unmoored without the characters occupying part of each day.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K6RUV7L2UY2L?ASIN=0316055441	not a real page turner like I expected for a Pulitzer Prize winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">slow, draggy dialog, not a real page turner like I expected for a Pulitzer Prize winner.  Went into so much minute detail that it was more like skim reading, rather than keeping my attention.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P5VYI0FJ7GL3?ASIN=0316055441	good premise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't love it as much as I thought I would. But read it because friends told me they enjoyed it. I found it quite wordy at times but am happy it wasn't written with a fairy tale approach. I did like the characters &amp; thought they were defined well.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL4F0OYF1Z24W?ASIN=0316055441	didn't want it to end!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's been a long time since I so looked forward to MAKING time to read a particular book. This one was it. I entered a world that, painful though it was, I couldn't get enough of. Thank you Donna Tartt, and may you keep writing for a very long time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XLTRRU1704R8?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book very much.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RL1JZQH2QTXA?ASIN=0316055441	Impossible not to feel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's book is a personal and emotionally haunting read.  Read it slowly, without premise.  Like a rare, beautiful and intimate meal The Goldfinch should be savoured, not hurried through.  When the end comes, you will find yourself both spectacularly satisfied and yet longing for more.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W3UB92XBS2D4?ASIN=0316055441	Very long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the author to be a bit long winded, which made the story line seem to drag on forever.  During the first half of the book, I cared about what happened to Theo, however,  during the second half, I had no sympathy left for him, and I lost interest in his train wreck of a life!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UN37WIIKNVF3?ASIN=0316055441	the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book speaks to anyone who has ever loved a painting, been touched by music,or felt the agony of loss. I enjoyed the well written Characters as each comes alive in the pages. It is a book to savor enjoying to the fullest,not a book for quick reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9LY635U8QRCO?ASIN=0316055441	"""A long and tangled tale of love, loss and art"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an American writer and author whose previous works include ""The Secret History"" and ""The little Friend""; the latter awarded the Smith Literary Award in 2003. The present work, ""The Goldfinch"" was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in fiction in 2014.<br/><br/>The story opens with 13 year old eighth grader Theo Decker and his mother passing time at the museum awaiting a conference with Theo's school to discuss his pending suspension. Theo and his mother become momentarily separated when the explosion occurred - she is killed and Theo survives along with a young redheaded girl who was accompanied by her grandfather who also dies; but not before giving Theo his ring and asking that he bring it to his home. Theo wanders the destruction looking for a way out and absently picks up a painting called the Goldfinch that is lying on the floor.<br/><br/>The story then follows Theo's life and the travails that he endures because of the painting that he conceals and the girl he loves: how he befriends a young Russian named Boris and how he eventually comes to live with an antique furniture restorer, business partner to the little red headed girl's grandfather killed at the museum.<br/>There is a lot more to this story, and it is variably intriguing, at times intense and at times pensive. You should find it notable reading. If I had anything negative to say, it is that the conclusion of the work feels too bogged down in philosophical musing - and there are a lot of art references that will only appeal to and be understood by the student thereof.<br/><br/>All and all I would heartily recommend you add this novel to your reading list; you shouldn't be disappointed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EQ74ZGV8Y1Y9?ASIN=0316055441	individuals and relationships were long and tedious and I often skipped over them to get to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">descriptions of events , individuals and relationships were long and tedious and I often skipped over them to get to the meat of the story.  Very dark and fatalistic perspective on life that I found to be lacking in balance.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31M6EC17XGA76?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hauntingly themes and characters woven with the skill of a tapestry weaver.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XVR5JM1XZCN1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing, rekindled my passion for fine art!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38AS5A78PHO16?ASIN=0316055441	This is a great story and I have enjoyed reading it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a great story and I have enjoyed reading it. I do, however, wish the author would write the story without so much detail in wording. The same story could have been interesting with half of the wording.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH5P7MNZ04SSE?ASIN=0316055441	Gripping Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing story. Lot of human pain and caring in an unusual setting . A lot of moral questions to consider. The people making bad choices are also the people you care about . You want to find out if they get through it all.<br/>.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRWWVC820DHGA?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thomas Pyncon meets Charles Dickens.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDHLHF5S6J6PV?ASIN=0316055441	Good story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a hard time getting started and even harder time picking it up again for the first half. After that I became accustomed to the type of writing of Ms.Tartt. Well written but windy, long drawn out conversations. Having said that I'm glad I stuck with it and finished it. Three stars because it was a slow read for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KN6OATY4ODVC?ASIN=0316055441	Highs and Lows	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written. Keeps the reader spellbound. Author quite knowledgable regarding art and antiques. Most philosophical and depicts that life is not easy and that individuals strive to find happiness, and in some cases, are just struggling to survive. Found it a bit depressing. Much symbolism used. Feel this would be a great book for literature group studies.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15UDZNZLTTHT5?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't care for the writing style of the story, too much detail, lots of talk about ""self"" but very little insight.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H8VX4D6P0RZB?ASIN=0316055441	must love detail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i liked the story line, but there was too much detail. it made the reading drag on in many places,</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBZ1I5CZL3YVD?ASIN=0316055441	Just missed behind great!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just missed being a great read. Good story line but parts just did not flow,some dragged. I'm getting tired of plots with drud abuse.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P154C2RKE8I?ASIN=0316055441	but I did not always like them!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I became very involved with the characters......but I did not always like them!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25SJ4O9XWTS5V?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was wonderful, but a bit too long.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GRNAWU65VEZD?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed the book. It is well written with many twist and turns in the story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S15LRHW4SY1U?ASIN=0316055441	I don't even know how to tell you about this book I guess you will have to read it yourself.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch brings out emotions of great sadness and tears your heart out to put it mildly.I wondered whatever happened to his relationship to his best friend,his own life.Did his life account for any good purpose after all  he went thru as a child.You know you could write another book about his depth of meaning regarding life just how much pain does a human have to suffer before it explodes.Sorry to end what a great novel</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S57GGJD6C2GM?ASIN=0316055441	dark but beautiful story, and memorable characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Flawlessly written, dark but beautiful story, and memorable characters. I became as obsessed with the painting as our hero was. Enjoyed it very much..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WR0LBKA0QBHN?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tooooooo slow!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U0W63BPH7WTE?ASIN=0316055441	There is a good story in here with revelations about the aftermath of violent, random death and redemption	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting plot when you could read through all of the drugs and alcohol abuse/ perversions and otherwise generally accepted pc type of ""this is what human beings are like stuff"".  Ms. Tartt understands a great deal about human psychology, grief, assignation, and loyalty.  It is too bad that it had to be embellished with so much Wolf of Wall Street gratuitous debauchery.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MAHXA4I5SYUN?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is very descriptive and allows you to visualize what characters look like as well as where they are. It started a little slow for me but as I continued to read, it held my interest. Great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16YDPTR4SBY6L?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating, compelling and very well  written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7DU9Y6VWUQ4E?ASIN=0316055441	I Love New York!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sometimes riveting, other times lengthy and I would lose interest. The prose is so well done, I wanted so very much to love the whole book. Well, I truly did love the full story based in New York.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IJIFA8YUGY14?ASIN=0316055441	Finally caught my interest	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">...about 100 pages into the book.  Interesting, but the author lost me a bit towards the end.  For a while, to me anyways, it read like a bad action film, then finally came clear.  That part was a bit boring.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38LI22NZCKHNS?ASIN=0316055441	Great characters. Love her style of writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great characters. Love her  style of writing , felt this story could have been told -100 pages.... Just my opinion...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FCQAJG1XSSBQ?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Superb writing skills.  The story line is intriguing and caused me to not want to put the book down to sleep, go to work, whatever....However,  at the end I am once again pondering the meaning of life, fate, and the value we may or may not place on earth's creatures. I need to re-read the Sound and the Fury.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2577TOGXVG1H8?ASIN=0316055441	Long long long...but well written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, but tedious. Could have been 100-200 pages less and still have been a good read. Fortunately, the author's prose made me want to finish the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17GSB4QPEBVNA?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A compelling story of a boy become man, someone we expect so much more from, wanting to like, but like us all, tragically human like all the characters in this philosophical story. Painful to read at times. Thought provoking. Brilliant.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12RANOFWQNGJD?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible but way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At the beginning of this book I thought it was one of the best books I ever read. The character development, for all the characters, is superb. But then I think the author got off tract. Her main character, Theo, was so flawed that I began to dislike him. When he almost committed suicide (the last time) I thought that he would do so and that would be a fitting end. I liked the ending, however. But I think that a good editor was needed. Too much repetition, too much wallowing in self pity,  too much Boris.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROMOFVV1HUO1K?ASIN=0316055441	It was an o. k. read. Nothing ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was an o.k. read. Nothing to make me want to read more from this author.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SI1CD48KI3PB?ASIN=0316055441	Seriously tedious !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Whatever about the lauding of this new writer, whatever about this rework of great expectations ... This book was too long, tedious and under-whelming !</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX41WMHGL3RV5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not finished with it yet but can't put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q9F4BJQQP0PK?ASIN=0316055441	Inmensely Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a immensely good read....characters I still think about and wonder how they are doing as if they were in the here and now. The Goldfinch starts off in one direction and then morphs into a modern day ""Catcher in the Rye"" only to become a thriller with fantastic plot twists and ending with a meditation on human life and art.  Richly deserves  the Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JG4F5Z2K6ZZJ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great character development. Great storyline. Great intent for ending but poorly done.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B6AZY5JP4L5D?ASIN=0316055441	it was an excellent read with much more character development and insight than ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was a very complex book, and there were times that the timeline progression was somewhat confusing.  Overall, it was an excellent read with much more character development and insight than any book I have read for some time.  Theo's progression from the death of his mother, through his companionship relationship with Boris, to his eventual personal brush with the legal system made for a great read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R8F65FQFW0WE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">800 pages are far too many.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FJUR25ZFTCKN?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Horrible ending, many great lines, needed editing badly.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R171YZ6H1E9QJW?ASIN=0316055441	Great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story line</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6Z2Y4QEMCDZW?ASIN=0316055441	amazing ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Bogged down in long passages of emotional angst but loved how it finally found a graceful end. Nicely written. Recommended</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KGXMH0QJA0Q4?ASIN=0316055441	insightful and unexpected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book about life, love, and loss and how we get through things that are difficult and find joy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZSXXAEPT4XSV?ASIN=0316055441	WOW	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I see why this book won the Pulitzer. Full of twists and turns. Nothing happens as expected. Forces you to see your life in different circumstances. Touches a lot of emotions and challenges your viewpoint or perspective. Although the book is dense it is a surprisingly easy read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IZKMO1JDG73P?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Strong characterizations that stand the span of time and vagaries of unanchored lives.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IKE9YWZPYFNA?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't like all the drug taking either	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, but thought it a bit long!  Didn't like all the drug taking either!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YU4Q2SXNAUWZ?ASIN=0316055441	Great story. Great characters. Great book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Eloquently written with a fresh, interesting, and sometimes brutal, style of color and prose.<br/><br/>The story, while feeling bleak most of the way through (formulated through a series of unfortunate tragedies), has a surprising silver lining quality. The characters (save for the protagonists angelic mother), are a fascinating hodgepodge of offbeats, ranging from tainted youths and deadbeat gamblers, to upper east side sophisticates and fine art snobs. Despite such an eclectic mix and socio economical variance, the author triumphs by showcasing the tragedy experienced through each on a hauntingly even keel.<br/><br/>The author, being an older female, thoroughly impressed with her ability to capture the perspective of her protagonist, a maturing adolescent male, in what I thought (being an adolescent male myself) were thoroughly truthful and accurate depictions of emotion, feeling, and psyche. This speaks not to the authors gender, rather her ability as a writer. That is to say, I find it incredibly impressive she was able to command this viewpoint so well, the same way I would find it impressive for an older man to successfully and accurately encapsulate the psyche, trials, and tribulations, of an adolescent female.<br/><br/>Overall, this book was excellent. Worth the read and, in my opinion, worthy of its Pulitzer.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKCF9YFOTLMNX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Multilayered extremely well written piece of contemporary literature.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GRXTLVDKRR8R?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little too long but a very good book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D3X0XIFLNBT0?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Mysterious and captivating.<br/>Sometimes laborious and wordy but holds your attention.<br/>Often sad and frightening but with pathos.<br/>Beautifully written.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DAJ4PGB5PV7E?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the book very much. Had a hard time to put it down</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W1NE9L9CFIA4?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very disappointing. Far too long.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37SQ2GRC4P490?ASIN=0316055441	It was a sad & depressing piece that seemed to have tragedy & ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was way too lengthy for the content .  It was a sad &amp; depressing piece that seemed to have tragedy &amp; loneliness at every turn . The ending was flat &amp; just left me feeling low .</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O7E6V0MJEGF?ASIN=0316055441	Call me picky, but a main feature of the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Call me picky, but a main feature of the story is working with furniture restoration, and the author doesn't know a c clamp from a c cramp!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28I9P5UY59LHU?ASIN=0316055441	Stunning Must Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is absolutely stunning.  The first part reminded me of The Catcher in the Rye (disaffected teen in NYC, seeing adults through his eyes) which I loved.  From there, the book took off and sent me places I did not expect to be taken.  Every character is beautifully filled out, every setting described with detail that makes it come to life, the dialog is spot on, the situations are believable, yet fantastical at the same time.  I honestly could not put this book down; I haven't been as engrossed in a book in ages as I was in this one.  It's a must read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE0XLRYNVJYHA?ASIN=0316055441	great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Highly recommend---no surprise that it won the Pulitzer Prize.  You 'll love the characters---especially Boris!  The story is serious, fun, and unusual.  Don't miss this one!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JJ19D7BGGOY7?ASIN=0316055441	So much from a little bird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this read.  Such a different way of looking at life.  Enjoyed very much but it makes me a little sad too.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TA25ZV1Q5QRN?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome-- in the truest sense of the word	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best modern novel I have read in years, and I am an English teacher!!!  Very engaging and so literate!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5THHTH5R1PJV?ASIN=0316055441	its an excellent read and would highly recommend it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written. The character development was superb.  My only criticism was that the author took too long to develop the plot.  I felt the timeline could have been condensed and the book could have been shortened some.  That said, its an excellent read and would highly recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KIL3ROB1SRBY?ASIN=0316055441	Sorry, not for me.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was really engaged during the first third of the book.  From the introduction of Boris, it was all down hill.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GOVISGHTDGQ8?ASIN=0316055441	I liked the writing style	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a book, for the most part where I wanted to read any chance I got--wanted to find out what was going to happen next.  I liked the writing style.  The book flowed nicely.  I would definitely recommend ""The Goldfinch""</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KXGAO7BCTQV7?ASIN=0316055441	The web and the light	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story about two worlds which were foreign to me. The compelling love of art and the role of forgery and gangsters. The drug culture left me sympathetic as well as disappointed. There was no respect for human life or the laws and decency. Donna Tartt weaves quite a web which Theo found difficult to leave. I kept wanting him to ""see the light"" though all his and Boris' deep conversations. But his Damascus experience was long in coming. Thank goodness for his faithful friend, Hobie, who was pure light.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32L3ELN0QAMR5?ASIN=0316055441	Perfection.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful story, and even deeper lesson, and a testament itself to the lesson it teaches. I am not who I was when I began this journey....</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MG1HX077J159?ASIN=0316055441	A good plot, but slow moving	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A growing-up story of two boys.  The conversations and emotions ring true, but there is too much introspection and ""what if"" for my taste.  It's a good plot with some unexpected twists, but I found the book tedious.  However, I was unable to put it away until I had finished the story.  Too much emphasis on drug/alcohol culture.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DY2VFPML1PXD?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R257MGA2A20QR2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29MHO54XF5FPQ?ASIN=0316055441	Tissues of improbability	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">With nearly 12,000 reviews on this book, I don't know that I can add much to the discussion, except to reassert what has been said by others:<br/><br/>- The book is written in the tone of a young adult novel.  It's easy reading.  Is that what you want in a novel?<br/>- It's way overwritten. You'll spend a lot of time with characters and conversations that don't really push the plot along. I get it, she wants to be Dickens.<br/>- Many literary critics have serious questions about how a novel like this would be worthy of a Pulitzer. I must concur. It's long, that's all.<br/>- You'll love the first half.  After that, it's uphill.<br/>- I could not finish it. At about 75% I had to say enough.<br/>- I simply didn't believe most of the characters were real.  And the situations seemed manufactured, not as events that proceeded from character dynamics. A plot should never feel like something imposed upon characters, but something the characters have a role in creating.<br/><br/>Enough from me. Others have said the same. You'll be curious to know what this book is about, and you'll enjoy parts of it. But don't force yourself to finish it. There's so much well-written fiction out there.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I0AHU09KJ4WS?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A complex and wonderful story, beautifully written by Donna Tartt.  I have recommended it to my friends.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13O7JH5X2E512?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful character development and realistic portrayal of Human  frailties</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I85Q4PIH2N0W?ASIN=0316055441	A Keeper to read again someday	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first thing I noticed was the quality of the writing which is so delightful after reading so much dribble.  Then the story is so good you cannot put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BCNWX2QHO074?ASIN=0316055441	5 Star read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a great story - involving, intriguing, extremely well written and one of those books you are sad has come to an end. My biggest surprise was that these mostly male characters were written by a woman! Donna Tartt must have some seriously high-level access to the male brain to write in the first person like this. I loved this book and highly recommend it to everyone. Will look for her other books ASAP.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JL4M65O9VXFQ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GCMUXCQ5BEBU?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed this book.  Looked forward to reading it everyday. It is very well written and characters will envelop you. My only criticism would be I read it on a Carribean vacation and at times it was a little dark for lounging by the<br/> pool with a fruity cocktail.  Although, by the end, you will see life through glasses tinted with deep beautiful meaning.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QF0VFR2H4UJR?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a mesmerizing book and I couldn't put it down! The best book I have read in a while!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GNTJ0XFTHIGZ?ASIN=0316055441	One of the worst books I have read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the worst books I have read, skipped thru most of it.  Everyone I have mentioned this book too, agrees with me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20EUEDQ8YQ8WQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book although I felt exhausted when I finished it.  highly recommend it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL9S5YYJ3MNIU?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like a fast moving story.  The three steps forward and one step back annoyed me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HFX82OCYN0SN?ASIN=0316055441	The prose is beautiful. I enjoyed the description(s) of characters in their ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The prose is beautiful. I enjoyed the description(s) of characters in their time and place.<br/>It was a long read but I was never tired of reading--the story moved and twisted, seemingly always downhill. And I didn't have to read it all in one sitting.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJRD7AU99QGG1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A page turner- very different but good.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KE09R2X0INBQ?ASIN=0316055441	What will happen to Potter and why?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, Very long, provocative .  We spend a long time with a character who we no longer like totally absorbed in what will happen to him.  All the secondary characters are well drawn.  Tart imagines and writes her way into many different circumstances, taking us with her, with incredible detail and skill. She has engaged us with the question, how on earth did Potter get into the circumstances we find him in at the start of the book , and what is his fate?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D4X1GSB9BVI2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoughtful exploit of unusual mindset and circumstances. Masterfully written.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBFAUBXVQ9EIT?ASIN=0316055441	Do read it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a can't put-it-own story, even tho' the drug and violence parts were disturbing.  There was some morality discussed at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MZY15QZ3A8J7?ASIN=0316055441	Lost without it....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Addictive. Although too long in sections, hence the 750 page length, some of the descriptions are mesmerizing and brilliant. Even though I have already read another book, I am still missing Goldfinch....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU51X2GCW2C54?ASIN=0316055441	If you enjoyed the Secret History read this!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful descriptive writing style. Excellent characterisation. Strong story line. Its a very long book but much to think about. Possibly could have done with some editing, but for all that a worthwhile read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FF4DQ7IMORNW?ASIN=0316055441	Not a best seller	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Got old and boring .</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O9ACW90UZRXR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CKLUH32VO2J1?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A total waste of time to read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YMG39XOGSDRL?ASIN=0316055441	Learn to like drug abuse and antique furniture	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gets off to a great start. Maintains a high level of intensity. Interesting characters. Satisfying conclusion. My only dislike was the last chapter - prolonged ruminations of the narrator.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q23KNQOPGDPU?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed the first part very much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the first part very much. Then in the middle too long. All in all a book worth reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18LAI475C3LGN?ASIN=0316055441	A treasured classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Completely captivating from the first page.  I highly recommend this literary ""work of art!""</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYDLF87DGDXG?ASIN=0316055441	Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good book I like very long but good so far my review needs to be 19 words long done now</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFG374RUYUQ4D?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Nearly a great novel</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3495D298TUNKB?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent. Book THE GOLDFINCH, BEING from the mature generation (84 years old) the absolutely ""over the top"" drug use was appalling to me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJLVAA6VSQ8Y4?ASIN=0316055441	as I read I felt I was living the book. it brought me in and kept me captive in the characters world as I read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The only complaint I have for this book is at times I felt lost and confused, but that could be due to my own incompetence. Other than that I loved this book. I was empathetic to the characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ITLNFOWEK8S4?ASIN=0316055441	Unbearably Beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have not read such an intensely satisfying work of fiction in a very long time .And this is no ordinary story .<br/> I  felt a personal connection to Theo's  loss  of his mother , I  wept at the beauty of its words . Gosh ,  why in the world have I stopped reading .Time to get rid of HBO and Netflix and start reading again because there is no greater pleasure than  feeling the beauty of written  words  .Thank you Donna Tartt .</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TR7QR6VQ84J1?ASIN=0316055441	Great writer, but needs editing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is obviously a great writer, but this book could really use some editing.  She's created interesting, complicated characters with an intriguing plot.  However, she goes on and on--page after page--of needless description and meandering that serve no real purpose, plot wise, other than to demonstrate her literary chops.  I skimmed through about 20% of this book, frustrated, waiting for the plot line to reemerge.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EGBRXWT90KFX?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was interesting but had too many long descriptive, off topic ramblings.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYMMJPQBC02B5?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch a winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great story well written</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P5VGWZAGRXRT?ASIN=0316055441	Talent triumphs!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This writer ""has it all!"" A worthy winner of the Pulitzer!  Philosophically sound and with a mesmerizing plot.<br/>Get it and read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32NLF5M0STXF2?ASIN=0316055441	A Testimony That a Great Work of Art Lasts Through the Generations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A powerful novel about love and loss and how redemption can come in the most ironic of ways. Its theme reflects John Keats's Ode on a Grecian Urn's message--Beauty Is Truth, Truth Is Beauty....A long read, but worth the time. I'll not forget it soon.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BZTRRHA6H0ID?ASIN=0316055441	If you enjoyed this book you will also like The Charlestown Connection ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you enjoyed this book  you will also like The Charlestown Connection as well as Under The Bridge by Tom MacDonald!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38J42JSU89KKV?ASIN=0316055441	Fasten your seatbelts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is long and heavy reading.  A gripping story that pulls you in and does not let you go. Fascinating and irritating at the same time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGHP7EQCQ936I?ASIN=0316055441	This is a unique piece of writing and it will ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a unique piece of writing and it will stay with you for a long time.  It kept my interest for the whole read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10Z631VJE1AYE?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great story about how tragedy can change a life forever. A little depressing and long winded at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30029MACRI76B?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book.  Enjoyed it from cover to cover.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I0ICF2I75M5F?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in quite a while. Long, yes. A little too much of this and that, yes. But from the first sentence I was hooked and needed to know what would happen to Theo from the very first sentence. Usually I don't care for ""coming of age"" books--especially adolescent boys--but the writing is so vibrant, bright, and compelling that I put that prejudice aside. Glad I did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TMK1H2KP5L9A?ASIN=0316055441	Chained	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an odyssey this is! And what an accurate sensory representation of our present day world, albeit hard to read for its description of drug use.  But the education one receives about great art and antiques and their restoration is worth the trip.  The painting from which the book takes its title is an ongoing analogy for Theo's life which plunges from one crises to another, trying to free himself from each. This novel has a wonderful grand sweep of location from New York to Las Vegas and back and of the human condition.  The characters are memorable, especially, Pippa and Boris.  There are breathtaking acts of kindness and cruelty.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PWNQF488JBXI?ASIN=0316055441	but excellent.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a long read...but excellent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBZB1CYVUU7YK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful character portrayal. Unique setting and premise. Coming of age but also relevant to all readers.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXGNWO6BKXKKZ?ASIN=0316055441	outstanding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's been a long time since I read a novel of this depth. It felt a little Dickensian but also very much of this moment in time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R155DUP46I5PKZ?ASIN=0316055441	Very compelling.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book travels the life of a young teenager whose life is tumultuously affected by one horrific experience. the book visits the world of the financially priviledged and the underprivileged, the world of art and antiquities, drug addiction, family, love, hate, and shows remarkable insight into the human psyche. this book could generate a lot of good discussion for book clubs.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NEXBRUD6DP61?ASIN=0316055441	A great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Perhaps the best reading I have found in a long time.  I will definitely re-read ""The Goldfinch"" again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G8VCMDM6A36Q?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6P1N6RFFWYCV?ASIN=0316055441	A Disappointing Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As a Pulitzer Prize Winner, I was anxious to read this. It fell short of my expectations. I was questioning how it ever got picked, but that's just my opinion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17ILH2RJPHAIG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very happy with item and service!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35ZJ69JACBJZS?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">wonderful writing but so sad -I have recommended it but with caution for anyone going through depression</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V0D0IOJLDUFR?ASIN=0316055441	Good read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written and kept me engaged most of the story with some drawn out parts. Certainly got emotionally involved!<br/>Good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IV17L9F28FL7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">wonderful</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVVUIMWXBIYOZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to reread it as soon as I finished the book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PKHAP3N26PGH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book is so beautifully crafted and the elegance is ever flowing.  she never lets up.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV3RE9LCBN2ZA?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch has a good plot, and interesting characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch has a good plot, and interesting characters, but it drags.  It's a story that could have been well-developed in a more succinct fashion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EVXYPGNJ1NPG?ASIN=0316055441	tedious, and hard to track	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book began as a compelling and intriguing read that didn't follow through.  The story became long, tedious, and hard to track.  The rich characters developed early on got lost and turned into a flat self introspection.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HO35F7VFODAC?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too much time spent on drugs and alcohol bizarreness</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QUKFQ4CRKCFN?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A page turner with holographic depth and sensitivity.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U2AQ68UG2MLK?ASIN=0316055441	Too long. It didn't keep me interested,.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long.  It didn't keep me interested,<br/>.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN7KDUSUMV3ON?ASIN=0316055441	It's a great walk in someom else's shoes	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting and engaging! It's a great walk in someom else's shoes!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21O0K882CO06P?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It IS long! Story waxes and wanes .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R331YXO7K27SKI?ASIN=0316055441	Missing Editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When it comes to writing a review for this book, two thoughts come to me - ""The Emperor's New Clothes"" and ""Much Ado About Nothing.""  I've been blessed with a simple mind, so this book was a struggle. What happened to her editor?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UJBLDS6R6ZXB?ASIN=0316055441	Good story but too detailed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long book that could have been written in fewer words!  Good story but too detailed.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R61MIACWNHJH9?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It needed some editing. Very creative none the less.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12OQJPBZ16TTW?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a Gem	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a well written book!  I would have given it five stars, but it does seem to be a little too long in places.  Donna Tartt's first book: Secret History, is one of my all time favorites, so I think my expectations were really high with this one.  I don't think I enjoyed this one quite as much as her first, but it was really really good.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PKCR185I5CX1?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a feel good novel but interesting enough to keep me going until the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAJSL1991N3XX?ASIN=0316055441	Ok book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not sure how do describe this book.  I started the book and put it down for a couple of months but everyone I spoke to who had read the booked loved it, so I started again and really got into it until about 3/4 of the way through and I found it too wordy, and hard to believe.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JOQ27257JUYV?ASIN=0316055441	I like uplifting novels	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like uplifting novels.  This one was just the opposite.  There were times when one thought the main character was going to turn his life around from using drugs. Then you learned he was still using them, but was functioning better in life and his job.  He had many opportunities to improve his life by good friends, but did not take advantage of it.  Finding it hard to even finish this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OVCKVSGHKFLR?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very compelling- lots of twists ans turns</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VC0IMIUL2WFZ?ASIN=0316055441	worth all the praise and time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Heart - rendering, beautifully written (maybe could be cropped a little but I didn't really want it to end until He was somewhat Happy).  Loved the characters, development, father not terribly bad etc...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W5OY40G5WTV6?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not put it down--some will think it is too long though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q4E4A9RP3771?ASIN=0316055441	excellent book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard to put it down. Well written, interesting story, fast paced. Can't wait to read another book by Donna Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18XP0QEHI910H?ASIN=0316055441	A very good story well told	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This fictional story is so well told I had to frequently remind myself that it was not true.  Characters and relationships are developed skillfully. Suspense is maintained by the fate of a tiny painting that provides the string holding the story together to the end. I was intrigued and bothered by the persistent emphasis on drug use throughout, but this may be due to my own naivety, ignorance and age.  The author obviously has an intimate knowledge of how prescription and other drugs are used by people who are able to function in society despite their addictions. She also knows a lot about the antique furniture business. I'm an old guy who is terrified by the use of addictive drugs while enjoying and clinging to my own use of alcohol.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQBX7RLPM67EH?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is indeed an extraordinary book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OC4JM4CG468H?ASIN=0316055441	This book was hard work!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Over written is how I would describe The Goldfinch. I loved the beginning and I loved the end but the middle was tedious</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N0KOXWFF4RWB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book of the year for me</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31QMO1HLBFWBH?ASIN=0316055441	It is a wonderful book and brilliantly written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intense, disturbing, engrossing. It is a wonderful book and brilliantly written;</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWXVCL8JGQG35?ASIN=0316055441	Remarkable novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Complex and never predictable! This is a portrait of young man sifting through  catastrophe, loss, danger and lies to find his own way. Intense and moving.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27F827FBE028X?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Worthy of every award received.  It is long but a engrossing and enjoyable read.  I would recommended it to everyone.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19PR30LFX6N52?ASIN=0316055441	one of my all time favorite reads	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book so much I read it twice in a matter of months.  A captivating tale, beautifully written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y97PFA3BLII7?ASIN=0316055441	A Worthy Read (spoiler alert - after 1st paragraph)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like a Michelin-rated chef, the author has an amazing ability to use all the flavors of the English language. It is bold, subtle, precise, insightful, and thought-provoking. It is a complicated story of tragedy, grief, conditional and unconditional love. I have an affinity for art and furniture history, and the book has enough of both to keep me hooked.<br/>The main character, Theo, is a pre-teen when the book starts, and the story ends with him in his  late twenties. His best friend, Boris, is the same age, and is already an alcoholic when we meet him. Boris draws him into alcoholism and drugs early on.<br/>Hobie, his mentor and guardian not only takes the homeless Theo into his home but, teaches him the art of furniture restoration. He is a continual positive force in Theo's life.<br/>The book comes to a conclusion with Theo having a pessimistic and fatalistic world-view. Is this realistic?  Probably, but I hope not. As someone who has experienced a certain amount of tragedy, I am optimistic that it doesn't have to be a predictor of my future.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R329S3QBK38UO9?ASIN=0316055441	Alright	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a Book Club pick. Everyone seemed really excited to read it. The story flowed alright, but there were parts that made me want to say ""alright already...move on with the story!"" The ending sentiment of the main character was a little pessimistic for my taste. I prefer happy endings and this one didn't completely have that.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQM35BO906U3F?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've ever read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much longer read than my usual book but I am so glad that I read it.  Amazing!  You never see what's coming next.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KNWVW8NLCHMH?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Meh. Dissolute characters. Way too long for no reason. Just couldn't get into it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KJEUMCJY8KHX?ASIN=0316055441	Not an easy read when done in segments as I did	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not an easy read when done in segments as I did.  Perhaps because I read it over a period of time the point/intended meaning of the book did not really come through to me until the end, I almost gave up on it.  Very contemporary.  I gave it to my daughter-in-law for her birthday but after reading it on my Kindle/iPad I am sorry I chose it for her as I doubt she will really care for all the unpleasant parts of the young man's life with his friend/companion in Vegas or the things he experienced in Russia.  Was it a good ending?  Not sure, depends on one's personal values I suppose</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM5KOSGI4GE3W?ASIN=0316055441	Top Ten?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was definitely not a favorite. I found it depressing.  I am not sure why it has remained on the top ten best seller list for so long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B1XJQOIM94DM?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is extremely well written. Most of the book is fascinating and puts the reader in the scene. But it goes on and on. This story would be more effective if it went on a diet and lost a couple hundred pages.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6QDLKYPPFLK6?ASIN=0316055441	The writing was beautiful yet sharp	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I  haven't read a book this important in a long time.  The writing was beautiful yet sharp.  This story had the plot twists of a bestseller. It was long but she had me the whole time. Can't wait to see the painting in real life!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YNJWAE2NP1M9?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tart is a good writer In need of a good editor.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15EIKQ6DQIAKF?ASIN=0316055441	very depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An epic tragedy. Too long and nothing uplifting about this book. It does make you think but it's agonizing to get through.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W49KJ5SG1VOH?ASIN=0316055441	... actions of th e main character were irresponsible and stupid!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The actions of th e  main character  were irresponsible and stupid!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DBTKX6HRR9XK?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written but found exceptionally depressing story line.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OYOQG29ZDJLB?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too much about drugs and effect it had on him</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27LF5TXMCGH7F?ASIN=0316055441	What does a tethered bird teach us?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My favorite book group, ""Me, Myself, and I""  finished Donna Tartt's huge, anti-epic novel, ""The Goldfinch"". Thanks to a friend for the recommendation. It's philosophy, art, art history, furniture and Tartt kills off certain cretin  characters in such ""Kill Bill"" classy ways...FYI, review ""The Idiot"" before heading too far into the novel since there are so many references. Boris has to be one of the greatest ""sidekicks"" invented and the exchanges between him and Theo are always mini philosophy lessons.Then there is the Dickens/Hugo hugeness and scope.Check out the painting of ""The Goldfinch"" before starting. See what you take from it. Small and priceless...As for the tome: huge and gripping from poetry to slow reflections, to high-paced maniacal action.<br/>Oh, I had friends who could have done w/ 50 pages of personal narrative vs. 150. Told them that I read the book on Kindle and had no clue as to the length. In fact, I didn't bother to check the number of pages. Yes,eventually, I wanted to slap that noxious Theo! I felt sorry for him at the introduction and double checked..no, not 9/11. There is delirious wandering, from the strong grip to his mother as well as to his drugs. Darn that Theo. I grew to dislike him and couldn't find value in his stupidity. However, the love, there is the love of another,lost as he was, and their connection, Then there's sweet and spoiled Kitsey. Yes, there is also the love he has for the magical appearances and timely reappearances of Boris. No?<br/>Another friend didn't like the Las Vegas episode. What? Without Las Vegas, Dad, Xandra, the desert and school, Theo would never have met Boris, bonded w/ another lost boy and gone into the desert, and re-emrge w/ a ""useless"" toy dog! Take the symbols as you will. The painting is everywhere.<br/>The memorable and evil characters, the shady and the caregivers, Andy's folks, sibs, who come and go, return and enhance the chained Goldfinch with wonderful intermittent tidbits. Return us to the people who loved Theo and the one true love who is damaged, probably forever. Is life a catastrophe? Let's talk to Boris about that.<br/> Shout out to favorite movies: ""Blade Runner"" and ""It's a Wonderful Life""...beware of ""The Idiot""...</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39F66W75F99T6?ASIN=0316055441	Lots of Twists and Turns	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story with lots of twists and turns.  Just when you think you've got an idea of what may be going on you realize the author's gone another way.  Holds your interest to the very end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25M11ALP1QD3L?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great read!!  I cannot put it down!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ974K11REZUR?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like the book and will suggest at our next book club meeting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZBF6NFYKI253?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RO0EU6761T0Z?ASIN=0316055441	Layered and Wrenching	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch weaves a simple story with complex insights about the nature of life.  The characters are written with varying shades of morality; I was rooting for Theo on one page and screaming at him the next.  He is destined to become one of the great literary figures of this generation.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q04SBCE4SU4W?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, sensitive, compassionate and engrossing. Do not know how much more you can ask for from a book. Just read it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11DZZATU6Y8VI?ASIN=0316055441	A great book, very well written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the best books I have read, although very different from most I have read.  His descriptions of the places and the characters were excellent.  Although so much on the edge at times that I practically cringed, I could hardly put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MV4TAESZFWBC?ASIN=0316055441	characters with good intentions	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lovable Characters with good intentions and good hearts making hard and wrong? decisions and actions. Struggles of life and spirit. Very descriptive thought processes and feelings and environments. Kind of hard to keep reading it at times - but I'm really glad I finished it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34VY2I0XU1GYU?ASIN=0316055441	This book had all the things I like in a story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had all the things I like in a story.... it was based in NYC, had an Art component to it, contemporary situations, and I never knew what was going to happen next. The thing I thought was a problem was the length. Over 780 pages was a bit much. I found myself skipping ahead a few pages. All of the aspects of the story were good and important but I thought there was a lot of non essential reiteration of points. All in all a great read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IOD5GAV6NU7N?ASIN=0316055441	'The Goldfinch' was a hard book to read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">'The Goldfinch' is considered by many to be the best work of fiction for the year 2014. I loved the first hundred or so pages, until the main character went to Las Vegas. Then the story became unpleasant. Theo (the main character) was making poor choices, poor for him and for those around him. However the story just kept adding hundreds of pages of the same poor choices. At about page 500 it became so tiresome that I began to skim, looking for something new to happen, something that would propel the story forward.<br/>The book reminded me of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’ ‘Love in the Time of Cholera.’ I disliked ‘Cholera’, yet I couldn’t put it down. I read it as fast as possible just to be done with it. The plot lines of these two books are different but the main thread is the same: the main character is an unlovable person who wastes many years and puts many people at risk as he bungles through life dis-engaged from all he encounters.<br/><br/>Also, I would have liked more closure with Theo’s substance-abuse, with his foster-father, Hobie, and with the unrequited love-interest, Pippa.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R154FZCOO0R6RE?ASIN=0316055441	never knew there were so many ways to do drugs!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found the story interesting, but tedious at times.  Did not like the ending ... Felt like the the author got tired along with the reader.  Not sure why it won a Pulitzer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7P7CX38OHCJW?ASIN=0316055441	Very good book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved  this story.  Characters were very well described.  I couldn,t put the book down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25JUEHV73PVDL?ASIN=0316055441	enjoyable read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this story quite a saga. A little long, yet I wanted to absorb every word.  So many interesting thoughts along the way. Lots to discuss about life itself.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16DPLJCBCGYQC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An unusual story with interesting characters &amp; very well written</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CRKSM2B4HHY?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I actually finished this.  But I have to say after the 1st 2 or 3 chapters it was disconnected.....why all the tedious details that did not add anything to the story...  I found it really boring.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C3ZJNMZJE1BD?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel deserved its Pulitzer Prize.  I enjoy excellent character development, and the author did a wonderful job.  Even though the main character had tremendous failings, the way the story was written provided such insight into how be came to be as he was that I felt as tolerant of his shortcomings as Hobie.  I would highly recommend the book and give it four stars instead of five only because it doesn't rank as on of the best novels I've ever read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R129PM22NNQGQX?ASIN=0316055441	I thought this was a good book, and I enjoyed reading it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this was a good book, and I enjoyed reading it.  I didn't think it should have gotten the Pulitzer.  It had clumsy plot twists, and awkward dialog at times, and some parts were too long and drawn out.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33CFTGXM0MZLX?ASIN=0316055441	I really enjoyed this book and	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book and, for the most part, kept my attention.  Towards the end, it got a little wordy, but I really enjoyed it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RX8MMTCUMFL3?ASIN=0316055441	A brilliant, beautiful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an outstanding, breathtakingly good book. It took me a while to get through (I had to read several shorter books as I went), but Tartt did an amazing job of telling a story from the POV of a teenage boy who'd experienced a horrible tragedy at a young age. The characters were vivid -- I especially liked the friend he made named Boris. I felt like a totally unaccomplished writer and human being compared to this achievement, but as long as you don't mind feeling worthless about anything you've ever done in life, I highly recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ECGT15RFVYJA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a riveting read, could not put it down! Very well written and full of twists.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35INZOGBAXXFE?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch...Outstandingly entertaining to the very end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is an amazing book...one of the best works of fiction I have ever read. I am astounded that the author is a woman and had to check several times to make sure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK6IKRGV45ICJ?ASIN=0316055441	worth the praise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read.  The characters are so engaging, recommend to everyone this story of loss, despair and self destruction and then redemption.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C771QYJFDZND?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fully absorbing!  Loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FAKE3E9M2WVU?ASIN=0316055441	I'm glad to share this book to my best best friend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A well written book. A pleasureable  reading but a bit of a commitment to get into because this is quite a long book, I'm glad to share this book to my best best friend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ECNKHZ8H5PRL?ASIN=0316055441	Not a Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story, but much too long, wordy and philosophical for fiction.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17O2PLAGY2HU2?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was too long!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z8G0IOY7PKZR?ASIN=0316055441	Gripping, Until the Ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely riveting, every page, until the ending, which went on and on, to no effect.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C5FA5S8LZYF?ASIN=0316055441	I absolutely loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I absolutely loved this book. A must read for everyone. Loved the characters, loved the imagery and adored the beautiful story. Couldn't put it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IKGUXV05856L?ASIN=0316055441	Plot is great, the writing is wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a fabulous novel, unlike many Pulitzers.  Plot is great, the writing is wonderful, and the ending very moving.  I strongly recommend this novel.  Other novelists I like include James Lee Burke and Cormac McCarth.y</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OWZ6S9PRNPQ9?ASIN=0316055441	Then the style became tiresome and my attention to the book was consustently interupted ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Initially, I was drawn in by the eloquent way that this book appeared to be written,vivid descriptions through, occassionaly obscure, but always related, anaolgies. Then the style became tiresome and my attention to the book was consustently interupted by this nagging sense of ""can we just move on - please"". A long road to travel to be presented with the conclusion that what ""is"", ""isn't, but sometimes it ""isn't and ""is"". Whew - a real trudge.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22D1C5KIPY8J8?ASIN=0316055441	Book was beautifully written, but felt it way too long and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book was beautifully written, but felt it was too long and dragged on in parts....book could have been about 50 to75 pages less without impacting the story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16CBLJQHENI76?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've ever read!  Fabulous character development, plot, and the ending was neither predictable nor disturbing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPZWVL82T1U3E?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful story, or should I say beautiful prose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gripping prose, beautiful story, or should I say beautiful prose, gripping story - both are true.  A must read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJYF937XSMWAX?ASIN=0316055441	Slightly longer than it needs to be. Skipped around ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slightly longer than it needs to be. Skipped around and tried to finish in time for my book club, but alas. Will definitely give it a more thorough read in the near future.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6J54WRR6KH6K?ASIN=0316055441	Great writing, unpleasant subject	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written and powerfully descriptive. Though I spent more time in an unpleasant side of life than I wanted to.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AFZ55RE77OXS?ASIN=0316055441	Good.........Too Long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I will be brief ---something the author was unable to accomplish.  Interesting story line and characters.  However, the book was about 200 pages too long and went in too many different directions to be cohesive.  I was determined to finish it, but found myself skimming those last 200 pages.  Worth the read.....I think??</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1STD7X72IJZXD?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent but the story did drag on a bit and kept repeating.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V9RY5RNVU6BA?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating writing.  Loved the true-to-life characters.  I will read anything Donna Tartt writes even if it is her grocery list.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MMGC3C0EZMWZ?ASIN=0316055441	in my opinion became cumbersome and tedious. I am guessing that Pulitzer prizes may be ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story could have been told in one third of the time and space by eliminating two thirds of the descriptive words which, in my opinion became cumbersome and tedious. I am guessing that Pulitzer prizes may be  based on volume.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAE6BB1DSJZHS?ASIN=0316055441	The Dissenter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I always look forward to reading a book that has won a Pulitzer Prize and has been widely praised. Most of the time I am rewarded by a good read but that was not the case here.  It was too long, too wordy and by the time it was over, I felt like taking drugs myself.  I learned more about lesser known artists than I ever wanted to know and perhaps that's why these people were lesser known.  I even developed an irrational dislike towards birds.  The author knows how to write but I think she needed a good editor.It's one of these books that you're supposed to like or else other people would look at you strangely and call you too dumb to appreciate great literature.  I'm going back to John Grisham.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TO3SOOG5XENK?ASIN=0316055441	waste of summer reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very long winded, lots of words, words, words! I couldn't wait to finish the thing! A waste of my summer reading.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNMXRJEIHD1T6?ASIN=0316055441	Honestly, I am surprised that this book won a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Honestly, I am surprised that this book won a Pulitzer, though I found it enjoyable.<br/><br/>It is overly long, and yet still manages to leave too many threads hanging.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YBXSHBLBGJ4V?ASIN=0316055441	Worth It	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rough going in spots, but a great story with much food for thought.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NZ77U9P3ZVEN?ASIN=0316055441	Insufferably Boring and Without Value	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the most boring and inconsequential book I have read in a long time, and how it could have received the Pulitzer Prize is beyond me. I'm sure the elegant writing is a big factor, but writing style should not earn such prizes in a book that is largely amoral, monotonous and a general waste of time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXBE0VH381ZXM?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are a lot of pages in this book, but I do not feel any should or must be deleted. The details in this voyage of understanding one's self have to be experienced, even by the reader/witness.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OX7TC00511K0?ASIN=0316055441	Good character development	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written.  Extremely long.  Good character development.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XWGOQDEBZ443?ASIN=0316055441	fabulous read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">fabulous book, plot, characters.  Sad when it was over.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JRY3NAK2RNKQ?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed the final chapter the most	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wasn't a fan. Very long and very wordy. I enjoyed the final chapter the most.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZB4JRJ2N3GQQ?ASIN=0316055441	I highly recommend this read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out a little confusing and slow but very well written.  The many twists and turns with interesting characters kept me thankfully reading on.  I highly recommend this read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RACZQ8MHVP0Z3?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read only if you enjoy long, rambling, depressing novels.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NS92BW5TP30B?ASIN=0316055441	That got truly boring and predictable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some of the writing was truly lovely, most of the story fascinating, the concept and characters tight &amp; well-defined. But too many words, too much chug--lugging &amp; vomiting of vodka. That got truly boring and predictable. This would have been an excellent novel had 100-150 pages been pared away from it. Tartt deserved the Prize, her editor did not...</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FCHZQK7WMR7D?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book that stays with you long after you have finished it. Rich characters. Original story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT7E3GSNJZ866?ASIN=0316055441	a terrific read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is one of those rare books that captivates the attention and takes you on an exhilarating ride as the story twists and turns. I couldn't put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SMCVDZUCWZMW?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Its a hard to read for me.  Very wordy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23GV9RMQ1Q7FS?ASIN=0316055441	Very good, except at the end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good for most of the book, but at the end kind of dragged on, I just wanted to finish it and move on to another book.  I get the feeling this is one of those books where I missed the point:  the kind where everything represents something else, like the painting represents his mother, reading between the lines.  I always wondered if the authors meant it to be like that.  I could have done without the last 100 pages or so.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NM41TD4X4U4F?ASIN=0316055441	I am sorry but I really did not like this book that has been on the best sellers ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I  am sorry but I really did not like this book that has been on the best sellers list. The beginning of the book was fantastic but from there it went downhill. I was so disappointed i am sorry I wasted my time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21QDWFYMIMCD3?ASIN=0316055441	Hard going	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It went on and on and on.  She could have cut a lot of unnecessary details out.  The plot was great, but all the extra lengthy descriptions were too much.  I found myself skipping at least a quarter of the book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H0IHN9OS19XF?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth your time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the character development,  but I felt the book was seriously over-written. It could have been edited down 200+ pages. She (Donna Tartt) is extremely long-winded, in my opinion- overly descriptive.  It got to the point where I was like ""yeah, ok, I get it, I get it!""<br/>I also HATED the ending. One of the worst story endings I have ever read.<br/>I'm truly stunned that this book won a Pulitzer Prize.<br/>I would not recommend this book to anyone.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R168F1YRJYNDO5?ASIN=0316055441	On my best read list	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">On my best read list. An entertaining and interesting long story that is unpredictable and unusual. The situations felt real.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14QUQA5AX9B4B?ASIN=0316055441	Just keep reading...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a long book!  The beginning seems to go on and on...but don't stop.  It is so worth the time it takes to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U9F74I69U2QY?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed that the main character seemed to disrespect his mother's ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rather long descriptions of drug-induced times.  Disappointed that the main character seemed to disrespect his mother's memory in the choices he made, but maybe that is what grief will do to a person.  Glad I read it, but it would not be one of the ""best reads"" ever.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OLXHWNPH8QCK?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Liked the book....not sure about the ending though. But it was a good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19B97VLM7XRKF?ASIN=0316055441	I found it very difficult to read, because it ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it very difficult to read, because it was very very depressing. I would read a section, and need to stop, and digest it. It was very difficult to handle all the drug problems. I understand more as the book progressed, and potentially Theo had PSTD. But even after his coming to terms with his problems, he needed antidepressants. I can't help but feel he could commit suicide in the future, and surprised that didn't occur earlier.<br/>N</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DXOW279CTDPH?ASIN=0316055441	Where was the editor?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Seriously? The Pulitzer? Overwritten and cartoonish.  I could almost hear the zany soundtrack playing for laughs. The time it takes to get through this is not, however, funny.  I am now thirsting for some good nonfiction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EU349NKMXH0P?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing fiction that won't let you put this book down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this book, and have always wondered what it would be like for a student going to school in Las Vegas? This story revolves around the painting ""The Goldfinch"". Theo's life makes for interesting reading and loved the characters, he encountered. Good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11396424MI205?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37VLWR8I9VBSJ?ASIN=0316055441	The quality of the writing is terrific, but the author could have been more concise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The quality of the writing is terrific, but the author could have been more concise.  I found it to be too long, and had to skip passages, because the verbosity became annoying.  I also liked the main character less and less as the book progressed, which made it difficult to continue reading it.  But, I was told to read the last chapter, which I did, and it concluded well.  What can I say?  There are times when I do not agree with the Pulitzer committee.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R362R8CP9J5PO?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story line but much wordy. The novel could have been told perhaps 400 pages</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24AQJ3MYV4F1M?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a bit confusing to begin with, but could not put it down once I got through the beginning</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK0EAG3S3O2QG?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FXRRM71TNXSK?ASIN=0316055441	5 stars and a drum roll	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This Pulitzer Prize fiction book is over 700 pages and well worth the read.  Narrated by 13 year old Theo whose life is suddenly changed by a tragic event, we experience his loss and journey with him as he grows up and makes his way through life struggling to find meaning.  Tartt is a great character builder and a vivid descriptive writer.  We meet one of my favorite characters, Hobie, when he opens the door of his cluttered antique shop dressed in an ankle length robe.  This kind, wise man becomes a mentor and friend to Theo.  A red-headed young girl, Pippa, who was injured in the tragic event, is being nursed back to health by Hobie.  Theo has a special place in his heart for Pippa and her story is woven with his though-out the book.  Life begins for Theo in New York and the story takes him to the outskirts of Las Vegas, back to New York and ends in Amsterdam.  This is a complex book, layered with many characters and stories.  Goldfinch, a rare painting, is the thread that pulls it all together.  5 Stars with a drum roll!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DZIGZ9LKYDO6?ASIN=0316055441	Deep & dark	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but somewhat tedious. Definitely not a ""feel good"" story. At least the main character seemed successful in the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TVBNG2BK0C01?ASIN=0316055441	but I enjoyed its	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">none of my friends rated this read very highly, but<br/>I enjoyed its grittiness</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39OLN28F4CGHY?ASIN=0316055441	but I enjoyed it. Her characters feel so real	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Many people found this book too long, but I enjoyed it.  Her characters feel so real, and she had a long story to tell, but I would feel cheated if the whole story wasn't  told.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS3AQ49H5UP1H?ASIN=0316055441	I was immediately engaged in the story and could not ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was immediately engaged in the story and could not put the book down.  It not only has a Dickens flavor but it also reminded me of Thomas Hardy.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T1QZHGO23FFX?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize??	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book won the Pulitzer Prize?  This is all about feelings, relationships, strange, violent people, a lot of drug use -- I made myself read it from beginning to end but can't say that I really enjoyed it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z5UZ4EIA9C8Y?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, but very philosophical and depressing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MOELCDZ7HKNF?ASIN=0316055441	loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book clearly shows many connections between humans and<br/><br/>art and beauty. very clearly explained.<br/>It was a very good book to discuss with like-minded person.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VDPGH07TLEIP?ASIN=0316055441	Pretty good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pretty good book. There was a lot of rambling though, but overall the author told a good story and love all of the characters</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32MHGY079BQUW?ASIN=0316055441	You decide....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wish I could say I loved it; however, Theo got into more jams than Smucker's !!!  At one point I had to put it down for a couple of days... it was actually depressing me!  Given the close relationship Theo had with his mother, I would have expected him to shape his future more in line with her integrity and caring, rather than slide into the kind of life his father chose.  But then, I suppose the book would have little story line, or in any event, certainly a different one.  I did enjoy Boris, though.  Especially his ""voice"".  Lots of small info on the arts.  Choosing a book is very personal.  Try this one, in any event.... decide for yourself.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ6EY2FLQ5QN7?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Somewhat a strange book with many locations changes for main character.  Lots of discussion at book group.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P26XVSKQ589S?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written,however</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R122NO9ESEVS13?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books of late.  Hard to put down. Looking forward to her next book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KD883X3X2I0V?ASIN=0316055441	actually, I would give it 4. 5 stars ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">actually , I would give it 4.5 stars.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R191BW0EXMCL00?ASIN=0316055441	Excellant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ending got a little boring.  But excellent twists and turns thought out the entire book. That's all I have to say.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYPK0VUK9CXD6?ASIN=0316055441	Book that makes you feel sad. *review contains minor spoilers*	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Am still processing this book 3 days after finishing it. The writing and language is snug and pretty perfect. I also appreciate the construction of the book- at the beginning of the book the writing is tidy and sharp, a reflection of the boy narrator. Then towards the end of the book- the writing itself becomes less neat and borders on James Joyce Portrait's stream of conscious style a reflection of the lost and meandering man. Overall I felt depressed and sad after having read the book. That being said, I do think the book was effective and successful in relaying its multiple messages/themes on life and death while relying on addiction to various things in life to get us through.  The brilliance and courage of this work lies in capturing certain ugly and shameful things everyone may go through in life - like obsessing over an individual your whole life without really knowing them, hiding an addiction from everyone in your life, feeling so low you don't know how you are surviving.  So I think I got it-the book is not exactly cathartic for me personally but I believe Ms Tart successfully whisked me away to her/Theo's world and made me feel really sad.  Definitely there is triumph in the end for our brave protagonist. I gave it four because I am still not sure if I want to give it 3 or 5- so for now I am taking the average.  Read it- I couldn't put it down once i started! Indulged my own addiction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HEHO0NMPD2BO?ASIN=0316055441	Page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was on the edge of my chair reading this book!  It is quite wordy, but it moves along and the language is always beautiful.  The way the characters are depicted gives a real sense of who they are and what they look like...excellent descriptions.<br/><br/>And I did not mind the ending...many people hated it, but it seemed right to me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23KTD2Z2BIRU6?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting and well written story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Have not finished it yet, I got a little bogged down about 3/4 of the way through.  Interesting story of this man's life and the sub-stories of the people he encounters along the way.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LRFF0OF3485A?ASIN=0316055441	Not What I'd Hoped For, Given All the Hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I struggled to get through this vain, long winded novel. There are some interesting moments of plot, but I didn't care about the characters, who lack depth and any real feeling of humanity. I also struggle with reading pages full of phrases posing as sentences. The novel reads like it thinks it is very important and full of meaning, but it fails to deliver. I'll admit that although I hated reading this book, a few days after finishing one character sticks with me: Boris. I didn't like him throughout the story, but he left an impact.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDTO86EN8AOT9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it! One of the best books I've read yet.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PS4TV5BHN3YA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing use of language.  A joy to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KU19RYFLEMOS?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful, and then not	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first half of the book fulfilled all my expectations of a Pulitzer Prize winner: beautiful prose, intriguing characters, vivid settings. I felt glad that the book was so long because I didn't want it to be over. The second half, however, disappointed. Still lovely prose, but the story turned into a kind of second-rate Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: a crime thriller with too many undeveloped characters and more or less predictable plot twists. Once the crime was solved, the novel ended with long, pedantic speeches from the main characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUDFZF4E1RGN4?ASIN=0316055441	A brilliant book in every way	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A brilliant book in every way.  Exciting, and brilliant story with believable characters.  It was a book about a painting but the artist painted her scenes  in words like an accomplished artist.<br/>For me this book is by far the best read of the year.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUZV2FAB3ZAA6?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i highly recommend this book. compelling .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KDYQCTSY60N4?ASIN=0316055441	one of the best in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept me absorbed throughout....I'm sorry I finished it!  Highly recommend but I wish he had ended up with pippa In the end!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R82GTIEIPIUTD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFUW6TESG4NVI?ASIN=0316055441	I thought the writing was disjointed, many of the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the writing was disjointed, many of the similes strange, and the vocabulary difficult. Some of the words couldn't be found on my Kindle reader. A very depressing book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13ZK9V848YE0R?ASIN=0316055441	I can see why this book won a Pulitzer prize ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can see why this book won a Pulitzer prize. It is very well written. The story takes you on quite a ride. The characters are all so captivating that you are engaged and committed to them. The book is long,but pulls you along  into a world that is very unsavory. The story follows a boy through adulthood.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CBDNYG3M091G?ASIN=0316055441	I really loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really loved this book!  The story line was intriguing, the character development was engrossing and the writing was excellent!  I look forward to reading some of her other work.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R278TEONPEV850?ASIN=0316055441	An acknowledgement : Timeless queries for our time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The questions our protagonist is asking, the reality of the story and the authors ability to voice this story so eloquently - this is - Art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTOM2ADUR1SNU?ASIN=0316055441	A joy to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A joy to read.  A little lengthy but i could not stop reading.  This is one book i will surely read again.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14FNXR1E1K8M8?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is wonderfully deep	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is very thought provoking and moving.  I found myself always waiting for the happy ending, wanting it for these characters.  The knowledge that often there is no happy ending, and also no clear line between good and bad, is profoundly delivered in this novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20DQ1QV7JFIXS?ASIN=0316055441	my head hurts, but in a good way	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Page turner.  The plot is hidden under a lot of mambo jumbo, kept me very interested in the twists and turns of Theos progress.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPVWYTHO3PRCT?ASIN=0316055441	long depressing book beware	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long  should have been two books. Main character obviously depressed.  Too much drug revery. Don't know why this won a Pulitzer</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE99ST0INK5NW?ASIN=0316055441	A book to make one wonder!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A complex, gravity-filled story that contains a journey of self-recognition and appreciation at its core, introducing the reader to vivid characters along the</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MA6XLZ8WUYLT?ASIN=0316055441	A Novel Like a True Love Affair: One This Good Doesn't Come Often	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the novel says everything there is to say about life in an unpredictable and very real way, I also deeply care about many of the characters, especially the protagonist Theo.<br/>In many ways the book is a page turner; in other ways it would stop me in my tracks. There is cause for serious reflection, surprise, delight, dismay and hopefulness.<br/>It hits me deeply and dramatically but also tenderly. Amazing work that reaches out to shake us and then hold us.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG1RWPA667RRA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T5UGLVP3U5L3?ASIN=0316055441	couldn't stop reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An epic book, so beautifully written.. Each page was filled with gems. The unfolding this boys life into manhood  was compelling and truthful. I loved the way it started with him as a man and looped back to his childhood. The storyline was also so interesting I had trouble,putting the book down even though it is a long book. Great book. Can see why it won the Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30L4OY59W5DJT?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the read for exceptional language alone	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""Love-hate"" relationship does not quite cover my feelings on this book. I can in no way relate to any of the characters in this book, except maybe a tourist on the street. If anything I can say I learned a lot about tragedy, circumstance and the large colorful words hidden deep inside the dictionary that everyone is afraid to use for fear of using incorrectly.<br/><br/>I'll begin with the story-line. Theo is the only reason I did not throw my kindle on the floor to destroy the book. Good thing Theo with all of his shortcomings, bad decisions and hope for the future was there to keep me from killing my favorite electronic device. I had to know what it was all for. Every heartache and bad decision, I had to know what became of him. Just when I thought things were looking up, BAM! -something horrible happens again. There were times I wanted to strangle some sense into him and other times I just wanted to hug him. So I finished the book, and painfully difficult as that was...I'm glad I did. It ended about as well as it could have without being totally fake and including a ""happily ever after"" ending we all know wasn't possible with this book. But like I said, it ended well. He finds himself, in a sense, and it is beautiful. I wish the last few pages could make up for the rest of the book, but it doesn't-and I'll tell you why...<br/><br/>Now for the second most important part of why this book made me cringe and skim a lot through the book. There are just too many words. I feel like this book could be written in half the pages. Description, description description...oh my goodness all the description!!! Beautiful description though, and that is why I gave this book 4 stars. Tartt has talent. I know I couldn't write a book like she has. Such deep thought and a beautiful combination of words at times you just have to stop and smile. I normally love to hate a book, but I definitely hate to love this one.<br/><br/>If you can't handle a lot of pages, this is NOT the book for you...<br/><br/>If love and sex is what you want in a story (Fifty Shades people), this is NOT for you...<br/><br/>If short, sweet and to the point is what you want, this is NOT the book for you...<br/><br/>but...<br/><br/>If you want a brutally honest novel about the imperfections of the human nature, this is the book for you...<br/><br/>If you want a story encapsulated in deep beautiful, well-thought out language of various backgrounds, this is the book for you...<br/><br/>If you want a story of struggle and perseverance, this IS the book for you...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2144WIREPGQAK?ASIN=0316055441	longest book I ever read. kept my interest	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It kept me wondering what was going to happen next. But it was really long but very interesting lots of drama</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IHDIY4DRUSZE?ASIN=0316055441	Thrilling in parts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am scared of prize winning books, because I believe only the judges will end up reading these books. With great trepidation started reading Goldfinch. Book is interesting except towards the end when the author gets into a philosophy lecture. I read fiction for enjoyment and not for receiving sermons. Book could be edited by a hundred pages and will be a taut read. Have given only three stars because of the above.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LUX65K76OOGN?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the best written books I have ever read! I would highly recommend it. The story is very good. I found the book hard to put down once I started reading it. I see why it won a Pulitzer Prize!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RGIZQ9SN12LV?ASIN=0316055441	Well written with fascinating detail.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing writing highlights this intriguing novel of growing up in anything but normal circumstances.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16K4P49MSDTM1?ASIN=0316055441	Fictive Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book certainly merits the Pulitzer Prize, and proved to be the best book I have read; it can certainly be considered a masterpiece. I hesitated due to its length, but was sorry when the book ended its 800 plus pages!  It is difficult to pick up another book and read, now, as it will not come up to the standards which Tartt has achieved!  Tartt has realized her ambition to be ""Dickens"" like, in that she claims his strategies as her instruction, citing him as a generous teacher in terms of tactics in narrative fiction. She adopts the viewpoint of a young boy growing up, and the entanglements with friends and adults along the way. The skill in the book, is that the moment the reader has the thread and thinks the plot or character's actions are clear, there is a twist in the road, in the bend, in the character, him or herself, and the reader is caught in expectation, about ""what will happen next!""  -- which makes such suspension  a real page turner.  I could not wait to return to the world in this book  each day and night.  Based mostly in New York City, --having lived in Manhattan for several years, and being endeared to the places described, as well as personality types, --the context  has a rich articulate resonance.  I felt attuned to people I came to know, and characters I ""knew"" from personal experience.  The Las Vegas portion was offputting before I read the book, but it functioned well, in the narrative to offset the father and mother's characters and experience and the impact of both parents and of their landscapes on our main character, who in recollection, I am ready to call ""Pip"" from ""Great Expectations"".  A youth introduced to vice, to crime, to sordidness, to betrayal in adults, to a friend, a Russian, whose heart is great  --  all have their own path and our protagonist has to wend and wind his way with them, through them.  It is a story of a boy turned youth turned young man who turns on himself, and when all happiness is within his grasp, it eludes him, due to the unstable forces pulling him away from any straight course.  Like the goldfinch, he is tethered and chained to a destiny he cannot seem to escape.  The narrative does not lapse into philosophical tracts nor is it moralistic nor does it allude to political issues of the times, though certainly it does treat economic survival, as  a theme. A most memorable work which rewards the reader for full attention to its author's creation.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QP2DYQM9ZJ9V?ASIN=0316055441	couldn't put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautiful, heart wrenching tale of life lessons learned, ignored and compromised woven around a love of art and an appreciation of fine craftsmanship.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14SABT2FY8HJM?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book! Gorgeous, 'make you feel like  you're there' writing, engaging, flawed  characters, and absorbing storyline.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21PKTZRTW4KXD?ASIN=0316055441	All about perspective	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like the perspective the narrative is written from as well as the perspectives of the story presented to the reader. I was not sure where this  story would go and found it rather anticlimactic, yet enjoyable. Took me a fee plane rides to get through, so it is certainly not a quick read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FPYJTJGWG84W?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was brilliant. A good, long, page-turning read, masterfully written. Highly recommend this book!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K1DOS700PH89?ASIN=0316055441	Master of the written word!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought provoking on every level.  A lot of dark passages but, redeemed by basically decent but tortured souls.  Regretted when the last word was read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9VS4M6XLUGN0?ASIN=0316055441	"This is a ""must read""!"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books that I've read in a long time. It is painful to read at times as Theo faces so many challenges and makes so many bad choices. The writer paints a very descriptive and amazing story that is hard to put down. The philosophical thought producing last chapter has universal application. One of those books that you can't wait to get to the end but when you do, you are sad that it is all over. This is a ""Must Read""!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RAYQUSI4SEL7?ASIN=0316055441	Terrorism, death, grief, childhood, art theft... It has it all.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A well written book that has several twists and turns. Truly provides a great window to see we never know much about people from looking at them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UD5YMM76H9R?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out a bit slow, but in time, text richly told,and in time, could not put the book down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33ID5N0F9URZA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story and writing were both 5 stars.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8LQK6R2LPE65?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. I loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYIB2WUZO2074?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent, excellent book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed this book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K2GYUHO3FNIL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This one was surprisingly wonderful</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IBMU0SNFCIXA?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were moments but I never fell in love with the characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F3WOC7P28UBB?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out well, then the story line dragged on towards the end...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H06BJXIH1QNJ?ASIN=0316055441	Love, Loss, and The Will to Survive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is one of the best stories I have read in a very long time, and I heartily recommend it.<br/>Unforgettable characters and settings all come together from the author's beautifully realized imagination.<br/>I love longer novels, and I was engrossed from the beginning, and reflective at its' end.<br/><br/>Thank you, Donna Tartt.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R167VA2YUL0DIF?ASIN=0316055441	utterly tragic and wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful read ,don't judge it or pick it apart just enjoy it for what it is, and if you don't care for it walk away and read something else. Authors like Donna Tarrt don't write for your opinion or your money they write for the love of the story.  Enjoy</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CVD5H0TVZDU7?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">About 200 pages too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WLV97DCCYF7C?ASIN=0316055441	It's very long and there is so much circling that ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's very long and there is so much circling that goes on that you have to read every word or you might miss something extremely important, that two pages or two chapters later, you're thinking how did I miss that?  It is well written and worth the read I just wish that I had read it in the winter when I was snowed in with nothing to do but curl up with a book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YN0F98ESV7XC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very well written.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VISOP7RZJMLO?ASIN=0316055441	best book I've read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love, loss, art, drugs, mystery. The novel is a great story narrated with exquisite details and a voice that understands people. I would highly recommend it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20AHRCD1BMTHY?ASIN=0316055441	Highly recommended!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I adored this book! It is quite long but so full of heart and soul that it is , to be cliche, very hard to put down and I was sad when it was over. It's a tory of a very young man who loses his mother at such a young age and their relationship was so special and unique that she stays with him throughout his entire life in so many ways.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14NRWFY54M2JG?ASIN=0316055441	This was a very engaging story that consumed me. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very engaging story that consumed me.  In spite of the fact that it was a long book filled with lots of introspection from the narrator's perspective, it was a captivating tale from start to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NEMGIPEGDZT9?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exquisite writing......content hard to read about.  Somewhat dark.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HOCSBPWKXFWW?ASIN=0316055441	To be honest I wasn't sure if I would like the book after the first few pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To be honest I wasn't sure if I would like the book after the first few pages, but it is a fantastic book. The characters are all so well developed, and the vivid descriptions of all the places and experiences that""Potter"" was apart of made me fell like I was right there with him.<br/><br/>Fantastic book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPNPH8YWSJP2Q?ASIN=0316055441	Accolade on the Ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't quite know how this received the Pulitzer but the last chapter or two was worth the prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ECJMK0J1O7TO?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the detailed life descriptions.  Wondered how the young author was able to research all the situations presented in the boy's life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ONA7EKNUAM9X?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exceptional. Couldn't put it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KZ5WLQZAQA1T?ASIN=0316055441	An exceptional read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reading into the wee hours of the morning, I could not put this book down. Fortunately, I downloaded it onto my Kindle so the sheer weight allowed me to carry it everywhere--and I did. The descriptions are so vivid, I could visualize each location, every article of clothing, each morsel of food; the characters and their relationships are magnificently drawn. It was only at the very end of the book--the last segment of the final chapter--when all the action had essentially ended, that I felt the narration became a bit long-winded and gratuitous.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31D3WK3KLBR39?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a very detailed book! Unfortunately, I feel that was its downfall. There were parts that were so drawn out and boring that I found myself skipping 10-20 pages without missing much of anything. While parts of the book were great and catching I found that, as a whole, it left a lot to be desired.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VDLB5M74CHB8?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a very long, depressing book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22RJTC0JTTVN1?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the book's characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the book's characters. Some of Andy's comments were really out loud funny!  However, I did find that the book dragged a bit during the Las Vegas portion.  Many of the descriptions (viz. the Met destruction scenes) were powerful  All in all -- I loved it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKWMRMWITI08P?ASIN=0316055441	Okay but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I expected more ...story is okay but I can pick it up or leave it which is not a good sign.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DT26QAUXK6I7?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Honest,brutal,beautiful,lovely wonderful story. I love the way the characters  came to life. I did not want their story to end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HYF4YXL9SYUR?ASIN=0316055441	The story started off with intrigue and human interest. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story started off with intrigue and human interest. I got about two thirds of the way through and dumped it. I could not read any more about drugs and self serving addictions. Too strange.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D8NV3O2739VF?ASIN=0316055441	Many rambling sections that were just boring. My book club read this book and for ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing story line. Characters who you don't care about. Way too long. Many rambling sections that were just boring. My book club read this book and for me it was a struggle. Don't know how or why it won Pulitzer Prize unless for length.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y2Y9J0CRIKYC?ASIN=0316055441	well written, disturbing reality	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">That should be 4 stars!<br/>An excellent, well written book, although longer than I like. The author grabbed me in the very beginning when she described a 13 year old's reaction to his mother's death. That was very real to me. I also particularly liked how she brought every character around at the end. What a sad life for the main character - but believable. Thank you, donna Tartt.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y23SM7M1IVE2?ASIN=0316055441	Great Author - great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt captures you from the very beginning and never lets you go.  The trials and tribulations are extreme, but that's only an afterthought, because in the moment it is truly believeable.  The phase construction was enough to make me re-read passages because I enjoyed the wording so very much.  Although the book is lengthy, I wished it had gone on forever.  It is one of the best books I've ever read and am now interested in reading her previous books.  Enjoy.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R3O6JLBH6KCO?ASIN=0316055441	A real page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a true page turner. It held my attention from beginning to end with a great story line and great characters. I didn't think a book written in the first person could be so encompassing but i can't imagine the story being told any other way. Well deserving of its Pullitzer Prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R334LNY1MRVO43?ASIN=0316055441	Satisfying	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The obsessive, addictive personality rarely makes complete  sense, so readers can justify the illogical and impulsive actions of Theo throughout his drug hazed journey.  The dense narrative, atmospheric detail and long philosophical discussions make this book an amazing experience.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R222VG9PIOKW19?ASIN=0316055441	As a book that enjoyed, I would rate it lower because of the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As  a piece of literature, I would rate it a 5 star.  As a book that enjoyed, I would rate it lower because of the human drama.  The pain and agony that  is derived from drugs and alcohol I found unsettling.  The tale was plausible. The human emotion was too real.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAP3MUKEGLDSJ?ASIN=0316055441	loved the book a page turner that keep you wondering ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved the book a page turner that keep you wondering where it was going next. great characters , story plot was a where is it, whats next.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTY4S3M3XMETE?ASIN=0316055441	Oren	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is captivating, but... Most of the threads are built in detail and then dropped as if there was a publisher-deadline. Too many characters end up dead, some variation after their roll is done? The philosophical long blabber at the end almost put me into comma. Nice story line very poorly executed. Overall a depressing experience</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z9MGWS9PQV9I?ASIN=0316055441	A prize ... Really	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ponderous, underwhelming. Read first few chapters then rapidly skipped to the end chapter. No way am I going to slog thru the middle.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TW3GQMAYETDE?ASIN=0316055441	intriguing and thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I lost myself enjoying the oddness, yet so much normalcy throughout, until the end...left me contemplating so much. Then ending left me hanging.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QMN7DHY2J5Z0?ASIN=0316055441	great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic. Well written, page turner. Deeply profound insight into the suffering and resurrection of a young man. Loved reading it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VYAM94VDGFPI?ASIN=0316055441	A great book a wonderful read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great<br/>Kept me going,And looking forward to getting back to his story. Characters that are fully formed instantly engaging you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM53UB9QPDUUS?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, but hard to read from the standpoint of behavior.  If nothing else, the painting will forever be in my mind's eye.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15YGRHPA8VFD7?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She's a beautiful writer.  I loved the story but sometimes there was way too much detail.  I felt like I skipped a lot of paragraphs because I was bored with all the information.  But I did love the story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AA39BRX2F0N2?ASIN=0316055441	A good read, but not the novel of the year.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I first started reading this book I was unsure if the narrator was a male or a female. I slowly came to understand that the narrator was male, although several times throughout the book I felt that the vocabulary and speech of the character were not in line with the character he was supposed to be. This small jarring detail caused me to be hyper-sensitive to the voices of the characters. Turns out that there are only two voices in the book - That of the narrator and that of the stylized foreign characters (who all seem to speak in broken Russian, regardless of their nationality).<br/><br/>That being said, the story is great. I really enjoyed reading it, but there were just several times when I was confused as to who was speaking.<br/><br/>One reviewer indicated that this novel seemed like several smaller novella's, and I cannot agree with this sentiment. In this aspect, Tartt has a deep and profound understanding of the human condition. Life is in odd chapters that seem completely disconnected until you see that the single connecting thread is that of your existence. Circumstances collapse in on themselves and you find yourself staring at a friend you thought you would never see again. It seems like a series of different stories, but that's how life is.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HDF9XOCGATOX?ASIN=0316055441	A Very Touching and Enjoyable Tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this to be such an interesting and enjoyable read.  Although it was quite long at nearly 800 pages, the story is fast paced, full of intrigue, drama and humor.  The author does a good job of drawing you into the story, and into Theo's world.  I found the characters to be well defined. Of course, some were more realistic and believable than others, but each had a valuable place in the story.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch is an insightful commentary on life and death, fate, our purpose, our relationships, but especially -- the purpose of beauty, its value and it's meaning in our lives.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2POGKZIX3WJ9O?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Last chapter way way too long. Just wanted it too end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R131VMIHPHQ42N?ASIN=0316055441	Best book ever written about nothing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best book ever written about nothing. Excellent writing, terrible plot or lack there of. Hundreds of pages are wasted on elaborate backstory with little or no bearing on the actual story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX2Q5MOM04CCR?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good book, but too long and too many things happening....</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V09V4CHEJYPJ?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the best book i've read in many years…grabs you immediately and never lets go. don't worry about length…you will never want it to end!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R105AG1604PEN6?ASIN=0316055441	A deeply stirring look at the overwhelming power of post-traumatic stress and the equal power of the effect of art.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read.  Theo Decker is a very well-developed character.  I believe his post traumatic stress could wreck the havoc with his life that it did.  He always seemed to be in a removed state--not realizing nor caring what was happening to him.  When he finally was overwhelmed with emotion after he killed the thief, he did FEEL, but he couldn't cope with this magnitude of physical and emotional ""over feeling.""  He just wanted to die.<br/>The book was very well written, though at times--particularly when he was experiencing his deep depression, pain, and hopelessness, I wondered if there could possibly be an expression for pain and suffering the author didn't use.<br/>  I miss the book and often think of Theo and The Goldfinch and the overwhelming power of art.  I would highly recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PN0YEZWGY9ED?ASIN=0316055441	great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I highly recommend this thought provoking book. It is very exciting and adventurist. I would recommend it for book clubs if it wasn't so long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKHF5UPI6MZFF?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Frankly I can't understand why this is a prize winner!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4RQ7JN7BIF9C?ASIN=0316055441	Not a great choice for Book Club.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was good but too long and wordy.  The ending was a bust as far as I was concerned, too.  Bad choice for Book Club.  Sorry ladies.....</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSPV83LXMBLV2?ASIN=0316055441	Spellbinding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book enchanted me. I literally couldn't put it down. I was the goldfinch chained to that perch, Donna Tartt's  captive, unable to tear my eyes away from the terrifying beauty of her love story...until I reached the end, when I found myself reading aloud, channeling Theo, and feeling relieved to transcend, for a moment, the world's endless struggle with hope and despair.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVSOH97EZFD1B?ASIN=0316055441	loquacious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful prose, with excessive descriptions. The drug scenes were personally offensive, and I suppose necessary. The good outweighed the bad. I quit half way through, but resumed it, and I'm glad I did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GN9MWRM8J7YP?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BLP33BUQ16WL?ASIN=0316055441	Another good novel from Amazon!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the book, I relate to some art in the same way.  The story was well written with interesting characters.  Its good to relax with at the beach or traveling with your Amazon Fire!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MY4N117IL8L9?ASIN=0316055441	Not a fan	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this book because of the overwhelming positive reviews, but to be honest I really didn't enjoy it at all. I found at least 85% of the book to be incredibly boring with no plot movement whatsoever. To the author's credit, her writing is beautiful. She definitely has a way with words, but unfortunately I felt like it was a bunch of beautiful words (and too many of them--the book ways way too long) that didn't lead anywhere.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R84ABYWQ1FTKI?ASIN=0316055441	don't waste your time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">what a scam---the pulitzer prize???<br/>for this boring, repetitious book?<br/>someone fooled somebody here!!<br/>by the end of the book, i could not even keep the characters straight</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13RIL5H88FQFN?ASIN=0316055441	Wow.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was amazing.  Took many turns and twists and I couldn't put it down.  It made me experience many emotions as I read it, full of depth.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV4D5UI63O9FT?ASIN=0316055441	the last few pages were priceless.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well worth the 775 pages. The last pages were the best ever! The most unusual expressions of all time. This book will mean different things to different people.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPG1ASWHNP531?ASIN=0316055441	The author did such a great job with details that it was like I was ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put this book down. The author did such a great job with details that it was like I was watching the movie play out. LOVE!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UMLYSL0ZUYI9?ASIN=0316055441	This complex and moving story left me with a great deal to think about	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This complex and moving story left me with a great deal to think about.  Myfavorite read of the year.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5CTMV5XS8UQ5?ASIN=0316055441	Bonding With the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great story by a great writer.  She sometimes drove me crazy with her detailed descriptions of almost every character<br/>that appeared and her eternal flashbacks. Nevertheless I throughly enjoyed it and found it difficult to put down.  I learned a lot about recreational drugs, furniture restoration, and paintings.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FIE1ZDZVAIZ6?ASIN=0316055441	A Terrific Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am loving this book.  There are many twists and turns and the reader is exposed to the art world, the world of antiques and the drug world along with many unsavory characters and some lovely good people too.  I am just about finished but I don't want it to end!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BA8QNKED5TKY?ASIN=0316055441	Way, way too long on the druggie scenes!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overly long and drawn out in several places, but a great story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R300QPIH6OZRAG?ASIN=0316055441	Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a long book. It was very different from the type of books I read. How interesting that the ending could give such a Good moral to the story. Sandy my favorite but a good change for me</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JJW33Z815HMZ?ASIN=0316055441	Almost captivating...if you skip alot of pages.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This started out grabbing my interest.  A plausible story line in this day and age, written with enough detail to find me comfortable with the main character.  At first, I appreciated the detailed thoughts and actions of Theo, curious as to how he would survive the trauma.  And then, we're in bizarro world, living with a family barely known to Theo and his mother, who suddenly welcome him with open arms?  Not likely.  As unlikely as the sudden appearance of his father, and the addict infested lifestyle we now are forced to read with disgusting detail.  Then we have to witness this I'm normal-I'm not normal ping pong existence, with excruciating details that could have been left out with no impact on the story line.<br/><br/>This could have been a great book, minus a few hundred pages of verbose thoughts that, in my opinion, could have been generated by the reader themselves through a more succinct writing style.  Not a waste of time to read, and I think it's worth reading.  But to me, an unsettling example of a prize awarded writing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OF7L1G3ZSI6L?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept me going , lots of side story drama but good, liked and hated the characters and the irony of their story and their lives</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHMN29URLHXXM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of my favorite all time books.  Loved it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWIC9ZN33URFF?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant writing! I thoroughly enjoyed this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant writing! I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Loved the characters. I haven't enjoyed reading a book this much in quite a while.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WGXTE58CO2SL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully crafted...I read the last few chapters as slowly as possible not wanting to leave.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MP61FIAZAAA0?ASIN=0316055441	90% great, 10% yawns	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the first 90% of this book.  But then it just...wouldn't...end.  It felt like the author had all these Big Ideas that she felt obligated to cram into the remaining 10%.  Wrap.  It.  Up.  Other than that, pretty entertaining book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN1ABBW2VVF2J?ASIN=0316055441	Long but worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you're looking for a quick read, this isn't it.  It's long..... .  However, it's well worth reading.  The characters are very well developed as is the story line.  I read quite a bit and enjoy mysteries etc. that are quicker reads.  The difference in the writing levels hit me almost immediately.  The descriptions, the voices of the characters are so much crisper and cleaner (I really came to like the characters).  Even if you don't have a good imagination, I'm sure this book will conjure up images of the places and people that Tartt is describing.  Definitely a read well worth your time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LNIPJGU0WPWT?ASIN=0316055441	Two books	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I feel like there were two books here. The first half reads so differently than the second. I was completely engulfed in the first half- Such rich characters and quick pace. I couldn't read it fast enough. The second half was more art history and dragged on. Disappointing ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A1CA4LN6UMP8?ASIN=0316055441	No gold at the end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story with lots of changes in direction. The ending was a disappointment.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R165STRLPHD5GV?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great read--thought provoking--couldn't put it down</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14B28OSJAKASQ?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed first half of book but really became bored in ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed first half of book but really became bored in the second half. Book just seemed to go on and on but if you are a patient reader excellent book. I just kept wanting to skip pages to find out what happened to the painting. Rather anti climatic</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WO9GRNORBLFS?ASIN=0316055441	THE BOOK BECAME TEDIOUS. I ACTUALLY WOULD HAVE GIVEN IT 31/2 STARS ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">ALTHOUGH VERY WELL WRITTEN, THE BOOK BECAME TEDIOUS.  I ACTUALLY WOULD HAVE GIVEN IT 31/2 STARS IF ELECTRONICALLY POSSIBLE, BECAUSE IT WAS SO IN NEED OF SKILLED EDITING.  THE PROSE IS ELEGANT AND THE CHARACTERS WELL DEVELOPED, BUT SOMETIMES LESS IS MORE.  I DO LOOK FORWARD TO MS TARTT'S NEXT OFFERING THAT WILL BE, HOPEFULLY, A BIT MORE STREAMLINED.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VQHX6YRKOFAQ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow start and ending dragged</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTCJ77BSM7LNK?ASIN=0316055441	A Good Summer Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a good LONG read. The author paints an intriguing portrait of a young boy who loses everything of meaning in his life in an instant...except the one thing he believes can keep the memory of his mother alive. His adventures and misadventures could have been told with tighter prose and would have shortened the book by a fourth. I didn't love the book, but I liked it well enough for a summer vacation read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U67PZ3DMKDZK?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Highly over rated.  The Emperor has no clothes!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31COIT4X3W7WU?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I DOM'T UNDERSTAND WHAT ALL THE FUSS IS ABOUT!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRRXYTRNG7F6P?ASIN=0316055441	best seller?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book started out well and captured my interest, but as the chapters went by became overly long and dragging.....best seller???!!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29IVAK471VC3U?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">O</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IL88IGK480D0?ASIN=0316055441	A must	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the most mesmerizing books I have ever read....one cannot put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O9GQONY3C2NW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can not put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WANYNBB323LJ?ASIN=0316055441	The book dragged out too much in places and I ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book dragged out too much in places and I found that I was skipping a lot of the pages just to finish the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SOYUGAIL2QKW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">LOVED this book. A long read, but engaging throughout.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q7X02VCV1CXG?ASIN=0316055441	Not a book to read only once	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I'm in no wise tempted to reread this at once, there us far too much to take in with just an initial reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AYKQKF6TN4FM?ASIN=0316055441	A Magic Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Masterful and brilliant, has has written an astonishing book that grips you and does not let go right through to the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L48Y3EYKV79W?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down once I got into it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FHGNRZQX98RQ?ASIN=0316055441	sad, funny	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I highlighted (clipped) more sections of this book than any book I've ever read.  Outstanding, disturbing, sad, funny, unforgettable characters, what else could I say that other reviewers haven't already mentioned.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UMQA4DOI1R09?ASIN=0316055441	I couldn't put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put it down.  The only reason I read it is because it won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.  It grabbed me immediately.  It is an epic.  There are basically sections, all very different.  With each section I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next.  I was especially fascinated by the section in Las Vegas.<br/>When I read the description of the book, I didn't really like the subject very much.  I just thought if it won the Pulitzer Prize, there must be something special about it.  It's a very different book and yes it is very special.<br/>My whole book group read it and I am looking forward to discussing it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T3C9E6JOSLTT?ASIN=0316055441	captivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully descriptive writing. It draws you in and sends you on unexpected tangents. I felt it a bit long, but wanting to see what would happen next.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM5OR2TF1YR8M?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBOQ5757LJK5H?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch was just OK.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long, well written, but the ending was not satisfying for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12A2F35AMFMIP?ASIN=0316055441	Took me a while to read this book, but it was so worth it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While friends who read the book likened it to crack, I.e. they couldn't put it down, I felt I almost had to walk away from it in the middle. After almost a month I went back and finished. If not the greatest explanation of the effect of art and beauty on the human soul, it certainly is the greatest in narrative that I've ever read. Whether it is Hobie and his furniture, Pippa and her music, Theo's mother and her art, specifically this painting, which she shares with her son, the story uncovers the human condition by revealing how the characters feel about objects or art, not in their significance or their preservation or loss, but in the personal meaning extracted from them. This book is an intense examination of tragedy and it's effects on a boy as he grows to manhood and how his experiences, particularly with this painting, allow him to evaluate his own life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SWPWSMS6244X?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed Donna Tartt's first two books so I was really looking forward to reading The Goldfinch. However I found it disappointing. I thought of quitting it several times but I forced myself to plow ahead, something in retrospect I regret doing.  I found the plot interesting, some of the characters likable and interesting, but on the whole, I think this book would have been better it it wasn't so long. At times It seemed to ramble on and on  and I found myself skimming pages, something I rarely do. I was expecting so much more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34GFJKIM51QN4?ASIN=0316055441	... of the reviews are very polarizing - I really loved this book and recommend it - also a great ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I realize that some of the reviews are very polarizing - I really loved this book and recommend it - also a great price for an award winning piece of fiction.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37PWHHFBCNKNV?ASIN=0316055441	good but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For book club, thank goodness I bought it for kindle, interesting life of a boy who lost his mother as preteen, comes up to a life of value with relationships along with art and all based on a small painting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G3LH8XVPMRX8?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story and characters, but way too long.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDE784TG9NEDS?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Twist and turn, the characters real and challenging, just when you think you know where the story is headed, an entirely new opportunity within the story. Thoughtful, so well written</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUGJ7GSFCRJ4A?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing novel!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTV24UDAXE9EX?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very intense novel</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LCF7S2G2GQQT?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">intense and for the most part beautifully written<br/>there were places where it drug on a bit</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R136S535PI31R7?ASIN=0316055441	I figured it would get better, but the best part was the first half	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a tough book to read; not sure what people see in it.  Very dark and long.  I kept reading.  Since it was so popular, I figured it would get better, but the best part was the first half.  It was darker and more difficult from there.  Unless you like reading about young teens drunk and on drugs turning into men, drunk and on drugs, leave this one on the shelf.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11DH0MSZF1JDF?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tedious</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E6G83RJEDXM1?ASIN=0316055441	For the birds	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I<br/>I found this book somewhat monotonous--the same poor decisions and mistakes took place all throughout the book. The characters did not learn from their different circumstances. There was definitely an unhappy ending. Found the plot moving very slowly.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22ZBKJC6ZCYNC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best book I have read recently.  Has a perfect ending!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X1W83DQFGMIY?ASIN=0316055441	In depth characters...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book.  The depth of the characters is outstanding and I can't to read more of this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW40LDXIYYK0B?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard to get through!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SDXRJTM5X3JY?ASIN=0316055441	excelent presentation of characters and their struggles with loss	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excelent presentation of characters and their struggles with loss. great research on the dynamics of addiction. a bit ""didactic"" towards the end, as if the author wanted to leave us with a lesson about life.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DQ4LUN7P482L?ASIN=0316055441	very depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did finish this long book only because I kept thinking it would finally be uplifting.  It was not.  Very very dark.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBE87WP0QQC8E?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow at first but very good book. Very exciting</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GTUJRXLNWFYC?ASIN=0316055441	Sections of it displayed brilliant writing and details with sharp visual images	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a remarkable storyteller; the novel was suspenseful, intriguing, and filled with fascinating characters.  Sections of it displayed brilliant writing and details with sharp visual images.  However, I felt the novel was over long, somewhat cliched in places, and could have used more editing.  I would recommend it as a great read.  Suzanne B., psychologist</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W7W0MW4C96S7?ASIN=0316055441	An incredible journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an incredible book! Catcher in the Rye as a philosophical treatise on art and beauty. The characters are real and complex, the journey is compelling.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31JND9U9R3U63?ASIN=0316055441	The book was well written. However, the story ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was well written.  However, the story could have been told in fewer pages.  I felt the story of Boris was somewhat unbelievable. With as many drugs as the characters had taken they should have been dead.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJVD0K2F25HP2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous enjoyed all the book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R389LTDDMJBXCN?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">slowread</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K2TK7DGOKN2X?ASIN=0316055441	fabulous...and so delicious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thee language deserves to be rolled over and over again on the tongue...and her character development is fascinating! A true novel to be studied and shared.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10GEUSY25QXS5?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful artistic description	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gripping story with emotional draw, wonderful artistic description, and fantastic allegorical feeling.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DDNK79JSFK13?ASIN=0316055441	Artfilled suspense.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought the audio &amp; book combo. Walking and listening totally emerged me in this beautiful mixture of words, art and grief. The audio presenter was tremendous with the accent for Boris and other characters. In between the poignant words I was on the edge of my seat, with the constant introduction of many twists that kept Theo in a constant state of unrest.<br/><br/>The author was very knowledgeable of art, furniture restoration and cleverly did not provide any pat ending or easy answers for Theo.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BBGR4CFZ0DX5?ASIN=0316055441	Terrific read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch draws you into museums, teenage angst, loss ,love and possible redemption.  Great boo, one that will remain with you for years.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TE8RDKNI9G0H?ASIN=0316055441	While it was well written, it went on and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While it was well written, it went on and on and on.  at least half of the story was not needed</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP087ZR8LSMUW?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't get this writer's ""darling of the publishing world"" status!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25AQMCPWJN2LK?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much time in develop the story,</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HMZT2O06M3ID?ASIN=0316055441	Fun Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed reading this novel. It kept my interest, and I found myself wanting to get back to it to see what would happen next.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YA103LB9V9S1?ASIN=0316055441	Thoughtful Summer Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read. Well developed characters within an intriguing set of sub plots revolving around family, art, privilege, loss and human choice.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17RA13EF3DHN3?ASIN=0316055441	There is a sad overtone to the life of a boy who has ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was not the kind of book that I usually read, but did so because it had won the Pulitzer Prize. I can see why it did. It is very richly written and will speak particularly to people who have experience living in New York City. Overall, it kept.my interest and I read along steadily, but I wouldn't say that I was enthralled.  There is a sad overtone to the life of a boy who has experienced considerable trauma and his coming-of-age in the context of drug usage.  Worth a read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP0IJUIRIPWKQ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch: a novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Cannot put this story down! Good reading!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20UDX1QJYSXJV?ASIN=0316055441	Three parts to it: Tragedy, grief/self-medication and developing ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Three parts to it:  Tragedy, grief/self-medication and developing enlightment.  Beauty (and the responsibility for safeguarding it and its redemptive power) is the connecting thread.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37BC5A4XQ12NR?ASIN=0316055441	Rich, Engaging Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great story that takes you in and leads you on a wild ride. Rich characters and deeprealtionships that keep you engaged throughout.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X8YB7GCY5XMR?ASIN=0316055441	A Gift	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a true masterpiece. I did not want it to end. A non-fiction to many I am sure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWO4S2OAVMNKD?ASIN=0316055441	A must read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the best book I've read in some time. The writing is very good. The characters will be missed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWV96TDA4MOV2?ASIN=0316055441	Buy it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was engrossed in this from the beginning to the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O8HDNMND426M?ASIN=0316055441	Mediocre reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long read (I think it's about 800 pages).  The book kept my interest at times but I had a struggle getting through it to the end.  If you have time to read a long book, I'd say put this one in the middle of your list.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DWPCUX7GRYRB?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like many reviewers have stated, it started off strong but I had to push myself to get through Vegas. Good writing overall and strong character development (took it from 2-3 stars for me). Had trouble loving any character. Felt little payoff for investing so much time in story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14ZSBF2MZXKB5?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard to stay with this one. Keep trying to finish the read, but put aside often.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ABR6EZUATWDI?ASIN=0316055441	Well written, intriguing story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't finished the book yet, but I will. My interest is building as the story unfolds. It is rich in detail and character development.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LQ17ZVREFTH3?ASIN=0316055441	a lot of work to read, but worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well-written.<br/>  Liked Hobie best. Felt most sorry for Mrs. Barbour. Enjoyed Popckik. The suspense of the first part of the book amounted to a wait fir the next downturn. Would not have been worth the time if it wasn't so well-written.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RISBZVVVFPPQY?ASIN=0316055441	meh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wordy self Conscious with an overly descriptive occasionally believable narrative voice and a good story<br/>Glad to see how it ended but glad it's over</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TJW07HFED91P?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hope you may be as enchanted by this glorious story as I was. These characters are fully fleshed and the drama is captivating. This is truly a master work which will stay vividly in my memory.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYFH78XS9Y2DQ?ASIN=0316055441	Title is misleading though it drives the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book! It had such an amazing, sensitive story line that helped me know why I love art, paintings in particular because they CAN grow on you in such a way they never ever leave you1  The writing was excellent as well, a good balance of internal character reflection and voice with interesting real events, plot and characters. A book to grow with while you read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R233V4MOD0G6CV?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the characters and found the story engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the characters and found the story engaging. While perhaps not a good fit for the Pulitzer, I found the story intriguing and timely and the main characters believable. Without giving the plot away, I felt good about the Goldfinch's outcome.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HZJ0C9RDL69C?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HTZT7O270LPA?ASIN=0316055441	brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved that I believed this voice. Her writing is impeccable. The only I disliked about the book is that I had to keep re-reading whole paragraphs, just so I could savor each well written word again! Bravo!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R168JSUTIU5EJS?ASIN=0316055441	Free the Bird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is very well written, as one would expect for a Pulitzer Prize winner. That's the only reason it gets three stars. However, I found the main character one of the most annoying and self-pitying people I have ever encountered on the pages (digital in my case) of a book.<br/><br/>I could have done without 90% of the drunken, stoned teenager scenes and without 90% of the self-pitying ""No one has suffered as much as I have"" scenes. As I read on, determined to finish the book, I remembered a memoir entitled ""Tweak"" written by a young  junkie, a guy who showed much more awareness of his responsibility for his addiction than the protagonist of this book. As a result, I felt much more compassion for his situation.<br/><br/>The final 20 pages were beyond me. I guess it was supposed to be a philosophy of life, but it was unbelievably sophomoric. And, no, I will not be looking for this author's next novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DEJ8ZWPF2O4N?ASIN=0316055441	Best book of the year.....decade even	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The most satisfying and engrossing book I have read in a long while. Amazingly drawn characters and a ripper plot. I've never annotated a book before but I found I couldn't help marking up exquisite passages of prose that I wanted to remember.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XCSUE00IA0V1?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While she writes well, it bogs down in the infinite details.  Half of the drugs and drinking would be plenty.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REA3G09LPBO8T?ASIN=0316055441	Flying through life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms. Tartt has written a story no one should read without appropriate and thoughtful stops along the way. In its humanity and honesty this journey is filled with immense compassion, tension and dignity.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N3670VGW3T2P?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZURWVONHGJ1W?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">absolutely love it !!!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8JHBWBJDZU0G?ASIN=0316055441	I found it boring and very slow moving	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For a Pulitzer Prize winning book, I found it boring and very slow moving.  In fact, I still  haven't finished it yet and if it weren't so close to being completed, I would get rid of it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KDY9WDVPK2HL?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyable to live in this book for a few weeks	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's always a good sign when you're sorry when a book ends, especially at 775 pages! I recommended this book to friends for the beauty of the prose.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OJAAPKNM5O8Z?ASIN=0316055441	The language was difficult and I thought the drugs would ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The language was difficult and I thought the drugs would never end, and they didn't, but then I was thankful for the exposure to a different culture that is a reality to some.  Very darki.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6POMOJKRLSPT?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She deserved her Puitzer!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1282MESVY5V8S?ASIN=0316055441	Not really about birds	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although very well written, highly descriptive, Donna Tart makes you feel like you are right there sharing the experiences of her characters.  She elicits a heartfelt response from the reader-please help these people.  There are strong messages ringing throughout, but I did not like the ""aftertaste"".  It took the wind from my soul.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21FHH868RBQMY?ASIN=0316055441	in fact I didn't like them and I couldn't wait to finish the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm probably the only one that's read this that feels this way.  I could not relate to the characters at all, in fact I didn't like them and I couldn't wait to finish the book.  I had to force myself to read it since it was my book club's selection.  I honestly don't understand all the praise it's garnered.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ1YHAF398VBL?ASIN=0316055441	ALL LIFE IS FOLLY	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo talks about life much the same way that King Soloman did when he said that LIFE was futile.  A conclusion, though it is not a new thought, that great minds from centuries apart both came to.  It is an excellent story,well told, a very good read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7ZU94J2Z21Y5?ASIN=0316055441	Picture perfect	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent story line...understand why she won the Pulitzer!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LBS3B7NWANMZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great Book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R8ZC3VFDGHOH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books i read recently</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22YAKACBIS1WJ?ASIN=0316055441	This was my favorite book of the summer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was my favorite book of the summer!  I am an artist so the art information was most interesting but the story has so many facets that while I was being intertained , I was also learning</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R109JDGBVMCC9P?ASIN=0316055441	Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book. A bit hard to read in some areas. The main character was developed well and one could feel his distress.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DDIQJ24WS7DE?ASIN=0316055441	Superbly written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Clear reason why Tartt is a Pulitzer Prize winner. The prose is beautiful even though some of the run-on sentences are irritating (some over 150 words in length). The story is both entertains and profoundly complex. Some characters are developed quite well while others not so. There is more repetition that seems necessary and the book would be better, in my opinion, if about one-fifth the length.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GV9LFHNBQMV4?ASIN=0316055441	Personally affecting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very engaging and I could identify with  most of the  characters.  exciting to read and morally  strong.<br/>I do think the last 100 pages in Europe  could have been omitted.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14GZ56N6TXWQA?ASIN=0316055441	A winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit slow, or seemingly repetitive in parts, but an interesting many layered story about loss, guilt, responsibility, loyalty and love, woven together with absolutely beautiful evocative writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HZIYWQGFRP4Q?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting, very human story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EQMJ8CLZYR9W?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt falls short of expectations for this reader.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot kept me interested and there was excellent character developent, but I tired of descriptions, the repeated listing of scene setting details. I felt her editor should have had a more assertive pen. I was disappointed. I liked her previous 2 novels much more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PXPDD7YJNZDX?ASIN=0316055441	She writes beautifully but i'm not interested in reading about the seedy ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too dark for me.<br/>She writes beautifully but i'm not interested in reading about the seedy side of life.<br/>I will try another one of her books,</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VN07R4WT3GE6?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was about 400 pages to long!  What a convoluted mess!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZVY03Z8BK1XI?ASIN=0316055441	Too long and drawn out.  Disappointed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was just okay.  I felt that it was too long and drawn out.  I had better expectations of the book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R331XAPS64H8PK?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A marvelous story a d writing. I feel like I knew every character and location and feeling of everything going on....as long as iit was I didn't want it to end.  Bravo!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUYG9HRD5LF51?ASIN=0316055441	affecting but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">overwritten in my opinion, though very expressive and honest -- I didn't like Theo very much, but loved Hobie and especially Boris</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38CTZ25INAX3Y?ASIN=0316055441	Best read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, captivating language. It took me to a place I didn't expect to go, but am undeniably enchanted and grateful to have been taken there.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHRFTRF60JOMZ?ASIN=0316055441	Would I read it again?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Difficult to write a review because of multiple sections.  The first part, dealing with the death of his mother and placement in homes, was excellent.  The second section dealing with life in Las Vegas was okay.  I got a little tired of the drug ""episodes"".  The ending seem to go on and on and on.  His time in the art world was almost a stream of consciousness!  With all the hype, I was expecting more.  Tartt's writing style in parts was exemplary.  Also, this book has parts that were remenisicent of GREAT EXPECTATIONS and CATCHER IN THE RYE.  I honestly can't say I liked it, but I kept reading it.  However, it was NOT an ""I gotta keep reading this"". It took a long time to read the 700+ pages.  I guess I can say I have read another Pulitzer Prize for Fiction; that's about it! Like some other PPF, I would not read it again!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REI5COU9YN024?ASIN=0316055441	If you are like me, it is not until the end that ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">However strange it may appear as you read this book, it is a book to be savored.  If you are like me, it is not until the end that you really understand why Donna Tartt wrote The Goldfinch.  I can understand as well, why so many folks are wanting to see either the original or a copy after finishing the book, especially if you are a lover of art.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36E5M31PBV6QI?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderfully detailed. I felt as though I knew the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully detailed.  I felt as though I knew the characters.  I wood recommend this book and will read other. Books by Donna Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCYG0NZOT7SJO?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderful charter development	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful charter development. Each sentence was a word picture The technical detILS  were amazing. Bravo Zulu to the author. Thank you fro a good read!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P0G10CA96J73?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent, thoughtful reading  experience.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQVHSJ3O39F95?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing. Very creative. Too long but I did keep reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZM79YM0TFFY3?ASIN=0316055441	Rich, mesmerizing .	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The depth and range of experiences that drew me to thoughts I had not had.  Exactly what an excellent book does</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GE9JL57LH1C4?ASIN=0316055441	This was a great story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a great story! .  Have not read this good a story in a very, very long time.  Donna Tartt is a real craftswoman.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14QEURN4CHOHX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, so different yet so good.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JOVY2VOG6KIF?ASIN=0316055441	Sort of like the protagonist	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Through all those philosophical agonies, there is just one line that stood out and that is when the young girl first saw the painting and remarked that that is as far as he will fly for his whole life. Sort of like the protagonist.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32XFSHGAONW0?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's one of those books that grabs you from the start and pulls you along to the finish.  I love it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R336O8ZPL20VNX?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliantly written......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant, hard to read at times due to characters being so intense. .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6GB28H9DJZVN?ASIN=0316055441	"Great book. Didn't need to be 725 pages long"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book.  Didn't  need to be 725 pages long""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R523B14H093UY?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long. Too wordy. The first third of the book held my attention. After reading for awhile, I just wanted to say get on with it. I finally gave up and deleted it. I really wanted to like this book, but the plot just didn't hold my attention.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J6378G9XKB0K?ASIN=0316055441	Good story line	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting at points. Good story line, but I found my self speed reading thru 1/2 the book, so it wasn't fully absorbing. Not the masterpiece I expected, but a good read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R55UIGJ8ALOSL?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Totally absorbing!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ON96FT9J74ZO?ASIN=0316055441	Her descriptions leave no doubt for what is transpiring.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is no  small  wonder why Donna Tartt  Came up  with a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.<br/>Her descriptions leave no doubt for what is about to transpire.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H84L85HNEJBU?ASIN=0316055441	Another great read by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I waited a long time for this book &amp; was not disappointed. I love this author. Anguished, hurling, pelting subject matter that equally haunts &amp; inspires. Unforgettable, vivid characters. Typical Donna Tartt.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP9G6RHDF27RV?ASIN=0316055441	Good book...maybe just a bit too long....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The storyline was very good but the author just didn't seem to know when to stop writing.  I think this book could have had about 20% edited out and still would have been a great book.  Still, I recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP5MUDGC3W24E?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent writing, kept me captivated and surprised	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent writing, kept me captivated and surprised. Did not like the ending, kind of a let down after all the twists and turns and powerful storyline.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JUOW6L6F5RIQ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but way too long</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KUUC9DR2XXLB?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging. A bit gruelling in parts.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging.  A bit gruelling in parts.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6QP4UOSUV1R7?ASIN=0316055441	gracefully thrilling story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had no problem picking this book up and diving back into the story during life's inevitable interruptions.  Smoothly crafted, the text lead me through the story while allowing me to absorb the reality being described. Moment to moment, the seven hundred pages flew by. Amazing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E2RO8NTNDVMT?ASIN=0316055441	Much too much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good read. Above me at times and most others beneath me. A life among privileged lives and lived in despair. But informative and entertaining and very well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ADTXXWD13SGR?ASIN=0316055441	too wordy...too long...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was involved in the story in the beginning but as the story progressed into Las Vegas and beyond, I became disinterested. The ending was especially long and drawn out. The author likes to hear his own voice I suspect.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZH89GGHB5BZA?ASIN=0316055441	Lost in wordiness	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book started out with such a bang and then repeatedly got stuck in long areas of depression and philosophic about how awful life is, which it is if your answer is taking drugs and being so SELF absorbed. Decker did have a really rough experience and that is legitimate ,but the negativity went on and on. Just too much.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R100VJOYTT5IME?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book, kept me reading even though quite long. Story unfolds well and characters are very believeable. Some of the sections seemed a bit long and repetitive (eg Las Vegas time) but overall a great read. Highly recommended</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RENHRH3BZTVZR?ASIN=0316055441	This book should have been half the size it was ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book should have been half the size it was. The book was all fluff it went into far to much detail describing ever event and scene in the book. If the book were simplified it might be interesting as is it's just long and drawn out.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28OMBADOAT19Z?ASIN=0316055441	not sure I liked it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't like the character, didn't like the preaching at the end. However the writing is compelling, descriptive. I did like the images and thread of the bird.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36YT1U9ULC6RV?ASIN=0316055441	Hauntingly, heartbreakingly beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's not often a book comes along that I cannot get out of my mind, day or night. This story will stay with me for a long, long while. And I'm grateful for it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF57RFUQXHTRY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">LOVED it!!!<br/>Can't wait for her next book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FOXE0MPVNNT1?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, but, towards the end, too long..there is enough  material for two books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32RBH4W3XOZ0C?ASIN=0316055441	Absorbing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Truly enjoyed this book &amp; following all of the characters through their different life phases. Well written &amp; a unique story</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XS0NRXPQZ7DH?ASIN=0316055441	Very Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book. Tried it once and couldn't get into it. Tried it again and kept reading.<br/>A good story about a young mans life and struggles. His obsession with a painting and<br/>a young woman. Very good.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J3SHZPOKL680?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful book.  Can't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RWXPWTDWRFSP?ASIN=0316055441	"A ""Take Me Away Calgon"" Page Turner"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very different type of suspense novel that makes the reader fall in love with  and forgive the characters in spite of their flaws.  It is one of those books that is on the reader's mind, even when forced to put it down to do other things and, eventually, it wins and other chores are put aside to continue on the action-packed journey of this colorful tale.  Definitely worth the read.  One that comes to mind when asked for a recommended book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q48NSHP0N1JK?ASIN=0316055441	It is a big, wonderful, loooooooong book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would have given it 5 but it was a bit long so off-putting to some people. The end was not as satisfactory as the first 750 pages...but I read to the end and was glad to do so. You will have favorite characters. It is not an easy read - but it is engrossing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VCS65S8SPV3X?ASIN=0316055441	I felt like the end left us up in the air a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read this on the bus of a long trip. I could not wait to get back and see what the main character would do next.  I felt like the end left us up in the air a bit, but then he did not know what was coming next for him either. Great characterization. Liked the family who took him in, the older guy that he went into business with and of course Pippa.  I liked the setting and the resilience of the main character.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R383AEY0P8435X?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The rare ""I cannot put it down,"" but with substance.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KO817RRVBFII?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSYE1JHLUQOC5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful coming of age book in the tradition of Catcher in the Rye</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MYYLQT452T56?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Please delete from my list because I don't see how to do it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SML9ZJ8GEBSA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gripping!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB4RV53FMD8XK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R257CO6LUB5KIP?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful, complex story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BFWEPG3AHHXN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3860T6DPT8366?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the moment I started reading this story, I couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NE6MXZD8OJA9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The goldfinch was a wild ride and so engrossing I couldn't stop reading it!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWC3C4N8HWF6Y?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved loved this book!  Didn't love the ending and it was a tad long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BLS2ZNJ1GHIO?ASIN=0316055441	Great, well thought out story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great ,well thought out story, with lots of twists and turns to keep your interest.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXL10NCDOXPCS?ASIN=0316055441	Adventuresome reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A true written word masterpiece.The content draws you continiously thru the book. You cant wait to follow further into the physical life of the Goldfinch.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N0FKIDLF2AVJ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book and the writing....Just a little too long and somewhat tiring toward the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BQ5QFSL984B2?ASIN=0316055441	Very gripping story; had me from the start. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very gripping story; had me from the start.  I thought the very end dragged on a bit, but I read every word.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q3OA1UIODOMY?ASIN=0316055441	Must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've ever read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25UGGHVDNAUYX?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful story, not crazy about the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful story, disappointing ending</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14AOAULA9EA98?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize is so well deserved!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating story.  So glad I finally found the time to read it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LYLCSJ6WMKZY?ASIN=0316055441	A New Author for Me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written but gets a little bogged down toward the end. I have ordered two other books by Tartt and will be eager to enjoy what she tackles in them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1800TQVPBQ61H?ASIN=0316055441	An Awesome Read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome. And some.<br/>I had not read any of Donna Tartt's works before, but will certainly read the earlier novels now.<br/>This was a book I really didn't want to put down but my life was busy with other things and I really had to attend to those other tasks. However when I eventually approached the end, I found I wanted to know what would happen but at the same time I did not want to finish it.<br/>My best read in a long time.<br/>Chris W</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A7SSJ3GOMRR1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I4J22A9UTZLB?ASIN=0316055441	Very Entertaining	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A  lengthy book, but one that generally keeps on moving with a fascinating plot.  The author tells a great story with believable characters and wonderful place descriptions.  New Yorkers will particularly appreciate this latter trait.  Ms. Tartt is a fine writer who does not speak down to her readers.  Our book club chose this novel as its summer read.  It was a good choice.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QT5XBMN245S?ASIN=0316055441	well- deserving of the Pulitzer Prize	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Her use of the language is extraordinary, and her characters, although for the most part, not very admirable, are made understandable, and even sympathetic by her ability to bring you into their lives</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IAAESFYCNS3D?ASIN=0316055441	The characters grew on me and I came to love them, in spite of their spectacular flaws	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a difficult book to read -- the author is apparently a ""literary genius"" -- it was work to pick the meat and heart of the story out of so much detail. But the characters grew on me and I came to love them, in spite of their spectacular flaws, weaknesses and terrible decisions. Even in twisted, desolate circumstances, terrible loss and wounded relationships there was a thread of deep love, hope and even providence throughout.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NZC7IGM4028G?ASIN=0316055441	Stunning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an absorbing, amazing story... What an author. It left me breathless. Donna Tartt will long be rightly known and admired.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UHGCNXNXO4TV?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great novel.. at the beginning I wondered why all the hype but wow does it pull in: a good way. The story weaves the consequences of ones actions at any age and the lingering effects through out their lives. The story pulls no puches everything doesnt  turn out like a Hollywood movie its raw and real. Its also now inexpensive to download on kindle</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V361P244YV6R?ASIN=0316055441	Well-written and thought-provoking!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written.  Very dark, brings up interesting theories about life, death, why we are here. As with Tartt's first book, the ending is not satisfactory for such a great book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y62UTZTRKBZC?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is not the best book I ever read.  How can all the characters be so weird.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KH8EJU75Q7C4?ASIN=0316055441	A long book..a short read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was surprised as I began reading The Goldfinch, that a female author could write so convincingly in the male voice.  I decided not to  read the booklist synopsis or jacket cover as I assumed that a Pulitzer Prize winning novel would be worth the 'read' regardless of the subject matter.  While The Goldfinch followed a rather dark and depressing road, I still found that I could sympathize with the somewhat amoral protagonist.  I continued to root for Theo even though his actions did not follow what is conventionally thought of as good or perhaps even sane. By the end of the book, I found myself speaking in the Eastern European vernacular that helped create the character of Boris, 'no'? His world view added an interesting dimension of freedom and wildness to Theo's rather constricted view of life.  Although I felt that the ending could have been stronger, Tartt did convey her (or her character's) life's philosophy quite convincingly.  I found that while the book was long, it was easy to read due to the ever changing action in the story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UWIS1FMY9KZX?ASIN=0316055441	Great book. I would recommend it to everyone	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book.  I would recommend it to everyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXPMBU1AGRX9J?ASIN=0316055441	Great story line	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story line, but somewhat drawn out.  I don't think we needed to know what was for dinner!  The ending was very predictable, too.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R299KW14MVHSUP?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an amazing read.  There is never a dull page.  You think you have things figured out and the shift again taking the reader with them and believing it.  Recommend to any one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P0VBMDC1752M?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a fantastic book that contains one of the best passages of ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a fantastic book that contains one of the best passages of writing I have ever read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUBWE74LYI117?ASIN=0316055441	A Modern Classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What can I say that has not already been said?  It is a fascinating book that is hard to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QVFGUC61742C?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book!! A real page turner!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22MEYGK4U33YF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZTVY5UJQB98C?ASIN=0316055441	one disappointment after another	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is interesting in that it has no ""hero"" that you root for, one disappointment after another.  A dense and repetitive book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PLGM407GEWNK?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story, good plot, but weighed down with pages and pages of adjectives and adverbs. Real action begins to pick up about 75% through. Protagonist is rather dull, but his pal really is an exciting character. Can't believe it won a Pulitzer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUOJ8RCLQWILA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent writing, compelling, interesting, unpredictable.  Couldn't put it down!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8E6JV5KBSR99?ASIN=0316055441	Did not grab my attention quickly	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Haven't quite finished yet, but was very slow at beginning and also when he's in Las Vegas.  Seems to get in a rut with behaviors such as continually checking out with friend Boris, vodka and cigarettes.  So far I haven't seen Pulitzer material, but maybe by the end.........</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IG2UKGRC8J2Y?ASIN=0316055441	but was a pretty good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Different then what I usually read , but was a pretty good book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S9IQTMOACACH?ASIN=0316055441	I am a mom of young children without much time ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am a mom of young children without much time to read, but I have managed to find time to read this book!  That means it is worth my own time!  Very interesting and many twists and turns.  A bit long...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PGNEQP4HP521?ASIN=0316055441	Sometimes the writing was insightful and almost poetic. At ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sometimes the writing was insightful and almost poetic.  At other times it seemed pedantic and too loaded with images that alone would have been more effective.  The story was powerful and way beyond believable in places.  I am not sure I would read anything else by this author.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y02H2CSUC3OY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good read</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WWDF7LSNJGRR?ASIN=0316055441	overall I enjoyed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were ups and downs in this book, but, overall I enjoyed it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ACHEP21AKQZR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Deserves prizes.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV464MC0KK0B9?ASIN=0316055441	Recommend This Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept me reading start to finish.  A number of ""missing pieces"" and plot implausibilities  in the book that kept me wondering, but thought overall this was a wonderful read, with vivid characters, and thoughtfulness about the big questions in life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XKUSML89CGKM?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story line but too many runon sentences and way too long.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1THYAXX9NQTJ3?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An intriguing storyline with twists and turns but not written at the level of a Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VB9O6IXBACIH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A mysterious, and intriguing novel all the way through.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MYTRT4G37G2Y?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful book with too lingering a time in drug use land.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this book very much, but grew a little weary of the escalating drug use. I wanted him to be the hero I saw him as from the beginning. However, most of my issues were resolved by the closing of this amazing story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TAGW1BTIPNNB?ASIN=0316055441	Thought-Provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very thought-provoking book. The book is a fast read, considering it is a long book because it flows well and has a great plot. I also appreciated the underlying themes; it really got me thinking!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H27DFM0VOHTH?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">interesting story but so long winded and rambling that you want to pull your hair out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11DTN3H8H7BTE?ASIN=0316055441	Several of our members didn't like The Goldfinch at all	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this book for our women's book club. Several of our members didn't like The Goldfinch at all, but I liked it a lot. A Vanity Fair article featured a number of ""critics"" who panned the book. These experts said that the book was poorly conceived and written, and that it does not deserve the acclaim and popularity it has received.<br/><br/>I disagree.  I was engaged in the book and it's characters from the start. When some of our club echoed the poorly written trope, I kept asking for specific examples of poor writing.  I did not receive a single example. I settled on the conclusion that some didn't like the book because the protagonist was not a completely snow-white character. For example, they disapproved of his drug use, shady business dealings, and casual sexual mores.  I found those traits to make the character more interesting than less so.<br/><br/>Acclaim and popularity are what they are. No critic can fairly claim them ""undeserved"".</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M29EXU8V6RU9?ASIN=0316055441	Too long. Too much drugs.. maybe it ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long. Too much drugs..maybe it is the real world.<br/>The book wasj ust ok. Would not reccomment. I am a big reader, but this book was not my type of tea.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E8IVJZE6P34B?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just couldn't put this book down. Just one surprise twist after another.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V0DWG7ROX0HX?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read.  Kept me captivated page after page.  Highly recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GGXR5RH3JVA3?ASIN=0316055441	I really tried to like this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really tried to like this book.  However, the author got so bogged down in details that were not essential to the plot, that I just got bored.  Frankly, I only read half of it and read the ending on Wikipedia.  Could have been great had the author stuck to was was needed for the story and edited out the unimportant details.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RPSTMMMDZKLU?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept me wanting to read more.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XP5IG9635AA7?ASIN=0316055441	What a Writer!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've ever read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JMIUFY9MN9TJ?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappointed.................</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S7X04LXAT9K8?ASIN=0316055441	Terrific	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, painful but absorbing,I appreciated this book in a way I haven't (enjoyed is the wrong word) in a long time.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18CQYLANNZRSD?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrific story. Beautifully written. Rich characters.  A little too wordy; could have been shorter without sacrificing the other elements.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XW5Y7REE6J14?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed it thouroughlly	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disturbing and splendidly written, I enjoyed it thouroughlly</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25VFVHXA48PML?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5NZ8B79KZKLQ?ASIN=0316055441	I really enjoyed the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this was an incredible read.I really enjoyed the story.It held my attention thrughout</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GIOKK0KY5G5B?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written and enjoyable book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XQ8K5MKPHBAN?ASIN=0316055441	Not Pulitzer material in my opinion.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some engaging characters. Others just plain irritating. Especially towards the end, the narrative gets bogged down in a lot of literary posturing which Ms Tartt no doubt learned in her MFA course in creative writing. I felt like screaming ""get on with the story!"" Worth the read if only to find out the final resolution of an story spanning more than a decade</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SBKZVQ0QETK0?ASIN=0316055441	5	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">makes one think about life as a call<br/><br/>a<br/><br/> makes one think about things that come touring<br/>your away.<br/><br/>makes</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39FAQB0H0UXCY?ASIN=0316055441	This was wonderfully engaging and ultimately thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Spectacular!!  I will probably read it again and I rarely ""reread""  books.  This was wonderfully engaging and ultimately thought provoking.. Absolutely loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19XQWTVS07UHW?ASIN=0316055441	anticlimactic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I kept waiting for something else to happen and it never did.  I kept reading nonetheless.  This author has a very wordy style but after awhile I felt like I was just skimming some of the pages.  I guess I just like my fiction a bit lighter.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10PRPHOQZYKVC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. The story is unexpected. The characters are all wonderfully flawed. The message is uplifting.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LWZNOMFHJ39L?ASIN=0316055441	first 550 pages were great after that got very tedious and drawn out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">first 550 pages were great after that got very tedious and drawn out, could not wait for the end, was way to wordy</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FW4M3KOQ7TPD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed The Goldfinch.  Touching, interesting, and compelling. Hope to read more from Ms. Tartt.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO5DKQ0WAW9HR?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic-- Read it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was a fantastic book about a boy who grows up and deals with many hardships.<br/><br/>Recommend reading it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q7URXRUZ7EY8?ASIN=0316055441	A great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing, spellbinding, sensational!  A great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38JLP9C37OV0C?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit tedious at times, however very well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26GZE8T64MX0T?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a well written book but so far it is dark and depressing.  Maybe it will get better in the second half.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJP8RS8QB5JZT?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Perhaps I was a bit disappointed with the book because it has been on the best seller list for such a long time that I expected a real page turner. Although it was beautifully written, I felt there were sections (Boris and drug use) that , for me, dragged.<br/>It began as the page turner I anticipated but then got too bogged down in the middle. I found Boris to be one of the least appealing and interesting characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R955Q3O18NZB?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the first third of the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the first third of the book, got bogged down in the middle, then enjoyed the last third. Rich writing and character development. I would definitely recommend reading this.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YHP40VLMX3T9?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a great read</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XGKRTRT8ERAV?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In the midst of tragedy there is hope, ugliness, beauty. No cliche characters in this book, only complicated ones, all the more believable because they are us. Read this!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWXQD24L5NRSC?ASIN=0316055441	"A compelling ""can't put it down"" narrative presented with eloquently ..."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A compelling ""can't put it down"" narrative presented with eloquently rich prose. The psychological insights of characters and vivid descriptions of locales elevates this to the canon of literary masterpieces.  Once started, you can't put it down.  Rereading it reveals an artistic mastery to relish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EDYDZY004ICT?ASIN=0316055441	lost in the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed reading this book until the last 100 pages or so.  Once the author started on Theo's journey to redeem himself by re-buying the fake furniture I felt the story lost steam.  I was disappointed in his ambivalence towards his engagement to Kitsey, his departure from Pippa and his hollow relationship with Hobie, and then of course Boris' drug habit was a downer, but not surprising.  It just seemed to me to fizzle out and leave his relationships with all of these characters who were fascinating throughout the book kind of left blah and the author just went on and on and on philosophizing about the painting...<br/>That being said I still would recommend reading it and I would welcome other thoughts to the ending as maybe it was just too deep for my thinking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM0E43JN47HKQ?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful descriptions of experiences and places.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was as if I were there wherever the characters were.  I found the end chapter hard to follow; How did he survive?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13LC86N2N7BS4?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">And totally wrong about life.  If I believed the premise of this book, I would probably slit my wrists.  I can't believe that it received the Pullitzer Prize.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DVI1Y9QEGELL?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not quite finished with this book yet but so far, I find the characters to be captivating.  When I get a true good or bad feelings for these characters and I tend to ponder about them during the course of my day, that makes for a top notch read!  I really love that it is written in a way that moves along not too quickly.  You get to settle in and get a real grasp of the times and locations in the story.  Not your standard cookie cutter theme.  I am glad to read it slowly, I have no idea where it is going and that makes it more enjoyable!<br/>thanks</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QL1OHP1WWM2W?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling but long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it hard to put this book down even though I thought segments were overly long and repetitive.  Though I might have wished for more editing, the author pulled me into the story and I found myself mimicing the anxiety, hyperactivity and lost feeling of the main character.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIRZ3382F7NLL?ASIN=0316055441	Most remarkable tale; most remarkably told!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not every story can keep you attached through over 700 pages; I would be happy to continue another 200 pages with this one.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y462Y4HF1C65?ASIN=0316055441	A real surprise.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was surprised that I enjoyed this book as much as I did in that it is written in First Person which, in my opinion, limits fleshing out supporting characters.  However, since Ms. Tartt has such a natural way of describing a scene and possesses a wonderfully large vocabulary, this was not a problem.  The book is rather long but keeps you interested.  The only reason I gave this a 4 star rating as opposed to 5 is the last chapter.  I'll leave it at that.  I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys changing plot lines and a bit of intrigue.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BE9H8DYJUB23?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZKDDMGF3P62O?ASIN=0316055441	And isn't that what great writing is all about - drawing the reader in ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a real love/hate relationship with this novel. My difficulty came from the bleak subject matter. Perhaps its because my heart bleeds for motherless children moving rudderless through life. But having said that the main character, Theo, is written in such a compelling fashion. As many times as I wanted to put the book down and walk away, I felt that in some way I would be just another who abandoned Theo. And isn't that what great writing is all about - drawing the reader in and making you empathize and connect with the characters.The writing is outstanding, especially scenes of chaos and confusion. While The Goldfinch may be bleak in some respects, the author brilliantly draws the reader to a place of love, contentment and redemption</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I2H3RSDU2TCW?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writing but at times dragged.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot was interesting and the character development was great.  However at times it dragged.  Too much introspection by the main character for my taste.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W3BWFR659CNU?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch<br/>While the content is often hard to stomach, it is so well written that you cannot put it down. You have to cheer for Theo even though it seems at times all is lost. What vivid characters! I am recommending it to our Book Club.<br/><br/>Bonnie Stone</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PW2KH9P87DFZ?ASIN=0316055441	Loved Boris	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I find a character who seems totally real, I'm hooked. I found that in Boris, who is alternately awful, funny, and  caring. The narrator, who I think of as Potter, was also very much alive. I'll probably re-read it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC4ZY9ZR5EOOY?ASIN=0316055441	Good plot and development of characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written. Good plot and development of characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15OEBRTB7QUE8?ASIN=0316055441	YES	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the story, beautifully written, a bit too long but, still, a very good read with characters you care about! There are many interesting issues for discussion. Example: when one has choices to make, how does one look at the possible consequences.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27WBPPUK92MKP?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch should not be missed by readers of serious literature	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Arguably one of the truly serious writers in American literature to come out in a while. Small wonder she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. I wouldn't be surprised to see her up there with the major writers such as Faulkner, Steinbeck, Hemingway, in time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QQSA4Y72IX5?ASIN=0316055441	I get why it won the pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book instantly grabs and immerses.  The first couple chapters handcuffed me in such a way I found myself reading the electronic version at every opportunity; while in my carpool, breaks at work,  and as a night cap in bed.  Tartt is a superb developer of characters and truly identifies the reader with her creations.  I would have given the book 5 stars,  but the author seems to meander just a bit when the backdrop changes in later chapters.  An almost cloak and dagger plot is conjured that, imo, is not a strength of Tartt.  She sets the table well for this transition but,  to a certain extent, fails to deliver in the same disbelief-suspending manner she handles the majority of this otherwise compelling work of fiction.  Still one of the more intelligent and magnetic reads I've had the pleasure of meeting in a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSH4EOJ5B3GU7?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the story was interesting found it to be boring and long and actually skimmed through pages just to get closer to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KKVM7OP848KW?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much emphasis on drug use and abuse.  Very dark.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LHN4E1IKJI72?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the author's character development and all the twists and turns in Theo's life.  This book kept me engaged start to finish.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSQ8ZCNZ7NDII?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Totally engaging read, very different story line and beautifully written, will re-read it again in the future. I would  Highly recommended for book clubs etc.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TP95N5IXWFLR?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">surprised that it is a Pulitzer Prize winner</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VUH0RUFAM229?ASIN=0316055441	Good read with profoundly human messages, especially for art lovers.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an excellent book with several twists and turn that keep the readers interest.  It also has a profoundly human message. It connects the work of an artist from long ago to a present day tragedy creating an unbreakable bond between the work of the artist and the soul of the victim. The language and style of the author puts the reader in both the place and the mind of the characters, with all of their fears and dreams.  I loved this book and recommend it to the serious reader.  It is not a fast read nor a light story but worth the effort.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R395H8LGB1OUND?ASIN=0316055441	A must read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of my favorite books ever, filled with plot twists and turns. Keeps you guessing what will happen next.  Interesting character development.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRXLKN80BP08O?ASIN=0316055441	Great story but too long winded	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this book based on the reviews and prizes and was sorely disappointed. The storyline was great, the opening too, but the book was just so dragged out and long winded that I just struggled to stay engaged.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROCH9RJB60YO1?ASIN=0316055441	awesome book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the beginning. I could not put it down, it was very moving.I loved the book and would recommend it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OBTWWM79DTF1?ASIN=0316055441	Really enjoyed the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The twists and turns were fascinating, but I have to admit the ending was a bit pat.  Like it was trying to preach to us readers, in an unnecessary way.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RI9QIKZQWQEP?ASIN=0316055441	A truly unique tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I feel as if I've just ridden a roller coaster!  The characters were real to me - fully fleshed out both physically and emotionally. I almost believe I would recognize any of the main characters if I happened to meet them on the street! A true page turner with so many twists and turns it was dizzying. Brilliant tale -just brilliant! Thank you, Donna Tartt, for creating such a wonder!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R40WHLHQ6TFFQ?ASIN=0316055441	Page Turner with Compelling Characters and Complications	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch grabbed and held my attention with its interesting and unconventional characters and plot complications. Near the end it was hard to see how the many intertwined story lines would resolve but Donna Tartt finishes the book masterfully.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HPIZHR2QG8XI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a rllicking good yarn with some superb descriptive prose</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M463EUW3D5CK?ASIN=0316055441	Deserved the Pulitzer and then some.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">wow! what a masterpiece! It is really long but so worth the time to read it.<br/><br/>This book was so thoroughly researched and so lovingly written. The amazing details regarding art, music, antiques, grieving, drug abuse, love, relationships, social services and more are just incredible and never boring. I learned so much and came to care about the topics and characters because the author goes to such great pains to make sure that you do.<br/><br/>What a completely fascinating book and what a brilliant piece of literature.<br/><br/>Cannot give high enough praise for this incredible novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PRC5TGZP0Q46?ASIN=0316055441	Soooo good. I've been thinking about it for days since ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Soooo good.  I've been thinking about it for days since finishing.  Even going back and rereading parts.  Love. This. Book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TDN6CYWTEDTH?ASIN=0316055441	This book is extremely well written and very descriptive, ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is extremely well written and very descriptive, but it has a rather slow start, and that is why I gave a 4 star rating.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32KW19W9V5AKQ?ASIN=0316055441	LONG BUT GOOD	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put this book down for quite awhile....then I got tired of reading the long long dialogues...but, still give it a high rating but could only recommend it to a few bookaholic friends.  This book isn't for everyone.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSQ9151QLRR13?ASIN=0316055441	Art, love, friendship, drugs, corruption and more: finding beauty in an imperfect world.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a lengthy, but truly enjoyable meandering through the lives of some highly imperfect but extremely interesting characters. Spend some time with it. The writing is delicious.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11QBX5KYRMQSL?ASIN=0316055441	Last chapter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Last chapter totally over analysis with  the painting was so sick of it loved most of the book very well written in a hazy drugged out sense  . Tragedy, loss things I'm familiar with as most of us are. But, lost me at the end. Not saying I was looking for a happy ending but was disappointed</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AMUN5S6UU3ME?ASIN=0316055441	Would have given this book 5 stars, but .....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">With the exception of the final long-winded dissertation on life, love, good and evil, and blah blah blah, I loved this book. It was engaging and I read it every chance I could find. Unlike some reviewers, I really liked Boris, maybe even more than the conflicted protagonist. It was unpredictable (I like that), and left me wondering until the very end where the characters would end up. Ms. Tartt has a feel for characterization, and can delineate an individual with a few well chosen words. The only reason for the 4 star rating instead of 5 rests with the unnecessary (to me, at least) meandering final pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C0FWN4S4FTSD?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a captivating story,  a true page turner for sure.  I loved it and would recommend it anyone who enjoys a good novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MP6RXL00VD01?ASIN=0316055441	My response to the hero was sympathetic and unsympathetic as ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My response to the hero was sympathetic and unsympathetic as I read the book.  It created a dilemma for me as to whether I trulu cared for him.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C7O7W5KJPXEX?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">interesting from beginning to end! loved the art and antique references all along the way. would recommend this to all readers.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29YC2MUVQ6OTR?ASIN=0316055441	Review of The Goldfinch.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoroughly enjoyed this very long and descriptive book.  The characters were very well developed, the experiences and feelings of the characters were very well described and the story completely kept me interested.  The end came together and left me feeling satisfied with the story.  We discussed this book thoroughly in our book club and everyone agreed that they enjoyed the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D37AV5HSK876?ASIN=0316055441	Long but enjoyable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed,on vacation. Not happy with the ending. Unresolved plots especially the romantic ones.  Confusing section in middle of book just browsed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMQYFFE3D735T?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A real page turner!  Great read !</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MSLOFT2Y644?ASIN=0316055441	Gorgeous, heartbreaking, truly wondrous book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A Beautifully written novel that I Could not put down! One of the best I've read in quite some time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38CQZS7RB7IKS?ASIN=0316055441	A Different Coming of Age Adventure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a very good book that follows a boy from early adolescence to adulthood.  There are blunders, misdeeds, crimes and redemption.  It places good/evil on a spectrum, something to which some readers may object.  But what gives birth to redemption?  Certainly not behavioral purity.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SF08EAZ7V1VX?ASIN=0316055441	Gripping & Deep	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose the book because a friend recommended it. I stayed with it through the passages that made me feel as lost and lonely as the characters. I finished it because the author has such great skill as a storyteller and such great skill with descriptive language.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R359IYX7AKTQSB?ASIN=0316055441	Too much art detailed and character of the main character didn't seem to learn from his mistakes.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Since I am not an art connoisseur I found the detailed page after page of art information was TMI.  Also, I didn't exactly admire the main character.  It started off when he was 13 and I could understand his making some bad decisions.  But he didn't make better ones as he got older either.  I plowed through the entire book, but admit I skipped over a lot when it would get too bogged down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROIKPX059JN7R?ASIN=0316055441	dark but with  some redemption	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Charles dickens like in its tragic and overblown emphasis on all that is seedy and dark . I found it to be a bit too in your face with meaning. It was hard for me to relate to narrator with no sign of any common sense, or ability to find happiness.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NS8YBX12PTBV?ASIN=0316055441	tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good story at heart. When you get to the ending you'll find out why this monologue was filled with incessant Verbage.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REPFET3LEO5GC?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book and couldn't put it down I've recommended it to people, and I would read it again.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KFN0TOS6YVJB?ASIN=0316055441	made me feel like I was there with them at times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book to be extremely well written, made me feel like I was there with them at times.  Enough intrique to keep you wondering what would happen next.  However, I thought the amount of time spent on drug use was excessive.  However  that said I did enjoy the book.  The surprise of course was the journey the painting took and without letting us the reader know until the ending what did happen.  Would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a little mystery along a great story line.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IOTCJQ5CXFNS?ASIN=0316055441	get your antidepressants	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just don't know what to say....it was well written, but left me with a deep despair in my gut.  I definitely felt the despair and grip of drug addiction, and yet enjoyed the story plot.  I did not like the end of the story ""rant"" the author closed with.  I think that narrative didn't need more, since it was well written in the book itself.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM8QEXMB1RNKQ?ASIN=0316055441	Long Winded....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the premise of this book was very intriguing as it spanned over almost 20 years telling the story of a boy who lost his mother in a tragic way.  I enjoyed the way the author wrote the characters, especially Boris.  The downside of the book was the level of detail that the author went into..... If the book was about 100 pages shorter I would have given it more stars.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11N95ONVGX1LG?ASIN=0316055441	This book is SO GOOD!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is so incredibly well-written. I felt like I was feeling the same exact emotions as the narrator himself was experiencing them. Donna Tartt did a fantastic job at writing a story that just sticks with you for so long after you read it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9ELOEKRDYEIL?ASIN=0316055441	Kudos to Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Truly inspired, well written and this one of the best fiction books I have read in years.  Very interesting because it has multiple plot lines, the characters are people who you have encountered and can identify with and since the book is so well written the words flow.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFLYNXUC9ZQ1W?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer???	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms Tartt has wonder grasp of language. Sadly she has not found the worth of brevity. Perhaps her motto is ""don't use 2 words when you can stretch it to 20"". Exhausting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M4J829YLY449?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was with great anticipation that I started this book after seeing it on the best-seller list for so long, and the first few chapters were not disappointing.  However, once our hero moved to Vegas, it was all downhill from there.  This became a long, drawn out saga of drugs, alcohol, and teen-age angst and unbelievable situations.  Even when Theo grew older, he didn't seem to get any smarter--not about people, drugs, alcohol, or what to do with that damn painting.  I think the problem here is that even though the book is well written, the hero never really becomes likable, not even when he tries to do the right thing.  You end up just wanting him to get over it and get on with his life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9AFTAJMKKGKW?ASIN=0316055441	Do not recommend.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Mostly unlikable, often unbelievable characters, sordid lifestyle takes up more than it needs to and ending is unsatisfactory. Often tempted to abandon it but stuck through to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PPP8KOR9689A?ASIN=0316055441	Good beginning, then....not so much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really looked forward to reading this book.  It grabbed my attention right from the first paragraph, so I thought it would be a great read.  Not so much!  Much too wordy, too long, and slow moving as the story progressed.  Didn't finish it, and I have not recommended it any of my friends.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34LZLQDWBMUJZ?ASIN=0316055441	real goldfinches are better!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am surprised that this book would be a Pulitzer prize winner. I was very disappointed in it. Although there are some interesting philosophical meanderings at the end, the novel is long and tedious in places, and the characters and plot didn't hold up in some places for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WYI06R6LV2GN?ASIN=0316055441	interesting read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the story.... very well written but disappointed with the ending though. Would have liked to have a happy ending.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24TG8UKPR89IL?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it. She does a great job of absorbing the reader in the lives of the characters. Couldn't put it down. Though the last couple hundreds pages are slower.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R151WOPCW9B8K9?ASIN=0316055441	I've learned that prize winners are normally not my thing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">But I decided to try again and this was no exception.  There is nothing wrong with the book<br/>or the story for that matter, but wasn't especially realistic and at times it dragged from page<br/>to page.  I read for entertainment and this book was written by a wordsmith, not a story teller.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24VGDCOS2TJT2?ASIN=0316055441	A page turner could not put this book down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very detailed I felt I was right there visually and if you forgot the storyline from one chapter to another, she would bring back a piece of each chapter so you were always up to date.  I really enjoyed her style of writing and<br/>Could not put the book down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23WHCV2WGTAM3?ASIN=0316055441	A long book and a fast read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating story that holds the readers attention from first page to last.  Beautifully written character studies with people I feel that I know.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U8HE50CPDYZZ?ASIN=0316055441	This book makes you feel like you are lving right alongside the characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the story line is sad, somehow this book is so beautifully written that I never found myself depressed.  The descriptions are so vivid and the characters are so interesting and believable.  As a New Yorker myself, I can attest to the fact that Tartt totally nails NYC.  Every single location is brought to life.<br/><br/>I'll be thinking about Theo for a loooong time.<br/><br/>And somehow, in the midst of all the misery of the book, there are beautiful things, beautiful acts of kindness and charity next to the sadness and meanness.  So many, that for me, the ultimate message was a different one than Theo says he takes from his story.  For  me, the ultimate message is that life is beautiful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NLD6NTHDSDPA?ASIN=0316055441	Too long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long, arduous, and ponderous.  Dreading the 25 more pages left.  In all fairness , very good character development.  Could have been 200 pages less</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PZN6DP5C48OI?ASIN=0316055441	mmmm	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not sure how to review this, I enjoyed parts of it immensely but others I felt were so far fetched. Took me a while to read, it was a book that I didn't feel compelled to read at every opportunity</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJZV9M7NEHA7A?ASIN=0316055441	too much philosophy!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the beginning and I'm not sure why the Kitsy romance was even part of the book. It got very slow for a while. I didn't particularly care for any of the characters during this part. The end picked up but then got to spoon feeding me more philosophy. Not my favorite book this year.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R88UCXSNCJF5I?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story. Kept hoping for a more positive ending ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story. Kept hoping for a more positive ending.  Excessive details in the storyline made it tough to keep reading to the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G8JT226QKX84?ASIN=0316055441	Dark & Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the book was well written, I found it tedious at times. It was a very long &amp; dark story about a character, Theo, who suffered through tragedy &amp; loss as a 13-year old &amp; could never get over it.  Every page dripped with depression, addiction, guilt and hopelessness. It got old and was very hard to slog through at times. And I did not understand the crippling obsession with the painting, so I feel like I missed the entire point of the book. I did not like any character except Hobie, and in the end, he let me down as well, as the initial substance of him faded into meaningless obscurity. The Boris character was excruciating to suffer through &amp; unfortunately took up way too much space in the book. To me, it was a very disappointing read. I stuck with it until the end, in the hope of a redemptive value, but there was none. I would have given it 2 stars but for the fact that it was deeply thought out and well written. Just not my cup of tea.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IEEC4519NXVC?ASIN=0316055441	Above average	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started to get bogged down around page 550. Although I thought the book was above average, it could have been a couple hundred pages shorter.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ET08WFHKIUAF?ASIN=0316055441	Much too long... especially about all the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much too long...especially about all the drugs taken in Las Vegas.  Also, felt the ending was very unsatisfying.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ1EMMQI2JNI9?ASIN=0316055441	Great Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is very well written and kept me very interested. A page turner and hard to find a stopping point when you have to. I would recommend for some one who would like something different to read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KWIX36G5VCOX?ASIN=0316055441	THE GOLDFINCH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing, little too long.  Less description and more story would have shortened it.  Beauty alters the grain of reality. Lots of food for thought.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27TNFYMNAHWRC?ASIN=0316055441	Novel turned thriller	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put it down and then was disappointed in the ending.  I won't be a spoiler except to say that did not seem to have all the issues resolved by the end.  Still a good read, and the art twist was interesting.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R375UAY8BP7TWW?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but did not like the large portion that drug use ruled.  Was the volume of that necessary?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R361VFH836K3IQ?ASIN=0316055441	Good, but not my favorite.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the story line, but felt that the story dragged in several parts of the book and I found myself struggling to get through it. sometimes the endless draw and prolonging of descriptions made it bland and hard to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B8GBQGIAS0MO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it, couldn't put it down. It does get dark but have redemptive ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DZG87FW30T93?ASIN=0316055441	Done	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was not what I thought. To much detail in so many places. Boring at times.  Glad to be finished.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3APOBE3WQDRPU?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was long and repeated itself many times.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LQPI3GMATCDA?ASIN=0316055441	An interesting read for summer vacation. Donna Tartt tells ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting read for summer vacation.  Donna Tartt tells many tales of various cities. there are many high and lows which<br/>allow you to put the book down and pick it up again with a different point of view.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39VJIMYE35K41?ASIN=0316055441	Much deeper than a coming-of-age story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished this book, and I think it is going to take me a while to digest it. I really appreciated the complexity of Theo's character as he grew up. This was not a cut and dry ""kid experiences tragedy, learns to appreciate beauty around him"" sort of story. But it is somehow redeeming. Tartt did a great job creating multi-faceted characters and a multi-layered story.<br/><br/>This one is going to stick with me for a while.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DZ9GTZ5EE6S6?ASIN=0316055441	good but dragged on	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book with great character development but lacked a ton of plot . Really enjoyed the relationship between hobie and theo :)</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BOUOT567JL8N?ASIN=0316055441	Art History Buffs	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wallowed in all the references to antiques and art history.  The plot  was a little surprising here and there but the characters made the book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P1RAJ519OY4E?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written but a little confusing at times.  Not a summer beach read but contains a lot of food for thought.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWO0KI42IAE?ASIN=0316055441	A Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The carefully crafted story line glows like embers in a dark room, transporting me into an alternative dimension that hung on like a dream long after waking.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TGNLEVEHQ71L?ASIN=0316055441	Wanted to like it....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just couldn't get through the book....got to the part of the book set in Las Vegas and it seemed to drone on forever! Just seemed like parts of the book went on and on. That took away from the story for me. Maybe I will pick it back up, but I doubt it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XQ0SF48DNQKD?ASIN=0316055441	Great book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read it for my book club. I found it a cross between Dickens and Alfred Hitchcock. A wonderful read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NOUJ8Z7T1QJS?ASIN=0316055441	A great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Another excellent book by Donna Tartt! Completely unpredictable and exciting with fascistic characters. I think I'll go back and read her other books again now.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FV8ES90TLCNZ?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would not compare it with a Dickens  = but it kept me interested and made me want to talk to others about it. I might have suggested a different editor.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JU6KTV7LNTMR?ASIN=0316055441	There is to much information on thing I don't think ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There  is to much information on thing I don't think they need to</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SK4PTDGF27TM?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the first 100 or so pages and the last 100 or so pages. The constant detail made me woozy.  I liked it but I would never read it again or recommend it to anyone. Simply said, it's just too damn long.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R369TPAA939A95?ASIN=0316055441	Not as Expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unfortunately this book went nowhere. It was maddeningly slow paced and meandered all over the place. By the time the author got to the point I no longer cared about the protagonist. Very disappointing conclusion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DC8U321HX9N8?ASIN=0316055441	THE GOLDFINCH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning was great up to about the middle during the engagement.  At that point it seemed to ramble.  The end was l enlightening and tied it all together.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EW2LV0WXO09?ASIN=0316055441	Surprise a minute	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book started out so innocently and changed as the page did! It was sad, disheartening but full of what will happen next! So many twists and turns! I was so disappointed in the boy, main character, then cried for him and couldn't wait to see where he would take this! Very well and frankly written! A ""small"" picture worth a thousand twists!!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OXXPYV1VQE5O?ASIN=0316055441	don't understand all the good critics	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book could have been written in 200 pages or less. Long and boring explanations, and a forced redemption at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R334CU8FWAK32P?ASIN=0316055441	you' e never read ANYTHING like this!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the book is long, you keep wondering where the author is headed. You HOPE she doesn't tie things up neatly in the end.<br/><br/>Have no fear, she doesn't.<br/><br/>The reader should be intelligent and patient....and have a bit of a leaning toward the philosophical.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PO1MVKMHS9G5?ASIN=0316055441	Begrudgingly admire	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were times this book infuriates when characters fail to do what 99 per cent of people would do and so end up in several long chapters of chaos. And then there are the thousands of sweeping words that carry you forward heart racing or the rages at the world or meaning that echo so much of what you think about too. The Goldfinch suggests a stuffy polite story of manners and it is a story of manners but never stuffy or polite and not what you would think at all. It tells of the world just beyond ours, that world we wonder about when we hear of bomb blasts or art heists or overdoses or murders. A world are all a part of. At the end there is Tolstoyian reflection but sadly not quite a coming of faith.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HBM9AF92YPSN?ASIN=0316055441	Rare book indeed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was moved by this book. the writing is so brilliant and profound.  it will take you a bit to get to the end - but well worth the journey.  you will think of Theo Decker for years to come.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXJRAKWF0DTL6?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long!  Have gone to other books need to finish this one</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVUI4LE3RDJC1?ASIN=0316055441	Thought provoking intense reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a deeply moving novel that requires concentration and inspires one to be thankful for an ordinary existence. superbly written with vivid detailing of every moment leading to an understanding of a life journey that very well may hold truths that resonate with humanity</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U466TBZH8314?ASIN=0316055441	Stick with it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Difficult read at first but if you can get past the first several chapters you will enjoy it.  Well written but too verbose and could have been shorter</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ILK9UXGTRSSX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. Can't wait for the movie!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NL7J9H170YWG?ASIN=0316055441	powerful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A powerful reminder that life is fragile and art is what keeps sane. That good can emerge from bad, just as easily as bad can emerge from good. Highly recommended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FFEH8GXS3E1E?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was chosen by our book club and I was overwhemed by its length.  Although it was a vrry good story I felt the author was a little too descriptive at times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32PMRI4Y7T0MC?ASIN=0316055441	Good advice at the end but took much too long ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Crammed with too many details.  Good advice at the end but took much too long to get there.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JODNQ2IKW8XS?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was immediately drawn in by the main character, halfway into the book I wanted to shake some sense into him, at the end of the book he redeemed himself.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J6IQIYHP5YJ7?ASIN=0316055441	Thought provoking intense novel full of twists and turns.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A novel that will return to your thoughts long after reading.  The story of the son who survives , but who loses his mom in an act of terrorism. We follow him through his life living in foster care with a close friend's family, then moved to his father and step-mother's ""care and onwards through other transitions through his young adult-adulthood. Also the story of his friendship with another boy in a difficulty family and how their support for each other helps them survive together as teenagers. Later they reconnect with each other. Intertwined in this story is the mystery of the painting of ""The Goldfinch"" which is missing from the art museum destroyed in the original act of terrorism. A must read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R111AYZVYN4OXZ?ASIN=0316055441	A little slow but good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had been looking forward to reading this book especially since it had been on best-seller lists for so long. If I had to rank it on a 10 scale, I would probably rank it somewhere between a 6-7. I thought it was rather slow and seem to plod along at times. I did not particularly like the main character; even so, I am glad I read the book, but I'm not sure that I would highly recommend it to others.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BCIJFDWZ52AO?ASIN=0316055441	A tedious read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While parts of the story were interesting, other parts became tedious and laborious. There was so much introspective philosophizing of the main character that I almost stopped reading several times. However I didn't, as I wanted to hear the outcome of the painting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KU8LHWR8OSAG?ASIN=0316055441	Well-written OTT read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is excellent, and the main character is startlingly real, arousing one's sympathy and feeling of identification. However, there is something a little Hollywoodish - too much happening to the one person, too much tragedy, too many coincidences/lucky escapes.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUJJM4SW184KA?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth the time or money	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I feel like I want my money back.  I did not enjoy the book at all. Too many descriptive word about a singe thing</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WFY47PVU5905?ASIN=0316055441	I love this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love this book....It is beautifully written and one relates to the character at every level of the journey.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CWCXS3AYLBI2?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent..............all the reviews (except New Yorker) were right.  It read like poetry and is destined to be a great work of literature.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18UH0QDQ84IUF?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rich characters and beautifully crafted story. Such distinct character voices. One of my favorites this year.  I would highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHF16OM06ZTVL?ASIN=0316055441	threadbare truth	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long but worth it.  For anyone who has loved art this is a must read.  Very hard to put down at times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX93T4E4G22J0?ASIN=0316055441	great!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. Nice to find a book that you don't want to end. This word requirement is stupid stupid stupid</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HXNI2XVA6QEK?ASIN=0316055441	Recommended by a friend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a long story and perhaps a little long.  I wanted more at the end and what happened to all the players.  I do find it hard to believe about the drug usage and the word ""friendship"" means more to me than lying for years and years.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F83WNDE59683?ASIN=0316055441	Good but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't stop reading it, that's for sure. It's one of those books that I just had to keep reading to see what happens to all those characters, but on the other hand, did I really love it? No.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMA1NBMZWZGEZ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, although the main characters life is hard-you, the reader, can't help but love him!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P0ACC789LSLE?ASIN=0316055441	This will go down as one of my all time favorites	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous! The best! Loved it! A story that evoked a multitude of emotions. This is a story that will stay with me for a long long time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J9HJ9B61UY10?ASIN=0316055441	Amatuer review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is fantastic. Her descriptions of people's state of mind when on drugs shows what must be a state of no control.Her story line is boring at times but the writeing and descriptions make you go on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDIVXNXTQGZ61?ASIN=0316055441	I have been trying for a year to like this book At last I put it down and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have been trying for a year to like this book At last I put it down and decided that it was just not my type  Sorry</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EK30T4YIYLAT?ASIN=0316055441	Enlightening but a Bit Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author new her subject well and wrote wonderfully.  The characters were quite believable to me.  The drawback for me was the heavy delving into the drug culture.  I found that aspect difficult and depressing to read.<br/>I did read it, however, because of the previous comments.  It was eye-opening and well worth the read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XR2GKC1L2FU9?ASIN=0316055441	Meh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those times that I wish I had gotten a book from the library instead of buying it.  I am unclear as to what the fuss was about, because I found this book kind of boring.  I guess it's lucky for the author that I do not serve on the Pulitzer committee.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S0H7B23K72LP?ASIN=0316055441	No Pulitzer for drugs and poor mouthing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the pitch and synopsis for this book, but was greatly disappointed by and soon tired of the vast number of pages devoted to drugs, alcohol, and Theo's self-analysis. He is a typical teen in that he is still trying to decide which way to go with his life and does not always make the best decisions. The author wasted many pages and adjectives with Theo's staring at his navel, often with the help of Boris and a few other so-called friends. There was some reality in the attitudes of adults around Theo who claimed to care about him and what was going on in his life. Perhaps this was supposed to be the connection between Theo and the small, beautiful painting he took from the museum the day his mother died in the bomb blast. Sorry I could not say more positive. The story had its good moments and some descriptions of settings were interesting, but the novel could have been half the length and have told a better story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JU30IH5P7VUV?ASIN=0316055441	Dissatisfied	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I understand that many viewed this as a great novel, I am not one of them. I grew tired of the mental masturbation that the main characters indulged in through most of the book. At times it was painful to watch these children/teenagers self destruct. The adults were cruel and self involved, unable to exercise rational thought in their own lives and thus proved pathetic in parenting.<br/><br/>I kept reading hoping that at some point reason would overcome their helplessness,  I finished the book hoping the same thing. I understand how self destructive a person can become. I've known many of them. There was no hope in this book only self delusion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N5V09UE2OOU8?ASIN=0316055441	Not for me.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While there were moments I enjoyed  and couldn't put the book down, those moments didn't come often enough given the length of this book.  It was also a bit depressing (maybe that was the intent... to feel sorrow). It just want for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18AVDPHFBZGYR?ASIN=0316055441	It's an ok book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book was long but pretty good reading.  There were sections where it got boring.  The ending was interesting .  I think only certain readers would enjoy this book</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C0PYEOJABTDF?ASIN=0316055441	Lesson Learned	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book.  I hope to remember it for a long time.  The thing I learned in this story is that a victim of terrorism may suffer the effects forever.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV76BNC61SKD?ASIN=0316055441	Good...but great? Eh...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt does a great job with character development, especially in a book with such a complex plot. I don't think the plot is as interesting as the characters, to be honest. And though I like it a lot, I'm not sure it's Pulitzer-worthy. It's not particularly innovative in structure, and it doesn't push the envelope of what we think of as literature, or invite some new way of viewing the world that seems prize-worthy. To me, anyway. But maybe I just don't understand the Pulitzer Prize parameters.<br/><br/>If you liked this book, or if you're not sure you want to read it but think you do, I insist you also (or first) read Jonathan Safran Foer's ""Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close."" It's so, so, so great. GREAT great. But for God's sake, don't watch the movie</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39ZP3KR3JG3LV?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very slow reading.  Interesting story but can't seem to stay with it</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EN9SAW5UW9BA?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing and powerful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing  An excellent read. A different kind of novel, especially since the main character as the novel begins is a teenage boy. The novel's depiction of characters and scenery is so descriptive, the reader feels totally connected to the plot.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26CTX14PXQ0AA?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read -- kept my interest</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JAPRA82PO2U2?ASIN=0316055441	Well written and intriguing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I enjoyed the book I often wondered if it was just too long. The descriptions made you fell part of the book as you could see and feel where they were but I often put it down when I got lost in all the struggle. I felt it was best read in quite solitude to be appreciated.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGD5VLFXHTXVO?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was well written and got the concept of PTSD symptoms fairly accurate especially as they continue to impact a persons life. The core of the book was maintained as the impact of his decisions became apparent and how his decisions made his life chaotic. I very much enjoyed reading this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZVICR3RBI1WX?ASIN=0316055441	big time investment, not much return	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is beautifully written with 700 vivid pages of adventure and human tragedy but in the end I found it very unsatisfying and really, depressing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EAV1YZWIOGHA?ASIN=0316055441	I know, I know - it won the Pulitzer ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know, I know - it won the Pulitzer prize - however; with that said, it is too long, convoluted and there are so many characters it is hard to keep up.....and the story gets side tracked.  I was caught up in it but it was work for me to read.....</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XJGF6WGK5LRT?ASIN=0316055441	extraordinary !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, thought provoking and personally meaningful--thank you Potter. Donna Tartt is another wonderful Mississippi writer for the times. Read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VYLCINQZWV9I?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch a must-read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's very interesting...can't wait to get back to it when I have to do other things like work.  I feel like I never know what will happen to Theo next.  What a life!  He's had more experiences in his twenty some odd years (that's how old he is at the part I am up to) than most people have in a full lifetime.  I wonder how he is still alive tho.  Also,  he is kind of a mess but so likable.  I know people in the real world like that.  They make the wrong choices almost always but have a kind heart and a special kind of charm.  Can't wait to see how it all turns out!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QARO0G6WJGAP?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found myself consumed as I read this novel. I was repulsed and driven to read on.  I found myself captivated.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A75UK5OBZCPQ?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">his b ook is 400 pages too long. It was hard to read-too much philosophizing., and descriptions that went on forever.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28V0N8GN5HIA9?ASIN=0316055441	Not a wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are parts of this book that I really enjoyed, but many parts dragged.  It was an easy book to put down.  It does not go on my ""wow"" list</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJNOQ4GI6MU8B?ASIN=0316055441	OVER RATED	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't understand how this book won the Pulitzer Prize.  It was long and drawn out.  I couldn't get into it.  I was bored.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDCMJNJ4HVIVF?ASIN=0316055441	Really this won a Pulitzer?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Blah blah blah...so very detailed and adjective overload.  The story could be so much more powerful without the need to describe every breath.  The editor needed a red pen refill. The main character tells the story of the young boy in the feminine voice. It could have been  much better - oh well I must be in the minority in my review.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBQTHW5GL26ZL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPGL6Y6FXFRVS?ASIN=0316055441	Best written book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was quite a long journey to get through. I can't remember the last time I read something so beautifully written. While slow in spots, the character development was amazing.  A definite masterpiece.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12VG7LGCQDB27?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You just have to keep on reading! It's a very long book, with many twists and unexpected  surprises, but if you persevere, you will be delighted by  the conclusion.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S6IG8JGZSLT9?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story but I found myself forcing to keep on ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story but I found myself forcing to keep on. Ms Tartt is very descriptive but the story seemed as if it was taking a walk in thick heavy mud. It seemed forever to be dreary, Pulitzer or not, it was pleasurable or provocative just depressing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DYT05D9FOLIM?ASIN=0316055441	Great start, long philosophical ending according to Theo.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">All in all, an intriguing book. The first 2/3's was a page turner, the last 2/3's a bit of a drag with an ending that had no surprise..</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FKS9MOTZ8VXJ?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer?? Really?? That has to be a joke!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can't give zero stars. The book was recommended by a friend, maybe now a former friend. The story could and should be told in 250-300 fewer pages. Good writing in places, but soooooo slow that at times I lost track of the storyline (or is there a storyline???). I can usually read a book in 2-3 days. This monstrosity took all of 3 weeks, and I only kept reading in the hope it might get better. Wrong!! I usually don't review many books ( let readers choose their pleasures), but I feel obligated to review this in the hope that I might save another individual from the chore of having to slog thru this behemoth. Of course another possibility is that I could publish my own rambling journals and score a Pulitzer prize for myself.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28XZU5G2EBD61?ASIN=0316055441	Unconventional, educational and full of wisdom about human actions.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Learnt quite a lot about Art, people of different aptitude acting in good faith and it's consequences.<br/>The book is of very long sentences, some of over a page. Could have been more concise and terse.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QUT8O5H1B11E?ASIN=0316055441	read something else	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It went on forever and while all the characters did return, they needn't have dawdled so much along the way.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21JWQT32DPE0C?ASIN=0316055441	Overly long, though wonderfully written, it was like a sugar overdose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">All I can say is, after 775 pages of reading the philosophizing of this author, I am glad to put this book down and get away from it. I had to know what happened to Theo, but it seemed that almost everyone - every male - in the book was someone deep, and full of conflicting thoughts that he just had to preserve for posterity somehow. And almost all the females in the book seemed to be shallow and one-dimensional. I didn't really ever see what Theo saw in Pippa, since she was mostly out of town and her character was never really developed.<br/><br/>I felt like the book was just monologue after monologue, a bloodbath of intellectualism. The author is clearly a top-notch writer, extraordinarily talented and insightful, but all the minute descriptions of every feeling that Theo experienced over the span of this book - all the metaphors, the picturesque language that suffused every page - was like being drowned in dessert. Like a wedding cake sculpted from brandied sugar and frosted with the most delicate-tasting egg white frosting, and that's all you get to eat for a month. It's torture after a while. An overdose of philosophy. Ugh!<br/><br/>And some of it just wasn't believable. *SPOILERS* Theo and his friend Andy, at 13 sounded like 50 year old philosophy professors who adored Russian literature. Theo went to Las Vegas, became a drug addict, went back to NYC and succeeded at school while barely making any effort. He went to Amsterdam and got caught up in an art heist that nearly cost him his life, and then Boris went and re-claimed the painting and turned it in to the authorities - and then got his reward, all in cash, and carried it around a major city with no problem. Perhaps even crossed borders with it. I didn't know you could travel with such large amounts of cash in your suitcase without raising alarms. All of it was just a bit too easy.<br/><br/>Anyway, it all ended happily, and perhaps that is what is most outrageous - Theo gets away with his crimes and everything and everyone is forgiven. And he goes off trying to make amends for all the infamy he brought down on Hobie's innocent head. Seems a bit too easy.<br/><br/>I think the book could have been a lot shorter and would have made a larger impact on me, if the writing hadn't seemed so much like that of an intellectual in love with herself, of a writer wanting to emulate the great writers of our time, and thinking the way to do that is to make every page, hundreds and hundreds of pages, a work of genius. Every phrase the mark of an intellectual. I tend to view simplicity as a mark of genius, rather than verbosity. Anyway, I am just glad that it is over.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R341Z6UGMITAY5?ASIN=0316055441	Cerebral !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A most curious plot ....intriguing and unexpected in its other-worldly, dark adventures that still somehow seem vaguely familiar to even the most conservative.  Have not each of us, at one time or another, had this ""unreliable heart"" ... this yearning to obtain that which is not for our own good?  Are not each of us then much like Theo, the main character, who searches for what is good but in this goodness finds catastrophe? Definitely a literary experience... a sincere  reflection on the human condition.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21LSC6PB0OG28?ASIN=0316055441	Insightful, compelling and evocative story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms Tartt has an amazing insight to how character develops and the roles of parents, peers and mentors. Compelling story evokes my own growth  highly recommend</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TKWDZFUFR2RI?ASIN=0316055441	Disturbing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked the beginning of this novel and the premise of the story but the ending became quite disturbing with detailed drug induced ramblings.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UE87KCJ23I4J?ASIN=0316055441	Great book, a little too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The premise of the book was good.  But some parts were just too lengthy - especially the ones regarding drug binges... enough with the details on waking up in vomit and filthy clothes. It would have been 100 pages shorter if all the passages had been tight and relevant to the plot. I understand the drug use was an important factor, but it just got old. The parts that were focused on the plot were enjoyable reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32MTMO7FM8B4V?ASIN=0316055441	Life's and bitch and then you live	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If only for the characters of Boris and Hobbie and Dad<br/><br/>Tartt has delivered such depth of character with these crucial players in the hero's life<br/><br/>In some ways a tale of surviving adolescence  with Mom gone and dad a user/loser<br/><br/>A life saved - because it is not time to die.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYDDVCPAQUXPV?ASIN=0316055441	I would recommend it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really well written.  The story line is a very different one about a world that I'm not familiar with but it rang true and kept me interested through the entire book.  It's a long one but although the author includes a minutiae of details I felt that they truly brought the unfamiliar to life for me.  I would recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YCAL2UFBYBC9?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulously written, though a bit tedious at times.  The story itself was incredible but occasionally got lost in the sometimes over the top analogies and descriptions.  I wanted to love it, and actually feel somewhat pedestrian in giving it only 4 stars when it's a Pulitzer winner, but for me it was very very good, but not great!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D36YO81TQPF8?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch: a winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is well written with full character development.  At 700 pages however it was a bit discouraging.  The plot line would not have suffered if Tartt had limited herself, narrowed the focus, and reduced the number of pages.  I enjoyed the book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B6W4ACECN1B5?ASIN=0316055441	great writer...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved most of this book.  There was a plot thread that rocked me to the core that I did not like, so it took me awhile to get over that.  Mostly I loved this book.  Ms Tartt is a really good writer.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP5NDIJM7N84V?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful in its own right	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like the painting described a beauty all it's own is created for us as readers to enjoy and contemplate.  Heartfelt.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HDEHQZ57WC45?ASIN=0316055441	Why such a good literary writer choose to right about adolescence with over ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Why such a good literary writer choose to right about adolescence with over usages of drug, alcohol and totally sick<br/>behavior for pages? Why such a beautiful inventory of words can trash a beautiful room after her description of all the<br/>great artwork, etc. and suddenly talk about all the horrible things that could of happen in this room instead of the joy?<br/>The beautiful title and the lost reason got mixed up in the wrong book!  The plot didn't seem to caring the tread of the book?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FHGGQMMY5MDT?ASIN=0316055441	Not as good as expected...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I worked my way through the beginning of The Goldfinch, and then was completely engrossed in the middle.  I was entertained for awhile, but then it got really pedantic for me.  By the 90% point (on my Kindle), I was exhausted.  Call me jaded, if you wish, but at 59 I found it an awfully long, convoluted story-way to get to a philosophical statement of truth that is fairly obvious to most people of thoughtfulness and life-experience over the age of 50, or so.  Perhaps my extremely eclectic background guided me to this perspective, since it is a Pulitzer Prize winning novel, but this is my opinion.<br/><br/>Briefly, I suppose I regard this story as a kind of  yin/yang perspective on the Universe, from a very Western society-based mindset.  I have read more enjoyable and also weirdly-entertaining novels with similar messages....from an Eastern philosophical perspective.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R301ADZWLEDZ8D?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At times heart-wrenching, this book follows the life of young Theo through the tragedies and accidents that make up his life.  A search for truth and meaning lie at the heart of this novel, beautifully written, hauntingly sad and unforgettable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5IGMJ7KG4MLC?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed this book very much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just spellbinding, full of suspense! Enjoyed this book very much.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WTG4M8FA1R9B?ASIN=0316055441	Good Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written, detailed, descriptive, a joy to read. The story is a little fabricated, forced and predictable, some of the characters not all that likable or sympathetic. A dark view of human existence with a shredded silver lining.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFZRG6XWME2BI?ASIN=0316055441	I would not recommend this book to anyone.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy this book at all. It moved very slowly. It had a very boring plot and the characters were not developed well.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IVH94FS0KDVN?ASIN=0316055441	Long Amazing Journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the size of the book may be off putting, the plot and characters will carry you on a fascinating journey. I'd considered the book before but always put off ordering. Certainly not a 'summer read.'  Then it was recommended at book club with the suggestion that since we skip our monthly meeting in July (vacations), we'd have two months to finish. I started with this attitude and found more like two weeks were needed.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EMHUJKZP2Y01?ASIN=0316055441	What a great read, twist and turns that were perfect	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a great read, twist and turns that were perfect.  I was so touched by the events that took place, feeling every page.<br/><br/>Love it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FJ0556W9E9NI?ASIN=0316055441	a beautiful tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a wonderful storyteller, and The Goldfinch is beautifully written.  This story examines the ambiguities and various shades of gray that are intrinsic elements of life on earth.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R390VILWM17DKR?ASIN=0316055441	Deserves all the awards	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An engrossing read from start to finish. Tartt's storytelling ability is outstanding. A great comment on the upper echelons of NY society and a wonderful treatise on the meaning of life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W86YOFDHJXFZ?ASIN=0316055441	Too long  .	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is very well written., but very wordy and therefore too long.because of all the words it did not keep my interest. I had to make myself go back to it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25PMW2D2A6Y77?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating story which draws you in against your will.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are many levels to this book. Addiction from the point of view of the addict. The immense depth of human dispair. The timelessness of art as opposed to the finality of human life. But it is also a story of love and friendship.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFUVQ0SZJ67PS?ASIN=0316055441	every word was important	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't like long books. I hung on to every word written and wished it would never end. It was tragic. It was beautiful. It was real life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36WK6JA2SWWXY?ASIN=0316055441	I recommend this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. I was quite involved with it. Characters were extraordinary. The tale, captivating. A little long and preachy at the very end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LYA6FYXPKWJU?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book. One of those books that you find hard to put down. I would recommend it to anyone.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V9EYRSDIXXGR?ASIN=0316055441	completely engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's long but worth it.  I was sorry when it ended.  Could have gone on and on reading about those characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KY9FODT5HHMW?ASIN=0316055441	A winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No doubt this novel won the Pulitzer Prize. It was wonderful. From beginning to end, the characters were alive and very real. A great book for a book club. Don't be put off by the length of the book. It is a fast read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VXYN4MPTTPB6?ASIN=0316055441	Persevere!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finally fingured this book out.  I think it's about the limits of rationalism--The Enlightenment.  Some parts are long and tedious.  It takes perseverence, but I'm glad I read it..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QO6F7Y8OSU44?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UOLGPUPQWC16?ASIN=0316055441	Wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">worthy of the Pulitzer.  extremely well developed dialogue and characters.  requires attentive reading, will recommend to my friends and librarian.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UF1WDUZ9KHYJ?ASIN=0316055441	Good read but too I depth on the drugged induced ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read but too I depth on the drugged induced highs and fever induced hallucinations. I felt the protagonist was overly submissive in his choices. He was supposed to be extraordinarily bright but this did not come through other than his own opinion of himself. Even though he suffered an extremely traumatic experience in losing his mother, he kept on and on and on with self abusive acts. A bit much to digest.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPJDJE39SKRBG?ASIN=0316055441	Disfunctional	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have never read a novel were every character was disfunctional, depressed or not really living in reality. No happy faces in Goldfinch. I was happy to realize  that one character (Boris) was really the true individual who came across as who he was.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BC4EMI4V61HT?ASIN=0316055441	Quite. lengthy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story very well written but much too long for me. It was rather depressing also.  I did like it though and think it should be read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QZZJZL0ALRK7?ASIN=0316055441	Very interesting book that at times droned on	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an interesting book and overall I did enjoy it.  Often her sentence structure and usage of colons and dashes became a little distracting for me.  I thought her ability to draw you into a scene was masterful at times and tiresome at other times.  Her description of the night that he spent alone waiting for his mother to come home was incredible as was the scene immediately after the attack.  However, at other times the scenes droned on (the term here may be a little harsh), and the story line at these times became slow but was always unpredictable and kept me interested.  Overall, as I mentioned above, it was very good.  I was surprised that a piece of literary fiction became a best seller but she is truly a wordsmith.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IQKXKDB7VQCJ?ASIN=0316055441	I finished the book but it left to many options open there was no closing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book had no story content it was a biography of a young person sad life who never dreaqlized the help he had just waiting for him to see it. too descriptive to flowery did not need to know the color of his vomit</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T5N6FD80N19K?ASIN=0316055441	"""The Goldfinch"" a Can't put down once you start read."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The most compelling book I've read ins ages. The<br/>Characters are complex and believable, the plot is amazing the backgrounds stunning. I was sorry when it ended.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N7TDT9BEG6XI?ASIN=0316055441	Very well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">could no<br/>T put down for most of the book,but towards the end dot very confused when characters went. out of the country. ending was also disappointing. sort of feel like left hanging. think they over did the description of drug sex, and foul language. 3 star rating</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIPEG7MPT26R6?ASIN=0316055441	so so	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too much introspection for my taste otherwise writing not too bad. enjoyed the development of characters and the story itself</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16XTMC5J8MOOD?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic book! I loved the way the last chapter ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic book!  I loved the way the last chapter was written.  I will never havethis book deleted.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GJPHOKUHS0YA?ASIN=0316055441	good but a bit too long and slow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Took me a while to get into this book and then a couldn't put it down, until towards the end, it became a bit laborious again.  Nevertheless Donna Tartt has a way of describing feelings brilliantly.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DU78T0WQ5WY6?ASIN=0316055441	seriously killer read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can see why/how this one won the Pulitzer for fiction... Outstanding book. Longer than most of my normal reads but worth the effort.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33LRI8YE005PU?ASIN=0316055441	Struggles with Drugs and Poverty	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not my kind of ""make you feel good"" novel.  I wanted someone to knock those kids upside the head and make them see the light.  There was just too much cheating and crime involved.  How sad that this is truly how some kids are raised.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9XU8CF88OS59?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna keeps her reader captivated - lots of character development; allowing the reader to really understand the players their motives and their reactions. An amazing story of life, death, the happenings that make us who we are and the things that hold us prisoner.  Awesome writing style!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31E3WWAYQ10G0?ASIN=0316055441	I more or less enjoyed the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I more or less enjoyed the book.  I felt that a lot of the teen-age years of the boys was overdone.  I think she could have established her points with far fewer words.  I really liked the last part of the book.  I enjoyed thinking about good and bad, right and wrong, intended and untintended consequences.  That part was great.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B9W9QGJO45WR?ASIN=0316055441	One detour and a life is changed forever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kudos to Donna Tartt for the absolutely intriguing and captivating novel. The story unveils with a call to the principal's office and a detour on the way that changes Theo's life forever. The reader is subtly drawn into the novel's every detail, and soon might have difficulty distinguishing which world it real and which is not. I could not wait to return to Theo's life every time I was forced back into my real world. This was my first adventure with Donna Tritt and I am looking forward to more.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17S6ANPJKD8MH?ASIN=0316055441	Very Interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book.  The author really put you into the action by his description.  You won't be disappointed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G1YTDMUF95XA?ASIN=0316055441	Length of book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While there were interesting aspects to this book, it was much too long. The story one would have held my interest if written in a more concise format.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BTET1PWW2GOC?ASIN=0316055441	Literally couldn't put it down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This wonderfully crafted story kept taking unexpected turns. Ms. Tartt's characters are so well drawn, I doubt I'll ever forget them.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLOGMZI2H722M?ASIN=0316055441	Too much of a good thing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The descriptions in this book blew me away from the beginning.  It was amazing how she made you feel you were walking along with the characters and experiencing what they were experiencing.  However, about two thirds of the way through it got to the point, for me at least, I wanted her to get on with the story.  Enough already with describing the length of an eyelash or some weird drug reaction.<br/>The writing style was impressive but I could have enjoyed it more if it was 25% shorter.  The ending was disappointing.  I felt it was one of those books where the author was so in love with writing they idn't know how or when to stop.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UNTWKREGA5LS?ASIN=0316055441	Evocative writing, tedious at times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is engrossing and the characters are sharply drawn, but the book's length is largely due to well written<br/>ramblings thought often get in the way of a compelling story.  The characters and plot kept bringing me back<br/>to the book, the often tedious narratives kept making me put it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FJTIXTGS3YNP?ASIN=0316055441	WHY?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While extremely well written, the story is a bit ponderous.  The Las Vegas Chapter, to me, did not seem to have much relevance.  It is a VERY long book, and too easy to put down.  But I will finish it.....<br/>However, looking forward to reading another book ~ soon.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36X797FH8KSCQ?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As one who reads for the pure enjoyment of it, I found this book beautifully written and engrossing...loved almost every word of it.<br/>It did become a little stretched out towards the end.  But, I found it worth the effort to finish and re-discover some truths almost all humans share.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJG9RD1TLUL5J?ASIN=0316055441	Too much of a read for me!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow....could a point (or even 3 points this book seems to want to make) be made with any wordier presentation?  Not in my opinion! Where was the editor?  I think it is a book that is probably more appreciated by piers rather than general readers.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UMPJUQPDP3YR?ASIN=0316055441	Deeply Moving Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is wise, both sad and uplifting.  The characters are well developed and reflect the truths about being human.  I plan to read it again as this was a book that I wanted to go on forever.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LE2I7ZNEGKKC?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just the same boring series of hysterical drug addicted activities.  I can't figure out why it won a Pulitzure prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QCAGRFBRVXFE?ASIN=0316055441	Restoration	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From New York to Vegas and abroad , the downward spiral is a multilayered and rich account that descends and turns back on itself and surprisingly surfaces with resolution</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DR5OHL1U5KTU?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even if you don't know anything about art, this book transcends any actual plot.  The more you read, the deeper you go into what may sound cliche but through this man's lens ""the meaning of life and death""</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WDGGM1LH7KAD?ASIN=0316055441	So glad it's over!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although this book is very well written I felt it just dragged on and on. It was way too wordy. Cut about half out and it would have been better. The character development and scene development was great But there were way too many pages that just went on and on and on about one idea.<br/><br/>Moving on......</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TPT2ZFAFA0OC?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very difficult to put down, and when you do, you cannot stop thinking about it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ2E8KLAVILT5?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent but wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked the book, but felt some of the musings of the main character were just a little too much.  The author might have been a little more concise</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LT40XWIT0AKM?ASIN=0316055441	review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is true that The Goldfinch is long, and I think that a lot of material could have been cut out, it is still worth the read. I got the feeling that I knew the characters and that I knew exactly the street I was on in New York City. I liked the book  and it gives you a lot to think about. While reading the book, I would go to sleep at night wondering what the next day would  bring for Theo.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O1G1R1AIHN8Z?ASIN=0316055441	A Little Brevity please.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out very strong through the first third of the book. Strong characters. Strong story line. Decent pace. Engaging. Then it seemed the author decided she wanted to write a tomb. A long book for the sake of a long book. It became difficult to finish. Good story. Way too long.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIXBZ3LXT4JSH?ASIN=0316055441	unforgettable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book.  The characters are unforgettable.  They are sweet and flawed and altogether charming.  The plot is faced paced and hard to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N8W9YPNVO5T4?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It has been quite a while since I have read a book that I have enjoyed as much as the Goldfinch.  Original plot with depth and great vocabulary.  Well done!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GWDDA1IF7ML3?ASIN=0316055441	Stunning novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it from beginning to end. The characters are fantastically written - the story is like a painting - so beautifully crafted you can see, smell, and feel every moment.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2STDG9B5IOU3V?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch - one star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would give this book a rating of perhaps one star, if that.  I liked the first part of the book when Theo was young, but after meeting Boris, the book just took on a dark, depressive side.  I read it because I paid for the downloading of it on my Kindle, but I do not recommend it to anyone.  I hated the ending, also.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35CZY3AVIZVNL?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it, hated it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sort of a spoiler alert: The first two-thirds or so of the novel was amazing and transcendent, with beautifully ""drawn"" characters and exquisite dialog so true to those characters--and a compelling story. Then, I guess the editor quit. Maybe it was a money dispute or a disagreement with the author or maybe it was an inauspicious time as revealed by tea leaves or some such. All I know is that Donna Tartt should have begged, pleaded, cajoled, realigned the tea leaves--whatever it would take--to keep the editor on the job. In the latter third of the book, the story devolved into long soliloquies discussing people never introduced (or only barely introduced in subsequent sections) and character motivations reduced to craziness or being drug addled. And I mourned for all the wonderful characters who got killed off in early parts of the book. I stuck with the book until the end, hoping that things would return to the same strong writing, but alas! It was not too be. So, read the first two thirds and then delete the book from your Kindle and leave a review like mine to warn off other potential readers. Or, if you are a writing professor, use this book as a teaching tool.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZB0EX1XCGRTH?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i could not wait to red this book saving it for my summer vacation... although i enjoyed the basic premise it took way too long to get the message across ... recommend it as a read when you have plenty of time</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U814QXD24FYZ?ASIN=0316055441	I actually finished the book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had to skim so much of this book because of the endless description and detailed passages. While that is admirable because of the research that was obviously done, the story could have been written powerfully in half the pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R2594X0YO2NQ?ASIN=0316055441	Very good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I needed a good summer read. I had seen this book all over the book store and best seller lists. I was caught right away. Especially since we here in Oklahoma know how a tragedy like this can effect people. But of course it not just about that. I was held captive about that until about the last 1/8 of the book. I felt the last part, even though it may have been important to wrapping up the book actually kind of unraveled it. I am glad I read it was a very good book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PEMKS62O02IC?ASIN=0316055441	Well-deserved prize winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully descriptive prose provides a stark counterpoint to some of the seamy and dark situations being described. Intriguing story line kept the descriptions from becoming ponderous. Philosophical questions--can ultimate good result from 'evil'?--will make an interesting book club discussion!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FBCN3VF0E4O9?ASIN=0316055441	"I expected ""chick lit""."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an incredible book.  It is almost impossible to put down.  Powerful, frightening, delightful, funny, addictive, sensitive, intelligent. And I am NOT a ""chick""!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SY1W1SMR8QVS?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a thought provoking novel, full of suspense, action, and relationships.  One of the best books I have read in a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QTGBHYSNMXL0?ASIN=0316055441	enjoyed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought I was a little long and dragged in places causing me to loose interest about 3/4 thru.  The story line was great and kept me wondering what was going to happen next and how it would end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D9ITE7ZHZXPF?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished the book last week and really liked it.  But I did find it a little hard to read, a bit long and maybe just too many different things going on in the book that for me made it a little confusing.  But I did like it and would recommend it to others.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RM1SKWC99HJT?ASIN=0316055441	Luscious prose, captivating story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book. Tartt may just be the American Dostoevsky, a writer I had put in a class of his own, until The Goldfinch. From the characters, to the many references, it appears the author is a fan of the Russian novelist, too. If you like going on a real journey with a masterful writer, this is a great read. One that will linger in your mind long after you finish.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HZXYVZJRNC62?ASIN=0316055441	Tough Read but Worth It	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put this book down. The characters haunted me when I wasn't  reading.  Strong themes of drug/alcohol abuse, and the power of relationships (good &amp; bad).</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH840V1TW6YNU?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love this stunning book for its richly developed characters, its unexpected wit, and because it transported me to this time and place with a beautifully written and haunting story.  The author has  a marvelous ability to mix the right amount of dialogue into the narrative; in each chapter, she advanced the plot skillfully, pacing the reader's expectations with a growing sense of urgency. The Pulitzer Prize is well deserved.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UL4VOPAGHWE2?ASIN=0316055441	Gripping Beauty	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful, suspenseful. Totally engaging from beginning to middle to end. Love serves as the sifting of characters from extreme behavior.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19WHSGHXXT8IR?ASIN=0316055441	Mixed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed reading the first half, but getting through the second half was tough. It was tough because there were pages and pages of details that would be great if you were trying to direct the movie version, but for me they started to become tedious and irrelevant. I just finally wanted to know what happened to the painting, what he said or didn't say when and if he confessed to what he did, and what the relevance of the painting was in the big picture.<br/><br/>In the first half, you develop an attachment to the boy (narrator) and you want to protect him. In the second half, the boy...now man looses all direction via heavy and random drug use. We're forced to get through his delirium in order to get to some shadowy outcome or just fleeting moments of lucidity.<br/><br/>Finally, there is an end, and you do get answers. I do think it would make a decent movie. Robert Downey Jr. could play the adult version of ""Popper""....or maybe we need someone younger...Zac Ephron? He may be too pretty...and I'll stop now.<br/><br/>One final note. I read this for my book club. It is a good book club choice. There is a lot to discuss with different ways of seeing the same thing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13SH1JCVYU4F6?ASIN=0316055441	Deserves all the accolades	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written and was definitely a page turner. At times the elaborate details lost my attention and I found myself skimming these parts. Otherwise, I highly recommend!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P5T1BMJTWWOR?ASIN=0316055441	Huge disappointment...don't bother	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Writing was the only saving grace in an otherwise long, slow, dark and depressing book. Could not for the life of me finish it...and I tried. I wanted to like this book, but I didn't. And I kept hoping for something uplifting and good to happen, but it didn't. Finally I gave up and found something worthwhile to read. Can't for the life of me understand the high ratings, positive reviews, high praise and multiple awards  this book has received. I thought the writing was great...but everything else was a total letdown. My advice is don't bother!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E0ERUHR7879E?ASIN=0316055441	Gold indeed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch exists on that exalted plateau of works of art that change one's life.  It moves from terrible loss to sheer squalor to a level of joyful profundity that makes everything new.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32X0UPO4RRDFZ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I believe it was on the bestseller list of New York Times, but I was bewildered and disappointed at this supposedly mystery novel.  It was a meandering, flashback story of a young boy left motherless, abandoned by his father. The story just didn't move on and I gave up after plodding through a quarter of the book.  My 23 year old granddaughter, a voracious reader,  was also left clueless and gave up after 5 pages! So it wasn't a generational gap problem.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EYKNB88D77V1?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous story- Waaayyyy too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love a long story a much as a short one, but in this case the story does not have to be so long. The plot is good, the characters are amazing, and the writing is wonderful, it just should have been edited a lot more than it was. Donna, please value your readers  time. Unfortunately, I can't give it more stars for this reason alone.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FCYJM1DX8P8L?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch, goldfinch, who's got the goldfinch?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story, initially thrust into the life of a young boy growing up after a bombing incident robbed him of his maternal bond. Each chapter delved further into his experience of growing up, his experience with the social system, resurrection of a paternal influence and his development of friendship along the way. As he develops his career and the people he meets along the way, a recurring theme of the painting of a goldfinch keeps surfacing. The journey is intricate and draws the reader into the story. I found myself trying to assist the story along, figuring out ways to get even with some of the not so nice people introduced. I was disappointed that I did not get vengeance on a blackmailer, but that may have been the author's intention. A powerful story and highly recommended.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ASGIUED2EL42?ASIN=0316055441	Not what I expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Turned into entirely different book than I thought I had started.  Did not expect this to be about drugs, shootings, and general mayhem.  Can't really recommend, but then everyone has his/her own taste. Not a bad book, just not my taste.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J66EUJ1TC185?ASIN=0316055441	best book I've read in years.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">best book I've read in years. Seriously. It's almost Cather in the rye. You love and hate the protagonist equally.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33GKQ80PAEWPW?ASIN=0316055441	I didn't care for it:(	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the beginning, some of the middle, the last 65% was a dragged out ridiculous story! I would not recommended this book. The main character was so self absorbed I found it hard to care about him at all as an adult!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VHAXWSWJPDB0?ASIN=0316055441	Will make a great movie - a little long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the story telling and the unexpected story lines.  while it was a bit wordy and I skimmed many pages in order to finish in time for my book club, it was interesting and well written.  it will make a great movie.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10RNKB6YDKFI?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best novels I have read in a long time. Captivating in its details, an engaging story from beginning to end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G7KEYT6O84QQ?ASIN=0316055441	Very well written story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written story that slows up a bit in the last quarter.  However, the beautifully written observations in the final pages make it well worth hanging in there.  The plot is timely and examines the long lasting effects of trauma and lost childhood.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ANXSZRE2K5Y1?ASIN=0316055441	Not as good as the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very depressing book. It deals with the issue of PTSD which is clinically very depressing. The author has a  great way with words and I suppose that is why it won the Pulitzer prize, but if you are looking to read a book for entertainment purposes this one is definitely not it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39ONWY5XSAIX5?ASIN=0316055441	The value of art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was first of all, very well written.  The words really came alive on the page.<br/>The really story, I found, was really about the art world and the immortal value of art.<br/>I could really understand and see art with new value, the way it continues to move through generations with continued importance.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JTJ9KSCV7HSJ?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed every page!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am so glad to reclaim my life after finishing The Goldfinch. I ate, slept, went to work and then picked up this book at every spare moment. The development of characters and the portrayal of an indivdual's response to trauma were second to none. Donna Tartt  accurately reflects substance abuse and addiction and the toll it takes on individuals and their loveed ones. I will forever regard this book as one of my all time favorites.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQX93LE6O41K2?ASIN=0316055441	Very enjoyable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed the author's writing style, the story-line and characters. I would highly recommend it to others.  The two areas that I had to highlight were when the main character speaks of his dream (of his mother).  I can personally remember having a similar feeling when I dreamed of my recently deceased sister many years ago. The scene made me cry all over again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H8V795KH9PQB?ASIN=0316055441	Intense but Dark;	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was a very difficult read; dark but extremely powerful in the end.  I am very glad that I finished the book (though I had to put it down once.  I will  re-read the last few pages for more reflection and introspection.  It was an intense book that showed the power of family and circumstance.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGBYM400FJQ3J?ASIN=0316055441	fantastik read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating and strong - so much emotion, it vibrates with longing, and the space in between feelings. My warmest recomendations Catharine</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ICZY8OBEJUQA?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize Worthy? Probably not.  Worth reading? Yes!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a little trouble getting into this book, but ended up really enjoying it.  Maybe a little long, but the characters were interesting, albeit sometimes too stupid to believe.  I would recommend this book!  Loved the ""words of wisdom"" at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HRPES6AXL8AZ?ASIN=0316055441	Great start, poor ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was truly interested in the beginning of the book, also the middle of the book.  It began to get boring about 2/3 through the book but I continued, thinking that there must be something to redeem it.  Too many references to books and other things that I had not read or even knew existed.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQEAOFSPMIDR0?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling story of the illusion of attachment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's been some time since I've enjoyed a story so dark yet hopeful in its philosophy. What drives us, when we are knocked down repetitively? How does love and attachment start and often end? The book is my favorite of the year. A rare beauty in its darkness.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G0HU24EEZ9WD?ASIN=0316055441	a hard read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reminded me of The Story of Edward Sawtelle....... I always finish books that I start  but this was a struggle. Hard to like Theo and Boris. Parts were great. The explosion at the museum where Theo stayed with the strange man while he died.....I had hopes for Theo then. Maybe, I need to review this later after it sinks in a little. Just not sure how I feel about it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ARGAP2VJLLZE?ASIN=0316055441	OK I Lied, This Is Her Best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tart just keeps getting better (and her books keep getting longer!)  This one is brilliant, with incredibly well drawn characters and an intelligent plot.  Very much worth reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XRNLS3RC1257?ASIN=0316055441	LOTS of pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is beautifully written.<br/><br/>Found myself re-reading some of the more amazing sentences.<br/>Interesting insight into a fairly dysfunctional life.<br/>Had some trouble trudging through the middle 300 pages, but loved the ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR838663JEKTJ?ASIN=0316055441	Worthy of the Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldflinch is outstanding, as are her previous novels.  Tartt has become one of my favorite authors.  The story and writing is remarkable and profound.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KM5RUEPW9RX5?ASIN=0316055441	fascinating and delightful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's hard to really say what this book is about but it's breathtaking and beautifully written (if not a little long winded at times).</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YW2BUUSVRRW7?ASIN=0316055441	Heard such great things, just couldn't get into it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had heard great things about this book. The language is beautiful, but the story bored me to tears. I admit, then ending was wonderful, but the rest of the book, I just didn't enjoy.<br/>I wanted to stop reading in the beginning, but couldn't due to the promise of an exciting story. I should have.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O8V3EFCB994T?ASIN=0316055441	Thrilling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so caught up with the happenings of one child's life growing up thru adulthood and his two best friends. Well written and the experiences that takes him on this journey with his prize piece of art.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RED6XD3TC2S?ASIN=0316055441	great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent writing but a bit too detailed in parts; got lost in some of the minutia....quite a sad depiction of life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15SXOGS7C69O?ASIN=0316055441	I have mixed emotions about this book, very well scripted but needed more editing and I think it was cliched.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reading this very lengthy book was a roller coaster ride.  The phrasing was great.  But my gosh, it went on and on in places that were really wearisome.  Initially, you were rooting for him to get through his teen years and make it on his own.  He found a mentor, a skill and an interest.  Then came his father taking him to Las Vegas.  Good lord, that went on for what seemed decades establishing that Theo's morale core hadn't dropped far from his father's tree.  Once he returned to New York his unsavory life continued with dips into what you'd hoped would happen.  Really tired story line and in the end, I didn't like the characters at all.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SN1MKX9TTER1?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting but not thrilling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much detail to make the various points, thus way too long; I was disappointed in the ending but it made sense</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24YQDOIG9NCNX?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. I enjoyed every minute of  reading it! Recommend it highly. Couldn't put it down. My book club loved it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SRGTHBCKXNMI?ASIN=0316055441	Quite a Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although Goldfinch dragged a bit in the middle, it redeemed itself with a rousing ending. I'm not sure I really like the man that the boy I liked so much became, but I understood how it happened.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FY963BN28037?ASIN=0316055441	Very different read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I decided to read this book because it had won the Pulizter Prize for fiction.  It was well written, but it certainly was a step out of my comfort zone.  Don't read this book if you like happy, uplifting stories.  This was anything but...very morose with no happy ending.  Still, I couldn't put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11A3VEOHVMRIJ?ASIN=0316055441	This is going to be one of my all time favorite books ever!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So sorry to get to the end of this story, I really felt something for the  main character.  I saw everything through his eyes. Great book!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R280T1YYSSHCZD?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is captivating, it grabs you from the very beginnig, but it is a little drawn out, there many times where I would just put it down and not read it for days.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A8QGQAXN5ZOT?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put it down.  It was incredibly well written.  All the characters were three dimensional and all stayed true to character.  I did think it tended to ramble just a little in some places, but definitely one of the best books ever</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P27QM9T7KTF6?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful, but	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just a few too many words.  You may disagree with my logic as, you can see, I've  given it five stars.  However, it took me 3 weeks to read which is a little too long for my taste.  Needless to say, I wouldn't have finished if the book hadn't been significant.  Author reminds me of Connie Willis who also takes awhile for expression.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PNHYOVJ4J22S?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book occupied my mind night and day while I read it. The story is very well presented, and the hero of the book has all his flaws apparent, except for the ones he cannot bring himself to acknowledge. An excellent novel, very well written. I highly recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15BYHU5Y8FLOA?ASIN=0316055441	Chained to this painting?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a well-written overwhelmingly depressing story about loss, addiction, misery, deceit and other aspects of human nature. There was such depth in the character's observations of life.  The pages flew by so quickly.<br/>Is the message of this novel about the chance of being born, running in circles and then dying at any time?  Maybe? Very depressing.<br/>Could the painting of the little Goldfinch with the tiny chain on his leg have been Theo, the main character?  In so many ways Theo was chained to the painting and to the never ending memories of his mother.<br/>Great story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PNDTJJJIX1RW?ASIN=0316055441	An interesting book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took many adventures and journeys for this young man to finally find himself.  Wonderful charcters who were well depicted.  At times it seemed to go on too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KNQ864U8DFYG?ASIN=0316055441	Well-written, but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I guess I'm tiring of the dark and gritty. I felt this way about The Secret History a few years ago too. It made me feel bleak inside. Also, towards the end of this one it was just so much internal monologue that I couldn't wait for it to be over.<br/><br/>That said, there are some breathtaking lines in here and some people will absolutely love it. Just not what I needed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K3AVLLYHZS1S?ASIN=0316055441	long, thought provoking read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found the book to be compelling.  Love Boris and Hobie. Actually, live the assortment of characters, much like a Dickens novel.  But not a fan of the rambling details, again like a Dickens novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21XCHPNZ0P2VV?ASIN=0316055441	Great characters, thought provoking read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">author explores many concepts from different vantage points - nature vs. nurture; right vs. wrong and shades of grey; art and collecting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PJDZXZALVO7E?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The majority of the book was a good read.  However, the last chapter seemed to drag on and on.  I guess it's called reflection</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27FZ1X5190K0R?ASIN=0316055441	A complete surprise, total page turner, I've never lost so much sleep!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started reading this book without knowing the first thing about it, or reading the synopsis.  I was thrilled that by the first few pages I was sucked into the emotion and storyline of this novel.  The author does an incredible job of exposing the characters so you feel as if you're living their lives.  The journey the reader takes with Theo, the main character, is filled with laughter, heartache, torture, pride, grief, love, the list goes on.  A must read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY76FIQFV4JX0?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Grabs you at the start. puts you to sleep in the middle, then gets your attention at the end.  Stick with it and you won't be disappointed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RR1Y4MYNFNGS?ASIN=0316055441	a book about a loser who wasted his life and says he wasn't to blame	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book should have been edited to about half it's current length.  The author is no Charles Dickens.  He asks you to spend a lifetime with a self-absorbed young man who destroys himself and says it was fate--he had no choice.  If I could choose again, I wouldn't waste my time reading this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUSBVKGA0YN6T?ASIN=0316055441	Wise and erudite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought provoking, wise, contemporary and erudite. A wonderful novel. I have ordered the other two Donna Tartt books. I expect that they will be equally as engaging.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MHJQRMDVWJ68?ASIN=0316055441	From Amsterdam to NYC and back	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book, but thought it was too long.  Beginning and ending strong. Great insights about art and that painting specifically.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAHLZDHPOFYNN?ASIN=0316055441	Great story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I feel like I've just been on a long, wonderful trip!  So much to this story.  I will be thinking about it for a long time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20IWNVZX9PTC8?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt satisfies.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">On the whole terrific! Long but moves quickly. Characters have depth and plot is engrossing albeit improbable. Thoughtful without preachiness.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TXP584D18N0E?ASIN=0316055441	very good!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the best book that I've read in quite a while. The story captures your attention in the beginning and never lets it go. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a good read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23QSEOAA6XJFZ?ASIN=0316055441	Theo and his Family	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story was so well written that I felt like I was actualltvthe main character.  His feeling were almost tangible.  Unfortunately his circumstances were dire and solutions questionable at best.  His friends Niris...to my mind was Johnny Depp.  It was difficult to read emotionally but impossible to put down.  All of this story going on while pondering the meaningoof family and if life in general...while learning about artcand antiques.  Incredible.  So glad I read it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AFE9RCWTIQ51?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have recommended this book to countless people for weeks because it is a delightful, if depressing, read.  But having finally finished it yesterday (it's long) I would have to add it to my list of Wonderful Books with Disappointing Endings.  It's a rich tapestry of characters and incidents that devolve in the last hundred pages into a think piece that is both anticlimactic and slow.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11RADPOHRSZW8?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is everything I love about reading:  exciting, complex, rich in imagery, a study in how we live and relate with others.  Clearly deserves the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HPE9FZ2B9VAE?ASIN=0316055441	A little too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very good start, somewhat boring in the middle and racy ending, though the philosophical reflections at the very end were totally unnecessary. Not the level of The Secret History.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DCUG1TBNN1FF?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Another great Mississippi author.  The plot and transitions in this book were very good.  It takes the reader into the heart of people who are good and people who are bad.  There is not a lot of difference that I can tell.  No matter how old Theo gets, he is still the boy searching for his mother who was killed in a bombing which Theo survived.  Theo, afterwards, quesioned the meaning and purpose of his own life, failing miserably.  The book was as dark as a Tennessee Williams play and written in a style harking to William Faulkner, both men being born in Mississippi.  There are so many facets and obscure meanings found in this book which begged for the fifth star.  Though Theo certainly was not a typical child and I could not help loving him.  He never fully trusted other people or himself again after the bombing.  He did  find some peace and a meaning of life and joy in the quest for all things beautiful.  There are so many twists and turns in the book.  But through it all, I wanted to comfort the little boy that was irrevocably scarred in his youth.<br/><br/>Thank you, Ms. Tartt, for a good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X5VQE8IWP2UQ?ASIN=0316055441	susk25	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great characters and writing. Very compelling ! I loved it in spite of its length. The end went on a bit too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDHDKC64JTGSC?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great and exciting introduction to ""art"" for non-art person.  Was never quite sure which way it was going.  Kept me reading and interested</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JI8V3IMN14UO?ASIN=0316055441	Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was a little long in the middle of the book but otherwise captivating. I learned a lot about the art world.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ENX6MW629OSW?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a compelling story, which grabs you from the start and keeps your interest all the way through.  The theme and underlying message are strong and intellectual, while the plot is moving and interesting.  I would highly recommend this novel.  Great summer read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XUWO2Z65PVN9?ASIN=0316055441	magnificent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sometimes I was lost but would never let go of Theo. he took me by the hand and begged me to stick with him even when I longed to turn away, or to tug him away. I'm sad it's over.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N9YCYDZ8F0YP?ASIN=0316055441	Chapter xxi  page 357	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was dismayed to note that Theodore and his dog  . . . ""sped past, over the Continental Divide and out of the Rockies, Popper content after his romp around Denver . . ."" because the Continental Divide is west of Denver, Colorado!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R274R8P2XN55JS?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to stick with tis book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not sure why this book got a Pulitzer prize, other than its depressing and about dispair.  Nice vocabulary and sentence structure though.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMWDZT02ZFILA?ASIN=0316055441	Worth Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has some beautiful language, deep concepts communicated through intriguing story.  I could have lived with less detail about the drug adventures of a couple of the characters because the extent of those descriptions just made it feel a bit redundant and less believable.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25Z6T4H1G8G85?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is worth reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was incredible. As Tartt takes us through the tumultuous journey of Theodore's life, she moves her readers with her skillful capture of emotion and ultimate reasoning of the meaning of life. Overall, The Goldfinch is a very well-written and thought-provoking book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KUAFTGFU527F?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch was a nice surprise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the development of the main people, the way they started coming to life as the book went on.  If I had one thing I did not like is that at times it seemed to drag a bit.  I would like to see this made into a movie.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG4C4IV6JEBC1?ASIN=0316055441	there are some gems in here, too bad you have to read the whole book to get to them.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long, drawn out, so detailed that it seems like it would never end, but luckily it is written in an interesting voice and you can get through it with patience. The characters are interesting, but not particularly interactive. A bit flat.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HDQNY5K48SUD?ASIN=0316055441	To many bad life choices	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First I have to say that it not my kind of story...<br/>It is a very sad story full with bad happenings and bad life choices.... full of long descriptions a little too detailed of the many<br/>real awful situations in which the  main character finds himself.<br/>Probably lots of people would (may be) love it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BCIZSK79DLWC?ASIN=0316055441	Was Not For Me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first 30% of so of this book you are reading the thoughts of a young boy.  I found nothing to hold my interest and to keep me wanting to continue reading. Throughout the book, when there was dialogue between two persons it was often difficult to keep track as to which character was speaking.  I could not understand why many sentences ended with a question mark (?) when no question was being asked.  Much of the book reads with the thoughts of the boy as he grows up through life.  There is a lot of drug taking and the author goes into detail on the possible affects of the characters minds during their stupor.  Beyond all this, I was impressed with the author's knowledge and her ability to give detailed descriptions on many subjects such as, drugs, on death and beyond, and of insights of the world.  It amazed me that many thoughts and feelings portrayed by the characters are ones that many of us have had.  Overall, there were few chapters that kept you wanting more.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKVZQ2BVCNPK?ASIN=0316055441	spectacular use of language	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms. Tartt paints a picture as nuanced and beautiful as the namesake of this book using only words.  Truly amazing and moving.  I finished the book a couple of weeks ago and find myself thinking about the story and specific passages every day.  Last night I dreamed about it.  I immediately bought A Secret History and am enjoying that immensely, though I am surprised to find a very similar use of foretelling.  No matter, though.  The book is beautifully written.  The theme and some of the dialogue (and some of the internal monologue) makes this inappropriate for children.  But if my 19 year old would read anything longer than a Sports Illustrated story, I would encourage him to read this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RELBWJVKZFV8?ASIN=0316055441	Dissapointed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many stories in one story! Not impressed, I felt very bored and kept waiting for this book to get going!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JBXJGOURPOEQ?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a slow start but keeps you interested all the way through.  I would recommend it for avid readers.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WWIFZ7LJVQZS?ASIN=0316055441	Very well done coming of age novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's been awhile since there has been a coming of age novel worthy of a top rating.  This is a book that does.  The trials of a young man who endures (early in the book, so not much of a spoiler) the untimely death of his mother; and, his subsequent self-upbringing required by the irresponsibility of the remaining adults in his life is a page turner.  Themes of betrayal and themes of integrity are intertwined. Although it is a long book, I read it in two days.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BAYJRUQ86YB4?ASIN=0316055441	Great Story - Well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is great book. I was a tad daunted by its length but it is such an excellent book the length was not a problem.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5JG93WHJQO17?ASIN=0316055441	excessive descriptions	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the story interesting, but the plot jumped around; there were endless descriptions and some of the language was offensive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BN83ZRZK5Y68?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful Fiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A true work of art!  This novel is so well-written, with a plot that twists and leaps into the most unexpected places, through the awe- inspiring  life journey of the young protagonist/ narrator, one surprise after another; engaging subplots related to the world of art, literature, romance, sexuality, deceit, addiction, despair, depression, love, hope and friendship. The characters are described in such depth; with the fluid events of their lives changing each of them so subtly, yet so realistically and with compelling sensitivity. Symbolism and themes are uncovered as the stories of all these originally unconnected orphans blend into one big message about the biggest mysteries of humanity , especially questions about our undeniable fate and how each of us choose to live by our head or by our heart...all of us bound by chains, like the pet  goldfinch, of which we are often unaware... until it is too late. This is a modern classic!!! I can't wait to read it again........</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20IIFJMZ1XVWQ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The whole family read this book and really enjoyed it.  My daughter's book club chose it for their book of the month.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DDO6R8S24GA3?ASIN=0316055441	a good book club read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was easy to get into.  Some parts a little too detailed but stick with it it all comes together in the end.  Amazing how his life changed because of one event.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FQKSSQHXVR8S?ASIN=0316055441	interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is good to get into the head of someone not like us. A traumatized teen that grows into a drug abusing young man is interesting and distressing at the same time.  I hope that the next chapter finds some relief for his guilt and his drug issues.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCEE560ZNBCFZ?ASIN=0316055441	Recommendation	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fascinating story with lots of detailed description. Interesting study of the way a boy reacts to the trauma he experienced and the loss of his mother and failure of his faither.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21IZ09FMS07AF?ASIN=0316055441	Repetitive; too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much too wordy; too much drug use, etc. for my taste.<br/>Just drawn out too long for what could have been an interesting story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MKPGCEYR81OQ?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding literature	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put the book down.  The story is compelling.  The characters, complex.  The use of language is beautiful.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ICC96MNKWYRL?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Didn't Sing For Me.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found The Goldfinch disappointingly uneven.  The beginning really grabbed me with the explosion and the intriguing set up of the relationships.  But in all honesty the action was very slow after that.  The writing, while very vivid in some places, is overly wordy.  Scenes drag on for pages when a few paragraphs would suffice.  The tempo of the book is lethargic, even self-indulgent much of the time and I found myself skipping pages to get on with the action.<br/><br/>Finally I lost interest all together.  I rarely allow myself to leave a book unfinished.  But this one was so tedious, I gave up and went on to another story about two thirds through.  Perhaps one day when I have nothing else to do, I will finish it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGXG69GP00NVG?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing, unrealistic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Writing is pretty good at times, characters are interesting but the book is depressing and you never get a sense why the main character does what he does.  The first third of the book is good.  I found it disappointing and depressing to read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NLP3DR1P2L16?ASIN=0316055441	Tough book to get through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the storyline but it was depressing. The characters are well developed, but I needed some lighter moments to break from some of the harsh realities of the story. Donna Tartt is an intelligent writer. I just needed a break from the heavy parts of each chapter.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AZWKLFT4RAL3?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book kept my interest from the 2nd page to the end.  This is not an uplifting book, but it contains many messages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WKSLN1L4BMXQ?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt is a Master Storyteller	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a gripping novel of loss, dysfunction, love and resilience.  It is another beautifully written novel by Donna Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DGGW348I1ZOY?ASIN=0316055441	Difficult Read, but Worth It	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Characters well drawn, easily remembered. Development of main character was understandable and realistic. Description of drug usage was too extended for me realizing the destructive nature of it. The philosophy at the end made the length palatable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZFH0WK9EZ0Q7?ASIN=0316055441	Will this be a classic?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book,but it did drag in a few places like the time in Amsterdam.  This book has a universal theme, beauty. The characters are multilayered and not always likeable,but people aren't always either. There is one character,Hobie, who is as kind and constant as any person could ever be which helps offset some of the most shallow people I have ever met in a book like Kitsey. The immediate problem is solved and ends are tied up. That does not mean that there is a ""happy"" ending. Life is like that as well.. The author writes with great detail almost to the point of being overdone. I am glad that I read the book. It has given me much to consider and discuss. BTW, this is not the first book that I have read by this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K8BWP7JFS9V7?ASIN=0316055441	Did Not Live Up To The Hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not sure how this book won so many awards and praises.  It starts off really good and then it was everything I had to finish the book.  If you want to know how different drugs will affect you or how much you can take without killing yourself then this will be helpful to you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DJY7CFJC3D7B?ASIN=0316055441	One painting changed lives	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The auther really understands the world in which this story takes place.  i found it interesting because it's a world so far removed from my own.  To make the painting the driving force of Theo's life was brilliant.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7WLCHE88P3UF?ASIN=0316055441	Too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Never have had to skim so much during a fictional novel.  I found that sometimes the character's long winded rants had me flipping through pages and on to the next chapter.  The first half of the book was great, but seemed to have huge gaps in between time periods.  Didn't care for the ending either.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26KSGPKTBQK7K?ASIN=0316055441	Very depressing novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At times this novel just dragged on and on.  I was tempted to put it down several times.  Very depressing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T3BEWD5H825B?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a captivating book. I enjoyed the location descriptions - NYC, Vegas, Amsterdam, etc. Great plot with intriguing twists.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16QLU9J95NZF5?ASIN=0316055441	Art, terrorism, and drugs? What more could you want?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A brilliant, complex read that skillfully weaves the sophisticated world of art with the seedy world of drugs, while providing a fictional account of what happens to two individuals who survive a terrorist attack in Manhattan. I couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DMD1X5E2K9O1?ASIN=0316055441	Proud that I finished it....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was, in my opinion, not a good book.  There were of course parts that were engaging however I found myself skimming over WAY too much of a book that recently one a Pulitzer Prize.  It was very broken up, lots of wasteful words/pages spend on flat out boring topics/information.  I found it incredibly difficult to connect to the main character.  He was just not that likable. I tried VERY hard to root for him along the way but often felt disappointed.<br/><br/>I read on average one to two books a month, by no means am I a literary expert.  However, I would not recommend this book.....  At all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I354KYGEMV7S?ASIN=0316055441	Very long novel not quite worth the message	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I enjoyed reading this novel , which certainly has it's share of elaborate descriptive clauses, I thought that it was ultimately just too long.  Some b</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G3E0SKX9XS9G?ASIN=0316055441	flashes of brilliance, but overwritten.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best part of this 700+ page book are in the last 25 pages.  A maddening journey of abuse, greed, fear and finally (thank god) of vulnerability.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G8HY320U8KAM?ASIN=0316055441	Classic Wish-It-Would-Never-End book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Spectacular writing, insights into art, beauty, adversity &amp; the human spirit told in a way uniquely modern and timeless. Only a tiny bit self indulgent.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14COQ75EGCRMA?ASIN=0316055441	letdown	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first half of this book is written very well.  It is a page turner.  However, the last half of the book seems as though the author was too rushed and it just seems to fall apart.  The ending was disappointing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LZNNKR9VZ254?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is hard to keep interest in the story. I am still reading the book after 1 month. Maybe after I finish it I will have a different opinoin.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9XT4O5LS8HNP?ASIN=0316055441	A tad disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found myself skimming over numerous sections of fluff throughout this novel to get to the next interesting section. At times I was rivited and couldn't wait to turn the page and at other times I could have cared less about what the author was writing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D0Y8WUA2L8QL?ASIN=0316055441	Not my Favorite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author clearly has an excellent command of the language, however she uses that skill to a fault. The description of people, places, events, and thoughts seem to be endless.  Additionally, her understanding of how young boys think is quite unrealistic.  As you can tell, I didn't care for the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X3NRCOL2H7AQ?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">775 pages of luxurious, soul-piercing prose telling a gripping, serpentine tale.  This book was wholly deserving of the Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R81TRTHIK9V93?ASIN=0316055441	It could change you	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book about famous art, antiques, antique dealers, drugs, and life.  Donna can turn a phrase, her characters and the settings they play in become part of you for awhile.  At the end I highlighted phrases and committed them to memory so I could share them with humanity.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U38IV4K4211R?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good writing!!!!!!!!!<br/>It was much too long. Could have easily cut 200 pages.<br/>I would read more of her work.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P5ZCQE30TVDS?ASIN=0316055441	Good but not great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed it somewhat but much too wordy.  Too detailed and took away from the story.  Cannot understand how it won pulitzer price for fiction not that interesting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G5OMAT6B7AUQ?ASIN=0316055441	Not sure what constitutes a Pulitzer Prize	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought The Goldfinch was good, not great. Although Tart writes beautifully, at times she gets so wordy that I thought ""Alright already, I got the point a few paragraphs/pages ago.""  After reading The Goldfinch, I did some research on the book and Tart.  I read it took Tart 10 years to write the book.  I think if either she had a better editor or stopped writing after she made a point, I would have enjoyed the book more.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NFKBI5XQ5GSV?ASIN=0316055441	Congruence of diction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the requisite suspension of disbelief a constant and intrusive barrier to my acceptance of the diction attributed to the adolescent characters. Theo speaks the language of a literate, facile, adult scholar, which he isn't. The diction is not congruent, that is, it does not match. An adult's recollection of a traumatised,drug- saturated youth could not possibly lead to the minute details the author puts into Theo's mouth. ""When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child."" This is my problem with ""The Goldfitch"", one obviously not shared by the erudite judges of the nation's top literary award</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17ASO4JMJ2PWE?ASIN=0316055441	Anticipation was greater than book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think this book was very good, but not the best. It seemed to drag on at certain times, and the author could have eliminated some things to make the book a little shorter, while still getting the point across. An enjoyable summer read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HLAAYVS17CHZ?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I will forever remember and love this story. It is long, but I wouldn't be able to tell you of any part that should be omitted.<br/>It was a journey.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21L3GU2D19TTW?ASIN=0316055441	Such great characters in this terrific book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is just one of those books that I couldn't put down...and when I did, I couldn't wait to pick up again. The characters were so well drawn and vivid it was like they'd really existed. Enjoy a great read? This will suit you well.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6HPKZXGBVFBV?ASIN=0316055441	Survival	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How Theo &amp; Boris survived is truly remarkable! The cruelties of life smacking them squarely in the face &amp; their kinship to survive is heart wrenching!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RADYCH5009QJE?ASIN=0316055441	long read...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a good read if you like fiction, story and description.  At almost 800 pages it can afford editing.  I don't see it as meriting the Pulitzer Prize.  The main character and narrator is a boy of 13 and it takes him to about age 23, he is believable of today's teen males.  I read this book as a selection of my book club but doubt I would have tackled it otherwise.  Other than my literary book club members I don't know anyone I'd recommend this book.  My book club was mixed on liking it however did not see it as great literature.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R7639YCXITYE?ASIN=0316055441	contrasts bring forth beauty	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In a tragic series f love stories, Tartt paints a vivid contrast between have and want, beauty and filth, love and greed,  Young adults claim their adulthood, traversing the path of adolescence and young adulthood.  It is a book of haunting beauty.  I will definitely give it as gifts.  It is a book to build your heart.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LBO26XPWF6QN?ASIN=0316055441	Well written and unusual	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A hard book to put down but one that drags out the story entirely too long.  Keep reading to the end; it's well worth it.  Inspiring connection to a real life painting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E4WS46GABSDH?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was a long read but it held my attention well. The author definitely was able to convey Theo's (the main character's) pain. It takes you through all the anguish he felt as he tried to go on with his life. The painting of the Gold Finch was the catalyst throughout the whole story  to bring him to places he never would of went giving the book high adventure and soul searching.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10K7N8P3D6G60?ASIN=0316055441	Disjointed, but entertaining	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I resisted buying this book, as the premise did not interest me. Then it seemed I couldn't get away from it, as it was recommended multiple times (by friends and Amazon).<br/><br/>The first, perhaps, half was engrossing. I felt that the main characters were thought out and I was invested in this story of a boy who loses his mother. That initial investment is really what brought me to finish the book, because the last half (or so, perhaps less) was more like a heist caper, and I just wanted it to be done with. I didn't feel like there was much thematic continuity.<br/><br/>This is a well-written book that deserves most of its praise, but it's probably 200 pages longer than it could have been, which was disappointing. I would recommend reading it if you're ready to invest some time and are looking to be entertained instead of edified. Though, really, the first half was beautiful.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NMFYGRUOQOJV?ASIN=0316055441	Worthy of the Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Few books come along that are as engrossing and moving as this one.  I read it on my kindle but ended up buying a copy to give as a gift.  I'm still thinking about Theo (the main character); he's taken up residence in my heart.  I worry about him, I wonder how he's getting along with Hobie, and what will ever happen with Pippa....  the story lives on.  Keep writing, Donna Tartt!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16X49UC2FDRN2?ASIN=0316055441	a rare experience	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this in one weekend. Now that I am finished, what in the world am I going to read next?  Everything pales in comparison!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UH1OSZXWKJPZ?ASIN=0316055441	An Incredible Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put this down. The author brings us into the mind of a kid damaged by a horrific event. How he finds his way is riveting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB4PEE91OQZTM?ASIN=0316055441	brads_m@hotmail.com	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story touches the ""truths"" of existence so deeply and beautifully. Thank you for putting to word so many essences of life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R385ML28TOW6DP?ASIN=0316055441	A haunting book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i really enjoyed reading this book but was troubled by the seedy side of the lives of the main characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AMLZ0DCMW3FP?ASIN=0316055441	ponderous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt never met an adjective she didn't like and she's pretty darn fond of adverbs too.  Lyricism is best when applied with a delicate stroke ... tis writer uses a hammer.  Never mind that after wading through about half the book, I wanted to reach in and throttle the sniveling protagonist and his little Russian chum ... I seldom delete a book from my device, this one I did ...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNZT03DD0YS28?ASIN=0316055441	A remarkable read!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best-written books I have ever had the joy of experiencing. It paints an incredible picture of Theo' s life, trials, and tribulations with language that is alternately plain and direct then colorful and complex. An amazing piece of work!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UJ8U2ZUU1REU?ASIN=0316055441	Classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I was young I never understood the term ""Classic"". Now I know why some books are classics and The Goldfinch deserves that label.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GIIX59ZL9BEX?ASIN=0316055441	Fabuloso	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love, love, loved it and never wanted it to end.  The setting, the characters, the plot... all wonderful and engrossing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y4Y6O1D4IDXS?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story, but too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story, but way too much detail. I got lost in specifics which ruined the flow of the reading for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B458ULQUWAOI?ASIN=0316055441	Not to my liking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To much antique things .I am not interested in that.  Also way to much drug and alcohol abuse.  Hard to believe on best seller list so long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPN93F7UV5DG9?ASIN=0316055441	Love it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best reads in a long time.  The characters are fascinating and to me, represented the Goldfinch ... chained to something.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T5VPUWYKLXVI?ASIN=0316055441	Too much of a good thing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the beginning,storyline drew me in, character development was excellent. Last two hundred pages dragged on. Too much philosophizing the obvious.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37DBNC8ZUUM2S?ASIN=0316055441	Good story but dragged on.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pulitzer prize for rambling on and on and on...  had to skip read to get through it.  Good story but did not have to describe every little thing in detail.  Would not recommend to impressionable youth, and some adults, because heavy drugs and breaking the law seem to be O.K., and actually rewarded in the end.  But then, such is modern day real life.  I wonder how many of the 7000 plus readers (?) finished by book?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E9ITUNBFCNI2?ASIN=0316055441	I really liked it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Time well spent reading this one. Easy to understand why this was a prize.  I do wish I would not be directed to add more words.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP7RBMPVA6V9S?ASIN=0316055441	It couldn't hold my interest	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy.  It was slow to grab me, then it did, then it would lose me and I'd just about give up, then it would grab me, etc.  I finally just gave up.  I did not finish it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EHH2VT9Z40FI?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is not an easily reviewed book. My suggestion is that you read all the other reviews, check out NYT Reviews and Publishers Weekly. I found it difficult, but excellent reading and highly recommend it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R1NTNKYU1FUT?ASIN=0316055441	Loved!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The words, images had me gasping in delight, despair, everything!  Read it twice just 'cause I didn't want to be done.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZRQW2039NTVN?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch has enough fodder for an eagle.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This author needs an editor with an exacto knife.  Ramble, ramble ramble.  But the characters and the location descriptions are fantastic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P37I0W5U8OAB?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a can't put it down sort of book. You won't regret reading it! Great character development and some twists and turns!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSRVOP80EBJN4?ASIN=0316055441	rich and engrossing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love Donna Tartt's writing and do not mind what some refer to as '""wordiness"". She captures the subtleties of a child's outlook perfectly in this book, as always. As a painter and lover of paintings, I especially enjoyed her ability to convey the feelings that great art can evoke in viewers/possessors.This is a huge book, full of convoluted and barely believable plot twists, but her gift for allowing us to experience each new environment so thoroughly keeps it from being superficial or confusing. We feel we are living what Theo is living. I must say that I began to feel that the novel was descending from rich subtlety into crime drama, about 2/3 of the way through. There was an unexpected amount of violence. I do like a good crime story, so this was more of a surprise than a disappointment, but some might not like it. I think this is a thoughtfully realized picture of how sensitive people, damaged young, find ways to cope with the traumas of life. I did not want it to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAA766B5LSYB5?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Breathtaking! I could not put it down. The description of the old masters in thebMet is a masterpeice in itself.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PTN0LCE3EKVA?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""Goldfinch"" is an outstanding, enjoyable read. I highly recommend it.<br/>Full of many unexpected turns, often disturbing, in the main character's life and lifestyle, vividly described  throughout the book  in great detail</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R185WK4T8DGC3Z?ASIN=0316055441	Named best book---did those judging read nothing else? Disappointed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't wait to read this book. Best book, Pulitzer Prize, loved her previous book. Sat down in my favorite chair, delighted by the beginning, amazed by her prose, and then very quickly became bored, often to the point of sleepiness as the story progressed.  At times, the voice in my head screamed, just get on with it!  Not sorry I read it. Will provide great discussion for book clubs, but would not have had my vote for the best book in any year.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH5RV0NURVWDW?ASIN=0316055441	Not memorable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a very ""down"" book, so heavy on drugs, without any negative consequences, and a very unsatisfactory ending. Skip it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GQ5OGRXKF2D3?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderful story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, a story of loss, kindness, and a psychological  thriller. Succinct, suspenseful and very thought provoking. I'd say the Pulitzer committee nailed this one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSQ7IIBLF9TUT?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very engaging story. It kept my interest the whole time even though it is a longer read than most. With some stories, you can tell early where it is heading...not this one.  Definitely a good read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LR2TGPRSGOAR?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Another startlingly good read by Donna Tartt, who well deserves her Pulitzer Prize for this book. It is a little hard going in places, but you have to get to the end to see how brilliantly she has constructed this novel.  Well worth waiting for the ten years she takes to produce a new novel!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FKBNUHKR2296?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best reads ever.  A Dickensian tale with a gripping storyline, wonderful characters and a firework display of language. An absolute treasure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U6SZC02ENTNB?ASIN=0316055441	good storytelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The kind of book you can't put down. The kind of book that completely transports you into its world.  A bit like the Harry Potter books--not necessarily Great Literature (which is why I was surprised it won a Pulitzer), though appreciated various words and turns of phrases.  She depicts the mood of NYC well, though sometimes a bit chiched (to a real New Yorker).  Anyway--well worth the read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27HJ1ZEINYL9V?ASIN=0316055441	Flip the Bird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an interesting plot, made much less so by lack of editing the mindless wanderings of a depressed addict.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RIKXASJMHX3Y?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an extremely well written book! I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I did, I hope to read more from this author.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NHE4J6DPQPPE?ASIN=0316055441	Very interesting book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">But I'd be remiss if I didn't add that it struggles at the end.  But don't let that stop you from reading this one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3903G0JL5KOUY?ASIN=0316055441	A bit long, but so nicely written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a page turner, and not because the plot was so exciting, but the characters were told with such color and clarity that you were so transported.  It got a bit long in the tooth towards the middle and then ended as good as it started.  Very much enjoyed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J6MV79R0H52L?ASIN=0316055441	This is one of the best books I have ever read.  The main character/narrator, a young boy, pulled me in almost immediately.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Traumatic events can sometimes change the course of a person's life.  This book pulls the main character through a downward slide that seems to keep getting steeper as the book progresses.  The book is hard to put down.  The writing is powerful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VMON0JJXRLXH?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author took us into such lengthy descriptions of the various pieces of the main character's life and then, after having the reader plow through it all, ends the story with a philosophical view of the rest of Theo's life.  I found it very disappointing.  I deserved a more specific ending after staying with the author's laborious set-up.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35TZP8HEBHUUM?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch.............	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just did not like it, I have read many books that were more interesting!  I would not tell anyone it was good.  Madeline</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K4J1DXU45JD5?ASIN=0316055441	a bit overwhelming	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">compelling story but way too much description for me. whole chapters of it! however do feel I know what its like to be drug addicted.  that being said, I read and reread the final paragraph many times.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4JWY9FAN6GAN?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book was too long and plot was very slow - i dont mind reading a long book but nothing happened - not sure why everyone is raving about this</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVKXHDRTMVBUP?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging story; uninteresting last 50 pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The storyline was interesting but left me with questions at the end about some of the characters and their relationships.<br/><br/>The parts of the story I anticipated to read were anti-climactic.<br/><br/>I thought the book was well written until I got to the end (last 50 -75 pages). That's when I lost interest. The end was unbearable to read.  Too wordy and just a totally change in style compared to the rest of the book.<br/><br/>Overall engaging until the book's ending.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPFHP5XPJUPHG?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch totally over-rated; Hated it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have never been more dissatisfied with a book. It is a disaster for being a long story of life's catastrophes that happen to young men who have been deserted by family. Depression is the main emotion throughout with nothing that is really redeeming.  This novel is a full-blown tradegy, not only for the story but also for the way it is written. The authorDonna Tartt, does not deserve a  Pulitzer Prize! Amazon should not be pushing the book and should give the negative reviews along with the positive. Within my group of readers, one of whom is a librarian, I am not the only one who hated the book. It truly is a catastrophe, not only because of the book itself, but also because of the supposedly knowledgeable people and company promoting it!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XXKBHHN2DL42?ASIN=0316055441	It won the Prize But	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Novelist Stephen King said even though it was very long (775 pages I think) it was worth it.  I think it has trouble holding up through all those pages.  There are points of great writing, but you will have to wade through a lot of pages of almost nothing to get to them.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROOYPKQT7ZHK3?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a little long at times, but sucked you in right away. The start was better than the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA9TLPCFT00MR?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the journey with Theo, but I found that toward the end things were a bit tedious.<br/>The rambling descriptions began to run together</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EM79PLWSSX4K?ASIN=0316055441	excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A truly thought provoking, beautifully written novel.  This is a novel I would like to read again and will certainly recommend it to the book club.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3157OJ794QHPZ?ASIN=0316055441	Def Pulitzer Material...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For me, the Goldfinch hit on all levels: richness of plot and characters, depth and intensity of writing - simply superb!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TEWNGR3KEA1N?ASIN=0316055441	Exhausting & Depressing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so excited to get this book on my Kindle.  I had read a lot of the reviews and was expecting it to be a book that I could not put down.  I think it has taken me about 3 weeks to finally finish it and I am totally exhausted.  So much repetition ~~ thought I would never get done and when I did, I kept trying to figure out what I had missed along the way that left so much so unconnected.<br/>Maybe it is just me and I don't have the ability to understand ""great"" writing but this book left me worn out and depressed!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y4GQU1Z24RKP?ASIN=0316055441	Great read....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing story - really involved with the story - how quickly one's life can change-a little bit too long in parts of the book</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M9YMQAU5VWLX?ASIN=0316055441	Captivated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has an exceptional talent for character development. Her expertise  for unwinding a tale is amazing.  I was hooked from the first paragraph.  Can't wait to see more from this author.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWPWIX4CV8ZRC?ASIN=0316055441	the book was to long , and drug in  portains dealing with nartoics and the effects when suffering from withdraw.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the book was highly  touted as agod read and wanted to learn why so many people liked. I know  now  and am inclined to agree ---  with a few exceptions. The old man was just sweet. and forgiving, the Russian kid far forgiven to frequently as was the lead character,who had some screws lose regarding t he loss of his mother.<br/>I might add that I am an ninety year old man and confident that my opinions are not worth the ink to print them but I really appreciate  someone asking for my opinion about damn nearness anything and you can bet I will have one.<br/>  Thank you,  Duane Cranmer</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZC4ZNBZWPCMC?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">goldfinch was a good read. A bit long and some things are hard to believe and 12 year olds don't have such an advanced vocabulary.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JCRQXD374PQP?ASIN=0316055441	A huge Bore	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was along and tedious read.  I only finished it because it was for a book group and because it was a Pulitzer prize winner I kept hoping something would happen to redeem it before I finished but I was sorely disappointed.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R347WF8J5AXXRI?ASIN=0316055441	Entertaining, with interesting perspectives	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little slow at the start, but ultimately an engaging story.  Nice twists and turns, well-defined characters, and beautiful imagery.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMM5K8VV77097?ASIN=0316055441	Long but worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you love a long, dense novel with compelling characters, try this one. The writing is beautiful -- first person from the perspective of a young teenaged boy who tells his sometimes horrifying story without self-pity. The book opens with the sudden death of his mother, with whom he's very close (having been abandoned by the father), and continues into his adulthood. I've read reviews by people who got lost or bored along the way; it is a lengthy story and not always a page turner. But I was engrossed most of the time and taken into the world of the novel, which is just what I want from good fiction.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPTJZN4V1BPS4?ASIN=0316055441	took to long to get into the guts of the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much to discriptive. I felt dragged down and depressed. Some good writing but again much to much description.i anted to quit midway but endeavored to perserver.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29ACH0HTOBNTJ?ASIN=0316055441	Good, but too many drug episodes that detracted from this boy's struggles.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I believe Donna Tartt is a gifted writer.  I was drawn to the book because of the artistic theme and because it was about a young boy who lost his mother.  I liked all of this part of the book, as well as the characters who gave great strength to the book.<br/><br/>What I didn't like was the continuous  drug addiction episodes of overdoses and recoveries.  I do not doubt that it is realistic, but it got to the point of it being boring, like here we go again, lets get back to the supportive families and the art.<br/><br/>I read this on my Kindle which I have read other books and enjoyed the comfort of the Kindle.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S3VD0ZDXT4ON?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a great book!  I love to read and do so daily. This book is one of my all time favorites. I wish i hadn't finished it, but couldn't wait to get to the end. I chose it randomly through an Amazon recommendation and I am overwhelmed at how much it meant to me. I want everyone I know to read it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UK4STKT733UY?ASIN=0316055441	Something different!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book. It took me places I'm not all that familiar with, especially art work, restoration, etc. Character development was excellent. Boris was my favorite. Theo's transformation throughout the book that lead to his final situation in Amsterdam kept me riveted. His life with Boris in Las Vegas was the best segment of the book in my opinion. The ending, which got a little slow, was not what I expected. It could have ended with less philosophy of Theo's love and the meaning of art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29BY3ABEUZROV?ASIN=0316055441	"Evaluation of ""The Goldfinch."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm sorry but I feel if an author wants to ""make"" it , they feel that they must have  sexual and language that I find very offensive.  I had read a review of the book and was excited to read it.  The beginning I loved - but once I got into the book I could and would not continue reading it.  Donna Tartt has excellent writing skills - too bad that she feels she has to make a good story ""dirty"" by the language and sexual aspects.  It is truly difficult to find a book that is ""clean"" and one that is uplifting up by reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RA8GZGBL3B3B?ASIN=0316055441	boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but so drawn out and boring. Got fed up and lost interest towards the end and just skipped through to the end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30M5GL5BWQT5V?ASIN=0316055441	Almost gave it 4 stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I almost gave this four star rating because I was very disappointed by some conclusions, or lack of, with certain characters. Seemed like a missed opportunity by the author and for the main character. It's not a waste time on any account- each page I hung on the story and the development of each character- but I also felt that there were many pages wasted on pontificating the same thoughts and not enough on other things that I wanted to know. But that's subjective. Highly recommend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNY7A6N9QWIKN?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story of life's fates	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a good story of how life's fates interact with our decisions and choices. I would have enjoyed the story if the middle 400 pages were reduced to 50 pages. The last few chapters made the story. The writing style of these final chapters were exciting and completed the circle of points in time of his life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WYUL6X5AWPRD?ASIN=0316055441	BEAUTIFULLY  WROUGHT  With LoVE!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would recommend this book to anyone who has ever questioned the meaning of their existence....and ever strived  to find beauty within the ashes of a complicated life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGKXUXY5R2I9M?ASIN=0316055441	Not a Nobel Prize candidate	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the writing was very good...far too long and very repetitive.  After a while I lost interest.<br/>As the author wrapped it up it was interesting but preachy.<br/>Not my favorite author.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SGR2W5FJ2MT2?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really great book. A little slow to start but great once you make it through. Great plot progression. Highly recommend to everyone!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38KR3TLH6WREI?ASIN=0316055441	Just got through it....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was a great story line....just did not need to be so long ... It was a struggle in the end to get through...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TAH81MMHWBQK?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent novel about dealing with ptsd and the emotional roller coaster ride that it takes you on. The plot twists kept me guessing and always eager to see what would happen next.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB9KDII9P6FV4?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic Journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Right up there with 'The Book Thief"".  Could not put it down.  Would highly recommend this to anyone.  Quite a journey!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V3E09NV050VX?ASIN=0316055441	Why the accolades??????	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After seeing this novel constantly on the Best Seller List, NY Times, etc., for some time, I was quite anxious to read it…and was quite disappointed.  The story starts out quite beguilingly, with a similar bombing to 9/11, but then deteriorates into expected campy situations.  Too much time is spent on the ""hero's"" exploits, ugly as they were, in Las Vegas, and not enough on moving the story along.  The reader is left not really knowing the romantic side of the story at the conclusion and, by this time, not really caring, after 700 plus pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHN7EAY7PUNU2?ASIN=0316055441	Wanted to like this.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So many great reviews.  I did enjoy The Goldfinch a lot at first, especially the beginning.  It just got harder to keep going - seemed drawn out and padded to extend the story.  Mind you, I don't require thriller-type plots and car chases.  I didn't get very attached at all to the main character.  Several of the supporting characters were more compelling to me, in fact.  I admit perhaps it was just the wrong time to read this.  Can't say for sure.<br/><br/>Anyway,  I moved on to other books, went back a time or two but was very frustrated with the key plot  twist since I realized it early.  It seemed rather too implausible to hang so much of the story development on.<br/><br/>I can see this as a film (and am certain it will become one soon) since they can condense it.  Might work better than the book for me.<br/><br/> I may finish the book just to see how things work out.  But life is short and there were/are better reads to be had.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10AKHRZRE3P1F?ASIN=0316055441	a book I didn't want to end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such an engaging tale- each time I started to question a character or plot point, Donna Tart answered that doubt. I recognized feelings I've had and, somehow, recognized feelings &amp; experiences I've never had with equal force . Great, great read</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R128BTC4TT626?ASIN=0316055441	Thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is really well written and completely sucks the reader into the story. You really feel the depression and frustration of the characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N7DUKP79MDHO?ASIN=0316055441	good writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">if you like good writing, you'll like this book - complicated plot, but not too much so - i really liked it - it is a bit sad, tragic - but well worth the time</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R265PZPDE9JTOB?ASIN=0316055441	Life choices	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing tale about how a life can change in a moment and then choices you make dictate your life.  A bit wordy at times but did not want to stop reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LKEMKG2LICSB?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exquisite mastery of the English language. A bit long at times, but a beautifully written story. 4/5 stars from me!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4CKK0J1LKJZL?ASIN=0316055441	Tough to get through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting storyline but bogged down as I trudged through the Las Vegas period.  There was too much emphasis on drugs and alcohol...it could have been condensed.  I felt like the preacher was talking to me about ""Demon Rum"".</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HZ6EZHFWP1HZ?ASIN=0316055441	IT WILL TAKE YOU TO HEAVEN, TO HELL, AND BACK AGAIN	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful book. A wonderful story. A wonderful protagonist. A trip through a life that goes everywhere and nowhere and back again. I loved it. I hated it. I felt that I was, at one time, mired in a swamp from which I might never escape, and then...just read the book. I am going back to read the ending again and again. I still have a ""book hangover"" from staying up two nights, unable to put my Kindle down.  This book will have you wondering over and over again, ""Oh, how on earth did we get ourselves into this?"" Ahh, it is just marvelous. Don't miss it. If you read nothing else this summer, this is THE ONE. Good luck catching up on your sleep.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6ND0L25KLQ88?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a fascinating story that covers a long period of time.  The lead character starts as a child, endures tragedy and becomes an adult.  The ending was a surprise---</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU560AK5H1YUB?ASIN=0316055441	An Important Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a masterpiece of the use of language to create thoughts and images, has an interesting and intricate plot, and is thoroughly entertaining.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J2EKZYCXENAQ?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize winner The Goldfinch deserves every accolade	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While Donna Tartt's magnificent novel is long and intricate, her writing is clear and engaging and the plot is substantial and characters well drawn. What makes this superb novel are the underlying, permeating questions: what is good and what evil? have we free will or is our path determined? What us worth living or dying for?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ULQPZJEH6G4?ASIN=0316055441	A Winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The use of language is first rate.  The story is both beautiful and very harsh. Art in many forms is celebrated, and the narrator experiences every emotion along with the reader.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S95RB19FVYXW?ASIN=0316055441	Jude the Obscure for a new generation	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the first few pages. Set up was great. Hated the rest of it. It was over the top and I couldn't buy in.  I finished it because I kept thinking it would get back to what I loved, but it didn't. The whole Las Vegas part destroyed it for me. Hated all the druggy stuff. This is Pulitzer Prize material? Sad commentary on our world.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGUE1FCAU7LA6?ASIN=0316055441	After picking it up and dropping it et al I find it boring...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I keep trying to go back but it is long winded and 2/3 in am still waiting for ther plot to thicken--can't understand the Pulitzer Prize!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B8MW0KWAMEXZ?ASIN=0316055441	I thought the book would never end!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters were generally shallow. They needed to experience real life.  Too much drug usage and glorification of it.  It made<br/>Manhattan and NYC appear as a bunch of self serving losers. I have other friends who have been trying to make their way through it ….all  wonder if it is worth finishing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CC9WC5JS6GCM?ASIN=0316055441	Three and half, maybe four stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would give it 5 stars but it's so difficult to wade through the vocabulary. Could not believe how many words I was not familiar enough with to just glaze over. The Russian accent is absorbing and amazingly well done. The story was absorbing. However, I have not taken that long to read a book in many years.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LQDYCT56Q2NM?ASIN=0316055441	worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this to be an amazingly depressing book.  Theo, w.ho finally got his life in order, was still not happy or content.  Theo allowed his  obsessions to rule  his life.<br/><br/>However, the book was beautifully written. Even though I had a difficult time working up any sympathy or empathy for Theo as the story progressed, I could not put the book down.  The structure, language and writing would not  let me stop.  Hobie and  Boris especially, along with others,  were wonderful constructed characters and kept me involved.<br/><br/>Read this book in a comfortable, sunshiny place and don't  be drawn into Theo's obsessions; it is worth the read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJRRIQ6674HMN?ASIN=0316055441	a struggle to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Despite the rave reviews -- which sent me rushing to buy the book -- I found it too long, repetitive, totally boring after the first 1/3 to 1/2 -- and a complete waste of my time.  Except I learned to question such adoring NY Times reviews.  I really struggled to finish -- I hate to give up on a book.  It came down to at most 5 pages a night -- and that was a struggle.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RWX6GUS6XF2L?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the best books I've read in a while. Although the setting was familiar, the story line was so unusual, it was hard to put it down!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JZZKP040Y6CR?ASIN=0316055441	Very hard to rate this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an incredible writer.  This story has special meaning for me as a former art restorer and painter, since she writes so beautifully and knowingly about art and paintings themselves. The story is compelling and utterly wild, and in parts very unsettling, with heavy and totally unrestrained drug and alcohol use.  The descriptions of varied settings and characters are very visual and character development works well in most cases.  This book takes the reader to Hell and back and then seems to end with some writing about art and life that had me in tears it was so beautiful.  But unfortunately that was not the end.  It ended with a brief bit of philosophy that left me thinking that either the writer, the editor, and/or the main character was a complete fool.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA1UQJMRY2RYF?ASIN=0316055441	Too much detail.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not my type of book..Kept reading thinking it would change.  Too many descriptions that were not needed to tell the story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JYVNX60719S1?ASIN=0316055441	A Book Club Hit!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story - once I got started, it was hard to put down - a surprisingly ""fast read"" for such a long book. The characters inspired great discussion at my book club. Highly recommend this read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KN3MTGZ9OG00?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book!  I could not stop reading and as soon as I finished the last chapter I went back to the beginning. There are so many nuances to this story that it seems a second reading will reveal more of the story. Her descriptions are so exceptional. A great book, a great movie, a great song, a great painting...can touch your soul and stay in your thoughts for days and years. This is one of those books. By the best book I've read in a long time. Thank you Donna Tartt!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IQ1Z4KRJZFBI?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was glad when I came to the end of this book.  The heavy drug use and the criminal activity was overdone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R338D82O0EPDTA?ASIN=0316055441	A very long read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the main storyline was intriguing, the book was too long. Half way through I was tired of the lengthy and repetitive episodes of the main character's lifestyle. The parts of the story that focused on the painting were good, well written for the reader to visualize the artist' work.  I'm not sure if I would be willing to invest time on another book by this author.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7CZTKOLUQG2Y?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a wonderful book. Very long, but worth the length. I see why it won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Well written!n Recommend!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XAV3LQ4US1N3?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch happens to be one of my favorite painting and that was the reason to buy the book. As I live in The Hague I can see it whenever `i want.<br/>The book is entertaining and you want to know what is on the next page. Makes good reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y1176Q1QMA3Y?ASIN=0316055441	Unbearable to listen to...made me long for my biotech textbooks!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First of all, the narrator/reader is SO distracting, it is hard to follow the story. He sounds as if he is longing be on stage doing Shakesperian plays or role play at a Renaissance Fair. Please do not read nay more books, kind sir. You belong on the stage.<br/><br/>Second, the author's style is not easy to follow.  Too many descriptives bog down the flow and what he is trying to say get distorted and lost. The sentences are short and choppy. The ""story"" just doesn't flow. At all. Is there even a story there? Or just a bunch of adverbs and adjectives shoved into sentences to fill pages??<br/><br/>I HAD to stop after the second chapter. I have no idea what I had just listed to - at all. I honestly couldn't tell you anything about the story.<br/><br/>I am usually into heavy-duty, detailed, technical non-fiction scientific books - so, thought I'd try some ""light"" fiction.""<br/>Gimme epigenetic theory or the history of probability or the science behind psychopathy any day over THIS type of book.<br/>Yikes.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20JCO3CPL0PFX?ASIN=0316055441	Ugh, just get through it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a great read. I felt like it went fast the dragged for 75 pages and I would force myself to keep reading. Then it would pick up only to crash again. Yuck.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IVXTWW1KL0U3?ASIN=0316055441	Mixed feelings	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Melancholy but held your interest.  Redundant verbiage much of the time.  A lot of research went into this book and it weaved an interesting web.  Did not like the ending.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29KS7JXAQB4CI?ASIN=0316055441	Not a bad book....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just not a great book!  The main character in this story goes through some horrendous experiences.  Experiences that ultimately lead him into drugs and alcohol, as well as theft.  And while I understand he was suffering from his childhood experiences, I grew tired of the continuous bad choices he made in his life.  For me, he became too unlikable to really care about.  I also feel like the book dragged on about 150 to 200 pages too long. I think a good story can, and should, be told in less than 800 pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K9RN7LOF603A?ASIN=0316055441	compelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had me captivated, almost to the end. I found the ending disappointing but the rest of the book was amazingly good.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q6YI9LB2PA1T?ASIN=0316055441	extraordinary!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredibly original.  Thought provoking. Opened the world of serious antiques and art up to the average person and will make me look at artwork in a different manner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BF66HUSWUTCM?ASIN=0316055441	loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't turn away from this book because of the amount of pages.  It's a great book and a powerful read!  Enjoy!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8FLL7GNL9LJF?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible and thought-provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An extraordinary journey of the soul. This book is destined to be a classic. Just<br/><br/>When you think he is going to give up, some quirk of fate or timing breaks his momentum and he is reborn to another direction.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RX4QY9OAMWJB?ASIN=0316055441	A lovely and heartrending experience	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was a treat . . . luxuriously long. I got hooked early on with Tartt's beautiful language. She captured so brilliantly the deep, deep ache and pain that 13-year-old Theo carried with him. Tartt helped me to feel Theo's tragic losses and I longed for him to be better loved and cared for.<br/><br/>I was unable to relate to all of Tartt's stream of consciousness at the end of the book. However, I was intrigued by the interplay of good and bad experiences and how these shape us (humans). Tartt helped me engage in a delicious contemplation of how fate -vs- free will plays out in our lives.  Above all, Tartt's descriptions around ""the history of people who have loved beautiful things, and looked out for them, and pulled them from the fire"" were simply extraordinary.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32QPTWGQ7OZGI?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is just exceptional. The story is both heart breaking and intriguing at the same time. I highly recommend this novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WH02NFY6B202?ASIN=0316055441	Wild Adventures of a Young Man	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""The Goldfinch"" was a thouroughly enjoyable and captivating ride. Though the young protagonist's view of life, colored by tragedies and miraculous connections, is much darker than my own, I could fully understand his perspective through his dense narrative.  In the last few pages, the author allows the protagonist to become a bit to long winded and philosophical, do more telling than showing, which prevented my awarding it a 5th star. Still, a very satisfying, thoughtful and provacative story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWUWMXMCNVN71?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a page turner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story, lots of detail, learned more than I ever thought I would about art, antiques and hard drug use.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JU3H0898IRHK?ASIN=0316055441	Dopeheads and alcoholics might understand it more than I did.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very hard to concentrate on.  Too much extra information.  Best thing about it was the fact a Mississippian won a Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG9LA83Z66JNZ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Because I thtought it was almost perfect.  I loved the character Boris even more than Theo the main character. His dialogue was priceless and very believable. It was hard to follow in some spots, but I forged onward.  Learned a lot about art, antiques, furniture refinishing, love, yearning, sadness, and drug<br/>addiction and it took place mostly in my favorite city New York.  It was chuck full of information on many subjects.  I also liked the characters<br/>Hobbe and Pippa.  Great book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE8TUFLFYAKDO?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm 40% into the book and can't figure out the plot.  All the boys carousing in Vegas seems a big waste.  I'm ready to find another book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IGIUD8K609BC?ASIN=0316055441	very nice.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Surprisingly educational, artistically and philosophically. The descriptions of drug addiction withdrawal could no t have been better done. I learned from this.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCAG3S97QMKT4?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would recommend this book highly.  Very well written, and there were a lot of twists and turns in the story which kept it interesting right to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN6GRL6CYFIN5?ASIN=0316055441	Great summer read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Totally fell in love with this book. Great characters and heartbreaking story.  Sad when it ended!  Extra words to meet requirement.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22128P7D7YK0I?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is an excellent novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the most powerful novels I have read recently.  The characters absolutely came alive to me through her wonderful story telling ability and perfection of her writing.  Very thought provoking, sometimes painful to read but redemptive  of the characters and uplifting in its message.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X5KFFRS2GF9K?ASIN=0316055441	Fast pace crime novel with a glimpse of a culture and way of living that is completely foreign.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could almost have given this five stars, as this was book I found hard to put down, although the life style of the characters in the book is so far from my own, it was intriguing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20TZTBHTS7MBT?ASIN=0316055441	Twists, Turns, Life Changing Events make for a must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book - from the very beginning to the end and all pages in between.  The twists and turns left me knowing that I had no idea where Donna Tartt was going with the story.  And, what a story it is.  What a wonderful author Donna Tartt is.  The characters, Theo, Boris and all of the others  became so familiar to me that I felt I was right there with them.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25VBWIDB9DVBQ?ASIN=0316055441	A painting that inspires	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">.  Having lost his mother, Theo has left the museum where the explosion had occurred with two souvenirs: a ring and painting  The young boy finds he has no home, but rich care for him until his desolate father takes Theo to Las Vegas.  Drugs and alcohol and a young friend lead him a life of upheaval and sadness.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FICY6ROS1TL0?ASIN=0316055441	one amazing story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A real wow!<br/>Each set of characters and physical settings dazzled my imagination.  This story gave me an insight into the world of hungry, abandoned, teenagers.  This was a bitter sweet tale but an epic of a story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BL1SJA4ZMC88?ASIN=0316055441	GreT book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book.  Loved it.  You felt like you were there with him.  I could visualize New York and Vegas.  Loved.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QO7TOECHSJ51?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was good; the book was boring. could have cut 200 pages out. Redundant filler, started looking for quotation marks.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MTO4TCXWZC1G?ASIN=0316055441	Difficult read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did finish it, but it was difficult to get through it all. I would not recommend it to my friends, as I know most people would give up half way through.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W0JOIE1EE5CH?ASIN=0316055441	Great story/plot but way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was very good, excellent plot.  But the writing was unnecessarily detailed.  Run on sentences in overdrive to get the point across.  The book could have been probably 150 pages less and still been excellent.  The story spans over 10-12 years in the lead characters life, but way too much time was spent on the teenage years, the build-up to when the story gets really good.  I liked the book, but as a casual reader (a few chapters before bed each night) it took me way to long to finish it.  I found myself trying to read more than normal (staying up later) just to get it over with quicker, not because I couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21M9BV8F99B6H?ASIN=0316055441	simply stunning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well-deserving of the Pulitzer and, I hope, this goes on to grander prizes as well.  It's true that it's very detailed, but that only enriched the story and characters.  As other reviewers have pointed out, Dickens comes to mind, but also Dostoevsky, especially Crime and Punishment.  Engrossing.  The audio book is also happens to have a wonderful reader.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6TD9LNLMRG27?ASIN=0316055441	waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long and overly detailed.  Pages and pages of teens getting high and doing nothing.<br/><br/>I have no idea why people like it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38NWLZ60L577N?ASIN=0316055441	A World I Do Not Know	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel really kept my attention and was certainly one I had a hard time putting down.  The first half of the novel was basically a sweet sad story that evolved into an infuriating story of drug abuse and utter despair in my opinion.  The main character, Theo, could have had so much going for him had not so many events in his life conspired against him.  He made many terrible choices in his life for which only he was to blame but many things were out of his control.  The characters were colorful.  The world of drugs and crime is certainly one I'm not familiar with and not one I ever want to venture.  The author did an excellent job of describing this lifestyle to the reader.  My book club will be discussing this next and I can't wait to hear what everyone thought of this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T5NBIM688198?ASIN=0316055441	I didn't understand the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Held my interest, wonderfully written, but ended abruptly. Was that to say we need a sequel?<br/>Wis I knew the end was coming.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHS4QE93LPXB7?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a wonderful story. It has depth, at all levels of life's turmoils, it was sad but demonstrated survival. It showed class differences and how they changed when tragedy brought them down.<br/>But it also amplified how we deal with pain as humans and become numb to survive only to hit bottom and recover.<br/>Great summer read that you won't want to end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGFSULS3NA5ZP?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written, long story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am giving it 3 stars because I loved the descriptive writing with flowery words that painted pictures for me. I did not love it and it took me too long to read this lengthy story. I started it on Mother's Day and did not finish until 6/21 Summer Solstice. The painting transactions were burdensome to me. Potter &amp; Boris relationship was a challenge.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSNBBEWCI5KC4?ASIN=0316055441	Pinnacle Workshop Product	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Buckle up for the world's cleverest concept: a formulaic, commercially minded book, which mixes the highest-selling concepts of the day: THRILLER, high-selling YA, powerful start with boy loses mom in super dramatic accident rendered in gory detail, situation right of the bat that spurs tons of empathy for the main character just like the writing book ""Save the Cat"" preaches -- you have to be made of stone not to feel bad for the boy who loses his (single) mom. So we have an attentively conceived formulaic outline rendered to provide maximum impact, filled with wonderful, A-level writing. Poetic, atmospheric and poignant.<br/><br/>It's like a great dish by a master chef with all the perfect ingredients, carefully calculated, and, if anything, a bit too much of each ingredient so you leave the table super full without wanting anything more.<br/><br/>In short, the Goldfinch is the Pinnacle Product of the Creative Writing Workshop.<br/><br/>If there is one thing that worries me here is the Occupy Literature situation by the writing formula of the day, which, like American corporation, has been elevated to human status.<br/><br/>This is why, although this is, by all accounts, an excellent book, I prefer Julian Barnes's novel, The Sense of an Ending, only because it is authentic.<br/><br/>It scares me that an entire generation of American writers, readers, and editors is raised with this formula like it is raised with computers, and it invaded their most intimate territory.<br/><br/>By comparison with the rest of the world's literature (Canadian, UK, etc), I see that more and more American literary books are well veiled commercial books, products of the iron formula taught by creative courses everywhere across the country. Thank goodness that Balzac, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Kundera or Marquez didn't live here, or else they wouldn't get published these days.<br/><br/>This being said, I would like to give five stars for the atmospheric quality of the Goldfinch. With two caveats:<br/><br/>1. The author occasionally drowned parts of the novel into TOO much tedious detail. While I loved it at first, many times I felt overwhelmed by the constant outpouring of details and tuned out (I also found that some of these details defied logic and after a while, the style of these long descriptions read as mannerism, not as something organic, added deliberated to increase ""the literary factor"" (to overkill). So by repetition, I skipped pages and moved to more engaging parts.<br/><br/>2. The inner voice of the boy often sounded like the voice of a middle-age woman.<br/><br/>Overall, Donna Tart is a fabulous writer. I hope that now that she won the Pulitzer, she will gather her courage to write a more authentic book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G5TJYWXZJB0Q?ASIN=0316055441	exciting thriller	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book kept my interest throughout the entire time.  The philosophical ending gave me the thought and meaning of the entire novel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1595HK308HQ4M?ASIN=0316055441	a solid read, however it's almost 800 paged	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So many people have read this story which is about life and death and how the narrator goes through it. The book does come full circle while it meanders into other essential pieces that build this book. It's a good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KFBAC4GPVDSL?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was interesting and sad from the beginning to end and it was well written.The 1st book,I have read by her</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R396SBMN03OST7?ASIN=0316055441	nonsense	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great , great, not bad , awful, terrible, wonderful, nonsense, please leave me alone. This is marketing gone insane. Bye</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR4GSIP66GOL0?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fabulous story that reigns the reader in from the first few pages. I found myself constantly thinking about the young boy in the story and trying to predict how he would turn out and how the story would end. It is full of surprises so is difficult to predict what will happen. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36ZX8M0ISSK9F?ASIN=0316055441	Makes me question the Pulitzer Prize.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved her first book, was incredibly disappointed in the 2nd, and decided to give The Goldfinch a try after all the hype. Turns out that's exactly what it was. What an incredibly poorly written, tedious book. Certain sections were so long and boring that I questioned whether she had an editor. This novel could have 300 pages cut and not missed an iota of plot. Sorry Ms.Tartt, I won't buy another of you books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K3JOKZP23NCB?ASIN=0316055441	Well Wriien But Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While very well written I did not find the story engaging. This is a lengthy book with 7xx pages with the beginning chapters being particularly slow. She develops her characters, writes engaging characters, and paints detailed visual setting. She brings her themes together in the final chapter, and I simply do not see why it needed to be so long and go into the level of detail to tell the story. I do not understand why The Goldfinch received a Pulitzer but presume this book just isn't for me.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MS75MIQ5YUFN?ASIN=0316055441	Gave up early	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hadn't read Ms Tartt's previous novel, but as as I'd heard limited but positive reviews, I pressed the 'buy' button, foolishly bypassing the 'sample' option. Two pages in, I thought that someone was having a laugh at my expense. The prose was turgid and sprinkled with tautologies and tortuous descriptions.<br/><br/>At first glance, the narrative would appear to have promising possibilities, but everything is just plain awkward. Having said that, I perisisted for approximately fifty pages before giving up. It is like a lengthy novel written by a year-nine student..  I can't believe that this is an award-winning novel. The star is awarded because I like goldfinches.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MQ88D5AQUF39?ASIN=0316055441	entertaining	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A must read with adventure and surprises, highly recommend its a good read that you will enjoy and want to share</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29H1BNBPKCPYS?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful prose!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A genuinely glorious read. Page after page of some of the most riveting fiction I have had the pleasure of reading! This book will prove to be a timeless treasure.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGCZ54IDRPJR2?ASIN=0316055441	Reads like an over-wrought Young Adult book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow! This novel was the most tedious book I have ever read--and I am a very avid reader. I am absolutely confounded that this book received the Pulitzer.  The story is simple and sophomoric, until the very end where the author pontificates as a pseudo-intellectual about some fairly profound ideas, but can't even do that correctly as she essentially talks in illogical circles. Note to authors and editors: you need more than a promising beginning and/or premise to publish a novel.  Where is the follow through?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20V1QN3T8IQDH?ASIN=0316055441	Exhausting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The last chapter was great, but it was a long, tortuous journey to get there.  Too wordy for me!  Glad it's over.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YJQ5Q0EGAM9J?ASIN=0316055441	A Bit Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was our book club selection for May.  I found it tedious reading because Ms. Tartt kept repeating situations and conversations. I felt as though I had ridden the Greyhound bus from Las Vegas to New York every mile along with Theo and his cat.  How many times do we need to be told that the cat had to go to the bathroom whenever the bus had a stop?  There are parts that I found interesting and intriguing, too, but how dense is one who cannot understand that the one he loves doesn't love him?  How many times can one smoke pot and take other drugs without dying or ending up in a garbage can?  Theo and Boris made their lives uglier than they had to be, and their intelligence was wasted.  I would have enjoyed the book had it been 100-200 pages shorter. Congratulations to Ms. Tartt for having won the Pulitzer Prize for her endeavor.  Apparently the characterization was what merited the Prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J4YQQP62XVUR?ASIN=0316055441	Lots of good,some not so good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot was interesting and suspenseful until the end.  The characters are great.  Too much angst and self pity in parts.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34MJC4PRPUHPJ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Touches my Heart	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the book from its intriguing  beginning to the final solution. The characters were  well developed and described so that I felt like I  knew them. The only thing I would change is the number of and the descriptions of so much drug and alcohol abuse. I did have to scan some of them for I really wanted to figure out this fantastic mystery. What a great movie this will be!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKYZGTGJ957D9?ASIN=0316055441	Epic!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating and well-written.  I never could have dreamed of the twists and turns in the plot.  This book is not for everybody.  Epic!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BPMWD82I59FR?ASIN=0316055441	Great story but too much decadent living for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My book club chose this best seller and I had been looking forward to reading it. While I enjoyed the author's writing style and the story line, I did not enjoy the parts about drugs and decadent living. For me they degraded the quality of the book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V6X3NZPZCUM1?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Talk about someone continually making bad choices in life.....at no point does he ever think with a clear head!  The book is too long and detailed... not at all smooth reading that everyone is talking about....it's painful to have to TRY and FINISH IT.  i was depressed from the get-go.  What ever happened to the idea that one pulls himself up by the bootstraps, dusts off and chooses right over wrong without using ""life"" as an excuse for failure?  He was given so many opportunites but CHOSE the negative side every time.  Yuk!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2635PDXS96Y2Q?ASIN=0316055441	hard earned metamorphosis	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It sucked me in and it was agonizing to experience this young man's evolvement to a life with some potential.  But the last few chapters made it all worthwhile.  I've read parts over and over and will do so again. I see why it won the Pulitzer.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYVFO9QW2H3A1?ASIN=0316055441	A thought provoking novel.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I gave this book a five star. It seems to capture my imagination. The story was very believable and the insight to the character very funny at times and also very sad. I was not overly enthusied with the ending but the reality sets in. I would personally like to read more of this author. I would recomment this book to teenagers and up.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VJO2JJ0A56MJ?ASIN=0316055441	Not as great as I expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting, but kind of wordy. I usually like long novels, but this dragged a bit.  The end was especially slow.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17HHYKZRR78WH?ASIN=0316055441	Why?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am so sorry I wasted my time trying to read this tedious story. I tried to stay with it through all the endless descriptions of every boring observation.  I could only make it through one quarter of the book because I was working so hard trying to understand what it was about.  The characters are boring and vague. I cannot imagine who thought this was Pulitzer material.  Such a disappointment!  There were so many descriptions of uninteresting things that I never could discern what or where the story was.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30A225KFBLEJD?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book from beginning to end.  It has so many different levels.  It is well deserving of the Pulitzer.  The different phases of the protagonist's life are like different stories.  I grew to really care about him, which is important to me, especially for a novel of this length.  I gave this book as a gift to a few people, not something I often do.  I highly recommend it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R220DGY5L3NR1C?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing  story! Great summer read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first part of the book takes some time to get through, but the story is so well written. A long book, but so well written, I couldn't put it down!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZLE288FK6HGB?ASIN=0316055441	A Wordsmithing Exceptional Treat	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This a Joyce Carol Oates level of rewriting to get it just perfectly what the author wished to say and how she wanted to say it. The story was interesting also.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGE8NP4HJTRUK?ASIN=0316055441	Not that good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am struggling to finish this book.  I literally fall asleep reading it.  I am 70% finished and am  determined to end this agony.  First of all, the amount of drugs these characters take mixed with the amount of alcohol is staggering.  Not sure anyone could survive this kind of addiction.  Story drags and is confusing at times. I have not read a book that has received so much acclaim and been so boring ever.  I will say that the writing is very good.  This author writes beautifully if only the story was gripping enough to keep the reader interested.  If asked, I would recommend skipping this very long, boring Pulitzer Prize novel.  What were they thinking?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34K0V3G7H7K19?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this book. I had no idea what was coming and just wanted to keep reading to find out what happened.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWX7VE267MDA9?ASIN=0316055441	starts off well, but loses interest	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Initially the book is written in a way that maintains interest and intrigue. However the last third or so of the book drags on a bit and is not as engaging. Got to the point I could not wait to be done with the book just so I could finish it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AMMUVCJTSQID?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As a big fan of Donna Tartt and having read excellent reviews about this book, my expectations were very high.  The book took a while to get into as most of her books do for me, but once I got to know the characters, I was engrossed.  Donna is one of the best writers around and you either love her books or not.  No middle road here.  I enjoyed it and look forward to her next novel.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E0XX0TS5CY46?ASIN=0316055441	what a journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I spent much of the novel mad at Theo and at Tartt for dragging me through such a journey. But now, with the final chapter lingering like the taste of bittersweet chocolate, I can say this was a worthwhile read. Perhaps a bit overwritten at the end, but it should make for lively discussion at my next book club meeting.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R350IV8AVA8P52?ASIN=0316055441	A tough tender complex meal	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not sure why I felt so compelled to read this book- the story is drawn long and slow, nothing comfortable to take shelter from the pain of the narrator. The subjects of art, abuse,relationships and place pulled me forward, with hesitant curiosity on how the story would finally resolve itself, despite every effort of the main character to complicate things with his guilt and predisposition to self destruction.<br/>It was the art of the writing coupled with my desire to spend time in the romance of the city that kept me coming back for more. Watching the train wreck from inside the train, I'm thankful to be able to search and observe. And more grateful not to have to clean up the mess in the end.<br/>Dense reading, though delicious and spicy. Like a cloudless chocolate cake with chili's- you have to be intrigued. More satisfying than chick lit, for sure. Recommend for artists and creative's.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31LM16GTO262J?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch: Solid Gold Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best book I have read in a couple of years. I highly recommend reading to anyone with a heart and soul. Fabulous page-turner unlike anything I have read. Bravo, Ms. Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V1SS7YUOJPHH?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The rich detail at so many levels was amazing, as was the authors depth of knowledge in a variety of arena.  It was hard to put down. I want to read the last chapters again to fully absoe</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FRCO1YL2JEZA?ASIN=0316055441	Exhausting, following Theo on his journey!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boris's faithfulness was amazing.  I found the book tiresome but could not stop reading. I am glad it is finished; it took a lot out of me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BBRIP1X3IB7M?ASIN=0316055441	Too much hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much too much hype. The story was too far fetched and somewhat stereotypical. I get reading hoping it would get better. It never really did.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGB9QDYI7MPZ6?ASIN=0316055441	Maybe it's me?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'll try sometime in the future to give this book another try, but it just didn't appeal to me on my first attempt. I have seen all the great reviews and I may not have given it enough of a try.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AY35A6EEW1OI?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a beautiful story of life, love, and our existence in this world. I truly enjoyed reading it and felt like I needed to read it again immediately after the last paragraph.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LWQE6GAVM3UN?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting...lengthy but kept me going all the time...author seemed very knowledgeable and informed on many subjects! very enjoyable and a good ending</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C6ODWCXSUWA8?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good novel, the author has a great way of bringing the characters into vision, they all seem real. I could not put the book down, great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30JWV3OVPI6SE?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I truly liked the book but it really needed to be tightened up by at least 100 pages if not a few more.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPXEHWC1ETMH5?ASIN=0316055441	Words, words and more words!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book captivated me for awhile, but got too ""wordy"" without moving forward.  The author could have gotten to the point a lot sooner, while still captivating the reader, without so much ""loquatious-ness."" I loved her characters, and was satisfied with the story, when IT FINALLY UNFOLDED.<br/><br/>I don't plan on tackling another of her works, nor can I understand the Pulitzer Prize for this work.  Guess I much have missed something in the process of getting bogged down in her ""wordy-ness.""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDZY8J6HGXKOH?ASIN=0316055441	brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She takes you into so many worlds and does it with such amazing insight!  Everyone gets in a real bad place at one time or other. Everyone is so flawed, but impossible to judge considering the circumstances, the world they live in.  I couldn't put it down, wanting everything to get resolved, afraid of what these flawed characters were going to do next.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLERSVNGULN12?ASIN=0316055441	BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN BUT WAY TOO LITERARY FOR A NOVEL	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I WAS HESITANT TO START A STORY TOLD BY A 13 YEAR OLD BOY BUT AS I PROGRESSED IT BECAME CLEARER..IT WAS MORE OF A LITERARY MISSLE THAN A NOVEL(THEREFORE THE THREE STARS),,I FEALT IT WAS WAY TOO LONG AND THEY SPENT MORE TIME ON THE DRUG SCENE THAN WAS NECESSARY..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YBIS77NRWKRU?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, and it's hard to understand why.  The writing is beautiful, but the story and characters leave a lot to be desired.  The protagonist is a boy who survives a domestic terrorist attack (losing his mother in the process) who suffers long-term trauma because of it.  If Ms. Tartt had focused on this aspect of the character, perhaps she would have had something.  As it is, the plot meanders from New York to Las Vegas to Amsterdam with no logical rhyme or reason. More than a quarter of the novel follows the protagonist as he indulges in booze and drugs, all the while pining away for a woman who he has idealized beyond all logic.<br/>The last hundred pages lack credulity, and the ending is trite and completely unbelievable.  I put the novel down grateful that I had finally finished it.  That isn't an emotion the author hopes for in a reader, but it is the one most strongly engendered.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13ZN68NWK8EI8?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I agree with several other reviews - this book is too long.  I think there is a message to appreciate at the end, but by the time I got there, I was tired out.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R180Z0EW25XQL8?ASIN=0316055441	A worthwhile read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a difficult book to read because the material is quite upsetting but it is beautifully written. There is no question in my mind about why it was given the Pulitzer Prize. It is well worth it to read the book. It will make a lasting impression on you.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GLDU9T9IOBU2?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch...a huge disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cannot imagine why anyone would recommend this book. I kept waiting for it to get better but it never did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UUT739MQVY9A?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've ever read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was riveting.  I will read it again (and I rarely do that) to review her points about life, fate, and the randomness of catastrophe.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28MZE3NU4RTV0?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a hard time putting this one down...even when I couldn't stay awake! One of the best stories I've read in a while.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ERS8UH57EYA1?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very engaging read.  Highly recommended.  Donna Tartt's characters fully developed and I found myself rooting for Theo to overcome.  Would have liked to see him meet with Pippa one more time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQI8UB5VHBGVJ?ASIN=0316055441	A Very Long Unbelieveable Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the story line rather incredulous and the characters particularly Boris not real. I'm not a slow reader but I thought I would never<br/>get to the end of the book. I was disappointed with the ending. It was more philosophical than clarifying as to the outcome.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37CN5WFHDHS73?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't enjoy the book.  It was too wordy and repetitious.  Also, except for Hobie, I didn't like the characters.  They were too dysfunctional for my taste.  It amazes me that it received a Pulitzer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Z8RIIEEQJ2R?ASIN=0316055441	Great prose; fair story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was certainly well-written, like few novels I have read in a long time.  Unfortunately, I found the denouement a bit dissatisfying. It progressed nicely, but did not deliver.  Worth a try, but lengthy for the result.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JAWUMC5WBHBP?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written. The plot twists and turns. Characters are true to life. I loved the fact that it took me for than a few hours to read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35PT2O3TXUFVZ?ASIN=0316055441	Not so much.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disclaimer:  I've only read a small percentage of this book.  I just can't get into it.  So far it feels like whining and I'm not into whining.  My literary friends encourage me to keep going.  But I just can't manage to pick it back up.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PHQKWDU1TFWV?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch: Really sucks ya in!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">All sortsa people are gonna love this . . .  drug dealers/users, alcoholics, compulsive gamblers  . . . sure . . .  but linguists, art dealers/historians, antique lovers/dealers, dog-lovers, those who've raised kids and tried to pick a successor, a potential guardian . . . .  We think we can't really raise our children perfectly, we're making mistakes, but at least they are our mistakes, not someone else's. We'll take our chances on the things we do wrong over the things other people will potentially do wrong. Maybe we will have  new view of all that as we read ""The Goldfinch."" I certainly came across things i would mark up, as a copyeditor, if i'd been reading on something other than an electronic device. Still, the writing grabs ya, sucks ya in . . .  it's quite a read!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H5S0QRS0PIAO?ASIN=0316055441	Decent plot but characters lacking......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written but none of the characters had any redeeming qualities. It's hard to identify with a character who is described as highly intelligent but repeatedly makes stupid decisions.  The author's talent seemed to lie in setting the scene rather than building any character development.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X2PD3NWDP9RH?ASIN=0316055441	Exhausting Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is an addictive tale. Like all the booze and narcotics in the plot, it's not exactly something that is good for you - that is, not great literature - but twists and turns in the lives of irresistible characters kept me coming back for more. The main criticism is that the book is too long. At times, Tartt indulges in too much detail, much of which is irrelevant to the plot or excessive in the development of tangential characters. I recommend the book to anyone with the sense to skim over those parts and simply enjoy the wild ride that Theo and Boris follow in the process of growing up unsupervised and in rescuing The Goldfinch.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IVDLRJUW8QET?ASIN=0316055441	Great read with challenging ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The imperfect hero makes an interesting fellow to watch.  No extraneous details, yet an engaging mystery.  The last chapter made me question my thinking with provocative possibilities.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG22D7QOZWAVM?ASIN=0316055441	An Epic book!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing book!! A must read!! What a great book, an unforgettable one, it's a book that makes you think and be in a different world!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4MDINM83NDPD?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a pretty good book, and kept me interested,  the story had lots of twists in the plot. Add it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24CXXMTUZK75?ASIN=0316055441	The Best of the Year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a difficult novel to characterize.  It is a mystery, love-story, and an action-adventure novel all in one.  Beautifully written and hard to put down, this book is a must read for all literary afficianados.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S8OPPZ19A51T?ASIN=0316055441	A life story with a message	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This fictional story is replete with scenes from the life of the protaganist, Theo,  as he struggles with the senselessness of his mother's death, hiis less-than-fulfilling life with his father, and finally his return to his home town of NYC, where he grows up and seems to thrive despite himself. All of this leads up to the action-packed story that unfolds during the last quarter of the book, making the book difficult to put down until the last page. This Pulitzer prize winning book is well worth the time it takes to read it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q77PAXR2KTHB?ASIN=0316055441	Really good read -- but uneven	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't know how long the book was because I purchased it on Kindle.  It seemed like I was reading forever, but I was certainly addicted to the characters and the plot -- with one big exception:  When the characters grew up, they became less interesting, less attractive, less believable.  That's when I started skimming.  The characters as children and teen-agers are desperate but funny.  The characters as adults are just addicts.  Their choices are just stupid.  The first 500 pages are worth the price of the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26B6YHP7ZR6AF?ASIN=0316055441	Three stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was interesting and a good book but it had a lot of rambling on in great length that I had to skim over to get to the point, sometimes never getting to the point.  I did like the characters and the subject matter.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H3CYV3VXF9A1?ASIN=0316055441	A sad book however worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a very sad situation for a child to grow up.  The story walks you thru the young persons life that went from bad to worse and the reader can see how easily a person can get involved in drugs and mess up their life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W1BWX5X1EFXA?ASIN=0316055441	A book that comes around only once in a while	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch took me a long time to get into. It's very wordy and descriptive - painfully so.  BUT, before I knew it, I was drawn in and mesmerized.  The plot turns took me completely by surprise, and the characters were complex and original and endearing in their own funny ways.  I recommend it.  I would say it's a game changer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13HR8FJCJUSYN?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit boring at times and difficult to follow. I skipped over a lot of sections that weren't really pertinent to the story. Overall, I liked the storyline I just  felt it was too long with a lot of unnecessary detail.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R329VX5132I668?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't relate	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am struggling to finish this book.  I cannot relate to a young man who spends his days getting wasted on drugs and alcohol just for the sake of nothing better to do.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R300PS6AXJ7W9F?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was hoping for a happy ending.  Felt very depressed after reading.  Too much talk of drugs, and loveless lives.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL36GU9AE08OT?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best written and entertaining, thought provoking books ever!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some of us read a lot but few books really stick in the memory.  This is one I know I will not forget.  The story is so believable and well thought out, but beyond being a ""can't put it down"" novel, it is beautifully and intelligently written in the literary yet contemporary style that I love.  I loved the main characters.  They were far from perfect but the author paints them so well I loved them all.  I've recommended it to everyone I know that likes to read.  It is a long book, but so worth the read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HUSHP0ETUZJK?ASIN=0316055441	What am I going to do with the rest of my life?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is one of the best books I've read in awhile, if not ever.  It was my first Donna Tartt, and I'm very excited to read her others.  She writes so beautifully, if not a bit high-brow (I had to read her bio to make sure she wasn't British, as her characters  sometimes used such fancy dialogue), but all in all, a stunning masterpiece.  When I finished, I literally put my head in my hands and wept.  Loved this book, loved the flawed characters, loved the respect and appreciation for art.  Love, love, love.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFK46TT7KAMMK?ASIN=0316055441	Golden Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book with interesting story line.  The book causes reflection upon the reader regarding the purpose and justification of life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OUTHXA47ERPZ?ASIN=0316055441	A Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed reading The Goldfinch and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys art and/or antique furniture. It's pretty long, but kept my interest throughout.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LOM27BF29W8G?ASIN=0316055441	Not for Me Either	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't get as far as some others did with this book. I got to page 100 (12% in), and I was bored!  I ended up going to wikipedia and reading the plot summary to see how it ended.  I didn't feel like slogging through all the parts about drug abuse and associating with unsavory characters.  I was hoping that Theo would be a little more interesting and turn out better than it seems he did.  I guess my clues to Theo's make-up should have been that he was in trouble at school, he'd been breaking into houses with his friend and stealing things, and he then stole the famous goldfinch painting during the bombing that killed his mother.  Not a lot to like about this kid.  I won't waste any more of my time on this book.  How did it win a Pulitzer Prize?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FT41YFIC9M3U?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My husband, surprisingly, did not care for this book and abandoned it.  To me, however, it was a page turner.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EWS9RMWJ0RJ1?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book but a little detailed with descriptions. Very well written. Still working on reading it. I purchased because it was an award book on the top of the best seller list.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35MGSCYMFVHUK?ASIN=0316055441	Great story, kept me involved throughout	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, great characters!  Felt like I really got to know the characters.  Some I really liked, some I really disliked.  Wish I knew a little more about how things ended up for all the characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XQK5TWMHG9C9?ASIN=0316055441	fascinating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Truly enjoyed this book. Couldn't put it down. Thought it was over several times before it actually ended. Lots of twists and turns.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W73OZT9GPFF1?ASIN=0316055441	A very well written tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author does an amazing job of bringing you into the protagonist's world. Even though he does some things that don't always make sense, you can see yourself behaving in similar ways under the extraordinary circumstances. Great read especially for people who live in NYC.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SL6C1SDLB9RB?ASIN=0316055441	intriguing and sad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The middle is a little slow and tedious but the concept is wonderful, good ultimate charracter development.  Recommended for older readers.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HZO6DDNZ4670?ASIN=0316055441	Well Just OK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the writing by author Donna Tate was at times awesome, I found the subject matter and overall tone of the novel quite depressing. At points I found the novelist going over the same ground with  small twists and turns in wording, and I found that quite boring. I am an avid reader and consume 2-3 books a week, and this one took me nearly a month. The only reason I persevered was I wanted to find out what happened to the Goldfinch. Mystery solved!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UQKYJ5S1OWYF?ASIN=0316055441	a wonderful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book. I have recommended it to many people. 4stars because not best book but one of them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DM4XOODMP5DF?ASIN=0316055441	Something always around the corner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">start to finish just couldn't put this wonderful story down! An education in growing up, family all nd worldly ev</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CJTHH89XB0GW?ASIN=0316055441	Tragically true in all the beauty of life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put it down. Not only because the story reaches out to so many possible readers in so many different ways,but also because the considerations that the author puts forth regarding life and it's many possible meanings pull at the core of our human heart.  You will find yourself anticipating the answer to the ultimate question!  You may even find it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKAFXUD7V4UW1?ASIN=0316055441	fantastic read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book- it captured me and sent me into a world of wonderful characters and weaving story lines. Highly recommended!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V2B1A3AYWN9H?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize????	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I kept reading the  book hoping it would get better.  It didn't. There's not that much more to say. I can't say that I would ever reassigned this author's books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q4E51HQ3FE6F?ASIN=0316055441	wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I will retread many times parts of this book and can certainly agree that it deserves the highest, most important award it received .</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWAGSMMZJIHE5?ASIN=0316055441	Not what I expected.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I realize this book won a Pulitzer Prize book I found it disappointing.  I felt that the  writing was verbose to excess.  The author often goes on for several pages describing how the main character is feeling.  I had trouble figuring out where the story was going or more importantly the point of the story.  Overall a depressing book that I really had to force myself to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B3I7S4S51ZLA?ASIN=0316055441	Rich Characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As the story unfolds, the characters at each juncture of this young man's life get richer and richer.  The parents are so polar opposite and the friends operate at all ends of social norms.  Love the depth and trip through this life.  The human condition is front and center in this story line.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FBK7D7O847G3?ASIN=0316055441	Kept me interested would like it better without all the drug scsne	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good story but much could of been said without all drugs. you kept the mystery going so I had to finish it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WGSRJPMHAOUJ?ASIN=0316055441	Well written ,incisive and a joy to read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed The Godfinch.The intricate plot pulled me in and it was difficult to put the book down.Clear and incisive.<br/>Donna Tartt weaves a story that touches ones heart and illuminates the pathos of human existence.Five Stars and<br/>highly recommended.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JHVE62M8E7Q1?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book started out slow and dark. I stuck with it and it was very good in the middle. It should've ended at page 400. It went on for over 350 tedious pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIYKXUPPW9SAL?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch to long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Novel was too long. I kept waiting for Tart to get to the point  of the story Kept shifting back and forth.  I wish she would of given more details of the character's situation before moving on.  The ending was the best part of the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10TNXEFECXRW8?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written, enchanting story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book and was completely caught up in it from the start. Dark, but piercingly personal. Can't wait for the movie!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EII2V6EGXYZ?ASIN=0316055441	disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book began well but started to drag.  I always finish a book but have left this unfinished without a desire to read to the end.  I would not recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH5LQGE1GIRWL?ASIN=0316055441	Another great deal!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was already reading this book when they announced it had won the Pulitzer Prize!  One of the best books I've read in years.  I know this will be made into a movie!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34AR282CSW7JQ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finished the novel with a feeling of disappointment -- Theo and Boris were not my idea of fully adult persons, more shallow and self centered than I liked.  I hoped that they would grow up, and become more a part of their universe, not bystanders.  The story was well told, her descriptions -- especially of the various settings were excellent, but I just could not like our ""heroes"".</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RLB7807KUIFB?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well deserved Pulitzer Prize.  I did find that it dragged about 2/3 of way in and at that point I did not like the main character.  Friends who finished say the ending makes it worth finishing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22354LH9X3MQ7?ASIN=0316055441	Not worthy of a Pulitzer Prize	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not care for the book because of the language and the extreme use of drugs.  The story seemed to imply that using so many drugs was an every day occurrence and an accepted way of life.  I was glad that the story ended on a positive note.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SW6SAGHE4DX4?ASIN=0316055441	Full of vitality and hardship . . . A great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel takes you on a roller coaster of events regarding the life of Theodore Decker. Unlike most, Tartt does not emasculate the recklessness of children. Using art, drugs, and love, Tartt weaves together a story worth remembering.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PRFF8UO7M33X?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful, rich storytelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is a study in rich, expressive storytelling.  It's no wonder that it won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27IXJKKAFD1DN?ASIN=0316055441	at times brilliant, at times tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For those who love long stream of consciousness ramblings you're in luck.  For those who skip through such rambling in order to get to the plot, you have your work cut out for you.  It's not that I mind provocative literature.  But all of the hundreds of pages of inner world narrative is supposed to be from the mind of a child/adolescent/young adult male, and trust me--they don't think like that.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYTA59WKYR0R5?ASIN=0316055441	Really enjoyed this book. Rich characters nicely developed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is captivating from the first page and only gets better.  It will leave you wanting more.<br/> From this author</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24LF7QVK8ZL44?ASIN=0316055441	Not crazy about this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I may be the only person who wasn't crazy about this book.  I know it won the Pulitzer Prize and was on many ""best book"" lists but it did not  live up to my expectations.  The book follows a boy after a life changing event and shows him continue to make one self destructive decision after another. The message of the whole book was rather depressing as well.  If you are looking for a light read or a book to read on the beach, this is not the one for you! It wasn't terrible by any means but it didn't have me turning the pages, excited to see what would happen next.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CLW419DT174Y?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was beautifully written, one of the best books I have ever read (I read alot)! I didn't want it to end. Highly recommended.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IGQF68BU8MEL?ASIN=0316055441	An engaging read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had high expectations for this book, and overall I was pleased.  An excellent cast of characters that really engage the reader. Just don't expect to finish this one in a weekend - it's long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10PMUV3WFV69W?ASIN=0316055441	Great characters!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found myself thinking about the characters even when not reading the book!  It was a very descriptive, thought provoking read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NX35IOSNUE54?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing novel that keeps you interested	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo Decker is 13 years old when he survives a harrowing incident in New York City that claims the life of his mother and leaves him in possession of a world famous painting.  Since his father abandoned he and his mother he stays with the wealthy family of one his friends until his father returns for him and takes him to his new life in Las Vegas.  As Theo ages he's faced with many choices.  Grappling with his longing for his mother, an unfamiliar living situation, and an uncomfortable relationship with his father, Theo spirals into recklessness and heavy drug use.  And throughout it all his constant awareness of the stolen painting and what he should do with it lingers in his mind.<br/><br/>A coming of age novel that travels with Theo from his teenage years until adulthood, the reader is immediately drawn into Theo's life and is immersed in his quest to understand his new life and adapt to living without his mother.  There is prevalent drug use throughout the novel as well as violence and occasional adult situations.  But this is a book that you won't want to put down as you feel that you are right next to Theo as he navigates the underworld while maintaining relationships with those who have no knowledge of his unsavory associations.<br/><br/>Winner of the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for fiction, this novel is intriguing, captivating, disturbing, and melancholy.  If you're looking for an uplifting coming of age novel this is not the novel for you.  But if you want to be entertained and transported to an unfamiliar reality then you should read The Goldfinch as soon as possible.<br/><br/>Publication date: October 22, 2013<br/>Genre: Fiction, Contemporary<br/>Setting: New York, Las Vegas, Europe<br/>Rating: A</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DIS1KUMTJVWP?ASIN=0316055441	Another over written  novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This could have been a much better written novel.  I don.t see why it won a award.  Too many pages describing another tortured soul, living life through drugs, and alcohol.  The main character had some caring role models in his life, but abused all his relationships.<br/>I really did not care for this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NLP9YDE12NLJ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a lovely book, but far too long and somehow loses its way! Overall a very good read though!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WQTX72JEUCB9?ASIN=0316055441	An interesting read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not give this full 5 stars because it was a bit long in some places. Even so, this was a compelling story with interesting characters well developed. The story line kept me going throughout lengthy book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29007LD6ZPN07?ASIN=0316055441	A must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Riveting couldn't put it down a very sad life but, Theo lived many different experience and touched many lives, fell but, always seem to get back up.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JHJ1SHXY1IOK?ASIN=0316055441	reader appreciation	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a book! In parts a page turner and parts I was afraid to turn the next page. Incredibly about a man and his most intense emotions told by a woman. I've heard men talk about their feelings and I know they are expressed differently from women and yet you ""were"" that man and his friends and enemies. Remarkable job!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LKPVFNYVHWMH?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a riveting novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's writing - style, content - is incredibly good! I could hardly put the book down. She has to be a fanatical researcher to have covered her subjects so thoroughly, and her command of English is awesome. I definitely recommend this book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15TR70U87YVAF?ASIN=0316055441	Not one of my favorites	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book to see why it was getting so much attention (and a Pulitzer after I bought it).  I am still wondering.  It is a modestly interesting story, but eventually is about the psychology of choices.  My problem is that I could not relate to all of those choices that drove the narrative. I just did not find them too credible.  Thus, I struggled to stay with the story.  It was definitely not a page-turner for me.  Moreover, I did not find the characters very appealing.  I often read for the back story, the time or place of the setting.  That was interesting for a bit, but there was so much detail about specifics of the art world that it threatened to put me into a coma.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V60PLPLTG1JZ?ASIN=0316055441	Not for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is very well written, however I found it too depressing from beginning to end and a tedious read</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTSLJQMNXP6JQ?ASIN=0316055441	Good read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written. Very interesting story with twists and turns from the very start. An enjoyable read to kick off summer break...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL0EQ5Y36GDQ2?ASIN=0316055441	We shall overcome!!!!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It brings to mind, how far we have come, since then, but also how far we have left to go, in our attitudes. It brings to conciousness. Hurt is Hurt, no matter what color your skin is.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDCS45FU342EM?ASIN=0316055441	Metaphysical thinker	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Starts as a solid novel of love and loss, at times bogged down with too much story, then moves to a brilliant close that leaves the reader thinking.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21B3BAWXC1K33?ASIN=0316055441	lovely start and close; some unneeded rambling in between	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I purchased this novel after hearing Jill Biden speak of it on a morning news program, and while it is more pop fiction than literary fiction, I can certainly see what she appreciated about it.  The beginning is both gripping and, at times, poetic (specifically, the lessons on art that take place early on); the close mirrors the good moments of the beginning.  But this novel took far too long to do what it needed to do.  While Dickens had a reason for writing more, and all, in my opinion, was needed, this novel goes into unnecessary detail and narrative.  I don't know that I would recommend it to most.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NYXHBR13Q7BW?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not need to read about all the drug use in the book. Maybe I missed the point of the book, but , even though it was well written, it was drudgery to finish it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HDI8JTJ1G022?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Nothing short of one of the most beautiful brilliant books ever written.<br/>A modern powerful book that is full of hope despite the intensity of the tragedy that engulfs the hero's life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21PN3WN7KMF31?ASIN=0316055441	Lots of twists	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Following the life of a teenage boy who experiences catastrophic loss, the book did not come to the conclusion I expected. Things disappear and reappear, and kept me engaged.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI5GFLU5YKRJI?ASIN=0316055441	Lost in detail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It may be my advanced age but I only made it halfway through.....it was realistic to a fault but was just not my cup of tea.  At times I was bored, other grossed out.  So I may or may not finish it.  It was a waste of money!! Should have gotten a library copy....but you ended comparisons to make judgements.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17PNULY6BEV82?ASIN=0316055441	Characters were real.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book kept my interest all though at times it was hard to follow. I liked the characters and could feel their frustration with life. I would recommend it to others.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T8G95EF0Y3E2?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extraordinary book. Characters leap off the pages into your heart and mind. READ THIS BOOK  you will not ever forget it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE07I14HEQ08J?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt I was reading more about drug abuse than I was about art.  I found the book extremely tedious and depressing.  The parts about antiques and reproductions were interesting  but on the whole, I didn't enjoy reading this one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MWAYOWFHKLCD?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch was excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">what an interesting book... is started out with a death and just kept getting more interesting..<br/>from watching the main character grow up and turn into a responsible adult to all the interesting characters he met  along the way.. and how he over came some of the problems he faced growing up..<br/>the book held my attention completely... and I thought it was well written</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KNMIBEIB9JTB?ASIN=0316055441	Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hours of my life I will never get back.  This was a selection of my book club, or I would never have finished it.  Fine start but about a third of the way in, Theo, at age thirteen, is moved to a remote tract home in Las Vegas with his distant and non-too responsible father and his father's flaky girlfriend.  Ergo, Theo is left alone much of the time, and together with a Russian boy he meets, they proceed to basically raise themselves - on drugs, stealing, and a diet of junk food that is rotting their teeth.  After about a hundred pages of illegal drugs, shoplifting and fatherly beatings, etc. I wanted so desperately to either stop reading or slit my wrists.  I decided to persevere in the hope this would eventually become the book it was hyped to be.  It never does.<br/><br/>If you think you will like this book because it is about art, you would be wrong on that count.  There is little in it to do with art, except where necessary to keep the story moving.  However, if you are into juvenile drug use, stealing, abusive parenting, scamming and bilking innocent people out of thousands of dollars, and, yes, gangland style murder, you might like this better than I did.<br/><br/>Oh, and Theo is not a very nice person.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CWFGM1BB6OSX?ASIN=0316055441	well deserved Pulitzer!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, deep and dark. This book pulls you into it's world and doesn't let you go. A must read!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BUNTZRCWCMJA?ASIN=0316055441	A story well told	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the beginning to the end , the story lines were appalling ! The character, Theo, was well developed and true to lift!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2088OVZE40N29?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be a ""downer."" Several times I almost put it aside but I have always finished books so made myself continue. It may be a prize winner but is just not for me, I guess.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17L643FDZQJ79?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">More wordy than expected.  Good story line but wordier than needed.  Beautiful context-however overly up and down dramatics in the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VOVW6BPPOVZ4?ASIN=0316055441	A masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book deserves to be the Pulitzer prize winner. The characters were so rich and likable even when they made what seemed like ridiculous choices. Must reading for anyone who loves a good story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYBJPJZIXBQJW?ASIN=0316055441	Amazingly written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's style and ""reach out and touch"" descriptions are offset by the dark, painful story of a masterpiece.  If you love art, lots of drama, and unexpected twists and turns, you will love this book.<br/><br/>It will stay with you long after you read the last page.  Philosophical questions, curious metaphors, and inside out juxtapositions challenge age old wisdom.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CQ8PQ39C9N63?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, such an understanding of human nature and life today. Hope we dont  have to wait too long for her next book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5E4X2QZJ3E8L?ASIN=0316055441	awesome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt writes beautifully, her words a symphony blending together to give a sad, honest outlook on the lifetime tragedy of a son's loss of his mother</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVGRN6AYTWN1N?ASIN=0316055441	Self absorption by the main character was a turn-off!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I suppose because I have worked with substance abusers (most of them highly intelligent) I may have a bias; however I think that the book was much too long and that he made his points once too often and asked the reader to love him no matter what - this is narcissism!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F61TY6WC4AK0?ASIN=0316055441	My new favorite book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an excellent read.  I really got into the story line and the characters and am hoping they make it into a movie someday.  I don't usually re-read books, but this one I will in the not to distant future.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M5B1DQPBXMAM?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had no idea what would happen from page to page  - and I couldn't wait to find out.  Great book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PRF03J3QZJP2?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredible. Superb. Outstanding. Not enough words to describe how beautiful this book is. Wonderfully written. I was completely entranced. Wow.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HUZLJDBYCRTT?ASIN=0316055441	fantastic. beautifully written and a page turner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Do not let the thickness of this novel discourage you from reading it!  The Goldfinch is gripping, deep, entertaining and lovely. It's dark and happy all at the same time. Donna Tartt is a genius writer. I hope I don't wait another decade or two for her next book, but it'll be worth it if I have to.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R358RHMUNMSHYT?ASIN=0316055441	profound!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A must read that has you chewing on the message long after the book is over.  It is worth it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P8CKRDVI0Z0E?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very intense plot, makes you want to keep reading for the next adventure.<br/>Strongly recommend it, would make a great movie!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NQFOE22U2TB?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters all have a 3rd dimension not often found in may novels. You knew what they might do; not because the plot was canned, but because you came to know them so well. And even then it is all a surprise. Just like knowing your best friend, and they can still surprise you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO1Y8XWSIPGFK?ASIN=0316055441	The best book I have read for years.It is outstanding.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books that I have ever read. It is beautifully and sensitively written and the story<br/>line is engrossing. I am reading it for the second time ,something I have never done before !</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5VOO1W60JB1V?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I gave it a 4 because it was so well written. I didn't love, love, love it as I did Gone Girl, but I'm going to read it again to see if I can get the symbolism and literary whatnot. The plot and main characters were great. It's worth it's place on the best sellers list.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R81DEG0R8T2OW?ASIN=0316055441	A compelling read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story keeps on giving.  A wonderful read, especially as it evokes a great sense of NYC and the characters that live there.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R145YOQ7WYT38N?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch By Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch<br/>By<br/>Donna Tartt<br/><br/>The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt is a truly emotionally evocative novel. The author’s knowledge and great appreciation of art and genuine beauty of old furniture and antiques are palpable when reading this book.<br/><br/>The author manages to highlight brilliantly the absolute adoration the protagonist Theo, has for his mother and vice versa.<br/><br/>“Everything came alive in her company; she cast a charmed theatrical light about her so that to see anything through her eyes was to see it in brighter colours than ordinary”<br/><br/>He notices every little detail about his mother and when the unthinkable happens following the blast at the museum; the reader feels the pain, the anguish and the loss of the young child left parentless, as the colour faded from his world forever.<br/><br/>The hoarding and the hiding of The Goldfinch painting in many ways helps Theo to survive his most unfortunate life. Theo’s character is perfectly revealed as a tender, kind, loving vulnerable fragile individual. Theo is just as helpless as The Tiny Goldfinch portrayed in the illusive painting. Almost symbolic; Theo is tied by Social Services, by uncaring adults and eventually he is tethered by conscience and circumstance. Ironically it is this cruel level of consciousness that ultimately leads to his salvation.<br/><br/>The human relationships highlighted in this book are memorable, plausible and echo the pen of a compassionate and sensitive writer. I was particularly  intrigued and inspired by both Borris’s and Theo’s genuine love for Popchick, and despite Borris’s sometimes hard nature revealed, his care and devotion to Theo and Popchick warmed my heart despite everything..<br/><br/>This is a brilliant story ingenuously immersed in every human emotion you could hope for in a book, but the length of this book is just too long. Consequently it loses it’s momentum. This captivating story is diluted by many pages of unnecessary repetition for example the continual reference back to the loss of Theo’s mother which was so well impacted on the reader very early in the novel. Another example might be Theo’s endless inward reflection and the unfortunate result of this is the fluency of the book is blocked. It no longer flows.<br/><br/>For this reason, I would score The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt; 7 out of a possible 10. This novel should have scored a 9+, and I truly wish the author had not felt compelled to achieve high quantity at the very severe cost of the highest quality initially demonstrated in the early pages of this wonderful novel.<br/><br/>Reviewed by The Mother Booker.  June 2014</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K0T0DJ5GQBF0?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm only 75% into the book, but am loving every minute!!! I highly recommend this book to readers who love a long complex story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HTY5DJ58HSIX?ASIN=0316055441	A good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After hearing of many great reviews of The Goldfinch, I was looking forward to reading it.  I did enjoy it initially, but felt that it was a bit drawn out as the story went on.  Also the plot became rather non-believable and complicated.  The final chapter was too long and drawn out and I thought I'd never finish it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W5T6WEWP3X2D?ASIN=0316055441	A Winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best reads in a while. I can see how she won a Pulitzer!  I've recommended it to sveral others.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R43BIGZDULRP?ASIN=0316055441	Wish I'd Read All the Reviews	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wish I had read all the reviews first before I bought it for my Kindle.  Started out okay but IMO quickly lost its way (or at least I had trouble figuring out which plot line I was reading)</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DY2JN0J7GR4F?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a master.  This story is so compelling and the characters have invaded my life.  I wish I didn't have to put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REE0F5PNA8GSC?ASIN=0316055441	Not as good as I  had hoped	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Despite the acclaim for this book, I did not love it.  While I empathized with Theo's plight as a child, I did not respect or relate to many of his life choices.  Thus, it was harder to care about him.  Nevertheless, the book is written well, and kept my interest.  Also, I thought it was going to focus more on the art world, which I don't really know very well, so I was pleased to see the emphasis was on the characters and plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P9VCRHRB5OFL?ASIN=0316055441	What's all the fuss?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just my opinion…<br/>I am a 40 year old woman that reads for entertainment and to escape from real life for a moment. I want to be taken to a place in a novel to either learn something new, be entertained or just simply befriend new charming characters... this book was not for me. So much so that I could not read more than halfway through.<br/>Theo had potential for a character with strength and perseverance in the beginning and I really enjoyed the stories of his mother, Hobie, Andy and the red headed girl.<br/>However, when Theo moved to Las Vegas and met Boris, it went downhill. It seemed like their downward spiral never ended and I was sooooooo bored I couldn't continue reading about how drunk they got and swore at each other and talked about stealing their parents money for food, cigarettes and alcohol. When I looked down and saw that I still had 12 more hours, I gave up and put it down… ahhhhhh what a relief.<br/><br/>Instead of recommending this book, I would recommend the following:<br/>1. Orphan Train<br/>2. The book thief<br/>3. If I Stay</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EPDQWCPUQP5C?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hardly have to say this is a tour-de-force; no doubt the Pulitzer committee mentioned that fact. Once again, Donna Tartt sweeps her readers into a beautifully realized, arcane, wonderful/terrible world, and we are richer for the experience once we have been safely left on the other side.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNTTK196PCBWC?ASIN=0316055441	Long, but great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was so involved!  It was like 5 books in one, in that the story had distinct parts.  Definitely worth sitting down and reading, and sometimes rereading!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34N0YL5XU0USS?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this book but had a hard time identifying with many parts of it (drug use, especially).  The end possibly justified the means because the art work was recovered.  However, slovenly/illegal behavior was rewarded in the end.  Is that justified?  I think not.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30QDNZ3EWQXUD?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was recommended by one of my neighbors and I owe her a debt of gratitude.  The writing is wonderful and the story of Theo's world and what drives him is a real page turner.  While the language is salty and that is usually a deal killer for me it seems lesser would have been wrong.  Fueled by love and grief Theo's choices are rooted deep in sorrow and honor!<br/><br/>My favorite book in 2014!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U2K5ZMGRYT38?ASIN=0316055441	She is a very good author	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!! I can see why it has been on N&gt;Y. times best seller list for so long. I am glad that I finally got to read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OP5W11A29N35?ASIN=0316055441	Tough realities in compelling story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">13 year old caught in tragic NYC event buffeted by life and systems failing him but still his own person as he raises himself and seeks authenticity from inside a drug haze and with the company of friends and families who live ignoring the law - you want him to succeed, come straight and be happy but the intricacies and challenges remind of Charles Dickens and David Copperfield.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ARV2BA7PZQ6V?ASIN=0316055441	good but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">although i enjoyed the book , i found it a bit too wordy at times and much too lengthly because of it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SBYXWNJXHPRL?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is an incredible read. The characters are well defined and engaging, and the plot pulls the reader into the story from the very beginning. There are so many levels of understanding to the book, which the author brings together at the end in a very satisfying, if not spectacular, way. Loved it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QFM7KVB688KG?ASIN=0316055441	Hated it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Contrived, implausible story based on Harry Potter books; stereotyped characters and dialog; 200 pages of much-needed editing would not have made it readable. A huge disappointment.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HGC5TGNHX2PX?ASIN=0316055441	Fun read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fun read - interesting group of characters. Learned a lot about the art community around the world. Check it out.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R124VVTSMA1PN4?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book very much.  It was a pick of my book club and was originally put off by the length of the book but it is so well written and engaging that I found it difficult to put down.  The story is very original and the characters come to life and definitely stay with you.  I would recommend it to anyone that enjoys a good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DCEHZ7ELQG0S?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The premise of the book was good, it was very tiring to read so much about the  drinking and<br/>druging. I skipped some of the parts in Europe. I wish the editor had trimmed the story down<br/>and it had a more satisfying ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWCMEFNUTB4TX?ASIN=0316055441	Too long...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The concept of the story was very interesting, but it took way too long with way too much detail to tell it...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGL4CNDM2UAA6?ASIN=0316055441	A woman wrote this book with a man's voice	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch had a great story back ground. I thought it covered the use of drugs to the limit, this I really did not like.<br/><br/>The art history and antique world was  fascinating, the young boy Theo's journey was heart breaking.<br/>I'm not sure this would be a book my book club would enjoy but  I'm sure my book club would discuss how Theo's<br/> life would have been so different if the explosion did not occur.<br/><br/>I kept thinking, I can't believe a woman wrote this story she captured a man's point of view with such proficiency.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IPXRH49QKGV5?ASIN=0316055441	Dragged out the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I got toward the last few chapters, I was wishing it would be over.  Ending just dragged on and on.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V2MYDT0OTBUD?ASIN=0316055441	Gave up half way through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The novel is much too long, too much detail, and it is very depressing.  I would not recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12BW7MWM2Y3BD?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am only two-thirds of the way through this, but am adoring the writing -- style and content.  I have no idea how it will come to a conclusion and, at this point, I'm not sure I care because I am just completely enjoying being absorbed in it.  The jumps from chapter to chapter are sometimes enormous and it takes a moment for the reader to adjust; but, it's a clever tool that keeps you engaged and fully into the ""plot.""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36BG41U2RA72D?ASIN=0316055441	A Jarring Ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A jarring ride through the different landscapes of the life of a traumatized 21st century seeker.  Too long , but worth it for the exploration of the roles of beauty and love in an often ugly world.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BZFR68JIPS53?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This long novel is very compelling. I had to finish it. As a child my world was the museums of NYC ,the streets of Greenwich Village, etc. For this I plowed along to see what happened to Theo, how his life was ruined and if he was going to redeem himself. I felt somewhat satisfied at the end by how Tartt got him there after a wild ride (life).</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2131JH5LYFZMV?ASIN=0316055441	overly descriptive - to the point of boredom	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The premise is interesting, but it was too long and in may places really boring.  I wish it had been half as long.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LVGJZTDY8QJP?ASIN=0316055441	Okay book but too long and detailed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was extremely long and had a lot of details that I didn't feel were necessary. The first 3/4 of the book took me a long time to read and then the last 1/4 was great (once I finally got there)</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10MOPAIGAETLS?ASIN=0316055441	A Prize winning Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Possibly the best book I have ever read---never wanted to finish it! The characters, plot twists, exquisite writing, suspense, and humanity threaded throughout its pages made this book very special and worthy of the Pulitzer Prize it was awarded.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ASUNK7AFX623?ASIN=0316055441	What a great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm only a quarter finished and can't put it down. Great writing! Intense and a page turner, that's for sure!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AYB35953VAJK?ASIN=0316055441	Worth waiting for	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossing read! Carefully crafted in Tartt's detailed style, this novel made me feel as if I was living the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I3VBANHAPWC8?ASIN=0316055441	Great story but very long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a great story, though definitely not a feel-good story, and it held my interest despite its length.  However, I did find myself, especially as I got closer to the end, thinking about what details could have been left out without ruining the story.  It was extremely detailed and you could picture exactly what was going on, but I kind of like leaving some things to the imagination.  This is worth a read, though- I feel that it's a story that will stick with you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B7UQ7QVW66TI?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch flies then falters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first three quarters of this book were great, the pace was exciting and the book was a real page turner but then it became a pager turner for a different reason. I just wanted to know where it was going. I found the ending disappointing it just blethered on and on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R4L165BOCWBH?ASIN=0316055441	like watching a train wreck happen	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was well written. I could never get past the level of narcissism and dysfunction displayed by the main characters. At some point it seemed like it was time to get help and grow up. While some of the story was believable, other parts lacked cohesive plausibility.  There was quite a bit of existential rambling toward the end. I just didn't enjoy the book as much as I thought I would.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR8L8QDATD1N7?ASIN=0316055441	I Have a Book Hangover	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How can I start another book when I can't stop thinking about Goldfinch?  Wonderful character development...these characters are flawed and far from perfect, but you just love them!  All of them, good with the bad!  I love reading about this world that is so far from my own...neglected children, drug abuse, black market antiques and art world...and others who so selflessly do anything to help others in need.  Love, love, love!<br/><br/>I gave this one 4 stars only because I like her earlier book better, The Secret History, for which I rated 5 stars.  Check that one out too.  Definitely one of my favorite current authors!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKZSSOPCFT38V?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have read in a long time. The writing was exellent and certainly earned the Pulitzer it was awarded!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33NFPA2EP1FW1?ASIN=0316055441	Bucking the Trend of the Great American Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this book wordy and trite...a classic, no. Will folks be reading this 100 years from now? Maybe we all bought the hype and bought this one. If you have nothing to do I would go ahead and read it (maybe in prison with lots of time). OMG DID SOMEONE BUY THE MOVIE RIGHTS? Show will be long and have lots of omniscient conversation.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REW022TTYWR05?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning was fabulous and the end as good.  Too much middle!  This book may have been great if it was 350 a 400 pages.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U1K4VFFMA63A?ASIN=0316055441	Ok book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read this book after seeing it on the best sellers list for weeks. It was a fair read but too long and drug out.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R61E67WM0LYED?ASIN=0316055441	really good story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked this book, not that the story line was uplifting or cheery, but I liked the author's style. And I liked the setting' and the true familiarity of NYC. Author is obviously very familiar w/ Manhattan. I felt truly sorry for some of the character. At times it was tough to push through another page because there was so much tragedy, but I felt compelled to continue. I was so anxious to see what was going to happen next. A very long book, but worth the read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHJJ9ZBYJBH75?ASIN=0316055441	Theo goes off ....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too detailed! I learned from ""the philosophy ""! Of life in the last 10% of the book., which is intriguing .</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37R3W0Z5K4Z21?ASIN=0316055441	Intereting book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an Interesting mystery book. Some historical facts about China. Easy to read but took a while to figure it out.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R148BAQBP2AO5I?ASIN=0316055441	Ugly beauty	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book for its reminder that good is not always rewarded, that evil is not always punished. In fact, we mortals may not be able to distinguish between good and evil; the Master Plan is beyond our understanding. Yet in art and in love we are given glimpses. Beauty is truth and truth beauty.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S7D23TL8EGS3?ASIN=0316055441	Too Much Foul Language, Crime, and Drugs	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book because of its awards, but was very disappointed.  It contains considerable foul language, crime, drugs, and characters with lots of problems.  The author's character development is excellent and the goldfinch thread running through it is interesting.  I would not recommend this book to my friends.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R75BBIGUW3HN8?ASIN=0316055441	rambled on	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I lost interest because the story line lost its way.<br/>Too many superfluous words.<br/>There seemed to be wasted plot opportunities</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ12OCBIYEFFN?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The middle part of tHe book went into drugs much more than I enjoyed reading about.<br/>It was an interesting book..</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39M9CS1KMLB9A?ASIN=0316055441	Needed a better ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked most of the book, but thought the ended lacked a lot. I especially didn't like the rambling on of self-reflection in the last chapter.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGDZXJLNG5BYJ?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the story line was well thought out, but I have to admit even though the story was interesting, I was ready for the book to be over.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAASODRRYIR7K?ASIN=0316055441	Or, should it have been 5 Starts?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This had been sitting on my reading list for a while before I opened it to read.  What had I been waiting for?  This is a roller coaster ride of a novel, far-fetched and yet strangely moving as you see a young life spin out of control…These are not black and white characters, which makes it more intriguing.  Weak ending…maybe…but still a very good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HALD30A2NYM1?ASIN=0316055441	Great summer reading...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you love New York as a setting,Dickens,nerdy adolescents, wasps,art, and suspense and philosophy, this book is for you. The sweetest love story is entwined within the story and adolescent awkwardness has never been more skillfully portrayed.The hero  must face adversity with the death of his beloved mom in a terrible act of terrorism.The hero's friendships are rich and gloriously detailed and the art and antique world is painted with a broad if cynical brush. The hero's best friend Boris is an  amazing character a latch key kid,a thief,an alcoholic, a loyal confident. a coming of age story with tenderness, and a contemporary ring of what it takes to have an ordered adult life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12S9QD47K6FE9?ASIN=0316055441	plot dragged	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great command of English, but a bit wordy.  Plot dragged on with each drag or drug dose.  Had some good chapters, then lagged.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1952MAU7AURF9?ASIN=0316055441	The main character is not admirable.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I generally like to read about people who have some redeeming characteristics, but Theo Decker's character is deficient in most every way.  He never becomes a better person or simply grateful enough for what he's been given to right his wrongs with humility.  At book's end, he has been forced to do what's right and has enough money to do what's right, but I didn't feel that his character had becomes at all more admirable, even in scenes and meditations that might have been written in a way to redeem this novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22VTFN7SLRAGN?ASIN=0316055441	way too verbose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was sometimes hard to follow the story because of the excessive verbosity of the author. Seemed like the author was often just showing off.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RF9UQ2FEPN97?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book that I will re-read.  There are so many aspects and so many different emotions as you follow the characters through the twists and turns of their lives.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3344GNIRIJMRZ?ASIN=0316055441	You can't put it down though it's like watching a train wreck	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is so good that it's one of those books that you take to the grocery store in case there may be a line ... and you're hoping for one ;-)  It brings out ever motherly instinct in your body ... as a woman anyway ... and you keep hoping that things will right themselves for this young man.  The end is very well done as his world gets close to killing him and then all the pieces get put into place and gives him a new start.  Enjoy.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R282RRXA7BZHRK?ASIN=0316055441	Love it or Hate it ... I hated it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a popular book with book clubs, and I don't know why. It dragged on, and I trudged through to the end.  (No quitter am I.) There is a basic question posed in the beginning, and I wanted to know the answer. But when I got to it, the answer was anti-climactic.  (So what!) There is also a lot of effort by the main character that is all for naught.  And given many, many chances to do the right thing, he doesn't.  I guess that's so the story can drag on even longer.  Don't bother.  There are lots of more interesting books out there to read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HBMDP3RD68RP?ASIN=0316055441	Long Book, Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book won the Pulitzer Prize for a reason.  It is beautifully written.  The descriptions of people and places is so well done it makes visualizing them more like watching a movie than reading a book. I was quickly caught up in the characters and found myself empathizing with them.  I find myself missing the characters since I have finished reading and wondering what they are doing now.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUASPTP40XMNE?ASIN=0316055441	Another great read from Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt weaves a story full of details.  This is a good read, until the last few chapters when the plot becomes convoluted and ends oh-so-neatly.  By the end of the novel, I was really tired of Boris.  Tartt's characters are interesting.  Her prose is flawless.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T4WW1GC712ZN?ASIN=0316055441	No wonder it won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was drawn in immediately by the lushness of words. The story then engaged me and I had to constantly tell myself to slow down my reading.  Savor it became my watchwords.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W727TX6VA7UV?ASIN=0316055441	I could not put this down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would not have read this on my own but read it for a book club.  I am so glad that I did!  I didn't do a whole lot other than read for 2-3 days.  I plowed through it very quickly - will have to reread before the book club meeting (which fortunately isn't for another 2 months).  I got really pulled into the characters and kept reading to find out what happened to them.  I sort of motored through most of the philosophy stuff and am looking forward to going back and taking that in more slowly.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GDXXL08WP5SM?ASIN=0316055441	Long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has so many changes and you keep rooting for the character to learn his way in the world.  Having a difficult time finishing it!  It is well written - the artwork has become a character in the book as well.  So If you want a long book it is good - well written but difficult for an older women to identify with any of the personalities in the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28UVEBJAP72MO?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt Great Writer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Golfdinch is an extraordinary read. The writer goes deep into emotion and  explores the mind as few writers do today.<br/>One feels disappointed by the End but I think that may be because there is no more to read and one is left to imagine and surmise<br/>what becomes of these wonderful characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXRQY1MICTS33?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it was really hard to put this book down. the narrator was sympathetic, and I live in NY so it's nice to relate to places in the book he goes to and where he lives.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8CVVVSXCWATQ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch: A Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very detailed, interesting character development.  I didn't even realize it was so long (read on my kindle) because I couldn't put the book down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14GM7VQW8DLJN?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books I have read in a long time, (minus re-reading the classics).  I couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC1TDQIEHYUN8?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting book--- far too much info for one .  I think it should have been at least 2 books.  The characters were well developed, sometimes ad nauseum</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18LPP2KAYGMHP?ASIN=0316055441	Well written and touching.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book. A bit too long. Could have been edited better.  Touching and extremely well written nonetheless.  Interesting art history.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15KCZPMX7SW4T?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing story and characters.  Engrossing all the way through. Well deserving of all it's praise and awards.  That's all folks!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RKYRXGQ82YP6?ASIN=0316055441	loved every page	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautififuly written.  A voice for hope amidst chaos. I didn't read any reviews before starting this book.  Part way through, I read reviews because someone told me they had given up on it.  I think the depth of Theo's unhappiness may be difficult for some to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WC7QJT3U5EOA?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating. Heart breaking. Beautifully written. It was difficult to put it down once I began. Want to read it all over again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DU7AOD657CVV?ASIN=0316055441	Wow I could not put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After a slow start reading I had to keep rereading the first couple of chapters I could not put the book down looking forward to seeing it one day in the movies!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P7BBIAZU7U4H?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though not an easy read, I couldn't put it down. Beautifully written and mesmerizing. Highly recommend to serious avid readers.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TMEZN6M0K27V?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A powerful book - imaginative, riveting plot, fully realised characters.  I couldn't put it down. The writer also had great insight into characters' motivations, the writing had psychological truth and drew on interesting philosophical insights.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD5326F9930FP?ASIN=0316055441	good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It seem like a good book meaning my wife really likes it. Soon after reading this book she went on to another book written by this same writer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U7CK5A0J6R0K?ASIN=0316055441	would highly recommend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book, the symbolism and the author's writing style. However, way too much detail and found myself skimming certain sections.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NAB0VGXUX35P?ASIN=0316055441	Difficult Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many run on sentences, rambling &amp; abstract thoughts. Story line is good. And what's with that running off to Amsterdam at the end? Weird.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30DRD4TGX2KCD?ASIN=0316055441	Very well written! Well developped and beleivable characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent! Could not stop reading it. It is dark. I though I could recommend it to my 14 year old grand daughter who is an avid reader and decided for the contrary because it leaves one feeling down. The principal character could not opt out or beleived he could not because of his losses. He did had options. Very well written.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FJAZKZJ49UN7?ASIN=0316055441	Intelligent written, beautiful and poetic story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked very much the insight the author has into what's happening in people's mind after a shock, what they feel and how they survive... Also how it shows the multiple choices everyone has to go about its life. Very even pace, not intense and then slow, quite balanced. I have hesitated to buy it at the story line didn't convinced me, but the interior life of the main character is described amazingly and not in the slightest boring.<br/><br/>I simply loved it:)</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HBRXSTXR7CHK?ASIN=0316055441	Tough , dark novel well worth the effort.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely well written , dark and ominous , a page turner in the best sense! Unpredictable and ultimately worth the emotional roller coaster ride it provides.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R159XOCI73P3DA?ASIN=0316055441	"If ""Secret History"" gets an A from me, then this book gets a C!!!!"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">And ""The Little Friend"" gets C-.<br/><br/>After the disappointment I had with ""The Little Friend"", I was hoping ""The Goldfinch"" will be a better book.<br/>But It turned out to be another disappointment.<br/>Won't bore you with details though,I have wasted my time on two books from Tartt already</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16FGRFUKH741I?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful, complex, believable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">With characters and situations you won't soon forget.  This is the kind of story that I expect from Donna Tartt -- smart, complex, and with characters that truly engage you.  I loved this story.  I recommend highly the audio version since the accents are wonderful and really add to the experience.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KMJH4V2KSRHK?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book kept me engrossed. It also made me want to see the actual artwork. The twists and turns of the story kept me engaged and wishing for the best possible outcome for the main character.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TM5YL1ZZ0V24?ASIN=0316055441	Important book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gee.  I don't know where to start.<br/>I think I can only say that this is an Important Book.  I haven't read anything that has as much to say as Donna Tartt does since college days.  IMO, this is one of many Great American Novels--rare for modern times.  A little hard going in some parts, and yes, pretty wordy, but so was Dreiser.  If you finish this book and don't get the idea, go back and read it again--especially, the last hundred pages or so.  It's been a long time since I have been slammed on the head like this.  Great job.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23YP5C8679RAQ?ASIN=0316055441	great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One if the best books I've read in years . You know a book is really good when it change the mood your in for the good or bad. Great story writing</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ORQ48ELN0EKS?ASIN=0316055441	"Definitely a ""Must Read"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The ""in the moment experience"" the author gave the reader reminded me of the joys of reading Hemmingway....  The humor of the characters brought to mind reading something from John Irving....A very good read......</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7YVI4L6LZACS?ASIN=0316055441	Ramblings	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I began recommending this book to everyone I spoke with. that was for about the first three hundred and fifty pages after that there was too much rambling and not enough cohesive story. Great philosophies  at the conclusion but the story was dropped</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6RZS0BIACKJT?ASIN=0316055441	An interesting view of obsessions	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love the beautifully exasperating characters and the way Tartt has us understanding their dangerous behaviours.  Perhaps a little too much philosophising towards the end, because we'd hopefully already got the point by then!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IQ2OOOCT9UC0?ASIN=0316055441	Deserves the Pulitzer!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just finished what was th  best book I have read in the past few years. Great plot, flawed but endearing c characters, sweeping view of a life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32WYHR1RR5WRC?ASIN=0316055441	A rollercoaster ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Nearly impossible to describe, but I could not stop reading it.  Never knew where it would go next; apropos given that it explores so many of the fundamental unanswerable questions we all ask ourselves.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14P7M6D7F4XO6?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is hard to put this book down!  It revolves around a missing goldfinch painting after an art museum bombing, and the boy who saves and hides it.  Why he continues to hide it is intriguing.  The neglect he experiences from his father is disturbing, but sadly not unrealistic today.  He survives, and all ends satisfactorily.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23I0YF33M251D?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So many friends have enjoyed this book.  I thought I would too.  I have read about 40% of it and don't know if I will ever finish it.  I can't really say why, except I just can't get into it.  I've been told that the 2nd half is the greatest, but one shouldn't have to read over half a book to like it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HZU3DKA5CMMK?ASIN=0316055441	Catching and boring.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first half is catching and intriging, but then suddenly, the book becomes extremely boring. The second half is an insult to the reader.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAOJJ1PG03MFV?ASIN=0316055441	Review from a Writer's Perspective on the Great Swampy Middle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Neat story with depth and interesting plot threads. A rich textured world and an author willing to take us into the deep thoughts and motivations of the main character--and the main character may well deserve our time. The extremely interesting characters were bright and thought provoking. Certainly an entertaining read, but I didn't fall in love with it.<br/><br/>At times it has a feel of The Secret Garden with a reversal of sexes, at others a wide range of authors from Dickens to Doyle. It's also kind of a Wilkie Collins or even Jane Austen (if main character had been a woman) brought smoothly into today's world. So many times, especially in the beginning, which has an Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close feel, she almost got me into caring deeply, but something always and sadly pulled me away. Remember the World According to Garp or Updike's Rabbit and how angry you got with the main character for being frankly so stupid? This definitely has that feel, but it simply isn't a character that I cared about--good or bad.<br/><br/>I've heard authors refer to the Great Swampy Middle. In a long book, the Great Swampy Middle can take forever to navigate. Even if that section had been trimmed and cut, I still would not have cared for the main character.<br/><br/>Is that a requirement for a great book? I'll leave that for you to decide; it won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction--so what do I know?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ABATEE3NKBLZ?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to read but worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book difficult in parts to read but it has a great story line so that made it worth it.  However, I hated the ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IIA7N6HSSMIR?ASIN=0316055441	Good plot on may levels	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good story.  Held my attention to the end where it got long winded and drawn out.  Author over analyzed.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AAPUVEMCO3AA?ASIN=0316055441	Glad I read it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am glad I read it.  The Russian characters were perfectly written.  I did not care for the last bit and basically skimmed it looking for anything interesting.  However, I am not very philosophical so it was probably just lost on me.<br/>I think the characters will stay with me for a long time.  I would recommend it to someone who enjoys New York City, art, antiques and deep reads.  Pass if you are an action-only kind-of-reader.  It also is very dark, sad and disturbing.  But it holds it's own very nicely and I as I said before, I am glad I read it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGSB2W6SZQOV?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a thoroughly engaging story. Beautifully written- it captured that sense that life is fleeting while ongoing to the next. Beauty and mortality intertwined on these pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R93P9YYAJ1NP3?ASIN=0316055441	long, but oh so worth it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dreaded starting this book club selection, but became fascinated by this tale with so many twists and turns. Happy my son didn't meet Boris, glad Potter did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QM7MP04YS4ZR?ASIN=0316055441	good level of tension, but it went on a bit too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well developed characters with a mostly believable plot.  I just got a bit tired of the kid making very bad choices -  but there was redemption of a sort at the end.  I liked the pervading nihilistic view.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MFV85JJL9UE8?ASIN=0316055441	Great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the book.  thought it got a little wordy at times but it was educational as well as entertaining.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J8LALWCYEH2O?ASIN=0316055441	Good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story, good ups and downs.  Keeps you interested. Ending a big disappointment.  No real conclusion to story, only a trite and self indulgent lecture.  Sometimes it is good to be left to imagine a logical and satisfying future for the characters but this was a bust.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L9PVX3BVTGW7?ASIN=0316055441	Good but too long and tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this book months ago and tried several times to read it but found it too tedious from the very beginning.  I rarely fail to read a book that I have purchased.  It stayed on my Kindle and when it remained on so many lists for so long I decided to give it another try and power on.<br/><br/>I'm glad I did.  It is indeed too long and tedious, but finally did get caught up in the story and wondered how in the world is this going to end.  The resolution of the painting was a good one and totally unforeseen by me, so kudos for painting resolution, but felt the overall character endings could have more fulfilling.  Perhaps the author was just too exhausted at this point and felt let's just close this thing out.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VL2MQQLNNJBL?ASIN=0316055441	interesting characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit too depressing when it comes to the characters, not an optimistic book if you prefer a happy ending</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FP97PF678F2N?ASIN=0316055441	Good but....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a long book.  The writing was beautiful in parts and without the great insight into the characters it would have been tedious.  The author appears to have so many descriptive phrases for the same situation that one or two would be enough but the author just couldn't decide what to leave out.  I would prefer to see another book about friend Bruno, use some of those left out and saved phases for a new book about someone whose life could make for a very compelling story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW18Z5BBQANQI?ASIN=0316055441	Too Wordy!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms. Tartt writes beautiful descriptions but after a while it became worrisome and I resulted in skimming.  She could have told the story effectively in 500 pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BLJTGPX7FG99?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent reading. One of the best I've read in long time. Just find that the descriptions and philosophizing get s a little long. Could cut and edit this book a little. Very long.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R59O44LNDBH6I?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging and thoughtful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent character development intriguing and unpredictable plot. a complex search for meaning based on the struggles of two remarkable young men</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDW8L68LFUPVI?ASIN=0316055441	one of my favorites	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wasn't sure I'd like this book... Title, jacket description.  But once I started it I loved it.  It was exciting, and one of the most well written books I've had the pleasure of reading.  I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read an intelligent, enlightening, adventuristic story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REJTJL5W7QR9W?ASIN=0316055441	I loved The Goldfinch!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">T he Goldfinch left me feeling wondrous, pensive, moved. The author told an eloquent, very human, and intriguing coming of age story, beautifully. Philosophical and dealt with existential questions that relate to us all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6CKLDPPY65NZ?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt is a wonderful story teller.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing story, great characters, written in incredible detail....Very spiritual, heart-breaking at times, funny at times, definitely a good read... Don't be discouraged by the length!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IVKT18D4U3SX?ASIN=0316055441	Wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was always tickled by all the switches in the direction of the story.  couldn't put it down.  the last 10+ pages were a bit metaphysical. loved the book.  it's great for our book club.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CS5C7SRGKBBK?ASIN=0316055441	A must read for art buffs!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It may be long, but it is so worth the time to dive into this carefully crafted work. Combining a passion for art with a tightly woven tale, it is a must read if you appreciate a richly layered novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROGNV9YI1LIXY?ASIN=0316055441	tedious reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing style is skillful.  However, it should have been edited by someone who understands that quantity does not increase quality  .My Book Club's consensus was that it was too, too long and repetitious, in spite of the author's talent.  In our opinion, it did NOT come up to the standards required for a Pulitzer Prize.  It is quite intriguing in the beginning, but it is difficult for the reader to continue reading after the first half  of the book.<br/>  We will not read any other books by this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SJG9N7UZKZQF?ASIN=0316055441	Just not my kind of novel!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book itself was well written with deep thoughtful description and psycological depth.  I thought the ending was superb but depressing.  I am an older person, not as open to the world of ""darkness"", drug excesses and overemphasis on evil somehow translating to good.  It was just not my taste in a novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H6JR9C9UZDGR?ASIN=0316055441	Not for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am an avid reader but this  book was too long and involved for me.  I finished it but I cannot say I could recommend it.  Whatever meaning it had was lost on me.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JANEIFW6U0C0?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful fast moving story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved it as a mystery especially in the voice it was spoken. Wanted it to keep going. Descriptions were excellent.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SU0A0H9YCN3Y?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've read in a long while!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reading her words is a joy in itself. To have those words spin a wonderful story with fabulous characters is beyond what I can express. Thank you, thank you, Donna Tartt!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XKGC5YVJJA0J?ASIN=0316055441	toooooo long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think there was a lot of good to this book, but it was way too long. I really value economical writing, and I skipped over full pages in this book trying to get to the 'good' parts. Frankly, this book disappointed me. That may make me obtuse, but it is the truth.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MJRO9DNRNG4R?ASIN=0316055441	Review of the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing but quite convoluted re the change of venues from New York to Los Vegas back to New York and then Amsterdam.  interesting journey into restoration of older furnishings and what is truly an antique.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VEWPO2CPM8GB?ASIN=0316055441	EXCELLENT READING EXPERIENCE	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was  wonderful and very interesting, but I didn't find the ending satisfying.  I thought it just fell down in that area.  That's why I gave it 4 stars and not 5.  It was, though, an excellent reading experience.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3041F156VW7CT?ASIN=0316055441	"A ""Novel"" novel"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As a ""rapid reader"" I enjoy a long book. This one kept my interest and was fascinating. I do admit, I stayed up way late into the early morning hours reading as I couldn't get enough of the sharply developed characters. They truly came alive on every page. Well done, Ms. Tartt. I can see why this book won a Pulitzer Prize for fiction.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MPRAWTVIVNLZ?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch is truly golden	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have not read a book so complex and engaging in many years. It is Dickensian, but it is also a really complicated, intriguing plot. In the past I have not been a fan of this author because I did not engage with her characters. Well, this time, I am happy to say that they all came alive for me, in all their eccentricities. Love this book, love that I cannot recommend it to fast-food readers, If you want to really travel this summer, read this book. It will take you places.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RICXJF1WLX3CJ?ASIN=0316055441	Exhausting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch has kept my interest but goes on and on way too long. I'd love to see Hobie's shop and flat.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33KPMWQNA9HJE?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very enjoyable and complex. The writer illustrates with words the various scenes and locations, but some inconsistences in facts about locations.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BZHOQ6CY3RO0?ASIN=0316055441	"Took Awhile to ""Get In To,"" but..."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took a while for me to ""get into"" this book and found the author to ramble a bit in each section.  Loved that all of the different areas of the main character's life came together in the last section of the book.  This is one of those books that, for me, was most enjoyed when I had hours to get lost and focus on the characters and story.  Very enjoyable!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32PAAS5S9TVLM?ASIN=0316055441	SLOW FLYING BIRDS AND HIGH FLYING SPIRITS	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">THIS WAS AN ENGROSSING AND THOUGHT PROVOKING BOOK.  HOWEVER, IT WENT ON ABOUT 200 PAGES TOO LONG.  IT WOULD SEEM THE AUTHOR WAS EQUALLY SUFFERING AND THE READER FELT THE PAIN.  OF WISE, THE CONTENT GAVE THE READER SOME VERY IMPORTANT SOUL SEARCHING.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1167IX8ZO8Q1V?ASIN=0316055441	Good book-- strong beginning, weaker ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book begins with a lot of background and detail about characters and places, as well as history and art. As it moves along, it necessarily shifts to focus on the present. The characters become less inspiring and more aimless. Their motivation is unclear.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A56IBYM75MCJ?ASIN=0316055441	Mixed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story but I felt like it was overwritten. I got a little bored with his self-absorption.<br/>I was tired of reading it as time went on.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQVUV1FWLQOWF?ASIN=0316055441	Great until it wasn't	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have mixed feelings about The Goldfinch.  On one hand I loved this can't-put-it-down novel.  As with the other works by Ms. Tartt, it's  wonderfully written and a compelling read, despite a few too many madcap and drug-induced escapades by the the protagonist and his Russian sidekick.  On the other, after investing my time in this 700 plus page novel, it was more than a little disappointing when the story line fell off a cliff.  When it morphed into a lecture on art history, I stopped recommending it to my friends.  Too bad, because Ms. Tartt is a fine writer, but in this case it seems like she just didn't know where or how to stop.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RAS5S6L0MOVA?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a modern, gritty catcher in the rye for the less privileged.  Good for high school seniors or college freshman.  The end was a let down as he didn't end up with Pippa and didn't send the two knockers to jail.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OUYSAJRCVORQ?ASIN=0316055441	Bird brained	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting but a little too much drug culture details running all through the book. That really overtook the main theme of the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25UKGD59829SP?ASIN=0316055441	heavy and thoughtful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If the reader wants to know more about the life of a drug user and drinker and deep thinker, then this is the book for you.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JPB3WYU4BWGR?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really great story, but being unfamiliar with most if not all the foreign words and terms, it made it slow going at times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IMPYQ102SOBH?ASIN=0316055441	Not Realistic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much too long and more than a little far fetched. Interesting story about antiques and art but live personalities not real.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D81T2ATFX7GJ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was well written and engaging. It is several hundred pages long but it held my interest from start to finish. I may choose this book as a selection for my book club</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVM6MLDOEOPJT?ASIN=0316055441	one of the best books ever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My sweet mother-in-law recommended I read this book and boy am I glad I did. One of the most intelligently written and carefully crafted stories I've ever experienced. One of those books I want to reread in a year or two ... remarkable really. Thank you so much Donna for sharing it with us.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RIGBGB8IM7B?ASIN=0316055441	Boring and lengthy.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long book that was extremely boring.  This is a book I wanted very much to stop reading.  I persevered because I almost always read a book to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32RZFNPHH9RRU?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the beginning of the book but it seemed to me the author was including too many storylines in one book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21C5BFWI8H0IA?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was my choice for the month of July in my bookclub.  While it is a long read, I find myself thinking about it and eagerly looking forward to getting back to it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBFNI4XKPDUFT?ASIN=0316055441	interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Liked the story. A little too rambling at times but a good  read and important message life and death and immortality.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V2MPT3C9IL0J?ASIN=0316055441	A definite read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch- I would give it 4 1/2 stars if there was a way to do that.  Enjoyed the story, loved the characters in the book, beautifully written.  The drug usage I got a bit tired of and it felt a little unrealistic to me-- really, people can function at a high level after that many drugs?  Who knew?  I have no experience with it but it did get a bit old.  Definitely recommend reading the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WYRBDNJGJ88P?ASIN=0316055441	The Pulitzer folks got it right	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt brings back the chops that made The Secret History so great, and she's even better this time out. Her knowledge of adolescent males, drugs, and antique furniture is uncanny.  Our messed-up hero and his even-more-messed-up friend endear themselves to the reader so well that you really hate it when the end comes around.  Buy this book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GTVCQSUC2XU4?ASIN=0316055441	Near perfect review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the novel tp be an extremely well developed character study (albeit a touch depressing),however at times it was so wordy and repetitive that I had to put it aside for a few hours.. I would,however,,recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16EOIFL6SUHB6?ASIN=0316055441	A True Book Worm	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You've heard of ear worms? That song that won't stop playing over and over in your head? Well is truly a book worm. Disturbing at times, on many levels, here is a multi-layered story where every character is a major character and none more so than the painting of its title and heart. Donna Tartt fleshes out every character and scene.  Let  the beautiful little bird take you on a journey you will never forget.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M5OODEAEOIPL?ASIN=0316055441	Simply Beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cannot properly express how much this book moved me.  It is captivating from the very first moment and does not let go, even when you are on the last page you are left wanting more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D8GB11GS3IPX?ASIN=0316055441	AWESOME!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book full of suspense! Great read. Never wanted to put it down. Love, laughter and a whole lot of sadness.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4NRBJM1YC9CL?ASIN=0316055441	Boring Book after 500 pages!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't know why this book won the Pultizer Prize. It was far to long and too many Boris and Theo pages over and over. I wish it ended  after about  500 pages. 816 pages so hard to keep reading. 3 star only</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10ANXCM4PATED?ASIN=0316055441	Long but worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the writing style of Donna Tart's latest book. Even though the book is very long, she keeps you interested and invested in her characters. Highly recommend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GAOBQCWK1QVL?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer was well deserved	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a pleasure to read, yet complex. The author had several things going here, all done quite successfully. I loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JPPE2VL1I2OY?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding prose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was particularly taken by the way the author uses particular words and how she would arrange them in flowing language that enables you to experience the story with all your 5 senses virtually.<br/>Some scenes may appear dragging but overall, the book is outstanding.<br/>Alfredo A. Yap</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MFG3MMUUQXLV?ASIN=0316055441	A wild ride which could be cut about 200 pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt the story could be about 200 pages shorter. I read the book for book club and all the members felt it was too long. It's a wild ride of a boys life from about age 13 to about age 30. The story was interesting, frustrating and at the end  philosophical. The life  of Theo a teenager who looses his mom and reunites with his father who takes him from New York to Las Vegas where he lives  in a totally unsupervised environment. After his father's death he returns to New York and is  exposed to kindness, a trade and business and he reconnects to the family who took him in after his mother's death.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DKFXULL2BSX4?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Every so often a reader comes upon a book the equivalent of a true treasure. A book worthy of the highest regard in so many ways. One you simply know you will return to read many times. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt is one of these fine works of literature. Thank you Donna Tartt.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZJVKNZG2P51D?ASIN=0316055441	Randy Sprout	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Along and involved book that doesn't live up to it's promises in the very end. Lovely characters and great story telling, but the wrap up philosophy was terrible.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VETO6HM1QXLS?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant writing; A difficult hero	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author's use of language and character portrayals were exceptional, but I often found myself wondering whether the anti-hero, Theo, was worth studying. The story became bogged down in details and disappointing turns, then would move ahead. The author presents the most wonderful description of Theo's mother (probably the most interesting character in the story) but her life ends early in the story and her son's descent is slow and agonizing, the story of the painting becoming secondary. I liked the writing, but not the characters and story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FY32AP3M5QUJ?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the best books I have read in the last two or three years.  It is the story of a child who unexpectedly experiences unspeakable loss and follows him as he bounces from family to family throughout his youth. It is a tale of repeated heartbreak and the strength and resilience that can result from such misfortune.  The main character is overwhelmingly sympathetic, although far from perfect.  Chance versus fate is an underlying theme.  Action is fast paced with unforeseeable twists and turns, characters are believable, and had it not been for its sheer length I would have tried to read the Goldfinch straight through.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHKA6XOK0E745?ASIN=0316055441	very different read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book interesting but also a hard read.  The story is interesting but all the drugs and death leve one with a heavy heart.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KUDXKAL5EE0K?ASIN=0316055441	Just not that entertaining	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an Important Book. It deals with Important Themes and the author is clearly gifted. There are passages in the book where you think ""now, this is Pulitzer material!""  But in the end, this book was simply not that entertaining.  I found myself skimming parts just to get to the end.  I think the main reason I was never fully engaged in this book is because I never really liked her main character, Theo.  Yes, the author goes to great lengths to provide ample motives for his behaviors, but in the end I found myself wanting to shake him and say ""get over it!""  I loved ""The Secret History"" and I had great expectations for this book.  While I admire the book and appreciate the author's talent, I can't say I enjoyed this one very much.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FL1CJFCYBQ3M?ASIN=0316055441	Tragic from cover to cover.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch tells the story of how one young soul bears tragedy from the day he lost his mother and transfers his trauma into an obsession of harboring a painting that befell him on the most pivotal day of his life. Exquisitely written; however the story dragged on in spots and lost my attention occasionally but was quickly followed by intriguing new twists in the storyline.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13BD1TYQDN80U?ASIN=0316055441	I will reread this one several times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took a while to capture me, but by the last half I couldn't put it down and kept rereading the philosophical thoughts.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39797MKVY5XAX?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very interesting and heart-breaking story.  I was very affected and interested to follow the story, as I could not guess where it was going.  I enjoyed it very much.  The writing is beautiful and the relationships complex.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W3AMYMH691KR?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious and Overdrawn	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing style and turn-of-phrase have driven me to read on long after I've lost interest in the story-line and character, but even the journalistic-conversational prose won't transcend  the otherwise verbosity and triviality innate in this novel.  I have to agree with the acclaiming critics that, thank goodness, only a handful of these novels show up every dozen years!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CE34EIWLLI74?ASIN=0316055441	Negative Take on Tartt's New Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved Donna Tartt's earlier book ""The Secret Life"" and was therefore disappointed in not enjoying this one.I found it tedious after a fascinating beginning. The main character becomes increasingly unappealing and I finally ceased to care about his fate. The story did not seem to move toward any real climatic event although it initially had much momentum. There is no question the reader continues to read to discover the answer for.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E05GGPLYZNIV?ASIN=0316055441	A deep personal picture of life.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book that could be read a number of times and still new insights would be found.  I found the material to be a bit depressing, but a deep understanding of what the author was trying to convey made this tolerable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26EVTHBIJLQ9K?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters were colorful and disturbed but the writing kept me interested as to what happened to them.  I was not sure how it would all develop and end and I enjoy that.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7KVBWDSIIDXQ?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant, cohesive, compelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well, I couldn't put this book down though at moments Boris seemed to drone on forever and Theo our protagonist whines and pules in a way that we all know is our own self muttering in the dark.<br/><br/>The center does hold in this novel, and it leaves us wiser and better able to cope and love and endure. I guess that is worth the Pulitzer. Bravo, Donna Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROX23KYCLPKGA?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me a while to get into this book.  The first chapter felt strange and surreal, but that made much more sense after a while.  The story is complex and tight.  The events, while a bit strange and far-fetched do make sense and feel realistic.  Complex thoughts, feelings, and relationships are explored in a very meaningful manner.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFXJH9M5VTF2F?ASIN=0316055441	Many stories	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very long read. Many stories within. Normally, I read a book in three to four days. Not Goldfinch. Very well written though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LWAEI27V24FI?ASIN=0316055441	Great for Setting and Character; Slow for Plot and Action	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a wonderful novel if you are inclined to value detailed exposition and character over dialogue and plot. The characters and the environment of the story are both richly developed, which may account for the Pulitzer the novel won. However, if you prefer a fast-paced story with interesting dialogue, then this story probably is not be for you. I found the book interesting in its own right,  eventually I ran out of patience and skipped to the end because the story stretched on well beyond the limits of my caring, either about the central character or  his primary dilemma (which to my mind could easily have been settled early on with much less angst). This is a book for patient intelligent readers who relish character development and expository detail; not so much for those looking for a whopping good story that keeps them turning the pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYUHSIU3QS0BK?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought this book well written...at times it stayed on the same subject a bit too long.  Still enjoyed it and will recommended.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH2Y5BV3A1N18?ASIN=0316055441	Best book in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">what an amazing book.  well written. engrossing.  I will never forget it.  I cannot recommend this book strongly enough.  read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLMAWJ575FY35?ASIN=0316055441	One of my top five favorites!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A novel to be read several times, Goldfinch leaves the reader pondering good and evil, , friendship and love, and destiny.<br/>The characters are well-defined and  their interactions and relationships complex and far-reaching. Take your time to enjoy the descriptions and savour the philosophical debates.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15MU9RBQE5U88?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I  had a had time to keep he story togather.  I would not recommend  this book  to a friend  Lucille Christensen</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36M1M88CDJYLH?ASIN=0316055441	maybe a bit full of itself	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the first half of the book much more than the second half...and I got tired of all the ruminations at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QZAGST6QHN2O?ASIN=0316055441	Long, convoluted & gorgeous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sometimes you want to just say, ""hurry up, already,"" but the ride is so worth it.  Much to think and talk about when you get to the end.  Much to ponder in between.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFVX1CT3MRLYV?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The.descriptions in this book are so realistic that the reader feels that they are experiencing everything that Theo Decker is living through. The book was fantastic and very metaphorical. Maybe just a bit too complicated. That is why I gave it four stars instead of five. Actually I really wanted to give the book 4 1/2 stars if I had the choice. I thoroughly enjoyed this book,but after putting it down for a few weeks to read a library book,I had to start the book all over again!<br/><br/>This book talks about the randomness of life,good versus bad,is there a bigger picture or is everything destiny. Yet the book goes so much beyond that. The story is beautifully written, just as The Goldfinch was beautifully painted. Why did Theo's mother decide to take him to the museum that day?  Why was The Goldfinch,which was Theo's mother's favorite painting,Theo's favorite?  Why was Theo's life tied up in not only the subject of the painting, but the painting itself? Why didn't Theo just give back the painting the numerous times that he had the opportunity?  Was it the haunting beauty of the painting, or was it giving up his mother?<br/><br/>Very though provoking book. I look forward to reading more books from Donna Tart!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27R5PB99LUBB4?ASIN=0316055441	Waiting for the Movie	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch took me through a three-week vacation. Sparkling language, unique characters, a plot that moves through unusual territory. A fascinating look at the world of art and antiques. I read it concurrently with two friends, and we're thinking about Sean Penn as Boris.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC2A1IVF6STJA?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a wild ride!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is amazing in its detail and originality of plot.....At times it was depressing but other times hopeful....All in all a wild ride!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KK0NTKWYIMKJ?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well turned phrases, very little extraneous material.<br/>Sometimes very depressing subject matter.<br/>I didn't agree with the apparent moral of the story.<br/>I'd recommend it to anyone who likes beautifully  written novels.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R111BMDZFXOC9S?ASIN=0316055441	A sad detailed saga	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book.  It brings you right along with the two boys growing up and the paths they took.  The details of the glorious artwork was amazing in that you felt you were gazing on them as they we're described.  Loved the book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I8N5IJ1S8B01?ASIN=0316055441	A Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I very much enjoyed this novel. I was hooked into the story from the very beginning and kept cheering for Theo; even at his darkest. I kept hoping for a different ending but over all this story did not disappoint me. I do believe the story was long-winded at times and for that reason I gave it 4 stars. But, I have recommended this novel to several people with no reservations.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRVKMYQU6A0C?ASIN=0316055441	A Slow  Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the first book I read on my kindle and it took me 5 months .  Think I lost some continuity in the story line that way.  My fault, not the book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JB62WES8ODJH?ASIN=0316055441	Surprising book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I took a chance on this book, not knowing much about it. Tartt drives a hard bargain with her story telling with a richness I have found missing from most new Kindle books. Well drawn characters that you can thoroughly get to know.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U6ESCX1NVQHW?ASIN=0316055441	A it long but a wonderful story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Take your time with this one. There is a lot to digest. Many of the descriptions made me feel I was right in the middle of the scene. I could even smell it sometimes. Really enjoyed this book and it will make for a great discussion at book club.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3797T5G4MBW4M?ASIN=0316055441	Wasn't my favorite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The sample really sucked me in.  But all the drugs and alcohol were a little much. I felt it was a rather vulgar story.  Sorry!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34GTTYAERVUQX?ASIN=0316055441	Did not really understand the characters.  Lots of drugs used by the characters.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had trouble getting into the characters.  Disturbing drug use.  Had trouble believing that main character did not look at painting he was hiding to realize that it was taken from him.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EPM3WO6JLIKO?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the characters in this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has a way of making you fall in love with all of the characters in this novel. She is a gifted writer. It is intriguing to learn about the art world of antiques and paintings, the value of them, and the black market way of life. Also intriguing is the look into illicit drug use and it's effects. There were some parts where I found myself skimming through, where some boredom with the story was experienced by me. All in all a very good book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28RX1RND9I28H?ASIN=0316055441	I expected more from a Pulitzer Prize winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This wasn't the page turner I was expecting.  By the timeI got to the philosophical ending, I wasn't interested.  The story was just too disjointed for me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14K1R6LXKJ0T?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had this on my Kindle for a very long time and finally read it-sorry I waited so very long.  I loved It from the start-the message will stay with me for a very long time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UFGOG9CCFJNO?ASIN=0316055441	why?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful language<br/>Great characters and dialogue<br/>Situations full of suspense, humor and color<br/>Writing flows<br/>Always wanting more<br/>Great read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRNX5EWBO8DRF?ASIN=0316055441	Satisfying Magical and Disturbingly Relatable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A recommendation from a much more  avid reader than I.  This was an event for me. I realize what a rookie I am in relation to literature and art but more experienced and comfortable with the passages about the incredibly bleak teen aged years. I am not a great scholar or writer. This book had me looking up my long neglected museum membership and on maps. It thrilled  me and I will read it again in a month or so. Incredible.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21ZQ7UPBWTIDI?ASIN=0316055441	The book began with great promise  but went down hill fast!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At first I enjoyed reading about Theo and then Boris but after multiple descriptions of drug induced bizarre behavior, I skipped thru to see how these two wayward boys ended up. The ending was awful and esp. the last few chapters. I was warned by someone else who read it but didn't listen. They were right.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27EJTA98RIVS9?ASIN=0316055441	It is not about the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much drugs and alcohol story. Difficult to believe ending with a philosophical drug addict and an enlightened insightful alcoholic.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EC4L7V9VJ6CP?ASIN=0316055441	perfection	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Art, death, love, salvation, heartbreak, horror, humor, pathos, irony, friendship, betrayal, trust, drugs, music, antiques, forgeries, big crowds and empty spaces, good and bad, and what's in the middle...it's all in this beautifully written book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R327XCMKUU6SVV?ASIN=0316055441	the Goldfinch reverberates...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not only a fantastic story but a must read for all art lovers. I've been mesmerized since page one.<br/>Theo and Boris are immortals.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P4FJG8D52BM9?ASIN=0316055441	Rate okay	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written with good story line and enjoyed getting to know characters.  However, author lost my interest when philosophic at end of book.  Have experienced many a novel where I feel author comes up with with weak ending, leaving reader to wonder what happened to characters...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EY1FYGNHVTWX?ASIN=0316055441	disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was interested because of the award but found the book very depressing.<br/>I did not find any redeeming quality to it at all</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROML7D393641F?ASIN=0316055441	A Masterpiece about a Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is bound to become a classic on the order of War and Peace.  All the characters are fully and artistically described, and they are intricately bound into the post-9-11 world with all its terror, false hopes, consumerism, and violence.  The plot winds in and out of the shadows, as characters befriend and prey on each other. Dialogue is scintillating.  There is much to discuss here, not the least of which is the painting of the goldfinch which is the pivot upon which everyone's fate turns.  This is a truly remarkable book which will remain a literary classic for 100 years or more because it documents accurately the time we live in and a hero's life on the edge of disaster.  I was riveted to it for all 780 pages and want to read it again and again.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39INQGX54KOJH?ASIN=0316055441	Too much time invested	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got 220 pages in and was going to give up.  But, then wanted to know what happened to the main character.  Should have just stopped then.  Overall, it was a long, less than cohesive story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QA3ZEK8R0W98?ASIN=0316055441	Sublime	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book,the rapid bursts of words an descriptions. I could have read another seven hundred pages.  Entirely enjoyable.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LFYIOMZXY9OJ?ASIN=0316055441	Not Your Typical Coming of Age Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a master at character development and story telling. The Goldfinch is a well written book that you look forward to reading and discussing with others. The characters are gritty and developed, providing lots of discussion topics and varied opinions for a book group.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VNXZ5OUMCUBT?ASIN=0316055441	A fascinating read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was well written and the story was fascinating.  The characters were jumped off the page in all their diversity.  I love books that leave the reader to contemplate one's feelings about people we meet in varying settings and circumstances and how such meetings can certainly have far flung and lasting effects on many lives.  A fascinating read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXHM2J1A0RAQ0?ASIN=0316055441	Set a Deadline!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Holy moly was this a looong read!  In spite of all it's attributes, it's awards and it's literary values, it seemed to go on and on.  IF one is patient and can appreciate the aforementioned, one would  probably add<br/> another star to this review, but I for one read for relaxation and entertainment and cannot say that Goldfinch satisfied either of these demands. So, have plenty of free time, patience, and pour yourself a very tall drink before you commence on this tiresome journey.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17PKWB6N2LNL3?ASIN=0316055441	rich characterizations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I absolutely loved this novel and consider it to be one of my top five I've ever read.  The characters were so fully developed...you could not help but form an attachment to them! Particularly Boris!  The sense of place is so strong...you feel as if you are walking the streets of New York, or feeling the heat of the desert outside Las Vegas.  Truly, you're sad when it's over for having to leave these people and their world, as troublesome as their lives may be.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQE6NKYIRBZYA?ASIN=0316055441	Yes!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is a good reason this is on everyone's ""best"" list.<br/><br/>Just read it. You won't be disappointed.<br/><br/>It will have you from start to finish.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NUZTSNXCNIX5?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was definitely my best read of 2014. It was a complete page turner! I was so happy to have read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13U00MVTXT2G2?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is worth reading!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can see why The Goldfinch has been on the NY Times best seller list. Very interesting story that has many twists and turns. I enjoyed it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35M5ZHYLHL4OX?ASIN=0316055441	Amazingly well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written commentary on modern life.  What else is really important than art, music, literature, travel, and true love?  The very essence of being.  I wish I had written it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R287Z9HC9ZOTEF?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliantly, artistically, darkly and radiantly captivating!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was totally absorbed by Theo's intelligence and his attachment to ""The Goldfinch"" as well as the direction it played in his life!  Extraordinary prose throughout!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17V9KAYEIU1C4?ASIN=0316055441	A good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book to be well-written and entertaining. While it seems unlikely that one person could have so many crises in such a short timespan, one has to remember that this is a work of fiction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OMJKFHNJ7TB0?ASIN=0316055441	I am not sure why this book got a Pulitzer?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I found it to be an interesting storyline, the whole thing just seemed to fling from fantasy to fantastic. The ending, left me feeling it was unresolved, unfinished, a work still in progress...I kept searching for more pages, but there were none to be found.<br/><br/>I think the author has a lovely writing style and the story hung together through small pieces of continuity, but for the most part, I did not find myself feeling connected to the characters or even liking them very much.  I sometimes find this to be true when an author takes on writing from the other gender's perspective.  It may be that they are trying so hard to be and think like the other gender, that the end result is a two-dimensional character lacking any real substance.<br/><br/>I chose to read this book, because I have enjoyed some of her other novels and they have stayed with me.  I think in this story, I will most fondly remember, not the main character, but Hobie, the caretaker.<br/><br/>Just my perspective.  I hope the rest of you enjoy this novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13A8E7WZ51VQA?ASIN=0316055441	Ready to be spellbound?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing!  This is a book that draws the reader in; the plot makes it difficult to put it down.  Tartt""s style is such that one finds words and phrases unique to her writing which I thoroughly enjoyed.  The only issue I had was the use of foreign language phrases, but I was able to understand the meaning from  context.  Should you read this book?  Absolutely!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHVVKVE4Y0JM7?ASIN=0316055441	Rather boring after a while.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book too lengthy for the topic - dragged on and on. Also rather depressing. Story could have been told in 100 pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNHGXNIDP9B32?ASIN=0316055441	Good read - half way.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book begins as one that I just could not put down. It totally held my attention and when called to have to put it down, I could hardly wait to pick it up again. Until about midway through the book. Did the author tire of her own story? Did she use a ghost writer at this point? Was she, herself partaking of the ever present drugs and booze so often rambled on about throughout the story? What ever the reason, the story fell flat and continued a rambling monologue that I had much difficulty getting through. Characters became confusing, the story line fuzzy and buried. At the end (that I made myself read to, albeit skimming through many pages) the author tried to explain a deeply philosophical message but by that time I was so weary, it was totally lost in the bla, bla, bla. This book would have been fantastic if the author had ended it midpoint.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SK7EYOG0BTR?ASIN=0316055441	CANDIDE revisited	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started very well, but then drifted into several different books....reminded me more than a little of CANDIDE...in fact, I began to view this as a modern interpretation of same.  Satisfying first half, not so much the second half.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W500CRT5QL45?ASIN=0316055441	Good, Interesting Plot.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting.  I liked the plot and mystery which keeps  the reader in suspense and waiting for the next question to be answered.  I did not like the filthy crude language between the main character and his friend Boris.  The two characters are pretty nice guys who fell into circumstances beyond their control as they grew up.  However, the language could have been cleaned up.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W32LOE1PLU3Z?ASIN=0316055441	Touching story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, touching, heart breaking, and redeeming all at the same time.<br/>I feel like I can see the little Golfinch as if its mine.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PG68O39F17QN?ASIN=0316055441	A Tragic Life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was written well and the characters so well developed I hate not to give it 5 stars. But, it was written like a diary so that the story unraveled before you sometimes in minute detail. I even loved all that detail but, there was so many drug scenes I found myself thinking come on, come on get back to the story. I would definately recommend the book to others and would read it again if I had it to do over.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SBHDC1PEF2PH?ASIN=0316055441	Good for a long read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the  quirky characters and the plot was entertaining and the author's attention to details involving antiques and restorations educational, For me, too much detail was given to drug taking and violence.  It was a  ""quick read"" because I found myself skipping through some of the detail to follow the storyline.  The never-ending enfatuation with Pippa drove me crazy. I was somewhat hoping that she would prove to be really flawed or disappear into wedded bliss.<br/><br/>This was a great way to while away many evenings!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQFFJF0B5IQQV?ASIN=0316055441	LOVE & HATE	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully written, page after page words magically burst into visual scenes, characters into people you know and love or hate.Makes you think about all the roads you have taken that may have made you a very different person. As the main character is swept into the wrong . Although I could not put the book down for very long I was left slightly depressed by the authors philosophy.<br/>I believe you are master of your own fate.*** NO EXCUSES</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19XYDHUOOGEHB?ASIN=0316055441	VERY SUBTLE, BUT ENGAGING	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot is subtle, but still engaging. The book often proceeds at a slow pace while the author engages in some very nice writing. Even though I found myself wishing I could get to the end of the plot, I still enjoyed reading Tartt's prose. Some sentences go on for a page; I often webt back and read them several times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EYWR4FO4SQG8?ASIN=0316055441	too wordy, too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book.  It was well written.  However, the author rambled on so much that toward  the end I was glad to be finished.  I especially liked Boris.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9V0W60VL2DIH?ASIN=0316055441	Overcoming the odds...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful story of loss, human frailities, quirks of fate and the gift of ""the pursuit of happiness""<br/>even amidst overwhelming loss and personal suffering.  The human spirit triumphs against the<br/>erosion of easy joy...  a long book, but well worth the read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDPBSTP4G929V?ASIN=0316055441	Tough but compelling read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book well written and compelling but very dark and difficult to read at the same time. The positive message that emerges toward the very end was hard to reconcile with the bulk of the text which explored addiction and depravity in depth. The Goldfinch celebrates the power of art - and that message I can fully support.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ3MCTKO2EJTD?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had me from the get-go, and continued to be 100% compelling throughout.  Could not put it down. When I finished, I immediately downloaded Donna Tartt's earlier novel, The Secret History, because I was sad that it was over!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ET5F1U35XT79?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much time spent on certain times and events.....it became tedious.  Could have had a better book with fewer pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWCXX3Z6CK24A?ASIN=0316055441	Good book....a bit long, but good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me a long time to get into The Goldfinch, but when I did I couldn't put it down.  Although it is a bit wordy, it is a fine story with terrific characters</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XSSCFGJZUWB3?ASIN=0316055441	So good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch is such a good read.  I was amazed, despite the length of the book, how fast I ripped through it and how much I loved the story.  It's a page turner that is incredibly well written!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JVEK05H7KPOW?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The premise of this book is very interesting and I was immediately caught up in the life of this unfortunate child.  Although the story was written well it was too long.  Spending page upon page for each incident made me want to skip pages (which I ultimately did toward the end).</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26YYUE202SN9C?ASIN=0316055441	wanted more	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good in the beginning, became a drug a log! too much and I wanted more. Too sad in so many ways.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZSIJPG4V30SH?ASIN=0316055441	Best book of the year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book makes you feel you are right there with the characters through all the turmoil.  Some say it is too long but I think that is part  of it's charm.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N5N2Q5LF5424?ASIN=0316055441	Uneven	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reading The Goldfinch was like riding down a very bumpy road. At times I loved it, was fascinated, enjoyed the author's skill and depth of understanding, the complexity of the characters, the wide range and sweep of locations and situations. But sometimes it was more like being lost in a sea of unpleasant detail about a life full of wrongheaded choices.  Giving it a set number of stars (3) doesn't work. At times a five, others a  two. But definitely worth reading!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NUWUKJ6UA999?ASIN=0316055441	Well deserved Pulitzer!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Haven't enjoyed a book so much in a long time. A joy to read- every sentence a gem. Richly drawn people and places.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JPJCY3GMY73S?ASIN=0316055441	Did not like	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this rating because I didn't want to be mean.<br/>I did not like the book. It was too long and to wordy. Didn't like the language.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35QJ2K7BZAXAX?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A story like no other. Characters so unique, interesting and compelling. A painting as a main character. I was always engaged, always looked forward to my next opportunity to spend time with Theo, Boris and Hobie. My only criticism would be that the editor seemed to forget to edit . In many places beautiful writing went on to become wordy, overstated passages that caused me to start skimming to find the end of a lovely, important thought with no end. This book didn't need to be 775 pages. But still very worth your time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJT564H2Y0M0Z?ASIN=0316055441	really!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long, long way down before a rapid rise.  I almost gave up he would ever pull out!  What did he learn?  you'll find out!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IRIXTFEBYI7R?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story will leave you breathless; the writing will leave you in awe.<br/>This is the most terrific book I have read in a long long time.<br/><br/>And if you might feel intimidated by its double length, just know you will get at least three books worth of pleasure from this read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CZIU7UI37Q8M?ASIN=0316055441	A disappointing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Given the extensive publicity given to this book, I found it to be rather disappointing. The whole drowning in a murky drug induced haze. There seemed to be no relief from endless detailing of the types of and the effects of various combinations of pharmaceuticals and street drugs, and when those were not occupying center stage, then the characters were generally consuming vast amounts of alcohol.<br/>The story line is obviously inspired by the events of 9/11; however, in this case there is a sort of ""Harry Potterish"" cast to it, which I found odd and and the whole discussion of art and the one painting in particular, ends up devolving into the lowest level of a gangster story, with a very unlikely, and seemingly hastily constructed ending, topped off by the protagonist's ""life lesson"", which seems to go on, and which if anything, is anticlimactic.<br/>I did not hate the book, I was actually quite taken with it at times, but I found it far from being great literature.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PD9UKDFR1H0N?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth the time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Life is short. Unfortunately this book is not. I wish I had been the nonexistent reader of this book. Save your money.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7AG5PG4XOD83?ASIN=0316055441	Worth Read All 800+ Pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a well written book that prompted deep thought and urged understanding when the reader may have fallen short in that regard.  I found it difficult to stomach some of the drug experience descriptions,  but overall the story line and sub plots were fascinating.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REPYSPH73J43E?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book in the beginning (even though it was a little wordy) but then it became too much.  By the time I was approximately 75% through the book, I was anxious to get to the end and found myself skimming over pages at a time.  Too bad as I have stated I started out loving the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXESU4S81584Q?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the beginning and understood the emotions that caused him to do what he did. But as he grew older,I got tired of the in-depth descriptions of his visions, his dreams and the drug and alcohol induced hallucinations. I got that he missed his mother and had no feelings for his dad, but he just kept doing things wrong .  I don't understand the rating system that kept it at number  one for so long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35CQWZFS8PL2U?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an amazing journey through a man's life that will stay with you for a long while. While at times I did not like the main character I was compelled to keep reading to find out what happens and hopefully learn why it happened. The characters are varied yet each has a specific role to play in the story. There are no apologies for actions taken by anyone in this novel. Read it slowly as there is much to savor.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F6QIJD201JY2?ASIN=0316055441	Great Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a book that makes you think on so many levels. The attempts by caring adults to help Theo adjust to the loss of his Mother that are all wrong in Theo's world. How many times have we all made these attempts to help an emotionally injured person without knowing what's really in that person's mind.<br/><br/>I loved the continuing mystery &amp; all the characters. Great Read!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K0C9WDBEEDRU?ASIN=0316055441	Great  Read!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent writing! You feel like you know each of the characters by end of book. Certainly worthy of Its high prize!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B1G307QH6LP3?ASIN=0316055441	A GEAT READ	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a wonderful novel.  Donna Tartt is the most incredible author.  Her use of language is awesome!!  I loved this books so much I limited the number of pages I would allow myself to read in order to make last.  The characters are people you feel you know.  This book is filled with important life lessons</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23H0A9NDXH3XC?ASIN=0316055441	Not my kind of book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had heard so much about this book I was anxious to read it. Very disappointing. The first part was pretty good reading but it became slower and slower.  But I trudged ahead and finally finished it. It is very long and so much drug stuff.  In my opinion, and big waste of time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DDJ3IJI03Z14?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Deserves Five Goldstars.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great read from beginning to end; great characters in interesting situations. I loved the character development and the twists to the plot.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13R1AYX2X4TX1?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very dark story about a character that is a challenge to like. The story is intensely engaging sometimes I wondered why but could not put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R760J57M6I3CP?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Soars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a book! 700+ pages never seemed so short! Lyrical and heart-breaking, intense and riveting, the Goldfinch will leave its marks on your heart. And like Hobie restoring antiques to reveal the beauty of their life, the tale of the Goldfinch will reverberate and and patinate long after you finish it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A2DWQLB8ECGD?ASIN=0316055441	Drug and alcohol use became overwhelming theme of this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very disappointed in this book.  I grew weary of the drug use and descriptions of feelings and actions while he was on drugs.  It seemed the theme of drug and alcohol use was predominant, while the painting became secondary.  The ""hero"" displayed so many unpleasant qualities and those were focused on, along with incessant details of unlikely happenings.  I woud NOT recommend this book to anybody!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZSON4ML4SJBY?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exquisite writing and character development.  Ms. Tartt has mastered the voice of each of the major characters in the novel.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7A3KXT6R1E42?ASIN=0316055441	captivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book so much! So well written...my only criticism is the lengthy, in depth drug use.....granted it was a huge part of Theo's life, but probably 200 pages could be eliminated. The middle 1/3 of the book just was too drawn out......</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4XQCW491ZXPI?ASIN=0316055441	Could not put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent writing.  I got a little tired of all the drug and alcohol scenes and how it did not seem to cause any problems until later in life. I found the ending to be very disappointing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UL636N1IC9NB?ASIN=0316055441	Why did it win the prize?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book started out very promising with the gripping situation that the protagonist found himself in, but I started losing interest in the book by midway through. The drug use and bad language was a turn off. The parts about him living with Hobie were by far the most interesting and enjoyable to read, but the book seems a bit disjointed to me, and far too long. Quite disappointed as I had expected much better based on the prize and the glowing reviews on this site. I have about thirty pages to go and hope that the ending will at least be better</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1584X24UABIS5?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoughly enjoyed this book.  Regardless of the length it seemed a fast read.  I liked the writing style so stayed with it.  All the philosophy at the end surprised me somewhat.  I was hoping for a plain old happy ending but now I understand the whole point of the book.  The ending was as happy as life is I guess.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY4L84GXQSBP5?ASIN=0316055441	Great book, long but holds your interest.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Took this on a week-long trip and had enough to read all week!  Don't let it's size deter you, it is interesting all the way through.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O29KLHTBNR6G?ASIN=0316055441	superb	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was so good I read it twice.  Then I listened to the audio book (not crazy about the reader)<br/>and read the ending again.  Not surprising that it won a Pulitzer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ODC2WFE4811T?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book, it was a great read but it was too long. The story was very original and kept you interested but the ending was very drawn out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L21SXTNPC01W?ASIN=0316055441	Post-Millineal Coming of Age Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazingly complex story touching on so many sensitive issues-- loss, addiction, friendship, betrayal, family, obsession, love, identity.  Set against a backdrop of art, literature, antiques, and yes, lots of drugs,  we follow our incredibly confused and damaged protagonist through experiences from mundane to surreal.  Can he find redemption, and will he accept it?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D2Y78S45AZ2O?ASIN=0316055441	lots of mixed feelings!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was long and intense; lots of drugs and alcohol. I did not hate it but it was not the best read I have done. It was taxing on my emotions!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R105OPUP0EU1G8?ASIN=0316055441	The Line of Beauty	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Marveling over the incredible story of The Goldfinch early on, I thought the novel would be plot-driven, which might have been enough.  But author Donna Tartt goes so much further.  A story about a traumatic event and its aftermath becomes a lyrical tale about love and beauty and survival in the catastrophic cesspool (the author's words) that is life.  Accompanying such pessimism, though, are glimmers of hope.  I read the last few pages three or four times because I was so impressed -- and moved -- by what Tartt accomplished.<br/><br/>A scene early on in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as the main character's mother explains that transcendent works of art usually offer a glimpse of suffering and death, Tartt expertly lays out the themes of The Goldfinch.  But nothing prepares the reader for what comes next and next and next.  Great art, like life, can be a burden.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RFSN4B61FJVQ?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful writing, lots to think about and wonder about.  Fantastic read for anyone, but especially a person who appreciates art and furniture.  Possibly the best book I have ever read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPSRFL8HPHXVF?ASIN=0316055441	Darkness	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the beginning of this book, but towards the middle....it was so dark and redundant, page after page of despair, almost quit reading it...was pleased with the ending...except ...no Pippa??</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27KDVLZV58TJL?ASIN=0316055441	transcendent in the End	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read this book with a certain faith that, despite the depths of horror and despair and mendacity and violence in the life of the main character, and despite the length of the book, there is a great story here that is well worth the trip, a story related to us in terrific prose.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL82ANVX0VAM5?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I downloaded THE GOLDFINCH to kill time on a flight to California thinking I would never finish 775 pages.  I was so drawn into the story that I looked forward to every free minute when I could pick it up again.  There are parts that are unbelievable.  No one could survive the amount of drugs and alcohol consumed by Theo and Boris in 24 hours, let alone their entire lives fueled by drugs and alcohol.  Also, Theo says that he and his mother were ""poor,"" yet she was always dressed beautifully, they took taxis everywhere and ate take out food from Mr. Chows!  Pretty pricey.  And, Popper the dog seemed to live forever.  I didn't get all the philosophical musings at the end, but the book is a masterpiece.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTPAAEWLJ9IR0?ASIN=0316055441	A bit long but very well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book although I did think it was a little bit long in certain parts. For the most part, it kept my interest and was very entertaining.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SN65NPT4KVWM?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">enjoyed the book but found it a little tedious and slow at times.<br/>Long and took a bit of effort to stay with it to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK3DRAJ1H4OZ8?ASIN=0316055441	So very beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author does more than just tell a story. She delights and surprises us with her characters' perceptions of the world. The subject matter is sometimes tragic and hard to bear, but it is very complete in it's unfolding. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the beauty and prose of the written word. This author will not disappoint on that front.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UOICZ88Y2P78?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i gave this novel a 3.  I ""got it""is  what came to mind re boris and potters descent into roughing it  I thought his diatribe at the storys end  fell short of the rest of the novels action and knitting of the story  I have recommended it  when it was good it was good story twists etc</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RSZ5QWAWI8HH?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I might be the only person to tell you the truth about this book, so listen up: This merits of this book are extremely exaggerated.  Obviously Tartt can write well, but her plot and her characters are very superficial.  I don't recommend this book to anyone except for people who want to say, ""I've read The Goldfinch.""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRX0IQZQLS5H8?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch, a Prize Worthy Tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating. Morbid. Hopeful. Engrossing.<br/>A tale told in four parts, a bombing in New York City, uncontrolled drug use in Las Vegas, an antiques career in Manhattan, and a deadly adventure in Amsterdam, all woven together for an almost satisfying conclusion.<br/>Exquisite writing, though a bit long at times.<br/>Reviewed by Charli Humphreys</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VUQAG1FOWOOS?ASIN=0316055441	Great read !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous read.  Artfully written.  Captivating. One if the best books I have read in a long time.  Not a formula book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OXQDCUG6HPC5?ASIN=0316055441	I really liked this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't care that it was over 700 pages, I would have read 900.  This is such a rich tale, so multilayered and exciting to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R392GKZ8MNVH8C?ASIN=0316055441	almost the most boring book I ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was excruciating to get through. An immense undertaking that went nowhere for 75% of the book. I felt like I was reading Catcher In The Rye for 2014. How this book is still on the NY Times best seller list baffles me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBUU5742UDTX2?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing and way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Descriptions of feelings and situations went on and on.  Way too much information.  I was uncomfortable with all the drug use/ descriptions.  There was little redeeming social value in all that addictive behavior.  Even at the end it wasn't clear if Theo was able to be clean and dry.  Mostly a depressing book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LSRCTAMDQL0A?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a hard time getting through this book. It was so wordy at times that I skipped many pages. I was disappointed to think that it was a pulitzer prize book.The story line was okay and I had to finish it just to find out what happened to all of the characters, but I could have just put it down and not finished if I was of a different personality.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZCVEVE4DSUW6?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love this book but it pained me to see the main character go through so many crazy, difficult situations.  But the writing is excellent and the characters well developed as is the plot line.  You'll need to dedicate some thought to this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MXHT1IG2SR6Z?ASIN=0316055441	Boring!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After a fast and interesting start - the book began to totally bore me.  In the end I was skipping whole paragraphs just to get it over with.  A truly convoluted,  hither and fro, hard to fathom plot.  Big disappointment!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30SXXN3248XI5?ASIN=0316055441	Dissapointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First chapters kept me reading but quickly lost interest in all the meanderings!! I skipped pages so I can say I finished it!!!!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPK4HM7S4MJQ5?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book could have been cut in half and been better.  Author just kept repeating stuff over and over.  Not very imaginative.  The message would have been more profound had we not dawdled in ""repeat"" land so much.  Point is, midway I was done but bought the book and needed to finish it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16YO24XW609MD?ASIN=0316055441	Should you finish the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It would have been more enjoyable if there had some serious editing.  Wonderfully descriptive and interesting , yet dark, plot.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DCHX6OHO7D5J?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch: Good, Bad, Worth the Effort	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a wonderment. YOu cannot help but love the writing, but the book is just too long and the author seems to be showing off her knowledge of many things -- language, her understanding of furniture restoration, drug use, Europe, the ins and outs of NYC and especially her familiarity with Dickens (she even has a ""Pippa"" in the book -- and there are lots of British-y words tossed in, often insider slangy terms.)<br/><br/>My biggest complaint: the book never ends. And  the final ending is tortuously drawn out for the fairly minor point it makes: life is difficult but short, so enjoy it.<br/><br/>And that is my major gripe. We really don't have that much time to enjoy life if we spend it reading books this unnecessarily long. One more edit would have done the job to make this truly the best book of the decade. It would not have lost much to give up a few of those minutely detailed days in that hotel room in Amsterdam at the end. If that had happened, I would agree with all the high praise Donna Tartt has received.<br/><br/>I did finish the book and was happy I read it, but I would have been happier, even elated, if it had been more tightly presented. I don't need to know every time Theo vomits or takes a bus. I get it that the book is written to give a close account of lives and choices that we can make or are given to us to manage. I get it that life goes on and on and on. And on. I realize the author is creating her masterpiece. But do we need to see every move and moment so closely -- and then occasionally skip long periods of time?<br/><br/>I did love many of the book's characters. Boris was charming with his bad personal habits and outlandish approach to life, fairness, friendship and love. Hobie was well drawn as the kindhearted and loving man who saved the main character, Theo, and gave him an orderly life. (However, I read about Hobie's large hands a few too many times.) I also liked Andy, the brilliant oafish delight, the mysterious Pippa, and Kitsy, the spoiled airhead we've all known and loved for being an airhead.  Too, Mrs. Barbour was perfect as the politically overly-polite Park Avenue matron, close-mouthed and perfectly poised, dressed and coifed at all times and perpetually attending or throwing a party.<br/><br/>Tartt writes extremely well and creatively, and the book's point of view is that of a grown Holden Caulfield a la Pip. It is Tartt's American omage to Dickens. Very American, very New York, very much a portrait of today, vey much a portrait of a young man trapped between worlds, just like the Goldfinch.<br/><br/>Ultimately, the book was hard to read and Tartt was lucky I persevered. Many people I know skimmed it.  I did not. Yes, it will stay with me, but it took a lot to get through and it probably would stay with me longer if it had been edited one last time. Like life (which is maybe the author's point), the book is a little disappointing - but you can get through it if you have a few good friends. In my case, my book group...<br/><br/>It's definitely worth reading, but an effort that may not totally pay off.  Like life, I guess. Maybe even a bit like Dickens.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34KJJJAVA04PL?ASIN=0316055441	too heavy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the reading a bit heavy and would lose interest repeatedly while reading it. For someone looking for a light read, I would not recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R267ZWGDU6KM11?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt is a writer's writer and a reader's writer.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've read The Secret History multiple times. It has a mythical feel to it in my opinion. The Goldfinch is more modern, but Tartt's ability to create interesting, realistic characters and move them through a compelling story in a voice that is so distinctly polished makes for highly entertaining yet thoughtful reading. For myself, it was akin to what the characters experienced when looking at The Goldfinch in the novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IK0AP8KIOT5C?ASIN=0316055441	Truly engaging read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is an interesting tale, a story akin to ""Great Expectations"", but with a lot more action.  Very easy to read and keeps you engaged throughout the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NJBHJMEH29A6?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long to get the story told.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I decided to give The Goldfinch a try based on the awards it seemed to be winning.  This book could have been a much better read if it was about half as long.  Very draggy and repetitive in places.  Overall a fairly well written attempt just way too long.  Once I had about 500 pages invested I felt I had to finish.  If I could go back, I wouldn't read this one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AA3BR8N51B2N?ASIN=0316055441	A real thriller	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved The Goldfinch... It was hard to put down.  The characters  were developed so well and very interesting.  I missed the book  and characters when I finished the it.  It is a long book but that did not bother me.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QZABUJJJQ9VZ?ASIN=0316055441	Stunning novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a beautifully written novel that is well deserving of the Pulitzer. I was a nervous wreck for Theo Decker from beginning to end. Best book I've read in quite a while.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R119AEM4BY0YW6?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a powerful, funny, book. I loved the character of Boris.We should all have such a friend. I totally recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLNEB4YMD81IK?ASIN=0316055441	Not recommended	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really could not get into this book. I didn't like the main character or the story line and had to force myself to finish it. Not a book for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HNP45HOBPPVU?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't like it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had high expectations but really didn't like it. Found it depressing and way too long.<br/>Starts promising but just goes on and on after that with no point</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SY4NRVNH8WOP?ASIN=0316055441	had to read it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had to read this because of the hype but did skip portions of it as it droned on and on.  I never connected with the main character.  Hobie was interesting and I could picture him but Alex(?) (he didn't even impress me enough to recall his name!) was unattractive and I had no empathy for him……too long and over blown.  Surely there was something more worthy of the Pulitzer Award!?</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25MYJ5909WX96?ASIN=0316055441	500 pages too long!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel was almost 800 pages, which was about 500 to long. After reading this book I cannot figure out why it is a best seller or why it won such a top prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PXXYHKBR0TSI?ASIN=0316055441	What a downer!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really a downer of a book!  I mostly just began to be disgusted with the main character for making continuously and increasingly bad decisions.  The last chapter seemed like a very unsuccessful attempt to show remorse and lessons learned but it just didn’t do the trick for me at all.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LSYSTSDMV5D2?ASIN=0316055441	it just fell down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna is an exquisit writer. The story is solid but not amusing. Only a couple of times I was caught off guard, and that is not too much in over 700 pages.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RTZCNIXHTM3V?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing - could not put this book down. Incredibly well written and had just the right amount of suspense &amp; mystery</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R189OZM1I9KR3J?ASIN=0316055441	A good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed it but much too long and a little wordy. The plot had interesting twists to keep the reader involved.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XKE70KJ4257E?ASIN=0316055441	A picture is worth 1,000 pages?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this story and the way that it was told. Each character was beautifully developed, which made the unreliable narrator easier and more intriguing to follow. The only aspect I disliked was that the pace and repetitiveness.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BD1CONDLP87W?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was wonderful in the beginning. I did not want to put the book down. Around the middle it seemed to drag on. Bye the end it was rather boring. I feel the author could have cut down the number of pages.<br/><br/>the book in the beginning was wonderful. I didn't want to put rhe book down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VTIKX2WAAXNO?ASIN=0316055441	Slow motion train wreck	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely wordy and not very likable characters. It was a chore to stay with this book and have any sympathy for the main figure who loved to wallow in his misfortune, most of which he brought on himself.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U1XPOZCEATXQ?ASIN=0316055441	Thoughtful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a well written book. The description of loss and grief is illuminating. The story line keeps moving. It touches on important philosophical issues. I learned interesting facts on antique furniture.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28I58KWL5HIZY?ASIN=0316055441	tricia k	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A journey of a boy's  life through adolescence and adulthood after his mother dies suddenly. I couldn't  put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN7W1V9OJA1YW?ASIN=0316055441	A troubled life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story took the reader to so many places you would never imagine.  It portrays one persons constant struggle throughout his life to be a part of something else.  And possibly his search to be loved.  Very long read but worth it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12Z2OFZM2LXPF?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extraordinary book that takes the reader on a twisted path through the life of a very disturbed drug addicted youth.<br/><br/>On this wild ride art plays a major role and the author compares various lifestyles.  It leaves you with many string memories.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32I50LJB9ATIM?ASIN=0316055441	terrific !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is not a book to speed read through. Read several chapters then let it rest for a while. There are plenty of thought provoking passages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV4GZYWO4FYFC?ASIN=0316055441	This is one of the best fiction books I have read in a long, long time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just did not want this book to end...reread the last chapter several times, just so I could continue having the experience.  Thank you Donna Tartt!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R5YU3158143W?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had read the NYTimes review and was expecting a different kind of story. It's strengths included the theme of the painting; the life and development of the protagonist and the portrayal of some of the characters.  However I was not prepared for the endless details of drug addiction, alcoholism and crime.  Far too much detail was given to this aspect of the story, especially Theo.'s adolescence in  Vegas.  It could have been a good story if it were a shorter, more tightly woven epic.  Despite being in the mental health field and well acquainted with the behavior of drug addicts and alcoholics I do not necessarily want to spend my leisure time being bombarded by this kind of behavior in such depth unexpectedly. I was disappointed with the book and surprised it had been awarded the Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E90C8JH9415X?ASIN=0316055441	Good book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed book very much. Characters are awesome. The book takes turns I never expected.  Can't wait to read another one of Donna Tarrt's books.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM9KFN079DCKJ?ASIN=0316055441	Just ok	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the story was great, however it could have been wrapped up sooner.  The author would go on and on far too long in some parts.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUJGZYMCG3XSK?ASIN=0316055441	slow start but totally worth it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read, slow but enjoyable! Great story! Expert writing about the complexity of relationships. This author is going far and I look forward to next book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PJOPOP4RGTNV?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had heard good things about the novel from several sources. After completing the book, I wondered if the reviews I read were of the same book! I found it tedious reading with no redeeming conclusion. Lots of drugs, drinking and other description but no real lesson that I could fathom. Not much dialogue, just run on descriptions. I would not recomend it to anyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NJWGT84RC9D1?ASIN=0316055441	Poetic and revealing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There was too much darkness for me to give it more stars. The drug culture was too much! Donna Tartt does have a way with words - and there were some profounds statements and lessons.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q0YV0G6V7XZS?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know this is an award winning book, which is why I chose it but I kind of hated this book. Hated the character Boris.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R64ZGCVJ00SV6?ASIN=0316055441	Tough, but worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Serious reading and not exactly uplifting, but mesmerizing. It will keep you thinking long after you've finished the book. It could have been at least 150 pages shorter without damaging the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R54895Q8TUSER?ASIN=0316055441	Drowning in benign details	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt drowns the reader in meaningless details - from what's in the trash to gambling strategies.  I thought I'd never get through it.  The story is about the tragedies of a teenage boy who brcomes orphaned, seeks solice in drugs and alcohol and is haunted by a priceless masterpiece painting that he steals from a museum during a terrorist explosion.  Years go by and he can't figure out how to return it. This is a tiresome, depressing read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UPD8IG720Y7D?ASIN=0316055441	Slow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning of this book was incredible. I loved th  plot,characters, and setting. Some nights I was unable to put th  book down, but towards the late middle it got slow. The protagonists' depressing life kept trudging along and was described with unnecessary detail and information. It was a gruesome task to finish this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKKJDKM15H62L?ASIN=0316055441	worth the time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written-at times a bit rambling and unfocused.....but that is all of us, right? Death always wins, but every battle fought before then ought to be for beauty and the LOVE that defines it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YT7OQXSDTAUJ?ASIN=0316055441	Definitely pulitzer Prize material	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was so well written with many very believable and diverse characters. Excellent research on several subjects. I could hardly put it down with  all the  unexpected surprises and twists and turns including the  unexpected ending.  Margot Wigley</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HDRC8U50SQIB?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch:novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like the language or content of the message, but acknowledge the writing was good.  Would not recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N9EQ3ZDDO5GE?ASIN=0316055441	Must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most well developed story lines I've read it quite some time. Very well written, engaging, and moving.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A282CXMONVR7?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book, so well written but a bit too long and weak ending which was disappointing after enjoying most of the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FV0J64DONSJC?ASIN=0316055441	Great!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderfully descriptive woven story. The writer pulls you into every detail - you can feel the story like you're there. Couldn't put it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGQKAQ4SHVK3U?ASIN=0316055441	The Best Read on my Kindle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a riveting story with many twists and turns which take the reader through a symphony of powerful emotions.  The writing is taut and colorful bringing together the worlds of angst, criminality and deep human emotions.<br/>While the novel may be overly long, it is, nevertheless, enthralling to the very end.  Highly recommended for All.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21HTXWRW4LEW?ASIN=0316055441	MADE ME FEEL IT WAS A TRUE STORY	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the intimate feel of the characters, Didn't like the author's opinion at the end - although I liked the premise of life's lessons.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RTPPY7WC3XI?ASIN=0316055441	Giood story, but dragged on too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good story, great intrigue, but I thought it tended the drag on and on and could have gotten to the point sooner.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NFSUG2KKZ35J?ASIN=0316055441	Extremely well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Despite being well written which is why I gave the book 4 stars, ultimately I did not enjoy the book.  I found myself becoming disinterested in the main character Theo Decker as he drifted into dissolution, living in a drug induced haze.  Also the middle of the book describing drug and alcohol abuse in Las Vegas felt as if it was never going to end.  I almost stopped reading the book but Tartt is a very good writer so I pushed on.  I am not sure it was worth the effort.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DKYV0OD9GID6?ASIN=0316055441	review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It`s captivating, the caracters are varied, as well as the setting.  I have not finished it yet, and I wonder how the ending will be</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W05C5OMCLRSE?ASIN=0316055441	engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoroughly engrossing but at times it seemed like the author could have made her point in less words.  It is clear that ms. tart loves the craft of writing, so much so that she loses herself in it and the text becomes a sort of vortex in which we, the reader, lose ourselves too.  Reading The Goldfinch was a captivating experience and beckoned me each evening like a siren's song.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D1I9XMZD8C56?ASIN=0316055441	200 pages too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I""m sure most people know the plot or have read some of the story line in other reviews. This was a great book until the last two chapters or so. The chapter with Boris near the end just dragged so long with much of the description over drawn and really useless. And the last chapter  to wrap up the story  just went on and on........  If DT had been a little less descriptive throughout the book this would have really been a winner for me.  As it was i couldn't wait  to be done with it. And that made me a little sad because so many things in this book felt so very real.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18PWJCU8G3NKL?ASIN=0316055441	WORTH IT	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a huge book and totally worth it.  At times I was completely caught up and at times I needed to take a break, tired out by Theo's obsessive self-destructiveness.  I'm glad I didn't give up on it.  A beautiful, breath-taking book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZMZ5NYXLB2V9?ASIN=0316055441	good read disappointing ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a good book but it was too long.  The characters are very interesting and you want him to get the girl that he pines for..  The characters were well developed  and you wanted to know what was going to happen , the book grabs you in the beginning as some thing happens that is traumatic to this boy and you can't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJN1B0I1F12Q4?ASIN=0316055441	honestly terrible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a waste of time and energy. It was page after page of dense, incomprehensible rambling. There were many ideas left unfinished. I definitely would skip this one if I could do it again.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DOVHS8GW1M9V?ASIN=0316055441	I couldn't put it down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing character development. I think I will always remember Theo and Boris and Pippa and Hobie. Each distinctively human and humane.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPVM706JO7X9Q?ASIN=0316055441	I wouldn't want to diagram the sentences in this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful descriptive writing about a tragedy used by a young man to justify a debauched life. Overly long, this book would be better if it had been edited down by a couple hundred pages. Unfortunately I found that I disliked the main character so much that what happened to him didn't matter to me.  I did enjoy the antique restoration parts and the art discussions, but not enough to recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QV9WQE324BYA?ASIN=0316055441	uneven book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The were parts of this book that held my interest, but the book was very uneven. Really disliked the main charters feeling in the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T4MNUDIWGFVD?ASIN=0316055441	Parts of the book were too long but otherwise well written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some parts were frankly not necessarily helpful to the story but gave a little insight into the character's personality.  For the length of the book  I could have e figured out their motivation without the melodrama.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GRZ6DFUMY8B7?ASIN=0316055441	Great writing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I do not normally choose Pulitzer Prize winning books, but this one caught my eye and the synopsis was intriquing. Following the unlikely path of the masterpiece 'The Goldfinch' was a love story, a coming of age story and an adventure all rolled into one. Ms. Tartt has a very readable writing style. She really knows how to turn a phrase. I will be looking for more works from her.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REMD2S3XPKIVN?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it is a full novel... full of characters, full of thoughts, full of words to read. It was an enjoyable and pleasant but grueling task to read. Gotta say, I liked it very much . Even when it got long winded. A good story of growing up through much adversity, with PTSD and  memories of love lost .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D4UNJRHO1FI4?ASIN=0316055441	You can easily take away 250 pages and then it would be a 3 stars book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very long and very pretentious book. I think this book would have been much better if it had at least 250 pages less. It reminded me a Spanish writer, Arturo Perez Reverte, he did the same: good story, bad execution. Both are authors with a lot of things on their minds, they get lost while writing. Trying to tell so much things and at the end they don’t deliver, reader gets bored or lost also.<br/>There are some parts of the book that I just speed through because they didn’t contribute to the story.<br/>As I said the story is good, the beginning is really good, but the story line changes so many times that is frustrating: accident, the barbours, vegas, father problems, drunkenness, return to nyc, grown man, love stories, Boris, the painting, epilogue. And the endless descriptions that each change entails.<br/>All the drug alcohol/abuse part is boring, better books have been written on the subject and that takes like 300 pages of the book. The whole Vegas part is also boring, boris character seems deep but at the end it isn’t, it has its highlights, but at generally it doesn’t feel real, at the end he is kind of an addict james bond. Honestly who can believe that a person that is beaten by his father, that doesn even buys food for him a person that uses hard drugs and liquor since junior high in VEGAS, ends up having a loft in Atwerp. Really? Does that seem plausible? A guy that doesn’t speaks English correctly after growing up in the USA, ends up being friend of important act collectors…<br/>The author starts a lot of subplots and then wanders around; leaving a lot of those subplots unfinished, very frustrating. The way everything is solved at the end is flavorless (almost like a tv show, that has to solve everything in the last 5 minutes), the author spends pages and pages with no purpose at all but then he solves everything in the last 30 pages, for me that’s just bad writing and bad edition.<br/>I don’t recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WGHRTC6M0U6X?ASIN=0316055441	Very detailed book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed The Goldfinch, some of the characters pulled intense reactions from me (which is what I'm after in a book) not all in a good way though. Really enjoyed it!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KSNSGND6N6ZX?ASIN=0316055441	easy to immerse yourself in the characters and story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well done in describing the angst felt by the main character as his need to return a piece of artwork clashes against his fear of what punishment will be meted out to him for taking it.<br/>The side characters are developed so that you can empathize with the feelings of the main character as he interacts with them. Throughout his life, which appears to go from bad to worse, his choices in life continue to plague him and despite the fact that he doesn't find happiness, he's able to get to a point where he gets a clean slate from the repercussions of his actions.<br/>The problems that have been not of his choice stay with him, but you feel he has a chance at finally having a life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHOPXUP5DNC27?ASIN=0316055441	Absolutely great.. a bit dark tho..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read.. best thing I've since Bryce Courtney Passed away!!  (My fave author ever...)..  just a very intelligent well written book!!  Kudos to Donna Tartt!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K0MLT4G4389C?ASIN=0316055441	The journey makes the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Her use of prose is stunning, if a bit overdone.  It made me anxious because I wanted to know what was going to happen, but then Theo would become very introspective.  Very interesting and worth reading.  The plot has many layers.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQIHAZ4W47SO6?ASIN=0316055441	very interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tragedy, some dark humor.  I was never bored.  Always anxious to read it.  Unexpected ending.  Would recommend it to serious readers.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27BKB6FAZMVXB?ASIN=0316055441	A LOT of unnecessary words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked the plot of this book and the characters were great as well.  If I didn't like that much I would have given it 1 star.  I was skipping paragraph after paragraph half way through the book because all the extra words that just made for boring reading.  It took me forever to finish this book and I usually read a book of this length in a day or two.  Not surprising this book won an award, half the time I read books that win awards and they are the ones I like the least.  Guess I'm not smart enough to like the ""best"" books.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KC92T6QJ9BZ9?ASIN=0316055441	Great writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this story and the development of the characters was so vivid you could picture them as you read the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HQ3S3MVDIT1U?ASIN=0316055441	Poignant and involved	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Coming of age story of a young boy traumatized by a tragedy, a trauma he never gets over.  A little long--could have cut 200 pages out and at times repetitive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CQ95G1IJ9EXQ?ASIN=0316055441	long but strong	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very long but captivating novel. We follow with concern the developements in the life of our main character and are enchanted by supporting characters. This was a bookclub read for me - and most of our group were fascinated by Boris.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVEE3CLU85W32?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was longer than I ever anticipated and I lost my concentration several times through the lengthy process. After a while, I simply scanned the pages. Would have been  better if shorter.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JRYKWRMPSMKS?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing Fiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A first person story with artistic dialog that informs the reader about art, the real New York, and the dark side. I was taken in by the characters and felt I knew them and felt for their hurt. This is not a feel good novel and it is not for the beach, but it leaves you hungry for another Donna Tartt story. I want the hard copy!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27TIP1WIYK9DR?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although this book is very long- over 700 pages! it is a great read. I usually read every night before going to sleep and I found myself wanting to go to bed early so I could read more of this book. It is a great story with surprising twists and turns. I highly recommend reading this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15TUYL4D4AYX1?ASIN=0316055441	I never quit but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't keep going because this is very long, dark, sad, dysfunctional characters - not enlightening unless you want to know about drug use!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A9FVEI3E1RU?ASIN=0316055441	Not a favorite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">there was not a feel good or uplifting moment in this long long book. I kept reading because I thought surely there was going to be a likeable character in the next chapter.  I did not find any.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ORKBPVUPD4BS?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I first purchased this book, I read a few chapters and put it down, thinking it was too slow. I picked it back up a few weeks later, and was amazed at how good it got. Very good read...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIH1607UWRGFG?ASIN=0316055441	top notch reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written heart rending tale. Lovely characters and a constant level of tension that pulls you in. it is the best book I have read in a long time and I always have a book on the go</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J72JFW4K9SD?ASIN=0316055441	depressing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out good but then got depressing and ended up babbling. Main character was not likable. He kept making wrong  choices.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IZVW1J95M7I6?ASIN=0316055441	well-written but not very interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought that The Goldfinch was very well-written but I got tired of bouncing from drinking to drugging. I felt manipulated by the end of the book and thought that it was trying to tell me what the book was about rather than assuming that I would know from reading it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DN91674ZNVQE?ASIN=0316055441	Not sure what the fuss was about?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was okay, but I had to make myself finish it which kept going on, on, and on.  I'm not sure why it won the Pulitzer Prize, but maybe I'm just missing it.  Don't buy this book, but borrow or get it from the Library.  Just my opinion.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V1S5YY44XQJ1?ASIN=0316055441	Great story with some flaws	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a page turner. Adolescent Theo is wonderfully awkward as he climbs out of horror to face the adult world. But I<br/>He is less compelling as an adult. Boris is the person that I want to spend more time with -- he's a wonderful character. The editing is lacking, factual errors and time inconsistencies niggle away at the reality of the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZXZYJCYZAF1R?ASIN=0316055441	Tremendous !!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In this day of pulp fiction, which I read as well, it's wonderful to read such a thought provoking, twisting story line book, as ""The Goldfinch"".  I admit to having to stretch my mental muscles to keep up and it is well worth it. Thank you  Donna Tartt.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSI5ZXXYUE5IZ?ASIN=0316055441	Epic story of a boy's life after unspeakable tragedy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliantly written, this book will leave you eager for more.  The plot abounds in twists and turns that will keep you riveted.  The cast of characters are unforgettable.  My heart alternately ached and sang throughout the tale and the highly satisfying ending was the perfect finishing note.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FA7XYFMEVBB7?ASIN=0316055441	A real good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed this book, probably one of my favorites this year.  Felt the drug usage passages could have been shorter but they were certainly part of the story. I could see this story being true in our world today.  Makes you think of all the children affected by 9-11.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNC9S6HK7O7P1?ASIN=0316055441	Very well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would recommend this to those who are not reading to ""escape"".  Very talented author.  The story certainly held my attention and was well written........but, oh, so depressing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MG87EPKK4C58?ASIN=0316055441	an almost masterpiece about an almost masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautifully written adventure with just enough surprise and elegance to set it above the normal fare available on the shelf. At times too verbose for my taste, the characters and the plot twists kept my interest until the very end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLWLHFGLN7HA4?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch grabbed me from the start.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tarry is an intelligent and riveting story teller. Her characters come to life in vivid detail. The beginning of the novel is brilliant putting the reader right smack into the scene. Using all senses  she dissects a surreal episode from all angles  -- and from there she never lets the reader go. Relentless and poignant, The Goldfinch explores families made or begotten, life's necessities and scarcity, friendship, trust, and love against the backdrop of the sustaining endurance of art.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30KP8M540HCMM?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt does not disappoint	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is very well written and it was an intriguing tale, but I did feel that there was too much emphasis on the protagonist's struggles with alcohol and drug abuse.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR1XW54HAMLA6?ASIN=0316055441	Read this one!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a great novel and I am happy to recommend it.  It is a wonderful study of human nature, and I had a hard time putting it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EMAIFABSZ5IJ?ASIN=0316055441	Overlong	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story but very long and drawn out. Would not recommend to the readers I know. dshjcbkh wljwewjn wefl kejn</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V9GW6K8GOSEI?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best book I've read in a long time. Funny, sad, dark yet full of light, shocking, electric, poignant, surprising and not surprising at the same time. So well-written it made me long for more and more and more.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YM348K16AD8Z?ASIN=0316055441	Extremely wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I did love this book I feel it could have used some better editing. Things tended to ramble on and had no relevance. Got a bit like verbal diarrhea. Really got super tired of the drug thing. Drugs? Really? Boring. I know it was written from a male point of view but still found the women to be slack and lifeless. And what about mrs. Babour? Who was she? Such an important figure that the writer never even let's us in on her inner life!<br/>Read the book. It is interesting but I could not wait for it to end. Got really bored with all the drug life. Hint hint: drug addicts are boring.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY47JTBCE61CO?ASIN=0316055441	Thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt use of descriptive words throughout the book brings the reader into the story. The emotions evoked add to the suspense of the tale. Horodowichd</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A53V2A21CBEN?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the story but also wondered when it would ever end. I fee the author could have told the story in fewer pages. Those who enjoy particularly long novels will enjoy this story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WZNYEASL7XX2?ASIN=0316055441	Not what I expected.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I expected more and it went on too long.  It started off great and just cooled down until I just wanted to get through the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I781GFD2I1XH?ASIN=0316055441	A Winner of a Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the Goldfinch.  Many people didn't as they stopped reading when the drugs and bad language became dominant in the early part of the book.  But, that is a small part and makes the story so much richer.  That two boys could have so much freedom and get into so much trouble and yet be good, caring people shows that the world isn't black and white.  And the art angle of the story, got me very interested in going back to museums and looking at art in a whole new way.  I loved the book and the ending is full of surprises.  Excellent</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EDMC2454WNC5?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is well written psychological drama. too long for my taste  ,and at times hard to read.<br/>I wouldn't recommend  it to anybody .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S30P790FOEZ9?ASIN=0316055441	Anti Hero to love	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a difficult time with this book.  I loved the characters (Boris especially) but found the story line really stressful!, and Theo sometimes too passive.  The writing was inspired and I should read it again since now that I know what happens I can relax and enjoy more.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WKRXRP4EP8SN?ASIN=0316055441	Good, but really long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a good story, but it was so long. I feel like it could have been told in less pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD4NKW9T00TPV?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">tartt's book was engrossing and a vivid rendition of imagination.  a little far-fetched at times, it nevertheless taught the lesson well.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MHK3SEAK3MWD?ASIN=0316055441	loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So beautifully written and compelling. Litlle too long but it still held my interest  The characters were all done in such a way that I felt that I knew each of them</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10E9L0KV0PNW4?ASIN=0316055441	Glad I read it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There was a lot of buzz about this book. It was pretty good but not the best I ever read. There were a few points where it dragged and a few things that seemed ridiculous. Overall it was a good book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34PSFQGDO6G3Q?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite the twists and turns. Much longer than I thought ( have no concept of length) on my iPad.<br/>Enjoyed it and recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H09HZQ91O06O?ASIN=0316055441	Dysfunctional world that I'm glad I'm not a part of!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did finish the book although there were times when I wondered to myself why I kept going.  There was not one character that I found to be someone I would call really likable...oh, I forgot Hobie...he was.  Everyone was so dysfunctional that it was hard to feel sympathy for anyone.  So many troubles going on and absolutely no lightheartedness at all.  The whole book was a downer!! But, as I said, I kept going back ..... Something I really can't explain.  I guess that is why I'm giving the book three stars.... I finished it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4W8HHNRJ85I6?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulously woven story w so many endearing characters. The current of sadness never overcame the plot. Was surprised by the ending</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R398CINU5Q55O4?ASIN=0316055441	WHY?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To whom and for whom is this meant?  I cannot see why it has remained  on the best seller list</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I5YHSBPTLBXZ?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very descriptive. Almost too much at times but still left me wanting to know more about the plot. Plot probably not far from reality.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K491XTI737C6?ASIN=0316055441	Wordy at the end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story seemed to be over, but she still kept writing.  Not.sure her characters would still be alive if they had really lived such a life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRVTEEFB6IX39?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It got me from the very beginning!  Great read!  The last 50 or so pages are<br/>filled with thoughts that will make you want to read and re-read it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R83FLBYQHPH1P?ASIN=0316055441	long, dark reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Few bright moments of really good writing. Had me riveted. Main character pathetic. Not too many likable characters. Not an art person but don't think being an art major would have improved my appreciation of the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RRCO4S7099RM?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story - too much about all the drugs for my taste - nice character combinations went into the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T1WJAX92W3UW?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Of course, well written.  Started out not too interesting to me.  Gathered strength of interest until it just seemed to go on and on and on.  I just lost interest, but finished the book hurriedly, because I wanted to know after all, what the heck happened.  Not satisfied.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38G6ROTJ4CJUV?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant Work	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved The Goldfinch. Donna Tartt's writing is amazing. I'm finishing my memoir and was inspired by her sentences, her flow, and especially her descriptions of people, places and feelings.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35VZYN5D6WOGH?ASIN=0316055441	A joy to read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Despite its rather daunting length, I truly loved this novel.  The writing is beautiful and the characters engaging -- you can't help but care about them, flaws and all.  Easiest 700+ pages I ever read...and I hated for the story to end!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS3IB6SRU192N?ASIN=0316055441	Devine	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">never wanted this to end! please more! what a gem of wonderful characters. I want to know their lives now!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I3264Q7HKM5X?ASIN=0316055441	Fast start, slow/tedious end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like most other readers, I found the book engaging from the start, but wow.... what an odd book! It seemed that perhaps the author was trying to develop a story detailing the conception and growth of addiction...the oft-heard vow of the true alcoholic, "" I will never be like my alcoholic parent,"" then they become twice as bad. But then I thought the book might be about art theft ( that was not a very well developed area.... What was THAT about?).. Or maybe the book was about terrorism...or Russian mafia or friendships of unlikely people. Was it about orphaned children and fear of foster homes? Oh, this had too many rabbit trails for an ADD brain. Except for Hobie, there were no heroes...but Hobie was an absolutely delightful character. Would I recommend it? Only the audio version for looooong trips.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUSOC9AE82BC9?ASIN=0316055441	an amazing book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written.  Awesome, amazing book.  I could scarcely put it down!  I will be reading more from this author!<br/><br/>Cannot recommend it enough...fascinating.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QI2WTMCTWUJ9?ASIN=0316055441	the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the story and the details woven throughout.  Having the glossary was very helpful.  I feed goldfinches in my yard.  I can't imagine chaining on to a perch.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QFQLEMP9IZM7?ASIN=0316055441	Best read in years!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long book but it is so worth it.  I feel I know the characters and can't help but love them in all their imperfections.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33IA9F0UPX6BQ?ASIN=0316055441	better with time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the pace of this book, kept me following. Not sure that it started as well as it ended, but definitely at some stage got completely caught up with the story and carried through to the edifying conclusion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27VM9OR3IOQPD?ASIN=0316055441	Good but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So long, should have had tighter editing. The story is great the final 100 pages were exciting, but the story dragged in other parts especially in Las Vegas period.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JY9EP4Q6U80L?ASIN=0316055441	Good Wisdom	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a fascinating story woven around the painting, ""the Goldfinch."" If you like a novel tha makes you think this is for you.  Wonderful!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JJYJRY6KFM11?ASIN=0316055441	Wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite simply an awesome journey. Not always easy but well worth it in the end. Thanks for the excellent read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EDKKN3CIKHOA?ASIN=0316055441	How far does the string reach.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">part of this book is suspenseful and builds up a story of human interest but the story begins to fall apart, for me, as I realize I have been led to read a story of a maturing person  who has become - and settles for  being - a drug addict. Maybe the string that binds the goldfinch is the clue to this story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI51UDKQ54013?ASIN=0316055441	A great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book because it introduced us to some very varied characters and had a wonderful twist at the end. While the ending was over drawn out it made the reader hope that there might be another book in Theo's life. The wonderful descriptive narrative and the careful reflective essence of this book has kept me thinking about it a great deal which is unusual for me. It raised some very intriguing ethical questions.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33CSQH7S7JVVB?ASIN=0316055441	FANTASTIC READ	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I LOVED this book.  The writing is incredible, the story compelling and also informative.  What really impressed me was the quality of the writing.  I will read every one of Tartt's books now, no matter what it is about because of the superior writing.  It makes other authors dull in comparison.  HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R89IQCDQ7HMYR?ASIN=0316055441	A masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just a tremendous well written book.  Had a few slow spots but all in all it held your attention.Hard to get past the first few pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JKFZ8CYDGZQU?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books, I've read in a long time. It will be awhile before I find another book this good.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SKU6B3Y8UGAV?ASIN=0316055441	My thoughts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She could of told the story in a whole lot less words!  She used way too many adjectives.  The story kind of got lost in it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIYY4TII6Z342?ASIN=0316055441	Hero or disgusting character?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a gripping story narrated vividly.  The story started off in a bit of a rambling manner, but it straightened out quickly.  I didn't know whether to feel empathy or disqust for the lead character, so the writer told the tale amazingly well.  It was a long story and painful to read in parts, but I did enjoy it.  Not sure the ending was the best, but I really enjoyed the book.  Makes me curious enough to read more of her writing.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX4RAK1PUJCOC?ASIN=0316055441	A Gold Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quirky characters, odd happenings, twists and turns when you least expect them. All of these and a good story to boot. Loved it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQNEU1JEH3EAF?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A novel with a painting at its heart is not very common.  I was glad that this one did not disappoint.  Cleverly built with plenty of twists and suspense.  The youthful protagonist was tedious at times but the author used the youth to illuminate the adult later and it worked.  I'm glad I read to the end!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38N378LPM2TW3?ASIN=0316055441	Cannot get into it if I don't like the main character, wanted to slap him and wake him up	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had A LOT of trouble caring about or liking the main character about the time he reached his late teens.  Nothing improved as he grew older.  There was only one other character I found I could care about and he wasn't enough to carry the book for me, although I did finish it.  To each his own.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YQ6NBOWSYE74?ASIN=0316055441	Terrific passages, decent storytelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the writing. The writer created a wonderful character with plenty of depth with perhaps too heavy defects. The other characters were real also which helps me dive into the story. It didn't need to be so long, but some of the writing was simply beautiful.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R374O9UFRVNJT7?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful, engaging, amazing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She writes of grief and life in with such truth and beauty.  The story is engaging and interesting-- couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUYXWLEKY4N9X?ASIN=0316055441	The Journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is a very long one, but I was held, intrigued by the first person voice of the narrator, beginning as a boy entering his teens and taking him into adulthood.  The journey is a long and troubled one, the iconic 17th century painting of the goldfinch always present in Theo's life and memory and hope. He had rescued it from the museum wall at MOMA after an explosion there took his mother's life and changed his forever.  His associates include some wild and chaotic personalities, mingled with the fine society of New York, with a lot of alcohol and drugs stirred into the mixed plot.  His mentor, Hobie, in the furniture restoration business, his ongoing and impassioned love for Pippa, and the conflicted relationship with his father make for a troubled but often good life.  The characters are all well-defined by Donna Tartt, whose gift for characterizations are amazing.  I highly recommend this long and complicated story, which defines a life very few of its readers may have experienced other than vicariously.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5D4UN7VRGBZ9?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't know why or how this book grabbed hold of me like ti did but I literally could not put it down.  There were so many turns in the plot along the way, as characters came and went only to return later.  It is a bit long and at times the narrative isn't as tight as it could be but I loved it and would recommend it 100%.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RACQT90BGWIVI?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't stop reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book pulled me in and was hard to put it down at night.  I thought the prose was well written.  At first I had a lot of sympathy for the main character but as the story progressed I found it more difficult to like the adult he became.  Ultimately I think the book is about redemption and one is left wondering does he achieve this.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI85NZXC40JUQ?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gripping story. Very well written, it would have been nice to infuse some of the philosophy of the last 5 pages throughout the book. It did seem to come out of nowhere to just wrap it all up as she did.  I did have the picture often open on another screen as I read, so I was able to feel comfortable with the descriptions.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19XVH2YFVDKIN?ASIN=0316055441	Good Reading if you have the time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit wordy but a wonderful story. It really brings home how our past experiences shape our current lives and our futures.<br/>I think this book could easily have come in at 500 pages. Some of the drug scenes seemed very repetitive. Perhaps that was the point.<br/><br/>Donna Tartt has a great future.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTKSSTXHYR87A?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written and most especially, it takes place in my neighborhoods in my home ""town"";I miss being there &amp; that makes me happy.<br/>Although the book is long I did not want to give up on Theo's story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD9IUZH69LP7G?ASIN=0316055441	Haunting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Finished this book several months ago and still ponder it.  A wonderful novel for me about choices and what ifs.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JXMOED6X5SOR?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I found it too wordy and complex, it was fascinating. The subject matter was so interesting and so well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O5M1I3559MMS?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is gold reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love art and antiques so the appreciation for this and the restoration of the furniture in this book were an added delight to this book.  The retrospection of the ending I think I will reread.  I was so anxious to finish and then disappointed this journey was over.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R130P2EV3NZ21Q?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Written 'from the inside', that is - as if experienced it all oneself. Though probably not. The subject and the plot are ingenious. The story flows, mostly. One minus point: at times it drags, gets too long-winded. Therefore only four stars.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BMIG87Z98XH2?ASIN=0316055441	The very best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The very best novel I have read in 20 years Wow what a wonderful story ..... Highly recommend top of my list</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UAUO130HB7AM?ASIN=0316055441	Museum to Mafia, An Incredible Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Without knowing much more than the situation of an explosion at a museum, this turned into something I never expected. It was very well written and I must say exhausting at times.  I had to remind myself a woman wrote the story. It is so intensely written in a young boy's voice and evolving into a young man's voice, that I was totally in awe of  the ability to express such intense feelings. The other characters are beautifully developed. The sorrow of losing his mother, feeling like the ultimate stray, and not to spoil the story for others...the incredible experiences this loved, protected child survives is well worth reading. It IS a long read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MPKJRN25S5DM?ASIN=0316055441	A Gift for Readers----	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An intelligent (and very interesting) book written by an author with an extensive command of words, and knows how to use them. The book calls for a second reading to be sure that the whole story blends as well as you thought. I read a lot, mostly light and lovely pieces. This book, is so much above my other endeavors. I always shied away from authors that defy you to understand. This was a whole new experience and I intend to read all her work.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP29A2REZFRH9?ASIN=0316055441	Right place, wrong time, is a life changer for a young man in an art gallery with his mother.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a totally different read than anything else you've read before. Hats off to Ms.Tartt for covering the whole gamut of man's range of emotions. It is like a wild roller coaster ride of dissimilar events that takes the reader from one continent to another. Astounding mix of detail, facts and research fill this story with such detail, the artfully crafted words of the author mirrors an artist's meticulous brush strokes or the skilled hands of a master woodworker. The exquisite soliliquys artfully threaded throughout this tapestry of the human experience, leaves the reader wanting more. Brilliant!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV8CVILWSF1X0?ASIN=0316055441	The end justifies the means	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disjointed.  Hated the main theme, the drug world.  The ending regarding the beauty and value of art and how it should be saved  was worthy so I guess the end justifies the means.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q232QNJOLRYC?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent but long and wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very good and descriptive novel,  but very long and not exciting enough for me. The author has done a tremendous amount of research.  I found the character of Theo Decker difficult to identify and sympathize with.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNOGX055ZWL2R?ASIN=0316055441	An involved, emotional story with very interesting characters.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This long novel is a great read for anyone who likes to get caught up in a family drama with many underlying themes and very well drawn characters. We follow the story of the main character from a troubled adolescent to an even more troubled adult. The circumstances are well laid out and all of the characters are so well written that you feel that you know them intimately. A great read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JC9SE5IE5FDS?ASIN=0316055441	Good story, too much detail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would have enjoyed this book if it was about half as long. Although, I never really enjoy reading books where the characters are heavily using booze and drugs throughout, so that cut back my engaging in it too. Mediocre for me. Must admit, I'd love to see that painting in real life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FFQ1B6WWA2M4?ASIN=0316055441	A book you can sink your teeth into	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a dark but beautifully-written novel.  Donna Tartt is clearly very talented.  The detail she uses in her descriptions is amazing.  And it didn't take me long to learn to love Theo enough to want to protect him -- from his father, from Boris.  The only thing I didn't like was the ending, which I thought was loose and unresolved.  Is Theo going to continue as a nomad for the rest of his life, or is this just a phase he must pass through on his way to full maturity?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LY3PPTFAZCXV?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was amazingly depressing although I read it through to the end.  I don't recommend it for a depressed person.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L5KTMIE69XPS?ASIN=0316055441	Nice Birdie	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very long, but still I kept coming back to it until I had finished it.  I wouldn't have done that if it wasn't captivating.  I just couldn't stop until I knew how things turned out for Theo and Boris.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IONBUCE6WTU5?ASIN=0316055441	Too descriptive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I really liked this story, there were quite a few parts I skipped as it was too wordy, without much being said.  I think I probably skipped 1/3 of this book and did not need to go back to understand what was happening.  Would recommend with a caution.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNGH0QKT8A6OT?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a wordsmith. Syntax and context are refreshing and modern. While a long book, you really mystifying with it till the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R156OLV0H4LZR1?ASIN=0316055441	Totally obsessed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love reading but this felt like more than that. I felt as if I were living it-even with all the ridiculously horrible &amp; unlikely circumstances.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS6ZPND14FIC5?ASIN=0316055441	Love,fate,life and death	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I really was glued to this book, I was constantly wondering where it was going. Sometimes the descriptions were torturous! I particularly loved Boris.  What a free spirit.  I loved the quote about life and fate and death at the end of the book.  So much so that I copied it down to retread periodically.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8ZBQ8EN9841N?ASIN=0316055441	A great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like a good mystery book, that's keeps me guessing the who done it and this book did keep me guessing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N74C83X0MUD9?ASIN=0316055441	great writing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unusual story, and also interesting to art lovers.  I loved the writing from a number of respects.  Great use of words so do no read too fast.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TQDKSWBSG45Y?ASIN=0316055441	What a disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't like the long descriptive paragraphs..boring, boring boring  couldn't wait till it was over..I only finished it because it was our book""s club choice</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R91ZN4X8DJ2QE?ASIN=0316055441	Some yes, some no	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is well-written for the most part. Parts of it I didn't really enjoy and parts I did. I'd have to say there were more of the latter. The excessive drug use I found superfluous, not mind expanding. Wouldn't really recommend to a friend but it was okay.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V90APKQU6ERS?ASIN=0316055441	gold finch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i recently lost my mother but i had her for 57 years. the boy in novel lost his moyher lost his mother at age 13. i cannot even imagine how losing your mother at that age would be like so i cut him a lot of slack . donna tartt is a good writer</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LWFGF0EDJXSP?ASIN=0316055441	So well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved how the author knitted her words. Painted such pictures. The story was intense and my heart broke and felt for Theo throughout the entire book. I really thought it was exceptionally well done.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EG3HDY0GL5VN?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Must read to understand the beauty of this book. Each page offers a new perspective on a most tragic but persevering life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19YJQ7IP7U098?ASIN=0316055441	It went on for too long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't rate it very high as I found the main character was always on drugs or drunk - never had a ""real"" job - seemed to ""sponge"" off others - too wordy - not my usual preference for reading, but highly recommended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SF4BGJ5R5K2V?ASIN=0316055441	Character development or lack thereof	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What happens when an event so impacts ones life and the road constantly turns to take a young man places in his head and in person he should never have to venture. Donna Tartt develops characters making a multifaceted novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK7D0WZRRXLY?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought it was so good that I never wanted to put it down. Sad that it brings up the victims of 911....Loved it!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A2PJSYUJUP6Y?ASIN=0316055441	THE GOLDFINCH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">FELT THE WRITING WAS GOOD BUT A DIFFICULT BOOK TO GET THROUGH.  I STUCK WITH IT FOR I HAD TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS0U440AK6E4J?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant writing but really a downer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing was top notch but I could not finish it, it was the downward spiral of someone I cared about and I knew the ending before ever getting there.  It was a real downer to me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ICBB0C2JSDE1?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book because the writing was so good.  Descriptions of places, people and things were so good that I could see them in my mind's eye.  A page-turner for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE6GEZAQVO01N?ASIN=0316055441	For Those Seeking Adventure and a Beating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt writes in a way that beats your heart relentlessly. She punches you in the funny bone and strangles your emotions so tightly that you cannot help but know that you are alive. I love the way she tells her philosophy through stories, but the book's ending gets too deep in a contrived way (and ambiguously so). Still, this book will show you a side of suffering, hopelessness, redemption, and love that the layman can be so far from and yet so close to.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFZN9JU9SURS3?ASIN=0316055441	not bad, not terrific... not many characters to like...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was engrossed for a large portion of the book, but the end fell flat for me.  It became more far fetched, but that's not all.  The very ending was a long... soliloquy might be the right word.  It felt a lot like Atlas Shrugged... good story but ruined with a super long essay explaining the point to me.  At least there was just one ""essay"" in this one, unlike Atlas Shrugged.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FKE6BTQQNT3I?ASIN=0316055441	Best ever, Goldfinch.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna tartt<br/> is inspired by magic ,beauty in the everyday ,and love...no matter what. goldfinch is infused with adventure, love of life, and great souls.  I will read it again. ns</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB5OHV8MG9JF2?ASIN=0316055441	Too long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting plot line but way, way too long and drawn out...it seemed to ramble on forever. Quirky characters - only a few were likeable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P8RLNPXFF4UR?ASIN=0316055441	An excellent story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book has everything.  love, hate, violence, betrayal,. beauty and ugliness<br/>l could never find an easy place to put it down, the action k<br/>ept going and going and going!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUJDXRK6HPGWV?ASIN=0316055441	Pretty Boring to me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In some places I thought the story moved extremely slow  and I was tempted to stop reading it.  It just wasn't a subject I could enjoy reading.  I am very surprised it won any kind of award!  Not my cup of tea!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QBBIRGO05BH2?ASIN=0316055441	Magnificently written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully written. Keeps you interested even though it is a long haul book. Look forward to the next book in 10 years ???</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VTFPP31LTHCR?ASIN=0316055441	Great Story..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book takes you in and I couldn't put it down, and couldn't wait to finish it. What came to mind one quarter of the way through the book was Charles Dickens.  A modern day Charles Dickens tale of young Theo Decker, his devastating loss and hardship and hope centered on a painting. However, I have to admit that I skipped many pages of Theo's internal ruminations in order to get back to how he was going to end up.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YVFIJLKXMF0J?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful story. You feel the nervousness, the fear, the relief, the hangovers of Theo throughout as if it were you. Drags a little in the middle and end. But a wonderful read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFDHAW2LEMO3J?ASIN=0316055441	Pushing too Far?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am giving The Goldfinch five stars to celebrate the energy and insight of Donna Tartt's writing, carried by plots and characters who enticed me into empathy. The novel is long because the author does not hold back her remarkable ability to carry one idea or image or event into depth, turning the subject until its facets are showing. Themes and symbols weave this segmented novel into a continuous whole, so traveling forward brings the past into view with further insight. I was surprised that the authors tendency to use layers of detail to create visions did not flag as this long book continued. She has the uncanny ability to dig into the souls of characters who are entirely unique, junkies, crooks, magical young women, old and young, rich and poor. I believed in all of them.<br/><br/>Despite all the stars, I do have two quibbles. First, I thought depositing the characters -- all of them -- in vague situations that did not necessarily follow from insights that had accumulated earlier. Love does not prevail (Theo and Pippa). Wisdom does not liberate (Hobie). Addiction does not kill. (Boris) and most secondary characters, no matter how richly drawn, just wander off. So, I am a happy ending kinda guy. But the Theo has not really earned moral retrospection that completes the novel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BEIXFRUXIJ7X?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very engrossing.  It's a long book, but worth every page in my opinion. It was hard to put the book down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NMIDOTRPQ1A5?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story of a young boy and his mother at an art museum when the place is bombed.  The story captured my interest unitll eventually it just went on too long.  I did finish it but at the end, felt i had spent too much time on it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32SGXX5HK64RS?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing novel, amazing author.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, the best written novel I have ever read.  Creativity is amazing and the on-going intrigue kept me turning pages almost faster than I could read them.  The Pulitzer is well deserved.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8NYYMFHHRB3Z?ASIN=0316055441	It grabbed me...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a tome!  That's why I read it on Kindle!  That said, it grabbed me.  Interesting theme on the roll of art in our lives.  Good characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20BOI951CRRRI?ASIN=0316055441	Made for Hollywood??	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Outstanding character development, introspective, but it didn't need the Hollywood chase and murder which picked up the pace but  diminished the reality of a good story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13PP2WEREZ8DS?ASIN=0316055441	A good but lengthy summer read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The heart stopping initial chapters of The Goldfinch were exquisitely written and guaranteed to draw a reader into the intrigue of the developing story and the life of the main character. Some of the best descriptive writing I have read set my heart beating faster and made me feel as if I were there at the scene.  It also set the stage for Theo's decent into the rabbit hole.<br/>However, that level of intensity and richness is difficult to sustain and I found as the novel developed  the characters and the writing lost some of their depth and the story faded to a much more ordinary tale albeit filled with endless twists, turns, and detail.  I stuck with the book, even though it's length was formidable, but wearied of the main characters' endless lack of judgement and/or insight and repeated drug use -  which probably helped to account for the aforementioned.  The  portrayal and description of the characters' ongoing drug use began to sound a lot like a grocery list.  And so, Theo's  enlightenment and philosophical wrap up in the last chapter personally seemed trite and less than credible.  No contest for the breathtaking start of this novel.<br/>A great story, with lots of twists, plots, and stories but I kept reading hoping for more of  the  intensity and richness I found in the incredible writing that Tartt began with in the opening pages of The Goldfinch.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WZMDXXH7J55U?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Most of my book club had read The Goldfinch and said its a ""must read"".  I enjoyed the characters, plot and at the end couldn't put it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C3UOLKF6EC1N?ASIN=0316055441	Moved too slow, but interesting character study.  I liked the way they interacted.  The setting was also interesting, but can't	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt the story moved too slow.  Interesting story and I liked the setting, but I can't really recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GTZWRTUGS7VB?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic writing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book! It was much longer than I expected, but it was beautifully written and a joy to read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVXA8JLHKBHHC?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch,made me sad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was to long. I kept hope that both young men would turn out better with hope for a happy life. That never happened.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17Q08G6ROE4VZ?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great read, very hard to put down.  Starts to become a little predictable, and then, BAM, wasn't expecting that!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC3JJUICV4JM7?ASIN=0316055441	Quite a ride!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A riveting and most compelling book-<br/>Very well written and readable!  I couldn't put it down once I started reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OJLQYDGZXAM4?ASIN=0316055441	Needs a good edit	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The novel is a good read, well written and presents some interesting ideas but it really could have done with a good edit. I found myself skipping substantial sections of detail that did advance the plot, give further insight into characters or develop the ideas eg - did we really need to follow Theo through every bus stop from Texas to New York? Donna Tartt has done substantial research but I found that too often the drive to tell what she knew about certain (often arcane) subjects hijacked the story to the point of irritation and frustration.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KRZT0BVGRRB6?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written book!!! One of the best books that I've read in a long time!!! Order it now, you'll really enjoy it!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R9SCKD753F0H?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great book! so well written and what a story. I could not put it down and did not want it to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MSPG415RBO2L?ASIN=0316055441	Could not put it down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most articulate and well-written books I've read.  Wonderful story line and filled with beauty and angst.  Loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33SVTBB89ENV?ASIN=0316055441	wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although there were too long passages that I only skimmed  I found this book to be truly moving and occasionally wrenching. I recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZWB965J6MEN1?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was well written and kept my attention, however it was very depressing and realiistic of kids with no direction.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15JGME3E3EFY9?ASIN=0316055441	Review for Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love the book! Lots of twists and turns. I haven't finished it yet, but am anxiously looking forward to finishing  it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ62T5ZHPDXD4?ASIN=0316055441	I recommend it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit long but held my interest.  Drug use was very sad as was the life of the two young men.  Hobie was a wonderful character.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHXZPG4J3B1Y3?ASIN=0316055441	"Review of Donna Tartt's ""The Goldfinch"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was extremely wordy. She described every dust mote and teaspoon encountered. I enjoy a good description of the ambience as in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo but I think the author got carried away with her own hyperbole.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37LRXS3EVYAM2?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story. I love Theo, would love to know him and talk to him. Well written, entertaining and thought provoking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZDUE87I2VVC5?ASIN=0316055441	Pure Pleasure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is superior in it's clever development of the main character from an innocent young boy whose life is radically changed by an act of terror to a man who comes full circle to embrace the lessons of childhood.  It is long but dynamic in it's portrayal of the protagonist.  A must read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VSA41O2XMOWI?ASIN=0316055441	Too many characters and too long to describe them. otherwise I liked the main character of the boy growing up with this huge  re	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too many characters in the story and too long to describe them,otherwise I liked the story of the boy growing up,with this huge responsibility of  of hiding what he'd done,and in the end ,for what? Of course he didn't know  and others who have not read the highly acclaimed book(Still on best seller list!) won't learn from me where,when or how!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F5CR7LRQJJJB?ASIN=0316055441	glorious read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Take a leisurely stroll through a dark existence &amp; suffer along with this grieving &amp; wrecked young man. A journey burnished by the glow of a beautiful &amp; priceless painting, the love of Hobie, the Jesus/shepherd figure, and just-beyond-reach, idealized Pippa. This is a sumptuous, dark &amp; memorable book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DGWY4IKJGCMB?ASIN=0316055441	in the top 10 books I have read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a must read.  I can see why it won a Pulitzer.  Love the writing style.  Hard to believe it is fiction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R53AYA31GATL0?ASIN=0316055441	A summer must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very thought provoking book.  one of those books you don't want to end.  I highly recommend this book to everyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A4R2HGU1L61H?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book interesting and I really got into the characters but it was way too wordy, too much uninteresting information and too much ruminating.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O5GLSZUQERKW?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't know what to expect from this book as it was a suggestion from my book club, but I loved the way it grabbed my attention immediately. It was like sitting through a movie, and you're yelling at the screen for the character to turn around or make a different decision and they don't. I couldn't put it down. I had so much hope for the protagonist and wanted him to feel happy, but he doesn't know how to be happy. He's good at faking it. Heartbreaking tale.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OZQB7WI6ZA70?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch too long..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Possibly would be more manageable if story was broken down into several shorter novels, like a trilogy. Otherwise, an excellent read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE32L5L29ZZB5?ASIN=0316055441	excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book thoroughly from the plot to the characters to the ending.  haven't read a book in the middle of the night for a while!!the only negative is that I felt it could have been shorter.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSDWK4G1UZR7E?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting and different sort of a novel, but where was the editor.  The author obviously likes art and antiques, and so she would go on and on discussing these things although they had very little relevance to the plot.  It is interesting that she does such a good job of portraying the lives of young men.  The plot has some very enjoyable and surprising twists and turns.  I suspect that anyone who likes the New Yorker will like this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24LA23XE6D58N?ASIN=0316055441	Do not stop - read this.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written novel of one man's struggle with personal loss, obsession, love, and drug addiction. In an unassuming format. Great novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CTL0IM5EJMUL?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt's  The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gave it 4 stars because I thought it would be better if not so dragged out.<br/>At times I wanted to skim the obvious and move the action along.<br/>The author did, however, keep my interest and maintained my curiousity throughout.<br/>Rather ""preachy"" ending. Liked her novel, The Secret History, better.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R227I146X18A78?ASIN=0316055441	Talking head, biographical story. Well written but heavy...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story follows a boy after a tragedy in his life. It is all first person.  I found myself compelled but also feeling like I was wading through the material. It was tortured, almost Russian in its misery. Don't get me wrong the prose is lovely, but I would not call this my cup of tea.  Also for my part I did not buy the transformation at the end. YMMV.  If you like dark, heavy, dramatic prose its not a bad yarn.  For my part I prefer stuff that is a bit more upbeat.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3051USJ4HBWUQ?ASIN=0316055441	very good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was surprised at the ending, it kind of just trailed off after the whole long story with all the twists and turns.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NVGCNC865SOC?ASIN=0316055441	Don't care anymore	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The imagery is compelling but I'm exhausted and ready for it to be over. Like trying to see all the paintings in the museum in an afternoon.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX2IANFEP3HO5?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize Winner?!?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This could have been a GREAT book -- if only ... the author didn't try to out-do herself with her over-extended, over-detailed knowledge of the re-imaging of old furniture; if she made the main character, Theo, a bit more likeable (I wanted to smack this kid so many times throughout the book); if she did a bit more research on drug use, on the city of Las Vegas, etc., like she did on antiques.  Some of the pages were total wastes of space, and there were sentences that went on and on and on .... like a letter from St. Paul (with a whole lot less meaning and message).  It was hard to figure out the time periods, based on what the author had to say, and I found a whole lot less detail when you really needed more.  No one in my book club ""loved"" the book.  We didn't understand why it was such a best-seller and how it won the Pulitzer makes me weep for the future of fiction writing, if this is considered worthy of such a prize!  I could say so much more but the book was long enough -- TOO long so ...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C0NL0QSQGBM2?ASIN=0316055441	I thought this would be good based on the Pulitzer prize, but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this was an amazing piece of writing. The consistent quality of her descriptive style of the principal characters, particularly the main character, was spell-binding and poignant, and the story was outrageous; perilous, random, brilliant; and all revolving around a great work of art and the consequences of a random violent event. I have rarely enjoyed a novel more, or knew less about what was going to happen next.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R316K9RMR4WSJD?ASIN=0316055441	Great ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Only by reading the whole story can you grasp the meanings of life the author describes at the end. Though slow in parts, hang in there. It's worth it!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GVLRXBE1FLHE?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting but overly long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At the core of the novel is a most interesting theme, but the twists and turns are too numerous and the novel becomes tedious.<br/>The author's style of writing is clear and the imagery is well done, but a bit more editing would have improved the novel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37YXOL8WI98AW?ASIN=0316055441	Caveat: Read the ebook version	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Because I can't stand the obnoxiously long waiting period for a hardcover to go paperback, in this case not until Jan 2015, and because my chiropractor would be up a wall if he saw me caring a tome this large, I bought the ebook, my first one ever.<br/>The story was reminiscent of A Tale of Two Cities, but I'm sure if you read the NY Times or Washington Post review you already know that. I knew virtually nothing about this story when I picked it; i tend to go into a lot of things that way, but yet from the moment I read the first page I knew this was a book for me. The characters so richly developed, and to my shock and great surprise, male characters written true-to-form by this exceptionally well-written female author. Sure, there may be a little more detail in the restoration of furniture than some might like, but the story benefits from layered tapestry; it's almost like there wouldn't be a story without those details. Pick it up, but get a doctor's note before getting the hardcover version, otherwise the ebook but I for one wouldn't be able to wait for the paperback version. Good reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R174QJCJB5XPWT?ASIN=0316055441	Extraordinary	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Goldfinch is truly a masterpiece. All I knew about the book before I bought it was that it had been on both the Bay Area and national best-seller lists for many weeks. Unlike many books which capture the public's imagination, it is literate, suspenseful and poetic, the kind of book you sneak off to read at odd moments, the book you can hardly bear to finish. Fortunately, it is long. In the course of 700-plus pages. The story is so gripping that excursions into art history, antiques, conservation are a relief from the non-stop emotional extremes. The characters are so alive that you want to know what became of them after the book was done. I won't say a word about the plot. You have to read it. Extraordinary.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKGUL6ESTSUIW?ASIN=0316055441	Good writing, but I didn't get it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story reminded me of the Patrick Melrose series, and, like that series, I was not touched enough to really engage. The similarity is the fact that the main protagonist spends much of his time taking drugs and this is so far from my own experience that there was not enough to relate to for me. Knowing that this won a Pulitzer Prize makes me wonder what I missed, but the fact is that sometimes we don't connect with stories even if we can recognize that the story is well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GLLZ858TEPVP?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt the book rambled on and became harder to follow at the end.  I have read books I enjoyed more.  Too much going on with the drugs.  I realize part of the story, but over the top.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NGROLLOX0CV?ASIN=0316055441	good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading about this book several times I decided to try it only because everyone was saying how good it was. I didn't think I would like it as much as I did. Not sure it is for everyone but I could relate to the boy. Some people will be put off by the drug taking. I liked the first part of the book better then the second. I think it got kind of crazy near the end but then it did have a decent ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGL1ZWLY7EMUV?ASIN=0316055441	This is a book to be read slowly	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a selection for our book club. When I realized it was nearly 800 pages long, I thought we'd made a huge mistake and would never finish in time to have a deep discussion. At the club, several members had binge read The Goldfinch in order to finish it in time for our meeting.  One criticism they had of the book was that there was too much repetition which annoyed them...but when they found themselves scanning such parts, they went back to reread because they realized they had missed something of importance to the plot or characterizations.<br/><br/>Wrong thing to do! This is a book meant to be read slowly and savored. Dickens wrote his very lengthy novels in chapters that could be published monthly. He needed to leave people hanging and remind them of pertinent details while filling in others in the next installment to keep the story line going. The Goldfinch is Dickensian in this and other ways, for example his characterization of real villains while allowing readers to wonder if there isn't a bit of villain in us all.<br/><br/>After our book club discussion, which extended an hour beyond its normal time with the discussion being both richer and deeper, we decided that if Tartt had wanted to, the book could have been even longer. Had it been, I doubt it would have been salable - and perhaps that is why the Amsterdam setting and plot line seem truncated.<br/><br/>For me, I'm waiting for the next chapter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ML24JUXV8HKO?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The prose is amazing in this book. The story and character development are riveting. The highs and lows make you keep reading until the end. Very difficult for me not to read the ending first.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCI2YQRGHO0QH?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was exciting, different, and really held your attention. I suppose the story is a bit unlikely but after all it is fiction and really moved along.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A2RZHXBIS7MC?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderfully written story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book, at times found it hard to put down. The writer really pulled you into Theo's emotional journey.  I would definitely recommend this especially for those who love art</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFH3XXYLVRG2I?ASIN=0316055441	Read the Goldfinch....you'll be hooked after Amsterdam!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous, emotionally charged story full of interesting characters and  emotions and places.  I Loved the NYC location.<br/>The. author writes a mystery told through a young boys story. My only criticism is the excess discussion of the paintings, artists, furniture periods and structure.<br/>Too much information for the novice.<br/>Otherwise it's a terrific reading experience.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KPGD702Y13CP?ASIN=0316055441	A special little bird that caused all the trouble.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very different from what I have read before.  I thought it was a good story, a lot of conversation and thoughts,  Intreging.  You have to like the main character even though he is a lier and a thief but very intelligent.  This story delves into the high class society of New York and into a drug world that I'm not familiar with.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22IB6CU2NDBGK?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If I had been able to sit and absorb this over 700 page novel in a few sittings then I probably would have been able to understand its anti-climatic ending. To me it didn't come together very well.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28IF9PO5LD3MO?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have read in a while - up there with ""Cloud Atlas."" Fabulous writer, fascinating story, beautiful philosophy, strong sense of place, unforgettable characters. Would love to see a movie made from it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W39ZZW0FJNEJ?ASIN=0316055441	A GOOD READ	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a little slow at the start,but became very good. Donna<br/>painted a very good verbal picture. l could be there in the moment. Interesting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T5CM2XVJ0IYY?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've read in a long time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A masterpiece, in my opinion. Characters that are instantly recognisable; a poignant, fast story. A modern classic, I'm sure we will see.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX95CTPHD44RE?ASIN=0316055441	Poor Role Models	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm surprised this book won the Pulitzer Prize for literature when it's main characters were using drugs, swearing, and engaging in underaged drinking as well as smoking and shoplifting.  I found it to be depressing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDEEHUMIJ8H5X?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Conversational yet deliciously long descriptive sentences of an outrageous plot written amazingly clearly from an adolescent's perspective. This books packs a wallop</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QC8PUV8HFDW6?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Parts of the book were very interesting. I really enjoyed the beginning through returning to New York. Then I began to wonder if a different author took over. Pages and pages describing places and people that went on and on. I got bored waiting for the next bit of excitement to happen.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R295TRVJ36O2RB?ASIN=0316055441	The best book I've read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Factually Accurate, captivating, and beautifully written. Theo's journey will, in some ways, remind you of your own. A great work of fiction with the amazing ability to make you think about things on a deeper level.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N41U439IGUZL?ASIN=0316055441	Cuts right through all the lies we tell ourselves.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was not always easy to read, not always coherent. It felt like I was reading the inside of the author's mind, or my own. It was,, in a word, magnificent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKVTWPMM4UOYU?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I rarely read a book twice but I reread this one just to savor her writing and wonderful descriptive passages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27S40CIWR7UF8?ASIN=0316055441	Piece of art!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book itself is a piece of art, even though the story took slow turns at time. I really enjoyed digging into each character. My two favorite character s were B and H.  highly recommend the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PW9WQY0RJWG9?ASIN=0316055441	a moment to be lost in life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a magical way with words.  This writer takes us to the depth of life through these visions created by her descriptions.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R139F57JVUOOLD?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow in the beginning but I couldn't put it down after that! Very philosophical and thought provoking. Highly recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJY37QGJEBM2N?ASIN=0316055441	Loved Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Never lags, never predictable, well developed characters, fascinating story<br/>line!!!!!!!  Hate the ""F"" word!!!!  Will recommend to friends and family.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39D0AQDMP452N?ASIN=0316055441	glad I read it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was recommended to me by everyone, and now I know why.  I thoroughly enjoyed the main character's POV and the story held my interest through out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMGIYDV5UJ5Q1?ASIN=0316055441	INTERESTING BUT OVERLONG.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story was interesting but much too long in the telling;  there wasn't any need for the constant rehashing of all the drug<br/>reactions; and the ending was disappointing in the wishy-washy way he remained ""engaged"" but still not fully committed to being truthful; and in spite of all the horrible reactions to the drugs he kept in using.  For an intelligent person he behaved so stupidly.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DE94QMB01BD?ASIN=0316055441	Mixed feelings	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At times, I loved the story and writing style, at other parts, I was bored.  I found a lot of mistakes regarding the flashbacks (I don't think most people texted in 1999).  Some of the content was difficult read...kind of depressing and hopeless.  I was left wanting to read something light and funny next.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM1NRF8CRNCRX?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although it was slow in some parts, the others made up for it.  The character development was terrific for the main characters, but spotty for the others.  I found myself wondering what happened to...?  Overall, it was a great summer read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T8NJ7WELH3YP?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book but......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book was excellent but it could have been 200-300 pages less and I do not think it would have compromised the book at all.  It is one of those books that starts off quickly and keeps your attention.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R176U76I2Z1KNU?ASIN=0316055441	One of those books that stays with you for days after you've read it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is one of those books that you don't want to put down and has left me hungry to learn much, much  more about  art and literature.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC8TF9RU1SIK7?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The only trouble I had was slowing the pace of my reading to fully enjoy the beautiful composition.  The story was so compelling I rushed right through.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NAKHPZE7YXXK?ASIN=0316055441	Must Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyable and captivating novel! People of any age and any sex will enjoy this ""hard to put down"" read. Don't miss it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35RYYP2PZGOXJ?ASIN=0316055441	Serious Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book by Donna Tartt was so serious at times, and I really felt for Theo because of all the things in his life he had to endure.  This is a good book that I would recommend to people who have an appreciation for art and a dramatic story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EO6MB4UZ04XD?ASIN=0316055441	Not what it is cracked up to be	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was much too wordy and descriptive. It was a depressing read followed by an anticlimatic ending. The story could have been told more concisely.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYO5DT4VU661U?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little dark for me, but still beautifully written and the story had so many fascinating twists and turns. Enjoyed it!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DYXLSX1N8A6X?ASIN=0316055441	Dickens Lives in The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch reads like a modern Dickens.  It has interesting characters, vivid descriptions without rambling, and an interesting (though young) main character.  It's long but readable.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AJR2WUVA1KT7?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written and enjoyable book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">beautifully written-beautiful descriptions (perhaps a few too many for some as it slows down the story so that some readers give up).  However, for me it made the locations seem real and the emotions described were truly felt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21127MP96J48P?ASIN=0316055441	a Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put this story down.: the writing is on a superior scale of literature; following the growth, life, adventures and internal anlysis of relationships and experiences that are shaped by the guilt and trauma of the tragic loss of his mother at a bombing of the Metroplitan Museum made for a suspenseful read. I had put off reading The Goldfinch because even though the critics raved about the book, not one of the synopsis did it justice. Don't put your reading of The Goldfinch off</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R68T510ZZ10FT?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donn Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first few chapters and the last were boring, too descriptive, but once I got into the story I couldn't put the book down, until the slow ending.  Good read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25AU8V13MY70C?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a great read.  I found myself worried about the main character and wondering how he was faring when I was away from the book.  I thoroughly enjoyed it. C</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I4025MOKIFXO?ASIN=0316055441	Cautionary Recommendation	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the message of the book. The characters were well drawn. I caution people about the violence and drug use. That was a bit much for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FV1B7BVPZGF8?ASIN=0316055441	Good Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing writing although a bit too much introspection to suit me.  Sometimes I just scanned over it to get on with the story.  Interestingly after I read it I Googled the painting and was not as impressed with it as Theo.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24ONP4IAJ34XZ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch: A Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Heartrending story.  Can see why she got the pulitzer prize.  Plan to have nothing to do but read once you start it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TG981IPV18TB?ASIN=0316055441	How did this get a Pulitzer Prize?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was anxious to read this book since it received a Pulitzer Prize.  I was very disappointed and at times was hesitant about reading it to the end.  The story could have been told in half the number of pages.  It was very slow moving.  I would not recommend this book to anyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EX00GRI04I0S?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written. Evocative and gripping.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I missed a few bus stops and neglected a lot of chores around my house to just squeeze in another chapter. Tartt has a powerful yet beautiful voice.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38WT5VYUV9SCG?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books to read ever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You will not want it to end.  She makes what would normally be boring description into a joy to read.  You will especially like it if you have a hard time finding books that give you something.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T0C76M9ZMJYS?ASIN=0316055441	Wow- best book I have read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm so happy I purchased this book! It was a metaphysical journey through space- time- and relationships within our lives. I feel as though it was a slight nod to voltaires candide :-)<br/><br/>If you want a light read- then please don't try this book out. Please read carefully, and don't waste any pages!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXRUWXH0A4WDR?ASIN=0316055441	Not golden.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long and drawn out. Felt compelled to finish it but did not enjoy it. I would not recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TAILNJKP1Z8H?ASIN=0316055441	Not a page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is extremely well written. The story is engaging, creative and unique.  Overall, quite a long book. It deserved the Pulitzer for its value as literature. But, I would not call it a ""page-turner"" or a summer beach book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I9GBFI93N00U?ASIN=0316055441	Bestseller	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't know why it is such a popular novel. It was not one of my favorites. I did finish it though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUNMCNW3UH1OV?ASIN=0316055441	tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt that the main character was extremely flawed I did not enjoy reading about his life at all. all in all not a very enjoyable read</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJL31NF6TV59X?ASIN=0316055441	So well written you can hardly put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's prose makes this extremely long story readable. The characters are well developed and you feel their feelings. She draws pictures of people and places that keep you in it. I do think there was a bit too much detail given to certain time periods, and in my book group all of us liked the first half of the book better than the second half. But it is a book you're glad to have read, and it does speak to trauma and it's effects over a long time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O3UBBBAW9A8D?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked the story, and loved the cast of characters.  I did feel the book was a bit wordy, and some chapters did go on<br/>and on and on.  If it was a bit shorter, I would have rated it five stars.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HLRBWLGT89MD?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was unable to put the book down. Images easily came to mind ranging from beautifully tarnished to impossibly dark. But I kept reading pretty furiously.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D27RROV450PQ?ASIN=0316055441	Pretty good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a pretty good book, although I struggled to get through the end of it.  All in all, it was worth a read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IBER8PF1D9M7?ASIN=0316055441	exquisite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No real way to describe it except to just read it. It is long and can go from deep to light in just a few words but it's one of the best modern works I've ever read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YPPFFK32CQ15?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to put down, unexpectedly great story telling.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is one of those books that sneaks up on you and the plot and the writing takes off like a spooked brace of horses. ..one minute slow and decorous, the next minute wild and thundering across new terrain.  The author mixes a veritable stew with equal potions of staid Park Avenue, bohemian Village, bedraggled Las Vegas, a father who took off and a gambler who comes back, a loyal best friend who steals, and a peaceful young man who kills but is more haunted by a painting that is ever present.  If you want dry and predictable this is not the book for you.  Donna Tartt a world class story teller...thankfully she only gets tripped up once or twice by the temptation to pontificate and philosophize.  Just speed read through those rare conceits.  For the most part this is a book hard to put down and when you manage to leave it you are haunted by images of love, friendship, betrayal, mother's bond, a friend who is rock steady, and a cast of shakey characters.  The surprise comes from learning who is who.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JZYS61YT5E8N?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Confronting, beautifully written, absorbing. A huge read that continues to hold you enthralled until the last word . Wonderful story of life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RINU76K2ULJS7?ASIN=0316055441	What a marathon!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt last night. What an marathon!!! The overall theme of the book was great and very engaging, but it wasn't 771 pages worth. I never do this, but towards the end I was getting so fed up with the amount of detail was included I started skipping. It's such a shame because I think it was a great story, but it could have been told in half the number of pages. Unfortunately I wouldn't recommend, unless you're stuck in the horizontal position for many many many days!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5GFPZIPPUZNS?ASIN=0316055441	Spellbinding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've been a fan of Donna Tartt's since ""The Secret History"", and this book did not disappoint.  Sublime and impossible to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N8NTMO0NF5N1?ASIN=0316055441	long read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging style and interesting but a cross between a dan brown book, antique roadshow and the breakfast club. Just didn't resonate for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36FG3QJIPMYB1?ASIN=0316055441	Imaginative and unusual	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite a turn of events, unpredictable throughout.  You will not be bored, however you may touch upon many more emotions, including disgust, concern, admiration, hope, fear, disappointment, and closure.  It's long, but so worth it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N5SY39Z327GQ?ASIN=0316055441	Good book to take a chance on!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the first from this author that I have read and I am glad I took a chance. Definitely went out of my comfort zone of authors and ended up completely engrossed in the characters and story. Very much worth the time!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30CH6IONN8ARO?ASIN=0316055441	great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Held my attention wonderfully in the beginning but towards the end I had problems staying focused.  It was a great book  I highly recommend.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JIOWG74LIY0W?ASIN=0316055441	Totally entertaining to keep you involved with all the individuals in book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The people came to life.I could not<br/><br/>Stop reading, wondering what was next.Taking the boy from childhood into adult was so involving.I love this book and will check  out pitcher books she has written.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KB9FASQZWRZ7?ASIN=0316055441	Completely engrossing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Took me by surprise! Wonderful reading full of deep love an sorrow. Beautifully written.<br/>One of my top faves!<br/>Just relax and read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39F60H3WO878H?ASIN=0316055441	excellent!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was long but kept me reading into late nights and first thing in the morning! Enticing and luring me to find out what would happen next.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O9EHTFHUHJG8?ASIN=0316055441	Desperately Seeking Comparable Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As a recovering addict and current art historian, this book was right up my alley.  I remained engrossed through each and every of its 700+ pages.  I found Theo relatable; sharp, flawed, and sensitive.  I found Boris marvelous; speaking in fortune cookies, a terrible influence, and yet, compassionate.  Tartt’s descriptions of emotion and setting are unmatched.  Phrasing like: “a residue of old cruelty about them,” and “adrift in my sighing, opiated, erotic reveries” kept me coming back for more.  Even relatively cursory characters – mom, dad, Hobie, Pippa, Kitsy, Andy – are fleshed out and allow the verbal paint layers to create a stunning scene.  Everything in the book is given enough attention that it maintains 3-dimensionality.<br/><br/>Telling the story of a boy who experiences severe trauma, grows up too soon, and, somewhat unintentionally, enters the world of black market art dealing, “The Goldfinch,” is a win.  Following Theodore Decker from his comfortable life in New York to an alcohol sodden existence in Las Vegas, to the jewel-encrusted shifty dealings of thugs in Amsterdam, any prospective reader has quite a rollercoaster ride awaiting them.<br/><br/> As some other reviewers have pointed out, there are moments of tedium and repetition, there are miscalculations in dates (narrator writing about events of 14 years ago yet Vegas is in recession??), there is a liberal application of F-bombs and descriptions of being under the influence.  It is, indeed, long.  If you read at a leisurely pace or not for long spurts of time, this will occupy quite a number of days/weeks.<br/><br/>Much like the titular ‘character,’ (the painting of a goldfinch) this book is singular in its attention to detail, and a joy to soak in.  I now find myself in the rut of needing an equally good book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C8KE26E7WQL0?ASIN=0316055441	Astounding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dickensian characters find each other in a dystopian existence portrayed through the panoramic lens of Tartt's whiplash brilliant mind, navigating by the light of a stolen seventeenth century masterpiece. Tartt cuts a wide swath of storytelling genius well worth the Pulitzer it received.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y26GCKI7APB6?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a brilliant writer who captures the essence of anxiety with uncanny truthfulness. I am in awe of her talent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QPMSUDM8BFOR?ASIN=0316055441	Too long, repetitive situations, drugs, alcohol, terrible language and a horrible way to live!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was my first book by Donna Tart. I read that she writes a book every 10 years (yes, 10 years!) and I never thought that she would get a prize for this one. Maybe I should read her other books…??? I cannot recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TQYIU6Z623KW?ASIN=0316055441	A Clear Look	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Why do abused women stay with their abusive partners.....why doesn't the legal system do more to punish abusive folks??  What is wrong with this picture explores these questions and more.  Hard to put down...painful to read. When something doesn't work in your life, let it go!!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R269K4TEXDPNHU?ASIN=0316055441	Touching, beautiful story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters in this poignant novel are of many stripes but reveal their pains, struggles, and love in myriad ways.  Absolutely Pulitzer quality.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQGM0U7DDRLVI?ASIN=0316055441	It's not what you think...no ornithology here	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging story, empathetic characters, living scenes. At no time did I wonder who was who. Grippingly draws the reader in and leads through twists and quick left-turns to a satisfying end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RMCW76XTWP2F?ASIN=0316055441	Finally Finished!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Any book that gets an award is worth trying to read.  But I would rather enjoy a book than keep checking to see how many more pages are left.  Now that I have come to the end, I look forward to starting another book that I will actually enjoy reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XFDBYNIY2P61?ASIN=0316055441	Not a rave	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">writing was good but I really didn't like any of the characters except Hobie.  Too much decadent living for Theo who I know was shocked by his mother's death, but his behavior was too exaggerated to be believable.  The book could have been much, much shorter.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T6TQD7YW7BWK?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book - the kind where you hesitate to start another book as you are not ready for the characters to leave your mind. At times a little wordy - but one of the best books I have read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGRK3X87C3JPG?ASIN=0316055441	More Than A Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much of this story is told through the words of the main character, Theo.  You will find yourself identifying with the horrific things that befall him, his small victories and pleasures and the true friends that support him in the most difficult times.  It is really a life story of survival in spite of sometimes overwhelming events and how hope can be revealed by insignificant events.<br/>The story is timely in that the events that make up Theo's story could happen at anytime today or in the future.  I thought the characters were extremely well developed and fleshed out.  I dare say you will have known some of these people.  They are very real.<br/> In a really good book you are swept up - you find yourself creatively looking for moments to continue reading, to get back to the story.<br/><br/>  My advice is don't rush this book - it deserves your attention and reflection.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYPWCT8SH848H?ASIN=0316055441	boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept thinking the book would get better since my book club friends loved it. But I thought it was depressing and boring.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24YD0QJRAVNWF?ASIN=0316055441	DELIGHTFUL NEW NOVEL	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is one of the loveliest new novels I have read in many years.  I experienced such joy in the reading, and it felt as if I'd made a major literary discovery!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R64QN18MFZ0Z?ASIN=0316055441	Page Turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't expect this to stay with me after I finished it.  I kept thinking about the characters and you seem to become a part of them.  A wonderful story about modern themes.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H3NCXT87CWUU?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the ""ride"" that this novel took me on. Part character studies and art or life appreciation. Too preachy at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18JMBTO39XYNK?ASIN=0316055441	Sorry I bought this one...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story kept my interest in the beginning. I became bored with the main character. How many opportunities can one person throw away? And with the over the top drug and alcohol use. Too much of a loser character. I had no empathy for him after reading for awhile. And all the preaching throughout the ending.<br/><br/>There are some action events interspersed throughout the book and I am sure that will qualify it to be made into a movie.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM0MRHE2JXHOD?ASIN=0316055441	Really good book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was sad at times, funny at others, I really liked the characters.  It was hard to put down.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GEKIVB4A6KOV?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling Saga	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was as advertised: a compelling story of a young man's life and how a terrible tragedy and ensuing lifelong issues and pain is partially lessened by a famous piece of artwork.  Theo also self medicates with alcohol and drugs in an effort to live ""normally.""  All  the major acts that affect Theo's life are seemingly random and tragic, and yet he muddles through and carries on.  Just when you think that his darkness and his secrets and his poor choices will be his undoing, a way is found for Theo to continue his journey through life.  At the end, through the help of his more than sketchy friend Boris, Theo comes to better understand his own nature and although he still believes that in general life is a struggle, he would rather struggle with not having the perfect life, the perfect girl or the perfect art, than not live at all.  This book is so well written and the characters so carefully constructed, that you barely notice that it is over 700 pages.  I would highly recommended this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R1QSF5P4KHHZ?ASIN=0316055441	Superb story superbly written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you love a good story, this is a great one.  The premise for the story is wildly clever and the characters could not be more richly written.  All I'm going to say is ""I want to marry the Russian!""  I don't think I want to meet the person who does not thoroughly enjoy this book - it's a keeper.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25N6SZGDCQ251?ASIN=0316055441	Two options for this book - shorten or engage me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">1) Shorten it up - maybe by half<br/>2) Create an ending that makes me feel like reading 700 pages wasn't a waste of time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2579WGDCLCGL6?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book for it's description that brought me in to the life of the story. I would recommend it especially for the literary and connoisseur of the artistic.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RAPTVG754QH8?ASIN=0316055441	Truly great storytelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Once I got into it, I found it hard to keep from spending all my free time reading this book.  All the elements of a great book are here.  Beautiful use of language, imaginative imagery, believable characters and a great story.  Really just a great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15PZCS7FRGQ3E?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Most of the book was incredibly wonderful, but the last few chapters were rather bizarre, and did not seem to fit the rest of the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V6L6RSXDXMZI?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this book based on its reviews. It did not disappoint. I read 2 or 3 books a week and this book tops my list of all time favorites.  I have already recommended it to my friends who love to read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MV7QFATLPHJK?ASIN=0316055441	think less of the pulitzer prize after reading this choice	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This author seems to have ""ADD"" continually  jumping from  idea to idea! This depressing story could have been written in 300 pages and saved the reader over 400 pages of endless detail and explanations of Slavic languages.I'm sure she is brilliant and seems to know a lot about drug addiction. Could this knowledge explain her ""ADD""? I won't be reading anything else by this author. I gave two stars for her knowing so many ""words"" and having 2 or3 scenarios worth reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z0NL26ZL22AJ?ASIN=0316055441	Very Intense Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very Intense Book.  A very gritty book, but characters are well written with a great deal of insight into the vagaries of life.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AUU1D9FUB0KG?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've ever read, very deserving of the Pulitzer Prize, extremely well written in a unique style.  I almost hated to finish the book because it was so enjoyable to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4OTQSUHVETCH?ASIN=0316055441	Much much too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not wait to finish this book.  It was just too too long…..going nowhere, in my opinion.<br/>Well written…I could certainly picture all the characters, and characters, they were.<br/>The section in Amsterdam was too too too long and draggy and too going no where…<br/>Not my type of book…..I did not learn anything except to stay away from drugs!!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N8NBWLDF9BT3?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. Stay with it in the beginning because it is well worth the long read. Enjoy this incredible story!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19FCF8FR00982?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think the book is very well written and flows well<br/>I enjoyed it very much and have recommended it to several people</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGAC37EEH6HM6?ASIN=0316055441	In my opinion	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good novel and worth reading! In my opinion the book was about 200 pages too long! Way too many and too long discriptions!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4ALI68CRKVIO?ASIN=0316055441	Well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some interesting twists and overall an enjoyable read.  Wasn't crazy about the ending which kept it from a five star rating</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CLM42P454BE2?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tart does it again !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although Ms Tart only writes a book about every 10 years, they are certainly worth waiting for!  The brilliance of this book has made me determined to live long enough to read the next one!  A wonderful story by a wonderful storyteller, it kept my attention the entire time and, indeed, I cancelled a dinner so that I could finish it.  Not only should you read this book, but if you haven't read her other two books I urge you to do so.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R106CLUJUA92T5?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch:  A Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a fascinating story, written by a gifted writer.  However, I think that it could benefit from a bit of editing.  ALL the writing is good, but towards the end, I just became weary reading it.  It's like if you've been given a box of delicious chocolates and, if you try to eat them all, you become a little sick of them.  All the characters were well-drawn (but it could have helped move the story along if a few of them had been eliminated) and each individual twist and turn was fascinating, but there were so many of them that it got a bit overwhelming.  Some of this stuff could have been pulled and maybe used in a different book.  It's as though the author had all this really, really great stuff and couldn't bear to part with any of it.  Sometimes less is more.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F3RFHUDY4H36?ASIN=0316055441	Well worth the time to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel left me almost stunned with the deeply thought-provoking storyline.  Wonderful descriptions of feelings and places.  At times I was so involved in reading it, I was  startled when someone called my name and brought me back to the present.  Well worth the time to read it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ONRT253YOH3S?ASIN=0316055441	A bit over-rated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I kept waiting for an unexpected twist (an expectation problem on my part) and was dissapointed to find a relatively dull ending and overall story line in my opinion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R344FUPYM2CONA?ASIN=0316055441	Fab	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a great story.  Amazing. It kept me so spell bound all the way through. I would recommend it for anyone who likes a good story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NPJM0MG9FGGH?ASIN=0316055441	Well-earned Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the main character Theo for his flaws and the evolution of said flaws. One of those characters you get to know so deeply that you start to dread the end of the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R341J3RTGZZB4T?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful passages but could have been shorter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the Goldfinch was a beautiful novel. The characters, themes and scene settings were amazingly detailed.<br/><br/>However I did find the book went on too long.  It all came together in the end but it took way too long to get there.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R122BDIRUZIMHE?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A rather wordy novel with a main character who is completely unbelievable as the author tries to make him a ""Man for All Seasons""  and  accomplishes  only to make him uninteresting. Some of the other characters are well drawn but the women fail to be no more than pasteboard females.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R083J5GHS8YI?ASIN=0316055441	An Epic and Addictive Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a novel that takes you on a journey with no agenda. you don't where she taking you, but the journey is tremendous.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N8TX1QOI8R0K?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel, as well as the other I read by this author, are so long and involved that I can certainly understand why it took her a decade to finish. What I really liked was that I could leave it and come back to it and know what was going on. I did this a number of times. Unusual for me, I spent several months on this book before finishing it. The story line is very involved and it keeps you interested in the story and the characters. I've recommended it to many people.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UJEUB664ADEX?ASIN=0316055441	Love and  death	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a difficult book to read. The loneliness of Theo was very clear .  I didn't like Boris, but he was a real friend.<br/>I would only recommend this book for true book lovers, since it did drag in places.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R318OQGHAWQ316?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down!  Loved it.  I read a lot and I would have to say that it is now one of my top ten favorite books ever read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDFMISY8Q6T64?ASIN=0316055441	Excellant read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The last chapter seemed to drag.  I could hardly lay the book down until then.  I would and have recommended it to several people.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R105IA3YMFYDET?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was well written, but I found the plot a bit depressing. I would not recommend this book for teens even though the main character is a teen.  He is into drugs and unsavory companions.  I would not want my son reading this book and I don't know what kind of audience it was written for.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DJUG33V7FEER?ASIN=0316055441	wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a wonderfully written book.  You will understand why the author received the Pulitzer for this novel.<br/>It explores the journey of a young man who had his life turned upside down for reasons only a terrorist knows.<br/>Exceptional!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12LNRTXDCNKA6?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read but too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was good but too long, each section could have been half the length.<br/>Well written and good story<br/>Enjoyed it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SBCLJCRAZ0KJ?ASIN=0316055441	mesmerizing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent book recording the ability of the mind to vanish from reality at a moment's notice when the choice is made.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19WEBEAYVMMI7?ASIN=0316055441	Pulls you in from the first page and doesn't let go!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written.  The characters and descriptions of places are so well written you feel like you can see and feel what the main character is going through.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LCC98HFIEPUS?ASIN=0316055441	A fantastic read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters are so clearly drawn, so believable. It has a tight plot and thought arguably long-winded at times a great narrative. Then end get quite philosophical which I quite enjoyed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLPEVZ14CBIXY?ASIN=0316055441	Art, Death, Life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent story of a young boy's journey through the grieving process over his mother's violent death and all the influences that color his struggles as he grows up without her.  You'll ride this rollercoaster of emotions and events with him as he tries to find his way, regain control of his life, and understand his place in the world... shock, fear, abandonment, hate, love, loss, friendship, betrayal, neglect, youthful rebellion, theft, fraud, greed, drugs, forgiveness and the courage to let go of the one thing that keeps him from falling apart through it all.  It's an amazing journey, a true understanding of the human condition.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27MY8ZOBDQBCZ?ASIN=0316055441	Long Winded	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt the author could have accomplished her<br/> goal with half the amount of pages. The author ran on and on and gave too much information.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW98ZU2S2EVRM?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a wonderful novel.  The story is engaging and well written with rich characters and a complex plot.  I highly recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VMMZUTK2PNZO?ASIN=0316055441	Extraordinary	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An absolutely magical book that enthralls you with its characters.  So superbly written that you can see the brushstrokes on The Goldfinch in your mind.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CBB09IG9XQ9V?ASIN=0316055441	A great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch grabbed me and I hardly noticed that it was a 700+ page book (it's difficult to tell on the Kindle). Perfect summer fiction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22L9DIL51H79?ASIN=0316055441	Last 3% needs to be rewritten	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept my interest right thru every turn.<br/>But list my I interest in the continuous rambling as if someone else finished the last 3% of the book. Not tying it up at all and just left this whole precise, detailed story out hanging to dry. Disappointing finish for a pretty long read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EX16Q9M224WQ?ASIN=0316055441	Okay, typical coming-of-age novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took awhile to read it and I was ambivalent about it when I finished it mostly because of the ending. There is no real resolution to the story and there are a lot of loose ends at the end. She kind of goes on this philosophical rant at the end, which leaves you wondering ""what did I just read?"". I'm glad I read it, but I would not read it again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LMT2LIUWG7XG?ASIN=0316055441	So well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sometimes we have the opportunity to fall deeply into a book and thirst for each word to be read. This is such a book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RYX8IB8SGXKB?ASIN=0316055441	Too Much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt is an excellent story teller and a master with the pen however I found her descriptions much too long and laborious.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVWCJSCB04IDE?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read...long, but worth it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is an excellent book with the descriptions and characterizations provided by the author.  It is long (800+ pages), but worth it.  I especially enjoyed the ""summary of philosophy"" at the end, though not necessary, it was good.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UBU89658RP76?ASIN=0316055441	This book is absolutely fantastic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. A bit longer than I had anticipated. Loved every page. I would definitely recommend it to anyone. Fantastic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QN5I6Z25YNNO?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling Story Masterfully Told	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First of all, Donna Tartt's crisp writing grips you on the first page and keeps you hooked.  I found my feelings towards the main character change from support to indifference and back to support as the story unfolded. No wonder the author received a Pulitzer this year!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31D5SMUO1U7NM?ASIN=0316055441	Good but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good but the story gets lost in the on and on of mundane or not even close to being essential information.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FN140U0VVX27?ASIN=0316055441	Elegant but oh so tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Flowery descriptive work loaded with creative allusions, similes and deep thought and interesting characters, but takes way too long to tell a story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW1HLCSGGZBH9?ASIN=0316055441	OK reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed this book but the author got off track and spent pages on another topic. Skipped pages and pages of text. Don't usually do that so it got a bit boring.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9C9VZMR51GMR?ASIN=0316055441	Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I dove into this book with high hopes.  About two thirds thru I was losing interest in every character.  The last one hundred pages were the worst. But I give this book three stars because I liked the beginning so much. I don't see myself reading anything else by this author.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LLTBT9M7VXUY?ASIN=0316055441	Susan K. Parker	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This work of art is rich and deep when considered through post-reading reflections.  Beautifully written, it is also a hefty text.  Many of the scenes are difficult to get through due to the lengthy prose, yet hard to skip over lest a rich nugget is missed.  The authors philosophical musings will stay with me.  This book is a great piece of art and worthy of a lively book group discussion.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PYB794ZW1FP3?ASIN=0316055441	Great piece of literature but not as enjoyable as I hoped....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This author is a great writer and there is no doubt this is a great piece of work.<br/>However, the story dragged on for me.  I easily could have missed the middle section of the book and been happy.  Also, the extreme drug use was hard to read at times.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y6GYH7UNMA3R?ASIN=0316055441	Can't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful journey of this young man's life. Raw and real. Story all fits and one if left at the end of reading it with a sense of something enlightening just happened</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE0GVJJ7W5PFA?ASIN=0316055441	This is a must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have ever read.  Extremely we'll written, gripping, heart-wrenching and hopeful all at the same time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IWY23JFCJMMZ?ASIN=0316055441	Caution to Parents of Teens	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very intense novel, with realistic characters, a very complicated plot, and creditable literary technique. However, I was surprised to learn it had won a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.  It could be quite confusing at times, and went on much longer than I felt was necessary. It was graphically bloody and violent at times, and I thought overly descriptive and almost condoning serious drug use by two young boys scarcely 14 years old.  It didn't exactly glorify their drug involvement, but made it at times sound acceptable, which I found off-putting, as a parent and teacher of children that age. I definitely would warn parents to read it themselves before allowing their teenaged children, especially middle schoolers, to read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K7A9OON56LU1?ASIN=0316055441	The first half grabbed me so hard I couldn't sleep	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is good for young adults to senior citizens.  It just got a little wordy in the second half. I think the author seemed to explain the point of each thing and not let the reader figure out himself.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37Y69KOPM3O61?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt does it again.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Another great read by Donna Tartt. If you liked her ""Secret History"" you will love this. I liked better than her ""Little Friend"".</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X9PYKGQ9G72W?ASIN=0316055441	bold and unusual	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very unusual and sad.  the book was hard to put down but also hard to read in many ways  I enjoyed the read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IHZ7WDOEAIPY?ASIN=0316055441	difficult, but worth it.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the style and levels of story layering. Not  to read in one sitting. New favorite book, but who to recommend to?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C16YDJ9V7TON?ASIN=0316055441	Descriptive and well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book moves through many areas and explores the minds and feelings of the characters in depth. Once familiar with the author's style, I began to enjoy more the in depth descriptions.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39Y1KS1YUIHYM?ASIN=0316055441	Love it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, excellent writer, very deep, insightful though dark story. Hard to put down. Added bonus: a lot of art!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CFAKFJ8Q9OPW?ASIN=0316055441	way too wordy and drug on way too long. kept listing interest. only sheer doggedness made me continue.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">See above. Good story but way too circular and wordy. Kept waiting for something to happen or progress to be made.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15LRYBQE303QG?ASIN=0316055441	a little long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story with a few surprising twists but cld have been said in a few less pages/chapters. All the same I couldn't put it down and thoroughly enjoyed it!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TPZUOHH24J8A?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would not recommend ...too long and too boring. Could have said the same thing in one sentence instead of 20 pages. Didn't like all the drugs in use.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9ZA8TSDNLHFW?ASIN=0316055441	A Downer!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an interesting story, but I couldn't wait to get through with it. Too much drugs along with excessive alcohol and tobacco use by early teen characters. The excessive use of the f word was also unnecessary. Don't consider myself a prude, but these things really distracted from a good story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FYJ8Y7NL7GG7?ASIN=0316055441	Troubled Life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting but very long and depressing.  It showed a side of life I never thought about.  I expected a happier ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RPGPJ1QGQU14?ASIN=0316055441	amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I absolutely loved this book for many reasons ... The pace, the subject, the finesse, the empathy for the characters, the narrators philosophies, the story, the roller coaster adventure .. Just about everything ... Highly recommend it ...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LX4TTKLD142C?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch -- Full Literature, Full Fun	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's third novel is an iconic example of the early 21st century narrative long form, and shines in the company of equally fine examples of the genre, like The Children's Book and The Greenlanders. Tartt, in my opinion, has now written the great American novel of our generation -- a 700-plus pager that confronts the reader with a sociology of love and character disorder, placing them in a whirl-wind world of borderline to full-fledged criminality and high-risk behavior. Theo's bi-polar world hops from New York to Las Vegas and back again, immersed in a soft dystopia of violence (passive and aggressive), criminality (manifest and subtle), and neglect (malign and beneficent) that underlies the blur of everyday life and the sense of cosmic accident we all live in the post-9/11 century. It is a world where comprehension is impossible, where everything is a negotiation for footing in the moment, where paradise is always lost and the fall is inevitable but may be broken by compromising with reality. Tartt's completely contemporary narrator, Theo, is an unambitious, live-in-the-moment, mid-twenties art expert and antiques dealer whose memoir is lifted by exciting, fresh descriptions of art and antiques and the shady world of their sometimes sordid underlying history and commerce. The exquisite, sometimes overwhelming attention he gives to physical details at certain moments of his story -- to what, in the classic realistic novel, would have been unremarked details and unremarked moments -- fit snugly into the underlying trope of the 17th-century goldfinch chained to its wooden nesting box in Carel Fabritius's splendid little painting that gives the novel its title and runs ominously through Theo's narrative. Tartt's narrator is full of  ambivalence and empathy and his open search for identity and absence of community enable the reader to dig into his psychology and the psychology of the people in his life. His straight-forward style of story telling is full of the longings of love and the inescapable realities of loss, the fears of abandonment and entrapment that enable us to recognize the people in this novel from the inside out. I recommend Tartt's The Goldfinch to everyone who loves fiction, long or short, that startles you with its narrative irony, striking language, and playful manipulation of genre -- and has the added benefit of growing deeper and more enlightening on re-reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K1SPWKV1N8FF?ASIN=0316055441	A page-turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I stayed up much too late reading this book in great chunks. The characters are dimensional. You can understand and sympathize with their actions. The book is both tragic and comic. The value of art to our lives (sometimes in unexpected ways!) is evident. the only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that the last part in Amsterdam gets stretched out a little too much.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P7UWSZ4DWHFC?ASIN=0316055441	What can I say, a great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a must read for almost anyone.<br/>5 Stars Plus! You won't be sorry to add this to your library.<br/>Wish I had bought a hard copy to keep.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R5GTGYPAIJJU?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So many of my favorite topics in one beau story;New York, Las Vegas, art, children, parenting, growing up and finding your place. Loved every minute of every day I held this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GOR5281KPC8I?ASIN=0316055441	good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book but found the frequent in depth descriptions of the character's drug use tiresome and tedious.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UZUVRPIGTYNQ?ASIN=0316055441	Well deserved Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great read, couldn't put it down.  It seems like its own genre of fiction, beautifully written, insightful and spell-binding.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YHBB11DMGANR?ASIN=0316055441	Not sure why there was so much hype..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I heard a lot about this book before I read it.  All good of course.  Truth is it felt like it took forever to read.  The characters were great but the plot was just boring and drawn out.  I spent most of the book scratching my head and thinking ""what is this book about?""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36JX3O3QHWQFO?ASIN=0316055441	My extreme imagination almost had me end this book early on.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even though this was depressing in many ways and overwhelmingly intense at times, I couldn't put it down. it's not ,in my opinion , a book you know will end all bright and shiny,but realistically true to his (Theo's)story. Beautifully written ,extremely moving,vividly disturbing details.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WOVXJHQL94LV?ASIN=0316055441	Needs editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out strong but the middle (when Theo lives in Las Vegas with hid dad) and Theo's time back in NY needed to be edited. Too many pages of the same thing happening without adding new insights or character development.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLM64N5QVBI8B?ASIN=0316055441	great read and amazing writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story and hard to put down.  So sad, but great insights about the line between life/death, beauty/ugliness, reality/illusion and why we have to enjoy the time we have and the people we love.  Read it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RFT7YV0MWSJ8?ASIN=0316055441	Having a difficult time Sleeping??	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you are having a difficult time sleeping or taking a English Lit class on symbolism great book!  It took me over 3 weeks to read because of the authors wordiness I would fall a sleep after reading 10 pages.  On the positive if your into dysfunctional behavior this might be the book for you?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWBF0UIYJ24UP?ASIN=0316055441	NOT  A  BAD  LIFE  FOR  A  WELL  MEANING  TRICKSTER	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot is interesting and keeps you wanting to know more . Theo ,the story teller is captivating because of his many weaknesses .<br/><br/>In the end ,everything is not well but Theo understands that this is life and that : "" we don't get to choose the people we are "".</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FZ0XTW5QEAEU?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the book , but not so much the ending .to me it left you wondering what happen to all the characters in the book.i really wanted to know. So that part I did not like, ...,, maybe a part #2 ?????</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDJ9ESCFC3859?ASIN=0316055441	Way to long and sad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really don't understand all the raving about this book. The painting was a such a small part of this book. It really is about watching the sad decline of a young man into adulthood. His new friend and perpetual drinking and drug use became quite monotonous. Enough about their trip already! It is not an uplifting book in any way. He has people around him that want to help, but he can never be honest with anybody. I just wanted to shake him and say straighten up and be honest with Hobbie. By the end I came to hate Theo and especially Boris. I would not recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22LLTSZ7SGYNG?ASIN=0316055441	eh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I purchased the novel based on the sample I read and it started out promising.  However, the longer I read the worse it got.  Waaaaay too verbose.  Get to the point already!  The extra pages don't add quality.  How did this book with a Pulitzer prize?<br/><br/>Also, similar to the other reviewers I was off-put by the obvious inconsistencies with the time period and technology (i-Pods and 12 year old with cell phones in the early 90s).  Save your time for something else.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C8GWUPNG5BL8?ASIN=0316055441	good story, but.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting read, but too much ""thinking"" and being in the head of the main character. This would make a great movie.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37B4X6606BO6C?ASIN=0316055441	Written well	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a wonderfully written story. You feel like you're inside the character's head, but you still can't figure out his choices. Sad and heart wrenching at times, but completely real</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z2XRGKED3BA1?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story had more twists then a pin curl!  However, the ending was dragged out as though the author, Donna Tartt didn't want to stop writing. It became a long-winded, one-sided conversation!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF0RTZQ0RKM2X?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I have read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is complicated and engaging and masterfully written. The story is a journey. You want to shake the main character for the decisions he makes at times. It was hard to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S7GGW0YW1206?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept me reading until 9pm some nights! I go to bed at 8...riveting story, doesn't drag--on my Kindle, I was unable to tell that it was over 800 pages. Really good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11LZMH58X9658?ASIN=0316055441	Delightful, thought provoking wonderful!!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't remember who recommended this book to our book club, I'm just glad they did.  One of those memorable books<br/>with characters that linger in your mind for a long time.  So very well written, just sit back, relax and ENJOY!!!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EL243S64RJRO?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting read.. would have liked a meatier ending.<br/>a bit draggy in some parts..but speed reading through those parts was perfect.<br/>All in all.. interesting and captivating.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G4SGUYTZFWJL?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Two things:<br/><br/>(1) I had the idea that books that won the Pulitzer were on the obscure and difficult side, but that is not true of The Goldfinch.<br/><br/>(2) The story and characters are wonderful but I was surprised and delighted by all the smart things the author had to say about grief and grieving.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU005M0KDMS65?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling reading with a most disappointing conclusion	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started well but with the main character SO flawed it couldn t possibly have had  a satisfactory ending..What started out as a book. That had you hooked as some of the characters it  was a hopeless ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ6CWX46FZMKZ?ASIN=0316055441	An incredible read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very emotional and tough read but worth it. Extremely well written and researched. This was a real psychological roller coaster.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5RH4BBP1FAPZ?ASIN=0316055441	Too long & tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not worth the time it took to read 775 pages.  It was very thorough and detailed, but sometimes too wordy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH6JOW6KGKDF?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize winning page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is in my all-time top 5. The characters are beautifully wrought and the dialogue is the best I've ever read.  A compelling, emotional, morally ambiguous tale. I fretted as I got closer to finishing; didn't want it to end. Will re-read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVI104CRITC7P?ASIN=0316055441	Page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found myself ripping through this beautifully written book. The story grabbed me. Then I realized I was reading so fast that i was missing the essence. Not only did I slow down,but I did something I seldom do while still reading a book, I went back and re-read several chapters. When I went back to my place, about 3/4 through I not only slowed down but found myself savoring it.<br/>It's not a story I would have thought would be so intriguing.<br/>Sometimes I did feel I was in the middle of a run on sentence about life.<br/>Mostly, just a great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R212OMI3MR73AA?ASIN=0316055441	very well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story, extremely well written, however describing everything made it too long and too detailed thus slowing the story. Vivid characters. Deserved the Pulitzer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZNFY4VFX7LDQ?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book. I couldn't put it down. Loved this book. I couldn't put it down. Well woven tale, wondering how all the parts fit together. And it did!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G113WJ4O4OZ4?ASIN=0316055441	very we'll written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very interesting book from the opening till the end. I kept wanting the protagonist to come out a better person.  A big insight to the life of many young people today.  I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read about life and growing up.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HKZX70RFW3MJ?ASIN=0316055441	frustrating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had to skim lots of this book. The writing just went on and on, too much detail, blathering uninterestingly to me. There were some good points, but they were few and far between.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DENOLFZIMBKQ?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read it for my book club and was not too excited but it kept my interest all the way. The only negative is that it was long and very very descriptive...too descriptive...could have been written in half as much.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V869QZ86O3OY?ASIN=0316055441	long but worth it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Epic is an understatement ... Go on this journey and you will travel to many many places that you least expect.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PTKQTERD3I3I?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow!  Exquisite stunning and profound ! Her words create a lasting masterpiece. I will definitely read and enjoy it again</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G1VEDPIJ6FGE?ASIN=0316055441	art is love.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The world's sexiest novel, because the beauty of thought and expression give forth the reason to carry on. Lovely, lovely book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YNY9C702DSQM?ASIN=0316055441	Art as a real treasure.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had trouble following who was who and where they were. It was sad even tho it ended good. would recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EDKI7XN2FA4Z?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read from Start to (almost) Finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read through the eyes of a wayward young man who suffered many losses early in life. The focus of the book was mainly on the immediate years post terrorist attack in NYC and how the decisions made by a young boy haunted him through his entire life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6GQLFXG73IKY?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the time of reading all 700+ pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in a while. Her writing is beautiful. The words just flow. The story complex as life often is. I will remember these characters for a long, long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS8UX76HTQ6VC?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a complex and wonderful story and you can see why it won the Pulitzer for fiction.  The central character is rich, unique and unforgettable and Tartt's viewpoint on why great art touches us is thought-provoking and fascinating.  You don't have to be an art lover to love this book but you have to love the complex, messy nature of true friendships and families to appreciate this world that Tartt so skillfully weaves for the reader.  A truly great novel ... and if they make it into a movie I'll be the first in line for a ticket.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ERPP6MBEG6HQ?ASIN=0316055441	Great BOOK!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was an easy read but very detailed; thoughtful. It kept me wanting to know what would happen to the painting and the lives of the characters. Very different story line.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSJI6F80OI541?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">in my opinion it was well written with, compelling characters and commentary on our society.  Like many other readers I wished the story to continue.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KWDO19144AMD?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully descriptive. Could not put the book down. I've recommended it to many of my friends and family. Great for a book club.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IVOXFMUBA3TS?ASIN=0316055441	didnt love it despairing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written for sure. Characters are great but it was so full of despair for me. The ending has lovely words to hold onto but it's a long slide to the end!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BQXPUJOJKSON?ASIN=0316055441	Can't put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is quite intriguing with all it's twists and turns. I have about 100 pages to go of the 775 and I will finish it today. Only hearing good things about the book from others too!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CANLX606L8WR?ASIN=0316055441	A little bird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written and a real page turner. Writer defies every rule of writing (sentences which go on for paragraphs) but it is easy to see why this won the Pulitzer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE0LHM1LS3WOD?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch has some Dickensian characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating story; beautifully written; memorable characters!<br/>A great book group book that inspires a lovely discussion. We want to read Ms Tartt's other books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDIXJ7ZFPCUYV?ASIN=0316055441	richly warm and entertaining	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The unashamed passion for the raw, harsh and beauty of real life. Celebrating the depth of human misery and weakness.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VGN415GF1KEE?ASIN=0316055441	You talk too much!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Would have been brilliant if there had been a stronger editing hand. One sentence alone had 17 commas, 1 colon, 2 sets of quotes and parenthesis each. Too many words made me less likely to ponder the beautifully worded thoughts of art and life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L3FZFLUZ7HQN?ASIN=0316055441	A must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Page turner!  I felt like I was in the story. Her descriptive words made everything so real.  The philosophical lines were thought provoking</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27OWJJXEC43J0?ASIN=0316055441	Another Donna Tartt masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous writing. Compelling story and characters. Too long. Drags in middle. But a great read. Love Fonna Tartt's unforgettable stories.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V4BOARAV3NBV?ASIN=0316055441	Surprised at how much I liked it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this because it sounded interesting and won the Pulitzer.  When I first started reading it, all the descriptive language was a little off-putting.  Then, I got into the story and couldn't stop reading it.<br/><br/>Theo, the main character, is captivating.  A 13 year-old boy who suffers the tragic loss of his mother in a New York City bombing.  He is shuffled from a wealthy family where he doesn't fit in to his absentee father.  He meets and befriends a Ukrainian boy his own age.  They proceed to get into as much trouble as two unsupervised teenage boys can imagine.<br/><br/>All the while, Theo is attached to two things - a beautiful paining that reminds him of his mother and a girl who also survived the bombing.  He meets the thoroughly delightful character Hobie based on a mysterious ring he was given by Hobie's partner after the bombing.<br/><br/>As Theo grows up we see the changes in him from the wild teenage time living with his father to going back to the stable boy his mother raised with morals.  However, the influence his Ukrainian friend has over him continues to pull him down a path far from his upbringing by his mother or the trusting influence of Hobie.  (Note to author: please write a book about Hobie!)<br/><br/>This is one of those books that never ends because it stays with you long after the final words on the page!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U4APY7APAB0?ASIN=0316055441	A roller coaster ride!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just when you think thing can't get any worse!<br/>Or just the opposite, just when you think things are going to get better....wham!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LCUZ5RD3JKM2?ASIN=0316055441	A Must-Read for Serious Readers	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot and actions are not only engaging. The beauty of the prose and the means by which all events are connected by the theme make this an incredibly beautiful reading experience. Brutal and teeth-clenching in its honest portrayal of the main characters, the books still inspires hope in the human condition.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW2DBAQXU284U?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even if you aren't one who follows the art or antique world, you have no choice but to turn every page in Theo's world.  Spellbinding!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3661W8468OH50?ASIN=0316055441	Kaleidoscopic Journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Darkness and light. Unpredictable highs and lows encumber the flawed but heroic protagonist of this sophisticated epic tale. Spellbinding read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32Y9AAVPWF8HA?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So excited to read an award winning book.  Started out pretty good, but then I started skipping through all the boring details.  Too much description of EVERYTHING!!!!  It was a chore to finish this book.  I do not recommend to anyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAPGC69WBGOBP?ASIN=0316055441	interesting but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The begining of the book was touchy, interesting and I want to read more and more. But after a while it became boring.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAM8IN8SOIXD0?ASIN=0316055441	It's a classic!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a very long book that I think could have been edited down.  That aside, Donna Tartt did a marvelous job of capturing Theo and his friends from when he is thirteen years old until he is a grown man. Theo's relationship with Hobie is wonderful because of the needs each fills for the other.  All of the regrets and losses in the book are poignant.  I loved the view of life on Park Avenue and of the world of dealing in antique furniture.  I liked the parallelI experiences of Kitsey and Theo and how they dealt with their life changing event.  I think this is a classic that will be around for awhile.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QR8T1GMU4RC0?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a beautifully written saga of a boy dealing with the death of his mother which coincided with the theft of a world famous work of art and his subsequent rocky journey through life to adulthood.  filled with interesting characters and side stories, twists and turns and surprises and never losing its flow throughout it all. even though the author tends toward lengthy and long winded descriptions and background information (sentences sometimes running on for a page or more) the book is so beautifully written that these lapse are hardly noticeable and  do not detract from the story. certainly worthy of the Pulitzer prize.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K9DTI9IUHT9D?ASIN=0316055441	Needs editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good read and thoufht provoking. needs lots of editing to move fLow. plit is too drug heavy and overbearing for my taste.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JMCROE35KBY9?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I ordered this based on all the great reviews.  I can't get past the first 100 pages.  Not for me and way overrated.  Did not connect with the main character at all.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R385ZRR2YGCU9H?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize Worthy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a very talented writer.  She knows how to develop characters and give them a voice.  The Pulitzer Prize and the fast that the novel were the determining factors in ordering the book.  Now I recommend it to everyone.  I'll be looking for more books by Donna Tartt.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17DMY0BJAEMLD?ASIN=0316055441	great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the novel very much -the characters were developed well, and the plot good.  However I did think as I was reading that it could have been shorter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WDJZ1YUBRTNO?ASIN=0316055441	great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a great book lots of actions and truths of the real world, even the stuff we don't want to hear about true life love the book</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6TMZQZHK0AL4?ASIN=0316055441	a very great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have recommend this book to all my friends as  a very great read. Donna Tartt is a master at story telling and an incredible wordsmith .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21DCATLE9QMYB?ASIN=0316055441	review of the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was disappointed and found the writing to be very inconsistent.  Parts are way too long and talky, others very absorbing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCQRJLTXNCN4K?ASIN=0316055441	Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to stop reading this book many times along the way. The scenes often felt over the top. I would then wonder if this was true addiction so continued reading. I really felt that so much of it was verbose. At the same time it is a pure example of how we have choices and how those choices will lead our lives moving forward.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJO84T7P5MCHP?ASIN=0316055441	Study in PTSD and personal relationships	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book works at many levels, exploring the consequences of trauma and the nature of intense human relationships. I believe it could have been edited a bit more, but  all in all it was a very good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12L3E1AS12YEO?ASIN=0316055441	Good story but longer than necessary	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was good, and somewhat disturbing, but I felt that it dragged on a bit longer than was necessary, and the ending was a bit anti-climactic.  That being said, it was well written and the story itself was interesting, and captured my interest.  I would recommend this book, even though it is very long.  I think there are some lessons to be learned from the situations the characters find themselves in.  The character development was excellent.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27FVZFUVCH5M4?ASIN=0316055441	Mixed Feelings	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was way too long, unbelievable in the story line yet I couldn't put it down at times. Still don't know what all the fuss was about. Only one likeable character in the entire story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZGKA3VSM0H7N?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like the book up until the last 50 pages. I guess I just did not like how it ended.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IX8NKIX2LE0L?ASIN=0316055441	Too Dark	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While well written and creative - there is little to like about any character in the entire story.  Each is more disturbing than the last - and portraying addiction as a manageable lifestyle is simply not believable.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N90MWY9DV45V?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written.  The actions of the hero, such as exceesive drug use did not seem to affect him as one would expect.  Overall the novel leaves one with some questions which is a good thing.  It helps to keep the story in my mind.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UJPTNRNCT87L?ASIN=0316055441	Incredibly Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a long book. As I was reading it I thought it was unnecessarily lengthy in so many sections but it has to be. The story is perfect in its telling, the characters pained and profound in their development. This is a must read for every book lover... the story as it unfolds is a remarkable journey. It stirs you up in uncomfortable yet meaningful ways. Enjoy.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36PUFA0LJXF97?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very talented writer. The prose is spectacular - should not be speed read. Savor each character and scene. Hard to put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R321ONEYQ8P1S7?ASIN=0316055441	BRILLIANT !!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Truly a masterpiece in writing.A page turner and hard to put down.Highly recommend it.<br/>Will read more from this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GU0D7F1AY2QZ?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent plot and story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What I thought was going to be a stodgy book on art history became a book of adventure, drugs, sex, an violence, with a healthy dose of antique restoration.  Hard to believe all the elements work together, but the book was wonderful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FCT88YRRFHKO?ASIN=0316055441	Masterful plot and characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While Tart's language is hypnotic, her overuse of hyperbole and repetition of ideas made this a long slog.  The philosophic preaching at the end grew tiresome and out of character for Theo. The story was heartbreaking and inspirational at the same time.  It gave me a new filter to enter works of art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H24X3W70GF32?ASIN=0316055441	Very long story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think it was a good story but very long.  I think the detail of each segment could have been shorter but few characters so easy to follow</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q9FHPHW5OHIL?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch is a great Read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept me looking forward to picking up the book later….made it hard to put down.  At times, it was a little wordy and I was anxious to move ahead.  But….just about anyone will enjoy this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9VB0YXRT7F3S?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't stop reading it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book - it was compelling, emotional, thoughtful, well written... I was very sad when it was finished.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPNO7Y95MIBFL?ASIN=0316055441	A Waste of Time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is well written and the Russian accent is perfection, but the story just goes on without ever going anywhere. I found it painful to read, and wanted to just give up on it many times. But I stayed to the end just to see if it got any better. It didn't.  The main character is neither likeable nor hate able. He just is, and that is the problem. Boris is interesting, but it seems his only real purpose is to solidify the fact that the main character (I can't even remember his name) is a waste of space.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UN94WMI9CFKN?ASIN=0316055441	Review of The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is highly overrated and to long.  I bought it on Amazon's recommendation and thru word of mouth.  Would not recommend.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9W7ELOM63SG2?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch, best book ever!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tart is an amazing author! I was hooked from beginning until end, such a great read, I loved it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMWTOSP36A95U?ASIN=0316055441	Great subjects, so well researched. I could picture the characters clearly.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to do nothing else, but read this, once I began. The beginning didn't grab me.. I actually put the book down for a few months.,then I was hooked!  Last 2 chapters not what I felt was a strong ending, but I loved this read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V02TF9P7Q1U2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars PLUS!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've ever read as it holds your interest from page 1 to the end.....and then you are disappointed that it is finished. However, If you think you can figure out the ending, you cannot and the author, Donna Tartt writes to make you feel, know and understand everything about all the characters in this book without judging them. I highly recommend this book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TJC14V28JWM?ASIN=0316055441	Well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this rating because I could not relate to any of the characters.  It was extremely well written and the descriptions were very vivid.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KN3BNAJ35EU0?ASIN=0316055441	Good, not great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found it to be entertaining at times, but it never got a hold of me after the early chapters. Nothing new or exciting in the story or it's style. The last bit was completely unnecessary as well.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV1DW8YTZ5HVH?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't  want this book to end. I love old stuff and old buildings and lovely art. Some of these I want to see over and over again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW7KPLPT30L34?ASIN=0316055441	Long!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love to read but, I could not finish this book. Great writing and does keep you interested but, it goes on forever. I  was ageing at the same rate as the characters I was reading about...no wait they didn't age .....just me.  Didn't read to the end will learn what happened when they make into a movie.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REACFPFCIATDC?ASIN=0316055441	Highly recommend it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A well written story filled with interesting, complex characters. Once I began I couldn't stop reading, it really pulled me in.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37QQTMBIT4UQF?ASIN=0316055441	mpesano	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written.  A great story that will stay with you for a long time.  Theo was given a bad hand and he dealt with it as best he could.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NDMWQO1PWJYH?ASIN=0316055441	Best read for me in a long while	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the writing and the story grabs your interest  from the first page<br/>Hated to finish the book.  Just started her first novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13UP3GWUQTCFF?ASIN=0316055441	A good read but much too long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Get ready to read 2/3rds of the book before any real action occurs.  The ending, however, is incredible!  A beautiful example of the metaphysical:  ""I've come to believe there's no truth beyond illusion.  Because, between 'reality' on the one hand, and the point where the mind strikes reality, there's a middle zone,a rainbow edge where beauty comes into being, where two very different surfaces mingle and blur to provide what life does not: and this is the space where all art exists, and all magic."" It's too bad that the reader has to stick with the novel in order to enjoy this last third!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYUGTIMPJ17T4?ASIN=0316055441	The value of art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story of a painting and its importance to the lives of the narrator and other characters.  It is also a story of tragedy and survival.  Very well-written novel with strong characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13A0TR3Y3X6N1?ASIN=0316055441	Toooo Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is confusing and goes on too long.I kept waiting for it to get better and but it was hard to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LYTUMNU3UXDE?ASIN=0316055441	Long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the plot and the character development, but the story could have been told as effectively without some of the tedious, rambling detail.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12NGIG3YW9Q5R?ASIN=0316055441	Unbearably Real	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a difficult read.  The author takes the reader through each phase of the story as though it were happening moment by moment... and it is emotionally difficult to be in some of these situations and experience what the main character does.  The story starts with the main character as a young boy in a bombing in NYC at an Art Museaum with his mother.  It is there that his mother dies, he takes a masterpiece, he meets an elderly man (Welty) and his granddaughter, and the scene is set for all that follows.  What follows is teen years in Las Vegas that are almost unbearable in their drug use and self abuse.  But it is also where he meets Boris.  Oh my... what to say about Boris.  Later the main character is back in NYC working and living with a gentle soul and friend of Welty but still struggling with deep issues stemming from all that has gone before.  I love to love/hate this book.  It is raw and I found myself wanting it to go faster... more like a synopsis of events.  But the author does not do that... Moment by moment this story is experienced and it is both wonderful and excrutiating.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFU6FIXQW65S3?ASIN=0316055441	An awesome book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters, the painting, are now like old friends I long to be with again! I couldn't wait to finish reading it and now I am sad that it is over.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE8P0OUYDVMFB?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing writing, heartbreaking story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a heartbreaking revelation of the parent child bond and how it defines your whole existence and choices.<br/>We all need to count on unconditional love.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EZDY6XN4Y9JN?ASIN=0316055441	I loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was mesmerized by this novel.  It captured me from the first pages.  Some of my friends said they couldn't get into it, but I really liked it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R248Z08NT0DHQS?ASIN=0316055441	No wonder it won a Pulitzer...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch<br/>by Donna Tartt<br/><br/>I remember reading The Secret History and enjoying it, back in 2004.  And even though it took 10 years for her to push out another novel, at least it was a really good one, worthy of the Pulitzer it took home in 2013.<br/><br/>One of my favorite qualities in a book is nice prose, and Tartt knows how to manipulate words and bend them to her will.  Excellent descriptive writing, too.  Of course, just as I enjoyed this, other people might want things left a little leaner.  Meh.  To each their own, but I really liked it.<br/><br/>The plot was original, if quirky, and some of the content would be a bit dicey for those that lean toward conservative subject matter.  But I enjoyed it's uniqueness and I really liked the core event in the book... I thought it was fantastic.<br/><br/>The writing and content was intelligent, modern, urban, hip...in touch.  Really cool.<br/><br/>An easy 5 of 5 stars from this guy (pointing at myself).<br/><br/>A couple of fun quotes...<br/><br/>""...like tracer rounds going off in the jungle, lurid flares of highly detailed and emotionally complex material.""<br/><br/>""I think this goes more to the idea of 'relentless irony' than 'divine providence.'""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XSPEA0PVE621?ASIN=0316055441	Main character for me was a painting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Held my interest delving into the underground art world.  If not for the Goldfinch would main character have survived all that tested his morals?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WWL2Q4EANLZ5?ASIN=0316055441	The best story teller in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best story teller rhat I have read in a  long time.  I will read her other books.and would recommend the Goldfinxh to friends.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LTKNR3F79E7A?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is my new favorite novel.<br/>Although the author creates a character in Theo that is extremely flawed by both his circumstances and unending poor choices, the reader continues rooting for his success through it all.<br/><br/>Both heart breaking and uplifting.<br/><br/>Popchyk should live forever.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ENJ2JV4DUM12?ASIN=0316055441	best book in ages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrific portrait of NYC and the art world.Characters are drawn so well, and the final pages are just beautiful. Fiction at its best .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PMAHZZENTN7B?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overly long book. The story is interesting but there are too many pages with unnecessary description, they don't move the story along. I found myself skimming a lot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EDVWR0WP3IBE?ASIN=0316055441	It gets under your skin.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I seriously could not put this book down from the moment it was started.  Wonderful characters.  And so cleverly, colourfully written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DGHGKSGH0J3G?ASIN=0316055441	way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't mind a long book, as long as the words mean something and add to the story. This was just too much unnecessary descriptions and dialogue. I did not enjoy this book at all. The premise was interesting enough, I rather enjoyed the beginning but once the main character slipped into hundreds of pages of drug abuse I lost all feelings of compassion for him. The first hundred and last hundred pages were the best ones.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGI8BENZI0MSS?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put this book down and didn't want it to end.  Great storytelling!!!!  Unpredictable and exciting and poignant and fresh.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MWUJMRDTQ510?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like Donna Tartt, however, this book is too long, she takes chapters to finish a thought process.  Her first book, Secret History is a more deserving read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EYQBX57044JH?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting characters (especially Boris!) and story, but entirely too wordy - every movement and thought is written from every possible angle - overkill.  Author is evidently intelligent and sophisticated in the world of art, language, etc.  I bought the book because it won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the story certainly is unique - just didn't care for the writing style.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHREQIOUMIZ0R?ASIN=0316055441	So slow....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really wanted to like this book, but just couldn't. I didnt get pulled in during the first few chapters, but keep plugging along....  Then I got to the 1/2 way point and refused to give up, but it got worse and worse. I didn't like the main character as a human being, so I could care less.  I finished it just out of sheer determination.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REJ81V91H3NLU?ASIN=0316055441	Meh...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were some highlights, but overall I was surprised that this won a Pulitzer for fiction.  Much of the plot was predictable and while I enjoyed some of the individuals in the book, others really left me feeling like I didn't know them or understand why they were even a part of the story.<br/><br/>Not my favorite book so far this year.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TX9TXDSONSWH?ASIN=0316055441	Gripping from the start till the end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is both a thriller and an extraordinairy in depth depicture of the main caracters in the story, in such a realistic and convincing way that one can nearly physically ""touch"" them.<br/><br/>Just one little remark: knowing both Amsterdam and Antwerp very well, I believe the author has probably mixed up the streets of the two cities: Amsterdam does not have cobblestone streets (as referred to several times in the story), but Antwerp on the contrary has many of them. But that does of course in no way affect my rating of Donna Tartt's spellbinding book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E8HHYP2M0GGS?ASIN=0316055441	"""Goldfinch"" is an excellent book"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Most enjoyable  book.  learned a lot about the world of Art and Antiquities.  Well written if a bit lengthy.  Highly recommended. Wm. Herron</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38OUXAXSBMYRZ?ASIN=0316055441	Quite riveting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was hard to put down but also hard to pick up again.  It's one of the darkest emotional books I've read in a long time and the ending only intensifies the feeling.  Quite a sad book in all ways.  Good writing, good development of main characters.  Left just one thing hanging but the reader can assume.  I recommend it, but just know that it's not an uplifting book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XNGAU0ANXE6R?ASIN=0316055441	A journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was not an easy one but it pulled me in and kept me going. It certainly gives you a lot to think about. I would recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCPUGF7HXC4L7?ASIN=0316055441	Great read...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book ddn't pull me in at first, but once the life changing event (won't say more than that) occurs I couldn't put it down.<br/>Characters were beautifully drawn and top notch writing...Highly recommended</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YI6BOZDWWKI2?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I have read this year!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A compelling, descriptive story of a boy who's life changes dramatically, and the twists and turns his life takes as a result.<br/>A true page turner.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D027HGU0GOXZ?ASIN=0316055441	life changing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book honestly will change you in a profound way. captivating, beautifully written, philosophical and real. a must read for sure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC7DON5BFEHCH?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this novel very much; its story kept me in suspense until the very end. I see why this book has won awards and everyone is talking about it. So much in it to think about.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PU87LWS7X6AW?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book came out to great reviews.  I found the characters  well described and the story intricate although it was dark and somewhat depressing, but it was not an easy read.  It took me 4 months to get through as I couldn't make it past 4 or 5 pages before falling asleep.  The discussion of book however, was very interesting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZKRNL6RP7FB6?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Liked the book.Was very ""wordy"" and gave my brain a workout. If I have a criticism it would be in last few chapters when Boris came back on the scene. So many new characters were introduced it was hard to get names straight. I saw no need for the murder. Just a quick get-a-way would have done. Too much drug use too He should have married the red haired girl he loved so much .Ending could have been better</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R172SEBZT1GD3T?ASIN=0316055441	Engulfed by an incredible story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's writing is the best I have read in a long time and how anyone can come up with such a story.  She must have done an amazing amount of research.  My favorite book in a long time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZM4G8Q7ATB80?ASIN=0316055441	It is no wonder that she won the 2014 Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is my new favorite author, and I am making plans to read her other novels. Thankful that she doesn't write a novel a year or I would never catch up! They are huge tomes, but well worth the time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RD0LL926Z5LV?ASIN=0316055441	Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel grabs you right away, but gets verbose towards the last half.  A good read, but drags a bit so you may find yourself skimming parts to get to the next interesting section.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SGKJTPEVJHFE?ASIN=0316055441	Characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was wonderful.  I could not get a grasp on what Theo and Boris looked like besides the horn-rimmed glasses Theo wore and Boris always shaking his hair out of his eyes.  I could not get a picture of what they looked like.  Still, an awesome story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JVN207A25FL8?ASIN=0316055441	One of my all time favorites.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is quite long.  The story is well written.  I consider it one of my favorite books.  However, there were times I put it down not getting back to it for days.  Not a quick read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RTWS764FPGEN?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, beautiful story and beautifully written. It's the kind of book that you read slow because you don't want it to be over, but read it fast anyway, because you can't put it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAJSYU64616EO?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book.  It took me a little while to understand where the book was going but it ended really well and I fell in love with the characters.  I would read this again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ONA8WVX9QZSS?ASIN=0316055441	Want an engaging read this summer?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it loved it.  A passionate author  gives the reader a splendid look at a young man growing up under dire circumstances.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LEO8H2BX341W?ASIN=0316055441	A modern classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If Dostoevsky was alive and living in Las Vegas or possibly Manhattan ... The meaning of life and the interplay of good and evil is played out in the lives of Theodore (Fyodor) and Boris two abused boys who find each other and grow up in an imperfect world</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AN04N9MGBWJ3?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you don't mind a longer book this is well worth the read! Get story and ending. I couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M5RVSX436N3H?ASIN=0316055441	Great!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall this is one of the best books I've read in a long time (and I read about 1 book a week)!!  I could not put the book down!  The first two parts of the book were great -- the third part got a little drawn out, but it was still good.  If you are on the fence about reading this book just go ahead and get it -- you won't be disappointed!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34PB6INW2TXRN?ASIN=0316055441	Terrific!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a great page-turner! Not the type of book I usually read with all the depressive and anxious chaotic lifestyles, but was quickly and totally immersed in the character's life. Excellent book club choice for deep discussions on life!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYA0DPEV8N4DR?ASIN=0316055441	No Redemption	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel contains a lot of well written prose but presents a young man mired in youthful angst.  It is a long, long story, but very short on positive characters or redeeming actions.  Still it is a beautifully written novel which keeps the reader going just to enjoy a turn of a phrase.  I am a bit confused as to why this book is so popular.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGTOZO0II7AJF?ASIN=0316055441	A literary piece of art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossing story, deep character development and great literary style.  Certainly deserving of the Pulitzer Prize.  Have already recommended it to a number of friends and am looking forward to reading her other works.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NAPTT46OJ7RL?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I selected this book after reading a review in Time. magazine.  Donna Tartt is a wonderful writer  She bridges so many interesting ideas with wonderful prose.  I really love antiques, so this story appealed to me .  After reading this story, I am really interested in reading her other books.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OJGCR234C85F?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most beautifully written books I have ever read.  Do yourself a favor and read and this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M8FSFTQIX8H?ASIN=0316055441	LONG LONG LONG	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Parts were really good and readable - but it was too wordy.  The book could have stood a significant amount of editing.  However, I can understand why it won the Pulitzer.  The story was a good and interesting one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19AEFGZTMUGX3?ASIN=0316055441	Can't believe this book is a best seller - terrible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so disappointed in this book. Why in the world would anyone like this terrible depressing book is beyond me. I was determined to finish it so just skimmed through thinking it would get better but never did. If you took all of the adjectives out it would have been only about 200 pages. Friends of mine who read a lot felt the same way.  A lesson about believing that everything on the best seller list is a good book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38BHWGDPQISU8?ASIN=0316055441	UNIQUE..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lots of twists and turns. Very different from anything I have read. Couldnt put it down.  Had seen Donna Tartt interviewed on Charlie Rose and that piqued my interest, but this book was so unexpected from what I had imagined. Cant wait to read another book she has written.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PESDOO6KELP?ASIN=0316055441	Worth reading.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well-written!  What he went through ... His character really came to life as both a victim and as a survivor.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R183ARA891IWMK?ASIN=0316055441	Truly disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was recommended to me and I was excited to begin.  The beginning of this book was well developed but then the story line began to meander and sub plots were introduced and never felt cohesive.  I also ad trouble with then pucturation.  No quotation marks were disturbing.  I can't believe this book was awarded a prize!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29PUSOW9TEDH5?ASIN=0316055441	Hobie's Heart	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and sometimes tedious.  However, I did love the characters of Hobie and Boris.  Theo only seemed to care about himself and that painting.  He needed to see the world through the eyes of Boris and the heart of Hobie.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IZVZCCF6KKVU?ASIN=0316055441	Too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The basic story was good but it took a lot more words to tell it than I thought necessary.  Call me old fashioned, but it seemed there was an excessive amount of drug and alcohol use.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38GYTT2VHZC40?ASIN=0316055441	best of the year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a really wonderful book which is written well. Theres great development of characters and story and I just loved it.<br/>Though long ,800 pages, I really didn't want it to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NKGVWZKY3FDY?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the plot.  one two three four five six seven eight nine ten eleven twelve thirteen<br/>Why do these reviews require a minimum amount of words?  I said what I had to say.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDBG1DYPSI9AL?ASIN=0316055441	Thought provocking  intense	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book will make you feel things you may wish you did not, but it has the ability to make you focus on emotions.  very thought provoking and real  excellent writing</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NQM4UAXTVNKY?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed it very much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters were incredible and well developed. The story kept my attention. For some the book may be too long but for me I love a long book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JTUNE8V629OJ?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out as a great story with beautiful writing, but the story bogged down into the drug scene both during the middle and towards the end of the book.  The ending wasn't very believable considering what we had learned about Boris's character.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDUV1ADHOYR1P?ASIN=0316055441	Well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first part of the story was well written and made me want to read more. But the last part was too long and became almost dull. The author captures me with her descriptions and way of playing with imagination.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39W4GY2CIEFVD?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written, engaging story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The prose is evocative and the story is captivating. Once I started reading I didn't want to put the book down. The Goldfinch is one of the best books I have read this year.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MWSJYLKJ7152?ASIN=0316055441	Tragic story...very dark	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not my favorite read. Some of the story telling seemed disjointed to me and hard to follow. Very sad, dark characters. I enjoyed the beginning which reminded me a bit of Catcher in the Rye but that was not the case for long. Drugs and alcohol became an overall theme which I found distasteful. In fact, for me it clouded any message the author was trying to present.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27ZMNGUIBIDFY?ASIN=0316055441	Leaves something to be desired	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting but slow and difficult to read . Story not realistic in many ways and hard to believe that a young person can live through all this .</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LFUXEPDW5XVZ?ASIN=0316055441	Bravo	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Want sure about this when I ordered. Not usually what I read. But this captured me right away. Well done.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXKEESI5EG35S?ASIN=0316055441	Too long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written book, but it took me forever to get through because I completely disliked the two main characters and I felt the book could have been 200 pages shorter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PC9J8PUSYWH3?ASIN=0316055441	Top Shelf!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it!  One of the most beautifully written and engrossing books that I have ever read!  Highly recommend it as an awesome read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RERT7HUNMA8X0?ASIN=0316055441	Not a Fan	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was determined to see it though to the end as I felt certain this award-winning story had to get better. It never did for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBP30WPZTOJTN?ASIN=0316055441	Captured	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captured from the first page.<br/>Swept into the sight, sound, dirt &amp; taste of blood in the tragedy unfolding &amp; wept at the deep sadness. Beautifully written however initially I thought it was written with a woman's voice &amp; took some pages for me to relate to a male view. In parts fell into a soap opera, nevertheless a journey well worth taking. I look forward to more Donna Tartt.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QE8GSW954Z2K?ASIN=0316055441	VERY GOOD	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing,describes a world totally unknown to me with such details that astonished me.Excellent description of feelings (however morbid some times) .The only minor draw back is the ""police"" action and that is why it does not get 5 stars.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXK9NPSOQTUH7?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderfull!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I absolutely loved it.  The story is engaging and you cant wait to finish the next chapter to see what happens.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9M0O9C54MFHY?ASIN=0316055441	Not Donna Tartt's best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's writing is always evocative, beautiful and vivid. She paints a story with great depth and pathos, and has a wonderful way of fleshing out every character that appears, however briefly.<br/><br/>Unfortunately, this same deft skill counts against her here. In a hefty 775-page tome a lot of time is taken up with character detail that feels like it's largely been added for volume. Though the story itself has some magical elements, the painfully slow pace wore me down fairly soon, and neither the storyline nor the conclusion is compelling enough to overcome it.<br/><br/>Even at her worst Ms Tartt is still a great writer, but sadly this novel does not come anywhere near the brilliance of her iconic ""The Secret History"".</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R73UZA6266OF4?ASIN=0316055441	This is a page-turner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the story and couldn't put it down.  I even read through the night several times.<br/><br/>The painting of the goldfinch is the constant thread running through the book, it took on so many layers of meaning at different stages of this beautifully-crafted story.  I can see how it took 10 years to write and polish this gem, it is so well-connected; the characters are still in my head as I savor the aftertaste of this emotional tale.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBNJHLH3MP0C5?ASIN=0316055441	A slow trainwreck	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book details a  troubled life and forces you to watch the main character unravel like a slow train wreck.  As ypu silently hope he manages to pull it off you know life is not that simple and donna tart leaves you wondering where the story goes to next. A good read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDH92LH4DC62O?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The only thing about this book that a drawback is that one has to keep thinking from time to time--""How did she write this?"" --because it's just so good.  It is a compelling, exquisitely written story on so many levels and deserves the Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNPVF4FNXHQWL?ASIN=0316055441	Great story that pulls you in!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story that pulls you in from the very beginning, I loved the art tie-in.  Excellent character development...however, I felt the ending dragged on unnecessarily...that said, I'd recommend it to others.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5PP8O5QVQF71?ASIN=0316055441	a must read- just like her other books	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Totally engaging and captivating book. I could barely put it down. The story keeps having these twists and unexpected turns that just are so engaging. Must read!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34NGC9H9KZIB3?ASIN=0316055441	the Goldfinch is pure gold!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A novel that captures the reader right from the first page. Makes one reflect on what is truly important to them in such a complicated world.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IA3BFYZR95RY?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was disappointed in the book. It was well written, but it got very convoluted.  I expected to love it, but didn't.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L4QDCT08QNXK?ASIN=0316055441	gripping story, weak ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved 750 pages of this book, but the last little bit for me was disjointed from the rest of the book.  What the heck happened? Was she just tired of writing this? Or did she purposely leave loose ends for a possible sequel?  Still, I would recommend this book.  I liked the characters and the story. I was surprised at times and loved those unexpected twists.  It was a fun, albeit long, book. It was a great tale to get lost in.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VF1CZ06IF5W0?ASIN=0316055441	Too philosophical	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't get me wrong....this is a good book BUT very long in that he goes into long periods of explaining a feeling in different ways....for what seems like pages, before finally moving on. Kind of a sad book BUT the author is conveying the meaning of life or life through the eyes of Theo.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL3XVVPO81UEA?ASIN=0316055441	Sister recommended, I loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's so rarely do I find a contemporary writer who wins all those prizes and gets on everyone's must read lists appealing to me.  I usually find their books rather shallow and forgetable.  But The Goldfinch was excellent, well developed characters even if some of her leaps (school mate's family taking in the boy so smoothly and conflictless; store owner taking in the boy immediately and trustingly--people aren't like that, especially in NYC) were a bit hard to accept.  Interesting how she resolved the problem of the painting (again, a little far fetched but it's a fiction so you have to accept certain licenses).  For some reason, the name ""Donna Tartt"" feels so familiar to me but I know I haven't read this book before nor the other one, but am glad she is writing.  My little gang of friends were talking about all the good writers we've lost and how the new writers aren't measuring up to their predecessors--and I got to toss Tartt out there as a promising hope for the future.  Just hope she doesn't go lame and cripple herself.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LYAYZT2WCU35?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How could any one person go through so much trauma and live to tell about it?  I kept reading just to see how things turned out for him.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O8YA6S2GV3W5?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I kept having this book recommended to me so I finally bought it. The beginning what a little hard for be to get into--I just did not get thirteen year old boy from the narrator. But once I got into the book, I couldn't put it down. I think this is the best depiction of a drug addict I've read. After all the tragedy this kid has endured and just how naturally drugs come into his life . . . it all seemed very real. And his addiction isn't the main focus of the book, which I also loved. But Hobie, by far is my favorite character in the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T21GAZ963RYB?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read. Everything was extremely descriptive which sometimes discouraged me because I wanted the book to move along faster. But by the end of the book I was happy I stuck it out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O2AWZUNDMXVZ?ASIN=0316055441	Read it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic!  Great storylines, great complex character development and an interesting ending. This book is about and around so many things it is hard to describe but a wonderful read for anyone who reads.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LFGC77H8C7Q7?ASIN=0316055441	yep. it is.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a spectacular book. It's one best-seller that actually deserves all the praise that it has gotten. In a culture that thrives or craves quick sound bites, 3-word headlines, single paragraph synopses, and instant gratification, it's wonderful to read a long book that one doesn't want to end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KN9K47XY5L97?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent story, self absorbed ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't need the essay on the meaning of life, love and beauty at the end of this book...the story itself was a better catalyst to wonder about the nature of good and evil and sin and redemption and life and death...great story, unnecessary essay at the that was rather self absorbed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RODUK640ITCWN?ASIN=0316055441	Really loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book took me lots of different places with lots of different feelings.  I felt it was one of the best books I have read this year.  It was long enough that I could get lost in the storyline, but not so long as to be boring.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZJICHD6EHALQ?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book mostly kept my interest, but toward the end I was wishing it had ended a little sooner.  Plot was good, but seemed to fade toward the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ1ESIA4815H2?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the novel, which was almost 800 pages long, until I got to the end.  The author had the main character, Theo, ramble on for at least 8 pages, saying absolutely nothing that hadn't already been said throughout the first 700 pages. The story of Theo Parker and the loss of his mother was moving, and it took me a while to understand how the painting fit in, but eventually I did.<br/>The ending left me with some unanswered questions: why did Welty have the painting when they bomb exploded in the museum? What did he plan to do with it?  Was he stealing it?  If you read this novel, which won a Pulitzer Prize, and can answer my questions, please let me know!  Otherwise, good reading. You really get to know the characters; you will love Hobie; Boris will have you at times in stitches and at times disgusted.  Great characters and the author did a great job of developing them.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WLT7NTDWUL8Y?ASIN=0316055441	Who judges the prizes?!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A poor treatise  on the contemporary events of trauma, loss  and lack of bonding, the sins of the nation on display with way too many details!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R4OYS2B2IKX8?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book, well written. Interesting believable characters. Just read it...I don't want to give anything away. It's now in my own Top 10 books.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25X5254QEMFZP?ASIN=0316055441	No Redeeming Qualities	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't wait to finish this book. So depressing. I don't understand why it is on so many reading lists.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CC0CTIX906QK?ASIN=0316055441	Pullitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good writing and very descriptive.  An examination of the drug culture and the underclass it has created.  Quite Dickensean in its views of culture and characters. A worthy choice for the prize.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16242TB1T5YLF?ASIN=0316055441	Kept thinking it would get to the climax but it didn't.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I kept reading the book in hopes that what could be considered a main character, the painting, would actually have some satisfying climax or end or SOMETHING.  Instead it just continued to be largely in the periphery and little happened til nearly the end of the book and it wasn't what I as a reader was looking for.  It was a rather depressing book overall, reminded me of a ""Prayer for Owen Meany"" in that way.  If you want to be strung along for a few hundred pages and read about how bad things keep happening to the main character then this is the book for you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V60HETK9AHUE?ASIN=0316055441	I couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Make sure you have some time if you start this book. It's amazing, I couldn't put it down. I gave myself a serious crick in the neck reading it. The best book I've read in years!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BEFZBJ2KLKAJ?ASIN=0316055441	Like the Goldfinch I, too, was chained (but finally freed myself)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What's wrong with me? I love reading, art, museums, NYC, but this slow-moving story was not for me.  Why were the masses demanding it? For months this excuse for a story has been on the Best Seller List!  I found it to be the most boring book I've ever tried to read.  Finally, I came to my senses and said, ""That's it!  I've had it!  I should have used the public library instead of wasting money.""  Hours were lost reading inane thoughts by a teenage boy.  More time was wasted reading about him and his ""friend"" Boris, their drinking and limited vocabulary as far as adjectives are concerned, so I made the profound decision:  Stop plowing through this!  My apologies...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRIKE0TYMZIHQ?ASIN=0316055441	A  lengthy read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel was better in the first part of the book, than later chapters.  I found myself thinking ""just get on with it"".  Theo is a product of his own choices, and in some respects is not as sympathetic protagonist as he could be.  In the end, I kept on reading as I had already invested so much time, and it did, after all, win the Pulitzer, but I have enjoyed other books more.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QGC21G8RMVSO?ASIN=0316055441	i	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good read. I did find the lengthy and detailed descriptions of drug abuse irratating. Definitely going to read her other book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVTWP8MOTUMPZ?ASIN=0316055441	!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think this was a fabulous book! Very we'll written and thought provoking.<br/><br/>Not an easy, quick read but well worth the time if you like to read a bit of a difficult book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X0AJ3I1B161?ASIN=0316055441	Well done	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is engaging and profoundly beautiful.  It has a reverence about art that is moving and poetic. Great characters!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KQ557KZWED31?ASIN=0316055441	multi-layered and tragic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The crafting of this book was a workshop in character development. I enjoyed and despaired in it. Check it out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17FB9UPCTSH4C?ASIN=0316055441	A disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so excited to read this book and was sorely disappointed.  While the settings and characters were finely drawn, the main characters were almost universally unlikable.  The story just rambled and it was like running a marathon to finish.  Sorry, but I think books should be at least mildly entertaining.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OOH4D5Y8FJEZ?ASIN=0316055441	"a little depressing in the ""middle"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is intriguing with many surprises and twists. The symbolism of the painting becomes clear by the end. It is a ""good read.""</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36ZPD5MTNSLB7?ASIN=0316055441	I would give it 6 stars if I could!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this read.  Beautifully descriptive without being overdone; I could fully imagine each locale, each character, the beauty of art and antiques I have never seen personally, it was so well written.  I felt I was able to connect emotionally to Theo's roller coaster ride, beginning with a life-altering tragedy in his youth and leaving us with amendments made for the experiences in between.  (Don't want to give too much away!)  Although Theo enters adulthood during the evolution of his story, I could never stop imagining his character as a lost boy, so complete was my empathy for the random acts of tragedy he experienced.  Death abounds in this novel, as it is wont to do in life.  My only drawback was the soliloquizing at the end; sometimes an explanation of thought isn't required.  (I may reread the end to see if I still agree with that initial impression!)  Definitely a commendable piece of literature.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37CMF2JHSYIDR?ASIN=0316055441	A chore to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really wanted to like this book! I didn't give up til the end, but it was a chore and I felt like the story just dragged on and on. I couldn't wait til it was over. I would not recommend this book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23A0PE3HHGU27?ASIN=0316055441	Thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A nice character novel. Right when I was ready for a change of pace, the author changed up the events. Some parts seemed a little out of character, but she captured the essences of each stage of Theo's life. The story held my attention.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWSG1X95M86GL?ASIN=0316055441	Loss, love and survival--a different coming-of-age saga	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">slow starting, could be tighter,  but a good story even if far-fetched. Superb characterizations and art descriptions. Fluid writing, certainly holds your attention.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJE4LWFDQ00CE?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put this down it was such a great and amazing read. following the tragic story of Theodore Decker throughout his life, it was about love, beauty, friendship, and life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AKHK1B6NENT?ASIN=0316055441	A story about life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">All the things I could never put into writing about the way I feel about life is here eloquently put on this book. It's simply tragically beautiful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGPAS7BVCJPN6?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the best book I have read in many, many years. What makes it great is not the plot, but the description.  It is so vivid that you are in the plot, not observing it from the outside.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGBIYBRPK4F29?ASIN=0316055441	How did this win a Pulitzer??!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">(Actual score: 3.5) This story has some fascinating and different characters, most of which have character development over the course of their part in the story. However, the book has nonstop anachronisms that I think should have disqualified it for any literary prize. It's something so basic that the author could not possibly, for example,  have thought the technology she put in the 1990s existed then.<br/><br/>This book is exceedingly long and yet there are places where it skips ahead in ways that leave the reader wondering how the situation that is described could have possibly come about.<br/><br/>Still, the writing-- especially in the first half of the book-- is excellent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NWG2P92TF3MC?ASIN=0316055441	A good mix of plot and beautiful prose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A touching story of a boy who suffers a tragic loss, and the unexpected turns his life takes as a result. While the book is very long (over 700 pages), it managed to keep my attention the entire time. This story is filled with such unique characters and is unlike any book I've ever read. I recommend it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJF7O39WOFK01?ASIN=0316055441	"Donna Tartt's ""The Goldfinch"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book needed some serious editing. 800 plus pages is way way way TOO long!!!<br/>I did enjoy art history</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G2UDTLCISYA9?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant, moving, disturbing, deeply warm and cautiously cold at the same time. So glad I read it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Of all human creation, only art approaches immortality. A stirring story. I will miss Theo, and I will miss wanting to know what happens to him next, and what happens to the Goldfinch.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROTHICQ0A4BO9?ASIN=0316055441	great reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great writer, would love to read more great books like this one.  just the best writer and most interesting story<br/>luv it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DUPKCAUAU9U5?ASIN=0316055441	This book has an exhilerating plot.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I  consider the Goldfinch to be the best fictional novel I've read in my entire life.  Throughout reading it I  couldn't wait to pick it up and when I finished the last chapter it was like I was saying goodbye to a good friend.  I enjoyed Ms. Tartt's style of writing so much that I immediately downloaded her earlier novel, ""Little Friend"".<br/>I'd recommend The Goldfinch to anyone who considers himself a ""fiction aficionado""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZJVVTF08RQZ3?ASIN=0316055441	Long but good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting characters and storyline.  I would definitely recommend it.  The reason I gave it only 4 stars was due to then ending.  Like many great novels, there is so much highly developed build up of characters and plot lines (a good thing), but then a hundred things happen very suddenly and quickly in the last 50 pages and it feels rushed.  Also, the last chapter feels like the author has switched from novelist to philosopher.  All in all, I liked it a lot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R142G1GI7EWJU8?ASIN=0316055441	Philosophical!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love a book that makes you question life and why you love the way you do. The ending of this book really made me question how I want to live the rest of my life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROAJMKGT1WM9M?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a wonderfully 'visual' description novel. Tartt places you in places and situations that with words give the reader the full experience of the event or place. I loved the ending, but not the last 10 pages or so (I read it on my Kindle) of semi-ranting by the main character. However, I would highly recommend it to anyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31JQHUXZNYL3?ASIN=0316055441	A remarkable adventure through good and evil	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first chapters of this incredibly long mega novel sucked me as fatefully as a leaf swirling madly into a whirlpool. It was delicious reading and I found myself going back and reading passages over and over. Theo's plight as an orphan pulled at my heartstrings and he captured me completely.<br/><br/>Then... enter the world of drugs and dishonesty and intrigue. My mind kept begging him not to do this and not to do that, knowing full well he would follow a destructive path.<br/><br/>I became as addicted to this book as Theo was to his addictive dishonest lifestyle. As a Christian I hated muddying my mind with the awfulness of drug use and dark depraved lifestyles. But Donna Tartt's writing is so sublime and so perfect I couldn't stay away. I had to know what happened next; had to take that next bite of an apple I didn't want to eat. A bedtime novel-reader, I couldn't read ""The Goldfinch"" at night since I would toss and turn all night long thinking about it and reviewing happenings over and over.<br/><br/>So, would I recommend it? Yes, I would.  It is a superbly written tale of mankind's penchant in following the intrigue of the forbidden and the darkness that life beckons. However, it is very long and I found myself skimming the last dozen pages to get to the end. I also would have liked more dialogue. Still, it is a highly enjoyable read.<br/><br/>Jan Thacker, author ""The Widows of Danford""</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSUNBZR7AKNKY?ASIN=0316055441	Dark, but thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've just read the last words of this book, and only in the end of it did the author express her message.  From the beginning I was hooked and wanted to know, what will happen now;  however, the main character, Theo and his friend Boris are so wasted and unlikable at times with their incessant drug use and waste of high intelligence, that I wanted to quit reading.  I know very little about drugs but at times it seemed the writer was glorifying them and I kept thinking if some impressionable young person was reading this he or she might decide drugs are cool.  Theo grows up and we really don't find much to like about him and yet we continue to feel a certain empathy because he has lost so much and we want a happy ending.  Is there a happy ending?  Well it is one of those books you will have to decide for yourself.  In my mind the ending was a lot like life, uncertain and thought provoking.  I am sure I would like to meet this Theo Decker now because I know he would be an interesting person with whom to sit and have a meaningful conversation.  I like him.  His friend, Boris, I don't like so much.  His friend and business partner Hobie - oh yeah, I could fall in love with him.  It is a good book, but be prepared for the dark side.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R8OBMM68U22N?ASIN=0316055441	Length of this book could be a negative	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well done, however editing out 1/3 of the pages might have added power to the presentation. I admit that I read it to the end .</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBSNW2RWIU59P?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story line...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">...but I think the book is too long for such a dark story tale.  Well-written, moving -- all true.  Still in all, I felt compelled to finish to see what became of the painting, and was sorry I spent so much time on it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW2OHSC0MTH0N?ASIN=0316055441	Well Written Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was somewhat depressing and very long.  However, the writing was excellent and I finally enjoyed it by the last ten pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPXKPJTH0IODH?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the struggle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those books where the beginning, middle, and much of the end were hard reading. The end was great, but ....  I'm glad I read it because the ending made it worthwhile. I would say it took writer way too long to get to her point.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37IZQMU1S51IX?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put done ""The Goldfinch"". The Pulitizer was well-deserved! I will be a devoted reader of Donna Tartt's work from now on!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F461TD9LYEE6?ASIN=0316055441	Don't get sucked in by the Pulitzer.  This one stinks.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What makes a Pulitzer Prize winner?  If it's an abundance of words, this book fits.  If it's the number of pages, this book fits.  If it's stories within a story, which really add nothing to the original story, this book fits.<br/>I'm certain there are others who were taken in by the Pulitzer Prize and this book appearing on the best seller list.  Believe me, it's not worth your money nor your time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EQFPE740GZYS?ASIN=0316055441	Best Book I've read in a long time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. The writing was so descriptive and detailed, I almost felt like I experienced the events myself. The story is gripping and thoughtful. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good literature.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYLEG5NCLPC7C?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is one of the best books I've ever rrad. It completely absorbs the reader. I love the characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R187YVB3AQV7UU?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the writing is very well done, the book is just too long!  They story line was good but it is easy for the reader to get bogged down in all of the details and miss the true meaning of the book.  I don't recommend spending the time or money to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27YMYB8ZCUBE1?ASIN=0316055441	WOW	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am deeply soul-saddened and wholly content at the same time.!?!?!?!?!? Thank You,&amp; THANK YOU GOD . "" Love and  Hate become one in the same in the eyes of a wounded child""</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28G9RCGYJQJRZ?ASIN=0316055441	best book I've read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing book whose characters capture your imagination. Fast moving, tragic, thoughtful. Couldn't put it down as I at times felt disdain for, was pulling for, was mortified by, and what's sympathetic to the flawed and seriously damaged main character. Thoroughly satisfying!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUWWQRF0E1CTG?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book wears you out with so much going on.  It was exhausting.  Lots and Lots of words, but an amazing unpredictable story.<br/>I love the way she puts words together.  Eileen Knobbs</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5P7MRPJX1D4M?ASIN=0316055441	Perfect	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book so perfect, luminous and delightful it makes me feel guilty that i have in the past addressed five stars to other, lesser books. A Facebook friend recommended it and if he never does another single thing for me he will have enriched my life immeasurably by that one act.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDR5Z2V4NUTK1?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many words! This writer is too contemplative for me. I loved the story. I got into the characters and I grieved with all of them.  The analogy of fine art and life is interesting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R394SRB27JVGJN?ASIN=0316055441	good ones	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed it very much, but the ending left something to be desired for me.  I think I'll read it again... Maybe I misunderstood something.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZMC0AQNHJ9QH?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully Written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't expect this book to be a page-turner, so I was pleasantly surprised when I found that I couldn't put it down. Her writing is lyrical but with an urgency to tell the story, and tell it well. About 3/4s of the way through, though, I felt the writing to be a bit bogged down and not quite believable at one point, but it was brief.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16PQAHKRW0U7N?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was well written and strangely compelling.  When I finally did manage to put it down, I kept wanting to get back to it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OYQVTMGYORY6?ASIN=0316055441	Wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story has so many twists and turns, you never can guess how it's going to.end up.  This is.the kind of story I wish I knew someone else who was reading it so I can talk to that person about it.  This is a perfect book for a book club.  Deep, disturbing at times, joyful and sorrowful at the same time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA6HGJW7IKYDR?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, kept surprising me. Never thought it would have ended the way it did, kept the twists and turns coming.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KK5M129XRB4L?ASIN=0316055441	long winded at times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good book, great story line.  Just very wordy at times when it doesn't need to be.  All in all I'd recommend it to a friend to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UE859AY4T5Y?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer? For a Life of Despair?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Okay, the first third is written beautifully; it's like a song; I couldn't get enough. And I didn't. Because the melody just keeps hitting sour notes. Dostoevsky has been done already.<br/>-- Sadly Disappointed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21X58FNWG80HO?ASIN=0316055441	Complex and engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Complex and engaging, this is my favorite yet of Donna Tartt's novels. A richly executed series of adventures takes the reader from New York City to suburban Las Vegas, to Amsterdam in this engrossing and emotionally fulfilling story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OVH8P5WX7YUW?ASIN=0316055441	Awful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Probably the worst novel I've ever read. Totally depressing, without hope or possibility of redemption. Life is not like this. The writing is stilted and exagerated. I cannot imagine what critics found to praise.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RENZR8JSRDP9S?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book....though one of the longest I've read in a long time and it took me a couple months to get through it!  You feel like you are living his life right along with him.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EJSV5FOQ43F9?ASIN=0316055441	Kept me guessing!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book helped get me through surgery and recovery and when it was over it was like losing an old friend!!  You get so caught up in the characters that you forget everything else!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGW1HDZKL3XIP?ASIN=0316055441	Good but long read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written and engrossing but way too long.  I got tired of reading about all the bouts with drugs and alcohol.  After a while you get the point and I found myself skipping ahead.  Also, two thirds of the way into the book it turns into a action thriller.  Again, well written but too long.<br/><br/>On the positive side, I loved the parts about the painting and the symbolism of it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FO1D9SXWNZ24?ASIN=0316055441	Don't know if it was worth the reading...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So many  people told me it was 'great.' a pulitzer prize winner. The literary styling is beautiful and easily drew me in. The story content is relentlessly depressing.<br/>However seeing the life of a young person scared so young and growing up 'with no one to love him.' was interesting and a good way to understand people who suffer from PTSD.<br/>The ending was about 200 pages too long, though the last few pages were better. The writing is sharp but often labors on with far too much detail.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UHFRS1N49AED?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best book I've read in a long time. Beautifully written, wondrous descriptive passages, smart. A lovely meditation on how and why we relate to great art while being entertained and horrified by the lost boys, our hero Theo and his friend Boris, an update of the Artful Dodger. It is quite long and sometimes a slog, (through the drug and alcohol passages for me), but it is more than worth it. I have insisted my friends all read it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY2NNICIHRMKE?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful story told in first person about the incredible life of a boy to a man, the resilience of the human spirit and a moral dilemma of epic proportions.<br/>I savored this book, reading it slowly, to appreciate the winding story line, the delightfully full characters, and when it was close to the end, to delay the inevitable.<br/>No spoiler alert here, just a strong recommendation to read it for yourself and enjoy the ride.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YEGKFC4JYUFS?ASIN=0316055441	Liked the first 1/3?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the whole of it; yes it was long!  Those who found THE GOLDFINCH riveting-- yet frustratingly drawn out -- I recommend you try  Athie Wolfe's new title NAME THE BABY (AND FEED THE DOG), which can be read in one lazy Saturday morning.  You can get NAME THE BABY on Amazon or Kindle.  I read both THE GOLDFINCH and NAME THE BABY on Kindle, liked them both equally.  Both are stories of trauma and redemption but NAME THE BABY is told with a lighter, much happier touch, if that makes sense and no preaching at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN61Q27CRFG4J?ASIN=0316055441	Too much interwoven time/action	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well,I've always wanted to see what constitutes a Pulitzer Prize book......I still can't figure it out....but the drama wore me out.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8P7GKSNQ1ZIZ?ASIN=0316055441	Critical Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt is a lengthy but refreshing novel.  What I particularly loved about this novel was its overall depth in the story.  There are some very interesting and important topics drawn out by Tartt.  As the novel got underway I was certain that she was trying to re-write ""A Catcher in the Rye,""  but I was happily dead wrong.  The first half of the novel poignantly captures what I'll call ""Our American War on Youth.""  The second half of the novel delves deep into what this all means as we move out of the war zone and into adulthood.  Some really important issues are deftly probed.<br/><br/>Alas, as a critical review I'm going to spill a bit about what's wrong with this novel.  Tartt's style is a bit of a throwback to a previous generation of writers.  Oh no, not the Hemingways of the world but even further back.  Wordy is a nice way to put it.  Listen, Donna if you ever read this I'm going to tell you what an editor won't.  This kind of overflowing descriptive prose under the pretext of descriptive writing is nothing more that an expression of low grade hatred for the reader.  Knock this s**** off before you turn into Henry James!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPTK8ZTHU8FJP?ASIN=0316055441	Harrowing, touching, twisty	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was not at all what I was expecting.  It went deeper and darker into places I did not want to go, but thoroughly enjoyed.  Had I known what I was in for at the outset, I would have NEVER read it, and been worse off for it.  Don't ask anyone anything; don't read too many reviews, just JUMP IN.  It's fantastic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EKAG69NNQ187?ASIN=0316055441	it was ok	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was very long and boring in runs, and ending was terrible! It could not keep my attention.<br/>It was just ok for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMZGXB9BLQNV9?ASIN=0316055441	Good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written, and although I had a hard time getting into it, it eventually snagged me.  Fascinating characters.  KK</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7V5FBJZN22K8?ASIN=0316055441	An amazing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the type of novel that makes you stop and reread the last paragraph for the shear pleasure of savoring the words. It is a story of loss and discovery, so well written that you feel entwined within the pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SWPLH6FMP7L1?ASIN=0316055441	Not what I expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like this book.  The graphic description of the drug culture may be accurate, but I do not enjoy reading about it ad nauseum.  Perhaps it was written for the younger generation.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HWLK8WD78K6O?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch painting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent book. Very long but once you start, you just can't stop reading. Kind of a sit on the edge of your seat. I read it on my kindle and it was with me all the time so that every spare minute I could read. It seems to appeal to all ages alike (my daughter and granddaughter both read it). I'm sure that if you read it you too will enjoy it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B78W8MRKCNSA?ASIN=0316055441	yuck	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was painful.  In order to qualify for a Pulitzer a book must contain enormous amounts of ridiculous adjectives and completely focus on dysfunctional angst to the point of blathering.  Nothing about this book redeemed it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P5ZT71I09RDP?ASIN=0316055441	The Bird was the Best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing was superb, the story interesting.  I had difficulty liking several of the characters but still found them compelling.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NCVNCH9JCB21?ASIN=0316055441	Good Book But Drawn Out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a compelling story, but the drugs and debauchery took away from the story.  Also, the book just dragged at the end.  I had a hard time believing that Theo would just go to Europe with Boris, especially since he knew Boris was likely to do something weird and dangerous.  And since Theo actually killed someone, was he ever really off the hook?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37RGT7T0FGMOO?ASIN=0316055441	too many words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt this story could have been told using fewer words. Many times the author rambles with words that don't matter, the reader looses interest and skips ahead.  ""Filler words"" in my opinion, cut the story into fragments rather than allowing the plot to flow as one complete story.<br/>Interesting story, yet very sad and tragic for all the characters.<br/>It did make for some good discussion in our book club.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12Y8SGPX3WELE?ASIN=0316055441	Unique	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I LOVED the beginning, but from the middle on, the many details bogged down the storyline. Intriguing characters draw the reader in.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28XIY5VDWF17S?ASIN=0316055441	Very good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm a big fan of sweeping, huge epic stories, and this definitely fits the bill. I highly recommend it. Yeah.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R371H6ZU4BEPOJ?ASIN=0316055441	A heartwrentching but beautiful story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one fantastic book!  I could not stop reading it! The characters are real people to you as you sift through the pages, almost as if they are sitting right there on your couch speaking to you of the mysteries of Life.  Theo, Boris, Hobie and Pippa - wonderful characters.  Thank you Donna Tartt, for creating such a wonderful masterpiece.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BVXRXHZ10448?ASIN=0316055441	'liked it but.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An absorbing book and I did like The Goldfinch but some areas were quite tedious and superfluous for a work of fiction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BR6SGM2VEUFN?ASIN=0316055441	Great Writing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is such a visual book, you can feel and see everything she s describing or drawing you a picture.the story of this 13 year old moving  through his young adulthood is riveting.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX4QS639QNMHN?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story and very well written! I liked the author so much I bought another of her books. Highly recommended!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L8IJXN5WVHKN?ASIN=0316055441	A Painter's Gift for Survival	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's characters are drawn so clearly.  Theo, the main character, is in such pain, but he takes you on a life journey that introduces you to the art scene, the antique world, the mental self medications of drugs, and the power of real friends.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EFMOTG5JN3BM?ASIN=0316055441	Dramatic and passionate with grief and perseverance	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The main character, Theo went through trauma after trauma and somehow survived despite his own bad choices to cope.  I felt deeply his grief and desperation and how he clung to any affection despite his own self destructive patterns.  His cravings were endless and intense and the writer detailed his pain in overwhelming style.  I was captured in Theo's painful life and was relieved to make it through to the other side at the books end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGSRBZZ3S6UE3?ASIN=0316055441	ok	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read as part of a Book Club. First I didn't realize how long it was due to purchasing on kindle. I could relate to the grief experience and enjoyed the main character. However, I felt like the ending was a let down. Almost like the writer realized how long it was or how close to some sort of page limit, and tried to wrap it up quickly. A bit of a let down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N8S8O83HIXVO?ASIN=0316055441	Tailspin	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Agog most of the way, but overlong and preachy ending. Brilliant similes and metaphors and stunning immersion in  the drug scene.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YZOKE1FRIW2B?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In the beginning it was difficult for  me to understand how all things would tie together, and yet they did beautifully. How powerful relationships can become. Enjoyed immensely.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTR5F90J6PO8K?ASIN=0316055441	Terrific	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the parts in Las Vegas, it even made me feel sweaty (could have been a hot flash). Just thought the ending was too pat.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GO9QHYZUEL4B?ASIN=0316055441	My patience paid off!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Took me months to finish the novel, but once I did, it was very satisfying.  There were heart-racing moments, and there were stretches where I didn't much like the main character or care - back and forth.  But now, I'm curious what the rest of his life will be like.  He's not perfect, but he clearly learns, grows, and develops.  I'd say the novel requires a patient, persevering reader.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HNN8ER38DEAP?ASIN=0316055441	Really good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You relly get involved in the characters lives and can't wait to see how thngs work out for them.  It sucks you in.  I read till my eyes were blurry.  Heavy at times and funny at times.  Anyone who loves to read will get into this story.  Loved it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26LGTXWHFU5KY?ASIN=0316055441	Just a great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the very start I enjoyed reading. It kept me often awake just to finish another caption.<br/>I cannot believe that anyone would not like the way Donna Tartt wrote this epic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18CWDPL14X517?ASIN=0316055441	A tour de force	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a remarkable story.  What a remarkable writer.  A book you will find yourself hurrying back to pick up again whenever you are forced to put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GLQ7RVBVGST1?ASIN=0316055441	Very disappointed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out good but then just went on and on without any real purpose.  Was very disappointed and would not recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GN3F5WQ5640Q?ASIN=0316055441	couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written, the author really got us into the character and I was enthralled. Her writing style is great</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G744F8BCLB53?ASIN=0316055441	WORDS WORDS WORDS	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">reminded me of ""War and Peace"" in that there were so many tangents of mind-stream that I forgot what the topic was.  Speed reading was useful as the need to finish the book to find out why it was published was a driving force.  The end quite anti-climactic and Boris a much more interesting character that Potter.  Once Boris entered the dialogue at the end,  the end was so very predictable even though the writer tried to divert the reader as nauseum.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D859XRQ2T9O1?ASIN=0316055441	meh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I guess the one redeeming quality is that she did her homework on opioid addiction.  This whole story was incredibly forced, contrived, awkward. You get the point. Or maybe that was her point. Either way, I didn't enjoy it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30JNQLX5L80MD?ASIN=0316055441	For the Hardiest Readers only	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one tough read, Intellectually and emotionally. No part of your intellect is spared in this read, a roller coaster ride like nothing I have encountered, ever. Plot and character development quite like nothing I've ever encountered. How it ends is a<br/>problem for this reader, like the character is trapped in a cell with no way out, ever.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KSPEC8LR2TNF?ASIN=0316055441	Confusing and a difficult read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was somewhat confusing, and difficult to follow.  I had to force myself to keep reading, not my kind of book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X6HHV3CIC05Y?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is an interesting if lengthy tale of one person's search for love and happiness.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As I read The Goldfinch, I was uncomfortable with the focus on a drug-induced life as a way to endure life's tragedies. My background and inclination kept wondering why Theo couldn't move on with his life after the tragedy and trauma he sustained.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKOEQF01WEP6T?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book too redundant for my liking. The ending was the most satisfying part of the book for me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15E8QS5TSNE22?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfonch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was very interesting about the life of a young man.  How he made his way after a tragic accident and how he grew as a man.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZUMJ0MA010E4?ASIN=0316055441	Too negative	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I expected to read about art not about another book about a twisted personality.  There are some good stories yet to be told.  This wasn't one of them.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23XJX9OK6TH9?ASIN=0316055441	Ineresting, unusual and disappointing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book held my attention initially, but began to feel tedious.  After a while I thought it would never end, and when it did, it was as if the author just got tired of writing .  Strange and disappointing</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R91GB934MZW27?ASIN=0316055441	Read it, gifted it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic read. Pulls you in and never let's you go. I read the kindle version, then bought the hard cover for gifting.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AZDLHX3ZHJDB?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this rating because the beginning was great, but it went on and on.  Way too boring at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EJ8DX9RJBDLF?ASIN=0316055441	An interesting read but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story w ent on and on for too long.  By the time i was half way through, i became tired with the main characters addiction.  Then, the descriptions of events and things that went on became overwhelming and i did a lot of skimming toward the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R158JA6GUVE0NL?ASIN=0316055441	Can't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Phenomenal author. Characters are. So real I can see them. Love this book and will go back to look for others by ms Tart</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AA8KS8QJE8JU?ASIN=0316055441	Rich in description and substance	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have not given 5 stars to a book in a long time, if at all. If I could, I would give more. I wholeheartedly agree that Ms. Tartt deserved the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for this book. I know others may disagree, but this is my review and perspective as a reader of books, including the classics and contemporary fiction and non-fiction for six decades. The characters were developed in such a way that you felt like you could picture them and that you had a connection, good or bad, with them. I especially liked Theo's imperfect friend Boris. I lived in Ukraine for a few years and, based on my experience, felt like the author did a good job creating this character. Hobie too was like a comfortable shoe that I wish I had. The scenes descriptions were so deeply described that I also felt like I could see the scene. I thought that story line was interesting and I cared about Theo, and many of the other characters, and what the ultimate outcome would be. If I had to say there was any disappointment in the book, it might be with the end, which I thought was a bit esoteric. But, it was incongruous and it was told from the main character's, Theo's, perspective, not mine. So, although it didn't fit my expectation, it was fitting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9BJARTMIOKIW?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was great reading; but could have been shorter, yet still effective in telling the story... Some parts were more descriptive than was necessary.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QO2O6K785DIZ?ASIN=0316055441	Not my kind of book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the most depressing book I have ever read.  It was well written but was full of drugs, drunks, and thievery.  I don't live that style of living and had difficulty reading 700+ pages about it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13TQ1OLMD790S?ASIN=0316055441	A strong choice for a book club read, this book lends itself to discussion and taps into different points of view	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A riveting story, it is powerfully written and I admire the writer's skill and style. However, I was so disappointed in many of the characters, their choices and their ways of living. In fact, I actively disliked several of them before the book ended, which colored my enjoyment of the novel. So glad I read it but did I enjoy the book? Not especially.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYTPO2VZQUCMX?ASIN=0316055441	How could this win the Pulitzer Prize?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I always like to finish books that I start.  That said, it was all I could do to do finish this one.  Don't k ow what this was really trying to convey.  I would never recommend this to anyone.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GGPVKGOIG6TO?ASIN=0316055441	Quite good but long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch got off to a wonderful start. A boy and his mother, both intriguing characters, take on an adventure before reporting to the school principal. Immediately the book takes a sudden turn that completely changes his world. The rest of the story is really his journey to build a new world.  In this sense the book is not too long.  It takes a while to tell this kind of story and Tartt takes us far into the depths of the young man's soul.<br/><br/>Tartt's writing is exceptional. Her characters have real meat, real flaws, real feelings, real fears and triumphs.<br/><br/>For me the challege to staying engaged was the violence. It's not gory TV violence. This is violence of real sociopaths and addicts. Sometimes it's almost accidental and sometimes intended from the beginning of the encounter. Not every character is violent or a sociopath. Sometimes the flaw seems trivial, like one young friend's dislike of sailing or his father's devotion to sailing. Each of these traits plays out in Tratt's writing.<br/><br/>I read every page and would read it again. I also would not recommend it for teens and I'm certain some people will struggle with this one for both length and content.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VP9VSAVK77VB?ASIN=0316055441	The convoluted adventures of theo and boris	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic character development and intensity throughout each escapade.  Would have had 5* if the ending hadn't left me flat.  Loved all but the last 50 pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KXA510OMRE8R?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can't-put-it-down book.  However, skipped some pages when author went off on a tangent time after time, in a dream-like state.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H1WL8GU3S416?ASIN=0316055441	Certainly deserved the Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read....fantastically believable characters, plot flows smoothly but not necessarily as expected; with a plausible ending that brings some harmony to the art of living for the main character.  I may well read this again...soon!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KDF33REZGDO?ASIN=0316055441	Good writing, but......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful until it got too long. At first I could not put it down then I started to skip some parts.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36YO0OL1LHMGG?ASIN=0316055441	Don't know why it's on bestseller lists	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I plowed through this book and finally finished it.  When I finished I wondered why I had bothered.  Lengthy descriptions of dreams and being high ruined this for me, when basically the plot had a lot of promise.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R154PWL62281S5?ASIN=0316055441	the best mix of beautiful and disturbing...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very informative, soo realistic and scary , but also unbelievably inspiring and teaching. The author got what she was striving for - the childlike hunger to know what is happenning next, to feel despair and sorrow and to joy along with the main character:)</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28J76H1NTG1KK?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very long story, so don't think it will be a quick read.  Although at times the story seems to drag, in general I did find it a compelling story and am glad I read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23M5PASSRHZXM?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this novel because it covered so many arenas of Theo's complicated life.  It finally tied together near the end of the book.<br/>It did drag a little toward the end and I started skimming, but still enjoyed.<br/>I'm in a book club and some of the women didn't care for it. I like reading about a world that I don't know about.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J47J6EWV9E0G?ASIN=0316055441	too many long side stories	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not enjoy the story because it had too many story lines going-might have been two books rather than one.  Have trouble believing this is a best seller.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M6VL4CS3LLO3?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel, though ""wordy"" is very well written and keeps the reader's interest through 700 plus pages. The major  characters are well-developed with none becoming the hero or protagonist in the story, except perhaps , Hobie.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SG3ZIPS57BF2?ASIN=0316055441	Good story but rambled on too much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book but felt the author made it about 400 pages longer than it needed to be. I skimmed a lot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34E3DCMEN4VW?ASIN=0316055441	a must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">couldn't put it down book , now I know why it won the Pulitzer prize. Great read for all age groups from 20 on up.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5VN6X0P8WEKW?ASIN=0316055441	Disturbing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Her first two books ""the Silent History"" and ""The  Little  Friend ""were absolutely marvelous I would give them five stars,  but I found this most depressing and a very unhappy book. I know Theo had many choices to make in his life ( As we all do ),and his  choices went from bad to worse .<br/>. To me ,the many drug ""scenes"" were disturbing because they were written so well.<br/>Because of her other two books I still think she is next thing to a genius!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27HTA6FQB3XYZ?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling page-turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This lengthy book covers loads of detail about paintings and antiques as the background story to the dramas/ challenges/weaknesses that we all endure in the process of growing up. A question of how a person can be forever effected by circumstances, how bad things happen to good people, and how one reacts when placed with various environments leads to thinking about our lives.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TV4IQDTONRNE?ASIN=0316055441	AMAZING BOOK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I normally READ books, I listened to this on audible.  Glad I did, since it was very long.  However, while the editing could have deleted some parts, the book was excellent.  The story is compelling and thought provoking.  I would recommend it, and I'd give it an A</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OPHE7R2SASHZ?ASIN=0316055441	Terrible!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I picked this book because it won a Pulitzer.  I kept reading because I thought it would get better which it never did.  Very dark and morbid.  Would not recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y1H45JZALV7A?ASIN=0316055441	Good beginning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the beginning b of the book - lots of action and dialog.  By the last third of the book, it started to get confusing and super-philosophical.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19HUKDKN9BCMZ?ASIN=0316055441	I had to finish it!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was difficult to get through because of the trauma that befell a young boy. Even though it was fiction I think the author captured the depth of woundededness children can experience in real life events.Also how these events cause life long obstacles for them.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JK9137QWP60Z?ASIN=0316055441	worlds longest description of downward spiral	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Two likeable characters in this book. The main character is not one of them.<br/>I've seen many glowing reviews on Ms. Tartt's previous stories that I may never read based on this book.<br/>So very long and drawn out. She has an endless soup bowl of descriptions for every page.<br/>The book easliy could have been a short story if it weren't for her love of going on and on and on and on.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K2IAXFZW6CCH?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting.. Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful prose, terrific characters,  lovely art and furniture descriptions, way too long in Vegas!. Would be great at max of 500 pages. Not enough story for more.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJSX2T7KG4IQQ?ASIN=0316055441	Superb but disappointing ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I LOVED this book until the last 30-40 pages (guessing on my Kindle) where it seemed to dissolve into a kind of pseudo-philosophical rant. However until then- incredible characters, setting, plot.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WWF0XC905A8V?ASIN=0316055441	Good read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a little tough to get into at the beginning….but once you get into the book, it's hard to put down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6F3GL4CPAWWL?ASIN=0316055441	Catherine Pringle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a wonderfully written book. It is a page turner to the end with unexpected twists. Great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16D548QSMQX6U?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an amazing read, extremely difficult to put down.  The way the author weaves you in and out of Theo &amp; Boris' lives, their drinking and drug use just to help them be semi functional in a non-functional world keeps you on the edge of your seat. The most  precious possession Theo has is a painting of The Goldfinch, taken from a museum following a (terrorist?) explosion.  Once he has it, he doesn't know what to do with it so it remains hidden; or does it?<br/><br/>I was a little saddened when Tartt ended the book on a philosophical rant by Theo.  Still worth the read!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IVQO5X7BYL7J?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing Long Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little too long in places. It could have been reduced by a hundred pages and still made its point. I was disappointed in the ending, it was sort of anticlimatic. Interesting characters nonetheless.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13WYVRPERDKN1?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story line.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Held my interest until the end. The end, though, was somewhat disappointing and vague. So many authors don't leave us with a wimper, not a bang.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38SEHJQ7QXCOK?ASIN=0316055441	A beautiful, gritty arrangement of words. Fine novel.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a beautiful concept: the riddle of life grows out and out and out. Life is catastrophe, one moment of happiness should be savored. We can't connect them together as we believe the rich and privileged do so well.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YSMR8DM52J4O?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book. It tells an interesting story about the life of The core Decker.  But the real message of the book is in the final chapters.  They describe a way of experiencing life that is new to me and explains some of the paradoxes and inconsistencies that many of the philosophies and religions have not.  This is a book than can be read over and over.  It makes you think about  life's journey and how it shapes the choices you make.  It also gave me an appreciation of art and the value of preserving those works of art that represent the best of what man has accomplished. I recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIPPPE8B0PRXK?ASIN=0316055441	Very intense story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She's wonderful writer, you feel like you're  in the story, which is intense.  Bottom line, I felt so sad at the end.  The main person has so much to give himself and the world, yet never made it. I'd recommend this book to all, as it shows us how life can work out, not always in a good way.<br/>Loves to read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNEYB4OATSFHA?ASIN=0316055441	No one to guide him	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo having lost his loving mother at a young age did a good job of taking care of himself. There were adults in his life trying their best to be of help to him. Maybe just not the right people. We will never know. When his dad shows up with his druggy woman, Theo's life became even more up side own. His friend Boris, as messed up a kid as he could be, was his saving grace. Very, thought provoking and lovingingly told story. I liked it a lot.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AT0MFXIDBC?ASIN=0316055441	Holden Caufield Defies Russian Gangsters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A compelling story that tries to cover too many ideas.  The main character is a young boy that a reader follows into manhood while dealing with death of a parent, neglect by the other, many bad influences, drug abuse, unrequited love, the inside story of antique dealing, success at a young age, and the death of a good friend.  All the while he is the keeper of a great fine arts treasure (The Goldfinch) which he acquires by chance at a young age.  Events are gripping up to the end which is vague -- realistic but not satisfying.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BELLCV8XQPVI?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent story writing, a bit too lengthy sometimes,	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author is an excellent story teller, goes in a bit too deep sometimes, but sure did her work for the book, I thought it was a man story write surprised was a woman, you go girl excellent work</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LAH6EUOX9O9M?ASIN=0316055441	Not my kind of reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Most would enjoy this book, however I did not.  I really do not have anything else to add to my comments</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X38SOQFDI0DG?ASIN=0316055441	Great story but a bit indulgent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a great story with really well developed characters. Unfortunately the main character was too unlikable. I like to read books with characters that inspire me to be better</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MK6MUJDO2OAL?ASIN=0316055441	too long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A lot of meaningless words and passages in an otherwise interesting story. I found it both interesting and boring at the same time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H5O6Q7WWOZNS?ASIN=0316055441	A story that reminds you of the world of arts and antiquities and the artists who created them and those who loved them.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a story of love , of obsession and addiction. There is such tragedy in parents who are incapable of parenting. The author takes you down the paths of lives gone terribly wrong in the continuing bad choices of those involved.<br/><br/>Somewhere after about the first half of this book it started giving me anxiety at times, and at other times I just had to put it down out of boredom.  There were parts that could have been trimmed down without damage to the story.  I was, in fact a little disappointed in the way some characters played out.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YWSYS42S93PS?ASIN=0316055441	too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much description of drug use and ending was too long. Good character development and intriguing story with a negative overall life view.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROTATGA31Q6SV?ASIN=0316055441	good, bad and ugly	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There's not much more I can say to the many previous reviews.  It is an engrossing book, especially at the beginning. I adore the actual goldfinch painting and I'm sure others do too, so I was willing to go along with the basic concept.  The information on how priceless art is used as collateral also was quite interesting.  The author's descriptions are fabulous, especially the ones of Las Vegas, where Tartt creates a very specific and believable place.  However, the plot twists are often ""deus ex machina"" which gets annoying.  There isn't a useful character foil to let the reader see how the self-destructive narrator's addictions are affecting everyone around him and guaranteeing that all will not go well in the end.  I guess the metaphor of the goldfinch being chained to his box is supposed to balance the narrator's rationalization of his behaviors, but it didn't work for me.  I just got tired of the ""tripping"" descriptions, and the preachy bit at the end is way too much to bear. Still, I kept reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34PISBCA49APQ?ASIN=0316055441	Just not that into him	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Prize winner, sure; some wonderful writing and riveting scenes. I never found enough in Theo to make me care about him and tired of his substance use well before he left Vegas.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QI0P79T5Z1AK?ASIN=0316055441	Well worth reading.....................	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an inventive writer and plots well. Her protagonist is ever changing and less heroic than those of other authors, but she held my interest throughout. I did get a bit lost in the latter portions of the story and found it becoming far fetched. All in all, I enjoyed this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SQQXUF2RNTDM?ASIN=0316055441	Great Story but....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book very much and it was unpredictable, which I always think is the best kind of book.  The characters were well developed throughout the book, especially Theo.  The story itself was rather interesting since the entire book, even when it had nothing to do with the Goldfinch, was about the Goldfinch.<br/><br/>The only criticism I do have is that there were parts that although were initially intriguing went on and on and on....Even the beginning when Theo is with his mom in the museum (and the reader already knew what happened to his mom), the description, to me, just seemed to drag.  There were other parts as well that although initially exciting almost got boring.  The book probably would have been shorter had the author cut a few of the ""scenes"" in half.<br/><br/>I did give it 4 stars and would recommend it.  It is a good read and for someone who reads constantly, as I do, I was certainly glad I chose to read it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OC0OGQ9UWCFV?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully spun story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The novel pulls you in from the very beginning to the last page. The author has a very Dickensonian-style in the way things and locations are described in minute detail, bringing them to life. The main character seems so real that even his unbelievable travails become plausible to the reader. The conclusion leaves you saying, "" I guess so but, it isn't what I expected?""</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L8E9VLIAKONF?ASIN=0316055441	I loved it until I didn't	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is an exquisitely written book.  With her lyrical prose, the author paints the most beautiful pictures.  The story is intriguing, with a wonderfully creative plot and well-developed characters.  I got very involved with the characters and oftentimes cheered for them and cried for them.  I l loved 90% of the book, and then the bottom fell out, and  I almost didn't finish it.  I had a lot of emotion and time invested in the book so I felt very let down near the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35Z9CURGGM40F?ASIN=0316055441	Critique of Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it very well written, but a little lengthy.  Too much philosophizing,and too many scenes of drug use.  Perhaps I spent too much time reading it rather than completing it faster and absorbing more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H1GV5RZRSJ57?ASIN=0316055441	At least there is a somewhat happy ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know this book has received great reviews.  It is very well-written.  The characters are believable and I so wanted them to find happiness.  However, there are so many truly awful events throughout the book that I began to feel like it would never end.  It held my interest and I really wanted to know how the story progressed but I dreaded picking up my Kindle because I knew something else was going to add to the unbearable stress of their lives.  I even dread talking about it in our upcoming book group.  Maybe the picture itself should have warned me - a little wild bird captured and held in place with a short chain on it's leg.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DP2SNW6TNV3T?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful at times, but too preachy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The inner life of our hero was rich and at times, beautifully written, subtle and true. This book held my attention and engaged me until almost until the end. Its the last chapters that ruin an otherwise wonderful read. Its like the author got tired of telling the story and decided to have the characters just say (preach actually), all the morals and the insights they had gathered along the way. No need to hit us over the head with slogans and formulas that will help us achieve sublime human interaction where we can appreciate that the world, and the people in it, and their actions, etc., are not black and white.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROH80T5RS59OI?ASIN=0316055441	Exquisite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Words can't do it justice, can they? You ease into this book, this life, and you wish it didn't have to end...like the life she writes of, like the art that matters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UPD3QQ0DC967?ASIN=0316055441	Long, but worth it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Clear straight forward style that creates good visuals for the reader.  Outstanding characters.  They peak ones interest.  Book has mystery and action and covers differences in cultural morality in a unique underlying way.  The parallels of Theo and Boris and how their backgrounds affect their behavior as well as a familial devotion and love they develop for each other stimulates thinking and discussion.  They each have moral and immoral characteristics.  Some questions are left unanswered and one wishes for more knowledge about Pippa, Welty, Hobie, and perhaps Boris' respectable family he claims to have.  Perhaps there will be a follow-up book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GKX51U21SB8V?ASIN=0316055441	excellent read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put this book down from the first page to the last.  Captivating, unusual, keeps the reader on edge of seat!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSD5QTG3VDE0M?ASIN=0316055441	Dark and light, depressing and happy.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A tale so unlikely I'd have to believe it if told it were true. The book looks much longer than it takes to read. The story is intricate and all tied together neatly, but the details are raw, harsh and shocking. Just enough so to awaken the reader to the subtleties and deeper meanings within. Light, darkness, innocence, drugs, blood, vomit, artistic masterpieces and shameless fakes, Manhattan, Las Vegas, Amsterdam, love, friendship, betrayal, despair and euphoria. It's all there and left me with a changed perspective such that I will never view art the same as before. A new world has opened before my eyes, and a piece's meaning, or even the ways it can change in different light are now more within my vision.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TR2IGU2G81HO?ASIN=0316055441	Must Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a good book although there were some dry spots it was good and I would recommend it to everyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KH7CDSG8TYSZ?ASIN=0316055441	Exceptional writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's writing offers the reader vivid descriptions and action packed passages.  Characterizations contain depth and delight.  Struggles of good and evil touch us all.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34KZ2WLBPRMRP?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writing could be edited differently	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a beautiful writer, and this story is rich in its descriptions and pulls you right in. I also think that the use of the painting in the storyline is very clever.  That being said there are two main reasons that I am giving The Goldfinch three stars. First, I felt that the writing could have been pared down. Many parts went on longer than they needed to (e.g. the time in Las Vegas) and could have been conveyed in many fewer words. Secondly, there were some parts/character attitude changes that paradoxically were not well developed (e.g. the time of re-connection/attraction between Theo and Kitsey, and Theo's life attitude changes towards the end of the book). This combination was very frustrating. So, while I am glad that I read it, I was also glad when it was over.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GNDYO2BLICZT?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch is a modern existential classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book grabs you from its explosive beginning through the twists and turns in this young man's life up to the suspenseful end. The author does such a good job of drawing you into this young man's interior world you would never goes she is a woman born in Mississippi. The last chapter drags on a bit in an attempt to make the novel's existential point, but it is extremely well written and well researched.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IHL4MSXX4OE1?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed reading this book. I couldn't put it down but I have to say about 80% into the book I was ready for it to be over. It felt like the author did too. She took so much time telling this story, every detail so carefully written but then in the end she wrapped it up quick within 2 chapters and I just didn't like how she did that.  Make the end as strong as the beginning!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R686T8WYT02IJ?ASIN=0316055441	excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the main character, how he was good to his mentor/partner when he tried to correct his mistakes later in life.  I  also thought  his love for his Mother was wonderful, sad life after she died though.<br/><br/>I did not enjoy the drugs and how the two young men had no guidance in their formative tears.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BFMO2B0GVOL7?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the story very good, had a hard time putting it down long enough to sleep and or eat. I could have done without the foul language but I guess this is how the writer writes.  I just had to find out what happened to the young man after he lost his mother then his father.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CQCXBGBQQFW2?ASIN=0316055441	long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story was good but author dragged it out a little too much for my liking.  She could have reduced the number of pages significantly by not droning on in some parts of the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SUBQYPYNDPZ3?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible - Lingers with You	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""A great sorrow, and one that I am only beginning to understand: we don't get to choose our own hearts. We can't make ourselves want what's good for us or what's good for other people. We don't get to choose the people we are.""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36FQLPX5X0173?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While very wordy at times,<br/>Ms. Tart sees things in such depth and clarity and such awareness that the reader is mesmerizedby</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PQBTZOLD8ILK?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read this for a book club. Very good book, very well written. The book has multiple twists that you would never see coming.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22645SHOOHFUI?ASIN=0316055441	The Best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So enjoyed the book. Well written and the audio was great. Recommend to all to read. Well worth the time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R303O79LQ1VTL8?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent writer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a good story teller as well, as an excellent writer.  I had discovered her when perusing a library I picked and read The Little One.<br/>She does manage to put you through the wringer and at the same time crafts word pictures and emotions with a fine touch.<br/>Neither story is for the faint-hearted or prim, because though they charm and entrance you, they also shake you ragged like a dog with a rat.<br/><br/>I won't -- and can't tell you how it ends; I have not got through the final pages but based on the other book I mentioned,I suspect it will resolve itself in a not quite satisfactory manner, leaving you with grist to work on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AB13ODN61K90?ASIN=0316055441	Driving Plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling story as I could identify with the loss of the main character and loved New York setting and contrast with awful Las Vegas.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20Y2GU09Y110?ASIN=0316055441	The Birdie	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch was very wordy with little to say.  At times the plot seemed unrealistic.  Others are impressed as shown by Pulitzer Prize but I was not.  When I finished the book, I thought ""What a waste of time.""  The blurb would tell the same story in less time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FKTP97R4G4BV?ASIN=0316055441	great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">got me excited about reading again. Very enjoyable and contemporary, touches on post-event trauma in a really nuanced and interesting way.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I2J77A7G2QVQ?ASIN=0316055441	Wow--priceless	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Grapes of Wrath of our Day!<br/><br/>This book majestically captures what is wrong today, and how a strong soul can strive to be good no matter what life throws at you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30WVJ16JCF4DY?ASIN=0316055441	Well worth working through the massive amount of pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started this book last fall when it was a daily deal for Kindle.  I'd read many positive reviews.  I loved the beginning, but got bogged down about 1/3 of the way through.  I've noticed that is my normal pattern with fiction.  When the character Boris was introduced and hung around for a while, I thought, this wasn't going to go where I wanted it to.  Well then, the book won the Pulitzer.  I figured I'd better finish the book and see why.  Amazing.  I loved the book.  I almost recaptured that childhood feeling of being lost in a book on an quiet afternoon without a care in the world.  I loved Theo and Tartt really made her reader feel his struggle.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EAQWPAN9NI9Y?ASIN=0316055441	Wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Knock out beginning. Engaging story that takes the reader in many directions. Learn about many things in life - good and bad but always interesting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G20B30Y3GJML?ASIN=0316055441	Great read, page turner a little slow at points...but excellent!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You know from the start - the book is long. But it really is a page turner, particularly at certain parts.  While there are some sections that a could be shorter, this book did not feel like almost 800 pages.  I highly recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSC3SWETEX79S?ASIN=0316055441	JUst...read it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing, haunting, hilarious, melancholy, and beautiful. This is one of the best books I've read in years. I want to go on and on about it, but if you're reading this review you're wasting time that you could be reading the book, so stop reading this and READ THE BOOK.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y3BDYDRF0RP6?ASIN=0316055441	Good story, far too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story it self is good, it could have been told in a far shorter time..would only recommend to people who are going on a long cruise or beach time....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R675HASS44206?ASIN=0316055441	Puitzer prize !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just could not get into this novel.<br/>It was not interesting from the start, and got worst as each page turned.<br/>The subject matter didn't entertain, and the conclusion was awful.<br/>Sorry about such a negative review, but this book disappointed..</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JN1JQAJR8T5O?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed this read.  The is much descriptive detail and the main character is at time unlikable however it is a believable tale insofar as the characters are well developed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38YFJWLMVSK8C?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I gave it 4 stars because I thought it was a bit ""wordy"".  I did enjoy the book and I was unable to put it down.  At times, I found myself doing some ""skimming""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YLZHMTZ5Z4F5?ASIN=0316055441	Something For Everyone!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book! It's nice and long. Keeps you interested. There's something for everyone in this story. Drama, romance, mystery, history and a little bit of action.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AI7EKPPB3GVI?ASIN=0316055441	Worthy of the Pulitzer Prize	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent plot which ex;plore the impact that feelings of guilt can have on our lives, with strong, realistic characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R154ZGT4CXANCC?ASIN=0316055441	great book!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books I have ever read. I could not lay it down. I would read at work, in my car, wake during the night... Until my eyes could not see the words. It was a remarkable ' once upon a time'. Just fantastic!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SK5WK7M5LLQO?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Drugs and drinking are NOT my idea of an enjoyable book.  I plowed through the<br/>book anyway as my book group chose to discuss it next year.  The story would have<br/>interested me more if all the filth, including language, had been held to a minimum.<br/>I want to learn something or be entertained when I read.  Not so with this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QAMV5QCW9DES?ASIN=0316055441	Great story, but	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really liked the story and all it's characters.  It was too wordy, didn't need to keep repeating how screwed up the characters were.  It should have been a 400 page book rather than 750.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IZBXRSG4OXCF?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was truly a stunning and beautiful story. I will be reading it again. I am still thinking about it weeks later.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BRDCPD8203KK?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long without any substance.  Seems the author was indulgent!  I would not waste my time on this story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15H446B3G5UK0?ASIN=0316055441	Great disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book started out great and then went downhill for about a zillion pages and then ended.  At last!<br/>I realize the author writes beautifully but the story wanders around and (for me)  just goes in circles.<br/>I'm sorry to have to give such a poor review because I really wanted to like  the book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLOWMZMFYOY1E?ASIN=0316055441	Reader	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is long and toward the middle it drags a bit, but overall a good read and keeps  you interested</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHKFNJT4R7R08?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Everyone has been reading this book.  It is about a boy/man who spends lots of time with booze and drugs!  Frankly it becomes very slow!  I kept waiting for the big shift, but it never happened.  Best I can say is that it goes on forever.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LIQISXG7PI5O?ASIN=0316055441	Great read for summer or anytime	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is beautifully written. It surprises you all the time. The main character is dark but somehow he finds his wide through darkness.<br/>Thought provoking. One of the best things I've read in years</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C6SJCJ4NUZ6O?ASIN=0316055441	Too Wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was too wordy.  She used five pages just to describe a room or a table.  She is a great writer but the story can get lost in her overly descriptive writing.  Its a pretty dark novel, kept waiting for something good to happen.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AP5SLQ7GYJQS?ASIN=0316055441	THE GOLDFINCH-VERY DISAPPOINTED	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the way the story began then too much description and detail -too much about drugs-started skipping over pages wanted to know how the story would end, was very disappointed not the best book that I read, was over-rated</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8GFRA3G1RW8A?ASIN=0316055441	very engaging, well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">twisting compelling plot line, heartfelt characterizations, densely written.  A book that will grab you and keep you reading all the way through.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YGWUAO1HTNQW?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was on all the ""must read"" lists.  But I found it long, drawn out and overall disappointing.  I would not recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRUU4EMCK8U1F?ASIN=0316055441	Best read ever!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome!!! Could not put it down!! Some nights I just had to finish the chapter. So beautifully written. Don't miss it!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UNMBVMJ8NV4L?ASIN=0316055441	Details brought me into every scene	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This masterful book offers a descriptive journey from childhood thorough repeated unfortunate turns of events as the protagonist moves through adulthood.  Every scene - every single scene - was real to me.  I could feel myself in NCY - the sounds, the smells, into the sparse, bleached, achingly dry streets of a Vegas suburb, and though the foreign, floral streets of Amsterdam.  '<br/><br/>The descriptions are too long for many - who found the book boring and painful to go through.  But not in a John Irving kind of slow, descriptive kind of way - there were not pages and pages explaining the flora and fauna of a rain forest, but rather, enough so that you could be there.  Right there. With the characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EMA4N2XDUF7P?ASIN=0316055441	Could not put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the characters.  Full of surprises.  Really drew me in and held me.  Over 700 pages and I finished it in a weekend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JPOKQCRL1H8M?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome book, well written and a great story! I would recommend it, I couldn't put it down...I may read it again!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KTF45VY8Y9DG?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very long book.  I loved the first half.  Got a bit bogged down in the middle but it picked up again and was a very good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTM1TEY2CYDEZ?ASIN=0316055441	It was too long....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt like Donna just got carried away with her story.  I could not wait till I finished it. My recommendation: I was glad when it was over.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35AAUZGMEF0XO?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the beginning but I felt the middle was a bit drawn out.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Everyone I know loved this book so maybe it was over-hyped for me. The middle seemed too long and I just wanted to get to the end. I did love the characters though.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF1N031U4KHCW?ASIN=0316055441	Taking it slow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As reading and writing is the bulk of what I do during the day, I am more likely to watch a film then read a pleasure book in my spare time. While the sheer size of The Goldfinch would normally be a deterrent, my good memories of Little Friend were motivation enough to give it a go. It is well worth it. If you are the kind of reader that loves to take her/his time with a book, really appreciate the descriptions and the development of plot lines and characters, Donna Tartt is a perfect fit. Her writing is so rich and precise that even after taking a three week break away from the novel, I was immediately back in the story having forgotten nothing thanks to her storytelling.<br/><br/>I gave the book five stars because Tartt provides her readers with elements that I find both important and enjoyable in novels. She gives us well developed characters who exhibit a wide range of interesting, frustrating, and confusing behaviors. Whether I liked the main character or not turned out to be besides the point - something in her presentation of him kept me interested in his struggles. Though I am not particularly drawn to stories that begin with children and loss, I genuinely feel her spin on the coming of age angle was fresh. In addition to her curious characters, several of the sub-plots are not predictable which is a nice departure from the majority of murder mysteries I have read lately. Finally, I really liked Tartt's ability to entice me into a world which normally would hold little interest.<br/><br/>Donna Tartt is just different. I think that the buzz around her and the work she produces is well deserved.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG0DIW6MV76XO?ASIN=0316055441	awesome novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was one of the best books I've read in a long time. I'm so glad I picked this book up at random. I did not know about this painting and I will look for it so that I may enjoy its magnificence with my own eyes.  Thank you for a great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VWE0FSEZOTE4?ASIN=0316055441	Flying start	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Af first the book is very entertaining and THE language is BeautifulVery but the  last part is more like à thriller, in spits of some very literair snrnces that go far betond THE thriller genre</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TLQHP8KX0J3X?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this rating due to the fact that I found the book quite depressing.  I did not like the idea of someone hardly ever getting anything in his life really right.  There was the teenage years of drunkenness, there was the drugs situation, the dishonesty with the fake antique furniture, the violence in the Netherlands and the loss of the passport.  Although things seem to come more or less right at the end, it left me with a feeling of great despondency.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M5VEOZXUIWHQ?ASIN=0316055441	A young man risks his life to return a valuable painting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As the result of a  terrorist event, the bombing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, teen-aged Theodore ends up with a valuable painting and the ring of a dying man that ultimately lead him on various drug-induced adventures for the next 10 years or so. The novel is inhabited by colorful characters such as Boris, a freaked-out native of Russia who is often hilariously funny, a partially crippled red-haired girl who shares a lot of the effects of bombing, Theodore's father, a gambler and con man, and an elderly furniture restorer. The story ranges between New York City, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Amsterdam. A very original and very readable story that keeps you on edge until the last page.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UDO3VQ7HJN51?ASIN=0316055441	wow...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If nothing else about this book interests you, read it for the amazingly crafted prose. Some sentences I just read again and again. They were that striking. Some I read out loud just to hear their prettiness. I'm afraid I am a bit of a cynic, especially where ""great novels"" are concerned, but this was special. Give yourself the gift of reading this. You will not be sorry.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W22T8BHBTYP1?ASIN=0316055441	One hell of a story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is depressing.<br/>Not enough emphasis on Pippa's story yet way too much attention was given to Boris and his anorexic girlfriend. I was completely at a loss when reading thru the Las Vegas part of the story, wondering ""this better be heading somewhere important"". But nope. It could have been just simple as ""I met this guy Boris who's just as messed up as I was and he became my friend"", skipping the part about his girlfriend and night after night they'd steal from the stores and such.<br/>I do, however like the part when Theo first lost his mom. The strong but contained emotions are so well written that it hurt just reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDWHHGVI3YIUF?ASIN=0316055441	Great story overall	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The middle part (Vegas) drags on for too long, but the overall story and relationship between characters is really interesting. If anyone has an issue with the characters or their decisions, it is because Donna Tartt has written true individuals, flaws and all. There were times I wanted to grab the main character and shake the stupid out of him, but I've felt that way about many a person in real life. Great story, glad I made it all the way through!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UHRA39Z7UVS4?ASIN=0316055441	Totally immersed myself	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not put this book down for the first 500+ pages.  Beautifully written.  Had a small lull then picked back up and ended with the most sublime prose.  Will think about this book for weeks. Highly recommended.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GARJPJN4L6EQ?ASIN=0316055441	awesome read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was so beautifully written I couldn't put it down. I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading great fiction that feels like a true story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VWF3TOZ7Z73N?ASIN=0316055441	Good read over all but	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long and wordy sometimes to the point of over description. But just when you are word tired snap the story changes and you are in a fast page turner. The description of people and places and art are like a movie running in your mind. Characters are well developed to the point you know them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V6K7JRGIJOF3?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book pulled me in from the start. I didn't want to put it down. Donna Tartt nailed this one.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M6LM0N43D5BM?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it - fabulous story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. It did take me ages to read as I bought the kindle version and had no idea how long the book was. I kept reading and my percentage barely went up. Anyway, I digress, this was an epic novel with a great storyline. Loved the author's use of the English language. Glad she won the Pulitzer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17PT31U7QYHZO?ASIN=0316055441	fabulous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a beautifully written gem of a novel...the best i've read since richard ford's ""canada"". it's long but well worth the read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R83TT4R94CC6X?ASIN=0316055441	Too drawn out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The protagonist is a pretty neurotic guy and doesn't seem to ever be able to get out of his own way.  I really expected to enjoy this more but it went on for too many pages of not much.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKIB262LPURXM?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little verbose but worth reading. I like the philosophical aspects. A great perspective on love, impermanence, transcendence and life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HROUMW7DZP04?ASIN=0316055441	Too philosophical	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought the book because of the ratings and being a Pulitzer Prize winner.  I liked the basic story but it took too long to get through it.<br/>I've read many books of its approximate length and wasn't daunted by that, but all the comparisons to painting and thought got to be too much.  It wasn't my taste, but that being said, I am sure readers who enjoy this type of literature will like it.  If you want a fast sum mer read, forget this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GWBA1F2KZOBX?ASIN=0316055441	Lengthy haunting story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I agree with the review that called this several great novellas in a very long book.  The writing is wonderful.  The imagery is amazing, and so many parts of this story will stay with you long after you've finished reading. I didn't care for the latter Amsterdam story quite as much as the earlier part of the book, but the ending made up for it.  After reading this I read a popular author's newest mystery.  While that was a quick, enjoyable read, this is a story I will think about for a long time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32U50ON9WCQM3?ASIN=0316055441	Long and boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had to absolutely force myself to finish this book. Just skimmed through last half of book to see how it ended. Wasn't worth it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TJWG3WFEXOE7?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing to see every wrong turn was to be made &amp; it did not take long into the novel to see it would always be made in same direction, the wrong one..</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FM4EPRCHUGJJ?ASIN=0316055441	The  Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like it at all. I wouldn't recommend it to other readers. Yes he was a survivor but at what cost to his life and the others that he interfaced with.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWAHXTU50MACM?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a long, windy story that moves through a range of human emotions and experiences. It is definitely worth the read, and is wonderfully written. Human nature, conflict and despair are recurrent themes.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SIW7D6J9RN23?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing from page one.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A professor casually mentioned this book in class and I was looking for a lengthy read to get me through the rest of the semester.  Unfortunately, I was unable to put it down and now I am sadly done.  This book was a wild ride through my old haunts of New York City, including my old stomping grounds of Avenue A, I absolutely loved it and will probably be talking it up forever! Amazing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11OJYPHVQD5Y6?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just the right amount of intrigue and tenderness...I couldn't put it down from the moment I started reading. It was a great read into a world which I am unfamiliar.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLQV3YJDIOZOC?ASIN=0316055441	So-So book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It seems to me that the should be given to great books. This is not a great book. The first half of the book is well written,fast paced and a good story. The last half of the book could have been shortened by a few hundred pages. Bad ending. Needs a better editor.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F748QTGMNGX5?ASIN=0316055441	Very strange story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long.  Guess they award Pulitzer by the pound.  Didn't like some of the main characters but the use of the English language was fantastic.  Last 15 pages were the best.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN81QT1KLVDND?ASIN=0316055441	A story well-told	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an amazing story that moves you along as if on a river raft. You don't want to stop reading. Donna Tartt's writing is compelling. I loved every moment.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3727HTKYLYEQF?ASIN=0316055441	adriane	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very captivating book. Teaches a great deal about relationships to each other and ones self. The ending was a little dodgy but still a recommendable book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5Z9XARYQV5AN?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I felt it bogged down just a little in the telling, I did not want this book to end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZZI8IDQHS8DK?ASIN=0316055441	A very good read with a few reservations.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing story kept me interested in this long novel, although in a few places I wanted to yell ""just get on with it.""  Despite some stereotypes, characters were well-drawn.  Ending was somewhat rambling and pretentious.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQGNYAC7HNFNW?ASIN=0316055441	trying too hard	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story the Gold Finch is less a story and more Donna Tartt's strive for an award.  It drags on and on especially towards the end.  Wandering so far off track that it is hard to figure out what is going on.  When one does finally understand the ending it is disappointing .  It wanders and then just sort if fizzles out.  I found the beginning interesting the middle began to drag on with her over the top description of every minute detail. By the end I was dragging my eyes over the pages just to get it finished.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GXUTPK1TQKR3?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Outstanding for the most part.  Got a little preachy toward the end.  Well drawn characters.  Clever and an interesting plot.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKOFMOQ6YHEC1?ASIN=0316055441	WOW!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow, what can be said about a great story like this! The most in-depth descriptions of the inner thinkings and feelings of a young person who has many life positions to encounter as an orphan and I must read the authors other writings, she's great.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R177ETZLEV37JF?ASIN=0316055441	Fiction at its Best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The early developing years  in the life of an young American boy living in contemporary times. Uncontrolled circumstances destroy any stability as he experiences loss and is taken from NYC to Vegas.<br/><br/>The boy and the author handle all these unusual adventures very sympathetically, believably, and honestly. Only a very good female writer  could make it all seem true.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BYVM8EBMJMDP?ASIN=0316055441	depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the author is  great at putting you in the scene and describing art, art history, antiques , drugs and alcohol.  I struggled to get to the end. It was a bleak and depressing journey.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L15GIAIFM4BK?ASIN=0316055441	well worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I usually don't care for novels where the author rambles on for pages but I was drawn into the main characters thoughts and became more involved in the book as a result.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DXJZ1MZ2Y9DC?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's writing style just stands out - I just really like reading her writing. I really admire her skill and the story of the Goldfinch was brilliant in many different ways.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18X2O137MXGDJ?ASIN=0316055441	Thought Provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intense, lively and thought provoking. You start to consider the influence of the people who touch our lives briefly and long term. A book that stays with you long after you have read it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCQ53VE630MFG?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've read in a long time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved, loved, loved this book. Writing is like poetry at times, author enables reader to experience what characters are going through with rich and apt descriptors, characters are fully developed to allow empathy and sympathy. The story full of interest!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M9U0IQSEC9JR?ASIN=0316055441	An arduous journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There's no doubt that Donna Tartt's writing is magnificent but the last 150 pages literally wore me out. A friend had said that she read for nine hours straight to finish  the book. I have no idea how she did that.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJZGVKK1GCF4P?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't Put It Down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From page one until the end I loved every second of this read.  I took the book out of the library and put it on my kindle so that I had access to it at home and work.  I had to schedule reading time as I did not want to put it down!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYZNI7TC48NEJ?ASIN=0316055441	A Shakespearean styled saga	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved The Goldfinch; the story, the plotting, the characters, the twists and turns and resolutions.  I had no idea what the book was about when I began, and had read no reviews, so I was able to live inside the story as it unfolded, evolved, exploded, then simmered only to flame again and again.  And the ending was like viewing an area of scorched forest where you glimpse new shoots popping up all over.  Thank you Donna Tartt!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MHPEY1ZKV3XT?ASIN=0316055441	very good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">riveting story, very memorable characters, enjoyed it very much, hear it will become a film, will definitely try to see it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AXJA2YO1ZEYF?ASIN=0316055441	wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've just finished the goldfinch &amp; i hAve so many thoughts running in my head about it.<br/>I loved it - enticing, crazy, sad, wild and unpredictable, just like Theo's (main character) best friend Boris.<br/>A coming of age story in the realm of catcher in the rye</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC4Q2YI59QBMZ?ASIN=0316055441	Flawless writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Erratic, poignant, beautifully written tale.  Each word or turn of phrase delicious.  I plan to read more of this author's works.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24ETXA5IEIKGX?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think really hard before beginning a novel this long, nearly 800 pages.  Is it really going to be worth that much time?  In this case the answer is YES!  It is an amazing book with a fascinating plot, well developed characters, beautiful writing, philosophical/spiritual meaning, and action.  It is a reflection on grief, compassion, the nature of good and evil, the complications of conscience, the consequences of choices, the beauty of art and much more.  It is also a thriller with lots of tension and a love story, too.  That's a lot -- no wonder it took 780 pages.<br/><br/>For me there was a slight drag in the last 100 pages, but for some readers this might be the most exciting part as it does contain a lot of physical action, but I liked the more psychological and philosophical aspects better.  This was not enough for it to be rated lower, however.<br/><br/>Give this a try, even if it looks intimidating at first.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EV0Z8ZQCI34P?ASIN=0316055441	Great Story....but very wordy.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I truly loved Theo and admire his ability to make his ""way.""  Hobie was his anchor and savior.  However, it got very laborious to get through a lot of his time with Boris, Vegas, and Amsterdam.  Beautiful writing, in depth perception, but sooooo long!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D7AQ4MXSNUTL?ASIN=0316055441	Goldinch: Worst Book of my reading career	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have never had the misfortune of reading something so completely awful in my entire life. Had this been a hard copy and not a Kindle, I would gladly have set it on the grill to turn to ashes to ensure no one else would have to suffer such a monumental failure. Please don't waste any money or valuable time with this ""Novel""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PWREIAKDFO62?ASIN=0316055441	I'm sorry, but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I guess I'm just not sophisticated enough.  Story started out interestingly enough, but just how much misery does one want to endure?  Reading for me is synonymous with pleasure, did not happen here. I'm sure that there was a moral to the whole thing besides,""life is hard"" but, if so, I sure didn't get it.  But hey, I like PBS and I've earned my degrees!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MGUWCWP2KLJI?ASIN=0316055441	Good, but intense and disturbing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a difficult read.  That's not to say that it wasn't good, just that the subject matter was so appalling and depressing in places that I sometimes had to take a break from it.  It was intense and disturbing -- children abusing serious drugs, criminal activity, so many bad choices and wrong turns that you lose count.  I'm glad I finished it.  It ended up being well worth reading.  Not recommended for young readers!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XQOQLDXQXTFU?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the type of book that you need to keep reading until it grabs your interest. It was written very well and had a lot of visualization in its setting and characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CCIQEBWOWEB1?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was riveted. Beautifully written. Characters so real I feel like I've lived their lives right along with them. A must read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UATCDJF3GCH6?ASIN=0316055441	A plot with twists and turns	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had an interesting story, but it was way too long to hold my interest.<br/>My favorite character was the main character's sidekick - Boris.<br/>It was well researched and interesting to read to find out about furniture restoration and art theft rings.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MWV001C4T1RH?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very sympathetic character who, although his circumstances were astonishing, remained quite real throughout.  And his companions' personalities will never leave me.  A rare writer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TDLJ4SYHNFYP?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating Lives Explored	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an outstanding novel!  The characters are drawn so beautifully and getting to know them and how their lives progress is quite intriguing.  I would recommend this book to anyone who is an avid reader.  I will be reading the two other novels by Donna Tartt in th near future.  She deserves the Pulitzer Prize!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BP2KH9U132KX?ASIN=0316055441	The story captivates the reader	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's novel, The Goldfinch, is a moving and vivid story about how life's circumstances offer choices and how those choices direct the current of life. I found myself crying for, rooting for, yelling at and relating to the main character... This book will draw you into Theo's life and show you how even tragedy can set a course towards things worthwhile, and that even questionable choices can work into the most desirable outcome...or does it? A very thought provoking read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18XIQW2O0IYRD?ASIN=0316055441	Good but a little cumbersome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lots of detailed descriptions.  What could have been a wonderful story was hidden beneath a lot of drug usage, and long descriptive phrases that were not even complete sentences.  Got a little boring after a while.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12DCDSY9W9LLE?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt was spot on with this book. the characters really came to life in this book. Would recommend to many.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PK5602O6X5D6?ASIN=0316055441	worth reading if you have a lot of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was too wordy and too long for what it tried to do.  Most of the characters were not likeable and too many people died  - not from wars or conflicts.  Money didn't seem to be a problem either -  very convenient the way money was available when needed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23QXTENPZEZRP?ASIN=0316055441	A wild ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can anyone drink and use drugs as much as these guys and still be clear headed?  Loved the characters, and the descriptions.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4A2YH1YY9N8I?ASIN=0316055441	plodding but very well written, just not a page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i stuck with this novel to the end and i think it got progressively better. The pace is slow but the characters are well developed. The writing style took me a while for me to get used to but then i began to enjoy the book more and more. After i finished the book i had to do my own investigation of the actual painting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUNPHNQVPNBW8?ASIN=0316055441	couldn't put it down but didn't want it to end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a four day weekend in which I intended to do many other things.  It is now Tuesday, I finished The Goldfinch but there are unwashed dishes, piles of unfolded laundry, dust bunnies in the corners. Dogs unwalked.  The writing was electric. One of the  powerful books I can remember reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ47N4INRNNSZ?ASIN=0316055441	not what was expected.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing.  Drugs, drugs, and more drugs.  Can anyone function taking all of that junk?  Seems that there was something missing at the end of the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HE4KQHL5E8C7?ASIN=0316055441	Good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked this book.  well written and very surprising in many twists and turns.  It is long but keeps your interest.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35M4JP5Z6YR0H?ASIN=0316055441	PULITZER PRIZE? REALLY?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was captivated by the first 1/2 of the book then it bogged down. I felt it went into the absurd with the underbelly of society being exposed to the extent she took it. I also felt the drug/alcohol usage was unrealistic for a 13 year-old. I am very aware of the drug problem with youth, but it seems the amount they were using would have been lethal. I was amazed it won the Pulitzer.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FQA8SMXPPEBX?ASIN=0316055441	Review of The Goldfinch.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Heart wrenching tale.  You will experience a number of emotions from a boy whose life is turned upside down.  From grandparents who never cared to know him and a father who preferred gambling over the being a husband and father.  His story is shaped around a small painting of a goldfinch.  I recommend this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RURPBGQM8UNR9?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit wordy in several places forcing me to speed-read a page or two but overall a great story!  Highly recommended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14UPX1C5NLIZ2?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In spite of its terrible wordiness I give this Pulitzer Prize winner 5 stars. I love novels that are unpredictable and this fits the bill. The only thing I could have done without is the tedious whining of the protagonist. I highly recommend it but it takes a long time to read. The average non compulsive reader would probably benefit from scanning a lot of the unnecessary and repetitive descriptions. It could have used a lot more editing but I still loved it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU5HHKQ7VO378?ASIN=0316055441	A great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think this book was brilliant. I loved the way the author expressed Theo's feelings. I loved the way the author developed her characters.  I I really thought this book would have been even greater if it had been edited. At times it seemed to go on and on.<br/>I am glad I read this book and Theo and Boris will stay with me for a very long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FSCZQS2JAE6Q?ASIN=0316055441	Keep Pedaling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book at the gym.  It was so hard to put down that on many occasions I pedaled long past my exercise goal.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34IYVLTQGF3DK?ASIN=0316055441	Let down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting enough tale, but rather convoluted.  Author also weaves much of her personal political and religious opinions throughout, not relevant or story enhancing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UVDPIPZ3PIJ?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent story interwoven with current events	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great character depth, easy to become deeply involved as a reader.  Beautiful, captivating prose keeps you engrossed in the first rate plot.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17U32AO5X8X77?ASIN=0316055441	Not sure it ended where it was meant to	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">parts were very interesting - learned a lot - ending ""meh"" - characters were real and I could visualize and hear the young Russian</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AS8A6EMO2C6E?ASIN=0316055441	the gold finch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">much too long and wordy. would benefit from a good editor. story line confusing. in spite of flaws, I can visualize the painting and wish it were mine.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OSWQFK2YG720?ASIN=0316055441	Just Me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I started reading The Goldfinch I was so taken by it I thought I would not eat or sleep before I finished it.  One of those books you can't put down.  But as I got further into it I found some parts a little too descriptive, details went on and on for pages and pages.  Just my opinion, it won the Pulitzer Prize after all.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38E8LTBDHEULA?ASIN=0316055441	Different	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A story of loss and how it affects you for life. Most of the time very interesting other times way to wordy.  I also felt bad how lost this young boy was for so long, depressing.  I enjoyed reading the book but don't think id call it a great book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35WSLFQEV5I2G?ASIN=0316055441	Finally!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well worth a twelve year wait. Let's hope Ms Tartt doesn't take another twelve for the next one. Thank you for this wonderful novel, Ms Tartt. Also, for your other wonderful novels.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZXK7DEGGARZ9?ASIN=0316055441	A WILD RIDE	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the character development and the story itself was different and interesting.  The reader really became involved with the characters.  I found the ending after what I considered the ending. a bit self indulgent.  Too much soul searching.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZHPTZI98OHA0?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the way this book was written.  The story, although sad, kept you hooked and hoping well for Theo.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A26Z9GZ5H505?ASIN=0316055441	Best book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Keep me interested from page one!  The length of it , a little daunting, but what a ride in worlds I know nothing about!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J7PMRV7UF7LP?ASIN=0316055441	A great find	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was surprised at how much I got caught up in this novel. One riveting moment after another, plus some pearls of beautiful writing that made me foresee rereading this book just to enjoy them anew. I recommend it heartily.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IQUGR1IOCMC0?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome book...I was so engrossed that I hated to put it down.  Very deep, thought provoking.  I don't know how she wrote such a book.  I am anxious to read her other works.  Actually, I wish there would be a sequel to this one to see what happens to Potter and all of the other characters you feel you know so well.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MKEROIL41CJ8?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long book.  The reader is led through what seems, at times, a tortuous path to a stunning conclusion.  A must read novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FDHH0XG7UP9H?ASIN=0316055441	Some things never change	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A tale of a lifelong series of excuses being made for an illegal event; explained away by the conscience clearing love of one's mother.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AVO92BDZE04A?ASIN=0316055441	Good review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent! Couldn't put it down! I highly recommend this book. The reason for the goldfinch is explained at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R686KHJ525G0Z?ASIN=0316055441	"""the Goldfinch"" worth reading"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am al fun of Donna TARTT.I have loved her at ""Secret Histoty"" so I decided to buy ""the Goldfinch"".It is descriptive and i could not leave it down while I was reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVT4WLQ31XKOO?ASIN=0316055441	a wonderfully engaging story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the central trope of the exquisite tiny painting of the Goldfinch in this beautifully crafted page turner. It is  a deeply humane and very touching book. I was completely captivated by the damaged child narrator, and as a self- destructive adult, even in his most drug addled state, I cared about him and wanted him to find happiness.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PTPONEFC6X0S?ASIN=0316055441	Complex	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love Donna Tartt's writing style.  Her characters are so vivid.  Yet parts of the novel were too decriptive for me.  The plot just dragged along at points.  I wanted to just ring Theo's neck at several places through out the story.  Boris is my favorite character even with all his faults.  I truly appreciated learning more about masterful pieces of art as well as antique furniture restoration.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HQG2ED87EM00?ASIN=0316055441	By the time I got to the end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How does an author create such inner tension that one wants to put the book down but one dares not to do so because I am compelled to finish the story? I found the book too long at times yet, I had to continue to read for meaning, message, plot and character. A true literary piece, thought provoking and not always aligned with what I thought about my life and what meaning I hold as I unravel my own story. My advice to the reader, keep reading to the end and you shall be rewarded with a perspective perhaps the same, perhaps different than your own.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GYSXVA5W39G9?ASIN=0316055441	a great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lyrical quirky and impossible to put down. The characters are flawed and memorable , the writing exquisite . I loved it</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KKW9WU3SBOKR?ASIN=0316055441	good respect	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written and an interesting journey.  Interesting characters too. I will be reading more by the author in the future,</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXJQ35UCWNLEK?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were so many beautiful pages ,lines , insights and relationships within this book and I feel fortunate to have read it. I am giving it four stars because I found the prolonged sections with Boris rather tedious and I had to force myself to continue through them. In my opinion they were not completely necessary for the story arc.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9GH91SL8KOYR?ASIN=0316055441	The Underbelly of the World of Art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much of this book is fascinating although you feel as if the main character is sometimes a prisoner of his open making. Lovely glimpse of the world of art and auctions as well as that of the art criminals</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REK3ZJ7GCJHCO?ASIN=0316055441	good but	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Careful if you are an alcoholic or drug abuser...the book tries to make those things clear in the end as problems but I think it paints too rosy a picture of an alcoholic.  But the redemptive message of the ending makes the book worthwhile.  And the requirement of the reader to extend grace to the main character...it makes you a better person.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUSIDXHV9GVGT?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch - a worthwhile read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazingly written. Can't believe it wasn't written by a man; it seems so much from a man's perspective. My only criticism is the ending - not very satisfying and overly drawn out.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y4855NTH6A1A?ASIN=0316055441	Deeply moving	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is art. Gorgeously rendered. In this wondrous book Donna Tartt has captured some of the most important themes in literature, and in life. Read it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QIIGCP19QNSZ?ASIN=0316055441	over rated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I struggled to get through this book. I skipped pages to get through the wordy and boring story. I kept wondering when it was going to click or be meaningful but it never was. Not sure how it became should a big seller. Don't waste your time, I should have given up!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27R8XQVIXDTNC?ASIN=0316055441	One star maybe	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would like to know how the  Pulitzer is decided.  What is the criteria?  I honestly found nothing in this book to merit the award.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XDMSNDHLG4GI?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not what I expected, but very good. The characters were well developed, yet not that like-able. I would read another book by this author.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AH495WU1MSEG?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was not impressed with this book at all. Took forever to finish. Could not decide what the point was.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3X6GH1HYPO63?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is excellent, the descriptions are vivid, the characters are well developed. It held my interest throughout the book, even though it was a little too long.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30NH2A4S8QFWZ?ASIN=0316055441	A disappointing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I struggled through this entire book. Based on it's rave reviews I thought it would get better. This may be the worse book i ever read. There were sections that just rambled endlessly. . . almost like they were written by a different person. This book may have been average if it were 400 pages shorter. Interestingly enough I really liked the story I just found the very long monologue type breaks in action very very  boring and unnecessary.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LTRQAOQ5DFL1?ASIN=0316055441	Too much print!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot was great and the main characters were well developed. Cutting 50 pages or so would have made for a better story. I thought too many pages were devoted to rather self indulgent psycho babble, much of it very repetitive. The author apparently felt we needed to be hit over the head with meaning and emotions. It detracted from an interesting and original story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MGALRF1XDJ5P?ASIN=0316055441	Unsatisfied	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I found ""The Goldfinch"" to be very well written, almost too well-written (the misery and despair felt by the main character were simply too painful at times), the ending left me completely unsatisfied.  Such a long book to end with so many loose strings was frustrating. I have not recommended it to my friends and have heard from others that they had the same letdown feeling.  I did, however, enjoy the information about furniture restoration.  I found that to be fascinating.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R50RPXLNQGOAQ?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the writing was excellent.  I had to re-read many of the passages, just to savor the writing.  It is not a feel good story, by any means, but found myself compelled to finish it.  I was a little put off by the sheer volume of this book, but that was the only down side.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O74XRXBM9TFN?ASIN=0316055441	Conflicting emotions and values after tragedy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this book gives a good picture of the turmoil experienced by an adolescent boy who loses his mother in an accident for which he blames himself and then must depend on help from acquaintances and his undependable father.  I especially liked his friendship that he develops with an older man who also lost a dear friend and business partner in the same accident.  The story let me wonder about what happens to children in such circumstances as they lose almost everything famliar to them.  It was easy to see how the protagonist became caught up in unwholesome and illegal activities.  However, he retained enough of his good character to make him sympathtic.  I have read a number of books recently which featured art forgery or theft as principal parts of the plot so this aspect ""drugs"" section in Las Vegas went on a bit long.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BHECAKLHC6V4?ASIN=0316055441	LIVED THROUGH A GROWING OF A LONELY CHILD TO ADULTHOOD	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">IT WAS JUST A DELIGHT-COULDN'T DROP IT DOWN-FINISHED IT IN TWO SITTINGS COULD NOT BELIEVE IT  W AS WRITTEN BY A FEMALE.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TWGD5ILGYUJI?ASIN=0316055441	Beauty is not only in the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beauty, like that of the captive bird, is present in Donna Tartt' s exquisite writing in this work. For the book is as much a painting as the picture, and both lead us to a new understanding of life. Read it, and encounter wonder!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15YLQW423ZTA1?ASIN=0316055441	How did this win a Pulitzer?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Should have been edited to 300 pages, probably less!!!!<br/><br/>Wouldn't' recommend it to anyone.<br/><br/>This wasn't my cup of tea.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NIQLW73RBUNL?ASIN=0316055441	A hard but good book to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A hard but good book to read.  It required patience in that I found myself being frustrated with the main characters, but worth the read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REQUCO9LYT1XO?ASIN=0316055441	one star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not like this book - too wordy - boring segments.<br/>Could not understand why this was a prize winning book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5C96ZVR2DFIM?ASIN=0316055441	A soul-searching philosophical aesthetcally beautiful read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is Dickens like prose with believable characters flawed and fragilebut exquisitely sensitive to the world around them.  I will read it again.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30UMOL0N2675N?ASIN=0316055441	Really long, but really good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a long but fascinating story that holds your attention to the end.  It is a good read, but super long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J64YH2IRNYC8?ASIN=0316055441	The best book I have read in a long tme	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a fantastic book. Great writing; I highly recommend it. Be ready to be captivated by this unusual story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNM0RW26J4Z5O?ASIN=0316055441	Art History meets intrigue	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The intricate plotting and development of all the characters is what grabbed me.  Often an ending is a disappointment but not this one.  While there was still conflict there was also resolve.  This book will stick with me for a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY37Z2JG76B9P?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch is a good read so far.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm about half-way through the Goldfinch and I'm enjoying it.  Very interesting story and the characters are well drawn.  I'm having trouble putting in down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW8JAJLM8K8IU?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't wait to get finished with it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much too long and involved for the amount of story there is.  There is some good writing and I did like learning about the antique business.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XZJBUQOIPKP4?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very unusual story, but one that captivated me with its sincerity. I enjoyed the characters so much because of the<br/>vivid descriptions of them! I could see ""Boris"" and ""Hobie"" as<br/>real flesh and blood people! This book would make an excellent<br/>film. It has all the excitement, action, and emotional passion that make it a ""True Bestseller""! Terrific job Donna Tartt!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKJ815731CO0E?ASIN=0316055441	Overly long, overly hyped, overly boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">That sums up this book about a painting that spawned a loose plot and plenty of verbiage. I, however, liked certain descriptive passages, the long ones concerning Manhattan. Yep, the author sure knows her New York. She could have painted it with a broader brush and hurried the loosely realized plot along.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B398P8CI338G?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very compelling read!  Although dark, the story pulls you along much as life does, through ups and downs and arounds, leaving you with hints and glimpses of a life much bigger than ourselves.  The author was genius at weaving the story and keeping me on the edge of my seat!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBF5F7OB9E1A0?ASIN=0316055441	Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt it was much too long.  Some of the scenes in the desert and a few others could have been shortened.  Otherwise I enjoyed the story and the characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9O0Q7JJU0KYQ?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the timeto read Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written story about a boy whose life takes many odd turns. At times grueling but like watching a terrible tragedy you cannot turn away from it. I liked  the book by the end of it  and it was well worth my time. It made me interested in finding a photo of the actual painting thus widening my interest.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKX9UYSHF5GJ1?ASIN=0316055441	No rating  Did not order this book  Refund requested	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not order this book and would like a refund to my account.  How can I keep this from happening again?  The next time the amount might be quite a bit larger.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GIPV1O5GZ419?ASIN=0316055441	Book Club Choice	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy this book.  It was ... depressing.  And the ending was .... disappointing.  If you are a reader of Jodi Picoult or someone that enjoys the sadness in life.  Then this is probably a good read for you.  It is well written.  The characters are very human.  The story itself shows the darker side of human nature ... often.  And I believe tries to focus on the happiness that can be found in horrible, sad circumstances.  I gave this book two stars, because I do not enjoy stories that bring darkness into my life.  There is nothing light and fluffy in this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R182813WLM3UWP?ASIN=0316055441	captvating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">was the best book I have read in a long time...so glad a friend recommended it to me.  Will ready others by Donna Tartt</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UX0FW89QA2Q4?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read a great deal but want something with different content and well written.  This novel had both and was hard for me to put down.  I'd like to read more from this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FWXC13LQ7Q0W?ASIN=0316055441	TOO MANY WORDS!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story, but does this author ever quit talking? I'd be afraid to have a real, live conversation with her. Theo makes me afraid that the author is one of those people who never shuts up.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVI6S1864SR00?ASIN=0316055441	Fast and interesting read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, well-crafted and unusual story, heart-warming, transparent writing, memorable. Definitely a book with a long life and lasting appeal.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R343X5XU0KDCZW?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Knowing that this won a major award I tried to like this book more than I eventually did.  I found the inconsistency in the main boy's character really frustrating.  You want to root for him.  He has experienced major trauma in his life and in the first couple of sections, you grow to like his approach, even when he makes errors.  But when there is an 8 year gap (ie 8 years later) and his character does things that are completely out of character with how his mother raised him, it just doesn't ring true.  For him to make money by being fraudulent  in the name of the one man who has befriended him and helped him, just leaves me cold.  I had real trouble forcing myself to finish it and that is rare for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ1PSU5WLX03T?ASIN=0316055441	Love her writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tarrt is a great writer.  Her prose is a pleasure to read.  After a great first book, a weak second, she is back with brilliance.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MMBIHDEHU1KU?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A really great read. The plot keeps you reading voraciously but it's the quality of the writing that makes you enjoy every single page. There is absolutely no filler despite the length of the book. I wish it was longer because we won't get more Donna Tartt in the next decade!<br/><br/>I would recommend this book to everyone really, but especially to those who like the fast pace of best sellers but expect something more than clichés, archetypical characters and lazy writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FP86Q00XEDY3?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is long, over 700 pages, so if that is too much for you, then stop now.  If you are interested in a masterpiece of style, story with real characters and equal to Gone with the Wind with life lessons included that fit today's world then pick up this book now.  This is a classic for the ages.  MPollack</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QK2QQ5B2LAN7?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really wanted to like this book because the author grew up in a town near my hometown. The concept sounded great and there were so many 5 star reviews (what book did those people read?). The first thing you should know is the book is twice as long as it should be. It might have been a good story at 350 pages, but it's difficult to tell with all the clutter. I don't understand how an editor for a major publishing house could let this book go to market in its current state.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SELAB0MFHHNO?ASIN=0316055441	A very good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A page turner written in a magnificent language, i read it fast but then had to reread it almost completely to enjoy some more...</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13YGD927VEB6E?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful read. I appreciated the New York, Las Vegas and European background. Great characters and a brilliant plot which is totally unpredictable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3498VAHKOMUC8?ASIN=0316055441	Really a 3.5	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very hard to pin down, parts I hated, other parts made me read over and marvel at the deep thoughts.  In the summary, the author has so many ideas and hidden meanings that it begs to be reread.  Mixed feelings but you need to read and make up your own mind.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH1SZIVV4U0YL?ASIN=0316055441	Not impressed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was not pleased with this book. The characters were not always fun to follow and no one grabbed my heart. I got bored in several times and had to make myself finish the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DWJH52EGS3P8?ASIN=0316055441	magnificent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms Tart is a rare talent. Perhaps one of the best novels I have ever read. Thank you Ms Tart for a wonderful reading experience.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KSFT0C0WMTFO?ASIN=0316055441	I want to give 5 stars and 1 star at the same time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The 1st half of this novel is amazing. The concept, the writing, the characters.. I really loved it. About the time I start getting bored and disinterested is when the main character is an adult. The writing is still good, just very boring.  The novel gets interesting towards the end when Theo leaves the country only to become insufferable at the end. To quote another reviewer, ""there is far too much self-congratulatory philosophizing stuck in at the end"" this is too true! I would like to add one last thing, I love long books like this with a lot of details, not just big action all the time. So thats why I am really disappointed and am bummed that I couldn't leave a 5 star review.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F2XQ261RVJ2H?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful prose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, heartrending story of our times. Central characters all lost and lonely in a harsh unforgiving world. Theo and Boris the unlikely heroes.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31FXHG34JGQOG?ASIN=0316055441	Uneven, but glad i read it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read the to the end.  Thank god no Deus Ex Machina..was worried that the loose ends would be neatly tied.  I liked the plot twists and loved the russian bits, but skipped through some of the long, deep philosophic, angst ridden passages.  BUT, if i was listening to those instead of reading them, i think i would have given this a higher rating. I would look for another from this author, but would not put it on a must have.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UVC3X20HVP6J?ASIN=0316055441	FINALLY	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've finished this book. And it's really good. My sister put me up to it; I can report it to her that I'M DONE.<br/>But...is it just me, or did anyone else enjoy the Patrick Melrose novels more? Hmmmm.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39C75P49TP3WI?ASIN=0316055441	yes, it is really as good as all that	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of those books that reminded me of what reading was like when I was a child, completely engrossing.  The words just carried me along.  Theo and his painting do bridge the gap between illusion and reality.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O9MCOCY0E2W0?ASIN=0316055441	Eroding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disliked drugging,drinking killing and the depression and depressive<br/><br/> wimpy hero<br/>Like the painting a nd  it's control of so many lives</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E0CFSEZ3XUPW?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant novel. Read it. Interesting take on how doing bad stuff may eventually lead to a good outcome - and the opposite. Engaging, hard to put down. A truly great writer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EWSHO0TGV4K3?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I want to say I really enjoyed this book, but to be truthful, there were portions that I "" plowed"" through.  I would recommend this with that caveat.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QD1SHUO4F7OR?ASIN=0316055441	Why a pulitzer?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was way too long for its content.  I just got fed up with the dragged out years of drug and or alcohol induced images, afterthoughts, barfing, etc.I was determined to finish the book just in case it turned interesting.  It took me a month to finish and I still didn't like it when I was done.  Maybe I was missing what this was all about and why this won a pulitzer.  I could hardly wait to get into a good murder mystery..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT9MO2C0FGUJ1?ASIN=0316055441	A commentary on beauty	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a thoughtful look at the beauty and ugliness that coexist in life.  The choices we make can focus our attention on either but we are ultimately responsible for our own satisfaction in life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MSHWD69NYQDQ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is very well written, however, toward the end of the book the narrative began to wander a bit.  I found it a bit difficult to decipher the thought process in the latter part of the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EQCTMJRMEZZ4?ASIN=0316055441	Heartbreaking, devastatingly beautiful, a novel for the ages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I will admit that I am always hesitant to read books that are too popular.  Silly bias I realize, but I have been led astray too many times.  I bought this book on a whim after Amazon suggested it for the 200th time, and I have to say, I couldn't be happier.<br/><br/>This is one of the best books I have read in years, I might even put it in my top 10 ever.  The main character is so real, and so heartbreaking and so lovable, even while being a person doing no good in the world, leaving a wake of emotional destruction behind as he goes.  The way the story is layed out, the reader gets a meaningful understanding of who Theo Decker is, and why he got that way.<br/><br/>Some reviewers have said the story is disjointed, this is far from the truth, the story follows a life, which is never straight and simple.  Readers get a look into why someone might end up with the problems he has, and you can only find sympathy for his plight.  The company he keeps, both good and bad make sense too with the context of the story.<br/><br/>The best part of this book is that under the story of heartbreak and sorrow is a thread about the love of beauty and art.  Anyone that has an appreciation of art will love the language used to describe why art is important to a civilized people.  I am left with the feeling that even if the reader didn't already love art, one might want to run out and catch an exhibit asap!<br/><br/>I have already started recommending this book to everyone I talk to.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M3T40F35DTOQ?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is hard to describe this book.  It brought out a lot of feelings and had a lot to say about the state of the world today.  The end of the book will blow you away with amazement.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5KCI2XC3MNLD?ASIN=0316055441	Up and Down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I never enjoy reading a book unless I really like the main character, and I am rooting for him to persevere.  I found myself loving Theo for a number of pages and then not caring at all for a few more.  His black outlook on things was oppressive at times and thought provoking at others.  The length of the book was a challenge; but the twists and turns kept you going, and it was worth the effort.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBRGVJUTPVTOK?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book held my interest from the first page. I shared it with my husband by telling him about what I had read each day. He would ask me what is going on tell me more of what you have read. It was great sharing a great read this way  I hope there is a movie? I loved this book as much as I did !The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, The girl who played with Fire and The girl that kicked the Hornets nest. Thank You</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGSMVZRQI58B8?ASIN=0316055441	brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you a thinker about life a philosopher or a would- be philosopher, read this book.  I'm still thinking about it.  Also, if you like a long book that you can sink into and can't wait to read every day, this one is for you.  The writing, the characters and the plot are all first rate.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13GUH787U7MW8?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one those books you can't down.  I read it while sitting, walking, and while eating.  Even after finishing the book,I'm still thinking about it.  Remarkable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UJEEE5Y5GNC1?ASIN=0316055441	Absorbed in the writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first half of the book had me totally into the story every inch of the way. The drugs and complication put me off the track a bit in the second half, but what an amazing journey. Deserves the Pulitzer, for sure!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16S3GHTM3GI2Q?ASIN=0316055441	Literature 101	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent for dissection by Literature class.  For pleasure reading it is overly descriptive and unnecessarily lengthy that adds nothing to the story.  Author appears to be well versed in drug use.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G5CM0G83MEW8?ASIN=0316055441	An Atomic Accelerator's Collision of Art and Reality	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love. Passion. Young love. Weird love. Laugh out loud love. Art. Creativity. Illusion. Wandering the desolation of Las Vegas' abandoned housing tracts in search of family, love, drugs, and money is a whole story in and of itself, but that's just a moment, a slice of this adventure, which begins in New York. Boris was there, and there. And in Amsterdam. Where isn't Boris? We want Boris in our lives, but Boris is too much. We need Boris in our lives, but Boris is too challenging. We seemingly escape the Boris in our life, but he returns, unexpectedly, just when we need him the most. Drugs. Blistered by drugs and alcohol, how can anyone function in this teetering approach to living? This story can be likened to an art appreciation class on acid...in fact, it's an art appreciation class on acid, and a smorgasbord of other drugs, with field trips that include strippers and prostitutes, drug deals gone bad, murder and mayhem, all within the 'normalcy' of socialites living their own deceptive lives. Life, like the ""Boris"" of our own lives, is truly a collision of reality and imagination.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S93KKDRFO9EM?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written. Worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was beautifully written, stunning prose. I felt an emotional connection to the main character. I would highly recommend this book. The only disappointment for me was that I perceived it to have a weak ending. Too bad.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5IMEGX1THWLV?ASIN=0316055441	A Book that tells the life of Druggies.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is terrible.  It is all about druggies and the newspapers' description describes only the last chapter of the book.  It is very inaccurate.  It has poor character development.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M1B6JA7DMXIX?ASIN=0316055441	I recommend this book to mystery readers	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good read.  Loved the plot and the description of the surroundings.  You can tell the writer did his research.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J7EIUAKCIVQ0?ASIN=0316055441	I recommend this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story is very well written and most enjoyable! I couldn't put it down and I thoroughly enjoyed the ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UKUCFYM9BV3P?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed it very much.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read. Pity that it takes a decade to get a book from her. Look forward to the next work of art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VAK6JR02DTTO?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story line--however too ""worded<br/><br/>Starts out with a n interesting story line but gets too ""wordie"" and too complicated  and descripted for me and lost my interest.<br/><br/>'</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HAX1X07MUOWP?ASIN=0316055441	A great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was compelling, timely and the characters were developed so well, I felt I knew them by the time I finished the book.  Will look for more books by Donna Tartt.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VM49EW4UTJ55?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very engaging and beautifully written book.  At times the processing of inner thoughts was digressive. I may have missed it but I do not recall a single reference to 9/11 which presumably occurred somewhere during the time span of the fifteen years.  It would be great for book club but the length would discourage a majority vote.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BHGC05KJKUFS?ASIN=0316055441	Unnecessarily long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was sort of interesting and the characters quirky.  I waded all the way through it, but it was not one of my favorites.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XD5P9VIZ8H8N?ASIN=0316055441	Nice character study	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, gripping in places, a bit dull elsewhere. Nice idea, truly inspired execution in spots, but way too long. A really good editor is needed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K23DFVS6CKEP?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is such a great story. The writing is exquisite. Although it is long, every page is worth savouring. Would love to read her other books.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D31P1CGTMHNU?ASIN=0316055441	Lots of verbiage	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked the book, however, the ending was a let down. It is a long way to get to a somewhat disappointing end. I do want to go to more art museums after reading this. Not sure I would have awarded this book.....but I did enjoy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLAAATUEACTHO?ASIN=0316055441	incredible story. a must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most intriguing books I have read in a long time. I needed to get to the end so couldn't put it down and found myself rushing reading it as there was alot of description but it was needed.  But I just was too impatient. A must read. Kept me thinking a long time afterwards.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZEE33LS92X4U?ASIN=0316055441	excellent.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have loved all of Tartt's books, and this is no exception. Beautiful writing, gripping story. I couldn't put it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCE83RAOY4BWF?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful from beginning to end. Destined to become a classic worthy of reading over and over throughout my life. Thank you, Donna Tart.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R311A3OFY54N7N?ASIN=0316055441	Words with vision	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A graphic story with several angles that gives insight to the main character. interesting and addicting  - well written giving the reader a visual journey!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT1Z0SQODE2KD?ASIN=0316055441	An outstanding read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is the complex and very moving story of Theo Dexter, whose life goes out of control as a result of a very traumatic experience in which his mother dies.  It is a compelling story  about beauty, about pain, about loss.  It is a story about a child who has to deal with  immeasurable pain and neglect after his mother dies, and as a result, as he grows up he makes terribly destructive  choices.  It is a story that made me think about the meaning of life, and the power of art to heal our spirit.  The writing is beautiful and very inspiring.  A book that I'm sure will become a classic.  If you have trouble with ambiguous endings, you may not enjoy this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GXEWUHJFUYSO?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't be put off by the fact it is 700+ pages long.  It kept me very engaged-throughout the entire book I knew that something else was about to happen.  That is all I can say without putting in a spoiler alert!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15DC6F3QYF6PG?ASIN=0316055441	I need a new ending.........	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The discriptives used were outstanding!  I felt as if I were in the physical locals and could almost smell the air specific to the areas!! Great book but I was very disappointed  in the the last five pages........too philosophical! I want to know what happened to Boris, which girl did ""Potter"" end up with,what happened to Hobie???!! I grew to embrace the main characters and then boom!!! All done.  Oh, well.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TAVO0NBK8XCW?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have read this book twice, the first time at breakneck speed even while dreading to finish what I consider to be one of the finest stories ever written.  I wondered whether I would be able to read it a second time, as even while I read at the speed of sound, I remember every word. Would the book pull me in so dramatically the second time?  And of course it did.  Even better, like a great friend lost but recovered.  An immense joy. Donna Tartt has given us characters who jump off the page and into our lives.  I am so grateful to know them.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RITO91CV2VF3I?ASIN=0316055441	worth the time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long and sometimes bogged down in detail, but worth the effort.<br/>I thought of 'Invisible Man' by Ralph Ellison while reading.  Many different<br/>themes in a story about a boy's journey.  Coming of age is too trite.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHUBAS351WQYX?ASIN=0316055441	Fatalistic journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reading this book from my Christian worldview, I cannot help but think of Elijah from the book of 1 Kings, when the Lord passed him.  A great, strong mountain-tearing wind went by, but the Lord was not in the wind. Then an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And then fire, but again the Lord was not in it. And then came the sound of a low whisper, and there was the Lord.  Written in first person, I waited for Theo to find peace, and the only peace was in the goodness of Hobie, who took him in after being tossed from a seemingly good family to his devious father. Theo went from wind to earthquake to fire, always in a hurry to get nowhere. This book is intricate in detail and sumptuous in character, hence its length. But getting on in the later chapters, I, like other readers, found myself skimming so I could finally get to the denouement.<br/>Readers will learn more than they bargained for about the wills and wiles of alcoholics and drug abusers, as well as loving detail in furniture restoration, art appreciation, and the Russian language. Characters bright and seedy await, as do cut-off sentences that twirl us through the mind of Theo, ever lost and never truly happy. Foul language permeates this book, and in that I am uncomfortable, but it is the way of the world, yes?<br/>The author gives us her (interesting again that she writes it first person as a male) overview of the meaning of life at the end. No waiting in this tome, only attempt after exasperating attempt at meaninglessness. If only she'd waited for the whisper of The Lord instead.<br/>At the end of it, even though there was enjoyment in the varied and great details of character and craft, I wanted to watch a bright, predictable, and safe Hallmark movie, where ""they lived happily ever after.""</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37R9YB68TMHU4?ASIN=0316055441	Promising, but no cigar.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning of the book was very promising, but... I could not sympathize with the main character through the book. Drug addicted, self indulging. I know that Theo lost his mother at an early age and his father was no prince but it seems he was drawn to bad elements (like Boris). For the most part I did not enjoy this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GEV79Q0G7UBA?ASIN=0316055441	FANTASTIC CHARACTERIZATION	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Where did Tartt come from? Will probably have to read more of her work. Good characterization in full dimensions.Great read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R182UQT37M67SN?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Without a doubt worth the Pulitzer Prize.  Well conceived with excellent writing.  Had a hard time putting it down.  Several times I stayed up half the night reading this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M72XG3T8SAG7?ASIN=0316055441	5 star salute	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's the Goldfinch had me hooked from the beginning. The prose is so beautiful and engaging that it is impossible to put down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R145ZX6CZEDMXF?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can we get a book about Boris and his exploits? Fantastic read. Highly recommend and definitely not what I expected</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V21J602NLUU7?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I looked forward to reading this book so much during the day that I often went to bed, where I do most of my reading on my Kindle Paperwhite, early so I could get my daily fix.  What a great read.  Talk about character developement! I thought by the end of the book that I knew them personally.  It was tragically moving, while at the same time, beautifully uplifting.  No wonder this author received a Pulitzer prize for this work. It was reading poetry from cover to cover.  Her colorful use of language is not to be missed!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BDWUX43ZYBB1?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Riveting, and well written. Loved her style of prose. Really captured adolescence and loss. Would highly recommend this book .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BPEY8PV6YLJI?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredibly written...compelling.  Tartt writes with such insight and descriptive prose...I wanted to underline something on most of the 750 pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L6FR7WOE957Z?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So many questions.... I couldn't put this novel down. It hooked me from the start. The character development was awesome. It is a committed read but well worth the effort!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10Z1IIW1HI91Z?ASIN=0316055441	excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I truly loved every word of this wonderful book, what a pleasure to read!<br/>Looking forward to reading whatever else she has or will publish</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MS17BAQCHEB1?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writing, gripping story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story held my fascination from beginning to end.  There are many twists and turns to the plot and the characters are well-drawn and appealing.  Donna Tartt writes with detailed expertise; there is not a word that could be changed or omitted without spoiling the book's perfection.  Don't miss this once-in-a lifetime masterwork!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RER8FUJ1SDBMY?ASIN=0316055441	Much to delight in	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this on my iPad, and was unable to put it down - it has that flow and rush of every really well-written book, with a  compelling plot and appealing characters. However, I'm only giving it four stars because it also irritated me repeatedly, for example, in ascribing to Theo - initially a thirteen-year-old kid and the novel's first-person narrative voice - a degree of perception, insight, and ability to notice telling, fine detail which belong entirely to the author and not to the teenager: at points, the endless descriptions, however finely observed and - we're encouraged to believe - fraught with layer upon layer of significance, seemed pretentious and self-indulgent. The secondary characters are also fairly flat: Hobie, Pippa, Kitsey, even Boris - are only sketched in, and the final plot twists seem too obviously made-for-Hollywood, the final philosophical ruminations irritatingly vague. So, in the end, a tad disappointing, the sense that I'd wasted a lot of time on a novel which seemed to have great promise but left me feeling empty.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QEJ8AKCMVVT6?ASIN=0316055441	Review of The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is probably an excellent read for the person looking for romantic descriptions of the environment.  I found that many pages were filled with more than enough descriptions of the surrounding area of each charachter.  The story line was excellent which kept me reading to the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q7EI3E179AV2?ASIN=0316055441	good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great novel.  Exciting story about a young man, I cannot wait for another story about this mans next life experience.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQFSWHT9K27OT?ASIN=0316055441	Sad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had high expectations for this book based on the reviews.  It was slow in the start, but after I got past that the middle section and the plot was very good.  But it became so tedious and depressing in the last third of the book that I had to fight to get to the end with the hopes that the characters would be redeemed.  I can deal with the unfortunate turns in life, but I would hope that we would have a message we are left with that people can persevere and be redeemed.  Others may not feel the same way, but I was left feeling sad and depressed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J4IP4JPRBAJK?ASIN=0316055441	A mixed bag...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not sure what to make of this book... full of twists and turns and powerful language, but I found it impossible to connect with or empathize with the main character. The philosophy at the end didn't help. Maybe trauma survivors would ""get it"" -- but the entire tale reminded me of a very fancily wrapped package with nothing inside. This would probably make a great book-discussion group selection!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G5ST3MB2EFV7?ASIN=0316055441	A very well written story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is not only entratening but it is also well written. A very well deserved Pulizer Price for Fiction In my opinion.<br/>I will be searching other books by Donna Tartt.<br/>She is knowledged about art,linguistics, highly littered!<br/>I don't need to add that I really loved the book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CPSUS692CLUA?ASIN=0316055441	It was good, for halfway	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first about-half of the book is riveting.  Very strong women characters.  I was entranced by the mother, and would dearly have loved to learn more about her.  Also, as the father enters the story, I would really have loved to know how in the world these two people could have met, much less married.  But what ultimately made the story a failure to me is that the main character simply finds no redemption.  What is the purpose of his long story, if he never grows or learns.  He is just blowing in the wind.  As I began to lose hope that he would become something, I skipped to the end.  And saved myself about four useless hours of reading.  Very disappointed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R54E2ZHNWX2C7?ASIN=0316055441	One of the great American novels of our time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It drew me in from the first page.  The voice of this narrator is one I will never forget. All characters are well developed, the sense of place is extraordinary!!  Highly recommend.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI1OMNJY958AO?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not care for this book.  It was two long and cover the same things many time over.  Therefore I wood recommend it to no one</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JISFJZVUG9A6?ASIN=0316055441	Hated this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hated the book!<br/>I don't know why it won a Puliter Prize. I didn't like the story line at all.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNG67HSMWKS5H?ASIN=0316055441	Deserves the Pulitzer.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is brilliant, dense and amazingly creative. The length of the book, however, could be shortened by cutting back on descriptive passages.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2930I4NJMBPAB?ASIN=0316055441	amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Must read book, dark, mysterious and true to life.  Not all roses and glitz but a true, real life novel.  Life sucks, you deal.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYSRWY3U8XM7M?ASIN=0316055441	worth the time commitment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's nearly 800 pages but is definitely a good story. At first I wondered if I would find the characters sympathetic. Tartt' beautiful sentences are very satisfying. Good book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V09I27OTODTF?ASIN=0316055441	Deserves Six Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an amazing story on so many levels. I couldn't stop reading it, not just to find out what would happen next to the characters I loved, but to receive the book's brilliant insights on life, love, art, beauty, death. I would recommend it to anyone who can commit to a long story, and it would be excellent for a book club discussion. If you love art or antiques, or philosophy, or have an interest in the impact of traumatic events and drugs on a person's life, or if you just enjoy exquisite writing, this book is a ""don't miss.""</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37A2OBE3XIGU8?ASIN=0316055441	unexpected plot well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an intriguing book because I never saw the different plot twists coming. Part of the reason I think I was always wrong because I wanted the main character to do the right thing and find what he wanted. I was horrified by his choices and it was not until near the end of the book I had some understanding of how he perceived the main dilemma of his life.<br/><br/>This book is very well written that works on several levels. I gave it four stars instead of five because I felt some sections went on too long and I lost interest. I strongly recommend this book to all serious readers of fiction. The main characters are well drawn and grapple with important questions about how to live life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30A1XDHL57ROV?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So much to say about this novel. I love her quiet homage to Great Expectations that is a thread running through the book. I do think Tartt is Dickensian in her execution. It's a masterpiece.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PCVIXXQJ9MLI?ASIN=0316055441	best book in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If it was possible to give more than five stars, this book would earn ten. Suspense and heart submersed in the most beautifully written text-a true masterpiece for the reader. Can't wait to pick it up in a few months and read it again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MOGPFJ62Y62B?ASIN=0316055441	Dissapointing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Total waste of time! There was no likeable character; and no purpose to the story. It grabbed my attention because I wanted to see what happens to Theo but after a while I lost interest and no part of the book was engaging.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCITZSOV9RDJW?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding Fiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Am in the process of reading The Goldfinch.  It's difficult to put it down.  The story is original, the writing is superb without being pretentious, the descriptions are vivid, and the emotions described bring tears to my eyes.  This book is what literature is all about.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCXRR6T4OY8PO?ASIN=0316055441	Catcher in the Rye	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did any one else find this novel reminiscent of Holden Caufield and Catcher in the Rye? I am still reading it but I adore Doona,s ability to write clear vignettes and scenes with a few words.  I can visualize the people and places so easily.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CK8WXP0D9MBO?ASIN=0316055441	not as good as I thought it was going to be	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book did not hold my interest after about a third of the way in.  I found it to be disappointing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OMRBAGDUDP65?ASIN=0316055441	This story has it all	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found everything in this book.  I don't know how the author can pull all this out of her<br/>head because she created a whole world.  She seems to know intimately about so many things; art, drugs, society types, furniture, underworld denizens.  I liked Boris the best by far, the others got too depressing but he and his associates had the most life<br/>in them.  My other favorite was Popchik the dog.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QVN56XZPD7O5?ASIN=0316055441	wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a pretty good story with about 200 extra pages. Too many pages that add nothing the book and are a waste of<br/>good reading time..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15A1FWOZPYGTO?ASIN=0316055441	meh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good until she started to moralize at the end, just in case we were to dumb to figure it out on our own.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPVUVMKE9IAXZ?ASIN=0316055441	Complicated characters in a complicated story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a book to read for relaxation. The intrigue continues on every page as the story continues with well defined characters and realistic descriptions.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KGHZGAEVKBWJ?ASIN=0316055441	For me it was a treasure....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Let me start by saying that I loved Tartt's first novel, The Secret History. I read it over 20 years ago and have re-read at least parts of it many times since. When her second book, The Little Friend, was published I bought and started it but never finished. I don't know why—maybe because I never felt the magic I felt from The Secret History. So when The Goldfinch was published I bought it but then kept putting off reading it—I wanted to love it as much as I loved her first book and I was afraid I wouldn't. But I did.<br/><br/>First of all, let me say this is absolutely not a book for everyone. It is long and filled with intellectual ramblings that are bound to turn some people off—just like they turned me on. One of the things I most loved about The Secret History was its intelligence. It assumed right from the beginning that the reader knew about things like how language shapes culture and the unavoidable presence of archetypes in our lives. Its characters were young, mostly affluent and privileged, and yet also damaged. The Goldfinch continues this tradition and enhances it. There are a lot of side trips into art, philosophy, literature, and I loved every one of them.<br/><br/>The story, briefly, is that Theo Decker, a twelve year old boy living in New York City with his mother, has gotten into trouble at his private school and his mother has to take a day off from work to see the headmaster. Because they are early, she decides to take a quick tour of a new show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and, while there, terrorists set off a bomb (in the museum—that alone will give you nightmares), killing many people including Theo's mother. Theo, while making his escape—unaware that his mother is dead—stops to comfort a dying man and his young ward, Pippa, and, at the old man's urging, salvages the painting The Goldfinch by Carel Fabritus. Theo goes home to wait for his mother but when he learns she is not coming home, he forgets all about the painting and, by the time he remembers it, his life has changed dramatically.<br/><br/>From this point on Theo's life is a series of misadventures, many of them out of his control, most of them not very happy and not the least of which is his guilt for being the cause of his mother's deat. In many ways Theo reminded me of Richard Papen, the narrator of The Secret History. He is an intelligent young man but weak and damaged by life and who resorts to drugs and alcohol to cope. Yet, despite that, he remains sufficiently functional to create a life for himself that, while misguided at times, is filled with astonishing beauty. I have to admit I felt a bit of a thrill when Theo described things—most especially his longing for Pippa—in words that were nearly the same as Richard's longing for Camilla.<br/><br/>Tartt has a marvelous ability to present familiar settings giving them a dark, gothic ominousness. Her New York City—both the Village and the Upper East Side—are rainy, cold, dreary and ever so slightly terrifying—despite the lavish apartments and affluent residents. Her Las Vegas is not a glittery, fun-filled playland but a wasteland of barren subdivisions being reclaimed by the desert. Her Amsterdam is downright mesmerizing.<br/><br/>The book is 700 pages long and there were a few times I found myself skimming just because I was eager to see what would happen next. It is a book of horrible people (Theo's father and his crazy girlfriend, Xandra) and wonderful people (Hobie and Theo's mother) and people who have been so battered around by life that they've lost any sense of a moral compass (Boris.) Yet all of them are so real you almost feel  you know them.<br/><br/>I loved this book and I can certainly understand why it won the Pulitzer—it is intelligent and wise and filled with warnings about where it is much too easy for a life to go once that first wrong wrong turn is taken. I will admit I did not love any of the characters as much as I loved Henry Winter—though Hobie came close. The final chapter, Theo's ruminations on the painting he inadvertently stole so many years ago, is one I will read again, and probably again. For me that makes it a treasure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN2D89T6DBA35?ASIN=0316055441	Excellently written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Entire book very captivating.  Very good writer.  Story really gets to you.  Hard to stop reading this book, could not put down.<br/>It is a must on anyones list.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33Y6TR93A9YQ6?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth your time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not sure why I finished this book. It is very long and rambles on way too much. Story is very depressing. The author does have a flair for writing, very descriptive but the story goes nowhere so don't expect a nice ending or even any ending. It just stops. Would not recommended this.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PX0PVM565JPJ?ASIN=0316055441	Not the best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know lots of people loved this book, which is why I picked it up. My problem with it was by the middle of the story I had absolutely no sympathy for the main character and really didn't care what happened to him. So I pretty much skimmed the last half trying to find some thread of interest. Never happened.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGNXP27IS5NRL?ASIN=0316055441	A novel not to miss	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing book such depth the characters are so intense and real.<br/>Loved this Novel I'm still thinking about it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PFA9OTCEUHMU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Gold Stars for the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A 5 star read<br/>The story kept me going till the very end. Donna Tartt is a great writer. I went to see the painting at NY Frick Museum. It is a masterpiece and she kept it at the center of the story. Especially liked the portrayal of Boris and Hobie.Theo was more difficult for me to like as the story unfold , but captured me again towards the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWL7SBQPQEG75?ASIN=0316055441	Intrigue, excellent narrative and philosophical depth roll into one very pleasant fiction book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The fictional events, are the excuse to depict very real feelings, results of PTSD, bad parenting, randomness and paradigmatic characters. The narrative is engaging and it demands attention. I could visualize the people and events depicted and every day looked forward to my next reading session. It even has a timely and well narrated ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ0YN5VVVY9II?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was caught up in the story immediately, and I felt that I knew the characters. Well developed and cohesive story line. Somewhat disappointed in the ending--I didn't get the closure I expected.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10RJMC6DRO4F7?ASIN=0316055441	Long Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting.  plot, although highly unlikely.  I felt like I was reading a Russian novel full of angst. I found myself skipping passages as points were dragged out</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FXNODDGBEOS8?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting, but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting characters and story. Well written, but too detailed inner thoughts, too drawn out, especially in second half of book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVX9GMC0NR0YM?ASIN=0316055441	Lovely	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So well written...you keep hoping things will change for the subject in the book which keeps you hanging on and reading.  So beautifully written - there's a message for us all in there.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R297EVFDWJT1RY?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was so drawn out that it was hard to stay with it.  Good writing, though.  The character had many trials to go through.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIJD3FD5UA69O?ASIN=0316055441	an amazing ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As soon as I finished this book, I turned to page one to start it again. I didn't want to let go of these characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W4L5L9OJXUPM?ASIN=0316055441	A Great Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is wonderful - My best read all year. I am planning a trip to NYC to the Frick to see The Goldfinch up close and personal.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26CT55FWBF3D6?ASIN=0316055441	Startling a hard to put down read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Days after finishing the book I was still thinking of Theo it was certainly a great book...a must read ..highly recommend!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R116ET5KYPF68P?ASIN=0316055441	Compulsive Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very we'll written first person novel.  A bit too long bordering on tedious but a fascinating tale causing the reader to become engaged.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22PO18U5ESAYL?ASIN=0316055441	Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the descriptive writing style and the story premise. However, it was much longer than necessary especially the time in Los Vegas. How many different ways can you be told about drug addiction?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2US253390SKPD?ASIN=0316055441	fabulous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's been a long time since I was as moved by a book as I was by this one...this book is a true gift to literature.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JDQRM5OJIJ6B?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it! Long enough to enjoy and broken into a few distinct episodes. Great characters and settings throughout. Murakami-ish in places.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REOEZONXOCWF7?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Middle was the best. Started to loose me in the end. Very disappointing end. Does want me t o see painting.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LKXDO2B98GFT?ASIN=0316055441	Dark, deep and faintly sinister	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I began this book with no expectations, no knowledge of its plot or meaning, no idea what I would find.  And what I found was so different from anything I've ever read, I couldn't put it down.  I can only describe it with words like heartbreaking, exquisite, addicting, evocative, complex, foreboding, beautiful . . .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13IPK80IER0U1?ASIN=0316055441	way too tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found the story compelling, but way too tedious. Very philosophical and introspective, but I found myself wishing the author would just get on with telling the story. Too much drug related psychoanalysis.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G9IS1N9DZC6Y?ASIN=0316055441	An excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Character development<br/>Story line, with many twists and turns...and very believable<br/>Somewhat disappointed in the ending...too philosophical, and too long an ending</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T1GE9FTV0AB1?ASIN=0316055441	So good...and so long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You have to give this book five stars for Donna Tartt's incredible writing, which is reminiscent of Charles Dickens and is more beautiful and lyrical than just about anything else you'll find out there. The store of ""The Goldfinch"" is intriguing, but I agree with what other reviewers have commented on about the characters being too flat. The lack of depth results in the book feeling even longer than its 700+ pages, which is another issue I have with it: seriously, did no one edit this sucker?! It could easily be trimmed to 500 pages, AT LEAST! Still, it's a fantastic novel that ties everything together in the most intricate of ways. Definitely worth reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FSKWVVR8GP7Z?ASIN=0316055441	a must read for book lovers	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book held my attention throughout...and the ending was inspirational!  Loved the book and want to read more by Donna Tartt#</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HMNEFE1S3ON2?ASIN=0316055441	Ok	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">didn't love this book,very long and didn't really get any where ,I liked it but it could have been 550 pages to tell the same story!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17RGQ07K5HCNG?ASIN=0316055441	I know it won a Pulitzer Prize, but....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very lengthy literary work; the pictures painted with words were exquisite. So long, I almost forgot the conclusion. I have tried to make this review as short as possible, in contrast to the book by Donna Tartt. The story line just went on and on. There must be a moral to this tale.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DSYPNQ21SXZG?ASIN=0316055441	A difficult journey into a troubled adulthood	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like many coming-of-age novels, Donna Tartt’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel has the reader desperate to reach in to the novel and lend a helping hand as a series of disasters overcome young Theo Decker on his journey from a troubled childhood to an even more troubled adulthood.  A key event (no spoiler if you have read any of the reviews) is an explosion in a New York Art Gallery, which sets off two relationships for Theo, with a young girl in the gallery at the time, and a painting, the eponymous Goldfinch.  These two loves sustain him as he finds his way through life, yet both relationships are never fulfilled.  He meets a number of characters who in some sense replace his parents, but who are never a close as his true unrequited loves.  Particularly likeable is Hobie, a father figure whom Theo treats very badly, and in fact we lose a lot of sympathy with Theo in this part of the novel.  A particularly unlikeable character is his friend Boris, an Easter European spiv who seems to me to occupy far too much of the novel, and who sets off a series of adventures which are a big distraction as Theo tries to sort himself out.  Despite these problems, this novel was highly engaging, and Theo emerges as perhaps a Holden Caulfield of the early twenty-first century.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KW503HWKZQ2D?ASIN=0316055441	It's Very Hard to Put Down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have already recommended it to several people. I bought it because it was recommended to me.  It's an intense read, going where you think it won't go and then back again!  A roller coaster ride that had me dropping everything to read hours on end.  The length was not a problem, there were a few parts that could have been trimmed, but I was not ready for the story to end.  I would love to read more from this author.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z9I7EQEFL59P?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is spell binding. It moves so fast that you can't put it down. The end is very deep and really makes you think.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSWF3D1D2E7O3?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">wow!  This is a must read book!  I Couldn't put it down!  I Will definitely read more of this author</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UWHUV38YCOM6?ASIN=0316055441	Thought provoking expression of the effect of art on the mind and your life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unique chronicle of a boy to man evolution through tragedy and finding himself.  He is influenced by art, family and friends in defining his life.  Would like a sequel that tells us what happens in his future and with Boris, Pippa, Hobie and other characters!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VLDC9FNM7VVV?ASIN=0316055441	LEAD TO GOLD	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No wonder it got the award. I will be reading it again and again.it is so worth it's price in GOLD.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3191RHOV0WE2G?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best novel I have read in a long time.  It does not follow a common formula for storyline progression.  The author allows time for developing the characters and circumstances so you feel the slow or fast progression of time where appropriate.  Really well done.  Very enjoyable read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ICBPFC1YCFQ7?ASIN=0316055441	Young man trying to save so many.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story of a young man, trying to find himself without his mother. How far can one go to hide from ones self? The Goldfinch seems to be like the character, illusive and unreachable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJR34NAHYL726?ASIN=0316055441	Don't understand all the hoopla	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I put the book down several times intending not to finish it. The first half is just an odyssey of a young man's journey through sex, drugs and depression.<br/>The second half was better involving the Goldfinch painting itself.<br/>No way a Pulitzer Prize winner or even a best seller.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KKBELAHPHZFW?ASIN=0316055441	New author for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this since it was listed as a best seller.  I did enjoy most of it, but it went on a bit too long.  The descriptions and characters were well defined.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EN8VKUITYUSN?ASIN=0316055441	moving story, but needs to be shortened	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was a page turner, but was way too long.  Although some readers don't mind, there was too much drugs and violence for my taste.  I did think the story line was creative and interesting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKBM005434B99?ASIN=0316055441	I loved reading and listening to this story with whispersynch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a bit slow to start but once I got into it I loved it.  The narrator from Audible did a great job.  I loved his Russian accent.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20P22E1IGQS0Y?ASIN=0316055441	Complex characters and unpredictable story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just finished The Goldfinch. I loved the well developed, complex characters as well as the unpredictable turns as the story unfolds. At times, it was difficult to empathize with Theo, yet you find yourself repeatedly hoping. Through all of his tragic losses, multiple addictions, and unlikely friendships, the reader comes to accept Theo's faults and give up the illusion of his redemption.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37OB9XKKGFEIU?ASIN=0316055441	I Liked It!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Normally I don't read fiction but the Pulitzer Prize intrigued me. Nice mystery and the main character, Theo, kept my interest. The secondary characters were well portrayed and the plot moved along nicely. A good beach book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MYND20GQAQAH?ASIN=0316055441	An amazing redefinition of beauty	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There has never been a more desperate search for justification in loving fine art than Theo's quest. His wisdom is painfully earned and his suffering finely wrought. The last few pages offer a clear-eyed and thoughtful explanation. This is a book that will resonate with any lover of beauty who has fallen in love with a work, and a fantastic story full of insight, love, life, and philosophy. It is a story to be read more than once. The first time as an adventure, the second time as one returns to a favorite wine, full of expectation and with plenty of time to savor..</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6BA8GDMARA86?ASIN=0316055441	Antiquities love and care	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing look at the art underworld and the ability of the human spirit to adapt.  Loved this book! What's next from this author?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQM23IKDZMU4O?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book club book. Beautifully written..great and powerful story! Donna Tart writes amazing with very descriptive characters. Loved the book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA8VHKI03MYUG?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Wins	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A riveting story....Ms.Tartt held my attention from the first sentence to the last word.  This is one of those stories I did not want to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24UK3ADX0YGAE?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Since this was on my Kindle I didn't realize how long it is. It was a good story but I think it sort of ""petered out"" at the ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ERYAN19OE0IS?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very disappointed in this book. It is long, drawn out and has absolutely no redeeming qualities. I read it all the way to end because I kept thinking that something would happen to turn it around. I wanted to like the characters, but they never did anything to redeem themselves in my eyes. There were never any consequences for their actions, nor do you feel the characters desired absolution.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31L8CPXHMTVSL?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the storyline very much, however the descriptions  were very wordy.  I feel authors like this should be in the classroom and not writing books for the general public.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y4X0S3UX9S0K?ASIN=0316055441	How a small bird can determine peoples' lives!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing was so descriptive, the plot gripping.  I couldn't figure out just where it was going.  As good as a detective novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FW0LJU6Y3GDI?ASIN=0316055441	An Intense saga	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A Well written tragedy raising moral issues many would find uncomfortable. It is an intricate plot full of unexpected suspense.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TW2KGI1BMR3J?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This receives a five star for being an extremely well written book with twists and turns you would never expect. The story begins with a 13 yr. old boy and his divorced mother in New York City where she is providing him with the best schooling and an appreciation of fine things --- especially in the world of art. Unexpected tragedy strikes when an explosion hits the museum of art where they are separated for the moment. The mother is killed and Theo is set on a path of life that takes many different turns from the worst of living conditions for a growing boy to some fine contacts. Having snatched The Goldfinch, his favorite picture, from the museum wall and keeping it secret, he finds himself in the terrible position of wanting to return it, but fear of international art thievery punishment makes him wrap it carefully and hide it away in a ""safe place"". The story unfolds with many twists and turns with the reader ultimately evaluating what is good and bad. A  fine read written with style and taste.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z04ODGV0V648?ASIN=0316055441	Hold Onto Your Hat!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely spellbinding novel with classical narrative structure, well-drawn characters and surprisingly,an uplifting conclusion.  Can major catastrophes, childhood emotional and physical trauma be overcome?  The author says ""yes,"" but is hardly Goodie Two Shoes --we see all the angst of the human struggle to live, to find a home base, before we reach the novel's end.<br/>And there is daylight peeking throughout the narrative, much of it in the engaging character of Boris and in glimpses of the Goldfinch painting.<br/>A long read, but worth the time--this train is fast-moving.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R235B5EWMVLDEN?ASIN=0316055441	Unique and thought-provoking novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In the beginning, I was quite certain that I wouldn't finished the book.  Just when I thought it would be about an unfortunate child who was orphaned by a terrorist bomb blast in an art museum, it became a horrifying tale about an unsupervised (and un-cared for teen).  The constant was the painting  (and Boris) and it was not until the final chapters that the significance of both became clearer.<br/>  Discussion with others who have read this book is a must, I think.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZO5QASRJS05E?ASIN=0316055441	fascinating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">well written, especially by a female author narrating with a young man's voice. lots of twists and turns.surprising, and intriguing. Modern feel but historical without being overwhelmed with details( like Pillars!)can't wait to read more of her books. I  hesitate to give it 5 stars, b/c I save those for my absolute favorites, but there was no 4.5 star rating...enjoy</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJQA16W9XP5R0?ASIN=0316055441	Very indepth	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting book.  Loved the characters and how they were developed.  However, towards the end, couldn't wait to finish it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TEUDF2J9LJMO?ASIN=0316055441	I cannot stop reading this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unique story with wonderfully developed characters &amp; rich descriptions of locations &amp; the worlds of art &amp; antique restoration. Compelling!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKWL2SYJDCPUQ?ASIN=0316055441	Disfunction at its best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this novel difficult to read insofar as it was heavy, depressing, with never ending turmoil with a protagonist who could never make a decision. I just wanted to scream at him. I would have quit the book even before half way but I didn't have another one waiting in the wings.<br/>I would not recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RHOE9YLDO6W7?ASIN=0316055441	Not as good as I expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was disappointed. The book is much longer than necessary and not as good as the hype.<br/>The story line is interesting but goes off on tangents.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31RV9IT5ODH55?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating character studies	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very absorbing story,many interesting characters,interesting comparisons between art and life. I wasn't ready for it to end. I highly recommend it, very good read!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AI68GK8A6SYT?ASIN=0316055441	highly recommended	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't put the book down! It has great characters and is always developing. Overall The Goldfinch is a great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIWBYBKO2EFO?ASIN=0316055441	amazing insightful lyrical masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt would be someone I would want sitting at the table of the people I would most like to break bread and have communion with in the salon of my dreams.<br/>This book is for those that have a hunger and appreciation for poetic prose that I believe will prove to stand true through the test of time. It entices the reader to start over after reaching the end to savor again the extraordinary journey the author takes us on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37MRJVWE953GZ?ASIN=0316055441	complex, thought provoking, excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliantly written, this novel is a gem.  The unique characters are almost Dickensian in their unforgettable complexity.  Theo, Boris and Hobie will remain with me always.  Tartt presents the tormented Theo in his own words so realistically that his pain, his addictions, his obsessionwith the painting all draw the reader inexorably into his world.  It is not a pretty world, but he must learn to navigate it in his own bumbling way, and we wait breathlessly to see whether he will succeed or fail.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ATHXVEP26KVZ?ASIN=0316055441	Great novel. Must read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story capturing simplicity yet complexity in life's events and their impact on our future.  Great novel with great message. Thought provoking.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FJO6HB43QJWZ?ASIN=0316055441	unbelievably awesome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books I've read in years! I can't wait to discuss it with my book group</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34ZSD3U6U9OJ6?ASIN=0316055441	amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow, just incredible. The writing is so well done. The plot is so unique and well written. I hated some of it and loved others but that makes for a good book in my eyes! I don't even mind the length, because it honestly kept me interested throughout its entirety.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R7XTED70NJK5?ASIN=0316055441	Anything by this author is brilliant!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't even finished this book yet, but I have read all of her others and I am loving this one! I know I'll be disappointed when its finished.  Great author, great book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X2KEX7V189MH?ASIN=0316055441	Great book Great characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the book and really the characters became a part of you.  It was too long and too wordy for some of my friends to recommend it to.  I would recommend it if you just leisurely want to finish a book this summer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R297N2UTANVCUL?ASIN=0316055441	Great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book read it.  Interesting characters and great plot,  Donna Tartt writes great characters you really care about what happens to them.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32ZVEA2XBBMEQ?ASIN=0316055441	An amazing and original yarn	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was gripped by the story. I had no idea what was going to happen next.  The effect of the loss of Theo's mother was brilliantly drawn<br/>and all the characters played their parts consistently and fully.<br/>A triumph of good story telling!.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RW8EDMXFRZQP?ASIN=0316055441	great lyrical novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters grab you, the plot keeps you interested.  The universal, yet extraordinary, struggles of many of the characters touches your soul.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XQV1MUKGRYB?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging, well written, suspenseful, thought provoking.  Everything you would want in a great read.  My only complaint is that it was weak book group fodder.  we were all in complete agreement and I missed having a good argument.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22G6GBCSOP16N?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed messages of beauty, good from bad. Story was a bit long in sad parts, but a worthwhile read. Theo is someone you  like to know!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7OMUWEA6B9E1?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was too drawn out, and it did not hold my attention. I was disappointed after all the hype.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KKQOT7SZ2DQ9?ASIN=0316055441	Life!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love a good story!  Life with all the good and bad are very real. To love,feel and remember are all part of it. This story had it all for me. I shared and felt it all. Hope to read more like it!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DKF3AJYDA2ZM?ASIN=0316055441	Long but worth it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Super long but very detailed. Lots of eloquent descriptions and big words. Keep a dictionary close by. Super interesting. Enjoy!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OBGWHW0A6YIL?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I have read in a long time and I read a book a week.  Was fascinated by the depth of the various subjects and locations in the book. e.g. I lived outside of Las Vegas in 1942 and remember the wind and the sand hitting the windows.  Have recommended this to my family and do so to everyone interested in a good page turner.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TQM6WXGX4ITT?ASIN=0316055441	Great weekend read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book opens up the mind to think about what we put our energy. Our perceptions and what we think is important might just be an illusion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GQK68AKEIA78?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is unclear to me the book is still on the best sellers list!!  I found the beginning good reading and then the more I read the longer and thinking it would never, ever end, so much so I stopped reading and never finished it.  Several others who have read it have not cared for it either.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4UYGXQEM5AL3?ASIN=0316055441	Profound and heart breaking.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very good read. You are always hopeful that something better is around the corner for our hero, but rewards are few as drugs become a way of life and sorrow as regular as his heart beat.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R136NL4YF2FQH7?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoying the Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't finished it yet but the relationship between the man and his mother is very intriguing and captures one's attention.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NZGHLAITWE8C?ASIN=0316055441	time wasted	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In a word: depressing. And long. I scanned through lots of it. Can't understand it's popularity or Pulitzer. Don't recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNJ5K8R7T0ZP4?ASIN=0316055441	A book I could hardly put down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the Goldfinch very much and I even recommended it to my son who has little time to read so only reads those books he considers worth his limited time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O6VD87SET5TL?ASIN=0316055441	A beautiful and absorbing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, and totally absorbing, the Goldfinch is a tale told with depth, action, detail and sensitivity. I think I need to read it again just absorb the beauty of the language.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RAT2TJ42YMBG?ASIN=0316055441	I thought it would never end!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too tedious! It had some good moments but went on way too long! The story could have been told in a shorter number of pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQO8DNBWYCHGY?ASIN=0316055441	Loved The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written.  Theo's narration through all his life experiences after his mother's death feels just as though he is speaking it.  He is so believable. And the surprises!  Well worth reading the 775 pages.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAI44OI7JO13R?ASIN=0316055441	a good read although at times ponderous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I began by savoring each word practically, thinking this is a Pulitzer Prize winner, it must be great.  And of course, it was quite good.  Kept me interested for the most part.  But I would not call it great literature.  It gets rather convoluted, the words could be sparer, it proved laborious in parts.  Maybe that's just me, though, and what I personally like in literature.  Overall, it did hold my attention, and it's worthy of giving it a read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JQFT4O7KN97C?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Mix of familiar settings well described with international deception and intrigue.  Top it off with glimpses of the art collectors world and I jumped in with both feet.  Also a bird lover.  Hosted Russian students as well and loved the cultural brushes. NKE</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKCQUBCWXS64N?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing.  Huge book but loved reading it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved reading about this boy's life.  I was happy for the enormous number of pages because I just wanted to keep reading. However, at the end, it kind of lost me.  I couldn't keep up with all the sleazy, dope-head bad guys, the crossing and double crossing.  And the very very end was a little deep for me.  But still and all I loved the book so much, as soon as I finished reading it, I started reading it over to figure out what had eluded me in the end:)</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DZ32405TXAPQ?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel has no real plot and could have been about 100 pages long if the editor did their job. Most of the book is filled with descriptions of people and places that don't relate to the overall story. I wish I read more reviews before I bought this. I would highly recommend you read ANYTHING else.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S3N9TW7T8OQF?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written, engaging story, with great character development	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author's descriptive style was lyrical and set a true opportunity for me to engage fully in the book.  The characters were simultaneously facile and complicated, much as we know of ourselves and others in our lives.  The story has some rough realities at points but retains a focus on resilience, and reconciliation with grief and the limits to and potential expanse of love.<br/><br/>A terrific read.  I really wanted to give this 4.5 as its overall rating. Probably should have a 5 for agility and breadth of skill with language and description</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DOH3JEZ3V8AR?ASIN=0316055441	It was ok	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This seemed to be the book that never ended.  I think it got a little boring in the end.  I didn't even read the last few pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OBSDEABEPGZL?ASIN=0316055441	Bit long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic word Smith, excellent story, but I got a bit tired of it at times. Did like it enough to buy another of her books.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20WAQ9ZE6VZ2N?ASIN=0316055441	needs a good Editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Falls apart in the last part as if she didn't quite know how to conclude the story but until then it was a great read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZEKBGVZPKUQ9?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful, engrossing read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The sometimes unlikely twists and turns of this plot are delivered in a matter of fact and believable way.  I loved the interconnectedness thread that runs through it.  Although I sometimes had to put it down in exasperation of the main character's choices, I stuck with him due to a fondness the author instilled in me.  The characters are all drawn so fully and imaginatively, they almost jump from the page -- crazy and impossible as they seem.  You stick with the heroic length of this novel because you really care what happens to everyone in it and can't help but root for them to make it, against all odds!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NHJJNQHUJ83Q?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The reader is engaged through the entire 775 pages. The characters are so interesting and there are enough twists and turns to keep one guessing all the way to the end of the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NW2LPD89DE4F?ASIN=0316055441	A Must Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This will go down as one of my all-time favorite books: stunning, compelling, provocative.  A rare beauty of a book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MGRNA8MHI6CZ?ASIN=0316055441	Long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story had many exciting moments.  The main character also had a great deal of self pity that he could not get over.  Drugs and self pity defined his life, which eventually got tiresome.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RA2PDXKXN0AO?ASIN=0316055441	amazing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gabriel this is a great book I love it u should read it very fun and a good read smiley face !</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S2ZG3H41PP5S?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book has a nice and exciting plot. I couldn't put it down at times. I would recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AJITT28E1YAA?ASIN=0316055441	it's a whole lot of book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i loved the goldfinch. i was mesmerized by the character development and intrigued by the slow plot movement. the way donna tartt plays with time and memory and remembrance was fascinating to me. she has a deft way of describing her characters and they come alive with her words. theo, hobie, boris and even the non-central characters are strong and compelling. the mystery at the center of the plot is almost unnecessary, in terms of moving the story along. and yet ms. tartt ties it all together and offers a look at the meaning of art in life, as well as exploring the deepest of emotions, the nature of love and the need for connections. she worked on this book for 10 years and it was time well spent. i loved her earlier books, too, and eagerly await her next.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27DFF5JZ1TMXX?ASIN=0316055441	Nature versus Nuture	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theodore Decker is a 13 year-old who loses his beloved mother at the Metropolitan Museum of Art following an explosion. Theo is injured but in ways not immediately apparent and the rest of his life really begins from this point, as he leaves the museum with the  Dutch Fabritius' masterwork valuable painting, the Goldfinch. Also involved in the blast is Welton (Welty) Blackwell and his ward Pippa, both of these characters intersect Theo's life and contribute to the man he later becomes. His mother was young, playful, fun loving, affectionate, a cool mom and every memory of her is heartbreaking. He goes to live with the family of his school chum Andy Barbour and it is a horrific experience, cause they don't really want him. Neither does his missing father or grandfather. Mrs. Barbour is chilling and unreadable, her manner frozen as she observes all of the social niceties. Mr. Barbour is a manic posing as a normal father and the children resent Theo's intrusion into their lives. Only Andy keeps him from losing it. He feels cornered by the circumstances that is life, one moment happy the next frozen or crying,  remembering the raw pain of loss and aloneness.  As time goes on and days turn to months he does not love his mother any less and each memory of her is heart stopping. Then he meets James Hobart (Hobie), Welty's partner and friend to whom he forms an attachment. He feels safe and comfortable in Hobie's company, discovers a love of old things and develops a good eye for how items are restored. Suddenly his long departed father who abandoned the family some 2 years ago appears and things really go from bad to worst.  He is wrested from New York to Vegas with his dear old dad and girlfriend Xandra. The utter delinquency of his teen years is birth in the short time spent with his gambling, drugged-out, alcoholic, loser father and the very ubiquitous high school peer Boris. His time in Vegas passes in a blur of drugs and booze and then his father dies. Theo ends up back in New York with the Goldfinch, the only thing stable and unchanging in his life and Hobie; a new darker chapter in his life opens up. He thinks that he'll never see Boris again. The kids in his new private school are all seriously screwed up and in need of an intervention. A stupor of misery, self absorption and depression preside over these privileged children and the adults in their lives. Here, Theo's true character shows up, his teachers say he is lazy, has no desire to exert himself, only willing to do enough to get by. The writing is on the wall, it is unlikely that Theo will ever be a productive member of society or earn a normal living. But he does earn a living as he sets about the serious deception of selling fakes for real, with the ill gotten gains ending up in his pocket and up his nose. The adult Theo is mostly unhappy and bored, with an access to a trove of oral narcotics and every opiate imaginable, he indulges to the point of reprobate. The Barbours resurface in Theo's life and through them he is introduced back into a society where he rubs shoulders with some world class snobs who bully each other and their lessers. They reminisce about their halcyon days of youth,  spend an endless amount of time discussing their country houses, co-op boards, gym routines, golfing, skiing, sailing and a myriad of private jokes and amusements that exclude Theo. Despite the fact that he is now kinda/sorta engaged to Kitsey Barbour and quite unexpectedly reconnects with back-in-the-day pal Boris, he is still rudderless. He becomes more undone when Boris reveals he had switched Theo's prized secret painting before he left Vegas and the pseudo painting that Theo has paid handsomely to store and never looked at, is no more than a similar sized school book.<br/><br/>Like the Preacher in Ecclesiastes, King Solomon, thought to be the wisest man to live, rants about it ""all being vanity"". It being life! Theo has this feeling of being already dead, a disconnected soul. He gets ""taken"" in a way similar to the people he ""took"" and it is ironic. The occasional memories of his mother now mostly confuse him and he starts to realize that he is more like his father than she. That being a double dealing, shameful, threadbare, self deceiver. A coward, a liar and a cheat, everything his father was and he cannot make sense of this self examining agony.<br/><br/>Despite this book being admirably written, excellently researched  and the story a compelling dark one, it has a poor ending. Tartt abandons the story and instead wraps the conclusion of the book into a fatalistic treatise along the lines of the book of Ecclesiastes. Theo's rant rings hollow, it is self-indulgent and lacks clarity. No burning questions are answered and the Goldfinch obsession seems to have faded away. Books that end like this are terribly disappointing especially when one has made such a serious investment of time. You want to know, must know, how it all ends. Why should you have to imagine the ending? The wrap come quickly and seems to not only abandon the closure but the characters .......... all of them. I have also listened to The Little Friend by the same author and found the same inconclusive, dissatisfying end. Some authors are guaranteed to sell, their fans deserve books that provide as satisfying an end as a stellar beginning. I don't believe I shall read anything else by this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C1DCMSA3EYW8?ASIN=0316055441	A wild ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a wild ride. The story is like a roller coaster ride, with great ups and downs. Following the life of the main character, I feel like I truly experienced his joys and sorrows. It may not have always gone in the direction I anticipated, or even wanted it to go, but always surprised me with it's raw honesty and courage.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SVV13QA6KFZQ?ASIN=0316055441	Good read..amazing word usage and thought development	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pretty good read..marvelous use of words! Had a hard time with theu character Boris and scenarios of drug usage. Painted a great picture of a screwed up society. Held my interest with art scenarios...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R86W6JTNUKDO3?ASIN=0316055441	Part work, part intrigue	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In places, the description of scene is so dense that I skimmed, sometimes a whole page, looking for the story line.  I could ""hear"" the various character's voices -- good job with dialect and speech patterns. I was intrigued by the details about antique restoration and art - kept going on line to learn more about artists and paintings.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MW1UHPOYGZNA?ASIN=0316055441	Story is only part of this book's joy!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the first page, I was delighted by Ms Tartt's skill in character development and flowing (not in a bad way) prose.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R7O8A3SS95QU?ASIN=0316055441	Extremely well presented	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a very intelligent and ""deep"" philosophical thinker. The plot of her story has several meanings and messages that  sometimes require reading over a couple of times to register. Although a long book it moves along rapidly for the most part, except where she goes off into one of her several deep analyses of the human mind or spirit. An enjoyable read, but not for the person who needs a murder mystery or a courtroom drama.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CUV2CLEBPIK2?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At first I thought the book was moving rather slowly and almost gave up on it.  I'm glad I stayed with it, because it became a very interesting story.  It forced me to research the painting to learn more about it and ""see"" it online.  The book was well written and kept<br/>my interest as I read further.  I really enjoyed.it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VDR5UH2IEDA8?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to Get Into	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much detail and way too long.  I found myself wanting to get into the guts of the story for the main character.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q44XMO3NQ255?ASIN=0316055441	Started out great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked the beginning of the book and I was totally engaged - couldn't put it down.  But the middle really became slow and too much detail that caused me to lose interest.  I really had to force myself to finish.  Overall I was very disappointed.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28U2R2UH79VEO?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put the book down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Definitely a great book. I learned many things about art, life, traditions and survival.  Cannot believe I finished the book and still want to learn more!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33CH5KTBIZIRH?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just about 5% into the book but it is great!  Hard to put down.  Great week at the beach read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W9UE3VY9SN8K?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a flight through an exciting and perilous life.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even though the beginning was a bit overly descriptive it eventually took me to a place where the characters became familiar.  I was transported amongst them.  Felt and experienced their plights, sorrows, exuberances, the primal urges of survival.  Not everything is what it seems to be and most everything is possible.  The smoke and mirrors that life itself provides.  Challenges we don't want or expect.  I am still amongst the characters as if I am invisible sitting or standing close to them whether admiring the Goldfinch, dinners in New York City, the engagement reception, the confrontation with Martin and the cold hotel room in Amsterdam, or just basking in the love for Pippa.  How wonderful!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18I57REK8C73?ASIN=0316055441	5-star novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a beautifully written novel that deserved the Pulitzer Prize.  The story is engrossing, but it is its literary quality that made me love this book.  While reading the book, I felt as if I were there, with the characters, not just observing them or hearing about them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZEDBG5RECFRI?ASIN=0316055441	Ugh....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read that entire book and that was the ending.  I think the author just gave up and threw a bunch of junk out there.  Very disappointed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G9KUTHKOVF26?ASIN=0316055441	Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book had unnecessary dragging parts. It didn't need to be written as long to get the story line across.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MTNPFSREEKHV?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it was interesting and a book you have to slow read...it got a little out of hand with some of the characters, but it is so well written that you dont mind</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PUXCKBQZAQ7M?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed the storyline but was in too much detail.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt that the author spent too much time on casual living and thus was boring  during this time.  Could have left out much of the pages which described in too much detail.  Liked the overall book.  Just was too long and could have been said in fewer pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HIERY02FD8D3?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I listened to it and read it - one of the best ever.<br/>What else needs to be said? Loved it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L1LV4S4VY89X?ASIN=0316055441	Great Coming of Age Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This ""coming of age"" aspects of this book reminded me of Catcher in the Rye with a life's meanings ending as powerful as Gatsby.<br/><br/>Theo Decker is driven by the memory of his mother and the love he has for a girl who survived the blast that killed her.<br/><br/>Hard to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VHSUAGEK01LX?ASIN=0316055441	Not an easy read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well, I love reading but this book is not an easy read, meaning it's probably not something you want to take with you on a vacation.  The writting is good.  Well, who am I kidding here?  :-)  It got a Pulitzer.  The story is sad and troubling though.  It was hard for me to get through the first part of the book.  The second part moved faster and with some unexpected twists and turns so it kept my interest.  I like the ending.  There were a lot of morals and philosophy so it definitely gave you something to think about, but nothing likes a Aha! moment.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GZJH1I9A8PWL?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So far I can't put my down. A little slow in the beginning but it picked up rapidly. Can't wait to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRYNMTGPZXKAS?ASIN=0316055441	Very different theme	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the book because it was different but it dragged on too long in the end. I did not care for the rambling of sentences at the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37FXDIQBA7Z8A?ASIN=0316055441	Only finished it because of a book club.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a long hard read.  The main character's life is so depressing.  One bad thing after another.  It leaves you feeling down, over and over again.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EJ1LBWVQAVIH?ASIN=0316055441	Well crafted	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a well written- crafted novel. I thought it was too long and drawn out, however. The sections could have been more succint, with a sharper focus.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AV0H0NRYUQO?ASIN=0316055441	What a wonderful book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's ability to get into that boy's mind makes one think that she must live in it. She doesn't write about that boy; she becomes that boy. Her descriptions, her understanding of psychology, !her use of language - it all makes me wonder why I bother writing at all.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DULUO4BRKGMG?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is an interesting plot with lots of detail about the characters.TRaumatic events and PTS in young adults kept me thinking about<br/>9/11 and all of its long term effects on american children.Moral decisions depicted the realities of being human.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IUYJVRL9EF0L?ASIN=0316055441	Take your time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is so beautifully written I loved reading each and every page. This book captures what life is all about. I highly recommend it but don't rush through the words and descriptions of everything. At times this book made me sad, Made me cry, made me laugh, feel pain, and made me mad.  But is the beauty of this book. It made me feel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL1DRF6MIFJMO?ASIN=0316055441	loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">kept my interest , through out ,did not want to put it down ,travels through a lifetime of changes for one young man</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DE2D4DJUY6Y0?ASIN=0316055441	well written, but too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch by Donna Tart makes a great read. The book is very well written and allows you to identify with the main character. Although entertaining until the very end, I thought that the story was spun out a bit too much and would have been more powerful if it had been shorter. Still I wholeheartedly recommend this book to other readers.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14LSNG4HJRH8S?ASIN=0316055441	NEEDS A FIERCE EDITOR	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed first 40 pages but gave up altogether after about 400 pp - life's too short to live with long-winded,predictable characters - and not much heard about the Goldfinch either.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA8VZW4HHFMOC?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book, so many twists and turns, kept me interested most of way it just dragged out a bit near the end</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RCEPHB9LAI92?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is superb writing. The story is winding and at times brutal but it is a story worth reading until the very end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWSI7T9G3EE96?ASIN=0316055441	"A riveting, "" total immersion"" saga about an unlucky young man and his improbable life"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a creative page-turner that captivates the reader. It seems to be more than an improbable story, but asks the reader to think about deeper meanings in circumstances. A very good read that I would recommend for avid readers that want to become engrossed in something a bit alien and different than the predicable best selling novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7M3CNCTJQXH9?ASIN=0316055441	I'll remember this one a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Most books I read entertain me while I read them.  A few stay with me for a long time, and I have a feeling this will be one of those.  What happens in the story is sometimes not what I hoped for, but it was better for being unexpected--over and over again.  It was always believable, no matter how unlikely.  Other reviews have described what the book was about, and I don't want to accidentally give any spoilers, so I think that's enough to say about the book.  The author did an excellent job, and I had a few late nights reading because of her.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10RD72HRGYPIO?ASIN=0316055441	mesmerizing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is very well written.  iIt holds your attention with a great story and also has a beautiful philosophical message. I highly recommend this book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YAQVWBRKYVKI?ASIN=0316055441	fascinating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had many twists and turns that I absolutely did not expect. It's a truly unique story combining art, friendship, loss and gains in life and self survival no matter how you determine your way to survive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IWBOKYA36K6?ASIN=0316055441	awesome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit dark, but I found myself reading late into the night, long after I should have gone to bed. This is a sign on a well-written book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10WV8BIYH5CLR?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written. Enjoyed the twist of the whereabouts of the painting. Really wanted Theo and Pippa to end up together but understand the reasoning used.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRZ79FBF2JSHJ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How quickly can the circumstances of one’s life alter? In less than a heartbeat it would seem – or in the brief seconds in which a bomb blast can occur. In her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, ‘The Goldfinch,’ Donna Tartt examines how transitory are the conditions that govern our lives.<br/><br/>Thirteen-year old Theo Decker and his beloved mother seek temporary shelter in New York's Metropolitan Museum during a rainstorm. While inside, a bomb goes off, and Theo’s mother dies in the wreckage. Theo, dazed and possibly suffering from a concussion, lingers at the side of a dying man he’d spotted moments before the blast. The man, Welty, hands Theo an heirloom – a ring – that will ultimately lead Theo to the kindly ‘Hobie.'  In his death throes, Welty gestures frantically toward a painting, suggesting to the boy that he wishes him to take it - to save it, one supposes, from being destroyed in the wreckage. The painting is Carel Fabritius’s famous work, ‘The Goldfinch.’ The blast in the museum, the chance meeting of a boy and a dying man, and a 'stolen' masterpiece are the points from which all future events in Theo’s life will stem.<br/><br/>Orphaned, grieving, plagued by survivor’s guilt, Theo goes to live with the family of school friend, Andy Barbour. The Barbours, a wealthy, socially prominent family, are peculiar and oddly broken in some ways. Still, the coolly elegant Mrs. Barbour and her emotionally ill husband give Theo a home of sorts in New York’s elegant Upper West Side, but it proves to be temporary.  Soon, Theo’s deadbeat dad and his companion, the flashy Xandra, show up to take Theo back home with them for purposes that turn out to be less than honorable.  Home is Las Vegas.<br/><br/>While in Vegas, Theo is on his own. His father’s neglect of his son is stunningly depicted, and Theo, making friends with a cagey Russian boy named Boris, spirals downward into alcoholism and drug addiction.<br/><br/>Eventually, Theo ends up back in New York, this time living with James Hobart, a furniture restorer and the friend and partner of Welty, the dying man Theo had comforted in the museum. Also staying with Hobart from time to time, is Welty’s granddaughter, Pippa, the unattainable redhead who continues to captivate Theo. Now in his twenties, Theo renews his friendship with the Barbours, and begins a shady career of selling restorations as antiques to would-be collectors who have more money than knowledge about what they're buying.<br/><br/>This eventually comes back to haunt him – as does the painting he took from the Museum so many years ago, and which, throughout the book, continues to serve as a catalyst for many of the events in Theo’s life. Improbably, Theo meets up again with Boris in New York, learns that Boris took the painting from him without his knowledge, and that The Goldfinch is probably in Amsterdam, in the possession of criminals. The remainder of the book details Theo’s attempt to regain the painting with Boris’s help.<br/><br/>Tartt's book has been called Dickensian in its scope, and indeed there are elements that will be familiar to readers of Dickens: the orphaned boy (Theo), the Artful Dodger (Boris), the disparity in economic conditions for the poor and rich, and there is even a hint of Miss Havisham in the elderly Mrs. Barbour. I do read Dickens, and on one key point I find Tartt upends the Dickensian comparison: one would be hard-pressed to find in his works the nihilism that Tartt's book espouses. At the heart of Charles Dickens' stories and novels one can always find goodness in the muck, and hope hiding amidst the cesspools of human greed. Tartt looks at life through Theo's eyes and finds nothing but despair.<br/><br/>There is much to like and admire about The Goldfinch.<br/><br/>I like a lengthy book (and make no mistake – this is a very lengthy book, almost 800 pages). I eagerly followed Theo’s journey through most of them.<br/><br/>Tartt stirringly relates the events that occurred immediately following the blast at the museum - you feel the devastation and confusion, the sense of isolation, the fear. She convincingly depicts a child's grief at the loss of the one parent he could depend upon, the fears he experiences at being caught up in the nightmare of Social Services agencies, and his slow but sure drift toward lawlessness and addiction.<br/><br/>And then there were the descriptions of gentle, graceful moments, captured no less vividly than the scenes of horror earlier in the book. She describes the subtle shadings of light gliding across aged patinas and the well-oiled grain of furniture in Hobie’s ‘hospital’ for damaged antiques, the prisms of color filtering through skylights, the delicacy of an artist’s brushstrokes on a canvas. I loved these peaceful descriptions.<br/><br/>I also admired the compelling imagery of the desert surrounding the bright lights of Las Vegas.  She eerily interpreted Theo's neighborhood as a vast and scorching ghost town, filled with uninhabited houses in the middle of nowhere.  Every day in the desert was the same - mind numbing, soul-destroying.  The perfect place to self-destruct. And self-destruct is what Theo did.<br/><br/>My favorite parts of the book dealt with Theo working alongside Hobie, watching him meticulously mend damaged pieces of fine old furniture, losing himself in the process of trying to make the ruins whole again. How apt that Theo would find some measure of peace in Hobie’s workshop since he, too, was in need of mending. But like the antiques that Hobie sought to restore, Theo would never be entirely whole again. Nor would he be authentic, never again ‘the real deal’ – too much has happened to him. He is the walking wounded.<br/><br/>If you’re looking for redemption, you won’t find it in Theo’s journey, which recounts his story from age thirteen to his mid-twenties. With his mother’s death and the ‘theft’ of the painting, his is a downward spiral that never seems to quite reach rock bottom. At book's end, this reader wondered if Theo would one day take his life. Filled with ennui and lack of purpose, still addicted to prescription drugs, one suspects Theo will try again to leave the world behind, in spite of all his high-flown philosophizing at the end of the story. Like his beloved Goldfinch, eternally chained to its perch, Theo is chained to circumstances that were set in motion on that tragic day in the museum. He will forever be defined by those events.<br/><br/>If you’re looking for an uplifting story, this is not it. From start to finish, the story is an unhappy one. And yet, I enjoyed it. I never lost interest in Theo's story or his journey, even in the story's most nihilistic moments.<br/><br/>My reservations about the novel stem entirely from its ending in which Tartt seems to abandon story-telling and instead wraps the conclusion of the book into some sort of touchy-feely fatalism that never quite rings true. Theo's philosophical rhapsodizing seems somehow false, forced.  It is self-indulgent and lacking clarity. It is also boring.<br/><br/>Even so, I recommend The Goldfinch – and happily give it 5 stars. Tartt has written a book grand in scope, vivid in imagery, thoughtful, and affecting. If it is not perfect, few things are.  It is one of the best books I’ve read in some time, and I won't soon forget Theo's sad odyssey.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE7Z2LRI5KYE9?ASIN=0316055441	Worth every hour of reading.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best written books I have ever read.  It is easy to understand why it took ten years to write.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OJURYJ60NLT4?ASIN=0316055441	Art and Life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What  a life journey this author takes you on.  I will remember this book for s long time.  At times I couldn't put the book down as I could wait to see how it would end.  The  writing  is excellent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SCLTO8TSVIV6?ASIN=0316055441	The little yellow bird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was intriguing but was too detailed at times.  I did not care for the skipped time periods.  What happened to Theo and Hobie?  All in all, it was an enjoyable read.  Thanks for writing it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FJYQCFEWXOKQ?ASIN=0316055441	fantastic read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was totally immersed in this story from the very first sentence.  I didn't want it to end and will recommend to all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12FP03WSPH5KY?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this story to be thick with allegory.  I liked some parts and really didn't care for others.  It is not an easy read.  It is a disturbing story but cleverly written.  I can see why it won a Pulitzer.  She cleverly uses the anti-christ and all his side kicks to bring out the worst in the main character and to crush him so he can be reborn.  I would recommend it.  It certainly kept me engaged.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WSNKNS0PL6S2?ASIN=0316055441	I tried to like it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Honest, I truly did but I can not see how it got the Pulitzer Prize. I usually read a book within 2 days. It has been a week and a half and I just can not finish it. Sorry</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8YYKKBBTX8R5?ASIN=0316055441	A great love story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the newness of the story. I also loved the way she writes.<br/>Great author and great art story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R7E5CPGON7MU?ASIN=0316055441	A review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and much too much of an adventure story.  Would have prefer less description also (just my preference).<br/><br/>Monica Roth</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LSI3H61UMJUL?ASIN=0316055441	Good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent novel....moving and kept my interest. I recommend this book to all those who love a good read. Good bye!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38TD1ZT6A277D?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book you can loose yourself in, but as it went on, it became a little too wordy. The Goldfinch could have been told in 500 pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q7KRZIHN1LL2?ASIN=0316055441	fantastic !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Holden Caulfield om steroids.<br/>Best book i have read in many years, read it, no more words words words. Q</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XREHNKRXVM96?ASIN=0316055441	It was OK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book because it was and still is on the NYT best sellers list.  The book was very long and not so much in number of pages, which there were a lot, but it just seemed to drag on and on.  Started well but the last 100 pages were really weird to me.  Glad I read it, but it won't be one that I would give 5 stars or highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4M7P42XC1QMB?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good read. The story is full of melancholy and grief but seems to have an underlying glimmer of hope underneath. I highly recommend this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GBQ6JXBSIQWM?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just loved this book.  I won't even begin to explain why.....just read it and you'll understand exactly why... !</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L2KDQWAMU2OP?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the most enjoyable, thought provoking books I have read in a very long time. I wouldn't hesitate to purchase. Highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q0BRCGV55SBW?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting read for mature adults	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the story very much.  The plot was excellent, very well written and not overly verbose.<br/>Then end turned exciting and Boris, at times, was funny.  It ended well with the main character re-examining his life.  I think the ending was a little odd.  If the end was a little different, I believe it could have been a ""movie worthy"" script.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVXQX8J3BWAO6?ASIN=0316055441	Pretty great. Really.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not at all what I was expecting, but really, really satisfying. Knowing what I know, I would've happily read this on a deserted island.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R379TI7EPR32GG?ASIN=0316055441	was just okay	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sorry, I picked this book because of the ""Pulitzer Prize"" in the title but I found the detailed descriptions too long for me.  After the first chapter or two, I would get the gest of what he was describing and move on to more plot development.  The descriptions fro good but tedious.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V68WI9MHLWOB?ASIN=0316055441	Drug use or dependence as described in this book is dangerous!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I probably should have read the last chapter first.  I felt that the preceding 90% of the book was tedious and almost absurd in content. The main character was presented as a fairly intelligent person who was able to function despite continuous losses and tragedy in his life from the age or thirteen.  I would recommend a footnote to discount the seeming benefit of resorting to chemical use to deal with every difficult or unpleasant day.  The final chapter would have been more satisfying and good food for thought.<br/>Amazon Reader</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RME2Q3JV8HC2L?ASIN=0316055441	"If you liked ""Catcher in the Rye"" you'll love ""Goldfinch"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Try not to skip all of the minutia - long read, but worth it. The end of the book can be personally revealing.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSR1M8JIG5TMZ?ASIN=0316055441	Big story about a Little Bird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt creates as complex and transparent story of personal loss as I have ever read.  Must reading.  Thought provoking.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHLBRKILAHRZ8?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing story but WAY too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is truly a work of art- the attention to detail is incredible and it feels more like a biography than a fictional story... it's incredible to think that Donna Tartt created the characters and storyline out of thin air because the story doesn't feel like a story at all- it feels like a recounting of true events and real people.<br/><br/>HOWEVER, that doesn't necessarily make for an enjoyable read. The story and the characters were intriguing and I was definitely interested in their fate, but I found myself skimming multiple pages at a time, especially at the beginning and the end. Although I admire Tartt for the time, research, and attention to detail that went into this book, it could've and should've been a 100 pages shorter. Unless you are either an avid art historian or very interested in the sensation opiates provide, much of the description is really gratuitous...<br/><br/>In summary.. I am glad I read it because there's been so much hype about it and because I really did find the characters fascinating. But I have a lot of time to read and I don't mind skimming parts of books if I don't care about them.. if you're short on time or don't like to skim, I don't suggest picking up this book (unless, like I said above, you're interested in art history or oxycontins)</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CE2EYTT0ZISU?ASIN=0316055441	Way overrated, but ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">... still a good read.  The main flaw is with the central figure's character: he is _very badly_ damaged psychologically by an early experience, and as a consequence makes _terrible_ choices.  But neither he nor anyone else, including the author, seems to recognize this fact.  So try to suspend your disbelief, and enjoy it for what it's worth.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EDISF9XF79UD?ASIN=0316055441	Haunting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing story. You will be drawn in to the story, but it will also disturb you. Keep reading to the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PM5HPA7SM35W?ASIN=0316055441	"""Wordy"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought I would never reach the end and was more bored than ever when I got to it.  I waded through but I still am not sure how.  This was one of those books where half the descriptive material could have been halved again.  I can't believe there was a Pulitzer out there for it--what a waste.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PW66922AM7PX?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved how vividly the characters and scenes were depicted throughout this engaging story.  I've read other books by Donna Tartt and loved them.  This is my favorite so far!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34TITV7BW4UAV?ASIN=0316055441	The best book I have read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a long but fantastic book!  It is the best that I have read in many years.  Suspenseful with interesting characters and plot twists.  I was not surprised that it received a Pulitzer prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3279LWGN3MZF5?ASIN=0316055441	Wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've ever read. There are so many stories and so many layers, I would love to re-read it, tho at 700+ pages I'm not sure I can commit!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J24TIY1D8K13?ASIN=0316055441	The Gold Finch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good imaginative story, though long. As I experienced 9/11 attack personally in the downtown of New York, the beginning story after the terrorists attack was not convincing. People, including policemen, were shocked and immensely courteous each other, not like mobs or everyday cops as she described. Secondly, museums including MET do not allow personal things such as water bottle or a bag to conceal a small painting to carry, particularly at special exhibition. These thing put me off in the beginning, but I could read until the end because story development is intriguing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S5W0MLQDSLQB?ASIN=0316055441	I wanted to love this book....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">but found it way too long and tedious.  As a fan of THE SECRET HISTORY, I had waited for another great read from Tartt.  Parts of the story were wonderful but I felt there was way too much rambling.  I did enjoy Theo and Boris and the portrayal of their friendship. Tartt is a highly intelligent, well-studied author and I do appreciate that--in my opinion, the story was just too long.  I almost gave up when 75 percent of the way finished with the novel but I perservered and finished.  I am glad that I did but would not recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EDNKHM7ZFZ1L?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to read sometimes	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The character was not likable as he was under the influence of so many drugs.  The author did a good job of writing even though it was very strange &amp; wierd.  If you like books with a lot of antagonism and struggle, you'll like this one.  If you want a ""feel good"" book, this is not for you.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V6CTVK4ISLIX?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was recommended to me as ""I think you might like it"".  I'm still trying to figure it out if I did.  The author won the Pulitizer for it so I gave it a try.  The storyline ( or lines) is good, the characters seem very real - most not of the highest ethics, however except for two.  It did draw me in waiting to see what would happen next.  It takes a young boy through adulthood but I wouldn't call it a coming of age novel exactly.  Description is good and it struck me as philosophical in many ways.  In the end, I keep thinking about it even as I am on to another lighthearted book.  I keep wondering what would have happened next.  Wonder if there is to be a sequel.  I would read it.  So maybe I did like it after all!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N3WQLRENT7NZ?ASIN=0316055441	A Little Tiring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story that i believe could have been condensed.  Author goes on and on about several of the issues in the book to the point that I wanted it to be done.  I have spoken with other friends, readers of books that feel the same way, they got tired of it, one friend could not finish reading it.  There are books that I wish they would never end, this one I was glad it ended.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DTSW7SWX1X7N?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer?????	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long. Could have left out some details and develop character better. Beautiful descriptions. Ending has some thoughtful insights into life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10N7YONXBZGAP?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story, heavy with superfluous detail.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was interesting, the subject matter original and thought provoking.  The writing style was heavy, weighted down with detail, and metaphors which were not integral to the story and often superfluous.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R278T3B9GTRKBG?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a thought provoking book. Making one see the challenges of becoming an orphan mixed surcharge beauty of art.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NLM8AYBH3UJ0?ASIN=0316055441	astounding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the most amazing book I have read in years! I shall recommend to everyone. Brilliant, moving,and spellbinding-thought provoking</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YPSSDGTT5Z2H?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out well but in the end I just skipped over the last 30 pages or so because I'd had enough of Theo and his philosophizing. The longer the book went on the more it became bogged down in repetitive, rambling prose. Which was a shame really because there was some quite interesting information that gets lost in unnecessary detail. In the end I just wanted it to be over.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DIJHYJCXLC0S?ASIN=0316055441	good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an engaging tale of a boy growing up.  It just won the Pulitzer Prize.  One complaint is that it too long--about 750 pages.  The narrator is a boy who has had quite a life.  Someone who likes books with a lot going on physically and mentally would like the book.  The book takes you throughout the U.S. and to Europe.  Artists and furniture makers and sellers would be interested in this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT0WJY7NOKUXT?ASIN=0316055441	deserved the Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book: mastery of writing, characterization, action, and idea.  One of the few books recently that I simply couldn't stop reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36J523M4S3K74?ASIN=0316055441	GoldFinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I book I did not put down just kept ready, totally kept my interest and more, loved the way it was written</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P872U00N0F80?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful book. loved the phrases and language. it was a roller coaster ride!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the language. Character development was great. I enjoyed the ride. Think I must now re read the wonderful book to fully appreciate the authors words.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MNQ40IEUWBBP?ASIN=0316055441	Haunting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book that makes you feel a hundred different ways all at the same time. An interesting twist on choices made.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A31DOCOPNU3K?ASIN=0316055441	Extremely disappointed in this lengthy tome.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The one star is for character development only.  I found it hard to believe, depressing and not worthy of its prize.  But I obviously do not appreciate what warrants a Pul Prize.  Lengthy sentences, sometimes filling an entire page, that I frequently had to reread!  No, no, no!  My bookclub read it and pretty much the same reaction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RLS9SAE97JUX?ASIN=0316055441	Good beginning.  Didn't like middle and end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought I was really going to like the book in the beginning.  But the drug addiction got to be a little much, and I didn't like the ending very well either.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RZAQECI5FMVD?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For those who love the English language, this is your book. The words ripple with eye opening awareness page after page</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQMZUCZM8YEGI?ASIN=0316055441	Too much filler	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This started out as a great read, but started to grow tedious after the half way point.  I ended up skipping the ramblings of the main character, as they seemed to be just taking up space.  It could have been half the pages and been a much better finished product.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R366CTH8NAZNUN?ASIN=0316055441	What a book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found  the Goldfinch totally absorbing.  Once or twice I thought that like most books it had ""padding"", but reading on a bit further I realised that that piece of padding had been essential for what followed.  Coming from a mixed background myself, The book to me was credible and well worth reading</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R211E50I03BB1O?ASIN=0316055441	Never Ending Turmoil	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really wanted to like this book, and all things indicated that I would. However, I know I'm in the minority, but I was disappointed in this book. I can take a person floating outside of himself, being drunk, and/or spaced out on drugs only so long. I kept waiting for growth, awareness, maturity to catch up with Theo, but it took too many pages. It was very philosophical and I grew tired of it. Perhaps I'm not artistic enough to grasp how a person's entire life can be so wrapped around a small painting that he can't even look at for most of the book, and the possession of it causing such fear and anxiety.  Hobie's dedication to his art I could understand and relate to. Theo and Boris I just wanted to escape. It was with a sigh of relief that I closed my Kindle on the final page.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDJPZDUUREPBX?ASIN=0316055441	AMAZING	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an incredibly complex, well-written piece of work. I cannot wait to read more from this author! I keep recommending to friends, and will recommend to whoever is reading this review! If you enjoy reading a book with a lot of twists and turns, complex characters, and difficult life situations - buy this!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TI5VO9KKWWBX?ASIN=0316055441	Deserving of all the Kudos!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is not much more that can be said about this novel that hasn't already been discussed.  It was OVERLY justified in receiving the Pulitzer.  I haven't been as moved by a book in a long, long time.  The characters are so well-written - you feel for them and all their situations.  The image of the Goldfinch breaks my heart and is so fitting to the story.  Read up on the painting - learn something about art - then read this book.  You'll be so glad you did.  I loved every minute of it - you will, too.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22KKW8NQMZ8E4?ASIN=0316055441	Not recommended as a read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be long and difficult to read.  I also found that there was no closure to the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30C8X9S2KY273?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to Put This Book Down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the main character in this book, Theo Decker, to be self destructive but strangely compelling and the plot to be one that keeps you reading.  As an adult, it may be hard to identify with the teenage Theo and the decisions he makes but understandable if one is or has been a parent of teenagers.  I highly recommend this book.  It is easy to see why it won a Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q7HL2IGQREQE?ASIN=0316055441	Not a beach read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed The Goldfinch so much that it inspired me to reread Donna Tartt's The Secret History. Her skill of bringing characters to life, to the extent that they come off the page and into your psyche, seems to of been sharpened during her hiatus.<br/>  The novel was more than a character study(my personal favorite) it moved with intensity that fulfilled the cliché of a ""page turner"". I read somewhere that a good book should touch your life in someway and The Goldfinch is the operational definition of this theory. Please enjoy, don't miss it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22NU9Z9K21I8O?ASIN=0316055441	Less would be more...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms. Tartt did a sufficient job of engaging me with the characters because I read cover to cover to find out what happened to them, however, the read was laborious. I would have been much happier without so much detail and she used vocabulary that did not fit the characters and/or the situation. I was, of course, hoping for a fairy tale ending but I wasn't disappointed when it wasn't there, I was just let down because it was so anti-climactic. I do appreciate the wisdom learned and shared in the end but I guess I wanted something more...hope maybe.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JNLEFW9IGR5K?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling existential read worthy of awards	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrific on so many levels that I recommend purchasing hard cover and getting it signed and you may have a ""Goldfinch"" of your very own. Very New Yorkish; sophisticated, moneyed, elegant, with societal pretentiousness that when pulled back is full of dirty little secrets and pettiness all experienced through coming of age Dickensian orphans who pluck and pull and sever the strings of their life</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26SLAW6T5SIWZ?ASIN=0316055441	Well written, .....but!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is beautiful.  I did not like the drug use, violence, and all that goes to make up the story.  It's creative, odd, and well written, just not for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WYFFPIG0ADZ5?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a beautifully written novel. The characters are well thought out and wonderfully complex in a plot that never ceases to amaze.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11X77IV75MS10?ASIN=0316055441	Great Plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoroughly enjoyed the character development and descriptions as well as the intricacies of the plot, but way too detailed in drug usa.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35TJ1HMWYHI8G?ASIN=0316055441	Masterpiece of Angst	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is a masterpiece in the author's use of evocative vocabulary.  It was difficult to read such an angst-filled book so full of poor choices and drug use. No happy endings here, and I sure did not wish for a sequel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27V5DTLU1GD8H?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed this book very much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story line very good.  Characters very interesting and easy to picture.  A little long in some of the discriptions.<br/><br/>Learned a lot about art.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UAMEQ888DQWM?ASIN=0316055441	Unsettled ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written story.  I was disappointed however, that the hero never seemed to have his story resolved in a really positive way and that he was, in the end, happy. I waited through the whole story for his life to feel really better or turn significally around. I think his Mother would have been saddened to think how his life had ended up and I think he knew she would have been disappointed.  I appreciate that he was able to make restitution for the antiques purchases but I was left unsettled about the ending.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GC3R597MWVQS?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story line; too many words; too much agony. Tartt's writing is melodic and beautiful, but this book was just a little toooo long for me. I'm glad I read it; I think you should. The protagonist is incredible as is Tartt's writing ability.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R71R4VWG6O0QC?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I finished reading I want to go right back and retread it.  Read this on. kindle. Wish it had been hard cover to highlight it</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IIS3FUN1VJQO?ASIN=0316055441	Totally engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Everything a novel should be. Beautifully written, compelling, knowledgable.  What's not to love? Please can I start it again? Thank you Donna</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WPTGX487GTIR?ASIN=0316055441	Well written...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting concept to wrap a story around. The author does a wonderful job of allowing you to understand the dynamics of each character and how they interact with each other. The story doesn't necessarily end but where it goes is left to the reader's imagination!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TUHWK878U98O?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely the best piece of writing I've read in years.  The character development is the high point of the novel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37RM0RSWF7N57?ASIN=0316055441	A GREAT READ	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had never read previous previous Donna Tartt novels. The Goldfinch is long, almost 800 pages but well worth the effort.  The protagonist is certainly not a very likable sort- a druggie and alcoholic who winds up involved in some shady business practices- but the character is well developed as all the characters are, one of Tartt's strengths.  Like a Dickens novel there is lots going on here- drugs, double dealing, the deception of appearances, and the niceties of the social upper crust of which the protagonist is definitely not a member.  Book bogs down a bit in the middle but the climax and denouement are a tour de force.<br/>You will also learn a hellava' lot about art and fine furniture refinishing that Tartt is well able to infuse in the plot</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S9RHWR0CLEJE?ASIN=0316055441	Confusion as to popularity	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read a great deal and a wide variety of books, so when I heard about The Goldfinch I thought it would be an important book for me to read.  I was disappointed. Occasionally I would find it interesting, but for the most part did not enjoy it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EUARYT38L7U8?ASIN=0316055441	Slogged through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author can craft beautiful sentences and she has a terrific vocabulary. The book, however, was about 300 pages too long.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K2913OTK4D6?ASIN=0316055441	Really good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book caught me right from the beginning. Had an usual story that I couldn't wait to get back to. There were twists and turns I did not expect. Beautifully written.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z8S8GB51UQ9M?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written fast moving very interesting.  The characters are well developed and the plot moves along briskly.  The only thing that kept me from giving it five starts was the 5% of the book which became a little too philosophical for me and bogged the ending down a bit.  All in all glad I read it.  One of the best reads of the spring so far.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRHRHN3X7WI0R?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing, but in the end unsatisfying	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love the way this writer put into words the way it feels when someone close to you dies. I was definitely hooked and read it every chance I got to see how it was going to end.  Kept waiting for redemption of some sort, and I guess it was there, kind of.  Just not what I was hoping for at the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VDJZ5QYCIOGF?ASIN=0316055441	One out of the ordinary	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed reading this very much. Couldn't put it down. Liked the characters. Boris was most unusual. 'Potter' tied himself in knots over a dilemma that should not have worried him so.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C9TIACAU0WHW?ASIN=0316055441	Terrific	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Whether  you tend to think in realistic, more logical terms or relish the metaphysical and even humor, The Goldfinch will tear at all your senses. ---- Don Austin</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LXG5ADVTDVHY?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really didn't expect much out of this book because it's not a book I would normally read, but it was surprisingly good. I'm glad I read this book, it's a very good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CA5IXTAPZ847?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Creative, innovative, poignant .  This book is long, gets a bit tedious in Las Vegas but a twist at the end leads to a thoughtful conclusion.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E1UBD23IGQIR?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From beginning to end I was captivated. The depth of the characters combined with the beautiful writing make this one of the most memorable  novels I have read for mangy y<br/>Many years.<br/>Since love in the time<br/>Of cholera.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCH33GCH6BHK7?ASIN=0316055441	excellent book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very long but when I had finished I was so glad I read it.  The author ended the book so well .  This book presented great discussion points for book clubs. She is an excellent writer.  The book is a great literary achievement.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E8R2XS6EP14Y?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was well written and provocative.  Unbelievable story of survival , just barely!  Exciting and depressing at the same time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWZW2U4FGQT59?ASIN=0316055441	What a tremendous writer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch kept my interest from page one.  Although some unrealistic parts were confusing, her writing made you feel that it could be possible.  The history of the art piece was fascinating. . .really well written.  The main character sure learned things the hard way, and his trust of new friends he made went unrewarded.  However, I just could not put this book down and was disappointed when I reached the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DIZQDCV4976R?ASIN=0316055441	Such beautiful writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wasn't particularly fond of the plot. However, the writing was simply beautiful, and the characters all seemed so real, except for Theo, who was the main character. Boris, the Russian/Ukranian kid, was a special treat, as was Andy. Apparently, nothing escapes Ms. Tartt's eagle eye, whether it be art, drug addiction, high society, Manhattan doormen culture, etc. I hadn't heard of this fascinating author before I saw The Goldfinch occupying the top spots on the Kindle booklist for so long, but now I will be sure to read her earlier books. It's always so nice to find that a wonderful new (to me) author already has earlier books I can get right away, instead of waiting too see if there ever is a new one. Ms. Tartt is a gift to readers.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LPTJ57XP1R9E?ASIN=0316055441	complex relationships	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good to have dictionary handy. Very deep reflections on the frailties of the human spirit. Gives insight into good vs bad.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I7XSCOOBQDQP?ASIN=0316055441	Very good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept me enthralled and interested. So different from other novels. Nothing usual. Enjoyed very much. Did not want it to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YBPCXQJ1TOQT?ASIN=0316055441	Masterpiece!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A thing of beauty!  One of the best books I have read this year!  Savor each word and page ...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35JRD65CMTQSE?ASIN=0316055441	Terrific book a must read for summer!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Now I know why the author won a Pulitzer Prize. Buy the book and pass it on to your friends to read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WU55VEXO6YEP?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the story line sometimes hard to follow but would recommend it to anyone who likes long involved books to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JLSJ4IMTKFOU?ASIN=0316055441	Could not stop reading this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book though long is a great read. My book club members would enjoy it. Very well written and it keeps you wondering what will happen to the main character next.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DO0QS5FDSA3J?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is easy to see why this book won the Pulitzer. It is beautifully crafted and while a bit redundant occasionally, the flow is wonderful and the characters are vivid. I was sorry when I finished it and feel it to have been one of the best ""reads"" in recent history. I definitely will buy her previous books</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P5P5LXW7PHH4?ASIN=0316055441	very good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a somewhat long book to read but does hold the readers attention. Really  worth the time invested to read the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SG9TWLT5YYXI?ASIN=0316055441	WOW!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book &amp; this author.  I wish Donna Tartt would write more often so we would not have to wait another 7 years for her words.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UEVPA7CMJPGR?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel grabbed my attention immediately, and I was completely immersed . It was a wonderful blend of action , introspection, and dialogue. The characters were complex, and the plot was interesting and suspenseful.  I also became more interested in art. I look forward to reading more from this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UQTL4T3UDHY5?ASIN=0316055441	Review of The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinish was yet another wonderful Donna Tartt novel which I really enjoyed. I just hated to have it end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY9Z7F3CH1JTJ?ASIN=0316055441	This was a disappointment for me.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this book because I like the author.  Enjoyed the first half and thought the  rest was wordy and repetitive. I felt the ending was laborious.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCTBMSOZ1UUXB?ASIN=0316055441	Good until the end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the initial story, but the philosophical ending was too much.  Unfortunately, the last 1/3 of the book was too over the top and ruined the beginning of the book that was very good.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROWI41GDCUSAL?ASIN=0316055441	read only if you have a lot of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was too long. The characters were people I would not care to know. The author was showing off what she had learned from the experts she consulted.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BW4UTSVMS0N5?ASIN=0316055441	Hooked at the beginning.......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed this book!  Hooked at the beginning, and had to finish even though some parts were difficult to read because of the choices Theo was making!  Lots of discussion possibilities and looking forward to hearing thoughts of my book club buddies.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R206NQHF3OL72M?ASIN=0316055441	Rare find!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rarely do you find a book that immediately pulls you in, keeps up with a fantastic pace and manages to wrap itself up with a brilliant ending.  This novel is possibly flawless.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11YINBA3ST1AK?ASIN=0316055441	It was a great journey.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At first I didn't know why it had such high praise but shortly I was hooked and appreciated the writing style as well as the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U13SBF4QWBCL?ASIN=0316055441	Dickens revived	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has created a fantastic universe, where every character is fully alive. Her plot is formidable, I was spellbound through every page. The surroundings are described so vividly that one is almost certain the  houses and flats can be found just round the corner, both in New York and Las Vegas as well as in Amsterdam.<br/>Dickens is smiling happily in his heaven: his successor is here, and she is even better, with deeper insight in all her characters. So thank you for The Goldfinch.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AFGI4YQVIZB8?ASIN=0316055441	great adventure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very enjoyable.  An adventure but the middle of the book is too long - needs editing.  Also I didn't like the ending.  Needed work .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVJF4FV3L054J?ASIN=0316055441	Too long Tarttt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Parts of this book is really beautifully written. It just goes on far too long. It's a very dismal novel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K7LT5OMH9WSQ?ASIN=0316055441	A worthy read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Written  with a flourish but too wordy for<br/>My taste .  The story line was compelling and the characters well developed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YHW8JY7ITCZ2?ASIN=0316055441	Great characters but long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the the characters especially Boris He's a fearless soul<br/>I found the novel overly long particularly at the end<br/>I</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MFOQAEDNJCHV?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, long book but worth every page.  Perhaps a bit too philosophical at the end but all of the details of  the book were wrapped up nicely.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QS8IKYALTFIC?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exquisite language used throughout the novel. Very well written. Book club members said they would like to read Ms. Tarrt's other books.The story is fabulous making the reader all the more anxious for what's happening next. I highly recommend this book for book clubs as it leads to incredible discussion. The only negative: book club members felt areas of the book could have been shortened. This was my first experience reading a book on my Kindle Fire... perfect first choice - with such a long book to read in a limited amount of time, just touching to the next page made my reading faster and held my attention to the story, not the weight and awkwardness of turning hardcover/paperback pages!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y80Y71DHSADJ?ASIN=0316055441	A good read overall	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wanted to read a book with so much hype. Well-written and an overall good read. Would recommend it to friends.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R342MGK9OSZGZM?ASIN=0316055441	Sorry I waited so long to purchase it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first 20 pages or so I was non plussed. Then I was pulled all the way in to one of my best reads ever.  Beautiful prose. Wonderfully interesting story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7VS0DWR8JQLV?ASIN=0316055441	so lonnnnng, drival!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had great potential. By the end I was skipping pages and didn't miss them.  Someone needed a really sharp editors knife, half of this book could have gone in the garbage.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37MX912QTEFP8?ASIN=0316055441	Long translucent love story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love story between a boy and a famous painting, transcribed his broken heart from a young age. His love for his mother was transformed through the Goldfinch</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZK9DLCPXWVV6?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch...surprise enchantment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Moved into new community, got invited to a book club, assignment the Goldfinch. Thrilled that I was enthralled from page one. Authors descriptions are vivid but not verbose; I am living every paragraph with the characters. Big book, but I'l be disappointed when it ends.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23FHN2EDIBBWE?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought that it was weird..so much drug abuse, soul searching etc.<br/>i have decided that the powers to be who decide on the best<br/><br/>sellers are looking for something far out and different like ""Gone<br/><br/>Girl"" which I read twice to see what i had missed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27DUGS0B4U2LO?ASIN=0316055441	Well developed story, very detailed but beautifully written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The detail Donna Tartt goes into with even the most basic of things is astonishing and sometimes it's more than I would like.  But it never ceased to keep me interested because even her ability to describe the mundane is well done, hence allowed me to push through the story with sustained interest through the whole book.  An easy read, great for entertainment, very good story and character development, and I learned an enormous amount of new vocabulary words (really impressed with her breadth of word knowledge).  I recommend this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T43174A5VMW?ASIN=0316055441	Elegant and surreal	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. It pulls you into his world amid great loss and will to self-destruct. Wonderful characters and universal truths. This book will haunt you and make you consider life and death and everything in between.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31RK9DWZZZH9O?ASIN=0316055441	Character development is a plus	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like many other reviews, i found that the story wandered around sometimes searching for a new adjective for New York grittiness,or another repetitive description of the misery inside Theo's head.. however, if you take away those 200 or so pages the story is moving, genuine, and full  of characters I want to read about again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9HZM5RX7PHKX?ASIN=0316055441	loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the story and the author's obvious knowledge of the art world.  She did get a little carried away one or two times with the details but overall it was a wonderful read.  I have whole heartedly recommended it to my friends</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37OTUAO1HPWSV?ASIN=0316055441	picaresque?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The difficulty in reconciling the protagonist's use of alcohol and drugs and double dealings with sympathy for his plight and admiration for his artistic sensibility keep the reader engaged for the lengthy duration of the novel. Funny and sad and written with great care.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YT6ADR2QOOWT?ASIN=0316055441	Best read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">just when this story slows down and you think you know what's going on, it throws you a curveball. loved this book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VVXIJSKKRTFP?ASIN=0316055441	An exciting page turner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good read. Always something happening that keeps you interested and wanting more.  Gets a bit philosophical at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IRENFDJVNA74?ASIN=0316055441	Read with caution!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well, I finally picked this book up and read it.  Was pleasantly surprised through the first third of the book.  Then I trudged through the remainder, skimming many pages.  While the book is well written, the subject matter is sometimes like walking through sludge.  And depressing!  It seemed like the author chose to throw everything in the mix.  It turns out the book is really about addiction and loneliness, understandably given the initial tragedy.  The author leaves no details unwritten, in fact, tighter editing would have been helpful in various parts - the author tended to wonder.  Yet, towards the end, event he author gets tired and rushes through the ending - an unbelievable ending in a reality based book.  All in all, my best advice is ""read with caution"".  This is not a feel good story and the details are focused on the drinking and drug usage.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MZQYJMC3GRM8?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is very well written. The author takes her time with each character and in incredible detail!  Love this book. Still reading and will most likely retread it in the near future!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MKR190TOHHYN?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing characters, amazing story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When 13 year old Theo goes to an NYC art museum with his mother so that she can show him her favorite painting, 16th century ""The Goldfinch,"" he barely cares. His eyes are on an intriguing girl, there with a man he assumes is her grandfather. And then his life explodes.  Theo's mother is killed in the blast, and all he has left is the ""Goldfinch"" which he steals. So begins Theo's remarkable trek across puberty, across the country, and across the Atlantic. He does what he must to survive, and we are left to decide if his decisions are moral or not given his circumstances.<br/>A fast paced story, this book kept me up reading sometimes until 3 or 4 am. I couldn't wait to read what happened next, and at the same time, dreaded it being over.<br/>The only thing less than perfect is the last chapter which needed some serious editing. I felt like I was back in school being told over and over what a story ""meant."" I would have rather come to that conclusion on my own.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13ZBM65YJ1JXI?ASIN=0316055441	A must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing was fabulous and the story had so many twist and turns.  Just when you thought you knew what was happening the author changed the story.  It was impossible to figure out what was going to happen next.  At times, I found it to be a downer, but the story had a happy ending which was such a delightful surprise.<br/><br/>I get depressed and her  description of what it is like to be depressed was priceless.  What a great writer.  Everyone knows this because the book is on the best seller list.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P34KAX2BDR3L?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow. I expected a lot out of this book. It received rave reviews. I should have read the reviews more carefully. This book was PAINFUL to complete.  The best part of the book was the beginning and the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SDQUQJLQZT3V?ASIN=0316055441	Great vacation read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book held me captive and was difficult to put down although I was forced to because we were on vacation!  The plot is captivating and turns enough that it is difficult to guess what is coming next.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HI3K1DRV0U1J?ASIN=0316055441	A Very Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Take this book along to The Hamptons this Summer.  It is engrossing and interesting in spite of receiving the Pulitzer Prize!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OOG7IG2XESWL?ASIN=0316055441	An interesting read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The overall story was good. There were parts throughout the story that were long winded. I do like the deep meaning it had toward the ending of the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B3O8EUXNW6DY?ASIN=0316055441	Great plot and characterizations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the plot and characters were really well done, but the philosophizing seemed overdone to me. The first third of the book was extraordinary, the second third very good, but the last failed to keep the personal touch as it got outlandish and overdone.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R125K8DD8MCAH4?ASIN=0316055441	Just started reading and wow!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I see why it won a Pulitzer Prize. Beautifully written and the passages flow. I have been reading in bed and don't want to put it down. I am right in this place watching the character as if I knew him. A Must Read!!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RST3SEJFY1I2N?ASIN=0316055441	initial skeptic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome, awesome book. Impeccably written, a beautiful story although sometimes reality was harsh beyond belief. Challenges your thinking on many levels.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VMVE520ZODM1?ASIN=0316055441	see below please	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i think it got a little repetitive and unrealistic ….making it feel like ""what, next, are you kidding me?"" amen</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCJNUX7Q8WDHZ?ASIN=0316055441	Not as great as expected.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, but long and meandering--like a TV series. Philosophical insights on art and life thought provoking. I wanted to see the Goldfinch.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CWTV5P03SE1R?ASIN=0316055441	Sprawling good yarn.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I gave The Goldfinch 4 stars because it is very well written great turn of phrase but more importantly a great story which is different from the usual. I did think it was overly long but not sure where it could have been edited, maybe could have been 2 books.<br/><br/>I would definitely recommend it to people who enjoy good story , interesting flawed characters, thoughts on the human condition and like to learn new things from their books.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EGYVF3S7U783?ASIN=0316055441	Very good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was a very good book. The story moved on throughout the boys life which kept it interesting, but the end of the book got a bit heavy and longwinded.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1379MJSYJ83H9?ASIN=0316055441	A Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters in this book were so believable.  I enjoyed reading The Goldfinch for the most part .  Toward the end I felt like 'how much more can Potter endure!'  It almost became redundant .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO1X77TN8RKK?ASIN=0316055441	whew finally finished.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To many words. To much drugs for young boys. Superman Boris here there everywhere!! Worn out with the lack of moral fiber in characters and the great overview of life ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW1ANHX3GAYCD?ASIN=0316055441	I kept reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was just good enough to keep reading. I have few thoughts. First new york sucks. People who grow up there get tarnished by it and the main character is no exception. If he grew up anywhere else he would have had a much better life.<br/>Second get mental help if you need it. While no one likes going to a shrink but it is better than being an addict. Overall it is an interesting coming of age story in the eyes of a renaissance man.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LJ9479XC3RE1?ASIN=0316055441	What a dissappointment!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first half of this book was terrific. The character development was good and it read fast. Then it was as if the author had to hurry up and write the 2nd half. The story was disconnected in parts and I was very dissappointed with the weird time line and ending. Oh well-I've been thinking about the characters for weeks since I read it so it did have an impact on me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UQ1TW1OM68P4?ASIN=0316055441	It would have gotten possibly 3 1/2 stars, but the last chapter is perfection.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It would have gotten possibly 3 1/2 stars, but the last chapter is perfection.  A bit too wordy at times, but well worth the read... especially if you speak and understand Russian, and its' very unique vernacular.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C8YLHUR0VPLW?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">could not put it down! from the first sentence of the first chapter I was hooked! highly recommended reading it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V4VLSCSYO96L?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love this book on so many levels, the writing is poetic, the characters are haunting - that I will never forget them, their depth, truth and vulnerability that speaks for us all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MFUQMQGBFEV9?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful Story beautifully written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love the arts and the web that Goldfinch weaves is wonderful and descriptive.  I found myself unable to stop reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E79PH7S1TEZL?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am reading this novel as I write this. it is a fascinating page turner and hard to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UMF438SUUZVG?ASIN=0316055441	Spellbinding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was chosen for our bookclub, but I had already purchased it as I had heard good things about it.  Even though it was lengthy, I kept wanting to go back for more.  Would recommend this to a dedicated reader.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34X2L7TNB2TZL?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall I enjoyed the book . The characters were strong well crafted. However, I found some parts to be too wordy when describing situations and I was really disappointed with the book's ending. Not what happened to the storyline itself, but the manner in which it was drawn out almost to a point of making one lose interest.That being said, the way the artwork was described however, was fantastic. It made one feel the satisfaction that comes from a deeply ingrained appreciation and comfort that beauty can bring to a person.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E6ETWWX4PKX3?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was like a mystery and romance novel rolled in one. It had everything and kept me wanting to read more and more. I enjoyed this wholly and know my fellow book club members did too! We are looking forward to discussing everything on 5/14 and getting an even deeper insight into this page-turner!<br/><br/>Do yourself a favor and read this book- I promise you will not regret it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11LWP75NC091Q?ASIN=0316055441	Remarkable story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author wrote a tale worth reading. The reader learns how a young man chooses certain paths which forever change his life, and how he finally takes control from memories and events to shape his own future.  The author writes with such strength, that it seems to be a biography, not fiction.  My only negative is the length of the novel.  I found myself just wanting to finish it and feeling stymied by the long ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27OO5PS95EC0X?ASIN=0316055441	michael ginn	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoroughly enjoyed. Start to finish. Sorry to have the story end. Could have kept reading for days, weeks and months.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J25YETQA75TX?ASIN=0316055441	GREAT BOOK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Author continually  asks you to think about the meanings of life, right and wrong, the human dilemma.<br/>I enjoyed the characters and the scope of the book, from New York, to Las Vegas and Amsterdam , the reader will find people who are good and bad.  Seems like even the worst of us have some redeeming qualities.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FW61PQSVD9A4?ASIN=0316055441	A delight for all senses	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't experienced such sensual writing in a long time -- and what a heart-wrenching roller coaster story! Great NYC read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SPJDWPWLOEBK?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch, a success	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some of Joyce's train of thought, Russian literature depression, and humor, perseverance, a dash of philosophy:an enjoyable and interesting read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AZXNRCB8EU6D?ASIN=0316055441	Too slow and then Too fast!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is exciting after you get into it.  I thought it was a bit slow in establishing the characters.  But after that I felt like ""slow down"", this is going too fast.  The web the author weaves is amazing.<br/>I did feel like she wasn't sure how to end the story.  Sort of disappointing.  It ran out of gas.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VYA23C8YOH4F?ASIN=0316055441	Exhilerating and exciting literature	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has been one of my favorite authors since ""The Little Friend"" and ""The Little Secret"" was published.  She has a fine tuned sense of the nuances of thought and human frailty.  Although I sometimes rail at her clueless  characters, I also realize that her ability to portray the  sequence of their thoughts however senseless is a mirror of how  we as human's live. Her plots are magnificent surprises that parse out  the unusual and improbable and seems to bring them into being.  Her books are rich in human values and conflicting agendas.  Her writing is superb and a joy to read in this era of texting.  Good real old fashioned literature is a treasure in today's milieu.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L54PYZ99KRR9?ASIN=0316055441	Too much descriptive language!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author really goes to new lengths to describe either a scene or just what is going on in Theo's head. The book was good but way too long!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PTEV656L0R4U?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of time and money	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story could have been a good read but instead turned out be needlessly wordy and an  over indulgence in profanity.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU80P1701V8YO?ASIN=0316055441	laurie	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Every sentence is rich and thought-provoking. Boris' dialogue sets his character perfectly.<br/>Theo as the protagonist allows the reader to enter into a life many of us will never understand. The sights and scenes are so perfectly detailed. Love Tartt's writing style. Thought I'm not sure I imagined the ending she created.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15JG8J47Z5W51?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've been picking some bestsellers based on the length as I love to sink my teeth into a good long novel. Several of them I gave up on half way through. The Goldfinch, however, kept my interest all the way. It also had some beautiful passages and reflections on life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LXXKB203XZSR?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the story line and content, but it was just a little too wordy for me. I found myself scanning words instead of reading completely.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRYZZD8TK4PCL?ASIN=0316055441	I think it deserved the Pulitzer Prize just for her beautiful prose.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved her writing style!!!  The story was intriguing until she went into all that druggie stuff!!!  It was tragic before that and you felt so sorry for him.  THEN...along came Boris...bad news!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R177VZG1RAZU4M?ASIN=0316055441	Bonnie Jae Dane says:	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a beautifully rendered book.  Loved the way Tartt draws out her flawed characters and helps them come to some understanding of each other and themselves.  And I also loved all the characters.  Magnificent piece of work. I would have given it a five except I thought it could have been shortened by a couple of pages. I purchased one of her other books, which indicates a true appreciation for her excellent, thought provoking writing skills and ability to spin a really good yarn.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VWMGEIZBFCXG?ASIN=0316055441	A real page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent writing and a page turner. Very long book packed with colorful characters, places and events. There was one frustration which had to do with the frequent poor decisions made by the main character. In many ways his life mirrors lives of many others with emotional difficulties and problems coping. In some ways, it didn't. There were also periods of rambling on and on. The novel did make me appreciate The Goldfinch painting. I know quite possibly more about it than any other painting.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BVOA9VX4Q4RQ?ASIN=0316055441	well written- engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slightly melancholy but well done.  You will experience it as if you were side by side with the narrator.  Well done.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KFWT1WY6XVQ9?ASIN=0316055441	Long read  but ok novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I took me 5 days to read the book but it was ok. Not the best novel ever but something good the read .</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CS5INMCRTVAA?ASIN=0316055441	The last 30% needs an editor . . . but the first 70% is worth reading the whole book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Whether or not Donna Tartt ""deserves"" the Pulitzer for this novel is a question left to people better informed than I am, but here's my experience of it:  The first few hundred pages were enthralling, grabbing me with their sensory images and beautiful, readable prose. I genuinely cared about the characters and couldn't put the book down, eager to learn what was going to happen to them and devouring the delicious text.  And then . . . strange turns, bizarre events, and, especially toward the end, a sluggish thickening of style.  I don't know what happened, but it wasn't satisfying.  By then, though, I was too invested in the story and particularly in the characters and continued on.  I don't regret having read this amazing book--and it is amazing.  It's just that I have to recommend it with reservations.  I still gave it four out of five stars because for me the first 450-500 pages are worth it; but your mileage may vary.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZWFT7G5P1QC4?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliantly written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While this type, style and subject matter of a novel are not normally my choice in good reads, I found myself increasingly drawn in.  As the story progressed, I became more and more invested in all the richly drawn and deeply flawed characters, as they each struggle with their conscience and their fate.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK8C5T8WI28YS?ASIN=0316055441	Random choice	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed this book. It would  make a great movie or has it been done? Characters very believable and well portrayed. Will recommend as worthwhile.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M1DBJLTU0CHI?ASIN=0316055441	MIXED FEELINGS	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was downright depressing at times, but it is so well written that I could not put it down.  Read all the many pages right to the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC6OKARHS64BQ?ASIN=0316055441	a profound and deeply moving book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This epic novel I think requires multiple readings to be fully deciphered. But its many strands are cleverly tied together and linked to the title image/painting from which Tartt draws surprising and fundamental conclusions.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FEB425BAK17G?ASIN=0316055441	Rich & complex story, thoroughly enjoyed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I learned of Donna Tartt only last year.  I know, hey?  What rock was I living under?<br/><br/>Her interview with Charlie Rose after the launch of The Goldfinch, was fascinating and sparked my interest in reading her novels.<br/><br/>While I waited for The Goldfinch ebook to become available on NYPL, I checked out her first novel, The Secret History, to see what all the fuss was about.<br/><br/>Having now read both The Secret History and The Goldfinch, and being mid-way through The Little Friend, I can understand why Donna Tartt takes a decade to write a novel.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch is magnificent. I never knew it was possible to describe Experience the way she does.<br/><br/>Many times I had to stop and just sit with a paragraph because it overwhelmed me. I could feel everything she was describing.<br/><br/>Its too difficult to pick a favorite, but here's a passage from near the end of the book:<br/>""..And just as music is the space between notes, just as the stars are beautiful because of the space between them, just as the sun strikes raindrops at a certain angle and throws a prism of color across the sky - so the space where I exist, and want to keep existing, and to be quite frank I hope I die in, is exactly this middle distance: where despair struck pure otherness and created something sublime.""<br/><br/>Amazing, right?!<br/><br/>The story is long, the plot complex, the themes deep - it required attention and perseverance, but I managed to complete it over a weekend.<br/> Loved the parts that occur in NYC. People, places, you can tell Ms Tartt knows the city well. Could picture everything in The Met as she describes.<br/><br/>Thoroughly enjoyed this novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P5SKOEY9XRBR?ASIN=0316055441	Mindboggling and fascinating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A true oriiginal. Donna Tart imposed her vast knowledge of art, geography, history, drugs, and human nature on a real page turner. The reason I only gave it 4 stars is that she sometimes jumped locations without enough transition and occasionally it was a bit wordy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG4GVUQ7EP22X?ASIN=0316055441	A compelling human drama	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a beautifully written book about love, beauty and human connections. The author asks us to make sense of life and of  the people that intersect our lives; those with whom we interact by chance, by proximity, by familiarity or biology who shape the form of who we become.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D38IH7UUIHZ1?ASIN=0316055441	A good story with fascinating characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the characters in this book and a great story unfolds. I didn't not like the very end of the book. The author seemed to ramble on and left a good story hanging</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LGOCQPLVQQE3?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was totallly enthralled the first half to two-thirds of the book.  Found the last part very convoluted with a loss of focus.  It was like put all of her writing effort in the first half or more of the book and had to cram in the ending into as few pages as possible.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H28COPFGGXK3?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious sections	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lots of shear boredom reading about the effects of drug abuse. The section in Vegas was too long and boring. Certainly not necessary to dwell on drug abuse after that, I got the picture.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OI49LD1RDU9T?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Simply the best book I've read in years.  Tartt's masterful descriptions and surprising plot line make a reader hunger to read every page.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WU4J016Z1VW2?ASIN=0316055441	It is an O K book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch goes very much into the underworld of drugs, deceit, grimy things. Not for me!  Not much to keep me interested</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JODIGROQ07HM?ASIN=0316055441	Torture!  I don't know how on earth this could have won a Pultizer!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just don't get what all the hype was about this book. While I found the opening pages so full of promise and excitement, an explosion in an art museum, a boy and his mother are trapped with only the boy making it out alive. He has taken his mothers favorite piece of artwork to save it but gets caught up in what to do next. It seems there are so many directions the author could have taken such a wonderful beginning. Instead, she spends the next 600 pages taking us into a dark world of teenage drugs, depression, you name it...it almost felt as if it had been hijacked by a whole different author. There were so many times I wanted to abandon this hunk of a book, yet I kept on because I had already invested so much time. I kept hoping for another turn, it never arrived. Oh yes, the ending was full of beautifully written language. The meaning of life and death, are we just born a certain way with no chance of change, etc. It felt like the author was trying to impress herself, and I felt it was just B.S.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFXQMUC3PCA3X?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the writer takes you through a harrowing tale of a young mans life. captivating and unforgettable. I would highly recommend this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJL5B9YI9UAKA?ASIN=0316055441	Ending a let down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was riveted by this book until Amsterdam and the philosophical ending of the author.  Ms. Tartt appears to be an excellent writer, but as with Southern Cross the Dog, I was let down in the end.  However, the rest of book was exciting and felt real.  A great coming of age story</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY61PQRK54MH4?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've been a fan of Tartt's work since her first novel, and the Goldfinch certainly demonstrates that she continues to be one of the premier storytellers of our time.  Outstanding read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LQIBFXUAYYWT?ASIN=0316055441	Theo is the man	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A  real page turner even though there were 770 of them! I miss Theo who was a totally believable character. I was enthralled right up until Amsterdam where it dragged out a little too much. A great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBAKKUJU48UIH?ASIN=0316055441	Well written, dragging detours	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the writing itself was thorough the story dragged. I would normally accept this if there was a huge twist ending that required a lot of detail and detours but I would say it was over done. Overall well written and good ""moral of the story"" type book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A02J1D6D75Q7?ASIN=0316055441	Glad I decided to read this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really am glad that I took a chance and read this book. It is very long but it picked up the pace as you read it. I don't usually read books as popular as this one is but I really enjoyed it. It is long but it is interesting and easy to read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LID25FDSH4YW?ASIN=0316055441	the last 10 pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A strong story, but it didn't all cone together until the very end. It is hard to imagine Theo saying such profound words based on the prior 750 pages -I didn't totally buy it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKUVED3GVAS3B?ASIN=0316055441	Way Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was my first Donna Tartt book, and although the beginning of the book captured my total attention...to the point of not wanting to put it down...the second half of the book was laboriously long and redundant.  After finally wading through to the last page, I wasn't sure what I was reading any more...was it about the life of a junkie or was it still the story about a boy who was so hurt by losing his mother at such a tender age that he would go through all efforts to make a life for himself.  I get that it was also about a remarkable lifelong friendship, and that it was loosely concerned with the art world; however, the author loses my total interest in the last couple hundred pages.  At that point, I could barely wait to finish it just to be able to say that I gave it a change.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K4541E5I8TVK?ASIN=0316055441	So disappointing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I saw this book on the best seller list and on several book sites.  It was very slow reading and I felt like it was never going to end.  I was very disappointed it wasn't better.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21JYR3DKHSV6A?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The opening of this book had me snared. Though it did take me a good long while to realize the main character was  a man and not a woman. I had to completely rearrange everything I was imaging. I was just so excited that Donna Tartt had written another book, I didn't waste time reading the jacket to know it was man she was writing about.<br/><br/>It contains as beautiful of prose as you would suspect and is well worth the wait and the hype.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QV4EK7MPG7YG?ASIN=0316055441	fantastic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved, loved, love this book. The writing is so descriptive and the plot grabs you and doesn't let up. Despite its length, I finished it in a couple of days because it was hard to put down due to the suspense about what would happen to the painting and the characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QUBSU4WZKTXU?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good but a little too long. Some segments were too long especially the long drawn out early high school druggie years. Then there were times that jumped ahead too fast.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R323ZCG7M0JLV3?ASIN=0316055441	Held my interest	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this book due to other reviews I had read.  I found the Goldfinch a good read.  Held my interest and left me wanting more.  It seemed that with every chapter the story took another turn.  Would recommend to anyone</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CKBS5YGPWNVM?ASIN=0316055441	DON'T BOTHER.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so looking forward to reading this book after all the hype that I kept saving it for the right time and reading all sorts of other books first.  I started it with such anticipation only to be totally let down.  The beginning is good but that's it.  The protagonist is a jerk.  His choice of friends and activities leaves much to be desired .  The preachyness at the end of the book is a bore as is most of the story.  The writing is very ordinary.  Never trust the critics!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I0450PLI7ZRS?ASIN=0316055441	wisdom and poetry in a fascinating tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyable to read, with glimpses into worlds I know so little of but feel like I have experienced in these lyrical pages of dead-on dialogue and often deep insights. A worthy companion.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20QKYD6DW9W2E?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">lOVED THE CHARACTERS;  MS. TARTT GAVE US MULTIPLE EMOTIONS AND  VARIED REACTIONS TO THE EVENTS..  ENJOYED THE TRIP THRU NEW YORK CITY AND LATER EUROPE.  LIKED THAT THEO, ALWAYS THE VICTIM , UNDER PRESSURE BECAME THE AGGRESSOR.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLQ2KYSBMTE7V?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent writing by Donna Tart.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very entertaining and thought provoking story by a talented author .I look forward to her next book ,hopefully in the near future.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OTT6WKDRJCZI?ASIN=0316055441	long but worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lmb1678<br/>Loved this book, full of layers and life's cruelty. It draws you in and keeps your attention. Long but worth it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NIGX0WVZLKEU?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the only reason I didn't rate this book a five star is because of the last ten percent. (It very nearly lost me.) but the loss was short enough. I recommend this book to people who really enjoy the process of a story being told. It keeps you guessing until the very end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HVIU95Y5NPGI?ASIN=0316055441	The.  GOLDFINCH  earns  the  ranking of a  GREAT BOOK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good book transports us away from our own lives.  A better book  changes the way we see our own lives.  But  a  great book shows us  a  better way to live our own lives...THE GOLDFINCH  does all of this and deserves the ranking of a. GREAT  BOOK....</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX2KPU9F4V5ME?ASIN=0316055441	GOOD STORY	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">YES a good story but way way too long. Yes the author does a wonderful job of describing scenes thoughts relationships but if he had edited more I would have enjoyed the final third of the story instead of just slogging through it so I could know the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLC8BHRR2NGGR?ASIN=0316055441	So many words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How can you write a 700 page book and leave so many unanswered questions?  What happened to Platt that made him come home from school? What happened to Kitsy.  Why would he still be willing to  marry her after he found she had a boyfriend?  Did he marry her?  And so many words!!! Page after page!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LAAQPDB4XH2U?ASIN=0316055441	A good read  but an inconclusive end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book I found so sad as my own son around the same age suffered post dramatic stress syndrome.  Interesting to learn the PDSS victims can stop growing due to this syndrome.  Although my son is average his genetics would have made him over 6 foot.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYBZ4JHWTDEOT?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">But, was disappointed with the ending. Seemed rushed and was not as good as the novel. Still worth the read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QFWG7CUZZ9DT?ASIN=0316055441	The detail was incredible and the story line good. Just tedious and depressing especially toward the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am compelled to finish every book I start. This one was a definite challenge. The detail was incredible and the story line good.<br/>Just tedious and depressing especially toward the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I2WVKXX3995X?ASIN=0316055441	You just can't beat Donna Tartt for fine writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story got a little long in the middle, just a tad boring, but it wasn't possible for me to leave the story.  All in all, an excellent read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MWAR2SUP6T5P?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch:  Amazing writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you are looking for a book with amazing writing, The Goldfinch is for you.  It is a VERY long book, but I found the story fascinating.  What I enjoyed even more was her descriptive writing style.  The way Donna Tartt expresses what the characters are thinking, feeling and experiencing is quite unique.  If you aren't sure you want to read this long a book, get a sample of it on your Kindle and see if it hooks you.  I am now reading a book that has a much less descriptive style, and I find it lacking something that makes the book come to life.  I look forward to Donna Tartt's next novel!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30JZ2BA1ZJI0C?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I purchased this book due to the almost overwhelming positive commentary circulating about it.  While reading the book, I was very surprised that it is so highly regarded.  I have not read The Secret History so I came into this with no preconceptions of the author.  That said, I found the prose to be very amateurish, to the point that it distracted me from the plot and characters.  I couldn't help but chuckle the few times I found a run-on sentence that carried on for an entire, long paragraph.  I couldn't tell if this is a deliberate attempt by the author to make the writing more poetic but it just distracted me.  I can recall going back and counting the words in a sentence -- it has been a few months since my reading but I know I counted over 200 words in one sentence!  That notwithstanding, the plot did not seem very well thought out to me, and the characters simply were not engaging.  Theo seemed a bore to me and it appears the author only meant to check-off as many traits/characteristics of a conflicted teenager as possible.  Theo did not seem relatable at all to me and I struggled to envision which readers would be expected to relate to him.  Boris was equally dislikable.  I don't mean to steal someone else's words but I have read him described as a cliched version of many ""foreign"" misfits; a genius reading classic works of literature by night, committing uncountable illegal acts by day.<br/><br/>All-in-all, a disappointing book that drags for over 700 pages.  I had a chance recently to purchase a used but well-conditioned copy of The Secret History for $1 and decided not to.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS7BBD3AA5FMU?ASIN=0316055441	I didn't think I would ever get to the end of this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a dark and depressing book. I didn't think I would ever finish it and wouldn't recommend it to anyone.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y4SGW8C2QKJY?ASIN=0316055441	It took a while	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The  earlier chapters of the book were so tragic for the young narrator.  It seemed that whatever could go wrong -did go wrong.  Then the middle section was like a walk down the sad side of drug culture in this country.  This was just one of the sections that I felt better editing might have helped.  However and a big ""however""!  By the second half of the book I was in love with most of the characters and could hardly bear to put the book aside to sleep or eat let alone work!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIAE6TAJM7H6B?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written...of course<br/>Everyone in our book club loved it<br/>Some read it quickly but it is taking me a long time to get thru it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REHDL56A781HO?ASIN=0316055441	Not what I expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was extremely disappointed in this book, although I knew it had received mixed reviews. I could not identify with any of the characters, and the plot device of the ""Goldfinch"" painting did not justify its being the title of the book. Much of the novel, especially the drug-trip sections, were overwritten and tedious. There have been very few books that I would urge my friends NOT to read, but this is one of them.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJW6UNV3L6AV4?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this on my kindle and listened in the car.  The narration really brought the story alive for me.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R257TCIYCP4TW8?ASIN=0316055441	Close to a classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book, it was a real page turner and hard to put down.  A long book, but still a fast read, but you must pay close attention, there was so much to take in.  Would definitely recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QQZ05GA24MHU?ASIN=0316055441	Great read, great story, extremely well written........	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">But I think it could be a little shorter. In some areas, there is just too much dialogue that is not necessary to the story. Overall, I highly recommend this book, but know that it is a somewhat long read with lots, and lots of details.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JZJCFSP8MSS1?ASIN=0316055441	Best novel of the decade	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling, thoughtful, the story of a life so different from my own and yet I was there every step of the way.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCR0KACRQ57C5?ASIN=0316055441	Way too much hype!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book expecting it to be brilliant based on most of the reviews and all of the hype.  I was sadly disappointed.  What it was, was long.  I really enjoyed the first half of the book but had to force myself to plod through the second half to get to the end.  There were so many words that added so little to the story that I found myself just skimming page after page.  I find it hard to believe that the Pulitzer Prize people read the whole book and still gave it the award.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLXMLNLVYZ8CI?ASIN=0316055441	Armchair travel with photographic detail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the suspense The writing gives me detailed visual images in my mind! Seedy and elegant, historical artistry,  allowing me to travel to places I have experienced in my own lifetime.... New York, Amsterdam, LasVegas......</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLG83I2TY550M?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is very long, but so intruiging that it is hard to put down.  Interesting interplay of characters, and their foibles and gifts</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11AYHKPLZ3GH9?ASIN=0316055441	Writing is spectacular. This book is sometimes difficult to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Writing is spectacular.  This book is sometimes difficult to read, as the main character lives through wrenching experiences.  But it's worth it.  Keep going.  The wisdom in the closing chapters is your reward.  And it will not mean as much if you don't travel through the land mines before.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DTF5CQ7DMLHQ?ASIN=0316055441	Best book in years!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author is a master of words. While the overall book is dark the author makes each setting and each character so real and so entertaining! Don't be afraid of its length, it flies by...except maybe those days in the hotel in Amsterdam...seemed like months! The author deftly made you feel, like Theo, that you had to get out of there ANY way possible...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MR8VG5YK84AR?ASIN=0316055441	fantastic trip! I loved every step of this journey!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One book every decade. And now I know what ms. Tartt does during the decade. Sculpts and paints a fabulous journey of twists and turns, colors and squiggles<br/>Loved every moment of this book<br/>Not quite 'the secret history', but close. Very very close!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20DWBYOYC7WR3?ASIN=0316055441	A wordsmith's paradise!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is one of the best written novels I have read in a long time.  The story, the characters, and the richness of the writing are so captivating that I didn't want the book to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDOMVM7ENXE2K?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt is a Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms.Tartt draws her characters is such a way that anyone can find them credible (and interesting). The pacing of her story absolutely cruises without any hitches. It's a best of the best read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QY9CGPA320D2?ASIN=0316055441	Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The sentence construction is poetry. The use of language whether describing art or drugs is precise and flowing. Some people have told me that the use of drugs by the characters turned them off. But this is a device by the writer to bring the characters to a heightened state of awareness that opens up impressions and images, while still condemning the drug-induced trips to an altered state with vile physical reactions and regret. I look at art differently now, with more sensitivity to the message of the piece. Last night at a Sotheby's showing of fine art for auction, my nose nearly touched the masterworks examining brushstrokes, looking for the ""amusing"" details that artists paint into their works, seeking the message, evaluating the technique of masters. What nerve to view these works with a new judgmental eye! But I saw more, and for this I thank Donna Tartt. She kept me enthralled with the book, the plot, and its deeps philosophical questions.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9VJIMZ61U8S7?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch wins a gold medal	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This author crafts her characters like an artist. I was lucky to see the painting while the Dutch Masters were on tour. It is a beautiful painting and a beautifully written book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IQY6048QNK0X?ASIN=0316055441	Unique Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling but too long winded for me. I found myself reading down the middle of pages just to get to the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLNQB5DU2L6RO?ASIN=0316055441	A Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well developed characters and vivid descriptions of the many settings.  Some twists and turns kept me reading to find where the Goldfinch was hidden.  The last chapter seemed to ramble on with unnecessary descriptions which made me rapid read and skip parts of the ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11VUM8XUS8OQW?ASIN=0316055441	Unique	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book does not follow the formula of most modern mysteries.  It is deep and complex with wonderfully full character development.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E72FNKE26FV4?ASIN=0316055441	Rich in Detail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story of Theo is rich in detail.  Ms. Tartt takes time to introduce us to the characters throughout a lifetime of turmoil for Theo.  I enjoyed the book, despite its length.  For some, the level of detail could be tiresome, but it is worth the time as it is all related.  A thinking person's book.  I highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6FXOOEIJG2XQ?ASIN=0316055441	A Boy's Journey to Manhood	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would also rename this book, The Book of Lists.  The author does go on a bit too much listing procedures, artists, works of art, people, etc.  I read this book some time ago so , sorry, I cannot remember the names of the characters.  Donna Tartt  provides wonderful descriptions of her characters, making them seem real.  It is a novel of tragedy and redemption.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZS5CWJ4VTOUT?ASIN=0316055441	Great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very interesting book.  I enjoyed it very much.  Interesting plot with many twists and turns.  I liked the main character and the supporting characters.  Sometimes it will bog down but overall very interesting and I do recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36N99MYWVD4HI?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i can see why it won a pulitzer prize<br/>it was like the never ending story<br/>amazing the emotion it evokes<br/>love, love, loved it</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHH0K6D04QTZM?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book worth reading.  It will hold you from the start to the end. It's long, but worth every minute.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBUU796PVVWLA?ASIN=0316055441	Started out very good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Clearly the author knows a bit about art and is able to write about it in an engaging manner. Unfortunately she philosophized for far too long at the end of the book seemingly more interested in hearing herself ruminate rather than end the story or write something worthy of reading. I found myself turning the pages quickly rather than savoring the last of what could have been a very good book.  Disappointing in the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VTZZ194GTZTD?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was excellent but was rather confusing at times. Some things were not explained while some psychological issues were over done...</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U0K8M2HY7ML8?ASIN=0316055441	A lush read that you can sink into....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not really a coming-of-age novel, nor an international thriller, but a combination of the two. Part picaresque novel, where you root for the lead characters and wish them the best, even as you see them make foolhardy choices, to a look at the seedy underworld of international art theft and terrorism. While personally, I feel that there are areas where an editor's skill could have been used to tighten and trim, the end result is sad and lovely, truthful and plain. Recommended!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBBJJ3S79PAZ2?ASIN=0316055441	Okay	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The depth of the book is tremendous writing, but the book simply wore me out.  The ending left you hanging.  Did he marry Pippa? Did he get his act together and live life?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHG4XM7WN6DCW?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very rich, engrossing novel. There are multiple stories within the book. I didn't want to let the characters go.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R102TDIOJOQXO1?ASIN=0316055441	Unforgettable!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A  magnificent and equally terrifying story which depicts both the worst and the best of human nature.<br/>In youth we are mainly victims of circumstance and as time passes we become the product<br/>of the choices we make. Amazing characters bring the story to life and remind the reader of<br/>the vulnerability of the human condition and the strength of character that enables us to overcome<br/>adversity. A really gut-wrenching read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23S2CABO6ODK0?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most intriguing novels that I have read in years. A real page turner, hard to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13XHHYQGWHP3D?ASIN=0316055441	Execellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you like Donna Tartt's style, this book will not let you down. An excellent read - especially the thought provoking (and philosophical) last chapter</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L032U8Q6VRVV?ASIN=0316055441	Experiential journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">More than a book, I found it to be an experiential journey and provocative to my understanding of fate, resilience, and coping.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AS35RYZ0Z12K?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is highly recommended:	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is highly recommended:<br/>A dark journey through the life of a boy into adulthood. This is, and  gripping tale, beautifully written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RCV4HH29SU00?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliantly Disturbing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dense, delicious, disturbing storyline redeemed by writing that inspires. First read when published. When the story moved to Las Vegas I thought despair would overtake my ability to complete the book. So glad I continued.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R79L84K74NPO?ASIN=0316055441	Good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Began somewhat slowly but picked up speed about 2/3 of the way in. The very last paragraph summed up the book beautifully.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JX8EIAHGSOGR?ASIN=0316055441	was it just me or did this drag on?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A laborious read. I finally gave up at page 767 of 775. Skimming required. Sorry Goldfinch, I guess I just wasn't that into you.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34WJSFHMTXGS6?ASIN=0316055441	Very engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt is a masterful storyteller.  The characters were well drawn and there were several whom I really cared about.  It was a long book, but I hated to see it end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE39URD4NW9XM?ASIN=0316055441	Absolutely Brilliant Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put this book down, the story line, the development of characters, the individual main characters in this story are amazing.<br/>I hated to get to the end of this book, but also couldn't wait to finish it. I immediately got another book written by author<br/>Donna Tartt.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SADZFNW0CBSK?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an amazing author!  The Goldfinch is one of those rare books that is hard to put down.  Tartt not only describes various characters in ways that you feel you really know them; she captures their emotions in a most convincing way. No wonder she received the Pulitzer Prize</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EN8OEEUQXBTV?ASIN=0316055441	WONDERFUL!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A terrific book!  Truly enjoying it.  Delighted it won the Pulitzer.  Definitely deserved.<br/>And I'm only just half way through and already have such a powerful reaction.<br/>It's truly notable when a book is this exciting, thrilling really, and so beautifully written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M9FLRPBSKM8L?ASIN=0316055441	A truly beautiful read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was absolutely mesmerized by this story. Tartt knows the workings of teens so well, and I was amazed at her understanding of grief.  I will be reflecting on the many themes in this deep novel for a long time. I would also share how beautiful is the writing. The descriptions of sites and experiences as well as the way she makes her characters come alive was magical. This is a wonderful book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HBF9JMMKJF3T?ASIN=0316055441	I tumbled into this book and never wanted to leave	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has a beautiful way with words, and her character development is phenomenal. She manages to weave a story that is never all that predictable and keeps the reader engaged. Can't recommend this enough.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL3FWSCEU11RR?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book.  I felt like I was on a journey with Theo through his life and there were many times I wished I could take care of him.  I would definitely recommend this book and have already.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP3YWWDBTO21R?ASIN=0316055441	Ten stars and hats off to a literary trip!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is wonderfully written taking you on disturbing journey through the life of an adolescent exposing the raw side society and the beauty and meaning behind a work of art. Exposes all the emotions humans possess.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM8SZIFH8NNN9?ASIN=0316055441	interesting twists to the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautifully written story - I could 'see' the scenes described.  This is set primarily in New York with a stint in Vegas then back to New York.  I loved reading the descriptions of places I've seen in NYC.  Sad story of how a young boy's life had twists of fate that were both from accident, not his own choices and then choices of his own and where they led. Just when I thought I could see how it was going to end, things changed.  I can see why this book has won awards.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG78YGC7ETC1Q?ASIN=0316055441	Modern Dickensian to the Max	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt creates a  sweeping and yet personal world that is fantastic and realistic in ""The Goldfinch.""<br/>She develops a slow and exciting mystery tale with unique characters who are rich, deep and full of quirkiness.<br/>Hobie, the aesthetic New York furniture restorer, and Boris, the scrappy,  Ukrainian sociopathic friend<br/>of the main character, Theo, are two of the most memorable.<br/><br/>Tartt is a consummate story teller and stylist. She takes the reader through a web<br/>of intriguing adventures and also provides miniscule details about<br/>aspects of art history, decorative arts and the<br/>seamier world of drugs and art theft. It is also a tale of<br/>redemption and of the human psyche.<br/><br/>I relished moments each day when I could read a few pages of<br/>this very long book, partly because it brought<br/>me back to the rushed, addictive pace of New York City, and<br/>also  because it gave me a different perspective of today's world.<br/>I have  purchased one of her earlier books, ""The Secret History,"" and hope<br/>to have the same delicious reading experience.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ2K27JGCSY1F?ASIN=0316055441	Drags on in some areas	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is well written but I felt like she was just putting in filler in a lot of places.  The book is very long and, I personally, did not enjoy the minutia of details that, to me, made it feel like it drug on and on.  I enjoyed the ending, but it was a bit of a painful process for me to get there.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZEPEGL702SAI?ASIN=0316055441	Great Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow to start.  It picked up about 1/4 of the way through though and was a pleasure to read. Wonderful story!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1116O6BG9S99H?ASIN=0316055441	santa rosa mom	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The dialog is amazing; catching the personality of characters.  Compelling read worthy of awards. The weak spot was the long philosophical ending when all I wanted to now was if Theo was ok with his life now.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GNYRTLCGDHRW?ASIN=0316055441	Good God!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book started out semi-ok, but then got too wordy AND DEFINITELY TOO LSD-sy!!!  By the middle of the book, I wanted to put it away in my sock drawer.  Sentences that should have been easily described ----  way too lengthly in rambling description.  Not my cup of tea.  Actually decided to read the book due to its award, but sorry I ever picked it up.  It was a Godsend when I FINALLY finished it.  No more books -- awards or no awards -- by this author.  Bad, bad trip...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A8MTWYPPX4WM?ASIN=0316055441	GREAT BOOK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I have read in a long time.  Not only is it a good story, but I loved the way it was written.  This is a book I could not skim because the writing was so descriptive.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A404YLCH8W4L?ASIN=0316055441	A jewel wrapped in way too much wrapping	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like the tiny masterpiece of the Goldfinch wrapped in a fat cocoon of layers, I found a very moving tiny masterpiece of a novel and moments of brilliance once I clawed my way through all the words...SO many WORDs...make them STOP. I feel a satisfaction in having read this, possibly because I skimmed at least a quarter of it, thus not being imprisoned by a tiny chain to my Kindle.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QGQJIO8HDHO4?ASIN=0316055441	Fizzled Out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was disappointed to see the wonderful story of The Goldfinch lose momentum and get drowned in an avalanche of pondering and endless streaming.  The fresh voice of the young hero became that of a complicated self doubting woman and I lost interest in this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30LU0M0VI3QRS?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding! Best Tartt yet!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful compelling read! One of those up all night reading books! I have loved all her books but this is the best.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VJYA8MTSPUJU?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A gorgeously written book. Very dark with so much tragic death. Yet not hard to read, as one might imagine with all the death and despair.  I found it a good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RPROYHL0SVU7?ASIN=0316055441	I really enjoyed this. At times I had to put it ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this.  At times I had to put it down and continue reading later. The content was ""heavy"" at times and that was also what made it interesting.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R106GPP3GUEY33?ASIN=0316055441	Too lengthly	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book could have been written in 50% less pages.  Too much filler. Strange conclusion. I would not buy it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AC5VP3IQGL9L?ASIN=0316055441	over-explanation	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am a firm believer in show don't tell in my fiction.  If the writer feels that they have not done a good enough job in showing then they have to resort to tell (which is the end of this book.)  I also developed no emotional bond with most of the characters.  Too long a read for little return on my investment of time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38WDMRIXUVJCF?ASIN=0316055441	An exciting, modern thriller.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very difficult book to put down, a real `page turner'.<br/>I believed in the story, worried about the obvious downward slid of the main character's young life, was grateful that he found at least one supportive adult and very glad that he lived to tell the tale. A first class thriller.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18JBBZMO48PFL?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written using an extensive vocabulary	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This reminded me of a German Bildungsroman. Beautifully written using an extensive vocabulary, The Goldfinch lived up to all the great reviews.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SSJOVGFOFX8?ASIN=0316055441	A Real Winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the most worthwhile book I have read in a very long time. Fascinating story line, great command of language, full of philosophical thought, and all around entertaining. Worthy of the prizes it received.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMMPBMCTIB7GF?ASIN=0316055441	excellent!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long hard traumatic read, but equal to any deep thinking philosophy I have ever had the pleasure of reading. If God herself were literate, she could not have done better.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N579FBUMVV22?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The goldfinch is a page turner.  I liked the art history references laced through the novel.  Characters are wonderfully drawn. Bob</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3APMCZ0JGV83D?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book!!  Everyone should read.  Well written, great story, Recommended by many others and boy were they right.  I have gone on to read other books by Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33X2NVEJJGBM7?ASIN=0316055441	Great, but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""The Goldfinch"" will probably prove to be one of the best novels of this decade.  It's truly amazing how Tartt can bring alive dialog from characters aged 13 to 80, of both sexes.  This is a plot-driven novel reminiscent of Dan Brown, among others - but it also features character development and psychological depth missing from 'The da Vinci Code'.<br/>So why 'only' 4 stars from me?  Unfortunately, Tartt resorts to cliches in a rather gratuitous manner that are best written out of literary novels. The male characters, though finely drawn, are ultimately disappointing.  It's the female characters you end up wanting to know more about.  The ending is satisfying plot-wise, but the didactic philosophizing disappoints and is not convincing.  Surely there are better examples and arguments for being an unpredictable personality and 'following your bliss'.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30CCIEIH7J9N0?ASIN=0316055441	A good read but not quite up to the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There has been a lot of raving about this book, however, it seemed to me like it could have done with a good editing to tighten up the flow.  A first person narration by a self-absorbed teenaged boy protagonist who doesn't like himself very much,  well, I tended not to like him either.  Some of the characters were quite interesting and well drawn and the plot and story were good.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCVHDB0RO00RY?ASIN=0316055441	bad novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">repetitious with too many drug and alcohol scenes.  Got in the way of grasping the intention of the novel.  I guess it had the only ending possible based on 90% of the novel</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22YDY7598PR1S?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch  review  by  E.A.B	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt carries a 15 year old boy through various socio-economic circumstances in the course of a year or two...showing an intresting play between the affects of inheritance and environment. As an adult he comes to the conclusion that because between ""reality"" on  one hand,and the point where the mind strikes reality, there is a middle zone, a rainbow edge where beauty comes into being...and this is the space where beauty comes into  being...and this is the space where all art exists,and all magic-all love.  Just as stars are beautiful because of the space between them...so the space where I exist and want to keep existing...and hope to die in, is exactly this middle space...life is short-it is a privilege to love what death does not touch.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RINN8VZD5ZO87?ASIN=0316055441	Too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Author should have check statements like there was no texting when THeo was 15, also no AMerican Idol or cell phone  THe book was way too wordy. No need to spend multitude of pages on all the drugs that were used and that was a real waste of my time to read all of that THe story was original and a great concept but way too long</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP63ZJX7JB3G7?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderfully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book reminded me of Anna Karenina. It is a worthwhile read. The character development was outstanding. I will read this author again.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNHLK16SVEG6M?ASIN=0316055441	A Conflicted Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am really conflicted with this book.  On the one hand parts were beautifully written - the use of language and imagery, just brilliant, but on the other I found that the story dragged, especially in the middle of the book, which seemed to get bogged down in Theo's teenage years. I wanted to like this book more than I did. Theo's narcissistic character developed through grief and addiction was cleverly written. Great writing, but a lot of words to convey what was essentially a simple story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A5MCNT0ZLQUR?ASIN=0316055441	A Journey into Adulthood	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is tedious as it take a journey through the life of a young boy thrown Into to a state of survivorship due to many extenuating circumstances. It deals with how he copes without having a positive role model in his life. Life makes many twists and turns, and Theo has to figure them out while sinking to the utmost point  of despair.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X3LZXNQSCBMO?ASIN=0316055441	good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting read. Not typical or predictable in any way. Ending was something a college Philosophy class might read and discuss.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMU88QB261B1C?ASIN=0316055441	excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is quite a joy ride for readers.<br/>Ms Tartt spent 11 years crafting a book that can be read in couple of days and hats off to her!<br/>The main character, a young boy, brought up by his beautiful mother and thieving duplicitous father, until his father leaves them, becomes a quasi orphan when he goes to the NY metropolitan museum and a bomb goes off and he ends  up befriending a dying art expert, who, in his dying moments, leaves him a legacy of pain and promise, in a masterpiece painting ""The goldfinch"", painted by A Dutch painter in the 1600's Fabritius....</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AEORWHJ2HW08?ASIN=0316055441	Ten years in the making	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this for my Kindle. As the NYTimes suggested, it's not a novel you want to drop on your foot. 771 pages. The kindle solves the weight problem completely.  Wow, this is an enormous effort on the author's part! The amount of detail is staggering! That is what makes it so long. The characters cover such a wide range of people, from the Park Avenue crowd to the Russian Mafia. All believable and in detail. Ten years in the making, covering 15 years in the life of Theo Decker.  I liked the first 25% of the book. (On a kindle, remember?) I liked Theo for about as long. I also read the last 15% as fast as I could to see how he turned out. I don't think there was any foreshadowing, so anything was possible at the end. But Theo is not exactly lovable, so I would not have been too happy or sad no matter how it turned out. But it's a good book. Great even.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SWT3T18HLL6E?ASIN=0316055441	A non-tragic tragedy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would recommend this book to everyone. This book does what all great books do: describes the human experience. Each detail is carefully revealed so your judgment stays at bay until it's too late and you are captivated by the characters and you root for them to succeed and feel their sorrows. There are scenes in this book that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O5CNIKGBDX66?ASIN=0316055441	very good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very we'll written, a bit slow from one to time but overall an amazing story.  Prepare yourself for quite a journey</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYLMW6U1XPRF7?ASIN=0316055441	This book was all the Rage in my town - I did not get it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lots of folks were telling me they could not put it down.  Not how I felt!  I found it a waste of my time.  I could not get into the plot nor the story, the characters left me wanting.  I still don;t get why so many people loved it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS8C2B9YG11HP?ASIN=0316055441	Could not stop reading this.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love this book, though I am not sure why. It is a difficult subject, but I was hooked right from the beginning. I don't even want to start another book so I can continue to think about this one. I read it on Kindle which was nice, since it is long. When I finished the book, I went back to reread the beginning. I definitely recommend this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VXDKKDSAET45?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderfully written story from beginning to end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully written story from beginning to end.  Loved the character development.  It drags a bit in the last 100 pages or so.  Didn't love the ending yet felt it was pretty realistic. The characters were so complex that you couldn't have expected all the ends to be neatly tied up.  Characters stayed with me long after finishing the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36CBMY3TBIWJT?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting, but too much detail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Another reviewer here opined that Tartt needed a better editor, and I agree. There is way too much detail ---not D.H. Lawrence detail in which you can almost smell the flowers ---but extraneous, uninteresting, tedious information that doesn't contribute to plot or character development. I felt like I was made to live every minute of the main character's teenage years, for example. However, that said, it's an interesting story, Tartt writes well, and many of her observations are thought provoking. As others have stated, you need to make a real time investment to read this through, but, in the end, I think it's worth it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W6MGHY2CVUQO?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best fiction I've read in a long long time!!! Did not want it to end! If you read anything this year make it this!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NHGX3XIH9IFF?ASIN=0316055441	A superb book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An outstanding, well-written, thoughtfully written story. I marvel at the imagination of authors like Donna Tartt and their ability to put into words their vision.  This is a complex book that I already want to read again, though I've so recently finished reading it for the first time. I predict that I will want even more future readings. So much to think about, the flavor so rich.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN7JRWSWI6802?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put it down even though I found all the drug abuse and drunkenness was  very difficult to read about.  But when I got to the last chapter, all I could think of was ""WOW"".</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q01H8DTB2IBT?ASIN=0316055441	it was sooo long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters were fantastic! All of them. There were some really great and rather boring parts. I can't honestly tell if I hated it or loved it. I guess somewhere in between.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWANDIJ3H9TIY?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book grabbed me from the first page.  There are more plot twists and turns than one can imagine.  I haven't been this engrossed in a book in a long time.  And there are some thought-provoking discussions of art, relationships, approach to life, etc.  Although the book is long and probably would have benefitted from a judicious editing (especially in the section set in Las Vegas), it is worth sticking with the book.  Highly recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VSRXT4UWHHC4?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the first page to the last The Goldfinch keeps the reader enchanted with an engaging story and enough twists and turns that while you may feel you know what is coming in a few pages you aren't surprised when what appears on the page is something completely different.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MLIALQ89MRQX?ASIN=0316055441	great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">action and deep thoughts/meaning - worth the 775 pages! Glad I finished - was keeping me up past midnight every night and groggy the next day.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VE62R0IU80O1?ASIN=0316055441	My new favorite book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is definitely added to my shelf of favorite books.<br/>I've only read it once, and too quickly. I will go back and savor it again and again.<br/><br/>The characters are all amazing. The detail is astonishing. The plot a 700+ page-turner.<br/>I just wish the author was more prolific.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SIF0RI3L2B1V?ASIN=0316055441	This is a great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book, and I now have a new favorite literary character, Boris. This is a definite must read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTGINWOCLYZIA?ASIN=0316055441	amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Utterly engrossing and eminently readable.  How beauty rises despite depravity and ugliness and will triumph despite negativity and despair.  Read it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DG4CWP3HPEJK?ASIN=0316055441	Great read, but a bit long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very intense novel.  Well-written, obviously.  The last paragraph should be memorized.  You will want to keep this around for rereading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PHSLQUZCMG9W?ASIN=0316055441	Awed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My kind of novel.  So so beautifully written -- but not just the bells and whistles and look-at-me kind of writing (though I'm sure there are folks who thought it was ""overwritten"" -- but not me -- I thought every description perfect and appropriate).  My love of long books has waned as I've gotten older but this book took me right back there.  I was Theo and I was watching Theo and I was worrying about Theo from the first sentence.  I couldn't put it down and it's a long time since I've felt that about a heavy (in so many ways) literary tome.  All the worlds so beautifully re-created, but especially the world of a teenager, mourning, damaged, left to his own upbringing and isolated from his past.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HC489SN43UZB?ASIN=0316055441	this book is an experience	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got a lot of satisfaction out of reading this book. It helped me ponder things that are important. It broadened my perspective on life and people and things not always being all good or all bad.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YFTZ7KBDZDH8?ASIN=0316055441	too long and artsy fartsy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way more descriptive than needed.  Very dysfunctional people except for Hobie.  Would be great book for art enthusiast but too much for ordinary reader.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E5RHWRJOT5WX?ASIN=0316055441	Deserved Pulitzer.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great plot. So well written. The reader follows a young boy into his adult years. His life, unfortunately,is a real part of our America.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R234H604VQX6BW?ASIN=0316055441	excellent writing, anticlimactic end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing instantly grabs you and pulls you into Theo's life and tortured childhood. The author also does a wonderful job of blending the everyday mundane with the hint of suspense and the unknown throughout, leaving the reader tensely waiting for the other shoe to drop. When it does, however, the book wraps up unsatisfactorily. After such an ordeal and elements of doom-and-gloom pervading until the coda, it seems unlikely that such a tale would actually end nicely tied up and wrapped with a bow.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QQ7NWE3AK8KJ?ASIN=0316055441	Where was the editor?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is a good story buried in this overly long book. Whenever I thought the story was moving along, it became bogged down in mind-numbing detail. Ms. Tartt writes beautifully but I think the editor was so enthralled by her talent that he/she forgot to do their job.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17V3IRCW15UAB?ASIN=0316055441	loved this book , could reread often , will keep in my library	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, solelful tale that is insightful of adolescence, adult behavior thorough intriguing circumstances. Wonderful character portraits. Makes one realize just how resultant the human spirit can be</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RONA84OURAFZY?ASIN=0316055441	Really enjoyed the read, but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">there were times when I became a little weary of all this young man's problems.  He never seems to mature!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LKND0F6XGCZ2?ASIN=0316055441	Literary but also a page turner.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So few great books are written anymore.  This book was great, beautiful, literary writing and a page-turner of a plot. What more could bookworm ask for?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IV5NUU0BHI9?ASIN=0316055441	Dramatic Events Shape Lives	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A powerful and believable story.  Like others, I had concerns over it's excessive length but the effort Ms. Tart put forth to create the atmosphere was worth the extra pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HZY4IYHHD3NF?ASIN=0316055441	Well written, but a bit too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story and the author did a great job with descriptions and character development, but I felt like many sections were too drawn out and the extra time didn't really contribute to the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R206AMRR98D6Q5?ASIN=0316055441	Long but worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was surprised how quickly i finished this book.  While obvious and preachy at times, it was a joy to read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B0BZTBO1J3SK?ASIN=0316055441	High on my list to recommend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story and very well written.  Strong characterization.  Insightful into the world of art, alcoholism, loneliness and the importance of family love.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L14YNYIC43OJ?ASIN=0316055441	the Go;dfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it seemed to me it was just over welling about the two boys and their drugs and drinking  and not enough on the problem of the painting.  I really had trouble  finishing the book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32BEL2HLEKNZS?ASIN=0316055441	GreAt Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The excellent narrative of Theos pain for the loss of his mother is superb. The uncertain situation of Theos future on where is going to live augmented by the guilt he feels for the death of his mother is expressed very realistic. A great Book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSH4HH91B4JUE?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderfully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was a beautifully crafted story.  The writer held my attention throughout the entire book.  The character development was very well done.  Some parts of the book were dark and depressing, however, I would recommend this book as an excellent read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DHRI00ZU1QLE?ASIN=0316055441	fantastic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a long but worthwhile fiction read.  From the opening chapter to the very end, Tartt engages her readers in an on-going escapade of intrigue.  Her characters are memorable.  You will likely either love it or hate it, but I believe the high regard given by other reviewers is warranted.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VYVLW5WZEKSZ?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was A Catcher In The Rye on steroids. Her characters were so interesting and dynamic with their flaws and good qualities.  My one complaint is she overwrote this novel just a bit  Wish I had been her editor!!!!!!!!!!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F9N1GXRNEYOD?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting Plot - This was a Pulitzer Prize Winner?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me forever to read this book. I liked it, but when a book doesn't keep my interest, I don't want to read it. Some of the descriptives were very interesting re: the drugs and the thought processes. Know now why I never got into that stuff. Cut the wording in half and it might have been better.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RKUQTZNWABLO?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed this novel, fell in love with the characters.  I've researched the author, the painting, and other literature discussed in the book.  Wasn't ready to pick up another book for a week.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37V18Z45WK6AF?ASIN=0316055441	WOW!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long, painful and convoluted... this is brilliantly  written.  It is oddly quite hard to read and hard to  put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HRO3K0Q96G7P?ASIN=0316055441	A Tunnel of despair and relief.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the descriptive first disaster in Theodore's life, the reader is literally pulled through a dark tunnel of horrifying twists and turns to the dramatic end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33ALI5XNK9APW?ASIN=0316055441	Nice, but nothing spectacular	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pulitzer Prize, really? I don't get it. Enjoyed learning about the art underworld and the sales of furniture reproductions and repairs. I do recommend the book to most readers, but don't buy it expecting it to be the best book you've read in the last ten years.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YOOS3EDX7XPN?ASIN=0316055441	fans of Dickens	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fans of Dickens will love this book.  I'm afraid I get lost in so much detail and description.  The fault probably lies with me, not the book.  The characters were well defined and reflected the true complicated nature of the good and bad in us all - even the hero of the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQUCGGEUJXES8?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was difficult to keep interest in the story line. Almost gave up a few times. But did finish the book which had a mediocre ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J9HZ5TH2NGKP?ASIN=0316055441	Good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a good book, but for me it was so wordy. The ending was the best and I am thankful I did not give up on the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QUH95YU3XGUV?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have a very busy life, so reading is quite a luxury. It is rather difficult to find a book that really sucks me in...the Goldfinch was exactly what I needed! I truly didn't want it to end.<br/><br/>Only 4 stars because the ending was terrible. Very disappointing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38SH0RGOC9SMW?ASIN=0316055441	It's ok ..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not through reading this novel, but I have to say that so far I'm not that impressed with the writing...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA679KU1TCPOY?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started off with a bang.  Could have left out 1/3 of the book.  The descriptions of drug induced days and nights were great the first time, the second time but the third and fourth?????  The revelations about life and ""The Goldfinch"" artwork was amazing.  A delight to read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22LH3T43L5UH9?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Took a bit to get into but great book! It may be oriented towards men in their 20 &amp; 30's.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KWQNF3M0H4A?ASIN=0316055441	THE GOLDFINCH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am glad to have experienced a true wonder of nature-The GOLDFINCH by Donna Tartt. I hope many oTHER READERS take advantage of the opportunity of experiencing perfection.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMJL8S6BMVMKH?ASIN=0316055441	The book is way too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think The Goldfinch is very well written and very literate.<br/>  However, all the details about the drug and alcohol usage get<br/>very tedious.  The author could have made her point without quite so much<br/>detail, or quite so lengthy descriptions of their usage.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SJW7MKBA5PGE?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent writing.  Couldn't put it down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is exceptional.  The scenes are vivid with minimal words and you get the essence of characters without a lot of description.  Will make a great movie</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B925HFH2F4GF?ASIN=0316055441	The gold finch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hated the book ...very dark and brutal to read. I found little to enjoy in observing how humans treat their children and one another.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CPDVLSN95RH7?ASIN=0316055441	loved this	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down.  For me to shut off the tv, the CD player and completely engross myself in a book, it has to be THIS good.  A must read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHHHASZSMUMKM?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this was a heartfelt book and was very caught up in the story at the beginning.  However, I found it somewhat depressing as the  character struggled to get by in life and frequently was overwhelmed with the drugs and alcohol</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R123U4S5VJPNPZ?ASIN=0316055441	Slow Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it difficult to keep my interest in this story.  It took me a long time to finish; I kept expecting to be caught up in the story &amp; characters.  It didn't happen.  I guess I didn't really care about the main character.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNN0RKLWRYABO?ASIN=0316055441	not that great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy, disjointed, sad, rambling.  I had a hard time following storyline.  Descriptions were too detailed and some were irrellivent</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AFRGGCX87TUR?ASIN=0316055441	Exquisite!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Took me a while reading in fits and starts, but what a beautifully written novel. It will change the way I look at a painting.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R338JJ8DENZTFF?ASIN=0316055441	Yawn.......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Schmaltzy ending after tediously detailed story that drags on and on....  I stuck through this book always hoping it would get better - plus it won a Pulitzer ????  Parts were enjoyable but could have been edited down to be a better read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R163HZJDILMHNO?ASIN=0316055441	This could be a 5 star book if were 200 pages shorter..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story isn't about the Goldfinch. Instead the reader is treated to pages of the neurotic musings of the central character Theo.  Theo's mother is killed in an art museum in Manhattan, NY by a terrorist bomb. In the aftermath Theo carries off an important picture of a Goldfinch.<br/><br/>The 13 year old boy goes from this trauma to an abusive father, a Russian  young friend bad drug addict,an antique dealer that takes him in and teaches him the trade of furniture restoration.The author feels that you should absorb the endless musings of the principal character that never seems to mature in the 775 pages.<br/><br/>The tale has some interesting aspects that could have been expressed in a more compact manner.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKI49CSBSXUCP?ASIN=0316055441	Rambles at times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very good book, however I felt there was too much rambling at times and things that didn't add to the story. It was a very long book, which is fine, but quite a bit could have been left out without hurting the story- like the last 40 pages or so. The overall story was very good though.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ISCJ637SR1M?ASIN=0316055441	A depressing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not find this book entertainng or uplifting.  However, I was compelled to finish it and was disappointed in the weak and predictable ending.  I am rather sorry I wasted the time reading it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N37L858WHG9I?ASIN=0316055441	Adventure of the Goldfinch Art Treasure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the fine writing style with the keen visual imagery!  So surprised that a woman could be so insightful into the minds of young men.  Great book!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15X05EKSS74D4?ASIN=0316055441	sad missed up book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy this book at all but at the same time was compelled to finish it. Would not recommend it .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MR6TIYQW1VS?ASIN=0316055441	the novel Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">although not an uplifting novel, well worth reading.  It was a surprise at every page turn.  Not at all what I expected.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35GWM4FV1BNAL?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch presents great characters, thought provoking ideas, and beautifully crafted language, as is usual for author Donna Tartt .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TO53JBVZAJJD?ASIN=0316055441	THe Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the beginning up to the time he and Boris get into drugs. Then it becomes tedious. A lot of wonderful passages with good writing throughout the book. It's too bad that it got to be so long in places and in general ( the book as a whole), that I was impatient for it to be done.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S2368YJNEI1C?ASIN=0316055441	a nonstop fiction that turns left and right without a turning signal...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it is a trip through the elequently written world of a young man living with a secret so deep that he doesnt share with anyone until he confides in his true friend..a slippery fellow who is his first true friend.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25WQTZSGOK2Q?ASIN=0316055441	I love it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R2YLATGL2EHX?ASIN=0316055441	My review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. Very descriptive. I felt I was in Amsterdam with the characters. I felt their sadness living in Las Vegas.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YHX6HADRIWAE?ASIN=0316055441	Long but surprisingly entertaining	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really did not like Tartt's previous books but absolutely loved this one.  Her characters were so enthralling and the writing impeccable.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L1Y94WNMA5OZ?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would say the only faults I found with this book, the dragging out of scenes and some annoying timeline problems with technology, were not enough to even take away a star. The prose was so great, and the story so interesting that I just could not out it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBTD56ES0F29E?ASIN=0316055441	One of my very favorites!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Knowing nothing about this book, I downloaded a copy so that I would have something to read on a flight. I knew nothing a bout the book, and would not have downloaded it had I known how long the book actually was. What a wonderful random choice that turned out to be! Once I got started, I could hardly put the book down! I read all 780 pages in just over a week. I have become a big fan of author Donna Tartt, and was delighted to learn that the had won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Literature for this book. I am eager to read some of her other work.<br/><br/>If you enjoy fine writing, strong character development, and an intriquing story, this book will not disappoint. If you haven't read this book, you are missing out on so much.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HAHRCQI9ZY6P?ASIN=0316055441	Don't miss this one.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put it down. Grabs you and does not let go. Great story about family and friends. Don't miss this one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q50R08D4PQ9?ASIN=0316055441	Most absorbing, well-written book that I have read in a very long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am not good at describing why I like certain pieces of literature.  I'll try.  Plot:  absorbing.  Characters:  fully brought to life.  Author is gifted at describing events, people, surroundings in a manner that just draws you in.  I am sure that I will read this book more than once and come away discovering new things every time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R256Z790GTI2MG?ASIN=0316055441	Obsessed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel was engrossing. In spite of the characters being totally removed from my experience, I was captivated by them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21OIW3N7H0P8B?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch great roadtrip	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch is a challenging length but was disappointed when I finished the story, I wanted<br/>It to go on. Amazing to have created such an intricate story around this small painting.<br/>Enjoyed the journey.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AHE23PZAR5CN?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books I've read in many years.  Donna Tartt has the ability to provide endless details without being slow or boring.  Her characters are full and believable - complex relationships true to life and fascinating.  It's one of those books you're sad to finish and I just couldn't put it down until I was finished.  It's sad, but uplifting, sometimes depressing without being hopeless.  I would recommend this book to anyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19NXTFQWXIHPU?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderful book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was exquisitely written, good plot, complex and a joy to read. I was sorry when it ended and am now going after her other books.  I highly recommend the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27I67SSXTEYMD?ASIN=0316055441	WASTE	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a waste of time.  Thought it would turn around, it never did.  Kick myself for reading it.  Don't make same mistake.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X0AF4KLQYT5D?ASIN=0316055441	This book won the Pulitzer???	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't yet reviewed what other books were considered for this year's Pulitzer BUT I failed to see how this  book could have won unless there was no other competition. I found the writing 'style' incredibly boring although very simple to read which may be why it won as from the beginning it required not much of an attention span. I'm assuming the author loved the painting so much she decided to write a book around it and since there's not much info about the painter himself better come up with a wacky unbelieveable plot involving guns, sex, and 'high' society.  I imagine the movie version might be better if there are some closeups of the painting and I could have saved my $ for it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34WOEUAIVDMI5?ASIN=0316055441	Thoughtful and original	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written and thoughtful novel.  Raw and insightful.  A little wordy.  Could have been 100 pages shorter. Overall a really good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26SZGHVUJ73GI?ASIN=0316055441	good story, too much alcoholism and drug addiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good story about a young man and a famous art work. Much too much time in the details of drug addiction.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XXBV0FHIM004?ASIN=0316055441	depressing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book through to the end. Thinking light would enter this dark read, I did not give up.....wish I had.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16WUVDOUCF577?ASIN=0316055441	A great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A gripping story, so beautifully written. Though very long, I was still sad to finish it! Definitely to be recommended.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T9EAOE54BPOA?ASIN=0316055441	I wish I could start it all over like I had not read the last page	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book was entertaining until the very end. I also love the discussion of art and philosophy. I loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XEUXEOIQFDPP?ASIN=0316055441	Whew! A whirlwind of drugs and alcohol and trauma.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is really really long. Granted, it keeps you reading on the edge of your proverbial seat, but I think there are parts that could have been edited down without losing any of the quality. The story is compelling, however, very unsettling -- so much drug and alcohol abuse by young, young people that you wonder they survive it at all. As a mother and grandmother, I just hope there aren't too many Theo Deckers out there floundering like he did in this story! It made me sad that he couldn't seem to get the help he needed. Also, I thought the last chapter was weak, rambling on and on and on. One bright spot: Hobie! I loved this character. What a dear. All in all, I'm glad I read it and would recommend it if you like a good long read which is at times reminiscent of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo in style -- perhaps more cerebral? I don't know. I'm conflicted even though overall I enjoyed reading this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EV1X7PKJYGL4?ASIN=0316055441	Overly verbose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As unlikable a main character as I've met. Certainly not worth the 2+weeks it took to read. I was disappointed...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J27ZUU18ROU?ASIN=0316055441	modern catcher in the rye	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was immediately drawn into the story. There is a great depth to each character although a rather depressing story. I usually read medical mysteries, florida  novels, series such as the alphabet series, kay scarpetta, prey series, Kellerman books, etc. and really enjoyed reading a book that was so different. FYI-very long novel!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHM2HPZM74VNF?ASIN=0316055441	made me think	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing was incredible. Reality and illusion..we experience and need both. The topic was hard to read at times and yet gave so much integrity to Tartt's message. If we are eventually going to loose all we cherish, will God meet us and say ""Look!""?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3239LOWQ5Z32L?ASIN=0316055441	Well told story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Author keeps the reader's attention with a well told story with many twists and turns.  The end leaves a bit to be desired, as though the author became tired with the story and simply ended it. Overall an interesting read.  Offers insight into several worlds I've never experienced (and hope not to).</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R352NJZ5K8AKYS?ASIN=0316055441	Absolutely wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I never rate books a 5 star.  This one deserves a 5 for sure.  Extremely captivating, kept my attention for a long time.  I grew to care for the characters, get disgusted by some of them and wish I knew them personally.<br/>The only bad thing about the book is I finished it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28Q9GFTWZZAY6?ASIN=0316055441	a remarkable story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not want the book to end.  I parsed the last few chapters as carefully as a starving man.  I am awed at the elaborate details, superbly executed, detailing the lives of each character as they appear on stage and move off.  Including the Goldfinch, as the one character I can visit.  We can discuss the novel, the twists and turns, the choices, the fates, together.  For I feel, upon completing the book, that I have returned from a most interesting journey.  Although many of the references are contemporary, there is a Gatsbyesque quality to the story that teases you with the feeling of a time traveler.  I read a lot of books, and few stand out. This is one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R371FWT7B82BK2?ASIN=0316055441	Great!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought provoking, detailed, and just what I needed to dive into for 750+ pages.  Glad to have known Theo and his story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXW3PI61KM7N?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch is Golden	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book just took over "" my favorite novel in the world"" category (held previously by The Kite Runner). I absolutely could not<br/>put it down. The plot was mesmerizing and beautifully written. I actually read the ending three times just to savor the content,<br/>the message, and especially the literary talent of Donna Tartt.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SG83HBJ2V6L1?ASIN=0316055441	An Intelligent Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt the quality of the prose and the level of the vocabulary were exceptional.  While it seemed realistic, the emphasis on drug use in the novel was off-putting, but I was often reminded of The Catcher in the Rye.<br/>An unusual aside - This was not a book I could not put down; I put it down often due to a hectic schedule.  I could go a few days, or at times over a week, and then pick it up where I had left off without any difficulty.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U2HDXZYJZ3RM?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful as a total	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has a reputation and is a gifted author.<br/>The total length was a little over the top and lots of description, so much so I would forget what the point was and skipped some on purpose.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XF0GFHJGR2TB?ASIN=0316055441	An intriguing story but graphic drug use	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An intriguing story with twists and turns that kept me reading, but the lengthy descriptions and the heavy graphic drug use, were hard work and ultimately spoiled the story for me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8XB0G5RK5NLP?ASIN=0316055441	A bit long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first half of the book was wonderful and I really enjoyed it but then you get to the last 200 pages or so and wonder why oh why didn't a good editor step in and make this readable? I almost gave up but I stuck with although mad at myself that I did.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO9841JCH4HQ3?ASIN=0316055441	heavy read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written but very tedious at times.<br/>Enjoyed it but at the same time I am relieved its over.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S3B1IQZYVNWG?ASIN=0316055441	brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The 775 pages flew by. Well-developed characters and a well thought-south plot<br/> made reading this a pleasure in each page.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27O0YAUIWBD9N?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is a must read for any deep thinker, spiritual questioners, art lovers or historians.  One cannot put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R308AIA9R864CA?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't say enough about this book.  It grabbed me from the beginning and I didn't want it to end.  You know how you are always looking for a book to savor and to put n your  ""all time greats"" list.  Well this is one of those books.  On my list is Beach music, The World According to Garp, The Stand, I Know this Much is True and several others.  The Goldfinch is now on that list.  The characters are memorable, the plot engaging, and great writing style.  Who could ask for more?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F1BZ8J47O05R?ASIN=0316055441	Don't let the length scare you away	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Yes, its over 700 pages...but well worth the read.  Great story -- moves along well and the characters are very compelling.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R83OCCC43STGR?ASIN=0316055441	Good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">she is a wonderful writer. and I basically enjoyed the story. just much to long. would make a great movie because then the story would be more contained.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C9BJDDOBERCQ?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The premise for the story was very believable. However, the fatalist view tended to be a bit over done. The language, without question was way over the top.  I found it quite sad that they never found his answers to the purpose of life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LYAUCWV5V4P6?ASIN=0316055441	Best part of this book was the last 100 or so pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is filled with many twists and turns, with each being very much like the last. It's obvious the author is a talented writer and much research and effort had to go into the creating of this book.  But . . . after I had read about 80 per cent of the book, I was really ready to be through with it.  The last part of the book is the best and is the reward for hanging in there.  But no, I would not recommend reading this book just to get to the last part.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PSSG59R4EZP8?ASIN=0316055441	Verbose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Little to like about the characters; a couple of hundred pages of filler that stalls the forward momentum of the narrative. Would not recommend this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R361O7JXUI4VXE?ASIN=0316055441	Great writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent story teller<br/>really enjoyed this book<br/>Will read other books of hers<br/>kept my interest and hard to put down</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24FJOI6XP2T89?ASIN=0316055441	Just too much!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love reading long detailed stories. Stephen King is one of my favorites. Getting that time to really know the characters is great. The problem I found  with The Goldfinch is that it was long and repetitive and just went on forever without me ever getting involved in any of the characters. Even the main character, felt detached from the story. Also, the story just seemed to jump around. When Theo left the Barbour's , I was expecting to fell something but it moved so fast that the emotional part just seemed to get lost somehow. I think this would have been a better book if it was shorter, more developed characters and just stuck to telling the story of Thoe and not going so deep into Art History which really hurt the story to me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SY9UDZO7OI08?ASIN=0316055441	A Pulitzer prize? Really?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very wordy, boring book. I skimmed through a lot of the middle section, because it was putting me to sleep. I did finish it, not sure why. It started off well enough, but went downhill fast. Glad I borrowed it from the library.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYN25P8GFYSJR?ASIN=0316055441	I thought it was grey.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pretty depressing. Well written and at times an interesting story but too wordy for sadness. I hope I forget about it soon</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLZT27QSOP191?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit long. A lot of twist and turns to think about. They all came back around, so follow them closely. Wonderful</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROMSKF6D91MSS?ASIN=0316055441	Lots of drug dealing/abuse	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had a great story to tell about a boy and a famous painting, but there was much too much emphasis on his drug addiction/alcoholism for my taste.  I thought it distracted from the main point of the story which is how the painting effected this boy  during his life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVNSWDNWGQ49D?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's writing style enables one to move fluidly between that which is visible and that which is both dark and sublime. I was deeply moved by this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A8IVZ8ISBVJP?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book was sorry to see it end.  Would like to spend more time with these people.  A joy to read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KOC75RSCPVQF?ASIN=0316055441	to the naysayers	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I may have objections to this novel, but this is a great story in the American tradition, and in a way I'm glad she won the Pulitzer Prize because this means a novel that relies strongly on narrative is being honored.  Most of our ""literary"" writers, except for people like John Irving, aren't as good with narrative as some of our best writers of suspense.  Alas, the narrative itself is not as valued in the literary world as the writing itself, and this is understandable only insofar as that it is recognized that a novel that doesn't have a well hewed narrative needs to be able to compensate.  And most non-narrative novels don't in the end.<br/><br/>Except when I was really frustrated by the writing, I had a great time reading this.  And was totally caught up in it.  And that says a lot.<br/><br/>However, I have some credibility problems with the beginning.  I don't think the victim of a terrorist act would, in the process of fleeing the scene, have the presence of mind to look at museum paintings on the way out.  And (I am trying not to spoil the plot here), I think the same victim would much earlier wonder and worry that the person he was with was also possibly a victim.<br/><br/>I have said this elsewhere, but I have gone through two near death experiences, and so the descriptions of NYC in the moments post-event (again, trying not to spoil) are too voluminous and don't seem to fit the psychological state of the protagonist.  In short, I felt the author was intruding, and I felt her intrusions (in one way or another) all the way through this book.  Invariably great moments in the novel were somewhat diminished by her constant commentary.  Except for Boris, who is a great creation I must say, all the characters sound a bit like mouthpieces.  Which is not to say that they are not well drawn or they don't come alive.  Yes, they are and they do, but everybody lapses into this kind of reductive college-educated cant.  And when Mrs Barber speaks about art and love she sounds exactly like Mrs. Decker, who sounds exactly like James Hobart.  This and all the other effusions about art and culture give the novel a recherche (I can't find the French accent for that word) quality.  Yes, Ms Tartt you've done your research.  Do I know more about Dutch painting now than I did when I began your novel?  No because I've read Simon Schama.  But I guess many of the thousands of people who have read the book now know more -- so I guess that's a good thing as far as it goes.  But for somebody such as myself, it feels unnecessarily didactic.<br/><br/>To carry this point a bit farther, I was particularly taken aback when one of my favorite characters, James Hobart, starts talking about Proust -- and very uncharacteristically so.  It was hard to swallow his reduction of In Search of Lost Time to a single moment between Swann and Odette.  The author just couldn't help herself.  And this was my general problem with such proclamations.  No doubt the author got this from some Proust critic somewhere.  The point is she jams the novel with jejune ideas about culture and then feels it necessarily to describe everything all the time.  There is no moment where she is not rapaciously describing.  So what happens is the descriptions, many of them fine, start accumulating and then it all begins to feel like this very familiar literary ""everything in the kitchen sink"" descriptive writing that seems to characterize many lauded literary novels.  But in the end because it -- and they -- don't fit the action, these descriptions end up diminishing the literary quality of the work.  After all, high literary should mean that everything fits descriptively, thematically, ideologically.  I don't have this problem when I read George Elliot.  Okay, yeah, so Donna Tartt is not George Elliot.  But trust me, there were probably many novels published in 2013 that none of us have read and will not read, novels that are perfectly calibrated in all these respects but just don't have what it takes to draw a big audience.  Tartts novels have this, and for this we have to give her high marks.  Personally it makes me happier to think that somebody is reading the Goldfinch rather than some twaddly popular novel.  And yes, I am RECOMMENDING this book.  It's great fun, gripping, and imminently readable.  And contains one masterfully created character who will stay with me forever.  I just don't call it great literature for the reasons I have heretofore stated.<br/><br/>And, as delicious as it is, the book is just too long and many scenes could have been judiciously shortened.<br/><br/>Now, for those of you who complain about editing, here is what I can reliably tell you.  This book's editor (who by the way I respect enormously and is one of the best in the business) probably decided to leave the book alone regarding length and writing.  Because truth be told, people like long books. people like overly descriptive books.  And more important it's what the author wanted, it's what the author delivered.  So be it.  This is a decision that many editors make -- to leave well enough alone.  And by the way, in Europe (including the UK), it's very different.  Editors don't edit there the way they do here.  And one of the reasons why fiction editors here edit so zealously is that they want to elevate themselves as important to the process.  Believe me, Tartt's editor has enough self-confidence to leave well enough alone.  And I think in this case he was probably right to do so.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GSI2ONSUQS4R?ASIN=0316055441	review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What is the criteria for a pulitizer prize? This book was so wordy and boring I struggled through it. A waste of my eyesight!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37RW2YJS4ZSUP?ASIN=0316055441	My favorite book this year.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written and a good story. I could not put it down. I can't wait to read her previous books!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTLQGYG38HY2M?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch was riveting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Superbly written, could not put ti down.  Twists and turns.  Great book! Sorry when I reached the end!  Did not want it to be over.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29MDTCKOT0I7A?ASIN=0316055441	would not recomend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found it wordy repetitive. Sad . But there was something compelling about it. I wanted to just quit reading it and move on, but i finished it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19W3F9T6VAKD7?ASIN=0316055441	needs a good editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting story.  Too many words.  The book rants on and on and on and on etc.  it could have been half the length.  The narrator is guilty of over-stating every choice, desire and consequence.  The reader is stuck with these over statements.  Boring.  A good editor could have cleaned it up and made it worth the time to read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQHIG1D8YZJ7S?ASIN=0316055441	I wish I'd flown away long before the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I personally did  see any value in a drug addicted, alcoholic main character who is also a thief and swindler ending up with $2 million. I wanted the whole time  see Theo become a better person, to conquer his demons. I know that doesn't always happen in reality, but give me some reward for  to read. I just did not enjoy this book very much and definitely do not understand how it win a Pulitzer.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KMISKYZUBE80?ASIN=0316055441	Mesmerizing!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Mesmerizing!!!<br/>One of those  you can't put down.  I have quickly gone to Donna Tartt's second novel, hoping for another treat.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8B70EX5VPZ3A?ASIN=0316055441	Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book, but thought it was very long, the beginning was really good, but the end was quickly tied together.  Not the book everyone is saying it is...Good, just not great...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IAYEVZ7WRDC7?ASIN=0316055441	Golden	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the majority of this book.  The main character, Theo Decker, is a genuinely interesting and likeable character whose life falls apart when his mother is killed in a bomb explosion in an art gallery.  Theo is clearly no angel. The reason he's with her and not at school is that they're on their way to meet the headteacher to discuss his suspension.  Even though he's a smart, able scholarship student, he's far from perfect.  And yet there's very much the sense that the trajectory of his life is tragically altered when his mother dies.  He escapes death himself by following a pretty girl into another section of the gallery and when the bomb goes off and he's obviously in shock and very, very shaken, he comforts the older man she was with at the time.  This man, Welty, gives him not only his ring, but also the much celebrated painting of The Goldfinch which had been hanging on the gallery wall.<br/><br/>Theo's ensuing life lurches from one catastrophe to another.  He manages to avoid being taken into care by contacting the extravagantly wealthy family of his one-time school friend.  Just as he's settling into life with them, his alcoholic gambling father shows up and yanks him away to a life of drugs, petty thievery and general malaise in Las Vegas.  He falls in with Boris, a rather dodgy teen of the same age and the pair of them goad each other on.  All the time, in the background, the painting hovers.  Not because Theo was ever trying to steal it, but because at first it was something to hang onto as a memory of his mother and then, as time passed, it became too difficult to suddenly turn over to the police.  It's grows into a giant albatross hanging around his neck.<br/><br/>Possibly because he grows less likeable as an adult - and his crimes are less easy to forgive - I became somewhat mored towards the end.  I am glad, however, that I stuck with it because the ending was particularly well constructed and oddly satisfying despite several loose ends.  This isn't my favourite of Donna Tartt's books but it's still a beautifully written and wonderfully observed novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H4N1ZHDLEG6A?ASIN=0316055441	sublime. 6 stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">sublimely written. not sure which was more liberating: the story, the writing or the message. Racing to go read authors other books.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZVKXKV7IYQLW?ASIN=0316055441	BRAVO!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To say this is an interesting book would be a gross understatement.  Once this book is read you will understand why the Pulitzer Prize was awarded.  I applaud the author's passion and deep conviction.  Rarely have I read such a true accounting of human emotions in the myriad of circumstances that are presented.  Although many would not go to the lengths the main character went to - who is to say what one would do in similar circumstances?  We are, each of us on our own journey.  Once again - BRAVO!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14DNIY1JV6VMY?ASIN=0316055441	Complex, painful and philosophical!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Phew--what a rollercoaster ride this book takes you on! At times hard to put down,other times you just don't want to hear more about the holes the narrator gets himself into... Intriguing and definitely worth reading, leaving you not sure exactly what it all means!  Very skilled author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R707D235JFMU3?ASIN=0316055441	A really good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love to read, period. I don't ask for much when I read and I always finish a book once I start it; I feel like I have to give the author a fair chance.  Since I read a lot, I read a lot of forgettable books and they go to the used book store or deleted from my Kindle.  Every now and then I hit on an author or series that makes me so glad I chose that book and it goes back on the shelf for a re-read.  I added the Goldfinch to my Kindle library much before it won the Pulitzer, but didn't start reading it until a week ago.  It drew me in at the very beginning and never let me go.  Every day I looked forward to stealing time to read.  The writing was clear and concise, not one bit of superfluous writing.  I had to keep reading because I cared about the characters and had to know what was going to happen next.  It was impossible to accurately predict what came next.  What a great read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIG2IWT7P4HPB?ASIN=0316055441	mesmerizing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I lost half of last Saturday because I simply could not stop reading until I found out how it ended.  A wonderful, provoking read.  Prepare to enjoy yourself!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JBYCBB3C02H0?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Totally deserving of the Pulitzer. This book combines the passion of the great Russian writers and the American southern novelists.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27MKTUO1LSURA?ASIN=0316055441	Savory Tartt you can't put down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Two of my favorite things: fine art and a page turning story line with ""feel like I know them"" characters. I miss them now that I'm done with the book. A savory Tartt to devour!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G428F4S6OHC0?ASIN=0316055441	great book - long ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, great message. Interesting intermingling of relationships between characters. The last 100 pages dragged on a bit. Would recommend</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LIN6KL2BYS33?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would rate this as a must read. Tartt has a unique style all her own. Congratulations on a well written book, I truly enjoyed it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FIF1VMVEKV2O?ASIN=0316055441	Stuck with me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I admit there were passages that were a little tough to get through (towards the end, his overseas adventure).  That aside, it was a page-turner for me.  I finished it weeks ago and still have kept the feel of the book with me.  It's worth getting through the slower parts.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JGFI8Z46ILTR?ASIN=0316055441	Magnificent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book right from the begging. It's one of the best books of our times that I have read. Hope she gets the Nobel Prize. Loved even more the end, really philosophical on life, chance, choices and destiny. It's a long read, more than 750 pages, but you will stay on the edge to the last page. Delicious reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OW756WS96A6P?ASIN=0316055441	average read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started really well but became a bit tedious about two thirds through. Could easily have been condensed down to a shorter read with the same story line and made more readable .Drifted off the main plot with too much trivia</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9N17SDFY669G?ASIN=0316055441	Wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Obviously a well-written book, hence the Pulitzer.  It is very long, 600 or so pages, and not a book you can't put down.  Interesting characters, but no heros.  Maybe just over my head!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9HJO7H0BA7GX?ASIN=0316055441	Content vs. Craft	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book is extremely well crafted by a very gifted<br/>writer, as her awards testify to.<br/>the heavy and recurring  descriptions of substance  abuse became tedious and depressing.Most of the characters were less than sympathetic.<br/>I was glad when I finally finished the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23QIDJ8TQI5AH?ASIN=0316055441	That was work!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The last chapter explains the author's ""why?, but you had to struggle with Theo his whole life to understand that chapter.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WNMS08US818F?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing and Captivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The complexity of the story and characters kept my attention for the entire lengthy novel.  I earmarked the philosophical passages for continued review and thought.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HLG1I3WLGF2B?ASIN=0316055441	Can't wait to see the movie!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was very well written but a bit dark to earn the 5 stars from my perspective.<br/>I would recommend this to readers who like heavy, well written novels. I liked the intellectual stimulation and the way Tartt paints such vivid pictures with her words.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VGEL84HO1T4V?ASIN=0316055441	Reviewing The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While it certainly kept my attention and guessing about the income, there was too much repetitive information----just said in a different way. Made we want yo start skipping ahead.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H4S8U3E8R11J?ASIN=0316055441	Please read the review of good literary critics	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.  I'm not a literary critic and urge you to consider the opinions of those who gave the book a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.  There are too many good books for me to read them all.  I rely on the experts to help me make wise choices.  They did that for me in the case of the ""The Goldfinch.""  I think most people will agree with them and me: this is a great novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38DSY6X5M62EY?ASIN=0316055441	Unforgettable and So Powerful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An absolutely riveting work that strikes me as a thoroughly contemporary ""picaresque"" novel, a ""journey"" through the life of the protagonist, informed by the vast scope of the author's talent and imagination. Every character""lives"" a complex life, and every scene is evoked with power and poetry. It poses big questions about life-and-art in the most immediate way that great fiction can.  Even if you think you don't want to, read it anyway.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GTQ00EUZD9C7?ASIN=0316055441	Book about characters that you love and hate	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love the description of everything don't to the details.  You felt like you were there taken part In a role or character in the book.  Feeling like you are in the room standing by waiting to give your friend advise about the consequences and responsibility of their actions they are about to take.<br/><br/>Like the chained Goldfinch, we are all chained in our mind to how far we go in our adventure to live life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG6TOGQV34EXQ?ASIN=0316055441	My words can't describe the emotional impact of this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the Gestalt of good/evil or maybe it was fate and happenstance that led the reader.  It's a very good read and easy to understand why it won the Pulitzer prize for fiction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RXJHMJH0K9ZG?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book and found myself sneaking time to read it.  Fascinating story and wonderfully written.  Tartt has a hit.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSOJVPTVJLM9D?ASIN=0316055441	Don't Bother Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the plot was decent, there was too much rambling and unimportant descriptive phrases. I realize this was supposed to put the reader into the head of a drugged alcoholic  but enough is enough! I usually like to read every word in a novel (afraid I'll miss something) but I skipped pages and pages of this authors meanderings. I have not recommended this to my friends....in fact I've told them not to bother.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TBZF7LABGPUL?ASIN=0316055441	What's All the Fuss About?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm sorry to say that Ms. Tartt might have been paid by the word. Superfluous details. Exhaustively researched but why? I love a long book...but not this one. To me, the details got in the way of an otherwise good story. Very disappointed.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2056VYF2OVSM?ASIN=0316055441	Too long, but........	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Would it have been twice as good if it was half as long?  Maybe.  Nevertheless, I'm glad I read it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OGNM5T8J1416?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling piece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A couple of comparisons come to mind:<br/>1) Holden Caufield on steroids.<br/>2) Rabbit Angstrom in his druggy years.<br/>The evolving byplay among the characters demands our attention. We keep hoping for resolution yet Tartt holds it in abeyance in her plot, which has more twists and turns than an Ozark hill country road.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REA68O307AG76?ASIN=0316055441	Artistic... literally and figuratively.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I will be thinking about this book for a long time.  The story within the story -- the points and counterpoints -- amazing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27T2KJP5K4W8A?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although not my typicL read as I am a little old lady, the story was a thriller and writing awesome.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FOEM60RWDBQI?ASIN=0316055441	Great beginning...heavy ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this book very much but it began to drag towards the end. The ending was appropriate but the last quarter of the book<br/>was an effort to get through.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3821AVVGA74XN?ASIN=0316055441	Worst characterizations ever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's characters lack just that: character.  They are miserable people who are not at all interesting to read about.  Be sure to miss this book as well as her Little Friend book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IQG99277XWNV?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""The Goldfinch"" by Donna Tartt is a wonderful, and long, book.  In the first few pages I thought, ""She is a marvelous writer,"" and that remained true throughout the book.  It is a thoughtful book about loss, growing up, finding one's home, how one's core can remain through years of mistreatment of the body, mind and soul.  I grew to love the main characters.  It was full of surprises.  Nearing the end, I was impatient, wanting to know how it ""turned out.""  Perhaps catastrophe and joy can occur at the same time, as Theo thinks.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YBD06W52F8OW?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story, but oh so depressing. A little too wordy for me. Last 10 pages had me falling asleep.But still okay reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C3WJ0VQKLR6X?ASIN=0316055441	Too many words.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and too many words. Felt sorry for the main character, but I didn't LIKE him. I also did not like the parts with all the drug use.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BEJTL2JARL4H?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent writing BUT	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I struggled through this book thinking there had to be a redeeming quality to the story.  Not so!.  Yes, I will agree, Donna Tartt certainly is a gifted writer., thus the two stars, rather than one.  Her verbiage is masterful.  The initial chapters were intriguing but the remainder of the story is riddled with disgusting, infantile, self-absorbed, indulgent masochistic behaviors.  Theo is a jerk.  Boris a leech.  Pippa's character is never fully developed.  Hobie was the only character who had any redeeming qualities.<br/>Bottom line, it is a VERY long treatise on drug addiction, exploitation, and the glorification of characters who cannot get out of their own slime!  I can turn on the news to see this every day. I hate that I wasted lots of time reading this book!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EI4604MSRX6U?ASIN=0316055441	book review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book is excellent, good writing, though somewhat dark<br/>the story reels you in, and you feel like you just want to hug him and take him home!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1439QOQPKPWPM?ASIN=0316055441	very well done - well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A dark tale of a life that is constantly on the edge of spiraling totally out of control.  Excellent read.  It is a bit long I feel - could perhaps have shortened by about 15% or so.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U8PQMZQ9HLJ1?ASIN=0316055441	the Goldfinch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found that there were some parts that dragged a good bit but her sescriptions were extremely well written i'm glad I read it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I9A8MDCHONHZ?ASIN=0316055441	Not my favorite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had to read for book club.  Didn't care for this book.  The drug use and drinking was too graphic for me, and the tone way to dark.  Life is hard enough.  I didn't care to fill my head with such a depressing tale.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K79D1JCCF1U8?ASIN=0316055441	Heady	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">More intoxicating than all the booze, drugs, and medication used by books characters.<br/>Much truth. Recommended to family and friends.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WXGG7SFGU6HI?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, great story!  Characters are very well developed and therefore reels the reader into the story. Interesting final thoughts from the main character as he looks back on life to date.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O3WGKTI2ROV9?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved all 700+ pages of this book! An excellent read. It had been recommended to me by many people and I'm glad I finally listened!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28X4MYOTAR456?ASIN=0316055441	Violence over the top	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long read with much too much drug, alcohol and violence for my taste.  Took me a very long time to read but I kept at it. Did like the ""moral""to the story however.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P0OSRYT1FKDE?ASIN=0316055441	Superb reading!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is carefully constructed with amazing descriptive power to place the reader dead center into the heart of the story. It was captivating from the first page to the last. Such a well written novel comes by only rarely...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VTX6P4RPCGL4?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book because it had been so highly recommended.<br/><br/>The quality of the writing is not a problem.<br/><br/>What I couldn't figure out, at 700+ pages, was what the point of telling the story was. I persevered because I kept thinking ""this must be leading to something important, something good"". I got to the end and thought ""really? That's it?"".<br/><br/>It's a story but not a particularly interesting one, which certainly didn't need 700+ pages to tell. If anything, I was frustrated by the length of the book failing to bring anything stimulating to the table. It's simply a young mans (albeit tragic but not especially fascinating) life story told at a length about 400 pages longer than needed. Overhyped (and a Pulitzer? Seriously?!)</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BYN71WQPZPOM?ASIN=0316055441	Poignant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I initially felt dragged along waiting for a Hollywood save, but found myself touched by poignant lines that struck chords, over and over. Deeply enjoyed.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP7WDV8CPKQPD?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best book I have ever read.  I was absorbed for days with the characterization, the plot, the settings.  It's an amazing book; well worth the time it takes to complete.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OEHYZ9VOK2TC?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. The most amazing writing. The characters are so real and true to themselves. Don't miss it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W79SNNF82PZK?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked the characters and in the beginning was very drawn into the story. But as the story went on, I got plenty tired of drinking and drugs and their effects.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D61W8V6J40UP?ASIN=0316055441	A tale of passage	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An engrossing tale of the growth of this boy after the terrible trauma of his mother's death.  Sad in that he turns to destructive ways as his path through his grief; hilarious in the connection he makes to an equally troubled boy.  What becomes clear is that despite all the wrong ways he could go, there were some very good results that could come of deep sorrow and pain.  His passage leads him to a better life, ultimately.  I only disagree with one statement that he makes where in he states that one cannot change who or what they are.  One can absolutely change themselves by choice and in the end, he does just that.<br/>A great read!  He goes from one adventuresome mishap to the next and the reader is left rooting for him all the way.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNPAYUI7RWIQN?ASIN=0316055441	Long but worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was engaging from the beginning to the end.  The life tragedies and the resultant spectrum of emotions, actions and inactions  experienced by characters offered an opportunity for introspection on the value of living life fully every day.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYO2QYS5QKWFS?ASIN=0316055441	well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the quality of the writing but found parts disturbing and some flow of events too unbelievable.  The analogies and ending superberb.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GD85APGRDDW6?ASIN=0316055441	Too tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really wanted to like this book.  It starts off well and has an interesting premise.  perhaps if 200 pages were cut it might have been better.  I did not like ay of the charcters...too much sleaze</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JO3ISC667WJB?ASIN=0316055441	Not Quite .  . .	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It wasn't as good as I had hoped. It seemed to slow down in the middle. The young man in the book, along with his friend, were not easy to like.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFDJNTV8UA5JT?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting, but way too long/wordy.  Not one to shy away from long novels (more bang for the buck!), this was 225 pages too much.  I was disappointed that there were so many unanswered questions for which I was waiting.  This was our book club selection (chosen before the Pulitzer) - it will be interesting to discuss our different views.  If not for book club, However, I would likely have quit reading at some point.  For me, it can be summed up as depressing enough to be an Oprah BC selection!  Glad I finished it, but it is not a book I would recommend.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CPNL2VCJUYE?ASIN=0316055441	Very entertaining, however, needed to be contained in fewer pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story started out like gain busters, however, it then got very dark and went on forever. I thought the<br/>writing was very descriptive and I felt like I knew the characters and I enjoyed the conversations<br/>between them.  In general it was an entertaining read, although, it could have been shorten by about<br/>200 or so pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q83SH6C8S3NB?ASIN=0316055441	I read it in small doses to make it last longer!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful, lyrical, and captivating.  I cannot express how much I loved this book.  I actually put myself on a 4-page per day ""diet"" to stretch out the joy of Donna Tartt's eloquent prose.  The canvas of Theo Decker's life was rich with detail, and as I thought back on everything he endured, and how Ms. Tartt was able to climb inside his head at each chapter of his journey, I was awestruck by what this book achieves.<br/><br/>I could go on.  But just read it. Really.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CIIP26FHF31N?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a hard time reading it.  Too much description and I lost interest by the time you knew what was going on</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMYIMGM5YH6FA?ASIN=0316055441	NOT FOR ME	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so eager to read the ""Pulitzer Prize"" novel, and so disappointed with the read.  It is tedious and dark and much too long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18519J3SAKS16?ASIN=0316055441	Not Impressed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel was at least twice as long as necessary to make its point. Surely it was edited by someone? I felt I was going in circles trying to get through the maze that was this book. Very depressing and unbelievable. I kept reading hoping it would straighten out and lead somewhere.  The Las Vegas years segment was way too long and ""drugged out"". Stay clear unless you want to be depressed and suicidal like the main character.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRZ5MTCGO6ZG9?ASIN=0316055441	Difficult Ending to This Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A coming of Age Novel.  LIked it very much.  Ending was hard to understand, became sooo philosophic and was not sure what the author was attemtpting to convery.  I even went back and re-read athe entire ending/last chapter/still unsure of intetnt.  Was it to indicate that the main character ws on drugs?  Lots of free association.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z7MKWYAU4LWT?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed reading The Goldfinch. Many twists and turns and totally kept me interested. Not my usual type but enjoyable.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VR23UAT35T1F?ASIN=0316055441	page turner and thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this book because one of my book clubs had chosen it for us to read. It grabbed me from page one and I didn't want to put it down. Lots of unexpected happenings, relationships and mystery really. There are no boring sections. It was a pleasure to read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25HADP2JKAATG?ASIN=0316055441	Strange but interesting book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I downloaded this book months ago,but didn't read it until after I had learned it won a Pulitzer prize.i was curious because usually prize winning books are rather deep,and was surprised to find this quite the opposite! It did wander some,but it also kept you wanting to know what happened next. And all because of a single small painting!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IYT8ITI5HEPG?ASIN=0316055441	Gripping story; very well written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was far different from what I expected, but I was not disappointed. Many parts were very difficult to read, for they were such dark points in the story.  However, they lead to such an important conclusion, which really would not have made any sense had it not been for the darker aspects.  It's a long, but very worthwhile book to read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VB9C8NHTLUT7?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put this one down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters are so real.  You love them and hate them sometimes at the same time. Their situation so ever-changing.<br/>I loved this book. What starts out as a tragic set of circumstances, ends abounding with life lessons.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CE732RH8ZL2G?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderfully written story filled with love, loss and redemption!  Great characters both weak and strong who find themselves and the connection in life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX42LXPVWRI8U?ASIN=0316055441	Why aren't there more books like this?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So well written, a wonderful story with constant twists and turns, well conceived characters with great dimension and an interesting story. Was so sorry when it ended. I look forward to the next book by this author. A joy to read and always intriguing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPNJQID2JFAOT?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book.  Dark, but very thought provoking.  Descriptive writing brings each scene and emotion to life and places you there.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R396B2AYWWZWNB?ASIN=0316055441	memorable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling but dark. The philosophy in the last several pages is clearly understood based on the story line.  Beautifully written.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SE0KAC88XGR9?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this one.  Bought it for something to read during the winter at suggestion of Amazon.com.  Then it won the Pulitzer.  Enjoyed ti immensely, still don't understand why he took the painting in the first place, tho.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22BYO8EQ8C936?ASIN=0316055441	Female author hits it writing in the first person male viewpoint.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book. Did think the middle section the weakest part but the remainder, both beginning and ending more than made up for a small slow section.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I20Q2408CXVJ?ASIN=0316055441	A Must Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a terrific read. The characters were rich and well developed. I'm amazed at how real the main characters seemed and how much detail Donna provided about the drug and art scenes.<br/><br/>All in all, I would highly recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZYI6UE7BFX87?ASIN=0316055441	Could Not Put It Down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My book club chose this book based on the the great reviews and the back-cover line that claims it's a ""stay up all night, tell all your friends"" kind of book - and it delivered! I could not put it down and was so riveted by the characters, the alluring way the author describes the art, and the story, which kept me on the edge of my seat. You grow to love (and hate) so many of the characters, it was wonderful. I didn't even notice the length, and it sparked great discussion afterwards. I have recommended it to many friends already.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KS78Q68RQ7RR?ASIN=0316055441	Yes, read it .. Better yet listen to it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossing characters.. description .. If you like Audible, the narration is top notch.<br/>A bit long...and gaps in timeline bothered me..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I8YT39B72U37?ASIN=0316055441	consumed me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had put off reading this book several times because of the length.  Finally decided to read it and could not put it down.  The story is compelling and believable especially if you are from NY City.  Tartt has done a great job developing all the characters and making their interactions and emotions real.  She knows her subject on antique furniture and art, just enough to not lose or bore those who do not have a background in the subject.  I was hoping for a different ending, this one disappointed me a little.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDVO25S5FXAFH?ASIN=0316055441	Learned all I want to know about drugs	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">amazingly well written, very informative, and characters really came alive.  Made me think alot about Philip Seymour Hoffman.  And be thankful for my great childhood.  All the European touches rang so true too.  makes it difficult to pass onto a new book - still am in the atmosphere.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UQSPME0QDGTZ?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling story but 200 pages too long. Too much repetitive detail that didn't add to the overall book.  Needed to scan thru many of the sections</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDXI1G2IFLIZ3?ASIN=0316055441	Loving it so far	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartts writing is so very evocative of place and time - she very cleverly puts the reader in the picture</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EFV5ESAHV0DD?ASIN=0316055441	Very engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is compelling and keeps you going.  The language is well used.  Sometimes I thought: ""She knows that!"" Worth the ride.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N6HACV0AT60Z?ASIN=0316055441	great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was simply fantastic, I recommend it to all, the characters are realistic and all too relateable. I loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R226FQJ52FATP2?ASIN=0316055441	Not a piece of art!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author could have conveyed her views in a magazine article not a 775 page slog. The book was bogged down in minutiae.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14PBM6RTR1SKG?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a great book, kept my interest from page one!! This would be one of the books I would say to take on a long cruise or a beach trip. It took me 3 weeks to read. Although I am a fast reader, I had other things going on at the time that kept me from reading as much as I wanted!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UJEWECFYK1KV?ASIN=0316055441	Very Engaging story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a random pick as I was browsing. Once I started reading, just couldn't put it down. It was interesting to me that a female could write a book in the first person of a young male and make it very believe-able. Even though the book was long, it captured my interest, and kept it, right to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q69NBE13TEH5?ASIN=0316055441	great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought provoking and well written.  I'd recommend this to anyone who likes to read.  Long book and kind of sad</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11IN9NHMIEI9O?ASIN=0316055441	Read this it is just so straight to your heart	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept me interested from first page to last page.<br/>Loved the art of the story teller<br/>The interaction between all the people in this book was stunning</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HQUPJQZ5HI8W?ASIN=0316055441	Very well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tragedy and triumph. Theo Decker is a survivor. This story grabs you and doesn't let you go until the end. You meet Theo as an adolescent. Terrible loss happens. Some good times, but Theo is adrift in a sea of loneliness and despair. He has good friends. Andy and later Boris. Hobie and Pippa become Theo's family. Life, death and most of all survival. And of course love of a beautiful painting, The Goldfinch.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO2FGD8078NCW?ASIN=0316055441	Well written but laborious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Writing is sophisticated and refreshingly well done just a bit more cerebral than I was seeking at the time -</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GCA1ZJL4VZJ6?ASIN=0316055441	Life as Donna Tartt sees it --	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a wild ride with Ms Tartt. Her novel takes us on a journey of life and how we cope with it when we are bombarded by myriad of fateful events.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6AEWE2ACMRM2?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this book down, from page one to the end. The descriptions were vivid, the characters distinct, and the tension was pretty much unrelenting, and of course the literary quality of the writing was very, very good as well. I haven't been this wrapped up in a book in a long while.<br/><br/>That said, I got pretty tired of all the drugs towards the end -- maybe not unintentional on the author's part. I would recommend it highly, but with the caveat that you should clear the weekend to read it and not stay up late so many nights in a row with it. Also it is kind of bleak, but that's literary fiction for you!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PI5XN9WM6FXO?ASIN=0316055441	Thriller that ponders what it's all about.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is the first book I've read where I wished I could be a boy just to have a best friend like Boris!<br/>The main characters progression from childhood to manhood is a modern odyssey that covers many all to common but relatable social and cultural motifs. The writing style, and the plot, and the many questions about life and relationships the main character Theo wades through create a marvelous  ""coming to consciousness"" tale.  I could read this book many more times!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TI5IT4W8BI4J?ASIN=0316055441	What a bloated piece of literature!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I found the opening chapters very engrossing, the plot stalled after Theo leaves New York and never recovered for me.  My compassion for and interest in Theo waned, and the role of coincidence so many other reviewers have noted is so true.  I did finish the novel, but I never recovered my initial interest.  That this novel won the 2014 Pulitzer prize for fiction disappoints me.  Not a book I would recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NRO07NRBEARS?ASIN=0316055441	A Beautifully Written Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's as if Donna Tartt is knitting with a finely textured,beautifully hued wool. Thrilling,you can't wait to see the result.<br/>Is it  something you can wrap yourself in.?No, it's nothing you can name. The journey is fascinating but at the end you wonder what was that all about?<br/> She sure knows a lot about getting high and now so do I. It's a place I don't need to go.Not an escape but more like self torture.<br/>I sincerely enjoyed reading this book, couldn't put it down.Her character studies are wonderful,the individual stories within the story are fantastic.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PLFMY7UPAWL3?ASIN=0316055441	long and boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book was in need of an editor. There were sections that went on and on and they did not add much if anything to the story. I would not recommend this book to anyone. I did not find it a good read; in fact it was more of a struggle. If you like dense prose and slowly and painfully getting to a point, then this book is for you. Other wise, keep looking.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FR2GWI7TPDOD?ASIN=0316055441	Powerful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this book down.  It was a page turner but also powerful, distressing, touching, disturbing and in my mind for days after reading it.  The author writes about so many things; social class, drug culture, bus trips and stops, furniture restoration, international crime and on and on.  Most importantly she weaves all these things into human relationships, the effect of parental brutality and neglect, the sweet and laughable ways young men show affection to each other, the reluctance to express love to females; the awkwardness of boys.  The author tends to ramble a bit in the end but that is o.k.  I forgive her and thank her for a remarkable read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F0TIEFUTZNR0?ASIN=0316055441	A captivating read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was solid. The characters story believable and sad at the same time. This book is hard to put down for the night.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EGT91O25R8S1?ASIN=0316055441	Don't understand all the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pulitzer Prize not withstanding, I couldn't finish this book.  It start out great but once the story shifted from New York to Las Vegas it left me cold.  Stopped reading and removed from my Kindle at the half way point.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5ZQ08SJAOZB7?ASIN=0316055441	Good book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although this book is dark, the lesson at the end is worth the read!  It's hard to get past the self-destructive tendencies of the characters, but when you do you're glad you persevered.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36VOVKX0VKR96?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the Read but Not a Favourite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Starts off well with a good story, then loses the plot 3/4 along with a convoluted storyline addition.  Brings it back a bit toward the end which is a bit limp where there were other ways to go perhaps.  Not a favourite, if it were a book not an ebook it would not remain in my library, it'd go to the ladies at the golf club - maybe someone else would enjoy it more.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M8FJ1TYL5UV7?ASIN=0316055441	Creative idea, needed editing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A terrorist attack and a painting change the course of Theodore Decker' s life. His early life in NYC was interesting. The remainder of the book did not move along quickly. There were some interesting characters, Hobie, Pippa &amp; Boris. Worth reading but a book in serious need of editing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26NR48YM7T4MU?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I liked the basic storyline and the character development of several essential players, the effusive references to drug and alcohol use was disturbing to me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZJP4PXCLP7WA?ASIN=0316055441	had flaws	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a good book, but too many pages. The beginning hooked one in, but the middle fell flat at times. The ending wasn't clear. I have read better books.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T8U85AVGEH90?ASIN=0316055441	no so good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">blah blah blah. could have read first and last chapter.<br/>To long took a long time to read because noting happened to bring you back.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MOHTH42W94ZF?ASIN=0316055441	Not up to big book ballyhoo	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First half intriguing.  Then choppy, long-winded.  Didn't meet my expectations knowing top new book club read.  Hard yo love book when by the end I don't like the protagonist.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWNARI7D2JQM?ASIN=0316055441	Read the Secret History not this one	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read the Secret History and loved it. Hard to feel for the characters and it had random and extensive ramblings to put certain points into context.  Sadly, I think this is an amazing writer, but not with this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12Z62H5AEKD3N?ASIN=0316055441	can't understand all the good reviews	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I plowed through this as it came highly recommended by friends.  It is overly long; spends an unnecessary number of pages on teenage drug and alcohol binges.  The plot conclusion is confusing; the characters (with a few exceptions) are not memorable, and the plot seems to have been made up as the author wrote it.  Sorry, I wouldn't recommend this to anyone,</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16VJP6YDEDYH2?ASIN=0316055441	PTSD and Addiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found it painful to read. Main character had such a tragic life. However, writing was beautiful and kept me engaged.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22TUCYXEASNXH?ASIN=0316055441	Tremendously disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As many others have voiced, I cannot for the life of me understand how so many people gave this book high ratings.  Since I paid for it, I stuck it out and finished it but it was painful.  I kept hoping it would get better.  The story line could have been interesting if the book were not so unnecessarily wordy.  The author is the master of the run-on sentence -- often sentences were a full paragraph long.  Get on with it already!  If you want to give it a try, I suggest skimming each page to look for the actual story content rather than reading word for word.  In this way, the story will be more like a 300-400 page book which it should have been from the start.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RLNIOUR7TH5S?ASIN=0316055441	really long and tiresome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book starts out strong and then just muddles through for hundreds of pages.  Not worth the time spent.  Beautiful word, empty idea.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MFF8ZFMWGY4J?ASIN=0316055441	Good story..... too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">.  I was so excited to read this book, the description sounded so intriguing.  I did enjoy the basic storyline, there is a story and characters ( not always likeable) hidden in all those pages.  I did enjoy Tartt's writing style, this is the first I've read from her. Her. use of metaphors, sentence structure and character development is excellent.  I felt it could have moved along a little quicker. Example, the time he spends in Las Vegas drags on forever.<br/> I am giving 3 stars because the book is too long, at times I lost interest because it was repetitive.  Glad I'm finished (finally), glad I read it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QIGNDQICDC3P?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was disturbed by the drug use of the characters. I was, however fascinated by the intrigue of a painting on the lives and emotions of the main characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUZJB5KEEG1OV?ASIN=0316055441	On and On and On	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I  became exhausted trying to keep up with "" Potter"" and his experiences. This started out as a great story but was stretched out just too long. Not my kind of story, but anything I start I finish..</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NNUX9UD3JOIS?ASIN=0316055441	Not a book I would suggest to anyone.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I disliked it Immensely! I don't understand how this book could earn the author the Pulitzer Prize. I was never so glad to finish a book!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QAGRNQEB8XCP?ASIN=0316055441	I greatly enjoyed about half the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great beginning.  Great ending.  But somewhere in the middle it became muddy and a drag to shuffle through. The good versus bad thing became overwhelmed with unecessarily convoluted characters.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LBHU2LRYHWRJ?ASIN=0316055441	Dark and Mysterious Coming of Age	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Keeping in mind that the main character - the boy Theo - is the narrator, the story unfolds from inside his head and events surrounding him which are unusual and extraordinary. Like an iceberg, underlying the story is his hidden secret, and on the surface his meeting characters that affect his life in both subtle and profound ways. Very engaging story, hard to put down, and full of suspense, twists and turns.  Excellent novel and no surprise that it won a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRHNV29VS18FR?ASIN=0316055441	What an absorbing read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book caught me up in its flow and washed me ashore more willing to accept some of life's nonsensicalness.  The difficulties of shaping a life when the rug gets pulled out from under your feet as a child.  The reminder that if I understand enough about another's life experience, I will find my judgmental thoughts turning away in embarrassment.  From superficial pragmatist Kitsey to living-on-the-edge Boris to Theo who somehow survives by  stumbling from one thing to another without fully realizing the beauty at his core - the characters, like the painting, live on through time, touching us with compassion, despair, hope and the ever-present invitation to joy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21ON04P5W7XCX?ASIN=0316055441	A CONTEMPORARY MASTERPIECE	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an extremely compelling read.  Beautifully written. Unforgettable, contemporary<br/>characters.  It moves swiftly from place to place and forces you to become involved<br/>early on.  It encourages you to think about life and it's issues and to explore reality and illusion.<br/>This is a novel that will stay with me forever in much the same way as Fabricius's Goldfinch<br/>captured Theo Decker.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R339ZM4A2YNWVF?ASIN=0316055441	it won a Pulitzer-what can I say?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Everything I could want in a book, darkness, art, genius, criminality, existential crisis, good writing, drugs, friendship over romantic love, and transcendence without a squishy ending</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q4EDJSLQRC5L?ASIN=0316055441	Great buildup let down at the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Charector development was rich and meaningful but  towards the end the story just got tedious. Will make a great movie though.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R0BFLNNGRJ6Z?ASIN=0316055441	Really long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I usually like long books, but this one was a chore to finish.  I think the problem was I didn't really like the main character.  Kind of a downer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IF6C5CO23C00?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is beautifully written but the story did not appeal to me.  The author obviously put her heart and soul into it, but I am not sure it deserves the Pulitzer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33P7NG9DAZGK9?ASIN=0316055441	Falls off.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Three stars for half a book. First part was fabulous, so well written, then it just falls off. The Pulitzer, amazing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LATM46DQE6RB?ASIN=0316055441	Wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting book but would have been better with half as many words.  This was the opinion shared by most of the people in my mixed age book group.  One woman loved it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C6XZ92U94YDU?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very overrated book. Too wordy and extremely boring. The writing is very good, but the story is liking having a root canal without anesthesia.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VLDD9544NYFR?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A thought provoking read.  Although it falls in the category of tome, the writing is tight.  The characters are well developed enough to make the reader understand each one's importance to the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D9O93HSNR1Q9?ASIN=0316055441	The book didn't flow that easily for me!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt like it took me forever to read!  I kept losing interest because it didn't flow that easily for me.  I couldn't connect with the main character.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AM29UJ6O1XRY?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating and heartbreaking, real and true.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A deft use of irony and reverse psychology about the meaning of life, and the thread that runs between all existence. Language so accessible but impossibly accurate about the human predicament.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LHBWQVGTBTTG?ASIN=0316055441	Carole	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long life and the meaning of life. It was a bio of a person who suffers a life changing event at 13 and it goes on from there. Good character development.  Very philosophical.  But again the book was a long read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHMZ78HF5VERN?ASIN=0316055441	Enlightment comes slowly	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The last 25 pages of the book are wonderful but you have to wade through too much unnecessary detail to get there.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QKDV0I71Z40B?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It kept me wanting to see what happens but I hated seeing the young men living in such isolation&amp; despair and using so many dangerous substances and living!!!  It ends kind of without there ever being any real happiness for Theo. At least in my take on it·  Still not sure if I liked it or not</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DEMGPADVTPKU?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful writing and wonderful crazy characters who were fully developed and colorful.<br/>And a story line that runs the gamut - very fulfilling.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14CZX5J9601CR?ASIN=0316055441	A good read for most of the way	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the Goldfinch.  Some of it was repetitive, especially the scenes in Las Vegas.<br/>It is one thing to show how a friendship starts but a few hundred pages of drugs and booze is a little much between Boris and Theo.  The beginning and ending were very interesting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8H7D2VD9Y4W6?ASIN=0316055441	Much Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I might have rated the Goldfinch 4 stars because of it's wonderfully presented, well-fleshed out  characters.  You felt that you really knew each one.  Each was unique and interesting.  I ended up rating it only 3 stars, because of its 771 pages.  I think it could have used some serious editing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EJ2K2OG3DL0Q?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent choice	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is by far Donna Tart's best yet.<br/>The language is gritty and also eloquent.<br/>The story takes many turns and surprises.<br/>Read it and you will be happy you did.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDT7VMZAHIJ26?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have recommended this book to several family and friends all but one liked it. I personally loved this book, great story surrounded by the art world and antiques, all fascinating could not put it down. Loved Theo and Hobie. Boris is larger than life with his many faults some of them spectacular! I thought he was great. Very good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3410024WAFTFC?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't love it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt like I spent 700 hundred pages with a drunk who wanted to tell you all the bad experiences he had had in his life and that they ""sorta"" were not his fault!  I actually liked the plot and thought Boris was an intriguing character.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IP4FTHQO5YL5?ASIN=0316055441	A good plot  but too long in telling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A really good story but too many boring descriptions through out especially about the young boys alcohol and drug episodes. Too many ""F"" words. All that climax to the ending and a very bland end to a great plot.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CU2BID3DPRVJ?ASIN=0316055441	Well written book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written-- book a little long.  Interesting to watch the main character's fight with himself between good and evil.  The book had great character development.  A good read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTC4EP9B0KKTR?ASIN=0316055441	good but long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could have been shorter and still told the story.<br/>Interesting coming of age story. About a boy trying to survive life after the loss of his mother.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P6L2T6U3UO4T?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author doesn't hold any thoughts back. Every strange idea is laid out for your judgment. A book you'll want to highlight and reread.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ESQ06K6SOP55?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story.. But slow reading to get the author's meanings.  Wonderful character development. Vivid picture of events unfolding. A little disappointed with the conclusion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D4HNO5K541NX?ASIN=0316055441	suspenseful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept my interest till the very end.Rather sad in many ways in that two boys were growing up totally without guidance.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UNN4TVEB1UJC?ASIN=0316055441	man and birdbut	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the caracters were well defined  the writing good ,book could have been a little shorter  painting and main character were the same  could be a sequele</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HB11BNLX86VM?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An unusual tale, well woven. The characters are rich. It is not typical and predictable, but all ties together for a great read and satisfying end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K921H1OFE5AV?ASIN=0316055441	Drawn into the detail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loves the writing and descriptions. I really felt transported into this book and was moved by several passages. I would highly recommend it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TF3FVO84MVEW?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is as interesting and engaging as they say . Very inventive with strong characters . It's hard to imagine the author 's mind -- she's a great storyteller.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F1NO4MGK84H4?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful, compelling characters!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I agree with other reviewers that some descriptions were longer than they needed to be but at the same time I loved every word.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RQ9861GBI6KM?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is VERY long but kept me hooked the entire time. Characters were intense and believable. Cannot wait to read the rest of Donna Tartt's books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R55Y9OZSEEH18?ASIN=0316055441	I truly loved this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had been longing for a book that totally enveloped me. This book did that. All I can say is I could not put it down. It was engrossing and the characters evolved as true people, not fictitious. I highly recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24IBIA8YWU1M7?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Besides having to tidy everything up at the end... this is a terrific read! Almost 3 books in one, really. Check it out!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TAF0YBG6LIPI?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tart reviewed by Laurel Hessing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is the quintessential page turner. Could not put it down. Theo Decker has lost his mother who is killed in a terrorist attack on the Metropolitain Museum of art.  Theo will suffer his life long from the post traumatic stress of the survivor. He comes away from the carnage  with a ring given to him by an elderly gentleman, Welty Blackwell, with the directive to deliver it to Welty's friend and business partner, Hobie Hobart.  Theo also takes a painting that Welty seemed to be pointing at.  This painting by an artist from the 17th century is unique in its beauty and the fact that it survived the explosion in Holland which killed its creator, Carel Fabritius. It is a masterpiece and the only painting of that brilliant artist to survive after his death. Theo brings the ring to Wellty's friend and meets beautiful ""Pippa"" who had been with Welty in the museum and whom Theo had admired in the museum before the bomb struck. She is convalescing after being seriously injured in the bombing.  His love for Pippa and his meetings and love for her follow throughout the book. Theo  becomes a friend and an apprentice of  Hobie Hobart, Welty's business partner.  He learns  a great deal about restoration of antique furniture and cabinetry in Hobie's amazing shop where each piece is lovingly restored.  Theo is also taken into the Barbour family, the wealthy family of a school friend, Andy Barbour. Suddenly Theo's father shows up. Mr. Decker is a gambler and unstable but he is Theo's father and can and does take his son to Las Vegas Nevada where we meet Xandra and Popper her small Maltese dog. Theo meets Boris, a Russian boy in his new school.  The dialogue especially between Theo and Boris, Theo's best pal in Las Vegas, is absolutely brilliant. You even understand Boris's Russian, left untranslated. Meanwhile the Goldfinch, Carel Fabritius's fabulous painting, has unbelievable adventures in the hands of Theo and is a main character in the book. My favorite character besides Theo and Boris is Popper or Popchyk (Boris's name for the dog). Read this book - you will love it and not put it down I promise. After surgery and chemo it was the first book I read and it brought me back to my love of reading and helped me heal. If Popper and the Goldfinch can survive, so can I.  Laurel hessing</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15HC7P6A0V0GH?ASIN=0316055441	Good start with a poor finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It starts out as an interesting story and you are waiting for everything to be put together and it never happens.  It just rambles on to the end.  A very disappointing finish and I would not recommend this novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXUNJ0IEHUY6K?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book, only negative, too many flowery pros	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line and character development in the book are excellent and keep you involved in the story. The only negative I would give it is the over use of descriptive, often disjointed pros and phrases.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ1EMOQO9B3XR?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch is pure gold	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read<br/>A tad verbose at times but a fantastic not to be missed read<br/>Can't wait to read rest of authors works</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKFDAH0SF26L6?ASIN=0316055441	outstanding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is Deep, philosophical, charming and intriguing. I could not put this book down and would highly recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R9EUBD6959J?ASIN=0316055441	amazing beautifully written, intelligent. so good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read could not put it down a life story that you can almost taste and be right there with the characters</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z854FQBBI504?ASIN=0316055441	It was worth reading.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book -- wasn't the best I've ever read and kind of bogged down in places.  Was disappointed with the ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C2VNQZ13B4X8?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's clever use of language takes you on a wonderful journey of sight and smell and emotion. Beautifully written it emits great feelings of love and loss but also is captivating in a trail of intrigue. I loved her style and was kept enthralled. However I felt it became a little 'dark' towards the end and was left feeling rather flat. Not really a happy ending type book if this is what you are looking for. Will leave you thinking.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q3EJI7MXEWB7?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If it hadn't been so long, I would have given five stars.  About half way thru, I stopped reading because the story began to drag. When I read about the Pulitzer Prize, I decided to give it another try<br/><br/>And I'm so glad I did. The ending was a surprise and I immediately ordered her other book, The Secret History</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UVAFZD7IAGEX?ASIN=0316055441	A Fascinating Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was interesting in many ways. The long sentences and lack of punctution in a running, rambling type of prose resulted in the effect of indecision and frustration of the young character who was left so alone and suffering the trauma of his mother's death and total isolation from family.<br/>I also thought the author did a fantastic dexcription of a drug addict's depression and desire to feel no pain and relief by lapsing into a dream-state and, finally, feel nothiing.<br/>The change in character at the end of the story seemed almost uncanny. He finally saw the light after going through so much suffering.<br/>The characters were well defined as well as the detailed description of antique period furniture.<br/>I also thougt the extensive use of the English language was used appropriately and added to the richness of the emotions of the reader's reactions to the events presented.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TNDHT5TDXY6N?ASIN=0316055441	Good book, I felt it went on & on in several places, didn't hold my interest in reading on.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What needed to told instead of. 20 pages could said it in 5 pages.<br/>Read for Book Club or I probably wouldn't of finished?<br/>I loved the story behind all the unnecessary rambling.<br/>I know she won an award for writing the book, and did deserve it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4U82VNNLEUYD?ASIN=0316055441	dog sport lady	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">sometimes--rarely, a book comes along that you hate to have end.  This is proving to be one of them.  I am not yet finished but very wrapped up in the life and times of this young man.  I think it is on every book club list even tho' it is an investment in time due to the length of the book.  A great read !</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GMP8TTQICOEK?ASIN=0316055441	What a journey !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A facinating journey of a young man to adulthood. I was desperately rooting for him to find happiness at last. Surprised a little by the ending , but I guess it couldn't have been any other way.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KVY84QOET148?ASIN=0316055441	Singing story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well developed but over long saga with a fine story and ending. I found very slow  in the beginning quarter and still dragged often. In the end it was a good tale.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QLUHV7AW6K4H?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this is a real page turner.  Extremely well written.  Left me wanting more. I loved this story and you will too.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14FJTQKH70QB2?ASIN=0316055441	I'm not worthy to review this treasure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can't come up with the right adjectives for this moving work of art. To try and put pretty words together to describe it would be embarrassing. Do pick up and read it. Or not.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35D71D6A5SQKU?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A friend recommended this book. I am reading the Kindle edition so don't get the visual of how massive this book is. From the first twenty pages or so, I was drawn into the book. It is riveting. The writing is so realistic. It is written in the first person by a young boy as he grows up. Much of it is about forming relationships and losing friends and family. I am presently about half way through the book. It is one of the best books I have read in some time. The characters are vibrant and believable. I highly recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LZXAN2FJNCJ7?ASIN=0316055441	I understand how it won the Pulitzer! I did ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I understand how it won the Pulitzer!<br/>I did not want this book to end!  I was impressed with the writing and the author's knowledge of New York and Las Vegas.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR6LA11NS4EF?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books I've read in the past ten years. The characters are unusual enough to be interesting without being over-the-top weird. The plot is a wonderful balance of romance and suspense. I wanted it to go on!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F9210SUW0NO8?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Since I've been to the cities mentioned in the story and.........having a young German friend like Boris......<br/>I was riveted by the story.  I was a bit fatigued by all the drug use but overall, thought the story was<br/>fascinating and well done.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E7D7UU0P2P84?ASIN=0316055441	loved the characters,  interesting plot honest and real .	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a hate love relationship with the very interesting characters. Always worries about them in a good way. Loved it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BQPYG25G6RVU?ASIN=0316055441	An epic read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Many emotional ups and downs! Fantastic, occasionally breath-taking description! Nicely divided into important<br/>segments of Theo's life! Perhaps too long for some. Characters exceptionally drawn-especially Boris!<br/>If you want a great read, highly recommend it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15VGAMYYSJE79?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's been a long time since a book has moved me at my core like this one did (and I read a lot). Beautifully written and raw, the Goldfinch had me looking back at my own life and how 'chance' played a part in what it looks like today. I read the e-book, but went back and bought the hardback for my shelves. It was just that good.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H4VQWN6A96YR?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was everything I expected and more. I'm a fan of Donna Tartt and this is her best so far, truly deserving of<br/> the Pulitzer. The storyline is innovative and the characters superb! If I could only recommend one book  of the year, this would be it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B58MU9J4RXPW?ASIN=0316055441	best book I have read in years.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">best book I have read in years. more, Donna, please. Deep, rich and textured. So sad when I had to leave this beautiful world.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24EQ1NV8AHMEZ?ASIN=0316055441	Extraordinary book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Spellbinding.  Truly an impressive work. Tartt creates characters that leap off the page and and explores all the themes of human existence with the tiny, precise brush strokes of a Dutch master.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15JURRFVNGVEB?ASIN=0316055441	Long, but good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Since it was such a long book, the characters really grow on you and you end up wanting more.  Wish I could have seen the real painting when it was on tour in NY at the Frick this past January.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HBG937EXG6RC?ASIN=0316055441	I want to read this book again and again	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved Donna Tart's previous books and The Goldfinch did not disappoint. I love the character studies as much as the story line. This is a book I know I will enjoy reading multiple times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XUON5TIQAX0H?ASIN=0316055441	convoluted but with a thread that pulls one along	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line is well worth the reading time. I found myself pulling away from all the waste in characters's lives, the lack of direction but I still couldn't give up so I skimmed and the outcome was worth the skimming, the final pages less so.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YZZB796DGXKX?ASIN=0316055441	Page-turning drama and the Pulitzer Prize	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch by Donna Tartt is one of the best books I have ever read. I read the book over Christmas break and could barely put it down. The story totally captured my imagination and touched my heart. Now that the book has won the Pulitzer Prize, many more readers will flock to the story and this is a good thing because Donna Tartt has much to teach about life and loss, love and friendship. Congratulations to the author on her prestigious and well-deserved award. Please don't make us wait another ten years for the next book. </span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R357M9PGC3B09R?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the book and will probably read it again. That said, there were many passages I struggled through. I loved the characters. Having read this, when I look at our bird feeder, I will have a wonderful memory of the painting and my relationship with art. I will wonder why this subject was chosen. It evokes many feelings when I think of it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KIVU98UBD58A?ASIN=0316055441	Sweeping Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love how descriptive Donna Tartt was which enabled me to really envelop myself in the story.  Since you follow Theo through out his life you really gain a sense that you know and possibly understand this person.  I really enjoyed it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSZA37030XSDX?ASIN=0316055441	Terrific book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started with no expectations, had seen that this was rated the top book of 2013, so decided to try it.<br/>Extremely well written, exciting, brilliant story line.  Hope you enjoy it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K7YQFFZNWJ3S?ASIN=0316055441	Very worth while read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought this was a good book - a bit long but characters are very interesting - would recommend this to anyone</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRIWBII2AQFD5?ASIN=0316055441	A profound tale of the 21st century.  Compelling reading.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long book but compelling reading.  A complex and profound story.  It is understandable why this book won a Pulitzer prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O9QN917S526D?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has a wonderful writing style. I was compelled by the each of the characters to learn more about them and how their lives were going to turn out.<br/>I liked her narrating style very much and would read another one of her novels.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLPZSH3BQCRVA?ASIN=0316055441	A THEME THROUGHOUT	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is a revelation in that it has the views from today's youth in a broad rather educated view<br/>Also a different outlook on life, love and money<br/>Drugs seem so important altho' they don't seem to kill anyone "" SURPRISE""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28T6FE92J91WM?ASIN=0316055441	Long, but worth the time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Eloquent prose, rich characters, surprising plot twists, well-crafted narrative for about 600 pages. Then the book became a page-turner just to get it done. Would I read it again? Absolutely.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EV0IDQ4K6KSI?ASIN=0316055441	A journey with a boy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was enthralled with the beauty of the writing which honestly I usually miss as I rush to the next page to see what happens next.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BVRWML7SH302?ASIN=0316055441	Good read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book grabs your attention from the beginning. The main characters, both drug addicts, are very interesting.  The book rambles a bit at the end with the author epousing her philosophy which is why I did not give it 5 stars.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IHD5NZWQ7RTZ?ASIN=0316055441	Great writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow. This author is amazing. This book truly deserves the Pulitzer. One of the best books I have ever read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11T8TRF30WNV3?ASIN=0316055441	Thought-provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What would you do? This book keeps you thinking: ""what would I do?""  Each chapter is filled with highs and lows that make you really feel like you are a part of the book and you really get to know the characters.  Great book for discussion.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHPQ81ESWO6MP?ASIN=0316055441	A Golden Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the structure of the Goldfinch , its reoccurring themes and motifs, the research into art and art restoration and the wonderful array of characters. Boris is a gem. A wonderful read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8J6GJVMELJ16?ASIN=0316055441	Heartwrenching & beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in a very long time ... heartwrenchingly sad, but profoundly captures the elusive joys, torments, and struggles of a life shattered early, but staggering forward.  Although the characters exist on the edge, there is an incredible humanity and universality to their emotions.  Gripping story, authentic characters, and an unvarnished emotional journey make this one unforgettable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R110WHQ3ZRML69?ASIN=0316055441	An amazingly good read - a page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author is able to describe scenes and places where you actually feel you are there.  Her research into relationships, drugs, societal situations is quite simply:  mind blowing.  This is a long book, and every page is enjoyable.  I am not a fast reader, still I read it in six days.  Mind you, I did not do much else:  just the basics, then quickly I would go back to The Goldfinch - I was quite sad it I finished the book... I wanted it to go on and on....Kelly Howard, San Francisco</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3585X01KCFD1N?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a great story with a lot of depth. The journey was full of emotions and life transformations that occur at key defining moments of choice.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNTFR6TH41129?ASIN=0316055441	long but finally worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the story could have been told more quickly, the relationships were well crafted and the facts were well researched.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OXOKPA1O49HW?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed the book and am still thinking of it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling reading, but sometimes unbelievable.  Have been trying to think of overall theme.  The main character is acting out of loss of his mother?  Does the painting represent her?  I enjoyed the book and am still thinking of it, days after finishing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VTWP3D6H9IW9?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read! Could not put it down once I started it!, and was almost sad to see it end!  Mesmerizing!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29GYV6F0R8PSM?ASIN=0316055441	editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story is engrossing. However I think that the book would be enhanced by tighter editing. Overall I would recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UTXMY6BZMLC2?ASIN=0316055441	READ THIS BOOK!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is One of the best books I've ever read. I'll definetly be reading more books from Donna Tartt. This book was pretty lengthy but I didn't want it to end. I'm not an art enthusiast at all but that didn't matter with this book, it was still a great book</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY68MH3IULOFG?ASIN=0316055441	A little all over the place	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the beginning....then the novel took off and went in different directions. Some characters were likeable and others were not. Parts were beautifully written, and other parts lost me. All was tied up in the end, but I went from not wanting to put it down to having a hard time picking the book back up again. In the end, I liked it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R230R3BX0XLNYH?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch - High Marks!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While it was a little long on the drug-induced episodes, I loved the descriptive, gorgeous<br/>writing of the author, and of her far-reaching wisdom throughout the whole book.  It's<br/>one of the few books I could actually ""see"" through her writing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJGWNOMML0D4K?ASIN=0316055441	Overwhelming yet ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Packed with the detail of a true artist's eye, the novel is alive with great characters, scenes, dialogue, and stylistic bravado making it a particularly milestone work.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN3H159TWPZLX?ASIN=0316055441	A Disappointment!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt that the book rambled on and could have dropped 300 pages and could still be a good novel.  I am amazed that it won awards!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WA0GJ40ALL16?ASIN=0316055441	Uhhhhhhh... is it over yet?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this book would never end.  The writer is obviously talented and will write a really great book one day.  This could be that book if it didn't dwell on the anatomy of a chemical/alcohol high on every other page. The story is good, the characters are now, but about 1/3 of the way through, the reader begins skip-reading to try to find the story again.  Worth it?  Nahhhh, not really.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W1QJKD1TUB99?ASIN=0316055441	Well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but parts of the story I did not like.. Subject matter was not my bag.But since it won a Pulitzer Prize I am glad that I read it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZLORS0XQVEGM?ASIN=0316055441	Trust your Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Get off to a slow start as the narrative does not seem believable for a young boy to be telling.  However I stuck with it and eventually became engrossed in the story.  It is Tartt's usual heavy themes and characters behaving badly, but overall quite a good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSQHGFCQ2MPU9?ASIN=0316055441	Who will survive or thrive?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some parts- much too long. Could be a trilogy. Essence of the characters gotten. Very dark book. Well written- worth it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RACRERQ9NL9AM?ASIN=0316055441	Good, but lengthly.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a very good story, but she spent pages on descriptions that could have been done in a paragraph.  I got bored with the lengthly wordage.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SIPEGXISC6G2?ASIN=0316055441	Way too slow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Took too long to get into the story.  Much too repetitive in point of view and ending dragged to a close.  Could have used more minor character development.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DDNT7VFFE1KO?ASIN=0316055441	Stunning as author paints with words the life of a painting as the intersection of love, beauty and joy of living amidst the	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amidst the cesspool of loss and pain.  Don't miss it, the last chapter resolves the seemingly  hopeless loss of Theo, Bruno and their friends on the same lifeboat.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YNF5ZMQSD6RU?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. Engrossing and thought provoking the entire way through. One of my favorites and even worth a re-read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NEN3255Z3N4N?ASIN=0316055441	incredible journey for the reader	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't enjoyed a book this much since All the King's Men. Detailed, highly descriptive, and philosophical is how I've described it to my friends. It took a few attempts to get into the story, but once I was in it, I had trouble putting it down. It wasn't a voracious-type read, though. It was more of a deliberate choice to engage in this young man's world and do so with an acknowledgement of the unbelievable talent of the author to create such a vivid and compelling world. There was a sweetness associated with picking up the story every night - something I experienced with All the King's Men. Highly highly highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DME0KTKXMMJX?ASIN=0316055441	very long, but worth it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic read.  Needless to say long, dragging on multiple occasions.  At point you feel like there is too much dialogue and details, and you just want the story to move on.  However, that dialogue is precisely how the characters are developed and you really feel like you know them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLBON5WYNJWWH?ASIN=0316055441	complicated, intricate, interesting, long book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a long and involved book. The story itself is pretty complicated with many characters and scenarios. It does drag in some sections but in the end it's very rewarding. Also challenging with long philosophical musings sometimes hard to really comprehend. All in all I thought it was a great read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X4QRCHEI80B1?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In depth understanding of life and it's trials ,disappointments,joys, and sadness. Motivations all written in beautiful and shocking prose. As is life.  Wonderful read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O9MD425SAUQH?ASIN=0316055441	Loved It	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had trouble putting this book down... The characters were wonderful in spite of their faults.  They made this a very rewarding read.  I highly recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H4GFR3QW1XB1?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a captivating read. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is not put off by real live experience of our young today.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTYPJBUK307W3?ASIN=0316055441	Well written book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written story and had some interesting aspects. I learned things, and it held my interest except for a few small places. It surprised me in all the directions that it went.  The author is a good writer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H1CMKAFTKL3G?ASIN=0316055441	Obsession	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had to pace myself while reading The Goldfinch because I never wanted it to end. I reached the last word on the last page and nearly cried because I so very much wanted to stay with Theo, the narrator, throughout the rest of his life's journey. A beautiful, completely engrossing, memorable world of original characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2503XU33GDZD5?ASIN=0316055441	great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great book, very engaging. Wonderful detailed descriptions. Got this on my kindle, didn't realize how long it was bit it was worth it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPRR588KUELHS?ASIN=0316055441	Very Interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good book but one you need to pay attention to.  I felt that there were three or four mini books here.  Will be a modern classic.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J3VLFRZ2KA3I?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">did anyone have a little Harry Potter thought? it sure was an epic journey by some awesome characters. well done</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JWUWWO6TD5EL?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although this novel is very long, it's plot is gripping and the writing is excellent.  If you are looking for modern literature, choose this novel; if you are looking for a beach read, choose another.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KX8Y1LS2C2IT?ASIN=0316055441	5 stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would give this book at least 5 stars even though it is guite long.  It really flows and quite spiritual.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZK0UNK4R7HJU?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was good but entirely too long.  I found myself wishing it was over. I felt the story could have told quicker.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31C23SM7NM11Z?ASIN=0316055441	Oh my	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When you dream about another escapade for Theo you are definitely deep into this book.  Speed reader that I am, not with this one or you will have to read it twice.  Waited a long time after The Secret History to get a book that rises to the same standards.  I buy a lot of Kindle books, this one I will own in hardback.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L7YTJ4KECI8Z?ASIN=0316055441	Every aspect of this book is great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Probably the best written book I have ever read. Great story, great characters, important lessons to learn. I wasn't going to read this book. I thought it was more of a ""woman's book."" I am very happy I listened to my sister who told me that it wasn't true and that I would love it. She was absolutely right.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROUEOC9N27VIO?ASIN=0316055441	Painful and addictive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is masterfully written and lures you in as powerfully as the drugs that our protagonist is wed to. It is faced paced, and achingly beautiful and sad.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R174ISJQV1XRDK?ASIN=0316055441	Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book. well written. One of the best books I read in a few years. Interesting from the first page. Thank you</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RCI2Q3L8U0NK?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is clear and the descriptions superb.  Ms Tartt draws believable, fascinating characters and a story line that is engaging.  I found myself wanting the painting!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34OWBKSXE6QUY?ASIN=0316055441	This was the best book I have read in a very long time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started out with affection for Theo and Boris, then, I became very disappointed in them for their choices and my feelings about the book also went down, but, I couldn't put the book down, and was so satisfied with the ending that I think a sequel would ruin it for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TEDL3NMFGDO9?ASIN=0316055441	Best book in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written; compelling story; suspenseful; was not a happily ever after -- was real. Language was at a level not seen today.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31OEUY1JE8LJR?ASIN=0316055441	Not one of my favorites	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author got too drawn out on certain subjects. I felt like she left too much to the imagination, not knowing what happened to him with the rest of his life or the people in his life. Not one of my favorite books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NLU4W8XC0J5O?ASIN=0316055441	very well written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Maybe this deserves 4 or 5 stars because of how well this was written but I'm giving it 3.<br/>There were parts I enjoyed and it started out interesting but the book is extremely long and I found myself getting bored toward the end and just wanting to finish it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MIY3POMT58CK?ASIN=0316055441	One of those I put it down.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book in 3 days time. So beautifully written, even when I hated what I was reading I felt compelled to read on.  Anyone who wants get lost in a story needs to read this and even those just looking to be entertained will be drawn in and not able to put it down.  Best book I've read in a very long time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LLQ6ZIU2KYSO?ASIN=0316055441	Good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a great story but it went rambling on at times with too much details! Good read for sure</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20NSBTSK724V8?ASIN=0316055441	Good beginning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book started out fantastic... but like others have mentioned, I hated the ending. It just left things unresolved for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22WMMEAGGSVHT?ASIN=0316055441	Long, but worth it...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm glad I read it, but at times I wish it would end.  I usually want to care for the main characters. I couldn't feel anything for Theo except pity.  The supporting characters were exciting and kept my interest.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXV88C1LK141T?ASIN=0316055441	Recommended	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fairly good read. It was a little long winded at times but overall a good read and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WL41S2M2WNG0?ASIN=0316055441	The Bird in a Hand	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book won a prize and I was surprised.  My wife continued to hang on but was disappointed at the end.  Since my last name means ""little Swallow"" I was rooting for more!  Well I am not an expert.  I did not read it.  My wife did not try very hard to sell me .  MAY BE I'll read it some day.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3715VPKVWVUIM?ASIN=0316055441	like a Russian novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some have dissed this story due to excessive length in the description department. I, however, appreciated the sense of self-exploration. Very similar to Dostoyevsky. My only criticism is that early in the book, the voice of the protagonist is too mature for his age.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SWT9H7895GFB?ASIN=0316055441	Unexpected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very absorbing read. the story kept going in unexpected directions. the characters were complicated, multi-dimensional.the kind of book that's hard to put down once you start.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7V6G7OQRJBRC?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't get it. Too much expose and not enough moving the story forward in a meaningful way. And then trying to capture the meaning of life fiction or not left a sour taste for me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13OA5B8X9XFP6?ASIN=0316055441	We'll written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was well written. The author has a wonderful way with words. The topic was too disturbing for me to give it a higher rating. I persevered to the end but would not recommend the book for the light-hearted reader.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RGYT7DZCY2IE?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch:  A Coming-of-Age Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I  thought it was an interesting book about a young man growing up after a tragedy in his personal life.  I continued to read it to the end, but felt that it was too long and wordy.  The book has some valuable lessons about friendship, family loyalty, and the need to find comfort in a home setting.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W3XIDJFYTGSJ?ASIN=0316055441	a worthy read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some of the best character development I have read in awhile! I wanted more when I reached the end. Kudos on the Pulitzer</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2503BT5RBBN5N?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story and a new perspective	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written. A bit long-winded at the very end but the author was trying to convey an interesting message.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AJ0ZHEI2HMOT?ASIN=0316055441	The best book I've read in a long time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An unbelievable read with twists and turns you won't see coming.  The story is sometimes sweet, sometimes sad but always gripping.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJH6T5K41PKNY?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">.A real page turner.  The characters are beautifully drawn. Unexpected twists and turns. Not often that you encounter a book that is both well written and completely absorbing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VU7D4PAMEVNH?ASIN=0316055441	A rich experience	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book vividly portrayed of a young man affected by the death of his Mother, whose life is forever influenced by the events of one given day.  Donna Tartt is a wonderful story teller.  Some parts of the book I found a little drawn out, but it is well worth the waiting as events unfold.  It is a book I found hard to put down, and I am already looking forward to reading more by this talented author..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DF2CLCA67FNI?ASIN=0316055441	A Talent Worth Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is like one of those movies where you get quickly caught up in and so carried away within the story and attached to the characters that you are bound to see it through no matter what.  If it were a movie though I would be leaving the theatre feeling let down. The story is often times gripping and I must admit to reading well into the wee hours just busting for it to reach a place I could put it down.  That being true, there also came times when it either became too far-fetched and unbelievable with the story jumping about quickly, or slow and tortuous.  Unfortunately, I felt that the author was struggling to form a tidy ending - a bit sudden, strange and weak after all the effort earlier. On the other hand, the author is a clever writer and I loved the skillful writing particularly in setting mood and expressing the depths of darkness, depression and irrational behaviour, so that I continued through to the end.  I will certainly look out for other works by this author just because I admire the talent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MRCCFLC5R81M?ASIN=0316055441	Frustrated with main character	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's hard to rate the book higher although it probably deserves it when you get so frustrated and annoyed with how the main character behaves.  You keep wanting him to come to his senses.  Very frustrating read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HHYC822KET0S?ASIN=0316055441	Great writing, depressing effect	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very well written but super depressing. I enjoyed the writer's style but at times it dragged on inside the hero's bleak mind in downward spirals. It was her deft ability to make us feel exactly what the character was feeling that made for both a powerful experience but also a despairing one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35FZQSJ514IGS?ASIN=0316055441	Great read. Big book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very long novel but I loved it. Beautifully written and moving. Great story and well researched references to art and art history.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OCQSJJG3I56B?ASIN=0316055441	extraordinary writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is beautifully crafted - written with such grace,understanding and clarity  that the words sear into the reader and leave an imprint never to be forgotten.  NB</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PAIQ5C901Q99?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am amazed I read the whole book and thoroughly enjoyed each and every page. It is a masterpiece in and of itself and made brilliant use of a captivating painting. It was a wild ride everyone should enjoy, and appreciate the true depiction of trauma, PTSD, and self medication.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2POTQZZHBKC0A?ASIN=0316055441	A good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Somewhat long in description but still a compelling read. I would recommend it with out hesitation. Find a comfy chair and enjoy!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YF8VFT6PRB67?ASIN=0316055441	good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the story held your interest, even though some descriptions were a little too detailed. I found myself wondering about the outcome right up until practically the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AMJTF353CPQA?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting plot, with a surprising ending, spanning from New York, via Las Vegas to Amsterdam<br/>with some intriguing personalities</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X5MAU0324QQF?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed this book. Well written. Never knew where it was going to go. A real page turner. Would recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZLJCHV08GM5O?ASIN=0316055441	Readable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beginning was a little slow but kept reading.  As it got into the story, wanted to keep reading.  Didn't care for the ending.  I, personally, would have liked to know, in short detail,  how his life continued even with all his baggage and the other characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X3XZ4BA71WR2?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyable book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the character development, the multiple settings, and detailed descriptions.  I was reading it on my ipad so didn't realize how long the book was -  hardly made a dent in it after a couple long plane rides!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLICL8F53LAQ4?ASIN=0316055441	If you liked Stephen Crane you will like this book ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author's description of this book sounded so interesting to me - I love art, mysteries, literature, language ....  this book does have it all - but the metaphors, similes and complete descriptions overwhelm the basic story.  I truly felt that the author did not need to describe each and every detail in order to tell her story.  It reminded me of slogging through the Red Badge of Courage in High School - where one detail takes three pages. I got through about 4 chapters of The Goldfinch and just found the details completely superfluous and infuriating.  By that time I did not care what happened to any of the characters.  I was so disappointed.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X3CTB07CIJVC?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It takes forever to read, but I found it to be one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read.<br/>I loved the way Tartt inhabits the characters, and you feel a part of their odd but spirited world. And it's a world<br/>I've not read much about --- antique dealers -  Russian mobsters - thieves who steal paintings off museum walls - who would think?  Even Tartt's portrayal of upper class New York takes on an odd, bizarre twist.  At times I grew tired of the<br/>density of the description, and I kept hoping more would happen, but this is a novel that definitely takes its time to<br/>transport you into these other worlds, and I think it's well worth it. I've been traveling on the road and every night I would look forward to reading the book - even if I could only squeeze in ten pages.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY9ILGZI1XG1C?ASIN=0316055441	Very visual and a great representation of PTSD.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very visual and a great representation of PTSD. I really enjoyed this book. It was dark, funny, sad, and honest.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LTQJIRBFEGLK?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book tells the tale of a young boy trying to find himself in the wake of tragedy. It's very deep at at some points disturbing, but Tartt is an excellent story teller. I would definitely recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20O8BPVJRAVIR?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling and spell binding most of the time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book on recommendations of others. I became annoyed at the ""stream of consciousness"" style of writing. About two thirds of the way through story bogged down. I almost gave up. interesting plot.  Just so ""wordy."" Could have been more succinct in the writing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30OJT7P7GBL74?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch is a good book, but way too long. I think parts of the book could have been cut back on without sacrificing to story and would have kept the readers interest better.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W74LJ6XNPSC5?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Her usual very high standard of story telling with larger-than-life characters beautifully interwoven into a seemingly never ending plot to keep one's interest alive.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3982NCOYQ8UZ6?ASIN=0316055441	I wanted yo love it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, but could use a good editor. Loved the first quarter and the last quarter but the hundreds of pages in the middle were relentlessly depressing</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22R883JCDW9CX?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book would suit almost everyone.<br/>I may be a bit long for some but it held your interest every page.<br/>The descriptions were great and the characters wonderful.<br/>One of the best books I have read, and I read a lot.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DCED7YYBXOVL?ASIN=0316055441	okay	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the first half somewhat interesting but it wasn't a book I couldn't wait to get back to. A little bit repetitive, predictable and boring. Not a lot of substance.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23JD8PIO14RR3?ASIN=0316055441	Worth every one of its 700+ pages!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating story peopled with  principal characters that are flawed but fascinating.  I have no experience of the art world or even living in New York, but the tale is woven so well that an affinity for these central themes is totally unnecessary.  The ending was not what I wanted, but it was what I believe ""really happened"".  I definitely recommend this book, and would assure those that are intimidated by its massive length that it isn't long enough.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHAAK5FBY76VU?ASIN=0316055441	ugh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I kept waiting for a climax but never got one.  Depressing without drama.  Well written but boring.  No characters to sympathize with.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTI7IF1GBY3R8?ASIN=0316055441	Different	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In many ways a sad and depressing story, this was written beautifully. I don't usually read a book that is so unhappy in every way but the language and narrative kept me interested. Part of me wanted a happy ending but as I read I knew that couldn't be the case and it was alright in the end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCC77FDJAOOMI?ASIN=0316055441	Sorry but it dragged on much too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning was very engaging.  As he moves to Las Vegas, it starts to slow down and be repetitive.  I found myself skimming pages just to stay interested.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ADBDV4QZS7HU?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the story was good, I do think it could be completed in half the pages.  I read it via ebook and had to speed read to get it read in time.  A little more history on the painting would have been good too.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UGL2V2K29YTV?ASIN=0316055441	Long, self-absorbed and then it ends	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started off strong with tragic impactful setting.  Went toooo long with self-absorbed drivel.  Ended as if the writer had had enough of it all (as I had). After all that whining, an unsatisfying ending that should have been pulled out of the hat way earlier.  Skip it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FF117C2WO2N5?ASIN=0316055441	Great story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book. It had a great story line and a lot of twists and turns. Just as you thought, you had figured out the story, a curve in the story caught me off guard. This book kept my attention on guard.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U02W0P9LED4O?ASIN=0316055441	Drugs, Alcohol, Terrorism, and Stolen Artwork	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It starts with a young boy surviving a strange life altering terrorist act.  The novel is how that incident shapes the rest of his life.<br/><br/>Drugs, alcohol, domestic problems,and stolen artwork make this an exciting read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA1I135X33VQT?ASIN=0316055441	Art In Your Past, Anyone?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an amazing meandering tale of a boy becoming a man, caught up in theft, crime, trauma, grief, loss of family, finding support and friendship.  The ramifications of a naive act of rescue of a piece of art finally assume international proportions, attracting good guys and bad guys which sometimes are difficult to tell apart.  The faddish subtitle of this book could be something like: ""No good deed goes unpunished . . . (if you can tell which is which).""</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BV2PGA4HRBH2?ASIN=0316055441	Mesmerizing read...character description brilliant.  Beautiful, disturbing, and thought provoking. .  Truly so	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Mesmerizing read.  Description was brilliant...what one feels but does not verbalize. Beautiful, disturbing, thought provoking...a book you will remember forever.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R96D25GICQV40?ASIN=0316055441	Not a favorite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">there were too many coincidences...Las Vegas part too repetitive....implausible story.  Too long for me,  Her writing was very descriptive but I will have to read one of her other books..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RXP4637FQCDO?ASIN=0316055441	Marvelous but dreary	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've read all of Ms. Tartt's books and enjoyed them.  Her language and images are almost overwhelming, coming, at times, in torrents.  I'd recommend the book for anyone who enjoys language and beautifully written prose.  For me, though, the story was a bit sad and dreary.  I guess I was just more in the mood to be in a better mood.  I am glad to see that the book was awarded the Pulitzer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SAXU8CL6AOH6?ASIN=0316055441	I couldn't put this book down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started this book one night at bed time and gasped when suddenly it was 3hrs later!  That began the cycle of reading this book nightly.  I loved every page of it except......the end.  It wasn't necessary the ending but the last 20 or so pages.  I wish it would have ended as strong as it started out.  I would still recommend to anyone thinking of reading it.  I love this author's writing style. Can't wait to see what she writes next!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2881B3IZOGK9D?ASIN=0316055441	A Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the book.  It was a little intense in parts.  Somehow the ending seemed weak or perhaps I wasn't that interested in the picture's background.  All in all it's a darn good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38JYE4ZKPYWK5?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch and Me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredible writing.  I continually felt that I was in the narrative experience.  Mood of the book stayed with me for hours after I put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10PLHOR36KUFN?ASIN=0316055441	A good investment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The high page number count put me off, but once I started I found it hard to put down. And the characters stayed with me during my day. I felt protective and motherly toward the main character. I didn't want the book to end, but once I got to the end, was disappointed with the long winded explanations of realisations of what the characters had come to know.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OD5T52OYTHOI?ASIN=0316055441	Dishonest and Disfunctional	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book  deals too much with disfunctional youths with no consciences who, in trying to survive and enjoy themselves, partake<br/>in drugs, alcohol, smoking, stealing and other deplorable behavior.  This is not a life or characters that I want to be witnessing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIXMKB6T896JF?ASIN=0316055441	One of my favorite books of all time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The scope of this book took us from the main character's childhood through his adulthood, and after 600 pages, I still wanted more. The characters were completely engaging, the plot was riveting, and the dialogue was enchanting. I'll read it again soon--it was that good.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HM8R1EQMN3B6?ASIN=0316055441	Drawn out Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book and started reading immediately.<br/>I usually love all New York stories and have worked in a Museum for 14 years.<br/>But, after the first few chapters, I felt disconnected.  Thinking back it was because<br/>I did not have any real love of the characters I was reading about, except possibly Hobbie.<br/>Theo was a big let down for me , I like to feel some empathy for my characters, but all I felt<br/>was utter frustration with his lack luster personality.<br/>I preserved to the end hoping for a break through that eluded me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R265V99BCC0RRO?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the characters, plot, and action engaging;however, her sentence structure drove me crazy.  As an English teacher, I will say she was grammatically correct, but it was distracting and tedious.  To have one sentence ramble for half a page or more,  interfered with my enjoyment of the novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5D7AM2PMZDO9?ASIN=0316055441	Somewhat depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think I expected too much from this book.  After reading all the other reviews, I was prepared to be wowed, and I wasn't.  It was a good read, but overall, left me feeling rather depressed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CJB9RC32DGIO?ASIN=0316055441	drawn out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The message is short and simple but the story is long and drawn out. An OK read.But frustratingly and unreasonably long</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18P1JYFEY7HRN?ASIN=0316055441	Great read. Fabulous story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A compelling read that keeps you very involved. I enjoyed it and have recommended it to many. The story was very real, the description was sometimes over the top.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZZV16QBH8S72?ASIN=0316055441	last pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Roller Coaster of images emotions questions leading to a space between reality and fiction we all suffer to love and</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A3WCS2AT0QJW?ASIN=0316055441	Unique story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is so different from any other I have read. It was long, and a couple of parts were tedious. I found that parts I felt were a little too drug-out turned out to be important to the story later, so it is worth sticking with. The characters were so interesting and well-developed, and the relationships really made the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXPSV41IKC9IO?ASIN=0316055441	Not sure why it's been on the top 10 for so long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a book I would suggest my friends to read.  Way too wordy and long. I am not sure if I would read another book by Tartt,</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XAWM3CGCFYF3?ASIN=0316055441	Book of the Year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am so glad I picked up this book. I couldn't put it down. The characters were compelling and the story fascinating. Thank you, Donna Tartt!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22EH77R5V6IQS?ASIN=0316055441	WOW	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long story covering many years and how the unexpected can have such profound effects on many of the people in the book.  And the surprise ending seemed as if justice was served.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CCXR3WM9DYFQ?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book overall.  Would I recommend this book?  Only with the caviat that when you reach those parts of the book where the author goes on for page after page of the main character's (sometimes depressing) inner reflections, page through to the storyline.  It is fast moving and a good read but could have been done with a lot less filler.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVNCL1NNUQYTZ?ASIN=0316055441	The Amazingly Beautiful Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing character development along with a page turning story that leaves you unable to put this book down.  The author makes you see and feel the emotions and complex interactions of its characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y2O3S1DWIUT5?ASIN=0316055441	incredible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Richly deserving of the Pulitzer. A fan of Ms. Tartt's since ""The Secret History"" she is the Hank Aaron of fiction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6N50RFWUZSQ1?ASIN=0316055441	disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i was disappointed in this well reviewed  book.  It had three different stories to tell and was very disjointed.  I found myself passing over large sections,which i never do, hoping it would get back to the well written story the book started out with.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q2G173LY6A93?ASIN=0316055441	loved, loved, loved this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. I loved the story and the imagery. Kept me totally entertained and engrossed the entire time. Plan to read it again.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WF4C49LCP7C0?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read; A Little Wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is one of my favorite author's.  In this book, I literally put it down and said I wasn't going to read it any more.  Than I picked it up and started in again, and it was really good.  The problem for me was the overly long and drawn out scenes with alcohol and drug use.  So I like the book, I would recommend it, especially to a Donna Tartt fan.  But it is a long read, be prepared for that.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DDUU2K27SUJ9?ASIN=0316055441	gwynbob@verizon.net	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good if you like art. I liked it but not as much as it was hyped! It is worth reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROCQSB0EKTSUM?ASIN=0316055441	wow!  stick it out to the end.  it's worth it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I became immersed in his world and he took me on an amazing journey. Brilliant writing. I lived it. Sad to see it end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R514D2IEAU46L?ASIN=0316055441	excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Deep, funny<br/>amazing characters<br/>That says it all but they are making me write more so I am writing more</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NCXRE3N3GKL?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Deep,dark and disturbing. Theo is a character that will not easily be forgotten. At times it seemed a little wordy, but is beautifully written</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W22GRPFW07I1?ASIN=0316055441	Latest work by the author of The Secret History	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This author may work slowly, but what she writes is well worth the wait.  The Secret History was fascinating and has become a cult favorite.  The Little Friend was very different and yet contained the same talented writing.  This book, The Goldfinch, was different from the first two novels and the characterization and settings were as vividly realized.  It was one where I enjoyed reading it so much that it was sad to me when it ended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BZ8FPYJXBUAO?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Written beautifully in the first person of a young male  his adolescence and into young adult hood. Tartt captures a seedy, bleak underworld and the value and wonder of art.  Captivating,although at times difficult to take.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33NDKAK58ZRWW?ASIN=0316055441	Worth sticking with it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a little long for those of us who have about an hour a day to devote to reading, but it has an intriguing story line, well-portrayed characters and is worth the extra minutes to see it through. Those who love art and antiquities will find this book especially interesting. The ""happy ending"" is not typical, but is a solid resolution to the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P900GYTQNEEW?ASIN=0316055441	Thought  provoking ,	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed this book! Very descriptive, like you were there. Thoughtful philosophy from Donna Tartt. People are not just good or bad but a mixture of both.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ3VWZH3S23P1?ASIN=0316055441	Superb Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was totally engrossed from Page One!  A well-told story that kept me turning the pages.  The only downside was the protracted end.  All around a great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EL7T9UF0ROKQ?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best pieces of modern fiction that I have ever read. It has it all!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is not the predictable ordinary usual modern tale. This book has suspense, characters developed in the rich context of the story, descriptions of people and life that call you to reread the passage. However, above all it has a powerful insight into the big questions of living our lives. It is no wonder Tartt hasn't had a new book in years since this is one that is well developed and thoughtfully written not just churned out after an initial successful novel.  Best fiction I have encountered in years.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BDE8SFW7L6J5?ASIN=0316055441	this story is very special	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was taken by the writer's way of describing every little detail , I could not put it down !!! That's the sign of a great book !!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGQKTCTR7GJWR?ASIN=0316055441	prose and plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had to slow down my reading and pay attention. This was more than a great story to dabble at before bed. I want to thank Donna Tartt for writing this.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DKNCVWH3GWAZ?ASIN=0316055441	Loss and Obsession	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a beautiful story following a young boy as he becomes a man. It begins as he suffers a great loss and starts an obsession. I found it engrossing, fascinating and found myself looking forward to my time spent with the main character.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3008MWRZYBAJS?ASIN=0316055441	so much more	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hesitated to read this book despite encouragement because I did not want to be depressed by what I thought it would offer<br/>How pleased I am to have changed my mind. This us a surprising, engrossing, complex and wonderful experience. It is rare for me to join a book and it is what I yearn for each time a select one . I will miss it and yet it was complete</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AZKLBF88DTGG?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long haul in many ways, but worth it.  The story is riveting and I loved the ending.  Beautifully written</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IKSEOCP1QMCH?ASIN=0316055441	Life changes for a young man when his mother dies.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo Decker is a survivor. He was left without a family at the age of 13. He was taken in by a friend's family until his father who hasn't been around for years all of a sudden shows up and wants to take Theo with him. Theo knows he doesn't really care for him just the money and things left after his mother's death. Life is hard for him until he meets a Russian friend named Boris. Neither one of the boys have an easy life and are left mostly on their own.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TUKC4KMJOJEB?ASIN=0316055441	"well-written and almost ""too real"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing draws you in, so much so that I could not read it at night due to fear for the main character.<br/><br/>I would recommend to those who like scary books/movies, etc. as well as those looking at the meaning of art in their lives.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NU851Y6SGJMB?ASIN=0316055441	Great book, just wan the Pulitzer today...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic author, tremendous reading, Theo's saga and life's journey is second to none... Warmth, love, lifetime friendship, desperation, loss... Simply outstanding!.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BZLUP77UCPZN?ASIN=0316055441	Not as good as expected......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For all the top ratings, it was somewhat of a disappointment.  Well written, but quite dark and somewhat disjointed.  The drug culture was too dominant and unremitting--not something I want to spend hours reading about, even if it's a true picture of some lives.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLINYNQYOHZHH?ASIN=0316055441	Unfulfilled Potential	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to have a captivating beginning,  lending itself to such a great potential read. However, the book stalled,  taking way to long dwelling in particular parts almost reaching a boring read. Only to get moving again then back into the repetitive boredom.  I hate to say this, but I was glad to end the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22P43UUIOAVTH?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant and captivating story of life during and after tragedy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story follows Theodore Decker and the story of how he lost his mother and the impacts this event had on his life. I loved how Donna Tartt brought this story to us and how she set up Theo's point of view on everything. She really captures the struggles of an adolescent boy after losing his mother. The story follows Theo during the events of the tragedy and follows closely to what happens to him afterwards, looking for a home to stay in, reuniting with his father and trashy Las Vegas girlfriend, his friendship with Ukrainian Boris, and his return to New York to live with Hobie.<br/>Theo's life is kind of full of tragedy, so this book isn't a real upper, but it was thoughtfully provoking to see how this tragedy shaped his life, and how his actions had an effect years after they took place.<br/>In some places the story was a bit slow and drawn out, then Tartt completely skips over Theo's life in college (with some references as to those years later on), but all in all, this book is amazing. Everything she writes in this story has its place that you'll see by the end.<br/>It took me a while to get through it, but it is a pretty massive book in its own right. It always drew me back in and I was always wanting to know what would happen next. There was dullness to Theo's life that would be quickly turned to excitement as events happened and Theo's world continually turned upside down.<br/>I am pleased to hear that this book won the Pulitzer as it was a fantastic story set up perfectly by Tartt. I definitively recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F2FUUTFXWEJ7?ASIN=0316055441	Good book with a few surprises	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book very much. A little slow in spots, but held my interest from beginning to end. Great story with a few twists and surprises. A good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12MJU5AKC81O6?ASIN=0316055441	disappointed in this story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">didn't like all the use of drugs and the attitude of the people involved, very negative didn't like this one much at all.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N7YZRUX1K7L9?ASIN=0316055441	Very interesting!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story especially if you are interested in the art and antique worlds.  I would definitely recommend this book for these reasons.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R231HWZX8HZUS1?ASIN=0316055441	What a read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really thought provoking and beautiful. The ups and downs, connecting with addiction and death while continuing to seek trust and connection.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMK9Z7THCIQVX?ASIN=0316055441	Absorbing & fascinating read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a compelling read that takes you through the turbulent life of the protagonist Detailing his inner thought process in an insightful way</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LO0PJZK1IB4S?ASIN=0316055441	Intense reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wasn't really sure where the author was taking me but although I wanted to put it down I could not.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8RRBL0E6DTXI?ASIN=0316055441	Well written book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was very well written and I learned interesting facts about the art world.  It was somewhat slow in the middle , but the beginning and end were excellent</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CGQAW18WB0SH?ASIN=0316055441	Suspense with a different twist	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A page turner for sure.  I liked the suspense as well as the first person style.  The characters were certainly believable, as were the situations they found themselves in.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WWYI5RMOWSR4?ASIN=0316055441	loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters were alive and both invincible and vulnerable at the same time.  The author allows the protagonist to explain his life at the end and his philosophy about life in general.  I found myself analyzing the characters and how the events in their earlyA lives led them to both good and bad deeds at any given time.  I would have appreciated fewer pages with less descriptions at some points but<br/>This was a terrific read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QCWQC3ZHN6V5?ASIN=0316055441	Great Expectations meets Less Than Zero	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A terrific read. The more voraciously I inhaled this the more I regretted its eventual end as I neared it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23XYVYXTPOEG5?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tired of reading---I felt as exhausted as Theo. great character development .<br/>A detailed study in PTSD from childhood into adult with Theo not warning or getting the right treatment.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NIQTMG1LOLJ7?ASIN=0316055441	Absolutely loved this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, unforgettable characters, engaging plot. Highly recommend this book to readers who are looking for an intelligent contemporary novel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HBEQQQGOI8ME?ASIN=0316055441	Homage to a masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After harrying you through Theo's haphazard life, begun with an explosion, unraveled in Las Vegas, and taken to task in the rarified world of Manhattan's ultra-riche, author Donna Tarrt serves up nothing less than the truth of that polychrome place where beauty originates, art defies death, and a little songbird chained by the leg to its perch becomes a metaphor for us all.  (And that's not even saying anything about the inexhaustably exuberant Boris, or the rest of the richly drawn characters and settings in Theo's world.) In Theo's concluding words, Tartt delivers a cosmic rant for the ages that ought to leave future authors humbled by her understanding, awed by her brushstrokes.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21WFRIVTBHI2O?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best I've read in awhile	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a great read. I really enjoyed the story and characters. The main character is Theo. His constant misfortune and inner turmoil, while unfortunate, makes for a great read. The only part I did not like was that some parts were a bit dense with detail where it did not need to be. This book is almost 800 pages! I thought that a few things could have been cut out, but the majority of the book was a page turner. I feel like I want to go to Amsterdam to see the real painting, which really does exist! The real painting was also in an explosion at some time in history (not sure of when and where) imagine seeing an original  work of art that was created over 300 years ago! Great book! Read it! (Make sure you have some time carved out for it though!)</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10I7WI050A88I?ASIN=0316055441	Come on, it's Donna Tartt - what's not to love?!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I understand why Donna Tartt writes only one book every decade. Each story is intricate, beautiful and perfectly crafted. This is a capitvating story with complex, flawed and exceedingly real characters. At times, I would just pause in my reading to admire a sentence or description. At other times, I would race ahead greedily to find out what happened next. When I finished this book, I wanted to re-read it all over again. While I didn't particularly care for her last book, The Little Friend, due to the repugnant characters, with The Goldfinch Donna Tartt delivers a classic piece of literature with all the elements.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TPFTRVCQL2BI?ASIN=0316055441	A Must Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has the gift of painting a complete picture for the reader with words.  I could visualize the scene, feel the emotions each character was experiencing.  I could almost taste the food they were eating.  The Goldfinch is a touching story with just about every situation you can imagine within the story.  Once you are into the story, you'll hate to put the book down.  Donna Tartt brings every character in the book to life.  Her ability to describe even the smallest detail puts you smack dab in the middle of the story as if you are there silently witnessing events unfolding.  I highly recommend this novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EGG64GT3O997?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt is back	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved ""A Secret History"" (favorite book of all time), and was dissapointed to find ""A Little Friend"" unreadable. ""The Goldfinch"" is amazing! I don't want to give anything away about the book, but it's so gripping that I started reading it at a coffee shop yesterday around lunch and was told by the waitress several hours later that they were closing. I completely got lost in this fantastic read and lost all track of time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLTAENRIOARS0?ASIN=0316055441	A poignant and sometimes bittersweet novel about a young man's journey to adulthood while guarding a passionate secret	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A catastrophic event deprives 14-year-old Theodore of his mother and, at the same time, places him in possession of a painting, the beauty and value of which become apparent to him and the protection of his secret underlies his attempts at survival.  He is rescued by a loving and caring family for a brief period until he is reunited with his absent father.  This leads him away from a sheltered and nurturing life into one of worldly behaviours and influence.  His companionship with an unsupervised youth leads him to a life-forming friendship and into addiction and danger.  Throughout, he returns to a stabilizing and exploited situation that bears strongly upon his development.  This is a compelling read, beautifully and descriptively written and full of life lessons.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30OG7CA8DYTBL?ASIN=0316055441	Read When You Have the Time to Focus	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you are a person who can't put a book down when there are more pressing things on your agenda, then wait until upu are on a vacation or recovering from surgery.  This is a literary saga in every sense.  There a passages that are so bleak one wants to simply stop reading or scan until the plot becomes more optimistic.  If you are tempted to do that remember that Ms. Tartt's style is rich and you may miss some extraordinary passages. She has some very cogent observations about fate and good coming from evil.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGM46RG5E98XB?ASIN=0316055441	Don't read this........	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">.........if you are a scaredy cat.  I was told to push through, keep reading.  I did and I'm glad.  Parts of it were so sad and/or tense, I felt like I was in a movie, slinking down in my seat with hands over my eyes, waiting for the relief of good to come.  Some think it's too long, but I think the author was brilliant in making the reader live day after endless day, because that's real life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F5R8AFJF7JNW?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long read but great!  Twists and turns.  Not a mindless beach read-even though that is where I started reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FE8R5RA6A08E?ASIN=0316055441	Confusing story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was expecting a story about art; turned out to be a story of a troubled youth who was damaged early in life by tragic circumstances.  The painting seemed an after thought --- a latent and almost non-existant role in his life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MWAU9RV2ZBEG?ASIN=0316055441	brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A compelling story from the beginning, beautifully crafted work with moments of true genius.  This is a book worth reading again and again.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LNRGMGWNNZ13?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel was among the best I have ever read.  I highly recommend it for it's story line.  What an amazing ride for a little painting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSTEMDEKPIXHL?ASIN=0316055441	Totally inspiring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this book down, I found myself checking to see how many pages I had left  and slowing down my reading. I cried and laughed. This book has everything, a must read. I can never ever again sit down to a happy thanksgiving dinner the same. I mean I am a very giving person, helpful and caring but after reading this book I have to change my outlook on life. This book have changed my life, maybe it was in me all along but this book has brought out my ""honey, grow up and smell the coffee""<br/>EVERYBODY HAS TO READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R261MIOZYJZ8KE?ASIN=0316055441	I couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wasn't sure if this book was for me, but chose it because of the ratings.  I read it in two days.  I couldn't put it down.  I loved the main character with all of his flaws.  It was a great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GIHPRGIUMCAO?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm just 2/3 of the way through this (it's about 800 pages) but finding it hard to put down and a must read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PMY0QDOJQ03I?ASIN=0316055441	best book I've read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In a world in which authors are pressured to churn out a book a year, Tartt's exquisitely turned masterpieces are well worth the wait. Not just a page turner (though it is) but a piece of wisdom and beauty that grabs your heart and intellect.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HZNOTNRD0OVX?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoy The Goldfinch for its journey.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very different from my usual thriller type reading. I found myself drawn into this young man's life and I cared.  The author's writing is clean, crisp, and honest.  There was a huge range of emotion on display while events unfolded and finally some real world questions and  philosophy. This book should be enjoyed for its journey not for excitement.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S8KL0RCZK2W4?ASIN=0316055441	This book is definitely worth reading!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I noticed this on the best seller list for weeks and I was not disappointed. There is a lot to it and I especially liked the ending. Characters seemed overly into drugs and drinking but the end, for me, was worth the read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FXQ1PQ0NBLXP?ASIN=0316055441	Big read, very well done.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a huge book! I really liked it, but can't say I loved it. It prattled on in places, so found myself skimming through whole pages, which I am normally too detail driven to do. I read it quickly and was interested throughout. So much i depth research (or firsthand knowledge?) went into the story and I was very interested in the characters, although none of them were particularly likeable- I had to get to the end, although I didn't exactly like it, being a fan of happy ones.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QZ1S46G3425F?ASIN=0316055441	jelena Figuetoa	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is my first book by Donna Tartt and it was extremely long. The ending was uneventdul, leaving the characters hangng without a conclusion,<br/>There were too many locations she took the characters to without conncecting it and making real sense. It wss too descriptive at times, I lost the momentum if the story.<br/>Good read but not the best read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MN1OUJRZ4E90?ASIN=0316055441	Mesmerising	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rich believable characters that you begin to know and love. At times agonising as the protagonist loses control of his life's direction.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LBYFRFUUIBG1?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book sucked me in so deep and completely!! I didn't want it to end and it moved me enough to write my first review.<br/><br/>Don't be discouraged by the length you will not notice. I loved following Theo through the hardest part of his life. I felt all his pain, strength, and love.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M0UYK0TYZ41L?ASIN=0316055441	Well paced, language flows and characters have soul	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a big book but I can't  think of a page I would eliminate. Characters are current and solid. Each one interesting and identifiable. The story is unrealistic but this is fiction and it is the characters that make it a good story. I love a book whose people I like. It is rare to find so many in one story. So sit back and enjoy an interesting adventure with interesting characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DFU23TMX0GOO?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this probably is one of my all time favorites. I hate to see Theo, Hobie and Boris go! love, love, love....</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXS0JOAHKI0BP?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Writing style was unusual, but I enjoyed it. The story kept my interest from beginning to end. The characters were well developed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLGQ2R75B6CRD?ASIN=0316055441	Good late night read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found myself staying up late reading this book as it was hard to put down.  The author pulls us into Theo's life as he grows from a middle-school student to a young man along a tumultuous path.  It is well-written and very descriptive with various twists to Theo's life.  The book does go a bit astray at the end as the author goes into a rather long philosophical writing that did not seem to come only from Theo's voice, although he does interject himself at times during this conclusion, so we can know what path he is heading down at the end of the book.  Overall, this is a good read and I gave it 4 stars because the end seemed to be in a different tone than the rest of the book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UA5BQLSCAZS3?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely stunning! I loved and hated reading this beautiful book. The same way I have loved and hated living this beautiful life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RDX3AQ2B7ORZ?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt, one smart gal	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read and a good story but not great.  Some chapters and episodes are much too wordy and the ideas and emotions involved could have been accomplished with fewer words...which is why this book is 750 pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UMOSIYOBAJQJ?ASIN=0316055441	Well constructed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think this was a very well-constructed book.. It kept my interest even though it was very long. Other friends felt it was too long and told lme they skipped parts. I read every word.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18LZOR3TPN7AI?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Who would think a book about a painting would make you question all the choices you have made in life? We are what the world make us.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33AVU1GQ6I57L?ASIN=0316055441	disappointing ending.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a good read but I was disappointed on the ending. Sometimes you wished the main character would just speak up!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C3VBJKFSU7W1?ASIN=0316055441	pretty good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished this book.  It is slow in parts, but is still worth reading.  There are many interesting characters and twists and turns/</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LLUZBHWLBTAH?ASIN=0316055441	A must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A must read...excellent ...life can be traveled on a journey of good and evil. Everyone makes their own choice. These choices make a difference in ones journey.  This book is a out consequences.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39OQOZ6DWI6PE?ASIN=0316055441	Absolutely Fantastic Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the most enjoyable and wise books I have read in a long time  I literally could not put it down..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IFBDAG6IBS1W?ASIN=0316055441	A LONG novel about a young boy who is left orphaned, and undertakes to avoid foster care by escaping the system.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put this one down - it spans this man's life from the time he is orphaned as a kid, to his adult years and personality disorders because of his childhood.  But that doesn't begin to summarize it - there is a second character who parallels the primary character, and their adolescent years together surviving without parents, is a real insight to a way of life that most of us will never know about.  The descriptive writing is truly compelling, leaving you wondering all through the book how on earth it's going to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R218PS6UZIM19W?ASIN=0316055441	Theo	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the story of a young man left on his own . Everything he went thru, the relationships he made,everything..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16SLGBQ9M1JG4?ASIN=0316055441	A serious novel that inspires the reader to think!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's novel ""The Goldfinch"" has more food for thought than most modern novels. The nature and value of art, the loss of safety and love, a child's view of the world when his is turned upside down, are just 3 themes she explores. The novel is told exclusively from protagonist Theo Decker's point of view.  He goes from a young boy of 13 to a young man of 27 whose life and poor choices are dominated by outside events over which he has little or no control. A devastating explosion in an art museum starts Theo on his life journey of the next 14 years that bring he and the reader to a hard-won better understanding of some of life's biggest questions.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M6T7OZLBEUMQ?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This author developed each and every character beautifully.  The story was an unique idea with many twists and turns.  It was a thrilling ride and adventure into the Fine Arts and Antiques world.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B8YNV74K8UC8?ASIN=0316055441	Can't believe I'm reading it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm at 54% and can't believe I'm still reading it.  It's far too long, it has minimal plot and I didn't like the opening chapter with the similarities to 9/11.  It is Donna Tartt's writing that has me hooked 100%. She is an artist that uses words to paint with.  It is her rendering of the many minor characters that populate the book that makes it so enjoyable,  doormen, bus drivers, society ladies, well meaning teachers etc etc.<br/>To me, the story is about the way people respond to each other, either in brief throw away moments or enduring relationships. We seem to be given no direction from Ms Tartt on the moral worth of anyone's actions, so refreshing!<br/>My only complaint would be that the plot feels contrived and is only there as a structure for the writing to hang off, thankfully the writing is wonderful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYYQZLH8GLG96?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book. It was long and winding but it was worth the time to read it. I would recommend it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29GC5FYL6S2EB?ASIN=0316055441	Follow your heart	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. I recommend this book to everyone.  You can live life on your  own terms.  Bad can be for good  and vice versa.  I wish I had realized long ago that following your heart didn't have to be limited. So many times my heart would give me directions to true desire and I can't get there, cause someone else wouldn't approve and they aren't even invited.<br/><br/>  to get anywhere near much less follow my heart</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CAIC8CGO3BV1?ASIN=0316055441	5mamma	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found myself reading this book until the wee hours of morning.<br/>Wow!<br/>Interesting, educational and fun at the same time. Also, a little bit of the dark side that I like to read about (not live)</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QTN61FUAOWSK?ASIN=0316055441	Great storytelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Super entertaining and thought provoking. Doesn't get the five stars because  it was just a little too long of a read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKCQ1338TGTOS?ASIN=0316055441	A winding yet beautiful journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wasn't sure what to think of the book in chapter one. It takes some time to get moving but once it does, I appreciated the amount of character setting in the early chapters. This book gives you perspective on choices, relationships, self worth and ... Life. I enjoyed learning to understand Theo!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38G4VR1F4C6MX?ASIN=0316055441	Literary Masterpiece by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book. I didn't want to put it down. The book is far-reaching in time and brings in several cultures. I highly recommend it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PHHBN82QNWOI?ASIN=0316055441	Utterly compelling.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this novel gripping, beautifully written and actually quite profound. I got very fond of the flawed nature of the very human characters. Never predictable, always satisfying, I couldn't stop reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S8MR42NTGX0V?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A storyline that compels you to read on and on to see what will happen next...like a train wreck!  You know what you will see will be terrible, and pull your head and heart down, but the spark of HOPE is so undying, so full of possible life, that you weep for the Joy of Life, and weep for the unfairness too!  Philosophical in scope, and dramatic in sequence, you will count this as one book that changes your outlook, or at the minimum it causes you to pause and question your life, to celebrate what you can celebrate!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23QKZY21QEXAO?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you've read The Secret History, you already know you'll be getting yourself into. Quirky/highly dysfunctional yet somehow functioning characters who narrate a compelling storyline. If you haven't read the Secret History - perhaps you should start there, as it's considerably shorter than The Goldfinch. And if you hate The Secret History, you might want to take a pass on this one. Though you really shouldn't as, it's still excellently written, with a compelling storyline, and juicy passages that you'll want to read, re-read and highlight.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R272H0VLWCBYGN?ASIN=0316055441	Well worth the time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not often comes a book that is written with such talent as this.<br/>A piece of perfection.<br/>No regrets for time spent, no boredom and no disdain.<br/>Just awe for this writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BXMLKTXQWJ5P?ASIN=0316055441	Takes a while to go anywhere	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It seems that for a long time I was reading I thought, ""What is this book supposed to be about?""  The plot is introduced quickly, but then takes a long time to develop.  The problem is it takes too long.  The author seems trapped between wanting to create a story of intrigue around art theft and the shady characters involved, and trying to simply making this a story about a character study of a complex and tragic young man.  By the time I reached the end, I wondered if portions of the book were really necessary.  Still, the book is readable.  The story is compelling enough to want to see it through to the end.  The protagonist is a very sympathetic character and the reader should become engaged enough to want to follow his story to the point where he might find success and happiness.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ATBQSHTSPLQ9?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She is the best writer that I've read in a long time.  I gave up on the plot a couple of time, but  I couldn't put down the book.  The end summery is great.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38SVRHAVOZ12A?ASIN=0316055441	great story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a great story. in parts I found it a little long winded, but worth persisting - did need to know what eventually happened!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KY9DOVI3L25C?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book...a little obscure at times. Absolutely bizarre ending as it is fairly verbose. Learned much about the art world.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OVT2CYV3MTGM?ASIN=0316055441	OUTSTANDING!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have ever read.  One should open it knowing nothing about and just<br/>go with.  Great characters, great story, great writing.  Reminded me some of reading<br/>Dickens.  she is a fabulous writer.  I wish I could give it more stars.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TQ1DLVKRG1TP?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book of beautiful, powerful  images and words, and messages about love and loss, redemption and self knowledge. A rite of passage as well as a philosophy on the human spirit.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF7QVODB3AL6A?ASIN=0316055441	great book club book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">interesting and beautifully written book with much to discuss in the formal setting of a book club<br/>Very interesting to see how people respond so differently to the same book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CXTG5F0V1WJ1?ASIN=0316055441	Astonishing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it is possible that this is the most lyrical and well written book I have ever read.  a stunningly good tour de force, as they say.  now I have to reread ""my secret history"" again .. I rarely reread, but this book has me wanting to experience more through the eyes of Donna Tarttt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4199XWV5OU5K?ASIN=0316055441	Too long...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch instantly grabbed my attention and I was so smitten with the early prose and style that I couldn't stop reading.  Unfortunately, about midway through the book the endless, description of Theo's existence became tedious.  I finished the book only because I was intrigued with the story which thankfully had some unexpected plot twists.  After reading all 800 plus pages I was left with two unanswered questions, 1.) what caused the explosion? and 2.) were Hobie and Welty lovers?<br/><br/>I also kept reading because I was intrigued by Theo's adoration of  Pippa.  It reminded me of Pip's unrequited love for Estella in Dicken's classic Great Expectations (one of my favorite books) and I wanted to find out if Theo fared better than Pip.  Although a talented writer in my opinion Ms. Tartt should take a hint from Dickens that the story is not better because it is lengthy.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M1F0SLZ74MO1?ASIN=0316055441	Slow start but very entertaining	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After a slow start this story really got going. I especially enjoyed the colorful characters throughout. Making lemonade with the lemons life has dealt you...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TZW78VYV3S1O?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful writing, wonderful characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen to Theo through this whole book .  I also really liked the writing</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LQ9BLGWP10MF?ASIN=0316055441	A great beginning to the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book begins withe great promise and hooked me right away with the story of Theo. I found though, that as it continued, it became tedious. Towards the end I had to force myself to finish reading. Pity!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SG81PO1KN2IE?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An epic novel with character development akin to the centuries' masterpieces. What's more it doesn't shy away from asking the eternal questions of life; and doesn't pretend to give easy answers. I want to read this epic again about a year from now in order to engage again with the characters and their questions. It was a privilege to enter the world of Theodore Decker and his friends.  I will be thinking about them for many months to come.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BOQJTXCUMS8G?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the way the author uses art and the sights and sounds of New York. Theo is very easy to like, even with his faults. The description of the explosion is haunting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HWOWUQ61D4H9?ASIN=0316055441	Very intriguing...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this book was very exciting for a dramatic themed book.  It really makes you see how different circumstances that happen in life, can affect how we think and how we are.  Lasting fr iendships, responsibility, and questions of love are just some of the thought provoking ideas in this book.  very, very interesting read!  I'd recommend it very much!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14K87N1GOEVHF?ASIN=0316055441	Started great, but then........	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love the author's writing style.  Was caught up in the story until the Amsterdam scenes.  Too disjointed.  Too long.  Broke the  flow and my interest.<br/><br/>Gave it three stars because I DID like the story, although I didn't expect the darker ending.<br/><br/>Would buy another book by this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26BZA9IZXY83N?ASIN=0316055441	masterpiece!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book will become A great American Classic.  A cross between Dostoevesky's Crime and Punishment and a modern day Saul Bellow's The Adventures of Augie March.  Fantastic novel!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WZ555XB0UF0Z?ASIN=0316055441	SO SO	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book tedious-way too much description and wordiness.  The characters are likeable and interesting, but the book could have been lot's shorter!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QS0D2NPO6KGK?ASIN=0316055441	Gripping, poignant and brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not since ""The Prince of Tides"" by Pat Conroy, which I read several years ago, have I been so enmeshed with a story and a character as I found myself with Theodore Decker in The Goldfinch.  The book gripped me from the very first chapter and I actually felt a bit of  sadness and loss as I read the final sentence.  Ms. Tartt has created such believable characters, filled with such profoundly identifiable human characteristics of both the good and the bad that my heart overflowed with empathy as well as joy.  I thoroughly enjoyed the character, Boris, and loved how his energy and humor served to balance out the darker, sadder, more introspective feelings of Theo, and I found myself laughing out loud whenever Boris was in the spotlight.  Reading fiction is one of my favorite pastimes and I was thrilled to have found such a beautifully written, interesting novel with such depth and brilliance.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XZVCODKO0PYV?ASIN=0316055441	slow start to story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much background material.  Lots  of paragraphs about deep thinking of individuals that I found to be far more than I wanted to to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I82NP2V88TEE?ASIN=0316055441	Fast paced, historical, mystery intrigue.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms.Tartt writes like a man. Nothing feminine about the book whatsoever. The lead character caught my heart immediately. The author is excellent, gifted.  Read this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZCPN1YYWVUPA?ASIN=0316055441	not my favorite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lost empathy for the protagonist about 3/4 of the way through the book.  too much description of drug abuse and alcohol.  I enjoyed the characterization throughout and all the art references.  thought the book dragged and had a weak ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXKOL04Z779P4?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So well written... very engaging.... lends interesting perspective on the up's and down's of human experience.... unexpected disappointments, kindnesses, losses, betrayals, weaknesses.......<br/>Lot's of literary metaphors may go right over the head of the less educated reader</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37ZKKC6QS78P8?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First, I must preface this review with saying that I am a voracious reader of many types of books. This read turned into a job for me, as I must finish every book that I begin.<br/><br/>I was looking forward to reading this tome; because it has been on the New York Times Bestseller List for a while. Upon starting it, I had a feeling that it might be disappointing. Let me begin with the fact that it is much too wordy. Many of the paragraphs throughout this book could have been eliminated, as the descriptive parts were often unnecessary. The emotion that was elicited for the main character, Theodore Decker, in the beginning, was justified. In the middle and in the end, I was disgusted with his choices in friends, in life decisions and his outlook for his future. There is no happiness in this book.<br/><br/>It was apparent to me, that only a person, who suffers from a level of depression, could have written this book. The whole book is about depression and is depressing to read. While the character's life, at a very early and impressionable time, was sad and gruesome in many ways;  there still should have been periods of time where there was happiness. There is no attempt by the author to give the main character a chance for help. It was a story of life destruction with no light around the corner. I fully expected the end to contain one suicide and one murder. Who knows, if the book continued, there may have been those issues?<br/><br/>On the whole, the book did not warrant all of those pages. I could only half heartedly recommend this book to anyone. I would have to tell them that they need to know that after all of the time taken to read this, it was not very satisfying at the end; because, you just knew that the patterns for the character's life were set and well on its way to more of the same.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20EZIT1QGNL19?ASIN=0316055441	entertaining	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is well written and entertaining. All characters are fully developed and live true to their characters. A terroristic explosion creates and changes the lives of everyone involved. I enjoyed it very much.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I0KJRYNUXN51?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good book.  So different.  Lots of details.  Keeps your interest.  I want to get a book on Art after I finished this.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EFI10E0AKHWM?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long book which tends to ramble at times but holds your interest from the first page to the last</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UHMAW2E8IAH3?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book, imaginative and well-written, in depth characters, good story, a must-read for anyone who likes works of fiction that draw you in and pull you along</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H3E4ZL96TCCF?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the best I've ever read, despite its faults of being overly long, and perhaps overly indulgent on the author's part on the subject of furniture.  The characters are true, believable and likable despite their flaws, the narrative moves steadily, and the writing is exquisite .  This book could well go down in time as a masterpiece.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IFTOALJMRSFE?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most extraordinary and gorgeous books I have ever read. Unquestionably the best book of the year. I cannot overpraise, The Goldfinch.' It is honestly a masterpiece. You will absolutely love it. I do not know one person who doesn't agree (although I'm sure there are some, I just, apparently, don't know them. Many many months after having read it my Mother and I often write to one another about it and how much we enjoyed it.What a talent Ms Tartt is. Just breathtaking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1953VGQVG0IZF?ASIN=0316055441	"Don't let the ""art"" aspect stop you from reading this engrossing story."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this story! At first I thought it was going to be too ""highbrow""  -- being about a ""stolen"" painting and what ensues, But, the characters drew me in and I was quickly engrossed. My husband read it, too and had the same experience. It is one of my all-time favorites!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R728WLGEXAB7V?ASIN=0316055441	Verbose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved all the characters. too much detail for me. a lot of sadness and much adventure.I am glad I read it, however a shortened version would have been better.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SAIQM0RBGZPT?ASIN=0316055441	Addictive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Haunting, sad, depressing. But I couldn't put it down. At times it rambled on incoherently with the most random but specific observations. You enter the mind of one who can't face the reality of being alive after being abandoned time and again. You enter the toxicity of Theo's life willing him to lived or at least be saved by someone or something. But we can only save ourselves and leave behind some good that others have left behind for us.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRWG3FANI023H?ASIN=0316055441	Marathon Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow!  Over 700 pages and quite a story!  The book started out fast with a compelling storyline, but could have been said with less words.  I had to skim parts of it - the story and characters depressed me as well as overtook my thoughts while I was reading it.  I'm glad I read it but it felt like I was running a marathon.  I was determined to finish it and glad I did.  Lots of things to think about.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN61X0M51UM7B?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch is pure gold	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't read this book yet.  I got it for my wife who has raved about it.  I can hardly wait to finish the book I am on so that I can read it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R9KCWX1B0TBM?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was an interesting story, but dragged on and on.  The ending was page after page of philosophy of life.  Again, that would have been more interesting if it hadn't been so long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVUCKE3QNWFY?ASIN=0316055441	Holden Caufield Revisited	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written...a little long in a couple places...A young, lost soul in New York, PLUS art, friendship, and existential thinking...amazing!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VFXG53Q2AKCN?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I understand what the negative reviewers have pointed out but, for me, it just worked. Albeit a depressing, somewhat heavy plot, her character development and descriptions were powerful enough to override this and I needed to know what happened next.  I think what drew my interest from the start was my appreciation for art and I could totally relate to the scene at the museum, and having lived in NYC for many years, I felt like I was standing next to them admiring the painting(s).  For a reader without this particular aesthetic, I can understand why it would feel like a tedious read at times.  I could relate to many of the New York scenes and felt I was living them along with Theo.  The years in Vegas were also a necessary rite of passage for a young troubled boy getting his angst out.  I think she was particularly brilliant as a woman, as someone else pointed out, in creating the strong relationship between Theo and Boris.  It was very realistic and true to the age and background of the two boys.  While Boris was absolutely a bad influence on young impressionable Theo, he did take him out of his wallowing self-pity and provided an emotional anchor. She achieved her goal in making me root for him regardless what he did throughout the book and even as he got deeper and deeper into pills and booze.  It all made perfect sense to me considering the shattering impact of his Mother's death.  How does one simply ""get over it""?  You don't, you simply learn to cope in your own way.  Hobie was wonderful and I felt she neglected his character a bit, because, as the stand-in dad to Theo, she could have developed him even more than she did, but I guess she didn't want to take away from the rest of the plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIOGVWYP8K1RC?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful, painful storytelling at its finest	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have some friends who didn't like this book because some parts of it were ""sad."" That is exactly why I loved this book, because the author didn't make everything neat and clean and tied up in a bow. Tartt tells this story with such vivid poignancy that you feel like you are living with the characters and feeling their emotions, not just viewing them from afar. A wonderful read that explores dysfunction, love, and longing, all within the fascinating world of arts and antiques.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR3HOQNSDIC2B?ASIN=0316055441	Sad book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the book a lot but it had some pretty depressing statements profound but sad. I enjoyed the early to middle part more than the end</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ2JHRFIAW3W8?ASIN=0316055441	An Excellent Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story line and character development were thoughtful and well done. Characters were very interesting and some were unusual. Try it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10EHS3ZL69E2C?ASIN=0316055441	Suffering in All Its Forms	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo, the protagonist, was brutalized by a father who later abandoned wife and son. Theo's beloved mother dies suddenly and tragically. Theo was constantly bullied and bloodied at school. Needless  to say, The Goldfinch is not a feel-good book but an exploration of the  many aspects of suffering. Theo's body is wounded, but psychic damage goes even deeper. Most physical injury heals. The same cannot be said of mental agony.<br/>The goldfinch painting  depicts a bird whose movements are limited by a short chain. Parallels can be drawn between a  beleaguered  young man chained down by circumstance, and the restriction of movement of a bird meant to fly free.<br/>I finished the book because of the fine writing and a need to plow through the gloom and doom to find out what happens next. If you're prone to depression, this may not be the book for you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R53KNR8581JL8?ASIN=0316055441	Disaster That Intrigues	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A moving story: the effects of the terrorist attack on this young boy into adulthood were previously not imagined but conveyed in an intriguing story form that keeps the reader moving on.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R239K148LHM38H?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the best books I've read in a long time. Incredibly well written story and great character depth.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IJT486H6GLKB?ASIN=0316055441	So depressing...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to stop this book so many times, but was compelled to finish it hoping this poor character would grow up and turn out ok.  Some days when I picked it up I was just dreading it.  I'm not sure why this book is on the bestseller list, and has been for many weeks, but I would not recommend it to anyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W0RN3LHG9PU?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great Book - loved the story and the writing.  I would definitely recommend reading it.<br/>Couldn't put the book down</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TECLWRSUWDUM?ASIN=0316055441	Be prepared to invest some time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long, Long book, but worth the time invested in the long run. At first, I thought this book started rather slow with the boy's rather monotonous dialogue of his daily life. Then things began to happen to unravel that life and never seemed to quit. Stuck with one unfortunate consequence after another, I began to feel strongly for his plight, where just trying to live a normal life became impossible.<br/>The book is filled with interesting characters that become friends and enemies, as he goes through his journey of life filled with more sorrow than joy.<br/>What keeps you interested is how this one painting plays a huge role is his outcome, and wondering just what his outcome will be. A very good read, that I'm glad I listened to the reviews and gave it a try.  The four stars is for the length....just too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5GCOBBFSVDNG?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absorbing, beautifully written, with vividly drawn , memorable characters. Reminded me of another favorite, White Oleander, in the protagonists harrowing odyssey through homes and families after his mother's death.  A consuming, satisfying read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KG3PZJX5YWRY?ASIN=0316055441	Recommend The Coldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a book club selection. A great read from a writer who can take a single idea or a thought and write and write and write about it. Roll over Hemingway! And while there were places I felt she could have been more concise, over all I was interested and wanted to read on. Highly recommend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TKETNAVC5S2C?ASIN=0316055441	Complex plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first part of the book moved along fine and kept my intrest then it got too complicated and long descriptions which I skimmed over, lost total intrest in the last chapters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1030WFBZIBXWT?ASIN=0316055441	Soaring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book finds its footing immediately, with the compelling story of a young boy who encounters grief early and hard, and never lets up. The characters are so richly imagined you feel you know them. I highly recommend this book that, though long, flies by.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J3GMB4ZLK2UF?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyable read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ok, there were some who thought the author was too verbose, and yes, at times I thought so too.  But it worked for the book and I really enjoyed this story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CXM70FLOZP7B?ASIN=0316055441	Not a pleasant book to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the beginning and of course sympathized with the young young man whose mother died in a terrorist attack.  Living for over 40 years here in  Israel, unfortunately I have lived, not personally, through the horror of a terrorist attack.<br/><br/>I disliked the rest of the story. The two main characters grew up to be very unlikeable. It was way too long and at the end I was skipping pages one after the other just to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12B9IDALG5FKG?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's beautiful writing ""hooked"" me immediately and I found this multi-layered novel nearly impossible to put down.  What a reading gift this book is!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D6NA167WGM2F?ASIN=0316055441	too much self destruction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">book is extremely well written.  too long.  too implausible. too much self destruction.  I was glad when I finished it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C4L6MW0ARU7B?ASIN=0316055441	A Must Reas	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This ranks as one of my top three favorite books. The story was captivating, and I thoroughly enjoyed Tartt's sophisticated writing style.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TYO9EFL070J7?ASIN=0316055441	Buy this book--you won't be  sorry!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have been a Donna Tartt for years.  The book is simply the best I've read in a long time.  The characters are well drawn and the story is so well written, lots of twists and turns.  I didn't want it to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23QZKXWPTM52S?ASIN=0316055441	disa[ointing for a bestseller	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">unclear why this is a best seller - slow read - disappointing ending- dialogue is a mess- story line ok</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWODYUHCMOU5W?ASIN=0316055441	great beginning, then way too much detail and rambling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had great hopes for this book and in fact highly recommended it about 200 pages into the story. I read like a fiend  every chance I got. Then the story became verbose, filled with rambling rants, and desperately needed editing. It took me a week to finish the last 200 or so pages.  Such a shame for story with so much potential to let it become less and less believable and preachy.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14CHCPW5P3XX2?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm reading it  for a book club discussion group.,otherwise, I wouldn't get past  100 pages. The plot didnt even start to unfold until after the first 150 pages. And the author certainly could have written the story without so many F----.  I hate it !!!!!<br/><br/>I give it a zero rating.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14KZI5CRNBIX4?ASIN=0316055441	Long read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story just thought it went on and on a bit. Be more enjoyable to make story shorter and therefore have more impact and tenacity</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G9A31APO6ROP?ASIN=0316055441	Can't put this down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first few pages threw me off, then about page 3 I became captivated, horrified, intrigued, waiting to see what could possibly happen next. A definite recommendation to buy or borrow this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YIQJP5J8F3ZW?ASIN=0316055441	Long but worthwhile.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like long books , following a family history over the years and this is certainly that. Even though the life of the young man about whom the book is written takes almost unimaginable twists and turns, some how the writer allows for the suspension of disbelief so you are caught up in his story and you hate to put the book down, because of the suspense  created. I think it helped to to be believable because real people and places were a part of the story, on the periphery. I would recommend the book for those who enjoy following the lives of a family with interesting and unusual lives.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9RED2CX2DSEG?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't believe the depth of understanding Donna Tarrt had of the physical, emotional and psychological scars caused by a catastrophe, as well as the integrated relationships between friends.  This is a book you cannot put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R7RJ8N1MNUQQ?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful prose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel has lovely prose, but is very long, and could have easily been edited down 200-300 pages and retained the meaning wholly. Very interesting, intelligent reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VF5Y6D0AFCET?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great characterization and descriptions and artistic and cultural references. exciting plot and relatable characters make this book a great read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GY2Z5L66QLQL?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating but not the real deal	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch sucked me in and I loved reading it for awhile. The main character, I can't even remember his name, was a bit of a whiner and was more like a girl than a boy. The boy's mother was wonderful and his friend Boris also very interesting. The lifestyles, and flippant attitudes of the other characters, including the main character, were unreal to me and I couldn't connect. I did like the physical descriptions of furniture, clothing, drugs, etc. I've been to Amsterdam, New York and Las Vegas more than once and the take on those places seemed on but kind of cramped. The moral of the story, if there was one, eluded me. But I enjoyed the ride and there was some really good, and witty conversations about meaningless things. The author can write, but should have stopped writing 200 pages sooner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YCOSJPZRBGLH?ASIN=0316055441	Mesmerising	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely remarkable piece of work. Worth of every second of my life.<br/>Readable in one big breath.<br/>Would recommend to anyone who is longing for good writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW19BMVW2KP3T?ASIN=0316055441	Throughly enjoyed this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch held my attention from beginning to the end.<br/>Good story, excellent characters, well written. I would recommend<br/>it to all.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QZM31Q6S05SM?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible writing, a page turner saga.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is worth every minute invested int reading it. Wow, what a brilliant writer is Donna Tartt  These characters were so rich and fully developed that I almost felt they could be riding the subway or walking along Park Avenue with me. What a tale! I couldn't put it down. One of the best book's I've ever read! The description of what goes into refinishing furniture was totally spellbinding. And getting stuff in and out of those storage warehouses in Manhattan - that was so eerily captured. The author nailed so much imagery in so many venues that she had to have had an army researching for her. Either that, our she must be one of the most fascinating persons on the planet.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPYLS9VN40DX5?ASIN=0316055441	A hard read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting subject matter but way to much philosophy to wade through. Some of the flash backs were hard to follow or broke the flow of the action. Was a struggle to finish the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21TYO9QI7EOJQ?ASIN=0316055441	Wow.  Suspenseful, intelligent.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I spent many hours reading this book instead of sleeping like I was supposed to.  It was worth it.  This book was suspenseful, makes you think about the meaning of life.  Intend to edit this review with more when I have had more time to reflect, as I just finished the book this morning over breakfast.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GOC7NPWY5A6V?ASIN=0316055441	Dissapointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">With all the hype...I thought this would be much better.....Did not like writing style... Not Best seller quality writing....Last 100 pages did redeem it...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK81O75NR6BX8?ASIN=0316055441	hit and miss	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great journey but the end was an anticlimactic attempt to wrap things up, followed by a long-winded diatribe that left me just bored.  Sometimes the most powerful points need the least words.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R59Z5NJHHTBHK?ASIN=0316055441	Best novel I've read in quite a while	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot of The Goldfinch is absorbing and not cliched or done up nicely with a sunshiney happy ending, while still offering a satisfying resolution.  Donna Tartt makes us care about her characters, but also introduces some thought-provoking questions: to what extent our lives are controlled by fate, or at least forces beyond our control; how to go on living despite loss, loneliness, or failure; what it means to be a good person.  Beyond the plot and ideas, what gave the book resonance was its literary and artisitic allusions.  The artwork of the title connects us to the Dutch Masters, whose paintings showed their understanding of the human condition.  Tartt alludes to literature that also deals with this motif:  in the poem ""Musee des Beaux Arts,""  W.H. Auden claims:  ""About suffering they were never wrong/The Old Masters:  how well they understood/Its human position. . . .""  This novel is about suffering, and Tartt's extensive references to Russian literature support themes that relate to this core aspect of life.  For those familiar with Fyodor Dostoyevsky's novels ""Crime and Punishment"" and ""The Idiot,"" the multiple allusions bring not only insight but the delight of finding connections.  To use the novel's central setting, Hobie's antique restoration shop, as a metaphor, the allusions are like uncovering beautiful old pieces of furniture, complete with their own stories, among the confusing detritus of Theo's blundering, self-destructive path through life. The book was rich with insights into the relationships of children with their parents, especially fathers and sons; mothers will find themselves wanting to nurture the neglected boys, Theo and his Russian friend, Boris (who is a Razumikhin figure for Theo's Raskolnikov).  There were only a couple of problems with the novel:  I had a hard time fixing the timeline, as it seemed to be post-9/11, (security measures, cell phones) but that would throw off the narratiion from the perspective of an adult Theo, 13-14 years later.  The novel was well-written, but there were occasional  lumpy constructions:  ""dumbfoundment""?  Why not use the participle, ""dumbfounded""?  (Little things a good editor would pick up.)  I've been recommending it to friends, and I'll be reading it again.  Don't let anyone dissuade you because of length; a good book makes you want more.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YLFE0C9M3S6Q?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling storytelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best book I've read in a long time.<br/>Interesting subject.<br/>Interesting characters.<br/>Interesting plot.<br/>It sang to me.<br/>Really.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UDS9EM6CKT0B?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was easily the best book I've read in a long time.  Great plot.  Characters were well developed and extremely interesting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22YP4P0NHQGTN?ASIN=0316055441	Not so gold.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great beginning ,  good ending but the rest could have been cut by about 200 words.  I never found anything to like about these characters.  They were not nice people and I hate to think that people like them even exist.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U9CU6BD6ZMDJ?ASIN=0316055441	Self indulgent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The viewpoint is from a male from the age of 14 through to late twenties. The descriptive prose itself very detailed and full of imagery is not congruent with the verbal output of the usual male. The female writer's voice comes through strongly and I found myself unable to believe the main character because of this. A book for someone who wants to ""smell the roses"" when the roses are the thoughts and pain of someone having survived a violent tragedy. Not an easy read for someone who wants to get into a story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FWD2RDQHI825?ASIN=0316055441	A small painting but a very big story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent story on how a painting affected so many lives. I did find it a bit long.  Loved the outcome.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34024ID0DH6Q5?ASIN=0316055441	Charming, Engaging, Enthralling Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this novel.  Who would think a novel about what happens to a young boy in New York City would captivate me as it did?  It was mostly due to the incredibly descriptive detail that brought me in, intimately, to the scenes of the story.  And the relatively unexpected turns and twists.  It's a story about the depth of human connections, whether they are historic, or spontaneous.  I recommend this book highly, and look forward to reading other books by this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NQ075U13XM11?ASIN=0316055441	Not my idea of a best seller	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book jumped around too much and had too much extraneous information.  The ending was anti-climactic.  I was disappointed since it had ranked so high on the NYTimes best seller list.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FQGQMWSQSW1N?ASIN=0316055441	Distractions from a good story line	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">All the endless descriptions of drug and alcohol abuse took away from a good story. Good read if the editor had cut out a fourth of the book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R100HV44W1WSJV?ASIN=0316055441	Good read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story is a bit long. I feel like it could have been about 300 pages shorter. Still a good read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FVJ56CV7E2S6?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling Tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story begins with a tragedy and winds itself around into beauty and self awareness.  The writing is impeccable and even though I put it down a few times, I always came back to see what was happening.<br/>Donna Tartt was a surprise and now I want to read her other works.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HUXHU5DD7KBR?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrific read.  Highly recommend it.  YOu won't be able to put it down.  You will feel what Theo is going through.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV5JSGFW0J7J4?ASIN=0316055441	Savor it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found The Goldfinch entrancing. It was one of those books you can't stop reading but don't want to end. I've read some criticisms of it as verbose. Yes, there is much description, but it is so beautifully written and the characters (especially Boris--ah, Boris!) so interesting that the length was not a problem for me. What's the big rush, anyway? Just let the story take you and enjoy the ride.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25QFDXXL4KV8W?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Vivid characters, compelling plot, well written....I would recommend this book.<br/>It was moving and characters were very well developed and believable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPSOSUODMLRE8?ASIN=0316055441	Very well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was extremely well written and I enjoyed about 80% of it. When Boris and Potter are in Las Vegas there is WAY too much detail and again when Boris re-enters the picture in New York and Amsterdam. I absolutely hate Boris and his character and thought the writing on him was too detailed-the book needed to move on. That's why I had such a hard time finishing the book. A good read, but only once.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZFKQNC6P3PMP?ASIN=0316055441	A very uneven attempt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sometimes riveting, and often boring, this story of teenage angst and scary drug use uses The Goldfinch as a vehicle to define one man's quest for self destruction.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU68K1LFXLXQJ?ASIN=0316055441	Too long and philisophical	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Two sections were extremely long. The book did not close properly identifying what happened to all the characters. There was too much ""meaning of life"" discussion.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V6V13INFJY2Q?ASIN=0316055441	Rich and satisfying	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's hard to know what to say about this book. It's coming-of-age story, mystery, exploration of human suffering and the parameters of good and evil, philosophy and aesthetics. Trapped in a terrorist attack, a young boy receives a ring from a dying man and with it opens up his whole life to the knowledge and love of beauty. He also steals a painting that shapes his sense of guilt and leads him into temptation step by step, year by year. The characters are carefully drawn and the turns of the plot follow inexorably from the consequences of human choices, but with a paradoxical grace that both entertains and questions the sensibilities of the reader. It is a little work to read such a fine story</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV1SPECD69WFJ?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've ever read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A captivating story with rich characters. I feel like I know them intimately. I couldn't put the book down! I highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M6UHYXFO2HX5?ASIN=0316055441	A striking book with an unexpected message about life and choices.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this book because it was very intriguing and kept going at a pace that pulled me in when I didn't really want to be pulled in.  It left me with a surprising feeling of joy and understanding.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZHRGT12FNMU9?ASIN=0316055441	good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was totally hooked after the first few pages. I love the way she describes everything. It paints a perfect picture in you head.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GZ787Z4HYCVB?ASIN=0316055441	very good, but dragged out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed it but could have been shorter. I liked her book Secret History more. I found myself reading other books then getting back to it</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QWW55HNUOGDK?ASIN=0316055441	loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very engrossing. Sort of Angels and Demons meets A Thousand Little Pieces. Characters are deep enough that they are easy to visualize and hear in your head.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUNE1IOKJ2OWO?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is not something I would normally dive into or give a chance, however it reached out and grabbed me right from the start. I don't know what it is but I couldn't stop reading until I literally could not keep my eyes open. I don't think I will truly understand the depth of this book for some days. It will take some time to sink it. Do yourself a favor</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VK7FYSSY161U?ASIN=0316055441	Over rated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author had a good storyline, but she spent too much time describing drug induced moments and too much time describing the obvious.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVBKMYUXDP3O6?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the writing style, and immediately became immersed in the story, which is very unusual.  The characters are vividly drawn, there are plot twists, and I could not stop reading.  Cannot discuss the topic without creating a spoiler. A perfect vacation read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R203PIGRX36EIN?ASIN=0316055441	Now I have to go and see the painting.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great tale. Gripping in parts. Very enjoyable. A great summer beach book to download or hard copy to leave in your beach rental.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NS08UR66E5D?ASIN=0316055441	Well written saga	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can only agree with all the  5 and 4 star posts, this was an engrossing story.  The fully written characters (like them or not) were engaging and will stay with me.  At times the story was so dark, and I sensed the impending doom, I had to take a break.  But so glad I finished this one, well worth the time.  The sheer length of this book makes it easier to read on Kindle.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17MF6MMZPSS3Z?ASIN=0316055441	Borrowed from the library, will buy it for future reread.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The length of this engrossing read made me happy, I didn't want it to end.. I loved this book. Only once in a while does a story come along and grab you, absorb you into the scenery, shake you, then spit you out. Not a book for a casual moment, read when you have time blocked out. Other wise you will stay up way too late, I know I did. This author must have an interesting mind.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22268X388BMGR?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This latest from Donna Tartt has great characters, a compelling premise, with page turning plotting. It is a long book, but you would never know it. I flew through it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NF2TSAXNK449?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it thoroughly.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it just astounds me how this, or any, author can write a story as complicated as The Goldfinch: the characters, the tragedies, the imaginative story.  I have no idea how anyone could possibly put all these things together in beautiful prose and superb story telling, but I loved all of it.  Kudos Donna Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B8HHCU8TBZW0?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful writing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the writing was amazing in several places through out the story, but there were others when it went on too long.  All in all, I really enjoyed the book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3004BKXFWJLJV?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a long book and, in my opinion, very wordy.  The story, although a good story, could have been told with half the pages.<br/>Probably won't read the other two books.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XYEIQKM1HZF7?ASIN=0316055441	Surviving loss	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, interesting novel dealing with the  maturation of an adolescent and his adjustment to loss.  Lots of perspectives on life and the process of living although there is a bit too much of a philosophical lecture at the end.  The descriptions in the book are wonderful and  capture  crystal clear images and pictures.  However, the reader should be warned that the abundant heavy drug scenes are scary and upsetting in their vividness.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB5GBDJSJMB9O?ASIN=0316055441	well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You won't be able to put it down. It is very well written and imaginative. It is dark and beautiful.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CCZ2L5JTAV63?ASIN=0316055441	Very long-winded	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When one writes (or reads) a 770 page book, one likes some assurance that the investment of time will be worthwhile. As a reader, I decided unusually early in my reading that ""The Goldfinch"" did not fulfill the expectations I derived from the many glowing reviews.<br/><br/>I found the opening intriguing and the early description of the explosion to be very gripping-- so clearly written that I wondered if the author had been part of a similar event. But then, it went on and on, and the suspense and sense of plot movement became less and less. I made it to only 6% before questioning the pace of the book, read some reviews, found that I agreed most with the leading 2-star reviews, and decided to stop. I wouldn't recommend it, but that's just my two cents.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH9UJEPDRBYDW?ASIN=0316055441	Not Finished	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am only about 1/3 of the way through, but so far really enjoy the book. I am looking forward to continuing the journey.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10L47Q2UYDDF7?ASIN=0316055441	Pretty easy to follow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was better than other books I have read recently, which hasn't been a lot. It was pretty easy to follow and had a good ending. A lot about drug use with the characters which didn't add a lot to the story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KNCPC5W7HB73?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting plotline, but overly verbose & redundant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning I was completely entranced. Parts of the middle I had to clinch my fists and read with one eye open - not out of suspense but out of pain.  The end dragged on endlessly and while the plot specifically was brilliant, the writing style made it rather difficult to enjoy what was happening.  If Tartt had to discuss the Amsterdam canals and the thickness of the light one more time I was going to throw the book across the room.  Her attempt to get profound towards the end felt contrived and forced.  I didn't find believable that people of Boris &amp; Theo's type sat around after a major heist and philosophized.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TNU9B1UWWTON?ASIN=0316055441	I didn't want it to end....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the descriptions of the different locations. There were so many levels of tragedy and sadness and yet moments when friendship and love got ""Potter"" through.... it would make an interesting movie...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VFRXPP9P54SV?ASIN=0316055441	excellent and surprising	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's long, and it turns out to be a story completely unlike what I expected. And that's why I loved it. It surprised me, and I love it when books surprise me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KZDMRETLK5OB?ASIN=0316055441	Rambling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a disappointment.  While there were parts that were somewhat interesting, the writer tended to ramble with long sentences that meandered all over the place.  The book was at least twice as long as it needed to be.  I just got tired of it, so I would not recommend it to my friends.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4YZXIDVEQIPR?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting premise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the twists in the plot and the in depth of characters.  A bit long at points but appreciated Tartt's philosophy on life.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GHHC6KT5AQJ2?ASIN=0316055441	John's Opinion	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the best reads I have enjoyed in quite a while. The author is excellent in taking us over several years and the descriptions are so vivid.  I am not a ""reviewer"" as so many others are, but I can only tell you that it is a well written, entertaining and enjoyable book to read.  I recommend this to everyone who enjoys a great ""read"".  You'll enjoy it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZC8JE0OBQRDM?ASIN=0316055441	For the pleasure of reading...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The superb prose at the service of an enthralling narrative gives depth to the characters and pleasure to the reader. New York is a central protagonist in a tale of deception and, maybe, redemption. This novel is intelligent without being arrogant and, unlike the painting of the Goldfinch wrapped and unseen for years, deserves to be open for the delight of the reader.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10PIXEYDF48L1?ASIN=0316055441	Endless detail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many tiresome cliches. Interesting story, though. I wouldn't have bothered to finish except that I was curious how it would end. Sadly, the ending was seemed to go on forever with unnecessary twists.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D8Y1B9ZGYGNT?ASIN=0316055441	A lovely read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book which has been lovingly crafted, with a plot that keeps you going right till the end.  I loved every minute of it, watching this young boy, whose life is shattered so early, keep trudging through it, I felt his every hope and joy, his fear and anxiety, I enjoyed every moment watching him grow into a young man.<br/>Highly recommend.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36V0BY1ANIXNT?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant book - a rare study of characters and events, that I think, will stay with me forever.  It was just unputdownable</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z6UWMFL9HE83?ASIN=0316055441	the heist	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a good read, well written. An understanding of addiction, insecurity, loss and of characters personalities (characters) ive recommended it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25N6DTUD6AT2W?ASIN=0316055441	Too long and a bit disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Considering the amazing reviews I was eager to get into the book but the amount of detail was too much. In the end the story is a good one but every single situation takes forever to get through. I would have liked 150 pages less.  Good characters and interesting how Tartt fits them all together at the end.  Just didn't keep me interested in the middle of the wordy details that didn't feel necessary to the story. Just ask yourself if you like that style of writing before you embark on this long adventure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YIUITRRQY3CT?ASIN=0316055441	A boy's journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the journey to be very interesting at times as well as tedious. The author did tremendous research in many different areas but some was a little more than I needed to know.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IQ8C2CV1VMWW?ASIN=0316055441	good story but long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed the story and the character Theo, but I felt the book could have been written in fewer pages. Especially what was the last chapter about? Just that chapter lost a star for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LOPO58OVTU1E?ASIN=0316055441	ok, but it drags on in places	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was interesting, but more detail could have been given in some scenes and a lot less in other areas.  It got better at the ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H3JUL2VAX3W5?ASIN=0316055441	very we'll written but depressing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed it but glad it was over.  It was very Hard to feel connected to such a self destructive character.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13YZKDPG47FMH?ASIN=0316055441	review for The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book could have been condensed.  There were too many descriptive situations.  The last quarter of the book was the best part.  Read it in book club and everyone agreed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19AM2DKBYBYQF?ASIN=0316055441	A Headliner That Gets Too Heady	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I commend this author for wrestling with many significant life questions, but the points of reflection are too long. As a result some sections read like a philosophy text. A gifted storyteller grapples with questions through plot development as well as through the  development, dialogue, and interaction among characters. Tartt forgets this too often at critical points in the unfolding plot.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJMVIQ32C5YEQ?ASIN=0316055441	great beginning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">But slow, mushed up ending.  Sad story, with good happy moments but nothing seems to work out for the main character.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15L6VVOVYGAQ?ASIN=0316055441	Clunky prose.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She could not sustain the pulse ,excitement,intrigue or intensity throughout the novel.Her prose was rough and distracting.The prose could not compare to the smoot flow of say Ian McEwan.I had the feeling she wrote the novel and the went back to plug in the trendy,esoteric and erudite adjectives.Presents as an inexperienced rookie author.....however no Mgt Mitchell.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F8CCT1IUZ0FE?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was caught up in the main character's life and thought his childhood was very interesting but I grew to like him less and less. I was very disappointed and was frankly glad when the book came to an end. The ending was the best outcome I could have wished for- for a character I had little respect or affection for</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37TIVVTHIO2IA?ASIN=0316055441	Lots of angst.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As I read the Goldfinch two things were consistently present in mind.  First Ms. Tartt is an exceptionally talented writer, he ability to illuminate her characters was exceptional.  Secondly, The Goldfinch seemed to be almost Classically Russian based on the degree of internalized angst that was present throughout.  Ms. Tartt, on occasion, went on beyond the needs of her story and would occasionally oversell the angst but by and large her skills overwhelmed any minor criticism I could offer.<br/><br/>It is the kind of book you need to commit to and don't pick it up if your depressed, could make it worse.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HYGAESHK0354?ASIN=0316055441	Great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book very much.  Very well written.  I would recommend this to friends and family.  My wife is reading it now!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M0UEER76Q4LP?ASIN=0316055441	Read the last chapter!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was good, held my attention (although I took breaks at times) until the last few chapters.  It was a long book, could have been trimmed down in the middle and it seemed as though suddenly she had no where to go but it needed to be over.  It got very fuzzy. The very last chapter was very interesting and philosophical incorporating all the things she was trying to say in the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A21FDQ2V9GKW?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch is a must read novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very engaging.  Would highly recommend.  Characters, plot, message.....all memorable!  Although a hefty book, the character development and story draws you from page to page....could not put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12V726JYO472G?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be well written.  The book seemed slow to me, but then it isn't my usual genre of action/thriller books.  It would make a good book for discussion in a book club.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH5MABYMFEJ0V?ASIN=0316055441	It grew on me -- Liked it...didn't Love it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the 3rd Donna Tartt book I've read; the other 2 were Secret History and The Little Friend.  It has interesting characters who developed over time.  Boris was particularly fun.  Underlying the story which was intriguing, were some life value lessons.  While I found it a bit slow going at first, about mid-way through the book I found it picked up and I was committed to seeing it through.  I'm glad I did.  Tartt writes well and brings not just interesting characters to get to know, but interesting story lines which ran the gamut of art history, addiction &amp; mental illness, wealth &amp; plain and simple good guys and not so good guys.  All her books are very different, showing her wide range.  Worth a look.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JAMQ002HHGTN?ASIN=0316055441	Good reading; a bit jumpy though...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did enjoy this book. The premise is great and the characters are deep and well developed. At times the author would get us lost by going down a road that becomes a path and ultimately turns into a dense forest that light can't penetrate.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3POJQFIZGTVI5?ASIN=0316055441	A good read but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story but sections of the main characters life especially with his father and new friend could have been condensed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNK3NI4PLPN05?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a pretty dark book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not really care for this book, but I did stick with it, until the end. It was well written, but the subject matter and story were not to my preference of reading pleasure. I know it was meant to portray the effects of PTSD and lack of effective safety net, but there was too much drug use, risk taking, and death for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RQKJ25A2V2AV?ASIN=0316055441	Slow Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though well written at times, overall I found this to be a very slow read that captured my attention 50% of the time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GPQJ2YYC0HC7?ASIN=0316055441	It is a long journey, but it gets there.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Everyone asks, ""What is it about?""  When I say I am reading The Goldfinch.  It is about 770 pages.  It is about a boy who lives through a tragedy in an art museum and his life there after.  It is about pathetic characters and the futility of life.  It is about hope and that the wrong choices, can result in good.  (If two wrongs don't make a right, do 3, or 43?).<br/><br/>If you like Charles Dickens, you will see the homage.  If you don't, you may appreciate the modern reconstruction.  Donna Tartt is blatant in her use of Dickensian motifs and styles...a combination of Great Expectations, with hints of Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol.  Then add dabs of Hunter Thompson and Lewis Carroll.<br/><br/>While reading I wanted to finish just to find out what happens to Leon and The Goldfinch, as well as what the point of the story is.  In the end, she tells you.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4PCBM0OKWRVE?ASIN=0316055441	450 pages too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so excited when I started this book..775 pages from a great story teller.  That changed mid-book when each and every page recounted the drugs, late nights, bing drinking, and personal destruction of the characters over and over and over again.  I was temped to put this depressing book down but I kept hoping it would have a silver lining.  The last 100 pages brought me back to why I enjoyed the book so much at the start.  The author is insightful and honest and let me know that I did the right thing by holding on and finishing the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLKZ3VRAGKQMJ?ASIN=0316055441	A good - if challenging - read...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tough, poetic, challenging and lovely -  a wonderful, sad, occasionally uplifting story; full of paradox and seeming truth - just like life!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G67XXGPX2NXN?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Eclectic, erratic, unexpected... eloquent use of language. Despairing, and hopeful; ugly &amp; beautiful; quite a trip. The optimist in me would have preferred a happier ending, but it was appropriate. Thanks for writing this. I loved it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PGFBK1AGK08V?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is such a beautiful read. A great storyteller, Tartt describes every scene so you can see and feel it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5H4WIH5DGLYV?ASIN=0316055441	Bravo!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful story ... but needed it to end!  A lot of connections, issues...quite an undertaking! Bravo Donna Tartt! A work well done!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BQBG390AQ37Z?ASIN=0316055441	fantastic read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book was recommended to me by a friend. I am so glad I took the time to read it. The author is amazing.!! Her characters are so well written and her descriptions allow you to really live in the moment; What a wonderful story. A must read!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDUC0KG5JIHH7?ASIN=0316055441	This could be the great American novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm sure I'm not alone in considering this one of the best literary works of recent years. An amazing coming-of-age story that morphs into philosophy of life, never skipping a beat, almost forcing the reader to keep turning pages long after it would be prudent to fall asleep.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YHZM6BXLLKQE?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting read but many times drug out (literally).  So much detail got a little boring at times.  Still worth the read but would have been better if in  shorter version.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OW37F94TYI4K?ASIN=0316055441	Great writer, big book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She is a wonderful wordsmith. Her characters are terrific. Her narrative skills enormous. Tends to be repetitive when describing emotional and physical state of a charater.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K1V80IU9GMYD?ASIN=0316055441	Love love love	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have read in ages. From the start, I was transfixed by Theo and what he goes through and alternately berating him, cheering him and crying for him as his story progresses. Beautifully written (and handily doubles as an antique restoration manual).</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO9TVOK7AT6R5?ASIN=0316055441	An irritating masterpiece.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This huge, over-inflated mess of a novel is also one of the most brilliant I've read in decades. Obsessive to the point of hair-tearing, with a clueless self-absorbed protagonist narrator who is overwhelmed with self pity, amoral in dealing with the people he ""loves"", narcissistic to the point of a newborn child, addicted to any chemical that can erase any emotion but self-pity - but also painfully self-aware, bitter and resigned as the book winds down and stops, leaving no hope for our narrator friend, or for that matter, the human race. Except for Hobie, the emotional center of the book's universe, the major characters are also flawed or traumatized to the point of dismissal by the author in the last pages.<br/><br/>But the book is brilliant in its exploration of art, human emotions and psychology, the American culture and all of the many side trips that the author takes. At times, one feels that it is designed to render the reader humbled by the breadth of knowledge and familiarity that the author demonstrates in her minute dissection of the many side wanderings of the text. Tartt is such a brilliant word-smith that she generally gets away with it. I am in awe of the author, but probably will not read her next book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FAHWIAPQUZI9?ASIN=0316055441	Hmmmm.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me a while to get ""into"" the book and the way in which it was narrated, but, halfway through, I became enthralled. There was suspense and I was glued until 97% (kindle edition). The book didn't need the last 3%. In fact, the last 3% killed it for me. The author should have let the pages  speak for themselves. However, on the same level of mystery as The Stranger,the book was interesting. It is depressing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JN410TWKJZ0U?ASIN=0316055441	Disjointed and not believable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tracking the changes in the main character's personality reminded me of a wild roller coaster ride. The quality of the writing was inconsistent.  It was beautiful in the beginning.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XU14XS1ZB768?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent, thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjiyed this book immensly. At times it felt that the story was not going anywhere but the end is so profound and thought provoking, definitely in my top 10 list!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22H2MG5I5PWYR?ASIN=0316055441	great start, frustratingly repetitive middle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The start of the book had me...from the start. Great set up to what I thought would be an edifying conclusion. Not so much. I loved Tartt's A Secret History, and was looking forward to her next book. But, overall was disappointed in The Goldfinch. She seemed to like to see herself 'write' in this one. Certain segments went on and on, for, in my opinion, no good reason or worthy illumination of a situation or character. In fact, the main character was so damaged as to be foolish and just a little dense. Read A Secret History, skip this one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25P4Z49MRLTEF?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was of great interest. It was quite unusual and again I cared about the characters as they were well described. The book held my interest.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UKV1CKGUD3QM?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous descriptive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was fabulously described. I like the fact that it made me think for a change. I kind of got lost when it came to Boris. Every time he entered the picture, I almost got lost. He would babble on and on before saying something. but, as a whole, the book was fabulous and I would recommend it to anyone intellectual enough to understand it's deep meaning and read between the lines.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JYGVO2Z171T7?ASIN=0316055441	800 pages of the main characters is more than I wanted.  Even 400 would have been too much.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read in the evening for pleasant entertainment.  This book does not fit that description.  I'm  a 92 year old female which may account for my taste in books.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RZ41Y6VML2UD?ASIN=0316055441	Very long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed it but I thought it was way too long.  Felt like I was reading forever.  My book club did not like it.  I was definitely in the minority.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KOTQ1SY47NVW?ASIN=0316055441	Boris --what a character	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fully developed characters. The main character theo is a great narrator to his life and the people around him. The novel was considered long by some but when something is so  wonderful as this you are glad that it keeps going.<br/>The character Boris I loved and hope tratt writes a novel about him</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROONB1V6M8W5?ASIN=0316055441	Compeling story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful and interesting story line with good solid character development. While wonderfully written I am giving it four stars because I felt it was over written, a bit drawn out at nearly 800 pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33VIVESHPRJPF?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the most amazing book I have ever read!  The author is brilliant!  Be prepared for a sometimes arduous journey though - it is not 'reading light - stick with it and you just may just feel transformed by the end and slightly awestricken.  I'll be thinking about this story for a long time just as Theo was haunted by the Goldfinch.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F3QK3G9U1I4H?ASIN=0316055441	great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read other Donna Tartt books and this one has the same character sketches and their flaws.  The book kept me truly enthralled most of the way and waiting anxiously to find out how the various characters would interact. The ending was a bit dragged out, but all in all a good read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF8V4KNTB8H97?ASIN=0316055441	She is a great writer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">But she needed a stronger editor. Wayyyyy too long. Self indulgent. The beginning almost made me want to quit. It went on and on. Still, she is a great writer so next time . . . .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRV0GH4I3FX6A?ASIN=0316055441	Way to many useless words....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not know whether to love Theo or hate him... actually he was quite pathetic !<br/>To much rambling on and on ... book could have been a couple hundred pages less.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24WJDCCO0RMZ5?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was disappointed.  Too much description. I felt I was living in a drug world. I got the point and didn't need to experience it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OENK8E4607CV?ASIN=0316055441	good story line but much too wordy  should have been 300 pages shorter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">author went on and on using much too much description before reaching a point and advancing the story line. boring</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24PUAY1G2RPB8?ASIN=0316055441	This book was OK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book for book club and will discuss on thursday. The author style was long winded could of told the story in half the time. Too many plots and characters to keep tract of.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NG9S84N1HI7S?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The character development was wonderful and lead to multiple layers in storey telling. I was totally engaged until the near end when  the author swamped me in detail though I emerged again at the last pages. All told, a book not to be missed. Goldfinch is a classic.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HL70JPWCJADB?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very dark. Lots of good description in dots but overall not worth all the time it takes to read this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X9U08E2WEDHA?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books . . . .but . . .	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When my book club selected this, I inwardly groaned at the length and since I prefer nonfiction, dreaded the time I would sink in reading it.  Then I caught a bad cold,I curled up on my sofa with an afghan and read it in 4 days.  As other reviewers have already said, the first 600 pages go quickly and hold your interest.  Theo is a complex character and his supporting cast are all well drawn.  I think the dynamics of his relationships make sense given his early loss of his mother, and in spite of his mistakes, we want him to succeed and we yearn for a happy ending when it certainly feels like none can possibly fall into place for him.  Maybe I should go back and reread the last 100 pages, but it certainly seems she just did not want the book to end so she dragged it out trying to add deep philosophical meaning to it all, searching for the perfect way to close.  I'm not sure that people will ever pick up this book to read for deep meaning, but I'm also not sorry now that I spent those hours following Theo's life.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJI42U0NO04IM?ASIN=0316055441	Magical	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is top notch!  The author has an almost magical way of describing people, places and emotion. It's beautifully written and painfully heartbreaking but completely worthy of each and every star.  Buy immediately!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P18QZAGLOXNL?ASIN=0316055441	Evocative writing, compelling story, unforgettable characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some of the most evocative writing I've encountered in years, complements a compelling story populated with some unforgettable characters. As soon as I reached the end, I went right back to the beginning and read it again. This book will be a friend for a lifetime.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PJJSROP135JX?ASIN=0316055441	A Very Long Book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written but had to concentrate hard to keep on top of the rambling story line. I am still reading it after starting it three weeks ago!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PI1BFMB8ZYB?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing but too long...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful character development.  I still think about the book.  But too long in some parts and too philosophical and preachy in final chapter.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q8UVUU4Q27YU?ASIN=0316055441	wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although a very long book it held my attention through most of it. Very well written. A little disjointed in a couple of places but all in all quite enjoyable.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQBS9F59I31O1?ASIN=0316055441	DISAPPOINTING	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WAY OVERBLOWN WITH BORING DRUG SCENES, AND RAMBLING PHILOSOPHISING. FOUND MYSELF SKIPPING AHEAD JUST TO GET OVER WITH IT. Not recommended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSE2T7CB9P5R7?ASIN=0316055441	Bought because is was supposed to be no 1, but I have read more rounded better books	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Two reasons that I bought this book:<br/>1. I am passionate about art and thoroughly enjoy novels with art as a theme<br/>2. This book was marketed as Kindle no1 best seller, but I think marketing has more to do with its success than the actual merits of the book<br/>The book started off brilliantly and I became totally engaged with the characters and storyline.  Her style of writing is very descriptive and interesting going into the psychology of things,  but I don't that I would recommend this to my husband to read as this style may be more appealing to a woman's perspective..<br/>I will not repeat much of what is said in the many  other reviews, but I agree with others that the lengthy book loses momentum towards the end and I was left feeling dissatisfied by the ending.<br/>The ending seemed to have been added on as an after thought -almost felt like it had been written by someone else.It was rather a rambling anti-climax and I was left feeling disappointed int he book after having thoroughly enjoyed a large part of the rest of it.  Due to my mixed feelings this book will only receive a solid 3.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9I4TQ1E6IS96?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very boring.  Could have been half the length and been a pretty good book. Not sure why I stuck it out till the end</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D036X8QGWGEO?ASIN=0316055441	Hated to finish it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful novel. Never bogs down. Characters have depth and no one is left behind. I understand why this is a best seller! I miss reading this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XX3A0HQHETF9?ASIN=0316055441	INTRIGUING STORY	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WONDERFUL STORY.  UNLIKE ANYTHING ELSE  I HAVE READ LATELY.  SHE HAS A UNIQUE GIFT TO IMMERSE YOU INTO THE CHARACTERS AND MAKE YOU FEEL A PART OF THEIR LIVES. I READ LONG INTO THE NIGHT AND MY DREAMS WERE CONSUMED WITH THE CHARACTERS IN THE BOOK</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T3BEWRBXP17G?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch is a Winner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful story which holds your attention throughout the book. The characters are very well developed. My personal favorite was Hobie, a very warm and caring person. If my child was left alone , I would hope for someone like Hobie to help and nurture him.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH9QDJMWQ5XZD?ASIN=0316055441	UGH...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Why did this book receive such critical acclaim?  I don't get it.  I like the illusion to Great Expectations, but ohhhhhh. Did it get long and tiresome? Oh yes... it did.  I like her first books better.  I wouldn't waste my time is the best advice I can give you. Sorry, Donna.<br/>You worked hard but perhaps you culd've used more editorial advice.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19NYLU7SPKERK?ASIN=0316055441	Cut The Small Talk !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good plot , beginning and ending, but too much time spent describing detail after detail on each and every level.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RR6FL1DNT6R7?ASIN=0316055441	quality read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the book through 2/3. Forced my way through the beginning of the end - glad I did, couldn't put it down at the end. Skipped Theo's every single agonizing thought in the last 1/3. A worthy read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RJTJPCCTB5P8?ASIN=0316055441	Loads of excitement	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Her characters were well developed.Sad they were so addicted and on their own so young with no good adult influence in their lives.I thought her ending was like some one else wrote it.Everything was solved in such a short time.It was like her editor said the book was too long so wrap it up.I know it's still on the best seller list but_____.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K5KUK60YWN07?ASIN=0316055441	too repetitive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was too long.  Could have been shorter.  It was repetitive at times.  Could have told the story in half the pages</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35DF9QNCWTZDU?ASIN=0316055441	I Couldn't Stop Reading!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book really kept me up past my bedtime many nights. It was a complex story, very well-written, and engrossing. There were a few places in the book that were too wordy; they could have been condensed.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ0DSFP7SOLGC?ASIN=0316055441	a little tedious but worth it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could have used some editing here and there but a novel not easy to forget. . . Wonderfully original premise with clearly drawn angst--both external and internal.  I don't say this often but I wish I had written it.<br/>Susan Slater, author of the Dan Mahoney series</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9TIW40TVE5A3?ASIN=0316055441	Fun read, with good characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the story, which goes all over the place. No, it's not really plausible, but these kinds or stories aren't. It's good on the subject of loss and drugs.  The characters are fun too. Well written and a fun read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWZNJK48JZL9N?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch - Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would recommend this book to more of a literary type reader.  Whilst it held my interest I found this book disturbing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q5TTTU059H5N?ASIN=0316055441	Glad I read it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me longer to read this than any other book I've ever read.  Parts of it were excellent.  Other parts made me stop and reconsider if I wanted to finish.  Maybe I'm too old.  The glorification of drugs...since this took up the majority of the book...maybe this is the current lifestyle...is not part of mine.  Interesting to see how such a gifted mind gets tortured throughout life...and has ""given up"" at such a young age.  The Goldfinch did capture the essence of how fine art does capture minds differently...and character development was strong.  I'm glad I read it even though, overall, I didn't like the story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NXCC40S4YYW2?ASIN=0316055441	Great read, stuck with me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed this book.  It had some very well drawn characters that I've continued to think about weeks after finishing the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R363GLSCWI2ST9?ASIN=0316055441	great reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Suspenseful, and loved the characters. Author developed the Characters so well, I felt I could've shook their hands!  I learned a lot about art and the problems with art theft.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQOA1ECHFNNNO?ASIN=0316055441	absorbing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I mourned when finishing this book. I simply didn't want it to end. So satisfying Thank you Ms. Tartt for giving us a GREAT american novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S3L5ZFO1BZQP?ASIN=0316055441	The GOLDFINCH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great character development.<br/>Painting actually exists in museum in NYC.<br/>Bit off track with the ending.<br/>Great book club reading for discussion and differing opinions.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14NHW87B230FU?ASIN=0316055441	Well done, Ms. Tartt!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a great book! I don't think I can compare it to anything else I've ever read. The cast of characters is superb, and one is engaged in the story from the first page. The main character is a real person. He is flawed but not in a way that would adversely affect the reader. There is a tone of honesty in the book which is refreshing, compelling and frightening. It's a story of a young man's journey from tragedy through adversity and ultimately into a place where he can hopefully survive, and  is definitely worth reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R5QK18R41NYB?ASIN=0316055441	Easy to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's not innovative literature but it is an interesting story. Discussions about the viewing of art (realism)<br/>and the human condition are moving and eloquent.  The ending, although not exactly  happy,<br/>still attempts not to throw you into the abyss.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EGHESMZG8WNV?ASIN=0316055441	Completely absorbing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was both difficult to read and impossible to put down. It contains some of the most memorable, completely believable characters I have ever known. It's full of despair and hope and love. The ending is as satisfying as the read itself. I recommend this book to anyone who loves a complicated, edge of your seat, totally absorbing novel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GCJZJQD5WVD2?ASIN=0316055441	A good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of those books that I couldn't wait to pick up at the end of the day. No Disney type happy ending, which I admire!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R221WMRQ4M33M8?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book.  Beautifully crafted and amazing story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has done it again.  The Secret History was an amazing book but this is just as good.  I just hope I don't have to wait ten years for her next book!<br/>''</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XSO87MEJOBJP?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt...5 star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This author was so in touch with her characters it was like watching a thrilling movie with twists and turns...could not put the book down reading day and night 'til finished...brilliant!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R132C1S87CKMDK?ASIN=0316055441	How chance can change a life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot and character development were riveting.  Right from the start, the tragedy with his mother sends Theo's life into unknown territory.  As each phase changes, you are immersed in the reality, often brutal, of his caregivers life.  I enjoyed watching the chance circumstance at the beginning of the book drive Theo's development and his ability to create relationships.  I agree with the other reviews that indicate that the book lingered much too long in each phase.  The authors ability to describe the various characters surroundings and life style really gave clear and heart felt insights into what Theo was experiencing.  Her strong prose achieves that is about half the time that is spent at each point in Theo's life.  A great read, just plan on skimming a lot of pages to keep the story going.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R69DWDE9522V7?ASIN=0316055441	To many complicated plot twists.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were so many plot twists and  colorful characters.  It started to become hard to follow and figure out the characters and relationships.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TM7I2QVIT4EP?ASIN=0316055441	would  not recommend this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not like the book.  It was disturbing in places.  And in other parts very will written.  Liked the basic idea of the story,but it was lost in all of the shennanigans.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U5R4NDI6CSPP?ASIN=0316055441	Dragged on and on	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It dragged on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on...  The ending was a non-event.  I don't think it lived up to its listing on the best-seller list</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN6X21JEEM5VU?ASIN=0316055441	Savor the Beautiful Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Yes, it's a long book, around 800 pages.  I normally don't choose books of this length because I find they are often self-indulgent or boring.  The Goldfinch is neither.  The story is very compelling from the first page to the last - you definitely want to know what happens.  But don't rush.  There are so many things to absorb along the way - finely drawn characters, interlocking relationships, fantastic descriptions of real-world places, as well as meditations on the nature of art, God and one's place in the universe.  There is a wonderful character in the book, Hobie, who has a workshop in his basement where he restores antiques.  It is filled with fantastic objects from all over the world, some of them priceless, others interesting, but without much monetary value.  Reading this book is like spending a long afternoon in Hobie's workshop, looking at the craftsmanship in each item, soaking in the atmosphere and strange beauty and coming away feeling filled up.  I believe that we need more of that kind of experience as a balance to our rush-rush everyday lives. But we'll have to slow down a bit to appreciate it.  So relax, sit back and savor the beautiful Goldfinch.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UHBPVT2AVSM1?ASIN=0316055441	A great masterpiece disappears and two young boys grow toward manhood.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It all starts with a bang and grows quickly into the growth and development of two young boys as they grow toward manhood. The disappearance of  ""The Goldfinch"" touches all the characters in different ways and carries all to the ultimate end and a grand mystery.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B9QSDX6JBE4B?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writing but too much dialogue	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As much as I enjoyed her incredible prose, I wanted the plot to move faster thro her twists and turns,</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8456T8678K0Q?ASIN=0316055441	Nice!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Involved heartfelt story with an inspiring message. A bit long in sections but overall a great read.  The last bit was a bi preachy.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRS1I5BC418E7?ASIN=0316055441	Liked the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book.  Would have liked a better ending.  Great writing and interesting story by the author.<br/>Plot line moved very quickly.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R294CAI13R4DZ7?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very well written book!  The plot twisting and turning,the characters were spell binding - I couldn't put it down,</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VSL9X3X3P2BK?ASIN=0316055441	captivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters bring this book to life. Long but keeps the reader involved. Don't have to be an art expert to enjoy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12S22T820UNSG?ASIN=0316055441	Blockbuster	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a big old fashioned page turning novel that will suck you in from the first chapter. A big sprawling story well crafted and told. Peopled with pulsing characters you want to understand and spend time with. Setting and back story add to the richness in this modern day Charles Dickens style novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24V9ZAPUW5XME?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It could have been 200 pages shorter for me. Dragged on too much  well written though. Will try and read another of Donna's books</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2672QZ400S1M2?ASIN=0316055441	Very different	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting memoir!  I really like the character of Boris. Well-written. Nice depiction of Hobie and his antique shop. Excellent narrator ... consistent voicings.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16094AY586WZL?ASIN=0316055441	Great story but too much verbiage	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Should have been a series.  Too many words that made me lose interest in the story line.  A tighter book would have been much better.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUWKT3PNL4CJ8?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's ""The Goldfinch"" is a sad, funny, wonderful coming-of-age novel featuring unforgettable characters, beautiful<br/>prose, fabulous descriptions of art and artists, and much more. It is Dickensian in its breadth and themes. My only complaint<br/>would be in the ending, which seemed both rushed and long-winded at the same time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R102HI6470EUG?ASIN=0316055441	Original characters and scenes drawn with imagination and philosophical know-how	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long book but a page-turner.  I longed for the end of it, found it sad but it also promised a lot and delivered on that promise throughout and in its ending.  A well-constructed novel.  I learned a lot about the art of furniture restoration as well. It confirmed my notions about the wild art appraisal world, both good and bad.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXCTQTH5Z76UY?ASIN=0316055441	In awe	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredible book that's relatable and epicly told. Some books leave you to ponder life and this most certainly is one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PQMQAD62D3RA?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I purchased this after reading a NY Times review and had trouble putting it down at night.  This is an amazingly well-written and enjoyable book.  I found it hard to put it down at night and missed a lot of sleep while I was reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N0EBZJ49RMP7?ASIN=0316055441	Good story, but 200 pages too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the story to be riveting with interesting characters and improbable plot,  but found myself skipping pages and pages of yet another stream-of-consciousness, drug and/or alcohol induced angst.  Good story that I found hard to put down, but I get annoyed with authors who pad their novels with verbiage that doesn't move the story along.  This is a long book, which could have been 200 pages shorter and still succeeded.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB9OAYGJUP7Z4?ASIN=0316055441	A truly sorrowful character.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the first half of the book - couldn't put it down.  Later on there was just too much of drugs and nastiness - more than necessary.  Such a sad ending - nothing really resolved, but I guess that was the whole point - a really sad character.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MZY663IYJ8P5?ASIN=0316055441	Strap on your seatbelt you're going for a ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is engrossing<br/>The writing is beautiful<br/>The characters will stay with you<br/>I can't wait for the movie</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35J3HOK43BXUQ?ASIN=0316055441	fantastic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best read in a long, long while. Very deep and  multi-threaded. Worth the investment in time as this is not a light read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVJTYLUDR6R70?ASIN=0316055441	Great storyteller	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a beautifully written story about a boy who has lost his father through divorce and then his mother through a terrible terrorist act. He walks away with this old painting ..Goldfinch..which was his mothers favorite. At age 13 he is adrift living first with a disfunctional classmates family and then with his scrupulous father who returns to bring him to Las Vegas to live. There he becomes friends with another adrift Russian boy. There becomes a story of friendship, drugs, and finding his way to adulthood.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MYBYXJNP0T0Z?ASIN=0316055441	enjoyed 'The Goldfinch' very much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book. There were some amazingly accurate descriptions of Post Traumatic Stress and Anxiety states and the writing was very descriptive overall. Although Theo was in ways unlikeable, there were so many reasons for his behaviour that I found I had great empathy with him. I would definitely look out for other books by Donna Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VH33PO3QFAWL?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoy books about real people,which I choose to believe in the case of Theo and Boris-- , the counterpoint of  these two characters are very interesting to me,demonstrating that two people with traumatic childhoods can develop into very different personalities. There is a lot of psychological interaction between the two, which I found very interesting. Toward the end of the book there are several sections of a spiritual/psychological interchange between three of the main characters. I am very impressed by the creativity of  the author and how the theme is carried along throughout the book by ""The Goldfinch"". JIM</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K6CMUCBHJG9R?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is very well written story.  Not the ending I had necessarily hoped for.  I felt it left without a real finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32X07DDLN00WC?ASIN=0316055441	Thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the vocabulary was good, the story was too wordy, repetitious and exceedingly boring.  It was not a favorite read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L7J5BFCCKO8S?ASIN=0316055441	loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic writing and really interesting character development... I loved the ending most of all. Definitely would recommend to a friend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVXALBMAS56FR?ASIN=0316055441	Not one of the best books I've read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was long and involved and kept me interested at times but the ending left me unsatisfied.  I really disliked the conclusion.  Not a book for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EIQ26O1IOZLG?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed this book although disturbing that the main character was so into his drugs. Actually it made it interesting.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VK5VH6ZJ4QFD?ASIN=0316055441	Good beginning....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Liked the beginning and the middle, but the ending left much to be desired.  Could have been a better read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC9X8KW7IDPE6?ASIN=0316055441	Spoiler alert:  Thank goodness there was a happy ending.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has a strong and intricate story line that revolves around an actual painting, created in the 1600s by a Dutch painter who studied under Rembrandt. Set in current time in the United States, the main character, Theo, manages to survive a terrorist attack.  But more amazingly, he survives growing up without his mother, and with a father who is unable to care for him properly; basically as an orphan.  For me, the main draw of the story is the amazing resilience of the human character, and this young man's extraordinary effort to live a life that is an unbalanced tangle of luck and disaster, drugs and violence. There are two standout characters:  Hobie, an elderly gentleman antique furniture restorer who provides stability and artistry in Theo's life, and Boris, Theo's truest friend, who is alternatively a bad influence and savior.  I was so relieved when Theo made it through depths of despair and seemingly insurmountable odds.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21C668II3HZWN?ASIN=0316055441	Gripping read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was griping from start to end. The character of Boris was insightful of those who are left to their own devices from an early age and how they mature into a world of deceit and violence.<br/>The narrator, at times, was írritating and the reader must remember that he is suffering from post-traumatic stress which allows you to sympathise with his actions.<br/><br/>A must read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK4SN7RRZF70C?ASIN=0316055441	finally finished it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked the first half of the book, but after the first 500 pages, I couldn't wait for it to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJJYP3WGO0N58?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book took me a while to get into it.  Fact is I started reading it a while ago and then repicked it up again a few weeks ago.  To my it was just okay but I actually like faster reads and this was a slow one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FNJD6LWFX9PU?ASIN=0316055441	Dark and depressing, yet couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a sad and disturbing story, but I couldn't tear myself away.  The writer draws you in, in such a way you experience  as if you're there - everything this disturbed young man goes through to assuage his guilt over the death of his mother.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIFD4QKQ8OC1C?ASIN=0316055441	painfully self indulgent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't wait for it to be over.  Desperately needs editing.  If it were half as long it would be four times as good.  Not sure why it got the the accolades it got.  I stuck it out.  Wish I hadn't.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX0YGYIQHILSR?ASIN=0316055441	Not what I expected.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading many rave reviews, I read The Goldfinch and must admit, it is not one of my favorites.  It was written beautifully by Donna Tartt, but I just could not relate to the characters, with the exception of the mother.  As the main characters grow and develops, I like them less and less.  It is a tough book to read when you have no one to root for until the very end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S0SA4YU3ISDU?ASIN=0316055441	engrossing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the story grabs you at the outset. the juxtaposition of life stories from people of different social circumstances is an obvious theme.  Does birth, fate, environment, luck shape your life's direction or your happiness?  The extremes of experiences are somewhat unbelievable but if you accept the premise, it's a good, thought provoking read.  I was disappointed in the writer's style in wrapping up the story.  It was almost like she got tired of writing and just tried to get everything finished as quickly as possible.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RAOU155PRGW5?ASIN=0316055441	Anguish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Every major character in the book seems to be suffering from it, ie anguish. If you like reading about death, dope and depression you will enjoy this book. The first quarter of the book was a good read. After that it descended into emotional depths dragging you with it. And ended with a philosophy of life that seemed out of pace with the rest of the story. I did appreciate learning about the painting(The Goldfinch)and the artist. However, I prefer the live goldfinches that come to my feeder year 'round.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MGV5GD5TPHK2?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a long read.  It is about a boy who somehow escapes a bombing of the Metropolitan Art Museum with the original copy of The Goldfinch painting by artist Fabritius.  At first I thought this story was just running on and on.  Then I found myself thinking about this boy.  It was like I was reading his diary.  He must have been taking notes almost every minute of the day.  Sometimes he was just like a boy that couldn't find any answers to questions from Social Services, so he would just answer ""Umm"".  Just like a kid.<br/>I was drawn into this boy's life and had to read every word.  Taftt has crafted an absorbing story about this boy.  At times I thought it was too graphic and painful.  That is why I only gave it 4 stars.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R720DRNH7N4O5?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating life lessons thoughtful descriptive. A good discussion from all points of view. Sometimes however a bit raw. Thank you</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSRGQTGFROTOY?ASIN=0316055441	If you haven't read it, you should.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book hooked me from the get go. I loved the characters--all of them. No flat portraits here. Was I satisfied w/ the ending on an emotional level? No. Did I think it was totally reasonable and right given the world of the novel? Absolutely. Should be a must-read on any book club list. You won't regret it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E304ABRC0O7Q?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a long book, but one I could not put down.  It is very well written.  Be advised, there are many dark moments when the main character and his friend carry out some wild adventures and get deep into drugs.  The way they carried on with their fathers was hard to read too.  However, the ending was fabulous.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXY1SLP6RM3M1?ASIN=0316055441	Absorbing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absorbing and thought-provoking.  At once beautiful and hideous.  Not a difficult read but a dense read.  Recommend it for book clubs if everyone can commit to the length of the book (over 700 pages).</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X2ASQBQOG3YA?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an excellent book, well written.  I am an artist and loved the art and art history in the book.  Would recommend it to other artists to read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25QX1C9699SJ?ASIN=0316055441	A twisted plot line	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was recommended this book by a friend and enjoyed reading it. There was an overabundance of detail and verbosity for my tastes,but, I enjoyed the subplots.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8PFSKR6LTUUR?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyable until the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed reading this book until the very end.....  It was almost like she couldn't figure out how to end the book.  The philosophical ramblings (can't think of another way to describe) at the end just left me empty.  I think  that if the story would have had an ending then I would have enjoyed it more.  Even though I enjoyed all but the end - it left me with the feeling of wishing I hadn't wasted my time reading it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8HZJ7N6RNK88?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story starts slowly, builds pretty well, but then sort of ends in a sigh.  The thing I noted about the story, however, was how beautifully written many of the passages were.  Almost like haiku.  No meaning but the beauty of the artifice...but I guess that is the point of the book after all.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B50K1CLGGION?ASIN=0316055441	Could have been great...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could never put a handle on the protagonist---was he a really nice guy or a jerk?  I wanted to like him, but there were many things about him that prevented that.  Also, the painting--started out as something special to his mother, not him, and then, way later in the book, it became a prized object with all sorts of meaning that it did not initially have.  Somehow, the book seemed to try to do too much and became disjointed.  I finished it, but I was tempted to give up on it...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH7XQKZ79M2DV?ASIN=0316055441	Great novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">quick reading, tho a 700+ page book.  holds interest throughout.<br/>definitely recommended to all readers; a NYC background is a plus.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SN0FG3IJ7W40?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Being an action oriented book reader, I wanted a change of pace into other fiction genres. What I found in The Goldfinch exceeded everything; superbly written, it flowed with unexpected characters and situations that floored me constantly. Just wonderful.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ0YEP0JUY79T?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch-a letdown	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was well written and an interesting plot... so it kept mr reading.<br/>However, I really felt dismally let down and saddened by the ending.  It was to put it bluntly a bummer...a well written bummer but still makes me sad after two days of being finished with the book.<br/>I don't know what Donn Tartt has written previously but I would say a good editor (tighten it up and decrease the # of pages)</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LPL5IJF5XLTO?ASIN=0316055441	BEST BOOK OF 2103 HANDS DOWN	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is truly a wonder of the literary world.  Donna Tartt has once again proven that she is not to be messed with.  It may take her 10+ years in between novels, but once you start reading The Goldfinch, you will quickly realize that it is well worth the wait.  I usually don't write reviews, but if by chance this review will help persuade someone to pick up this book, than it would be well worth the minute I spent praising this novel.  Theo Decker, is one of my new favorite fiction characters, and you will be riveted throughout this entire book, page by page, wondering what will happen next.  Mixed with Tartt's genius for descriptive writing and sucking you into her world, you will not be able to stop, until all 775 pages are finished!  Good luck!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IAV7VH51WLL1?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting but tiring!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked it BUT got a little worn out with constant bad moves.  Bummed out by the end.  He needed to settle down and accept changes only he could make for HIMSELF.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R56KV2S7HAPVG?ASIN=0316055441	Very Dark	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a wonderful but depressing story.It could have ended sooner without the philosophy but what do I know.I re read the ending  and  the second time it made more sense.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MP6081OL09IA?ASIN=0316055441	Yellow Finch on a Chain	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The majority of the book had me very interested and I could not stop reading, but there were a few parts that were slow and dragged. It was a very unique plot and the character development on some of the main characters was impressive. I am definitely happy I chose to read this one and I even learned a little something about antiques.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QYHHJPHGNEFR?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is one talented and gifted writer.  There are only a few books in a lifetime that you would love to read again, this would be one of them.  I so enjoyed this powerful and thoughtful novel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R94U1HZUIDR5?ASIN=0316055441	good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good started out a little slow but glad I stuck with it. Turned out to be quite interesting in the end</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31ORD9XQJDTDG?ASIN=0316055441	A Page Turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you feel like reading a very good, if flawed, literary novel that runs almost 800 pages, try ""The Goldfinch.  I was hooked quickly and couldn't put it down.  I found the ending implausible and didactic, but the writing is mostly first rate and the main character is worth rooting for.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HXRXRDR0RHCD?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautifully written and many layered story of love, loss and triumph over tragic circumstances.  A real page turner. Brilliant.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EC21R4C9CL0H?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting but very long story.  Amazing what a young boy/man could go through In a life time.<br/><br/>Looked up the painting of the Goldfinch on line.  Why he would take a painting like that one that is not very interesting is beyond me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QBYQPML1KY8?ASIN=0316055441	Absolute page turner, I couldn't put it down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. I couldn't put it down! Reading until late in the night because I wanted to find out what is going to happen next. Great view of someone on drugs or in the drug scene. Very informative.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROH42R23JNQ7G?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting but.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this book was very well written and thought provoking but one of the most depressing novels I've ever read.  It continues to get worse as the novel progresses (all 795 pages of it) and the only bright light in the book is the character Hobie.  Too cynical for me but worth reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGMVW7INVQ3PW?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed this one  although it started to drag towards the end. Not sure that it deserved the rave reviews it got from the professional reviewers.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A0TWLTXV2ZN?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">did not like this book too much drugs &amp; far fetched store line. If this was a library book I would have returned it after the first chapter</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7RL0IY19FZUT?ASIN=0316055441	Good but not great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written with strong, believable characters.  I was fascinated, too, by all the descriptions and insights into old world art.  What really put me off were the much too long and much too detailed descriptions of the use &amp; impact of drugs (&amp; alcohol).  It was very depressing to read about how this was the response to trauma and loss of almost everyone in the story, including those who were just rich and bored.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36RSP0JQ9VTYD?ASIN=0316055441	Very good book, but first half is better than second	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is very good and very long!  I could hardly put it down, while the main character was young, but as he got older, and more deceitful, it was easy to put it down.  I did finish it, but it felt like a burden at times, to get through it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6HYTKDGIBZHI?ASIN=0316055441	So-so	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book didn't quite meet my exceptions. While it was a good story, the lengthy descriptions often had me skipping spots to get back to what was happening. Putting down the book WASN'T a problem which meant it took longer than usual for me to finish.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q49CXW07QV05?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing last quarter!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was truly enjoying the story and the writing until approximately 75% of book; a five stars up until that point. After that, both the story and the writing fell apart drastically; one star material. It was painful to finish it and felt as if another writer finished the book in a hurry. Inexcusable.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q5IA7SIZDWO2?ASIN=0316055441	overwritten	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is overwritten and too long. Theo isn't a particularly likable character but his friend, Boris is a more honest one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HR02OHR6VK9F?ASIN=0316055441	I would not take my time to read this.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book rambled and it was hard to keep my focus. The story line was good. but I found it drug on and then ended abruptly without the satisfaction of anything going right.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8VPZAPT6CTZB?ASIN=0316055441	Would not recommend without reservations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some compelling facets in this novel but  way too much drug use to even be credible that these characters could be as functional as they are protrayed</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PCSDF45GNE62?ASIN=0316055441	great book worth reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept me captivated!  Really good reading and I could not put it down.  I t is not on the best selling list for nothing many people love it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBK8UFBQONGRB?ASIN=0316055441	Do You Like Long, But Dramatic Stories?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gold Finch would be most appreciated by art lovers. The core of the book is hiding a small masterpiece, losing it and discovering it's theft. It is the story of a young man with a loving mother and an estranged father who has left home and moved across the country. In a terrible event at the Metropolitan Museum in New York there is a pipe bomb that destroys many classic and ancient works of art. The writer's mother is killed in the accident and from there on it is a story of finding loose friends who border on the criminal side; a failed attempt at reconciliation with his father who suddenly dies. Murder? We won't find out until well into the book. So if you enjoy reading long books this is the one for you. A bit repetitive,but if you stay with it you will have had a very good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6Z0W3NWZKEOC?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it was fairly interesting, but kind of lost my attention near the end. Overall it was a good read, I suppose.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SXI0YGX40AU1?ASIN=0316055441	Something a little different...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written. Original plot line. Insightful,and  subtle. Multi dimensional. Poses many psychological and philosophical questions.This makes it a good book club choice</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AHNUWV91JNSV?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the story.  However, I thought it bogged down in parts making it a lot longer read then it needed to be.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5MH6Q7IY8SBP?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully Written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating characters, well developed. The book is beautifully written, but it was difficult to read through page after page of darkness in Las Vegas without adding significantly to the plot. Could have been about a hundred pages shorter without losing the impact, otherwise would have given this five stars. I will definitely read more of Tartt's work.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16JJMFK0BL233?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">one must suspend disbelief here and there -- too many very unlikely circumstances occur throughout the book.<br/>it is very entertaining and hold one's interest with all the subplots.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RP6KDHULYC3W?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line was very interesting, and it was fun to try to determine the symbolism of the painting through out the life of the narrator.  I was uncomfortable with so much use of the F-word.  I find this occurring more often in otherwise good fiction and wish authors would not give in to the decline of our language. For me, each use of the word is a tiny jolt that interferes with my reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TBJ47OVL8EJI?ASIN=0316055441	Epic novel set in great places	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked how the book starts off and then goes back in time to recall all the events. I also liked the settings. Never thought the time spent in Las vegas would be as interesting as it turned out to be. Since I am Dutch I really enjoyed the Dutch references and settings in Amsterdam. A riveting book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFOYHFANPYB9X?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story, the characters, the suspense...  This book is an absolute page turner. If you enjoy a good story, this is the book for you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CE8WKTUE3K44?ASIN=0316055441	Good read and much to contemplate about loss.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book made me think of the aftermath that comes from senseless slaughter of humans all around the globe.  And it also made me contemplate the death of people that I have loved and how their deaths affected me and others who were close to them. Do we ever stop grieving for the loss?  And is there any benefit that comes when those who are so loving of us are taken away?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C9KURPYKB122?ASIN=0316055441	Philosophical work about a tragic life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was very good, but got a little long and philosophical. The end took a long time to get to.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OFJML89UHX9W?ASIN=0316055441	Not very good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was hard for me to finish.  The story could have been written in half of the pages.  To much repeating and also to much about drugs.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R67BQM6T8JFYK?ASIN=0316055441	Unusual Plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was unusual and very compelling. As the other reviews said, it was too long with too many details but it kept my interest and the time was well spent.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZJU0FZAQX8EB?ASIN=0316055441	WAY TOO MANY WORDS	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a shame!  An excellent story if only it was told with about four hundred  less words. Where oh where was the editor?!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YYQFZAD0HOJS?ASIN=0316055441	very heavy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The kind of book that makes you wake up at 1am to read. Causes unusual dreams. Makes an argument for art therapy.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32IPJA4WW4PGM?ASIN=0316055441	WONDERFUL Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She is such a good story teller. Her books are long with fabulous character development. I can heartily recommend her to folks who enjoy a well told, good story!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R326L8ZOQHSWRL?ASIN=0316055441	Good and Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit long in the tooth, but an excellent read. Donna Tartt did a great job developing the characters in this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPRLHGV6K0PFG?ASIN=0316055441	You have to read this book all the way to the end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You have to read it all the way to the end.  The book has a bit of the tawdry underside of life to it but that only serves to illustrate it's theme.  Sometimes I wonder if authors write the story and the themes work themselves into the story of if they pick a theme and then form their story around it.  Either way story and themes work together perfectly in this book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN72TUT4LRR7O?ASIN=0316055441	I do not recommend!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy this book. Too much detail that separated the reader from the storyline. I would not recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RL69R9442H1T?ASIN=0316055441	Not a fan	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like the characters in the Goldfinch.  I finished reading it, but was glad to reach the end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPOT4WLKD9HBH?ASIN=0316055441	the second star is only because of the last chapter, the ending.. probably wouldn't even have kept going till the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i probably am inviting truck loads of criticism, but it was really hard to engage with and hang on to what felt like a litany of grief, disappointment, abandonment and drugs. There is probably just one character in 20 that is likeable in this book, and he is not even the protagonist. And i felt really hard to keep up my pity for Theo, after the third chapter!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IDDVTQQVSIWQ?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging novel considers necessity of beauty and suffering	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is impressive. Even when I didn't like the narrator-which was often-I understood.  This book is a bit of a page-turner, but it really gets at some of the most fundamental struggles that unite us. It's beautiful and heart-breaking and definitely worth reading.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z1EEH0WHNV4E?ASIN=0316055441	Highly Recommend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic read - catches your attention from the very beginning.  Very poignant and enlightening.  Very long book but didn't want it to end!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D08X3BO00QDJ?ASIN=0316055441	not worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me a very long time to get into this book. Not worth the $7.50 I paid. The ending was disappointing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMSKZWUF9A0MP?ASIN=0316055441	Thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the author keeps your mind on a fast train absorbed concentration....pondering truth with non-truth, good vs evil, love and eternal love</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XK4T0G7KRUO0?ASIN=0316055441	awesome!  I did not want to stop reading!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have not read a book in a long time that I could not stop reading.  The characters were well developed and from a wide social strata.  It was painful to watch the self-destruction of the main character.  After suffering such abandonment as a child he never realized his own value.  Great work. I am anxious to read more by this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI80YMYZFDTJ?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book and using the kindle. It was such a fast read. I completed it in no time at all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SHL97ZPTCCV6?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best I have read in years. Captivating, heartbreakingly sad. This is the second of Tartt' s books I've read, the first being ""The Secret History"". ""History"" was good, but this is exceptional. It's long but, oh, so worth the effort. Also,wanted to add this reminded me of Dickens' ""Great Expectations"".</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37W8UHLHFAAX2?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was very well written and for the most part informative and interesting, but way too wordy and I like big books</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AWRAT7A5WGW5?ASIN=0316055441	entertaining read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was incredibly entertaining and on the other hand -- I wondered too many times... how many orphaned children, drug induced frenzies, or other unbelievable twists were needed to tell this tale?  The characters pulled me along and once I had read more than half of this long book, there was no way I was going to give up and not read the entire book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32OB8VU92L193?ASIN=0316055441	Around and Around.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story kept going and kept coming back to how the personality works.<br/>It was dark, but managed to keep interest and developed an interesting story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K3W86LQSYG25?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Parts were amazing, others drraaaggged.  Finale was unfulfilling to me.  Maybe I'm not cool enough.  Yes, I'd read it but would turn to skimming earlier.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17YC9XWIQ7DX0?ASIN=0316055441	A book that leaves you thinking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A dear friend of mine bought this for me (digital version) as a gift.  I tend to read non-fiction as of late and I hesitated in starting this book but once I did I burned through it in a few days.  It really makes you think about the unfortunate things that can happen in life, how people react to those events differently and how those events form the adult we will become.  It left me thinking long after I put it down.  The amazing part is that a woman wrote it from the perspective of a boy and did a phenomenal job!  As cliche as this sounds, it really is a ""must read"".</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R944MI5SIX8F?ASIN=0316055441	Long and very detailed read, but captivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long and borderline overly descriptive novel that follows a boy through adolescence and into adulthood as he navigates difficult times and choices.  The writing style truly makes you feel as if you are living every moment with the characters--pros and cons to this--and the characters are so well developed you feel like you know them personally.  The story is good but, again, too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VX9HCVEV0TGV?ASIN=0316055441	a very heav read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story started out well, but felt it was disjointed as it progressed . Great command of language and history</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37HXK3VTAFM58?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely well written.  The best book I have read in a long time, couldn't put it down.  The characters are so well drawn you feel like you know them.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R163527H25GFPL?ASIN=0316055441	Pageturner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book keep me on the couch reading late into thenight. I never knewwhat was going to happen next. I learned alot about the art world.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YPAZG3D4IXFB?ASIN=0316055441	Boring, boring, boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wasted a week reading this, time I can't get back.  The main character is dithering, insipid and spineless; the endless explorations of his angst go on and on to no good end. The plot is far-fetched and nothing in the book ends up making it believable. No cohesion, no good characters, laughable plot. The ending is anticlimactic and full of more endless navel-lint-picking.  Lesson learned?  This could have been edited down by a third and still been overdone. Just because Stephen King gives a book a good review doesn't mean it's worth reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD9VHLHRMUKPV?ASIN=0316055441	I	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I knew the book was a very big one with lots of pages - so I decided to try it.<br/><br/>It took a while getting into the story but it was a book you did't want to put down - Very well written and very informative</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8YZ9J6G4OSS5?ASIN=0316055441	Good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was good, and Donna Tartt has a beautiful writing style, but is was to unnecessarily long. Ms. Tartt could have told this story in three or four-hundred pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25BGTNC3G4XXW?ASIN=0316055441	This one draws you in.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked The Goldfinch. Donna Tartt draws you in so that even though the book is very long, you cannot stop reading it. I can't say The Goldfinch is an ""uplifting"" novel, but the premise is unique and the main character is very complex and interesting. You can't help but root for him and respect how blatantly honest he is, and how even if his journey is unbelievable, everything he goes through makes him very human. I don't think the main character and I would ever be friends in real life, but I'm glad to have met him.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25YWDNA8UXT7I?ASIN=0316055441	Mourning the editors of yesteryear	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Alas, where are the editors of the last century?  I enjoyed this book, especially the Las Vegas section, which so captured drugs and latent homoeroticism, but the book could have become really great with the help of a latter day Max Perkins.  There are no editors now, and Young Turks and successful writers' work is less great as a result.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R73N49F7Q0B3?ASIN=0316055441	Great Story, but a little lengthy on the details.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My sister-in-law, who is Dutch, recommended this book last summer, and although I was smitten by the very raw and moving plot I found myself having a hard time reading through the very detail descriptions of certain conversations. I thought it could use a little less depth in some parts and a little more on the ending as it felt as if the author was rushing through to rap all the story lines in a few pages when more time could have being taken for it. All in all however, this was a magnificent story that I would recommend to anyone looking for a good book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31VZNC3JG1SKT?ASIN=0316055441	Suspenseful and heady, a glimmer of redemption at the end - relationships were deep with the few who attained that.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She is an amazing writer - the first 3/4 of the book were spell-binding, and then I got weighted down with the end - I feel like I need therapy sloshing my way through the end, tho' it seemed redemptive despite the blackness. I will be re-reading the last quarter and maybe then I will change my rating to a 5.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK50MJRL9IVT0?ASIN=0316055441	Gripping plot and characters.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent plot, with turns  expected and unexpected.  Ms. Tartt did  great work on developing the characters, allowing me to complete their pictures, which I appreciate.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY04KOI245SS4?ASIN=0316055441	Slow going	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found myself getting bored with the many, many long and drawn out descriptions of drug and alcohol use. The author definitely knows how to use her extensive knowledge of language. However, I was captivated enough with the story to want to know how it would end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OANFOL31KOPX?ASIN=0316055441	Don't waste your time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had to think on this book for about a week before I could apply a rating above one star. It was long, 800 pages, and then the ending was not satisfying. I am going to rate this with two stars not because I liked, but because I feel the author deserves credit for trying to create the next “highly acclaimed” thought-provoking novel. I am not going to rehash the plot, but suffice it to say the book reads like a series of short stories that should have ended at 300 pages. The main character’s life starting as a teen and going through adulthood was the main draw of the book. The author tried to maintain characters from beginning to end, but because those characters lacked depth, it did not matter. She could have started each part of the main character’s life with new characters and the book would have been the same. Nice try on the author’s part though. I will say that I was pleased the puppy made it through the entire novel. The novel leaves that reader with questions about pre-determined fate and such. For me, none of characters were likeable, and because it was so long and the characters were not really fleshed out enough to ask questions about fate and circumstances, I just did not find the ending satisfying. The questioned asked in the novel cannot be studied and interpreted. None of the characters accepted their fate or acknowledged their choices in life. Essentially, I did not care about any of the characters. I finished the novel because that is what I do, and I had hoped against all hope that I would pleasantly surprised at the ending, but I was not. I will give the author credit for all of the characters lives in the end. I felt let down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X8NZQUOG4GVP?ASIN=0316055441	Not nearly as good as it's rep	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very disappointing. An exciting start slows to a long, tedious, unbelievable, completion with stereotypical and clueless characters. Kept hoping it would click again but it never did.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R201R0K2I6B0CN?ASIN=0316055441	The Most Poignant Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the most poignant book I've ever read.  Everything is covered; every emotion, idea, and thought, woven in a complex story which twists and turns.  There is no way of knowing when or how it is going to end, much less what will happen next.  One of my top 5 books EVER.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SR74X9WEI5QA?ASIN=0316055441	Good but not great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book had me reading at a gallop's pace throughout until the end, then it bogged down and became preachy.  I enjoyed the book, but was hoping for a more satisfying ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS2GIYJOMQAHL?ASIN=0316055441	Complex and ready to delight!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the 21st century version of the quest for the Holy Grail and the resolution of good vrs. evil.  Beautifully written for grown-ups with working minds and vocabularies.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BDNBV3GG7XDW?ASIN=0316055441	A Very Worthwhile Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a wonderful, terrible, and insightful story.  The writing is economical and without an author just loving the sound of their own voice.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OPG2TCERWK2A?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch- Donna Tartt is a mesmorizing writer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a true artist with words. She captures the reader's attention immediately, with a heart stopping description of a bombing at the Metropolitan Museum. You can smell the smoke and taste the blood, so vivid are her descriptions. She creates characters who are complex, good and evil, survivors in their own ways. I missed them when they were gone. The book is defintiely worth reading- but don't try to read this one if you're in a hurry. It's wordy!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC5SLVD20QHQH?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was written beautifully but entirely too long. I like the plot and the twist and turns.  Author seem to go off on tangents and if she would have cut all those out and cut the book in half i  could have  given it five stars.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R210NIFBLUC96Z?ASIN=0316055441	Not so much...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting concept but overall I didn't much care for the book.  Characters often acted in fairly unbelievable ways. Colorful, good descriptions of drug use.  Some fairly exciting parts.  Mostly not happy with it, though.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ONXMZANGE5KD?ASIN=0316055441	Great story, fine writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those books that makes it difficult getting into your next reading adventure.  You're leaving characters you've become attached to and a plot that was gripping throughout.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DS8ZQEZJ306V?ASIN=0316055441	I did not like this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt<br/>This book was a rambling mess.<br/> Where was Tartt's editor?<br/>The story was good but way to long!<br/>It could have been written in three to four hundred pages.<br/>So much of my life I will never get back.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ID0Q4K6B42W6?ASIN=0316055441	Editing required!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although written well and the characters well developed, this book could have been edited down by at least 200 pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFAOTDGNWCQQ1?ASIN=0316055441	Loved, love, this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a review writer normally. I felt captivated and connected to the characters, story, settings, and mysteries that continued to present themselves throughout this book.  I've been a fan of this author since her first book came out.  She is right up there with Harper Lee, Annie Proulix, Jane Hamilton to name a few of my favorites.  This may be my favorite book from my adulthood, next to, To Kill A Mockingbird.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MOOD6TL5H0UK?ASIN=0316055441	A good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed it - clever how the writer manages to tie the painting into the plot when you least expect it. But at times, I thought the story was a bit tedious - too drawn out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RH9WJ8O58PNN?ASIN=0316055441	Overated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book much to repetitious and long for its contents.  Maybe I am too untolerant of ""drugies"" and their need to escape.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LOLJ7EPK5EPR?ASIN=0316055441	Lengthy but Intruging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great novel, intriguing but way lengthy.i felt like I knew the characters well though it's a rather dark and meloncholy journey.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UMLOEJ2XNRS7?ASIN=0316055441	I wanted to give it five stars...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to give this 5 stars, I really did... For the haunting weaving of words, for the textured drama, for imagery that will stay with me forever, for vivid characters whose lives I enjoyed living. But it was too long,way too long, and self indulgently repetitive. So I could only give it four, alas. And still it was a great, original vision.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KYUXKYGD9FEV?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very Good book! A little dark at times but keeps you wondering what will happen next.<br/>I recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G8WAV7WNWJP7?ASIN=0316055441	What a shame	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This had the potential to be a good story but was spoiled by long-winded, self-indulgence on the part of the author. Judicious editing would have culled at least 300 pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EO9XLB87RFUW?ASIN=0316055441	Unanswered Questions	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Youth without parental guidance or support (after Theo's mother dies) are ""lost"" and find ways to survive often engaging in risky behavior. Far too many pages devoted to drug and alcohol use which was very disturbing. The ending showed some redemption but Theo still was not very happy with his life. It was a very long book that left me feeling sad for Theo even though he greatly turned his life around.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28N9E9BWUMSJO?ASIN=0316055441	tough read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So much tragedy and despair, seemingly never ending.  So well written with characters fully developed.  Very moving but not easy reading!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23YYZCJF9EHDP?ASIN=0316055441	a good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really nicely done in the beginning. Then it just got wordy and overboard. It really was a ridiculously long middle to end. Too much</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DG4JEYP5VVHJ?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read in years. I could not put it down, and despite its length, finished it in a couple of days. You will not be dissappointed in this one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MJBHIENR8A9U?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written, but	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long. I finished it, but I wish the author had had a better editor. The plot  and characters were so interesting at first, then everything just dragged on endlessly.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LT3H7MK0X7N?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just a little disappointing ending.  Kind of left dangling.  But overall, it was an entertaining book.  I enjoyed the characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZKBWSQNO1KWG?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very excited to start reading this book. I had just come back from NY to view the painting of ""The Goldfinch"" in The Frick. A wonderful painting; I could not keep my eyes off it. I thought it would make this book more meaningful to me<br/>The beginning of the book was really good, fast paced and I felt I was there when it all happened. I could not put the book down! I was happy to wake up at 4 am, so I could finish reading this book. Then something happened, it all became a big bore. Drugs and alcohol used by the main character, it just went on and on. I kept thinking ""what about the painting?"" The end got better, the painting came back into the story. The last chapter was philosophical about art. It all ended well, but the book did leave me disappointed. Too bad.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IHJTLDPEUNDT?ASIN=0316055441	Crazy read couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">well worded entertaining great characters and informative<br/>just when you think you have the story figured out another twist and another turn.of events happen</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19PJ69FALIH26?ASIN=0316055441	Great!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent! It was just what I was looking for. Great service too! Thank you very much for the great experience!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FJ07BHUDD1BT?ASIN=0316055441	Liked Goldfinch--didn't love it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It held my attention (all 700+ pages!) but I think it could have been a bit shorter. She kind of elaborated more than was necessary  at times. I liked it though--would recommend to friends with that caveat.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ1BC7JE50N43?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic Story but Overly Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read this for my book group and we had reservations because of the length. What can I say that hasn't already been stated? Ms. Tartt certainly takes the reader for one wild and crazy ride. Some of the narrative had me almost breathless, but there were stretches that dragged. Some judicious editing to tighten up those passages would not have been amiss. Even so, she ties up those loose and impossibly tangled ends rather neatly (almost implausibly) by the conclusion.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P4JL53BECLKV?ASIN=0316055441	Some things are irritating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The length of the book is like listening to an old uncle tell a story and inside you are thinking (please get on with it and stop dragging it out)  Most things are in such detail until near the end, then it is wrapped up too short.  What really bothered is that the<br/>author seems so pretentious.  Don't read without a dictionary.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUC3HC2P912AW?ASIN=0316055441	worth the time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story pulls you in with suspense, twists and turns, concerns for the protagonist and also with its strong writing.  An incredible accomplishment to keep it interesting and meaningful for 800 pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R355CA80USIZ28?ASIN=0316055441	GOLDFINCH BOOK REVIEW	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was a good story and enjoyed till I got close to the end. Usually a good book I do not want it to end but I was ready for the ending on this. Ending not good at all. Too many words around the end. No clear picture of a good ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W09FJGYWMHFP?ASIN=0316055441	What's all the hoopla?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had heard this book was FABULOUS and TERRIFIC and a page-turner that you couldn't put it down.  Maybe I read a different book.  While I liked the beginning which pulled me in immediately, , I thought the vast middle section was redundant and needed editing. There was some beautiful language, but it went on and on and I lost interest. Maybe reading on for pages and pages and pages about self-medicated unhappiness just isn't my preferred subject matter.  The final pages contained lots of messages - some of which I appreciated and others didn't appear to actually flow from the lives in the book and the prior 690+ pages.  Reading this book reflected the problems of high expectations -- disappointment.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27ZT2Z27BMXDO?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch ,A very...long book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning was very good and got you hooked, but the middle just dragged on and on until you got to the end which was good.<br/>The book was way to long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VZA0DWX2NZPR?ASIN=0316055441	Not an enjoyable book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was not the type of book that I usually read.  It was much too deep and hard to read.  I forced myself to finish to see if it would have some wonderful ending, which it didn't.  I would not recommend this book to the casual reader.  To me, instead of 700 plus pages, it could have been written in about 250.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OXSTWI61V0QD?ASIN=0316055441	A very good idea BUT!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A story which began well and then, to my humble brain, rambled on with far too much non-absorbing trivia. The idea of the novel is excellent, but the execution I have to say is second rate. Too much unnecessary detail which meandered around in circles and became a touch boring. I think that the book could easily be reduced by 33% and then it might the have the contents to attack the senses.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUNMX1SJXV4QU?ASIN=0316055441	New York	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book,tedious.In the beginning it was the voice o f a 13 year old.It was not believable as his ideation was not that of a 13 year old.The book picked up in the middle,however it bogged down at the end.If a were not so dedicated to reading I would have never finished it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VDPWQECV135A?ASIN=0316055441	Well written and engaging, but overly long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I often hate for a book to end, but The Goldfinch was excruciatingly long. I enjoyed the plot, characters and prose, but It would have been a  much better book if about 200 pages had been red penciled.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35TZRWCC17TI6?ASIN=0316055441	Time flies with the Goldinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The flowing narrative of this novel draws you in with a subtle momentum that keeps you reading unaware of any time constraints.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R144279MIAHFNA?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a remarkable read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a fascinating author.  I'm very interested in art and was captured immediately by this story of a young boy who for reasons not entirely his own,was thrust into the under belly of life.<br/><br/>He survives by hanging on to an object of eternal beauty.  Something that covers or washes away the dirt and darkness of his true existence.  Tartt has achieved a remarkable read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16VH955FDOTZL?ASIN=0316055441	WOW---mostly	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The main character of Donna Tartt's newest novel is complicated and tortured by the death of his mother in a museum explosion and the loss of his father to alcoholism and abandonment.  His life becomes a pattern of constantly choosing the wrong path, the one that leads inexorably to his own destruction.  His narration of the book and the unraveling of the complex plot makes for riveting reading.  The ending of the novel, however, bogs down in a morass of philosophical meandering which left this reader wishing Tartt had ended the book 30 pages earlier.  The plot resolved and the denouement accomplished long before the novel ended.<br/>All that said, the disappointing ending does not negate the engaging and compelling wiriting of MOST of the novel.  Books clubs can have great fun with this one!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5S350IY5LWSU?ASIN=0316055441	The ending fell short	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the book until the last chapter. I was disappointed with the ending. I guess I needed to know more about his future.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OD2S7FD6S6RC?ASIN=0316055441	Wordy but worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sometimes you can get lost in all the words, but Tartt really has a way with them!  Definitely a worthwhile read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UU5B11T3NNUI?ASIN=0316055441	Went downhill at the end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was good with the painting weaving in and out, but all the angst and philosophizing the last  50 pages  was not necessary. We knew Theo had a death wish  from the beginning.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CEHFSZ2YM1HZ?ASIN=0316055441	Unexpected twists and turns	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an amazing book!! The writing style is very descriptive and Ms. Tartt draws the reader in from the very beginning.  The twists and turns the Theo's life takes are unexpected and at times, breathtakeing.  I sometimes forgot that this was fiction.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O68IDJCZOV9E?ASIN=0316055441	This is a best seller?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is probably one of the only books ever that I didn't read until the end, and any friend that I've spoken to about it, assures me not to bother.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J7TQY4ZH6754?ASIN=0316055441	Very well written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author immerses you in the read and engages you in the life like characters. A must read. Brilliant. Poignant.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H1R3YHA439HL?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt has done it again!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms. Tartt has done it again! Masterful and genius. My book club was concerned about the length now we wish it was longer.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7TWRQPUYA6ZS?ASIN=0316055441	The Painting and our Protagonist Were Both Lost	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It certainlyn moved along and totally held my interest. However, there were parts of the novel I found distressing.  I'm a bit of an idealist and wished the Las Vegas experience wasn't so drug filled and sopped up with boioze.  Some was acceptable but I thought the author poured it on to excess.  But possibly with no supervision, these kids were able at all times to do whatever they wanted.<br/>The metaphore  of the painting was noted, of course, and appeared to be as lost as our protagonist.  All in all, I found her writing style interesting and, in fact,  she incorporated some words I was totally unfamiliar with and looking them up  is always delightful and I consider it a plus in reading any novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UW14M5M32JIY?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best thing I've read in 12 months. All over The Luminaries. A thriller a coming of age novel. Catcher in the Rye meets Girl with the a dragon Tattoo.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LC8Y65XOCWCD?ASIN=0316055441	took me a month	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story.  Great characters.  Lots of drugs and drinking.  Too much talking about the weather and his constant day dreaming.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7ERPKS22P8Z4?ASIN=0316055441	Long and boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long and pretty boring. Only one endless story line. Several spelling mistakes. Trying too hard to be philosophical at the end and desperately failing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14OW07C8CPHEH?ASIN=0316055441	A compelling read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the explosive opening pages to the denouement. I was spellbound by the evocative style of the author. Her description of the inner turmoil of the lead character and his perceptions of his environment emphasizes the pathos of the story.  That certain events in one's youth could have such tragic consequences is played out in an enthralling read.  Unlike any book I have ever read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LBBICZE2ZVQC?ASIN=0316055441	OMG it's over	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Almost 4  months I've been reading this book.  Happily I started it and enjoyed it though saddened by Theo and Boris"" life in Las Vegas.  Theo""s adult story in NYC was painfully dragged out. The book was unnecessarily long winded and I found myself skimming pages and missing nothing.  A few hundred pages shorter would have created a masterpiece.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QIEUZ4KBBL8X?ASIN=0316055441	An amazing book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was just an amazing book.  The characters were so interesting and the story line so imaginative (and at times bizarre). It was somehow believable, starting with narrative by the main character as a child.  I have rarely chosen a book this long, as my interest wanes, but this was an exception.  I was sad when it was done.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13J60678QZONB?ASIN=0316055441	Difficult but rewarding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In the end this book was worth reading, BUT it was a difficult slog to get there.  So much sorrow and sadness, but you have to hang in there with Theo.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31WE6LRJB90SE?ASIN=0316055441	Good subject!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and too descriptive!  Became too tedious to continue. Enjoyed the plot, but became a chore. I hate not finishing a book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22RTHQDXPG0FX?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing!!!!  I typically read memoirs and autobiographical books, but this novel was awesome!  This is one of the best written books I have read in a very long time.  I am hopeful that the author takes these characters on a journey we can follow...... Series please!!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAK5HLBRCY7LU?ASIN=0316055441	extremely depressing book!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What was the point?  Understand many have unhappy lives but guess I missed it in this book. What a waste of time and money. Did not find it a great work and wish I had never started reading!!! Did enjoy finding and learning of the painting The Goldfinch.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B01MLDUVRYYV?ASIN=0316055441	We loved it.  The Goldfinch was a well written book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was well written and very suspenseful.  My Book club loved it.  The characters were  all well developed.  Good Book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK006QNA3FZP0?ASIN=0316055441	the beauty of the Goldfinch is unforgettable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book.  The story is captivating &amp; the characters are unforgettable.  Beautifully written, fascinating information about art &amp; furniture ... I never expected so much ....</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13WRWIVOQVYL?ASIN=0316055441	mixed emotions	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The premise of this story was unique but the writing left me exhausted.  I wished it had ended right before the author said,-and then eight years later.  The wordiness was tiresome, in fact I almost set aside the book several times, ready to count it as one I would not finish.  But the characters and the ending kept pulling me back.  Honestly, what ever happened to good editing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I0FO7YUNFAB2?ASIN=0316055441	chained to a perch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book at the beginning although it left me feeling sad. Such difficult journeys for children, who somehow survived. The ending dragged, and I almost stopped reading but wanted to get through this book. Restitution and yet the main character could never find peace.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QAR42YWDQUGY?ASIN=0316055441	Enthralling story--memorable characters.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enthralling story with fascinating though not always likable characters. I was completely drawn in. Well worth reading. I'll read more by Tartt.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NDSAEDV4N0AY?ASIN=0316055441	Good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was entertaining, but long and depressing at some points. I was hoping for a happier ending but it fell short...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GP0WA4VIQBIS?ASIN=0316055441	Just didn't get it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very long book, with lots and lots and lots and lots...  you get it, very verbose and yet  didn't say much.  The book could have been better by cutting out half of the prose.<br/><br/>Is Potter the Goldfinch?  Is it all a metaphor?  Some deeper meaning that I just couldn't see? Perhaps, but I cannot recommend this to anyone unless they are my mom taking her hyperbaric treatments and she needs something to do.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28NYDXETC7MGM?ASIN=0316055441	Well Written and Tedious, In Need of a Good Editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">SPOILERS<br/>One of the many problems I have with Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan” is his assurance that the way to recreate chaos on the screen is to shake the camera a lot; it seems the most literal way of reproducing chaos and the most simplistic. Why not use filmmaking techniques to get across the fear and horror of the moment? Compare it for example with the assault on the grassy hill in Terrence Malick’s “The Thin Red Line” which I found infinitely more tense and horrific because he actually used the quiet of filmmaking to increase the horror. It’s not cartoonish like the Spielberg, the technique doesn’t push you away from the moment, it immerses you into it.<br/><br/>I was thinking about this when trying to figure out what I wanted to write about Donna Tartt’s “The Goldfinch.” There’s a lot of admire in the book, but in specific places in the book – the early bombing scene, the long section in Las Vegas, the endless scene where Theo waits in Amsterdam after an act of violence, the long ending philosophical rant about life and love – she manages to create the tedium of these moments and this existence on the page by turning these sections into endless tedious passages. Like SPR, it felt like the most literal way of reproducing tedium, not by referencing it using skillful narrative techniques but by recreating it, forcing us to wade through it endless page after endless page. I’m reminded of Laurence Oliver’s likely apocryphal advice to Dustin Hoffman’s method acting stay up for days and get all filthy machinations in “The Marathon Man” – “Why don’t you just….you know…act?” Which would be my advice to Tartt and the editors she clearly never employed; why not instead of inducing the same tedium in the reader that the character is going through use your skills to represent that tedium on the page.<br/><br/>All of which makes the book sound worse than it is; it’s true Tartt is in need of a good editor but it’s equally true she’s capable of amazing and truly lovely passages. And if I don’t exactly believe, for example, the whole central friendship in the book between Theo and Boris, I’m more than willing to go along with it because it’s mostly a fun ride. Still, by the time you’ve slogged through the last quarter of this book, a certain enraged entropy sets in, a sense of helplessness (I kept hearing The Simpson’s Apu’s voice saying “Why don’t you shut up, I can’t believe you won’t shut up.”) It’s not that she uses 10 lines where one tight, lovely one might do, it’s that she uses 20. Or 30. Or 50. Passages in this book go on for so long, lovely stretches with genuine intelligence (though much of the last part of the book seems committed to fleshing out a philosophy that doesn’t seem much beyond “life’s hard and then you die.”) but it doesn’t really matter because you as a reader start some of the despair the main character feels. Not so much an understanding of that despair but the actual feeling. So your main character is existentially doomed and in a funk, does Tartt have to induce the same feelings in the reader? Not awareness of those feelings or of that knowing understanding we get from a great book, but genuine despair of the “when will this thing end” variety?<br/><br/>I can’t help but think that Tartt doesn’t fully understand what she’s created. When Theo at the end goes on an extended rant about life and death ad nauseum, I came to realize that I don’t want to hear that from this character. He hasn’t earned that right, which lead to the realization that in the end, I didn’t buy Theo. I enjoyed reading much of his life, but I never really believed him as a living human being or his story as that of a living human being navigating a living, breathing world. He’s all conceit and nods to outrageous plot turns and various human traits and foibles (he loses his mother in an act of terrorism, he steals a famous painting, his father is a drunken gambler and all around jerk, he loves the wrong woman, he snorts heroin, he lies and steals and cheats and even murders, he gets scared and down on himself and wants to do the right thing – good for you, little man, good for you), a mix of elements that never really comes together in a way that makes me care about this guy or his story. By that standard, the book is not only an utter failure, it’s a pernicious one at that.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KSL7PTHUC4DD?ASIN=0316055441	this Story is Troubling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not so sure I can say I even understand it. It's sad, it's bleak, and it's depressing. Although I had grown to like Theo, as the book when on, his character was just a horrible person. Yes, it's told in 1st person but he was no different than Boris, his father, Kitsey. He snubbed his nose at these people as if he knew right from wrong when all the time he committed heinous acts himself. I mean, I feel like a drug addict just reading this story.<br/>Then there was the last chapter that went on and on and on sinking you further down into his own dark pit while the same trying to justify himself. For the love of whatever-murder?<br/>Yet, just as I was about to close this book forever, the last few paragraphs struck me so hard in my core that I couldn't stop crying. To a certain extent those words were right and while some people live their life's in complete denial- it think this was something that needed to be let out because in the back of my head and in my heart I know it's true. This is the only reason why I gave this story 4 stars. The only reason.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21JCVBF2EAMRF?ASIN=0316055441	A rich, wild ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In a tale both staccato and luxuriant, Tartt winds a dark path to a hardscrabble truce between art's infinity and the chronicity of chaos. A chiaroscuro narrative maze driven by deliciously-rendered language. It's long but the payback is as substantial as its heft.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V198EHWM5HD1?ASIN=0316055441	the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am reading this book for Book Club. Most everyone I have talked to has loved it. However, I am having a difficult time getting through it. I am in the middle and it seems to have bogged down. I will know more when I finish it. I am rating it now as any book that is a drudge to get to the end would never get more than a three stars as it certainly takes away from the enjoyment of reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OD6H8UUQX5JQ?ASIN=0316055441	heavy read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a very heavy read. Lessons to be learned. Philosophical. Need to reflect when you finish the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MR6VJSBVS6J5?ASIN=0316055441	Settle in for a good one!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Perhaps a bit longer than needed by about 100 pages or so but kept my interest and worth the read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HK0EQN6HR3LV?ASIN=0316055441	"""I Get It, I Get It, I Get It."""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got so tired of his self-flagellation that I just paged through the last third of the book. ""I get it I get it I get it--move on already."" It gets points for development of characters and place. (I want to work with Hobie.) Also, if you've recently read Incredibly Close and Extremely Loud, give yourself some space before reading this (just too much for your heart to bear and your head to keep straight.)</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G5QAVTW56AS6?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was way too long. It could have been great, but it just kept going and going. It was very disappointing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MQ1RFLONQ9TV?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't enjoyed a book more since in 7th grade I was introduced into great literature through Dickins' Great Expectations.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16TSRXLT0CYLG?ASIN=0316055441	Good Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unbelievably great read. Kept me wondering, ""What next?"", up to the last page, even if there were some dark parts.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI4TPIYQ85E5S?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book began well, I was interested in the characters and plot. The story was well written and developed. I noticed towards the halfway point I began neglecting my kindle in favor of other reads. I made myself finish the story but feel it could've ended much sooner. The final points of the story were well made in the last pages yet getting there was laborous for me. Better editing might have helped this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC59297H9NWR6?ASIN=0316055441	Very disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is much too long.  I found it very slow reading.<br/><br/>The ending is totally impossible.  I would not recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBH4ULE10JOUW?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This held my interest from the beginning to the end. My only criticism is that I felt the story could have been told in fewer pages just as effectively.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT0L4CMIZ6SC?ASIN=0316055441	boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">terrible book it was boring, had chapters that repeated itself- every time a new character came in the author felt the need to repeat the whole story up until then.  it wandered back and forth between real time and flashbacks with no explanation. I quit reading when the main character was spending all his time using drugs, getting sick and sleeping- several chapters in which that was all it was-<br/> I didn't even finish the book- wish I could get my money back!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROVGCZETTQRFC?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very well written story. Enjoyed every page of this book. I was sorry to see it end. I want to read more of their lives.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VKEM0T0YW3DM?ASIN=0316055441	my review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy in so many places.  Things that really didn't matter to the story as a whole.  A lot of information that didn't matter to the plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R43BVQID0BAIO?ASIN=0316055441	excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be one of the best novels, I have read this year. We'll written. Keeps your interest throughout. Takes you through this boys life from a teen to a young adult, with a very traumatic life. I was sorry when it ended.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SHPT5MKZBYQ7?ASIN=0316055441	A little too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The storyline was good but I felt overall it was too drawn out and a little too depressing.  The beginningof the book moves along well but the second half was a tough read.  Would not seek out other books by this autho4.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EKHVUB6K64D7?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfich is Fantastic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Once every 20 years or so a book just flattens me.  This book was one of those. I put it among the 4 best books I have read and I read a lot.  It is a book that I will think about for the rest of my life.  There were many messages, many things to contemplate.  The last chapter is priceless.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S27AL6FKEU2Q?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was a good read. Little slow at times but very interesting! Following a boy through childhood to an adult and the picture that haunted him!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P48TGELVEF3P?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author rambled on and on about things that did not matter.  Could have been a good story if<br/>it had been condensed, in my opinion, it dragged.  Had to force myself to finish the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D5O1Y9CHXXEZ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Highly recommend!  There is only one part of the novel that went on too long, and seemed like another book....in Amsterdam.<br/>Language is deliberate, tasteful, subtle, forceful; beautifully written!  Would give it 4.5 stars if that rating were available.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R567PCPD33WDH?ASIN=0316055441	Dark, depressing and long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was not what I expected.  It had very few high points and the main character was unlikeable throughout.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QKD714X5K3WU?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful , truly wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reminds me of invitation to a beheading but more enjoyable.  Profound, fascinating and inspiring.  The  last chapter left me mesmerized.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P4TSHDRNQP7C?ASIN=0316055441	Such a lot to think about!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo and his challenges make for a wonderful book!  This book took me into worlds I knew nothing about, and I loved every minute of reading it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19BM81QZLTS5T?ASIN=0316055441	tough read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although very well written, I found this book very difficult. The story never quite rose to any heights for me. I will admit to actually skimming the last 30 % just to see how it ends.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35ISBWBSK3MD8?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful book, masterfully written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is so well written I couldn't put it down. Tartt really has a way with words. This was a pleasure to read</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XI3BSUTP9TQA?ASIN=0316055441	to long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the blackest book I have ever read. To many characters, to much dialogue , and I am not sure how it really ended. Way to long, with no real point in all of the describing, towns, streets, people, drugs, and where the painting went.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1METZKGYWIOV1?ASIN=0316055441	Philosophical and mysterious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Philosophical and mysterious. Enlightening journey of a  yo living through tragedy. What will happen in the end? I found the writing descriptive and easy to read, the story drew me in and kept me captive. I strongly recommend this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BJLSF0JYU85V?ASIN=0316055441	perfect book to curl up with	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved, loved, loved this book!  So enriching, thoughtful and beautifully written. The characters were so rich and engaging.  I wanted to know more about them with every page.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19JXOSQB84I8T?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author's amazing story telling with added information of art history, rare furniture facts and multi-faceted characters. Also thoughts on life and all it's meaning, including our faith.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CNJRH5M89FEB?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch book review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating book. A little bogged down in parts. I had the felling the author was trying to figure out how to bring it to a conclusion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AOFX010NR9QF?ASIN=0316055441	Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The paragraphs were too long, some going on for two pages.  The descriptions were too detailed and boring.  Some of the characters were well developed but the main character should have, but did not have, my sympathy.  In fact, I could not have cared less what happened to him.  The last chapter on the author's  philosophy of life...really!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V9PF03LNUQZ7?ASIN=0316055441	Read On	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is very slow to get moving.  However, I forced myself to read on as I knew it had to get better and it did</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KKAGAOD7BP35?ASIN=0316055441	Very Well Written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. I read all nearly 800 pages in just a few days. The writing is incredible. The plot twists and at a certain point of the narrative when the main character' character came into question, I put the book down, wondering if I wanted to finish it. I am so glad I did.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LD0XFB7PKGZ4?ASIN=0316055441	Would not reccomend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a book chosen by our book club and that is the only reason I finished reading it.  I felt it was way too long (775 pages) and only every once in a while was interesting which is why I gave it two stars along with the fact that the writing style was good. .  Pages upon pages are about the main character's drug and alcohol use.  Yes, he was dealt bad blows but still had people who loved him.  The whole Goldfinch painting thread could have been more interesting if the storyline had been at least trimmed in half.  The book visions he's with the main character saying all of what was written came from notebooks where he had journaled his live over the years and that is what the book felt like--notebook upon notebook with no editing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XIEAEV0YN6ZD?ASIN=0316055441	Not one of my faves	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very engaging opening but much too long to hold interest. The conclusion is impossible to imagine. I sped through some parts just to get back to the main story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20KSR70G8NXZ8?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful, Moody, Unexpected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read this book, don't miss out on this experience. You already know from these reviews that it's a book about a boy and a tragedy and a work of art.<br/><br/>Yes, the story doesn't move in expected directions, which is why I think some reviewers didn't love the second half. It's going in this direction, you think, and it could tie up in a pleasant way, and leaving you feeling better for this little boy whom you fret about all through the book. But, like life, it doesn't go the way you hope it might, but in the end there is beauty and redemption. Go for the ride, as in life, and enjoy where you've been taken.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCHOTUI45WQ2V?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It moves s little slowly but it's hard to put down. Knowledgeable on the art scene. Highly recommended this book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TE9IJA5U4W2S?ASIN=0316055441	Well worth your time to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great read....well worth your time. This book just moved to my No. 1 placement of loved books I have read. I have enjoyed her other novels, but this is now my favorite.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH5AM5V3N6PJR?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Written very well. Very different story than I expected. Loved the ending. Would recommend reading- very long book. Need lots of time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KOHM2IE6LZMJ?ASIN=0316055441	A love hate book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good but could have been 200 pages shorter !! The characters were different and interesting but you hate most of them.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WPBGCQXXKHT9?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an interesting book. I understand that this book is relatively long, but when you purchase it in the kindle edition, you don't notice that. I think I would have been intimidated reading the paper version due to the size. The relationships that developed throughout the book kept my interest.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DJE4V4TJK244?ASIN=0316055441	Hmmm...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started off fascinating then it got a bit slow. Pushing through the slow part and finishing the book now seems like a success.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10OZMXMFEHSB5?ASIN=0316055441	This colorful bird.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the story - look forward to the movie. The writing style was difficult for me. So much narration and introspection!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTYONYORYEU3R?ASIN=0316055441	wow very heady stuff	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I learned a lot about, how mixed up a person can become from bizarre circumstances and how that relates to reality.  I struggled to put it all in place.  A challenge to read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R359478H34J5EA?ASIN=0316055441	Well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loathed the condition so aptly described of the protaganist in The Goldfinch. I couldn't decide if I liked the book or not, but until the end I didn't like the main character of the book.  Theo was so damaged, but you keep reading because, after all, the events of his life caused that condition, didn't they?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35TWBT2AU3RKP?ASIN=0316055441	A Memorable Engaging Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has written an engaging story that hooks the reader in and never lets go.  Told from the viewpoint of a young boy struggling with loss, needing connection, and finding a stasis is a universal saga that will resonate with almost any reader.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EQX063UMFMLA?ASIN=0316055441	too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the story was fascinating, it was a struggle to get through many parts where it seemed to linger just a little too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32FZ9WYK8UQ3A?ASIN=0316055441	A Masterpiece about a Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Smart, literary - a masterpiece about a masterpiece - underpainted with deep dark human nuances and overlaid with brilliant highlights of the world of art and beautifully drawn characters.  Deep stuff.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UEDUPUBDCTZJ?ASIN=0316055441	Great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it!  Had to skim read quite a few sections to get through it all, but a great tale, beautifully written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OONDX6PRJPVR?ASIN=0316055441	KG	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good story becomes a bit stretched and unbelievable at times, but does make the reader think about the effects on families destroyed by terrorism. I found the ending disconnected from the entire story. It seemed as if the author threw the last part in as an afterthought. The philosophical silouqy didn't mesh with her developed characters or the rest of the book. It was as if Charlie Sheen turned into Marcel Proust in the last few pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R190IMF160ME9D?ASIN=0316055441	If you give it a try...it may not disappoint	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is extremely long!  Not just the number of pages but the many words to describe what is happening in the book.  Not going to lie, at first I would read first sentence in paragraph and move to the next paragraph.  I almost gave up...then I turned on the text to speech on my Kindle which helped me to enjoy the book.<br/><br/>The writing style of the author made the characters pop for me.  I was interested throughout.  The main character, ""Potter"", had a traumatic event happened to him when he was thirteen years of age which changes his life forever.  We follow him as he grows up (age wise) and experience the dark events that happens to him.  I couldn't help but root for him to have things go better for him.  Drugs, death, mafia, gambling, relationships, friendships, boats, PTSD, world travel, art thieves, appreciation of art, music, books, cultures, etc. are just a few of the topics dealt with in the book.  Very dark themes, but described in depth that painted a detail picture for me to follow.<br/><br/>Theo, ""Potter"", and his buddy Boris take on all these adventures only to discuss how life may or may not be.  Life isn't always placed in two groups, the good or the bad, but there are crossovers in which ""bad""people can do good...etc.  I do appreciate the soul searching in the last portion of the book.  As Theo would say, ""life is a catastrophe""........<br/><br/>Like I said earlier, when I had the book read to me I was able to focus, listen and came to the conclusion that I wanted to know all that was presented to me in this book.  I had history, language, the arts and much more taught to me as I went on this journey with the characters and their adventures in life.<br/><br/>Recommend this book for the content, but must be willing to endure the long, drawn out descriptions of what is taking place.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KUD61W4KR8YN?ASIN=0316055441	Stand Back to Truly Understand the Painting and its Meaning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A promising plot, with some interesting characters, and a remarkable painting by a Dutch artist whose life was taken in a tragic bomb explosion back in 1654; all these things are the ingredients of a truly captivating story, if only it was told less tediously, at a slightly faster pace, and with words dispersed more economically.<br/><br/>Starting off well, we get to know the protagonist, a young boy named Theo, and his beloved mother, who like the famous Dutch artist of yore, meets the same unfortunate fate while visiting an art museum on Fifth Avenue.<br/><br/>Fate seems to play a big role in this novel. Or twists of fate, rather. It's almost Dickensian. A modern-day take on poverty-stricken Victorian England. Except it's not about a lack of food and shelter, but of a young boy starving for his lost mother, trying to find his way, and himself after that fateful day at the museum.<br/><br/>There are some glorious passages in this novel, like when Theo spent time with a furniture restorer, the eccentric, elder Hobie, learning his trade. He ""restored furniture for Sotheby's, for Christie's, for Tepper, for Doyle."" A genteel soul who welcomed the boy to stay at his home. The lessons he taught about furniture restoration were interesting. And the prose used to uplift our imagination makes this book shine, like a freshly polished Chippendale bureau.<br/><br/>Perhaps there's some connection with the practice of restoring furniture and re-building people's lives. Putting together broken furniture legs, like mending lost souls.<br/><br/>In another, short-lived passage, like finding a nugget in a gold field; Theo's mother explains how the Dutch invented the microscope and how even the tiniest things meant something, particularly in paintings, where small insects and a wilted petal in a still life is the ""painter giving you a secret message,"" - that living things don't last, or what's called natures mortes. It's passages like these that are rare in this book and there's a yearning for more like it.<br/><br/>The recurring theme in this book is the element of chance. It's not the painting, 'The Goldfinch' that's so important, but how the fate of its painter, Carel Fabritius, converges with the protagonists mother.  How two unforeseen, and unfortunate events took away two living treasures. One from the art world, the other from Theo, a young son.<br/><br/>Carel Fabritius, who happened to be one of Rembrandt's most gifted pupils, was killed in the Delft gunpowder factory explosion, which also destroyed his studio. 'The Goldfinch' painting was one of just a few of his works that survived. Theo's mother, who also died in an explosion, left behind her only son. Perhaps her only artwork and legacy, albeit a living being.<br/><br/>In the years after what Theo's father called 'the big bang,' when Theo was in a drugged-out stupor, or racked with indecision, the story meanders way too long. You just want to skip those parts and move on with the plot.  And near the end, the story becomes incredulous as Theo's boyhood Ukrainian-born friend, Boris, manages to extract him from an engagement party to travel across the ocean to another continent without much clue as to why. So, we have to ask, why would Theo just go like that?<br/><br/>The hurried final chapters felt like the author was urgently trying to meet deadline. It just seemed forced and inconsistent with the pace of most of the book.<br/><br/>Throughout the book, there are some surprising gems, like when describing an absent-minded friend as ""a planet without an atmosphere,"" or how the dark pouches under a characters eyes gave him ""a genial panda-bear aspect."" Metaphors worth highlighting.<br/><br/>If only this book wasn't so long, and at times, meandering. If it's brushstrokes were more refined and meaningful. If this book was as light as 'The Goldfinch' painting itself.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WWSZ9B64KU1?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book. Never wanted it to end. I would love to know if he ended up getting married. would suggest it to a friend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AP8GD1DT8AJK?ASIN=0316055441	Not sure....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was kind of depressing.... I was hooked mostly bc I think I was hopeful that eventually something good would happen....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4AP9PRLM0LR8?ASIN=0316055441	Some good, even great work, but uneven and bloated at points, needed a more brutal editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'd read numerous glowing reviews of The Goldfinch, not to mention that it is an Amazon book of the year, so it seemed like a good bet to be entertaining at least. The positive achievements of the novel redeem it from severe criticism, however it lacks cohesion as a whole and the author has a tendency to veer off endlessly on seeming trivia which many times adds little or nothing to the plot, theme or entertainment value. I stuck with it, doggedly, and the end provides a nice payoff for your patience through the slower, meandering sections.<br/><br/>The book is quite long and broken into a series of episodes in the protagonists life. In the first section, he (spoiler alert) recalls for us how his troubles began when as an adolescent being raised by only his mother, he loses her in a freak and horrific event while they are in an art museum together. This section is gripping and wonderfully written and it sets up a premise and a question that succeeds in carrying the whole book forward. In fact, this question is the main reason I kept going through the last third of the book. The subsequent life episodes vary in quality and in how compelling/surprising they are. At best, there are some fully realized, larger than life characters, such as Boris, who is thoroughly interesting, believable, and in the end his character provides the biggest emotional payoff of the book.<br/><br/>On the downside, the author jumps in time at certain points past things that would have been more interesting to see play out. E.g., after eight years in NY about which we learn little, he runs into his old friend's family who had taken him in, and the little sister is now grown up and gorgeous. The next we hear about it they are engaged. There are a few moments like that where I felt the reader was cheated from the drama of how this came to be. Ironically, other sections go on endlessly and seem utterly beside the point.<br/><br/>So, I'll sum it up like this: the 70% which reveals rich, wonderful, even unforgettable, characters which we care about, and throughout which a central question provides an ongoing dramatic tension and mystery, and a finally satisfying ending, are deserving of your time and of praise in their conception and execution. However the effort is hampered by a 30% taxation of rambling, meandering and drama-less pages which challenge your will to continue (especially if you are a slow reader as I am). So, because of that this book isn't the shiny gem it could be, but that many reviewers seem to think it is. I fairly sure that using only the DELETE button carefully and ruthlessly, this could be turned into a work worthy another star or two.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OUKYI5XKG33S?ASIN=0316055441	Art theme throughout	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt described characters very well, like the Russian friend, Bruno, the main character admired.  She also was good at having the theme of the art work  carry through the whole novel.  We readers realized that the main character's whole life revolved around the tragedy at the museum, and the death of his mother when he was young.  I see this novel as an important piece of literature that will someday be a classic.  I didn't read it too fast because I wanted to enjoy her character developments and plots too--all the different people and places he went to ""forget.""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HASTK8A292CY?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is about many things, of course. Art and its purpose in our life, being dealt a bad hand in life and how we internalize that (especially being a young boy), the validity of fate.<br/>It challenged my belief that we can create a better life if only we try hard enough.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IHNON72DKVX8?ASIN=0316055441	Twice as long as need be	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Premise of the story interesting but she took twice as long as needed to tell it. Almost quit 10 times during the Las Vegas years.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24D4G3P6DOQVR?ASIN=0316055441	finally!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall interesting but dragged on in numerous parts. Lots of loose ends when you finally get to the end of the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO7DA4ZGBSXHB?ASIN=0316055441	Love this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am dreading the moment in the near future when I will have finished the book.  I urge you to buy this book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R377RYERDXPWAH?ASIN=0316055441	Book review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Plot is too complex and I didn't have a good feeling about the characters in the end.  Author did a great job at placing you at the scene of events.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K2G8SQFJ33XM?ASIN=0316055441	well worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story about a youngster who falls through the cracks is an engaging read. The first person description of events is riveting.  I would like to think that it could never really happen but have to concede that it probably does.  The only reason I did not give it five stars is that the last fifteen pages (or so) was a philosophy lesson about why bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people.  I kept with it, thinking it would get back to the story but it never did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G8YZ28SMR132?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch's Main Character Has a Difficult Life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was very well written. It seemed to drag in places but overall it was intriguing. The character development really makes you realize how much one's environment and people impact their situation in life. This young man ran the gamut in lifestyles. He was dramatically changed in each period of his life. His gift of intellect helped him to manage to make it through many rough spots.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G6CYTS068SM7?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful piece of fiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As is Ms. Tartt's custom she's got a fantastic piece of fiction here which is well researched and beautifully written. My concern is that I'm 75% through the book and ready to put it down; so many characters, voices, settings, feelings.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YSOK45DOYCQ4?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book took me in, wrapped me in a warm blanket, made me shed a few tears, and at the end, sit with a wide smile on my face!  Love it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15WZSNEGW0PSB?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch analysis	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was beautifully written but way too wordy.  Story plot was interesting.  I got anxious to just finish it. I feel it is a little overrated.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A7L7EE9UKQNN?ASIN=0316055441	Almost perfect (4.5 stars)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got an occasional T.M.I. yawn from the INCREDIBLY detailed descriptions and side-stories of minor (passing) characters.  And the author takes a page from Ayn Rand (""This is John Galt"") at the end to use her main character to wax philosophical.  But the level of detail also made the book very interesting (I learned a lot about antique restoration and New York collector snobbery).  And the ending was both surprising and satisfying.<br/><br/>Not light reading, but for those who enjoy thoughtful fiction, a very good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R212P3NLB7CP6Q?ASIN=0316055441	Pleasantly surprised	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was fascinated by the depth of characters and the description of the locales.  I tried reading Secret History when it first came up and put it down - something I NEVER do once I've started a book.  This one I could not put down.  Worth a read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35J22QFD672KH?ASIN=0316055441	Surprising twists.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept me turning the pages, though some spots were a bit slow...ending was not expected.<br/>Learned a bit about the art world in the process.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFLHT40NR4HXK?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Review .....boring!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The premise was interesting. Too wordy to the point of boring.Struggled to finish because I just wanted to know the end.<br/>Very disappointed after all the hype.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PBFJ2X63M9W3?ASIN=0316055441	A good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Felt the book was too long, and was disappointed in the ending.  It just seemed to leave you hanging when everything else in the story was so detailed.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JPXUI2IW0GZ5?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch. beautiful prose. at times very engaging. at times long and treacherous. but worth reading for the writing alone.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">See above. My review is in the title. A long but beautiful and very different book. Thoughtful, depressing, indulgent and glorious.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R288J64EFFODSL?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I rarely find a book that takes me on a journey in the way that The Goldfinch did.  From beginning to end, I was spellbound by the story, her writing and the possibility and impossibilities at the same time.  It was a beautiful work of fiction. I hated for it to end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FD09BM9IO1R?ASIN=0316055441	drugs	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I grew tired of the drugs involved in the story. The plot was reasonable and Tartt drew beautiful pictures wit her prose, but All the drug craziness made me skim read. I understood the clever twist in the plot that focused on drug use, but I could have enjoyed the book with less drug insaneness.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CMYG98RA4K8H?ASIN=0316055441	unnecessarily long on detail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author, in my opinion, was way too caught up in describing details of drug use, vomiting, headaches, disorientation etc. I got bored with it. Was it her point that your behavior is a result of your DNA just as much as your environment or experience ? More like his father than his mother ?  Then again keeping a secret can destroy a life.  I did enjoy some of the characters, and the settings in New York City, Las Vegas, Amsterdam and the Art &amp; Antiques World made the experience enjoyable.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J017BHQ3L2JU?ASIN=0316055441	Love the audio book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have the Audio book and I love it!  The reader does an excellent job including accents.  I would highly recommend this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PU66MUSUU24P?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read for girls and guys	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lots of imagination to create the story-line; and great depth of characters and plot. Love art themed stories. Any child psychologists would do well to read this novel and think about the questions we should ask kids.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10SJ67KFQDGUN?ASIN=0316055441	A beautiful and tragic story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautiful and tragic story.  Typically in books of this length, I look back and can see parts that should have been left out of didn't contribute to the story.  However, in this book, every page is necessary.  Enjoy!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5Z2IKTDSI5Q1?ASIN=0316055441	Very engaging!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read in years! Lots of drugs, but the characters are very engaging, and the story is amazing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PF0OW964YYJ5?ASIN=0316055441	Almost perfect	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was a wonderful read , but as is the case in other Donna Tart novels, the ending was wordy, long, and not believable .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B3X8DTGFZ59H?ASIN=0316055441	I almost loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book until the last chapter.  The philosophical meandering was not necessary. Otherwise it was a great book and a great adventure.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJB7HZRRWOB6W?ASIN=0316055441	Undecided?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Parts of this story I really loved and other parts were not as interesting to me! It is very long and towards the end, I had to make myself finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10UGP38C96WPS?ASIN=0316055441	Some excellent writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the first two thirds of the book but the last third was a little disappointing. The visual descriptions were sometimes breathtaking. I'd recommend it to people who appreciate great writing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TIS00RDXT6MQ?ASIN=0316055441	Love it!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is such a well written book.  I really loved being witness to the lives of all the charachters!  The author also really included almost forgotten vocabulary which I really enjoyed!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CO8AAT0HWY4Y?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a moving, beautifully written book with a characters you love in spite of their weaknesses.  I think the book will appeal to a wide audience.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ECRCR9RYTXH0?ASIN=0316055441	stick to your ribs	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So much to relate to.  Such haunting descriptive passages. The more I read  the sadder I got knowing Theo's story would soon end.  Best read in a long while.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X8ZBO74MK8NX?ASIN=0316055441	great story line.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked the book. The author has a way of making you feel like you are in his shoes.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CORDU9RQDSF2?ASIN=0316055441	I Really Wanted To Like It But. . . .	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't read any reviews of The Goldfinch but I read it based on its best seller status. I knew within the first few pages that Donna Tartt was going to describe every word, thought and deed in detail worthy of an electron microscope. Even though I truly did appreciate her descriptive skills it started to drive me absolutely nuts very early on. I said to myself more than once that she was definitely showing off. I also just couldn't bring myself to invest any feelings for the main characters other than frustration. I kept hoping for a reversal of fortune, anything to make my investment in time worthwhile, but it never arrived. I am not necessarily a happy ending kind of guy but after reading this, had I been Theo or Boris, I would have drunk or drugged myself into a 3-day binge. That said, I think it could make a very good movie since the editing would have to be severe.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17EMI6PQPW5AP?ASIN=0316055441	Gripping	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dark, darker, darkest -- and redeeming.<br/>I hated myself for staying up so late, but I could not put it down...or  breathe.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYN0XF73BN5H4?ASIN=0316055441	Has become one of all time favorite books	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book and couldn't put it down. Beautifully crafted and written. Each character is like a vivid portrait</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R177IR79THHP3F?ASIN=0316055441	wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much of it Very depressing, but an incredible read nonetheless.  Several characters - Boris esp expertly written and jumped off the page.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KGMERSNWFEKY?ASIN=0316055441	A lot of twists in the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very entertaining a cast of characters. You follow characters through many stages of their life.  Detail is great, you feel physically inside the described locations.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V8ASFZ0S6R87?ASIN=0316055441	How does this book continue to be rated number one in Fiction on all the best seller lists?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tis book had me hooked and gripped up until the last couple of chapters which did not go nearly in the direction I thought it was going and resulted in a real let-down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PQ6BQYNG75UN?ASIN=0316055441	Great writing, so so plot.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the book. The writing, the character development, the descriptions of places, were all terrific.  I did not think the plot was as good as the writing though.  The book seemed kind of pointless.  It seemed like a point of sorts was grafted on to the ending;  ie even immoral behaviour can sometimes lead to a good outcome and vica versa.  But my biggest complaint echoes that of some other readers:  It is hard to slog through a book of 800 pages about a character you don't like.  It is, however, a testament to Donna Tartt's writing that I was able to slog it out to the very end and actually enjoyed most of it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23HMWXTX6JIQA?ASIN=0316055441	Kept me reading!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the different lifestyles, etc. portrayed in this book.  Also, being kept at bay as to the ending.  Good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LI4GTN4HNUAO?ASIN=0316055441	A Tarnished Look At Life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although easy to read, the hopelessness of this child permeates the story too dramatically for my taste.  Beautifully written but too dominant in a lifetime of drugs.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPL7EDF0LX1EY?ASIN=0316055441	Verbose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Verbose.  Annoying protagonist. Salinger like characters in some ways. Surprised after compelling reviews.  Not worth the time for this tooo looong book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TGWH16H9WFQI?ASIN=0316055441	Dreary	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am still trying to figure out why this book is so popular. Perhaps there just aren't a whole lot of ""good books"" out there that are worth reading. Whatever the case, rarely have I read a book where the main characters (except Hobie and Boris) are so uninteresting. By the end of the book you could really care less what happens to Theo. And his self-absorbed self-analysis gets tedious after awhile. And I won't comment about the last chapter except to say that it makes for a wonderful cure for insomnia.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19JMHTVQXGPDX?ASIN=0316055441	Good story, great characters, beautiful writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating book.  Beautifully written and rich in characters, place and action.  You have to be okay with wondering what is going on in the beginning but stick with it because the plot starts moving and you'll be hooked.  The author is very verbose sometimes in describing something over and over, but you realize that is why there is such depth to the characters and the places they inhabit.  It all adds up to a great read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GCY8FFVYZY3L?ASIN=0316055441	Great Character Study-The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was a gripping story of survival. I believe Donna Tartt created memorable characters and the struggle to live after a random act of violence. It was a page turner. Loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RL69RL57V2XY?ASIN=0316055441	disturbing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It certainly kept you hoping something good would happen to the main character .  In a way it did but the damage was too great to completely heal.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGCNXRY8L0H8U?ASIN=0316055441	Pondering	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing....captivating beginning....slow in the middle, and the drug experience was too exhausting for me personally. The end seemed evasive.  Im not sure what I wanted to happen....but I am still mulling the end over weeks after finishing the book...perhaps that is the sign of a good book???  Sometimes I think the story got lost in the constant introspection of the main character....annoyingly so at times...I could have edited a few chapters or the size of the chapters out somewhat.  So...pondering....still pondering.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC5NW82LEZ26G?ASIN=0316055441	Dark but very compelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a great read.  Dark but very compelling. i haven't read her earlier books but will now go back to the Secret History, which i hear is great.  there were parts of this that were very, very compelling--kind of like the late seasons of Breaking Bad where you wonder how this fellow can possibly extricate himself from the terrifying underworld that he has sunken into.  definitely worth the time but a substantial chunk of time it is!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18YO6FPEIILIR?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters are well drawn and although you may not like them, you care about them.  Very long and tedious in places.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AOCHU1CENRI8?ASIN=0316055441	Awful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning of the story was interesting but the book devolves into several loosely connected but uninteresting stories.<br/>There are long chapters with the protagonist and his friend in drug induced stupors doing stupid things in Las Vegas.<br/>Normally, I would have quit before slogging through all 700 plus pages, but I kept thinking that it would come together.<br/>The ending is completely unrealistic and contrived and I had long since stopped caring about the painting, the protagonist and his weird friend..<br/>Most of the descriptive writing is just too much. I get it, I get it! Too much metaphorical prose.<br/><br/>Came away depressed that I'd wasted so much time.<br/>The book could have used an EDITOR.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REEHFNXF9QYST?ASIN=0316055441	Page Turner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have read in a long, long time.  I could not put it down and was racing to the finish, yet did not want it to end.  Don't be afraid of the length, the plot makes the book so engrossing, it doesn't feel long.  The reader is pulling for Theo each page, paragraph, and sentence.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JBDC8Y45D938?ASIN=0316055441	Intense, well written story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing story of resilient characters.  Incredible story telling, pieces unfolding slowly throughout the story, every step unexpected.  Interesting view of the worlds of addiction, art, antique restoration, human frailty.  Must read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PIOC7UMVWONU?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Drags	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch literally begins with a bang. Initially there is a lot of action and the author describes her characters and their relationships with each other very well. About the middle of the book, when the hero moves to Las Vegas to live with his father, the amount of drug and alcohol use strains the readers credulity.  Toward the end of the book, the hero's mental agonies become too much to bear, and I found myself skimming a lot of the ""poor me"" prose.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DDELO9P5I8H8?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the best books I have read in some time.  The writer has a way of describing the environment and emotions that make it seem like you are right there and are part of it. Difficult to put aside.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18DY1JWFQK5BA?ASIN=0316055441	awesome book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">beautifully written story, kept me hooked from start to finish. You will fall in love with the characters and will be sad when it's over.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ8449ZQ4RM69?ASIN=0316055441	Difficult to read......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so looking forward to reading this book.  I really like the writing in the beginning and the end.  The entire middle of the book was torturous.  It took me a month to read this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PAGXUSETK1QK?ASIN=0316055441	An Interesting Saga	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put it down! That's all I need to say! Had my attention from beginning to end and I highly recommend it, especially to those interested in art!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MJA9E3R9Z2ZU?ASIN=0316055441	Not an action novel for sure.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a difficult time getting through this book. It seemed to dwell on the boy/man's disfunction rather than truly having much to do with the painting. It is not for someone who likes action.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE9HW6O0UVQ7W?ASIN=0316055441	Passages full of total sensory intrigue.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Highly recommended to all that have been waiting for something that would mesmerize and have you wanting more titles from this author. See other reviews for the overview gist of the book. Fantastic.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YSBGZAUP7FPH?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put this book down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story by Donna Tartt was truly an engrossing read.  From the very beginning I was hooked not only by the amazing sequence of events that open the story but by the beautiful writing style.  The story often dealt with topics that might otherwise depress me but Theo was such a real character and his relationships so interesting and complex that I had to find out what happened next.  I found myself at the end of the book highlighting many sections that I want to go back and read over and over as I know that I will continue to find layers of meaning every time I read them.  This is the best kind of read because the story was engrossing but it caused me to stop and think many times.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J6YDL6HL8JFI?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was okay book.  It was slow and too much into people and surroundings.  It's not one I would highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24CJTA0T3OI3Z?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent!! Wonderful characters all of whom are very different. Its the story of Theo, a twelve year old boy, and a priceless painting, The Goldfinch, that are flung together in a terrorist attack in a  Manhattan museum.<br/><br/>It's a story of loss, despair, redemption; of friendships made with unlikely persons in an unlikely place that last a lifetime.<br/><br/>Fabulously written by Donna Tratt and an author I plan to follow.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R307GH7NN95XB5?ASIN=0316055441	I could not put this book down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A really wonderful read.  I was excited to start reading first thing in the morning after having to put the book down to go to bed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27VLYA7ON0PZO?ASIN=0316055441	Why is this a best seller?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was uninteresting, the characters unremarkable and unmemorable, and the writing was flat.  There were so many pages where the author just prattled on about things and details that didn't enhance the story or give any better insight into the characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U88152SVFHEA?ASIN=0316055441	Good for art history lovers	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Parts of this book were very interesting especially the subject of the painting and how it connected  so many characters in the book,  but by the end of the book, I felt let down by the choices each person made.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IZWJIPJ5PLTT?ASIN=0316055441	A must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A saga!  One of the best books I ever read. An amazing variety of Characters lives and histories. Information about the art world and the black market of stolen works was enlightening.<br/>It has it all - art, romance, intrigue, psychology and wonderful character development and so much more!<br/>I Read for book club. It got raves from all. Would like to explore ms Tartt's other work.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R205XNO4UW8V5B?ASIN=0316055441	Journey through a young man's loss and attempts to cope.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book pulled me in from the very beginning.  It slowed in the middle and picked up at the end.<br/>The pain in this young man's life and his attempts to cope and the adults and friends he reaches out to are heartbreaking at times.  The honesty of the author communicating the young man's thoughts is painful and revealing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNWBG8RKK4AK9?ASIN=0316055441	I liked the book but it rambled on	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the story and the writing for the most part but there were times where it rambled on for pages about something that could have been covered in one page.  By the end I was just skimming the pages because I was ready for the story to be over.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YZBXTO022JB?ASIN=0316055441	Great story... perfect for the summer!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm enjoying the afterglow of this book just as much as I enjoyed the story itself. There is a lot going on. The characters are damaged and troubled, the situations are grim and traumatic, and the writing is fantastic. I can't wait to dissect and discuss it for my book club!<br/>Happy Reading!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BMH2CIAB592R?ASIN=0316055441	I Love This Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not finished yet, but nearly, and I don't want it to end. The story is captivating, so many twists and turns. Donna Tartt is a wonderful storyteller.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F9G707DWDUUS?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a compelling book. The theme is carried through every harrowing adventure the character encounters. Character development is thorough and these characters drive the plot, as it should be in every well-written book. I gave it four instead of five stars because of its length. I believe that the story could have been just as strong with some of the lengthy passages removed. I found myself skimming over some of these passages, which included dialogue as well as narrative. I will read more from this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SWBPXQ7QEIN6?ASIN=0316055441	Good but maybe too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed about the first 3/4 of this book very much. It was an interesting story told from and interesting perspective. The last part dragged some and I felt that the character sunk into a level of self pity that went beyond what the character would. He had reason to feel that way but it went too far and went on for too long. My only other complaint in general is that sometimes sections of the story went on for too long, with repetitive descriptions of situations and events. Overall, it was a good story and worth reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12JM57O5QKLE3?ASIN=0316055441	She paints with words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. Great story and wonderfully written. Beautiful way with words. I  fell in love with the characters and found the story very moving.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FU6DBOO8BB54?ASIN=0316055441	OK  But To Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A friend told me about this book so when Kindle had it for 2.99 I thought good deal so I bought it. This is a very long book and sometimes thought about just deleting it but keep on. The story starts out very good and then becomes very wordy. I am sure that the other reader have given you the synopsis of the story so I will spare you all that reading. I am glad I did read it but I don't feel like I would have missed out on anything if I hadn't.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF6QKMJ5341BP?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed this book. I rate the books by how I feel about a book when I put it down. Do I think about it and try to find the time to sneak in a little more reading? Do I wonder what's going to happen next? I didn't find myself trying to sneak in a few chapters of this book. But, I did enjoy it a lot. That's why it is 4 stars. It is worth the read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQC3ENTO6IQZ8?ASIN=0316055441	mesmerizing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are so many separate ""books"" contained in this epic journey of Theo Decker and his painting, the reader is given multiple themes to ponder and reflect upon.  Why we react to people and events around us, how good and evil shapes our decisions, the different kinds of love each person will experience in a lifetime and which kind will propel us forward..... I will think about this book for a long, long time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GNRQ5BPDSL04?ASIN=0316055441	very good book! A must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I very much enjoyed reading this book, with its' many and varying plots. Great character development. Looking forward to MS. Tartt's next book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T70DIL1EKPRB?ASIN=0316055441	SUMMARY	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">TOOK ME A WHILE TO GET INTO THE STORY .  GOT A BIT TIRED OF THE DRUGS AND UNRULY BEHAVIOUR.  BIT DRAWN OUT.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AREXI1WSZBTM?ASIN=0316055441	Would have enjoyed it if it stopped at 500 ish pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I watched an interview with Donna Tartt that she had taken a hiatus from writing the book at around 500 pages. This was the part of the book that I didn't feel like fit with the first part of the book. I felt like I trudged through the end just so I didn't say I didn't finish but I didn't enjoy the last part at all.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WVR345ZFPLLI?ASIN=0316055441	Struggled to get through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A laborious read.  Could have been a good story if it were half as long.  Was this author paid by the word?!?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22PVDVOUV6J3P?ASIN=0316055441	Meh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a hard time really getting into this. I didn't find any of the characters very likable or relatable.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RREVMXHZ8J5KZ?ASIN=0316055441	hard to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story and characters pull you in and as they veer from being self destructive and redeemable, it is hard to stop reading. The Audible version is performed beautifully. I switched back and forth and could hear the performers voice throughout. Well done!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R66FQUXN9ON19?ASIN=0316055441	Fast paced, coming of age thriller.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tragic loss and well defined characters drive this well written page turner. Don't let the book length deter you from this read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RETQWRPY5O8BR?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read.  It grabbed my attention right from the start and I found myself unable to put it down or anxious for when I could pick it back up. That is a rare thing to find.  Good character development and very vivid descriptions of places and people. The storyline was interesting and caused me to reflect on right and wrong in real life as I read along. I highly recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G6MTIU3806JE?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling story and fabulous writing.  Grabs you from the start.  Well rounded characters and beautifully written scenes.  Highly recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUMHLHPTSGAFK?ASIN=0316055441	David Copperfield	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Does anyone else notice the similarities of Theos life to that of our old friend David Copperfield?  Mom dies, evil father/stepfather, long journey to safety of family (Hobie, David's aunt)etc.  Have not finished the book yet but just wondering if anyone else noticed similarities.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EUMGFTV3OHWB?ASIN=0316055441	A great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has a wonderful way of expressing emotion in describing a situation.  And the main character finds himself in many and varied circumstances!  Interesting and intriguing....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FGXDWRFUUSP6?ASIN=0316055441	blah	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has a wonderful premise and is beautifully written but I feel that it could have been just as beautifully written in 350 pages. Much of the book is just words for the sake of words with mind numbing length and lack of clarity or end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUK7OZ1XQ6IM0?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't like it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Definitely buy The Secret History or The Little Friend. Do NOT buy this. It had a few good moments but mostly it's dull. I am one disappointed Donna Tartt fan. :(</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13TNTOPJCZ7WJ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was dark but worth reading. I found that it celebrated  the immortality of fine art in a profound  way. There was also a surprising twist in the plot. However, the book was very sad and unsettling. It is worth a read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KOHWZME3EC93?ASIN=0316055441	Honest and well developed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt does a fantastic job with character development. The subject matter is honest and deep. Despite the length, it is a fast read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QBQYHHZ1B2P4?ASIN=0316055441	Why Only Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the beginning, but it began to drag after a few hundred pages, and although I loved the messages, I found the end a bit preachy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J951851VN28U?ASIN=0316055441	Less would have been more !!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good writing ....however much toooooo long !  First half moves along and interesting ...second half too long and very tiring ?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VJQJ5PSBBLY1?ASIN=0316055441	advertising books	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was lured into reading this by the advertising about the book, but I was disappointed after I started the book. So often it becomes the friendship between two boys who spend their  time getting drunk or taking drugs.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R373671FEOCGMS?ASIN=0316055441	Wanda	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed it but some parts were disturbing to me.. Too much info 're: drugs. have never done that and the details of doing them bothered me. I do hope it doesn't engage someone and ruin their life. Don't think I will read any more of her books.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34IR0UAUODGB6?ASIN=0316055441	The Gold Finch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed this book.  Author uses such detail and description you can picture each scene in your head.  The story brings you in and I found my self hoping the main character would eventually find his way, achieve some happiness and be at peace.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L4K9GQYX047K?ASIN=0316055441	Very good story over a wide spectrum of settings.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book and found the second half of the book redeemed for the me the time invested in reading the first half of the book.  Although the book is long and at some points in the book. I was unsure where we were going with the story, I thought the author did a nice job in the last parts of the book of bringing the story to a conclusion and wrapping up the loose ends.<br/><br/>I did gradually see the twist coming; however, I was surprised by the culprit.<br/><br/>This was a unique and interesting read from a very skillful writer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R157RPGNC4SSJX?ASIN=0316055441	Sophisticated and extremely well written loses steam at the end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you want to re-visit existentialism and the decadent literary movement in today's times here is your book.  Sprinkle some ancient Greek meditation on fate and a touch of nihilism and you get the idea.<br/> With undoubted artistry the author takes us inside the mind of her main character, Theo, a shocked, abused and permanently stoned adolescent, who grows up to become a bleak, confused and still permanently stoned man, always suspended between life and death in our modern days North America.  The antique furniture world of New York comes to life in these pages.  Ms.Tartt has a gift to create unforgettable imagery:  Hobie's antique shop is a masterpiece.  The Barbours' mansion and family are so real that I felt I had personally met them.<br/>Reading about the Las Vegas times, I ended up detesting the unbearable situation of these two lonely souls abandoned to fend for themselves in the outskirts of sin city.  Perhaps it went on for too long, but I could not avoid admiring the writer's elegance in describing the situation within and without the sick minds of her two young characters.  Again she dragged me in there with them, through their painful pursuit for love and drugs, for belonging and escaping, for life and death.<br/>There is an honest search to define beauty and the purpose of life, and there is no true answer.  Sometimes you feel that this is an ode to the immortality and universality of art, where a painting may transcend its definite physical confines to become an eternal beacon of beauty, peace and balance for all humanity.<br/>Thrown in there, to bring some excitement, you will find also a super human who acts as a ""deus ex machina"" to somehow conclude this book. Is Boris an irresistible life affirming force of nature or a Nietzsche hero boldly acting beyond good and evil?<br/>Elegant and thought provoking, this book somehow loses steam in its last part.  I think the end was thrown in there hastily, to bring some sort of redemption or ""happy ending"" to a story that did not need it.  I personally would have left it without an end altogether.  After all, in a world of existentialism, we are not expecting any answers!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BEQO0L0EAZI?ASIN=0316055441	Recomended Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story with plenty of unexpected twists and turns.  The characters weren't very likeable, but that's part of what makes this story work.  Donna Tartt's descriptions of people, places, and emotions are colorful and thorough (something I really like when I read).  I didn't like the ending; it left me wondering about what really happened as the author seemed to write in circles.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25CLGB4YDAEWM?ASIN=0316055441	overly long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">parts were good but overall I'd say Tartt thought she was getting paid by the word when she wrote this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B0PKXV2OU8JW?ASIN=0316055441	immersing and wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One loves Theo, and then feels sorry for him, and then hates him.  But one can never turn away from his story. It is mesmerizing; a tribute to Dona Tartt's intricate portrayal of a lost boy and his life.  Or perhaps he was never lost...it is up to the reader to draw that conclusion. Thank you Ms. Tartt, a truly genuine portrayal of life with all it's worts.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4SAU81FL73FG?ASIN=0316055441	I couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am an art lover and this book is a story of a stolen piece of art and the mystery surrounding the people involved.  The book has great depth and requires you to figure out how the characters are related and involved. I stayed up far too late at night because I couldn't put the book down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7Q1BH1X17GQ1?ASIN=0316055441	Too much detail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">On and on the author goes on subjects that could be explained more easily, don't need to know that much about insider knowledge of art. Could have been a lot shorter book if the author concentrated more on the main characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RINHDZYG80KBY?ASIN=0316055441	Kept me interested	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a hard time staying with this book.  It is of course my inability to accept the drug world scenes.  Such an innocent boy to have such a turn in life and still end up ok, maybe?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R396LI457TN3UQ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Liked it because it gives a look inside the thoughts of individual minds in a way I had not perceived before. Made me question and maybe understand a little more how and why people do some things with their lives because of circumstances others have not experienced.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGFFPEL79DWPY?ASIN=0316055441	A love hate relationship	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The contrast between the main characters physical description and personal, emotional being is stark and far reaching.  This contrast left me in a quandary on weather I liked him or not.  Not a feel good book to say the least, but when it was through, I was at piece with it's outcome, a well deserved redemption for a lost boy, but it seems not salvation.  I was also touched by Donna Tart's philosophies on life and living a content life I spite of it.  Thank you Donna, I think I understand the significance of the art in the eye of the beholder.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKTFG8MNEHGIF?ASIN=0316055441	Introspective	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too plodding at times. moves slowly.  too much effort in attempting to make her points.  enjoyable, but a heavy read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BZL0G4FW5LLQ?ASIN=0316055441	compelling but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was compelling and the character development was great. The book became a long journey with very few people I actually liked.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RVJ8MT9B8S69?ASIN=0316055441	Good but could have shortened	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line was interesting which made me keep reading, but the story had a tendency to drag on.  I think the book actually would have been better if the author had tied it all together a little faster.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NMT81OHOJESP?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of my favorite books from the last several years.  Could it have been shorter? Yes.  Was the author redundant at times? Yes.  Could some of the characters been a little more developed?  Yes. Loved it anyway.  Compelling existential story.  Beautiful symbolism.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DNR88QZPLYAJ?ASIN=0316055441	Almost 5	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The only thing I did not love was the wrap up. Seemed rushed and overly grand. Otherwise I loved everything else. Writing, characters and their development, story migration, etc. Brilliant!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU9MWP5Z95JVE?ASIN=0316055441	Really good--until the end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book, not so much the last 25 pages. The philosophy on ""life""--ehh.  The other 99% was excellent !</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CQX0K1BVS033?ASIN=0316055441	most of it was exciting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Most of the book was exciting and I couldn't stop reading it.  But towards the end it was boring. I did not like the ending.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33SNYE5QWZT16?ASIN=0316055441	amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story.  Kept me engrossed all the way.  Would have liked a happier ending, but it wouldn't have been right somehow.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DBSZV7P8O8QL?ASIN=0316055441	Okay - but not great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book too wordy.  The sequence of events seemed to drag on and I put the book down several times but in the final analysis decided to get through it.  Not my favorite read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NY0ABCUUDZWZ?ASIN=0316055441	Very good read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author grabs your interest in the first chapter and then she developed the characters so richly!  Great story! I'm interested in reading her other works!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ19US91BCUBD?ASIN=0316055441	very good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters emerged you I to the book.  It made you understand why people sometimes do what they do in life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R143EI6242RLLE?ASIN=0316055441	Exciting New Author	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt is the best writer I've read in a long time. I loved this book!  I had no idea how it was going to end but the end was very satisfying.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QJX8M8EBNSC1?ASIN=0316055441	It's so nice to read a book that actually has some literary value	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the word-painting in this book and will look for other books by this author.  I despise the XXX number of words requirement that amazon demands in order to leave a review.  I AM NOT AN AUTHOR.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33LS20JNLYXTB?ASIN=0316055441	OK-Average	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read a lot of crime/mystery.  The writing was good, but I just couldn't connect with the characters.  I wouldn't recommend it to a friend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R67PVJKT67ZVX?ASIN=0316055441	?? what is required	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very descriptive.  I could feel the drama  - the characters were very real to me.  The author is to be commended.  I hope to read more of her books.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20HYSO0CZW50Z?ASIN=0316055441	I liked it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked the story line and the development of the characters. It had a very exciting beginning but the middle of the story kind of dragged a bit.I did not expect it to end the way it did...very surprising!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FJ2K3VA91ZAN?ASIN=0316055441	decent book but drawn out.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The main character is great along with his friend but the story is very drawn out for how the ending is.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M4LDB8GYCHPD?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I purchased this book based on recommendations that it was one of the best books of 2013. I found it tedious and boring and gave up towards the end of the book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21XKZT88S41AT?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although it was a long book, it kept you glued to reading it with all the twists and turns.<br/>One of the best books I've ever read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V7TTYP7N3XS0?ASIN=0316055441	LIKE LAYERS OF AN ONION SKIN	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully crafted characters walk these pages...fully fleshed out and ringing true in manner and language.  Great story line filled with multiple locales and such 'living in the present' description of place, time and mood.<br/>Very well done!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q2G0ISEON6PB?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has sympathetic characters, suspenseful, exciting plot, extremly well written scene, action, emotion and character descriptions.  I have recommended it to my book discussion group.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R64GG4QX6U8H1?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing mystery!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was dissappointed and offended by the foul and vulgar language.  It is a mystery to me why someone of intelligence has to demean themselves by using such language.  The story had a very intriguing pull to it, and it could have been told WITHOUT the vulgarity.  I found myself wading through the filth, (because I was ""caught up' before encountering it),  trying to get to the final solving of the mystery of the beautiful painting's whereabouts.<br/><br/>It's too bad that the book did not have a rating or warning.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SIWN9RCZIXER?ASIN=0316055441	Not so much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started out loving the book and the writing but as I continued along I lost interest in what happened to the main character. Actually I lost interest in all of the characters.  Something was just off for me about the whole thing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AKA15ZCGMWHC?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writing but with reservations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a journey!  I hit the mother-lode of beautiful writing. The  personal insights were exquisite. But it was too long, with too many philosophical asides.  Reminded me of Ayn Rand's  monologues  in Atlas Shrugged.  I would still recommend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QRKX0IWEINQM?ASIN=0316055441	Nearly perfect	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a beautifully written Novel that I was completely enveloped by... until those last 35 unnecessary pages. If she'd ended it after the last conversation with Hobie I'd have given it five stars.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QQ3H9TY32OCS?ASIN=0316055441	a way of life I've never experienced	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's hard for me  to imagine how Theo and Boris lived while continuously subjecting themselves to such physical destruction.  I liked that I needed to keep reading to find the painting that I got so attached to.  I realized near the end of the book that a happy ending was going to be my acceptance and non judgmental attitude of the characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYLG2JB5GIXWJ?ASIN=0316055441	A good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall, a good novel.  However the ending didn't provide the closure I would have preferred--got a little too psychobabbly and felt disconnected to me at that point.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R76F69XXG2SSG?ASIN=0316055441	Emotionally exhilerating read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was completely caught up in the emotional rollercoaster of the characters from the opening page until the end.<br/><br/>That being said, the supporting characters roles would have benefitted with more flesh, while the drug sprees could have used some thoughtful editing. Still, a great read and re-read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R235B8CONOGMVA?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling character	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Staying with Theo's explication of his life as influenced by his mother's favorite painting is easy for the reader.  Donna Tartt has created a sympathetic and intelligent account of how great art affects its viewers and those who covet it for esthetic reasons and even more compellingly, those who covet great paintings for monetary gains.  Polly and Hobie, Theo's second family, are believable and interesting in their own stories, and Boris the Best Friend Forever is as real as the Artful Dodger. The Goldfinch is great story telling.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R198ZOII6QZPEP?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is about a 13-year-old boy who tragically loses his beloved mother.  His absent father is nowhere to be found, and Theo is, for all intents and purposes, left an orphan.  The book follows his life from a young dependent boy living with strangers to a lost teenager living with his self-absorbed, pill popping father who would rather gamble his life away than spend time with his only son.  It is not surprising that Theo bonds with a friend who also has an emotionally absent father.  The book devotes a lot of time to this relationship and demonstrates how two lost and unsupervised teenage boys descend into drugs, theft and more drugs as an apparent outlet to their broken spirits and bored lives.  Theo's saving grace is an older friend and  ""guardian"", Hobie, who can be counted on when no one else can.  The story overall was VERY interesting but did have some slow parts.  If a person is squeamish about drug use, this may not be the book for you.  The author tended to ""talk too much"" but, overall, it was good good good.  Highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA8FQAFB46SCE?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Althouugh the book was interesting D. Tartt seemed to get carried away wiht her writting in certain scens..  She would write about 50 pages describing a certain scene which should have taked about 10 pages.  That happened thourghout the book and I found myself sayoing ""OK I got it.  Lets move on""  The 800 page book should have been 550 pages</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RKVALU6D20UW?ASIN=0316055441	Mesmerizing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Few people can write descriptive passages like Donna Tartt.  Over and over I found myself jotting down her  amazing use of words to create an ambiance and powerful picture.  Her use of language is simply incredible.  This is a long book and essentially a very painful story.  But it is also a book that is impossible to put down.  Colorful, unforgettable characters.  Powerful voices.  Compelling themes of life and death, good and evil, failure and redemption.  This book is a classic and will remain so as long as books are read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLZSDPAR891PH?ASIN=0316055441	a masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is densely and beautifully written. The story is original and beautifully realized. The human condition, death, loneliness, what is art, why bother living - it's as entertaining as it is revealing of the answers to these questions. I loved this book and couldn't put it down. I found myself wholly absorbed in the story and deeply moved.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17CZC1J1HMAWS?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author is a good storyteller. I found it really hard to put the book down.  Kind of funny because I didn't always like the protagonist. I would encourage the reader to Google the painting as it has a history similar to the story being told.<br/>It's a good read and I enjoyed it overall. That being said, I didn't give it 5 stars as I found the ending to be unsatisfying.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31AMREP68NDIT?ASIN=0316055441	Very good book - makes you think!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this book up to a point.  Halfway thru when he meeds Boris - things change<br/>drastically.  Too much drugs &amp; alcohol.  Both boys have abusive fathers.  It really<br/>got to me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MC8QSMUOL441?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the book although it was a bit ""wordy.""  There was a big build up towards the end, but then ended without much substance.  It was interesting to know the history of the painting, but as far a plot goes, it was a bit weak.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22AYWT8UM7CA5?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt the first ""half"" was better than the second, and I was terribly disappointed by the last few pages. I didn't think it was needed at all and is the reason this book only got 3 stars. Donna Tartt has a wonderful way with words, however, and I couldn't put this book down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GM6KFHIKVYF5?ASIN=0316055441	Magnificent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Literally could not put this novel down from start to finish.  The masterfully created characters are unforgettable and  thoroughly real.  Bravo  Ms. Tartt.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HHCQI3JTW9TA?ASIN=0316055441	Too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author very often uses 100 words where one would do. Also, why does it rain so much in this story?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39E87E294NC6R?ASIN=0316055441	LOVED THIS BOOK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an amazing storyteller! I loved the characters with all their flaws and the way that Tartt conveys the emotional turmoil throughout the book kept me truly invested in them. LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34CRB4XY822D9?ASIN=0316055441	"My opinion of the book, ""Goldfinch"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way to much concentration on the low side of life, drugs, alcohol!! I thought it was an okay read, but way too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFGAZT9AIO5Y7?ASIN=0316055441	It was so good that I will read it again.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down.  Sad that it is over.  Well written and exciting.  I want to read more from this author.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSZD81HY2XBQ2?ASIN=0316055441	The many lives of one person	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The interesting and varied lives of a boy and the changes made to him and by him as he grows into manhood.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D84ZPY2OE82Q?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love this book......it held my interest from the first page to the last. I forced myself to read the last few pages slowly because I was sad for it to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QS1SRRGYY2HH?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great character development, some very interesting and complex that I became fond of and related to. Tremendous details kept me reading the 775 pages - savoring through till the end. This was a good read I highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z00Y1XZBTZ7M?ASIN=0316055441	How did anyone come up with this plot?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great characters and a plot that compels forward motion! Tartt may be from Mississippi, but she knows New York. Thanks for a great book, Donna.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34WLCU5S54JGE?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book!  I had to slow my reading down near the end because I didn't want it to end.  Loved her writing style will read her other books for sure!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19MOU4AHBOHW3?ASIN=0316055441	Could have been a contender as literature not pulp	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The charm of this book fades toward the end with way too much maudlin philosophizing. The character of Pippa could have elevated this to a great romance novel which instead leaves us with only a miserable loutish Theo,a person no fun to know....It could have been a great book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LT37R8VIAOU6?ASIN=0316055441	Good premise, bad pacing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters were well fleshed out and the story idea intriguing. Unfortunately, the story lacked edge until the final 100+ pages of a very, very long narrative.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RP465379AKD5?ASIN=0316055441	A good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this one.  I read Donna Tartt's earlier books years ago and had forgotten how long they were.  It's just her style.  But if you can tolerate that, you should enjoy this one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D16F4AODCKG1?ASIN=0316055441	What a ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful plot- even though I expected the final outcome, it was fun getting there.  Along the way, the unexpected continued to happen, my assessment of certain characters proved false and predictions for others did not pan out.  In other words it kept me engaged and, for me, even with all the detail packed in every paragraph, it was a real page turner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19D81AVGDSMCA?ASIN=0316055441	Just OK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the beginning chapters were good, but the rest of the book, the pages that I read, just dragged on with very little to do with the story. I don't have to read this.<br/><br/>Given a little time, I did delete the Goldfinch from my Kindle. The drugs and parental violence was not good. When I download a book, it appears on the family IPad as well as the home computer. Both the underage drug experiences and the parental violence were  not good for family viewing.<br/><br/>I guess you can only make judgements that fit your personal requirements. I am sorry Goldfinch did not have a better storyline.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTWDH0PXGXO75?ASIN=0316055441	Good but a little long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The reading was fascinating and a good character study. It was like reading several stories but then it became depressing and a little long. At least it had a good ending.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BR6F127T8Y5B?ASIN=0316055441	Extremely well written novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What I liked most in this book was the surprising plot twists that popped up unexpectedly such as Theo's father appearing to take him to live with him.  I also liked the actual writing, the great sentence structure, the descriptions, stream of conscious style.<br/>What I did not like was the enormous amount of story devoted to drug use.<br/>Question I have of the story is how did Theo have a passport?  He never mentioned plans to travel out of the country, never had a need for a passport, but when Boris and Theo left suddenly for Europe, he had it.  With all the attention to detail in this story, it just seems a bit too convenient.  Did I miss something?  The only reason I thought of was that he and his fiancé had plans for a honeymoon overseas, bu is don't remember reading anything about it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M38T7663AJ4E?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a long, long, long book!  So many addicts - including this reader...geez.  Often I wanted to leave it closed on my table.  How many times I said to myself, ""Do I really need to know how this comes out?""  Obviously the answer was, ""yes!"" I was addicted.  It's a good book but the author really teases you and keeps you at it without making every page worth it.  I enjoyed getting to know the characters.  Really well developed people types...many who you thought you knew..at least, I though I knew someone just like....  I recommend the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FZJZYCYB97SW?ASIN=0316055441	Best read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Descriptions are amazing! Insight into the Depth of characters is wonderful. The author Keeps you looking forward to next chapter.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FD6QUHQP9CLS?ASIN=0316055441	So much hype for very little return	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have to say, when I started this book I thought I would really enjoy it.  And for a while, I did enjoy it.  It is written well, smoothly executed and it kept my interest for about the first half.  After that, I started to realize maybe this wasn't going anywhere.  When I finally finished it, it hadn't gone anywhere at all.  It felt more like I was hearing about someone's day than actually getting to a point.  If you want to read something to pass the time, it is relatively entertaining.  If you are hoping for a beginning, middle and end that leave you satisfied, this one is not the book for you.<br/><br/>I read book after book.  I am not an expert but just sharing my personal opinion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12JMDKRUKPAKR?ASIN=0316055441	one of the best books that I have read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent writing,especially in the last half of the book-also, a number of surprises in the plot-Boris is an extremely interesting character</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CB499T67YFVO?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great beginning, dragged in the middle, rather predictable ending. I love a big story, but this wasn't it.  Needlessly too long!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FSLOL70L4JE6?ASIN=0316055441	Book disappoints	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be so inferior to Ms Tartt's other books which were little jewels of psychological intrigue that I simply could not recommend this book.  Also, the male oriented characters with all the drug usage and other adolescents intrigues turned me off this book.  I was very disappointed since I expected after all this time the author would write another book I would enjoy.  It is better than a lot of the schlock out there but don't pay full price.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H4AVD9GZ1NU7?ASIN=0316055441	Suffering rewarded, and I mean the reader	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a tough read being inside the head of a small child, growing painfully neglected to a suffering adulthood, through a modern day Tom Sawyer/Huck Finn episode and a kindly older gentlemen hero.  However, it's real and proves that it can only take one or two good people who really care to enable one to survive anything.  I admit I wanted to toss it a few times but I'm glad I hung on.  It's a broadening experience.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13YZG7VQBCDN0?ASIN=0316055441	Well written saga	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written journey of 2 lost boys without parents and their nurturing, guidance, and support.<br/>The main character comes to terms with his loss, especially, the loss of his moral compass.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33DX00TAR9A3K?ASIN=0316055441	brilliantly written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely loved this! Took about 50 pages to get involved, but then I was hooked and loved being immersed into Theo's world</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y715VOECVY0I?ASIN=0316055441	Bleak but readable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well drawn characters, even though the story is depressing.  Had to give it a break when it got too bleak.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KMHCBPK94JHJ?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyable book. Felt like it kept changing as I read, with different/evolving plot-lines that were an enjoyable change of pace. The very end was a bit wordy and unnecessary though, felt like it was wrapping up for too long.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17B94AFZGNJE0?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very thought provoking and created many different emotions...sad, happy, concerned, empathy, suspense, and many more.  I couldn't set it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X0VNGFK0M2MP?ASIN=0316055441	Dickens	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have read that this novel has been compared to Charles Dickens. Really???  Not even close. I was interested in the information around the painting. The novel had me research  "" The Goldfinch"" painting. However, the novel never really grabbed me. It started off well with the scenes in New York at Theo's home and in the museum. I became bored when he headed to Las Vegas.<br/>The novel was too long, I found I really wanted it to end. I wish the editor had cut at least 200 pages of this.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RGIA1066SWJ3?ASIN=0316055441	A Most Touching Narrative	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch is a beautifully written, well constructed, and both a moving and thought provoking book.  The characters are remarkably well drawn and the author keeps us interested in the progress of all of them.  She creates a very diverse group of actors, but the excellence of her writing makes each if them seem very real.  Their growth and progress of her main characters over the thirteen or so years covered by the book is marvelously drawn and believable, despite some of the almost fantastic occurrences of the plot.<br/>All in all, one of the finest pieces of contemporary fiction that I have read in the last few years, rivaled (for me) only by ""To the End of the Land"" by David Grossman and ""The Roundhouse"" of Louise Erdrich.<br/>Most highly recommended for anyone that enjoys thought provoking but beautifully scripted fiction.<br/>Laurence J. Segil</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MNNQHNAT75ET?ASIN=0316055441	Exhaustingly brilliant portrayal of life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was drawn in completely and followed the kid throughout his tragic life. Wow, exhaustingly brilliant. Tartt writes with such detail; you can feel each adventure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M1PCS251NR7G?ASIN=0316055441	To long and descriptive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch held my interest from the beginning. A little two long, the twists and turns were surprising at times but mostly sad.  I had to skip over many paragraphs as they became to tedious to read and found myself becoming impatient.<br/>All and all I enjoyed the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R3NLCV9011SU?ASIN=0316055441	worth the long read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the characters and their development was astonishing. Have read thousands if books , many forgettable, not so with this. Work of art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OZ9P3THXHEB4?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed The Goldfinch!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was in New York in December, 2013 and saw the Goldfinch painting at the The Frick Museum, so I was interested in reading this book.  I wasn't disappointed.  It is well written, has a great story, and I enjoyed reading it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V5T69JEK2Z90?ASIN=0316055441	Twists Galore	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Nonstop action.  Hair-raising adventures.  Surprise ending.  Readers can't ask for much more than that, can they?  I recommend this  book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9YZ9I1P1WO4Z?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting but not great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The ending seemed contrived. I had little sympathy for the<br/>main character. The writing was ok, but the but is full<br/>of laundry lists of things that reflect Tart's research<br/>or that she seems to think set scenes.<br/>It wasn't worth the time I spent to read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROCJZASTZHGJ8?ASIN=0316055441	Great read - don't let the length scare you!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Before I read 'The Goldfinch' I read her previous classic 'The Secret History'.  Both books tell the story from the main character's point of view with a greal deal of character development.  She withholds details, which are eventually revealed, like getting a present on Christmas morning.  She brings you into the story, describing events which made me feel like I had experienced them. The characters are consistent, but Boris brings many surprises into the story.  While some of the events require a suspension of belief, the way Ms. Tartt describes them makes them feel very realistic.  I would highly recommend this book, except for one thing - I have no idea what to read next...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31O2M5PJLHDOE?ASIN=0316055441	tough read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book very long and would not list it as one of my favorites....a lot was going on and at times was not an easy read. I know its been acclaimed as a wonderful book but I imagine different strokes for different folks..ai did read it from coverto cover and am not sorry I did so......tough read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UGBXXBRIU8ZY?ASIN=0316055441	A Classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The theme of The Goldfinch reminds me of the television series Lost. Good vs Evil and Everything happens for a reason. This book was so intriguing but also extremely thought provoking. I would recommend this book to everyone who wishes to discover a literally classic.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R261MTFJ2NDZT6?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing descriptions	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a really long book and stream of consciousness writing.  I think anyone who considers taking a drug ought to read the descriptions of what it feels like - ugg!  However, once you meet the book's stars, you're hooked.  OMG, Boris jumps right out of the pages, and you find yourself wondering about the others (can't give it away).  Our book group will discuss it in 2 weeks, I'm looking forward to their thoughts.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OWNBHDCOG8C4?ASIN=0316055441	Too long, but worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book needs a good edit job...I'd say about 200 pages. But Tartt does have a way with words and her writing is quite exceptional. Her character are real, albeit flawed, but who doesn't love flawed characters? Read it slowly. Tartt seems to take a good deal of time between writing books.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HHNBRL1O6PWO?ASIN=0316055441	Went nowhere	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the book but felt it must have been building up to something. By the end of the book when I realized it was not going to go anywhere I felt let down and just skimmed through the last few pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XPHSOMWSOQ7L?ASIN=0316055441	great story and colorful characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At times the details regarding excessive drug abuse and child abuse were almost too painful for this reader.  However, I enjoyed the intricate story and details.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ6Y7F3X0MZEG?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Many twists and turns keep you reading.<br/>Leaves you wanting to know more about what happens to these engaging characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QT5TS71F46X1?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've read in  a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story and amazing language!<br/>I wasn't able to put it down and kept thinking about the characters when not reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAC8VJVHYQQA3?ASIN=0316055441	Well written, fast moving and intriguing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book caught my interest from the beginning and continued to hold it till the end.  The plot was not what I expected which created for an intriguing read.  Although this is the first book I've read written by Donna Tartt, I will definitely read her others.  She made me feel like I was living alongside Theo Decker, the central character and although the writing got a little philosophical at the end, it was in line with the main theme of the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30C1VRBYMYQGL?ASIN=0316055441	so long, so long worded	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it was recommended to me by a few people but I found it to be very long and rambling.  the same story could have been told in half the time and it would still be a heavy read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P6Z7LARDSKIX?ASIN=0316055441	Wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a rich narrative with compelling characters! One of my favorites novels since The Secret Friend. Especially good for those who know New York City,</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HJVTNM5L5YVY?ASIN=0316055441	An incredible novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Golfinch is a monumental work of fiction. One of those books you put aside everything to read and finish. The  imagination of the author in crafting this book is astounding. Theo Decker's character and life are as complex as any I can think of and Hobie is an endearing father figure. The author's love and appreciation of art have truly changed my own way of understanding a painting and what some paintings can do for humanity. I consider this book on a par with Bel Canto - both are novels that can transform the reader.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R304BVGWREM11K?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a long book about horrible characters.  There is very little to like here.  850 pages of people you don't like, who make terrible decisions and then spend the last part of the book  trying to tell you how to live.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VMODLA35T96D?ASIN=0316055441	Caution: Read at your own risk!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Be very careful.  Once you decide to read this book it could ruin all other books for you. Yes, it is that good.  It has mystery.  It has wisdom.  It has adventure and suspense.  It will take you to an underworld that you probably did not know existed.  The author has the rare ability to pull you through the page and take you right into the world of the characters.  The subject matter is original and fascinating. Plan to read this book at a time when you can completely immerse yourself.  You will want read it when you have plenty of time to savor every word.  Just be sure to read all other books you want to read first, because once you have experienced this masterfully-crafted tale nothing else will quite measure up.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGR60OTU2TP8M?ASIN=0316055441	Flawed Beauty	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book, engrossing; but the endless stream-of-consciousness impressions, essentially lists of words, needed an editor.  What's become of editors these days?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PQ46B902S7G5?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you do nothing else, read the last 50 pages.  It could change the way you see the world.<br/>I loved this book.  It was engaging, compelling, unsettling.  I could hardly bear to put it down and I didn't want it to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20DSGUA3YL5J?ASIN=0316055441	very good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very interesting read  am urging others to read it  page turner  could not put it down loved the unexpected twist in the story line</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDB6HXRMWHOBS?ASIN=0316055441	Chaos	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really loves Donna Tarte's ""A Secret History"" but ""The Goldfinch"" was over the top chaos. Every time the story would begin to stabilize it would spin off again into insane drama. Of course some of the plot called for it but 90% was just too much for me!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32KS267ON12LJ?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I finished this book, I was almost tempted to start over at the beginning. Great characters, great story, loved the language. For those who say the book is too long, or the characters ""unlikable""--well, you can go back to your short novels with cheerful cardboard actors and leave the real books to the rest of us.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18A83D4UB7EI4?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Action &amp; emotional range &amp; ""grey"" characters as well as colourful turns if phrase &amp; good descriptive passages made an engaging read once you really gott into it. The characters were human - not all evil nor perfect saints &amp; I liked that. Could have done with a bit of ""tightening up"" in some places but I really enjoyed it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6Z1GHTR0GAC2?ASIN=0316055441	Wild ride into adulthood!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt gave us a rich novel full of such diverse character that I could not put it down.  It reminded me that even though  life as we know it can be shattered in the blink of an eye, your past can carry you through.  Must read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EQNFNODOVWEA?ASIN=0316055441	A Modern Day Classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Somehow,I would have expected this story to take place somewhere in the far forgotten past.<br/>What was intriguing was the fact that the backdrop was modern day and the issues resonated with me in a big way.<br/>It raises issues that will stay with me for quite some time. Not one of those books which are soon forgotten</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HKST4MMGT6X1?ASIN=0316055441	Back to her best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After dipping with the Little Friend this is Donna Tartt back to her best. It's probably too long, but it builds nicely, great descriptive passages, great characterisations, interesting window into the world of art and lots of twists and turns. Loved it, but could it have been a good bit shorter?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N80N7G2462Y1?ASIN=0316055441	Deserving of all the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book, well worth taking the time to read. I will be re-reading it for sure during the coming year. Enjoy!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13E4VUOQUE0YK?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting, enthralling and emotive read. Thoroughly enjoyed this book and looked forward to every page. Well done to the author on this mammoth tale.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R72JXV12II0FE?ASIN=0316055441	It captured me!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the first time that I have been completely enthralled, engulfed by a a book and its characters. It was an epic read but I didn't want it to end!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GW66ELD7IFYU?ASIN=0316055441	Thought Provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing was beautiful---the story was raw and interesting.  I did not like the ending because it wasn't what I wanted but knew it was for the best.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GAWF4O25ZJA8?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've ever read. Tartt's writing is like poetry and I loved every minute of reading this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NG1F3B7KRM03?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book stared out really well, but I felt as if it got stuck in a rut and could not get out of it's own way.  It got really bogged down and boring her the end.  Sort of a disappointment.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LIED1Y7QC6AR?ASIN=0316055441	My thoughts on Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the book kept me reading and maintained my interest throughout. The ending was very thought provoking and made me think about my own life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CWADWPG9KK78?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book.  Couldn't put it down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book.  Never a dull moment.  Boris was a gas.  Theo was such a wonderful charater.  His fight for life gave me courage as I read of his many journeys through his challanged life.  The only reason I gave is a 4 is because the book left me sort of wanting more.  Thanks for the great read Donna Tartt.  Great 1st book on my new Kindle.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MEIPEMEXQ8QM?ASIN=0316055441	not what I had hoped for	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long read and almost gave it up but had to see where it lead.  Good character development but a bit of a drudge to get through.  The drugs, alcohol and general addictions take over the story line much of the time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CPH3OHLKHNW5?ASIN=0316055441	I Miss Theo and The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters are beautifully drawn.I cared about their lives .The action sequences of the story are compelling.<br/><br/>Right now I am wondering what Theo is doing.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33D9LED7HTMA0?ASIN=0316055441	"""It is a glory and a privilege to love what Death doesn't touch"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The novel opens with Theodore Decker in an Amsterdam hotel, obviously sick and in some sort of trouble. He traces his story back to his early teen years when his single mother is killed and he is injured (physically and emotionally) in a terrorist explosion at an art museum in NYC.  He spends time with his estranged father in Las Vegas where he meets and forms a lifelong friendship with tough, street-wise Boris. Eventually Theodore finds his way back to New York and is taken in by Hobie.  Through it all he has a life long attraction to a painting, The Goldfinch that he and his mother were viewing prior to the explosion.<br/><br/>Theodore endures a number of ups and downs especially the deaths of those he has come to depend on. His love for the beautiful painting endures; as he says at the end ""it is a glory and a privilege to love what Death doesn't touch"". The painting has existed for over 400 years to provide a constant beauty in his life.<br/><br/>This is a well written adventure with lots of twists and turns and well drawn characters. Theo is a complex protagonist; we get a sense of why he makes the choices he does later in life although we may not always agree with them.<br/><br/>My biggest disappointment with this novel is the closing exposition by Theo at the end of the story. I wish Donna Tart would have let his ""story tell his story"" rather than adding the closing pages of explanation.<br/><br/>This is another occasion where I I need to provide a caveat about my rating system. I rate this ""only"" three stars mainly because I am not a huge fan of adventure drama. So my rating reflects more how well I ""like"" the story rather than how well it is written. My taste runs more to early Larry McMurtry, Wallace Stegner's ""Angle of Repose"" or Annie Proulx' ""The Shipping News"". These have deep, rich characters but not a lot of action/drama. Regardless, this is a very good book and I recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3853X7RQDM9ED?ASIN=0316055441	More than entertaining from beginning to end!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book because the writer made me feel the emotions one felt if going through some of the situations the characters went through.  Though many choices were the wrong ones taken by the main character, given his age and experiences which made him who he was, it seemed plausible.  The author's descriptive style puts the reader in the very presence of the story!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RI7EFQCGABUW?ASIN=0316055441	Big disappointment!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There was a lot of hype regarding this book and I did not care for it. It was a struggle to finish it and I almost quit it about three times.  I keep going thinking it would get better but it never did.  Probably could have been written in about 300 pages!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39JCZSNANHOUD?ASIN=0316055441	No empathy with protagonist	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disclaimer: I listened to this book rather than having read it. The narration was excellent, especially of the Ukrainian/Russian accent of Boris.<br/>Although The Goldfinch is a compelling novel that kept my interest throughout, I felt no empathy with or sympathy for Theo, the protagonist. Sure, he lost is beloved (too perfect?) mother in a tragic event; sure, his dad was a loser, but the bad choices he made until the very end of the book left him as a very unlikable character in my view. His friend Boris, on the other hand, was charmingly bad but never tried to pretend otherwise.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RNVDPJIUYJ3R?ASIN=0316055441	LONG BUT WORTH IT	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So deeply connecte4d to character couldnt handle all his experiences! The ending prose was beautiful thoughtful insights to life.<br/>Truly an engrossing story</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28NRHNNX2DB6E?ASIN=0316055441	brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books i have read along with Henry Roth Call it sleep and Dicken's great expectations. Please read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OPQWC0MZ3GPK?ASIN=0316055441	A big, bold, beautiful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo Decker is 13 when his mother is killed during a museum visit. Theo is in the museum at the time, in a different room. This moment and a particular piece of art at that museum - The Goldfinch, a 1654 painting by Carel Fabritius - will impact the entirety of Theo’s life. Theo travels through various settings and social classes as a result of his often bad choices. It is a beautifully written book, full of meditations on life, art, love, and the choices we make. To say too much about it is to ruin the twists and turns of this lively, emotional, and compulsively readable book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YQTTSKZ42N8Q?ASIN=0316055441	A good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Finished ""The Goldfinch"" by Donna Tartt. Really enjoyed reading this book. It kept surprising me. At times, I would think, 'I did not expect that'. A young 12 year old boy is at a museum with his mother when a terrorist bombing shatters his world. His story is told from his own point of view, his confusion, guilt for surviving, struggles to understand, and fear of adults who think they are helping him. With no guidance from his parents, the story covers his life into adulthood and the bad choices he makes with drugs, women, and an amazing piece of art he rescued from the demolished museum.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TSK8EWOSP8N8?ASIN=0316055441	hard to describe, yet wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. Engaging characters. A story that has a great lesson/ reminder at it's heart. I am surprised and satisfied at how much I ended up liking this novel in the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q9ATB1QNU4VG?ASIN=0316055441	well worth reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">can't quite stop thinking about it. it makes one wonder what winning and losing are all about or, at worse, what each has in common.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EHMWECDWAV6O?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating and Wild Ride!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After having read the Secret History years ago with my Book Club, I wanted to read another of Donna Tartt's novels. She doesn't disappoint. The characters and situations are sometimes tragic and sometimes hilariously funny. I very much enjoyed her descriptions of the wealthy and privileged New Yorkers as well as many other characters in the book. She ""paints"" with great attention to detail in many of the characters which made the book all the more vibrant. Loved the book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HU7ECXV27B5B?ASIN=0316055441	Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an engrossing tale that kept me a little anxious for most of the book, which meant I cared about what happened.  Great writing, descriptive passages and complete characters kept me turning pages.  Unfortunately, Donna Tartt got a little preachy at the end.  That is the reason for the four stars instead of five.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCPKDAMA1CZDW?ASIN=0316055441	A Terrific Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the reader and therefore really enjoyed listening to it on audible.com. It was like a play. I did not want it to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZLBFMOBJUOZL?ASIN=0316055441	An Elusive Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the characters but about half way through the book,the story being told was still not clear. I finished the book because I finish what I begin. The characters had depth so my three stars were for Hobie, Welty, Pippa...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JDIGFMIA08Y7?ASIN=0316055441	A crazy, beautiful, exciting journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beauty is all but an illusion. Theo's life revolved around this very theory...but his journey to understand this was riveting. The world of art, antiques and crazy Russians wove a tale that kept me up late wanting to know more.Vivid, engrossing and beautifully written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3APPTSCH8ZG1K?ASIN=0316055441	long but worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book will leave you considering a whole host of questions as to how environment and nurturing affects who we become</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLKV9T7WJCI8S?ASIN=0316055441	Did not care for it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long and tedious.  It took me a very long time to read.  A lot of writing to develop a few thoughts and feelings. I would not recommend it for anyone over the age of sixteen</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HP413G9KG6NL?ASIN=0316055441	amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">what a wonderful week spent immersed in this world. I hope I live long enough to read Tartt's next book</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OESLTGA6TQMP?ASIN=0316055441	Donna does it again.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Young lady from Mississippi is an excellent writer.  She is a skillful story teller and this book certainly measures up to her previous two novels.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXJCENDEFI7D4?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the writing superb, the narrative was difficult to bear and at times I wished it would just end. However, this novel was well worth the journey.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EAMGC805CWRZ?ASIN=0316055441	Pure gold!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written!  Tartt has a gift for writing in a unique voice, and sustaining that young narrator for a looooong book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXAL1K2Y1QI9T?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing considering the reviews.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First part is awesome then it begins to drag.  There are too many wildly improbable and exhauSting subplots that conflict with what I thought was the author's approach.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KKGM7FYNE8Y3?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting but bleak	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book held my interest, and that is always good, as I find only one out of every four books I buy do I even finish.  I found the characters interesting and well-developed.  But much of the storyline was depressing and bleak - I got tired of reading long detailed passages depicting the main character and other characters' vices - drugs, more drugs, alcohol, gambling, drugs again, violence.  At some point this stops being interesting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PP7MV2LSFO8C?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written, way too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was beautifully written, but it was about four times longer than it should have been, going on and on about everything.  Also I hated the protagonist and it's hard to enjoy a book about someone you hate.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24M4I81G469FY?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the suspension of disbelief	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished reading The Goldfinch. I wasn't able to put it down. In Theo, Tartt has created a not-entirely-reliable, not-entirely-honest, totally endearing protagonist/narrator who leads us through his tangled life, demanding that we suspend disbelief and tag along just to see what happens next.<br/><br/>Granted, the Las Vegas drug scenes get a little tiresome. Yes, the last pages may be a little preachy and philosophical. But the story is a winner as we're devastated by a child's loss of his beloved mother, then his despised father. We're enchanted by Boris, the crazy Russian friend, and Hobe, the congenial antique restorer. We're torn by his love for two women, either one of which will probably be better off without him.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch is a combination of vivid imagination set free and unimaginably grim reality. A good read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22J5Q28CO579C?ASIN=0316055441	This is a tough one to call - at times loved it and at others thought it was too long and a bit inconsistent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am glad that I read it but I am not sure that it needed to be as long as it was.  Certain parts were very vividly written but at times it did not seem to flow as well.  I found the pieces about Las Vegas a bit unbelievable and then the way he reconnected with Boris was a bit farfetched.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REWGOR6HIBJ6D?ASIN=0316055441	not my cup of tea	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the main character flow inconsistent and conflicted --but not in a good, humanity is complicates way. Ii also found the writing style disjointed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV9EKPDHX2F66?ASIN=0316055441	characters you care about, flaws and all	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a story of enduring friendships,  a bit of mystery, and themes of mortality, love and loss; writing that evoked both mood and setting and was a joy to read</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27FE6CFWM0MX1?ASIN=0316055441	A hugely enjoyable read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters are real, the situations range from absurdly funny to heart-breakingly sad, the plot takes totally unexpected - and hilariously funny - ""left turns"" when you least expect it. The author is a skillful story teller who successfully combines moving passages, erudite sections on antique furniture, and the sorts of life challenges we can all identify with, into a really zany plot. I wanted to smack her upside the head, however, for describing the narrator's dash across 57th Street ""into Central Park,"" an impossibility as anyone who lives in New York knows. Other than a few additional false notes of that stripe, it was a terrific book and I loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2REVKCLYC6WLZ?ASIN=0316055441	Started out great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book to be physically unbalanced. Don't know if that was a result of the editing process or not. Book started out really good - part one of the disaster and his life after that as a younger boy, captured and kept my interest. Then the middle seemed to get longer and more drawn out - his adolescence where he meets a friend that wants to escape life mentally with him - too much written about his day by day substance abuse and living in filth. (Read it on a Kindle so cant say exactly how many pages of this there were)  And then it sorta picks up interest again with him going back, rebuilding his life in NY, then merging into the shooting (which I didn't quite get the visual picture on what was exactly happening - could have used more description there), and then the end that wouldn't end with more verbage of him being sick and in some sort of viral fugue state at the hotel without a passport. I honestly think that there was so much to this book that could have been left out -  leaving  readers like me to want the author to just get to the point and end the story. Was Boris coming back or not? Was he going to get his passport back or not? Were the police going to arrest him or not? Is he just going to die from illness or not?  Just took way too long to get through this point and I honestly almost gave up. I thought a lot more substance could have been written in the place of his journey going back to NY making it a more thoughful book of him having to anticipate revisiting his demons, which would have smoothed things a bit, rather than the issue of him having to hide his dog in a sack for 3 days along the way.  Would I read another book from this author? Not sure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAXDR6378NC3N?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long, but well done. Excellent attention to detail -captured conversations and kept the story moving.  I honestly enjoyed  all the characters even those I didn't like.  So vivid I often  felt like I was along side Theo seeing and feeling the same things - Donna Tarry is a very talented author!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LXXGKQO50JHM?ASIN=0316055441	Long but felt compelled to finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think this will be a book I appreciate more, when looking back on it.  Most of my emotional connection with it came in the beginning and the very last pages.  It just seemed so long and depressing at times.  At times, I would disconnect from the main characters and stop caring.  Brilliant moments but tortuous journey.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWQ0JY5C0CCE?ASIN=0316055441	Yes and not so my much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finished this book several weeks ago and couldn't decide how to rate it. I 've decided 4 stars because the story was pretty interesting and kept me wanting to find out what happened to the characters. But really decided that I didn't care for any of the characters at all anyway.  The writing style and thoughtful prose is excellent but tends to be  preachy.  Her characters continually make bad choices and I did not like all the drug references and felt they were unbelievable and only used for a filler.  Gee...maybe I should go back and re rate this with only 3 stars.  Bottom line is its OK until you read a book like the Poisonwood Bible then you think it really wasn't that good after all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KNBC3G7Q38OF?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be self-indulgent at times. Some moments of elegant writing.  Relationship of young man and painting beautifully drawn.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D9NZJ6E7M599?ASIN=0316055441	dark story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was waiting for a good thing to happen and trudged thru a very disjointed reading and it was written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SNHV4GME30QH?ASIN=0316055441	Golden Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very entertaining and enlightening (I had never heard of this artist). I could do without all the F words that authors think they have to use these days but other than that it was very good. If it had been one of Reader's Digest's condensed books, a lot more people might read it. You would miss a lot, but you would still get a very good story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24X683V01NF40?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it thought provoking , real, sad, funny and crazy!!  I really liked it!  Makes for a good discussion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17ADH9Q0M8RY7?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very absorbing.  I was reading it practically  non-stop.  However the end become long and tedious.  While the protagonist/writer  was self centre for most of the book (very imaginative in some parts), at the end it converted himself into a philosopher which I didn't enjoyed.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RODOJ298D10WR?ASIN=0316055441	tantalizing language	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the descriptive language &amp; chara ter development somewhat labored.  The intent got lost in the language. The storyline was intricately woven and skillfully managed.  I would read this author again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27IZ7XXO562LH?ASIN=0316055441	I still cannot decide if I liked it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was under the impression that the book would have more mystery. I was a little turned off that I spent so much time in Theo's childhood. Having said that his boyhood is where we m feet the most intriguing character Boris. If only Theo could have dropped his sorry for himself act and been more like Boris when he grew up then I may have enjoyed him more and his story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6LSKO6NPA5FS?ASIN=0316055441	A great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a great and very entertaining story.  I hope to read more books by this author in the future</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R354NEV1FU1ZKX?ASIN=0316055441	A beautifully-written long, long story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was beautifully written...I felt like I was witnessing everything first-hand. However the story was a little long-winded in spots; it could've been a few hundred pages shorter.  I also felt there were some unresolved issues....we never did find out who was responsible for the attack on the museum.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZUPEP0YZZ56T?ASIN=0316055441	This little Goldfinch was different, mesmerizing, and quite an exciting read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I gave it only four stars, because i became very frustrated in the narrative that involved excessive alcohol and many drugs.  I got the part they played in the story, but it went on and on and on and became very tiresome.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B1KWN42VZXBK?ASIN=0316055441	Highly Overrated, But Satisfactory Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Have you read it? Have you read it?  It being The Goldfinch.  Now having read it, I don't know what the hoopla was about except that people may have been reading the same reviews from book sellers.  The best thing I liked about the book was the development of characters, some whom I loved, some whom I doubted, and some who were mysterious.<br/><br/>The thing I hated about this book is how a reasonably intelligent person could be so idiotic when it came to the use of drugs!  An irony to be sure.<br/><br/>The plot line included hills and valleys, and depths where I wondered what the author was up to.  But things turn out in the end with a bit of philosophical insights which might be worthy of heated discussions.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUECTNJMN1WFK?ASIN=0316055441	Complex and Thought Provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">However,by the end I was finding Theo's self-absorption rather tiresome.  Also the bride- to- be just sort of faded away.  Hard to believe there would not be greater repercussions from that abandonment.  Otherwise I found it compelling and learned more than was comfortable about drug addiction and abandoned youths.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROZN7H5FG39NP?ASIN=0316055441	great writing, interesting story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is quite a writer. Got me hooked into the book, despite it overwhelming length. Learned more than I need about drugs.<br/>The character development was marvelous: Boris in particular, Potter was memorable as well. Its a strong analysis of what it feels like to have post traumatic stress of another kind other than in war</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UV1MFLY2HMAZ?ASIN=0316055441	I did not care for this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was disjointed in my opinion.  I could not really enjoy it as I am not one to enjoy profanity.  It had quite a bit of profanity in the book.  I like a story that is suspenseful and I did not find this book like that.  I chose it because it was one that Amazon recommended.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9FVFFFK3ZPR2?ASIN=0316055441	Fresh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a unique story.  A page-turner.  I was always anxious to see where the story was going next.  Obviously it's a bit long, and you wonder why the editors didn't step in and cut out some of what I would call ""superficial arm-chair"" philosophy that did not lend anything to the story--especially at the end.  I highly recommend this book, but I must admit it isn't for everyone.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NVCQL4YROXX0?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappopinting after all the hype!<br/>Yet, it held my attention and I did read it till the end.<br/>Though I didm't like the ending, it was  was consistent with the character of the book..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UA7E5E21L00?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had just been to the Metropolitan where the Goldfinch was on display.  When I saw the ad for the book, I ordered it but didn't know what to expect.  I loved the characters and the story but the ending was a let down.  I still enjoy the read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKA1L342DBT1L?ASIN=0316055441	Too many words!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book did nothing to disavow me of the belief that Donna Tartt has to be one the most over-rated writers around today.Page after page of seemingly endless description and/ or thoughts and/or internalising/ stream of consciousness,  stuff, which, if you are like me and want to get on with the narrative,  you will find frustrating. Yes her language is beautiful and evocative but it is obvious that she has never learned of th epithet that "" less is more"". The book supposedly tells the story of  Theo Dekker,  (whose only talent seems to be that he hasn't any) his reationships from early teenage tears to maturity and his involvement with a misapproriated paunting.The narrative came in patches to the reader seemingly as a string of islands a long way apart from each other  almost lost in an Ocean  of  M/sTartts  unending prose.When it did, it actually held the reader for a while for it was taut , skilfully written and actually quite interesting  but alas one's expectations were dashed time and time again by the writers proclivity to go back to her.  "" word paintings"" which one had to wade through to get back to the story.This book runs to over 700 pages. With skilful editing it could have been cut by half and been twice as good.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R379BICYGMPFXB?ASIN=0316055441	Intense and riveting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing. Well developed characters, you felt sympathy for all the major characters. The picture was also a major character in the book. Long and at times I thought sone of the drug experiences described in the book were a little overdone and detracted from the wonderful plot that took some fascinating turns.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HQEODCBDDCY9?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the book was good and fast paced, easy to read, good subject, started to drag at the end, and could have ended without so many loose ends.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18D4N84Y6QH6Y?ASIN=0316055441	Too wordy.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out excellent then the main character became very annoying and the author was too wordy.....took 22 pages to get to the point!!!!! Some good parts, but would not recommend to friends.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4MDK81OGP832?ASIN=0316055441	Two thumbs up	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written and captivating! Twists and turns in the story line make it difficult to put down. Human condition in extreme.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P00UY8R8900J?ASIN=0316055441	If you like head game novels, this is one!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book started out with a good teaser. Then went back to the beginning. The story was slow and tedious at times. The ending was disappointing. The story line was good. I'm not sure about the plot points. It was cathartic for the author, but it was not so enlightening for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30UO7ZCUR3VPO?ASIN=0316055441	Not so uplifting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not sure this mirrors life and I might be really naive - but I kept reading and kept reading just to see if the main character would catch a break - finally had to skim all the details.  Well written but I wasn't crazy about it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ARYU6IRRA8UE?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book.  Part mystery, part coming of age novel, The Goldfinch tells the story of Theo who we first meet when he and his mom find themselves at a museum where The Goldfinch is on exhibit.  The author takes us on a roller coaster ride with both Theo and the painting on board.  At times I wanted to scream at Theo for his actions, but part of the charm of this novel is that the characters come across as real, flawed people who garner our interest and sympathy.  Throw in an international thriller story line and you have the recipe for a great read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22OYC83M0MPGZ?ASIN=0316055441	Enough, already!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I did think the plot line was original and compelling, Ms. Tartt often belabors her points to the degree that I just wanted it to get over.  Case in point:  the whole Las Vegas section and Boris.  Maybe this was designed to make the reader feel the monotony of the characters' lives but I found myself losing patience with the narrative.  Ms. Tartt would have benefitted from the guidance of a good editor.  There is much excellent writing to be found within these pages and some judicious cutting would have done much to make this a truly good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4KAJ846TGACZ?ASIN=0316055441	Best Book I ever Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is an amazing book beautufully written. Donna Tart takes you right there, you feel like you are living the story along with the characters</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM1BMXG6HGDRL?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book tedious. The beginning and the end were good. Life with Hobie interesting. Skipped most of LV</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C9Q0MMMA7OCB?ASIN=0316055441	A good read !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One thing...actually it was too long.  Very we'll written.  Will read books by this author again.  The main character felt too sorry for himself.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCRGE4C648X0Q?ASIN=0316055441	Good story but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the story line in this book, but is was so detailed.  There were so many side stories, at times it was agonizing.  So glad to have finally finished it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24YYC9AVR48N9?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch opened my Heart	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters are well developed. There were pages where I was bored by Boris. Yet I loved Hobie. It was meant to be. Life is like that. The power of the painting is in what one sees and thinks while looking at it. A relationship described richly and poetically. I loved this book despite the drawn out conversations when with Boris. I highly recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKMCQTCHR11ZK?ASIN=0316055441	Jill	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great characters. Lots of intrigue. Couldn't put it down. Great for discussion in a book club. The goldfinch was terrific.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12XJR9DNXDI25?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the time spent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I gave up an entire Saturday finishing this book and it was worth every single minute. It has everything I love in a novel. A survivor story with dysfunction, deceit, love and connection, art and crime. in such a strong layered and heartbreaking way. You root for the main character through each and every tortuous moment. I highly recommend this on anyone's reading list</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BV0WDYQZDWPM?ASIN=0316055441	Well-written but a bit too negative!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms. Tartt is an excellent writer, but the characters and the situations they get themselves in leave you glad you did not know them personally. I give this book 3 stars because of the writing, but it would have been higher if the characters had more redeeming value.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QYZPBCWD58O8?ASIN=0316055441	intriguing, detailed and international	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would have given it a 5 stars but I think it was bogged down in detail. Though I have to admit the detail Tartt used seemed to be realistic for each situation.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHPI221RXZIAL?ASIN=0316055441	Purgatory	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written. Depictions of atmosphere--among the best ever. However, the plot did not propel the reader.  The reader is mired in endless drugs, drunkenness, violence, and loss.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP2IW8V9MDS7K?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not want to put this book down. One of the best books I've ever read.  I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a beautiful and well written story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIHJFY8SLKE3L?ASIN=0316055441	Superb novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story - Donna Tartt had drawn a compelling central character, from his horrific youth to an unsurprisingly, barely-functional adulthood. She has some of the most poignant passages on the incomprehensibility of sudden loss, unrequited love and unexpected friendship that I have ever read. By far the best book  I have read this year.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VIHYB8GFSKRS?ASIN=0316055441	l love books about famous art...but	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not as interesting as I thought it would be. I guess I'm not very worldly as the extensive drug use was very disturbing to me.  I was glad, however that the hero finally seemingly pulled his life together.  Even thought it was not my favorite book I am glad I read it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AKOHIRVL9NYT?ASIN=0316055441	Why it is just OK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It wasn't so much the way it was written but I found the subject matter<br/>to be very disturbing after awhile.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32FESHSOARBWC?ASIN=0316055441	Great Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit long and drawn out in parts, but does hold your interest to want to keep on reading to find out what happens next.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DQFERAAX9SLS?ASIN=0316055441	Well worth the time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautifully written and well-crafted story that captivated me from the start. The day after I finished reading this incredible book, I woke up and thought, ""I miss Theo,"" the main character, which is a strong indication of how invested I was in his saga. There were a few slow areas that described antique furniture in more detail than I needed, so I I breezed over some of it, but I also learned a lot about the industry and the art world as well. The characters were so well drawn that I felt I could easily recognize them, if they came to life on the streets of NYC. I'd love to help cast the movie!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9M32ACT7U1LF?ASIN=0316055441	At the Top of My List	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch honestly thrilled me. Its prose is so rich, its story so engrossing, and the characters so compelling that I was absorbed even when I had resolutely put the book aside for a few hours (which was never easy). The Goldfinch has been touted as a modern-day Dickensian tale, and it probably does owe a hat tip to Great Expectations.<br/><br/>In one of those “if only I’d turned right instead of left” split seconds, pre-adolescent Theo Decker becomes a motherless and impoverished boy.  Devastated by his mother’s  death, burdened by an impulsive act which will haunt him for years, and unwanted by anyone who can offer love and care, his life for the next decade is a series of bad options and even worse choices. Theo lives in a haze, his narrow world peopled by grifters and schemers, and a jittery, fast-talking Ukrainian sidekick who nearly steals the show. There are a few exceptions, most notably Pippa, an equally-damaged young girl who becomes Theo's true north during his darkest hours, and Hobie, an avuncular furniture restorer who provides Theo with a home, career, and sense of family.  Alas, in the second half of this nearly 800 page novel, we discover Theo is more complicated than we thought. The reader spends much of the second half wondering how much farther he will fall and if he will choose (and be able) to make the long climb back up.<br/><br/>This is a rich, dense and beautifully written novel – filled with long ruminative passages about friendship, love, art, and the pain of learning how to accept ourselves for the frail scraps of humanity we often are.  It is also funny and endearing, with a dust mop of a dog that will steal your heart, and a painting of a small yellow bird that cries to be freed. If you love a good long read, with lots of twists and turns and a cast of fascinating characters, this is your book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ELG21LOCYFK?ASIN=0316055441	It's okay.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the main character has been traumatized, he comes across as a sniveling Mama's boy who covers his insecurities in a myriad of drug abuse and self-defeating behavior.  There is no growth in the main character over a 12 year period so the book droans on like a broken record about which drug he will take that day.  He seems to take 2 steps forward and 3 back.  Also an attitude toward life that one cannot help feel would lead total self-destruction.  If the author wanted to create a depressing and pathetic character she has succeeded.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VVNB6BAJHLYX?ASIN=0316055441	A little long but,,,,	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Worth investing the time. Good characters and kept my interest, some romance and a good story overall. I will look for other writings of this author.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YBCMNVAIMLH7?ASIN=0316055441	Can't imagine how this book got so popular	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, too convoluted, and too unbelievable.  I was surprised I actually finished the book.  Not a bad book just not up to expectations.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YSKWCILG8CLJ?ASIN=0316055441	"Too long, too many ""handy"" things  pop up."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long, too many reiterations of his adventures, problems...a real cry-baby in my opinion.<br/>I loved the 1st 1/2 of the book, held my interest, but just could not keep going....still have to finish it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLNAQ49R505J6?ASIN=0316055441	A bit Slow up to about 30%of the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit too much detail on self ,how the effect of the drugs had on Boris and him and yet when he went to NY and college nothing and yet no withdrawals?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVLF084G2JZLB?ASIN=0316055441	Modern setting and clear characterisations surrounding a good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book and story grabbing me from the beginning to end.  Thoroughly enjoyed the pictures she drew of the places and people.  Many times I was struck by the 'truths' about life and living.  But I found these only increased the depth of the story and were not a distraction as so often happens.<br/>I would recommend it to friends.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14Y0F5OC7FL3Y?ASIN=0316055441	Much better than CATS...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love this book. The ending meandered a bit, but not enough to make me fall out of love with Theo Decker and the rest of the amazing cast of characters. Donna Tartt is a master storyteller.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R140VJBAR1MCAJ?ASIN=0316055441	Sad Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very depressing to me. He was never able to be happy. Also it was so wordy. I kept reading it because I had paid for it! Barbara</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QI3GH8GRW8MW?ASIN=0316055441	Good but long read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very, very good read especially the beginning.  it had me from page 1.  I thought it did get a little long but still quite interesting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18QFMORDJYKMG?ASIN=0316055441	Don't miss this one	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book on vacation, which was perfect, because I had a lot of uninterrupted time.  Donna Tartt has written a book which captures the imagination and the mind.  I have already recommended it to several friends who are serious readers.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QP4OA7K5CDKB?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a story.  I feel like I lived a lifetime with the main character.  I thought it was really well written and an extraodinary story line.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27VWETEYBK765?ASIN=0316055441	Editor Required	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was compelling and the writing beautiful, but this book needed a heavy dose of editing.  Nearly lost this reader on several occasions.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHQEJQFGMH6RG?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a cheerful book but a very interesting book. I could hardly put it down. Very well written. You will lose a lot of sleep with this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DMCG8J9CLDT7?ASIN=0316055441	Never saw it coming...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story and really great writing.  Did not want to miss a word!  Also, interesting info regarding the underworld of art thefts.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I2HK3741YRPR?ASIN=0316055441	super way to understand tragedy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Yes, Donna Tartt is overly wordy, but the reader has no choice but to understand one person's dilemma after horrific tragedy.  I came away with more compassion and patience for anyone who has lost a crucial person and the difficulty of dealing with those around who want to help, but are uncomfortable doing so.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYRRETTKR9U9L?ASIN=0316055441	Tough to read at times, but beautifully written and well worth the effort	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is book that really has stuck with me, though at times I wearied of the protagonist's story.  The characters are memorable and what I learned about the art and antique world was formidable.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18JCMTIQ70FGW?ASIN=0316055441	Fly away Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing story, drags on in many places, sorry I purchased it.<br/><br/>On the other side, it was well written, if not for this fact, I would never have finished reading more that a quarter of it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20SY0Z41PC0TT?ASIN=0316055441	Read this in hardback, then put it on Kindle.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some characters plod along, some zing..but all are interesting - there are saints and sinners and mixed up druggies.  The first chapter gives no hint of what's to come and when it does, there's no stopping.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ1FCUQK075JG?ASIN=0316055441	It's an experience.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just finished reading this. I was transported to an unfamiliar world &amp; I loved it. Such detail. It is not just a novel it's an experience.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9CHIUFI7IE8D?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put the book down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Her telling of this story is so descriptive that you were drawn in to every page.  There was never a time<br/>where you asked yourself ""I don't understand"" or ""Whats going on?""  or ""Did I miss something?""</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BNBJ56PFTEFB?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch, as i saw it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At first, I loved the book.  As the story progressed, I found it more and more tedious.  The main character's choices and lifestyle were difficult for me to accept, and while I understood (as much as I could) the trauma he had survived, I just found myself plodding along to see if things improved.  I cannot personally recommend the book as a very good read for my friends.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20L0IBPSTM7G4?ASIN=0316055441	not a good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was much longer than  it needed to be.  I didn't liike any of the characters,.and the story didn't hold any interest for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS42DUP6M0UIJ?ASIN=0316055441	Do not know why this is a best seller	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so turned off by all the drug use description through out the book.  Even though I am a senior citizen, with an open mine, I found the true story of the book overshadowed by this being the main part of the story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OJ64YE2Q65N3?ASIN=0316055441	Great story, really long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a great book.  I would have given it 5 stars if it was maybe 50 pages shorter.  Tartt loves to go on and on.  Still, great characters, very interesting plot, nicely written, if just a little too wordy.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T5YR1SQIG5DO?ASIN=0316055441	I can't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's one of those books you live in while you're reading it, I don't want it to end!  I'm reading it on my iphone4/kindle for mac - small screen, but this book is so good, I don't even realize I'm flipping the page so often.<br/>Stephanie</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBHODNMPLOYLO?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I have ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is a classic. It is long but well worth your time. I found myself drawn to it in a way that very few books have captivated me. I will read it again soon to savor it slowly since I couldn't wait to learn the ending the first time around. It is right up there with the old masters. Please do yourself a favor and read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XSVB1TXDED3M?ASIN=0316055441	read this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books i've ever read. It is well-written, interesting characters, a has a great story-I highly recommend it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FOVW04V9AFKX?ASIN=0316055441	It was OK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It moved very slowly at first and then became more interesting.  I expected more action and suspense then this novel gave</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35IYREXLN1XM?ASIN=0316055441	Drugs and more drugs	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much drug use for me.  I kept trying to lIke the antagonist, but just wasn't able.  I noticed it had been on the best seller list for a long time, so I thought I would check it out.  Barely able to finish it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G233RFLC6GJ3?ASIN=0316055441	A winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent story written with great style.  Donna Tartt is a brilliant novelist. I highly recommend all of her wonderful novels</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JH66UUG03BDS?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was much too wordy and it was depressing, with so much talk of alcohol and drugs.  There is no question that Ms. Tarit is a prolific writer, and I kept reading the book, but I just didn't  care for it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LR4AIY63NBL5?ASIN=0316055441	One of best books read recently	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story line and great characters. Mm bbb. Aaa. Bbb CCTV and on and on. This is a dumb thing to get feedback.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBBAVFQ2J479Z?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the wait!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book will stay with you long after you read the last page. The end is a whirlwind of emotions and possibilities. I am about to start her second book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KX12WBTJGYIM?ASIN=0316055441	Good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One has to appreciate the time and effort the author put into this book. Although it became tedious in spots, I still enjoyed the book and did not find the length to be a negative.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19EC3NRARO6PD?ASIN=0316055441	Overhyped Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Repetitive to the point of droning. Taking what could have been a probable adventure and turning it into a disjointed, pandering piece of drudgery that even those of us that wanted to enjoy it had to slog through.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D8G0BX07JDVK?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful Writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredibly beautiful writing and extremely exciting action. A little too long, but worth the time it takes to read the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AGIRPLMZR7HC?ASIN=0316055441	Sad and beautiful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love the characters, all their faults and development.  I love the painting without even seeing it.  Nervous to see how it ends...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWZN4OVCETL87?ASIN=0316055441	Satisfying ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">though it had an ending I could appreciate, it took much to long to get there.  I skipped some of the descriptive chatter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFPOK2R9Q7YTA?ASIN=0316055441	Almost a happy ending.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">although I was a fan of the young victim, his many poor choices as an adult made me lose most of my sympathy for him.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GLNRXCN7BQ88?ASIN=0316055441	LOVED THIS BOOK!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">LOVED THIS BOOK!!  AUTHOR IS VERY WORDY AND DETAILED. SOMETIMES IS GOT MONOTONOUS WITH ALL THE DETAILS, BUT THE STORY OF THIS BOOK WAS GREAT!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NGH4OKRBM8WT?ASIN=0316055441	A Must-Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I heard about this book a few times; friends and family members were reading it. I was curious. WOW. I am glad my curiosity got the best of me.This is one compelling story, and the story unfolds beautifully. I highly recommend this book. One of the best reads I've had in a while.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GUY94RIJ0GR3?ASIN=0316055441	An engaging read with unique characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was not what I expected--I was thinking Girl with the Pearl Earring style of story. Instead it's a modern day tale with all the modern vices of drugs, sex and exploitation. The characters are crafted so that you feel as if you know them, although mostly through their emotional states than their physical appearance. It contains some suspenseful twist and turns along the lines of Agatha Christie and to my delight resolves on a positive note, somewhat rare these days. The only portion I could have done without was a lengthy section near the end where the protagonists is holed up in an Amsterdam hotel flailing around for what he should do next, and here the narrative drags a bit, although the finale mostly makes up for this slow portion. It's a tale that draws you in, and is hard to forget.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5ZCP6UQLJ0F8?ASIN=0316055441	A great use of ur reading time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, places the reader into the story to really identify with the main characters. You are drawn to continue reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R231NDT8X6X1GI?ASIN=0316055441	great story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the goldfinch was a well written story that got my interest immediately! the charachters were identifable and likeable however the main charachters drug problem dragged the story down too long! loved the twists and turns and surpises within the story which held my interest to finish! would make a fantastic movie if ms tartt could be involved the script! thoroughly enjoyed the adventure</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPDNBL95OEWKD?ASIN=0316055441	A glorious Goldfinch Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the character development and art and societal depiction.I did not understand why Pippa could not accept a truer destiny.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WDPDNNX924GH?ASIN=0316055441	overrated, too long, not bad, but not great either	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Bought this as to review, I am disappointed as I do not know what all the excitement is about.  The be inning was great, then I became bored with dysfunctional family and protagonist's life</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFJ15QQK4GL4Q?ASIN=0316055441	I love this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has everything- mystery, tragedy, joy, love, adventure, art, beauty, poverty, wealth, success, failure...it's all there. The moment I finished it I turned to page one and started over again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31JFA8VPJR9YL?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My husband and I both read this book and were both captivated by it.  The insights into the feelings of a boy who undergoes a tragedy and subsequent difficulties are beautifully captured by Donna Tartt.  It may be a cliche, but this is a real page-turner and I highly recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R335LNRQCRL09U?ASIN=0316055441	Book bombed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reading this book was excruitiating: nothing but the never-ending self indulgent whining of the main character. There were no redeeming qualties of any of the characters and I had to force myself to finish the book. Sadly disappointing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IN1RJWHGEN8E?ASIN=0316055441	A really important read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would recommend this book because it really developed the characters - their deep and long relationship.<br/>It just was a magnificent read,</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EN2BGH8G4P7O?ASIN=0316055441	A masterpiece. Don't let the length of the book deter you.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It has been a long time since I read a book as beautifully written as The Goldfinch. I have attempted to read three other well-reviewed books since finishing Donna Tartt's masterpiece. Alas, I am finding this book a very tough act to follow.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ML69FS1DQPD2?ASIN=0316055441	Clever little bird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Do good intentions always lead to good? Conversely, do bad intentions always lead to more bad things? Those are intriguing questions that are raised. This book is a chewy page turner that is filled with peeks into the human condition... love, loyalty, morality...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHUPXM4J0VE3?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I love her character development, always memorable, I could hardly force myself to plow through this book.  I really wanted Theo to take control of his life and stop being the victim of a random tragedy, but he never gets up the gumption to do that.  I didn't appreciate the impression given that you could start and stop taking drugs at will as she portrays.  I found the part with Theo in Amsterdam totally unbelievable; although I did like how Tartt worked the story to return the stolen art to the museum.  I would have liked the idea that Theo was given the painting for a reason to have been developed more.  Returning the ring to Hobie would have put him in the same position.  What was there about the him being the right person to have the painting?  I don't see that it helped him at all; tormented him more than anything.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CGMFPG6GSAR3?ASIN=0316055441	Greatr book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really want to give it 4 1/2 stars.  Liked it a lot, didn't quite love it.  Felt connected to the characters, but was left feeling disappointed in them at times.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R154CCR8927AL?ASIN=0316055441	Too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel starts out great, but by the last 200 pages you just want it to end. Unfortuntely by that time, you have invested your time in the book, so you feel like you should finish it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IO44ZRFO3HUD?ASIN=0316055441	lovable and flawed main character	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel has multiple themes but it begins with the unreliable narrator.  Grief, addiction, friendship, betrayal, love are some of the themes in this novel.  Rich layers.  I was drawn to the main character and there was no predicting what would happen next to him.  The ending was not entirely satisfying but it did tie up some important questions.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20P5LCJIKHZML?ASIN=0316055441	A bit long, but otherwise very good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story and excellent portrayal of life and loss and twists and turns. Epic length was daunting. I can see the Dikensian leanings of the author. This was the first if hers I read. I would be interested in reading her others.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R289YDKF0VHG70?ASIN=0316055441	Far too descriptive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I heard this took the author 8 years to write this novel.  She should have stopped after three years.<br/>It just seems to go on and on and on........The basic story would be salvageable at that point.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DW73YAQU3WS7?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliantly written detailed story with many surprises	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch takes us along on the journey of Theo Decker whose experience with the famous painting impacts the next 15 years of his life. I loved the writing. The author describes people, places, things, moods, impressions (correct and incorrect) and dialogue for a cast of characters that span all continents and all ages. There is a lot of sadness in this story. Most of the characters deal with heartbreaking situations and circumstances that aim at improving but never do. 4 stars for its brilliance, but not 5 stars because it is exhausting to suffer with Theo and his cohorts.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HY8DPP6PQ099?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I truly enjoyed this unusual book. It was riveting.<br/>I would recommend this book highly.<br/>You should read it as soon as possible.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JPXY2L3ALRJX?ASIN=0316055441	Dark and Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did enjoy the book in spurts but did a lot of skimming.  The beginning of the book totally had me hooked! If it had been 150 pages shorter and not gone into so much detail about the drug and alcohol induced states of the main characters I would have enjoyed the book more.  I found The Goldfinch very dark and probably wouldn't have finished the book if i wasn't reading it for a book club.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23FE86P43H96S?ASIN=0316055441	real good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was worried that a 700+ page book would drag but it was so good, I couldn't put it down</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U8RQJXYJ9NNY?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous read by Donna Tart	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">LOVED this book - one of the best reads that I have experienced in a long time.  I flew through the 700+ pages - could not put the book down!  In fact, I could not wait to pick it up whenever I had a free moment, it was that good and addictive.  4 stars instead of 5 because I was very disappointed in the ending... but don't let that stop you from reading this wonderfully written and totally engaging novel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WRTXPQKAC992?ASIN=0316055441	Too much drugs for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The storyline is good, found out some info about art, but put off by the excessive drug use, maybe I am just naive. Long book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R319CRTRHXT788?ASIN=0316055441	A Reader's Gold	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a very compelling read.  Not always pleasant and not always joyous but a page turner one finds hard to put down.  Very well constructed with interesting, well drawn characters I would recommend this book for any adult reader.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FVLXVQCCDVXU?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in a long time. Donna Tartt is worth waiting for. Her characterization is very good, the suspense terrific and the storyline fascinating. Beautifully written, and the philosophy well worth thinking deeply about.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23XPKAY33OXEA?ASIN=0316055441	coming of age story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the most literary and appealing books that I have read in a long time.  It has interesting, full blooded characters, interesting plot twists, and thoughtful, lyrical prose.  Don't be put off by its length of 780+ pages.  I bought the Kindle edition, and whipped through it more quickly than with many other books.  Highly recommended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IT4OCX0RXRHR?ASIN=0316055441	Not a quick read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not easy to get into this book - very wordy while not really giving it feeling. I read it on Kindle and I'd say about half way through it got more interesting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WMXTOIWL3WBO?ASIN=0316055441	Thoroughly Enjoyable.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautifully written, lengthy read that held my attention throughout. A book that I have recommended to several close friends.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34OVXZGL9RP0U?ASIN=0316055441	A POPULAR READ	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Many of my friends liked this book i got 3/4 way through it and had had enough Believable characteristics in main characters and well written..</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GJIBOP6SYNKJ?ASIN=0316055441	Great book, hooked from page 1	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book had an Interesting plot and characters you really got invested in.  Couldn't put it down all vacation.  Thumbs up.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GKO27LT2G0HY?ASIN=0316055441	Intensely absorbing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo Decker, the protagonist of The Goldfinch, and the supporting cast are characters with such depth that each quickly became real to me.  The story was so riveting that I could not put it down; but the characters so real with such portent of disaster always present, that sometimes I did not dare start to read again.<br/>Others have given an outline of the events in the narrative.  i will not repeat, but instead note the book sometimes mad me think of Poe's The Tell-tale Heart and at other times of Robert Redford's recent film, ""All Is Lost"".<br/>Along the way I learned some new words, ""bardo"" for one, and was more than entertained.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSEK26PRUDC1T?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Totally consuming. so well written. drags on a bit, but on the whole a great read. If I had not already read it, I can envision taking this to the beach this summer and spending long days in the sun with this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RACYHBTQOEBKL?ASIN=0316055441	Most intriguing book I have read in a long time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The character development in this story was outstanding. Could not put this book down and the characters haunted my thoughts for days.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27YCOTIDUQOI7?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A pageturner up to the middle of the novel. After that too longwinded. Tartt could have made her point in less pages. And there are some loose ends. But all in all, an exciting and gripping read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAA78I82BLIST?ASIN=0316055441	Extraordinary	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An important work, this book must be considered literature in the truest definition.<br/>The author takes us on a journey through the life of a young boy, a story both heart-breaking and uplifting;educational and grotesque.<br/><br/>I urge everyone who is in a book club to read this great book.<br/>Thank you, Ms. Tartt.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EBV5MU6XCE6W?ASIN=0316055441	On the fence.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Having recently started studying art history I loved any of the art references. It's an interesting story but felt it went on too long in parts so lost my interest at times. Loved the character Hobie. We could all do with one of him in our lives. It also felt, for some reason like it was set in a different era, not quite sure why. Slightly on the fence with this one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QG2OZIKJ5AKZ?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had me from the very beginning to the very end. I haven't enjoyed a book that much in quite a while.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C25W692OF0YE?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love finding a book that you can dive head first into and feel engulfed within a beautifully told story.....great writing with colorful language.....almost done with the book and will look for more of Donna Tartt's books...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VNDDCCLB0E0U?ASIN=0316055441	Good story, great writing, disappointing ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the first two thirds of this book. It moved quickly and kept my attention, and the writing is excellent. There is a lot of story here, which explains the almost eight hundred page tome. The ending was incredibly long in coming, and the author chose to preach and drone on for what seemed like a hundred pages - I started skipping - before resolving the characters' stories, which was also disappointing. I wanted more (I can't believe I'm saying this after 790 pages) about what happened to the characters except for ""oh, and this happened, then this happened..."" It struck me so strongly I changed my thoughts on the book altogether. If the ending had been as good as the rest of the book, I would have awarded five stars.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBS0X71GKMFB3?ASIN=0316055441	Starts off strong but is 300 pages too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a superb writer: she makes graduate-level philosophic introspection by a twelve-year-old boy believable. Theo's loss of his mother and the heartrending effects it has on his ascent into adulthood were compelling and memorable. However, once he grows up, I start to grow disinterested in his various plights. If Tartt had left out adult Theo's story, I would have rated the book 5 stars. Sure, maybe there would not have been a ""suspenseful"" element of crime, but it was wholly unnecessary. The ending was also boring and unsatisfying, and Theo's sudden switch from storyteller to direct and aware narrator was something I disliked. All in all, give me a compact, well-paced 300 page story where every word counts over a 750 page marathon where the last twenty or so pages are the protagonist rambling on about fate.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QTOH50THCCTF?ASIN=0316055441	Almost 5 stars but not quite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very enjoyable read up until the last couple of chapters which for me were too long and dragged out.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G0IA4R79JUNA?ASIN=0316055441	interesting story and characters. gets pretty 'deep' at the end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like books where you really get to know the characters and follow them over time, through a period or periods of life, and this novel provides that. I enjoyed it. Only complaint is that the end got a bit philosophical and changed tone all the sudden... Some of the drug induced tangents got a bit long. But good resolution nonetheless.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZF6YLMNQPCDL?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book will touch your heart..was hard to put it down.  A good read for everyone, lots of emotions and action.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28M0N8DEPG696?ASIN=0316055441	A Must Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, loved style of writing. Heartfelt and absorbing. I must read her other 2 books now. Recommend to all.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UB2JQNIYSIO7?ASIN=0316055441	end desperately needed editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it until the self-indulgent, out of character ending. The main character was less interesting than the darling dog or the crazy Russian, especially after he spiraled into self-pity when he'd been fighting to survive for hundreds of pages before.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XQLE08FWWBIR?ASIN=0316055441	Coudn't put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Bad boy, good mom, big meeting, rainy day, stinky cab, museum visit, startling painting, ginger girl, sweety paw, big boom, head wound, no care, ring,  green bell, bye bye, Las Vegas, best friend, drug abuse, trundle dog, bus ride, better now?  You decide.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R189VD6Y8XFAB8?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down from the first	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't usually like long novels like this as they always slow down somewhere, but this one did not.  Well, maybe<br/>toward the end, I got a little tired of the behavior of someone, but all in all, I hated to see it end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XO8OX716357Y?ASIN=0316055441	Worth a Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though I enjoyed the novel, had I known what it was about, I probably would not have read it. I enjoyed the New York setting and loved the art and art theft element, though I didn't particularly enjoy the drug abuse element. Nonetheless, it's worth a read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27LZD6UPSAGUE?ASIN=0316055441	Slow and boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sorry...couldn't even get 25% of the way through it.  I bought it because my local newspaper praised it and the author is from this area.  Disappointed.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4STVYU42TVN3?ASIN=0316055441	Too much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoy reading, and I read a lot. This book at times got lost in the details. So much so, that I found myself fast forwarding through the pages. I enjoyed the characters, the overall story line, but I didn't need to know every sentence of every conversation.  A great read if you like knowing the deepest part of the characters, and what makes them the way they are. I did make myself finish the book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PYUDF40055EG?ASIN=0316055441	I just kept reading it has been a long t since I have been  engrossed in a story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the lives blur  between rich as we see it and what entrapment it is.VEry New York brings back memories of my childhood.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QW8OKOO0VOQK?ASIN=0316055441	Difficult to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story line was great, but too much description of his drug-induced episodes. The long and wordy passages took away from the flow of the story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU4ZCB5MJSZVJ?ASIN=0316055441	First part is somewhat decent but it falls apart	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really cannot fathom all the good reviews and I do agree with most of the negative ones.  It's not that it's badly written because it's not and the story is engaging at first.  But about two thirds through I decided I really didn't care about the main character and was having trouble maintaining my sympathy for his troubled life.  There is too much copy about drug and alcohol use (and I am not a prude at all, just it's damn depressing and I don't want to read about it for pages and pages).  And the author kills off too many characters (the best ones, too) to be realistic.  About 80% done with the book, and I put it down.  I hardly ever do that!  But I did not cares about the two main characters or what happened to this painting and it was getting BORING.  Life is too short to finish a book that doesn't hold together.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LR1NZ201Z2EE?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to wade through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it was hard to like Theo even though I felt sorry for him.  once the story moved from Vegas back to NY it dragged at times.  And the part in Amsterdam could have been half as long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12EM4JRYPBWQS?ASIN=0316055441	Impossible to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a fascinating story and one I could not stop reading until I couldn't keep my eyes open.  Truly well-developed characters and story.  I have been recommending it to all my friends.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R44JW23PGN4FV?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent writing, but too many drug user details!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the writing was vivid in making you feel the experiences of all the characters; perhaps too much so as I got tired of reading about SO many of their drug experiences.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYZDORN4JNNJN?ASIN=0316055441	"Goldfinch - good story -very ""wordy"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the Goldfinch -  plot was interesting and emotional -  but felt there was too much psychological rambling - Could have been a tighter story, with less stream of consciousness in about 500 pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SL8A28GAGTMB?ASIN=0316055441	it's a wonderful read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has an amazing, sometimes tortuous plot and great character development. I would recommend it to anyone who loves art and mysteries!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PQJH7H2Z4ZSV?ASIN=0316055441	Fair	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good start and interesting plot however there were too many inconsistencies in the personality traits of the characters.  The ending was too wordy and drawn out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UT5H3AVHSETZ?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing and unexpected!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is so intriguing and unexpected!  I was fascinated to see where this character would go in his life.  This was one of those books that  make me want to do nothing else but read, but then I slow down at the end because I don't want it to be over.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLS7R26Q3W8U?ASIN=0316055441	Gripping	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished The Goldfinch last night - it has me going from the beginning.  Donna Tartt's writing is so descriptive - I felt like I could picture every single person and every event perfectly (to me).  Loved it, highly recommend!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPL0GU170MT3I?ASIN=0316055441	The Painting that ruled a life.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love long books, they take so much time telling the story and I love reading character development.  An elementary school age boy, in trouble at school, accompanies his mom (who has an unrequited love of art) to a museum while they wait for their appointment with the boy's counselor.  While the mom is occupied elsewhere, there is an explosion in the museum and the mom dies.  The boy is shaken and in a state of shock.  He can't believe he was standing there one minute along with an elderly gentleman and his granddaughter, waiting for his mom, and the next he is covered in debris and has ringing in his ears.  In quick, manic movements, the old man gives the boy his heirloom ring. The boy also manages to have a small priceless painting from the museum as he runs away from the scene of the explosion.  His life progresses from there with the painting of The Goldfinch playing a big part in every decision he makes.  Art theft, shuffled from a friend's dysfunctional home, a father who is less than a father, meeting a friend who will be a part of his life through many adventures and a chance friendship the elderly grandfather's business partner make this a book to remember.  It was a little tedious toward the end of the book and a little too philosophical but otherwise a good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXOQ10GG3F4NJ?ASIN=0316055441	#1 best seller??	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I feel the book had a good story but the wordiness of the author distracted from the plot.  The characters were developed very well and the story good.  I am sure Donna Tartt followers are thrilled with this book but as for me I need a book to get to the point and move on.  This was the first book I read from Ms Tartt.<br/>On the positive side:  the plot was very good and interesting.  That is why I stuck with the book until the end.  Character development was good also.  I felt I knew the characters on a personal level because of the development of them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CM6JMP4C07UO?ASIN=0316055441	Good, but not Dickens	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is finely wrought in places; in others, it fails, at least for me.  I found the first part a not-quite-believable story of mother and son, told from the perspective of the not-quite-believable son.  As son grows, he becomes more convincing, as do the father and wonderfully described father's girl friend, as well as the other main characters (Boris, Hobie, etc.).  It's the protagonist that fails this reader, alas, though so much of the rest of the story is great, that I was compelled to read it.  The stolen painting as metaphor for loss (and also for restoration--for making whole again) was brilliant, and on a sentence level, the book is often truly remarkable.  Read it and see what you think.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSC9XEI44YYTC?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy this book at all...it just seemed endless and pointless.  However, that's how I feel about ""The Great Gatsby,"" too, so don't go by me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35A03ZCTCKIU5?ASIN=0316055441	Totally Absorbing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters you meet, the trail the story takes, the mystery that you try to parse out and above all the author's ability to write a detailed, nuanced account make this an extraordinary read.  There are a few places where the story is drawn out but I felt compelled to spend most of every free moment reading this adventure.  Yes, I loved it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K87DA93FW9V0?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very well written and would appeal to both male and female.  What this young boy goes through!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VVE2Y86AHWDA?ASIN=0316055441	Great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked learning the story from the main character and would recommend this book to fiction lovers.  I also enjoyed the place descriptions.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGS1TLEQS6BGA?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book from the moment it started. Twist and turns, characters in and out of play. Very nice prose as you floated through out this life. The only negative, the very last chapter. Not sure at all why it was there and it sort of put a fowl note on the ending. Otherwise, highly recommend, good read, just skip the last chapter.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22I2WH8T03NPF?ASIN=0316055441	An absorbing story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I learned of this book through 2 reading friends, and so decided to check it out.  I found it absolutely absorbing, and the story unique.  The protagonist (if in fact he fits into that category) is a hugely contradictory character.  He tells his story almost from a distance.  There are some traumatic events in his life that have shaped him, but he is still imprisoned in them through the end of the book.<br/><br/>There are so many unusual people in his life, for long enough periods of time, that the reader lives through 3 or 4 different environments with him.<br/><br/>I found the part of this novel that has stayed with me the most was the description of Theo Decker's presence in an art museum when a bomb goes off.  He survives, and the multi-paged description of what a person goes through, hears, feels, thinks ... experiences ... when they have been at ground zero is a much needed fictional exploration of what that might be like.<br/><br/>I loved this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FTZP6HGNPSL8?ASIN=0316055441	I loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">recommended by a friend and I liked it as much as she said I would.  A long book but a fast read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJSZA4Z929WHA?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch is a must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So we'll written. Captivating. You follow the characters journey and start to feel like you're in the space with him. I loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25I09S3723Z42?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line was good, but I just found it too detailed and too long. For me, it was a bit boring in places. It would make a good movie, but reading was a bit exhausting, and I read to feel relaxed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I1634I5WOHF8?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the greatest books I have ever read.  Take the time to read this gloriously complicated book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G7056D7YHL82?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Need to read for my book club.  Enjoyed it very much will be a good book to talk about when the time comes</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2145ON0DQWA6J?ASIN=0316055441	This book deserves a sequel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I feel like I was left in the middle of the story, a disappointing ending.  Not sure that I would outright recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HPNE3YABADSA?ASIN=0316055441	An astonishing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There's not anything that can be added to the praise this book has already received. Read the book and become enthralled with the way great fiction can reach your heart and your mind.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYR9IHAOQL4OM?ASIN=0316055441	Not finished yet, but......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely loving it, and can't wait to pick it up and continue today! It was recommended by a friend, and she was right - it is a great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3USAAMTZS8VD0?ASIN=0316055441	A good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a good read with some poignant moments...I found parts  of it hard to believe but still enjoyed it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ854C2HTD99J?ASIN=0316055441	It was ok	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some of this was really good, welldefined characters.  But portions were so loooong and overworked I found myself wishing it would mo e on. Must say I'm glad its over.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R105UF22IH6H2Y?ASIN=0316055441	Not really into it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book kept me in suspense. I just could not make myself like two of the main characters. It started out great, but by the end I was glad I was done with it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13HGJW1DD42TR?ASIN=0316055441	Hang on kids	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you don't like druggies, don't read this book.<br/>Perilous. Engaging. The author describes in such graphic detail you can smell/touch/see/taste it all.<br/>Don't be scared as the number of pages fly by.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21OQ6RW4FI17A?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">...one of the best novels I've read in a long time.It took no time to get  involved in this  well crafted,heart-thumping story ..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRBLXB9A62XRI?ASIN=0316055441	Simply fabulous!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books I've ever read!  First of all, I loved the narrator, Theo, and kept looking forward to getting back to spending more time with him.  Other characters in the book, notably Boris, Hobie, Pippa, were equally enthralling, and real.  There's also a great sense of adventure in the novel, and it just keeps happening!  New York!  Las Vegas!  Amersterdam!!  The highbrow world of art critics!  The lowbrow world of drug addicts!  Tartt really makes you feel you are there.  But possibly the very best part is the depth of observation and insight into the human situation, as articulated by the narrator, Theo, but of course conveying the impressive depth and range of experience and commentary on it by the author herself.  She takes you to death and back.  She's a poet and a mystic, an art lover, and a tremendous storyteller!  I'd call this a triumph!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SB3IIH844YER?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Soars Creatively	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This books is one of the most imaginative I've ever read, full of unexpected twists and turns.  Don't miss it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28JL5QROVQDJ4?ASIN=0316055441	The story of survival	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author gets inside the world of the main character and brings all of the turmoil of his painful life to the reader . One can only wonder how he reaches adulthood with so many problems. One can only admire his resilience.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REYALD9D12J4Q?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is really well written.  It is quite long, so it is taking awhile to work my way through it, but I really enjoy it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37GPKHUPS7UI0?ASIN=0316055441	Well written but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I choose 3 stars because I did not like the ending. I was disappointed. However, overall, I enjoyed the story and Donna Tartt certainly did her research on the details needed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSILJRAEOC3E6?ASIN=0316055441	I recommend Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love art history and New York City. Both are in this modern day story. I can't put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RX4DVYG76VSV?ASIN=0316055441	Love/Hate	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a fantastic story. I hated it at times and loved it at others. I wanted it to move faster at the same time I wanted to slow down and feel the moment. Tartt helps the reader really feel Theo' s pain, confusion, and realizations. The final pages are worth reading over and over.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AL7IDC75LN3A?ASIN=0316055441	First time reader of this author	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a long book, well written and great story.  Definitely a lot of twists and turns that will keep you guessing.  A very good read and I look forward to reading this author again.  She writes very descriptive and paints a picture for you, as you get acquainted with the many colorful characters the author introduces.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K0T4ZEPXIR7M?ASIN=0316055441	About one thing but really about all things	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So rarely does a work of fiction take me by tthe heart and hold me, hold me tight and not llet me go. Even as the last word scrolls through my sight, it does not let me go. It becomes part of my creative dna, part of my soul. It writes its message deep into my very bones. Oh, such a book is this one. I read it often with my breathe held. I won't give a synopsis, an overview, only let a future reader know that here is proof that the magic of fiction, what it can be at its best, stands with a still beating heart in THE GOLDFINCH.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VNIW4F08GVP4?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book!!! couldn't put it down. All the characters were terrific and the descriptions of things were really beautiful</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AWVPNKI8LX73?ASIN=0316055441	Well written but could have been shorter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story puts you in it from the moment you start reading to the very end. It keeps you wanting more like an addict but never really achieves that euphoric state. I felt like I chased my tail and all I got was dizzy. Could have ended sooner. You decide!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D38USW09JE94?ASIN=0316055441	Mostly loved it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed everything, except her soap-boxing about the nature of loneliness. Especially at the end, Hated the ending.<br/>The story telling is superb, however, and had me going for long periods where I couldn't wait to see what was next.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KI9E55T8ABLS?ASIN=0316055441	interesting story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow, this book contained a lot. The story goes around the painting, telling the story of the boy. Seldom boring, the story changes quickly. At times a bit long, I think the end could have been shorter.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R202FBLX8CIY3K?ASIN=0316055441	A very long story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reading the life of this character was very interesting, an addict without hope. The writing drags on &amp; on too long</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QGVN2IQ274T1?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch -	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book was good, but too long. That was the opinion of my book club. I want to finish it. I've read 62%.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37JSUKCSTBSFL?ASIN=0316055441	very well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite entertaining and innovative.  She writes in fist person as a teenage boy and follows him through years of adventures.  She somehow understands life from the adolescent and young adult male perspective.  Lots of surprises.  She has a very complex and sophisticated vocabulary that went over my head more than a few times.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WQUAX8NZK6FF?ASIN=0316055441	A must read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting novel with surprising twists along the way. Good character and plot development. Definitely a classic read; I highly recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HI27RMEF715X?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A complex and insightful book.  I would like to read other books written by Donna Tartt.  I would recommend to readers who like to dig deep into a character's role in the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32BCTJ9LPWNC4?ASIN=0316055441	Simply the best.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the most outstanding book I've read in a few years.  I fell in love with Theo and Boris.  Yes, they disappoint you at times, but they seemed so real, that we kept rooting for their lives to get better.  This story had everything in it--missed opportunities, people behaving badly, people behaving the worst we could image, and people stepping in because it was what they felt was right.  The author describes the different settings so well that you feel as if you are watching a movie.  I couldn't wait to get back to my book after work and read long into the evening.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KTHDZ0X75SSI?ASIN=0316055441	Great Story, learn a little about art. Be prepared for 800  pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lots going on here.  Tragic tale with redemptive openings and missed opportunities.  Easy to say and, of course, author only knows what she's going for.  But I'd judge it to be a couple hundred pages longer than it needed to be.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2754JYNTSS0A5?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt does it again	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a true masterpiece.  It has everything, complex characters, art, history, crime, darkness and the goodness in human life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFZNIZYT4HV3Q?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!! Myself and my husband read it and really enjoyed the characters. Looking forward to reading her other books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E41XJHXD52RD?ASIN=0316055441	A Super Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fast, twisty, beautiful language, often thought-provoking. Some wordiness and maybe preachiness, but still very good! I recommend highly to all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PATQ6M2R4AS7?ASIN=0316055441	FIVE THUMBS UP!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought I would not be able to get through 800 pages!  COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN!!  Considered possibly reading it again!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z4HFRZL0ZOX8?ASIN=0316055441	Too long but wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A novel about falling into the most dangerous sort of youth and starting to climb out.  The part about the worth of art was not as convincing.  Ending was too drawn out.  The descriptions marvelous and one couldn't stop reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KO6IN6UJTFVW?ASIN=0316055441	instant classic!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Must read! A long novel delicious down to the last page. I hope to see more about Theo and Boris!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5IPFWSHUNHDV?ASIN=0316055441	A gripping read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not put this book down.  The characters, the settings, the circumstances are unique, yet believable.  Donna Tartt continues to be one of my favorite authors.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M3V6HQ112SOH?ASIN=0316055441	Quite simply... brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The worst thing about this book was the anticipated sorrow I knew would overtake me once I'd finished it.  An absolute masterpiece and in my opinion, her best book.  Her preceding books were incredible but The Goldfinch is in a class of its own.  Some reviewers have likened the story to Great Expectations... which I find quite bizarre.  I liked Theodore and came to like him more and more... his humanity, his frailty and his failings.  Boris was a great character, as was Hobey.  How can one not resonate with the protagonist when he so earnestly seeks the answers to the randomness of life, unless one has never pondered the age old question.... why are we here? and is there a point to us at all? The intelligence and skill of this author must surely put her in the league of The Great Writers in literature.  I salute thee Donna Tartt and mostly I thank you for the extraordinary experience of reading your books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A3AFU9YSEYXK?ASIN=0316055441	I can see a movie	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Suspenseful and emotional. Amazing characters in book. (Esp. The warmth of Hobie and his unconditional love) Would make a great movie!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R44A6MPCOC3CL?ASIN=0316055441	Best Book of the Decade	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love this book, could not put it down.  It is helpful if you know a smattering about artwork but not completely necessary.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V6C0M7QMHA53?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not let it down.... so many levels of meaning.<br/>I enjoyed the style, the description of the emotions and the characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IKDM0OW08ZGJ?ASIN=0316055441	good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like most books of this length, there are times when it dragged a bit.  Ending left me with a flat feeling.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BPK11WY8SVHU?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What can I say? The writing is lyrical, the characters delineated with skill and grace. A fascinating tale off love and loss and the importance of artists and their ability to create beauty, and the nature of fate and chance.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BD5HKW4KBHCS?ASIN=0316055441	fascinating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the art history and would recommend to others liking stories about art subjects.  I didn't know this artist but do now.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22N6TJF9LO1MP?ASIN=0316055441	Thriller	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You fall in love with some characters and then you hate them at the same time! You want so badly for things to just get easy but they never do! It kept me up at night.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGXP1LYOL6AXG?ASIN=0316055441	Love it!!  :Long book but have trouble putting it down!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i HAVE RECOMMENDED IT TO MANY OF MY FRIENDS.  ALTHOUGH, I HAVE NOT FINISHED IT, IT LEADS YOU TO WANT TO GET BACK TO IT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO THIS LITTLE PIECE OF ART.  I AM FAMILIAR WITH THE ACTUAL ARTWORK AS I RECENTLY SAW IT REVIEWED ON A MORNING SHOW.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7VTUJLGWYRIY?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The coming of age genre is one of my favorites and Tartt's version is both exciting and intriguing.  Some parts are a bit far-fetched, but the book is overall an engaging read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O6UMOIQ4LE75?ASIN=0316055441	WOW!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book goes on and on covering many years. One of those books you hope will never end but right now you hope it doesn't end in the manner for which it is set up to do. Can't help but sympathize with Theo, but sure question his life style. Think he could have picked a better path.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FNRA0XD6RLB9?ASIN=0316055441	A road hellishly-traveled	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gripping novel...just so interesting to travel through the young age shock, teen-age angst and formative years of the main character and the host of people he meets along the way.  I felt the end tended to drag somewhat...I wanted to say to the author:  ""Get on with it!""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RIO7PYXHMGGY?ASIN=0316055441	words,words and more words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt the book was not a very positive read.  I just wanted him to od and be over with it all.  the story line was  a good one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PML3V2VRC6DP?ASIN=0316055441	Suspense, Feeling, and Creative events	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this rating because it gave me more satisfaction of entertainment.  The book has reader interested in the main character and enjoys following his lifestyle, and direction of his choices for the manner in which he selects this course of events.  The important glimpse into the artworld adds  more enjoyment  for the reader.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U4QZ2Q1QQG8H?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book very much.  I loved the writing and it was very easy to read.  I highly recommend.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BCJ9MNE2SEOZ?ASIN=0316055441	Brillant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">True story telling.  Couldn't quiet reading.  No wonder reviews are so glowing.  Best book lve read in years.  Don't let length discourage you.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XHEQSJP5X535?ASIN=0316055441	Definately a page turner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I simply could not put this book down. Donna Tartt's character development was incredible. She let you get to know the characters and the reader could vividly picture them and the events in the story as if watching a movie. At times I laughed, cried, and had to close the book a moment to just let the current story twist sink in. This book will definitely stick with the reader. I will be reading her previous book and hope to have the same experience.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YVEJFZR22SYH?ASIN=0316055441	Her Best Yet	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love the story, love the characters, love their voices (which I still hear in my head).  Don't hesitate to lightly skip through some of the longish interior explorations of the main character's psyche - but stick with it.  This is one of the most satisfying books I've read in some time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HHYQ5AYF5E3V?ASIN=0316055441	a novel story line	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this was a good book and well written. I though the author captured the thoughts and feelings of a lonely , teen and young adult.  The author also had a very novel storyline and without giving anything away drug addiction, alcoholism, abandonment and art theft, and  brain trauma all come into play. The draw back  in my estimation is that it is over written. She described things in too much detail and carried on way too long… I thought his time in Vegas would never end but maybe that was her intent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV12G5RPWU5KM?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed very much the experience of reading such a rich tapestry of a novel as The Goldfinch. As an artist and teacher, I loved the subject dealing with art, craftsmanship, and the coming of age of a lovely young boy. The writing of the first part was poignant, luscious and lovely. The characters were beautifully drawn, the emotions rang true. I thought that the change to the Las Vegas setting was abrupt and lacking foundation. This section seemed written in such a different voice to be jarring. The narrators character was difficult during this time but probably accounted for some of his later decisions and actions. Although this novel was quite lengthy, I found it to be worthy of the time it took to read it. I look forward to reading the authors next book and hope that the beautiful voice will be more consistent and the main characters might be more sympathetic.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBDP93T1RH1F2?ASIN=0316055441	Disturbing images of the effect of the untimely death of a parent and the non-particpation of parent produces	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have not entirely finished this book.  So far it has me totally engaged with Theo and Boris and the unattended life style of children without parents.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV3TU56GUBBWD?ASIN=0316055441	Too drawn out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story starts with a bang, and then it's up and down, mostly down, through a long, tortuous and complicated story, which includes art, drugs, antiques, Russians, Las Vegas and New York and points European.  I became frustrated with the main character, and could not decide whether I cared about him after his use of his friends to serve his own needs.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33TM9XC4CDBHK?ASIN=0316055441	a dark view of life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Most of this book was either depressing or boring. The interesting parts were extraordinary. I would not recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RG7CBHF1TJ23?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much too long.<br/>The first half of the book was enticing and suspenseful.<br/>The second half became dark and hopeless.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I5IEURSA8RFW?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book found a place to exist in my soul.  I found I could not put it down. And not because it kept me on the edge of my seat, but because it did so in a rather peaceful way.  Sort of like looking at a fine piece of art.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R792MNMQ6KBLD?ASIN=0316055441	Early tragic life event shapes Theo's entire life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the art world aspects and the sort of insider info on antiques and their restoration.  Found all the druggie behavior depressing.  Author knows just how to convey the utterances of the English-not-primary-language speakers so that you feel you ""hear"" them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10YNPF1LZ3B7Z?ASIN=0316055441	Very disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had no idea this would be such a downer.  It had a very interesting beginning, but as the main character grew older the book became darker and darker.  Pages and pages of drugs, alcohol, and general dissipation. I'm not sure I can keep reading it...although I hate to not finish a book.  I really can't recommend it unless you love disturbing and depressing books.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3392605ELS94J?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a pretty story but interesting to see what influence  and the surrounding in which this young boy finds himself can a affect his adult life.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1674D66V3AWUA?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is a Dickensian feel about this  story.  The tragic early death of Theo Decker's loving mother, the interim stay with the wealthy but distant Barbour family, his subsequent move far away from home to the uncaring father, and as an orphan finding shelter and meaningful occupation with Welty's partner, Hobie.  He believes himself in love with Hobie's ward - beautiful, unattainable Pippa, but it is the wily, shocking but lovable Boris who is true friend throughout.<br/><br/>The real heart of this beautiful story is the artwork, the Goldfinch, which comes to mean so much to Theo.  'All the time, I'd known it was a mistake, keeping the painting... to see it in all those lights and moods and seasons was to see it a thousand different ways and to keep it shut in the dark - a thing made of light, that only lived in light...was crazy.' - p. 500<br/><br/>The story is long, but clearly and beautifully written, and always fascinating.  Tartt is sympathetic to Theo, and despite his antisocial activities I wanted him to succeed too.<br/>'[The painting] exists and it keeps on existing.  And I add my own love to the history if people who have loved beautiful things... And pulled them from the fire, and sought them when they were lost, and tried to preserve them...passing the along literally hand to hand, singing out brilliantly from the wreck of time' -p. 771</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D05EQ5JUZ0VV?ASIN=0316055441	Perfect book for traveling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read a lot while waiting in airports and I am constantly trying to find books to get lost in. Yes, it is a long book, but I really loved immersing myself in it. I wanted to hop on a plane and visit New York and museums after reading it! And everyone needs a Hobie in their life!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKJITG4B5RZ02?ASIN=0316055441	Page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Suspenseful start. Very vivid descriptions of being lost after a terror attack. Real stories of real people.  Great first book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EJIP5SGQLXSA?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch was frightening to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the language is beautiful and compelling.  Perhaps it was the authot's ability to draw me into the story that made it frightening.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A1RT6XKDFJZT?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""The Goldfinch"", was one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read.  I hated to have it end.  I can't recommend this book enough.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O1LNRLX0SQ4G?ASIN=0316055441	Pretty good!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked this book.  There was so much rich literature and intense moments.  I'm sure I learned a lot.  However, sometimes the pace was a little overwhelming.  I felt like my brain was on overload.  Would recommend it though.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR8DF5VG5QWFD?ASIN=0316055441	excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It  was long but kept me engaged throughout. I highly recommend it too all. I used whisper sync so I was also listening.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVGYUDUYW5VDT?ASIN=0316055441	In need of editing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this novel starts off as a gem and becomes too convoluted and wordy, with poor development of some characters and overdevelopment of others. The first third of the book would have been a wonderful short story....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYON7HH66ITCS?ASIN=0316055441	THE GOLDFINCH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line was good, but with all the drugs and some discussions and views expressed by the characters  not clear as the person is jumping from one expression to the next without any follow through I found it a hard read</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R353H3XNXHIRHD?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinsh is Golden	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I find the book totally engrossing......  like a wild ride ......  like a sad memory..... so many feelings and such a GOOD<br/>STORY!!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39TKYAVEOVART?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch.....a must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best I have ever read!  I recommed it to every reader I know. I must read her other books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V25NC2LU89RU?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is one of the best books I have ever read.  The author captures your interest and never lets you go!  Her descriptions are vivid and character development excellent.  This is a must read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZAD90O5N3TVB?ASIN=0316055441	A well written book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a depressing book to read and I almost didn't finish it.  After all, how bad can things get?<br/>The characters were very vivid and being from another age, the drugs, women, language and deceit  were a bit too much for me.<br/>I prefer happy endings.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHH58L76ZQ8ZR?ASIN=0316055441	Longer title,shorter book would help	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the first part of the book until he disintegrated in Las Vegas and loved the last chapters with the discussion of the painting in particular and art and life in general. Felt the editing should have been sharper-we got the message the first hundred pages he was druggng out-became page skipping time through much of the middle of the book not for me onlly but according to others I talked to who were reading it. From a young boy I wanted to protect from his tragedy to a strung out man I no longer had any patience with, the Goldfinch left me with mixed messages all over the place.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z54HRS5WI68V?ASIN=0316055441	absolutely incredible.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My favorite part is the characters. Incredibly well written, you honestly care about them. The beautiful failure that wraps their lives.... I lived it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FCXWR4AWYR8K?ASIN=0316055441	Skip this one	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book needs severe editing. I found the plot contrived and the book poorly written. There are much better books on the market. Don't waste your time reading this one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31LCYIM39PWH0?ASIN=0316055441	A Gift of Language	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautifully written novel that is a gift to the reader. The depth of each character and their situations will remain with you long after the closing lines.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPBCWZ774Z7FV?ASIN=0316055441	Still dont know WHY I loved it, but I sure did.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Its all been said in other reviews, so I'll keep it short:<br/>I LOVED the prose, I LOVED the characters.  I ADORED Boris.<br/>What a great book.  Didnt think I'd find another truly great, engaging read so soon after discovering and reading 'Cutting For Stone', but this was it.  The only thing I didn't like was how book wound down right near the end. A bit heavy on the metaphysical stuff. I get it, I get it.  Just wanted to shout, ""Give me more Boris! more Hobie!"".  Alas, I guess all good things must come to an end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9MMDBOK9ZA3R?ASIN=0316055441	best story you won't forget	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a riveting tale, I couldn't stop reading it.  Didn't know where it would go next!  I loved her alleritative style and phrasing.  Sorry to get to the end.  Would love to read more from this author, she is my new best read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12ZEXSFX8QNCV?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book reminds me of my youth and hope little control we have over it. The sadness and tragedies always stay with and how little things can remind you of them and you do what ever you can for relief of the pain.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DJ6CUU83WWTN?ASIN=0316055441	Page turner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, and hard to put down. But by the end it was starting to drag. Nevertheless, I'd definitely recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3APDBCCI3JMFP?ASIN=0316055441	Strangely addictive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had seen Donna Tartt interviewed on the Charlie Rose program and found her to be fascinating.  Her incredible writing just pulled me along irresistibly, despite liking the main character less and less.  On one hand, I'm glad that I read it, but on the other I don't feel enriched or that the story or message will stay in my memory.  A friend recommended the book to me, and I would say, ""Go ahead and give it a try,"" to others.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QNIOG5PLFV41?ASIN=0316055441	A Complex mixture of genres and basically a good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A thriller, an art treatise on Dutch Painters of the Golden Era, a meditation on human nature and the meaning of art?  The Goldfinch carries all that weight on its frail wings.  Yet it often manages to be very funny often manages to be very funny. Big books like this are easier to read electronically - easier on the hands!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NB67AE5YZTWL?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I somehow waded through the long, tedious decriptive narratives and litany of recreational drug abuse hoping that at some point there would be a glimmer of light in this bestseller. Didn't find one anywhere and I finally gave up in the final monologue.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XT9CXTHU6597?ASIN=0316055441	So intriguing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book covers A LOT of territory. But it's a compelling story and I couldn't put it down.  Took a bit longer to read than the average book, but worth it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24U5DZJ059NDP?ASIN=0316055441	loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long but worth every word on the page. Felt like I was living in another world while reading this book. Sad it is over.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HG4874X9WEW2?ASIN=0316055441	OK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rated this book with three stars because<br/>it was so long and drawn out.<br/>Sometimes hard to follow.<br/>Was expecting more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JALW48VEV24D?ASIN=0316055441	300 Pages Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was looking forward to Donna Tartt's new novel The Goldfinch, having read The Secret History and thoroughly enjoying it. The Goldfinch had a fantastic, genious beginning, and playing on the theme created there, proceeded to entice and keep the reader wondering and worrying about the main character, Theo Decker, a young boy. But about a third into the book, it was clear that all was lost...  I certainly could have done without all the drug use, drug descriptions, drug recoveries and near overdoses that became a recurring theme. Not sure why this had to be gone over so many times and reappear as much as it did. The book could have been nicely tightened up and finished at 330 pages instead of over 700 pages. So many good characters and missed opportunities to make them much more interesting and vital to the overall story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MC11CUWXB12Y?ASIN=0316055441	Both good and bad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful writing - a page turner - BUT a depressing story.  Not sure I could say that I enjoyed it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VK1CPU68FWKN?ASIN=0316055441	Great story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved all the art history and artists' bios.  Got a little tired of all the drug scenes.  Great story however and would recommend it highly to anyone who has a love for beauty in art, antiques and all fine things.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QTO18IV8U54T?ASIN=0316055441	The Lesson Slowly Learned	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story has a fabulous beginning.  It draws the reader right in, but then the promise of a terrific novel begins to fade.  There are too many similar circumstances where the protagonist has a chance to change his faulty ways, but choses not to over and over and over. The scenarios do not change until the very end.  The same story could have been told in about 300 fewer pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OUNVXMBGYTXU?ASIN=0316055441	good saga	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was an enjoyable saga but the plot was too slow sometimes for the format of just being an enjoyable story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI87SPPDI98D3?ASIN=0316055441	Go for it!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">With a slow beginning, it is well worth the read.  Some parts sad, some parts happy, which makes for a great novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36YIHBXONADBO?ASIN=0316055441	good book, but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book starts out great, but bogs down in the story lines of the main character.  This book would be five stars if it was shorter.  I give it four stars though because it is well written and a good story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27FVC52B87R6F?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed very much.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out as a page turner. Could have left out about 400 pages.<br/>Good story. I recommend reading this philisophical story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BVJCU7AVYI1?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book kept me engrossed.  The characters were well drawn.  It did, however, wear me out sometimes.  So much going on that I had difficulty keeping up and had to go back and re-read some passages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DLIB0LR3PJY3?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Highlights were excellent descriptions  of depression, and insights into art appreciation. I should say personal appreciation.  Some breaks in logic of nihilism in last chapter due assumption of consciousness after death.<br/><br/>  Thought there was a lot  of demand for assumptions in story line, but that could be writing style, or my increasing dementia.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXDKAJ1POZ1W2?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story, a bit to philosophical	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a fan of the ending...so much build up for a few pages of the narrator's life &amp; death, rambling</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TOLUAFULDCGF?ASIN=0316055441	Dark	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was darker than I enjoy.  It had a lot of drugs and violence and different philosophy than mine.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DK5OJUP6AZRT?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story dragged a little in the middle,but overall was engaging and well written.It reminded me of catcher in the rye with its anarchic teenage viewpoint.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZY6X7IERG3X3?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Seem to start slow, but once into it the story was good. Only criticism would be the timeline as it seemed as if I had missed something.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2436L5QM5XMEU?ASIN=0316055441	Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good n detailed book but there are times wen some of the details r jus randomly thrown in like it talks about his life back in NY for awhile and then randomly it'll mention btw his still on prescription drugs and it kinda throws u off but besides some of the random details I love this book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E2XZQS2ZIYDV?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't get into it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">About 60% through and I haven't really gotten into it.  I know it's highly recommended but I didn't find it compelling,  although I haven't finished it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FCKE69B1URXC?ASIN=0316055441	Loquacious, long and lurid	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book just wore me out and I actually ""turned"" on it about half way through and began to rue the day I started it.  I pressed on and made it to the end, which offered very little in the way of a payoff.  My time was wasted on such a ridiculously sad drawn-out tale.  Ms. Tartt would greatly benefit from the services of a good editor.  Ms. Tartt writes very well, but the reader gets so bogged down that they eventually just don't care about the story, characters, or themes anymore.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20OOLLF3TXUWG?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reviews everywhere about the book in Europe and the US. I am not sure why she got so many. The book is good but I am not into the drug scene so a lot of it did not interest me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FKVREKOC8RZP?ASIN=0316055441	Upsetting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After struggling to get past the troubling reminders of 9/11 in the first part of the book, the protagonist turned creepy so I gave up on reading this. It is well written and has lots of local color which I usually like but I need to have some sympathy for the characters to stick with the story in noir stories like this.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QCSA1LULHP9L?ASIN=0316055441	In depth reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this book without knowing what it was about. I bought it because so many others seemed to enjoy it.<br/><br/>Initially I loved how descriptive the author was with EVERYTHING. It was like I was there but nothing ever really happened. The book didn't pick up until about 60% through it. The most enjoyable character was the sidekick. Great character!!  I enjoyed reading in broken English! Ha-h!!<br/><br/>For the last 10%, I skimmed through pages. The level of detail into thought was too much for me. Most of the time I questioned, what was the point of needing to know that?<br/><br/>If you don't have a busy life, then I recommend this book. It definitely has its moments. Otherwise, it can give you anxiety. JUST END!!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JEFODR8Y4JZT?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I only gave it a four star because it was a bit too wordy in places. Very good character development and all the different personalities came off the page. Excellent writer and hard to put down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U9VBKRSVG103?ASIN=0316055441	Twisting Plots, Twisted Families	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story starts out with a bang, drags abit in the middle, but holds ones attention to the ending.  Good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAPV7Z5CUKQ0B?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved so many parts of this book that I would like to give it a 4 1/2.  The only negative is tye long, long descriptions and way too much focus on the drug abuse.  Otherwise, excellent!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q506KNLC1TM3?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written with wonderful imagery. Interesting story with very satisfying finale. Characters were rich with personality and I found the history of the relevant artworks quite enjoyable.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G9X0Q11J86NH?ASIN=0316055441	Not as good as the review stated. Beware of publisher reviews. They like to sell.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read a review about the author which prompted me to recommend this book for my book club. Wish I had read it first. Story is okay but longer than necessary.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3041JS482QFKL?ASIN=0316055441	No book needs to 844 pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot is interesting and moves along quickly.  It seemed to me that both Theo and Boris was too precious.  I found it hard to think of teenage boys thinking and speaking so profoundly.  Some of the descriptions are breathtakingly beautiful but often, too often, they are overly long and become tiresome.  Thank God for Hobie, a truly noble character.<br/>I enjoyed the book because of the plot, the overall development of the characters and the general pace of the action  The book should have been pared to eliminate unncessary description.  Since I am a visual learner and reader I got the picture immediately and found the continued descriptions superfluos.  Nonetheless, read it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QYGB3U9CT2VF?ASIN=0316055441	The Debacle of Two Lost Souls	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story started off really good and held my interest for the most part.  To me there was too much emphasis put on the drugs and alcohol consumption of the young main characters.  I almost felt the author was writing from experience. But I guess the story line was meant to give you a look at how drugs and alcohol are viewed and how much it's taken for granted and overlooked.  I don't believe the picture of The Goldfinch was this young man's main enigma as much as it was about his poor choice of a free spirited friend and following the path of least resistance using little or no common sense and ending up losing more than he gained.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B23CDMB7BBWN?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too damn long.  Engaging characters, interesting story, and even thought-provoking themes explored in an engrossing manner.  But it would have been even more effective at half the length.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9YRGZ6CS8EYB?ASIN=0316055441	mixed feelings	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the descriptive writing is exceptional, I did not enjoy the book.  Found it very depressing.  Almost didn't finish it.  Would tell friends to read it for lyrical language usage.  But  it won't leave you wanting to know more about most of these people of which  only  two  are sympathetic characters..</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WMHXOAWYB45R?ASIN=0316055441	Needs an editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling and I read it straight through - BUT much of it was superfluous (the bus ride for instance as well as pages and pages of extraneous material).  I think a good old fashioned editor could have done this book a world of good.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R160YTYGM7YZPL?ASIN=0316055441	Review of The Golffinch.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent reading!  A great writer indeed!  Many twists to the story...I loved it!  Give as a gift, or read it yourself. My first read of this Author...well done Donna!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NDOTI1CSS2AD?ASIN=0316055441	Very good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent book. Unique and very interesting. I wonder why i have to post a review to keep reading it, though.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R278RPAUFN8KI4?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this novel. I thought the writing was excellent and I enjoyed the story - esp the beginning. I loved the mother/ son part of the story and I enjoyed the narrative as a whole. It was a long novel and I found it hard to put down. I would recommend.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW4BAUJE6OD3K?ASIN=0316055441	Words get in the way of the story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was excellent, but unnecessary vocabulary and references detracted from the enjoyment of the storyline. It seems as though the author thought  that challenging the reader was more important than entertaining the reader. Based upon this, I do not think that I will read other books by this author.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWC40BV24FGE8?ASIN=0316055441	Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book is a fast read, but somewhat long. It went into way to much unneeded detail. could work with about 300 pages less.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LNN6U1IN7ZNI?ASIN=0316055441	A Sorry Tale of a Painting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was not at all what I had expected...if you like reading about the underside of life...especially teenagers...which with 8 teenage grandchildren...I do not...and neither one on the main characters improved as they grew up!!!  I skimmed much of it just to see how she would pull it together...improbable...and get to the end!  Misery!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34CE0JGVOJA00?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling, but surprisingly dark....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The phrase that comes to mind when trying to capture my experience with Goldfinch is, Dark Night of the Soul and a young man's journey in coming to terms with that continuous struggle.<br/><br/>The reviews I read indicated it was a ""can't put down"" kind of book and so thought it was an action, drama, or similar story line. There were several times I almost gave up on the book because the protagonist, Theo Decker, was thrown such profound obstacles from his mother being killed in a terrorist attack in a museum, to drug addiction, finding friendship and comfort in the strangest and from the most dangerous and odd places (including a small piece of invaluable art), to a love that was always just out of his reach. Others have provided a synopsis of the plot so I will not repeat that. If you are up for a book that I think is incredibly well written, with a number of twists and turns along one young boy/man's journey through the Dark Night of the Soul that is compelling enough to make you want to get to the end, then this is a good book for you.<br/><br/>I gave it four stars because it is well written with a carefully constructed plot line that portrays a young man whose experiences are so extreme that it is difficult to relate to but whose reactions to those experiences are very human. Human in both it's weakness and resilience that it paradoxically gives you a strange sense of hope at the end while leaving the reader with the question, ""What just happened (to me)?""</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VPX0X7UAA92W?ASIN=0316055441	"A cross between ""Catcher in the Rye"" and ""Incredibly Loud and Extremely Close""..."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">with a little ""Catch Me if You Can"" thrown in. Being a New Yorker, I really appreciated the author's ability to depict NYC living from a young teenager's vantage. I have also spent quite a bit of time in The Netherlands and enjoyed that part of the book as well. There were some painfully sad scenes when i just wanted to reach in and help the protagonist. It was surprising to me that a woman was able to write convincingly from a male perspective. If the book were a bit more concise, I would have given it 5 stars. A good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMSTKN5OLM3DT?ASIN=0316055441	Too long and drawn out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story kept my interest, but the book was much, much too long and drawn out.  I am amazed I actually finished it.  I kept wanting<br/>to give up, but I was curious about the ending.  Book groups - forget it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37VMFF5BKSFTB?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You will have to search for substance buried in the 700 plus pages of boring minutia detail that goes on for pages at a time at regular intervals.  Character development was good but the story could have been told effectively if half the length. Struggled to reach the end.  One star is just for getting there,</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DLAST57BCVMZ?ASIN=0316055441	I bought this book because of the reviews.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not sure it's all that I thought it would be. Don't get me wrong this is a  beautifully written book. At the beginning when Theo's mother gets killed you can taste his heartbreak and confusion that's how strong it was. As I'm reading the book all the time I'm trying to figure out what made Welty give him the pictuy</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN3Z25MORP3TC?ASIN=0316055441	Deep read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The type of book where you wonder how much more can happen when you look down and aren't even 50% finished and you are emotionally drained.  In a good way, for the book draws you into the pages and makes you want to wade on despite all that.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JANQ9MW2HLM8?ASIN=0316055441	Okay but not great . . .	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt tortured while reading this book. At the beginning of the book I really felt sympathetic to the main character's plight. However,  as the book progressed he just exasperated me with his choices. By the end I was exhausted! I also found the end to be a bit long-winded.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18IFVA7Y6ST3V?ASIN=0316055441	wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the book overall but sometimes I found myself skipping ahead through wordy sections, like all the indepth descriptions of his drug use, it got boring and I was over it. move on.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16ZEN10DHLBFH?ASIN=0316055441	Not my type of book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought from the write-up it would be really good, but I felt it was way tooooo long and drawn out.  Way too much in depth<br/>descriptions.  I like descriptive writing to a degree but this was way over the top for me.  It is a matter of taste, of course.<br/>My friend read it and loved it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25I4WS1GIA62T?ASIN=0316055441	A bit long winded	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book on a best of the year list.  The premise was imaginative but the story dragged on in my opinion.  The last third of the story is outlandish.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38KW3Q1DHLICS?ASIN=0316055441	Great Beginning, Slow End	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was great in the beginning, i was immediately drawn in and couldn't put it down for about 100 pages.  After that initial incident that the book is based on it got extremely slow and I found myself having trouble getting through it.  Towards the end it got a little more intresting but I felt like the middle portion was just too slow for my liking.  Overall, I thought the book was just okay and I was a little disapointed because I expected more from a book that continues to be on the top of the bestsellers list.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YXO5HE7VPY09?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting premise ...much too descriptive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the premise of the book was interesting. It seemed the author devoted too much time and space to certain ideas,e.g the living situation in Las Vegas and the trip to Holland at the end of the book. It was much too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OZ0XAW7PDSHD?ASIN=0316055441	Long, Mildly interesting, but need to be an art lover	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story of a young boy who loses his mother (and subsequently his mind) was somewhat interesting, but by the end I closed the book feeling let down.  I was rather uninspired and, after reading 800 pages, would have appreciated a more substantial ending - it just seemed to stop</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7RY4T2NXWIXW?ASIN=0316055441	Very dark book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">well written but very depressing. has some good twists and turns,at the end thank goodness or it would have been a lower rating.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32XUY06LO1ZIT?ASIN=0316055441	Needs an editor.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was disappointing.  The story has great potential but it rambles on and on and frankly...I don't know how it got published.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JL5NEZNE15SD?ASIN=0316055441	A good read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could hardly put it down.  It was very enjoyable, although a little long and a wee bit philosophical at the end.  Definitely worth reading.  She is an excellent writer.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RODV02IJ0YUBO?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would recommend this book, I looked forward to having the time to pick up the book,  hard time putting it down !</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIC9KG391FOG9?ASIN=0316055441	depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I kept thinking something good would happen to the poor guy.  No such luck.  I must be missing something since it is on the NY Times bestseller list.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QROQULOSIBXH?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It had some well written moments, but I thought it was entirely too long and a little pointless. Would not recommend.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33DTKAOGMGNZ2?ASIN=0316055441	very good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing...good story...to me it was a let down at the end...but that's just me!  Character descriptions and depictions were excellent.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HD90EE9JEJA4?ASIN=0316055441	It wasn't very good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It had some of the tenor of A MILLION LITTLE PIECES but with the admission that it was fiction.  The vast amount of writing about drugs and alcohol obscured the book.  And the last bit was just annoying.  I was disappointed.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBK644ZTGL20R?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting but plot twists affect overall enjoyment.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting observations on life &amp; death but plot twists affect overall enjoyment. Personally had interest in segments involving art history, NY antiques world, bonding of different personalities.... less interest in detailed segments on pre-teen etc drug use and ""stoned"" interactions of characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KJZBNY6VFCRG?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit draggy toward the end but it moves forward with such power it was very compelling.  I loved all the characters.. even the ones with rough edges.  Original story, well told.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A2EF5336BVKR?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is so overdone on drugs ...really, so unnecessary..<br/>the story speaks for itself ..but I did so love the characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZX09XXETDVHZ?ASIN=0316055441	Great story, great writing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters and story were capturing and entertaining.  However, the constant philosophical point of view of every event just got long and drawn out.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SVVSJ93L5J0T?ASIN=0316055441	Very Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not excellent as far as I am concerned. While the story itself is original, the author has a tendency to go on and on with her descriptions to the point of boredom at times. A wordy storyteller who gets off track easily and looses her audience at times. A shame because instead of a real page turner it becomes a page skipper.<br/>Paule-Audrey</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R97L6BIERVAP?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It wasn't a bad book but with the ratings that I saw I expected it to be much better.  It was not a page turner for me, but it was okay.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WZ5JJ43FOGL6?ASIN=0316055441	Powerful connections but....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book came highly recommended from someone I respect and I wanted to love it.  But I can't say I did.  There was some powerful writing and emotion.  Loved the odd twisted ways we relate to blood family and the family we create.  We were inside Theo's head way too much and I was happy he found some peace from his tortured thoughts.  The relationship between Theo and Boris was brilliant.  Loved Hobie too but wanted more from that relationship.  And Pippa and Mrs Barbour had such potential that was left unrealized.  I think there were whole sections that could have been edited out and the book would have been tighter.  It's long and several times i found myself skimming.  There's a lot of substantive ideas, what is art?  who values it?  What makes people family?  What do we owe to the ones we love?  Do we have to save ourselves first?  It was intriguing enough to finish.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MRT9QMK072T9?ASIN=0316055441	A Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little too long in places but I could not put the book down.  The New York setting will also resonate with anyone who has spent much time in New York.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWFOFNHY4NBDO?ASIN=0316055441	Good read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It never ceases to amaze me as to how writers come up with such amazing story lines.  This book was, for the most part, a real page turner.  I say that because there were a couple of times that the attention to detail was lost on me.  A great book to get me through the long, hard winter that we are having here on the east coast.  I loved the characters in this story.  Believe me, characters is an understatement.  Read this book!  You will love and care about these amazing people.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A69UBWE4OJUO?ASIN=0316055441	Wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book needed editing, to long on words that have nothing or little to do with the story. A good book if you are into the drug culture.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1THB8C301NDDJ?ASIN=0316055441	Marvelously Complex	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a marvel of emotional and logistical intensity, dense and, mostly, mesmerizing.  I finished it sorry that I could not follow Theo into the next phase of his incredibly complicated life.  Having said this, some judicious editing would have made the book a 5-star wonder.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33QAW3TML430Y?ASIN=0316055441	High expectations not quite met	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wanted to love this book, but I was left disappointed (much preferred ""The Little Friend"").  While I was excited about the idea of building a novel around the inspiration of a wonderful painting and many themes having to do with meaning of art, the plot and writing often bogged down for me.  Also, I could see the main ""plot twist"" coming a mile away, besides which the trajectory of the plot having to do with the fate of the painting really wasn't very satisfying (Are we to believe that Theo never talked about the painting in seemingly endless episodes of being drunk/stoned?  Are we to believe that he never unwrapped the painting for months/years?  Are we to believe that others were never curious enough to look for and find the package?).  Despite all of this, Tartt's writing is so good that it's possible to care enough and to treasure the occasional gem that one comes across.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H4XBBCBTLQGJ?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I fell in love w/""hero""!  Beautifully written; kept me up til wee hrs of morning. Hated 4 it 2 end. Marvelous character development.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R5EEXH9WDR0G?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was impossible to read; not only my opinion but that of others who have tried it.  Sometimes I wonder why these books get on to the New York Times best seller list.  I do know that The Times does not always know best, in fact it rarely knows best in my humble opinion.<br/>Jean Corr<br/>Albuquerque, NM</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QB7EWNSWAP5W?ASIN=0316055441	When can we expect the author's next book?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A GREAT story.  I could not put it down ..Yes, I will recommend this<br/>book to friends, family and strangers!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TMXTKEOQJSSE?ASIN=0316055441	It could be a movie!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rated 4 because it never got over its dark side....but  a powerful read...a long, memorable story. Certainly worth the time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34V1FNXENZ7CT?ASIN=0316055441	Much too wordy and long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the character development, but she was overly descriptive about Theo's thoughts and philosophy of art. I would have loved it if it was about 300 pages shorter.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JQNC3PO7MEBI?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch is a convoluted story that keeps you guessing until the end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book but there are many dark drug related events that bothered me.  The characters become real soon, but I appreciate a book that names characters with short descriptions up front in the book.  This would have helped me to keep the characters clear in my mind.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYNMRNCLO5PA9?ASIN=0316055441	Rambled on too Long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author could have edited a lot of unnecessary pages of reading and made it more enjoyable, at least to me.  Why this book has been the number one bestseller for several months escapes me.  However the book did hold my interest, otherwise I would not have finished it.  The main character, Theo, who does have an unfortunate childhood through his teenage years, does manage to win our hearts in the end, and we wish the best for him.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JLUH1VFY7DO0?ASIN=0316055441	Don't read this if you are sad..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing book. I never really liked Theo,and that is important to me when I read a book of this magnitude.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H61GQCYQD7KB?ASIN=0316055441	Too long well written but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long could of ended sooner. We knew the ending 100 pages back. Goldfinch was our book of the month for our book club, unfortunately it became an assignment.  This is not a light read, very depressing and unfortunate circumstances make you feeling sad.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XD43V6NUH6QX?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Another great reading recommendation. I thought in the beginning of reading this book that it would be about one aspect...but it turned out to really be about something else. This is a book I would read again !</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYSRBO9RLAWLA?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an engaging book - I had a hard time putting it down. But, looking back, I found the ending somewhat dissatisfying.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33F900S1MEJQ9?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book too wordy.  It was very well written and many parts were  very interesting, but I found myself skimming or skipping through sections that seemed to go on and on.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UCXC6O8OW1IU?ASIN=0316055441	Good plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the plot of this book. Occasionally, I got a little bogged down with the length and Tartt going off on descriptive tangents. The ending is well done so it is worth hanging in there to get to it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L4QHX54UGLV1?ASIN=0316055441	I'm glad I finally bought thid.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story of a boy who runs into all kinds of adversity when he's left without a mother and must go with his father who ran away with a strange girl.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCXKDONATUON3?ASIN=0316055441	Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although as an art lover, I understand the impact of the a particular painting, sculpture, or other work of art, the tie of ""The Goldfinch"" to the main character's obsession with it went awry from the idea that it was his mother's favorite painting. It was difficult to follow this story at times, and the conclusion was not very satisfying.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ARDN2DJ9B0XI?ASIN=0316055441	I was too distracted...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">... Worrying about whether the dog gets killed.  For those who want to know SPOILER SPOILER he lives, pffew. Aside from that, I would have liked about 200 less pages because it realllllly started to drag at about the 60% mark.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MKEQRDS5AOWU?ASIN=0316055441	don't get the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a really hard time getting through this book, despite all the positive reviews, it took me forever to finish!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A0I2XK00L294?ASIN=0316055441	A tough read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not quite finished reading this.  It certainly is not for everyone.  Lots of juvenile drinking and drugs.  Very well written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R314J0GI6T7MQ1?ASIN=0316055441	THE GOLDFINCH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">THIS BOOK WAS  VERY INTERESTING THE STORY WAS GREAT THE REASON MY RATING WAS NOT FIVE STAR IN MY OPINION THE BOOK WAS MUCH TO LONG !</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R114M8YWKR4KEA?ASIN=0316055441	three stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book a bit strange ending could have been shorted.  Held attention throughout. Overall liked it and will recommend it to others</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ISPC1738PKYC?ASIN=0316055441	Book group is liking it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a grand story and many of us thought it was a WOW.  Others objected to too much drugging and drinking as the boys were growing up.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAKULKE5UVK19?ASIN=0316055441	Good read, long book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book, but it really drags in the middle.  I found myself skipping pages and still being able to keep up with the story line.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16DOW7E4YAV1G?ASIN=0316055441	too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Everyone knows someone who starts telling a story and goes off on so many irrelevant tangents, for so long, that you forget the original story.  That is how Tartt writes.  I was able to skip 5 and 6 pages at a time and pick up story without missing a beat.  I like descriptive writing but Tartt made me impatient.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A4YI3BE5Y2G9?ASIN=0316055441	A hard to read story sometimes due to content.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a compelling story, but so sad too. I kept hoping he would see what e needed to do.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R195QCG789AWGF?ASIN=0316055441	Very good book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the book a lot and found myself wrapped up in it so that I didn't want to put it down.  The main character, Theo, was such a tragic character that I only wanted good things for him.  I did find myself getting angry with him, but wanting him to succeed at the same time.  What a survivor!  The book did get a tad too philosophically wordy toward the end, and I found myself skimming through those parts.  All in all a very good read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BIJO0G914WFN?ASIN=0316055441	what a tale!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the story line, but there was so much information that could have been presented in a more concise way.  Things got very confusing at times.  Boris was almost unbelievable.  Otherwise, good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKTSJLGZFDBEC?ASIN=0316055441	First time I have readd Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read, held my attention and didn't end too badly - wish the ending had been a little more complete</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HYYSDZWZW90M?ASIN=0316055441	Gripping at the beginning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I started reading this book, I felt so moved by the plight of the main character that I had to read more.  I thought about this book all the time.  I couldn't wait to get back to it.  It reminded me a little bit of ""White Oleander"", which was a book/movie about a girl and her experiences in the foster care system. I loved that book.  This book drew me in and made me want to help this poor boy.<br/>  Around the middle of the book, the storyline moves to ""eight years later"".  The author made me stop rooting for the hero.  I realized that he was not going to ""rise above"" his situation.  Instead, he was going to throw logic and caution to the wind.  The storyline made me angry and disappointed, especially with such incredible writing.  The very end was just a bunch of rambling about art.  Donna Tartt is a talented storyteller.  I just didn't like how it ended.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17N4KITJV95W5?ASIN=0316055441	The best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this may be my favorite Tartt book of all three. very few likeable characters. over the top situations. profoundly evocative ending.<br/>sure hope Theo and Hob<br/>ie are ok.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LYICBF5TH3ZQ?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the beginning of this book, I had hoped for a happier ending. The book was too deep for me. I had to finish it for my book club but I would not recommend it to my friends or family.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZZC2Z52JF9D2?ASIN=0316055441	Too much drug use	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much drug use to be comfortable reading this.  Does his life have to be ruled by drugs?  There could be something else to keep the story line going without so much addictive behavior</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HUUKC69F4JI7?ASIN=0316055441	A Bird to Praise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An unusual and inventive account a journey made by a boy into adulthood after a tragic loss.  Some critics called it Dickensian, deserved praise for some of the characters.  It is a little too long; the accounts of drug binges seemed tedious to me, but the ending cleverly contrived.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EVALC3BTV4XQ?ASIN=0316055441	"""The Goldfinch"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A friend had recommended it - I liked it alot.  I would recommend it, great story of relationships and trust.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ECAYOBN6K48Z?ASIN=0316055441	I was captured by the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging and chock full of interesting info on antiques, art and human nature.<br/>Though I found the ending som what disapointing</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VCO6WZLJKFCP?ASIN=0316055441	tooooo long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author repeated herself way too many times for my taste and do believe the story could have been shortened quite a bit.<br/>But, I really enjoyed the overall story and appreciated the characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JT6XVO63KVXS?ASIN=0316055441	Great book totally unsatisfying ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The header says it all. She's a crackerjack writer. Fabulous characters. Riviting plot. ""Can't put it down"" kind of writing with a lousy, unsatisfying, what-the-heck??? ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HI0Z4KKIWV55?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Insightful view into traumatic loss and the never ending search to recapture love. Loved the book with its clear descriptions<br/>and stunning prose.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2851K4MUIY5JD?ASIN=0316055441	Bogged reader with unnecessary details	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Plot good but executed poorly.  Tired me out page after page that really ""said nothing of importance.""  Thought I would never get to the heart of story.....and had to force myself to finish....but I needed to know about GOLDFINCH.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QOAXZUZC5BDF?ASIN=0316055441	Struggling to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For the first time in years, it is taking me forever to read a book. I am only 50% of the way through and I've had it almost three months!<br/><br/> I am struggling to get interested in a book with far too much detail and a boy that continues to make stupid choices.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DF13952LZJ5M?ASIN=0316055441	Not as good as expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I listened to all the hype and made this my Christmas read - it wasn't that great.  The story was good, but many parts dragged on way too long.  I liked the ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10DJKVHYD2WD5?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be too long.........it could have been 3 separate books.... and a bit depressing.  It is not the kind of book that I would normally read but the other reviews were good so I decided to read it.  I am an older person and maybe it just doesn't relate to anything that I have experienced.  It is well written but very wordy and maybe too descriptive.  I like historical novels and books about real people and mysteries.,.. so this just wasn't interesting to me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R97FV3EPO3N?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant and baffling all mixed up together	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a tough book for me to review. It's an excellent read in so many aspects; the use of language, the plot concerning the painting, the exquisite characters. I loved the story of the boys in Las Vegas; that alone could have been a book. The story of Hobie was mesmerizing. I dreamt I lived in NYC in his apartment.<br/><br/>I don't feel qualified to judge The Goldfinch because of the details so painstakingly laid out for the reader, so I can only give my opinion based on my attempt to finish the book. I had to skip through about a quarter of it. The thing in Amsterdam just lost me. In a book of this magnitude, the reader has to take some responsibility and so I take it for not being able to wade through pages of stuff that didn't seem to impact the story. I hope someone will tell me I'm wrong, tell me to go back and reread the last quarter of the book. The Goldfinch deserves five stars except for that one aspect and I'm probably mistaken. If that's the case, my apologies.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V0HLYZIKEAW?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting but long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very complex story that raises many philosophical questions about good and bad and our propensity to be one or the other. Woven around Theo and his tragic life it asks you to consider whether he was so traumatized by his early life and absent father that it propels him into a life of drugs and ill gotten gains.  At the center of the story is the painting of The Goldfinch, a priceless piece of art that ends up in Theo's possession and affects the rest of his life in numerous ways.<br/>I enjoyed the book although it is depressing in parts.  My biggest criticism is the length of the book,,,almost 800 pages.  The book would have been better if a sharp editor's knife would have been applied.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XMYFET4AJVQN?ASIN=0316055441	One of the Best Books of the Year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written - however, the length of the story relating to drug usage became tedious.  The book was worth the last part when the author really expressed views and provoked thinking.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J81OCWGIAI4N?ASIN=0316055441	A Gem.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great book written from the first person of a young boy being hit by tragedy and how he copes. Great characters and stories. Unputdownable!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W6N248P9Q9BX?ASIN=0316055441	gold finch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i enjoyed the first two-thirds of the book but then it seemed to fan out in too many directions.  it appeared -- to me -- that the author didn't know how to end it so, essentially, chose two endings.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16MBCTSE2U6GN?ASIN=0316055441	Bizarre!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The most convoluted novel I have ever read!  I couldn't wait for it to be over.  Some very strange characters in this story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N247IXGGL6IW?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't quit reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The descriptive writing was excellent. I felt like I was there and I wanted to know what would happen next. The drug scenes are brutal and I wondered if the hero would survive.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YN9UBOXMORVM?ASIN=0316055441	complex	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot was very well crafted and the characters richly developed.  I must say that other reviews of this book did not prepare me for the emotional roller coaster journey of this book.  Very dark.  I found myself virtually running to my Kindle shelves for something light to read after finishing this book.  This is one I recommend to selected friends only.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O0WPFN6KHPES?ASIN=0316055441	boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too boring for me. A lot of lapses in time and in logic. Did not like it at all<br/>A</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39PNTYDYQKR1B?ASIN=0316055441	Story-tellling at the finest	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow.....I was worn out w/this novel. A great read...but, I wanted this teen-ager to have some adult supervision.  His ""Dad:"" could give-a-hoot about his well-being. He ate poorly, drugs, questionable friends...but....what do I know?...He survived.!!! I liked thisbook.... through all the boy's UPs and Downs.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6KPFASEJK0SQ?ASIN=0316055441	770 Pages?  Really?!?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Entertaining story marred by an excessive amount of words.  Really it could have been half the length and conveyed her style and be all the more enjoyable for that.  Also, I had a hard time believing and accepting her version of a thirteen year old boy.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YN7ODJ2LF7ZZ?ASIN=0316055441	A Very Disappointing Ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">'Goldfinch'<br/>Theo, the main character in 'Goldfinch' captures the reader's empathy and imagination until the plot segues to Las Vegas. Then,<br/>the story becomes so disconnected from its original plot and setting that one loses interest. The author wants to rescue the plot, but instead creates a subplot that goes in a strange direction, disconnected from the original story line. When Theo returns to NYC,<br/>the author attempts to connect the story line back to NYC, but, sadly, seems to be scrambling for a conclusion which lacks imagination.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIIRDWHA6BM8J?ASIN=0316055441	Chick needs an editor!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know she's a great writer and all, but everybody needs a little editing.  I would have edited out the last 20 pages of the book, as a matter of fact.  Bad epilogue.  Otherwise, good story but predictable.  Good reach in using a NYC landmark for the story's center.  As a PTSD patient myself, I'd love it if everybody knew that the way the protagonist's life unfolded is not inevitable.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAQKM2D4V70LS?ASIN=0316055441	An engaging read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author spins a good story and is able to speak believably in the voice of a young man. I looked forward to returning to the story every day.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NW55IB4YMYL8?ASIN=0316055441	great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a hard time putting this book down. The characters stayed with me and I couldn't stop worrying about what was going to happen to Theo next.  The last quarter of the book frustrated me; parts rambled on too much.  Overall, however, it was a great book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P62VGMR1O7DU?ASIN=0316055441	this goldfinch doesn't fly	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The most depressing story of a boy who loses his mother in a terrorist attack and spends his life careening from one bummer to another.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBAJIZ6R8E73O?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put this book down.  There were several stories, all in one.  The main character had so many tragic situations, but always managed to keep going.  I think THE GOLDFINCH helped him,  This is a must read book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AD8XBU6QMGY2?ASIN=0316055441	A great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing plot a good read with deep characters and heartbreaking story. Art history background was great . Would highly recommend</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JMWPUGP9UFIL?ASIN=0316055441	Good up until the end...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought the book was great up until the end.  The entire way was tragic and very raw.  Just wrapped up a little too cleanly for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLSA5OAQRZKL3?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was excellent and I enjoyed it.  But I, like a lot of readers, feel this book could have been written in 500 pages or less.  I did what others did and skipped over 5-10 pages at a time towards the middle and end when the repetition of the past started.  I just wanted the book to be over!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DHSEHZFQL7FE?ASIN=0316055441	Deep read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very interesting.  I did not like all of it but it was all good.  The journey the main character endures is deceptively simple, but actually complex.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KTQAYREX709G?ASIN=0316055441	The story was good.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The editor of this book should've been fired. The author could have told this story in about 1/2 the time. She spent way too much time giving descriptions that dragged the story out. Usually when I read a book, I like the main character. I simply tolerated Theo. In my opinion he didn't have many redeeming traits. I would have been more interested if Boris were the main character, there was something endearing about him, flaws and all.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE19R8XSHPUIY?ASIN=0316055441	Great book but it helps to be very detail oriented	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a great story teller. The book is great and I enjoyed reading it. It takes you through the twist and turns of a young man who has be introduced to the school of hard knocks. Its meaningful and sincere enough that you want good things for him. The only minor downside, in my opinion, is that she is too wordy. Its a very detail oriented book that you will always know what they are wearing, what the room smelled like and what the lighting was like.  It felt like the plot slowed down too much due to the very detail oriented descriptions.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L2QOYG5UOLZZ?ASIN=0316055441	What a waste of time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The fact that this book received such rave reviews, I'll never know.  I only finished it out if curiosity...hoping it would get better.  It never did.  The foul language, the dragging details, the characters that all fell flat we're painful to endure.  This is one of the most pointless stories I have ever read.  I am relieved and gleeful to be done with it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AMLAW0IYCDU7?ASIN=0316055441	A RARE ONE STAR	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy this book. and I'm an English teacher.  I did not even finish it.  Friends and family have liked it, however.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FRXXSLEAE6SF?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch: Mystery and Art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An adventure story worth reading! The terrorist theme is dropped entirely for some reason... but the boy's journey is quite enthralling and it is, of course, very well written.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z4NJ0LH09JB0?ASIN=0316055441	Very disappointing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Having seen this book on the Best Seller list for many weeks, I decided to download it.  I can't tell you how disappointed I was!  It was very dark and I saw litte redeeming value.  It was the kind of book that I could read for about 1/2 hour, and then I had to put it down and get away from it.  Totally surprised that it has been on the Best Seller list for so long to be honest.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XLNVG5ZAFH2X?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not at all what I was expecting but very well done and interesting. It was worth the read. I look for more from her.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16J4X2OY2B0CP?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Totally engaging and emotionally engrossing ( I have never so well identified with an opiate-junkie who wears Thomas Browne). The 19th century ""Dear Reader..."" Ending left me a little flat, but I have recommended it to anyone who will listen.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28WSM498LOSO2?ASIN=0316055441	Too wordy.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Would not recommend.  Not sure why I wasted my time in reading this book; maybe because of the many good reviews.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30ZV531DC6646?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was interesting thoughout although it dragged a bit toward the end. Not the kind of ending I would have liked, but it was good.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8UBJV2GCCYU3?ASIN=0316055441	fascinating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you have a long time to read something, this is really a work in several parts which ultimately almost come together. The ""almost"" comment is why i gave it only 4 stars.  Well written , exciting and unusual, I enjoyed almost all of it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NVUM7MZYAJ87?ASIN=0316055441	Hated the drug use and swearing and stealing.  We need to be uplifted and desire to be better for a read, I believe.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Parts of the story were too degrading, depressing, demoralizing; however I just skipped a lot of that stuff and found the ending to be redeeming.  I like it when someone can overcome such adversity and find that life is after all good.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RNR3V0GLMEPY?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My book club read the book and we were all mediocre about it. We all thought it was too long. No one disliked it, but no one loved it either. The entire story seems a bit far fetched and I felt that I did not bond with the protagonist in any way.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IR3KBG9KKSQR?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written, makes me want to read her other works	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't read anything else of Tartt's but I think I will now. This book is something of an epic, taking you through the first couple decades of the main character Theo's life.<br/>The writing is wonderful. It is something of a hero's journey tale, but what makes you keep thinking about it after you've finished is the less than straightforward nature of the characters. Tartt does a wonderful job of developing each character, giving them depth, showing their weaknesses and strengths.<br/>I did, however, find the ending a bit disappointing. After hundreds of pages of plot driven narrative, there was a swing towards a highly expository conclusion that lost my attention. Overall, it was great though.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R61LIGB5LDDW?ASIN=0316055441	Long Book, but Worthwhile	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Seems like I've been reading this book forever. It is long, but I am thoroughly enjoying it. The characters are very well painted and one doesn't get bored with the description. I really recommend it for these cold winter days.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R355FTIAWCOMAK?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful but very wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was wonderful for a number of reasons: the writing is excellent, the characters are interesting, the story is good, the ending is very satisfying and leaves readers with something to think about. The reason I gave it four stars instead of five is because in several places in the book the author circles around an idea or a description of something for four or five pages. I found myself ""skimming"" over these long excruciating descriptive sections to get myself out of the loop she created and back to where the plot moves on. If it had only happened once or twice, I would have been happier, but it happened several times throughout the novel. This is a very literary book in many ways, and I would not recommend it for someone who wants a fast moving plot. I loved the ending, and once you get there, you gain a clearer understanding of what all the circling was about. Nevertheless, the long wordy descriptions, turning an idea to look at it from every possible angle, was a bit too tedious. If you are good at skimming, or don't mind wading through all the description, this is a fabulous book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19G1Q1S2VZSP6?ASIN=0316055441	Could not get into this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was chosen by my book club to read.<br/>I cannot understand how it is on the best seller list for as long as it has been.<br/>I tried many times but could NOT get into it.<br/>Maybe I missed something but thought it was boring.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WILHDF4J4PRU?ASIN=0316055441	Slow reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I though the plot of the book was good, but the story just got stuck in areas that it didn't need to get to.  It was slow reading and boring in areas.  Didn't see the part where he lived in Arizona being necessary to tell the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QF8J4B60VD7A?ASIN=0316055441	Rich and unusual	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book worth reading - an evocative and praiseworthy description of a damaged life as a result a traumatic event for a child. An interesting glimpse of the effects this would have on a basically good kid. However, a reader could tell that the narrator ""ran out"" of energy at the end, which could have been written in exasperation; I had to put the book down a bit early.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J3CGPGQRVS6V?ASIN=0316055441	A mixed blessing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book too long. I think one problem was that the main character, the teenager, could not hold my interest over such a long struggle. I loved the art stuff and the plot, however.  I had to finish the novel, because Tartt did such a fine job setting up the story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UX1RPGVNPCYW?ASIN=0316055441	Highs and lows	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this on the strength of ""The Secret History"" which I loved. I would say this is a good read but not a ""love"" The character Boris is fantastically written - better I think than the main character Theo. I did love the first half of the book but felt the second half ebbed and flowed - and perhaps tended a little towards indulgence. Overall though - worth the time and effort.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UFEX3OXH0PV3?ASIN=0316055441	Almost perfect	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While an extremely long novel, The Goldfinch is totally readable.  The author weaves several tales covering an extended time period together masterfully.  The Dutch painting, The Goldfinch, recovered by the main character after a bombing at The Metropolitan Museum of Art,  is the device that ties the narrative together.  The narrative involves the main character, Theodore Decker, and his life after his mother was killed in the museum from a terrorist's bomb.  The plot takes unexpected and fascinating turns.  The characterizations are novel and rich.  A theme which strikes me as worthwhile and essential to life is that good and evil--both in people and actions--are interchangeable and a matter of perspective.  Tartt clearly shows in this novel that labeling people as good or evil---right or wrong--is futile.<br/>One major flaw of the novel is that it is too wordy.  The narrative that takes place in Las Vegas could have been condensed.  The book could have been improved with some major editing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18TRFVRWSN6OU?ASIN=0316055441	Packed to beyond the gills	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much too long. Material here for five novels, some good, some second hand. She doesn't know when to stop on any of her numerous plots. Could have used a discerning editor.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YS5IDZ4EMXV6?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by D Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was not what I thought when I bought it, it is a good coming of age novel , I thought it was great</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2973U1GWZLFY4?ASIN=0316055441	good but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way, way too long with too many details but the writing itself is good you really get to know the character</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K0JARQP1VTCS?ASIN=0316055441	Not that great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not what I expected.... was even a bit boring at times, the writing is good though.  Just not a page turner...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U16ZMH7QNRHK?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I admired the craft of Donna Tartt's new novel. The themes she tackles here are relevant and modern anti-Harry Potter hero comes as a great relief. Couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFIBNU2UDBOWV?ASIN=0316055441	Unexpected ending....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book very much...although sometimes it got too 'wordy' for me and I found myself skipping over several pages at a time to get back to the actual story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPVQZ5UURRJ29?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very in depth review of a young man's life. Interesting characters but slow, intricate and somewhat bleak. Well written but not a page turner.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VWQRI7KBYIVE?ASIN=0316055441	A Book that Has as Many Ups and Downs as the Characters' Lives	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book, as one who seldom reads current fiction.  The beginning of the book, the tragedy, the young Theo, had more promise than the central part of the book delivered.  By the time the primary character, who started out as very likable managed to change into an unlikable teen but managed to hold my interest, as the portrayal seems plausible until the development of the friendship with Boris.  Initially, I could imagine the friendship and even visualize the characters.<br/><br/>Halfway through the book I began to lose some interest as the story seemed to become redundant and forced, and highly implausible.  By the end of the book I knew the story had lost its magic.  The conclusion left me feeling as if nothing had been resolved, but perhaps, that was the real goal... to leave us wondering about Theo's choices and our own.<br/><br/>Overall, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it.  That said, I have read very few books of this length (775 pages) that have held my interest page by page.  However, while the story line seems to go sideways at points, it is worth reaching the final pages if for no other reason than to force us to look at our own choices.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5U9GG4H6A6LC?ASIN=0316055441	Too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WAY too wordy. The book could have been cut in half. I'm wondering who edited this book? Good story line, just goes on and on and on and on and...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R370M5RHHY99GH?ASIN=0316055441	Well -painted story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story, some clutter but very entertaining and learned. Easy to visualize people and places as they get caught-up in trying to do the wrong thing.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MAU3C1UJQ8M2?ASIN=0316055441	good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book through the first half. I got a little lost after that. Good story, but not crazy about it</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AAEQLZEYDORR?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was way too wordy and depressing.  I have read 3/4 of it, but am ready to quit. I would not recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BRUSUL7DRKCE?ASIN=0316055441	An echo of a work of art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You have had enough reviews so I won't belabor the point.  I thought I would never finish this book.  Aside from Theo &amp; all the other characters my attention was riveted on Boris.  In between all the novellas, there were an inordinate amount of one word sentences.  I also found  the use of 4-letter words  monotonous.  Nothing new in mother &amp; son connections or fathers  &amp; girlfriends.  Then every so often a work of art is almost forgotten but brought back  to reconnect with the reason the book was written. Sorry, don't remember why this book won an award. I think 3 stars is generous.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K03AMXURHPP9?ASIN=0316055441	Too many words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has  an interesting story  buried inside sentences that have 99+ words.  Every event or situation is hashed  over and over in a tumult of unimportant and needless words. This is not a book I would recommend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L9E64A8K2I7Z?ASIN=0316055441	A bit overdone	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found that this story took too many tangents, too much drug culture and dysfunction for me. I was skimming the book just to follow the story of the painting.  I was looking forward to more art history from the book..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BAH5INU3YMVC?ASIN=0316055441	Exercise on art and the meaning of live	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like the way the author places the two principal characters  of Theo and Pippa in a catastrophic situation and then the reader follows the course of their lives and how they each respond to what has happened to them.  The drugs and violence are a bit too garlic for my taste.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNS576ITKVPGW?ASIN=0316055441	Really enjoyed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When you keep thinking about a book long after you've finished it you know it was a good read. Good tale.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VN7S2VYDZ8EA?ASIN=0316055441	Up and down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really gets you hooked into the highs and lows of Theo's adventures....good sense of NYC and the seedier side of life...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U79DSKL1EWOQ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch,  two stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although it was an interesting story line, I found it to be overly wordy and somewhat disjointed.  I was only able to give<br/>it two stars.  I would not recommend it to my friends.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O1HVFL0O5KX5?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This author who is loved by many made me tired.  She rambled and could have told the story in less pages.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BOXI2AD7B1BR?ASIN=0316055441	disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is filled with belaboring detail--hard to get to the crux of the story. It is also very depressing.  I quit reading after a third way through the book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MAL7RBZRPLWR?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I Loved this, you should not pass this up.  She is a great writer.  The story is complex and involving.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NPLUKWNA1TYB?ASIN=0316055441	Too much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book was extremely tedious and found myself skipping paragraphs of detail barely related to the story.  I kept with it because of the many great reviews but was disappointed.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SYS946X0VWW6?ASIN=0316055441	It;s a cliff hanger.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful writing, compelling story and fascinating characters.  I also appreciate the portrait of ""real"" people compared with acceptable but superficial ones.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OVPYBW8WDKEB?ASIN=0316055441	It was very interesting discussion in my book club	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It just...I could never finish it. 750 pages was too many even for my bookworm husband. Otherwise it was worth reading and revoked very interesting discussion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10EVUIYILFFKP?ASIN=0316055441	good book, but dragged in parts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book, but I didnt like some parts. I have no problem with a long book, but there were parts where this book dragged along, particularly the Las Vegas era. Too many parts with nothing going on to advance the plot.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXFWW7PBRU243?ASIN=0316055441	a full world of beauty and pain	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lovely and dark. Richly drawn from the scraps and trash that make up the human life. Awesome to follow one person's journey from childhood to adulthood.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L56B1TEX9RE5?ASIN=0316055441	A bit long and depressing..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the story line and the writing, but felt that it could have been told more to the point rather than dragging on and on which gave it a depressing tone.  I would have given three and a half stars but it was not an option.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WF3G0MTZOR3Y?ASIN=0316055441	A roller coaster ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really, really entertaining but not believeable.  This book is super long but because it keeps you interested, you just don't realize how many pages you've turned. A definitely good read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GVBCJ9Z0HRMP?ASIN=0316055441	Not my genre	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although this is well written, I do not enjoy reading about drug abuse.  It's frankly depressing.  There seemed to be no end to this poor loser's troubles.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LBTK5C064Z56?ASIN=0316055441	great but depressing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">fabulous writer , really portrays the character so you feel you are with them, BUT, after 1/2 the book soo depressing i don't want to finish- but will</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VYBJCH9M77NH?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, but I just didn't connect -- I found myself saying okay, I can finish this.  Frankly, I thought it was going to be an historical novel about the artist, so maybe the disconnect between my expectation and the book caused this sense of dissatisfaction.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R190K1PV1OZWXG?ASIN=0316055441	Family	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a good read and shows you how a teenager looks at like life when going through hard times. Enjoy</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGNSJSDR28D6?ASIN=0316055441	NOW IT'S HERE AND NOW IT'S NOT	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WELL WRITEN.  INTERESTING CHARACTERS ALL THE WAY THROUGH.  ALWAYS NEW TWISTS AND TURNES BUT FOCUS IS ALWAYS ON THE PAINTING AND THE EFFECT IT HAS ON THE LIFE OF THE PEOPLE AROUND IT.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GG5UGQOER6CO?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Recently read Goldfinch.  While an interesting storyline concept, felt it too lengthy and repetitious in many chapters. Easy to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B0QINVSKU5FQ?ASIN=0316055441	Overwrought	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Completely overdone, overwritten and overwrought.  In need of serious serious editing to bring the 700 and some odd pages down to a manageable 250 or so.  Nothing would be lost.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ALNQ2CSW7T0Z?ASIN=0316055441	Great characters abound	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch has been compared to the richness of a Dickens novel and that comparison is well earned. The twists and turns in one boy/man's life and the cast of indelible characters Tartt has created to accompany him on his journey through the big city to the desert and back will keep you turning the pages of this big bountiful book as fast as you can read to see how he deals with the secret at it's center.  By the way, the audio book version is very good, too. I went back and forth reading myself and being read to and this great story will stick in my mind for many years to come.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXC36E1WAEO65?ASIN=0316055441	It's the story of a young mans life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The goldfinch was a great character profile of the life of a young boy who essentially loses everything and the destruction of oneself when you grow up without guidance. I really enjoyed reading the stages of his life but I have to admit that there were times when I felt the story was getting stagnant. The stages of his life roped together become crucial however, so that you can really feel the weight of the ending. Although it was a bit long, it's a great story with great characters and an interesting message. It just may not be a book you're inclined to read twice.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL5TDJ51DRS41?ASIN=0316055441	Far-fetched	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sometimes, the story lagged. Sometimes, it was intriguing.  Also the story is a little far-fetched but still worth a read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IE0I0FYTM2XK?ASIN=0316055441	Almost perfect.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the richness of language and the vivid images evoked. That said, I wish the story had been told in under 500 pages...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R253L0CMLOMIFV?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed The Goldfinch, did not love it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Follow the life of a young man troubled by a disastrous event and the addition to drugs. Was there a happy ending?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSZ0QGPTWTSNJ?ASIN=0316055441	Could have been cut in half	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the writing in this book is excellent, the writer, unfortunately, could not seem to rein in her enthusiastic and painfully long descriptions of things and events that did not contribute anything to the story. Where was her editor?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CA23U30WGH86?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed very much, but felt it too long. Feel about 200 pages could have been eliminated and still survive with a great story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36VFRK7SULCJA?ASIN=0316055441	Not my favorite!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the concept... Too many unnecessary repetitive scenes &amp; words. Very good writer but less is more! Good but far from my favorite!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SKSH168PLQZC?ASIN=0316055441	Touching, engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very engaging; heartbreaking losses and challenges for young Theo.  Also his best friend Boris very well drawn and interesting - if a little unsafe and untrustworthy.  Got a little bogged down in Horst's apartment with the art talk, and wasn't sure about how the painting (The stolen Goldfinch) was capable of making money without being outright sold.  Overall though, the book was an amazing trip to take with a young man alone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVLWJH0472XA7?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading this massive book, I searched for words to find out how to describe the book.  I came up with one:convoluted.  I feel the book had a great story but it took to many words for the author to tell it.  Sorry.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1297YXZ66LVYG?ASIN=0316055441	My view's on the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Am still reading it, but nearly finished. Enjoyed the majority of it but at times found it to be ""too slow moving "".</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16JVMVOQCGEAV?ASIN=0316055441	Long and Sad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was well written and engaging!  It was just long and very depressing!  I had a difficult time getting hooked in the beginning but then you are forced to read to the end.  It just felt like it took forever!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVAYE56HQGZV7?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Characters are well drawn. Though the story and plot move forward for the reader, it is at a pace slowed down by too much extraneous detail. I will finish it soon, but I approach it in small doses and find myself skipping over sections that don't move the story forward.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SNCV8050512K?ASIN=0316055441	Slow to start.  Very depressing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very slow to start. I persevered as I normally do and it got much better.  All in all a good novel, but be forewarned this is a very depressing story from beginning to end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y9RH0Z1EG723?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book but felt that it did tend to waffle in places especially towards the end of the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39UX0BD83LRWH?ASIN=0316055441	review of Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For the most part I liked the book. I liked the story line and the characters.Although I found the writing to be  short and  choppy quite often. I got the feeling that the author did this intentionally to convey the feelings of the characters while they were drinking and on drugs, which was most of the time! Sometimes it made me feel edgy while reading it. However I could not put it down!.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KF2UTAGDHHH4?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting journey of the main protagonist. Like 'The Secret History', Donna Tartt writes books that are hard to put down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R131QNS575TO9F?ASIN=0316055441	Awed and somewhat overwhelmed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I really enjoyed the book and marveled at the many strengths of the author,  I actually thought her first book THE SECRET HISTORY was tighter and that her characters in it were more appealing. I have also found that while many of my friends are reading THE GOLDFINCH,  it has been difficult for us to organize our thoughts into useful discussions. Too much to digest?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J7AO2IHB3U4F?ASIN=0316055441	Enough is enough!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredibly redundant themes, including the drug driven relationship with Boris and the obsessive inability of Theo to get a hold of his life. Over and over again... Finally, having read almost 3/4 of the book, I said "" enough"" and decided not to finish it: a very first for me!!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNDX9UXJHEZED?ASIN=0316055441	Could be shorter by 150 pp	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'd recommend this to my literary friends.  I lived Ms Tartt's style but found it embellished with too much description.  Slow moving in parts.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WHLSLO4F3XCL?ASIN=0316055441	overrated.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not saying it wasn't well written, but sheer volume of human introspection overshadowed any effort at a plot. Wife loves it, but if it's about art, she is sold!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OBNI1WDV0ZRM?ASIN=0316055441	A most challenging book...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have to say I'm erring on the generous side with rating this book four stars and only because it did have great moments and content. It's a captivating and immersive tale with many nuances. As someone who worked many years in the area of Hobies antique store it brought back a lot of memories and was brilliantly captured. The characters are very detailed and complex and the story very original.<br/><br/>That said Mrs. Tartt seriously needs to edit her work down. I found myself repeatedly skimming the more extraneous passages just  to get to the next scene and in many characters dialogue rambled on ridiculously long. She should try talking it through out loud to grasp unrealistic this is and how much it detracts from some of  her brilliant scene descriptions.<br/><br/>Still, get through it and you'll be better educated for your efforts.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P967AFA13RK9?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have just started The Goldfinch and have trouble putting it down!!!  Hate to rate without finishing it but so far, great!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA5IVUBBU9DV6?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Totally pulls you in and that painting will haunt you for a long while.  Great plot twist about midway through had my jaw on the floor.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIRUQ99L2LGJ8?ASIN=0316055441	What is all the excitement about?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First half of book is great. Alas, second half goes on way too long and is a disappointment.  Perhaps I was missing something.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KOEBGUOAUFBQ?ASIN=0316055441	Can't get into it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't seem to get into this book, perhaps it is because it is out of my usual genre and author.  It is well written and descriptive but not my taste.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LAHL9GCIL3A9?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terribly disjointed with way to many characters with undefined  Identities. This book wasted my valuable time.  I cannot recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIKY8D44N4YT9?ASIN=0316055441	A Commitment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I believe that once I start a book it should be read.  It took me a week to finish.  The beginning is captivating.  Sections of the story were too detailed and felt bogged down.  As I approached the last two hundred pages I was determined to finish and see how the author would conclude the story.  I have had 24 hours to digest the book and though not a waste of time, I am ready for something light. It is a story I won't forget.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R83QUAE2LZIXB?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A really good story with solid characters .  Found myself thinking about this book, long after I finished reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PR090QQ1NUSP?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started out very well, but got tiresome. Too wordy.  Finally, by the last 150 pages, it held my interest again</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EMJTZH54VBD5?ASIN=0316055441	"review on ""The Goldfinch"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very compelling story. From the first few chapters you really get pulled in the plight of Leo Decker with so many twists and turns. The characters Ms Tartt created are enduring and truly memorable. It may be a bit long in some parts but well worth the time spent. One of the best books I've read in years.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IKL9D4K3X6CS?ASIN=0316055441	Great beginning - slow middle...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love the premise of this book but the middle dragged on and on.  Over-describing is the best way to for me to minimally describe it..:)<br/>The story was a great one, I really got involved with the characters. Fascinating how life can change in an instant and how vulnerable children are to adult who should never be parents.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HO9VAGAWSLB7?ASIN=0316055441	Review of The Gold Finch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finished in 2 weeks what should have taken 1.  I found the story line interesting but the drone of the drug and the delinquent behavior tiresome.  I was fascinated with the boy .I was repulsed by the man &amp; did not cheer him on.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KWUPUGPMOXP8?ASIN=0316055441	Good book but....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book was entertaining but I<br/> Felt like the protagonist was not always believable. For being a super intelligent person I felt like he seldom came out of the clouds even when he was off of drugs.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J9UNH11RCV8T?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent writer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a 4 star read...I think she is a very good writer...you can ""see"" what she writes about.  Her characters  are very real and the element of surprise is around every corner.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21EH133NSN7GO?ASIN=0316055441	A fun story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this story of love, loss, art, drugs is a long and winding road for one child to take. He is so filled with grief over the loss of his mother the the painting of the goldfinch is the only thing he has until he is able to retrive his mothers emerald earrings. I found this book fun to read and so will you. As the painting travels so does your mind. Do you dare to dream?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z991RQITNS1X?ASIN=0316055441	Slow Start, Better Toward the Middle, Not finished yet	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has not been an easy read for me, in fact it has been a very slow read. I've heard people say it was good once you got into it but i'm not done yet. I will  keep going.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23A7DQAXIWZ95?ASIN=0316055441	The first half of the book - I loved!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If I had stopped reading two-thirds through, I would have given it 5 stars.  Since I read at night when I go to bed, maybe I just got lost a bit (too tired) and that may have been the reason it got a bit boring - that's why I gave it 4 stars</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OOAZFSJYJXLC?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a long book  A very involved story, the author challenges the reader to look at how we treat children who have suffered a deep loss, follow his life, and then consider his philosophical ideas at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36W4137FORQCS?ASIN=0316055441	Did not like it as much as her first novel.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the characters floundered in the middle of the book. Many of the twists did not make sense to me. Ultimately not as satisfing a read as I expected.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31XALNWNCHILA?ASIN=0316055441	Kept me interested, but..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long.. it did keep me interested but not interested enough to finish it as quickly as i normally would have.  It just seemed to drag on and on. I did enjoy the main characters. Maybe i would have enjoyed listen to it better.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BNK4G3WXXJL0?ASIN=0316055441	A long long read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was a difficult read because of its writing style and extreme length, let alone its overtones of the drug world.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X4ZV5SFE9ISW?ASIN=0316055441	Required reading for our book club	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Honestly, if it weren't for our book club, I wouldn't have started it, and certainly wouldn't have finished it. Beautifully written, especially the parts that read like a love letter to New York. Tartt is a master of descriptive language. But the plot and characters left me cold: a bunch of unappealing people making bad choices and then being surprised when they have to deal with the consequences. There were only two people in the whole 800-page book that I thought I could enjoy having dinner with.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GF3LS1BTB0CG?ASIN=0316055441	why is everyone raving?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am trying to get through this only because everyone I speak with loves it.  It is SOOOO slow!!! Where is the action?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCI3CBKXNJTRZ?ASIN=0316055441	Very intriguing story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Whenever I am reading a book thoughts come to my mind about what I will write in a review.  The first thing I thought about was that as you are reading along and maybe getting a little anxious for more of a story to develop, suddenly something happens.  And that something would happen just in time to keep me from being bogged down in the reading.  I really admire those who are able to write beautifully because I am not one of them.  I do think that this book was beautifully written, but over written or over described in places, which made it a little tedious reading.  It was not one that I hated to put down and couldn't wait to pick up again.  But the story was very interesting and I stayed with it to the end.  One thing I wondered about was how one could be so involved in drugs and alcohol and still function as they seemed to do.<br/><br/>My heart went out to the children in the book who needed love and parenting by a father and a mother.  I did enjoy the descriptions of New York City as it has been many years since I was there.  Also I was somewhat jealous when there was a mention of rain or raindrops on the windows, as we are in a drought situation here in Texas.<br/><br/>Would I recommend this book?  I would say that if you are one who likes a story to move fast, you should read something else.  I must be one of those as I didn't realize how long it was until I got into it on my Kindle (which shows percentage and doesn't show page numbers) and saw that it was much longer than I expected.  From now on I will always try to remember to check the length before I buy other books.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R272IWTUI7IFQT?ASIN=0316055441	Slow reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it referred back to the same thing to many times, a slow read , lost Interest several times.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NWBXXR2VH4OY?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt's writing a treat always, but a disappointment as well	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Only three stars because the story runs out of gas, stalls when it has everywhere to go but it seems that the writer would rather spin her nihilistic philosophy near the end instead of doing or weaving something magic as is her usual style. What happens to Boris and their relationship? ------- and what of Hobie in NY, his flame in London?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6DSHA1J0ASRF?ASIN=0316055441	Oddly entertaining	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has gotten a lot of positive press and word of mouth recommendations.  I ""liked"" it but don't understand why it is getting such positive feedback.  The ending drags on forever and gets very wordy/philosophical.  The book would be better if it were reduced 25% in length.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DK4N5MNI5JZE?ASIN=0316055441	Good book, too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it too long ant the drug and alcohol scenes far too dominant.  She has a wonderful way with words but at times they are repetitious.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LVP7H1CVSSFP?ASIN=0316055441	ok	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't really want to write a review but in a nutshell, beautiful writing, good story but much, much, much too long!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBWQIYJ02WS7A?ASIN=0316055441	A longgggg read...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a very good book, but it is about 100 pages too long. donna Tartt created very memorable characters, my fave was Boris, who was both very likable and despicable at the same time. I had never heard of the painting, The Goldfinch, but after reading the book I am very interested in learning more (and seeing in person).</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZLZPUW25PI5Z?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written story of a disfunctional  character from a disfunctional family struggling to survive having been dealt a bad hand of<br/>cards in the game of life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IDJTQP8Y34MV?ASIN=0316055441	A Contemporary Dickens	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms. Tartt is a wonderful writer but the book was just too long and descriptive for me...perhaps it was because I had just finished a lengthy novel!  Very Charles Dickens...<br/>But loved the characters, especially Boris.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BSTLMQFAUSAV?ASIN=0316055441	captivating story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i really loved Theo and his story. The ending got a little long for me, but that might be because I was finishing up at 11:00 pm.  Boris and Theo are going to stay with me for a while.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LV8WU9O1EFDF?ASIN=0316055441	What A Story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed The Goldfinch once I got into it and went from disliking Theo to hoping he would find his ""happy ending.""  I got so caught up in the story toward the end that I stayed up too late to finish it.  I am planning to recommend this book to my friends and absolutely highly recommend it here as well but I am giving it only 4 instead of 5 stars for two reasons.  First, I almost quit reading it because it takes a while to get into the story and start caring about what's happening to Theo.  Second, I think the book could have had at least 100 less pages.  Occasionally the story line gets lost in too much deep thought, side stories and descriptions.  The last few pages of the book were fine but getting there, after the majority of the story has already played out, seemed unnecessary.  Please don't let my opinion that there were just a few too many words turn you away from the best book I've read this year.  Give it a read, you won't be disappointed.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16GAY78413SUI?ASIN=0316055441	A Sad Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""The Goldfinch"" illustrates the need that children and youth have for adults who care--who are mentors and models of socially acceptable behavior.  In that absence drugs, alcohol, and other risky and illegal behaviors fill the void.  This is a disturbing book, but one that highlights the importance of adults in the lives of the young.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ACZ5WRY81Q2A?ASIN=0316055441	mixed feelings on this one	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">don't you just hate it when the plot runs out before the book is done?  especially when the characters are still so engaging that you can't just quit ?reading...o</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y04B83Y05XHS?ASIN=0316055441	Very well written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some parts are spellbinding and others are very arduous to slog through.  It is worth the read but I really want it to end rather than go on forever.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLGUCSX2IBMZL?ASIN=0316055441	Not bad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book but not excellent . I found some parts very long and too repetitive . In fact it is a depressing read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OBFOK96DBGL5?ASIN=0316055441	If you want a positive, upbeat story, keep looking.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The descriptive writing was beautiful, but the story was very dark, even disturbing at times.  The final chapter had me wondering if this was the character or the author's voice on the gloom and doom of life.  As I said, the descriptive writing was beautiful, and it has me interested whether her other books are as somber as this one was.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R158PAND3ASEFG?ASIN=0316055441	A painful read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a difficult book to read in that it is disturbing.  But like a car wreck on the side of the road, I can't seem to stop reading it - even while I desperately want to put it down and escape the main character's downward spiral.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PV0W0EBUGM2?ASIN=0316055441	Comment on The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found, at times, the plot moved very slowly so I skipped pages at a time and never lost the important parts of the story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DM0RGITLXSRX?ASIN=0316055441	worthwhile read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a rich examination of life. It could have been edited down a lot. As I was reading, I don't think I enjoyed it as much as I would have liked. In the end, she did tie it all up nicely and I was pleased I had read it. I did not find the in between as engrossing as I like, but if did not have any trouble staying with it and so perhaps the slight monotony was intended.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VO8MQEOQDF0Z?ASIN=0316055441	overhyped	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good plot with many twists and turns but a laborious read.  Too much backstory that failed to move the plot forward.  Tangential discourse is the order of the day.  A redemptive ending helped to soften it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D1OJHME2KJQV?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought it was a great story, and loved the very descriptive writing.  I thought the ending got a little too ""wordy"" and was somewhat disappointing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P1YDU0XPH78A?ASIN=0316055441	a LOT of book for the money	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first part of the book was exquisitely sad and poignant but the last three quarters have been plodding to be kind.  I REALLY don't need every single point of dialog communicated.  I was waiting for it on the library wait list but was so impatient due to the great reviews that against my better judgement I went ahead and purchased it for kindle.  Wish I had my time and money back :(  I really wanted to love it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ISI8O6UJCWTF?ASIN=0316055441	Good read but long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossing story but included too many details that added 100 extra pages.  Worth a read.  Best on an iPad or Kindle.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7WKFM5I5MPT5?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this all the way through to the end. That's just what I do. I need to find out how things end. It took forever with this story!! The characters were almost well developed. Enough to make me wonder where their stories were going. But the telling of it was way too involved, and not in a "" ooh, I can't wait to see what happens!"" kinda way. I found myself bored through much of it.<br/> I will say the ending amused me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UETL799TH0QA?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch - kept one very interested in the outcome!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the story very interesting and the characters kept me reading.<br/>It was however a real education on drugs!  It certainly had a lot of twists<br/>and turns which made it most compelling.  I did enjoy it very much.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OPFUXWTRJ9WW?ASIN=0316055441	thought provoking book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this to be a very interesting book. Well worth reading . It has several levels of meaning throughout it and then ties it all together near the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJRTEIAV23H4T?ASIN=0316055441	Complicated relationships	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story, tale of the life of one individual and his interactions with those who touched his life. Interesting characters with many different concepts of what is important in ones life. Mostly it moved quickly with a sense of urgency, but at times became tiresome.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PD2OTRCFV4ZJ?ASIN=0316055441	An adventure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first two thirds of this book were page turners, then it just seemed that the last third needed a rewrite and also needed to end.  I was struggling to finish. The author does a great job in developing her characters and the story goes a long way in educating the reader about art and collectibles in an entertaining venue. There is also much ado with drugs and alcohol. Overall it was a memorable book...just found myself really pushing to finish it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NCWRKVHF4K5F?ASIN=0316055441	disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not much of a story. I guess this is one of those books with a deeper meaning. I didn't get it. I put this book with my disappointment list, Catch 22, The orphan masters son, Tropic of Cancer, American Pastoral, Portnoy's Complaint, Rabbit Run and Slaughterhouse Five.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FEVG6RXF3H4Q?ASIN=0316055441	Long but interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No character was unflawed and even the most flawed had endearing components to their characters. The complexities of human behavior and personality are explored in this  book and in the fascinating worlds  of art, antiques, New York Society, Los Vegas, drug culture etc.<br/>This was definitely a book for people who need to expand their horizons beyond a black and white view of life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AM7SYRV0EU19?ASIN=0316055441	Just Lovely!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a eloquently written narrative of a young teens ability to persevere and still see the beauty in his everyday living environment. After the tragic loss of his devoted and loving mother the young narrator muddles through PTSD to come out with a daily vision of clarity and perception of the world around him.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VL9AO6GH8JLD?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book, but it could have been even better with some additional editing. There were a few distracting instances in which the author references technologies that didn't exist in the years in which they were mentioned, and it got a little sprawling in the second half.  Despite these two minor frustrations, it was a great read and is truly a page turner - I finished it in 4 days, and it's long.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39DW9YJDK0ZTV?ASIN=0316055441	Darker than you'd think	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Considering just the title, suggesting light heartedness, brightness.  Obviously, I didn't read any of the reviews first.<br/><br/>I always expected more good to come to the main character, Theo, but looking back, although he suffered many major losses, he gained significant people and things too. Still, the author did make me feel sympathy, hate, love, comfort...<br/><br/>This book is a bit wordier than I think is necessary, but is wrapped up fairly well with excitement and insights.<br/><br/>A good book, which I enjoyed a great deal, especially if you enjoy artworks, antiques, city-life, travel,...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP2R03ESTQP3N?ASIN=0316055441	very wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had a good story, but descriptions and feelings went on and on and on. It got boring and not to the point and finally I was  skipping paragraphs.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GXL8CW9DRKFO?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully descriptive; relatable characters, painfully human in their gifts and flaws. Felt a bit long in some parts, but generally a good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CTOPGFFMWT56?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At first and for many pages I was troubled by the novel, but as it edged toward the end I found that I really liked it.  I was still troubled by the Boris character and the lack of backbone of the main character, but it did point out the damage that occurs when children have life altering experiences and this should not be taken lightly.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15PDYBA2XAPOY?ASIN=0316055441	Sitting the perch too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, too much detail, took too long to get to the point. Not the ending I wanted or expected.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GV6JC1QURA0M?ASIN=0316055441	I love Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was a lovely book that evoked a host of thoughts and emotions. I do think it could have been a bit more concise.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R254640XCC70FP?ASIN=0316055441	A very dark and cold book.  The main character has so many flaws.  You want him to make good choices, finally he does in the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too dark.  I kept wanting the main character to make better choices and he never does until the very end.  I doubt the average reader could get through this one.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L7JQ4CWP2DG2?ASIN=0316055441	provocative , powerful and in many ways profound	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although this novel is spellbinding, it is also repulsive and monotonous . Why bother with a druggie and alcoholic when there are much greater and morally  powerful people to write about. Because, their weaknesses, their doubts, their despair is ours, their joys, likes and dislikes are us.<br/>Age old philosophical questions and attempted answers  are attempted.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28QENOBX0JY8A?ASIN=0316055441	Long-winded and...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book because of the reviews it gotten, but I feel duped, to say the least. There was just too much heartache, pain and loss, with no end in sight. Yes, it was beautifully written, but all that angst and lost time made me depressed. Just when I thought that now something great would happen for this kid and he might find himself in a safe and happy household, it all dissipates and once again, he is left alone with nothing to look forward to, except maybe someone finding his secret and exposing him. I went on and on for hundreds of pages and I was so relieved just to get to the end of the book. Disappointing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R319610T0TRBZT?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though provoking and well written. Would definitely recommend. It gets a little slow in the middle but worth finishing. Read it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S831M9AVHYCX?ASIN=0316055441	unusual premise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the story a lot. Descriptions of the drug use went on too long as if the author was just trying to fill mores pages. More time should have been used for Hobies story.  I enjoyed the philosophical thoughts from Boris and Theo.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2187DXJ67GI3L?ASIN=0316055441	Meh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I only give this book two stars because there was so much detail and describing that I often found myself skimming pages. I didn't like the ending either, could've had a little more on the characters instead of art. If I had to read it again I would choose to skip it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AVN6NX9Z730?ASIN=0316055441	A secret and yearning for the death of a mother which takes over the  main character-s life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought there was too much emphasis placed on drugs and alchohol.  It got to be overdone and boring.  The chapters on this phase of the protagonist could have been halved</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31W8UOMRW4OMJ?ASIN=0316055441	Terribly Overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the most tedious and slow-moving books I have ever tried to read, and gave up after about 300 pages. I have the impression that Ms. Tartt is greatly enamored of her ability to spin words and sentences into almost impenetrable webs, and wants to make sure the reader is well-aware of it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R828U8UQ7P1I2?ASIN=0316055441	Growing up with art and post traumatic stress	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The concepts of art and time are divine, their extrapolation not quite.<br/><br/>I wanted to like the characters but they were never quite alive.<br/><br/>Could have used an editor.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K283M25DGZ8G?ASIN=0316055441	Confusing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'd like it then not like it then like it again. Went back and forth in my opinion. The last chapter seemed the best but seemed to written by different author. Whole different voice.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B173PE2KX330?ASIN=0316055441	Mixed feelings -- but glad it's over.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very mixed feelings about this book. For one, did it have to be so LONG? And secondly, it seemed like several books within one, with huge chunks that could have stood alone on their own merit. It felt jarring.<br/><br/>Boris was, to me, the most fascinating character. And I loved Hobie. Thought Kitsy and that particular relationship were ridiculous and I was never sure why that entire bit had to be written.<br/><br/>And the end....so philosophical that I found myself nodding off (even though it is 1am).<br/><br/>Lots of people loved it, and even though it continually frustrated me (END, dammit!) I had a compulsion to finish it. Usually when everyone loves a book and I'm left wondering ""why so much?"", it's because I read it at the wrong time. This time, though, I think the book would have been much better if it had been trimmed by a top-notch editor. Shortening this book would be doable, but tricky.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27TASQVZ3TVF3?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have not read anything by the author, so I was not sure what to expect. However, I was surprised at the plot and storyline. For me it was an unusual book, as I have never been interested in reading about junkies. Apart from that aspect, the characters gripped me and I was compelled to quickly read the book. The author's power of observation is tremendous and she describes so much in great detail, I felt as if I was personally viewing a lot of the narrative. I love the link to the painting, which of course is the cornerstone of the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R98D52JGU56T?ASIN=0316055441	well crafted story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would have given this book 5 stars if it weren't so long. It was too drawn out. The whole middle section needs a good edit! Ultimately it was just too depressing. I wanted Theo to commit suicide to put him out of his misery.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8Q83O97MQUCY?ASIN=0316055441	Good but very lengthy to the point of monotony	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A Well written but very long with unnecessary in depth conversations that could be edited.  The length leads the reader to lose the string and meaning of the main theme of the novel, especially the mid section.  I did enjoy this book, but found it necessary to skim sections that were redundant.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PIBLRD9QKIKR?ASIN=0316055441	a boring, confusing, yet captivating book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So many times I wanted to quit reading this book and find something more exciting and engaging , yet I continued with it until the end, which didn't  come soon enough. Theo suffered through a very traumatic event, an explosion and death of his beloved mother. Yet he refused all help and ended up abusing drugs and alcohol, and the author takes the reader into the bitter depths of his obsession and sorrow.  The painting is the only bright spot in this story, although we never get to see it. I'm not sure I would recommend this book to anyone.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6DQTH2F93LWI?ASIN=0316055441	I wouldn't read it again	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wouldn't read it again.  It was too hard to get through the first time and didn't keep me interested.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EQ7T82LRJ92W?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great reading, every now and then a little long in the tooth, but enjoyed very much. Would recommend to anyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I5BJJSVSTHJ3?ASIN=0316055441	Not my kind of book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a long, drawn out story of child neglect or abuse and drug abuse.<br/>Not the kind of thing I usually read but I will admit that the story has stayed with me and I think of how much different this kids life might have been had they not been in the museum  on that particular day.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SNSR82DWMOYP?ASIN=0316055441	good and  rough	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writer, vivid description,  the settings, the characters and the emotions.  Would love to read another book by her on different subject matter. I got really really tired of the drugs and alcohol, though center  to the book, I just didn't like hearing about it adnauseum.  But, in spite, she is a really good writer</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SKE8ZIR2AJB9?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant Characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters may not all be likable, but they are all believable. Watching a young man with a difficult youth find his ethical center is always a rewarding experience.<br/><br/>Have to admit that I grew a little annoyed at the end, I wanted the philosophy to be deeper, grander, more real. One the whole a truly wonderful book, I think it will be around for a while.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OQUVB4I2RZOB?ASIN=0316055441	Don't waste your time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book needed a strong editor who should have pared it by at least 20 percent. The Las Vegas sequence was tedious. The two principal male characters were implausible. The lead character's relationships with women made no sense. And the final message of the book - life is nothing but chance - may be true but I did not need to slog through 700 pages of uninteresting dialogue and hapless characters to learn that.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R277HDFZ8AKCZ2?ASIN=0316055441	Was disappointed in language	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was given to my daughter-in-law at Christmas so I thought I might read it.  I usually never read just novels, but thought I would give it a try.  The beginning keeps you wanting to read every time you sit down.  I was impressed at the beginning because no bad language.  As I really got into the book every other word was bad, but kept going to see if it got better.  Finally I came to a place where I thought I could end as I found out the end of one of the plots.  Shut it down and started reading a GOOD book.  If I am going to take the time to read I want it to be mostly about real people and circumstances.  Just thought I would try and was disappointed.  Will never know what happened to the painting but that is OK</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15DCBGT0239AD?ASIN=0316055441	Too Many Words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Author had knowledge of New York City, antiques, people of privilege, and especially drugs.  There were brilliant descriptions and heartfelt emotions.  There was too much truth in the book -- the unrequited love and life is short imparts a feeling of hopelessness.  The fact that art endures seems to be the whole point of writing the book.  If you have nothing important to do, read it.  I found it to be a sad story with a sad ending and far too many words.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B231VMZ8QL1E?ASIN=0316055441	very good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely we'll written .  I found it enlightening but very depressing. I recommend it to adults who are ver stable.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JS49F311L1U4?ASIN=0316055441	Read it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lavish detail and excitement reel you in to a compelling, rich story. Unfortunately the ending leaves you just a little unsatisfied.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7EM7GHZAAOAV?ASIN=0316055441	Good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little too wordy and too much detail but all in all a good read. I would recommend this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZHPKL79Z3G0T?ASIN=0316055441	three stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the book overall.  I found myself getting very frustrated with Theo's way of communicating with the other characters. I kept wanted to yell at him because he wouldn't say things I thought he should.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C2DNM5951YP7?ASIN=0316055441	an interesting book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was fascinating. I learned so much about art and antiques and also about restoring furniture. It kept my interest until the last page.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IYU41UJ6B586?ASIN=0316055441	Recommending  The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautifully written novel with well developed characters.  The author also captures a good sense of place against which to tell the story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DKUEFVU4ED9V?ASIN=0316055441	Great Airplane Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing could have been tightened up; nonetheless, the story kept my attention through a staggering number of pages. A quirky and interesting romp through an unusual life, across states and continents, into the worlds of art, drugs, an society (both high and low). Glimpses into the depths of what motivates people, the relativity of right vs wrong, how loyalties are formed, and how people dealt strong blows keep reeling on through life. Enough meat on these bones to keep you captivated to the end and take your mind off your own problems.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KJB8F0P60UB4?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to read this book due to popularity.  Long book, slow in the middle.  It left me wanting to know what happens next.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SNMRDLT0790N?ASIN=0316055441	CATCHER IN THE RYE ON STEROIDS. . .UH, HARD DRUGS!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you didn't like CATCHER IN THE RYE, then you will not like THE GOLDFINCH.  As a high school English teacher, I had to teach the J. D. Salinger novel, and I dreaded doing it every year because I didn't like it. (My former students will be surprised to read this.) As a teacher, I had to hide my personal feelings for the Salinger novel, but my thoughts on THE GOLDFINCH are not covered by that responsibility.<br/><br/>The adolescent angst of Tartt's protagonist, as well as his growing into adulthood, is confronted by a myriad of problems in the midst of a culture of drugs, grand theft, violence, and loss of parental guidance.  It is unfortunate that during my reading of THE GOLDFINCH, the popular actor Philip Seymour Hoffman died of an apparent drug overdose.  I couldn't help but feel that Hoffman's sad death was a more probable ending than the one Tartt created for her protagonist. And speaking of endings (NO SPOILER ALERT NEEDED HERE), after wincing through almost 800 pages toward the conclusion, I felt that Tartt and her main character had suddenly both gotten into a BIG bottle of antidepressants.<br/><br/>I began this review by stating that if you didn't like CATHCER IN THE RYE, you wouldn't like THE GOLDFINCH.  Conversely, if you are a fan of the Salinger novel, you will most probably like Donna Tartt's book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13IJCGA6TYA7L?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a real page turner. I was eager to see what happened next but looking back the vivid descriptions of the  drug use is a turn off as far as recommending it. The characters were filled out. I enjoyed all of them. What a strange life this boy had.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NHZN6M5G6990?ASIN=0316055441	too long and tedious at times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I preferred her earlier books and had looked forward to another story by Donna Tartt.  I did like the art background and also the New York scenes.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VKKQ47RLCU43?ASIN=0316055441	wordy, but worth it in the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great message, but could have been said in 500 pages. Characters were lost in description and became boring at times. Getting to the end paid off thankfully.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXHSBKNYUO4O5?ASIN=0316055441	Just OK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line was very good in this book. There was WAY too much emphasis on drugs. This took away from the story immensely. Get rid of the kids on dope and the story would have been a classic.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UIQE3VH9LI2R?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very disappointed in the book.  It is too wordy and the part taking place in Las Vegas goes on and on about Theo and Boris's drug problems.  This unfortunately continues as they become adults.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZT1TSWFQ2A05?ASIN=0316055441	Started off good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To wordy for me..It dragged on in my opinion and I lost track of the story. To much philosophy not my cup of tea</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FQQ9Z2VZ8DSQ?ASIN=0316055441	Could have been better	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first half held some promise; however, the adolescent dialogue discussion of drugs sex and lack of a moral compass detracted from what was a promising story.  The later half of the book drifted off, and was far to long.  Above all it was long and tedious,  predictable and unlikely, and made a sad life of a young man who had real promise.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N4Y8XR3XJ590?ASIN=0316055441	A very fine wordsmith!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a very fine wordsmith. This book draws you in from the beginning and keeps you wanting to learn more about the characters, their lives and surroundings. What will happen next... some of it predictable, some not. The writer paints such  vivid pictures with words, I felt I knew Hobie and his antique shop (dusty, magical and comforting). I knew the feeling of looking at a painting and where it might take you. The feeling of how easy it is to lose your way when there are tragic events in your life and even when there are not.The last chapters were a disappointment. Much of it a rehash over and over and over of Theo's aches, pains and tender feelings through too many pages at the end. I felt the author hitting us over the head with the meaning of life and death. I did feel that the book wrapped up many loose ends in Theo's life. I knew that ""So"" meant where he was headed, knew the people important to him would be in his future. I'm glad I read the book. Yes, the editing could have been better. Some sentences went on for paragraphs that literally wore me out, especially in the last chapters. Stop already. But, there are some really magnificent well thought out moments in this book and I could imagine myself reading it again.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROZZ9U6NUTMAP?ASIN=0316055441	Sad story about a young man mourning for his mother in a most unusual way.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it both Sad and boring.  Young man that looses his Mother in a Museum Bombing , survives and seems to find himself with a painting that he is very attached to.  Orphaned and lonely seems to spend his life getting high in spite ot the love and care that other people show  for him.  Not a good story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11GC0YTE989VX?ASIN=0316055441	heavy book does have a good twist but not worth the trudge	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started this book with the greatest intentions of a great read--NOT.  I finished it only, because I wanted to see if lit got better. The twist was ironic and not planned.  The rest of the book was a slow march through heavy mud in March cold and agonizing .  The end was this entire treatise on life that could have been a semester course on philosophy.  I am afraid to read another book by this author, on the grounds that my life doesn't  really need that discourse.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T022TMCW918P?ASIN=0316055441	Nice story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a nice story, but I was a little disappointed with the ending. Things were left hanging and I like there to be a more positive ending.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI82VMO0V7HFM?ASIN=0316055441	So..So..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had a good story that kept me engaged for a while - but it was too long.  I disliked the preachy ending.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VAZO9MQSNIX6?ASIN=0316055441	A gripping read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not the usual detective to keep you guessing but Donna keeps you glued to the story by inviting you into the minds of her all too human characters as they somehow cope with events not of their making.<br/>Her dialogue and atmosphere is super-real, so utterly believable that you you feel you are right there!<br/>A long read so be prepared for some late nights or take it with you to one of those do-nothing holiday breaks.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25YUN2XH8N83I?ASIN=0316055441	Still reading, not readyd to rate.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just started reading this book.  So far I think it is great.  Will offer rating and comments when complete</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNC50EU6CGMW3?ASIN=0316055441	Not for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This may have been a good story but the endless rambling in so much of the book was a major turn off ...  So boring.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K1DF0BTXDA58?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The  story is too long and the character is not a likeable person.  Interesting other characters,  but a very negative story</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R40S8FQ2N0H11?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The novel starts out strong, great description but by one third through it hits a snag and stays there for quite some time.  It is also somewhat unbelievable in this section.  I am now more than half way and it has gotten better but who knows what the ending will bring?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R165M0637LUGDH?ASIN=0316055441	Not My Type	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting plot, but such a downer with regard to the self-destructive lives of the two main characters.Also, I don't enjoy this kind of language.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNUSQ2S9IY7RY?ASIN=0316055441	basically nice, but much too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How I wish this book had been much shorter! The story is good, but is very repetitive and I kept losing interest.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37PO3DQCTQ8Q?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch- 400 pages too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt is clearly a talented writer. Her discriptions of living in New York City verses Las Vegas were brilliant. Most of the characters were well developed, especially Boris. I could never quite grasp the character of Theo though. If she had ended the novel about half-way through it would have been amazing but she continued for another 400 hundred pages- too much about Theo's dependence on drugs and alcohol and the effects it had on his life. The painting was suppose to be the thread that held the novel together but it was a weak thread that broke in my opinion. And at the end, much to our surprise, Theo has kept a sort of journal full of all these philosophical musings that frankly I thought him too shallow to have written. In fact, at one point I actually thought that the author had decided to step in, but then I realized it was still this ephemeral character Theo going on and on and on about the meaning of life. Perhaps three stars is too generous. I had to force myself to slog through the end of the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R304E0FSRYG6MR?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant but Lost	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exceptionally well-written, compelling reading, but ultimately lost its way in meandering philosophy in last chapter.  Characters are brilliantly painted, plot fascinating, but sensed author carried along by character's own hopelessness in the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG27Y3R1FOV3Y?ASIN=0316055441	really enjoyed the beginning of the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book. Takes you through the main character's life and the people he meets along the way. Having the painting being the constant in his life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15DYQJVQEH69B?ASIN=0316055441	Not my favorite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way, way too many words.  Found myself skipping numerous pages at a time.  Could have made the point in three quarters of the time.  Do not recommend.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R318Q0L4WEVABL?ASIN=0316055441	Too long not enough to keep a reader going.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out great but lost steam along the way. The detail was far to overwhelming to the reader. Could easily have been a few hundred pages shorter and said the same thing. By the end was praying for it to end. Not what you would want from a book that is 750+ pages. Would never read anything again by this author. Far too long-winded for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A79UV1TFSA6Z?ASIN=0316055441	BORING STORY.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is overly descriptive for very simple plot.Doesn't keep ones interest. It's too long  and characters are not interesting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AEPCAQV3UBZM?ASIN=0316055441	A good story that fell apart	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed most of this book, but felt that it started falling apart towards the end.  I dislike having the moral of a story pounded into me by pages of character dialogue.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ULMWTJRMVZCO?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't really like this book very much.  It was depressing and not really what I expected, but it did have some redeeming points which is why I gave it a three.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M6LT4N7956GO?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am enjoying the depth fo the story and the prose. Great use of the English language, Looking forward to Donna Tartt's next Book.  Rhoda</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XXHPFIFUVRIU?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch-goldfink	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book started out well, had a great story line, the characters were well drawn and suspense was maintained well.  I thought the visceral descriptions of the drug/alcohol trips were carried beyond my ability to maintain interest.  Some of the descriptions of the relationships were overlong, and a lot of minutia could have been eliminated, [ I got it! ].  The story would have been well served to have been shortened by a third.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13IGDKRHG8JZH?ASIN=0316055441	thought provoking.  looking forward to book club discussion	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A faster read than I thought and loved the plot twists. I feel fortunate to a seen the actual Goldfinch painting. Go see it and think on Theo's observations.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I496G77BFBYC?ASIN=0316055441	Gold Finch review.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sensitive writing. Draws the reader into Theo's life and keeps you caring what will happen to him. Wish I could see the ring.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VKODZKMPZ6AH?ASIN=0316055441	GOLDFINCH LENGTH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">FIRST HALF EXCELLENT BUT  ABOUT 200 PAGES TOO LONG . SECOND HALF DRAGGED AND FELT A BIT LIKE A SCANDANAVIAN THRILLER.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GCS5UKMAAZJN?ASIN=0316055441	3 star book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Poor ending  a few really moving areas but so many problems never brought to conclusion.  You were left wondering how things turned out</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D6VSUEOHPA8R?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Spent so much time on drug use.  Skimmed over a lot of it.  Liked main character and premise of story but too much over and over drug usage.  Understandable from all that happened to him but depressing reading.  Not my type of book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ILM1AAS935KX?ASIN=0316055441	Fast-moving and a really good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read.  Main character grabs your interest keeps the story moving .  The last part moves slower and becomes too wordy at times. The characters are all interesting and real.  .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KV4H9NSFRSR3?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I  found it disconcerting as though I was reading several books. The changes in location and the changes in the actions of the characters left my head spinning. I wanted so to love it because it is so beautifully written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V7TL8YMRYLF5?ASIN=0316055441	Almost five stars, but not quite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an amazing story, one that kept my interest throughout the long time that it took me to read it. But for the length and several of the implausible coincidences that take place during the story, I would have given it five stars. I thoroughly enjoyed some of the great characters, such as Hobie, and hated to leave them behind at the end of the book. It was very hard for me to read about the continual intoxication and drug use that began early on in the book. I kept hoping for a ""happy ending"" in terms of the main character being able to kick his habit once and for all, but it was not to be.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KH3I7F6ETETK?ASIN=0316055441	Long Book that is Hard to Put Down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing story that will keep you captivated from start to finish.  Great book to read while the snow continues to pile up outside.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EHID5066A6JY?ASIN=0316055441	Don't bother	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't now why this is on the bestsellers list. As an avid book reader I finished the book just to see how it ended, and the ending was boring. So was the middle. Too much psychoanalysis which distracted from the story.  I told my friends ""don't bother to read it"" and now I'm tell you.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L2PINWR1U3NH?ASIN=0316055441	Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story. Too long.  Lots of self analysis by the storyteller. So many words diminish the impact of the story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSU46XHA7PNT6?ASIN=0316055441	review of Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a good book but way, way too long.  I am not finished and it may take a while.  I like the story line but find myself skipping whole pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFDHL4DSD66S6?ASIN=0316055441	good story but kind of depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I want so bad for main character to have some good luck and a turn of his life. It was at times a disturbing read but I also had to finish it. It's a tragedy in my mind. But a realistic view if what can happen to a child without role models or purpose.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFTT0SA8Z9H12?ASIN=0316055441	Read with relish!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story moves right along with action and adventure. It's believable and full of the foibles of human relations.  Some of the long descriptive paragraphs could stand some editing. But on the whole they enhance and enrich the flavor  of this heart warming story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVU4ZEHVNTOL6?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch begins with a confusing incident and continues in that vein for the remainder of the book.  It is tedious and the tedium never lets up albeit until it submerges into disbelief.  I have rarely been so happy to finish a book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RELFKY8Y1HLLA?ASIN=0316055441	disquieting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Surprise ending giving meaning to meaninglessness<br/><br/>Boris, Hobart, Pippy and Poppy show us love and friendship unbounded. Resilience and integrity are found in mysterious contiousness</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P4M6QRGEVC3X?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought it was tedious and wordy.  I was disappointed.  Most people I know loved the book. I did have sympathy for the main character.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WEN57V6CMSWM?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't like it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was too slow and drawn out. The story was slow and and I felt to much emphasis was spent on descriptions than on the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCXKD0BFEOLMS?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a good story but too long and too wordy.  I didn't care for the ending, but liked the book ok.  Not great and not as good as I thought it would be.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BSK5COE29WRS?ASIN=0316055441	glad I choose this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am glad I tried this book, I started with a sample and thought it was well written. I was immersed in the writing style and got caught up quickly in the storyline. Though at times I thought there was a rising tide of excellence and a drop to average I am glad I chose this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2366NKMIVNYV8?ASIN=0316055441	Not my cup of tea	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story dragged on forever! The story was very depressing. The last 50 pages were thought provoking but I had to force myself to keep reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BR65MDT4DX73?ASIN=0316055441	Unappealing characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While at times it was a page turner, at other times I felt Tartt went on tooooo long. I couldn't wait to get out of Las Vegas. Tartt tends to get long winded. And I got tired of being with these characters, especially Theo who was so annoying. I just do not like spending all that time with a drug/alcohol addicted egoist. But at the same time I couldn't stop reading because I needed resolution. So I guess that is the sign of a decent writer. Don't know if I could recommend the book to others or not.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20UNCCKK0W3OX?ASIN=0316055441	All but a bit	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book until near the end because the art scenario felt contrived. Other than that, I loved the characters, the coincidences, the contrast of lives, and all but that one section of the story. I would like to read more of her work.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXCMU6OO3EDAR?ASIN=0316055441	OK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sort of interesting but also a let down.  This book thought it is more important than it is. I did not enjoy it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KQ6OMXLDBMA9?ASIN=0316055441	A learning experience	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even from prose I like to feel that I have learned something after my read. There is a lot to learn from this novel. Art forgery, furniture forgery, aberrant  sociopathic/psychopathic behavior. One learns about the moral destruction of human beings. This would include th main character and his loyal friend Boris.  The author could have slowed down on her verbiage. That aside I would give this book an excellent read and recommendation</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AS44MKPD3IC9?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the writing but have to say I wonder why the subplot of the would-be blackmailer and his scurrilous associate wasn't better resolved.  I'm a great fan of Ann Patchett (credited as helping the author) and wonder what her role might of been.  Perhaps she was just a reader.  And Doris Day?  Just wondering.  It was all in all a terrific read, a wonderfully inventive work.  I will look for another of Ms. Tartt's books soon.<br/><br/>Ednichols</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OTI307OS4ZK9?ASIN=0316055441	Get to the Point	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was far too long. Every comment was deep in minutae. I read about two thirds of it and then stopped caring. It need a real good editing job.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MALAVL0UA1ZN?ASIN=0316055441	Lost From Kendal	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It would have been better had it not disappeared from my Kendal before I finished it.  What can we do to get it restored on my Kendal?<br/><br/>Gerald Jones</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DLK8MZI0EKNI?ASIN=0316055441	Nice flow - enjoyable read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed reading The goldfinch, I was a little let down by the ending, but all and all I would suggest this read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DWQRMRR7R9YB?ASIN=0316055441	Great twist, but a little too slow getting there!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book.  It was well written and the story was great.  However, I felt it was a bit too slow.  It was not a ""can't put it down"" book.  There is a great twist at the end of the book, but it was a long wait for something exciting to happen.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AGPNUVG3PH7B?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sometimes captivating though lengthy.  Good character development.  Most lovers of fictions would enjoy this real life tale of life in the city for a young man who has a less than normal lifestyle.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PKRPXU2CA7TE?ASIN=0316055441	Much, much too long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found it interesting to begin with, then it became full of unnecessary information and characters I would never want to meet. Ending up skimming the book to finish it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R203SKMOWFTY56?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a good read and very different from other books i've read. 3/4 book kept my interest and last quarter lost me a bit with all the analyzing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ARJ8XU1ZONW2?ASIN=0316055441	Smashing beginning...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">lost it's way in the middle, picked up and peaked my interest, but then I just wanted it to end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15VA2DI0BJFP8?ASIN=0316055441	excellent read. but not a 'life changer'	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Surely this is a well constructed novel with a compelling story.  It sorely needs an editor, because at about 800 pages it may discourage many readers except those of us who enjoy tomes such as those of Proust or Hugo.  But, be not mistaken, this is no Proust.  It is not philosophy nor a book you will treasure forever.  It's just a good read....extremely well done and presented.  It is hard to put down, but in the end, i won't change your life, which is wha ta nnovel by  Proust or Javier Marias or Julien Barnes does.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RMOA7LYLUL1O?ASIN=0316055441	enjoyable but not perfect	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">engaging. The ending seemed a bit nebulous. The real love story seemed to be between two friends that seemed (mostly) platonic, rather than the romantic dilemma that was presented on the surface narrative during the entire sequence of events in time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UT5F3K8OG60S?ASIN=0316055441	I think I missed something	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Everyone has been raving about this book. It was good, but it featured a central character I couldn't figure out. Sometimes worldly, sometimes clueless.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N2VWARLDAMSP?ASIN=0316055441	Don't know if I would recommend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out well but turned out too long and depressing.  This was a must read because it is for upcoming book club.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GLEZZO22NYBY?ASIN=0316055441	Looks Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Preliminary rating based on first look. Will be able to give a more thorough review later after I have more time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32DAPZI9GCEPQ?ASIN=0316055441	Not my favorite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was not a pleasant experience reading this book, however I did continue to the end and was happy to finally finish .</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S05KBF3JF33N?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the first part	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intensely written, hard to put down. I loved the child, but was disappointed in the man he grew up to be. Nevertheless, an extraordinary book. Donna Tart is a master writer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HB24ZEL301E3?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was an amazing story of a boy caught in a terrorist attack in New York City, and the snowball effect it has on his psyche and resulting life. You are taken through times of total child neglect, to tender caring relationships with otherwise strangers( Ie: Jeanette Wells ""The Glass Castle""). Is life a series of events based upon some mystical patterns, or are we all just floundering about trying to make the best of what we have is the universal question in this book. The characters Ms. Tartt creates are poignant and real. The situations Theo gets in, although sometimes a bit predictable, are otherwise fascinating, and the wild ride is well worth the 700+ pages of this fabulous story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R383FPYOVMH7W?ASIN=0316055441	a long story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed reading this book, but I REALLY thought it might lead to some revealed, clever mystery. There is just a LOT of drugs and drinking.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYRPJTGC5QCBZ?ASIN=0316055441	Death, drugs & a detailed look at the art underworld.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long, somewhat excessively wordy look at a troubled boy/man &amp; the many challenges he faces. Quite dark &amp; disturbing at times, much drug use &amp; focus on falling in with the wrong crowds. Interesting &amp; unique, very expressive &amp; well written, but not for the faint hearted or light readers.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LJJ9F40I369I?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was okay.  I don't like a book that rambles with discussion and explanation that really doesn't help the book along.  I thought it was confusing at times.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PG5YK9MFZCNG?ASIN=0316055441	The Author Takes You by the Hand ....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unlike many readers I didn't mind the leisurely nature or length of this book. I willingly and bemusedly allowed myself to be led by the author wherever she wanted to go. So what if the main character was a miserable dishonest jerk? I've met plenty of people who could be like Theo.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16THIWFNXA5C6?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written 500 pages in a 775 page book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Characters, plot, internal dialogue... all wonderfully done.  But too much of it and not enough editing.  And, it has a very unsatisfying ending if one is looking for any kind of closure.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA0C0LKWHTTWP?ASIN=0316055441	Good read, a little too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book starts off with a bang...literally. It mostly keeps the reader engaged but was a litle too long for me (especially in the middle). Having said that, the character development was off the charts! And, I also was able to read it quicker than anticipated by Kindle which estimated the reading time at over 28 hours. Looking forward to discussing this book at my book club meeting this month.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32SBH9UC38490?ASIN=0316055441	Great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the characters. Well developed. The story itself was fantastic. I found myself skipping ahead,speed reading many of the self indulgent long boring repetitive self and life examinations. Too much introspection!!!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMHRVSF8H0XEX?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This long and complex story centers around a young boy who finds himself in an art museum when a huge explosion kills his mother and destroys much of the museum and many valuable works of art. When he takes a rare and valuable work of art from the museum at the request of a dying, old man, his life is changed forever. The story follows through many complex twists and turns, some quite dark and unsettling. These parts were, for me, difficult to read because they represented a dysfunctional world of chaos and mayhem. But, through everything, the stolen painting of the goldfinch focuses the plot line of the story and gives us a reason to keep reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F21T7TW254K9?ASIN=0316055441	Wow--very long but elegant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To choose to read this book requires a commitment of time and intellect. While t is elegantly written, the vocabulary is often challengjng and the descriptions are wordy. Am I glad I read it? Resoundingly, yes. It represents an investment that paid great returns.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CYS6WVRG3AEF?ASIN=0316055441	Good reading and recommended	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At times the author gets slow and seems to have lost her way in the story.  But has surprises and overall is good reading</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15JEYOKI16RM9?ASIN=0316055441	Dark but moving	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressive while being a page turner. I had to find out what was going to happen to rheo.  All the while, tart shines new light on the questions of living, dying, god, and fate.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIK5N3TJE0NQ6?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Initially I was worried about reading a 750+ page book and having it hold my attention but I am glad to say I was engrossed the entire time. What a wonderful book and a page turner too! I absolutely couldn't wait to get to the end to see exactly how it would all turn out and I was just a bit disappointed although the ending was very thought provoking and insightful.  I am so happy I took the time to really enjoy this book!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TUUOSQ5J1BS1?ASIN=0316055441	Good for Lovers of Art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. Being an art lover made it especially interesting for me but I did think in the end it got a bit drawn out and muddled. I would recommend it to others as a good read but not fantastic.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32P01Y0R0JF5E?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the book.  It could of been shorter, parts of it that were not relevant to the book.  However, unforgettable narrative, mesmerizing language.  An old fashioned story of love and obsession.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R83H5H6AA8CPJ?ASIN=0316055441	"Plowing through ""The Goldfinch"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning of this book was exciting, fascinating and emotional.  About midway it started to go downhill.  I've been reading it for almost 3 weeks (I'm usually a pretty fast reader) and can't get through more than a dozen or so pages a night.  There are 770.  I have no idea how it's going to wrap up so I will keep plowing through.  The critics have praised this book and I've heard the word ""Dickensian"" in reference to the book.  Perhaps the sheer weight of it (mental as well as physical) can compare to a Dickens novel.  The characters are well drawn (even though I want to slap most of them across the face if only to wake them up) and there's a lot of activity (which is sometimes difficult to follow).  That being said, it's a worthwhile read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F5H7J69UT83?ASIN=0316055441	Characters that will stay with you.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book that you cannot put down.  You know a book is excellent when you find yourself thinking about it when you are not reading it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33AMVMOZG0J4Q?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was very interesting...... a good read.......it was more than I had anticipated......but enjoyed it very much...I would absolutely recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XUSHRU5VO6TX?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent story !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I give it a 4 star rating.  Would be a five had it not been such a long read !  Too much detail that detracted from the main plot. Got tedious to read after a while but I had to finish it as I was obsessed with knowing how it would end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BUYRNOKUC8R1?ASIN=0316055441	Really good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt is an exceptional writer. She took a simple premise and turned it into a fascinating story. However, there are drawbacks. I found the book to be much too long, particularly the Vegas segment. Also, the drug use and abuse was written about to the point of exhaustion.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U7QBVG7Y54F2?ASIN=0316055441	An Odesssey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story of a young boy whose life is faced with many trials upon the sudden death of his beloved mother. Young Theo Decker isn't a particular deep thinker but because of age (13 years) and circumstances he is given at first very few choices to live with with people who will take care of him. There in lies the fantastic story - The lives of the people,their strengths,weakness,the good and bad are written with excellent character development as well in depth descriptions of the various places he travels. Grounding the story is the painting of The Goldfinch which almost is a metaphor of Theo's life. definitely worth reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JXN8680YJHXL?ASIN=0316055441	Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tedious........  and the ending leaves the reader hanging, with no closure or explanation of what has happened with the principal characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3967DJBZABEMW?ASIN=0316055441	Parched Halfway Through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i can't believe all these people who have reviewed this celebrated book read it all the way through. I made it to Nevada and stayed a little while longer before I realized the richness of detail, the emotional life, had petered out somewhere on the journey West. Perhaps her point is that nothing worth having is available in or around Las Vegas. Point taken, but why go on and on and on about it. Someone tell me if i am wrong.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROZ9MEDZLA8BE?ASIN=0316055441	A bird worth reading!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a beautifully written book.  The 'ins' and 'outs' of the storyline make it an exciting thriller.  The personal life of 'Potter', the main character, is often offensive and I found myself 'willing' him to make the other, better life choice.  However I highly recommend this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RM9CAJBYDGZ4?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it to be a very interesting story ! It keeps you interested all the way through. Very different from most books I've read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22BCRM6HWW1DG?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't Wait to Get Back to the Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was sad and hopeful on several sides.  Each day I couldn't wait to get back to reading to find out what was going to happen.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW9VG4NTFGM7Z?ASIN=0316055441	Too Long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book could have been 1/2 as long and still presented the same message.  As a result it was NOT a book that I couldn't put down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D3XD5HESE572?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My PTSD wouldn't allow me to get past the museum bombing.  I guess the writing was too good.  I'm sorry to miss out on a book that is apparently very good.  I wish all books had a bomb/terrorist rating so I could avoid save my money for books that won't spark my PTSD.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3772Y83A46Q4P?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An extremely visual book that takes you to many places where you get to meet a variety of characters.  Too much time spent on drug use for my taste.  Theo goes on many adventures with his friend Boris but does not develop the backbone I believe he could have from his experiences.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCW04V2NQLGME?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch plus & minus	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was very long and detailed and repetitive...I loved the main character...could have done with less of Boris... All in all a good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DZUF52ODFJEP?ASIN=0316055441	Recommend??	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After almost 800 pages I'm not sure.  Is it a metaphysical book? A mystery? A love story?  A story of loss and longing?  Perhaps all of them.<br/><br/>For me Tartt attempted to deal with too many issues, topics and ideas. She didn't fully develop any one of them.  The book held my interest, but I would expect that any book of this length--and the time required to read it--must do at least that.  The number of pages in a book is normally not a concern for me--if I'm rewarded at the end.<br/><br/>I cared for some of her characters--and there are many of them.  I'm not sure their thoughts in drug induced states resonated with me.<br/><br/>Bottom line--interesting, time consuming, some thought provoking moments and ideas, well-written.  Not close, however, to other books of this length that I've read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24GYBG2TWHMMC?ASIN=0316055441	Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is very engaging. I particularly liked the first several parts (The museum, Las Vegas and the stay at the home of the friends). Though enjoyable the last third, I thought, was less effective. It is a good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N5TEMGYFAZFI?ASIN=0316055441	LOVED UNTIL THE END ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put this book down. Theo's life was heart-wrenching and I was literally sobbing at times. The fabulous blend of stories kept me rivited. Unfortunately, the very end rambled with what I felt was a long ""speech"", and that dragged down all of the great build up to that point. So many twists and turns and highs and lows. Long book .... mostly very rewarding.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NHXSWVUZW89L?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was very interesting, with a lot of surprises.. Really enjoyed it and kept me interested in reading to the end to see how it turns out.,</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K2VBQEP71XOH?ASIN=0316055441	Well written story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful language. Although the stream of consciousness did get somewhat tiresome at times. I would have preferred a less ""preach-y"" ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C5UZ16YIYF9S?ASIN=0316055441	It tired me out!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the beginning chapters of the book but towards the end I was tired of Theo and his friends ,just wanted to read THE END</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34TLJEJHW0JX1?ASIN=0316055441	Sad but Beautiful in its Sadness	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My first Donna Tartt novel and I'm so impressed with her writing!!  I  would have given it 5 stars if I could have hung onto my same level of interest all the way through to the end.  Theo's ruminations about his life, disappointments, hopes and dreams that would never come true covered the last 10 percent of the very long (700+ pgs.) book and I started wishing for the end before it came - which may say more about me than the book.<br/><br/>What I loved about The Goldfinch was the affection I developed for Theo and Hobie.  Theo touched my heart with his story of seeking a mother he no longer had but sorely needed. It was hard to put the book down, there was always something out there moving into his life that you thought could bring him into the family he needed and deserved.  Hobie seemed to be ""it"" but his life, for which he was well-suited and willing to share with the young Theo was short-lived when Theo's  father came to reclaim him and take him to Las Vegas to live with him.  When he returns to Hobie years later, he is not the same Theo and Hobie cannot reclaim him though he offers him a home and many chances.<br/><br/>Tartt does an excellent job of speaking as Theo. The book leaves you thinking about it and the rest of Theo's life for days after you finish it. I can still see the painting of The Goldfinch in my mind right now and my feeling of engagement with the story haunts me.  Very good book!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16D2AQFVBAXG7?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would probably still order it for the story but I thought there was too much psychology and lasted too long.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KWXSN69TW9I9?ASIN=0316055441	Mary w	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A tragedy that is so true.  We think we have everything and life is grand but than something happens to change it.  I like the story very much and the characters were very complex.  You can relate to what the author is telling you of her characters.  Very different from your usual novel.  I would recommend to adults only not for younger people.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ULIVK78CV4SG?ASIN=0316055441	????	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I first decided to put this book on my reading list it seemed to be all the rage as far as new releases. Thankfully I picked it uo through the library instead of buying it; I am not so sure what is just so good about this book an dperhaps I should have given it a better chance but I just couldn't. The start of the book is definitely an attention getter but soon after the explosion and the short period after I found the author's sad attempt to draw us into this young boys grief pitiful. So sad... because I truly believe it could have been an excellent story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ANITY5BZ8SP?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting Read - took a while to get through this one.  Haven't read her others so cannot compare, but a lot of character development and at some points was very depressing and sad.  Definitely thought provoking!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26V8ZIN2U902P?ASIN=0316055441	A Bit Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know this book got rave reviews. Some spoke of it as candidate for great American novel. Definitely the beginning and even the narrators voice and story of post-bombing placement with a posh family rang so true and in wonderfully descriptive prose. The middle of the book however, with its endless detailed description of adolescent drugging and drinking, felt more like a young adult novel gone wild. I had to push myself through all of that. At the end the book returned to what its beginning had promised and I found myself, for the first time, underlining passage with mystic meaning.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G6REV7HA8X9E?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo, the main character, became a bore to me.  I know kids can get into trouble - particularly after losing a parent.  Theo became a thief,,drug addict, even a murderer. The author gave a nice ""Arts 101"" -  and Theo was trying to make amends - good ending.<br/>Book too long.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R7VCBYIAM9O0?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just didn't want this book to end, so I read it over a pretty long period. I was completely enmeshed in the descriptions and the emotions of the main character. I also found myself in tears a few times.<br/>Reminded me of how I felt after reading The Road and The Book Thief...<br/>Thank you, Donna Tartt.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25I7QE0PAAWPG?ASIN=0316055441	Not quite what I expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Based on other readers reviews, expected to really enjoy this book.  I found the the story mildly interesting, and the book needs better editing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HBG3JRZCV4HF?ASIN=0316055441	Absorbing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters and situations are thought provoking.  The only thing I would object to is the length of some descriptions, particularly of the experiences of using some of the drugs.  Some of the most beautiful writing is in these, but there's too much and sometimes I was scanning to try to find out when the action or dialogue would pick up again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KQMTAZ9UOZ4T?ASIN=0316055441	A very good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, kept this reader ""hooked"".<br/>Well developed story line, backed up with incredible amount of<br/>factual information throughout the rising action.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N6YWQ4AEIYB8?ASIN=0316055441	Too long........	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating story line, well developed characterization, realistic setting, great stream of conscience insights, and beautiful prose but too much of it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC2DGC0LQKNLX?ASIN=0316055441	A ridiculous story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got so bored with this book that I finally started skipping pages  and did not even finish it!. A waste of time and money...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SREZ5FQI8BDR?ASIN=0316055441	good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Probably better if you are an art fan. Good characters. Scattered plot. The opiate addiction was a bit shocking and hit close to home.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC7ABP9RLXKNH?ASIN=0316055441	suspended	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was heart felt and sad. To feel so lost in nothing. How struggles in life hold us back. Didn't care for the none ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R50AIA0IS2MLR?ASIN=0316055441	Lovely premise, but promise unfulfilled	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt writes well...very well, and appears to have plenty of original stories to tell. This one, centered upon a famous/obscure real work of classical art, starts beautifully albeit sadly--sad enough to break your heart. But what transpires over the main character's subsequent life is a spiral of descent into unrelenting gloom, and is not saved by the ""resolution"" provided at the very end of many pages of self-abuse and bad influences (that the character surely should have known better than to allow into his already-bereft life). For the powerful writing, especially about art and Slavic languages (some research!), it may be worth a week of your life...but just.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HUV1ORS9BSSW?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully crafted novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I greatly enjoyed the novel, but not as much as The Secret History. The majority of the book was wonderfully crafted, but seemed to fall apart around the last 100 pages or so.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PCO824YNO236?ASIN=0316055441	Addictive, yet too wordy!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were times when I couldn't sleep because of this book. I had to find out what happened next, but at times (too many to count) it took so long to get there. Great story poor editing is the final review.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GQSUOYQ9088X?ASIN=0316055441	Loss and Redemption	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A well written story about a personal loss, living and growing on the fringe. Survival through the good hearts in society and inspire of being close to falling out of good graces. Was hard to put down and disappointed w hen I came to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AMYGW75OPZQN?ASIN=0316055441	good but not great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt is an amazing writer with interesting stories to tell, but this novel was not as captivating as her previous works. Too wordy, too lengthy- tried to be poignant but pretending not to be. A bit pretentious like her other novels but couldn't quite pull it off this time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R63I25ECUKF7Q?ASIN=0316055441	over self indulgent donna!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">hello editor?  maybe you missed this one?<br/>and too contrived - could have been twice as good and half as long</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J430ALCPHG3T?ASIN=0316055441	Way too much detail!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much repetitious detail, too many side stories, too long.  In the end I just didn't care anymore - I quit 100 pages from the end..  Too bad - the basic thread would have been interesting book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS13VRTNBVH8S?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow to get through, and still no Secret History, but an enjoyable read. It's got a smidgen of a YA feel to it, which I don't really like.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VFSMZTK7GIM5?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling read, a little drawn out at times. Could have been condensed without story suffering. Ending was not as strong as rest of book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P28EMHJ24PEE?ASIN=0316055441	Disturbing, but fascinating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were times I couldn't pick this book up for awhile. The writing is excellent, the plot is original, the characters well drawn- but the drug and alcohol usage is hard to read about. I would recommend it though- it is a good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M9HQS3OU87G1?ASIN=0316055441	Great writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is excellent. Amazing descriptive scenes that will take you back to similar scenes. Depressing story especially if you have kids.  lots of drug use, child abuse and neglect, crime.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q6YU9SI6AITT?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book because I was hearing so much about it.  I really enjoyed it and learned so much about The Goldfinch.  It is a rare painting and one that people are now going to the museum to see.  I never knew it existed before.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DD1BQCC0SIXK?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, nicely written, a bit long<br/>I will recommend it to friends but not the book club due to the length</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VEFT029ZFAOW?ASIN=0316055441	wordy wordy wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My sister recommended Goldfinch, so I purchased it.<br/>She said it read like Dickens...a good review.<br/>A depressing story of a boy that is tossed and turned by the Gods of fate.<br/>800 and some pages of descriptions...with limited interactions<br/>Being the mother of a very smart teenager that was advanced in school, I found it difficult to believe a thirteen year old would speak like that.<br/>All in all a pretentious work that I was happy to finally finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R220N5NMVTPNZD?ASIN=0316055441	wholly absorbing and full of life.  Also poignant coming-of-age story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this was a very well-written book, both comic and sad. The characters are many faceted and change over time, like<br/>Dad who seems monstrous when he is trying to steal his son's money but diminishes to pitiful in death.  the only thing that didn't ring true was the ending, a little too pollyannaish for my taste.''<br/><br/> I will be on the lookout for more books by this author.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R44Z5W709XWRE?ASIN=0316055441	A dark and interesting life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little long and convoluted in spots---Kept my interest and suspense throughout. I would recommend this to certain friends not everyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20NUH1R5KRYFD?ASIN=0316055441	Confusing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting concept, but too many characters and loose ends.  Author did not wrap up various story lines, so hard to keep up.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYUBL3CPUA8CS?ASIN=0316055441	too long to tell story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long to tell story. Lost interest. Could have left some of the details out and accomplished the same outcome.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM1Z57HEX4LUW?ASIN=0316055441	An Outstanding Observer of Life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's book carries you through the years of the main characters with tremendous insight as to their natures.. A long book that that never sags in interest and never disappoints. The last few pages sums up all our feelings in a deep thoughtful way. In fact, I consider DonnaTartt the best modern  American wrtier and probably English ones too.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZB3CDTTFVYPP?ASIN=0316055441	Plot stretched out too much, but what fantastic writing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">SPOILER: The best part for me was the beginning, when the boy is in the explosion. The first person account stunned me. The plot is great, and drifting thru it is some incredible writing. If you think you might relapse with drugs and don't want any stimuli to get you to that point, forget this book, as it gets into the mindset of the downer lovers better than Burrows ""Junkie."" Novel wraps up with a very sort of Buddha teaching....I highlighted LOTs of stuff on my Kindle and looked up many many vocab I should have learned in high school but I was too busy taking one of the drugs mentioned in the book LOL</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S1W5X4VKSM0F?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow going. Quite tedious at times. Too long. Could be condensed. Not worth the time and effort required to get through it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VQKES7NVWS79?ASIN=0316055441	great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a great story but drags on! Too much detail in some chapters. I had a hard time getting through the book. I think the story could of been told in less pages.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RTRWSV5PPFAI?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this rating because there is no doubt the writing is very good.<br/><br/>i got bogged down in the middle with all the drug taking and the subsequent effects on the characters.  It went on too long in that vein.<br/><br/>I would recommend it to certain people.<br/><br/>I enjoyed the fact that I have now learnt something of the artist formerly unknown to me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YMNMOI1QQMYZ?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting and thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It held my interest from start to finish.  The details of drug abuse was important, however after a while I felt it was overdone.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LKJ8FYQE5ULB?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a quick read...but,though fictional, a sharp look at pain, needs met, and survival from the prospective of a teen.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IX9H6KB3KA6W?ASIN=0316055441	Great Writing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an example of excellent storytelling.  I felt like I was in the various locales with the main character, and clearly understood his emotions. I also enjoyed the effective use of symbolism.  While a bit dark, particularly in the beginning, it is worth reading through this to get into the heart of this novel.  While a long book, nonetheless, I did not want this book to end.  Well done!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WXLQ66ML94HM?ASIN=0316055441	adolescent  despair	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting book, but overlong.  Lengthy descriptions of drug use &amp; its unpleasant consequences.  That said, some of the characters are likeable &amp; redeeming.  Read it. &amp; form your own opinion.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10OKDOQU9X7SS?ASIN=0316055441	excellent reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm glad Donna Tartt only writes one book every 10 years because they come out so great! Kudos to her for writing such a great story and kudos to all my fellow lovers of literature who chose to read it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJCJDNRBLG5T5?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love the book, really long. It is a little wordy for me, but I still enjoyed it very much. S</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29Y1C801CTMC2?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating premise...bewildering conclusion.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed the writing and fascinating premise of the book but the conclusion seemed just thrown together. It must be very difficult to end such a complicated story but this conclusion just was not up to the writing standard displayed in the earlier portions of The Goldfinch. When an author asks a reader to invest the time to read such a lengthy book, she owes them a conclusion worthy of that investment. This conclusion left me doubting the merits of the entire book..so disappointing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WX3PEYSVH6VM?ASIN=0316055441	"Just felt ""eh"" about it when I was finished."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was well written and had some beautiful imagery, but I just felt ""eh"" about it when I was finished.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WCL226T6TRIU?ASIN=0316055441	How Much Is Too Much!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book grabbed by attention at the very start, but quickly went down hill.  I felt like I need some type of drug to get through all the drunken, drug episodes of teen age boys and followed up by more drunken, drug episodes as adults.  This book made it possible for me to use my skimming skills.  I did want to know how Ms Tartt would end this very long tale.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R198MBULRFOGC8?ASIN=0316055441	glad I read it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a little long at times as it stays on a common topic but overall the characters are lovable and stay with you<br/>,especially Boris and his sense of fairness in spite of his ruthless and primitive behavior.  For those who don't mind<br/>reading and have patience, this book will surprise you in the many useful truths it shares.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2470XD34GNVQM?ASIN=0316055441	I was always waiting for the story to continue I found it very slow I have it on audibe and read it the same time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was good  but to long in it's telling no I would not give this book to a friend</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22Z9NTXFG27W5?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliantly written novel about art, antiques, NewYork, Los Vegas, crime, and relationships. Story takes aspects you don't expect and keeps your interest through the 750 pages. Many interesting discussion topics, but did not choose it for book club because it is so long.  However, I have enjoyed every word!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B0OASXDMP6CU?ASIN=0316055441	a pretty good tale - well told	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">4 stars - only because the last 30 pages were disappointing.<br/>But it's a good story. Tartt is a good writer. Kept me interested through 775 pages.<br/>Worth the effort.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWZZSSSTQLXYR?ASIN=0316055441	Great characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Characters are very well drawn - particularly Boris.  Totally believable - how feral they became.  The ""ghost"" development in Las Vegas was well drawn.  That was probably my favourite part of the book. Towards the end it became a little wordy, but the pace never lessened. Enjoyable.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W08F1B22O4I5?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch provides interesting read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the first novel I've read by Donna Tartt, and left me interested enough to seek out more of her work.  Goldfinch had a unique storyline that kept me engaged and wondering how she would pull all the different elements of the story together.  The conclusion was satisfying, yet unpredictable.  There are gritty parts of the story that may make some readers uncomfortable, but this was an intriguing novel.  I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to a friend.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UNU7XXQQ877N?ASIN=0316055441	A story for those who care about children	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A complex story that unfolds in surprising ways. The author gives a good description of how boys who have no adult supervision may fall into bad situations and habits.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XYM784YIB4B8?ASIN=0316055441	A romantic adventure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt,s adventure ""The Goldfinch"" mixes many motifs: terrorism, love story, and art theft in one book, there is even a hint of Harry Potter. It is a good read, a touch too long, but describes many interesting localities and personalities. She also left open the possibility of a follow up to the story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N10VN6KRIGDW?ASIN=0316055441	Lots of pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am reading it on my Kindle.  Really enjoying the author and her style.  So much so that I ordered the hard cover for<br/>a gift for a friend.  When it arrived the the next day!  I realized it was 771 pages.  So have yet to finish it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R297AXTJG6YKWI?ASIN=0316055441	Not An Easy Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's hard for me to write a review on this because it was a hard read for me.  The story line was interesting, but it went on and on and on.  It was also difficult to understand how people can take so many hard drugs and have normal days!  The premise of the Goldfnch, as I understood it, was that there is good (or good can be found) in everyone, no matter their behaviors.  I found myself rushing through it at the end just to end it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UH2R8HOOG21T?ASIN=0316055441	A good read but a little too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Around page 425, the book starts to be too wordy and detailed, doesn't move the story along. The beginning of the book and the center section when the principal character is in Las Vegas has a lot of character development and a good story line, then starts to drag a bit when he goes back to New York. Still a good story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12NCH9ACGTL5I?ASIN=0316055441	Complex flawed characters you'll love	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed getting to know this group of characters living life on the edge. A vivid look into a how to survive a life filled with tragedy &amp; loss.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31KSXEL6WLYUY?ASIN=0316055441	A third of a book too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The opening and the teen years of the main character were extremely well written.  I felt that the whole Amsterdam section was far too much and tedious.  I found myself simply scanning many of these pages.  She could have resolved the dilemma much earlier.  I've found it hard to wholeheartedly recommend this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32HA3VO8X8T4T?ASIN=0316055441	A Little Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not sure what I expected after seeing this on the best-seller list for so long, but I was disappointed in this book.  I wanted to sympathize with the main character after what he had been through as a child, but he had no integrity or redeeming traits.  I like my leads to be someone I can relate to and emulate, but he just got deeper and deeper into doing everything wrong.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YYJP239PR275?ASIN=0316055441	Long and depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book could have been summed up in 300 pages verses 750. I thought it was depressing and had way to much detail. It kept my interest most of the time and will make for great book club conversation, however I wouldn't recommend it because of the depressing story line.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC01GT9SLJ5JV?ASIN=0316055441	spare us all	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This much-praised brick of a book must be tuned in to the zeitgeist, with its soul-crushing nihilism, unsympathetic sociopaths and tinpot philosophy. It's rare (for me) to look forward so to a novel by an estimable writer, to spend endless time wading through an upsetting story about stochasticity in the universe and to come away so unsold. If we need to read more about troubled souls confronting the misery of the human condition, better to look for Rohintin Mistry.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC6O4RM9R49Q3?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good book, talented writing. Gripping storyline,  I did not rate it 5 because the drug use descriptions were overdone and boring.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MKYQ7VY5PJHD?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the story makes you want to stay up all night to read but could have had some editing  a little to long. It is fum when you find a page turner especially when you are familiar with the location.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10PFV5W69LRRP?ASIN=0316055441	Good but falls apart in the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the main character and the premise for the book.  I really got into it right away and felt for the main character but I felt that it feel apart in the middle.  I grew to hate Theo and not feel sorry for him.  Yes, he had some obstacles but he made the wrong decision every time.  I had picked it because it had gotten so many good reviews.  This would be a book to check out and not have in your main library.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19W2MO79VXLZ2?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was too long and after a good start took too long to get the story interesting.  Good characters however.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BG9U20297NVA?ASIN=0316055441	Characters that are easy to watch die.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was a good read, the prose was lovely but all of the characters in the book were profoundly unlikeable. I was left with a feeling of disatisfaction towards the end that combinded with a deep sense of apathy towards the main character.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QEL2R0LS7PQF?ASIN=0316055441	Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was good at first but went on and on.Should have been five books instead of one book.Liked the first part.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I59E585MKNMA?ASIN=0316055441	THE BOOK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I DIDN'T LIKE IT THAT MUCH, TO SLOW AND DIDN'T REACH MY EXPECTATIONS. I LIKE STORIES THAT IT GOES DIRECT TO THE POINT.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W5AUS9FRHBQ6?ASIN=0316055441	Beginning was great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I heard this was a best seller so I took the plunge. The beginning was riveting and very enjoyable. Later, the excesses of the characterers were unsettling. I approved of the ending, but it seemed to take forever to get there. The main character made a very long succession of bad choices. No, I would not buy it again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MZRHGOUYSYJQ?ASIN=0316055441	It's okay	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i enjoyed parts that were moving. I felt there were real slow parts in the book. Very very long.Alot of abuse drugs and alcohol.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AT1TO3H4LSY4?ASIN=0316055441	A great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Finely crafted novel. Believable and interesting characters. Accurate and descriptive locales full of color and movement. A great read for the discerning reader.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R151CZWFQSQQ3J?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling and well-written. The characters are memorable, if not always likable.  The Audiobook is fantastic, too. Reader does many accents and voices.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3886ASBJBSNNC?ASIN=0316055441	4 stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written insure into adolescence , ambition , greed and love.  She does not let us down I recommend this</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG9P2QOOBWNCH?ASIN=0316055441	Moderately good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book starts off engaging the reader with it's terrible tragedy--you do get pulled into the feelings of the young boy who has just lost his mother and what it is like to be thrust into a new life.  But after the initial pull, the book becomes a bit tedious, and difficult to get through.  I found that I had to put it down as if felt as if I was ""slogging"" through stuff that just wasn't interesting or really necessary as part of the plot. Having said that, the plot itself was very good, and I did want to find out what happened to the characters, and to the painting.  It just took too long to get there.  Also, it felt as if some loose ends were not tied up--a frustration after having slogged through some of these relationships...so I would say it is a fair to good read, but not spectacular.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O87OH7CE84MC?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started out ok but then it got worse, on and on about the dugs and then when he was in the hotel room it was like it would never end. Keep reading it thinking that it would get better but it did not.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLQ02PTVQ8CZ1?ASIN=0316055441	extraneous pages and information dilutes the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story had promise and moments of interest.  However, many pages could  be skipped without loss of storyline. I was bored and eager to be finished with it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VO5FTAQZH3P2?ASIN=0316055441	Wasn't over soon enough!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It had a good plot but to much info! I skipped over several pages to get back to the story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V51GVBW03DUX?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful from start to finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautifully written, captivating story. While certainly not the most upbeat tale, it is full of damaged yet loveable characters who you'll root for until the end, no matter how far they wander down the wrong path. They are so real and multidimensional. The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 was because I found two of the major plot twists a little hard to believe. Overall, however, the unique plot line combined with the rich imagery that Donna Tartt's writing style evokes make this book hard to put down and even harder to forget.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQFX1CG4BFR52?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book tedious and gloomy.  The author expresses herself well, but the drug scenes, theft and habitual lying was excessive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RWKTDCABJKEL?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully Written but Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, wonderful characters, at times gripping but ultimately disappointing. Started out with a bang (literally), dragged for a while, picked up again and then sunk into a cliched action movie. For me it fell apart completely about two-thirds of the way through. Tartt tries valiantly to pick up the pieces at the end and -- although the prose is gorgeous -- the character's conclusions about life seem a bit …well.. sophomoric. You can't write a novel and then tell the reader what it was about at the end. I mean, you can but isn't all that supposed to come across on its own?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R7VCGA22AV0N?ASIN=0316055441	LONG BOOK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First, the book is about 750 pages.  I think it could have easily been 500 pages and have been just as effective.  The writer was very descriptive to say the least.  Even though it was a very long book it did keep my interest because you really want to find out what happens next.  That is why I gave it at least a 4.  You just wish it did not describe everything in such detail all the time.  I think the ending was a bit laborious and could have been shortened after the final climax.  I would recommend the book but go into it knowing it drones on a bit in spots.  I think the writer is a good writer and would read something from her again......shorter.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EQT3Q93YMMXQ?ASIN=0316055441	Good, but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning of this story pulled me in immediately and continued to do so until I was a few chapters from the end.  When I find, what I think is an error or inconsistency I get totally uninterested.  The character Hoby meets with the character that he and his partner supposedly put in jail...what?  That was slipped in with no explanation and didn't seem to be a big deal to the main character once he hears about it but earlier in the book  he makes a big deal of it during his engagement party.  It just didn't add up.  As a whole, it was a refreshing read but that inconsistency put me off.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPATVOODNDGVY?ASIN=0316055441	cut the fat	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book could have been tripped down by at least a couple hundred pages.  I found it maddening that the kid never spoke up for himself and found him to be very flat.  He didn't learn, change, or improve.  You couldn't even tell he was close to his mother other than the dry references to art history.  He didn't learn anything in his personal life from his mother, as she was easy-going with everyone.  As the story finally wrapped up, I didn't even care anymore.  I found even Boris to be more dynamic than... what was the kid's name again?<br/><br/>At times, I felt I could practically SEE what was described.  It was so clear and well-done.  Then at other times I felt I had read and reread the exact passages before at some point within the book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YHNZMAT99B67?ASIN=0316055441	the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book but definitely on the darker side. Don't pick this up if your tastes are the bubblegum boy meets girl romantic comedy, finish in a day easy breezy reading. Hard to describe but basically it delves into how a persons life spirals into the dark side when struck by tragedy. Quite brilliant really</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EKI5U85II4MC?ASIN=0316055441	Contemporary Great expectations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliantly written novel but I found it heavy going at times .I didn't enjoy the sense of characters being so out of control &amp; essentially found it to be a sad &amp; rather tragic tale.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z44DVP4GCHM?ASIN=0316055441	well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't think you want to try reading this fast.  It is beautifully written but does seem to get bogged down.<br/>Lots to think through while reading!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLXX5XFM1L2QL?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch took a long  boring trip	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy thought I would never get to the end ! Story was good and characters were interesting but  less is more sometimes</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OESDC1KR4TMW?ASIN=0316055441	More than just a voluminous book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is not the absolute top but comes very near.<br/>At the end I liked the extensive way it was written. Slowly it introduces you in the world of Theo Decker.<br/>The part about his stay in Las Vegas I found disgusting to read. I nearly stopped reading. But on the other hand it makes you understand the world of people with PTSD. I'm glad I got on. The end of the book is quite philosophical. I agree with the philosophy of Dona Tartt about the unmeasurable value of art.<br/>I would recommend this book to every art historian.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BN9UNN2CUUTV?ASIN=0316055441	If you like LONG books this is for you	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got very tired of this book - it sseemed to me the author could have made it much shorter and it would have made it better.  I liked the part about woodworking and all that happened in the antique shop.  But I did not like Victor and all the wastefullnes he represented and how easily he seemed to manipulated our hero.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RITYJOOOOB88H?ASIN=0316055441	A Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book. The story catches your attention from the start.  95% of time I had trouble putting it down but 5% of the time I found myself skim reading what I thought were non relevant sections that veered from the storyline.  Overall a great read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LJ7OHMEPIB7T?ASIN=0316055441	long but good character study	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting look at how childhood trajedy can effect a person for life.  Unique storylines  good characters  very long book  The audible version (which is how I finished the last 20% of the book) is well done</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ON8TY2IOPG09?ASIN=0316055441	A original tale well told	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first three parts are gripping and eloquent.  But the last quarter folds in on itself becoming overwrought and heavy handed.  But worth the journey even though the destination doesn't quite live up to it.  The characters, places, and inner thoughts are articulate and work their way into your heart and mind.  A modern Dickensian tale.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U25OY77DB09B?ASIN=0316055441	Great read for most	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Author says she writes one book every ten years - the result, a very detailed story with well selected words. Story of boy from age 10-40, may not be of interest to all readers - substantial time spent on alcohol and drug use but the theme of the painting and its value to the life of the boy is well done.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KY4TN10N2PGW?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sometimes plodding,  mostly dark with an edge of hopelessness that seemed pointless.  Finally redemption arrived and made the story worthwhile after all.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H7XZ3P6X76HZ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a powerfully moving and all consuming novel , a rare book  that leaves the reader sad  to see it  end and  actually  looking at life and art in a new way. Donna Tartt. has emerged as  a masterful story teller  and  I look forward  to more amazing books from her!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IORQDEK8URWE?ASIN=0316055441	Great story Great writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She can get a little long-winded, but otherwise a great book for when you have time to relax. I read it over the holidays.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TYMQGSPUJ0QW?ASIN=0316055441	Relaxing read but kept my interest	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good read, enjoyed the plot and story. I was able to put it down and return without losing the plot. After the holiday rush, this was a nice change of pace. Vivid prose. Well written.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP5SCEUZ73ZON?ASIN=0316055441	Overly long, but spellbinding.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As an author, I have always found it difficult to write in the first person. Ms. Tartt has mastered this ability. The Goldfinch has an excellent plot, interesting characters, and enough suspense to keep one up late turning pages. She also has the ability to create and maintain tension over things that aren't central to the plot. For example, I was truly concerned about the fate of Theo's dog, Popper. On the downside, I thought the ending was nebulous and a tad preachy. Some reviewers have called Tartt's lengthy prose to be self-indulgent; I can see their point. In the end, however, I must say the book kept me entertained, and taught me a thing or two about 17th century Dutch artists. I'm embarrassed to say that I had never heard of Fabritius before reading this novel. Philip Michaels, author of Love Me Two Times: A Journey Back to the Late 1960s.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNCUF5JBER4SK?ASIN=0316055441	A good story way too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a frustrating book to review. It was a good story with gripping characters, unexpected plot twists and good writing.  In that respect, it well outranks other books that get a four.  I liked Theo Decker, the main character, even forgave his terrible drug habit, was routing for him the whole time, understanding the terrific angst of his character.  But, the book was TOOOOOO long, by 200 pages.<br/><br/>A couple of times, the author slyly mentions Charles Dickens so that we get the comparisons, but Tartt should take note that Dickens was much better at telling a taunt story.  Amid all the repetition with too much attention to particular scenes and characters, there were also some plot glitches with Theo ditching his fiancée to get high with his pal when he was supposed to go to dinner.  Insufficient time time was spent on Theo’s relationship with his fiancée and on his other love interest, Pippa.  Exploring those two relationships would have given us better insight into Theo and the women.  Tartt tantalizes us with Pippa in and out of the story and then leaves that relationship not just hanging, but coyly wrapped up.  So, she can be brief when she wants to be.  The most frustrating part was allowing Theo to philosophize for the last ten pages using lots of words, but not really saying much.  That was just authorial excess.<br/><br/>Writing this review is frustrating because Donna Tartt can write.  Despite all the repetitive and unnecessary stuff and what should have been better developed, she kept me hanging in there.  All the more reason why I am frustrated that she was not more disciplined in her writing and that her editors did not help her more.  For that, I wanted to give her a three, but I just can’t do that to someone with this much talent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34VNF3XGL3WHQ?ASIN=0316055441	everything a good fiction pageturner should be.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoroughly enjoyed this read. Helps that I'm obsessed with these art heist stories. Excellent characters. And what a satisfying ending-- last pages of waxing philosophical not counted.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TCR2LVMUGB3X?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch is gold!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As others have reported, I really enjoyed this book, especially the first two thirds. I became a less enthralled during the last 200 or so pages, but I do recommend this book big time!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R6GMBIRW1BQ7?ASIN=0316055441	Did not enjoy reading it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was too long and too detaiedl that the story, if there was one, was lost in the detail and dragged out sequences.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R308XN4PL2SRY2?ASIN=0316055441	A Little Lengthy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book, the writing and info on how the art world works.  I was though able to skim many parts that were a little too detailed.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ML4KQD9SCSIK?ASIN=0316055441	Well worth the time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was recommended to me based on my reading habits from Amazon and Powell's books. Several blogs I follow had also mentioned it, so I thought I would give it a try. Wow. From the moment I started reading, the language took my breath away. I found myself reading and re-reading passages to simply absorb the language and digest all the meanings it contained. I'm sure I could have read this much faster (as I've been reading a lot of YA lit lately), but this book was definitely worth the slow read, much like a rich piece of chocolate torte or deep red wine. I found myself thinking about it constantly, wanting to get back to it when I was doing other things. However, in parts, I also found it hard to go on - the characters had been taken to such dark places that I wasn't sure they would return therefore I did not want to follow them. By the end, I slowed down even more because I didn't want it to end, yet knew I must know what happened. I enjoyed the ambiguous ending which left me thinking not only about the characters' and author's choices, but my own. I would highly recommend this book to others looking for a thoughtful and engrossing reading experience, one that is both enjoyable and difficult, much like our own lives can be.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QZOAEODKCYHA?ASIN=0316055441	I liked it, but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">OK, I enjoyed much of The Goldfinch. My heart ached for the young protagonist.  Donna Tartt does a terrific job depicting all of the ancillary characters too. Boris, Mrs Barbour, and Xandra were among my favorites. The storyline,  style and characterization reminded me of Dicken's Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, or David Copperfield.<br/>.<br/>As many of the other reviewers have observed, the impact of the book was diminished by some meandering sections that did little to move the plot forward. The book was a bit of a slog at points. There were also some truly unbelievable plot twists, but those reminded me of Dickens too, so I didn't mind them. All in all, I agree that The Goldfinch would have benefitted from more rigorous editing, but it's still a terrific book.<br/><br/>I give the book a firm recommendation. It's not perfect, but I devoured much of it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R280LSVAQ7JQZH?ASIN=0316055441	Moving	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very difficult to read through the first couple chapters lots of description but not sure where the story is headed. Then itgot very Iiinteresting and I was hooked. I would like to go back and reread it too. This book enticed me to read the author's other 2 books. I do recommend.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9DWBXX9TL15J?ASIN=0316055441	Great Story....Just Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">With a little bit of editing this book could have been shortened by about 100 pages.  In any event, it was wonderfully told story and I connected with the characters and settings. Tartt's dialogue is spot on and I found myself truly engaged in the story.  My only negative is that some of the scenes go on and on and could have (should have) been edited down.  But don't let the length deter you from a wonderful piece.  If you're looking for a great storyteller and believable characters this book will not disappoint.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R164F497BBL7BF?ASIN=0316055441	finishing goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this book. The only problem with reading it on the kindle is that I am unable to return to my iPad kindle home pages and start the next book or read the newspaper.<br/>This leaves me marooned in a loop of goldfinch references and meaningless requirements like thus review. Hoping to get out...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSU3Z3BGLUG2W?ASIN=0316055441	intriguing story with surprises gallore	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well developed and unusual characters enhance the empathy level of reader for fictional creations in an involving web of relationships. I kept visualizing the casting in the Hollywood version, and Stephen Frye is definitely Hobie, and whoever plays Boris will steal the movie!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J3UT7SPJIBI2?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch - good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a good read but honestly, it took me about a third of the book to get really into the story and then the characters took over and I found it interesting how their lives all meshed together.  I did think the end of the story was a bit convoluted however and, when the tale was told, felt the continuation of the book with the author's philosophies, etc. was not that interesting to me. Could be I usually read English mystery writers and when the puzzle is solved, the writer may leave you with a bit of cliff hanger regarding the main characters' futures but the book is complete.  For leaving my comfort zone and venturing into ""literature"" for a change, it was a good start.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO2IENAIXBIX6?ASIN=0316055441	I was hooked from the beginning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoy the characters in this novel, Donna Tart does the best job at this just like in Secret History.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LEGIRT104DMX?ASIN=0316055441	Not as good as the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed this book.  I didn't see what all the hype was about.  It was a good read and held your attention.  I did not put it away as I have other books to read later.  It was a pretty sad story but had some really touching parts.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21MYNKLZFA5AK?ASIN=0316055441	Drug use gone bad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very disturbing book for me to read, Donna Tartt's writing is wonderful but what a subject matter! I kept thinking that Theo would stop the terrible whirlwind but he didn't until as usual in most cases, he hit rock bottom.  Amazing story telling, how many could get away with what he did?  This is a page turner.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R170D6B15U38AD?ASIN=0316055441	a good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">parts beautifully written and interesting characters... of course the plot is bizarre not just the initial event which starts off the story but then many coincidences and bizarre twists later... some of it got a bit much for me personally.  but overall i enjoyed reading it and definitely missed the characters when i turned the last page.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PGB1WND68R16?ASIN=0316055441	A pretty good story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story line, but it was very wordy.  I did like the ending.  It would make a  pretty good movie.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24UHXPBB5KVBX?ASIN=0316055441	Long but a rich and rewarding read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Proustian?  Dickensian? Tartt's remarkable attention to minute details might discourage some readers, but I loved it.  The characters and  the settings are bright in my mind's eye.  If I have one ""beef"" is that Tartt spends far too long on Theo's teenage years.  It's not that relevant to the main story, and frankly I'd had enough of Theo's bad behaviour long before the story moved on.  A hundred pages less of Theo's early years would have improved the book no end, in my opinion</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWD80T2EL081R?ASIN=0316055441	Rich storytelling...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had not read Donna Tartt before. I must say her writing is beautifully detailed. One of the few books where it is effortless to feel like you are right inside the story. Quite long, but worth the time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28D6JS4C21PKI?ASIN=0316055441	Very Good!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Have not finished it yet but, It has kept my interest and<br/>I can't wait to get back to it each day to read it some more.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WX4Q53UZSGSS?ASIN=0316055441	Thanks for the art lesson	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would have preferred some serious editing.  The rhythm became predictable and speed reading became preferred. Also, Theo had so much to say as the narrator but rarely responded intelligently in his actual dialogue.  I can say the story was compelling and as a NYer felt very much at home in the city<br/>Bob Katz</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14SRHZ2CIQCK5?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It has been almost a month since I finished this, and I still think about the characters and the story. There were parts I loved and parts I hated. A month later and I still am not certain exactly how I feel about the book, but it is one that is staying with me, it seems.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VN0A2FLNAKYJ?ASIN=0316055441	well written but heart wrenching	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautiful book that made me feel close to the characters.  I held my breath for the main character until the very last word.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14BBNEXL4JFDW?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch kept my interest from the firestorm page to the last. I found another book that From her that I am eager to read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EL1EYIMPXOV?ASIN=0316055441	Great!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have never read anything by Donna Tartt and, after reading 'The Goldfinch', I plan on reading all of her books. Excellent.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J8TWFCWTFZDG?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read - A Little Tedious in the Middle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Worth reading; very interesting story.  Lived the beginning but towards the middle it became a bit of a chore to keep reading.  However, getting through the tedious parts (and there weren't a lot of them) was well worth the effort!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZWYZIH8ORC0S?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch --well worth the time it takes to read it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This Is a brilliantly written story of a young teenager who suffers a devastating loss of family and all he has ever known. The reader watches his next 15 years, which include a few great friendships, heavy drug use, and a consistent sense of not belonging anywhere or to anyone, with dread and hope -- because the boy is so likeable. A quite long but enjoyable read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TAX7WERJ48Y1?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't hold me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I can constantly put a book down to do other things then I realize I'm not fully engrossed in it</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EC72DVLH67JP?ASIN=0316055441	Lots of substance abuse	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book but I got tired of all the drugs, etc. The writing itself and the art content was very good. The characters offered a window on a couple of very messed up people and I'm interested in understanding others who are different from me, but she couldn't make me care about them, so that sort of sapped the story for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWZKFR4BMM5SF?ASIN=0316055441	More editing required	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started strong, but I found myself having the ""let's move on"" feeling with all the drugs and same defeated characters,<br/>That I found almost dull at times.  Always with the same attitude.  Reminded me of a bad actor with a limited range of emotions.  It could have been much better with a little selective editing</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IFLZDWSN8BN8?ASIN=0316055441	A Disappointing Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was really anxious to read this Book especially after all the hype it received.  I think she is a good writer but tends to be too wordy.  Where was her editor? I found myself losing patience while reading it because of her lengthy descriptions etc.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAL31CADCAJEY?ASIN=0316055441	Depressed Dickens on Diazepam	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first section of this book was amazing. I felt like I was actually wandering around New York City with little shell-shocked Theodore. It hit me hard. I wanted to cry. Same thing goes for the lengthy middle section, which takes place in an empty suburb of Las Vegas and features The Crazy Russian Friend everyone loves so much. I almost cried when Theo left.<br/><br/>As I read the book, I continued to want to cry... though for different reasons. Tartt fills up so much space with pointless talk about what it feels like to be depressed (several times throughout the book, for pages and pages at a time). She loves to recite litanies of drugs that different characters are on, where they get said drugs, what it feels like to come down from said drugs, etc. etc. (also occurs several times throughout the book). It doesn't add to the reading experience. It was irritating and took me out of the book's world.<br/><br/>Read it if you like Dickens.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA1XSWNIZJVL8?ASIN=0316055441	Adventurous read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written as it captures the excitement of the characters. Am unsure of what the content of such a book ends as it does but then again great message. Made me smirk! :)</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDA80CONWJ2I1?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderful story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book. It was well written with a wonderful story. Even though it is long, the story keeps the reader captivated.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7Z55UQNA6MY4?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the unexpected turns in the narrative, but the philosophy at the end left me cold. The characters were interesting, but in most cases depressing. Still, it kept me engaged throughout.Qatar</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L4OB1FP55EXI?ASIN=0316055441	long read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took complete focus and concentration to finish this book. It has an abstract message delivered with abundant vocabulary. The characters were interesting but depressing. Parts of it held my attention but I had to skim many paragraphs. Not my favorite book:(</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FICEVT5CA0QJ?ASIN=0316055441	What a roller coaster (in a good way)!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Big book but I was engrossed throughout. I could not put it down, it is a great read, especially for a long winter weekend!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R98AVFSNP5EA?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is long and takes many twists.  I haven't finished yet, but it is compelling enough that I want to see where it leads me.  I can't imagine what the final outcome will be.so it's keeping me going. I would definitely recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BUM6M7G5F3UY?ASIN=0316055441	strange book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had an odd chronology. It started with the main characters childhood on a day to day basis for over a year then skips several years, then does it again.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FYCCQ7V40G2F?ASIN=0316055441	The Golddfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very difficult book to read. The young man begins his life with the loss of his mother in a tragic incident at the age of 13 and he goes from one pitfall to another never really finding peace of mind. He is a tortured soul and his choices are not in his best interest. It is a very long book and is taking me forever to finish it. You can only read so much of this book at a time. I have been tempted to close the book for good but now I must see how it ends and I am sure it will not be a happy ending...just an ending.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E2WLLUYP7YLG?ASIN=0316055441	Expected more...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappointing. The last few chapters seem more like a lecture than a continuation of the story. Further, I grew less interested in the characters as the story progressed. Could have put the book down, but decided to finish it. The author writes well ... therefore, three stars.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RETET988NL4D3?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting start.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The basic premise is wonderful. I found that the story contains too many sub-plots . Not all of these sub-plots hold your interest.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PRIT7REI6H6L?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting concept that kept the mystery going.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story but It was hard to keep the interest going. The way of life for a teen that is shuffled off and not cared for is not in my realm of experience. Hard to handle the loss of self and family ties the teen experienced, let alone the drug and alcohol<br/>abuse. The dusty antique shop and crusty caring old codger that takes him in is a lifesaver in the story and keeps you reading.  The ending leaves us hanging with the ""no hope"" of love or normal happiness continuing. This story really needed a<br/>happy ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVQ57MSERMB4C?ASIN=0316055441	Not My favorite book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was too long and I didn't care for the constant drug use to enhance the story.  I enjoyed the first 1/2 of the book much better than the last 1/2.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUVFS3KQ9S3ZL?ASIN=0316055441	Thought It would be better.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the 1st half of the story was very interesting. After his father brought him to LasVegas , too much time was spent on drugs. nothing positive. This story could of been half as long. Janet</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7TT1QH0F87H3?ASIN=0316055441	Consuming story (in a good way)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Three might not be enough stars...I really enjoyed the book until the end. I was really into it and I think Theo's character is a great one. I just wasn't satisfied with the ending. No spoilers here, I guess I was just expecting something different.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP0J44C4YIJBA?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt is tart	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have read one other book by her and both were wpnderful. When she is through with a character you feel you know everything but their DNA!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NL4LU1M4M85U?ASIN=0316055441	Memorable, absorbing BUT over-written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would like to give this book five stars but it is seriously overwritten and underedited.<br/><br/>The author certainly has a gift for beautiful writing.  She expertly conveys mood and setting, but the piling on of detail, often presented in the middle of dialogue in a way which derails momentum and storytelling, is utterly excessive.  As others have noted, this would be a far more enjoyable and powerful book at 600 pages rather than 750 pages of detail on detail sure of causing the reader to forget important plot points and in my case, to practice my speed reading whenever one of the superfluous paragraphs popped up to challenge the outright pleasure of reading about Theo Decker and his decade long saga.<br/><br/>That said, this was a great and illuminating read.  Tratt's writes of this teenager total emotional destruction and his partial recovery into adulthood.  Along the way we meet some very interesting characters, some hateful, others a pleasure.  Just like life.  They allow Tratt to expound beautifully and meaningfully about the nature of attachment, affection, trust, betrayal and belonging.<br/><br/>I also enjoyed the saga aspect.. explaining this story over a long period of time with all the changes of mood and action that requires.<br/><br/>At times I was more or less annoyed by the heavy handed and old fashioned method of dealing with detail so please don't turn away from this book because of the length.  Just be prepared that sometimes she goes overboard and it does add, unnecessarily, to the length.<br/><br/>It could have five stars ... nevertheless, please enjoy.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IITKF00V0NOG?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It seemed some chapters went on and on. It was tedious in parts and at times I just wanted it to be over. It had a very good story, but just got too tedious for me. The drug use was very boring after awhile too. The author could have shortened this book and it would have been a much better read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R385W6Y7XXJ0JT?ASIN=0316055441	Sad and happy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great mix of interesting factual information coupled with the gritty reality of places where life can take us.<br/>An exellent read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FGQFRRI3FY34?ASIN=0316055441	Long and sad.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While The Goldfinch was an engrossing book, I found it long and depressing.  It was the story of a very sad and frustrating life combined with the inability of the main character to EVER grasp what was right under his nose.  Having said that, the writing and story telling is quite good, and the many characters are fascinating, and in some cases, charming.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SREJLGUO5RAU?ASIN=0316055441	Headline and summary required for review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love the way she writes!  She's talking to me.  I can see and feel the experience!  What else can I say?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CMGVC4RGX8LV?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the story however it was boring when he was in Vegas.  I believe it had about 100 too many pages.  But a good story it kept me going even in the boring parts.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MIKDBLHO3RBI?ASIN=0316055441	A Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt takes one on an interesting journey . Her writing describes the characters and situations in detail that you can easily visualize in your mind's eye.  Sometimes it is a lot of detail. That being said, it still carries the story along.  I  thoroughly enjoyed the read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNEO13KZ6RKIE?ASIN=0316055441	Good plot but could lose about 200 pgs	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am always in search of a great book to read -- I average at least 6 books a month.  When I saw this one, with thousands of 4's and 5's I thought this was a book for me.  The plot summery looked interesting and when I ""looked inside"", I liked what I saw.  The plot was very enjoyable but frequently, the book would bog down and the writer would belabor the point or a scene until you would actually yell out -- ""enough already. I get it!""  This occurred in several sections -- so much so that it caused me to start skim reading -- something I never do -- and skipping sections.  I read enough to get the just of what happens and I did enjoy the plot.  If you want to be in the know, as this is a very popular book, read it, but don't feel badly when you speed things along.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J36C4P4OGN0N?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was rather a poignant book. A sheltered boy whose life was torn apart in every way by the blast in the museum and who never fully recovered, floundering through life and allowing himself to be led by others. I found the book to be perhaps overlong and very dense but I thought Donna Tartt drew the characters very well and, all in all, I quite enjoyed it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R75935DWEJ7I8?ASIN=0316055441	A long read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book a bit to long winded at times. Story line was good and wanted to finish the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S7QBMPH72JF8?ASIN=0316055441	overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Perhaps the worst highly rated book I've read in years...a lot of plot about not very interesting people...lots of repetitious scenes... felt like the author was told to write a long novel and had to keep putting stuff in to complete the assignment.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DBI2GD626IU?ASIN=0316055441	Excellant Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellant story. Very vivid. It was hard to put down.  However, some explanations or situations went on way too long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10ONLTO7RQ9NQ?ASIN=0316055441	Well written in so many ways but draggy as hell.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written in so many ways but draggy as hell. Relieved it's finally ended tbh, no offence to the author.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y7PGOYF00CJ8?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An outstanding novel which thoroughly absorbed me and I had the good fortune to still be able to get into the Frick Museum Collection housing the actual painting before it closed today!  I was most compelled by descriptions of art, art world and the relationship of art to our inner lives.  Tho i did love Boris and the whole deranged grungy world of Las Vegas, I didn't have as much patience Russian mafia car chases etc...  Otherwise wonderful portraiture as I would expect from Donna Tartt.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VU3LOA910W1P?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed the story but disappointed as the book drew to a close.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the story was compelling and interesting all the way through the book.  However, as I neared the end of the story I felt the themes were overly repetitive and tedious.  I was ok with the way Ms. Tartt chose to end the book but it took some perseverance to get to it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PB506HT6W7R?ASIN=0316055441	Long but entertaining read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is long and to my taste had a bit overdone narrative at times, but I found the story itself to be compelling and it kept me entertained for a good while.  Not the best book I've ever read but overall enjoyed it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37RUWXM9H9V47?ASIN=0316055441	Really good in places, just ok in others.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was expecting more from this book based on the reviews.  True there are parts that are really well written.  I felt the ""underbelly of society"" descriptions disturbing.  The value of the creative arts and how they can profoundly affect an individul's perspective on life's lessons well put. However, the extremes of Theo's life made the story seem unbelievable, especially the risks he took when he seemed on many occasions to be an overly fearful person.  The choices he made in following Boris to Europe toward the end just did not ring true to the character as painted to that point.  Do not misunderstnd I did enjoy the book but expected more.  I blame the overly positive reviews for my expectations. Almost a 4 star.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HLWYAATV5DV2?ASIN=0316055441	Exciting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A really good book....not quiet through with it, but I'm really enjoying it.  can't wait to see how its going to end!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNI8C6DCPDKAT?ASIN=0316055441	Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed it, but it became a bit tedious and long winded in areas. I wished he had never keft New York.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LD6VGYA0KW72?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had high hopes for the novel in the first few chapters.  But it lost sight of the role that the stolen painting played in the life of the protagonist -- at least it was not clear to me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HRGAASOC9WS0?ASIN=0316055441	did not receive the book to my kindle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had the book on my kindle ..  got half way through and it froze up....I can't delete it or read it....  I can read all my other books<br/><br/>I ordered and was charged for a second Goldfinch...  It did not show up on my kindle.....help</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TK4RA7N0OEL2?ASIN=0316055441	Part great book, part not	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are sections of this book that are truly brilliant, the first third especially.  But there are long sections when the protagonist leaves New York where a lot of the writing is convenient and cliched.  The chapters in Las Vegas are too long by half and the final chapters in Amsterdam read like bad television writing.  But the good parts are so good, I still highly recommend the Goldfinch.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BCOZDMHJ1E51?ASIN=0316055441	well-written, good character development	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very long book, which served to teach me to always check number of pages before down-loading on my iPad.  Shorter books work better for travel, which is when I use my Kindle.  It is a deep book that I forced myself to keep reading even when I was frustrated by the characters' behavior.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14W5I116PWEZX?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo's story takes you places most of us will never see. Hopefully!  It's a story of one young man's tragic life and his fall into a very seamy life.  It also provides new incites into post traumatic stress syndrome, a malfunctioning child welfare program, the value of art in ones life, and redemption.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRFL0JFAR473Q?ASIN=0316055441	the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not everyone agrees with me but I found this novel to be very dark. I found it hard after a while to like the main characters which is important to me. The novel was vey well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20ON1QZR2P49H?ASIN=0316055441	Clever plot and structure, but not a great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a modern coming-of-age story involving so many improbable events that I'm not sure what the author is trying to say. Do we live in a world dominated by randomness, opportunists, drugs, large piles of cash and slippery morality? Perhaps so, but this book does not convince me. At the same time, the opening chapters are exciting and interesting; I just got bogged down in the middle, and the end is silly.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5JC86PTE6KTU?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the book, but found that at times there was just too much detail.  The ending was disappointing as well.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EX3W63FE54TB?ASIN=0316055441	Love, Faith, Fairness	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading an interview with Donna Tartt, I knew I needed to read this book. What a remarkable work! There was great intensity in the story that made each chapter a challenge. Where could it possibly go? The bittersweet ending has made it difficult to recommend. It takes a special reader to follow the story line, but the journey is so worth the time. I totally enjoyed ""The Goldfinch"".</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39SMVSPV499VE?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the beginning of the book, but it got a bit long in the middle.  Great character development, makes you think!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17ADXG8QNGG1F?ASIN=0316055441	WONDERFUL READ!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliantly written and exciting book. Towards the end it got a little complicated but it was still wonderful and I highly recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N8960T3ZOO2P?ASIN=0316055441	Almeda	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some areas were a little tedious . For the most part very good reading . I found the end disapointing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R112F0JKIQMYI3?ASIN=0316055441	Intriging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Still working on this one...confusing at first since I thought the boy was a girl....but now the plot thickens and I can't put  it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RT90QRZLRDK1?ASIN=0316055441	A very good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very good read I am glad I read it however I thought it was repetive and long winded in various parts  Hugh</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SNHEYE31MZGS?ASIN=0316055441	Richly composed and written... a great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">BAsed in NYC and realistic in its tone and portrayal, this complex story captures and captivates. Donna Tart weaves a beautiful, believable and often times compassionate story of loss, love and yearning. Well-worth the time it takes to get through this long book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V7RZN2YJU5J?ASIN=0316055441	Reed it!! It's a good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">We'll I haven't finish riding the book and I know I caint stop every chance I get to read I read but so far so good!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CPH0750ZJN3L?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the effort	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was somewhat apprehensive about reading this book.  Firstly, it weighs a ton and secondly, the premise sounded far more odd than compelling: a boy named Theo loses his mother and steals a (real) painting on the same day.  Hmm.  However almost immediately I was hooked, its length became my friend and I was picking it up at every opportunity to read even a few pages.<br/><br/>Why did I love it so?  The writing.  The story - let's be honest - is interesting but in the hands of a lesser writer could easily have been forgettable.  The characters - with a couple of notable exceptions - are fairly unpleasant.  They lie, they swear, they steal, they take far too many drugs and they make terrible decisions.  And yes, it probably could have been shorter.  There is one section in Las Vegas that seems to go a terribly long time.  Still loved it though.<br/><br/>This is a book that feels like every line has been crafted with care and thought and then honed so perfectly that it never interrupts the pace of the reader.  Descriptions like: ""They were a paid of white mice I thought - only Kitsey was a spun-sugar, fairy-princess mouse whereas Andy was more the kind of luckless, anemic, pet-shop mouse you might feed to your boa constrictor.""  (Poor Andy was still my favourite character).  It takes you right inside Theo's mind.  When he grieves for his mother you feel that acute visceral pain along with him.  When he's attending a party in a drunken blur, you share the numbness.  When you've finished this book, you will feel like you lived his life along with him.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQB12HKTAQWRW?ASIN=0316055441	disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Mostly superbly written--a real page turner.  Characters came alive.  However, I felt the author copped out and ended by expounding on  her own philosophy.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39KXQY4SGPO0Q?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic ride with slow finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A hauntingly beautiful character study, brilliantly written, and methodically detailed in spirit. The dialogue is fantastic, the characters richly developed, the sense of tragedy so deep, its power is difficult to describe in literal form; ""The Goldfinch"" touches something on the periphery of human experience. The plot slowly develops and leads to many interesting paths, but the final act stretches on too long through metaphoric and verbose description, lacking dramatic impact deserved of such a strong, first three-quarters. Donna Tartt is immensely talented, and her passion is evident on every page. In the finale, it's just creative decisions that undercut what could have made perfect.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BSPTG8XUSMT4?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting but wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging story line but unnecessarily long.  Why say in 700+ words what could have been said in 500? Very interesting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MUY2BMYB6K3?ASIN=0316055441	Could have been shorter but enjoyed Theo's journey.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting and entertaining but overly detailed about drug and substance abuse.  I was disappointed that the story was so youth-oriented as I am 82 yrs. young.  Love Dutch art so expected more in-depth art emphasis.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PJDRQVYNJV29?ASIN=0316055441	This was a very moving read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a powerful book--dark, sad but seemingly realistic in its description of events, drug trips, and places visited as it unfolds.  As a reader, I found it hard to put down!  The ending was a disappointment, but everything can't have a happily ever after ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBG0MMD7NLTHS?ASIN=0316055441	OK only	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Most chapter are overly descripted and not needed to get the characters personality and the  books  message across!  I could not recommend it highly to any of my friends.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5UFGUB2E3KB9?ASIN=0316055441	Educational Thriller	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I always value novels that expand my knowledge while engaging my imagination.  While I got a little tired of the Drug Scene, the author painted a vivid picture of Las Vegas.  The most valuable and interesting was the background information on antiques and fine art.  Splendid writing, wonderful dialogue.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A54S01S2KFDN?ASIN=0316055441	Addicting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was well written and very good but not the best book I've ever read. I felt it was like a drug in that I loved and hated the main character at the same time and was addicted to reading it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LZRBT6FG5CFC?ASIN=0316055441	Too much meaningless ruckus	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She can make my heart beat faster, almost better than a double espresso. But the book was so heavy with Meaning which did not emerge from the plots or characters. Too much drugs and alcohol, too much meaningless ruckus. No development of these utterly meaningless characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B48Y6WFPKT0A?ASIN=0316055441	!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I must read this again. Someday. A few years away. And, I think, love it as I did today. Thanks</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CG706NU8AC3D?ASIN=0316055441	awesome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The depth and beauty of this book are so compelling I found myself entangled and sleepless. There is so much love and pain so artfully described I was transported.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CACVP9Y6QWFM?ASIN=0316055441	devastating . . . and impossible to stop	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Writing so compelling the reader is yanked along on an impossibly tiny chain attached to a small golden bird that flits tantalizingly in and out of the narrative with the light-dark flashes of a strange, irredeemable dark soul.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GGTPY74XVVOR?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wasn't sure about reading this book, as the trailer for it doesn't really state correctly what it's about. This book took my breath away sometimes, in its depth into the main character, especially as that character ages. The range of types of characters and how well the writer depicts them all, is what I loved about the book. He hits them all spot on. I was ""on the edge of my seat"" sometimes when certain scenes unfolded. All in all, a very good read which I would recommend to anyone who likes character analysis and heartfelt depth of emotions, without being syrupy or silly. A very good book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10A6P3G5JQA8V?ASIN=0316055441	great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">yes, it's a long book. yes, it's worth it. great writing, great character development. This is the first book by Donna Tartt that I have read, but it won't be the last.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SFFANTED5X1G?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I gave Goldfinch 5 stars because it was well written and exciting. I always looked forward to reading it every evening. It was a little long in the middle but worth it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24CPHZSJ4VUCD?ASIN=0316055441	Utterly absorbing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this book down. As a result, finished the it -- all 750+ pages -- in 3 days. So much of what occurs is completely over the top and stretches credulity, but the writing was superb and the characters were rich, real, and all good people in their own unique ways.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRPMC5LL6UZS2?ASIN=0316055441	Such  a great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing was amazing as was the storyline. I truly enjoyed every word in this book.  I was really rooting for the main character throughout the whole story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R214Q6IDICBUHC?ASIN=0316055441	The book shines as did the art.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is one of those rare books where the intricancies of the author do not confuse, but they create a weave of great beauty.  Characters are developed in layers just as the feathers of the artist's goldfinch create a singular work of art.  Donna Tartt never bores, always surprises, and thoroughly investigates a plethora of venues and time periods for a raucus journey in and out of the art world and its parallel universe, art black market.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MRA97LNGJO32?ASIN=0316055441	the  goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this beautifully wri\tten book explores art, beauty,love and human relationships as seen(experienced) through the<br/>eyes of 14 year old Theo Decker. How memory can help us survive the loss of a loved one,  I intend to read this book<br/>a second time</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HGJ8ETPDD2ZO?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I listened to this book in my car and loved it so much I gifted the Kindle Book to my husband for Christmas. He stuck  now and cannot put it down.  It is a wonderful read and a great story.  Treat yourself to this one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZHF0KOFW7SZZ?ASIN=0316055441	Very good reading!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not put it down, I liked it better than her previous book. The sadness does not leave, for a,long while.<br/><br/>I do not like being required to write a certain # of words!! I am not in school!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQW1BYRQJLI4S?ASIN=0316055441	Great novel about Art and Addiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is exciting and fast paced. The characters are compelling and have a lot of depth. It is a good story about art, families, museums, NYC and people. I recommend it highly.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROEP2HPVYFNZU?ASIN=0316055441	Phenomenal book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best I ever read, couldn't put it down.  Modern version of a Charles Dicken's Oliver Twist story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OBJ381TN4VEC?ASIN=0316055441	haunting, beautiful, tragic - read it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have read Donna Tartt's other books, and would jump at the chance to read another.  The beautiful writing, thorough research, and haunting atmosphere she creates is amazing and heartbreaking</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14NOEAGGB373L?ASIN=0316055441	Absolutely love this book, could not put it down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is one of those books you can wait to turn to the next page to follow the story, but you also don't want to end.<br/>The descriptive writing style has led me to order another of Donna Tartt books to read.<br/>I loved the way Donna developed the characters in the story, and the way the story flowed along.<br/>Its a big read and one I enjoyed over my Christmas break.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWG7MAZP637EU?ASIN=0316055441	A good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would recommend this book. I got it at Christmas as a Kindle ebook and finished it within two weeks.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWWBUIRAH7SJX?ASIN=0316055441	Highly recommend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hands down one of the best reads in a long time and I've been constantly reading the last few years. It's books like this that make life worth living. I planned most of my lunches just so I could find a decent place to keep reading. When I was done I was exhausted and out of breath. It took a few hours to recover. I don't think I could handle another one as intense as this just now, but I bet after the next book I read I'll be picking up another one of Donna Tartt's!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FHOLF0PNE29X?ASIN=0316055441	Very Interesting story, covered a lot of territory NY to Vegas to Netherlands. many plot twists, enjoyed the unexpected twist	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very Interesting story, covered a lot of territory NY to Vegas to Netherlands. many plot twists, enjoyed the unexpected twist at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29GCHOQ4OPZLX?ASIN=0316055441	five stars in every way!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not one to make rave reviews.  The Goldfinch is the exception.  Whether the reader is looking for exciting storyline,fascinating characters or beautifully crafted prose,this book holds a delicious literary reward. Thank you Donna Tartt for setting off a warm glow of anticipation every time I open The GOLDFINCH.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38Q1F9FJQP2CO?ASIN=0316055441	Very enjoyable adventure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A nice, long, consistent story that I was sad to see end.  The writing is about as good as it gets.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IMDJ8ZFGCE3S?ASIN=0316055441	Worth reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The length of the book could put people off reading it but the story it great. Definitely worth the time spent reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12AUXHF612YVB?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting, gorgeous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Please don't pass this one by - it's perfect!  Stopped midway thru this author's The Little Friend because of a severe phobia (some of you will hopefully understand what I mean - I don't want to steer anyone away), but have now decided to push myself to finish, hoping I'll have the same exhilaration I've had with The Goldfinch.  This is far and away one of the best books ever written!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5KVDBYRQ3NGS?ASIN=0316055441	Really Good but overly detailed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know it sounds crazy to call a book overly detailed but Tartt gets bogged down in some details that are simply unnecessary.  It was a really moving story - I cried, laughed and cringed and some of the situations!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G85S162FZMTK?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Deftly drawn characters and sharp writing pull the reader through this long novel that swings for profundity but doesn't connect.  It gets as preachy at the end as a passel of Facebook posts.  Nevertheless, the characters alone make this a decent read.  A lot of Tartt's ground is covered with brevity and far more emotional wallop in the short novels of St. Aubyn.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39YHHVXBCOYA3?ASIN=0316055441	I recommend it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch has strong characters and an excellent story line.  It does seem to stretch several parts of the plot, however.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QV9PYD4GS3BG?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a great book, I love it. I can't put it down! I would absolutely recommend it to anyone.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X6MAVH9707F7?ASIN=0316055441	a book you will not be able to put down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a heart rending story of shocking and horrible things that happen to a young boy's life, beginning with<br/>the violent loss of his mother.<br/>Somehow, through incredible thicks and thins, good luck, and cany intelligence, he manages to stumble through childhood and<br/>early adulthood.<br/>A few trusted good friends help him maneuver the muddled mess of his life, but he does not endure unscathed.<br/>The characters and events are so well drawn in this tale, you feel as if you are present within the pages of the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LY3EDBE1K2CV?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting to see how a traumatic event in childhood can affect entire life.  Disappointed in ending, almost like Tartt got tired of story and just ended.  Varied and well developed characters. Good book, highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS2N9XTXCU801?ASIN=0316055441	Great Start Weak Finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story is riveting for the first three hundred pages; from there it drags the reader into the depths of the worst aspects of addictions, underground crime, and violence.  The author's musings about art in the final few pages seem like an apology for the last four hundred pages of the novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W3Y44YM88JM7?ASIN=0316055441	Hauntingly beautiful writing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am just half way through this book, but savoring every word. Spoiler Alert!  One wonders how a child survives such experiences.  I think his need to hold onto the painting is his way of holding onto his mother....Amazing!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V9J78N4BYLWE?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't finished this book yet, but I am captivated with the literary genius of the writer! I will definitely enjoy finishing this story and a looking forward to reading more books by this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FW1RXJ0O4LG1?ASIN=0316055441	Remarkable Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful writing! Wonderful character development. You feel like you are living the story, and in my case, very personal, having just last month seen Fabritius' Goldfinch at the Frick in New York and drawn to it, alone, amongst the whole Mauritshuis Collection.  It had become my favorite painting and made the telling of this story quite exciting.  I was astonished upon opening the book to find this stunning work of art pictured in full; I hadn't recognized it from the cover and not yet made the connection.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W2G8ONF0FB51?ASIN=0316055441	compelling and bold	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a fantastic read, both heart wrenching and at times hysterical. It covers the gamut, from lazy, depressed ramblings to full, action movie sex, drugs and violence.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UU5L9UV66HP6?ASIN=0316055441	I wanted to like it more	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Strange book. The beginning was very good, but just got really bad very quickly in the storyline,especially for such a long book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TK666UU23HA9?ASIN=0316055441	Long, but so interesting it kept me reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As with any lengthy literary work (800? pages), there are a few areas where the novel slows, but the plot is masterful and for the  most part moves at a good pace. Told in first person narrative, the reader travels with the main character from his orphaned childhood in NYC through tumultous teenage years to adulthood. The writer's deep knowledge and references to the world of art enhance the story. I recommend this for a vacation or a long weekend when you can read slowly and appreciate the nuances.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QEEC5YROOU9M?ASIN=0316055441	Bummer Alert	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I choose books with significant emotional substance now and then to temper my usual appetite for frothy, frivolous novels.  The Goldfinch was one such.  Several rave reviews led me to expect depth, poignancy, and beautiful writing.  What they didn't breathe a word about was what a bummer this story is!  After reading it I felt a stronger need than ever for something uplifting or at least funny.<br/><br/>Readers with more tolerance than I for tales of self-destruction and recklessness will thoroughly enjoy the quality of writing Tartt delivers.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KCCF4N73O7IF?ASIN=0316055441	Modern Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The tale of Theo Decker and Boris Pavlikovsky that has taken the literary fiction  world by storm. This book is so full of important insights about art, beauty, love, and life. The NYT book review has two outstanding reviews of this novel. I recommend checking them out to help whet your appetite for this great feast of a book. A long read (and a bit too long winded in some passages) that you will want to re-read many times.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CNHCPVLZ7XQ9?ASIN=0316055441	Terrific read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was my favorite book for 2013 - story telling at its best!  I hated for it to be over.  The characters are real, the plot oh so complicated, and the story line irresistible.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JWN37HO9RWG9?ASIN=0316055441	Too long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First few chapters very engaging but got very tiresome about two thirds through .....like stream of consciousness thinking and run-on sentences! Way too much information to wade through to finally get to the end of the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9HJBZL9BSBN3?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good read, very interesting, good description of New York, Las Vegas and Amsterdam and the drug world and alcohol abuse but a bit too drawn-out! A few hundred pages less would have been better....mla</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17M6OP0T3DNL0?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful story .adventurous theme.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A young boys courted to see the beauty in the world of art with his dear mother, then finds his world as he knew it, changed by terribly dangerous men,finds his way through crafty endeavors,</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14TOJAA5GIKB1?ASIN=0316055441	A Truly Wonderful Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line was wonderful, the writing was absolutely spectacular and the verbiage was amazing. I was sorry the book came to an end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DYKUKDMKUJJK?ASIN=0316055441	great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">potential for 5 stars but NEEDS an editor to chop the verbiage A LOT!!  Got frustrated reading try to wade through all the extra, unnecessary words.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27M0UVQTG85A2?ASIN=0316055441	I have to wait another 10 years?!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is sublime. Like a meal that haunts you and nags at the back of your senses for every meal thereafter.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GJE5NFPZSGES?ASIN=0316055441	Read it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book.  If I were deducting any 1/2 stars (which I'm not), it would be for the last few pages in the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWUJ0CL9V2PMV?ASIN=0316055441	Highly Recommended!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt takes you on a fascinating ride with the Goldfinch.  The story has many twists and turns highs and lows mysteries and surprises.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YS22WWHMD1R6?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved reading this book.  Well written, I couldn't wait for the next line.  I did find it a little long, and feel the story could have been cut shorter.  Such great character development.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18J7ZF2ZP93F3?ASIN=0316055441	Better Editing Needed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I purchased this book after reading a Kindle sample, enjoying the first couple of chapters, and saw that it was highly rated by other readers. I decided not to read the reviews in detail, however, because It is getting increasingly more difficult to find a good fictional book to read and sometimes reading all of the conflicting reviews can make it even more difficult to choose.  In this case, after finishing this unnecessarily long novel, I rushed back to the reviews wondering how in the world it could have had a 4 star plus rating.  I won't waste my time rewriting what many others have already written, so if you wonder how I arrived at my 2 star rating, read every other 1 and 2 star rating posted and I am in complete agreement.........long, boring, lack of proper editing.  I gave it 2 stars rather than 1 because it was grammatically correct and I reserve my 1 star ratings for books that I can't even believe were published at all.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30DNTL3BKYDO7?ASIN=0316055441	if you read one work of fiction this year....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A  rich story illuminating the irrational, unpredictable pattern of life, and finding beauty in pain, art, self-destruction, love and starting over.  Best quote (among many): 'Sometimes you have to lose to win.'</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N0B34BIY01DJ?ASIN=0316055441	Too long, too boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">By the time I got to the last 10% of this book! I was skimming faster and faster....could not wait to be done.  Main character was a nut case whom I found pretty despicable, not to mention his Russian friend who may have been insane with seemingly no values...why the main character would trust him is anyone's guess.  I would not recommend this book and am  amazed that it has gotten so many glowing reviews.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GND1FLITKWDP?ASIN=0316055441	Great Story way to long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reading this book takes a big commitment.  The story was awesome.  At some points I laughed and other other points I was moved to tears.  They book is WAY to long, 300 pages could have been count out.  If you can invest the time this is a great story</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKOK4U7S97MSV?ASIN=0316055441	Recommend!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story grabbed right away. Well written. Main character simultaneously easily liked and irritating. Over narrated at a certain point in the book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IL1H7U1YYNZK?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful exploration of reality	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are parts that move slowly, but a LOVE the ending! I also explores our sense of reality. A fine read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IC6YZ8WFYA95?ASIN=0316055441	Long, slow, did I say long?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was at least twice as long as it should have been, and much of it was irrelevant...as was the ""ending"" if you want to call it that.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C75URQY7OA02?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging but Slow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was engaging and I did read it completely.  The story is a bit slow in parts and seems to wander.  With that said I am one who will put a book down and not finish it if I don't like it or don't find it captivating.  I finished this one.  It is a good read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31542B0IWET9Z?ASIN=0316055441	Emotional, engrossing thriller	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The character is shaped by his environment into a warped, yet sympathetic rebel with strong emotional ties to friends.  A psychological thriller paired with an offbeat love story, the ending is somewhat unresolved.  I expected from the first pages that some supernatural force was at work, but the plot stays improbable yet well grounded.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27EHEXNGRHBW4?ASIN=0316055441	I cannot remember  the last book that I found as engrossing as this one.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a beautifully told story about how loss can alter the course of one's life, as well as about the power of art.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD5T8EJ0O30Y3?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing, gripping story. The characters stay with you for days, even weeks after finishing. Loved this book. I couldn't put it down, despite its length.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJAEMEM3D5IJJ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch  bu Donna	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book made me feel wrapped in wonderful words, along with a yery  fascinating story, that wouldnt let me put it down,you need to read this book more than once to really grasp how beautifully it is written.i loved it and feel warm and emotional which still lingers  in my heart.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J8VT4CT4GUI2?ASIN=0316055441	Entrancing story and thought provoking.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't want to put this one down. Donna Tartt brought this story to a satisfying and interesting conclusion.  This is a long book, but I really didn't want it to end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTMF9QSF3F26V?ASIN=0316055441	wow - just wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are no words to adequately explain how I felt about this book.  Yes, several interwoven stories.  But, each written in a separate style, in fact one appropriate for the time and place.  What a great writer.  What a captivating read.  A goldmine for a serious reading group..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TXOMLPJYAQFG?ASIN=0316055441	Almost five stars but....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't know what I would have cut but I think a hundred less pages would have helped the book quite a bit.  I started to get confused with the Amsterdam period near the end...I didn't know who was who but I persevered because all the characters were sooooo interesting.  I loved this one and The Secret History and I hated The Little Friend.  Yeah...give this book a chance...take a day or two to read a hundred or so pages and it'll hook you.  Over and over I said to myself, ""Oh no!!""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8MCQ7T6KPTBM?ASIN=0316055441	Not what I expected!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I considered purchasing this book after looking at many reviews that were positive 5 stars!  I have pond e red my rating for quite long time and feel I am reviewing this work fairly.<br/><br/>The book has some very good pages and also many long over described pages that tested my ability to stay with the author.  I was particularly taken by the investment of my time to get through this novel in a reasonable amount of time with considerable effort rather than becoming fully engrossed to the point I wanted more.  By the time I was 500 pages in I was looking for a way out.  I hate to quit and struggled along.  I agree with other reviewers as to the last 60 pages or so taking forever to finish.  Too much I philosophical rhetoric and early on way more about drugs and alcohol.<br/><br/>I couldn't help but wonder how the author gained her knowledge of such experiences.<br/><br/>Finally I wanted to be among the majority of reviewers.  To be realistic on my rating requires me to be honest in the appraisal.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F0FVXIFAI6R3?ASIN=0316055441	Multi-layered, fascinating detail and characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story touched my heart, illuminated my mind, and made me laugh.  I really don't think I've been as emotionally engaged with a character as I was Theo, in many years and hundreds of books. Of course, not all readers will have identified so closely, but the depth of knowledge and true love of the arts is as amazing as the characters.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27XJ3EVI5W60M?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's beautifully written prose is exceptional. Her ability to utilize language provokes powerful images and communicates ideas difficult to capture in words.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J8LBZ2EFBW3P?ASIN=0316055441	complete	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The entire range of emotions in one tragic life, brought to us by a tragic soul. A perspective of life that can be appreciated by all minds but only brought to light by a magnificent one. Thank you!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BQ8FSTVS1CT9?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I have read all year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those special books for me. I keep thinking about it after I have finished. Boris was a wonderful character. Thank you for writing this. I will always remember this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJHZ0H0TTEYF1?ASIN=0316055441	What a ride!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hated that this story had to end; I need to know what became of all the principal characters whose fictional lives engaged and uplifted me during these last two weeks.  Tartt's writing is masterful and authentic, even though her narrator is a young boy. Each episode rings true -- rainy afternoons in New York, scorching days in the outskirts of Las Vegas, psychological journeys that drag us through bell and back. The contemporary allusions play off the historical grounding of the novel so that we are very much in the present while traveling through time and place.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKCXPWBZNSZ81?ASIN=0316055441	Readable but with reservations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the descriptive passages are very well written, for me the book seemed very long winded ... a story that could be have been told in a matter of a few pages somehow ended up being an overly  long and drawn out affair. I can appreciate the author's craft but it was just too much! I found myself skipping and skimming to get to the action. Interesting characters abound and Donna Tartt's extremely well crafted foreshadowing was one of the more joyous element's of this novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R80DF1WJU4YJ6?ASIN=0316055441	Keep reading; you may be ready to toss the book by chapter xiv....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author fascinates the reader at the beginning of the book, describing the events leading up to the museum bombing and how Theo finds his way out of the museum's ruins and makes his way home with his injuries.  The raw grief Theo experiences following his mother's death also kept me scrolling the pages of my Kindle, and I became very hopeful for Theo's future when he developed a friendship with Hobie, a restorer of antique furniture.<br/><br/>But after Theo arrives in Las Vegas and befriends Boris, the two of them living with minimal adult supervision, I became bored with pages and pages of excruciating details of Theo's and Boris's drinking and involvement with drugs, including details of how the world looked through Theo's eyes with each drug (or combination thereof) he sampled.<br/><br/>Fortunately, I persisted reading, and though I'm still at a loss to understand why the author would steer the reader away for far too many chapters about Theo's fall from grace in Las Vegas, I'm enjoying the book once again.  I'm looking forward to finding out the fate of the stolen painting, and how it eventually affects Theo's life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7R5J7IGFHO4J?ASIN=0316055441	A true masterpiece!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">THe way the writer shows knowledge of various topics is amazing.  She must have done her homework well, the way she writes about the Russians and furniture making, etc.-amazing!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVZTOQKNDBV0B?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was entertaining from beginning to end. I enjoyed every word. The author has an outstanding ability to express feelings and situations, and often I felt I was actually there! Highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HNGP7DXF1KMY?ASIN=0316055441	Loved	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book I didn't want it to end.  It was reverting.  I am actually going to see the painting the book is written about.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CAUNXCY3E0EY?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I have read for awhile.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book ...found it very perceptive and beautifully written !it captured the feel and mood of New York perfectly and also had a quirky feel to it,highly recommended!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N70VGX14LFH4?ASIN=0316055441	Wish it never ended	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I have read in ages.  Rich story - complex characters. Reading another by the same author.  Has wide appeal.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OQI019J93OHA?ASIN=0316055441	It made me see the world in a different light nad apprecviate the importance of art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent book  with much to think about how the younger generation think and them find themselves tied to a beautiful painting and what it means to them and how much influence it had on their lives</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YVLUMAYDZOGE?ASIN=0316055441	a big  disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After all the rave reviews, I really expected something much more. The two main characters were the same at 9 years,<br/>as they were at 29 years. And how many times does a reader need a description of what it is like to get high on<br/>drugs?  the painting is a beautiful one, and I did go to the Frick Museum to see it, and that was not a  disappointment.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CZFQ5YM08TGF?ASIN=0316055441	Anonymous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good read.  Did not feel like an eight hundred page book.  Charachters were layered and complicated. One of the best books I have read in a while</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CMV72LXWQ27A?ASIN=0316055441	Tarlt is a writer who's career I. Will followk	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tarlt is a terrific writer!  This story I combines a riveting plot and a fabulous story that never loses its edge.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29TKWW4TQ4KM2?ASIN=0316055441	A book to read again and again	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read. Didn't want to finish it. A story for all ages. The  emotions  of this young man were so vividly described so that you could feel his pain.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J0QFTGWLFE8E?ASIN=0316055441	Okay	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It could have been 150 pages shorter and you would have still have gotten the message.  Got tired of all the drugs,etc.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NGN6HJ7NDT4Z?ASIN=0316055441	Tepid Recommendation	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story.....however, sometimes the writer got in the way of the story. For example, too many extraneous details in many passages of the book. When the author discusses Fine Art, she excels.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RO6NH0O6ZO4S?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At some times it wad like i was trudging through mud...but always wanted to see what was going to happen next...an excellent read</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E1NVMZGUHYYT?ASIN=0316055441	Superb coming of age story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great character development.  Kept me on the edge of my seat.  I was sorry when it ended. I recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT1KIVP3FBVZB?ASIN=0316055441	Original with Angst	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story took me on a heartbreaking ride.  The fine writing and interest In the main character kept me goig.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20XAK48YBUDG?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cannot believe this is a number one best seller.  I pushed through it, thinking it would get better, but alas, it was always so dismal. Can't believe I finished it with so many books and so little time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DBJULTMBD1M9?ASIN=0316055441	Worth a read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was good, but a very heavy read.  Very wordy.Its a good book for a long  winter night to  curl up with.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E2KRRUT9KD37?ASIN=0316055441	heavy meal	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the sheer bulk of the story - a nice hefty 700- plus pages to loose oneself into - became a bit dark for my liking, a bit less mystery and plot turns - but overall a good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EDB9AE636QZ8?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best contemporary fiction I've read this year.  Truly, I enjoyed this novel and I'm considering reading more by this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REVG96L0PR8Z7?ASIN=0316055441	It could have been five stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took the author, Donna Tartt, ten years to write ""The Goldfinch"". I think I know why. She is the most descriptive writer that have ever read. I expect that at one time this 775 page book was once a 1,500 page script and it took her years to edit it. I have never read such thorough descriptions of EVERYTHING! I usually speed read through such passages but I found myself reading them as many were about areas that I knew little about, whether describing antiques, artwork, lifestyle or drugs.<br/>The concept of the book was unusual with numerous sub-plots but I was thoroughly engrossed throughout, until the ending which I felt was poorly concluded (after all those pages).<br/>A shorter book with a wrapped up conclusion would have generated a five star rating from me. All in all it was a very interesting book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R172WHQVEKZSD0?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can't put it down.  Last chapter is mind blowing brilliance.  While the book is long, but never dull, it's all worth the read -- every single tiny detail -- just so you can relish in Donna's amazing view of life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KSQQYU8XXTAL?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch Rating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing story with many dips and curves . . . including philosophy debate regarding ""good"" and ""evil"".  Fascinating journey with appropriate ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q419B8O0TOE3?ASIN=0316055441	Recommend it for a serious reader	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good plot and character study. Prose was very well written about a flawed person. I liked the way the beginning set up the ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDPHNMME6G77I?ASIN=0316055441	Great Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the story was especially inventive and interesting, but it became too ""wordy"" for me, after awhile. I found myself skipping whole passages, just to get to the meat of what was happening.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R253SKTOFMQSDX?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the book but felt there was too much time spent on the drug and alcohol abuse. Much of this could have been left out and we would have still gotten the point and it would have been a shorter book. 700 plus pages is a lot to read.<br/>The theme was interesting and kept up my interest.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAI627QORG7IM?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like all the emphasis on the drug culture - just too much of it and it almost made it as the appealing thing to do - just shoot up!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA5ZB7H9Y2AGF?ASIN=0316055441	unbelievable!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read in ages. Following Theo through this journey is to take yourself on a ride you could never imagine riding, and devilishly loving every second of it. Donna Tartt is flat out brilliant.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24L2626O43IR7?ASIN=0316055441	Good writer and good reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of those books you hate to finish.  Tartt is in the top tier of today's writers and she has produced a great multi-layered inventive story that keeps the reader engaged and engrossed in the lives of the characters and the art in it.  It was just the romantic in me that wanted to surge on to really tie up the ending I wanted.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P25SEBCXPYYL?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch superb	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent novel full of adventure, humor and pain.  Reminded me of Dickens, and of Catcher in the Rye.  It's one of those novels you can't put down.  I highly recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLRUP43V0GHJA?ASIN=0316055441	Depressed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How can one do all the drugs the main character did and live through it.  I understand some of his angst but at the end I just felt his character was one of selfishness.  He just seemed to coast through life and seemed so shallow.  it was a depressing book.  The only person I liked in this book was his friend who was very colorful, a user and never seemed to apologize for they way he was and made the best of his situation albeit a criminal one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CXC8VF7G0YTQ?ASIN=0316055441	Best Novel of 2013	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The prose caught me from the very first page.  Beautifully written, and wonderful character and plot development.  This one will keep you hooked!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXW5N67QKEGZH?ASIN=0316055441	First 95% of book - two stars.  Last 5% - 4 stars.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first few chapters of the book were mesmerizing, but it quickly denigrated into a depressing spiral of violence and drugs, driven by the protagonist's guilt over a long-held secret.  I slogged through most of the book given all of the positive reviews, but it was more sheer determination to finish than inability to put the book down.  (well, there was a little bit of the latter, as I kept thinking it had to get better and that there would be a point somewhere other than describing the narrator's drug-fueled escapades.)  Still, the author has a style of writing that keeps you engrossed, even if you don't enjoy the story.<br/><br/>The author ties together the painful story at the very end with a beautifully written summary of the narrator's thoughts, and that's the only reason this gets three stars rather than four.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BNFRJX1DS9WO?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't want to finish it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such wonderful writing. What style and expressiveness. Torn between wanting to finish it and not wanting it to end. Long, and slightly dragged for me in the middle, but well worth the persistence in finishing it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R358TB46VZ0MBV?ASIN=0316055441	Thoroughly engaging, albeit a bit excessively lengthy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I won't go into a full review here, but I'd simply say that I've never read this author before, and I very much enjoyed the read.  It was a book I looked forward to picking up every time.  I felt the author's writing style was very beautiful; but if you do not enjoy lengthy, detailed descriptions of things in the books that you read, this book will definitely not be for you.  Descriptions of things are painted artfully and dripping in excess. While I enjoyed this for the first half or two thirds of the book, towards the end, I really felt this book would have benefited from more scrupulous editing.  I think the book would have been just as good at 575 pages as it was at its full 775. My two cents.<br/><br/>Also, Boris is a fantastic character.  There is no way the reader can't develop an affection for him. So how was it that, PARTICULARLY in the latter half of the book, the lead character/narrator Theo was so mind numbingly boring? Seriously, he was dull as ditchwater. Awful.<br/><br/>This book was very good, but better editing and character development of Theo in the latter half of the book (when he was a young adult) would have taken this book from very good to great.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IGA61AHP1ISA?ASIN=0316055441	Just purchased	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really can't give a good feedback yet.  I just purchased The Goldfinch and haven't had the chance to start reading it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGFZX35M5H9SD?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an exceptional writer and this is a once in a lifetime book. The characters are real, flawed but likeable, the plot is engaging, and the amount of detail and description in the Goldfinch is like a Renaissance tapestry. This is the one book I would take with me to that desert island because I could read it over and over and get something new with each reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26KUUBTCV07QW?ASIN=0316055441	Best book of the season!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A riveting saga that keeps you interested throughout the book.  The characters were realistic in every detail-extremely enjoyable with a perfect ending!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R96CR65ZL11KX?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the best book that I have read in years. It is a wonderful story told in a way to engage you from the first page to the last.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TFJMRN9E1RUV?ASIN=0316055441	I love the way she writes!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a complete surprise.  The way Donna writes, she pulls you into the characters and gets you completely involved in their lives.  Most books that I have read go into such detail that you end up ""fast forwarding"" thru the pages to get thru the story but Donna has you so mezmerised by the story line that you can't put it down and can't wait to see what is going to happen next.  This book is a must read, it will not let you down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AG1NVM1KZTDC?ASIN=0316055441	Worth reading.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. Fully drawn major characters. An offering of a mix of genres and entry into a sobering world with consequences.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NNLWC7YDIOAA?ASIN=0316055441	A Modern Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author writes with a lyricism that rivals the greatest of the old poets!  Her plot and characters rival the best of Dickens.  Yet her story is as original and as absorbing as any contemporary novel I have ever read.  This is a modern masterpiece !</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R123A8JVX7E889?ASIN=0316055441	If you write only one book every ten years...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you, as an author, write only one book every ten years, then your best hope is that you turn out a masterpiece like ""The Goldfinch"".  You can find details of the story in other reviews, but this reviewer only wants to let you know that this is a big book, with just a few main characters that the author lets you get to know with masterfully detailed writing such that you will be sad that it ends - after almost 800 pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38EZZSL7Y9N5H?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Do not let the length put you off. This is an excellent story that is well worth reading. It will hold your attention till the last word.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKI09I9LHPYNI?ASIN=0316055441	A must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written and completely engaging story line, with beauty thrown in ..  Such a credible story, while being fantastic at the same time</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33OZNSSVOSFHE?ASIN=0316055441	Very Interesting read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rather detailed and complex storyline with much information on Art masterpieces and life in New York, Las Vegas and quite an expose on drugs and alcohol.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33MXGT7HCPUR9?ASIN=0316055441	Great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this was well written and educational. It felt like you were sitting in the room with the characters and I kept wanting to see what escapade was next. Great read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WA5QEH7TKAPH?ASIN=0316055441	Wow! Well-crafted Heartbreaking Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I keep thinking ""How much more can Theo take?"" And yet he keeps going. It made me appreciate all that I have in my life. I love the  character descriptions - you really know  each one well after a few carefully written lines.<br/><br/>It's one of a very small number of books where I'm amazed at the thought behind the storyline and the execution that brings it to life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R204CZGGSUKIBL?ASIN=0316055441	Imersive and exploratory	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the dearth of the discussion of the tragedies,  exploration at making  sense of and explanations  and description of their aftermath.  I fell under the spell of this energetic story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CCCLFHZA6CT7?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've read in years!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After I finished the second chapter of this book, I paused and said to myself, ""This is the best writing I've read since college."" Excellent read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D7SSJSVTRUHL?ASIN=0316055441	Pounding plot and magnificent characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought THE GOLDFINCH because I loved Donna Tartt's SECRET HISTORY, which I read some years ago, and also because the word of mouth around the book was reaching me from all sides. I plunged immediately into the magnificent beginning, and from then on I could not stop until the amazing, intricate plot had completely worked itself out. Donna Tartt is without question a superb writer, and some of her characterizations and sentences are still ringing in my consciousness. I will not soon forget this book, and recommend it as a fascinating read.<br/>This said, I did not award the book five stars because I felt that the middle vortex of addiction, alcoholism and swirling darkness went on too long and caused my interest to flag. The book could have benefited from some more stringent editing and could have been cut by some 100 pages.<br/>Needless to say, this is the subjective opinion of one reader, and is totally counterbalanced by my deep involvement with the characters and the story lines, and of course I must now run over to the Frick and visit the GOLDFINCH.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J01WJL59NK33?ASIN=0316055441	great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really lived this book. Couldn't put it down. Keeps the reader interested and you never really know what's going to happen next. You unexpectedly end up where the book starts, which caught me by surprise.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M9HM2BY2A8NO?ASIN=0316055441	Grrrrooood	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Liked it.  A little surprised at the rushed ending but, still, good bordering on great.<br/><br/>I loved the descriptions of New York City.  I could almost smell the furniture workshop.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IF2HUP1ITXFO?ASIN=0316055441	So well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was taken up by this beautiful prose immediately.  The plot moves along and then flies.  You are right there in the action.  So well written and so exciting and enthralling.  Loved this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16SS7BJ4VZR3V?ASIN=0316055441	Paradox throughout	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book because for the most part it was a realistic narration of the troubled mind of a person who is experiencing a great tragedy in life. Also, some of the twists and turns of the plot enhanced my desire to keep reading when the story became a little too philosophical for being what was supposed to be the journals of a young man who probably was not capable at the time to be so descriptively in tune with his environment.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VZCBNSJTKDVF?ASIN=0316055441	I finished this last week	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the beginning and first part but found the Russian friend difficult.  I originally gave it 3* but feel that as a whole I enjoyed the book and found it compelling.  I thought the main character could have had more integrity and parts of the book felt like watching 'Drive'.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LV61DYJZ2KWB?ASIN=0316055441	Terrific story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book - it was really interesting and hard to put down.  The characters were fun, entertaining, and pretty ruthless.  I was sorry when I got to the end!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FGTT79HPO0I7?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not want it to end! Can't wait for Tartt' s next book. Also loved the Secret History she wrote.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35D1W02T9UZJS?ASIN=0316055441	Makes me want to read other books by the author.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story and character development that keeps you interested right away. The ending was too long and anticlimatic. The writer has a beautiful style.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G84GIML076MO?ASIN=0316055441	Literature	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So good to read a book that has character development and personal growth.  I think this book speaks in different voices to all of us.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ELJLLK60X8G2?ASIN=0316055441	Long but worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Difficult to wade through at times but overall a great read to make you think about life, fate/destiny. I tried to explain what it was about to a friend and finally had to say ""You really just have to read it."" Full of complexity, twists and turns, it never followed a predictable path, which I sometimes enjoy.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AQ3WLYU8A8OD?ASIN=0316055441	Pity about ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book up until the ending when it got a bit preachy - I think we could have read into what the book was saying without the author having to spell it out to us in such detail. I also think it would have ended better at the point where he discovers he never had the artwork in his possession all along  - and that it has now gone forever - far more profound.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R226G7NZZEOKCX?ASIN=0316055441	page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the characters, loved the settings, loved the writing. Maybe ~100 pages too long, but I didn't care because I enjoyed the book so much.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NR0IMA6NWL83?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The fastest 700 pages I've ever read! I Enjoyed every page. I Highly recommend for lovers of art or mystery.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRLTZKDXMXDTC?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've read in years....not finished, yet.............	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is so very tragic, yet there is comic relief; the characters are so real and the scenic, object and character descriptions are astounding...excellent writer.  I will definitely look for more by this author.  The book is very long and hard to put down, so be prepared to power up your Kindle, many times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IZ1VHUW06S5?ASIN=0316055441	Addictive Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great characters and story and plot development.  The subject matter about art, families, friendship and life was intriquing.  Reads like a mystery.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q947RG3VN7C5?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was completely immersed in this book within the first twenty pages.  The depth of characters, interesting storyline.  I wanted to know these people and by the end of the book I felt I did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KLQ643UPS0XU?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great novel with many twists and turns. I thought I had the outcome predicted several times but was surprised to be proven wrong. Couldn't  put it down</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA0LO7EZCT88?ASIN=0316055441	Art and misfortune	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a lengthy story - not sure how many pages the book is but it seemed to be endless, however I really enjoyed it and the pages kept turning. A unique take covering some of the usual themes; unrequited love, crime, accidental heroes etc etc.<br/>Possibly if I had any knowledge of Art the experience would have been enhanced still.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YRY9HMKGJJ1P?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book is good but very long in length.  I am half way through the book and interest level is good and I am eager to continue to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18E2YM671AF3C?ASIN=0316055441	engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story totally pulled me in and captivated me.  It's one of those books you think about while you're doing all the mundane things your daily life requires.  And, it's a book with a message that will stay with you for awhile.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BM5OHNX4USTF?ASIN=0316055441	Startling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">before you get into one idea you are blasted into the next. confining because it won't let go. yet too much information.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XZCCYTWABU0Q?ASIN=0316055441	A Great Read......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">And to think I almost didn't buy this book because of some of the reviews crying about how long it was. It's a wonderful story, beautifully written with plenty to think about once you are finished.  I loved it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HNSLGFMW2TK9?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous and fast read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I started this book, I wasn't sure if I would like it. The first 100 pages are seem overly descriptive and I had to force myself to get through it. All of that description becomes of great importance as the book continues, and oh what a ride it will take you on. This book is close to 800 pages but is worth reading everyone of them. The book moves you through space and time like no other I've read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M35D691PD5XL?ASIN=0316055441	sort of a shaggy dog story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written book requiring the reader to suspend disbelief on many accounts. Some call it Dickensian. I would say some of the characters are a direct rip off or to be more charitable a homage to Dickens.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35YUBK4NNGSTC?ASIN=0316055441	Well Written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You have to admire this author for this body of work--the character development, lenght and descriptons.  It did get slow at times but then it would take off in another direction and kept you guessing as to what would be the final outcome.  Very interesting!<br/><br/>Susie</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29MIDMP54J13Q?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can't put it down. Be sure to download, it's big and heavy. And compulsive reading.  I have it on my Kindle, the only way to go.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VIULXD3SPVD7?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch was hard to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written.  The writer took the reader on an exquisite journey of the character's life.  I am looking forward to another one of Tarti's novels.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IZABBPBY731P?ASIN=0316055441	Great Characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous characters, totally believable situations, well written.<br/>Going into the book I didn't know that ""The Goldfinch"" was a painting.<br/>I held off until I was finished to look at the painting online.....what a great<br/>story, very unique....loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZLOA8ZP49N1N?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is  so well constructed taking us through the life of a traumatized boy that I felt I watched him develop. I have never given this many stars that I recall but this is a special novel</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UE76HQ9RM8XR?ASIN=0316055441	New York review of Books	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">NYR- Review was too picky; sit back and enjoy the story. Need not be an imitation of Dickens to enjoy the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R124SYUFYNC3V0?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the time and some slow sections	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book will get you hooked. Although you will sometime wonder about the length and some slow sections, the overall story and setting are absolutely absorbing. Many compelling and well drawn characters. I really enjoyed it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EHM0A8C883NH?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked the end when Potter spoke of loving what was immortal (art work, the goldfinch), Theo Decker had a very interesting life. Good read. When I picked it, I couldn't drop it easily, until I finished it, interesting read from the beginning to the end. No disappointment at all, mostlikely that is why Amazon chose it as one of the best book in 2013.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBSUM2VHD0G37?ASIN=0316055441	Long, detailed passages about art and antiques	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As I was reading this book, I realized that I felt as if I were in a room of smokers. The main character leads a horrendous life. I kept waiting for something good to happen to him. Even though Hobie is a steady force for him, there is nothing joyful in their relationship.<br/>Tarrt goes into great detail about art and antiques. I skimmed those passages.<br/>This book was a long, depressing read for me. Others my find it fascinating.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JT5DXVY50ZAH?ASIN=0316055441	It's All In The Details ....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very disappointing read. After reading many reviews, it seemed like the story would be multifaceted and interesting. As I read the first part, it appeared to me that it must be ""the next part"" that caused all the stir of this book. Sadly, I felt that way all the way through. The story was so incredible detailed in every single aspect of what occurred that I finally started skimming over the mundane repetition. As another reviewer said, editing was needed. If you're looking for a book on symbolism, this would be the one for you as it is throughout the book; just don't read the very end as it rather sums up in, again, minute detail some of the symbolism.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TCA223EDK4Z1?ASIN=0316055441	troubling thoughtful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is filled with heavy ideas which may cause insight, regret and fear; truth at the base. This book is provocative.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VNQKC8MMGXQ3?ASIN=0316055441	Do not miss reading this one!;	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The is an outstanding well written book you do not want to put down. I would recommend it to anyone especially if you are in the social science field if study.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14HOXDRLSUZEH?ASIN=0316055441	Good Winter Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The intricacies of the plot were unique and the character development was believable. This was a very nice thoughtful read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L7PY2H8WZ9WB?ASIN=0316055441	luminous and complex	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book during a week of illness in early 2014 because this book appeared in a best of 2013 list. The cover was unimpressive so I normally wouldn't have picked it up, but it gave me hours of pleasure as my fevers raged and rain stormed against my window. thank you Donna Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BTRE6Q1ZOYPI?ASIN=0316055441	Needs editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I find myself looking to see how many pages are left before the ending, the content is tedious and boring.  This author's writing style does not suit me at all.  If you're a stickler for precise punctuation, you won't want to plow  through this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33K7SVMZZ4IH6?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful writing. A book that becomes a friend. An ending that wraps it all up yet lingers long after you've put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSSAKR68DEWO4?ASIN=0316055441	fascinating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautifully written tale of loss, struggle, love, the different faces of family.  Wonderful for anyone who loves the world of art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DC7ONEVJ9353?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely well written<br/>And well worth reading for anyone<br/>I really enjoyed the book and was glad I read it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XB6TZOIS1K6S?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best read of the last twelve months. Nothing as expected. Original work that keeps you from putting the book down</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P19OG0S3AZ2G?ASIN=0316055441	Extremely well-written, and very dark	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a word painting about a boy who lives through tragic circumstances and his consequent choices and the effects on his life as he grows into adulthood. I first experienced the book as a brilliant word painting, however I found the continued descriptive darkness wearing. At the end he has formed a philosophy of life based on what he has learned from his choices and experiences</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R65ZSVL56EHH?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't recall ever being so caught up within another's perception of ""reality"" as when reading THE GOLDFINCH.  The words sweep the reader along, ebbing and flowing, yet always containing a perceptible sense of direction, clarifying one's own vision of what might otherwise represent merely the mundane world of the everyday.  The precision of language, the extended sentences, the sequencing of images works magic in the mind's eye.  By the final pages, I found myself highlighting phrase after phrase as Theo's worldview became crystalized, both for him and for me.  Dostoevsky and Dickens, Tolstoy and Proust, all capture an emotional sense of time and place; Tartt goes one further, allowing the reader to inhabit both as if in a dream.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDTM4XY7CD6LL?ASIN=0316055441	great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">quick read and it keeps you going all the way nothing like you would expect evryone should like this book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZHMGBUL23WLG?ASIN=0316055441	A peek at another side...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writer leads me into the lives of a mom and son, and they are very ordinary dealing with issues as they come up.  Then there is an occurrence that changes their lives dramatically.  We are taken to places we have never been, meeting people that are sometimes funny, sometimes cruel while also getting to know the protagonist on his bizarre journey.  I went in and out of liking the main character, and all the time understanding his journey because his whole life is there for the reader to know.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N0S5E0SIBKHC?ASIN=0316055441	Not ending in darkness	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was hard to put down. The characters and plot were well conceived and fully developed, as well as believable. Deep and philosophical.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U7EKLCFMKM1C?ASIN=0316055441	interesting Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Parts of the story are really interesting but then it bogs down with to many wordy parts that become boring.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LQP1ACC5JN13?ASIN=0316055441	Surprise dislike	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Main character is self-absorbed, self- pitying and constantly skirting and delving into criminal enterprises.  So far from what I have read (about 2/3) this book doesn't go anywhere else.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QZUWYF68QWC3?ASIN=0316055441	Totally Engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For 750 pages, I remained mesmerized by this book. I could not guess what would happen next nor how it would end. The story has both depth and breadth. It is ugly in parts and beautiful in others. It is cruel, intelligent, frightening and loving. Not everyone' s cup of tea, for sure, but I recommend it to anyone who seriously loves to read and who is not afraid of a bumpy ride.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNU2YVJ24ENPT?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read and quite captivating. Lots of emotions that make you want to continue reading. Lost its way in the last chapters as the author tried to wrap it up</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WATQGP7ZT0N6?ASIN=0316055441	loved it but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the story but it just went on and on and on. The author writes so very well but seems to be so much in love with words, she couldn't stop. Which is what her editor then should have done. Too much information. Yes, the furniture making and restoring was interesting, to a point. The art lessons, the same. Too much repetition of the characters character. I got it. I loved the characters but I understood who they were a few hundred pages in. I did not need to be told again over and over  4-700 pages in. Toward the end, I just skimmed the pages, which I really didn't want to do but by then, it had become tedious.<br/>Would I recommend this book? Yes, but with the caveat, the author goes off on tangents that will tire you out and you'll end up wishing you had a better memory of it when, if, you finish it.  While I was reading it, I was recommending it to everyone. Now that I have finished it, I will have to tell them to read my review first. And also suggest that they read it on a reader, as I did. It must have been a real chore in hardcover.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZJOADGLZ9PLQ?ASIN=0316055441	Superb character development	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters came alive during the first few pages. And we kept meeting new people throughout the story of Theo's life. The story was mesmerizing and well written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZPR6X9YIOBTX?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is unusual by today's fiction standards.<br/>It holds your interest.<br/>The characters are people one would want to hang out with for a very short time.<br/>It is easy to put down some of the time but in other parts one must finish the scene so to speak.<br/>Potter is a very interesting character and his comings and goings often keep you guessing.<br/>I found it to be a very enjoyable book to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDKR3ZAT3PSU6?ASIN=0316055441	not that great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">All the rave reviews don't really get into how much the drug culture is stressed in this book. Tirade after tirade of words that are not necessary to move the plot. The young boy we feel empathy for when the explosion kills his mother turns out to be an adult crook and addict. He has become a troubled and no longer a likable character. Donna Tart pulls us in with her pages of prose that go everywhere and anywhere and lull us into believing we are reading a masterpiece in a way that the small painting of the goldfinch is a masterpiece. Note the true artist of the goldfinch had excited viewers' senses for hundreds of years with a small canvas and the skill of his art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V3KGFWFDGYIR?ASIN=0316055441	A little wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the plot, but felt the author used too many words in the story -- I found myself skimming much of the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IRIKNN6NS5EJ?ASIN=0316055441	I couldn't put it down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written.  Couldn't wait to see what would happen next--and when you thought nothing else could possibly happen--something else did.  A quick, exciting read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11LJEI9VWU86Q?ASIN=0316055441	Very good!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I almost gave it five stars as it was compelling and I couldn't put the book down. What made me give it four stars was the last few pages. The author rambled on and I found myself saying, ""Okay, I get your point, nuff said!"" I still highly recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NZMYTDYDL06W?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book and the characters. I gave it four stars because it was quite lengthy and super detailed that sometimes I found myself skimming pages and not really reading</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33QD4ZE1NP1XX?ASIN=0316055441	holiday read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Highly entertaining with many literary references to maintain your interest. Long but certainly never dull. Not an important work but an important author.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRZTCS88IJ2N9?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book could have been edited from it's very long length, but it was an absorbing and well crafted story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AOLL24CT7U5J?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am still reading Goldfinch and find myself compelled to read more every chance I get.  The book has caught me wanting to find out what is going to happen next.  I would certainly recommend it .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KYDCEFS9VIEQ?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing but oddly interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a very long book, not that I mnd that luxury but many drug scenes were too long and tedious.  The story line and characters were written so well you stayed with it altho you are anxious to leave many of the scenes feeling anxious and disgusted.<br/><br/>In spite of all that, it is a book I will remember.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROXR4G9KMF1L2?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wasn't completely hooked on this book from start to finish, but I did enjoy this book.  It's very well written, and the plot was unpredictable (a good thing).  Moreover, I thought the ending was going to wrap up in a certain way.  Instead, the novel changed course (for the better).<br/>Yes, the drug use is a bit much at times. But the book actually made me think (about life).  There aren't a lot of books that do that.<br/>Really quite an amazing novel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MON5STF6JBLL?ASIN=0316055441	I was hooked	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">from the very beginning. Was NOT expecting a certain turn of events. Loved that. Wasn't real crazy about the ending.........after a book as good as this, I felt the ending should have brought a LOT more than it did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MZC9NF1COZD6?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Totally absorbing. A Life, a Journey, experiences that fascinate.<br/>Donna Tartt has an exceptional command of words - it is a great read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1664E00NB6POK?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I never expected to walk down so many twisting roads and then walk back again. This book was an unusual and entertaining journey that had me turning page after page, wondering when it would end and hoping that it would not. Thank you Donna Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YG6WWI30RXO4?ASIN=0316055441	difficult but intriguing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sometimes difficult to follow but so worth while when done. Love Theo and Boris. And must. Find a way to actually see the goldfinch.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VUZDWW9I6V52?ASIN=0316055441	I was disappointed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was looking forward to reading this NY Times Bestseller.  The story was interesting, the writing was very good.  I felt I knew the characters but it was depressing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J6S6O60GU0D5?ASIN=0316055441	full of twists and turns	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Recommended for readers who enjoy well written stories, and happy endings. This book deserves the best seller listing that it has been on.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W24FB4YZGK3Y?ASIN=0316055441	Not Marcel Proust	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Part of  me wants to give this book a 5 star rating.  However, there are so many facets that didn't set well.  Too many drug related instances for example.  I think we could understand Theo just as well without the ""long drawn out "" bouts he had.  I enjoy good narrative description, but this isn't a Marcel Proust book.  I did think she captured a male  protagonist.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1784Q5075RYNY?ASIN=0316055441	Needed to make it's point sooner.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have a love/hate relationship with this book. I enjoyed the story and the writing was beautiful but I feel like it took too long to make it's point and I became bored with the story several times. This was a very slow read for me (it took me almost a month to get through this book). I think it's because this was more of something I had to make myself read instead of wanting to read. I actually fell asleep a few times while trying to read this and I wasn't even tired when I first sat down for my reading session.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROBKBRJ2R1DD4?ASIN=0316055441	"""Goldfinch"" is finished"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I skimmed alot to finish this 776 page book.  Would I read it again?  Yes but found a review that said exactly what i think of it...<br/><br/>Some sentences are clunky (suddenly and meanwhile abound), metaphors are repetitive (Theo's mother is compared to birds three times in 10 pages), and plot points are overly coincidental (as if inspired by TV), but there's a bewitching urgency to the narration that's impossible to resist. Theo is magnetic, perhaps because of his well-meaning criminality. The Goldfinch is a pleasure to read; with more economy to the brushstrokes, it might have been great. Agent: Amanda Urban, ICM. (Oct.<br/>22)<br/>I skimmed alot to finish this 776 page book?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WN8GE7KJUILP?ASIN=0316055441	I would add extra stars if I could	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am not a writer, so I can only review this with cliche phrases. ""Tour de force"" comes to mind, as well as ""deeply resonates"", ""beautifully written"" ""gorgeous use of language"" 'surprising plot twists"" ""original charachters"".<br/>I never wanted to leave the world of this book, although I had to put it down twice because of the intensity.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNT2O99ZE53IP?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've read all of Donna Tartt's books and because I am an artist and love the Dutch masters, I was really looking forward to this book. I loved it. Beautifully written and thought provoking. The Goldfinch is a satisfying read on many levels and should resonate with many different types of readers. I believe it's a classic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS9X80PHJAUPW?ASIN=0316055441	My favorite book in 2013	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. Great story, with highly interesting characters and unpredictable plot development. Add in superb writing, and it's a real winner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H3A5PGYZCI59?ASIN=0316055441	I see I am not the only one who thought of Dickens	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I see no particular reason to rehash the plot of The Goldfinch here. The Amazon description and those in other reviews are just fine. I only wanted to comment that as I was reading this book (which I absolutely loved ... though I agree with the comment about a bit too much philosophy in the last few pages) I kept thinking of David Copperfield and other Dickens books that I have enjoyed over the years. It has been many years since I read about David and his adventures and loves, but I will probably go back and revisit it before too long. Theo strikes me as David and Pippa as Agnes (if I have that right?) and there is a Mr. Micawber and a very convincing Uriah Heep, etc.<br/><br/>I just realized that this review can be off-putting if you were forced to read Dickens in high school and hated every moment of it. All I can say is that this is one terrific read from cover to cover and totally worth your time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I289124Y5NNW?ASIN=0316055441	A great read!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A coming of age novel but definitely the most gripping and interesting in this genre that I have read. It is long, but don't worry--you can't put it down! It will make quite a movie!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R134R1U5M3VLRT?ASIN=0316055441	Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A page turner.  She has a good way of keeping her audience waiting to know what will happen next.  Enjoyed..I</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T4MTF2I60S6P?ASIN=0316055441	Haunting story stays with you long after the book is done	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started this book with no previous knowledge of the plot or the author. Once I began, I couldn't stop. Completely consuming story, characters, and prose.  I went back and read some of the one star reviews and couldn't disagree more....the main complaint being too long winded?  I felt like the novel had a beautiful rhythm and flow.  Deep, palpable writing and memorable characters grab hold of you from the beginning and don't let go.  I didn't want it to end!  A great read.  Now that it's done, it's hard to imagine finding anything as good to follow this one. One of the best books I've read in a long time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WMANZSP7EI9S?ASIN=0316055441	Started out really well.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting and gripping  the first third of the book.  One had high hopes for this young man and orphan.  Deep glimpses into  art theft and drugs really turns one off for the last two thirds of the book.  Needed a stronger story line and better editing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VHTJUVEZX9BL?ASIN=0316055441	Great read by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written exciting book about the underground art world.  Fascinating with twists and turns every step of<br/>the way.  For anyone.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDLK388ON4HV6?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was very long and very sad throughout much of it. But the beautiful ending made it all worthwhile. It gave me such an appreciation of how art can touch our souls.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QH0AO0GXWMHV?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoying the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written, keeps you interested...the characters are believable, the development of the story keeps you wanting to find out what is going to happen.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O2AR7G6VSW95?ASIN=0316055441	A fascinating tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a fascinating tale of a youth, whose life was scarred by a devastating terrorist attack. His life thereon was defined by his loss (of a parent, his innocence, his view of the world). He goes through a series of almost conflicting events, gathering friends and experience as he goes, all the while connecting his life to a single painting of a goldfinch.<br/>At times the story seems a bit too extreme but it comes together wonderfully in the end. It was a bit too philosophical at the very end, although the protagonist's feelings and ideas may not have been otherwise so fully explained.<br/>I would definitely recommend it. It is a captivating book and one yearns to know how the writer will bring the story to completion</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IANTN6WE9X9T?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is complex and yet simple. Beautifully written but sometimes very long winded. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHKWRGL2Q9KG7?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book takes you in from the first sentence. The emotion in each descriptive sentence makes you feel that you are the subject. I could not put this book down until it was finished and then I felt sad that it was over. Great book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGT1FBMQ7HRH5?ASIN=0316055441	great then uninteresting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As others have stated so well, the first 2/3s of the book was very interesting and I wanted to keep reading and find out what was going to happen.  The last 1/3 felt like a different book and was just nonsensical at least to me.  Honestly, I skimmed the last few hundred pages waiting for the story to return.  It never did return to the style of the beginning of the book.  I was disappointed in the ending.  I guess I would say read it because the good outweighs the bad but be prepared for the switch in style.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CZJTXPBY0C55?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wonder if the painting in the book is real.<br/>Loved it from beginning to end and sorry to have it end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4VJU7QCQXVYW?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Writing is excellent. Also author really is excellent at being the boy, then young man then adult as this is written in the first person.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L8OPRDR8GQKW?ASIN=0316055441	super book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read...best ending I have read in a very long time. The characters were very well developed . Since their thoughts and feelings were described very well too, you really felt for them and understood why they did what they did. (Most of them anyway!) A book I want to read again and again.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R475LX91MMRFE?ASIN=0316055441	A long, but really good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great character development. The ending was a bit too tidy. Overall, this quite long book was a very good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R286KCSPD9BXX0?ASIN=0316055441	Unique	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book took me from one emotion to the next. I am only sorry that I did not find the ending to my liking. I won't reveal what happened but I would have written it differently.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMZCGLJ8FXO7W?ASIN=0316055441	Loads to like but some serious disappointments	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo is 13 and is about to have his life take a decided downturn resulting in the loss of almost everything important to him. His only friends will end up being a seriously drug addled Ukrainian boy (Boris) and Hobie; the kind, older gentleman that teaches him the finer points of antique furniture restoration.<br/><br/>When Theo's father comes to NY to finally clear out Theo and his mother's apartment Tart's goes on for several paragraphs describing the consumer goods right down to the brand names that all had struck Theo as so permanent until that very moment.<br/><br/>""How could the apartment have seemed so permanent and solid-looking when it was only a stage set, waiting to be struck and carried away by movers in uniform?""<br/><br/>Is it too long? Yes. But at least the pace is somewhat the same throughout. There is a consistency to Donna Tartt's focus on detail and obsession with explanations.<br/><br/>The writing flows well. While there are few memorable or magical phrases there are certainly plenty of well structured scenes with drama, emotion and dialogue all interwoven to near perfection. Similar to the scene above. In fact there are many many fantastic set ups and unexpected plot twists and plenty of drama.<br/><br/>I was caught up in the the emotions and almost total abandonement that Theo feels and describes on several occasions throughout the novel and the story itself felt new and original.<br/><br/>Unfortunately what felt like the developing of an Edgar Alan Poe inspired horror story ends up closer to an S.E. Hinton teen drama complete with some rather lame and superficial ""meaning of life"" observations from Theo that are meant to show his maturity but end up convincing me that he still has a long way to go. It felt like Donna Tartt were targeting a younger audience.<br/><br/>The book tails off badly in terms of plot and resolution as the journey of the 2 boys (now men) is a stretch buy into. The relationship with Hobie was ultimately unsatisfying to me and the fringes of romance that dance beautifully through much of novel seemed to dangle and lacking consistency to its build up.<br/><br/>My four stars is with reservations.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MDV6ULI734NG?ASIN=0316055441	You will need to suspend disbelief, but ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's prose is astounding, so astounding that it very hard to imagine that her main character (calling him a protagonist would be misleading) having written it.  The book pretends to be Theodore's memoir, which he composed from the journals he claims to have meticulously kept but that no mention of is made until the end of the book.  The Goldfinch is a great work of literary fiction and I am sure much will be written about it.  Though many reviewers here comment on the length of the book, it is densely packed.  As others have noted, at least on first reading the ending seems facile, and one Theodore's final comments distract from the complexity of the narration that precedes it.  That a drug addicted young adult could have written this book is impossible to believe, but this is fiction and if you can suspend disbelief it is a wonderful and worthwhile read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJWDD7GJLUJCK?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A riveting piece of fiction.  Wondered how onw person could have so much in-depth knowledge of so many topics!!  My only negative is that the time the protagonist spent with his father and wife was too lengthy and not as relevant to the ""plot."" for this reason I would probably award 4.5 stars.  However, Tartt is definitely in rare air as a gifted writer</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RL3Q2VXOYOW5?ASIN=0316055441	A Contemporary Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A modern-day Dickensian saga that is riveting, explosive and surprising. The protagonist's journey takes him through various locales, which seem like separate books within a book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31HAGDPKJJB3D?ASIN=0316055441	It grabs you as you go!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started out slowly for me but as I continued to read, it began to ""grab"" me.  I read more whenever I get a chance.  At this point I give it 4 stars but that rating will likely go up when I finish the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24RD3RV2KG2VS?ASIN=0316055441	A Rare Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have just started reading ""The Goldfinch""  but so far I can't seem to put it down.  That is very rare for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY9822WFY0MCZ?ASIN=0316055441	great start - hard to eng	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the start of the book is great, midway you are still captured, but after the mid point it seems to ramble, go off on tangents, and get very crazy, i was dissapointed with the ending, but actually couldnt wait for it to end.  For the best book of the year, i was disapointed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ97C5HT1IKUL?ASIN=0316055441	must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book was fabulous.  Never wanted to put it down.  It is also so well-written.  Author seemed to have knowledge of everylocation and subject in the book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RXP0MTDN4P2H?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Appreciated the story and believable events, issues, and most of all, emotions. While a bit heavy on the philosophical reflections, especially near the end of the book, the rather unique views expressed were interesting and intriguing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20BSR3PIACGG?ASIN=0316055441	A tough read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are really good parts and some not so good parts, but as a whole this is a very interesting character study and a book hard to put down because you area bsorbed and have to know what comes next.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TE2K4CSDDC1Q?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent story telling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing, excellent story telling, and rich, interesting characters make this a must read for anyone who loves fiction.  Fabulous!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H7UCQG6E2E2I?ASIN=0316055441	Modern day Dickens	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story.  Beautifully written. Sorry it had to end. The fact that the painting actually exists is quite a bonus.  I look forward to seeing it soon.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HU9TFRWW8GZH?ASIN=0316055441	Startling unexpected book ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story;  did drag a bit in the middle but picked up pace again ... intrigue, tragedy, abandonment,  love, insane characters ... this book will startle and grip you to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ROR9QM0JZF1V?ASIN=0316055441	Love this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a unique story of a young teenage boy who lost his Mother at 13.  The events of his life afterward are interesting, abnormal sad &amp; sometimes hilarious.  It spans into his adulthood &amp; a hard lived life.  The desciptions of the depth of his emotions are well portrayed.  I won't spoil it but it is an extremely well written book with a true to life character &amp; what he goes through. This is the kind of book I could read again.  I would definitely read anything from this author again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R169J3487OLIPL?ASIN=0316055441	Long book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It received really positive reviews but was OK in my opinion. Some critics found the writing cliched in parts. True, but I was oK with that. I found the story not extremely compelling for a 700 page long book. It is the ruminations and doings of a few drug addicts/alcoholics: presents an interesting view into the life of Manhattan's uber rich and antique dealers. The use of the Goldfinch painting as a device to connect the stories reminded me of the ""red violin"" movie; a bit contrived.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OUKZE7PDW8HD?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt Does it Again	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging, quick witted and truly a GREAT READ. Donna Tartt's prose is unsurpassed, as always, and you will not be able to put this one down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QZHQQPBOEDCR?ASIN=0316055441	A Gripping Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story starts out a bit slowly, but pulls you in so expertly you don't want to put it down. The characters do not follow the direction you expect making it a very interesting story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F32B9IHOAQBD?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a strange book, describing a lifestyle to which most of us from the smaller towns can hardly relate.  However, the moral of the story was finally portrayed in the last 5% of the book.  A very different kind of story!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKX2L6WVRAAOO?ASIN=0316055441	A book you won't want to stop reading.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is one of the most well-written books I have ever read. I didn't want it to end. It 's a must read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A1MCIB0R4WA5?ASIN=0316055441	Unbelievable!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The genius this authoress possess is. Something I have not experienced in a very long time. I have my spouse reading it and my two book clubs and their spouses too. We went to the Frick to,see the painting! They book is raising quite a stir!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RKZJYWNGJBAC?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The character development in this book is superb . Tartts descriptions are so vivid ,I can feel and smell the journey she takes the reader on. The build up to what must be an impending doom is brilliant. I am savouring the book!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QYFL3DHNZLIE?ASIN=0316055441	Like Dickens only less boring....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, writing, characters. Deep and yet entertaining. My only complaint is the over-long wrap-up internal monologue by Theo at the end. It felt needlessly explanatory.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AEDTC8HB1EES?ASIN=0316055441	excellent writing-too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just felt that the author could have condensed this book in half. You really feel you know the characters well</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ5HOL7JPTBA7?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book started out with great promise.  Unfortunately I found the main character un appealing and boring.  The author spent too much time describing his drug and alcohol abuse. Enough already</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GOWFN99UDSV3?ASIN=0316055441	One I put away for later	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't get into it, but will probably go back to it when out of better stories. Not too bad, but doesn't create the desire to turn the page.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TM518GEAODGH?ASIN=0316055441	Beaufifully written, but too ponderous, long and dark.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book started out with a bang, pulled me in and moved briskly, but midway through it bogged down and continued in its dreary way to the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LPFMF9KT09K4?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoroughly enjoyed this book, well written, it held my interest and couldn't put it down, loved the story of love, integrity and art.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN1PXETAQ0P9D?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt doesn't disappoint	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is long, but every page makes it worth the time. The story engages the reader from the start and winds through many twists and turns. As good as The Secret History, and better than The Little Friend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TGKE904D5L38?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting but too wordy!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first Tartt book I've read, and although it was enjoyable, I wont be reading another any time soon !  Interesting plot and character descriptions were excellent, but so much lengthy discourse that I didn't find relevant or particularly interesting has put me off recommending it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4MT5OSLF8QH1?ASIN=0316055441	awesome book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down. Was like watching a movie as I turned the pages, waiting for the next vivd scene to unfold.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GHXK6320C3XK?ASIN=0316055441	I am addicted to this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Let's just say I am going to be sorry to finish.  Theo is one of those characters you cannot bare to let go.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J9XJLUU54G5M?ASIN=0316055441	magnificent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Layers and levels of detail paint a fascinating tale with words. Such a wonderful adventure with people worth caring about.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J2HMMR2CY959?ASIN=0316055441	This was the novel I was craving	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A big thick meaty long modern post 9-11 novel journey of art,life,death, mystery,coming of age American and international adventure.can you tell I loved it?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BQIWEQDK5FTQ?ASIN=0316055441	Loved It	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From when I started reading could not put it down. I then went and bought the book as a Christmas present.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1407K5WON6Q0J?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a fascinating ride through the life of a young boy.  I haven't finished it yet, but it is compelling and very well written.  I usually don't like books that do a lot of descriptive narrative, but this is done so well, and has a true purpose that I can't stop reading.  I would have finished it by now, but my schedule doesn't give me much time to read, so I sneak it in when I can, I highly recommend the book to anyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B8H6A7DFEGLI?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful Prose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This would make an excellent Cohen Brothers movie: a sympathetic hero who seems a doomed soul<br/>but rises above it all with his strong affection and connection with his fellow beings. Please don't tell me<br/>there's an unhappy end, I'm not there yet.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VJGGKIIM4XPC?ASIN=0316055441	lots of food for thought hare	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the idea of the painting as a vehicle for the story<br/>Great read for a book club<br/>Probably need two or three sessions for discussion</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OIIOBYAPJNKU?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved it and I hated it.  My own experience of life is so removed  from this  characters  life that  it  was<br/>Hard for me to not want to 're write and make his life better.  It's only because I came to care for the character that the author so wonderfully created.  I suppose because<br/> I'm older and quite maternal I wanted to show him a better way and help him see that life can be quite wonderful.  But the book is wonderfully written, the characters all believable, and the story line constantly evolving - kept my interest to the end.  I'm glad it was 800 pages long as I would have been disappointed if it hadn't gone on and on as it did.  An amazing mind created this work.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHDMYPZK4H35N?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've ever read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very cerebral. A sweeping saga spanning the life and losses of a young man and the people he encounters on his journey growing up and into adulthood...  A very good book! The characters have so much depth and so many layers that each one could have had their own novel! The story was woven like a fine tapestry, created and nurtured along, when it ended I was left a little sad. It was really one of those books where you just want to see the character through to old age and beyond! I can recommend it to anyone who truly enjoys a saga, it's not a quick read by any means, so plan ahead to set time aside, because you won't be able to put this book down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E08IGBKTXVJ7?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful Madness	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved 'The Secret History' when I was a teenager, and I loved it when I reread it a few weeks ago.  Then I moved on to 'The Goldfinch'.  Unlike 'The Secret History', 'Goldfinch' is much baggier, a book as sprawling as the hideous empty outer suburbs of Los Vegas that its pages so powerfully describe.  At times I felt bemused, even bored, especially in the interminable early descriptions of Theo's adulthood in New York, his drug addiction and his uncertain love affairs.  Yet, as the book rattled on towards the last chapters, with all the long dialogues and even longer descriptions of drug taking, furniture repair, antiques, New York snobs, high art and finally violence and dissolution on a tremendous scale in Amsterdam, I found myself entranced again.  This is a book whose characters stay with you.  And that is what becomes obvious as the book progresses, and as one trundles past the intermittent circumlocution.  By the end one is breathlessly attached to especially Boris, whose early and painfully loving relationship to Theo in their teenage years is one of the highlights of the book.  Finally, the story ends with genuinely beautiful philosophical reflections on love, loss and human consciousness, even human destiny - such a brave thing to do in modern fiction, such a Dostoevskian thing to do - and it works!  I still think of Boris shooting up heroin and imparting his quite immense wisdom to Theo.  I still think of those mad drug fuelled teenage years that Theo and Boris burn through in such hopeless, raw brokenness that it has somehow become a thing of beauty in my mind.  I am immensely grateful to Tartt.  She took the cleverness of The Secret History into The Goldfinch, but this time created characters who, if not capable of redemption, at least make us thing it is possible, in all kinds of strange and muted ways.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FKLDYX8YHP8L?ASIN=0316055441	Pageturner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written and interesting book. The journey of a young man who loses his parents and is set out into the world in a very difficult manner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NVYGFRHXULHU?ASIN=0316055441	very interesting at every turn of page	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the story was a very human;real; for children in this day and age. The question always came up when reading: could this happen and the answer is yes. The child new how to survive and if you really talked to any child who survived WWII in Europe this child fits.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MYJSNV5KCTLN?ASIN=0316055441	A world class art lesson	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Her stream of consciousness describes a ""junky-alcoholic induced mind"" and its thought processes.  Brilliant!  What is art and why it is art is a unique discourse.  The book is full of surprises and twists--constantly amazes.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7RFRD00JSDBA?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful and compelling read.  I would recommend to book clubs and readers interested in art history it is a journey that makes one think</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R362V9XVF55TYJ?ASIN=0316055441	totally absorbing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I sped through this wonderful and beautifully written novel.  The character reminds me of Holden Caulfield, but I get to watch him grow up.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KLQWMFHAYI7T?ASIN=0316055441	A Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel offers everything—vivid characters, gorgeous writing, quick-paced narrative—while ultimately serving as an exquisite meditation on art.  It's a great work of art itself.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27P9TTSFGEQFA?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant, gripping, thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's third book is  contemporary in it's setting. At times the struggles of the.protaganist, as in her previous novels, are seemingly insurmountable. As always, her characters are drawn with immense depth &amp; understanding; they become part of one's life as the reader.. A complex story brought to life with quick, clear, vivid description. An extraordinary writer, I can only hope to be of this earth for her fourth.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS7BWHHEOOR1E?ASIN=0316055441	The Golfinch is a page turner of the first order	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This wonder ful book has so many twist and turns, and in the end you are left with wonder at the complexity of life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAACL9OB79PFO?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well done book about a boys journey after his mother's untimely death. Was skeptical about this but am happy I chose to read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBQ9VXMMLCT5A?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is engrossing and so interesting that you don't want it to end.  I want to know ....what next for these two fabulous characters.?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMYEM8MXVSHOO?ASIN=0316055441	loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">suspensful, meaningful and a great read!  From beginning to end it does not disappoint!  Close to 800 pages of sheer delight!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JO2CHXY16M8P?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written, but not beautiful...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt can truly write, and deserves all the aculates she has received following the publication of The Goldfinch.  However, if you are looking for an uplifting book, this is not it.  True to life for some poor souls it may be, but I would have preferred less melodrama and more personal growth among the primary characters.  So very well written, but just not my cup of tea...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KRKO6PG6WJFC?ASIN=0316055441	Very intense story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a very hard time putting this book down.  The story was incredibly complex and interesting to me.  I love the author's writing when describing the inner feelings and thoughts of the main character.  Her descriptions of all the characters in the story were outstanding.  Also this book has opened my eyes to early art.  I truly wanted the book to keep going and I'm still thinking about it days after I have finished.  I am a little disappointed in not knowing more details of the main character's life at the end of the book and some actions from the characters that were unexpected, but not enough to give it a lower rating.  Thanks to the author for writing this novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D7331126FSVK?ASIN=0316055441	I am still thinking about this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read the ebook version of The Goldfinch and I can imagine that the print version is heavy! That was a big book!<br/><br/>I think I can mention the plot here without giving away any spoilers; tween boy Theo loses his Mother in a terrorist bombing at an art gallery and in the process, gains a priceless painting. His life is then completely changed by this event.<br/><br/>The two things in this book that I love the most are the rich characters and the imagery. Sometimes when I read a book I get so involved in it that I take on the moods of the characters, and that was the case with me regarding Theo. His mental chaos and depression was so clearly drawn that I had to take a break from reading now and again and do some happy things to shake off the bad mood. And then we have Boris, who is in his own words ""a bit of this a bit of that"", not good, not evil, just very pure and earnest even when he is doing the worst things. My visual on Theo's appearance was a big vague but Boris, you can see him, you can even SMELL him, he is so visually rich. The relationship between Theo and Boris is the greatest ""bromance"" that I have ever read between two male characters without veering into homosexuality (you may argue with me on that, but I agree with Boris that some teenage indescretions are just a passing phase). The women in this book are the only characters who are more two dimensional, but I believe that was intentional as a representation of how Theo's relationships with women are hopelessly at arms length due to losing his mother at such a formative time in his life (they are either on a pedestal or drugged up floozies, no middle ground). I found it interesting that I did not notice until the end that the author is a woman; I had assumed that I was reading a male voice. I think it takes quite a bit of restraint for a flesh and blood woman to write a character of her own gender as flat and actually thats pretty brilliant. But the men... I mean even the dog (who's extended life span was a bit of artistic license in my opinion) had a rich personality! The tragedy in Theo's life made me cry for him, especially when he asks how he came to be a boy on his own with no one to love him.<br/><br/>And then we have the imagery and prose. Wow. It was stunning. It took me longer than usual to read this book because at so many points I had to stop and re-read passages because they were so beautiful. There were passages in there that I believe probably took days/weeks to write because they are so technically perfect. It amazes me that a person can be walking around with this kind of imagery in their brain and then it becomes this book. Incredible.<br/><br/>You can approach this book from two points of view. For pure entertainment value, the characters as I mentioned are fantastic, the story is tragic and well written and very visual. I believe someone will make a movie of this book, and thats too bad because I already know that it can't be done properly without alot of background narration that would become annoying. And casting Boris acurately, well, good luck with that! The suspense that Theo experiences making it his life's work to hide a painting is very good. The wacky Dan Brown-ish ending with the criminal underworld in Amsterdam was very good too. The plot has one lagging point, when Theo goes through his young adult drug phase in New York. I found myself getting impatient with this part, but in hindsight I think even the lag was intentional, as you need to feel the aimless fog that Theo was in at that point in his life. I agree with the review from Fan that there are some major errors regarding the timeline and existing technology, and for that reason and the lag I removed one star. I did notice a few little plot lines that veered off into nowhere towards the end (what happened to the coat?), and honestly if I was writing this book, I would do it too because I would just be tired! its huge!<br/><br/>The other way to approach it is to view it as an author's craft. And I think from a craft point of view, The Goldfinch earns it's applause as a modern classic. It was so, so well done. I would love to know more about how it was written, how long it took, and the research process. Stunning prose aside, there is a ton of factual knowledge in this book that would have taken years to research, such as foreign languages, furniture making, art history, and on and on.<br/><br/>As others have mentioned, this book ends with what is basically a manifesto about mortality, fate, morality and art that almost feels like it is separate from the book. It was a great way to end the book because it brings Theo's life struggle full circle and makes you think about the bigger picture. In that moment I realized that Theo and Boris are really representative of two different approachs to managing one's own mortality. I could go on, but I'll just say that you could create a university class around this book and write a really great thesis yourself!<br/><br/>So yes, read it, carve out some time, find yourself some happy activities between book segments :-) and be patient. You will love it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NF6ACVBTMR9Y?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best in recent memory	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. The prose is fantastic, sparking the imagination and making me feel like I know the characters and places intimately. As soon as you think you know where the story is leading it takes another completely unexpected twist. The main characters feel like real people, their flaws and qualities are the same as people around you. Even some of the experiences are the same as myself or those around me have been through.<br/>All in all this book is top notch!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSD1PRECXNCPE?ASIN=0316055441	Best Fiction  I've Read in a Long TIme	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">With its many twists and turns and fascinating, imaginative writing, this novel is worth the time it takes to read it.  The way the author gets into the head of Theo, the main character, is admirable. She captures the real feelings of loss that are known to those who have experienced it. towards the end, it can get a little long and convoluted, but that said, it is a richly written work and very enjoyable read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IIBJJ6PUYIEA?ASIN=0316055441	wow, what a story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love this intelligent writing and scope of where we go with this story.  I felt I was there.  Outstanding story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R145JECUG2O8SD?ASIN=0316055441	Phenomenal Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the top five books I have ever read. The plot is fascinating, though once in a rare while implausible, and engaging.  The characters are well-developed and the transitions from setting to time are seamless. It is quite a long book but I wish it were longer. Love, love, love this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NHO9V25Q759T?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long and extremely descriptive. A great read that really develops after an really slow start. Picked up steam and my interest as we went along.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLQMB06EEKNPA?ASIN=0316055441	Great storytelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story telling and modern day drama with an old fashioned feel.  Will be a timeless classic I think. Great.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P7VOT9VWV7PC?ASIN=0316055441	Great Reading but LONG	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great reading<br/><br/>Initially loved reading this very long novel and thought it was beautifully  written.  I could hardly wait to resume reading on my Kindle and would wake up at night just to continue reading.  However, by the time I finished (I was determined to finish) this book I  was exhausted and during the last few hundred pages, just wanted the book to end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW987OZ7JV2I8?ASIN=0316055441	A highlight of my 2013 reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't know this writer or anything about this novel but decided to read a trial chapter after seeing how many Best-of-2013 lists this title was included on. I found it massively enjoyable, full of narrative drive and a remarkable number of surprises. The language is luxurious and the characters seem vivid, complex and three-dimensional.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KSCG2L7UYRAT?ASIN=0316055441	enjoyable reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good tense read. Tart knows how to tell a story.  the theme of her book is actually based on an existing dutch picture, and for some readers this contributes to the realism of the story. Good escapism.<br/>On the other hand, it is as if the book didn't go through professional tough mercyless editing. too many unrelevant tiresome descriptions of nothing, which put you off. the writing has no particular genre, as anything goes. No interesting insights.<br/>But because after all the above said, I did enjoy the reading, so i gave it 4 stars.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EEZ4J0DLWSK2?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an awesome book that I not only didn't want to finish but couldn't put down. It is a very big book but worth the sore wrist</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R308O4R8AU9Q38?ASIN=0316055441	Human spirit story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch reflects a true human spirit story and how deep love for a parent can last a life time<br/><br/>Janet - Adelaide South Australia</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SRIYGEMMA20I?ASIN=0316055441	Draws you right in	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was intimidated to start a book this long.  Especially for a book club that meets once a month in the month I was planning my dd sweet sixteen.  Well I started it and found I really couldn't wait until I could go to bed to read more each night.  I was surprised how ""in it"" I felt.  Well written and interesting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19SJAI02HZYKE?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully woven tapestry of words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A truly enriching work of art, deeply descriptive passages moving between the shadows and light, a tale that may have you examining your own life more closely in terms of destiny, fate, love, travel, friendships and personal choices</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F0MZ7JO41R3X?ASIN=0316055441	Will be a classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book stays with you.  Although it's hard to put down, you want to stop and think about it.  I will think of this book for a long time to come and recommend to everyone I can.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O3Q5OWXRTGHU?ASIN=0316055441	compelling reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't want to put the book down.  The ending and conclusions reminiscent of the book of Ecclesiastes.<br/>Thought provoking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C70Y5PO2B0KC?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a talented author Donna Tartt is. Not the sort of book you can read in one sitting. It is long, but it doesn't matter, the story is compelling and you will want to finish it. A story about a boy and his mother and a famous painting. What happens when the boys mother is killed in an explosion, the boy is then sent to live with the family of his friend, then the consequences of keeping a secret and what happens when fate intervenes and his no good father shows up. Won't say any more, apart from the fact that I enjoyed this novel and will no doubt read it again at some stage.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NRRMFKJX743R?ASIN=0316055441	Captivated by the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this was an excellent read. The main character, Theo, was a beautifully flawed person. I felt the up's and down's with him as he went through life. The reason it's not a 5 star book was because there were times when I felt that the author went on about a certain topic with no real purpose. I know that's what defined the character but I found myself skipping pages.<br/>I would highly recommend reading this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ICYESYU5JUB0?ASIN=0316055441	What a great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it difficult to put down, wondering what was going to happen next.  New York City scenes were so true to life...I know those places!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P3A2S6C3FDV6?ASIN=0316055441	Read this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Defying categories, The Goldfinch is one of the most interesting books you will ever read. Family histories and psychologies, criminal doings, insights into the American urban and suburban landscape, it touches upon all these and more in a captivating story that will keep your interest well after you are done reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DWGSEPSAE93H?ASIN=0316055441	very good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long book. Be sure to carefully read the beginning, or you'll be wondering ""where is this going?"" soon on.<br/>It's long and the end is a bit ummm let's see .... Too deep for me! But a good story that may make us meet in an art gallery some day~maybe.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B0UXANZGXKBV?ASIN=0316055441	An extraordinary experience	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A lot of novels are worth reading. This one is worth reading again and again and again. Philosophy, art, story, all done equally interestingly. What's not to love?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCYX0KBEQHQQN?ASIN=0316055441	Magical Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Be prepared to be transported to a world in which you will be completely immersed. As I read, the texture and characters felt so familiar like the characters I enjoyed as a twenty-something with titles like Bright Lights, Big City (McInerney) and Less Than Zero (Ellis) - yet fresh and current and moving right along with me in to forty-something.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UELBPMRZ0ZJB?ASIN=0316055441	long but worth it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is work the over 700 page read. It's got heart and grit. You'll find yourself enjoying each character.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GHM9KBJUV6YG?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful novel filled with mystery and wisdom.  I could start from the beginning and read it again.  Kudos to Donna Tartt</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SBQR942VOM1I?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A complicated and fascinating tale. Tartt's depictions of young boys (The Secret History) are wonderful, and the tale is both unusual and believable as the protagonist weaves his way from an explosion at The Metropolitan Museum where his mother dies to Las Vegas with a profligate father and his girlfriend to the home of an eccentric furniture maker and antiquarian. Each character in the story is fully developed, from Pippa, the young girl who was also in the explosion to Boris the wild friend in Las Vegas. It's easy to get impatient from time to time with the drawn out scenes, but perseverance with reward the reader with an unforgettable journey through New York, rich and edgy, to Nevada and back to New York. Overall a truly wonderful book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBDEDB12C50PM?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such an interesting read.. I look forward to reading it every night! Donna Tartt is an excellent writer, I cannot wait to read more. This book is beautiful, ugly, heart wrenching and uplifting all at once. I love it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9NVZ5WGKJZNB?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book surprised me, drew me in and kept me there unexpectedly. I love the character and scene development -- truly great. The unrelenting heaviness of our protagonist's experience of life brought me around to aching for a bit of redemption later in the book... but it came, and in an unexpected and terrific way. So it was worth it. The very last, philosophical meandering section of the book is quite skip-able. Otherwise, this is excellent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2279VT8UBMSK7?ASIN=0316055441	Holden Caulfield steals rare painting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a great story, told by a very Holden Caulfield-esque character.  I loved the story, but was very tired of going through all that angst - on every topic, and at every turn of the page.  But then - without the angst - it would have been a very short story!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22PAN97X7V3Y4?ASIN=0316055441	Ok story, average writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing was average.  The characters were ok but not terribly interesting.  The author's perspective on life was quickly summarized in the final pages. The pacing seems off:  a bit slow in the beginning, laborious in the middle when he lives with his father in Vegas, then a whirlwind when he's in Europe.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROEQ4G8A64EEY?ASIN=0316055441	good yarn- too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the ""story"" and the protagonist of this  book- a modern day Holden Caufield. the plot was engaging and the characters surprisingly real despite their eccentricities. But I felt the book was too long by about 200 pages making it nearly impossible to get through. There were unnecessary adventures that didn't strengthen the main plot. However it was one of the few books I read recently that I felt told a story and for that I recommend it highly.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFHU424LAMOZA?ASIN=0316055441	Good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good characters<br/>Story very good<br/>Good story ending 2 quick<br/>for length of character development<br/>Great descriptions of NYC and the antique world</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3APCS7PD3ESG6?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to Keep Interested	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much detail that you loose what is happening in the story. I had a hard time keeping track of what was really happening and was disappointed in the ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R204FC24I4VA91?ASIN=0316055441	Extraordinary book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is very well written.  The characters are compelling, and the plot is tightly constructed.  The ending is a surprise, but works well.  At moments, I found this book depressing (a little like reading a Russian novel), but overall, it affirms life and art.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22K6WBH9QOSZV?ASIN=0316055441	Very intense	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those books that slowly pulls you in and you cannot stop reading.  Kept reading to see where it all ends.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NWW2S9SGOJ6?ASIN=0316055441	Long, but worth reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book has very beautifully written passages - the description of the painting in such detail, the symbolism of the captive bird. I found the Las Vegas period unnecessarily long and indulgent with respect to the drug usage.  After I finished the book, I was motivated to look up the painting because I wasn't familiar with it. To tell you the truth, I was somewhat disappointed. I remember looking up The Girl with the Pearl Earring after reading the novel by the same name and being fascinated by the painting. I could never have been inspired by this painting to the degree that Donna Tartt was.  I did like the final coming of age of the main character.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GVOU3LV4DWEA?ASIN=0316055441	A good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a sad story for a kid growing up. I don't like the drug usage or the sad ending. It was interesting.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA0TI5KRATVAU?ASIN=0316055441	i loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I devoured this huge volume in a week, I could not put it down. A little wordy in places, but I loved the characters and the dialogue, especially Boris' broken English. I could hear him in my head!  Much like a classic movie where you miss certain lines or parts, I'm going to start over and re-read this book just to drink in the characters and details.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VI4DE4Z429WE?ASIN=0316055441	Ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book was a long read for me and I usually breeze through books. I was very disappointed with the ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B9RV9D2CAD4H?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't stop reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very well written, theres a realism to the characters that enables the reader to be right there with them and empathize with them, I couldn't stop reading after the first 100 pages or so, the storyline is exciting and engaging, there's always more drama right around the corner, the reason I only gave it 4 out of 5, was there are times when the story meanders and slows abit, also an overall depressing feel, and the last points the author makes seem a little vague, I should probably go back and read the last chapter.to get a better feel for the message(s)</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R341SEKRQL1IB8?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This elegently written story about a boy, a painting and trying to make it through life after the death of his mother is nothing short of remarkable.  I felt like I was reading a classic as soon as I began.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X7U5PTN5759D?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had heard this was a good book and I have to say that it kept me intrigued the whole time.  Completely unexpected plot and very interesting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL8JYZZDDAXO?ASIN=0316055441	completely draws you into every page and every character	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very long book you wish would never end.  Well, written, lots of detail yet never drags you down, just keeps you aware and right there with the characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y79BJWUT28LH?ASIN=0316055441	Extraordinary Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This tale reminds me a bit of ""Catcher In The Rye"". It is a long narrative of a boy moving through a series of traumas into manhood. As long as it is, it was difficult to put it down. And the secondary character Boris is a delight.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26ASPDHP29ITG?ASIN=0316055441	Very interesting book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, I truly enjoyed, could not put it down, it takes you along.<br/><br/>I also enjoyed the Kindle.  Thanks.<br/><br/>E.Sosa</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YB1KGHBTP2H9?ASIN=0316055441	Book Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the book because it reads like poetry and kept my interest.  very fine writer.  I didn't give it 4 or more stars simply because it's a very dark story and drugs run rampant throughout it - just too depressing for me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J0E0EUP06NJO?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is well written, tells a great story, and has strong characters, but above all it makes you one with the main character, his thoughts, emotions, and actions. It's been a while since a book made me feel like I was in a character's mind and body looking out as Donna Tartt's novel did. I highly recommend it, it's not always an easy ready or a page turner, but it will crawl under your skin and make it hard to put down until the very last page.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT69XNAV3O2F6?ASIN=0316055441	Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Maybe I'm shallow because I found some passages long and wordy and boring.  Interesting story and interesting characters.  Not a favorite book for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R250SPBV4WW6KU?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch Flies High	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great plot with believable twists and excellent character development. I would give this a five star if it had been edited down by 100 pages. In particular, lengthy descriptions of nightmares were tedious and unnecessary after just a few entries. Descriptions of Las Vegas life, New York City society and the underbelly of drug culture in the city were illuminating.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFWBJWI1R6917?ASIN=0316055441	Wife enjoyed it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have not read it yet, but my wife loved it, she recommended this book to her sister and friends.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSH8XCDNIBSFI?ASIN=0316055441	Good bookclub choice!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read this as part of a Library book club ""assignment"": probably would not have selected it on my own (not my usual genre), but actually enjoyed it. Would definitely recommend it to another reader!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BIF2C0Q3QEBW?ASIN=0316055441	Another page tuner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good read, Boris is a great character,some parts need to speed read. Ending is a bit too philosophical.  worth the time to read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38SPPVCEB257T?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing Story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved every minute of this book - it was a great read that moved very quickly. Great art and city details!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8ATJIIQJSLI9?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the character study	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found this character study fascinating. Usually think editing is necessary on something this long, but did mot really in this case</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I8VBWK86AV53?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a great book, I really enjoyed reading it and except for a few parts that seemed to drag on, the story really kept my attention and interest.  Donna Tartt is a great story teller, she really developed the characters in this novel. I really felt that I was experiencing the events personally.  One of the best books I have read in a long time and I would definitely recommend it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GWZ72QQLKQDJ?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch - Good story but it is about 300 pages too long. interesting, complex plot with a wide assortment of characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP3B6YZUYRA7U?ASIN=0316055441	A very intriguing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was captivated.  After I read it I gave it to my husband to read.  At first he wasn't sure if he would like it.  I told him to ""keep reading for a while.""  He did, and then he as ""hooked.""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQW6TP3XFY071?ASIN=0316055441	Very good book, beautifully written with the best descriptive phrases I've read in a long time BUT ----	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is very good.  As my son (a movie director and writer) said, ""It is so refreshing to read something that is acturally literary"".  The idea is ingenious and believeable.  The main characters are well defined and one feels she acturally ""knows"" them.  However the main character is almost too wise for a boy his age and continues to be well versed in classics and life when he didn't have the education for it.  His friend was too much to believe -- give me a break -- living all over the world, huge houses and cars, many languages and contacts.  The drug use was over the top and I cannot believe (having been on a board of a substance abuse organization) that those kids could have functioned imbibing what they did.<br/>That said, it's prose almost reads like poetry at times and the character development (although flawed) is exceedly well done.  You feel sorry for the boy -- up to a point and then think ""Why not just leave the picture at the door of the Met, or at a police station, or a gallery and be done with it?""<br/>I would recommend it to a ""reader"", mature but mention my misgivings.  Most young people would tire of it and find it hard to believe his moral dilemma.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XU3E9U6QQY09?ASIN=0316055441	Can't put it down!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A real page-turner. The characters are interesting and absorbing and the story is engrossing. I would recommend this book to everyone.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXW8HPVY88WZ6?ASIN=0316055441	Rich Chsracters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tarrt did an amazing job of creating rich characters that were engaging on all levels.  The chemistry between Theo and Boris was beautifully developed and intense, and I found Boris's dialogue so well-written that he seemed especially real, even in his almost surreal intensity.  I wanted to give this 5 stars, but the end of the story became a rather tedious philosophical soliloquy on art and goodness that found me skimming and racing to the end, not knowing whether I should be ashamed of myself for being shallow, or justifiably irritated.  In all, though, a beautifully written story that held me to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36YKMPLLMJX6H?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a great book!  Donna Tartt is such a great writer.  This story reminds me of Salinger's ""Catcher in the Rye"".<br/>I am not finished reading the book but I can't stop thinking about the characters all through my day.  This book was recommended to me by a friend.  I have already recommended it to all the people I know that love a great story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JVNU0Y6HS4UT?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book was extremely well written.  However, it was tedious to read because of all the many episodes of drug overdose which basically were repeats.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7SZEB3OZZNJ2?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch. A Definite Re-Read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling characters made this beautifully written novel almost impossible to put down. I wanted to finish  it ..but didn't want it to end.Holdginch</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V1XMXC317MB2?ASIN=0316055441	A Must Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">absolutely wonderful. Best read in a long time. Really makes you think about what is important in life. couldn't put it down</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY4TD8ZCOWY90?ASIN=0316055441	Don't miss this one!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is brilliant from start to finish! I listened with audibles and the narration is fantastic and really adds to the experience.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYQUP1XXQ2U7B?ASIN=0316055441	Well worth the effort	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this was a really well-written book...for the first 600 or so pages. Then it takes a turn and I found myself frustrated. It is well worth the effort however. Donna Tartt beautifully captures the environments her characters inhabit- both the physical and emotional territories. She covers a lot of ground and the reader is transported. This book will stay with me for a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28X32LY3QQFDC?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it with a stuggle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disturbing how I didn't want it to end yet sometimes had to put it down because I struggled with content and characters- loved it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SOWRK10YEJ0?ASIN=0316055441	An Engaging Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best thing that I can say about any book is that it stuck with me.  This book is stuck, probably for a very long time.<br/>The characters and their environments are very well developed.  I wanted to stay in the little antique shop forever and I couldn't wait to leave Vegas.<br/>This is a short review, but the book is not.  It will take you on a good, long ride which you'll remember for even longer.  Read it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JA25TNCF9HTH?ASIN=0316055441	You won't want to put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Taft has done it again.  Her characters seem so real. Better than The Secret History. You won't be disappointed.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQUCZEZSRZE4?ASIN=0316055441	An Extraordinary Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is such a well written story.  In an extraordinary manner, It covers of lot of territory of a young man growing up. I needed to resort to my dictionary a number of times, which to me is a plus. It is unusually descriptive of a piece of art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R369GY5VF6P8CG?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing but captivating.  I would recommend it solely because it gives great insight into the teenage mind. Not sure it was the best I've read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35NDT08M5TTLU?ASIN=0316055441	Won't let you go	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Literary and complicated. Makes me think  of Russian classics I love. It sucks you in and won't let you go.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKFCCV7KMAC1V?ASIN=0316055441	A Rare Contemporary Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a work of art...impossible to skim...every word paints a masterpiece of storytelling. From the first page to the last, there are dizzying plot twists and turns, characters to etch in memory, and language that soars.<br/><br/>Lucille Gang Shulklapper</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AOMLYG4ZAXLP?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing story. Beautifully fluid writing. Very compelling.  I got involved in the narrative immediately. It literally started with a bang, and the main character had many relatable qualities.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7X954HMDS3DC?ASIN=0316055441	Characters are like friends	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a great novel. There is sadness and tragedy, but well worth the read since the charcaters are so well portrayed. I was drawn into the plot immediately and found that whenever I had a free moment I ran back to the book. Even the dog was charming. The ending was not quite what I expected, but the book is outstanding. Magical characters!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS3BW3XIZG4KL?ASIN=0316055441	Too lonf	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I Started off really liking it but I felt it dragged on. It could have been shorter and less wordy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TFX80MIB0GTG?ASIN=0316055441	Great contemporary fiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the start, I couldn't put this down. Compelling and unpredictable, The Goldfinch is a story to lose oneself in.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TYFRYJMXMUR0?ASIN=0316055441	A page-turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Everything about this book is brilliant; the very clever plot, the characters (with very different backgrounds), the descriptions of different parts of the world - NY, Vegas, Amsterdam - and discussions of life in the 21st century.  It didn't end exactly as I would have liked but then maybe that's a good thing! Donna Tartt did not go for the easy option.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H83T1D0XLZK8?ASIN=0316055441	Genius	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't praise this book highly enough. It was magical, engrossing, exquisitely crafted and richly layered, like a master painting itself. The characters were as beautifully rendered as the plot. On the whole, a work of sheer excellence.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FYMLJZIC3VRZ?ASIN=0316055441	Languid, easy-to-read writing but shaky plot line	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing was very fluid and it felt very natural to read it, as if I was seeing thoughts being expressed in their raw form. However, the plot itself was a little too long and a little too weak for me to give it a full five stars.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM7Z5WZCJWCNH?ASIN=0316055441	A Goldfinch in all of our lives!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting read giving not only insight in human nature but also providing hours of quality relaxation.<br/>Enjoyed it and would recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T72ZSJP8F1Q3?ASIN=0316055441	An excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully written, bleak at times, but a great examination of the human condition, with an absorbing story line that explores the relationship of art and beauty. Tartt is a talent. I could not stop once I started.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UPZR0M0403J1?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt is back!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After loving The Secret History and sorry to say hating My Little Friend, I'm so glad that The Goldfinch was again a winner!  Read it for book club for April.  Thought I better get on it as I'm a slow reader.  Boris stole the show, but Theo and Hobie were great characters too.  I need to have some time now to digest and think about it and then maybe read a few reviews.  Never boring and when I say ""I can't go to bed yet, I'm at a really good part in my book"" then it is a great read as I love to go to bed!  I wonder what Updike would have had to say about this one?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ER3SNA31I1FW?ASIN=0316055441	Here's a story that will stay with you!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This adventure will take you places you will not be able to predict. It's beautifully written with great descriptions. Some parts are not happy ones, but it's enough to keep you reading. The payoff is worth it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NNLRGLA1CPPT?ASIN=0316055441	Good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the variety of characters from different socio-economic backgrounds.  The very real issue of a teen without a custodial parent in the picture was interesting to follow.  Definitely a 5 star if the final 1/8 of the book would not have become rambling.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IHT1SB95P1G6?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book held my attention from page 1.  Theo was easy to feel for and root for.  There are some sections that are a little slow going but for the most part it is a page turner</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YZ5W6Y9E5NMW?ASIN=0316055441	A really fun read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A sad story in many ways but a love of art,beauty, and friendship that keeps you reading. I found it to be really pleasureable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JFX2V90XUVIX?ASIN=0316055441	What A Story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book kept me glued for days on end.  Fabulously written, the author took me on a journey I never saw coming and in the end I found myself re-reading the last few pages and inhaling each word as if it were my final breaths of air.  Bravo Donna Tartt!!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIO9VXTU9NYH?ASIN=0316055441	Fast read-unexpected ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters were quite colorful, and in my case, like my family.  The twist at the end was well worth the read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EUXSCG0EVLTV?ASIN=0316055441	Very good for the first 600 pages or so, then starts to drag	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this based on amazon recommendation .... I really liked it for the most part, except the last 100 pages seemed to drag for me, and I was not satisfied with the ending.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GEW2ZBVZ5LY7?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging Fun	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's engaging. I can't put it down!  Makes me feel like a thirteen-year-old boy instead of a sixty plus woman.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12F6XK5FARW97?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning of the book is action packed.  It really draws you in, but the last half of the book was very philosophical with the meaning unclear.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PAUS41N0V8LI?ASIN=0316055441	Page Turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really held your attention!  A great study of human nature and personalities.  Very thought provoking.  Made me want to run out and purchase the painting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MEJL1BYO9YH0?ASIN=0316055441	WOW, WOW, WOW, WOW,WOW,--you really only have to say it ONCE!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story--""coming of age"" I love those. Covered all 7 deadly sins and more. I love those,too. It was probably one of the best books I have read in some time. Now, the big expect--sometimes I felt myself saying, come on, come on! Lovely prose and characterization, but how many and in how many different ways to you have to say it. An uncarriedaway editor would have helped.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6B2SP9CB9AH?ASIN=0316055441	This is not a marathon	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The premise of the book got me to read it, and  to read it and to read it.  It is long- too long in my opinion.<br/><br/>I started to become annoyed with the repetition and the style of parts of the book.  I certainly did not enjoy the ""lecture"" at the end of the book.  I also agree with other readers who pointed out a dead zone starting about 93% of the Kindle edition.  Having been warned, I was ready for a reversal but not for a spoiler ending.<br/><br/>Having gotten the negative feelings in front of my review, I will say that parts of this novel were thoroughly absorbing.  I appreciated the development of the main character's intellect, his coming of age, and his coming to terms with the meaning of this painting and its relevance to his life.  It was staggering at times to appreciate what he was going through and how he ultimately survived each turn in his ""life"".  There are recent books of biography that capture this same level of dysfunction and unusual life-altering events.  The impact of this painting to other characters in the book is no less wrenching in detail and emotion.<br/><br/>For me, I want a book that I am loathe to put down.  A book that transports me into another life, another point of view, a different set of thoughts, events or landscape.  I literally got tired and had to put the book down.<br/><br/>Plan to set enough time aside to fully absorb and appreciate this book.  I did, but wish that about 1/4-1/3 of it had been edited out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G5SXMIPM2AJC?ASIN=0316055441	CHOCK FULL OF STORIES	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel was like 10 books in one!  There were so many plot lines that could have been fleshed out into individual books!  I thought it was interesting that instead, the author chose to give an overall account of how one event can shape someone's life for years to come.  The descriptions were vivid, the characters believable (though not always likeable!).  I was exhausted when I finished reading the book - - but in a good way.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CTNCE5CJ3PTN?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the novel and its rich characters. Art is a mystery to me but I know it profoundly affects many lives. The young man suffered loss but hung on to a constant belief that there was a reason to save the picture.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1STSEVWTWSYT?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is Amaizing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't put the book down.  The Characters grab me and i want to see what happens next. The child has to make adult decisions so i'm rooting for him. Alas, his choices aren't always the best.  Have to read on, sorry no dinner tonight!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12H8AW3EW08I2?ASIN=0316055441	Must read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful  writing. Memorable characters. Moving message about life and art and beauty. Unforgettable.  Finished at 6am this morning. A good kind of tired.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33IYRM6E7DLY8?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch was a hard read for me....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't really say I would recommend this to anyone in particular.  Even though, at the end, I liked it; it was very dark, oppressive.  I kept reading hoping something good would happen.  The last few pages were worth it.  I read it because it was on the best selling list, and I love goldfinches.....odd I know, but live and learn.......</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT1N3HRWRV90H?ASIN=0316055441	do read it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extraordinary writer--vivid but after awhile tedious; I almost did not finish.  I have many highlights and passages I would like to return to.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NZ1CQ5N54K4T?ASIN=0316055441	A Well-written and Intelligent Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It has an intricate and compelling plot supported by some relatively weighty philosophical questions. I recommend this novel and will probably consider reading others by Donna Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K57BAKB8M6V?ASIN=0316055441	A great but flawed read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a beautifully written book. The words are so beautiful you want to cry. The descriptions of people and their twitches are brilliantly observed. But suddenly in the middle of the book it stutters. It feels like a cheap novel. Remarkably the author catches the fumble and returns to her theme with gusto.<br/><br/>Well worth the read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4UUL48ECXCY2?ASIN=0316055441	Wow.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I very rarely give anything 5 stars-I would give it six if I could.  Although it was a bit tedious through the Vegas years, every word was worth it to get to the meat of the story.  The last 100 pages were absolutely incredible.  I may write more after it sinks in, but I would suggest that you put down whatever it is you are reading right now and open this book.  Just wow.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15Y75OVV6RROZ?ASIN=0316055441	Life changing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This coming of age novel is so much more than that. it explores what memories we make, hold on to, cherish. it also asks big questions and ends with the conclusion that it is ok to not know all the answers. I read the whole thing in a weekend. I recommend it to anyone who has ever suffered a loss, been lost or wishes they could get lost in a piece of writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29IMRQGMYNZMY?ASIN=0316055441	Worth reading....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best book I have read in a long time and I read quite a bit.  Story line very interesting and beautifully written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39DPAKS0GFQ5M?ASIN=0316055441	I Liked It!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has received rave reviews, and I believe they are well deserved.  My only slightly critical observation is that the book probably could have been a bit shorter.  However, other than that, I thought it was excellent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMDN5DTZRZKGA?ASIN=0316055441	very good but long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down!  Had some of everything, mystery, intrigue, heart, romance, sympathy for the less fortunate!  I would recommend this book.  The end analogy and the purpose of art in our lives was quite good also!  Very unique book and we'll written with good descriptive passages</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FREMP1N1OVY1?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the story and the characters. Although not all lovable, they seemed real. Tartt is an accomplished storyteller. It's the story of survival for a young teenage boy whose whole world changes in the blink of an eye. It held my interest from beginning to end.  I hated to have it end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17KIO07NAYMHY?ASIN=0316055441	O.K. Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book seemed to go on a long time. The story was rather implausible to me. A good vacation read if you like art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3WSDGL2HSUXG?ASIN=0316055441	Flew me away	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">L really thought this book was an  excellent read. It was somewhat hard to believe that a child like Theo spoke with such advanced language, but none the less it was an adventure going thru his life with all the ups and downs. Not to mention all the characters he met.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K6LRMDG7DWVY?ASIN=0316055441	A sprawling novel of great heart and complexity	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While visiting a museum a 13-year old boy survives a terrorist explosion that kills his mother.  In the confusion and chaos of the moment he escapes with a priceless painting. Thus is set in motion the events of this long and winding tale.  All of life's great concerns are examined: tragedy, pain, grief and suffering; but also love, friendship, art and the arc of history.  I initially was going to subtract a star because the book might have benefited from some editing; but in the final analysis I believe it was necessary to describe events hour-by-hour, sometimes even minute-by-minute to really understand the heart and soul of the main character. This book affected me intellectually and emotionally in ways that very few novels have achieved in recent years.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YBL9QIJUPHO1?ASIN=0316055441	Penchant for Losers	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Author Tartt stuffs many cultural references in her books about beautiful losers. Theo/""Potter"" (one of several Harry Potter allusions including the outright stealing of ""The Mirror of Eristed"" from ""the Socerer's Stone) is a charming teen vacillating between sweet orphan and reclusive rebel until he sees what a jerk his found dad really is, causing him to become just like him. The story jumps ahead 12 years and Theo has only become more of a jerk. The descriptive drug passages seem so authentic I trust they are the result of an outside researcher. Tartt's earlier ""Secret History"" also follows a bunch of entitled losers who end up as murderous sociopaths. The many cultural references in both books remind me of Brett  Easton Ellis's ""American Psycho' and the fetished use of fashion cataloging. I sense a link of all these novels back to Ellis's ""Less Than Zero"" as the path postmodern literature has pursued. We link rich, self-centered sociopaths to a vision of how our celebrity-sodded culture will be in the future for everyone.- no moral here..</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLHINW16OPHEC?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, fascinating and thought-provoking.  Could have had a few less pages but was well worth the read.  Underscores the plight of the unprotected child.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18D7PY7DK40GL?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch rocks!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome! A page turner! I would recommend this doing of age book to anyone.<br/>This boy needed saving. Where did he find it? Loved the line about art letting<br/>us communicate through centuries.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SPNZI0C601C2?ASIN=0316055441	Intrigue	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing story line with Theo &amp; painting. You have to know what will happen to both of them.  Very in depth.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G6YR9ROMNCE0?ASIN=0316055441	Too long and drawn out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot is unusual and could be engrossing, but this thing is just too long, twisting and drawn out for me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EAQ4A4HK18KZ?ASIN=0316055441	Ironies	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Magnificently written. Interesting plot line . kept my interest and extremely we'll researched. The descriptive dialogue was so well done that I could envision each scene especially The Goldfinch . I would love to see it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R314VIGQR3HBXC?ASIN=0316055441	First was Holden Caulfield	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">.....now we have Theo and Boris on a wonderful romp in deserted suburban Vegas and NYC.  Along the way we meet some well-defined characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4HTPWMJXEFAY?ASIN=0316055441	very good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It really kept me page turning.  Sometimes a little wordy,but a lot of twists and turns as you go through the life of Theo Decker. From losing his mother as a teen to his adventures as a young adult.  It is riveting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26WGRIK5A38G3?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Has moments of tension that engage the reader but is generally overwritten and overrated. Tartt often uses language that has a surface appeal but, on close reading, simply makes no sense. I suppose that is an attempt to create "" literature"" but sacrifices plain meaning and good story-telling.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSNZN1B3BTT28?ASIN=0316055441	Probably too early	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't finished this book yet, but so far (I'm about 1/3 of the way through), I find it engrossing and beautifully written.  I needed something to read while recovering from knee replacement, and this book was just the ticket.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PHAWGVERELGZ?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book well written. Contemporary yet timeless.  Kept me in suspense throughout.  Characters well developed and unique.  A real find.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33W1WGBFYRM98?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the first chapter on, I kept thinking I knew what was going to happen next. Nearly every time I was wrong, and it was awesome.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUV6TB6ALSCZF?ASIN=0316055441	Drugs, Art, and Theft	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is wonderful where you care about the characters, learn about art and furniture restoration.  There are parts that become long-winded.  The resolution is somewhat unexpected.  A really good read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RORRQQ65ETDD1?ASIN=0316055441	Good Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book, slow at times but I had to finish it to see what happened.  Interesting story line....different.  Long book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E4Y8ZWDH21MB?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's, The Goldfinch has to be one of the most intelligent, articulate novels I have ever read. It's almost five books in one. The characters are outstanding &amp; I feel like I'm standing right in the middle of all that is going on. Fascinating story line was no boring sides. I have told several friends that this book is a real jewel. Thank you</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39H0ILM7JKAEN?ASIN=0316055441	A must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is honestly one of the best books I have ever read. The main character is reminiscent of Holden Caulfield, of Catcher in the Rye, in his search for himself in his complicated world. The character and plot development are brilliant.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPF9RYP6SNZ9S?ASIN=0316055441	The ending made the torturous length worth it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating tale with an ending that really moved me.  I think it's a bit lengthy and wordy in spots and could use better editing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPS5CXAJHE4P1?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am still reading the book, but do not want to finish it! I have verbally recommended this already many times.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IFMA44K4AZZR?ASIN=0316055441	A book to lose yourself in	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">'The Goldfinch' is one of those rare books that draws you in, then takes over your life until you reach the end. Not always a pleasant book -- so much sadness, madness and terror -- but the reader comes to care so much for the protagonist and his sadly twisted view of life and death that one feels almost relieved when the novel ends. And yet, the story is so strong that I could have continued reading for many more hours or days. I will recommend this book to all my reading friends.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWR1EC356YLR9?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put this book down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An addicting combo of Art History, murder mystery, memoir, intrigue and self analysis. Boris and Theo are quite a team. Funny, scary, insightful, a great way to start 2014.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32PTI8CNX86S8?ASIN=0316055441	Starts well but has an unsatisfactory middle and ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I agree with other reviewers who say this book is well-written.  The descriptions are good, the characters fleshed-out, and, at first,  it is easy to identify with the main character and be swept along with the plot.  But then the drugs start, and the depression, and more drugs, and more depression and the reader can no longer identify with the main character (unless you are a depressed drug-addict).  So, this great strong character who was making decisions and doing things suddenly just becomes a loser about 1/3 through the book. I thought he'd recover so I kept reading and reading but it just got worse and worse...more drugs, alcohol, swindling people, obsessing over a girl he can't have and staying with a girl who's fake and cheats on him.  It could have been so much better!  He could have solved his drug problems, got rid of the cheating girlfriend, fixed all his wrongs, or even do some jail time,  But no, he ended up a character I would never want to know, or read about it.  I did give this book 3 stars for the good writing . . . and take away those last two stars for turning the main character into such rotten person.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ENTEZWY7TEM1?ASIN=0316055441	Well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One the most well written books I've ever read. Excellent character development. But a tragic story. Wish it had ended better.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ELX9SL6VGWTW?ASIN=0316055441	GOLDFINCH WAS A GOOD READ.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WHEN I STARTEDE THIS BOOK IT WAS BECAUSE AMAZON WAS TOUTING IT AS ONE OF THE BETTER BOOKS OF 2013.<br/>AMAZON PROVED RIGHT. THIS WAS ALMOST AN EPIC THRILLER.<br/>IT WAS A INTERESTING STORY AND IT DID DEVELOPE THE LEADING CHARACTERS THOROUGHLY. THE BOOK HELD TO BEING A THRILLER OF SORTS, AND I FOUND THE CHARACTERS QUITE REAL. IF YOU WANT THE STORY LINE YOU WILL HAVE TO READ ""GOLDFINCH.<br/>I AM AN ARTIST SO THE FACT THAT A PAINTING PLAYS AN IMPORTANT PART TO THIS STORY OF INTRIGUE MADE IT A DEMANDING READ.<br/>GOLDFINCH IS THE NAME OF THE PAINTING, AND I AM NOT GIVING ANYTHING AWAY BY POINTING THIS OUT.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R246VUXBDRGDM8?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am glad I read Goldfinch and that it is having such a rise in the number of visitors to see the actual painting as in Girl with the Pearl Earring did.  The life style of one so young was discomforting, however I had to keep reading to see what happened.  Donna Tartt's style was impressive and I would like to read another of her works.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAG7CUPLE8GH1?ASIN=0316055441	Too much, too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so looking forward to reading The Goldfinch especially after I had seen the painting at the Frick Gallery in NY just a few weeks ago.  There was too much detail, I wanted to skip over pages and it was just too long.  I believe that Donna Tartt could have conveyed the same message is she had used less works and descriptions. However, I think it would make a good discussion book for a book club if the members could get through it and not give up and read the ending before having suffered through the middle.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZDAYNHPNYO75?ASIN=0316055441	A must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As an avid reader, this is a story I will never forget. I had to stay up until I finished it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M1QI5EVKPHWY?ASIN=0316055441	What a ride.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved, loved, loved this book.  Fascinating people, wonderful descriptions  of places and characters.  I learned much about furniture and antiques and New York.  Twists and turns kept me hanging.  I thought about it for days and reread portions.  My best book of 2013.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3935UJJJVKIVS?ASIN=0316055441	Unforgettable !!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best book I have read in ages-couldn't put it down.  The writing style of Donna Tartt captivates you immediately, and the reader is drawn into a story that has so many twists and turns that you cannot guess what happens next.  I highly recommend this book-just didn't want it to end!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM0ZJJ14Y57QK?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most fascinating books I've read in a long time.  So many twists and turns and interwoven plots  -  ups and downs.  Absolutely loved ""Boris"".  Book was both sad and funny.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT62O4Z6JSNOW?ASIN=0316055441	hard to put down....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, at times rambling, but Theo is as an addictive character (ironically!) that I've had the pleasure of coming across. The Goldfinch will  make you laugh, cry, get furious at, and love at the same times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZC4BZG5BK8A2?ASIN=0316055441	Different and Absorbing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The  characters were well-drawn, interesting and varies.  The story of the missing art did not dominate the story,  although you were reminded of it  almost incidentally throughout the book but after finishing it, realized how important it was.  A very interesting book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RAX7VZGU30YZ?ASIN=0316055441	good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good mystery.  Kind of long and round about, but if you like to think and talk about art you'll like this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AWHE2UBOFARP?ASIN=0316055441	Eh...it kept you reading for the most part but....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was a little disappointed after all the hype.  It was just OK for me...i was hoping for a more bang of an ending with more twist and turns. It started out with lots of promise but i felt the moments with Welty before his death could have been put to better use to make a better ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R153DARDL4LYCC?ASIN=0316055441	Very engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There was a bit too much detail at times but overall it was a very engaging and interesting and a bit surprising read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R410XOKKFT8V6?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">really good story that rambled on at the end interesting symbology to the bird, being a captured being and life</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A16QN52WSB68?ASIN=0316055441	How the picture of a goldfinch played into the life of a thirteen-year-old boy.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing story of a young boy's life after so many losses.  The start in a museum and the small picture of a goldfinch and how it affected the rest of his life.  It was difficult to put down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U7HZ8CH15GDK?ASIN=0316055441	compelling story telling-but in need of tougher editor. Overly long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very compelling story telling. Needed some editing-about 75 pages too long-all of the excess is  over long discriptions of something or other, and way too much ""rain"" -even in N.Y. there are nice sunny days.<br/>A meaningful conclusion about the nature of ""immortality"" and human endeavers--but a long time getting there.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11ERF135NV4HS?ASIN=0316055441	A good story but way too wordy!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't get me wrong, the story itself and the characters were quite captivating. But, the author was a bit over the top with her descriptive language and towards the end I had to skim through a lot of unnecessary rambling to get through it.<br/><br/>This book could have been written with half the words but in spite of that, I still enjoyed it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LNYO0A33G6KR?ASIN=0316055441	It's a long ride, but worth the trip	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Always nice to be able to recommend something that an author has worked so diligently at and acheived very good results. By the time the reader finishes The Goldfinch, the characters described in the novel are fully fleshed, and you have a clear picture of each one from inside out.<br/><br/>In a way The Goldfinch is like reading Tolstoy or Dickins or Hardy, in that so many character studies are presented here with such detail, humor and flair. The language and style of the novel is interesting throughout and presents human nature from interesting perspectives and you feel that you are in the room with the characters throughout much of the story.<br/><br/>All in all, a great book to read like several short stories pieced together into one big novel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EXBDDX2RZVOR?ASIN=0316055441	An artful book with twist & turns that keeps you reading.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriging, well written, with many twists &amp; turns that kept me always curious.  Not completely satisfied with the ending but really a well written book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ODJIQGH4UV6W?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As with a lot of literary fiction, it took me awhile to get into this one. It was SO WORTH THE WAIT. To really ""get"" it, you have to read the whole thing, but I can honestly say this is now one of my favorite books. It's the only book I've ever read that made me cry -- not because of something that happened, but because of what it said about love, life, and art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RYP301WFCBGH?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch saga	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved and was  enraptured by this story.  it is so unlike any thing I ever read. at times the story dragged a little too much but once your hooked, your hooked. it still deserve 5 stars. it was amazing that a woman wrote this deep tale with all the violence.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GQGSWJWJTWV9?ASIN=0316055441	better than tom wolfe	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the book is long long and long. also beyond fantastic. the writer is brilliant and shows an understanding of multiple contemporary worlds all of which collide and coalesce at time. but what is really special about the book is how much empathy  the reader has for all of the very damaged and imperfect characters in the novel. this is so rare and refreshing in a cynical world. thanks you donna</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VQOZZNRFPGBR?ASIN=0316055441	Powerful book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me a few weeks and I often was exhausted from the graphic content but so glad I stuck with the journey of Theo's life. I'll miss him.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22NPQJXQOUC71?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is hard to feel to lose a Mother and have to face the insecurity of a bastard worthless Father .  I am very blessed with my parents  The life for survival is hard for me to digest.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R135KO59WGRVG2?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderful who-dun-it tale with interesting writing style.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written in an older style that takes a few chapters to get used to.  Left a few issues unresolved but wanting more is a hallmark of a good book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AAV2R4AC63R5?ASIN=0316055441	Stays with you	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Every now and then a book comes along that stays with me long after the last page has been turned. This is such a book. I am haunted by the characters who have come to settle vividly in my brain and will not leave. The author did a phenomenal job of juxtaposition of time, location and circumstance and how our past, present and futures collide. An interesting study in fate with beautiful intertwining of historical facts of concrete timeless beauty along with stark modern reality of the way the world works today...and the choices we make...or are made for us.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32DZTWMVPX4V3?ASIN=0316055441	A page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a story that pulled me in and kept me reading late at night. It is an important novel, sweeping in its reach and I am glad I read it. That said, it's not perfect. Tartt never really fleshed out the characters even though there was way too much detail in many cases. I never really believed I was seeing the world through a 13 year old Theo. The conclusion of the book was sophomoric in its philosophy, e.g. ""Life is short and then we die."" The book is overly long. I would give it 3.5 stars if I could but it is still worth reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IDE1B63ZNEJS?ASIN=0316055441	GOLDFINCH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lots of worlds I could not experience any other way and still live. I do not agree with for the most part , but value the philosophical angle and the amazing visual metaphors presented at the books ending. Worth the read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TTNQTYZ2EW9R?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt does it again!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Only about half way through, but loving every minute. Donna Tartt is an amazing writer. I recommend The Little Friend as well.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H1OWOQJS3VHJ?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The drama of this coming-of-age novel hinges on the theft of a magnificent work of art, and how it corrosively ruins the protagonist's life.  It is page-turningly addictive reading; I resented all things that got in the way of tearing through the book - life wasn't as compelling as this.  As in Tartt's ""A Secret History"", (or Dostoevsky for that matter), life changes utterly in the aftermath of the critical moment, the choice to commit the crime.<br/>To whom I would recommend it - anyone who wonders, 'what is art for, what good? what appeal, what compelling hold'?<br/>The description of The Goldfinch painting itself is reason enough to read the book for anyone who has looked at a painting and<br/>wished to themselves to possess the talent to have produced it, or to possess the thing itself, or wondered what it is that can so transport us to our higher selves.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJNHXLZTIZC1Q?ASIN=0316055441	Great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A rare experience finding fiction that I can not put down. Great character portrayals. Learned more about drugs than I wanted to know</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI86PLE90HXNU?ASIN=0316055441	Liked it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Definitely a book I have recommended.  I have followed this author and read her other books, and although it takes a while for her books to emerge it is well worth it. I would rate this as a 5 except for something towards the end.  Writing is superb and I paused many times to reread passages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C717KNNV36AV?ASIN=0316055441	Highly recommend this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read. Couldn't put it down and still think about Theo and the path his life took! Wish it never ended.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38Y4I75JKMTMW?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was disturbing.  There were parts I really liked.Too much drugs.  Theo as a real person couldn't  have  survived all he went through.  He was crazy and a big drug addict.  Boris was a sterio typed dark character who also wouldn't have survived all his drugs and crime.  I did finish the book, but it was hard to read some parts.  It was written fairly well, but it wasn't an easy book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFBFXNYGB290I?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting and suspenseful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Begining with a powerful bang (literally), the main character goes through some very tough times, which I found hard to read about.  Very suspenseful at the end, which made the book worth reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q3JSTKT6WJO?ASIN=0316055441	A Super Story -- well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book.  Couldn't put it down.  Recommend it highly.  I found parts of the book too wordy but it didn't deter me from staying up to read it.  Most enjoyable!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11GDSKKF1IWO8?ASIN=0316055441	Mixed Feelings	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book, although I got bogged down toward the end. I quit reading for several days before picking it up again to finish it. It's an interesting premise, but for me, it was a bit overdone.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25TV3LAT1N5K0?ASIN=0316055441	Delightful read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The confusion and poignancy of the ""lost child"" make this a must read. An intricately detailed plot, richly drawn characters and expertly detailed locales combine to provide a read that is satisfying on all levels.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RGA8HBGVVLX6?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought it was a little long and some parts were hard to read.  I guess since the subject was high most of the time his thoughts in the book would be complicated.  Overall I liked the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RPA3ASRKCPAC?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've read in recent years!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is hard to put this book down. From its unique story line to the author's excellent writing skills, this is a book I just don't warn to end.  Everyone to whom I've recommended this book feels the same way.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10SZNAF6HP0ED?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed all of it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written......wonderful characters......a real pleasure to read.  Very long, but kept me eager to reach the next page.  I would definitely recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10JF44DTK6VVS?ASIN=0316055441	Better then awsome!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I downloaded this to my kindle device, now I'm sorry. It's the kind of story that begs to be read in print. It's so good that I would probably not loan it out, even to good friends!<br/>The story has a rich quality to it, the detail is seamless. I can hardly stop reading it. I keep comparing Theo to ""Pip"" from Charles Dickens "" Great Expectations"". Completely different! But, unforgettable in the same way and for different reasons. One of the best books I've read in years!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18XHYXUEQGFYT?ASIN=0316055441	A gripping story with many twists and turns!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found myself cheering for Theo to get his life together and overcome the obstacles that continued to present themselves!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDESN1KAURQOJ?ASIN=0316055441	for the fiction fan, a must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A journey of sorts through many years starting on a fateful day in a museum. From that the moment the writer takes us through a labyrinth of intrigue pulling us further into the life of Theodore Decker.<br/><br/>All the while we assume to know the plot, but it does indeed thicken.  A Great read, put it at the top of the ""list""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R42GVQPHILGR7?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoy the ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really can't add much.  All I can say is that this was my ""morphine lollipop"" for a few weeks.  I loved every minute detail of every 700+ pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX9JRCFLC2R9G?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters are beautifully drawn.  I didn't want the story to end, that's how invested I was in the main character.  A wonderful piece of writing and storytelling.  A must read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS68KIVZJD7QA?ASIN=0316055441	I love this big, long book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is my new favorite book. Kindle recommendations are sometimes so young and this is a grown-up book with human feelings expressed in a revelent way.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38DE267L01NPF?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch - Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was disappointed when I finally finished The Goldfinch, and for all the best reasons. This book made me laugh out loud, sigh,  and also deeply resonated with me. The narration of Theo is nothing less than brilliant. He is witty and funny, but he ultimately understands that in the end we are all alone in this world, a fact made clear to him by his personal loss he experiences in the beginning of the story. Due to these unfortunate events, he is plagued with sadness and loneliness. Theo's character is in direct contract to his gleeful Russian sidekick Boris, a character who jumps off the page.  If you happen to know any Russians he is even funnier - Tartt is spot on. There are so many great quotes in this book and the story is so intricate that I would have to dedicate a long time writing a review that does justice to this novel (which I don't have!) The Goldfinch doesn't flinch from the sometimes miserable and ultimately lonely parts of the human condition, but Tartt is able to transcend this plight and turn it into something beautiful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QE9PL5HRQZG8?ASIN=0316055441	Quite a journey!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tarrt asks many profound questions about life, death and the impact of art. While I cannot imagine the trauma of being a victim of a terrorist attack, I can imagine how life would be horribly altered by the death of a parent. Her lead character has many flaws and, honestly, it was hard to like such a self-destructive person. He seems morally bereft and plays too much into the dark energy of being a victim.  Yet, the story was compelling and kept me engaged throughout this lengthy book.  Is there a piece of art that changes your perception of life? Fascinating to contemplate.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32F6M7XDTMFV7?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it hard to put this down once I started, and by the end it had me in tears.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GHPFMUBXEYQP?ASIN=0316055441	finished the best book I read this year on the last day of the year :)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love this book.  I've been a huge fan of Tartt since ""the Secret History"".<br/><br/>(And there are a couple other contenders for best book this year.)</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HKEYURXSO26X?ASIN=0316055441	Lengthy, but suspenseful and engaging (for the most part)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cannot come up with words in a review to do this book justice. I was concerned if a suspenseful and lengthy art theft premise would keep me engaged for 775 pages; and it did (for the most part)l through the storyline of Theo's life. While there were parts towards the first third of the book that we're boring to read and get through, I'm glad I stuck it out as the ending paid off.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G8SIAEDV02KZ?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling read, but slight fizzle on the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It seemed, much like many long novels, that this one ran out of steam at about the last eighth or so. Great character development with some good emotional tugs throughout, but somehow the end of the story just left me flat. I'd still recommend it highly.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CQID89H3CPOT?ASIN=0316055441	Wow... still savoring it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have to admit I had a hard time getting into it at first, and when I was reading the part where Theo’s mom kept on running commentary on the pieces in the museum, I thought to myself, “what have I started reading and how many pages left?” Well, this was a very rare occasion where I’m glad I’m one of those who have a very hard time giving up on a book once opened.<br/><br/>The prose is wicked marvelous, and the structure and the flow of the story so tight, it made me wishing it had gone on another few hundred pages, the feeling which a book of this size, almost 800 pages, doesn’t elicit from me very often.<br/><br/>I finished it 4 days ago, and still haven’t picked up another book, or couldn’t pick up another book, still digesting and savoring it. My favorite book this year.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37XCPTBHSM64D?ASIN=0316055441	Secrets	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Following Theo's life in The Goldfinch reveals an isolation and sadness that plagues his existence after his mother's death.  Almost unbelievably he escapes or is saved by someone---first by his friend Andy's family, then Hobie, kind, generous, understanding.  Most of all, his life is linked to that of Boris, a kindred spirit who is also lost and  neglected. They manage to remain connected by their joint secret ---the goldfinch.<br/>  Donna Tartt's writing really appealed to me: witty, smart, and also sentimental. Fully in tune with her teenaged protagonist. Definitely worth reading</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G2KHNNEXAYX9?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting twists and turns in a dark childhood. Loved all the characters especially Hobie, he reminds me of someone I have known. I studied art in college and that was what brought me to read The Goldfinch.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10B7M3G5WAN4S?ASIN=0316055441	Extraordinary!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a brilliant examination of the pain in life. But, rather than a swan song dive into nihilism (where I've found too many novels to go), the ending suggests that the pain coexists with meaning which transcends time. Loved this book, loved the ending - and I can't thank Donna Tartt enough for her amazing writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRNCFEHP2AA03?ASIN=0316055441	Well worth the wait!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing story, characters who will remain in your life forever, and that familiar voice we've been waiting to hear again for far too many years.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZBFYVJ209QR2?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent story line	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters came alive on the pages, and the plot was inventive.  The depiction of artwork that becomes part of the soul was special. The addictions became a little tiresome, but overall an entertaining book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYWI1LJ653A5V?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like my title best book. I read a lot and every once in a while a book comes along  that I cannot wait to get back to and this is definitely one. A must read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QEPMA235935B?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, excellent story, kept me enthralled. Donna Tartt  has done it again.  You become submerged in the characters and cannot put the book down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21Z2UEQ70BY4D?ASIN=0316055441	a life changing event	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the story of a boy who looses everything and must find his way to adulthood more or less alone.  Great prose, loved reading this bood</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N3OHWNOTO96U?ASIN=0316055441	Best book of the year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved her first novel A Secret History but did not like her followup. It was too long and bloated. With this book she has redeemed herself. Despite its length I found it a compulsively readable book that I know will stay with me long after the last word is read. Do not miss this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U09RFGWH6UEW?ASIN=0316055441	Can't go wrong	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You can't go wrong with Ms. Tartt another literary star from the Deep South.  I've read all her stuff and after reading this one would like to go back to the others.  Great and satisfying read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RDMY33UOQPIP?ASIN=0316055441	A Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has all the qualities I look for in a novel, strongly realized characters struggling to survive and thrive traumas not of their own making , a compelling story line, and both esthetic and moral value.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16WP1RVM26EZ2?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was very intriguing and had the quality to make you want to keep reading, hard to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TTOM74BV2U8N?ASIN=0316055441	A Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Yay - my 60th book for the year! Engaging, compelling, fascinating. Very much looking forward to reading Tartt's other books.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D9RDE5T3HY01?ASIN=0316055441	A Compelling Read.  The Goldfinch increased my sense of empathy.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Complex character development.  Rich relationships spun out over time. Triggers empathy for characters who you might not usually feel empathetic toward.  Raises complex ethical questions, and poses unusual analysis of why characters do what they do.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21JYPCZIJ7RS6?ASIN=0316055441	Intrigue, despair, and existential questions	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story and several fascinating characters.  The characters' young lives of drug and alcohol abuse is, thankfully, not in my realm of experience, but living with the characters was an incredible eye-opener of a lifestyle I know exists. Some of the narration dragged, but the monotony and seemingly mindless narration left me feeling much like the drugged characters so the author accomplished what she wanted!  And the last third of the book was so intense that I couldn't put it down. A great story that poses some deep philosophical issues</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TZPDACP4HHEU?ASIN=0316055441	A  Coming of Age Story with a twist.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved it and I hated it, but I kept reading.  The grief of losing his mother and  the taking of the Goldfinch are the themes that run through the story.  The theft of the painting affects the path that his life takes.  The cavalier neglect that his father gives him and the path he takes with his friend into drug use is reprehensible.  I couldn't put it down, I was very glad when I finished it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KC73Q9Z67JFY?ASIN=0316055441	Descriptive writting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was way to ""descriptive"".  I started to ""give it up"" several times, but stuck with it and did like the last chapter.<br/>I am not a writer or a professional critic, but thought verse after verse was over written.  I can see if a reader is really into<br/>""descriptive writing"" they might appreciate this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31DDKWFQ8ZF0Y?ASIN=0316055441	A roller coaster life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo experiences several transformations in his life. At the age of 13 he is orphaned by a bomb blast at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art but comes into possession of the painting of the goldfinch. Life is fairly stable as he is befriended by the wealthy family of a school friend. Life takes a downturn when his father removes him to Las Vegas. Theo saves himself from his life of crime and drugs there and returns to New York. He is befriended by an antique restorer and learns the business. He is engaged to marry the school friend's sister and become a respectable member of upperclass New York. Boris from the bad days in Nevada appears and spirits him to Amsterdam. This time Boris comes through and provides a way for the goldfinch painting to be returned to the museum, along with many other stolen art works. Theo has righted this wrong and spends time buying back forged antiques which he had sold as originals. Presumably Theo now has righted the wrongs he has committed and can spend time being a whole person.<br/><br/>The novel is long, about three or four books' length. It is suspenseful and morally questioning. The hero does become honest in the end. We know he would but he still needs to heal his emotional hurts to find happiness. Will he or is this too trite a solution?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WA924OXZA6QE?ASIN=0316055441	Turning point.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is about turning points. It's a very complete, well written story about the soul of a man, from the moment his life change in a single second, to the moment meaning is found in a very surprising way. Wonderful prose and entertaining characters that let you enjoy a very unenjoyable chain of events. Life is full of turning points. This book can be one of yours.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R524BE9O9PIZ0?ASIN=0316055441	really a great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it was  amost interestin read  but  a little too long.  Sh e could have shortened it a bit. wonderful writer</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6X5BIRDK7JS?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book extremely and unnecessarily long and at times boring.  The writing is beautiful in that she very artfully paints word pictures that make you able to see what she describes.  But the story repeats itself too much and I fell asleep during it several times.  She is not an Author I would read again.  Three stars is really more than she deserves but writing ability is the only place she shines so I gave them to her.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VNGDGZXHWJVT?ASIN=0316055441	Life-Changing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Anyone who has ever seriously contemplated the ""meaning of life"" should read this book.  If one has never thus contemplated, this book will lead one to do so - or should.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QZVXWFEGF1TD?ASIN=0316055441	Strage story with many twists	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story is very strange and sad, but very interesting.  The main character in the book has so many issues from PTSD to substance abuse, but still you want to keep reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CWIDWQ1I2Y28?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderful  read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book. Did not want to stop reading,  and could not wait to read what happened next. Mysterious and exciting from start to finish!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R84Q50714HV4O?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I LOVE this book. Great story, amazing character development. Grabs the reader from the very first page. Have recommended it to many people.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1REAKHI70V9M8?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story was so unique, imaginative and riveting I just kept reading it. I applaud the writer for such creativity.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R261NOJVCXBZ3A?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful Book...........Really makes you think about life!  New appreciation for art!! Thank you!  Donna Tartt is a tremendous writer and will continue to read her books!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D874I407PJZ6?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tarrt manages to convey a powerful message that gives hope amidst the randomness of life.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tarry conveys a powerful message that allows hope to exist in the midst of chaos.  An unforgettable work of art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTVV9WPNGH6Z0?ASIN=0316055441	An amazing read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fantastic story, told well. I haven't enjoyed a book this much all year! Great insights into modern day NYC, socialites, Russian mafia, drugs, and being a messed up kid.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4EES4G9ZWBU3?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the perfect vacation read.  A thinking person's thriller, though I would not recommend it for everyone.  More conservative readers may be offended by certain situations/themes.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C2JD3I09KKDF?ASIN=0316055441	Long Wait - but worth it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best book I've read in a while; I couldn't put it down; read it in a matter of days.<br/><br/>We've waited a long time since Secret History for another great book by Donna Tartt, and the wait is over. Many times throughout the book I thought certain parts seemed to go on forever, but then something would happen and on to the next ""adventure.""  The descriptions are thorough, which is why parts seemed to go on forever.  Most really good books I read I want to last forever; I want a sequel to find out what happens later.  I did not feel that with The Goldfinch.  When the book ended it ended for me too.  I was sated; the story played out.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ETL55M1C1KBS?ASIN=0316055441	What a gift!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I envy anyone who is picking this book up for the first time.  This is, bar none, one of the most incredibly written stories I've ever read.  Ms. Tartt's use of the English language and clearly the love of words is astonishing.  The only book I can actually compare it to is James Clavell's Shogun.  A treat and a total pleasure to read every single sentence.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ODZIX9ZKLROC?ASIN=0316055441	Better than expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""The Goldfinch"" is a great book. It is so very well written with many quotable phrases that support the story -""It is a glory and a priviledge to love what Death doesn't touch.""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S58D5ZMEZ1NP?ASIN=0316055441	Best book of the decade	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I expect to read this decade. A real find. I am recommending it to every thinking person I know.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HPPC5SLP7S6S?ASIN=0316055441	fab read- couldn't put it down.  Great character portrayals,  a book with depth-haunting- a wonderful psychological study of	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">people from all walks of life- replete with many themes ranging from art's influence on all of us to the many different kinds of love</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21OQAPWDCAHEU?ASIN=0316055441	good writing always triumphs	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book.  The plot was a bit contrived toward the end, but this is a book that I would recommend again and again.  May this<br/>author  produce many more books, as really skilled storytelling is an art that seems to be fading!!!<br/><br/>Two thumbs up...a great reading experience!<br/><br/>Francey Malone</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R449BS8TPXILZ?ASIN=0316055441	Extraordinary	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have never read a book like this one. The word novel<br/> can't express its depth and resonance. Written with immense skill and propelled from within with a despairing love for beauty and being.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FHYVJ1G1SJZL?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt has a wonderfully descriptive writing style.  Characters are will developed. The Goldfinch definitely has a very dark side interspersed with a lighter on-going innocent love affair.  Human suffering around death, drugs, and post-traumatic syndrome<br/>are lifted by an old soul with genuine kindness and deep caring for preserving the craftsmanship of masters from the ages.<br/>One is inspired to appreciate the grandness and need for preservation of the arts. Great for book club discussion groups!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTW9Q5MUTO6BP?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful tale. A bit too wordy for me but beautifully lyrical. The characters are so vivid you can touch them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RAN4KUGFXJDP?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful Book and a terrific narrator	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was my first Donna Tartt novel and I plan to read her other novels.<br/>I loved the The Goldfinch!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSEGZL9SNZQQE?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line was very good.  It bogged down a bit in all the drug use.  I would have liked the ending to be more climatic but it was a good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYB696D9RW0CZ?ASIN=0316055441	Best Novel I've Read In Years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's novel, ""The Goldfinch"" is an Adventure-on-the-American-Road story, a mystery novel, a coming-of-age novel, a study of the inner psychology of love and loss in a quintessential American adolescent, a slice of life in Manhattan and in exurban Las Vegas, a look at the world of antique furniture and, most of all, a great story told by a great storyteller.  The characters are unforgettable.  It happens, by pure coincidence, that just before purchasing the book, I'd been to the Frick Collection in Manhattan to see Vermeer's ""Girl with a Pearl Earring"" but -- surprise! -- just a few paintings away was the ""The Goldfinch"" itself, the painting featured in the novel's story line and on its cover.  Marvellous!  If I summarized the plot, one might say: ""That sounds pretty simple-minded.""  In fact, the novel is a page-turner, rich in characterization and psychologically astute.  A five-star rating is the only possible choice.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L2XM95FY7WGX?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderful read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It surprises me that this was written by a woman. The main character and most of the supporting characters are male and the story is filled with violence, drugs and intrigue. I loved it! I majored in English 100 years ago and love good literature. This meets that mark. Critics loved it. I would say it's the best book I've read in a decade. Also it is very long so if you like to get a lot of reading for your money, plus great quality, this is the one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12PVNJR4TTNGC?ASIN=0316055441	Deeply involving, beautifully executed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book, engaging from the very start and does not lose pace throughout. Lovely mix of themes...art, loss, and love</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2075C77T18Q8H?ASIN=0316055441	Love it, hated it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some really interesting passages sandwiched between waaayyyy too much rambling narrative. Where was the editor on this project? Sheesh! Dial it down a bit for the next one, would you D. Tartt?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z4SI097DIO9T?ASIN=0316055441	Lovely prose with unlikeable cast/story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Torn on this one. It was a page-turner that I couldn't put down, but the unrelenting darkness of the first half of the book combined with the main character's near-complete turn to ""total creep/jerk"" in the second half made it a really excruciating read. (The final act is also implausible/ridiculous and doesn't fit in with the overall story for me.) As someone who can't get into ""anti-hero"" television, this was a pretty unpleasant read, and it is not at all redeemed by the ""maybe bad things happen for a reason!"" malarky the narratorial voice concludes the book with. Full marks for the overall prose and style, but the general hate-worthiness of everyone in the book kills its shot at a five-star (or even a four-star) review.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKO8QV4DL0FZ3?ASIN=0316055441	marvelous, exhausting journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I feel as if I have been reading this book for months, though it has been only one (which is a long time for a book and me to be together). I am exhausted by the journey, but feel as if I have learned a great deal about a great deal of different things. Theo made me quite nervous with his antics and his commitment to the painting. I loved Boris for his seeming lack of regard for anything and his fierce loyalty.<br/><br/>Donna Tartt is obviously a genius who knows something about nearly everything. Her intelligence shines through on every page. A truly enjoyable read. Prepare for a commitment!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33ZS6TBCMHQLU?ASIN=0316055441	A modern Great Expectations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a truly astonishing book, it pulls you deep into the life, thoughts and feelings of a truly memorable character. Some of the passages are so stunning and unforgettable that you will find yourself marking them to come back to and savour long after you've finished.  The is truly an unforgettable masterpiece that should be read by everyone who loves great literature.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28LL0QN5IW22O?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story and hard to put down. Would have 5 stars if the last 50 pages were as strong as the first 700. Worth the read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E4MSYM2CIEPC?ASIN=0316055441	A Riveting Page Turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The most engrossing novel I've read in a long time -- packed with interesting characters, graced with an exceptionally well-developed and fast-moving plot, I couldn't put it down and several times read far into the night just to find out what would happen next.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17HKRH7R7YT3T?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good storyline but gets a little lost in ramblings from time to time. Waxing philosophical but rant as well.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GA7RDR7ZI3EE?ASIN=0316055441	A Minor Masterpiece, Marred by Ponderous Pacing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivated by Tartt's immersive, meticulously detailed opening scenes, I felt weighed down by an almost-Proustian excess as the story bogged down noticeably thereafter. I lost patience with Theo several times, and wondered if he would turn out to be worth the laborious, meandering narrative. Tartt writes beautifully for the most part, but the book would have benefited from some skillful editing. On balance, the ending is worth the arduous journey, as it celebrates the redemptive power of great art in the human experience. Literature students will find several rich veins of symbolism and irony to mine for term papers.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CERRY8VXXZN8?ASIN=0316055441	A long but very absorbing story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't quite finished, but am reading it with greater attentiveness than most books I've read recently.<br/>I am influenced by the NYT review saying it is Oliver Twist in feel, and I see that in the lead character.<br/>Despite his many flaws, he is a very sympathetic creation.  This book takes him from childhood into<br/>adulthood, with great changes of circumstances and growth of character, for better or worse.<br/>The writing is very colorful and pulls you right along, despite the length.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HESWWENQZJPP?ASIN=0316055441	My opinion	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the book.  But, it could have been much shorter with less detail.  This is my opinion, and I know many people will enjoy it more because of how descriptive the narrative is.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TRY0BXQXB0GK?ASIN=0316055441	Heavy duty!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing writing with depth and sensitivity and a collection of<br/>words made into incredible sentences and pages and chapters. Quite brilliant!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22KCLJBVPGM2P?ASIN=0316055441	Artistic ode	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A painting, a boy, his friend, young love, adventure, daring, finding one's self. The way to do the thing you must. All and more and less.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37B2XXOUR3X0N?ASIN=0316055441	Lyrical	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. richly drawn characters.I thought about this book long after I put it down. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to read a thought provoking book</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IXYI5D6ZEH8G?ASIN=0316055441	A good read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lots of detail in the lives of the characters.  I am not a literary critic but I certainly enjoyed this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HMJWYRB2KWSG?ASIN=0316055441	Thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Insightful exploration of our humanness.  Passions, weaknesses, strengths, compassion, love and restitution come together in this story of redemption and serdar  for meaning.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R220HM6WYWSIOU?ASIN=0316055441	I have it on my Better book list !!1	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating and  interest stimulating.. Would recommend it heartily..it has an interesting premise to begin with and continues it thru the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38V4GCNWZM7?ASIN=0316055441	A Wonderful Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put it down.  Especially impressed with the first third of the book with<br/>death and grieving expressed by boy.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D5SFVEOBFV4Z?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful and enlightening!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book takes you to so many places and will affect everyone who reads it. Definitely one of the best books it have read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17A4W3AB69D72?ASIN=0316055441	What's next	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely well written, could not wait to read the next chapter, hope she writes more books.  this book is a walk thru one boys life and all the things life brings.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GDE9KAMXGRSR?ASIN=0316055441	A great novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">And by great, I don't mean ""I liked it."" I mean this is the real thing: an enthralling, highly-plotted page-turner populated with intriguing characters who think surprising thoughts described in ways that catch you off-balance and then resonate deeply. Overselling it? I don't think so. It's got the humanity of a classic, but the relevancy of a letter from your best friend.  Read it, darn it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27YODV00E4V9E?ASIN=0316055441	a most unusual book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch held my attention all of the way through, yet at each passage I wondered where it was going. I found the story line to be completely different and unusual but very creative. The characters don't necessarily act as one might expect and have complicated personalities.<br/>I recommend the book but don't expect a story that runs along traditional lines.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FJN1KTTSUMVD?ASIN=0316055441	I wanted more!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much emphasis on drug use. Several characters could have been better developed. Tired of his whining throughout this novel. I only read it because so many others raved about this book. Disappointed 😞</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UZJ4O5BYTSEK?ASIN=0316055441	Complicated and fascinating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A unique and engaging book.  The painting is the central star with well drawn characters orbitting around.  I highly recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQY2NJ1HTSY25?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Starts off very well. The author just had a bit of trouble deciding how to end it. Great for a book club discussion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OFR1SZ52S0VK?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story begins with a horrific event resulting in the death of the protagonist's mother.  At the same time, the young boy acquires the Goldfinch painting, witnesses the death of an elderly man and sees a young girl who will impact his life.  The book then follows the boy's life through numerous changes of address, chance acquaintances and lots of drug and alcohol use.  Many well-developed characters including a furniture restorer who lives in Greenwich Village, a Russian teenager who starts him on the road to addiction but also saves him, a wealthy New York society mother who provides shelter when his mother dies and remains in the story, her son and many others.  Very long story (my kindle told me as I started it, that I had 11 hours to go), but with unforgettable characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P9US52936SD8?ASIN=0316055441	fantastic!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I stayed up most of the night, finishing this splendid book.  I read a lot, but don't remember everything I read.  Theo and Boris will be with me for a long time. This book is really worth your time.  I recommend it to everybody.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36URG9Q0YDB7I?ASIN=0316055441	Potboilers can be fun	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This isn't great literature but it is a page turner. To call it Dickensian, though, is a stretch. Dickens was better.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E8BGN4XKD935?ASIN=0316055441	Such a good read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this book to read because it was on several lists of recommended books...and I'm so glad I did.  Such a compelling story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EFEZ3BNSL5M1?ASIN=0316055441	Pure Literature in the Finest Sense of the Word	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book I have been waiting for. 777 pages go very quickly and made me yearn for more.  I then read Donna Tartt's first 2 novels again.  Please do not neglect those additional jewels The Secret History and Little Friends.  Very engagingly disturbing and readable literature in the finest sense of the word.  I am thirsty for more please. I did try not to rush through and will indeed reread.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HSFQSUUOX6IG?ASIN=0316055441	Pulls You In and Keeps Going	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't be intimidated by the size of the book, it will pull you in and keep you reading. The characters are well written so you can see them in your mind. As you follow them through their lives, it's as if you know them. The author takes you on a roller coaster ride of surprises and tragedies that are so compelling you can't put it down. Settle in readers, this is a good one!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24MDIQKL03QWK?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Her writing is so extraordinary!  The story is so original and complex and<br/>it kept me totally engaged.  Definitely recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R368O854V7L45H?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent book full of descriptive trials and tribulations of one unfortunate boy when he loses his mother at an early age. His adventures and his ability to overcome adversity in his life all the while keeping and the losing a painting of the museum grade  Goldfinch keeps you interested and yearning for more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CVR49KKVMZUD?ASIN=0316055441	Powerful story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting novel. The characters were well developed, both the ones you liked and the ones you didn't. Gave an interesting perspective on the role of art in a society. Although the book was long, the story moved and carried the reader along with it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E8MNS7NH266G?ASIN=0316055441	A book I could probably read again.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First heard this as a Book at Bedtime on the BBC and had to buy the Kindle edition.  What better recommendation than that.  Knew the story but still wanted more than an abbreviated version.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35LGDCP9XQV3R?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch delivers	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Still reading but more than halfway. Great story and have no idea of how the main character will resolve his situation. Well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S5L7N517AAQF?ASIN=0316055441	Surprising	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought that the book would be the tipical novel of boy looses his mother but it was totally different. It might possibly be the book that I most enjoyed this year and can see why all the book reviewers  name it one of thls years best books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P6HWAE6ISQKS?ASIN=0316055441	Good read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I will start by saying the writing and prose are beautiful, the plot is interesting, and the characters are believeable.  But the ending dragged on a bit too long and I never found myself warming to the main character, a young boy who loses his mother in a (fictional) terrorist attack, which sets off a chain of events that pull the protagonist into deep trouble.  I really enjoyed reading it, however, and I recommend it to those who enjoy literary fiction... it is certainly not for people who like lots of action or quick reads.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6X39T5BP690?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written but ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">...I agree with other reveiwers that a lot of parts are tediously detailed. Other parts/situations don't hang together well or don't get addressed at all (e.g., how did Theo get $16K out of the country? I'd mention more, but they'd be spoilers). The rather outlandish plot was engrossing. I didn't find the ending to drag on at all; actually it was quite suspenseful and kept  me reading way longer into the night than I wanted. A worthwhile read, just not astoundingly great.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JNN1JIMEOW2R?ASIN=0316055441	Where's a good editor when you need one?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had this novel been 300 pages shorter it may well have worked. Unfortunately Tartt had an editor prepared to ignore her worst excesses. I'm starting to think that Tartt may have been better had she done a Harper Lee and stopped after one novel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ160Z4C4M7V3?ASIN=0316055441	Light weight	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The balls are not good quality. They are too light and do not give a solid feel on the bat.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W92DHQPQJR40?ASIN=0316055441	Great, but not great.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finally finished this book today after nearly a month. I imagine with so many reviews it has all been said and much more eloquently than I can do. The writer has obvious writing talent, in fact there were some sentences and paragraphs that would warrant a reread, in some cases, several rereads. I thought the characters were well developed and in some cases, like Hobie and Boris, unforgettable. My problem with the book is not so much the length (My all time favorite book is ""Pillars of The Earth"", even longer than this one) as much as I felt the story could have been told in about half as many pages. I didn't like the fact that I was so happy to finish it, and I didn't enjoy the  philosophizing at the end. It started with an impact, with building tension because you know what is going to happen but you are not sure how. I am going to look into this author's other books because I was so impressed with her writing style</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QKCK47VFGW24?ASIN=0316055441	Different and Interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is not a feel good book, but it is well written and gets your attention quickly. I especially enjoyed the writing style and the vocabulary in the book. It said a lot to me about what a piece of art can mean to many people. It opened my eyes to some new thinking about art.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZBGD0CRYAI7X?ASIN=0316055441	A must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this as a bargain and WHOA more than worth every penny. Very well written, starting from a 13yr olds perspective. A lot of twists and turns and very spot on observations about life and people in general. I highly recommend and will look for more by this author</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22YEQIE8XIL20?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've read in 2013	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the book is long the writing is superb. There's a plot twist around every corner. With that said, the ending brought on hours of thought provoking conversation. A must-read for book clubs!  Plan on an evening where the conversation just won't stop. Ms. Tartt's view of the dilemma of 'life' is spot on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8AVW0LQHZ5X9?ASIN=0316055441	The kind of book that stays with you	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The  best book I have read in years.  More Dostoevsky than Dickens.  Entertaining, beautifully written and profound.  Despite the length, it's a book to read again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J5RLJ34A90XR?ASIN=0316055441	Mesmerizing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was drawn into the story from the first page and my interest never lagged. Which is saying a lot, since there are over 700 pages. I cared about Theo, even when I didn't like him so much. I wanted things to finally be okay for him. I started this immediately upon finishing another story of a young person - The Book Thief, which was much more of a chore to read. Donna Tartt's prose sweeps you along in its flow.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OKUJ7MQAYHPA?ASIN=0316055441	Could have used some major editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book with great interest as I had a reservation at The Frick in NYC to see, among other works of art, The Goldfinch. I did finish the book but it needs major editing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SX9D3DB7XWQF?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A best seller with wonderful reviews.  The amount of research that went into developing this story makes it believable  and intriguing to the reader. I couldn't put this book down!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6I871M6FSL0X?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fascinating story that was very well written.  It held my interest thruout the entire book.  Donna Tartt develops the characters and kept the plot moving. I hated to see it end!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J0O4YDHTPB0W?ASIN=0316055441	Not much to add to the great and deserving praise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've read at least one critical takedown of ""The Goldfinch,"" and while I acknowledge some of those missteps, the novel succeeds past them. The book is 775 pages – long, no doubt – but the pages keep moving. Highly recommended if you'd like to be immersed in someone's world.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGODLJES7IWZI?ASIN=0316055441	Remarkable writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A mystery yet so much more.  At times agonizing, at times laugh-out-loud funny. Extremely imaginative. I had trouble putting this book down</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FSI9EJ1U6NMB?ASIN=0316055441	Terrific read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, gripping. An old fashioned novel peopled by a wild variety characters from NYC to Las Vegas.  Hooked me from the terrorist bombing at the Metroplolitan Museum.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QEC70DER3OO8?ASIN=0316055441	Love this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent satisfying read. The tale of Theodore Decker will grab u and keep you up at all hours. I love this book. Beautifully written</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LMSM6O6LB5TL?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderfully developed characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book very much.<br/>I found that when it was over,  I missed Boris and Hobie.  As a New York city fan - I also enjoyed recognizing so may places.<br/>This book grabs you fast and is powerfully hard to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XZYNYVXKB1QR?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Definitely want to hear more from this author.<br/>A really interesting plot.  It, literally kept me on the edge of my seat!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YREL3PBBX7W5?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book is too long.good story.I recommend it to everyone who has parents that pay little attention to their kids. We are all in our own.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GIZP5RNM0LV7?ASIN=0316055441	An addictive read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was difficult to put down once I started it. It was heartwarming, outrageous, and funny all rolled into one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBSUHCHSMYZ9K?ASIN=0316055441	loved itl	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">interesting story and very well written. i hope she writes another book soon. you shouldn't require the number of words in a review- an imposition on my time!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDD0ZHVCRVVGK?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this book on recommendation from  someone on facebook with no expectations whatsoever. Loved the writing and the story. Very well  written and developed until the end .After that the story ends and it takes an unnecessary philosophical turn. Still great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F9RQL2LD9IPJ?ASIN=0316055441	Whiny drug addict longs for things he can't have.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story held my interest despite my overall dislike of the main character. Filled with ""first world"" problems.  Hard to sympathize.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DA1SXSVJF1T4?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've read in a long time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really engrossing read. Beautifully written. THE book I'm recommending to friends who read! Lovely storyline and characters, would make a wonderful movietoo!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8D8FHJXUOXXV?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm only ¼ finished, but it's a fabulous book. The writing is just delicious and you never know where the story will take you. Maybe I'll write a longer review when I'm finished reading it and have more time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29HBYU1E18N1U?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read But Style Cumbersome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much detail in certain relationships (Boris) and situations making it cumbersome to read at times but loved the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTHVJBN6U3VL5?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very interested at first, but got to involved with drugs and other eerier going ons for my taste. I liked Hobie and Pippa, wish there woud have been happiness with those characters. The Russian friend was the pits. Too much sinister stuff. Glad when I finally finished it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XURH948ZBNW3?ASIN=0316055441	Not one of the 10 best books of the year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story of terror, loneliness, drug abuse, deceit and a bunch of other stuff.  However, there is no trick or catchy ending.  As a matter of fact, there is no ending at all.  I haven't read any of her other works but this one falls short in my list of memorable reads.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M9SFFO890QKJ?ASIN=0316055441	it's o.k.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am almost finished reading this book, obviously it is not a book you can't put down.  I think the premise is good but I find that it drags. It's o.k. but not great.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLHV3GUPNR2DB?ASIN=0316055441	Finch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a long book, maybe somewhat more than necessary. However, the writing is great and the characters are well developed and one becomes very connected to them.  It is a ""tough"" story but one that keeps the reader very involved.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39RSVGDE3RNLV?ASIN=0316055441	Could not stop reading, yet didn't want it to end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I’ve not read her earlier books, but this one blew me away. It’s almost 800 pages, but pure genius. So gritty and true, stunningly written in brutal and insightful prose.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UBBJN3EPWIJI?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was hard to put this book down at many points.  There are parts that are very focused on the main character's inner process, and I found those less interesting, but overall this is a terrific book and one of the best I have read for a while.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXZHYH4Y4I54B?ASIN=0316055441	Long but worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would have given this book a 4.5 if it was possible.  A great read - lengthy, but great. A couple sections lagged.  It's hard to maintain such intensity for 775 pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R202MYQWADSXQU?ASIN=0316055441	Too much deviation from the plot to suit me.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line and suspense as well as the description of each player was great but the story line dragged on through vivid descriptions of the principle's experiences with drugs.  I found that most disconcerting.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PK7XW1P1D2Q8?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read - definitely one of the best of the year!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an extraordinary book.  You will be finding an excuse to stop during the day to read.  Am now motivated to read her other two.  Highly recommended.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ZJUTAQJ7GYH?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has been a favourite author since ""The Secret History"" &amp; I've been waiting ages for a new book. I was quite disappointed with The Goldfinch. It started very well but about 40% through I realised I didn't like any of the characters much, in particular her protagonist, Theo. It was difficult to plough through but I managed &amp; the end was OK. Certainly not what I was hoping for.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKYV0Z3N7MUKE?ASIN=0316055441	Plot Overcomes Character	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book reminded me of Dickens, ""Great Expectations"" for the abandoned boy coming of age story, rich descriptions of characters and settings.<br/><br/>The author tightly frames the story around the title art work.  Unfortunately to serve this clever plot our protagonist has to make 2 bad decisions that seem out of character--a theft and a fraud.<br/><br/>The author muses on good outcomes from bad decisions, the value of copies of art, good and bad luck, but although we expect the protagonist to make bad decisions, we don't expect them to make fundamentally immoral ones.<br/><br/>At the neat end of the book when all of the key characters neatly wrapped up in a final solution I didn't really feel good about the outcome and felt kind of cheated.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R184FZXXUH1TV5?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!\	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderfully engaging story that kept me in suspence. Love the writing, love the yarn. Warm and scary all at the same time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QGM6HEIUG436?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love love love this piece. It's amazing and thoughtful....and anyone with a thoughtful mind should read this novel. It worth more than the time it took to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12BT2W1IB361L?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best book I have read in recent memory. I couldn't put it down, and literally read it in two days. The story winds easily through the boy' s life, and sews the whole plot together nicely. It's not several stories in one book as some have said. Each chapter totally relates to the previous chapter, creating a rich, engrossing story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WV03857ZBVCX?ASIN=0316055441	Really Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very well written story which although lengthy, you are so glad that the story continues.  An addictive novel with such fragile, believable studies in human nature.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI1X2CRDCMSP4?ASIN=0316055441	Quite a read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book very much. The story was compelling and had many unexpected twists and turns. The main character in the story was very self destructive at times, and then he would redeem himself. So human!  I refrained from giving it a fifth star because I sometimes felt the author was too wordy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36JKUZT5UGYJS?ASIN=0316055441	Almost Perfect	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent writing, story line, character development. Perfect narrator. Why only four stars? Disappointing ending. Lost me in the last 15-20% of the book. All in all, definitely credit worthy.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A4AWRQ0GUU7F?ASIN=0316055441	Total Immersion in Another's Life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fasten your seat-belt. This very long novel kept me engrossed from first page to last -- amazing evocations of Manhattan, life at certain ages, art, don't know where to stop.  See the light, breathe the dust, feel the rage, despair, bemusement, elation. Full of people I wish I could meet. Hoping in a future life I might marry Hobie.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SB9776C2N2D?ASIN=0316055441	absolutely spellbinding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book was fantastic.  I truly loved every page.  What a wonderful writer and what a wonder story.  So glad I read it and recommend it highly</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1874RHRMI378X?ASIN=0316055441	Too much over and over re drugs usage.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Repititious.  Great story.  Great writing but too much language.  Enough re the drugs, etc.  Could have been written with fewer words. Great finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE00ZZ1U7CKOO?ASIN=0316055441	Wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an author. What insights. Creating  unforgettable characters. Making you love all 800+ pages and not disappointing with a hurried unsatisfying ending. Prize winning, I think.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBEITYNE7ZNRK?ASIN=0316055441	A Plea to Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Please write more books.  None of us are getting any younger.  Amazon is requiring me to write nine more words.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UWCEE57MIN89?ASIN=0316055441	A page turner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had trouble putting it down, not ideal at a busy time of year like the holidays!  The characters are unusual and come to life through incredibly subtle descriptions and similes.  The plot filled with unexpected twists makes it a real page turner.  The philosophical overlay particularly in the last pages of the book elevates this book far above the usual novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HSJ091XK9A7X?ASIN=0316055441	Oh my gosh!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Spectacular! Beautifully written and well crafted. Had me going in that existential what-is-the-meaning-of-life moodiness kind of way often, and twanging and hanging on the tense plot line at the same time. Also, I must say, I loved the fact that this is a good, old-fashioned, looong read. Something you can really sink your teeth into! Do not pass go... except to get it and be thoroughly entertained!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I3PT1O3WVQME?ASIN=0316055441	Page Turner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an amazing author!  This book grabs you on the first page and doesn't release you until the last-and at that you are left wanting.  Theo is the main character and so the book begins with him at the age of 13 facing the situation that will form his remaining youth as well as the rest of his life.  The book is filled with well defined characters that weaves the story of ""The Goldfinch"" and what happened that fateful day.  The ending was somewhat of a disappointment as it left me wondering about all the loose ends, but then often when finishing a good book I feel this way.  Perhaps the Author will write a sequel to satisfy our appetites for more.  Excellent book and I highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KT71F7IRSYQ?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a book with a depth that was seriously engaging.  It was a powerful and very well written book.  Couldn't put it down!  Well done.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34SM36S2ME5U5?ASIN=0316055441	Take a trip with valuable art.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line took me in a direction I always wondered about. Valuable antiques and art. And the chance meeting of very interesting characters. The descriptions of places allowed me to easily picture the places and times.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QBL2KNB03K7C?ASIN=0316055441	Finally found a new kind of fiction!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story of the goldfinch is unique and captivating! I was skeptical at the overwhelming amount of tragedy first but quickly was pulled into the safe zone created by the child narrator.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21CF0VK6CWNRK?ASIN=0316055441	All awards and critical raves richly deserved	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not a good enough writer to review this book.  Its depth and power are immense.  The ""fine"" arts are so called because they are subtle, elliptical and reverberative, and I can't think of a contemporary novel finer than this one.  It is long and dense, yet one glides through it freely.  When I reached the last page, I turned right back and started over.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F52MUVELYYUX?ASIN=0316055441	Good solid smart	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had never read Donna tart before and didn't know what to expect. I was drawn in from the first line. She's smart and really creates characters that feel genuine.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OSGXH7JIC459?ASIN=0316055441	A book not about healing but coping and acceptance.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">We are heroes to get through this experience. On my second read. And am sure there will be a third. Eleanor</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUI39BNSZ5E1W?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story and memorable characters. Last chapter was a little too philosophical for me.  Can see this as a movie.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KHE9T7QALWM4?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those books you come across rarely in a lifetime, one that you will want to re-read once a decade.  And it all stems from a tiny, lovely finch.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DWTFXS3CPV1B?ASIN=0316055441	A long journey for the hero as he clings to a masterpiece he has found	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating story of a young man who finds a masterpiece and clings to it despite all odds.  In the process, he loses his mother, his father and finds himself a new identity and a wonderful new friend (or two) to help him through his life changes.  The length of the book could have been condensed but then we would have missed the introduction to the amazing people he meets and becomes close to, despite the differences in their previous histories. Boris is a pivotal character and one who makes the pages fly.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D13PDFMHDKS4?ASIN=0316055441	An epic novel in miniature.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dickensian in scope; evoking Dostoyevsky in its portrayal of moral dilemma, it is too long to be a "" book you can't put down"", but like the painting it describes, it is fascinating and evocative in its ability to draw one in.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RADTPO6HVTHJ5?ASIN=0316055441	A great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, with great character and story development. Who knew what one piece of art could do to so many during a course of time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EMKDUTL4RXAS?ASIN=0316055441	Great expectations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Only half done, but beautifully written and intriguing. Taking my time reading it, so will continue to have something to look forward to.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E0WA3MXKJK78?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch- a literary gold mine !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long so long worth every minute - for a week I lived in the mind of Theo Decker-I lived his life with its incredible twists and turns- a literary mystery, a panoramic novel, a vast study of of our times-not to be missed!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AQVLRQUJ8S4J?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am an avid reader and I have not read a book like this in a while.  The story is so original and not just another rehashed one thaty you have read a thousand times. The characters are unique and vivid and the dialog is fresh.  It is a big book and I have to force myself to put it down.  I am almost at the end and can't wait to see how it turns out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EXNQMK1MX2YW?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think this book had a strong storyline and interesting, well developed lead characters. It moved quickly but overall, it was quite depressing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAX8QMIXGST3M?ASIN=0316055441	loved it, kept me coming back	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wide ranging adventure of damaged souls, some struggling to make things right, others accepting that life nay just  ""be"". Great mix of downtown, uptown and new world, old world action</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30F2REM0QRPLJ?ASIN=0316055441	ambitious but flawed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put this book down because the energy of the plot grabbed and held me: I wanted to know what would happen next.  Still, I regretted that Tartt did not have a wise editor who would help her 'murder her darlings'.  The descriptive passages often went on too long as did Theo's drug fueled interior monologues. That said, Theo and Boris are engaging and the dynamics of their relationship are the best part of the book. Hobie is finely drawn but idealized.  He lacks the solidity of Theo and Boris though he does provide the moral touchstone of the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JZ8UIKF2J973?ASIN=0316055441	complicated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not put it down!  Very complicated story of family, friendship, and grief. Absolutely loved this intricate story.  Definitely recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NXOH0T92DLG3?ASIN=0316055441	Good beginning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Until the last quarter of the book I was intrigued by this coming of age story.  Then it seemed to say that the user can control his ultimate life goals even while using street drugs when in fact street drugs control the user. That lie stopped the story for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC8WG4SUO2J8P?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a Great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed reading this book and became completely unsociable until I finished it!<br/>Some parts were a little long but in general each section was full of lively and interesting<br/>information as well as being oart of a fascinating storyline.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DP2WRJ06X6NI?ASIN=0316055441	Love this book and the eclectic characters.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has a very descriptive style of writing that captivates and encourages the reader to read on.  The unique characters that are introduced throughout the novel make for an interesting read.  This page-turning novel kept me riveted and engaged.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C673DEAHYHBJ?ASIN=0316055441	Good read, something different	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very addictive. Ended too soon and wanted more of an ending- just want to know how it all ended up</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NGLJEK8HCPHN?ASIN=0316055441	excellent journey with extremely developed characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book was for me an excellent character study. the various gut wrenching scenarios amd alternative reactionary styles were compelling as well as intriguing. the ending wasnt what i expected after suc a long journey but i still really enjoyed this book  the author described events and emotions with great skill and vision.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HJ1M4CE14FVS?ASIN=0316055441	what is masterful art beauty love despair and a sense of place?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">These questions and more are masterfully probed through a modern protagonist. Highly recommended but not for the faint of heart.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LJON6JYPAO46?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As it said in the novel, ""...beauty changes the grain of reality.""  Thank you for this art that whispered to my heart.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16AM0ZAGW0Z9C?ASIN=0316055441	simply incredible!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So real, so touching, so deep, so exciting!  I think it will take some time to process all I've learned!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SHVWAGK5G37S?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book of the year.....on so many levels. I enjoyed the insight of the author regarding the characters and the unusual situations.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XSPMJ1UC27D5?ASIN=0316055441	Recommend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read. Not your typical plot. Really get to know main character. Learned a few things along the way.  Wasn't thrilled with ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NC7FKJH93T9S?ASIN=0316055441	recent purchase	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am only about 75 pages into the book , it seems great so far.  Very fast moving, but only be ease it is so interesting.<br/>I have read previous Donna Tratt novel, and seems to be t</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OYVY57BNXAHN?ASIN=0316055441	One Novel Every Thirty Years Isn't Half Enough	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the single best book I've read in years. Donna Tartt is a national treasure. Her Dickensian novel, chock full of fabulous characters and a Gulliverian trek to love and truth held me rapt for days. I could have finished this book in two or three days, but I didn't want it to end so I rationed pages. . . as if I were eating something so delicious, I could describe it. ""The Goldfinch"" was wroth the wait.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFP6SWLM5WZN3?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Complex, gripping, believable, not predictable, and one is compelled to read feverishly until  book is completed. There is no way for one to predict how The Goldfinch will end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V0UPH67CBX9I?ASIN=0316055441	Angst and heartbreak	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked it, and there were times I hated it. The main characters are self destructive which saddened me and only one character, Hobie, is noble enough to admire. The protagonist Theo eventually has some redeeming qualities, but only at the end of the very long story. Even then Theo is still a residual addict (booze, drugs, cigarettes). So why did I give it four stars? Because it is large, well written, well researched, is not too unlike Dickens and one must break up escapist mysteries occasionally with real literature, which is the best description of The Goldfinch, a literary masterpiece. It makes you remember why you read. And I read to enlarge my view of life as well as escape the realities of life. Boring in parts and the self absorbed ending cries out for an editor and makes you wish you could truncate the last few pages with ""finis!"" But overall, a worthwhile experience, enough for me to recommend to those who love to read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IZ81C47SP8BX?ASIN=0316055441	Very long... But very good!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Looking for a great read and if you have the time to give to this! Because you will not want to put it down. Love Donna Tartt.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IKJTL9KUAD9C?ASIN=0316055441	one of the best things i've read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has created a tale that held me enraptured until the end.  She drew me into a world that I knew little of, and built characters so clearly delineated that i feel i would be able to pick them out in the street.  remarkable achievement!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CAMPHGFJZPSX?ASIN=0316055441	"""Birds of a feather..."""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I will avoid being cerebral, or make an effort at pretending to be a paid literary critic.  Many people who write reviews on this website have way more intellect and critical expertise than myself, but personally, for my taste, I enjoyed the book.  Yes, it is a dark, misery-laden read with a heavy hand at drug use and abuse, mental and physical pain and the perils of a life of excess.  BUT all in all a satisfying read.  I actually copied to paper some stuff from the last bit of the book; words to go back and re-read and 'chew on' and digest and feed my mind.  True, some characters are a bit (a lot) annoying, but it takes a little of the bitter to appreciate the sweet. With that said,""yes"" I would recommend the book and say to try and not over analyze it - just read and enjoy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QJHNMEWLM54Y?ASIN=0316055441	Best read of 2013	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though this was one of my best reads this year, it is incredibly LONG but really worth the read.  The last fourth, while important to the story, seemed to have too many words. This was especially the last chapter which was essential to developing the message but covered over by the length of time to tell it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R126OGZOH1QKG0?ASIN=0316055441	Good but tedious in parts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well-written yarn, a little tedious in parts, especially all the drugs, but fascinating to me because I was in the antique business and know all about what they were doing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PN6PCDW1O1D9?ASIN=0316055441	Best book of the year!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not even done yet and I can already say that this is one of the best books ever! Wonderfully written, suspenseful and totally unique!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMEEMQ618J4LY?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Full of action, vivid descriptions and emotion. It is a long detailed story but the author keeps the plot moving through the eyes of Theo the protagonist. I couldn't put it down and always felt that I was right there in the action and emotion of his story.<br/>Being an artist, I also loved the decryption of that beautiful jewel of a painting, The Goldfinch.<br/>I highly recommend this book !</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22JOAIVHWK10A?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A modern-day story that grabbed me, with great and memorable characters, written with a skillful use of language and metaphor.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQVNW7Q7HDZNL?ASIN=0316055441	Well written, detailed research, dark subject	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is beautifully written and detailed. The breadth of information on topics ranging from fine art to furniture repair is very impressive. But this is at once a deeply disturbing story and hope-filled.  I found myself wanting to skip segments that covered drug induced stupor and violence, yet I continued reading them, afraid I would miss clues and nuggets to the larger tale.  I know I will go back and re-read parts of the book, particularly the last few pages.  This is not a feel-good novel, but the characters and story will stay with you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FXZKB3YH2UQP?ASIN=0316055441	GREAT READ	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">ENJOYED ALL 800 PAGES.  GREAT BOOK TO READ WHEN YOU HAVE TIME TO ABSORB THE STORY. MS. TARTT'S<br/>USE OF LANGUAGE IS PURE DELIGHT AND HER CHARACTERS ARE WELL DEVELOPED.  I STILL HAVE THEO AND BORIS IN MY HEAD!  IF ONE COULD GET A BOOK CLUB TO READ AND  DISCUSS THIS WOULD BE A FANTASTIC CHOICE.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZNJY113W97QG?ASIN=0316055441	A literary masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In a marathon of book reading over the last couple of months, this book stands out as an exceptional piece.<br/>The visual imagery, and raw emotion had me captivated.  I couldn't put it down.  The characters were dimensional, some times likable, sometimes curious, sometimes scary.. all worth getting to know.  What a marvelous book, a marvelous story and a literary masterpiece.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSMEVHD4TDUBB?ASIN=0316055441	4.5	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like it a lot!  I would say it's not quite as good as The Secret History, but then what is?  The Goldfinch is really engaging and well written.  I have said it's like Catcher in the Rye, except it's 775 pages long.  Donna Tartt is a fabulous writer and I hope I don't have to wait 10 years for her next book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYD706U0SYMCQ?ASIN=0316055441	A New American Classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch will become an American classic.  It is beautifully written and has  tory that keeps you interested.  The character are amazing and clearly drawn. However, sometimes there are too many of them.  I think this could have been edited a little better but it is well-worth the read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R113M5DLEOJT?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed The Goldfinch very much. It was November choice for our book club. We only have 4 women left in the book club but we have been reading a book per month for over 14 years. Donna Tartt kept us all engrossed following The Goldfinch painting and all of her well developed characters. I would recommend The Goldfinch for other book clubs out there.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R360ET51NFLQ9L?ASIN=0316055441	WOW!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wish Donna Tratt wrote a book each year she is so good.  One book every ten years is not enough.  She gets into the voice and mood of the young protagonist with ease.  I would recommend this book to everyone I know.  It is a must read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I9KT5WM3SO8U?ASIN=0316055441	Terrific read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating and delicious read.  Couldn't lay it down.  Interesting, well-defined characters and an exciting plot make this book a first class read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKEUM22N9WD16?ASIN=0316055441	This is an amazing book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has created an amazing work of fiction. The characters are well thought out, the settings are filled with rich, intricate detail, the story line is compelling and the broader insights about art and life well posed. It is beyond a doubt the best, most memorable book I've read in a long time. And I read a lot!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R471K2L9KBH1X?ASIN=0316055441	She's done it again	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is not prolific- so a fan of her work is going to be waiting a long time between her work.  The time is well worth it with this book.  The Secret History was amazing, which made The Little Friend a letdown, but The Goldfinch captures its characters so fully that I was loathe to finish it, knowing I'd have to wait years for another of her books to be published.  It's a maserful musing on the value of art, and the concentric rings of human damage as we move through the world.  Lyrical, funny, heartbreaking.  Buy it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KN1S4Y5FR4WY?ASIN=0316055441	Great story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent writing.  Good character details and development.  Easy to get ""visuals"" early on. Story line is complex and engaging.  Theo great to get to ""know"".</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33QZTEWRZHO1J?ASIN=0316055441	Page turner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it.  The story dragged a bit for me near the last quarter or so otherwise it would have been 5 stars.  Great vacation read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EMNAQHBB7ALQ?ASIN=0316055441	intelligent page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt has written another intelligent page turner. It was a book I found difficult to put down. In places the book repetitive and if it were perhaps edited differently it would have deserved five stars. Some characters were well written, hobbie and Boris others not so much, like pippa. Also parts of the narrative dud not fit so neatly together, for instance why the rich society family were so enthralled with the main character. throughout the book there are references to Russian literature. I have never read a Russian novel so I can't help think I missed nuances that other readers may have enjoyed.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSCYWDYY0FGGN?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a book!  Not what I expected but very enjoyable. Takes you through several years and disappointments but overall avery good read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5YD6Z1AHXH6O?ASIN=0316055441	One of my new favorite books	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written….it may take a chapter or two for the reader to be pulled in, but once in the story it is a hard book to put down. I was sorry to say goodbye to these wonderfully crafted characters. I will read this book again to revisit them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36LY7TU0RP4JI?ASIN=0316055441	Read this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A compelling, highly original story full of colourful characters, told by a thirteen-year-old boy. Vivid settings and gripping suspence. A wonderful read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROYQV3KDQNDD9?ASIN=0316055441	what a great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have not read any other books by Donna Tartt, but this book was one that I couldn't put down and wished that the story would never end. I loved the story and had recommended it to many of my girlfriends.  They are reading it for their book club.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21MUGIL4ATMCP?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant and big, in every sense	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm a swift reader, but this book (much to my delight) has engrossed me for days and days.  Tartt begins with a bang (literally) and then never lets up as 12-year-old Theo staggers out of disaster and on into a fraught youth and haunted adulthood. This novel is peopled by vivid characters and equally vivid landscapes - Tartt must spend her life looking, looking, never missing a detail. Her cities - New York, Las Vegas, Amsterdam, reek and shimmer and pulse as they should. She spins us deep down into grief and craziness and longing and hopeless love. She flings us into the ecstasies and horrors of drug abuse, and makes such a good fist of portraying friendship between lost teenage boys that you'd swear she once was a teenage boy. And she helps us understand something of the arcane world of international art theft and associated violent crime... and why the world needs great art, in this case one tiny painting of a yellow bird. This book is also a work of art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EP6JTHC0E5HN?ASIN=0316055441	Strong hook from the beginning.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt grips the reader from the start and creates such strong characters both likeable and unappealing. One can't help but feel empathy for the main character as he struggles through each challenging situation in his young life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26XVOU0O1092F?ASIN=0316055441	This does not disappoint..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, with a plot that entirely makes sense, but cannot be predicted. I bought the Kindle Goldfinch but will buy the hard back book too, for my bookshelf, so my friends can notice and then borrow it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YZZAC3SXHBQ3?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has it all...adventure, suspense, and a rich and a colorful cast of characters that I can best describe as ""Dickensian""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HB53GVHQCVC7?ASIN=0316055441	Intricate, compelling story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters in this novel were original and convincing. The authors knowledge of art provided a rich background but the most moving parts of the book were the  main character's relationships with everyone from the local doorman to a Russian teenager who was half thief and half loving fellow. I was swept along by every scene in this eventful, wondrous book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LECKL1AALII3?ASIN=0316055441	Well written, but confusing...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Have you ever read a really well crafted book that left you unsure whether you liked it or not? So many plot turns and fantastical elements left me not knowing if it took place in the real world or some science fiction, warped reality, separate universe. The visual pictures painted by her words are stunning and really well done. Perhaps I've gotten lazy in my reading, but I finished the book (last night) and left feeling unfulfilled somehow.  I really cannot decide if it was great or not.  Perhaps I'll feel better about it tomorrow...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S9K6RQ8VN5OE?ASIN=0316055441	Conflicted	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The descriptive are wonderful.  I found the book long.  It wasn't the escape into story telling I was hoping for.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BJ947031IBJ9?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully Written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author has a talent for the written word. I liked the style and the complex characters.  The story, however, was drawn out but held my interest from beginning to end. Definitely recommend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JTSM1H94WIMJ?ASIN=0316055441	Haunting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt continues to amuse and amaze. Theo will live in my head for a while, like all great characters do, when I read a good book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZV68SGRUXDLN?ASIN=0316055441	Very good --- but really great?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy in places.  Could have said all it needed to in 100 - 200 pages less.  Very clever story line.  Boris one of the great con men I have ever read about.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LER5SA72QOET?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliantly written and occasionally spellbinding.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For me this book was equivalent to listening to an orchestra where sometimes the sound is loud and sometimes very soft but always it moves you and inspires you and takes hold of your attention. My chief complaints with this book are that it  is unabashedly long, too unabridged, and too philosophical for my taste. But I have to say it clearly,"" Can this woman ever tell a story so compellingly and convincingly "".</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S05FS5RT2VLF?ASIN=0316055441	Not to be missed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This turns out to be quite a roller-coaster ride.<br/><br/>The characters are well-developed enough that their behavior becomes somewhat predictable; in other words, you get to know them and, like well-known people, their personalities and actions stop surprising you. You also get a sense of what it could be like for someone who suffers a true disaster as an adolescent . . . how damaging it could be and how it would always be a part of your mental landscape. Some things we can never fully recover from.<br/><br/>This is a very well-rounded book; there's love, kindness, action and a highly dysfunctional/toxic friendship. Well worth the time to read it. It swings from sadness to frustration to elation, but I found myself really caring about the primary characters - despite their poor judgment at times, I really wanted them to come out on top.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11IHCT8UUF0E0?ASIN=0316055441	Well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed it thoroughly until the end -excellent and twisting plot. Too much pontificating at the end. I have to say it was one of the best written books I have read in a long time. Her descriptions were evocative and characters well developed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DUEBUOAQN5ZO?ASIN=0316055441	Way up there among the very best!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have ever read! Beautifully written, great story, couldn't put it down! A must read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35AHV7205K4HZ?ASIN=0316055441	This book took me to another place.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really like how Donna Tartt paints a picture of the setting, the culture and the people involved in her books.<br/>I loved this book until the ending.The ending took too long to add too little in my opinion. I would still read it again in the future.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27TA03GLK0VL2?ASIN=0316055441	cannot put this book down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am about half way through this book and I cannot put it down.  Love it.  It is a great story and I cannot wait to finish reading it to see what happens to Theo and the Goldfinch painting.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X2IAXT8M0D43?ASIN=0316055441	Steve loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story and characters,we'll-written. Many twists and surprises. Few likeable characters, some despicable and annoying. Art theft is a recurrent topic these days.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13EG9EE468VO1?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started off loving this story, the mother son relation ship was touching and sweet.  I also liked his relationship with his father and his floozy wife. But I really got lost and turned off with all the drug involvement and considered not finishing. Then the story took some interesting turns and I was back enjoying the story. Tartt is a great story teller and maybe I am too old to understand how a boy can get so deeply involved in drugs and actually find solace in them. Would I recommend it, yes, to a select audience. Would I recommend it to my book club, no. They would be turned off by the length of the novel and all the drugs.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REMIYXFT03EJG?ASIN=0316055441	Glad I took a chance	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book didn't grab me right away.  It took a while before I really got where they were going with this story.  I fell in love with characters in this story and couldn't wait to see where the story took them. I really loved that a certain character ended up a being a good guy!!  Great book!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IQ59HU1P7L2Q?ASIN=0316055441	Hard To Know When To Stop!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought this novel was interesting, fast moving until the ending which took too long.  Have never used drugs but from this book I get the picture!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QJ040XQTUOOV?ASIN=0316055441	A new book to add to my favorites of a lifetime	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful prose, characters that are so developed they spring to life and stay there and the truths they speak and think are sometimes to painful to contemplate.  Donna Tartt just keeps getting better and better.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ6TIZD6ZOZU7?ASIN=0316055441	I'll read it again...and again	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">With this novel on my Kindle, I have a lifetime of great reading. The book is a fast-ripping page turner at the outset, slows down in maturity and waxes philosophical at the end. Rushing to ""see how it ends,"" I'm now compelled to revisit and spend some time with the talented Ms. Tartt, a writer and thinker after my heart.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C9KXJTTV86C4?ASIN=0316055441	best book I've read in a while	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">didn't want it to end..first book I've read in some time, and I'm glad I found this one.  Her writing is wonderful, and I really felt for every character in the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WHD538Q62NAU?ASIN=0316055441	Different and engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the way it is written from the point of view of a growing child in a sudden and and dispairing situation.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18GQS677E7CDB?ASIN=0316055441	A Book Of Wonder	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I do not believe that I have ever been so ""into"" a book.  The characters were so real to me that I ached for them.  I so enjoyed reading the thoughtful provocative conversations between Theo and Boris. And what a character Boris is...you love him and hate him at the same time.  I loved Hobie.  I would so enjoy dining with him.  What a wonderful character he is.  I so enjoyed all of the philosophical discussions.  There are many parts of this book I intend to reread. In my opinion this is a great book.  As an aside, I was lucky enough to view The Goldfinch at The Frick and yes, I too bought a Mug.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VYW67PCDHIYN?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She is an amazing writer. Her words fill spaces of description and knowledge that create passages and dimensions for the reader. She is a person I would love to have as a dinner guest...would love to hear how she strings extemporaneous thoughts together to make conversation.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N1HIUC7N78OJ?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt does not disappoint. A wonderful book, I was sorry when I got to the end of the book. Highly recommended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FSP5DJ37FR64?ASIN=0316055441	A must-read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book blew me away. The pathos the author made you feel to certain characters made you never want to put the book down. An excellent read for everybody with a desire to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSTFR0R6OML2D?ASIN=0316055441	Great Art and Life Lessons	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was riveting from page one. It encompasses comedy, tragedy, coming of age and the power of great art all in one tome. One of the best books I've had the pleasure of reading in several years.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWWKGWVFRNU8D?ASIN=0316055441	THE GOLDFINCH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was fascinating and original but could have been told in 200 fewer words  WAY TOO LONG and, at times, discombobulated.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23ZVGET1725FF?ASIN=0316055441	LOVED THE STORY	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">sometimes over written and a little flowery. i admit i skimmed through some pages here and there but what a great read. took me a while too, which is rare. loved all the twists and turns of this kids life. great characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HUNQ58MFUQEW?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch, a real treat	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a beautifully written book...troubling but marvelous!  Great character development.  Anyone living in NYC will feel right at home.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R113A4N9DS4QFB?ASIN=0316055441	A golden read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the first Tartt book I've read.  Her prose flows with a vivid imagination.  Details are sumptuous and character development is well-crafted.  As an avid reader of non-fiction, I often struggle with the implausibility of fiction, yet this is one of those rare books that I look forward to, and often find hard to put down.  Well done</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7X762C2LR9FQ?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From start to finish, I was hooked. Great plot structure, compelling &amp; complicated characters: altogether a terrific read. Tartt is such a talented writer. Can't wait for more.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DUTOAP443FM9?ASIN=0316055441	A book of many conflicts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love, hate, secrets, faith, deceit, redemption, friends, enemies, parents, children, past, future; this book has it all. The main character has it all and as a reader, you feel it all through the many ups and downs, emotions and surprises. Great book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SEFRJI3NLPRG?ASIN=0316055441	Modern  story  of life , love and loss	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book!<br/>Real, gritty, dark  heartbreaking , romantic and very human. A beautiful story of love and loss .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NJRMX6RFI7GC?ASIN=0316055441	unexpected page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm enjoying every minute of this mystery/coming of age book. It is sensitive and brutal at rhe same time. The characters are extremely well drawn and the plot is exciting.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26N1RP3PQIEAF?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best I've ever read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is riveting from the first page.  The detail in it is amazing.  It's a must read for adult because it gives you the mind of a teen on a platter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSURX77MUT474?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch - Kindle edition	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed this book and found chapters were hard to put down come nightfall. Some were of a nature which pulled you to finish the chapter. (cliff hangar?) Learned some things I did not know in 80 years of living, for sure! For me some language was not necessary to make a point. But that was as the person talking described topic as he saw it.  Good book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31V040I7EBR45?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a wonderful read.  I love how Donna Tartt weaves the characters together, bringing out the meaning of their lives after such tragedy.  I highly recommend this book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ACC5315DAF4Q?ASIN=0316055441	Great book, ran long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I purchased this book to of curiosity of all the great reviews. The first 600 pages I couldn't put the book down. After that I book seemed to tapper off. Tying up loose ends to end the book just dragged on and on... and on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZQR775FIAKAL?ASIN=0316055441	A time well spent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Spellbinding . Harsh realistic,actually seemingly too realistic description of the drug world. A taste of knowledge of antiquities, art and their deceptions. The quest for every kind of love and acceptance.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPEI6EBX1N2KN?ASIN=0316055441	after a confusing beginning, the story begins with a bang and though i have not finished it's already a favorite.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hate putting it down, and can hardly wait to get back.  I need to see what is next for this young man.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUVUE02I31BUU?ASIN=0316055441	Recommend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling reading.  The plot twists and turns and continuously surprises.  Would highly recommend to anyone who wants a great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA12P4Y36CGNL?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little long for me...but a good book none the less. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good long read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4QRTO21I2SDZ?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was drawn into the story immediately, so well written. You can see the characters as well as relating to them. Didn't want the book to end, but couldn't stop reading. Wish Theo's life could have turned out differently, but such a great story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VU0UY6SW8Y9K?ASIN=0316055441	Worthwhile read, but a little wordy and too much attention of drugs.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line and plot development were good, but I felt it could have been helped with some editing. It was too wordy. In addition, the excessive back story on drugs made me less sympathic to the plight of the main character.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PJHBCOHECU78?ASIN=0316055441	enthralling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The simple story of how tragic loss and tragic lives can find meaning and some sort of eternal truth in the beauty of art.... In this case a stunningly simple painting of a chained goldfinch.  The travels of the characters through chaos, mayhem and evil are illuminated against other characters who live in a simplified but to them meaningful world.  Good and evil. Truth and beauty.  Written with great attention to the characters and the murky evolving story.  Worth every minute spent reading it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AJUOLGW0N6RO?ASIN=0316055441	Well written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very dark. You feel the pain in these characters and at times it was not pleasant. In fact, upon writing this..I realize there was little pleasant in the book other than Hobie and Pippa. Just a very sad story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8G1Y72NJ17K5?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful utterly absorbing read. The character of Theo is convincingly written.. It comes as a shock to see another name on the cover! Really hard to pull yourself away from the pages and adventures of Theo to return to your own life and struggles. Just fantastic.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KNH21LD01LMX?ASIN=0316055441	We are all orphans in the making.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the most radiant novel I've read in at least a decade.  Breathtaking, intimate, global, universal and intensely private.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZVK8AG3YMK15?ASIN=0316055441	Big Long Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful story, compelling characters, big, long read. Engaging portrait of New York City's upper crust while affording a view of the nether regions of the soul...I don't give 5 stars very often, but this one, along with Brothers, were my favorite novels of the year.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PTHS7QUD5LWO?ASIN=0316055441	page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a fascinating story.  I have a hard time putting it down.  Very descriptive creating a picture if all in your imagination.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGGFWEZPFE50L?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt is a great writer!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was my second favorite book of the year (The Book Thief was my favorite).  Donna Tartt is an exceptional writer and there are sections of this book that are truly brilliant and moving.  No one will be disappointed to read this book and enjoy a writer at her top form.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5IW7VTVL2DHT?ASIN=0316055441	an Excellent Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I had not read previous books by Donna Tartt, I was mesmerized by her use of words and phrases-- oh, so much like fellow Mississippian William Faulkner! Her style is a rarity not used by many other writers whose sentences are brief and dull while hers are delightful and moving.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R190S4QEZRFBYI?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an amazing book. I could not stop thinking about the characters and what might happen to them next.  I read it at every free moment I had. Donna tart weaves an incredible story that keeps you intrigued and makes you use your imagination..  I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more if her work..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EAW1X1756IS4?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written book but a plot line that kept me wanting to find out what happened next. Although this was a long book it kept my interest throughout.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LHS9428KOJKT?ASIN=0316055441	Worth reading!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked this book.Took a little bit to get into the book, but it was worth it !  Enjoy!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38PF0QA5NWR71?ASIN=0316055441	A Great book to Share	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this story. The characters are unique and three dimensional. They reveal themselves and reflect on what events were formative. Everything was interesting. It gave me insight into my life and the lives of those around me. I will read this again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28RULS76UU349?ASIN=0316055441	A filling read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book filled me up with endearing characters and felt like a sweeping current day saga of life and the reasons behind what seems random but isn't at all.loved it highly recommend, it is lengthy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y0QNFLYAG33H?ASIN=0316055441	Great Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a very compelling story. It held my attention. It really spoke to the human condition. I would recommend the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16J8W85QFOSWY?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hands down the best book that I've read this year. It should be on everyone's must read list. Very good.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RUY7PN92S8RA?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put the book down until I finished it! I will be honest and say that the only thing I didn't like was the last few pages, I wish it had ended differently.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9EQL4NJVIBXF?ASIN=0316055441	love the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i haven't finished the book yet but am really enjoying it.  it's well written and very hard to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A1M301LT6WS2?ASIN=0316055441	Great story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book held my interest from first to last page! It was well written with a great story behind it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22391AYOTW466?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well-written, gripping story!  Couldn't put it down -- pulls you in from the beginning and never lets you go. Loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGRVEJ0O919EN?ASIN=0316055441	Reality with a twist	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Up-to-date, plot that keeps the reader guessing, and characters whose quirks are interesting.  And all based around a real painting!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29DKEZ0K4O96Y?ASIN=0316055441	Impossible to put down once you've started reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch<br/><br/>It deserves four stars for the wonderful language, the highly original plot, the well -developed characters. The only reason why I don't give it 5 stars is the few instances of too much of a ""muchness""... detail that just becomes a trifle boring. Well boring is perhaps not the right word, because during the last 200 or so pages I wished the book would never end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVUW1KHS2JZ37?ASIN=0316055441	interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is about a part of life that I have never experienced or really understood. After reading this book I do have more insight into druggies and antiques.  I certainly will look at museum paintings in another way.. I found the book somewhat difficult to read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L6CZFXGNLSQ0?ASIN=0316055441	great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long book, sorry it ended.  Everything you ever wanted to know about fine art theft, antiquity restoration, drug abuse, trauma and character development all rolled into one. Need to remind my book club to get reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHKF34SY2AEE0?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've read Donna tartt's previous 2 books and enjoyed them. They are all investment of time that mostly pays off. The characters are real, tangible, and relatable...even if their backgrounds/settings are different than yours. Goldfinch was immensely enjoyable until the last 2 chapters. Had I rated before the last 2 chapters, I ould ave awarded 5 stars..however, I found the last couple of chapters rambling, self-indulgent, drug-fueled? Rants that totally lost me. I don't get it...did she do some of the oft mentioned drugs before wrapping up the loose ends of this book? Existentialists and hipsters will wildly embrace the writing style that brought the book to a close.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REG2CO1H5XHCG?ASIN=0316055441	i love the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i love the book, however, it does have a large element of sadness and hopelessness. the prose is just magical but  some of his growing up years (2) is a bit repetitive. i have not finiished the book as of yet.  Her chacaterizations are very compelling.. You are very much drawn to the characters and you feel you know them.  that is my feeling at this point of the book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MAKI9RRUB1X5?ASIN=0316055441	I just felt it was not perfect. However	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just felt it was not perfect.  However, I did want to get back to it when I could.  I guess I wanted to care more about the<br/>characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5MZIINY891OW?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting name and Cover Sleeve	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Have not finished book, at this time I felt this a fair evaluation.  Heard the title name so frequently felt compelled to read book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BG3WAYVZPF5L?ASIN=0316055441	Read it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even though I was an English lit major in college, I rarely read novels any more...they are mostly just so..........bad.  The only reason I read this one was because it was below freezing, I didn't want to leave the house, I was out of books and nothing looked good on the kindle, and someone on a computer board said this one was available on a one day deal and I remembered hearing an interesting review on PBS.  So I got it.  I have to say, this is such a cut above the usual and so wonderfully rich and compelling, I couldn't put it down and I feel like I have to tell everyone out there to read this great book.  It is like a Charles Dickens or George Eliot novel in that there are shifts in fortune and surprising twists and you get an insightful look at today's world and its questionable values without ever feeling preached to.  Beautifully written and most entertaining, try it.  I'd even pay full price, it is that good!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXGB795WCMKJ4?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had me to the point of not being able to put it down, and to the point of please where is this going. I gave it four stars cause I really did enjoy the story. Theo and Boris great characters , if a bit lost. But hey in the end it all works out.My complaint is why so long.For that reason alone no one else in my family will read it.Plus I have to say it was way different then I thought it would be from reading the reviews.But nothing draws me in like a tragic kid story.I mean who can resist Theo from the start.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JPRGDLZBPWUT?ASIN=0316055441	enjoying the Goldfinch.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it is well written. Excellent English, too detail oriented and sometimes long winded. The similarity to Charles Dickens  style is astonishing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R109HKTRPK3VIH?ASIN=0316055441	Dragged On	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't decide on 3 or 4 stars. The story is good and the writing style is good and it starts off good. The closer I got to the middle of the book the more it seemed to drag. I found myself wishing it was over. I like long books but this just got boring. Despite that it is still a book worth reading</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UR7DMBB1QI7I?ASIN=0316055441	Good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the first two thirds of this book. Unfortunately, it got weird as it went along. I forced myself to finish it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ4B7EB8QS0N8?ASIN=0316055441	Did not fill expectations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have to admit I was really hopeful after reading the reviews and the first 100 pages.  Unfortunately it didn't work for me.  I felt there was way too much about drug use and drinking.  I can't imagine why anyone would compare this work to Dickens.  I gave it 3 stars instead of 2 because I believe it was a quite an undertaking.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UYVNV0GFDG76?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A real page turner!  Could have liked it better with a little less drug use and discussion.  Loved the art discussion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YPG6XXCP0GXR?ASIN=0316055441	Great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have ever read. The characters are very strong  this book brought me into a different world of unfortunate and neglected young boys who grow up as very complicated men.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XCSVD1PNFDKV?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch - Not what I had hoped	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love the way the book started out.  I thought it would be a personal story of the young man and a painting and the people whose lives he touched through his adventures.  However, I did not like the brutality and the killing towards the end.  The premise of the story was good and for that I am glad I read the book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BL8KD2DDKTHU?ASIN=0316055441	Too long winded	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The sriting is good, the storyline is good but I really battled to keep interested. Also I find the continuous drug use and vomiting a bit nauseating.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI3WCAXBATNF?ASIN=0316055441	A very good book!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a terrific book in many ways.  It has a great plot line, the characters are well delineated, and the background story of the antique business is fascinating.  I didn't give it five stars because it's a bit too long and drawn out.  I was drawn to reading it to find out what happened next, which means I really did like it, but my only complaint is that it was overdone in several places.<br/>A definite recommendation, though.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DP6UP7O9AQWC?ASIN=0316055441	Overlong	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overlong - good story but would have been far more moving and effecting if more concise.  Some good characters but uneven.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T0W1X8448K7I?ASIN=0316055441	Loved every page	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is well worth the money and time (it's long) you will spend on it.  It's different and a little disturbing but I would totally recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDMRPNRLO8IXR?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was well worth waiting ten years for Donna Tartt's new novel ""The Goldfinch.."" Other reviewers have gone into more detail more eloquently than I can, so I will simply say that for me it is the best piece of contemporary writing I've enjoyed in a very long time. Ms. Tartt is incredibly talented and imaginative, and I certainly hope it isn't another 10 years before she publishes again. Theo Decker goes into literary history with Holden Caulfield and Pip. I also found all the secondary characters, especially Hutch, Mrs. Barbour, Andy and Boris, to be well-written and fascinating, going well beyond the usual stereotypes or plot devices  that secondary characters often fulfill. It's apparent that a great deal of research and effort to ""get things right"" went into this novel. Favorite line: when Boris is trying to discover from Theo if Hutch is only helping Theo because he is a ""poufter.""  Theo says he doesn't know and Theo responds: ""Who cares? If he is good to you? None of us ever find enough kindness in the world, do we?""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I2QQ2XX92PRM?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was hesitant to read this book, to be honest. I very much enjoyed her first book ad very much hated her second. I was afraid I would be disappointed again. I am happy to say I am far from disappointed. When I finished this book I felt like I was coming up for air and I am going to miss the characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HRJHDS709QRK?ASIN=0316055441	A long, engaging and beautifully written story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For anyone who has ever fallen in love with a piece of art, this story is for you.  It is a most astonishing story told through the eyes of am imperfect and loveable character who will make your heart ache.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWH3CH8CB0KOG?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing, the story, the characters. I have been mesmerized for two weeks reading this fantastically written book. Tarrt's a brilliant observer, nay, shaper of humanity, in all of our raw and naked and poignant despair.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SYH69MEOD8SO?ASIN=0316055441	Thegoldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought book was too long but worthy it in the end.  Story about the art business was interesting.  Glad I read three<br/><br/> It</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QMY9SS80G6GA?ASIN=0316055441	Thoughtful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great balance between an easy read and a thought-provoking intellectual novel. A coming of age under difficult circumstances book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W2Y14XBK39B1?ASIN=0316055441	A Rich and Rewarding Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As usual, Donna Tartt doesn't disappoint the reader.  She goes to unusual places in the minds of her subjects, and you're never quite sure where she's taking you.  She's an excellent writer.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VZLJ8GHSHTQ4?ASIN=0316055441	A book you will remember when visiting a museum.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is the scenes you mentally picture from her marvelous use of detailed descriptions.  The feelings of the child left to figure how his life changed but too young to understand those changes.  Characters so perfectly described as possible visitors in your home or someone you once knew.  Relationships new and gone from this lonely child.  Totally absorbing read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TPS24XZIIT28?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is such an engaging book that I can't put it down.  Characters and events are described so well that I feel as if I'm there watching it all first hand.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20YBF6XMQKA5M?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is truly an extraordinary story and holds the reader from the beginning right through to the end.  The characters are well developed.  The plot is interesting.  It has everything a good novel should have, and more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M0K8RD9HJNE1?ASIN=0316055441	Some birds fly free	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch starts out with a bang but never really continues to excite you. I enjoyed the story but the ending leaves you hanging.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L45XMVGY0SP3?ASIN=0316055441	A page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""The Goldfinch"" is a page turner.  While the events in the novel demand suspension of disbelief, it is, in Marian Moore's words, ""an imaginary garden with real toads in it.""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U28PUFR2UEF4?ASIN=0316055441	A Great Read (Spolier Present)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long book and (while a very overused description) truly Dickensian.  I got very involved with the story in the beginning through Theo's eyes and experiences.  I loved spending time in the worlds of painting and antique restoration -- I could almost smell the workshop. I would have loved to join some of the New York characters at a dinner party! I was alarmed to see Theo descend (spoiler alert) into  deception, drugs, and a relationship of compromise.  This book is for those who can relate to loving beautiful art. It will require an investment of time to get through the 800+ pages - but it's worth the effort. I especially love how the author resolved the central issue of the story regarding the painting. I will read more Donna Tartt based on this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LMI8LYS5GWSG?ASIN=0316055441	Great book, love it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Superb book.  I am actually slowing down while reading it to make it last longer.  It is SO good -- anyone who likes Secret History or Dickens -- tho not as obscure as Dickens.  Really a delightful read -- easy to read and interesting and suspenseful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C9IH7UYARHUR?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was so unique. Somewhere between believable and not.  I personally have seen the picture and therefore it felt personal.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDAUI0D57Z9XN?ASIN=0316055441	Gripping!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book griped and held me to the bitter end! The writing was so descriptive that I felt as though I could literally ""feel"" what the characters were going through.  This is my first Donna Tartt book and I cannot wait to start another one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WG0BR7G44YBQ?ASIN=0316055441	GREAT READ!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great book!  so well written.  cant put it down!  The descriptions and character development is awesome! It tugs at your hear! Highly recommend this book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34QJ1VHLAYSO8?ASIN=0316055441	must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">beautifully written and also a page turner.  i savored every word. don't be intimidated by the number of pages, you won't regret devoting the time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K557O8H2OUZS?ASIN=0316055441	A Classic is born.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extraordinary.  First few chapters, I thought it was a young adult novel, then it turned more and more complex. It is a compelling story that makes you rethink the very concepts of 'right', 'wrong', 'good', 'bad'.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SZ0WV6M9AT7V?ASIN=0316055441	An All-Day Sucker	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a delicious all-day sucker of a novel.  It engages the reader from the first sentence and carries her along on a wild ride until the end.  Theo, the protagonist, is sometimes pathetic, sometimes lovable, sometimes aggravating and disappointing, but always gripping.  The other characters are equally fascinating and well-developed.  They are strange and outside our experience, yet somehow believable.  The plot has just enough surprises to skirt the bounds of credence.  ""The Goldfinch"" has been called Dickensian, and that it is.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BCBC1RRJNESX?ASIN=0316055441	Great yarn!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book! I'm close to the end but not looking forward to putting it down. Wouldn't be surprised to see someone attempt a movie from this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7F4OUEYIE37H?ASIN=0316055441	A good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the author's ability to put the reader in the moment, she continues the story while describing surroundings and  facial expressions.  I wish she had shortened the book some especially toward the end.  A good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DVMCTIPXA4SV?ASIN=0316055441	A must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best written books I have read in a long time. Well constructed and raises important moral questions.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JH7JEQQSEL6?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an incredible, gorgeous book - surprising in a great way.  I'm very glad that I made this purchase.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VABQYQFX0NZG?ASIN=0316055441	It's a long one!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't finished this book yet (it's a long one) but I am sure that, at the end, I will wish it were longer!<br/>Great story and well written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VVBMUBCJ78R4?ASIN=0316055441	Susan Petrunya	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting twist for explaining what life means. I was glad that the characters remained the same through to the end. I enjoyed the fact that Theo did not ""reform"" his life and end up as a Prince Charming.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P4XRL3PR83F?ASIN=0316055441	Confusing at times.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I very much enjoyed this book and the writers style.  I felt lost at times but came back to enjoy the story.  Although, the underlying message was difficult to at times for me too grasp,<br/>I concluded its meaning is not necessarily the same for everyone.  The message I took from the author was, life can seem impossible, hard and extremely unfair but beauty and meaning can only be had through strong moral convictions.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SSA5KR2R7SY7?ASIN=0316055441	Absolutely stunning novel,	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I will read this book again and, probably, again.  one reading doesn't begin to open up the many nuances of this story, this character.  This is a rich and moving tale of a boy/man who is tragic and vulnerable yet one who has all he needs to find love and happiness if only he could stop ""living"" long enough to recognize himself.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14DOEVHZ7HQI9?ASIN=0316055441	genius!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Language turned to perfection around a compelling plot. Ms. Tartt makes one wish for beauty and desire a life filled with art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TGW46I3A55SY?ASIN=0316055441	A work of art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is truly beautiful.  Meaningful, deep, and a good plot line, I will definitely be purchasing a hard copy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S6O94V2VRZXK?ASIN=0316055441	Hold on	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A thrilling tale that times I couldn't put down.  Just when I thought I knew where it was headed it turned and headed in a new dimension.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VINFVF9S8PWQ?ASIN=0316055441	A big, sparkling jewel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What can I say about this wonderful book to convince you to stop reading the reviews right this second and buy it? Whatever it is, consider it said. I have never finished reading a book and then immediately turned back to page one to begin again, except with The Goldfinch.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UFQOFSJ6QNN?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent story, well told	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Her best since The Secret History.  An 700-page door-stop, but great on the Kindle.  Her depiction of NYC is spot-on, and she brings well-developed characters.  Very emotional for a reader.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD00GEG8LT4TV?ASIN=0316055441	Transfixed, and need to read again.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read, and re-read, The Secret History, by Donna Tartt, many years ago. I loved that book and was excited to find this recent novel. It is long, and dragged for me just a bit in the middle, and yet, I could not put it down and was so sorry to have it end. Impossible for me to write a brief summary, and I will be thinking of the themes for quite a while before reading it again. Tragedy, love, loss, beauty, meaning and meaninglessness, fate, death, choices, oblivion, awareness, just some of the words that come to my mind having just now finished The Goldfinch.<br/>Not a light beach read, rather the opposite. Recommended for people who ponder what it's all about, and don't want or need things all wrapped up neatly with a bow.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q1SJDF3TW58D?ASIN=0316055441	Post Modern Don Quixote	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo and Boris, strangely enough, are perfect post-modern anti-heroes. Horribly flawed, these motherless boys journey through their baffling teenage and young adult lives, gobbling all the drugs and slugging down all the vodka they can find.  But we still love them and want to see them survive despite their endless attempts at self-destruction.  It's  hard to read sometimes.<br/><br/>Theo, fragile and cerebral, clings to the one thing that gives him a foundation and sense of meaning:  a painting.  Boris, covering any existential angst with a shroud of drugs and alcohol, is always close by, ready to share his life-numbing antidotes with his little pal, Theo.  New York, Las Vegas, and Amsterdam provide the backdrops for their physical and metaphysical displacement.<br/><br/>It's a rollercoaster ride of a read, and we feel the underlying pain through Theo's eyes as he struggles to find his place in the world.  What do we do when the old foundations of religion, morality, and family have rotted away?  In this amoral, fragmented, and nonsensical world, is there anything that can anchor us?  That's a good question.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I1MDSODCQAB0?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this book down!  What an amazing roller coaster of a read. Complex characters - unexpected characters - and a completely satisfying ending. Recommend it to all!  This WILL be made into a movie!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVFNQUCZDQYQ8?ASIN=0316055441	Superb	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't feel like I was reading a novel but rather enmeshed in a life.  Brilliant writing.  I've read some wonderful books as of late but this one shined the brightest.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PJZBRX9CH3M6?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Gold finch<br/><br/>this is one of the most interesting books I've read in a long time.  By starting in the present and going back to the past incourages you to jump right in.  Couldn't put the book down. Fast moving and holds your interest</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ2UXZFOHVCAJ?ASIN=0316055441	a GREAT read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very compelling story written beautifully from a 15 year old boy's point of view with very believable twists and turns which keep you flipping the pages!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PSWRNT2YOJJV?ASIN=0316055441	Good writing gone astray	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch/ good writing gone astray<br/><br/>Beginning is excellent, but it becomes far too repetitious, particularly in the drug scenes, which recur with some constancy.  Too bad, though, since you never understand why such a sensitive boy/man with a mother who obviously had a great influence on him could become such a rotter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IVVJ412FUGTO?ASIN=0316055441	One boy's  life's  journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing took me right into the story and kept me there. I did not find it prediciible, that kept my interest. Good character development.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F6SSRRV3A5VV?ASIN=0316055441	I am speechless	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is so hard to convey the impact of this book.  Every transcendent moment countered with pain, struggling with self, always searching for what is just beyond our Wondering if  he will find himself.  I will think about all this story challenges us to look to our own beliefs.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KX22434TSC5S?ASIN=0316055441	"A ""must read"" book!"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just a wonderful story.  It had such a well written story with complex, interesting characters. I just didn't want to stop reading this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P7V5OZ4JMFV0?ASIN=0316055441	a thoroughly enjoyable page turner.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best book I have read in years! I found myself stealing every minute I could find in my day to pick it up for even just a few pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32UZ63FTCSMBN?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the moral	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was caught up in this story immediately but wavered slightly finding time in Theo'steenage years in Vegas tedious eager to move on but found the ending exciting and satisfying.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TGDLHMZO3W7S?ASIN=0316055441	Good for a cold winter weekend's read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossing read. Hard to put down. I would definitely recommend this. It's a long book, but that was fine, because I didn't want the story to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZYMZC0U3USCO?ASIN=0316055441	Does Life Imitate Art or Does Art Imitate Life?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read. I loved it. The author is an excellent writer though somewhat nihilistic (except for the power and hope that art and creativity can provoke) and she is verbose. As a visual artist, I loved her imagery of paintings using words. I highly recommend reading this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X4TUY097YU2G?ASIN=0316055441	Can't put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best story ever! Can 't put down! Not 5 because story is a little bit contrived and the plot a bit complicated</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z873M8SRWEIR?ASIN=0316055441	GREAT!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read..70 pages to go.  Interesting fast paced plot twist and turns.  Hard to put down.  At 771 pages a hefty book, perfect for my Kindle.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LVIFZLB3PPL3?ASIN=0316055441	well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a well written long book that is hard to put down. One of the best reads of 2013.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R230SJXF7U1PIW?ASIN=0316055441	Befriend a young boy in distress today.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tart can inhabit any persona - man, woman, adolescent or child -  and share that character's innermost thoughts accurately and comfortably with her readers. She possesses a warm genius...J K</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TKRXAPA3JQU0?ASIN=0316055441	Just buy Donna Tartt ....she is an amazing storyteller and inhabits all her characters.....such a pleasure to read!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">fabulous book!<br/>fabulous writer<br/>Can't wait to read more of her through the years!<br/>I am telling all my friends!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BYJEOEPXZCF3?ASIN=0316055441	Definitely recommended	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well-written prose and a page-turner story. One caveat- too much time and too many details on both antique restoration and vomiting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15FS4OYD6YJME?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book reads so true I had to read twice that it is truly fictitious. When I started reading this book I had no idea what it was about, just bought it on the recommendation of Kindle.  As each new brilliant character was added, I became more enthralled and cut not put it down.  I found it to be an excellent read and will be recommending to my reader friends.  In the end when it says something about God taking his hands away from our eyes when we die ans says, "" Now see.""  Will stick with me always.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CVAK4OCAQH3M?ASIN=0316055441	Good, not Great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautifully conceived story and eloquently written. Unfortunately, the author struggles to bring the story to an end. It's good, but could have been great, if the ending had been shorter and tighter.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H4HYGE0CMDSH?ASIN=0316055441	entrancing and magnificent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an amazing book.  Compelling story that grabs the reader from the first page, beautiful, lyrical prose.  Donna Tartt at her best.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OR4D3BXAA19M?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writing and great story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely loved this book. The writing is wonderful and the plot is riveting.  Can't wait to read her other work.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37ZNEX92702WX?ASIN=0316055441	Hauntingly captivating.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A most difficult book to put down, and yet one must eventually come to the last word.  What a writer!  Characters that bleed reality, introspection that sings.  Ahhhh....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JRHH2F9ZGX5G?ASIN=0316055441	Literate Character-Driven Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Literate and Dickensian. Fully enjoyable book character driven with the plot elements following the characters instead of the characters following the plot. An absolute joy to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G8LDQU5PPNO7?ASIN=0316055441	the good and the not so good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a marvelous, imaginative story, skillfully written. However.  The mid section -- Los Vegas locale -- and the endless drug scenes -- needed editing: too overwhelmingly repetitious.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S2YMPWEMNCR0?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put it down it totally took over my life until I was done reading it.  Awesome book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BLKN122L19GR?ASIN=0316055441	stunning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Imagine a first chapter written by J. D. Salinger and directed by Wes Anderson, and a climax written by Martin McDonough and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Imagine, instead, a great sprawling contemporary Dickensian confection, with equal parts Nicholas Nickleby, Great Expectations and Curiosity Shop. The Goldfinch is all of these and more</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5M2ZN7LTO8U0?ASIN=0316055441	This Book Will Grab You and Keep You Awake Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book pulled me in immediately, and I had to discipline myself to avoid staying up too late trying to finish it.  It's long, but I read it with a kind of tense fascination, as one thing after another happens, and I just HAD to know what came next!  The writing is lush, very descriptive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBD45NZ11QU9H?ASIN=0316055441	the most amazing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Getting lost in the world that Donna Tartt creates in The Goldfinch is a great gift.  It engages the heart and mind in page after page of poetic writing and transports you. Magnificent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FRHAQWYXEEVN?ASIN=0316055441	Good book...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing was good and plot interesting but it was too descriptive/wordy at times.  Much of it could have been cut out and I tended to skip over parts that weren't pertinent to plot.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L7KH8Z36BG7O?ASIN=0316055441	just buy it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful, creative engaging book. The weave of an event that shaped the protagonists life gives hope to anyone who survives a crisis. Beautifully developed characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A2A8LJ81JBER?ASIN=0316055441	book review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quick read, fast moving, thrilling adventure.  Tho ending was a bit slow &amp; too philosophical. Good book for art lovers.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WME7A9CB296K?ASIN=0316055441	exquisite!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. I have been caught in Theo's world all week, and will have difficulty adjusting to the real one.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R138CQSHN0MZJX?ASIN=0316055441	Dickensian detail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just one quarter through so far and it doesn't seem to be so very long as the ny review suggested -- Dickensian detail not withstanding. Goldfinch might in fact be a five star review but then it seems not as believable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31TKG3449NENK?ASIN=0316055441	a masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a masterpiece of American literature, beautifully written, multi-layered meanings, room for interpretation, and suspenseful and entertaining to boot  bravo, Donna Tartt</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14P35F955VCF2?ASIN=0316055441	Read this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story and writing.  Some parts are difficult to read but you'll want to finish.  Lots of details and twists in the plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N8JMP5JSA7MG?ASIN=0316055441	A Work of Art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is one of the most stylistically beautifully written books I've read in a long time.  The descriptive language is, like the fictitious painting at the heart of this novel, a work of art. And yet the story with it's intrigue and mystery keep me riveted--never wanting to put the book down.  The convoluted story is mesmerizing and the chance and coincidence always feel perfectly plausible.  I love this book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ASZ12XCZS2UJ?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome! Thought provoking, and dark, while touching. Couldn't put it down. Beautifully written. Read it soon you won't be sorry.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30LRIQBIOD6PD?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written, but flawed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The descriptive passages in this book displayed some of the most beautiful, vivid writing I have ever encountered, especially the post-terror attack in the museum, but the plot development sometimes was tedious and implausible.  The sequence involving the trip to Amsterdam was simply not believable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN4WIZP4RAON2?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing journey!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love the way Donna writes! It feels so real, even though the situation maybe a little far fetched, I can't put the book down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R311UESTQ45BE1?ASIN=0316055441	Good...but not Secret History	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch started out brilliantly, but got bogged down in the middle and seemed to come to a somewhat hurried and contrived ending. The characters were interesting, and I very much appreciate Tartt's masterful use of words to engage all senses in this book, but the plot itself was a bit meandering.  Loved Secret History so perhaps my expectations were too high.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IA434OU5WEYM?ASIN=0316055441	I like a long book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As other reviewers have noted, this is a wonderful book, though the last third was not as mesmerizing as the first two thirds of the book. Some of the writing is downright magical,some of the writing is downright wordy. Wish the spell had lasted through to the end but still worth the effort.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39SJJF175TLST?ASIN=0316055441	Almost Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would have given it  five stars, but I think some of Tartt's descriptions got a little tedious. Could of been fifteen or twenty percent shorter. Having said that, like a lot of writers after building a great story she rushes through the climax.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDJDR891EA4UG?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt isn't a prolific author, she only puts out about 1 book every 10 years but it is worth the wait. Her characters are detailed and many-layered. There are usually plenty of unexpected twists to the story. This is no exception. You really feel for Theo and the challenges he's faced with.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J4PA0F54CHQ2?ASIN=0316055441	well written detail, interesting characters, however, not much action or intrigue, slow moving	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written with great detail, but very little action or intrigue. Writer gives you a very clear picture of the people and the place, you can feel it and see it. A depressing story and I kept waiting for something to happen, for the story to move forward.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CC3H78RFSPTY?ASIN=0316055441	gripping for over seven hundred pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sometimes a bit wordy but gripping for over seven hundred pages.  You care about these characters addiction not withstanding.  Thanks Donna Tartt</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26FL2M3I8YG9C?ASIN=0316055441	Deliciously descriptive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">However some parts dragged on a little. Author's certainly talented in her ability to bring things and characters to live with her descriptions. However I found her characters a tad too painfully exaggerated.  Overall, however definitely loved the read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13VR9AMFTXRE4?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was looking forward to reading The Goldfinch after having read all the reviews. The writing is descriptive. You can visualize everything. But, it is just too wordy! Itis about 400 pages too long. The story is not that intriguing to merit being a 775 page book, I my opinion.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GSERHE6A67ES?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Imaginative, brilliant story telling, writing.  Wonderfully moving story of a young man's adventures and life. The author<br/>is incredibly talented.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZKKEB8FZVZ2F?ASIN=0316055441	Good book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very engaging book. An excellent holiday read for the holidays. Give yourself enough time to sit back, relax and enjoy it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QC087YRDSCJ5?ASIN=0316055441	A Bit Too Long But Worth It	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I usually think that making a reader slog through 700 pages is the height of author self-indulgence, Donna Tartt's exquisite attention to detail and her ability to make her characters take on a life made this book a pleasure to read.  Well, maybe pleasure isn't exactly the right word - the path of her protagonist - a boy who's life is irrevocably changed by the accidental death of his mother - is at times almost unbearably painful and depressing.  But this isn't the adventures of Winnie the Pooh.  Toward the end of the book I began to skip pages as she took way too long to end it.  If what you're looking for is total submersion, a book where you can lose yourself and your other cares for a week, then I recommend it strongly.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z9CYAD6LLVK?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A compelling, but overly long book.  That said, I couldn't put it down.  It seems that the authors message concerns the imortality</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GKGG2XGKPS8I?ASIN=0316055441	It's about Theo	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A page turner. As with all great American literature, you fall for the trustworthy narrator. Come to love him.  For his beautiful unself-consciousness.  A ""transparent eyeball,"" as Emerson might say. This is a dive into something much deeper than art. The art of noticing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKA1X205TV5MS?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good, but got tired of reading, too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR38UQLH56UBB?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Maybe I'm missing it but find this very boring</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T4ANT03VRX6I?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked parts of it and that made me finish it</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRQSNYAVLE99U?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wordy. Overwritten with some redeeming moments</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R7Z25ZTL861W?ASIN=0316055441	Absolutely hated the book and wish I didn't read it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think the cover needs a disclaimer that if you are a positive thinker- this book is NOT for you.  I was seriously mad when I finished it, #1 because it takes a LONG time to read it and to have won those high awards I was expecting much more and also, the message is depressing.  Sorry Donna Tart and Pulitzer judges, but what the heck?  I hated it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R76U8DBGDRU1B?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">On one level this is an action novel,but on another much deeper level it provides insights into why we have and need art, what is family, and the unintended consequences of actions.  It also examines the facades we create to hide behind in order to protect ourselves from a reality which is too painful to accept.  It is a beautifully written novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TRV6OQZPWQVM?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tart is a skillful writer, but using too ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tart is a skillful writer, but using too many words get in the way of her story. There is also too much of the drug world here to find much that is uplifting. Perhaps, she doesn't want to give us anything uplifting. But, she could have been well-served to read Tom Jones, before beginning this tale. At least the action might not have dragged.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XTLSD6LHOJCC?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a hard time putting this book down to get some sleep!  Strangely enough, I was watching a television show, and on the show, the main character was watching a talk show on her television, and one of the panel said, ""Have any of you read The Goldfinch?  You must read it.  It is so riveting.""  I plan to recommend this to my book club next week.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31CEOYB3EO9BA?ASIN=0316055441	A twist in the tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was quite long - but the twists and turns were well worth the late nights I had to keep to finish it. Theo is the guy who embodies both good and bad - representing the paradox we all are. Boris, his childhood friend is undoubtedly the wild one - and the street smart one.... When the two gang up, it leads to a thrilling (and scary) result</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT3P9568YS9V0?ASIN=0316055441	Too much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was not an uplifting story and it just went on  and on until the last three or so pages sort of pulled everything together. Cannot believe it won a Pulitzer Prize. Sorry I spent so much time reading  such a long book for the little I got out of it.  Also, too much graphic information on drug taking and the results. I wish I could be more positive.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HIUXYCPMJFU8?ASIN=0316055441	It's Punishing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many disappointments: 1. Pippa is never developed. 2.  The magic between Theo and Pippa is dropped. 3.  The special nature of Theo is dropped. 4.  The relationship with Kitsey is developed and should have been dropped.  5.  I became so irritated that I can't remember the ending.<br/><br/>For a rewarding ending, read ""The Luminaries"".</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNO8GX5UBKNVE?ASIN=0316055441	Moving novel of PTSD, but much too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much too long.  I understand the author needed to describe just how deep into drugs the protagonist was, but I think nothing would have been lost if the novel was cut by a third.  However, her description of the profound loss Theo suffered by the death of his mother, and how it left him and Pippa permanently wounded was very moving and convincing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C9WDW49BP2J3?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing and maddening.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was initially pulled into the story of Theo and his mother, their love and his discomfort in his adolescence. As the book progressed there were times I became so frustrated with the darkness and the seeming unnecessary almost rambling.  I persevered and finished the book but found again a lot of the ending had unnecessary narration and rambled.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMO3VWKLJ57PE?ASIN=0316055441	The novel was captivating and excellent, right up until the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The novel was captivating and excellent, right up until the end.  The only thing missing was closure on Theo's reward and final financial condition, pending marriage, and his unrequited love for Pipa.  Would it have taken Ms. Tartt much of an effort to close out this wonderful story, at least to the point that set the table for a follow up novel?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HSDDRPLPIF46?ASIN=0316055441	This book had some interesting themes and had an interesting ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had some interesting themes and had an interesting premise. But it was much too long. The author described too many drug trips. There was no resolution, positive or negative.  The author spent too much time expounding her philosophy. She went on so long and it got so convoluted that I gave up and have no idea what she was trying to say.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K81CDDP46XBB?ASIN=0316055441	enjoyable but excessive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Generally well written. Interesting story. Great character development of several characters. That was impressive. Overly extensive and elaborate description of his drug and alcohol addiction. This one could have used an editor. This one was too well written to have not been a 5+. All that it needed was to be tightened up. Enjoyed it nonetheless.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NNY3VHA7SA9K?ASIN=0316055441	I think it's the best book I've ever read and I've been reading for ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Actually, I would give The Goldfinch 10 stars.  I think it's the best book I've ever read and I've been reading for a long time.  Character development is phenomenal; story-line kept me from putting the book down; and the descriptive language is SO rich!  I just finished this book but I want to start it again....  DON'T pass on reading this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TWAC5F28A400?ASIN=0316055441	Where was the Editor?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just too too many words. Where was the Editor? Such potential but the tedium of the author continually dragging out even the smallest scene was constant. Yes, she is a beautiful writer, but she was so busy trying to prove that over and over again that I became bored waiting for the story to move on. Cannot recommend this to my fellow book lovers.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D9IMDSQBBE51?ASIN=0316055441	Painful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story, while entertaining in many parts, needs serious editing. If you make it to the end, which I did only by scanning too many pages waiting for the story to actually resume, be prepared for disappointment. Why do we need to be told in detail the philosophical dilemma apparent throughout the book for pages and pages at the end? Redemption?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2417KLIMRE6SP?ASIN=0316055441	Wish we had more books like this	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Adored this book from beginning to end and yes it is a very long book.  Would recommend winter reading when closed in and snuggled by fireplace.  I read in summer when busy and took me longer and wish I had waited until January.  The characters are so interesting and complex it took concentration on my part but so many surprises.  Excellent book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QQ8JLWW3SO2N?ASIN=0316055441	an unfulfilled promise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing begins so well, engages the reader and shows an understanding of human nature. That enticing beginning leads to disappointment. I slogged through the remaining 500 pages, pouncing on the occasional beautiful turn of phrase , to fulfill my book club obligation. I have not recommended this book to anyone. It's premises are too negative.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VMYIRF7HU5VH?ASIN=0316055441	Great story, well done!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was about to leave for 4 days at the Lake and my boss recommended this to me.  I was hooked right away and had to devour this book.  It is a great story about so much, I am still mulling it over and will go back to re-read some very good passages.  I lost my Mother at the same age and the way she described how he dealt with it was so well done.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I10ADN68KM27?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I first started,to read,this book I did not,like it<br/>  I put it down and read something else then I went back to Goldfinch<br/>  I  so glad I did<br/>  What a great story, the love of art and the search for it<br/>  The beautiful girl,Pippa whom he,loved. And of course Boris,what a journey he took Theo through. A Wonderful read<br/>'</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22NB4NY4AF31Y?ASIN=0316055441	No wonder this book won the pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is lyrical, the story compelling.  The only part of this book I got a little bored with was the one violent scene near the end - unnecessary and not all that interesting.  There were other ways the author could have had the action occur without the violence.  Otherwise, this book was so engaging, I honestly didn't want to put it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUIB7TIRMMYT9?ASIN=0316055441	Absolutely astonishing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As an English teacher, I'm always looking for books that are a reward or escape from the easy, linear stories of my textbooks, and this book was just that. The main character is so dynamic and depressingly charming that you find yourself cheering for him until the final pages. Gripping, real, and incredibly written, this book is one for the ages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33BSZQBDAM0YH?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful language that became cumbersome as the story went on ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful language that became cumbersome as the story went on and rich characters that became lost in the structure of the tale made for heavy reading well before the end of the book. Finishing it became a chore for me rather than a joy.  It was like a painting that struck you full force from a distance but became muddied as you stepped closer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU2YF02TZ89PY?ASIN=0316055441	I don't know how it stayed on the best seller lists for so long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a novel that goes on way too long and is based on unlikeable characters (especially the main character).  I don't know how it stayed on the best seller lists for so long.  I gave it three stars because it is well-written and  has many moments that keep you on the edge of your seat.  But  way too long.  I had to force myself to finish it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U4KPVQ6Z9VI?ASIN=0316055441	This was a disappointment for something that was on the best seller list ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a disappointment for something that was on the best seller list for so long. I thought it dragged on and on and on and on. I kept waiting for it to grab me. Just when it would start to get interesting, the storyline would die off.  Not too much about the art, more about the crazy drug addictions and messed up life of the main character.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32H430FVVR4Q?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a bad story although the lead character is unlikeable &amp; everyone else seems to be a caricature. Ms. Tartt is too wordy, describing things with 4 or 5 (or more!) descriptions, not trusting the reader to be intelligent enough to understand what she means. The last 20 pages were pure agony to read. I really don't see why this was a best seller.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R260A9NGBR8WD5?ASIN=0316055441	A Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A literary classic! The character development is great and the way the author brought the main character from boy to manhood was as if one lived his life. Enjoyed the interactions between characters and the overall mystery of what was going to happen with the painting. The only negative was that it was too wordy at times....more editing needed!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2020LASKVKQ03?ASIN=0316055441	a space between life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Since I bought this on my Kindle I had no idea how long this book was nor what genre. The beginning I felt like I was reading young adult and then as the main character ages it became far more enjoyable to me. The depth of the characters and the mix of quite and not so quite obsessions is what kept me reading. Hobie will forever be in my heart.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RW6TGQPEHIQA?ASIN=0316055441	Too Wordy!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy! I enjoy good description, but she went over the top. It is enough to visualize 4 objects on a shelf to get the idea; I don't need 12 objects on the shelf. I care about what happens to Theo, and I am still slogging through the book to find out. Although, If it weren't my book club's choice for September, I'd have put it down days ago.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25WIFQZWP58RJ?ASIN=0316055441	The GoldFinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's quite different &amp; rather depressing as a lot of unhappy things have occurred in this adolescent boy's life; actually some would be described as tragedies..  He is the storyteller in the book &amp; I am around half-way through so I'd like to report on the book when I'm done.  It may prove to be an excellent read.  But this is how I feel so far.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31A83AICA64DB?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For the most part, I couldn't put the book down. Halfway through, I felt like it was dragging on, and I wanted to get to something else. Otherwise, the book was one of the best books I have read in a while. I have let a few people borrow it, and they have said the same thing. Highly recommend it, and I can't wait to read one of her other books.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JKCPQ4UZ6O5M?ASIN=0316055441	A masterwork that is very long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not a fast reader so it took me a long time to get through 'The Goldfinch'. I suppose I'm plot driven and I was dieing to find out how it would end otherwise I would have quit one-third of the way through. I was fascinated as to how  a woman could get into the minds of two young men. I could tell that it is a masterwork but boy is it long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EY743YCNU0MM?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The most amazing and rich story!!!  So fluid and beautifully written!!!!<br/>The book has moved to the top of my most favorite books ever read!!<br/>Since I have such a long drive to and from work, I listened to the audible edition, which was wonderful!!  Almost missed my exit a few times and wished I had most times!!<br/>Highly recommend!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UNJWXBY7R3WP?ASIN=0316055441	Perhaps a bit too long but kept me engrossed. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Perhaps a bit too long but kept me engrossed.  Author's powers of observation remarkable. She lived with these characters a long time and got inside their heads. Interesting the way they evolved over the 14 year time span.  Overall sort of dark - especially Theo's mindset at the end - but very engrossing and a monumental effort by Donna Tartt.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F7ZFHIZ1VAOY?ASIN=0316055441	Great book delivered very proficiently.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm very pleased to have this beautiful edition in my hands, especially because of the high demand since the Pulitzer award.  It arrived in vg condition and in the time specified.  Good transaction.  Met all of my expectations.<br/>Even though I'm only 150 pages into the story, I feel this will be the most satisfying read of this year for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31JNL4RA9WSP3?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating - complex plot and cast of characters that keep ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating - complex plot and cast of characters that keep you turning the page to see what twist awaits.  Detailed research of locations bring the text alive, especially for those of us who have visited the cities and buildings that play such an important role in the story.  This is definitely what ""page turner"" is meant to describe.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJMGDHXAT3RJE?ASIN=0316055441	Unique Style	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">We read The Goldfinch for our book club.  It was interesting to hear the comments about the characters and Donna Tartt's style. We agreed that every character was flawed in some way because of life and circumstances. Jumping from one location to another makes the flow choppy, but I think that is what Tartt intended. I would recommend the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO9K3RZMMHBSQ?ASIN=0316055441	A Great Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really loved this book. I almost didn't read it, as some other feedback I received was not positive. However, I found it a compelling read and difficult to put down. Occasionally I had to suspend my disbelief, but hey, it's a novel. It's well written and a page turner. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and think that it would be a great movie.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R321IR7TZ0TFSI?ASIN=0316055441	will it never end?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt like it was an exercise I used to give to my honors English class in which they were to describe a place, emotion, etc.  A complete book of tedious description is wearing.  Also an author's point should be embedded in her story, not tacked on to it for numerous pages at the end.  In fact, I think I should lower the rating to two stars.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1288JSCR5FN48?ASIN=0316055441	Post traumatic stress drama	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this book down.  I did not want it to end and I like that it did not have a glorified/Hollywood ending.<br/>As an art therapist, the whole premise and development of the book, the juxtaposition of art, neglect and abuse of children,<br/>drug abuse, narcissism, beauty in things worked.  It was plausible.  I salute the author.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33DCXP09UCPBB?ASIN=0316055441	Epic. Stunning. A vivid work of art.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The reader (David Pittu) is an excellent actor--his voices are distinct and vividly brought to life characters who were well written, but who may have needed a tone or an accent to make them come to life.  Really enjoyed this novel--easy to see why it is a Pulitzer winner for its author.  I hope David wins something for the audio performance!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBPUXXPAGKPWI?ASIN=0316055441	Insiders view of the heart and mind of PTSD	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was gripping and incredibly written. What's more it is a painfully accurate view into the mind and heart of a person who develops PTSD early in life - an all too common story, but not as well understood by the mainstream, by psychiatry ... great book. I couldn't put it down and was crushed when it ended - proof of excellent writing!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IUB5BODIPZPH?ASIN=0316055441	the reason book clubs exist!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I could have done without all the drug descriptions, I found this book both emotionally satisfying and exhilarating. The characters are all fully formed and descriptions of rooms and places so real, I could see them. The story itself moves through many environments, few of them safe. I will be thinking about this book for some time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T8ARIYV204PP?ASIN=0316055441	rivahgirl	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliantly written and conceived. The characters come to life through Ms. Tartt's descriptions, and the plot is intriguing, taking many twists and turns. If sentence construction were art (and it is), the author would have a masterpiece. It was worth every minute of the time spent reading this book, and it is one that will not be forgotten.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XORQC3XZ8YSO?ASIN=0316055441	How this won a Pulitzer is beyond belief.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had not planned to read this book as I just do not see a novel being worthy of 700 pages and this one definitely was not.  At 300 pages it may have been worth the read.  It was selected by a member of my bookclub so I felt compelled to purchase and read it.  There are so many better books out there, this was one of my least favorite reads.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV667QM406129?ASIN=0316055441	Love a good  book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am one of the readers who didn't like this book. I liked the character in the beginning until I realized he had few redeeming qualities. He just let things happen to him with no power to make good choices. And then he lets nothing good happen to him. I could not finish it, though I tried, hoping it would get better which it only got worse.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QY1GN2JYLAFG?ASIN=0316055441	Too long - you think the book will never end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long - you think the book will never end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UD2X31ZTW2HN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Starts out very slow but well worth the read!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R180G9UV0JIMB5?ASIN=0316055441	"... first book (""A Secret History"") but have been really disappointed with everything since"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was a big fan of Donna's after her first book (""A Secret History"") but have been really disappointed with everything since.  Sadly, ""The Goldfinch"" confirms my opinion -- the first 1/3 of the novel is intriguing but it's downhill from there --WAY DOWN HILL!  Donna, please make me fall in with you again with your next book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q37EVS4PMVCC?ASIN=0316055441	Theo's story is gripping!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I still cannot process all of this story.  I will probably reread it because it is so deep.  I have already purchased another of Donna Tartt's books.  I was torn between wanting to know the end and not wanting the book to end.  Donna Tartt is an amazing writer with insight into this young man that is so deep.  I hope she continues to write.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZIOU3RX4HAV9?ASIN=0316055441	was very good, and I had high hopes	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning of the book, where the story line is set, was very good, and I had high hopes, especially after having read many glowing reviews.  But once our character leaves for Las Vegas, for me, the book went down hill.  The final third of the book found me barely skimming pages...just to reach the end.  I did not like this book, at all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17WKZND1FPDBB?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed it, loved the thought provoking ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've heard more buzz about this book than most lately.  I'm a little surprised that it won a Pulitzer.  I enjoyed it, loved the thought provoking ending, but thought the author could have told the story in half the time!  Way. Too. Long.  Interestingly enough, it reminds me of Catcher in the Rye...which I didn't like all that much either :(</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G2W2TH1ZAXT6?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious. That's the best word I can think of	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tedious. That's the best word I can think of, to describe this book. I'm 75% through and not much of interest has happened. I loved The Secret History and was very excited to read this. The author is an excellent writer, but her storytelling is lacking (at least in this book). Maybe the last 25% will be fabulous. If so, I'll edit my review.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RU29RWQ9487H?ASIN=0316055441	Too much details not enough room for the imagination	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very nice book but a bit too lengthy for me. The scene descriptions are sometime way to long and drag on forever. I really enjoyed main character struggle in trying to make the right choice in his teen years as well as the depth of the thoughts at the end of the book; in contemplating the right and wrong in making life choices...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FOP33V4YSMLC?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite simply, the most engaging and thought-provoking novel I have read in a very long time. Tartt has a way of drawing the reader in and capturing his/her attention. There are so many twists and turns in this novel, and the prose is incredibly evocative and descriptive. I cannot give a higher recommendation  - The Goldfinch is outstanding.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZB461628RZHW?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful read. This is the type of book that you don't want to finish, you want to read to find out what will happen next but you realize you will then only get closer and closer to the end.  This is the type of book where you will miss hearing about the lives of the character/s as though you know them personally. I will miss Theo Decker.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M7PFK2CFMRMG?ASIN=0316055441	Awful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One star is very generous.  I didn't enjoy any part of this book and what made it worse was how long it was.  Once I started it I was determined to finish it, but that took three months.  I thought it would never end! It was hard to believe so many horrible things could happen to just one person either by circumstance or just poor choices.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UZCFVBN2B2H0?ASIN=0316055441	Started out great...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started out great. Very moving and an interesting storyline, I couldn't put it down. Now, I don't want to pick it up! I'm almost to the end, and it's taking me forever to finish. I totally lost interest and I don't really care what happens. I guess it's supposed to be amazing, it did win a Pulitzer, but I'm struggling to get to the end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N73R4ASYKG13?ASIN=0316055441	I was disappointed, especially since I had heard such rave reviews	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was disappointed, especially since I had heard such rave reviews.  It was SO long, and I was reading it on Kindle, so I couldn't easily see how many pages were left.  But the time I made myself finish, I was relieved.  Two other well-educated women and I were talking about it yesterday.  Their thoughts and feelings were the same as mine.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EACGG7EPQLC3?ASIN=0316055441	Dickens meets Trainspotting... with a touch of Godot!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant descriptions, evocative and haunting... in parts. But very tedious and dull in other parts. I felt that I needed to see it through till the end, but didn't find the ending especially meaningful. I loved the 'moment frozen in time' elements: astute and precise. Perhaps it's too late in the year for a 'heavy' read like this for me!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13QNT7CLKIDCF?ASIN=0316055441	I really enjoyed this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book. It kept me reading well into the night. I'm still not sure how  feel about the characters. Mostly, they weren't very nice people. Don't expect to come away from this book feeling happy or relaxed. It is tense and a bit scary if this really goes on. I know it doesn't sound like I enjoyed it, but I did, very much.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUI7YFTMDAE7U?ASIN=0316055441	Like an epic poem	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is intriguing, and I like how it jumps in time so we're seeing this young man's life through various stages.  Tartt does not sugar coat her protagonist's flaws or bad decisions, yet we're still sympathetic to his plight.  I feel like I've been reading this book forever.  At 775 pages, this author is not economical with her words.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YDONB1PPFEBU?ASIN=0316055441	I almost never stop reading - believing that if I do I've wasted all the effort invested so far	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unreadable.  Once I begin a book, I almost never stop reading - believing that if I do I've wasted all the effort invested so far.  But I simply could not get on board this story, empathize with the characters or appreciate the mundane writing.  But there must be something wrong with me; after all, Donna Tartt's books sell in the millions.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3323YB42EP89D?ASIN=0316055441	"the Goldfinch is a ""gold find"" in literature."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this book down as the suspense and flow of story was riveting.  The characters came alive and one rejoiced or bemoaned their various fates. I loved the descriptions of the furniture renovations and restoration.  The author must be well versed in this art as well as the after effects of drug addiction.<br/>A wonderful read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BHM3932ETY15?ASIN=0316055441	I was so glad when I reached the last page	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book started off with an interesting story.  When I had reached three quarters of the way through, the author<br/>began to drag out what he was trying to say.  Toward the very end, he kept repeating...over and over again.  I was so glad when I reached the last page. I didn't think that this story was ever going to end.  Way too long!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16YTVYDDOFYYA?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long and detailed book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Personally, I think that this book was much too long; the story could have been told very well in less than 400 pages!!!  The first part of the book grabbed me and I could hardly put it down, as did the last 100 pages.  The middle of the book, however, I found to be very boring:  too much detail in the various  conversations  for my taste.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQDUZCJGHKZYR?ASIN=0316055441	Another dimension	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard to read - intense detail - living/survival pales beside the emotional/intellectual side of life.  Finding love in myriad places.  Celebration of human differences, some easy and some not so easy to like.  Art living beyond human life span giving many generations opportunity to see/study/wonder.  Messages from the past to the present.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D6YE105YEQBZ?ASIN=0316055441	Wow! Rollercoaster of a Read...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I disliked almost all of it except for Hobie and the painting itself; yet I couldn't put it down. Powerfully written, an important book.  Feeling drenched, exhausted, exhilarated by the immediacy of the writing, and fulfilled. Want to let the entirety live by itself a few days before I check out what lit critics have written.<br/>Theo and Boris will stay with me. Is like bardo, you know?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDABSR7OQY46J?ASIN=0316055441	excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing skill of this author is awesome, so many topics, so much detail. How did she know so much about the diverse areas. Especially about the experience with drugs.  Leads me to believe that she has had a personal experience with drugs.<br/><br/>I loved the character of Boris but he was almost too much.<br/><br/>Fred Roby, Ph.D.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R80YSHL9HL3PH?ASIN=0316055441	both disturbing and thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As an artist, it was nice to read an entire novel fabricated around a work of art and to experience another's description of how one can be moved by a work of art. It happens to the artist too. The disturbing stuff was the vivid descriptions of the effects of drugs and how apparently common place and easy it is for young people to obtain.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I3NQFRG0FIWE?ASIN=0316055441	Unbelievably good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story of an Existentialist and an optimistic Absurdist told better than Sartre, Camus or even Dostoevsky could do.  Tartt writes beautiful prose in addition to an intriguing story about ethical dilemmas, and philosophical exposition so subtle as to make you think--HARD--about what you believe.  The is the best book I've read in years.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GC9DIFBCGS1N?ASIN=0316055441	An engrossing and enjoyable story. We follow Theo through ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An engrossing and enjoyable story. We follow Theo through the formative years of his llfe as he guards a secret and confronts the reality of his daily life. His struggle is truthful and when he eventually confronts the hopelessness of his situation, the story resolves in an almost fairy tale manner . Theo gets on with the task of living .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4MQ9WLOCN7PV?ASIN=0316055441	Started out okay, but then, talk about beating ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out okay, but then, talk about beating a dead horse! Interesting characters, but kept going back to the painting? And the ending was so open ended. So many confusing conversations! At the end, was not sure exactly what  Holby knew what was going on and why he didn't stand up to that known antique dealer crook. I will not recommend</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KU0DR7DZYSNG?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderfully skilled actor reads this audiobook!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am about halfway into the audiobook, and I just want to share that the actor who reads it is absolutely amazing! There is a lot of dialogue, from many characters, and he just nails ALL the voices--including women, children, persons of varying ethnicities. It is a real pleasure to listen to, and the story is absorbing. I love this book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLIL5OXLI59EV?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book very much. It sometimes seemed to ramble but I believe it was purposeful rambling. It kept me intrigued. I don't know if I am interpreting the view of the main character accurately; that we are who and what we are and that it cannot be changed. And yet he is clearly attempting to right his wrongs. An interesting view.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NV2YUFGKJM4V?ASIN=0316055441	775 pages? A flash in the pan!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved everything about this book and can't wait to read it again and again. The light comes to the dark and then to the light again and of course to the dark as the cycle repeats. There is no end there is no difference. There is only the space between...the pith...the space where the love lies. This book has changed my life.<br/>Enjoy</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BH4E7O29MGLQ?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to believe !!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">lThis book was hard to read but also hard to put down. Especially if you are just a normal old lady who likes to read! Do people really use that much alcohol and drugs and live? But staying with it really is the answer. Finally it makes some sort of sense. Life is hard, we all know that,and somehow it works. glad I am done with that one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R90IHFVA5RNH8?ASIN=0316055441	must have been a bad year for fiction...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pulitzer Prize? Unbelievable mediocre, boring prose, slogging (could easily gave been half as long without losing anything, except the tedium of the unnecessary repetitions) toward a ""climax"" that includes every cliché in the book. Seems to have been inspired by a vision of movie rights... The emperor definitely has no clothes...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUHR2QJWIKL3O?ASIN=0316055441	I can't put this book down! Intriguing, heart ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't put this book down!  Intriguing, heart wrenching, sole searching.  The author's descriptive writing puts you right in the moment mentally, physically and spiritually. It is obvious why this story won a Pulitzer Prize for fiction.  Be prepared, it is a long story- over 700 pages- but you will be riveted throughout the whole book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H6TT2SM7LDY2?ASIN=0316055441	Looked forward to my time spent with the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Looked forward to read this every day. I was excited to take a business trip and be able to read it on the plane. Love the twists and turns and I got mad at the protagonist at times for goofing up. My only criticism was that the last batch of pages dragged on longer than necessary. But wow. Not sure what to read after such a great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IH6ZO2SJITIN?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderfully joyous and sad all in the same instant.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is probably the most humanly rewarding novel I have read in recent years. Rewarding in that I was there with each character living and experiencing all that they sensed, felt, spoke of and literally lived lifel in all their same worlds, leaving both a joy and a sadness in its wake.<br/><br/>AWESOME story, awesomely told.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L908WLTTKXJT?ASIN=0316055441	Another Great Book from Ms. Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I find her writing mesmerizing.  Even when she goes into great detail, I don't find that I want to skip over any description.  She really has a way of picking you up and putting you in the scene.  Was disappointed in the ending, tho -- not the way the book ended, but how the ending was written.  An absorbing story with great characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG9Y5IUSAMLMP?ASIN=0316055441	Good, but long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing but WAAAAAYYYY longer than I realized (read it as a kindle and didn't bother to check the length before I started). I spent weeks reading it on and off (working mom of youngins) and finally had to plow through the end one weekend morning, locked in my room. I do recommend it, but go into it realizing it's not a quick read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SVNVXM8HBKSH?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing story! Also	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow!  what a story!  I had to keep reminding myself that this fictional novel was written by a woman and not a man remembering his past.  Amazing story!  Also, very, very disturbing.  I wouldn't want to read another book that has a similar story line ever again, but I'm glad I read this one.  It made me so thankful for my ordinary life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C69W981URDNP?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am almost at the end of ""The Goldfinch"" and will be sorry to come to the final page.  This is a gripping, well-written novel, and I feel I have come to know the two main characters, their strengths and weaknesses.  This is a lengthy story, but I have read and enjoyed every word.<br/>It may not be for everyone, but I loved it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RETD7WRUM3NX8?ASIN=0316055441	Life is a catastrophe.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Coincidence is just God's way of staying anonymous.<br/>This quote about coincidence strikes a nerve...I think this novel is an a definitive description of two cliches. Firstly, bad things happen to good people, and being in the right place at the wrong time. Liked this book, I don't think I loved it, and found the end very depressing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGR44T9DC4UQO?ASIN=0316055441	I like a good beach read as much as anyone	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am having trouble finishing this novel.  I keep trying to figure out what I am missing.  The characterization is shallow, the plot plodding and the writing devoid of any literary merit.  I am not an elitist.  I like a good beach read as much as anyone, but this novel isn't even that.  How in the world did this text win a Pulitzer?????</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IYM1117HKCFR?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed the beginning when his mother and he visited the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Felt this book was over described in many instances.  Enjoyed the beginning when his mother and he visited the art museum and his relationship with Hobie, wood craftsman.  There were sections that could have been shortened, i.e., the time he spent in Las Vegas was too long.  The book was well researched, but it did not hold my interest.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GGW7X7MYSA3E?ASIN=0316055441	the Space of Art and Magic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a truly rare combination of soul stirring themes woven throughout a well-told, captivating story.  The unforgettable characters in this novel will be spoken of in the timeless way true of great literature.  Tartt offers the reader the opportunity to explore the boundaries of our human purpose, love, fate, and mortality.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C5RTWDFO6GR1?ASIN=0316055441	could not put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is one of the best I've read in a long time.  I read anywhere from 6-10 books a month.  By far, it captivates you...you won't want to put it down.  Well written, I felt I could hear Boris, Andy, Theo and all the other myriad of characters.<br/><br/>I don't usually take the time to write a review.  But this book was worth it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HSJXSCD1HFQ6?ASIN=0316055441	I had a difficult time putting this book down and I would recommend it to all	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was so very well written that it took my breath away.  The depth of emotions displayed by the protagonist were realistic but also very surreal in places. Much of the book didn't make sense until the threads of what Ms. Tartt wove came together.<br/>I had a difficult time putting this book down and I would recommend it to all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROGUYZSA98CV?ASIN=0316055441	If You Like Long Intricately Plotted Novels	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel was praised so extravagantly that, although I recognized the quality of it, I felt it was unnecessarily stretched to include more exhausting detail than necessary. The writer is brilliant, the plot unique and the story riveting, but less would have been just as effective.  It still falls into the ""must read"" category.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQZ9CMNPQ2QV6?ASIN=0316055441	not crisp enough!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I listened to the CD version.  It was not easy listening, especially the teenage part which was too long and drawn out.  the book would have benefitted from more editing. If I had been reading it I probably could have speed read some of it. But in listening I could not speed it up alas! Enjoyed her previous book much more than this one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RJM0Q7UDMZZE?ASIN=0316055441	Richly deserving of the Pulitzer Prize	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a beautifully written novel, peopled with unusual and fascinating characters and set in a world (art theft, and the restoration, reproduction, and sales of antiques), about which I knew very little.  I was fascinated by Tartt's range of knowledge and ability to make obscure (to me, anyway) subjects interesting and entertaining.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17E6RO24ZCQX2?ASIN=0316055441	This was a beautiful book. It took place in New York	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a beautiful book.  It took place in New York, Vegas, and Netherlands.  The time is fairly current and the book takes you into the odd and elevated world of great paintings, criminals in this world, and antique restoration and selling.<br/><br/>  I laughed and cried out loud with this book, I never do that.  A beautiful book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19Z11XUIHFM3L?ASIN=0316055441	Good story, but depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although this was a Pulitzer prize winner, I did not enjoy reading it.  It was bleak and depressing.  I felt certain parts of the book were far too wordy and there were irrelevant tangents to the story.  Glad I read it, but I wouldn't do it again.  I'd suggest pouring yourself a strong cocktail before opening the cover, you'll need it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39Q7R8I12GVLK?ASIN=0316055441	It's like a 3 hour movie that could have been even ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is a remarkable amount of thought provoking narrative in this book.  Yet for me, in some cases the narrative is so detailed and prolonged that I lost the essence.  It's like a 3 hour movie that could have been even better had it been condensed to 2 or 2.5 hours.  Overall still an outstanding read that I would recommend to anyone.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M2O1439FBLPA?ASIN=0316055441	Great writing, so-so book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The quality of Donna Tartt's writing is, at times, breathtaking.  By the end of the novel, one is left with wonder at how many wonderful sentences one person can write.  But the novel fails beyond that with a great deal of highly detailed psychological stress leading only to a very modest conclusion.  Too much pain for too little gain.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R244KY96LIU1XA?ASIN=0316055441	A struggle and a joy!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting, tiring, insightful and thought provoking. At times I couldn't put the book down and at other times I wondered why the heck am I wasting my time. The struggles of growing up and dealing with losses are captured in deep raw detail. A good book for those who are curious about life and fate and sorting through why we are here.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RH852IMWD8UX?ASIN=0316055441	Looooong Vacation	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought the book to read while on vacation, but it is almost 800 pages long, and I would have to be on a vacation for a few months in order to finish it. I am more than halfway though it, and it is AMAZING, and extremely well written. If you are an avid writer/reader this is an excellent book to help you escape the monotous work days.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7BDUAQ9UD6JH?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book. Highly recommended	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am now 80% through this book. Hard to put down.<br/>Extremely well written - a joy to read. Complex characters come to life from the (quickly turning) pages.<br/>A growing-up story in the complex reality of 21st century America.<br/>Read it before it is made into a movie, you are tempted to be lazy, or trailers give away the plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8RR3L37ICY0I?ASIN=0316055441	what makes this a Pulitzer prize book?..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing sad story of an unfortunate happening leaving an orphan to fend for himself.  The junkie friend and happenings are both unlikely and boring.  Long descriptions of meetings with people are tiring as they are unfurling to build a plot....Would not recommend if you want to learn something, be entertained or just enjoy reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38KVQ8BHDNJUN?ASIN=0316055441	A Compelling Read that Lingers	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There was something I've yet to identify that made this book very compelling. I thought the characters were left underdeveloped so that the affect was similar to standing back from a painting to take in the whole, and in this manner we get to watch lives unfold as both fate and fortune push these ordinary and complex characters along.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I2GNL9P1G63L?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't do it ( the reading)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading a third of this book Decided that I can't do this any more.  Although a Pulitzer winner, I couldn't get past the excessive amount of words &amp; over description of events that was leaving me more baffled then clarified.  I love reading &amp; life is too short for me to agonize about reading a book with not that I am connecting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19P82L3260WFW?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful, fabulous story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful, fabulous story. Characters are well developed and the story line held my attention very well.<br/>Only problem was that the book was unnecessarily long. I think the story line could have been developed just as well with about 200 less pages.<br/>I liked it a lot, but would have liked a little less detail about everything.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NXXLLO1NIYBX?ASIN=0316055441	fantastic! lived up to the great reviews.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pure literature at its best and I could not put it down. Full submersion in the glories and miseries of life with a distant understanding of its meaning. I loved it. Exquisite plotting of a classic story for the ages but full of mystery and surprise. I did not plan to read this book but all my friends recommended it. It is a treasure.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VL45VCTGNVLT?ASIN=0316055441	... the author's penchant for description of EVERYTHING to become boring. It became tiresome to finish the book and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the author's penchant for description of EVERYTHING to become boring. It became tiresome to finish the book and could not wait until I came to the last page. Yes, I'm one of those who HAS to finish a book once I start it hoping for the best, I would not recommend this book to a friend. Too bad because the plot sounded so good.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10GH8VRNA31I5?ASIN=0316055441	It's worth every page	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is amazing.  Not only the wonderful descriptions but there are more twist and turns that keep your nose in the book.  I ended the book wanted to read it again.  The visual descriptions of people places and events could not have been any better. I finished out my summer read with this book and I cannot stop thinking about it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38YSKUEJIHHLR?ASIN=0316055441	I was hooked like a hungry fish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although a bit wordy in the beginning chapters, where Tartt's florid language and descriptions go on a bit too long, I was hooked like a hungry fish. I suffered with ""Potter"" throughout his travels and travails. Loved it really, and I did outguess the author at a few turns and twists in the plot. Altogether a wonderful flight.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R228VHMM76GPYX?ASIN=0316055441	A very worthwhile read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. I could not put it down start to finish. It is a darker story. I loved her writing style. Even with subjects that were disturbing the author caught me in her web. Most of all she did an excellent job with the characters and with the foibles of human nature. It is a book that will stay in my thoughts for a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19VQ3TJN2HGPC?ASIN=0316055441	A Treasure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I very much like Donna Tartt's prose.  All three of her books are on my bookshelves.  Her depth of research and ability to write of potentially unpleasant things makes her stand out as a writer.  I have given The Goldfinch to many of my friends, and if one of them says she didn't like it, I have to reconsider my relationship with her!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO2OYLJQ3FWB1?ASIN=0316055441	I Didn't Want It to End	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I never thought I would be sad to see a 771 page book end, but that was the case with this novel. Donna Tartt's lyrical prose and her insightful drawing of characters who are neither all bad nor all good (like real people) kept my attention throughout. The story itself was intriguing and complex, but always enjoyable and easy to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLHMKM2A68BAI?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written book that took me on quite a journey ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written book that took me on quite a journey with the main character, however, I feel this could have been done on fewer pages!  It was long, but I marveled at the extent of research that must have been done, unless of course Ms.Tartt is proficient in all vocations and avocations written about .  What a talent!  Loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39D1WNPABLD8M?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story was good, but the telling of it not so much. Too much pontification, too many pages devoted to a day in the life of the main character, then the author jumps 8 years in a page. There is too much detail and while I don't usually skip pages I ended up doing so while reading this book. I wanted to like it, but really did not.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U1D07IWDTN3N?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I have read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have read in years. I read it on my Kindle so I never felt like the book was long. A friend of mine who also read the book describes Donna Tartt's writing as delicious- and I agree. The characters are unforgettable and I still find myself talking about Hobie, Theo and Pippa even months after reading the novel.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG0507DKBUMWX?ASIN=0316055441	It has a good basis of a story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It has a good basis of a story, but the author seems to be trying to impress the reader with how wordy, and the number of adjectives they can use per sentence.  Seems to be stuck on the alcohol and drug use of the main character.  Not a fun and enjoyable read.  Readers Digest could condense it to 125 pages, about a fourth the length.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R218A41OM7AKKO?ASIN=0316055441	Great story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story..It kept me reading on....I especially liked the part when he was in Vegas.  A little disappointed with the ending, though.  Donna Tartt went a little overboard at the end.  Looking forward to reading her other book which someone I know is reading now, ""A Secret History"" is it called?  Definitely worth reading....</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U681N3QQODA2?ASIN=0316055441	The ones I agree with are pretty much summarized in Chicago Bookworm's review of 12/2/2013	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are plenty of reviews that state various opinions about this book.  The ones I agree with are pretty much summarized in Chicago Bookworm's review of 12/2/2013.  The book is worth reading, MS. Tartt is an excellent writer but it is not the second coming of Dickens and the last third of the book fails to live up to the beginning.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKSFHD4742EL?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book, but it was a very sad story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WI3WPQV0281U?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was terrible. She needs an editor.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN7OTSI0SJ9J?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too much narrative &amp; description for me.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12T33QOV9QYLX?ASIN=0316055441	hated it, not worth my time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not finish, hated it, not worth my time!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V8JHHUQNLDC9?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">hated the book - could not even finish it!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YPWVJ673S0X3?ASIN=0316055441	This was a pretty good book and worth the read/listen	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a pretty good book and worth the read/listen. I listened to the audio version and loved the narrator. He does a fantastic job. It's a long book with a very flawed main character who annoyed me at many points of the story. The overall theme of life and art was what drew me in the most. It's a book that will get you thinking.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A5I0H8HUHU2?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An epic journey of a child moving to manhood through an adventure that was not anticipated. A child/man who never seems to express his love openly for those he encounters in life but has an undying passion for a painting that becomes his unexpected ward. The story has wonderful color and texture that is not anticipated. A good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWHZ5CMHEQTU5?ASIN=0316055441	A great Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best book I read last year.  I read this on tape (twice) and thought the reader did a masterful job, too.  I gave a copy to a friend who is a retired journalist because I was sure that she would appreciate hos Tartt handles the language  I have read other books by Donna Tartt and feel she is one of the best writers living today.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O18DFR8RDZ73?ASIN=0316055441	Good story,	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story,,  too long... story could have, should have been told in much less than nearly 800 pages..  It seemed like the conclusion of the story was jammed into the last few chapters..  i did not like that all of a sudden.. Theo was engaged to Andy's sister.. and I was hoping he would end up with Pippa at the end..  disappointed..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J6R8T1GJSTMC?ASIN=0316055441	May be overhyped	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Took a long time to get into this book.  Descriptions just kept going on and on and it furthered the story not one bit.  Several of my friends had read it and talked it up, but honestly, I don't get all the buzz.  I did love the ending.  I think what bothered me is all the drug culture.  I have always been uncomfortable around that.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OAT9DPKE0RT4?ASIN=0316055441	This is not an easy beach read sort of book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiifully written and touching narrative all through this book, but rather dark and brooding too. This is not an easy  beach read sort of book, but a  book which  takes you deep into a young man's life story. It also makes you thankful for your own place in the universe. This book grows on you as you read the ever evolving story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI2NVAPPVBA26?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book, I love the way Donna Tartt writes and have enjoyed her other books as well. I couldn't wait to keep getting back to this book every day .  The book takes you to NYC, Las Vegas , Amersterdam, with great descriptions and characters. Highly recommend.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36UULW700CHUJ?ASIN=0316055441	A Rich Quilt of Life Lessons	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In the typical offbeat writing style of Donna Tartt, this novel slowly wraps you in with the crazy quilt of characters.  By the end of the book you feel like you know the characters inside and out and the life lessons they learn will stick with you for years to come.  One of my favorite books and truly a marvelous pleasure to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HY7CVOFTYE2F?ASIN=0316055441	Wasted My Time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dreadful.  The characters are extremely flat and one never grows to like, dislike or even care about them.  Plus, the author is mind numbingly wordy.  I do not need to read a full page of description of a character taking a sip of water from the water fountain.  Gave up on this book somewhere in Chapter 3 but wish I had much sooner</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19WFPS1AVPHL0?ASIN=0316055441	I did like the theme of the picture and how it had ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Parts of the book were more interesting to read than others but it was not a book that I could not put down. I did like the theme of the picture and how it had effected this young man growing up and impacted his life decisions. The author has obviously done a lot of research to write such a story and I commend her for that, indeed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R211MSK7C973LO?ASIN=0316055441	but it is an extremely long (700+ pages) and tedious read, especially the last chapters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know it's a Pulitzer prize winner for prose and use of simile at which the author is very adept,but it is an extremely long (700+ pages) and tedious read, especially the last chapters.  The author seems to cover every worst case scenario that can happen which leads me to believing that she hopes to turn it into a lucrative movie.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VKX5E8TZJFYS?ASIN=0316055441	Not for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be way longer than was necessary to tell the story. It was a like reading the ramblings of one who doesn't know how to tell a story and keep the listener engaged and so tells in minute details everything that happens. I found myself just wishing it would end. I cannot and will not recommend this book to anyone.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT2NUJVI4LX4X?ASIN=0316055441	A breathtaking book, however, with some avoidable mistakes ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A breathtaking book, however, with some avoidable mistakes.<br/>The sign in the garage at the Overtoom in Amsterdam should read Betaalautomaat with only ons 'e'.<br/>In zero-fahrenheit weather you cannot have soaked clothes. Minus 17,78 centigrade temperature is very rare in Amsterdam. So I take it that zero-celsius was intended.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V9A9HTTH6JML?ASIN=0316055441	This would be a good book for Reader's Digest to Condense	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out, I was reading every word.  But by the end I was skipping pages - I was tired of reading about drug induced fogs/ alcoholic bad choices et al.  I don't regret reading it, but I don't know why it won a Pulitzer. I enjoyed the plot overall and I enjoyed the descriptions of the artworks and learning about antique dealers.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L03BP47KO364?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A lengthy book filled with lush descriptions of everything from trauma and youth and all the feelings that surround the human condition. A plot I couldn't help but become engrossed in. I hated the drug use, although the descriptions are spot on, it made my stomach turn- as it was meant to. As the jacket suggests it is a ""triumph.""</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GNUZHVNJX5B1?ASIN=0316055441	overall a good read and engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the author could have made this work in fewer pages. At times it was painful to read and I found myself glancing over trying get to the ""point"". This was a book club book so I will be interested to see what the rest of the group thought.<br/><br/>I did find myself highlighting passages from the book and I did enjoy it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12MU6GW5C43D?ASIN=0316055441	a very long and far from compelling read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me a VERY long time to read this book.  And rather than the somewhat sad, empty feeling of loss that is often associated with finishing a book you enjoy, I couldn't wait to be done with this book.  All and all, I did not find the story-line to be particularly interesting or feel any sense of connection with the characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19X078PGNKD2X?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt's pacing is horrible; book is redundant & boring in places	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch should NEVER have received the Pulitzer prize! Tartt's pacing is horrible; book is redundant &amp; boring in places. One little coincidence after another; characters pop in and out of storyline at author's convenience. Boris is stereotyped. Other characters are flat for the most part. Subject matter is largely offensive.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BVQ1C3QV902B?ASIN=0316055441	I would not recommend this book to anyone and every person that I ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Finished reading this book just to see how it ended; however, I would not recommend this book to anyone and every person that I have talked to that read it felt the same way.  In fact, most did not finish it.  It is somewhat cheating to say I read it, since I skimmed numerous pages because of the never-ending and boring narrative.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIGABLF52MJBK?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent, but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are times when the metaphors and adjectives and similes are way too much. A reader of a book like this does not need to be bludgeoned with the above, just gently tapped, to the same overall understanding of the author's meanings.<br/><br/>However, a delightful and dismal read that I was sad to put down in between readings.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JNKCNVTSWTIP?ASIN=0316055441	Sadly Lacking Third Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reading the Goldfinch was like being forced to watch a violent, unpleasant movie by Quentin Tarrentino that featured the pain and experiences of hard core drug users. The book could have had 200 pages edited out to get to the point, Art provides what life does not.<br/>  Unlike her protagonist, Theo, who may not have been very creative, human beings may change their lives by making other choices which satisfy them better or give them alternatives.  Tartt makes excuses for people who are drug and alcohol abusers to just accept their fate of who they are and go with using the drugs and alcohol until their predictable ends. After all she claims, we want what we want even if it will kill us.<br/>  Her name dropping of swanky fashion houses and other ""high-toned"" people, businesses and places is her continued ladder to higher climbing away from her beginnings in Missisippi.<br/>  How did she get such a clear insight into drug use?  Did she have a habit of her own which gave her insight?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39JLJSS14YG17?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent long read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wish I could remember who recommended this book to me.  I would thank them profusely, it has warmed me to know that people can still find  a book so excellent that you can tell all your friends about it.  Although the characters have sinned, they listen and evaluate their actions. They are truly human.  Loved it, a worthy read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11134K926L5TU?ASIN=0316055441	thrilling story, slow end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put this book down through the first 500 pages or so, as it was a tragically beautifully narrative of a boy who suffered more than one deserves it. That said, the ending (last 200 pages or so) lost me. I powered through because I felt I had a commitment to the novel, but ultimately it didn't live up to my expectations.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C5ZG94S9QZHJ?ASIN=0316055441	It was a tale that took many amazing turns. I would have given it five stars ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this book down.  It was a tale that took many amazing turns.  I would have given it five stars if it had not left me with many questions about the characters at the end.  You can't take me with you for years and almost 800 pages and then drop me off without letting me know what happens for the rest of the journey.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WGL7TCLW1Y35?ASIN=0316055441	I didn't like it at all	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I gave up on this one.  It seemed to wander and  I never did figure out where the author was going with the piece.  It was full of minutiae that was hard to follow.  So much so that I stopped reading.  It was my first book.  If this one got a Pulitzer Prize, you could have knocked me over with a feather.  I didn't like it at all.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GS7I8L7QA7EP?ASIN=0316055441	Grabs you from the start which is good because you've got another 800 pages to go	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reading it for my book club.  Grabs you from the start which is good because you've got another 800 pages to go.  I've only scratched the surface at page 198; however, many of my friends have finished it and say it is one of the best books they had ever read.  Glad our leader chose this one.  Looking forward to reading all of it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10OQ9O07B4F4T?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written and worth the time investment...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful prose but very long and a bit slow in places.  It is easy to become invested in the characters and the story which drives finishing the book when it does slow down.  Not a ""beach read"" but definitely worth the time.  It is thought provoking and, to me, insight into the drug culture so prevalent in today's world.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R133L9DVBL0GEV?ASIN=0316055441	I know it's gotten wide acceptance and good reviews. I thought it could have been 3 ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I believe I have written this already. I know it's gotten wide acceptance and good reviews. I thought it could have been 3 books. The main character was a wounded boy who wounded even those who tried to help him.as  he struggled through life. The extensive descriptions I skipped over..I'm out of the loop because I didn't like it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17PVJ1ISRDP9Y?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it! A real page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it!  A real page turner.  In fact, I was so anxious to find out what happened next that as soon as I finished the book, I went back to page 1 and read it all over again... just to be sure I hadn't missed anything in my haste, the first time around.  I've recommended it to all my friends and will probably read again someday.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CNCRTAFX3P3T?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be extraordinary! Wonderful characters. A lot of twists and turns. The confiscated painting, and paying a high price to get it turns out to be the center of the story and all the story lines around it. One of the best books I have read in a long time. This is a book you cannot put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N791X64QH50J?ASIN=0316055441	Could not put it down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful read!!!! Thoroughly enjoyable, exciting, sad, and fun.  Theo is a not so complex bright young man whose world suddenly makes demands on him that he cannot emotionally or psychologically respond to.  It is one of those books where you keep sayong to yourself.....wrong choices, wrong decisions.....what are you thinking??</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XVYXKD4FZ5A?ASIN=0316055441	Somewhat disappointing for a Pulitzer prize winning novel.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The painting of the Goldfinch, along with Theo, were the main characters of the story. I felt the author spent too much time on all of the drug use scenes, of which there were many. There were times I didn't want to finish the novel but, as a reader, too intrigued to not finish. Surprised the author won a Pulitzer for this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36GBTZE9AAGWM?ASIN=0316055441	A lot of Hype--Not a Ton of Fulfillment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After a lot of build-up, I finished the massive book, which although mostly episodic, I did not find myself exactly enjoying every section. So many people from reviewers to readers raved about this book, and not until the last 100 pages did I enjoy the book.<br/><br/>It takes a lot of fortitude to make through the entire book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EWJ2KVDNDIQ4?ASIN=0316055441	I haven't enjoyed a first person perspective this much since Ken Kesey's ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was nearly finished with this novel before I found out it had won the Pulitzer, deservedly so. Very well written despite the fact it was written from the first person perspective, a very challenging way to write. I haven't enjoyed a first person perspective this much since Ken Kesey's ""One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"".</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPQTJHNRJDO8S?ASIN=0316055441	but I was satisfied by the resolution	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite a tome! But worth the investment of time. It was a story that took me by surprise again and again. The twists and turns of the plot certainly kept me on my toes. Just when my interest would wain, something or someone else would take up the story. I could not have predicted the ending, but I was satisfied by the resolution.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28VXO1UCD3DWI?ASIN=0316055441	what a read,what a ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An incredible moving book fraught with the frailties of life.  The tenuous nature of our stay here is evident throughout the beautifully written pages. A fragile souls journey through unexpected pain and obsession. The characters likable in spite of their problems and weeknesses.  I would highly recommend this book to my friends</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DJB7F56PIZF6?ASIN=0316055441	Complex	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I want to know more! This book is complex in its way to pull you into the mind and heart of Theo (main character). Sometimes I just want to shake him; ""What are you doing?"", although I can understand what directs him where he goes.<br/>Not to mention the joy that comes from all pieces of furniture/art, that have a story within.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EDA0R9BU2Z92?ASIN=0316055441	but it drug on unnecessarily. Writing style is exhausting on the reader - ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story, but it drug on unnecessarily. Writing style is exhausting on the reader - excessively long sentences. I found myself bored and tired of the book, but the story was interesting enough to get me to sludge through until I finished.  I know this book has received critical acclaim, but the writing itself is subpar.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A1UL737LGKND?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was skeptical after reading some of the mixed reviews but I fall into the 5 star category. yes it's a bit long and can be somewhat tedious but you just have to scan some parts as opposed to thoroughly immersing yourself. it's extremely well written and good character study. Bottom line, I enjoyed it but obviously not all will.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LZ56S3E84P19?ASIN=0316055441	In praise of something different. Tartt puts aside the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In praise of something different.  Tartt puts aside the cookie-cutters of fiction to bring us a story that is totally unique.  Although the actions of the characters are somewhat strange, the development of their personalities allows the reader to believe that he understands why they chose to act in this way.  Very well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QDLRBXDG3DXB?ASIN=0316055441	This is one of the best books I have read in some time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books I have read in some time. It held my attention but I have to admit that I didn't like the way it dragged and got philosophical at the end. The characterizations are vivid and the inner life of the anti-hero is brilliantly depicted. It's long and will take a while to read it but it's time well spent.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R79LO4X5XTMCN?ASIN=0316055441	This Book Is Among the Top 10 I Have Ever Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book - in all its glorious writing and marvelous story/plot line will stay with me for years to come.  It is brilliantly written, is engaging from beginning to end, and is deeply metaphysical throughout - without being tedious and over burdening one's intellect and thereby cluttering the wonderful tale that Ms Tartt weaves.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E104J07R2AGB?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!  Couldn't put it down and then sorry I read it so fast.  It's so easy to judge people without ever seeing what led them down a path.  This story allows you to travel along with Theo and wonder if you would have made the same choices.  Fate dealt him a tough hand and he played it the best he could.  We are who we are.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P6635AFYO0VO?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in 2014! Don't let the length intimidate you - I flew through it. This book satisfied all my desires in a book as far as going places. Tartt's descriptions of the different cities the book is set in are so good. The characters are interesting and the story line is too. One of those that you wish wouldn't end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R55FD7TZ5MEJA?ASIN=0316055441	amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredibly written, very moving and poignant and at the same time very gritty. Ms Tartt has exceptional thought process and ability to capture life , dreams and being afraid with beautiful words, descriptions and a story both exciting and depressing bravo...can't wait to read her other novels. A well deserved Pulitzer Ms Taratt</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HC88OPU9JNXK?ASIN=0316055441	I loved everything about this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved everything about this book, except the ending. There were so many incredible moments and an enormous amount of detail and time spent on immersing the reader into the story line and life of the main characters and then,after an extremely intense build up to the plot solution, the ending felt flat, almost an afterthought.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R99VNYPVXXN50?ASIN=0316055441	This book was fantastic, until the last 25 or so pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was fantastic, until the last 25 or so pages.  The story was told, and the themes were obvious, but for some reason, the author did not feel comfortable relying on her own writing and began a long exposition that was not only completely unnecessary, but also detracted from what was an otherwise very well written book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CBAQOTWYT5XX?ASIN=0316055441	Deserving!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really loved this book.  The ONLY complaint I have is the beginning was a bit drawn out and I was a tad confused at the chaos of the fist 100 pages.  I suppose that is what a catastrophe feels like...but as a reader I felt a bit lost.  Other than that...I was very captivated and I feel the character development was exquisite.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N3Z0X16B5C5P?ASIN=0316055441	where's the ending???	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ok, whilst I enjoyed the majority of the book, the last thirty pages or so (arguably the most important in any book) were utter bilge. Its as if there was a mixup at the printers. Total plot cop out and a real let down. If i could burn it from my mind, i would.  Read only if you enjoy crappy mediocre endings with no conclusion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L9I1M3SWMSQH?ASIN=0316055441	How to review a book that won a Pulitzer?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the book a lot and would have liked it even more with tighter editing.  Theo's voice throughout the book is wonderful, it grows and matures as he tells his story. I liked the stylistic approach, it really worked. It would have worked even better with fewer tangents and if Ms Tartt's editors had reigned in her verbosity.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2706YP5C0YX1T?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting Characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot to this story was full of twists and turns. The life experiences of the characters were spellbinding but at times left much to the imagination. It would have been better to read more of an ending for many of the characters. A lengthy book that sometimes<br/>spent too much time on drugs and disfunction. Worth the read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO9MLIUXDFH7O?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch Disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Our Book Club chose this book to read.  Because it was longer, we took two months to read it.  Normally I read through books I like very quickly.  This one took forever and when I was finished, I thought the time that it had taken was a complete waste of time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFKH1AB328EE7?ASIN=0316055441	I wouldn't recommend this book--ever.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am a little surprised this is a best seller and has won awards. I was unsure why this book was so long because half of the story has nothing to do with the conclusion. I just didn't really like this book. It was long, boring, and unsure what the real point of the book was. I do not recommend reading it. What a waste of time.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NT6VT8ZFTTCO?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writing but not for everyone because the characters are ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful writing but not for everyone because the characters are ALL flawed, some quite damaged.  If you love art it will have one appeal, if you grew up without a parent something else, and if you have ever known anyone in the art or antiques trade, something else again.  And then, there's the search for love and self worth.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36QYHQMBUVZYL?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyable and wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This books was a delightful roller coaster. I loved The Secret History but this is another side of writing for Donna Tart. Each chapter was in depth but just enough to keep answering questions and giving answers for orhers. The last 70 pages were gripping and made me mad and happy within pages.<br/><br/>Loved loved loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CSVVRRPHZ5KG?ASIN=0316055441	It Draws You Into the World of the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really 4.5 rating. I was really drawn in to the saga, the characters, the relationships and the environments. One could argue at that length (nearly 800 pages) that some passages were too slow moving, and I would agree... Some. A few. But it held me through to the end. And now I'd like to read it again to get the finer points.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RVPGECZADGPX?ASIN=0316055441	Existentialism for our times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch takes us on an incredible immersive journey though the many colorful worlds of its diverse characters. It is very well written and down to earth, and the ending is as intense as an existential treatise on human nature. Well worth the read, although it may not be for everyone. This book speaks to our modern times.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C781IUNOZ178?ASIN=0316055441	Story of a Life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredible story of crisis, death, having your life turned upside down again &amp; again. The surprises, people &amp; places that your choices take you, when you follow your intuition.  The big existential questions asked, and so much more. Enjoy the beautiful prose &amp; musings through the mystery.  It doesn't get much better than this.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26J1MTMRY2MLY?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is superb and excruciatingly detailed.  The subject was very compelling and kept me reading.  For that it is a five-star novel.  However, the last part of the book was not about the main character but about his philosophy of life and living.  After staying with it for 800 pages, I could have done without that part.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXTNOZ1ZSBS9G?ASIN=0316055441	much good detail of social mores	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much well observed life, much good detail of social mores , excessive depressive maudlin reflection, much good language -- excessive  restatement of self-observation of own emotions and own historical moment, overblown ""philosophic"" understanding of life and beauty.  A good editor could result in one or two good books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIL9O0W1KFR85?ASIN=0316055441	Hats Off To The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very compelling and thought provoking piece of literature. I found many of the characters to be unlikable but yet I wanted to know more about them. I can't say that it is a fun read but I knew early on that I had to finish the book. ""The Goldfinch"" is not for the casual reader yet I must say it is a bucket list book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNR19KEKAYDFN?ASIN=0316055441	Not for me.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Listened to the book on my iPhone and got about 1/4 of the way into it, and bailed out.  The story was moving at a glacial pace and I just didn't care enough about the protagonist to persevere.  I thought it was in desperate need of line editing (which was the norm when I worked in publishing decades ago) but wasn't done here.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PB2XNESERKNO?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent in Spite of the Print	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought the hardback version of ""The Goldfinch"" thinking it would be easier to read than a paperback.  It's not.  The print is fainter than any of my regular hardbacks.  I would like Amazon to explain this disappointing $19 purchase. I'm 89 years old -- hope I can finish it before my eyesight goes.  It's a great read!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YAYH8I7ACMJR?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great start then boring. Overly pretentious</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTB17BYOVJHX2?ASIN=0316055441	But I thought the writing was extremely intelligent and well done	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I rated this book a four, it was very tough to get through because of the over descriptive parts of the book.  Also, I thought the ending was extremely disappointing after trudging through the book for hours.  But I thought the writing was extremely intelligent and well done, which is why I rated it a 4 instead of 3.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IFWQQ7WTXUCA?ASIN=0316055441	Although I enjoyed the descriptive paragraphs	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I enjoyed the descriptive paragraphs,  some were repetitive. And, 700 pages!  Why didn't an editor suggest she eliminate a few of the numerous episodes in which the main character uses drugs. I get the idea--he had emotional issues and was self-medicating, but it got tiresome. So, to be brief, editor, where were you?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DBFAQLNC4GCH?ASIN=0316055441	This book is beautifully written. I am not completely finished with it ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is beautifully written.  I am not completely finished with it so I can't give a complete review but what I have read so far has had me spellbound.  I am horrified by the drug use but am sure it is an accurate account of a person's addiction.  I just wonder how Donna Tartt is so informed and knowledgeable about that.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TPRPW82NXHF?ASIN=0316055441	"Too Much ""Filler"" but otherwise okay."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the book okay, but to me it was not pulitzer prize worthy. Many parts dragged on too long, making me want to skip through entire pages at a time (and I never lost the story line by doing that). Without all the ""filler"", I would have really enjoyed it - except for the ending - I really felt the ending was dumb.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQYRFNA71W9ZG?ASIN=0316055441	This is an excellent book. It's definitely an adult oriented book as ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an excellent book.  It's definitely an adult oriented book as it contains vulgar language, violence, and drugs.  Given that, I would not recommend it to any teenagers or children.  For adults who are OK with the previously mentioned items, its an excellent read.  It's definitely a book that makes you think about life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RED1GZA8UUG97?ASIN=0316055441	200 pages too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long and wordy.  I really struggled to finish it.  Was reading it for book club so felt I needed to. I just kept thinking about all the really good books I COULD be reading instead.  Could do without all the high on drugs scenes.  Did like some of the characters, for instance Hobie the furniture restorer was charming.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HCY1BVWCN7LZ?ASIN=0316055441	An amazing and astonishing novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing and astonishing novel! Though it took me until about page 45 until I really got into the novel, after that point I could hardly put the book down. I found the characters to be sympathetic and compelling...and the story itself was fascinating. I am so glad that Tartt won the Pulitzer for this novel--she deserved it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15SJWDWU2WZRQ?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing start to finish.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put this book down. Following Theo form adolescence through adulthood as he struggled with loss of mother, uncaring father, and guilt over taking the painting was painful. Watching him destroy himself with booze and drugs as he went through life in a haze made you want to get to the end of book to see if he survived.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR9SBDIQ4DRRS?ASIN=0316055441	As unputdownable as anything you will ever read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a mystery to me why it's so good! Couldn't put it down. Beautifully written, well drawn characters, but It has a certain something else that makes it extra special. Now I'm reading The Secret History and that has even more of whatever it is. Combination of excellence in the craft of writing and a gift of story telling??</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9ZBAGF54TLIA?ASIN=0316055441	I do not recommend buying it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Plot kept my interest until subplot of Vegas and Boris ensued. Just a very bizarre departure.  Boris character unrealistic and poorly executed..often unreadable nonsense. I did finish the novel ..I cannot understand the P Prize and heavy lauds. I do not recommend buying it. Borrow it from a friend or the library if you must.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J98MNU8L7KEY?ASIN=0316055441	Tried too hard	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this rating because I had to trudge through it. I have read m many books that I wished would never end. I thought that this one wouldn't. Every character, with the possible exception of Theo's mother was unrealistic, annoying, or completely unlikable or unrealistic. It was depressing and a waste of my time and money.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XNQ9QYF4FOY9?ASIN=0316055441	Really did not like this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall, I really did not like this book, but had to keep reading it to find out what happened.  This is what I consider a ""dark"" drama.  Writing was excellent and it did make me think about certain things about life, but I read to escape and really don't like to read about dramatic life even though I know it exists.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JSPLXFP642XH?ASIN=0316055441	and I enjoyed the first six hundred or so pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read it for book group, and I enjoyed the first six hundred or so pages, but, give me a break, enough already!  Too much repetitive description, and way too many words.  Hated Boris and all his friends.  Finally made it through and did not think the ending redeemed the second half of the book.  Pulitzer worthy?  I think not.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22NUEY5AKK3JQ?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is such an excellent writer and story-teller. This is a long book, but goes fast because you get so fascinated and involved with the characters. My book club is reading it this month and I'm eager to hear what they say about it. I loved it. I don't often rate a book five stars, but this is definitely one of them.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AWUPEGIYSC81?ASIN=0316055441	Finished FINALLY!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've been reading this book for a long time as it is an extremely long and consuming read.  Certainly the story has some excellent qualities - I enjoyed parts but overall I personally would not recommend it simply because it is not a strong enough story to justify the time it takes to plough through the whole enormous thing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LL687TDG5O4M?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read. You never knew what the next chapter ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read.  You never knew what the next chapter would bring.  It had everything from Russian art underground operations to two high school kids left to their own devices in Las Vegas.  With the unrequited love plus the upper crust love interest and the antique furniture business thrown in too.  A definite page turner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XID63HQ23DHT?ASIN=0316055441	A Physical Response	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">OMG, I spent months out of my life slogging through this Pulitzer Prize winning novel and I do want a couple of those months back.  This book wore me out.  Parts of the book are brilliant with dialogue and relationships and parts are agonizingly tedious.  Reading this book is an experience that is visceral.  It wore me out.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R264CCT5MX441Q?ASIN=0316055441	Show Don't Tell	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt writes well and there is much to admire in this novel. However, many scenes were repetitive and could have been edited- in fact the novel could have been several hundred pages shorter. The author did much too much explanation at the end of the book- Show don't tell. It was almost like a study guide for the book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BUE70T9ZP0Y2?ASIN=0316055441	Good book and delivery suited me.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book.  Using Amazon - I sent it to my daughter in Dallas with free shipping.  Then she brought it back on a trip and I got to read it.  I had just seen the picture on a tour - with the Girl with the Pearl Earring.  Of course, I knew the painting was not actually involved in this story, but it was an interesting device.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXKXSOVDBEWI8?ASIN=0316055441	I really enjoyed it. The ending was a bit too cerebral ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were just a couple parts I struggled to get through. Without giving away too much, these were parts about certain characters and took place in certain locations. I couldn't keep some less important characters straight. But otherwise, I really enjoyed it. The ending was a bit too cerebral to match the rest of the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R202TKV9BTC6FG?ASIN=0316055441	Both Fresh and Comforting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating!  It took many unexpected turns.  I never expected the sojourn in Las Vegas or the Antwerp escapade.<br/>All the characters were well-developed but I found Boris particularly appealing.  I kept hoping Theo and Pippa would reach an understanding and maybe they did.  The ending left me feeling optimistic for them</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R379PSSDYNN3DS?ASIN=0316055441	enjoyed reading until the last third where he went to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">enjoyed reading until the last third  where he went to visit the people who were ''''swindled""<br/>it was too much like ""we all lived happily ever after<br/>the notion of using pieces of art as a way to borrow money was interesting in lightmof recent art finds and a documentary i saw about stolen and recovered art</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRI4KHXX1Q3TW?ASIN=0316055441	excellent choice	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic. I picked this book because I knew nothing about the subject of art theft and of what happens with those famous paintings like the ones stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. But the book is so much more than just a story. Great character development, great parallels, intriguing, interesting. I loved it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FU925LLL71A3?ASIN=0316055441	A good thinking piece that was just too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was good, but had so many parts... It could have been three books.  I put it down for long periods of time because I needed a break from it.  Overall, it is a book that makes you think.  I wouldn't say this is an easy read, but had many enjoyable parts as well as sections I wish I could have just skipped through.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PJR7IU5B01JF?ASIN=0316055441	I thought it was a good read. Lots of mystery and intrigue but some ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was a good read. Lots of mystery and intrigue but some of the stuff in there could have been left out it didn't add to the story at all. Some of it was needed because that is how most people react to trauma. But it seemed like the author fell in love with all the drinking and drugs and describing it in detail,</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV2R29GREZ3W0?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the Goldfinch had a good story.  The only thing I did not like especially at the very end was the rambling nonsense, which I skipped through mostly.  Also skipped through a few pages now and then through out the book because of too much description about this and that.  Over all the characters were very likeable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J6WNZT5NNMBL?ASIN=0316055441	I usually don't like The National Book Award Winners and now I will ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first part of the novel was very engaging. But when Theo goes to Las Vegas and his life starts going down hill with his little Russian friend, I put the book down and will read a few other books before I pick it up again. I usually don't like The National Book Award Winners and now I will add the Pulitzer to that list.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AO07N0Z4VEBH?ASIN=0316055441	Really great book! Couldn't put it down at the start	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really great book!  Couldn't put it down at the start, beautiful imagery, emotional response and connection to the characters. Really great specifics.  Sort of lagged a bit towards the middle, then REALLY picked up at the end with a super awesome, suspenseful, roller coaster of an ending!  Definitely recommend reading!  :)</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IKR5RLI956O7?ASIN=0316055441	I wanted to like it, actually	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm sorry to say I could not finish this book.  I wanted to like it, actually, I wanted to love it.  It just went on and on and on...about the same small detail, the same irrelevant thought or the same anguished emotion.  Ms.Tartt had her thesaurus working overtime I'm sure of that.  It was a complete waste of time for me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q4ZJBXQB9JMX?ASIN=0316055441	Not My Cup of Tea I Guess	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't know what the fuss is all about.  It's a VERY long story and I really didn't like the main character.  I think I might have liked it better if my expectations weren't so high.  I can't believe all of the other praises for this book.  It was like running a marathon to finally get to the end of it (long and painful).</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R43576PJKO6B3?ASIN=0316055441	A modern classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read a lot, but this novel will alaways stand out. How a female author can write in first person as a male and nail it is beyond me. She has crafted a masterpiece which tells a most intriguing tale about a boy growing up and the twists of his life related to a famous painting from the 1600's. She is a brilliant author. .</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U39I1XKV2UUY?ASIN=0316055441	The Pulitzer, really?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was ok. There were some clever plot turns, but on the whole it was way overrated in my opinion. The fact that it won such a prestigious literary award definitely has me puzzled. The characters were somewhat interestingly developed; but I am baffled by the rave reviews. Perhaps it has to do with the authors youth?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1173U3ZZF0U3V?ASIN=0316055441	Responsibility Missing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was not reading a happy book - Theo needed to stop feeling sorry for himself and Boris was just a mess.<br/>I was surprised with some of the language.  It was chosen for our book club and I was disappointed.  However, I found I kept<br/>reading all 700+ pages because i was hopping for a solutions to all their problems!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZIVGLO6FIQ34?ASIN=0316055441	The characters of Theo and Borris will never leave me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Listening to the audio version of this book, Donna Tartt is an amazing writer.  I am immersed in the lives of Theo and Borris and with 4 tapes to go, I hate that this story will soon end.  I'm enjoying every last word that Ms. Tartt so craftily has written, and holding on till the last word is spoken.<br/>Patricia  Florio</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL9CIDCEN2OMF?ASIN=0316055441	o come on!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Self indulgent crap. A modern book that details life and is wonderful is john Irving's A Prayer For Owen Meany. That wonderful book is worth the time,effort and enjoyment of the magic of good writing. This book, the goldfinch, is a waste of time and space.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12HWODMBG0XUO?ASIN=0316055441	Most of the characters are extremely flawed but the author ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Most of the characters are extremely flawed but the author draws you into their relationship with the main character who has suffered a tragic loss of his mother and is essentially left an orphan. I found myself in awe of Donna Tart's ability to use language in a way that reaches our most complex experiences and thoughts.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R339EX4TKO7B3R?ASIN=0316055441	very confusing dialogue and monologues at times.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed many parts of the book but feel it went in too many directions by the end.  The last 20 pages particularly were hard to follow and understand.  They involved the rambling thoughts of the main character but again, they were hard to follow and by the end I was feeling like I must have missed the point of the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U5J8KLJBXVOU?ASIN=0316055441	Great style--addicting. Sad to say you have nothing when ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great style--addicting. Sad to say you have nothing when you are finished, The main characters become stereotyped addicts. The subordinate characters are left in the dust and debris of societal debris.  Theme--nothing. Background fascinating if one is interested in restoring furniture to be fakes. A waste of reading time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T9YZUGRYB7H0?ASIN=0316055441	long, but worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In some stage, I wondered why did I start reading this book, but I continued, and thank god I did!<br/>I guess it started to get interesting for me towards the end as I was constantly trying to link the beginning of the book with what came next, and only later was I able to connect them.<br/>A long book, but a nice one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD7VXIDG9LD1T?ASIN=0316055441	The story was boring at times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, I gave it a 3 for being very descriptive. The writing was entertaining. The story was boring at times. I learned about the dangers of the underground drug world. I felt empathy for the main character but at times I felt he was a mess. I won't suggest the book to someone unless I know they like this type of book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X8814LFYVMOZ?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic book. I am a big fan of Brett ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic book.<br/> I am a big fan of Brett Easton Ellis and parts of this book ( Las Vegas)  remind me of 'less than zero'. I like books with a melancholy vibe to them. If you want a 'summer on the beach' sizzler this probably isn't for you . If you like Brett Easton Ellis and Jay  McInerney then definitely read this!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFM3DF2ZD6JFU?ASIN=0316055441	Skip It	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was not a fan. Overall story is good, but it took me forever to read, and it wasn't just because of the length...it was because I was so uninterested about what was going on in the book. I kept waiting for it to get interesting, and never got there. I skimmed the last ten pages because I just wanted to be done with it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MM3Y1E7R0AZC?ASIN=0316055441	very different from the usual victory of good vs bad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very insightfull regarding the eternal battle between right and wrong, very different from the usual victory of good vs bad. Hardly ever anyone or anything is pure virtue or pure evil, the children in this book teach us that most of the time we do what it takes to cope with whatever comes our way. I enjoyed it very much!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IE486BFA5ICJ?ASIN=0316055441	An interesting book.  At Times a week done story and at other times garbage.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose the rating because at times it was very well done. The main characters were well developed and the others slid in and out of the stories.  At other times  the stories meandered into nothingness.  Pulitzer prize no.  Much too long also.<br/>If you like long books try it. But don't say I didn't, warn you.<br/>Dvk</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10GFMV9W5BV1P?ASIN=0316055441	The gold finch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, evocative imagery telling the story of a traumatized young boy and his drug infused journey through  Young adulthood. It is a gripping story of  Harsh losses and caring people  who try to help this boy/man negotiate his difficult life and attachment to a beautiful painting of  captive tiny wild bird.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TLKTKU5TZLRO?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading this book I felt like I could have read the first couple chapters and the last couple chapters and the story would have been the same, the many chapters in between did not add any depth or meaning to the storyline, maybe because I don't or can't appreciate the drug use, I would not recommend this this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D6W6824VJI1V?ASIN=0316055441	you'd better be War and Peace	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'd give this 4 if it weren't for those last 200 pages. It's such an interesting story with lots of twists, and I found the changes in the main character's life very compelling and emotional. But if you're going to be that long, you'd better be War and Peace. That last 200 was not only boring, it was somewhat ridiculous.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PZRPRUN22TQ8?ASIN=0316055441	"""One's Head Begins to Spin"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is blessed with a very strong opening for the first several hundred pages at a literary quality that I would compare favorably and seriously to Salinger's ""Catcher in the Rye.""  That is, the plight of adolescence gone awry compounded by multiple tragedies well perceived and sensitively delineated by the author.<br/><br/>Having said that, the subsequent chapters are less well developed and compromised.  There is, for example, a ""Sidekick"" who is central to the plot but who converses in stilted and broken English over the course of about 450 pages. Which turns out to be persistently annoying and distracting. Moreover, this character is given a stereotypical, ""Lovable and garrulous Slav,"" persona prone to repetitive and long-winded soliloquies.<br/><br/>Subsequently, one's head begins to spin as the plot falls from sublime elevations to nitty-gritty thriller material.  Where things get very complicated and confounded by multiple Eastern European types with similar names and nicknames.  Where characters engage in endless philosophizing on the meaning of life and art. I should mention, also, what appears to be an unfortunate misspelling or typo, on page 750, where the word ""planting"" seems to be used instead of ""painting"".<br/><br/>In sum, this novel reads as two different books. And the overall impact is one of disappointment.  I`ve thus far avoided reading any of the 500 or so reviews submitted before this one, but wouldn't be surprised if others have reached the same or a similar conclusion.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D033XADXJYOW?ASIN=0316055441	Bleh. What a waste of time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm 3/4 through with the book and am going to have to call it quits. What a waste of time. Can I give less than a one star rating? I picked this book for book club and I'm afraid I'm going to get beat up for my pick. I'd like a do-over and my money back.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VQF1MV1O6PH6?ASIN=0316055441	An excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was held in suspense through much of the book as it moved from event to event.  I've never read a book quite like this.  For anyone who has had a difficult childhood, this might well follow your path--in general.  At first I thought the ending was weak, but then thought any other ending would be lame and a false ring.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6XUHW881PAI1?ASIN=0316055441	A lesson in life warts and all.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read reviews questioning the validity of this book winning a Pulitzer Prize, and a friend with a son, ""hated"" it, which I completely understand now. I will not forget The Goldfinch, the story about a painting, which made life meaningful and this book, in which the author communicated the meaning of life to each his own.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCPKVYN5D65IG?ASIN=0316055441	I hated this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hated this book. I bought it because of all the rave reviews and Pulitzer Prize winning blah blah, but it was awful reading to me. Am i the only one? 750 pages that could easily have been whittled down to 200. It was Great Expectations but not, although written with a sense of self importance that was wholly unearned.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TT6H71SRLXQ6?ASIN=0316055441	It's more that just a good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tart's writing is wonderful. she perfectly describes scenes and emotions to the core. Have not finished it but she has taken me from the various social layers of New York city to the depths and heat of the dessert with such lows I had to take breaks for fear of suffocating in the description. Good choice of words.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROFEKSWLKEUPU?ASIN=0316055441	A most remarkable, memorable book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The imagery in ""The Goldfinch"" was remarkable and memorable. Ms. Tartt's amazing ability to create an unforgettable image in a few words or in a paragraph. In addition, I experienced reliving familiar feelings, especially uncomfortable ones. Imagery and feelings evoked in an especially vivid way was what I enjoyed most.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12OFNTTKNGZOH?ASIN=0316055441	A powerful story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a difficult book on various levels so persevere.  It is ultimately redemptive.  The writing is fascinating and complex at times and yet so crystalline at times.  This is a story of a young boy's journey to recover from PTSD, unlikely friendships, and love.  Interwoven is a wonderful perspective on the art world.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRIUBG4OTWG71?ASIN=0316055441	This book, in scope and personal content are unparalleled ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book, in scope and personal content are unparalleled.  One is repulsed by the ensnaring trouble into which the protagonist is drawn and at the same time, cannot put the book away if there is time to continue.  One becomes increasingly awed by the saving graces and a plot guaranteed to explode with each page turned.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13TI8NNO0VQHI?ASIN=0316055441	OUTSTANDING!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely loved it.  Donna Tartt is a talented, insightful and engaging writer with a wisdom beyond her years - no matter how few or many she's counting.  She helps make sense of the world's injustices - not to rationalize or understate their effect or consequence but understand the how and the why of the world's ways.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HSQRR06J9VXU?ASIN=0316055441	adult fiction with character depth and many twists	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author is elegant and intelligent in betraying the meaning of life as seen through the eyes of several central and many peripheral characters. The intricate web is woven around a masterpiece painting, a trauma, and constantly evolving relationships. I found the novel totally engrossing and am sad now that it's over.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR8XQ9B6DC4M5?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed having to read it carefully to grasp all the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed having to read it carefully to grasp all the interesting details about art and the crime that is associated with the theft of valuable artworks . and also getting into the mind of the young boy and all he had to go through  in his very troubled life.  Evidently researched thoroughly in many ways.  . Great read!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIIUTMZLQGLN6?ASIN=0316055441	I brought this book as mother's day gift for my Mom	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I brought this book as mother's day gift for my Mom, hope she loves it.<br/>I would like to share my savings, I brought it from Bookworld website, they have a promotion running at the moment.<br/>10% off by using code BW-IB2BYY. Another 10% off for free sign up. Free delivery in Australia. Great value, and great gift!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34Z22EOLU6330?ASIN=0316055441	easy to read with both character development and mystery	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Once past the first assumptions- a terror attack in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC we move realistically through several worlds with our protagonist meeting one significant man with integrity- a furniture restorer who emerges as the ethical center and remains admirable. The final choices of the hero are shrouded.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CQ4LAWROMG70?ASIN=0316055441	Cut a few hundred pages and it wouldn't be bad!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The premise is intriguing and the story line could be great, but this books just drags on.  While the writing itself is skillful, the editing process really needs another look to make it a page turner.  I finished only because it was my book club's selection, so I felt obligated; otherwise, I would have given up midway.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGNEYIOPUGIGH?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very disappointed in this book.  I liked the beginning and the premise of the story.  But I started to really dislike the main character as he grew up and I found it very difficult to finish the book.  I know it is on a lot of best books lists and this is just my opinion but I would not rec. this book to a friend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXNYVVJOKPAWN?ASIN=0316055441	This book creates a vacuum	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A 250-page story packed into over 700 pages.  Detailed accounts of drink and drug induced halucinations....as if we care.<br/>Lots of meaningless filler.  She must have been getting paid by the page.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R4EMYNRL4D1J?ASIN=0316055441	A waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I struggled through this book in hopes it would have some redeeming quality.  Sad to say after reading all 750 pages, it didn't happen.  It has a cast of despicable characters and I consider reading this book a complete waste of my time.<br/><br/>Joan</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G4IHHNZ86BF5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this is a fantastic read, held to the end!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OPLCWV22BNPK?ASIN=0316055441	Must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating story from page 1. Great book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RA5B987LZAVC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great book but about 300 pages too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF8FY452VG0S7?ASIN=0316055441	but someone whose opinion I respect highly recommended it. I could barely put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Typically I shy away from the must read lists, but someone whose opinion I respect highly recommended it. I could barely put it down. The characters are beautifully drawn, all descriptions of time, place and actions are so evocative such that they bloom in full color straight to the imagination. Worthy of its Pulitzer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W0FE07VBMRU3?ASIN=0316055441	a very engrossing story and narrative	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was engrossing. I enjoyed how the entire story was told from the perspective of Theo Decker. It seemed tragedy struck him at every turn of his life yet he lived with a sort of care free abandonment that I was slightly jealous of. I recommend this book because of the excellent narrative and truly unique story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GOGR76NUP86O?ASIN=0316055441	A Novel in Need of a Diet	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As on critic put it, this is one of the best 400 page novels I've ever read -- the only problem is, it's more than 700 pages long.<br/><br/>Ms Tart is an excellent writer, but this bloated beast cries out for a ruthless editor.<br/><br/>It's too bad, because Ms Tart creates compelling characters and silvered prose.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12RPPEQYN4W7B?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderful read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I lost a lot of sleep reading this wonderful book. Sounds trite to say I could not put it down but I got carried away by this story and didn't want it to end. Beautifully crafted just like the painting it is a masterful piece of storytelling. so glad I read it. it gave me lots to think about. I definitely recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXRB48AUSA3AI?ASIN=0316055441	The writer was a little too wordy for my taste ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writer was a little too wordy for my taste in describing scenes and feelings. Many of the feelings, especially associated with the mother, were repetitive in the extreme.  I found myself skimming over much of the unneeded details and long drawn out conversations to continue on to the meat and potatoes of the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY7HPSC1XO49B?ASIN=0316055441	but I did like this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was long, that's for sure, but I did like this book. The writing was quite brilliant in places but when developing the characters,  at times, events seemed too ""out there"" to be believed. I can't say that I would recommend this as a read to a friend, but I am glad that I took the time to have read it myself.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R160JIT6HEO0G7?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed...but it could have been so much more!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had potential but some of the key characters never developed and kept on making the same mistakes again and again.  Not a very satisfying ending after all the effort to slog through the last 3rd of the book.  I enjoyed the first half and the premise of the story but disappointed with the overall product given the hype!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSFOWWO7ZXBE?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books of my life.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's been six months since I read this book and I still think about it. I think it will be one of those books you reread every few years, just to relive the lessons in it. It is a force of nature and the ""Great Expectations"" for our time. DonnaTartt deserves every accolade she has received. It is a masterpiece.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IMBRQUGLDM1I?ASIN=0316055441	PROBABLY EXCELLENT	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I VAN NOT SAY I LOVE IT -I AM 86 YEARS OLD AND I READ SLOWLY AND HAVE READ ~159 PAGES AND I CAN ONLY READ 10 PAGES A DAY AND IT IS ABSORBING AND IT IS A BOOK I WILL KEEP .  WHEN I VINH IT IN A COUPLE OF MONTH  I WILL PROBABLY RAISE ITS RATING--THE WRITER IS A SLOW COMPOSER SINCE IT TOOK HER ~10 YEARS TO PUT IT TOGETHER</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YK45V0U4QOXN?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it got bored loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard to describe what I thought of this book. At the start I was absolutely enthralled by it and often reading out bits to my partner. Some of the writing I just thought was excellent. However as the book went on I read out bits less and less and began to think the book is too long. Saying that I did enjoy the ending.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KRZKI4UX9L5O?ASIN=0316055441	Despite all of the good reviews it took me a while to get into ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Despite all of the good reviews it took me a while to get into this book. Actually, I like the beginning then lulled and then was pulled back in. I spent a lot if time when I was not reading the book thinking about what I had read and contemplating the things that make people who they are. This book was extraordinary.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QMTE45Q4A0G9?ASIN=0316055441	Just Too Long and Draw out.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much, much too long and too wordy. To describe every thought and feeling is just too much to read. I wanted to get to action and get Theo out his druggy state of mind. He just could not think his way out of a paper bag. He followed Boris (also dugged out) and everyone else when problem solving. So sorry that I took the time to listen to the whole story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22PKDUDK5KSDD?ASIN=0316055441	The writing was so great they did not want to leave out one vomit ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It must have been hard for the editor of this book.  The writing was so great they did not want to leave out one vomit episode.  Otherwise a  good book with an original story line.  Author can really write up a storm.  I think they nailed how someone young feels when they lose the most important person in their lives.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V4987XHSLWL8?ASIN=0316055441	I wanted to like it more	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great premise. A compelling start. I couldn't put it down for the first half of the book. But it's overly long for the plot. Just too much unnecessary narrative &amp; description. It felt very self indulgent. In the second half I found myself skimming through until I couldn't wait for it to end. Ultimately unsatisfying.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7WZ70U1CUR8L?ASIN=0316055441	Intrigue and human behaviour, in a mixed-up world.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fantastic read, providing an absorbing insite into human nature interacting with others in the modern world environment.<br/>Through the course of the book, I was able to experience extreme behaviour and dangerous situations that most people would be reluctant to explore. Unexpected twists and turns kept me hooked!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12PSA1VQAYBXT?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Its hard to put in words how interesting and multi layered this work is.<br/>The mixture of an interesting story, captivating characters and brilliant musing on the meaning of life made this book hard to put down and put out of my mind.<br/>I am sad that its finished, but glad that I finally read this amazing story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB6ABO2M6GFTY?ASIN=0316055441	A book that went nowhere.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book starts strong with great character development and an interesting story. There are moments throughout the book that are moving and beautifully written. The story and the characters are lost in endless words and words and more words. I finished it but it was a struggle. Clearly the author was paid by the word.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCWJOZJIUPQ0L?ASIN=0316055441	He made so many poor decisions that it was hard to be in his ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Do the Pulitzer people give points on how many words and author uses to tell a story?  I started out really intrigued by this 13 year old's story and about half way through, sick of the drugs by him and Boris, my interest waned.  Yet I kept reading.  He made so many poor decisions that it was hard to be in his corner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30BDJ43ET28IG?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written.....but maybe too many words?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed this book but really had to put it down a few times and come back to finish it.  A mixture of ugly...beauty...sweetness...bitterness...good...evil...love hate....on and on.<br/>Great characters...complex stories intertwined....lots of levels and life styles explored.  The first quarter and last were the best!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K6CPWPMJ2Z0G?ASIN=0316055441	heartwrenching/heartwarming	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautiful work that fully explores the depth of the main character. The type of book that you know will stay with you. At times I did not want to turn the page for fear of what Theo would do next and was put off by all the tragedy and ugliness of humanity but Tartt masterfully brought me back in. I highly recommend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU8KYTI4RYUJJ?ASIN=0316055441	A Riveting Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Never have I been so touched by a book as I was by The Goldfinch.  Donna Tartt draws the reader in creating the feeling of being there and observing exactly what the characters are observing.  The depth of Theo's feelings and thoughts are presented with a reality that grabs the reader and pulls tightly.  A must read!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ1Q4EXPTQNWC?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's writing is sure and fast paced. This murder mystery enveloped me in it's ""clinches"" so that I spent a snowy day being fascinated by  a. a great story  b. well developed and interesting characters.  I now want to re-read Tartt's ""Little Friend"" because I had forgotten her mastery of prose.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDRKRBA8T7K16?ASIN=0316055441	outstanding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book.  I have rarely re-read a book, and I am thoroughly enjoying rereading this one:  many times.  I first read it as an ebook.  Then I ordered a hard copy so I could underline passages and savor the wisdom Tartt shares.  I highly recommend this book:  one of the top ten of my life.  (a long one at that)</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVRGLPLNRMPLF?ASIN=0316055441	review was cut off; sorry	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I ever read. Breathtaking narrative of a disaster from child's point of view grabs you at the start. One unique character after another joins the story and keeps you  eagerly turning the pages, despite the late hour.<br/>Influences of both parents begin to emerge, some subtle, some not so much.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO0FD3RUHX3W3?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good story.  I liked the character development.  Some of the writing was a bit overly descriptive and flowery to me...which sounds crazy, because books are supposed to be very descriptive, right?  But for me, it was too much at different points in this book.  But I have to say that over all, I really enjoyed it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27NS7B8N7303L?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed the plot twists	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the plot twists, but especially enjoyed the character development.  Even with their flaws, the reader is hoping that they will ""do the right thing.""  It was one of those stories that keeps the reader wanting to see what happens next. The change of setting added to the drama of the storyline very well.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CP84AI7PK97S?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long and tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At around 750 pages, this novel would have been better if it had been half as long.  Way too much description of everything. My impulse was to say, ""OK, OK, I got it!""  Don't need to dwell on the same event ad nauseam.  Also, did not really connect with the characters.  After all the hype, I was disappointed.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JPJ8R60BY6JC?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At once introspective and universal, an engaging read that throws you into the tragedy and triumph of Theo Decker. A masterful coming of age novel that answers the question ""why am I here?"" underscored by an engaging plot, beautiful prose and a cast of well fleshed out characters. My favorite read this year!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C3L8LFB14SSN?ASIN=0316055441	A Holden Caufield for our Era	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A Proustian masterpiece, and if you have the patience for it, a total immersion in the mind of a youthful trauma victim.  Theo reminds me of a modern Holden Caufield, whose reaction to the loss of parental figures is the film negative of J. D. Salinger's anti-hero.  Not an easy read, but absolutely worth the effort.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VN4DORCQBZL6?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch - A Compelling story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent novel, rich in descriptive details. The way she pictures NYC, Las Vegas, Amsterdam and other places is extraordinary.<br/>The writers depiction of the era and places mirror my own experiences.<br/>And the characters!! I know all of the these people!<br/>Overall, a very compelling and entertaining story!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HQ6GF6CVMG06?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Yes, the writing is brilliant, the characters are beautifully crafted, and the descriptions of places are detailed. But I found huge chunks of the story to range from implausible to impossible. Nevertheless, I was more than willing to continue reading this sometimes lumpy and verbose saga about a boy and a painting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CFC91RYLWLMQ?ASIN=0316055441	Perfection	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this novel from the first chapter which is one of the best single chapters ever.  It hooks you by making you feel like you are there.  The plot is intriguing all the way through.  I recommend it to anyone who loves literature not just a book.  I haven't been so enthused since Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14OYRLE4JC8J0?ASIN=0316055441	A very intelligent, smart novel with rich	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very intelligent, smart novel with rich, beautifully-written passages and a structure that manages to keep reader interest in what is actually a very slowly-doled out narrative that is not afraid to take its time in creating well-defined characters and asking big questions about art and the human experience of it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V1GGO2VAJOQN?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought the book was very good, insightful &amp; captivating.  Was disappointed with the last chapter.  The guy narrating the story certainly had serious ""issues""  growing up, but his thoughts about life &amp; living it were too negative.  "".....life is a cesspool ....""  Not the best way to end a good story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R387OVV23J5DV1?ASIN=0316055441	nice biography of a doomed person	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was really fascinating to follow the life of Theo and to see how destiny moved him. Knowing his history as a child it is fascinating to struggle with Theo in his adult life.<br/><br/>I really enjoyed the read. While the story line is really nice, the language is not at the same level. So I gave it only 4 stars.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FJKROS14HOL5?ASIN=0316055441	This book is going down as a classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's extremely well written, engaging, thought provoking, and it deals with death very well. My father died when I was nine, and this author captured all the emotions in a way no one else has. It's one of those books you want to keep reading, but you don't want it to end because you become invested in the character.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PB8VH9W56CVL?ASIN=0316055441	Art, Life, and not One, but Two Odysseys	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Written on a grand scale, The Goldfinch wrestles successfully with big ideas, with a great structure, and a Tolstoyan ending that actually works.  And besides, it's a compelling read, capturing what is to most, an unknown, but very real portrait of the way we live now.  An instant landmark in the 21st century novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YR67Y4FL0P2?ASIN=0316055441	Unnecessarily wordy. Interminable pages of his depraved life in ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unnecessarily wordy.  Interminable pages of his depraved life in Las Vegas. The start made for a very interesting story; however,  it soon deteriorated into one of those books, in which it appears the author is being paid by the word.  Yerdis Texler</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPAXCJHXWWDBD?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated and Boring.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not sure what all the hype is about this book. I found it dull and much longer than it needed to be. Some of the sentences were almost half a page long! Author put entirely too much description throughout the book. I very rarely quit reading a book befor the end but I couldn't even make it halfway through this one!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B6RVKD187M4P?ASIN=0316055441	Tragedy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Complicated and lifetime spanning.  The beginning caught me liking the characters and routing for them.  The middle of the book was difficult to read, like an addict out of control knowing that there was so much pain going on inside.  Then the ending where redemption came through.  Glad I hung in there for the end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QNOJ6ETLRVDB?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story about a group of misfits who portrayed the good, the bad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, with detailed descriptions that rang true.  Interesting story about a group of misfits who portrayed the good, the bad, and the ugly with a centerpiece of a beautiful work of art. Also an old theme of good friends are good friends forever and true loves are true loves forever. .Hurrah for Donna Tartt!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BWBDO2I66N9N?ASIN=0316055441	Don't waste your money	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Despite a Pulitzer and all the kudos I hated this book.  It is depressing, overdone and frankly I almost didn't finish it. I didn't find any of the characters terribly interesting or relatable.  I had to force myself to finish it.  Save your money or get it from the library if you fall for the hype.  Terrible book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q3VTQ5UZNW2T?ASIN=0316055441	get to the point	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">THe author likes to reiterate a lot. I had a hard time pushing through this book often because the author had to use 100 words to describe something that could be said in 10 words. I loved how twisting and changing the plot was and that's the only thing that kept me going. It was as if I was reading 3 books in one.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39Y21U8HBJRLO?ASIN=0316055441	A good story which could have been excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An intriguing theme with authentic characters which I enjoyed.  Howevere book was too long and there was too much violence at the end, almost beyond credibility.<br/>On the other hand book was filled with atmosphere in Hobie's workshop, where the beautiful and fatherly connection to the protaganist is significant.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4MYL3KJ3YZHH?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful but full of addiction and alcoholism	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a beautifully written and enchanting book, but the main character is drunk or on drugs for a lot of the book, and many of his reflections come out of that. Being in a family recovering from addiction, I am leery of revelations from people who are using. It just took a lot away from what is a powerful story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RUAFELNMNSIJ?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was tempted to quit but stuck with it until about 75% and then decided to go to the end to find out what happened.  Good story line but way to wordy, off track, descriptive for me.  I hate the feeling of feeling cheated with a book that doesn't hold my interest and struggle to read it.  Won't recommend this one!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KKYPUTQJAG2O?ASIN=0316055441	Good Story But No Page Turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book, but it didn't make it to my list of new favorites. The character development was solid and I empathized with the lead. However, I thou​ght the plot moved a little too slow. There was never a moment when I stayed up to 3AM to find out what happens next. It is a nice story but not a page turner.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R78EVO0L86MD7?ASIN=0316055441	Although the writing was wonderful and the plot and characters drew me in	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the writing was wonderful and the plot and characters drew me in, I didn't like this book because the story was so very dark and depressing.  The poor kid made one bad choice after another.  I kept thinking he was going to learn from his mistakes, and turn his life around, but he never did.  How very sad.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22731QXVBSWPD?ASIN=0316055441	An Amazing Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the first book I've read by Donna Tart and I thoroughly enjoyed it. You can definitely see how she won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. It is intelligent, funny , serious and written with such detail that you feel you can truly relate to the characters and their lives. I would highly recommend it to anyone.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HSDIFBPPUX1G?ASIN=0316055441	Not my favorite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For me, this book didn't live up to its widespread praise. Certainly, I learned a lot about drug using, antique furniture repair and art, but I just didn't care about the characters -- and eventually I could no longer suspend my disbelief. I had high hopes, because I have always been a fan of ""The Secret History.""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMGBSJLNKX0IY?ASIN=0316055441	This book is 90% exposition, 10% plot.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I grabbed this book based on the fact it one the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. The book begins decently but eventually turns into a tome that has 100 pages of exposition for each discernible plot point.<br/><br/>Tartt writes a lot like Chabon, meaning her books could be cut and half and still have the same effect.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8ISR4V08YNG9?ASIN=0316055441	a story that takes. the reader on a strange but intriguing adventure.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A young man almost losses his life but is haunted by a picture given to him by a stranger who whispers that it be taken to a friend, Hobbs.  The tale takes us on a wild ride where all is finally resolved.  A times, the reader does not quite know what is happening, but that is part of the fun and death of the tale</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SHLDYB2PECY3?ASIN=0316055441	5 star book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written with details of scenery, people, situations in stark clarity. Humane, suspenseful and full of wonderful characters. It was difficult to choose which one was the most like able, corrupt or interesting. I would recommend this book to anyone who doesn't have deadlines. It was difficult to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19AMVCY8YJ7FK?ASIN=0316055441	the descriptions were drawn out and tedious. the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">yes, it was long. yes, i had to start and stop a few times. yes, the descriptions were drawn out and tedious. the ending..meh. but i loved the writing. i loved the change in pace from the quick hitting page-turners i had been reading. great characters. i enjoyed the slow build. it's worth reading. it is. read it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F3AS7X2LOLE2?ASIN=0316055441	There are no words to say but thank you. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are no words to say but thank you.  Your promptness is unbelievable.  I did not expect to see the book till Monday when I came home from work but today, Sunday, returning from church it's by my doorstep.  I immediately opened it and started reading it.  Thank you so much.  You guys are just ""super"".</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E9YHV2E2XR4C?ASIN=0316055441	thought provoking?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pace too slow for me. Read it to the end purely to discover what happens to the main character. This was a long process and I felt that the author was being a trifle self indulgent pontificating about the meaning of life. This book was also academically above and beyond me. Notwithstanding the author writes well.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV8HGQ02BKASY?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was really excited to read this book. The opening was really well done but then the quality of writing went down hill. I felt like it dragged on and there was a lot of stuff that could have been condensed or cut out to make it a more engaging read. I liked the plot it just was portly put together in my opinion.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NRP0P6YSNJEU?ASIN=0316055441	A World Worth Visiting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was totally wrapped up in this saga and am so very glad for every moment  I spent with it.  From art to foreign nations to survival and family, each  detailed moment's nuance took me into a place I had never been before, be it for evil or good, a true mix of life.  Very much worth spending time with this tale.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TNW5NBGIWA1L?ASIN=0316055441	Not what I expected. The author is overly descriptive ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not what I expected.  The author is overly descriptive of every moment and every memory - and I didn't think of make it through during the first third.  But then the plot deepened and I couldn't put it down.<br/>A bit of a coming off age tale that may strike today's youth the way Catcher in the Rye struck mine.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUPXKB06SLBB1?ASIN=0316055441	Masterpiece of the written word	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When The Goldfinch was first released, I read a glowing review in TIME. I bought three copies as presents for my mother, my wife, and myself. For anyone who loves art, a great story with deep insight, engaging characters, and little birdies, you will savor this reading experience. D E Munson, Author, By the Time I Got to Woodstock</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REWGEK7J6SHQ?ASIN=0316055441	Here's a writer who wants to say something and has something to say. Tartt still believes in the concept of art.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well researched. Often wordy, but by and large wonderful prose. Makes an effort to combine<br/>current culture with old culture. Learned a great deal about the big picture of art.<br/>Donna is that rare thing - a moral writer. Not preachy, but moral. Saw the ending coming,<br/>but perhaps that was her intent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34Z03LPJ1JIO0?ASIN=0316055441	A ggod read with and epilog of humanism/	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A ggod  read with and epilog of humanism/</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBU8ZGO6J0JEE?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The longest Hardy Boys book ever written.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR8ERM2F1QB0O?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tedious reading. I expected so much more.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RGA0VFTRB46L?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written just wasn't my favorite</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7TUMSQQCRFTT?ASIN=0316055441	This won a Pulitzer?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's OK but I cannot understand how this book won a Pulitzer.  Way too l.....o.....n.....g!  Could have been 200-300 pages shorter w/o damaging the story.  Overall, the story and plot are contrived, the language is repetitive, and many scenes read as if they were written for a movie script.  I was disappointed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JIJW8WE7S8YJ?ASIN=0316055441	Good beginning, then boring as hell	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I LOVED the beginning of the book, but towards the end I just wanted to punch myself in the face from boredom. A little too long, a little too drug out, and honestly after the first third of the book was over I didn't find the characters interesting or likeable enough to care about them or what happend to them.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NOMORX8BGL7?ASIN=0316055441	Ehhhh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">With all the stellar reviews posted, I thought I have to read this book. However, after getting 60% of the way through, it just didn't grab me. I have no idea what all the hype is for. I found it lacking the substance to keep me interested. I might be the only one, but I would say this is a ""pass"" book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CPDQ18V4ZPG7?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful, heartbreaking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best page-turner I've read in a very long time! Beautifully written, image-filled, emotional; both tragic and heart-warming. I've never felt such disgust toward a character, paired with such sympathy and a desire to save him. I want to know what happens next. Post traumatic Stress Disorder never tasted so real.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLJ7GT6OACKYX?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed this novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this novel, but would have liked to 'play editor' ... just did not see/find the relevance of a good portion of the book, which did not add to the enjoyment, enhance any of the characters or move the story forward. Obviously the Pulitzer team thought otherwise, and I am, of course, just a lowly reader.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R498QX9SQI9B1?ASIN=0316055441	Hard	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the beginning of this book. It made me want to move to NYC. But after that it was really depressing. I kept reading because it is rare that I don't finish a book -- but I can honestly say I was glad to be done. It was just sad filled with despair. Loved Hobie but glad the book is finished. Way too long!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PAG25QU5ZBFZ?ASIN=0316055441	A definite must-read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully well written book by Tartt. Definitely one of the best reads I've had in the past few years. Dickensian is thrown around quite a bit when talking about this book, not surprisingly so, Tartt weaves an intricate web of coincidental based events that tie in perfectly with the heavy emotion-laced prose.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGQIP85F50RWJ?ASIN=0316055441	Story line never got any better though I kept hoping	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I saw that it won the Pulitzer Prize so I bought it......big mistake.  Although it is long, it is the most depressing book I have ever read.  Story line never got any better though I kept hoping.  The main character was so messed up.  Sad.......</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MXKMG7XX8TXE?ASIN=0316055441	Great Contemporary Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Epic story telling.  Reminds me of John Updike.  I love this book and look forward to more from Donna Tartt.  The story is narrated by an interesting young man.  It is a fascinating contemporary tale.  The author has an engaging style that draws you in and never disappoints.  This is a book I highly recommend.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ROJJSKY4JYKD?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant! I enjoyed every word of this novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant!  I enjoyed every word of this novel.  The best way to go into this book is to not read anything about it, including the side flap.  As for it being too long, I can only equate those comments to anybody with a short attention span.  This book, the characters, and the theme will stick with me forever.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZOIS8RHVNOUG?ASIN=0316055441	Stolen painting and Addicts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful writing, even brilliant, but the preponderance of the writing about the trials and tribulations of drug addicts was dreary.  The story-line following the famous Goldfinch painting theft had great potential, but the thread of this theme was overtaken by the downer of the main characters' dependencies.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AM54PRQWXI5M?ASIN=0316055441	Unbelievable Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cannot describe with words the greatness of this story.  It is not a happy feel good story, but it is a great exploration of life and the relationship of humanity and art.  The writing is so well done that you cannot resist being drawn into the story and feeling the full emotional impact of it as it unfolds.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32K03LSK3BU3S?ASIN=0316055441	but I didn't like most of the characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappointing...I hesitated before purchasing it as the reviews were mixed.  It was well written and I did finish it, but I didn't like most of the characters, not sure what all the hype was about.  Now it's even cheaper on Kindle than when I bought it so I'm even more disappointed...not a prize winner for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OJ90DAIQ4Q7O?ASIN=0316055441	I will read this author again however because her prose is beautiful.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long book that was extremely well written and very deeply draws the reader into the life of the main character. I am not giving a fifth star because the end to me was a bit of a let down, especially after such a long journey with the story. I will read this author again however because her prose is beautiful.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R333Q1SMME7282?ASIN=0316055441	Marvelous,	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An incredible story, a brilliant writer - what more can I say. Through Tartt's prose I could see the scenes, imagine the characters and feel the emotions of this book. Read it and as you learn about Theo you will find yourself reexamining the path of your own life. I cannot ask for more than that from a book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC1610I667JK5?ASIN=0316055441	very interesting read but a bit deep for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were some very enjoyable moments, but all in all it was too long, too deep and too depressing.  I loved all the times with Boris but I got a little tired of the drugs.  I'm no prude but I've never done drugs and I actually appreciated the in-depth descriptions of what being involved with drugs is like. But it was just too much.  All of the relationships (his dad, his mom, the Barbours, Hobie, Boris, Xandra and others) were very well developed and described.  But, again, it all just got a bit ""heavy"" for a ""nice read"".  There were times when I couldn't stop reading and other times when I wished it would end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REEU181X80C0Q?ASIN=0316055441	This is a richly creative, one-of-a-kind narrative with a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a richly creative, one-of-a-kind narrative with a wider array of fascinating characters than one could possibly imagine coming from the head of one writer.  Unexpected twists and turns accompany the story-line which takes the reader through a wide variety of sharply contrasting locales.  Breathtaking!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S6EUB84YPS0I?ASIN=0316055441	Unfortunately I feel like I was cheated out of an ending when the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting characters with a story that swept you along for almost the entire book.  Unfortunately I feel like I was cheated out of an ending when the entire tone and style changed. The story which up until then had left me wondering what would happen next, was neatly wrapped up in a hasty, unsatisfying way.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CCDXZUPCKKT?ASIN=0316055441	Exceptional novel - best to come along in ages!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Cannot remember the last time I enjoyed a book this much, and hated putting it down so I could get some sleep.  Characters become your own personal friends or enemies.  Would love to see this in movie form but only with author in control so it wouldn't spin out of control or lose it's heart and effervescence.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK3EOCQQJTZ2U?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch follows the life of Theo Decker who loses his ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch follows the life of Theo Decker who loses his mother to a tragic accident which starts a journey that takes him through many challenging situations. Through it all he finally reaches a point where he understands the important questions that need to be asked and the answers that life has taught him.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JBA3F7AN39QL?ASIN=0316055441	THIS won a Pulitzer? Please.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Pulitzer folks must have stopped after the first 100 pages, which were wonderful. After that, it was like a different book. Self-destructive characters, especially Boris, were annoying to read about, much less relate to. The ending was confusing at best. Overall, a sad tale devoid of likeable characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LB1U98IXNGVC?ASIN=0316055441	What a sad, yet beautiful read...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a journey through someone else's life; someone else's mind.  It is a brilliant work of fiction that uses a painting to show life's troubles and beauty; hate and love.  I recommend this book to anyone who understands the struggle of life but still lives and breathes in everything it has to offer.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GO6JN4JFYRFA?ASIN=0316055441	So good. Excellent writing that pull the reader right in	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So good.  Excellent writing that pull the reader right in.  I loved the philosophy at the end.  Pulls it, the story and the painting together.  We are chained to our perch but we don't shink back we face life and all its ups and downs.  Positive comes from negative and visa versa.  Will read many more times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H00U4WV7788I?ASIN=0316055441	A journey worth traveling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Most captivating story of life's twists and turns, circumstances that appear to be random, and characters that become close and identifiable to you, the reader.<br/>Certainly highly entertaining novel, well researched for authenticity of arts and places.<br/>Captivated to the very end, and wished for more.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3REERL4A05YVB?ASIN=0316055441	Read This Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An outstanding novel. The concept is original and the writing top notch. A young boy whose mother is killed<br/>in an explosion at a New York.museum. The story weaves in unexpected ways through the dissasterous<br/>outcome for him. Any more description would spoil this excellent book. Great for book clubs.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RYJPLKRLKBP?ASIN=0316055441	long and arduous read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be extremely long and dull.  It seemed to drag on and on.  My favorite part of the book was the very last section of chapter 12...not only because it meant I was done reading this book but because the last section is the most meaningful part of the book that could have come a lot sooner!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB0CT5I8AW2C9?ASIN=0316055441	Surprised	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Surprised the I was not impressed with this story. The beginning and middle were good, but the ending left something to be desired. It also took me a while to read this while other books I have read are done 1-3 days. This one took a week. It just seemed to me that the ending was written abruptly and simply.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FKJR0EF4NIA2?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed it very much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed it very much. This book had wonderful characters. The depictions of New York were very insightful. The conversations about art and how we individually relate to it was eye opening for me. After reading this book I look at art with a better understanding of my personal reference to it .  Great book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QXHS6M53RZ7K?ASIN=0316055441	Sad story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great novel filled with many interesting characters.  Overall a very sad story.  I found myself cheering for Theo Decker in many instances and being let down by his choices.  He did redeem himself in the end.  I also felt inspired to seek out and read about the painting.  I would recommend this book overall.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O7GRSC0VWJOB?ASIN=0316055441	Must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put the novel down! One of the best written books I've ever read. I was swept away from one community to the next in NYC, felt the heat and emptiness in Las Vegas and the charm and loneliness in Amsterdam.  At every tragic twist and turn I found myself  rooting for and amazed at Theo's resilience.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KQXF4LNM0F1X?ASIN=0316055441	chained in freedom	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">We who love, we who despair, we who see beauty in darkness, in shadows and sunlight know full well that we are trapped in time with Death waiting unalterably.  Get it while you can, sang Janice.  Get all of it says Donna.  And she shows us how with her own brushed stroked masterpiece.  Fabritius is clapping.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DTY3V92KHOKZ?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the book and may reread it while fresh as ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Took me a bit to get involved in this book and then I couldn't wait to get back to it. One thought occurred to me thoughout and that was the main character was abscent long periods of time yet no one in his life seemed to question this much.  Loved the book and may reread it while fresh as  was captivating.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R136RR0HZXW6O4?ASIN=0316055441	This book is like a dream - a fever dream	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is like a dream - a fever dream.  I could pick the plot apart from multiple rational angles.  But I read it to the end - more from a cultural, critical interest than from any compulsion for the story itself.  If this is what passes for ""literature"" from the literary world then point taken.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VYNV1JQDEX7U?ASIN=0316055441	Lyrical Writing for a Songbird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Again, a long story revolving around a crime committed by a young person and its repercussions (mostly around the fear of being discovered) on that person's life. I didn't find this as riveting as some of her other novels, but it's still solidly good reading, and in places the writing is absolutely lyrical.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15YZX5V75LKK5?ASIN=0316055441	terrorism, art, love, hate, drugs, an emotional roller coaster.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i can see why she was awarded a Pulitzer, a hard story to tell but it was done beautifly, i was amazed that she could put herself in the mind of a young boy with PTSD ,tell the story from his view point through the trials and tribulations he faced to manhood, nothing glossed over, just honest true emotions.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XRLKLN9EKR9V?ASIN=0316055441	This was a very interesting and unusual book. It ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very interesting and unusual book. It kept my interest all the way through the almost 800 pages. I was slightly troubled by all the drug use in the book. Even though Theo has quite a few hard knocks in life, he manages to find friends and caring people as well as the art work to help him survive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9HYEX4VNLTO0?ASIN=0316055441	Good Beginning, but didn't really go anywhere	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out really well, but for me it fell apart as it went along.  Mostly, I couldn't identify with the main character and I couldn't find any redeeming qualities in his behavior.  I mostly didn't care what happened to him.  I finished the book, but throughout the last third kept wondering why I bothered.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S5QS497GXHGG?ASIN=0316055441	The best reading of a novel I've ever heard	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best reading of a novel I've ever heard. Davie Pittu's subtlety and beautiful voice makes every character distinct with a light and professional touch--you always know who's talking. And his Russian accent? Perfect. This is the first book I've ever listened to cover to cover. My hat is off to Mr. Pittu.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUCFNAUSZVXS7?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed the first 650 or so pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the first 650 or so pages, but have not been able to finish the book.  It turned from a page turner to a put down and finish later.  I don't know what the difficulty was, but it can't be left unfinished.  The book, as a whole, was overwritten and could have been edited down to a reasonable length.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11WMSD1E74MFD?ASIN=0316055441	Christmas Book Exchange	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I choose this book for our bookclubs Christmas bookclub meeting.  We bring a wrapped book and play the game of rob your neighbor.  It was the first package to be picked and opened.  What a hit.  She grabbed it to her heart and let out a joyful noise.  It got robbed three times; then it was dead for robbing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10LNE2QK46YD5?ASIN=0316055441	Not great, but i also didnt know what to expect	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not bad , but really not my favorite. I like contemporary literature that uses clear language and switches and varies its subject matter often enough to keep my interest. Language was clear but drags on for a while with the first half of the plot. I will have to give it another chance in a few weeks or so.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BMZX3GE2XRAQ?ASIN=0316055441	Could not put the book down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the book.  I have seen so many of the Dutch Masters art work, that it was great to learn so much more. Following Theo's life<br/>was such a mystery.  I could not put the book down.  Meeting Boris in Vegas was quite the eye opener. Donna Tartt's book was a page burner for me. Will there be a movie?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11Y18A8PFACN6?ASIN=0316055441	Big Disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book to be very depressing, not to mention the less-than-definitive ending. I could not even bring myself to like any of the characters - except for the poor mother who died in the explosion at the beginning of the book. I kept hoping something good and positive would happen - but it never did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28KVAW8FDL1MQ?ASIN=0316055441	I loved her writing and was totally drawn in by the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved her writing and was totally drawn in by the story .  I was very heavy and left me feeling depressed often due to the problems in the young mens lives.  I also felt like it got rather lengthy at the end and I found myself skimming over it.  I did enjoy the story and felt connected to the characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH8GLNPZG1G9P?ASIN=0316055441	The return of the father	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm surprised that none of the earlier reviewers have even mentioned the return of the father when the hero is at his lowest point. Note I don't say ""the dead father"" or ""the father's ghost."" This is Tartt's writing at its most amazing; in some impossible sense the father actually is THERE.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SYC8PK025SL3?ASIN=0316055441	The power of Art, a young boys coming of age.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not wait to read this book, with all of the fanfare preceding it. I enjoyed it. It was good, it was great in parts...I loved the Russianh friend and Greenwich. F Atwood and Lamont beat her. I must say all of these reviews were written long after i read the books ecept Traveling mercies by A.Lamont</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1814MEAQPRC1W?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the descriptive passages and the overall theme of the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is long but well worth the time. I loved the descriptive passages and the overall theme of the importance of art in our society and in the individual's life. Some readers may object to some of the violence, drug use and language, but they are consistent with the character and time of the novel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33M1JBMFIKXSL?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer? Really?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm stunned. This is not a bad book, but it is closer to that than a great one. I gave it three stars because of the large and mostly interesting cast of characters, but the plot twists are heavy-handed and the story overwrought with editorializing.  Look elsewhere for an appreciation.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R193CXXHR3IXP6?ASIN=0316055441	expecting that some good would come of all the misery the main character ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author writes exceptionally well, but this book has no redeeming value. I stayed with it all the way to the end (about 760 pages!), expecting that some good would come of all the misery the main character endures (from his own bad choices). But no. Near the end, he comments that life is a catastrophe.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VRDBG5PNXTDX?ASIN=0316055441	a complex and compelling story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">We'll focused on its themes and beautifully sketched characters.  It certainly brings a modern sensibility and relevance to art, specifically painting that speaks to a new generation.  is nicely paced and true to its core themes.  That said, I would be challenged to sum those themes up in any coherent way</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK6MYEWUTODP7?ASIN=0316055441	Very close to home...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel consumed me, not the other way around. I was astonished and disturbed how closely I could relate to the main character's life. It was almost as though this story was taken from my own life, stirred around, and added other unknown tidbits just for show.<br/>This novel will stay with me forever.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38DY24CRPF8LA?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written and an interesting premise.  I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars because I got tired of all of the drugs and those details took up too much of the story.... but without any doubt,  It was worth the read!  So amazed this was written by a woman, as the read really came from the character.  Go Donna!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD2SECBZESRZ4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can't put it down.....very well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JT1XW9X97Z15?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I very long run, for a very short slide.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QV0M4733EZ2N?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. Vivid descriptions.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RARWBK2MH5Y91?ASIN=0316055441	Not what I expected.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Only gave it 4 stars due to so many other people liking it. I was a little disappointed overall.  The first two thirds of the book was very interesting; even exciting. However, it lost something in excess explanations within individual personalities. I would recommend it though because of the popularity.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11BYOTYBTLPLS?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch was a wonderful read. I felt like I was in another ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was a wonderful read.  I felt like I was in another world that I looked forward to visiting when I read it every night. The writing is outstanding.  The story is a winding tale from beginning to end and is full of unexpected twists.  I will miss my daily retreat into the New York art world.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LF6EKS15BWWS?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read, but maybe 300 pages too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read, but maybe 300 pages too long.  I got a little weary of all the drug pages, sick pages, etc.  Found myself skimming more than this fine writer deserves to be skimmed.  I'm sure I missed some profound thoughts and prose.  But I'm not a willing 800 page reader.  My loss, but honest reaction.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PDIZ580TWOO0?ASIN=0316055441	there was obviously a great deal of research that went into this book and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting subject with an exciting plot. Excessively long with far too much descriptive narrative, often with little to no relevance to the plot.  Having said that, there was obviously a great deal of research that went into this book and a lot to learn from it, just wish it could have been shorter.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MECCCJNK7VTZ?ASIN=0316055441	Don't waste your time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I suffered through it for my book club discussion. I guess i am very thick as i missed the whole purpose of the story.  There were about 2 likable, believable characters - the rest were not either - including the main ones. What was the point of it all? To show how miserable people can make their lives??</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EA7SOUTRLQ2P?ASIN=0316055441	I thought this book was good, however it was too long and by the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this book was good, however it was too long and by the end I just was skimming the words.  It could have been shortened and still retained the story line.  The ending was anti-climatic and the downsize was I couldn't wait for the book to end.<br/>However, that said, I would still recommend it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13QSA7PEPZI3K?ASIN=0316055441	new insights	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author took me into many revelations new to me,  the drug scene in particular. I marveled at her handling of the vernacular of the Russian approach, both in behavior &amp; language  &amp; speech patterns.  I admire her imagination  in the turns  &amp;  twists of the story line , some realistic  &amp; some contrived.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38F7MHF9LZT1Z?ASIN=0316055441	ok story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wasn't too sure how to rate this book as it's one you either love or not.  I liked it but...it's about 200 pages too long.  The author is very descriptive delving into the alcohol/drug life of her main character as a young man.  Follows him to adulthood and finding himself.  It's ok but just too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AN6E4QZ8JGV0?ASIN=0316055441	for providing so many wonderful hours of reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Who would think to write a 700+ page novel centered around a painting of a bird. . . an ordinary bird as well.  This is an extraordinary work, with believable characters, an understandable plot.  Thank you Ms. Tartt, for providing so many wonderful hours of reading.<br/>E. R. Miller<br/>Willowbrook IL</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38CQO5JZU75TZ?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hadn't read a review about ""The Goldfinch"" and I'm glad I didn't, because I probably wouldn't have read it. Donna Tartt takes you right inside the main character and real life smacks you in the face. No rainbows and roses here. Fate chose this book for me, maybe it is your fate to read it too.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZNJKDOCDFC7I?ASIN=0316055441	Although brilliantly written this story was so depressing that I was ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although brilliantly written this story was so depressing that I was nearly unable to endure to finish reading it. Not only was the life of the protagonist dreary and filled with bad luck and bad decisions but the other characters nearly all came to unfortunate and bad ends. Don't expect a happy ending!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XGIYMQA7H6WR?ASIN=0316055441	One of the Best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a riveting story told with descriptive language that draws the reader close to the characters. The voice of the adolescent boy is realistic (as a mother and a teacher I have experience), and, the settings are also realistic. I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN! One of the best books I have ever read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R269PON4DBXH1L?ASIN=0316055441	Depressingly Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book as part of a book club at church. Only finished it out of a sense of duty to the other members of our club. Not a journey that I enjoyed. Many times it felt like the author was trying to think of the lengthiest, most wordy way of saying a simple concept or thought. Most depressing. Ugh!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JAQL3V57V4YI?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt is a beautifully written novel with many great discussion aspects	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt  is a beautifully written novel  with many great discussion aspects. It is a perfect book club read. There are wonderful character studies but it is a ""dark"" story with deeply flawed characters. Even with its length and complexity, I found it to be a compelling book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T9PAWFZIN5XK?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize winning and deserves your attention.  Enjoy!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just read it.  I have a difficult time finding books that have a compelling story and characters that are complex and believable. This one does.  Read another review to see if the story interests you...then dive in.  You won't be sorry you did.  And you won't want to put it down until you have finished.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R3TPLWU6KDGC?ASIN=0316055441	Toooooo long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like Donna Tartt's writing and have enjoyed her other books but this one dragged for me.  The story was engaging and I really liked the boy...not so much the man.  The drugs got tiresome, the chaos with Boris got old, the<br/>fiancee wasn't believable, and I was ready for the end long before it came.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGK0NPTM72VSC?ASIN=0316055441	I couldn't put down the first 1/3 of the Goldfinch...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the main plot, the descriptive language and the depth given to secondary characters, but for my taste, the drug use, the attachment to the painting, the fixation on the girl, the cast of shady Baltic characters and method of resolving the missing painting(s) were both overdone and unbelievable.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRT769R6C30T0?ASIN=0316055441	Now a Donna Tartt fan. Lots of twists. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Now a Donna Tartt fan.<br/>Lots of twists.<br/>Well fleshed characters.<br/>Tight situations with reasonable escapes.<br/>Morals alerts continually made me want to warn the ""hero"", ie, protagonist to the English Lit gang.<br/>Will buy her next book.<br/>Probably from Amazon for my kindle.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PNT8H0W8UTQ?ASIN=0316055441	too long & a bit boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had great reviews from my friends so i got it. It started fine but it really bogs down about two thirds through.  It's way too long.  The plot &amp; character development wanders away from The Goldfinch too much. I wish I had known how unsatisfyingly it ends because I never would have started it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G8IUIUX3DZN1?ASIN=0316055441	800 pages of major characters who have no moral compass and continue to make bad choices over and over	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't understand the appeal of this book. 800 pages of major characters who have no moral compass and continue to make bad choices over and over. Also, one of the major characters is totally unbelievable. Street smarts is one thing, but to be multi-lingual and an art expert as well is not believable.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24MN46OXEKIYR?ASIN=0316055441	Not an enjoyable read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have difficulty enjoying a work of fiction when the characters are not people that I care about.  This violence and drug usage throughout the book, as well as the complete waste of inherent talents of the main character were too disturbing to me.  I really had to force myself to read the entire book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R362PZB5PFA8HC?ASIN=0316055441	Classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book.  As in many ""classics"" the descriptive passages and some of the thoughts and dialogues must be read when you are not tired or in a hurry. I have cynqued my kindle with my iPad, so I can see all the referenced paintings and research the artists. Educatual as well as entertaining.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW2RSLPS93EX9?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the top ten, maybe five books I have read. Superb plot development, superb character development, superb writing. The reader doesn't know what will happen next, but knowing the characters, nothing really surprises us. The role of a small painting is central to the story. Art makes life bearable.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PDNYC2I62K3W?ASIN=0316055441	Got bogged down in too many unnecessary details. Editing would have made it much shorter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was a page turner in the beginning. Got bogged down in too many unnecessary details. Editing would have made it much shorter. And the end was not worth waiting for. There was suspense but what a disappointment  And, Theo and Boris could not have taken all of those drugs along with alcohol and survived.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7CNULOERFTM4?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely the best written book I have ever read!<br/><br/>Hesitatingly opening the book because of the title, I became within minutes absorbed in the book and enjoyed all the following many hours of reading. Yes, it is a thick book, but so worth reading it. Mrs.Tartt's writing style is magnificent.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27MKAJ8EM66WZ?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lovely intelligent writing.  Personally felt weighed down by middle of book when dealing with continual drug useage.  It was obvious the main character was totally messed up so tired of continual descriptions of his drug addled life.  But her writing was so amazing that I picked up her first two books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SD22QJKCRN5K?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although this is a very long book I never grew bored with it.  I found myself losing sleep to read more.  I would be hard pressed to categorize it.  There is coming of age, adventure, philosophy, art, but always a challenge.  Be like Boris and just throw yourself onto it face first. (You'll find out.)</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V739N8C8MX72?ASIN=0316055441	What the hell am I going to read now?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Complex, engrossing, demanding...I couldn't stop reading. Yes, it was too long and there are elements that don't need to be described quite so often, but otherwise, an excellent character development and plot. From the beginning to the end, I felt as though I was walking the world in Theodore's shoes.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12TAAR4HSLI5G?ASIN=0316055441	A well written and compelling story with particularly well drawn ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A well written and compelling story with particularly well drawn and unique characters.  This is a rather long book, but well worth the time and commitment. I'm left with lots to think about and lots of emotions about the nature of life, human nature and the unpredictable events that befall all of us.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10QPI9OPM928D?ASIN=0316055441	When I read that this book was a best seller, I thought I would read it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I read that this book was a best seller, I thought I would read it. Well, The first quarter was good, but after that it just kept getting worse and worse! Do not read this book. It  was a struggle to finish it. I kept thinking it would get better. It didn't! It was a real downer! Very depressing!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DIAZ42QO9XZU?ASIN=0316055441	Mesmerizing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know it's the oldest cliche in the book world, but I quite literally could not put this book down!  I was trapped in this compelling life for his entire journey.  and so many times I would re-read sentences for the sheer joy of rolling the phrases around in my head.  now I see why it got the prize!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19ODW05X58E4P?ASIN=0316055441	Author so in love with her prose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long. Author so in love with her prose. Needed to seriously be cut. I have three hours to go because I am listening to it and I am forcing myself to finish it. Had some great moments but I need it to be over! I would not recommend it. A mess but with serious editing it coulda been a contender</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33DJRM7W5X26I?ASIN=0316055441	Smartly written... I read all books about ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Smartly written...I read all books about art and stolen or forged art.  This was particularly intriguing because it was about a real, priceless painting from the 1600's.  It was full of tension and attention to detail.  Written very well with intertwined story lines.  Stay with it...it does pay off.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V5TOQFSIP5KA?ASIN=0316055441	Slow....  Wait for the movie...  It might be better.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't finish.  I broke down and read the synopsis on Wikipedia so I could put this thing down.  It is a slow moving book at almost 300 pages in I honestly felt as if next to nothing happened.  I was thinking, ""This is enough of the character development.  Just give me some plot please!""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R210Q80RNVK8RX?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An incredible book dealing with love, death, obsession, quests, art and morality. Ms. Target weaves a marvelous tale that is part Great Expectations, part Catcher In Rye and part Moby Rick. Her characters are likeable and most human. It is dense story, full of exquisite language. Highly recommended.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F3Z6IU6K7YL4?ASIN=0316055441	too long and boring at times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There was an entire chunk of nonsense and pages of words that were extremely boring.  Why not cut that part out and make the book shorter. The boredom comes after he meets Boris after so many years.  It began and ended well except for the run on nonsense.  I almost didn't finish but I am glad I did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R302UZLGTDMGEB?ASIN=0316055441	No, really!  Read it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a beautifully written story rich with language used skillfully but accessibly.  I loved being introduced to new cultures and getting a glimpse into ways of living that I now understand better.  The reason I could not hit that last star was the end seemed to slog a bit, but I read every word.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA0Q5E1K90N6A?ASIN=0316055441	It is a beautifully written book and takes you places you would never ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was difficult to get into this book at the beginning.  If you stick with it, it will pay off.  It is a beautifully written book and takes you places you would never expect.  The characterizations are wonderful.  I wound up really enjoying this book tremendously.  It's very different and creative.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC37K364QEUF8?ASIN=0316055441	while appropriately sad, was a bit over puffed with philosophy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kind of hard to knock a book that's won such a prestigious prize.  Character development: A+.  Plot A+.  Overpontification A+.  Yeah, I thought the end, while appropriately sad, was a bit over puffed with philosophy.  Wroth while reading?:  Oh yeah, though I felt It could have been 20 pages shorter.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J8J8M82L0FHA?ASIN=0316055441	There is a good amount of potential in the book and if you ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The main character was so unlikable that I had no sympathy for him, so after the first quarter of the book he just became an annoyance. There is a good amount of potential in the book and if you end up being able to deal with or somehow like the protagonist then there is a good book waiting for you.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WMTULFLW1DTD?ASIN=0316055441	Mediocre Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was way too long; I found it difficult to stay engaged on the the last 200 pages. The plot became very thin and lost at the end; however, Tartt developed very strong characters and I felt I could put the book down for a couple of days and come back; therefore, I gave it a three rating.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QVVIZI6ZO3IY?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written, but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have to admit, beautifully written, but too long. As our hero, or protagonist, loses first one parent and then the other, stumbles from one trouble to another, finds an elusive love and loses her, loses his moral sense and finds a more inclusive one, he is perhaps a David Copperfield for our age.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IT513QJJE5RO?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've heard a few mixed reviews but I found The Goldfinch to be a modern masterpiece. While definitely a bit verbose and a bit slow at times (mostly in Vegas) most of the time I found myself re-reading passages that were so beautifully written they warranted multiple passes.<br/>Highly recommended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DZF361QXOY9B?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the beginning and the end. The middle? Not so much.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to love this book, and some parts I did. But I put the book down so many times because I was bored with it. To me there was a lot of filler pages and rambling that just didn't have to be there. The beginning I loved and I'm glad I finished for the ending because it was beautifully written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7RNZE7D5MEJL?ASIN=0316055441	My favorite chapter was the last one because it was quite ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The novel was well written and highly descriptive. The characters were well developed and grew as the novel progressed. My favorite chapter was the last one because it was quite philosophical and presented my truths regarding life. My only negative criticism lies in the extreme length of the novel.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19I0JME14684W?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch gets a bronze	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This reminded me of one of those books we were forced to read in school that you ask yourself why me, why me? I listened to a few hours of the audio tape, and realized I really didn't care what happens to Theo. The characters were so dull and boring that I gave up. The story was going nowhere fast.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8XVB15KZXL95?ASIN=0316055441	A great reading experience	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A tour de force of storytelling!  One of the most compelling tales I've read in a long time.  Donna Tartt demonstragtes a masterful understanding of so many disparate things, it's really impressive.  I couldn't put this book down and was left bereft when the experience of reading it came to an end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QAE0TK14YV40?ASIN=0316055441	There are however several beautiful descriptive passages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">'Flawed overlong unedited narrative. There are however several beautiful descriptive passages. The opening dramatic event is a powerful exposition and the delicate descriptions of New York interiors evocative of that city's life. The wintry canal side cityscapes of Amsterdam are also well realised.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16EPJ676GMQTH?ASIN=0316055441	I am in the minority but I did not enjoy this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am in the minority but I did not enjoy this book.  It was too verbose.  The storyline was interesting but could have been told in half the length. I love reading.  I have enjoyed many books longer than this one but this book's story was too simplistic for the amount of words it took to convey it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E5XMT1KDTLK5?ASIN=0316055441	Great cast of characters - will make a great movie	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great cast of characters - will make a great movie.  Overall, the plot is solid but for some of the happenings, ie time in Las Vegas somewhat on the unbelievable side and convoluted twists and turns in Amsterdam are hard to imagine.  Look forward to seeing what Hollywood will do w/Boris' character.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJIQNOJH5FDN8?ASIN=0316055441	Integration by a Painting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The various dramatic developments in this novel are very cleverly<br/>integrated by the illegally possessed painting -- ""The Goldfinch.""  Such an<br/>integration is unusual and leads to an unusual novel.  Unfortunately at the<br/>very end of the novel that integration appears to unravel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34BV3XLH9YF7F?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed reading this complex novel that incorporates familial chaos, love, international intrigue and much, much more.  At first, I felt its length was somewhat daunting, but I kept reading, and thinking about it when I wasn't reading.  I have left much shorter books in the middle. It's a winner!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DGKWA9NM9KU7?ASIN=0316055441	Loved, Loved, Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book caught my intersted from the very first chapter....what a beginning!.  From there, I just fell in love with the characters, the story lines and the direction the book moved in.  The only thing I didn't like was the last 20 pages or so....they were a letdown after reading such a good book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LYOBNY1Z5Z5Z?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent - deserves all the accolades.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRX3FQMJFDVAE?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't see what the hype was about this book. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't see what the hype was about this book.  It was too drawn out with lengthy narratives of how  the characters use of drugs and alchohol  to cope,  To me it seemed the story was about pointless escape from substances and little to do with the painting, which was supposed to be the premise, no?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R287FAFFU21CT3?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling but a bit too much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Clearly an amazing accomplishment, I enjoyed it, but some of the plot line seemed unnecessarily overdone and as long as it is, at the end there is a feeling that the Tartt got tired of it and had to just finish it off somehow, substituting a wisdom summary for a more satisfying close to the story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KXKEVS7P031W?ASIN=0316055441	Really 3.5 Stars-Somewhere between OK & Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cam only say I liked it. Fully developed characters and an intriguing concept; I found the book to be over-long and ultimately found myself skimming sections. Final answer: A good library book: worth reading but not worth buying.<br/>Surprised it won the Pulitzer, but I'm probably a Philistine.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZVCWFC0ZFPKD?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch MORE than met my expectations! I could ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch MORE than met my expectations!  I could not put it down.  I know that writers have a way of weaving a story but donna Tartt is a master!  While it is a long book, it doesn't seem that way; character development is superb and Ms. Tartt's story had me mesmerized!  All I can say is WOW!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GNOWT7915SRV?ASIN=0316055441	Human Spirit Survives	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the way the author's words reflected the state of mind of the main character.  The short phrasing and details provided insight into the main character's emotional and broken psychie highlighting how  tramatic events shape us.  In the end, however, the human spirit can adjust and survive.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GGOGLQ4P81A7?ASIN=0316055441	I LOVED this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am an avid reader and average 1-2 books a week. I LOVED this book. It was an epic journey and held my attention completely. I was happy it was as long as it is as I didn't want to finish the book! I would recommend this to anyone. After reading I read her other books and this was by far the best</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RW97BK0ZO8PY?ASIN=0316055441	Roxane	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was immersed in this story from the beginning though it was besotted with an enormous amount of description, sometimes tedious to wade through. Not wanting to miss a single opportunity for Theo to get what he deserved, I sometimes overlooked his human character. I so wanted His romantic interest</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA0661QXQ7Z6S?ASIN=0316055441	This is the second book by this author that I ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the second book by this author that I simply cannot finish.. She wanders, she is repetitive about things that were moot interesting to me the first time  and she has incredibly silly characters with ridiculous lives.  No rating from me on this one. I would sooner watch paint dry.  Kendrick</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33GTBP7ZB1FCI?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very thought provoking.  Although the book was sad and focused on some of the more depressing aspects of life, it was also uplifting in that even in the most adverse of circumstances, life still prevails,such as the little finch in the painting.  Looking forward to reading Ms. Tartt's other books.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NY8N4NKBK4FQ?ASIN=0316055441	Can't put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book. Best book I have read in a long time.<br/>Characters are fascinating. Story interesting and unusual.<br/>I want to read her other books.<br/>If I have any criticism, it would be, she should have made it a series of books as it is long. Story stays interesting despite the length.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7A5XGXT34ZVO?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoy books that elicit emotion and usually lean toward more ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So slow,  many in our book were unable to finish this story and believe it should have been edited a bit more thoroughly.  I enjoy books that elicit emotion and usually lean toward more difficult reads but I was very surprised that this story won so many awards and received such literary acclaim.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UODTPLD0892S?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not since reading""Unbroken"" have I been so totally immersed in a book! It possesses everything I need and want in good literature: meaningful dialogue, fully developed characters, and ways of expressing strong feelings and emotion that a lay person, such as myself cannot easily verbalize.  Bravo!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZXOHN4Z7ZR56?ASIN=0316055441	a fairly good story but twice as long as it should have been	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was pulled into this story because the first couple of chapters were interesting. However the middle went and on with no storyline for a painfully long time. The conclusion was pretty good but then followed up with too much commentary and overly flowery language. I wouldn't read this one twice.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PARUM1WC7KXH?ASIN=0316055441	druggie finds meaning in 775 pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliantly written, lush with detail, story of a young teen turning to alcohol, drugs and deceit in the aftermath of traumatic loss.  Set in the world of art and privilege.  Asks: What is beauty, what is good or bad, and why shall we go on living?  Answered competently thru a devastating descent into depravity and back.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ML4U89BJ6LNM?ASIN=0316055441	Shame on the Pulitzer committee	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had to force my way to the end of this book, waiting to find some redeeming value. Aside from a minimum of 250 extra pages that added no new ideas or meaningful content, the remainder of the book was propelled mostly by lies told by Theo, Boris, and other characters. It's a pretty cheap device.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15OFKF5CRYLHZ?ASIN=0316055441	Beyond fabulous.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As a 13 year old young woman, I can honestly say this book changed my life. The messages and inner meanings are so strong yet so prominent and could make everyone a better human. I cant express in words how much this book really meant to me, so I am saying just read it. It is worth the 700 pages.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PDNZWQYNVEP9?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What this book needs is a compassionate, critical editor.  So much of it is beautifully written (which is what kept me going).  But with the culminating premise ""Life is Catastrophe"" -- and then a blithe final page of bended philosophy for enduring living...it was just not worth the slog.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30NIKSIRU173G?ASIN=0316055441	A	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a compelling read with  an ever twisting plot and amazing detail that puts the reader there on the spot with a Dicken's skill  .  The author's extensive research into various interesting subjects further captivates readers.  I loved this book most worthy of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18AEVQS5GYH39?ASIN=0316055441	The last 100 pages was the best part of the novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story, but it could have been told in a much briefer way - some character development goes beyond the necessary.  The last 100 pages was the best part of the novel.  Unless a person is a very dedicated reader, I would not recommend this 773 page novel, even though it won the Pulitzer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UPXHGCBVKO8B?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I have read in a very long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is honest with great character development and sense of place. Strong story that carries throughout the whole book. I bought it to read while I recovered from cancer surgery. It didn't last that long because I could not stop reading it. Right now it is on my top best 5 books I have read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G7Y2QWOD4BHY?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've read in a while	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic book. I couldn't put it down. The imagery and detail given for everything is incredible.<br/><br/>I like stories involving anti-heroes. The protagonist isn't bad, per se, but he's flawed like anyone else. He (and the rest of the main characters) are so well drawn that they seem real.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XGGI39WVDTXT?ASIN=0316055441	I really enjoyed reading this book at times I couldn't put it ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed reading this book at times I couldn't put it down and other times I had to walk away from it because of what was happening.  The character development was wonderful really felt like I knew the people.  Sometimes descriptions were way too long.  All in all loved reading the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K55IBAITQA26?ASIN=0316055441	I read nine pages of one star reviews. I ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read nine pages of one star reviews.  I agree with every one and can not add much more.  I especially cringe to find so many anachronisms in a book.  I-Pods, texting in the last century??  This kid born in the '80's has a Carol Lombard looking girl friend?<br/>Come on, get the timeline right.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9PKQNX7M0UOS?ASIN=0316055441	but never made me feel like I HAD to get home to read more	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book kept me interested for most of the book, but never made me feel like I HAD to get home to read more. I didn't enjoy the ending at all. Felt like the author just got tired of writing and ended it. For the first time in my life I will say that I think it will be a better movie than book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R290HWKXCOEP9G?ASIN=0316055441	An updated modern darker version of Great expectations, Pippa and Theo	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one roller coaster book, keeps you turning pages, walking a thin line between the world art and culture and the dark underground world of drugs and gangs. An updated modern darker version of Great expectations, Pippa and Theo, very reminiscent of Pip and Estella. A great book all in all.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B1SYJ4U8V9Z0?ASIN=0316055441	Original, clever. A bit long, but I ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Original, clever. A bit long, but I did read the whole thing. Only skimmed a few places. A few weeks out I can recall characters and scenes. Ending has sort of faded for me. Definitely literature and well written, but not something I would pass along saying ""Oh, you've got to read this!""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38P6BCZ32SM87?ASIN=0316055441	I really hated this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read it for my book club. Should have been edited down by at least half. Theo was an idiot and a loser. I liked Andy and Boris. Hobie, too. Pippa served no purpose whatsoever. It will probably make a good movie. I should write more, but I'm just so glad to be done with it!<br/><br/>Hated it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27K78TYBNDITW?ASIN=0316055441	Adventure books usually aren't my thing so I didn't like I'd love this	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Adventure books usually aren't my thing so I didn't like I'd love this, but the characters are so well-developed and her writing style makes it so fun to read that it totally captured my attention. One of those books that you keep thinking back to long after you've put it down. I'd recommend it!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UHKX6OJN8K7M?ASIN=0316055441	The Good and Bad of Life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written.  What starts out as a somewhat pleasant story quickly deteriorates into gory details of the underworld of narcotics and addiction for the primary characters.  Some parts could have been left out without any disruption to the story.  Still a good read but longer than it needs to be.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQDD54O6UKVD4?ASIN=0316055441	One of my mus read books for 2014	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow! astounded by the number of one star reviews.  I loved this book, it sucked me in, and i wanted to know every little detail of Theo Deckers life as it unfolded.  I'm a speed reader, so lenghty descriptions perhaps don't faze me as much as they would some who have to plod through every word.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGAKPJJJ8V7U9?ASIN=0316055441	thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were parts of this book that were just too long and there were other parts that made you want to keep<br/>Reading to see what happens next. Overall the book is thought provoking, depressing at times, exciting sometimes, and makes you really contemplate why our lives are the way they are.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RURXULCLQG37L?ASIN=0316055441	Writing Becomes Progressively Weak	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Strangely, this well-written interesting story seems to lose its energy for the last 1/3 of the book - I really loved it to that point.  Quickly  becomes too long with new confusing characters - and I was left wondering what happened to the mainstays of the story!  Maybe there will be a sequel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXM2KW2OKS5HX?ASIN=0316055441	Masterfully Written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really immersed the reader in the psychology of the protagonist - skillfully done at each age he experienced. Suspenseful but as much for its physical danger and fateful dilemmas as for the relationship dramas. Soft-handed intro to some metaphysical non-dualistic philosophies. Highly recommend.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZB37YYTL80Q6?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book!  I actually didn't read it all at once.  It is separated into three distinct stages of the hero Theo's life, so that worked pretty well.  It also was satisfying.  I liked the way so many loose ends were tied up.  That' all I want to say about that.  Just don't  give up on it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQB3PGVXUJKXG?ASIN=0316055441	Not my favorite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I kept waiting for it to pick up and never got there.  I felt it was a bit long-winded and overdone on the angst.  When I was done and thought back on the storyline and arcs, I thought it was a good basis but it needed to be edited better. Sorry, Pulitzer Prize folks - just didn't do it for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWG5UGOWMEPEE?ASIN=0316055441	Art and artifacts and real life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book kept me interested with its shifts of events and author's descriptions.  As an art teacher, I especially enjoyed the book because of the art and collectible artifacts that were involved.  A great book even if you are not an art enthusiast.  I will be reading more books by this author.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROE8QWC7OSVBH?ASIN=0316055441	An Amazing Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is an unforgettable novel. I cared deeply about the characters and found them hard to part with them. The language is exquisite. The story will stick and its reach is deep. I read in a NYT review that the novel is Dickensian- and, as dramatic as that might sound, I think it is so.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22UBCX58BU46B?ASIN=0316055441	Another hit for Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought myself several books for Christmas and The Goldfinch was the best gift of all! Donna Tartt has a tremendous imagination plus an unusual talent for writing that makes one remember her work long after the pleasure of the read is over. This is a long book, but the end came to soon for me!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFDCOH0R84AR9?ASIN=0316055441	A masterwork by a truly great writer.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An incredible reading experience which brings to mind Charles Dickens and strangely enough Jack Kerouac as well.  It clearly points out the consequences of pursuing a life of total freedom regardless of responsibility for one's actions.  The danger inherent in obsessiveness is also well drawn.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R295V3Q8NYJH8Y?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Initially, I enjoyed this book.  That is, up to about 3/4s of the way to the end.  Toward the end, it became preachy and pedantic.  It also left many loose ends in terms of the fate of several characters.  I really was left wondering.  I don't know that this book is worth the time committment.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJA6DXBICEQA3?ASIN=0316055441	Story captures with a strong start, however I lost ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story captures with a strong start, however I lost interest once the drug and alcohol abuse continued for years in Vegas and NYC.  The story gained traction again, only to succumb to more of the earlier behavior with criminal elements now.  The end left me feeling bereft as the main character.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YL9X3EL6SA3M?ASIN=0316055441	Dark but beautifully crafted. Too intense to read without coming up ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dark but beautifully crafted. Too intense to read without coming up for air or in my case, a month off -- not holiday fare!  Powerful yet ultimately dominated by loss, grief, and courage, in spite of incredible circumstances so extreme that it made the usual empathy for characters challenging.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DBRLYV7E9LHN?ASIN=0316055441	A Thoughtful Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read The Goldfinch on my husband's recommendation and was frustrated with it most of the way -- too many addiction experiences for me -- but in the end I was fully satisfied.  It generated a phrase in my mind, ""We are broken people in a broken world,"" much in need of mercy and grace.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BD9KXC0R2WYS?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the settings	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the settings, liked/hated the characters, and really enjoyed the book. I found the last few chapters a bit long and drawn out, and too obviously trying to explain all the themes of the book, which I find more fun to explore without a map drawn out by the author. Loved the rest, though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JKBFERSA1J6Z?ASIN=0316055441	Very long and wordy. Characters are well defined and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long and wordy.  Characters are well defined and story is interesting however I found myself doing quite a bit of skim reading because I found  many of the conversations and goings on with the characters too long.  I think the author might have conveyed the same story at half its' length.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UT534XVLZXF2?ASIN=0316055441	disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A much anticipated read.  The novel is way too long and in many parts redundant.  The narrative  worked in the beginning but became too wordy.  Las Vegas overworked.<br/>Much of the story was predictable and the ending felt forced. The final insights were incongruous to the preceding actions.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ILEV8NTK146K?ASIN=0316055441	I liked the story line but it was a bit too ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It goes a bit slow in the beggining and it was only curiosity that made me keep reading but once it picked up the pace I found it interesting enough to read it to the end.<br/>I liked the story line but it was a bit too long for my taste. It's a great book for people who like tons of details.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCABOZS2IJ29N?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch:  Amazing story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have just finished The Goldfinch novel and I feel like I have just read one of the ""classics"".  The story is that good.  As I was reading it I could never figure out where the story was going to take me.  And every twist and turn was a surprise I never anticipated.  A wonderful novel! posted</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D0DMJGCU2LO8?ASIN=0316055441	Crazy to follow, but so pulling!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. I kept reading to see how the painting would turn up. I was drawn to keep reading. I kept watching the page numbers and thinking I have so much more to read....what is going to happen?  The way the book starts, I kept trying to figure out how the story would loop back to the begin.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BLWU2QGIO6TA?ASIN=0316055441	Wandering Storyline, Boring Characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like most of the other '1-star crowd', I bought this book based on the fact that it got good reviews and won a Pulitzer.  I was hoping for one of those books that makes me not want to put my Kindle down because I want to read the entire book in one sitting and find out what happens to the characters.  Instead, I got a book that makes me want to put my Kindle down because I'm bored.  Bored with the characters, bored with the storyline.  According to my Kindle, I am 74% of the way through this book...and I started reading it before Christmas.  I believe this is the longest time it's ever taken me to read a book, including War and Peace.<br/><br/>At this point (3/4 of the way through), I still don't know what the book is ABOUT.  What is the point?  Is it about a boy traumatized by an explosion and the loss of his mother?  Is it about a boy who is forced to move away and live with an absent parent?  Is it about a boy who, at the time of the explosion, met the love of his life?  Is it about a boy who, after the explosion turned to drugs and booze to kill the pain?  I don't know because the focus of the story shifts from one page to the next.<br/><br/>And why should I care about any of the characters?  Theo is boring with no sort of emotions or feeling whatsoever.  Boris was an idiot. Pippa doesn't serve any purpose whatsoever; neither does her boyfriend.  The Barbour family is a stereotypical joke found in too many other books.<br/><br/>But it's the over-telling of the story that I find unreadable.  Must we 'hear' every single conversation that Theo has with every single person he comes across?  There is so much detail written about everything Theo does and says and yet...there is nothing substantive there. Nothing that draws me in, creates and fleshes out characters, tells me an actual story.  The entire Vegas portion could have been whittled down by 1/2 because I really don't need to read over and over again about school, drugs, no food, Popchick.  School, drugs, no food, Popchick.  The bus trip took too much time and served no purpose (unless, in a part I have yet to read he comes across the bus driver who didn't call him on having a pet and he winds up saving her life).<br/><br/>In a nutshell, this book drones on for 400 pages more than it should.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KN5MXPE4I5T8?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Junk!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R646QYG19TJST?ASIN=0316055441	THIS IS LITERATURE?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Were the members of the Pulitzer Board on acid when they decided that The Goldfinch would get the crown? And didn't they notice its editor must have been on strike--or smoking weed while relaxing under a tree? Who knows, they all might have been inspired by Theo, the novel's narrator, a poster boy for addiction who swallows pills like M&amp;M's.<br/><br/>And, actually, this novel is pretty much like a box of chocolates. You begin with the few good ones and then...<br/><br/>When I picked up the work and was informed that Donna Tartt spent ten years writing it, I imagined a Flaubertian author seeking ""le mot juste."" And if there are moments when the work clicks, when psychological tension happens, when dream/nightmare and reality blend, there is also that moment when I wonder if the ten-year-writing story is not some publicity stunt. Some brainwashing, as some of the writing here is totally loose, adolescent and careless. My suspicions arise somewhat at the museum scene, when all collapses, including Tartt's prose which drags on and on and on...And on...<br/><br/>But it begins so well! Is that how Tartt got the Pulitzer--on the first 50 pages of reading? It is undeniable that she's a capable writer. But at some point, something happened. She either went into some kind of depression or into some substance dependency. To the point where you stop caring for the narrator, for he ends up deconstructing himself, becoming (un-becoming) a character with no character.<br/><br/>As for the characters that truly deserve care and attention, Tartt turns her back to them. Say, Andy, Theo's genius little friend who seems as emotionally estranged from his own family as he is from his own emotions; Andy is such an intriguing character. What does Tartt do? Without revealing the plot, I'll just say that she does next to nothing with that. There are points of reference here and there, and now and then, but these are but tiny grains of sugar in very troubled water. And why does she insist on Boris, a horrible, incoherent character, more animal than human, more rat than dog in his invasiveness? I honestly detest this personage, who manages to be at once ugly, boring, confusing, and cliched. The only way I would like him is if he were sculpted by pastry chefs on the Halloween Wars show on the Cooking Channel.<br/><br/>Are there interesting characters? Mrs Barbour is one of the better ones. Mom could have been fabulous, but is not there long enough. Hobbie and Pippa are just fairy tale decorations. Had Tatt concentrated her efforts on Andy, Mom, Mrs Barbour and done something with Hobbie, she might have deserved that Pulitzer. Instead, she makes us spend time with the wrong people. Instead, she adds others--bim, bam, boom!-- who pop out like mushrooms--fungus--after a two-week rain. Instead, she lets her verbal self indulgence get the better of herself. (Again, where was the editor? Snoring in a corner?) As for the flooding, pseudo-philosophical verbosity of the end, it is a total, total disaster.<br/><br/>In the end, The Goldfinch relentlessly kills what it could have been. It's a novel that tries to keep going despite the fact that soon in the plot it slices its own veins.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DD5POOLVBY3N?ASIN=0316055441	I hate it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wordy</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P7GJMC5KD1TV?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt: Gorgeous Prose and a Harrowing Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">(This review is by Bruce P. Grether, though my partner Tom's name may appear on the linked account.)<br/><br/>The Goldfinch, is a remarkable story in which I truly lived and felt compelled to keep reading through the long narrative, though sections of the book were difficult to live through. The writing is superb throughout, and Tartt has written a totally plausible account of the emotionally walking wounded, her narrator a boy traumatized by a horrific tragedy, yet graced by the endowment of a mysterious gift, as well.<br/><br/>Though the narrator of the novel, Theo Decker, (fictionally) takes custody of the actual painting, The Goldfinch, painted by Carel Fabritius in 1654, the painting itself is not the legacy he believes it to be. In fact, he does not steal the painting in the ordinary sense, and yet to him it becomes more valuable than its incalculable “resale” value. Rather than plant too many spoilers in this review, let me simply say that Theo’s life after the initial loss his mother is challenging, sometimes tortured and even horrific. In fact, his self-destructive behavior can be an ordeal for the reader, and yet it makes sense that he would behave thus—all too much sense!<br/><br/>This is a lengthy book, at 771 pages, and yet I regretted it ending. It contains a treasure chest of choice characters with layers of plausible depth and living, breathing reality, particularly Pippa, Mrs. Barbour, Hobie, and the wild, rather dangerous though basically decent Boris. Theo’s path is circuitous and obsessive, beset with sudden catastrophes, and sometimes, coincidences, yet these are not implausible; any life fully lived has plenty of such significant unexpected connections, meetings and surprises.<br/><br/>Something I could not much identify with and often found harrowing, was the abundance of heavy drinking and drug use in much of the book, and yet in retrospect this is also understandable because of Theo’s horrific history. Curiously, his wild and crazy, beloved friend Boris has a very different attitude and response to his own traumatic history. These close friends have a relationship of admirable complexity and the kind of nuances and contradictions of behavior we actually experience. Also, though I understand why some have said the novel is somewhat “Dickensian,” it exists solidly in the current world of iPhones and laptops, which gives it a sharp and even dangerous contemporary edge.<br/><br/>I definitely came to love and admire Mrs. Barbour, Hobie, and even Boris, more than Theo himself, who remained deeply flawed throughout, though he finally grew and changed somewhat eventually, if not a great deal. Something quite fascinating in retrospect is that within the “reality frame” of the novel, Theo as narrator must be just as talented a writer as Donna Tartt. It’s entirely told in first person, and the concluding pages provide a succession of stunning grace notes without any phony salvation involved.<br/><br/>One more intriguing element here is the fact that the actual painting, The Goldfinch, presented with some true backstory, is also given a detailed fictional history for over a decade of its existence, a kind of alternate timeline to “this,” and finally it provides that delicate, mysterious and profound interplay between art and life, which in lesser hands could seem trite. In fact, art and life converge perfectly here!<br/><br/>I consider this novel, like the titular painting, to be a genuine masterwork.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A13RZCNHUT3R?ASIN=0316055441	On Reading Donna Tartt's Mesmerizing New Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch over a period of four months, but I really only experienced it for six days in March. Six days when I could think of nothing but finishing the novel, when I curled up on the couch each night and promised myself, “I’ll finish it tonight! I’ll finish it tonight!” only to wear myself out, realizing that if I held off and went to bed at a reasonable hour I’d still have more of it to read tomorrow (and would have more energy to do so). It was that intoxicating push and pull between starving yourself of a book to savor the remaining pages and binging on what you have left.<br/> For a long time I didn’t think that would happen. In fact, I didn’t think I would finish the book at all. In mid-March, however, I decided to clean out my Goodreads “Currently Reading” list of holdovers from 2013. After finally finishing The Shining (a nine month long endeavor), I felt like I was on a roll, like I had the momentum to tackle The Goldfinch once and for all.<br/> The Goldfinch has been called and will continue to be called Dickensian, and indeed it is. The Goldfinch is a sprawling novel, a coming-of-age story that tells the story of Theodore Decker, whose mother dies in a (fictional) terrorist attack at the Metropolitan Museum of New York. Prior to the attack, Theo had been living alone with her after his rotten father abandons, and, nearly orphaned by the attack, he is hurriedly thrown into a living situation with his wealthy classmate’s family on Park Avenue. Theo feels like an outcast, and finds that the place he feels most at home is in an antiques shop he is led to by a man who he met at the museum. Soon enough, Theo’s father shows up and whisks him away to live in Las Vegas with his girlfriend. There Theo meets Boris, a restless boy his own age who shows him how to live life loudly. All this time Theo is carrying around guilt from stealing a Dutch painting, “The Goldfinch,” from the Met the day of the attack. He feels a growing sense of paranoia that the painting will be taken from him and he will be thrown in jail. The Goldfinch relates the details of Theo’s life from his teenage years up into his twenties as we see the way that both fate and our personal choices determine his life.<br/> I would not say that The Goldfinch is beach reading per se, but it is definitely a book to read when you have a few solid days off, say for a long weekend, vacation, or train/bus/car trip. That being said, reading it serially, as I did, with having time for only 50, 100 pages each day, gives you a chance to experience it a bit like you would reading a serialized novel in newspapers or magazines. I truly did feel the thrill and agony of anticipation.<br/> If you are looking for a story about the strangeness of the random nature of the world or are interested in how chains of effect can create our destiny, The Goldfinch is for you. If you want to spend a few days in the company of some unforgettable characters, The Goldfinch is for you. Finally, if you want to soak up Donna Tartt’s magnificent prose, feel the mesmerizing rhythm of her sentence structure and excellent word choice, The Goldfinch is for you. I cannot recommend it highly enough.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S9FTJQF4R3JV?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My review will not do justice for THE GOLDFINCH, nor will this book affect others as much as it affected me. Bottom line: for those looking for near-literary genius this book is incredible.<br/><br/>It took Donna Tartt nearly ten years to write this book, which Amazon awarded the number-one spot in their Best Books of 2013. Believe the hype. Tartt poured every ounce of her literary firepower into making this book spectacular.  The descriptive writing comes off as effortless--every description hits every note of nuance perfectly (I was amazed at the level of knowledgeable research: everything from Dragon Ball Z and LARPing, to fine art and high-society Manhattan culture).<br/><br/>Allow me to give a bit of a non-spoiler story summary. Theodore Decker, aged 13, ends up taking a stop at a museum (presumably the Frick) with his mother. An explosion sets off the events of Theo's life, including the smuggling out of the priceless eponymous painting. The book is segmented into the various stages of Theo's transition from teenager into adulthood, moving about the country, with the constant MacGuffin reminder of ""his"" painting. There are multiple stories to be enjoyed, my favorite being Theo's family life, as well as introductions to the gangster-ridden art underworld.<br/><br/>Tartt hits the top of her crescendos when Theo is left alone, where his mind can stew. Not many authors are capable of solo scenes, but this is where Tartt shines. The last couple-of-hundred pages present the deepest of meta-philosophical thought that carries through long after the book's closure. Make no mistake, the rest of the book is treasured--her dialogue is realistic and always in conflict--but Theo's solo scenes were my personal highlight.<br/><br/>People interested in literature should take no second thoughts of diving in headfirst. Writers should study this book as if it were classic art. Lexiconists will appreciate the careful assembly of words. If you've been waiting to read a book of great literary value, this is it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KDXHS2LPTX61?ASIN=0316055441	TOO MANY WORDS!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me a month to read this novel. It was a major investment on my part. I am a slow reader, but even the fastest of readers will have to make a definite commitment to get through it.<br/><br/>I’m not sorry that I read “The Goldfinch.” I just wish I could have liked it more. When I was finished, the first thought that went through my mind was that the book’s page count could have been reduced by half and it would have had not only the same, but likely a greater impact on the reader. Another first gut reaction: too much drug description. Too much alcohol. Again: less could have been more. It got absolutely tiresome reading all this. Didn’t Tartt have an editor? I understand, of course, that everything is beautifully written, but enough is enough.<br/><br/>I was fascinated by the worlds Tartt opened up for us: the life of wealthy New Yorkers via Mrs. Barber &amp; Co; the antique furniture world via Hobie, the restaurator; seedy Las Vegas as seen through the eyes of teenagers who have to live there. I appreciated her craft in building these worlds.<br/><br/>And I thought she did a great job developing her characters. They were life-like. Each had his or her own cadence, quirks, etc . Their inner life shone through. They were complex human beings.<br/><br/>Nonetheless: there was only one character, one character amongst dozens, who we really like: Hobie. And he’s not the protagonist. He’s the mentor character — I suppose metaphorically speaking, the one who not only fixes up the furniture, but other characters, ie. Pippa and Theo, too. But he’s not the protagonist who takes us through hundreds upon hundreds of pages. Theo is the protagonist and he’s not really likeable. I can appreciate that Theo’s “goodness” dies the moment his mother dies, but I really do wish he had some redeeming factor. I couldn’t find it amidst all those gorgeous, voluptuous words, images and metaphors of Tartt’s. Okay, the mother, who is killed at the beginning in the explosion of the Met, seems nice enough, but we do wonder how she could have been crazy enough to stay so long with her sad sack, gambling, conniving, self-centered husband.<br/><br/>Boris, Theo’s best friend, is a wonderfully colorful character, but, alas, he’s a one-joke character too. At first it’s great fun “listening” to him talk a mile a minute with his mix of English, Russian, Ukrainian and maybe ten other languages. But after a while, I as a reader, thought: I get it. I got it a hundred pages ago. It’s boring listening to this over and over and over again.<br/><br/>So this is what I think: Tartt is absolutely brilliant at dazzling us. The book is an explosion of words, characters and exotic worlds. We are amazed. We are fascinated. But at the end of the day, when the shock of the explosion settles, we wonder: so? Big deal! And why? Because we don’t really care about these characters. I know, I know, they may be very realistic, and maybe that’s how life it, but if she had given us a reason to love Theo and Boris despite their blown-out minds and callousness, their criminal ways and mixed up hearts, it would have gone a long way to make this a more satisfying read. As I see it, the book totters between 3 and 4 stars. Today, after writing this, it feels like 3. So be it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1THX9CKUJ4P3C?ASIN=0316055441	A Long Flight That Really Soars!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To say a book is so good that I couldn’t put it down is such a cliché I hesitate to even mention the fact that once I cracked open The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt I really and truly, totally and utterly couldn’t put it down.  My wife Julia will testify to this.  If I had five minutes to spare sitting in the car while she ran into the grocery store to buy dog food, it was my chance to get a few more pages done.  Switch from alpine downhill skiing to Olympic pairs dancing on the TV? Another chapter finished.  Attend to nature’s call in the loo?  Two (sometimes three) chapters more.  If the pages were laminated I probably would have hauled this whopper of a tome into the shower with me.  It’s that good.<br/><br/>Here, briefly, is what the story is all about … at the start of the novel the narrator, Theo Decker, is a young man stuck in a hotel room somewhere in Amsterdam. You don’t know why he’s there but you do know he’s in a world trouble as he takes you back to the pivotal moment in his life when, at age 13, he is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City just as a terrorist’s bomb explodes.  His mother is killed and he finds himself next to an old man who, in his death throes, begs him to rescue a small painting from the rubble and chaos.  Turns out, it’s a priceless masterpiece (and a real-life factual oil painting by a little-known 17th century Dutch artist now being shown at the Frick) rendered on wood, no bigger than a laptop, depicting a goldfinch tethered to a perch.  The rest of the novel is about how the young Theo copes with the devastating loss of his mother while trying to figure out what to do with the painting he carries from the collapsed museum and subsequently keeps safely closeted away wherever the winds of fate blow him.<br/><br/>Even though the painting is the engine that drives the plot and underscores what are at times unbearable human passions of all sorts, good and bad, the painting is hardly ever mentioned in the book at all, only peeked at fleetingly from time to time like a deeply repressed emotional conflict that Theo would like to forget but cannot resist revisiting over and over again. The Goldfinch is a thing of timeless beauty, an essential talisman, and because it also happens to be a mind-bogglingly valuable article of stolen property, it ultimately becomes a thing of gripping criminal intrigue and existential danger.<br/><br/>There are characters in this book you will not soon forget.  There’s Theo, of course, the long-suffering protagonist who would have your everlasting admiration and sympathy if he weren’t such a head case with a penchant for self-destruction.  There’s his buddy Boris, the kind of wild and crazy guy who can make you laugh and want to strangle and keep at arms length all at the same time. There’s Hobie, the huggable six foot five-inch furniture restoration genius who gives Theo a place to stay and schools him in the joys and intricate mysteries of fine antique furnishings.  There’s Andy, his nerdy Park Avenue friend who is there for him in the months immediately following the loss of his mother.  And there’s his estranged father – perhaps the new prototype of the literary villain for our day and age – who turns up out of the blue with his trashy new girlfriend, Xandra to take Theo out to Vegas and make his life a living hell.<br/><br/>The novel is vast in scope, taking you from the tony residential neighborhoods on Manhattan to the sand-swept ghost ‘burbs of Post-Housing Bubble Las Vegas, back to Greenwich Village and finally to some criminal back alleys in Amsterdam.  It reminds me a bit of those long 19th century British novels (or, more accurately, the movie adaptions I’ve seen of them) where the hero or heroine buffets about the English countryside – first alone and starving on a moor, then taken in by a fairly kindly family that just coincidentally turns out to be his third cousins twice removed, then back into a life of moral and physical depravation in a London dumpster of one kind or another before being rescued for good with the discovery of a true birthright that had been there all along.  Except that instead of becoming a pickpocket Theo turns to a life of white-collar crime.  Instead of dissipating at a gentleman’s gambling table, he turns to booze and buckets upon buckets of drugs. Instead of escaping from time to time to a remote hilltop to stare longingly at the sunrise in the arms of his secret, unattainable lover, Theo has The Goldfinch.<br/><br/>And instead of the hero being rescued and living happily ever after? … You’re going to have to flex your reading wings and fly your way through all 771 pages to find out.  You’ll love the flight!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAQUWH0ZU1LV0?ASIN=0316055441	Difficult to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It begins with a quotation from Albert Camus, ""The absurd does not liberate; it binds,"" and the true nature of this quotation is not realized until the end of the book.  The journey this book takes one through is worth one's mental energy - it made me support, encourage and root for some of the characters while also making me abhor, loathe, and detest some of them. All of them are so human - and some even have redeeming qualities.<br/><br/>Tartt's writing style is also compelling; lines like ""a hard, physical longing, like a craving for air underwater"" give one pause and perhaps even transport one to a point in life when words like, ""the mass of men lead lives of desperation"" meant you were quietly judging others while keeping one's own mirror tarnished.<br/><br/>Once again, I see another author embrace post-modern writing - playing with time, space, thoughts, and overall flows and ebbs of emotions - Tartt excels at this in the Goldfinch.<br/><br/>The line that actually did give me pause and care for the characters in the book as well as reflect upon all those around who may have pondered the same question was, ""None of us ever find enough kindness in this world, do we?""; along with the realization Theo has at one point, ""strange to find that the present contained such a shard of the living pas, damaged, and eroded but not destroyed...""<br/><br/>Furthermore, I absolutely adored how judgmental Theo was of the world and its inhabitants, while ignoring some of his own shortcomings, ""clearly, worry was the mark of a primitive and spiritually un-evolved person. What was that line from Yeats, about the bemused Chinese sages? All things fall and are built again.  Ancient glittering eyes...weren't we, as sentient beings, put upon the earth to be happy, in the brief time allotted to us?"" This made me laugh, smile, and want to give little Theo a hug.<br/><br/>I'll end it the way Tartt did, death ""always wins but that doesn't mean we have to bow and grovel to it.  That maybe even if we're not always so glad to be here, it's our task to immerse ourselves anyway: wade straight through it, right through the cesspool, while keeping eyes and hearts open...it is a privilege to love what Death doesn't touch.""<br/><br/>Nicely done, Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI5V8UAKNJOEP?ASIN=0316055441	Is All That Vomiting Necessary?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Charles Dickens has been referred to frequently in discussions of this book, but somehow I doubt if his characters went around vomiting as much as these people do. Of if they did, Dickens was good enough to spare us this disgusting detail. Tartt has people vomiting or observing vomit fourteen times, and there's a puke or two thrown in for good measure. Is this the new literary realism?<br/><br/>Knowing about the many accolades this book has received I must say I was disappointed. Maybe I shouldn't read novels except classic ones -- those that have withstood the test of time.<br/><br/>The story starts off well enough -- at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. And, silly me, I expected the tone of the book to remain on that level. But ere long we find ourselves among a debased cast of characters in Las Vegas of all places.<br/><br/>I must have missed the original pilfering of the painting. I didn't realize until later that Theo left the museum with anything other than whatever he might have gone in with.<br/><br/>Too much of this story is implausible. The rest is just confusing. It is salvaged close to the end with Theo's speculation on the meaning and value of life. Some food for thought there. But the rest of it, vomiting aside, drugs aside, is a bit of a mess.<br/><br/>As soon as I learned Theo had taken the painting I had to wonder why he didn't just take it back to the museum, in dark of night, and leave it on the loading dock. I know, I know. He couldn't part with it, plus, there would have been no story. The only character who comes off seeming like someone I might like to have a cup of tea with is dear Hobie from whom I learned a great deal about the restoration of antique furnishing.<br/><br/>Would I recommend this book? Amazon and NPR notwithstanding, probably not. Life is too short to waste time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8B7XXZAPC4P6?ASIN=0316055441	Fine novel -- worthy of the Pulitzer!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent novel --- first-rate writing by Pulitzer-winning author.  Story is intricate yet engaging, with every kind of excitement imaginable.  Many threads tied together with amazing skill.  Don't let the number of pages frighten you off -- you will be carried along and won't want it to end!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35IERRYSDPVW2?ASIN=0316055441	I love it and hate it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am at such a divide with this book! I love it and hate it, all at once! The worst part was the ending. It was either magnificently written in a symbolic way... or It was just horrible. I was seriously depressed. But its life! HAH! It just sucks. Sucks to be Theo, And sucks to be the reader.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UJ74034RDQCQ?ASIN=0316055441	A total experience.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt, whoever you are, you are beautiful and you have given the reader so much. Thank you for your act of loving kindness. This book manages to create a universe where souls meet and touch and have dialogue of the type Buber wrote about. Thank you for your contribution to civilization.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L179FB79APGH?ASIN=0316055441	a relay race, not an Olympic sprint	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An unmeasurable relay in which the process of handing off the baton explores a threnody for living through a chant of deception and finds its subtle voice in ""Goldfinch"".<br/>When we lose the love of our life through our most puerile instincts, the struggle to find love again forges us as agents of change and improvement. Tartt drives that lesson through a dizzying array of storytelling, drama, compassion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RFCUR1EGS0ZV?ASIN=0316055441	Highly recommend!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved her writing.  I could actually ""hear"" Boris's voice, and I loved his character. Great story, great writing, and unexpected plot turns. I actually re-read the last 60 pages because she tied up the loose ends beautifully.  So sorry to reach the end!  Highly recommend this novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QXBK5OJSGLSW?ASIN=0316055441	great read, disappointing resolution of the central conflict	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful writing, provocative philosophy enunciated especially in the last chapter, gut-wrenching insights into the impact of dead mothers, but I was not interested in the seedier sides of the plot and characters. Also I felt a bit let down by the final step in the journey the painting took.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXU2SZVIFPBSF?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the character and all his flaws. The author didn't force the main character to be the hero. Just a person figuring out life. The detail of how his life progressed was well developed. ,most stories jump and miss important times in developing a character. This author did a thorough job.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDI9DAG394OD4?ASIN=0316055441	Very good, very long book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good, very long book. The author really developed the characters. I had to hope for Theo to escape the dangerous path he was on, and I couldn't help but fall in love with the shady character of Boris. It was a hard to put down book, although I do think it should have been a bit shorter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHTJDS5AV39CK?ASIN=0316055441	A very exciting story full of different kinds of characters - I loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is full of suspense and the book is well written. I liked the surprising turn of event and the description of the life of a brilliant, young man left to his own resources. the book could have been much shorter many parts could have been told as other stories, but it's a great book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS686SJI8HKLC?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It dragged on and on and I found myself hoping he would be successful at suicide.For  all the lives he touched and lied to and invariably ruined he was too self-serving to think of anyone but himself If you enjoy whiney, poor pity me people, this books for you. For the rest of us steer clear</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D6LWRX95WB3I?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">quite entertaining to be a witness to the tragedy of trauma n loss. the fortitude of one survivor who joins with another 'lost boy"" n their dependence upon friendship that is built on common circumstances n relies on resiliency. it's all wrapped up in philosophical musings in the last pages.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IWS8ABK2ELF9?ASIN=0316055441	and movies are like life--its all about the people	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Frustrating.  Interesting plot, but it is hard to care for the characters.  Novels, plays, and movies are like life--its all about the people.  I love flawed people, but these were folks that would be difficult and frustrating to know in real life.  I didn't much care for reading about them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17AFHUJ66J62V?ASIN=0316055441	A Must Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author took a tragedy and created a heart-warming tale with depth and poignancy.  The characters showed emotional  growth and insight as the tale spanned the years.  Information regarding the artist of the painting around which  the central plot turned was provided in the author's notes.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R342FGNEGOFQZE?ASIN=0316055441	Too Many Drug-Related episodes	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the story was interesting, but there was far too many descriptions of drug-related episodes.  These repeated, detailed<br/>in-depth narrations detracted from the main-line story.  I also did not related to his compulsion to hold onto the painting at all costs was really explained,</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GLS0M0VTSQZT?ASIN=0316055441	Overated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story, but a tedious read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1POA51YIAEEX?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, too far fetched, wah wah wah</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21WTQBB4CV5NO?ASIN=0316055441	Too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long. Occasionally interesting</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XRUS5WXEGAFK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, you won't be disappointed.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HNBP23PO6FHV?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much detail. Too much drug detail.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38YTATMTQZJ0F?ASIN=0316055441	Read It!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Most of the time this was a page turner.  There were times where I think the author belabored a situation.  I found myself constantly thinking about the main character and itching to get time to read.  I was slightly disappointed in the end, but in actuality, it was a very realistic ending.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R270368SHW4W2Q?ASIN=0316055441	Long, long, long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first 2/3 of this book were pretty great. Compelling, fast-paced, interesting. Then along about the time we went off to Europe it just got stupid. Keystroke cops kind of stupid. It felt like Tartt didn't know how to end it, so she turned cliche. I enjoyed it, but wouldn't read it again.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M7PGRZ84FFUN?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch had its moments...too many of them.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would have loved this book had it been 1/3 the length.  The author has a gift in describing the events but I grew weary of the constant drug use and lost any respect for the characters and their cavalier attitudes.  I think I would have enjoyed the book more if I only read the first half.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36J1XJ3G7KE39?ASIN=0316055441	Too Long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story kept me interested in the beginning.  But there was too much detail, too dragged out!  I got to a section at the end of the book that was so detailed and unnecessary that I put it down and asked a friend how it ended.  I was so close to the end but just could not pick it up again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R377DUNWR16FXY?ASIN=0316055441	Well written plodding journey or poor decision making	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written.  Well developed characters.<br/>I have to admit, I'm only halfway through.<br/>I was interrupted and am putting off climbing back into Theo's disappointing journey of not very bright decisions or consequence.<br/>I may finish it.<br/>I will finish this review if I do.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10H4IY16NVWKO?ASIN=0316055441	Interest at first	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was interesting for the first 25% then lacked depth and character. Seemed to go for shock value for its own sake. I had no interest in the characters in the later part of the book, they just seemed like dumb druggies.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2THRA2M0FEK4U?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked it. It was long, dense, exciting, troubled, introspective, frustrating and predictable. Sort of like Theo. Boris was more interesting because of his humor and unapologetic outlook. The philosophical musings were provocative and the relationship between art and mankind was riveting.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LYOQ56D0QF3N?ASIN=0316055441	Put this down a few times,	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So pleased I returned and read this story. This is a story of a troubling life, the random bad luck and intersections into others lives, borrowed for a time.  The people who help us, care for us the best they can at the time, the family you piece together. The things you try to make right,</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EH7DA7NHQ7WL?ASIN=0316055441	She has magic in her pen and poetry in her ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She has magic in her pen and poetry in her prose. The Goldfinch describes a life that I wouldn't wish on anyone but the telling was compelling. A little more editing to bring this puppy down to, say, 600-650 pages was necessary but exactly which words I'd remove would a difficult decision.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YYFQC3BB9VK7?ASIN=0316055441	C	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartts riveting narrative sets the reader squarely in the center of a modern drama that takes on even more meaning in a post 9/11 world. The threads of family, friendship, human faults and frailties pull the reader along wondering what the next page will reveal. I could read it again</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R338NQP8Z3OV41?ASIN=0316055441	So much for trusting Pulitzer...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful ramblings with no real ending should be the summation of this book's description.  The characters are interesting, the basic story line is good, and the word choices are very artful.  However, the way in which the characters interact with one another is very unrealistic at times.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JV5WIOPHGX3D?ASIN=0316055441	"""that's how the light gets in"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Without darkness there is no light. As a cancer survivor I often struggle with how pain and joy are forever mingled for me. My new husband asks me why I look so sad during very happy moments. I can never explain it to him. But this book has helped explain it to me. Well done and thank you.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I688XAXSV87?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very well written and I really enjoyed it. Donna Tartt has a great way of making her descriptions obscure, yet you know exactly what she's trying to convey. The ending dragged just a bit but other than that, I was thoroughly entertained following Theo throughout his journeys.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RQ67NLP45CIP?ASIN=0316055441	Oh, such a good book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book and its going in my list of favorites.  It's long, so know that.  It's a big story, and following Theo the main character brings the reader to all different situations.  It's amazing and the author does a seamless job of describing it and bringing us with him.  Excellent.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ETLVNF798825?ASIN=0316055441	Disgusting!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this book because it was on various best-seller lists for a long time and because it won the Pulitzer Prize. Plus, I love long books -  opening a 900 page book of well-told tale is one of my greatest pleasures. However, actually reading this Pulitzer Prize winning novel was an exercise in futility, as I kept searching for any semblance of redeeming social value in it. I found the main characters to be devoid of any sense of values and so flawed that I kept hoping that they would all get killed off in one of the many drug-crazed lost weekends and crime capers they seemed to favor from their childhood on through adulthood. Alas - that never happened......Most of them persisted until the book's end.<br/>After wasting about three days of my reading life looking for some kernel of good in these anti-heroes and never finding anything meaningful about them, I started looking for some underlying philosophical message from the author. The only thing that I could conjure up was that a single piece of good art can fascinate a person throughout his life. Well, that could have been made apparent in a lot fewer than 900 pages of descriptions of poorly lived lives.<br/><br/>Obviously, I look for different things in the year's best novel than the Pulitzer Prize committee does. I will not take their advice on fiction again!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1885I5BEE5GI?ASIN=0316055441	Great characterization	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters were captivating and the author did an excellent job of living in the minds of people who have experienced tragedy. She created a way for readers to understand why addiction and depression frequently go hand in hand. She also handled the concepts of art in a meaningful way.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27NEQCJ3R6AWG?ASIN=0316055441	too wordy. could have been 300 pages less. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too wordy.  could have been 300 pages less.<br/>hard to believe any alcoholic/druggie getting up everyday to catch a 7am bus so they could have breakfast at school.<br/>not one teacher noticed anything and turned them in to social services.<br/>not one store owner caught them stealing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R319DVMTE8QCFP?ASIN=0316055441	Clearly deserving of its Pulitzer Prize.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It has been a long time since I enjoyed a book this much. The characters were richly developed and the story was so unique. The end of this book was unexpected and thought provoking. Although I have not given any description on the story or characters I would say, this is an amazing read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R72IT1ZB5WOOE?ASIN=0316055441	Well written and awful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">*spoil alert*<br/>A lovely build up several times that makes you believe things are finally turning the corner for several characters. But no, just one awful decision after another, one terrible moment after another. No learning from one's errors, or gaining hope. I wasted several hours.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R124225QB0SVOL?ASIN=0316055441	UNWORTHY	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the Goldfinch until the middle of the book. I then found it suffered from runon sentences and poor  connection to the original premise. In addition it was unbelievable..REALLY.I WOULD GIVE MY PASSPORT TO A THIEF IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY??  I mean come on..this is Pulitzer material ?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11T0SVXDE68VX?ASIN=0316055441	Parts were very good but his life in Las Vegas wasn't really necessary ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was very long. Parts were very good but his life in Las Vegas wasn't really necessary for the story. It could have been shorter. The end was sad for me but it was time for the hero to pay back. It wasn't a feel good book. It was interesting about the antiques business and the painting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R61ANBOSF7OWR?ASIN=0316055441	Heavy Duty Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was not ready for this novel at all.  I bought it as ""light"" reading, which it is not.  I needed to have been more intellectually engaged, but being used to reading non-fiction for my previous four books, I felt steam-rolled!  I thought it would be great based on the accolades.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ARE6CA8VOR84?ASIN=0316055441	Slow moving	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Perhaps I should read a little further but this book is filled with deadly descriptions and side trips.  According to the jacket the main character grows up, but I'm mired in the boy's early days.  I doubt I'll get though this thing.  This book was written for a different kind of reader.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R377HRJWEP0GY0?ASIN=0316055441	Glad I kept reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was worth getting to the beauty of the last ten pages, but Las Vegas and the garage scene in Amsterdam and all the drug experiences dragged me down and almost ruined the book for me.  I had the joy of seeing this precious painting in Rotterdam while I was reading this memorable book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R49CRDOQ5OUCN?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way, way too much time spent on descriptions of drunken, doped up escapades. Enough with the vomit on the carpet!  Also, narrator too often ""speechless"": ""I __"" over and over. Boris a great character,  and Hobie too, but main voice muddled and unlikable. Ruminations on art pseudo-smart.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D9YVYUOPAP3U?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A compelling read about Fabritius painting the Goldfinch, which was ""stolen"" and then returned and the traumatic experience of a child who lost his mother (and his way) after a bombing in a museum. A very long book, but a compelling, mystery, coming-of-age, and, yes, love story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H8H6WHYCCGCX?ASIN=0316055441	Very good novel, highly recommended	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read, although long - the characters are all very complex and interesting, whether you like them or not. I compare them to the characters that Wally Lamb creates - not perfect, but easy to identify with and empathize with. I would recommend this book to all - it's a very good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BSE5YZLP0C6F?ASIN=0316055441	... painting I will ask my friend who finished and loved	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It began with an interesting story but it changed directions and went off into a different story and became endlessly rambling on and on in narrativ<br/>By the ending I skipped through and then never knew what happened to the painting<br/>I will ask my friend who finished and loved it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FK98VZWYY7CS?ASIN=0316055441	Gripping	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch grabs you by the shirt front and won't let you go until the very last page.  All 775 of them. Make sure you are willing to go on this  long journey before you begin reading because you won't be able to put it down. Beautifully written. Engaging and unpredictable storyline.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20ZA8NZ4450L0?ASIN=0316055441	Highly Overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most tedious books I have ever forced myself to finish.  The writing was wonderful in places but way too many words in the end.  It makes me not trust reviews.  I couldn't wait to finish so I could move on to a good book.  If there is such a thing as over written, this is it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGW49EWHNLF3G?ASIN=0316055441	A real downer.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Writing was lovely.  Evocative.  But truly depressing.  A trip to the Underworld.<br/>Who would want to spend a week living in the decadent and demoralizing mind of the protagonist?<br/>I guess it was supposed to be haunting and deep, literary.  To me it was just too long and too sad.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PXDABE8T1NOQ?ASIN=0316055441	could you put it down?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very engaging story.  Reading it for a book club. When I saw how long it was didn't think I could finish it in time. Three days later here I am writing a review of it. Lovely details of New York and everything I hate in Las Vegas. A thoughtful and engaging plot. I thoroughly enjoyed it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CJ72N1NES4JQ?ASIN=0316055441	Even though extremely wordy I loved the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even though extremely wordy I loved the book. It made me think. I was only one of two in a book club discussion group that actually liked it but it definitely raised a lot of topics for discussion...destiny, mother love, friendship, morality, overcoming hardship, nurture over nature....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R402C834BIPC3?ASIN=0316055441	The story was good but the book was way too long with all ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was good but the book was way too long with all the lengthy descriptions which in many cases did not enhance the story.  I started to give it 2 stars because I really struggled at times to continue reading it.  The story was compelling enough that I did finally get through it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15OELTF75R2WK?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to put down and hard to read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This well-written book contains many disturbing notions about teens who are unattended by loving parents.  I found it difficult to read, but it is something to think about when so many young people choose to be homeless rather than deal with awful parents.  It affects their whole lives.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K9QSNMCP3QVB?ASIN=0316055441	What a wonderful, complicated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a wonderful, complicated, richly detailed story. The characters are so finely developed. I couldn't put it down. Aside from everything else, there is so much research, knowledge on the part of the author and so much wisdom. I was sorry to leave the world of ""The Goldfinch.""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HVEQSAFD8KV3?ASIN=0316055441	Great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very well written story that is absolutely worth reading.  The character development, the storyline, and the depth of the story are all done very well.  There are times when it meanders or goes on at length on a more philosophical level than it should, but still worth pushing through.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUTWM9LWM1Y3P?ASIN=0316055441	Well worth reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Especially at the beginning, the book is hard to put down. It often has the feeling of a Dickens novel - a young boy trying to find his way in a very dark and complicated world populated by eccentric characters. The plot becomes thinner toward the end, but the book is still a good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BX7FSS1U4KNX?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch does not sing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This has become a disappointing read. Very dark and gloomy. it seems that the hero is a swindler and a thief and almost all the characters are kind of horrible people or those you would not choose to spend time with. So why am I spending my leisure time with them? I expected much more.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLBF1G4WPF5A0?ASIN=0316055441	Undescribable!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not read the reviews or plot details prior to reading The Goldfinch. The book was a great read and keeps you engaged with Theo and Boris throughout. Very insightful of the human spirit. Life is challenging and how you react to various events in life shapes your future and others.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S3WXRAN51214?ASIN=0316055441	Too Wordy!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story took too many words to tell. Asking a reader to spend the time it takes to read over 700 pages requires a compelling story.  This story could have been told in three to four hundred pages.  The plot and resolution were interesting, but the endless rumination was distracting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B8N3XKZA08JF?ASIN=0316055441	Fun at first then drags on	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was fun and engrossing at first, then it got reaaaaalllly hard to finish.  It went on and on and on and on.  The last third felt like a drug induced hallucination.  Seeing as how much drug use and addiction is part of the story, I guess it's fitting.  Great start but it just droned on and was exhausting to finish.  Pity as the writing was good, but the story line just meandered so much after a while.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1158T8TRMI0PL?ASIN=0316055441	Rare Contemporary Treasure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've been looking for a book I could get lost in for a long time now. Thank you, Donna Tartt for providing this epic tale of a sorrowful boy whose life one gets so caught up in that it's hard to put down. Beautifully descriptive prose. I'm sorry it had to end, as all good things must.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG436T4X9DS9N?ASIN=0316055441	In the tradition of Candide and perhaps Oliver Twist, ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In the tradition of Candide and perhaps Oliver Twist, this novel traces the life of a young boy through the years. It follows his own social development and dilemmas as well as the lives of those near to him. Well-written and engaging, Tartt's work deserves the praise it has received.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JFK06JDM1DHK?ASIN=0316055441	I was expecting something more...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I realize this book falls into the ""classic"" category but I didn't really get it. A little too dark and depressing for my taste.. Too much dysfunction. And although that tends to be what our real lives are about, I guess I want a tiny bit of escapism from some peoples stark realities.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LXRNTKU08PH4?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is masterful in the writing of this book. The reader always has just enough information to make speculations about what is happening. It kept me turning the pages in anticipation. The story is melancholy with glimpses of human kindness from all types of people. I loved it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U6UV76AHJ0RO?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch was an absorbing novel.  You feel for the protagonist and how he navigates through lifes twists. The descriptions are amazing. Great literature. The story does meander and often i wished the plot would move along. The end was unexpected but satisfying minus the pontification</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BX8GJ9R2LU56?ASIN=0316055441	What a wonderfully written and engaging novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a wonderfully written and engaging novel! I loved reading this and felt intellectually stimulated while reading this as well. As I came to the last pages, I did not want to say goodbye to Theo and Boris and was saddened by the book ending. A great ride and an adventure of a read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RY744IWAG438?ASIN=0316055441	character driven	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long and powerful novel about survival after loss. Each character is perfectly developed and stays with you long after you finish the book. The only negative comment would be that Donna Tartt was excessively descriptive and wordy. But some part were sheer genius.  Worth the read!!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQB8PJIL7ZCWQ?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written, a page turner with apt philosophical messages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So many stories in this coming of age novel. Beautifully written, a page turner with apt philosophical messages. If there was disappointment it was the pattern that overcoming struggles with education, career, girls, drugs and friends involved settling and this colored the end for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LSIYVJ2XUNN9?ASIN=0316055441	Detailed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story. There is a lot of detail with the story line. I felt like I was there at times. I would definitely recommend it to other readers. I only gave it 4 stars because I did lose interest at times because it seemed to drag on. It was a suspenseful, emotional, and full of detail.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EQ1QRJ873WB0?ASIN=0316055441	Social issues may meet Pulitzer standards but too long for general reader	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">tricky to review, premise is strong, characterization brilliant, narrative tension works most of the time, but the book drags, especially in Colorado during his teenage years. From a writer's point of view, this part needed serious editing, not necessary for the story to move forward.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29K6D0CVKNA9Q?ASIN=0316055441	"It was a choice for book club so I felt more like I ""had to get finished"" rather than really looking ..."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very long read and I found myself forcing my way through it.  It was a choice for book club so I felt more like I ""had to get finished"" rather than really looking forward to reading.  Just okay...didn't connect with the characters and the story line is dark and sad.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LDQ5GYQDZ33?ASIN=0316055441	A little disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked the book. The story started out well. The museum and everything that happened right after. But there were some very slow parts that seemed to go on forever. The last chapter was disappointing. It seemed to go on and on about nothing. I would have liked a better ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GRGERXQZ34ZX?ASIN=0316055441	The writing at the beginning was good as was the story line and then it just ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For the life of me I can't figure why this book received a Pulitzer Prize.  The writing at the beginning was good as was the story line and then it just drifted down hill from there.  The last 15 pages were just a sermon or lecture on how to best seize the day---or rather life.  Ugh.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRJCBOSQU8SDI?ASIN=0316055441	so so	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found parts of the book interesting and creative but the bilk of the book centers of tortured souls such as his gambling father and his drug addict friends. These pieces overwhelmed  others that I found much more interesting such as hobby and pippa both pretty extraordinary people.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M8WKUCNC2J9?ASIN=0316055441	This is a book that you don't want to put down and yet you hope it never ends.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an engaging read.  One of the best books I've read in a long time, I especially appreciated the intense detail, character development and original storyline.  This is a book that you don't want to put down and yet you hope it never ends.  The Goldfinch is truly to be savored!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROZVNFO7DBT5R?ASIN=0316055441	the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was certainly a page-turner, but ran a bit long.  There were many redundancies.  I think that the main theme was how people choose to survive abusive backgrounds, circumstances &amp; flawed, main characters in their lives.  This point could have been made in much fewer than 775 pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YRM52HA34YGV?ASIN=0316055441	So far so good. So very very good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am only 300 pages into it and I would say, So far so good.  So very very good!  I've been reading it at a slower pace to soak it all in.  I always circle parts of a book that I have to read to friends or just references for myself.  And there sure are a lot of circles on the pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V7UN1ETFAW9M?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm having a hard time getting through the book as it is to descriptive for me.However I always finish a book and don't like to skip through the pages and find myself doing that.<br/>  I find women Authors tend to drag out their stories more then men do.They should get to the point.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8RJA0S0CYX5O?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book, an excellent read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37BETS1BNRR21?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've ever read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KM4PKB8VTUR9?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long and boring and dragged out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DV36CCPSA9WH?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">starts off great, then goes downhill!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HF073AYWV3JH?ASIN=0316055441	dark story, way too long, too wordy,	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">dark story,  way too long, too wordy,</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UHWJE47HTXQZ?ASIN=0316055441	when prose becomes poetry mixed with wisdom and enigma.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Plot plods a long, much Like life ... and then explodes.  Beautiful phrasing combined with singular view/comprehension and a processing individual to one unique mind, perspective and clarity in sense of place, identity, and time.  Irresistable.  Don't even try to put down this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R192E4BP3JDQF3?ASIN=0316055441	Hated to see it end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful use of language.....creative choices of words. Ms. Tartt elicits all the emotions necessary to keep her reader in fervent anticipation of the next crisis in the lives of her characters, characters her reader comes yo care deeply about. Hated to see the tale come to an end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20KPTDIZ44P2T?ASIN=0316055441	I liked this book so much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this book so much, I didn't want it to end. I immediately started reading it again. This is the first book by Donna Tartt I have read and I plan to read more. The characters are so well written, I felt I had met them. The story is very engaging. I highly recommend this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E83IV4P4UG1X?ASIN=0316055441	Liked the book a lot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quick paced, adventurous book. Liked the book a lot. Dealt with some tragic subjects like depression without getting pulled into the tedious details.<br/><br/>The ending could have been better, too much philosophy in the last ten pages, but the plot parts more than make up for it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OL6AX225PS9L?ASIN=0316055441	other wise I would happily bestow a	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has the gift of describing everything, places, people, most uniquely with the keenest eye and words to position the reader directly in the setting.  The last chapter was disappointing, too much amateur philosophical musings.. Yet, other wise I would happily bestow a FIVE</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NOF2K46J4TX8?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is an example of the eternal and transcendent nature of great art that the author espouses. The musings on the complicated nature of human existence are both disturbing and uplifting. Strong characters and visceral descriptions abound. Worthy of the praise it has received.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JVMNUKMNPBIP?ASIN=0316055441	Why a Pulitzer's award?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started off great but just went on way too long. There's was no real closure and it felt like an addict's excuse for using drugs. I wanted to read it because it won a Pulitzer's... I may not be a book editor but I am a book reader... I don't understand why it was awarded that honor.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V9DE5ZZFNLPW?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed. Started out interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappointed. Started out interesting... but about half way through I was bored and annoyed. Too much monolog gibberish about being stoned. I wanted to move on with the story line.<br/><br/>Literary masterpiece? I hope this will not be in the next reading selection in our schools.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CMOYHJWTQFAX?ASIN=0316055441	great read if you have the patience!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love this story, it is enthralling but very descriptive and seemingly slow many times. Perhaps I am impatient, but I didn't see the need for pages and pages of descriptions and so much internal thoughts. Overall a great, exciting story though. Just wish it had been condensed some.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y5M10K4O5OE1?ASIN=0316055441	Good but perhaps a bit overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long and at times a bit too descriptive and indulgent, but held my attention for the most part. Excellent character development -- ending was a bit anti-climactic and seemed to ramble in my opinion. Overall, I think it may be a bit over celebrated, but it is a good, solid read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UU16MCE3VDK0?ASIN=0316055441	This book needed a good editor. Example	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book needed a good editor. Example: The page after page after page of the behavior of Theo and Boris getting drunk and vomitting was excessive.  If it had been a page turner, that would be one thing; this just droned on and on until I couldn't have cared less about Theo's life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FXELHLNEL8AJ?ASIN=0316055441	I am still reading it and I will hate to see it end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book reminds me of a Dickens classic with all the colorful characters , only in present day New York.  It is very well written and I care deeply about it's main character, Theo Decker. I am still reading it and I will hate to see it end. An epic novel, sure to become a classic!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2969JYU73P80C?ASIN=0316055441	A must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a long novel but one you must experience. The author captures your mind and longing to read on to the next page. There are so many experiences in this read and life lessons. Thanks to the brilliant author for this experience. I will never look at a Goldfinch the same again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12YCHOSPHR4HQ?ASIN=0316055441	Reads like a Dickens novel.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a great story.  It keeps you interested until the wee hours of the night.  Poor Theo who loses his mother in the beginning of the book.  Trying to find his way in life.  I didn't care for the drug culture part of the book. I love the people who weave in and out of his life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8V8ZAG684RBT?ASIN=0316055441	I really liked this book- it was well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked this book- it was well written, definitely an epic of a boy's life, and had lots of interesting plot developments. However, it's very long and I wasn't quite sure why it got the overwhelming praise it did. That being said, it's an enjoyable book that makes you think.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W2OQVNK67YKE?ASIN=0316055441	Great story just too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story just too wordy.  At times I couldn't stop reading and at other times I was forcing myself to get to the end of the page.  Way too descriptive for my taste.  I love to read and normally finish a book within a week.  This one is long and it took me three months to finish.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CF77EN87CAV6?ASIN=0316055441	unnecessarily long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Feel cheated at wasting all that time to end with theo' s rambling about what everyone already knows.  Editor obviously should have taken a red pen to many unnecessary pages to whiffle it down to something tolerable and could have completed the authors rumblings in about 250 pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RETTNBZRXPTH9?ASIN=0316055441	Great book to spend several hours reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent story -  a little long winded in parts which I skipped to get back to the ""action"".  Wonderful use of language and  imagery, good character development and a satisfying closure for the ""hero"".  This novel lingered in my thoughts for several days afterward.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DJVI8Q6NLHER?ASIN=0316055441	All about loss and bad choices. The author's descriptive writing style either draws ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The tragic life story of a boy placed in life situations with broken people. All about loss and bad choices. The author's descriptive writing style either draws you in or tires you out. In my case I loved the story but much of the descriptive detail was much too wordy for my taste.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW8R20RFADWXE?ASIN=0316055441	one of my all time fav reads	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a book that I savored.  I read it slowly because it was so beautifully written, and the story so involved!<br/>I recommend it as a book club read for groups that appreciate literature! It will be around for a long time!<br/>I hope to journey to see the painting some day!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHZGF0HFEY477?ASIN=0316055441	The beginning was good into the middle then it just got lost	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long book in which the story could have been condensed into 1/2 a book. The beginning was good into the middle then it just got lost...I know it won awards but the last 1/3rd of the book could have been summed up in 3-4 chapters.  If the author had a message, I didn't get it !</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R394Q4CRTUH0GW?ASIN=0316055441	but it was a good story line that kept me going	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very different book from anything I have ever read, but it was a good story line that kept me going. I like the story line of the book, but some parts got a little drawn out towards the end. I would say this book is certainly worth reading just be prepared for the length.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I82D626KJWQ3?ASIN=0316055441	A slow mover	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be slow moving and tedious.  I kept looking to see how close I was to the end.  I only finished it because I started it.  And the conclusion?  Very discouraging.  If you want to be depressed, read this book.  I don't understand the Pulitzer for this one at all!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28C260RJLFHHX?ASIN=0316055441	Long and intricate story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo, Boris, Hobie, Pippa, the Barbours....what a collection of characters. This book took me a long time to get through..never really sure if any of the characters were heroes or villains...not sure if I felt sorry for or angry with all of them. Be prepared if you read this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AMD4L8AUAOGU?ASIN=0316055441	Good at first but ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started off well and for pages and pages at a time it was interesting (even gripping at times) but the author has a tendancy to go on a bit and towards the end I found myself skimming through the pages at top speed so that I could just finish the book and be done with it. Pity.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VIO3UR2J3FVE?ASIN=0316055441	Reads like a D minus performance for a creative writing class. Vulgar and boring.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Filled with pointless vomit and vulgarity and not enough plot. It reads like a never ending exercise for a creative writing class in how to use details and descriptions (which contribute nothing to the almost nonexistent plot but boredom and revulsion. A D- performance in my view.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHENTO1L78K9L?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book, very much like Dickens tales, very long, but kept my attention and I loved seeing the span of time in this young man's life.  I loved the character of Boris.  It did drag in places and the detail got a little long, but overall a very good book with good imagery.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3549KAPH57M1B?ASIN=0316055441	Well deserved Pulitzer!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I resisted reading this book because I did not think I could get interested in it, bit once I started reading, I could nit put it down. Amazing writing, complex characters and plot, and deeper meanings throughout... this book is now in my top 3 favorites of all time! Just read it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTEBLJUO32X3M?ASIN=0316055441	A great life journey.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing read. You are completely taken into Theo's life.  You can't help but want to be by his side and help him, altho he is on a road to destruction from the start.  I was a bit intimated by the length, but I just couldn't put it down, and lived Theo's life right by his side.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NB4H5FO4HJNJ?ASIN=0316055441	Some of the best writing I have ever experienced in the last 3 ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some of the best writing I have ever experienced in the last 3 years, made you want to turn every page and stay up all night.  The story was very unusual and contained many researched facts about furniture restoration, drug addiction, the art world and great insightful characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PB7U5Z235Y5L?ASIN=0316055441	Give me a good spy/detective mystery	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extraordinarily well written (hey, it got a Pulitzer).  Complex plot and well developed characters.  But I expected these complexities to become resolved at the end. Instead, it finished with a whimper preceded  a crescendo of metaphysicality.  In other words, not very satisfying.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1446GAI20PPLN?ASIN=0316055441	Page Turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of my favorite books in a long time. The main character, Theo, is so likeable that I was rooting for him from the first pages. The storyline pulls you along like a freight train. One of those books that's you can't wait to finish<br/>and then feel sad when it's over.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JHA0I2RGG9XK?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Secret History impressed me with Donna Tartt's ability as a writer.  Although the book was over 700 pages, Ms. Tartt chose her words well and with precision.  In addition, the story kept my interest.  I expected much from The Goldfinch, but found that it didn't quite hit the mark.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PRCZ3AR4KP4Z?ASIN=0316055441	Worth every minute	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The descriptions of the settings and the characters are so vivid that I felt as if I were right there with the main character. It was pretty long, but to make it any shorter would have cut down the amazing descriptions. I just don't know how the author could have done any better.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13H198BFXFD50?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Once I picked The Goldfinch up, it was impossible to put down.  It moves masterfully through its themes of tragedy and loss, love and friendship, childhood and adulthood and manages to be a thrilling, high-stakes caper at the same time. This is the best thing I have read in ages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJK2BH1RQGD76?ASIN=0316055441	the bird that did not fly	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot was good if and when you got to it.  However, there was too much detail through the mental wandering of a drug addict who was connected to the<br/>the painting of the Goldfinch.<br/><br/>I would not recommend.<br/><br/>I do not remember what the last question asked.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MO9RRY0JBIFK?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the Long Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a long book, but worth the read. There's a reason it was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. It's extremely well-written and the storyline is fresh. I don't want to give too much away for anyone who might be considering to pick it up, but it's well worth your time!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2US6W3V9X88UC?ASIN=0316055441	wrestling with issues of love, loss	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Potter is a modern Huck Finn, wrestling with issues of love, loss, morality, and ethics, choosing paths that seem inevitable in today's society.  Regardless of how distasteful we find those choices as readers, however, we remain engaged and ever hopeful for his successful future.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FGNBNVZG64II?ASIN=0316055441	So So So So Long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book desperately needs an editor. Every single detail of protagonist's life is written, to the point that you are sitting wonder WHY you need to what he ate for lunch that day. Save yourself the hours of time, read the first chaper and the last. You will get the same effect.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37CFUX3CDRYXF?ASIN=0316055441	must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put this book down.  Part thriller, part mystery, part romance and altogether a sumptuous yarn of a tale - thoughtful, insightful, characters to fall in love with, and a story rich with gem-like details that show an author at the height of her craft.  Highly recommended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35IB2Z0CJ3PJX?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this book to read on vacation, mostly because it was one on a best seller list. I continued to read it even though it was very long and I think just too wordy. The beginning was good, I was hoping it would get better but outside of a couple twists it was somewhat boring.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23VPTNIARUZYH?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderful read if you can spare the time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful read if you can spare the time.  It's a modern Moby Dick!  Full of  descriptive detail but just enough ""action"" to keep moving along.  It took us all month to read.  Characters will be interesting in club discussion if the others manage to get through it, too.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DZ2HRRLJN35Y?ASIN=0316055441	not what it's cracked up to be	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book started out gangbusters. I was mesmerized. But as the adventures continued the story became bogged down in too much redundant, tedious detail that was distracting and uninteresting. But I stayed with it hoping for a wallop of an ending. It was just ok, I guess.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SI6OWHZEPFAQ?ASIN=0316055441	I found the writing was beautiful, intense and vivid	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the writing was beautiful, intense and vivid, but the storyline took me to a dark world that I truly did not enjoy inhabiting for a length of time. I felt like the goldfinch, hungry for a cleansing rain and a stretch of my wings to cleanse my soul after reading this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WANP85TNPR8P?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing and confusing ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know I am not a stupid person and can understand what is going on in a story, but the end of this was just sooooooo disappointing and mixed up.  It could have ended much better in my opinion and it just got so above and beyond what it needed to be. It was pretty good till then.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N3KF717S15WC?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is sub par....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book, tedious &amp; exhausting to read, droned on and on... It was a daunting challenge to complete, and not worth the time and effort. It started out with a seemingly good plot, which quickly faded to a weak &amp; convoluted storyline that should have been cut in half by an editor.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16HDDUME523VI?ASIN=0316055441	I book I will never forget!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is only one thing that I can say that I don't like about this book----over 800 pages in length. But I still probably won't want it to end!!. But this will not stop me! The story of Theo grabs you and will not let you go all the way through. Very realistic and easy to read!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLDSEU1OHI2RQ?ASIN=0316055441	What a book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Totally gripping story!! I lost many hours of sleep because I just couldn't put it down.<br/>Good writing and well developed characters, some so very likable.<br/>The last pages, however, could have used better editing, as I longed for the story<br/>line among all those words.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30T3YS8DL0ZFA?ASIN=0316055441	Worth litening to on audio!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book although i felt it was a lot longer than it needed to be. I listened to it on audiobook and i loved the narrator, David Pittu. His voices and accents were fabulous. He made me fall in love with Boris and Hobie. I hope he chooses to narrate more adult fiction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OLSU1A9ITBKJ?ASIN=0316055441	As a first person narrative of a teenage boy, ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As a first person narrative of a teenage boy, this book fails.  Read the first sentence of Catcher In the Rye, and then read the first sentence of Huckleberry Finn, and then muddle your way through this wordy and ever so artsy fartsy exercise in narcissism.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15FNH22CDRS9D?ASIN=0316055441	I found the book tedious in many spots and it was hard to believe ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book tedious in many spots and it was hard to believe that he was that stupid about what he did and the benefits he would receive from an accident.  Every time I thought he would figure it out he didn't.  Very strange novel.  I did finish it but with much difficulty.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K7NEJM9IZQ14?ASIN=0316055441	I've never read a book quite like this. The character development is brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've never read a book quite like this.  The character development is brilliant; the detailed descriptions of emotion and physical appearance, flawless.  The plot takes so many unexpected twists.  I truly got lost in the experience of reading this book.  Most highly recommended.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RDQ5GOOJZD1G?ASIN=0316055441	because the antics of Theo and Boris were painful and dragged on and on	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some parts were hard to read, for me, because the antics of Theo and Boris were painful and dragged on and on.  The pain of this young man was so deep it hurt.  Sad, sad, story. I wanted it over. However, it was captivating enough for me to keep reading to see if he found peace.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM5FB14JR91TT?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrific book! Had me from the very first page. Must read. I loved this book. I'd give it a five out of five. Fantastic plot, great writing and took me away. Couldn't stop reading it until the very end. For a long book around 800' pages, it never lost it's momentum. Please read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB45LIJAJUMBT?ASIN=0316055441	She is getting better as a writer with each novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She is getting better as a writer with each novel. This novel was long awaited for me, and she did not let me down. I lost my mother at a young age, so this novel hit closer to home than the other two. Tart's insight into the mind of a young boy is amazing; she is a true artist.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI58Q28N7S52N?ASIN=0316055441	I really enjoyed the unusual storyline but not too far fetched	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WOW - what a different read for me. I really enjoyed the unusual storyline but not too far fetched. Great characters, places and setting were so wonderfully described. Twists and turns to keep you on your toes. the audible version was read by the perfect voice. Highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OVK79B7OGFMY?ASIN=0316055441	absolutely outstanding!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A large book indeed,  I loved every page!  A wonderful story that keeps you on the edge at every turn of the page.  Very well written with vivid words to drive your imagination right into the thick of it.  I loved it and was sad for it to end.  I hope they make it into a movie.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N6HG5IQCOZ5B?ASIN=0316055441	I adore this book and was so excited to read ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I adore this book and was so excited to read it. However, the packaging for how it was shipped was extremely disappointing. The corners of the book were bent and a major dent occurred from the cardboard/plastic it came in. Luckily, most of the dent can be covered by the sleeve.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ANT9VS6H4NK6?ASIN=0316055441	could not put this down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredible. Just incredible.  I started this on an international business trip in the evening - feeling that "" I need to quit this Life and be a normal person"" feeling.  But define normal.... Right  if you are hesitating don't it's a tantalizing read from cover to cover</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9KJKO7WZFO8Q?ASIN=0316055441	I could not get into this book. It took ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not get into this book. It took<br/>too long to find out why there was so<br/>much blood. And the descriptions of<br/>the blood and injuries were too detailed<br/>and too much the focus for me. This<br/>may be the only book I bought but did<br/>not finish reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB7FP13GOCCMF?ASIN=0316055441	Not an Engaging Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was not a book that was engaging nor was Theo in anyway a compelling figure. The only characters that I had any feeling for were the dog and Hobie. I struggled to get through this book. It was way too long.  Do not know why it has been on the best sellers list for so long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M2G5PMVJS49K?ASIN=0316055441	think of anything bad that can happen to an orphaned boy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An epic tale...think of anything bad that can happen to an orphaned boy, and it happens to Theo.  The characters are well developed and the scene setting is detailed (maybe too much?).  If you are looking for an escape from reality that is rooted in today's society, this is it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UY7QNCHY4J4M?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A well written book about a young boy growing up in a difficult situation. At times his inner voice seems to try and destroy him.  But somehow he finds a way to grasp some meaning out of his messed up life. The painting The Goldfinch comes to symbolize the struggle of his life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26T9T74PC2T4O?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. While the story propels you forward you are so drawn to the beautiful writing that you feel<br/> compelled  to linger and savor it.<br/>I miss the characters, particularly dear Hobie...and even some of the ones who left us early in the story. A superb read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HDCGIT2QCWMJ?ASIN=0316055441	Highly recommend.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great story!  Wonderful character development. A long book, but it flowed pretty good. There was only once or twice when it seemed a little slow.  Parts of the book are very tragic and sad, but I found myself faithfully pulling for Theo until the last page.  Highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L2O8VM4GAW3T?ASIN=0316055441	A Really good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read at least one to two books a week - so, I read a lot (I watch very little television).  I found the book to be a really good read - and there is nothing better than that.  I don't understand what all the fuss is about regarding the Pulitzer Prize - much ado about nothing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAEQSJJYLSUUG?ASIN=0316055441	I thought that a Pulitzer Prize winner would be great but I struggled to get half way through hopping ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is awful. I thought that a Pulitzer Prize winner would be great but I struggled to get half way through hopping that it would have some redeeming value.  If you want to read about a stupid druggie and alcoholic read it but if you want enjoyable reading look elsewhere</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JZXKD1MVJPRV?ASIN=0316055441	Total waste of time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were just a few moments when this book was engaging. Much effort is spent developing the characters of two shallow drug addicts. Difficult situations are resolved with unlikely and unbelievable, to me, scenarios. Overall, I have lost some faith in the Pulitzer committee.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LGRZLP87V8RI?ASIN=0316055441	A Book That Stays With You	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When this book was selected by a member of my book club for the February selection and I learned it was 775 pages, I decided I would have to skim it. Was I in for a surprise. I read it in 2 weeks and loved every minute, not skipping any sentence. I'm sad it has come to an end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EPK74R7301QS?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an easy novel to read and fully engaging. I enjoyed the small bits of art history coupled with the many unexpected twist in the story.  The story is also full of emotional ups and downs and we experience Theo's missed opportunities.  I enjoyed it from start to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMKNW035KG3AV?ASIN=0316055441	This book was way too lengthy and vey tedious to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was way too lengthy and vey tedious to read. I liked the storyline but was  hoping for a more positive ending.I found myself skipping over some of the endless descriptions of drugs,etc in Las Vegas. The book would have been more enjoyable at 350 pages instead of 750.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27I5UBAQIZOMZ?ASIN=0316055441	Stunning and beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is certainly one of the best story tellers.  All 3 of her books are mesmerizing.  Time flies by when ensconced in the web of her descriptions of people and places.  When reading one of her books I have to tear myself away - for I tell myself just one more page.....</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWF9OVQT4CIKN?ASIN=0316055441	engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. Surprises at every turn. My first thoughts were I'm not so sure there's enough substance in the story to keep me interested in 700 pages. Boy was I wrong. Highly recommend if you're looking for something different other than thrillers and murder mysteries.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I6JCLQE2C9SR?ASIN=0316055441	Deserving of the Pulitzer Prize	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing story written so masterfully that I actually forgot I was reading rather than living it myself. I am a slow reader, but managed to finish this in a few weeks log just evening reading. Her prose is rich, her characters interesting. I will be reading more of Donna Tartt.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FL63BSBQA8RD?ASIN=0316055441	Initially Enjoyable, Then it Dragged on and on	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were some parts that were so good, I couldn't put it down, yet there were others that just DRAGGED. The end of of the book took forever. I really don't remember how it ended because it took so long to get there. Great concept, but sheesh, way too much philosophizing - just a chore to get through the mud at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY1XE8TZHDV3H?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous book for all readers.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This epic novel goes from philosophical treatise to chronicle of adolescent angst to nail biting thriller to private diary. So much packed into one book. A worthy recipient of the Pulitzer prize and a good read even for those who ""don't read those intellectual kind of books"",</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FWGB1ABBTN9G?ASIN=0316055441	A good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good read but be prepared for a long one. It follows the main character Theo through his many ups and downs following the loss of his mother after an art museum bombing.  The main focus becomes a painting. At times the story did drag on but found it to be a worthwhile read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D4413HEBHS0Y?ASIN=0316055441	A Masterpiece of Writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extraordinary book. One of the best books I've ever read. Extremely well written. Totally compelling. Have recommended it serious readers and writers.<br/>The story is riveting; the writing magnificent, a seminal work by a supremely gifted author. It gets a true WOW from me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA22FRZN7DJ60?ASIN=0316055441	Super Intense! A truly amazing read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book just consumed my life for two weeks, I could not put it down. An extremely phenomenal read. An intense journey about life, death, love, drugs, art, grieving...  Untangling a maze of emotions and epic life events. Bravo to the author for a complex and thrilling read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VB59X0QGDIQ5?ASIN=0316055441	5 stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A masterpiece like ""The Goldfinch"" comes along every now and then. The New York Times review states that the author is compared to Dickens, and the characters of Theo is like Oliver and Boris is like the Artful Dodger. The story has a powerful message of life, death, and art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22YQR4DA2G37C?ASIN=0316055441	I particularly enjoyed the Book Club edition as a follow up to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was quite a journey.  The people the places were  very interesting. I particularly enjoyed the Book Club edition as a follow up to the book it helped clarify so.much that I hurriedly read while trying to find out what happened next.  I will read this again in parts.  Enjoy</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MCM6ZMPFCBQM?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt's literary writing skill is very good as evidenced by her being awarded the Pulitzer Prize ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is detailed and keeps the reader engaged. Donna Tartt's literary writing skill is very good as evidenced by her being awarded the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Personally, I do not like the ending and do not appreciate the fact that she glorified the character, Boris.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21VGZIKEDJEK7?ASIN=0316055441	A twisted way to adulthood.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very long novel with many twists and turns. It makes one stop to think about what happens to the children when they have lost a parent or parent(s) in a tragic way. How many get lost in the system, or worse yet how many are lost and must find their way on their own.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIE1WPJD2MH3U?ASIN=0316055441	I read it on a Kindle then bought the hardcover just so I could be reminded of how great it was whenever I glimpse at it on my .	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Everything I wanted to say about this book was said by Steven King. Absolutely outstanding. A book that will stay with me for a long time. I read it on a Kindle then bought the hardcover just so I could be reminded of how great it was whenever I glimpse at it on my bookshelf.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7HCWUC0NP22W?ASIN=0316055441	Doona at her best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think this is the best of the author's three books. Despite the length, (sections could have been subjected to surgery without the loss of any vital organs) I was rivetted throughout. The author has a unique way with words and never a cliche in sight. A very enjoyable read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMJORIJH9TV7R?ASIN=0316055441	This book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Will I likely ever read this again in entirety? Nope. Was I annoyed at its length at times? Yes. Is Donna Tartt one of the most fantastic writers ever? Absolutely. The pictures she creates are impeccable and the small but giant questions she raises are fascinating. Well done.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R91RAC95Z4M38?ASIN=0316055441	Highly Recommended	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this book on a whim simply because I needed new reading material for the summer, and I'm so glad that I did! Although it may look bulky and wordy, Donna tartt somehow managed to keep me hooked and interested throughout the novel. Highly recommend this book to anyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WFBBE32KZSEY?ASIN=0316055441	Love the richly detailed discription of the psychology of addiction ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this book down. Did not want it to end, although I mean to say I did not want the story to end. The ending narritive did drag a bit. Love the richly detailed discription of the psychology of addiction as it plays out in these times. Not for everyone of course.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IKULB6TFB13F?ASIN=0316055441	A great read!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very good book, but you have to stick with it until the end, which is excellent.  At times, while reading the novel, I wished it would move more quickly, but as I finished the book, I discovered that the author really knew what she was doing!  I am so glad I read this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ONLXYLLZG0K1?ASIN=0316055441	A great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing was wonderful in this book that made one think so deeply about what life is all about.  It makes one think that their problems are minimal compared to Theo's.  I do think the book could have been a couple hundred pages shorter.  Other than that it is a great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SSS2HZ4J0S0O?ASIN=0316055441	Life changing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. My mother and I are always sharing books and this one takes the cake. It was emotional, beautiful, and Donna is one incredible author. I would recommend this to anyone who doesn't mind reading 775 pages. It was so worth my time. Life changing, eye opening.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PZQN8ZH47OEW?ASIN=0316055441	A masterpiece. The character development, the complex thoughts ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A masterpiece.  The character development, the complex thoughts that Theo has as he goes through life that the reader can understand and imagine, even if their life has nothing in common with him.  The larger lessons about life that come through in the end...Instant classic!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDUV3B1QL2218?ASIN=0316055441	Don't bother	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting up to a point and then I got disgusted and quit reading.  Maybe It was just too long, maybe I was just mad at the direction the book was taking.  Anyway, I really wanted to like it and kept trying....I gave it to my daughter, who, in turn, did not like it either!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OH5F9ST7VSP1?ASIN=0316055441	I really enjoyed the beginning of this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the beginning of this book, it hooked me right away. I do tend to agree with the other reviews that stated that it could have been broken down into separate stories, and the ending dragged on way too long for my taste. I did, however, still enjoy this novel.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R559YNZDNBQ2J?ASIN=0316055441	An incredible yarn!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch is an incredible yarn!  I was gasping for breath at one point!<br/><br/>This novel is very intelligent and asks a lot of life's big questions.  The finale is a bit labored and didactic, but I won't hold it against the author.<br/><br/>Reserve time for this one!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17ILU8FRFHJOD?ASIN=0316055441	alcoholism and too many negative thoughts to make it memorable in a good way. I struggled past those issues to finish ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I purchased the book because of the author's past publications.  However, this particular story had too much drug use, alcoholism and too many negative thoughts to make it memorable in a good way.  I struggled past those issues to finish the book but it was truly a struggle.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS20TW95RF83H?ASIN=0316055441	Last few chapters made this book sing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I had difficulty connecting with the lead character, I have never read a book where the final chapter was so deliciously savoured.  Picking up all the threads of the preceding chapters and so skillfully weaving them into a beautiful and thought-provoking conclusion.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R324LCIS2MPF2J?ASIN=0316055441	I disliked the book but could not drop it until I ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">THE GOLFINCH is probably the most graphic depiction of drug addiction ever. I disliked the book but could not  drop it until I had read it all. I wanted the boys rescued. There is an abundance of essay and reasoning that might account for the  book's survival, too.  V. Evans</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9YSG1KI94GU9?ASIN=0316055441	Perfection	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a lot of friends recommend this book, and the only disappointing part was that it ended. I was so invested in the story and all the characters it was heartbreaking, humorous, thought provoking, but above all else truly made you think about life and the fragility of it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23JK427M13RM4?ASIN=0316055441	A deeply moving, excellently written novel that is truly ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A deeply moving, excellently written novel that is truly hard to put down. Readers feel for the narrator and his life challenges.  The descriptions of his feelings are expressed so well, that it is hard to think that the writer hasn't experienced similar events. A must read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29ARLH1XXZ6N9?ASIN=0316055441	an amazing story cannot wait to discuss it with book club ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">an amazing story cannot wait to discuss it with book club<br/>such insight by this author.so many great story lines..the bombing at the museum, his relationship with boris and andy and kitsy and hobie and pippa<br/>omg so much character development which makes a book great</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MW49EJH8WCUU?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely well written. Each time I cam to the end of a paragraph I had to keep reading. A little to heavy on the drug scene for my taste, how ever the storyline was compelling enough for me to keep reading. I will look into other of this authors writings to consider buying.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROT8M5YD5UFFB?ASIN=0316055441	Art for art's sake	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A well written and interesting book.  I didn't particularly like it more for philosophical reasons than for anything wrong with the book.  I find it difficult to respond well to main characters who act stupidly and the premise that art absolves bad behavior is sort of trite.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FM64DEXRQ65P?ASIN=0316055441	All for a Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you read this book, you will be disgusted at the end to think you have wasted all that time (766 pages) on a book that is a mystery as to how it won the Pulitzer Prize.  All I can say is that it took this author a really long time to say so little.  Seemed good at first but I certainly got hung up with the incorrect timing of technological items.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CQOTEXEFJGJ6?ASIN=0316055441	Could have been a third as long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know it's a best seller but way too long for a very ""finding yourself "" book. It almost seemed as the author wanted to prove that they were a the places they were describing by going on and on saying the same thing in different ways.  It was torture at points of the book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36YPME7622SPD?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Puzzled as to why this book won the Pulitzer. Pages and pages of unnecessary useless details that have no value and add nothing to the story. This book could have been 300 pages shorter. The story itself is not that great either. I regret the time I spent reading this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8QIUX8BO61Z9?ASIN=0316055441	Adventure and philosophy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent and exciting plot with many opportunities to join the author in speculating on the nature of life, fate, choices, relationships, and love. I felt included in both the adventure and the sermon-esque diatribes, never absent from the author's shrewd consideration.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6SBVWHNMSTLX?ASIN=0316055441	Do not hesitate to read this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a good story well told. Actually, it's an extraordinarily good story told perfectly, or almost so. It is incredibly well written, and is engaging from the very start, and remains so throughout the book - all 700+ pages of it. It is one of the best books I've ever read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGMOF2YX5ZOA1?ASIN=0316055441	A wild Ride thru life!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book keeps your interest, but seems like there is so much mention of drugs and booze that it is like a 21 or 22 yr. old man wrote it after a wild year.  It does show how a secret in your life can change your whole life, and then u find out it wasn't a secret after all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NB79R5FZNI5Z?ASIN=0316055441	an amazing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was intrigued by the fact that this book won such a prestigous award, so I read the sample and was hooked by the story and the amazing way it was written. Usually I don't read books of this length, but this one is an exception. Read the sample and youll be hooked as well.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SL7TADJBNE1V?ASIN=0316055441	lovely	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the book. It has being a while since I had't laugh while reading a book. The story is great, I laugh, I got stressed, but I also enjoyed every part. I am not a fan of long descriptions, but the way the author describes places, things, etc it's awesome! Lov it!!!!!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JJJSWLPZ7JE4?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best reads I've had in a while .. enough to restore my faith in the transportive powers of fiction. This novel took me on a rollicking ride through disaster, loss, grief, addiction, redemption. Never predictable, consistently riveting. Highly recommend this book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKIK3XPKU3PVR?ASIN=0316055441	Great until the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This would have gotten 5 stars, but the end was such a let down. The story and characters were so rich, and it just got to a part where it jumped the shark and then couldn't come back up for enough air. However, I would still recommend it. And would read it again, actually.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32FR32ATAP01H?ASIN=0316055441	I absolutely loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I absolutely loved this book! I did not realize that it happened to be 700+ pages, but I completely enjoyed following the life and story of Theo.<br/><br/>I think this was so well written and so creative. This is definitely a book I will keep and return to read over time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RH6XQ5B7N7CB?ASIN=0316055441	It would have been much better if the length were cut by 200 pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the story compelling, both the personal adventure, struggles, relationaships, and internal evaluations.  However, the details often were overdone, and description of many events too wordy and long.  It would have been much better if the length were cut by 200 pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RODVDCUH2CODV?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed every minute of this novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed every minute of this novel. It is quite long but worth it. The descriptions of the city's are so bright and dark that the author really draws you into all the worlds that Theo inhabits. Its heart breaking and lovely and it also makes you think. I highly recommend!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROD19TPBKTDG6?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books ever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book! I've read her two other books, and while I loved A Secret HIstory, I didn't quite enjoy A LIttle Friend as much. This, however, is her best yet! I highly recommend this. I couldn't put it down, and it was so intelligently written. I was sad when it ended!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YE0BAHHQOOP2?ASIN=0316055441	good book, not my preference though	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the story, however this author writes in a very wordy style.  I felt the story got bogged down in all the descriptive writing.  I prefer a faster pace for the action.  I do commend the author on development of the characters and a really good overall plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R230Y4O6ZI9OXP?ASIN=0316055441	A worthwhile read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent story.  The characters are vivid, the plot is compelling and the moral of the story is predictable, even though it comes as a surprise.  One can only wonder how Tartt can so well understand the mind and motivation of a boy and his rites of passage into adulthood.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MXAPFAG2FW35?ASIN=0316055441	Susan	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I give this book 3 stars. I loved the story line but was disappointed with the amount of time the writer took to get a simple point across.  Less is more.<br/>An excellent novel that grabbed my curiosity then made me turn pages and pages of descriptions to make one point.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C2I1ZB4RVFUR?ASIN=0316055441	A rough read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this book based on Jill Biden's suggestion on a news clip.  If you enjoy a likely accurate, paranoid description of what it's like to be a drug addict, this is the book for you.  The saving grace is some beautiful prose about the meaning of life in the final pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DPLI45RSSIIQ?ASIN=0316055441	This book deserves a read. It's exceptional	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful. Lyrical, poignant and beautifully told. I don't know how she captured the voice of a young man, but she nailed it. It's told perfectly. She doesn't dwell on the tragedies in his life in an over dramatic way, yet she captures his marks of pain. Great, great book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U1UHXD7926E8?ASIN=0316055441	SUPERBLY WRITTEN THE CHARACYERS VIVD AND BELIEVABLE CHILLING VIEW OF ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">SUPERBLY WRITTEN  THE CHARACYERS VIVD AND BELIEVABLE  CHILLING VIEW OF THE DRUG LIFE  FASCINATING VIEWS OF ART WORLD  DYNAMIC OICTURE OF CLASSIC FURNITURE.  IT WAS NOT WHAT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE WHEN  I ORDERED IT BUT WELL WORTH THE  READ  IT ENTERTAINED BUT IT ALSO TAUGHT</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YGSLWOIV6I00?ASIN=0316055441	If you want to read a book where the words roll through your mind and you want to read a line again just because you like the so	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you want a fast page, short-on-prose thriller, this book is not for you.  If you want to read a book where the words roll through your mind and you want to read a line again just because you like the sound of it....then grab it, relax and enjoy.  It is an amazing book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MS89NAV1JXME?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Members of my book club were torn as to whether or not this novel drug in spots.  It's 700+ pages mean that the reader has to be ready to dedicate some time and effort to read and truly appreciate all that Tartt is saying.  Personally, I enjoyed every minute of the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OY0TZZITYAGK?ASIN=0316055441	the worst book I have read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cannot believe this drivel won a Pulitzer. The characters are stick figures the dialogue is largely pointless and the situations feel false and stilted. I painfully skimmed the last several hundred (felt like a thousand ) pages. Do not waste time or money on this trash.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JU6TQVYIVFHQ?ASIN=0316055441	Well deserved praise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unlike many of the preceding reviews, I found this book fascinating through all 700+ pages, never got bored and revelled in Ms Tartt's magnificent writing and the remarkable path that the hero, Theo follows to reach maturity and become a whole person.  One of a kind book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EP36Q2CAICM3?ASIN=0316055441	Don't let he goldfinch fly away	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just one of the most interesting, intriguing, kept your attention, for the most part'books I've read in a long time.  Quirky characters were  complex and interesting.  And also there was quite a bit of humor to my liking.  Really enjoyed this book. Definite recommendation</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NDFEUQAE997V?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth it for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful use of language masterfully unfolds the story of a young man who wastes his life in angst,  drug abuse, self-pity,  and using others.  I didn't enjoy it and finished it only because it won the Pulitzer. I won't do that again.  But if you are into depressing novels,  this is the one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE5TQ6HRQKIV7?ASIN=0316055441	Really liked this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really liked this book..  It showed a very different perspective on life from the main character than any I've ever experienced, and was beautifully written so that you could almost feel what he was feeling.. A bit slow in the middle but well worth reading to the ending:)</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WX09OFLEJ92A?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful writing but really began to drag about half way ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out very strong, beautiful writing but really began to drag about half way through and I just wanted it to end by the last 200 pgs.  Certainly not a good choice if you're depressed or looking for something upbeat but well written over all - too long in my opinion.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MWZVSIKXG6J5?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I picked this out because the reviews were so positive.  I liked it-- didn't love it.  The story was very good and the characters were quite interesting.  I felt like parts of it were just too drawn out and the author could have done just as good a job with 50 less pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ALBFGAEE2B3V?ASIN=0316055441	What?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ok, so the author knows about art. The reviews were excellent on this book. I will never use that criteria again as I choose a book to read. It saddens me to think of the many hours I wasted reading all those pages- believed it would be worthwhile in the end. I was wrong!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BVO8TC45NVFT?ASIN=0316055441	A little painting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story kept me on its roller coaster ride until we came to a complete stop...what is reality - what is a dream - life and death all rolled into something.  Even as i have read the last word of this book - the story continues.  I highly recommend this book to everyone.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37U1VCSMAXVHX?ASIN=0316055441	Sorry....did not like.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am a person who must finish any book I start. Needless to say this was a boring start, an okay middle and a painful ending for the reader. I do not understand why this book was so popular. What am I missing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P56QQ549THZR?ASIN=0316055441	An Absorbing Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A friend gave this to me at a busy time when I thought it would take me a while to read the book. Not so! I finished it much more quickly than I had anticipated and very much enjoyed it. I found the characters flawed yet sympathetic and the plot anything but predictable.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O0BNF8TFWOR6?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have ever read in my life. The Secret History blew me away, but even after all the years in between the two releases. Donna Tartt wrote another fascinating, thrilling, heart wrenching novel. Her style of writing gets under my skin in the best way.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34VKZLVZXJUNE?ASIN=0316055441	I loved how the author ended the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book will remain one of my favorites even though I got kind of lost in the middle.  I loved how the author ended the story.  I though the characters rang true to life.  I would recommend this to any sophisticated reader who likes a lot of dialogue and little action.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U3ZOTKZQ89DN?ASIN=0316055441	wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't read much fiction these days but this book was luscious and deep. I found myself highlighting sumptuous passages to go back and re read. Las a New Yorker, it was a very familiar scene yet such a different book.  I look forward to reading another Donna Tartt book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B2K3H0AU0R3F?ASIN=0316055441	Worth Reading!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book kept me interested throughout, and Donna Tartt has done her research well in every capacity. I don't want to write much more and give away the story. Inaccurate details ruin novels for people like me! This book, so accurate and well written, pulled me right in.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MD9J8PCTV2QD?ASIN=0316055441	Something Different	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting book and different from what I normally read. I didn't know exactly what it was about when I picked it up. A bit somber and I liked how Tartt Incorporated art and the painting into the story. It was a long read yet at the same time, I couldn't put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DU8WLCBSA7B5?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long, boring.  Author could have summed in up in half the time.  More than I wanted to know about antique restoration....and the lengthy descriptions of Theo's drug stupors added nothing to the story and were distasteful.  Aside from that I thought the author wrote well.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NG85BLC96HON?ASIN=0316055441	Roller Coaster adventure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">one of the best books I've ever read.. like a roller coaster ride  always winding climbing and plunging then starting the action all over again many times from cover to cover....compelled to read her other books now...  if you want a relaxing read don't pick this one up!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M624FQT21EGT?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I might be being kind to say OK, it was not an enjoyable read.  Hard to believe it won the Pulitzer Prize!  WAY too long, and overwritten.  Book club selection and my feelings were pretty much mirrored by the other members.  Glad I can say I read it, but that's about it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX33J7MPI9QNN?ASIN=0316055441	A great book: genius in fact	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great book: genius in fact. A gritty story, really a saga of sorts, written like literature. It keeps moving forward with insight into human nature, even at its base level. The characters are well-drawn, the visual images are brilliant, and the whole book is wonderful.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y30TB6GEGSJN?ASIN=0316055441	a new skill.......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reading this novel taught me the art of skimming.  I began grazing over an occasional paragraph in the early chapters of the novel.  By the end I was adept at skipping 10-20 pages repeatedly &amp; regularly.  Pulitzer material?  If so tiz way beyond my level of literary appreciation.....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTPL0267EM6QL?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch: A Novel I thought it was an ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch: A Novel<br/><br/>  I thought it was an interesting read.  I think it could have been shortened without  losing any of the story.  It did make a statement about the satisfaction to be found in a life that was had an unusual childhood.<br/><br/>  Scooter</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVWX511EY46FB?ASIN=0316055441	A literary masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an amazing story teller and a master if the English language<br/>The story is riveting and as one gets into the book it is hard to put it down<br/>A must read for someone who loves reading and appreciates good writing and is not looking for a short story</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YP1EC6GQZMBJ?ASIN=0316055441	A wondrous, bittersweet journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a great and profound adventure through the eyes of our anti-hero Theo Decker, an modern-day orphan who is set adrift after his mother is killed in a terrorist act (one on which he survives). This book is over 750 pages long and I didn't want to put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32YBNXB40MAXA?ASIN=0316055441	Completely absorbing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Completely absorbing! Drew me into a world of love, beauty, despair, and self destruction. The voice of Theo was so believable  I felt as if I was really in his head seeing things from his view even though they couldn't be farther from any life experience I've ever had.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD13O1P6ZDSTL?ASIN=0316055441	From sedate antique shop to outragious Russian Mad Max	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you ever had the privilege to work in Manhattan, you'll love the special mention of places most loved. A 10 minute stop at the Met to cleanse the soul. And then an explosion that leaves all in tatters. Diverse though like-minded they find &amp; sometimes save each other.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20G3GGE79Q7VZ?ASIN=0316055441	An excellent commentary on life, fate, beauty, and art, and how they are intertwined.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this book because of the beauty of the author's descriptive prose, her use of similes and rich character development. The story drew you in, and the philosophical nature and extensive vocabulary expressed and used by the author was inspirational and interesting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30TI8PRAX4JJX?ASIN=0316055441	Great author, exhausting read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tart is capable of putting the reader right in the middle of the action with her descriptions of the what the characters are feeling.  Unfortunately as the main character suffered, I did too and I got weary of it.  There was no coming into the light or up for air.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22FQDRUFWC0RC?ASIN=0316055441	This book has gotten such excellent reviews and so I decided to try it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has gotten such excellent reviews and so I decided to try it.  I stuck with it and finished it but I do not understand what all of the fuss is about.  I did not like the book nor the characters and I have not recommended it to anyone who has asked me about it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CSQ6TKTN9F6J?ASIN=0316055441	I loved it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had so much going on, I was separated from my mother at an early age so Naturally I had a similar reaction as the main character in the book.  The author took you along on so many adventures, some of them nail biting.  I couldn't put the book down. I loved it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6X91UZS6YPN?ASIN=0316055441	Unfortunately I won't recommend the book to anyone because of the bad language ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An incredible story! Unfortunately I won't recommend the book to anyone because of the bad language woven throughout. I was offended on a large scale and nearly didn't finish the book. Because I'm a finisher, though, I slogged through the ""m""uck and finished it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4MPZ63R7TYHE?ASIN=0316055441	This book was tedious for me and I didn't care for the characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was tedious for me and I didn't care for the characters.  At the end, the main character becomes very introspective which was too little too late. I will say parts were very interesting and hard to put down and there is some deeper meaning to life in the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GDB9Z2KBNXZ9?ASIN=0316055441	Long, interesting read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am not a fan of protagonists I don't really like. I mean, if you intend to get yourself drunk, who is so dumb as to do it from a hotel mini-bar? (Read the book. You'll get it). But then, that's just me and my prejudices.  Donna writes crazy good, and it's a good yarn.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z23C0E96COH3?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a new classic.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a phenomenal novel that should become a contemporary American classic. The detailed descriptive passages enhance the book, but don't make it a quick and easy summer read.  However, I'll never forget the time I've spent with these magnificent characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRMM8YSHZYSBO?ASIN=0316055441	MUST MUST MUST read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is one of the most well written books I have read in my life.  I didn't want it to end.  The section in Vegas painted the situation so vividly I reread it after finishing the book.  I read the last 20 pages 3 times in a row.  Truly one of the top 5 books ever.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R9WLX3XHBGUM?ASIN=0316055441	The best books combine a great story line with wonderful prose ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a coming of age story eloquently written. The sorry line is gripping as the reader follows an orphaned teen boy with a dilemma about a famous painting he confiscated . The best books combine a great story line with wonderful prose and this is one of them!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QUGMNM3GMG4H?ASIN=0316055441	Not an easy read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">\I had a very difficult time getting through the Goldfinch.  So many of the happenings were lost in the many, many flashbacks.  Way too long in getting to the real meaning of the main character's outlooks on life -- not sure if I ever figured it out!  Not an easy read..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ICB8Q36N8Z1D?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of Time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Took forever to get into it - kept going back &amp; forth whether it was interesting or not - Over 700 pages - way too long, could've been 400 pages.  She went into too much detail.  Couldn't wait to finish it &amp; then didn't like the ending.  Wouldn't recommend it to anyone!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OJ013BYQJYHN?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrible. Verbosity to the extreme.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSJPBWS9OVF04?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very detailed but excellent reading</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIBE86EVTXHPS?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this an uncomfortable read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UGKEHXWJVDP0?ASIN=0316055441	Can't recommend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Many fine moments, but -- can't improve on Samuel Johnson's note on ""Paradise Lost"": 'no one wished it longer.'  This book is way too long and prolix; easily 70% should be cut.  Tho that wouldn't improve it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVLZU2RMG7ZXE?ASIN=0316055441	This was full of twists and turns. Could not ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was full of twists and turns.  Could not put it down.  However, in spots it was too wordy, the author kept repeating when the characters had already acknowledged their own problems.  Some of this did not need to be said three times.  Over all - an excelllent book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VB6H1KQYPXWL?ASIN=0316055441	A well written page turner well worth the 2014 Pulitzer ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A well written page turner well worth the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for literature. The characters are well drawn and elicit sympathy for all their strengths and weaknesses.  Wonder how many would have even heard of the painting had it not been the vehicle for the storyline.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z866G07LO1I7?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book just rambles on from the mind of a drug addicted man struggling to understand life after loss. While the author portrays amazing scenes and complicated characters, I feel like she could've cut about 200 pages of adjectives out and had just as good of a story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CPP1BHKA564O?ASIN=0316055441	unrelentingly sad and philosophical bordering on preachy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Saw it through to the end, skipping many pages of philosophizing and pontification, but didn't enjoy it. Couldn't wait for it to be over in fact. Found almost nothing endearing about this book other than the writing itself. But the story? Just one horror after another.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HIPWE6YI2TCO?ASIN=0316055441	I don't think I liked it very well	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Realizing the importance of this book I really looked forward to reading it.  But, I don't think I liked it very well.  The lifestyle lived by the main characters was a waste and the book seemed to ramble.  Based on these feelings, I had a hard time finishing the book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DN742IFKENE3?ASIN=0316055441	This novel is obsessively readable from the first page to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is obsessively readable from the first page to the last. I could not put it down and could not wait to find out the ending. However,when the end finally came, I would have gladly read on for another 200 pages. This deserves all the accolades it has received.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38Y5P31CX0K06?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a hard time staying with this book. It was too long and just too many subplots. I kept  wanting to just get to the end and see what happened with the painting. I would not recommend this book to anybody. It's too much of an investment of time for leisure reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XZDOL946O5KO?ASIN=0316055441	This is an interesting book. I figured out how ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an interesting book.  I figured out how it would end several times only to find out that the plot line changed.  It kept my interest until the very end and had many different stages of interest for me.  I am now interested in reading other works of Donna Tartt.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EWT0XD0RFJWV?ASIN=0316055441	Great great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful story that makes you pull into yourself and claim what you're making of your life or what you made of your life choices.  Can't hide here.  Destiny more or less awaits each of us...but we can choose to make better decisions and choices.  We own our own story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P3T5B9PT0RQH?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't identify with this character. His self indulgent behaviors,  terrible choices and pain. Very dark. Even with a somewhat silver lining, it doesn't seem to end happily. Very descriptive writing, almost paints a picture, but not positive nor uplifting. Depressing!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PZ53L3L17MCW?ASIN=0316055441	I continued to read in hopes that there might be a twist but the last 50 or so pages were monotonous and boring. I was sad that	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was rich and interesting until about half way through and then the plot lost momentum. I continued to read in hopes that there might be a twist but the last 50 or so pages were monotonous and boring. I was sad that a great story ended on a disappointing note.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CIHEBS89QPWB?ASIN=0316055441	Good informative Read !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very interesting &amp; informative book.  It reads well for non fiction.....more like a story.  Learned much about health care in Cuba (esp interesting )<br/><br/>And other countries,  Nice to see some attitudes change in treating diseases in other countries ,</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS99JZSEUFPQ9?ASIN=0316055441	Way too much drug use	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Descriptions of the book fail to mention all of the drug and alcohol abuse of minors that occurs in the book. I probably wouldn't have read it if I would have known how many scenes centered around drug use. Good story just too much drug use which was very distracting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23WSSG56W29GF?ASIN=0316055441	Mediocre at best!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">how on earth did this novel win a Pulitzer Prize?  This book is so full of run on sentences that I found myself scanning most of it enormity.  Interesting characters in an unbelievable plot. glad that this was a free offer on bookbub.com and I didn't spend money on it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZG4HGY2U9TC9?ASIN=0316055441	The Gold Finch Crushes Greatness With Tedium, Minutia	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I musts disagree with the the previous review's declaration that readers would be ""bereft""  at this book's end  Though the first chapters are completely engaging, the characters so well developed I feel I could pick them out of a lineup or recognize their voices in a room down the hall, and the dialogue so true-to-life it reads like a transcript, the writer includes so much exhaustive detail--every eye blink, every tissue that blows down the street, every stream of consciousness utterance from every character--that two thirds of the way through the book, I was exhausted and far more interested in when the novel would end than how it would end. As the minutia continued I grew increasingly irritated at the pace--not to mention the innumerable episodes of consequent-free drug use, that I began to skim pages, then gloss over entire paragraphs, and, at the end forego entire pages, just to get to the freaking ending! Tart is inargueably an enormous talent, but her editor was clearly so dazzled by her skill, she or he lacked the fortitude to say, ""You need to cut this paragraph page, section."" Tart writes with great authencity on drug use. Frankly, the conclusion is so windily philosophical,so laden with circular thinking and navel gazing, it seemed the writer herself might be under the influence of one of the  substances she writes about. Unless you have a prolonged illness that will keep you bedridden with no chance of other amusement, choose another read. At this book's end far from bereft, I exclaimed ""Finally!"" and felt nothing but relief.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XB7C5P4CFZVU?ASIN=0316055441	Wanted to love it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading so many reviews I really wanted to love this book but just did not.  I actually started reading and dropped it for other books 3 times before finally reading the whole thing.  I found it too full of unnecessary ramblings and it did not hold my attention.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C8UN89O9OZCK?ASIN=0316055441	Not as good as expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After seeing that The Goldfinch won a Pulitzer, I had high expectations. The book is long and windy without a clear message or moral behind it. Despite its length, I would recommend it as a good summer read, perfect for relaxing and taking one's mind off other things.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24HMOQEN4N23M?ASIN=0316055441	Way too many pages for the satisfaction delivered.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first section, with the young boy's loss of his mother and acquisition of the painting, was engrossing. The rest, not so much. The prose flows but that is about the only thing that does. It is what kept me going, long after I stopped caring about the characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QL9O1X6CZ3CS?ASIN=0316055441	Well written but depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had to finally skim the last few  pages of rambling. Although the description is very well done, most of what is described is so very depressing...such  loss is one thing but all the lying &amp; self abuse is just too much for  me.  Sorry, but I wouldn't recommend  it .</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13VR0RMQY2VBK?ASIN=0316055441	I HATED for this book to end!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I'm not a very discriminate reader, take my word (and that of all the other reviewers) that this is a book you don't want to miss.  The ""coming of age"" story is full of humor, sadness and adventure.  The moral lessons are subtle but certainly present.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVL8E2G2A91CK?ASIN=0316055441	Could not put it down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At times riveting; at times boring, but I could not put it down.  Written from the perspective of an adolescent boy who undergoes a terrible traumatic event that haunts him forever.  The reader learns much about the art world through this book of fiction.  I liked it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NAWU8HWJ4FXR?ASIN=0316055441	Why only 4 stars?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written.  Who am I do give only 4 stars to a Pulitzer Prize winner???  I felt it went on too long, 700+ pages is a bit much.  I disliked the ending which turned into something of a lecture.  Otherwise, I have nothing but high praise and indeed recommend it</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRFRJTPLC92NB?ASIN=0316055441	Deliciously depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book because it was different...there is no ""happy ending/life is a bowl of peaches"" tone in this read. It starts depressing and ends depressing, but in between, the story is a twisted tale of how utterly unfair life is. It dragged a bit in a few spots.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PU11ILTMQZCZ?ASIN=0316055441	Saved by the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Parts were written brilliantly, but in many places I skimmed. The end was endless, a meandering monologue that could have been deleted in the final rewrite. If I hadn't been so thoroughly engaged in the storyline up to that point, it would have ruined the book for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NN1NVQTBIHCE?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I have read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The type of book that grabs you and won't let you go. I loved it, but love is what it is all about!  It was tender at times and shockingly vulgar and in your face at others, much like life is actually. Also well so well read! I am recommending this to all my friends.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6P4KM4YM4UMA?ASIN=0316055441	I'm a speed reader but this still takes a looong ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm a speed reader but this still takes a looong time to read. The book, to me, is very discouraging in parts, tempts credulity in others, but all-in-all is a masterful study in human triumphs and failures. Very well-written, which keeps one hooked on the story line.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MXD56VKS8YI?ASIN=0316055441	Well-written, engaging, with much to ponder, especially ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well-written, engaging, with much to ponder, especially toward the end, I'm seriously thinking of re-reading it to see what the author might have done instead of ending it the way she did - a trifle too talky considering the main character. Nevertheless, fascinating!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32GY4QWAWVR7O?ASIN=0316055441	Very well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is complicated; this book will get you thinking; my kind of book! Heard many people did not like it but I decide for myself what I'm going to read and this one grabbed me for the beginning. I don't think it had to be this long however. Read it for yourself!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V9WKFZK3PZ9N?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Spectacularly written and the stories plot keeps rolling and getting deeper into the characters before exploding into a disaster for the protagonist that you somewhat expected but are still stunned by. It is really a story of redemption for a life gone horribly awry.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28L0BJ9ES2UVS?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a great story, with lots of twists and turns but it was too long and too wordy.  I kept with it because it was a good story and you really wanted to see what would happen next, but I was very disappointed in the ending.  Could have been great, but just wasn't.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUFVM94V3YLFO?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the book is too long.  You can easily put it down.  I liked the very beginning, but there were too many coincidental plots and too many words.  sometimes you seemed to be reading the same sentence over and over again.  I thought the main plot got weaker near the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZEURKVYXW5LK?ASIN=0316055441	Born to be wild!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Here is a book you just can't put down. Tartt has written a brilliant piece of fiction with some awesome characters who are so real and so vulnerable. As we watch Theo grow up your heart just goes out to him and the vhallenges he faces along with some of his friends.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14WWLPTWTY45Q?ASIN=0316055441	While this book was interesting and well written, the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While this book was interesting and well written, the story could of been told within the first 400 pages.  I found most of it to lag, and drag.  Making me loose intereset throughout the story, finished but found myself wanting to switch to something else many times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VFDNTNPABS6Z?ASIN=0316055441	Museum Heist, Impulsive Theft	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Complicated. Switches gears a lot. I was surprised by the book's intricate plotting but others I know weren't. Nice portrait of an unlikely friendship and agonized betrayal. I think the novel covers its tracks well. Clearly defined characters. Pulitzer Prize Winner.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RISDAA56ZF69Q?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch fell flat for me...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'd say I was engaged and interested for the first 1/2 of this book.  It really dragged by the last quarter of the book...lots of philosophizing by the author, esp. obsessing over the painting that the main character stole.  It all just felt a little lame by then...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EYWJDV6APSNC?ASIN=0316055441	very engaging book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book and loved the characters and their flawed, very human frailties. It was ultimately a story of hope and resilience and I wanted Theo to survive and find happiness. I was completely engrossed in this novel and will read more of Tartt's work!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZEPARP6Q7YQO?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a hard book to review, first it is a very long book with many parts basically the  same many parts you can skip and not miss anything second I really liked parts of it and third I was so happy to finish it. I would only recommend it to very detailed readers.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q3WBKHXKKTAV?ASIN=0316055441	... patronising round up chapter to end it that seems like it comes out of nowhere rather than from the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappointing unlike previous Donna Tartt - the writing is repetitive and unengaging with a patronising round up chapter to end it that seems like it comes out of nowhere rather than from the lead character - however I did read it to the end - the plot is intriguing</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUS5MR7GH8VHU?ASIN=0316055441	A great fiction!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it. A very well written fiction. Usually, when you read a long book like this, there are pauses at some point. Some parts of stories in the book slow you down... but with this book, I didn't want to put it down even when I had to go to bed. I enjoyed it a lot.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T67DUFH50PIX?ASIN=0316055441	This is a book with stunningly wonderful prose. The plot is complicated and at times ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book with stunningly wonderful prose.  The plot is complicated and at times tedious.  My Book Club had a great conversation about it. It is a popular book now so each reader must decide for themselves.  It was not my favorite but I admire the writer a lot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ARDZ0CC5SMOV?ASIN=0316055441	An excellent story based on the Goldfinch painting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent story based on the Goldfinch painting.  However, the extended pages about the drug orgies were a bit too<br/>much.  A few would have given the picture and allowed us to move on to the conclusion.  I found myself ""skimming""<br/>to get finished.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X2UBURFAHSGV?ASIN=0316055441	Memorable novel!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put this novel down...never expected many of the twists and turns. ..often thought the end was near but was surprised by another ""avenue"" to peruse. Thank you Donna Tartt for a great read...""Five Smooth Stones"" used to be my favorite novel!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24X03UBT69GRN?ASIN=0316055441	awesome, simply awesome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't know if I read the book or watched it just like the artwork it describes. The writing really brings the images to the forefront of the mind. The vividness of the prose is pure magic. I absolutely recommend it. Thank you for the brilliance of putting it out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16QI5F85O1DZB?ASIN=0316055441	An investment.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A labor of love to read; what a labor of love it must have been to write. Now that I have gone through it once, sometimes running and sometimes treading slowly and carefully, I must go back to the beginning not just for plot review, but to savor the turns of prose.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4PGHF8CV3KOK?ASIN=0316055441	and a really good story, but just too many pages devoted to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A well written book, and  a really good story, but just too many pages devoted to various forms of hard drugs and what they do to your body &amp; brain.  Enough is enough after all!  This is the first Donna Tarti book I've read.  Would I choose her again? Probably not.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK12ACITF54PK?ASIN=0316055441	... ingredients to weave a story with desctiptive passages so beautifully exaxt that I could taste it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The stolen painting pf a little ggoldfinch by a small boy created by Tartt is a startling work filled with all the necessary ingredients to weave a story with desctiptive passages so beautifully exaxt that I could taste it. This can only be done by a gifted wriyer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EU506WPC2BKQ?ASIN=0316055441	wordy but great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A 775 page novel of overly described characters and places which captivate the imagination and reality. A good and long read which incorporates art, grief and loneliness into lasting friendships and love of beauty.  You should read this with an open mind and heart.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZQDOO4OP4FLM?ASIN=0316055441	What's not to like?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A sweet 13 year old boy is cast adrift by catastrophic events and becomes self-destructive, jaded and deceitful.  He clings to the one thing that connects him to his past, makes him feel alive, yet engulfs him in shame and guilt.  How can something positive result?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF326FGYGXZCR?ASIN=0316055441	Great characters!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I enjoyed this book, it was too wordy and she could have shorten it! There are times when you are saying ok, ok get on with it! The character were so good, very vivid, you felt for them! Loved the beginning, the end and some of the middle. It was too long!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMM8YQW0QBUMB?ASIN=0316055441	i thoroughly enjoyed reading this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Ironically I expected a slower read merely because it had won a Pulitzer! I found the characters well developed and the story told with clarity and poignancy. You can read this book on a plane, on the beach or for book club.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29XTR9MCTRZPA?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't quite finish it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book starts off strong and then I can't explain why it just stalls out.  Maybe it's too long with too much detai about every little thing.  At some points I got fed up and started speed reading and wouldn't encounter anything interesting for fifty pages or so.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK0L7HZ96G2QS?ASIN=0316055441	Ultimately disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unusual to have lead character that is so unlikeable. Each section had it's merits but the sum seemed somewhat disjointed. Felt I was receiving a lecture in the final couple of chapters! Like a lot of novels it had some good foundations but fizzled out by the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZC5V8D8UZTBO?ASIN=0316055441	"Reading ""Goldfinch"" ..."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">... is, at times, a tedious undertaking. There is tons of interior monologue --- some, I think unnecessary and much that is wholly to paint a complete picture of Theo, the hero and narrator. Altogether, though, I found this book delightful and well worth the time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNM2MAB4HD7H0?ASIN=0316055441	Good story but slow to reach excitement	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I saw good reviews so decided to read even though it was a bit of a longer read, at least for me. It was a good story and I really enjoyed the author's style but it was  just too slow to get to the point and got a bit too deep and somewhat cheesy towards the end..</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R244GPV63LSVI1?ASIN=0316055441	Devastatingly Beautiful...harsh, heartbreaking...inspiring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Positively stunning.  Gritty and dark in spots, a bit of a ""soft"" third quarter, but otherwise amazing.<br/>Some of the prose was mind blowing.  I'll remember it always.  He ability to put you in a setting or<br/>situation through sensation was enviable.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LNYJ4BF88B3Y?ASIN=0316055441	What is Life really	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Transcendence from childhood to manhood  without much guidance.  Hero's do show up in Theo' s life but not all are good.  Friends go in and out of his life but one constant is a painting his mother loved.  And eventually he understands what is expected of himself.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYD2RG1IVSWQC?ASIN=0316055441	A Very Unique Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book had many themes. At different times new issues were brought forward. The writing was outstanding and the plot amazing. I am having trouble telling what the book is really about but I feel that beauty, love, friendship and loss were major issues.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RL0XA68UJL4M?ASIN=0316055441	richly wriiten	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book. Gripping from behinning to end. Characters are richly drawn and layered. I found myself rereading sentences because the words, the language was so savory, I could taste and feel the moments, the feelings, the author was describing. Love this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JK7JDL7YUYCU?ASIN=0316055441	Ugh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this book because of the strength of the sample I read.  I loved it!  It was all downhill from there.  It just gets more and more tedious.  Silly me, I read halfway through the book before I finally gave up.  Seriously don't waste your time or your money.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FVD7Z4T0413I?ASIN=0316055441	A Waste if Time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not believe all the gushing reviews and Pulitzer prize for this<br/>book; it was too long and most of it dealt with the disgusting druggies<br/>whose boring lives went on and on. I'dlike to reread the reviews that led<br/>me to waste my time reading it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK516GSHD94H7?ASIN=0316055441	All about a painting?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well developed characters that weave in and out of the story.  Interesting reflections that speak to the reader and invite your own reflection.  The only reason I did not give a 5 star is that the ending was too protracted and I would have liked a speedier final.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UBOQNUR27R8T?ASIN=0316055441	I liked the premise and the beginning of the book and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the premise and the beginning of the book and its characters were solid and interesting. I was disappointed in the glorification of the Russian friend and his antics. it really didn't do any justice to the storyline. Won't recommend this book !!!!!!!!!!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QHGB8DABG3U9?ASIN=0316055441	just like this well developed story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I often couldn't wait to get back to the book to find what the characters were going to do next. Sometimes the pace was a bit slow, but in an interesting way, it made the story more riveting.  Life is full of twists and turns, just like this well developed story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6TYR60XXGGNG?ASIN=0316055441	What a long strange trip it is.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow that was a long and tough read.  It could have been 300 pages shorter and a much more enjoyable read.  50 pages describing his fever dreams, the last 40 pages philosophizing on the painter that painted the Goldfinch.  Not a book I would recommend to a friend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VCN8CWY6NF2T?ASIN=0316055441	Not sure what all the hype was about	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Parts of the book were excellent. I loved the first half of it. But other parts dragged.  By the time I got 3/4 of the way through I just wanted to be done with it.  All the parts about the drug usage could have been left out without any real impact to the story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EK0JZBP9WR0T?ASIN=0316055441	I highly recommend it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This coming of age tale provides insights into many disparate worlds - art, antiques, drugs, culture and so much more.  Although it seemed to get bogged down at times, the character development was superb... immensely visual and emotional.  I highly recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26STY4N47KH5S?ASIN=0316055441	An Unusual Tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There was so much in this book to like, and I did. However, it got so complex; and the main character's persona was completely transformed into someone that was difficult to reconcile with the young boy in the beginning. Overall, an imaginative and engaging tale.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDLFSC3PO7QWK?ASIN=0316055441	Great writing, slow moving plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a long book.  Like other reviewers, I thought the writing was excellent and in most cases it was a joy to read. However, the plot is quite slow and in only a few places is actually exciting enough to keep you reading longer than you otherwise might have.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IQ456WVXNYVF?ASIN=0316055441	Tastes are different, and this one is not for me.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very disappointed. Clearly not my type of book, but if you enjoy a pompous drivel you may try it. Read through 3 chapters and just asked myself why am I doing this? Couldn't find a good answer and stopped. No character I can care about, no story I can relate to.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWPQMXCC7IQHO?ASIN=0316055441	Patricia, Florida and New York	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Have not finished the book yet. Almost. Love the book, but did get a bit bogged down in the antiques and art lingo.<br/>With only a few parts that seemed long for me I loved the book. Found the relationships interesting and so real.<br/>Can't wait to finish it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KP0T92E1DWU7?ASIN=0316055441	I am sure will absolutely love it because of the writing style	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is actually a very well written novel.  The three stars are all my fault and not the fault of the author or the book.  I just found it to be very depressing, with an anticlimactic ending.  Others, I am sure will absolutely love it because of the writing style.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SF4HE7G4S32P?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt kept dragging me back in to the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished The Goldfinch and, while I skipped through pages at the end, I enjoyed the book. Each time I was about to put the book down when it got boring or repetitive, things happened to Theo, the protagonist and narrator which put him into a new situation.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35MJZAD0W5V8B?ASIN=0316055441	I thought it was just okay	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Aside from being depressing, I found the writing to be a bit over descriptive.  Especially when it was from the frame of mind of a teenage boy.  Too often, I thought it seemed like a woman pretending to be a boy in the way he described things throughout the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DC1RXSOKD1PQ?ASIN=0316055441	I love the author's skill with languages & her vast English ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book was very intriguing. I love the author's skill with languages &amp; her vast English vocabulary as well. There was always anticipation of what would happen next &amp; I was always worried about Theo's fate &amp; Boris too. The author is an amazing writer!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21KQH00ZCZG09?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing story, beautiful writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is sumptuously detailed and beautifully written, modern, intimate, in the moment.  The young hero is catapulted Into an alien world.  His quest to survive and find meaning in it all is an adventure not to be missed.  I could not put this book down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G70PHDMW31XV?ASIN=0316055441	Wordy to the Max	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While having a great concept of a storyline, this book is so overly written. 755 pg could have kept my interest at 400. I found myself basically skimming through large portions. Would I reccomend this book? Probably, for the pure learning of art if nothing else.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R129PLX3S72ZX3?ASIN=0316055441	Bah Humbug!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In the beginning, I hurt for him, I prayed his journey would take him to a better place and then I just got sick of him.  It was boorish rambling.  I didn't care for him and I really didn't care where or how he ended up.  I skipped pages, I hate skipping pages!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLQ0WGSYQHETK?ASIN=0316055441	Some beautiful writing in this and a great story but it ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some beautiful writing in this and a great story but it could have used some serious editing. As I read through page after page saying the same thing over and over again in wonderfully eloquent ways I want to grab the author and yell ""I get it - move on""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H56K97I0OMHJ?ASIN=0316055441	One of the worst books I have ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the worst books I have ever read.  Seventy five percent of the verbage was totally unnecessary.  I like to read Pulitzer and Booker prize books.  I have never been so dissappointed  in a choice for those prizes..  I would not suggest this book to any one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NA4V4I519VCN?ASIN=0316055441	enjoyed the journey of Theo and his colorful friend Boris	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">enjoyed the journey of Theo and his colorful friend Boris. The book kept my interest and really felt like I was there in the midst<br/>of their lives. The author captured Theo and his fears, desires and needs and kept me wanting more. Sorry to see the book end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36CBE35V61Y3Z?ASIN=0316055441	So well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even though at times I found myself wanting the story to move along more quickly, the beauty of the descriptions, the observations that she describes that I would have overlooked, and the gift she has of crafting this saga, all combine for an unforgettable book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WCJKHOR6TBFG?ASIN=0316055441	Searching	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing, thought provoking &amp; heart wrenching. An emotional roller-coaster worth every minute!  The questions millions ask and for which we don't have answers yet we trudge onwards, one foot in front of the other because in the end it's all about faith, isn't it?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZMF5ZO31GG85?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written! Thoughtful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written!  Thoughtful!  When Tartt describes something one can vividly see it.  Story is fascinating, heart wrenching at times, yet, like Theo, we are all get through it the best we can.  Searching for the meaning of life?  Tartt may have your answer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G7OIWT7YKTVP?ASIN=0316055441	great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful writing, wonderful characters, satisfying conclusion.<br/>A great story that moved through many different places and times and immersed the reader in the protagonist's grief and guilt, but also the love for those that saved him, even the flawed Boris.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TR1Q33T4BI47?ASIN=0316055441	That said some of the background writing and character development is excellent.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">200 hundred pages too long, plot needed to be tightened up. Took way to long to get to the last few chapters when everything came together, but by that time the reader is exhausted. That said some of the background writing and character development is excellent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17NFGQLT7JHR9?ASIN=0316055441	intelligent, sensitive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">intelligent,sensitive, alarming page turner where the main characters become familiar to the reader exposing their flawed personalities following troubled and disastrous childhoods . Great story with wonderful descriptions of New York and Amsterdam particularly.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2718TB6SE27Y0?ASIN=0316055441	I liked the authors use of language and descriptive style	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">an interesting and abit convoluted story.  I was abit put off by the constant theme of drug use(?).  I liked the authors use of language and descriptive style.  I could relate to some of the characters.  Alot of information about the in's and out's of art theft.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R383141N553QJ5?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy, story went on too long.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YFZZRP1LH9TN?ASIN=0316055441	the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is so moving it seems a crime to review it.  Now that I know that music is between the notes, that beauty is between the paint and the canvas, that there is the thinnest imaginable space between truth and untruth... how can we wish to live elsqewhere?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R290ZTL3TTGWD6?ASIN=0316055441	art, heart and language	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""we do not get to choose our heart"".  The Goldfinch lures its reader with a deafening flash into a study of art, culture and human experience.  If you like to get lost in a good book, well, goodby.  It is dark and profound, but a great serious reading pleasure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33ZV629V2YK9E?ASIN=0316055441	Bigger is not always better	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has a compelling writing style that keeps the reader engaged, however sometimes I felt as if she dragged things out a bit far.  Basically, the plot was intriguing and the book was well-written but could have been a little more concise in some areas.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UJGXOXHRNK6E?ASIN=0316055441	worth the effort?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A labyrinth of words to wade through to get to the basic story.  You have to have ingested drugs, alcohol to have any great understanding or love for this book.  I was initially attracted to the promise of a great art mystery.  Not sure it was worth the effort.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BYUJ0XFY7IPP?ASIN=0316055441	A long boring read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book thinking at some point something big would happen but it never did. It was entertaining for the most part but I found myself thumbing through the pages towards the end. I wouldn't recommend this book but it depends what kind of books you enjoy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4R7BYBNL8DA0?ASIN=0316055441	One of a kind book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Spellbinding, exciting,confusing, irritating, interesting, discouraging, yet it was well written from a first person point of view. I found it a bit sad and depressing, but it also reminded me of the importance of the relationship between a son with his mother.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DJJFNMCU86PC?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was as if I were with the characters in the book !  Donna Tartt's style is so fluid that I just wanted to keep on reading. It was a very real world experience, especially with the different city settings. As the covers often say, it is a ""must"" read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WKW195J8INE4?ASIN=0316055441	Did Anyone Edit This Book?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Because this book had won the Pulitzer prize, I was expecting a certain level of literary competence, surely something higher than what I would have submitted in my 9th grade English class.  But alas, the Pulitzer committee must have a very low bar these days.<br/><br/>The book has more padding than a furniture showroom.  Endless, dreary paragraphs are devoted to rainy days and nights in New York.  An unwary reader would assume that New York receives more rain than Assam.  More pages are wasted to detail the protagonist Theo's unrequited love for Pippa. Unfortunately, Pippa is one of the most boring females that ever inhabited a novel.  Her most notable accomplishment was to make an origami frog for Theo.  But wait!  She has red hair!  And she gave the dog a bath,  Scintillating.<br/><br/>Theo's pal Boris morphs into a cliched eastern European criminal.  Nearly all the fathers in the novel are either alcoholic, abusive, or mentally ill.  The only father (a very minor character) who loves his child is portrayed as a pathetic wimp.<br/><br/>At the end of this 771 page slog is the big reveal:  Theo has kept a diary for years!  Quick, pass me the smelling salts.  And then we're treated to a 4 page treatise on What Life Is All About - it's a cesspool and a catastrophe.  Well, I'm glad we cleared that up!  This justifies Theo's continued drug habit, poor baby.<br/><br/>I hope that the author uses the income from this novel to take a remedial writing course before more trees are sacrificed for a future tomes.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R122BM77ZCWSG?ASIN=0316055441	From the first chapter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have never read a more perfect first chapter.  You feel what is happening to the characters, literally, feel it.  This is an amazing book.  The characters became real to me, making me care what was happening to them; making me feel their suffering.  Amazing!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TW2G2SGDYRZI?ASIN=0316055441	whether good, bad or with elements of both	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A ""page turner"" all right.  Full of really interesting character, whether good, bad or with elements of both.  I hope that the author had not experienced much of what she has depicted;  except the antiques restoration  facet, which is very interesting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROI2OFSCD6KDR?ASIN=0316055441	Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome  in Novel Format	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is very dark but the language flows. It gives  great insight to the possible psychological damage from a Severe Violent Shock . At times ,I felt the novel would never get to the plot .The ongoing descriptions of dysfunctional behavior were endless .</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3REEUH3Y3B7OU?ASIN=0316055441	Dark characters and lack of light	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was too morose for my taste.  The main character devolves into an abysmal psychological state, and though I kept hoping he would pull himself out, he sinks in deeper and deeper.  This is not a book for persons who like stories of redemption and hope.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R119GP86LW7U2E?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the wait	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">although it took me about 400 pages to get into this book in the end I think it was worth it. great story with enlightening philosophical expeditions. not the happy ending type story but more of a realistic outlook on life's struggles, necessary and otherwise.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K4QGG437GPR6?ASIN=0316055441	Editorial rigor needed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the content and characters in The Goldfinch.  The writing was very good but... there was a dire need for serious editorial review to remove some of the redundancies and to make sure the context matched the content.<br/>I will read more by Donna Tartt.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AEWLXKCKQJVU?ASIN=0316055441	Sub par for a Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was like reading someone's precise-detailed description of a piece of art with a lack of heart. I had a somewhat clear view of the picture in my mind ('somewhat' because of how expansive the picture was). But didn't find beauty or depth in the description.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JXYLY0NL6WK?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing story written with skill and style	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing story written with skill and style.  Had me hooked from the first few pages.  Only reason for 4 instead of 5 stars is that it kind of dragged out the end.  Can't say it was predictable at all, just took a little long to get there.after the last twist.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EXU3TFDA11RE?ASIN=0316055441	I truly don't understand why this book got such good ratings. It's very wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I truly don't understand why this book got such good ratings.  It's very wordy, long descriptions, moves very, very slow.  I'm 90% done with it and will finish only because I'm this far and want to know how it ends.  I would not recommend this book to anyone.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R1O3L8RFL21M?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the whole book until the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the whole book until the end. It seemed to go on and on. Maybe I am just not intellectual enough to appreciate it... However, the book is beautifully written. You can hear, taste and feel the experiences of Theo Decker. That in itself is worth the read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAOPO9IJ4U4HB?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I have ever read and could not put ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have ever read and could not put down. It was difficult to get interested in another book after I finished and even though it was a long story, I did not want it to end! So glad that it won best for fiction in Pulitzer Prize this year!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J674AG71HQTS?ASIN=0316055441	TheGoldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intense life, pain,emotion,heartbreak,danger,edges of darkness,the drugs and sad turns of fate in this book all with a character so violet,black and blue makes this book stand out enough from the pack to validate all the awards and praise readers can  bestow.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18DDLPBAFVJ0U?ASIN=0316055441	Author did a nice job of weaving the plot line	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Characters well developed. Protagonist is both admired at times, yet despised at other times.  Author did a nice job of weaving the plot line. At the end, I was left hanging... but, it sets up a very nice sequel... LOL  Overall, kept me interested throughout!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJOE91NX5GGTY?ASIN=0316055441	Needs a Sequel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This first person life story allowed the reader to see a clear picture of a very flawed individual who struggled to overcome tragedy. The complicated characters are both depressing and hopeful. The ending allows the reader to imagine a better future for Theo.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R140CNR2ROT8II?ASIN=0316055441	Long, but worth the read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is LONG, but completely worth the  read. Theo's relationships are the  most interesting  and dynamic I've ever encountered-- particularly with Boris, an incredibly tragic but charming character.<br/>Beautifully written, this is one I'll read again!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U2FDBH3C9V6Y?ASIN=0316055441	Good but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am more than half way finished the book.  Story line is good but the book is dragging way too much.  I am at a<br/>point where I could just put it down and forget about it which I don't want to do but the book could have been 400<br/>pages instead of 600.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29H6ZBMR29EW1?ASIN=0316055441	One of the few books I can't stop thinking about	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a fantastic read- one that I constantly find myself wanting to share with others. The characters was so real to me, that I sometimes find myself thinking about the characters and what they're doing and having to remind myself that this was just fiction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9EGZB9740I86?ASIN=0316055441	The author could have cut the length in half by omitting unnecessary details (especially in the first half - the second ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story but way... too... long.... The author could have cut the length in half by omitting unnecessary details (especially in the first half - the second half was better). I probably would have stopped reading if I wasn't reading it for book club.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CHKNQD9WJNDY?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While sometimes tedious with detail, this book does leave one wanting to read more.  It is a page-turner.  The language and alcohol and drug related incidences make it difficult to read.  To imagine young boys who have access to these substances is shocking.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24CZL947IXV32?ASIN=0316055441	A good story almost ruined by too many words.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is pretty good. It is way too long. There were numerous stuff about unrelated matters  - it became tiresome at times. The author seemed to want to take as long as possible to tell the story. For me it almost ruined what could have been a good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EQ7D5RA12N4M?ASIN=0316055441	An excellent read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a fascinating, well plotted novel that moves between different worlds and holds your interest consistently. I've read novels that were called ""the novel of the year"" or of the decade and they were disappointing. This one lived up to the hype!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39DH34SKLITXY?ASIN=0316055441	This was an amazing book, so well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an amazing book, so well written, with tones of Edgar Allen Poe's Tell Tale Heart, spun through.  I really felt like I was in Theo Decker's shoes, he never had a chance to grow up, holding onto the one thing that held his life together so tenuously.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NRI1GPT4GHVF?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant - simply brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt finds and touches places in my heart and mind that have been waiting to be discovered.  I am stunned by the brilliance and depth of this novel. It is haunting and alive, dangerous and comforting... funny and a heartbreak...all at once. Pure gold.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33MEL3T9I8NZA?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing and suspenseful.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is, by far, one of the best books I've read. I enjoyed it so much. The story line was great, suspenseful and intriguing. The language sometimes got a little strong but I understand that it was necessary for the plot. Just great. Everyone should read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17P7TPZTP5R1U?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read. Sluggish in the middle, as 800 page books tend to be.  Not neatly wrapped in a bow.  Didn't really predict the ending. Wish there was some sort of reference to time. Kinda lost there until last pages when Girl with the dragon tattoo was mentioned.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QQO3T8M5D3VO?ASIN=0316055441	Worthwhile but long read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Difficult read in that it was slow and the story seemed to take forever to develop. However, I remember all aspects of the characters lives and speak about it often when asked for book recommendations. Worthwhile to read if you have the time to devote to it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ELLP6ZPI4782?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book.  The characters were so well developed that I felt I was living his life right next to him..all the grit and sweat.  I'm not sure what to do now that I have finished.  I tried starting another book, but need time to process this one first.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21BM18U4NK221?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic imagery. On a level w/ Updike at times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely well-written. Fantastic imagery. On a level w/ Updike at times. I can see why the literary crowd loved it.<br/><br/>However, I found it hard to empathize w/ the main character (Theo) and found much of the ""plot"" not believable or logical.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY2MZ2IQT7JXF?ASIN=0316055441	at first I thought I wouldn't like this book but soon enough I couldn't put it ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">at first I thought I wouldn't like this book but soon enough I couldn't put it down. Ended up totally enjoying the Goldfinch and when I finished it was still on my mind for days. After a little time I will read it again and look for more books by Donna Tartt</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VE8S1YKD4PI4?ASIN=0316055441	A waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Oh my goodness.....I think the voters of the Pulitzer prize were on as many drugs as these characters.  This book was over written, depressing and exasperating.  Read it to the end only to learn this wounded character concludes that life sucks.  Don't bother</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROZSDK5A543MT?ASIN=0316055441	Keeps you reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch's matter-of-fact passages on drug use were compelling.  The protagonist's character was drawn slowly and the ending a bit of a surprise.  The author's description of the antique shop/home were vivid and persuaded the reader to desire an invite.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MANYGGPHX1F3?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't get through it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't finish it. Couldn't stand the characters and the long boring details. I really wanted to get to the end but it's been over a year in the process and I have just decided to put it aside. I know the reviews were great but I just couldn't get into it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNAJ87PESP4MW?ASIN=0316055441	... much too long for this novel which has a good story line but deviates too far and too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Over 800 pages is much too long for this novel which has a good story line but deviates too far and too long.  Where do these female writers get the horrible 4 letter words, knowledge sex deviants and drug usage, trying to keep up with the ""boys""???</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GMMG6A478QNN?ASIN=0316055441	Over hyped, slow read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Given all the buzz around this book I wanted to love it. So I kept plodding along, hoping it would get better. It never did. I thought it was slow, unfocused, and I didn't feel for any of the characters; I didn't like or care about Theo. Very disappointing.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WA2DIE4XLQCV?ASIN=0316055441	disappointingly overblown	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's easy to get caught up in this book and come to expect a rewarding conclusion. All I found was an overblown pretentious and tedious rumination on ...whatever. At times beautifully written, at times, so slow and boring, it was addictive in the worst way.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FML3TJ6J128T?ASIN=0316055441	Although this was a fine book, it did not need to be as ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although this was a fine book, it did not need to be as long as it is.  There are so many details I feel could be left out.  It has taken me forever to read it because there are so many unnecessary details, I lose interest and have to come back to it later.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1225LFIKA4IYT?ASIN=0316055441	excellent character development	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story, excellent character development.  Way too much explanation of philosophies of why characters think and feel the way they an why they did what they did -- some would be okay, of course, but should let the reader do some of that themselves.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REAO9LNBTP9BV?ASIN=0316055441	some beautiful passages, and interesting thoughts about lost love	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was too long, and got a bit preachy at the end.  But, wow, some beautiful passages, and interesting thoughts about lost love, unrequited love, and our involvement with, attachments to, art and beauty in our lives. And some thoughts about coping measures.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7K9OG5GVINFI?ASIN=0316055441	The story gets lost in too many extensive long sentences ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story gets lost in too many extensive long sentences.  The sentence structure drove me crszy. Excessive use of parentheses.  By the time I got to the end of a sentence,  I forgot the subject of the sentence &amp; had to go back to reread the sentence again.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12N411GBIH7UB?ASIN=0316055441	It was a l-o-n-g boring read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a most disappointing book - in spite of it being awarded the Booker prize. The detailed descriptions of drug abuse were most distateful; the characters are all flawed,and yet the character descriptions are superficial. It was a l-o-n-g boring read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SXJ9X9SRID5V?ASIN=0316055441	The middle of this book is sickening!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was appalled by this book. So many good reviews? If you like reading about boys zoned out on drugs and Vodka and making endless wrong choices, then maybe it would appeal to you. I wanted to throw it out a window, but it was on Kindle and I like my Kindle!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15UUSFWK1M8AL?ASIN=0316055441	Horrlble experience	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read about a hundred pages of this book and set it aside probably forever. The story did not unfold and I found it very boring. Just a bunch of words as far as I am concerned. I think maybe #1 books remain #1 when readers buy them because of their rating.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19JHSNS6B8O3O?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't enjoyed a book so much in a long time.  Great writing, great characters, and story that made it hard to put down.  Some people have complained about the length, but I love a lengthy book.  I was sorry to finish it and will probably read it again.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C05L02G4RTVB?ASIN=0316055441	Some wonderful moments devoted to painting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely well written but daunting meditation on loss and betrayal. Not for those looking for an uplifting experience. Some wonderful moments devoted to painting, art and the nuances of furniture restoration. Still, rather bleak in tone for the most part.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TM8OLGQ79Y0R?ASIN=0316055441	couldn't put this one down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As good as A Secret History. I have read a bunch of reviews that were negative about the protagonist, but I liked him. He's very multi-faceted. It's a great story. Beautifully written but also accessible. I hope Donna Tartt writes another great novel soon!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N4DC9R3LKENG?ASIN=0316055441	... was way to long kept on hoping would get better but it didn't	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was way to long kept on hoping would get better but it didn't. I am thankful I didn't buy book got it from library for book club. The only character that was interesting was Boris and the end with the philosophy. I wouldn't recommend this book that's for sure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20NF29R28YBWP?ASIN=0316055441	Not an amazing read...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a hard time connecting with the characters.  This was a long and boring read for me. There was a lot of existential rambling with no real plot.  The connection to the Gold Finch painting was tenuous at best although it was ever present as a backdrop.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L6060LKH76WC?ASIN=0316055441	with good reason. It was full of great characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think of it as an adult Harry Potter story - in fact, Boris calls Theo, ""Potter,"" throughout, with good reason. It was full of great characters, head-scratching dilemmas, pages on Fate, Beauty, Good vs. Evil - all the things I love to read about.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JA0T40FCNWYN?ASIN=0316055441	Too long for what it had today	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At first I really enjoyed it. It was very descriptive and interesting. You almost could not put it down. The characters were very real. You wanted to know more about them. The second half was bizarre I did not like the ending. The book was a disappointment</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IPMK1DYA7NST?ASIN=0316055441	This book started out with such great promise and really held my interest for awhile	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book started out with such great promise and really held my interest for awhile.  Unfortunately, it became bogged down and the story line became tedious beginning with the events in Las Vegas and the main character's relationship with the Russian boy.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10QKL37E05BPT?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The length of this book is overwhelming, and in reading appears that it could be two novels in one. That said it is worth the time and involvement, for one does become submerged and part of this search for a place in and among those on 'this planet earth.'</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TF55C0KQTEJF?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You need to be a serious reader to tackle this book.That being said its amazingly well written and  long but in that good way where you dont want it to end. I never lost the plot and  found myself caring deeply about the characters . Finally great fiction!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29O7V7FUVU1P8?ASIN=0316055441	A journey that must be experienced.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is so visceral.  Much like Melville, Ms. Tartt removes her reader from familiar moorings. To sail here one must<br/>keep all senses keen even as exterior events toss and rage.<br/>I noted so many perfect sentences. I can't stop re-reading them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K66X2111O5VR?ASIN=0316055441	don't know why I finished it!?!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have been reading this book for over a month &amp; if you were to ask me what it's about I would be hard pressed to tell you!  Parts were very good &amp; very well written but I have to admit I asked myself more often than not - why am I sticking with this book?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MEG6XETU6ZVF?ASIN=0316055441	really enjoyed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the plot and characters. A little long. I couldn't put it down. I also loved ""The Little Friend"". I read it years ago. After reading it, I read her first novel. You can really see Ms. Tartt's skill as a writer grow enormously with each novel.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E24ROU9RVFQ?ASIN=0316055441	it was a good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A well-written book, interesting plot and characters although some parts are overdone such as the repetitive scenes in Las Vegas where the author just goes on and on describing the boys revelry and debauchery. All siad and done, though, it was a good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RRAGHUM5LA3J?ASIN=0316055441	A compelling and well-written story...very engaging!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the opening to the many phases of this young man's life, this book takes you on a colorful journey of growing up, grief, fear, dysfunction and evolution. Well-written and at times gripping, at times introspective, at times self-indulgent. A must read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HWQ8ZIXXHYI9?ASIN=0316055441	An interesting portrayal of a youth in trouble and how ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting portrayal of a youth in trouble and how a very valuable work of art enters his life.  The author painted the imagery of New York City in your mind and helped you see the people, Central Park, and the various districts that make up city life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HVECXSKSTDS9?ASIN=0316055441	This story had the ability to reach into the core ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story had the ability to reach into the core of tradegy of losing a life soul and following the existence of the remaking life through all the ups and downs of finding a path of life. Extremely balanced story. Never expecting the next reality of life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T7QOSJAOOQI5?ASIN=0316055441	excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Mixes grim reality with idealistic emotions.  Rarely do you experience such an introspective character.  Insights into how childhood experiences shape and affect us and follow us through our entire lives.  So many life lessons to be learned from this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ETF8NGYAK3UA?ASIN=0316055441	Good vacation read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am sure how to describe this book.  It was often inputsownable, but sometimes I just had to put it down because what the characters were up to was disturbing.  So I guess I'd say they got into my head! I did not love the ending!  But I am glad I read it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18KVKI89LGZ6Q?ASIN=0316055441	very good read!  little slow at first but once I got started I couldn't put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was very interesting and I couldn't help but cheer for Him and Boris even though they made terrible choices.  Their friendship  was absolute, even though Boris betrayed him but in the end, they all did the right thing for the world they lived in.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK8EX9MUU8LFB?ASIN=0316055441	A long but good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch rightly merits the Pulitzer Prize because  her writing spins a tale that engages the reader with acceleration as it progresses. However, the length has garnered justified criticism, but in my opinion the view is worth the climb.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWLA266U9WADE?ASIN=0316055441	This is a truly well written novel quite worthy of ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a truly well written novel quite worthy of all the attention and plaudits it has received.  I could  not put it down and kept reading and<br/>reading, finishing it after 3 days!  I felt the author truly looked thru the eyes of the main character.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FISWACJGDZBQ?ASIN=0316055441	Good with reservations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I enjoyed this book, I felt it went on a little too much.  I think it could have ended perfectly quite a ways before it went on to wrap everything up.  Enjoying the book, which I did, and being anxious to get back to it were not one and the same.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28UQNI0482INO?ASIN=0316055441	It was a fantastic book. Donna Tartt is a most amazing writer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a fantastic book.Donna Tartt is a most amazing writer. Her characters, descriptions, and how the plots unfold kept me engaged the entire time I read it. She has either had some profound experiences or has some unusually brilliant resources or both.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V73HLSKUWAFC?ASIN=0316055441	amazing and unique	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even though it was very, very long, I loved this book.  The writing was superb, and the characters were remarkable; never have I both loved and despised the same person at times, and multiple people at that (that is how complex and thorough the characters were to me).  Theo?  His angst over the death of his mother is heart-wrenching; I felt sorry for him the whole book, but at the same time, he really got on my nerves with his addictions, excuses, and justifications for his decisions/behavior.  Boris?  LOVED him---but at the same time, wow, was he a train wreck!  A heavy addict and loser, but at the same time, lovable, funny, deep, and fiercely loyal.  Mrs. Barbour: rich, intelligent, and sophisticated, wrecked by family sorrows and turmoil, yet, a lovely person with a huge heart, who treated Theo like a true family member.  Theo's mother:  she is literally only alive the first maybe 30-40 pages of the book, but her personality and aura are felt strongly throughout the entire book, and you feel such a great loss at her death as described through the emotions of her son.  I could keep going and offer my opinion of many other characters in the book, but I won't, as I could truly sit here for an hour and write a review and still feel like I am not possibly touching the surface of doing this book the service of a good description.  This book is not for everyone, but it was a thought-provoking, 5-star book to me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AM8OIE7LGS76?ASIN=0316055441	Does not live up to the hype!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line was interesting but the text was tedious.  It felt like the author thought the reader was too dense to catch on so she had to incorporate long drawn out explanations throughout.  Not sure how it remained on the best seller list for so long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DLMY655YG8BY?ASIN=0316055441	A great vacation book because it's long enough that it's the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit of a challenging read, but I could not put it down. Some parts dragged for me as the protagonist is not a very like-able guy, but that just made it more interesting. A great vacation book because it's long enough that it's the only book you'll need.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNNTW58PLMWYK?ASIN=0316055441	but didn't like all the drug and alcohol use by teenagers	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous writing !  Incredible descriptons. Fascinating story of art theft, but didn't like all the drug and alcohol use by teenagers...depressing in that regard, but first part of book was so promising of a wonderful read. Donna Tartt is a gifted writer!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SQM83IKA2ZQH?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the story twists	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really loved this book and all the twists and turns it took. I am rarely surprised by plot twists, but this book kept me on my seat. The only negative was the last, long chapter, which was  narrative let-down. I wish the book had wrapped up differently.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YHZZIRKXC9Z6?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard to ramp up to this quality of prose, but well worth it.<br/>So many thoughts interwoven here.  Like a banquet of words.<br/>Interesting different story, excellent characters, very realistic.<br/>Terrific novel, deserves all the praise it received.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13IAY9VBT49KX?ASIN=0316055441	Terrific but long !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was interesting as a whole however some of the attributes of descriptive language turned into detriments as the story became overly long and I found myself ""speed-reading"" in order to be finished with it.  I'm glad to have read it though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R384M6TOWUC9ID?ASIN=0316055441	OK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This wasn't the best or worst book I've ever read. It has an interesting premise and a thought provoking ending. However, a better editor would have shortened the book, increased the pacing in the Vegas section, and corrected the time period inaccuracies.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14XIQNXBAIXSP?ASIN=0316055441	I guess I just don't like good books	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If anyone spends $8k/wk on drugs there are gonna be some good times to speak of.. can't the guy steal Tyson's tiger or something? I'm not asking for an outrageous comedy, it's just insane that a guy can go through $2 million without having a laugh or two.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW8HQ64WEHMF5?ASIN=0316055441	... opinion the author is trying to show us how smart she is by running on and on with descriptive ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In my opinion the author is trying to show us how smart she is by running on and on with descriptive language that detracts from the actual story.  It was a serious effort to complete this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA0T3DJ08WBZY?ASIN=0316055441	Terrible! take it off the market.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrible...How in the world was this book rated a ""Best Seller""...After her use of the ""N"" word, I stopped reading it . It was a waste of money. I really would like my money back</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BICHTDIGPY0R?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant writing, Boris - so funny	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A masterpiece on all levels. Brilliant writing, Boris - so funny! - wonderfully detailed, Theo challenging and excellently engaging, great great characters. And the power of art... still thinking about this story... I love this book. Thank you, Ms Tartt!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XC07ZHAVT14M?ASIN=0316055441	It had a good start but seemed to lose its way or lost ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not even get through the book, it was so uninteresting and poorly  written.  It had a good start but seemed to lose its way or lost me anyway! There was little to draw you into any of the characters or the plot.  Bought it on my kindle - my loss.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R269TVM1H2BV99?ASIN=0316055441	This book was designated as a book to read in ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was designated as a book to read in our book club.  Of the twelve members of the group, only four were able to read the book completely through.  It was long and hard to read in my opinion with no redeeming qualities. Sorry - but not enjoyable.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MJ9QUOUWEHYS?ASIN=0316055441	but too many other occasions where I dreaded reading more about the characters' issues and poor decisions. 3 1/2 stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating and well-written, but also meandering and plodding in too many spots. There were times when I couldn't wait to pick it up, but too many other occasions where I dreaded reading more about the characters' issues and poor decisions. 3 1/2 stars.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R284PR42UNHHWQ?ASIN=0316055441	Well sculpted but no page turner.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Clearly our author has researched her material and has created a notable tale, but the overall work was like walking through mud on the way to an appointment. I kept hoping for more - but then I see the glass half full and the authors view is half empty.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN8G4YZ3PLBZL?ASIN=0316055441	She draws together several plot strands into a terrific story. The first person narrative style she employs ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is masterful in the Goldfinch. She draws together several plot strands into a terrific story. The first person narrative style she employs is done quite effectively. If a reader is looking for an engrossing, highly literate novel, this is it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VLJN82JL1N4K?ASIN=0316055441	brilliantly written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This deeply sad but moving and lively adventure is nothing short of incredible.  Theo lives like no one I've known.  It takes me completely out of my world.<br/>This is for anyone with a heart and imagination to explore someone else's world.<br/>Enjoy!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J7OJ7SDCFFJX?ASIN=0316055441	Truly a prize winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have sometimes wondered why certain books have been honored.  it is difficult to quite explain the great appeal of this one. there are so many places in this book which I would like to commit to memory. I seldom read anything that has moved me so much.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MFB920FC0KNR?ASIN=0316055441	It was compelling at the start and wonderfully plotted, but by the end it had bogged ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I learned a lot reading this book.  It was compelling at the start and wonderfully plotted, but by the end it had bogged down and was too wordy..  Not for the faint of heart.  Wonderful characters.  I think I'll always remember Basil and Theo and Hobbie.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RM63HZ0OAABP?ASIN=0316055441	Too much detail. Story line often dragged on. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much detail.  Story line often dragged on.  I gave it three stars because there were parts that were interesting, but unfortunately, I lost complete interest in the story around the last 20 percent of the book - when Boris came back into Theo's life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6UPFS8JL8P1Q?ASIN=0316055441	A mess of a good read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story of a boy. The journey through his tragic tale is filled with real feeling, moments of clarity of one's own choices, and more about the trajectory you life can go in from the choices of others... Great read. Made me feel ALIVE in some weird way.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLZAB61Q352QI?ASIN=0316055441	so good I feel unworthy to write a review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't usually like 'literature'. I'm a SF guy.  The characters in this book had a profound effect on me.  There have been few books that have had this kind of emotional impact.  Tom Wolf, David Mitchell and now Donna Tartt for me.  Thanks for the gift.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJHULCYHUVNEO?ASIN=0316055441	An Epic Story ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book got me from the very beginning and kept me enthralled throughout. There is something about the way the story fans out, holds you tight, spins you around and keeps you thinking your deepest thoughts that you absolutely cannot put it down. Bravo!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REXTGGM5EZUP9?ASIN=0316055441	Worth Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful language and analogies.  Vivid, complex characters that you love for despite (maybe because of?) their flaws. Culminating in an ending that took me by surprise, but seems perfect.  This book will stay with you long after you finish reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QMML8ZFT1U8I?ASIN=0316055441	Good read, not earth shattering	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Crazy plot twists, diverse interesting characters but the Pulitzer, really? No big social impact as far as I can see. Rather stereotypical character arcs and realizations at the end. But there are moments of  flight in the crafting of certain sentences.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WWUFPL3B5Q5R?ASIN=0316055441	Need to delete this review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Review written for different book and I am too incompetent to figure out how to delete!!  Sorry.  I started Goldfinch and haven't given the book enough time to know if I like it or not!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XZJXUDVJ16LR?ASIN=0316055441	I did not like this book from the beginning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like this book from the beginning! I read three quarters of it and finally had to give it up. It is too long and frankly I found it boring. Clearly I did not understand with my limited ability,  nor could I comprehend literary genius in print.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W2J1B4US5A5I?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious plot, one-dimensional protagonist	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the writing is decent, the plot is tedious, especially the many long paragraphs describing multiple drinking and drug binges.  The protagonist is one-dimensional, consumed by his past and continually handling his demons through drinking and drugs.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R91Q23H7ILC8G?ASIN=0316055441	Worth every page (all 771 of them)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Stunning.  Wonderful.  Perhaps a bit too long but ultimately worth every page.  Fascinating characters, intriguing plot, and many of life's ""big questions"" to consider.  My only regret is that Tartt only writes one book a decade.  Don't miss it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29YIUFF4RYDXC?ASIN=0316055441	A wondrous book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is not simply a good book; it's a great book, perhaps the best so far of the 21st century.  This reader cared enough about the characters to want to step into the novel and extricate them from their problems.  I really didn't want the story to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4ARB6BNDUGDN?ASIN=0316055441	A Tale of Love and Loss	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a remarkable story of one boy's coming of age following the loss of his mother. The book is populated with a cast of original and unforgettable characters.  I loved it. I normally prefer the mystery genre but I had a hard time putting this down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YWOPZ0K23X7G?ASIN=0316055441	Secret History Fans - Rejoice!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome book - I am a huge fan of ""The Secret History"" and was less than impressed with Tartt's second novel...so I wasn't sure what to expect with ""Gold Finch."" Needless to say, I was very pleasantly surprised. It's a real page-turner!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L9OAZ0QMPP76?ASIN=0316055441	Long but great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even though this is a long story, it is a really great one. I have a hard time getting into books sometimes, but this story had me on the edge of my seat always wondering what was going to happen next, very well written, and easy to follow. I loved it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MXX2RTSU4PF7?ASIN=0316055441	I am sorry but this book was entirely too long ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am sorry but this book was entirely too long. I am a reader but this was enough; especially when he became so insightful at the end. I think it could have been compacted but do not get me wrong------it was well written. Would I read it again--no way.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IZL03ONHWECR?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating and Staggering	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I ADORE this book. It's the most captivating and staggering novel I've read in awhile. The characters were so unique and engaging. The writing blew me away. This is something that will stick with me for a long time, and I'm sure I will want to revisit.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HUT2XUIZ2J2D?ASIN=0316055441	Finally!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started reading The Goldfinch nearly a year ago, then put it aside after a few chapters. It just wasn't resonating with me. But when I recently began again, it was a different experience.<br/><br/>The writing is beautiful and the story interesting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JX6FB62Y1UKS?ASIN=0316055441	loved this! she is an excellent writer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved this! she is an excellent writer, beautiful prose. I also enjoyed her other two novels. it's an extremely intense book to say the least, with several long passages that were rather hard to read, but you can't stop! read the whole novel in 4 days.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R248R5DTSP9MKL?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the family dynamics here. Sad yet hopeful. It was easy to find a bit of myself in each character and the author's character development was superb. Great portrayal of real-life immigrant issues that take place across our country on a daily basis.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GW2WXQFEPNJV?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting!  Don't miss it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the most exciting books I have ever read.  From one page to the next, I just did not want to put it down.  The characters are real people and each of them behaves as if they were alive... I can hear them speaking.  I recommend it highly!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKUIC2HBEINC2?ASIN=0316055441	A brilliantly written story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know a book has captured me when I won't put it aside for anything. The story held me completely, but it was the writing that really got to me. So many well-crafted sentences that I had to pause after reading them and soak in their wisdom and beauty.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBN85D3FDPYGH?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was recommending this to my friends as I was reading  it.  Then it got more and more wordy.  I really liked the story and much of the writing, however for my taste I could have done with much less time in Theos' head. Every bit about Hobey was great.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MVQ3YGQUZL79?ASIN=0316055441	wonderfully conversational style	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">wonderfully conversational style, interesting ""can't put it down"" plot, , information about art a real plus, strong characteriation.  But ... long passages about youthful drug use and sex that stall the plot and add little to the overall story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RICDYIEN6LLKA?ASIN=0316055441	Not sure what the big deal is??	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I always try to read the best sellers and especially the Pulitzer Prize winners so I looked forward to reading "" Goldfinch"".  I'm afraid the genius of the story/the writing was l o st on me.  It was an ok read but not o n e I'd recommend to my friends.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL3I436531WJ3?ASIN=0316055441	the best book I've ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book captured me from the start. It is I can say and this is a very hard thing to do the best book I have ever read. Enjoy it it is a serious heartfelt wonderful yet realistic in it's views story. Thank you for writing it. It was a beautiful read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JI997GKDD1ZF?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I put off reading this book because I thought it would be pretentious. Now I recommend it to everyone I know. This was an excellent read. Wonderful story, great character and plot development and well constructed. Well deserving of the Pulitzer! Bravo!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B6KG0V42OGNI?ASIN=0316055441	Heart breaking insight into how we are formed by the events of our youth	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The language pulls us along and draws us in. We see the world and the people in it through the eyes of boy damaged by disaster and loss. As unlikable as Theo can be at times you cannot help but feel for him and see your own life's journey through his.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPPZ5ZQNZOC06?ASIN=0316055441	Deep and meaningful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good enough to keep me wondering, and reading, then get confused, and read some more, because I wanted to know the ending. More, I wanted to understand. I may have not understood everything this book was supposed to be or symbolize, but I did like it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39WPBYPH8S8UJ?ASIN=0316055441	What a disappointment. After her fabulous first novels	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a disappointment. After her fabulous first novels, particularly The Little Friend, this was absolute drivel. The story line was fractured, ridiculous characters that were not believable, as I read further it seemed to get worse. A great let down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11GGAA2TBJEXD?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful, poignant, touching, enthralling.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You'll be hooked from the first page. Don't let the length of the book intimidate you-by the time you reach the end, you'll wish it was longer. Beautifully written with real characters and plenty of ups and downs. Do yourself a favor and buy it today!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PL4PASRBZPAE?ASIN=0316055441	Long and weighty but worth the investment of your TIME.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great literary piece but oh so wordy and philosophical, especially at the end, which is right up some peoples' alley. It's such a long book that personally, I was ready to be done but such a wonderful story, themes, and hard-earned closure at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VOPHLUHW3864?ASIN=0316055441	I had to remind myself to slow down and relish the fine work. The characters are described in such insightful ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a dense and rich read. I had to remind myself to slow down and relish the fine work.  The characters are described in such insightful detail that they come to life, but don't start unless you have plenty of time to be absorbed for several days</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27KDE93IW35TQ?ASIN=0316055441	... me do not know why it was on the best seller list	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had to read this book for my book group and for the life of me do not know why it was on the best seller list. It's slow. One doesn't much care for the protagonist despite his sad beginnings. I'm just not impressed and would not recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KP91IUP4VXQT?ASIN=0316055441	Quite a long long book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Finally finished! You would figure that after reading A Song of Ice and Fire series that this would be no problem.<br/><br/>It was a really great story. I didn't expect it to be what it turned out to be. I feel like the book went 300 pages too long.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DHWTZP86CU85?ASIN=0316055441	Definitely worth 5 stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best thing about this book is that it kept you interested throughout the whole thing. Time seldom passed slowly as I was reading it. I urge you to read if you're looking for something that can open up your eyes a little to what life is and can be.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B8XIP1DPWY83?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book. Sometimes a book that has won loads of accolades can disappoint but this was a gripping little gem. It gave a glimpse into a drug world, a mafia world, the art world and threw in some philosophy as well. I was sorry when I finished it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37D1UCOUHAV0N?ASIN=0316055441	Okay	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought the book based upon the reviews yet I struggled to finish it.  It is long and I couldn't relate to the characters so perhaps that is why I didn't enjoy it as much.  Oh well, it won't preclude me from reading other books by the author however.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3379K6HPGKFYF?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt is an extraordinary writer and this book is ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an extraordinary writer and this book is exceptionally well-written. I personally found it to be draining to read. It gives marvelous insight into the damage done by trauma and it is gripping to the end, but it is not enjoyable to read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDX1683WEK3GI?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good book.  The symbolism of the main character's relationship with the picture and with antiques resonates throughout the novel.  The character evolves as he ages, and he experiences striking events in his life.  I would highly recommend the novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG2F1H5VJJF9V?ASIN=0316055441	Page Turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not a fast reader but I read this in one week (while on vacation). I don't know exactly why, but I could not put this book down - well written, great descriptions, finely drawn characters. No big suspense but I wanted to see what happened to Theo.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HVLUU8B43V9N?ASIN=0316055441	Great writer!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could hardly put the book down! Great writer!! Intriguing plot, somewhat Dickension in parts.  However subject matter of the plot is somewhat irrelevant since I feel this  author could hold one's  attention regardless of what she is  writing about.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26FD929QQNIV4?ASIN=0316055441	loved this extraordinary book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author's character development was unique in my experience. The twists and turns in the saga surrounding the protagonist's journey to embrace the meaning a painting had on his very existence takes the reader to a special place. Amazing read......</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RINJJUQ9PVTB5?ASIN=0316055441	Human Nature Examined!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a great study of how one character gets caught up in guilt but continues the self destructive behavior and another does the same and worst but feels no remorse. The author's discussion on right and wrong/good and bad is really thought provoking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O6BNZEAKFKZ9?ASIN=0316055441	Everything they say it is	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing, from a technical aspect, is so outstanding that I was often mesmerized by it to the extent that I was forgetting to enjoy the protagonist's story. Once I allowed myself to fall into the story I was captivated and moved. An enjoyable read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8SOX8BLFPA32?ASIN=0316055441	Great writing the author is a master of foreshadowing and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing the author is a master of foreshadowing and great descriptions. The story in less capable hands wouldn't be as exciting. However at points the author belabors a little too much.  Overall glad I read it, but it could be a little shorter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWPJYP7XI638G?ASIN=0316055441	I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys being swept away ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has it all. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys being swept away in intrigue.  A very well written story. DONNA TARTT  you have succeeded with this one. Wonderful characters alive with so much substance.I want to read it again!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AA816MEIN9QP?ASIN=0316055441	Turns out it DOES deserve the Pulitzer!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reads like a beach thriller but grabs your soul in a way that you do not anticipate. Wonderful characters, whirlwind but evocative descriptions, insightful but never heavy-handed. Not flawless (the drug use is very alarming!) but well worth the read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3STY4HKYRJN4L?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully, beautifully written book - was devastated when I ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully, beautifully written book - was devastated when I finished it. Seamlessly combines an exquisite study of the human condition with a thrilling finish. Couldn't recommend highly enough - I will now be working through Ms Tartt's other books!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBJDFBAY1BMEZ?ASIN=0316055441	Very long but held my interest.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written, very interesting historical art information, very depressing, very very long.  Honestly was looking forward to it to end, really the author could have edited and condensed this novel which would have made it more appealing to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GTSB4WVD2WL0?ASIN=0316055441	I found it very interesting & different. It kept ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it very interesting &amp; different. It kept me interested right through as I tried to guess how things would pan out for the main character. It focuses on the importance of a stable family life &amp; the subsequent lifestyle choices &amp; their impact.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RYDVXVF2EA5T?ASIN=0316055441	This book came HIGHLY RECOMMENDED from a friend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book came HIGHLY RECOMMENDED from a friend. The writing is beautiful but the tale is mostly sad and even depressing. If you're in a mood to delve DEEP into human psychology, take it up; again, well-written, it won't leave your brain for awhile.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z1C4FAS02JGW?ASIN=0316055441	worth reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rather long and wordy.  Very descriptive, almost to a fault.  I found it to be very sad, as no character seemed to have a very happy life.  Showed the sometimes strange intricacies of relationships and how deeply they affect people.  I did enjoy it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32DQXVG1RQVP2?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing read!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I struggled to read this book and did not enjoy it. I did not empathize with the characters. Also, there was too much descriptive narrative for my liking.  I forced myself to read this because it was a Pulizer prize winner but was very disappointed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RQWEJ14KSK4O?ASIN=0316055441	Unbelievably riveting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most compelling audio experiences ever.The multi voices capability of David Pittu(sp?) is extraordinary and the story deeply absorbing. Hearty recommendation, Tartt's writing and leisurely unfolding of this story is unbelievably riveting.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RMLHITZENZ4D?ASIN=0316055441	Classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A well-written book about the tragic circumstances that are life (some more so than others). It is beautifully worded and very engaging. Some worthwhile and poignant phrases. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys eloquently written works of art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BPSZ835FFAD1?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not an easy read, but well worth the effort. The book teetered on the brink of pretentiousness, but there was always that sliver of absurdity that made the characters human, and their quest for meaning in an unkind world a beautiful thing. Loved it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T74G1T6D2NIM?ASIN=0316055441	It sold out last Christmas; I finally downloaded it ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It sold out last  Christmas; I finally downloaded it, and find it a bit of a slog.  Put it down about 2/3s of the way through for more important reading; think I can see where it's going, but it's too long, and the story seems forced at many points.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SHOPHUYRIK90?ASIN=0316055441	The plot was interesting but I thought the author could have easily cut out 1/3 of this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could barely make myself finish this book.  The plot was interesting but I thought the author could have easily cut out 1/3 of this book.  Very repetitive and overwritten.  I would not recommend this book and was surprised it won a Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37RVN2GNV6ORU?ASIN=0316055441	It's a strange story that keeps getting more odd as ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a strange story that keeps getting more odd as the book goes on.  However, it is very well-written and you find yourself reading because you want to know what happens next.  The narrator reminds me of Holden Caufield but a little more grown-up.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RXIJS6WGOKPM?ASIN=0316055441	This book truly captures an inner turmoil using such beautiful imagery. The depth	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely stunning! This book truly captures an inner turmoil using such beautiful imagery. The depth, the realism, the surrealism, the characters, the plot, the dialogue, the journey... it is definitely one of my new favorites. Highly recommended.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SN92E3V07L3H?ASIN=0316055441	rambling and verbose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a long verbose and often times rambling book.  The reader has no idea where it is going or what the point of the story is until the last few pages.  How this won a pulitzer prize is mind blogging.  Don't waste your time or money on this one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPTMHE28CU340?ASIN=0316055441	Can't believe this won a Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some inaccuracies (13 year olds don't take AP classes), just a whole lot of drugs, f bombs and stupid, depressing amateur philosophy. Skimmed through the last 20% if the book. Way to much debauchery without much redeeming value.  Long and pointless.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XQ2I76RUAHO4?ASIN=0316055441	Could not hold my interest	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out very good. Interesting story in the beginning. Very, very long book. I felt like I was reading the life history of a spoiled drug addict that lost his beloved mother. Couldn't wait to finish just to get it over with. Would not recommend.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TTHEOW694CK2?ASIN=0316055441	Good but to great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book has received a lot of hype and although it is good it doesn't<br/>quite live up to these expectations. I found it overlong. Many of the characters are not particulalry convincing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XG629ZAZWKGP?ASIN=0316055441	Very interesting, very descriptive, too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book.  Very descriptive.  Perspectives at time I can relate to. But lots of drinking and drugs. Went on a little too long.  But it also did a great job of bringing feelings of sadness, hope, despair, longing, sickness. They felt real.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17RUF7IW1GCMX?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those books that you can't put out of your mind for a while. A couple of days after finishing this book, i sat down to write for the first time in months-- Donna Tart's style of writing is inspiring, rare, and not to be skipped over.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39O5ZFZ3DYHGF?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic writing -- a true winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic writing -- a true winner.  A thought-provoking look at the intricacies of life and the unexpected twists and turns that lead to some understanding of the grey areas we must traverse to get to at least some understanding of how to survive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y6YZHHYKFYPW?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyable!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book it has an interesting beginning that pulls you in.  There are a lot of changes as the story unfolds that keeps the reader involved. I recommend the book the plot is unique and unlike anything I have read in awhile. Entertaining.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y9WESIDN7D25?ASIN=0316055441	never ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book just dragged on and on. Maybe I didn't get it but I think it never went anywhere and was horribly depressing. There was some attempt of a  life lesson at the end but I was too tired to care by page 775.<br/>This book was just not for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMF6UTM46TT2B?ASIN=0316055441	Lost sleep...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Riveting! I didn't realise till after I read it, that she also wrote The Secret Society, another book that I couldn't put down! Exciting, stimulating read. Pick it up when you have a block of unscheduled time, because you won't want to put it down!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI9RATZ1J8VIM?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt is back!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing, if dark, read. Was thoroughly disappointed in The Little Friend, but this, like The Secret History, was a book I couldn't wait to get back home to dive into. Her writing is amazing and she took us on an interesting journey on this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LAFCWB31TBQ9?ASIN=0316055441	powerful yet beautiful language.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It wasn't the book I couldn't put down, and there were parts that were hard to get through, but also parts so poetically beautiful I glided over with ease and pure enjoyment. Ultimately a book that spoke to me as Fabriteus the artist spoke to Theo.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XHYXUUU6WB7Z?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be extremely entertaining. The writing is beautiful and the story line is quite unusual. The underlying issues aren't especially unique, but they're presented in a unique fashion. I don't want to give anything away, so read it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27F5V3F04WWXL?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't engage with the flawed characters. I thought that ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't engage with the flawed characters. I thought that the end of the book was too wordy. I had no sympathy for Theo or Boris. Their choices determined their destiny and by the time the end of the story came, I didn't cRe what happened to them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18OAQPHIC61RF?ASIN=0316055441	This is an example of articulate and beautiful storytelling at it's very best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an example of articulate and beautiful storytelling at it's very best. One not only becomes familiar with each character, but can feel the intensity of relationships, the taste of food, pounding drug reactions and the passion of visual art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ITTEALQ2VF7H?ASIN=0316055441	Don't Waste Your Time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I realize that this book won a Pulitzer but cannot figure out why.  I never give up on a book &amp; will read it to the end, which I did with Goldfinch.  It was way overboard in bad language and the constant drug scenes.  Certainly not my kind of book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HZDAOF0Q9XS6?ASIN=0316055441	Pointless	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pointless, rambling, incoherent.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35DI3T9YO30E3?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long. Unsatisfactory ending.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C839ESRUO79G?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but a bit too long.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U53KMV3FXKFE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very informative and interesting</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSZDBM6YAMIE1?ASIN=0316055441	Good, but intense, at times read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An intriguing, well-written book.  Requires concentration so is a challenge for those who enjoy a bit of philosphy and psychology.  The author<br/>keeps the reader intrigued with ideas and surprise twists in the story.  This should be a 5- or 4+.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GVJYUQTSCYBQ?ASIN=0316055441	Good book, but too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book and I'm glad I finished it, but there is a lot of long detailed passages in this book that don't really add to the overall storyline. It would be improved by a thorough editing that deleted 100-200 pages. All in all, though, a good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQODJ6BA9GEZ1?ASIN=0316055441	Exciting, depressing, and thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting story wrapped around a thought-provoking view of how individuals view art. At times, almost unbearably dark. Especially tough to continue reading when conscious of the characters' ages and their suffering but impossible to put down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DC1PJZBKTJ6F?ASIN=0316055441	None	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could only rate two stars.  Took a concentated efort to read past page 300 (approx).  Not near the ease or enjoyment of "" The Girl With The Dragon Tatoo "" series.  And that was 2300 pages.<br/>I am not a regular reader of fiction however.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XCDQLUKZ2V3Y?ASIN=0316055441	This is truly an extraordinary book. At times a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is truly an extraordinary book.  At times a suspense novel, at times a primer on art, at times a tale of friendship (sometimes touching and sometimes perverse) and other relationships complex and curious, it is exquisitely crafted throughout.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U13XT4ACTI2H?ASIN=0316055441	I felt like I was right there with them	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have never written a review for a book before, but I have to say, I was compelled to write this! This book was all consuming and the depth of the characters and their surroundings was what kept me hooked! I felt like I was right there with them.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N357H0G8FT4P?ASIN=0316055441	I shouuld have put it down after the first 30 pages.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To me, it read like a juvenile perils of Pauline.  It would have gotten a slightly more favorable rating fin it was 500 pages shorter.  The characters were not alive. I grimaced rather than smiled over their foibles. The only art was the painting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWSYEFCTR272Z?ASIN=0316055441	A long read but well worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some of the most beautiful prose I have ever read.  I loved the voice of Theodore Decker.  It took courage to read the last 100 pages. I was so afraid for him and what the fate of the painting and him would be. I know I will read it again and soon</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I6DUVVM9AC93?ASIN=0316055441	She took a long time to tell the tale, ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She took a long time to tell the tale, but she held my attention with every twist and turn.  I wanted more of Theo....and Boris...and what happened to Katsey and Hobie?  Sometimes too dark,sometimes too sharp...but always juicy.  Add another star!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B5UZK9XVHN3K?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books written in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read in years. The scope of the story is epic and every character is fully developed and totally engaging.  I love Donna Tartt's work and even though fans like me wait for years for her books the wait is always worth it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G7GEHVPL2WH9?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book that makes the reader at the same time angry, sad, agitated, hopeful, ecstatic, but never disappointed. A book you wanted to finish but when you did you wanted to start over in fear that you had missed something the first time. Excellent!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XT1V061BGWBF?ASIN=0316055441	Somewhat selfimportant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At least I finished reading it though it was often through sheer force of will. I was curious to see how Theo's life resolved but so many of the passages were overly didactic it was drudgery. It would have been better if it was edited down a bit.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O0WN3ND8Z8F2?ASIN=0316055441	See it, taste it, feel it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has a flare with words that helps the reader really experience what Theo is going through.  The reader can feel his emotions and smell the musty air in Hoby's home.  Even the dust and dirt from the explosion get in the readers nose!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KZJ6N0TK9ETO?ASIN=0316055441	It was very interesting and great twist at the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was very interesting and great twist at the end...I got bogged down in the middle and found myself wanting to give up on it.<br/>Glad I didn't.....but, I don't think the book was as good as I had heard it was...not sure why it won a Pulitzer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LBRDQNI8RDZV?ASIN=0316055441	was not what I had hoped for with all the talk which I had heard.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The language was enjoyable. I felt the drinking and drugs when the boys were together was lengthy and repetitive.  Enjoyed the art information. The woodworking craft was informative.  The human elements were believable and held the book together.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FSPV4AUSAHO5?ASIN=0316055441	Modern Dickens?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Be prepared for a long, but wonderful read. I really enjoyed this book. Reminded me of a modern Dickens story...sort of Great Expectations meets Oliver Twist. Give it a try, power through some of the slower bits and you won't be sorry in the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDQCQWCCHDS5B?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even in it`s disturbing portions, The Goldfinch kept me riveted. How would Theo and Boris survive ? As the book ended...there was the answer.The book gave me a view of today's ""lost"" children,a raw view and one that felt true. Beautiful writing .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37OVOYDVGWNQV?ASIN=0316055441	A mind-blowing, fantastic novel.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am so emotionally invested in this book and in the main character a boy, who I feel like half the time - that's how well this book is crafted.  A mind-blowing, fantastic novel.  I will be upset when I get to the last page, upset that it's over.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXOTH3C08TWGO?ASIN=0316055441	utterly amazing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a true work of art; both hauntingly beautiful and scarily relatable. It is not often that a book this profound comes along, and although passages seemed long at the time and descriptions wordy, the book itself is utterly amazing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29EFZRU5SAGHI?ASIN=0316055441	I love the style of writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book I couldn't put down....I love the style of writing.  The only downside was the length, but it allowed the characters to really be developed.  This was a choice for Book Club and the conversation we had following it was wonderful!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11OKB39C44ITE?ASIN=0316055441	dark yet satisfying!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really loved this book!!! Beautifully written!!! Like poetry!!! It has a way of sucking you in and really making you feel what Theo is feeling. It's also not as long as it seems!!! Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a good read!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS2CM0WK0FJOE?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unreadable, past the first 1/3 of the story. Started out strong and compelling, but the seemingly endless descriptions of drug addiction and self- sabotage dragged it to a depth that it could not recover from. Selling my copy to a used bookstore.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W0JHERNSKYSL?ASIN=0316055441	Yes, you should read it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazingly complicated but fascinating story revolving around a Dutch masterpiece painting and the disoriented boy who took it.  This book will keep you guessing and yearning for more. I loved it with all its art references, emotions and misfits.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R256CDHR9FSDEZ?ASIN=0316055441	A long but timely ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It would have benefited from tighter editing.  Its length made the story very drawn out.  It certainly captured a contemporary setting but at times that got a bit tiresome.  Overall, the book is worth the read, however.  It is an engaging story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NQ7703XWZFUN?ASIN=0316055441	Great story, and great writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, and great writing.  I do believe it could have been edited down quite a bit, as by the time I was three-quarters through the book, I found myself scanning through some of the ultra-long passages.  I do, however, highly recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EL8S5EF2BCWI?ASIN=0316055441	It seemed like the author could have cut out pages and pages ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book really dragged on for me.  It seemed like the author could have cut out pages and pages and still kept the story intact.  It was a struggle, if I wasn't so stubborn I probably wouldn't have finished it.  Wouldn't recommend to a friend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQFS1BK0S7M22?ASIN=0316055441	I found it tedious and sometimes difficult to follow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have been buying books for 50 years.  I am at a loss as to how this book received a Pulitzer prize.  I found it tedious and sometimes difficult to follow.  It is over written and difficult to follow.  I finished it just to find out the ending.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I2RZ2L3YK2JP?ASIN=0316055441	I really like this book and I like that it is lengthy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have been trying to finish reading this book for months now as I have been reading book club books in between.  I desperately want to finish, but at the same time I don't.  I really like this book and I like that it is lengthy, but not boring.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBWKONWMKLP3S?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a bit on the wild side,that is portraying at times the seedy side of life.  But a great story with a great ending and philosophy to ponder.  Long<br/>but hard to put down.  Easy to understand why it is a Pulitzer prize winner _ so well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SSYES50ZGOCJ?ASIN=0316055441	Just a wonderful read. If you're a reader this is a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just a wonderful read. If you're a reader this is a must read. Drama, love, comedy, intrigue,as well as being educational. This novel has something for everyone. It's one of those books you just want to take your time with. Nuff said Dave Duggan</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WLJBLBD3V72X?ASIN=0316055441	Long but satisfying	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the Goldfinch, great prose that immerses the reader in the situation, memorable and interesting characters that are explored in depth, a story with twists and good rhythm. The conclusion was a bit sub-par compared to the rest of the novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PN2BW4R5JKFG?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch good read but too long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was a sort of a dark story but one that kept you interested and anxious about what would happen next. The ending was anti-climatic with an ""alls well that end well, and such is life"" senario. The book was a little too long.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCD066T1SRBRP?ASIN=0316055441	great page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sensitive with raw emotion and experiences. Characters are fleshed out with brutal honesty...so that you feel with them.  Wanted so desperately to find out what was going to happen next...., and then so totally saddened when I finished the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU0JY0VJ1G7Q0?ASIN=0316055441	Heartrending and sublime - absolutely wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters were so real and the story and message have stayed with me for a long time.  The Goldfinch is now one of my favorite books, along with Shadow of the Wind, A Hundred Years of Solitude and Jane Eyre.<br/><br/>Love, love, loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VJW2NBNN5EM6?ASIN=0316055441	You will waste hours of your life you can never get back!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The level of detail for so many insignificant events and settings is excruciating.  Life is too short and there are too many good books out there to read to waste your time on this one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9QDNR2YD17FK?ASIN=0316055441	The best book I've ever read (and I've read thousands)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant.  Spiritual. Hilariously funny.  Tender.  Great character development.  Incredible attention to language and visual detail.  The only book that I've wanted to start reading again the second that I finished it.  A glorious work of art.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CCPAFN4X92N4?ASIN=0316055441	A Story with All Kinds of Twists and Turns	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Initially, I had some reservations about beginning a story about a young boy who loses his mother...but boy, was I in for a surprise. This is a story that has all kinds of twists and turns. I could not put it down! I recommend this book highly.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX510PK8M4ZJQ?ASIN=0316055441	too many words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would never recommend this book.  It took me months to finish.<br/>The author could have kept my attention by making it 250-300 pages.<br/>The precedent of the story was good....and then she ruined it by writing it<br/>With too many words.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24Y0KLNRXB8S3?ASIN=0316055441	Lost in Description	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Draws you in at the start. Compelling character development and a plot that goes to a place you least expect. Second half should have been pared down to keep the characters and plot from devolving to mere threads in a rich descriptive tapestry.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC4BE3QSDM27G?ASIN=0316055441	Great point of view and terrific characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most intriguing, well written novels to come along in quite awhile.  Very detailed.  Great  point of view and terrific characters.  I could picture casting the movie in my mind - but a movie would probably never do the novel justice.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17R1I8VJ4L6GZ?ASIN=0316055441	Life is catastrophe	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In meeting Theo Decker you find yourself relating to his heartbreaking life. The other characters, Boris, Hobie, Pippa- leap off the page as living, breathing people. In the end, it's a story of hope. ""Maybe fate is cruel; but it's not random.""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RJI3DJ9FBM5T?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed it - many say it's too long and yes, she is quite repetitive in her themes but still, I was not at all bored and I love a good long book.  I only wish I knew more about art and the art world as I'm sure I references went over my head.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26N72W1Y9SN4J?ASIN=0316055441	boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you like long descriptive prose and are an art and literary fan  this book will make you swoon. I kept reading 'til the bitter end to try to find what all the hoopla was about; never found out. Didn't give a hoot about any of the characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MAOPEZK76VFL?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed reading The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed reading The Goldfinch. I thought the story and the characters were very engrossing. It is a bit longer than I would have liked. The very detailed descriptions were a bit tedious at times. But the very compelling story kept me engaged.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20CMZ6XG6H0SV?ASIN=0316055441	So real, so beautiful.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am in LOVE with her Russian Boris, her frosty but compelling Mrs. Barbour, and Hobie, oh my god, the craftsman who's discreet about being gay and exquisitely talented - I wish Tartt's Goldfinch was four times longer! I could read her forever.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LBN65SM89UR8?ASIN=0316055441	Summary of The Goldfish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have not finished it but I am almost finished with the 700 pages. It is over<br/>Ly long, The story itself is interesting but too much detail on inconsequential things. It is a book you would either like dislike -I am impartial on this one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SZTWM8VPBUR9?ASIN=0316055441	but became tiresome as the character is put through so many completely ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At first it was compelling reading, but became tiresome as the character is put through so many completely diverse changes of living and the cast of characters is also so diverse. And excessive details about his drug taking. Just all too much.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYEQYRD1KBVSE?ASIN=0316055441	It was so well written I felt like I needed to go back to college (and study ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some of the most incredible writing I have ever experienced.  It was so well written I felt like I needed to go back to college (and study harder this time.) just to be in the same stratosphere with this kind of writing.  Absolutely wonderful!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30YF80P8OU7HF?ASIN=0316055441	and moments of wonderful writing. Character and plot development sometimes slow/prolonged	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting characters, and moments of wonderful writing. Character and plot development sometimes slow/prolonged. And sometimes too many characters (minor ones) to keep track of! Fortunately most of them died so could focus on the principles.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HDPE26K3Z7TP?ASIN=0316055441	Even if it were much shorter it would still have been a boring read. This was a complete waste of my ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What is all the fuss about?<br/>This was very drawn out. Could have been half the pages long. Even if it were much shorter it would still have been a boring read.<br/>This was a complete waste of my time. I stuck with it to the end, but why?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A394272IZT0M?ASIN=0316055441	In general a thought provoking book with a good storyline, but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In general a thought provoking book with a good storyline, but too long.  It could have been condensed a bit and was somewhat repetitious, but it opened the reader to breaking stereotypes and a better understanding of children of lost parents.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z6JDF3Y89Q7K?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author overuses question marks in dialogue?  Where she shouldn't?  At first I thought it was pretty innovative?  But two hundred pages in it was still happening in practically every conversation?<br/><br/>But other than that, great book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VBT9MGJFLI4Z?ASIN=0316055441	No thanks.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was simply bored with the lack of depth story line. Couldn't connect with the characters. At all. Will not be reading anything else by Donna Tart. To compare her to Hemmingway (which other reviews have alluded to) is an insult to Hemmingway.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B6PLCL5BXD6?ASIN=0316055441	An amazing book! I read all the time and this ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing book! I read all the time and this book will stay in my mind and on my recommendations list for the rest of my life. I loved it so much I read ""The Secret History"" (which I also liked). Donna Tartt is a truly gifted writer.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T1P1TO0YNOB2?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful story, twisting and turning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gripping, couldn't stop reading, many late nights. I could picture characters vividly. Wonderful story, twisting and turning. Became a bit repetative in places as 'Potter' described his addictive nature, howeved I was captivated so read on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E2ZVER9LDG12?ASIN=0316055441	The book was written very well and I enjoyed the author's use of emotion in her language	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was written very well and I enjoyed the author's use of emotion in her language. The only reason one star is missing is because I don't enjoy abstract writing.<br/><br/>All in all I loved the book and would definitely recommend it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J5MC6P9ZH76V?ASIN=0316055441	... and well written that I stayed with it and enjoyed the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't usually read what I term ""coming of age"" books but this one is so insightful and well written that I stayed with it and enjoyed the read.  I especially like the detailed descriptions of how the finch was painted as a side bar.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WPI7UP6DD2ID?ASIN=0316055441	I could not stop thinking about The Goldfinch even when I was not reading it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully poetic in a novel. It caught my attention long before I knew it was about a painting. I am an artist and art teacher, so it touched me on a deep level. But it was also so powerfully written that it captured my imagination as well.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CQUPFHHHSJBO?ASIN=0316055441	An amazing plot with riveting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing plot with riveting, believable characters, doing strange, but 'real' things.  A study in character, while emphasizing visceral reactions to life, in a very complicated, but feasible way.  I'm anxious to reread to see what I missed!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SKEYWXFNEW0N?ASIN=0316055441	CAPTIVATING STYLE	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was very descriptive and colorfully written. I enjoyed the sudden twists and turns. However, the last few pages were ""out-there-somewhere"" . All in all, I would recommend it. It was an easy book to stop and start through my busy day.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RERNIBQWEZV09?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read this while flying to Dehli, India.  I. was hooked from the beginning, wondering which way the story would go, what choices the characters would make. Lost interest a bit about 3/4this the way through but was rewarded with a great finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R2PMRH5PZU16?ASIN=0316055441	I found it confusing and lame. I am in a book club that is ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I though the Goldfinch started off as a page turner but as I got to the end of the book, I found it confusing and lame.  I am in a book club that is doing this book and the general opinion was the same as mine.  What a shame.  Diane Gustafson</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RICJWM44E84NE?ASIN=0316055441	I'm the kind of person that doesnt like to give up on a book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm the kind of person that doesnt like to give up on a book.  This book was a test.  I think there was a point to it, however, it got lost in all of the gloom, doom and depressing story.  If you like sad, depressing books then read this one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EJRXVULQ48QS?ASIN=0316055441	This creation held me from beginning to end. I ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This creation held me from beginning to end. I didn't want it to end!  Donna Tartt's characterizations bring these people to life. Theo's narrative is so real evoking a sincere empathy. The pages flowed.  Now I must read another of her works.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5IJPYAJF791R?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those ""can't put it down"" books.  It moves fast and is well written indeed. I got it on disc and listen mostly in the car, but it is interesting enough that even after a week I still know where I should be in the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WGCQ8W2SWMEP?ASIN=0316055441	Imaginative, and beautifully written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So richly written - I kept rereading pages, so that I didn't finish too quickly.  It can't be skimmed in any event - the writing is so dense, but never boring...  Reading this was an amazing experience - I can't recommend this highly enough.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AEB9UODDL8LO?ASIN=0316055441	and I honestly thought it was a not very interesting story about a pretty crappy person	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Oh my goodness. Where was the editor? This was so much longer than it needed to be, and I honestly thought it was a not very interesting story about a pretty crappy person. It could have been very interesting. It should have been. It wasn't.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNFO6HPRM8IAI?ASIN=0316055441	The book was well written and really gets you into ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book  was well written and really gets you into the story. My only negative was the length and amount of the drug and alcohol episodes of the main character. I realize they added to and were part of his life but I felt it was a bit much.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QN243MVMWJIY?ASIN=0316055441	It's an engaging read - densely written with descriptive detail ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's an engaging read - densely written with descriptive detail that pulls you into the environment where the characters live.  Without condoning the main character's drug abuse, you are compelled to understand his lifestyle and his choices.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CG2QEX5ZQHEQ?ASIN=0316055441	Much too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The ending was unclear to me.  Unclear and unsatisfying.  Too long as well.  I felt like I was carrying a terrible burden about 3/4 the way through although I enjoyed the 3/4ths.  It was the latter part that was troubling and hard to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKBR1LYL9P3LT?ASIN=0316055441	What a story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I honestly didn't have any idea of what this book was about. It was a book club selection. I have to give the person credit-she really picked a good one! Great read and I'm certain, great discussion to follow. I highly recommended this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R269V7PYY8IISF?ASIN=0316055441	Good but length unneccessary!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book but felt there was many times when the story could have been streamlined without the meaning lost.  There are about 250 pages that were not really needed.  I love love love the last page - beautifully written and touching.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UVJF64LU7UM4?ASIN=0316055441	Well written and memorable read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's rare for a novel of this length (nearly 800 pages) to hold the readers attention from start to finish. The Goldfinch captures the reader. The characters are so real and detail so precise you feel as though you are involved on the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QO1L1ZIDM75J?ASIN=0316055441	excellent....I didn't want it to end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is always wonderful to find a book you can't put down!!! Also wonderful when the book is so well written you don't want it to end.  Thank you.  This will go down as one of my favourites. Well written, great plot and constantly intriguing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F13QFJN3YRVV?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing and LONG	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be very disappointing.  It's long, contrived and dark.  I didn't care about the characters, I was depressed by the whole story and it didn't, ultimately, come together for me. There really is no point to the whole story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A9AGLVTVR05L?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is not only well written but the twice and turns it takes are fabulous!  It gives a great story about art, family upheaval and survival.  There are so many unexpected story lines that it only gets better as you read more. Lyn Maire</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10J7HHUKSCU95?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting but overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a well written novel, and I suppose it deserved the award.  I did not find the characters particularly likeable, and the hero was more naive  than was  necessary.  His adventures and relationships  were sometimes hard to understand</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27KNCYMA8L89F?ASIN=0316055441	good book, but very long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Felt like its 2 books in one. At the halfway point it could have ended and been a sequel. The end was a little wordy and drawn out and the last 100 pages could have easily been cut in half. But overall, enjoyable read with unexpected turns.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V769WLKT22J7?ASIN=0316055441	Somewhat disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Having read some good reviews on this, I had expected more. Unnecessarily long drawn-out passages which I began to skim over once halfway through the book. It didn't do much for me and I was glad to reach the rather predictable end at last.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17FX9KSVGY8GF?ASIN=0316055441	strong with weak ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked 3/4 of the book very much , but after they got to Amsterdam, and the shooting took place, it seemed like the rest of the book,especially the ending , just rambled all over the place and said nothing while trying to be philosophical.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N27WBRTRC4RB?ASIN=0316055441	I highly recommend it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An intriguing novel that is exceptionally well-written.  Some sections drag but others are page turners.  A very unique story.  The last 50 pages indulge in a philosophy treatise that is only for the veteran readers.  I highly recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31PHEXM6F0JAZ?ASIN=0316055441	Great book a must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book a must read!!! I loved how detail every character was. It's interesting being able to see how every character was trying to do the right thing in their own way. You felt their emotional and metal difficulties throughout the book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L0XVMLAHP3OM?ASIN=0316055441	Worth Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the style of writing and felt for the main character. There are too many books that I do not finish because I just do not care what happens to any of the characters. The story line was original. I would recommend reading the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N0D3SXRMKP5S?ASIN=0316055441	"there were parts of the book I felt like I had to ""just get through"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an intriguing story, and although the ending was totally appropriate, there were parts of the book I felt like I had to ""just get through"".  The literary style created a vivid imagery in my mind and enhanced the experience.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CK4UB2APFYEX?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a superbly written book. The authors knowledge of words and being able to use them in such an enthralling way is just wonderful. There were a few sections I thought dragged on a bit too much but overall it kept me absolutely engrossed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH41MWC2XF5D5?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm sorry to disagree with those that are praising this book. I found it overly long, with many episodes dragging on endlessly. I was drawn in at the beginning with her wonderful writing, but then disappointed as it went on, and on, and on.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UZSX8S7PP5A6?ASIN=0316055441	A good book club book but long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although long, it is a tale that holds your interest all the way through. The characters are well developed and all with some faults but with good qualities too. The plot is exciting though not always fast paced. A great book for discussion</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IIMGG0OVM2S1?ASIN=0316055441	tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read this because of the reward. The amount of time I out into it compelled me to continue. The musings of the last few pages should have occurred sooner, for frequently. The main character was such a loser for so much of the book. Oh well.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34FKYSOE0WZNX?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully Written!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow! She writes beautifully! I can see, feel and taste her world. Even the most disturbing characters, I found myself liking. She found a way to make the most flawed people seem human and persons you would  want to know and be friends with.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31GAEU5T8UKWF?ASIN=0316055441	Pick this one up!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting characters, plot, surprises and a treat to read. I found myself staying up late and sneaking in an hour here and there during the day because I didn't want to put this story down. looking forward to reading more books by Tartt.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P7Z5XEEC6WAZ?ASIN=0316055441	Unavoidable Collisions	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Felt the constant and unavoidable collisions of characters with life. Quickly began to anticipate the ways in which they put themselves back together. Would recommend this to anyone who is not afraid to take a big timeout from the mundane.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N9O1EK9GLK83?ASIN=0316055441	I like this book but find it staying in it's various ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like this book but find it staying in it's various phases for too long.  In the museum, then in Las Vegas, with Kitsey now about 3/4 through, so I'm finding it not as gripping to read on.  My favorite character is Hobie and his workshop.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NF9CUUQ9NN6G?ASIN=0316055441	Worth reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was listening to the audio version but it was due at the library so I got the kindle version and read the last half. Parts were slow but it held my attention to the end. Too much bad language but guess that show the boys would have spoken.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LMPGTHJC2UIZ?ASIN=0316055441	Was 700+ pages really necessary?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While a Pulitzer winner, it takes some time to wade through this 700+ page book. While an interesting plot, a good editor at Little Brown should have cut at least 200 pages from it. At times, tediously repetitious and somewhat overwritten.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20AYTPUJT7IA0?ASIN=0316055441	You will love it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Something Dickensian about the story of the main character. One roots for him while his destiny unfolds and the mystery beckons. Utterly gripping in a suave way.<br/>It sorts of reads like Harry Potter and Dumbledore in the real world !!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GFW9DE19R45H?ASIN=0316055441	Not always an easy read but it is beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not always an easy read but it is beautifully written.  Amazing actually.  Many dimensional - it deals with the after effects of trauma, the vissisitudes of daily life, the role of relationships in healing, and the compelling power of art.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z6AX1DDIHEU3?ASIN=0316055441	All Encompassing, Human Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An exhaustive journey into the pain and longing of a complex, damaged soul. This novel takes you to places seedy and sublime - on the map and in your heart. The detail with which Ms. Tartt draws her characters and subjects is breathtaking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R143M1JIQ5MZBL?ASIN=0316055441	Well written! Not at all what I expected. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written!  Not at all what I expected.  I thought this would be an ordinary story about someone stealing a painting.  The story is anything but ordinary; the characters are very real and interesting, and there are delightful surprises.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16DSFFJZSJP8P?ASIN=0316055441	Could become a classic....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo becomes real, his pain, and every deed and misdeeds could be our own. Target helps us evolve as we in the page turning are caught in Tart's brilliant word choices and myriad allusions to so many great works in both art and literature.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39OCXMNMVO5JX?ASIN=0316055441	... by blow description of their sordid drug taking escapades tedious, longwinded and did not add to the book ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the day to day blow by blow description of their sordid drug taking escapades tedious, longwinded and did<br/>not add to the book at all.<br/>pages of monotonous reading could have been eradicated by just setting a general scene.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RME31GXU5VKT?ASIN=0316055441	wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great big book with a great big adventure.  A wonderful ride from the streets of NewYork to  vegas and Amsterdam.  Throw in a little bit of the Russian mafia  and you have a superb read.  How can we possibly  review a Nobel Prize winner?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TLK1LC9KCG6A?ASIN=0316055441	HUGE Disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don’t usually review books, but I feel compelled to comment on this one; perhaps because I was so disappointed.  I expected much more from a Pulitzer Prize winning book and I am amazed that this was even nominated, let alone won.  As other reviewers have pointed out, the time-line errors, which start out as forgivable, become so numerous as to become a distraction.  The character development is very weak, as well.  The author gives us no real reason to like or even care about any of the characters.  We get a little background info on each, but we never really learn their motivations (or lack thereof).  The author saves her words instead for numerous over-long descriptions of Theo’s various drug and alcohol binges.  How Theo manages nimbly balance his heavy drug/alcohol use with his personal and professional life over the course of many years, really strains the boundaries of credulity.  As for the pages of pages of “meaning of life” claptrap at the end that the painting supposedly embodies, well that is just the nail in the coffin.  Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.<br/><br/>I think if this were just a another book, I would have sloughed it off as an ALMOST entertaining novel and moved on.  However, with its prize winning pedigree which implies, at least to some degree, quality literature, I am left feeling cheated out of the hours it took to read, hoping it would get better.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10AA2F4SCGB3H?ASIN=0316055441	Fate and human nature.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Many twists and turns....a most is to read the final pages of book.  Provides great insights into human nature and our limited influence  of over what life holds for us....no doubt these last pages were a big factor in earning a Pulitzer.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R284H161AM7G?ASIN=0316055441	I hated this book from start to finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hated this book from start to finish.  Who wants to read about so much drug addiction and deceit.  Not sure why I even finished it.  I guess I just kept hoping it would get better.  Depressing and hours of my life I will never get back.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2041B8P83VHD5?ASIN=0316055441	This is a great story that is well told for the most part	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a great story that is well told for the most part.  I do, however, think that the time and pages spent on drug abuse in Las Vegas and New York became tedious and could have made their contribution to plot development more quickly.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO0WM85BKWCRT?ASIN=0316055441	Well Written, Though Slow at Times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The overall story starts out smoothly and brings you in, but I believe it is too long and did feel slow at times.  I felt like there was some repetition and some unnecessary filler in the middle of the story but it did pick up at the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R81RALZPFUB93?ASIN=0316055441	Love the way Tartt writes	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love the way Tartt writes, serious subject matter and extremely sad but with the hope that he will find his way.  At times disliking the main character but praying for help.  Very long, verbose but engrossing at the same time.  GOOD READ!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z24CQ5ZD8NP3?ASIN=0316055441	exciting missed opportunity	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Page-turner, engrossing, many promising themes - then descends into an unfortunate and absurd thriller, laying on the conflict so thick that all true literary tension is lost. A fun read for a while that turns away from its early promise.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KAKT5CD1IVXT?ASIN=0316055441	Please tell me there will be a movie!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book definitely was not what I expected.  It evoked all kinds of emotions in me:  sympathy, anger, disgust, disbelief, anticipation.  In short, everything that's needed for a blockbuster movie.  Please tell me there will be a movie!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LDUV98K1034P?ASIN=0316055441	This book became incredibly good, it just took a long while to get ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book became incredibly good, it just took a long while to get going.  Really beautifully written and the slow beginning truly got you invested in the characters and what started happening about halfway through.  Definitely recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U9AI6XTOEL9G?ASIN=0316055441	Painfully sad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt`s writing is rich, imaginative yet raw. Some of her writing flows like poetry and leaves a physical impact on the reader.<br/>I was grateful that it didn't have a trite story book ending. But left the reader with a lot to consider.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R339S8I9FJDSSN?ASIN=0316055441	A great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great read.  This book gives a roller coaster ride through one young man's life journey.  Beautifully written.  I savored every page and was sorry (in a good way) when I finally reached the end.  It is a long read but a really good one.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBZOCOOXI1Y46?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed the beginning chapters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As with most new novels, I enjoyed the beginning chapters, really liked the middle In Las Vegas, then skidded along through implausible action adventure chapters in exotic locations and finally plodded through the sermonizing final pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10MMHFYT3VNVK?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thsi book was beautifully written however some of the writing was very graffic and unpleasant to read.<br/>However, it told a story of two boys and a girl who were traumatized and how they dealt with<br/>their unfortunate circumstances.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30UZYVWN01ZLW?ASIN=0316055441	easy, yet well written and thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While a really easy, more of a thriller type of read, the book is very well written, material seems to be very well researches as well. Author also manages to tie it all together at the climax point where so many books of this genre fail.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBBCGAI3P2BG5?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written. Heart breaking at times but hard to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. Heart breaking at times but hard to put down. The story unfolded slowly and steadily, wrapping you up in the lives of the characters as it did. By the end I cared so much about them all I really didn't want it to end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB2KLOLKGR9BM?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the effort to read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those books that takes you on a ride that you wish at times you could stop but in the end you know you have to see thru. Then the end blows your mind and you are grateful you paused along the way but never stopped reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CLGKE69QO6TR?ASIN=0316055441	It was like the SUN hidden behind the clouds	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It drew me into the world of art lovers! It started off so innocently, and turned dark in an unpredictable manner. It was like the SUN hidden behind the clouds, but ultimately, I was satisfied with the ending, not what I expected at all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R648W609XH1C5?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating, definitely not uplifting, but so well written!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was fascinating at so many levels. The author, a genius. I felt so many emotions while reading this book, truly engrossing. Highly recommend! But, be warned, this is not a feel-good book. I was sad throughout most of this read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVYLWKDHTI11B?ASIN=0316055441	This book was not what I expected--too mich emphasis on ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was not what I expected--too mich emphasis on drugs and alcohol addiction. Not sure what I was expecting, but I found it very depressing. Had to struggle to finish the book. I found that I skimmed much of the last few chapters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33CQSLLA6OXD1?ASIN=0316055441	I did really like it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There really should be 4.5 star option!!  5 stars just seems a little too much.  But, I did really like it!!  I wish I had the book club questions to refer to as I was reading it.  There are many layers that do deserve to be discussed!!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HPTAC4CUFC2D?ASIN=0316055441	A good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be thrilling  unputdownable and informative as to the effects  of drugs on youngsters.  I would recommend it to any parent  of children about to enter their teens, despite all the rather lengthy violent descriptions.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C46VNK3OF9?ASIN=0316055441	I forced myself to finish the book because I had read a very favorable review of the book and kept hoping it would get better.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is too long, filled with rambling paragraphs.  I found little to admire about the central character.  I forced myself to finish the book because I had read a very favorable review of the book and kept hoping it would get better.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPOUMF03AVAFT?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read!  Highly Recommend it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent selection.  I loved the story and was sorry to finish it.  I felt as though I knew the characters and became very involved in their lives. This story was very well written and consumed the reader.  I highly recommend this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9WJ2CZABDVQR?ASIN=0316055441	but I have read many finer.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have only read about a third so far, but can't see where the story is going, and I am getting tired of the crude language.  Will probably struggle through to try and see what makes this a prize winning book, but I have read many finer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LWNY29RANS23?ASIN=0316055441	A tour de force but the sad, dark days of his downward spiraling left me ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A tour de force but the sad, dark days of his downward spiraling left me feeling depressed. It ended well and it was only because of her exquisite rendering that I was moved so deeply. One star off perfect because of length of sad parts.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y6L5B2QTJUTD?ASIN=0316055441	character development was super. Felt it was a bit too long and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very descriptive,  character development was super.  Felt it was a bit too long and the main character just had too many bad things happen to him......became depressing.  It did seem that he was finally on a better path on the last page.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R70D5ES1DULWS?ASIN=0316055441	TWO Stars because the Boris dialogue was fun. Pulizter Price	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">TWO Stars because the Boris dialogue was fun.  Pulizter Price?  Really? Wow.  Guess my mind doesn't fathom that.  Long, repetitive and quite extensive about drugs.  Some really great parts but way too long.  So I keep this review simple.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12PCB5ABZRDBN?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book so much and renewed it as long as I could from the library. To finish the book, I decided to buy one. It arrived in perfect condition. It came from GB so it took longer than I would have liked but the price was right!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SQ7E1LJQ7W8X?ASIN=0316055441	The Cynical	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was pretty good, but not nearly as great as The Secret History. The story is entertaining but is slow moving and cumbersome. Also, the characters are flawed and make you sad to see so much cynisism. In the end are we to learn from it?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MDRK3I53NM7M?ASIN=0316055441	This book has everything you want in a book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This books reminded me of everything that made me fall in love with reading and books. It's a delicious cross between Bright Lights, Big City and Oliver Twist/Great Expectations.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ORQDETTO3VQ3?ASIN=0316055441	This book needed a good Editor! The premise was terrific but by about ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book needed a good Editor!  The premise was terrific but by about a third into the book, the story line became over written and repetitive.  The ending is too pat and wraps up too nicely.  Could have been a much better book for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I7QNDD3OE3AH?ASIN=0316055441	Good story, but could have been told in half ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long.  Author is too verbose.  Uses 34 words to say that the front door of the house was blue.  It was a gift and I read to the end, but it certainly wasn't worth my time.  Good story, but could have been told in half the words.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNMC1QFUN1M18?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt writes brilliantly, painting portraits of her characters and settings that stayed with me well after I finished the book.  I will never forget Boris.  Loved Hobie.  And I suspect that I will read it again, which is unusual for me.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DVZ5JNXOK3RN?ASIN=0316055441	The plot it's good and the author shows a very impressif knowledge and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Obsessively written, so deep into the details that sometimes it's almost impossible to continue to read  the book. The plot it's good and the author shows a very impressif knowledge and possession of  the English language and vocabulary</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE2KWDW5BU3OK?ASIN=0316055441	Too depressing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finally gave up about 3/4 of the way through.  I kept trying to like it, and kept going back to it, but found it to be way too dark and depressing.  It started out well, but quickly plunged down into a place where I didn't want to be.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY6U2OSNSEOX2?ASIN=0316055441	Lost interest	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While this book had a good story, the way it was written ruined it for me. It was twice as long as it needed to be. I lost interest, skipped many, many pages. and didn't end up missing a thing!  I won't read another book by this author.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B5FHLBQUHFBW?ASIN=0316055441	This was a wonderful book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a wonderful book...I never read such a big book as fast as this one, but the plot did drag a bit in parts.  The characters made the novel.  They were fleshed out well and I felt like I knew them by the time I finished the book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D5FBUW7BMW24?ASIN=0316055441	Discovering life through and because of art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A delicious, delirious journey through a person's relationship with an exquisite painting of a goldfinch, and how that one painting changed and defined his relationship with himself, his friends and relations, and ultimately art itself.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OUTM2YQI1YU1?ASIN=0316055441	I was happy with the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was redundant and long, but the storyline was very interesting.  It's hard to understand why the main character would want to keep the goldfinch portrait for so long when it belonged to the museum.  I was happy with the ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V3BP9SULSZYT?ASIN=0316055441	impersonal	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have read many well written books by intelligent and highly skilled authors, and ""The Goldfinch"" is no exception.  However, there is an overwhelming darkness that makes it too difficult to relate.  It was a struggle to finish.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF9D2106ELAIY?ASIN=0316055441	This book was harder to read. It was written ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was harder to read. It was written in a way that makes it harder to read out loud. My husband and I often read books to each other in car rides, in the park, or sitting on the lake. We only read two chapters before we gave up.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ONVV5SZCK3VT?ASIN=0316055441	so well written and so complex	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such beautiful prose for such a dark story...Boris has to be one of the most fabulous characters I have seen developed in a Long time. Can't plow through this one....need to savor it is small doses to really appreciate its complexities.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS0DW0IT03Z58?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting  theme but required lots of perseverance to finish!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author is capable of fascinating descriptions of places, events and situations but the story is often too tedious, belaboured and slow in progress. A story that could have been more pleasurable and convincing if cut by at least 50%.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VZB5FZDHXJX2?ASIN=0316055441	but overall thoroughly enjoyed. I think after finishing it I have to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was drawn into this novel and couldn't seem to put it down.  Some parts were slow, but overall thoroughly enjoyed.  I think after finishing it I have to go back to the beginning, because at first it was hard to know what was going on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A16WN2STTQZB?ASIN=0316055441	Really a wonderful read. Just at times I found the in ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really a wonderful read. Just at times I found the in depth analysis on the various moods an descriptions do places a bit tedious. not that they were not interesting in themselves but......... Sometimes I wanted to get onto the action !</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QDSCENO6Y38S?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious with glimpses of beautiful writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some of the writing in this book is sublime.  I found myself stopping and re-reading passages and paragraphs and smiling at the artistry of the author.  As the story moved along those lovely crafted words became hurried as the writer tried to get to the next phase of the too-long story.<br/><br/>I don't rate a book by its length as long as the story is worth my time.  Since I read this on my Kindle, I really didn't pay attention to the length of this story, so I found myself muttering from time to time, ""Will this ever be over?""  I stuck with it and finished it because I had invested so much time already.  I would rate it a 3.5, if I had the choice.<br/><br/>It's a good thing the reader likes Theo at the beginning, because he does not remain a likeable person throughout the book.  The story is simply too long, and apparently would be several hundred pages longer, except that the author wisely decided to skip over several years from time to time.  At times we get almost minute-by-minute narration that just made me want them to hurry up -- because some of the things that happened during those m/by/m segments contributed NOTHING to the story and were boring.<br/><br/>I'm not sure I would read another book by this author.  The bits of inspired prose were too few and far between.  I don't think that it is as good a book as it could have been.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JCFSAGL6WXE4?ASIN=0316055441	Art History 101	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt I was taking another art appreciation class in college.<br/>Too much information of art history and not enough story<br/>Line. Very hard and slip reading. The last several pages to me<br/>Really summed up the meaning of life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24TTYIA518KPJ?ASIN=0316055441	Just say no	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The violence, the drinking, how old is this kid? The depressing path of his life, absolutely no characters to root for or care about. 300 pages in and who cares, not me. This book was pretentious and overwrought, don't waste your time.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R65KIA3OBG7FO?ASIN=0316055441	I thought it very confusing and while the plot of the story was good, too much was made of the main characters' ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is very deep and deals with the innermost thoughts of drug addicts.  I thought it very confusing and while the plot of the story was good, too much was made of the main characters' problems and how they did not deal with them.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QW7C00E25U0K?ASIN=0316055441	A contemporary classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This multi-layered novel is a real page-turner. On the surface, it's an engaging story, but you can pull back as many layers and make as many connections as you like. I'll be thinking about this book and its characters for a long time.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VMSZU8L2M2SH?ASIN=0316055441	you don't have to love art to love this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author has an incredible creative imagination, a deep appreciation of th drug culture, creates wonderful engrossing conversations. I think she rambles a bit, becomes too expressive, but overall I thought this book was a great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZV50LHLYE9IJ?ASIN=0316055441	Too long and repetitive in spots.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book gets tedious in sections where it goes on and on.  It soars in other sections. If the book were tighter in writing style, it would be at least 200 pages shorter and, for my taste, a more enjoyable book. Glad I read it though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VCT2B9L7XYT5?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a novel unlike I expected. Deep interesting characters. Unexpected twists. At points, details seemed over-the-top and slightly boring. Great plot of a hard life struggle with love, lost, and a life battle of addiction.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNBCAME9BBEGZ?ASIN=0316055441	A commanding story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing story that I couldn't leave.<br/>My only issue was too much descriptive drug use and the last 5% of the novel was a bit drawn out.  Having said that I can't stop thinking of how things could have been for him - if only.....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MER7EAJBQBFZ?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the first half and the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the first half and the ending.<br/>I found the gangsters in Amsterdam to be a bit convoluted. Boris even became a bore. However in my mind her observations on life at the end of the book compensated for the mid-novel meandering.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BSA1CTCXVQTW?ASIN=0316055441	Ending sad and depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Basic tale very interesting, but author spends too much time on details that aren't especially related to the story. Ending sad and depressing, however, life is sometimes like that. Kept reading because of other reviews...there's mine.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TCCM023RTAR7?ASIN=0316055441	ok but not great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book captured my interest initially but as I continued to read it dragged on and on. I couldn't wait for it to be over not because I enjoyed it just wanted it to be done. Should have listened to the other reviews. Long boring read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJFIA4C7FJLKY?ASIN=0316055441	Deserving of the Pulitzer Prize	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fasincating, non-stop read, even though it is excessively long, I didn't lose interest for a minute.  Wouldn't recommend it for a book club because of the length.  Most would not be able to finish it in a month's time.  But I loved it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DHD5RKD4EEHZ?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've only been reading this book a few pages a day in order to make it last - a wonderful book!  I understand it takes Donna Tartt years to write a book.  That's unfortunate because no other author could live up to my expectations now.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F0UX5C0KY0WO?ASIN=0316055441	While the story line is excellent - I found myself bored time and time again ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the story line is excellent - I found myself bored time and time again as the story droned on and on and on and on .  It took an effort to keep reading to finish the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31CO3XA8TAQSW?ASIN=0316055441	Absolutely Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've read a lot of books but this may be my new favorite. The storyline coupled with the style, down to the very words the author so meticulously chose to convey each thought made this book absolutely stunning. Five stars all the way.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWP6SGSNKUSEB?ASIN=0316055441	Great visuals	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book provided great visuals,  I felt the painting was in the room with me as I read.  Great character development, Boris plays the good guy and bad guy roles very well.  Read it if you like to feel you're part of the story, I did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HTKLL6K9CK4I?ASIN=0316055441	a jewel that weaves a tightly needed knot of understanding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The glimpse in to the world of drugs was disconcerting.  The words and painting of scenes and pictures was heavy but brIlliant. The true genius comes through at the end of the book.  It is clear then why it is a Pulitzer Prize winner!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16LBXW5W3LW34?ASIN=0316055441	I read the entire book, because I cared what ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read the entire book, because I cared what happened to the main character however; the book drug quite a lot for me and it was an effort to finish it even though I cared a lot about the main character  because he was very endearing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H5USGEDC01X?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the book but thought the ending was not what ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the book but thought the ending was not what I expected.  The characterizations were full and funny, loved her story telling, learned a lot about furniture restoration, but felt the ending was unfinished and too in the clouds.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11ED942I33UXN?ASIN=0316055441	Did not like it! It seems with this novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not like it! It seems with this novel, readers either like it or hate it. Well count me in the latter category. I think I stayed with it until the end out of curiosity to see where the author could possibly go to redeem this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R262O5E9GPHZSC?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch, a New American Classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished this book, and this is a story at once complex, but moves briskly along. Lots of thinking by the characters, and lots of action.  No one is predictable.<br/>This story is truly original.  What as mind Tartt possesses!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V63K13R8IA1E?ASIN=0316055441	it won the Pulitzer but a painful read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed her first two books.  Found this one to be painful to read. Kept reading, because I did care about the characters including the painting, which is a character. Some good twists and turns in the plot. Would not recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLDCMRMLP3PPQ?ASIN=0316055441	I didn't love it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm glad I read it, but it could have used a good editor to cut about 20% of the redundant content that didn't add anything to the story or the characters. There was a point where I just wanted it to end, but it kept going on and on.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLCHWZ6B3YWWA?ASIN=0316055441	This book is truth.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What this book says to me is, is.<br/><br/>Life is.  Death is.  Beauty is.  Sorrow is.  Art is.<br/><br/>All of the should be, could be, was and might have been and will and won't be are little more than tales told around a fire.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SHFRKVDUWVJD?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After waiting so long to read this, I was very disappointed in the subject and in the character portrayal. Too much emphasis on drugs as if they were air that one needs to breathe. Sad book on many levels. Not deserving of any prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RPJSK5FTSS6N?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent writting but could have been a lot shorter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long. Excellent writting but could have been a lot shorter. Too much on the the kids, their drinking ,drugs and activities.<br/>I'm glad to  have read it but would not recommend it unless someone knew the bases of the story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S6N5XN9HX5FE?ASIN=0316055441	I can't decide if I enjoyed it..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked aspects of the book, but some sections seemed to be so detailed that I found hard to follow. Overall good storyline. I loved Boris character, I almost thought the main character had too much of a drug addiction to relate too.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VAON5HAA46PA?ASIN=0316055441	This was less a novel and more a sounding board ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was less a novel and more a sounding board for his philosophy of life.  Since this was a book club selection, I felt I had to finish the book, but I found myself scanning pages to see if there was anything essential to the plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AGFD693J2CQB?ASIN=0316055441	brilliant writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I normally they're away from books it's really heavy dark themes. And while I wanted to put the book down because it simply grieved me, I couldn't resist the eloquent writing.  Truly takes you into the mind of the author. Exceptional</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPBCXEEGZOP4W?ASIN=0316055441	Though beautifully written in parts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though beautifully written in parts, about a sympathetic character, all in all it was not a satisfying read.  After a winsome beginning, I felt as if I was slogging through too much about drugs and sometimes violence.  Disappointing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10RWJ1RPHE73U?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent writing but .....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is good.  The descriptions are excellent, even if a bit too lengthy.  It leaves the reader with little hope for the characters.<br/>I find this to be disappointing.  The length of the book exceeds one's attention limits.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PND43KF9TIVI?ASIN=0316055441	A well written and captivating story trauma, life, and love	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it fascinating to see this story through the eyes of an adolescent through his late 30's.  While his trauma and life choices were more than ordinary I felt they resonated with my own, less dramatic experiences.  A great read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F0U7KZIGLISW?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too long - thot it'd never end</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17UD0416D8FCI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing. Couldn't put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10CNIQZGE8XH?ASIN=0316055441	sad winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Have no idea why its a winner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WZ56MO6P9JHJ?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long, depressing, pretentious.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EQI41M9CZQFM?ASIN=0316055441	A great book for sure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This 700+ page book is at times hopeful, dark, nostalgic, light-hearted, suspenseful &amp; thoughtful.<br/><br/>The pace varies from slow to fast.<br/><br/>The characters are developed into complex.<br/><br/>A great book for sure.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JG5IH50KJFW8?ASIN=0316055441	Very long-winded	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story teller is a very weak person with little fortitude. He is not very likable and does little to control his own destiny. The writer sometimes takes pages to describe something. Very tedious. A good tale but get to the point!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R241MZOCQVQ5FX?ASIN=0316055441	I think this was a great story and I really enjoyed reading it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think this was a great story and I really enjoyed reading it....all except for the ending!  The next time I read it, I will read right up to the last bit, then just put it down.  I was let down by the ending of the novel...sigh...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R348WFEIMCXTH7?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Still thinking about this one. I prefer happy endings or at least endings that bring closer. This one just ended in a rambling of supposed life lessons learned. Only the main character wasn't sure what he learned if anything at all.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P4BXO91NRGLD?ASIN=0316055441	Unsatisfying but good writing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book began to bore me about three quarters of the way through.  It began really well but the lead character never ever seemed to come out of being sorry for himself and just sort of wandered off st the end..very unsatisfactory.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VLA4G9HRCCYD?ASIN=0316055441	A captivating Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fantastic novel full of rich detail. I couldn't put it down! It's the kind of book you become so engrossed in, that you think you might actually run into one of the characters walking down a busy street. Fantastic start to finish.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R310AU3D0V1NIW?ASIN=0316055441	It is a very good book, but not for light summer reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is well-crafted and excellently written.  I found it to be a very interesting read, but a rather depressing story that left me saddened for the main character.  It is a very good book, but not for light summer reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GB30I9JMQ7T?ASIN=0316055441	Thought-provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It really gave the reader some ideas to ponder.  How many of us hide the emotional scars of our early lives?  And how do we handle life after trauma?  Life is complicated, and so are the themes of this book.  I couldn't put it down!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T2O10NAQCXRD?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinches and Mothers!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Challenging novel.  Set today.....hard to find any true happiness within the characters....but most pulitizer winners are sad stories.  Glad I read it.  Nice to know what the criteria for winning  is.....in the field of literature.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30QHBHLVSWXR1?ASIN=0316055441	So very fortunate to have picked up this book about a multitude ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So very fortunate to have picked up this book about a multitude of people and a myriad of experiences, growing wiser and dissolussioned with friendship, commitment and life.Finding beauty in truth. Beautifully written. Not to miss.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YH9R0BJVLTAA?ASIN=0316055441	I really like to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was kind of hard to get through at some points. I really like to read, and am not usually put off by density, but though the story was intriguing I couldn't even make myself read the last chapter, it was so much rambling.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YKDKS01UX23P?ASIN=0316055441	Loved every second of it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just a beautiful story. Well worth the read. Really sparked my interest in art and how it contributes to the quality of life. I have read a lot of really good books recently, including many classics, but this one is really special.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LTJV6TKVXPUM?ASIN=0316055441	Could not put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not expect to love this book do much when I started out. Just another allegorical post 9/11 story. Something else happened in those early chapters that has kept me report and, well, addicted. Thank you for this wonderful story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FQYWIPV6XJGO?ASIN=0316055441	I totally got involved and enjoyed about 3/4 of the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I totally got involved and enjoyed about 3/4 of the book. But the last part was a mess. I did not like all the people getting involved in finding the painting. A bunch of weirdos. Also thought they would be a more dramatic ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WP5ZCE81CAB7?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the story and Theo Decker	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the story and Theo Decker. Wanted good things to happen to the poor guy. Donna could have made the book a lot shorter but the story is great. Can't wait to see the movie which will eliminate most of the unnecessary rhetoric.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CKKHDLFI2NSR?ASIN=0316055441	Very tedious.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an unbelieveable book to try and read.  I read and read and read trying to find out what happens.  I did finish it but don't know why I kept going.  Way too much descriptions of a lot of people not connected to the story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CG6Y9YDR3UEQ?ASIN=0316055441	loved the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was entertaining and thought provoking.  Many areas seemed, however, to drag on while other parts of story seemed to be missing.  Author described Theo's emotions so you could feel his frustration and empathize with him.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FLI2A6MGTWHU?ASIN=0316055441	couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love to find a book that sucks you in from the start &amp; makes you not want to put it down! That is what The Goldfinch did to me! Loved it!!! Sad it is over! I am sure my family is glad to have me back! Highly recommend this book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SLCH9Y0JNMHA?ASIN=0316055441	a terrific read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In the end and throughout life's ups and downs, it is magnificent magical art which bridges the gap and makes life bearable.<br/><br/>The tale is written with clarity and the scenes are riveting in their detail, a terrific read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PY17TBAUOD10?ASIN=0316055441	Seems like 'War and Peace'	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">reading this on Kindle, you have no idea what a mammoth book you're getting into! It's certainly big and juicy! I wonder how many pages it is? Seems like 'War and Peace'.<br/>But it's held my interest. Still not quite through....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BFTSLK9GVROJ?ASIN=0316055441	Plot synopsis was far superior to the actual book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This did NOT deserve a Pulitzer Prize. Plot synopsis was far superior to the actual book. Wasted too much time reading this before I got disgusted and quit reading. What could have been a good story turned into a drugged out mess!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGKAGK12S43HY?ASIN=0316055441	Well written but very long winded. The tragic youthful ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but very long winded.  The tragic youthful life of the narrator was heart wrenching and though provoking.  Ending with the narrator telling the reader for. 20 pages what he want the takeaway message to be was annoying</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BQVJAPI5MYD?ASIN=0316055441	OK to not finish this one	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first few chapters were great.  Then began the long and slow and completely unnecessarily slog.  This book could have been half the length and been much better.  Too many times going off on tangents.  I wish she had an editor.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V3BE08EJE3I7?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this story..the first 75% was excellent..final 25% was a bit harder to follow and took more concentration. Really related to the main character, enjoyed the eccentric people and chaos his life included. Couldn't put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B1N89M97GCH2?ASIN=0316055441	Hang in there	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You have to stick with this novel to enjoy it.  It takes a little work! I Liked the character development by the author. I liked the way he wrote and his style. On a long rainy week you might be able to get through it. I liked it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4EAONP51ID9G?ASIN=0316055441	Sometimes hard to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The pretentious beginning and end should have had better editing. The middle is a great story, a real page turner. The book is well written but needs to be culled. Might make a good movie if the beginning and end are tightened up.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6VNAKSGSJ8QC?ASIN=0316055441	wonderfully written--characters marvelous--but the last portion was not up to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">wonderfully written--characters marvelous--but the last portion was not up to the quality of the first, very long telling.  She moralized<br/>and made excuses and did not let the subjects' lives stand for themselves as portrayed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PFBMQ20BJOG4?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I LOVED this book. May be my new favourite. I felt it started a little slow and I gave up on it a few times but then I couldn't put it down and didn't want it to end. I definitely recommend this as one of the best I've ever read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA3S2WBT0ESTA?ASIN=0316055441	A bit long-winded	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This came off as a bit long-winded to get to an awesome punchline.  The writing's pretty, but the plot isn't gripping or tight enough to warrant the length.  The end of the novel would have made a beautiful essay on the painting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE6C9JUJ4JUUM?ASIN=0316055441	I already recommended it to everyone I know. Now I am recommending it to you!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could go on at length about this wonderful book. One of the best books of the past decade. Enormously readable, with entertaining events and characters. Gets a little messy at the end and hard to follow, but well worth reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DB1RN70L8LP4?ASIN=0316055441	I'm not sure what to think. The writer definitely ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not sure what to think.  The writer definitely draws you in and creates some fascinating characters.  However, I'm not sure that it pays off at the end.  I was left a little unsatisfied.  But, I could be persuaded either way.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GLEXBJRKMTD5?ASIN=0316055441	Very intense	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written. Very believable characters, some that you like and some you do not. Boris though flawed is wonderful, and I would like to meet Hobie.  Sometimes thought it would never end but it always held me enough to keep going.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15368CFQ0A8PH?ASIN=0316055441	It had too much vulgar language. The author's rendiction ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It had too much vulgar language. The author's rendiction of various scenes for so long, many showing goodness, others showing what really happens to people who let others influence them for the evil way, were extremely well done.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31NQAMCMNY2A0?ASIN=0316055441	Lots to recommend it but I'm not sure why I didn't enjoy it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It had great use of language, interesting characters, and lots of insight into life scenarios that I'm unlikely to encounter. Nevertheless I didn't enjoy it - the humour was a bit dark and I didn't really like the main character.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U656U4NP2J92?ASIN=0316055441	This book is a brilliant roller coaster ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a brilliant roller coaster ride!  Never a page of expectedness.  As a single mother, I always wondered 'what' would happen to my children if something happened to me - painful heartbreak in uncovering true character.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWRB70M1TUHQA?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it. So many themes running through it that ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it. So many themes running through it that slowed me down while reading so I could really ponder the issues. And yet I had a hard time putting it down, thanks in part to short chapter breaks. A long book, but a worthy read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DCPD2DZLG5EQ?ASIN=0316055441	so far so good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Have just started the book but I am looking forward to reading on. I am not sure how it goes on but after a strong beginning it has gotten my interest. Looking for a continuation of a strong story to develop as it is a long book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q42S4FHJSVSC?ASIN=0316055441	tells an interesting tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the way the author painted pictures of New York scene, as you felt you were actually there on the streets and in the museum. There was some abrupt transitions, and much rambling that I don't think connected the storyline.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQJ045TX6V1PY?ASIN=0316055441	Breathtaking work of art.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very impressive and absorbing story of a young man's life after the trauma of his mother's death and his illegal possession of a masterpiece, The Goldfinch. I loved every minute reading the comprehensive chronicles of his story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMS7W0JEKKMS4?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I ordered this audio book and had to listen to the entire book,when I received it.I have since passed it on to my son,who really ikea it,as well,as he drives a lot and listens to Audio books on all of his trips.Facinating novel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDL30QB4BFLDZ?ASIN=0316055441	I had to finish it but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had to read the whole thing.  But it was so frustrating.  How much bad stuff can happen to one person.  Very well written and I can see why it won the award but don't get into it if you want a light hearted happy look at life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R116DWUOPT55Q7?ASIN=0316055441	This book was very good although I thought it was too slow at the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very good although I thought it was too slow at the end. The author was trying to make a point about life and it took forever! The characters were interesting and except for the drawn-out ending, I loved this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3662SMD27OXGR?ASIN=0316055441	OK but not my style	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was highly recommended....the descriptions, of which there are a LOT, are amazing and rich....but the story line is rambling and hard to follow. The main character drifts through life and that is the jist of the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FFCNZHZDREZQ?ASIN=0316055441	foul language tand any kind of underhand dealings and makes ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is no reason why anyone needs to read a story that emphasizes drugs, drinking, foul language tand any kind of underhand dealings and makes them come out triumphantly in the end. There were no redeeming values in this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39XUJJ06N0EI3?ASIN=0316055441	Strange story! Interesting, but I wouldn't expect to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Strange story!  Interesting, but I wouldn't expect to buy another of her books, as I found her writing style - how shall I describe it? - cluttered.<br/>I donated this book to my public library as soon as I finished reading it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S1TCP05XS019?ASIN=0316055441	dark but a page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A lot of beautiful writing, some unforgettable characters, an amazing painting , long and verbose, many times painful and agonizing. I like the three main  characters, all orphans and all loving comrades against a brutal world.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MB1JQTWHR53P?ASIN=0316055441	A Book You Can Get Lost In	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characterizations were amazing and the story was fun and endearing. I just finished it last week and I find myself wondering for a split second what the characters are up to, until I realize I finished the book. I miss them!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIW3N0X6TV7AX?ASIN=0316055441	Very dark novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The ending did somewhat make up for all of that, though I wish it had been 1/2 as long. I would not have finished it, had not a friend told me the end tied it all together. Perhaps, but for me the ends did not justify the means.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTYMIRPOXMECU?ASIN=0316055441	It was a long haul following Thedor Dekker through phases ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a long haul following Thedor Dekker through phases of his life from the museum explosion and his stealing the painting .  There were many parts of this book that were dragged out, one being the end which I will not spoil.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9G5OLAWT328O?ASIN=0316055441	Great book. Dragged a little in portions about a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. Dragged a little in portions about a third of the way through but overall a intriguing read. You really got to know the characters and although the plot could be called far fetched you cared what happened in the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNII8ZBMFHW2Z?ASIN=0316055441	i did not enjoy this book at all	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i did not enjoy this book at all. The main character was difficult to like or relate to, and it was WAY too long.<br/>I have already told friends not to waste their time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HLL3Z6P0GL0V?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting twisted journey of a young boys life through to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting twisted journey of a young boys life through to adulthood.  Many dramatic life changing situations are described throughout the book that can be somewhat upsetting.  Emotional read.  Did find it to be a bit lengthy.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8PJ72B1195YD?ASIN=0316055441	Not a book to recommend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While there were moments of beautiful,  descriptive passages,I was not invested in any of the characters while reading. It felt like a was eavesdropping on someone's mindless internal chatter. Not a book that I would recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H15IRZ96OV4O?ASIN=0316055441	Profound	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was riveting.  The pace was pitch perfect.  I found the last two so remarkable.  I have read the final paragraph over and over to many people.  Loving everything that death does not touch.  So intense.  Loved the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HCT6VK7CLM9Q?ASIN=0316055441	so so	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book up until the ending.  I couldn't put this book down as it reminded me of a memoir (which I enjoy), but I could barely get through the ending.  I kept hoping it would get better, then it was just done.  Dissapointing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26A2EHEOO5B5O?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth you time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How this book received a Pulitzer is beyond me.  I see that it is also on the best seller list.  The first half of the book was fine and I was really into the story.  The second half was tedious and I just wanted it to be OVER.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS69O570OAAVS?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning of the book was good setting up the story.  Then it just became pages and pages of description that was not necessary to the storyline.  The ending was dissappointing and I finished just for the sake of finishing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K4045JNX3P03?ASIN=0316055441	great story, a bit too much detail & pontificating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed listening to this story. The writing, while at times a bit too detailed &amp; a bit too much pontificating, was beautiful. The characters were well written &amp; well developed. A great piece of literature, to be sure!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D51VU0VWJPAW?ASIN=0316055441	book was a gift	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this for my wife who has now read three quarters of the book and says its only okay.  She doesn't feel it lives up to all the rave reviews the book has received.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R175C5R25CI9JE?ASIN=0316055441	The story is not believable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't want to ruin this book for other readers but I think the big plot twist at about the 75% mark is completely ridiculous.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R912GX0TI5057?ASIN=0316055441	"Not a ""chick-book""  --  at least exclusively!"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Because of its popularity, I thought that might be a ""chick-book.""<br/>It is not.  Donna Tartt does a great job of telling a compelling saga in the voice of an orphaned boy developing before our eyes into a young man.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MG45D91EIBR0?ASIN=0316055441	janny	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written stunning story that captures life and friendship, tragedy and realization of life.  I love this story but I love the writing even more.  Could not put it down!  Deserving of awards since it is a work of art</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EIW3SWLF85JV?ASIN=0316055441	Starts off strong but needed some editing. Less really ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Starts off strong but needed some editing. Less really can be more.  At some point I was thinking, ""Enough already"" in regards to the drug fueled stories and antics of Theo and Boris. The ending was quite flat as well.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBKBQD9SMLXS4?ASIN=0316055441	Gritty	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't enjoy reading so much of drugs and drinking.  Very descriptive, artistic writing.  Enjoyed reading most of it because it was so different from what I typically read, but probably won't recommend to family and friends.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GNM1B43MVEFB?ASIN=0316055441	Not Worth It	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started off with an AMAZING first chapter, which somehow motivated me to continue slogging through the remainder. It really was not worth continuing for me. If I had it to do over again, I would not have read the entire thing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RJZU0QMD3M0C?ASIN=0316055441	The plot was interesting & unusual, but the author ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot was interesting &amp; unusual, but the author dragged it out so much I wondered if she were being paid by the word. I read this on my Kindle, so I don't know how many pages it was; but a lot of it could have been cut out.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35A3GN4A64E08?ASIN=0316055441	worth reading but---	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can understand why it was awarded Pulitzer.  Beautifully written and researched on many levels, but---way too long and rambles.<br/>Found myself scanning  down a lot of the pages to get back to plot or to move on in the plot.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32T1096IL7X6M?ASIN=0316055441	Lengthy but interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a long book!  I did manage to get through it and a lot of interesting things happen to the characters which keeps you hooked.  I did find myself skimming through some sections, but overall there was a good story here.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7QFGZW807J2E?ASIN=0316055441	Protagonist became like a friend...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not want this book to end. Not necessarily because of the storyline, but because I fell in love with Theo! It's like I've lost contact with a dear friend. I'm not the most avid novel reader, but boy was this a great one!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UKT8ZG4UPRTE?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is very well written but extremely long.  I lost interest about halfway through but then forced myself to finish it.  I am glad I finished it. If it were a great deal shorter I would have enjoyed it a great deal more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VV4L0JCTOV09?ASIN=0316055441	Sad, sad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">,Sad, sad, sad characters, a little redemption at the end.  I kept waiting for something good to happen,  never does.  Perhaps the book is a metaphor for the consequences of loss and and little love.  Thank goodness for Hobie.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A2M7DIZJIR7X?ASIN=0316055441	A solid gold book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Okay, there were a few parts that were aliitle overdone-but this is the best book I've read in years. After I finished it, I went back and reread the first and last chapter again. It will leave you thinkng about your own life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EEFMHRL3WHE3?ASIN=0316055441	Sublime	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A perfect work of art. Exquisitely wrought and mysterious, like the painting that runs through the book like an artery. I will need to re-read this many times to grasp its full magnitude.<br/><br/>Epic. Immense. Exceptional.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPHDI7YYL553B?ASIN=0316055441	AN INTERESTING CONCEPT-STRANGE ENDING	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story starts out well and quite interesting; it takes you a long roundabout trip to an unsatisfying ending.  that may only be my lack of understanding the deep ""philosophical"" ramblings that swarm through he book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8H9KHKE2WFQA?ASIN=0316055441	I would have enjoyed it more	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">perhaps had I been an adolescent boy, I would have enjoyed it more.  However it did seem to pick up its pace as it moved on to his older years and it does demonstrate that friendship endures even with the most unlikely people.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL77THG768TH1?ASIN=0316055441	but overall enjoyed the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Felt it was a little long, but overall enjoyed the book. At several points wanted to just grab ""Potter"" and shake<br/>some sense into him, Guess that shows a good author that I could be so involved with the character.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OE9MUG7C9637?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book !! Loved the characters and the plot had many interesting twists.Lots of thought provoking themes for consideration death and those who are left behind as well as how objects can give meaning and focus to our lives.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TS6SH4V9G6Q9?ASIN=0316055441	On top of the charts!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book, but lonnnng!  700 pages for a novel?  Keeps you wondering what will happen nest.  After I read it, 2 of my friends were fighting over who could have it next, so it's very popular right now (book clubs recommend it).</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZVWGI6HKTSC7?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Over-rated and over-reviewed.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DP78KEYS24ZC?ASIN=0316055441	A dark tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The discussion of how art affects us is interesting but I had a very hard time with the dysfunction of the lead characters.  I did not enjoy reading about endless bouts of drunkedness and the ill effects of constant drug use.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU0CCZBMA15AT?ASIN=0316055441	Don't waste your time and money.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you just want to know what it's like to be stoned or drunk or both, then by all means, read this book.  I've been trying to get through it for almost a year.  90% of it is the main character and his drug and alcohol abuse.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25D1123FQUV1Q?ASIN=0316055441	To rephrase...Too Many Words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many unnecessary words, descriptions, and explanations for things that go nowhere. Just tell the story. I was skipping whole paragraphs and pages in the first and second chapters, then finally just deleted from my kindle.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R216LAIAXGO6SU?ASIN=0316055441	Uneven Story...Some Good...Some Not So Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed it until the main character went to Vegas.  Then enjoyed it again when he returned to New York.  Now I am down to the last 200 pages.  I am struggling through to see how it ends.  It is uneven but I want to finish it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O6DBN21U9YQQ?ASIN=0316055441	Unbearable beauty	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those books that youaredepressed when you finish reading it because you can't imagine finding its like again. Theo's story is one of true love the depth of which I wish I had the capacity. Thank you, Ms. Tart!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E5FV5I79L3HY?ASIN=0316055441	The characters were unlikeable and the only reason I pressed on reading the book was because there were so many great reviews an	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this book was overrated.  The beginning and end seemed to drag.  The characters were unlikeable and the only reason I pressed on reading the book was because there were so many great reviews and awards.  But....meh.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GZNOGPJEZ4D8?ASIN=0316055441	intriguing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It kept me intrigued the whole time, despite the length of the book. It was an interesting story in which you continue to root for the protagonist hoping things will work out for him after dealing with such sorrow and trauma.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJDBZIW8LNYL3?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch book Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The basic premise of the book was good but I felt, at 775 pages, it was too long.<br/>There was a lot of repetition and some of the drug usage went on and on and on.<br/>Much of it was quite dismal and depressing.  About two-thirds of the<br/>way through I nearly gave up reading it, but wanted to finish it to see what<br/>happened to the character.  I was a little disappointed with the way the book<br/>ended.  I'm a bit surprised that this book won a Pulitzer Prize and I'm not sure<br/>I would read another book by this author.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DTJ4HIQTSRTF?ASIN=0316055441	The basic story line is very interesting and the writing excellent but I could not take the superfluous story line	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is too long and there is so much that could have been left out. The basic story line is very interesting and the writing excellent but I could not take the superfluous story line. Would not recommend this to anyone.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWXYB63KVGDC6?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It gets ponderous in the middle but the writing style is beautiful. It took me a long time to read this book because I would reread some of the passages over and over and marvel at the beautiful use of description and insight</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LYWZ180I5ARX?ASIN=0316055441	Wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have to admit that this book started out slow for me and I almost put it down. I'm sure glad I didnt because it just kept getting better and better.  Often I wondered when the story would end, as it is quite lengthy, but...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13U36D2A6MPNF?ASIN=0316055441	Kept me quiet for a week!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read. Description is contemporary but almost D H Lawrence  like.  Action continues through a diverse range of times and places with the central characters, The painting and Theo keeping it all cohesive.  Loved the book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8MG79FLFXUZ2?ASIN=0316055441	Annette S.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just finished this afternoon, instead of grading the papers sitting next to me 😜!  It's rare for me to find so many characters to hope for. Even if the plot is a bit far-fetched at times, it still draws you in. A great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WXIFY3OW3PDO?ASIN=0316055441	Slow moving	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I had trouble sleeping I would read a few pages. I liked the character development but loathed the drugs and alcohol consumption that was constant. It created an unrealistic world where drunks and heavy users functioned.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TVOIDSNZM6YI?ASIN=0316055441	Felt like I was revisiting Crime & Punishment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but a tome.  Felt like I was revisiting Crime &amp; Punishment.  I hung in there and finished it but it was a monumental effort.  Not a fun read and far too deep for my liking.  Back to Anita Shreve and Jodi Picoult.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VF79PELV681Z?ASIN=0316055441	Thanks to this book, I doubled my elliptical workouts for two weeks!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely riveting book.  As a native New Yorker, I loved the startlingly accurate references to locations throughout the city, and found the protagonist and plot to be dramatic and complex, yet authentic.  Highly recommend!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R375D9BJ3NH7HG?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story although somewhat convoluted. It was just TOO ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story although somewhat convoluted. It was just TOO long! The story could have been told in half the number of pages. Way too much detail and too much talk about drugs. I was tempted not to finish the book but had so much time invested in it that I felt compelled to finish. If the author told the story in 350-400 pages I would give it 5 stars. A book of this length needs to keep the reader eager to continue reading and I found myself just wishing that it would end soon.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GLKNR2IAA2NW?ASIN=0316055441	philosophical	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have lost my beloved wife four months ago she was so young only 45 Me and my two kids were devastated I read the books sometime in tears still couldnt grasped the meaning of life but still mesmerized in certain parts thanks</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QLJOP5NONQWK?ASIN=0316055441	Well written and engrossing book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written book which at times rambled on too long with private musings and thoughts, especially towards the end. Characters were very flawed, immoral and often unlikeable but the story kept me interested to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H72OKJHNAJJ7?ASIN=0316055441	Some great writing but at times the pace was a bit ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some great writing but at times the pace was a bit variable and it did not fully engage me the whole way through as I felt it dragged in places.<br/><br/>I am glad I read it as it was brilliant at times. It is a long book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VMMF2BIHUDOT?ASIN=0316055441	Unique, fascinating despite being longer than I liked	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, thought provoking and truly unique story.  I really liked the book and characters, but I felt it was far too long and tended towards a lot of redundancy, especially relative to drug abuse and the lengthy climax</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9F5XRBR6PL0K?ASIN=0316055441	Drugs	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't care for the book much as most of the story involves drugs and dysfunctional people.  There is too much out there on drugs now and also too many dysfunctional families why do we have to write more stories about the.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7QLXWWCOV1CD?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic story, beautifully written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not sure I like the protagonist, but I don't think that really matters. Theo is a compelling character and I  found myself rooting for him to make the right choice and was sad when we found out that he made poor choices.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRMJT5421L41?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book made me want to read it, but it would drag on and on not going any place.  Half way through I just started skipping several pages at a time and the conversation was still on the same subject.  Good story just long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15ZG8J7TLXHS6?ASIN=0316055441	If you don't like self-loathing characters (such as Holden from the Cather and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you don't like self-loathing characters (such as Holden from the Cather and the Rye) don't read this.  It's like a longer, more tortured version of Catcher and the Rye.  It was, however, very well written and descriptive.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5FSS9KS3MPWJ?ASIN=0316055441	I know this had great reviews, but I sometimes found myself struggling to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know this had great reviews, but I sometimes found myself struggling to finish. Usually when I finish a book, I feel down because it is done.  This one I was glad to finish. I enjoyed it earlier, but got bogged down in it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13EHFBX4XX1T6?ASIN=0316055441	Well, so far, with 20% behind me, ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well, so far, with 20% behind me, I have to say Donna Tartt is an exquisite writer.  it is no wonder she got a Pulitzer for the book.  I feel compelled to sing this books praises.  I'll check in again when I come to the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S57PH6LK8SES?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully Written, Startling Combination of Messages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Author has a remarkable talent with the written word. Each sentence is crafted rather than written and is a joy to read. Only thing that kept me from rating it higher was that the book was at least one third too long.  The section set in Las Vegas felt like filler after the first 100 pages.<br/><br/>I was struck by the themes in the book - that  beauty, in whatever form a person see it, is the only reason to continue to exist.  This message is conveyed along with the acknowledgement that evil can beget good and vis versa. I found it strange but thought provoking to mix these ideas.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34TWUVQ18P2SA?ASIN=0316055441	Superb writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I may reread this book so that I can highlight some of the incredibly beautiful phrasing and imagery.  I  would have to put the book down when I came across some of the imagery because I wanted to savor what I had just read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27KVK9RN31DTK?ASIN=0316055441	A long novel but well-developed characters. Plot is not ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long novel but well-developed characters. Plot is not complex but the characters are and I really got attached to the characters. Don't give up after a few pages-it is entertaining and deeply interesting once you get into.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R5UYC68JZ5WU?ASIN=0316055441	... can only say that this was one of the best written books I have ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can only say that this was one of the best written books I have ever read, exciting, confronting, always in suspense wondering what will happen next, amazingly written, no wonder she won an award with this novel. Thank You</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMB5CWS23OZRJ?ASIN=0316055441	long & meandering, but worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While thousands of pages of drugged up, drunken days and nights were a slog, the final message is pure poetry. There were times when I almost put the book down for good, but, like life, perseverance comes with reward. Maybe.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VVOG3FL7GYTQ?ASIN=0316055441	Good story with some lengthy diversions	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Essentially good story.  Portions are lengthy and could easily have been condensed.  Some storylines were hard to follow and rather unrealistic, but the author does a commendable job peeling the layers of the main character.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R160RFG0XSC6U7?ASIN=0316055441	Very good book, but needlessly long in places.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Parts of this book held me captivated and I couldn't put it down for hours. However, other parts seemed to drag on and on. The first two-thirds on the book was the best part of the story and I found the ending disappointing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K7FJGN4P12T3?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like this book at all. I only continued to read it because I thought it will get better,also when I start something I finish it. I was bored to death by the minute detailing as you can tell by the number of pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27IMN9OQDMZRY?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing book. Absolutely gripping. Beautifully written. Wonderful (if somewhat far-fetched) story. Highly recommended. One of the best books I've read in a long time. No wonder it was awarded the Pulitzer. Well-deserved!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OISY4SVMQ7IH?ASIN=0316055441	great story!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't want to give anything away but I couldn't put this book down. It is an intriguing, well written story encompassing so many great themes; love, friendship, loss, and so much more if the human experience. A must read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJY3YYECCY1HF?ASIN=0316055441	The Queen of Overthink	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I loved the idea and the plot I could not truly like the protagonist. The beautiful language was outstanding and it is no surprise as a Pulitzer winner. The twist ending with Boris and the reward was the best part.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TD756QPDPDKJ?ASIN=0316055441	Long-winded	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Author goes on and on about topics, as though she loves to hear herself talk. I had to skip vast numbers of pages that contained nothing that actually advanced the story. I finished it though, so I guess it wasn't that bad!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O16HBP4AZAKZ?ASIN=0316055441	Not recommended and wondering who it is that gives out awards	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Barely readable.  Uninteresting characters, the story goes on forever, things you might think are important are forgotten by the writer, so detailed, this book is an uphill battle that you may not find the energy to finish.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WD8YIRF6FCVR?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch is a Good Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a hard time putting this book down! The plot and characters were fascinating to me. The writing is excellent. The study of good and evil, functional and dysfunctional relationships, grief and love were well developed.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B16A2S98533F?ASIN=0316055441	Hi it was an exciting book. I think too ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hi it was an exciting book . I think too many drugs and details and you could say it was a downer for a read !! Kept on hoping Theo would have been an overcomer . Well he didn't have to worry about the Goldfinch after all!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26ATLO060SS9B?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible detail & wonderfully descriptive passages make this long book feel shorter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredible detail &amp; wonderfully descriptive passages make this long book feel shorter. While not exactly a ""page turner"" it will pull you along without making your journey feel like a high school English assignment.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WG8SSRKNEO5O?ASIN=0316055441	good read in parts but needs editing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful word choice and sentence structure. Couldn't put the book down at times. Other times found myself skipping paragraphs because they all said the same thing over and over. Really got frustrated with the protagonist.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N86QROQEDFFE?ASIN=0316055441	Shame on the Pulitzer choices	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't care for the language and drug use in this story. I didn't finish because of the disgraceful development<br/>Of crime and horrible life style.<br/>How does an author get Pulitzer for this type of book.  I hated it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IAJC74G8ST0Y?ASIN=0316055441	pure genius	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the first book I've ever read on a kindle and I found myself wanting to highlight everything. Tartt's ability to weave together beautiful language and a nuanced plot that perpetually engages is just phenomenal here.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B99F45WEJB2N?ASIN=0316055441	Different read than Expected.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it was a good read. It was longer than I thought and at times dragged. I enjoyed the recurring theme with the picture. The author tied a very wide range of characters together with the thinnest of threads. It was definitely</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DIJHZRRGDTIH?ASIN=0316055441	spectacular story of life and art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Both spectacularly written, and full of great story, this is a book you do not want to miss. Do not let its more than 700 pages stop you from picking this book up. It's words and images will haunt you for a long, long time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NS0JUSRCC2GI?ASIN=0316055441	This is a very dark book about a young boy's ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very dark book about a young boy's life that leads to drugs and drinking.  It drags on and on in some places.  One man takes an interest in him which helps the boy mature but he never fully recovers from his past.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LEVU0XDTU4P4?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize Earned.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Many peaks and valleys which kept me reading avidly. Writing is excellent, characters are well-drawn and action is constant. In spite of living wildly on the edge, main character elicits sympathy throughout. Absorbing read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R372Y1M7DJBP3K?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch fry	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i loved the book and became so much a part of it. i did feel that the book fell flat at the end. perhaps because it was an unexpected ending, but for all of the verbosity, the end,  for me, it  became a class in art history</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N4UHM8MBWP07?ASIN=0316055441	Cumbersome yet beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book held my attention and drove my thoughts for the duration. Sometimes repetitive, it seemed that it was driving home the fact that it takes forever and....(much) failure for a human to ever learn anything of value.  I like a looong book if it is well written. This is.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LY4R6UST1GAO?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning of this book was very interesting. I felt real empathy for the main character. However it just got more and more bogged down with uninteresting events and I just couldn't wait for it to be over. Just too long</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR3AHWOC1CRRX?ASIN=0316055441	Tragic life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story was about a boy with PTSD, depression, alcoholism and drug abuse.  It was a sad and chaotic childhood.  He waxes poetic about life at the end, and tries to tie it all together with the painting of The Goldfinch.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G9ZEOEKAHAQ7?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch: A Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a wonderful reading experience.  I was quickly drawn into this exquisitely written tale of  a  boy who experiences a wide range of human emotions as he grows into a man.  Thank you Donna Tartt for this fine work.  SSK</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ES3E2UVUU8AU?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully Written, But oh so tedious to Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first part of the story is thoroughly engaging. It is a fast paced page turner. However, after the initial excitement, it slips into a slow moving, expose of drug use and teenage angst throughout the rest of the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ADG285R7W5S2?ASIN=0316055441	Two searches for the price of one	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is very long which will put some off reading it. It is not only the story of the Goldfinch painting but of the boy's search for meaning for his life.We also see the growth of the main character's life philosophy.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OZ5VVX920A8V?ASIN=0316055441	Good story. Too much 'wordy' filling in parts - ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story.  Too much 'wordy' filling in parts - reading became a chore to get on with the story and finish the book.  Did not keep me interested to the extent that I did not want to put it down.  Just not my kind of book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVHAWUXUB9CC4?ASIN=0316055441	Very well-paced: a hard book to put down. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well-paced: a hard book to put down.  The descriptions are lovely, as is the ambiance.  The character development is intimate and psychological for the most part.  However, it tends to go overboard in all these areas.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VLTZN5X2LS93?ASIN=0316055441	great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the story and themes of this book. My only qualm was with, in my opinion, was he amount of unnecessary detailed information for parts of it. Could have been a little shorter. But overall very well-written.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29R7VU3IGC7BJ?ASIN=0316055441	Sure can't see how it made the best sellers list or won the Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was too long and repetitive.  Sure can't see how it made the best sellers list or won the Pulitzer!  But then what do I know!  There were a few likable people, but the main character just never evolved for me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HHVPKPHEGKYJ?ASIN=0316055441	A Must Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Its is a wonderful story written by a very gifted author.  It is fascinating how Theo the main character speaks to the reader.  I miss him.  The ending was an amazing ""Grand Finale"".  Best ending I have ever read.!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6Y91U791DWDC?ASIN=0316055441	I'm only have 74 more pages to go. So ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm only have 74 more pages to go. So I can't stop now. Please respond in A few weeks.<br/>So far it is magnificent, an well worth reading. Ms. Tartt must have got A Doctor of Story telling<br/>She sure is worth reading,</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I46R8EI8K0FJ?ASIN=0316055441	Take an Amazing Literary Journey With The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt managed to create a masterpiece even while breaking a few rules such as ""keep most paragraphs short or shorter sentences speed up the pace of the novel.She is talented enough to ignore any law of writing she chooses.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMBX4H9ZTWUTU?ASIN=0316055441	This is an awesome book! Ms	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an awesome book! Ms.Tartt is an excellent writer and you just have to keep reading. I think she really captures the feelings ore numbness real life makes possible in a person. I just have to give her two thumbs up!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWOG19E99PGW0?ASIN=0316055441	Not impressed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is way overrated. Story is preposterous and contrived. Doesn't come near Tartt's other terrific gems, The Secret History or The Little Friend. Don't know why so much attention paid. Maybe a slow year in good lit.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O2GAEYHS2P7K?ASIN=0316055441	A bit wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall, I enjoyed the book, but I found myself getting bogged down in its wordiness at times, wanting something more succinct and interesting. The story could have focused more on developing certain characters more fully.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UJBH4EYQSEI2?ASIN=0316055441	Can't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is one of those you will remember! The character's relationships are complex and keep getting more so throughout the book.  The descriptions of the scenes and places are so detailed you can almost smell the book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1788XH0AVBHSX?ASIN=0316055441	While I enjoyed the plot line at times I felt the style ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I enjoyed the plot line at times I felt the style was self indulgent, and the pace of the story suffered. The introspectiveness of Theo was central, it was sometimes taken too far, especially at the end of the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T0UPROVJ5F0M?ASIN=0316055441	Meta life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great work of fiction covering art and beauty and pain and loss and grief and sorrow and God and nothing.  Initial thoughts having finished the book for the first time.  Will likely read again for drilled down delights.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ONNLNOQ5J9ZB?ASIN=0316055441	Got a little bored at the end but I loved the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book is well written.  Was hesitant to jump into such a big novel so late into my pregnancy (scared I couldn't finish) but finished reading it within 2 weeks.<br/><br/>Got a little bored at the end but I loved the book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36TNKVUMMM0B6?ASIN=0316055441	A beautiful, sad, but cautiously optimistic story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put this book down. The story of Theo's struggle with life after his mother's tragic death and his miraculous survival, was so real and raw. It also makes me want to get myself to a museum to find my Goldfinch!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9YWF9YM6XURU?ASIN=0316055441	good but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long. Some good some boring.  I book to remember and discuss.  Too much time in Vegas and Amsterdam. Too many drugs. Plot waivers too much. Don't expect a happy ending. Tartt does not look at life that way. Only illusion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GGUZ9OMSWDJ9?ASIN=0316055441	brilliantly written with complex characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">brilliantly written with complex characters.  I found the protaganist to be a facinating version of an almost Candide like character and couldn't wait to find out what would happen next.  It kept me riveted until the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTYUBOF9RSQQQ?ASIN=0316055441	Highly over rated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy this book. To much drug addled rambling. This book could have been 50% shorter and much more interesting if the main character did not spend his time in a stupor questioning every aspect of his short life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQBEHXLM1AXEP?ASIN=0316055441	Good read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch started very slowly, and I couldn't get interested in it at first.  Eventually it picked up, and then I really enjoyed it.  There are some surprises, and it is thought provoking as you get closer to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AUZM7K6BIV8G?ASIN=0316055441	a view of art and life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a story of a life slightly damaged, but not irredeemable and a painting connecting the protagonist and the reader with a master.  The artwork and the ""autobiography"" are enigmatic; stories difficult to interpret.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4CQLZZX5N886?ASIN=0316055441	A Journey on many levels	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Author writes with vividness that allows reader to physically experience most scenes.<br/>The dramatic increase in visits to the Frick to see this painting gives testimony to the engagement<br/>engendered by this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15UAAXW4S55YR?ASIN=0316055441	Perchance, Persuasion and Consequence	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought provoking wild ride through the life of a young boy growing into manhood via a remarkable set of uncontrollable circumstances and poor  personal decisions. Riveting from page one through to the end... and beyond.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FPTWNMSVF330?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully constructed, but could have been condensed in places	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully constructed, but could have been condensed in places.  Still, the situation Theo is placed in is one that immediately makes him a sympathetic character and the reader wants to protect him throughout the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QPIHNY6KPY7A?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long. The book and its characters are engaging and often lovable, and to her credit, the author writes in a way that makes you remember much of the book. However, unless she learns how to cull, I am lost to her.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2510I8Z1OBTCX?ASIN=0316055441	Stupidest damn book I've read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Stupidest damn book I've read in a long time.  The boy had ptsd.  He resisted help, even from the dogs.  Gonna die from a drug overdose.  End of story.  One reviewer said it was hard to care about him.  That sums it up.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY7OK7RRWHEY6?ASIN=0316055441	A little long, but a good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. I'm no book magnate, but I think it was a good read. There were some parts where it slowed down, but that may be mandated in order to keep it ""true to life."" I'd put it up there with The Kite Runner.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3707YKBY8N3UT?ASIN=0316055441	Best Chatacterization Ever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna tartt creates the most well-rounded characters I've ever read. There are no villains like in real life, just a bunch of people making poor choices they felt were necessary at the time.  I loved this novel so much.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W3PY0O54FKTC?ASIN=0316055441	DEPRESSING!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like this book.  It was not pleasant reading and the drug use was outrageous and overdone.  Sorry not my type of reading.....would never recommend this book to any of my relatives or friends.  Very depressing!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35QWCQ55I9848?ASIN=0316055441	This book is quite an interesting and well done book ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is quite an interesting and well done book in many ways.  I felt it needed considerable editing - some sections went on much too long to make their pointl  Exciting story - a number of disagreeable characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W5ERI4I4EMIT?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent story and beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a phenomenal story that kept me interested for all 775 pages. Donna Tartt is a tremendously gifted author who makes the words on the page truly come to life. This is a sad story but true to life for many people.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPR6QT7WZXOYR?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyment of the book peaked near the end and then ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read mechanically through the first part before being caught up in the action, which only intensified as the characters were developed.  Enjoyment of the book peaked near the end and then seemed to lose its grounding.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24JFLRMPY0T7U?ASIN=0316055441	Great discussion for a book club group	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written. Could hardly wait to turn the pages. Found many paragraphs stimulating for my brain to evaluate what the sentences mean.  Writer's philosophy could be argumentative. Great discussion for a book club group.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8XADBMS17TM9?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a delightfully intricate story with lovably complex ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a delightfully intricate story with lovably complex characters and several surprise twists.  Even the longer drug-induced rants I skimmed over didn't dissuade me from needing to know what happened next!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC6HRCJ82S9ZM?ASIN=0316055441	Lots of hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overrated and over long- nice prose and very nice story but a prize winner and best seller because of it- I'm scratching my head. It really is a lovely, unique story, told very well- but it's a Pulizer??? Really? Hmmmm?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZHBC163PPY50?ASIN=0316055441	I found myself skipping through alot of boring details. If this was made into a movie	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but the art detail was not interesting to me.  It took a long time for me to finish the book. I found myself skipping through alot of boring details. If this was made into a movie, I would not go to see it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LUD6Y1R6B9LU?ASIN=0316055441	Great up to a point....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first part of the novel was engrossing and fast-paced.  I grew to love the characters, warts and all.  The ending, however,<br/>was about 50 pages too long for me; much like a sermon that keeps on repeating itself.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EZJH8GN798IF?ASIN=0316055441	good Book, Poor Ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is intense &amp; detailed; which I enjoyed. However, the last 8 pages were not the ""ending/conclusion"" that I expected. It was sort of a tough life ending. Kind of a ""well, that's how it is"" ending.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R308K1QBZI623Q?ASIN=0316055441	Really Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was great! Well written, excited, held my attention the entire time. Yes it was long, and there were some parts in the end where I thought it was dragging a bit. Overall I would recommend it, and would read it again!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PY3B874F3J9L?ASIN=0316055441	stunning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a stunning portrayal of the growth, sadness, and beauty of mankind. The writing is eloquent and enchanting with a plot striking urgency in the reader to find out just how this tale will end. Wonderful read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZHT2B8J8TAJX?ASIN=0316055441	Not Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was not good and I do not see why there has been so much hype. It was long and tedious.  I finished it for a book group but would not have finished it if my group was not reading it.  Would not recommend book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SOVNEFU8S8NZ?ASIN=0316055441	A Very Long Book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me awhile to wade through this book.  I can't say I loved it...but it grew on me and I'm definitely glad I read it.  There was so much hype...I just had to see for myself.  It's a good story, just stick with it!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJORXMM9GZK1O?ASIN=0316055441	Favorite book novel I've read so far. Sad it's over!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This has been the most significant novel I have read so far. It gave me an awesome feeling of closure And I finished it at a most needed time in my life. Highly recommended for not only a wonderful but a great message.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OKQ3QAMKMVWC?ASIN=0316055441	A friend was wowed by this book so I had to try it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had to put it away after a hundred pages in.  Very intriguing story.  But I have a book club book I have to finish before I can go back to the Goldfinch.<br/>so I hope it continues to hold me when I can go back to it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T1KD80706KKD?ASIN=0316055441	I love the way Donna Tartt writes - her flair for ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love the way Donna Tartt writes - her flair for describing the most insignificant of details in a wonderfully magical manner explains why she won the Pulitzer Prize, but I didn't care much for the story of this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30SQOWK40WWNQ?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this long novel despite characters that were hard to love and extensive focus on drug use that several of my book club cohorts found extremely offputting. But Tartt knows how to write and how to tell a story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IX4I89XUVHEV?ASIN=0316055441	Intense, real look at life through art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story of Theo permeates your thoughts, as his experiences and emotions weigh heavy on you as if they were your own. The ending was beautiful and articulated perfectly. The Golfinch is one of my new favorite novels!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIX0H7CG9BLH3?ASIN=0316055441	why you should read the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book that will keep you interested from beginning to end. The author has a magical way with words and a remarkable talent that allows you to live the life of an addict without ever having to pick up a needle.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20J0ZTHJE4I3X?ASIN=0316055441	good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story and good insights, but a bit too wordy for me. Especially since I found it difficult to relate to the main character. I never got a hold on his personality from what he said, and mostly didn't say to others.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R102Y757ZAGXP2?ASIN=0316055441	I was disappointed after all the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was disappointed after all the hype. I did not identify with any of the characters and was ready to get them all out of my house! It is well written and I stuck with it through the end, but it was a challenge for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34U4GIT8SEO5N?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch Well Worth the Investment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author has delivered a well-considered and researched analysis of one man's double life in and outside of the fine art world.  While yes, it's a page turner, it also provides a psycological/philosophical narrative.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6150JMKJKUPL?ASIN=0316055441	Some beautiful passages. Some never ending passages too	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some beautiful passages. Some never ending passages too. I stopped believing the author after I read the section on Las Vegas. It was very inaccurate. The plot was worthy, but the fantastical tales in between bored me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J5ZWKV52W5YU?ASIN=0316055441	fizzles	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Starts out so great, but the last 100 pages pretty much suck. Verbose, didactic and repetitive.  Still worth reading, but make sure you get to the end with a good head of steam so you can plow through the final misery.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QMNSQRSO6D1Z?ASIN=0316055441	Too much pain and suffering	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought with this many great reviews and a Pulitzer there is no way I can loose. But I did -- this book is too long, and too sad...and I will not miss Boris for the rest of my life. The writing however was exquisite.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P1I818AUO1TD?ASIN=0316055441	Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's use of language is exquisite &amp; she brings the reader deep into her protagonist's psyche with admirable skill. The conclusion was too longwinded &amp; had me skim-reading to the end, but otherwise an enjoyable read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R46WJVXXPS6SV?ASIN=0316055441	I became emotionally invested with the characters. Learned details ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I became emotionally invested with the characters.  Learned details about antique furniture, gambling and recreational drug use. The writing left me skimming in some places.  Made me visit an art gallery after reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WD5VCCG7Y0C7?ASIN=0316055441	book just recently received	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I actually only just received this book. I had expected it to be arriving sooner. So, I was just disappointed in the shipping process.<br/>I have not read the book yet, but will review it once I read it.<br/>D. Ogden</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23Q98BHOGDE8T?ASIN=0316055441	Not recommended	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It dragged on and on and on.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OT0K03SJXGYP?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long, dry and anticlimactic.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSRZVG8MX4JOA?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had trouble staying with it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BT8PO8MWRY52?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept my interest to the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R0VHXA6TTE?ASIN=0316055441	Bizarre... delisional writer!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Bizarre...delisional writer!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWR1TB0Z9SR4O?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting twists and counter twist. Perhaps ruined by blah blah blah?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting twists and counter twist. Perhaps ruined by blah blah blah?<br/>Started slow, then hooked me. then I think we had a writers strike and they got a community college philosophy student to wrap up the ending</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26JEKIRSLZ7D0?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch is good, Secret History is superb	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt is the consummate storyteller. Purchased this book after I read her novel Secret History, a book that lingers with the reader and leaves you questioning life choices. Goldfinch is good, Secret History is superb.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14R9I7SWTD1BQ?ASIN=0316055441	Boring, too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring, too long, doesn't move along in the story. At points I truly felt I was just wasting my time. Too much reflection, you get lost and lose track of where your at in the boring story. Just too much of everything.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X5KK3NFWLDRO?ASIN=0316055441	Authentic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pulled from a safe distance into the lives of Tartt's authentic characters. Phenomenal story telling. Vivid experience of time distortion, the shock, beauty and depth of life through so many very different characters.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JTDZ38SXOCRX?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful characters and storyline!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has great surprises and the author describes everything so explicitly that you get an instant picture  in your mind of what she is portraying. The story is quite sad true to life.  I enjoyed it tremendously!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JHQLBJ75LMDU?ASIN=0316055441	Its a good story, but tends to be overly descriptive and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A decent story, but tends to be overly descriptive and wordy for me. Overall, I wanted to see how the book got from the opening scene to the end, It just took a loooooong time and was fairly depressing to get there.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R248P58X6K0QVP?ASIN=0316055441	but a good story, nonetheless	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very long story, a little wordy at times, but a good story, nonetheless.  I thought the last part of the book was a little over the top, but it was a story and I found it interesting and enjoyed reading it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAE86ZP0YRWA?ASIN=0316055441	I am about 3/4 finished with the book. I ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am about 3/4 finished with the book. I could not put it down until Boris came on the scene. All the description about drinking and drugs dragged on and on. I will finish it, but it definitely has bogged down for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWYUWCOAVDLY0?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the beginning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the beginning, most of the middle but had to slog my way thru the end. Perhaps my erratic reading schedule didn't support a better reader experience...still I skimmed the last 20 or so pages just to be finished.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37OE75CJFVJGF?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyable read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful story with engaging well developed characters. The author does wax lyrical in parts and maybe the story is a tad dragged out, but on the whole a very well written novel that deserves all the praise it has received.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10WXKY1XOAQU9?ASIN=0316055441	Dragged!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out good. Midway really got bogged down and dragged. Picked up again and then the very end was too wordy. I NEVER give up on a book BUT I could not wait for this book to be over! (Bad enough to write a review)</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DHS4IXE112QO?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written, with interesting themes around maternal loss	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, with interesting themes around maternal loss, paternal love, the impact of losing a support network at a critical age - but dark and rather depressing. I headed for something lighter on finishing!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ604JLJ59JI0?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt puts us into the mind of Theo, who is determined to be miserable no matter what joys and love come to him.<br/>Even though I found Theo hard to like, I couldn't put this book down. It is a wonderful read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBQMLVRH2FUM4?ASIN=0316055441	wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book is amazing.  so well written, deeply emotional, very timely for me in my life and i'm sure for many others.  the book in itself represents the beauty of the painting and will be equally timeless.  well done.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU68VA6UVCJPT?ASIN=0316055441	Loved, loved this novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of those books that you didn't want to end even weighing in at roughly 800 pages. The characters and places were so defined and written, they stay with you long after the book is finished. Loved, loved this novel!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20SFCY9J6V9OZ?ASIN=0316055441	Anguish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is really well written. The descriptive detail makes the reader see through Theo's eyes so that the anguish and insecurity he feels are understood. It made me comprehend the depth of Post-traumatic Distress.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUUZ4XHI1A9AB?ASIN=0316055441	Theo was suffering from post traumatic stress after losing his mother in an explosion at the Museum when he was 13.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like this book overall, there were parts that were interesting but the author,after making her point went on and on and on until I was bored.  It might have been good if she had told the story in 300 pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6YCC1RBG977A?ASIN=0316055441	"Good read. It's not the next ""Freedom"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read. It's not the next ""Freedom,"" but it's better than the vast sea of garbage out there. Personally, I love a nice long read, especially when it actually has some substance. Definitely worth the price.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPHQ5WDCM00LO?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing story, made me happy for my normal life.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I actually didn't want to read another depressing book, but this one hooked me immediately and I, of course, loved it.  Sad story<br/>but left me feeling so grateful to my parents for a normal childhood.  Thank you!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NI31WTCDKK58?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch, an exceptional book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an exceptional book.  Some who have read it apparently lost interest in it, and it is indeed a long book.  But it is rich in detail and character development to the point that you practically live the scenes.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZY9YBZ7U0CH8?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt writes lyrical prose better than most anyone	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt writes lyrical prose better than most anyone. Her novels, however, build to respective conclusions that are unsatisfying.  While this last point is open to debate, the Goldfinch desperately needs editing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LLPS2WAP0LYR?ASIN=0316055441	I was sad to finish this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the characters, feelings conveyed and descriptions.<br/>The drug/alcohol use was distracting and there was too much of it.<br/>The plot got a little too convoluted in Amsterdam.<br/>I actually liked the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TG2VGM7YIL4H?ASIN=0316055441	A great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt really does have the capacity to weave an intricate web of intrigue and drama.The Goldfinch  is alive with credible and engaging characters set against an authentic interesting context.<br/>A great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO1NDEO2BWICB?ASIN=0316055441	good story, long winded	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is definitely compelling but it is written very long winded at times. Sometimes the excitement in the plot is killed by over descriptive analysis of minute details. Over all a good read but not a fast read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NADI6K4342EK?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing story! Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing story! Long, but I never regretted it-except when the story ended. I didn't want it to end!!  The writing was so descriptive and wonderful, put you right in the story. I could see this become a movie someday.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GXB599HF7XN1?ASIN=0316055441	Lyrical and vibrant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a great book for anyone who has lived through hell (abandonment, addiction, alcoholic parents) and come out the other side--or if you've never experienced those realities and want to know how others survived.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11KBZGKSM7J1X?ASIN=0316055441	A good book but it drags on	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the story is initially engaging but lingers on too long. the ending is obtuse and a bit of a disappointment after slogging through hundreds of pages. it kind of lost me in the last 100 pages. ok book but not amazing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3403KUQPHMOYT?ASIN=0316055441	Worth reading.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What I would call a book of substance.  Not an easy read but a good read.  It took me longer than the average book but it was well worth it. I recommended it to two of my friends and the one who did read it liked it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ANXSDS282VIE?ASIN=0316055441	started out very intriguing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not want to put it down. Very drawn to the entire premise of the book. Toward the end it became much too convoluted to follow.  Reluctantly skipped some passages.  Great premise. Kudos to the author, Donna Tartt.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PMDKNAHP3Y7O?ASIN=0316055441	While neither is recommended, the painting was healthier	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some of the drug use made me want to spank this boy and his friend, Boris as I was reading.  The painting was a way to deal with his pain, and so were drugs.  While neither is recommended, the painting was healthier.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UWHCS9V2WJKO?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book. The descriptive writing was superb, but too long. The characters were well developed and interesting from the beginning to the end of the book. There were many unexpected twists and turns.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MKOBOYUVJOQX?ASIN=0316055441	Great book, got it fast from Amazon from London, England	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So far the book is great.  I am about half way through, and I find it difficult to put it down.  A lot of the main character's thoughts and feels bring me back to when I was a teenager, with so many doubts and fears.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29KQ5T9XKXJWD?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put in down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best book I've read in a long time. It is long, but every word seemed necessary for the story. I understood Theo from the beginning and prayed for him throughout. I want to read more books by this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10VGT26UL81WN?ASIN=0316055441	the New York parts (specially the first) are the best. Although it's quite long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The different parts of the novel appears to have been written quite far apart time wise. The quality is uneven, the New York parts (specially the first) are the best. Although it's quite long, it's an enjoyable read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18R993GQNKHIN?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize not always a guide to good reading.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I purchased this book because the plot summary sounded very interesting. The plot was, indeed, interesting, but the book was blah.<br/><br/>This book was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. My only question is: Why did it?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23M70VUTDAFYP?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Basic story is good. Many parts were good reading, but, way too many long tedious drug and alcohol dreamlike sections that drag on and on. Should have been about 40% shorter.<br/>Some many really enjoy,  I did not.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CDQJJ17KRTX5?ASIN=0316055441	TWO AUTHORS?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The last 100 pages were drawn out, making a great read a good read. Went from a moving great story to a slow train heading down the wrong track. It was like Donna signed the last 100 pages to someone else to write..</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YUL2C0C0OUNG?ASIN=0316055441	So bad that when I was finished I threw it away	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't believe all the great reviews. Better than half of the book consists of long-winded descriptions of drug and alcohol fueled benders. Few of the characters are likable. And the story is completely unbelievable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T9UUU6AB4SGF?ASIN=0316055441	Still a very good read, in my opinion	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is very well written. I was very impressed. But when it came to the final section of the book, things started to really go down hill in terms of being really engaging. Still a very good read, in my opinion.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQFLQ2MJ0PIX7?ASIN=0316055441	Don't miss this one!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I have read this year.  Author has amazing ability to write from a young boy's perspective and follow him into adulthood. Great storytelling.  Complex, real characters that surprise the reader.  Wonderful.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VUBGQNT9ZFF7?ASIN=0316055441	Focus on enjoying the writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing and engaging, the story draws you in and does not disappoint. It is the writing and process of reading that makes it so magical. Also great for people who have a boy or can relate to ""boyhood""!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RWDN3NHFTNGC?ASIN=0316055441	by far this is the best book she has ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I purchased this book for my Mom for Christmas.<br/>She has read hundreds of books.<br/>She said, by far this is the best book she has ever read.<br/>I then purchased the other books that Donna Tartt has written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R285VRPR55E4NF?ASIN=0316055441	Great beginning - and then it just went downhill fast ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great beginning - and then it just went downhill fast - once they were in Las Vegas it was trash - how did this book ever win an award?  The book is about drugs, drugs, drugs, and more drugs - don't waste your time!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38RZO5HLDFBVJ?ASIN=0316055441	I usually don't read books like The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I usually don't read books like The Goldfinch, now I remember why!  I kept waiting for at least one tiny 'good' thing to appear. In fact, I read the whole book waiting, only to be disappointed.  And the ending. HUH?</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVLQVK63H3HSC?ASIN=0316055441	One of my lifetime top-10	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've ever read...and I've had a two-book-a-week habit since I was 8 years old. Do not miss this book. It will change the way you think about circumstances, opportunity, and the human condition.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QJVBEW48VRPN?ASIN=0316055441	I found it an amazing story, very well written and am very excited ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it an amazing story,very well written and am very excited that a film is going to be made of this. Even though it was a long story I did not get bored one minute during the long travels of the key character!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBBCHAQPO53OY?ASIN=0316055441	It was a difficult book to read as it was ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a difficult book to read as it was such a dismal story, mostly a narration, one I could put down at any time. However, I did continue to read it. I do think the book was well written, hence the higher rating.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21WOOE4U9GCOE?ASIN=0316055441	Dusappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the ""Secret History"" and so looked forward to this book.  Waaaay too long, could have been three books. Too much much drugs and alchohol. Can't believe it won all those awards. Don't waste your time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VS2GMA4FVWXM?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Un inspirational and depressing. It took me almost 2 months to finish and I'm usually an extremely fast reader. I kept expecting it to get better based on the buzz about the book I kept hearing but was disappointed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX6AUP0XPAQOB?ASIN=0316055441	Long and borring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had high expectations and was very disappointed.  Theo is a pathetic character whose ramblings are never ending and is impossible to relate to.  While some of the writing is good it's lost in the excessive length.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CWCSLBO42JB3?ASIN=0316055441	I was disappointed in this novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was disappointed in this novel. Although I thought some of the writing was quite beautiful, much of it could have been edited to cut a very long book in half. Some sections seemed to go on and on! Not my favorite.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R59FPHFT5JTKO?ASIN=0316055441	I'd say an excellent character study and great idea for a story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well, I'd say an excellent character study and great idea for a story. I felt it needed some editing as some of the adolescent years seemed a long rave of hysteria.. I liked the ending and she is a brilliant writer.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUILAXWZD0IAH?ASIN=0316055441	Children's need for parents.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Characters drawn very well.  A wonderful mix .  Shows what impact a trauma can have on aperson and especially a child. Theo was lucky that he found a substitute family but seems not to have happiness, only survival.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UG7T7EYZRSU3?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I waited for 3 weeks to get this from my library and it was a 7 day book. This book is very large. I enjoyed it so much I read one-third then returned it to the library and purchased my own copy to enjoy in leisure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32U36C1TBO1EA?ASIN=0316055441	I'm not sure what the Pulitzer means anymore.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to enjoy this book, and I did enjoy the story even though it could have been half as long and not lost a thing.  I found character development a bit off, more like fantasy than a novel.  Everyone had their characteristics magnified beyond reason, making them inhuman and unreal.  They were richer, more superficial, more stable, more screwed up, more violent, or more cliche then anyone I've personally known.  The end result was that rather than evoking memories and emotions from my own experiences allowing me to connect, I found them as inaccessible as zombies in a horror movie.<br/><br/>My biggest issue, however, was the confusion throughout the book.  Now drug and alcohol abuse played a MAJOR role in the story (magnified to unreal and likely fatal levels anywhere but in fiction) so I don't begrudge confusion as a recurring theme.  It was unbearable, at least to me, the way Tartt presented it.  Some authors can portray a confused character in brilliant clarity, so that I as the reader understand exactly what they are experiencing.  Tartt, on the other hand, becomes confused herself and rolls off paragraph after paragraph of indecipherable gobbledygook.  I'll abide a confused character but not a confused author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NVFRKYA1ZKRT?ASIN=0316055441	I don't know why everyone loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't know why everyone loved this book.  I didn't care about the characters which made it difficult to care about what happened to them. I had some one tell me the end because I didn't want to finish reading it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EET7REQ2O74A?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous epic read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story-telling! A compelling novel great for art lovers, history lovers, those interested in tragedy, love, and all the intangibles that bind people to eachother. It unfolds beautifully and each turn delights.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LLQV4230OXG4?ASIN=0316055441	Mixed Feelings	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the very beginning and most of the end and not much else.  Parts of the story went on so long it bored me and I had to skim through those parts.  Too many questions left unanswered at the end for my liking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KPJ429EL5SXU?ASIN=0316055441	it's a great read. Very believable and portrays an interesting story ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While this was a little long and could have been edited more in a few places, it's a great read. Very believable and portrays an interesting story of the consequences of losing a parent under extreme circumstances.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26F5JQOPCM8KR?ASIN=0316055441	A classic in literature	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Superb writing.  The novel will be a classic.  It is not for those who like light reading.  It is deep, philosophical, and often quite dark.  Ah, but many truths, gems, and pearls of wisdom are throughout the book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMJ2PB3DP10HC?ASIN=0316055441	A good story, well written although heavily padded and long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good story, well written although heavily padded and long. I sensed much influence of other writers such as Hunter S Thompson.<br/>It was enjoyable to read about many different lives in USA.<br/>I recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I971RH4R8X1E?ASIN=0316055441	It was good but L-O -N-G	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't get all the hype around this book. It was good but L-O -N-G!!! Just keep going on and on and on! Lost interest about 3/4 of the way through but vowed to finish for my book club. Couldn't wait for it to end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R8NHILSUGUL8?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book and didn't want it to end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book and didn't want it to end!  It stayed with me for days.  My favorite characters were Boris and Hobie.  Tartt pulls at the heartstrings and draws you into the story and to each and every character.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q1VF47TYEUNB?ASIN=0316055441	Not my favorite read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As you get closer to the end of this novel you lose heart that this young man will ever find happiness or fulfillment in life. He goes from one bad situation to the next, not learning anything from his experiences.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TCG4DNTSW8LK?ASIN=0316055441	Needed editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the book for the most part but it needed more editing. The section where the protagonist was in Las Vegas was too long. But the beginning and the end of the book flowed well and had some interesting twists.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11XP2Z1PTCVYU?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth the long amount of time it takes	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">to read it even if you do lots of skimming .  You start thinking isn't it ever going to end.  Some good moments in the beginning of story.  Like others who reviewed it, I ended up not liking most of the characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19DS04CLLA8KQ?ASIN=0316055441	If you love to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If this book won a Pulitzer for descriptive writing, then so be it.  If you love to read, in great detail, about drug addiction over, and over, and over, and over again, this may be a good read; otherwise, skip it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DXHWH9MYTBRV?ASIN=0316055441	A long thoughtful read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting long saga of the life of one soul.<br/>Lots of characters introduced throughout the story, just like in real life.<br/>Sometimes the details provided by the author are lengthy<br/>and distracting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK65HXDQQ5J6K?ASIN=0316055441	fine. Stick to your Hemingway	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've heard people criticize this writer &amp; this book for going off on meandering digressions. OK, fine. Stick to your Hemingway. I thought 'Goldfinch' was ambitious, imaginative, excellent and always under control.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WB272IGIWBL8?ASIN=0316055441	An Artistic Story to Ponder	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although there were sections which were stretched for too long, Tartt captured the magical beauty of stringing just the right words together to create powerful vision or thought. A tremendous story to linger over.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TBR9EGCB6XNQ?ASIN=0316055441	Not an easy read necessarily	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not an easy read necessarily, but the author does such a great job setting the scene and developing characters. Leaves you feeling very connected and interested in what comes next for each of them. Very enjoyable.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXMDGSTX17PG9?ASIN=0316055441	A must read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very interesting storyline. Well written with wonderful characters. Flawed personalities  trying to overcome personal tragedies in their own unconventional ways, you do keep rooting for them. A recommended read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D842Q6P5C6JN?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really well written, awesome plot, amazing character development.  Kept me entertained during my commute to work.  I am sad that I've finished such a wonderful book because I've grown quite fond of the protagonist</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DUSNG5H005AB?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent dialog, vivid characters!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Difficult book to categorize. Loved it, hated it!  Loved the writing, pained by the character's journey.  Highly recommend, but caution that it not an easy read and difficult to put down.  We'll worth the torture.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JMJEPZWNO2YC?ASIN=0316055441	Although the descriptions of people, weather and situations were ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the descriptions of people, weather and situations were gorgeous to read, I never felt close to the main character. So much of the action seemed to take place externally but not within his heart and mind.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23M6Q39W034WL?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful prose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I felt it was sometimes a depressing story and a bit too long, I enjoyed the insightful inner monologue of Decker.  Beautifully written!  I could imagine quoting passages at a memorial service or lecture.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROZE90IKI1M8Y?ASIN=0316055441	Doth Thou Protest Too Much?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful, but perhaps one of those I read after hearing so much about it that it couldn't possibly have lived up to expectations.  It is still a great read that suffers, if anything, from going on a tad too long.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TATCTF5XIWN1?ASIN=0316055441	Great book. but don't take my word for it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. but don't take my word for it....It did win a Pulitzer.  Very interesting plot and characters and sort of amazing that one of the boys turned out well, considering all the drugs and booze they imbibed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNY2M38PX0DEW?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing book- can't stop thinking about the characters and the story.  As long as it was, I was sad when the book ended.  I'm not sure about why others have written that the book is too wordy- I enjoyed the depth.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA6VZ7PPCUE5D?ASIN=0316055441	sad but rewarding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an intense writing. It was full of symbol isms of love, life, and our ever beings. A sad, ilfunctioning life of a young boy who loved his mother so much. Her loss of life created a long story of grieving!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EF7J0M2SA24P?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch imprisoned me in boredom	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book totally bored me and was way too long. I may never read another Pulitzer prize winner. Would not recommend it to my worst enemy. Too much drugs and complete depravity especially when the boys were young.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRPXKKWLQ98Z1?ASIN=0316055441	A roller coaster of a ride that stays with you after the ride is over. I didn't want it to end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is an amazing journey. Satisfying, exhausting and life-changing. I have no interest in seeing it when put into movie form. The book was visual and I feel as if I was there in person throughout the story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WGDFTD32TBRQ?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've ever read not because of the storyline necessarily but because of the beautiful way it is written. Truly a piece of art itself with amazing detail and a realistic quality that takes you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15SE0WSZC6LO7?ASIN=0316055441	Hard going !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappointing read. Too long, and too much information re description of anything and everything. Took one whole chapter in places to get through just describing an area Theo lived in...!!! Glad to get to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RNQMLYD8WK55?ASIN=0316055441	Just OK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This tale is too repetitive and bogs down as the character goes downhill with drugs etc.  The best character is his mentor.  I don't know how it earned awards.  It's too long and could have profited from editing.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36NRWUPPCPX84?ASIN=0316055441	Epic story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderfully epic story which follows a boy from preteen to thirty something. The author captures each stage beautifully. His whole life hinges on surviving a terrorist attack and the aftermath lasts a lifetime.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X63YSTW02UT1?ASIN=0316055441	exhausting but worth it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt writes with a lot of detail which kind of reminds me of some Russian novels. The subject matter is pretty depressing to the point I almost wanted to put it down in several parts, but, in the end, cathartic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NUEBWS6OXITC?ASIN=0316055441	It slowed and then stopped and became repetitive and just boring. I have 10 pages to do and really ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not wait, and the first half of the book lived up to expectations.  It slowed and then stopped and became repetitive and just boring.  I have 10 pages to do and really don't care any more.  Disappointing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OJCOV105YAZH?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I have read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have read. Well written and the writer creates a journey that is an excellent story of a young man's challenges in life.  It's easy to see why this book won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9TWFFKZA15BQ?ASIN=0316055441	Too long. I know this was a Pulitzer Prize ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long.  I know this was a Pulitzer Prize winner, but I wished there were fewer pages to get to the meat of the storyline.  Very well written with lots to think about but that could have been done in 500 pages!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11Y4Y2C8FRFOU?ASIN=0316055441	Worth reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At times I thought it was a bit overwritten, but ended up reading every word. What a cast of characters, some you may never forget. Life, death, art. Questions answered and unanswered.  I'm amazed a book this substantial is so popular.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CQ7N58CZNFTF?ASIN=0316055441	Heartwrenching	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is one of the best novels I've read in some time. It is surprisingly one of those stories that once you begin reading you cannot stop, deeply emotional yet cerebral and thought provoking. Very impressive work.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VHHZ4NM79I6K?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful sensitive book, tracing a young motherless boy through his childhood and adolescence with addictive father and another unsupervised friend. The blurring of right and wrong.<br/>A great read for all .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QQLXAE1ME44S?ASIN=0316055441	I very rarely talk about books but this is right up there with the best of them	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An outstanding read from start to end. I have passed this book around to many friends who all rave about how it drew them in.<br/>I very rarely talk about books but this is right up there with the best of them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RBS9LMBGIBZ2?ASIN=0316055441	Intricate plot really need to pay attention	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am still deciding h o w much I truly liked it. So many bad choices by so many. Very complex. Lots of sadness. But there a r e some deep messages here as well. You hope some folks do end up redeeming themselves</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IDTA0WQJMH2Y?ASIN=0316055441	It made me sad that families can be so disfunctional leaving the children ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is very long, but for me it was a page turner. It made me sad that families can be so disfunctional leaving the children slightly more hurt than their adult members.Hobie is the only Ray of hope in the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JMQQU05I2GBR?ASIN=0316055441	I did enjoy it but just think there could have been a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did enjoy it but just think there could have been a bit more editing in some of the scenes. Eg too long in Las Vegas and the final chase went on a bit too long. Still I stayed to the end and am glad I read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4OP1PFWUIXE0?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant.... loved this book from start to finish!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A friend recommended this book, and I've thanked him many times. I enjoyed reading this book from the beginning to the end! Felt like I was along side Theo throughout the story! Very much recommend this book....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW7U8DC3CJ007?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an attention-grabber in the same way that The Secret History was!  I really could not put it down but found that it became a little turgid about three-quarters of the way through. Great characterisation.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MTV699PVHWED?ASIN=0316055441	Extremely well written and thought out. Just a little ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely well written and thought out.  Just a little too much of a downer for me.  Theo, the protagonist, had just too many issues, both accidental and self-induced.  I guess I'm more of a 'happy' book reader?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DFETUVNHKAAT?ASIN=0316055441	This book is excellent. It gets 4 stars because it is way ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is excellent. It gets 4 stars because it is way too long. Lots of themes in this book.Addiction,  how we play out our lives in this world, art history and how through time we view our lives, Good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R359J14TH179EP?ASIN=0316055441	Seriously over-rated.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book in serious need of an editor. At least 280 pages overlong due to frequent long lists of examples to make a point when one or two would have sufficed. Too many long passages where not much actually occurs.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VNPTSVSCKOMD?ASIN=0316055441	its a very well written book. The content on ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">its a very well written book. The content on the other hand was not for my taste, it is comparable to a very well painted  picture full of of ugly details. But that's my taste, others may have another impression</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26WC12BLW0FTT?ASIN=0316055441	Extremely Loud and Incredibly close a much better	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was WAY too long,  character descriptions were lacking, didn't think plot was that interesting.  Plot had been done before<br/><br/>boy without a parent,  Extremely Loud and Incredibly close a much better book</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4H9VFK1DB3X4?ASIN=0316055441	What did I miss?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't get it. Why is this supposed to be such a good book? I couldn't care less about any of the characters and I hate Boris. Painful read and I felt like a philistine reading it because I disliked it so much.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MRTXU015HUJE?ASIN=0316055441	Difficult read - I had to force myself to keep ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Difficult read - I had to force myself to keep reading.  In several sections there was too much background, whether it was emotional experiences or geographic.  I didn't understand all they hype about this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B3SWP62W5WQK?ASIN=0316055441	This was a very good read. At first it was a bit wordy ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very good read.  At first it was a bit wordy for me, but as I read further, it became clear what the author was doing.  This book raised all kinds of emotions with me.  I would recommend it to anyone.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11F7F26M5BM15?ASIN=0316055441	All in all a very good story. A little longer than it needed to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">All in all a very good story.  A little longer than it needed to be, but it had good character development and interesting and believable personalities.  One of the better pieces of fiction I have read in years.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8P0OF2U38P8B?ASIN=0316055441	a page turner--totally absorbing and interesting--colld not wait to see ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a page turner--totally absorbing and interesting--colld not wait to see what would happen next-a lot of information about art and how differently people respond to it-suspensful--a lot of information about drugs</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P4CCKBM5MDV0?ASIN=0316055441	loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best book I have read in years. Donna Tartt's way with words and expansive vocabulary combine to make every page a treat to read. Exciting and informative I recommend this novel without reservations.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EIV3M2QLYL9R?ASIN=0316055441	Definitely one of the more mature books that I've read recently	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a great book, and quite comical if you think about it. Towards the end of the book though (remember, my opinion) it kind of dragged on. I like how the author got more personal and involved with it though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJY75PYOYFDSN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely loved this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TSHQ3WMQ6RCF?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, slow moving plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q24Q86RQ0CND?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was so well written. I have a difficult time reading dark books, however this one was so intriguing that I quickly fell in love with it. The details and description pull you in. They evoke emotion. Loved it!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YVFL9O5JMWSI?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book but the author did get verbose when providing ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book but the author did get verbose when providing detailed explanations of refinishing furniture and some other mundane topics that just went on and on and on!!!! Somewhat distracting from the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PUW7OECAFMDK?ASIN=0316055441	Wordy Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was very good, but it was too ""wordy"" for my taste.  It would have been nice to know the outcome of the wedding with Kitsey (wedding or not?) and how he and Hobie got along after he came back.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKZZJ0WKJ174W?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book is awesome. Longest novel I've ever read but some of the words were tough to understand especially for people who do not follow the arts - paintings in particular. Overall I loved the story of Theo Decker.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REE77CMSV17YB?ASIN=0316055441	Somewhat unusual story about the art world and a young ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Somewhat unusual story about the art world and a young boy (who grows up) and his experiences with it as he matures.  The Goldfinch is a very special old painting that gets around and complicates many lives.  .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UZ37XJF9B31P?ASIN=0316055441	I fell in love with Theo and Boris- named our new kitten Theo ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a wild ride! I fell in love with Theo and Boris- named our new kitten Theo two weeks ago!<br/>Amazing story telling- like visiting NYC again....thanks for this break from reality. I was sad when it ended!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W78NULBSYQC6?ASIN=0316055441	A strange read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As I read this book it became increasingly more sad.  This young mans life became one disaster after another.  His choices in life were terrible.  I found it hard to continue to read.  I won't spoil the ending!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34RKX09P0Y1LK?ASIN=0316055441	One of the worst books I've read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the worst books I've read in years....I still can't fathom why it was on the NY Times best seller list for so long.  Too verbose and it belabored every point.  I would never recommend this book to anyone</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6HVRX4MS2ULZ?ASIN=0316055441	It is beautifully written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was 3 pages from finishing this book, and put it aside for weeks because I could not bear the thought of leaving these characters and the space they held in my head and heart.  It is beautifully written......</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EUSESHN0NCB8?ASIN=0316055441	not terrible, also not an excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good story, but a bit wordy. I found myself skipping ahead in a couple areas that seemed to drone on and on. I like a long story, but almost half of this one could have been omitted with no loss to the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R68EQSSS5TDXW?ASIN=0316055441	exceptionally brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in five years.  Complete character development. Wonderful tour of Metropolitan Museum and New York City. Beautifully descriptive set scenes.  An artist's appreciation of color.  A must read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18N8LMD0YAXZI?ASIN=0316055441	great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Obviously, a most excellently written book. I found it very enjoyable. Great story, great characters. However, don't agree with her darker view of life; which is what keeps me from giving it a five star rating.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CS49MXDC9D14?ASIN=0316055441	Clear your calendar	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Stephen King said don't drop it on your foot. [...]  More importantly, don't drop it on your brain, if it's not ready - don't start reading this book if you have other commitments. You will not meet them. [...]</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCL284YELUJKY?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story, but I gave it four stars because ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story, but I gave it four stars because I had to put it down due to boredom the first time I tried to read it and the second time I picked it up I just wanted it to be over when he got to New York.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRCWSB7CD97MI?ASIN=0316055441	Love for the little yellow bird...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is powerful, haunting, thought provoking, exhausting, beautiful and so much more.<br/>This masterpiece by Donna Tartt is not an easy read, but it is well worth your time. It is a modern day classic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QGKVAL1JJ5WX?ASIN=0316055441	Read for the writing only	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">3 stars because the writing is way beyond excellent. The story line begins okay then deteriorates to a bored drone. I skipped large sections and didn't miss anything. After all the hype, it's a disappointment.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JH1ZBTN9QW4E?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent character portrayals lead this well written story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A page turner. Excellent character portrayals lead this well written story ,leaving the reader wondering what will happen to the main characters as they confront their flaws and their loved ones flaws as well.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32ND3WRPG393J?ASIN=0316055441	Well written and a delight to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written and a delight to read.  One of those rare novels when read makes you believe there still are a few writers out there who actually know what they're doing and have original, well thought out ideas.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKVKKMM9ICN1L?ASIN=0316055441	A story that stays with you	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a great story. I couldn't get these characters out of my mind for weeks. As tragic as this story is, I was sucked into their world and consumed with their every detail, which Tartt provides so eloquently.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36600V2VDAZ15?ASIN=0316055441	This is a BIG book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow, this was a LONG book!  I read it on my Kindle so I am not sure how many pages are actually in the book.  It is a very detailed account of a man's life, crazy at times, sad at times, but held my attention.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ASTHATXOPMXN?ASIN=0316055441	what an adventure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is so alive. I enjoyed the process, not just the end. Absorbing, compelling, and frightening, the reader is aware of choice and outcome. The story would make me gasp, laugh, sigh, cry, and get angry.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JMXQN9SSBL96?ASIN=0316055441	A love story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel uses art  as a metaphor to tell the story of loss ,love, and redemption. I enjoyed the art and history lessons. The young man looses every thing but also learns the value of loyalty and beauty.oscar</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCUL76DXC8I8E?ASIN=0316055441	Very slow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not care for it.  First 2/3 was pretty good.  After that the author lost me.  The last 1/3 of the book seemed to me, he was trying to add words to stretch it out.  How this won the Pulitzer  I do not know.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z0HKG0I2EDM8?ASIN=0316055441	Dark, gritty and gripping.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could NOT put this one down. A very twisted and tangled turn of events impacts a young boy for a very long time and in ways he won't completely understand for a years. Very well written and highly recommended.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JKJNP4HNFSZH?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have been waiting impatiently for the next Donna Tartt book. Now I am about halfway through The Goldfinch and feeling very<br/>disappointed. I probably will not finish it - it's boring me and depressing me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRK6DKS9GCXZI?ASIN=0316055441	I found the main character tedious and unbelievable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the main character tedious and unbelievable. It became a chore to finish the book always hoping there would be some redeeming substance to it. My respect for Pulitzer Prize awards went down yet again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JPQHF8HZLYY7?ASIN=0316055441	Slow in the middle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book for book club.  It took forever and I even put it down and came back to it later.  Once I was done I realized it was written so well and I really liked it.  When it gets slow just keep going.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ8CGMNKCTFLA?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful prose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully written but at times a bit unhinged.  Not unlike some of the magnificiently fleshed out characters Ms. Tartt has provided in this very complicated story that leaves you blessed for having read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VW3O3QXRF90C?ASIN=0316055441	Gold Finch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story was interesting and sad and could have been told in half the pages. Theo and Boris both lost their mothers at an early age and that tied them together for life. Loved the way Hobie influenced Theo.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R351FEFZ17P4BK?ASIN=0316055441	but the story line was good. When we are young we never know where ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little long with some redundancy. The beginning started well, the portion with the father was bizarre to say the least, but the story line was good.  When we are young we never know where life will take us.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TT94LMJ7CCK?ASIN=0316055441	I especially enjoyed the first 1/2 of the book - did not ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I especially enjoyed the first 1/2 of the book - did not like the ""Vegas"" part as well and felt it was too long .... There was a lot to be said for character development - I could visualize everyone .</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWEESXN7PWVB0?ASIN=0316055441	Not golden	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She is a very good writer, however the character she created in the book was unfortunately, not very likable and had no redeeming value.  So very beautiful sentences but no interest in the principal character</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE5V7P1T13BOG?ASIN=0316055441	Theme clearly stated in the last chapter. Lots of ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theme clearly stated in the last chapter. Lots of literary allusions.  Thought provoking, but I got bogged down in the Las Vegas setting which seemed to me to be overstated and therefore lacked believability.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SX14UUM76M9J?ASIN=0316055441	A detailed ride!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story was quite a detailed ride, ending with some interesting life lessons learned by the main character. Loved the illustration of how artwork, no matter the form, can become deeply rooted in our lives.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q51T053EXC73?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What qualifies a book Pulitzer Prize worthy? If this book is it, I'll stick to my ""beach reads""!  She goes on and on about something and then doesn't give enough detail something else. So frustrating!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EQO2L10R46Q6?ASIN=0316055441	untraditional childhood, traditional friendships	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Powerful story of a child to man evolution.  Author could have trimmed some of the drug involvement and reader would still get it !  This very vivid story included fascinating features of antique furniture...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP7R05XYUJHV4?ASIN=0316055441	Read On	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written but much too long.  Many run on  sentences.<br/>Sad and depressing. Too pessimistic and dark. Descriptive drug experiences gave a realistic idea about how ugly drug life is and also showed the shallow life of NYC wealthy. Informative and interesting description of antique restoration and world famous paintings.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C4VQCV52IB5P?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling and entertaining	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was initially intimidated by the length of this book, but found I was entertained throughout. Very emotional story. Couldn't help but refect on the several philosophical themes.  Very worthwhile experience.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R67KFBYEWWUSN?ASIN=0316055441	Could not put it down. Opened a whole new ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not put it down.  Opened a whole new world of understanding for me about drinking and drugging.  I am looking forward to going to the Frick Museum, NYC to see the Goldfinch painting.  Lorraine Gariboldi</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23UL33SHNCP45?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have not finished listening to the Goldfinch but from what I have listened to so far I find  it a very interesting and well told story.. I can see why it's been on the best sellers list for many weeks now..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37WSX4SEEVMP9?ASIN=0316055441	A slog to get through, and not worth the time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a bloated book.This thing could have been cut in half and nothing would have been lost. My inclination was to stop reading a few pages in; I wish I would have gone with my gut and saved myself the time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH5EBT0JEQ2X9?ASIN=0316055441	Meh, It Was Okay.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book started out slow, got a little interesting and then the ending was okay.  It was just not enough for me to keep interested.  I read the book al late way through because it was a prize winning book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37A2667ODBBEL?ASIN=0316055441	"I'm normally a reader of ""brain candy"" fiction like mysteries, but this is a great read"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm normally a reader of ""brain candy"" fiction like mysteries, but this is a great read.  No surprise that it won a Pulitzer, however, very approachable and an enjoyable ready for the average reader.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11KBFRPSZYGNS?ASIN=0316055441	This was a terrific read. Since it was a rather long book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a terrific read. Since it was a rather long book, I read it over a bit of time. The characters were beautifully drawn, and the plot itself gripping. No wonder it won awards  I highly recommend this.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R491LZC42XL2B?ASIN=0316055441	A  must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a worth reading book, undoubtedly. However, the author is too prolix. She could have used a bit less of prose. There is an excess of words in the history. The the  beginning of the book is outstanding.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLS6W0NB92R65?ASIN=0316055441	She enjoyed the book so much that she wanted her own ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My daughter got this from her boyfriend father.  She is a Miami University Student in the Farmers Business School.  She enjoyed the book so much that she wanted her own and is reading it for the second time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ6IV9IIKZR9V?ASIN=0316055441	painful, funny	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt is such a glorious writer, and this yard kept me reading - even though the Las Vegas part was a little long. It's unexpected, painful, funny, fascinating. I want to know more about all of these people.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14HSDPNFLEYVY?ASIN=0316055441	Thoroughly enjoyed the writing and the story line	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoroughly enjoyed the writing and the story line.  Could have used significant editing in portions, such as the Las Vegas scene.  The interesting twist was that good things can come from bad things/actions.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D64YZTCVX78B?ASIN=0316055441	perfect!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Would absolutely recommend this book. Kept my interest the entire time. While reminding me a bit about the chaos that we are born into and what it can do to our entire lives. amazing. Wish it went on longer!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6U9IONYNE7RO?ASIN=0316055441	Prepare for a whirlwind of tragedy and depressive scenes.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting book, well written. At times, I found the book quite depressing.....the ""hopelessness"" of the main character.  I had hoped the ending would overcome the desperation and depressive nature.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W20Y7UG4Z9T3?ASIN=0316055441	This was just wonderful, the story so well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was just wonderful, the story so well written , i could not put it down.<br/>This is a book that will grab your attention from the first line , if you read just<br/>one book this year , read this one.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBH6XDAE0I91X?ASIN=0316055441	Naysayer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this to be a disappointing read.  My expectations were such that I was unable to appreciate the writing and gave up.  I may pick up the book again but I found the characters dull and one dimensional.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS5TLHVJ52QWL?ASIN=0316055441	The drug scenes were amazing. The book was long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some long parts but an interesting study of individuals. The drug scenes were amazing. The book was long, but new and unbelievable things kept happening just as you thought you were about done. What a story!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRKKP7U1BEQLA?ASIN=0316055441	excellent book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a really well written and almost magical book. I think it's appropriate for almost anyone and has something that can appeal to a multitude of readers. Stop reading reviews and just download the book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JU87XVL5NS7E?ASIN=0316055441	Well written but at times slow and difficult to push ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but at times slow and difficult to push through. Parts of it are very profound and it is quite a powerful description of what happens to boys who grow up without present and responsible parents.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y90KPRTBUYT7?ASIN=0316055441	and beautifully written. The end seemed a little tedious and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting, engrossing read most of the way through, and beautifully written. The end seemed a little tedious and then too easily wrapped up, considering how complicated the events were up to that point.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JV8Z4PPNAWMR?ASIN=0316055441	Drags at times, but still a good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book can drag at times but overall I really enjoyed it. There is a lot to be understood by reading between the lines on this one, and a lot of paralells to draw. Boris was my absolute favorite character</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T9GOFEH6KODO?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful and unexpected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a gripping tale of life and passion. It takes the reader through a timeline that feels familiar and simultaneously intangible. The language shows a deep understanding of the purpose of art.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R8OUAXONNS4N?ASIN=0316055441	What a great read! I fell in love with the main ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a great read! I fell in love with the main character from youth to grown up. The writing is so beautiful, you can smell , feel and see the places, homes,  antiques and paintings. I would read it again!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UQY2WSL1IQT8?ASIN=0316055441	Well worth reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting plot and excellent writing, my only reason for giving 4 rather than 5 stars is because of its length. It is too long,I would have considered it a better book if it had been leaner with words.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J100LY358Z8S?ASIN=0316055441	long winded but worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot is great and fairly unexpected. I just found that it was easy to skim over a great deal of text because it did little to advance the story and was simply verbose dialogue.definitely  worth the read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SJTKSR3LE66Q?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't remember a book I’ve enjoyed more. I was quite lost when I finally reached the end.<br/><br/>I loved looking into the lives of Theo, Boris, Hobie and Pippa.<br/><br/>Ms Tartt writes beautifully.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39DE4XU5WLMWU?ASIN=0316055441	Artfully written with a lot of empathy and veryou accurate ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Artfully written with a lot of empathy and veryou accurate descriptions of the kinds of thought and feelings that trauma victims experience. Also has so many twists that the end is impossible to see coming.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IEOXS7WPRTJR?ASIN=0316055441	Highly recommend this well written book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book!  Very well written and a book that is hard to put down.  Loved living the life of the characters and the twists and turns keep you guessing what will happen next.  You won't be disappointed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WIW41R9FG89T?ASIN=0316055441	... book is well written but while first half is fantastic, the second half is a bit of a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The whole book is well written but while first half is fantastic, the second half is a bit of a chore. 75% of the way in I stopped caring what happened to the characters. I was tired of them and their crap.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12XOUDB83D12C?ASIN=0316055441	much too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this for a book club. I would have stopped before the middle if we weren't going to discuss it. There are some interesting parts, but it is much too long. I found myself skimming through a lot of it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REJ1GFJ9DQXDT?ASIN=0316055441	It started in away that captivates the reader. When ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started in away that captivates the reader.  When towards the end she visited the drug scene, it dragged.  All in all it was entertaining, but she could have made it shorter and not lost reader interest.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLE4YYKXWG4GT?ASIN=0316055441	Overall it's a good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was not what I expected and I felt sorry for the main character for the whole book.  The ultimate twist towards the end blew my mind and I knew that I must keep reading.  Overall it's a good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VHOBA0VIWPPA?ASIN=0316055441	Would not recommend this book to anyone	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have yet to figure out what the F word adds to a story and I have been reading for 65 years.  I did not finish this book, but only read the first few chapters.  Would not recommend this book to anyone!!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XUKP5688YC7A?ASIN=0316055441	... I've finished the book - I wouldn't say I loved it but I will say I couldn't put it ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Now that I've finished the book - I wouldn't say I loved it but I will say I couldn't put it down.  The writing is great - the characters are so well developed.  I just had to know what happened in the end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39LFMMA1LIS5B?ASIN=0316055441	Not worthy of all the attention	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story of the painting was ver interesting. The book dragged on for me when he explained things.<br/>needed about 1-200 pages edited out. The art and interactions between the characters kept me reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34SKHOM6UMHLH?ASIN=0316055441	Theo is my current literary hero!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't really add to what has already been said about this other than it is perhaps, the greatest novel of the 2010s. Looking forward to see how Tartt tops herself. Hopefully, it will be sooner than alter.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33UJ7RRZKM47W?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful Interesting Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful story with very interesting characters.  I loved it and didn't want it to end.  It surprises me that it was written by a woman but told from a male's perspective.  Ms. Tartt did an amazing job.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GVVESLI59AB7?ASIN=0316055441	Startling Ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story, the plot is excellent in its own rite. But the writing is glorious. I felt like I was riding a tornado most of the time. One of the best works of fiction I've read.  Left me a little breathless.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M62SRA76ZAWO?ASIN=0316055441	It took me forever to finish this book. There ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me forever to finish this book. There were points in which I didn't care what would happen. I finished it out of obligation to the Pulitzer Prize that it received but in the end it wasn't worth it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C5I70UEDOV6K?ASIN=0316055441	Haunts reader after you complete reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Starts in a solid narrative but becomes a haunting story with excellent reflections from the narrator at the end. Boris, Ukrainian/Russian/Polish, is one of my all-time favorite characters in fiction, now.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CY7LZT3JOE9N?ASIN=0316055441	Long, but great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall a great book. I admire an author who can write a completely unlikable main character, but still make me care about how his story ends. It was about 200 pages too long, but pushing through paid off.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FUHI7H8RZF5B?ASIN=0316055441	I really enjoyed reading this book so much I miss Boris and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed reading this book so much I miss Boris and Theo and Hobie!  Lots to consider ethically, philosophically which is good for me but getting to live with such an interesting lot was great fun.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YXMV9EYE4TSV?ASIN=0316055441	Unpredictable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was unpredictable, which I like but didn't like the ending as much as the rest of the book. Sometimes when a book is good  and the ending is not, it seems like the author was rushing to meet a deadline.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24UISS0I0ACK2?ASIN=0316055441	It's difficult to read about one's life spiraling so and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's difficult to read about one's life spiraling so and the elements and lifestyle exposed to.  Well written and descriptive but it wasn't one I looked forward to picking back up each night unfortunately.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCTLSV2W53PYJ?ASIN=0316055441	I got hooked after the first couple chapters. It ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got hooked after the first couple chapters. It has some personal relevance for me and I had a bit  of a hard time reading some parts but I thought the story to be interesting if not somewhat far fetched.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C17O5IWXNNLG?ASIN=0316055441	All I can say is - boring. There were so many times in this book ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">All I can say is - boring.  There were so many times in this book that the minutia of small, unimportant detail became almost unbearable.  Yes, I understand the need to ""set the stage"", but really.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R195YTMJNKJR6A?ASIN=0316055441	Solid read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written and captivating. Plot gets a bit mired in random details at times toward the middle, but the characters and story line are strong enough to carry the reader through until the last past.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DWTF5BRBN2BD?ASIN=0316055441	Well worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Mark Helprin on heroin. Best way I could describe it. Theo is annoying at times, but the supporting cast more then makes up for it, so does Tartt's understanding of loss, deep emotional pain, and drug use.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U2O3RN7FGP0B?ASIN=0316055441	much awaited book disappoints	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book had a great beginning but quickly slid down to disgustingly too much info about alcoholism and addiction with all the physical effects in gory detail.  the hero never redeems himself and in the end you don't care if he lives or dies.  way too long--I felt sucked into a morass and couldn't get out hoping it would get better.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VTJD43FLM9FD?ASIN=0316055441	Awards and praise are well deserved!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story can seem a little long, but it's rich with such beautiful phrases and imagery that it is an absolutely delicious at times.  Well worth reading if you want a book that you can talk about with friends.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDF90YQV8D858?ASIN=0316055441	A well-deserved Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredible prose!  A simple description of the story line and subject matter would produce disinterest in me, but Donna Tartt writes The Goldfinch with such skill that I did not want to put the book down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28OIPIMSVAIPR?ASIN=0316055441	Art work survives 9/11	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For the most part loved it.  Drug daze was a bit much, but might not have had the impact if it were less.  Loved the two or three twists that I never saw coming.  Love books about art works and/or artists</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q8XKLP9MYUUJ?ASIN=0316055441	a great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wasn't sure I wanted to read a book that long but our book club chose it.  I grabbed me right away and I read almost half one day!  It took many turns.  Loved it.  I would recomend it to others to read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DQ7L3ZAHRS2I?ASIN=0316055441	About 100 pages too long for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just a matter of personal taste, but while I enjoyed the story overall, i felt like I could've done without about 100 pages of drug and sickness-induced rambling. By the end I was ready for it to be over.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27GLSV8Y6KILZ?ASIN=0316055441	disagree with the author's philosophy on life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing novel to say the least<br/>The author spoke of his criminal type characters as representative of all beings<br/>I believe the world is a""white cloth with black spots ""not the other way around</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14MUB9BFPE092?ASIN=0316055441	A fine novel.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent craft!  Fascinating story, but at times a bit too detailed about restoring antique furniture -  that may not appeal to all readers. Yet one understands the characters through those descriptions.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJYC71L885409?ASIN=0316055441	thrilling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had some difficulty getting into this book, for reasons I can't explain. It took me more than half way through to get glued to it. But after that I couldn't put it down. An immensely pleasurable finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGVG7ZYWJZRT2?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written and fascinating story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written and fascinating story. It got a little crazy at times and I often found myself having a hard time liking the characters, but couldn't put it down and had to see what would happen next!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DXTA3H72QW6M?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book about Theo decker was amazing. How his life unfolded with lots of events. Losing his mom having to live friends and then his father. Although it was too long for me, I really enjoyed reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M0JAU0ROCOQ7?ASIN=0316055441	I didn't like any of them except the man who restored furniture	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really had a very difficult time getting into this story.  Although the characters were very well written, I didn't like any of them except the man who restored furniture.  I cannot recommend this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M4Z0N15C5T16?ASIN=0316055441	Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I did not really like any of the characters in the book and it went on and on, I still found myself waiting to pick it up again and read more. So I guess I am conflicted overall about this story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF1PNZDBFOYBA?ASIN=0316055441	amazing writing, great ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Stunning story, amazing writing, great ending.  The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is probably more reason to give it 5 stars - it had me so tense throughout that I had trouble ""enjoying"" it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGTYSRK6O1M7H?ASIN=0316055441	Great character Developement!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story follows the shaping of a boy through to the forming of a man, his character, his loves, his wants and desires and his coming to understand how and object may hold a different place in ones life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RVD917701MLB?ASIN=0316055441	Glad I read it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Has breadth AND depth.  Kept me reading right through the final page, caring about the characters AND the Goldfinch.  And then I was so interested, I did research on the Goldfinch. Lovely every which way.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CEO91Z8WQNIM?ASIN=0316055441	Plenty of compelling characters and great plot lines	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There's a reason this novel won the Pulitzer Prize for Literature.  Plenty of compelling characters and great plot lines.  I also learned something about the fine art underground.  Definitely a good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RTQV3KWNUD0Y?ASIN=0316055441	head boggling '	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very depressing , but still....well written. Took me awhile to get into, but then had to finish . Don't know if I would refer this book.<br/>To much self infliction &amp; damage to oneself physical &amp; mental.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OO3NGVM78UB0?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent dialog. Book is in no hurry to get ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent dialog.  Book is in no hurry to get to a grand finish... it is a character driven book ... not so much plot.  I really enjoyed it on Audio ... the reader is amazingly adept at switching voices.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FDZ5UIKJDNIK?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful language	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved The author's gorgeous use of the language. The story was a little long winded with a few too many twists and turns but kept me engaged. I almost wanted to look away, but couldn't! Very good book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HAL1EKQRW46Q?ASIN=0316055441	A brilliant insight into masterpieces lost and found	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed ""The Goldfinch"". The style of writing, the descriptions of the characters, the world of art, the places were all engaging. I highly recommend this wonderfully engaging novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I70KSLV2U8BR?ASIN=0316055441	Good story but the book could have been shorter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story but the book could have been shorter.  Unnecessary and repetitive explanation of things and characters.  It went on way too long.  However, the characters and the story were quite interesting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WU70FBF7IPOI?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it - hard to explain why	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book spoke to me about things I needed to hear at a time when I needed to hear them. I realize this isn't particularly helpful for someone deciding whether or not to purchase it, but it's all I got!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REBPDYC8733PY?ASIN=0316055441	brilliant rant on life itself	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book answers no question and every question. Why we live, love and search for beauty. Long lovely descriptions and a story line that takes you non stop to the end of the book. Everyone should read it</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17EOROQDBC61Y?ASIN=0316055441	needs editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely well written. Beautiful prose but way too long. Also might have had more impact if less had happened to the writer. I was afraid to turn the page wondering what else could go wrong in his life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U1W0XOY3F30A?ASIN=0316055441	dark mysteries	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully and thoughtfully written. I kept thinking of the Buddha - all life is suffering ( ""dukha"" imbalance).  In the end, no escape, no respite was possible for Theo.  So sad.  So beautiful.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R49BGWAB66SJ?ASIN=0316055441	depicts a beautiful world of friendship	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very exciting, depicts a beautiful world of friendship, mentoring, solidarity, care, talks about the limits of relationships, the meaning of art and describes New York and Amsterdam in a captivating way.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OIE7A5LEF3K4?ASIN=0316055441	Very wordy. Written well but drugs and alcohol for ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very wordy. Written well but drugs and alcohol for a life that works for him is not for me. I thought he might have turned his life around but it proves as in real life how hard it is to break the habit.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DB2ZNVIG5LBL?ASIN=0316055441	Entertaining, but to look long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This books was entertaining. Unfortunately about 200 pages way too long. A lot of it was superfluous, unnecessary exposition. If books this padded are your thin, then it.might be something you will enjoy</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MYWASY4G4Z7J?ASIN=0316055441	middle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt that this was very intellectual and yet dark - so much sadness and despair in all of the characters . So much negativity and drunks ,drugs , hopeless characters . Not a real bright spot anywhere .</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C6CZSKHSM3BG?ASIN=0316055441	Wordy!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long book.  Interesting plot with engaging characters.  Ms. Tartt  used way too many words to tell this story.  I would much prefer to enjoy reading to the end of a book rather than persevere to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI7RCQFSVP6JI?ASIN=0316055441	but beautifully written book where the characters come alive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A , somewhat long, but beautifully written book where the characters come alive, and you like them .I have never read a book where my sense of smell, sight and feel became an intrinsic part of the story!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18GLPBOZFQIF6?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book,while we'll written can be very tedious and depressing.  It is very long and tends to drag along.  I think that the events in the museum were very well described leaving the reader disoriented.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4TPS7PBA0UGP?ASIN=0316055441	When I finished the book I felt no enjoyment having read the same	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a disturbing book.  It started out depressing and continued through the main character's entire life.  When I finished the book I felt no enjoyment having read the same.  I would not recommend it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D0ZL2SWBQELV?ASIN=0316055441	I wanted to like it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really wanted to like this book, but felt it more often than not dragged on an on explaining a portion of the book in 20 pages that could have been explained in 2. It also felt like it would never end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RRYIVQJZK11Z?ASIN=0316055441	Quite an amazing novel. Sometimes I felt overwhelmed with the main ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite an amazing novel.  Sometimes I felt overwhelmed with the main character and his acquaintances.  However, the author puts us so into the character that as he is overwhelmed so are you as the reader.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBH0HE9POD2VE?ASIN=0316055441	one of the best novels I've read in decades	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Honestly, one of the best novels I've read in decades. Celebrates the great literary traditions of the 19th century yet utterly contemporary at the same time  Everything one wants from a work of fiction.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3024P3XH0IDP5?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not deserve a Pulitzer</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BW57GR1HAX0N?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long book to say little.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CLYNJRPCI7SN?ASIN=0316055441	many dull	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too long.  many dull spots</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R226BOP5EX0FS2?ASIN=0316055441	Like a Kardashian, this title is only a name recognized, with nothing behind it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Another example of trying to find a great book everyone was raving about, to be disappointed.  I wanted a novel I could get sucked into for page after page and be excited about for at least the week it would take me to read it, but I was sorely disappointed.  The stream of consciousness got more and more annoying and to be honest by the end of the book I just started skipping pages.  I like characters that I can get behind and root for, but this character never tries to help himself, he just gets more depressing as time goes on.  As a child and what happened to him it's understandable, but as a grown man blundering about and his inner dialogue becomes more raving, I just didn't care about him anymore.  I keep hearing people talk about this book but honestly I think it's just because they talk about it for the sake of talking about it.  It's a title that, like a Kardashian, or an internet meme or a sensationalist news story, has taken off for no apparent reason.  What a shame that's just a reflection of our society today that significant works (or news) of value isn't recognized, and it's the low hanging fruit that we're stuck having to listen to.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ND2KT3LPK3NN?ASIN=0316055441	Mixed feelings	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book. I do feel that it did drag just a bit, the substance abuse got just a little old after so much of the book devoted to it. I'm not sure I liked the ending. Overall the book was fine.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HRL4PWMW6SBV?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has a terrific vocabulary.  She captures each characters personality and their particular way of speaking.  I found it difficult to put down.  Sort of modern day J. D. Salinger with a twist.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IP5U559EWE8D?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters in this story seem a little over the top, but still pretty believable.  The last few pages of the story were exceedingly philosophical...could've done without all that, therefore 4 stars.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13XMQ0JT39BJ3?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started this book several weeks ago and the beginning was kind of slow but when I picked it back up two days ago I couldn't put it down. Even though it is over 700  pages long I didn't want it to end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1927L8TDBVMBW?ASIN=0316055441	And the story is great. Reminds me a bit of Catcher in the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Draws you in right away. The writing is superb.  And the story is great.  Reminds me a bit of Catcher in the Rye, one of my favorite books every.  A little gritty ( drugs, shootings, etc) so be prepared</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PE4TGAVX5R1W?ASIN=0316055441	Good book, long, never going where you think it might.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a really good book, quite long, but worth the effort. Having had to put it down a few times due to being very busy in life made it a tad bit difficult to read fluidly. Very much worth it though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWI5XKAV2IGGW?ASIN=0316055441	Amazingly beautiful story..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a wonderful book. Truly deep and profoundly written. It is at times hard to read and extremely fanciful . But at the end of book, it had a great feeling of deep beauty. The beauty of life itsel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12D4C4JTS7MZQ?ASIN=0316055441	A waste of time.....hours you'll never get back	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hated this book.  It was way too long and very depressing.  The author's sad view of life is summed up in a couple of words at the very end.  I spent way too many hours of my life finishing this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X5NTN3Z63OJ3?ASIN=0316055441	"Did I like ""The Goldfinch""?"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book but did not find myself running to it.  It kept my attention for sure.<br/><br/>I was a little disappointed with the philosophical ending.<br/><br/>I would recommend it, however.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MG1BL1PF5EZZ?ASIN=0316055441	This book was recommended to me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was recommended to me. I found it interesting how the picture was the focus with the main character and how he went about concealing it. But found it confusing with other aspects of the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPXIOZQTTP5J8?ASIN=0316055441	Grab your Anti - depressant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How is this a prize winner? This book is so depressing,  I would not recommend reading this if you want an uplifting book. If drug use and death and depression lift you up, by all means read this novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EPOW5YXLEERB?ASIN=0316055441	Well written, but depressing at times.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked it, because it was beautifully crafted.  I found myself frustrated with the some of the content, though.  I got that they were drug addicts, but I did not need as much detail as I was presented.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R623LCOG1BUSX?ASIN=0316055441	A master of imagery	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful prose.  Ms. Tartt is a master of imagery, both psychological and visual.  The plot serves more as a vehicle for her imagery then vice versa, thereby becoming a little drawn out and convoluted.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPO4NIZNN9POP?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written loss of innocence novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written loss of innocence novel.  There were some middle chapters which could have been shortened or left out (edited?); however, the book becomes exciting, then thoughtful towards the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PPI8IGX5T7NF?ASIN=0316055441	What a great book!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book .It really is one of the best books I have read and I've books all my life.It was an amazing read I will probably read it several times in the future.The characters are truly great.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q24U7WLR5FK?ASIN=0316055441	great character study	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a great example as to why books are still relevant and that a good book will always be better than most TV or movies. I enjoyed the read and I know Theo will stick with me for a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32EMGMU5QD78G?ASIN=0316055441	A lot of people raved about this book. It ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A lot of people raved about this book. It took a while to get in to but I found the story interesting.  Overall as literature, I found it uneven, sometimes compelling, sometimes wearing and repetitive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FRZJIAYPV0BV?ASIN=0316055441	keeps you guessing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book!  Just when I had given up on the main character, another possibility occurred.  His inner turmoil was intense and yet he always had people who were there to pick him up!  Great read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UO544BSMANJ9?ASIN=0316055441	Another Pulitzer that falls short	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The premise and plot were good as were many of the characteris, unfortunately the author became overly self-indulgent in description.  A more stringent editing may have given this an extra star or two.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JN3V4BWOHOW3?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written. Thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. Thought provoking. The Goldfinch challenges many of our long held beliefs on what it means to be human and our understanding of our place in the universe. Well worth the 700+pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32QK36LA770A1?ASIN=0316055441	a bit long but I did like it. Explores a youth's family tragedy and how ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a bit long but I did like it. Explores a youth's family  tragedy and how he grows after the event. The ending tries to wrap it up explaining how we all deal with art in out lives but it was a bit weak,</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R151X0HORUT2WR?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was disappointed in this book. If you asked the author what time it was, you probably would get an answer which included the history of clocks. Way to much detail which was not relevant to the story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X2GPJT88AYW?ASIN=0316055441	I don't doubt the amazing reviews it has received	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't doubt the amazing reviews it has received, but personally I did not enjoy it that much.  I will keep it and read it again when the time is right… for now I felt tired of the endless description</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZY17MCGPWXVN?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have read many great books in my life but none as astonishing and thought provoking as this. It has irrevocably altered my life which is a statement I could not make about any other work of artistry.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LDMO3G4LNJW2?ASIN=0316055441	An Exciting Read on Trip to Europe	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a fabulous read! Couldn't put it down and I highly recommend it.<br/>Interestingly, I was in Belgium while reading the chapters when the setting was in Antwerp. It made my reading more intense.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31S5L80CT8L8T?ASIN=0316055441	It was OK but not my favorite book. I only read about an hour every ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was OK but not my favorite book. I only read about an hour every night &amp; some books I cant wait to get back too but not this one.. Maybe if I read more at a time I would be able to get into it more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NPMWV0JYFDDF?ASIN=0316055441	It was a good story but parts of the book dragged	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was wordy and overly  discriptive at times.  I found myself losing interest.  Most likely wouldn't have finished if I wasn't apart of a book club.  It was a good story but parts of the book dragged.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KNJAEV17USL9?ASIN=0316055441	Story flow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story disjointed, moving from one place to another without the ""lead in"". I found<br/>it overly wordy but understand how others would like that. I couldn't get into it as<br/>a flowing story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFE2O7H9LMNZ1?ASIN=0316055441	great story with great writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an amazing story.  Told with such vivid writing.  I felt like I was in the story as it was happening around me.  I would highly recommend this as a book that should be on everyone's must read list</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JJ4WJ6RFUS5M?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are not many books I can say that ""I just couldn't put it down.""  But this was one.  Whatever you don't skip to the end, because it's not what you will expect and it is worth waiting for.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU5WQ5Z5QE2FL?ASIN=0316055441	Too long, the characters were all so despicable. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long,the characters were all so despicable .  Hobie was the only one that I found with moral substance.  I started not to finish but decided to forge on.  Now I know I could have just quit reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JUENU6OEX3XD?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book  deserves all the praise it has gotten. I couldn't put it down and unfortunately I have misplaced it.I wanted to read it again, especially the last passages. I am tempted to buy another copy.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPVOHM55AQ2PR?ASIN=0316055441	Dense, complicated, thoughtful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like diving into a pool of adjectives. Without pausing one will drown in this stories weight. Loved it but struggled, pondered, pushed back then finally succumbed. Currently living on edge of rainbow.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XNT17W0AEFET?ASIN=0316055441	I liked it, but didn't love it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written.  First 3/4 of the book are immersive and wonderful.  Last 1/4 of the book, the protagonist's motivation (w/r/t the goldfinch) becomes nonsensical and made me start to dislike him.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OFFHALRZZUAK?ASIN=0316055441	Good, not great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had high hopes but got lost and restless halfway through. Loved how the author writes but I felt often it was too much, too much detail and not coming to terms with the heart of it til the very end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WTNLINAXA3EU?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful in all aspects	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A must read. Tartt does an amazing job of Dr eloping a character. I felt as if I watched her paint this beautiful masterpiece, only it wasn't until the end I realised what I was watching. Truly great.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SB3TFM0BEQO3?ASIN=0316055441	Troubled lifestyle.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Subject matter disturbing to me. Kept thinking something good would happen. Abrupt ending  Reader needs to be stress free and with realization this is a work of fiction. Unfortunately very believable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AMBG5APQUG8S?ASIN=0316055441	Kinetic energy builds right through the finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book pulled me in at an exponential rate. I was slow to warm up to what appeared to be a fully tragic story, but was  soon enthralled with the complex and constantly surprising depth to the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PIIDGD2UYJ7M?ASIN=0316055441	One of my top 10!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good book.  Character development was stellar and made you feel connected to the story.  My only negative is that I felt a bit lost and depressed after finishing it.  That's how good the book is!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GFF96QBR24GH?ASIN=0316055441	But the ending proved all too tidy and happy, considering the nutty main character	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a rollicking romp through a troubled childhood and young adulthood, with a little more drug addiction than I wanted. But the ending proved all too tidy and happy, considering the nutty main character.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GHHDRF79HN7E?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a great, gripping book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed The Goldfinch.  It's gripping, gut-wrenching, and incredibly human.  It's not a quick read that ends just as quickly, but rather a great story that pulls you in and takes you with it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17F1BG4Z0WIOZ?ASIN=0316055441	Come of Age in the 21st Century, but do it with a cultured pen.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fully deserves its accolades and awards.  This is the best coming of age book ever.  Better than ""Catcher"" and far more erudite. What an amazing and full experience.  Don't miss it if you can.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VUWPGPZOW7M3?ASIN=0316055441	Ms. Tartt gets it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">rich in human understanding, very much a gripping tale of the sequence of events that take life down a road less traveled.  Accurately poses the question - is it Devine Providence or Relentless Irony?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IKTO1EIMVCJD?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  It reminds me of Holden Caulfield in ""Catcher in the Rye"".  Trying to find the meaning of things and his own self.  The  confusion, the paths you choose, the outcomes.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31EWS2F1658GV?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing, but had an impactful ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappointing book considering the rave critic reviews.  Found it too verbose and often losing my attention.  It had its moments, however, and the final two pages were stunning and deeply impacted me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WQLOLJTJP8WK?ASIN=0316055441	Too much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved so much of it but could have done without the endless descriptions of tripping on drugs. Having to wade through the constant trips at the drug beech wore me out, though I did finish. Bo Roberts.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZNFBIB8I8BRJ?ASIN=0316055441	Unexpectedly wonderful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a great book. Every page was more interesting than the previous. I absolutely couldn't put this book down. I highly recommend this book about life &amp; all it's triumphs.. But in the end we prevail!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VBMAA6AY1M?ASIN=0316055441	Difficult and Riveting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not sure why I finished reading this book. At times I could not hold it. At times I could not put it down.  I'm still confused by it, but have hope I will grow to understand much of what I read...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBQDSHFEODKR5?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story about Art, Thievery ,deception, and loss, BUT , about 2oo pages overwritten, AND a very diisappointing  ending.<br/><br/>Most of the people I've spoken to agree with these comments</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG69L5KJMMXBD?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent writer, but should have cut a great many ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent writer, but should have cut a great many pages from the Las Vegas portion.  Reading became tedious.  The reader would still have understood the miserable life with half the number of pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PYGT7E62HFA9?ASIN=0316055441	I am so glad I didn't buy it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I waited almost a year to get this from the library. I am so glad I didn't buy it. It was boring, so much so that I quit reading it. I usually never quit a book before the end. Don't waste your time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EW6ZG2NR1M7A?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written with so much detail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written with so much detail, it was easy to imagine every place and feel what Theo was feeling. Each character had such a different and definite personality. Loved it all the way through.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YYAQGI2V5V9A?ASIN=0316055441	very wordy but a good story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite a tale, but skimmed some if the long long paragraphs.  Definitely felt immersed, yet overwhelmed. Almost 800 pp that could have been told in much less, unless you like minute detail if feeling.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31ZR7V1KUUZ08?ASIN=0316055441	Not for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read it for book club...can't believe I finished it...the most difficult book  I have ever tried to read. Felt lost through most of it......way too long. It is not a book that I would choose to read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LAW4DW1MKOZZ?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved ""the Secret History"".<br/>I didn't even finish ""the little friend"" it was so appallingly bad.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch is fantastic.  Modern, dark, and just a bit disturbing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GJ76UVV5N715?ASIN=0316055441	Difficult	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">sorry but I was just so very bored with all the psychoanalysis and the<br/>destructive activity.......was a nice story to begin with, but went downhill<br/>after the first 100 pages or so..........</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U0DN295QH16U?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful words paired with a sad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful words paired with a sad, melancholy, intriguing story. But too long and wordy. The story could have left me contemplative, as all great books do, but instead I was just glad to be finished.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LAX5Q907L9R4?ASIN=0316055441	GOOD READ	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the book has starts off interesting and depressing but sort of lulls in the middle for a while until more despair hits the young boy. The end was really good bc of the message of he gives. good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33GVXPQ20G7AN?ASIN=0316055441	facinating......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the language of the nook.  I so enjoyed the well developed characters.  In particular, I liked Theo despite his ironies that existed continually in his life. The resolve at the end was great.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QVQS6JBUUFLZ?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing, loved every minute, even the disturbing one.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Outstanding. Incredibly well written with a story line that is full. While the story can be disturbing, it is worth the time to read this amazing book.  I completely understand why it won a Pulitzer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34D7FNN67E8WW?ASIN=0316055441	The story is great and the twists and turns caught me by surprise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is great and the twists and turns caught me by surprise.  The descriptions became so tedious and I began skipping a lot of the book looking for the story.  Is should have been half as long!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HZEY8R0GZH6Z?ASIN=0316055441	Love it...but it's looong.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story. Wonderful writing style overall. But the book is unnecessarily big. She is extremely descriptive in certain parts going off on deep tangents that, in my opinion, add little to the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19BCYVCBMV2P4?ASIN=0316055441	Bravo!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book grabbed me right from the beginning and held on until the end.  My only problem is the pile of laundry and dirty dishes I have to do now that I'm finished and can finally put the book down!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VIZY6403BIFH?ASIN=0316055441	way too long & too much addiction porn	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">was hooked by opening which promised more than it delivered. Way too many scenes of drug or alcohol addiction or morning-after scenes. Booorrring. Agree with other two-star reviews about AWOL editor.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11SBBDA6R01GF?ASIN=0316055441	yet doesnt' waste a word	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WOW! I couldn't put it down. Gripping. Donna writes in an  intense, very descript manner that fills the pages,yet doesnt' waste a word. Excellent, Excellent story. I'll read it again in a year or so.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T82PSSWC3282?ASIN=0316055441	Geat!  New best American novel!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Will probably be and should be categorized as the best American novel of this century so far.  Fascinating and so well written.  I have already purchased Secret History, and hope to enjoy it as well.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVHNNIY6UVLKL?ASIN=0316055441	amazingly written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Grabs you com the beginning.  Characters well developed.  Sad, interesting and worlds of drugs and art intertwined.  Bad parents, lost children looking to find their way - stumbling, falling, rising.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC4E3HZR1C6S3?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book, especially the first half. The characters are beautifully drawn and I became very invested in Theo Decker, the young protagonist, sticking with him as life spiraled out of control.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ43N01W1I4N7?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So very fortunate to have picked up this book about a multitude of people and a myriad of experiences, growing wiser and disillusioned with friendship, commitment and life. Finding beauty in truth .</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29PS88OQKI2G4?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch was pretty good. Our book club thought it was pretty ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was pretty good.  Our book club thought it was pretty lengthy and actually could have easily bee shortened without missing the actual story line.  We scored it a 7.5 overall out of 10.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SVW4N2RQEGSM?ASIN=0316055441	I Liked this book it had unpredictable twist's and turns	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not one for ""writing words of wisdom"" . I Liked this book it had unpredictable twist's and turns.And gave me a new perspective  and appreciation of art, antiques,and what makes a family.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RPYP3J1PMJ66?ASIN=0316055441	tragic, beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author's vivid descriptions create clear images of each character.<br/>My book club recently discussed it at length, and all of us were so happy to have read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R694GM58ES09O?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written......the voices of all the characters made you feel you were walking along side them. The reader feels connected to all of them right from the beginning til the book is finished.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ0X9CQHZWSJ5?ASIN=0316055441	About a hundred pages too long, a few too ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">About a hundred pages too long, a few too many long lists, and a bit too much on drugged out sadness. Other than that, Tartt is a superb writer and this is a definite page turner despite its length.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PBTCBLANJTZX?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the read. This is a book that I ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Worth the read.  This is a book that I keep thinking about, and I finished it a couple of weeks ago.  It delves into the circumstances of life, friendships, and the power of art to change our lives.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KA5RN1TX2GNJ?ASIN=0316055441	Long-winded and then some	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you like Dickens or Bronte with a side of Faulkner, you'll like this. Too drawn out and overly descriptive for my tastes and the characters and not very likable. I'll take a pass on her next one.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DQ2X2WX6JMKY?ASIN=0316055441	Good book, but much too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book, but much too long. So much could have been cut from the lengthly descriptions of drug use. It really dragged on and on during his time in Las Vegas. I was also hoping for a better ending.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JP1D4P4BD2V0?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing and masterful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing and masterful. The darkness the story explores never repels, only helps us walk with Theo through the fire as he grows and fully embraces life's most meaningful lessons, challenges and joys.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BN7L7M4X6SY0?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch a terrific read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">True prize winner! Interesting well developed characters. Starts with an emotional bang and the emotional energy continues throughout . Literary style of writing. Will look for other books by TArtt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D40N4W4LFW7M?ASIN=0316055441	Review of the Goldfinch.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful story. Very well written. Descriptive and detailed. The author was very capable in not only describing the environment and situation, but also the specific admosphere in which it happened.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPZORGAJWQ7XX?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating story keeps you involved right through to the end. Beautifully written created very visual images in a sentence . The characters are fully developed. Very philosophical analyses of life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3418RU8NC6T5H?ASIN=0316055441	I did not enjoy my time reading it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I realize that this book has many high ratings, but I found it to be full o despair.  I read nearly 800 pages of the ups and downs of the main character, however, I did not enjoy my time reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WXVSUL1OEIAN?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be way longer than it needed to be.  She wrote in 5 paragraphs what she could have said in one sentence.  The tone is depressing a.  I kept reading hoping for it to get happier!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VHPVWAJTNNTD?ASIN=0316055441	A very engaging and phenomenally well-written book. Too much ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very engaging and phenomenally well-written book.  Too much time inside the head of a drug-user for my taste, but a magnificent plot and characters who keep redeeming themselves despite all odds.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ONS855T4L6G5?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderfully written book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully written book.  Fascinating characters.  Plot with many twists and turns, often exciting.  Hard to put the book down but  with a rather nihilistic philosophy I found a little depressing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPCMJQUMEK43F?ASIN=0316055441	A Long Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long, long read. This novel needed a good editing. Storyline and plot were interesting and unique. However, I couldn't relate to the characters, all who made bad choices without much thought.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D2XOF3NT6UA7?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Outstanding for philosophical depth, adventure, and artistic consciousness, character development.  One of the greatest novels I've read. For adults because of the extensive drug and alcohol abuse.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIFNJ9DUFDGFX?ASIN=0316055441	Quite a journey!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo's life was so well chronicled.  Seeing him grow up into the person he became was fascinating and the author very intelligently put you right into the mess he was involved with.  A worthy read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B6KSBVMOH7DZ?ASIN=0316055441	It started out ok but it just seemed to go ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started out ok but it just seemed to go on and on, I was able to skip quite a bit of it and still figure out what was going on.  Unless you want to read a really long book I would skip this one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HQXWQ01HJVRF?ASIN=0316055441	Not all it's cracked up to be	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a terrible novel.  I kept wondering why I was reading it, and it never improved.  None of the characters was likeable, and the plot was silly.  How this book ever got an award is beyond me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6KKH2YVG7WNE?ASIN=0316055441	Just too much time spent wading through pages and pages of unnecessary stuff. Get to the point	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very thought provacative story. The problem was it could have been told in half the pages. Just too much time spent wading through pages and pages of unnecessary stuff. Get to the point.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HNPT5HOJWKJ5?ASIN=0316055441	What a wonderful and fascinating story about how life intertwines bringing together ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can see why it won a Pulitzer Prize!  What a wonderful and fascinating story about how life intertwines bringing together people to help to console to be friends and to love.  I truly enjoyed it!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PVMM3ORAD9U2?ASIN=0316055441	The character development was fantastic, I felt like I knew exactly who these ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this novel was extraordinary. The character development was fantastic, I felt like I knew exactly who these people were. The story line captivated me and the writing itself was brilliant.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23P80N5ILVY0F?ASIN=0316055441	Good Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The experience in Las Vegas (the middle of the book) could have been but down by at least half!  Other than that, a very compelling story, in which you fall in love with Theo.  Beautifully written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LO1917XJE3ZM?ASIN=0316055441	Thought provoking and compelling novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've ever read. The suspense never ends. Very well developed characters. This is one of the best depictions of a boy growing up under adverse circumstances since Oliver Twist.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R372N9FO7AEEP4?ASIN=0316055441	A Mixed Bag	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A lot to like and a book that stays with you but it does drag at times.  The characters are memorable but the book loses its steam about halfway through and the end was not particularly satisfying.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q8KYMRC8AJXX?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writing but a bit wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written but too wordy for my taste. Actually I feel that parts of the story hung up badly and I couldn't' wait to get past them. I don' usually skim through books but did with this one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IKG1YOBTKASQ?ASIN=0316055441	Best of many good books	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was exceptionally original and enthralling. I lost a lot of sleep with this book...I couldn't put it down. It's tragic, sometimes funny, touching, dramatic. You will be left wanting more.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MREROSD06VSC?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful yet dark in places	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is beautiful yet dark in places. It's emotional and intensely philosophical. If you're looking for something cheery and light to read, this not it. But it is definitely a worthwhile read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31ER582EOZ32A?ASIN=0316055441	Black blah	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story could have been great, but the mental monologues that ""Potter"" had with himself ESPECIALLY toward the end of the book had me saying to myself, ""Is this freaking book ever going to end???""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBGHD81O4LZO0?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">5 stars til the last 25 or so pages. A little too indulgently wordy toward the end. Loved the story and development of the characters.  I worried about them all even when I wasn't reading the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAJWNWGHC87YZ?ASIN=0316055441	Good and interesting writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good and interesting writing, but a little too much of a good thing. Overly detailed, especially repetitive descriptions of drug experiences. Interesting plot, and interesting commentary about PTSD</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ2JI5OKUBQOO?ASIN=0316055441	The perfect book to drive me crazy.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I tried very, very hard to finish this book, and I did. However, the more I read, especially after Theo' s Mother died, the harder it became to read. I found myself thinking about my 6th grade teacher who just loved diagramming sentences (that tells you my age).  I also thought of my 9th grade English teacher with her red grading pencil which she used to decorate our papers with the criticisms ""dead wood"" and ""quit rambling,""  I guess this stream of consciousness way of writing is just not for someone like me who wants to say, ""Get to the point!"" I'm sorry, but this type of writing drives me crazy.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ4PA129YUF6Y?ASIN=0316055441	it's really well written and good...a bit long but I loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the story, the character development, the descriptions, metaphors...the intensity....really a good read. I got a little worn out towards the end but it was still an amazing read! Loved it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MVC7I8R5BM7V?ASIN=0316055441	Good but uneven	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As a whole I liked it, but I thought it was uneven.  Long sections were riveting (and just excellent) and then several chapters would leave me cold.  This pattern continued through the whole book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVY1DISK2SK6S?ASIN=0316055441	The storyline was captivating and well paced--never a dull moment. One of the best books I have ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a fabulous read----couldn't put it down.  The characters were so interesting  and real.  The storyline was captivating and well paced--never a dull moment.  One of the best books I have read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DWE0N7F4SAVH?ASIN=0316055441	I really enjoyed this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book, though the ending was a bit far fetched and rushed compared to the pace of the first 3/4ths. Great adventure, good writing style. Definitely will make a fabulous movie.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PL1O832ZTX2S?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed the beginning but then I lost interest	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting writer. I enjoyed the beginning but then I lost interest. Needless to say, she's a wonderful writer but the context was bizarre. I wanted some happiness to evolve and it didn't...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROPSA0X315B3G?ASIN=0316055441	Good story, kept me interested for all 700+pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story, kept me interested for all 700+pages. The last chapter took whole differentiate as if written by another author. It begs to be read more than once. Thank you for a good read, Ms. Tartt</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23FG092VRTRRO?ASIN=0316055441	This is a book I will recommend.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Artful writing, dynamic plot lines that keep you turning the page with increasing speed and engagine characters, all of which Donna Tartt fans have come to expect. This is a book I will recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MA6W6658XY02?ASIN=0316055441	good but overhyped	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I enjoyed reading this book, I found it long winded and drawn out in the middle. The ending was both interesting and over done. The writing was fantastic and the plot is new and interesting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IENVYZB25YUA?ASIN=0316055441	the best book I've read in a long time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's the book you drag along with you through all your moves. You keep it on your shelf but never lend out. Although, you will never hesitate to buy another copy again and again as a special gift.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GDMALJ1BAOG9?ASIN=0316055441	There are areas so beautifully written, it took my breath away	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although lengthy, I could not put this book down.  There are areas so beautifully written, it took my breath away.  The end is a masterpiece of writing  on Theo's philosophy of life as he sees it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GR6D5T545KAF?ASIN=0316055441	Sallianne Zamudio	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had A nice message but the goings-on with all the people that didn't mean anything totally to the story got to be very tedious. I would prefer that the basic of the story was more simple</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W3O1WQLAJ5RO?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the  most powerful, and beautifully written novels I have ever read. Potter drags you with Hobie and Boris to an inward facing place where you must ask who is it reading this story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NBKI62Z8B22?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wildly wonderful characters.  I couldn't put it down.  A slower pace near the end was a tad annoying but I got over it soon enough. A great summer read or for that matter a great winter read also.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UIUBPHJLEEST?ASIN=0316055441	Nearly nailed it but not quite!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written book but too long. Didn't read last 250 pages as got so annoyed by it!! Mixed feelings for the book overall. Started with such promise and then gradually unravelled itself! Shame</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJG1FRJ80QPEB?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hated it.  Waaay to long.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AMUEUA4X3FIT?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing and weird.....</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SKDH6Z36C1OH?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terribly overrated book:(</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BIPPQUMUA2DR?ASIN=0316055441	This was an awful book!!  My Bookclub all hated it!!!'	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Why did a female author use a man as a main character??  Why did she need over 750 pages to drag out a story that could have been told in 250?!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D6VP4R8DMXYL?ASIN=0316055441	A very good read. Many surprises	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very good read.  Many surprises.  Unexpected depths.  If you love characters full of Dickens like personality, you<br/>will really love this.  Our book club picked it and am happy they did so.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC65C50UCNEV7?ASIN=0316055441	Must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unique, hard to set down, mind-bending. Very well written and leaves the reader emotionally drained. That s is certainly a story that will remain in the forefront of my mind for a very long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28C5NOT4JVEVS?ASIN=0316055441	if this book was a bouquet	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the story, eloquent plot and beautifully written however if this book was a bouquet it would be 75% baby's breath and 25% actual topiary. One will need lots of time to get through this one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9RG715VILJ4?ASIN=0316055441	I really enjoyed this book-- especially the descriptions of antiques	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book-- especially the descriptions of antiques.  It was a little long and dragged at times, particularly when he is out west, but becomes much more exciting towards the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZE7WBU36QV8M?ASIN=0316055441	I keep thinking about the characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I never realized that constable painted animal features in humans. I wonder which character was most like the goldfinch.  I believe that this is Tartt's device as well. Art and alcohol and drugs.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIYTAPJ6VGNPA?ASIN=0316055441	Good read but over rated by most	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book was an exciting and interesting read!  It kept surprising me BUT it was too long; some sections dragged taking focus from the story. I just felt it could have been edited to be tighter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK1BLK4MDJQB8?ASIN=0316055441	A FANTASTIC READ!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've ever read.  I usually don't like when authors go into exhaustive detail to the point of it being too much but I found myself devouring every little detail in this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R283NQQL0R0TEZ?ASIN=0316055441	Good and thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the story and it makes you think about life.  Could probably have been about 100 pages shorter but the author feels the need to describe scenes, thoughts, circumstances in great detail.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21K8L0WHXU3W?ASIN=0316055441	drinking and bad things that happened just never seem to end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a difficult story.  The drugs, drinking and bad things that happened just never seem to end, however in the end the author pulled it all together and it was interesting and well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW2GOMM2E0ID6?ASIN=0316055441	A journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book took me a long ass time to read but it was totes worth it. It was totes Cray Cray. For real-time. I recommend it to art lovers and anyone living in areas with a high penguin population.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTZQ1EHFCMX3S?ASIN=0316055441	Well written and interesting subject.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story. It's a good blend of action which keeps the story moving along with deeper introspection and fine details. Even if you're not interested in art you will appreciate the content.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QRVRLAJM5IKG?ASIN=0316055441	One speech made enduring incredibly poor editing worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pulitzer or not, editing was sorely needed here.  And though I left and came back to the book several times, it was worth the effort for Boris' speech - which is where the book should have ended.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VBZE5EE4SSKQ?ASIN=0316055441	Characters were difficult to like or even sympathize with	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was very hard to get through. Characters were difficult to like or even sympathize with.  Slow read! Boring! i don't know how it is a best seller.  Worst book I have read in a long time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14P2DVG2IMM1K?ASIN=0316055441	a modern day parable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written thriller with twists and turns that speaks of love and beauty,friendship and passion. A book where everyone can find themselves, like in a parable, in at least one of the characters.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NTLX924IFX7?ASIN=0316055441	Felt the last 200 pages were probably the best part of the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Finally finished this book. Felt it had way more description than I a<br/>Was going toi be interested in. Felt the last 200 pages were probably the best part of the book . Was glad to finish it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D71D4BCGW10A?ASIN=0316055441	Oy vay	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, uneven writing ...rather unconvincing story, Pulitzer price really? Read if you have too...can skip, and save yourselves a few good hours...has some good parts, but needs a good editor.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5MYBJP2VH7YQ?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful character descriptions & likeable for the most part	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit of a page turner however too much detail @ times &amp; therefore<br/>Longer than need be.<br/>Wonderful character descriptions &amp; likeable for the most part.<br/>Thought it was a good ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MDBF98JVPUG7?ASIN=0316055441	Very disturbing story. Couldn't understand the relationship between Theo ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very disturbing story.  Couldn't understand the relationship between Theo and Boris. How could Theo let being controlled and manipulated by Boris? The book could have been shorter than 700+ pages</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IE8GVPJ91Y5P?ASIN=0316055441	The best read in decades.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tragedy through the eyes of a child, and the effects of the years.  An incredible volume.  Not a mystery, but I found myself needing to read another chapter.  The best read I've found in decades.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTFONDCF3JRDF?ASIN=0316055441	surprisingly engrossing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very enjoyable read! did not think this novel could pull me in so strongly but it did. very well written. decided to start another donna tartt novel based on how much i enjoyed her writing style.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N4PFC5855AO9?ASIN=0316055441	Yes it is over 700 pages, but you get ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Yes it is over 700 pages, but you get thé feeling that you are running along with Theo trying to keep up.  It is a gréât read.  Believeable and unbelieveable at thé same time.  Pulitzer deserved.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R138FNH99C6N9H?ASIN=0316055441	"Finally a contemporary ""great American novel""!!!"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read about her work in Time and when I heard she finally got the Pulitzer for this one, I had to get it. Fantastic prose. Have the bulk of it to go, but I highly recommend it!!! Great price, too!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CGRQMQCLNQ6H?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long but worth it. Great story, so well written you'll want to highlight sentences so you can go back and read them again. Or read them out loud to the person sitting next to you. It's that good.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IJJXI8Q5NRYM?ASIN=0316055441	Good tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was well written.  The story line was good, but parts seemed to drag.  Parts could have been deleted and it would not have affected to story outcome.  The characters were at times not believable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7T74270QU6DN?ASIN=0316055441	Very good and too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had no expectations for reading this. It was a book club choice. I found it to be a nuanced, perceptive, compelling read, but would have appreciated having a couple of hundred pages edited out!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JAWLEU9E93D4?ASIN=0316055441	love it a lot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">love it a lot. I read this, bought 4 copies and gave them to everyone I knew who would also appreciate this masterpiece. 400 years from now this book will be studied as we now study Shakespeare.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HY7PEHW8UEA6?ASIN=0316055441	This shot straight to my top 10 all time favorite books. Could not put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This shot straight to my top 10 all time favorite books. Could not put it down. I loved The Secret History, but I think this one is even better. Well written, captivating, all around great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GRX02BKLOCE1?ASIN=0316055441	great reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book!! It kept me reading as fast as I could. I could of skipped the last few chapters though they kinda rambled on but I will still give it all 5 stars!! This would be a great movie!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JRN8HXQJXCMM?ASIN=0316055441	loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was so multifaceted. You go through so many feelings with Theo that he becomes an extension of you. Great testament of wading through the muck of life and coming out on the other side.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C5ZTU36QXK2K?ASIN=0316055441	A Riveting Read that Fizzles at the End	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started strong.....fizzled out during the final third of the novel. Loved the detailed descriptions and Boris' character.  Hated the confusing stolen art ring.  A good read but a big commitment.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QMSNU7SMYTME?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book about a teenage boy who has some terrible ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book about a teenage boy who has some terrible fate. He does survive! This book keep you interested as he has lots of excitement in his life, just not good excitement most of the time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX9VK7MPC0BZK?ASIN=0316055441	Even though there is a lot of language that is ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even though there is a lot of language that is not to my liking, it is very realistic for all the turmoil in Theo's life. I found myself drawn in and wondering what's next. What else can happen?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16GZFSOFG2QF3?ASIN=0316055441	Not a fan	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was long, depressing and boring.  I kept reading because I thought if it won a Pulitzer it had to get better. Although the last chapter was good, I felt that it was a waste of time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3663DCMPTC0F7?ASIN=0316055441	Help me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Trying to read this book gave me an actual panic attack. It trapped you with such overly detailed descriptions that you just wished she would get to the point.  Had to put it down for my health!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20FU7YJ9MJ1RB?ASIN=0316055441	I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I read 775 pages<br/>, I can't give it more than two stars. Too many words<br/>in the first person about being stoned and drunk and stealing. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN175HH7GFUHX?ASIN=0316055441	Just my opinion....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first half of the book truly kept my interest and I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen, but the last half was long and drawn out too much for me.  I started to lose interest.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX4D9IWEI8DBO?ASIN=0316055441	very well written masterpiece that I could not put down ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very well written masterpiece that I could not put down.  It gives perspective on life after loss and trauma at an early age and how art and lasting beauty on earth can lift the troubled spirit.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FX61NUIMNF9X?ASIN=0316055441	At page 288, I gave up. There is ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At page 288, I gave up. There is no plot and the characters are not fully developed. I got tired of reading about teenagers getting drunk on vodka. How did this book stay on the bestseller list?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S7JJDUIO2QXL?ASIN=0316055441	Absolutely addicting!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not put this book down. Although I read it many months ago, the characters are still with me in the most surprising of ways.<br/>Highly recommended. Fantastic accomplishment by Ms. Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ACFIOZ2UYY1Z?ASIN=0316055441	It was a wonderful read. Any book that surprises me deserves my ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't say anything more than all the other reviewers have said.It was a wonderful read.  Any book that surprises me deserves my accolades.  It's long, but worth it page after page after page.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y154TN8O2HV?ASIN=0316055441	Top 10 books I've Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome storytelling, up there with Pillars of the Earth for the top 10 books I've ever read. Savor it! Now that I'm done I have no clue what to read for 10 years until Ms Tartt writes another!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UHOX4FGW6OI1?ASIN=0316055441	A hard book to read and to put down - ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A hard book to read and to put down - I found the graphic descriptions of drug and alcohol use hard to deal with at times but they were in contact with the characters and could not be diluted !</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GKXEIRP774AG?ASIN=0316055441	excellent book, keeps you on your seat and a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent book, keeps you on your seat and a page turner.  Always was exhausted at the end of each chapter but<br/>anxious to see what happened next.  Well written and quite a different read!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E9XM8FUF223O?ASIN=0316055441	good story...BUT...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good story.  but...wow...way too drawn out, way to verbose, and hard to read towards the end. so bad at times that I just started to skim pages for important story elements to see how it ended.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WJR4IE1CRXLF?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much much too long. The author could have reduced this book by 300 pages and it still would have been ok. This is not a feel good book and not for the reader who wants some light entertainment.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QQN8X2RF677?ASIN=0316055441	It was an awesome book that really brought home to me some things ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was an awesome book that really brought home to me some things I probably already knew but often don't think about.  Too often I judge without seeing the whole picture.  I may read it again.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV5UBRKUOG0C4?ASIN=0316055441	masterful language	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Masterful language and great historical references concerning art and artifact. Some reading between the lines reveals political opinions and propounding of determinism--- overall a great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X31EM0Z9RNL2?ASIN=0316055441	Really good in some parts and way to long on the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really good in some parts and way to long on the drug stuff during other areas..  I had to quit reading it for a while and only went back at encouragement of others.  Glad I finished it though.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11UMHVF2CF8VB?ASIN=0316055441	Could have been edited better as rather uncessarily long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Modern day story of moral dilemmas. Could have been edited better as rather uncessarily long. Wonder what makes a Pulitzer Prize winner these days. Did not find the story that new or inventive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24RASMGHM759R?ASIN=0316055441	Even thought it has been on the best seller list for so long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even thought it has been on the best seller list for so long....I was disappointed.....I found that the two main characters did not have much ""character"" which I like in reading a book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FERRVQWTBF7C?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not like the style, and the story failed to grab my attention. I was disappointed because it was recommended as a good read. Pulitzer Prize or not I found it boring and I read all the time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SJLFLPY7LUS1?ASIN=0316055441	WAY too long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author has a great deal to say, and has obviously written an award-winning book.  However I find the time spent on acquiring drugs, using drugs, recovering from using drugs to be excessive.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z3E9R5X4QH00?ASIN=0316055441	A great book for discussion	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though a frustrating book to read due to its uneven pace, the plot and characterization makes the  slow going woethwhile.  A great book for discussion.  I am going to read her other books, now!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EYIO1WD1YGSN?ASIN=0316055441	A Pulitzer?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I read the sample, I was very intrigued.  The rest of the book moved so slowly, I considered not finishing it.  Tartt's use of language is beautiful but the plot line is absolutely turgid.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NRTD5EUMUHNO?ASIN=0316055441	This is an engaging novel; Theo has grown on ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an engaging novel; Theo has grown on me enough that I remain anxious to see what he will do next. The author has a clear voice and her book strikes me as a 21st century Dickensian tale.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L1TWGEXQIFAP?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love this book, reading it for the second time. Donna Tartt is an exceptional writer, and observer of life, this book touches upon so many profound issues, it haunts you and opens up your mind.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H9DBKTWZ3CVZ?ASIN=0316055441	Good Book but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A really good book but I'd say 200 pages coulda been taken out here and there.  Way too long and I felt some of the information I read was not totally relevant.  It is a very good book however.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R1KL6NUP9XZF?ASIN=0316055441	"Full of ""Cliff-Hangers"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A can't put it down sort of read.  Someone familiar with art and museums would love this story.  For the rest of us with just nodding acquaintance it's still mesmerizing and full of adventure.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M586FBVTAD20?ASIN=0316055441	The story line is hard to read. Lots of ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line is hard to read. Lots of pain and about the time I thought there would be redemption my hopes were dashed. To be fair, I only read about 60%. I couldn't take any more than that.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REHY3NTT9A8GL?ASIN=0316055441	Very well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely well written novel, the language is beautiful. Sometimes you love the main character, feel empathy, worry and even despise him.  I ran the full gamut of emotions through out the book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WH8MZMH8V51D?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book and would be one of the best ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book and would be one of the best books I have read.  Only reason I did not give it 5 stars was the last chapter seemed odd and I would have rather have ended at the chapter before.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z0JSX0KAH3B3?ASIN=0316055441	I am so glad I stuck with it and finished	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is very long and wordy, at times I really wanted to give up....just get on with the story .. but in the end I grew to appreciate every word. I am so glad I stuck with it and finished.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXD96MJ0L0YUR?ASIN=0316055441	don't understand why folks were so crazy about this book ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">don't understand why folks were so crazy about this book.  I thought it was just OK.  long, long read for me.  I kept going thinking there was going to be more of a story and there just wasn't</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XQDJT96AG2FS?ASIN=0316055441	I loved reading this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved reading this book!  Donna Tartt did a fantastic job at bringing the characters to life - so much so that they were entering my dreams when I would sleep.  I couldn't put the book down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C37RPJHJ1EOP?ASIN=0316055441	you'll root for Theo until the last page and be glad to have shared his journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't stop reading this book no matter how late it got, although it's really a melancholy. story. However, you'll root for Theo until the last page and be glad to have shared his journey.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PF0I96VDKXWE?ASIN=0316055441	The plot seemed disconnected at times felt like rambling. I skipped parts and overall don't think ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long story. The plot seemed disconnected at times felt like rambling. I skipped parts and overall don't think I missed anything. Not a terrible book, but I wouldn't want to read it again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BNW4Q3GNLK39?ASIN=0316055441	I did like the story and thought it was mostly well done	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writer sometimes made it so complex I had to reread it.  I did like the story and thought it was mostly well done.  I did not like the ending...I'm a fairy-tale, happy ending kind of girl.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HRWJZN2SCQ5K?ASIN=0316055441	Well worth reading, in spite of its length!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a great book! It has everything--tragedy, intrigue, coming-of-age, stolen art, crime, drugs and more. Still one of<br/>the best books of the year--it deserves its National Book Award!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA5IE5UPL95K1?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unique plot ...well written  Ending was somewhat disappointing but interest is maintained throughout the story. Characterization is well done . Protagonist is both lovable but often enigmatic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XENVK4DZ94ZH?ASIN=0316055441	I would not recommend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is well written but unsatisfying.  It becomes increasing dark and depressing as the young man reaches his impression that life is a head long rush to death.  I would not recommend it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I8RFR5VOHENU?ASIN=0316055441	Not as good as the very first time I bought blue mountain ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Taste OK. Not as good as the very first time I bought blue mountain from this supplier. Less fruity taste. Over roasted or blended with other coffee I imagine. Bit disappointed for the price.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A1VDWGGC4HAR?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A pleasure to read, brilliant writing. And to end it in a way I so understand, and wish sometimes weren't true, that it is all an illusion, much of it anyway. Our perception leads everything.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15E8W0N4BLWWF?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent vocabulary! Versatile story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Entertaining reading written with good English. New words for me at least nearly on every page :). Versatile story and profound characters, you get to plunge into many lives and ways of life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HII8IHTD1V6X?ASIN=0316055441	I expected great things from this Pulitzer Prize winning book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I expected great things from this Pulitzer Prize winning book. Instead it was super depressing and the ending was a major disappointment after reading 800 pages. I do not recommend this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ALKKZ7JE6J9S?ASIN=0316055441	But I hung in there and was glad I did	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were times, late at night, that I thought I would *never* get to the end. But I hung in there and was glad I did. The last 20 pages is proof that D. Tartt deserved  that Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13B62Z0LRDYD1?ASIN=0316055441	Big, catastrophic life and love	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This epic journey of a masterpiece and a boy's passage into manhood is action-adventure, romance, and the push-pull between the fight to feel really alive vs. the slump into hopeless despair.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21B9JHEUYISL3?ASIN=0316055441	one of the best reads ever!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The events &amp; people were always moving through time.  The events would at times just twirl my head around so very quickly.  Each character was a study in depth.  And what characters thy were!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO6THAC6QGODQ?ASIN=0316055441	fantastic book, in spite of the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just like everyone else says, this novel is exciting and compelling as it is (at times) dark and painful. What a ride. I haven't enjoyed fiction for a while but this one hooked me in no time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNN5Z95TB33PC?ASIN=0316055441	The main character is not whitewashed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I pitied him, and loved him and hated him. He was imperfect,as we all are, but, after wrestling with his demons for so long, he finally embraced them.  I loved his connection to the painting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O3P9YTA5GPWQ?ASIN=0316055441	Would be a good book for a book club	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Would be a good book for a book club. Some in depth thought about someone's perception of life based on what they've been through as an individual. 3 stars because it dragged on a bit for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD2PYOHOYESOI?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting parts, but too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Many interesting characters, but felt at times the story settings just jumped here and there being drawn out.  Liked most of the ending until it's philosophy on life seemed to drag on and on.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJRDJ726GLMCR?ASIN=0316055441	third space	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I first felt this book too long and dreary, but coming to the end I realized how important Theo's painful, distressing life journey was.  It was the weave that made sense of the inexplicable.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R130AWMLILVQ5F?ASIN=0316055441	Very detailed account of life from one man's perspective. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very detailed account of life from one man's perspective.  This included much re. art works and the antique furniture industry.  Sometimes all the involved wordiness was a lot to get through.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVFQSISXLK9PR?ASIN=0316055441	Really enjoyed the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed the book.  Story kept me engrossed and eager to keep reading.  Not so great an ending thou.  Liked all the twists and turns and widening of the story thru so much.  Marge Stell</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TKOCW1OLSGRP?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was disappointed in this book although it really got my interest at the beginning.  The main theme could have been good reading but too much time was spent on the main character's emotions.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EIHEQUJA2AB?ASIN=0316055441	but the author is so good at characterization	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slowed down in the middle and was very depressing, but the author is so good at characterization, and the ending was perfect. Also, the twists threw me for a loop. Not many books can do that.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R113IJ6WUJTVRZ?ASIN=0316055441	Did not care for main character's heavy involvement with drugs ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not care for main character's heavy involvement with drugs.  Story was too convoluted and poorly edited.  This experience has caused me to be suspicious of books bearing a Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RNS56W7BBLNT?ASIN=0316055441	Great story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved how she developed the characters.  Very in depth.  If there is a long description, or questions in a storyI, I ususally gloss over them.  I did not with The Goldfinch.  Read every word.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R156FH1E5DJQI6?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While it took me a while to get through the first two hundred pages, I breezed through the rest of it. It is truly captivating and a wonderful piece of literature. Definitely worth the read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33XR8GG4B36YK?ASIN=0316055441	A truly epic story, beautifully written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book I could not put down. Tartt writes with a compelling truth and clarity Bringing to life a cast of lovable yet deeply flawed and damaged characters with razor sharp wit and compassion.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G39VXK62ZJSX?ASIN=0316055441	INTENSE	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have now finished reading the book on my tab!et. It is VERY. Long and certainly the main character has a destructive life often. I am left with wanting to see and find out more about the painting</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDZN47AZIXFAS?ASIN=0316055441	Artful life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the pace of the book until the last chapter where it seemed a bit unrealistic and as if it were trying too hard.<br/>It was very entertaining and I think most people would enjoy it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBPVT4Z82SRM5?ASIN=0316055441	worth it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Okay, maybe it wasn't '5-stars' good but it was a REALLY enjoyable read at 4-stars. The extra star was because I didn't expect it to be that good. How often do books exceed our expectations?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UEG9V6G92448?ASIN=0316055441	one of three favorite books of the year.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book but I know many who don't. The last chapter gave me one great emotional ride. It took a while getting there though.<br/>I read about 50 books a year. This was in my top 3.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J57E8I2M6JSH?ASIN=0316055441	Borrow from the library. You probably won't want to reread it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good enough story, but not really worth all the hype. After meandering for pages and pages (and pages and pages and pages) without much action, the ending just seemed tacked on and rushed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15T6ID5DRZADR?ASIN=0316055441	Quite a read...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">...and I can see why it won the Pulitzer, but it bogged down in some places and was tough going. I continued to read it to satisfy my own stubborn sense of curiosity more than anything else.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UZ7UR5971FZT?ASIN=0316055441	This is a wonderful book. Amazing power of description	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a wonderful book. Amazing power of  description. Unforgetable characters. This is a book to read and contemplate the beauty of art and its relationship to the meaning of life itself.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B8ETPE3W43CQ?ASIN=0316055441	Pulls you in	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love the book. Felt like I was in the story. Very, very long and hard to follow at times...but came together over and over again. Love her writing. Will look for others by this author. ENJOY</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZA2JZG8QT1HL?ASIN=0316055441	An amazing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She is one of the best contemporary writers. This plot is riveting and the characters are so well developed. This book is hard to put down. Her words provide so many insights into our being.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B4MPJF2ECD6T?ASIN=0316055441	Turns out, I loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this story a rather melancholy, sometimes depressing story of this boy as he tumbled head first through his life.  But the conclusion was brilliant and made me love the entire book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RQWLOHWUV7W2?ASIN=0316055441	MUST READ BOOK!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Everything about this book is amazing.  The writing, the characters, the plot, and the pace of the story.  After reading a boatload of letdowns, this book saved the month of reading for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YAKU0XYRT0IU?ASIN=0316055441	Great read but very long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed reading this book but it took me forever to finish. There were parts that made me laugh and cry and I really value that in a good book but it dragged longer than it should!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P5FG0IH3OQ15?ASIN=0316055441	700 pages of wasted time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way to long for a story that virtually had no outcome - good or bad.  I didn't like the main character; he had no moral compass and, if anything, became a worse person as his life unfolded.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R84USSQBHGCI5?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a deep and moving book. It took me over a week to read and I read ever hit. word, afraid I would miss something. Theo had a rough life in ways but a lot of good happened. You will love</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQKWH4FRE8TYY?ASIN=0316055441	stunning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I simply could not out this book down. I would and will recommend it to anyone who could use a shift in perspective and and a delicious literary meal. I will likely read it again and again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FO1CQTBGOKO9?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderfully realized characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I inhaled it ravenously. Gorgeous writing. Wonderfully realized characters, a riveting story which occasionally veers off the rails from time to time. But I didn't care-- What a great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29RNZR92MXFS6?ASIN=0316055441	Great story, wonderful characters.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the character development in this book.  The characters came alive for me and although things sometimes seemed far fetched, it was all believable because of the characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR37HTJ8FBRD3?ASIN=0316055441	Really good quick read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really good quick read. So many different themes and messages and yet well written.  Amazing diversity of settings and yet all are believable and well presented.  Good book for a book club.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14QAOWY1812GM?ASIN=0316055441	a roller coaster ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started out loving this book.  Then it got bogged down.  Then it he story would take a turn and I couldn't put it down. Then it would get tiresome again. All in all, it was worth reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QA5TJKCUBDPU?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written but way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written but way too long. It seemed like the author was trying repeatedly to impress us about her knowledge of art and furniture instead of sticking with the story line. Boring!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R0DN2J4AC3MZ?ASIN=0316055441	A book with some good qualities	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good tale that was way too long and became very preachy.  Philosophy coupled with knowledge of art and antiques with theft, murder, addiction, love, loyalty, and soul searching, included.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XAU15Y1AKOP5?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderfully interesting plot with incredible descriptive detail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderfully interesting plot with incredible descriptive detail. But too long. Needed better editing. Finished to the end and flipping pages to reach the conclusion but needed tightening!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SIIN0MMVNG5Z?ASIN=0316055441	I was happy to see the book end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it was too long. finally at the end it said what he felt about art and its part in life. By then, it didn't matter. I was happy to see the book end! Even tho, I enjoyed a lot of the middle.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CH2DBIGHWF10?ASIN=0316055441	"sums it up best. ""There is so much good in the worst ..."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A quote from my mother, sums it up best.  ""There is so much good in the worst of us, and  so much bad in the best of us that it doesn't  behoove any of us to talk about the rest of us.:</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JWHQG1IF4EV?ASIN=0316055441	Well Worth the Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazingly intense coming-of-age story. Certainly in no way hinted at by the title. It starts off a bit slow so don't be put off because it definitely ramps up to a shocking twist ending!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22ZL5FQE1EOVM?ASIN=0316055441	Good book, disappointing ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved all but the last 20-30 pages of this book.  I felt like the ending was a letdown.  A great story but too many loose ends, it felt like she was tired of writing the story so stopped.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV0NONP1LWGOO?ASIN=0316055441	Let down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I expected this work to be a masterpiece just like the painting, however it was long-winded and towards the end, preachy. I would not recommend this book if you're looking to be blown away.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VG4NAA2515GD?ASIN=0316055441	EXCELLENT! EXCELLENT! EXCELLENT!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I sent this to my son as I did The Secret History by Donna Tartt.  I hope to read more of her novels. So wonderful to find and excellent writer that makes each novel a different experience.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IL9OCKX40BV6?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch: The Movie	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book, a bit long but the writing is so strong I didn't mind at all. Will make a great movie, how about Johnny Depp as Boris, Leo DiCaprio as Theo, and Jennifer Lawrence as Kitsey.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSNG2Q4W3SZGS?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a wonderfully powerful read that cannot be missed by the avid reader or once a year novice. This book is as powerful as it is poetic. Brilliant and deserving of the accolades awarded.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XAJZ0DGZZUIC?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book!  I don't think I have ever worked so hard reading a book--lots of detail, but you become part of the story.  Absolutely superbly written.  I understand why it won Pulitzer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H5BXOLQ1S70A?ASIN=0316055441	Really wonderful story of s young boys growth in the midst ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really wonderful story of s young boys growth in the midst of death and addiction. Did think that at times it got too descriptive but a look into what life deals us and the choices we make</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F0ICAUNEYN59?ASIN=0316055441	We all agree that ending could have been better..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lots of characters and lots of interpretations of the meaning of the story.  Read it for book club. We all agree that ending could have been better...very disappointed in how it all ended.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSR9XXAPWQ3RM?ASIN=0316055441	Great !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved it!  Pick a paragraph, any paragraph. Striving for perfection, well thought out. No random, unnecessary useless paragraphs.<br/>I can't wait to discuss this book at our book club.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q3CGL7B1D8PV?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">ll written, comprehensive in depth look at the varied experiences of a young boy through manhood.  Found the end drawn out and caught myself skimming over the dialogue in the last chapter.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LYH6RQ2OKDFE?ASIN=0316055441	I LOVED this book with a passion	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I LOVED this book with a passion. Definitely a must-read! The tortured characters, the beautiful writing, basically just every aspect of this novel, was wonderful. I could not put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ0PE29QTF26P?ASIN=0316055441	Good story, interesting take on the darker side of ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story, interesting take on the darker side of ""coping,"" but far too wordy.  I'm a minimalist and prefer spaces to think while reading. This novel doesn't work on those counts.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NJBL7WBTPKGC?ASIN=0316055441	Real life experience	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent use of vocabulary, always wondering what was going to happen.<br/>Grief victims do survive. The young man survived many unpleasant real life experiences but walked away from it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RKWHFMQQZW8B?ASIN=0316055441	not my fav	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">not nearly as intriguing as all the reviews and awards would lead you to believe. Ok but somewhat depressing ---plus I had a hard time swallowing the initial premise of the missing artwork</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35G5PXDASZFKS?ASIN=0316055441	unique	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed The Goldfinch. Fascinating characters . Beautifully written, very descriptive. You felt you actually knew and understood the characters and their actions no matter what they did.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13597Z08OJCZZ?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book, great page turner, great character development, and the movement of locations was interesting.  Some of the choices made by the main character were odd, but overall great.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QJMUBGTF9J7P?ASIN=0316055441	Eh.... it was Ok	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">With all the great reviews, maybe my hopes were too high. I thought this book was slow, and found it difficult to finish. Didn't hate it, but won't recommend it to others or read it again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X2OYSPNB5BXY?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was very well written. It was hard to put down. At times there was unnecessary detail and it it did drag towards the end and I found myself speed reading. I did like the book very much.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15V35W7T04XDH?ASIN=0316055441	Read The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent novel!  Intriguing plot withany twists and turns.  The well developed characters and their thoughts and adventures keep you reading.  This is a long book but well worth the read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CQFYYSYMRCEO?ASIN=0316055441	ending not worth slogging through to get to. ten descriptions of each event	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Stupid story, nonsense ending, unrealistic characters with no redeeming qualities. Descriptions are overdone. Not necessary to have the Met blown up to begin the tale of bratty kid's life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L4L300L6MM0T?ASIN=0316055441	A brilliantly written book although I did find it difficult to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A brilliantly written book although I did find it difficult to read all the sections where the character tries to philosophise about life.<br/>It is an amazing story and hard to put down.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XK6EP2PI869S?ASIN=0316055441	It was a wonder plot.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a good and complicated story. Her descriptions could have been shorter. I recommend reading it. She is a good writer and does share her philosophy on life which was very worthwhile.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34KXJTXQEGBQD?ASIN=0316055441	Glorious Goldfinch!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story taught me more about art and artists and inspired me to learn more about the ""message"" not always seen in a piece. To look further than the surface appearance. A fabulous story!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OTPOZBY0EJPC?ASIN=0316055441	A Must Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At first getting into the first 100 pages required patience, and then I couldn't put it down!  Definitely a must read, with all of the intrigue and excitement you will not be disappointed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJF737DGDUMAK?ASIN=0316055441	Great story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the book all the way to the last few chapters that became an opinion of the Author's idea of Art and life. It had nothing to do with story.But other than that I did enjoy the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8D4ZY0TFZQY?ASIN=0316055441	The author takes you there with poetical descriptions that awaken ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author takes you there with poetical descriptions that awaken your senses. You see, smell and taste the scene she so descriptively descries. A hard read but worth it. Thought povoking.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C8UXQHYQPJAJ?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it starts very interesting and gets boring through the middle and the last chapters were really difficult to finish, jumping most of the pages! with half the pages it would be a goog book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SO1W5GZF0GX5?ASIN=0316055441	Amazingly well written, this author deserves all the accolades ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazingly well written, this author deserves all the accolades that she has received.  She covered the gamut of human emotions and nothing in this story was predictable or one dimensional.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O0TJQGUECI07?ASIN=0316055441	great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One event can truly change the outcome of a life. Theo experiences more than his share of tragedy and heartache. This is a powerful and fascinating story. Long but truly thought-provoking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FO35FL68OY8T?ASIN=0316055441	Gold stars for the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book drew me into its reality like no other! The characters are so well portrayed I felt like I was inside their lives. It was a long book and so well written I didn't want it to end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R251315MOE5XAY?ASIN=0316055441	Not a big fan of this one, despite the bookclub fervour	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">an american novel with terrorism, copious drug exploits and commercial then moral redemption<br/><br/>I admit to not being a big fan of this work , in spite of the obvious talent at work</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ADOJI5VOXSHW?ASIN=0316055441	Don't recommend it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the story somewhat interesting but quite depressing.  Although understandable, the main character was sad, lonely, very depressed and in a downward spiral through the entire book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R209W3I9HJY0MF?ASIN=0316055441	slow, confused, delusional?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is not worth the read.  The few sections that everyone seems to highlight in it are in the last fifty or so pages.  Take a look at those, but don't waste your time in the story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AEXO08Q7YHG5?ASIN=0316055441	Long but quick reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing characters abound in this tale across decades.  The pure humanity - faults, addictions, love and despair, is splayed out to the reader with credibility through the main character.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWQFONRSPJLLF?ASIN=0316055441	Soooo many twists and turns. It was interesting reading ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Soooo many twists and turns.  It was interesting reading about the effects of drugs.  Lots of instructions about art, furniture, friendships and drug use. Plot not likely to be real life!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NGFASYE1UEEE?ASIN=0316055441	mixed feelings	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some of this book was exceptional but I got tired of all the drugs and low-life living. Kept hoping the main character would get himself sorted out and recover from his childhood tragedy.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YR9VO1MK6935?ASIN=0316055441	phenomenal read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Eloquently written, an insightful view into a tormented yet relatable character. The story unfolds from boyhood through adulthood as he adapts to life's many challenges. Highly recommend!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH74Q4VZEW2IZ?ASIN=0316055441	This book has a lot of bad language, alcohol and drug use that would normally ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has  a lot of bad language, alcohol and drug use that would normally make me not finish a book. But the suspense of wanting to know what happens to the painting kept me reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVNFPXF5KU23M?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch is very long but worth the investment.  Outstanding characters.  The author doesn't throw the point of the book in your face.  The characters explain and illustrate beautifully.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZOTYW6JDG3HH?ASIN=0316055441	This book was interesting, but in the end there ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was interesting, but in the end there were too many inconsistencies and sloppy sequences warrant more than 3 stars.  I wanted this to be a book I raved about, but it just isn't.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XXKYBGF6N4QW?ASIN=0316055441	Really enjoyed this book overall	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed this book overall. For me, the first 200 pages, or so, were brilliant and I couldn't put it down. There was a bit of a lull in the middle but it picked up again at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NTKFH21EKST4?ASIN=0316055441	One of best books I've ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this author pulls you into the scene like no other. describes emotions that I always believed were indescribable. I will read this book again. I have never said that about any other book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSGQ2AZCN8Q75?ASIN=0316055441	Although a voracious reader, I am finding it difficult ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although a voracious reader, I am finding it difficult to get through this novel and do not<br/>consider it Pulitzer Price worthy unless length is criteria.  I still haven't finished it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SN7ILZS7S9WK?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written but sometimes she gets too enthralled with her ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written but sometimes she gets too enthralled with her own descriptions which slows down the story and gets kind of boring. Wonderful character development and a great ending!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36C3GM6EB9045?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoy!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book starts out a bit muddled in the first few pages but comes into focus quickly. Toward the end it lost me again, but I think the middle section of the book is a must read.  Enjoy!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VA38045RWCW8?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully detailed characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An intelligently written novel, with beautifully detailed characters that pop off the page.  A writer not afraid to embrace her characters, warts and all, who leaves us feeling satisfied.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AOX6XJ0EGH4I?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is WAY too long. I had a hard time finishing it. I thought maybe, just maybe, the ending would make the read worthwhile. Nope.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VWDN0U1EY8MM?ASIN=0316055441	The fist chapter or two were outstanding and grabbed my ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The fist chapter or two were outstanding and grabbed my attention immediately.  The balance of the book was booring with drunken dialogues and other nonsense.  I did not finish the book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OAWZASYHIBS7?ASIN=0316055441	Wow. This could be the perfect novel.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Mesmerizing, rich, and lovely.  There are so many passages I reread over and over because the language is so glorious. This should be on the shelf of every lover of contemporary fiction.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IAD071MZA4K7?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting plot, lost in description	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can't help thinking every 20 pages (i.e. more or less each time a new descriptive chapter or topic starts): well written, but what a waste of time. Interesting plot, lost in description.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17WJ5LYS4OPT2?ASIN=0316055441	Soul food	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a masterpiece. So layered and complex but such a simple yet deep message. It was cathartic and refreshing. No phony happy endings but such a true and fulfilling conclusion.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DWM7WOYEORS8?ASIN=0316055441	Very interesting!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very interesting book.  Took me a few chapters to adjust to the writing style and one I did, I loved the story.  Not quite so crazy about the ending still would recommend this book....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F5CPROTEG9TK?ASIN=0316055441	Extremely well written. You have to slow down to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely well written.  You have to slow down to absorb each well crafted sentence.  That being said, I found it too long and too dark in chapters.  This is definitely not a light read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DGYOZ6TD50QP?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful and riveting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a well written story, and ode to all thing beautiful.  It was a real pleasure to read.  I would recommend it to anyone who appreciates art and beauty and the spectacular in between.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P7FK4YZ9LMTT?ASIN=0316055441	The writing is excellent and the plot is unique - well developed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is excellent and the plot is unique - well developed. However, the emphasis on ""coming of age"" as<br/>overlong sequences of drug abuse are too repetitive and trendy.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MOOAWK666DHS?ASIN=0316055441	Stunning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is again amazing - Donna Tartt is gifted. Not a happy story and some bits are definitely on the long side, but any faults with the story are overcome by the stunning writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZRZWAUYBH8VT?ASIN=0316055441	remarkable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Vivid characters, vivid places and scenes.  More than the sum of its parts.  Though the narrator's conclusion is close to despair, he does say he feels he is on the cusp of something....</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE8F0ATJAJ38T?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome book, 3 months since I've read it & ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome book, 3 months since I've read it &amp; I still think about many of the characters.  Author made the characters very real life like, a great read with lots of twists &amp; turns in plot!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SWH7UPDRD2UZ?ASIN=0316055441	One word to describe........BORiNG	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">More words to describe  ........  Loopy....stupid.....messy.....wasteful..........HATED IT!!!!!!<br/>I was actually pissed off, But  I finished it with  headache attached to the ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AZSTYMATHHCQ?ASIN=0316055441	slow at times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book started well. The story moved along and you could feel yourself immersed in the lives of the characters. It bogs down Howard's the end where the characters does a lot of musing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A73LN57H6I09?ASIN=0316055441	One of my favorites!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written,compelling,couldn't put it down! I would recommend for these who enjoy delving deeper into what it means to be human, art lovers and anyone who has spent time in NYC.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP708GUU03ZFB?ASIN=0316055441	Too much filler	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was good it seems it just took too long to get to the end, for me there was too much written that didn't need to be. I actually would have given 5 stars if it weren't for that.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R205GS4NJDNPPK?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too verbose, got bogged down in details sometimes.  Interesting main character, interesting plot, but too much detail at the beginning, after the explosion, and at the end, in Amsterdam.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E16PDAYQM1IR?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch takes you on an incredible journey of depravity, love, sorrow, and and wonder.  I could not put this book down, and will have to read it again and again. Bravo to Ms. Tartt</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36480KXGXS6BV?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent novel, better even than Tartt's first two masterpieces.  It may have taken her 10 years to complete but  the book covers so many diverse situations that this is not surprising.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T038FIHC0HVC?ASIN=0316055441	My favourite book of the year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started a bit slow but soon enough I could not put it down. Mysterious, thoughtful, intriguing. This book made a big impression on me. I suspect it may not be for everyone, but loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AUC7FSMO8L9C?ASIN=0316055441	but I didn't love it. I felt like it was about 200 ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It might have won a Pulitzer Prize, but I didn't love it.  I felt like it was about 200 pages too long.  I've read lots of great literature, but wasn't a fan of this story.  Sorry Donna.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B6ZOOHMIIOXJ?ASIN=0316055441	... Goldfinch will forever be on the top of my favorite book list	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch will forever be on the top of my favorite book list. I listened to it on audio, and the narration was superb. This is a book I will listen to and read over and over again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15IH0FAL35TI2?ASIN=0316055441	An excellent book that is thought provoking and difficult to put ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those rare books that is very well written and also has a compelling plot and memorable characters. An excellent book that is thought provoking and difficult to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ENBATFB8XX7Q?ASIN=0316055441	The plot line is incredible and after spending time in ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot line is incredible and after spending time in North Las Vegas the situation of the two teenagers could really happen.  The way every decision comes to the end caught my breath.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9V3CZSAZ157Q?ASIN=0316055441	The story drags on forever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book starts out great and then it becomes long, tiring and unrealistic.  I have had to force myself to finish this book.  I know others who couldn't finish the book.  Very disappointed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K4JH1N3CFRXR?ASIN=0316055441	deep and complex and incredible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I will read this book again and again. So much detail and such an amazing read. This book will make you feel and hurt along with its characters... What more could you want from a story?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30C8LR1ZUWI4D?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a great book.  This is a book I will be thinking about for a long time and will re-read over and over.  Absolutely deserving of the Pulitzer Prize, not that I am fit to judge that!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JGPTAM82G639?ASIN=0316055441	an unfinished memoir	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I sat up until 3:30 on a Friday night to finish The goldfinch and, although there were no more pages to read, I felt cheated for the rest of the story. I guess in life it goes that way.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KFIWZNI0DHIP?ASIN=0316055441	Typical tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wild, drug-fueled story that holds your attention but meanders off course into unnecessary And indulgent biographical background.I preferred the Secret History, but still a good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPFTNP6Z313CM?ASIN=0316055441	The story line in this book was really good and it sucked you in right away	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line in this book was really good and it sucked you in right away. I would have enjoyed it a lot more if it weren't quit so long. I kept wondering if it was ever going to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QT54OMVG5IQC?ASIN=0316055441	Too much terror for me!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely well written; I had  nightmares every night while I was reading it.  Don't really enjoy such terror.  Philosophical ending did not justify years of wrenching episodes of life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27TL3B0S6ZIZA?ASIN=0316055441	I really liked this book - it had romance	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked this book - it had romance, family relationships, terrorism,(sadly) and just good character<br/>development throughout.  I look forward to more writing from Donna Tartt.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WJKYGOYH3CM9?ASIN=0316055441	The book had a great story that held your attention	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book had a great story that held your attention.  Loved the back and forth between Amy and her husband.  The one negative for me was I thought it too wordy though very well written.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TBNYIFULULTH?ASIN=0316055441	This is a brilliant novel; it will grip you from the very ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a brilliant novel; it will grip you from the very beginning as it is extremely entertaining but also deep and insightful.<br/>I recommend it; a great read but not a light read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GSY663KEZ3YS?ASIN=0316055441	The is a superbly crafted novel whose main character reflects ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The is a superbly crafted novel whose main character reflects the human condition in all it's frailties.  There is much to consider and ponder within these pages.  It's a stunning work!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19D7SZF5DJ38M?ASIN=0316055441	The writing is very good and very descriptive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is very good and very descriptive, but it is far too long.  The ending is disappointing and far too philosophical. There is a lot of drug abuse and very unsavory characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KYKDK2X12VZZ?ASIN=0316055441	Moments that grab you:minutes that drag into hours of boredom	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an easy book to lay down. High amount of drug and alcohol abuse. Man with lots of opportunities and wastes most of them.It seemed the book just stopped without coming to an end</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GPY0SLAPQQEE?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfish is golden	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the first chapter, this book draws you in such a,way that I could hardly put it down!  Although it was not my book club's read,  it certainly would have made for great discussions.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G8BS5157XL31?ASIN=0316055441	but overall the story was pretty good. I would be careful who I would ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lots of conversation regarding drugs.  Some parts were awful, but overall the story was pretty good.  I would be careful who I would recommend the book to because of all of the violence</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AFB3CYMNINWQ?ASIN=0316055441	heavy, long and deep	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">tremendous  scope and swath , biting.  charachters, complicated,plot, mystery, thriller romance and deep questions about life.  not for the faint of heart or mind. set aside a good week</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCMM8K4DWFIXX?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting book Descriptions of New York and Las Vegas very ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting book<br/>Descriptions of New York and Las Vegas very real<br/>Too long and detailed in some parts particularly chapters relating to activities in Amsterdam Maureen O'Neill</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5FCA6DMWEFSE?ASIN=0316055441	It was a really good book but slow in places	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a really good book but slow in places. I found myself putting it down for a while but I kept going back to it. Character development was excellant, Very thought provoking ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K9HWL7Z788YO?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious, superfluous and drawn out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tedious, superfluous and drawn out. This story could have been told in half of the 775 pages! Sorry, I expected more enjoyable reading from a ""Pulitzer Prize for Fiction"" award.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V7AOMKGESSJR?ASIN=0316055441	Liked, did not love this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Liked, did not love this book.  There were portions of the book that dragged.  A book this long has to grab you and pull you through the book.  This one was a little torturous at times.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGKZQM4DZ4CQJ?ASIN=0316055441	Almost done	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I downloaded The Goldfinch on Friday. It is now Sunday and I am almost done. I already miss it and have put it aside for a bit as I don't want the experience to be over. Read this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17W554EDPHWUG?ASIN=0316055441	Great story, but where oh where was the EDITOR	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, but where oh where was the EDITOR?! It would have been great if it was edited down about 200+ pages. Just tell the story!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AFTFW8HEFGZZ?ASIN=0316055441	Flawed and frequently unlikeable characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A large time commitment. Theo's obsession with an innocently purloined museum painting drives many bad choices while he grows up. His guilt becomes an invisible character in the story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AE2RTKB45XVR?ASIN=0316055441	As a a coming-of-age and coming-to-grips-with-life story, this was ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As a a coming-of-age and coming-to-grips-with-life story, this was very entertaining. However the conclusion was quite a philosophical compared with the tone of the rest of this novel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EM3O87TCW774?ASIN=0316055441	Got off to a good start but then too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Got off to a good start but then too long, some of the characters not well developed and not add anything to the flow of the novel. The amount of drug/alcohol  scenes was exaggeratedl.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VI8GTID8PFF5?ASIN=0316055441	excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">best fiction i've read in a while.  also, being a New Yorker, its always fun walking through familiar streets along side the characters.  highly recommended- especially for art lovers.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M9OFDZ5X96DX?ASIN=0316055441	Lovely Novel.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Elegant writing,excellent characters.<br/>I enjoyed this novel very much.<br/>I will and have recommended this book to my friends.<br/>I really enjoyed the the unpredictable ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V8N4KBBSBXD2?ASIN=0316055441	The plot of the GOLDFINCH was very unique. It ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot of the GOLDFINCH was very unique. It was hard to put it down as it was completely engrossing. The ending was disappointing and that's why I gave it four stars instead of five.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DITEYM8N3OLZ?ASIN=0316055441	I also disliked the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is very long and I had a hard time wading through some of the descriptions.  The story is interesting but I think it could use some major editing.  I also disliked the ending.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5SOU7TCO66GO?ASIN=0316055441	You become addicted	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent portrayal of of a young man's unfortunate conflicted life or does he have it right and we are just fooling ourselves. Leaves a lot of room  for thought and introspection..</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24F7PJYXQCV0W?ASIN=0316055441	Worth The Challenge	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a challenging novel to read. However the writing, linked twists and turns of the story line and the amazing way the beginning and ending were linked made reading a experience.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20DXLEKCILEAT?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">yadayadyyada. so many words, so many pages.  I want to shake the author and say:  Tell me, finish the thought, spit it out!  This story could be told in 100 pages.  A waste of my time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VNLXYX13BRI7?ASIN=0316055441	fabulous book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well-written but a bit wordy at times. She could have achieved the same affect with half the words. Having said that it's still one of the best books I've ever read. Highly recommended.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25WSFPTWJ6UK0?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossing and enriching read. Should be. A must read for all schools.  One of the top 10 books I have ever read. Many thanks to the author for an incredible contribution to the world.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2427MHVVYU2U9?ASIN=0316055441	great story line	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great story line, well developed characters, fascinating development of ""plot"", and neatly tied up solution to problem. Ending was disappointing however. But very well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROBX5W0RPWKJZ?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful story, hits places of consideration not commonly explored	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Worth my time--well written, wonderful story, hits places of consideration not commonly explored.  Will recommend it to others, but will keep it on the shelf for another read some day.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRNKC8CC2LHEB?ASIN=0316055441	the gold finch. a different slice of life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an excellent book, well written.  But it may not be for everyone.  It weighs in on a slice of life that illustrates how drugs effect the de-development of our current culture.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RGJKMDOVFIWF?ASIN=0316055441	Evocative, thought-provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a thoughtfully written book with pathos and trials for the characters.  I loved the human spirit of caring for a broken young boy and where the journey to manhood brought him.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EA0MFT8QOTRK?ASIN=0316055441	I hate giving up on a book so I intend to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am about half way through reading The Goldfinch.  I find it very difficult to read.  So far the subject matter is disturbing. I hate giving up on a book so I intend to stick with it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMQA4Y7XCBL6G?ASIN=0316055441	A little tedious in places	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little tedious in places, but I found the story interesting.  There is a lot of soul-searching and not much action.  If you want fast-paced action, this book is probably not for you.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LMN97NQEYGCV?ASIN=0316055441	interesting story, but way, WAY too long, ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">interesting story, but way, WAY too long, and far too much stream-of-consciousness prose. It is dark and depressing, but with oddly interesting plot twists that kept me mildly engaged.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37ZYBTIV1OJ2G?ASIN=0316055441	I didn't even finish.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just boring.  I'd be interested to see if the same people that loved this also loved Wolf Hall.  I got to the part about Boris and made the decision not to waste any more time on this.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ALMXOWJU8LOM?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most beautiful, emotional, intellectual books I have read. Great story. Characters that won't leave you alone. Thinking about them when not reading. Satisfying and sublime.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIK0T6JL591KF?ASIN=0316055441	I just didn't enjoy the	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and wordy and because of my age was really wasn't interest about all the drug use in the book.  Not my generation!  Found Boris to be obnoxious.  I just didn't enjoy the book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D13T3D7O5BWQ?ASIN=0316055441	quite the journey.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wouldn't have thought I would finish this book but it grabbed me and kept me engrossed throughout.  To be in a constant state after such a devastating experience is hard to imagine.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIOICLPL39AKU?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down. The story reels you in from the first page.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo is a flawed but fascinating character. So human we can relate to him on multiple levels, as a grieving child, drugged out teen and a conflicted adult trying to finally be himself</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I5YMIOCHLQA9?ASIN=0316055441	Extremely gifted author.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an extremely gifted author, however, in my opinion, she just gets mired in too much detail. I can see why this novel was so well received it just needed better editing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QEWRH3IPVR6M?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book - well deserving of the Pulitzer. Highly recommend this book as an alternative to the trash being churned out by the so called ""famous"" contemporary authors these days.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5G66M3NQDF3S?ASIN=0316055441	It is a very engaging story with a psychologically interesting ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a very engaging story with a psychologically interesting protagonist. I found the arc of Theo's story compelling, and despite some quite outlandish scenes, amazingly believable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ38P5HD5VHJ7?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating deep complex story, couldn't put it down. A book I will read again......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely brilliantly absorbing  story,  spanning a lifetime of tragedy, adventure, truths hidden untold, betrayal and enduring love and the intriguing story of a beautiful painting.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29HG7QPZCUHYC?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a good read. It's a long book and in some parts drags out a little then all of a sudden something interesting happens again and you get all engrossed and keep on reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SDMA588T5UU3?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Gets Hard To Put Down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent story about overcoming &amp; coping with life's stresses &amp; tragedies. Make sure you stick with it in the long drawn out overlydescriptive beginning. It's gets greater &amp; greater.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34KOK362NKR1O?ASIN=0316055441	I felt that the book moved too slow and was ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt that the book moved too slow and was too descriptive of inconsequential things.  I had to force myself to finish the book just so that I could see what happens to the painting.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W9YHUH257NXI?ASIN=0316055441	One of the most engaging books I've read recently, ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most engaging books I've read recently, the kind you want to read but don't want to end.  The characters are well-defined, and you feel involved in the story.  A must-read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6AN5K71PCZNP?ASIN=0316055441	Very descriptive writing with an unexpected twist in the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You must read every word in this book. It is not a complicated story but the author's depiction of the main character's world will draw you in and hold your attention to the very end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R256XOW5C0S3VE?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author has a brilliant gift with words.  And she uses them to illustrate people, places, feelings in ways that make them perfectly real and familiar. I highly recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU6GYJZIFCB47?ASIN=0316055441	... a while to get into the book -really was glad when i finished- not sure what about it was ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">difficult read for some reason took me a while to get into the book -really was glad when i finished- not sure what about it was so off putting?? couldn't feel for the main character</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SP5CZ7T6XJUQ?ASIN=0316055441	dreadful bore. picked up and got interesting halfway, but mostly a bore--unsatisfying ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The attention to detail is commendable. The characters are developed beautifully--so well an award is appropriate, but overall it's just too long, too slow, and the plot too numbing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WIP80QD1X64A?ASIN=0316055441	Memorable story of a boy and a painting.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story and plot, picturesque details and characters,but almost overwhelmed by bad language, drug and alcohol use and abuse to the point where you wonder how some can even think.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17FEAQJ0YIBVV?ASIN=0316055441	and I'm grateful as Tartt's book is excellent. It is a read that encapsulates the modern ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am an avid reader. I read this book on the recommendation from a friend of mine, and I'm grateful as Tartt's book is excellent. It is a read that encapsulates the modern zeitgeist.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38FXLVWQYPVIA?ASIN=0316055441	a multi layered read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed reading this book. Tartt drew a complex character in a variety of vivid and dramatic settings. I finished the book wanting to know what happened next to the main character.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SZ691HK6A71Z?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed but a bit long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could have been shorter a little wordy at times.  Found myself speed reading through parts due to same.<br/><br/>Great insight on how some people can get into a very bad situation.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROYYU3SAOEC73?ASIN=0316055441	meaningful prose interspersed with a long story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an epic tale which I appreciated the clarity and candor of the protagonist.  I enjoyed reading it, mostly for the art comparisons - in the end the book was a bit depressing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY9N2TDIBJBXT?ASIN=0316055441	Delusional characters, crime and drugs.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too dark annd morally corrupt for me. It is difficult to like characters so criminal. Heavy irresponsible use of drugs and criminal thinking are not subtitutes for enjoyable writing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5BPUHUAWPSOQ?ASIN=0316055441	Life realities	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A well written captivating story that holds the reader's interest. The struggles of a young man adapting to tragic circumstances as he uses drugs and relationships to cope with life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T74YAPDSUSXS?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reading this book was an education in antiques, drug use, the Russian Mafia, and art appreciation. Now I have some idea of how a person becomes addicted to drugs and obsessed by art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHX40CUNW99O0?ASIN=0316055441	good reading for reflection	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Many parts were disturbing, many parts were uplifting, and all of it was worth reading. It's not light hearted and fun, but gives you a glimpse into human behavior and deep emotions.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R382JKHLBA0HPB?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written. However	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. However, the author shows off a little too much of what she knows, where she has been. The story at times is too implausible for me. Nonetheless, it is gripping.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YHFBPSHBHOJE?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch - Difficult to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hoped for a more tied up ending. I did not see any solution to the predicament yet I truly felt the text reflected a troubled, drugged and redeemable soul.  Wish it wasn't so long!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZX8SD66IXC2K?ASIN=0316055441	you will love this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you appreciate the importance of art, you will love this book. If you like well written great stories and interesting characters you'll really care about, you will love this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3888WTPBZJ0YR?ASIN=0316055441	I'm 220 pages in (it's a little over 700 pages ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm 220 pages in (it's a little over 700 pages long). So far, it's alright. I don't see why it's a Pulitzer winner and while it's not a page-turner it doesn't put me to sleep either.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O24IGI991FXW?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful, deep and quite the page turner.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved Theo and Boris. The beauty of the painting and its inner light on a small boy is amazing. Watching Theo get older and being a part of his life was a gift I'll always remember.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA6CUQYZG3OEU?ASIN=0316055441	A very good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A full complex novel that takes the reader on an interesting journey with the lead character, Theo Decker. Thought provoking and very capable of bringing a tear to any reader's eye.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VB99A8EZWZKA?ASIN=0316055441	long, long, long......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tragedy; traumatized teens; money grubbers; strained parental relationship;  , friends with dysfunctional families, sex, drugs, thievery, and Russian mob like character who educates</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VJNL1D5C8MSS?ASIN=0316055441	went on forever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I stuck it out to the end because this book is a Pulitzer Prize winner, but the last 300 pages were just long and went on forever.  If you skip this one you aren't missing anything.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D7VJWMPJ88MS?ASIN=0316055441	fabulous epic story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story captivated me from beginning to existential end. Epic, sweeping, enlightening, depressing, it has it all and then some. Loved it and I am headed to the next museum I see.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV9WLNLIPN2YQ?ASIN=0316055441	Long but worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A tough look at life, art, ptsd, drug usage, teenagers, and neglect.<br/>Great story and very skillfully written.  I have read it twice.  I will look at art with a new perspective.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38ZLTI67GCLS9?ASIN=0316055441	heartbreaking tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">International intrigue, drugs, theft, love, it's all here. But, I'm left wishing I could go out and protect a lost teen and feed him, love and guide him before he's completely lost.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REERD8QOUUPSC?ASIN=0316055441	a very good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Considering the length of the book the author kept me interested. Her writing is excellent. I was able to visualized the characters, places and scenes which were detailed perfectly.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NJY03GKQ74QN?ASIN=0316055441	Really?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long with repetitive ideas and complete opposite opinions in last 2 pages. Subject matter not my cup of tea. Sorry I wasted so much time reading it, hoping it would improve.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R521RTX4PW4FS?ASIN=0316055441	One of those books that I am glad I read but I am not likely to read ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me a long time to get pulled into the novel.  It is well written and I found it interesting.  One of those books that I am glad I read  but I am not likely to read it again.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PS9W9IO4YZYV?ASIN=0316055441	I'm not a fan of unnecessarily long books - not a fan of flowery language ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not a fan of unnecessarily long books - not a fan of flowery language etc - but despite being a huge read, this is prose at its best. A riveting page turner (pardon the cliché).</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSXBK6QW92JVK?ASIN=0316055441	A well-written, enjoyable book. Interesting characters and depth ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A well-written, enjoyable book. Interesting characters and depth exploration of a child dealing with death and how it marks him and changes him. Interesting views on art and beauty.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F9C55QSLQHH4?ASIN=0316055441	It was a beautiful intricate story right up till the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a beautiful intricate story right up till the end.  The story was all about a boy, but never throughout did it feel as though I am reading a book through the eyes of a child.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IM8QDTL8VIEX?ASIN=0316055441	bored to tears	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm usually a book a week reader. This book took 4 months for me to finish and was a complete waste of time. I can't even believe I wasted time finishing it. Go pick something else.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R258SDH3AV8MFH?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, philosophical.  Gives a glimpse of why art is immortal, life is tenuous at best.  Choices...what we choose to do ...doesn't  necessarily define us.  Great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J6B1Z742CVQC?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really wanted to like this book, but, I didn't.. It was way too long.....depressing.  I think you would have to be as strung out as ""Potter"" to fully understand this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XWY815GL7RU8?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing and intriguing story and storyteller	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i thoroughly enjoyed this book. There were several surprises throughout and was always captivated by what was happening or not happening, so to speak. Don't want to ruin the ending!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23S7CB90JARUJ?ASIN=0316055441	how to make one bad decision after another	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put it down. It keep me reading page after page. If I would yo giv you a quick synopsis it would be....how to make one bad decision after another. A good read.<br/>Bobbi</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32ZU0UB4V4OJ1?ASIN=0316055441	captivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an interesting thriller with unpredictable thoughtfulness and unexpectedly touching characters that fight their personal daemons with constant near misses and eventual clarity.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32V6N5NOAHG8W?ASIN=0316055441	Too long and too much drug use	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much drinking and drug use for my liking. It just never seemed to stop. This made the book too long. The story was all right but I guess I needed just the story with less drugs.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M221MDOBWOS8?ASIN=0316055441	This is a very sad story of loss and how to carry on	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very sad story of loss and how to carry on. One book you must read. It will draw you in from the very first page. Characters are so real. Donna Tartt is an amazing writer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TEUN7JGRUWD2?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch: A Novel (Pulitzer Prize for Fiction)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting novel but a little too much of using drugs and drinking.  I guess it was to make a point how far down people can drag themselves.  It's a good story and well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQZH2HURIZ1BF?ASIN=0316055441	A Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At first I was not sure I was going to enjoy ""The Goldfinch,"" but as I read on, I liked it more and more.  I think it is a beautifully written book and an interesting story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PUZ7NGJ75JZE?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written unusual story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written unusual story. Carries the reader along wondering what will happen to our unsuspecting protagonist. I thoroughly enjoyed it, even the hard to digest ugly topics!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JRC9THQYJMUJ?ASIN=0316055441	prize winning book everyone should read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an excellent book..A real story of redemption in today's world.  Take nothing for granted in this story....all of the details are subject to change into fantastic mutations!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YWD7E8OSTGM1?ASIN=0316055441	thought provoking!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book causes one to look at life differently and to be aware that opposites are not always such and that<br/>To have good in the world there has to be evil.  Very philosophical</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROMNZF8V60T70?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing! Intriguing story laden with philosophical ponderings and wisdom	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing!  Intriguing story laden with philosophical ponderings and wisdom.  How does Ms. Tartt get into the heads of boys and men with such depth of understanding?!  Fairly graphic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DRGMK8NB771E?ASIN=0316055441	would have liked it if it was half as long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, too druggy, too much.....yet I liked the overall storyline, just should have been edited more.  I did like the beginning.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U2HEE4S8W6IL?ASIN=0316055441	I had to make myself finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not an expert, but the first part of the book was so well written, so gripping, so fast pased and then stop and go the rest of the way. I think Boris was too much of the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U80DSUKYQ2E9?ASIN=0316055441	An amazing story but way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing story but way too long. Needed a good edit. So I lost interest about 2/3 of the way in, though I did finish it. I hear Tartt's other earlier books are more approachable.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R5RBQ1W1R6D4?ASIN=0316055441	This book was amazing. She writes as a painter of words - ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was amazing.  She writes as a painter of words - beautifully written, heart wrenchingly real - connected with the characters and could not put it down.  Highly recommend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P1FTBOUP246B?ASIN=0316055441	Great book! It took me a few days after ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book!  It took me a few days after finishing it to digest all what I had read.  Perhaps Donna Tartt could have made the book a bit shorter, but it is a great read regardless.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R60Y0ZW73E9RB?ASIN=0316055441	A great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a great book. It is definitely worthy of the pultizer prize for fiction. Good for 13 years and up. Keeps the audience sucked in and at the end you feel like it shouldn't end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7N9I7OUGA0YF?ASIN=0316055441	interesting read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found it a slow start and very different from anything I usually read, but the characters and their personal stories draw you in as you follow them through the ups an downs of life</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T164IW6AEYO5?ASIN=0316055441	Most boring verbose book that I have come across	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Seriously where is the plot?!!!! Most boring verbose book that I have come across. Pulitzer prize winner, I really don't understand. That's time wasted &amp; lost that I'll never gain.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25ABJ38AS3B32?ASIN=0316055441	I was glad I read it but it was deeply disturbing at ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's an exhausting and disturbing book that makes you ponder the weird, convoluted twists and turns of life. In the end, I was glad I read it but it was deeply disturbing at times.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ7HMRMXO8RK5?ASIN=0316055441	too many words...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the story line but the content was way too wordy and, ultimately, dark and depressing.  If you are a fast reader, give it a shot. If not, you will be with it a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWAIE5D3Z5796?ASIN=0316055441	Great book, shame about the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was such a compelling read, but it really fizzled out sat the end, as though Tartt, exhausted by the effort of invention, gave up and just wrote a hasty last chapter.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C4PNF2BVPEED?ASIN=0316055441	fabulous characters and story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a fabulous group of struggling characters and moving story: moving through emotion, time and space. I cannot do it justice in my review but will highly recommend it to all!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FJRRUE7ZVCJE?ASIN=0316055441	For all of the kudos this book has gotten, it's not very good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to like this book more than I did. I had major problems with the fantastical plot, and early on began to despise the main character. He's a thoroughly despicable creature.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A22E8CDKDGK7?ASIN=0316055441	What a fabulous read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Looked forward to reading this every night.  Sometimes sad, sometimes funny, sometimes frustrating, sometimes tragic, but always riveting. Would love to read more  him this author!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NPMKXE2KENJ5?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Worthy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me a while to finish but it was worth it... Fast pace beginning, heart tugging moments of blind honesty, &amp; an ending that leaves you to ponder... Definitely worth the read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WMIT7A8CI2DE?ASIN=0316055441	it sucks you right in and i still cant let it ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">at first i didnt know what to expect, but then wham.. it sucks you right in and i still cant let it go...it seems so disturbing,yet there is so much hidden inspiration...great book</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16IK5VLRMGRUG?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed watching the growth of the main character through the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept me up late into the night wanting to see what happened next.  Riveting story.  Relatable characters.  I enjoyed watching the growth of the main character through the chapters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LPON0BOHUNTE?ASIN=0316055441	Out of the muck	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A novel that deals with heartbreak, disappointment, broken dreams, broken hearts, addiction, lost friendships, tragedy, and death; while holding on to what is most important, love.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21B5XS520KS8T?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch wasn't my favorite due to how dark and disturbing the drug world ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch wasn't my favorite due to how dark and disturbing the drug world is and I did not like the ending.  It did keep me in suspense through most of the book which I liked.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROLVDL8RB8OTQ?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book! Some parts felt a bit long, but I think it made me care about the characters. I loved how Theo develops and is reflective of how his life evolves. Great reading!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B7I8AJB0N48W?ASIN=0316055441	Captures the subtleties of life in a way that you only see in great literature.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an extremely intelligent book .  The author is able to capture the subtleties of life in a way that you only see in great literature.  It was not an easy read but worth it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXMTH6U3GKSFJ?ASIN=0316055441	your time investment can be spent on a better novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book could have been 1/3 to 1/2 the size.  It seemed to go on and on and sadly did nothing to add to story line.  Towards the end I was skipping pages just to finish the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GUFSO69V3XBX?ASIN=0316055441	Complex, sensitive, gripping!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing story!  Complex characters with explanations to motives in vivid detail.  Wide range of characters and situations. Couldn't put it down to find out how it would all end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXCKC6SVXT2WK?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt has a beautiful command of the language and her writing is a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has a beautiful command of the language and her writing is a work of art.  I loved the beginning and ending.  Middle was long, drawn out.<br/>Would make a good movie.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S4YFHML1DEEG?ASIN=0316055441	I would definitely recommend it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch was a page turner and I thought it was written so well but there were times in the story it was difficult to follow what was happening.  I would definitely recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CNXN7GHF9F1Z?ASIN=0316055441	Not sure how it won Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tough read, felt like high school required reading -- and I'm a reader. I did not care about these characters at all. This book could have been written in 1/2 the amount of pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JDZI0T70T4NW?ASIN=0316055441	The book does so much--from telling a tale of lost love to exploring cultural aspects of American life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down and couldn't wait to get back to it after leaving it.  The book does so much--from telling a tale of lost love to exploring cultural aspects of American life.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YZTFOTEIZSPF?ASIN=0316055441	Good & Bad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters drew me in, fresh &amp; interesting. The plot twisted in fascinating directions. However, the prose was wordy, repetitive, needing serious editing-- 200 pages too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUU6569AC4K97?ASIN=0316055441	The physical & emotional descriptions transported you easily. The reader was wonderful & created the characters ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard to stop listening!  The physical &amp; emotional descriptions transported you easily. The reader was wonderful &amp; created the characters perfectly in his reading of the dialogues.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA3CCVMWWCANB?ASIN=0316055441	maria	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a good book but it can be excellent if it was much shorter too much words and repeats.<br/>The author can not stop talk just for talk.  I hope her next book will be better.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DXKF6KZ2CAZO?ASIN=0316055441	... awards it won and I expected it to be fantastic! It was not and when I finished reading ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I continued to read this book because of the awards it won and I expected it to be fantastic! It was not and when I finished reading it I was sorry for the time I spent reading it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H62Q7V269UXI?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intelligent, insightful, integrated and complicated storyline. Mysterious and compelling, . Could not put it down. Statement on human nature and human folly but I the end hopeful.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C0MI5I50AS3?ASIN=0316055441	great writing...if you can suspend belief	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard to argue with a Pulitzer Prize, but the plot is too far-fetched to be credible in my opinion. Nevertheless it is a fast-moving read.  Perfect for an international plane ride.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30YKNBN2TFCHT?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book was very well written. A lot of thoughtful and deep thinking subjects. I got a little tired of reading his thoughts. Maybe less thoughts, drugs and more action.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OMQSZZCSUST9?ASIN=0316055441	but I guess that is good. It is written well	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am not finished yet, 63%, but I am enjoying it. Many parts make me very unsettled, but I guess that is good. It is written well, and I always enjoy going back and picking it up.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBD5R0KUVUBDP?ASIN=0316055441	It was an excellent story; characters were well defined	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was an excellent story; characters were well defined, plot was a bit murky at times, AND I wanted a better conclusion. It was a tad too long, but otherwise I really enjoyed IT.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QI93ST9ZBGCR?ASIN=0316055441	excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This may have been one of the best books I've ever read.  An engaging journey thread by beautifully descriptive passages that had me observing my own life in more colorful detail.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R54LCVFLRLPTE?ASIN=0316055441	Wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a hard time finding a stopping point so I could get some sleep or work done. A very engrossing book although a bit wordy. It would make an awesome mini series or maybe movie</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32NV4LBCOXPOK?ASIN=0316055441	An amazing but undeserved choice for the Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much too long.  An amazing but undeserved choice for the Pulitzer.  Traded on the World Trade Center bombings and created a highly dysfunctional tale of one boy trying to grow up.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y71Z0BOWWS2H?ASIN=0316055441	excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very emotional, you gain a deep connection with the main character and empathize with him strongly. You love who he loves, hate who he hates... And you'll NEVER expect the ending!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9FX2O6XCY4IF?ASIN=0316055441	I did like it. It was compelling keeping the reader ready ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting story. Do think the story could have been told in 500 pages rather than 700s.  I did like it.  It was compelling keeping the reader ready to turn to the next page.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YOMI51GUWIYP?ASIN=0316055441	worth the long wait	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Outstanding characterizations. The tie in with the art was excellent. I loved this novel. It can be enjoyed on a story level through multiple layers to the meaning of life level.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S5V8MNJM6N59?ASIN=0316055441	a modern classic-  almost	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The ending is not worked out as thoughtfully and convincingly as the rest of the book.  However it is one of the best contemporary books I have read recently.  My humble opinion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2USPW1ALDHYLR?ASIN=0316055441	couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was delicious to consume. A very captivating and satisfying read.  So happy to have read it.  I haven't read something this excellent in a long time.  Well done Donna Tartt!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCX8OMDL87EXN?ASIN=0316055441	Strong start with perplexing trajectory...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book till the last 1/3... it almost seemed as though the author changed her mind about where to go.  It felt odd - very odd.  Up until then, I loved it!  After that...hmmm.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U62PS1KV300L?ASIN=0316055441	I'm glad I did	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is not the genre of book I would generally choose but on a friend's recommendation, I bought it. I'm glad I did. It was engrossing and kept me guessing until the last pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29WTUWXYU19S7?ASIN=0316055441	Rather extraoidinary that the abuses of his body and his vey poor judgement didn't kill him	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was very hard to follow. Rather extraoidinary that the abuses of his body and his vey poor judgement didn't kill him. Too much of a fantasy to have empathy for this character.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DOFCI9Z6QVZ?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written but confusing and hard to follow in some ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written but confusing and hard to follow in some places. Worth reading as Ms. Tart is a skilled writer and she weaves a wonderful story of love, loss, and redemption.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RS51KFKMLEW8?ASIN=0316055441	Art transcends time and place in The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like Donna Tartt's other novels, The Goldfinch is a great read.  It's an investment well worth your time.  Part art history, part mystery, but always entertaining and engrossing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PPILL0L8XBMS?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed her writing style - excellent and engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed her writing style - excellent and engaging.  However, the book tended to ""go-on"" and stall midway through.  Then, that ending. Ugh!  Beautifully bond book though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBTR2MKOGFSTE?ASIN=0316055441	A Long Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I waded through it because it was the pick for my book club.  I can understand why she won the Prize; the writing is excellent.  I could have been half as long and twice as good.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22VI7LX4WJCTO?ASIN=0316055441	What a fantastic read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a fantastic read! Poetic prose and poignant content with multiple twists and cliffhangers. Love it when I read a book and do not want to skip a word. Well done Donna Tartt. X</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30AIJM9F5GXUX?ASIN=0316055441	Prize Winner?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read this book because of it's being a prize winner. I found it too wordy, too descriptive, like a Where's Waldo I was looking for the story line. Maybe just not my type of book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKL02LY66GVK8?ASIN=0316055441	GREAT FOR THE DEEP READER....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you truly like to read and look for depth in what you read this is a wonderful book. On the other hand if you read strictly for fun it might be to much. I personally loved it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R81IMXKY9I638?ASIN=0316055441	nice if you can stand to read it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hated reading this book. I did not like reading about addicts and people trying to fry their brains into oblivion. It was long and boring in the middle, and preachy at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OPSKUA1GYR2Q?ASIN=0316055441	Her descriptions are very good. However	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was interesting and keeps you engaged. Her descriptions are very good. However, I think the book should have been edited more. I don't think that it is Pulitzer Prize quality.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZDO7QRPRSJAS?ASIN=0316055441	An amazing story that draws you in to the characters lives	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing story that draws you in to the characters lives.  I lived the emotional journey with Theo.  I recommend this book for all types of readers.  The effect stays with you.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XACCAUG0ZUGT?ASIN=0316055441	Long and deeply enlightening	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow start but a brilliantly detailed life story of a young man whose life was filled with dark tragedies. If you like lots of detail, stories within the plot....this is for you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D7Q77LQ3SL0O?ASIN=0316055441	Great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">page turner .disfunction, destruction, redemption, loss and pain in the search for normalcy and guidance in others at a young age through adulthood. could not put this book down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL656JPJVPWP1?ASIN=0316055441	Build your vocabulary and learn about art!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was spectacularily written prose with great imagery, characterization and vocabulary.  It was very pretty heady in regards to the 'art world,' thus much of that was beyond me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WUEI5Q3UUI40?ASIN=0316055441	... towards the end so you can get a bit bored with the characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging and inventive story but tended to lag towards the end so you can get a bit bored with the characters, I enjoyed it but by the end I was happy to finish it and move on...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU3NJ05M0O98I?ASIN=0316055441	This book actually depressed me.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wordy and depressing. Well written and poetic. But I was seriously in a depressed funk while reading this book. Not recommended for people who battle depression. I'm not kidding.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C0JVB1FDONZV?ASIN=0316055441	Prize-Worthy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'd read it last year as an ebook, before hardback printing and the Pulitzer, and was blown away. I couldn't keep my mouth shut about it to my friends, who had the same response.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17OBRWY6DYIBV?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just joined a book club and this was the book they chose.  This book is very well written and is one that is hard to put down.  It is long, but you really don't want it to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FJGQ4WR95ZZ6?ASIN=0316055441	An amazing book! At first I thought	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing book! At first I thought, wow, way too long. But the book was hard to put down and the pages flew past. Loved it! One of those books you miss when you finally finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RER5W7EA6IJOC?ASIN=0316055441	It's been boring, depressing and not very interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have just pages left and I don't even want to finish it.  It's been boring, depressing and not very interesting.  somebody needs to be redeeming...and this book is missing it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WA20HNBB8A6W?ASIN=0316055441	One of my all-time top five favorite books of a lifetime of reading good books	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Already reviewed both hardcover and audiobook -- this is one of the best books I have ever read -- top Five list. There are not enough words to say how outstanding this book is.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HW8T0PTZ5EBM?ASIN=0316055441	Best of her three	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't like the little friend at all but this book, although long, was a solid read. The characters are interesting and likable. The story keeps you engaged and has substance.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IH0XV5BN4L93?ASIN=0316055441	Well written, depressing story line	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully descriptive. Makes you feel the emotion, but story line seems to wander unnecessarily long at times. I got the drug and drunken stupors after the first one. Move on!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27C4H50D1ZQWP?ASIN=0316055441	Great read if you have a lot of time to enjoy it-	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read this book as book club choice. At nearly 800 pages, I needed to budget more time so I didn't have to speed read which took away from enjoyment. Well done.  Would recommend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GN6N0AZM8TTP?ASIN=0316055441	Too much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intricate, complex story, fascinating but also terribly disturbing. It was painful to get through. Some beautiful stream-of-consciousness passages, but too much for this reader.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J0KPPITI1HJA?ASIN=0316055441	enchanting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book...couldn't put it down.  Vibrant characters and rich story line.  Extremely well written.  Sitting here after reading it and wondering if I should read it again.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27X92BRG39TLJ?ASIN=0316055441	Great story and plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story and plot! However could have used some heavy editing as there were too many descriptive interruptions to the story. The Secret History was better. Still a good read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38XWX3FMI9O5Q?ASIN=0316055441	fair at best I don't get the big deal	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It just dragged on in the middle. I had such a hard time getting through the end. The beginning hooked me but 3/4 of the way through it was so monotonous I could barely read it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QD3FGAPFNI7F?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to make sense of a lot of subjects like his continued drug use and how he was able ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very hard for me to get through. Hard to make sense of a lot of subjects like his continued drug use and how he was able to get trough it all without consequences.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A0SGK973LWFN?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would recommend this book to anyone. It is a book with a little bit of everything there were sad and tragic moments, happy and sweet, action it is just a book that has it all.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R329NFXLSHMN35?ASIN=0316055441	Just a beautiful and compelling read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just a beautiful and compelling read. There were so many passages where I was pulled through as if I had no control. I will carry around it's atmosphere with me for a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PJP9A5GFPS35?ASIN=0316055441	boring book which could have covered the subjects in half ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very dark, boring book which could  have covered the subjects in half the pages.  Most of our book club members decided not to even finish the book.  I would not recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LYBNF4E8FW9N?ASIN=0316055441	Too Long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing, but far too long @700+ pages.  Needed a good editor.  Good character descriptions, but may confusing scenarios.  I'm conflicted as to whether recommend it or pan it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A1ZPSHC1KMJJ?ASIN=0316055441	Mom Loved It	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I  purchased this as a gift for my mother , with the assistance  of great reviews it received on Amazon. I have purchased many books as gifts this way and not been disappointed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFJUE7AK4DXT1?ASIN=0316055441	This is one of the best yet most disturbing books I've read for a while	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best yet most disturbing books I've read for a while, and I'm still only about three quarters of the way through it. I recommend it if you want to get hooked.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A21PY37EJ08L?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">one heck of a story!  I had to walk away several times to calm myself down. I loved the characters. I wanted the best for them and worried about them like I would my own family.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24FDRU87HBV8U?ASIN=0316055441	I absolutely love this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I absolutely love this book!  I have read it twice and recommended it to my book  club.  Some may find it too wordy but it's insights into the mind of the characters is perfect.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YVQJMOWEZXNO?ASIN=0316055441	Do a lot of words make a Pulitzer?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a depressing book. I almost didn't  finish it but I slogged through. Skipped  a lot of blathering passages that had nothing to do with the story. Just not my favorite book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NMW6AB2CJZAK?ASIN=0316055441	""" Take out the droning and it would have been a much better novel."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Finally turned the last page of this tome. Pulitzer, raves? Shame on them. This books screams ""edit me!"" Take out the droning and it would have been a much better novel.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZJS789EVAXRM?ASIN=0316055441	it's a gem, if you can stand it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story moves at lightening speed &amp; I loved that! There is softness and caring contrasted by stupidity, ignorance &amp; wretched selfishness. It's life at it's best &amp; it's worst.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EQI7110H1FZ7?ASIN=0316055441	over written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overwritten. Though I love great detail, this was detail wasted. At times it was a page turner. . . though some pages turned slower than others. The characters kept me involved.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22T59RCT6EWWO?ASIN=0316055441	AMAZING	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is so well written! So original! Thought provoking like no other. If only I could meet Theo or Boris or any of the characters...I am sad the story has come to an end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R266MA00JZX0U5?ASIN=0316055441	The overall tone of the book was so dark and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The overall tone of the book was so dark and hard that I found it difficult to read.  I also thought it would have been more enjoyable if it was 400 pages instead of nearly 800!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YNVSC7UOFRF8?ASIN=0316055441	totally engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book to savor, while you race through the pages to see where it takes you.  The characters are drawn so well, you expect to meet them again, in another situation.  I loved it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NBH18NW1CSZE?ASIN=0316055441	Don't be overwhelmed by the number of pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This took me a long time to finish but I am glad I trudged through!  I slowed down during the time in Vegas, it seemed too repetitive.  After finishing I realize the importance.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WZSJSVBHFI4Q?ASIN=0316055441	Slow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked Tartts first book much better but I did enjoy this story and the life of the painting.  It was a great plot, it was just not the page turner that her Secret History was.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R326SUB0NVKGET?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting, mystical and frustrating.  Gets a little draggy in the middle but later utilizes all that draggy time in the ultimate plot.  Wonderful research (birds) and writing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N3VX94JNS3FA?ASIN=0316055441	A crazy ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A rich, maddening, beautiful, ugly, uplifting, depressing roller coaster ride of a book.  Beautifully written prose that bordered on the poetic at times, the profane at others.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y8MK9KGM8GTM?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Riveting. It would've been easy to make Theo and Boris superficial characters, but Tartt didn't take the easy way out with them. And I really felt the respect for the painting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KXN5QG4WVLT8?ASIN=0316055441	This was the darkest most depressing book I have ever ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the darkest most depressing book I have ever read. The ending was phenomenal however ! Were the negative elements worth the long read?Only each reader can decide that.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FZHDMDWZKGAL?ASIN=0316055441	Page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Honestly haven't enjoyed a book like this in a long time. I got so attached to the characters and the story line, I was staying up well past bed time to keep reading. Loved it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWU7Y8Y8NUH46?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book.  The characters were so fully developed I felt like I knew them personally by the time I finished reading it.  The book is very well written and interesting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22TRD89PP95QK?ASIN=0316055441	Mixed feelings	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked it, however, I found it depressing towards the end. The story lost me about half way through. I was really into it at first.  I just have mixed feelings about this one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVUS7XR2SDG0G?ASIN=0316055441	A must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent read!  At times it was a bit long but overall story was excellent.  Would have loved to see the actual painting but our club missed it by a week!  Maybe next time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UTS1E4WJZ9L9?ASIN=0316055441	dark view of the randomness of events	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well developed characters, but a very dark depiction of society and life.  It all seems so haphazard, random, and pointless, with little to express hope, purpose, or direction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYOCL3SH3K6UB?ASIN=0316055441	Would have quit sooner but kept thinking it had to get better. Hear other say it did not	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Only made it 2/3 through.  Would have quit sooner but kept thinking it had to get better.  Hear other say it did not, so I quit.  It is rare that I don't finish a book I start.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33FJANU6BVT9C?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't made it through the book yet, but I'm so attached to the main character I get upset about what's happened and have to put it down and take a break. Great read so far.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMC8O2OT2RB3E?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the book hated the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book hated the ending. Very well written ,keeping you engrossed all the way. Couldn't stop reading and then to have a philosophical ending was a huge disappointment .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2USAIQMKI53S3?ASIN=0316055441	Good but slow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall it was decent.  Started off great but about half way through its like the author ran out of steam. From there on out the story just dragged on and on at a snail's pace.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33O304N6WD422?ASIN=0316055441	I felt like I was reading what will surely be considered a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt like I was reading what will surely be considered a masterpiece one day ; a work of art (pun intended).  I just bought two hard covers of this book as gifts for friends.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNREWX6KJURAT?ASIN=0316055441	disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She's a beautiful writer, but her muddy moralizing ruined the book for me.  I hated the character Boris and wondered where the morals the boys mother taught him disappeared to.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y2KWHF6J3UXV?ASIN=0316055441	It was toooooooooooooo long. The author made her point ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was toooooooooooooo long.  The author made her point several times and said the same thing in many different ways.  To finally reach the end of the book, I skipped sections.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MX8Z9OLQWXPT?ASIN=0316055441	disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was so good for the first 500 pages, I couldn't put it down.  It was all I could do to finish it.  I skipped over so many boring pages.  It was such a disappointment.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37MVM46B8OLEJ?ASIN=0316055441	Did not like this Pulitzer Prize winning book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not like this Pulitzer Prize winning book.  Every page was a struggle to get thru- all 700+ pages.  I stuck w it to honor the commitment to my book club but it was torture.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EAGG1EM9YJOA?ASIN=0316055441	Excruciating and Spell-binding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For anyone who longs to be lost and entwined in a richly detailed and conceived story. Very well written - not a word too long or short. Will be added to my list of the greats.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPZXAVYBG43NH?ASIN=0316055441	it became very depressing and I didn't like all the use of drugs	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the beginning of the book was very well written and I couldn't put it down..  As the story unfolded, it became very depressing and I didn't like all the use of drugs.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38QVND4A1MWIV?ASIN=0316055441	Meh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overrated, in my opinion.  While the story is an interesting one, there are sections that could have been edited down to tell the same angst in a more concise and gripping way.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TTPR0HZP7OEG?ASIN=0316055441	written with great style but perhaps slightly too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An unusual novel, written with great style but perhaps slightly too long.  The characterization was excellent and I felt I really got to know and understand the main character.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UZ3EPG2NZUL4?ASIN=0316055441	an unusual tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really a sad book and also long.  Shows how people can betray others whom they consider friends and family. Was a bit confused at the beginning, the ending solved my confusion.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DLIVPVNAH584?ASIN=0316055441	Found this book pretty depressing/too long/issues such as explosion at the art museum ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found this book pretty depressing/too long/issues such as explosion at the art museum in the beginning dragged out/finished book and ending was good but overall did not enjoy.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K5WT6UML7KZ4?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Recommended by many friends, this book was not a disappointment.  Longer than average, if you schedule it for your bookclub, give yourselves a few extra weeks.  It's worth it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFQVG4RHASFNL?ASIN=0316055441	disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out very interesting but devolved into a repetitive depressing recount of misery. Finally ends up examining his navel and giving boring thoughts on the meaning of life</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YSZ0HEL2803E?ASIN=0316055441	I haven't finished, but have found the first half ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't finished, but have found the first half sometimes too wordy and the book is so very long.  It is very interesting, but hard to follow if you miss a few days reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9S1IKXZE81KG?ASIN=0316055441	too long. too much detail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good grief! This story could have been told in just as affectively in 1/2 the number of pages. I schlept through the whole thing. Should have waited for the condensed version.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R340UXXLE05RIR?ASIN=0316055441	Five stars for length...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Editor asleep at the wheel. Distractingly lengthy. Lose of one hundred pages or so could improve its appearance and longevity. Theo's words, ""Life is short."" My point exactly.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZLSG203HL75M?ASIN=0316055441	GENIUS.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So many layers. So many questions. Great descriptions.  This book consumed my attention in much the same way that its namesake painting captures our imagination in this story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBFYE5H0H5U4V?ASIN=0316055441	What a fascinating book- I thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a fascinating book- I thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, I'll go back and read ittle bits of it when I'm waiting for something- the author is a very, very good at her craft.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37TMFFGRZL18V?ASIN=0316055441	I did not read the entire synopsis for the book ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not read the entire synopsis for the book, so it was not completely what I was expecting. Most of it was enjoyable but some parts went on and on. It was an alright read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T219USHAPBEO?ASIN=0316055441	aThe story line was good..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">aThe story line was good.............the descriptions of thinking about really boring ideas and scenery was pathetic, and a  waste of 800 pages, including the readers interest</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C4BC45FTRQT1?ASIN=0316055441	Great, long read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was skeptical about this book because I really didn't care for another one by Donna Tartt but I loved it. And since I really liked it, the best part was that it's sooooo long.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FULB5UPUVWM5?ASIN=0316055441	Parts were good, eg the description of the museum bomb and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Parts were good, eg the description of the museum bomb and the early time in Amsterdam, other parts (the majority) were too long and tedious and it took me forever to read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R4S1F1UZR556?ASIN=0316055441	... the main character will not succumb to drugs and bad influences. The philosophical ending surprised me but I ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book keeps you guessing and hoping the main character will not succumb to drugs and bad influences.  The philosophical ending surprised me but I really enjoyed this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA0VCEQ7C4YZ2?ASIN=0316055441	begins and ends really well	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent for the first three quarters, and a good twist near the end.  Provocative theories and philosophies pulled together by the protagonist.  A little slow in the middle.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CE2Y2TSM2M2N?ASIN=0316055441	This is one of the best books I've ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books I've ever read. I absolutely loved it and I was so sad to finish it! It's heartbreaking, funny, and suspenseful, and the characters are so great.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E1I5GD8022MA?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome Novel to read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't know what to expect when I first got the book.  I started reading it and found I was wrapped up in the story right away.  I hope you'll enjoy this story as well as I did for it keeps you wanting to know what and how things were going to work out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZUT67O5II5Q?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very long book, almost 800 pages, but worth the read.  I did feel that sometimes there was just too much detail, but the storyline was great and I like the way Tartt writes.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z2DQXU3H0KOH?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written. Also pretty intense	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. Also pretty intense. I actually took this book on my vacation and read it on the beach on my kindle. There was never a dull moment! Thank you Donna Tartt!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TW3W0CNGWAT3?ASIN=0316055441	There were times I liked where the story was going and then other times ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tedious-I finished it. There were times I liked where the story was going and then other times I didn't. I didn't undertand what the hype was all about. I could not recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GIDMCOD7P5NI?ASIN=0316055441	I think it would have been much better with a lot removed from the middle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did read the whole thing.  I think it would have been much better with a lot removed from the middle.  That said, I did find the story interesting and the writing beautiful.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F7FPX3GEXYIJ?ASIN=0316055441	Well Written, a bit too long - parts could have been shortened	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the novel, not loved it.  Seemed a bit long and was not ""thrilled"" with the Las Vegas section of the book...could have condensed that part of the novel for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QH6Z2MWGMPEK?ASIN=0316055441	Great Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book will transport you with a story and characters that are illuminating from the newest ""neighborhoods"" in Las Vegas to the old line Manhattan by way of Europe.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROPG6K1RWND0Y?ASIN=0316055441	OMG	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As a book club member for almost 20 years in the same group, we have read the best out there, old and new.  We were really looking forward to reading another Pulitzer Prize novel.  I am half finished with it, and I cannot stand anymore.  How in the world did this book win the Pulitzer.  The story is awful. There is no movement forwards, backwards, or in any direction. The author writes through the eyes of a young boy--a sissy, girlish boy at that. There are times during the explosion which killed his mother when I thought this story was going somewhere, but then it faded away like distant thunder. This makes me wonder what our ""literary-minded"" judges are thinking.  I enjoyed most of Steven King's books, but what was he thinking by endorsing this piece of writing? I know Donna Tartt worked hard and LONG on this novel, and she will get to sign lots of books and make much money.  You may like this work, but I didn't.  Donna should have stuck with women as her viewpoint.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H1Q6F39PGBK4?ASIN=0316055441	Good book if you want a really long read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this book but thought the author went on and on sometimes. Once you've made your point, move on. The obsessiveness was wearing. All in all though, it was a good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ7AJE14YTKX4?ASIN=0316055441	Simply Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book just sucks you right in. Characters are captivating, Tartt's language is incredible. She has a way of describing things like I've never seen before. Just beautiful.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34TBSOI34UOPY?ASIN=0316055441	was attracted to this book by what some reviewer had ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">was attracted to this book by what some reviewer had said (not entirely a positive review but intriguing) 'like walking thru a desert and finding a diamond every so often'...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11W4M0T7OSYRF?ASIN=0316055441	incredible journey...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Drags you straight through the existential ""meaning of life""...love, tragedy, loss, beauty, destiny...explores each emotion as personified by a 400 year old tiny masterpiece.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K4G0M0KVC6IA?ASIN=0316055441	A winner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Improbable characters, caught up in twisting and turning events that are even more improbable, draw the reader into an engrossing novel that is nearly impossible to put down!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TLBC767HC1EA?ASIN=0316055441	"Long novel, so had to ""skim"" over at certain ..."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long novel, so had to ""skim"" over at certain times.  I also read just enough to feel it was satisfying.  In truth, it should have been offered as two or three novels.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H35WRSASF8UP?ASIN=0316055441	Not Unbroken	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is not a story of survival.  It's a story of love and loss, of wanting what touches your heart and not getting it.  There is no happy ending, just the poignancy of life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RFJPLTE6131I?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt did a great job developing the characters and the book never dragged	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I saved the book for several months before is decided to read it but is was so worth the wait. Ms. Tartt did a great job developing the characters and the book never dragged.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PCHB0KGP90YR?ASIN=0316055441	Very well written a real page turn R the ccharacters ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written a real page turn<br/>R the ccharacters were were very believable however I expected a much more exciting and and more closure but the end was anti-climatic</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SUMW1GYDYJ0D?ASIN=0316055441	a book for those who appreciate writing for its own sake.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant ability to create word pictures!  I enjoyed it mostly for that reason.  I would not recommend to the reader who wants to""get on with the story"" so to speak.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16Z1VREBC5QKC?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch sparkles	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Riveting at the beginning and the twisting and turning was incredible.  In the middle, the story got bogged down a bit, but it was a great read.  I would highly recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11MZB21P6A7TF?ASIN=0316055441	This book is incredibly long. That said, there ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is incredibly long.  That said, there are passages that touched my soul that I read over and over. Insights about human connections to art and to each other abound.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ILOPQZ7VWAGL?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the weaving of The Goldfinch into the sense of ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Crisp but introspective analysis into a person's life journey from major event to major event. I loved the weaving of The Goldfinch into the sense of purpose for this person.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P4VEFC4FXO80?ASIN=0316055441	Speaks to MEaning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hold on to beauty and keep passing along that which touches the soul.  One of the.most provocative books I have read in a while.  You have to stick with it to the end though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HA7FXSPGMF7Q?ASIN=0316055441	Chasing the ring ?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the heart  breaking story and its characters. I survived  the long detail, and was totally baffled by  the last 3 pages. .<br/>Painfully absorbing overall.  MIKE B. Weston</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PJ0R535MIYDW?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful prose with a dark twist to life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lengthy tale of a lost painting, lost life, lost loves and loneliness around so many incredible characters. Perfection in the lost art of descriptive, illuminating wordsmith.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31NXQH6HMNZRY?ASIN=0316055441	The story gets complicated at times. Although it's a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story gets complicated at times. Although it's a very long story, I may have to go back and read some of it over so that I can keep track of all the different characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CHN2X4RCNN4T?ASIN=0316055441	terrible! pages and pages of the f word	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">terrible!  pages and pages of the f word....when a few would have been more than enough...H ave talked to several people who feel as I did...wondering how it got chosen......</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SDGG38YEHPWO?ASIN=0316055441	over rated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it tedious. Who could identify with the principal character/- so terminally self-absorbed? So very boring. I would hate to be burdened with him as a friend. Go Boris!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S66IOLLYCBZ3?ASIN=0316055441	good writing, just to much of it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good writing, just to much of it. ok i get the point about the alcohol and drugs. the russian was a far fetched story to believe but all in all it was worth the kindle price.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19S9B44VHWUUE?ASIN=0316055441	Just SO full of itself	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring, long and depressing. I was so disappointed. Got to the end, but did a lot of skipping through the later parts. The main character and almost all the rest were creeps.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15AHOFE3NU9PG?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down, than very boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was so very good for half of the book, I couldn't put it down, than I thought hurry up, it was boring!  Like get to the point, she could of skipped so much................</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G3R6FL94ZKMV?ASIN=0316055441	Book club	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a good book but extremely long!!! Author was a little wordy. I found myself skipping pages and didn't miss anything.  Made for a great discussion at book club though.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FZYT2S0L228R?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I have ever had the pleasure of reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have ever had the pleasure of reading! I thought it was so incredible that after reading the Kindle version, I purchased the hardback for my library.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXUWIKK3TPMX8?ASIN=0316055441	Pretty good and an original plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">read this book for college and leisure time. Pretty good and an original plot. However, Tartt drags the story unnecessarily long. I do reccomend however if you love to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PUEBDB3F8QMD?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I tried starting this book twice before I finally got hooked, the beginning was tough to get through, but once you got past the initial story set up it was hard to put down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSCCG5CSGA6T7?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A story of survival and a timeless classic. Art what is beyond art and the idea that beauty is in the eye of the beholder all dovetail in this wonderful story. A great find!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HUWAMZLPHMCS?ASIN=0316055441	A great story, but told a bit too tediously	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great story, but told a bit too tediously, too ""flabbily"".  Not tight at all.  And really Donna Tartt, I don't need you to preach your themes at me, thanks anyhow.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R71IQZBBOP6O?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book keeps you engaged.  It is a bit of mystery.  What a sad life Theo lead.  I think this is true in everyday life many people struggle as Theo did throughout the book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GB8VMONHWNAJ?ASIN=0316055441	Rambling, lyrical story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was drawn along by the story and words.  Life is messy and chaotic rather than gentle and benign.  But in the chaos lives our life and love.<br/>Quite enjoyed this novel!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OHBC0S0A4GBV?ASIN=0316055441	A Must-Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has produced a beautifully written tale that spans the spectrum of despair to delight. Her depiction of the characters is insightful and compelling. A must-read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SIMIZRRDUKEO?ASIN=0316055441	First 1/2 was great. Second half was a struggle.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt like I was reading two different books.  The first half was really good. The second half was like I had picked up an entirely different book and was terrible to boot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK7150PXUUG1N?ASIN=0316055441	dense descriptions	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Plot was interesting, but I literally put the book down for 6 months because I was tired of getting bogged down with the long action less descriptive passages that bored me.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17SA6XC2XH8BY?ASIN=0316055441	It was like watching a train wreck	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put it down.  Time says ""beautifully written with exquisitely drawn characters""  I could only add ""original"".  It was like watching a train wreck.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5QJR4CEC4AU5?ASIN=0316055441	A great book, but feel that the author could have ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Almost through!  A great book, but feel that the author could have shortened by at least 200 pages.  And she skips back and forth which when starting out is a bit confusing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MV9W15FJ01J8?ASIN=0316055441	I did not like it, wasn't what I expected at all	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like it, wasn't what I expected at all. It seems to ramble when the main character was involved with drugs living in Arizona. Not one I would recommend to friends.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27BU0Y26U408I?ASIN=0316055441	The last few pages seemed as if it had turned ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The last few pages seemed as if it had turned into a lecture.  However the rest of the week was very interesting, enjoyable, and took me through two weeks of a faraway trip.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D1QADTZNT77K?ASIN=0316055441	Could not stop reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent read.  I could not put it down!  The story is dark, but pulls you in and keeps you there throughout the book.  Loved the imperfections of all of the characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YOT5CEYYK7RD?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Immediately, I was hopelessly involved and could not put the book down.  Slow in the middle but in the end resumed the fast pace read.  Very well written.  Enjoyed the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EGYT83FA1I87?ASIN=0316055441	Great read... a bit slow to finish.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was really an excellent read on so many levels. My only complaint was that it did get a bit slow towards the last 25% of the book and I struggled with finishing it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HYWWLI9U7KGG?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome writing. I was fully absorbed in the words ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome writing.  I was fully absorbed in the words and  felt like I was transported to Vegas, Hobie's shop, NYC and Amsterdam.  Boy those kids needed showers and a dentist!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MKWX1JWYL4PU?ASIN=0316055441	Bird on a Wire	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intense and intensely crafted work that is constantly compelling, heartbreaking and beautiful. Stays with me like,say, a beautiful painting or a song that you can't unlearn.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SJD5OIE5NNGD?ASIN=0316055441	because I thoroughly enjoyed the book up until that point	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the few times I've actually walked away from a book - I left Theo and Boris in Las Vegas. It's unfortunate, because I thoroughly enjoyed the book up until that point.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LKPWJ7JWZ74G?ASIN=0316055441	Very disappointed. Didn't expect all the drugs and all that ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very disappointed.  Didn't expect all the drugs and all that goes along with it.  I'm struggling to finish the last 75 pages.  Don't understand how it won the prizes it did.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K8C4E3PLESC4?ASIN=0316055441	As good a book as I have read since CUTTING FROM ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As good a book as I have read since CUTTING FROM STONE. Amazing knowledge of antiques, drug culture, art,.Many twists and turns, surprises. No wonder Tartt won the Pulitzer.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NKGS2U2KRK0O?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An extremely well written and engrossing story. Insightful and provocative. Travels through the life of a flawed but very endearing young man. Touching and real to the bone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GX5C96M5BUBP?ASIN=0316055441	EXCELLENT BOOK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">THE GOLDFINCH is an excellent novel.  Donna Tartt writes with such detail description of the experiences of the characters in the book that I felt I was a part of the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KI4YBGO9K9DD?ASIN=0316055441	Way too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My opinion is the same as every other 1 star rating.  Too long. Theo is a self-possessed bore.  Like an uninteresting Hamlet</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IRF9FRYVAK2H?ASIN=0316055441	Meh.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel started out with a bang. Great writing that kept me engaged.  Then she Boggs us down with too much of everything  and I simply lost interest. Very disappointing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VW6VORZ1QEL6?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I appreciate the setting and storyline but found myself not caring or liking any of the characters. After investing so much time reading the book, I was sadly disappointed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25NX8QVQSOLY4?ASIN=0316055441	Deep and dark	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best thing I've read in a while. I love how the writer has written a character so real that he white washes over so much about himself, but also understands others so well.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R342RHGD4N89SC?ASIN=0316055441	Fresh, and very real.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling by character development and a style that is totally supportive of the story line.<br/>I find this book very memorable, and have recommended it to many friends.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OCL58YKL4IJH?ASIN=0316055441	Great book, one of the best I have read in a long while.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the historical accuracy and the detailed place descriptions. I have spent many an hour in all of the places he describes and feel like I have been on a long voyage.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F2VI3VB93YZB?ASIN=0316055441	I fell in love with this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I fell in love with this book; I couldn't put it down. Now that I am done reading it, I find myself thinking about it all the time.  One of the best books I have ever read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R89MI4XABC2LW?ASIN=0316055441	Too little bang for the amount of time. Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After an excellent beginning, it just became tedious.  I read it to the bitter end, expecting some sort of resolution, but it never happened. Save your time and your money.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O7W1LE1T9Z1?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written and a real page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written and a real page turner. The characters are fully developed and not cliches. I really wanted to know how these characters fared tol the last page. Brava!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32Q5LDJV2QBFF?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant narration and definitely a page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant narration and definitely a page turner! It's wildly depressing for most of the first half but things slowly begin to look up. I would recommend this one for sure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R181VS2VYPVQIK?ASIN=0316055441	With a backdrop of a believable museum bombing and art ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">With a backdrop of a believable museum bombing and art heist, a well written study of emotional turmoil as a result of a catastrophic event leading to the loss of a parent.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DRIL7YCNFWM3?ASIN=0316055441	Be prepared with enough time to give it serious thought.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exhausting read. Although so well written, I would have enjoyed it more if the conclusion came sooner. An excellent book for writers to read to observe style and execution.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ZE1JFABKO0E?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've read all year.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book left a lot of food for thought. Well written.<br/>The fight between good and evil very evident.<br/>She captured the 2 main characters well.  Really enjoyed it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9XE84J1H7XAM?ASIN=0316055441	I found myself wanting to get to the end of ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found myself wanting to get to the end of the book by the middle of it.  Some books I read I don't want to end, but this one was  ok, but dragged on with too much detail.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HXTMH2HVO67A?ASIN=0316055441	Very Impressed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent!  When I read a book that I can remember from beginning to end after several months, I consider it exceptional.  I read a lot, and that doesn't happen very often.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZJX1HQHPNU2T?ASIN=0316055441	A good, not great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At first,<br/> and for a long time, I couldn't put this book down.  Theo loses his mother during a bombing in an art museum in New York City.He walks out with a masterpiece painting of a goldfinch. After a very troubled childhood, some of it spent with friends, some in Las Vegas with his gambler father, where he meets a lifelong friend , Boris, he returns to New York.  He is taken in by an older acquaintance who has an antiques business.  He handles the sales end of the business when he gets older, and Hobie, the friend, handles expert repairs and refinishing of furniture,  Meanwhile the painting remains hidden.  Through threats and misadventures, he travels overseas, often meeting up with his Ukranian friend, Boris.  There are twists and turns through the novel.  What spoiled the rest of the book for me was a LONG, rambling and endless final chapter.  Full of philosophizing and carrying on, it seems that it will never finish.  A bad finish to a good story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7MPJYXWDE1K7?ASIN=0316055441	Far too long: a third of its 760 (760!!) pages could be cut	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is a fine book struggling to emerge from excess verbiage, six too many druggie scenes, unnecessary plot developments. Tough editor needed to cut the self-indulgence.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AIMENQDEE0S?ASIN=0316055441	amazingly immersive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this story had me from the start...through to the end. Loss, redemption, love, friendship and more! Thoughtful and thought provoking, this story earned its Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7YWQWQEPIODJ?ASIN=0316055441	Crazy good, couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Crazy good, couldn't put it down. (She's a little showy with the language, but good writing). For a long book, this one sucks you right in, right away; not a slow starter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXIH29U1BZFHF?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the emotional depth for most of the novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the emotional depth for most of the novel, but became irritated by the protagonist nearer 3-fifths into the plot. The ending finally came as a dissatisfied relief.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NOIN9D23D16H?ASIN=0316055441	A hard read but worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I almost quit reading several times because of the grim nature of the story. I'm glad I did not!  Clearly a well written book that will leave me in thought for many years.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V1AHYITWV0DF?ASIN=0316055441	It was painful.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Looooooooong,rambling story of a wounded sole.  Unbelievable.  Yes some of the writing was masterful, but I finished just to find out how the story ended.  It was painful.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G9ZAIHMRRLBB?ASIN=0316055441	Unnecessarily long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She writes very well.  I enjoyed Secret History a lot but this book is unnecessarily long.  I am surprised it got a Pulitzer.  In spite of all I kept on reading to the end</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8TIBZ38FXDI3?ASIN=0316055441	An Epic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An epic -- be prepared for detail and feeling as though you're in Theo's shoes.  His escape to drugs is sad but I empathize with his plight.  Long read - but recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16WEDXYFY0X7Y?ASIN=0316055441	A very intense and emotionally tough story but so beautifully crafted. One of the best first person fictional ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I understand why it won the Pulitzer. A very intense and emotionally tough story but so beautifully crafted. One of the best first person fictional narratives I have read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8TD3T5Q9WXNE?ASIN=0316055441	one of the best books I've ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put it down, my heart was racing as I read it. It  spoke to my need of grasping for a reason to live, and to my need for art and beauty in everything around me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PEFSJAEUXU0R?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read for Art Enthusiasts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing, long but well written. Very well researched.<br/>An insight into the affects tragedy can inflict on a boy who does not get treatment for a traumatic event.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TYS6J37FDQDA?ASIN=0316055441	I see why it won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I see why it won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. a wild roller coaster ride of a book. You cannot put it down, and you are ""in"" after page 1.  a real tour de force</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C3MLOEVSFA8V?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read, amazing how the book relays the true concept of art and what it is all about through a character you find easy to relate to even if you have nothing in common.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FUOVQGN5B3UH?ASIN=0316055441	this book started wonderfully well, but the author seemed to lose the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book started wonderfully well, but the author seemed to lose the plot about halfway through. I finished the book just to see how it ended, and was pleased that I did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R219X2MEQ3ZR7L?ASIN=0316055441	If it had been less convoluted I would have enjoyed it more	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too verbose.  Lots and lots of descriptions especially while in the ""drugs and consequences"" section.  If it had been less convoluted I would have enjoyed it more.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYNSOHMYYXCPJ?ASIN=0316055441	Not my favorite Donna Tartt work	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wish I had liked it more. I read it when it first came out and am still unsure on how I really feel about it. I love Tartt's other books, this one was just not a favorite.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24IO7YMD9M59W?ASIN=0316055441	I felt like I had knew the characters quite well despite their ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written story, with the exact right element of suspense.  By the time I completed the book, I felt like I had knew the characters quite well despite their complexity.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QZSRL4PTOUEE?ASIN=0316055441	Long but interesting.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written fiction, though improbable.  The latter part of the book did not flow as smoothly as the beginning.<br/>I am glad that I read it and would recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JSSMXH9RAW2O?ASIN=0316055441	Magnificent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful, sprawling novel - part thriller, part character study of life after trauma and a love letter to the transcendence of a great work of art and in fact New York.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LSKL41R5VPKZ?ASIN=0316055441	An extraordinary book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exceptionally well written, exciting, and original.  A book doesn't get better than this.  Except for an ending that was a bit too long, I loved every minute of this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z9Z5FQMRQJML?ASIN=0316055441	I'm only 15% of the way through and I'm loving ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm only 15% of the way through and I'm loving it.<br/>From the get-go, this book snatches you up and<br/>carries you along for an exciting ride.<br/>Can't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G82UDTZX5IEG?ASIN=0316055441	Great piece of fiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is just a great novel. It is long and meandering and it takes a while to get through, but it is definitely worth the effort. It will resonate with me for a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LQWNCMWG36RR?ASIN=0316055441	This was very interest, but, at times, ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was very interest, but, at times, too wordy and the author was trying to address too many issues at the same time.  I often got confused about the climax in the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVRBUKEO84TLX?ASIN=0316055441	t	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really disliked the last part. Although it is really disheartening to read about a person taking the wrong path, it was really entertaining. Liked the part about Europe.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQPDI72ZQARJM?ASIN=0316055441	Could have been the best novel ever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful writing!! Unfortunately this brilliant novel is longer than it needs to be due to unnecessary rambling. The last several hundred pages started feeling like work.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CC8F17UUHK96?ASIN=0316055441	it was awesome. In my humble opinion	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Regardless of how 'the critics' rated this book, it was awesome.  In my humble opinion, it was worthy of the Pulitzer Prize.  As I got to the end, I could not put it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10KSTYUC2U77P?ASIN=0316055441	One of the longest books	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was filled with twists and turns. The depths of emotion were sometimes so overwhelming I had to stop and let them pass. I have to say, I . Am so glad it is done.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25CT2QX93J3L8?ASIN=0316055441	engaging, but long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch engages the reader quickly and reads easily for the first half. At this point, the book slows down and could benefit from some editing. Overall, a good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7Z5VDQGEPTXJ?ASIN=0316055441	Great story and I loved the characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story and I loved the characters. Dragged a bit at the end but all is forgiven considering the Dickens-on-speed-with Russian-complexity pace of the rest of the book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SCIZQCCJYGG4?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the story, admired the writing and construction of the novel, but abhorred the concept of Americans stoned and the glorification of drug use, specifically cocaine.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DIJ7DVX69VJU?ASIN=0316055441	Wow--What a Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After getting into this terrific book, we began buying it for Christmas presents and wound up giving it to 4-5 people.  It is a terrific story of a 12 year old who suffers</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GKEVJSTH3YIH?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those rare books that just get better with each new page.  It is a wonderful read, thought provoking, and catches one off guard at times.  Instant classic!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38DIIERSZY4QS?ASIN=0316055441	A rare find.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Im an avid reader, always searching for the next book to escape into. This book was one of the best I've read in a long time. The plot was deep, always kept my attention.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1079HEPVT68XX?ASIN=0316055441	Such a great read!  Touched my heart.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing. Well developed characters. The depth is very subtle-you aren't dragged down and before I knew it I was connected to these characters. Again, great writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B9JYM6G7NTVB?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the plot line of this book, though it was slow in parts and the ending waxed a little too philosophical for my taste. All in all, I'd still recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R338ZVCNVAO4E8?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A most captivating and dynamic reading experience.  Wow.  I laughed.<br/>Cried.  Was devastated, but left with a more expanded and acceptable<br/>view of life. (exhale)</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y710CVDAEMGS?ASIN=0316055441	Ungrounded	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story about a very troubled young man and his best friend growing up without parental input.  I couldn't put it down, even though the drug references were fatiguing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5PDWH1M9SO35?ASIN=0316055441	Most human book I've read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters in this book are beautifully crafted. It's not always an easy ready and there are some struggles along the way, but work through it. You'll be glad you did</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DVBGK8M3X3?ASIN=0316055441	Good but not great.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A thoroughly enjoyable read that delved into the world of drugs, art and antiques. But I felt it was a bit long winded. It could have been a little more ""snappy"".</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10HPPF2CJDP2P?ASIN=0316055441	Can't believe I invested so much time and effort to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can't believe I invested so much time and effort to finish this book.....such a depressing, grey, unfulfilling story....unlikable characters....way too long and laborious</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT4OEWIULMB3H?ASIN=0316055441	It's a book about Trauma and how a young man ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a book about Trauma and how a young man deals with his losses and fears. As a psychologist I find this story very gripping. I keep reading to hope he will get relief</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34U7BMI4CLCPQ?ASIN=0316055441	but the lead up is good.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The main character is very sctterbrained so a lot of the stories are long winded and fly off on tangents.  The end of the book moves very slowly, but the lead up is good.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KNVMJV8ZECMF?ASIN=0316055441	Although it's a good story, it was much too long and boring ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although it's a good story, it was much too long and boring in several parts.  well written though.  only gave three stars because it went off on a tangent several times.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XMACB81WBO35?ASIN=0316055441	The finch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book. Occasionally I found descriptions excessive and returning to previous incidents - repetitive. The ending is sad but real. I applaud the author's work.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QBQ6TGAWG8I3?ASIN=0316055441	I didn't like the book at all	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't like the book at all. It was too drawn out and very boring. I read quite a bit and I skipped through many sections and was very disappointed with the whole book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BGKXKCYNS9WF?ASIN=0316055441	Deep, disturbing, and lovely.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I founded parts of it very difficult to read.  The self destruction was painful. I found myself wishing for a bookmate to discuss the ideas....especially towards the end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AIE44CB0B07H?ASIN=0316055441	Wasted Premise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it pretentious. Theo started as a sympathetic character but as the plot devolved I could only think, ""What a waste."" The premise had so much going for it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8PKRE9U2GOCK?ASIN=0316055441	Great story teller	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the character portrayal....the story line and interesting facts on art and antiques makes for enjoyable<br/>reading. I have recommended the book to all my friends.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EDC8Z6TWHAP0?ASIN=0316055441	Too long, winding and senseless	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unable to see why this got a prize. It gets lost in stream of consciousness, muddled in unnecessary detail, twisted in meandering dialogue, obfuscated in layered events.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17WKJLW28RZ1W?ASIN=0316055441	pretentious and a bit tiresome.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even though I couldn't stop reading  and got attached to Theo (skipped paragraphs towards the end), I thought the book to be half-baked, pretentious and a bit  tiresome.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R165QAP5CY76XM?ASIN=0316055441	loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully crafted, thought- provoking, sometimes brutal.  This is the best book I've read in years.  The Goldfinch is one of those books that remains with you forever.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CIAZO1YQVP0M?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a very interesting story.  Very well written but some parts seemed too wordy for me.  I was too anxious to see what was going to happen next.  Well worth reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RBLZLK2P1AOL?ASIN=0316055441	Long, disjointed, enchanting final pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book took me over a year to finish. I couldn't get emotionally invested in the broken main character but am glad I kept going to finish. The final pages were magic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19N04KVT3XXEA?ASIN=0316055441	excellent and touching	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books of our generation. What is desperation and what is beauty? Is it all real or do invent art just to survive the insanity of our miserable existence?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MLTCUHM8C7ZX?ASIN=0316055441	Impossible to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finally gave in to the multitudes of friends who told me to read it. I found myself sneaking the book in during dinner and sex.  Reminded me of Shantaram in some ways.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36BL18ZXDTECQ?ASIN=0316055441	So much content, much research re art works from ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So much content, much research re art works from 16th century.  Much info about the harmless way young people get adducted to drugs, and wonderfull philosophical ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBCYYYOHMEF9F?ASIN=0316055441	memorable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">On the second reading, I got it.  The thread of nihilism woven with sustaining love is hard to wrap my head around, but too intriguing to put down.  God save you, Potter</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP42VC3AAHETA?ASIN=0316055441	big book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the writing. It was long but kept my interest through all the pages. Sad, profound, disturbing, interesting story of a boy damaged by the circumstances of his life</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19UMCDPT8T3PJ?ASIN=0316055441	Story line was a good one and I just skipped pages of descriptions where ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WAY TOO MUCH description of every single person, item, thought process, and on and on.  Story line was a good one and I just skipped pages of descriptions where I could.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SMGJBFLHLXJ6?ASIN=0316055441	Really? A Pulitzer?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't finish reading this book.  The author didn't entice me into finding out how the plot developed.  Guess I'm in a minority here but I found the writing tedious.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UF491WDYXTYJ?ASIN=0316055441	Started really well and I was hooked for the first ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started really well and I was hooked for the first third, then it just got frankly depressing and anxiety-producing and I'm not sure at all what the point if it all was.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VV5A7E9WRWXJ?ASIN=0316055441	Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a long, long, long book.  I couldn't get interested in the book at all.  Bounces around a lot.  I wish I could just leave a rating, does anyone know how to do that?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YIY6PYLNAWWS?ASIN=0316055441	not up to the hype for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is so popular and I think it because it stays sad and tragic the whole time. Great if you want to be depressed but I think the last third need serious editing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GTF85S2BOZF4?ASIN=0316055441	fab	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WOW!  Grabbed me from the first page and would not let me go. Will be thinking about it for a long time. If you love literature you owe it to yourself to read this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZLXQYI85RDN4?ASIN=0316055441	Really, really good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really good.  It's a long read that, while reading it I thought she lost her way at times, but, by the end of the book I couldn't think of anything I would have changed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V9V3VAE583ZH?ASIN=0316055441	Good writing, but misses the mark.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tedious descriptions of drug abuse in an otherwise pretty good story. She's a good writer, but personally I don't like reading about people who have virtually no morals.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I1M5FE3RBVOF?ASIN=0316055441	I find it hard to believe this book won the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I find it hard to believe this book won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.  There is hardly any plot and the unrelenting drug use of the main character is very unrealistic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE6E0V4A53SLC?ASIN=0316055441	A Rare Find!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating story!  Surprising turns of events. Donna Tartt weaves quite the spell!  No I am not revealing anything ~ other than my pure enjoyment of this exciting read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MFR62SRWU5DO?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting. Thought provoking. How, but for one ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting.  Thought provoking. How, but for one hasty or ill fated decision, you whole life is set in a different direction..  A little long, a little too much detail.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FY91PZQQ9Q1G?ASIN=0316055441	good book but tiring in the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just wish the main character experienced a real epiphany after slogging it out his whole life. The book just seemed to suffer through his existence and then peter out.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W6JV9GOA81F6?ASIN=0316055441	Verbose to the extreme.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">far too much drug culture and activities. not believable .<br/>pretty much a waste of time. took 3 months off and on to get through it, and it was not worth the effort.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37KSA67HW9I7F?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the characters and Tarts descriptive writing but overall it ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The middle is a little slow and the ending tries too hard to sum up the very long read. I loved the characters and Tarts descriptive writing but overall it was just- meh</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMG6JSZNGX83V?ASIN=0316055441	Another amazingly bad book gains critical acclaim	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too too long.  And why?  A dreadful Oliver Twist wannabe.  I don't care about Theo and probably neither will you if you can wade through what is almost a penny dreadful.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R137R612OC67WC?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding, beautiful writing and an incredible story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Outstanding, beautiful writing and an incredible story. Donna Tartt has knocked another one out of the park. A must read!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13GGQ3DL91WDC?ASIN=0316055441	A Slog	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really wanted to like this book since it came so highly recommended by Amazon. I've loved other Amazon highly recommended books but this book was just not good. I got to page 252 (out of 775) when I just gave up. I didn't find the characters interesting: teenage boys heavy into alcohol and drugs, abusive neglectful fathers, and other unbelievable, unlovable characters. The writing was just average to me, nothing special or insightful. I did love Burial Rites, another ""Best Book"" by Amazon, so I'll keep looking at their recommendations. Sadly disappointing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16OZ8YVJ8BWXC?ASIN=0316055441	a great story inside a terrible book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the characters and I loved their stories. It's too bad the author tried to hide them behind 500 pages of self indulgent philosophizing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ5RPTE56O0QM?ASIN=0316055441	It was beautifully written I really wanted it to work out for ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was beautifully written  I really wanted it to work out for ""Potter ""  and it does but not the way you think will couldn't wait to get to the end of the book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R352UN6RWXYO53?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story but too much of the same thing, ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story but too much of the same thing, and the venture to Amsterdam took way too long.  No real resolution other than where the painting ultimately ended up.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F58M1WR2O3AS?ASIN=0316055441	Not for everyone.  But it was for me!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazingly written.  I can't stop thinking about it which to me is a sign that I just read a great book.  I think I will have to read it again to gain even more from it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R42IU4G29EDHL?ASIN=0316055441	You gotta have The Goldfinch in your library.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I understand many people end up not finishing The Goldfinch. I don't understand that. One of the top 10 books I've ever read. Totally addicting. I could not put it down</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30NW9IGVNXMIU?ASIN=0316055441	For a book this long I would like to be fonder of the characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very engrossing, complex story. Especially interesting if you have an art or New York City background. For a book this long I would like to be fonder of the characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FXXFHR2GVRM5?ASIN=0316055441	greatness	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was truly captivating! An awesome story following the life of a young boy who finds himself in many hard situations, I was rooting for him the whole way thru.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R317XSQ9MPX00B?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful story, beautifully written, engaging, captivating, insightful into life and human nature. stunningly sensitive.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredibly engaging, well written, stunningly insightful and sensitive. Strongly recommend this wonderful piece of enduring literature.<br/>Sorry that the story ended!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NTLH59QER8WV?ASIN=0316055441	incredible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an amazing book. Excellent characters, plot, all of it. Taught me so much, changed my opinions, gave me dreams and nightmares. Would recommend to anyone. 100% A+++</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QLIMARA7ZAL2?ASIN=0316055441	it sort of disappointed me. Also just too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There was so much build up of this book, it sort of disappointed me. Also just too long,,,it just went  on an on.<br/>Saying that,I did like it and would recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R238E6B1BI8MB2?ASIN=0316055441	Long and luscious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had no idea about just what this was all about.  I had just heard praise.  I must say I was quite stunned at how engaged I became.  The final pages are brilliant.....</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YSNZGUH6NJ35?ASIN=0316055441	The author painted such believable characters I felt like I knew them intimately	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An incredibly interesting story! The author painted such believable characters I felt like I knew them intimately. Wonderful author. Only got too wordy at the very end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17ZAVA9BIFSBV?ASIN=0316055441	Well written, interesting plot - unlikeable main character	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could have enjoyed it more if  the main character had been a more admirable person. I'd like to read something else by the same author to see how I'd feel about that.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D608DXHRNAMF?ASIN=0316055441	I kept waiting for the happy moment just every now and then	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the story was very entertaining it was definitely a downer.  I kept waiting for the happy moment just every now and then.  The book is over and I'm still waiting.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39XCV1N5EE2XW?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long read but worth staying with it, even when it distresses.  Exceptionally well developed and unusual characters, compelling plot and intriguing, unfamiliar settings.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XQLZCODAESIW?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed the story and characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I think the book could use more editing, I enjoyed the story and characters. It kept my attention and I loved the information on art that was part of the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KVRFUR52MR5W?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was not sure if I was going to like this book but I am enjoying the character development and the descriptive style of writing. The story is detailed and interesting.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EWU2RJ4BT3UV?ASIN=0316055441	Exceptional literary work for book club and classroom!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exceptional writing! Many edge of your seat moments.. Heart wrenching at times, getting to the end of the book now and hoping there is a light at the end of the tunnel!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RLCM17WCWO0V?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderful character study with philosophical insight and overtones	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful character study with philosophical insight and overtones.  Complex lives of the characters heightens the suspense and outcome.  A little long in some parts.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z1SR1OX4WFUO?ASIN=0316055441	I felt like I was there	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is a tad long, but very interesting and well researched. From Vegas to New York to Amsterdam, I felt like I was there. The character development was well done.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCAO62K6EPZPL?ASIN=0316055441	It was an excellent book but the time in Las Vegas went on ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was an excellent book but the time in Las Vegas went on far too long.  There was another time near the end where I felt the same but can't come up with it right now.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGIPQ8F0M0CSH?ASIN=0316055441	I wish there were more than 5 stars. One ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wish there were more than 5 stars. One of the most powerful, memorable books I have ever read, and I am a voracious reader.  I can see why it won the Pulitzer Prize !</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WBKXKOTCNWMK?ASIN=0316055441	excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Mostly excellent. The book is well written and mostly sucks the reader in. There are times story bogged down on itself, but mostly, an interesting and captivating read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CPVK0DALHQS8?ASIN=0316055441	difficult, but worth it in the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was at times difficult to get through, but in the end, I thought it was a very good book and deserving of the Pulitzer. Donna Tartt is a very talented author.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35NDJ1KCETDEL?ASIN=0316055441	Really interesting!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a great read. I really enjoyed and could relate to the characters. The twists and turns of the plot kept me guessing and made this book impossible to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LB7EAD3CQAG3?ASIN=0316055441	This book is extremely well-written but it is too long ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is extremely well-written but it is too long and too full of despair. I suggest an anti-anxiety med prior to reading.<br/>The author is very talented though!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P4P2Z2Z4K0PP?ASIN=0316055441	Too long!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long! I loved the character development, but i had to force myself to read the last 100 pages. The ending was very weak and didn't really carry the entire book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AUCJAZ32MFWJ?ASIN=0316055441	love lives at the edge of the cesspool	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting and provocative book.....with a good summation....ambiguous, brilliantly written, challenging in length and subject!  Read when you have time to think!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY5HK5C38LS2I?ASIN=0316055441	Look forward to Donna Tartt novels!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a book club selection and sparked lively conversation.  I listened to it on Audible and loved the reader.  Another wonderful adventure by this remarkable author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11GUKBPSXF1ZA?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book of the year, a roller coaster ride that simply sucks you in from the Very first pages, SOO jealous of anyone starting to read this novel, it is beyound good!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY26X9CO3GPI7?ASIN=0316055441	Great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful book....enjoyed every minute.  Could not put it down. Would recommend this book to all.<br/>beautifully written especially the description of the painting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26W3NFX3KM6P8?ASIN=0316055441	Less than expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was not happy to read so many descriptions of vomiting, drug overdose, excessive alcohol imbibing.  I'm not sure how so much excess improved what the author intended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQLBSXKF2LZ00?ASIN=0316055441	Although extremely well written I found the characters to be ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although extremely well written I found the characters to be hopelessly unlikeable and depressing.  I couldn't wait to finish this book, but for all the wrong reasons.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXT3TRFKDAW4W?ASIN=0316055441	Life is Strange	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found it hard to put this down for any length of time and enjoyed trying to determine just what was going on right from the start, and I don't usually enjoy mysteries.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBSB3133SY25M?ASIN=0316055441	Unexpected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Worth the effort. Bogged down about two thirds through--rambled at times buy maybe that was the impression the writer was giving--a druggie's world. Thought provoking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CC2S9602IPD?ASIN=0316055441	Good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a good  book.  Could have been shorter. I listen to books on cd while I'm driving.  Some parts went on and on and I lost interest.  But overall it was very good</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19U8VRDRPD6PD?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the story and the writing style	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the story and the writing style, until the book got closer to the end.  So much reflective voice and narrative caused me to skip over parts for lack of interest.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M7FQ3DTSRKDX?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed reading this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed reading this book. Excellent character development. I can see why it is a Pulitzer book, this book will not appeal to everyone because the story drags at time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R104ZZX0IIMJ1P?ASIN=0316055441	odd person out opinion	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is my first read of Donna Tartt and I was expecting a rich, tight story, however what I found was an extremely slow paced story line caused by irrelevant details.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBAGS1C5SJN2N?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliantly written novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I truly enjoyed this book. One of the most masterfully written stories I've had the pleasure to read in a long time. Well worth the time investment to read every page.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BPG4S375R24P?ASIN=0316055441	Smart	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Smart and intense.  It took me into a sad world that made me feel like I was the helpless bird in the painting.  Well written and great characterization.  Tough story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OI2FZWXGSRCA?ASIN=0316055441	While the writing was very good, I found it cumbersome to keep reading the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the writing was very good, I found it cumbersome to keep reading the 771 pages because the characters were so flawed, I really didn't care what happened to them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R85QXZ19SP782?ASIN=0316055441	Good Book- Long Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know this story is being talked about and I enjoyed it. I am not really sure why everyone thinks the book is so amazing. I thought it was a long, but enjoyable read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RVBROE9UH06U?ASIN=0316055441	Very moving	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of a handful of books that touched my soul. I felt Theo's pain because I recognized it from personal experience. The Goldfinch will be with me a long time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HSB7A14LK3ES?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing, brilliantly told story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was unable to stop reading it. I understand why it has won the Pulitzer. This novel reaches deep into your soul and clutches at every emotion you could possess. Wow!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DW1U04B2FJ97?ASIN=0316055441	Still impressed after all these years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've been impressed with Donna Tartt's writing since I read The Secret History years ago, and this book is similarly rich in detail, never talking  down to the reader.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36ULAYR3VTHLP?ASIN=0316055441	Worst book I have ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Worst book I have ever read, can't believe it was the best seller list far so long...Very Poor Writing. should have stopped after 300 pages...Bad,Bad, Bad!!!!!!!!!!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2019SMUYDYA8I?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book!  Donna Tartt did an amazing bringing the characters in this book to life. The story pulled you in and was a real page turner right to the very end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I8S0QHBAIGL5?ASIN=0316055441	very good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has such wonderful descriptions of places you get totally pulled in. Can almost see, smell, feel the place. A different ending from most books. Existential!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPAPVK1PGYRIS?ASIN=0316055441	enjoy!!! its worth the  time to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">really a well written novel i can see how it won the Pulitzer . i would say 4 &amp; 1/2 stars<br/><br/>the reason i did not give it 5 stars it was a little long for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CGT2IPB7T53O?ASIN=0316055441	Good start, but....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I *wanted* to like this book (which is very well written) and made it through the first third. Given limited time to read, however, I couldn't justify continuing just to be able to say I'd read it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AZJJE4G1BMFV?ASIN=0316055441	too long for no good reason	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book started out very interesting and then it went down rapidly with just too long self dialogues. The thoughts as written did not have any poetry or drama to it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B4LMKLDUEU2Z?ASIN=0316055441	Wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A storyline you can't help but jump into. I felt like I knew the characters. The 98% on was confusing and needed to be read a fee times to grasp. Very unique story!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CRZNQCC4WQCC?ASIN=0316055441	A great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book captures you from the very first page and doesn't let go until the last page.  If any book deserves our time to read it, it's this one. You won't regret it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R318ZT3UGVMKJ0?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting but long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a great plot but the author used too many words to get there. I was surprised that I finished it and was pleased with the ending but it took a lot of effort.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X275QNYSMGFT?ASIN=0316055441	I loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I rate it five stars not because it was prize winning literature but because it was such a great read. It left me with a good feeling. Those few who pan it are wrong.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVPUOELRYSSSS?ASIN=0316055441	I didn't really like this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't really like this book. For me it was a struggle to get through.<br/>I couldn't relate to the main character.<br/>I didn't like the moral lesson at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VGG8DLN2I26Q?ASIN=0316055441	Not what I expected.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First half was pretty good but it became more repetitive as story went on. Too much of main character rehashing past drug experiences .  It was redundant towards end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KQEUWQFIK58J?ASIN=0316055441	stayed good for quite a while and then the editor must ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started out so well, stayed good for quite a while and then the editor must have quit.  By the time the book ended, I didn't care who  if anyone made it out alive.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R55S4G3QZIXC3?ASIN=0316055441	Definitely a Five-Star Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well deserving of the Pulitzer!  It's one of the best with many twists and turns...but believable ones!  It's cliché, I know, but true: You won't want to put it down!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C09ST4YK8Q6K?ASIN=0316055441	I thought the book was great but the last 50 pages left me confused	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book was great but the last 50 pages left me confused.  I couldn't figure out where she was going.  Still worth the time invested in reading 700+ pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JAMCGRD96OK1?ASIN=0316055441	This was probably one of the best books I have read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't usually write reviews. This was probably one of the best books I have read in years. Could not put it down. Looking forward to reading more Donna Tartt books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN6YIPRB538AR?ASIN=0316055441	Read this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in years.  I wasn't going to read it because the synopsis sounded so depressing, but it was so satisfying.  Like biting into a sweet, juicy peach.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TUA79SW2M1M1?ASIN=0316055441	The author too much in love with her own descriptive words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author too much in love with her own descriptive words ..... way too many of them......  would have been better if shortened by a minimum of 100 to 150 pages.....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P2WS2D1HLMXW?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hesitated to start this book because it was so long but I'm glad I did. Donna Tartt paints with words. It's an epic tale of love, tragedy, art and fate. I loved it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GDDBQKW6RKH8?ASIN=0316055441	I found it repetitive and at times tedious. Still haven't finished it because I became bored ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Over written...I found it repetitive and at times tedious.<br/>Still haven't finished it because I became bored with the author's overindulgence in<br/>description.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W4TUNCN64O95?ASIN=0316055441	Well done	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was a wonderful story.  Entertaining and worth the read. I couldn't help feeling in the last chapter the author was trying to sum up and wrap it all up......</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UZVSGBTUD5RF?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a great book.  Well written.  It held my interest.  I was frustrated, happy sad curious while reading it.  Why? I kept asking!  I would recommend reading it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BP2Z9T53RA9T?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am about halfway through this book now and I hate the thought of it ending!  Donna Tartt is such a good story teller.  Looking forward to reading more of her books.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AVVEWPPV8HCN?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Laborious.  Too much!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29CP2A7KGKPKH?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very depressing read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHZ9JPQN39IEJ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R289JZAJVX3RGC?ASIN=0316055441	Exquisite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As an avid reader I would like to say this is one of the most beautiful books I have ever had the pleasure of reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ7N9DX81C7E9?ASIN=0316055441	Don't bother	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Big disappointment after all the hype.  The novel was way too long and the ending was too abrupt and left the reader (and  characters) hanging.  Would not recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWWPIG03YKTFI?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed this book and would give the first half of ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For the most part, I enjoyed this book and would give the first half of it 5 stars.  Towards the end it was quite bizarre and that brings my rating to 4 stars.  Fran</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X0Q0P9ULRA4R?ASIN=0316055441	Magnificent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a journey.. Beautiful and deep and sophisticated.  You have to read many sentences twice or three times to comprehend its gravity.  Loved loved loved this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R52LI39Z61D75?ASIN=0316055441	Forgiveness	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book easy to read. It made me angry with the characters, then when I couldn't stand the direction it was moving, it changed direction and. surprised me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HYDWZMV754LS?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't like this book at all.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like this book and, in fact, finally gave up on it. The book was entirely too long and I found myself skipping pages hoping it would get on with the story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IZZMKSQIIOV4?ASIN=0316055441	A good read for the first 1/3 or so of the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good read for the first 1/3 or so of the book.  But, the anti-hero get really annoying and tedious.  I was cringing at some of his behavior.  It just got tiresome.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1701R4G8D4KVL?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the realistic flawed characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the realistic flawed characters,especially in the early years...kept me reading late into the night...the resolution was appropriate. I hope there is a part 2.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYUXL97ETTYUS?ASIN=0316055441	It was boring, convoluted	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I do not know how she received the Pulitzer.  It was boring, convoluted, and the characters unattractive and hard to like.  And I did not get the point of the story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZYIPZRO6B45Y?ASIN=0316055441	articulate, well thought out, colorful piece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book that's hard to put down - sometimes overly descriptive, but definitely an adventure. Somewhat predictable but leaves you feeling something at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VHB5KJT7WQB2?ASIN=0316055441	I did make it to the end but really didn't like the	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the characters extremely dysfunctional. I read it on my kindle and didn't realize how long it was.  I did make it to the end but really didn't  like the book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VS8PLX2MGGJZ?ASIN=0316055441	An inventive and well written novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great rolicking read, full of interesting characters. You are carried along with the story, always wondering what is going to happen to them. I recommend this book</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38MUNHVTMRP8?ASIN=0316055441	long and beautiful story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not going to lie, this book took me a long time to read. It's beautifully written and covers deep subjects. It may be too long but I enjoyed living in this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y1V0V1P48DQX?ASIN=0316055441	I read a couple of chapters a few months ago ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read a couple of chapters a few months ago, to the praise of fellow readers in my reading group.  I somehow never finished it and have no desire to get back to it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JEMQ09MJGDL6?ASIN=0316055441	riveting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it entertaining yet incomprehensible at times. There were a few instances that seemed beyond the realm of possibility. I don't care, it was a very good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZT17IS9VR8P0?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a fascinating read. At times it is a little dark. It will make you think about yourself and others and the experiences we go through that make us who we are.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C73W7E01WB8X?ASIN=0316055441	prisoner of life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written intriguing premise and characters of great charm.  Youth , talent, disaster, and a story of the survival and philosophy of each of their parallel lives.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWVYRWU8CET2Y?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written. Even at nearly 800 pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written.  Even at nearly 800 pages, it was compelling and never lagged.  No surprise it has been on the best seller list so long and will become a movie.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HE7H6FOR9FZP?ASIN=0316055441	not a feel good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you are looking for a feel good story don't look here.  One tragic story line after another. The writing is excellent but sometimes little too wordy for my taste.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIGU0JX56LLKU?ASIN=0316055441	The book started out great and held my interest	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book started out great and held my interest.  The last part of the book was slow and too descriptive.  I feel the book would have been better if condensed a bit.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO2U8R8BPERKR?ASIN=0316055441	Harrowing and fabulous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt takes topics that nobody likes to look at--like terrorism, death, addiction, and kids who grow themselves up--and manages to find a happy ending.  Pure genius.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZZ58JEMD0VC9?ASIN=0316055441	While I enjoyed the very descriptive style of writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I enjoyed the very descriptive style of writing, it almost was too much at times.  This was difficult for me to finish near the end and also quite depressing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZRPAI7CDRMWV?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt's ability to map out the life of her main ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's ability to map out the life of her main character using art history intermingled with the life-long effects of catastrophe was thought provoking and moving.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GKYVYOLCZAUI?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully and intelligently written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Stunning, beautifully and intelligently written, and full of great characters, even if the book is too long.  Definitely one of the bests books that I've ever read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPEOKJSYJNN8Z?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a well written story and all of the characters are so perfectly flawed.  I found myself unable to put the book down, worried about how Theo would find his way.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JPLB6H0BYT8G?ASIN=0316055441	I was very disappointed in the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading rave reviews for the Goldfinch, I was very disappointed in the book. It was much too long and there were many parts that just didn't hold my interest.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9BYNT9DDA875?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating story.  I couldn't put it down. No wonder it got the Pulitzer. I liked the character development.  You could really imagine these people.  Well written.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXWCEUNBLP356?ASIN=0316055441	Like candy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book  Reading it was like eating chocolate candy. It was so well written. I looked forward to getting time to read it and I enjoyed every minute of it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WE2KHG36F9ST?ASIN=0316055441	I got bored and paged through the final chapters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tooo much repetative detail and description of walks etc. I got bored and paged through the final chapters. I did finish it and wouldve liked to give it 2.5 starts.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E92GSMM4ERRV?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the first 2/3rds of the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the first 2/3rds of the book, but I felt the later part was meandering and unfocused and I lost interest in the narrative thread. Beautifully written though</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLKWTPU9XWIY2?ASIN=0316055441	Elegant in the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">wonderful book, even though I was about to throw it away sometimes, it all came back in the end! The last pages wraps it all up in an elegant and sofistifacted way!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EAQOZGIKDX6X?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">my favorite book …ever !<br/>art,drugs,romance,qwirky interesting characters .<br/>what a fantastic story .<br/>its got it all<br/>i coukd not stop readibg it .</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EBW40YDKKTP2?ASIN=0316055441	Understandable Pulitzer winner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing writing, amazing story. Such depth of characters, your heart breaks. Ending seemed a bit rushed but after thinking of it, couldn't have ended any other way.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNHZUWIQUXQMS?ASIN=0316055441	A Masterpiece!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the greatest books I've ever read.  Completely engaging, compulsively readable and deeply, deeply moving.  A riveting narrative, brilliantly written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTC709LZH2H77?ASIN=0316055441	The book was delivered on Sunday!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book, which arrived with a just off the press quality, was ordered on Wednesday evening and was found, waiting for me at my door, on Sunday evening.  Amazing !</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16B40PD44OGJ7?ASIN=0316055441	ANTICIPATING A GOOD READ	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just beginning to read it.  I liked that I could read several pages before ordering because I don't read authors who use excessive bad language/sexual exploitation.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN9CSMJA6IGBD?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very depressing book. Way too much drug use and morals of the characters was awful. A total waste of time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J68NCDCP3FBA?ASIN=0316055441	Much more complex than seems	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book and had trouble putting it down, but since it's very long, I had to sleep! I'm not sure everyone will enjoy it as much as I did, but many will.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCAAZRRX4XJ8F?ASIN=0316055441	Wow, what did I just finish?  Lots to ponder and discuss in book club.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Haven't talked to many who have read.  There are those who recommend books that I read and like; these readers did not recommend The Goldfinch.  Why did I like....</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G8NHH228ESO?ASIN=0316055441	Great read, a bit too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a compelling book. Very well written. I really enjoyed it and loved the new words I added to my vocabulary.<br/>It only got 4 stars because it is SO long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXTFRV01J4CKX?ASIN=0316055441	All art has its critics	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful prose, however, I feel that the book was a few hundred pages too long.  As with all art, we are all critics and each see (read) beauty in differing ways.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37ZAOQXZ0VJNX?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed the story very much but found the middle part ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the story very much but found the middle part a little upsetting due to the language and also the content (very explicit).  Ended on a good note I thought.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS7QXH37ODVWR?ASIN=0316055441	Don't be afraid	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Never have I so eagerly anticipated and so dreaded the the next page.  Richly drawn characters and a plot worthy of Dickens, The Goldfinch is a gift to the reader.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U025Q76X08SS?ASIN=0316055441	This book will stay with you	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It remained in my thoughts well after finishing.  While I was reading it I did not expect it to have any impact on me or the way I thought about things but it has.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KPG0GW6F2VPQ?ASIN=0316055441	Very well written- held my interest despite wordiness. I ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written- held my interest despite wordiness. I did not give it a 5 because I reserve 5's for books that have significantly changed my life or world view.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIOQSPPHD55AT?ASIN=0316055441	Overall a Good book, but drug out too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall a Good book, but drug out too long. The author could have condensed some of the chapters. I didn't stop reading it because I had to find out what happened.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R236CM2QJDIK5T?ASIN=0316055441	Magnificent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling story from beginning to end! Wonderful characters! Amazing writing...descriptive, thoughtful, brilliant!<br/>A brilliant and must read novel, for sure!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KRSWIW6YXGW7?ASIN=0316055441	Excruciatingly dark and dreary, painfully slow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author has an incredible talent for drawing the reader into a hell of despair, addiction and denial. Too long a journey for too little reward, at least for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZOWX19E34SZH?ASIN=0316055441	Complex and insightful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although this story is painful, it keeps your sympathy for the main character and your interest in how things get worked through. and they DO get resolved, mostly.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PA4PUE4BOHG0?ASIN=0316055441	I was disappointed in the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was disappointed in the book.  I found that there was to much writing that did not pertain to the story.  I became bored with it, although I did finish the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYPQ4KPNF0FFM?ASIN=0316055441	fantastic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">just read it! best fiction book in years. captivating,with wonderful characters. even though it was a long read, i savored the experience and didnt want it to end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R222CA6056Z2DT?ASIN=0316055441	A very good book that is a joy to read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This lengthy tome spins a yarn that is hard to believe yet fun to follow. Ms. Tart, as always, is a master of wordsmithing. That was my favorite part of this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLBS5EDB8PVLN?ASIN=0316055441	wow! what a geeat book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The painting in this book really captured me.  It was so small and so big in meaning.  I really loved that.  Also the lifelong relationships were very interesting.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZRZVRJ9F4LA2?ASIN=0316055441	A Lengthy Tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good story in the beginning...I kept wondering where it was going, but it went on far too long.  Is the Pulitzer by chance given for the number of words written?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZRTTKOC4SV0U?ASIN=0316055441	Best Book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best book. You will not be able to put it down or stp thinking about the characters . If you are sick of dumb, formula, books, you will love this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EE7DKJ5B6MP7?ASIN=0316055441	A thoughtful and intriguing story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very thoughtful and intriguing story. I grew to like the main characters. I was 85 percent through the book and I still had no idea of how it would end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13KRGRH7J79TT?ASIN=0316055441	Came in excellent condition	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this book which I am discussing in September.  The copy I received was in good condition and well packed.  I have started the book, and enjoying it so far.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HYKH4FKQAHIP?ASIN=0316055441	Yes!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written with wonderful character formation, emotion and suspense. A rewarding read worth sticking with. Don't be discouraged with the verbose interludes.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28PLO2BDPW1FJ?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the first part of the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After finishing this book, I realize it was just one long study of the effects of PTSD on a person's life. Unfortunately, the lead character never got any professional help for it and after 1/3 of the book, his life went, predictably, to hell.  I loved the first part of the book: the art museum, the bombing, and Theo's utter loss afterwards. But once he went to Vegas, it got monotonous.  I rarely skim through books, but I have to admit to skimming a lot of this once I got past the halfway mark.  Her descriptive passages were beautiful at times, but bored me to tears at others. I kept waiting for this book to get to it's point, but it never did until the very end.  I actually skimmed through the last few pages, too, hardly pausing to ponder her philosophical points.  When I read a book like this, I want to glean the philosophy from the characters' thoughts and actions, not in a 20 page summary at the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E2VR2WDMPW6?ASIN=0316055441	Read it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you ever lost somebody when you were a teen, who was your closest friend - and by the way, mother - this book is for you. It may break your heart, but read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MXMCKOFKPVD2?ASIN=0316055441	Book to make you think	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Writing was detailed and outstanding.<br/>Enjoyed the entire story line and characters. Wish there would have been<br/>a more detailed picture of The Goldfinch.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FTGGJCJQZZUQ?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning was interesting and kept me reading but then it got so dark. I kept reading hoping it would get better and it got worse. This was a depressing read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OR2GEXRZ9HYQ?ASIN=0316055441	Love lost	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it in the beginning, however it was completely depressing as it progressed. Too wordy at times to the point where I began skipping multiple pages at a time.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R189CC65HCZEVO?ASIN=0316055441	The best attribute of the book is it's wonderful dialogue	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel mixes art history with suspense.  The best attribute of the book is it's wonderful dialogue.  It was so real, making the reading experience delightful.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KUTVNN6W3HIK?ASIN=0316055441	The book arrived in excellent shape. As for the content of the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book arrived in excellent shape.  As for the content of the book, I was disappointed since it receives such high ratings. I doubt that I will finish the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDSPF5XHMV9E1?ASIN=0316055441	Dark	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Little to dark for me. Wanted to see Theo end up happy and free. Seems in reality he simply can't find happiness. Some lessons to be considered on a deeper level.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8U2SRNWCATM1?ASIN=0316055441	Although the story was very good, I think I was more drawn to the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the story was very good, I think I was more drawn to the writing style of Donna Tartt.  She writes so engrossing that the book is impossible to put down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FKPRYC0K2EFA?ASIN=0316055441	The bleak bird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wAs into it n the beginning but got annoyed with authors intelligence, seeming to really be trying show readers  how smart  she was... too long and drawn out...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12G0W188SOVH0?ASIN=0316055441	Not a book I enjoyed. Thought at the start it woukd be a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a book I enjoyed.  Thought  at the start it woukd be a good read. But got very hard to continue.  Boring and not much life to it if you understand what I mean</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPICTVC6M4CGZ?ASIN=0316055441	To long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt the story was to long. It did not catch my attention till the middle then lost me. Right before the end the story got interesting and I was able to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NY391U2W65JV?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writer with amazing I sites into the inner lives ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful writer with  amazing I sites into the inner lives of her characters.<br/>Her editor might have helped  her to delete some of the  repetative  Thoughts.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B07JKAW8TH22?ASIN=0316055441	an insight into a parallel world	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is well written and a stimulating read. Your heart cries for the young man and his friend with what fate serves them. Thank you to the author for a great story</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37RBKKSZ2TNUM?ASIN=0316055441	Why all the hype?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the writing was good, I have no idea why people are raving about this. It just went on and on and on. I ended up speed reading through the last third of it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MXUO6WYG6JG3?ASIN=0316055441	The book was too long, but I couldn't be ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was too long, but I couldn't be bothered with that!  I had to get to the end as quickly as I could. The fact that Theo survived was worth the wordy trip.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3560ULM8OVXVK?ASIN=0316055441	Big start, boring finish.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started out great! I couldn't put it down. Then it seemed to just be the rantings of a drug addict. I found my self skimming through the last several chapters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37ZS6X8Y1GXTT?ASIN=0316055441	Great book, very descriptive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, very descriptive, could get into the 'feel' of the moment.  A very long novel and was a little disappointed with the ending, but overall a great read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ABS4T21IYA3E?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing Insight	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Truly intriguing look into the lives of 2 ""lost boys."" Some swearing to deal with. Beautifully narrated with accents - you can ""see"" it happening.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A4L753N9VONF?ASIN=0316055441	GREAT ART GIVES JOY TO ALL FOREVER	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tragedy in young Theo's life leads him through dark and dangerous times.  A painting defines his life dominating his every thought and influencing. his decisions.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG3Q9DWPS14A?ASIN=0316055441	Did not enjoy this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not sure why I finished it but since I did I gave it 3 stars. I found it dark and depressing. Parts seemed to go on endlessly and arrived nowhere.  Disappointing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35JFLSWM6HZIF?ASIN=0316055441	Very contemporary and interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I gave it to my son (27) to read.  He rarely reads fiction and rarely reads hardbound books.  This one is the exception.  I will probably read it again next year.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KUMTS5GICP7S?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling Page Turner.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a marvelous, though a bit wordy, writer. The main characters are nothing like me, yet she made me understand them all.  A deep and compelling work.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33ZRYD9Y2IU9P?ASIN=0316055441	Deserved the award!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was glued. I need to read it again. The writing was artful and the characters were well described and acted accordingly. Although the end got a little preachy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CS96EWZJNSFL?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely long novel.  But, I couldn't put it down.  Enjoyed it!  However, the final pages fell a little short on believability or I would have given it 5 stars.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBASRXT80LF7A?ASIN=0316055441	Would definitely recommend it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is incredibly thoughtful and keeps you interested throughout the whole book. I found it interesting and also personable. Would definitely recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28ASRW06CQCGD?ASIN=0316055441	A New American Classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author has created a spell binding, at times unpleasant in some of its characters who might be considered shady, but in the end an immensely enjoyable novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M4XST9UC48BO?ASIN=0316055441	Not the most brilliant writing, but an incredibly captivating story that had ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not the most brilliant writing, but an incredibly captivating story that had my attention the entire time. Can't wait for the movie, I'm sure that's not far off.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25IH4RQSRGHE7?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book. It was hard to put down. The characters came to life and the plot was entertaining. Looking forward to reading more from Donna Tartt.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FXYEAF1B78KH?ASIN=0316055441	I thought this would be better. It pulled me in for the first few ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ehh, I thought this would be better.  It pulled me in for the first few hundred pages, then seemed to have trouble getting out of the corner it was written into.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11O2Q9DTCN9V6?ASIN=0316055441	Worth your time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Despite the fact that this is a 700 page book, it is a captivating read.  The journey that this character takes is a difficult one but it is a well told account.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36A9UM3X60QBU?ASIN=0316055441	I would not recommend this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very frustrating book to read.  I think a lot of the story could have been edited out - too long and repeats itself too much.  I would not recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U2P4TCDOGZTV?ASIN=0316055441	hard to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sad, gut wrenching, exciting, metaphysical, philosophical.  The author's knowledge of art and its transformational qualities were enlightening.  No happy ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F8G8FPZPVA6D?ASIN=0316055441	Not light reading but interesting and a good story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was long and there were times when it was difficult to stick with it but worth it in the long run.  Not light reading but interesting and a good story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWVRNDHMY8Z6W?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written.  wonderful story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story held my attention from beginning to end.  I enjoyed the references to current technology and descriptions of all the places in which the story occurs.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVHLYY9POAJHW?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book. Lengthy - but hey?! I love to read, and I'd be reading something anyway!  The character development was superb, and the story didn't disappoint.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I12WFJ4JL134?ASIN=0316055441	My Favorite Book of all Time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I never write reviews, because I don't feel at all qualified. This is not a review either, just a couple of sentences, to tell future readers, I loved this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ZA1S189ON2F?ASIN=0316055441	page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Has twists and turns that are great. Not like overboard twists n turns but subtle turns that is brilliantly written. One of the best novels I've read in a while.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W95KZX7SLNID?ASIN=0316055441	First two thirds captivated me - and then.........	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book had me entranced until the final third when the author indulges in ""over-the-top"" drug, murder, psycho introspection.  Where did the story go???</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HUDQOEAV0MQC?ASIN=0316055441	Effortless and beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a pleasure  to dive into this book. Moving and surprising but hard to describe to another reader. The plot itself is not the point of the story. I loved it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R373MBI8RZCCYM?ASIN=0316055441	I would not recommend.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am having a very difficult time getting through this book.  It is quite lengthy and the story could be told in half the amount of time.  I would not recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1788XRK4PXQMT?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the story and adventure of The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the story and the adventure of The Goldfinch. There were times when the narrative of details went on too long for my taste but over all a very good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S7P3C9MUADPQ?ASIN=0316055441	Long and drawn out at times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall it is well written and a good story But she tends to ramble on in a couple of areas as if she's writing a college paper that has to be X amount of pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F4B7E1SELEKK?ASIN=0316055441	Worthwhile	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fine panoramic novel with great writing and characterization. But near 800 pages of despair, misery and squalor. Still, the last 12 pages are balm for the heart.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R354MD6U1TEO5E?ASIN=0316055441	GOLDFINCH beautifully written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written , Goldfinch takes you through a journey of life's heartaches, joy and the beauty of Art. I very much enjoyed this book. I would recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BVV83M6D8C9B?ASIN=0316055441	Some parts of the book seemed to drag. The ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some parts of the book seemed to drag. The saying ""Why say something in 3 words when you can use 45? comes to mind in many of the character's conversations.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38Y0FO50Y3K?ASIN=0316055441	could have said just as much more quickly.  like in 500  pages instead of over 700	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">long and drawn out .  doesn't move fast enough but it is a good story.  too descriptive.  the boy is constantly thinking out things and goes on and on and on...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EJA6B280AI6B?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't stop reading it. It mesmerized me with its intriguing plot and amazing sense of life. You can't help but wonder what awaits you on the following page</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QOXD87UFI3ZL?ASIN=0316055441	a lasting  footprint	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book will stay with you.... thought provoking, a bit dark at times, unpredictable and masterful writing...believable characters that do unbelievable things</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGSS50LBOZW1Y?ASIN=0316055441	thoroughly engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This beautiful novel is many different things: crime drama, love story, reverie, philosophical exploration.  At once very real and surreal, with many surprises.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38FRQ54P0CWVO?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love this book. It has been months since I finished it and it's still on my mind.  The characters are so richly and intimately developed that I miss them now.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1701Y6P6C8917?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">enjoyed parts of book; found it to be too long - seemed there could have been better editing without losing meaningful dialogue or plot; did not care for ending</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20IVNZOA5MWLC?ASIN=0316055441	Difficult to rate	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disturbing and impossible to.put down.at the same.time ..I.felt there were many loose ends and questions unresolved at the end.  I am glad I finished it though.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PQO672HA0IC0?ASIN=0316055441	Well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well  written.  I wish  more  books  were  this well written.  Compelling plot, great  characterization. It is  enough  of  a thriller to keep you reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU0HZ1VQLNVHH?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In my top 3 favorites list. Absolutely enchanting. I rarely feel so transported in a book as I did by this one. I did not want it to end. Long but amazing read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MSSQ7RFIW6W2?ASIN=0316055441	Very good book but too much detail!.  the book could easily be 50 less pages.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">They story itself I really liked.  Great characters.  I felt there was way to much detail that made absolutely no difference so I skipped many, many paragraphs.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PAJ31QTJYDOW?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book, but different.  Very descriptive story often making one feel they were right there.<br/>Did not like all the drugs and use of the four letter words.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9VW428GYOAQ2?ASIN=0316055441	Good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a hard time building an interest in this book until the first life-changing event occurred.  Made me think of the reasons people turn out the way they do.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17G86ONVBRRP8?ASIN=0316055441	too much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unappealing people, too wordy and druggy and not believable. It was an effort to get through this book. There are nuggets of gold but they lie in a muddy field.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWCHP3TL7OYKR?ASIN=0316055441	Always love novels that leave u feeling like u miss the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Always love novels that leave u feeling like u miss the characters once ur done. This was definitely one of those. Tragic but thoughtfully compelling storyline.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ204W1NQQZ?ASIN=0316055441	Long and good, but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long, heartbreaking at times, but really good. However, I wasn't really satisfied with the ending... it felt like there were still far too many loose ends.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NKF0JB0IZBJ?ASIN=0316055441	Love the way she describes people	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love the way she describes people. I marked several sections because I enjoyed the way she wrote. My only complaint is sections can seem a bit too long at times</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T9MJTYDECSGR?ASIN=0316055441	Long slog, no payoff	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This could have been a novella.  I waded and then skimmed through the 1000+ pages trying to find out why this book is so beloved.  In the end, I gave up caring.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C02TYFMWU4X2?ASIN=0316055441	must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sad, disturbing, while hilarious and sentimental...extremely educational on so many topics....this book has everything.  The characters will be with me forever.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWDME247ODYYS?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant idea, but unnecessarily long. Instead of just enjoying the story, I was wishing she would have stuck to the story.  I couldn't wait for it to be over.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ATD6JJ6HM0V6?ASIN=0316055441	Heart wrenching	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I suffered through reading the protagonists childhood experiences, because I'm sure somehow someone could relate to him. The relationship are realistic yet sad.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32W2TGBFOYT67?ASIN=0316055441	Loved Boris, Hobie and Popchek(alias Popper) the best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very interesting. Characters were so real. I found myself hearing Boris' accent in my head. Loved Boris, Hobie and Popchek(alias Popper) the best.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O5CBT4Y3YKT0?ASIN=0316055441	time I will never get back	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrible!  Extremely long, way too detailed, highly unrealistic, worthless boring ending. Very disappointing and a waste of my time. Time I will never get back.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROPMVXMMSAF7G?ASIN=0316055441	STRONG LANGUAGE	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book was a disappointment due to language and could not follow what book was about; only read it due to it was on my monthly Book Club list for the month.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHGM60GYMGBW0?ASIN=0316055441	but an intriguing read complete with philosophical questions about love, life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">About 200 pages too long, but an intriguing read complete with philosophical questions about love, life, and what one does in the most desperate of situations.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LYJVI001NZFI?ASIN=0316055441	Need to concentrate	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting  the characters are very strong and well developed which makes you push on through the slower parts.  Worth thinking it through...thought provoking</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FQ1LAYH9QAWI?ASIN=0316055441	too much about nothing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing, too long with not much content.  Just when I thought it might be getting interesting, the wordy  sadness creeped in again.  Too much self absorbed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F1VJXVO6035D?ASIN=0316055441	Glad I didn't wait for the paperback to come out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Glad I didn't wait for the paperback to come out.  I've been dying to read it and I'm knee deep into it now.<br/>Such a good writer!!!!  Such a good story!!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWVMIXM6WWS10?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch: A Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was surprised at how involved this story was.  The characters and plot fit together in a seamless way.  I enjoyed how it all worked out in a positive manner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SLR0IZCQMQT3?ASIN=0316055441	I finally finished The Goldfinch!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked this book, although it took me months to finish. What a tale Theo had to tell! Very rich characters and interesting plot. Good job, Donna Tartt!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP2GBEAUEOMIN?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer got it right	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the writing, the story, the characters. I was surprised often as the story unfolded. The book is about the effects Art can have. Pulitzer got it right.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG15HM6WVQ7E4?ASIN=0316055441	775 pages, too long for the ending.. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">775 pages, too long for the ending..  the book kept my interest, but thought  the ending was too philosophical and weak.  was expecting a big punch at the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JLLG3KM0C9A7?ASIN=0316055441	Worth reading, page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really good. Didn't give it the full 5 stars because it became too lenghty at times.<br/><br/>And so excited it's going to be made into a movie or TV series.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6YQVEV0GP4MP?ASIN=0316055441	Loved every page	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters were so incredibly vivid. I knew them all as if in my life. I fell in love with the painting and learned that through art, life can be immortal.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V86VINEJU4N5?ASIN=0316055441	Just an OK book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story itself was great. Author described EVERYTHING to death.  Just went on and on, so much so that I skimmed through much of it, not caring what I missed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13GYM5A7RYBI3?ASIN=0316055441	Would recommend this book for good reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am more than half  way through the book. It is a very intriguing story with the variety of characters and twists. Would recommend this book for good reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UVULDJY6Q1WT?ASIN=0316055441	Not enough hope.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WAY too long. People with PTSD do get better.<br/>Theo did not make much progress towards healing and stinging the past, instead he turned to drugs.  How sad.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGFELLR5RIFXZ?ASIN=0316055441	awesome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's not perfect, but for anyone who loves literature and has a hard time finding it in the mostly tripe written these days, read this, you'll be glad you did.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X5DO46K93ND0?ASIN=0316055441	Great characters and story line	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long but riveting read. Great characters and story line. Creative prose. Interesting insight into the ambiguity of good vs. bad intentions and their results.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ABXGF83IYYZD?ASIN=0316055441	It was recommended by people in my book club	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book very depressing. And too long!  It was recommended by people in my book club.  I struggled to finish it.  I would not recommend it to others.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA95WLDBHLRJ2?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing, long winded and negative. Life is too ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappointing, long winded and negative. Life is too full of loosers to have to read about them.  Kept waiting for some small bright spark.. it never happened.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R302OL1KACLKZ7?ASIN=0316055441	but on the whole I really enjoyed the story and her writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As with many long books the story dragged in many places; the author tended to belabor the points, but on the whole I really enjoyed the story and her writing.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KBF3KI7GRS2D?ASIN=0316055441	a good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is intriguing  The book seems to ramble on at times. Overall though it is a thought provoker.  For me it offers a new insight into art and paintings.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMTHLJA8G67NU?ASIN=0316055441	A MUST READRTHWHILE	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">STUNNING.  DID NOT WANT IT .TO END.  I WILL CERTAINLY READ MORE MORE OF HER BOOKS.  THE PEOPLE ARE SO RELISTIC I SEE THEM IN MY MIND AND CARE ABOUT THEM.  WOW!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12TIXVF3IIQXY?ASIN=0316055441	Exhausted	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overblown.<br/>So disappointed.<br/>Think the author had a sweet start then ran way too far with it<br/>Truly I could not wait to be finished with this book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R329E2QLN2HVN?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing, but captivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book draws you in.  Very well written. But, I had to stop reading it twice, because it made me so sad.  I kept hoping for a happy moment that never came.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LL1R5SZIANJI?ASIN=0316055441	What a story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even though this book is very long, it doesn't drag on. The author does such a great job of painting a picture of this young man's struggles and adventures...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EG9FOKOA9B1L?ASIN=0316055441	Good beginning, eh ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gritty, at times painful to read. Story changed lanes quite a few times, into the future, back to past, started off great- loved the beginning but not the end</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NZO4GMK6JSH2?ASIN=0316055441	For bragging rights, please read this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it, loved it, loved it. Beautifully written. Some say a little too ""wordy"" towards the end. Great story, great characters.  Thank you Ms. Tartt.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R291FERWMW4V4T?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful ending which haunts you for days	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely well written- vivid description of characters larger than life. Some parts are s little long and dark. Beautiful ending which haunts you for days...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VM2M4AN5Y7VL?ASIN=0316055441	Perfect	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book. Painful at times, and beautiful. Hard to put down, unlike other books I've read, I was immersed in it when I desperately needed a great read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BYM13747ZCEY?ASIN=0316055441	If you like books about alcoholics and drug abusers this is the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you like books about alcoholics and drug abusers this is the one. I read The Goldfinch down to the last word and realized there could be a sequel. Oh My!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20OAKEEUNU41B?ASIN=0316055441	wondering	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story,thought provoking and often too wordy so the flow and meaning get lost. Good existential exploration and soul searching for characters and readers.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PZ295FCC11W6?ASIN=0316055441	Exceptional writing and a very gripping story kept my attention ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exceptional writing and a very gripping story kept my attention throughout the book. It drags slightly at the end but it is absolutely worth sticking with it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L2U9D822K0BL?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't cut it...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring...and depressing.  I kept reading hoping it would get better.  There were a few bright spots and then back to depressing ones again.  Pass on this one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19W4WNQ6XJRVU?ASIN=0316055441	It was a very good read. it is a long read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a very good read.it is a long read. And I found myself putting it down for a couple days at a time.then goin back to it. Which is pretty unusual for me</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S3VG4GEKCX07?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful writing, but really didn't care much about the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful writing, but really didn't care much about the protagonists. Could have been edited by about 200 pages.<br/>A Secret History is a much better book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DVJN3DJTBOFP?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent! A compelling read. You'll feel like you know the characters intimately and want to to know how things are turning out. I like the way Tartt writes.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTZP2CW6OX7LB?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful language and very	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful language and very, very descriptive....lots and lots of words!....could have used some additional editing! Good story, however. Very original topic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HB2IBOV1BROA?ASIN=0316055441	Take your time and enjoy a well written book, with a never ending story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Having read it,  now I know it's values on many many different levels.<br/>It is a rubric of truth with some fiction added in.<br/>It is a good strong read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MHC29Q8H77XD?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Complex and thought-provoking. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It takes you on a journey through art, despair, drugs and truth. The Goldfinch touches the soul.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RYLHQ8ZL3QC?ASIN=0316055441	Tantalizing, interesting,  -- and finally ending as I wanted it to!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book held my interest 3/4 through then began to drag a bit; however, the ending was surprising because I totally did not expect it to end in this manner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11C0GIRFMJZGV?ASIN=0316055441	Hobie and Boris are the heart of this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well, I stuck with it for 775 pages.  Very up and down book.  Some parts were great - mostly when Boris is around.  Overall, though, disappoi nted by the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REHYD1SKZ382X?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful language	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt understands how to write in a way that allows you to feel and connect with diverse characters. Her style ans wood choice was absolutely beautiful.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N9RHV5ZVLTTY?ASIN=0316055441	Unusual and excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Liked this book very much - it's beautifully written and completely mesmerizing.  And unusual in the plot and story line. A definite ""worth reading "".</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIL5MX92JEVBS?ASIN=0316055441	Opened up a new world to me--drugs, art, ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Opened up a new world to me--drugs, art, art gangs, personal relationships, etc.<br/>Book dragged on in parts, but overall very interesting and enlightening!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A9CJWIFHLIV1?ASIN=0316055441	A Must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent!! One of the best novels I have listened to this year. Everyone that listened to it this year loved the way it was writen as well as the story line.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F20QH0I8SX29?ASIN=0316055441	Not a beach book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Uck! Long long long and not enough to keep my interest. Flipped through the last 20% just to see what happens! even that didn't help me like the book anymore.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38SOUYE5XP69D?ASIN=0316055441	Words woven into a coat of many colors	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very very entertaining, I just this moment realized the author is female, which explains the Katana sharp edge and  brightness in the storylines.<br/><br/>.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IYMR13T2BGTQ?ASIN=0316055441	Well written but not to my liking.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was expecting a thriller but the book is a journey of self discovery for the main character. Really didn't enjoy it, someone else might but not my cup of tea.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33KFRDVCTRZVV?ASIN=0316055441	a very different book. you can skip over a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a very different book.  you can skip over a lot just because enough is enough. I did read it to the end.<br/>Would I tell someone to read it well ""maybe'</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD7M5HFZBUGKC?ASIN=0316055441	There was wonderful character development and a gripping story which resonates with ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was extremely entertaining. There was wonderful character development and a gripping story which resonates with our times. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMUGSPIXNZAUR?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious at times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was entirely too wordy and seemed to go on forever.  My feeling is that it could have achieved the same end more easily with a less protracted plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG89A4U4Z3RTV?ASIN=0316055441	a long read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was very interesting, but I got bogged down somewhat with the length of it.  It gave insight to a world that I was unfamiliar  with, which I valued.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10HA0KMA46RFO?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long and boring</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBHQ07QMWF2Z8?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Painful. Exhausting.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLUDO1GWJ5OF9?ASIN=0316055441	Required Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My kind of novel, well written and well plotted. I will not finish a book if I can track the plot within the first two chapters. This one did not disappoint.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC3RAEV95A1RE?ASIN=0316055441	Long in some places but some good life lessons!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the book but it was wordy in places.  I would recommend this book especially for book clubs where you can discuss and get other people's perspective!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19IIYQ4TCSPYS?ASIN=0316055441	Another fantastic work from Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Another fantastic work from Donna Tartt!  She puts you right in the action with her compelling descriptions. I am looking forward to reading her other books.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17D7CW3NQMWY3?ASIN=0316055441	brilliant read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Seriously the best book I've read in years. Couldn't put it down!! Talented author and great plot with twists and turns. It seemed I was there alongside him!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYO1X7JOMZ1ZE?ASIN=0316055441	loved it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was beyond my expectations. I have read The Secret History multiple times as well as The Little Friend and this definitely lived up to Tartt  Please read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGF9XRV09O4V7?ASIN=0316055441	Award worthy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful writing.  Great story. You can really imagine all of the scenes really happening.  Not easy to make such a complicated story seem totally possible.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFLHHA8J6ZIWU?ASIN=0316055441	good story but too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story line with descriptive info on art and drug use. The character has too many flaws if there is such a thing, but enjoyed the journey from age 13-28.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QJEXBBJA2VK0?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautiful story in all aspects of life and death. Anger, love, hate, sadness, happiness, shock, disdain, fear, joy, surprise, adventure, deceit, and truth.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QQ6G4BGRR3UY?ASIN=0316055441	It's a very interesting story up until the end. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a very interesting story up until the end. The last quarter of the book seemed to drag on and I lost interest. The last few pages are insightful though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O06XAMKQ6I7R?ASIN=0316055441	Terrific	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautifully written book with an exciting story that moves where you don't expect it to go. It really develops the characters. Very much enjoyed this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28S3XNWVIEB1O?ASIN=0316055441	great but kind of long at the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm often disappointed by Pulitzer books. But this one was great. Mostly. A little long and wordy and repetitive and slow at the end but otherwise fantastic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ND8TCU8D4NSC?ASIN=0316055441	Good story, and I would have liked it more ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story, and I would have liked it more except for the drug use. I do not see why it was needed; it would not have affected the story if it were left out!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R101A9MNIYM1ED?ASIN=0316055441	she has a good story, a well written book but over did ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt most have done it all in this world, she has a good story, a well written book but over did descriptions, wordy, wordy keep your dictionary handy</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RQPI0HGNVQ3A?ASIN=0316055441	but so wonderfully written. I had a hard time putting it ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long book, and really depressing, but so wonderfully written. I had a hard time putting it down because I was so curious about where the story was leading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTP4QVXDRAF3M?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked the narrative and the story. The characters are very well produced. It is a book that you will remember for a long time after you finished it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NLM0TTRJY6BZ?ASIN=0316055441	A Young Man's Journey into Adulthood	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good story, but a little long in the tooth.  Could have cut 20% of the dialogue and make it a much more enjoyable read.  Wonder when the movie will come out?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLZCCRDC8VVR9?ASIN=0316055441	What she said in 700+ words, could have been ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What she said in 700+ words, could have been said in 350.  Very interesting premise;  however , I can understand why she only writes one book every 10 years.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29OFHANPHVJ1Z?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a long book but interesting at every turn. As an artist, I certainly appreciated the story and the comments about life and art. I hated when it ended!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G3BF53PGVHQH?ASIN=0316055441	Great book but weak ending.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Certainly a well written book with some great characters and story. However I thought the ending was fairly unsatisfying as many issues were left unresolved.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L7KGEBCA8NYV?ASIN=0316055441	Longest journey ever!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Stuck with it...Stuck with it...Stuck with it...<br/>Not worth the twenty hours of struggling for the two hours of reading where I somewhat enjoyed the book</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JYT0M9V78XB?ASIN=0316055441	but the editor could have made this a better book by shortening it by about 300 pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing style was gripping, and the book poses a lot of questions, but the editor could have made this a better book by shortening it by about 300 pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O1SWFZRW9GR0?ASIN=0316055441	I don't get it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't get it. Why did this win the Pulitzer Prize?  This is the first negative book review I've written. I think maybe because I felt mislead by the award.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O98NQ2KWORMY?ASIN=0316055441	written into a messy, wordy corner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author lost control of what started as a very promising novel, but regressed into a self-indulgent word fest. I am baffled that this book won a Pulitzer.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N7E9H2C2PUIK?ASIN=0316055441	motivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have read so many books of the same author and I was not disappointed with this one too. I enjoy reading this book because it was helpful and motivational.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R1KQLKG6HZ3J?ASIN=0316055441	It was a really great story but it was full of vulgar language using ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a really great story but it was full of vulgar language using the f--- word excessively. That kind of language is not necessary to tell a great story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17X73UKWDZIMN?ASIN=0316055441	Rendering of events too tedious with unwanted detail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rendering of events too tedious with unwanted detail. Personal weakness of substance abuse almost too much tto bear for reader. Still narrative draws you in.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18SPSQFCZQ47V?ASIN=0316055441	Deeply understanding boys mind, lost in difficult life. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Deeply understanding boys mind,lost in difficult life.<br/>Somewhat neurotic.You cannot put the book away, drama keeps the reader<br/>trapped till the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ABA5ZKQDVYN4?ASIN=0316055441	I really like parts of this book but it didn't hook me ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really like parts of this book but it didn't hook me the entire way so it took me longer to read than a typical novel, Not quite sure I get all the hype...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IYQW2N73TYWP?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down. Great characters!  Probably could have used more editing since it did drag in places. But was a great read even considering it's length</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14DW9ATWVOISO?ASIN=0316055441	Good but not great.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I loved the story, the end leaves a bit to be desired. It just ends flat. Also, while I think she is very descriptive, I wish it was edited a bit more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WKORCZLTU7EM?ASIN=0316055441	Don't waste your time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a long and arduous read.... Not worth the time... All the time spent is skipping pages to find there was no reason to do so. ..depressing and boring</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NTI9K3FA71QR?ASIN=0316055441	Entertains Despite Its Excess	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you’re looking for a tried-and-true literary device with which to start an action-packed novel, the stolen painting is a good candidate. In last year’s THE ART FORGER, B.A. Shapiro crafted an entertaining tale out of an artist’s attempts to paint copies of a work pinched from Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Now, in THE GOLDFINCH, Donna Tartt’s 800-page novel, a masterwork taken from New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art after a terrorist attack is the catalyst for an overwritten but inventive story that includes bipolar Wall Street executives, Ukrainian druggies with ties to criminal elements, and failed actors contriving equally doomed careers as Vegas gamblers.<br/><br/>The protagonist is 13-year-old Theo Decker, a Manhattan student who has been suspended from school for smoking. Theo and his mother, Audrey, are on their way to a meeting at school. Audrey has an art history degree from NYU and supervises photo shoots for an ad agency. Theo’s father, a former actor, abandoned the family a year earlier. Audrey and Theo are early for the meeting, so they stop at the Met to see an exhibit of Dutch paintings, “Portraiture and Nature Morte: Northern Masterworks of the Golden Age.”<br/><br/>While they are in the museum, a terrorist bomb explodes. Dozens are killed, including Audrey, who is struck in the head by flying debris from the gift shop, where the bomb was planted. Theo survives. When he comes to, he finds lying next to him a dying old man coated in ash. The bleeding stranger babbles to Theo about Mozart and France and piano lessons. He implores Theo to take from the rubble a small painting of a goldfinch, a 1654 work by the Dutch painter Carel Fabritius. Then he removes a gold ring from his finger and presses it into Theo’s palm. “Hobart and Blackwell,” the man says. “Ring the green bell.”<br/><br/>Theo moves in temporarily with the Barbours, a wealthy family whose younger son, Andy, is one of his closest friends at school. Shortly after the move, Theo looks up Hobart and Blackwell in the phone book and discovers that it is the name of a business in the West Village. When he visits the building, he sees that it is an antiques shop, with trinkets such as Staffordshire dogs and “settees upholstered in sallow old brocade” in its dusty windows. A tall, haggard-looking man answers the door. After Theo gives him the ring, the stunned man introduces himself as Hobie and invites Theo in.<br/><br/>What follows is an intricately plotted adventure that, over 14 years, takes Theo from Hobie’s old curiosity shop to the desert of Las Vegas and the streets of Amsterdam. The one constant throughout these adventures is the stolen painting, which Theo has hidden in a pillowcase. No one, not even the authorities, knows he has it.<br/><br/>Read a review of THE GOLDFINCH, including this one, and you’re bound to see the word Dickensian. Tartt encourages the comparison: Hobie refers to Ebenezer Scrooge and the Artful Dodger; characters have names like Bracegirdle and Havistock Irving; a major character becomes an orphan. And the novel, like Dickens’s best works, is huge.<br/><br/>THE GOLDFINCH possesses the good and bad qualities of Dickens’s output. Tartt’s novel, like much of the Dickens canon, would have benefited from more rigorous editing. Tartt rarely passes up an opportunity to give us five or six details when one or none would have sufficed. She tells us the names and titles of five administrators whose offices Theo passes as he escapes the bombed-out museum. We learn the names of five of Andy’s AP classes, the titles of the Graham Greene films he watches one night, the menu items at a Las Vegas restaurant. The lawyer Bracegirdle begins a conversation with Theo by reciting a page-long backstory of the circumstances whereby he met Theo’s mother. Parenthetical digressions abound.<br/><br/>However, the novel entertains despite its excesses. Tartt’s strength is plot. She has created many well-drawn characters and clever twists, although some of the latter depend on coincidences and chance meetings in a city of eight million. THE GOLDFINCH is far from perfect, but give Tartt credit for daring to write a book that is so brazenly different from many other modern novels.<br/><br/>Reviewed by Michael Magras</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16Q62MK79C7ZS?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I have read for a while very well ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have read for a while very well written and gripping story. I am now reading her other books. Highly recommend.<br/>M<br/><br/>to</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AWUFUM5I7ME6?ASIN=0316055441	Illusion and Delusion....No rudder to steer through their lives.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Illusion and Delusion.<br/>Interesting tale of intrigue, reaction to grief, varied lifestyles from upper class wealth to alcoholism, drugs, and debauchery.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37ELST7BAFSY5?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a surprise!  I loved the characters, especially Boris!  Good plot, lots of twists, heartbreaking...I just loved this book.<br/>It was a bit too long though</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FAX7X7UZV8KI?ASIN=0316055441	Worth your time to read The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This coming of age story is beautifully written. I'd advise you to allow the plot to unfold slowly and enjoy the prose and the superb character development.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DTGOANL7IOCB?ASIN=0316055441	A must read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A unique novel brilliantly written and constructed. While ms tartt writes the book through a man's eyes and emotions it clearly works for any mature reader.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV8L8S2T4E6HO?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book.  Was hesitant at first because it seemed to be somewhat controversial in literary circles, but I thought it deserved the Pullitzer Prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFFXP8BMWAO8W?ASIN=0316055441	endless pages on drugs and a lifestyle not worth reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The basic plot was interesting.  On and on about drugs, cheating, and unreal events.  LONG LONG book. Not award winning as I see it. Would not recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R397N8PJMA0W0X?ASIN=0316055441	Just okay	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was long but was well written. I was too far into it to quit when it got dull at times. Glad I finished it but it wasn't sometbing I qoruls read again.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UBA4IDL58FHZ?ASIN=0316055441	loved how the plot kept unfolding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved how the plot kept unfolding, didn't want it to end, sometimes too much description, got mired in the scene, but loved the turns and twists of the plot</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38FVUGB17F2PS?ASIN=0316055441	At times I wondered where the story was headed. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At times I wondered where the story was headed.  However, the ending made the journey definitely worthwhile.  It is a book I'll think about for a long time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37DKCFKEZAFMN?ASIN=0316055441	This is an OK read but not wonderful and way too detailed at times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't get all the hoopla.  This is an OK read but not wonderful and way too detailed at times..skipped paragraphs that when on and on in  unnecessary detail</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N6J12FQ1OW40?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written. Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written.  Too long.  It was tiring to finish the last few chapters.  I am glad that I read it, but wish the conclusion had been reached earlier.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R62DC9VZRIUNJ?ASIN=0316055441	Great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is really a gem. While the story can border on depressing, it is worth the read and  will make you think about your own life a little differently.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23QQQDEY2CMCC?ASIN=0316055441	story and prose excellent. Should have edited some scenes of action better	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">story and prose excellent. Should have edited some scenes of action better. ie; Las Vegas and Europe. Look forward to future books by Donna Tartt<br/>Rhoda</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TJZXYGCA13I8?ASIN=0316055441	They don't get much better.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A brilliant story that takes you deep into a teen's suffering.  The Goldfinch is a truly great piece of literature, far beyond most popular fiction of today.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30HVKU7C2Y0F7?ASIN=0316055441	Fabuolous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging read, exceptionally well developed characters, beautiful world view shared in a sensitive and thought provoking manner. Thank you for a great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39JJEV1M5ZTSJ?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful prose.  I need to read the book a second time to appreciate the beautiful sentences as the story was so compelling I read it quickly.  First rate!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R372O8EXZABOVQ?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting food for though about life's purpose, art, love, death, good vs bad... it discusses points<br/> of life that we so often tend to purposefully ignore.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ORS6HES4JE89?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those books with characters to whom you hate to say goodbye! An engaging journey through the powerful affect of art in our lives. I loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LJ5KWPY537I4?ASIN=0316055441	A good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Consistently compelling; complete with life's lessons of heartache, disappointment in wrong choices,  joy, and triumph. I enjoyed the many twists and turns.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AZJ3ISNJ32G9?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch is unique, I didn't guess the ending, ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch is unique, I didn't guess the ending, and it was real to soul of a person's challenge. Reminded me of my turbulent childhood, but we all survive!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9Z34PG4NNZOO?ASIN=0316055441	Expressive and colorful like a poem or painting!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it and couldn't put it down! Twist and turns kept you wondering but the writing was so colorful and expressive like watching a painting come to life!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36HJG7R1WPU9Y?ASIN=0316055441	Started great, but in the end the novel disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started great, but in the end the novel disappointed.  Too much discussion of not very interesting characters at the expense of some very interesting ones.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YCSZBSDK5Y20?ASIN=0316055441	Stunning story. Stunning imagination.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A swirl of events sweep Theo Decker from New York, to Lost Wages, back, to Europe, back and more important on a journey deep within himself.  Full of humor</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPODC6T4URVXK?ASIN=0316055441	way too long for how depressing it was	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know in supposed to have loved this book - it earned awards, etc. - but I didn't. It was far too depressing for me, and 775 pages of that was too boring.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UM4XPFVB8JMR?ASIN=0316055441	but overall a good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite the page turner. Definitely left me with something to think about. I'm not sure it's worth all the hype it has been getting, but overall a good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH4UQD0ATEPV?ASIN=0316055441	A book that I did not want to end. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book that I did not want to end.  The writing is so captivating and the emotions are so raw and open that the reader is drawn into the story at page one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GJMNXSVAQ9FR?ASIN=0316055441	hard to get into but so hard to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was not an easy book tog et into but once I did I could t stop reading. The story captured me and held me. It was a great read that I would recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX7QQA5IIUZO7?ASIN=0316055441	A very strange novel. Though original, am not ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very strange novel. Though original, am not clear as to what message the author was trying to get across. Depressing. It did, however, hold my attention.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21M2BWPXJUKK0?ASIN=0316055441	The writing style and plot were fabulous. However, ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing style and plot were fabulous.  However, the book was too long.  I believe the author could have shortened the book without sacrificing quality.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15LQVHAWIFXKU?ASIN=0316055441	GOLDFINCH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">SOME PARTS GOOD, SOME TOO SLOW.  THEY COULD HAVE CUT IT DOWN SOON, PLUS THE LANGUAGE IS NOT WHAT I LIKE.  I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING ANYTHING ABOUT PROFANITY.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BK2F93VV0O52?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book.  Donna Tartt brings the characters to life and reminds us how hard some children's lives are. The source of drug addiction is enlightening.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MA2XOQS2Q5WF?ASIN=0316055441	Don't bother reading this	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Needed to be cut by a third. Self indulgent and in the end ludicrous. Some good writing. But the plot becomes ridiculous. Starts well but that's about all.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY4YESIHGPD3U?ASIN=0316055441	art and existing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although this book dragged on with misfortune after misfortune, misery, and despair, I couldn't stop reading it. At least it had an ending with resolution?</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3206S3LDG2QXX?ASIN=0316055441	Bogged down in too many extraneous details and predictability. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Bogged down in too many extraneous details and predictability. All characters are similar and there is no uniqueness. Started off promising but ended flat.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5Z74QYQGY1C7?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Right from the start this book pulls you in.  The journey was unexpected and surprising and sometimes you forget about the goldfinch but it always returns.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18IT8RKIB22KX?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I  loved  this  book , I found  it  intriguing,  mysterious and really  enjoyable. Great  story  and  very  well  written.. I would  recommend it to others</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LIVLFNSABAD5?ASIN=0316055441	Strange cast of characters that make you angry and sad. It is a beautifully written book that won't ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Over long, but well worth the read. Strange cast of characters that make you angry and sad.  It is a beautifully written book that won't be easy to forget.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EY4A07NTREXK?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read! Very easy to get involved with the characters lives and to invest in them. Wonderful writer....probably one of the best books I have ever read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R267Z1BFCSK7VI?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Keeps your I interest all the way through.Couldn't<br/> put it down.Great finish.Recommended read for all.Easy to understand!Wow Wow!<br/><br/> it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H6AT97TZJ2R7?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book but too long.  Story quite involved and very interesting but a bit dark and very sad.  Two young boys, walking wounded with not much joy in life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VYF3NA774WBZ?ASIN=0316055441	Slow at times.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know a lot of people thought this good was terrific.  I found it laborious at times. I did want to know what happened to the painting so I kept reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P9EWWSRRATM4?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt is an amazing, philosophical writer who makes you think and reflect	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms. Tartt is an amazing, philosophical writer who makes you think and reflect.  Theo and Boris are characters you come to feel are people you really know.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHU441967MA1T?ASIN=0316055441	So good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful, thought provoking, eloquent, written like a dream. You should read it. It should be read in schools. A story about beauty and loss and purpose.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ31SWZ2ZW5UD?ASIN=0316055441	A modern day more miserable version of Holden Caulfield. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A modern day more miserable version of Holden Caulfield.  Well written but you'll find yourself caring more about the painting than any of the characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMTOYN7G6OI1F?ASIN=0316055441	Well written, but too much drug use	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The novel was well written, but so much of it involved the drug use (and abuse) of the main character that I didn't enjoy the book as much as I had hoped.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KGUNW13RSEBI?ASIN=0316055441	How to Live During the Hurtles of Life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is the story of a man who endures much during his life.  The storytelling mesmerizes the reader who hopes for so much on the turn of a page.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15V0QGNL85PD?ASIN=0316055441	Unique viice	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Epic story with a very unique cast of characters. I would recommend to an to anyone who like Dostoevsky or similar styles that are heady yet entertaining.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23TMALG4P2Y81?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful writing, well drawn characters in complicated relationships.  Sustains interest through 700+ pages.  Would read again and recommend to everyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23CIHKW7JGN62?ASIN=0316055441	This was a page turner for me. Should be ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a page turner for me.  Should be shorter, but I missed reading it after finishing the book.  The characters are colorful.  Kuddos to Donna Tartt.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UFJ42Q7EWOGZ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. I enjoyed this book. The story had a ring of truth and I felt I was living it with the character. I am hoping he didn't marry Kitsey.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JEXQSJQZTI6C?ASIN=0316055441	It was written beautifully but after awhile	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Every sentence was too descriptive for my tastes.  It was written beautifully but after awhile, I became bored and skipped to the next action in the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BX74C4A9016K?ASIN=0316055441	really really good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't read a lot of books and stop a few chapters in if its not going well. This story kept surprising me throughout. And I feel smarter having read it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GKUIWHCJFNK?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've read in a few years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read in a few years. The characters are vibrant, the story is well-paced and the writing is beautiful. I could not put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30EHE8UCE1E4M?ASIN=0316055441	Lasts a long time & leaves you with powerful message	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully long book. I wanted it to never end. Seriously the longest I've read in a while. The ending....wanted to highlight every other line. Profound.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS5FHIDMYPQHL?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was very boring at times and I skipped over some parts because I wanted to get back to the action.  I am only giving it 3 stars for that reason.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPB75VWQWYJUY?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very disappointing for a Pulitzer Prize winner.  Disjointed, rambling, lacking a theme or direction.  As previously noted, I was trying to get to the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D69OV71E9NPP?ASIN=0316055441	An amazing read with the introduction of modern day Huck and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing read with the introduction of modern day Huck and Tom known in this tome as Borris and Theo.  The writing is as grand as the scope of the plot.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QB2FCVQIRZF8?ASIN=0316055441	love Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have enjoyed everything Donna Tartt has written . I had some reservations about this one, but was quickly immersed in the world if this story. Well done</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GVGML9393T7H?ASIN=0316055441	This book may have one a Pulitzer Prize, but I cannot fathom why. It needs some serious editing.  Her philosophizing in the midd	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book may have won a Pulitzer Prize, but I cannot fathom why. It needs some serious editing.The author's philosophizing in the middle of her ramblings is annoying. Other than Hobie and Andy I found her characters poorly drawn and unlikable. I was really looking forward to reading this book,and though I  sloughed through to the end it was an unpleasant experience. I would not recommend this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PZW9F8J13GBF?ASIN=0316055441	It is a long book but well worth the read ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a long book but well worth the read. The writing just draws you in . I read it for my book chat group and we all agreed this was a not to miss book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O2G1ZFXTYSY7?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put this book down. Wonderful story about life and how it all happens. You will enjoy reading about Theo and his troubling (yet meaningful) life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AVECVCSAUZK8?ASIN=0316055441	Book is boring! Characters unlike able andirons hate reading about drug ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book is boring!  Characters unlike able andirons hate reading about drug addicts and thieves... I gave up at page 527 and couldn't care less what happens.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EQICYCEYWLPB?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyable read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">We'll written good story, more enjoyable than I expected. Interesting characters. Good plat between being good and getting by. Enjoyed the twists of fate.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R396LMZ41X911K?ASIN=0316055441	grabbed me from the first page	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">amazing read, a bizarre trip through time, and a heart-breaking account of a man's attempt to reconcile his twisted life with the notions of good and bad.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MV2OM9PSVO4L?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best novel of 2013.  A dense, layered novel with big themes yet beautiful prose.  You won't put ths one down, even though it's not exactly a thriller.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KYD13BBX77TC?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I heard such good reviews about this book but was let down. It drags on and on. The storyline is interesting it just takes the author too long to tell it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U0HT0XQG3G6L?ASIN=0316055441	Yet to be read ~	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love the work of Donna Tart and anticipate enjoying this publication as well. Those having already read it assure me I will. She is an exceptional writer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36JOQXX8AG8DZ?ASIN=0316055441	I can't believe this got the pulizer prize!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Her writing style is excellent - but all the characters have the same ""sound"" if you know what I mean. The beginning is OK - the relationship with his mother is believable, but when he heads out west and 'thinks' about ""vermillion"" skies... He is 14. I don't care how sophisticated a 14 year old is - he doesn't ever think ""vermillion"". From then on it was a hard read for me... it just went on and on... She needed a way better editor, who would cut way back on the dialogue, because most of the dialogue doesn't carry you any where - it just goes on for pages until you get to the point, so the dialogue feels like filler. It doesn't reveal anything along the way...it just gets tedious. And despite all the internal dialogue of the protagonist, he doesn't ever develop as a character. He seems flat through the whole thing. IMHO.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30JK7N4G39OBH?ASIN=0316055441	parts were difficult to read because of the drug use ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">parts were difficult to read because of the drug use.  Long.  could have been shorter  but well worth the read.  A flowing quality to the author's style.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20MP3FC1V14NH?ASIN=0316055441	Spellbinding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As long as this book is, I was sorry to finish it.  Beautiful prose, spellbinding plot.  Highly imaginative and psychologically realistic. Unforgettable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SORUQU71J1C5?ASIN=0316055441	... would have given it 5 stars except for the tedious descriptions that just went on and on about the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would have given it 5 stars except for the tedious descriptions that just went on and on about the art and artist.  Otherwise, I enjoyed the storyline.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC8GM9X9F343G?ASIN=0316055441	Chris	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not really a fan of this book. Bad stuff happens and then more bad stuff, etc. I slogged through to see how it ends, but I can't say I really enjoyed it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGMLA21RNJ5Z8?ASIN=0316055441	Why the hype?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are Pulitzer winning novels deserving of the honor. Not this one. What a huge disappointment. More Lifetime movie than a great piece of literature.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGFQUP8BVMFNE?ASIN=0316055441	great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book and the characters.  It held my interest.  I highly recommend this his read.  It dramatizes the strength and weakness in human beings.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37UZAKQIGJZFU?ASIN=0316055441	dissapointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling story, but disappointing conclusion and too philosophical!  Perhaps too many ""side bars"".  Authors writing style is  often verbose and tiring.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21CORK2461CLW?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting beginning but them dragged on for more pages than ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting beginning but them dragged on for more pages than necessary.  There were some interesting thoughts but not worth reading all the other pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39SANM692SA3U?ASIN=0316055441	I'll be sad when I finish it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Cannot put it down!. Tartt has a special gift for making adolescent dialogue  believable, humorous and engaging,<br/><br/>I'll be sad when I finish it!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC17XDHV3DFF6?ASIN=0316055441	a complex and beautiful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful writing that provokes thoughts on illusion and reality, risk and compliance, suffering or a middle path to love and the appreciation of beauty.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OPWMRNA6INGB?ASIN=0316055441	Great book club read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A n intriguing story that has had our book club texting back and forth as we worked our way through the 700+ pages. Theo is a character we will remember.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSXEXSMFC812B?ASIN=0316055441	compelling read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed this book.  It was a bit too long, in that it was hard to read at times and rather too wordy. All in all, though, it was a very good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XKWBA8ZLCOU6?ASIN=0316055441	brilliant!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Every page of this book was exquisite. Thrilling story, excellent writing, a real page-turner. Anyone looking for a phenomenal book need look no further!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EQZU6BFNX3DZ?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Towards the end I couldn't put this book down. It was a ride like no other. You might have no idea where the protagonist is taking you, but such is life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z17RVF6N46GE?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was excellent.  Well written and such a brilliant concept.  The last 200 pages were about the best I've read in a long time.  Highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LI4M7KDIKYL3?ASIN=0316055441	Maybe a few too many descriptive adjectives	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a very good story with quite a few interestinng characters, but for the most part I felt the author left very very very little to the imagination.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REO7Y5QV2N2PY?ASIN=0316055441	I did not like it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found that it was depressing and just seemed to go on and on.  I ended up just skimming through some of it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A1FWNPQKIQ22?ASIN=0316055441	A great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am going to bore you with details as they have already been written by others. All I can say if you are to take a journey then this the novel for you.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HZCTCELQ3LBQ?ASIN=0316055441	So good that at times it was nearly impossible to put ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossing story full of intriguing characters. So good that at times it was nearly impossible to put down. However for me, it was just a bit too long .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R532CUNCM4V41?ASIN=0316055441	I could hardly put it down, our hero was ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could hardly put it down, our hero was such a loveable rogue and the plot slowly unfolded in unexpected ways that had me praying for him to stay safe.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OU8IJXM0K4CG?ASIN=0316055441	This is a beautiful book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters are so lovable with their flaws.  These people are more real and dear than I've read in a long time.  Some of this is hard to experience.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J47ZIJ1TZ3G2?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch: a novel ( Pulitzer prize for fiction)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A LOVE story really for this painting and Theo' s life of survival after tragedy.  A real page turner.  Read it and savor the beauty he tries to impart.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VGNF81FFCGFR?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Classic novel.  Wonderful imagery  thought provoking. Modern Charles Dickens. Light and dark. Good versus evil. All the shades of grey that fall between</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R161VGNPG5XHZV?ASIN=0316055441	sometimes too many words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">That the principle character, somewhat explained at the end of the book, was such a weak person who would chose to follow a drug addict, liar and thief.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14CR70R2A16OL?ASIN=0316055441	at times boring at others quite engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long, at times boring at others quite engrossing.  This is certainly not one that I would personally recommend as a highlight to my reading during 2014!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZTD8PRWKOHVF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If I could give this book six stars, I would. It's incredibly long but incredibly worth it. It really stays with you. Stick with it, you won't be sorry.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OZCE579RX3DQ?ASIN=0316055441	... reading a book about characters I ultimately did not like. I kept looking for the redeeming qualities	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've never spent so much time reading a book about characters I ultimately did not like. I kept looking for the redeeming qualities. I never found them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SCMMSRSXYQGH?ASIN=0316055441	Not for me.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finished this book... finally! I just did not get absorbed into it. It was not the book I could not put down... Like, The girl with The Dragon Tattoo.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQYODUGV16L5T?ASIN=0316055441	It's such a terrific tale, the characters were realistic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I kept thinking about this book and the story long after I'd finished it. It's such a terrific tale, the characters were realistic, I couldn't fault it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VBQO3HEE5NUZ?ASIN=0316055441	Thought provoking but too long. I felt I read ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought provoking but too long.  I felt I read the same information over and over. Three hundred pages would have sufficed for this, an exhausting read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IU398DDDPS71?ASIN=0316055441	thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am a non artistic, pragmatic person so some of this book is over my head, but still it made me think about love, life , death and what's it all about.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25Q3F2Z27FT0Q?ASIN=0316055441	A fabulous work with underlying stories weaving through the characters ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fabulous work with underlying stories weaving through the characters intertwined with the Goldfinch as central right to the denoument. Read this book!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UXK2NSF99JY9?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappointing - very maudlin and depressing. I really don't understand how this book won the Pulitzer Prize nor how it got such a huge rating on Amazon.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F5Z62DX72TBQ?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was interesting enough but the writer starts to get preachy ""in the end of life""<br/>I much rather him talk more about the characters.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK7HNY6LD33Y?ASIN=0316055441	Recommend for Book Club	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very long but entertaining read.  I personally felt that some chapters were over wordy, but I realize the author was trying to develop the characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHEXCB9AQFLNP?ASIN=0316055441	Worth Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found myself drawn into the story much of the time but bored at times as some mind drama of his went on and on. It's a good book but not a great book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31H6I5TA20QM5?ASIN=0316055441	Book Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a wonderful book. Loved every word of this captivating novel.  Beautifully written and such a good read.  Highly recommend the book and the author.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13G0DPG2ZAB7I?ASIN=0316055441	In process of reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not finish the book, yet.  But I can say at that point that the author is very meticulous in her descriptions.  Perhaps too meticulous.  I'll see.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R337ZLOW7W3S7A?ASIN=0316055441	Very Interesting Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite a nice book, but with a really slow beginning. It gets better afterwards you just have to bear with it for a while until you get to the good stuff</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDR113IJU99Q0?ASIN=0316055441	"Appreciation from ""An Avid Reader"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt that the review by Robert Carrelli said it exactly as I would.  Mr. Carrelli, I appreciate your review and  will look for others.<br/>Thank you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJBJU6UGQE2Y1?ASIN=0316055441	Too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot was interesting,but the author was way too wordy. The book could have been reduced to at 300 pages</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C8BPAVOAAQXW?ASIN=0316055441	I don't like to leave negative reviews as books are very personal	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't like to leave negative reviews as books are very personal.  What one person loves,  another may find dreadful.  I picked this up due to all of the positive reviews that it recieved.  I'm not sure that was such a good decision on my part.  It was so difficult to get through this book.  Did an editor look at this before it was published?  All I could think was ""we get it,  move on already! ""  I would skim through chapters and still feel like the story hasn't really progressed.  It was just too tedious for me - it seems like the story could be cut in half and it would be so much better for it!  The ptemise was great and I would get sucked in at times,  unable to put it down,  but then almost as quickly I would become bored and disinterested.  I am sure there will be some that love this novel,  but I was not one of them.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DN6XCSZ7TSTJ?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unfortunately disappointed. I kept waiting for something ""big"" to happen- something that would tie the story together. I found it very tedious.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22U53PFJ8PQAM?ASIN=0316055441	gripping and thrilling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love it, from the slow pace and it starts picking up after the terror at the museum. I hope Hollywood will consider making it to the big screen! Enjoy!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LEO4RX266M22?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was exciting to read. It was a real page turner. This is one of those books you can't put down and can't wait to get back to when you do.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QPJHJGRULWK4?ASIN=0316055441	bored after a while	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At first I was enthralled but it's way too long and left me disinterested after a while. I get bored easily by most books. Could have been cut in half.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J71ARX9W2BYB?ASIN=0316055441	Very well written, many unexpected changes to the story ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written,many unexpected changes to the story,from depths of despair and mixed feelings .<br/>Differten,t kind of writing but very acceptable</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GXN4QRWUWHVH?ASIN=0316055441	Not my cup of tea	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I understand how some people would either like or love this book. I am not one of those people.<br/><br/>Descriptions are way too long and drawn out.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GCD3YTW5V6WI?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyable story throughout, with a curiously didactic ending. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyable story throughout, with a curiously didactic ending.  I was unprepared for the first person voice withdraw. into self-deprecation as a writer.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LZ0B2XJ7K4MR?ASIN=0316055441	Have not finished this book because of the holiday activities ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Have not finished this book because of the holiday activities. I cannot wait to get back to it each day when I have a bit of time. Enjoying it so much.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TYQIW4UHT4GH?ASIN=0316055441	I ENJOYED READING IT IMMENSELY	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A VERY INTEERESTING READ. THE CHARACTERS AREWELL DEVELOPED, THE STORY IS FULL OF SURPRISES, AND VERY THOUGHT PROVOKING. I ENJOYED READING IT IMMENSELY.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J0NHH574JQ5E?ASIN=0316055441	Gripping story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well-crafted story with interweaving plots that flow in unexpected ways. Delightful use of language. Gritty in places but real and full of human drama.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T4QE9PNSI60H?ASIN=0316055441	not even worth 1 star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">But I had to give it something. I tried reading it two different times. Life is too short for crappy books.  The writing is so pretentious and verbose.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FW69MYLW8L54?ASIN=0316055441	a bird tethered to its post, a man tethered to the bird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very entertaining journey of a young man stumbling through a colorful life, tethered to a piece of art and the terrible moment that united him with it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPHROT7GH3LUV?ASIN=0316055441	This had a good plot and started out with a bang and then ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This had a good plot and started out with a bang and then near the end I almost lost interest.But was great ending.Would recommend it to adult readers.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VBHPQRTT58R0?ASIN=0316055441	too depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book, but I found it to be a little long and very depressing. Too dark, and a little unfulfilling towards the end where it got to be unbelievable.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R287N1X8K9SBDW?ASIN=0316055441	Cool	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had no idea before ordering this book just how large it is. Kept turning pages and found myself at the end.... want to start reading it all over again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32QU0WPU741GQ?ASIN=0316055441	I found it well written and difficult to put down ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it well written and difficult to put down. However, I also found that it was depressing and  I wanted something positive to happen at sometime.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VVZXKQV8TALK?ASIN=0316055441	long and I would have liked it better if she had tightened it up	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story but the author must have been paid by the page.  It was long, long, long and I would have liked it better if she had tightened it up.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD27SMA4WXD2B?ASIN=0316055441	black and boring too much emphasis on drugs not enough on plot ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">black and boring too much emphasis on drugs not enough on plot or story. again authors have 300 to many pages for a storyline and this won an award?...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NNTT7L7787BS?ASIN=0316055441	It was great all the way through but the ending was truly ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow! Totally deserving of the Pulitzer Prize. It was great all the way through but the ending was truly amazing, right up to the last perfect sentence.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMS4BJUVTDJQ?ASIN=0316055441	crying	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Stunning.  I am in tears.  It speaks directly to me.  The beauty of the goldfinch is captured in the answer to the most basic of existential questions.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HDH9CPK4F5D0?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written. I'm familiar with the painting and the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. I'm familiar with the painting and the novel has peaked my interest in the artist - so am now reading Fabritius and the Goldfinch.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DVJJ6U1BMPZR?ASIN=0316055441	and am glad I did	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book, and am glad I did. Many times I felt like the author could have been more efficient with her words... too much rambling for my taste.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19238UHTNEWTQ?ASIN=0316055441	uneven	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was difficult for me to read. At times, I found it very slow and monotonous, and others I was genuinely interested. I wouldn't read it again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J3JAA6XVMSCZ?ASIN=0316055441	WOW! It's a wonder that this man who as ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WOW! It's a wonder that this man who as a child was a victim of circumstance, managed to grow up let alone survive the consequences of his bod choices.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OUC619NH5XT0?ASIN=0316055441	Eloquently written - a joy to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is extremely well-written and poignant. I enjoyed the prose, tone and style of writing probably even more than the overall story arch itself.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14KFY8YDJTWDN?ASIN=0316055441	READ IN PROGRESS	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Have not finished this 800 page book as of today, but it is a great story and I viewed an interesting story<br/>on ABC news about the actual painting!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AH5N5STDQKSR?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and wordy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF463CZGHSYL4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent reading !</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YA68CDDV0GW?ASIN=0316055441	On, and on, and on, it goes!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just thought I would never get to the end. The mystery and cloak and dagger stuff was fun, but all that nihilistic babble just got in my last nerve!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRRXAMRX3E97Q?ASIN=0316055441	Hard life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is hard to follow when his mind is rambling.  You are frustrated that his life takes such a downturn as he sinks deeper into the drug world.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CMTB43UJGQMY?ASIN=0316055441	A study in humanity and life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I've ever read.  Admirable truly human characters that deal with the vicissitudes of life in their own unique flawed human ways.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAMJRN5B0OHAU?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">extraordinary writing - dreadfully long - deep painful wild lives of lost young ones - brimming with art and intelligence - and bleary-eyed perception</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R359NROJYKQ9QN?ASIN=0316055441	Somewhat exciting at times, but the main characters, ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Somewhat exciting at times, but the main characters, Boris and Theo, had rather lengthy introspective narrative detail that did not add value  for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RHIJTG61QBDG?ASIN=0316055441	Just too wordy for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Over done-like the last Harry Potter book. Hard to explain really, just too descriptive, she over described Everything. Probably won't read her again.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CPOG9VQWI6J1?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful and Awful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read. Beautiful writing. Torturous and dark. Brilliant and light. Aching and desperate. Chaotic. The ending left me a little wanting though.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WB5NMSOFOYAX?ASIN=0316055441	A Work of Art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just when we wonder if we've lost our way, a literary gem like Donna Tart's makes us believe in the power of story!<br/>A stunningly beautiful read !</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29ZRLO7FIXW2Q?ASIN=0316055441	Drawn out and overdrawn	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Longwinded, overwritten!!! The narrative is laking tension AND THE CENTRAL Character becomes boring and the retrospective perspective is unconvincing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZOZBC2OQN1FB?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a brilliant novel about trauma	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a brilliant novel about trauma, loss and the human need to hold onto whatever can give us the motivation to survive.  Please read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11PNATBQOIURR?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed the story and characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the story and characters, but got too wordy in some spots and by the end I was just scanning to get through it.  The ending was disappointing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EQROEJ89D2X6?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book too ""wordy""  looses readers interest.  Plot good. But didn't move or hold readers interest. Antiques inter was interesting.  Would not  recommend</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3INS9C00XDZE7?ASIN=0316055441	this is a beautifully crafted book which reflects an incredible understanding and reflection of the human condition.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would recommend this book to anyone who appreciates the craft of outstanding writing.<br/>Thank you Donna Tartt for sharing your incredible talent.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V8F4KNHGQC77?ASIN=0316055441	Art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Joyful participation in the sorrows of life and a grand story told with masterful descriptive phrases that are equally powerful in the second reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32MAWNO9F9M2Z?ASIN=0316055441	Much as I liked this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much as I liked this book, I prefer her two earlier novels for their comparative brevity and the intense knowledge Tartt reveals of her native places.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB8FJCVQFXL1U?ASIN=0316055441	better than I thought	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Entertaining for the most part. I would have liked to see theme doted on in the end more woven in throughout the first half, but enjoyable regardless.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LG3NLM7T3Z2K?ASIN=0316055441	Overly long ridiculous story that I sun stimulating and poorly ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overly long ridiculous story that I sun stimulating and poorly written.  How could it have won a Pulitzer Prize?  The committee must be losing ground.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5FVE8N9LYXT2?ASIN=0316055441	a brilliant journey of devastation and loss	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a brilliant journey of devastation and loss, love and hysteria, loneliness and belonging.  all whilst in the desert, city and around the world.  Epic.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO91BAM9NA8CW?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story line is beautiful and flows through so many emotions we all experience but rarely discuss outside of ourselves. On display for the world to see.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPJDQFH5GVRB0?ASIN=0316055441	You will not believe how good this novel is	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You will not believe how good this novel is!  It is both disturbing and up-lifting.  The last 25-30 pages of the book will require reading over again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JOLO6DTZEJ24?ASIN=0316055441	READ IT NOW!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best thing I've read in forever.  Huge span, great energy and speed, fabulous characters.  Will be required freshman college reading within ten years.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRRPY1N3BQF3N?ASIN=0316055441	just ok	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent in places, over all disjointed and confusing. Some amazing characters. Some very beautiful passages but uneven writing. Surprising acolades.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GF48AYYKDCPG?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch: A Novel by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a miracle of a book, like no other in my reading life. Highest recommendation. Makes my head spin and fills my heart with gratitude. ACWA, nyc</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDWACCIDN6R1A?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent at the beginning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent at the beginning.  Got a bit draggy as the main character got older; picked up again, then left me wondering.  Beautifully written, but ....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G2OWXBTAJ5F4?ASIN=0316055441	The story is way too long and rambles all over ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is way too long and rambles all over the place, so by the time I was halfway through the 700+ pages, I read on just to see how it would end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V6UNEBKY0F1P?ASIN=0316055441	very good dragged in the middle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it was a very good story. it was a little to long.  I lost interest in the middle of the and had to push myself to finish.  the end was well worth it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39V54HD1EYJIC?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't Finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and it became very unbelievable. I'm sorry to say that I only skimmed the end just to see what happened. Again, the plot became unbelievable.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O6PMSFISWDYE?ASIN=0316055441	All ends well	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting, enjoyable. This is the first book I have read by this author. Shall seek her other books. She had researched massively. Interesting</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YZHUH8NWUR8D?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Solid writing, very detailed. The book has great substance and paints intricate pictures of each scenario. Loved it. Definitely a good vacation read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PINGS5GZJ86V?ASIN=0316055441	Painful to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was hard to read: drugs, gambling, bad parenting, low morals. Very little about art. Too long and too much. Not sure how it won a Pulitzer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DN45JC9JVUZA?ASIN=0316055441	Not my favorite, too drawn out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not my favorite, too drawn out, too long but challenge myself to finish it to find out what happened . Took forever to conclude with not good ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHET6F5PDM37R?ASIN=0316055441	Layered...worthwhile read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Recommended read, found the novel fascinating and imaginative.  Can spark interesting conversations and topics for book clubs and/or amongst friends.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VTD8VJOGCUJI?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling and beautiful read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written!  The story is a compelling twist on coming of age and difficult life lessons.  Hope despite tragedy.  Well-developed characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QH9N1M6Q6DDW?ASIN=0316055441	I highly recommend Goldfinch.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author kept my attention throughout the book. The narrative was very compelling. The characters were fully developed and the prose was excellent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A8198H0GGNK2?ASIN=0316055441	Perfect!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book made me realize how crappy most literature is. It was a great read. I was stressed out in the best way while reading it. Can't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9TCGSW3ILN5G?ASIN=0316055441	Love the story what a great web of intrigue & ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love the story what a great web of intrigue &amp; love, betrayal with the wonderful ability of the human spirit to survive. My favorite book of the year.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VDKH1QHTEYU4?ASIN=0316055441	No surprise this is a Pulitzer Prize Winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant, heart breaking, shocking, inspiring, unique, and thought provoking.  The Goldfinch is not a fast nor easy read, but well worth the effort.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BRTN3P6UOBXF?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful/Terrible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant first segment in NYC... slightly less so in Las Vegas... and a rambling on and on finale in Amsterdam.  Bottom line... wonderful and terrible!  I so value the author and her concept, but it lost so much in the ""fleshing out"" and could have been a so much better book, shorter.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35YIPX79MF2Q2?ASIN=0316055441	Grit and grace	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best read I've had in a long time. Lyrical and transporting. Worthy of the Pulitzer. Just read it. It will take you to a place of rare understanding.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EOPLY7EZDNIP?ASIN=0316055441	well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written book. The characters were fleshed out perfectly. A little wordy at times. I am giving it only thee stars because it is so very sad.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSEMZW0TJ5JN0?ASIN=0316055441	an unforgettable character	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's not for everyone but if you dug Holden and grocked Eggers, this is your kind of story-telling. I would read another eight hundred pages anytime.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WAN5AYUAOUHO?ASIN=0316055441	Overall a good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the way this story wrapped itself together. Some chapters along the line dragged in my opinion, but generally the story keep me interested.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JCH6P7HC9CH4?ASIN=0316055441	I found it a little too long and at a certain point I was bored until it changed direction and grabbed me back	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written. I found it a little too long and at a certain point I was bored until it changed direction and grabbed me back.Too much detail at times</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8QZW9C03W8LY?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down. Inspirational and wise and warm ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down.  Inspirational and wise and warm without the ""here's Mr. Rogers to teach you a lesson about life.""  You won't be sorry.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS01437QJ6XZE?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the read. Not  liking so much description of every detail. Would fast forward some of the wordiness, but the story was an interesting read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU16GZWUFWTU8?ASIN=0316055441	how did this win Pulitzer?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning drew me in.  The many drug scenes became tiresome.  By the end I had lipped over a third. Much too long.<br/><br/>I do not recommend.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK1AR4E7OU072?ASIN=0316055441	Worthy of the pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow starting but am amazing tale  of heartache and triumph,  while it's no Disney fairytale ending you finish the book feeling right with the world.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMC7YIC2P95B9?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had trouble putting this book down. The author wove a captivating tale that immersed me in multiple worlds. I am anxious to read other Tartt books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39GYOI9NCX0EY?ASIN=0316055441	A well written novel with memorable characters. Her descriptions ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A well written novel with memorable characters.  Her descriptions of the characters allow you to know them well as the book develops.  Worth reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3603BT2FRRLUB?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing book. Not even halfway through it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing book. Not even halfway through it, luckily. Not looking forward to finishing it. Will make a great movie. Donna Tartt is an excellent writer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R309ZCVPI5DXAA?ASIN=0316055441	This is the best book I've read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best book I've read in a long time.Theo and Boris are examples of the good and bad in all of us. The last chapter is beautifully written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGG0JU32746XU?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is easy to understand why this book recieved the Pulitzer.  It is truly a wonderful book - one of the few that I will re-read and then read again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REFEGH7I52W75?ASIN=0316055441	I loved The Secret History and The Little Friend by Donna ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved The Secret History and The Little Friend by Donna Tartt. I highly recommend both of those, but I found this book disappointing by comparison.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTBLWVKRMNT2H?ASIN=0316055441	An interesting book, but too much hype.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Three stars at best. Much too wordy. The first 2/3 of book were fine, but the last third could have been condensed into 20 pages instead of hundreds.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBUZLY07N52UX?ASIN=0316055441	so, so good. couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My first ebook and really was a great experience. The story never lulls in this book, whether it's character development or action packed adventures.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28CZ18O157P32?ASIN=0316055441	Addictive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed the story on face value and the deeper themes running throughout. It was approachable, funny, sad and beautiful. Couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ROA1H5JUAL6N?ASIN=0316055441	amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Deeply moved by the characters in this beautiful novel.  It has been a long time since I have connected so deeply with a book. Thank you Donna Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M5DAJ0M0L52J?ASIN=0316055441	The best novel I have read in a while	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best novel I have read in a while. Reminded me of a John Irving  novel.  Order hardback by mistake and am so glad I have it to keep and to share.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GO25Y5A345SO?ASIN=0316055441	I loved it! I was totally captivated by the story ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved it! I was totally captivated by the story and the writing skill of Donna Tartt.  Makes me<br/>want to read some of her other works.  m ledig</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R193YUPC8TWW9M?ASIN=0316055441	Fell in love with the book in the first couple of pages!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, great story, with a lot of twists and turns.  Raw emotion and real characters in contrasting lives.  A definite read.  Enjoy the book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35ZNM4MAY0PZH?ASIN=0316055441	A book with too many pages.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This  book tries too hard to hard to convey the meaning of life through the eyes of a misfit In society and<br/>does a somewhat mediocre job of it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R295TG1KBQYAGC?ASIN=0316055441	I was sad when I finished	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It seems challenging because it is over 700 pages, but the story is so engrossing and well written you just keep reading. I was sad when I finished.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12RJOLN5IXP2S?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing book - in a different frame of mind than I've ever experienced. Love - loss - friendship -giving up &amp; persisting on all in the same moments.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z57OQJWLC49X?ASIN=0316055441	Self indulgent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't like the book at all. Her language is lovely, but the book tended to meander and felt very self indulgent and contrived in a lot of places.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXI33FA4NU4A0?ASIN=0316055441	enjoyable but long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Far too many redundancies. Suspension of disbelief is tested over and over. The love narrative weak. I did read the entire novel. A good, easy read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38A8MU8HUEN8I?ASIN=0316055441	Great novel...interesting to the end!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book.....enjoyed all the characters and different happenings to everyone!  But thought the author did not need to write some of the scenes!!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JA1U6PLRSXI0?ASIN=0316055441	Really enjoyed it until then	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Got very sleepy the final 1/4 of book. Internal dialogue was intense and I couldn't, didn't want to follow along.<br/>Really enjoyed it until then.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRHJ2ZEI59N53?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the story but found the book a bit long for me. Liked how the story unfolded. The foreign words threw me a bit also. I find them distracting</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TQ5CQZ1A2H3I?ASIN=0316055441	great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a picaresque novel that tries to move beyond the action to aestheticism and beyond. Enjoyed the geographic as well as the emotional traveling.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YTQLX0JUQOQ1?ASIN=0316055441	eh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was really good and exciting at some points, then really long and slow at others. It was ok, I wont be raving about it to my friends or anything.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P8BI44XE2SQ9?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to read type	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am 72 and love to read, but the type in this book was so fine, I need to use a magnifying glass ... and that was do fun , so I sent  the book back</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R154BKUT35YAP7?ASIN=0316055441	Tragedy and truth	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Humans being. What else can you say? The author made me laugh and weep. I felt true sorrow and joy, AND the truth of the""in between"".  Such is life.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EFRSRBGHRFN1?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful! Wonderful writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful! Wonderful writing, an amazing tale. Sometimes hard to take, but I couldn't look away. Felt breathless when I finished. May read it again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FL3S4WIJ367P?ASIN=0316055441	Rich	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For anyone who is looking to get absorbed.<br/>Characters pop.<br/>Lesson in compassion.<br/>Understanding the binding force between poor &amp; rich.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28PGIP29PVDFE?ASIN=0316055441	There are too many drawn-out details and descriptive content that ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are too many drawn-out details and descriptive content that I didn't think was needed. As a result, I lost interest at some parts of the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBSJGV7E5ZEGE?ASIN=0316055441	tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful descriptions. Great prose  wonderful images  Just kept  going and going. I was focussing on how much was left to read<br/>It was endless.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J1B5GM1BP6M2?ASIN=0316055441	slooooow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredible writer.  Great imagery, the story was dark and sad and not terribly gratifying.  I may need a faster read before starting her other book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYW9Y9OY18SM1?ASIN=0316055441	... I'm missing something but I thought this book was pretty boring. The writing just felt like pages and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Maybe I'm missing something but I thought this book was pretty boring. The writing just felt like pages and pages of musings with not much happening</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C8DKWNY3ZY10?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I feel this book was hard to get into, but once I did, it grew on me...sort of...I'm more bummed goodreads makes you writ a minimum number of words.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VQO28M7RKEMD?ASIN=0316055441	It would have been great if it was 250 pages less	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Far too long.  It would have been great if it was 250 pages less.  Why did we have to know every drug they took and how much havoc they could wreck?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RK2GCIY7LOLU?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best pieces of fiction I've read in quite some time ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best pieces of fiction I've read in quite some time - still talking about it with friends even after finishing it a couple of months ago.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R61MCOQNR0PBI?ASIN=0316055441	A  real winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly loved this book and it's exceptionally vivid characterizations.  Well worthy of the Pulitzer Prize.  The best book I've read this year.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OT4UXSQWOMF5?ASIN=0316055441	about life's journey!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Let's you know that we must live our lives as we see fit. Understand that there are things we may never control, always do what feels right for you!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDDWKXE14NXP8?ASIN=0316055441	The writing was extremely good but the novel was so depressing I had to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing was extremely good but the novel was so depressing I had to slug to get through it.  I would not recommend it since it was way too dark.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18R6HDP1G4OXE?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Five stars.<br/>A profound and touching analysis of art and the often tortured human heart and mind and soul.<br/>Gratefully,<br/>Janecaseyhughes</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIC88FZGSEJ85?ASIN=0316055441	A visual and glorious read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the characters and their respective and intertwined stories.  Beautiful writing and invaluable lessons about beauty, friendship, loss and art.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NFDETQUJH3T6?ASIN=0316055441	Good book- worth reading- not sure Pulitzer worthy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book, great plot, it can become too long in part because of the extensive description of art, houses, feelings, etc.. I do recommend it though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OF2XXA8D4K49?ASIN=0316055441	A must read for artists and art lovers	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exhilarating and depressing. Splashes of color against a dark background. (No spoilers here) . Beautifully written with unexpected twists and turns.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14POK92ODLJUL?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of money	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Huge disappointment!! Did not appreciate many words and endless drug journeys A bit of excitement to find the real culprit but then more<br/>words.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14EICY64DF2HZ?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it - characters I really cared about (especially Hobie) - felt like yelling warnings out-loud on occasion. A long book, and totally enjoyable.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1097KWM6QWQNW?ASIN=0316055441	Magnificent!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Far and away the best book I have read this year. Tartt is a mesmerizing storyteller. I am more than 2/3 through the book and am really savoring it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SMOCCCG3RP2Y?ASIN=0316055441	the book shipped to me was not a standard US ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the book shipped to me was not a standard US paperback. It was a weird, thick size with small print and extra pages. Not sure where it was printed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DUA4MUCU65E8?ASIN=0316055441	Longwiiiiiiiiinded	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great story no doubt. This book could have been half as long and not lost anything. Not really sure why it won awards. Page after page of filler.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U1OM5IMIURBL?ASIN=0316055441	An amazing book - brilliant and deserving of the Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing book - brilliant and deserving of the Pulitzer. One of the few books I read on my Kindle and then ordered a hard copy for my book shelf.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q6NI9C8OI9FK?ASIN=0316055441	A serious read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Makes statements regarding life that you may or may not agree with.  You can not read this book and leave it without some , enlightenment, on life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAJTEHOUJ1PS6?ASIN=0316055441	A remarkable read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed reading this book selection for our group. In fact I read it twice.  So glad one of our members recommended it.  It is a treasure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGYNVPV5N0289?ASIN=0316055441	a thing to love.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A surprisingly intellectual history of a wanton life . Recommended to lovers of novels in whatever form . The unexpected hand of Fate rules strong.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IOHD1AA1R0A0?ASIN=0316055441	I liked the first 3/4ths of the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the first 3/4ths of the story. Then I felt it laged, got too wordy and the ending was too open-ended for me. However, I was glad I read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBQ6WJX26ZAEM?ASIN=0316055441	... see why this book earned a Pulitzer Prize-just a wonderfully written adventure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I see why this book earned a Pulitzer Prize-just a wonderfully written adventure. Interwoven relationships, great settings, a contemporary classic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S3LR0KYX17MZ?ASIN=0316055441	amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazingly well written book. Reality combined with fantasy. Unique, fun and enticing.  Strong characters, strong detail.  All will enjoy this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P0T4IGB5HPE6?ASIN=0316055441	Good start, good finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good start, good finish, verrrrryyy long in the middle and rambles off at the end.  Would make a good book if 150 pages shorter, too self indulgent</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DX7TZTTGZ28V?ASIN=0316055441	The most engaging book I have read in a long ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The most engaging book I have read in a long time. There were so many senerios, one after the other and the excitement kept building until the end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LGZC8HUXDEYR?ASIN=0316055441	art, drugs, romance	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Colorful vocabulary, well researched in regard to world of drugs and art. Holds reader's attention from first page. Excellent character development</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UH49AG2OYV2E?ASIN=0316055441	I liked the line	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written.  I liked the line, ""Coincidence is God's way of being anonymous,"" or something close to that.  Some good philosophical grist.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35436KCB5CXKI?ASIN=0316055441	Powerful narrative	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing, the characters, the subject all make for a wild ride into humanity. Interesting premise, wonderfully expressed, and vividly presented.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17AMJKG8NPDBE?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed this novel for presenting interesting characters, which are blended together over the spam of several years because of historical painting.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35ARCUZN2G7VX?ASIN=0316055441	I would highly recommend it to art lovers and anyone who enjoys a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Immensely entertaining, deep, crazy at times; I would highly recommend it to art lovers and anyone who enjoys a book that can't be easily put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LYTYYR4DZSWU?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the long read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story. I read with constant concern for the well being of the main character. He's such a mess but you want him to be ok. Worth the long read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAWORG2W8ZJDZ?ASIN=0316055441	touches one's soul	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful rich language reaching deep into the soul.  The complexities of life cannot be expressed more poignantly.  A profound reading experience.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZO4LAHT90Y53?ASIN=0316055441	Recommended read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read.  Absolute page turner--I was sucked in and just had to know what was going to happen next!!!  Wonderfully written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IQF5V7V2IXAN?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing! Drew me in and wouldn't let go. Some characters and situations were unreal and completely far fetched , but I still couldn't stop reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VAY5W8OKYE3D?ASIN=0316055441	Could Have Cut Some Out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was beautifully written but she could have cut quite a bit out and still had a very good story.  That said, I enjoyed it and would recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M345OVFTHCEE?ASIN=0316055441	The author can create a scene with such an authentic ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author can create a scene with such an authentic voice that, once read, you feel you have been there.  Sometimes the details outweigh the plot.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWOHF2RF9H4N2?ASIN=0316055441	A good read for artists	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting book that travels through art, morality, and life. Somewhere between the heart-ache and sedation there is a hope for something more.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R250M76GIJCQ44?ASIN=0316055441	dickens brought to Light	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be exceptional and follow the tried and true Dickens' model. Overall it left us guessing about Pippa and the love they shared.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ALUZHW8QSS5O?ASIN=0316055441	Read this for our book club & have yet to find one member who liked.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way over praised. Too wordy overall &amp; repetitive on the drug-taking sections.  Read this for our book club &amp; have yet to find one member who liked.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X3MC6C14EQJJ?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't enjoy the story or characters through the drug haze	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">2 stars...how do people live like this?  Living in a haze of drugs and constant hangovers is something I cannot relate to or get past in this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VZI072OGNI3J?ASIN=0316055441	Summergal	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel was expertly written but way too long.  Agonizingly long!  The main character is hard to sympathise with and yet the reader still cares.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TMBLLU6TRALR?ASIN=0316055441	Thoroughly engrossing, well written and well paced.. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoroughly engrossing, well written and well paced... You feel as you are living alongside the characters, their concerns, troubles and challenges.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M2ZLIG7A5X63?ASIN=0316055441	Not my favorite book. It had some good thoughts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not my favorite book.  It had some good thoughts, good messages, but dragging through the drug and murder scenes was too much to do to get to them.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SADV0U0R3OQU?ASIN=0316055441	Became tedious to continue reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Became tedious to continue reading. Read more than three quarters and just could not get to the end. The art story interesting, the drugs too much.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A8VJ8KLLPIMD?ASIN=0316055441	a story about anyone's life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A masterpiece. Tartt is a magnificent writer!  Imageries read without realizing the image the words created.<br/>  I will read more by the author.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKXIT2SA0679D?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was compelling! Couldn't put it down.<br/> The characters are complex and deep, the twists and turns of the story totally unpredictable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TUDZOY6Y5N1K?ASIN=0316055441	Astounding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most wonderful books I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Bit of a slow start, but I read over half of it in only two days. Marvelous!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LI5MHDVSHUEK?ASIN=0316055441	Thought provoking, poetic, sometimes heart wrenching and sometimes ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought provoking,  poetic, sometimes heart wrenching and sometimes hilarious.<br/>Most of all, I found it believable and impossible to put down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R558PHIESV7L1?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very interesting book, sometimes the dialog was too long and the ending came all of a sudden and felt like ""well time is up"" end the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26BEWLCVSGYA1?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was addicting and challenges the mind. The way the story unfolds and the detailed descriptions are different than any other book I have read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38CRO10Y7FUVI?ASIN=0316055441	Although I don't like reading about drug users and felt it dragged a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I don't like reading about drug users and felt it dragged a bit at times.  But other than that it was a well crafted and enjoyable  book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U4BBZP605MCW?ASIN=0316055441	Well written, blah plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Daddy<br/><br/>The author is a very brilliant writer but the overall plot was just.kind of boring, or plodding. Never got to somewhere exciting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R6K3FID5FRBX?ASIN=0316055441	a must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book from start to finish. It was impeccably written. An absolute masterpiece. I look forward to reading more books by this author.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QA98DM7RYE9A?ASIN=0316055441	Captures real feelings, like ice water down your back.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good story ,not exactly a page turner , but still held your interest.<br/>Donna Tartt is a women of extreme emotion,conveyed very plausibly.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EEHQVZSAIMIR?ASIN=0316055441	Easy to identify with the main character and all his ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absorbing tale of a young man who's life is upended by tragedy.  Very moving.  Easy to identify with the main character and all his teenage angst.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO9F0IZSZMWGD?ASIN=0316055441	Good writing does exist.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A joy to become immersed in.  The prose is lovely and reaffirms my faith in modern letters.  Like Helprin, Tartt allows one to revel in the words.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D3JULM2KQSHR?ASIN=0316055441	repetitive...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good premise and some great characters, but just unnecessarily long winded. I felt like I was just slogging through the last couple hundred pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUDJBB75TMGOX?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was well-constructed and very engaging.  The protagonist was easy to understand and sympathize with.  The book dragged from time to time.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R59U8Q6T0YUB6?ASIN=0316055441	starts out beautifully then spends too much time in Vegas	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long , starts out beautifully then  spends too much time in Vegas. Interesting story and good writing, but can't recommend family and friends.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R344DM1F5BLKDJ?ASIN=0316055441	A long, mostly very good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was thinking of giving it 4 stars because the last sections of the book drag.  But the first 500 plus pages, and some of the balance, are a joy.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14G4FX51CXGF3?ASIN=0316055441	If the last chapter had been the first I would ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If the last chapter had been the first I would have stopped reading then and there. Otherwise it was entertaining and sometimes thought provoking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM0V0HFQPLXRI?ASIN=0316055441	What happened to the Goldfinch?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was okay but the conclusion seemed forced as though the author had difficulty bringing it to an end.  I don't think this is an unusual dilemma.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KGYS0PZ1AJ4S?ASIN=0316055441	dark, morbid, too long...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">...And yet the writing was wonderful and the good parts so good.  I just wish it was 200 pages shorter.  It started to lose its impact &amp; voracity.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMS4QFK0CRL2P?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was intriguing from beginning to end. The author uses very descriptive words so you can feel that you are there with the characters!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ9HKT3M7STJV?ASIN=0316055441	too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When describing a situation  went on and on and on. due to the rambling I would lose my  interest. His conversations with Boris were not credible.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF2SJJDA27T8D?ASIN=0316055441	Memorable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A gifted author.  One ""feels"" The Goldfinch.  Excellent characterization.  As I was reading Boris and Theo came alive in front of my eyes.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT36U44FUU2G3?ASIN=0316055441	Somehow I made it through the book but it literally ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Somehow I made it through the book but it literally took months. Just was never engaged..... I know it won a Pulitzer. Maybe I just didn't get it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FVEFG9KQGF8C?ASIN=0316055441	Long but intriguing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book however long!!!! It wasn't a ""can't put it down"" kind of book but I wanted to continue reading to find out about the characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP5B5E11CKYDB?ASIN=0316055441	rambling nonsense	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cannot believe this rambling mess won a Pulitzer Prize!!??!!  Well written but never ending!  If you need help falling asleep....read this book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A58Q3B3IDKX1?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch held captive by author	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story complicated by too many words...<br/>Plot frequently convoluted and contrived.<br/><br/>Unsure if I will read other works by this author.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23GTY8ASY331L?ASIN=0316055441	but really wonderful and gripping	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long, basically (in an odd way) a collection of novellas, but really wonderful and gripping, full of great characters and beautifully written</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SOEZOWT5PU52?ASIN=0316055441	ok...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like the characters but was disappointed with the turn the plot took in the latter part of the book.  Definitely not a ""feel good"" book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2198LBIYM0LDL?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me a while to get into this book but I was determined to complete the task of picking the best seller that I read it in 2days great writer</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17GVV73LCPL8P?ASIN=0316055441	I found the writing to be OK and the story ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the writing to be OK and the story drawn out.  But I prefer more fast paced novels.  I can see why this won the Pulitzer, just not for me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZO6W4QY7TGFA?ASIN=0316055441	The content of the story was very good but the style of her writing made it long ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not care for Tartt's style of writing.  The content of the story was very good but the style of her writing made it long and tedious reading</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UJQSOO2RDXEW?ASIN=0316055441	Writer extroidinare	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite a tale however way to much detail and to long. I thought it would never end but the writing is extroidinary almost equal to Wallace Stegner.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28TQMTVLUIPDO?ASIN=0316055441	Sooo Dissppointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If this were a terrible writer then I would have just tossed the book aside, but I love Donna Tartt. My real question was--where was the editor???</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E8INA85TS193?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put it down.  The writing was elegant.  I picked it for my book club to discuss next week.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DF80BHIYF1AJ?ASIN=0316055441	Two stars only because it was a well written novel ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Two stars only because it was a well written novel.The story was way to dark and depressing with no real climax or resolution.Very disappointing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S17I05HEFTXW?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the writing style and story through the first half	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long.  I loved the writing style and story through the first half, but then it just seemed to drag on and on, so I skimmed through the rest.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MVHNNP2M9DK2?ASIN=0316055441	Easy to root for the main character	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Has its moments that keep you up at night.  Also has its dull and boring transitions.  Overall, I'm glad I read it but not my most favorite read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO82NCGSJAEP1?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think this book is an awesome read. The story is gripping and the lesson of the book, both good and bad, is a life long lesson....live and love</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KU1ZJAKONF0G?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful, incredible writing.  Stick with it to the end.  It all comes together.  I think I'll be reading the last 20 or so pages over and over!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15MB9D8G7NTQN?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the beginning of the story, good descriptions, but it went on and on, she needed a good editor. started losing interest half way through.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3707A6KVN4ZJZ?ASIN=0316055441	Chained bird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I often felt chained to this story as the bird in the painting was. I couldn't put it down even when the images were disturbing. It was worth it!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLQJXN92905R5?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a plot! Didn't expect some of the twits that were there which made the book hard to put down. Recommended to husband and he is enjoying too.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LMZGKE7TYCAY?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. Different than most books. Not predictable and very well written. would certainly recommend it if you like something a bit more dark.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AXC9WWJ6OX1X?ASIN=0316055441	Great character development along with some interesting insight into the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long book that keeps you engrossed throughout. Great character development along with some interesting insight into the art and antiques world.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FS9CHGNKGEIE?ASIN=0316055441	Long but worth it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written story.  The characters are intriguing even when it's hard to cheer for them.  I like the painting has a personality of its own.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B3HH9XDTU83H?ASIN=0316055441	The story moves along quickly and it is a good discussion book if you want to do it for ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long book but certainly very worthwhile.  The story moves along quickly and it is a good discussion book if you want to do it for a book group.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20G2XYC30U5VC?ASIN=0316055441	Superb writing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, a bit self-indulgent in some parts, but a very interesting and unique plot. This book held my interest from start to finish.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JR694COSMC89?ASIN=0316055441	Lots of fun to read but not as much fun as The ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lots of fun to read but not as much fun as The Secret History, her first book. It dragged in the middle with too much lowlife stuff in Las Vegas.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YRD2VXE6GKH3?ASIN=0316055441	Tough to get through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great read at first, but I had a hard time getting through the middle. I loved the message at the end. Love, like art, stands the test of time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IAX5QDT5AMYT?ASIN=0316055441	This book is worthy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book. I can see why it won. The book keeps you anticipating the next page. Flipping your emotions in a way that at times made me upset.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JA48MV1JVP7I?ASIN=0316055441	The best read in many years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">BRILLIANT! 750+ pages and I didn't want it to end. Theodore Decker is a powerfully compelling character. He is a classic anti-hero for a new age.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10751A838VPPE?ASIN=0316055441	way to drawn out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started strong but languished.  Barely slogged past page 600!  Se needs an editor because the writing is good but it's too much detail in places.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GCRPKHPUJWVU?ASIN=0316055441	but i should because everyone says it's so good. it was so flowery with words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i couldn't even finish, but i should because everyone says it's so good.  it was so flowery with words.  i kept hoping it would get to the point!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A6U2ACLGNUWH?ASIN=0316055441	Thought was good but not so much.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Think would have been better if Tartt's editor had done his/her job and whittled some of those overly verbose passages down to size.  Just sayin.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR4EGH7CZH1NI?ASIN=0316055441	This is a totally engrossing book. Puts into powerful ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a totally engrossing book.  Puts into powerful words feelings and ideas that elude many people.  The characters are flawed but endearing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE0KHUBKW7N4R?ASIN=0316055441	The writing of this book is simply outstanding this writers ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing of this book is simply outstanding this writers ability to jumped from high society to street criminals and back again is phenomenal.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SRC23ERVMUE7?ASIN=0316055441	loved this story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very disturbing, deep characters.  I couldn't put it down!  Intense story line.  The author writes and the reader gets thrown into the situation.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13ZKHW926ENJ9?ASIN=0316055441	Great, genius writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great, genius writing, at first I was enthralled. However, way too long. The ending was also beautifully written, but at that point I had had it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I7KARSOMP629?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author creates indelible character portraits embedded in an interesting plot with insights into art, antiques, and drug addiction subculture.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U4SQMSVMXJGN?ASIN=0316055441	Too long. Story was interesting in the beginning, ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long. Story was interesting in the beginning, but  lost it in the middle with too much intrigue.Could have been tighter in telling the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJTF87MIHO92E?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love Tartt's writing and the story line was great but the ending was a bit of a let-down. I was hoping for something a little more substantial.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2251BIO0NIRBG?ASIN=0316055441	I do not like books that thick	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For me it is a very hard read.  I do not like books that thick.<br/>Was not my choice from the Book Club  I am about a third of the way through.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FO9UOP4YOK5C?ASIN=0316055441	Carole McGrail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started off great. Such detail and knowledge of art. But became a bit boring with the drugs. I wonder how he survived. I was disappointed in him.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L74FTDRZMMBG?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo is the quintessential ""lovable.loser"" in this beautifully written piece of literature.<br/>a must read for anyone and everyone. I loved it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27IFDX1IJ4JHX?ASIN=0316055441	"Don""t bother"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">mixed review  kept reading as took long time to figure out point of story  then too much  description of drugs &amp; effects  too sad of wasted lives</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DTE4HVKUCE4U?ASIN=0316055441	I liked this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written and  the characters were developed.  Thought provoking. I liked this book. However, it is not one that I would choose to read again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8Q1ROS0VYENF?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great read if you like good drawn out story line and fairly verbose text. totally worth the time to get into it. one of the best reads this year.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QJV4RUTBM?ASIN=0316055441	It is a roller coaster ride through a young man's life.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have now read The Goldfinch twice, and I felt that I required the second reading to tie everything together. Her writing skills are incredible!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AKCZTPTTZOJA?ASIN=0316055441	A Must Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic read............really get involved with the characters and it is hard to put the book down. Terrific information on art history too!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2STY5XKRO8ZA8?ASIN=0316055441	excellent mystery	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The tilte interested me, and when I read a few free pages, I got hooked and wanted more. The book held my interest until the<br/>very last page.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5DGV90L2H0K8?ASIN=0316055441	My favorite book this year!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Maybe for all time, my favorite. I miss it now that I have finished.<br/>So well written and composed, reading this book is a wonderful journey.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24G8YA8M3VSBK?ASIN=0316055441	excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a cool book, art-furniture restoration-apocalyptic las vegas-russian mafia-tom sawyer-huck finn.and a golden bird. get it you wont regret it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KRO8FKOLKRER?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved reading this book.  I did not want it to end.  Then when I finished the book I<br/>kept thinking about it for days.<br/>Excellent read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5JVSBHVXDJ5M?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing work of fiction.  Blown away by the story, characters and captivating prose.  One of the best books I've read in the last several years.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NO7CL1D25LUF?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Mesmerizing story-teller and a superb writer--poetry in every page, and every page is a page-turner.  Visceral and beautiful.  Highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQXGQS6HPT9SZ?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoy the beginning and the ending part but suffered through ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoy the beginning and the ending part but suffered through the dull middle part. Writing is beautiful however the main character is unbearable</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TD412J5SIT69?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written, completely captivating novel that makes you literally incapable of putting the book down. Really quite an exceptional read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25TSIKIWVCGHY?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful word discriptions	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very depressing but I could not stop reading.  Wonderful word discriptions. Liked learning about restoring furniture to  similate  real antiques</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWVXTOHNA4H85?ASIN=0316055441	A fantastic piece of modern literature	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fantastic piece of modern literature.  Tartt sounds the depths of human experience and the psychology of pain and trauma with wit and majesty.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13VNM83HGVBBY?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautifully written book.  Wonderfully surprising and full of emotion.  I just didn't like the very last chapter; wish it had a better ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VKEAOTVYWB7T?ASIN=0316055441	great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read.  There were times I wanted to put the book down and then I would be drawn back. The writing style is the best part of the experience</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8S9Q4SN0HZL8?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a stunningly well-written book!  I absolutely loved it.<br/>Gorgeously described scenes are woven into a great story, masterfully told.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GNS068ZGT5W4?ASIN=0316055441	Astonishingly Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I adored this novel. The word choice. The imagery. I have so many words and yet it's hard to get them out. What a truly wonderful amazing story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG6F9VPNEEVI9?ASIN=0316055441	It is quite a story but the descriptions are overly ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is quite a story but the descriptions are overly long. Also it is an unbelievable story and if you don't want to be depressed don't read this</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G4D86C1I5GVN?ASIN=0316055441	Wow! What a story. Crazy how it grabbed ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow!  What a story.  Crazy how it grabbed my attention and I couldn't stop reading--even when it got weird.  Definitely one I suggest to others.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LAVFS5HGXK3T?ASIN=0316055441	Truth in Every Line	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was beautifully written, with fabulous language-- a book I am sad has ended. Theo, I will remember you and that little bird for a longtime.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JJCCC7U1AWQP?ASIN=0316055441	Good!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read, but I felt that it dragged on at times. Tartt is very verbose, but the story was creative and interesting. It will make a good movie!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J1YQZRHGRGYI?ASIN=0316055441	good read... sometimes a bit convoluted.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting characters and plot... Particularly compelling at the start but less so as we near the conclusion.  Still in all, a worthwhile read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KX20RGNLFE8S?ASIN=0316055441	loved it. I recommend you also read the Amazon ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Spellbinding! loved it. I recommend you also read the Amazon book on the actual painting's history Fabritius and the goldfinch by Deborah Davis.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YH2F3HF23NGR?ASIN=0316055441	Well written story didn't love the ending but I find that is my issue ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written story didn't love the ending but I find that is my issue with most stories definitely worth reading but many chapters were too long</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38WVPSTQ4HVJ5?ASIN=0316055441	sometimes tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Often quite a good read,but some places seem to run on and on.  Scenes with Boris especially  tiresome. But then that might be the effect wanted</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LQOVNQ0JCCOJ?ASIN=0316055441	Does not deserve all the attention it's getting.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm only half way into it but not really enjoying it. I also don't care for the author's overly long descriptions of people, places or feelings.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WJM00XJEPQ7Z?ASIN=0316055441	didn't want it to end...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't enjoyed a book in this way in a very long time.  I read it on my kindle but may buy the  book just to have a tactile connection to it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PA8B9OEW09PE?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning was very interesting, somewhere in the middle it got muddled and long winded!<br/>The ending was okay. Interesting on some level.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B8EZKDTUDZBB?ASIN=0316055441	masterpiece!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a masterpiece!  It is not easy reading, but worth every word.  One day I will read it again, and  I recommend it to all serious readers.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R194K0DI7Z7CUA?ASIN=0316055441	"Very ""wordy"". Found myself skipping sentences to get to ..."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very ""wordy"".  Found myself skipping sentences to get to the story -  which was very interesting  Surprised that the author was a woman.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R72HHQ46W466?ASIN=0316055441	boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had some good story lines but way way way too much verbiage.  It could have been shortened by half and it would have been a good book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CEML8INOC3E2?ASIN=0316055441	MUST READ!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Truly incredible read! I was hooked from the first page and didn't want it to end! Am still sad that I don't get to find out what happened next!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD8EM2FYFM3UH?ASIN=0316055441	Suprisingly I loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I actually was very frustrated with this book for about 50% of it. I was not empathizing with Theo, the main character at all, his troubles were all self induced. The authors descriptions of people and events were beautiful, and vivid so this kept me reading. Then almost at the end of the book I was pretty distressed because there was no way things were going to turn out well for the characters that I did like, specifically Hobie. However, the ending is amazing! Everything turns out well with an unexpected twist and a deeper meaning, you have to read it to find out! Also no good review can go without mentioning Boris, Theo's friend, you will either love or hate him but, I have to admire his headlong dash at life and adventure (besides with his slightly fatalistic attitude he is hilarious).</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9CUNVIBTOSH0?ASIN=0316055441	Easy to picture all that is happening with the characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has quite a way with details and descriptive writing. Easy to picture all that is happening with the characters. Great plot twists.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EA0O5EFW4N59?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books that I have read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books that I have read. Written smartly with a story line that captures you at the start and never lets go. Highly recommended!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T1OC9SM38E8H?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch has a great story line! I couldn't put it down ! Theo and Boris were great characters. There journey kept me guessing! Loved it!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW152W26UNR7J?ASIN=0316055441	Woulda, coulda, shoulda	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Finally it is over.  I hated it and I loved it!  I will read it again but this time as a study.  So many places of personal growth and insight.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GB8Y2UORCLY0?ASIN=0316055441	It's Okay	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is way too long and kind of rambles on for pages. I found myself wondering ""When does this end?"" for a very long portion of the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WZ96Y8S0S97X?ASIN=0316055441	must read this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very heavy reading right to the end makes you look at life in a different prospective beautifully worded can not wait to start Tartts next book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F6Q1M3DTD2ZV?ASIN=0316055441	Good story but did not feel the same level of ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story but did not feel the same level of awe and amazement as many.  Should have gone to the library as this wasn't worth owing....for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EM5UCVKF2JSX?ASIN=0316055441	Very slow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Why did I even finish this?  I'm exhausted from the effort and it wasn't worth all the time.  Very decadent without having redeeming qualities.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LDX70XM2RLVT?ASIN=0316055441	wow how true	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an adventure, explanation of life and love, desperation and triumph, very rich characters with all sorts of confusions. Well worth reading</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WLJERSKUM7GP?ASIN=0316055441	wienerheli@gmail.com	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, intriguing story. Im going to miss Theo. A little long though. Overall, enjoyed tremendously. Highly recommend this novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBEQHEJHYXX27?ASIN=0316055441	Sometimes a page turner, and other times I could let it sit for weeks	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very well-written book.  I see why it won the Pulitzer, but it introduced a world of grief and despair making for difficult reading at times.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E6G45O5SR3MA?ASIN=0316055441	Full immersion...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">...in loss, love, yearning, angst, art.  Beautiful, honest, real.  After reading biographies, I was lingering for some real literature.  SATED!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R4GD4MGXZO4L?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tart is a very good storyteller and this is a complicated story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tart is a very good storyteller and this is a complicated story. But you just have to keep reading because it is such an intriguing tale.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XUXKDC8HHST7?ASIN=0316055441	thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is interesting but is a very dark look at life.  It is quite depressing at times.  Too much about drugs and how they effect the body.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SLYQZ8FWMCR4?ASIN=0316055441	Certainly worthy of the Pulitzer Prize	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Keeps your interest even with a complex and often puzzling plot.  Keeps you wishing for a good outcome and you are kept guessing until the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VWKN2FI4GM42?ASIN=0316055441	verbose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Who was she trying to impress with her vocabulary and where was the editor?  I kept hoping it would get better but it never did. Waste of time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GXMBVZJ9HP3Y?ASIN=0316055441	A good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting story.  Lots of twists and turns. I'm felt it dragged on a little too long and got pretty philosophical in the end to my liking.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MXX10LFLFEYH?ASIN=0316055441	Read the whole thing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a big book and not an easy read but I really liked it and couldn't put it down. Wow I can't believe I read the whole thing so glad I did.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRUH9XVFZJLP4?ASIN=0316055441	a novel of incredible twists	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't listen to the ones among you who admit they couldn't read this book to the end. Persevere or you will be haunted by what you have missed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFDLV8WHMCU2T?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book. Gripping from the first page	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book.  Gripping from the first page.  Beautifully written.  Deserves every accolade available.<br/>I must find more of Tartt's work.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10TSKOSH0XC88?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a little long in some parts but a very interesting read. characters developed nicely. frustrating. torn. lost. there was not much happiness....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CM2PIQ77UT9Y?ASIN=0316055441	couldn't put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. Love the compelling relationship between Theo and his mother.  Friendship, love, heartache, mystery, this book has it all.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O0NJJDVS8CC8?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the descriptions of art and antiques	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought provoking and intriguing novel.  Loved the descriptions of art and antiques.  Characters developed philosophically in interesting ways.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UHIZ3YVVMCC?ASIN=0316055441	BRILLIANT	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A stunning philosophical investigtion of art and love, their meaning, and their necessity in our lives...wrapped in a love story and a mystery.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B5BZCMPY92O5?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, very involved, liked his descriptions of furniture and art, sometimes didn't seem at all realistic even for unsupervised teenagers</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26QIY6RD1LECU?ASIN=0316055441	awesome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book held my attention,every moment.every character was facinating.I saw so much growth in the main character,despite his tumultuous life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32PWMY4Y5B4HL?ASIN=0316055441	Great book for cold rainy nights	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I highly recommend this book.  It was unlike anything I usually read.  A strange but moving tale, I could not put it down until I was finished.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KKTNOXW2506W?ASIN=0316055441	Is this a mistake that everyone has missed?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had to go back and re read page 370...he takes a bath.........page 375...he says he slept in his dirty clothes,,did I miss something?  Spring</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SQ79MD88QDUC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LRRX99XNSD6V?ASIN=0316055441	Great Story. Found main character very frustrating in his ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great Story. Found main character very frustrating in his ramblings and felt I could skip over a lot and still not miss too much of the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL9EZ0GB6UESO?ASIN=0316055441	Best.Book.Ever.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In some ways I wish I had never read this book, because now everything else I read just can't compare. Worth every minute - a beautiful story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WUWDGHIQDLK2?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to get through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could barely get through the first 100 pages. Way too long and way too wordy!  However, I did go back and read the whole book. Good story, albeit depressing and at times hard to follow.  The ending was awfully wordy also. A challenge!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJG9EVLK469MC?ASIN=0316055441	Good book but a little long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Poor Theo went through so much in his early life.  I enjoyed the first three quarters of the book but it took much too long to get to the end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IAT09F6AVCU5?ASIN=0316055441	This has an odd plot and characters. The writing ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This has an odd plot and characters.  The writing is strong and imaginative. Tartt is in command of her craft. That's what I found compelling.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8XCLRC99XMZ?ASIN=0316055441	loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so invested in the characters and story-line , I never wanted it to end! There were so many aspects of this story that were captivating!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XKDWTQ1WTBVH?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed the beginning and the end of this novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the beginning and the end of this novel.  There were some rather tedious parts in between.  Well written, but depressing throughout.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H6YGXIKD61AC?ASIN=0316055441	Exquisitely beautiful & achingly human	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A stunningly, beautiful examination of being human, of loving &amp; losing &amp; art, addiction, &amp; perseverance...the Goldfinch is achingly masterful.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLPT9SW05AXAW?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very detailed, well written. Would definitely recommend this to all of my friends. Last chapter a bit slow, but the rest kept me wanting more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XKLKW5UM7OLX?ASIN=0316055441	intense and in depth read!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Took me a while to get through but an excellent read! Very pensive and deep! Kind of depressing at times but unlike anything I've read before.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29J6742V9YAXZ?ASIN=0316055441	lovely book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Truly intriguing story. The characters capture you from introduction and the story pulls you through the pages. Emotional read and worthwhile.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9IJ16P42VIAO?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing end to something that could have been great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Neither the narrative nor the subsequent piece at the end fit for me, but the book is to be recommended for its earlier moments of brilliance.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R304SVLIMJNX08?ASIN=0316055441	Great book & well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the writing which painted vivid pictures in my mind!<br/>Highly recommend this book. You can put it down &amp; come back to it with ease.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNRHXWYW4QQXX?ASIN=0316055441	read it or see movie	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My friend said it was the best book she had read....I though tit was ok. Maybe the movie would have given me a better visual of the characters</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDSKJZBOZOGZY?ASIN=0316055441	Too much drag at the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The start was interesting but then mid way to the end, the story was dragged unnecessarily.<br/>Won't recommend. Much better books out there.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12X7WGFUYDLMS?ASIN=0316055441	Modern classic?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Yes. It wasn't the most moving book I've ever read or the most engrossing, but that didn't stop me from reading it like it was addicted to it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NS95I1B0G99V?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written... But...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling story, but too wordy and never quite satisfying enough.  I kept expecting it to take me somewhere I wanted to go, but it never did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QDM4CBL2XZEU?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written, characters jumped out of the page	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">beautifully written, characters jumped out of the page, got a little bored towards end....little too grim for my taste, but still a good story</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PFDP63RW7E6L?ASIN=0316055441	Great story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As usual with her stories, very believable characters. Boris is so close to someone out of my past that it was a little chilling. Great story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMUL3J51PTUFP?ASIN=0316055441	I did not care for the sex or the drug ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not care for the sex or the drug action in the book. I did not finish it!  Maybe I should have given it only two stars ?<br/>Thank you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G6IDGRE4TDHJ?ASIN=0316055441	I find it difficult to read and very boring. I have set it aside for now and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am only about 20% into the book,  I find it difficult to read and very boring.  I have set it aside for now and may or may not go back to it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R170K592FCXR1Z?ASIN=0316055441	A Search for Life`s Meaning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The ultimate story of learning life's lessons the hard way. Finding meaning early when it takes others a lifetime to reach that understanding.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ORPH7Y4YO8DT?ASIN=0316055441	don't rush to read this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was too wordy and drawn out. I had to put it down many times before picking it up to read agai. The las 20% of the book was the best.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11B43LU0LJD2F?ASIN=0316055441	Good start, brutle middle, confusing end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the first third of the book very interesting. After that it became torturous.<br/>The story line brutle, sad and drug on far to long.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11LRGGBY3ZH54?ASIN=0316055441	This is a new author for me and I enjoyed the book very much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a new author for me and I enjoyed the book very much. Donna Tartt is an excellent author. I look forward to reading more of her books.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H9420JHH7QLR?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible book that stays with you.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's writing is beautiful and her characters are complex and believable, even as unbelievable things happen around thrm . Highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R380HCEWGL77XC?ASIN=0316055441	Great Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">fantastic story telling! epic tale!<br/>so glad to have discovered such a wonderful story and can't wait to share with all my reader friends!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14Y2D007VAO9A?ASIN=0316055441	awesome!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was hardly able to put it down! Incredible storyline! Develops great interest in the characters and how they affect his life!  Loved it!!!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TMK2KKPTOOBD?ASIN=0316055441	good character development	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overlong musing; looking at himself ad:nauseum.  Sorry, expected more from a Pulitzer Prize for fiction.  However, good character development.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R208DWAYXYVLW3?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written but a bit long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written but too long and depending on chapter detail a bit tedious.<br/>If you loved the written word and have patience wonderful</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WVLZ1UTO80FH?ASIN=0316055441	He'd finished and loved the Harry Potter series but this has been pretty ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a bit old for the nine year old  it was bought for. He'd finished and loved the Harry Potter series but this has been pretty intense.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PG6LWW45FHJX?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a good story but way too long. It lost my interest many times.  It could have been a much better book if  were about 150 pages shorter.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R366K63LDZ1IIG?ASIN=0316055441	Extraordinary novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the first page, this is the story of a boy and a painting that you will remember for a long time.<br/>You won't be able to put it down!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37QUIL0DYZG5S?ASIN=0316055441	Could not put this book down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in 10 years, easily. I thought about the characters even when I wasn't reading the book. I felt like I knew these people.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VH2RVRN5ZCAG?ASIN=0316055441	The story of a traumatized boy and man.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the story of a boy who loses everything, and the life that has afterward is difficult to read. But in the end he finds himself again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FQ527GXDCDVV?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book that will keep you reading long into the night. Someone gave it to me and then I gave it as a gift because I loved it so much.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G34JVWWL4BN6?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to put this book down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My granddaughter said it was terrific and she was correct. I really fell so sorry for some people who seem to follow a downward path in life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTK1501QL9PRV?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well-written novel full of surprising plot turns, detailed, full-bodied characters, and a few metaphysical/existential musings along the way.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15U3MRN72HZ53?ASIN=0316055441	Best Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best book I have ever read! I couldn't put it down because the story moves along at breathtaking speed and the writing is superb!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QBSVZDMAUSY?ASIN=0316055441	Great story and exceptionally well-written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story and exceptionally well-written. Some very meaningful thought provoking  ideas. One of the best works of fiction I have ever read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V3HEYMBJ1Q9J?ASIN=0316055441	worth reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The only thing I ask from a novel is to care about the characters. I loved these characters. A great story of survival, humanity, friendship.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4YH2J1OZPHPL?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting and strange reading.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This a very well written book with interesting characters.  But, the story was a bit strange and I though the ending was a bit of a let down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TS56PJAI6XNI?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written!  It provokes contemplation on life's miserableness in a very captivating way.  Cynics of the world are sure to love it!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NQ07OBISHZ71?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book, well-written and thought out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book, well-written and thought out. The twists and turns in the plot kept me mesmerized. I will look for more books by this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U9J8CJGSVQVS?ASIN=0316055441	Thrilling and Unique book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the book is long it doesn't feel that way. You're in it every minute! I've never read a story like it. Very unique plot! Great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I6X5ANGD9ERI?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story.  Timely. Good character development, but  unnecessary long , possibly due to repetition of character's thoughts, ruminantions....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GV7OFGWEKSV1?ASIN=0316055441	This book was a good read. A little more editing to make it ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a good read. A little more editing to make it a little shorter, would have made the story a little more exciting and impactful.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36AKKX47PT0TD?ASIN=0316055441	A must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are not many books that keep one up to three in the morning, that have you choose them over friends and tv shows. This one is all that.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYP6XCUNYN3SA?ASIN=0316055441	incredible plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing plot. Fantastic characters. Moving. Fun, mysterious, dark. An easy read and yet critically acclaimed. You will not regret reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SDKU56HWO2HU?ASIN=0316055441	I was especially impressed with the character development. The ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was especially impressed with the character development.  The ending was a bit of a surprise.  It causes the reader to re-think their life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z65SXS2WQ8IU?ASIN=0316055441	GOOD - BUT .......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was great reading but was disappointed in the ending. Glad I read it because it was a Pulitzer Prize winner but not one I would recommend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UL6XKWIQ46W2?ASIN=0316055441	enter the sublime world of being a tragically flawed human	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What can I say, we are all on the journey, but for some it's just a little more painful. Learning to live in the gray is what it's all about.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ASQV6PHESE7U?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">long.....but worth the read.  excellent character development makes it fully worth the time spent reading. would and will recommend to others</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBZKJRMEZJA3Q?ASIN=0316055441	A little disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The middle of this book was a bit redundant.  Feel the characters were interesting but the plot developed a little slowly.  Was disappointed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYC07DIZS8UPE?ASIN=0316055441	best book ever.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. A flowing, deeply meaningful story. I cannot remember being so mesmerized - and so completely in touch with a character.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FA5A1YS67831?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's not that I didn't like the book, it just seemed to never end.  Very wordy yet the writing was great.  Took me forever to finish .<br/>.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LQ8C6YCKLBOG?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book,couldn't put it down and as far as I am concerned for me ,that tells it all.<br/>Big,big book ,great and engrossing story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5WHJRCGUO2P8?ASIN=0316055441	fascinating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. I could barely put it down but was sad when it was done.  I'll see what other books are available from this gifted author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5K1T1X0NNOSD?ASIN=0316055441	A Real Downer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started out ""sad"" and never got much better... I can hardly believe I read every page! I hope someone else actually enjoyed it; I did not.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QM0XKLZ5O147?ASIN=0316055441	fair	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long. Dragged on and on. Too much minute unnecessary description contributing to length of novel leading to losing interest in continuing</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5T1D1V34MKZN?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written story that is interesting not just for the events, but even more so for the philosophical thoughts that it awakens. Great read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MFHPOXD6G54C?ASIN=0316055441	Best novel I picked up last year. Golden story full of adventure!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My favorite novel of 2014. I liked the feeling of youth and adventure it brought me. Well written and engrossing. You won't be disappointed!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UTR2IL0XWHK7?ASIN=0316055441	This is one of the best books I have read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books I have read in a long time.  It is totally engaging and can't wait to find out what happens to poor Theo next.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R54GA94YJPN4?ASIN=0316055441	It was a tedious book that gave little pleasure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a tedious book that gave little pleasure.  I completed it to determine why it won a Pulitzer, and I have yet to determine why it won.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLGDP312KFMUK?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant - couldn't put it down.<br/>However, small parts of it did go on a bit<br/>Boris is so bad and poor Theo - intriguing characters</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN1EEIMFWHTJB?ASIN=0316055441	In the entire bookclub only 1 person finished the book and she was not very happy about it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much too long with too many extraneous details.  In the entire bookclub only 1 person finished the book and she was not very happy about it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NWA0LDFAK6XQ?ASIN=0316055441	It was way too long.... maybe ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was way too long....maybe 200 pages too long. Very depressing about a man's life of drugs. The last 5% of the book was very well written.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33W2GN0RMZNX?ASIN=0316055441	The actual story was very good but the author spent far too much time self-analyzing ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The actual story was very good but the author spent far too much time self-analyzing the thoughts of the main character. Too much self-pity.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DZ49AOMPYZM4?ASIN=0316055441	I found the book tedious. The author took forever in each segment of ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book tedious.  The author took forever in each segment of the book.  I liked the way she ended the book, that was the best part.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7FHLQD3L2VZO?ASIN=0316055441	run from it! do not let your bookclub choose this book!~	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">dont waste your time....so long and so depressing. The pulitzer prize committee must be as drug induced as the main characters in this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9GU4RBAYCHK2?ASIN=0316055441	finally finished the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After months of reading this book and putting it down I have finally finished all 775 pages of this book. The ending made it all worth wile.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRDCYAD133ELP?ASIN=0316055441	More than the written word.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book will stay with you. I know I will be looking for Boris in passing faces. Each day is not a gift but an opportunity to make it one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CU8WFWZ3KZXL?ASIN=0316055441	but the descriptive nature is brilliant. Very often I felt like I was living ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Went on a little too long, but the descriptive nature is brilliant. Very often I felt like I was living the story. Reward was well deserved.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R377A3IB8Z5BD?ASIN=0316055441	I liked the story but I started to lose interest about ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the story but I started to lose interest about 3/4 of the way through.  The ending was a let down.  But definitely worth the effort.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XHUROYZ6KA0F?ASIN=0316055441	... reading her first two books I was a little disappointed (sorry Pulitzer) but still enjoyed it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading her first two books I was a little disappointed (sorry Pulitzer) but still enjoyed it.  I found parts a  little  repetitious..</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35QX0U1YFOV6W?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is well written. The story is beautiful. The detail used in describing everything is amazing. A great read, was sad for it to end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HVFRV2VZ84Y7?ASIN=0316055441	frustrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am trying to read this book on my iPad and can not get to the table of contents without amazon forcing me to review a book I haven't read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TQTZQZEGJ50B?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started out loving this book--couldn't put it down. Then it became a chore. Way too long!!  Too much introspective dialogue for my liking.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE1NJ2IPD1DSS?ASIN=0316055441	captured by the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was drawn into the story of Theo Decker, I felt his pain and strength.  Tartt's writing is like nothing I have ever read before...amazing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EL2G04XNLKXP?ASIN=0316055441	the language was so foul I was not able to finish the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unfortunately, the language was so foul I was not able to finish the book.  Wish I would have been aware of that before purchasing the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FX3S02HGDSOJ?ASIN=0316055441	long, rambling passive journey that hurts right up to the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">But still such a journey and worth the crawl, carpet ride and all between while caring deeply for a few characters and not at all for others</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UFHVH18ARM8M?ASIN=0316055441	three stars says all	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the first third of this book....after that found myself not as interested and a bit tired of Theo and Boris' relationship and actions.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12KUHSUA0WSU1?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book.  I know literature critics have been saying it is too low-brow, but I found all 900+ pages interesting and well written</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HKZ4CD584TJY?ASIN=0316055441	Exceptionally well written, intriguing story throughout the book. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exceptionally well written, intriguing story throughout the book.  Should be on everyone's reading list. It's no surprise it won a Pulitzer!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S3VMSEZ0707U?ASIN=0316055441	Real life story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">each character well remembered clearly defined.  the entire ending wraps up beautiful and down right truthfully honest beliefs ln my opinion</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1254P19XHMHBV?ASIN=0316055441	This book was enjoyable from the first page. I ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was enjoyable from the first page.  I was totally immersed in the lives of the central characters and didn't want the book to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EGRCCCNVZIFZ?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A literary masterpiece! Grand use of language. Abrilliant look into an open tortured mind. One of very few books I would read a second time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RT9UXBAER74W?ASIN=0316055441	This book had excellent parts that were truly engaging, but at the end I felt let down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long! Did not feel realistic. . Boris and Hobie  were the most memorable characters.  I listened to it and it was still too lengthy!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LFG31CGHYV38?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting story with a ponderous ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a cracking good storyteller, but she breaks the cardinal rule of good writing at the end of her long novel: Show; don't tell.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TP1EBGWPI975?ASIN=0316055441	Like sitting in the kitchen talking to an old friend.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms. Tartt has spun a fine story. I have enjoyed it immensely and have reflected on its lessons. It's one of those books you can't put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCZ7Q7QAXOND?ASIN=0316055441	AMAZING	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed reading every word of this brilliant novel!  I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading- you will not be disappointed!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WX0I89K5BDQ?ASIN=0316055441	Wast of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too wordy, kept going over and over the obvious. Characters dispicable. Great painting made me keep reading despite dislike of writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIGRLR4JCFWKV?ASIN=0316055441	A thing of captivating beauty	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it impossible to put down the book. Whenever I was able to do so, I found it hard to walk away. When I did,it was still on my mind.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DQ6PCWCR9F9I?ASIN=0316055441	Glad I didn't miss this one!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one heck of a book. It will stay with me a long time. This would make an excellent book club selection; so many layers to discuss.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R354E6ILMM1IQT?ASIN=0316055441	amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down, eloquently written and a fascinating story with rich characters. Look forward to reading other titles by this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR99IOUP5CEXM?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written, Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fabulous book, beautifully written,  Loved it.  Hard to put down, heartbreaking at times, Funny occasionally but always kept me guessing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R146C6NPMJ6NBY?ASIN=0316055441	modern classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful and challenging. More of an experience than a simple read. It will enlighten and enliven you after reading. Well worth the effort</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17ITEYY6SFNDF?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It seemed to go on more than necessary.  But it was a very interesting entangled story  as an art lover I found the background interesting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQI4RXB274N1I?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Is A Special Treat	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Original and obviously well written.  There is a lot here to think about.  One of the best books I've read this year.  Highly recommend it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZUOJBRNU3SGX?ASIN=0316055441	It is beautifully written but it is long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is beautifully written but it is long.  If you aren't in a hurry and can relax and enjoy the ride you'll really love it.  Unpredictable!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG3G69P0GCW2I?ASIN=0316055441	Long and interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love the writing style.  An interesting story.  You never know where it's going to take you.  All that said, it was a really long book...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TWR2H0LN8ZY8?ASIN=0316055441	a must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written and easy to read. Many layers of thought and skillfully described story. Hard to put down with all the twists and turns</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJG5VUJC6XFUZ?ASIN=0316055441	Really don't understand how this book won a Pulitzer.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Before I finished, I just really didn't care about the book or anyone in it. Tedious details revealed over and over again. Not a good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GJL07N0RSUK4?ASIN=0316055441	I recommend reading this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very unusual novel, part mystery, part story of a boy growing up.  The characters are incredible.  I recommend reading this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAA3J3MQQ5TCE?ASIN=0316055441	There were occasional spots that were a bit dry but the story line is terrific!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am not a big reader and I couldnt put this book down!!! There were occasional spots that were a bit dry but the story line is terrific!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDRM7G31AF7Q8?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed reading it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It kept me guessing where the story was going to go through out the whole book.  The plot has many twists and turns.  I enjoyed reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35TWFLC9FEJZ4?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book!  Could not put it down!  The characters were so believable and I ended up truly caring for them and their circumstances.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38SH8IO9LS9J0?ASIN=0316055441	the boy and the bird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A intense story of life,death, and love.  No happy ending but a wonderfully written story of a boy and the painting which changed his life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37ZOAMK6GSM9F?ASIN=0316055441	... very long book and at times got a little boring. I was saddened by the drug use and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a very long book and at times got a little boring.  I was saddened by the drug use and drinking.  It did have a fairly happy ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9YWEMCMYS95T?ASIN=0316055441	The BEST!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books I have ever read.  I finished it 2 weeks ago and I am still thinking about it.<br/>Don't miss this one......</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I9HYYQO4MSVM?ASIN=0316055441	Loss, loners, and helping hands.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author jumps into the skin of so many very different people and lets us experience them -warts and all.<br/> I really loved this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DZZVSG7PTK5S?ASIN=0316055441	I did not enjoy this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy this book. I found it too slow and I didn't find the story compelling. I also was very ambivalent towards the protagonist.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZAJV5TQOO0B1?ASIN=0316055441	Solid storyline, but long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story! Book was a little long for my taste and the supporting character rambled a lot ... I skimmed the end (which was really good)!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J0XTJX1DCTI?ASIN=0316055441	I thought The Secret History was good - Then I read The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow.  I thought The Secret History was good - Then I read The Goldfinch.  Impossible to put down or stop thinking about once I finished...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVCQCAUV984C2?ASIN=0316055441	I was completely engrossed in reading this novel. It ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was completely engrossed in reading this novel. It was definitely a page-turner. I can't wait to see the movie if and when it comes out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPAI2EABHSVVA?ASIN=0316055441	a long tedious book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There may be a cogent story and believable characters but they are hard to find. Read All The Light We Cannot See.  A vastly superior book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OFX3HFF0O28?ASIN=0316055441	I would recommend it highly	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book kept me entertained until the very end. It had several twists and turns and interesting characters. I would recommend it highly!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAPCZA56VT1P2?ASIN=0316055441	introspection	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author has a true appreciation of art. Great handling of the language, and central character's feelings are transmitted to the reader.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31QSGXJFFBR26?ASIN=0316055441	but was very well written with great character development	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book took awhile to get into, but was very well written with great character development. I would recommend it, but not a light read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C38GEFQL1CMK?ASIN=0316055441	Good long read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long book, but your interest throughout. Gets a little too phylisophical at the end. Could make a good movie. Interesting characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU2I0KRNXRGOK?ASIN=0316055441	Breathtaking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The truly remarkable journey of a wondrous little finch...and the soul-mate who found him four centuries later. A love story for the ages!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MBN5W1GU4SJ9?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most well written books I've ever read.  Loved every bit of it!  I normally don't do this but I'm thinking of reading it again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGYMSFC8YHVIX?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written - too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Have a friend outline the story for you in fifteen minutes. Then read and ponder the final chapters. Tartt's sentences are often eloquent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GG1UVN6V8U5V?ASIN=0316055441	wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The hype was worth it.  Astonishing voice, love a saga. Well written and painfully honest. Haven't read anything this good since Unbroken.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M1BN2E4ELXYC?ASIN=0316055441	fantastic, sprawling and engulfing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A books best summarize by Tartt's own line toward the end of the book, ""Where despair struck pure otherness and created something sublime""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GC7Z5OE8YUQW?ASIN=0316055441	Phenomenal	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Entertaining, engaging, page-turning read. Both a literary gift and a feast for those hungry for entertainment. Bravo, Donna Tarrt. Bravo.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWLKSVLE1D4A7?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing and disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't believe I spent so much time reading this. Liked the premise. The first half was suspenseful. The second half was sad, depressing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R36E0VMJTD78?ASIN=0316055441	very engaging right from the start!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book.  The middle was a bit slow moving but I so wanted to find out what happens.  But I still don't know what became of Boris.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OMHUKV1L0PS7?ASIN=0316055441	Have to read this one!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The title didn't draw me in, but on a recommendation I read it and it is excellent. This writer definitely has a ""way with words"".</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4CVUILSUHLTY?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Irresistible reading. A how-to for self redemption and hope, and a primer for making a way through an ephemeral world. Five stars for joy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NUBF9BKOL2KB?ASIN=0316055441	Great writing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed this book!  Just be aware it is over 700 pages long.  Great story, great writing, easy to read!  Would highly recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHEQK3TBPUO52?ASIN=0316055441	favorite book in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't like to write reviews, especially after just finishing a book. So I am just writing words to make up the 20 (plus) words required.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PP1RJ1YRRX1F?ASIN=0316055441	Good but Overly Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy...often difficult to follow<br/><br/>Good writing in many spots<br/><br/>Author sure knows a lot about the drug scene?? Huh!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12ULZHTZHWBBF?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very compelling though long read. I got a little bogged down in the middle. It could definitely been shorter, but I enjoyed it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11JQNL129PRF7?ASIN=0316055441	deep	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For the thinker and dreamer. Quite a tale of friendship and strife. Startlingly descriptive and moving. Exciting and sad at the same time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ8YLB0MDZJBT?ASIN=0316055441	My definition of the perfect book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long...beautifully written, engaging, and deep.  Sigh, sad to be finished! It was the perfect vacation book for me; I highly recommend it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33LHYI7XNAYVP?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not as good as i had hoped. It philosophical and introspective and not enough action. Not sure I would recommend this good to anyone else.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVWUKE8D6XWJW?ASIN=0316055441	Wait no more	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have been waiting for a great work of literary fiction for awhile. craving it. appetite sated. by far the best book I've read in 2 year.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22R497AJCTPCJ?ASIN=0316055441	Language get rough into book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started off really good and then the language turned rather rough.  May have fit the situations, but seems like other words could be used.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GACNHNITN0XL?ASIN=0316055441	My favorite book of the year!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you love well written prose and an author that is a genius with phrases that you wish you could memorize, don't miss reading this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27RLJ9NPM07R5?ASIN=0316055441	CAPTIVATING!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A story rich in art history, drama and adventure. Completely entertaining and enlightening to the last page. Absolutely delicious reading!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K1OMIVLSSM8H?ASIN=0316055441	It's worth the weight in your beach bag	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful story of such depth and detail, it's hard to take it all in! Savor this story, because you will be sad to leave it when it ends!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RICJ1NBZJTZ1D?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have had a great pleasure to read this book.Beautifully written. All the characters are complex,  with depth. The story is suspenseful..</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H3CDSHGF8HY?ASIN=0316055441	Don't waste your time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is well-written but sooooo boring. And long! No characters to relate to, no climax and (seemingly) no end. 700+ pages of nothing!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20YDN2XAR1UF2?ASIN=0316055441	less and less	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had fun reading it when I started…. but the fun somehow got less and less as I moved forward. Was kind of a drag to make it to the end….</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F9EOORW8FYJI?ASIN=0316055441	couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">like modern day Dickens with lots of great facts about Dutch art and American antiques make it really informative. Definitely not to miss.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KNG5K1HCDX4K?ASIN=0316055441	Gave as a gift.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a Christmas gift and the person who received it has really enjoyed reading it. I can't wait until she is done so I can borrow it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B12ZS37J859Q?ASIN=0316055441	Good, but long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story, but I felt it dragged on at certain points. Probably didn't catch half of the meanings out there, but all in all it was good.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CZ7TBLH1F9K7?ASIN=0316055441	Original and hard to put down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An incredible tale with perfectly imperfect characters.  So well written, and true to the complexities of life.  It derived the Pulitzer.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C8WOU8J60M5A?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've ever read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just read it! I was completely absorbed the entire time. The ending brings it all together. This tale is very inspiring and entertaining.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QBZUAHVQT0UZ?ASIN=0316055441	Ugh!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out so well, but was truly depressing. I read to the end only hoping it would get better like Girl on the Train did, but no luck!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W2FC5QKQ6EUH?ASIN=0316055441	It's about her language	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is good but it is eclipsed by the prose. Ms. Tartt's precision of language is spectacular. Even the mundane sounds enthralling.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SRZYB7W25SK0?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't like Theo, had no sympathy for him. The talk about art was interesting. After the museum bombing the book seemed to drag for me,</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R273CGW2Z16LHR?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed the narrative and well defined characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the narrative and well defined characters, even though I thought the last hundred pages or so could have been pared down a bit.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RWYQY8S6DJKP?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved the writing, the colorful descriptions, but toward the end seemed a bit ""metaphysical"".  Still a great read, with great characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDWB6LUXRSK4J?ASIN=0316055441	long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is very well and very cleverly written but there is a lot of unnecessary detail making the book to long and hard to get through!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM33ZOPYHNBI7?ASIN=0316055441	Great writing but too much of it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed reading this novel. I loved the story and really the way it was writing but I have felt many times that it was too long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FIOKS8V2EZMT?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a tedious read and very depressing.  I pushed on to the end, hoping it would get better, which it unfortunately it did not.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS29CHO97ULIV?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">there were sections that went slowly, and the end was a bit too philosophical for my taste.  But, I must admit that  it was well-written.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13LVFU09O1Q1D?ASIN=0316055441	I can see why it won the Pulitzer Prize. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can see why it won the Pulitzer Prize.  I wouldn't have ordered it if I had known it was so long, and some parts were overly drawn out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VCZIIWNIR9XY?ASIN=0316055441	Very disappointed. I do not understand how it got such ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was so laborious and put me to sleep a number of times.  Very disappointed.  I do not understand how it got such great reviews.  Plus it was very depressing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30WMY8HTKQUCT?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most exhilirating books I have read in many years. The author managed to bring the feel of the book to life.  Thanks Me Tratt.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FYU4S1W8OI2S?ASIN=0316055441	excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely well written, with a turning plot that always has you engaged. Thus novel is A<br/>very thoughtful and thought- provoking read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MAKFZ8WLIHJS?ASIN=0316055441	A disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a disappointment.  I think it was over reviewed.  Another troubled teen coming of age book except he never really grows up!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EDCZP694Z5DI?ASIN=0316055441	sorry	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It had good things ,but overall..pretty much summed up in its own ending paragraphs -.get through it, and you might find a bright moment?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27TQNY10XBFA5?ASIN=0316055441	highly recommended	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Complexity of life circumstances and choices is told again and again.  What's it all about is left to reader but simple answers won't do.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MJOCVP2NJKMH?ASIN=0316055441	good book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ending of book left you thinking sequel.  Love a book where they have a character speak in broken Eastern Europe not to include Hungarian</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HWWC68P2XDAL?ASIN=0316055441	should have been half it's size	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pretty much like a granola bar, when you're expecting a snickers.  You see that chocolate chip coming. But it gets muddled with the oats.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V8RRX5N5FB53?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful but too slow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful story, but far to slow the second half. I think lots of the describings of feelings and surroundings should have been squipped.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VG4Z5WGZA04O?ASIN=0316055441	An interesting modern take on Catcher in the Rye. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting modern take on Catcher in the Rye. Part thriller, part coming-of-age, part mystery--and altogether worthy of the Pulitzer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXOPAROUI3JX3?ASIN=0316055441	The kind of art/book that just flows through you.....like The Goldfinch picture itself	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For me it was an experience of just letting it flow through me.  It is a richly textured and nuanced masterpiece. Definitely recommended.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R364GI7AQ76IHO?ASIN=0316055441	I don't tend to dwell over books I disliked as I won't be recommending it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too circulatory, bouncy, hard to find the point of the story.  I don't tend to dwell over books I disliked as I won't be recommending it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AAKK1O6EA7BI?ASIN=0316055441	good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this book was really great.. the ending I felt was a little drawn out for no reason thats why im giving it 4 stars instead of 5</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTMJTTTJQ7P3F?ASIN=0316055441	Very well written. It left me wanting to know ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written.  It left me wanting to know more.  The descriptions were vivid and I could picture where the characters were standing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E7GF1XYQWCK6?ASIN=0316055441	THE  GOLDFINCH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I REALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK  WASN'T WHAT I WAS EXPECTING I BOUGHT IT BECAUSE OF BOOK FRONT AND WAS TOTALLY SURPRISED AND SATISFIED WITH IT</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAP5EIK3KQ29U?ASIN=0316055441	An amazing story that is hard to erase from my mind	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing story that is hard to erase from my mind.  I find myself thinking of the main character as if he is someone I know personally.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LU6SB6KDDXA0?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Complex yet absorbing story line with some amazing prose passages. Very well drawn characters<br/>I would definitely recommend this novel</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XFEXZGMGNIE7?ASIN=0316055441	An amazing tale with superb writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing tale with superb writing. I almost quit because it is depressing at times, but she brings the story line to a good conclusion.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2STK337L0R02U?ASIN=0316055441	VERY HARD BOOK TO READ. vERY DEPRESSING. lIFE ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">VERY HARD BOOK TO READ. vERY DEPRESSING. lIFE IS HARD BUT i READ TO ESCAPE FOR MISERY. tHIS BOOK WASHES ME OVER WITH DEPRESSING THOUGHTS.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24J80TU8RZQOB?ASIN=0316055441	kept my attention	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">although a large book, read it quickly. I kept sneaking back to my chair to read more. The twists and turns were artfully woven together.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D1PX8P1DGO8F?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is about art theft.  Not only did the person I gave it to like it, but several of my friends also received this as a gift this year.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23M59YKPCQIYY?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think this would make a fine movie!  I loved this book. I was thoroughly consumed in reading and could not put it down till I was done.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A34DP2TV68N3?ASIN=0316055441	Haunting!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I carried ""The Goldfinch"" around with me.  You don't want to let it go.  It is haunting,  disturbing and wonderful all at the same time.  We were on vacation.  A perfect time to read.  I finished the book.  I can't get it out of my mind.  My favorite characters: Hobie, the gentleman, introspective, thoughtful, gentle.  And, of course, Boris!  My favorite character!  His zest for life and everything that goes with it and never giving up.  I will reread ""My Secret History"" which was a 4 star read.  But I don' think it will come close to ""The Goldfinch"". Don't miss reading this book. Although a note to the author,  the last chapter was too much.  You lost most readers.  You would have made a better impact with fewer words.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16RU4QS2U4O08?ASIN=0316055441	Spectacular....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Author's knowledge of art, violence, tragedy...cranny, as if she has lived several lives, full of devasting sorrow. Depressive at times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19FS69VRJV56O?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Felt bad for Theo but the constant drugs and bad decisions was too depressing. And way too rambling. Found myself skimming through pages</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B98S63NFGHXX?ASIN=0316055441	so enjoyed the unique construction and personality flaws	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">plot twist were so unexpected, and characters were not what they first seemed, so enjoyed the unique construction and personality flaws.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5QBOX8L96WOU?ASIN=0316055441	I had many good reviews previous to reading v the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had many good reviews previous to reading v the book.  I found it slow and tedious with some of the scenes overworked.  Disappointing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B2WFY770ILUZ?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful...could not put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could wait to steal the next moment to sit down and read it. Author does a great job of developing all of the characters. Great story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G80T74JRU2SM?ASIN=0316055441	Ok, not great.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At times this was a hard book to slug through.  Overall, I did not like any of the characters and found it difficult to stay interested.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J3SD9SYI1AHL?ASIN=0316055441	Good start, poor finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the initial story of the painting and the boy' life story but the end was laborious and much too philosophical to keep interest.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3973DP2HWLEOF?ASIN=0316055441	Just the worst! So much unnecessary detail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just the worst! So much unnecessary detail! I was so glad to be done with it.  I had hoped for a great book based on the reviews I read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QJTQ540E6SIJ?ASIN=0316055441	a beautifully written novel and a wonderful story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall, a beautifully written novel and a wonderful story. The only part I didn't like was the last chapter - too preachy for my taste.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G54KOWWOLHME?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this like I was running down a hallway.  Couldn't wait to get to the next thought.  The next chapter.<br/>What a wonderful read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GU3RLAZLCCR6?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written. This story makes you wholeheartedly empathize with ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. This story makes you wholeheartedly empathize with Theo and helps to shed light on some experiences I've never had.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O8FCEAWQ6GSY?ASIN=0316055441	It was a good story but the grammatical and spelling (she couldn't seem ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a good story but the grammatical and spelling (she couldn't seem to settle on a spelling of the dog's name) errors drove me nuts.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JL5QVEA5UMG8?ASIN=0316055441	couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed this book very much. Finished it in two days in spite of its length. The story draws you in and keeps you interested all the way</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V2G7PIFGJY7R?ASIN=0316055441	paradoxical	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down. A real page turner. But exhausted by garrulous narrative and protracted scenes. Brilliant writing. Glad it's over.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R184YLXLCF48CO?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found parts that needed editing badly. Middle muddle. Some parts written well other lukewarm Proust. Between great writing and ho hum.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25GTY1CV195NM?ASIN=0316055441	good for about the first 75%	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning and middle  kept my attention, the last part I struggled to finish. it should have ended earlier and would have been fine.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DY42188LAXZF?ASIN=0316055441	Parts that grab & parts thay drag.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read.  Long parts that dragged.  First part of the book grabs you and you can't put the book down.  Lots of analogies to this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KFDA12SDZJXB?ASIN=0316055441	great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book!  I loved following this poor lost boy through a rather unfortunate life.  You saw the very worst and best of the characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10E45C141P8VR?ASIN=0316055441	Too long and slow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very  slow  moving yet very long.  I love  to get lost in a good story  and hate  to see it end.  That was not the case  with this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAG2CLAE9ZM8H?ASIN=0316055441	Good read until the final pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read until the final pages. Feel that author rushed through then telling and not showing.  Recommend this read but not outstanding.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IR499ASMO9BO?ASIN=0316055441	awesome story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is as good as everyone says. It made a wonderful bedtime book but it will at times make you stay up later than you would like.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TSKF5RK1JW6?ASIN=0316055441	Great story. Wonderful detail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story. Wonderful detail.  I didn't like the ending. It seemed rushed like the author didn't know how to end it so it just stopped.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MYBJ8QENLDSL?ASIN=0316055441	One of the very best!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Top-notch novel -- continual surprises in the plot -- appealing characters --  wonderful background in art history -- beautiful writing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZNPUXDSO5XD9?ASIN=0316055441	Incredibly good, not quite perfect	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I feel like this book is so close to brilliant but that I found myself wandering off at a few too many points. I'm glad I stuck with it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EDBYJRIPINR0?ASIN=0316055441	excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Held me captivated and intrigued. The perspective kept me intense on learning the fate of ""Potter"". I thoroughly enjoyed! Bueno!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16R2AJS0A7PB2?ASIN=0316055441	I finished the book over a month ago and am ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finished the book over a month ago and am still thinking about Theo. He is still breaking my heart. I think he will always be with me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LLOR1DXZIANY?ASIN=0316055441	Hyped too much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept my interest, but not great writing. Too many redundant listings of endless items, etc. boring patches...<br/>Story line was fun...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWHW809IIPJ03?ASIN=0316055441	Great characters and action	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was quite original-it started out strong and held my interest which is unusual for me on an e-reader.  Great characters and action.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L7H8136Q3I4X?ASIN=0316055441	Great novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it. I was wrapped up in the story from the first page. I recommend this book to everyone who loves a book to sink your teeth into.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35FLX7H1CWBR8?ASIN=0316055441	80% engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had peaks and valleys. Still contemplating the views presented in the final chapter and trying to relate them to the previous 750 pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EDHIDOU0MVPN?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've read in ages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read in ages. Characters that pop off the page, with fascinating flaws. Themes and symbolism resonate deeply.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20L1OZ8ZUM7Z2?ASIN=0316055441	Too much of a good thing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many themes explored. Too many words, especially towards the end. Donna Tart writes beautifully, she just doesn't know when to stop.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1925GPU85RJTW?ASIN=0316055441	incredible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">absolutely incredible read. couldn't put it down. so many great lines/thoughts by the main characters as well to highlight as you read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D694T612QB3K?ASIN=0316055441	Just wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing prose. From being immersed in the sights, smells and feelings of standing in Central park, to its existential ending. Just wow.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37DEFL2MODQRO?ASIN=0316055441	It Grew on Me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked it better than I thought I would. I truely felt sorry for the main character. And the ending was quite different than expected.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E9C507GH9LG7?ASIN=0316055441	good writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">But it needed a good editor- way too long!  It started out so well and held my interest until every page was about his life with drugs.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RDS3S79VVFMY?ASIN=0316055441	pulitzer worthy indeed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved it.  fresh voice. great characters. surprising contrasts within characters--traits seen by some, unseen by many. will re read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28AO9FCEWMCQM?ASIN=0316055441	should've been about 25% shorter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great story with lively characters, but at times could have been more succinct while still just as effective. Some parts felt forced.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OFOIS3HS272F?ASIN=0316055441	fantastic read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best written stories of my reading career. And by reading career I mean life. She deserves the recognition she has received!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R72XFMZERSXDW?ASIN=0316055441	okay	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it started out strong, but I lost interest being so slow during the rest of the book. Not sure why it was highly recommended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM9DGNWPNKRUH?ASIN=0316055441	I wouldn't recommend it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ugh.  What a book.  All strange and dark and messed up throughout most and then a ""hollywood"" ending.  I wouldn't recommend it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R98GJFQYRV43E?ASIN=0316055441	excellent and captivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very enjoyable and visual read. held my interest from start to finish. i would recommend this book different and interesting characters</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34YU3QPD0UKAK?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent writing. A few too many coincidences to be ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent writing. A few too many coincidences to be a believable story. Seems like things came together a bit too prettily at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RUELFZO3BV06?ASIN=0316055441	An excellent read throughout	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent read throughout. Good characterisation with an interesting story to follow. Some may find the ending rather disappointing!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NBA66Z92G2BR?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How does a tragedy today affect the rest of your life?  Read The Goldfinch to find out.  This is a long novel, but well worth the time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NXZE03T19W44?ASIN=0316055441	Execellent Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written.Thoroughly enjoyed this mystery  Well developed charactertistics.  Can see why it won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NPQ910DI61J4?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book. It was quite long and could get a little depressing at points, but overall a super well written book with a great plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15VOR3KHYIN1I?ASIN=0316055441	interesting novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit too descriptive, not recommended for the fast food generation.<br/>I loved it, it seemed I was reading sometimes a movie script.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31QX1E0H78L7Y?ASIN=0316055441	compelling view of life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So compelling. Hard to put down, but being so drawn into the story, sometimes hard to turn the page. I would call this one a must-read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CT0S5UC8PPO9?ASIN=0316055441	Ok, not great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did like the end and the philosophy however it took painfully long to get there.<br/>Perhaps some serious editing would have helped.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG5N0L2O58F1S?ASIN=0316055441	Slow at first but picked up nicely	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit slow at first but the story quickly picked up. I don't usually read books where there is a male protagonist but I loved this one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K9HUT0N2EADB?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written.  She describes the characters so well they seem like real people.  Extremely interesting premise.  READ THIS BOOK!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P4LHYO3RHKFD?ASIN=0316055441	Intense book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">wow what a great book! Tartt does an amazing job at drawing the reader into her story and making you feel familiar with the characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FC8KGRKXHHW?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch:A Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting very thought provoking.  Do you EVER really know another person fully?  Can we truly be happy? I really enjoyed this novel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29TRWAD7VEF7W?ASIN=0316055441	A great view into the mind of teenagers suffering from loss ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Eloquent and provocative. A great view into the mind of teenagers suffering from loss and how the lack of guidance affects their lives.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TPG90XT61708?ASIN=0316055441	life's lessons	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story surely didn't go where I thought it would. It was thought provoking and mildly disturbing but written so I had to finish it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JBX7ZTRKAU4Z?ASIN=0316055441	Sad it's over	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I absolutely loved this book. I could not put it down. I actually am sad that I've finished  it. Now to find another  equally good read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VDUGJOWUR00J?ASIN=0316055441	Too wordy. Donna Thinks shes Dickens. I stopped ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy.  Donna Thinks shes Dickens. I stopped caring about Theo  toward the end.<br/>Boris was by far a more interesting character,</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NT8KCD16Q3XF?ASIN=0316055441	The over all story is good.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not sure what gave it the Pulitzer prize. It is laborious reading with too much trivial page filling words. The over all story is good.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H7ZKT25HORK6?ASIN=0316055441	A literary masterpiece like the masterpiece by Fabritius	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the 21st century classic and will be talked about for decades to come. A literary masterpiece like the masterpiece by Fabritius</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J7ZMCX8CNDV4?ASIN=0316055441	incredible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such profound truth written with such eloquence! Deep and thought provoking art that makes one consider how fleeting our life truly is.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MBDY0PMQN9AR?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While this is well written, the story itself becomes disjointed and convoluted. She could have conveyed the stofhy in much fewer pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IFJ3605787SJ?ASIN=0316055441	Great Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book with very likeable, and real characters, struggling through life.  In the end the author finds life worth living and experiences the beauty of the middle zone and the appreciaton of beautiful things which death can't touch.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KANTD2KIUEQC?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a page turner ...<br/>I just wanted to keep on the journey with the people..<br/>complex emotion and conflict<br/>big thumbs up</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM1PRRKVYCQPY?ASIN=0316055441	Don't Do It	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This booked sucked. It was sad, depressing. Poignant at times, but it's dreary outlook on life through the characters was burdensome. My task oriented, optimistic self kept me reading to the very end. I kept holding out for some redemptive quality, some turn of the coin in the main character's pessimistic outlook. Sad to say, I've been hoodwinked by reviews and am completely baffled how this book is on top seller/best seller lists. Save yourself some trouble, time and money, don't even pick it up to read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO96DPLRY84D3?ASIN=0316055441	Lovely and Provocative	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read every word. You won't be sorry. There is so much beauty there ... and sorrow. This is not a book to be rushed ... Read and savor.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCBS323HXQNJ9?ASIN=0316055441	A must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting, engaging, and I didn't want it to end. It is full of interesting characters and plot. Keep me engaged until the very end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NWOE7WI42BFO?ASIN=0316055441	Read This Important Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exquisite prose.  The pace was perfect and the creation of each character added to every page.  It was a let down when the read ended.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29R8V08IAQS1?ASIN=0316055441	One to Miss!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging at first, but tremendously redundant--ergo, dull and disappointing. One is driven inexorably and speedily to complete apathy!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PSZGCTOSK58I?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was very well written but I found the story to be extremely depressing.  There was no joy, only misery.  Not my kind of book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DGYIB4CTDRKA?ASIN=0316055441	loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read, enjoyed, annoyed my close ones because I preferred to read on than do anything else.<br/>Original, interesting and intelligent.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZYLB1O1BOHXY?ASIN=0316055441	Up and downs with reading every word. I found ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Up and downs with reading every word.  I found myself skimming this book to get back to the plot.  Could have shortened it quite a bit</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LVGNC5DTT09F?ASIN=0316055441	great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fantastic ride! Not quite as horrific as Ms Tartt's other novels, but just as deep and exciting, and more to think about. Wonderful!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S1Z9L8JGE1EC?ASIN=0316055441	Dilemma	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the beginning and the end. The middle seemed to drone on for ever, frustrating sameness. The ending finally came and was great</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FGT5GIK5CJPK?ASIN=0316055441	artificial book. forced. characters flat.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long and you don't care much.<br/>She is a good writer so it keeps you interested, but plot was forced.  Maybe next one will surpass.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EFN1PYA9ISDG?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book. Author did drag on at times co ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book.  Author did drag on at times co book could have been 100 pages less.  Glad I read it and recommend it to my book club.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TIVT95PAVQ8W?ASIN=0316055441	thought provoking.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such pain to endure as a reader. Despair. Danger. Hope. Beauty. Realism. Truth? His or humanities? Questions? Incredibly written. Sad.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L9Z9D6DDVL51?ASIN=0316055441	It is a good story, but loss its momentum near the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a good story, but loss its momentum near the end. To much narrative on the philosophy/meaning/happenstance of life.<br/><br/>i</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMGTICY9EPXM1?ASIN=0316055441	brillant evocative	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story was painful and poignant. So many differing layers upon layers of literary artistic aspects. Well done masterpiece. Poetic.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P9S38KGOO88Q?ASIN=0316055441	Too many pages of unnecessary description. It hides the story many times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many pages of unnecessary description.  It hides the story many times.  Two hundred less pages and it would have been much better.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NYKFSHV8ZS8Q?ASIN=0316055441	Worth a read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite a page turner for most of the book and written in an interesting way. But the ending was disappointing being slow and lethargic.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XXJ6EONB93YQ?ASIN=0316055441	Love this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">hard book to put down! I haven't finished it yet, but every page keeps me interested and looking forward to the next!  Love this book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TB8CATAWXWIR?ASIN=0316055441	Eh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Took me a while to get  through it- not exactly written in a 13-20 something vernacular. Too much self psycho-babble to be believable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKZAAXKUPJY1N?ASIN=0316055441	Too much alcohol and drugs.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very long story of drug and alcohol use, with an interesting story line that never reaches its full potential.  Nice writing though.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ELEN5B0ALKKI?ASIN=0316055441	Disturbing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent prose  do not read if you are looking for a feel-good book. Disturbing and dark.  Fatalistic  with a door cracked door hope.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MCU2ZWY78M4I?ASIN=0316055441	long but worth the trip	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So beautifully imagined and written. Thanks for a great diversion from my everyday. I will consider this one of my all time favorites.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TIRZ3KOL3MVI?ASIN=0316055441	great characters/descriptions	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Every character but one in this fine novel can easily be cast in an Ocar-winning movie, they are so wonderfully described and given su</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8DUG18C3R79I?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought provoking and sad.  Worthy of the time spent reading.  Characters endearing and infuriating.  The Goldfinch will stay with me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N0DLSHQFZBAX?ASIN=0316055441	...goosebumps	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book reads like the a piece of very good chocolate melting slowly...yet too quickly..in your mouth. Inspired, poetic and so real.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3INWRQ2FA09SR?ASIN=0316055441	I read to the end but I did not like it. I became so disgusted with the main ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read to the end but I did not like it. I became so disgusted with the main characters and how they dealt with everything with drugs.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QO6CGX2C09VZ?ASIN=0316055441	Gold Stars for The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel was absolutely wonderful. A perfect combination of mystery, thriller and romance. The language was poetic and well-written.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R152S2001Z9RIA?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is my favorite book of 2013. The length didn't stop me, although toward the end it got a little off track. I highly recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL8VV4ZWZIR8M?ASIN=0316055441	but a very good and entertaining book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting, well written.....as an amateur I can't say I would award it a Pulitzer prize, but a very good and<br/>entertaining book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHOGDGYCR3P9S?ASIN=0316055441	I did not enjoy this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy this book.  There were far too many graphic stories about drugs.  The story could have been told as a very short book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R133KFSY2NPKQ3?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent detail and knowledge the masters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent detail and knowledge the masters. At times to much confusion with the characters...I felt for the sake of being interesting.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H829MESA5827?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't get into it --	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting book -- I didn't finish it, I'll say that upfront. The story gets pretty convoluted right away and I simply lost interest.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHRWGSVFTABPS?ASIN=0316055441	Another amazing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you haven't read her other 2 books go immediately and buy them. I can't say enough about this truly great writer. Read and believe.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5NCKCKFU4DC8?ASIN=0316055441	Liked it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a nice story, if a little long. I liked it and passed it on to one of my children  and they will probably pass it on to one of theirs.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R86UED92HIKX9?ASIN=0316055441	fabulous!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">difficult to leave my car for work, because I want to hear more! well written story with excellent readers. would recommend to anyone!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DS23QXXHMVQL?ASIN=0316055441	It goes where you didn't know you wanted to go.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wild ride. Remember the first time you stood in front of something so perfect that you cried? If so, then you will love this story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C6W0653O2BB6?ASIN=0316055441	It did not disappoint.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't customarily read fiction, but this book was spoken of so highly that I felt compelled to check it out. It did not disappoint.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35EVL9L099PL?ASIN=0316055441	excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, excellent tea, descriptive, poetic, sad but gripping read. Well worth the time and effort. A big book with a big heart.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IRH0CGDLAD4N?ASIN=0316055441	Most depressing read ever.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A complete SufferFest!  Self loathing is used as an attempt at philosophy.  Why is this voted one of the best reads in past 20 years?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DZ83E44AD0E3?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed the book. Donna Tartt displays impeccable taste and breadth in her prose. Her writing alone makes this book a classic.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVS1I8J2ER4I0?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed this book very much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book very much.  It's not the type of book that I generally read, but I am glad I gave it a chance.  Great characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21OI026JOQJTG?ASIN=0316055441	Mind-boggling & beautiful.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Introspective souls who believe in fate--you've found your new obsession. Highly recommend. I came for the Pulitzer, stayed for Theo.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DNIYOETULOQ8?ASIN=0316055441	Well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">something my 18 year old would like, but not a book for me. I studied art history so it is interesting and fun to recall the artists.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R134MKSY15XFI7?ASIN=0316055441	What now? What next?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What now? What next? T.C. Boyle 's A Friend of the Earth! for even way better amazing intelligent incredible writing! Yes, indeed, Enjoy!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L937TF0Y1QN2?ASIN=0316055441	Great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Got disinterested approx 3/4 of the way through but managed to finish and glad I did.  Super descriptive, takes you to another place.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AT4PYMO2YMVL?ASIN=0316055441	Way Too Much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the core story, but waaaay too many words, descriptions. This same story/message could have been told in half the verbiage.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A77RX1TI9F33?ASIN=0316055441	I really enjoyed the book however it was quite long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the book however it was quite long.  The characters were very well rounded and the book held my interest throughout.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S9BWF616QUKA?ASIN=0316055441	art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Art and imagery. Too much time in Las Vegas and too much money, but the characters are good and the message, if you can stick it out.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REFR0IGM5ICPM?ASIN=0316055441	disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book in the beginning but the last 1/3 of the book was tedious to read. Such a good beginning and then a disappointment.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37OQFB5O8CYGR?ASIN=0316055441	Sure it is a good book if you have the patience to read it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Got 50 pages into it and gave it up. Was taking too long to get anywhere. Sure it is a good book if you have the patience to read it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVBHAHFXR8Y2F?ASIN=0316055441	Page turner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a wonderful read, caught your attention immediately and continued down many paths. There were several unexpected twist.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R206UQTP7UDX2M?ASIN=0316055441	The book was boring and entirely too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I do not care if the Pulitzer committee gave this book the prize.  The book was boring and entirely too long.  They needed an editor.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLHH234YWA83Q?ASIN=0316055441	Hated this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hated this book! Tart is verbose! The characters were not that likable.. Really worked to finish it and than ending was anticlimactic</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO3P7MKZCXFKZ?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was beautifully written but one of the most depressing books I have ever read.  I just wanted it to end.  It never got any better.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JPYLWK83FII1?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written. Donna Tartt's characters stay with you forever ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. Donna Tartt's characters stay with you forever because you feel like you truly know them by the end of the book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO5726WCQXDLD?ASIN=0316055441	A Good Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the art history and story of survival with twists and turns and expression of young innocent first love!  Couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RM9FIT7HD8HE?ASIN=0316055441	Great book! Takes me out of reality and involves ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book! Takes me out of reality and involves me into it's storyline. Glad I found it I had not  found a book this goo in a while.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VUQHLQLVVW1M?ASIN=0316055441	I'm still reading it but what I've it's really sad. Have to keep reading for what happens to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm still reading it but what I've it's really sad.Have to keep reading for what happens to her mom and all the people in the museum.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11LHUKKFLNAM2?ASIN=0316055441	drifts a little	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read but drifts a little in the middle and begins a short existential examination of life at the end. I would recommend though.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BQWPHFI4QZB5?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic. I loved her other two novels and this ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic.  I loved her other two novels and this one certainly didn't disappoint.  Wish she would write more often/  Love her books.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FOHH2RPP15DF?ASIN=0316055441	For Me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am reading this book now<br/>and am really enjoying it.<br/>It is quite a story.<br/>I heard that it just won the Pulitzer prize</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C2REI0LTAENE?ASIN=0316055441	Bothered and Bewildered but not Bewitched	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was told it was a page turner and was as good as her first book but it wasn't.  Once Decker left to go and live with his father the book degenerated into page after page as he and Boris spent their days boozing and drugging and the whole tale of the picture ending up in Holland did not ring true.<br/><br/>I finished the book by reading the last five lines of each page and I lost nothing of the story.  I probably did better than those who waded through every line.  Her writing talent only really showed at the end when Decker sums up his life and that too lacked a certain truth.<br/><br/>It would have been a much more cohesive book if the middle had been well pruned back.  771 pages doesn't necessarily make a good book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R333XLPUZ7YIYC?ASIN=0316055441	HOW DID AMAZON PICK THIS AS THE BEST BOOK OF 2013?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is over 700 pages of verbosity.  While NY Times compared it to Dickens, it has none of the moral backbone of Dickens.  It is filled with vile language and painful descriptions.  What started out as somewhat interesting quickly disintegrates into drug-addled criminal behavior.  While Donna Tartt writes beautifully, her baroque prose really has little logical plot.  I read the whole book hoping for something to warrant the high praise given it by both the Times and Amazon.  I didn't find it.  I agree rather with the Times of London which criticized The Goldfinch.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20TWC34XKP2VA?ASIN=0316055441	It took 10 years to write and felt like 10 years to read...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""The Goldfinch"" was my first Donna Tartt book. It will be my last. My clue should have been the fact that it took over 40 pages just to discuss the initial penultimate scene at the museum.  I started skimming it when the scene moved to Las Vegas; the book really went downhill from there. I loathed Boris, got confused and fed up with Horst and that whole scene, more blah blah blah; sentences that went on for pages.  The book badly needed an editor. if this is an editor's idea of good writing, then count me out. I am truly mystified by the accolades this book has gotten from critics. Some have written about multiple novellas within one book. It seemed pretty simple to me: a boy forever and permanently scarred emotionally by a neglectful father and the tragic death of his mother.<br/>Those events cause him to make some very bad decisions. To take over 700 pages to write about it was massive overkill.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRPA0O089JAU8?ASIN=0316055441	A story to remember!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book with so many beautiful passages, I'll remember it forever! Kind of a slow story, but it's worth it! Everybody should read it!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C7XXI1Y6F8BK?ASIN=0316055441	Must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely magnificent.  Wonderfully crafted and complex characters.  The last few chapters I could not put down.  Highly recommend!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXM9NREQZIPA2?ASIN=0316055441	Would totally recommend this book to anyone	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Would totally recommend this book to anyone. Great story, couldn't put it down. The writing is striking. Warning: a lot of drug use.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XV66A0TCJXHD?ASIN=0316055441	An OK good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An ok good read, but was too long and too descriptive especially with the drug world.  The characters were interesting and engaging.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD2XE86UOVW8R?ASIN=0316055441	Unforgettable.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A poignantly written masterpiece. This novel was a gritty, beautiful slap in the face, from which the sting may never fully subside.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R256A9S59I35U7?ASIN=0316055441	Life is a rum go.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A story of the raw, harsh realities of life interspersed with beauty and purpose.  This book is so beautifully written it is poetry.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ED3J67OU22BO?ASIN=0316055441	kept you on your toes	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the imagery. Got a great feel for time &amp; place. So many interesting characters all with flaws- quite damaged in their own ways</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXJV1JR64DCC3?ASIN=0316055441	Most touching novel I've read in years.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was very moving and well written. It's the most touching novel that I have read in years, and was so good I couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SGPSIMOAN5TH?ASIN=0316055441	wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It sucked me in, tumbled my emotions and tortured my soul and spit me back out again, larger, deeper, more robust than I was before.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PAQG37470WMO?ASIN=0316055441	Very deserving of the Pulitzer prize.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So well written that it takes the reader out of the tragedy and into hope. Unpredictable and very engrossing all the way to the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RAI06R0ADBSW?ASIN=0316055441	Ugh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Flowery language. Wish there was a good story after spending so much time reading this. If I had it to do again, I'd skip this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFZIYRT0EDE57?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning was marvelous and gripping and then tumbled into self-destructive behaviors that I loathed reading abut. Well written.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UG9KKSN920UA?ASIN=0316055441	I did not enjoy this read at all	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy this read at all.  I skimmed and skipped many parts of it.  But did read that last chapter to find out how it ended.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36F3T15JKI0W8?ASIN=0316055441	couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a beautifully written piece of fiction.  I did not enjoy the choices &amp; behaviors of the protagonist, it's a beautiful story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U3BOZSICKWDN?ASIN=0316055441	the nut abilities	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch: big enough to contain about five different novels between its covers, and a questionable coda that nevertheless sings</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAI1J9S5YQIHR?ASIN=0316055441	Love this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love this book! Very well written with great characters. I'm reading THE SECRET HISTORY now but I keep thinking about THE GOLDFINCH.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R827EEARCCXDQ?ASIN=0316055441	Very well written but not a story line that kept ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written but not a story line that kept my interest up. I can't sympathize with characters that abuse their bodies so much!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HIBT0825YODV?ASIN=0316055441	what a crock	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">depressing, pretentious and too much information on subjects not of interest - i felt punished having to read this for my book club.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFN01A8C8KNK6?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have to admit that this book did not have me hooked until about on third of the way down: after which  it completely pulled me in.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FF1FWR11N8Q1?ASIN=0316055441	sad, but beautiful story of unexpected friendships	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">sad, but beautiful story of unexpected friendships.  Thought it was a bit overlong for the average person reading just for pleasure.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O1053KNE16S1?ASIN=0316055441	incredible!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most well-written pieces of literature I've ever read. Frustrating main character, but remains sympathetic to the reader.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIKR6GXHFTFV8?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really good book. Lots of twists and turns, great character development, and such intensity. Could not put it down. Highly recommend</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XM856ACXDX2F?ASIN=0316055441	It was a good Read, and I enjoyed it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a good Read, and I enjoyed it. It had ALOT of verbal explanations, a little Overly descriptive, but on the whole it was good.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REDVHR1P5IN81?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't believe all the things he went though in his young life, but in the end it seemed to be working for him. I enjoyed the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11FHLZZPHJAS?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt never fails to provide a rich and satisfying ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt never fails to provide a rich and satisfying landscape of entertainment.  The story was well written and most enjoyable.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGKDK9SAEDAV?ASIN=0316055441	She's a great author but this book was way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She's a great author but this book was way too long, way too wordy, and way too dark. I finished it, but was glad to get to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZWCT4UIROVD5?ASIN=0316055441	Great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating characters and a complex, interesting story. I loved the interaction between all the characters and the journey of Theo.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OPLIXDWC4ZQP?ASIN=0316055441	read this	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fabulous, gripping read. So well written. Really gets you attached to the characters and invested in their story. Highly recommend</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNIA7KUA0OA6V?ASIN=0316055441	good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not what I expected, but good. Bit too much of the grandiose philosophical musings, but an excellent plot and believable characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IQ894WQWI96J?ASIN=0316055441	Love this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You will love this book the writer did an excellent job with helping the reader imagine every detail! Worth every minute of my time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U30QNZP2HZCP?ASIN=0316055441	remarkable insight into the creative process	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant writing. Some of the fastest reading longest sentences I have ever relished. So full of awareness of contemporary dilemmas</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH450NOVNVG56?ASIN=0316055441	MUST READ	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a wonderful journey!  The author tells a wonderful story that will stay with you - leaving you in search of another great book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U9H5DFB7IK0C?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the very best books I've ever read! Donna Tartt is absolutely incredible. A book hasn't made me feel this emotional in years.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M5BKQX6KOKLK?ASIN=0316055441	The first half was gripping and I couldn't put it ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first half was gripping and I couldn't put it down the second half was draining and challenging but I still couldn't put it down</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R183CHQYNGZY9L?ASIN=0316055441	"Goldfinch gets 5 ""gold"" stars from me!"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful story, best book I have read in years!  The author developed the characters beautifully!  I see a movie out of this book</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBEGAJ3SWBHTY?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've been waiting 20 years for this book.. I was as captivated by this book as I was with her two previous. So sorry to have it end?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TTYDQUWWG1A6?ASIN=0316055441	Could not put it  down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating detail. Riveting. I was so captured by the prose that I would literally miss my stops for work. Would highly. Recommend</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EXBRD9U3T1B9?ASIN=0316055441	Good, but not Pulitzer worthy.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author is very descriptive in many passages. I got tired of the characters incessant drug use. Isn't there more to write about.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R378W2GI9NTJ35?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Entertaining from start to finish. A couple of ""not very likely"" events but still pretty engaging. I love good books that are long!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NAXVSCUWWGGV?ASIN=0316055441	A winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have found the story gripping.  I could not put this book down.  If you appreciate art you will identify with the main character.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ARXEAZ3CLMTM?ASIN=0316055441	I was unfufilled by the ending which was a disappointment. Story was captivating up until that point	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was just OK for me. I was unfufilled by the ending which was a disappointment. Story was captivating up until that point.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WPI78K07VUPV?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt's, The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, too much about taking drugs and the drug world. Well written, good character development. It does pull you into the plot.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BVLHUELY03PT?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome sauce	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have read in my life so far very entertaining and a lot of plot twists, and I love the way the story builds</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCOOP90USUJB6?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it!! Best book I've read in years. I finished it and immediately started it again. Loved all the characters, especially Boris</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24A28UVPZHQUO?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I particularly enjoyed the passages about art and its meaning in our lives. Fun to read about the artistry in the furniture refinishing craft. Beautiful book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TMOML6GX4QLV?ASIN=0316055441	Short and sweet review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Twisted journey that keeps you wanting more. It's another world that's hard to imagine living. In.  I loved the book and recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DAZ9L5CFFTM6?ASIN=0316055441	A Boy's Maturation Following His Mother's Death	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful novel depicting a boy’s growth toward maturity by experiences and friends following his mother death from an explosion.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TFIYSPFGB4OS?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the story, the characters, and the writing. The overall message is inspiring and the writing is so descriptive and beautiful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C3PSL6C0WIHW?ASIN=0316055441	slow getting into. parts couldn't put down reading. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">slow getting into. parts couldn't put down reading. ending not what I expected. not sure why it<br/>was on the top 10 for so long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R158T19J2B5YKJ?ASIN=0316055441	Readable, but needs editing. The author is much ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Readable, but needs editing.  The author is much too self I dulgent and pleases with himself. The end was self  important and banal</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VMPUARJVJVQO?ASIN=0316055441	superb read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not put this book down. Well written, love the dialogue. A story of many loves...yet so much more. Who we are is how we love.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K5YWED7QHPU3?ASIN=0316055441	Unique Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story...at times far too wordy as nd descriptive.  Would have been better if more concise.  Interesting and unique story line.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13Q22TF6A2I3J?ASIN=0316055441	Weird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In a word, weird.  While the dialogue is well written, the story line goes all over the place.  I would not recommend it to anyone.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23WQNOMY9BS9L?ASIN=0316055441	"... hand but the writing is so lovely it was great to read the ""extra"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could have used a stronger editorial hand but the writing is so lovely it was great to read the ""extra.""  A wonderful book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R66SDKNZCUJ4C?ASIN=0316055441	I tried to like this novel but I couldn't force myself to do ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I tried to like this novel but I couldn't force myself to do so.  I could not connect with the title character at all.  Depressing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H405LZ8BQQUL?ASIN=0316055441	A journey of self	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long journey for self-realization. Love the intertwining of connections throughout his life circling back to the framed art work!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17ZOT0SGBJJ3A?ASIN=0316055441	Good summer read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good but long. Great read to read with friends. I enjoyed the descriptive style of writing, but at times it was a bit slow, druggy.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EXCGZ9ZTQ0TU?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Outstanding blend of relationship generalities and psychological depth. Will recommend to avid and occasional readers of any genre.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27M3MFFLV46R7?ASIN=0316055441	incredible read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful descriptive story. The kind of book that makes you miss the characters and keeps you wondering about what they are doing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U1NTS5P2USLM?ASIN=0316055441	I know the reviews were good and it is a prize winning novel but for ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really couldn't get into this book.  I know the reviews were good and it is a prize winning novel but for me, it was slow-moving.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19MP0ZD48F27?ASIN=0316055441	a page turner and a great ending. It left a positive feeling and a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No wonder it is an award winner....a page turner and a great ending. It left a positive feeling and<br/> a good suggestive read...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J3Y5MRIUE96F?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So well written, engrossing, heartbreaking and real. A true delight. It is more than a novel, it is an experience you won't forget.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I6NK10Q76L4B?ASIN=0316055441	great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic book, kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time, I could not put it down. Looking forward to reading her other books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ER96C4PVSWOG?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling read..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have started rationing it as I have less than 200 pages to go.  I can't put it down.  Everything you have read about it is true!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J79WFMC8HVPM?ASIN=0316055441	book to read 2013	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful, great characters, well written, thrilling, done well. A book you simply wont put down. Donna Tartt has made a must read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SZ9XAYH5E8IT?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious and pretentious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't even get past the first chapter.  Found it very tedious and uninteresting don't understand what why anyone would read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HWJDEAQH53MW?ASIN=0316055441	sublime	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful heartbreaking treasure of a book. A modern classic to be sure. Give this book to someone you love and change their life.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KE60GLEKVJYB?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book speaks to life. Life is short find yourself a spot in it. Live and love as long as you can. I highly recommend this book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16YUDIP3S26Q2?ASIN=0316055441	Great beginning, great ending, long middle.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story crackles with life when Boris is featured, but gets real slow some of the time. Tartt writes the hell out of it, though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EZIQRFLZSQJX?ASIN=0316055441	Felt like three different books to me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Felt like three different books to me.  Too long winded.  Struggled to care at times.  Editor should have had author reduce pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CE16JA5FE8FR?ASIN=0316055441	Really enjoyed it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down.  Stayed up too late reading.  Really enjoyed it...however casual treatment of drugs use a little disturbing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25NM07UELL3ZJ?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't stop highlighting passages. I had to stop very other page just to think about the resonating ways this touched my soul.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LV8LLLH6USKC?ASIN=0316055441	Weel researched and imaginative book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exceptional detailed writing! Very emotional and redemptive as one is taken on a journey that becomes personal and anxiety-ridden.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNGTZGO7S124H?ASIN=0316055441	attention grabbing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Attention grabbing from beginning. Many surprising twists keep one reading for more. But the ending is rather preachy and tedious.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R331Y0JHB406E4?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling but unsatsfying	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a wonderful wordsmith. She creates terrific scenes. But ultimately I didn't like or care about the characters much.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W3FLAH9Q0PWO?ASIN=0316055441	a truly remarkable book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Deserves the Pulitzer for not only content but the author's writing style as well . not often that a book can completely captivate</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R398XNX6X8KWM3?ASIN=0316055441	Wow! What a page-turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was truly a treat. To follow Theo as his life progresses and learn about this wonderful painting and see how they entertwine.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4VMCLLJQWH09?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was one of the best book I found to be interesting throughout the whole book. Was a little boring at the end though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TV508BIENOO?ASIN=0316055441	Finished at last!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Congratulations are in order - I finished this incredibly onerous and rambling oeuvre and can't imagine why it won the Pulitzer...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21LWSDM8AWYNG?ASIN=0316055441	Not to be missed. Dostoyevskyesque modern day tale which ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not to be missed.  Dostoyevskyesque modern day tale which is hard to put down and even harder to forget once finished. Excellence!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OMV5JNANW89A?ASIN=0316055441	An excellent read. A generally good book but too much ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent read. A generally good book but too much detail and more than enough gratuitous involvement of one of the characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IWXS3FT4ZX7N?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Horrifying and beautiful at times the author uses language as her brush.<br/>She wrote like she was compelled to tell this story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GMLTWE2UU5TR?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a well written, entertaining coming of age book. I enjoyed the story, the characters and the turns and twists of the plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XVOINU2RLKAG?ASIN=0316055441	wry interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very cAptivating.  Kept my interest throughout the story.  Never quite knew what to expect in the characters.  Would recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D9DL1WMYLUTB?ASIN=0316055441	Not a boring moment reading this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a boring moment reading this book. I 'hated' the characters( at times) very interesting story had a hard time putting it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G6LPRT06IE6D?ASIN=0316055441	Hmmm	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written at times but far too stretches out for such a simple storyline and plot. I struggled to continue once I was half way.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5S2RFE5S0S06?ASIN=0316055441	slow.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story but could have been half as long. The story dragged on in parts that it didn't have to. Would make a good movie though.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QXWTJ2STQXNQ?ASIN=0316055441	Pretty good storyline	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would stay up really late because I kept turning page after page. It got really philosophical at the end. Pretty good storyline.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QI1J4TRUNY4D?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Delightful! A book anyone with a love of the arts will relate to so many of the characters.  I will keep them with me for a while.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6HNZ8OF59QTT?ASIN=0316055441	This finch didn't sing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This could have been a very exciting and more interesting book if it had focused more on the art world in place of the drug world.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBL3CXJ13WZNY?ASIN=0316055441	I loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">M family had a big tragedy death. Sudden and I related to this. Loved the end. Gosh. Have not loved a book this much in a LNG time</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SKAMJVCU8VJY?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing style of Ms. Tartt is exquisite. I enjoyed the style if the writing and beauty of the words just as much as the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OANKNQQJXWMS?ASIN=0316055441	a good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting plot. The author spends too much time developing many scenarios which tends to drag the story.All in all, a good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L509GAHNEJOM?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Mesmerizing book full of wonderful writing, heart wrenching tragedy and beautiful sentiments.  Very long-771 pages but worthwhile.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BGNPPEWY7QRV?ASIN=0316055441	Read this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous read. Good character development.  Author expertly draws you into the twists and turns a single moment in time can cause.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A8WUCK6JLOY8?ASIN=0316055441	I did not enjoy it at all	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Never could get to the story in this book too many beginnings.<br/>I did not enjoy it at all. Don't know what the hype was about.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38QR1LSGOA0OY?ASIN=0316055441	May I please return this book.? i really ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">May I please return this book .?i really can,t understand  how it won a Pullizer Prize. Too long and too verbose . Margie hartford</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZC74NNP1T4N3?ASIN=0316055441	Tough Trek Through Life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not only was Theo's life very difficult, but reading about it was difficult.  It is too wordy, too infuriating and too depressing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BHRBRKGFIAX3?ASIN=0316055441	What an amazing story. I lost a lot of sleep reading ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an amazing story.  I lost a lot of sleep reading this book.  Even though Theo is the main character, Boris steals your heart.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I9HI37OKRAL2?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the book, but it seems to go on forever.  Midway It almost lost my attention, but the end made up for it.  Good long read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23GCNIYKW4PQB?ASIN=0316055441	Don't know what the fuss is about	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If it weren't a book club pick I would have stopped reading 1/4 the way in.  What a horrible life and it just got worse and worse.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6MA6ZT37B9P?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful, soooooo long but still hated to see the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In answer to the question how many stars....How many do you have!!!!  wonderful, soooooo long but still hated to see the last page</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUH40869U4X1G?ASIN=0316055441	Not quite perfect	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exceptional writing, great depth, almost poetic. Loved the reading, but not as fond of the story line/content. Still a great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9VJXKDC9FQQ0?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it was boring in many places.  too much rambling and not enough action. the characters were interesting. I would not recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BXVYRW93338D?ASIN=0316055441	my vote for best book of the year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hypnotic, mesmerizing, unforgettable read. I lived in a parallel universe while reading this and was sorry when it came to an end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36CG60VVHKMLB?ASIN=0316055441	No wasted words here	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is little to add to any of the 5-star reviews here, except, perhaps, to advise one to go to Stephen King's NYT book review for the most instructional summary.  I disagreed with only one of Mr. King's views--I couldn't read enough about furniture restoration. Tartt's descriptions of grain and texture are so important to understanding how a major part of this book happens.  As for potential readers put off by the length of the book, why bother?  There are plenty of mass market romance or crime novels out there for your reading pleasure.  This book is a work of art in itself. If one doesn't love words or beautiful writing, there is no need to bother with Donna Tartt or her other two magnificent books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R312UG47M9GT7?ASIN=0316055441	Great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long but worth it!  Not exactly an easy read- but you're hooked quickly!  Highly recommend to others.  Reminded me of Provinence.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GDY9PXCON4DB?ASIN=0316055441	Very good, but why did the author have to pontificate ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good, but why did the author have to pontificate at the end? Would have rather had her stop and let the readers contemplate.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SIRZA4JPGJV2?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed reading the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed reading the Goldfinch. It was a great book and I learned about some famous pieces of art. I give this book a 10!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KNFVWWHVGAL7?ASIN=0316055441	Amazingly wonderful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing book, rich in detail, fascinating language, truly mind-shifting! A work which will stay for years. An absolute must read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JZND4057JIL8?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, full of character and charm. I highly recommend it.<br/>It was worth every penny I paid for hours of entertainment.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJJISOF3U3GT5?ASIN=0316055441	A good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It kept me engaged and coming back for more, although it lagged at a few points. I was looking for a good book and this is solid!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EQ4137Y9B6JC?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a bad read at all.  Premise was intriguing, but the book was tedious at times.  Certainly not a book that kept me on my toes.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VFB2B16HFDDS?ASIN=0316055441	this is a must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is by far one of the best books I have ever read. I tell everyone I know to read it. Very complex tale but woven beautifully</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X6ARSINGAZZB?ASIN=0316055441	great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic writing.  Gut wrenching,  riveting story.  Couldn't put it down. Can't wait to read more from this author! A must read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CY4WU378D7ER?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt takes you into the hearts and psyches of her ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt takes you into the hearts and psyches of her characters, and you want to hang around with them long after the closing pages</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DNQLKCNOQEH6?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Grips!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed The Goldfinch tremendously! Great concept, super characters, provocative tale and great ending. Who could ask for more!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8B4VHW3SEHLR?ASIN=0316055441	Enthralling story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was completely captured by this story. It was kind of slow to start but quickly got incredible.  It definitely deserve 5 stars.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NY489TS4L9NU?ASIN=0316055441	Liked the art angle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting and different book... Liked the art angle... It got a tad long in places and I generally found it quite depressing...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS3HEV130PPNN?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not put this book down.  The characters are all so compelling.  You feel connected to every one of them.  A brilliant book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O3FJS6Y1QGXQ?ASIN=0316055441	"A delicate handling of past tragedy and a lesson to all in ""no matter how bad everything gets"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Every page was a gift!  A delicate handling of past tragedy and a lesson to all in ""no matter how bad everything gets...""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JB1DT03NF22V?ASIN=0316055441	A Bird in the Hand...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read this some time ago and liked the story and the style. Its worthy of a Pulitzer Prize and then some. Will read it again soon.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J47VQ0T0YZG6?ASIN=0316055441	This book was a great read. It has interesting characters and a good ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a great read. It has interesting characters and a good plot that pulled me in and  kept me engaged through the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R270FR0WE8S76M?ASIN=0316055441	Thought this was going to be a great book! But my how a story changes	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought this was going to be a great book!  But my how a story changes.  Wasn't bragging so much about it by the time I finished.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W6ES8QEZNW3N?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the time to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extraordinary..glad I took the time to read it.  Not like anything I've read before.  Will 're-read several sections and chapters</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK4BZHP624QA9?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would recommend this to anyone who truly enjoys reading. The story is breathtaking and it will leave you speechless in the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DC078W7OB4QZ?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great first half then falls quickly into predictable  drug crime  land tries to recover vision but fails to inspire or enlighten.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZKIC04EK8JSU?ASIN=0316055441	Eye opening truth of life.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written book about a life filled with tragedy and coping. Finding a purpose for life in being treasure keeper. Awesome read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R210CTPIHDTVPO?ASIN=0316055441	I would highly recommend it. She is a fabulous author	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book held my attention.  It was filled with fascinating characters.  I would highly recommend it.  She is a fabulous author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BTIY4FIR35VZ?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Every page is delightful surprise of beautiful words. I was sad when I finished the book.  It stays with you for days afterwards.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PL8KS05U76DE?ASIN=0316055441	Although I liked the story the repetition made it tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was much longer than it needed to be. Repetitive throughout. Although I liked the story the repetition made it tedious.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J06WVJW7ZETG?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing blends art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing blends art, culture, love, and the human condition.  It definitely requires more than one reading to fully appreciate it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIXLJ4EJ1LDIV?ASIN=0316055441	Great beginning that got me hooked	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great beginning that got me hooked. Half way through it was a chore to read.<br/>Not worth the long and winding road to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I01FYYVWP2EN?ASIN=0316055441	Good but long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the story and structure of the book but feel that it ran a little long. Nevertheless, it is well worth the read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GY3VYHG223FQ?ASIN=0316055441	Time well spent reading The Goldfinch.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book for the characters. The voice of the young boy was exactly believable. I will probably reread this book sometime.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12D6UEWXYM302?ASIN=0316055441	Too long and drawn out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thank god that's over! This was way too long however I had already invested so much time into it, I didn't want to not finish it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KDNYF1EZ8URW?ASIN=0316055441	It had too much detail about drugs. I kept ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It had too much detail about drugs.  I kept losing interest because it became to unrealistic.  I did manage to finish it finally.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17NCQEABFIPW4?ASIN=0316055441	sad, depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too flowery.  Using adjectives and adverbs to fill space?  Very visual if you don't mind taking the long way around to the point.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CI3KRMDJ68ME?ASIN=0316055441	Very disappointed in the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a long,, and depressing book.  Very disappointed in the book.  Took me a long time to read it, which is not normal for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QBYOZU3BMMCS?ASIN=0316055441	excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love the book.  The author describes things so we'll makes you feel what is going on.  It is an excellent thought provoking read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JYW4XYKG3OCL?ASIN=0316055441	fantastic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Many books in one. Rich and captivating. Tartt creates so many different worlds and facets of the characters. Totally unexpected.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6IT9Q14YJQFR?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book pulled me in from the first page.  Tartt, at times, is long winded in descriptions, but the story wouldn't let me quit.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HYKKIHUYUGQ9?ASIN=0316055441	While I enjoyed reading THE GOLDFINCH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I enjoyed reading THE GOLDFINCH, it is a long a winding road to reveal some deep philosophical thinking in the final pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAGV5RMA84F5W?ASIN=0316055441	Great reading.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I always anticipate that moment in a book that tells me I'm hooked.  That point came early and stayed strong throughout the book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R102NL5Q004S82?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finished this laborious read - and then read reviews of others and have to say the ""one star"" reviews summed up my reactions perfectly.  I didn't think the conclusion, which supposedly was to be a redeeming factor, was much more than the author's attempt to use pretty words and deep thinking which passed me by as repetitive and navel gazing.  I'm glad I patiently waited to use a library rental for a Kindle read of The Goldfinch.  I am sorry for those who purchased the book and found it as disappointing as I did.  I gave it a 2 star rating, as the book started on an encouraging note and I remained hopeful, only to be disappointed as the book became increasingly difficult to drudge through.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KCS784U1PACL?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing and thought-provoking, but it seemed long and drawn ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing and thought-provoking  , but it seemed long and drawn out. That's probably my fault for having a tiny attention span.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LJV4OFBSBT50?ASIN=0316055441	I found it interesting, but a little bit difficult ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it interesting, but a little bit difficult in that it seemed to drag for a while, then become more interesting later on.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B2AAV9HXFNFK?ASIN=0316055441	Head Bangingly slow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Look, I realize this book won awards but .... just too much agonizing detail. Too much. I resorted to speed reading the last 1/3</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ODLOHBKWYUUP?ASIN=0316055441	Woefully editied	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was a really good story, would make a great movie -  but EXCRUTIATING due to poor editing in many places.  At least 200 pages (easily) could have been culled from this novel.  I stuck it out, am still wondering why it won the Pulitzer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYA0VJA45M6VY?ASIN=0316055441	brilliant, fascinating & just great :-)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome book. Brilliant, fascinating &amp; just great.  It is narrative and philosophical. It is a story of love. Strongly recommend</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PBKO3BAO2RCH?ASIN=0316055441	Very good storyline with memorable characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good storyline with memorable characters. Longgg read. Two thirds of the length could have quite adequately told the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V6YFRO24F6UH?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is very worthwhile reading as it offers suspense ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is  very worthwhile reading as it offers suspense as well as much that is thought provoking and enjoyable reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTNHEBRKOWCXH?ASIN=0316055441	Eloquently written in rich detail. Characters are Ali e ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Eloquently written in rich detail. Characters are Ali e and genuine. This author is a master literary craftsman. Very enjoyable!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QQ4H4TB7JUT2?ASIN=0316055441	wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt it was a bit too wordy.  On, on, and on as though going off on a tangent almost losing the reader from the main storyline</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5GPUC8PXWI6A?ASIN=0316055441	truly amazing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A masterpiece. Couldn't put It down. I am pretty sure I will carry with me forever the descriptions of beauty in this book. Wow.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KQPDASLVNUZ5?ASIN=0316055441	Great read! loved it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was hard to put down. Ms. Tartt's book was very well written with a very interesting story line. Highly recommend!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIYNMLGZFKCO6?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. I found it to be thought provoking and exciting. Put it down for a month just so it wouldn't be over so soon.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF1V10YZQK04V?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't want it to end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed vetting to know Theo as I did Holden Caulfield.  What.  Wonderful book.  My favorite book of 2014 and possibly decade.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L0ZNE56AAZBR?ASIN=0316055441	Linda Brooks	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book Immediately captures the reader. It was very good, but could have been 200 pages shorter.<br/>I already have recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RN19ST0URKT0?ASIN=0316055441	The plot then picks up and you fall in love with the character(s)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning is a bit s l o w. The plot then picks up and you fall in love with the character(s). (Review written by Rob's gf.)</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33QS6KY86XJK?ASIN=0316055441	The hype is justified	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read in my entire life. Page-turning story, beautifully written. The last few pages were like poetry.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUPZ9E8K2I2ZJ?ASIN=0316055441	Confusing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">enjoyable but too lengthy and sometimes confusing.  not something I would get excited about. can only give it an average rating.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPPCPXV8DKBI2?ASIN=0316055441	A Masterpiece about a Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although a bit longer than I would have liked it is a beautiful story that touches on the beauty, and mostly, despair of living.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P25E0EM3M5GP?ASIN=0316055441	captivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From page 1 to the end I was hooked.  The plot is current and is not predictable. Our book club throughly enjoyed The Goldfinch.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H377NFDQHLCJ?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyable and unusual	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I couldn't and still can't decide if I like most of the people in it, which makes a nice change.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BM45P2O7DWGP?ASIN=0316055441	It was interesting for the most part but became tedious with all the drug usage	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was interesting for the most part but became tedious with all the drug usage.  Otherwise it was well written and interesting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJYHCQ8O9PO73?ASIN=0316055441	Just too depressing....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So long and depressing and dark.  So many bad decisions.  So many missed opportunities.  I thought it would never, ever be over.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKJYAGUIL8LCX?ASIN=0316055441	awful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long..Too  boring.  Main characters vile.  Hated this book and had to force myself to finish.  Nothing real about the  story</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BVTH3XZ5KYQX?ASIN=0316055441	amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very talented writer. Feel like I just finished a journey. Bravo great trip through art, drugs and longing for second chances.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R188OJTHQYVO9J?ASIN=0316055441	There were times I wanted to give it up but I am glad I finished it and saw the excellent ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Touch book but worth the read. There were times I wanted to give it up but I am glad I finished it and saw the excellent ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12L5MI47QC3JV?ASIN=0316055441	A hauntingly beautifully written sad story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A hauntingly beautifully written sad story.  My heart both broke and was sad for all that the main cha racer suffered through. .</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV5F18YSP2X09?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not finished yet, but as of this review, the book is fascinating  and a great read! Very intriguing and will get your attention!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34UF04VI0SI1N?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know that some other reviewers were bothered by the authors detail.  I loved the detail.  It brought the words to life for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32J23BYTB4H7I?ASIN=0316055441	Touching	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. Very touching and in depth. You get swept away both  characters and their feelings where you can relate to each one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R185SS5QSPX8BY?ASIN=0316055441	Gave me too much information on drugs and desolation. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gave me too much information on drugs and desolation. The ending lingers too much in life philosophy. Overall, very well written</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O773YKCPOCHP?ASIN=0316055441	really interesting story with great characters and very well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love the descriptive writing , but at times it was a little too much. What a great imaginative story, I was sad when it ended!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R184MZSSGE4LWF?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated to say the least	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this novel dragged on for eternity. the story should have ended long before it did. and speaking of endings, that was the worst!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPV9CT5WGEPOY?ASIN=0316055441	I was captivated by most of the book, except ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was captivated by most of the book, except for the ending, which I think should have been reserved for a book club discussion.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19YCPHNKTQNL3?ASIN=0316055441	It is some of the best writing I ever read but think it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is some of the best writing I ever read but think it, like ""The Supranos""  is a drug push to get persons to do drugs.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K02HHI95K5H7?ASIN=0316055441	revue the Goldfinch.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not get into reading this book! Was very heavely out drawned! I think it could have been written in much shorter version!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNGJKLYC8D5L1?ASIN=0316055441	to long in the the end lost me completely	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To long and to much detail that was just words and real meaning that I found.could have got the story done in a lot fewer pages.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XQCTT8N0ECGG?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It starts slow but it picks up fast and is very interesting and was enjoyed very much.  Have passed it on to my friends to enjoy</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23IFZCNZW2NCW?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious in parts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book held my interest, but was wordy in parts.  The ending was very philosophical although, it was predictable,  Redemption</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NN8AFOGMJ711?ASIN=0316055441	Not great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not sure how this won an award. I love to read and really struggled to get through this.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GQ4W9IYBP2N8?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">painfully boring</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11HUK2BIINOI7?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A terrible book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HUPIC8YOHTMT?ASIN=0316055441	excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. Sometimes hard to read but keep reading and you will see a damaged boy and then damaged man finds himself.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J3R8L21BBX63?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch and excellent read for the long haul	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Starts excruciatingly slow, but I think that is the point. A wild ride of a novel, interesting every minute until the very end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25ATQ45XMGTF3?ASIN=0316055441	WOnderfully written. The best novel I've read in the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WOnderfully written. The best novel I've read in the last two years. It's long b ut well worth it. the riffs are extraordinary.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13MELZPKDYGBR?ASIN=0316055441	Highly recommended	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome book, fast delivery, product fully intact - not damaged at all.  One of the best books I've read in the last few years.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IKJQUPIQL87?ASIN=0316055441	Inge. Pagnucco	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Would like to read it again please print  it again now. I am ready to read it , again today and will enjoy it. Inge Pagnucco  I</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R348XFW2KKZ5EU?ASIN=0316055441	The book was engaging from the beginning and an good, easy read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was engaging from the beginning and an good, easy read. I would give it 5 stars except that I did not like the ending.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3411ASHSO5J8C?ASIN=0316055441	I am worn out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although this book was well written, it felt overly long and drawn out.  I made myself finish it but was not inspired to do so.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NLJG9Q28YXXN?ASIN=0316055441	Very slow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Worst book I have ever read. Very slow and boring. I kept reading it because I hoped that it would get better but it never did.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQV3QZDW33M35?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book; beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What can I write about this book that hasn't already been written?  Well done Donna Tartt. Excellent book; beautifully written.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REEDAVSJHBTTQ?ASIN=0316055441	amazing- simply beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just a beautiful masterpiece - life, struggle, beautiful, loss, youth, rich, art, love and friendship - just a beautiful story!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11TBK0548G8L9?ASIN=0316055441	unusual story line	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i read this a couple years ago and loved the unusual story line. a little historical fiction mixed with psychological thriller.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PNJ7ZJC0103H?ASIN=0316055441	amazing tapestry of words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in years!  I could not put this book down.  I almost want to read it twice to make sure I soaked it all in.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R2PYBH6201KX?ASIN=0316055441	OVERRATED	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This read like a drunk-a-log.  Too many pages devoted to adolescent angst, drinking, &amp; drugging.  I do not recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RIO46AA4DM5J?ASIN=0316055441	good for all the good reasons. because it was about me!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This journey is by invitation only. If you are even a little interested, then you have been invited to read with dread and joy.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18SURFDE8L5KP?ASIN=0316055441	Ok	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had great potential, but it started to bore me and was a bit depressing.  In reality I'd give it a 3.7, but definitely not a 4.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SE1EMTBTVDCB?ASIN=0316055441	hard to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much emphasis on drugs, sex, drinking and no morality.<br/>Hobie was the best character in the book.<br/>It was too long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TZ42GM62KT29?ASIN=0316055441	well written. I was really drawn into the characters ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">well written. I was really drawn into the characters, although there were places that dragged on too long with too much detail.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13F27MAN7LGW0?ASIN=0316055441	Good story, well written but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story, well written but too long.  The first half of book much better than the second half.  I think the author got tired.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37DM1NKUG60E0?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had me captivated from the first sentence. Excellent read and great purchase. Can't wait to read another book by her.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IQRLSVI6RWHC?ASIN=0316055441	Although an engaging story, this book is way too ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although an engaging story, this book is way too long. The scenes of over-indulgence almost stopped me from finishing the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X86T3NK7KLWU?ASIN=0316055441	I really liked this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked this book, but it dragged on in parts.  It could have been 50 or even 100 pages shorter with no loss of quality.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W5U9TUA2EQNM?ASIN=0316055441	Still reading but was recommended by 3 friends and can see why	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Still reading but was recommended by 3 friends and can see why.  I like books with the narrative voice of a youthful character.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16KSRRA2G80S4?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome story!<br/>I'm still wondering daily how Theo is doing and what Boris is up to. It's just one of those kind of books!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B2G5QBJA7KY0?ASIN=0316055441	original, beautifully written,  but too.much alcohol and cd	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating book but too much drugs and alcohol to take the authors ideas seriously. A very original theme beautifully written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NI2JKP0P5M2Y?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic novel about the effect of a single event / ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic novel about the effect of a single event / action over a lifetime. Both beautifully written &amp; addictive storytelling.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DMWT0K0V2ID0?ASIN=0316055441	A beautiful work	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Detailed to perfection but never overdone. Target deserves all the praise she has, and will continue to receive, for her novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31XEKC3IQ20NJ?ASIN=0316055441	It's good, and then ruined by the ending.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So good, interesting, then falls apart by an overly explanatory ending. Read the Secret History instead for better Donna Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q1KNJZ4KPWAB?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is an extraordinary book. The settings and people leap off the page and it always seems to be raising the stakes.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14YEKG8ZTLZA4?ASIN=0316055441	I know why it won the Pulitzer.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So amazing in its depth and breadth. I was literally transfixed and horrified at times -- so gut wrenchingly sad at other times</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W2RINDLOFVCJ?ASIN=0316055441	Glad to have finally finished it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it too long, too many lows &amp; not enough balance of high points to keep me interested. Glad to have finally finished it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LIY8DHK9W7AJ?ASIN=0316055441	Good writing but really dragged in a few sections	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good writing but really dragged in a few sections. Got tired of reading about the reckless drug addict and alcoholic lifestyle.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYVDXKC338K7I?ASIN=0316055441	Absolutely amazing. I agree with Stephen King - books like ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely amazing. I agree with Stephen King - books like this only come around once every decade. I am treasuring every word.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4ECKD9H47D1I?ASIN=0316055441	art imitating life?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I get it. Pulling beauty out of destruction and preservation of life and art. The author paints a bleak picture with this tomb.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RJEB1Y17VKUA?ASIN=0316055441	This book had so much profound thought tucked in. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had so much profound thought tucked in.  I reread the last chapter just to tuck some of those thoughts into my brain.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22FS6Q5ND0O4C?ASIN=0316055441	This was a really amazing book. Would like to reread parts of it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a really amazing book.  Would like to reread parts of it.  She is a really fine author.  No wonder she won a Pullitzer</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IIOC2TZ7BI3N?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting beginning how ever too dragged out. Wanted main character love affairs to have happy endings.I am a romantic person</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMC2M0DD6WDLX?ASIN=0316055441	Mesmerizing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I adore this book. I am about 75% through it, and I don't want it to end! It is beautifully written, and is a compelling story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R100A32AIXY25A?ASIN=0316055441	I've Got To Be Missing Something	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've got to be overlooking some great, hidden meaning or something because I'm struggling with this book. How did it win a Pulitzer? I started this book last night and quickly realized I couldn't follow the jagged narrative. I kept hoping for a new chapter or some other relief. Tonight the thought of having to struggle again to stay interested is depressing.  I'll keep this book in my library for a really rainy week or two when I'm bedridden and have nothing else to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGI1OJRQLHNS7?ASIN=0316055441	Raw	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating story. Too raw for my taste to give a higher rating. Full rich characters with deep character flaws. Fascinating .</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LSDVWMWZLP8P?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful picture	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way to long and skips around. Lots of drugs by two main characters which were hard to take. I made it to the end and was glad.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZF34TKUSPT8Q?ASIN=0316055441	Modern Dickens	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've been enraptured by this epic novel for over a week!! And yet I still wasn't ready for it to be over. Perfect masterpiece.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQY2IRICL25SN?ASIN=0316055441	So beautifully written. I felt that I was walking (and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So beautifully written.  I felt that I was walking (and sometimes running) with every character.<br/>I didn't want it to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHCGSBWAA6M4Y?ASIN=0316055441	but I enjoyed the story anyway	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It definitely grew on me. Very unexpected turn of events. Did not realize it would be so long, but I enjoyed the story anyway.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JRL44DG1S04?ASIN=0316055441	Long..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Perhaps I have a short attention span, but I found it hard to finish this book. It felt more like an assignment than pleasure.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12AQBB2YLSKR3?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read! I find myself thinking about it and wishing they would make the movie. Such vivid characters!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34IJBQT6GMQ7X?ASIN=0316055441	While this book was really long and I wasn't surprised ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While this book was really long and I wasn't surprised by any of the plot changes, I found it well written and very enjoyable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R173OY6M9XNAEN?ASIN=0316055441	This bird sings1	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'd give it five stars even if it weren't about one of my favorite paintings! A long book to plow through, but worth the trip.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JMR1JSU2JRB9?ASIN=0316055441	Good read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read....sure in about 5 years I'll read this one over again.  It will stay in my collection.  Highly recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39KBQJP5I9J9A?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book - exceptionally well-written and beautifully narrated in the audible version.  So meaningful and thoughtful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV7DUBIXKWLVL?ASIN=0316055441	Recommended	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Difficult beginning, difficult end. Once the story starts it is really hard to pry yourself away from this book. Well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17MHDDD5EXJSO?ASIN=0316055441	exceptional story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't get to read much but this one kept it interesting. Beautifully written. Ending was bittersweet.<br/>Loved it so much.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AOTLKYEUJFYW?ASIN=0316055441	great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read I would recommend it to a more mature reader. Could not put it down.  Wanted to read the end before I was finished.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38CASPTCSOLOF?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I gave this book five stars because I never tired of this book. My interest was peaked at every page. It was hard to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UE198KHMYY9D?ASIN=0316055441	This book was great literature and a pleasure to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was great literature and a pleasure to read. It held my interest for the 700 some pages and such indepth characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19CBH66A6Q2BT?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It could have been much shorter. Struggled to get through it. Rambled on and on...<br/>Don't get  Pulitzer prize for this one</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VZQ054IGBOPL?ASIN=0316055441	The best book I've read in a very long time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So compelling and different, with a storyline to match the beautiful imagery and scope of the English language. A masterpiece!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZA0TI8ANPZUA?ASIN=0316055441	Really enjoyed some parts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed some parts, others were just tedious. Had to force myself to finish though I generally prefer a nice long book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T76WW8UJ7S66?ASIN=0316055441	interesting but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good, but not really my cup of tea. Complex characters, to say the least, and a captivating plot, but I was left disappointed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CFYVR6Y6WGHY?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent writing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted more! I wanted to know what happens to the other characters... I didn't want it to be the ending. Excellent writing!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RLSVDCE4XVBM?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic read. A bit lengthy at the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic read. A bit lengthy at the end. Little too much philosophy, but thoroughly enjoyed the book. Recommended it to many.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V0WCITCDFSC4?ASIN=0316055441	at times too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story idea. Grabs you from the start.the last quarter i caught myself skimming. Glad i read though it was very oridginal</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HMZPPM07IFU?ASIN=0316055441	It did go on and on and I could have taken just a little less but it was an original and I truly enjoyed it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Truly epic.  It did go on and on and I could have taken just a little less<br/>but it was an original and I truly enjoyed it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R107T106IOSKF9?ASIN=0316055441	I stopped reading this book midway. I have never ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I stopped reading this book midway.  I have never done that before!  I just really did not care about any go the characters...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ERNSAFJXUGJD?ASIN=0316055441	An ambitious novel with many twists and somewhat ridiculous turns ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An ambitious novel with many twists and somewhat ridiculous turns.  I would definitely not categorize this as high literature.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SCJE7A7OP6QE?ASIN=0316055441	good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good - quite ""Russian"".  The philosophy at the end is very thought-provoking.  Enjoyed it very much.  A bit long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U84Z8IONLBX7?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written . tragic though ultimately uplifting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me a while to finish the book because of so much darkness. But the message at the end was worth sticking around for...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14I2RK55Z9C2I?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good for young adults-- not an adult book! No way deserving  of the Pulitzer !  Had to stop  reading (bored) half way through.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REQBF18YSLESQ?ASIN=0316055441	Keep reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt this book didn't really evolve into anything great until the midway point but then I was hooked. So glad I finished it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13QF67JXC58J2?ASIN=0316055441	the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it was a very good story.  the author tends to use  embellishment to a maximum .  slow reading  but  very  interesting  story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R2A31S3ST1JQ?ASIN=0316055441	It started out to be very interesting and went down ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started out to be very interesting and went down hill from there. Very long.........skipped through to get<br/>to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKC1783FK413D?ASIN=0316055441	loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story telling.  It says it goes in the art underground, I wish it did more of that.  it focuses only one one piece......<br/>Still super interesting, but this only a short piece of the book.<br/><br/>The details of his life just bring you into the story, all haunting, frustrating ,sad and crazy.  But life is all of these things of course to differing degrees for everyone.<br/><br/>Definitely worth a read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KMO7F37E4V5D?ASIN=0316055441	The author has a keen eye for human behavior however ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author has a keen eye for human behavior however the ending fell apart.  It was time to end the book so she just cut bait.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R115LMB07NO66R?ASIN=0316055441	Very boring . Did not like the dialogue. 10pages to describe events. I don't have enough time to read. Moving on to another book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very boring. I don't have enough time to read.Moving on to another book about 1st world war. Will have a review on this later.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LT7YKVROJBEM?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best novel I've ever read. By far a great and masterful read. Had to go to the Frick to see the real thing!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X52CP43LHBHE?ASIN=0316055441	A new way of thinking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful, relatable and brutally honest. It's not about a painting, it's about life.. a new way to think about our time here.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REZJKEKRYNHU0?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Remarkable story, stunning prose. Absolutely immerses you into the very tragic world of Theo. Devote time to savor every word.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GP5F26PVOYIG?ASIN=0316055441	found the story depressing---would not recommend it if you are not prepared for this	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">found the story depressing---would not recommend it if you are not prepared for this .It was well written but just not for me!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RBYL1EZ0IG53?ASIN=0316055441	Epic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Description is fantastic.  The reader is right there!  Some of sub plots could be eliminated and not detract.  A special work.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA1ZU9YKX3WDD?ASIN=0316055441	very long but well worth the time commitment. one ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very long but well worth the time commitment. one review said only six books of such value are written in a decade. Ann Plyler</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MOR96U9UAGP1?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Starts out mind boggling.Loses focus as it continues.Ddescriptive  passages too long and  redundant. Disappointing conclusion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20KJQK5LYDE5G?ASIN=0316055441	destined for greatness	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most beautifully written books I've read in years. A masterpiece that will become a classic in American Literature.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F2IU844L17E5?ASIN=0316055441	Very skillfully written, and a great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel deserved the Pulitzer because the story is so riveting and well written.  I really liked the character development.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CP66UI8D1GVW?ASIN=0316055441	Great story: long but worth it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ending makes the slog thru 700 pages worth every minute. Great message. My wife is reading it and she never reads what I read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R249Y5MH6E3GOZ?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the novel and although 763 plus pages, couldn't put it down.  I was happy to hear it won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23ZKIQWFRIPJL?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This should have won all the awards.  I just love Donna Tartt and just finished one of her other books ""Little Friend""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X1OTYQR44S?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt writes so beautifully	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">.  The art descriptions and character Boris alone make the book wonderful. You may wait a while before picking up another book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JK9UHYN68H2?ASIN=0316055441	Insane	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book just keeps going down roads unimaginable.  Like a true life story that must get better but doesn't follow the rules.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FDGZCBDBG5RL?ASIN=0316055441	Great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great story that was easy to immerse yourself in. Glad I stumbled upon this book. Extremely detailed and beautiful to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXQMCRB2ZSOK1?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome read! Literally couldn't put the book down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome read! Literally couldn't put the book down, and at the same time wanted it to last longer so I could savor it more...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4TY0Q6QMHZ8?ASIN=0316055441	Suspenseful with unsavory characters.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the twists and turns and suspense, even though I thought that several of the characters were unsavory and unlikeable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R177OYDDI3KVAO?ASIN=0316055441	I think The Goldfinch is like a modern day Adventures of Huckleberry Finn	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think The Goldfinch is like a modern day Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.  Well told tale of a boy rolling with the punches.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R161K322I4LWJR?ASIN=0316055441	Just not my kind of book. VERY dark. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just not my kind of book. VERY dark. Lots of profanity. Lots of mystery, but I could not finish it.  I think it was too long!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R240GRKH8FI10K?ASIN=0316055441	It was good but had a lot of parts that dragged on	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was good but had a lot of parts that dragged on. It took me much longer to get through this book than the majority I read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N9FW2N0TCYUI?ASIN=0316055441	Overall a good book. Long and a little convoluted	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall a good book. Long and a little convoluted. Thought the author did a nice job speaking from a boy/man's point of view.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28U880NLM71FJ?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this heartfelt, aching tale of love and loss, family and friendship. Beautiful writing. A story of tragedy and reality.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PNGCCUQ8OX59?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't recommend it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I struggled to understand the purpose of this book. Maybe I missed some deep and meaningful insights.  Couldn't recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BU5QRMKKMJPI?ASIN=0316055441	Unfortunately the book which was in great shape I felt the story went on and on	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unfortunately the book which was in great shape I felt the story went on and on, I am going to donate it to my local library!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14N0F24MAEX8T?ASIN=0316055441	A really good read. Not at all what I expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A really good read.  Not at all what I expected, but better!  I couldn't put it down!  Gut-wrenching and sad in parts.  Elsie</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JFOTKTLD57DW?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the book...but...parts of it were overly descriptive.  It did not need to be 700 plus pages.  Sometimes less is more.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MQSF49BMPWKL?ASIN=0316055441	Thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Would recommend but took me time to get through.  Had to take time to process it but enjoyed how it relates to anyone's life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZAG7BZ5EH1FB?ASIN=0316055441	An astounding story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I want to read this book again.  Several friends have said they didn't like it, but you really have to read clear to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SYFZP026JOB9?ASIN=0316055441	amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She nails it on the real truth to life, definitely a book that will be re read and shared. Sad, mysterious, and enlightening.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWBP5XQR11UQP?ASIN=0316055441	simply Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So moved at the end. An exhilarating ride that ends in profound truths.  A must read  a great achievement in the modern novel</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W6N2D79BY4IM?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've ever read. Great writing and highly entertaining. Another great book is Unbroken. Go read them! :)</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R284ZPQXBMWYFH?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed it but I thought there was too much involved ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed it but I thought there was too much involved descriptions about many things.  I wound up skimming over a lot of it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H27HUDYC7XFM?ASIN=0316055441	Kept me on the edge of my seat	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My husband read this first and insisted I read it too.  Such a long book I had to buy it. It is now one of my favorite reads.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ZWAVWTJXGXI?ASIN=0316055441	This was an amazing tale of how someone's life can change in the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an amazing tale of how someone's life can change in the blink of an eye.  I couldn't put it down.  I loved the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNKBRQ6P40ZRL?ASIN=0316055441	Complex emotions brought to life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna art brings to life those emotions of despair and opportunity in this tale of love, loss, and repair.a real page-Turner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RITOYBG8DRR7L?ASIN=0316055441	riveting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this book down. Curl up on the couch and enjoy the author's ability to transcend your now, and move into his.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NUHJATUS4EAO?ASIN=0316055441	I didn't like the style of writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was much too wordy.  I didn't like the style of writing.  Had difficulty forcing myself to continue to read it to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2625SQ0GAL8DS?ASIN=0316055441	This book was not my favorite. It was depressing and it went on and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was not my favorite. It was depressing and it went on and on. I finally gave up on it. Just wasn't my type if book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IE8O07JGNHWJ?ASIN=0316055441	Very deep and intense!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rather long but the writing is most descriptive and full of imagery that the reader will find both interesting and confusing!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KX77LSZ5ITP9?ASIN=0316055441	I got a little bored	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It gets really wordy. I got bored towards the end with all the meaningless jabbering. Otherwise, I liked it. It is different.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AR142CJTUNII?ASIN=0316055441	Terribly disappointed in this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terribly disappointed in this book, particularly since I loved her first novel. The ending was definitely not worth the read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KZW5H9CCSJKN?ASIN=0316055441	amazingly well written. a modern classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although long, the author creates and gives live to a character. Very impressive. A mix of Dickens and Russian classic works.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C30DIOS1P028?ASIN=0316055441	Okay	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story line was good, but the philosophical ending was to drawn out and hard to read. It kind of ruined the story for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MHG876KISWDN?ASIN=0316055441	Too much in the detail.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line was interesting but the detail was over the top. I thought the details took over and lost the reader at times.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JEJEUUQPNGPU?ASIN=0316055441	Was riveted by the beginning of the novel, but ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was riveted by the beginning of the novel, but my interest waned as it progressed. Having said that, though -- worth reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R93XKZ15Q4H2M?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent writing but I thought there was too much length ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent writing but I thought there was too much length given to the drug scenes. It was thought provoking and challenging.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CEWHAGX4B88F?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting well written, but I am a little surprised ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting well written, but I am a little surprised it won the Pulitzer Prize...the writing runs away from the story often.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QY8GLZT084M?ASIN=0316055441	Well deserved pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good, long and beautiful novel of true literary weight. Glad I read it but happy it is done. Boris was my favorite character.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27JURJNDBLOPE?ASIN=0316055441	Great descriptions	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the book is quite long because the author spends so much time on descriptions, it's also what brings life to the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22ASVRF2M3F7L?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book even the sad difficult parts kept me spellbound.  It teaches that there is joy in not getting what we think we want.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R286IMBLICG36A?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious. It's been a long time since I read ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tedious.  It's been a long time since I read a book that revolves around a central character who is so completely unlikeable.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NK3CN71QDMWQ?ASIN=0316055441	superb	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very fine piece if writing. Enjoyed it till the very end. Tartt is a master in story telling. This is simply her best book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GD5LAOMQA10D?ASIN=0316055441	I didn't finish the book and wouldn't recommend it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't connect with the characters and it all seemed too improbable.  I didn't finish the book and wouldn't recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8XQLCLU6IOMF?ASIN=0316055441	A great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great cast of characters, excellent portrayal of the development of the main protagonist, filled with surprising plot twists.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V0DDG23OGAXY?ASIN=0316055441	Get it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating story. Bogs down at the end. Seems rather self-important in the last 10 pages. But worth the money I paid for it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J6X4INW985MH?ASIN=0316055441	Epic tale of love and loss	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Epic! I would also love to read a novel based on any one of the supporting characters- so vividly drawn. An engrossing story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R208WEFSJPOU62?ASIN=0316055441	Obsorbing tail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story but much of it beyond belief. No one could could function when using that many drugs on a continuing basis.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19T4PYO77PYNC?ASIN=0316055441	This was a great summer read for me at the beach	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a great summer read for me at the beach!  I had to keep reading until I read the whole thing!  Couldn't put it down!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TFJ1DF4LK8CQ?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Moved terribly slowly with too much description of drug use and terrible life styles.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36ZKPVI6SATT3?ASIN=0316055441	It's a wonderful book to pick up when you want to relax	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An enthralling story that keeps you on the edge. It's a wonderful book to pick up when you want to relax. Very well written!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U58YL85A5UJ6?ASIN=0316055441	A bit depressing but overall great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely well written. Worth the many many pages (it's a long one!) interesting, twisty plot. A bit dark at times though...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BABRXMWGDU?ASIN=0316055441	I don't know why this is considered such a great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Characters are flawed enough to be interesting.  I must be missing some detail so poignant to not love this work of fiction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE8NDQPQB9C6?ASIN=0316055441	one of the best novels I have ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">one of the best novels I have ever read; I fell in love with the characters and was moved by her story. Kudos to the author.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22MQ5PCDWCLNM?ASIN=0316055441	amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book to be read again and again! Touching, heartbreaking, unforgettable. I will add this book to the list of my favorites.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E2ITGI0J422H?ASIN=0316055441	Would have liked to see the character of Theo developed more	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book was too dragged out.  Could have cut at least 200 pages.  Would have liked to see the character of Theo developed more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMGJL90U8C6ZO?ASIN=0316055441	This is why I read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best book I have read in a long long time. Yes, It is lengthy, but I wouldn't want it any other way. This is why I read!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BXO4966P3FVX?ASIN=0316055441	Good, but rambling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book, but it was really drawn out at times and I wasn't sure where it was going. There was a lot of rambling.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RMG7P3IL95D3?ASIN=0316055441	While reading this novel, I had to keep reminding ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While reading this novel, I had to keep reminding myself: ""This is not real! It did not happen! Relax! And breathe!""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z0GK5XUGGRIL?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch is Gold	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an amazing novel,couldn't put it down. Characters will live w/you forever.Writing is flawless.  Hated to see it end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CKMGG6299648?ASIN=0316055441	THE BEST!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought about what would happen next when I wasn't reading it! I delayed finishing the book for as long as I could stand it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38CN2V0F7ZK4Q?ASIN=0316055441	amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing story. A real page turner. Don't let its length intimidate you. How could you go wrong with a Pulitzer Prize winner?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N9U1WP488IF4?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I have ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have ever read. Beautifully written without being pretentious, while still captivating and exciting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZYZFP2TTQOD2?ASIN=0316055441	Well deserved Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. beautifully written story with an important message. Donna Tartt is a gem, I can't wait for her next book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQS625UP0P4JX?ASIN=0316055441	quite a story and a journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Epic tale of survival and spirit. A story about finding meaning in a meaning less world. We'll worth the time and experience</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28WDOAOW9ERY5?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch not the bird I thought it was	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have seen this book advertised in different magazines and was curious about it so I read it.  I was not a fan of the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E2DC1YMN8UXM?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch, an excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a very good novel. The author uses a lot of description, an excellent writer. I am still reading it, half way through.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P6H10ZT7I139?ASIN=0316055441	incredible read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intense, personal, captivating and stunning  read. Loved the twists and turns. So well written and so difficult to put down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30FG44MENLKXW?ASIN=0316055441	Authors ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt that Ms. Tartt was indecisive on how to end the story. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, but the ending drug on forever.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R365YDQKD0XFJ3?ASIN=0316055441	Terrible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't read this. A waste of time. Can't believe all the rambling on and on. Not any enjoyable moments in this terrible book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YYIJGMLLB5JF?ASIN=0316055441	Good read if you have a lot of time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was excellent, but way too long.  On the other hand, it kept me company as an audio book for a very long trip!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PAT9IJ019ZLY?ASIN=0316055441	Worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Page Turner. I'm glad it won the Pulitzer. It might entice new readers to try other literary works. Not boring in the least.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDKF413P2BVBH?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written with a sharp imagination	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow! What a story! Beautifully written with a sharp imagination. A bit long for summer reading, a page turner none the less.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBVMPQDUE9O71?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful book - Tarte does a stunning job with location ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book - Tarte does a stunning job with location and site description.  Excellent book with, for me, a great ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LQ52HO4RZ9A?ASIN=0316055441	Absolutely loved this brilliant work	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely loved this brilliant work.  If you loved it as much as I did, read The Way the Crow Flies by Ann-Marie MacDonald.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G5MK2FOD9Q9P?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome but sometimes to drawn out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the book as a whole, but at the same time you could easily tell that it was a woman writing from a mans perspective.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17WZ9EAB9GYKC?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in a long time; although it did get bogged down in a few settings, I was able to skim those parts and move on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F6FMJ3GH6KOZ?ASIN=0316055441	Was a wonderful story - so well written and deserves the award ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was a wonderful story - so well written and deserves the award it received - it was one of the best books I<br/>Have read -</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C5HD4KBCN39C?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great characters, interesting plot... A little bot too  ""wordy"" at times. Could have been at least 50 pages shorter.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NERGE8SYYIOL?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was amazing!  It was so well written and kept my attention throughout.  It was well detailed without being boring.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14KCN5441WQYS?ASIN=0316055441	But it will suck you into a different world for awhile	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">just read it.  No, it's not going to change the course of humanity.  But it will suck you into a different world for awhile.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF4PC677CAW5N?ASIN=0316055441	amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You have to read it to understand how wonderful, this beautiful philosophic novel is. Don't miss this truly wonderful story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33ZQRTGH5GDUQ?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome. Great story teller. The author is very skilled in weaving a story through the lives of very interesting characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ4J444FZKM9Y?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed it until the last 200 pages where if became convoluted and rambling. It was so compelling until that point.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29DPJV3ONVHQ2?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sigh. I was left with two questions unanswered: two very important questions. I won't spoil it for others by revealing them.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VYBBK1QRBDYX?ASIN=0316055441	Just outstanding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is engrossing, fascinating, and riveting - as noted by other more eloquent reviewers. I would highly recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R62VF1TH2Q8E3?ASIN=0316055441	somewhat dark story but tedious at times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dark. A  well written, somewhat dark story but tedious at times. Found myself skimming a lot two thirds of the way through.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GG2UL1CM75AM?ASIN=0316055441	My book club loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book for book club and we all loved it.  It was hard to put down and easy to see why it won the Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YSO2L58PTQ7R?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyable read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written. Very detailed! Sometimes i felt like i was slugging through it, but, the story is very good and i enjoyed it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R5WWKV6N2KIR?ASIN=0316055441	Listen to the CD	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful!  I listened to the CD.  I am an art and bird enthusiast.  This book is profound and will make you think, deeply.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNU73I1FF59FG?ASIN=0316055441	Good book, not great.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At parts, it was great, but, I kept wanting the story to ""stop rambling"". Cutting 300 pages out, would be doing it a favor.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C310J02E6B3Z?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt is such a beautiful writer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is impossible to catch yourself from  falling into her beautiful words. The story is magnificent to read and experience.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13FJ9HY9KTF2E?ASIN=0316055441	we all were waiting for something good to happen	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was too long and very depressing.  Our book club reviewed it the same, we all were waiting for something good to happen.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14ERO2TTEW07S?ASIN=0316055441	Some parts of it were fascinating and magical, but ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some parts of it were fascinating and magical, but slowed considerably in others. I would have given 3.5 stars if possible.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AISJY1UJ8K1J?ASIN=0316055441	This book starts the reader off in one direction and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book starts the reader off in one direction and then suddenly shifts with surprising events that you can't anticipate.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHHDV06TEZMU3?ASIN=0316055441	wow... so heavy... and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">wow...so heavy...and soooooo loooong.  The ending has some power...pages ;745,746 if you want to skip, whitch I did...alot.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YLWKQ7NU9GB0?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting characters and great descriptive phrases but could have been edited to be ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting characters and great descriptive phrases but could have been edited to be much shorter and still tell the story</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ELCPNN12DHQE?ASIN=0316055441	Good story and overall a very satisfying read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sometimes the author can get a little wordy and repetitive with her proses.  Good story and overall a very satisfying read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ1F8H2NZHMCT?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you love John Irving then I recommend reading this book. I will be hoping for more from Tartt in the future. Great read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12C5UPZR8FPN7?ASIN=0316055441	Thumbs up on this one!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome book.  Spell bound until the end.  Author did a marvelous job of keeping the reader awake through the last chapter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VQ9HJII6ZMBA?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a great piece of literature. I Loved every moment of it, but hated to see it end; it was like losing an old friend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DM08602286AO?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing plot strategy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow the carrot always in front of me,the reader, it was hard to put it down<br/><br/>Thanks for writing such a good book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33LLZCHSDJ2Z0?ASIN=0316055441	Great book. Sandra from	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Made me think about just who I am, why I do what I do and if I really have any choice.  Great book.<br/>Sandra from Hawaii</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KFW9XP19HSI8?ASIN=0316055441	Found the subject very interesting but the main character was ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found the subject very interesting but the main character was beyond flawed  Bottom line is I found the book too depressing</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC2F5VS7W685H?ASIN=0316055441	Very good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book and our book club had ""goldfinch"" drinks with dinner!  Yes, there is a ""Goldfinch"" drink.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KACDFNSA0QYD?ASIN=0316055441	This is one of the better books I've read in a while	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the better books I've read in a while.  Kinda different &amp; somewhat enthrall ing.  Hard to put down at times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RMUHT0ONWTTA?ASIN=0316055441	good read. well written. beautiful descriptions but very long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing story but dense writing so it took a long time to read. Middle dragged a little but glad I stick with it to the end</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VFA1R509PJSO?ASIN=0316055441	The characters are so easy to imagine	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author's writing style is delightful.  The characters are so easy to imagine.  Great story line, but it is a long book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA9M9W1CEALEH?ASIN=0316055441	Long Suspense novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was really suspenseful but also very, very long.  Still I'd highly recommend it based on other books I've read recently.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q6GQ0O8ZWIEK?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great plot with fascinating theme and characters.  Beautifully written and despite the length it moved at a very fast pace.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ULE7D7U8C2P2?ASIN=0316055441	Naples Reader	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hard a difficult time letting this book end.  I will miss the disturbingly wonderful cast.  It will always be a favorite.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EHXGLZ8AEZ18?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intelligently written keeping one's interest from beginning to end.  Leaves the reader with much to contemplate about life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QAQ3GZNX61M2?ASIN=0316055441	get on with it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To much unnecessary rambling, boring......it does not stay focused  I got tired of reading it and only wanted it to be done</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ULLBW9SIOTCL?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A totally captivating book that takes you I'm a journey of discovery on many levels. Hard to put down. Beautifully written.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O1HKL2AHWANV?ASIN=0316055441	... for the first 100 pages but after that was sucked in -gripping and with wonderful characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wasn't sure for the first 100 pages but after that was sucked in -gripping and with wonderful characters, Boris especially.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39PA68IBZADBC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Every description was exceptional e.g. I was there, when the bomb exploded! I cared for the characters. Outstanding author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BPYE0ZDQHQ3J?ASIN=0316055441	The Triumph of Publicity and Style Over Content	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the most tedious books I have had the misfortune to buy and try to read in a long time. It is staggeringly overburden with inconsequential detail. She needed a good editor. This book seems to have hoodwinked many people into thinking it was worth reading and trying to figure out what she meant by it all. Forget it. She has a lot of personal style, but that is no reason to think it extends to her work. In fact I found it to be meretricious.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KVY5BIM7VNRS?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked a lot the peculiar story, unexpected turns of it, deep phylosophy behind the simple things and beauty of language.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GPO5I4IQJLDD?ASIN=0316055441	A bit lengthy but so beautiful.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A true literary masterpiece!  Magnificent prose, quirky characters, thoroughly enjoyable.  A bit lengthy but so beautiful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z20U5VUEAYZY?ASIN=0316055441	Not for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book could have cut 500 pages and limited the foul language and drug use then perhaps it might have held my interest.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PO2E3H8AVTDH?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it very dark, difficult to read often.  It is very well written, effective character development, just depressing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IU8SZ9YU8NSI?ASIN=0316055441	I usually love long books but this one just dragged and dragged	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I usually love long books but this one just dragged and dragged. Had some good parts but had to force myself to finish it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7INEWH0R9WFJ?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book! There were lots of twists and turns- it kept me ""thinking""  and turning pages. Highly recommended. Enjoy!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JN0JNU67762R?ASIN=0316055441	great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a story that took me on a journey. The end was slightly anticlimactic but truthful, very philosophical. Great book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DDD4IE8VA1BB?ASIN=0316055441	Careful Scrutiny needed before gifting this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Spellbinding. Holds your attention throughout. Drug use is an obvious part of it. May not be appropriate for some readers.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EXPILKVIRVS5?ASIN=0316055441	If you miss reading this book , you have lost reading one of the better reads to come along in a few years. A ride through time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A different take on the meaning of life.  If life gives you lemons, make lemonade and learn to love art as beauty in life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZF20RZVL0EG8?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not Amazon's problem.  The author spent a gazillion pages trying to prove a point which was summed up in the last 5 pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AM5AVMNH6AWM?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written books I have read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow. One of the most original, beautifully written books I have read in a long time. Truly amazing plot. Bravo, Donna Tart</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CKKDVQYAWDWN?ASIN=0316055441	A waste of my money	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't even finish the book...too much drugs and too many addictions that I had to read through...A waste of my money!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KNRTFHF90VLG?ASIN=0316055441	It took forever to read. It was overly descriptive ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took forever to read.  It was overly descriptive and the plot could have been completed in have the number of chapters.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H9NQ85PY6HDU?ASIN=0316055441	very long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ok book a lot of meaningful life quotes at the end that make theos life decisions more clear. But very long in the middle.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SKZXHISBG89E?ASIN=0316055441	Great reas	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">overall great message but quite long at times. would recommend it to anyone looking for an interesting and reflective book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27PZI2CYF1UXE?ASIN=0316055441	lovely	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. Almost too much to digest but it will sink in over time. Recommended. Five more words required for this review</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AG9YB6AWDPH4?ASIN=0316055441	detailed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very descriptive but a fascinating story and perspective of the world. Great adolescent read. Can be too drawn out though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SJQLW9AVGU05?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed the book very much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book very much. I was always kept in suspense of what was going to happen next. I highly recommend the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H7KFCBHN6BAP?ASIN=0316055441	Superior Writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The novel is a masterpiece -- a rarity. Donna Tartt has the skills of a story teller, and the erudition of a great writer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DZPCZ31YSBHT?ASIN=0316055441	A good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good!  I enjoyed reading this book.  I did not enjoy the part with drugs and abuse as it was a  disturbing.  Good reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R325B7V6R87T5C?ASIN=0316055441	An impressive piece of work!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very enjoyable read. Donna Tartt has done it again. Though it takes about ten years between books, it is worth the wait.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R291JR44N4U1YB?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I have read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I have read in a long time! Highly recommend it. Leaves you with endless food for thought on life, love and art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YJGKLEUGSYC2?ASIN=0316055441	Great story but difficult for an optimistic person to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story but difficult for an optimistic person to read, in some ways. I found I wanted resolution sooner than it came.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DO386CARB9M4?ASIN=0316055441	One of the better books I have read lately but I must say ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the better books I have read lately but I must say the ending was a bit abrupt.  Hope to see it as a movie as well.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12TBV10SPJZ20?ASIN=0316055441	good but way too drawn out.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some parts could have been shaved by one hundred pages and the story would have still been engrossing. I still enjoyed it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAGVHY9V6DWPK?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful,painful,haunting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She captures not only the gritty, sad, trembling reality of human loss, but also the life-giving power of love and beauty.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UIJ51GDC0EGV?ASIN=0316055441	good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the first 3/4. I couldn't put it town. A bit slow towards the end but still the best book I have read in a long time</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EEIC5IV4SAC0?ASIN=0316055441	Seems like it went on forever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Seems like it went on forever.  Didn't enjoy all the details of binging on alcohol &amp; drugs.  Mostly it was a downer to me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MV8IU2ROYXGO?ASIN=0316055441	Too,too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A pretty good story but better told in 350 pages than over 750.  Ms. Tartt is much too in love with her own word smithing.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WY9PYJP1A8BN?ASIN=0316055441	life changing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Last chapter alone is better than the last dozen-plus books I have read.<br/>Donna Tartt still has it.<br/>Bravo! Bravo!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6D9GRIQR3PMR?ASIN=0316055441	Entertaining read with enough philosophy for the more serious reader ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Entertaining read with enough philosophy for the more serious reader and enough of a yarn for the immediate thrill seeker.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LK1EG4ZPQD44?ASIN=0316055441	but does get really long and a bit tedious. Overall	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting read, but does get really long and a bit tedious. Overall, you will enjoy it if you like crimes and chases.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EBLZ710DF09W?ASIN=0316055441	Great book! I couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book!  I couldn't put it down.  The description of his location and thoughts made me feel like I was there with him.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TGHRM71PYNER?ASIN=0316055441	unnecessarily long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book starts off with Hemingway economy and finishes like Herman Melville.  But then I like Melville.  Very good book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LWDW06HJVEZW?ASIN=0316055441	worth reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Entertaining and insightful.  A blend of fantasy and reality.  Blurs the line between right and wrong in a refreshing way.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFFPOR1ZG1YJY?ASIN=0316055441	It was a gift	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My daughter had requested this book on her Christmas book.  That is why I bought it.  I don't know if she liked it or not.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MR65PU71U1EW?ASIN=0316055441	Why a Pulitzer?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't get it, Pulitzer for this over all the others? Sure, there's a story. Yes, it's well structured (written).  What 10 year old (or however old he is) thinks like a 35 year old, Brett Easton Ellis snarky cynic?  Tartt lost me at ""hello."" I just can't buy into this kid's voice, it's NOT him, it's a super smart writer with a college degree and optics formed from decades of hanging out in NY and reading 20th century narratives.  The kids is NOT Holden Caulfield so what's the point?<br/>Terrific vignettes, cool other characters but seriously derivative of other fiction works of Salinger, Franzen, etc, etc.<br/>THE SECRET HISTORY is still a fave.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RFHOXALPCGR5?ASIN=0316055441	long, overwritten and with many unappealing characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I expected much more from Ms. Tartt in light of her previous book ""The Secret History"".  However, I was disappointed.  This highly reviewed ""Dickensian"" novel was overwritten, long passages that seemed to go nowhere.  It also suffered from having many characters to which I would want to devote any time to getting to know. However, I will admit to a sneaking fondness for Boris, the book's ""Artful Dodger"" but I found Theo in the main boring.  Kudos on the author's  research on furniture restoration and the use of art work as collateral in underworld transactions but in the end I couldn't wait to finish the book and be done with it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SK3VUNLFMBPE?ASIN=0316055441	Well written with the appropriate amount of suspense.. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written with the appropriate amount of suspense ... but a bit on the long side and a tad repetitious here and there.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37PY216TAC77C?ASIN=0316055441	fully formed characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story narrator is not a very likeable character, but his life experiences explains much.  Story is complex, but readable.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LVQID8H1SOS0?ASIN=0316055441	Long winded garbage, not sure what the story was all about	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long winded garbage, not sure what the story was all about.  Lots of drugs etc etc. Will never read books by this author.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K1GI3DOF51A4?ASIN=0316055441	Unexpected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A story that takes you to unexpected places but also points out some difficult truths about living and dying.  Well done!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BKVQ34PM71Z0?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful, and engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful, and engaging! I could hardly put it down. It sucks you in from the first page--has a really awesome plot twist</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PRX7HXSF50NI?ASIN=0316055441	I couldn't put the first half of the book down ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put the first half of the book down. The second half of the book got to confusing with so many new characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7MM1E2WSJ4DF?ASIN=0316055441	If you have time and can focus well, read it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unnecessarily long. Same story, same points, same poignancy- seems like it could be done without the feeling of rambling.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R266TD7AVRYBXK?ASIN=0316055441	Such beautiful language. Poetic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Page turner that is psychological, dramatic and magnificentally and masterfully written. Such beautiful language. Poetic.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6TPD23TMJ0Q6?ASIN=0316055441	I liked the novel.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it was a good novel but I had trouble finishing it because it was so long. I could have done without some of the details.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27RUI6JGMCO54?ASIN=0316055441	entertaining read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I  enjoyed this book - a great read! At the time I was in a book club and sadly it dissolved before we got to discuss it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H8KJ1NPJECQ5?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read ...This is 5 stars! I will recommend to all my reading buddies. Will be looking for other books by Donna Tartt</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20UAJLGKX8BLV?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an excellent book.  It's a little depressing but the story is so good I powered through and it was well worth it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CF0AERG09PXX?ASIN=0316055441	A little long winded when Boris pontificated... ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little long winded when Boris pontificated...the theme and plot of the whole story was explained in the last few pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R167ZOWIJ69MU5?ASIN=0316055441	Moving story plucked from the headlines. Learned lots about ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Moving story plucked from the headlines. Learned lots about antiques (beware of what you buy) but book was much too long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDMLTNXQP74EG?ASIN=0316055441	A Gift	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gorgeous! A testimonial to living this life on Earth.<br/>Do yourself a favor and give yourself time to read this story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SICQ1SQF88AY?ASIN=0316055441	incredible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You can not say you've lived until you have read this masterpiece. It's an extraordinary work by an extraordinary writer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TIE3A2GYT4G9?ASIN=0316055441	loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long but wonderful written story! It completely pulled me into the world of Theo Decker and his colorful acquaintances.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROVC27IRQNAI0?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tedious at best.  Very surprised it won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.  I guess standards have been lowered drastically!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NR581CWV9CVP?ASIN=0316055441	I liked this book a lot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this book a lot. It read it because of how much I loved Donna Tartt's Secret History. It's for sure worth a read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M9JCIQ247LXH?ASIN=0316055441	loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book took me a long time to read but it was so worth it. Theo was wounded and flawed but really beautifully written.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S7869HEAHQFY?ASIN=0316055441	I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Goldfinch.  The book takes you on an epic journey.  It is a long read, but a great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3THSTVDSNTTEC?ASIN=0316055441	not a fan	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long. Found it repetitive in places. Ending was best part of book. Boris was interesting character. Do not recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18X67WQGEFOQG?ASIN=0316055441	don't waste your time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How sad to have read through the book waiting for him to find meaning in life and to end with such a wretched conclusion.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H51WT5L4YFNY?ASIN=0316055441	complicated story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read with good character development. A lot of blurred lines between good and evil that finally ends in redemption.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z38BZ4W7LVI6?ASIN=0316055441	great prose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">We'll write, with many twists. The kind of book I want today uses with others. It was thought provoking and a yummy read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KQXXWH9N2R1P?ASIN=0316055441	Great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excelling story keeps me totally interested and even amused at times.  Books as good as this one are few and far between.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YGV1ZH5T8MEU?ASIN=0316055441	mixed bag	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finished it because I loved the characters and wanted to see what happened but it was a slog. Needed much more editing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRY84SBDWWTLU?ASIN=0316055441	Well-written, riveting story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great plot, riveting story.  Wordy in spots.  Could have been shorter, but mostly well-written prose.  Really enjoyed it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21WITHQI70UW3?ASIN=0316055441	One of the worst books I have ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the worst books I have ever read. Do t understand all the hype.  Got very tired if reading about drugged out kids.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ILBJL00I1R0D?ASIN=0316055441	Worst book I ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Worst book I ever read. Boring!! Everyone in my book club and beyond thought same.  Can'tbelieve this was a best seller.j</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YW7GDNUBUVWW?ASIN=0316055441	Very good.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finished it!! I have a hard time staying engaged in long books.  This one only took me a few weeks to read.  Very good.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I745Q6MR905I?ASIN=0316055441	but sucked me in	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little slow to start for me, but sucked me in.  Reading well into the night instead of sleeping.  Well worth your time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23LQV2E9BAKVO?ASIN=0316055441	This book was very good in some parts and in others not so much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very good in some parts and in others not so much. I felt as though the author had gone a bit mad actually.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WQXKGPZVD41W?ASIN=0316055441	Deep thoughts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book although very deep and thought provoking. Some times sad and hopeless-not an easy read but worth the time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T86Q8LNIBB6T?ASIN=0316055441	The writing quality is excellent but several parts could have been edited better because ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing quality is excellent but several parts could have been edited better because they seem to ramble on at times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI0WNQUWJ5G92?ASIN=0316055441	good read though a little deep and at times depressing.  As a non art lover ,  too deep and I had to skip some paragraphs to mai	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">People who enjoy art, furniture, or heroin would enjoy.  A little long at times.  Overall good story and a pleasant read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN5S5IH6JIQCT?ASIN=0316055441	very good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had to work my way through it at times. Very deep, but worth the effort. I'll be contemplating its message for a while.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W42G23231GNY?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book, except for the ending!  It left me disappointed &amp;  was kind of a<br/>Let down.  Not what I expected.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W2928K9ZL4PF?ASIN=0316055441	Big book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ordered the book because of reviews and Pulitzer Prize but have not finished it .  Difficult for it to keep my attention.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UGFG56TZXJOX?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I have read in  years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fine writing.  Great plot.  Can't put it down..  I think it would appeal to almost anyone.who likes to read good fiction.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D7MRJHJTA642?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3655CPNVW13KD?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very over rated</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZQFJV7M5KWIG?ASIN=0316055441	A must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book to savor. Suspenseful, yet so rich, don't rush to the ending. Beautifully written and powerful. Loved it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XJG44OXKKCCT?ASIN=0316055441	Best. Book. Ever.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is probably the best book I've ever read in my entire life and I wish there was a way to force everyone to read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NTGS010Z4UOY?ASIN=0316055441	I liked the Goldfinch very much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though some parts of the story are a bit slow, I liked it very much.<br/>I've read all Donna Tartt's books; must reads!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRZOLGKT72GLE?ASIN=0316055441	Basic plot was good but the length of time and unnecessary details got ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Basic plot was good but the length of time and unnecessary details got in the way.  Too much wallowing around in scum!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R131TX0YKPOXG8?ASIN=0316055441	... dragged in the middle and though it was a nice story I felt it was far too long for ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found that I dragged in the middle and though it was a nice story I felt it was far too long for what I got out of it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24773E746BJV5?ASIN=0316055441	Jesus effing Christ - can it be any longer?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's editor should be ashamed of himself. 50 words when 5 will do. Do yourself a favor and just read the Cliff Notes.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WBTNSHX1R6CA?ASIN=0316055441	seriously slow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Profound-- depressing and slow. I had to force myself to finish. The book could have easily been condensed to 100 pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KITS05SF1ZQG?ASIN=0316055441	must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a good book. Maybe a bit long in parts but so worth the read. Kept me up many night wanting to know what happens...</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AN8GKU3AFI6J?ASIN=0316055441	kept me from beginning to end and left me waiting for the next book by this brilliant author.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">such a well written book...kept me from beginning to end and left me waiting for the next book by this brilliant author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R45Q4EHPXI95D?ASIN=0316055441	The a Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very dark but thought provoking, need to be open minded to read and understand what author is trying to tell the reader.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34YECEZI1Q4K0?ASIN=0316055441	Liked it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This could be a tough read and I'm not quite sure why, but I was determined to finish  the book and feel glad the I did.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKA7JII6TFP3X?ASIN=0316055441	This is not the kind of book that I enjoy, personally and too drawn out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is not the kind of book that I enjoy, personally and too drawn out. Half of my book club liked it and half did not.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FMR3UYGJRDM4?ASIN=0316055441	3/4 of the book was F ANTASTIC!!, ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">3/4 of the book was F ANTASTIC!!, but  at the end.....it did not came clear, i felt i questioning about the characters..</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GYGV1PC53ASR?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed. I read so many great reviews and was ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappointed. I read so many great reviews and was eager to get this book, but it seemed to run out of steam in the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TOXSH5BXMPYF?ASIN=0316055441	The book got bogged down with minutiae in parts.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book got bogged down with minutiae in parts.  The story was very interesting but could have been told in fewer pates</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R85VCCN0OB8A?ASIN=0316055441	I thought the book was to much of a downer ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book was to much of a downer.  The story content was interesting once you got through all the drug issues.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KA38I62QQJCX?ASIN=0316055441	awesome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic. Ending was a bit rambling. Still fantastic!  Looking for more. Makes me hug my children a bit tighter. Bravo.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BOP50SR6KM4Q?ASIN=0316055441	great book!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had many twists and turns and kept my interest throughout the entire book. I would highly recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O4S2XFANZ91R?ASIN=0316055441	great!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Addictive narrative. Delightful Heidegger and Nietzsche references. Suspenseful circumstances. A w o n d e r f u l book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY1JWEQLU3OU9?ASIN=0316055441	Not a book that gave me great incites. Rather	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a book that gave me great incites.  Rather, it left me somewhat depressed.  Can't think why I kept going to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N8J3YR6N7T53?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent prose but 200 pages too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent prose but 200 pages too long. Much too much focus on drugs and brutality- didn't feel this enhanced the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QYCYECM4VCNF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A brilliant story, brilliantly written. Be prepared not to accomplish anything else until you have turned the last page!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBMEF9P3TQSSL?ASIN=0316055441	The story kept me interested but how the boys lived ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story kept me interested but how the boys lived and what they did bothered me.  The story was hard for me to accept.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AD7S03LAASMM?ASIN=0316055441	awful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I do not understand why this book is highly recommended.<br/>It is too long without purpose and a huge disappointment .</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NUOKP3PFU1MZ?ASIN=0316055441	Page turner. The ending was too much and I ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Page turner.  The ending was too much and I had to digest it in little bites.  But, I never put it away.  Had to finish!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R261MAJ5TEKYBC?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible Story of Life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredible book.  Another Mississippi author of whom to be very proud .  Amazing combination of intrigue and philosophy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNNV8B8FPQPXO?ASIN=0316055441	Not a Noble prize!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting beginning, very tedious middle , and a profound 40 page ending.  It could have been a good 300 page book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZH04RAYNRMX5?ASIN=0316055441	never pulled me in	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Shocked at how boring I found that 775 pages. Not worth the read, but once I commit, I have to finish. Sunk cost stigma.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U4GQBYJQSDEQ?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Starts out great but bogs down. This book should have been about 200 pages shorter. Did a lot of skimming in the middle.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GNWSDYXE2OT3?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful use of language	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little wordy.  Too many 'soul searching"" scenes going over the same ground.  Otherwise, wonderful use of language.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BUT3Z3THIN2M?ASIN=0316055441	Great story except for lengthy obsessive monologues by Theo and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story except for lengthy obsessive monologues by Theo and friend. Wanted to to shout, ""I get it, move on.""</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GJL6BFV2G29A?ASIN=0316055441	Rich with detail and character development. I liked that nothing was black nor white .As in life, there are many shades of gray	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have four specific friends I would recommend this book to. All very bright Another great southern writer! I want more.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24CHGOEOT9L2C?ASIN=0316055441	Boring don't  understand the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring long drawn out and depressing , story is interesting but writing is too much , try's to hard to teach us a lesson</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R374O3O61SX78K?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The detail that made you feel like you were a part of the book<br/>kept me engaged until the end. Was hard to put down.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FX5IZ5NRAIWA?ASIN=0316055441	LOVED IT!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down!! Loved the story and the author's style of writing! I will definitely look for more of her works!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T52YYGP72C54?ASIN=0316055441	This is a beautifully written story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a beautifully written story. You are able to identify with the young man and the characters he is involved with.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M3HO86QS47I6?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. Last chapter a bit redundant and boring-could've been left out, but other than that excellent storytelling.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YQK0P5NIH8NJ?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing connections	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You wonder what's going to happen next. If a piece of art can get into your soul, a book can get into your imagination.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJDB1DRVEPINC?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating story with a philosophical twist. It will keep many, many readers hungry turning pages deep into the night.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T6PG9YEPRO4W?ASIN=0316055441	I really did not like it overall	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt it was much too long and dragged on...it would have been much easier to read.  I really did not like it overall.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21Z35NZ71AMNJ?ASIN=0316055441	Spectacular writing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Spectacular writing prose that is timeless art.  A novel that is full of pity and hope.  A book that cannot be put down</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY5XPUJW8X7HT?ASIN=0316055441	painful, poignant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While a challenging read at times, it was well worth it - beautifully written, painful, poignant, funny...a great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O07CGKYVA6PM?ASIN=0316055441	Don't miss this one!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exquisite fiction, jump off the page characters, meaningful theme expressed through unique action and characterization.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AEKRYK70GOBM?ASIN=0316055441	Different	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read- didn't care for the foul language and it was difficult to keep up with at times.  It's not a re-read for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UBVKRJ1F9GU1?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book could be 200 pages shorter without all his existentialist vs nihilism philosophy but otherwise very well done.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R247G5B3MTWXET?ASIN=0316055441	What a surprise!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started it four times and then read it for hours, days... Will remain a favorite difficult to surpass. Enjoy this book,</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23CTV8GADNDJU?ASIN=0316055441	I've recommended it to others	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely well written.  I've recommended it to others.  Now that I've read one of Donna Tartt's, I'll be reading more!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BDIFF44ZYBLY?ASIN=0316055441	One of those books where you identified with the characters ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of those books where you identified with the characters right away.<br/>Couldn't put the book down once I started!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2INVS6UA6KPIP?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Grabbed me, pulled me in, and did not let go until the last word. Loved all the flawed characters but especially Boris.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RASKI3NJO1JKF?ASIN=0316055441	solid	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Takes a while to really develop but then it really captured me.  Introspective, action and depressing at the same time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K9NKPVRSO9EL?ASIN=0316055441	What is a headline?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">enjoyed the story,but editor did not do a very good job. did she get paid by the word?  Characters developed to excess.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EN8SVZI754KC?ASIN=0316055441	wow, just wow.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read on dear reader, you will love it as it will not disappoint. Every part of this book is worthy of your time. Enjoy.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DJPDM1JDLTLN?ASIN=0316055441	Long, but worth it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took awhile to get through this book, and now I hope they makeover out of it! I would definitely recommend this read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E764OSVMANSF?ASIN=0316055441	Wasn't a bad book but was sometimes frustrated with the main character	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wasn't a bad book but was sometimes frustrated with the main character.  All these problems just because of a painting!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29WC2S53TTNRA?ASIN=0316055441	Thought provoking.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is so hard to put down.  I can't stop wondering what will happen next and how it will all end.  Very intense.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11DPZT2PRUHT8?ASIN=0316055441	beatiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Paints a perfect picture of the loneliness and senselessness of life and the human Will to survive and live nonetheless</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ET0FRKI64E2M?ASIN=0316055441	Long read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Author is a great character developer but this book could have been 200 pages less. Storyline okay. Characters are good</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5TXU3MH3BCUL?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am not so sure that I really liked the ending.  Overall though, the book is great.  Donna is a marvelous storyteller!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTXW50LFTW7Z4?ASIN=0316055441	A novel for those who like to delve into the characters and find out what ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Definitely long and detailed. A novel for those who like to delve into the characters and find out what motivates them.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KJGDGB0NCLGC?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I belong to a Book club and this is one of the books chosen. I liked the sample so I decided to buy the Kindle edition.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAGE21AS536DG?ASIN=0316055441	epic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is long, very long, but worth the ride. A great combination of literature, art and a raucous (at times) plot.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N6TAIWU1WVCQ?ASIN=0316055441	sometimes a little better. I almost stopped reading this but I am ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Xvery dark and disturbing most of the time, sometimes a little better. I almost stopped reading this but I am stubborn.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P9O6GX0PZVBB?ASIN=0316055441	A lot of good reading and a little boredom	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a good read except for the parts where the narrator tries to explain himself. I would still recommend it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15267UMSN7UMG?ASIN=0316055441	Great beginning. Fell apart badly at the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great beginning. Fell apart badly at the end. Almost as if someone else wrote it. Dissppointed after such a great start</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZZMQ1083NT4?ASIN=0316055441	angles	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoroughly enjoyed the first person narrative. Great plot and even though it was almost 800 pages I couldn't pull away.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VTNPRQHD7WC4?ASIN=0316055441	EXCELLENT read and very easy to get into	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">EXCELLENT read and very easy to get into. One of those books you're sad to finish because you don't want it to be over.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33O0WYKHVEUCF?ASIN=0316055441	great, dynamic book--well written!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Diverse, dynamic characters.  Such a rich text and unique story.  Not a novel that you get the privilege to read often.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH5T6YC7ZDTTN?ASIN=0316055441	the gray review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Her philosophy is a bit off but this is a very well written book and I expect it to enrich the life of all who read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EMQ8EKS3VODW?ASIN=0316055441	recommend!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in a very long time... It is worth reading and it still has my mind trying to make sense of it all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W61NDKS99F9G?ASIN=0316055441	great writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the various levels of metaphor. A very visual book, like looking at photographs.  About 200 pages too long. Ginny</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U7CH7KLZUWMA?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book very difficult to read. It is full of young people using drugs. the book was very drepressing to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH38DF6TDTBGS?ASIN=0316055441	Great story with twists and turns - some surprises and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story with twists and turns - some surprises and very interesting characters.  Long read written in great detail.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UF06A1Q61OM?ASIN=0316055441	The charters were not to my liking, the premise ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The charters were not to my liking, the premise of the stolen painting was absurd as tole, and drugs were overwhelming.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MEOSMSZRDCRK?ASIN=0316055441	Not a great literary work	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overly long and too much almost gratuitously detailed violence and drug use. Disappointing. Not a great  literary work.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AG44BA87G237?ASIN=0316055441	A Must-Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully written and engaging from page one.  The struggle of the hero is always credible and often painful to read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPYRZR7PI065C?ASIN=0316055441	I was very disappointed with this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very disappointed with this book.  Nothing but get drunk, taking pills to get high and was not impressed with it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29C9QP7C3YQS4?ASIN=0316055441	A rambling story about a boy/man who drinks and smokes ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A rambling story about a boy/man who drinks and smokes too much when not escaping with drugs.  A very depressing story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33W61T4AO7LH8?ASIN=0316055441	An Epic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing plot, characters, situations and life lessons. Great concept and themes. A must read. This needs to be a movie.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E8K4GF2BZZKL?ASIN=0316055441	I was pretty much done with it by the time I hit ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was pretty much done with it by the time I hit 50%, but persevered in hopes it would pick up again. It didn't. Sorry.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TF6IY6OH780S?ASIN=0316055441	booorrrring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There was a story in there somewhere. Could have been good is about half the length!. Too much garbage in between story</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36MLCPKTW47SG?ASIN=0316055441	Disturbing that I wanted to cheer for someone who was ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disturbing that I wanted to cheer for someone who was so obsessed with drugs.  So much of his undoing was self imposed.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9KQ7Q7N8ZOQS?ASIN=0316055441	WHAT	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">THIS book jump around .There was to much drug use which I didn't like and it didn't really tell you about the goldfinch</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16TYAOYR0XPM1?ASIN=0316055441	what a glorious ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Nothing I can write will be a worthy tribute to this story. Read this book. Almost 800 pages and I wish there was more.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHUM30LYV71X0?ASIN=0316055441	THIS BOOK IS AS GOOD AS EVERYONE SAYS AND I USUALLY DONT BELIEVE ANYONE	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">YOU GUYS. THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD. PLEASE STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND BUY IT. I PROMISE IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE. AHHHHHHHH</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5F95IIZP5K0O?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt is one of my favorite authors.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book kept me spellbound to the extent that I had to have a representation of the painting referred to in her novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROHEZZWVOKGLM?ASIN=0316055441	Not a bad story line but way too much redundancy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was too long and cumbersome. Not a bad story line but way too much redundancy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9I16GNMDN7J2?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book, however the author goes into too much detail.  Paragraph after paragraph of unnecessary contemplation.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5VGZTH4F0KEF?ASIN=0316055441	Believable and entertaining. Definately one of my top 100 reads	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. A fascinating story that follows the life from boyhood through to adulthood of a damaged young boy.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFIH7F5YZ3LO7?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I fell hard for this book. Rare find. I hated to see it end. It did not feel like an eight hundred page book. Flew by!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J7G818T7IGH6?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dark. Redundantly written. Painful to read at times. I Do not recommend this unless you have absolutely nothing to do.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RNBH4AOA5HZM?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book to get absorbed in. Keeps you guessing how things will turn out but also engrossing prose. Beautifully written.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GOO9W5XTLHOK?ASIN=0316055441	Very good storyline, The book could have been cut in ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good storyline, The book could have been cut in half.  Too much dialogues that did not add anything to the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BQ8RAZ75BSJ1?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the story but felt it was a bit to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the story but felt it was a bit to long.  I would reccommend it to a friend but you need some time to read it'</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GFW7PMSML03I?ASIN=0316055441	very good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was so well written and kept me yearning for it when I was busy doing other things.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AMD4TRV8F4DN?ASIN=0316055441	My first Tartt. I'm still referring back to this ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My first Tartt. I'm still referring back to this book in my thinking. How ever long it stays with me, it's welcome. sb</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R86K92UURI4A?ASIN=0316055441	Just too	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing, long, and finally boring. I just didn't care what happened. I don't get what people liked about this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I29HBRLM5F5F?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing. I can't stay with it long enough to finish it. Sorry. I know this is ""great literature"", but......</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IL7Q6WZUXOMS?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing but a little to long, like several novellas put together. Didn't especially like the ending.............</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39EQNYJQC3F33?ASIN=0316055441	what a wonderful writer Donna is	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">what a wonderful writer Donna is.  I simply loved the book and couldn't put it down -- well deserved Pulitzer prize...</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TSSC4LI9KQXS?ASIN=0316055441	I had very high expectations but really didn't think the story line was all that great.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was just OK for me.  I had very high expectations but really didn't think the story line was all that great.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N7YUU4OEVOQ7?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book.. beautifully written.  A tragic story that leaves you yearning for a happy ending.  Highly recommend!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CGUXXFNM0T2D?ASIN=0316055441	long , but enjoyable  till the end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good book. Sometimes mired in detail that seemed superfluous, but it was a book about art. Details are important.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OOG0384MC1NP?ASIN=0316055441	orifi	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Juror thrifter gut tug ggt fugu Infiniti hinting Ubuntu unique jhuuhgftf txt tract knit ftctf Ubuntu ugh iffy ugh vyvy</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IF86SIW3PR1C?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was impossible to empathize or connect with any of the main characters. Self-serving and excuse making protagonist.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XQEBRJPC9FZ8?ASIN=0316055441	Alot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very heavy book. Thick ending with little bits in the gravy all the way through. I'm stuffed.<br/>What's for dessert.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OCAC6BRKJL3M?ASIN=0316055441	Wow,best book ever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story draws you in so close, feels like you are living in that time and space, read nonstop, like it was my life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OTWVU65U6AUP?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writing! I speak as a layman but I ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful writing!  I speak as a layman but I have found it's so rare these days to read writing of this high quality.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17Y13LNNW3UV0?ASIN=0316055441	at last I have finished this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like all the drug use and drinking<br/>I think the same story could have been told without so much of that.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XWYJWNKILTEV?ASIN=0316055441	This book just dragged on and on and on. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book just dragged on and on and on.  I ended up skimming through to the ending after I was about 1/2 way through.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ8YV56SSSRCL?ASIN=0316055441	Great writing. Does not have the 'usual' twists	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing.  Does not have the 'usual' twists.  Keeps reader gueessing as to what's next, with excellent surprises!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM8RGVBTOSRT6?ASIN=0316055441	Too many good books, not enough time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many good books, not enough time. Don't waste any on this bad book. Don't even start it. It never gets any better.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWZY6O8NJPK8U?ASIN=0316055441	loved a lot of it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm an art nerd so I loved a lot of this book. At times it felt long but by the end nothing mentioned felt extraneous.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCOSERECIALKA?ASIN=0316055441	Definitely Over-rated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I suffered through this one to the end but did not find it at all enjoyable. Tedious would be an accurate description.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17FEDV8UNGI8R?ASIN=0316055441	A far cry from my favorite Pullitzer, To Kill a Mockingbird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So depressing. More about drugs than I ever want to know. A far cry from my favorite Pullitzer, To Kill a Mockingbird.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QJR40YYCERR2?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring, boring, boring. read about 50 or so pages and just stopped.  It had no power to keep me interested or curious.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33CSDWKK3Z20D?ASIN=0316055441	I think her descriptions and character building are very good, but I would not recommend it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long depressing read..  I think her descriptions and character building are very good, but I would not recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36WLXP83HXF6Z?ASIN=0316055441	knatark	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could hardly put it down, sad but not. Engrossing and riveting, corny description but true. Best I've read in awhile</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19LOCG1J479JL?ASIN=0316055441	Superbly written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Superb book that alternately breaks your heart and gives you a smile.  So well written and deserving of the Pulitizer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IDQB3GW3IFV8?ASIN=0316055441	Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read this book.  Hard to put down.  Ms. Tartt has created a masterpiece novel that will be remembered for a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCL91I8FETTHF?ASIN=0316055441	Best book of the year....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Totally unexpected. Would recommend to everyone. In fact, I did.<br/><br/>This was a fast read and hard to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJCPU5D7RGKK4?ASIN=0316055441	I'm glad this excellent book won the pulitzer prize.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was very well written.  Parts were very sad, as is life.  Donna Tartt brings all the characters to life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYSG0RR22433W?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book. All of the descriptions about drug use made me wonder what I'm missing since I don't use at all!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z2CJ5Z02OQJF?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written, engaging throughout. Little long, but overall seemed necessary for character and plot development.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XJVT9U5VFWOO?ASIN=0316055441	Good book but gets bogged down in side stories	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book but gets bogged down in side stories. I almost gave up during the Las Vegas stint. The art parts were good.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RSPCHICSSRY4?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a creative wonderful and sad journey. I am bummed that it had to end. Makes me want to look at art more closely.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14MHLFWNH2CMM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Outstanding. Read it two times and will read it again. Bought one for my granddaughter.  Lessons and loyalty  abound.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CLUEFBRUSE9L?ASIN=0316055441	Recommended Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulously written. My disappointment was how the story was unpacked rather than unfolded.  Lovely, insightful story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E7H3JY5XVIBG?ASIN=0316055441	Highly recommended	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best reads I have enjoyed in some time.<br/>Interesting plot wrapped around a philosophy of life and art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLSZG314GIEJI?ASIN=0316055441	Could not put the book down which meant lots of ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not put the book down which meant lots of late night reading. The story just pulled me in and would not let go.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21R88P0FELTB?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, interesting premise, thought it could have been a little shorter.  Interesting ending.  Worth the read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35E2KPQ58PEW0?ASIN=0316055441	Formidable Writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna, you are a true artist with words, you have a lot of insight and compassion. Looking forward to your next book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZZFH7HYU8DMU?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not so g re eat at times a torture to get through.  Interesting philosophical points re balance between good and evil</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MVSCWKQ7LPMF?ASIN=0316055441	brilliant style	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A few tangents in the story telling that lost me but, all in all, a delight to read. A great thinker holding the pen.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QJEJFIV45TI9?ASIN=0316055441	Even though this book is beautiful, a good editor who trimmed about 200 pages ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even though this book is beautiful, a good editor who trimmed about 200 pages would have made it even more beautiful!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SZCLEKS7N5SY?ASIN=0316055441	It was a great story and the parallels between the boy and the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Shades of JD Salinger here. It was a great story and the parallels between the boy and the painting skillfully drawn.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP7EPEU5YBAZ3?ASIN=0316055441	It was good for the most part	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was good for the most part.  I thought it got really draggy the last part of the book--thought it would never end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9JOA4TAW2FN1?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed the detailed descriptions.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book but it seemed awfully long.  It took me a while to really get into it  but I was not disappointed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R274627PADJ28W?ASIN=0316055441	great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Omg great read. The story takes you places you never saw coming and has an ending that that you wish would never end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV8KK2M3K7HFU?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing from the start. I saw it clearly in ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossing from the start.  I saw it clearly in my mind.  Can't wait to see if the movie matches my ""product""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JM97FG0FXLN3?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book kept my interest, but subliminally was quite depressing.<br/>A lot of undertones about death and mortality.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUNGZSA3D0FVC?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting, but FAR TOO LONG, and too much emphasis on drugs. Important in the narrative, but labored beyond belief!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ETJTKZ13QOIZ?ASIN=0316055441	a page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So well written...impossible not to fall in love w the characters and be engrossed by the story!  I smell movie deal!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O1URTYTLRCLO?ASIN=0316055441	so well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book. Hard to put down. Kept saying, didn't see that coming<br/>Looking forward to reading her other books</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGW5ACRR7CPG9?ASIN=0316055441	it was long but worth the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved most of the book, but it got very LONG towards the end.  I am glad I hung in because the ending was worth it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAXPW3QSVC45U?ASIN=0316055441	Very Good Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written and engaging. The end leaves this reader very sad and unsatisfied, the book ending before the story did.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LO3QHO2ONS5O?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent and so well written! No wonder it won a Pulitzer! I recommend this book to all who appreciate a good story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21HF21JR2EPR7?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found the care of the painting interesting, but his life was more complicated than expected. An adventure to be sure.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RETEMGHY12YJN?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An unusually lengthy but interesting storyline. The writing  was superb. The drug taking was a little hard to accept.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32I2LDGR83HLU?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully told story of post traumatic stress in a child ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully told story of post traumatic stress in a child and it's effects. Did the painting help him or hinder him?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T4CNKKZSDW3K?ASIN=0316055441	brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing storytelling. Gripping. Couldn't put it down and didn't want it to end. Highly recommend to read it and enjoy</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22JR9PV1KGSHG?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the philosophy, the lyrical and profound writing, the arresting plot, and the reason we are drawn to great art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO8KV42XCC3UA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent, exciting read. From a psychological and adventure standpoint, it excels! I loved it from beginning to end!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTP0Y98Z7AN5N?ASIN=0316055441	disturbing story and at times difficult to read this current ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">disturbing story and at times difficult to read this current time tragedy, but very well written and worth your time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IWE5YGSVUR0V?ASIN=0316055441	I found this book hard to read and not very ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book hard to read and not very engaging. I put it down but I will finish it and revisit this review then</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32WOP1LCKRR9Y?ASIN=0316055441	a must read!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a journey both meaningful and heartfelt. Great characters and I just lived it. True coming of age book!'</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLS3SECG0QBK2?ASIN=0316055441	I got bored about half way through the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got bored about half way through the book. It became to wordy and I skimmed through much of the rest until the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJD5JACO9JTD5?ASIN=0316055441	Nice item, quickly received.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Nice book, but too many pages for me.  Am planning on giving the book as a gift, as i am sure it will be a good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AG7B2RI91EM3?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Got this in a super deal during the Christmas holiday.  Passing it among family.  Great bargain for a hard back book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZRL00CW82MKK?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt does it again	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">O K Fine!  After her second book which I couldn't finish, I was wary.  I read the first book, The Secret History 4 or five times.  Hesitated over her third book.  Would she be able to do it again?<br/>  I agree with Stephen King in his review of it in the New York times Book Review section, it is a wonder.  I'll read it again and again.  However, like Mr. King when he gets up a head of steam, she could use a careful editor.  I found myself skipping chunks of description.  Having said all that:  It is a must read.  I guess if you're that good (and she is) and you spend 10 years writing it, she gets to show off her research.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJOHVY7R1VLAL?ASIN=0316055441	Oddly engrossing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written and enjoyable ride along with the story teller that you want to continue. I highly recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVSK75BP2NBZW?ASIN=0316055441	The most tedious book I ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The most tedious book I ever read.  Thought it was never going to end.  It could have been half the amount of pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWMLNJMED61RP?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting storyline.......probably could have been told with about 200 fewer pages.....ending way too drawn out...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U249SN4EL55E?ASIN=0316055441	Great read. I was really looking forward to it ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read. I was really looking forward to it since ""The Secret History"" is one of my other favorite books.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MEL42PG1EK84?ASIN=0316055441	Highly Recommend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A lengthy beautifully written novel. Have to take a break. Don't think I'll see another one like this for some time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KI0DTPGBZMNC?ASIN=0316055441	If you have A LOT of time...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Verbose is the only way to describe this book.  Really good story but is overwhelmed with details that distract you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R162U9GB4DZT4Z?ASIN=0316055441	Dark, depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While this was very well written, I found it to be very dark and depressing, and had a hard time getting to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X66B151XH64H?ASIN=0316055441	Great story and loved every page until about 3/4 of ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story and loved every page until about 3/4 of the way through but could have done with a good edit at the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T26ZHRIK6510?ASIN=0316055441	a great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">beautiful writing! i can see each and every scene, feeling, and sorrow as i read this.  a well crafted saga of life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VDU7W4TKXWGB?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unwrapped in perfect time, the story was a beautiful gift of the past, present and future meaning of life and loves.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TX77R9TCEVKH?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling, sometimes exhausting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lots of tension in places and author can get wordy in descriptions that get too long, overall, very compelling read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OP8TGV4FC940?ASIN=0316055441	This book was a good read. I wish that it was shorter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a good read. I wish that it was shorter. Some interesting characters who kept my attention to the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCL4JXAA8STWJ?ASIN=0316055441	grimy but excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The grimy and dirty world of drugs, death, and elusive love all come together in this remarkable novel. A must read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L0NUM3BMAXC1?ASIN=0316055441	Rambling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Difficult to follow at times. Slow moving at times but so intriguing at other times. A good character study at best.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IFWD31XKZW9T?ASIN=0316055441	Bad theology	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Do not read this book if you suffer from depression.  It's a black hole with no escape. Dark, dark, dark black hole.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U0V623M27ASV?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't know what made it a Pulitzer Prize winner. I was extremely disappointed. Liked the parts about New York though</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DDB8BSOJJK9G?ASIN=0316055441	It made me sad and wonder how many seek happiness in the seamy ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was too dark for my literary tastes. It made me sad and wonder how many seek happiness in the seamy side of life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34R6KPEQ11IPT?ASIN=0316055441	Was sad for it to end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't/didn't want to put it down! Was sad for it to end. Felt like losing a friend. One of my all time favorites.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GDAH9MX0MA8S?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing from the beginning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">couldn't put it down....an blending of art, family, adventure and great characters all told using wonderful writing!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GPVUYCDQDJF6?ASIN=0316055441	amazing that I stayed interested for over seven hundred pages ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">amazing that I stayed interested for over seven hundred pages that wasn't a cliff hanger....but her prose is so good</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21E682DPE0D00?ASIN=0316055441	1 star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A terrible disappointment. How this book ever got a prize is a mystery to me. It was a waste of time. Don't read it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24IGTO9UPRX0W?ASIN=0316055441	Book too long. Different. Sections were too much ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book too long. Different. Sections were too much detail  that had nothing to do with the story. Too much repitition.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROJQCHVMJH246?ASIN=0316055441	Exciting beginning but too too long after that All the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exciting beginning but too too long after that  All the drug stuff was not that interesting and justed added length.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q4XWW9RUWF3M?ASIN=0316055441	I found the behavior and lack of parenting very disturbing ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the behavior and lack of parenting very disturbing. Certainly one of the least enjoyable  books I have read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SFJ6IA9WP18G?ASIN=0316055441	The BEST book I've read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The BEST book I've read in years. Hauntingly personal characters filled with emotion and angst. This is a must read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JW03H09C4G3U?ASIN=0316055441	would not recommend..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too long and drawn out ... enough about drugs...would not recommend ... though it was going to be about love of art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HMMUX0PJT0IX?ASIN=0316055441	I loved most of this most of this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved most of this most of this book. What I loved I loved a lot! It is very well written and an incredible story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27LQQAD6T1PO0?ASIN=0316055441	I miss Boris	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I finished this novel, I went back to the first page and read it again.<br/><br/>I've never done that before.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EBEL6FA9KSRM?ASIN=0316055441	Must Read for 2014	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Solid storytelling, each character in the book poignant in originality. Props to Donna Tartt . A must read for 2014.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4HVJV30SX7XZ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My very first thought when i read the opening of the book was that this was going to be an interesting ""mystery"".  I was wrong.  It was a disturbing ride through a disturbed mind - or minds.  I think the most accurate description for me is ""trudge"".  I trudged through this book, i skipped paragraphs, i kept looking at how far i was in the book and how close to the end.  It was not exciting, it did not grab my attention.  It was tolerable.  I didn't feel any great affinity for any of the characters.  I felt that she could have accomplished this in half the number of pages.  It left me unimpressed.  Perhaps i am too simple.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CWVGJHLTPDKE?ASIN=0316055441	The book was too long and too many sub-plots. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was too long and too many sub-plots.  It took me forever to finish the book.  Not exactly a page turner.DC</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OHPXFKY3VX60?ASIN=0316055441	Way, way too long. 300 pages could have ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way, way too long. 300 pages could have been eliminated dealing with drugs and alcohol. Worthy of the prize though.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHDXXSHZ55KMC?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful. Finished in 5 days while seeing berlin	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved every bit. All characters  Sorry for it to end  After so many pages still wanted more. Great tale. Can't stop</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R8JI5PEDEMU1?ASIN=0316055441	twists an turns.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Honest account of drug use experience, And futility. Great writing. Best line? Who teaches us to talk to ourselves?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MTVN1EQ8MCMM?ASIN=0316055441	Long long book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a hard time finishing this book.<br/>Will try another of the author's books, this is one I will not retread.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10YBJJQOMZINL?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the first part of the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the first part of the book, but then it got dark, and it was a little more than I had realized it would be.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DFWD8U0E2MHB?ASIN=0316055441	great epic.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written and satisfying. A must read if you are interested in a well written and poetic story of coming of age.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCHNMPQP08PS0?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Totally boring. Waste of time. It just never got going. Too much time describing EVERYTHING in way too much detail.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24101CHKSNXX7?ASIN=0316055441	A chain to heart	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book held my heart on a delicate gold chain until the end.  Releasing it only when the sun arose for a new day.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D5C6OUWBHZGH?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant renditions of characters and events , with the painting artfully woven into the narrative. Very gripping.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YCYQL5AD81DW?ASIN=0316055441	Escape y	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a beautiful uses of words. I loved reading it .  I found a new love of art, and new way of thinking about it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39LGL3ZFX6QH8?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing character development. Beautiful use of language and a thought-provoking plot.  Overall, a fantastic story!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26O8GGYAVPY1D?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long. Needed an editor to remove at ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long.  Needed an editor to remove at least 200 pages of carpentry, name dropping, and excessive drug usage.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFZQJNMDO9N26?ASIN=0316055441	Great book. Well researched	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. Well researched, interesting characters. Was sad to say goodbye to the story and characters at the end!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24ODG2RQSXIK6?ASIN=0316055441	My Favorite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My favorite book of the year. The characters will stay with me for years. And when they stop, I will read it again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q8WK6CI6S4WG?ASIN=0316055441	You've got to love an author who can tell you a story so ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You've got to love an author who can tell you a story so intense and then make you laugh out loud at the same time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CSLB4UTV0XOV?ASIN=0316055441	Good but depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this to be a very good read, but a bit depressing, and the last few pages of the ending were a little drab.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS52I0VPJ9NC5?ASIN=0316055441	Great book, very emotional at times but loved the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, very emotional at times but loved the way the author articulated every thought and painted every scene.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U1AU5JMMCGCG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent novel!!!! Donna Tartt's writing style made it hard to put down the book.  Highly recommended for reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PUFYPC8WVZZT?ASIN=0316055441	I was glad to finish it and would not recommend to anyone	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I read this book it wasn't really to my taste.  I was glad to finish it and would not recommend to anyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28ANTAIY7KC49?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Generally good but too long some descriptions were way too detailed. Liked the storyline but disappointed in ending</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37V90F2QNKAOS?ASIN=0316055441	but a good story. I enjoyed it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really wordy, but a good story. I enjoyed it, but found myself skimming over some of the long drawn-out paragraphs.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E43ILUE616QY?ASIN=0316055441	Good story but pace was too slow to really hold my interest	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the characters were good as was the dialog just too much detail for me.<br/>I think it could have been 30% shorter</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QO0IDN62BLMQ?ASIN=0316055441	long winded and disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great writing,  but parts of middle you could clearly skip and the ending was not what it all was leading up too…:(</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27JF74UAB0CYK?ASIN=0316055441	meh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not feel as if I bonded with this book or the characters. Maybe I am too ,old to appreciate the drug culture.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LJPIXJTNVRMC?ASIN=0316055441	It was indeed a twisted tale that took many turns ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was indeed a twisted tale that took many turns but carried the reader along the way.  The characters were vivid.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N7N0KMIGE7QK?ASIN=0316055441	Kim	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read but not crazy about the ending.  Redundant parts about excessive drug use.  I was hoping for better story</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z8RNVQEFHJ3R?ASIN=0316055441	My favorite book in some time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My favorite book in some time........Donna Tartt's writing takes me to the inside of the story from the first page!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VZVBU5U03P1R?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful novel.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put this book down. The story and characters suck you in and the writing is beautiful. It's a must read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLJMLTB9948KY?ASIN=0316055441	I thought this story was great and the characters realistic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this story was great and the characters realistic.  Sad story, too - not a fairy tale - just a good read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E0YH6M0NNKVT?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch is one of the most imaginative and beautifully written books I've read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite simply, Goldfinch is one of the most imaginative and beautifully written books I've read in years!  Fabulous!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39CE4K1MRLGSA?ASIN=0316055441	...it is as if Proust had written Catcher in the Rye...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">or as if J D Salinger had written Remembrance of Things Past... Unforgettable...you will be irretrievably immersed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EUBMECOB7B07?ASIN=0316055441	the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in years!  Love Donna Tartt's writing style, a real page turner.  I highly recommend this book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R42H5M1ZGNFLS?ASIN=0316055441	Finally!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loving this book, can't put it down. So happy and thankful Donna Tartt wrote another as good as The Secret History.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KAEY6QABM7PJ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It starte out great,exciting and moving but started to peeter out in the middle and came to an unsatisfactoriy end!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19TN09UBUXCRR?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a well-written novel which is interesting, funny and moving.  But it all seemed a bit far fetched at times.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R80QCDMJPN0AH?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't seem to get this book out of my head after spending two solid days reading it through. I guess it's because I went through a lot of similar experiences in the art world, in NYC and Vegas. I thought it was very well written and I bookmarked a few passages so I could go back to them later, which is something I rarely do. I'm not sure what all the negative reviews are about, but when I click on other reviews of people that didn't like the book I notice that they are providing five star reviews for standard romance and mystery novels, so I am forced to assume that the appreciation of this book is not for everyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX840NO1NRWEF?ASIN=0316055441	Too much of a good thing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is simply ""over-written"" in the same way that a great band releases a record that is ""over-produced"".  The soul of the artist gets buried under all the tinkering and tricks.  I like Donna Tartt but I had the impression I was reading a sort of ""Greatest Hits of Donna Tartt"" rather than being told a genuine story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMRTKV2FJUYF3?ASIN=0316055441	Where was the editor?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What is wrong with this book is what is wrong with soooo many current works of fiction - it needs a real, bona-fide editor! What happened? Book is way too long, so many cliches - really sloppy writing. No, I guess we can't expect Maxwell Perkins, the acclaimed editor - but really! Do editors think the public does not care - they will accept anything? Or, and I fear this is true - are they just too stupid to excise what needs to be thrown out? To demand better writing. This is so depressing - readers should demand better books! This is, above all, a lazy book - not up to what should be done at the editorial level.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EW55C4Q18WAP?ASIN=0316055441	The worst	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hated it. Worst main character. Could not sympathize with him. He never grew up.  I would not recommend this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18H2COIS1I2VJ?ASIN=0316055441	Not everyone enjoyed the subject matter but everyone agreed it was very ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read for book group meeting.  Not everyone enjoyed the subject matter but everyone agreed it was very well written</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C9IKQBS9EVF6?ASIN=0316055441	... all the way through and the characters were both good and bad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was interesting all the way through and the characters were both good and bad.  I was an excellent read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FARCMWUOYNS5?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story but rather long-winded.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was longer than I felt it needed to be. It kept my interest but not as much as a lot of other books have.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNTEJD7Z7ACBK?ASIN=0316055441	totally gripping	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Two thirds through  gripping...  getting better...  can't wait to finish<br/>best book I have read in a long time</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CX9FLX0AJIYE?ASIN=0316055441	A little long and wordy.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The overall story was great but could have left out a lot of unnecessary details and shortened it up a little bit.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKUHU0E60JCW?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Once I started this book I couldn't put it down, all 775 pages of it.  Loved the twists and turns she takes us on.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SG9YGY34NAMA?ASIN=0316055441	Great writing. Hated the story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing kept me going. But I felt suicidal while reading. I do not recommend. The hardest book to get through.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30EP00NOBPUS5?ASIN=0316055441	to long!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I struggled through this book. Needed a better editor. About 1/2 of this could have been cut out. Terrible ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMTDK3YA3TCN0?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was hard to put down, with many twists and turns.  A lovely story, sad but redemptive.  Highly recommend</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36H822YNWTAOM?ASIN=0316055441	love	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch will forever be on my list of favorite novels... And it is in good company. Brilliant story weaving.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22Z33ZQXGTNWY?ASIN=0316055441	The first 50-100 pages are great. It is downhill after that	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first 50-100 pages are great.  It is downhill after that.  A good editor should have cut this tome back a lot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15LK238KFCQ3M?ASIN=0316055441	Began with a good story line and interesting characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Began with a good story line and interesting characters. Fell apart 3/4 of the way through. Too long; too preachy.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T7AFFFNHB30K?ASIN=0316055441	A riveting page turner of a kind until the last ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A riveting page turner of a kind until the last quarter that got in too deep and the ending that is not memorable.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21XOKBFBOGGHZ?ASIN=0316055441	A contemporary Les Miserables! With lots of humor, ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A  contemporary Les Miserables! With lots of humor, and action. It was hard to close the book after the last page.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JULENEK9GE7H?ASIN=0316055441	I felt the book was too drawn out sometimes I ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt the book was too drawn out sometimes I got lost in the chapter and had to go back and read or just move on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11SHINS4HA1UY?ASIN=0316055441	Wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous read. Hard to describe how incredible this writer can suck you into the characters worlds with her words.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R252UNW99V008D?ASIN=0316055441	There was too much drugs and drimnking. I did ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There was too much drugs and drimnking.I did not care for the story at all and was tempted to give up on the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R369HV037O819X?ASIN=0316055441	finished it but battled	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some pieces in tbe book just moves so slowly that one loses interest. Interesting group of people and life stories</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5U6NZ1Y6Q593?ASIN=0316055441	but loved the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Last chapter has philosophical sayings that really make you think.  Not the ending I expected, but loved the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32YFG6LFD9WWT?ASIN=0316055441	The last quarter was boring and left you in limbo	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I  was very interested in the first three quarters of the book. The last quarter was boring and left you in limbo.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ1DZ29MQ0FVG?ASIN=0316055441	gold finch flies	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit draggy by the end, but an interesting unusual piece if fiction, with well thought out characters. Very long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21N0DSCFPEQLM?ASIN=0316055441	great book, needs editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great book, but the whole Vegas time could have been edited out by 100 pages!!!!!!!  What a amazing writer she is.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31O4AKA99HBOY?ASIN=0316055441	life is hard and then you die	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Liked the story for the most part but the book was too long. Too much time was spent in sordid events in Las Vegas</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQHANG04FU028?ASIN=0316055441	some beautifully written literarypassages towards the end but otherwise a long-winded	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">disappointing.some beautifully written literarypassages towards the end but otherwise a long-winded,laboured work.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SPFBDUDYEUU7?ASIN=0316055441	best I've ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A captivating story that is hard to put down. It makes you stop and think about your own life. Highly recommended.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M2H2QA3BEWRA?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed all the different characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed all the different characters. I felt it was a little too drawn out at the end but over all I enjoyed it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GHUA44HL1HLO?ASIN=0316055441	great plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great plot,a little less verbiage. Donna Tart could have done it with fewer words.... I needed five more words..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37USSST3SSGNT?ASIN=0316055441	Stupendous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Delicious to have good book to look.forward to. Fine writing, in this one, couldn't put down. I WANT A Goldfinch !</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLHP54IYMK0L4?ASIN=0316055441	How can we judge? Very tart and very human ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How can we judge? Very tart and very human with mortality, terror, frailty, and courage all mixed in. Wonder full.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4E5QCEXWHO24?ASIN=0316055441	excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not stop reading. It was an out of body experience. Strongly recommend the book to everyone.  Please buy it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O4FBQHAQGXKH?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Author does an exceptional job at describing everything. Book takes hold of you and you won't want to put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R217T363CNAL9H?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was too wordy regarding much of the interaction between characters...none of which added to the story itself...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RINMVM4HJ6DAM?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the book. It taught me a great deal about the underground art thief rings as well as antique restorations.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ODN92WTCMW03?ASIN=0316055441	boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A Pulitzer Prize winner?  It  was  verbose, tedious, and  the characters  were not endearing or interesting. The  writer  didn't  know how to create a quick-moving story  that brings the reader in..  All I wanted to do was finish the book and to get through it , which was  a challenge  .I actually  didn't even care about the painting  after a while;  Story got so bogged down in insignificant  information.  Boring!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A6L47W657W93?ASIN=0316055441	Not what I expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had read such great reviews of this particular book, that I was unprepared for what I found. I felt that the writing style was somewhat pretentious, and I didn't enjoy the story line. I only read the first 60 or so pages of it, and was disappointed that the story was so weighty. I suppose that I most enjoy books that have something uplifting in nature about them, and what I read of this novel didn't lead me to believe that it would contain this. If you enjoy really serious and emotionally exhausting subject matter in your reading, or at least aren't bothered by it, you might appreciate this book. I didn't.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C2TTK8TXGV4J?ASIN=0316055441	I haven't even gotten half way through. Don't know ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't even gotten half way through.  Don't know if I will go back to it or not.  Cannot get interested in it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16D68UBBWDK0H?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy. Too long. Could have been half the length. I really just skimmed it for a book club. Interesting idea.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R182YMKHUG6ZNG?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed this book more than I have enjoyed any book ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book more than I have enjoyed any book in quite some time. So very well written and a page turner!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK4TW1YJO9WE9?ASIN=0316055441	This is a very interesting story and the characters are ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very interesting story and the characters are memorable.  The only downside is the length of the novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CQRSXUAVKPHE?ASIN=0316055441	good writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author is a wonderful writer but I thought the book was entirely too long. I ended up skimming many sections.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11TLV0QW1XZTA?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this story a lot.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know this book was a bit<br/>long ---but I loved the twists &amp;<br/>turns!  I could not wait to get back to it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32UT3J5LGHNOE?ASIN=0316055441	Read this book! You won't be sorry!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book! The deep and complex character development fascinated me and kept me engaged and wanting more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HJ1RD455N28P?ASIN=0316055441	transcendent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are no words, really, just the beauty and the space that it occupies while one experiences it.  Light. Joy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS4W6LA8IH2N7?ASIN=0316055441	The long read on a biblophile list	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an awesome book. No wonder it won a Pulitzer Prize. It is awfully long, but worth the time it takes to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J0UG7AEZBOBP?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great, epically long read.  Enjoyed the evolution of a young man into adulthood.  very descriptive style of prose</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9REHFY8VS1P7?ASIN=0316055441	Could have had better conclusion, but overall	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Predictable and change of prose style cumbersome.  Could have had better conclusion, but overall, not a bad read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26Q29X5EAW89U?ASIN=0316055441	Hands down the best book I've ever read and now I have a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hands down the best book I've ever read and now I have a major girl crush on Donna Tartt who is clearly a genius.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38JQ1RZNXN45N?ASIN=0316055441	Get This Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books ever written. Everyone in my family (and friends) is either reading or has already read it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EWSNSCJHZI8X?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book.  One of th most well written books I've ever read. Held my attention from start to finish.  Loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G7NL3RMAAMEI?ASIN=0316055441	loved it but	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book great story well written BUT  I really hated the ending please tell me there's a sequel in the works??</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CCIH5TZ3A85T?ASIN=0316055441	A sublime look at life.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a blessing to read. Life and love painted as a goldfinch spoke to me as I journey both chained and free.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DGXVFENC9IV0?ASIN=0316055441	over rated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Starts out with a bang ;) but slowly sizzles, verbose, endless ranting. Not sure why it's a Pulitzer Prize winner</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AODIAA8HA7CC?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started with a wonderful premise, but dragged on and left me disgusted with the main character. Disappointing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXFEATVIF1OE8?ASIN=0316055441	Tina	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A decent read but it took me a while to get into it and then the end was not as rewarding as I expected it to be.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20EP1Q1L5P3EC?ASIN=0316055441	Moving	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The journey of a boy who was able to see life for what it is- layered, dark, light, nuances and underneath...love</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21U8E1CLDHNHS?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">extraordinary talent, descriptions are worthy of dickens. The ending however was less paced, and a disappointment</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YY1XPMZ4ILOC?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent story!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think this book talks to all ages...it's twist a and turns kept me riveted to the story...a real page turner!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26BYTWXHIAF5J?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good read, easy to follow dialogue and plot, the ending was quite predictable but nevertheless very satisfying.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ODVUICRQA4PD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">an exceptionally well written book, which keeps you turning the pages and looking forward to making time to read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYNJX85IVOJE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful! Suspense, geography, language, art, &amp; excellent character study in a criminal/terrorist entwined plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S27IT56I4G8W?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic novel! Loved the character development and incredible detail! It kept me interested for all 700+ pages!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW4FRBP1V8I87?ASIN=0316055441	I did not enjoy the book it was too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonder how she was awarded Pulitzer Priize!  I did not enjoy the book  it was too long ,  sad story that rambled.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KOEM5X7NBVSH?ASIN=0316055441	Great read. Difficult to get thru the horrors at ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read. Difficult to get thru the horrors at beginning but worth sticking to it as it gets better and better.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VA5F4N255GYV?ASIN=0316055441	Good read.  kept my interest	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was long but kept my interest.  I liked the ending it surprised me.  Good philosophy on life at the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PGQMVZLWVF6J?ASIN=0316055441	terrific.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great from beginning to end. Sad it didn't continue. Maybe a sequel? Hope so. Now on to other Donna Tartt novels.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LJ32CDT79WIC?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed this book despite its slow passages. It is also easy to read which can't be said for all Pulitzers</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7QDAIGIB8YH5?ASIN=0316055441	This is the most wonderful book i have read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the most wonderful book i have read in years. Truly clever and totally original. I could not put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HMSP53N6XGOG?ASIN=0316055441	best book in ages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down. I loved the art history and literary references and I fell in love with NYC all over again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KI2A88KUE1VM?ASIN=0316055441	Worth reading until the end. Don't be intimidated by the length.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read. Like Folgers, it's good to the last drop. Can't help but identify with the protagonist on some level.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKC2AYT763V3Q?ASIN=0316055441	Obviously extremely well written, but is way too long ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Obviously extremely well written, but is way too long. Felt the ending was not as complete as it could have been.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ENRY910RSD2E?ASIN=0316055441	Why so long?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the beginning and thats about it . I skipped through pages to get to the ending. A real waste of my time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R699CPE00NHF1?ASIN=0316055441	Book club book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a long hard read....hard story......a real downer.  I listened to most of it on CDs and enjoyed the reader</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MDJSJRC94LQQ?ASIN=0316055441	A major talent, a marvelous story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Marvelous story very well written.  I loved it from beginning to end. A major talent and a beautifully told saga.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HBBA89ZMS0M2?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">BOOOOOOOORING!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R168X8DC95HTH5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrific book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F6MT5YBD2B9S?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZWFNCKHXDNSA?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I usually start out reading new books with great enthusiasm and by the second or third chapter, I am totally bored and disappointed. Not so with The Goldfinch...Tartt's book well deserves its rating as number one on more than one book list. Just the descriptions alone are reason enough to rush out and get your own copy. Wherever Theo goes, I feel as if I am there with him as he experiences the characters, the settings, the plot,,,,even the weather...I only hope that Donna Tartt is not wasting her time reading this review or others-but is busy writing her next novel...<br/>BTW- A memorable book cover!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNPQQ1E7E7NZX?ASIN=0316055441	Okay, but.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the story had a lot of merit, but the author dragged the story out....too wordy....didn't move along..</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30GS3JCDMOWXQ?ASIN=0316055441	On the Best Seller list for awhile	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this story.  We read it for a book club.  I did find it a little long but it was interesting and good.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q39N6QBMAHXJ?ASIN=0316055441	Ok	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It jumped around a little for me. The Russia was a little confusing but still a good read and I would recommend.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R125VELRCZJOSX?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Except..... It almost seems like one person wrote the beginning of the book , and a different one wrote the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R129W8TQZ36OMZ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch-a MUST READ!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You need to read this book! It grabs you, right from the beginning! You will experience many different emotions!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RS3U28UMQ0XQ?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed reading this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed reading this book. A good story. The beginning of the book was better than the end. Still a good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GNJJ5BWYGYUE?ASIN=0316055441	A new favourite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book.  I loved the character development and the concept of the story.  It lived up to its reviews.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T9LCL168FDZM?ASIN=0316055441	Parts of it are very good though.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite long, haven't finished it yet but wondering when / how its going to end. Parts of it are very good though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PO7HLZ0J4HEB?ASIN=0316055441	Very disappointing. Initially I was impressed by the writing ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very disappointing.  Initially I was impressed by the writing.  I then found  too descriptive and just too long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X23TKUTYUPI0?ASIN=0316055441	Sad to finish it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The imagery, the storyline, some of the best writing I've read in awhile. I loved this book! I highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CGK2LZDI79A7?ASIN=0316055441	Not just. A Painting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Deep and enthralling page Turner to the end. Could not put it down. Very well written. Mystery of life and death</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NYZQQJ5CRI6D?ASIN=0316055441	good long read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed this book. Was longer than I first thought but was interesting none the less. Glad I picked this one up.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OI8TFPC9LYWA?ASIN=0316055441	Too wordy for my taste	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot was excellent but it was too wordy for my taste.I ended up skimming instead of enjoying every sentence.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUSCMNINFI8X8?ASIN=0316055441	By far one of the best books I've read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">By far one of the best books I've read in a long time.  Was disappointed to finish it.  Would make a great film.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PZ5IONVM6DKF?ASIN=0316055441	Very Good Read...almost a philosophical thrller!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The way life spools out... incredible but true!<br/>A must read for all trying to find meaning in the everyday.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QV96Q86Y6G9I?ASIN=0316055441	hard to follow and stick with it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started well but jumped from one to another and left me questioning, ""What the heck did I just read?""</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10Z48ZY410K4N?ASIN=0316055441	great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Powerful book.  Makes one look at art in a totally new way.  It is a must read for anyone who loves a good story</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CJWT0UC6RY4D?ASIN=0316055441	Dark to the end!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dark, dark, dark!! Sad tale of a very, sad child/man!! Very well written - surprising, but really sad and dark!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIFUR5W9HM9HP?ASIN=0316055441	Long and at time felt like too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long and at time felt like too long, but then the story pick up again and I became fully  involved. Good reading</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19LM04HZUAART?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating story - wonderful characters - could have used some editing to remove 50 pages or so -repetitions...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NWJY4EDE0CA0?ASIN=0316055441	A very slow beginning, but the story really grows ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very slow beginning, but the story really grows on you, just as the main character finally manages to grow up!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27Y09W5I6FVJ1?ASIN=0316055441	good moral to the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The moral of the story was good but it was too long. Some of the lengthy descriptions could have been shortened.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17X8LNKU2O8PU?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I have read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I have read in a long time.  You never know quite where the story is going.  Definitely a page turner.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E1DAJKWKZK7?ASIN=0316055441	I found it very hard to stay focused.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it very hard to stay focused.  It was very depressing  but interesting enough to want to finish the book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21TOPJ7WJ49JR?ASIN=0316055441	Very Good !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Deep story &amp; beautiful visually descriptive writing...along with a drug using undercurrent that was a bit much !</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RURF1IN5HYLI1?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very captivating yet strange. If you can get past the drug use and abuse it is a pretty good book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D4AGQE9QIGFH?ASIN=0316055441	slow start	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Stay with it. It has an unexpected outcome. Not one of her best books but great emotional descriptions as always</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13IYDCKDWVQS0?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book enthralls the reader in the same way the goldfinch entraps the characters in this story. A page turner</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MSOJU0Q29GP1?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Would have given it 5 stars but the ending is a big mind ...k. Other than that it's a great story and well told.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHR8KI2VN0FR6?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved every 775 page<br/>Up and down roller coaster ride<br/>I would recommend to anyone who loves a good book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YFM3QIOH1X30?ASIN=0316055441	A page turner...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved and hated the characters all at the same time, and the imagery so vivid.  Wonderful book and amazing read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GIQOJ6BD3XPI?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read, engaging story, beautifully written. About 200 pages too long. Could've forgone some labored details</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VQE2EWG77Z5?ASIN=0316055441	Really liked it. Kept my interest throughout	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really liked it.  Kept my interest throughout. Evoked so many different<br/>emotions.  Definitely recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10Y3F11HFM4OQ?ASIN=0316055441	I'd heard how great this book was	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'd heard how great this book was, but I was dissapointed. I had to force myself to struggle to finish the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNVBX7RSWOISU?ASIN=0316055441	Read this book if you have a lot of free time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the first 500 pages, but had to drag myself through the next 255 and I didn't read the last 20.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32VM4LO2CBLCR?ASIN=0316055441	amazing writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too dark for me. What a grim view of life. Terribly sad and ruined with drugs. Only one decent character - Hobie</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F2BQM5I4KF95?ASIN=0316055441	Worth reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written - good story - falls short of being a great book.  For such a long book, the end seems rushed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GK7F60S4IUUT?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writing. Every moment was drawn in my head ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful writing. Every moment was drawn in my head so precisely. It is a bit slow moving, but still wonderful!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NUCMN8NPW7K0?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the story, however, it was so long. Found myself skipping ahead. Too much detail about the same subject.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZAF1U0JUEX0B?ASIN=0316055441	Don't miss The Goldfinch: A Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt captures her readers from the start of the book and holds them throughout the novel to the very end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EEXXUNY1P9S6?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very difficult to put down. Much to consider and keep thinking about long after book is finished. wonderful read</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MOKBGN9Y1TKI?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book was very depressing.  I did not enjoy all of the drug references.  I would not recommend it to others.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJED7OFYUGJUX?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a beautifully written book that validates the power of art.  Every person who loves art should read it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12Y9TF510P8U0?ASIN=0316055441	An amazing book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing book...  However, I found the writing unnecessarily long at times, so I will not give it five stars.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EQ1TLDD0KLB?ASIN=0316055441	One of my best reads in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of my best reads in years.  I could not put it down.  Loved, loved the ending.  (Don't peek it is too good0</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYBI9Y2FETUVG?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written with rich detail.  Subject matter is difficult to read dealing with loss, drug use , human failure</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26EMUBK7Z1XR0?ASIN=0316055441	Trophy.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read this on my Kindle Fire. It's a very long book so worth the read. I bought the hardcover copy for my trophy</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RJ0TCHSBDVLR?ASIN=0316055441	I haven't read the book yet but at this moment I am going to read it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have heard that this book is a wonderful book to read<br/>I love to read novels<br/>I haven't read the book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLGMW76JLRAOC?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters are a little too sleezy for me. Otherwise an interesting novel. Did not deserve a Pulitzer Prize</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RET3ALG3XK6GZ?ASIN=0316055441	Bummer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Completely laborious to read.  Depressing the whole way through.  I was totally disappointed. I had high hopes!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FUJGFD4DGK6I?ASIN=0316055441	long but worth every page	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">LOVE THIS BOOK. Will be back to its passages in the future. Moving provocative. I can see why it won a Pulitzer</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVZZL6AVKI3NH?ASIN=0316055441	spectacular	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing read.  It is like two books in one. The Harry Potter references are fun to spot. Very emotional ride</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KUOE4IKVG05X?ASIN=0316055441	Good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't know where this book was going, ever, but I enjoyed the ride. It was really brutally tragic and honest</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BTUD2Y2VK9AJ?ASIN=0316055441	engaging....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaged from the beginning.....superb writing, our next book in our book club....there will be much to discuss!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JFGFE1Y3QOK8?ASIN=0316055441	certain parts could easily been omitted	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long; certain parts could easily been omitted; I finally skimmed the last 50 pages just to be done with it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26E21R19R0NAQ?ASIN=0316055441	Excelllent. Well-worth the Pulitzer Prize.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but the long sentences with parenthesis was annoying. She was demonstrating her ability to compose</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11SFC5SUXR8VZ?ASIN=0316055441	It was too slow moving! The write failed to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was too slow moving! The write failed to catch and hold my interest. After reading 30% I stopped reading it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAJHDITYJBFU0?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book. Did not want to leave these characters. Would love to know what happens to them down the road!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLMK80OX2FDGJ?ASIN=0316055441	Enough!  I get it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enough with the drugs!  I am so tired of dragging through piss, vomit and gore.  This is what makes a Pulitzer?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ44EVMJCU85G?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">interesting, if not uplifting, view of life. A very easy read and some wonderful prose. I Enjoyed it very much.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C0U306GCB2FW?ASIN=0316055441	a Must - Real!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best novels I have read! The language is amazing and paints superb pictures of the young man's life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VKJD3JQZS37J?ASIN=0316055441	Very well written and liked the overall story but much too wordy and too ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written and liked the overall story but much too wordy and too many distractions from the main theme.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OQZ2XAXN73ML?ASIN=0316055441	Not what it was cracked up to be!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just not worth the time it took to read. I was so disappointed in this book after reading many stellar reviews.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYOGD99GSFX0J?ASIN=0316055441	long, excellent read. thought-provoking!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a hard time putting this book down! Extremely well written and easy to get lost in...highly recommend it!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GESNW2KCIAPK?ASIN=0316055441	great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome best ever. There is an artist group painting for this! There are many styles and the work is beautiful!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B0J7B4CCXYBW?ASIN=0316055441	disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While a good story it could have been written in half the pages. Too much extraneous prose made for a long read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5GESRWVA36WA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was riveting. I couldn't wait to see what happened next to the protagonist and his beloved possession.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28KHTY3PAR07I?ASIN=0316055441	Really enjoyed this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed this book. Took me a while to get into it but once the story got back to NYC it really took off.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RU3IPA9HCE3F?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful, descriptive language	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dark story written in compelling, beautiful, descriptive language. Excellent delineation of various characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LH77686XMJHI?ASIN=0316055441	Parts were too long and drolled on and on. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Parts were too long and drolled on and on. Too much focus on drug use and spending days being sick in a hotel..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H5ZJK6OL86BQ?ASIN=0316055441	Guess not a good 'guy' book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was okay. Far too much over dramatization of 'kind=of-sick'<br/>main character. Guess not a good 'guy' book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RHQD9L5S7YG2?ASIN=0316055441	Good but long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read but goes on a little long.  The main character is sometimes hard to empathize with. But overall good.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E5GD31ATHLJ4?ASIN=0316055441	Good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt tells a take quite well. I found her story to be engaging and fascinating as well as disturbing. Read it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OF0RF1D74NTU?ASIN=0316055441	Laborious read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sorry, this just didn't  hold my attention., but then I didn't like The Litle Friend, also my the same author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R74T9ROOB3EVW?ASIN=0316055441	Make this No. 1 for Summer Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the narrative constructs and the style of the writer. A good lengthy read. Perfect for summer reading.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38VC4J6M57UW4?ASIN=0316055441	I loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good book. It held my attention. I didn't want to put it down .To me that is a good book .Highly recommended</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDWPKDB5BS5GG?ASIN=0316055441	wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So much to say about this book. This is arguably one of the greatest books I have had the pleasure of reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X8HN1K3RPJYK?ASIN=0316055441	Please release me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Please release me from reviewing. I just want to start my next book and can't seem to get to my library. Help!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5WIXNUHUEWJY?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely the best book I have read all year.  Totally absorbs your mind into it and leaves your body behind.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXCX2ICEXU1XB?ASIN=0316055441	let me sleep after only a few pages.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this very much.  It was different reading.  I rate it a 4 as it was good, but not gripping, reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6G4YTOYZ7R8E?ASIN=0316055441	This story was written well. I long for the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story was written well. I long for the day that I can write this well while telling a story. Awesomeness.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYH0W1Y3T78Q4?ASIN=0316055441	don't believe the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Complete waste of time.  Way too long. None of the characters are likeable. Read Unbreakable for a good story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5W7ZC3BVM0H6?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed the book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book took me awhile to get through but I'm glad I made it to the end.  Wonderful ending to a great story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6F3PQF71X9GX?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt is a brilliant writer. The pain of the protagonist is palpable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a brilliant writer.<br/>The pain of the protagonist is palpable. You can't put this book down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TIWSIDBDB013?ASIN=0316055441	You are urged to take this journey.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not as much a story as it is a lesson. It sensibly comes together and leaves you to ponder your position here.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYSCQKTPV2AK3?ASIN=0316055441	Despair	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How depressing.  Hoping for a positive turn some where.  Not a book I would recommend to anyone I know. Downer</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F8YC3RXFBINT?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't like this book.  The people involved I found distasteful and though written well, the story bored me!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYUU6TKQBC2FR?ASIN=0316055441	i didn't love the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i didn't love the ending... but who cares. the characters stayed with me a long time. that is good literature.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q2983QTARTUI?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I likes the main character and always hoped he'd find his way in the world that would not be self destructive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UEG6V5G4JIN1?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the book...for a while...but it went on and on and became somewhat tiresome.  Could have been 2 books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZUC1M1B820OA?ASIN=0316055441	Bored	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found The Goldfinch to be a boring, slow, monotonous read that failed to captivate me or spark any interest.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWOPZUIIKIRXU?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was ready for the book to end before the last chapters.  Found myself skimming over parts to get to the story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R258HWO0U9EZA5?ASIN=0316055441	Great story with vivid descriptions	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story with vivid descriptions. My book club had one of our most interesting discussions about this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13RUE0CXJAG57?ASIN=0316055441	Great story and writing. Best book of summer.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossing story, excellent writing, hard to put down. The characters will stay with me a long time. Loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VLX8YQ0OR1QR?ASIN=0316055441	... finished it yet but is desperately depressing and a horrible lesson about how a life can go so wrong	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Have not finished it yet but is desperately depressing and a horrible lesson about how a life can go so wrong.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23F5SXAHZKVMZ?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long-winded, depressing and aimless. I kept reading hoping that the story would pick up and it never did.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BAEDYQ1IZ3Z8?ASIN=0316055441	makes you think!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rated R but very well written. This book has lots of feeling. Recommended for adults. Not a light summer read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38LVJ5MA5P5PN?ASIN=0316055441	A great book if you have time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great book, but took too long to read....over 750 pages.  My book Club couldn't stop talking about this one!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28KATSQ5JIS45?ASIN=0316055441	the Pulitzer Prize?  incredibly tedious...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Pulitzer Prize?  Really? Way too long and incredibly tedious. I am so relieved to finally be done with it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19V2D9EB6AKK0?ASIN=0316055441	but wonderful. It's a story of tragedy with ultimate redemption	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not at all what I expected....but wonderful.  It's a story of tragedy with ultimate redemption.  Really great!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I2R67PZUID87?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but too long. Tom for her to read. Liked the characters. I liked where the story took the reader.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAE3FJI686I3H?ASIN=0316055441	Speed read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The start and finish we're not so good the story matter was wonderful.  Too wordy it took me forever to read !</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8CNYY19UT4BU?ASIN=0316055441	A good read for a snowy weekend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch grabbed my attention immediately, an enjoyable book.  I am glad that I took the time to read it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M0T6U2Y1C0QZ?ASIN=0316055441	Curiosity Caught the Cat	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't love the story but, she kept me reading to find out what would happen next! Kept me curious to the end!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFLSE3W40IL5A?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredibly credible story. Insight to the upside and downside of human nature. Worth the rather lengthy read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25D4QU05SIXKV?ASIN=0316055441	The imagery was amazing. First book in a very long time that ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It kept me spellbound. The imagery was amazing. First book in a very long time that I will reread but slowly.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V6OH0743T9NL?ASIN=0316055441	Verbose pointless drivel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the very few books I could not force myself to finish. Pulitzer worthy? In my opinion, not even close.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T8AH6LJPCJ4L?ASIN=0316055441	A Real Page Turner...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">THE BEST book I've read in a long time. Very well done Donna! A must read for all. You won't be disappointed.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S6UUFEK7KYNV?ASIN=0316055441	Long but a great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some friends found sections plodding, but the writing overall was amazing - great images and good story line.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15EE51XLZ7JR6?ASIN=0316055441	Terrific read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Xxxxxxxxxxggggghhhh nnnnnnnnn jvvvvbvv wwwwww wee rare Ty bass red tyt Dodd for yyy www we r not to mention n</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HDQ9NLBMPP8B?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing writing, and a very intriguing storyline.  Slows down in the middle, but it's worth sticking with it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGFS3AG2GPP1H?ASIN=0316055441	Life changing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book changed my life. This is the best book I have ever read. Unbelievably well written and thought out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA59O60VUW879?ASIN=0316055441	Lengthy!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit lengthy, could have been edited more, but runs you through a gamut of emotions and leaves you thinking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11MW4044L9YKB?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book club selection, no one could get past first couple chapters, we choose another book and tossed this one.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A502JGQSZUEV?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the beginning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the beginning, did drag in middle, but overall all a good read.  Made for a great book club discussion.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE1N2PKPIS25F?ASIN=0316055441	It was good, not great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was good, not great. Very involved story from beginning to end. The best part was the boy with his mother.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W0PYJZEAUPZT?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept you reading, but dragged on in places. Good twists and changes in the story. I would recommend this book</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EPBUS32SY0N?ASIN=0316055441	The book kept me interested until the last chapter when ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book kept me interested until the last chapter when it rambled on and on metaphysically for far too long.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R9KKERATRT9C?ASIN=0316055441	a lengthy and in depth read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was not a fast read for me but I really enjoyed it and the overall message. It's definitely worth a read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LNKS6QPE7PEY?ASIN=0316055441	Average at best.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was a depressing, draggy story but kept reading because it had won a Pulitzer.  Average at best.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3STZ022TBFWJS?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very intense and depressing - plus the end is too tangential and preachy in an overly intellectualized manor.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZH1UCAZREC6W?ASIN=0316055441	great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I Loved this book! It is a Very unique and interesting story! I Would definitely read another by Donna Tartt.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HA30GWB118H7?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Her prose is so smooth and lovely.  And the story was so engaging and well crafted.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CLRP59QITS86?ASIN=0316055441	Best Book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have every read.  Her characters are real and her descriptions of events are spot on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQBDNLYJI8P1J?ASIN=0316055441	Often reads like a teenager and his pompous philosophy of life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overly long.....Often reads like a teenager and his pompous philosophy of life.  Really wouldn't recommend it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KCLKV2FCQWPR?ASIN=0316055441	This is the first book I can remember reading that ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the first book I can remember reading that kept me up half the night because I could not put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R260HN5XTQR6JQ?ASIN=0316055441	Would be great at a short story or dragged out as a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Would be great at a short story or dragged out as a TV shop.  Long and uneventful.  Had tough time finishing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RMZSI9HXXAIF?ASIN=0316055441	but what a waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not worth one star.  I finished it, but what a waste of time.  Obviously talented writer who needs direction.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRCZPE0FKSM50?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extraordinary.  It is a live thing, the reader is in it every moment.  Character, nuance, detail...wonderful!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSJUKMYU5JTTZ?ASIN=0316055441	bored stiff	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the most boring long winded book I have been forced to read.  Finally I am free of it. Good riddance</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R91QHWAY3KYXF?ASIN=0316055441	Invigorating! read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pulitzer not enough recognition for D T. Theo &amp; Boris will join other famous brothers for many years to come.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TBAKX8VZXAD3?ASIN=0316055441	Very good book. Different from what I normally read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good book.  Different from what I normally read. Got a little tired of the huge amount if drugs consumed</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27APKQ4WTG4SI?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it; was sad when it was over	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it; was sad when it was over.  Tartt told a great story and it seems like it would be a good movie too.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PBPV977LSIFP?ASIN=0316055441	the apogee of my reading journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So perfectly stitched and weaved through prose that to comment about and not feel this book would do it wrong</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SZ5UE7BET6H7?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book chronicalling a child who lost his mother, to a drugged out teen, to a still drugged out young man</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13Z4I6DZE9EKW?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the first part about the museum	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this depressing.  The kid never once made the right decision.  Loved the first part about the museum.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KIZ02BU0347M?ASIN=0316055441	very good but way too long and detailed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Skipped many, many pages to get through this one. Good story but detailing lost me many times. I do recommend</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FLWHVZO71OXD?ASIN=0316055441	This is the best novel I've read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best novel I've read in years. I'm jealous of everyone who hasn't read it for the first time yet.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WNVCFLR715QJ?ASIN=0316055441	not bad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">sort of a dark book at times, though I got through it and have trouble maintaining interest in books nowadays</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T9K4N1XB3X8C?ASIN=0316055441	Great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked this book. It got mixed reviews but it's still a great read. Yes, it's unlikely, but so what?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BDZYEDN05RG9?ASIN=0316055441	A deep, moving story which is hard going at ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A deep, moving story which is hard going at times, but pays back the effort you put in! Not an airport book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M3F2WNVJFEIE?ASIN=0316055441	Very good story & Beautifully written but needed an editor to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good story &amp;  Beautifully written but needed an editor to pare it down as in my opinion it was too tong</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V9EVLX52TKGL?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A brilliant book filled with characters that will stay with you. Probably my favorite read so far this year.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVZK8OU5D09O2?ASIN=0316055441	Wow.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I literally read the last chapter 5 times. Worded beautifully. This books is so real. So human. A must read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15SEM5NF9JXY4?ASIN=0316055441	Thoroughly enjoyed this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was hard for me to put this book down.  Of course, those long, run on sentences helped.  What characters!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R234SVI5DDEH6L?ASIN=0316055441	A writer who grabs you from page one and holds ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A writer who grabs you from page one and holds you to the satisfying ending....then you wish there was more!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TLTN4QC370EH?ASIN=0316055441	You will love this book, excellent.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book well written and loved the story, and stories within the story.  Have recommended it to many.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TLWHCCY8KLTD?ASIN=0316055441	It just dragged on like the author did not know how to end a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book could have been written w 300 pages. It just dragged on like the author did not know how to end a book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PZS1I2VGLYJU?ASIN=0316055441	captive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you are looking for a book to immediately draw you in and continue to surprise , you will enjoy this read</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R335SSAPQI26CR?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed it!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not anything like I normally read,,but I really enjoyed this book! Take a chance on it,, you won't be sorry.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SDUX3QLPPT6Q?ASIN=0316055441	The book was good, but seemed to go on forever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was good, but seemed to go on forever!  At times the plot seemed so unbelievable as to turn me off.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PS2V9WUO8DW0?ASIN=0316055441	Almost finished with it. I am trying to stretch ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Almost finished with it.  I am trying to stretch it out.  Well written and keeps surprising you.  Loving it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31UF0PFVWEWIR?ASIN=0316055441	I didn't enjoy this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't enjoy this book. I read it through as I wanted to know what happened but it was a bit of a marathon</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27ZQQ4CHUA20F?ASIN=0316055441	It started off really great, but became too long winded in the end ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started off really great, but became too long winded in the end and in my opinion finished up in the air!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2122OXJ18OUJK?ASIN=0316055441	very dark	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well woven story that gets blacker by the page. A master of creating a continuing sense of loss and despair.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GGBKO7WMBXDD?ASIN=0316055441	great story and character development	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story and character development.  I was crying by the end!  Can't wait to read some of her other works</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F9YC25JDAQJS?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoy reading a well written book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very deep and full of hidden meanings. It just wasn't my kind of book. It certainly held my interest though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GC9VRFXY15JJ?ASIN=0316055441	An excellent read. It gives a very personal look at ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent read. It gives a very personal look at how World War II affected the lives of these characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N3WVUC7VV7R1?ASIN=0316055441	A cross between Proust and Dostoevsky	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">And I mean it in both the good and bad ways. A great long read, not for the feint of heart or the impatient.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27BB2UDEVB6XA?ASIN=0316055441	Details are great lots of research must have by Donna Tartt main ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Details are great  lots of  research must have by Donna Tartt  main guy got too depressed  I will read again</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRLRIFO772EZW?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing and an astounding story. The drug details were way overdone and became tiresome after a while.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MFMEPHLEPQCO?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although it catches you right away I found it slightly draggy in the beginning. Then...couldn't put it down!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34TNEIIQYC5RE?ASIN=0316055441	Good novel just had a hard time sticking with it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good novel just had a hard time sticking with it.  Once completed, I did enjoy it, but 775 pages was tough!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OQ0YU3Y4S9PU?ASIN=0316055441	Good plot but difficult to hold my attention	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long novel. Good plot but difficult to hold my attention. Not one that I stayed up all night just to finish.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13UUUWUT36TLX?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed The Goldfinch very much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed The Goldfinch very much. I did find the ending a bit confusing but all in all it was well written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X67TZ0NYE8WS?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent in the beginning but by the end of book ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent in the beginning but by the end of book I was annoyed with the main character and story.  Tedious.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3976B2M0R0BXI?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is an exciting start and middle of the novel. Becomes a bit verbose and tedious towards the end of it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28FXXHS4I25QF?ASIN=0316055441	a nihilistic adventure and love story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A worthy read for sure. It grabs you and doesn't let go even through the more drawn out moments. Recommended</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R46KNVN7FL0YU?ASIN=0316055441	Can't believe it won a Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written interesting characters.  Plot line ok.  Really a combination of 3 stories.  Altogether too long</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZLP0HUXHQC0L?ASIN=0316055441	Don't miss this great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch is a five star book: outstanding characters, descriptions, and plot. Tart's writing is delicious!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9ESAFKTI6MGB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book, exceptional writing, mesmerizing storyline and wonderful characters that you grow to love...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RDDPWH3WWOH9?ASIN=0316055441	The ending was disappointing. The book was too long ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The ending was disappointing. The book was too long.  I only read it because it was a Pulitzer Prize Winner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZNVYG70JTXQL?ASIN=0316055441	I didn't hate it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't live up to the hype although I did enjoy it as a leisurely read…I would recommend it to someone else.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RYS4E8D8UU50?ASIN=0316055441	What else is left to say about this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it's excellent. it's as good as everyone says. it's a must read if you like this genre. and it's quite long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR3T2A9MZQMB6?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not the novel I was expecting.  I really got into it though.  The end was the only part that dragged for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X75WOH0RT1JK?ASIN=0316055441	great but slow start	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book but took way too long to get good. First 150 pages went by very very slowly. Yet great in the end</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ35VUSBWBF0W?ASIN=0316055441	A very good read, could not put it down until his ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very good read,could not put it down  until his arrival to Amsterdam,became very slow and a little boring.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R386TL6D2TD1K7?ASIN=0316055441	Quite a journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me a few months to finish but very glad I stuck with it. Exceptional story telling.  Wonderful book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R60WQNNWEMTCT?ASIN=0316055441	Did not like it at all	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not like it at all.  Found it to be a slow read.  Lots of chit-chat between the main points of interest.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KHOWCFVKHGW3?ASIN=0316055441	interesting read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the story was unique and interesting but there just seemed to be so much unnecessary conversation.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZLKXTGB87C1B?ASIN=0316055441	Worth reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I spent the majority of the time while reading this wondering why it won a Pulitzer but in the end I agreed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NMWRROZHO8QS?ASIN=0316055441	Personally I did not enjoy this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Personally I did not enjoy this book.  I finished it but the drugs and the language were a deterrent for me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7R8EJKK6RNMY?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read, characters well develped, story compelling however dragged on in a few places.  Excellent ending!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OH2DLT5KFIVC?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!! A bit long -- but I could not put it down. Lots of issues to discuss if you are in a book club.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7O3LUE6R9UY?ASIN=0316055441	Ideal book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrifying novel ; amazing how the writer can bring us to be inside the skin of the character .Its a talent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M49CONHSA79J?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer, really	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cannot believe this book received the Pultizer Prize for Fiction. It must have been a VERY, VERY BAD year.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AR7TF6FYRCA?ASIN=0316055441	Love this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It has many, many pages but that's okay.  This book keeps you wanting to know how this kid recovers if ever.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q52GNTM2U6S3?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book captured me immediately and is very hard to put down.  I look forward to reading other books by author.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPUBA8IZZNJDD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book! Enjoyed it so much I read another one of her books right after it. Definitely recommend it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GJLBT7G07U31?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully written with vocabulary that had me stop and reread.  A little too long, however, for my taste.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHMU0BDZEZC17?ASIN=0316055441	I loved it until the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved it until the end, I would have preferred a resolution to Theo's life than a resolution in his mind.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB31SML0HRSS8?ASIN=0316055441	Would make a great movie! The final chapter is one of the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very intriguing. Would make a great movie! The final chapter is one of the best final chapters I have read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32MVJNNHWOLP2?ASIN=0316055441	Actually, it is not fair to review this book ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Actually, it is not fair to review this book, as I am only 125 pp or so into it--but it is s l o w going...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EEXMBJ827MV2?ASIN=0316055441	but will have to force myself to read further -- hate to say it but boring thus far	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Only read to page 61, but will have to force myself to read further --  hate to say it but boring thus far.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BI9IAYLRZA97?ASIN=0316055441	page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novels takes you on a journey of a young man whose life is turned inside out after a terrorist action.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN6OZ0W4DERUK?ASIN=0316055441	I have read all of her novels and The Goldfinch does not disappoint.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an exceptional writer.  I have read all of her novels and The Goldfinch does not disappoint.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V5YZVWLGF54H?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossing and emotional read. It took a while to really get into it but once I did I couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U4D8X3O8YOS6?ASIN=0316055441	Addicting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An unbelievably fast ride on a train headed for disaster averted each time by the love of truth and beauty.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FX0N3FTKOA2Q?ASIN=0316055441	lengthy but worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. It took me a while to get sucked in, but the story just gets more complex. I really enjoyed it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P04ODZDOV2K0?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In process of reading this book, very different characters, would not be surprised if this becomes a movie!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU1V2B2KFK5VC?ASIN=0316055441	I could not read it as it kept saying I had	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very frustrating trying to get in touch to correct. Please I need to read by next wed.  I am very frstrated</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KAJVEEIDA9FP?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing was wonderful and the story most enjoyable.  Loved the characters.  It was just a bit too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGVDGUZ5KOJY5?ASIN=0316055441	a good story, but a bit drawn out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This author gives us a lot to think about in the pages of this novel ... a good story, but a bit drawn out.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PTLS18S6T64Z?ASIN=0316055441	Were parts of the book I liked, parts of the book I did not like	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Were parts of the book I liked, parts of the book I did not like.  finished it but overall was disappointed</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RARHJPQAB6A01?ASIN=0316055441	How did this win a Pulitzer?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a total waste of time and effort. I have no clue why kept reading and hoping to find a good story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ59RPPOSB56?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read took some turns that I wasn't happy with.  But those turns made it a more interesting story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FDXVTNJ0Z9RK?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting plot development and great characters. Just too long to fully hold my ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written. Interesting plot development and great characters. Just too long to fully hold  my attention.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29R71NSK85UZ9?ASIN=0316055441	READ THIS BOOK!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best novel i have read in the last ten years. Exciting, thought-provoking, great character development.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF3S7XNL1769M?ASIN=0316055441	good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredible story but a little long - liked how it took us through his life and really liked the characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17U8EH21MSY9J?ASIN=0316055441	I think it could make a great movie.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is interesting but goes on and on in some sections too long for me. I think it could make a great movie.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL9X5NM4AW4YR?ASIN=0316055441	but the book was excellent reading and would make a good moving picture	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little disappointing at the end, but the book was excellent reading and would make a good moving picture!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CYWG9VX9PMXK?ASIN=0316055441	Very good book but sorry it took so long to get ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good book but sorry it took so long to get here.  Belong to a book club and could have used it sooner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TXOCFAV3FBBT?ASIN=0316055441	long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too dragged out, lost me in a lot of places. Good read in some spots. Well written and idea is interesting.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OH27XZDGVO63?ASIN=0316055441	gritty, sad, amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the characters of Theo and Boris. I would have liked to know Pippa better. Well written book. Long.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T3KJ9H6KBXVH?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best book I've read in a very long time. It was disturbing at times but I couldn't put it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV1MOQ4QOF9UT?ASIN=0316055441	Endless	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">started off wonderfully and then it went on and on and on. The best part of this book was when it was over.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D1DQ8UE82AU7?ASIN=0316055441	very thoughtful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book about life, art, New York. A bit dark, but insightful and kept me glued to it until the very end</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VQNI88G18JZC?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very good story but it could have been shorter which would, in my opinion, have increased it's intensity.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38T17PXLVTN9W?ASIN=0316055441	Great story, but way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, but way too long. The author could have cut out about 30% and it would have still been great..</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z4QDWE690BBE?ASIN=0316055441	I can't for the life of me figure out how ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't for the life of me figure out how this won a Pulitzer! I only finished it because I'm not a quiter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M0ROPWL44BRR?ASIN=0316055441	rough start, but worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Took a while to get into this book, at least half way through, then couldn't put it down. The art saved it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTO1WYIUR3XT4?ASIN=0316055441	Loved THE GOLDFINCH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved THE GOLDFINCH, yes, it is long, but worth every page. Funny and full of lots of amazing information.,</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6OHG62N6EO0I?ASIN=0316055441	Heavy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was too heavy at the end.  I thought that maybe I lost a few pages.  Felt like I fell off a steep cliff.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YSTP97EY053G?ASIN=0316055441	It was ok	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It starts out great. But really slows down at the end.  Cannot figure out why she won the Pulitzer for this</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UP1K7OF9EM7S?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed this so much that I purchased her other two ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this so much that I purchased her other two books.  I'm looking forward to more from this author.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LQMQBZ51KGM?ASIN=0316055441	Dusappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Easy to put down and hard pick it back up.  Determined to slog through it, and slogging took along time....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VNPUYME3ZNDA?ASIN=0316055441	surprising and breathtaking!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't want the book to end; I wanted to follow his life on..... Toward the next adventure and discovery.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTZU2096NJYW1?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Personally, it was too long and too wordy. so many characters. I had  hard time getting through it  Sorry .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WMPVIVSUHMMQ?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best fiction books I've read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best fiction books I've read in a long time.  The writing is excellent and the plot is engaging.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11MY54V7L0U3T?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent writing, very prose like, great characters, wonderful theme explained with great skill in the end</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KKA5VSFN398?ASIN=0316055441	4 stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It got slow at times but I'm glad I kept reading. The novel was especially interesting as an artist myself.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KAYHHFTSZ3CI?ASIN=0316055441	With trembling pleasure I present a great new book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic read! I think it will be a classic . Talked my friends into reading it too.Great for a book club.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19WA0SVGP5966?ASIN=0316055441	Art World and good fiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a great book and read and enjoy the journey. If you are interested in art this is the book to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RMZ3I383KI76?ASIN=0316055441	Terrible book.  Filthy.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I literally feel exhausted trying to plow through this book... At first I was swept up in the story, &amp; excited to turn the page, but as the book went on and I discovered the author's disgusting interests, I began to question weather or not to continue reading...  By the time I reached page 249, the bilge from the sewer of the author's mind began overflowing the storyline, and I gave up.  It's going in the recycling bin, or perhaps, not even there, to spare some poor soul who might find it and take it home to read.  Terrible book.  Not fit for the bottom of a bird cage.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IEDB9DTQJO8H?ASIN=0316055441	amazing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in a loooooooong time. I didn't want it to end! Amazing writing, fantastic characters.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R305C10PS20UMC?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've ever read. Donna Tartt is one of the most gifted writers of our time, no doubt!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23BWLBWAL45V3?ASIN=0316055441	Still reading it in bits and pieces since I don't ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Still reading it in bits and pieces since I don't have the luxury of reading to my hearts content anymore.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XPDP6FT0X144?ASIN=0316055441	A good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating plot with excellent character building. Parts are a little slow is why I gave it only 4 stars.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPC3CPMG5XKJ1?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous book that is extremely well written.  The characters are well developed.  The plot is intriguing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQWKVRVQU8ZRJ?ASIN=0316055441	Not. Worth. It.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting premise and wonderful writing at times but entirely too long and complete let down in the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39L1S2EIUKZWX?ASIN=0316055441	I was always hoping for something better for that boy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was always hoping for something better for that boy, but at the end of the day life is what you make it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IM33JBPURVOP?ASIN=0316055441	Highly recommend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed the novel. Easy read and kept my attention.  Highly recommend for a good summer read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K4PP7Q8A4CK1?ASIN=0316055441	fantastic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really, just read it. You won't regret it one bit. Amazon review requires four more words: go read it now.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A77LY6LF45IK?ASIN=0316055441	So-So	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good beginning and strong ending. The middle of the book was quite slow and difficult to continue reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SC7I2CFXPKJX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent - struggled to put it down. Vivid characters and beautiful descriptive writing bring it to life!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CIH5PGC3Q2OF?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great start, kill me long winded overly wordy middle, OK end.  Needs a good solid edit to save the reader.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FUQI1I26JQL6?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very disappointing, definitely does not deserve the high praise it has received.  Squalid and disengaging.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGN6GK7YCJCJR?ASIN=0316055441	better than I expected.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For such a very long book, it moved quickly.  Theo survived in the face of profound loss and early trauma.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JT03KE1HS8FJ?ASIN=0316055441	Ok read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It had a good plot but slow pace. I lost interest towards the end. The decisions Theo made were maddening.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R228J0FVKVXQB4?ASIN=0316055441	I liked the characters but it seemed to surreal and the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the characters but it seemed to surreal and the author used too many words to get her point across</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R337L6OR1F3A2F?ASIN=0316055441	No words for how good this book is.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put it down. My life went on hold so I could finish it! Probably the best novel I've ever read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AAEMDBY8EVTR?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting and well-written story. I did find it too long and actually didn't finish the last chapter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBS35N7D4PTHC?ASIN=0316055441	taking forever to finish, to me way to long ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">taking forever to finish, to me way to long, could have eliminated a lot of pages and not harmed the story</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WXKWWT8Z18PK?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the beginning then I felt like I needed to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the beginning then I felt like I needed to go to rehab by the end. Incredibly well written though.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UTD78D3P5IWL?ASIN=0316055441	riveting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not put this one down.  I missed my train stop because I was so engrossed in this book.  I loved it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VSBXEPE1ZVIR?ASIN=0316055441	the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down for a day. Second half very dark. Lovely and strange book with many layers, loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N6EK1I722RAH?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me a little while to get in to it but then it was hard to put down. It did.big down in some areas.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL894YWCQA0F8?ASIN=0316055441	but overall - a great story with interesting characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dark and wordy at times, but overall - a great story with interesting characters.  I definitely recommend.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SJVES3I0I28H?ASIN=0316055441	a classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Every page is filled with gems about why we're here and how we might survive and even be happy...or is it?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMNNJHNYWIO1G?ASIN=0316055441	I may be the only person this side of the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I may be the only person this side of the Rockles who dislikes this grim, brutal and annoyingly ugly book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WK8MEU5ZKNKB?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit maudlin and narrsisitic; however, surprisingly delightful in traipsing about the world of major art.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM59X5U2A9LH7?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a big book that pulls you in. Hard to put down and stays with you for awhile. Beautifully written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SB8NTG2S3LTJ?ASIN=0316055441	Trouble with books from best of lists	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Heard so much about this book it did not live up to the hype. I never was captured by Theo or his friends.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHY4Q2ZX3HOMH?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You felt like you were listening in on conversations the characters were having. Well written. Good story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EX73ST2CFF2M?ASIN=0316055441	maybe you have to be high to truly understand this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a decent piece of literary fiction, but I'm not clear on why it won a Pulitzer...this book is just OK</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YNR27LKNPGPO?ASIN=0316055441	Great book, couldn't put it down and wanted to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, couldn't put it down and wanted to finish the 775 pages asap in order to know the whole story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LHA93S1H6XTY?ASIN=0316055441	I thought this was a very depressing book. I ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this was a very depressing book. I kept looking for some redemptive value. I not even finish it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXN93EIWZ7VBD?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tedious, repetitious and long!<br/>Why a best-seller?<br/>Only plus are some descriptions of incidents..</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ETDCD9LWC2VL?ASIN=0316055441	could not put this book down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">did not want it to end!  great characters.  I was intimidated by the length, but was sad when it was over.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EXFF1LV9G8ZJ?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing Book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was incredible--i wish I could read it again for the first time!  I've already passed it on to friends!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HXHIQ3HDO7FF?ASIN=0316055441	joyous read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautifully written book that is a readers dream. Theo's journey is not so easy but it is a thrill ride.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DHF7GAK39SAW?ASIN=0316055441	I always finish a book that has been recommended to me by a friend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dreadful. I always finish a book that has been recommended to me by a friend.  This was a waste of  time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R58RVVAM8A26J?ASIN=0316055441	Young with endles losses !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating, could not put it down ! Still miss Theo ! Sad that Pippa disappeared before the book ended !</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OXN6SVG7O4JS?ASIN=0316055441	I was so taken with the characters and was so very sad when the book was over	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such an incredible story.  I was so taken with the characters and was so very sad when the book was over!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37DRY2BGFP1NU?ASIN=0316055441	Painful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me forever to read and I'm still not sure what I was supposed to get out of it or enjoy about it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CGXH6U5ZFSH6?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too many pseudo-philosophical musings, yet a really touching story, gripping till the very end plot-wise.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ42G4V4SGET2?ASIN=0316055441	I did not care for this book, but finished ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not care for this book, but finished it -not my kind of reading, but felt that it was well written.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ5V6MMEX5CUD?ASIN=0316055441	Hooked	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book surprised me every time I picked it up (and then couldn't  put it down). It should  be a movie.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26W7A1B9DW814?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging and detailed, this book takes you on a journey of morals, heart ache and raw humanity. Loved it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VBPCBCJ7ED88?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is fantastic! Characters are fully formed, and it pulls you in. Set in NYC, my favorite city!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ISTDN290FNWT?ASIN=0316055441	Thoroughly enjoyed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. Excellent character development. Seems to drag a wee bit at very end, hence only four stars .</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCH3R0KE6K5KQ?ASIN=0316055441	Liked the novel. Would recommend to friends.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept me interested the whole way. Despite the sad tone throughout it leaves a feeling of light and peace.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HJBX333X6FP?ASIN=0316055441	I felt like it could've been at least 100 pages shorter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt like it could've been at least 100 pages shorter. A good read, but not as good as I was expecting.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ONNGCXPIIHPI?ASIN=0316055441	mind jarring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very intense book. You feel for the characters, and hope for them. I will recommend this as a great read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJLWTWNCR3Q46?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely well written with insightful life philosophy.  Slightly depressing story but quite interesting.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RME4FSDLF5L9?ASIN=0316055441	riveting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was a bit slow and hard to get into at the beginning. Yet as I read more, the more interesting it became.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U8G6SUTOH75?ASIN=0316055441	Delicious book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this book down....it was a ""should I call in tomorrow"" so I can finish this type of book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2366AHBZ0ITH8?ASIN=0316055441	best book of the year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautiful story of loss and recovery, prosperity and despair, and re- birth. I was sorry to see it end!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8203UAYR3QJJ?ASIN=0316055441	Thought it was beautifully written and so much to think about	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought it was beautifully written and so much to think about.  It was a little dark for my taste though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DJQG93VJ8LMG?ASIN=0316055441	An absolute gem.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A tragic masterpiece and the finest work of fiction I have read in years.  I could not put this one down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R351FM6DMJHF1L?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read, very interesting characters, wasn't sure where the book would go next, keeps you on your toes</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35W6QPRTD2ZVX?ASIN=0316055441	not great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thiss book went on and on!! I actually ended up speeding through the last half to just get it over with!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25YM4DMOR6M4B?ASIN=0316055441	dark, philosophical and long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it dragged at times for me. Felt long and too depressing for my taste. Definitely not a favorite of mine.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKUI783UP1ZUF?ASIN=0316055441	This book is riveting, I couldn't put it down ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is riveting, I couldn't put it down, it's very well written but the subject is very disturbing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FDV6JUMSTN45?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So long and tedious. Very monotonous. Author seemed to write and create her characters to be pretentious.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD5F65I2PF5TN?ASIN=0316055441	Too long took me MONTHS to read it. Put ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long took me MONTHS to read it. Put it down and came back just wishing it would engage me. Never did.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CYAP1LJ4RNBL?ASIN=0316055441	Lots of Filler	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too dragged out.  Lots of verbage just filling up the pages.  Don't know why all the hype over this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JOY0ZI245KNZ?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I have read this year...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put the book down, all 775 pages of it.  Felt like I was running a marathon to get to the end!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UT55VO8FNR0R?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous book. I wanted to give it ANOTHER Pulitzer ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous book.  I wanted to give it ANOTHER Pulitzer when I finished reading, because one is not enough!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM5EQW5UME0M3?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't want it to end.  The characters leapt off the page and became part of my life. I will miss them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EZP71XYRH94A?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was hooked on the story but disliked the ending. It was excessively long as well. But interesting plot.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N6WX1P8TY5C9?ASIN=0316055441	Great book, but rather long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, but rather long, author could have shortened at least a 100 pages and still had a good story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MU4ZFQ0YX2VT?ASIN=0316055441	it's a very good book, just not what I thought it would	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think I had too high of hopes for this book, it's a very good book, just not what I thought it would be</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K2XJUSI9F3E?ASIN=0316055441	I think the author gives too much time to insignificant ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think the author gives too much time to insignificant data. I will not read another book by the author.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VT36YCLHHLFM?ASIN=0316055441	up and down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were times where I didn't want to put it down and times where I found myself skipping paragraphs. I</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U8KTOCF50DGU?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good book. Heldy interest most of the way through, however a bit wordy. Could have been told with less.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20BGDL6OOMOJE?ASIN=0316055441	amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So well written. Astonishing read. I was  able to finish it quickly. Best book of the year by far! Really</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XUP4FXMV6AGR?ASIN=0316055441	Why/	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A number of friends borrowed the book from me.  It was unusual. Why did it win the Pulitzer? Do you know?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PPEDF0NDLJ4L?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a excellent book. It's the kind that one can't put down and can easily staying up until 1:00 a.m.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TQ1Y7V7MRXRR?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed it thoroughly!  It was very well written.  It was one of those books that keep you up too late.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23HALKZ0HM401?ASIN=0316055441	Great book and a great gift.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a Christmas gift for my wife and she loved it. Donna Tartt is one of my wife's favorite authors.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L22NYU4Y3O8H?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a good writer, and what a compelling story!  I'll give this book to all my book loving friends!  WOW</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMI8HBBZUY0Y3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">not that good</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MW8X85CTDF1Z?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very slow in the beginning.  Hubby likes it but I don't care for it. It's extremely difficult to follow.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31QNU1SWX5IKX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book immensely.  Lots of great characters, a little hard to get into but very satisfying.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4UYR5ISEV128?ASIN=0316055441	Weak ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book captured me in the first few chapters, but  towards the end the story line just got too weird .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GO77UDIHQBZJ?ASIN=0316055441	Simply awesome!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic piece, I read at least 75 to a 100 books a year and it's in the top five books I've ever read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K7SNYC0TQLKE?ASIN=0316055441	Good read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really good book, very literate, keeps the reader involved.  Only one or two slower spots.  Good writer!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M9OGEAU3WVUO?ASIN=0316055441	Lovely	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Luminous writing, wonderful story and characters. Will stay with you long after you're finished reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7ECUKNTMIKH4?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A lovely read that brings you back to your own story in the end.<br/>And a heart song to any art lover.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTQI21UOIZUGU?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the first half	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The last half of the book dragged on endlessly for me. I loved the first half, did not care for the rest</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GXJ92EKOXQMQ?ASIN=0316055441	but this book provided the perfect return to the world of fiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had taken a long break from novels, but this book provided the perfect return to the world of fiction.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19Y1FDBG1TSBW?ASIN=0316055441	I know this book got a lot of good reviews, but I thought it was so boring ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know this book got a lot of good reviews, but I thought it was so boring and didn't make sense at all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFZMF1KOMOX5E?ASIN=0316055441	A  L-O-N-G read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author could have told this story in half the number of pages.  A little too drawn out for my taste.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JUDGMU7FIUVW?ASIN=0316055441	Not as good as I expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took a long time to get into- kind of dragged on. Wasn't very impressed for a Pulitzer Prize novel...</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R298Z073ZSQ0A9?ASIN=0316055441	great book! definitely recommended!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the story and the characters. A tremendous read that will remain in my thoughts for a long time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D8WF1K1T2JSQ?ASIN=0316055441	enthralling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm so happy that I lived long enough to have the opportunity to read it. It is a spiritual masterpiece.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KCL8R1X7SKX2?ASIN=0316055441	... not immersed in the artistic (literary & painting) world like me, it is difficult to connect	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you are not immersed in the artistic (literary &amp; painting) world like me, it is difficult to connect.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G4LE7RM5RBRJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful, beautiful, and unexpected.  Tartt's writing is second to none.  I highly recommend this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JX7WINKTK76N?ASIN=0316055441	A waste of time I cannot get back	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A waste of time I cannot get back.  It was entertaining at times, but I just kept wanting it to be over.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC2Q23FX6VNT7?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed the story and the characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the story and the characters. Although I felt the story could have been conveyed in 600 pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQH99FRZ7XILO?ASIN=0316055441	Thought it was great but dragged a bit from time to time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought it was great but dragged a bit from time to time.  The last chapter is the best.  So insightful!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1850DFC5FBND9?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So many wonderful things about the novel: compelling, engrossing, and enlightening; but way too verbose.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV44GKP89PWY5?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I expected so much more from this book.....very disappointing and depressing and redemption never comes.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZIXXRPU4SKX?ASIN=0316055441	Cannot put it down. I'm already recommending it to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Cannot put it down.  I'm already recommending it to my reading friends and family.  I don't want it end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZTX30R59QU38?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story with strongly defined characters.  I found the element of drug abuse to be realistic, sadly.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EILC9EMJOI4L?ASIN=0316055441	Very good!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written. A tad drawn out but worth it. I cant wait to see the movie!! (if the rumors are true)</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31839D67KSMDW?ASIN=0316055441	Also don't like all the profanity in the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't care for this book.  I found it hard to follow.  Also don't like all the profanity in the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FP8IA96NRWX3?ASIN=0316055441	Hmmmm.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At times I loved this book, and at other times felt the author was rambling. It was good, but not great.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REUIPO2PY0KZI?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A generally good read although the relationship with Boris was drawn out and my interest waned at times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D27MB7E8HREF?ASIN=0316055441	I thought it dragged on a bit, and was ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it dragged on a bit, and was a little too dark for me.  The prose was well done and memorable.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I1BRY522UVSP?ASIN=0316055441	The last chapter was like listening to a sermon	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting plot but too much with the drugs and booze. The last chapter was like listening to a sermon.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37RJA71XW48X6?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the first half but it began to drag in ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the first half but it began to drag in the latter half.  Too wordy and repetitious toward the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R328U42T0YX5H?ASIN=0316055441	Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall the storyline was good. It felt like it dragged on at times. At 775 pages it was a bit too long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N2FW0SCJO9YW?ASIN=0316055441	not worth the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I spent the entire book hoping that it would hurry up and end. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA1A32Q4CQ25L?ASIN=0316055441	best ever about Beauty	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How to see, how to experience in those objects of great beauty reveal us and reveal truth in us forever.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BD5IPYGY6DQL?ASIN=0316055441	My new favorite author~	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A superbly crafted tale. Characters are rich and complex. I want to know Hobie! A wonderfully dark tale.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XEEDQXTRZFC3?ASIN=0316055441	I like the novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like the novel, but it is complex and something that has not kept me an avid reader. Not yet finished.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FWU8K8ZM6LJL?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't enjoy it as much. Only finished this 775-page book just as a personal goal. Would not reccommend.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GT78DS0F049I?ASIN=0316055441	Very absorbing book indeed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is great. It was quite a long wait to get the book however. A good read, that's the main thing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BQMVL911FUH8?ASIN=0316055441	For the thoughtful reader	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For a long solo read and a good title to share with one's book group.  800 pages to hold one's interest.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TXQL79J83K0G?ASIN=0316055441	Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the story but it was a verrrry long read.  Will try some of her other novels in the near future.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N92GYBBUOEQ4?ASIN=0316055441	What were they thinking?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am so disappointed.  How oh how did this book win the Pulitzer?  I have read a dozen books this year that were so very much better.<br/>I keep asking myself if I have missed something but OMG this book is so tedious and there is no character that really holds my attention.  I just looked through my Kindle archived books and I count more than 15 novels that far exceed in my humble opinion this read.  Was there some kind of bribe with the Pulitzer Committee, maybe politics at work but whatever the reason, I think the committee screwed up this year!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIVXOJLS01I04?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written, balanced characters, interesting story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book, though I must admit, I loved the first half more than the second.  I was swept up by this character. His flawed behavior, fueled by trauma, profound grief and need for walking on the edge, is balanced by his intelligence, basic kindness toward others, appreciation of beauty and need for stability.  The book is the story of his wild journey as he tries to hold on to something permanent as one thing after another in his life is taken away.<br/>The bonus is Tartt's wealth of information informing the story throughout Theo's journey.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TTXZ8KBXHO5F?ASIN=0316055441	It was too long. The author stayed on one ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was too long.  The author stayed on one portion of the novel far too long with too much explanation.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TJEEVVFN66JM?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read in a long time. I was sad when I finished it - I didn't want it to end!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SIW4SI3XTMJ5?ASIN=0316055441	What a waste!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the worst books I've ever wasted my time on. ENDLESS drivel. Couldn't force myself to finish it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LC38KW1028NB?ASIN=0316055441	plodding and don't know why it won a Pulitzer. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">plodding and don't know why it won a Pulitzer.  Took forever to get through it and I usually read fast.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK6XUIK58YQ5G?ASIN=0316055441	Needless to say that this is an excellent book, yet I do wish that it had ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Needless to say that this is an excellent book, yet I do wish that it had been edited more effectively.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8MAAPM3W9OXA?ASIN=0316055441	Booring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book would never end. It went no where.  Can't believe it was on the best seller list for so long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NGUOUEQWIC7L?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really like Doona Tartt's novels. Her adjectives and character deveopment are beautiful, albeit dark.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RD2RWNEO80DW?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was just a wonderful read.  Do yourself a huge favor ...  read this book.  You can thank me later.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PQH6QKKOTDI0?ASIN=0316055441	interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read....took a little while to get into the book but once I did I had a hard time putting it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23AWRAQVPZTI3?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is an intriguing read. You will not be able to put it down. I enjoyed the book immensely.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LZMMU540AOZI?ASIN=0316055441	This was a very interesting book. It got a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very interesting book.  It got a little slow in the middle, but the ending made up for that.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DUV4214YVFBH?ASIN=0316055441	The book does not deserve a Pulitzer Prize. The ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book does not deserve a Pulitzer Prize.  The judges must not have read many books lately.  It's ok.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNPFB6HJHVLWY?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really didn't care for it.  I had a hard time with the drug addictions and con games.  disappointing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GOE63VSXPRY5?ASIN=0316055441	ok	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long and seemed to be written in the early 1900s. I wish it had been done about 200 pages earlier.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWGR4F625ISM3?ASIN=0316055441	amazing writing. the discriptions actually put you there	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">amazing writing.  the discriptions actually put you there. loved the book but<br/>didn't like the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VR9EQCVF4KU3?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read...the descriptions and story were wonderful.  It was as if each word was selected perfectly.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PO91GR9IEBCA?ASIN=0316055441	I would definitely recommend it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After a slow start, the book was very insightful and deeply moved me.  I would definitely recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPM1SY0S4JME1?ASIN=0316055441	A sheer pleasure to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Her writing is simply magnificent. It's a book you want to savour paragraph by paragraph, page by page.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2INZM5BKTWB75?ASIN=0316055441	You are into the story from start to finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story grabs your attention from its beginning.  The characters come to life.  My favorite is Boris.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E5U21CRYG4RX?ASIN=0316055441	Gold ribbon for Gold Finch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even though it will make your brain crazy --- I couldn't put it down!  Compelling story and characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDY5IMT2H7XSD?ASIN=0316055441	fabulous read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The BEST book I have read in years! Don't let the size scare you. It's a page turner. Enjoy every word!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKTARRLDUBMYY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. An amazing book. Hated for it to end. Thank you Donna Tartt for writing this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FHNQX5QGD9WN?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So wonderful that I must read the book again.  I can't wait to share this book with friends and family.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SXSGDQ391S2J?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good solid summer/holiday read with well developed characters--  a good substitute for a netflix binge.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CKL65Z10LCF7?ASIN=0316055441	I'm not qualified to describe how	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">much I really loved this story. But Amazon's review process requires 9, no 8 more words so I say ""yes"".</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14GU70562ZUIX?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book, but I felt it was overly long. Lots of interesting and unusual plot twists.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TA8DCAGE6YH3?ASIN=0316055441	could not put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept me enthralled.  At first thought 775 pages, but it did not seem this way at all.  Good, good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PRNVGSG7A38Y?ASIN=0316055441	glad I stuck with it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall, glad I stuck with it. First part drags on, but just make it through Vegas and it gets better.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIY4I8K5HM4ZT?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book but found the last 100 pages a little too wordy and over explained, almost boring.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CM54Q6MJQXCU?ASIN=0316055441	so the title was the perfect ilitteration.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A real page turner! Main character was a goldfinch himself, so the title was the perfect ilitteration.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROSOI3ASJ3RTK?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those books that you mourn the ending of. Can't wait to read another of Tartt's novels.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QPF2ZQ4V3R0D?ASIN=0316055441	BOOK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a book. I read it and my Aunt read it. She read it in 7 days. It is an amazing book. GREAT AUTHOR</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18KN85PY799ZO?ASIN=0316055441	Life is not easy, but love carries on.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">We always go back to our roots to try and make sense of the life we live, which time can never change.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E4T812BQOLDH?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read for those who love to read during commutes!  This one will keep you busy for a while!!! Yay</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V50YE1BPE53R?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed the	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is well written, but is a slow read because of all of the detailed writing.I enjoyed the book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UMH5M5WN9JQY?ASIN=0316055441	3 books in 1 ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">But only the first book/ part is good. The middle is boring and the end is outlandish. Oh well.  Next!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R163PAFP98CQ9B?ASIN=0316055441	Some see this as the reality of life......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I on the other hand found beauty and love with a mystery to life. This is absolutely a Wonderful read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WN6QZ9MB06Z6?ASIN=0316055441	Love it. great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love it.great book.it takes me to every scene like I'm living inside the character,vivid descriptions.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13R1GSJO7GOLP?ASIN=0316055441	Hang in there, it's a long ride but worth it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though unnecessarily long and overly detailed, I still enjoyed Theo's adventures in this clever novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3366WI96KNFBY?ASIN=0316055441	good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book and please let me read before requiring me to write an review felt like I am making stuff up</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QF9UT1DIE5VY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent story, excellent writing.  Funny, heartbreaking, maddening.  A good read.  Highly recommend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YDKHCJQTPX6Z?ASIN=0316055441	OK read, if you have the time for a long book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dragged once two-thirds through and thought the ending was rather weak. But the book held my interest.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12ZL5OYQVQQ30?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy the book.  It was depressing and too many disturbing episodes with drugs and drinking.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35NHYYL820A31?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved every page, altho some say the book could have been shorter.  I disagree and savored every word.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FDF9TY3D199H?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the mystery and action, not knowing what was going to happen next..I didn't like the ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N76QG1TY1ZWD?ASIN=0316055441	Much ado about nothing. It's a wild coming of ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much ado about nothing.  It's a wild coming of age story about a boy who turns into an unlikeable man.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR1X5VY1SMC88?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent story. Imaginative and very well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent story.  Imaginative and very well written. A page turner that kept your interest throughout.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26MUQNAF3QSDQ?ASIN=0316055441	... know this book gets rave reviews but how many dumb decisions can people make	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know this book gets rave reviews but how many dumb decisions can people make? Well written but nuts.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19QMEZV7DF9RZ?ASIN=0316055441	Spellbinding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">People often say that they can't put a book down. This one kept me up and haunted my dreams. Beautiful</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJGXQOB4QWFBG?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing transformation of written words into visual world	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Author speaks in the voice of the character. Amazing transformation of written words into visual world</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RWM3WLUPH9FQ?ASIN=0316055441	Gripping	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautiful novel with characters that test a reader's endurance as they skirt the brink of their own.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QN9LQOKMLEYE?ASIN=0316055441	wow great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read! Loved all the characters, flaws and all. Boris was very deep, would be great for a movie .</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1803LNO0ZMVK9?ASIN=0316055441	emphasis on unnecessary vulgarity, limited literary merit	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overrated,  emphasis on unnecessary vulgarity,  limited literary merit, hardly deserving of a Pulitzer</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GMS7JI60Y8TO?ASIN=0316055441	Definitely worth reading.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good character development.  Interesting story lines.  Starts a little slow but finishes quickly.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C52VTTSI5UYM?ASIN=0316055441	Good book. Kept me interested throughout	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book.  Kept me interested throughout, except at the very end.  Could have been 100 pages shorter.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ZMBY0GA1F2X?ASIN=0316055441	Nice higher level of reading but sometimes a bit slow ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very well written descriptive book. Nice higher level of reading but sometimes a bit slow in places.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U2THP07HJYH7?ASIN=0316055441	I'm looking for a new one that won't be a letdown after such a great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an exilerating novel!  I'm looking for a new one that won't be a letdown after such a great read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33991FQNQOAJR?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long. Spent too much time with places and events in the main characters life<br/>Was well written</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CYQIETH4JZFI?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">used book was in pretty bad shape, story is interesting..not fond of seedy characters..very long book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16QKAR0LM5S11?ASIN=0316055441	Each Tiny Breeze Described	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sorry, I can't seem to get into this one.  Will try again.  Everyone who finishes it seems to love it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHUXYZQGWRORT?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful account of humanity	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Deep and rich. A masterful story of love and loss and both sides of the human spirit. A happy ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WZ5VPWQ4E78U?ASIN=0316055441	Strongly recommended! Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reading this book has been a wonderful experience. I strongly recommend it. It is beautifully written</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R169GD6QE7KMX3?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. I can't remember when I have read such an intriguing story.  Couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31RHNAPLS0TGA?ASIN=0316055441	A good read but.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written and intriguing for about 3/4s of the book.  Then the ending is a bit of  disappointment.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXQLIOKKKE3ZY?ASIN=0316055441	good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a great read. Sprawling epic that must be read. It is that good. Okay enough of this. Onwards.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PFL716M67LDC?ASIN=0316055441	You keep thinking it is getting better and then it gets boring again	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long and repetitive. You keep thinking it is getting better and then it gets boring again....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAFN9UNODQ8Z6?ASIN=0316055441	What a ride!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">difficult to rate.  either love it or hate it.  I really got engrossed and the writing was very good.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI0Y7C643JE3M?ASIN=0316055441	The best book that I have read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best book that I have read in years! Please, I don't want to wait 10 years for Donna's next book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NOOIRVUTA7HP?ASIN=0316055441	A good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A really good story about the hardships a boy can go through based on decisions he makes in his life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18PCLYOPBDG0S?ASIN=0316055441	Really enjoyed this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed this book, although it was a little long. Did not care for the very last part of book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H9A45J6LT3YI?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long. Very depressing. Our book club read this and it was too long for most of the readers. Dark.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R396E5UHGIR4B0?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the overall story.  However, it was too long and wordy.  This tale could have been shortened.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA3J267SDK289?ASIN=0316055441	rarely is writing done this beautifully	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't know that I've ever cried because a book had concluded. There is always a first time I guess.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAXPAKSQXWNCK?ASIN=0316055441	This book is so long and really quite depressing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is so long and really quite depressing. It's trying to be Catcher in the Rye but is failing</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CXW76SXF0N8A?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story; cut out a few hundred pages though.  I did enjoy it enough to read the whole thing though</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32U8T6M8RXIOX?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. There were times I could not put it down. What an epic journey this kid had through life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AUWZX6943IQ0?ASIN=0316055441	Very interesting in a way and well written. The ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting in a way and well written. The subject is special and just did not sit well with me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LOYKSB0G44VA?ASIN=0316055441	No one in the book club can figure out why ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No one in the book club can figure out why it won a Pulitzer Prize.  Many didn't<br/>Finish the book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17N95HSSPWKZE?ASIN=0316055441	Bad read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard read.  Very wordy and drawn out. One of the worst books I have read this year. Pulitzer Prize???</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33MWLIUSXSPF7?ASIN=0316055441	A must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was a wonderfully written great read. The last 10 percent of the book was not all that.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QE6HDSSXIO1Y?ASIN=0316055441	great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a Great book! A little drawn out at times but an easy read! At times I couldn't put it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJVU86HFUWV57?ASIN=0316055441	I'm sad that I finished reading it - I was so ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm sad that I finished reading it - I was so taken with this story. Always the sign of a great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39VS3VD4ZYUAY?ASIN=0316055441	I loved reading it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved reading it....a sign for me is when i don't want to finish a book !! I savoured every page...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIDI9UTAVSDG1?ASIN=0316055441	Like books of 300 and 550 pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like books of 300 and 550 pages.  There needs to be a real twist for longer booksand this one has it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R313Q03UQ308S2?ASIN=0316055441	but still a good read. I look forward to others' opinions at ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Longer than it needed to be, but still a good read.  I look forward to others' opinions at book club.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DT1VMQ4FJMHT?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very good story-I thought it tended to sort of drag towards the end.  But still enjoyed it very much.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4ZRFO7EKU0TD?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this. Best book I have read in a ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this. Best book I have read in a long time. Three weeks after finishing it and I still miss it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K026SE8LIWLN?ASIN=0316055441	a little long, but very good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent book. It is kind of a big commitment as it is quite long, and sad. Worth reading though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N5BUKYPRVCP7?ASIN=0316055441	There's a reason everyone is talking about this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Undulating drama at the turn of every page.  Character development is like none other book I've read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YKH2WOHHPFXF?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it!!  Good read and glad to see that it spent so many weeks on the NY Times best seller's list.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM12B9OFL8Y96?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I always love her books and this one was no disappointment. I hated to see it end. Very entertaining.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HZSIHG2723SC?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well crafted tale. Tight, yet expansive. Deftly woven story of impact of terrible loss and obsession.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HTS6WRK3E3C1?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was thoroughly enjoyable as well as heart-wrenching. A must read especially for art lovers.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X9A7M1WJY2ND?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">verbose, should have been titled  Confessions of a hardcore addict. Definitely not Pulitzer material!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29G273GY3LLXJ?ASIN=0316055441	amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have never read a book like this and I don't think I ever will again. Rather long but worth reading</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KAYNJDS0GG8A?ASIN=0316055441	The last third of the book was like slogging through mud wearing cement filled boots	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much too wordy. The last third of the book was like slogging through mud wearing cement filled boots.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RELYCZQC44FX1?ASIN=0316055441	Very wordy book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story line but sections of the story dragged on and on.  This was a selection for our book club.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2843IRXTRV401?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long; far too long.  Too much meandering with drugged and drunken first person.  Far over rated.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10YRBHOPFLMMC?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought it could be my favorite book ever, but then it stretched out so long it became unbelievable.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJPCYNR1GI0JQ?ASIN=0316055441	Art, suspense and love	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow at first then the whole plot captivates you,  Complex character development.  Truly a must read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M68YRVW5KSQY?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Basically a good story, but it got bogged down in details in some parts.  Needs a persistent reader.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19OKJVHYWTVLX?ASIN=0316055441	An excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a rare fine that grapples the heart and sings to the soul. This book does both. I am inspired.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHDTLTUD36P8D?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful prose, quite despairing, but I enjoyed it. Not as much as I'd hoped, but enough to finish!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CDMQYGRIDNSE?ASIN=0316055441	Great story, totally enjoyed it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story,totally enjoyed it.It was somewhat fatigueing with the lon run on descriptive sentances.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R205NMWXW2RJGP?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the honesty of the main character and the emotions ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book surprised me. I loved the honesty of the main character and the emotions it exposed me to.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31UZDE3VALTQO?ASIN=0316055441	amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Nothing I would say has not been said before. One of the best books I have read in a very long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UIPYAS8R50EH?ASIN=0316055441	the Goldfinch is flying high	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best Novel I have read in years. First time ever to read over 600 pages and wish it never ended.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HHOUDN8NEMZU?ASIN=0316055441	a hundred pages too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love the author's style and story, but I think the last fifth of the book was a real disappointment.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26Q0E19VJ1RQV?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was hard to read because of the people involved in the story.  Too much drug/drinking throughout.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDENZN6EIQUTV?ASIN=0316055441	a special book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is unique in how it's written and in the story itself.  I enjoyed it and it intrigued me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20LQ2IHNSHVX1?ASIN=0316055441	Five stars and three hankies	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Five stars and three hankies.  I haven't cared this much about a fictional character in a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28IZQ90RSE6N2?ASIN=0316055441	Not to Be Missed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tart's 'The Goldfinch' is an excellent read. One of the best books I have read in a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R318CCK0J5D7UD?ASIN=0316055441	Not as good as thought	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line was too long.  The best was middle of book.  Didn't care for ending.  Got lost in it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M2RY6JPQ8WT7?ASIN=0316055441	Exceptional	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exceptionally well written and interesting from beginning to end.  The best of the best for fiction.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24KZTEGD4R6CT?ASIN=0316055441	There are some very good definitions of what is art and what art and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are some very good definitions of what is art and what art and a painting can mean to someone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TYBSIJ66P1WG?ASIN=0316055441	THE Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I ENJOYED THE FIRST HALF OF THE BOOK BUT GOT BOGGED DOWN WITH IT WITH THE LAS VEGAS PART WITH DRUGS.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R4DA6NQULNFT?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Discriptive writing rather long with parts of the world and life where I choose not to go in person.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5VELHJ4GATIL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this book down.  It was very descriptive.  A little long towards the end....Eva Call</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPGFLMJWDQ51H?ASIN=0316055441	Great book. Long - but holds your attention to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book.  Long - but holds your attention to the end.  A coming of age book for this generation .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PQU1N7PKZ5XK?ASIN=0316055441	A little disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked the first half of the book, but got lost in the second half when he went back to NYC.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFR7RMZ0HZ9G?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was too long and contained extraneous material that really didn't  have much to do with the plot.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZR36G2NHV799?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, but sometimes too much of a good thing leads to the Law of Diminishing Returns.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39Q17YOLYKOP5?ASIN=0316055441	Unique characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was just a great read. The characters are unique and interesting each in their own special way.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11PZLABFNZ5MG?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an incredible book I was hooked from the beginning it was long but I didn't want it to end</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z8RXOROZGXKY?ASIN=0316055441	yeah, I know.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good, but bloated. Pp was a makeup call. Heresy, I know, but true all the same. That's all for now.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N5MX6LIT5U7Y?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Super interesting. Follows the character for over a decade. If you love art you'll enjoy this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23OJ6LIDJ86DU?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book and beautifully written.  I thoroughly enjoyed it but thought it dragged out at the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZAZY1L40YMEJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">O love Tartt's style. So atmospheric. I love the juxtaposition of the academic and the commonplace.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N04FW8T2EIUB?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing story! I did have my own questions as ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing story!  I did have my own questions as to why keep something, but its all part of the plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25XN3YHTYIWRK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A masterpiece in story telling, with just enough realism to make you believe the path of the novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F73180DM8HL0?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic book! Don't know how you keep a story ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic book! Don't know how you keep a story riveting for 770 pages but this author had done it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I1EEMYX1KKAP?ASIN=0316055441	Very long read. Bizarre characters and events that are ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long read.  Bizarre characters and events that are too extreme to ever be considered possible.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KFP7L6ETUTC7?ASIN=0316055441	A page-turner with some substance too.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A page-turner with some substance too, in terms of its interesting themes. But definitely overlong.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37O15PL7G43Y3?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting and engaging story, but it drags on too long and then rushes to an unbelievable ending.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PQZZ9VLLHK6P?ASIN=0316055441	ok	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book kept me just interested enough to finish it. It was ok and had a good message at the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROI4VYHIRS0XN?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing book. Much better with the guide to see ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing book.  Much better with the guide to see how Donna Tartt was influenced by earlier writers.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SELM15Z8GPMG?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The premise of the book was great, however, to wordy in many places which made it drag on at times.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GS54P0ITH4H3?ASIN=0316055441	Long but Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was hard to read this book because of the length, but so glad I did.  Very interesting, read it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K0ZC6RBTRLK8?ASIN=0316055441	Not as good as I thought it would be	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started off well but I found it difficult to plough through.  Not as good as I thought it would be.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REAJ6XURNA2T1?ASIN=0316055441	terrible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing wasn't good.  The story had a few bright spots but too few!  It was a waste of my time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP027JJ1I2T47?ASIN=0316055441	So, so read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not holdup interest.  Hard to stay with on the beginning of the book.  Did not like the ending.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8IO9C5PF2G2X?ASIN=0316055441	not for the faint of heart, but great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gripping, well-written novel. Lots of in-depth exploration of grief, coping, desire and friendship.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NUY4OS9N19BF?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing story telling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this very long book and immediately started over! Amazing story telling. Recommend it highly</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7CMH23LCRX48?ASIN=0316055441	The characterizations were excellent. There were so many interesting facets of this ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characterizations were excellent.  There were so many interesting facets of this storyline.....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23RL3AGD7U6CL?ASIN=0316055441	Just read it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read in years. Supebly written. Long but worth it. Sorry when it's over.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XW6FKGV1OVT8?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Making of a good story but too long and too much detail. I skipped pages of this which I seldom do.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MPHJJ1ZX7P0T?ASIN=0316055441	Yep	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was good. I'm not going to pretend I'm a book critique, but this book was beautiful. I loved it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13RZNACP7626E?ASIN=0316055441	Way over rated. Too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The above says it all. Too much about drugs and alcohol.  I Do not understand why it won the award.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WBZVARGCG8FE?ASIN=0316055441	A very good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Erudite.  Shows copious research.  A compelling story with realistic characters.  A very good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR63U0VLBMVCR?ASIN=0316055441	I find major flaws in the book; am reading ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I find major flaws in the book; am reading it a second time, and  will write a longer review later.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GLN8SM2YQ1N3?ASIN=0316055441	To wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">first half of book held my interest but last half just too wordy so<br/>I just could not finish it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UP6KONMIOMJ3?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating story. I hardly noticed how long it was ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating story.  I hardly noticed how long it was as the story and the characters were riveting!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDQ8YLKSD9FG9?ASIN=0316055441	A Dark Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was too dark for my taste.  Theodore's life was one tragedy after another and his way of dealing with it was through drugs and alcohol.  I finished the book because that is what I do, but I will not recommend it to others.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DHJZFEOYAHDX?ASIN=0316055441	this book was painful to finish!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first part of the book was a page turner after that it was so BAD!!!!  I would not recommend this book to anyone.  Hope the movie is better.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWTEFZGQWEAUI?ASIN=0316055441	one of the worst books I've ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book starts with an intriguing premise but deteriorates fast. Despite pages and pages of monolgue, the characters are thinly drawn and exaggerated stereotypes; the plot, such as it is, is tedious and unconvincing, and the concluding theme would have been better conveyed on a postcard. I'm not a fan of first person narrative so I should have known better than to commit to reading this excessively long-winded  book. Why write in this voice if you can't create a compelling character who surprises and intrigues the reader? See pop 1280 by Jim Thompson for a first person narrative that works.  That's a book that is no longer than it needed to be. The Goldfinch needed the attention of a fearless editor to say the least.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P4CWI2ZHRSFR?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated book written in a longwinded, rambling style is not worth your time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I’m an avid reader and love long, involved stories, but getting through this book felt like a death march. The author strays off topic repeatedly, rambling on for page after page about characters and events that have no relevance. Descriptions are so long, dragging on page after page, that they distract the reader from the flow of the story and cease to have value. Others who read this book have told me they experienced it the same way, so I am dumbfounded as to why this has remained on the bestseller list so long. Did we all fall victim to brilliant marketing?<br/>Initially I found the plot interesting, wondering what would happen to this young boy, but the story went downhill quickly. The author spent too much time rambling about things outside the main events, and left questions unanswered about central themes. I thought slugging through to the end would at least answer some of these questions, but the author deprived me of even that small reward. I regret the time I wasted with this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXUKDBKL54SJN?ASIN=0316055441	Great start	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch had a promising start.  The scenes in LasVegas in the deserted housing development were awful.  Teenagers drunken rambling and poor behavior.  Then back to New York where there was some hope that the writing would get back on track.  Not to be.<br/>Do not recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1INIC0KQ5JVQ6?ASIN=0316055441	reviews are misleading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite possibly the most verbose book of all time. A complete and utter waste of time- took me a week to trudge through the first few pages all the while wondering the point of it all before I finally gave up.  If you wish to be led through the proverbial garden path- this is a must read for you.<br/>If only I could get my refund back. In my opinion, this deserves no stars at all.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCQGT14KGY0MH?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome, Incredible Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was/ am hooked on this book and absolutely love it. This book focuses on the inner world of a young man and how he experiences his relationships with friends, parental figures, potential lovers, and potential tormentors, as well as his attempts to escape or soothe himself.  Ultimately this book is not only about attempting to grow up, it is also about knowing and finding oneself and mourning.<br/><br/>Theo's travels lead him as far west as Los Vegas as well as abroad and meeting a wide range of people.  The Goldfinch, to my mind, stands for so much.  More than that, the author, a woman, is incredibly versed in detail in a wide range of life and characters and what life is like- from living on the Upper and Lower Sides of Manhattan, New York to small, almost deserted developments outside of Los Vegas, NV.  Sometimes the writing becomes almost a stream of consciousness of the character's thoughts.  A quote about halfway through the book from such a thought: ""only occasionally did I notice the chain of the finch's ankle, or think what a crush life for a living creature - fluttering briefly, forced always to land in the same hopeless place."" This was surely a metaphor for the young man's life at that time - who was grappling with a complex world along with his anxieties and sensitivities, self-centeredness, nativity, self-destructiveness, good-heartedness, lack of guidance - a complex mix that conceivably could be any of us or our children or someone we cared about.<br/><br/>Backing up, the pace of the book moves quickly.  Within the first few pages the reader has a sense of the shape of what might come.  The scenes begin in Manhattan, New York, initially seeming to be quite ordinary.  the museum where Theo, the protagonist - a 15 year old, tender hearted yet wry young man -  and his mother are spending an hour or so in an art Museum, strolling through  a few rooms before lunch. Theo also noticed a  young woman and a grandfatherly male with her in a way that is a typical for him, since he is not usually drawn to woman.  Suddenly, an explosion occurs, and everything changes, but not before the ""grandfather"" hands the picture of The Goldfinch to Theo.  The young man will move a lot, from NY to Vegas and travel abroad. I don't want to give away much of the plot, so I won't say much about that.<br/><br/>For me, the bottom line is that this book had everything - a good plot, a great main character, an excellent supporting cast, with some bit players but not so many that it became muddled.  I really liked Theo, even when I was worried for him. I also adored the terrific writing and phrasing, even when it was a bit too much and ""windy"".  If you love art, so much the better.  I'm not really into it although I have a visual mind, so it's OK it you're not really into art.  This story  also speaks to addiction in a way that feels real and touching.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DMYP9D6WNG8F?ASIN=0316055441	Finished it - Thank God!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unbelievably verbose and pointless page after page descriptions and musings.  So bored I skimmed much of the book.  The author never made me care about whether the protagonist succeeded or failed - lived or died.  The ridiculous ""everything works out in the end"" solution was a cop out.  Many hours wasted!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TJAQM0X6P78W?ASIN=0316055441	Hated It...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For so much hype regarding this book, I really hated it.  Boring, boring,  boring.<br/>My advice is don't buy it!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXT56DQ5LANPJ?ASIN=0316055441	I would NEVER recommend this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the worst books I have ever read! I LOVE to read and I'm not afraid of long books. I am greatly annoyed by the time I invested in this book. The main character was unlikeable; the story dragged on with one event more agonizing than the last. I kept waiting for it to all come together; it never happened.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BNFV2EBF7LC2?ASIN=0316055441	Terribly boring to say the least	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really tried to like this book but half way through I really didn't give a damn what happened to any of these people.  What a whiny overly long piece of junk.  You really had to suspend reality and that didn't help either.  I would like to know what book all the five star reviewers read.  It sure wasn't this one</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R245BLEF37INDD?ASIN=0316055441	Lenghy narrative	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i was disappointed with this book.  I ony finished to see what happened to the picure.  I didn't need all the incidental details.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O7KEJVWX0M94?ASIN=0316055441	too many words.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting story but tedious to read. The author stretches a short story into a novel with excessive description of the characters be labored thoughts.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V3L4OD6TUE35?ASIN=0316055441	Very Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is nothing that I liked about this book. It rambled on and on. Forced myself to finish it.  Lots of nasty language and drug abuse..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AEMN6B5JHN8Y?ASIN=0316055441	Terrible book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fragmented book for 775 pages. not an interesting book.  would never read another book from this author. the worst book I've read in 10 years<br/><br/>.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11LZ9KBWNXRL2?ASIN=0316055441	Spoiled my vacation	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hoped to enjoy reading this book on my vacation, considering that this book was called by some TV promoters on CNBC ""book of the century.""  It took author 10 years to work on this book. I was looking forward for a great read, but was falling asleep reading this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROKE1ASJGJ5MJ?ASIN=0316055441	One of the worst  books I've read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I only finished this book because I had paid for it and I have a personal policy that if I buy it I have to finish it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ73MM08KJ9Y1?ASIN=0316055441	Not for Me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author knows her way around a sentence but I was so relieved when the book was finally over.  I wasn't very interested in the characters.  The main characters were well developed but not quite tragic enough to be beautiful, nor good enough to be likable.  Some of the secondary characters were so flat that it became irritating.  There were too many rambling inner thoughts which tended to be repetitive, and in the end (over pages and pages and pages) the author used Theo to explain life and art and love, just in case I didn't get it from the story itself.  I know people who loved the book, so it just depends on what you're looking for, I suppose.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLMZFT7BW5CLD?ASIN=0316055441	WAY TO LONG	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am an avid reader but had to really struggle to get through this long, rambling book.  I don't recommend it at all.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW09Q134M1UMA?ASIN=0316055441	A Tedious Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I find The Goldfinch disappointing.  It begins with a strong plot and a very believable protagonist.  The plight of a boy who loses his mother suddenly and violently, and then has to cope with being alone in New York engages the reader.  However, the novel drags on forever in a morass of drugs and lengthy; descriptions of his reactions to them.  As I reader, I lost interest in his struggles, and found myself checking to see just how much more of this novel was left to slog through.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26MVO2A9DYOFH?ASIN=0316055441	A must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoroughly absorbing ... puts you right there in the action.  I actually forgot I was reading.  And just when you think you know which direction the author is taking you, she does a complete about turn.  The book is full of surprises.  I couldn't put it down and I don't want it to end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8B0B2V2PGY03?ASIN=0316055441	Too depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book took place in a world I do not want to read about.  I found it sad and depressing after the first two chapters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P3ASJ9CAS743?ASIN=0316055441	Bummer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too wordy and convoluted. Couldn't even finish it. It started put great but 1/2 way through It lost me.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZCIVD1BRI3GS?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've read in years!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in years!!!  Language, structure, characterizations, dialogue -- all superb!  My nomination for all the literary prizes to be given.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R304TVH40V7O5S?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Yes, it's an unusual and Dickensian yarn, and once I got into it I did decide to finish the book because I was curious about how the story would end. But it was not at all pleasant to read, and I was glad when it was over. There was a pervasive, sour negativity to the whole thing, characters I didn't care about, and too much long-winded and heavy-handed philosophizing by the author. I was unimpressed by the writing stye. A major disappointment.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NQI78FX3YSCH?ASIN=0316055441	Another Winner from Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If there is a more brilliant writer than Donna Tartt, this reader hopes to find that person.  The central character, Theo, is 13 when this novel begins. It is almost impossible to review this book without spoilers; however, an attempt must be made.  Theo, whose life is determined by others, due to his age, endures tragedies from which most would never recover.  However, it is not the constant changes Theo endures that drives this novel, it is a theft Theo commits which keeps him in a state of almost perpetual anxiety.  The object is priceless and assumed to have been destroyed.  The longer Theo holds onto the object, the less he is able to think up an explanation for why he has it.  Months turn to years and as Theo is moved from one place to another, it is the object that becomes the constant in his life.<br/><br/>Theo is initially taken in by a school friend's parents, a prominent family on Manhattan's upper east side,  who find him to be a stabilizing influence on their other children and are on the verge of adopting him when Theo's biological father shows up and whisks him to a McMansion in a largely abandoned subdivision outside Las Vegas.  Almost immediately, Theo becomes friends with another boy who has been constantly moved by his father who has some oil related expertise which keeps him constantly employed, although the jobs are short and the distances vast.  Boris has learned to speak several languages, spends much of his time stoned and drunk, and, since neither he nor Theo have any adult supervision, they spend a good bit of time hanging around the house, skipping school, getting drunk and stoned and watching television.<br/><br/>Again, life intervenes and Theo and a Maltese, Popchick, who was won in a raffle by Theo's father's girlfriend, are on a bus bound back for Manhattan.  The one friend Theo has is Hobie, a furniture restorer who is a bit of a hermit and appears to be a combination of an Indian guru and an NBA basketball star with no business acumen and it is to Hobie's antique shop that Theo returns.  Theo comes quickly to the conclusion that Hobie is drowning and is about to go under for the last time.  Theo, whose scruples have gradually disintegrated, becomes adept at selling reproductions to the uneducated at inflated prices and manages to pay the back taxes and keep the business afloat.<br/><br/>However, one or more people have taken notice of Theo's practices and have also come to the conclusion that Theo is in possession of the priceless artifact.  One of the men issues an ultimatum.  Either Theo turns over the object or he will blow the whistle on Theo's fraudulent business practices.  Theo is not overly worried, as the object has been in a storage unit in the Bronx for a long time which was rented in a phony name but the blackmailer turns up the heat and Theo suspects he's being followed.  When Theo continues to ignore deadlines, the original blackmailer demands a lunch.<br/><br/>During this lunch, the blackmailer tells Theo he knows exactly what he has been up to and if he doesn't cough up the artifact, he could go to prison for many years.  The man accuses Theo of using the artifact as collateral for loans which are not repaid and then moving on to another unsuspecting lender.  Theo is relieved; he has not used the artifact for any such purpose.  In fact, nobody even knows he has it except Boris, back in Vegas.  And, since Theo hasn't seen Boris in years, he knows that Boris cannot possibly know where he has stashed the artifact.<br/><br/>During this time, Theo has become engaged to the sister of the former school friend whose parents were ready to adopt him.  The future bride is dragging Theo from one place to another in an attempt to engage him in the process of picking out china and flatware patterns.<br/><br/>Suddenly, up turns Boris, who is now part of a low rent criminal enterprise in lower Manhattan and he and Theo pick up where they left off.  Theo tells Boris about the pressure he is under from the potential blackmailers and relates the story of the object being used as a ploy to borrow money which disappears.  Boris confesses.  He took the object in Vegas and wrapped something up in the same brown paper and string and has, indeed, been using the artifact.<br/><br/>Boris concocts a plan where Theo will retrieve his artifact and get some money too.  But, it's a rush rush and Boris whisks Theo away from his own engagement party and puts him on a plane for Amsterdam.  Everything that could possibly go wrong, does go wrong.  The artifact disappears, there is no money, and Theo, stoned out of his mind, is holed up in a hotel with a dead cell phone, not speaking a word of Dutch, his passport is missing and things do not look good for a positive result.<br/><br/>To even venture into the conclusion of this wild tale would be to deprive the reader of experiencing how a great writer can turn a plot on the head of a pin and make it work.  If you think you too can write great fiction, read this book and, if you imagine even coming close, you should start writing.  Personally, I'm just going to go back and read one of her earlier books and enjoy it all over again.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E6SVLAMM2ZW9?ASIN=0316055441	so beautifully portrayed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a dark , edgy , emotional, humourous story , so beautifully portrayed ..couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIVNCIM4JBF5T?ASIN=0316055441	This was one of the best books I've read in ages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is gorgeous and the plot fast-paced. This was one of the best books I've read in ages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YKX3KGA0QNWD?ASIN=0316055441	One of my most favorite books ever.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of my most favorite books ever.  I was sad when it was finished.  I will read her other books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RES0U2DBRTJ1Z?ASIN=0316055441	A complex journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting mix of emotional and physical hurdles that the characters need to overcome to survive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OPLBNG69TYBE?ASIN=0316055441	My favorite was the tie in of so many nationalities	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting book that moves along well.  My favorite was the tie in of so many nationalities.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO9BQJU90132K?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was interesting but much to long &amp;  to<br/>Wordy,Won't read another book  written by this author.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ9UWZHHMTK01?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The main character gets a bit tiresome after a while.  You want to tell him ""get over it.""</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N9CJ9BT0TKBG?ASIN=0316055441	Marvelous.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long, yes. But not a superfluous or wasted word. Theo's voice - even as a child - was so touching.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TXNKJM7Q1YMN?ASIN=0316055441	Okay	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, and the philosophical ending was a real disappointment. Look for it at a used book sale.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC4B6A266P8C8?ASIN=0316055441	it's the pace.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the pace of the story. I like that it didn't have a perfect ending. Neither do our lives</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R172UET9I96K32?ASIN=0316055441	While it starts off slow, it will surely turn ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While it starts off slow, it will surely turn into one of those you can't put done...even at 3 am!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WLIBMAIIEVKK?ASIN=0316055441	Good story but author rambles and gives too adult thoughts ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unedited. Good story but author rambles and gives too adult thoughts to her 13 yr old protagonist.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D9RI3ZF0I0H3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A 21st Century Charles Dickens novel set in the new world.  Very compelling, please write another.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R438OMX4XB46C?ASIN=0316055441	INCREDIBLE	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Is top 5 book's  I Read my  Lifetime.  (63)yrs<br/>Up there with all Classic must read in school.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REVJ3NYCLAEPN?ASIN=0316055441	I'd love to write down all the reasons I loved this ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredible read. I'd love to write down all the reasons I loved this book but it'd take all night.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIKNZ9H84AUXL?ASIN=0316055441	But a great story. And then	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could have been two books. But a great story. And then, the painting appeared in NYC! How amazing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P5PFRJK927WW?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt like I was reading a well written Russian novel. Depressing and not many uplifting moments.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X4CCDKN5D8Q?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It enjoyed the story.  However think the story was very wordy, overly detailed and a bit too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZLCUMU0A0AC5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have very read.  Beautiful writing, great characters, exciting story line.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I4WYX489MBKQ?ASIN=0316055441	hard read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked it, but long hard read and didn't keep my interest all the time. Ending was a little plain</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZMRXHM9MNY1P?ASIN=0316055441	SO SO	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very long book but worth the read.  It just went on too long and semed impossible to believe.  I</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11CY20012ZPCO?ASIN=0316055441	A new classic you should read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best book I read all year.  This is a classic and one that I will keep on my bookshelf.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30W9AVSR16H0A?ASIN=0316055441	I would have given it higher rating but for author ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would have given it higher rating but for author got a little wordy at times and I skimmed over.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWKHEJNEG22MD?ASIN=0316055441	Great book, very long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, very long.  A wonderful story that follows the path of a boy who grows up to be a man.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MCJPQDORBSPH?ASIN=0316055441	long read...but worth it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one I will have to read again.<br/>It is a tragedy and a triumph.  I highly recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XHRNW2QHD876?ASIN=0316055441	LOVE this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best book I have read in years.  Totally enthralling!!!  I highly recommend it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CNNF6SZKHV77?ASIN=0316055441	Hold on to your seat!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing as the author masterfully draws the reader into the story weaving throughout the world.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13J88HADOCK2G?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely interesting. Details, so descriptive and authentic sounding, are the heart of the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHPDZCJV35KFQ?ASIN=0316055441	Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I purchased this book on a recommendation - this was a very good read I bought this for my husband</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCFHH5ZQ5FEXD?ASIN=0316055441	Lousy printing and defective but can't return it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Because Amazon sold me the book in mid October, and the pages are all out of order, the pages 700-741 are in the middle of the book and there are no pages to end.  It's defective, but there is no phone number and its too late to return.  A true disappointment as I cannot finish it because there are all the missing pages.  Thanks a lot, Amazon</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DN3FZYHEX49O?ASIN=0316055441	Keeps you involved until the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An unusually good piece of writing with characters and plot that keep you involved until the end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZYDRD1HYSUJP?ASIN=0316055441	Coming of age and buddy novel and so much more	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Entertaining and insightful epic combo: coming of age/ buddy/ art theft/ tragedy narrative novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2REJR6QJ43GQ0?ASIN=0316055441	Too long and to wordy!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Guess you have to write a long book to earn the Pulitzer prize. I skipped more words than I read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UEQSU2DVPN8P?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line is good, but I found I skipped a lot of paragraphs without missing the story line.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLVWX5K10FOAB?ASIN=0316055441	long book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow, slow but great prose.  Kind of a downer - I wish Theo could find some happiness sans drugs.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XE0U4MI9OHA9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredible book; well written and engrossing-certainly an intriguing story about life, well told.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R283E0CUTCZHX0?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read in years. Heart wrenching yet hopeful, with continuous surprises.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DKFC8WKFKU33?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent character building.  I felt as I knew them all. Very long - door stopper at 730+ pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8GLC6TYCSY70?ASIN=0316055441	yeh?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too much drug related analysis but I guess it's all related.  A bit too introspective for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5ND5N5UC6PL5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent product delivered quickly and in good condition. Highly recommend seller and deliverer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q2JOJUV03JJP?ASIN=0316055441	done	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hated this book it took forever to read &amp; did not hold my attention at all. I do not recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFO2M3UNCG12X?ASIN=0316055441	Not quite sure what all the hype was correct on ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not quite sure what all the hype was correct on this book!  I could not wait to be done with it:(</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35ZDJRSFNU59F?ASIN=0316055441	a very good read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book has won all sorts of awards. i don't think that over-rates it at all. a very good read!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EY6DMVRZ9125?ASIN=0316055441	A gift	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">an amazing use of the English language. to be able to combine words in such a way is truly a gift</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21R3XPRA26Z81?ASIN=0316055441	I did not enjoy the plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Superb descriptive writing which kept me reading.  However, personally, I did not enjoy the plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M5VYCZ3C7Q83?ASIN=0316055441	first half better than last.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dark.  Disturbing. Can't believe I kept reading it. Need to be an art fan to like this. I am not.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24IF4VFM95XFX?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic read! Author creates wonderful characters with whom the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic read!  Author creates wonderful characters with whom the reader becomes quite involved.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IG1C0WZAAJOS?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is one of the best books I've read in decades	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is one of the best books I've read in decades. I am certain I will read this again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F4GGHJY3C0HP?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent imagery and character development. I loved the plot twists and I could not put it down!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDS7Z6JH8PPA5?ASIN=0316055441	Awful book. Over long, details drawn out waaaaay ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awful book.  Over long, details drawn out waaaaay too much, and no characters worth caring about.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37QD1CBAACJQA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put the book down...it was so well written and kept my attention throughout the read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYO20GB0D5IJ?ASIN=0316055441	Wow. Just wow.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book. All I can say it read this book to see why it is so good. That woman can write!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF9LSRUISIBYM?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very interesting book, and not what I expected at all - twists and turns and great characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LCE5YPELTLGM?ASIN=0316055441	This is a brilliant piece of fiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a brilliant piece of fiction. I give it 4 not 5 stars, only because it dragged in parts.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19U99H8FSMWV2?ASIN=0316055441	Easy Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolute winner here!!  Could not put this book down; it was a very easy read and a great story!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FB8LKKSXKEXM?ASIN=0316055441	dull	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book went on and on and on, despite the reviews it was a dull book and far to adventurous .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QH9D2ILXX3QG?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first half was great. The second half was way to long, it drag<br/>on and on and on........</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KXLUJ5L4IV7G?ASIN=0316055441	This is a book of great depth but it took me places that I didn't ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book of great depth but it took me places that I didn't want to go. I did not love it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RORR23XXJNSZ5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best art, drug, furniture repair, love, friendship, terrorist, travel book I have ever read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P6MD2TN0DW2O?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed it so much and thought about it long after ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very engrossing story. I enjoyed it so much and thought about it long after I finished the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RASJTIQVO1OWA?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic! Would recommend to anyone	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic!  Would recommend to anyone.  It was long but interesting, and held my attention well.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FHO9GFFURSNR?ASIN=0316055441	Good book, but be prepared for the long haul	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story. Interesting premise.  Needs editing. It was very, very long and parts of it rambled.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13JLN2MQUFMKR?ASIN=0316055441	A Lovely Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not finished reading this and stalling a bit as I will miss it when it's done. Fabulous writing!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HFD1VVBZMF44?ASIN=0316055441	It was a great book but I think it could have been shorter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a great book but I think it could have been shorter. There was too much detail in places.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JFZL2L3TOEQ2?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The most gorgeously and compellingly written story that shivers with life and energy. Loved it !</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QQ0A7YIMITCI?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I THOUGHT THE FIRST HALF WAS GOOD BUT THE STORY SAGGED BADLY IN THE SECOND HALF. WHY A PULITZER?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35S8DFYNO7R5V?ASIN=0316055441	Priceless piece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An enjoyable read with eccentric but just believeable characters in an implausible circumstance.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TAEUPHIH0MQE?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Its good but not that good.  Some excellent parts but then some others are too long and tedious.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1523RUWH0V5YX?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great summer read I stayed up late and got up early to read this book I will pass this one along</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SJYNA0HFE7W6?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very entertaining and a glimpse into other cultures  and how they operate in the business world.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20TI9XUU12Y18?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While at times overly reliant on coincidences, the book was enthralling and enjoyable as a read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UHGRG4B6R4EB?ASIN=0316055441	This book really draws you in...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved so many of the characters!  I really cared a lot about what was going to happen to them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CGP2WNXMS76I?ASIN=0316055441	A fair read not too pleased with the unexplained ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fair read  not too pleased with the unexplained ending...lots of profanity  not to my liking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KPM3YZNACV8Y?ASIN=0316055441	I didn't love it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">even though it has interesting parts, I found it a Little bit slow and long.  I didn't love it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FC0F2H29Y7WQ?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it, best read so far of my summer books!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A Modern Catcher in the Rye, wonderful book about a boy growing up facing immense difficulties.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A33W1SBP8M2G?ASIN=0316055441	A dramatic story with an ending better than expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A slow start but once in, had to finish.  A dramatic story with an ending better than expected.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6YV2DAVKAHLV?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story elements, but was uncomfortable with pervasive drug/alcohol theme and homosexuality.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L2XNDSTWBEVS?ASIN=0316055441	Long and Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very long book with interesting characters but it takes an awfully long time to get anywhere.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKC5HO0X8MULY?ASIN=0316055441	Terrible book! Don't read it or you'll be sorry.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't care if won the Pullitzer it was a terrible read. The conceit at the end made it worse.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GIM0ETNY7EGV?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is long but I found that I enjoyed the characters and the philosophy of the meaning of life.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KHX8GTBCZRYO?ASIN=0316055441	waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Totally disappointed with this book. What was the purpose of it? I have no idea. Waste of time!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FJ5IIXM8GSZO?ASIN=0316055441	Stunning read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a stunning book!  Well written.  Will definitely be looking for others by the same author.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M4GW30UY21KG?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I kept reading thinking that something of consequence would eventually happen.  Sadly mistaken.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y7YVMTEUCYFF?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best writing I have seen in many years.  Compelling story with lots of twists in the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UF31K8WP08TO?ASIN=0316055441	200 hundred pages good and last 200	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long! First. 200 hundred pages good and last 200.  Dragged in middle but written very well.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R71S6X4AJA38M?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Deeply moving. A different genre for me and therefore took a while to get into. Rich characters</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UJG2VYMP1B9E?ASIN=0316055441	A great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a heavy read. I fell in love with the characters, good and bad. Donna Tartt impressed me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GF7QQYGHPI3Z?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderfully written masterpiece with so much metaphor and irony	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cannot put this book down! A wonderfully written masterpiece with so much metaphor and irony!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25ULUW4BUW5H7?ASIN=0316055441	thought provoking interesting characters & writing style could have been ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">thought provoking  interesting characters  &amp; writing style<br/>could have been shorter however</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JNMIZ1HC06EM?ASIN=0316055441	The actual story was quite good, but slow going	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long with repetitive description.  The actual story was quite good,but slow going.  JDY</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1406JKT2P2D22?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a master wordsmith. I found the book a difficult read because of subject matter.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQTCS48GNPY75?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book came quickly and was in perfect shape.  I was really pleased and the book was awesome!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G29WMMBOA4ME?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious Pace	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It starts out well but bogs  down in too many places.thereafter. The basic plot is imaginative.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BSV34C77HYV1?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had so much potential, but for me got way too bogged down in the nonsensical details.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRUFZVBJF01VX?ASIN=0316055441	excellent read otherwise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the only downfall is the author gets heavy with details occasionally. excellent read otherwise.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25UACV2GBFMRB?ASIN=0316055441	my favorite book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book is so perfectly written that I feel unable to do it justice by about it. i am humbled</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LT1YOGTA5PGT?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You have to finish, if you can survive your frustration at all the different turns in the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K0KMFD3YF9LW?ASIN=0316055441	This is a terrific book. Only objection I had was a bit ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a terrific book.  Only objection I had was a bit too long and the ending was drawn out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JPZR4SBM7SIP?ASIN=0316055441	you'll root for these gritty characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossingly written. Believable characters despite incredible circumstances. Hard to put down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JAY08IJREJ4J?ASIN=0316055441	Well-written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An exceptionally well written novel with an interesting plot and strong psychological insights.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZLUZ2MF29IMI?ASIN=0316055441	it looks to be a good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Haven't had a chance to read it yet but judging from other reviews, it looks to be a good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RYS9EWCJ55HM?ASIN=0316055441	A must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. Little wordy in some places! But overall it was excellent! One if my fav books now!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBI1IQ0K7ML9Q?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book started out great, but way to much time was spent on his childhood drugs and drinking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31G13IBPS2Q4G?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read, was a bit long winded in parts but over all an awesome story. Couldn't put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YREZUMOKH3L4?ASIN=0316055441	Haven't read the whole book yet	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Have not gotten too far into it yet so it's not really fair to rate it yet.  Might be a 5 star!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SF6DKBCEVV8V?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book, especially the beginning.  It was too long, and had too much drug culture.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UVSAXP3QBWIQ?ASIN=0316055441	Deserves all the recognition it has received	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author presents her descriptions much as a gemologist cuts and polishes a priceless stone.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22919OR7BVWFH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Stayed up late many a night because I could not put this book down. Well written and exciting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S6DZ7CBYYALB?ASIN=0316055441	Was not happy with the drug abuse	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">disppointed at ending. left you hanging with no resolution. Was not happy with the drug abuse.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UCNX9LB5K0I?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My friends and I agree this is one of our all-time favorite books. I will miss Theo and Hobie.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UTR36XGDG3D1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an amazing book...not what I expected as an ending.  Long, but definitely worth the read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19Y3JDRSIVP2Y?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Life as seen through the eyes and experiences  of a teen. Expertly crafted, keeps you engaged.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SDK5YV96LNON?ASIN=0316055441	It was a good read, but extremely long and it felt at ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a good read, but extremely long and it felt at times like many books combined into one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21MG9P018U8S9?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting. Thought I would never get to the end of the portion that took place in Las Vegas.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS4APHXRQPDVE?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book I know I will always think back to in my life. I hope all readers feel the perspective.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YLTBRGGZV388?ASIN=0316055441	Well written. Fast paced and filled with unexpected plot ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written.  Fast paced and filled with unexpected plot turns.  Yet, an unsatisfying ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF36IKDE5UX4O?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">my 8th grade teacher killed Dickens for me and this new 21st version didn't help overcome that</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WVQUMH3KUIO5?ASIN=0316055441	Would like to adopt Theo and Boris!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it! Theo and Boris were amazing characters.  The book could have gone on forever for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UPCM4FE42JVC?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you want to read about smoking , drinking and drugs this is the book for you.Gp;dfomch Star</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GVL4W09NTEV5?ASIN=0316055441	Great knowledge about arts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting reading with some twists. Great knowledge about arts. Liked the form of narration.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34ZPLW0G61Q6Y?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put it down.  Fascinating but full of shady doings and drug use that were not right</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33V65357UO2T0?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good character development felt like it dragged in places it didn't hold my interest that well</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33YTSU8I52PLK?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, you invest in the characters - not satisfying ending, a little lengthy in places</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WUYYKOCIVU8T?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant writing. Story line just OK, but the writing held my interest all the way to the end</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DBMQ65Z5GPSP?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful historical novel. I've recommended it to several people and have given it as a gift.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R242KKZMDPFSXZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An absolutely brilliantly written book that will stay with you after you finish the last page.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7UD9OBPM3BUD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had to keep reminding myself that although the painting was authentic the story was fiction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3546L8SBIFDSU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, a wonderful story that keeps you guessing all the way through to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OQD1C0HH3DQ2?ASIN=0316055441	Tiresome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just too slow for me. Will wait for the movie to come out and see what all the hype was about.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QST876590FUI?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting but sad story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written.  Interesting  but sad story..... The boy has had a strange but educational life.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26E3S9941J5D0?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It starts off rather slow then the story picks up .  I'm 3/4 of the way thru it and it is good</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19RJNPG0M2BMQ?ASIN=0316055441	This is too tedious for me to stay engaged	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is too detailed and difficult to read for the hour before I go to sleep. I find it tedious. There are many characters and places for me to keep straight. I have always been a perceptive reader. I have never stayed up all night reading one book, not even in college. I keep telling myself that I must be missing something here if both Amazon.com and the New York Times think that this is an excellent book. The New York Times also picked ""The Circle"" as an excellent book and I agree.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PHX2ZT3HKJDD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can't put it down. I see I'm at 87% completed. Getting depressed that my ride is almost over.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y0BKS72K1IYQ?ASIN=0316055441	Expected More!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not what I expected. Loved it at the beginning and then I got bogged down through the middle!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1232VJ4TG2CP1?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful, haunting and bitter. A bit long winded in some parts but so worth every 770 pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VQ2MB57LEJMW?ASIN=0316055441	A former school mate recommended it, so I thought that I would read ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A former school mate recommended it, so I thought that I would read it. I am glad that I did.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LVULRHQS04K3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was hooked from page 10....It's a commitment though...ruined my life for a week at 800 pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9N1SOXAHEJ4W?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyable but tedious to	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too wordy. Should have edited and deleted about 10-15% of book. Enjoyable but tedious to read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26Z7ACL7LG77I?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderfull, magical way with words!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully written, engrossing, atad too long. But, i couldn't put it down until i finished!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DK33QL5JFELK?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story...just a bit too wordy! Last chapter was very beautiful and made it worth reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BPUJ71SKFW8U?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved it the intertwining of so many lives as they grow through the many challenges of life..</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MXXDODOEREHM?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was good but really much too long and wordy.  It became a bit of a task to complete.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBFAR93WUNLN6?ASIN=0316055441	Would have enjoyed much more without these	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Yes, well written, but too repetitive too often.  Would have enjoyed much more without these.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K17EBMHB5N8W?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderfully written prose.  I could not put this book down.  An absolute must read for all.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G6VI3YGU89HE?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">definitely deserved the pulitzer prize. held my interest, well written, wonderful plot twists</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PWHFZEZ1UF87?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A brilliant page turning, can't put it down book. I can not wait until her next book is here.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNV7LVXD6T96Y?ASIN=0316055441	She talks too much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a very wordy book, and that's not my favorite type to read. On the whole,I enjoyed it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVRCBNFCUYJEC?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little lengthy quite a bit of detail, wasn't thrilled how the book ended. A worthwhile read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROS8EO9FACSJ?ASIN=0316055441	Extremely well written with a great plot. Enjoyed every minute	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not put this book down. Extremely well written with a great plot. Enjoyed every minute.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SZ70KTN4Q9EL?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed some sections--very magical, but believe it is overwritten -- needed tighter editing!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BACTXITD0IKS?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting and unusual story. Well written, but the ending was a little disappointing to me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28VILFEC4QYCO?ASIN=0316055441	I would not recommend it to anyone	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was far too wordy and was a struggle to finish. I would not recommend it to anyone.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB0TRRXGY0I5P?ASIN=0316055441	good for a strong reader with a strong focus.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book, but so sad at times it's hard to read. It also is a slower read and very detailed.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VO1J6TBLHE18?ASIN=0316055441	great plot, nicely developed characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written novel, great plot, nicely developed characters, but drags a bit towards the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P73WZD9MGGO?ASIN=0316055441	The writing is brilliant but the philosophy at the end is murky and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Far too long.  The writing is brilliant but the philosophy at the end is murky and confusing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQYI8GA0GJ1GO?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story line, but too much drugs and alcohol with young boys....improbable outcome!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVLKGIDR8UUG0?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books I ever read!  A modern day classic that is beautifully written.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GJHXTXM4ZREN?ASIN=0316055441	Like the way she writes a story although I got ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like the way she writes a story although I got tired of drug and alcohol anise in the middle.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC17XUS6D6B3N?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well-written and compelling in parts, but long-winded in others with an anticlimactic ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IUDSAT7X0QXK?ASIN=0316055441	The book takes you on a journey through a chain ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book takes you on a journey through a chain of events and has a bit of philosophy to it .</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTSI8EFUAI25L?ASIN=0316055441	glad it's over	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Guess I am not smart enough for this book -- hated it! Stuck with it, but still not sure why!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLKR7QZ4LC45N?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing in the last 5%.  Wish more of the book was as exceptional.  Good story overall.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4M9HJWWF7MLE?ASIN=0316055441	Dynamic writing. Difficult to put the book down. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dynamic writing.  Difficult to put the book down.  Rich in the dilemmas  and nuances of life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M148PE2ZMOXR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is as good as all the hoopla about it would lead you to expect. Highly recommended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TFBU8LDQRBB3?ASIN=0316055441	Don't bother	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If this book represents the best of current American fiction, we are in serious trouble. I'll be honest:  I couldn't finish it. After completing the first quarter of it, I had to force myself to keep going.  Halfway through, I gave up. There are just too many other really good books out there to read to waste time on one so overwritten and under-edited.  It did not inspire any feeling in me for the characters except indifference and mild irritation at the stupid, selfish choices they made.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CV6BPMCM0GXU?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is more than a fictional story. This is a treatise on life, death, beauty, and art. How they intertwine to make it all worthwhile or not worth it at all. It all depends on ones perspective and personal experiences. We are only here to go through it. It is a ride. We just hold on till the finish. I know this says little about the story Donna Tartt tells here. But it says everything I understand about the message in the story.  If you read only one book this year, let it be this one.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFL9A7Z9Z3AS6?ASIN=0316055441	Absolutely Amazing!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely amazing!! So many twists and turns and such a deep and thought provoking ending!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33YAOYL9GY0GY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not put this book down! I laughed, I cried and was sorry when I finished. A MUST READ!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SVJQOCSOQ6MM?ASIN=0316055441	A masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writer used words so beautifully written,that it was hard to put the book down.loved it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UWSLUAV2RNF4?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book kept me turning the pages.  Lots of unexpected twists and turns.  Nice summer read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRK2YGF1YXY2C?ASIN=0316055441	Bad read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Struggled through this book just because I wanted to see how it ended. I don't recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REU175XSC4T1I?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This may be my new favorite book of all time.  A tie between The Goldfinch and The Mandarins</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GV7909PP4SWO?ASIN=0316055441	Wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it. Loved it. Loved it. Loved it. It was so good it really was a good read. Thank you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V4SCTMLT2JF5?ASIN=0316055441	Book is very good, I still have 30% left to read but ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book is very good, I still have 30% left to read but seems to be dragging a bit.  Very long!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV8M1KMZF2GN4?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pretty good read.  Got a little drug out for a while but overall would definitely suggest it</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MD7XHQWRUIB5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Each absurd coincidence became expected but it always turned out to be an un-expected twist.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R132NLD5Q2O87P?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are times when it's a little too wordy.  I do feel it was an interesting book to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LERJZTXC8I4N?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book. I loved the way the author developed the characters, and it is never boring.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9AIES3EJQA89?ASIN=0316055441	I finished only because it might have a good outcome/ending.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very dark &amp; depressing read.  I finished only because it might have a good outcome/ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVC22PZSEFVS8?ASIN=0316055441	tiresome and overdone	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">all the drugging behavior seemed improbable, tiresome and overdone. great writing and story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7XKSYW0YWFZO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful novel. Writing is reminiscent of Tom Wolfe but less monotonous . Sad when it ended</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR44CCTY3QVR1?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it is slow reading and the plots are difficult to follow. I am not really enjoying the read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XRX9FIQ68XVP?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious beginning. Couldn't wait to get it over with	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tough read.  Way too much narrative.  Tedious beginning.  Couldn't wait to get it over with.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RCPEPFY7C8HW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great reading - superb imagination - wonderful vocabulary - very knowledgable in all issues.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OC2BHMSL1SR2?ASIN=0316055441	good book. A real page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good book.  A real page turner, but there were many times when it seemed to get bogged down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EXCXJAO8EDE0?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I THOUGHT IT WAS DEPRESSING, TO MUCH DRUGS AND LIQUOR .  COULD OF DONE WITHOUT READING BOOK.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KMP24A5SF52E?ASIN=0316055441	Like the characters and the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read it almost straight through.  Like the characters and the story. Very impressive work.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJGKLZLHJMA8?ASIN=0316055441	long but good saga	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long saga but well written and very interesting. A story along with much food for thought.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUJ46SLLWB76G?ASIN=0316055441	A Must Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An outstanding novel I would recommend.  One part lagged a bit but the rest was captivating.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R41RYAJ9RPFD6?ASIN=0316055441	It was a good book. Made you think but all in all	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a good book.  Made you think but all in all, it was the ""Young Man's Lament"".</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30S3M2MVM8LEP?ASIN=0316055441	Extremely wordy descriptions!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long descriptions of everything.  Brief and to the point ending.  Was anti-climatic!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XKDHZ4694MYE?ASIN=0316055441	wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in twenty years! It will stay with me for the rest of my life. Pure art!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MM72Y2DNT39L?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting story but I had a hard time relating to the character and his peregrinations.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NFOAP8OD9X4G?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt is brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great read.  I can't put the book down and read it every spare minute.  It has everything.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBM9CP8B28JDC?ASIN=0316055441	Hated it.  It is way too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the worst books I have ever read.  There no one in this book that you can care about.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9N3YJK6O10OX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant book! A wonderful story, well written! This one will stay with me for a long time.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I6QPX66HD90W?ASIN=0316055441	Long but worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Glad I stuck with this book but almost gave up. If not highly recommended by trusted source I would have. Still not sure it couldn't have been edited in length, but do understand upon reflection why the reader had to experience the events in detail in this character's life to really understand the final message.  In spite of the many distateful and ugly things occurring my final take-away was that this was  a bit of a spiritual experience. Could be subtitled ""The Crucible"".</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24PDD4NDFWKQ3?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not finish this book, intentionally. There was no way any ending could br satisfying.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GS3DA07P2EJJ?ASIN=0316055441	A great read - just read it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic ride.  There were so many facets to this book and they were interwoven like life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R165BUSVLA0KOP?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story was a bit long a times - a lot of drugs but a great art story. Well done!! Quick read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UY6VKRAL974T?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much drinking, drugging, smoking, etc....was making me sick.  Couldn't finish the book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CBYCMGR281T1?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's the artsy / drugs version of Moby Dick.  I think I'd rather read about whale blubber.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T8V5ZLWSN9OP?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book although I believe it could have been shorter. It was a lovely journey.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20ZNXYSPSBHD6?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great story, excellent writing however just a little too long. But I thoroughly enjoyed it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R51COIYA3JLT0?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an intensely intellectual book, an engaging story and deeply developed characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXU1GQKP1SHU2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was thrilling all the way through!  It is a very long read, but totally worth it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UASGGX85EJ7O?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Still reading it, but am totally taken with seeing the world from the eyes of a 13 yr. old.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IVV7MHR4MVSP?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed it very much, quite the tale.  Kept me interested all the way through the 800 pages!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R306NMS3LSWDSC?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing journey, but not sure about the ending. It will be interesting to see the movie.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR8IX64FXH0FR?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">beautiful book..rich visual vocabulary..not convinced Pulitzer  prize worth but a MUST read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JISO2MMSCPUX?ASIN=0316055441	didn't like any of the charters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was not the kind of book I often read,didn't like any of the charters,but had to finish.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15I5NX2KYK3IQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing dialog that puts you right there with the characters.  Had trouble putting it down.  I really didn't notice how long it was.  Enjoy yourself.  I enjoyed the love story aspect of it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M7J83XYQU3GA?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If there is truth in this book, I believe it's a wonder many children survive to adulthood.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I853IAAOIP1L?ASIN=0316055441	I did not like this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like this book, felt I was mislead by the description of what the book was about.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N333C2W4I9V1?ASIN=0316055441	A MUST read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books about life, love &amp; the human experience I've ever read.  A MUST read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM7W7JQKNS3H8?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story in the first half then lost me. It was tough to finish.  Really disappointed...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R255ZXSH94LB9A?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters were generally unlikeable.  The ending was preachy and psuedo-philosophical.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TTZC8H1V904U?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, but the hero is, to me, an unsympathetic person, hence I lost some  interest.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY4HN85BWFEJH?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First 50 pages somewhat hard to get into but turned out to be an interesting &amp; unique read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14HSZ8F088POE?ASIN=0316055441	Well written, exciting. The author brings the characters ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, exciting.  The author brings the characters to life in this compelling story!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAHCQ7ORVDA6V?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Art (this book) created from art and tragedy (the storyline) always thrills me. Great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1207DRL03VP2L?ASIN=0316055441	Many lengthy descriptions.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a difficult time in getting interested in the book. It had many lengthy descriptions.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TQDTMJ7Q6POR?ASIN=0316055441	LOVE	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read this with the others in my book club.  I loved it very much.  It was hard to put down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17KVD0X2UIMDM?ASIN=0316055441	Apparently they don't use editors anymore	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Apparently they don't use editors anymore.  Cut out 200 pages and you've got a decent book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQZF7VL61IRNG?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enticing story line pulls the reader in, only to disappear in a jumble of plot and ending.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32Z5X6HEGI5V8?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I became utterly obsessed with this book. Both the story and the writing were captivating!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZLAOIAIA5PQR?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book - keeps you interested all the way through, needing to know how it will all end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MPSTMYSMZJAL?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me a while to get into the book, but once I did I had a hard time putting it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18U92XMQNQM7E?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, however her descriptions are extensive and makes for tedious reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D0EPDG6Z490D?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great thriller ... if you have not read it, you're missing out on tremendous intrigue...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7VMK5QGV8HNE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazingly disturbing, yet touching story. Well written, evoking work of modern literature.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYXMBTLIPB2VQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book and the quality of the used copy sent to me was awesome. Got it right away too!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VN6ZPFYS36G8?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is well written but gets bogged down in too much detail. Required work to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PA9RPZRJCCO5?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Most original work I have read in a long time.  Riveting characters you won't soon forget.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUAVQE9JURH76?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story and great character studies, but could have done it in much fewer pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R372JNMUPE1JOF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some of the best writing about art by a non-museum curator or art critic I have ever read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17CAGQBJ60K42?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great read with intrigue, romance and history.  The last chapter brings it all together.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10QNQNSYX7VDB?ASIN=0316055441	It was hard to find someone to like. A depressing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dark themes and plodding dialogue. It was hard to find someone to like. A depressing read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TN83H5BADTE3?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, but I found it a bit too depressing.  Could just be my state of mind.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I32BMB12X8LX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No wonder why it won a Pulitzer Prize... Donna Tartt has written a modern day masterpiece.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3373FVXYTV8EI?ASIN=0316055441	Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Parts were good but it drug on and on. I am glad it finally ended. A very long wordy read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30JDUMEH3EA6O?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At least one third of the book dealt with drugs; Theo's drug obsessions took over the book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG9AQSSBZISE9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I put it on my ""favorite books to read"" list. It's a long read, and well worth it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z62RAJRLQBQ5?ASIN=0316055441	A good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some of the storyline was a bit unbelievable but it was engaging nevertheless. A good read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V2PD2O4KC1FL?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could still have been a great story in under 700+ pages.  I kept thinking get on with it!.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K1GS2NDOT9IP?ASIN=0316055441	"So literate, well written full of little gems like, ""Sleep is like a cat - you only find it when not looking for it."""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">EXCPTIONALLY WELL WRITTEN, Little slow to start but.....one of the best I have ever red...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M3QO4O8XEEAB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book that captures everyday struggles and feelings. A book that shares life with us all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LA00V91Z6VJ6?ASIN=0316055441	everyone is happy ending.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very unusual book.....kept my interest all the way.  Not a neat, everyone is happy ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38VQB5M1MVE6L?ASIN=0316055441	Absorbing and Entertaining	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Entertaining throughout, I would recommend this absorbing story to anyone without reserve.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BPUAERXOMQYT?ASIN=0316055441	a great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a little overlong in the las vagas section building character in both boys.  a great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FTFNLOGORQX6?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderful book. I enjoyed it so much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful book.  I enjoyed it so much, I am now reading her first book.  Also excellent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K3IFXMPZSRXW?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found the middle section long and tedious. Beautifully written but could have been shorter</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36ZLSR2S8LEWK?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book with great writing. Ending surprising but didn't care for violence in Amsterdam.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WKRSSIOJ7JZF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I absolutely loved this book.  I have to admit that I've loved all of Donna Tartt's books!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LWRHG0JO4BBJ?ASIN=0316055441	Profanity was unnecessary. Plot line was very awkward	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is not worth a comment.  Profanity was unnecessary.  Plot line was very awkward.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK9EL4OPH8JPB?ASIN=0316055441	Liked And Disliked	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There's a lot I liked about this book but unfortunately the repetitive parts wore me down.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VTZC4QI4ACLZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">outstanding</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B375ZPQXZEXA?ASIN=0316055441	Worst book I ever struggled through!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hated this book!  I was determined to finish it because I had paid $10 for it, and I kept thinking it may get better.  It did not.  My daughter and a friend of hers found the same thing.  I did not like the language and felt like that story could have been told in 100 pages.  Instead it just went on and on.  The only reason I gave it one star was because if I had given it no stars, you would have thought I just failed to rate it.  Worst book I ever struggled through!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LB5C9SV62AVC?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but far too depressing for me. I stopped once.  should have left it at that.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22BRF5QK6WJMH?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Because I read it as an ebook I was beginning to wonder if it would ever end!  Long story</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H998UXW11RYZ?ASIN=0316055441	just a good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very different well written and truly interesting, thought provoking.....just a good read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R246Q369XMTSCN?ASIN=0316055441	Stick with it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It too me a while to get through but well worth the effort.  A beautiful, beautiful book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ET4ETSAX6C68?ASIN=0316055441	Must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the author could have used fewere words to accomplish her aim, this is a great book</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FD40OQLX7RTM?ASIN=0316055441	A book you never want to end!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very well written book.  One that you totally escape into.  I wish it never had to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7SZ7CA6PK5Q2?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this is a very disturbing book for a prize winner.  Over descriptive, long and drawn out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15NI1RKCR25OF?ASIN=0316055441	I hated and loved the the characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can see why it received such a prestiagish award.  I hated and loved the the characters</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T9FP68SKCT0U?ASIN=0316055441	A bit bombastic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good editor could have cut the text by a third to make a good story a much better read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PBWYYD27IY9T?ASIN=0316055441	Glad I finished	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a slow read for me, but I am glad I finished the book.  It makes a bold statement.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YEUGOKCUDEPM?ASIN=0316055441	Really liked, proud that I finished.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, heartbreaking, annoying, insightful and enlightening, hopeful, long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36X5PE8D9RJYN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a real page-turner, wrought with angst it's hard not to feel a part of the story oneself!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL1E2N7029LQL?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good up until the end.  Strange story, but it turned the pages.  Disappointed at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROD288O6STCLA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read. Donna Tartt made me want to slowly savor the story like a special desert.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4BUVUHSLSQ14?ASIN=0316055441	Great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book, so beautifully written. I was hooked right away and never lost interest.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C021I24XPL3F?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love a book that draws me into the story rather than just reading it - this one sure did!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30LXE3MDFQ5B5?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch--A Great Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A rich, complex, compelling tale of the power of art in the life of a boy becoming a man.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UIKTENJKWSQT?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">have no idea how this continues on best seller list - found it very dull and quite long..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D9Z58YQWX919?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent story line, a bit verbose at times but very well written and enjoyable to read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J95TMSUGOAU4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well-developed main character -sympathetic and complex.  Interesting perspective on life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22UWK8Q7Q8B4K?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">could not put this down; it caught you and held you in place till you were done the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZDH9U2SLLY0S?ASIN=0316055441	love this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellently written,  beautiful imagery,  and such a heartfelt story. I highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IBR8XO3TSC7K?ASIN=0316055441	Not really close to my favorite.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, but needlessly long.  It drags in places.  Not really close to my favorite.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24L2F1363MDSD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long, lonely, much angst expressed, but the ""silver lining"" comes through it all.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R180HML5QIW7MV?ASIN=0316055441	but glad I read it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very moving book,  depressing at times,  but glad I read it.  Realistic,  unfortunately !</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNYHX8BXPKTI1?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated much?!?!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES.  I had to FORCE myself to finish this boring, pompous tale. SNOOZE</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KSEYAG6STUI4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well-written with the characters defined in great detail. I enjoyed it tremendously.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21GJHTW2HGMEK?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very anxiety producing. If you want to relax and read a novel-not for you. Also too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18NZPTWMPTPYM?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written at times but needed editing. So many scenes unnecessarily protracted.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29UFJBYIBQCE?ASIN=0316055441	Long but worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thanks to the last two years of age and research in motion of the l www to the other hand</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24LXQ9WUFCM9C?ASIN=0316055441	Spare me oh Lord	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ugh. Why use one or two words when you can use twenty or forty to say absolutely nothing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPMR8ZS62EA9U?ASIN=0316055441	riveting, but wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a tale I wanted to finish, yet at times I wondered why she took so long to tell it</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZINJNAG5Q8UC?ASIN=0316055441	Great coming of age exploration	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reminded me of ""Catcher in Rye"". Great coming of age exploration. Writing superb!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SIW8ZY24R44I?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A story with complex characters. A bit longer than it needs to be. A page turner for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPLHQZV2DQSUE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a wonderful story. indelible characters.  from the first pages, one feels in good hands.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G66X0W2NMYQP?ASIN=0316055441	Exciting Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The type of book that made me excited for my daily subway commute. Couldn't put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DQQ70DZK9ZSK?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the first half of the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the first half of the book. It seemed to get off track a bit in the second half.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JHKZRBOSN0BQ?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best novels I have ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best novels I have ever read, and I was an English major, so I've read a lot!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LI30PWFMZZVA?ASIN=0316055441	Too long and depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long...I really wanted to like this book but it's so depressing and too long winded.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26PC3LC27PTGB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story really held me.  I could not put it down.  The characters were very powerful!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9M5WQAJ0GL19?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good character development, but was longer than it needed to be--could have been edited.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M7IKRB30AJGL?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read, until the lengthy retrospective ending, which added little to the narrative.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWQ7P0ATNKZWQ?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting premise. Mostly gripping but sometimes too descriptive.<br/>Glad I read it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28EWJFTA05OUN?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a bit of a tedious read.  Very rambling!  Good story, just took too long to tell!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29FXY4Z3Q2JA4?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story line, however, it was a constant mental exercise.  Not in an entertaining way</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REGE2EFFF66UY?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was not the most interesting book I have ever read,  It was a dark depressing book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S2W97FCF3IAO?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story &amp; characters but VERY long. It could've benefited from some serious editing.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DXNND6UNBAM8?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wordy, wordy, wordy. If you want to read something depressing, this is the book for you!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AOLPRE0HJ8LI?ASIN=0316055441	Great book..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good book, well written and interesting to learn more about the Goldfinch painting.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10QD3NKLP82Z5?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pulitzer Prize for Fiction?  Really?  Way too long and arduous in character development.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7EXXW3LFROLY?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it! Over 800 pages and I was sad ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it!  Over 800 pages and I was sad when it was over.  Would have read if 1800 pages</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P3RUIBY0JJSK?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many details of drug or alcohol induced stupor.  Could be two hundred pages shorter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MFEDM3UC8IZ9?ASIN=0316055441	A good story, well written but should have been 200 ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Far to long &amp; depressing. A good story, well written but should have been 200 pages less</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDRVH4NMQJGBL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked this novel.  The characters where very well developed.  Just a great read</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBSO4BDM3FOBP?ASIN=0316055441	waste of my time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very depressing to me. Too much detail on random things that had no bearing on the plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35QQGUL2YYTFN?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing, but well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cannot recommend this book.  It was one of the most depressing books I have ever read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VHMEA9APNLZR?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It expanded my understanding of the people around me and kept my interest the whole way.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M9GZMMX3NJQM?ASIN=0316055441	Unpleasant book !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Finished it but disliked it intensely. Well-written but no redeeming feature in subject.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QR0MDL1UPXAT?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt it was a bit lengthy.....not sure why . I didn't think it needed all the details.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUB1BXQOER4DR?ASIN=0316055441	Well written book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am in the middle of reading this very long  (almost 900 pages)  but entertaining book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RVGMZR1EOZMY?ASIN=0316055441	but dragged a little in the middle and I did not like the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book began very well, but dragged a little in the middle and I did not like the ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GTCOB0ZV5BXN?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The ending descends into philosophical maundering and leaves the story line in the air.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8LKB5B1I48WQ?ASIN=0316055441	It was a very well written book, but a little to dark and long for my particular taste.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a very well written book, but a little to dark and long for my particular taste.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CFPKL8EHDO7B?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book! The main character went thru many changes which really kept it interesting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NW2BTZDX3OJD?ASIN=0316055441	I loved it. Certainly could understand why it was on ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved it.  Certainly could understand why it was on the best seller list for so long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1912S0XU3J90E?ASIN=0316055441	No Pulitzer from me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good reading in a watching-a-train-wreck sort of way. Could have used a lot of editing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HBIBUVSSC2BP?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author uses 200 words when 20 would do--am no a fiction reader but it was passable.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OHG6Y1VEUX33?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked it so much that I downloaded one of her other novels, which was also very good.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32I457C77FYKY?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though it was an excellent book.  Only problem I had it went too long on the drug issue</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZV8C2MINQ3NK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, delightful characters and awesome audio! Thanks for a wonderful adventure!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XIWYFKUWX3OI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book, Donna Tartt has a wonderful writing style and what a story!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13NRO63A8WPLC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite a page-turner filled with unexpected twists. The characters werer well developed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQON1C9PSGEEW?ASIN=0316055441	Well-written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but, unfortunately, very wordy and descriptive. It was hard to get through</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S8543R0UD94F?ASIN=0316055441	A great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">We had hoped it would be in LARGE PRINT, but was able to read it anyway.  A great read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26ZGBWBTFU1O8?ASIN=0316055441	Story caught hold of my HEART	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unique story,page turner characters focused. drugging activities made me uncomfortable.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5U5UIEJBP17K?ASIN=0316055441	I felt I was there	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As usual Donna Tartt has written a wonderfully compelling story..I couldn't put it down</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29EMOC7EDGN2L?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent story telling...just a little too 'wordy' at the end. Will make a good movie.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R239950ABHXTOT?ASIN=0316055441	... as long and it would not have been so painful to finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book could have been half as long and it would not have been so painful to finish.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K1IOPHHLIGM?ASIN=0316055441	I found the book to be very good but at times it seemed to be a little ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book to be very good but at times it seemed to be a little too descriptive.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8GCTUNR8VWM0?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoroughly enjoyed the book, intrigued throughout, and great ending.  Brilliant writer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10URAV5J15T6?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great plot line but way too much unnecessary rambling detail.  Could be 300 pages less.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TG2ZQGQO272V?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">OK - but way too long...and mostly knew where the story would go.  Disappointing ending</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMMR3GNEXYVI2?ASIN=0316055441	A winner, for sure!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story and writing....kept me interested until the end.  I would recommend highly.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14DYAM6DY8GHI?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was a great ""read"" but it went on too long and plot became obscure</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REWV9WH7CRC9Y?ASIN=0316055441	must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an amazing epic journey I must read for anybody who loves great modern fiction</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I8D2PUVQWYMJ?ASIN=0316055441	I loved it. It took me a minute to get ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved it. It took me a minute to get into it. But once I did I couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WSF12ATMMSZV?ASIN=0316055441	This book was fantastic. I purchased her other two books and I ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was fantastic.  I purchased her other two books and I was just as impressed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW38B86GIU5AG?ASIN=0316055441	Easy language.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging story, interesting characters, quick read despite the length.  Easy language.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZO5M83LZ7ZGD?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this novel. I had never heard of this painting before and now quite like it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BQCJTTM60H90?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was so good that I want to read everything else Donna Tartt has written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13YEW9SSCHQ1N?ASIN=0316055441	good but faintly surprised it won a Pulitzer.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As soon as you get this book tear out the last chapter. Then it will be a 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4D2EJ696A7AB?ASIN=0316055441	I liked it and will read again because there is so ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Crazy!  I liked it and will read again because there is so much happening in the book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB457FCSNJYE3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing and great book. It arrived as scheduled and in the condition advertised.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32VLH6KICJ6DM?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt like the ending dragged on and on.  Otherwise, brilliant character development.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JER7N20IVJ7X?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Difficult for me to get into and sustain interest.  I read about 15-20 pages and quit.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PTSGPB1P78Q8?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In places it is rather verbose and tedious, otherwise the novel has quite a good plot.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R139UF6D5GD89V?ASIN=0316055441	but it's an intriguing story with excellent writing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This one took a while to grab me, but it's an intriguing story with excellent writing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33JS4AKMX13Z7?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written / incredible story, BUT painfully long!<br/>Dragged on a bit ....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZDYMX2V8SNEB?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The product was fine and the Amazon Service Trerrific .....the NOVEL....Terrible!!!!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CFT5YVXS3S1S?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful, delicate. A true coming of age story in a modern and heartbreaking setting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I35E301RM140?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">engaging from the first page.  It keeps your interest and provokes thought.  Excellent</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9UC276S4RDDS?ASIN=0316055441	Hated it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing story with way too much philosophical discussion. About 250 pages too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HF3NHUMG98YR?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, but very long.  I was exhausted at the end and ready for something else.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O02GAEYDVQOV?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful read with great insight of impact of psychological trauma on a young mind.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RIVL6G30V1HU?ASIN=0316055441	but a good read. Glad I got the opportunity to read ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this book was long, but a good read.  Glad I got the opportunity to read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C2NFLTGHCE2Y?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a great read. It's a long book but I enjoyed the character development above all.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R845OODH9QQ15?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed reading THE GOLDFINCH.It was a beautifully written story and very interesting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15XPU8M2O8Z6K?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it. Couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it.  Couldn't put it down.  The plot twists never stopped coming.  A great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31INUD0R94J9V?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to put down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing, fascinating, hard to put down.  And deep, philosophical.  An amazing ride.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RORDIIK5SKF0B?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't finish it fast enough. Flipped through multiple pages without reading them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14P81ZZZK2HSO?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful phrasing and believable character development. This book is a rich tapestry.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11COFUHK7YS14?ASIN=0316055441	Such a fascinating journey for the protagonist !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A must. wish it had never ended ! Fantastic piece of literature for teens and adults !</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1COEQ78OXNN5J?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved 9/10 of it. I won't talk about the other 1/10 because that would be a spoiler.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YUBNEVG04Q5D?ASIN=0316055441	Positive: Well written, intriguing story Negative: too ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Positive:  Well written, intriguing story<br/>Negative:  too long, ending predictable</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M6N4LKMBR3OW?ASIN=0316055441	It's Okay	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel is way out there.  Not believeable in total.  However, it keeps you reading</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KLXL7GT1L5UR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's impossible to put this book down once you start reading it.  I give it six stars!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LFLXWWY8L7N0?ASIN=0316055441	OMG....boring, boring boring!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author must have ADHD.  Good story line, but author rambles on and on and on.  I think I skipped more pages than what I read and still was able to follow the story line.  The author's editor needs to be fired and look for another day job.  Or at least wake up and actually edit the book they are supposed to be editing.  This could have been a 300 page book instead of a 775 page book.  I don't see how this book won a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37ZZW044VP5U5?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some difficult scenes, very visual, but extremelly well-written.  A real page-turner.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35J1CXOPF15JZ?ASIN=0316055441	I would not reccomend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the writing style, but the story dragged on and the ending was anticlimactic.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SY0ANKZD62UK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing, heartbreaking and beautiful. A must read for anyone who loves a great story!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QIBG0GV44UZT?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read but too long and somewhat unbelievable;hard to know why it got the Pulitzer</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24SF7KCTKXFLB?ASIN=0316055441	A good script for a movie	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Full of surprises... deep descriptions, interesting story. A good script for a movie.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R195NR0EGSOVJ6?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book but too many crazy things happened to this kid..seemed a little overboard.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28MACCASMXX95?ASIN=0316055441	Just ok for me. Really long and definitely not ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just ok for me.  Really long and definitely not a page turner.  Kinda depressing too.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XZQ317ZSRLJ6?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was beautiful. I didn't expect to get so sucked in, but the writing was top notch.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SOA6BW85JC39?ASIN=0316055441	Well-written, but....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While this is well-written, I found it difficult to care about the main characters...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HNJ9UEQRQTVJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is one of the most amazing novels I have ever read and I am an avid reader.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTKPINCNNP1ON?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Obviously a good writer, but it was hard to stay involved, especially toward the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GZVTRFXTRTVR?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little wordy in sections but a powerful story. This is one I'll definitely re-read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30TF8VKLU6A0H?ASIN=0316055441	Flying high	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first 97% is a bit depressing but a great read. The last 3% is a bit of a ramble.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19UEEHMG3X2JL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved it. It was a long read but well worth it. Donna Tartt is an EXCELLENT author.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MGMQUZKV9316?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beginning was good; then the main character was a loser.  Too long, but well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLMMT7AWV84UF?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was a weird book. I finished it because I had to find out what happened.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QGEY9LD4ANWA?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written passages!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written passages, an interesting story with twists and turns. Enjoyed it!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H75GGY4FFI7E?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating characters and story-line. Can't wait for them to make this into a movie!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1946PVKH6VR27?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful, wonderful writing and engaging story...the anti-climax ran a bit too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WZA9UJWU5XPW?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting read but way to much detail on addiction and drug use. Not really needed.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I551QMZA8OSC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a wonderful and interesting story. It held my attention all the way through.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L74FS8GVDMAK?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good novel. Although, to be honest, I was slightly disappointed with the ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SAUTVGF1ACHT?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it. There were so many unexpected twists in the story that it never got boring.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ4A6F985ES46?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story about a young boy' s life. From start to finish it will keep you guessing</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNBZ97G7RS9CW?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good storyline that will keep you captivated. However it was very drawn out in parts.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BRUH70CZAFUK?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting but anti climactic.  I was frustrated by the main characters selfishness.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KKT6SNA66W0A?ASIN=0316055441	A great Book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fantastic story.  Makes you want to stay home from work or school and keep reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPV4Z4JJ1GQ7H?ASIN=0316055441	Yellow bird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written. At times, it made you feel as though you were right there. Suspenseful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ECNAHICSZGYG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrific read - even reread parts! A story that will stay with you a long, long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT3HMAW0T1WE?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize, Really??	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What's all the fuss about?? Way overrated!  I skimmed the first 50 pages because they were so boring. It could have easily been cut by 300 pages.  I didn't care about any of the characters and the Boris character was completely unbelievable as were many others. I only pushed through it because it goes against my grain not to finish a book I started.  Unfortunately, because this was the first Tartt book I read, I won't be reading any others.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BX4SWADGKSI1?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't let the length of this novel scare you away, it's worth every page!  Loved it!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PKR77EHCO5H7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent Book...Loved this book. Couldn't put it down :) Did not want it to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QOJMR2ZQKHQD?ASIN=0316055441	Good but not great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way overrated. Don't think this is Pulitzer-worthy. Opening section is great though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQF5GNR1FLEPA?ASIN=0316055441	Great read; did not appreciate sarcastic email from the seller. Took a month to reach me. Must have been sent slowest rate possi	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just starting reading and I am so enmeshed already. Going to take my time and enjoy.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TISGKR7YXNG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read, it kept me totally absorbed the entire time! I recommend it too everyone</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YRLASYAIHUOM?ASIN=0316055441	Read This Book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossing, riveting novel; I couldn't put it down. 800 pages never flew by so fast.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TQ0UCP0OE2PF?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story of a lost soul and all of his trials. But I felt the end was a bit flat.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29LIN3VAG20L9?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought it would never end.  Way too wordy, More than I care to know about druggies.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFYEYZ2UK4XS9?ASIN=0316055441	Work of art!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I will think about this book often, probably for the rest of my life.  Just awesome.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CCP7RBMHPS83?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Keeps you interested and so well written.  Descriptions put the reader right there!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB3EWP22NBT66?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although very well-written I have had to skip over some of the parts. Just too much!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IR33EK7RS1Y9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">LOved this book. I printed out a picture of the painting by Mauritus many years ago.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CRZJLZAS3FVL?ASIN=0316055441	I HATED IT. ONLY KEPT READING IT BECAUSE IT WAS ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I HATED IT.  ONLY KEPT READING IT BECAUSE IT WAS A PULITZER.  I WON'T DO THAT AGAIN.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1323R92RVLMT4?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing, good story, but a little long in the tooth.  It sent a great message.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R142BA3WS4NU94?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is amazing! I don't normally read about art, but I couldn't put this down!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R188Z2G2Q1CP0P?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Bored. Too much detail to get to the end. Would not read again or suggest to anyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31ZGRPUF87KGN?ASIN=0316055441	great prose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It had everything. Insight into humanity, humour, suspense,intrigue, great prose etc</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAS3A2BJHT1K1?ASIN=0316055441	... times more detail than I prefer but overall a great story and a fabulous read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Often times more detail than I prefer but overall a great story and a fabulous read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DCC6UOWOKD6M?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth the time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was hard to get through. I felt the story was interesting, but repetitive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DR2QZ89V1BXK?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent story, looked forward to reading it each day.  Good plot twists and turns.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV4RRBHMT9RVZ?ASIN=0316055441	I really like it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a little slow getting started, but was an intriguing book.  I really like it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HY2IIYV33JLO?ASIN=0316055441	Becomes tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much too long. Gripping beginning and satisfying ending. The middle becomes tedious.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TAQOX9IHHPJ2?ASIN=0316055441	Best of 2014!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The perfect novel to take you somewhere entirely else! Such good book hangover :) !!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19GGS3RY85PBI?ASIN=0316055441	The author wrote too much detail which was unnecessary. Upset	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The novel is too long.The author wrote too much detail which was unnecessary.Upset:(</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NUK1XZ74SKQM?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated. The main character is not likeable.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's quite unbelievable that the author could produce a main character so unlikeable given the horrific nature of his mother's death.  We should be naturally sympathetic to him, but half way through the book, I'd had enough.  Theo and his friend Boris are simply unlikeable. I just didn't care enough about them to continue.  Luckily, I had purchased the audible version and was able to return the book for a full credit.  Thanks Audible.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKIJA6SU2A29W?ASIN=0316055441	To good to say goodbye.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful  book. Finished it yesterday and I am reading it again. Can't let it go!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JG402IG11JZV?ASIN=0316055441	Really good read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed this read.  But don't buy it if you have a problem with a long book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R5YJ73CQA7IF?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book was spell-binding and extremely readable. Thick book but it didn't drag a bit.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D36Z8MVFTZFI?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not one character that I could care about. One of the few books I haven't finished.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LVFP4YEUIU9X?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can't say without giving it away but it went long and kind of fizzled out for me...</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K1NJCMLTMSH9?ASIN=0316055441	Good writing though	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too much drug use for my taste and part of plot too contrived. Good writing though.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S373D1DLBF2F?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So dark and depressing- nothing like I had expected and was very very disappointed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S1M5AHOZYMHO?ASIN=0316055441	Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A lot off word . You can read but it's not a big deal! I hope more than this novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHGXS75I0BA9F?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderful engrossing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">5 stars!! A wonderful engrossing book. May someday read it again. Worth every penny</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R5ZT6SAST6H9?ASIN=0316055441	Too Many Words!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overly wordy and insanely preachy at the end.  Her style, however, is breathtaking!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KWSC50BUADTW?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quality writing, but if there is a point, I hadn't found it when I stopped reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JJOMH1E1GIQF?ASIN=0316055441	The story one is a wonderful premise but I got bored reading it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little draggy.  The story one is a wonderful premise but I got bored reading  it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZY6RJ0O7ONIF?ASIN=0316055441	I did not like it. To much drugs and went on and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like  it. To much drugs and went on and on and they didn't: say anything.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BH27UCWT8KJ5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long read but very interesting with all the turn of events, tragedy and friendship.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROYK8P5NO2BEQ?ASIN=0316055441	A great book. Intelligently written with great characters and an ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great book. Intelligently  written with great characters and an interesting plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GZB8EJVWGJ88?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic long book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing characterization done by the author!  Pretty deep novel here!  Be prepared.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RK95FZF5YDIO?ASIN=0316055441	TOO MANY BAD CHOICES. COULD NOT RELATE TO CHARACTERS	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">TOO DEPRESSING.  TOO MANY BAD CHOICES. COULD NOT RELATE TO CHARACTERS, EXCEPT BORIS</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBAOAK7MNYZZM?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and wordy but some thought provoking messages, especially towards the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O9TZHPSCTF0?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book arrived promptly and in good condition.  It is long but an excellent read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SO5RLU5FGV5J?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow! What a saga. Enjoyed this book. Heartbreaking, yet inspiring at the same time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV3I8CW0X6W9D?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book dragged on and the ending was disappointing and not very clever.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UC00Z7ZM1W5U?ASIN=0316055441	Psycho-analysis or fiction?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good start, too much explaining and analysing in the middle and a very lame ending.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ERHHQW9P6A55?ASIN=0316055441	Still reading it. Several nights stayed up way to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Still reading it.  Several nights stayed up way to late (1am) couldn't put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHMDYIW6DD7KW?ASIN=0316055441	This is a really good book. And is hard to put down until ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a really good book.  And is hard to put down until you are done reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GYASN4VPT0K0?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've read in a very very long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best  books I've read in a very very long time , great twists  &amp; turns ,</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OC799MBRX1XZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great understanding of the human condition.  This book deserves the Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29T0CLWHEX3NS?ASIN=0316055441	Achingly beautiful story. Heartbreaking and hopeful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Spoke to me on so many levels. Achingly beautiful story. Heartbreaking and hopeful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPLQVW533ALNH?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was good, but I think I expected more.  Loved all of the art information though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAA7I028IMD64?ASIN=0316055441	Don't stop!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved all the twists. Just when I thought I knew and was getting bored it changed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WMC4G2MK1MB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic novel. I couldn't put it down and I would happily read it a second time!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYYXKLKKLUQXI?ASIN=0316055441	A little speechy at the end but otherwise amazing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow!! It's a long strange trip! A little speechy at the end but otherwise amazing!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QAAP64A2338W?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a good book with interesting characters but very long and lost me in parts.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37TNYNIK11T3X?ASIN=0316055441	It starts out a little slow but then picks up ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It starts out  a little slow but then picks up where you can't and stop reading it</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DY8BNBFJS0TQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a beautifully written novel that tells a story that is original and fresh.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ORGK6SLTOU35?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very well designed read.  loved the language and the climate the author developed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBWF28EBJI0GS?ASIN=0316055441	meh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, character development very deep, but not really worth the time or effort</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13IZKZFUKO8Y3?ASIN=0316055441	Too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a good story, but it could have been told in 1/3 of the pages Tartt used.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28994NVM11DTW?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm the only person who just didn't love this book. Moved too slowly for my taste.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V7BE5802QOW8?ASIN=0316055441	Not my cup of tea!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It  was slow reading and not entertaining. It seemed to wander all over the place.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RJ9GHP3UT8IP?ASIN=0316055441	I liked a lot the Las Vegas part	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In quite engaging but the first part a bit slow. I liked a lot the Las Vegas part.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VYNLE0QB0YEH?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No redeemable characters and far too long. Don't know why I bothered to finish it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EC05BC5GVOD1?ASIN=0316055441	Not a bad combo, by the way	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossing novel. Read it over a week in Los Cabos. Not a bad combo, by the way...</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RCBRXHLDDAFO?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many pages so I skipped it !!! I doubted if the paperback would hold together.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WL09M6A11N5M?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Of course it won the Pulitzer price fro literature for 2014.<br/>Incredible read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19KH4MW1PXHS0?ASIN=0316055441	A disappointment,	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It  lagged in the middle and was so depressing I didn't finish.  A disappointment,</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGH1787E6FH28?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was an unusual book - there were many twists in the life of the main character!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW5KH78SPJ1AU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent novel with many twists and turns. You really feel for the main character</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14UZ2M0KN8BKB?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't wait to be done reading this book -  hated all the drug use and language.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BTBKTSRRXDM6?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wondered why this won the Pulitzer Prize until the end of the book!  Quite a tale!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22EYO7BQV1EN3?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. We'll developed characters.  Great story. Possibly a bit long</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8QAWG6A0QPXX?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some paragraphs/sections too long and run-on.  Somewhat of a disappointing ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R362O1J7UXTHU3?ASIN=0316055441	Surprise!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ending completely took me by surprise!  I didn't see it coming at all.  Good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GFJAGN3K81TM?ASIN=0316055441	Not a top 10	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book started out great but the ending dragged on. It is not on my top 10 list.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UIVTI64ZTW2V?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Laborious reading last half of book and the ending is disappointing and drawn out.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ACJ4AHXBT705?ASIN=0316055441	I prefer to LIKE my protagonist and couldn't in this case	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long and slow at times. I prefer to LIKE my protagonist and couldn't in this case.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JKEDYYSZ0NYL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful read. I will still be thinking about these characters for years to come.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XPE113FYY0ZC?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyable read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful and a great enjoyable read.  I will miss Theo, Boris, Hobie and Pippa.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNX4KXFUEAIXI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent, riveting tale full of real-life human experiences that touched my soul.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F5N1PFLPJC8J?ASIN=0316055441	but grew better later.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a creative and unique plot. a bit slow after the beginning, but grew better later.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30MIR6T2CLIBV?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It Was At Times Alittle Wordy But The Story Was Excellant And I Coulnt Put It down</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33UFSLCP1ETV4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't often find books that are as compelling and well written as The Goldfinch.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R291JOMQMD762V?ASIN=0316055441	... for the story and once again for the hauntingly beautiful language.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read it once for the story and once again for the hauntingly beautiful language.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D5PC3BUS70PO?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent character development. Good story. Excellently descriptive. Very moving.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R276VNAAFLTLNF?ASIN=0316055441	Most favorite book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">one of the most well written books I have seen in a long time, it is a joy to read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R59GB77444435?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XJO1FXSEXAHC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V23JCEEJ3K3K?ASIN=0316055441	Forgettable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not my cup of tea. Some books take the wide world &amp; make it very small, you know?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32MH4J8SKLUZM?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was okay but not as good as I expected as it was so highly recommended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XE7S2ZH7V2ZE?ASIN=0316055441	Not what I expected.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow moving, horrible ending.  Quite a disappointment for an award winning novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EMQQ6W1X78FA?ASIN=0316055441	It is the best book I have read in 10 years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is the best book I have read in 10 years.  I was so sad for it to be finished.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NZXROV2HTRF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this book down. It's a long time since any book held me so close.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIDZDTR9BKIV1?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is too long and too many characters with too much swearing and too many drugs.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IWD43DFZKID8?ASIN=0316055441	Twists and turns	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story with  many  twists and turns and a classic  painting  as a character.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKML6KHN6ABX1?ASIN=0316055441	really great book! I highly recommend it to everyone ages ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">really great book!  I highly recommend it to everyone ages high school and above.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12LUX2XL8A92R?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Author does a great job of describing people and events, but the story is boring.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LYYRYF22QNQ6?ASIN=0316055441	Great story. What can I say	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't want to put it down! Great story. What can I say? It won a Pulitzer prize.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z1OIZYIJ7GY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A really good read. I was so involved in the characters. I didn't want it to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T50635YC9SEP?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was worth reading but a bit too descriptive for me and.<br/>very slow moving.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LH9S1QK4FMVF?ASIN=0316055441	Not my favorite. Very unhappy characters so if you like that	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not my favorite.  Very unhappy characters so if you like that, very well written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11CCLXTCRPIKW?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A terrible tedious read with no redeeming quality.  Drug, drugs and more drugs. .</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FF1X39R02EPI?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">not my type of book.  Not into drugs, alcoholism, and theft by the main character</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLU4WV7WQR19Z?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read this for book club- A great discussion book and fun read. Very well written.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLW8SZZ73AUY5?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant writing. I do not like the druggy amoral ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant writing. I do not like the druggy amoral characters. A very dark novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29L8T96FGKSWJ?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written, though very long stretches which ramble on	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Talented author, beautifully written, though very long stretches which ramble on.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F3MR453MLFA9?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A thought-provoking, gripping, very well written page turner. I loved every page.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23IXJSVJO728X?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a little dark for my tast, but very well written and an interesting story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PSLUAG14FD1L?ASIN=0316055441	Don't Miss This Book!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't yet finished it, but it is by far the best book I have read in years...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O3MR656JYB9S?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the read but thought it wa very heavy at times and went on and on and on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R166HJXIBKZUP?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story plot. The last chapters were a bit ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story plot.  The last chapters were a bit too long and philosophical.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JV5U6LOX4KOJ?ASIN=0316055441	too long and boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was waaaaay too long! The story could have been told in half the pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KYXOVFEGENDC?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Would have enjoyed it more if it were half as long.  Quality of writing was good.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W3WQ0I0A6V9Z?ASIN=0316055441	excellent descriptions and narratives	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Superb writing, excellent descriptions and narratives.  Really enjoyed the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U9LSUAXNJHVD?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My daughter recommended I read this.  It is well written and an interesting read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29C4OH1E8N25H?ASIN=0316055441	not on my top ten!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rather confusing and depressing story.  Not one of my favorite reads this summer.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HAERKGA7GH9C?ASIN=0316055441	Defective Copy of Wonderful Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love this long and gripping novel. Unfortunately my copy (hardcover, purchased from amazon, Little Brown publisher) was defective and when I reached p. 746, it suddenly stopped and repeated about 20 earlier pages. Major bummer as I was just eagerly approaching the promising conclusion.<br/><br/>Wondering how many other defective copies are in circulation? Whether publisher or amazon is going to do anything about them?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PZIUCTE18SWD?ASIN=0316055441	Only read because my Bookclub picked it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book really had a great start.  I was invested in the characters and interested in the story.  Then all at once the story advances maybe ten years, I'm not sure and it is like you are thrown for a loop.  Maybe part of the book was missing?  I finished it even though I couldn't get back into the story because like I said it is for the Bookclub.  I will be waiting to see what the others have to say about this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDPTLARIN53FN?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose The Goldfinch to read because it got the Pulitzer Prize. I'm trying to figure out the criteria for the Pulitzer Prize. This book was all about depression. The author described it well but I couldn't wait to see if the main character would ever get out of his depression. The ending provided not clear answer and left me hanging. This book was compelling in that I kept reading it but it was not my favorite read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A0WVFSC8QPR5?ASIN=0316055441	tedious reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An overly descriptive account of something that may have been interesting if presented more succinctly.<br/><br/>There may be a good story buried within the lifestyles of wealthy New Yorkers, the machinations of the antique business, the art underworld and Las Vegas.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP7FDTP9KL87I?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was one of the best books that I have read. I highly recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ5Y6N0OHRYAB?ASIN=0316055441	Too long and rambling.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long and rambling. Seems like the book could have been much shorter. It lost me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28P7POTDH1INM?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it to ramble on a lot and I just could never quite get excited about it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18BAMVNDEJPL4?ASIN=0316055441	Good read but dark	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So sad and depressing!  Well written but got tired of the never ending problems.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CEPALTE69N9F?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rambles on and on about drugs and alcohol - page after page with little content. Wish I could get a refund.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YNYHT3UU8F9H?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved it so much!  hated when  I was done with it.  hope I find another as good!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K950AEFIRTWZ?ASIN=0316055441	Sublime.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sublime. A journey we all take is just getting thru this life and Potter did it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GRK9ZC7GLE32?ASIN=0316055441	Good writing. Lots of thought provoking ideas	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long book.  Good writing. Lots of thought provoking ideas, people and incidents.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WN3BF4OLCDLL?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It held my interest from the beginning.  I couldn't put it down. Nicely written.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PCLHW8POZGW1?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great beginning but gets very bogged down with too much detail in later chapters</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T6EH8IHRLZ46?ASIN=0316055441	Definitely recommend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some red herrings, but generally kept my interest and the writing was enjoyable.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVFOG5AQSKAGK?ASIN=0316055441	Some prose could have been helped further by better editing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intensely New York. Some prose could have been helped further by better editing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ODBN6MTW1HJ6?ASIN=0316055441	Great Tale - 'deep' Ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent storyline, just the ending turned to being intensely philosophical.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RGQK91Z11J9W?ASIN=0316055441	Great read, well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">an unexpected pleasure.  Not your standard plot line.  Great read, well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IITW1AGPFNDX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book held my interest from beginning to end.  I didn't want to put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z3NOZCDKMC4V?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">really good but three ways throught it I felt it dragged but then got good again</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27KQOHJOCB6XY?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was long but it kept you interested! Not a soap opera just a very good story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31NWDLR4WBWCF?ASIN=0316055441	that started great and became very tedious at the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a very long novel, that started great and became very tedious at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R364RKEKBBTWQM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a good book!  Very deep, but one of those books that you don't want to end!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPIJ0C6HOJEKL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An intricate story with interesting characters and developed plot and sub-plots.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VSSVDSD2KHLY?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book needed a much better editor.  The writer was carried away by her plot.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V4LNYFOXAOQH?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy as much as I thought I would. Slow reading and not page turning.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZZM88QTWI9DE?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent writing, intriguing start, but went on too long and became repetitious</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C3QKAO23GCLA?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writing that takes too much time to move	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">80% description 20% story. Beautiful writing that takes too much time to move on</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F9SBLQQHYZ3O?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing and fun characters.  This book makes me want to read more like it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHPQVPZHEX1MQ?ASIN=0316055441	Intrigue	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lots of twists and turns...  A good book.  I came to dislike the main character.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27OJLCA775RHI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book a lot, could not stop reading it. I definitely recommend it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6TV5IASWQIYF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read. As someone with art knowledge,I very much appreciated this story</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8HWUQR0N12YR?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the beginning but could not get into the drugs, violence and head games.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NKBYJM37UYDN?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">liked it in the beginning but did not enjoy as I went a long and ending not good</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EAQBTPYMJZ1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">truly great (and long) read but not sure if the last 1/5 of the book is Pulitzer</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23DAZTSB56DFT?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing and thought provoking.  I couldn't put this book down.  A must read!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT3MIFMQN9SHI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She writes an awesome story. You feel each and every emotion of her charracters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NVY0Z3OPAXQ9?ASIN=0316055441	Great read Believable characters and compelling plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read<br/>Believable characters and compelling plot.  Beautifully written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GABCY0NBNKOF?ASIN=0316055441	didn't hold my interest & got such great reviews?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just felt that it dragged... didn't hold my interest &amp; got such great reviews?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MNOC57J428BR?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not sure how this book ended up a best seller for so long. Boring abd drawn out.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DR5ZYH0X65KP?ASIN=0316055441	but the story is a bit tedious.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author paints very clear pictures of locale, but the story is a bit tedious.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11QZCBABGM7D0?ASIN=0316055441	Stuck with it and glad I did	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't know that it was 775 pages long. Stuck with it and glad I did.  Loved it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VTKIGBXF03AH?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliantly written. Does not disappoint	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoroughly engaging.  Superb detail.  Brilliantly written.  Does not disappoint.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XKG15MLHR1KL?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It takes a lot of perseverance, but its worth it. A flawed hero's retrospective.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R359W17EM57R6?ASIN=0316055441	Great summer read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent summer read.  Captivating from the first pages and a real page turner.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17FBPWXQBKTAE?ASIN=0316055441	excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the section in Las Vegas too long and distracting....excellent otherwise</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32H6BTUMMUTZG?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the writing was good thoughout, however, the ending was a little too pat for me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUIE5T9N431GK?ASIN=0316055441	Don't waste your time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unbelieveable that she won a Pulitzer Prize for the most over-written, long-winded book I've ever read.  Each chapter read like an assignment for a creative writing class.  Over 800 pages of indulgent, artificial, unconvincing drivel.  Will someone please tell me what happened in the garbage in Amsterdam?  And the Park Avenue family - about as big a cliche as you can get.  We all could have written that family.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IPH36ZDHC3WZ?ASIN=0316055441	BOOOOOrinng	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't believe how much acclaim this author has received, for the most boring piece of literature I have read in a long time. Way too much detail on every nuance, on every movement, on every incident, enough already..., so much so that it works to help one fall asleep. Probably could have done the same with about 300 fewer pages.  Interesting premise, but not much more than that. Sorry, but to me it was a dud.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R369K4QP16JKQU?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a good read some part slow and difficult to get thorugh but overall a good read</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JULDJ6H6HQBP?ASIN=0316055441	Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall it's a good book. It is a little wordy at times but an excellent story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FKTSVJSRKBVG?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful details on antiques and the	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Richly textured characters and story, beautiful details on antiques and the art</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XCRUBB2O6OL5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent novel, full of Tartt's uncanny descriptions and poetic writing style.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HTL981GFYFN1?ASIN=0316055441	what is there not to like about this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">omg she won the pulizer for fiction! what is there not to like about this book?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9NG19HNQXI4G?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a feel good novel but pretty good. Felt intellectual whilst reading it. Lol</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C0WDL4G9HZY0?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good solid premise but unnecessarily long winded in certain parts; too verbose.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18H0Q05O4PYVQ?ASIN=0316055441	it is [in my opinion] not a great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think the press coverage is overblown; it is [in my opinion] not a great book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC8VXH7PR1S58?ASIN=0316055441	Great book club read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A real page turner full of life questions. I cared deeply about the characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDFO4IP21PIXZ?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book was very wordy.  Long book for the telling of a short story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37O008DHCW3DB?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Writing and rhythm coagulate with overdone detail, causing me to lose interest.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SANAVHNVJJ6?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent - riveting - a little preachy at the end, but outstanding until then.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R138O3J7NBO1D1?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long winded book, a little confusing at times. Not a book I really enjoyed</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OC1ZY95CBIJM?ASIN=0316055441	All I can do is second the many positive comments ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">All I can do  is second the many positive comments that already have been made.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21D828LQBOWZM?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting but too long. It could have been said in 300 rather than 700 pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7TF2IPE947D8?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it. Had me thinking all the way. Wish there were more books like this one</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DENY5A1KR5A7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best book I have read all year. It is definitely in my top ten of all time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA5I7P7MQBSZU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great story, good author. It is a pleasure to read good writing and good story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12YRPVQGHLY7X?ASIN=0316055441	Great storyteller!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long book but well written and held my attention throughout. Great storyteller!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E68TNCWRAXSA?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I have read in years!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A compelling story...unique, engaging, frustrating, heartbreaking, redeeming!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22E4T1X3H3U4O?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book, but it took a while to get into it.  It was also too long,.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NOKH7SJ1O6PF?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. It was truly worthy of the Pulitzer Prize which it received.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXNT05OKPULT7?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written story about a young boys life after the loss of his mother.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8RL0WE774PCK?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story telling. The only flaw is the too explicit moral stance at the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OB75K933CW1O?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome. Totally devoured the book in days!!! Looking forward to her next novel</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSF4Z42MV7MBA?ASIN=0316055441	very enjoyable.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written with interesting characters and plot.  I learned some things, too.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ERD5122KU87A?ASIN=0316055441	Well deserved award.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sometimes uncomfortable to absorb, this author tells her tale in fine fashion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI79SE8QERE3I?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've tried on three separate occasions to read the book and can't get into it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD8X7IUBWA95G?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very enjoyable read a bit hard to get into it at the start but stick with it !</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23BSMAA576RO6?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling read - hard to put down - damaged characters searching for meaning.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W53X153NQ909?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story line, Great writing. A little long. It could have been three books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25D7TSD1TQYUY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is an excellent book--it took me way to long to read it though!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R248AZ2SSLYBF7?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great author - little bit of mystery and suspense with an unpredictable ending</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UMVF9X6SGCBW?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little too long and wordy but keeps your attention and has lots of suspence.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32KCPNQV1DCM7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of my favorite all-time books and the fastest 1200 pages you'll ever read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CGME4AMPPTPT?ASIN=0316055441	Good story. Makes me want to see the picture ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At times, too wordy.  Good story.  Makes me want to see the picture some time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35YGOS9KTWAZT?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I did enjoy this book. I felt it was far too long without needing to be.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HL2HWFAX5TOK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Took me a while to get into the book but aftr the first 50 pages I was hooked.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B9KMJH2L5SBX?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed it, although the suspense was stressful at times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A real page turner.  Enjoyed it, although the suspense was stressful at times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D6PJK8FCCR5K?ASIN=0316055441	Buy only if you need a doorstop	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was like a two week root canal. Overwrought, self indulgent , tripe.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13ZK1SX7J9CAH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic book. Hugely complex in characters and plot and beautifully written.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSXDEW8M46VJZ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed the book.  Never could have dreamed up all the twist and turns.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HPH3BZH4GZ2V?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read, great characters and unique storyline. Did not want it to end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDSFYZWJKPST7?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long winded but worth the read. However I disagree with the ending philosophy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PXU5R83MBVN0?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth the effort.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is great if you have hours to waste reading boring, rambling drivel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FHT7GWNFYAB?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazingly well-written, and riveting story. It's a little depressing, however.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBOE0AO4KQATO?ASIN=0316055441	... violence--have to read it to the end to really love it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a little wordy -- some violence--have to read it to the end to really love it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CKET95NUWKY6?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and too detailed.  Took away from the story.  Lost track of the plot.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUZAO24I8CX4F?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A a high level it was a good story. Just way too wordy and unnecessary detail.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7EYGAQIJVOWW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books ever. A little dark in places but over all well worth it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SO12GWCZ5S6A?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved it, every page - not a feel good book but a solid and wonderful story...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YWTEQ1JWV79O?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Seemed a little slow at first but then I couldn't put it down! Amazing story !</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IL284Q4PUB9X?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was long but I enjoyed reading it &amp; would read another book by this author.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R72HP32RPU5E3?ASIN=0316055441	this could have been better	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I eagerly awaited this novel, since I loved the writing and stories of her last two novels. This one had the same gorgeous writing, but it was repetitive. The protagonist was unlikable, which is rarely a problem for me, but this one was just simply dull despite the unbelievable horrors swirling around him. I felt this could have been a superb story if it had been different from right after the explosion.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3395Y40YQNFJH?ASIN=0316055441	Another super book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best seller no doubt about it; best story no doubt about it; fine literature!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R691UT5PH6NRX?ASIN=0316055441	Be Ready To Lose A Couple Of Weeks To This Book - Can't Put It Down!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a better book written in a long time...  Everyone should read this book!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y73LU6Z5OFNW?ASIN=0316055441	THE GOLDFINCH NOT ALL GOLD	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but honestly, 25% of the book less would have been a good thing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QQKM48NQIAN8?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good story but parts where it drags on too much, but would def recommend</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23YDIKIP98CPU?ASIN=0316055441	but overall would recommend.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fast paced.  Towards the end a bit unbeleivable, but overall would recommend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X41QKE9YEDGL?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story but should have been heavily edited to remove extraneous  detours</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMBMRGHFO8U6H?ASIN=0316055441	MUST read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Definitely deserving of the Pulitzer! One of the best books I have ever read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OJL6KPV4U498?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most boring books I've read in awhile. It was difficult to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWV2ZV1QYDRLM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book got a little slow for a while then picked up. Couldn't put it down!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LHCQ8AQHC3RZ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but the story seemed to drag on and the ending was inconclusive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F5YA2I4QUME3?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it interesting but hard to finish. It really didn't hold my interest.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R279JUU3LSZXD9?ASIN=0316055441	to read ... or not to read. worthwhile for sure.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it. Really kept me wanting to turn those pages. Good lesson at the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AT3NQ032J0VM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a wonderful, thought provoking good read. I highly recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HK7ZPDPWB57Y?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful. A long book but a fast read because you won't want to put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6HCA1BJLQZP9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lived up to the hype... a little long, but in the end, very moving and human.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MBB6F3ADJKHM?ASIN=0316055441	I recommend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">extremely interesting book.  more philosophical than fiction.  I recommend it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAVHDLOHBTOA7?ASIN=0316055441	boring, and dark book and a complete waste of ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a long, depressing, boring, and dark book and a complete waste of time!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32CWPELJX07WT?ASIN=0316055441	GRIPPING BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN FULLY DESERVING OF ALL ACCOLADES AND	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">GRIPPING BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN<br/>FULLY DESERVING OF ALL ACCOLADES AND AWARDS</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5TOXMXXGM3IY?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way to much swearing distracts from the story and does nothing to enhance it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I308KWAVKLMK?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful writing, compelling story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow! Just Wow. Wonderful writing, compelling story. About as good as it gets.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS5JEMBJTNSKC?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the story. It kept me interested but a little too repetetive sometimes.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2545UHVHOL8L2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant read - didn't want it to finish - though I didn't like the ending!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XQGRQI375RYY?ASIN=0316055441	It had the basis for a good story BUT	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too Many drug scenes in it for me.  It had the basis for a good story  BUT!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D9FXJM5PJAYL?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic book. Theo really makes you sorry for him. Ending was terrible tho.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10W672W5LM2MN?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">drugs drugs and more drugs  and then more drugs  very knowledgeably presented</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K5HK1STS2LNT?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of my favorite books this year.  Story of a young man's tough years growing up.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14FW2N7FQD2G0?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Starts great but after a while begins to slog along.  Needed a better editor.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TD54LVYBDR90?ASIN=0316055441	I liked it but I'm not sure how much.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a beautiful writer.  I've read all her books and enjoyed them.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R121S40OWYZXIG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read could not put it down. Lots of life lessons - anything is possible</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SU7UM6J5KGMB?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book. A lot of twists and turns. I didn't want to put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G6E4JXFQF76V?ASIN=0316055441	however disappointed with the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow, what a ride. Couldn't put it down, however disappointed with the ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY9J4ATV3YKRZ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think the writing was phenomenal but it went on and on - wandered too much.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZKGRN14CP95L?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great start on the novel but then it lost it's story line with all the drugs.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CN6BQ9Y4VVEI?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've read in many years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredible book.  Best book I've read in many years.  Wonderful in every way.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R249008D7XEXZ?ASIN=0316055441	I found the story to long and slow.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The  subject was interesting  but I skipped a lot when the story bogged down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPEHKHBMORCP3?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, although the end seemed a little rushed trying to wrap things up.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CK2HG2764H3O?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pretty much the dark side.  Disappointed for it being a Pulitzer Prize book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM4S9DVI3PY7K?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great plot. Well written, but a bit too long. Definitely would recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25P3Z7RZPA7X2?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writing. Excellent story telling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful writing.  Excellent story telling.  Wonderfully human.  Thank you.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPW61HS5Q0IMP?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating!  I truly could not put the book down and did not want an ending</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EEJ6TW139RVX?ASIN=0316055441	Good Book overall but Long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good Book, very long and deep. Ending isn't as exciting as you would expect.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BTOICFQ02TDL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put the book down.  Kept my attention throughout the entire book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OCT5X3NV8AUL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Many thoughts to ponder as wonderful characters emerge in an engaging story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQIU2RB8EJWWZ?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very wordy and just plain boring and depressing.  Had a hard time finishing!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ML3513MLLQXF?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very enjoyable story. Takes some interesting turns and keeps you interested.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35ROPLL2IE8D7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a great read......couldn't put it down.....well written.....10 books in one!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IXH649CVFHBZ?ASIN=0316055441	Good story. Beginning was hard to get through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story.  Beginning was hard to get through.  ending was abrupt.  Was ok.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20TS1KNFTZEY9?ASIN=0316055441	Characters are flawed, often unlikable, but still lovable.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little slow at times, but very vivid description and wonderful characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KD3G8RTOT0OE?ASIN=0316055441	Poetically written and fine attention to	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Vivid and unique characters. Poetically written and fine attention to detail</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BKBFMQ2MLLZW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. A page turner all the way and extremely unpredictable. Loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ROF7YCGRFDQS?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author tried way too hard to connect extreme and disjointed experiences.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PKZ575CQN6P9?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It starts out well and then. I had to force myself to finish it.  Contrived.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MIBLGUSBLS3J?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An incredible story! Though long ,you never feel it! Every page is riveting!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36T9KTWEMVXCJ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, only four stars because I felt certain parts were too drawn out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ON1JV7I9YXQZ?ASIN=0316055441	I really enjoyed this magnificent novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exquisite language and dense story; I really enjoyed this magnificent novel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NZAHCGC9XR2O?ASIN=0316055441	Great expectations, blighted	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was determined to ignore the sinking feeling that the false notes in this puzzlingly acclaimed novel evoked in me from its earliest pages... a growing resentment whose aggregation eventually became impossible to surmount. By a couple of hundred pages in I'd had enough. I would suggest interested potential readers borrow it from their local library. Definitely a ""try before you buy"" product.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EQCKNS5G5VZG?ASIN=0316055441	I didn't really like the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Popper, Popchik, Popchyk. Which is it?! The dog's name was Popper. Boris called him Popchik. But then it becomes Popchyk. Why? Fail editor.<br/><br/>1 star for Hobie.<br/>1 star for Pippa.<br/>1 star for the ending.<br/><br/>Otherwise, I didn't really like the book. It was made up of unlikable characters, besides Hobie and Pippa. It was a good ending for a long, mostly boring book. :/</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H5MJWHQ84RAD?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting plot twists, interesting characters.  Definitely worth reading!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IE39B7MBRE8M?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved every second of it. Read the other two books. Hope she writes more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK13O8QBKGYUV?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long and detailed but a good read that captures modern life very well.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33O2MHWQWU4MY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it, very lengthy but very easy to follow. great story really enjoyed.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R236WLEFEDYUVL?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This took forever to get thru- good but could have ditched about 100 pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24H0BXVCPRE4K?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exceptionally well written and fast paced with elegant , eloguent language.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R312YGQ0QPQ9ZZ?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author is a woman but the protagonist is a male.  Couldn't get into it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXM8SC86NQ3CZ?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I kept reading thinking I was going to be rewarded at the end. Not so much.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z9DI8MSGXCXW?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this an extremely long winded book and wonder why I stuck with it !</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AQ1WG8PCB28F?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not care for the book; about 500 pages longer than it should have been.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32S9JHRYTJYU8?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book by great modern write. Beautiful, ironic, sad and inspirational.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20E4XX6LNZJP4?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At times the book is quite boring and drawn out, but overall a great story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D5KO9UBTNQTI?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very deep and long book. Hard to follow at times, but interesting and real.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FNIU1LRIKSPC?ASIN=0316055441	enjoyed it a great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Outstanding read... incredible talented writing.... enjoyed it a great deal</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K347B592PZET?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fun read start to finish...but at times I found it very hard to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LMJLJ88DOVFH?ASIN=0316055441	nice and complex	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">nice twisty turny plot and sheds light on antiquing as well as drug culture</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12U78WYNR10TK?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Possibly the best book I have read this year.  Great character development.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LF74Y8VSCUU9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic read.. sometimes a bit detailed in description but, amazing story</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C05S09HYCPDV?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read in a long time.<br/>Her detail is amazing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R737W67SAX9XH?ASIN=0316055441	fair story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was interesting, but it was way overwritten. Way too much detail.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HXA1ZLL0OSHN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book.Character growth and evolution is wonderful. Great journey.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAJ9IHPGBVLCT?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much of the drug scene. I expected the story line to be much different.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37ETQWV3HG8U9?ASIN=0316055441	Seems like she must have been paid by the word	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Needed some strong editing. Seems like she must have been paid by the word!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUVDFQIXQ705J?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Frankly, I had trouble getting through. I almost didn't care what happened.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GFA7953LI9Q0?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very different read. Interesting author and an interesting tale.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9Z97DTTI5RBW?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely well-written book which held my interest from first page to last.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKOK0FYHMB6MG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read it before she won the awards and understood why she received them all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MOUL6A94WFZD?ASIN=0316055441	I'm not sure why I like the main character	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of my favorites. I'm not sure why I like the main character, but I do.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CFTFADUZKJTC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best written books I've ever read in my life!  Thank you Donna.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ECMZQURVYTIT?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have ever read in terms of fiction. I wanted more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H1KJE5AHLBCK?ASIN=0316055441	excellent book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this is a thoroughly entertaining novel it is excellent and excellent read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E1QSKY9MDBCS?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is very good story. It is very detailed and takes you into his world.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EQAOUVUV9R3G?ASIN=0316055441	Good story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It didn't live up to the hype for me. Good story... But dragged on places.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9FS710H02M6G?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">They got it right: SHE got right! Tarty deserves her awards and accolades.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ112RVCGO4EQ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good plot, good characters, but, at 771 pages, badly needed a good editor.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BEMHSQUKPBBK?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wordy and long. Could have cut a lot out and it wouldn't have been missed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G6A868J18UW0?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book was depressing and about a character that I won't want to be or meet.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ESLDBRRD309M?ASIN=0316055441	A page turner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dark but riveting.  Could not put it down even with many unsavory moments.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F80DTAYYBWF6?ASIN=0316055441	well worth the pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">superb spellbinding writing ...it's really difficult to put this book down</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZEKM8OCUOT39?ASIN=0316055441	Not what I expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good at first, then takes a long time to go through.  Not my type of book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTZJQZRK1RL7K?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good but not a page turner and expected more from a Pulitzer prize winner.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QY2WX0LXOPWR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in a long time. I think I am in love with this author.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XB3KXBH0YMDO?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">everyone else gave it great reviews . It was good, to me not over the top!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T0ST62WML29W?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good book. Halfway through it, it becomes very difficult to put down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3636QKAHD0HLK?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Someone recommended this writer to me but really, she doesn't work for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16GVGVJL2DJZQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book!!  I hated that it had to end.  Truly a page-turning book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18YIIP7UD8E2J?ASIN=0316055441	other than that it was a pretty good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the ending went on too long ... other than that it was a pretty good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R4IK1DUJIEL6?ASIN=0316055441	Pretty disappointed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Muddled, slow, and hard to follow. Strangely written. Pretty disappointed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NYUUV0LY5V6O?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A gift for school's ""Book Walk"" for Fall festival.  Have not read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LIQL2LPE7NSC?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not like it one little bit.  Don't know what the big deal is about it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J1OH4B3MGJ4F?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">starts great-then gets way bogged down in the middle-whats the hype about?</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24OH3TX64A6G9?ASIN=0316055441	best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">best book ever.  easy reading.  almost like poetry.  everybody should read</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FDOU1ALMKIUC?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good story but it dragged on with details that made the book go on forever</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9A1U8DPYWFL8?ASIN=0316055441	Fast read in the beginning then slows down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book. Well written, but a little overly long. Some could be left out.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DXXWD9IX0SJ5?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall I enjoyed the book. A good reminded to always look for the beauty.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25K9052D6S38Q?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disturbing and wonderful. Love the rich language and intricate story line.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27WNGQT9K1SQT?ASIN=0316055441	not a favorite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although it was very interesting, parts of it were too long and drawn out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QJ2U5WD8GHOO?ASIN=0316055441	Hunter Thompson would have loved it... I did!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In short a redemptive 21st Century Fear and Loathing brilliantly executed.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30GZQSQSH4RYM?ASIN=0316055441	Quick, compelling adventure with depth	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quick, compelling story.  Leaves you with much to think about and analyze.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCXBL7QLOPUR3?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put the book down...sometimes painful to read but so addicting!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I23LXHH253ST?ASIN=0316055441	I was sad when I finally finished it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a long book, yet so engrossing! I was sad when I finally finished it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NFAR28G4N21F?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer really?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many words, too little literary value. It was a struggle to finish it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y5V2BNQW8NOM?ASIN=0316055441	Best Seller lists are not the best indicators	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was fooled into this one. Best Seller lists are not the best indicators!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4LHIVGX68OHL?ASIN=0316055441	Deserving of Pulitzer Prize.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent reading.  Well written, thought provoking, very good story line.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11LIRIHSVOLZB?ASIN=0316055441	Can anyone actually survive all this substance abuse?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very intense.....great story.....ending seemed rather ""Ayn Radian""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VH5IRMKS923H?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book, even though the ending was a bit contrived.  Well written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WNIFOD1PE23E?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing descriptive writing. Enjoyed being transformed into another world.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39ZOV2B47LV3P?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Characters were well developed but the story line was not very satisfying.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ISRJQ1ECD0RQ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating and enjoyable but a little redundant in descriptive narrative.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y51ZNYRX6KR6?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Took me awhile to feel engaged but still wanted to read to the conclusion.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KJ47R2CQ6P5M?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got disgusted with the vodka and drugs and couldn't continue reading it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCVKT9QNNWDWW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Riveting!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F3LTFDWYZFSX?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35N2YCFNJ3U74?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Drags on.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22POCZO874LQ3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good story; excellent writing; I learned something about art appreciation</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROM94F4944TND?ASIN=0316055441	Good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed the beginning and the end. The middle dragged on too long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LPK2JOG5ZOD9?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written but the end wasn't exactly what I would have hoped for.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C1LTXGW7PHZK?ASIN=0316055441	I didn't like the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story held my interest until the last chapter. I didn't like the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14RD5QFJFUJDB?ASIN=0316055441	Great story. HATED the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story.  HATED the ending.  Very preachy and the ending felt rushed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31DYU9G19G9KH?ASIN=0316055441	I really enjoyed it but there were some places that I did ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed it but there were some places that I did not understand.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C1KDGRYEMGNU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She only writes a book every 10 years but it's definitely worth the wait!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGEJGPX4890UU?ASIN=0316055441	Boring at	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy-could have gotten story told in half the words. Boring at times</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXF4PRDZ7N6ER?ASIN=0316055441	Just read it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this book down.  Love the Donna Tartt's style of writing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XL9UUILGZ5YZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can's say enough about this book. I read all of it in less than a week!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IG8E2DZX7CBI?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read except for the ending, which I found boring and unsatisfactory.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ILMOS8F32T90?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This will make a great movie......interesting characters..I do recommend!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30BL14LRVQQK8?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book although the author could, at times, be less verbose.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PIRLMZEML5WQ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story and character building, but much wordier than it needed to be.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAL19WUW27GPD?ASIN=0316055441	a great fiction read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book was so well written that I couldn't put it down.  Great fiction</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22HF52U4N7QI5?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Maybe I just don't get it.  Too long, too many drugs, too much craziness.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OZ2A903G9CQ8?ASIN=0316055441	Not for me.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not get into this book and I tried about 4 times.  Just too slow.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNG49BU02JHKY?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the worst books I've ever read.  Would not recommend it to anyone.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39WSR4COEWPAC?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just ok, kind of long and drawn out.  Felt alittle incomplete at the end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EHQEDNM2UYMJ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such an interesting, absorbing story; characters so different and real...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H3SI7ER7N66T?ASIN=0316055441	Buckel up and enjoy.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is a pull to this novel that keeps you interested to the last page.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CFRC39XS7U5E?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read but has a lot of slow spots in it before it finally gets going.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LSMXQPDR4MXP?ASIN=0316055441	Best novel of the year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books I have ever read. Tarrt is a gifted writer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4BPLCPIRI4NY?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started off great then got jumbled and  tangential. Very disappointed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V2MQPAERXKT?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good, but the end left you hanging.  (What happened to other characters?)</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EEY507BKBXSK?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book with a wonderful message.  Rather lengthy, but worth the read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22PZRJH3GCCWQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am in the camp of people who loved this book. One of my top three ever.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OLDBE3Y0AIKY?ASIN=0316055441	Maybe not P Prize material, but an excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent story, with well developed characters and some fun plot twists.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16X15GCHSAQC8?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, pulls you in quickly. A bit long and wordy last 100 + pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UVNCR3BEV9DL?ASIN=0316055441	... it was to heavy in description it became a tedious book to	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was to heavy in description it became a tedious book to read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P44FBDZMEQ2E?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed this book but did not like the ending.  It was a let down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GN1R9GC39DW2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Only half way through and it's hard to put down.  Enjoying it thoroughly.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7T2NTMNZSYN9?ASIN=0316055441	Would not recommend.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the book lasted too long.  Didn't keep my interest.  Would not recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWNA10RZ5KP8M?ASIN=0316055441	Good but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very long winded. Good points, good story, but long winded.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VSCZZEAA654A?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it annoyingly long. Hard to believe it's a Pulitzer Prize winner.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4WFZ6JAKAF4?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story but to long and wordy. Should have been about a third shorter.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39DRXRWQY6WVS?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, a real page-turner and absolutely deserving of the Pulitzer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8KQ2XAJQX70E?ASIN=0316055441	A good start	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started out well but soon became too complicated with drugs and gangs.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R376DMW238UQEC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read! Deft hand at writing an ending. Can't stop thinking about it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R269TMRE3QBHN?ASIN=0316055441	Good reading for the first half!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossing up to a point - then it just becomes a jumbled mess of a story. Plot becomes very cumbersome and I found myself only reading every other page and not missing anything! So much strange philosophical 'wisdom' dominates the final pages. Suddenly you feel that you are involved in a different book. I really liked the first half---- then it became a very very long read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKJ6NJO7SP7GD?ASIN=0316055441	Save you time and read a different book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cannot figure out why this book is popular and at the top of the sales list for so many weeks. I dragged on for seemingly forever. I barely made it throught it. The basic story line was interesting but there was so much blather it spoiled the read. Maybe it is a book for females and not for males. I just about quit half way thru but hoped it would get better. It did not!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YKYOR1S4XKUN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can't believe I'm just getting around to reading this!  A musr read book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20PPPCR72P7AV?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Most memorable book. Highly recommend. Long by you don't want it to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39OJ7DT1BBCOB?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very good story, but long and ending a bit slow - but probably by design</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKJ4NDY8NJX4P?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful story, so rich in images, descriptions, and profound thoughts.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRZDLWRZAM2Z8?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fresh, original and a readable. Entertaining ans absorbing. Well written</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRGE8YLCITEXO?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A million too many words!  I got lost reading it!  Not very interesting.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVJSXLYNUK71Q?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was very long and drawn out,  I also did not care for the characters.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QMW5361PDSRP?ASIN=0316055441	Tiresome read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much angst. It got too depressing, beautifully written nevertheless.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FUQVDKXO5PQN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the best books I've ever read.  I absolutely loved it!!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FHOG981RY86?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have ever read! Heartbreakingly beautiful story!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AYGNUBSFXVAX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrific story but book arrived with missing torn page half way through.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14DMD03U0BAWU?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">way to much drug s and alcohol  in this book and it just drug on forever</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OJW01GVWOYVL?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got through about the first 100 pages of this book and had to give up.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DTULQLW0CI9H?ASIN=0316055441	perfect read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">page one, it had me hooked.  fantastic read, glad it was nice and long!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCM6EVY77D4WP?ASIN=0316055441	DON'T BOTHER	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I absolutely did not like this story.  Both of them deserved each other.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F3MVR4B21TLH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant, horrifying, intelligent, engrossing.  Did not want it to end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VM208LGMPZQD?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but the ending and character development was disappointing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM62FL9XKA2GH?ASIN=0316055441	This is an excellent read from the first chapter to the very last ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an  excellent read from the first chapter to the very last page.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NNAW9GRJGQ8M?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent...a bit too wordy in a few sections, but overall a great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YDB2PUILVWAK?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">what the heck are those rave reviews about?  This book drags on forever!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M91461OWB0BT?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful book. I couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book.  I couldn't put it down!  May have to red it again!!!  L</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HNHBE3HIZYM4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have read in years; I would highly recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T3PFNBJA9LVS?ASIN=0316055441	Get back to reading! Put that phone down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous! Best book I have read in a long time.  I couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RATMWY61S2M3K?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So far enjoying it very much, half way through but find it  bit lengthy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FMSUWVIFG5J0?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too much information, too much foreign languages too much blah blah blah</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12Q0WHG87MKRN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book! A beautiful and twisted journey of a young mans life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32MF17FTK35RP?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many esoteric discussions and self reflections by the main character</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AUAVDP00FGY5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Easy and fast read despite being quite a long book. Hard to put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OOE9DHYN67I3?ASIN=0316055441	Utterly disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Truly one of the worst books I have read in years. Deeply disappointing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EO9845SAMEAO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the best and most interestin well wriiten book  I have read in years!!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XHH5GFLDJPIM?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful, wonderful book.  Well-written,great characters, I loved it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UZWZ1BCRUCOO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved it I kept wondering what would happen to the main character next</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FZ3PPXKWQ194?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, very descriptive but would have liked the plot to move faster</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TNVUQG0E175A?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great story. so well developed. hard to put down. it should be a movie.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FVV7FT3JXMRD?ASIN=0316055441	Just not as terrific as all the hype about it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is enjoyable.  Just not as terrific as all the hype about it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R123C3BF7MLOKA?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think she is too ""wordy"".  The book should have been shorter!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IP08J6U1ZPAF?ASIN=0316055441	sad and crazy at the same time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too contrived.  A growing up boy story, sad and crazy at the same time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDXNP971D8QSY?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ugh. I never want to suffer through this book again. Thanks, book club!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHV4YDTX73GCG?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy. Seems the author is trying too hard to impress her audience.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DAX0LCZ3CTJK?ASIN=0316055441	One of my favorites!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long book but continue on as the story becomes so rich and beautiful!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO0FVQC8B5TAO?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch has everything.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Complex plot, interesting characters, beautiful writing, unforgettable!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NEQ30SL88EW7?ASIN=0316055441	Alright, already	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book.  However, the longer I read, the less I enjoyed...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GNKF03E5UELI?ASIN=0316055441	Good Story, No Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a good story. However, I don't see a Pulitzer Prize in the book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NGJ218SPDZC1?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a long book and I felt often rambled with little need. It was ok.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TUWEC76GPCXQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best piece of literature I have read in several years. A must read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32JICDVWDQNJC?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very really do I not finish a book. This was one that I struggled with.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V6AUU1RLIH6S?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a really well narrated book, keeps one interested the whole way</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MZL18SXJS59T?ASIN=0316055441	Book may be over rated though it's a popular favorite.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Shipped on time. Book may be over rated though it's a popular favorite.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R309646IVCR0X6?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many twists and turns to be believable.  Shades of deus ex machina.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SI1ENHYPLK03?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">All I can say was a great story but an ending that never seemed to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBNVBBSKV6XME?ASIN=0316055441	A memorable read.. tugs at your heart for ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A memorable read..tugs at your heart for the lost child inside the man.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GJYYF347HZUI?ASIN=0316055441	Arresting use of language! Keeps you focused until the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Arresting use of language!  Keeps you focused until the very last page!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M3L6BZH8JXJA?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed it but wonder if Theo ever saw Pippa again	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very intense story. Enjoyed it but wonder if Theo ever saw Pippa again.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MPJC1VDAFNIV?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, well written. enjoyed the characters. Kept me entertained.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PD77NAPL17MN?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put this book down.  Very well written and keeps you thinking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS41FJ31IYX67?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sure kept my interest. A bit depressing but really an interesting tale.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZPWDAJPV1PW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the best book I have read in years!  The writing was terrific!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DZELPSFRN0NO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was very well written....the two main characters were so endearingly</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q0X7OVNODOGW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Highly recommend this book.  It was a long read but well worth reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUOS18NCSGAQ7?ASIN=0316055441	Pretty decent. Long read and some boring parts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pretty decent.  Long read and some boring parts, but all in all decent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W5VX9U6XHEHP?ASIN=0316055441	A good read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Different in style and need to get used to format, but otherwise great!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMP1U0UP4LNEB?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting tale but I think it could have been told in 400 less pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T8Z4T20AWN0C?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great use of language and words. Makes me want to read her other books.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCC92ZLCFWRRM?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really kept my interest. Was very anxious while reading it. Great read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13SLCB2XWOWTC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lengthy and fairly dark but one of my best reads in the last few years.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7B2JGQYCELH8?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyable in parts but tedious in others	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overly long. Enjoyable in parts but tedious in others. Required editing</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZJHMB977WP22?ASIN=0316055441	Great book, very intense	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the very beginning this book kept me intrigued. Very well written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LEVJPT9I20AS?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt has done it again	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has done it again.  Page-turning story of a thirteen-year-old boy who survives a bombing at the Met in NYC.  She deftly ties together art, the reality of NYC, and the sadness of losing parents.  Anyone who can write an almost-800 page book that keeps the momentum going is an amazing author.  My only complaint is that she hasn't written enough books!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JI02WLS6EOK2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, wonderful read.  Very long, but worth every word.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J7XC2D0I3IWK?ASIN=0316055441	Good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The main character drove me a bit crazy with his choices and attitude.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PG2J4I5W8N68?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would give it a 10 if I could; fabulous story and very well written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SPMLS1FW4ICJ?ASIN=0316055441	Great reading!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot of this book keps your interest allert all through the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R279JUVB5Z5BQB?ASIN=0316055441	Good story but weak ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story took a while to get up to speed. Good story but weak ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV8GJV16HP2CF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read. Beautifully written entertaining and compelling story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWEXQ8F2PCVX9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic read! Loved the imagery and the characters; especially Boris</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XZEUTK1FT1LH?ASIN=0316055441	The prose is beautiful. The story is slow at times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So well written!  The prose is beautiful.  The story is slow at times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LI94SNKCYYC6?ASIN=0316055441	Aaaa	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A nice long read, perfect for vacation so I only had to take one book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16KEEWSDV7092?ASIN=0316055441	I liked it. It wouldn't be one of my favorited	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a ))long book.  I liked it. It wouldn't be one of my favorited.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XTHFN0CH7YLK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book could not put down only little disappointed with ending</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QBWHXNGTDIHB?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is too dark and depressing.  It was not pleasure to read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30RUOB912573A?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this book for the most part.<br/>It was a little long though.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DJRG282IRA69?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent! Highly recommend.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling and superbly written.  It definitely lives up to it's hype.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31O5A8FVUDBEV?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, though way too long. Actually couldn't wait for it to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19OPBC51A0HXE?ASIN=0316055441	Meh...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">People raved about this book, but I just didn't hook into the story...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ5LNBZ1V3YSC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best novel I've read in years!  It as close to perfect as you can get!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BRHIUAFOA4XH?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long but still enjoyable!  It was difficult for me to get through.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XG6V1QO773TY?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pretty good book, pretty long and was kind of ready for it to be over.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30LEY8O68Z99Y?ASIN=0316055441	Top Of List for books!  The Goldfinch!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book.  Intelligently written. Kept me captivated throughout!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4G5X6I5I8WOT?ASIN=0316055441	... book depressing however did finish it and did not like ending!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found book depressing however did finish it and did not like ending!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VJ3WA6LM6IXR?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard to get started and rolling but once in gear, hard to put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS9CE5KGZAS9Q?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved every moment. Words like jewels, characters I fell in love with.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AL7R1FN4KOMM?ASIN=0316055441	So very good!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I literally could not put this down.  It will always be a part  of me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K5FKYTL0DQ73?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Phenomenal. One of the best books I've ever read. So beautifully told.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PQST93LLX2WQ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit too long in areas with parts of the story not seeming relevant .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E3BPH5RD0DQC?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Over rated book. I cannot understand how this book won Pulitzer prize!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FO2KIHBTR1QC?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After the beginning in NY and Vegas I lost interest!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LSHVJ05IL52T?ASIN=0316055441	Great story,	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book last weekend and I couldn't put it down. Great story,</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MES3YWE0DB0G?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was great, but I don't think I like reading first person narrative.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGJH7U38YOHPF?ASIN=0316055441	A winner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love this book! Excellent writing and interesting plot and characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NEMG37GT9YXH?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer shmulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good characters and good story. With that said...verbose and unending!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R205TI57YA8DJ0?ASIN=0316055441	bad story line	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Poorly written, too long, bad story line, flat ending.  Waste of time!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4Z6ZUE9UBUKX?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent. Donna Tartt writes beautifully	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent.  Donna Tartt writes beautifully.  Definitely worth reading.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CK39T6YQ2PE?ASIN=0316055441	I loved it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Except for a small section that I felt was a bit too long, I loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMKB0FVW7ZPXM?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful, intelligent read.  But Tartt lost her way a bit at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J7XRV66QCNI4?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not yet finished. Not sure I understand totally but incredible writing</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WFXLDR0II1WL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, one of the best I have read in years.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBNNP99NJ7XXC?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed the time I spent in Theo's world	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Insightful and thoughtful, I enjoyed the time I spent in Theo's world.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L1LDDK4YR6YE?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very deep and dark story.  It was well written and kept my interest,</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12WXOBAJYRAJM?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book, but could have written in 350 pages not the 775 pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9YT5L6L3UI5N?ASIN=0316055441	Might make a good movie.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting, gripping and a little confusing. Might make a good movie.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P73182YD7RDN?ASIN=0316055441	Worth plowing through...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dark, disturbing. Couldn't put it down.  Disappointingly trite ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20D3RW66FCMYJ?ASIN=0316055441	Blech	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is excrutiating.  Dull and depressing.  I just can't will myself to care about any of these shallow unlikeable characters.  I'm trudging my way through the last 100 pages simply because I've gotten this far and feel compelled to get to the end...not that I really care what happens at this point anyway.  I don't recommend spending the time or money.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JB8PM97NCVW2?ASIN=0316055441	sucker-punched	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Author is a gargantuan talent, and the novel is an amazing achievement. As a reader, you must have a pretty strong stomach for suffering, including graphic descriptions of hard-core drug use. Though I cared deeply for the characters and respect the author's quest for meaning, I have to admit that I felt sucker-punched by the bleakness of the novel's vision.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12AGQ46Q8IF6P?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written tale about life and that it's not always what we expect.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RQF4U0NPL62N?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch Withdrawls	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it!  I was sad when I finished it O wanted it to go on and on!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROH5KWZIRBY6H?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story, really keeps your attention but should have been shorter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18UHS5QQ8RM5Z?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the book.  It moved along and the story line was interesting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10IREVZKFD9JH?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Over long - truly don't know why I read the ""whole"" thing....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20WPT5MWGTB3U?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you're looking for a good book to read, this is it!  I enjoyed it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LPAYYJFEEFE?ASIN=0316055441	What's next for Ms. Tartt?  I want it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely fabulous.  Surprises, good characters and beautiful prose.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8C20YOFA604E?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't imagine why this book is such a hit. It is painfully mundane.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23SA6EM38G2NR?ASIN=0316055441	Book just too long. The story could have been ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book just too long.  The story could have been told in half the time.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R313Y2VEDW0ATP?ASIN=0316055441	Yes and no.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the story....just a bit too drawn out in some areas.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFY9D3DMSMKDJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing! Can't put it down! Where can it go but don't want it to end!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ETO429M506OK?ASIN=0316055441	Not for everyone	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can only say ti wasn't my cup of tea. I know others who loved it. I</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34Z5HQXB2POA1?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not like the style of writing and definitely did not like ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VFL0VZ2MHC3J?ASIN=0316055441	I couldn't even finish it I was so bored.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ugh. Long. Very, very long. I couldn't even finish it I was so bored.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N8DRSUD44F32?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read- slowed a little in Vegas but great once back in New York.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T9Y2BZ5KRDFV?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great story line and very interesting characters, enjoyed very much</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R68B92ILUQN58?ASIN=0316055441	Powerful literature	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most powerful books I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VVW207KXINJ9?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book, well written and keeps your attention to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book,well written and keeps your attention to the very end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSZQILJ23MZ0B?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many lengthy descriptions.....I thought the book would never end!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XDEVGL6RORC3?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book except for last hundred pages. What was she thinking?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SPZES53K95VS?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I truly enjoyed this book, except for a couple of slow, wordy places.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R259NPDDJWLUVM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent with some interesting twists and educational regarding art.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUWXQN8FCOBKJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written and heart wrenching.  Not for the faint of heart.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33I2AB55HY6H4?ASIN=0316055441	... it a bit drawn out / repetitive by overall loved its	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At times I found it a bit drawn out / repetitive by overall loved its</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBIYZXJ8UK6CR?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great story with many interesting characters. Hard one to put down!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PLI5N9IBEJAA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent.....slow and wordy in parts, but overall a worthwhile read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31PH22G81QI27?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read. Enjoyed both the story and the character development.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N8KCX14PBGVI?ASIN=0316055441	Lots of teenage angst. What qualifies a book for ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lots of teenage angst.  What qualifies a book for the Pulitzer Prize?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RYPRK6V8QTYU?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Most of the book was a page turner but the ending was poorly written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HHW32PLQX7WK?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While certain parts did hold my interest, I felt the book dragged on.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C3VL1TH9P8UD?ASIN=0316055441	Not Pulitzer for me or my book club	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too Long.  Very Dark. Didn't feel anything for any of the characters.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19X0ERRN8ENSQ?ASIN=0316055441	I love it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an amazing book.  Superb story line.  I loved the characters.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LATYU0IAVMIY?ASIN=0316055441	don't miss it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book. Not what I expected but couldn't wait to read it all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGRV0Y6C2X9OV?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The descriptive writing is wonderful. The subject matter is horrible.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROS5XGQOI2JH?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">powerful, interesting and the end rather flawed but still intriguing.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11W4O27CB9665?ASIN=0316055441	characters come alive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing story, captivating and profoundly interesting on many levels.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28O65NUMMJ7T3?ASIN=0316055441	OMG what a fantastic story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">All I can say is ""Unbelievable"".  OMG what a fantastic story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X64V01D4MCII?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, compelling story.  Best book I've read in years.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV5BPFHQUQAO1?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good read but confusing and sometimes hard to follow.  needs editing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LBF11MHRPWO8?ASIN=0316055441	Prize Winner?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very difficult to plow through.  I expected more from a prize winner.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GFK5A7OTNGFS?ASIN=0316055441	so worth the effort. A metaphysical nod to following ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">so worth the effort.  A metaphysical nod to following your intuition.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L0JI5M5LVH7E?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting story line, but it seemed to drag and be repetitive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37LOQ7YYTO6BG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written! The characters will live on in my mind forever.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PGR8WZY4LTM7?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard to get started but got better. I wished for a different ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5JOPQIUI4VM8?ASIN=0316055441	Great story buried.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long, very long. A one pound cake with two pounds of frosting on it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRW769O5FWKWD?ASIN=0316055441	Very Boring Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terribly boring.  This book should have been half as long as it was.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EMROB1FFVBL6?ASIN=0316055441	Tour de force	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dark but beautifully written. I shall buy everything she ppublishes.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30H829TCJ24ZF?ASIN=0316055441	Great book. Kept your attention	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book.  Kept your attention. Nice details on antique furniture.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC0NVVLCQ76UC?ASIN=0316055441	and beautifully written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Maybe just a bit too long. But fascinating, and beautifully written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BM2RU5168V2K?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book. Full of suspense and kept me on the edge of my seat.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MI4D72TPZKJ2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is amazing, the detail.....I can't stop thinking about it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2833GGBZ0VHUK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A rollercoaster of a read - hard to put down once you start reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MSWTFZ1YI7CL?ASIN=0316055441	Receiver of this book was happy with it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Bought this item as a gift. Receiver of this book was happy with it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPPVCZ9KRB674?ASIN=0316055441	A Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging study re: mans fraility, delusions and passion.  Good read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38EX5LQVWZ0MQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long book but really loved it. The end was a little drawn out though</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T6LEVY38U1AS?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Easily one of the best books I have ever read.  Beautifully written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22L1UWC55GYVY?ASIN=0316055441	Best Ever!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutley the best book I have ever read!! You cannot put it down!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VSUQVUKQMSFC?ASIN=0316055441	Good action. Good suspense at times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down! Good action. Good suspense at times. Loved it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY9ZJ7007HJNW?ASIN=0316055441	Great writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love this book. Its very long, but just makes it longer to enjoy it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RIDPW57KY6NQ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out well but I found the pace slowed terribly in the middle.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SBFEGNTOYUAX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So well written that I wanted to know what was going to happen next.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19EAV00UWXHBC?ASIN=0316055441	but was a great story and well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It as a slow starter for me, but was a great story and well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LCT80I9PDONW?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written. Main characters likable. Ending was unsatisfying.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R206EAY9SOIMX4?ASIN=0316055441	Terribly boring. You would expect more from a Pulitzer ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terribly boring.  You would expect more from a Pulitzer Award Winner</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GW99X9Y9K9IS?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There was very little action in the book.  I struggled to finish it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDKMSYX9YVS8B?ASIN=0316055441	Gave a good insight into the art world	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much too long and rambling.  Gave a good insight into the art world.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KFWPD8IZGGO0?ASIN=0316055441	Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the bood but felt it was much longer than it needed to be.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WMP6BILPQA97?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A unique story line and wonderful character development and insight.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37410KFVYA0JJ?ASIN=0316055441	Editor please edit	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tedious at times but that wonderful Donna Tartt writing never fails.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RSUITJU7XY9P?ASIN=0316055441	Very beautifully written. Felt for all the characters in the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very beautifully written.  Felt for all the characters in the novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R146O7STYM02GN?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gift with a lot of reading, receiver is still at an incomplete stage</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNVU9TBLJ55XU?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Edge of my seat after a somewhat slow start. Then a real page-turner</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31L34BF7QX5B7?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good story, but it takes a while to get into it. Take the time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11UOL82DGTG9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am reading it again and will probably read it again in the future.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4SAY9SC32PDF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. Couldn't put it down. Loved the characters. A must read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RE1EYA1SHNRR?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was just not my favorite kind of story. I did finish it though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKOD14046VHDY?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written but not an easy read.keep your dictionary handy...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WQKBCEXCS82?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great start to the book but it should have been ended about half way through.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OSQ0P7HPM8QV?ASIN=0316055441	Not a good read. Do not understand those reviewers who think ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Badly written. Long, rambling sections.Too long. Not a good read. Do not understand those reviewers who think it is great. Glad to know that some respectable reviewers agree with me. Ian McPhail.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F2H713DIKJFE?ASIN=0316055441	Great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long, but could not put it down.  Great book</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJUID837GXWPA?ASIN=0316055441	It's not an easy read but one that's worth working for	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't miss this. It's not an easy read but one that's worth working for. There's a reason this book won the Pulitzer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HOSYQUED81RY?ASIN=0316055441	Long but very much worth it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had never read a book this long before and feared I wouldn't be able to get through it.  However, the plot and characters were so riveting I couldn't put it down.  I am still in a state of reverie after finishing it yesterday.  One of my favorite books of all time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MXSGZ4OY1MF3?ASIN=0316055441	depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I normally don't leave reviews for the books I have read but I make an exception in this case.  I don't know what it takes to be a Pulitzer Prize winner for fiction but am assuming that is the main criteria for creating a ""best seller"". If I learned one thing after wading through this book it is to pay more attention to some of the better informed critics before wasting time and money on more ""best sellers"". My thanks to the three to one star critics for affirming that my personal taste in fiction literature is not that far off base!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DTGRNR8UEB9B?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Soooooo, loooonnnngggggg......</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R290FID2K4HION?ASIN=0316055441	I was horribly disappointed in this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was horribly disappointed in this book. It just kept getting stranger and stranger, and the conclusion was a downer. Don't waste your time</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BTRSNG9AKFN4?ASIN=0316055441	Margaret wright	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very disappointed. I think it wasted too many pages on drugs and alcohol. I found it a depressing story</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G77L86RH1EO?ASIN=0316055441	Read at your own risk	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel was excessive in the areas of the main characters drug use and pity parties. The story flowed well in most of the other aspects of the storytelling. The underworld of dealing in stolen art was beyond my experience as was the drug usage. It was a llonger than necessary read and at times was repeatative to the point of being boring. I read it for my book club tho I had purchased it prior to that and would rate it at 61/2 on a 10 scale.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36FI7CH98LVMH?ASIN=0316055441	I wonder what the back cover says	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book on a Kindle so I never saw the back cover to give me a summary of what the book was about.  I'd be interested to see what it says because there were so many different things going on here; I was never sure what to focus on or how important a person/event was to the overall conflict.  This book is almost 800 pages and I think it could have been condensed down quite a bit.  Definitely some interesting things going on, but wasn't worth the time it took me to get through it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R177CDZZVSH4GG?ASIN=0316055441	too much work!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was long and draining. Way too dark and depressing. I kept reading hoping for satisfaction and one I got to 400 pages I finished it because I had invested so much tome already. I would not recommend it to anyone.  The only good things was the great detail, but after a while that got boring as well.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KR9G1GQWTKPY?ASIN=0316055441	Laborious reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I tried to like this book and struggled to finish it. It was very tedious reading. The writing style was  disjointed , vacillating and borrowing from other authors and books such as Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky , The Girl With The Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier and A million Little Pieces by James Frey.  A troubled youth suffering from posttraumatic syndrome following a museum bombing and subsequent theft of a major piece of art provided an interesting plot line. However, the book soon became tedious to the point of boring. The author is clearly a skilled literary writer, but this book missed the mark. Sorry, but this book reminded me of several other literary works that resulted in a story that was difficult to read and at times a mirror image of those other literary works.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHZKYAETV88IF?ASIN=0316055441	On and on and on....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were parts of the book that were wonderful and thoroughly captivating.  Just wish it had been every page!<br/>Too long between good parts.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWXTNUEIJB0WP?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious and repetitive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just wish I had read this before it was too late to get a refund.  If this is an example of a Pulitzer Prize winner then I have lived way too long.  I read 1/3 of it before I gave up.  How many pages can you write about teenagers shoplifting, getting drunk, being sick etc etc.  This book had absolutely NO redeeming qualities as far as I can see.  Repetitive writing as the author obviously had nothing to say after the opening pages.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA680W4IT1B14?ASIN=0316055441	Over rated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No idea what all the buzz is about.  I found the book boring and pretentious .  Save the time and choose a different book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NNK0LD6ZM72M?ASIN=0316055441	no masterpiece here	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">More the ramblings of a cockatoo rather than the music of a finch<br/>Too long<br/>Too disconnected<br/>Sure some great descriptive and unique prose but a story has to flow with some consistent pace<br/>Over rated self indulgent ramblings best absorbed as Theo does life.......choc full of hallucinatory drugs<br/>A page skipper.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KIX8DAK4PARW?ASIN=0316055441	complete waste of time...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Painful....agonizing.....finished it only because I bought it!  I have enjoyed  other of Tartt's books so I was rather surprised to dislike this one as much as I did.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QJP7IEQCMBN8?ASIN=0316055441	Absolutely extraordinary!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an extraordinary book! And what a gifted writer! This is not a casual, quick read. The descriptions of despair and joy, depression and elation and the final pages on the meaning of life and art are so beautifully and completely crafted that in immersing oneself in the words, the raw intensity of the emotions become a personal reality. Absolutely extraordinary!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q9DYFGV107FY?ASIN=0316055441	Not a book to enjoy.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not need to read a long drawn out story about drugs.  Started out great , but once it got into drugs with Boris, it turnrd slow and tedious.Sorry, I would not recommend it at any price.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY29PJ4FCH3ZT?ASIN=0316055441	oh my god, why did I waste my time on this novel?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">God was this long and drawn out.  And why is this kid so obsessed with a painting of a bird?<br/><br/>I must have missed the point.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIXZPWJTBWME0?ASIN=0316055441	Ugh! Annoying babbling book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Honestly don't understand how this book won any awards. I almost stopped reading it 10 times or more. The author drones on and on and on - ad nauseum - same things - repeating plight - just don't do it - save yourself the aggravation</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RINABDIAO8KPB?ASIN=0316055441	A waste of money!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is no way on earth that Ms. Tartt can write the drug descriptions in this book without knowing first hand the drug culture she describes.  This book reminds me of the rambling drug induced letters left behind for centuries by people that actually felt there were saying something important.  If I could get a refund for this book I would be delighted!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU9XICDUYOZKR?ASIN=0316055441	what a waste	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but nothing worthwhile to share. Disappointing on so many levels. So tired of tirades about young men treated poorly and slapping away helping hands! A waste of my time.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R179SBREAF18WG?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I have ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This rates right up there with ""To Kill a Mockingbird"". Character development, story lines, plot development. I recommend this book to everyone I know. A little hint-it may start slow and the preview you read may not make you want to read the book-but I assure you all of a sudden, you can't STOP reading it! I aleady have the movie cast in my mind. Ron Howard should direct it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RNCQU1MDMHBS?ASIN=0316055441	Really good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story had me hooked from the beginning to the end.  Really fabulous writer. Enjoyed it right up until the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L4L7A0JGR0TG?ASIN=0316055441	Did not like	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don,t enjoy reading books with a lot of sick people in it especially druggies.I kept thinking it would get better and it got worse</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J1SQVZ7PAE7N?ASIN=0316055441	exquisite, breath taking writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the ending chapter and all of the questions Tartt explored on life, death, love and beauty.  Beautifully written scenes and wonderful characters.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F05TIUJ54JJP?ASIN=0316055441	Lots of hardships	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was well written, but it was too long and too much grief to endure for me.  I would not recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UMYQXOCWRCUV?ASIN=0316055441	Worse book I ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not wait for the book to end. The writer went on and on and on about the chacter;s grief for over the loss of his mother''s death throughout the entire book. Boring ,won't buy another Donna Tartt books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IANHSPQG6UFU?ASIN=0316055441	Not Worth Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Misguided as a best seller. This book is the literary equilivant of the Battan Death March. Few could finish and those that did were in terrible shape.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BQEDHQS8L7AS?ASIN=0316055441	In search of the missing editor.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">On recommendation from several people I tried to read this book.... I was not successful. The beginning of the book was OK. Once the story line moved to Las Vegas, and it droned on and on and on. I was frustrated beyond belief, and bored out of my mind. I decided life is too short to read bad books! What was the hype about and where was the editor??? There you have my 2 cent's, for what they're  worth....</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGYOED8N4PWPJ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really didn't like it. I kept waiting for Theo to grow up and realize  the error of his ways. I disliked Boris from the start. He seemed to delight in being as out of control as he could. No limits for these two.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T4R5H1MX688U?ASIN=0316055441	Dreary	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I do not understand why it won a Pulitzer! It needed some really critical editing.  I skipped through most of the book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29TLJ5L35Q5EN?ASIN=0316055441	meaningless drivel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It seemed like this book took a long time saying very little.  The glorification of addiction and self destruction made me regret taking the time to read it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FHFBTLS7PYD2?ASIN=0316055441	I kept waiting to like the characters - but it never happened (except for ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long... Can't believe I stuck with it until the end.  I kept waiting to like the characters - but it never happened (except for Hobie).</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R145SJZX1J651B?ASIN=0316055441	Enthralling!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book.  Couldn't put it down.  Expert writing and would definitely read another Donna Tartt. The characters were soulful and I found myself totally engrossed.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GOJZSPNSPMJ1?ASIN=0316055441	Too little, too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an incredibly difficult book for me to wade through.  It just droned on and on and on.  To sum it up, the story could have been told in 100 pages or less.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K2FOL5AB8FH6?ASIN=0316055441	disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After all the hype, I finally read this book. It started out to be a terrific journey, but I had a very hard time completing the trip and did not like most of the stops from mid-journey to the end. Sadly, I felt it was a waste of my time.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYR6JPNUE2OSO?ASIN=0316055441	A colossal waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Losers, liars, cheats, thieves, addicts.  Over 700 pages of mindless senseless drivel with not one character even remotely worth remembering.  One of the few books I would truly like to unread.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLMD8I4E6HM38?ASIN=0316055441	Horrible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The  book was boring and I erased it from my kindle after I read  75 percent of it because I couldn't stand anymore</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHSBPWR9WDEOG?ASIN=0316055441	High hopes but disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book started off with a bang but unfortunately I decided to give up on it maybe 250 pages in or so. I don't mind long, Dickensian or Irving-esque novels as long as things keep moving, but this just got bogged down (in Las Vegas) with endless exchanges between drunken 13 year olds as to how miserable their lives were. I just lost interest. I would have kept going except that someone I respect told me the beginning of the book was the best part.<br/>I loved The Secret History, did not read the followup book, and was looking forward to this. It is hard to rate a book that one doesn't finish so I gave it 3 stars (""ok""). I would rate the writing style close to a 5, as Ms. Tartt writes beautifully and vividly, but the pacing and story line is at best a 2.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KD20ZBEMTDR4?ASIN=0316055441	What a downer!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A Separate Peace it's not!  It had a depressing, non satisfying ending.  I didn't like any of the characters; none of them had any redeeming qualities.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12FGIS3MCUTVB?ASIN=0316055441	A great novel of our times ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I agree with the four star rating of most reviewers.  This novel had the potential to be a near classic, as it is it is still a great novel.  The main hang ups are the overly lengthy expositions of the Las Vegas and Amsterdam experiences.  I thought the book was veering off into lala land a few times, but it always returned to a core truth and veracity and, against all odds, pulled it all together in the last chapter.  Theo and Boris and Hobie and so many others are unforgettable, real-life believable characters and one genuinely cares about their fates.  This is one of those books one will quote or be reminded of in one's everyday existence, i.e. reading the newspaper or listening to the TV news.  Yes, it's too long and yes, there are too many ancillary characters, especially towards the end, but in the final analysis this was a GREAT READ!  Thank you Donna Tartt!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9HX5NXVB6X82?ASIN=0316055441	A wild Ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I never knew what would happen next. Didn't know HOW it would end.  Kept coming back to find out more.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S36FH0AU827F?ASIN=0316055441	Rambling and boring!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had high hopes for this book...Pulitzer prize and all.  But was greatly disappointed.  I never did bond of any of the characters.  I usually put the book down if I am not hooked after the first 100 pages, but I kept hoping something would happen...never did.  Wish I had my time back.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R364JAFHFJ1XNF?ASIN=0316055441	tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and repetitious. Maybe author on drugs. Had to force myself to finish.<br/>How did book get award? Not my style.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGI0GFWLXWZKQ?ASIN=0316055441	lovely but flawed book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed reading this immensely...most of the time. The rest of the time, when the writer chose not to dramatize important action and instead muse over the spaces in between the chapters, I found myself wishing for a more stern, acute editorial presence. It was fun to read and explored big ideas in an enjoyable way, but was too long by half and felt rushed to press.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RG1YH4UYU17Z?ASIN=0316055441	I know it won a the Pulitzer Prize, just don't see it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it bogged down and needed a more direct plot line. Academic readers will enjoy the endless details of the main character, but honestly I waded through it because I had the time. If you want a good fiction read, look elsewhere. Overall, the book was OK. I'd not go out of my way to buy it though.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FLMJ6M10AD86?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing but really slow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a hard time staying engaged because, although it was interesting, it took way too many pages to make the point.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R0LFAETNG7JI?ASIN=0316055441	Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long and sometimes too wordy, I didn't like the ending until I thought about it. Gel had a very deep childhood NAND depressing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ECL1I8W4GEH5?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not like it at all.  Thought it was going to be good, but in my opinion was not.  Took me ages to get through it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R300H76LYS266C?ASIN=0316055441	hate to be a buzzkill but....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hate to be a buzzkill, but I don’t understand all the buzz about this insanely long book. (And I'm shocked it just won the Pulitzer Prize. What????) Theo is a kid who survives a terrorist bomb that claims his mother’s life. He acquires a famous painting that tortures him. Theo’s father is a loser from Las Vegas; his best friend is a Ukrainian named Boris. Both his father and Boris use Theo, and they are dangerous, scary, and addicted. Theo? Well, he’s a lost soul who, as he grows up, acquires more than an ounce of sleaze himself. The locales are so disparate: Theo jumps from New York City to Las Vegas and back to New York again, with a horrifying visit to Amsterdam when he’s an adult.<br/><br/>I read Tartt’s two earlier works and loved them, but that was a long time ago. Maybe now that I’m an old lady, time is too precious and I don’t want to waste it reading an 800-pager. Is Tartt’s language beautiful? Oh yes. Are her characters interesting and complex? Yes again. Can she create a complicated and far-out plot with a lot of twists and turns at the end? For sure. And her ability to paint a picture is magnificent. She’s one smart cookie.<br/><br/>Okay, now for the bad news. Like Erdrich in “The Round House,” Tartt takes herself way too seriously. I’d say she’s a show-off, trying to impress us with her intellect instead of keeping the characters moving and talking. And even though I don’t expect to laugh with every book, a little levity would have been nice.  It’s all deadly serious. And depressing as hell.<br/><br/>And the scenery! Descriptions go on and on, forever! Although I admired her sometimes beautiful stream-of-consciousness, I won’t remember any of it—not the rooms or the streets or the furniture or the art. I require good dialogue and action in order to stay transfixed, and here they play second fiddle to descriptions.<br/><br/>I especially hated how she analyzed paintings at the beginning of the book—it felt like Art History 101, where you get a detailed lecture on each person and thing in a painting. Yes, I “get the picture,” but I want to move out of the museum and into a conversation. And I completely resented the lessons in philosophy, which were particularly heavy at the end of the book. Okay, so she puts forth some brilliant ideas about good and evil, but I want the characters, not the author, to show it to us—the “show us, don’t tell us” rule of good writing.<br/><br/>Tartt manages early on to get you hooked on Theo, but he makes such horrible choices it’s hard to keep rooting for him. And then there’s the question of whether he’s even a nice guy. I almost gave up on him (and the book) more than once.  For a lot of people, it doesn’t matter whether heroes are “nice” or not, but for me, they have to be nice or else I don’t want to hang out with them for hours—and in this case, weeks and weeks.<br/><br/>This monster book took me a month to finish. I never looked forward to curling up with this book; it was more like dread. Throw in a lot of frustration (get to the point already), annoyance (why is Theo making such stupid decisions?), and a big dose of anxiety (Help! How can Theo survive this mess he’s made for himself? Will the painting get ruined or lost forever?), and you end up with one big uncomfortable read.<br/><br/>Though tempted many times, I didn’t abandon the book. I was hooked enough to want to find out how it ended. And I suspect I’ll remember this story (but not the endless descriptions) for a long while, and for that I’ll give it a 3. Just barely.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AY14ZW1NBD6Y?ASIN=0316055441	complex, compelling, and memorable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've seen this novel referred to Dickensian - Dickens on the Upper East Side, in Las Vegas, and with a deep understanding of the lives of New York's wealthy and Russian drug trade. But mostly Dickensian in the characters that Tartt creates. I found this book compelling not only because I had trouble putting it down - although I did - but more importantly because I care about these characters. I feel like they're still walking around somewhere in my life and will be for a long time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ACPF0GK91VLI?ASIN=0316055441	Great book !!!!!'n	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a terrific novel!!! Very engrossing plot, great character development, and it kept me wanting more!!!! So many twists and turns.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35KKHU9PE3JWA?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started so well and ended in philosophical garbage where the author failed to connect the dots in the last 20/30 pages</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V0ZGO2PAYKYI?ASIN=0316055441	Not Recommended Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long novel about a boy growing up in America.  If he hadn't had bad luck he had no luck at all.  He truly fell thru the cracks, was neglected, abused and did drugs, all kinds, from an early age.  It was no surprise that he became involved with the dark side altho he did have one good example to follow.  He didn't.  I was sorry I spent so much time on this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22WP6X4HB94JO?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book moved me, made me laugh, made me cry.  Intrigued me, wrapped me up in all it's potentials either binding or non-binding.  At the of the day this book warmed my soul and is still with me days after I dragged out the ending so as not give it up too quickly.  It is still with me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGFL54IHC0XVL?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt....writing like she was paid by the word count!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't know why this book is getting so much notice.....finished it last night.  Wordy!  And some sections were rambling paragraphs going nowhere.  Beginning sections were good....held my attention....but I think the author lost it after about two thirds and then captured my attention at the end!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ADU0IO66AG7C?ASIN=0316055441	Too detailed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">author lost me with so much detail.<br/><br/> I think the author went into much detail.  it became boring and I lost</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNAO1GYDV98VB?ASIN=0316055441	WORDY	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WITHIN THIS 784 PAGES A REALLY GOOD 400 PAGE BOOK. WAY TOO MUCH TIME AND""WORDS"" WERE SPENT ON DRUG USE.<br/>AND HANGING OUT.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CE79KC2FEBI8?ASIN=0316055441	(If you like afterthoughts, read this)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it would never end.  Such detail about everything. Way too descriptive. I thought that about one third of the book was in parenthesis. Personally, I dislike drug users and that part was annoying to me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IPCJJUJLSSA9?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have not read a book like this before, I was completely captivated by the story. Donna Tartt is an excellent storyteller and writer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTJET6NDT7880?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's use of written language is remarkable.  It has been years since I have read a book that captivated me purely through its words.  Spanning the thirty early years of its tortured protagonist- we are caught up in his emotions, and the sights and sounds of the world around him.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UOFXJPHZUT2R?ASIN=0316055441	tedious descriptions	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The descriptions were endless especially the end. I expected something not so tedious. Events did take me by surprise which made me keep reading.<br/>I put down this book many times.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJA59XKU5VUVN?ASIN=0316055441	Very well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A work of art can moved people to very high levels.  Or to very low levels.  This story shows the emotional impact of a very small work of art on a young man, and how it affected him throughout his entire life!  It makes you want him to see what he really missed in the beauty of sharing such art.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ0LE9SQYDSZK?ASIN=0316055441	Theodore Decker Sniffed Too Much of Everything	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt gave me a 'downer' on Las Vegas.Theo's buddy was 'off the wall'. I wasn't sure what was the purpose of the story. The restoration of furniture was the best lesson to me.<br/><br/>I was glad when it ended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DHX2GNR86FMA?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch. A beautifully written very boring narrative. The primary characters are persistently intoxicated and/or under the<br/>influence of narcotics, acting irresponsibly and stupidly. This talented writer is wasted on this terrible book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DVRZWJNBOOLK?ASIN=0316055441	Too long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is about 400 pages too long! Ms. Tartt writes with excruciating detail. I had to put this book down 3 times before I finished it, and the only reason why I finished it is because I paid for it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SCMX2H0JB377?ASIN=0316055441	I hated this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">With all the great reviews and hype that came with this book I was expecting something a lot better. I thought the story was so boring and dragged on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G5OL2KAWWGAV?ASIN=0316055441	What was the storyline?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started reading the book with great expectations.  There were so many good reviews and I was really looking forward to it.  It started quite promising.  I loved the beginning and I was rooting for the little boy, being in the situation he found himself after his mother died.  Initially I thought the goldfinch, forever being trapped, would play a much more significant symbolic role in the live of the child.  However, that was not to be.  Soon the plot fizzled out in too many storylines with too many different 'atmospheres'.  What did Ms. Tartt have in mind?  Was it suppose to be a story about a young child in unfortunate circumstances, whose life was compared to the goldfinch; was it a story of two children and their friendship; was it a detective story or what?  How did the father-character contributed to the story line?  Or was his only to be the vehicle to bring in the friend?  (Since the friend was so necessary to bring the story to its - very unlikely - conclusion.)  Was I to philosophise about the deeper meaning of life and the cards that are dealt to  us, or was I to bite my nails about what happened to the painting?<br/>The story was far too long, with too many twists and turns.  I could not finish the book.  The final pages about the deeper meaning of art (which I guess the book was all about) was too much for me.  I stopped reading when I thought the (final) plot came to its natural conclusion.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DN0WBT49TF7?ASIN=0316055441	ugh, awful! zero stars!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I made it (barely, it was a struggle) 3/4 of the way through this monstrosity of a 'story'. Just hideous in all aspects. The plot is lame to begin with-a bombing at an art gallery, a mysterious old man that gives cryptic messages with his last breath, the main character schlepping his stolen art work around with him for years- then the author goes off on tangents about detailed stuff no one cares about (fictional artists, how to restore antique furniture, shady Russians). Most disturbing is the waaaaaaay too long section when the main character-a 14 yr old boy-starts falling apart with no parental guidance and turning to drugs/alcohol and sexual exploration with his good guy friend-which was clearly added for an ewwww factor and was not necessary to the rest of the story. I heard that the ending is better than expected but I just can't bring myself to waste more time on this drivel.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30FSTPHA9SRWB?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth the time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Difficult to care about nearly all of the characters.<br/>I would be hard pressed to recommend this novel to other book groups.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXC3V43OWAZ44?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved Donna Tartt's 'The Secret History' so I looked forward to reading 'The Goldfinch.'  But I did not like this book at all.  It is rambling throughout its 700+ pages.  The story is not interesting; I didn't see the point to a lot of it.  I put it down after reading a third of it, then picked it up again hoping it would get better.  It did not, got even worse.  I didn't see any resolution at the end except for some 'profound' philosophical mishmash.  So I guess the message is that just because an author writes a really good novel doesn't mean that he/she can write another.  (BTW I did read her second novel 'The Little Friends' which was decent, not great.  :(</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLKJ56TXQJLKQ?ASIN=0316055441	Not a young person's read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot and premise for the book had a great deal of promise. I found the language offensive, yet kept hoping the overall storyline would keep me involved beyond that. I am still struggling thru it, and do not know if I would read another book by Donna Tartt.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DY4BD39MODW5?ASIN=0316055441	Downfall of American youth	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch is not a book I would ever recommend to anyone unless they were drug addicts and depraved individuals.  IF this book is any indication of what our youth is like....we are in trouble.<br/>AND, to give credence to their 'truthfull' actions in the end is a farce because of the reasons for it.<br/>Their were at least 75% more words in the book than was necessary and most of those words were disgusting.<br/>I won't ever rely on the published list of best books for a year.<br/>If this book made the list then I have lost all respect for the Best seller list or most recommended books</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO312IO8ZH0W0?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth reading.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There was no real plot from beginning to end.  Sections were interesting but overall I would not recommend it to anyone.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A7FAK0VV455I?ASIN=0316055441	too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy could have been 300 pages shorter, overall good story good characters but way too long not missing anything if you don't read it</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20G77VCMGMM73?ASIN=0316055441	Starts off great but loses its way	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This should have been two books. The first half was a great coming-of-age story, but then midway through it became a weak crime mystery. And the end doesn't fit at all. Someone who has been drug addled his entire life is really unlikely to let loose with a long philosophical discussion that borders on a lecture like the protagonist does at the end. It could have been a great book if it was just shorter.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20S5K9PEXHSNS?ASIN=0316055441	A real page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book.  The story was different and fascinating.  The characters were people I was really interested in and wanted to know what happened to them.  A long book, but I enjoyed it all the way through.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QXXSKSNES9PX?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot was well developed, the characters were deep and compelling.  Some of the happenings were disturbing emotionally. Donna Tartt  is an exceptional writer .  At times her use of language is almost  poetic.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX534NZEMH0L1?ASIN=0316055441	depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had to make myself finish the book.  It is a very good story but the main characters were dark, and sad.  I feel the Author described places and scenarios in long paragraphs using every adjective available, and then would describe them again with different adjectives ( a lot of re describing, a lot of adjectives ).  Although, I did want to see it to the finish, so I can't say it was a bad book, just not for me.  I am not that much of a Polly Anna that I need to see everyone as happy and healthy, but it got old, even through the exciting part of reclaiming the subject.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R282SAPW2UE9NG?ASIN=0316055441	Tragic but worth it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So many times throughout this book I wanted to yell out to the different characters who couldn't see the tragedy unfolding right before their eyes. In the end though, even under the best circumstances, poor Theo would have made some of the very same mistakes.  I'm not one to usually choose tragedies but this one was very well written and each part ultimately wove together for an excellent story.  I highly recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAMJIIQB3K52?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing Roller Coaster Ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was incredible.  It was impossible to put down and keeps you off balance the entire time.  The writing is superb and the story is amazing.  It is really surprising to me that anyone's imagination can work this well!  I wonder how long it will take for this to be made into a move?  It is going to be fabulous!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JJG6KG983HWU?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm about halfway through, having had this book recommended by a reliable friend.  Can't say I'm really enjoying it--too sad, but I will continue, hoping that it gets better.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DQOU7T6FV4WJ?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book in e-book format while traveling. The book had both academic information and entertaining qualities which made it a perfect read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XZNSPWAIDTM?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book! Love the characters, plot and setting!  Now looking forward to other books by the author!  Enjoyed it greatly!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34NB0BFP2MGCA?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Life and actions resulting from chance, the power of art, interesting characters, and very readable...what more could you ask from a novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28SG6VF35A3JN?ASIN=0316055441	Overlying concept one to ponder.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At the start was very intrigued with the story.......then not so, until the last chapter ,where I found much to consider and it put the theme of the book into a whole new light.........interesting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W3661T3Y6WKT?ASIN=0316055441	mesmerizing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Vivid descriptions. One often feels as if you are experiencing what Theo is feeling. .Often an adrenalin rush. A great psychological study that appeals to the emotions.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R94K5XVFNEA8U?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was well written. Incredibly intersesting...great story! I would highly recommend it. I am planning to suggest it to my Book Club.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YEPD694SN10O?ASIN=0316055441	Can't put it down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book had great characters.  You were always looking to the next time you could pick it up and read some more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30JP5ZF39XVQJ?ASIN=0316055441	did not want it to end...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put it down.  Everything happens to us for a reason.  Most times we do not know the ""why's""..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZYHP1PN5VSW3?ASIN=0316055441	poetic and epic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossed me throughout. An epic journey through one mans life. I would recommend this book to most people. Occasionally too wordy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8M1J887RDIQ1?ASIN=0316055441	a junkie's confessions	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it began well and then turned into a junkie's life story with most of the book describing hangovers from alcohol, all types of drugs and fights. the point of the book got muddled. too bad.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NFTIODVHYMVY?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderfully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an excellent book, beautifully written and very insightful.  There were lots of twists and turns in the plot and the character development was amazing.  My only criticism is that in some parts, the there was a little too much detail that didn't contribute to the story.  Still though, this book was worth reading and I truly enjoyed it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EG8WIYUYY9SX?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I have read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a well written fantastic story .  I couldn't put it down. I found the characters compelling . A real page turner.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWJW9N8HS7RQQ?ASIN=0316055441	Read it if you must!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and too wordy!  The prose was beautifully written, however I felt the author tried to say in three pages what could have been said in three paragraphs.  I did not like two of the main characters, Theo and Boris, and I found it difficult to have empathy for the situations the created for themselves. I did read the whole book, but only because it was chosen for our book club.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SDZJPTTJ63QM?ASIN=0316055441	Great Write but doesnt know how to finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She writes men very well and her style is very polished but this is too long by 50%.<br/><br/>Spends a long time displaying her erudition about things antique and art which is fine but its piled on very thick.<br/><br/>I like the book dont get me wrong but its a punishing read.<br/><br/>You've got to be Dostoevsky to indulge your self with 700+ pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QWES3D4AFJFZ?ASIN=0316055441	Instant Classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Utterly remarkable.  Twists, turns, staggeringly observed- DT outdoes her Secret History and then some. Completely satisfying. Not to be missed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YYKK1L77IXN7?ASIN=0316055441	Loving engaging unexpected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love art but had no clue it was at the center of the book. entertaining moving can be a little long but true literature with philosophical overtones.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZQM5M47314PH?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A Fantastic Read,,not possible to put down.,a very different read.with many different characters all with their own personal problems<br/>to be sorted.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MYHI8LYELEO?ASIN=0316055441	Exhausting, yet brilliant!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Whew!!  I just finished, The Goldfinch"", after weeks of reading, reading, reading.  There were times I felt drained and impatient with sheer length of book but this author is brilliant and very talented.  His descriptions and character development is Pulitzer material.  You root with all your heart that Theodore will survive and withstand his great loss.  You love/hate Boris and his relationship with Theodore.  You love Hobie and his kindness and on and on with diverse and interesting characters.  I thought I'd never get through it but couldn't stop reading until I knew how it ended.  You will not be disappointed if you love a great story with a unforgettable author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RE0JEN1P0OU0?ASIN=0316055441	I do not like this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hate to be a downer but I really did not like this book.  I liked the characters but that is it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR1XBG4VHXSQJ?ASIN=0316055441	Promising premise	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting at first but got tedious and repetitious after a while, sordid and unpleasant, totally unbelievable, too bad it didn't live up to its original storyline.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GNSS2EZ6B3RG?ASIN=0316055441	slowwwwwwwwwwwww read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">laborious reading --plot was predictable--The first half of the book was worth reading the second half draggggggged on and on</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R376LET9HXRGCX?ASIN=0316055441	Superb!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A superb book! Brilliantly written. I didn't want it to ever stop!<br/>Do yourself a favour and read it now!<br/>I would give it six stars if I could.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FH7TW3CXIG7H?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch had its moments,. OK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch. Had it's moments. I would not reccomend to others. Not my style . Moved too slowly for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYBWP54L186ZT?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was much too long, especially the ending. I couldn't put it down at first, but wish it didn't philosophize so much.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39GWX2P06FPFD?ASIN=0316055441	Too dark	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got through this book - long as it is, but it wasn't easy.  Donna Tartt is a good writer, her writing isn't what bothered me, it was the story.  There is a large part of this book that focuses on a very dark side of life and it made me very uncomfortable, but I kept reading it and was so glad when I finally finished it!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP3WWPFSPQEQ8?ASIN=0316055441	Exceptional	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you love good fiction like I do, then select  this book as your next read. You will not be disappointed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U15GUP9XH4VL?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing characters and a fascinating read.  I loved how the author made me think about ""being yourself"" when your true self is flawed.  I also loved the side education this story gave me into the world of antiques.  I found myself jumping back and forth throughout the novel to look up furniture and art references.  Its always a great bonus to be engrossed in a story but come away with greater knowledge of a subject.  Highly recommended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F7IK7SNM5V6N?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch completely captivated me.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Yes, it is a big book and a big story. Love and loss, trauma and drugs, and woven together with a piece of art.  The work is exceptional and you will be totally immersed in the lives of Theo and his sidekick Boris.  I did not want it to end and when it did I still keep thinking about the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17CZG9HCFZWEX?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Modern age Catcher in the Rye - absolutely thrilling story from start to finish, beautiful writing. Just an overall immersive experience</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R130LMZ64GOQPE?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I was totally absorbed in the first third of the book, I have had a difficult time finishing the last third.<br/>I felt the descriptions and events of Theo's young life just prior to and after the explosion in the gallery were engrossing.<br/>And his experiences in the home of his friend were believable and sad.<br/>Even the sudden move to Las Vegas and Theo's friendship with Boris were entertaining, and his relationship with his father and Xandra held my interest.<br/>But there seems to be very little transition from Theo's father's death and Theo's sudden move to his adulthood.<br/>I feel as if I missed something.<br/>And now, close to the end, the shallowness of the relationship Theo has with Kitsey and the constant drug usage is just tedious.<br/>I am confused and very disinterested in the constant dialogue between Theo and Boris and their ""friends""  and the whole sordid,dismal trip to Amsterdam.<br/>At this point I am merely skimming the book, something I rarely do, just to come to its end. I hope that is soon.<br/>I no longer care for Theo as he is unlikable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R139CM0SNTTT8L?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lovely book, perhaps the most well written book I have ever read.  I also loved the message of the book.  Thought provoking  and entertaining.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U1OI8NWEYV3G?ASIN=0316055441	not my favorite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Needed editing badly. Way too long, sentences ran on and on. Didn't like all the drug use. Relationships didn't ring true.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21E9J2LSFIZP1?ASIN=0316055441	ech!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cannot believe so many people liked this book! Even Stephen King loved it! I read all 700+ pages of this book waiting for ""it"" to happen and it never did. What a waste of time and disappointment!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37CJC3RQ2XVZR?ASIN=0316055441	Way,way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This interesting story could have been told in about half the pages. Repeatedly the author creates a scene, a mood and instead of trusting her own talent and that of the reader Tartt restates it and restates it and then restates again until instead of being drawn into the story I just didn't care. The worst insult to the reader is the last 50 pages or so where the author, again not trusting the reader , has her protagonist ramble on retstating again and again his philosophical stance on life . It was like being told ""this is what this story is about, this is the conclusion you must come to "" I finished the book but did not enjoy it</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZWE24EKFTDRS?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow starting, tedious read, and it's not worth the wait...  I wish I had not have purchased it...  thank you</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R360O5TKAJWPX3?ASIN=0316055441	Written by a committee?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">About two thirds of this book was excellent and I enjoyed it, then the last third seemed to be written by a committee. A shoot out?<br/>Good heavens, spare us all from books like this which promise much and deliver zilch.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SW7J0CPW6Y94?ASIN=0316055441	No Gold	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story dragged on mercilessly and was overly drug saturated. I found it challenging to wade through. Not even interesting.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP531C6NRGCAT?ASIN=0316055441	book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous book.  The story is such that you can hardly put it down  Exciting from the first chapter.  Writing is spectacular.  I recommend to read this excellent story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1423N2QTMOV79?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The goldfinch is essentially a long soap opera. The writing is very inconsistent and the story tends toward the ridiculous</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H4U6JMJ9DER7?ASIN=0316055441	Time consumer!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really only read this as it was with my book club.  Really had to plow through the crud to finish!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GLOHOFB7YN76?ASIN=0316055441	Don't bother	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a book chosen by my book club.  Tartt is so wordy and drawn out I suffered through it but finished with not a satifactory ending either</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34MWT5KAOG585?ASIN=0316055441	A Dud	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was 3 times longer than it needed to be.  The last 100 pages were entirely unnecessary and I skimmed in order to finish the book.  I don't know what everyone is raving about.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HCOHIKIZKV3G?ASIN=0316055441	Why all the fuss?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unsympathetic characters and story plot way too long.  Better books out there (see ""Me Before You"".)<br/><br/>better books out there to read.  Don't waste your time on this one.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E5L920949VVC?ASIN=0316055441	Just OK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had high hopes for this book and it started off good but did not continue that way.  It certainly didn't need to be 700 some pages.  It just dragged on. Too much drug use memories/descriptions.  Just not interesting and got very tiring to read. Very disappointing. Save your money and your time and read something else!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KEJ51OUCAMIA?ASIN=0316055441	The rambling thoughts of a drunk or drugged precocious 15 year old boy are not my idea of a good story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I gave up after reading about a third of the book.  Maybe I missed the point of the story but I thought I gave it a chance to develop in to something more and that didn't happen.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSJTGXGN3B8JG?ASIN=0316055441	Good premise but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The basis for the plot is interesting.  However, the constant use of drugs and their treatment as natural and harmless was disturbing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CU5427T9667L?ASIN=0316055441	did not like it,	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not like it to long and boring. I did not finish the book and I needed it for book club</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28HL80IYLKQ7P?ASIN=0316055441	Best book that I have read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a wonderful read and I enjoyed all 700 pages.  I did not want to put this book down and did not want it to end.  Donna Tartt is a great author and kept my interest the entire book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L31QFLE7ZZ0Q?ASIN=0316055441	depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have not finished reading the book and may not.  I find it overly wordy,depressing (to say the least) and just tiring.  It is a long drawn out depressing work involving too much drug use and all that goes with that.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RASKSMSK6ECT?ASIN=0316055441	the best story in years.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i was so pleasantly surprised.  i couldn't put it down.  unpredictable and so well written.  i thoroughly enjoyed it.  Laura</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32C9BQJPXI4DU?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book gives a unique perspective on the randomness of life told through the eyes of a boy who had to figure it out by himself.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H363BIY54YZE?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't understand the story.  Maybe I should have read the sanopsis before purchasing it.  Would someone explain it to me?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY4Y6JYRVL5ZS?ASIN=0316055441	Her best yet.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt writes only one book every few years - but they seem always to be worth waiting for. The Goldfinch certainly was: stylish, achingly beautiful, a complex but never overcomplicated plot with relationships that moved and changed with time and circumstances.<br/>It worked on many levels for me: about human relationships and the human flaws that damage others; about the pain of adolescence and the transcendence that encountering the right person can bring; the randomness of fate; moral choices and of course love in its many forms.<br/>I wish she would bring out another one soon - but then perhaps she needs years to get them just right.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XTN8EEUPGC83?ASIN=0316055441	great start fades at the finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great start but faded before the finish. Still worth the read author is a great storyteller. Give it a try.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25OP7QBFVUGNT?ASIN=0316055441	what a pleasure to read and one to cherish.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This will be around for a long time. It's classic in its writing and styling. I recommend  this to  anyone who wants a book you can't put down and is sorry when it is finished.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TT9LZKSY8XXH?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent reading for mature readers who enjoy good literature and a good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very well written book that includes a number of social and personal issues extant today. The final several pages offer a philosophical approach to life that is inspiring and realistic. The book is for the mature reader who considers good literature with a good story. Highly recommended.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TDAYK438EQE8?ASIN=0316055441	Well written and disturbing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was a well written and disturbing book.  The characters were very believable because of the author's discription and attention to details revealing their personalities.  The disturbing thing about the book was the element of addiction that occured throughout the book in one form or another.  It is a rather long book and I enjoyed some parts more than others.  However, I would recommend this book as one that is good reading...and memorable.  It's definitely a 4 star book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EF10M28JC499?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an entertaining book that shows how death, love, and life all can play out. It makes you stop and think about your life, why you do the things you do. It will make you cry, and laugh. It's a great book, long and slow at times is the reason for 4 instead of 5 stars</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD0ND44YJ5UBD?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Descriptive writing makes you feel as though you are there.  Have recommended this book to everyone I have talked to about it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REDF23W2UK5KP?ASIN=0316055441	A Gem	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story is told beautifully with the sensitivity of a youth who cannot yet put feelings and impressions into words nor explain his impulsive and reactionary decisions. It captures geography and its impact on experiences. Theo is a young man thrust into loss of a parent and the abandonment that comes with it over and over again. The characters are baroque. lovable, and multidimensional. I loved where this book took me in a young boy's quest to find belonging in a new life while holding onto the touchstones of his boyhood.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TZROA46297GW?ASIN=0316055441	Man and art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent well done . Great insight into the value of art and it's realtionship to man. A non stop read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ACL4ZERYIJCB?ASIN=0316055441	Nerve touching.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard to get into but very rewarding.<br/>Good, beautiful language.<br/>Thought provoking and intriguing especially about the self destruction of the main character but philosophical and meaningful when one thinks about the pain experienced by him.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GG3SJ1WT9B12?ASIN=0316055441	Agitating and beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch presents the painful life of a young man jostled along a path ever-searching for stability while continuing to get in his own way. This novel keeps you both uneasy and drawn in from the first page to the last.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSR0HTTAORW8N?ASIN=0316055441	Excellant Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Actually got interested wanting to read this book because of a Sunday Morning show that highlighted the painting.  The book was terrific.  Would definitly read more by this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14WUPNAXP2TYM?ASIN=0316055441	Artful and Intriguing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Highly Recommend. Exceptional prose and fast-paced story. I was torn between wanting to finish the book while never wanting it to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG7PDH6H51WFC?ASIN=0316055441	Absolutely loved this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For an art teacher, artist and history buff...this was the book of a lifetime for me!<br/>Donna Tartt  has a beautiful way with words and stories.  The book kept me intranced until the end.<br/>It was hard to put down!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GLNNY6VE1SIO?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic book and fun read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book will tempt you to read in one bug gulp. The only reason not to is, slow down and savor how beautifully written it is.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OYH7YNMX5DB7?ASIN=0316055441	"Donna Tartt's ""The Goldfinch"" sings!  A modern epic tale of redemption."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the best novels I've read in years - a real page-turner.  I hope we don't have such a long wait for her next novel!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23BF63CL3RSM5?ASIN=0316055441	very good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found this book fantastic and had a lot of trouble putting it down. It can be quite complex at times and took a while to get into but well worth it in the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10V6Q78WDO1IU?ASIN=0316055441	captivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very addicting and exhilarating book. hard to put down. i was sad when the book over and have been having a hard time finding a new one to read. well worth the read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F5FWW2XGK2IV?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is one of those books that haunts you long after you power down your Kindle. I rarely read a book twice, but, I will reread this, as I am currently reading The Book Thief, and see a similar theme developing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2181T6ARZQTBZ?ASIN=0316055441	rating says more about me than about the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Without question Donna Tartt is a genius and a great writer, and this book started off for me as a sure fire five stars! But when the story hit Vegas with all the drunkenness and excruciatingly detailed drugging, it began to lose some of its appeal to me.  I admit it. It's me, not Ms Tartt.  I just didn't like all that stuff and the violence that goes with it. But make no mistake, Donna Tartt knows so much about so many places and things that it boggles my mind.  I feel, somehow, disappointed in myself that I don't like this book more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V7XLLBSST4VZ?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. It's a great story, well written and very thought-provoking. The 700+ pages went by very quickly.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25RC7JHAEJZ30?ASIN=0316055441	Extraordinary, tedious at times with more details than necessary, guess that's why it took her 10 years to write!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Within a the first chapter, the reader knows this is not a ""typical"" book one acquires to read before bed at night.  It is so detailed and deep that it is better to absorb when the mind is clear, i.e., morning or afternoon.  It takes time, you may have to look up words, the author obviously did- so take the time to see the true meaning. It is astonishing to think that the auther is female but the story is told through a young man.  Beware, the protagonist here is not very likable, but somehow, you care about him.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BMY55C5F3SEV?ASIN=0316055441	Believable Character	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this because the main character had traits that one can identify with....human reactions to happenings that one cannot control.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MIXPZMIFRW2?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a well written book.  Some of the expressions used by the main characters were so real and so 'laughable' that I enjoyed laughing out loud.  Then, some parts of the book are VERY deep and it takes a little longer to read and digest.<br/>A real 'keeper' in my library.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2651V1J6RI1CC?ASIN=0316055441	pretty good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the goldfinch but i preferred donna tartts earlier work such my secret life but this is a good read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K65S61MCIRZA?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing style kept me interested during the whole saga. Although I could not identify with the main characters, I could feel their feelings and appreciated the authors' ability to understand.  Would recommend this book highly.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BYVRE9WSPSRB?ASIN=0316055441	Good read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I am not quite finished withThe Goldfinch I am thoroughly enjoying it.  I did have a little trouble getting into it when it was the present time but going back in history helped me continue.  I liked the characters most of the time.  As the history continued there were unexpected happenings that made me continue.<br/><br/>Very good read and I would recommend it to others.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39VT8AU5I0M2E?ASIN=0316055441	A Great Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it!  Such well drawn characters  - absorbing story line.  Almost done reading it.  The price was right too.  Try it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R97OWEQX04R5L?ASIN=0316055441	Fasinating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am over the halfway point in this long saga but cannot wait to find what is around the corner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PBRA4Z7I5YP3?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Yes the book is long and yes it drags at certain points but the story is absolutely amazing. I enjoyed reading this story that involves a teenager grown to a man and his relationship with a work of art. It is full of wonderful and complex characters that will always leave you with mixed emotions. The story is also very touching and leaves you with a key message about the value of art. Highly recommend</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUOWFR4XNBQV1?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a very long book, but I was sorry to finish it because I knew that whatever I read next would be a disappointment.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GNGXDYNDOOZD?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a novel that people will want to read for generations. It's very deep. The author really covered his life , the feelingsdealing with  and how they were dealing with circumstance. Because every character had something going on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PCYV0QKLW41G?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It kept me interested. I never got bored with it. Great plot and the characters were very interesting. I would recommend it to anyone !</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYTG0JN9FA997?ASIN=0316055441	Speech less!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Through her characters this author gives those of us who live with a heavy soul a voice of expression.  For this I am in awe and envy of such skill.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32CQKPOGJYFYH?ASIN=0316055441	A changer - deep, different and heart-touching	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is book is suitable for those who enjoy stories that are a little different and layered.<br/><br/>This book is certainly different - in it's storyline, setting and characters; it is a little dark - with it's themes it touches and the life that the main character lived; and touching - the characters, the prose, the x-factor that leaves an impression in you with its depth.<br/><br/>If the above sounds interesting to you, read the sample, and if you are interested after reading the sample, read the book! I honestly HIGHLY recommend this to those who fit the book's audience. However, due to its intensity and different storyline, it isn't for everyone.<br/><br/>But I loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G1YEBFLVWAJB?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch moved to the top of my favourites list	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I relished each and every word Donna Taftt wrote in creating this exquisite book. If you are willing to commit to this long and descriptive novel you will be rewarded with brilliant insights into grief, adolescence, drug abuse, compulsion, suicidal thinking, thievery, love and friendship among other things. Taftt can describe New York so you can see, smell and hear it, an airport so that you can feel your own shoes clicking on the marble floor, a cocktail party that has you reach for a drink off a tray and grief that mirrors every loss you ever knew or feared.  You will want to reach into this book and save Theo, the boy at the  center of this story, from the chaos around him.  In the end however, young Theo gives us far more than we could offer him, as he unzips his heart, soul and mind and shares his thoughts, fears and most of all, his passions.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UR5ZI3BI6I97?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an incredible book, where you almost have a visceral reaction to each character's unique qwerks and challenges; oh and the places you see along the way, are so descriptive, that you can almost reach out and touch it!  Donna Tartt has a way of taking the reader along for the ride, so that you almost feel a participant, rather than a voyeur.  Great!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R6UBQZFJY8VX?ASIN=0316055441	A Very Unusual Tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very different book and held my interest. The characters and relationships were quite unusual. The writing was very engaging!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RZ3SA0Z585A9?ASIN=0316055441	Flinching with the Finch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tratt does a great job of writing as a young boy and as the man he becomes. I bought this book on my kindle couldn't put it down even when I ran out of juice and completed it plugged into the wall.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFL5MMLTGHNHV?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't think I was going to like it, but I loved it.  Though it was a little too descriptive sometimes, I wanted to keep reading because there was a lot going on, and I had to see what happened next.  I would recommend this book to my friends</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CWR6IKLMWNW3?ASIN=0316055441	Steadily builds to an entertaining crescendo	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not sure what it was about this book--for all it's meandering, the pace was steady and kept me fascinated. I loved Tartt's long, complex sentences--a few times I had to go back and start a sentence from the beginning because I'd gotten lost along the way. Having lost someone I loved myself, I found her descriptions of life without that person to be spot on--it's not all grief and crying, it's often grief and silence and pain in your chest that you don't know where it's from.<br/><br/>Did anyone else feel a bit confused about when exactly this was taking place? I may be assuming technology has changed more rapidly than it has, but I couldn't decide if some of the technology Theo uses at thirteen is a bit anachronistic?<br/><br/>I would highly recommend this book. It's long, but it's extremely enjoyable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HRNI2HUPG5TO?ASIN=0316055441	I recommend this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful read!  Good flow in the development of the plot.  Very descriptive.  Ms. Tartt writes an excellent story of intrigue that takes place in familiar surroundings in the United States.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DBE6AO6ZTU49?ASIN=0316055441	SO REAL	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author does a stellar job at developing her characters.  It's hard to believe that this is fiction.  Each person seems so real.  She also captures the essence of New York, Las Vegas and Amsterdam perfectly.  It's truly a lesson in life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N8UVSPT6Z4FU?ASIN=0316055441	A writing masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a work of art, a poetry of words.  I had difficulty putting the book down at the end of the day.  It is a story of a young boy, a painting, and the people who move in and out of his life as a result of both choices he makes and the whims of fate.  It is the story of the effects of trauma on the human psyche.  I alternated feelings of sympathy for Theo, who had just suffered a great loss , frustration with the choices he makes , underlaid with an understanding of the tragedy which has transformed his life into a force which he seems unable to steer in his best interests.  If you enjoy beautiful writing which leaves the powers of fate and of  artistic beauty over which to ponder, I highly recommend this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SZAEFBOK1S3T?ASIN=0316055441	A page turner!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow!!  A HUGE book....700+ pages.  Wish it had been 700+ more!  An unforgettable read, forever embedded upon your mind, long after the final page has been turned!  Excellent!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V8PG26H91R1?ASIN=0316055441	Jvg	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">getting into the book was easy. your interest is held but the middle becomes a bit boring. The very last paragraph of the story is actually the best part of the book. The meaning of the story,and perhaps of life,is held in one paragraph.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R396NBT5EI045C?ASIN=0316055441	I love very pages of this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fantastic, well writing book. Interesting in psychological effect of trauma in the life of a young boy and adversity is part of his life.  Highly recommend this book.  The characters description is fantastic and I think I know them.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10G6FOILK2I1U?ASIN=0316055441	a terrific story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An engaging story. I really enjoyed this read. Interesting characters. I highly recommend.<br/>The lead character was very well developed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LNBNH3UHGX7N?ASIN=0316055441	Philosophically entertaining	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved it. Themes of fate, fortune, humanity. Poetry, music, art. Tragic yet beautiful. How events and people in our lives shape us and contribute to who we become. Couldn't put it down. Love the changes in scenery and the characters. I would recommend this to anyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LIFQ9IA2TKB2?ASIN=0316055441	Great story, thought provoking and hugely interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A novel layered with complexity and a storyline that pulls the reader through sudden turns and past apparent conclusions.  Relationships are fully developed and explored and characters complex and only slightly exaggerated .can acts of evil produce good and good acts produce evil?  Good question and thoughtfully presented.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R178LJ8KTJVQWS?ASIN=0316055441	oh my god	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing. Food for hours of discussion, thought, insight.Questions created by the need to talk about it all.<br/>So much more deeper than its surface. No good or bad or right or wrong, it's just not that easy.<br/>Who is Hobie? Pippa? Boris? Really?<br/><br/>An allegory? A myth? A re telling?<br/><br/>Thoroughly enjoyed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O5A51C39DCK3?ASIN=0316055441	Unforgettable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book completely original and completely unpredictable.. it's a dark, dark story that somehow ends up hopeful in the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AB0JCK692NX0?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Definitely a page turner.  The plot twists alone were enough to keep me reading all night. Personifies the adage ""the more things change, the more they remain the same.""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W5I6DTHVSH7W?ASIN=0316055441	great reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved this book I couldn't put it down and yet I didn't want it to end either.  it was extremely heartbreaking and gut wrenching.  I was up and down with emotions and could relate to the characters in the book.  I have recommended this book to all my reader friends and family.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PIFR8WCAXY2?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great characters that are well developed.  And I'm still only at the part where he is living in Las Vegas.  I am savoring it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AUXID8KD0WEK?ASIN=0316055441	Top 10 Best Books	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I actually love it whenever I find a long book (providing it's a good one of course) because I always hate to come to the end too soon.  This IS a long book and one of the best books I have read and I have read hundreds of books, probably thousands.  It's hard to say exactly why this is such a good book.  Extremely well written, of course.  Very well defined characters (Boris my favorite) and descriptive to the point you could almost see and smell what the characters were experiencing and feel what they were feeling.  I don't write long reviews so just read this........you won't be sorry.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CLG7CCC5K7MX?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a long book which I never thought about not finishing. Well-written and moving,  the story provided touch points for me which are too numerous to list.  Near the end I felt that perhaps the book could have been tightened up a bit, but the main character, Theo, is so compelling that I didn't dare skip anything.  In fact<br/>all the characters came to life for me.  I even enjoyed the digressions into the areas of art and antiques.  JMW</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W4VOZW55T9PN?ASIN=0316055441	great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a well written page-turner. The tragedy invests the reader, the art appeals to the aesthetic element and the personal relationships demonstrate the spectrum most experience throughout life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NZSLARA0URNH?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The details, the great variety of situations are described tremendously well, one can almost feel and smell the cities, houses and rooms.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW321YARK637U?ASIN=0316055441	Okay story, but much too long...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch tells an interesting story but it seemed that it would never end. I suspect that the book could have told the same story in half the number of pages. I found myself skimming pages as the author meandered through a needless level of detail.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B4DQR6F9V314?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ordered it because it was on the NY recommended list, but did not even finish it.  I would not recommend it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MLR3SP2ADE2N?ASIN=0316055441	Best ever.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautiful book. I had to read it slowly to absorb the exquisite descriptions. The characters and events are terrifyingly realistic and totally human. It may well be my favorite book ever.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DPSDU544OIN6?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">IT can't say enough about the talent of this author.  She understands the times in which we live and develops all of her characters with sensitivity and deep understanding of human nature.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8T42ZLYHKRSG?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed after reading such glowing reviews	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this book based upon reviews. I found the story compelling but tedious and far too wordy. The author could have easily cut 200 pages. It was difficult to relate to the characters who were very unlikable at times. I have not recommended this book to my. Reader friends.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A5F6B9HJ7B57?ASIN=0316055441	unforgttable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beauty and reality all bound up in story. My life, your life, no ones life, everyone's life. Read it! Hate it! Love it! But read it you must.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S5JBVZ3WEB94?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. I saw the different lives of the people in the arts,  and why it's so important to them.<br/>  Micky</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZGNECQ9SB7WT?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read a lot.  This was a very fascinating book.<br/>  I was in Maui and I could hardly put it down to look out at the gorgeous scenery.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36DV637DQWXA?ASIN=0316055441	Different, believable, addicting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's not like any other book that I've read.  I love the details and descriptive writing.  I could imagine being there.  I didn't want to put it down.  The variety of characters and their stories were inclusive of the attractive and negative details of their personalities and history.  It tells how life for most people is far from perfect with a great story line.  I also like the setting being in the current time period.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1757R33VLFG02?ASIN=0316055441	Top of my favorite books of all time list	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I feel that this is now in my list of classic, must reads. The depth of character in all of the characters is immense and perfectly un-perfect!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CRI5HM25E120?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read in a long time. A masterfully written story that keeps you reading page after page.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B869FGWA7BO0?ASIN=0316055441	captivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Spellbinding mesmerizing. A joy to read. One of those books where you're sad when you finish because you don't want the story to end. Even though it had to.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R356CIC1RFEKS5?ASIN=0316055441	although there were many parts of this I did like, I would not recommend it to my friends	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought there was way too much drug and alcohol in the story.  I mean, if one truly believed what was written, this individual would have been dead or in jail.  I felt the salient points of the story were lost in all of that.  I also felt it was too long.  too much that was never really resolved or explained..... not my favorite.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D2MBS1BHCH1T?ASIN=0316055441	uneven	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not as solid as Secret History. Way too many drug-related tales. Ending wasn't very satisfying. Female characters were too one-dimensional.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IUC15PCLLHPX?ASIN=0316055441	meet some characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved all 775 pages of this book. I was sorry to say goodbye to Theo and Boris which is testament to the clearly drawn characters who populated this tale. And, woe be to the poor tethered bird!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PE26I0QWD3FG?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book.  It drags a little in the middle but it is worth it so hang in there.  Interesting characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV6HSDQDLRG09?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch... a very moving, touching, tragic tale of the human experience	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished reading The Goldfinch last night. It is easily one of my favorites this year, if not the last several years.  It's a big book, full of heavy prose, which is not usually my thing.  At nearly 800 pages, it's a commitment to read.  But I gave it a chance and I'm so glad I did. The author is an artist with words - and while the book is dense - it's never tiresome.  It's beautiful to read.  Her characters are so richly imagined and full of life - even while living in the shadows of death and destruction. The Goldfinch is a tragic tale of a boy grieving the sudden, shocking loss of his mother. You see the ripple effect of her death in his self destructive actions, which continue well into his young adulthood. His journey is framed around his possession and obsession with a stolen painting, The Goldfinch.  Artwork, while clearly personal and in the eye of the beholder, is also immortal - it exists and keeps on existing - through the generations. As Theo, the main character concludes, ""I add my own love to the history of people who have loved beautiful things, and looked out for them, and pulled them from the fire, and sought them when they were lost, and tried to preserve them and save them while passing them along literally from hand to hand, singing out brilliantly from the wreck of time to the next generation of lovers, and the next."" Wow!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EKB8AK0HFCKK?ASIN=0316055441	Completely gripping	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing literary adventure. Great writing. Couldn't put it down.  A big long book which could have gone on and on for me.  I hesitate to discuss the story as the joy of reading this book is in the discovery.  Just begin.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKB0FTFZ6MQWY?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a wonderful story.  Thoroughly enjoyed reading every page, and it was very hard to put down at times. Thank you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JSY56OXDK20U?ASIN=0316055441	Unusual and fast paced	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved Tartt's writing and liked the story line.  We read it for our book club, so there will be lots of fodder for conversation!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P8WW9I9IZLBT?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredibly complex but wonderful!!  Learned so much about art that I didn't know....constantly on Wikipedia to add to my knowledge of various artists cited in this complex but compelling novel!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z9874ZSIM0VU?ASIN=0316055441	A great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite an extraordinary book. Clearly portrays the effect of dysfunctional families and tragedy on children. And a fascinating art story as well.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKESV923LSHYD?ASIN=0316055441	A Masterpiece of a Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though painful to read at times, this is the most beautifully written book about the truth of living and dying that I have read. All senses are activated, therefore the painful moments. At points I just wanted the story to end. Yet, when I reached the end I immediately began rereading. This book is a treasure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DMHTDQZDQGP0?ASIN=0316055441	A Turn Pager!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you can get past the first chapter, you will not be able to put the book down!  Its a ""Turn Pager""  which you will want in your library!It's a Keeper!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30E7X3G5ZU4DB?ASIN=0316055441	This book is way Overrated!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overrated- This book is way overrated, It is not as good as I have heard. It was like a rollercoaster ride, too many ups and downs. The story is very depressing, this young man seems to be depressed through the whole book. He also seemed to be so consumed with this painting through the whole book. I would not recommend it to anyone. I only read it because it was the book that our book club chose for this month.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28CKCZVRHSK6C?ASIN=0316055441	Exciting read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a captivating read that never ceases to surprise and entertain the reader. Although long, The length only adds to its constant draw because I found myself reading this book well into the night.It's characters are both tragic and likeable and the contemporary setting is very believable in these times. I highly recommend  this wonderful book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R199UK2EKLYBW3?ASIN=0316055441	It's one of the best in town.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It 's a great read, and everybody I have recommended the book has enjoyed it thoroughly. Moving fascinating characterization  and people. Don't miss this read!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17DV7FUWRX81U?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As an artist, I was intrigued by the subject matter. The painting was one I was not familiar with, but now I feel a closeness that surprised me. I bought a framed print so that I can have the goldfinch close by. I did believe there was too much about drugs that slowed me down and took something away from my enjoyment, but the painting and its journey kept me interested as did Theo's life. A book I will not forget.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19WJ917I1C9B8?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch is a thought provoking must read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing, continuously surprising story. I hated to put it down. So many issues to ponder. Revealing information related to PTSD, art, antiques, drugs, friendship, social services...I could go on and on. Something eyebrow raising page after page. The story of Theo Decker makes me want to run to museums and galleries and  just wander and contemplate. Highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FSQ280FOZYXP?ASIN=0316055441	Unique	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unique and unpredictable storyline and characters. Rich descriptions enable you to visualize every moment. I was only supposed to read the first half for book club this month (long book, we were doing half the book this month and the second next month) but I couldn't put it down. I needed to know where the story was going to take me. Finished the entire book well ahead of this month's meeting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G7DV5IT826RR?ASIN=0316055441	Suspense	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a great book to get lost with travel and adventure. Emotional and exciting relationships go on through out a lifetime.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SSYN4H6ORQPP?ASIN=0316055441	A must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in years!  It was hard to put down, the kind of book you are sad to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BFB08NCZ6RKN?ASIN=0316055441	fun, interesting but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">starts out strong but editing was needed as it runs on and on and on... too long<br/>the main characters drug usage went on too long and became tedious. i began to not like him and not care what would happen to him.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPZGA7E33M5RJ?ASIN=0316055441	If you want to get lost in a book, this is it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt, a new author for me, mesmerized me with her skillful use of language and captivating plot. She truly is a master at storytelling drawing in the reader for an experience you won't soon forget. I recommended this book to all I could while reading it, and do so now publicly.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23RWL87G8KYGL?ASIN=0316055441	So well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started reading this book as a part of my book club. I became a part of the life of the character. I didn't want it to end!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GTGSJ8MKP4G?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lenghty novel well worth the effort.  I see this as a major motion picture coming soon. After I finished the book, I missed the characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DLB6YHD0K4N9?ASIN=0316055441	intricate and amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Many readers will not appreciate Tartt's sometimes overly florid prose - but those problems are overwhelmed by the sheer wonder of her skill. If you are looking for a tightly plotted mystery this is not for you, it is shoe gazing introspection at its best barely held together by the whisper of a plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25FIHAVMHGRG0?ASIN=0316055441	Could not put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Characters came alive on the page and I felt k<br/>Like I knew them.  The storyline followed me at work and in daily tasks as I wondered what the conclusion would be.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BBNVFA64YRQQ?ASIN=0316055441	Phenomenal.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Easily the best book of 2013, a good pick by Amazon's editors. Personally I've read dozens of books over the last few years and this book is by far the best. It is a slow start, and daunting at +700 pages, but it is a masterwork. A winding, Dickensian story, full of life and truth.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B3MAHJ4WWNAA?ASIN=0316055441	a Musician's Take on The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I highly recommend this book for a many reasons, including wonderful characters taking an adventure that keeps the pages turning.  But as a lover of all the Arts I loved that the main character, especially as an adult was so tender with his feelings toward the painting.  His personal history created this belief that Art can lift even a sinking soul with a sad,complicated history and I for one love that reminder - it's for exactly this that we create and passionately perform with all our talents.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZBGXEWRR6GC5?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written and a very engaging story from start to finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt is a beautiful writer and story teller. This novel deals with many 'big' issues such as death, friendship, morality, and philosophy and yet is in no way pretentious or too clever for its own good. Despite contemplating all these big topics the story itself is never compromised. I was gripped from start to finish despite the 700 odd pages! A book that will linger with me for quite some time, would definitely recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RSVKCN1HE17K?ASIN=0316055441	Am loving it!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent vocabulary and use of visuals.  Takes us through an awful life changing event.  I'm still reading,, but want to get back to the book to continue.  It's hard to put down.  Not always a ""pretty story"", but a strong story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WSMD987GW08S?ASIN=0316055441	impressive and addictive	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've never read so many pages in so short a time! Very real storytelling! I was suspended the entire time!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11IIYE212NXI7?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best book I have read in the last few years. It was a well crafted story that drew me in and kept me turning the pages, even after I had decided to put the book down for awhile. It had some profound things to say about art and life. Before reading it, I was daunted by the length, but I got into it fairly quickly and was glad that the rich reading experience continued on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JKQI2W2338AP?ASIN=0316055441	Many Emotions	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finished The Goldfinch a couple weeks ago and haven't captured what emotions it brought out in me. I vacillate between intrigue, melancholy, pleasure, confusion, distaste, and so much more. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to put my finger on exactly how I feel about the book and understand the disharmony I feel in my soul.<br/><br/>The rest could contain spoilers, so read no further if you don't want to hear them.<br/><br/>One of the passages toward the end of the book comes closest to summing up my thoughts:  ""What if all your actions and choices, good or bad, make no difference to God? What if the pattern is pre-set? . . . What if our badness and mistakes are the very thing that set our fate and bring us round to good?"" Theo struggled through the whole book with his inability to see mistakes and choose a better path. In the end, what if it really doesn't matter which path we choose? I've always believed you choose right and good and that it is clearly different from wrong and bad. Perhaps the book has made me wonder if we can't eventually find good through a more difficult path, almost stumbling upon it rather than working toward it. I guess it's left me philosophical about it all.<br/><br/>Another passage that struck a chord with me is: ""A great sorrow, and one that I am only beginning to understand: we don't get to choose our own hearts. We can't make ourselves want what's good for us or what's good for other people. We don't get to choose the people we are . . . what if one happens to be possessed of a heart that can't be trusted--? What if the heart, for its own unfathomable reasons, leads one willfully and in a cloud of unspeakable radiance away from health, domesticity, civic responsibility, and strong social connections . . . and instead straight towards a beautiful flare of ruin, self-immolation, disaster?"" I think that explains the length of the book. If you've led a life of goodness and avoided hurting yourself and others, there is no way you could comprehend the flare of ruin and disaster without reading page after page after page, 800+ worth, of the self-destructive lives of so many characters, especially Theo.<br/><br/>We all live this life only once. We think we choose between living an enriching life, or we think there's a choice to not get involved in the unseemly side of life. What if that choice really doesn't exist? I think that's what The Goldfinch is prodding us to consider. I guess that pondering has lingered in my heart and soul still a couple weeks later, and I'm guessing that's precisely what Ms Tartt wanted.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27Y1LWLI53M4G?ASIN=0316055441	very thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">makes you think about your choices, how they affect others, yourself and your world. Sometimes I waded through the dark side. it was not always what I expected</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CW4TZKLQEVR1?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo reminds me of a contemporary Huck Finn and The Stranger as he weaves his way through impossible adolescence to self actualized adulthood. So many individual truths could be lifted from the narrative which render Theo's cumbersome final observations and expressed self awareness akin to overkill; yet I was glad he had finally gotten so introspective.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10D8OGCZF5MQZ?ASIN=0316055441	five stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although a bit long this book twists and turns and evolves into different venues.  I was kept enthused and interested in the story at every turn.  It evolves constantly and takes on new interests. Myths characters are amazing.  I also loved the art interest and history provided to the reader.  The actual writing and verbiage is superb,  a,fabulous control,and usage of,the language.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11XM2CRRGTHCQ?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is such an amazingly well written book. I was sucked in and never put it down; quite a masterpiece.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27J6K63Z91OQC?ASIN=0316055441	Once started it will be hard to put this book down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a page turner that you will not want to put down.  Somewhat  disturbing with the use of drugs and alcohol. Interesting and well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TESU486KJGMQ?ASIN=0316055441	A great read...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's been a long time since I enjoyed a book this much.  I know, many would consider this book as ""over written, too wordy"", etc., but I couldn't put it down, and when I did, I wanted to get back to it.  Much as Pat Conroy's novels, there are stories within stories, plot twists, unforgettable characters, suspense.  For readers who want to get straight to the point, this is not for you.  But if you enjoy an adventure in descriptions, the ability to capture your imagination and the thrill of a good read inside the mind of a twelve-year-old boy, this is perfect for a winter's indulgence.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C4OL56AQE7VE?ASIN=0316055441	This book blew me away	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was devestated within the first twenty pages and feared that there would be more and more heartbreak for the rest of the 700--Then I got into the flow and enjoyed the writing and lived inside the mind of a young man for the better part of two weeks. After I turned the last page, I was lonely and felt that I had no more big projects to entertain myself with . But I am very moved by this book and the characters are still living with me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIPWSFQG0QXFB?ASIN=0316055441	A briliant read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has done it again! Got into the head and soul of a sad, lonely child; we watch as he grows into a damaged man, obsessed with the painting that his mother took him to see immediately before she was killed in a terrorist attack.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZXDGDL5L8MEN?ASIN=0316055441	I RAN OUT OF STARS	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A deep, rich and satisfying story told by a pro. The images are so clear in my mind, and yet I read it a month ago and have read many books since then. Sad, funny, ultimately amazing. A MUST READ.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDA7VHZQRG0NW?ASIN=0316055441	New Classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent new classic.  The book is as flawless as the ptotagonist is flawed.  The descriptive writing is so lovely and vivid. The characters are real. The rest of my life was pushed aside while I read The Goldfinch</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFF4X9XOYZ8DX?ASIN=0316055441	too violent and an a exaple of bad parents	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too wordy some parts good do not think it will be a good movie in 2015  I will not see the movie</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLYP89XQX7C1A?ASIN=0316055441	Page Turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not put this down - did not see the twists and turns coming<br/>Would benefit from tighter editing<br/>Beautiful written</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLVSRDQMC7W0R?ASIN=0316055441	A Blockbuster of a Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exciting, sad, full of twists and turns, the way life is and the way people act.  Actions that run the gamut from kind, to cruel, from caring to disinterested.  Addiction as affliction in no uncertain terms.  How outside influences shape lives and the character  of  ordinary folks.  Very thought provoking, I wanted it all to end in a fairy tale fashion but reality played out. May read again!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31VGT7OVTY9GM?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It surely was a ""Dikensian"" novel of the first class.  Lots of interesting characters who seemed to come together at the end</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NFHYFYE3HNXJ?ASIN=0316055441	Buy it, a great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put it down! It was such a great read and almost went into hibernation for a week it was such a page turner!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R146VVSXTQEPW6?ASIN=0316055441	Enticing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written.  The plot is well-structured, too.  Great book and I like that I have to use the dictionary a fair amount since I don't know a lot of the words.  Took about 100 pages to really pick up and I wouldn't describe as one of those books you just can't put down - it's in a category of its own.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16Y7I18M0IE5D?ASIN=0316055441	Pageturner - good writing, compassionate	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a story that you both can't wait to get the resolution of - and don't want to because - then its over.  Some people have said it needs an edit - I would go along with that - but I think that is the case with many novels nowadays.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LEI1GECJVG03?ASIN=0316055441	Dickens for our time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a novel of Dickensian scope, but for our time, not the Victorian age. It is, I think, the quickest I have ever read an 800 page novel. There are characters who will undoubtedly stick in my imagination for years to come.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBP4X7U2R9L8R?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written.  And you are there, seeing everything, feeling everything as you go.  So much to think about.  Broadening my horizon.  I really cared about Theo.  I wanted everything to turn out well and once I got to the Netherlands, my heart beat out of my chest with worry.  The characters were all very real, descriptions of even the most minor of characters so real that you knew them in your own life.  I am a completely different person than Theo but through this book, came to understand him and people like him.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V86U82RKAESC?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful!such a great book with many twists and turns.  Will keep you on the edge of your seat and wanting more.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H5JKKE1Y7U5J?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just can't seem to put this book down.  It is a wonderful read.<br/>The reason I don't like to respond to these surveys is because they require<br/>you to say more than you want to say!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SGCJN1NCIST8?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a really good book.  Sometimes I bogged down and thought it moved a little slowly, but overall it was a great read.  I would recommend it to others, in fact, I have.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R259OUPEDNF1TO?ASIN=0316055441	What a letdown!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book quite well written and marveled at how the author was able to conceive of one of the main characters, the Ukrainian boy.  Even though i was bored by the drug and alcohol addiction, I continued to read to see how the plot  proceeded and finally ended.  What a disappointment!  The last part of the book appeared to be a sort of sermonizing, or an exposition of the author's views. There was no resolution to the problems of the characters or the strands of the plot.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYR87242RM58H?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing; not up to its reviews	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was disappointed in this book which I had looked forward to reading. While I liked some of the characters, the plot took a long time to develop and there was more about drugs than I really wanted to read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ9G9WOLJOEO1?ASIN=0316055441	Too many words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too, too many words.  You only need one or two drug and alcohol scenes to know what is going on. Not a whole book of it.  The underlying story was fine.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W9420SBOTL4E?ASIN=0316055441	don't understand popularity	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I tried to read The Goldfinch.  Every page was another turn in the downward spiral of the life of Theo.  I also found his reaction to Xandra's place in his father's life unbelievable:  a boy so attached to his mother would rebel at her replacement, no matter the relationship between him and his father.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM2KOKF1A7INL?ASIN=0316055441	A story not easily forgotten	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A heart  warming and heart breaking tale.  The characters draw you in to their worlds where they deal with honesty, dishonesty, trust, growth emotionally and intelligently, success, ego and most of all the levels of love and compassion.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WYV4N67I5SWT?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyable read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It didn't take long after I started reading to get me hooked and wanting to push through. Well written and the author has a gift for setting a scene that you can easily fade into and witness up close.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLUXMH30V0RLZ?ASIN=0316055441	wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So much in this book which I initially found long winded and dwelling so much on glitz and substance use. As the story progressed though, it drew all those elements together in a heartfelt, intriguing way that kept me reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39HAJFB84QVGA?ASIN=0316055441	Dark & Overrated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very dark book with no let up. Difficult to read to the end. Some good writing but I prefer ""Catcher in the Rye.""</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S0DZ72QW383U?ASIN=0316055441	A missed opportunity	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning was great but then it drags on and on until you just can't wait for it to finish. I dropped it at the last chapters! Too depressing, to much drug abuse and booze.... One can only take that much! A pity because it could have been a masterpiece but the author just seems to get lost along the way. It's the first book I've read by Donna Tartt and I can't say that it has encouraged me to read another.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLPAJXJ6QI98B?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth the effort	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Every year i read at least a couple of books that top in over 750 pages, but still I have an natural skepticism for books of that length. I have never read Tartt before, and understand that there has been much anticipation for this book, still, it seems that she, or her editor, are much more interested in describing every bit of minutia, every nuance of feeling, real or perceived, between every heartbeat of her character's life, than telling a story.<br/>Theo is supposed to be a 13 yr old boy who's just been traumatized by the loss of his mother. The ridiculous amount of detail he supposedly remembers are well beyond both his experience and the conceit that he is living like a zombie in the wake of the events.<br/>I gave this book an honest try, almost 200 pages. It's just overwritten. I can't see beginning one more chapter that contains paragraph after paragraph of flowery description followed by a few lines of expository dialogue (good lord that first conversation between Theo and Hobie could never, ever happen, ever)that barely advances the story.<br/>D-U-L-L</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32YQG24HFAT5X?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A terrific story well told. The author uses language effectively, and the plot, characters are captivating. Her descriptions of New York bring the city to life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17PGB9677595F?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch was a winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it was beautifully crafted- characters well defined- suspenseful. i couldn't put it down. happy it was a saga- didn't want the book to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IVVMB4EGOIBK?ASIN=0316055441	one of the best reads of 2013	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The prose, the characters, the story...captivating and thought provoking.<br/>An absolute genius piece of American fiction. Thank you Donna Tartt!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT25ECI2BLPZN?ASIN=0316055441	A struggle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So much of this book intrigued me and yet I was absolutely worn out from the read itself. In a word-tedious. I tried very hard to get past the tedium and was very happy at The End.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QQEGY33WHVB?ASIN=0316055441	Vanity Fair	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like the variety of the articles in the magazine. Fine writing also; it's one of the ""treats"" of my day. Oh - and I have to say - some of those fashion shots are pretty bizarre but fun!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q6301Y39UFT7?ASIN=0316055441	Unrelenting disasters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You've got to have a strong psyche to get through this book.  I suppose Ms. Tartt wanted to let us know the endless harsh ramifications of loss, and in this way, the book succeeds in spades.  Sometimes I felt as if we could trade any paragraph of this book with another and come away not knowing a switch had been made.  It's like listening to the pitiful cries of a puppy in pain for hours on end.  After a while you want the puppy to either die or  be quiet and go away.  It's only the reputation of the book that kept me going...like watching a well-thought-of foreign film to the end despite the fact that you hated every minute and you wanted to leave half hour ago.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P7G4YWXXLYRM?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Difficult to put down,housework on hold. Looking forward to more from this author. Loved the characters and can see this one becoming a movie.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JGXAIV2LZGIR?ASIN=0316055441	Very Well Written and Exciting Plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written with an exciting, fast paced plot with lots of unexpected twists and turns.  I enjoyed every page.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HHECJ8GIQPTV?ASIN=0316055441	A page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. Characters that are compelling , quirky and fully developed.The book is lengthy but I was so engaged, I wanted more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39EVMCNH77OX4?ASIN=0316055441	entirely too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was entirely too lengthy, focusing on obscure details rather than relationships or personalities of the characters which might have made the pages of descriptive and depressing drug use and abuse tolerable. It felt as though the author became lost in the narrative of describing the poor choices of the protagonist then skipped over his redeeming qualities quickly (such as love) only to return right back to a different setting with the same issues. This novel was all over the place, hard to enjoy or let the reader feel like he was progressing through a narrative.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R300XYAVMFDDR1?ASIN=0316055441	awful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">trying to get thru it. awful  hate the drugs and her style of writing  just rying to finish the book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KCVLCTBPCP4X?ASIN=0316055441	Did not like Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like this book. Still reading it . 75% done. So depressing and writing goes on and on. Do not understand why this is a best seller.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TLNAUVT9YT2W?ASIN=0316055441	Story of young traumatized boy getting high- for the first many pages and at the very end- finally finding himself.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was bored by the repeated self destructive acts. Could have enjoyed this as a short story but found finishing this book a real chore.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FMYPIP60BWZ3?ASIN=0316055441	not one of my favorites..........	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was hoping to love this book but I found it very difficult to get through.  I bought it about 2 months ago and am still reading on.  There is a lot of ""filler"" information that I just bypass in this book.  I am about 60% finished with it, hoping it has a great ending.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WWXL35MZHVYN?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is an intersting tale of growing up with trauma in your life.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A 13 year old loses his mother in an explosion (bomb) in a NY museum. The tale is long, but woven together very well. The end is interesting, but rather unclear. I loved the story of this beautiful painting, and learned about PTSD in a fictional tale. Well done and well worth the Kindle price. Text to voice enabled. A plus!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA84SLZYA8KOK?ASIN=0316055441	Great plot---all-to-familiar drug permeation of plot.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an Intriguing story with numerous plot twists and unusual character development and interplay.<br/>Unfortunately, authors  today seem obsessed with plots focused on characters involved in a culture including drug use as a major influence in their lives. At times this prevalence makes it seem as if ""the world "" is enveloped within this culture. It is unsettling that writers(or is it publishers , who actually control what and who gets published?) present a(hopefully) skewed picture of life as we know it today. What a mysogonistic representation of humans we are getting through the written word!<br/>  The book was a great read , but the yet again presence of drugs as a major determinant of action is getting repetitious and hackneyed. I would have rated this as a 4 1/2 star but for the tired old seamy drug influence.<br/>I know---it sells.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REVZKEGV508R0?ASIN=0316055441	A gorgeous, painterly work ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am a fan of Donna Tartt - her first book, &lt;i&gt;The Secret History&lt;/i&gt;, is one of my all-time favorite books, one I revisit often.  It's hard to be an author who wrote an outstanding memorable first book - everything else rests against the first and is often found lacking.  I like everything she's written, though, and was excited to get my copy of &lt;i&gt;The Goldfinch&lt;/i&gt;.<br/><br/>My father was an artist, who also taught art history, so I grew up looking at art - from him I gained a love of the Impressionists, Post-Impressionists, and of earlier work by Caravaggio and Turner and on and on.  My mother loves the Dutch masters and passed that love on to me - the stately procession in the work of beauty and fertility juxtaposed with rot and death all anchored in that incredible Northern light.  Perhaps it is this relationship to visual art, to the reading of a visual work, that so attracts me to the &lt;i&gt;The Goldfinch&lt;/i&gt;.<br/><br/>Ms. Tartt captures the moment in an art museum when you are transfixed and forever changed by a glimpse at a painting, the moment when you see something reproduced in a book, the visceral full body rush that sweeps over you when a painting reaches out and touches you.  For Theo's mother, this painting is Carel Fabritius' &lt;i&gt;The Goldfinch&lt;/i&gt;, a gorgeous little 17th century Dutch painting of a goldfinch chained to a perch.  It is a painting made with a loaded paintbrush handled with exquisite control portraying its subject against a light background in stark visual contrast to the darker, heavier backgrounds favored by his teacher, Rembrandt.  Look at Fabritius and you can see where Vermeer came from - that mix of tight control and invading, enveloping, overpowering light - the subject caught by circumstance, by the painter, by the light, by the moment, by their chains, by their life, by their mortality.  In a very real sense, this is the underlying subject matter of Ms. Tartt's novel and these themes resonate throughout.<br/><br/>&lt;i&gt;The Goldfinch&lt;/i&gt; is of necessity a post-9/11 novel, particularly since its start is a collection of visual moments interrupted by a bomb that turns the landscape into gray ash, flickering emergency lights, fallen stone and timber and ceiling tiles.  Despite the loaded implications of the moment, the novel sweeps past cliche with an ever-shifting forward movement even as the reader and the protagonist are chained to our perch, our memories of the moment, the desire to break free and to return to the familiar before it happened, before the noise, before the ash took it all away.<br/><br/>Theo's journey takes us from the bombing at the museum on a journey through a young man's life and the places and people and light (or lack of light) that populate it.  It is in its strongest moments a visual experience with language that suits each moment as Ms. Tartt stretches out through the tale.  It is not all one thing, it is not all pretty, it is not tidy and compact, but it is resonant, and it is arresting, and it is worth more than one read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MWWOAH6QWI24?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt like I knew these characters in the story it was so well written. You will not be able to put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U1ZM0YMXIGKG?ASIN=0316055441	A Great Read.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this book down. I had to keep reading to see what crazy twist fate would take next. When I finished the book I was sad because the characters were so real that I missed them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROVPB64I7M1MU?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is all you've heard	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I avoided this book for a while owing to the length, but when I read it, I didn't want it to end. Theo, the narrator is as compelling as his story. It's improbable, but you go with it because Tartt is that masterful. Fiction at its best.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29NG0DZZLKDJM?ASIN=0316055441	The best read this year! Stunning!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an amazing story. Donna Tart is so talented as she weaves this epic story from a 'big bang' start that immediately captures ones involvement . I did not want the story to end as I became so involved in the main character, I wanted to know more and more about his life as it unfolded.<br/><br/>In fact I would go so far as to say that our young man is more of an anti hero, who always found strong people in his life to give him guidance and a pillar to return to after the rough and tumble of his life experiences. It's about obsessions of objects and people but this is the only way the main character can survive what life throws at him.<br/><br/>It's beautifully written and intriguing - what is the Goldfinch? Characters are so real and believable and the pace is good.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26R0EWPCJJDJT?ASIN=0316055441	Deserving Awards	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unexpected twists and turns. Excellent character delineation. Keep hoping the protagonist will find his way. A page turner with a lot of suspense.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13PL4C2B5SVZF?ASIN=0316055441	thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I always like a good survival story and this is a very different and, at times, thought provoking one.  The characters were interesting and I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of emotion that made this such a good read. Ms Tartt writes in such a way that you feel the heat, cold and get wet when it rains. I'm going to put this book away and pick it up again in about 5 years to read once more. Highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8BFRGZAPC6Y2?ASIN=0316055441	This got in my head	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A pleasure to read. I couldn't put it down. When I had to, I couldn't wait to get back to it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SCYTJFV5FYXP?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Initially I was caught up in the author's descriptive prose.  It was a good read until Las Vegas when she seemed to get stuck on repetitive adolescent misbehavior and obscene language.  It was at this point that I stopped reading; it became boring.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTY53SI7PQTY4?ASIN=0316055441	Totally absorbing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not but down this book. An absorbing story of loss and the consequences of the choices we  make. Beautifully written. Read it</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17CXYFRD6PN4M?ASIN=0316055441	FANTASTIC	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I hVe ever read.  It is well written and the story is great.  Couldn't put it down</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CSY2TI6L0K07?ASIN=0316055441	No thanks	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got involved with the main character early on, but was so disappointed in his life choices I gave up on him. The author would make a point and then beat it into the ground.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S8JSFYCDZRTQ?ASIN=0316055441	Forgetable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This adventure of a very mixed up Theo, was a nightmare to read. There was no redeeming quality that I could see.  Save your money and find something worth your time and treasure.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MET45YLQ3U8P?ASIN=0316055441	200 pages too far.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First half great.  Second half unrealistic .  Could have cut 200 pages from the book.  Lost interest by Europe .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GB3RRV8EQONG?ASIN=0316055441	tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was an interesting story, but from beginning to end there was only one thing that you were truly interested in, and that was how Theo was going to return an invaluable piece of artwork. The story that ensues is fraught with superfluous information, and description of every bit of minutia that you could possibly imagine, so much so that the story became tedious.<br/>The book was well written and researched. If you happen to love long stories this is one that you will enjoy.  I am an avid reader, I just didn't happen to like how drawn out the book was.<br/>H.A.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W2G21QEZ5M9C?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It rambled excessively.  Hard to keep up with some of the conversations and descriptions.  Other than that it was good.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RATK6X3WLEGMK?ASIN=0316055441	Over inflated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book started well, however I started to becomes bored with the overly long rambling  and self recrimination in some sections. You can skip many pages of this book. A great shame because the information about the painting was interesting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ14HXR8N0Q3A?ASIN=0316055441	Editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My main question is, Where was the editor of this tome?  It was at least 100 pages too long.<br/>The writing style was excellent and the characterizations thoughtful and poignant.  The plot could have been tightened up a great deal: editing.<br/>The impact of the book was greatly diluted because of unnecessary over plotting and over characterization.  Again, an editing problem.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDTHXQI0YKMEQ?ASIN=0316055441	Too much angst	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing aside, so tragic and depressing...The author's descriptive prose continually amazed me but her characters made it very difficult for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25X6CLWKH31E4?ASIN=0316055441	Thumbs down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just did not enjoy this book. I could not finish it though I tried several times. It is a very difficult story line.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27YVZ7TSXLJJG?ASIN=0316055441	An average read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Felt like the author got lost writing sometimes and just rambled on.  Most of the book I really enjoyed, just certain parts went off tangent.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NZZ4QVZTWEI9?ASIN=0316055441	every character relatable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You know and understand the characters as they're introduced. This is a very thought provoking read. A good long book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XM5LH123Z57V?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing Book after Much Hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was initially well-written with an interesting topic and well-developed characters. However, by the latter fourth of the book, it had clearly deviated from any path of logical story development to become absurd. The end especially sounded like the essay of someone who took Philosophy 101 too seriously without having anything to contribute to the philosophical discourse. It also could have been the term paper from someone in a Philosophy of Art seminar that simply went too far with reaching any true conclusions. It seems as if the author was rushed to finish and did not put the thought and time into the last part of the book that was clearly present in the first three quarters of the book. This is a quintessential case where good editing at the end could have saved an otherwise very good book from becoming just another amateurish philosophical rant.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D6C260Q1TU3T?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the book was way to long and I found the drug aspect was too much.  I do not recommend it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OUKE2DREQFUA?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing after ' The Secret History'	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long winded.  A pleasant enough read if you have too much time on your hands. Sadly authenticity is often swept aside.  Most characters were not treated with enough brutal honesty.  Some sections (eg the engagement party) are so out of touch with reality that one sees the author sacrificing the integrity of her characters and story in order to clumsily craft her plot.  I didn't hate it but felt sad that it fell so short of 'The Secret History'.  If I had read this one first I would not have picked up any of the others.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A3U3LZ64NQOD?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful prose, good story, way too verbose.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It seems to take forever for a character to enter or leave a scene. Could have used some serious editing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ELJTVUTOD0YV?ASIN=0316055441	Started Out Exciting... hard to get through after that with anti-climatic ending!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The main character as a little boy drew me in right away for how much he adored his mother and their strong bond. The writer's descriptions of people, places and things were a bit overboard for me. As the other characters entered the boy's life, I was lost for a direction the writer wanted me to take and nearly lost interest in finishing the book but continued as I assumed it would pick up and come together in the end however, when it ended I was left wondering what was the point? If it was all about the painting that was not enough for me. If it was about how the boy was influenced by both good and bad the ending didn't really portray him as turning out either one!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OIJ84CIEFYLH?ASIN=0316055441	Like it, but needs a good editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like the book.  Very good story, and I enjoyed reading it... for the most part.  I found the writing to be like a singer that feels the need to sing a run in every bar of the song.  Don't get me wrong, I like the creativity of the writing, the imagination, the detail, and ability to get into the heads of the characters.  However, it does not need to be so elaborated on every page.  It makes it hard to emphasize the important elaborations, when they are constant.  I found myself needing to scan just to get out of the muck and back to the story.  But definitely enjoyed the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RVU4G5XPUB1Q?ASIN=0316055441	Get over yourself	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Another hard luck kid twisted by nutso-abusive-neglecting parent who makes multiple bad choices and makes bad choices himself, It's okay</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19P3JGG0NTYU5?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book, thought the writing was superb and think Donna Tartt is one of the best writers of our time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QP2ODZHMURV4?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are NOT many books written in the modern day that I would tout as being literary, but there is no doubt that this book meets much of the criteria of Literature. Those are: universal appeal, and timelessness of the material and how well we can identify with the characters.<br/><br/>While some of the characters in Donna Tartt's work are rather ""flat"" she does this on purpose, as some of them represent ideas and some of them are not meant to be expanded upon perhaps on purpose. Development of Boris was done rather skillfully, making us hating to like him, and the very carefully written relationship between Xandra and Theo's dad kept us enough in the dark and confused to not feel very badly when the time came for Theo to leave Vegas. It was there, in the Belly of the Beast that Theo has his deepest darkest moments. His heroes journey jumping off point takes place at the bus station on his way to a new life.<br/><br/>Discussion on other posts about how verbose and blathering her prose is initially made me a bit testy, but I realize that the current reader is not aware of the beauty of the word, which she utilizes quite skillfully in her descriptions of things and her crossovers in other languages and use of dialect and foreign terms. Her style was reminiscent of so many other authors combined that it flattered them without becoming a caricature of their writing. I could see some of Maugham's Philip in ""Of Human Bondage"" in Theo as well as a bit of Pip from Great Expectations and of course some of the Russian Victorians as well show up from the mention of the ""Idiot"" and ""Eugene Oregin"". The verbosity in her descriptions of the way that Hobie works the wood, the way the glue is made, the rich details Tartt describes makes this novel richly literary. It is not a novel for a non discerning 21st century reader. I have seen ""David Copperfield"" mentioned as well, that is because Dickens wrote coming of age stories, and this is a coming of age story as well.<br/><br/>I would love to take this entire book to my literary criticism class and dissect it in all kinds of ways. Social criticism, psychoanalytic, Marxist, feminist. This tome is a field day for symbol, deeply contemplative thoughts on life and first and foremost a Bildungsroman or coming of age story of a ""boy"" who continues despite innumerable losses. He may not find redemption, (do we all ever find it?) His world, which continues to spill forth from bad decisions, lies, forgery in many differing ways and bad choices still offers the rest of us a way of looking at a world that we can hope we never live in. We need to know that it is our choice to make, not fates.<br/><br/>If you read this book, take away all your ideas about what a book ""should be"" in the modern world. This is a long book, yes. Some parts could be shortened, yes. Think about this....Donna Tartt took many years to CRAFT this book. She was not the EL James of writing some sleazy book in a few weeks. She is a consummate writer, she is a craft-person. She took time to find the details of all of this information. Some of you feel she was a kind of braggadocio. Please. She is an academic as well. Why not instruct us all while she has us read? We can learn too, can't we. This society and its abhorrence of humanities and the fine arts and culture over trashy movies, video gaming and other foolish minutiae could use an infusion of culture! I applaud her in that way alone.<br/><br/>There are people who will argue about it with you, yes. In fact, there are people who slandered my good name over this book. I happen to know of which I speak, because I work with this material each and every day. But I am only one person, with one opinion, and you are welcome to disagree, but no slander please. One can agree to disagree and be kind about it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKYBMTDZH2GD6?ASIN=0316055441	I wasn't prepared for this brilliance	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed Donna Tartt's first book,not her second, and embarked on this with mixed feelings.<br/><br/>I was soon drawn in to a world which is full of pain and chaos, so far from mine,and yet, I wanted to find out more and more.  Although what was described is often heartrending,the language and the writing skill keeps it from being horrifying.  There is nothing gratuitous about this book.<br/><br/>It's wonderful to read a truly modern novelist who can write such intense and beautiful descriptions.  And fantastic comic dialogue.  It's also wonderful not to have to read endless dreary and pointless sex scenes - well done!<br/><br/>It's long, yes, but  at the end, I wanted more!  I feel sure I'll read it again, and will be able to mine it for many years to come.  And for those like me who care about such things, and worry while they are reading, nothing bad happens to the dog!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32ZKQRBU4U9X4?ASIN=0316055441	Delightful reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wasn't sure whether I would enjoy this novel given the theme--""small painting stolen from a museum""...., but it is a very well written, creative and original story. I learned about the art and antiques worlds, life in Manhattan, as well as in Las Vegas, youth and drugs, and how significant emotional events affect one's life. Loved the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15SZ0U7KVD5J3?ASIN=0316055441	Hang in there. You'll be surprised.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a surprise for a book chosen during an ambien fueled night of insomnia. Well written, fascinating and multidimensional characters, plus an intricate, detailed plot. I love the main character.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BVQPUM55ISQH?ASIN=0316055441	What a sad story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The narrator of this book concludes that life is a catastrophe and you have to agree that his certainly has been.  First his father abandons him and his mother--no great loss --but then his mother is killed in a terrorist blast in an art museum that nearly kills him as well.  Lying in the rubble he meets an old man who gives him his ring and just before dying tells him to take the ring to his partner.  He also gives the boy the painting The Goldfinch for safekeeping.  Is the book about the painting, as the title would suggest, or is it about the bad luck and bad decisions that plague this boy as he grows up?  He has just enough luck to find one person who will provide the parental guidance he needs to avoid prison or an early death.  There's a happy ending and thoughts on what life is all about at the end, but I doubt the conclusions he reaches based on his experiences.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28TZN3372Y94F?ASIN=0316055441	"I give it an ""Okay"" because it's not actual trash,"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">and I must note that I was bamboozled into reading it by the misleadingly ecstatic daily press reviews--including of course, the infamously middle-brow NY Times.  Middle-brow Tartt's book certainly is. Dickens, it certainly is not.  Think of the character Hobie, pure stereotype--and fairly simple-minded stereotype at that--and then think of that ne'er-do-well poseur in ""Bleak House"" who plays little aimless tunes on the piano. A masterful rendering of a ""sensitive"" narcissist is he!  Dickens is a great writer because, though there's an excess of contrivance in the plo (a la Tartt)t, he is stylistically and linguistically magnificent, a bit of Shakespeare's muse inspires Dickens' prose.  Dickens is great because he lambastes the privileged and the powerful and champions the poor, because his social vision is uncompromising.  How can any of this be said of Donna Tartt.  The book reeks of prep school privilege from the page 1 - and opens with a clumsy description of how beloved the narrator's down-at-heel heals, Sutton-Place-dwelling mother is beloved she is by the doorman or her democratic condescension, silly and trite as is the book in general.  The novel is more or less exclusively plot driven, which makes it easy to read, and which makes readers feel pleased with the experience of reading ""good"" literature because there's nothing in it that disrupts the status quo, all dissonances are predigested and rendered palatable.  It's the Steven Speilberg style of novel writing, containing no ideas that an eighth-grader couldn't understand.  The happy ending, where everyone prospers is not satisfying at all because there isn't the final reckoning that a serious novel contains or implies, just tying together of an idea that really wasn't big enough.  The long pseudo-Proustian--or more likely, pseudo-Walter Pateresque--reflection about art is a poor excuse for the justly earned denouement of a well-written, intelligent novel, which ""Goldfinch"" is not!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32TQB2OGZ3FZL?ASIN=0316055441	Best book of 2013	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know it has made several ""best of"" lists. But I just finished it and made it official: it is the best book I read in 2013.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KZXHXHALJ1PM?ASIN=0316055441	It's all about the last 20 pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved Theo.  I loved Boris. I loved Hobie.  I really found the last twenty pages of the book unnecessary, overreaching, impossibe, and boring.  Repetition can be useful.  Twenty pages of telling me what I already knew was not useful.  Rather, it was demeaning.  You may wish to enjoy the characters, the setting, the artistic complexity of The Goldfinch, but I urge you to forego the last twenty pages. They are not worth your time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R223T10R04HZM4?ASIN=0316055441	I am loving it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am only half way through as this is a long book. It is so engaging, I don't want to put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XZHL4PNMGNNZ?ASIN=0316055441	"In a word, ""wow."""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved every word and every minute I spent reading it. Highly recommend. If you are not already of fan of Donna Tartt, you will be.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A90FTM0002WC?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch -- for good and bad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Many aspects of this book were excellent--the prose, the story, the characterizations, the settings. Admittedly I'm an impatient reader, but I felt The Goldfinch was self-indulgent, going on way way too long in way way too many places. Since I read it on my Kindle, I have no idea how many pages long it was, but it felt like with about 100 pages edited out, it would have been a much better book--I would probably have rated it 4 if not 5 stars.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JCKSYBLEFZAL?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful craftmanship but long-winded and too self-aware	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was mostly an observer in this turgid, dense colossus, and whilst the wordcraft is at times extraordinary, the storyline didn't keep me engaged.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CLHM7JIWQ1XD?ASIN=0316055441	Overrated.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Got this because it got rave reviews and appeared on most of the 'Best of 2013' list. Though I admit it is 'beautiful' writing, it is writing that takes you no where. The forward motion of the plot is so slow it almost feels like 'real time.'  I gave up on caring what would happen about it a third of the way through.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NKD5UUL85X8T?ASIN=0316055441	More depressing than interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This a a seven hundred plus page book that begins with an explosion at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY and takes the reader on a very long journey of j depression, loss, grief, art theft, drug abuse and more.  This book goes on and on and would profit from a good editing.  There are  too many sub plots, unbelievable situations and semi-intellectual digressions to make this a must read.  Some of the characters are endearing but many, including the main character, become unsympathetic and the reader can lose any investment in their welfare.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PP416HS8IRWA?ASIN=0316055441	What a relief!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's been a while since I've read a book that I couldn't stop reading. This story is a good one, and the writing style is wonderfully smooth, introspective and steadily paced. Donna Tartt is a writer to watch, and so far, she does not dissappoint.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QGA33YE1RHXT?ASIN=0316055441	Somber and exciting. Philosophical and introspective.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't like reviews that set out at once to summarize the story for you, highlighting all the main characters, exposing the plot. I prefer to share the emotional adventure of a well written story; how semantically it can move the reader.....because isn't writing another form of art? And isn't art a way of tapping the emotion of the one viewing it? Isn't the escape into a novel another way to view the world? Read this book and you will want to read it again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W8MZCXW7D7AJ?ASIN=0316055441	Unique	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not like anything I've ever read before.  This is a contemporary coming of age novel set in New York, Las Vegas, and Europe.  There are layers upon layers, all told through the (mostly) innocent eyes of a young boy who loses his mother in a horrific New York bombing and never quite finds his way back ""home"" again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8FOEMEV94RQ2?ASIN=0316055441	Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book could have easily been 200 pages shorter. The ending was far too preachy for my taste. I'm not interested in reading her other works.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JNVV7KRUTXDH?ASIN=0316055441	Miserable book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had to put this book down, finally.  Couldn't stand to be dragged through the mud anymore as the 2 young male characters continued to make terrible decisions that effected their lives.  Sheer torture.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TPR0AQI3PAKI?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch -- complex, multi-layered, beautiful.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was drawn in at the start but didn't have an idea as to where the story was going.  I won't spoil it for you, it's the book of the year for good reason. Highly recommend.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5349UP2E5S5H?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Careful about starting this book as you will not be able to put it down.  It was extremely engaging and I felt as if I was living through what the main character did every minute.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MTR03DCHHY9N?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book, so very interesting, with lovable characters. One of the best books I have read this year.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XA8F765Z6VXE?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story, well told in a thoughtful way.  Tartt develops her characters fully.  You could feel the joy and sorrow of each person.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHSB78XGOA6WN?ASIN=0316055441	Literature	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though this work becomes over-wordy at times -- many of the best do -- it still held my interest.  It appears as though the author was following the lead of the great Russians.  She didn't quite make it, but good enough for me.  The storyline kept me reading even when I wanted a more direct line to the next event.  It will be a book to reread as I'm not quite sure it's as cohesive as it could have been or if it addressed the ""universal truths"" in such a way as to make it a true literary work.  I would highly recommend as books that have meat to them come along so infrequently.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17AOHQYFIICVA?ASIN=0316055441	remarkable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the loveliest books I have ever read. Heartbreaking, funny, and smart. Her language is musical and her story a complex melody.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SJDHD4RJJX35?ASIN=0316055441	Still reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can't hardly put down. Will be one of those that stays with you after you are finished reading the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18EL883E09D8A?ASIN=0316055441	Slow read in the beginning but better after.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow read in the beginning but better later. Could be boring but stick with because it really is a good book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YE2Z4YPV63T3?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrific pageturner, beautifully flawed characters, couldn't wait to pick it up each day and was sad when it was over.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QGC0735PE7I4?ASIN=0316055441	Depth	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel reflects the author's richness and depth of knowledge of life, varied interests, and experience.  I thoroughly enjoyed her writing style, as well as the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27X40TXOUOFL5?ASIN=0316055441	So far so good....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love a long read. That being said, I am only in Theo's 15th year and in Las Vegas, so I have a ways to go. But it has been very entertaining and interesting. The words a very descriptive and invoke wonderful imagery that I can see the characters, homes, rooms and landscapes. I feel I know these people. This is a coming of age book that will be a classic in years to come.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO8O9TUGD147I?ASIN=0316055441	best book ever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">beautifully written.you get personally involved with every character. i found it very difficult to start reading a new book, i had the need to take a deep breath to savor the beauty of this story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HQP7TK8FD0C8?ASIN=0316055441	Captured me, then let me go...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was totally pulled into this book from the beginning. I was surprised at what was beyond this cover, not what I had expected. Great story! Great depth in character-building... Loved most of it, except the ending... I think it should have ended on a better note, more of a HEA.... I hate spoilers, so I won't say what was missing for me, that would ruin it for you, if you haven't read it. Maybe I'll get the HEA I was hoping for in a book 2? You write it, I'll buy it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35O8R05910V3A?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was my first time to read a book by this author and I enjoyed the style of this author very much. I looked forward to finding time every evening to read. I enjoyed the characters as they were interesting, different, and strong. The story was a bit shocking in some ways and also very realistic. I highly recommend this book. This book rates for me in the top five books I have read this past  year.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WGIYO1KHJDKS?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the Goldfinch!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of those books I didn't want to put down and did not want to end! so well written and a great story as well!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14CV0RIKRX3WX?ASIN=0316055441	NO STARS	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't even imagine how this got on a best seller list.  It is long, it is dull, the protagonist is unclear, not particularly attractive and not even likeable.  I may not even ever finish it....Plenty of probably fine prose, but too much wading through his mind....and I read everything that comes into my view....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDI6ZGQ2Z288I?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt is a great writer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a great writer, but as with her last book I found the ending disappointing.  Reading this book was a torrid love affair that fizzled in the last week.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EDFWYNG1MALD?ASIN=0316055441	Not my cup of tea, but still beautifully written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I must admit that this book was extraordinarily well written, I felt mislead by reading the book jacket.  Rather than being a sweeping story of art and society, it was more the story of one man's choices and how they affect his life.  I enjoyed the writing style, but not the book.  It was rather dark and depressing, rather than uplifting.  Just not my cup of tea.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HCYX3XKGSDLD?ASIN=0316055441	Well Written Long, Dark Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a well written but dark novel that always tugged at my emotions.  It focuses on Theo Decker from the age of 13 into adulthood.  His father deserted his mother and him around the age of 12.  Then when he is 13, his mother is killed in a museum explosion in New York and Theo is one of two people to survive.  He went to live with a friend and his wealthy family, as his grandparents didn't want him and his father could not be found.  His father is found just before the family is heading on summer vacation and he takes Theo to Las Vegas.<br/><br/>The main characters of this book were well drawn, so that I still feel as if I know them.  It also has an interesting plot that kept me ""turning the pages"" of my Kindle.  Yes, it dealt with The Goldfinch painting, but it was much more than that to me.  It dealt with a boy/man who had many losses of family members and friends.  He was plagued by guilt, loss and loneliness.  Due to his ""role models"" and lack of supervision in his teen years, he had extremely poor coping skills which mainly involved alcohol and drugs.<br/><br/>Despite my enjoyment of the novel as a whole, there were things I didn't like, which is why I'm giving it 4 stars.  As others have said, it is too long and spends way too much time on some topics such as the use of alcohol and drugs and the aftermath of their abuse.<br/><br/>I thought the ending was either totally unrealistic and was a classic case of telling rather than showing.  I'm not sure if the author was being unrealistic or if she intended to show us that Theo was.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QLRFNIH1PTG5?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed a new idea, but there were parts of the book where she circled back and forth and you weren't really sure where you were. I still don't quite understand why this was construed as a  a terrorism attack. It seemed like an art theft.<br/>Well written and captivating most of the time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N9FNG61PM708?ASIN=0316055441	An Unlikeable Narrator	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt is an accomplished writer, and if I rated on writing skills, this book would get 5 stars.  But her narrator is so unlikeable that I didn't enjoy the reading at all.  Yes, he endures a horrible tragedy, but explanations are not excuses.  Read her other books instead.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WL129XNP36LW?ASIN=0316055441	A Bit Lengthy and Offbeat	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this because of high editorial and customer ratings.  I would say it's not for everyone.  It is a lengthy first person narrative of a boy who is a survivor of a terrorist attack in a New York art museum.  Three things happen in the attack that change the course of his life:  1) the death of his mother, 2) a brief encounter with a dying victim and 3) stealing a famous painting called the Goldfinch. All of this happens in the first part of the book and  the rest  spins out his life revolving around these three events.  Overall an interesting read but I found myself bogged down in some segments that I thought could have been edited down a bit.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TWHVPSH7JDKN?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book goes on my all time best read list.  The characters came to life and the changing scenery made me feel I was moving from place to place. Dont miss this one!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K64TJ95ZSM9F?ASIN=0316055441	Not My Pick	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read The Goldfinch because it was listed at the top of the Amazon Editors Picks for 2013.  I agree that Donna Tartt's prose has all the requirements of a good writer:  well drawn characters, powerful descriptions embedded in a way that they take nothing from the plot, and yes, a complicated story.  But I found that story so depressing that it affected my own mood and I had to shake it off and remind myself that this is not MY son going down the path of destruction, this is not MY my son existing on drugs and breath mints.  This is not MY son who is taking up with a ""friend"" who is nothing but bad news, a walking, talking, amoral bad influence.  Central to this story is a masterpiece that the main character carries with him out of a museum during the tragedy that affects the rest of his life -- a tragedy and a theft that dog him the rest of his miserable life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R327EKD1LZ6CRK?ASIN=0316055441	disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book badly in need of an editor. There might be an interesting story there, if you can find it under the layers of turgid text.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SGP4Q6N1JT5A?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Make sure you have no other plans when you start this book I couldn't put it down one of the best I've read in years !</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z1VQ72MEIJ8?ASIN=0316055441	I could not put it down, even though I desperately needed the sleep.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tarrt at her best. Not quite as good as her first, but compelling. I could not put it down, even though I desperately needed the sleep.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RK4E0SXE12R4?ASIN=0316055441	SO SO	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">TOO LONG! THOUGHT THE BEGINNING WAS WONDERFUL, EASY TO GET IN TO,BUT THE WRITER GOT CARRIED AWAY WITH HERSELF. HAD TO FIGHT WITH MYSELF TO KEEP READING.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPAJUE79T9E6O?ASIN=0316055441	Not awful,  not great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this book on my Kindle from an ad at the bottom of the page.  It sounded interesting.  I started reading it and had read for what seemed like hours and noticed I had read 1%.  I can't say I love it nor hate it.  I think if it had been 400 pages instead of 800 I would have liked it more.  I don't see the point of reading about dreams unless I am reading Kay Hooper's books.  So I always skip that part.  I often think people write out dream sequences just to fill up pages.  This book is full of drug induced, whacked out dreams.  I skipped as much as I read.  You can say something is beautiful in just a few lines, you don't need 14 pages going on about it.  I guess this book has meaning to some people, but I just feel disappointed to spend so long on something so meaningless to me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13Z3K4HZ8FCZM?ASIN=0316055441	Highly satisfying novel.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gripping story.  Interesting and original characters.  Beautifully written.  Considerable thematic and philosophical depth.  Should appeal to a wide audience.  A feast.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PWDPASNIGYT5?ASIN=0316055441	Suspenseful, sad and worth reading.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the first time that I chose a book from your top books recommendations. I had never heard of it before. Then I discovered while still reading it that it is on the best seller list! I love it! It is not a quick read. It is suspenseful. The only downside to it is that it is so very sad. This is a parents' worst nightmare. If you were not around to take care of your children. What would happen to them?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LQ5FYNGIDWMI?ASIN=0316055441	A Work of Art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This a one great coming-of-age story and an philosophical workout.  I couldn't help but compare Donna Tarrt with Thomas Pynchon.  as to the breath of knowledge necessary to truly appreciate this work.  I immediately read her earlier work, THE SILENT HISTORY which I also recommend and is equally impressive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RID4BAEP2H5XA?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, dense in story and content with added bonus of art world storyline. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to read and has the time to focus on a 700 page tome.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JZTZTYIILH2O?ASIN=0316055441	Life.  Love.  Intrigue.  Drama.  Laughter.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a wonderful read.  I love most that the narrative gets a bit long on the descriptive.  Such visual writing!  Clever story and mesmerizing human drama.  I haven't finished it yet!  It is one of those stories that circle and turn and keep you at loose ends.  Bravo Ms. Tartt!  Thank you for a wonderfully adventurous and artistically rendered story.  Now I must get back to reading it.  I am not looking forward to the end because it means that I have finished a really captivating story.  Isn't that the mark of a excellent book?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQO0EGUC4C1AE?ASIN=0316055441	Will be remembered as one of the top classics in literature.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When the New York Times compares an author to Charles Dickens, it is time to sit up and take notice. As a fan of her earlier works, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book and forced myself to read it slowly to absorb every delicious sentence. Gorgeous, gripping and wonderful. This will remain a classic for the ages. A masterpiece.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14ZMD2I0FGZG4?ASIN=0316055441	stunning and as real as life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Being reminded that love is usually not enough to keep us safe, that  bad things happen often and unfairly, that life does not always seem worth the effort are all things Tartt does too well. I say too well because this story is painful to read, these lives shattered by pain and caprice. Damaged and longing for a different world, one that makes sense of cruelty and leaves space for beauty keeps the main character stumbling incoherently through the shambles he continues creating. It's a depressive and exhilarating read, one book I will remember for a long long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R398WEP5JRRA3P?ASIN=0316055441	A Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While this story is sad, it is vivid and engrossing  . . . and I can't put it down.  Beautifully written, eerily real and visual. I think it's been 20 years since Tartt wrote a book.  This was worth waiting for. It's a masterpiece.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6QSKN396J02X?ASIN=0316055441	Breathtaking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">what do we really know about the soul of the artist?  what I realized as I read this book is that art is in the soul of beholder. fascinating and unforgettable for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15NNXMLDZB7FW?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing characters!  A bit too much philosophizing at the end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boris is an unforgettable character!  I loved this book.  I would have liked the end of it to be more hugs and A LOT fewer words on life philosophies, but I still loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BXNV4H7TP5CC?ASIN=0316055441	New Donna Tartt fan	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrific writing!  One of the best books I've read in quite a long time.  I am now a fan of Donna Tartt and am eager to read more of her work.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZI8SXXJWSQ8E?ASIN=0316055441	You will not be disappointed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful writing, amazing story line.  Donna Tartt is one of those incredible writers that come around once in a decade.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F9X0PVDZ3FQO?ASIN=0316055441	An ambitiou novel that succeeds	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an enjoyable, beautifully written book. I'll be thinking about the characters for a long time and considered giving it five stars. There were many page-turning moments, but other parts dragged. The characters, especially Boris, the protagonists's best friend, rambled when he drank, and unfortunately, he was more often drunk than sober.<br/><br/>Theo, the protagonist, is a nihilist who lacks control over the circumstances of his life; alcohol and drugs increase his paranoia. Nihilism can be depressing over the course of a long (800 page) novel. I read this ambitious philosophical novel over the course of a weekend, setting it aside when I needed a break from Theo's life, hyper-sensitivity and tendency to over- analyze.<br/><br/>Fortunately, The Goldfinch provided Theo with  meaning beyond his misery; Beauty is larger than his own problems,transcending time and the individual. The Goldfinch is also unique because it's the painter's only surviving work.<br/><br/>In the end, there's a conversation between Theo and Boris in which Boris contracts Theo's nihilism with his own optimism, suggesting that Theo try to remember the good things and not the bad. Theo's father,for instance, was a  generous, fun-loving man compared to Borris' brutal father, even though both men drank and had violent tempers. They both wished their mothers, instead of their fathers, had lived through their childhood.<br/><br/>The author sees a middle ground between Reality and Illusion in which Magic, Love and Beauty happen.<br/><br/>In other novels, a knock at the hotel door bringing sudden news that solves most of the character's problems would seem contrived , but it works here, because Theo so often experienced sudden news and sudden changes that turned his life around.<br/><br/>There are many literary references, but my favorite is to the modern Harry Potter series, Boris nicknames Theo ""Potter"" because of his glasses and prep school jacket,  And like Harry Potter Theo sees his mother, whom he desperately misses, in a dream-vision involving a mirror.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27OQP19R5GDZS?ASIN=0316055441	Nihilism? Art? Beauty?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was in need of a book to read. Amazon recommend The Goldfinch. I bought it. Read it nonstop. It consumed my life for 24 hours.<br/>I don't have the words as a reviewer to describe what Donna Tartt's words did to me;  so all I can say is: WOW.<br/>I have not been consumed by a book since reading Tom Robbins.<br/>Nihilism, art, beauty. It was almost too much to take.<br/>I had never even heard of  Donna Tartt before reading The Goldfinch, (another 10 years waiting for another? Really?) but I must say she is now one of my favorite authors.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36DZ94W9F2KUP?ASIN=0316055441	A Pleasure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a fabulously engaging book. I couldn't put it down. And because I was afraid I would't be able to pick it up (741 pages!) I got it on my Kindle and ripped through it in a week-end. Take it on a cross country airplane trip or just snuggle up with it by the fire on a snowy day. A guaranteed pleasure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVTB755L4JHLP?ASIN=0316055441	Just Incredible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautifully written book. I read it in one day....simply could not put it down. Wonderful character development...I was taken back to the years I lived in New York City...felt like I was there again. What a great plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B8L27N4AQFQC?ASIN=0316055441	"""a jolt at the end of wire"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She is just good! Contrasting Boris and Theo and yet making them friends is masterful. She also has ability to be of an age. Her discription of life in Vegas sounds like she is a teenager getting down with the boys. Long but worth the journey.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3983EUMK4K7JI?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting book but found it a bit tedious toward the end I enjoyed the read but it does not stay in the mind like other memorable books</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14HTSKGAVEIM7?ASIN=0316055441	Well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book starts out really good.  Afraid I felt all the drugs, etc made it a no go for me.  Well written and I did have to finish it for I did like the character.  The author did a good job on him.  So, I did not feel it was a book I felt like telling others to read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X03N1QO3W9A6?ASIN=0316055441	Pure Genius!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book grabs you and never lets go. It's painful, funny, intense, desperately sad and finally optimistic yet infused with realism. Too bad we have to wait another ten years before her next work...but it will be worth the wait.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OXJG2XHUR8YJ?ASIN=0316055441	A MUST READ	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an unparalled story teller. Here she has constructed a modern day Dickensian fable, a dark David Copperfield-like protagonist with a little Oliver Twist and Artful Dodger thrown in..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R293I7KP6KU3P2?ASIN=0316055441	Mystery as Literature	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt starts out with a breath-taking beginning and develops her story meticulously.  The book becomes a deep study of the internal and external crises its protagonist, a boy who survives not only a horrific bomb explosion and its aftermath, but also endures a chaotic life that both precedes and follows it.  Tartt takes us readers to the extreme poles of ugliness and beauty as the novel wends it way toward its conclusion.  It is a little too long for my taste and so it took longer for me to read than I anticipated.  The beauty of her language, the intensity of her descriptions, and the unusual venues to which she takes us is worth the effort, however.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PZGH3X8UGTVE?ASIN=0316055441	The Little Bird That Amazes You	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So compelling, held my interest to the very last page.  I couldn't stop thinking about it for many days because of all the twists and turns in this story</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XMO52SYYBDT8?ASIN=0316055441	Long but worthwhile.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Another book chosen for book club that I wouldn't have otherwise read. So pleased to have done so. Highly recommend it to one and all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3THSBR3YBGQ15?ASIN=0316055441	"Not Up To ""The Secret History"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Having enjoyed Donna Tartt's previous 2 books so much, I was eager to read her third novel. However,  I found that I got a bit bogged down in this one. The first third of the book was quite good, and after that it lost some steam and/or I just lost interest. What I would say to prospective readers is that if you have not read The Secret History, her highly acclaimed first book of some 10 years ago -- read that one first. While she is a good writer and her previous 2 novels were very engaging, this one was a little disappointing. For me the loose ends just did not come together at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12YZYGAONEKKV?ASIN=0316055441	Well Crafted Story-Keeps You Engaged	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent character development and pace. Love this author! I am not yet finished but this is one of the best new authors for me I have seen in quite awhile!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UYBTGEZ3JH8N?ASIN=0316055441	breathtaking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Every moment of The Goldfinch is ripe with the very stuff of life: beauty, pain, chaos, and love. Wonderfully crafted and impossible to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3809TUJFSCNVO?ASIN=0316055441	Love Donna Tartt books	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, easy ready, enjoyed.  Unique book with well developed characters.  Love all of Donna Tartt books.  She is a natural story teller.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38M1LHFF5O7SE?ASIN=0316055441	Too many words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long,  tend to lose interest when author gets too wordy.  The. Basic story was good, but did not care for the prolonged  drug induced mind wandering.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18ZFZEMBVS33A?ASIN=0316055441	Exceptional - a classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an engrossing read from beginning to end. Not only is it a great story, the writing is exceptional. If you enjoy reading books about characters - something a lot deeper than your typical NY Times best sellers then you'll enjoy this book. It's long but I had trouble putting it down and was sad when I got to the end. I'd actually compare it quite favorably to Catcher in the Rye but with a greater richness. It will become a classic and should.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YR8QE35QATMM?ASIN=0316055441	Top characters and story. LONGWINDED narrative	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story with well developed characters and settings but the main character's voice is laborious. The author seems obsessed with painting a detailed vision of each  scene's images, feelings, reference points from a character's past, smells, tastes and air texture.<br/><br/> Found myself feeling frustrated at the pace or skipping lots of passages.<br/><br/>There's a lot of story within a story with many characters painstakingly relaying stories to explain plot developments.<br/><br/>Overall like it but would like it better about 150 pages shorter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T45ZABXAO1W?ASIN=0316055441	The Art and Craft of Survival	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt knows how to spin a story--a long one, 800 pages.  The trade-off is that you don't want The Goldfinch to end. That Charles Dickens is Tartt's  favorite author is evident in the characters who people her novel, such as the orphan and the artful dodger and the benevolent caretaker. As with Dickens' works, there are elements of humor, supplied in spades by the narrator's friend Boris. The dialogue crackles.  The prose flows-- with one exception:  the narrator's habit of overusing the word ""amidst,"" which--since this is a contemporary setting-- strikes this reader as being anachronistic.  But the plot is intriguing enough and the characters complex enough so that one might be inclined to overlook that. It took the author eleven years to write this book, plenty of time to get the plot just right.  She knows where she's going, but she keeps the reader guessing.  The Goldfinch is for people who love to read.  The Goldfinch is an Amazon Best Book of the Year.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S1GUD2F9CD7M?ASIN=0316055441	"""The space where all art exists, and all magic"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book that is larger and more extravagantly beautiful than the sum of its parts, and each of those parts is utterly exquisite.  The language, the structure, the character development: all so well-done that one would forgive Ms. Tartt if the tale itself was less than gripping. But in fact, the story line is brilliant, leading the reader through precarious twists and  turns, layering event upon event, until, about ¾ of the way through the book, I thought there couldn’t possibly be a satisfying denouement. But of course, there was.<br/><br/>What is it about?<br/>Conflagration and confluence.<br/>Despair, loss, transcendence, friendship, love, art, fear, time.<br/>Secrets and beauty.<br/>Darkness and light.<br/><br/>I’ve been a reader (and armchair critic) of literary fiction for many years – about 40, give or take. In that time, I’ve probably read close to 1,000 books. Only a handful have been as beautifully wrought as The Goldfinch. The eponymous bird, “trapped in the heart of light”, describing the painter, protagonist and perhaps the author herself. I am bowled over by the talent of this amazing writer.<br/><br/>“…there’s a middle zone, a rainbow edge where beauty comes into being, where two very different surfaces mingle and blur to provide what life does not: and this is the space where all art exists, and all magic.” – D. Tartt: The Goldfinch</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N921CVIAE3H9?ASIN=0316055441	Not to be missed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">probably  the best book I've read in years. Tarte is a gifted writer  with a knack for descriptive eloquence. She can craft  a simile like  no other. Wonderful tale, beautifully described  and a joy to read. I could not set it down from the moment I started.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27C7UE10YVOAS?ASIN=0316055441	One of the most compelling books I have ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is compelling, the characters memorable, the writing is beautiful- I could not put the book down. Highly recommended!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR40EU8G4AYFC?ASIN=0316055441	Marvelous!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So exacting, so tonal, such plot twists!  Read it to find out how the narrator is part of The Goldfinch, or maybe how he IS The Goldfinch!  I had to wait til the end to learn how he remembered each excruciating detail of orphans' tales. Fabulous characters, places and suspense.  I tired 2/3 way thru of substance driven escapades. So did the narrator.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R0IU8M8LO704?ASIN=0316055441	Theo is a woman	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The main problem I have with this book is that it is a first person narrative by a young man (13 to 20-something) which sounds like the voice of a sophisticated woman.  What young man describes a woman by listing the designers of her various clothing items and shoes?  Theo uses terms like accessorize.  This from a straight man. This holds true for furniture, home decor,art, etc.  It is the voice of Donna Tartt and she is not convincing as Theo.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N7AWM41R6KJH?ASIN=0316055441	Genius	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me over 23 hours of reading to finish this book,  but I enjoyed every second of it. For the days that I was reading it, I'd find myself drifting off thinking about Theo, as if he were a relative with a problem I wish I could find a solution for. There's a lot of philosophy on life and art, so if that's not your thing you might find it long winded but I thought it was appropriately slotted into the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KEXKRPRZSUB5?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt... a book about a famous painting...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this rating because of the great characters and the way Ms. Donna Tartt can construct such<br/>very dense glorious sentences so full of meaning.  ...and, as an artist,  the presence of the<br/>mystery surrounding the painting!  Great book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3090LBEUGJPKI?ASIN=0316055441	Paints a picture of the meaning of life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book really took me into the world of a young boy processing some horrific events in his life, and then involving the reader in his first person account as he grows into a young man through his mid-20s. It is a treatise on art, love and life that keeps one turning the pages. My only disappointment came at the end. I think the author got tired of writing and her ending is less than satisfying-- if not downright ridiculous.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ44MCOZBDNNU?ASIN=0316055441	Could not put this down. A real page turner and magnificent storytelling!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those books that I will recommend to all my friends. The story is tragic, suspenseful and compassionate. Tartt's writing is 'art'!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IX56X0PDY35J?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent writer!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is my first book of Ms. Tartt's and I can wrap this up with one word; Wow.  Excellent writing!  Philosophical, moderately morose, yet uplifting of spirit and heart, and circling inevitably back to love and the relationships with others that sustain us throughout our lives.  A sheer work of art!  Bravo Ms. Tartt!!  I'm off to check out your other books.....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZDJRTX7OWOF5?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing and captivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's voice rings clear in one of the most moving and electrifying books I've read in years. If you like to fall into a book, pick up the Goldfinch</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AEXT5AZLWBPT?ASIN=0316055441	intelligent and insightful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has woven together an interesting and at times thrilling ride through the world of art, antiques, NYC establishment and the sludge of Las Vegas - theft, murder, terrorism  - love, family, compassion - neglect, violence, loss and of course the meaning of life itself. A great read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROZH3T9KTNZV1?ASIN=0316055441	superb	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written evocative and tender, this book delivers on so many levels. The best book I have read in years, it explores the weaknesses of human character through the eyes of an engaging protagonist  and takes the reader on a richly textured and unforgettable journey.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGX071RA89WLR?ASIN=0316055441	Dense and masterful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Layered, surprising and very thought-provoking. Observations that will resonate with me for a long time. Unique, melancholy and intellectually satisfying.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QOPKGPSZ0T7A?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an exceptionally well written, gripping tale by Donna Tartt.  I don't think that there has been a piece of fiction that captured my attention so totally in years.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FC3U5CSNVEY2?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I have read in a long time...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had me completely engrossed the entire time and I still can't stop thinking about it. Great plot, story and the you really begin to care about all of the characters deeply! I am always looking for longer books that can keep me engaged, and this one will not disappoint.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZMGXSLMKDTGY?ASIN=0316055441	A roller coaster ride.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing. It really deserves all the rave reviews. It's got a narrative drive that feels as though both the writer and the reader are on speed together. The violence, empathy, moral complexity and range of the best of Dickens, reborn into the 21st century. A roller coaster ride.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXGKH0FXMM5DP?ASIN=0316055441	Complex and gripping	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Complex, and gripping tale..Well drawn characters and multiple plot twists keep the action moving along while the richness of detail creates a vibrant an enveloping atmosphere.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S54EX7TVJ8Y?ASIN=0316055441	Worth Waiting For	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It isn't so often that I find a book to read and can't put it down...especially one as long as this one.  The storyline reminds me of Dickens, with some Wim Wenders and Herzog thrown in.  It is so strikingly visual (like a painting) that it would make a great movie.  I can see Adam Driver being in one of the roles.  I am sure the book has been optioned for a movie by now...but if not, someone should grab it.  Every time I thought the book was going to end (I read on a Kindle, so had no idea of page numbers), it just kept going...feeding my hunger to find out more.  It is an interesting story...something a dark storyteller would tell...with many plot twists and turns.  It is well worth the time...a book to sit with during a holiday week, when it is cold and snowing outside...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M8070WC1QS80?ASIN=0316055441	MAY BE THE BEST OF THE YEAR	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a big story--like reading a modern Charles Dickens--that poses the big questions.  Beautifully written.  And if you are fortunate enough to see the original painting, it is even better.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WI4YYA5MMHWK?ASIN=0316055441	In Awe and Appreciation	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finished The Goldfinch at 2:30 AM. If I had paid for a Masters in Fine Arts would I have learned more than reading this single novel? Visit me for more on The Goldfinch. Stephenyhoughtlin.WordPress.com</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TSNEFUKVXN3L?ASIN=0316055441	A painting and its amazing effects	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An intricately woven and fascinating story around a boy coming of age and a painting that changes his life. Exquisitely and lovingly told.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29ZCXI6RRKE7B?ASIN=0316055441	nearly 5	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't top Stephen King's review in the NYT book review, but I will echo his assessment.  Tartt brings a Dickensian sensibility and treatment into the 21st century. The flaws that prevent me from awarding 5 stars are minor -- I'd give 4.7 or 4.8 if I could. The length didn't bother me -- I loved Seth's A SUITABLE BOY which is nearly twice as long. Highly recommended -- as long as you don't drop it on your foot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31YR8QJJHWF89?ASIN=0316055441	So much more than a bird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a wonderful book. I really couldn't put it down. So wonderful to learn so much about art while living the tragic life of a young man's struggles to understand the meaning of life and death and all that living requires. The loss of a beloved mother so young really changes the course of ones life. This book was beautifully written and very thought provoking.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12DGJ9MUZ5SXE?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a brilliant page-turner, full of references familiar to New Yorkers, with a highly unusual plot and several fascinating characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LEFLQSJAO3WR?ASIN=0316055441	A Must Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is one of my favorite authors. It's twisty and slightly dark and full of perfectly chosen words. Read this book, then read ""The Secret History"" as well -her perspective is deep and piercing, love it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MKI06LF5LWOU?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most amazing books I have read this year.  The main character grips you from page-one and does not let you go for the entire book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DMKNBWZYDON?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an amazing author! The characters and storyline just jump off the page. I could not put this book down and am giving it as a gift to several people this Christmas.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLPMUQLM5B0OM?ASIN=0316055441	Bravo, Donna Tartt!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is brilliant.  The Goldfinch is the best novel I've read since The Secret History.  It is right up there with The Count of Monte Cristo, To Kill a Mockingbird and Gone With the Wind!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TL3ZL3O27XK2?ASIN=0316055441	This is what reading should be like	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am absolutely mesmerized by the language and descriptions in this book.  The characters have depth, the environments are interesting and well-described.  The author's descriptions of harrowing moments make me lose myself in the book, so EXACTLY what I love about reading.  Highly recommend this book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CKT0FLVZ33RU?ASIN=0316055441	Thought provoking book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book that is both dark and full of light at the same time. I felt that I had discovered a friend and didn't want to let him go. Great book, and full of good lessons along the way.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R24BOJJXP07T?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I have read in a very long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazingly well written.  Haven't finished it yet, but I don't want to.....trying to make it last!  Four more words required.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OI0SERTTNJJP?ASIN=0316055441	Start Reading Now	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book had me hooked and hard to put down. The characters were brought to life and the ending was not what you were expecting at all! A must read!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBAE7PZEB8LT9?ASIN=0316055441	(VERY) Helpful Hint ....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you are in the New York Metro area, you MUST take a field trip to the Frick Museum to see ""The Goldfinch"" for yourself .... what an amazing opportunity!!!!  The painting is part of a traveling exhibit and will be here until January 19th.  I recommend seeing it before, during or after your read.  Tartt does an incredible job capturing its magic but, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words ... seeing this in person was better than any ""celebrity sighting"" I've seen.  Trust me, you will NOT be disappointed.<br/><br/>[...]<br/><br/>If you are not able to get to the museum, at the very least I recommend googleing the painting.  It will add a lot to the whole experience ..... btw, the book is a complete joy.  Brava! Brava!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32DJBAYW2X0K7?ASIN=0316055441	I NEVER review books but this one is exceptional in all ways	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am a huge fan of authors who care about the characters as much as the ""story."" Tartt made me think about these people when I wasn't reading. I have only really ever experienced it to this depth while reading Lonesome Dove. I loved this book period.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16I38KHMIHW7N?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing, Well written, a Wonderful Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After I got through the initial pages, this novel had me hooked. Such a wonderful read. Interesting characters, engrossing plot. I spent several evenings reading late into the night. I can't think this book would be a disappointment to anyone.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UDEWNV884DLV?ASIN=0316055441	300 Pages Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Let me start by saying that I love the voice and works of Donna Tartt.  I so anticipated this book, and thoroughly enjoyed most of it; however, if I am honest, I skimmed several sections of the book, without later repercussion.  The plot is very good, to the end (I will not include any ""spoilers"")--but the end is a fizzle.  The realizations and resolutions near the end of the book would have been the perfect true ending of the book.  Unfortunately, Ms. Tartt continues on in a philosophical ""rant"" for another 50 pages.  I read all of those pages, hoping for something--ANYTHING--else to happen.  Nothing does.<br/><br/>Having written the above, you would think I didn't like the book. That is not true, and that's why I gave it 4 stars. I did enjoy the book.  But... you know how you can get so ""sucked into"" a book that you continue to perform all of the every-day-necessary tasks but you're still ""living"" in a book?  I was that way with ""The Secret History"". Not so much here.  That is absolutely not to say that she only has one good book ""in her"".  Both are great books.  It's just sometimes there's a story that can sweep you away.  There were times when, for me, ""The Goldfinch"" was one of those stories.  Just not completely.<br/><br/>With a Donna Tartt story, the bar is very high.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I3HPX3D19J2A?ASIN=0316055441	Great read, it was very much worth the wait.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed this read. The reviews were right, it was worth the wait from her previous novel. This one is a bit different, you'll enjoy it, and won't be able to put it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27NKSXKCEGIKR?ASIN=0316055441	Must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I never write reviews and am a book critic. This novel is a must-read. Tartt knows how to write plot and perhaps is one of the best at characterization. Tartt doesn't just write books; she spends years creating worlds for the reader to enter.  This is a beautiful, engrossing book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IF9XMXPWPAAV?ASIN=0316055441	Hopelessness	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is in need of a Savior, both literally and figuratively.  I managed to finish the book<br/>Because I so wanted redemption and transformation for Theo. Instead your left with philosophical<br/>Hopelessness.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9RQZV9Y5HNS0?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have ever read and I have 1,000's of books!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW3H8B080EG1C?ASIN=0316055441	Great story, Kept me reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story,  Kept me reading, I just couldn't, put my Kindle down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36UOL8X5CPINF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have ever read. Couldn't put the book down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IIX1KBZZHTSQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really a page turner. So well written I didn't want to put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SQBIQM670U83?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very convoluted story that, in the end, has a predictable ending!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ML4I1ENPYKJB?ASIN=0316055441	DISAPPOINTING	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">GOOD STORY BUT OVERDONE DIDN'T KNOW WHEN TO STOP! UGH! WAY TO LONG!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15RMT5MNDDKDQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read ..long..but well worth the effort! Loved this story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21DE6W3ETGA6Z?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoy her writing style - unusual and descriptive metaphors.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13KBNSQ5VB8Z9?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, some areas too detailed relative to the story as a whole.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XVMWW45WC8ZX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read in several years.  Moved me deeply.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37KVTC7F6YRT9?ASIN=0316055441	This was an amazing book. I am now reading it for the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an amazing book.  I am now reading it for the second time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33YDPIGDCZ2D6?ASIN=0316055441	... months to read this damn book - it was painful.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me almost 4 months to read this damn book - it was painful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R326PB7TLDDKUT?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author takes you on a journey, both unexpected and sympathetic.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VQD82SSDLNQ5?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read! Captivating from the start - couldn't put ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read!  Captivating from the start - couldn't put it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C6M6QMAK2VCL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating story and exceedingly well written.  A pleasure to read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R209GWB7WZF8DO?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story but tedius.  I don't know whom to root for. Good writing</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R755BON9XTL0X?ASIN=0316055441	... gotten 5 stars but the ending was such a disappointment.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Would have gotten 5 stars but the ending was such a disappointment.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23TM2PT5V0QHZ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, interesting writing. The book could have been shorter.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CBZB08UP4T5O?ASIN=0316055441	Too much filler	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt that there was far too much dialogue but the story was good.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20ZIPF1QDVT54?ASIN=0316055441	... twists and turns but hangs together very well A great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lots of twists and turns but hangs together very well A great read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37WWGLVI0PFKF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a long one but very well written and definitely worth the time</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22WMZ6IB70CRE?ASIN=0316055441	but I enjoy the story and want to know what happens next	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, but I enjoy the story and want to know what happens next.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TW6GHXSKLUVV?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some parts of the book were very long and difficult to get through.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJTOQV9RHZT44?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't care at all for the end of the book, all the philosophizing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPUFA2Y9YY220?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing book. One of the best in years that I have physically read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TEJYBKTKY4BK?ASIN=0316055441	An interesting well written read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A really good read that is thought provoking on a number of levels.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E5M0C1K29HF0?ASIN=0316055441	Technical work	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't finish this.  Too technical.  An art student may enjoy it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B6TGX1R5KAXK?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dark read with conflicted characters ,I WOULD HAVE CHANGED THE END.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20RZS0YN2XS1N?ASIN=0316055441	Love Boris!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Laughed and cried and now one of my top five favorites! Love Boris!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TYCY2YPU8RS5?ASIN=0316055441	A Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good read.  Holds your interest throughout.  Good summer reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GZG1Z855YNIV?ASIN=0316055441	Not For Me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not for me. Some of my friends love this book. So I'm thinking you either love it or hate it. I'm in the latter category!  Though it was suspenseful I could not relate to it on any level. So much drug use and foul language it just turned me off completely. Sorry I picked it up. My mind and soul are not better for having read The Goldfinch.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NCLZ65HNMZBQ?ASIN=0316055441	Although it is very long, it is well worth the effort to read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes uplifting tale of tragedy and triumph, mistakes and redemption, is narrated by Theo Decker. It begins with a glowing description of his mother, Audrey Decker, an art historian. Both are on their way to a conference to discuss Theo's recent suspension from school. He breaks rules with abandon, even though he knows the consequences for him and his mom could be dire. The book could be described as a memoir of Theo's life, if Theo was real, and indeed, Theo does become real with the expert pen of the author. This book lends itself to the audio version since the reader was accomplished at using accents and tones of voice which perfectly fit each character. The author's characters are very authentic, more so because of the talented reader, and are beautifully drawn by their dialogue and descriptions.  Some books follow a single thread to their conclusion, but this one, follows many and requires the reader's complete attention. It is an experience that is well worth the effort.<br/>The book takes the reader on a tour of the international art world, its dealers and its thieves, exposing its dangers as well as its beauty. It illuminates the human frailties flawed human beings are heir to and does it remarkably well. The paintings, often described, offer a primer on art for the reader. The author examines the shallowness of the wealthy, the corruption of the dishonest and the foolishness of the irresponsible and immature with a clarity that brings it home. The descriptions put the reader in whatever place Theo finds himself and then witnesses his reality in which right and wrong take on different meanings depending on the circumstances. Although very long, and sometimes overly tedious with details, it is an absolutely marvelous book to read and ponder afterwards. What is happiness? How is it attained? How will we know when we achieve it? Is it the same for everyone? Is every good deed punished in the end?<br/>Theo and his mother are waylaid on their way to the school conference because of a sudden storm. They race into the museum to wait for the rain to stop and Audrey Decker shows her son Theo her favorite painting, ""The Goldfinch"". It is a ""350-year-old, 13-by-9-inch painting by the artist, Carel Fabritius"". Studying the painting, near them, is an elderly man who is accompanied by a young girl  (Pippa), who catches Theo's eye. Because he is entranced by her, he does not go with his mom when she leaves to view the rest of the exhibition and to make a purchase in the shop for him. Instead, they make arrangements to meet up in a short time. Their plans are thwarted, when without warning an explosion rocks the building. Theo, confused and alone, stumbles upon, and comforts, the elderly man he had just seen. When the man tells him to take the painting, Theo, who is in a dazed state, simply follows his command and removes ""The Goldfinch"" from its frame, taking it with him when he leaves.<br/>Thus begins Theo's story, from the time of the attack that changed his life, to the time he finally comes of age, albeit as an adult, and understands the errors of his ways and the meaning of his life. The little bird, the goldfinch, was shackled in the painting, doomed to be attached to its perch forever. In many ways, for years, Theo's life was irrevocably tied and attached to the fate of the painting he removed on that tragic day, the day he experienced the terrible loss of the mother he adored. All of his future actions were influenced by that trauma. The ensuing havoc and horror of the destruction and death were described in graphic and realistic detail. The author captured the violence of the explosion, the confusion of the aftermath and the consequences of its effects, perfectly, with drama and considerable tension.<br/>As the survivor, 13 year-old Theo blames himself for his mother's death. After all, they would not have been in the museum were it not for his problems at school. Terrified of being in a foster home, shunted from one place to another, he reaches out to a school friend, Andy Barbur, and the social worker arranges for the Barbur family to care for him temporarily.<br/>The injured old man, who told him to take the painting, also gave him his ring and asked him to bring it to a place called Blackwell and Hobart. When he returns it, he meets the old man's business partner, Hobie, and also the girl he was attracted to in the museum, the elderly man's companion, convalescing there from her injuries. He visits with Pippa awhile, becoming more and more attracted to her. Hobie was so touched by the return of his dear friend Woody's ring that he told Theo he would always be there for him if he needed help.<br/>Eventually, the father who had abandoned him and his mom, turns up and takes him to live in Las Vegas. He has ulterior motives for taking him back into his custody, but Theo is unaware of them until he is asked to lie to the trustee, asking him to give his father a large amount of cash from his mother's legacy. His father is still a gambler and a drinker and he is in deep debt. While living in Nevada, Theo meets Boris, a rather questionable character who offers him friendship. Boris has some strange ideas about life concerning what is allowed and what is forbidden. Already on a path of dubious ethical behavior, he is led down a steeper path by Boris, who broadens his debauchery with drugs, alcohol, cutting school and petty theft.<br/>With the sudden death of his father, Theo decides to run away to NYC, not wanting to be caught up, once again, in the morass of social services for the social workers are surely coming. Boris does not want to go with him, so he runs off alone, without thinking, and with no other place to go, winds up back at Blackwell and Hobart. There he re-encounters Pippa, and although unattainable, he remains smitten by her for years. Hobie takes him in and is happy to offer any assistance he can. He offers him a far better atmosphere of moral behavior, honor and loyalty than he had ever experienced before. As the years pass, he becomes his apprentice and then his partner. The business thrives. Unfortunately, Theo's wayward ways follow him and he often confuses what is right from wrong in an attempt to solve his problems. He excuses his acts of betrayal by his need to make things right. For him, the means justify the ends, even when they push the envelope beyond its legal limit.<br/>In the meantime, still in possession of the painting, he hides it in a storage facility and pretty much puts it out of his mind. Although he wants to return it, He doesn't know how to proceed. He fears retribution and prison for taking it, in the first place, and is unable to decide what to do with it. Eventually, the decision will be taken out of his hands. From the time of his mother's , until the time he comes to understand how and why he has floundered about, Theo and the painting are inextricably bound together. He is on a roller-coaster of confusion and uncertainty, often obsessively seeking what he can't have and finding little satisfaction in what he attains. We bear witness to his world full of death and sadness, destruction and disappointment, unrequited love and unattainable desires.<br/>Dostoevsky's ""The Idiot"" is mentioned in the book, and like Prince Myshkin, Theo's development is altered by the trauma of events in his life, and he too, is immature, eventually abandoning his good intentions for foolish ones because he is unable to make mature moral judgments. How will life work out for Theo?</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DOMA4VDIZZWW?ASIN=0316055441	Tartticide!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Poor Donna Tartt.<br/><br/>It must be a curse when your first novel is such an undeniable masterpiece as ""The Secret History.""<br/><br/>In a way, that brilliant debut novel has rendered Donna Tartt just as tethered and flightless as the poor trapped bird in the painting which is the centerpiece of her third book. ""The Goldfinch"" displays the agony of an author attempting to recapture the lightning in a bottle that she once caught, perhaps knowing herself that she is doomed to never experience that electricity again.<br/><br/>It is oddly prescient and ironic that the last words spoken by Richard Papen in the introduction of ""The Secret History"" are:  ""This is the only story I have to tell."" Was Donna Tartt trying to tell us something?<br/><br/>There is no argument that the prose in ""The Goldfinch"" is exquisitely rendered, (although on occasion, a bit sophomoric.) Once again, the characters are vivid, complex, and intriguing. But while ""The Secret History"" proceeds in a seamless manner, gently and slowly opening to reveal a nearly perfect blossom, ""The Goldfinch"" is like a promising bud that never really blooms. It is a novel laden with an unaccountable ""Sturm und Drang."" It's a book so plot-driven that it almost seems like Ms. Tartt exhausted even herself in attempting to tie together the loose ends in the last quarter of this plodding novel. Simply put--the ending is not believable. In more than one instance, the plot violates one of the most basic tenets of good fiction:  The suspension of disbelief.<br/><br/>Most authors can be excused to employ one or two ""Deus ex Machinas"" to escape from painting themselves into a literary corner. But to use this device over and over again? This would be derided as bush-league writing from publishers if they were considering an author's first novel. But sadly, even after eleven years, this is precisely the device Ms. Tartt employs and relies upon for the ending of her book, almost as if she was pulling an all-nighter on a writing assignment that needed to be handed in first thing in the morning.<br/><br/>I cannot give examples of the plot contortions, as numerous as they are, without the risk of spoiling the story. But I can say that you will recognize them when you read them. At times I found myself mesmerized, only to be jarred back to reality, akin to being awakened from a dream, the spell broken, thinking...""What?""<br/><br/>And rather than allowing the reader to absorb and reach his or her own conclusions, Ms. Tartt spends pages and time defining what can best be described as ""Existentialism 101."" ""Bad things happen to good people...but we must look at the middle ground...enjoy the rainbows and beauty along the way, even if the endpoint of it all is death...but there is danger in beauty."" Really Donna? Did I just spend 800 pages to learn what Friedrich Nietzsche explains in the first four paragraphs of ""Beyond Good and Evil?""<br/><br/>Ms. Tartt does not seem to be maturing as a writer. Her characters, (and perhaps herself as well,) are caught in a permanent state of adolescence. They don't seem to grow as much as they devolve. Again, the use of opiates and college-age high-jinx take center stage in this novel, page after page after page. No new ground is broken here. Much like the character Hobie, who takes bits and pieces of furniture to fake a ""real"" Chippendale, Donna Tartt assembles scraps of prose to try to construct a novel. Like Hobie's fakes, where the grain and patina don't quite match the real thing, neither does ""The Goldfinch"" ever elicit the beauty of an enduring work of art.<br/><br/>It's striking how quickly and with such skill that a writer like Stephen King can churn these kinds of books out. (Granted, he did give this book a glowing review.) But this shouldn't have taken eleven years! Mr. King would have been on his ninth novel in the same amount of time, with work as polished and well-constructed as most of his novels undeniably are, whether one is a fan or not.<br/><br/>I admit feeling like a traitor and a turncoat, because Donna Tartt has found a permanent place in my heart. She is an incredible genius, a power-packed intellect, a firecracker of the first order, living in the petite persona of a sweet and mysterious girl from Mississippi. But even her recent interviews have revealed a striking change. She is taking herself VERY seriously now.<br/><br/>Unfortunately, ""The Goldfinch"" is not the book that should have precipitated this change. It is most certainly not ""The Book of the Year."" And sadly enough, there is no one more heartbroken about it than I.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R209AZRT0728B8?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt publishes a book a decade (The Secret History, 1992, The Little Friend, 2002), and it's well worth the wait	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thirteen-year-old Theo Decker lives in a small, rent-controlled Manhattan apartment with his lively, loving mother. His alcoholic gambler father has abandoned them, and they scrape by on Theo's mother's pay from her art publishing job and Theo's scholarship to a tony private school.<br/><br/>When a right-wing terrorist group sets off bombs at the art museum Theo and his mother are visiting, everything is changed. His mother is killed and, as a result of a dreamlike encounter with a mortally wounded old man, Theo stumbles out of the ruins with a small masterpiece painting, Carel Fabritius's The Goldfinch, secreted in a bag.<br/><br/>You'll hear a lot of people compare The Goldfinch to a Dickens story, especially Oliver Twist, and it's hard to argue with the comparison. Theo is a Dickensian boy for the 21st century, whom catastrophe forces to live on his wits. Just when it appears Theo will land on his feet and be allowed to live with his school friend's wealthy WASP-y family, up pops his wastrel father and brassy girlfriend Xandra. You just know Pa Decker has some kind of angle here, and when he hustles Theo back to his house in a largely vacant mini-mansion development in Las Vegas, it's only a question of how closely the man's character will be to Dickens's Bill Sikes or the other villain of Oliver Twist (whose name Amazon's review screening software won't permit me to include!).<br/><br/>More Dickensian characters abound in Theo's life over the next 14 years. Chief among them are Hobie, the kindly furniture restorer who gives Theo a direction in life; Pippa, the fragile object of Theo's yearning; and, best of all, Boris, a modern-day Artful Dodger. I'd give a lot to read a book about Boris, the motherless Ukrainian boy who moves from country to country with his largely absent mining company manager father. Boris is smart, outgoing, bighearted--but also a cheerful thief with a huge appetite for whatever drink, drugs and food he can get his hands on. Theo and Boris in Las Vegas are a couple of wild boys, and when Boris enters Theo's life again, years later, the wilding resumes.<br/><br/>One important difference between Theo and a Dickensian protagonist is that Theo is no pure-hearted young hero, overcoming adversity. Theo has concluded that life is a catastrophe, and he practically wallows in adversity. He courts and embraces misfortune and disaster until you almost want to give him a good slap and tell him to snap out of it.<br/><br/>Such a massive, sprawling, coming-of-age story runs the risk of plodding or feeling aimless, but aside from a brief lull in the middle of the book, The Goldfinch is spellbinding. Tartt takes us deeply into Theo's head and heart, his self-destructiveness and inability to overcome the loss of his mother, which is symbolized by his obsessive, guilty hiding of The Goldfinch, with its depiction of a tethered songbird.<br/><br/>I don't mean to imply that The Goldfinch is one of those books where the reader is required to mine through layers of symbolic meaning to discover the novel's essence. Not in the least. Donna Tartt isn't afraid to tell you straight out what the book is about. After taking the reader along on Theo's adventure, and allowing us to live inside his tortured soul, she spends her final pages tackling all that meaning-of-life stuff that most modern books are too cool to lay right out there. Given Theo's life experiences, a lot of it is pretty dark stuff, but Tartt is such a beautiful writer that she leaves the reader surging on a rising tide of wonder and something that comes close to joy.<br/><br/>A note about the audiobook: David Pittu, the reader, deserves praise for his virtuoso narration of The Goldfinch. Just reading such a long book aloud is an accomplishment, but Pittu also conveys every nuance of Tartt's writing, and his voices for the many different characters always feel true. He even expertly negotiates an Eastern European accent (for Boris), which is a common stumbling block for most narrators, who end up sounding like Rocky &amp; Bullwinkle's Boris Badenov.<br/><br/>4.5 stars</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVPS4Q4617SQ9?ASIN=0316055441	Starts and ends with a bang!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is an Old Dutch masters painting by Carel Fabritius (he was a pupil of Rembrandt’s and a tutor of Vermeer’s) that, through horrible circumstances, comes into the possession of a 12-year-old boy in Donna Tartt’s new book of the same name.  The story follows this child, and this painting, through harrowing circumstances and I thought (from the day I read the first review) what a great, I mean great! idea.  Ms. Tartt even gets to wax poetic about art in general and the little painting in particular.<br/><br/>Although the premise of the book is fascinating and starts with a bang I’m afraid I’m not a huge fan.  Our young hero starts out as a charming, likable misfit and you fall for him early.  Unfortunately, he starts to grow up and he pretty much turns into an awful teenager and then, ugh, an adult with zero morality.  In real life you might forgive him for his trespasses because of the tragedies visited upon him (and those around him), but in fiction you need to (at least I do) love your protagonist, not just understand why he’s a butthead.<br/><br/>I figure Theo is about 27 at the conclusion of the novel, which ends with another bang, but he barely redeems himself in my eyes (and heart).  Ms. Tartt wraps up her loose ends pretty well and then, oh horrors, the waxing begins ad nauseum.  Her philosophizing grew old for me and there was way too much word play (“shock and aura” for god’s sake!) as she makes her bid for relevant “literature.”  I don’t like being preached to, or rather maybe it’s being “lectured at” (she even addresses us, her dear readers, directly), and I just wish she had foregone that last 15-20 pages of her conclusion.  Oh, I liked the book well enough; most of it, but it would have been a major coup de literature if it had come in at about 571 pages, rather than the 771 her editors allowed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IV43U7DRSZ27?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">dreadful</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ATQS1SJD1V4D?ASIN=0316055441	Could have ended better..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Written very well...kept my attention. Could have ended better...!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14RLVM9DNH89I?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">hard to pick up the plot and to sustain interest in it once you do</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37KYWMJE95P2W?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book starts slow but now has me hooked, can hardly put it down</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17TIA1OVVOQ8K?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of my top ten favorite books ever...in spite of a weak ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CI5M6ONXG0V9?ASIN=0316055441	Long but good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite long, but very readable. Loved the characters. Well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I8E9HMUQ9CDM?ASIN=0316055441	but a good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a masterpiece, just very detailed and long, but a  good read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AFXYL92JUTOL?ASIN=0316055441	Take your time reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little long and depressing. Split up reading to give self break.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PV8ZO0729N1C?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Big book but I enjoyed the story. Definately a book worth reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31W7NSS89LAYA?ASIN=0316055441	Well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written, rich with detail. It is a lengthy book, though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWVYVQUNU07RP?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant. I didn't think anyone wrote fiction like this ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant.  I didn't think anyone wrote fiction like this anymore.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VPPOARIJXCWI?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very fine writing, good story, just wish it were 200 pages shorter</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFXTR65KJU4ZS?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is brilliant. Amazon perfomed perfect service. Thank you.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFTUZN7XIYMOS?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story. Catcher in the Rye for a new generation, only better.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JG86U2DXNHMA?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's an ""all right"" book.  Seemed to really drag in parts.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R198LYZSRGL3GO?ASIN=0316055441	A TOP NOTCH MUST READ	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous book!  I have highly recommended it.  Enjoyed every page.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UL9V2NTG1NYX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down on my 10-hour flight home! A+ seller as well.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E5QSQAS5670G?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Puzzled by why this won a Pulitzer. Maybe it was judged by weight?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGKEM7Q7PO5A5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really am enjoying the story line and like her writing style....</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YW3XWF4QH0JZ?ASIN=0316055441	Too much written about time and events	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The overall story was good. Could have cut 100 or so pages though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB8PA24ZRF63?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very engaging. you want to see what happen next. hard to put down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BB0F4YZCUCT9?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The last part of the novel got very tedious. I wouldn't recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KLSKD30OZ5O6?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It might be the best book ever but definitely not my kind of book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UDMIB9LJIT6T?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It could be the least satisfying read ever. It drags with minutia.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35531DNGCTYG8?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books ever!  Could not put it down.  Simply GREAT!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDAFKRUTSWQE1?ASIN=0316055441	She read it in giant doses and loved it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My wife wanted this book. She read it in giant doses and loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14IRM45LEN062?ASIN=0316055441	a joy to read a book with both craft and	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So we'll written, a joy to read a book with both craft and content</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUE0A89NKTZOL?ASIN=0316055441	Laborious read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but too laborious a read. Especially towards the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROTRE2IKYZRLT?ASIN=0316055441	terrific	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read. In years.  I couldn't put it down.  Loved it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XCELC7HY7H4G?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found it a little too lengthy and repetitive.  Otherwise very good</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RTOU5BRLGFV5?ASIN=0316055441	Another book for my Mississippi authors collection.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Haven't read this book yet.  I've heard it is one of Donna's best.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX3UTQ2K4KBIW?ASIN=0316055441	... little too ponderous towards then end but otherwise a good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a little too ponderous towards then end but otherwise a good story</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UR6T6UQHKV7K?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am having trouble getting into it enough to read the story daily</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRZXXIUIZSI59?ASIN=0316055441	best book i have read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved that this book was so long because it took longer than normal for me to finish it and that was a gift.  The characters in the story were well fleshed out and so interesting with all of their flaws.  Loved the thread about art and love of objects that occurred through the story.  Will recommend it to all of my reading friends.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F8BI6NU1PVMT?ASIN=0316055441	Too many details!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One star for language! I can't imagine why an editor didn't cut the details! I kept saying, ""All right, already! I get it!"" I thought the museum scene would never end, but it did when I sent the book back to the cloud and moved on to another author's efforts. I am obviously way out of touch regarding the Pulitzer prize requirements.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YHNKRTSR0H4A?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I mostly enjoyed this book but it got a little tedious in places.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WJG2W0HH0GW5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great character development...attention to detail is outstanding.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RUO6URKS9RZ7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoroughly enjoyed this book. I only wish it was even longer.....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17VXG3RK06LD8?ASIN=0316055441	brilliantly constructed. great characters you dont	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">brilliantly  constructed  .  great  characters  you  dont  forget</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TWJTDKY4R4CZ?ASIN=0316055441	Page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully written page turner. Great read that went by quickly!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AXPHZX9O6G6M?ASIN=0316055441	Little Bird	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After all the promotion for the book I was a little disappointed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10XYVJR8SJLFY?ASIN=0316055441	Was worth the read. It kept my interest through ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was worth the read.  It kept my interest through the whole thing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJD5R0H70Q4ZA?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">bad book, wanted to stop reading it, but it was a book club read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18QQ2WOQNY6T5?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfiinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent novel.  Very well written and a powerful, moving story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYUH8HQU73Z6?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was the goldfinch a symbol of our protagonist--? Loved the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32CK0WMOP0E5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. Will DonnaTart become a modern day classic ?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUNA0V309EHAC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very well-written book - rather ""dark"" but a good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CDT4HOMC9818?ASIN=0316055441	Written art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Memorable and thought provoking book. Well written but it is long</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R202RTMZRLLWT5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book.  Complex reading with loads of meat on the bones.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14S2ATPHTD6TV?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read in many years. Long but worth it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R118AJ7QNA621Z?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story and character development, however got a little long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH3OVWXK5V4ZE?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it hard to follow in some places and rambling with words.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VCMZE5ZHISI?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good but was too long. I'd like to see it made into a movie.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NJS7LJ8TDOLH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">amazing descriptive text, like you are really there in the scene.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JA527CAAHOV4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read, Surprising twists and turns. I didn't want it to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU09AXHCKEMPA?ASIN=0316055441	very intriguing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, keeps you on your toes and interested the whole time!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IV07H27EKX9Q?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book.  A 5 star, but it rambled a bit so I gave it a 4.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YH5B2HXLDDUK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing story telling. Good twists and turns. Enjoyed every page!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LOCP866PO34?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Everthing they say is true, cannot get this story out of my mind.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DS9W4ISZ8SIO?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent and challenging but the Boris episodes are too lenghty.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FQBX3N6RO2N2?ASIN=0316055441	The author could have condensed much of the descriptive dialogue ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author could have condensed much of the descriptive dialogue.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EEFABL5HEEE1?ASIN=0316055441	OK but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting reading at times but too long and parts of it dragged</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19JWBCK2RHGWR?ASIN=0316055441	a good book, but I wouldn't read it twice	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was well written, a good book, but I wouldn't read it twice.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VJGQ8M72FUBH?ASIN=0316055441	A Great Disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was most disappointing. The plot was so complex and involved it was hard to follow or to believe. The characters were  difficult to relate to and their behaviour was quite ridiculous. It needed an editor as it rambled on not seeming to know where to go next. I am sorry that I have nothing positive to say about this novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PDX06Q9FKH7J?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Purchased this for my mom ""88 years old"", not her style!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18SBIYNECPMU?ASIN=0316055441	Read me...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great read. Will probably read again, and recommend to everyone.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V3AQN9M0E9GK?ASIN=0316055441	I thoroughly enjoyed it, the characters were so well developed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed it,  the characters were so well developed!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VRO9MPMLE7PQ?ASIN=0316055441	Love for the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most beautifully written, engrossing books I've read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T1JLA72D1YZU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful novel.  It's long, but I really didn't want it to end!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UQGKFL993A58?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great novel, I wish I knew more about art before having read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH3BZOEAY7QW3?ASIN=0316055441	interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">interesting novel about an actual existing piece of ancient art.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IJAMZ9ZZEFCR?ASIN=0316055441	Worthy Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch real a good book , author wove quite a good tale .</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8ATE7IFBFKMJ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Would have been nice to know this was the large print version...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EQRPF26YR5RH?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked it very much but a lot of parts could have been shorten.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GAV2JGRDZEXW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good read and well-written. Love the character development.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L7RVUYBAQVPA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story keeps you moving. It moves where you don't expect it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R71VTHQ993U3J?ASIN=0316055441	... it had a crazy plot but it was a fun lighat read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit long and it had a crazy plot but it was a fun lighat read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33G9HMAXHKWI9?ASIN=0316055441	She liked it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this as a Christmas gift for my daughter. She liked it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZH99JDRAORB8?ASIN=0316055441	not the greatest, not the worst	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">LOngest book of my LIFE! So-so, not the greatest, not the worst.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R55HM49DA61Q2?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The voice of the narrator did not seem like the voice of a male.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QYE56PC74S11?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have read in a while.  Great life story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJG3EBBTQM3UU?ASIN=0316055441	It was a painful read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't know how this won a pulitzer prize. It was a painful read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BNB2CRTZIJD3?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As good as the reviews stated.  One of the best books I've read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AYOP2G32BGCP?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great Book! Took a few pages to get into but, after that, great!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P81WGZHFNWTC?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hated to stop everyday because I worried about the characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10M6CRWVIIB4B?ASIN=0316055441	Just ok	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much drugs and alcohol for me.  I didn't care for the story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13BSUZWAJYHPP?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, completely engrossing. Absolutely lived it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YPVJAXD3TGBV?ASIN=0316055441	Long story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read but story drug on too long and I almost lost interest.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M2HXLC42UREB?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good read. Very contemporary book with good characterisation .</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUWPDQDM5ZN82?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">took me a while to get into novel,  Hard to put down when I did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T0L8B1CQIH7O?ASIN=0316055441	this book I did not enjoy at all	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Am an avid reader of all sorts,this book I did not enjoy at all.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R379V49E2K37SW?ASIN=0316055441	but I liked the story line	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wordy at times, but I liked the story line.  It keeps you going.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZXNII1OLMP0L?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed reading this book, a profound study of the human soul.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO61NR0E39KOX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book. A little long on descriptions of things though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26U9N6LR15L6X?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read, but I would have liked a better ending-more closure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29B1TQD5TS8N7?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a well done book! Much attention to detail. Pay attention !</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L50LDJILKFNP?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written. I couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An unusual story.  Beautifully written.  I couldn't put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3304T477JKSJR?ASIN=0316055441	Long, but well worth the time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best book I've ever read. Wonderfully written...captivating.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR0SEIJAH923N?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked this book and would give it 5 stars.<br/>  Susan</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T98NB4YT7JJA?ASIN=0316055441	A Pulitzer Prize treat	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I ever read.. Deserved the Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DJF8BL23UADU?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many words, it goes on and on, without getting to any point.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R354SWQTJIMN4V?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The drug references deterred me from the enjoyment in the story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R353EN4A9HEVSL?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic. One of the greatest authors I have read. A must read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J0OQ51A5JDD9?ASIN=0316055441	Worth it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an excellent and inventive book all be it a little long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS7GU2Y7XEPHV?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book, yet at times it could be a bit over detailed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNND128RGK63P?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful, moving, rich. All that the reviews promise. Loved it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRGZ5FQDETPVJ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great reading. Ending was a big disappointment. Came to a halt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EAZPPD5PP40B?ASIN=0316055441	LOVE this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a great read!  I cannot put it down!  Highly recommend.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2THQMXIK3TR8J?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best written books I have read Ina long time</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U6NZ6648KZJF?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book kept me spellbound waiting to see what happened next.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PKFR6RVRMJNP?ASIN=0316055441	It was a great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought The Goldfinch was well written.  It was a great read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FKY59J9M9VCE?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Over written with ending that was frustrating to say the least.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCT6VXG76IP33?ASIN=0316055441	Filled with unnecessary descriptions.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was OK but way too long.  Filled with unnecessary descriptions.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXJCEL591CE2K?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">More tedious pages than I would have expected from Donna Tartt.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7MRR00N6XX3M?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read since The Help and Hunger Games.  Loved it!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UCRZSZ7HYRGJ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Final part much better then the rest of the book. More intense.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X7YBGRR7OB66?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">she is an amazing story teller. Long book but had to finish it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N0GF6MCI6YN9?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this book while very well written was very depressing</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWZ3WLQDQATQF?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Plowed through it to the end.  It moved way tooooo slow for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EMNK0QX86YTV?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read it in spurts! Easier to not get overwhelmed. Very god book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29EWNXPYEYZUG?ASIN=0316055441	1st chapter great - middle section slow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">.1st chapter great - middle section slow. Great if you know NY.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LT1ONTQ7JCB0?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">wonderfully exhilarating. I felt so close to all the characters</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF3BVT75SOJN2?ASIN=0316055441	but this one is by far her best.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt never disappoints, but this one is by far her best.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCA5OCOE0S3EL?ASIN=0316055441	Great story line	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written.  Great story line.  Pulls you into the characters</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKUT9JGXNCRTO?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too Long, too wordy and I've lost interest with 200 pages to go</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8O2TIG12QSXP?ASIN=0316055441	foul language and irresponsible behavior for	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too much drugs, foul language and irresponsible behavior for me</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFZ1SU2BPTDPK?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great plot, but way too much drugs and violence to be realistic</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F8USND97E13A?ASIN=0316055441	long stretch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the story but parts were just too long and drawn out.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QOQ0JN57C3LU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really liked this book.  Read it now if you haven't read it yet</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O2Z6QS6AOYKR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book. Real page turner. Well written and great story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J56YM6WG5GD3?ASIN=0316055441	Great but long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing writing and while I like long books, this was too long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T03QO6T0FURD?ASIN=0316055441	Caution	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Please don't read the reviews before you read this page-swiper!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HDL2CUI3Q8DE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful read, well written, engrossing.  Strongly endorse it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY69J3ZWRZHW2?ASIN=0316055441	Good story line	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written. Good story line. Sustains your thru the last pag.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV67BPZW8AA2H?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story but did not  need to be so long. It became redundant</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN4RFBYW8RI9Z?ASIN=0316055441	love and death	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What  a ride!  Art history, drugs, love and death...A bit long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IGNWURCLDRL4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read with fully fleshed out characters and story line</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWNGIJFXZR6N?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found it tedious in some places. Not sure I would recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KR4G3ZD7OD1Q?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book-best of all her writings.  Couldn't put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14M1MWFRXO7K?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating story and characters. Flawless and fearless writing</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R66BSBVUPTWYE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Deeply insightful on the nature of art and wonderfully written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TVG9W8QNXEOX?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great psychological development. Slightly disappointing ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P20EIKY1CVP3?ASIN=0316055441	A Solid Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a captivating read.  I found it very hard to put down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TND3LAXSBG59?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a storyteller.  As good or better than Catcher in the Rye.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS7W47IVD4I3H?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a very unsettling but fascinating book - hard to put down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39BZ3MYRACS8W?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read ... many sections were longer than they needed to be!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WZFTEOPULIQV?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating, complex, compelling book. I didn't want it to end!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21D960MR4XX2T?ASIN=0316055441	Modern day GREAT EXPECTATIONS	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A captivating novel with a modern day GREAT EXPECTATIONS theme.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R289ZLXBJAWT2M?ASIN=0316055441	What happened to ending?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of those books I couldn't put down and thought about Theo and Boris when I wasn't reading! But what happened to last part? Seemed to just drag and looking for a way to end. Kept thinking something would happen on next page so had to keep reading, but felt I spent days going over the same things in different words.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R265PM4KUG644J?ASIN=0316055441	How did it ever get any prize at all?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How did this ever get the Pulitzer Prize?  The timing isn't even right, she has the main character using technology which didn't even exist at the time.  It goes on and on and on and on, much of the time about nothing.  I am almost finished and literally skimming to try to pick out a sentence which has any relevance.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35BRLK1Q1W777?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of my favorite books in a long time. A must read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUBAVW8G1OTL?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good read.  Too long, could have been two separate books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PBPASXOKQLAT?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, well developed characters, and very real.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBJOEQXVPJ1B6?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Eloquently written, holding one's attention to the final word.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5K25RLN3LBPQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great read and a certain classic.  A long book but worth it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J3ZTXQ1QD8TO?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story.  Little long and withdrawn but written well</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AK2O2SJIAI3K?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like the book!  It was a little long, but well worth the read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DGFH6QMOVN0X?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in ages. Would give it 6 stars if I could!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCBUEFN36CML4?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, but a bit depressing and difficult to stay with.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PFJ39AQS65LI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a great novel. Well written, imaginative descriptions</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BQL3HYEQM1JW?ASIN=0316055441	I have recommended it to all my friends	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of my favorites!  I have recommended it to all my friends.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LO4YUPRXW9U7?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">in no hurry to read another of her books. Way too descriptive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4DBPTRHR0RM4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't expect the ending ad it was a beer. Not very uplifting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D4GFOUSHJ4IF?ASIN=0316055441	Overhyped	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had high expectations for this book - was pretty disappointed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z4KYZIBLYF32?ASIN=0316055441	I've enjoyed all of Donna Tartt's books	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As always, a winner.  I've enjoyed all of Donna Tartt's books.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11APFBS7JGA7L?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book did not meetu expectations. Solid story but much too long</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R319JTLB29KQH7?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't wait for it to be OVER!! Pulitzer prize? Really? Why?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MEFG8IBF87BL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book. So wonderfully written and excellent story!!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROHY8KVPH9EY4?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i thought it was hard work. ..it all worked out in the end....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BK7ZF9CB092M?ASIN=0316055441	Sequel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wordy but beautifully written. Would love to read a follow up.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33A5O2FWVWP20?ASIN=0316055441	very good!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">could not put it down...lot's of twists and turns...very good!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWOBJEZK3FPAO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent read! the story stays with you and thats saying alot</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QZO80BRDQS5R?ASIN=0316055441	but enjoyed it very much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read it while on holiday. Very long, but enjoyed it very much.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MHZMOOW45ZA9?ASIN=0316055441	but I found it a bit tedious.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know everyone loves this book, but I found it a bit tedious.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XY2GCAV9AWTK?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book and have recommended it to friends.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA3Z9KU6EYNUI?ASIN=0316055441	but otherwise great book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The last 20 pages are a little weak, but otherwise great book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25GQN8B5RM1P5?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book kept my interest but could have been finished sooner.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVUWZJWGFVM7U?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the story but found the descriptions too long at times</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O7SFXZFVRJZM?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started well then got rambling and unbelievable, also too long</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N46GHBPO79VP?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing story and characters!  Often difficult subject matter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25IJGR0F6PM7P?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story was OK. Theo not strong character and neither was Boris.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZYGA0JSSRJDQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating. Very long book but it didn't take me long to read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TSTZSVX6P2DI?ASIN=0316055441	Liked the beginning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long. Got old way before the end. Liked the beginning.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZHY8D862OLAO?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent, thoughtful story. Loved the charactersin tthe book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MT5T2LNOQ1TA?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book much too long - and at times very repetitive.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PR2XBE23VEG1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long but worth it her writing and imagination is amazingï</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BVF0PO58FL8L?ASIN=0316055441	Terrible, disappointing and too easy to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrible, disappointing and too easy to put down. I don't read a book a week, but I do read between 20 and 30 novels per year.Thsi was by far some of the worst I have ever attempted to read. I gave it a try, I will give any book I pick p 50 pages to ""hook""me, but I returned this one to the library after 45.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N3JOHR5LDIEJ?ASIN=0316055441	A Poor Choice by Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Bad writing. Too many words. A really disagreeable central character who is totally self-centered, weak, dishonest..  Desperately needs editing.  Such a disappointment.  Shouldn't good writing be fundamental to criteria for a Pulitzer Prize? Repeats things over and over.  Pseudo-intellectual with no real message.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AA1DDGA4UTU2?ASIN=0316055441	Boring boring boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I slogged through the first 100 pages, that's it, awful, long winded uninteresting in the extreme. It was a gift unfortunately. Seeing the painting at the Frick this week, can't wait for that.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NFUSKOHHZC00?ASIN=0316055441	Like the beginning only.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't like this book very much but it had a great beginning.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ4XN5NJN0HPS?ASIN=0316055441	Really?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring unless you grew up on drugs in a dysfunctional family.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6AZXSCTEKG8O?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very good read. It dragged on a bit towards the end though.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R382YN48XOX5JH?ASIN=0316055441	Shorter might have been better. So very detailed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long; Shorter might have been better.  So very detailed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BQUOUDD5DDZ4?ASIN=0316055441	Ok but bogged down a lot Not sure it is ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ok  but bogged down a lot Not sure it is worth the book award</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VDMIQNWB25S2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put it down! It was so disturbing yet mesmerizing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TH6VK60PUBD1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book, well written, really battled to put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23BPP4WSKNGZ?ASIN=0316055441	Eloquent writing! But for some folks it may tend ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Eloquent writing!  But for some folks it may tend to drag on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RQ6LYSZ2395J?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I dislike the middle of the book. It dragged on for too long.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JFGVJK1IB3JM?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best word I can uise to describe this writer is, Luscious</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YAWFQLTXZ3HW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Stays with you!! Characters are very real and fully realized.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K4RCX8J4ADRP?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very well written, entertaining story. I'm liking it a lot.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ASF8HKXO4Q2I?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very depressing and too much detail about everyones feelings.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T6QMU0EHWU59?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Maybe too ""deep"" for me.  Thought it would never end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPPZ3EJR3BPBT?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was too long and tedious.  It needed some serious editing.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R117PSQ02V3BGF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read. Still thinking about it days after I finished it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HQJU3NP1RXUC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was difficult to put down. I didn't want it to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWTJWPZ0J2C7K?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's wonderful but definitely drags on a bit towards the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15IZOCUQ4HNLX?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not think this book was as good as everyone says it is.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RJSUHKZVOGS4?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent! Character development - story - just a great read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZD2P8OY8WR4D?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long and can be tedious at times but well worth reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I9A1G9B8AQ0B?ASIN=0316055441	Luxurious. Sprawling. Dickensian. Nihilistic. Satisfying.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Luxurious.  Sprawling.  Dickensian.  Nihilistic.  Satisfying.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DIGELZQ4O03B?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is lenghthy and dragging, dragging<br/>Very disappointing</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CJLEPD11CCKJ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long! Characters well developed but felt a bit overdone.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HB8AZ5WQEGZX?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It moved very slow, some parts seemed to just really drag on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R190IMXUYAFDRS?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good book it was just so long with rambling here and there.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N55O4R2RLWG5?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written and engaging however the end left me frustrated.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35HOBQC2447OI?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not think that the ending suited the rest of the novel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JDJDGLRSBJIM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very engaging; interesting and with lots of twists and turns.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30UYN5PFIWBXK?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think the story line is great but the author is too wordy .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CC39T0GPJI17?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent plot and story development, but lengthy throughout.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNOCNRAAS3I17?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">did not care for it at all. It was too rambling for my taste.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S8QYI8DATF0E?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many side issues and it didn't make any sense in the end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FO1L7TDWXC7A?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring too long and detailed left me not caring for anyone!!!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8PW340WATSDK?ASIN=0316055441	a great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">wow...a great read...what a story...worthy of the Pulitzer...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NJMTKO1CMWXX?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much ""filler"" which detracts from the main theme.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF7TIW58244XK?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cannot understand why this book is on the best seller list.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PSSPRCOHQ2KO?ASIN=0316055441	Good book but poor ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting book that suffered from a wordy, sluggish ending.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H55JGBPIQ2GP?ASIN=0316055441	don't know what the fuss is sbout	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hated this book! From the beginning it was a labor to read, way too wordy and including too many irrelevant details that served no purpose. The story could have been nice in half the pages. The ending sucked so it wasn't even worth hanging in there to the end. ...but what do I know. Book of the year? Huh?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WNRQLO7YWZLF?ASIN=0316055441	... somtimes slow but picks up and is a very good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long and somtimes slow but picks up and is a very good read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZMQVVEX0WCAF?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Portrays as teenage boy. Gives him unusual knowledge of art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3709EXCMJV81K?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's Goldfinch does not disappoint. This is a great read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8GV1A6T43RRH?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the book dragged in sme placed, especially in the beginning.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19O4KIYUOVN81?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long, but has an intricate story that will draw you in.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I2VGMZ6R3IX9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story with interesting characters,  enjoyed the twists</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29GD6Y7KJPHVM?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written prose, to a timeless, interesting story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D32R7H3T4IEB?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a great write than could have been much better with editing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RNV25X6AJU2L?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!  In places I thought it was unnecessarily wordy.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10MLDPCMP0EDR?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book dragged in the middle and was hard to get through.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TH9Z2H8R99RH?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch: a Novel.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good.  Has a lot of vulgarity but wonderful story line.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9NORLVHX6VV7?ASIN=0316055441	Great writing. My interest never waned and I learned ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing.  My interest never waned and I learned a lot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KDCHX8XJKR2H?ASIN=0316055441	75% great 25% not so great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long - ending is a bit too much. Otherwise a good story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27LQNB9PQM7JO?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story was good. But was slow. It took me 3 months to finish.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R24OXRWSVQ1?ASIN=0316055441	A really good book kept me interested the whole way through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A really good book kept me interested the whole way through.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6RTW0DXZLOS0?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing. Wonderful characters. Good story development.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NJBH2I6WYGHP?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book, however very long, could have been better edited.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3494ZN7IQY2XA?ASIN=0316055441	brilliant, but.....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Seems brilliant, but takes too long to move the story along.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REGV68YT9JL4G?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book until the ending and then it became juvenile.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LKIX4PV6D4V?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, bought a second time...this purchase was a gift.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MTZBR2H946VJ?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it and wished it would never end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Totally enthralled.  Loved it and wished it would never end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21F1566FTN2LL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent book; characters well drawn; couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9THIJOA1DIUJ?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was self indulgent and did not enjoy it at all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHQUQSUPNBUIK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Taratt spins a wonderful tale. A difficult book to put down.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q1YREAU9XX2O?ASIN=0316055441	Great, must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book, great story.  Will look for her other books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28SBOUC2GI13R?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written. Kept me wondering what would happen next.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1619UHV13S6IG?ASIN=0316055441	The best contemporary writer I have read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Marvelous writing. The best contemporary writer I have read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29GDN46ED5VNM?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating and very long!  Took me a good 15 hours to read,</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W7418S761YWN?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too long drawn out. too much emphasis on drugs and drug use.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29FS3720EKFMY?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very convoluted, wordy although there was intrigue, as well.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPONBNHUOYE53?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read. I will go back to it again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EE4IKB50LEFH?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't really like it.  Too long.  Wonders too much.  Sorry!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4276ULT2A6OG?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating story.... some parts were too ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating story....some parts were too wordy for my taste.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LDBA7AVM0TFY?ASIN=0316055441	GREAT Book.  I Loved it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have ever read.  GREAT.  I loved it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14LB97SS3HSHG?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was great -- but the last 200 pages were too wordy!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC0SF5VFZ1MTM?ASIN=0316055441	maybe a bit too long but very good.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very entertaining novel, maybe a bit too long but very good.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GZV3413C0M4A?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a great novel!  I couldn't put it down.  Great writing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN2K0LM87QM3V?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too detailed and depressing life of a boy and young man.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6LUATWB45E2F?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To boring could not hold my interest  would not recommend it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QXER4KVUXPP5?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">VERY well written book that could be shortened by about 25%.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DXFUG6R69WFW?ASIN=0316055441	Deserved the prize	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long, sometimes painful to read. Could not put it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W1ML3GN2WDJG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Strong story line beautifully expressed.  A delightful read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MOE0982JCZSL?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointment!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Contrived.  Much too long.  Preachy ending.  Disappointment!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25D84DRNF5GW3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">wonderful novel, enjoy the writing and the characters, great</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBVIZSFNT2KHU?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written and interesting characters make for a good read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EZF2RX7PX1C8?ASIN=0316055441	It Will Keep You Up Reading!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have read in a long time...I have not even finished it yet and I am already sad that one day it will be over. It is written in such a way that I am laughing and crying about this fantastic kid and people in his life. I cannot wait to finish it and I don't ever want it to end.....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QS9Q3BIH1S2C?ASIN=0316055441	Great story line	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written and keeps you turning pages. Great story line.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPJ067B3J5IEY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have ever read, highly recommend it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11ZIR3RA92MRW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing, wonderful story teller.  Highly recommend it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16EV4OTK0QL7Z?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing book and it feels like the story will never end!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25904VIO1EANW?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best novel I've read in years, had trouble putting it down!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GSM62GVNU4G5?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a good book but a little drawn out and repetitive.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GQFR42QNP0XX?ASIN=0316055441	WONDERFUL READ	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">...kept you invested in young Theo's life right to the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FNP5WJ5OGXBT?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some extremely good parts but some long winded descriptions</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14NZNAIE0Y0FQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Perhaps the ""Catcher in the Rye"" of its generation.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7JFBW73PT9UO?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book, painted a goldfish after reading this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V0NZ4EO8ILR5?ASIN=0316055441	Terrible language.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dark and depressing.  REally long book.  Terrible language.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J5Z1X9T72FXY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Words become the brushstrokes that reveal this masterpiece.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2USNXDW3OKRHW?ASIN=0316055441	but still good condition.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Arrived as stated, slightly used, but still good condition.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ8UL0UK14DJV?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful book! One of my favorite EVER	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book!One of my favorite EVER! (And I read a lot!)</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHOKQKA90H3PN?ASIN=0316055441	Great pace of events	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written. Great pace of events. Interesting characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SMZ0AKOOHWRJ?ASIN=0316055441	Read this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous book start to finish!! I have recommended to many.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27R8GIF56E07R?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not like this book at all!!  What's all the fuss about?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IWHAII7PMNAM?ASIN=0316055441	Long boog, good tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book until the end... It was about 70 pages too long!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13XL513HW5IXD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great book club selection that sparks lots of discussion!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37M759U43Z7BX?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, however took way too long to get to the point.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL2WTHXIZLM2A?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She over described everything, until I wanted to scream!!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP2JG2AKV4ZT7?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extraordinary prose but a bit slow in parts as far as plot.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23ZJA75M9IHS8?ASIN=0316055441	a good read, but some parts were much to long ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a good read ,but some parts were much to long and drawn out</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EXJ76DELY6PI?ASIN=0316055441	this book is pretty entertaining.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Aside from the gay slurs, this book is pretty entertaining.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN463XR6FFAN?ASIN=0316055441	A long life!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really nice story slightly spoilt by the long rambling end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ENRBEYSS486A?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous Book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in a long time.  Coluldn't put it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK06WGP4ZASJN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting, keeps moving you forward.  Stayed up too late!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S758JWZX4CTW?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGQXHRQ0CXZKE?ASIN=0316055441	AWESOME, thought-provoking and funny	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just read this book. AWESOME, thought-provoking and funny.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LO4LSKFAJVX7?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could have done without all the sex and drugs. Too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5DBUOZVHPRVS?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful writing. The book is comprehensive and intense	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful writing.  The book is comprehensive and intense.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IAD3IQXN825R?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed, but it did become a bit tiresome towards the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C578YOM42RN6?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing story.  A very well crafted  Couldn't put it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27NEQGDVPQHLI?ASIN=0316055441	Really bad reading. Made me tired just to get through ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really bad reading.  Made me tired just to get through it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J7RFID7W77GA?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked it but the end rambled a bit and went on too long.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38M1G2UMCK2EE?ASIN=0316055441	I was sad when the 700 papers were over	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Totally engaging. I was sad when the 700 papers were over!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLKA0CRW0I6GD?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely amazing, life-changing literature, a must-read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ORX2JENSV2U9?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too much description. It got rather long after a while</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SP8ZTRF452HF?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">THINK I ALREADY REVIEWED THIS ONE...TOO LONG...TOO LITTLE!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY0OQWADYY4I1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What does one have to say of a 2013 Pulitzer Prize winner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R49D4JA66L055?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">catcher in the rye, all grown up, meets modern day gatsby.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14RR9S8P8GT0C?ASIN=0316055441	Big time commitment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book but definitely a commitment. It is very loooong.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQUCHXH6BFA2T?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book could have been shorter and still make the point</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39ZODT14ITRHH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have ever read! Very well written.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XJU9L4AS49ZP?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very detailed, too many drugs and alcohol for my appetite.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR66UXMVT0OXD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i loved it! But my favorite by her is still Secret History</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDKLN17RIF7JN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not what I expected, the story kept me glued to my Kindle.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26992T6Z6ID9D?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Complex, intriguing, very well written.  Hard to put down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NINPM8CRJU6K?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fine story written in a fantastic vocabulary and style.,</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KPOGCM39YO40?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">beautifully writen.  Being a mother, some times disturbing</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WQ0ZCQAF0V4I?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out good.  By the end, couldn't wait to finish it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P597HFQEQOUA?ASIN=0316055441	Refreshingly original	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a cookie cutter read.  I throughly enjoyed this story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X1BNCE8MBXBI?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very good book, parts dragged a bit but I would recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MG3XTHS3CSIR?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, right up until the end where it lost its plot.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QWV7GTCOZDAN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">found it to be a good read, interesting and a page turner.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6H3C2TBGUEM4?ASIN=0316055441	Much too wordy. Needs editing down to 300 pages ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much too wordy.  Needs editing down to 300 pages from 800.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQBWLPYBZPHP8?ASIN=0316055441	Great read. Poignant and hilarious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read.  Poignant and hilarious, all at the same time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15VMGSANMO23F?ASIN=0316055441	Not for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not one of my favorite books.  Drags on and is depressing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UK6Z0G8GCNH0?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story that could be told in 400 pages not almost 800.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26RRNBZKU5Y59?ASIN=0316055441	Good and bad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too drawn out.  keep it more on the subject. Good and bad.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L8BVOUB38MYU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So now I have to wait another 10+ years for her next book?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LPNYTXRY63JD?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">interesting storyline.......very wordy...........cluttered</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RE85XVX7SJYS?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Though not without flaws, story is a riveting page-turner.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBGASXYXNWDKE?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyable but Would have been better if 200 pages shorter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C5CD0FS0FB7J?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tough reading at times, but the last 50 pages were superb.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YTBIAORKMLOG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, I love the way it is written, very good story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27KQ0D73GPHRI?ASIN=0316055441	I'm not going to waste my time reading the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Maybe I would have finished the book if the author (or anyone who edited it) had bothered to realize that iPhones and iPods didn't exist when the beginning of this story took place. If they couldn't be bothered to do basic timeline research, I'm not going to waste my time reading the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P7WV9SIZ0RNV?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great for end of summer, can't put it down kind of thing!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYVZLIHV7WNCB?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully written, but it mafe me feel very melancholy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7LLFI1DOMYYA?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great first 30% and final 12% - too many words in between</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQVOIE40MLRKZ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome beginning, too much detail in middle, great story</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R178XGTFPOSU19?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a good read! It just lost momemtum during the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7UNCDUIFHCOS?ASIN=0316055441	Review of the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Outstanding book even though the end tended to drag a bit</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12ZJWJ5UWDM4U?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Complex plot - surprises from the start - engrossing read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A0GWTOHX7PIS?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not put book down.  Although it's a very long book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT9VGWK0ZD1AI?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">People raved about this book but I couldn't keep with it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GURLML5EXME3?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Capable writer, interesting character, but too contrived.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CMN0PSWGFA94?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Product as described. I would buy from this seller again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19GEAUEXI1VNZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Someone told me this book was depressing so I put it down</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG8ZZECSB5DQ1?ASIN=0316055441	especially for a sad book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but way too long, especially for a sad book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAC73ON68KOH?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good book. A bit difficult at beginning and very end</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I0TT0BYGBCM2?ASIN=0316055441	brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Deserved any prize they want to give. Enjoyed every page.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R387GH2DLQJD1B?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent. Very absorbing. Look forward to her next book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBWGW52QGZ9AC?ASIN=0316055441	Did not like this book Would not recommend it to anyone	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not like this book  Would not recommend it to anyone.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XCQEG56Z2S9A?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was long and interesting, well written but depressing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UVVWIJPPJOLX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story with some art history and philosophy lessons.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13MBAL1L8STRY?ASIN=0316055441	Great read, Very moving and often quite funny	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read,<br/><br/>Very moving and often quite funny.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IBEM6LE1H29B?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a good book, it will probably make it to the movies.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSQOOLXI7URIY?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story but too wordy and overly descriptive at times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RI885SPVNZ7F?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, enjoyed the characters, couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R158O605CNAQXV?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could have told the story with less words.  Tiring read!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R269F9FP4WM2YT?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pedestrian writing. Got only halfway through and gave up.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZA51OM760R3D?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long,  goes off in tangents and ending unsatisfactory</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R246QGGNP0TL32?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. Loved the end! Read it three  times.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCVNKGGGIVRHX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent! I already miss these unforgettable characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LWNW2T8CADZ5?ASIN=0316055441	A real disappointment when it came to content	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long!  A real disappointment when it came to content.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I0I8F6VQSB7F?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way to long,  had to finish but could have been condensrd</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18DRCF0ADMZFU?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book and I want to read it again ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book  and I want to read it again next year.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KX004YN7QAK3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">recommend this book to everyone. well written, nice flow.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJN3GE95VLT66?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I gave up on reading this after the Las Vegas interlude .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HJUMYIJSPVVF?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was well written, just a little too dark for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DJ8C1BEC9B9J?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept my attention to the end.Well written but disturbing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BB7BGFDA79RC?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the twists and turns, but the drug scene got old.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SCHUSZ4UB7QX?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed the writing. Ending was kind of confusing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MNWNRVFS73ZI?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long--should have been cut in center section by 1/3!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26V8WPWV0FH28?ASIN=0316055441	Great study of nihilism and existentialism	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Outstanding.  Great study of nihilism and existentialism.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HJLJ89N4SKD9?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the book was a waste of time except for the last chapter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR5SAV8ODFHJ7?ASIN=0316055441	Thumbs Down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As Shakespeare would say ""Much Ado about Nothing""</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S5FHL66CXOLJ?ASIN=0316055441	a serious disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book needs a massive edit- she drones on with philosophical rubbish and destroys a decent story. Halfway through the book, I wanted to throw it down and the feeling only increased as the story progresses. I'm so sick of NYC-centric pretentious rubbish- the book is really a disaster.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L46W4GEKA4HJ?ASIN=0316055441	Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long. Too much fluff and boiler plate. Don't see how she won the Pulitzer prize. I knew Barry Hannah, one of her teachers. She wrote too much like him, but not as vulgar.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HSSL191AF2ZD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book well written great story a future classic</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R73HE88PIISAF?ASIN=0316055441	Great character development	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Entertaining.  Great character development. Well written</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NNA70P91ZLGO?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great literary work, but the ending fizzled quite a bit.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CH55QB7TJ3U7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very intriguing story line. Kept one reading to the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9033ERHKVSVY?ASIN=0316055441	Beginning and ending good, center too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting. Beginning and ending good, center too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R322C3K5UMW0KO?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good through most of book - dud ending. A bit overrated.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21UQUF0ZIS6CG?ASIN=0316055441	Buy, Borrow or Steal this Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing read!  Deeply affecting and hard to put down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R8299B8YB4F?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful characters and depiction of life in NYC and AZ</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CVNIYI8HNZM7?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good but VERY long.  Half of this book could be cut out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R327FJASY0F16?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the first part and hated the last of the story!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q6Y4WYATC4P4?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting plot that became very preachy at the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPLEQO6FWT7JG?ASIN=0316055441	Recommend Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful writing.  The story could have been condensed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZUWCBCJB1CU3?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth the read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was disappointed in this book. I found it long winded.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D0QKXQP4KNG4?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch - Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent novel:  exceptional writing, fascinating story</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IWY3YP2B9QRI?ASIN=0316055441	Golden!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Deeply satisfying. An intense read and so well executed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32347GQ4K3BZS?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't finished the book, but I'm really enjoying it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18JQ2SLJESRND?ASIN=0316055441	Not easy reading.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ridiculous to say the least! Too long. Not easy reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUBDGECKNZ4J7?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent descriptors. Page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Catchy introduction. Excellent descriptors. Page turner.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PQVJMIW2HMFT?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Talented author, the storyline was a bit rambling.......</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H4T61684I6ZM?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story was hard to follow and not my favorite topic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SAIPEDP6JWR8?ASIN=0316055441	but overall a great reading.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sometimes too many details, but overall a great reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19T16VYMHCTUM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, intellectual, couldn't put it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JLOY1H7S5TSP?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">wonderful story but too long and rambling in some places</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UH08ENFG63XN?ASIN=0316055441	Boris makes it all worthwhile	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not without its faults, but an engaging read throughout.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TVLCURY22NTI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story but most importantly, some beautiful writing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23CISMFK21MTT?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful and of an equal quality as the secret history!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24AXWMUW3ICFN?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot was interesting but the book just was too long.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T3D7FS3N82RS?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, however I would have liked a stronger ending</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D7TEVBWLULI7?ASIN=0316055441	Avoid	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Laborious! Disappointing! Tedious!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R245MN7RGM6ZFQ?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch grinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Okay, the book is long.  And, it did hold my interest, though I skimmed a bit.  I felt like the story got buried in all the description.  it was like being seated at a dinner party with a long winded know-it-all.  That said, I miss the main character and wonder how he's doing now.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8JQ78IO20QB6?ASIN=0316055441	Even Better than the Pre-publication Hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those books you have trouble putting down, and can't stop thinking about until you pick it up again. The language and intricate observations tend to make one feel they are experiencing each moment as it evolves. A contender for one of the best novels of the year.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z3235BWUM2WK?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book it got my attention right from the beginning</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5F57V719P3MR?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written but complicated and too much detail</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UNE5K6QC8G2J?ASIN=0316055441	like this book - too much of a downer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really didn't ;like this book - too much of a downer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QGBBZDEHFB8K?ASIN=0316055441	but so far I love it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't finished the book yet, but so far I love it!!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7RG1QVUO1HIZ?ASIN=0316055441	but a good story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long read for someone that has ADD, but a good story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XDEBTI99C90L?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am enjoying the book.  Thanks for your quick service.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L2Q02KTMY9I6?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't understand why it's so popular.  Too complicated.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TH0PNNN3HJWO?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much use of offensive language in sections of book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PDPNI919DK6E?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, loved  the story. Sometimes went on it bit.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A2K7IWY4TR90?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long and tough going sometimes, but will see it through</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDF4X4IN2VW2J?ASIN=0316055441	I love it so much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book literally changed my life. I love it so much!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHMP76JM8PP5J?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellant book - Donna Tartt has told a wonderful tale!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R62USCTH6EZ6?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">However many pages of unmitigated misery.  Awful awful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSSD79J6LLVHO?ASIN=0316055441	... think it lived up to it's hype but I liked it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't think it lived up to it's hype but I liked it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EB3EV4L7E5KI?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">. Still reading.  Hard beginning.  Picks up as you read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UMZ0V3YRVI9Y?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not interested in reading about druggies and drug deals</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M6NOVGSZPS5C?ASIN=0316055441	Great Character Development	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great character development, especially Theo and Boris.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPMFLNKN1FGZT?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good coming of age story - well written and engaging.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NTWFTXT9DJ4F?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book, could not put it down. a great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HJAMZL8MAP6K?ASIN=0316055441	Perfection	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wish I could read it for the first time all over again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MRW8DIQFJCOK?ASIN=0316055441	Tragic, beautiful, riveting.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. Page-turning. Absolutely stunning.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB2PWRHUC5E4K?ASIN=0316055441	So-so	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It rambles a bit. I got bored, and could not finish it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JY3M0VIRX9A3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful, great reading!  Well deserving of its award!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9M6XQHRJQ4DH?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept my attention. Very long sometimes too much detail.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LSISP8WFBFHA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing and the story was very thought provoking.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F4L1ROOAVIVT?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliantly written, compelling story. Makes you think.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A05S0LQLGAHD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Easy Read. I enjoyed it! Good for young and old adults.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN3NAL5LFI4GQ?ASIN=0316055441	WOW	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very well written book with an amazing story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL0AQWDLAUV6W?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read, I felt it was a modern day Calden Haulfield.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27697PU8KJ9ZZ?ASIN=0316055441	Made me feel sad though.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very gripping, intense story.  Made me feel sad though.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13U2UMXVNE4UD?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was compelling from first to last page, which is something, given its length.  The characters are beautifully drawn, the story is suspenseful and the locations are extremely evocative. This book lingers in your mind and I found myself recommending it to everyone.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ABNOMZZPM2EG?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long. Wanted to smack the main character at times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI9309FMZ7ES5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent writing that accelerates through to the end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BFRPWUU0K7CE?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">beautiful language, but could have ended a lot sooner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28798Y9GZAJOC?ASIN=0316055441	Spellbinding, well written, dialogue driven,	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Spellbinding , well written, dialogue driven, engaging</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AELZB7OCT42B?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked her writing style and enjoyed the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DSSMAXGCMCI4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">enjoyable novel that I was able to read over many days</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RVN4IR6AWB1K?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous novel, whose last fifty pages are a knockout.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GPDJFVVC1BE4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great book....the ending gave me such a great message.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R53JOJJ6ROMXW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating and absorbing, with believable characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4FO0Y5BJI7B9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great great story ! Loved the characters and the plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R525K1JN26EFF?ASIN=0316055441	This book was wonderful! Very in-depth story telling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was wonderful!  Very in-depth story telling.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CE046KCV8YJ3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the prose and story line but hated the drug use!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6KL00QJZF8VH?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Middle of book about Las Vegas and drugs way too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KVYN9OLYFKT8?ASIN=0316055441	one of the best books I've read in awhile	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hands down, one of the best books I've read in awhile.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NSBMTLZN3NIV?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">not bad, but takes to long to get into the real story!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q2L4EYFL09YF?ASIN=0316055441	good character development yet too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, good character development yet too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25KF4P5MBDP70?ASIN=0316055441	Is this Teen Fiction?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This reads like a young adult novel. Pulitzer? Really?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SDZIE95LOSG4?ASIN=0316055441	Okay - not great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, but a little too self-analytical for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAUWC9JUPLHTP?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was ok. But it took awhile to get interested in it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R234YWYGHU73WI?ASIN=0316055441	gold stars for goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent but strange. Fell apart a little at the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11G6MY4GXZCSK?ASIN=0316055441	Very good book but found the ending quite a key down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good  book but found the ending quite a key down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R226F9LXXIF0GG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book....makes you realize how lucky you are.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9EXPFY8HCPBS?ASIN=0316055441	Poor ending. Otherwise good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Verbose, rambling.  Poor ending. Otherwise good story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IU079KPIDVE8?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a beautifully written novel which I thoroughly enjoyed</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R129XX4XBVOR6V?ASIN=0316055441	I'm on 75% completion. Can't wait to see how ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm on 75% completion.  Can't wait to see how it ends.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK4FHBB9AX6YK?ASIN=0316055441	Good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  From start to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RITZA2X67U1S1?ASIN=0316055441	Good read for teens	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long winded, but provocative. Good read for teens.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN3SWVAYXKY8V?ASIN=0316055441	but overall great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little slow getting started, but overall great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HV9ZZGMKAR0I?ASIN=0316055441	Really enjoyed this book - was disappointed to	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really  enjoyed this book - was disappointed to finish</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HF1TK8M8UZ5K?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great character development in a richly complex story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NFNBXKTEFHGW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent and well documented piece of art litterature</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24Y4UQ2B4P37F?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started and ended well--too much sleaze in between.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X54BH7Y1LLWP?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful descriptive writing...fascinating story line</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CXUT78UZRU99?ASIN=0316055441	A disappointing experience	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy this book. I found it a chore to read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J9E3H7ITBO04?ASIN=0316055441	THE WORLD OF ANTIQUES	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not fantastic but very much enjoyed the subject matter</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39DDZR88L430D?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book-----just too long in the Las Vegas portion.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JT0U6SX9UIG1?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved, wasnt ready for philosophical last chapter tho.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12G60LR4SC24X?ASIN=0316055441	got boring around the middle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out really well, got boring around the middle.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IN7N866TQNWF?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An intriguing and well written plot but faaar too long</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DL14MTCZJLHY?ASIN=0316055441	Writing is good.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story is too long and very negative.  Writing is good.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YPDSG61VY0O?ASIN=0316055441	Don't miss this one!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written literature - couldn't put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC2UW92582SV8?ASIN=0316055441	A joy to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulously written. A joy to read. Amazing characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28DR03VXRIBWL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">surprise ending kept my i.terest the whole way through</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KDOVTBM0GY29?ASIN=0316055441	Long but Worthwhile Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredible book and easy to see why it won a Pulitzer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WID9J5I5Q33M?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">OK Novel but I didn't see what all the rave was about.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13MW3L4U6I2P1?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch-A novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Difficult at time to get through but worth the effort.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X9GOWJM70VFD?ASIN=0316055441	Very, very badly written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the worst-written books I've started in a long time.  The prose is so bad, so pedestrian self-conscious and self-important, that I quit after 50 pages.  If you want to read really brilliant writing take a look at The Patrick Melrose Novels by Edward St. Aubyn.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX33ITQLBT8C4?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can't believe it won a Pulitzer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R40O8UVQMCRJ5?ASIN=0316055441	Good Book. Keeps you interested all the way through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good Book.  Keeps you interested all the way through.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5YR04G8ZVFDJ?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating characters and story- loved this book !!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NEOX1XQM5967?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had it been a bit shorter it would have been 5 stars!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GUGWW3JA8P8S?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long and seemed like the story got old to me!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F1WDORL3P8G0?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Maybe I just don't get it BUT...The Pulitzer Prize???</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D7SUPHT9NUVQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing book! I was enthralled- couldn't put it down!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV4BGO37R12U2?ASIN=0316055441	Characters go from bad to worse	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very negative book.  Characters go from bad to worse.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M3BOLYTD14SG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great characters, storyline descriptions. Great read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VKDUMF6GOIY3?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written with a surprise twist to the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CTNEZWQ1I674?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very good story line.  kept your interest throughout.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LHBA06NJ8T2L?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i found it hard to read and soooo I havent finnished!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34MJ4VX4UED53?ASIN=0316055441	A gold medal for The Goldfinch!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing and story telling. Worthy of its prize.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IGUCLZXJFVDC?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A hero you really couldn't like or have sympathy for.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39ZPBWLEPEF9K?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A well written and gripping story.  Hard to put down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SQLO6YYFHCPQ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It could have been told in a lot less words  Too long</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RYFN8W7PKNBU?ASIN=0316055441	What a joy to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredibly well written account.  What a joy to read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VSRCV1SAZ0KR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it! A modern masterpiece.  All 771 pages of it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QV4YQ59SYFD3?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written, multi-faceted novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An intense, beautifully written, multi-faceted novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29FPJJEE1H6BP?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long - too detailed - fighting my way through it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28DD6XRR5ZHD2?ASIN=0316055441	A good read. Not your usual read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good read.  Not your usual read, interesting turns.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS5BBZ608QKU9?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best contemporary novels that I have read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BPWUKUK05WUO?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch swept me away, I couldn't stop reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S04AWPNQ1QUW?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book.  I was captivated from the very begining.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YSXOGY6XM775?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting and dark...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit long and dark but interesting.  Worth the read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR3F4GT24JCQL?ASIN=0316055441	Wouldn't recommend it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this story depressing. Wouldn't recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DLY61PY7XP2N?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, but too much description for me.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK78OFWAMSMQI?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too repitious--becomes ""I want yo skip this.""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R7WK5BIX4JM7?ASIN=0316055441	A great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful story telling,enjoyable a real page turner</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YO1AWWFN72ZM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book...very good character development &amp; plot.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JGE7OB6EZ7Y6?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Riveting in the beginning - slows down considerably.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TUAHZZ63KNHN?ASIN=0316055441	Great reading...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not put this book down..Highly  recommend it..</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12PN2HILGUW6M?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read in a very long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DD2KGCYVI9AE?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little too wordy and much too long for this reader</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L3GH5J6VGWSO?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, but perhaps overlong.  And sad.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E912XUQDURIT?ASIN=0316055441	what a strong beginning to a predictable boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">what  a strong beginning to a predictable boring end</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YP29GANRBYKI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So well written and enjoyable. Couldn't put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SFSWLZNZ2Q7B?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">overly long never really identified with protagonist</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWDW0GQE74B91?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was hard. To get started and hard to stop reading</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3791JIR97DS4N?ASIN=0316055441	we enjoyed reading this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Approved by book club; we enjoyed reading this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIH8CEHIIF7O9?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good story line however a little wandering in detail</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NG4A5LKX6CP0?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My wife's favorite author, one of the author's best.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KA7HCX7UW124?ASIN=0316055441	At some point I had to skip pages, to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At  some point I had to skip pages, to many details.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCE8B9Z6JKB43?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was so well written and enjoyable to read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RSMKCV8X56BI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful until towards the end it got a bit preachy</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BT6YEN8FR27Z?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was long but very well written and a great story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14X6KUJ79VSRZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very intriguing, spell binding and hard to put down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BPFR07AI6VUY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Sad it had to end...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MC6OUVPSV3ZO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book a page turner you never want to end!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13PNZ8ZN76ACL?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">long but great read, very detailed if you like that!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R91PCPPCCI1TW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent, loved the art history and the characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C00NDMO8Q2GT?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be interesting and a good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R229VW0J3C7BOO?ASIN=0316055441	Best Read of 2014	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book and was so sorry when it was over.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDBYCH0XW3K2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written.  Hard to put down. Great story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P00VIZSCIOED?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great narrative and very interesting main character.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3795ET7OBOLV1?ASIN=0316055441	An exquisite story with so many dark passages but yet you feel better reading it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had never read a Donna Tartt before but I will definitely want to read more of her work.  I literally read this book for about a<br/>week and a half straight because I fell so hard for the characters and couldn't wait to see where this very winding road led.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34IXU4CDJKXT?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so disappointed in this book. I struggled to get through it wanting to stop after around 200 pages. Thinking  it would get better in time it did not.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36F4PKS2SF56P?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have been trying to get through this book for about four weeks now.  How it has dragged.  As other reviewers have commented the drug use is exhaustively boring.  The story line just died after the first couple of chapters. And the premise was so promising.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRQQ1ONI08BRG?ASIN=0316055441	Paid by the word?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the most tedious book I've ever read. Page after page of never-ending paragraphs about people I couldn't care less about! But I trudged through thinking that there had to be a fantastic ending to earn so many positive reviews. I was sadly mistaken.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XHAP8XO2BXOY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best novels I have read in a long while.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AJ4WUT1YADI0?ASIN=0316055441	Great writer. I never read such a book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredible, Great writer. I never read such a book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JZ0AHKH7FSR0?ASIN=0316055441	recommend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent. Well written. Great plot and characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AIM6J99D0RGO?ASIN=0316055441	a great job! Love my Amazon used books	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Again, a great job!  Love my Amazon used books!!!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CD2SBOY1S7UB?ASIN=0316055441	Go inside!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing twists and turns. Breathless. Wonderful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NZG6058HQ7PR?ASIN=0316055441	Read it!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliantly written. Epic yet relatable  5 stars!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23BOVBMLK125Y?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dense and dark. Not a fast read but a memorial one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PTAMMV18QQ6V?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written - but I did not enjoy the book at all.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O265VU2PIHB5?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">started out really good. Fizzled in the conclusion.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UG0XKM4FV25Q?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A delightful and often profound reading experience.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZFO0JRS4KOBZ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a complex novel that needed a good editor. too long</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE2UYC46A0XX0?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really like the style of writing.  A GREAT STORY.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLUY1RZGPZ4PT?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long, drawn out story.  Rambled on and on at times.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LW1O5WKHO0DU?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Starts off great, then drags a lot towards the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24CJIHH40ZLXP?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was too long and not all that interesting.......</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTL7NVR7AWFDO?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't know why MJ picked this. Too long, too slow</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WRMW6GX4UDJ4?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Worthy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing revelation of the ""Goldfinch"",..</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32XDJKMDIZQC9?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this book was much too long and drawn out</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19GF9E0K7PCRD?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It got a bit tedious for me and kind of depressing.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35HOXVZN1WGOX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic characters, plot, story arc, all of it!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXAC727O4RZGT?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely long book, but exciting for the most part</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B0HFWOOWSZ5G?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm reading it slow because I don't want it to end!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B07880BMQPG?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long of a book with not much variation of story</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21V0AXA9C9FOE?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't understand why this won the Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MPXW7T2ABIKZ?ASIN=0316055441	and main character got very annoying!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long, and main character got very annoying!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q8SFCR4KM6D5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting book-really enjoyed  the story line.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8XZJXFV6XP29?ASIN=0316055441	I want to read it again	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read. You never know what is going to happen.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIR00OAD9YBAJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could possibly be the best book I've read in years!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MVI05YWY7Z8I?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good. A little heavy on description but smart.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJNAI1E51AV4W?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant. One of the best reads I've had in years.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ2K76HYOS279?ASIN=0316055441	Read It!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A gripping read. One you won't be able to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q9ONME18DB4B?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading it, we know why she won the Pulitzer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IIWIN22MITPR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was such a great book! I couldn't put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21BG7YGEKKOV?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not as good as I had anticipated, depressing story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXQCQB9MNVTGR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this should not be missed....a literary page turner</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLPV2KKRQ9X74?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book, loved Ms. Tartt's style of writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15H5H4O252MI1?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought the book was interesting, but way too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16XR3EKPFFOEW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read, I enjoyed the book from cover to cover.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIMCPOJQCI96N?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overly long, but very well-written and challenging.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS07R8E93V8E2?ASIN=0316055441	Long read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book club choice. Couldn't identify with the drinking and drugging. Seemed out of character for an adolescent to obtain a rare painting in the midst of a life threatening explosion. Read the whole thing and felt used at the end. I'm swearing off fiction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29VITAKEXNT9Y?ASIN=0316055441	way too depressing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't like that he kept having opportunities for a better life &amp; he blew it every time.  Sort of liked the way the art was recovered.  Parents have such a big influence of how a child makes good &amp; bad choices.  Wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DRJ3LXXKPFAC?ASIN=0316055441	Not Enjoyable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She is a gifted writer, but I disliked the characters too much to enjoy the book.  Everyone is depressed and self-destructive, and I finally gave up rooting for Theo to get his act together.  I finished it, deleted it, and don't intend to go back there.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JY6POQD3ZV7E?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JVL7WKJYAI4I?ASIN=0316055441	I disliked the language and the ambiguity	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I disliked the language and the ambiguity.  It was hard to follow and I believe if you read Ecclesiastes in The Holy Bible, I believe you will find a better reading of what the author was trying to say.  However, I see little redemption in this story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FN6JXYQTYZHA?ASIN=0316055441	Best mystery I have read in years.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book you can't put down and you don't forget it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SFMZWQ9WTLSB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really engaging. Stays with you after you read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NIG9J6D157S3?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing; a bit long and monotonous at times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A539VKI4ATFT?ASIN=0316055441	Full of twists. Characters interestingly complex.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Full of twists . Characters interestingly complex.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E7H2WIXWVJ6Q?ASIN=0316055441	Yes, it's long - but well-worth it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoroughly enjoyed this book! Beautifully written!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31Y5DAMY1VR0?ASIN=0316055441	"I thought ""Pulitzer"" meant ""awesome"".  I was wrong."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A solid ""meh"" ended by 20 pages of drivel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23X7KP85E3PYL?ASIN=0316055441	A good story. A bit too philosophical in the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good story. A bit  too philosophical in the end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKUSQVAJ6AF1M?ASIN=0316055441	A good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was intriguing and surprising  . A good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FVLNOP2H67WD?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book- wonderfully written, compelling story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P1I4Y85KR933?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sad but ultimately uplifting. Worthy of its award!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BXZJORHYRKLM?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story but could have been 200 pages shorter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E591BXWWGTVI?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good book overall, but didn't like the sad ending.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NYFKER3GB23C?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Took a bit to get into, then couldn't put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVCRMQZNRO49S?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Would have been five stars, except for the ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CV8JQLSXIZBW?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would have preferred for the book to be tighter.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34WW9F1IWPQJ5?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought it was too long and at times was rambling.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NZ988MGYJ9KZ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow in some parts but overall a really good book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UUCUBCRA6G3A?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read, sometimes a little hard to follow!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K2H3ZLE9W6KB?ASIN=0316055441	A Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a fabulous story! I couldn't put it down!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXA6SG3Q8BY9W?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch was a serious read with a lot of twists!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHJRYY1XJRNWS?ASIN=0316055441	not enjoyment, got me through the novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intrigue, not enjoyment, got me through the novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R112FWUHFDWDQF?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have just started reading it but enjoy it so far</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13QGD7RRRUMH7?ASIN=0316055441	Well done!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exciting, thought-provoking and very well written.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRWB2CE8QV4AY?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love this book. Well written and great story line.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CJPE04ORL94O?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed first, but then it just dragged on and on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R53NGEVOWHJCJ?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought I would enjoy this book more then I did.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FVZUE87CAZS3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. Gives one a real feel for NY.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TIWNT76YT5ZA?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't hold my attention.  Too long and drawn out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XVWGXB9O0IVU?ASIN=0316055441	Need to read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is better than a secret history.  Captivating</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JDSD9T7IH43H?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">had to go through too much to get to the ending...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U02IOUTL2B50?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not finish the book  very despising &amp; too long</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAX1RYVL7UI1I?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hoby and the mother, the only likeable characters.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QMAIXLB56RT5?ASIN=0316055441	Thoroughly enjoyed it! Found it hard to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoroughly enjoyed it!  Found it hard to put down.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16JTTOUB7LR2L?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good book, it certainly keeps your attention.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5R9RUSSVH1ID?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great plot, could have been told in half the time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DXS2UPY2B89Y?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It bogged down with too many and repeated details.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZUB769FBQUI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An engaging and well-written modern Bildungsroman.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F5RUVJVGXS3P?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and wordy. I struggled to get to the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FX56B9NO3VVV?ASIN=0316055441	don't read the goldfinch unless are adruggie.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The goldfinch was too talkey talkey!  Flat ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U4U5TCWRBIFN?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read, but got too wordy towards the end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T2SJFL2G74F8?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, it kept you interested until the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QNNW45SKG35P?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't wait to finish.  Just too dragged out!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AYOWFRH7TLU8?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good writing about a character who isn't likable.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BIEAO0HV8CHU?ASIN=0316055441	Ready to be challenged	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very interesting book full of twists and turns.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X1ZQ0ARYAX3I?ASIN=0316055441	DEFINITELY PULITZER PRIZE WINNER	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">BEST NEW AUTHOR I HAVE READ IN A LONG, LONG TIME.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IB5O25U38DAC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was so well-written, I couldn't put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8WL3WR26XAW0?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written novel with a sweet/sad story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3614KGTJCVY2C?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellant book could have been 100 pages shorter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HLL4S6P8FSRW?ASIN=0316055441	Don't miss it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was epic. It gets you right in the gut!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ1UBONAG39MS?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappointing after previous reviews I have read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO7UC020WDZ66?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">what a gripping novel with lots of surprise turns</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HOTM5OS44CF?ASIN=0316055441	Long, but I didn't want it to be over.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This author kept me guessing throughout the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BOVG6W6MXGW4?ASIN=0316055441	some great descriptive writing though	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long,  some great descriptive writing though.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A5FKC7PR3KQ3?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the plot: some great prose along the way.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y0HOCL50Z9BN?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very, very slow moving and at the end- who cares!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA6H6SH7GC1D5?ASIN=0316055441	Absolute classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have read in a long time.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RGODUT29LY9C?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this heavy going through the drug taking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C5FSEEPPW9ZY?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a wild ride with a very philosophical ending</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKP6OWQTYCHRG?ASIN=0316055441	Too long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy-skipped a lot pages just to to the end!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TPHAKRBN1WHK?ASIN=0316055441	Magical	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Magical!  Love the New York &amp; Amsterdam settings!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10E9CNSW4UDAG?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Totally engaging, but could benefit from editingT</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGNV74WGWLRPD?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read but wraps up a little unsatisfactorily.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9FUIM9WO6KKO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book very interesting and characters real!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23GY5WOBTN2GN?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little slow at the start but enjoying it so far</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ5M8N7JBV3FU?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and did not care for all the drug usage.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28C27ONQXC47D?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You won't be disappointed - this is a great read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPPC1G3U786GE?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too wordy- started out good<br/>could not finish</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUIXPHCBV6GF6?ASIN=0316055441	Mezmerizing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this book down it was mesmerizing</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37PAO1S2G82AR?ASIN=0316055441	Read it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing!  Very in depth, interesting story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M2G8UXHSMD2E?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Superb writing though it could have been tighter.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20XVI13ZGJ4S5?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, too rambling, no real story, no ending.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YOKBEE7D4U4I?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books i have read in a long time.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FUXUCIUFMYML?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Spotty quality - hard to like the main character.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OSVX8AJCSVWK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put it down! So many twists and turns.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ELFBUCIO1LVS?ASIN=0316055441	The book drags. It is hard to maintain interest ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book drags.  It is hard to maintain interest.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YT87L0GO7932?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite well written and engaging but WAY too long!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GL1B3CERII73?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great character development and interesting plot!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23OL2XEKRF9R6?ASIN=0316055441	Deep - a great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got kind of lost in this story. It is profound.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38DWU7864C8WA?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written and a	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Insightful, beautifully written and a page-turner</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIDW9HO99IUYS?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting and wonderful.  Loved the characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZBXJ1WPPN99I?ASIN=0316055441	I do not write  reviews but in this case I just want to praise a great book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have not read anything this good in years.  I rarely talk about books with friends but I feel compelled to talk about this one.  It's not just about any one character or plot line but the overall  composition is so enveloping and satisfying.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SEO7O5KM78WV?ASIN=0316055441	Who is she trying to impress?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow, what a long, boring, wordy, overly descriptive book.  There, I said what needed to be said about this book.  Was this an Oprah book, if not, it should be.  Every Oprah book I've read has been out to impress and dark, just as this one is.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10FEIIYPTM3OI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent read. I recommend this book highly.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG87U08BDR5PH?ASIN=0316055441	One of my favorite books	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing story, beautifully written, page turner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R244AVU1L56IAW?ASIN=0316055441	Did not enjoy reading it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way to wordy and long. Did not enjoy reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TJELNFGJ6TS8?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long and winding road but well worth the ride.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DXRTAODKQ7EG?ASIN=0316055441	it is a really bad..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I do whant my money back...it is a really bad...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3STN1N6IW73J2?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was an interesting book, not what I expected.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJBGUX0PWN3VA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully depicted story. Just a bit too long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BXJQNWPOWD3K?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could have been a lot shorter. Dragged at times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CGST6L3D6YGP?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story.  Great beginning and writing.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G2KDGMFJGQTH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Another great book...used as a gift for my wife!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AU23NNA6AXAL?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it did not keep my interest all through the book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9NR6QBB3RDHS?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written.  Truly angry at the main character</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUFF05YTTMV1S?ASIN=0316055441	It was ok, however did not care for the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was  ok, however did not care for the ending.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HRXQ6HVSZ8VC?ASIN=0316055441	Ending could have been better thought out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read but the ending was a little dragged on</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XTDO3PVUJKF8?ASIN=0316055441	but excellent Loved reading this	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long, but excellent<br/>Loved reading this book</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22KGEHR9H0KG3?ASIN=0316055441	but enjoyed the first half	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too long, too wordy, but enjoyed the first half.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J82WYSTMB4G?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written however very intense and disturbing</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R75YE31ZTY3QW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of my favorite books. Could not put it down!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2083X6PQH0CLS?ASIN=0316055441	Very engaging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very good novel. Profound and heart-wrenching.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UQKD7BPQMU7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book ever you won't be able to put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N647YVYHNXMO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have read in a long time</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDNY6UH2KXN8G?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this should appeal to the YA crowd. What a saga.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3941BPKQ5FNSG?ASIN=0316055441	... not care for the book - but amazon is great.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">did not care for the book - but amazon is great.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GNQ40F4833V6?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit long at times, but very thought provoking.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OXKHV1ICSR7Q?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story but should be tightened up. Too long.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DZNW65N0ZD90?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">enjoyed this book but found ending disappointing</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R144DEQAV41C2D?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard to get into, but then couldn't put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35OFDZRGHVHYY?ASIN=0316055441	Good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written. Page turner. Enjoyed it very much.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F3L16C4107B3?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not sure I felt any empathy with this character.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHY89FD0TUDM7?ASIN=0316055441	Ok	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good  not great and slow starting and very long.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D7LE8ZUHD895?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">story keeps getting better..totally  engaging...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R150I89WMFTHT1?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent story, no wonder it won a Pulitzer.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4O0O2OTGRFJE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a good read, hated putting the book down!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IGYBCU9PK6NN?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Confusing and partly boring, too many loose ends</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26K7P33E7H3B?ASIN=0316055441	not a great ending.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">okay, but a little to wordy, not a great ending.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1INGJ68FAPE3Q?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Definitely very different what else I have read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DLBTBGT0ANJE?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating story but repetitive and very dense.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MLT8N2OCKHGV?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not like at all. Was a problem to finish it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37FG9SJRLS0RN?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book, a long read, but realistic.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLGYQ0TNI1NIL?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a great deal of descriptions and lots of reading</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LWPH0WR6J3Y2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book that keeps you turning the pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R309DS1J8P3ZX6?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a great yarn..ending abit too quickly wrapped up</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VHPN7IZMIE6V?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i am enjoying it but it could have been shorter.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EYA2813EN6HN?ASIN=0316055441	For the love of art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing ride of ups and downs , twists and turns</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNQGCL3HJYHBE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous story with richly developed characters!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCB1S9MNRF7RR?ASIN=0316055441	I hated the ending --	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">at times, hard to follow.  I hated the ending --</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39NM4RQ9D4FMX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed how the book took me everywhere</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12YN73L3E92ZO?ASIN=0316055441	too much beautifully crafted	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, too much beautifully crafted narrative</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IFWVIVH1XFFL?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Over long, dragged in places, strains credulity.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V7HO3EZAIHZZ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating story; an incredibly enjoyable read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LVL8SGPTAN77?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written novel. A true treat to read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5SE93L9D9W28?ASIN=0316055441	Most depressing book of the year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this entire book hoping for some sort of redeeming ending. There was none! I am telling all my friends to run away screaming  if anyone tries to get them to read it. If you get it as a gift...give it back. It is dark and depressing. A story about drug and alcohol abuse. Death, theft and people that stay rotten and abusive until the end.How on earth this became a best seller is beyond my imagination.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M37BSTKNGN2X?ASIN=0316055441	Great coming of age story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great coming of age story!  I highly recommend.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27P0MOM54RHHF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very engaging novel that made for a quick read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WKHUUF4JCXUX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome, along with ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BHUEXZWHOIDZ?ASIN=0316055441	Not on my Top List	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book dragged and had a disappointing ending</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19NBQUFL2K6P?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A thought provoking book that I am glad I read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSZFE7W47EUBS?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing was good but the book was too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YITOWXQLKSG2?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a gift to a friend who liked it a lot.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30N7FR82N7IZV?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great Read!! I Could not stop reading at times.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UUYO54855IPA?ASIN=0316055441	PST changes boy's choices in growing up. Great story that will keep you up at night.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First book in a while that I couldn't put down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VHT5YTVY9MFD?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very entertaining lengthy at times overall good</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA9JVPE451DVS?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Poorly written and developed and much too long.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GXUIZQ7H3AKK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this immensely, couldn't put it down.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1706UVHLL38FJ?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it! Long and angsty but still...loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JOW3ANYG76S4?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was a little strange and too wordy</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GXZYG722C6Y?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Back jacket was old and not in great condition.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R109TY39BBKN?ASIN=0316055441	Areal page turner.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had to keep reading,, I wanted a happier ending</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J24CP86WTG8F?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome story - When will they make the movie??</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UTF19TY0JCMK?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">verbose; too many antagonists; bleak storyline.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RUNDZV9OYIYH?ASIN=0316055441	but brilliantly written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very depressing story, but brilliantly written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QPWZ5YG13VWL?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A well-written book, but I found it depressing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IXU9C19T3RH7?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writer, book too long and at times boring</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H0KM4X4SGARW?ASIN=0316055441	Page turner. Definitely deserved the Pulitzer.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Page turner.  Definitely deserved the Pulitzer.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DRAI5HQ43190?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Modern aged Catcher in the Rye, but rambled on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R318F0E53678AV?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good story - long and wordy but I loved it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R236ZMO2C3CG8X?ASIN=0316055441	Really good in spots and draggy in other spots	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really good in spots and draggy in other spots.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WWKCC6LM59IZ?ASIN=0316055441	but also sad and depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written, but also sad and depressing.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR6F4MPE4MZLH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic. Beautifully written and suspenseful.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFIQJ46GTLFVT?ASIN=0316055441	Like it. But a bit long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting read.Like it . But a bit long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U2XPMFOZ2HDI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book and had trouble putting it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16YOGIEF2GP8C?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy and nothing was resolved in his life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MJLRCOZ2LUP9?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing but took a long to tell the story</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTBH4UNFUAOKF?ASIN=0316055441	but i enjoyed the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very long and detailed ,but i enjoyed the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U96GG9CEYRP0?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was expecting better, but still a great book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TAFKC9AKN8N0?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intereseting but too convoluted and violent. HH</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HWXOQ2QHWTIR?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel moved quickly and kept me interested</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJDDWXJFPK4GW?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Haven't even resd it yet - i'll let you know...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWJV8B5E8UZ7C?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">More hype for the book than was actually in it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5UH8U8MV0U97?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious read. Was not fond of the way it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tedious read.  Was not fond of the way it ended</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KYY9F8KJ51BD?ASIN=0316055441	but it's wonderful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Have not finished book yet, but it's wonderful!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QDNEAWWK6IRO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written with a very different plot</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HCJTXNUBTIHI?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome book! Kept me intrigued until the end!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VGPSD8HSDR0I?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unexpected, unpredictable plot-<br/>Excellent</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAGH0CJG0L06I?ASIN=0316055441	Well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating read. Held my interest throughout.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27T4WGS6MQR1F?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the art history. Story went on too long!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTJAU226Q5AB9?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the best book I have read in a while.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUZ4FW20ZD49H?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazingly written ,heart pounding descriptions</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UQM3GDT4ZVRW?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long and portions are a little fantastic.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23E5WIAE6ROE?ASIN=0316055441	Good plot/too disjointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the plot but it was very disjointed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CZUXJW0WE32M?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, story not realistic. Not believable.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LASGRTO873C7?ASIN=0316055441	An interesting story line does not justify the poor prose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was waiting for it to get better...it did not.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MFP58QQ7WUK7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One in my personal top five books I have read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R62S331JHBW4C?ASIN=0316055441	I LOVED this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the best books I've ever read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R203XEXUGR2MVQ?ASIN=0316055441	READ THIS	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredible.  Fantastic.  Donna Tartt is a god.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROWYHC4MYQFWJ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written story, just kind of a dark story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPTB6AKOE1S2U?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GPWAVQWP4N2S?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read -- want to read more by this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MCNZJ10XVPGS?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book, so well written and different.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP2G9Y6IKZXHC?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting characters, story line intriguing!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KLAA0P4KDZHA?ASIN=0316055441	You will never guess where this story will take you!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wild story with a surprise twist at the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLTXLHJTYLA7C?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">EXCELLENT READ! I miss the characters already!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34EL51W70K7WB?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">beautifully written book.  sometimes reviting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P7JX7CA28BI0?ASIN=0316055441	Boring !!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was just too long and not that interesting.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FGY5UKG8CUSS?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not an ready read and overloaded with imagery.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R04ELSVQNYID?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it parts but lost interest in some of it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KE09IT1PUV1P?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing book on many levels.  Far too long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R314TXJDY45VT0?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the book but felt the ending was weak.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CKXIKMSPPD99?ASIN=0316055441	Spellbinding must read...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read! Solid characters, great story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R98LO4R59I8SD?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very captivating story couldn't put it down !!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DGW6AEX6HZNQ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">hard to get into and follow.  very depressing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH4PNU48RRW8U?ASIN=0316055441	Great character study	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written. Great character study. Loved it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29S2AJKM80CW?ASIN=0316055441	Good but not great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book but not one that I couldn't put down</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXKFA1AY0TZBF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great story - hard to put the book down ....</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NFCQNJEOT10J?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved everything about this book. Fantastic!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32O8JUB5LQP82?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very well written, but too long and depressing</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R548SKYV3GE5H?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, too much detail about drug use, etc.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FUFIMYHQ2X4Y?ASIN=0316055441	but love it thus far	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Haven't finished it yet, but love it thus far!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9NPU2QH8LPIK?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long and, I think, greatly over rated!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK6I3DFSKDH3G?ASIN=0316055441	but a good story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit long to hold intetest, but a good story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14X4EWDAKDSMP?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a story - my life seems empty without it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30812GIID5EE9?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really having a hard time finishing this book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32AKTVSPX9KIY?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story, but a difficult read for me.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story,but a difficult read for me.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBFYM8AKDPOFV?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book but thought the ending was lacking.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T4UE522I5FGD?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but dark, as are her other novels</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JQOOH4RALVFY?ASIN=0316055441	I liked the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read it straight through. I liked the ending;)</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XJDYO9JD05ZT?ASIN=0316055441	but a bit tedious in the middle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, but a bit tedious in the middle.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OBC2LPSR9TD8?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging, but a bit depressing.  Not done yet.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I4TG13TSPNX8?ASIN=0316055441	Way to long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not only was this book much to long, I did not find it worth my time. I never felt empathy for the characters. I felt like the author just wanted to hear herself talk. I couldn't wait for it to finally end. Totally disappointed.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P2K3KO57A1U8?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was interesting, but it could have been told in 200 pages less.  This book was easy to put down and hard to pick back up. I would not recommend thus book unless you have a lot time to kill and you like reading fluff.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1203WF5X4YUEE?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful writing- story hard going	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started with great potential; gorgeous writing kept me reading. But so long and full of oddly flat characters. I grew tired of them all which was a pity. Sped read last 1/4 which was a shame as had been savouring the language.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DW878DW7YYZY?ASIN=0316055441	Yuck!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For most of the book I disliked the main character.  By the time I got to the end  I was so disgusted I wasted so much time reading it.  If I had a hard copy I would have thrown it out so no one else had to suffer through it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38WKGTNX3X0RU?ASIN=0316055441	Tiresome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an over written book.  It's almost 800 pages story could have reasonably been told in half as many.  Characters are introduced, disappear, then re-appear to propell this tedious tale;.  Sorry - did not like it at all.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EX77XUHA9SRG?ASIN=0316055441	Thoughtful and engaging struggle for survival.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt produces a tale enriched with an in depth characterization of a tortured young male. The reader is entranced with his journey to find his resolution, all the while your heart aches for him. You yearn for his happiness.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WCVKY9CFPLXN?ASIN=0316055441	I did not like it. And the ending left most characters hanging	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like it.  And the ending left most characters hanging: ie, Hobie, Kitsy, Mrs. Barbour, Boris.  What happened to them and why in the world was Theo traveling all the time?  Can't understand how it got the Pulitzer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR0DAXUSIXTZ1?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long read made so much better with audiobook.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ILLIBBW6BBII?ASIN=0316055441	Very enjoyable Very enjoyable!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very enjoyable<br/><br/>Very enjoyable !!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QALGMFG6IJEG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful complex story thoughtfully written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M7TOYFXQTU26?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, Too unclear, and depressing really.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25PBX1IBY6BRD?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story and characters. Needed an editor.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31X32H49U7H5M?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well developed characters, interesting story,</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GZFE4OR31IVT?ASIN=0316055441	Both my wife and I loved it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Most enjoyable.  Both my wife and I loved it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N49SI07QQI8V?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Most overrated book of any year.  A big bore.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ECHJWVS5IMW9?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gave as gifts, cannot write a truthful review</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N15G2ATIRLOL?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the book but action was slow.  thanks</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A3JBF2Q8O49S?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read. Thoroughly enjoyed this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21X2QY1U6HWKJ?ASIN=0316055441	Did not like it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow, not a very good story. Weak characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LOH44ENNIS7J?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best book I have read in quite some time!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R99FP6AGASSVS?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great book, it kept me turning the pages ....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F6GXHKYBMXBD?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the story, but it need a better ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIHUBVVNOOBN3?ASIN=0316055441	Patience required to finish reading.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Check out a more detailed review here : [...]</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37W7C6JAID2Z?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this is one of the best books I've ever read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EX47DO41G958?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">ENJOYED IT -- A BIT REPETITIVE---WELL WRITTEN</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UGZ94ZY7GHP0?ASIN=0316055441	Crazy journey... with many twists and turns ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Crazy journey ... with many twists and turns.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GJ3JGL8N5KPM?ASIN=0316055441	Great story. A little bit odd in the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story.  A little bit odd in the ending.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSCFH682KZF61?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not enjoy this book  Characters were weak</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8QM9WNYSGS5N?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've ever read, period.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIRQSIDT4HE37?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the complex portrayal of the character.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D3B9RJ4CQBMT?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rattled on too long at times. No real ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKG8KFBPGYQGT?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard cover and half the price.  Well written.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLF9WCFH1QZT7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing writing. I could hardly put it down!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RECJPOL8RY9PD?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the worst book I have ever finished.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N1YO1UKI3GKM?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got bogged down several times.  Very wordy.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ4N785DCE4RY?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and I was disappointed with the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23JH1U3YN93QE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful language and very thought provoking</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CRXY3N3YAD10?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book, a little slow and too descriptive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AOJS9ABWWZUG?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Decent story, a little too long and drawn out</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LV15YX7RJHH2?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">after so many rave reviews,I was disapointed.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DPYROP1UQ76W?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting story of life and death.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A number of different twists kept me reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHIZ4XZFLF5JD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read, thoroughly enjoyed this book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16G0NMIUARS35?ASIN=0316055441	did not enjoy the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a dark book.....did not enjoy the read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TAHO8DLAD8VU?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The premise was a good one but too slow paced</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WXI3ZRV3U9NP?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the best novel I have read in years!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T2XW8RLGSZQO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have read in a while.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I2WNYV27U0DK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a wonderful read, really a contemporary scene</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LJZ66IVZ1HEQ?ASIN=0316055441	worth rating of 6 stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">awesome read and will search her other titles</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I55VMTLPXQ6L?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved Boris and can see the movie in my head!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PLW9I8YOGL0I?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent well crafted and informed story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R47CDC864FQXN?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard to get past the slow middle if the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV8X0G3OQAF2O?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book, but it was such a long read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OA8L5E3W4CZB?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Writing was smart, engaging. Loved this book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11TXJBNCIT993?ASIN=0316055441	excellent read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">could not put this book down, excellent read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29WB416MSW2VQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing. Donna Tartt is a national treasure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YM23OYP0ZDYR?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great Book but much too long and repetitive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UB91EQ0U0CHD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the whole story...beautifully written!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R273ID1SBIILV?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written---sentences were magical</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24TA7B25TSZGU?ASIN=0316055441	Beyond anything.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beyond anything. Genius is too small a word.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCKKF8180QQJQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">well-developed characters in a slice of life</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE7TKUGH3YVD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One way to learn about traumatized children.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LCZE7HQ7DGLH?ASIN=0316055441	Omg. Get to the point.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the worst books I've ever had to read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U3BQ8UDCZF1X?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book could have been a little shorter.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SB8MZN8DMAHA?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it! Recommended it to all my friends	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it!  Recommended it to all my friends!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31699JYSGFH7F?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So well written, characters well-developed -</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P63305LX7RPM?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long snd sad but well written and compelling</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REMWBRY9Y2OKS?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A pretty good book. Interesting plot twists.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VUS7LZ0XC3K8?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of those books you wish would never end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKR12AO754UKO?ASIN=0316055441	Pretty good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Entertaining. Long but easy to read quickly.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ICRFMB4Q0CKL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Reading book now.  Very long but Interesting</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XMGOP81261IG?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great for reading especially when traveling.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZPGIJDDX8WWZ?ASIN=0316055441	good read!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Liked it the more I got into it!  Good read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J4EUXGP67M8U?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really good read....sad in many parts though</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IVGLU4QHZBMT?ASIN=0316055441	Kept my interest, different but interesting..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept my interest,different but interesting..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6Z8YFWRY8G4R?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have read in ages!11</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ASBMD306E4I9?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like this book.  It is over rated.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6QU87XYAQI25?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not put it down!  Beautifully written!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBG7DOBLX4PW2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting read from beginning to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RCN8HO6OAE1A?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit wordy in descriptions but a good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTQZ8KNMI6CQ8?ASIN=0316055441	Must Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enthralling.  I was truly lost in this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WUUINO18I6QL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A real cliff hanger and brilliantly written!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZKFGFUTA7PGP?ASIN=0316055441	Too long. Too meaningless. Trying too hard.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long.  Too meaningless. Trying too hard.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MCV0E91F3TVH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't enjoy it, but it was a best seller!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DE75KED4RSOJ?ASIN=0316055441	A DIFFICULT BOOK TO TRYLY ENJOY..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">TO LONG, A DIFFICULT BOOK TO TRYLY ENJOY....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4CSNV39MCI25?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing sad story of a mixed up young man</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O2UUOTVBMFW2?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very wordy, but a book I will remember plot.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CNBEUL8R5WK1?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Super nicely written. Couldn't stop reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LL4CHLT5QZKA?ASIN=0316055441	A Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best summer reads.  I enjoyed it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REF07IBJ3POAS?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent audio book.  The voices are great.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J1KVK90DRPWZ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was interesting, but slow and way too wordy!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34FLCP617I724?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. Enjoyed it from start to finish.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R279Q6P95HON7O?ASIN=0316055441	Good, but long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good ,but long , seemed to drag a little bit</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRWY32UCM37KW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">most interesting contemporary novel in years</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15LEXA2M91XWA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books that I have ever read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H8Q4CKO5RPJN?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good writer but a little tedious at the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZDOH44YON0O6?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was a little disappointed with the ending.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3982E1W4AGY2T?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long, hard read.  Very difficult read for me</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROI6S1F4U3AM1?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can't believe this got "" the Prize"".</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROW966OBFP5O4?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good have used a lot of editing.  Good yarn.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35UXPNBH0RHU5?ASIN=0316055441	But very Boring. Much too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting. But very Boring. Much too long.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R96IAKQPVULUT?ASIN=0316055441	GOLDFINCH WAY OVERATED.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A rambling, drug-filled, poorly written too long novel that was not worth my time. SO MANY other GOOD books to read. TERRIBLE!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37U5RFCCHIX2S?ASIN=0316055441	Overhyped and over rated!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could barely get through this book. Honestly cannot understand it's popularity and long time bestseller status. Slow to develop, depressing, fragmented, with little redeeming value. Pulitzer prize? Give me a break.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YSS1VVF29PGF?ASIN=0316055441	Self Serving	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took aythor over 800 pages to tell a story that only needed 150 pages!<br/>The last 4 pages were the worst....she have kept the book for herself and save the readers valuable time to read an interesting book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPR0ONPGHA2G8?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have read in years.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JDJ27ZG5Y0XK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read it a second time I enjoyed it so much.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLV2RQIVWNKL6?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. I could hardly stop reading it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGWFAN40XDDX2?ASIN=0316055441	The book was long... enjoyable but too ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was long...enjoyable but too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31TVHHFMR9DAF?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is not a good read. It is pretty boring.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAJD00IGNWD84?ASIN=0316055441	so good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In the process of reading.  So far, so good</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CP6A5QLCBCOH?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Writes well but the story is so depressing!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R279H8ILIQNVGF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">really enjoyed this thought provoking  read</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VXV8ZXOD50XT?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book but did not like the ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SO9E4DZYSJEH?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a story and adventure!  A page turner.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J4WKHZKU0DIY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">probably the best book I've ever read!!!!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRHBB0P5DYF6V?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, but too long and dragged out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI1C56T5MY8BE?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing! A bit long, but a good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DSICCPTAY6H4?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too depressing but good descriptive writer.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27D6GLNJJPWJY?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Never read it because I never received it!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VCA3LJPMT5T9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's all been said before.  READ THIS BOOK!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35VH82B8BILQN?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long and detailed. I also didn't finish it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SH1232MOJXFF?ASIN=0316055441	it is excellent!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cant put this book down. it is excellent!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VU04LI8XHJCN?ASIN=0316055441	Page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent story, real page turner. Love it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R329THPTJSYYNM?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Felt too wordy and didn't get on with story</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5KDZHOA2QMFR?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a good read. Didn't like the ending.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PCZ1NMG3W0V2?ASIN=0316055441	4.5 stars if I could	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic story line, keeps you interested.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10VV7QHY23ZCU?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the book but it's quite a long read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS7BG9VA78FF2?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">not bad, lofty at times, but still engaging</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QJA3139RB1OV?ASIN=0316055441	worth its weight in gold!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put it down! Wonderfully written</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26P13X6L1POQ9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Provides many insights worth thinking about</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SKUGP6Z6ZTV9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Outstanding in every way.  Memorable read,!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VLJFRT8DS43B?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful language and great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Genius! Beautiful language and great story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G7SCDUSE5MOB?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, too many drugs, and discouraging.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DD6C93D3QA1W?ASIN=0316055441	love!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">yes it could be shorter, but still awesome!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT0NWUI05WQ84?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it was a good story- it just went on a bit!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35BFOLOMIJ6L2?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most boring books I've ever read</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE5T7NOKRSQMB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely excellent. Couldn't put it down.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VTU1RTJM0HF4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book and couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24WJ4Q5FS1P69?ASIN=0316055441	Great book. Found myself always reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book . Found myself always reading it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UISCJ7NS5WAH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, beautifully written with heart.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16QUA69YK5YDC?ASIN=0316055441	Over rated.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and the last third was ridiculous.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24EDNSBLRRSIC?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, tedious, and not that compelling.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NC84DQ5YJWH1?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing read anytime	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read. Fast moving. Very well written.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU8ME68JE8RY1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing--a MUST READ. Fast paced and witty.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AQMPZGDLZVS2?ASIN=0316055441	dark and beautiful book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazingly written, dark and beautiful book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VLVH4BNE5M1N?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fast paced, in depth character development.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MOTGNULB0IO1?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">These are crazy people--I could not relate.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OYXUAYMDXUX2?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't like the ending for such a long book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYHQN0QJW9B8S?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was brought 2 tears by this book-luved it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q008VZPML7H3?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite compelling but sometimes frustrating.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FWGF3IW4NEF0?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great read but found it drags in sections</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUKF0FQGFFBJV?ASIN=0316055441	totally engrossing! Visual in experiences.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">totally engrossing!  Visual in experiences.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JXYN27Z56B7L?ASIN=0316055441	Thoroughly enjoyable.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the twists and turns the story  took.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T84161KD51VL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A real page turner - I loved The Goldfinch.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O7A9HHTXXUNT?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little long and drawn out toward the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SH6WRA16IH8R?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down.  A well written book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UNWJ449RXWQK?ASIN=0316055441	Read it! It's intriguing but way way long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read it!  It's intriguing but way way long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21MR825QJGR9C?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too long, too discriptive</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROH2ZFUSKTZ08?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt writes another winner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have read all of Donna's books and was pleased to see another and it did not disappoint.  Very interesting read - it took many twists and turns and certainly kept your interest.  I would definitely recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4UI36Q0NN0TF?ASIN=0316055441	A Definite Display of Fine Writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author's unquestionable writing skills which kept me captivated with the turn of every page were sometimes overshadowed by the depressing story line.  A great work of fiction, but sometimes seemed to drag.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24YYJR3ZXC2AZ?ASIN=0316055441	Another novel (Pulitzer, how?) without an author that knows her plot craft.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt, The Goldfinch<br/><br/>People who read this book and raved about it, very likely didn't actually read it in its entirety.  I began, enthralled, a great beginning.  A great middle section.  Even the degradation of Theo's life out in Reno was working at first.<br/><br/>This author has the same affliction shared by so many contemporary writers and the fact she won the Pulitzer tells us, there must be no one out there who cares.  The book has no ending.<br/><br/>This book began as a very well-crafted book, promising intrigue, character arches, nail-biting drama and action, all winding around a thick plot with the beginnings of inter-braiding.  When I completed the book all I could picture was a frayed rope with the end lopped off.<br/><br/>There is no conclusion to any of the sub plots and not even to the main plot.  Yes, there was a main plot Theo Decker loses his mother, obtains a painting (no he doesn't steal it, the old man does), finds a new life and mother substitute, Mrs. Barber and  (Toby) , so, actually 2 new families.  Which will he choose?  His choosing will reflect not only the events as they unfold, but Theo's growth as a human being.<br/><br/>But, nothing happens.  He doesn't choose.  As we read, Theo doesn't grow.  The families don't act in any particular way that encourage him to choose, even in his non-growth condition.  The clues set down by the author (from the start), however, are what remain for the reader to hope for some mighty revelations or even profound events that will provide the catalyst for Theo's choices.  Because the set up is there.<br/><br/>So, as these all eventually and finally fail to appear (except for the last European episode that promises the climactic action that never comes, except Boris tells us a tiny bit about it) we're left waiting to pick up the resolution of the clues that almost all remain untouched and unresolved.  For instance, Theo remembers to give the ring to Toby, but never remembers what the dying old man said to say to him.  Never mentioned by the author.  Was I the only reader waiting to find out if Toby actually knew about the planned theft, since the dying man was very forceful in trying to impress on Toby what to say.  Was I the only one who assumed the bombing and the art thefts were planned by someone that would be mentioned, even if there was a general question -- why this bomb?  This and more was left unanswered and not commented on further.  Was I the only one who wanted to know why Mrs. Barber was so intrigued by the ring?  This is a novel!  It has to give clues why the author decided to mention anything mentioned.<br/><br/>Why were we introduced to crooks who felt Toby should sell them this painting, if it had nothing worth mentioning to do with the Pippa's grandfather's action, with the only suggestion of resolution here being Theo's weak never-sent suicide notes to his fiance to not let that guy in the house.  And why did this author let Boris carry out all the final action in Amsterdam ""off stage"" while Theo decided to become suicidal for lack of information and a passport.  Unexplored.  There are numerous other unfinished subplots.  The only one the author tries to address in the end is Pippa's reasons for not returning love for Theo.  But, really.  Suddenly, Pippa is so wise?  We haven't seen that at all.  In fact, we don't know how she went from an abusive situation with her Aunt to having attended a school for the troubled insane, to, somehow, having such insight.<br/><br/>One could argue this is the writings of Theo, as suggested in the end - his autobiography.  If so, however, the review of his life is not written looking at the past but from the present as seen through this kid.  Yet, if seen through this kid, the kid never learns anything.  Even as an adult he trusts his untrustworthy friend with another important ""book"", his passport.  Boris learns nothing.  He is a thief from the start and at the end.  Theo and Boris don't even love each other more or less.<br/><br/>The author tries to excuse her lack of good plot technique with the philosophy she has added, trying to establish that the theme of this story, somehow, is that out of really bad choices, garbage life styles and even very bad luck, events can twist and turn to something good.  Something as spectacular as an art recovery of magnitude.  But we have no sense of that magnitude just because Boris says it.  Not really.  So, could this is true to the character of Theo to not feel any of this, but be a true philosophy he gets later in some important way at the time of this supposed writing?  Unexplored by the author!  No comment on her part.  So, in general, the philosophy tossed in for the ending is really just a bunch of words interesting but not furthering to a conclusion.<br/><br/>But, the implication Theo doesn't get it but a bad guy does, still doesn't make this theme work.  For one main reason if nothing else, Boris's act of contrition isn't really logical and his coming up with it reads more as an excuse for something else.  I'd believe it more if Boris was clearly trying to get his old friend back into his sordid life style (which, of course, in a sense he does do for a short time, even causing Theo to shoot someone, if in defense).  When Theo left for New York, there was little about the hidden fact Boris stole the painting, that can make it believable that he felt bad.  It would be more believable if he'd told Theo he was trying to get Theo at that time, to join him to make their fortunes with the painting.<br/><br/>Life doesn't even work this way of the book, if that is what the author was trying to portray.  People make decisions.  People don't stay perpetually engaged to a fiance that is screwing another person without some explanation by someone (in this case it is the author's job).  What the reader got was a short swift reference to it.  And no explanation.  Huh?  So, the plot line mentioned above - is unresolved.<br/><br/>These philosophies are not conclusions.  Nor are these proper non-conclusions.  This book appeals to those people, who, either really didn't read the entire book, or those everywhere who for the last several decades, actually have not wanted to, nor have they, self examined, nor examined others to see what and who we really are and how we deal with the situations in a work of fiction, and what possible futures we have if we change, or if we stay the same.  These are the readers,  the ones glad for the total lack of conclusion and lack of statement or character change or growth.<br/><br/>Now a good screenwriter will fix these issues and everyone will think the book was so good, if the movie turns out to work.  But, to be true to this book, actually, the TV series will work best, because, like Breaking Bad, it can start with the same bang this book began with and can fizzle out in the same way, also.  So, really, people watching will be fans of unseemly characters more than they are interested in what those characters really stand for or what is their impact on others.<br/><br/>The entire tone of the book changed when she started the philosophy.  She just didn't know to go back and find her story she started.  It looks fairly certain this author took 11 years to finish this book and maybe took the last several years trying to figure out how to end it and couldn't, because she didn't know how to go back and gather her clues, complete the story she started - something to do with Pippa's grandfather's larceny causing a chain of events, which would affect Pippa's opinion of her grandfather, and his connection to Reese or whoever took the other pictures, if any, or why and how he took the bird in the first place without notice -- and the problem with where exactly the giftshop was in relation to the now empty frame, etc. etc.  And whether maybe Toby knew about the theft and why Theo didn't remember what the grandfather said, etc. etc.  And if this wasn't her point, she failed to lead the reader to the lack of a point.<br/><br/>I'm not aware that this author purposely works with flawed plots, so I will say I think the author simply doesn't really know her craft.  She, instead, tries a whole last section of interesting (but not fully on-point) philosophic discussion as a means to close these points.  No, you can't close an author-introduced fact with a non-specific philosophy that does not mention what you started.  If you do that, you will not have a novel, nor will you have a new post-modern novel.  You will have a post-modern book that fails to be a novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A43THLYFDPM6?ASIN=0316055441	A Field Guide to Illegal Drugs	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the worst books I’ve read in 25 years, when compared to its lofty reviews.<br/><br/>Does this lady not have an editor?  Does she not know how to write dialog?  Doe she not know how to end a conversation?<br/><br/>The good.  The portraits of the women and Theo’s experiences with them are quite good.  His mother, Mrs. Barbour, Kitsy and Pippa, and to some extent even Xandra.  She is much better writing about women.  I also liked her portrait of Hobie, but he was in essence another feminine character.<br/><br/>The bad.  Boris was the most unappealing and unlikable major character in a novel since Captain Bligh.  Terrible.  Really, brought nothing to the story.  All the name dropping of fancy stores and restaurants, antiques, wines and foods.  She went way overboard in what was necessary to establish a scene and atmosphere.<br/><br/>The ugly.  Give me a weekend and I could excise 100 pages by taking out all the references to buying drugs, taking drugs, tripping on drugs, and drying out from drugs.  What the hell?  And I could cut another 25 by taking out all the eating.<br/><br/>And those last few pages where Theo ""speaks"" to the reader!  Folks, this is why you never have a character speak to the reader.<br/><br/>The McGuffin.  The damn painting.  Even all those years when he thought he still had it, why not take it to the public library, hide it in the stacks then call the art police and tell them were it was?  Why did his angst go on for years and years.  I thought the mystery of old Hobie cobbling together all the fake antiques and pretending like he didn’t know Theo was selling them as real, that was a better story.  Too bad it was only a sub plot.<br/><br/>I give it ** instead of * because of the female characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20Y9C6JCAQC6U?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">magic</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MRQ28486ZUQV?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So So</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K4KWKFOLUOTG?ASIN=0316055441	WHY THIS WON A PULITZER IS A MYSTERY	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How many conflicting stories did this author think she had to jam into one one book? Where was her editor?  After a heartbreaking beginning, it gets worse &amp; WORSE.  And harder and harder to drag through.  So many horrible characters, it's hard to find one you dislike more.  The haughty rich family who takes the ""orphan"" in?  The bizarre, shallow school administrators, social welfare workers or the needless, caricature police characters?<br/>Boring details of NYC?<br/><br/>Then off to Vegas for more bizarre people?  Could universally-travelled young teen Boris be more unbelievable in his backstory?  (though one with an entertaining background).<br/><br/>And with all the alcoholics ruining everyone's lives in this book, who meet tragic ends, everyone still drinks like fishes throughout the book?  No lessons there.  And how does someone survive all the years of multiple drug-taking?  They usually don't.  And Theo's boss/mentor &amp; customers don't notice?  Ridiculous.<br/><br/>Some characters were cartoon figures from bad movies.  I wish I had not wasted my days &amp; days of time plodding through this pompous waste of paper.  Only because it was a book club pick.  Most readers in my circle never finished the book, they got so bored.<br/><br/>I think the Pulitzer was given for so much researched historical knowledge of art, research on the druggy underworld, world languages, the book's wood craftmanship knowledge, and various lifestyles of the rich and street survivors .  I had to skip so much to get to the obvious parts; it was a multi-story book that was way too long.  And, by the way, my club is full of art historians and academics, and no way would a boy remember all those pretentious art &amp; craft references.<br/><br/>I'll let others add their two cents in the Amazon reviews.  There are plenty!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTAL6RNT2PGDI?ASIN=0316055441	a fine book for concentrated reading sessions	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I *try* not to give 5-star reviews, but honestly found no shortcomings. The author takes around a decade to write a book, and they're pretty carefully crafted.<br/><br/>Having said that, it's long and deep. Seriously, it took me 50 weeks to finish it (alternating between Kindle and Audible versions, relying heavily on the sync feature), and I'm a pretty dedicated reader. It's one of those books that you don't pick up when you have only fifteen minutes to kill, or to use as filler while actually concentrating on something else. Nope, you must devote yourself to The Goldfinch for at least a small to moderate block of relatively uninterrupted time.<br/><br/>So, what's it about?<br/><br/>The Goldfinch is a masterwork painting in a museum, and one day it leaves the museum to become the crippling burden of a 13-year-old boy (Theo) throughout the remaining developmental years of his life. This book is Theo's account of the experience.<br/><br/>Plot activity picks up in occasional waves, but it's mostly a more reflective work, challenging the reader with relentless ""meaning of life"" stuff through the lives and losses of a diverse range of characters. There are a few villainous individuals, but far more just plain people who resist easy characterization.<br/><br/>If you're already into Lit Fic, you don't need me telling you to read it. Otherwise consider it for any of the following reasons:<br/><br/>You want to be able to say you finished The Goldfinch. (Seriously. It won a Pulitzer.)<br/><br/>You enjoy an undercurrent of deep thought in a novel.<br/><br/>You don't need a bunch of tight plot hooks to drag you into the action every step of the way.<br/><br/>You aren't currently under treatment for PTSD. Some of the main characters have it, and it can get a little intense.<br/><br/>You want to support Mississippi authors.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3STFCT9B68ZXK?ASIN=0316055441	Polly Want a Cracker?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Polly Want a Cracker?<br/>By Bob Gelms<br/> As a rule I hate 800 page books. I’ve only read a few that warranted that kind of length. Mostly I find them about 200 to 300 pages too long. However, I have also read 400 page books that were 400 pages too long! Luckily, this time the 800 page book is The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. Although some of her descriptive passages run a little long, the book is so well written I didn’t mind too much. The Goldfinch is simply a terrific book.<br/> This is Ms. Tartt’s third novel and it’s been 11 years since that last one. With her first two books being critical and financial successes, The Goldfinch was anticipated quite as if it was a literary event, which, of course, it was.<br/> It follows the adventures of Theo Decker who is in High School when he and his mother are caught in an explosion in the Museum of Art. They went there to kill some time but also to see a painting by the Dutch Master Fabritius called The Goldfinch. Something extraordinary happens during this catastrophe and Theo finds himself in possession of a mysterious ring and Fabritius’ painting which he smuggles out of the museum amidst all the chaos and that’s just in the first 75 pages. The ring and the painting brings Theo into contact with all sorts of people including but not limited to a fellow student and a Russian named Boris. I have to tell you that Boris is such an interesting character that he almost steals the book from Theo. Boris could easily have a novel of his own. He is Theo’s best friend but he’s the kind of friend you want to punch in the mouth most of the time. Boris is so charming he gets away with murder, almost literally.<br/> The Goldfinch reads a lot faster than the 800 page length would indicate. It’s so good that I planned my days around reading it in two or three sessions a day. I liked this book so much that I blew off watching a Blackhawks Hockey game to read the final 100 pages. That’s a very big deal for me.<br/> This book reminded me a lot of Charles Dickens. If it had been written in Victorian English it would have given ole’ Charlie a run for his money. Just as I was having second thoughts about that, up pops a character named Pippa, Pip or Pips for short. Theo then is reading Great Expectations. That’s a little too much to ignore. Just like in any good Dickens novel. You have characters that turn out to be something other than they seem, lots of cliff hangers, and a young protagonist who grows to adulthood learning all kinds of lessons both good and bad. Even Theo doesn’t turn out like I expected. This is one great book and I had a great time reading it even though it took me week to do so.<br/> I have read two books in a row now that I can say are the best of 2013, The Yellow Birds, and The Goldfinch. I’m giving The Goldfinch my highest recommendation.<br/>JAMES PATTERSON ALERT<br/> Well, James Patterson is at it again, trying his best to squeeze as much money out of his readers as possible. This time he is using his most famous character, Alex Cross, to suck some of your disposable income right out of your pocket and he is doing it in a most outrageous way.<br/> The new Alex Cross book is called Cross My Heart. Cross, apparently meets his match, a criminal mastermind, like that’s never happened before. Cross’ family is in danger as well. After 450 pages you are told that you have to buy another book to see how the first one ends. There is no conclusion to Cross My Heart. It is a “To Be Continued” situation. It has no ending. You are left hanging having to shell out another $15 or $20 to see how everything turns out. I was done with James Patterson a while ago now I think I’m done with Alex Cross as well. I noticed on Amazon that the Kindle edition is $1.99 but even that won’t get me to buy it. Caveat Emptor! Let the buyer beware!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TQORRBA6JCI9?ASIN=0316055441	A Bucket of Slop	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a disappointing bucket of slop Tartt's Goldfinch turned out to be. It isn't necessary to write every detail at a high-school level to tell a story. If no proper editor can explain that to an author, then surely a writer should be able to self-edit at some level. Not so with Tartt. No detail is spared, and that creates hundreds of pages of unnecessary and irrelevant nonsense. SpoilersSpoilers: Ten pages for Boris to explain that he turned in information about the thieves to the art detectives? Really? The last 150 pages simply unraveled into an incoherent mess of drugs and suicide notes, and by that time, who cares at that point about some past girlfriend named Julia? Or how hungry Boris is? The last 30 pages of Sargent quotes, dreams of snakes, and ""It's a Wonderful Life"" references had me scratching my head to wonder what book I was reading.<br/>What kept me reading through to the end, though, was Welty's dying conversation with Theo in the museum. ""Tell Hobie to close the register and leave because his father is sending people to beat him up."" I'm reading almost 800 pages just to find out how Welty's death prophecy is to be played out. And guess what? It doesn't. It's one of the threads Tartt refuses to follow up on----REALLY? Are you seriously going to not only have Theo Not ever mention that gem to Hobie, but not to even use it as part of the story---where all the zigs and zags should start to come together? Wow. All that painstaking detail and not one reference to his last, spooky, sentiment? What a joke.<br/>The Pulitzer committee should have their heads examined. This book in no way deserves an award. Though Tartt tried, and succeeded at some levels, to show that Theo and those around him were chained to their lives as was the bird in the painting, she could have used these references in the writing itself. Instead of describing, as an inexperienced student would, the spectacles and physiological happenings of drug use, gambling addiction, or the ""thrill"" of deceit, she should have used the imagery of the ""pull of the chain"" that these things create. Or the scarves, even. Pippa was disturbed to watch the Glen Gould movie as Gould was always wrapping himself in scarves as she herself did---something we find out so late in the novel. A mature writer would have used the scarf imagery throughout the book, likening the way Theo wrapped the painting, Pippa's habit, and the layers of deceit and addiction that we wrap around ourselves as ways of letting the reader know how the actions of the characters were affecting them, rather than sifting through tedious detail and blatant observation for hundreds of pages. Such mastery in writing, saying more with less, which Tartt obviously does not possess, would have eliminated the last 30 pages of nonsensical ruminations on ""Beauty"" that Theo decided was so important he had to write down. Who cares what Theo thinks about Beauty? I certainly didn't. And neither did Tartt, for she did not understand how to draw the parallels between the painting and the plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJUPTWK0IDINN?ASIN=0316055441	A narrative trompe l'oeil	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pretentious and oppressively verbose. Borne along the narrative journey, feeling bound and smothered by a tangle of of words, seemingly leading nowhere, rooting me to the spot. But with each attempt to leave, tendrils of adverbs and adjectives grew out of the pages, drawing me back in and flooding my senses with the textures and aromas of exquisitely etched scenes, entangling me in the lives of people who, should I meet them in real life, I should certainly despise, but whose fate increasingly mattered and whose voices and images intruded upon my dreams. First impressions often mislead like the coarse brush strokes when viewed close up that coalesce into vibrant and nuanced images when a smidgen of distance intervenes.<br/><br/>In my travels, the real life lure of Vieux Quebec’s history and architecture competed with the smell of varnish and motley jumble of highboys, sideboards, and chairs, broken legs, freshly glued joints, and chipped and faded escutcheons of Hobie’s workshop, tempting me back---stealing moments in a virtual world as colorful and complete as the one that stood just outside my door. And winding among the shimmering wet alleyways, sinister dives, and splendid mansions of this world were the narrative threads of the yellow bird’s fate, emerging momentarily from the shadows, disappearing, and resurfacing again in the unlikeliest places, twisting and connecting the threads of the characters’ lives. If I tried to leave, the bird’s beak pecked annoyingly at the back of my skull, demanding my return to its forest of words.<br/><br/>Not wanting to like it, not wanting to want to lose myself in the exuberant tableau, the antithesis of the terse image that lay at its heart, hiding and teasing, like Waldo amidst a profusion of Doppelgangers. The first taste may not ensnare---a fragment, a casual glance---but the next and the next and then no burying the pages under heaps of underclothes in a forgotten drawer. The words will cry out softly, begging to be freed and looked upon once more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37UEB02X4JW6J?ASIN=0316055441	Living in Theo's world	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I will preface this to say I have always been a fan of Donna Tartt and I wish she could write a new novel more than once per decade, only because her pace means I will probably only get to read 5 to 7 Tartt novels in my lifetime.<br/><br/>I loved this book and became immersed in Theo's world. The thing some of the negative reviewers need to think about is that if the female characters are two dimensional, if actions aren't always sensical, and if you don't find a character's voice believable, that is because this is how Theo's mind is processing all of these things.  Women are either his idealized dead mother, his very idealized companion in tragedy Pippa, or they are just there for his pleasure or convenience, and he doesn't care to know them more than that.<br/><br/>Perhaps the actual painting The Goldfinch can't live up to the glowing (literally) descriptions in this book. Of course it can't.  None of will have the experience with the painting Theo had.<br/><br/>And sometimes the world through Theo's eyes doesn't make sense, or doesn't look or sound like the world the rest of us live in. Perphaps that is because we're not opioid addicts (I hope) or survivors of catastrophes.<br/><br/>I'm not feeling so strict about timelines either. I figure the book's timeline goes into the future, because the Las Vegas of Theo's early teen years sounds a lot like post-2008 Vegas.<br/><br/>The reason I choose not to nitpick the details is that I loved the experience of reading this book. The characters were real to me. I felt Theo's heartbreak and confusion and paranoia. I felt his love for Boris and Hobie and Popchik.  And both Theo and I knew that Theo was neither perfect nor correct about everything.<br/><br/>This is the kind of book that colors your world for a few days or even weeks, and makes it hard to go back to a regular novel.<br/><br/>Maybe I will re-read some Dickens. Or just start reading Goldfinch again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC2C2XXV298N2?ASIN=0316055441	A roller coaster ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although about 200 pages too long, this wild ride of a book grabs you in the first section when 13year old Theo Decker loses his mom in a terrorist attack at the Met at museum in NY.  In the ensuing chaos, he comforts a dying man who gives Theo a ring, some cryptic directions and encourages him to scoop up a small famous painting as he escapes the debris.  Theo's life is forever changed.  The novel then follows Theo on his (mostly) unfulfilling journey over the next 14 years of his life to figure out where he belongs, whom to love and trust, and what to do with the painting that becomes his albatross and his salvation at the same time.  No one can ever replace his mom or assuage his guilt that her death was his fault.  He hooks up with dozens of heavily flawed characters, lives an excruciatingly lonely and drug-addled existence in unforgiving cities (the cities themselves become like characters in the story), and is wracked with guilt, self-doubt and, occasionally, an extremely inconvenient conscience.  Just about everyone Theo gets involved with either uses, abuses or harms him, intentionally or unintentionally, in some psychic way.  The painting is the only constant in his life; but like the chained bird in the painting, Theo is chained as well - neither can fly away and be free.  Both are chained to their fate.<br/><br/>Truly, every character in this book is seriously flawed.  Perhaps the semi-paternal Hobie is the only one who shows some signs of mental health.  Everyone else seems to be seriously mentally ill or cruelly unscrupulous or in the throes of multiple kinds of addictions or all of the above.  And his BFF Boris, the long-winded, philosophical, absolutely amoral, Russian ""lost boy"" is impossible to root for.  He both betrays and ""saves"" Theo, finally, in the crazy, convoluted culmination of the plot 700 pages later.<br/><br/>I certainly didn't love this novel, I didn't hate it, and I did admire many parts of it.  But, like a roller coaster ride that was too long, parts turned my stomach, parts took my breath away, and ultimately, I was just glad it was over!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RKFW0O5Y88ZN?ASIN=0316055441	An Ode to Art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Written with the energy of a long distance runner and the intelligence of a brain surgeon, Donna Tartt brings to life a young boy who narrates the first of her segmented chapters. As vivid as any, and maybe more, his description of the museum where a life changing event occurs. He's suddenly an orphan.  His mother, divorced from a failed actor, now gambler, had until the museum episode lived in a New York apartment. As if to underline his credentials as a literate, dare I say literary narrator, we get at the beginning: ""When I first came to New York I thought this neighborhood was Edith Wharton and Franny and Zooey and Breakfast at Tiffany's all rolled into one."" As shown on the cover, there's a bird, a goldfinch that plays a central role. That it's chained to a feed box evokes our sympathy. More consistently, this oil on panel  by a little known Dutch artist named Fabritius propels the narrative through its many pages. This while our teenager moves from his Upper West Side apartment to Park Avenue. A higher step on the social ladder, it's also the home of a grade school friend whose family (the mother especially) want him to stay, become part of theirs. Which he does, despite differences with some of the less charitable children. Later, when he's reunited with his no account father, he will meet his sealed in blood friend, Boris, a Russian immigrant, who introduces Theo, by now in a high school in Vegas, his father living with the young and sexy Xandra, who like Theo's father will pop a pill, sip a Vodka, but nothing close to what Theo and his new friend do, and here I have to say, part with admiration part with amazement, that this rather conservative looking author from a small town in Mississippi has done her homework. Drugs, alcohol, and other forms of escape have rarely been described so extensively, so vividly. I could've been reading instead of this novel, Infinite Jest, the part where all those AA meetings were held, and the events leading up to them. The second half of the novel is laced with inebriation of various kinds. This while Theo takes us from one place to another. Early on, before even the doping, he's in a small antique store with Hobie, its proprietor, when things are for a while under control. Theo's father has died and he's back in New York. But now, and I won't go into detail, but an urgent event relating to the painting require that he, our by now 26-year-old, leave the country. Left behind also is a red haired girl who happened to be in the museum when Theo's life changed. With her during this dramatic event was Welty, Hobie's partner, now deceased. Injured less seriously, she's there, in an upstairs bedroom of the antique store, convalescing when Theo meets her. At the speed it takes to flush a toilet, hear the water run, he's smitten. Years later, after reuniting for a time in New York, he has to leave her leave her. Hates the thought of that but must if he's to retrieve what he holds most valuable. I won't give away the ending, but I will say that this very talented, very industrious in mining the last nugget of research novelist, has in this very last part of her latest tried to do what many writers of long novels have: waded deep into philosophical, big picture of what life means, water. She drowns what could have been rescued. Instead we get phrases like these: ""That fate is cruel but maybe not random.""  Followed by ""That Nature (meaning Death) always wins . . ."" These and others don't win, but for sheer energy, propelled by her voracious research, Ms. Tartt, like her chained bird over the centuries, has drawn and will, in years to come, admirers.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IORDRGSQ02Q1?ASIN=0316055441	The wreck of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo Decker loved his once-a-model mother above all else. He loved her heels kicked off in the living room, her sandalwood perfume, her glossy, black ponytail, her hand in his, the case of the wobblies she got on cab rides. In fact, even his father's leaving them only registered as a blip on the screen of Theo's life--because still there was Her.<br/><br/>And then one day she wasn't. Theo survives the horrific act of violence that kills her, but not before he holds a dying man in his arms and receives a ring that will change his life. Theo also leaves the scene with The Goldfinch--that now iconic image that has captivated the hearts of so many Americans (link).<br/><br/>Theo's life, then, becomes one he never expected. Something like the cloud that envelopes the Peanuts character Pigpen, a cloud of love lost and found, of violence and death, follows Theo everywhere. Social services barges into his life; family friends rescue him. Long-lost Dad reappears--and disappears just as easily. A street-wise Russian teen becomes his best friend. Theo comes to love exquisite antiques. He loses himself in a foggy haze of drugs and alcohol. And all the while there is The Goldfinch, the treasure he can't relinquish, that ties him forever to his mother.<br/><br/>I don't do well with teenage angst (probably because as a high school teacher, I live with it day in and day out) and there's plenty of it in this novel. I also don't do well with drugs and violence. My distaste for the TV series Breaking Bad is considerable--and there's a lot of Breaking Bad in The Goldfinch. But still I plowed through the novel, all 771 pages of it. There's an incredible loop-the-loop at the end that kept me going, hoping for Theo's redemption. Author Donna Tartt ends the novel with what I sometimes call ""blah blah blah""--a character's ontological reflection on life and the nature of being--that in this case was so beautiful and compelling I didn't roll my eyes. And while I'd find myself at once disappointed in Theo's abject nihilism, I am forever drawn to his Goldfinch-like resilience and bravery, ""refusing to pull back from the world.""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXMTEHB0CP9EJ?ASIN=0316055441	Disjointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book took ten years to write; I felt like I spent ten years reading it. I detest books this long, based solely on the fact that most likely, better books are gathering dust on my bookshelf, waiting to be read, and I could have read ten books in the time it took me to read this one.<br/>When I first read the synopsis of 'The Goldfinch', I was hooked. Art, New York, Amsterdam, a mysterious red-headed girl and a small, invaluable painting secreted away from a gallery minutes after a massive explosion. It sounded like my ultimate book, and when I began, and discovered Theo, I thought I was in for one of the best book's I'll ever read. Sadly, it wasn't, though nor was it bad.<br/>It was way too long. Whole chunks of this book could have been removed. In fact, there were whole pages I skipped over, plucking only a handful of sentences at random. Personally, I would have cut almost the entire Vegas situation from the book. That was the time I was most bored, even with the introduction of the colourful Boris. But thankfully, the story returned to New York, and jumped ahead eight years. At last, it felt like Theo's tale was getting on track. We were reintroduced to Hobie and Pippa, characters I adored, and the Barbour's. Alot had changed in the characters lives, and you could tell Tartt took great care when writing them. These were real people, with real lives. The good and the bad, it all mattered. The finer details of their relationship was fascinating.<br/>Theo's obsession with Pippa was almost dreamlike. She was his oasis, his mysterious stranger. I'm not a fan of love stories, but the small inclusions of their short time together, Theo's hyper-awareness of a girl he barely knew was sweet.<br/>In all this time, the subject of the Goldfinch painting had practically vanished. Theo would occasionally remember it too and bring it out of hiding. With the barest of glances it was gone. To be honest, if the book wasn't titled The Goldfinch I would have completely forgotten about it. The last ten pages were a mindless, incoherent ramble, that bar the end of Theo and Pippa I barely took in the rest.<br/>This book should have been 300 pages, not 771. The length, the absurd amount of pointless misdirection dragged this book down for me. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't the masterpiece I thought it was going to be. And after committing for so long (over a month, I though the Christmas break would be enough to get it finished) the ending was very disappointing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O8A3H8NB3HY3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in a while! Must read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18N9J6FD9OU3P?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">not an easy read...must be digested slowly</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ1AZOZWECQJA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">one of the greatest books i have ever read</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25NIQUTCF9XAH?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">couldn't get into the book, never finished</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R309FSID19SBZR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read- emotional roller coaster ride!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8EZ78AE3PGXP?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't like reading about all the drug use</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZDFBXUFOUTUJ?ASIN=0316055441	could not stop reading this!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, great character development.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34HRR9NQYS4TO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliantly conceived, marvelously written</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LR1N6FISUO23?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this story, can't wait for the film!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3855JABNPBS88?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a good and thought providing book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16L37N8YSDKQZ?ASIN=0316055441	Did not like it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, too disjointed. Did not like it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HF78GL0OUNSC?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book A real page turner for	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book  A real page turner for me</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIPZEPHSJG659?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pulitzer? Hardly what I'd call literature.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14CWGNKCKDITA?ASIN=0316055441	Well deserved Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a well written and entertaining book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15Y9KGWIYUUNY?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read. I'll read her other books now.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22ZZ7MZFZQYU5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A real page turner with an amazing ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ2F07V7N4S0W?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I have read in a very long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33TQKYV1PAFSD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">arrived in a timely manner -- great  read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NNLTPNKCO9XU?ASIN=0316055441	Great writing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well worth the investment.  Great writing!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W293UU1U3TS2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read full of dynamic characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15QHNXRFDABRG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous book that keeps you wanting more!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O21WS2W3VL58?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting and different	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting, nervous raking and a bit sad.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VAHR19TUHNU5?ASIN=0316055441	to long boring at end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I give it 3 stars , to long boring at end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PYEGV9FGVLBW?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to read but probably worth it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A sad, difficult beautifully written book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17CB1MV2MTIO4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Heart wrenching and uplifting all at once.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L3B0FZQBKFYX?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting but a bit long and repetitive.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting but a bit long and repetitive.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ26ECHOS2UXF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love this book....hope it becomes a movie!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AH27QTJQKKQT?ASIN=0316055441	Very will written. Could not put it down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very will written.  Could not put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QP16CZMI7RUZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story and great service from seller!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YKVASS4SXCWJ?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wonderfully written book!  Fast reading!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R88MFKL08C67A?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An incredible story but a cumbersome read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PWST1FW2UZJT?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">could not finish this book. lost interest.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F4AHA4C8L6M3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best book to come along in a long time</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DKN0Y1DENIHI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No wonder it got the great reviews it got!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TK66N7ZSJIA2?ASIN=0316055441	A great read. Couldn't put the book down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great read.  Couldn't put the book down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XWG2A7WRF9O3?ASIN=0316055441	don't bother	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">overwritten...good plot but poor execution</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MGO29JPAW059?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Main Character has no redeeming qualities.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MQEBA65TW9AN?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Page turner. Cound't put it down . Ausume.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UP6ETTOIT5T8?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The novel's last 150 pages are irrelevant.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG6T0QEIIRTAC?ASIN=0316055441	boring and drawn out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought it was long, boring and drawn out.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKJQS4BFRY05A?ASIN=0316055441	but really good.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little slow at the end, but really good.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S1TI85DRRUUQ?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story and I loved it to the very end</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39DTX0E2GWKWT?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A litte too long, but it is a page turner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OXX6RMSXWIXH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great read, the characters are compelling.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T5USUDA5900P?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">THE MESSAGE BECOMES UNCLEAR AFTER A WHILE.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A115HU845YVL?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Highly hyped book, but I found it a bit long and wordy.  Managed to get through it by skimming a lot.  I did like the premise of the book and the characters, but just found the story about 1/3 too long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O6K160FZFV5X?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great book but very long and drown out.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B4EERGS11GIR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I have read in many many years!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HDZIGOCHRAD8?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">one of my favorite coming of age stories.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33OJKON291XWR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept me interested from beginning to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBX94XDWPH5BM?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize author	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written....interesting story line...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F9C0CVBP4NWN?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line was interesting but slow .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R199WW0Z9GIEEW?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written. Ar times too much verbiage.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GLZSGQUOWIV?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, like riding a roller coaster.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A85GIDYAH2YW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very descriptive and totally enthralling.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BBPPKNWXMOKV?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely boring. Do not waste your time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NGZ8CTRIMEI8?ASIN=0316055441	but a good story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very detailed and long, but a good story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFMCEKKPZJHW9?ASIN=0316055441	"Someone needs to bottle the ""Literary Genius"" water from Mississippi."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Perhaps the best book I have ever read !!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21ABI8WZ5F2CE?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous book! A must read for everyone!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous book!  A must read for everyone!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UT3OPXGB9JPX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read! Love it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBQNH74RN3GAM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Holden Caulfield with a super mega twist!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G9Z3VC5A9QRN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written, quite the page turner!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F0GNZ0CX3YJS?ASIN=0316055441	LOVED IT !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I'VE READ !</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RINRUBLJKO5Y?ASIN=0316055441	Too hopeless	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great characters but dark and depressing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E4J1I6TW0N6L?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An engrossing Book. Couldn't put it dow .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU6IOU7HSMP09?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a good read.... but slow in places</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O38XV8ZYX5PI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book. Lots of twists and turns.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26W30ZT5PAURD?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got bored 3/4 thru the book.  Too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R372YJQF917R0P?ASIN=0316055441	but a great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long... 725 to be exact, but a great read</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27JA2LCFLRPLR?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really great book. Long read but LOVED it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UTMTUFSUM53K?ASIN=0316055441	Book Club	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My favorite book of 2014.<br/>Amazing...</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ1YBI20I5LG0?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, hard to get through.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OX9H1OKPDY8H?ASIN=0316055441	So well written! I couldn't put it down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So well written!  I couldn't put it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BDCLQZ6K0SYE?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">All the drugs and perversion.  Ridiculous</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NMUAMVEEP9CZ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too depressing. Drugs, murders, too much.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDQKJAD5RL8VW?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Never ending downer.  Why was it written?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20B3ZMPHSZA1I?ASIN=0316055441	A good book for discussion	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Written well! A good book for discussion.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WYILQS18ALQP?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling story but a bit too overdrawn.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ21LJ8Y01BUT?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow start but then couldn't put it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38JPH4IA1AY8?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very good but at times disjointed reading</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QU8DBJG9J0C0?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Repetitive and slow. Not much of a story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S0AC5JOVVND4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved the book except for the long ending</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21ST2YZI8DH3W?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">bit too long winded with the descriptions</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MPXIEUKTMRN0?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would give this book 5 stars. Brilliant</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFKOER0G6C5ZV?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was hoping I'd like it better than I did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R295DPNDZE0N0V?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much too long--should have been 3 novels.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19IGTGODA8TT6?ASIN=0316055441	A must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Delighted with my first Donna Tartt read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YOPA8LVZ70QW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous story, ending was a little weak.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R66J364BMYRKY?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful story...worth the time to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D7QJJNWJ3JSA?ASIN=0316055441	Good story.  Interesting concept	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story.  A little drawn out in parts.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32P98FPTI2AAN?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good book but a disappointing ending</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TNP34RNXKXGI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best written book I have read in a while.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XPN9SNPNO45F?ASIN=0316055441	BUT GOOD READING/	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">THIS WAS UNSPECTACULAR, BUT GOOD READING/</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QLQ1G6DNJM2F?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">just amazing....keeps you on the edge....</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JAJP0U6TGL0W?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too many pages. too wordy. got confusing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D53G4R3XGXI3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a really great read.....</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12L9MPMT5GRBQ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written, was an enjoyable read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q3PTVA1W4DVH?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful as all Donna Tartt's books are.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R132KUAGB2JODS?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story, but drags towards end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GQW821H46TXV?ASIN=0316055441	Great read, it drew me in from the start	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read ,it drew me in from the start.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZY4B5TE9EFIR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful descriptive writing . Loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SJMRQY56FMJF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling narrative, first rate writing!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DOIGB7KJBH9A?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful story, about 300 pages too	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful story, about 300 pages too long</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D0F1V7NASBRP?ASIN=0316055441	keeps drawing you in	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The ending is fabulous and so redemptive. The life lessons are profound. My daughter, husband and I each read it from our own take and felt so moved by the deeply drawn characters and rich description.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U4ULH9VU6IW1?ASIN=0316055441	Powerful but sometimes tedious.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I call this book ""A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Thief"" I admire the density of the first person narration, but the detail  weighs down the novel. It deserved to be long, but this long?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18UNUCD0FVK6P?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Among the best books I've read all year.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FADNLOS4X68A?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written and kept me engaged.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQRKYJO5GLF8Y?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think it was unnecessarily too lengthy</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q9V5YLHDB9T9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">fabulous, main character is hard to take</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35HJJCI4TT5IK?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and boring.  And too many drugs</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5PILP7YH5AMX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful novel and beautifully written.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GOP22RGZ6JWY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent novel! I couldn't put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4WJQWC2PJZ30?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just a little bit too depressing for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV884VC0HGFW6?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">really enjoyed it - recommended for sure</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NLUJ7MYHJTFK?ASIN=0316055441	A fascinating journey of life and loss.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A  fascinating journey of life and loss.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHCS1L9DI3X7L?ASIN=0316055441	Highly recommend.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A real page advancer!  Highly recommend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R148VMIWIS83MP?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read. Well written characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PYGJFJUGXSLX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was an amazing read, quite the adveture.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4ZWBLPVD5VFN?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating story,  complex and layered.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TFHPXYK10UT8?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written coming of age novel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R177W9U68LUVIL?ASIN=0316055441	Will read more of Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story.  Tough but compelling story</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31NW5YLDTXDV0?ASIN=0316055441	Stop reading reviews and read this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great novel. If you havent yet, read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S9IPI0HMKJH6?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just so/so but ended with a great finish</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WGMI91I74UQI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book... Had to pick up constantly!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28F2AS88Z6WX8?ASIN=0316055441	Characters come to life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So well written, characters come to life</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SX2AAAR11PGV?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too flowery. Could not finish this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36K4J6WRGK3H4?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing journey - many twists and turns	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing journey - many twists and turns!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CQKLI15EEQSV?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unforgettable characters. Excellent read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PN0LM2QSD1WS?ASIN=0316055441	The last chapter was the best.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long. The last chapter was the best.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2066DPU35O8F2?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tedious reading with too much profanity.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO9SM2OJSJNY2?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was just okay....I got through it ...</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FIDM8M54D34J?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very descriptive book.  Compelling read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12BRLWY06ZKLB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">That was the best book I have ever read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D9D0EUBZ4IXX?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good premis, too much drugs and alcohol.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CYWXN0HNUG1C?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written.  Captivating story!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N0IC9J9E0BVJ?ASIN=0316055441	Was clearly disappointed with writer.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not care for the writer's technique.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3X8ITREQA0OV?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book! I cherished my time with it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BCZVX9YU29SH?ASIN=0316055441	Very wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written  but a tad too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ14GDUR4J5MH?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a bit too long, but a unique story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TFFU4YMOO2XY?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent writing. Very different story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FVX2XTGG2A2N?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought provoking and artistically rich.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27FSGNU5GH4JA?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Its OK for me but not for all the hoopla</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1045LKR3GP973?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent work. Engaging and surprising.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W7C46DLXU5HV?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful writing. Couldn't put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TT70O0H3V3WH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">beautifully written couldn't put it down</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37WAOAKMCPGZF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good book I could not stop reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LWHFDCAO2N03?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A compelling book from beginning to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4BNPWP835H9Z?ASIN=0316055441	suffered through it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a tedious read. Hundreds of pages of alcohol and drug-induced stupor and ill-behavior was insufferable. Add to that the preachiness, I couldn't believe I devoted so many hours to this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T6VFKKGXOH5S?ASIN=0316055441	Have to be on something to enjoy this one	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much veering away from the storyline.  Have to be on something to enjoy this one..... ""oh"",  the characters were all on something for most of the story.  Too long of a read for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSNW8NTX7BN7V?ASIN=0316055441	Too long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read it and made it to the end through all the drivel and pointless plot twists. I was yelling at the main character toward the end. Great idea for a book, but it was calling for an editor!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3048FCM7Z2VJ7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">one of the best books I have ever read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HRMICN2D7WR0?ASIN=0316055441	Dont bother with this one.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long and unnecessarily involved</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17QDN8NAC3FLP?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great thoughts, just at points lengthy.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11AOHXP43GENU?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">boring - many of these scenes drawn out</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QTJJOW4I29B2?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed reading for Book Club	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written. There is much to discuss.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TOJD92S8LBI8?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long, very long but powerfully written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12STTOEJB9GHI?ASIN=0316055441	Emotionally engaging, hard to put down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Emotionally engaging, hard to put down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34ALYR2FSU1SL?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it. Great character development	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it.  Great character development.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3276V12713W91?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long but I could not put it down!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17705AO9A70H?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful writing but existing to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UGBBEMXKMVN1?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An e joy able read, but a bit drwn out.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15URGDITUZLH0?ASIN=0316055441	poor choice for Pulitzer Prize!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">nd alcohol mania. Very disappointing!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBFCP812ILD4Q?ASIN=0316055441	Don't look for a neat and happy ending.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not for happy endings, but great story!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EQK39D3D7QEI?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good writing but a long and depressing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27NZ6MOE3XEEO?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good read, although a bit depressing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T63H0XQRHE3G?ASIN=0316055441	I don't recommend.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long and convoluted. I don't recommend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PLKD6SYV3O8?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have ever read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R3A70QQCY8LM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting book.  Rather lengthy!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y1MZBQDKLEK1?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long read - never got to the end ....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9L428WO0L9GA?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, but much too long.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H58AG646QOEU?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got tired of this kids misadventures.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15B1CUWSH6EMD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent story and beautifully written</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26FIPUCOWG6PO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have ever read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19JKFHQGK3T2D?ASIN=0316055441	and enjoyed the	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written, and enjoyed the plot</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L8XTARVB1QKR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved it, hard to find such a good read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMYMMVWW8PE3M?ASIN=0316055441	Too long, many unnessasary discriptions.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long,many unnessasary discriptions.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R87GY6YUSXB0J?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It went on to long with to much dialog.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MHLJDHTYEGY1?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hated it so did everyone in my bookclub</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32ZC4JQ5CYIXW?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Stellar composition.  Dragged at times.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q02QFR6K5ON1?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the complexity of the characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28901B1U6JIW7?ASIN=0316055441	Great Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Briliantly written.  Thought provoking.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMG7DHW1QCD3J?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Looooong book, but worth sticking with.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR2FK1R8OCCWZ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story...recommended to my friends</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KNKKWZAVPMIU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just loved this book. Hard to put down!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI5QD5MCLBAQY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have ever read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TR41BWMI55WN?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is ok, very long and slow I thought.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MFOCTFCCRFOZ?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like the plot. Too contrived.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BXLPYR81X3IG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written,but a bit too long.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJRTATIGACOQU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, lots of surprises!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UTLFXXP9E5ES?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very long but very very intriguing !!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JSGEWIEZ6ZJ2?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing book. Too much description.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing book.  Too much description.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15OCM5HLMNQI9?ASIN=0316055441	Don't waste your time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long and boring. Didn't like it at all.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI16XT8FOINIK?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting. A little bit too long</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39YOKIWOHCTF2?ASIN=0316055441	Suspense	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed reading this suspenseful novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RPEBHWTUVGC2?ASIN=0316055441	Where's the editor?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I gave up after reading 60%. It was just too painful to continue. There may have been a good point to this story but  it was too hard to extract in all the repetition and unnecessary detail.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PK8G8ZZU6EAC?ASIN=0316055441	ok book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book has gotten great reviews.  I do not know why.  The story of disaffected young people who do improbably things and have unusual experiences has been done before......and better.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WFD7AQ7KCLCR?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointment!!!!!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This author had an interesting idea, but took pages to write what could have been said in a paragraph or two.  Too much description...and then again too much description, ...and again...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MOIBX2HAS7GD?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not sure how I feel about this book. The story could have been told in a shorter version.<br/>I guess I also did not feel main character Theo turned his life around for the better.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGSA8YYLJAFTH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book! Couldn't put it down.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YVFV8ESEOZ47?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book deserves the praise it gets.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL2W2T9RW5O9Q?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fun read, unexpected ending. Loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYEQK48HTSDLT?ASIN=0316055441	rambling and annoying!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Self indulgent, rambling and annoying!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB6WE8X5ACD5A?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the whining got to be too much for me-</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UD7DOZI7H7KQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book - couldn't put it down</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R260HVMO3O31F3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rich story line and very well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ9MFY3T8RZQC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing book. One of my top favorites.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8KKGGDHM6L0X?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">one of the best books I have ever read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZGH3CDTE8AFJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A masterpiece. I couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KF1877Y2NWLZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book. Couldn't stop reading!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BZOGJ7KE3AA8?ASIN=0316055441	but a tedious read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Truly fascinating, but a tedious read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B0QFEUZW108W?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent but the ending left me flat.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IVMW773V4T3A?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it. Predictable and unexpected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it.  Predictable and unexpected.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G1TLXLL7IX0K?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book but lengthy, exciting, sad.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V9VL35MCI0B5?ASIN=0316055441	Pretty good so	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">currently reading.  Pretty good so far</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W9Z8B5OMX69F?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hated putting it down and finishing it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S9Q7CD7CF3R3?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good but weakens in final 1/4 of book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD04NLNJM2PBF?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To much drugs and drug culture for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SZB3USU0CIWC?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written but so depressing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LJDYW95M56R3?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting and detailed -- good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MQF32DUJWTPW?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing novel. I hated for it to end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing novel.  I hated for it to end!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39H4R65UQW3J2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a fast read, but thought provoking</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C5LQRKBO3INJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed. Could not put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N2EPCZZBHBPV?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully written, but way too dark.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29T45Q7YE6HSM?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well-written but didn't like the story</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMG692W76HHFJ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but too long!!!!!!!!!!!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT1AYCV9VUGDY?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I sent it back much to author's dismay</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JNC5QRYD8LLG?ASIN=0316055441	Good Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book, a bit dark but well written</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GGJQMEMQ76YK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed this fascinating story!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JQMJY6CZSZXT?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book. Couldn't put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RGT3C9BQ9WNL?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lived up to the hype.  Excellent book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBYIOZK6L111W?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great story line,but dragged on a bit.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39PZG792Z4ZCY?ASIN=0316055441	Love it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Powerful story of strength and courage</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VMHLILPERCLB?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dragged on and unsatisfied with ending</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19KSADSR0T0R2?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The ending was not totally satisfying.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QWXQNQ0SQE73?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Still reading it but it's a good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30XBD3R3CMNHH?ASIN=0316055441	ok	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not my favorite book, but it was good.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WTMQXNA8AY8C?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book arrived quickly and safely.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33HZX5Z5PVR4W?ASIN=0316055441	Beauty Rules	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Deserving of all accolades and prizes.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH64MW83CUDRQ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite show moving, otherwise very good</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14TO6H74GYMDU?ASIN=0316055441	Must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have ever read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRRVOM6KL8XUF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book.  And I don't. Like fiction</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R118VTOVSB8WSH?ASIN=0316055441	The Plea for the Pulitzer worked	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long. Too detailed. Very predictable. Should have been 400 pages. The book ends and then Tarrt spends 12 pages lobbying for the Pulitzer.  It worked.<br/>Don't waste your time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PMBX0IL6P7RM?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me the entire summer to trudge through this book.  I was hoping for a justifiable ending that never came.  I skimmed through the last x number of pages of philosophical bs.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7QAQO8WVDAOC?ASIN=0316055441	Immediately absorbed in this wonderful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best novel I have begun, and become attached to, in a very long time.  Donna Tartt is a wonderful writer, and reminds me how I have missed exquisite AND readable prose.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNYIAJ19A5FZG?ASIN=0316055441	Bad example for youngsters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The kid drank heavy alcohol, took drugs, ... Would've become alcoholic and/or drug addict. But no, nothing! He got lucky. No problems. No consequence. Bad education for youngsters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K6A9LEVVWZCT?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful prose....beautiful picture.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RU0Q3SKSNMDI?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gave as gift and was well appreciated</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS582RU1URB1K?ASIN=0316055441	I liked the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting read.  I liked the story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23B2SEB0C735O?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautifully written gripping story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H07TVF2ENSV7?ASIN=0316055441	Must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A really dynamite MUST read, loved it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D8ZFLKYJJWEP?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't seem to get interested in it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12R41L2GZFB99?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an entertaining book! Excellent!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCUGOKNYN3UUJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Once I got into it, I was captivated.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U55KPL1SDLCZ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">enjoyed a change of pace.  good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZPDEVF06Z3QW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read, if not exactly cheery. :)</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN2GYB8AGJEK7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I have read in a long time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G3DJRZGFHWP?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book - beautifully well written</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVUTQRWKPXL1X?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story and prose were mesmerizing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32ZHWS0XR9XVF?ASIN=0316055441	Good, unique but a little long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very involved story but a little long</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F1SV2ZXPE2M4?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read but perhaps a bit too long.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R236H9XO22TJPJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">one of the best book I've ever read..</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27ZNX1J2YJBNF?ASIN=0316055441	A good read. Interesting plot twist	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good read.  Interesting plot twist.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OUIH0GSHGRA4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've ever read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YX6A94L9N3K9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've ever read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M4ZPDTNW85J8?ASIN=0316055441	I love Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is my favorite book of all time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7LMSMRHTKWQW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">going to read it again  a lot to ofer</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV71GKXGWICOE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This little bird does not disappoint.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MTA19DU2IM3U?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book! Couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D80UG0LNLIZP?ASIN=0316055441	great writing, loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Page turner, great writing, loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7HTL3ZZWRJ7J?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">'Made for movie' book! Life altering.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29Z3EMODFVXHM?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Worth the read, but a very long book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R287XIDV7HEJ1T?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good reading; Entertaining too..</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M280G537SKLT?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, but it drags on and on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D3BBM1OGFFTK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book to read I highly recommend</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ON8GWZ8GT0QQ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fascinating story and well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18EU5082O6M6U?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book -- lots of twists &amp; turns!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C661HHTRF52N?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A dark story but beautifully written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U1NQ2XE9X42J?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read, love this book and Boris.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EE2S3CTQFP0V?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book extremely depressing</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J5W92AZO9UEM?ASIN=0316055441	could probably be 200 or so shorter.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">could probably  be 200 or so shorter.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G8AT1LYGNHOJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written, wonderful story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQMP1OAWIUP4D?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">characters not beleivable. too long .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3053VOPM6KDOJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story - different and enjoyable</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UQ7RO4MZHS87?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it, and so did my book group...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPR3LTVX1G1EQ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is too long, too convoluted.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MPG0S93IJU6Q?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great read! The story is riveting and unlike anything else I've ever read. From the explosive beginning to the end, The Goldfinch takes you on a dizzying roller coaster ride of twists, turns, highs and lows that you simply can not anticipate.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TKU63E1YRMAQ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting read.  Very well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17ZOFRR3HZ1BH?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read. Can't wait for the movie.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q6CZCPO2U7YC?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great easy reAd, never a dull moment.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ7MK5PM1NM08?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book, but full of ongoing misery</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y9BLYVMVYKBB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down - amazing story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3APAEKMXT8CM7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good summer book to read at the beach</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21PV9T8MBZ1PV?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So far very interesting still reading</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13LL54GDTZ8WA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the top three books I've read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E4NW2HC1L9DI?ASIN=0316055441	Good idea that got lost in too many words.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long.  But you already knew that.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32DILBO38C87U?ASIN=0316055441	Read This Book!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book.  A true page turner!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EDOOFXR6K6HE?ASIN=0316055441	A story about the meaning of life?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging story with incredible depth.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PDS8NOJAM607?ASIN=0316055441	One of the most boring books I have read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most boring books I have read in years.  Even more boring than Gone Girl and The Book Thief.  It was nothing but drugs, drink and throw up.  A bunch of psycho-babble.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA6P20PHLBLW0?ASIN=0316055441	sometimes I enjoyed it, and other times I found it so ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very torn while reading this novel, sometimes I enjoyed it, and other times I found it so cumbersome and not really real. I did not believe it deserved the Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4VNGHSL4M7F4?ASIN=0316055441	Super Excellent Read! A book you won't be able to put down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love to read and this was recommended to me. I first purchased this on my Kindle and now I have bought the book for my friend as a gift. Beautifully put together and a keeper.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TUISSEJEO0QN?ASIN=0316055441	This was the most overwritten book I have ever read ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the most overwritten book I have ever read. None of the characters was appealing to me.  I struggled to the end just to see if it would improve and it did not.  Sorry.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BD4BVWZPMSOD?ASIN=0316055441	Very absorbing story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a great writer and this book is really fun to read.  It's long, but I've been taking my time reading it while I go to sleep.  It's something to look forward to.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKRGJR97YQS45?ASIN=0316055441	A great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book from cover to cover!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFXKMHP8C2UJS?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good writing, interesting story</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DOI2H83CD0HJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">amazing book, you can't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5KRSNQYHUA11?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very intense but realistic plot...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R92CYKYNDTA82?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book from start to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AZIYULN5XI7M?ASIN=0316055441	Adjectives!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't like...way too descriptive!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XOV8KHYMK90R?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very well written, but a dark story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D06QBL1EWS3J?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dark subject matter but well written</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F3CGCNEOGEEM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing read from an amazing writer.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QRU7V2E3PSRX?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Probably more like 4.5.  Great story</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TR3AWWNE097X?ASIN=0316055441	enjoyed the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story, enjoyed the book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OAWQWZKHO31U?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting but very dark characters</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GDCM2C8I1ENN?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved it - very detailed, a bit sad.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OSUZ7X03RPJ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great but a little to wordy in parts</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPHO1ST05UMP4?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kept waiting for the climactic point</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D24B87NZWN83?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book and it's characters.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R270LN5XJHG99T?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Complex, detailed, twists and turns.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PE7YPN1HYRG8?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing work of great literature!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S0HLVJJ2B7Z7?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this story.  Highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HHO38LFOYHZM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing, riveting and extraordinary.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U0DNFEJ27VBR?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read, full of twists and turns.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF0F8E4380H07?ASIN=0316055441	still working my way thru this tome!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">still working my way thru this tome!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R301M3DJO09OIR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent story beautifully written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3USFFIQAFB7RM?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too long and did not like the ending</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30RBT18P4HEH4?ASIN=0316055441	An outstanding read!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rich, intriguing, and soul touching!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NGOUCCI25XY2?ASIN=0316055441	Insightful. another read is planned.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Insightful .another read is planned.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R202LK4LUYAMWB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it, didn't want it to be over.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR8FCEJJPTOLP?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read - I couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25QRZWBF6SAYQ?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really liked until I got to the end!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WWNTLHMG8FTK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've ever read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIERGIK04BVT?ASIN=0316055441	Too depressing, and too descriptive.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too depressing,and  too descriptive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PSNON8SQKPFZ?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Riveting story. Beautifully written.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SG2NCA9GRVL6?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Easy read and something new to learn</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EU0JZ9DHXLY?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good read but somewhat depressing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R253QWIEECHSXR?ASIN=0316055441	very good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">lived up to the Hype..very good read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CRXR76Y6QZUP?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long book but hard to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC9IF11GHQ523?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting. Not an up lifting book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3680LUWRN7CH7?ASIN=0316055441	not so good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not finding it very interesting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA3NEDLJ4DFPH?ASIN=0316055441	but beautifully written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit long, but beautifully written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10PE4W2Q4GMZF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful development of characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OAWJFLPOA6N?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved it and was sad to finish it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29NYADFTEMPJ5?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is masterful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent writing and a great story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTN9BM3NXANUP?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read......couldn't put it down</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13AS92A42T43P?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book and very well written</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19JI47JXHPMUM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very Good Kept me turning the pages/</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AKS5119HHM7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Have not yet started reading it yet.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10ZPUZNQIVXG0?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but overly descriptive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RLMYSODGE3B3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent reading - like I was there</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38UB3BMC1KV20?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tart at her best, more please!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IYBCEEIG53R3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great characterizations and details.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YY8IQNT6C074?ASIN=0316055441	Beaurifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written......a MUST read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5V532OGS1RHV?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author reminds me of JD Salinger</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AYQDPA01KB9Q?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not sure what the hype is all about.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JZK2QSRPBXAR?ASIN=0316055441	good.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">About 3/4 way through it,....  good.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2USQ7HP2BONDA?ASIN=0316055441	sad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Got tired of wading through the endless descriptive passages which really added nothing to the story or plot.  The psychotic drug addiction episodes were quite disillusioning</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYVO8KZGKF4NS?ASIN=0316055441	too long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was really good but the book could have been half the length had the author cut out all of the philosophy of life. That made the book, especially the ending drag!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LIJJ4B31F0Q0?ASIN=0316055441	Very disappointed. I always saw the hand of the author ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very disappointed.  I always saw the hand of the author and never believed in the persona of the main character.  I almost always finish a novel, but I gave up on this one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAAQ7SXE8N2R0?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An existential bildungsroman; perfectly crafted characters, an obviously intimate<br/>knowledge of the Author's mise-en-scenes, an all around enjoyable reading experience.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28GUO7GC9OQ47?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not my kind of book.  Very disappointing.  It may be the best fiction but it didn't like it.  Too dark.  I guess I live a charmed life is this ""what is out there"".</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G1UEWZHQV2V7?ASIN=0316055441	Theo was too unlikeable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a good book, but perhaps it was the hype that raised my expectations to an unrealistic degree, because it just did not live up to it for me.  First I have to say, I LOVE long books, so my complaint is not that it was too long.  Initially I found Theo very sympathetic - he was a child after all, what happened was awful, and his guilt not entirely undeserved.  His stint in Las Vegas, and I was still sympathetic - he was an adolescent and did what teenagers without supervision are wont to do.  But when he got back to N.Y. I started to really dislike him.  I couldn't understand why years went by and he never got in touch with Andy.  His friendship with Andy was a lifeline for him at the worst time in his life - and I was annoyed with him for this before Andy's fate was revealed.  Andy deserved better from Theo.  And Hobie, wow.  Hobie was as decent a person as a person could be and I found Theo's betrayal of him and lies to him to be unforgiveable.  Plus Theo really should have gotten over the drug thing - it was understandable as a teenager in Vegas but not as an adult in NY.  Characters don't have to be saints for me to like a book, but I really did not like Theo - kept thinking that he turned out like his dad and how disappointed his mother would have been.  His redemption of sorts by the end just was not enough since by then I felt I had spent a lot of time reading about someone whose problems were largely self-created</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37WHEDKLP9S3B?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it, got bored with it, liked it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Combination of art, mystery, coming of age, tragedy, and fate all wrapped up in one too long yet compelling novel.  This is the story of a young may whose mother dies in a terrorist bombing at NYC's Met.  Theo survives with a stolen art piece ""The Goldfinch"".  The relationship between Theo and his mother, the bombing, and scenes of New York are so well written; the reader is pulled into what is bound to be a fascinating and interesting ride.  But something happens along the way.  Theo's life with an upper East Side family changes when his Las Vegas father comes to retrieve him.  Enter Boris, a Ukrainian teenager who definitely adds a new element into the story, mainly drugs.  And it is here, the story begins to drag and the reader wonders where are is this going?<br/><br/>From Las Vegas back to New York, from an unsupervised teenager to a antiques dealer, from New York to Amsterdam the story takes some convoluted and sometimes not quite believable turns.  Boris reenters along with a totally new mystery and once again the story picks up speed.  There is no doubt this is a well researched and well written novel, but sometimes it's just a bit too much.  The final pages take a philosophical turn with Theo providing a thesis of sorts on life, fate, and art.  Unfortunately, by this time, I was just ready for it to be over.  This, in my opinion, is a book that would have been a five star if there just wasn't as much of it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MVR2UN5KG4A0?ASIN=0316055441	A disappointing book with an interesting starting place.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know this book won a Pulitzer prize, but a book with so many bad decisions by the main character is not for me!  The circumstance that led to the story was fascinating!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R368IAQP0UO4UD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great transaction. Wonderful book!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1641P19WF9SMH?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">lobe the plot, but it's a bit long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FUG2RGHN8C95?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing book and well researched</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R1UWOLKSHF0Y?ASIN=0316055441	A realy good read , loved it !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it .it was so real so human .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NC0PQEUAXCXM?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting, but very over written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAF2L2Z07AMRW?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing history and troubling life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N4B6O4C741QF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Has every thing a book should have.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27EC8G7QHVGLC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great Novel - Couldn't put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZF4BAQIGZQT?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story. Longer than necessary.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34BBCU3AP7FD6?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best book I have ever read!!!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PYU6861SS1UW?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too slow moving. Didn't  finish it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYVYYWZ2883JY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lovely and richly descriptive read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K56PRM0A7X6N?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was depressing and way too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUVN33QSYWHZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazingly intricate and absorbing!!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRL0DPJ6FXPTA?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing but difficult to read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHITX6WFYHSQH?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing but very depressing..</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJULLFKEDXYE7?ASIN=0316055441	Worthy of the Prize	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Everything you want out of a novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C607CPQ5AD2B?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book with lots of twists.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11O8W4R7HESJ1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31PY862GUP0Q8?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved it so much I read it twice.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT2S465P7Q7QO?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lost it's dynamics half way through</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XJDW2UEVFPIH?ASIN=0316055441	It was O. K., but I think ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was O.K., but I think overrated.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UDY4AZ96OKNE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very engrossing, entertaining book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37B2TN78C22MP?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not worth reading in my estimation.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OVMCHC8C94SC?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, very disappointing ending</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB08723VCE6SW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was very well written.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KKJ93Y5IIFZH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great Book, I couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQNRBNYIJEDW9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved every page - unforgettable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR0542UH27544?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing book....wish it didn't end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EWUVRZELRB71?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overhyped. Needs to be edited down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R269AT0FDGNZJZ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lost interest about 3/4 way through</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31O2NF3GPDVKN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing story, hard to put down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WS76YU78ZS4K?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Liked it but found it was too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N851BRQ6OUAD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found it hard to put this one down!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KSRUP44MYQ9Q?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read - very well written!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX3H8ZTMJ8TC6?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">High quality writing, very engaging</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BUMMI2F7OBUY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, absorbing, sensitive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FTFOX5IDO1N?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story but a very tedious read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1513H4V3SSPBK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. Very thought provoking.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DIATLIERNYPN?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm still trying to get through it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MCLV9FGUZF5O?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's characters are fascinating.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1COD5HZ6TUCSJ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a good read it's just way too long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSWM92EG02NP5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Definitely a new all-time favorite.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38JDZDGM6SVVY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">an unusual ride and so well written</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WK69R1G4AJ1R?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little too much detail in writing</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R87L6PNB25M9M?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story. Engaging characters too</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJXW2KEU737EG?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story, too much embellishment!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K06MFI03WPNL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An accomplished and absorbing read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19292WJVW34C3?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, but a bit long winded.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YGM9DAX9CJ5T?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it. But it was alittle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it.  But it was alittle wordy</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A1A0H4VSV3NB?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't finish it. Too bloviating!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OG1F3MIZC6ZK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed reading this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG9E6ZBQDPDPL?ASIN=0316055441	brilliant book, very well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">brilliant book , very well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FNS97OX8E5LB?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It deserves NO review.  It's awful!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28KV8IEZT067L?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written, but depressing story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q32VRVTQ16KQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Attention capturing from beginning!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REU13M6S753C?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful story, but a dark ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EHLLK1JJ005D?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">fantastic journey.  loved this book</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIPDFL56LJAYP?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book!  Very well written!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HN4WCKPZS640?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am thoroughly enjoying this book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KOMQATMLC1HD?ASIN=0316055441	Very Happy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book is perfect condition</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZRITVBN3HOGY?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt Tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dickens meets Nietzsche meets Dostoevsky in Donna Tartt's third novel. More bitter than sweet. The Goldfinch, Fabritius' master painting, is the centerpiece of this tale. It becomes young Theodore Decker's only glimmer of light as his life is blown to smithereens one afternoon at the Metropolitan Museum post- 9/11. As fate fractures, the tethered bird on the shelf also foretells shackles of guilt and self-loathing.<br/><br/>Theo's teen years are collateral damage of adults' bad choices. Even when he's given sanctuary, he rarely feels worthy. Life with an eccentric wealthy uptown family is muddled. In the Village, he apprentices with an antiques restorer father-figure, but later squanders opportunities. He spends too many chapters in another American locale, where the saga goes sour. Am I the only one who thinks the stereotype of Boris as corrupt Ukranian ""friend"" is insulting? All semblance of clarity or sanity is lost in an increasingly substance-abused haze. Editor, please! Half the book could have been excised. Lots of minor but annoying mistakes about New York, like Greenwich Ave and Greenwich Street are not the same.<br/><br/>Would I recommend this book? I kept returning to it, hoping that Theo would kick his demons. It's an absurdist journey. Tartt leaves the reader with art as hope and redemption. Without it, life is both troubled and empty.<br/><br/>Carol Colitti Levine<br/>thesidetrek.com</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R97D34W2ZSJLQ?ASIN=0316055441	Don't bother	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I struggled to get through the first 25% of the book before putting it down.  Long, boring, waaaay too many excess words.  Don't waste your time or money.  My opinion.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCKCUT8HYC17H?ASIN=0316055441	THE BEST SEASON OF GOSSIP GIRL WRITTEN BY MODERN DICKENS!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's all here - a quirky orphan, mysterious Europeans, poor little rich upper east side girl, the Met, boarding school preppies...<br/>this book is entirely readable and what a great story and amazing characters!  I will say that the last 100 pages do not keep up the pace of the first 600 pages but other than that it's close to perfect!  it's a tale of fate and roads taken - or not...all the what ifs of life...there is a wonderful mother/son relationship and many interestingly drawn characters.  I was completely immersed in this book and could barely come up for air!  ms. tartt's talent is enormous.  she is seriously one of our greatest American authors!  what a way with words, and what a compelling storyteller!  I look forward to her next work, and I hope it doesn't take another 10 years!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17F4JCEL0WI6X?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started out good.  didn't like the next few chapters but stayed with it &amp; liked it very much. I don't understand what more you need from me.Thought I gave you enough.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10FLQCPFBQVIR?ASIN=0316055441	Could not put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read, never a dull moment and very well paced! I would highly recommend this book and suggest you have some time to devote to it since its hard to stop reading!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZN7IED7HNPKE?ASIN=0316055441	A worthwhile journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There was a time when Donna Tartt's Secret History was my favorite book. I recall being less taken by her subsequent novel. And now there is The Goldfinch. I don't often undertake serious literature, perhaps 15-20 books a year, preferring easier plot-driven fiction for my everyday reading. And there were stretches of The Goldfinch that I struggled through, my mind wandering. Too, I was frustrated by Theo's seemingly neverending naivety, duplicity, and surprise when the next bad thing happened. Ultimately, however, this was a rewarding journey. I enjoyed Tartt's prose, her ability to move between multiple worlds, such as fine art and drug dens, and her most important but flawed characters: Theo, Hobie, and Boris. I've read a few reviews that talked about this novel's themes of grief, morality, and aesthetics. All accurate, but what I found more interesting was the story of the development of a damaged soul, Theo, after the death of his mother. And his ultimate existential crisis when he finds he has built his life on a flawed foundation that has kept him alone and despairing. The ending seems a bit rushed as Theo explains his new existential understandings, which are not easy or trite, and which we hope will allow him a more connected and meaningful life. Tartt earned his understandings in developing his character in such depth and sympathy. I was spellbound as I finished this beautiful work.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6VJV9VNAUCSS?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book... well worth the read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TBPY5ROKGPTE?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Written like a script for a movie.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HD5L1ONUO0F8?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love it, a bit long and repetitive</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21HN8MVCQ0QJD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I never give 5 stars, this is a 5.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9S6HX8263VBD?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book that kept me interested.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15CABOTT081Y5?ASIN=0316055441	Great book.  Worth the time and money.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAC3I3X34J51U?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCRZOIF1JGDG9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazingly and intricately crafted!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PYWB2L2OSN4G?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How did this win a Pulitzer Prize?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32OWUYODPJS5G?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No wonder it got a Pulitzer Prize!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T6MM4OOFF2BJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A Great read. Hard to put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TTYQ3M8LHA9G?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like it.  Just too wordy</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C66XYNZJRX33?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful writing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rich writing. A bittersweet story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JXHS5JIGNI33?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The descriptions are breathtaking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W0PSZDG21ENZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W6PYFY8CYJGB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in a long time</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K0Q4Y5TXF972?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A thrilling reading trip..........</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LSIHZD4940DF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, writing and adventure!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17465BRTGQSBM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love the painting, loved the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVORRY3B4HV1A?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dull and such an improbable story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BBPGFXSKWZOA?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting read but way too long.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBOUOWW69D2FD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. Well worth the effort.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG0SMZIUQ1LIV?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful Book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it.  I couldn't put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33X6SD5A37UCZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very original and compelling work.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DRKZZGL4VAW2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gripping story, very well written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HSMDN0SI0004?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but somewhat tedious.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VWDVL99L6GEL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book in excellent shape.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S333ZQBKJVC1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unusual story beautifully written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QCQC44MTWFY9?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">jumbed around from place to place.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TN04S52FF56X?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book keeps you turning pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W7RVJ8KXA0M2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I ever read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7308K9QD4B87?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too long, too obscure and rambling</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C4IO13V5587N?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">terrific up to the last 100 pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16ZWPIEBOXF2U?ASIN=0316055441	fun ride with the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wild, fun ride with the Goldfinch.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMWS149HF4T2K?ASIN=0316055441	No headline	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many pages to tell this story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R179V4F1YS1X79?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Still reading it. Hard to put down</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PG62JKPAR3EY?ASIN=0316055441	Great book. From start to finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book.  From start to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BNW5PZW12BP5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant! Writing is spectacular.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T279OKE5CZQB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">enjoyed very much, though too long</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYY777S4ZTR1E?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story but it could be edited.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7IAXETHIMAR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent price and fast delivery.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MHEE5ZRUO2SE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's writing is fabulous.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19K3HD00JC58R?ASIN=0316055441	A must read!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, couldn't put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JHSZFZQ94HCJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book I had trouble putting down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q3J9VKMZ4MXG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So much to talk about at book club</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DUKYTF1Y6MJ8?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing novel. My new favorite!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PWG5IE7H1PHK?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, perhaps a little long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UPLSPOPVTI9P?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the characters in this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JB98BFSJXO6G?ASIN=0316055441	So disappointed in this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So disappointed in this book. I had about one hundred pages to read to finish The Golldfinch and I couldn't get to the end. I love to read but this was a looser.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QVOL4CZKMEW8?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Horrible. Awful. Nonsense. Annoying. Waste of time and Money.  DianaVV<br/>I hate it. And really am disappointed, because I expected much more from the author.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TL4LZAX46C9G?ASIN=0316055441	Sad book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not finish, too depressing, may be a top choice for some however, tried a few times to get into book and either I failed the book or the book flailed me.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OCKQXWRP5LYR?ASIN=0316055441	Kudos for fiction by Ms Donna Tartt.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was my first introduction to the fiction of Ms. Tartt, so her style and scope was unfamiliar to me.  I was impressed with her originality and ability to use the language and straightforward observations of the streetwise morality of our times without hesitancy or apology.  The entire story is told in the first person by the principal protagonist, Theodore Decker, first introduced to us in Amsterdam as a mature man in a hotel room at Christmas time.  He recalls and tells us the story of his life and (we slowly learn) why he is there,  beginning  as a dependent thirteen year old boy suddenly thrust into the necessity of fending for himself by the sudden death of his mother under unusual circumstances and of what happens to him following that.  We slowly realize that he has a philosophy of life that is changing while affected by the necessity of coping with the happenstance of how he has survived  through interactions with those he meets and depends upon for care, friendship and some of whom may also take advantage of his weaknesses or circumstance.  The Goldfinch of the title is the subject of the small painting by Fabritius that resides in the collection of the Museum at the Hague.  It is cleverly used as a  measure  of the character for  key individuals  in the story.  This  should hold the interest for a wide range of readers.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LO3HIU75N5LM?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enthralling! Beautifully written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R15YEZ78KE54?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">thought it a good story well told</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EK273BQBRRR?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book with vivid characters!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K79LZ96SXT7V?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read! Couldn't put it down!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M3NJ6VKCT0FV?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it from cover to cover	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down. Lovely read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBPFDMNSHFB3O?ASIN=0316055441	great book. really enjoyed this	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great book.  really enjoyed this.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R362AP85MJTCTR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great story! beautifully written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KTCODY8AXI2G?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very difficult book to put down</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY7IOLBS86V8Z?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">incredible book and fast shipping</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IE8TN8HQ9CCA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very long read but well written</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R66U80STHQIJF?ASIN=0316055441	loved it just keep the	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved it<br/>just keep the faith</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UAOXLXJD2ABS?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very engaging story but too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPX2FRZCWOCOV?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lots of words to tell a sad life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JKQMP3GGCQTO?ASIN=0316055441	disappointing ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long a tale to stay involved.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XIEAVYDUS0NX?ASIN=0316055441	Great interesting book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">you won't be able to put it down!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I5Y2NPDZYPMQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved the book kept me enthralled</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N17E86ADWAE4?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At times a little hard to keep up</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U1AGO4KFDM48?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great book brilliantly written.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27PG6N7ZBHUW5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OYD3DLY5LU57?ASIN=0316055441	God Read, especially for book club groups.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent but perhaps a bit long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HKAVZWO5QDFG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Everything went well as expected.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1011BM1H2CRFC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a wonderful book, and I loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLO4FUOS6LK04?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of my leAst favorite books...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B3K3ZER5PYFJ?ASIN=0316055441	I really loved	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gripping story, I really loved it</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MRCI0TZC8JR1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unique voice and thrilling action</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R295JDIOLWNB58?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">All but the last chapter was good</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JWCEP41G3M42?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Epic story. Mississippi Girl too.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I0PR913GCO0C?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it....couldn't put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GPFQ17HT987L?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read- couldn't put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G5QNLYPD9K74?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too descriptive. Loved the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22FYLXKRGC36N?ASIN=0316055441	great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent in the genre of Dickens</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9IHMBLJH8Q5R?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">horrible hated it boring too long</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQI76O23AKISK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">best book I've read for some time</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K5MSUEMHTTWE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Many twists and turns as in life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WLN1ZXIME8IE?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written; thought provocative</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTIBZQLD0FDV9?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the worst books i've read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DMGC3MWB3SDH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great read telling all my friends</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2USV1102QNFGS?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I totally enjoyed it.  Betty Sims</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YY05QTOW8VOE?ASIN=0316055441	Read this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous. I couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF4Y0M64CG9ZI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best novel I've read in ten years</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TTPL1TOHMZ6M?ASIN=0316055441	Not For Me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not like. It was a hard read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3157J4MSN7Q36?ASIN=0316055441	One of my favorites.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read. Couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REWA1XA6GEDYX?ASIN=0316055441	but I loved it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not for everyone, but I loved it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R316IE0Z7ZEGYW?ASIN=0316055441	Don't bother	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't like it.  Rambled on.  Meh</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GNCASO6IXXQN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Holden Caulfield of our time!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12CZFDEYKOCK3?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gritty, realalistic, fascinating.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QDXYJ48PPTEG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">superb writing.  moving passages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30V8IQGG8PAOT?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent story, great narration!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QCL22OXN1J51?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed reading this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TIP0SIOXQ75J?ASIN=0316055441	It was ok	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch was interesting enough.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROWO6NHP8LQA7?ASIN=0316055441	Must read for the summer!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it. Very thought provoking.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27FBHLOFPSB2E?ASIN=0316055441	Decadent, Sustaining and Human	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Grazie to Ms. Tartt for her novel compliation of humanity, loss and the ever present quest to move forward. This ten plus year hiatus is well worth the wait. Many prominent New York writers capture the city in its true form, but Ms. Tartt just bedazzles the reader, the mystique of the upper crust blended with less moneyed but true grit populace. I felt as a traveller being whisked from place to place and feeling Theo's life collapsing and expanding all around him, his one lone sustenance, the goldfinch, his remaining piece of his mother and his before. True writers can create motion and liveliness out of nothing, evidence of such creation abounds here with the dying scene with Theo and Welty, Boris and Theo and their holding on to one another in dire places, the facade of Kitsy and Theo knowing of the scam of her ""love"". This novel is impossible to put down! It got me through the Holidays which is not an easy task. There are so many scenes set up through gorgeous stream of conscious narration and brilliant writing. Overall, questions beg to be answered, now that ALL is lost, what shall dear Theo choose to hold onto. And to find out that his lone talisman is well...I won't say a word, but hush! surprises all abound. This book made me cry, laugh and feel very alive. It's like an amazing weekend adventure you wish would never end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QW45TON5VC0M?ASIN=0316055441	Drug Addict & Theif	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This kid was stealing before the tragedy.  He was ungrateful to the family whom took him in.  He did drugs drugs and more drugs and the book obsessed over every detail of each high and low.  The painting brought him to a furniture restoration expert where he was taken in and then stole from him.  His sojourn to Nevada to be with his father was because his dad thought he could get his hands on the trust his mother set up for him. In Nevada he met a loser and together they became heavy druggies.  He never went to church so every time he had a disappointment he did more drugs.  All together, a very depressing book.  It was my Book Club assignment or else I would have tossed it out early on.  More verbage about drugs than any actual story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DZADJ5ZUO0W4?ASIN=0316055441	A Stupendous Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is just an excellent book – challenging, brutal, thought-provoking, multi-layered, difficult! Because Theo Decker is in trouble, he and his mother are headed for a conference at school. They take advantage of the few hours off to stop at an exhibit in a museum when a bomb suddenly explodes. Theo is injured but attempts to help an old man whose companion, a young redheaded girl, he had been attracted to as they toured the rooms, but Welty is dying. Theo helps him and receives an unusual gold ring from him. In addition, and central to the story, Theo steals a small painting of a bird which is lying near him in the bombed-out room. Sadly, Theo’s beloved mother is dead. Theo then lives with a school friend, briefly with his father in Las Vegas, and with a New York antique dealer. The beautiful painting accompanies him. In a complex turn, Theo ends up in a hotel room in Amsterdam fearing for his life. The story is full of fascinating parallels and contrasts and is beautifully written, including wonderful descriptive passages. The last 25 pages, especially, are very rich in thoughtful ideas: the meaning and attraction of  art; the idea that real life is to be found between the terrible lows and wonderful high points of life; really, the meaning of life. A stupendous book, well worth its ridiculous length.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UZLECQ9TDGXA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down...fabulous!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LXA4CT2V0Z72?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">That was a very depressing book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WDCSTVQ9BRZT?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much fizz not enough content</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBQ4JVBC6ZND?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is hard to put this book down</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VOM3HCS2GYNZ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It wasn't that great of a story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K2725GEB870K?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">much too long and convoluted!!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38FNVCLKRD047?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Writing overly wordy and uneven.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IYWSFR9655WP?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too wordy and disappointing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G3ACZXPBPNM2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">book was in excellent condition!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BZRLXJSXHRRG?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read, hard to put down</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IGNV9WYXNP3J?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I frankly thought it was boring.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD66WJE9FM4D1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written page turner!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I6DY7N82VY7H?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this story! Excellent read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZIBNMQYQAPPX?ASIN=0316055441	very Good Excellent Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very, very Good  Excellent Book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24B9GGNQOJWQ?ASIN=0316055441	Long but enjoyable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was very long but enjoyed it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RW33PI5C0D6O?ASIN=0316055441	Good read, keep me coming back	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read,  keep me coming back.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VABH1EW8VDR5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intense but well worth the read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R389E8OIBZZFK7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome Story, superbly written!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS6G6H3F6YYAU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So good I could not put it down!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R470K811SYY77?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">not really as good as I expected</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EPD6F66GCEH1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it!!!  Highly recommended.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34PC1W8EYU55F?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long with rambling at times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35JRQC79AISKS?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most depressing books</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XQNHNAVL0HGF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, highly recommend it!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KLZGOQDD4COP?ASIN=0316055441	Take the Journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A remarkable saga! Well crafted!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I4VZBCPLTGLE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I have ever read!!!!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD01J574620K2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, even better writer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WETF94BGTL19?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just not really the book for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EKSOKAR1JXOZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic, Great summer reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19PVQLGVX2ZXB?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Never could get into it meaning.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRQJIQW4EXKG9?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a bit tedious at times.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G35UBIWGQLIV?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read this summer!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L79IQLWSFX7J?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some parts were good others not.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NG2GLWLYVDAB?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">MIght be more for a guy to read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRIT5QMEJ2AXM?ASIN=0316055441	W-A-Y TOO LONG	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Listen to the first few discs and then skip the entire middle!!  This book drags on way too long.  I started skipping chapters because it was so boring.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH3UFHDV4J0DN?ASIN=0316055441	I really do not like this book but will finish it just to see ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a dark novel and not that  pleasant a read.  I really do not like this book but will finish it just to see if I find something redeeming in it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVZPOSUIWCES1?ASIN=0316055441	Where was the editor??	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could have been a great book if it was about half as long. 771 pages of rambling and unnecessary tangents which finally drives the reader to skim read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BS7MYZTHREYP?ASIN=0316055441	I wasted an entire week trying to find anything I enjoyed ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">On average I read two or three books a week. I wasted an entire week trying to find anything I enjoyed about this novel. A waste of my time and money.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S3DFYSAAZ973?ASIN=0316055441	No Need For 800 Pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much too long....became aimless. I expected better writing from a Pulitzer Prize winner.  First half was interesting but it became a chore to finish.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23OBFDNYXZVAQ?ASIN=0316055441	The story was good but too drawn out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very long read, the chapters went on forever. The story was good but too drawn out.  Only to suddenly just end. almost as if the writer just quit.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EXBKI7XZRZTH?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really really surprise  ending.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMHGQOI3VVGRO?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is written like a travel log</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROO9DJNXF0ORP?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">quite the book, it surprised me</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MOIFCBSMPCBK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book, quite the ride.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV2BM1GMXZF1E?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too long and too much repeating</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31Q312DHOAULX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best author I've read in years.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FV0DHJVOTQCF?ASIN=0316055441	A good, not great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long book with many fine parts.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X4OQHPA5EHEC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great so far. Not finished yet.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34947612EBABG?ASIN=0316055441	Must Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So compelling and well written!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDNPQCHGOXIHD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great product and fast service.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT32X81IBSS9D?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6DESU3LXUML6?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted the book to never end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13OK4FO7ZOXLE?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing and heart wrenching.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U15GHIKXJYEX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great book...very complex story</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T4L5845EHQUT?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very well written just too long</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J1VSN4IZ6GWM?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best written to long book ever!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZWWZ3FFFW2X1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great ook from start to finish!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KYZHCVMEL5ZA?ASIN=0316055441	Captivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read and very good writing</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37VHORQL5TYNZ?ASIN=0316055441	A thoroughly modern novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's OK.  Too much about drugs.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHDRLN0BO9HAZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Simply put it is a masterpiece.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DQBNNSGF7COO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best have ever read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3REP2EM2V4R63?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring, silly, dark, pointless.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CF7FBZHFTY6R?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Suspenseful all the way through</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V066KVCOHSIL?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Took a while to get my interest</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P54U8HCKMY0Q?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">looks like it was allot of work</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9HNSAKXNDMTY?ASIN=0316055441	Worth every second of your time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's imagination is amazing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZXK7IUQAJJLG?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A story with a lot of darkness.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QDJ1LGFSUJY3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoroughly enjoyed this author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D8KCFGJ9BLTF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I have read in years.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WUEOEVNQ2P7Y?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good writing, interesting story</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WWHDM65U5RMQ?ASIN=0316055441	A great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this book down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17BXZXVNYM84S?ASIN=0316055441	Foul language	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The foul language ruined for me</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVOXRAX4EQQLR?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book but has a slow start.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R378O88U36C0HK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gripping. Couldn't put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRC7W6W8IZR3U?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written. Kept my interest.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJSM6CFKS3K6Q?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exciting, yet overly indulgent.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34IJXSHM4QY5Y?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An epiphany on how to live life</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4YWXUIDX19WJ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging and thought-provoking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OHY4DG8FIPQD?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story that's well written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VSOGC3F0HCSD?ASIN=0316055441	Great book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written.  Great book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V6RBHILBZ3GF?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing. Amazing. Amazing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I want this review to intelligent and cogent, but I haven't had a chance to step back from the experience of reading The Goldfinch yet; I'm still living it, looking up close at the brush strokes.  I was afraid to start the book at such a busy time, start of the holiday season, etc.  Should I wait for summer?  But, five pages in last weekend, that decision was made for me--by the voice of Theodore Decker and by the brilliant writing of his creator, Donna Tartt.  I went to work.  I ate a turkey.  But the entire time I was lost in Theo's world, worried about the painting he'd stolen, thinking about the power of art and language. I wanted to the devour the book, but I also wanted to slow it down, because I knew that I wouldn't read a book this great for a long time, maybe another decade.  I finished it this afternoon and was so satisfied and moved by it--and a little sad that I couldn't explain the experience of reading it to anyone, not really, not even to friends who will also eventually read it.  There's a long section at the end of the novel where Theo speaks directly to the reader for the first time, and he touches on the ability of art to reach in and shake us--I think the simile is ""like a power cord""--and this book has done that for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QTLKZ2VVOIXJ?ASIN=0316055441	This book could have easily been half as long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book could have easily been half as long. I only finished it because I kept hoping it would redeem itself. How it won a Pulitzer is beyond me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KVTJ8EDINSCV?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't like it, never finished it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't like it, never finished it, don't understand the supergood reviews.<br/>I'm not the only one, a friend of mine is a librarian, she agrees.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q0Q2LJFH33VU?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer winner but long winded	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the rare books I've really had to push myself to finish. It's exceptionally well-written, but gosh it took forever to get through.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY44BBSPASNCZ?ASIN=0316055441	Hated it.  Unlikeable characters, too depressing.  Glad I only paid $2.99.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unlikeable characters, extremely depressing,  Long and boring.  Had to make myself finish it.  Sorry I wasted my time.  Glad I only paid $2.99.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NADN12F59NNR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a fabulous read!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OZ59T4T7UWQU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good good good more like this!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PLZ1M95RP98K?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just skip the last fifty pages</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MNCEGRH40P1S?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging, beautifully written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10OYI1V5OZV90?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book a real page turner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22LB0FLKVFEJT?ASIN=0316055441	Winner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read from page 1 to end!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV2AV2NSJKPDT?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Complex, long-term, believable</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVFFB3ID607J?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">GREAT BOOK! great transaction!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O1DPFTNEOXY1?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, enjoyed every page</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZACCYQ78RPEG?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good story, if somewhat wordy.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN6T7RRAWER7I?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous read - don't miss it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ATETTPUHJA8H?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Haven't finished the book yet.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G7GDZHZKV8TX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossing and  unusual story!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R486A8C00V0TQ?ASIN=0316055441	A great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book. A great read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W3DIDAF8HEH7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm really enjoying this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TG7BGYNEUA67?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but way too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F6XDZ06PM4H7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of my favorite books ever.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q93U4CZB3MS4?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was much too wordy!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SLUFLDV636LG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very enjoyable read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HNM2259KETLF?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too drawn out! Too depressing!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C31MJ3GR4KFP?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A hard read, hard to get into.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CUMIDXQO89BF?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hoe did this win the Pulitzer?</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KTQJVPN4PTHQ?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not an easy read Way too wordy</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUZWS4DI6NLST?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just great. Will be a classic.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N9MRY7QTY498?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">well written, a little written</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWLP7FYNQYIRS?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">GREAT READ BUT SOMEWHAT HEAVY.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26ULRWCQI8MXJ?ASIN=0316055441	A worthy read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good book, but a bit long</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U8EM614QEJ76?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but took to long.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVVLSMJ9NP4TA?ASIN=0316055441	To much c hatter about	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To much c hatter about nothing</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FHBDT40T01XT?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing book, worthy of the Pulitzer Prize!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoying the book tremendously</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BK0PX441TY3A?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read this year!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BRTSC76WW636?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it but a little too long</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BZTOSFJK1CYM?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great start. Story was lacking</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28GL3HSX2HJUT?ASIN=0316055441	Great book. Would read again	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book.  Would read again!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GAT1BLFQR3QG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I LOVED IT BUT ,IT WAS TO LONG</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV05PHS9KLD6E?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">COULD HAVE BEEN A BIT SHORTER?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROR4HJ38I23YJ?ASIN=0316055441	great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loving the book....great read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CA5CD30OAL52?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story, but just too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R252QOCGSVA4Y5?ASIN=0316055441	Why say what you can say in 400 pages when you can write almost 800?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way toooooo long. Started out ok then turned sour. Very depressing and long. Started out sympathetic to main character, but quickly lost that.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R299DGJMLD99GJ?ASIN=0316055441	A book for the ages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Phenomenal read. Gripping from page one. Characters are rich, plot is fascinating. The Goldfinch has fast become one of my all time favorites.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C5YQ8EKT0BGP?ASIN=0316055441	First time in my life I skipped through a book because I couldn't stand to be any more depressed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would not recommend this book to anyone.  I found it dull and unendingly depressing.  I tried to find some redeeming quality, but couldn't.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UF7175G6UBKH?ASIN=0316055441	What a story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was hooked on the first page.  The story was tight, well written and engrossing.  I would recommend it to any adult who loves a good story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G9NEMDP7FOSU?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When you're riveted from the first line you know you're in for a rare treat. Every word on every page invokes emotions and thoughts and engages the reader. The characters are so well thought out that it's as if the author actually gave birth to them and they seem to live on even beyond the last page of the book.<br/>My very favorite part though is the last 30 or so pages where the author takes her voice and those of the characters to a new height, makes a great natural close for the story, but also leaves me wanting more. I loved The Secret History and The Little Friend and I am already anticipating the next work of art from this brilliant author!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD9IPYK4DCQHN?ASIN=0316055441	How this won a Pulitzer I'll never understand. Way ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How this won a Pulitzer I'll never understand.  Way too long and aimless at times.  I made myself finish it, but I really didn't want to !</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RURQ8ASMBPAQQ?ASIN=0316055441	To be classic:)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Smart writing, amazing story, character development, voice and style. Absolutely best novel I've picked up and couldn't put down in years!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M1PXOKDO1EXJ?ASIN=0316055441	Ok	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Nice, but was expecting more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HXS8J3PNHRDH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read, recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12WQTQLR053C0?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's just too dark for me....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TXEK7CAMSD4D?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Weirdly strange but memorable</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MQPX9NC7V5AK?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Bit depressing but very good.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ800CZETX83D?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful. Captivating story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EQ821AGR6SS1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book would recommend it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFQTDAG40RLMX?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Far, far too long and verbose</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IODEKO0ANQ41?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard to put down from page 1.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R327T6UL8X2UEH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Liked every page of the story</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YIHD3FX3DWX3?ASIN=0316055441	I liked it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Yes it was long.  I liked it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SY5P56CUG4B4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">GREAT book!!!!!  Loved it!!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGFEXR8CY9YJT?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Bit drawn out bit a good read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R127KPHCCR2V07?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long but worth the read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R373FDYAUVWZLQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing. Beautifully written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHGVNU4IB3BQ8?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Worth the read, definitely :)</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CA67G9OV2VWK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought provoking and honest.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RE4YRUNAPA2U?ASIN=0316055441	Loved	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exquisitely written. Loved it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GPVSOHS60P62?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great page turner! Loved it..</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HUIBBWJ2P8F3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great book - kept my interest</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OTIJRCRPCUQD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I have read in ages</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLNT5NVNEB1E9?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book depressing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21YCZ7017KUWY?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting complex story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO9D46RRZJMUZ?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A real page turner. Loved it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CBWK1HMAVPL?ASIN=0316055441	A great piece of fiction!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book! Hard to put down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L6H8UG9Q8YO3?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit too long in the details</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R363Q8YAV2N1LL?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good reading but slow moving.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDKLN34GFRAJF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not put this book down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SZVJFF5SET6L?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story...very very wordy.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23U8I9IIB28JF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I've read in years.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O9J39GDIJDAE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story!  Quite eventful!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AJF9JJ6S74JY?ASIN=0316055441	Time well spent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pulled me in to other worlds.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39UL6SVLRBDS6?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNP49JCK1HVMG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">BEST BOOK IVE READ IN AGES!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L48NM4AGNBFW?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too convoluted. Needs editing</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA7CIUJAG5CBA?ASIN=0316055441	Very good. True to the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good.  True to the book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG0OVCOBZ4OL3?ASIN=0316055441	Mesmerizing and unforgettable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">With nearly 14,000 (and rising) Amazon reviews, the plot of “Goldfinch” has been amply summarized by others. My only critique, up front, is that the novel is too long. Tartt could have cut out some of the ruminating and repeated drug use scenes, some of the minor plot twists.<br/><br/>Length aside, “Goldfinch” is a beautifully crafted literary novel that has grabbed a wide range of readers. You can’t help but be drawn into caring about the 13-year-old Theo, so alone and suffering so severely from PTSD after the museum explosion in which he loses his mother. As his life gets messier, you want to cut him a few breaks when he makes some very unwise adolescent choices. Continuing his bad behavior as an adult, though, is another matter. But by then, Tartt has the reader so connected to Theo that it’s hard to put the book down. Smart, big-hearted and hilarious, Boris is loveable, or at least usually likeable, even with his despairing lack of morals. Tartt leaves the reader pondering the what-ifs in the lives of Theo, Boris and the other characters and, from there, of all human beings.<br/><br/>Ultimately, Tartt has delivered a mesmerizing, unforgettable novel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R396RM7G1RJYTT?ASIN=0316055441	This book is a long torture, descriptions of everything ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a long torture, descriptions of everything , wanted to kill Boris because it was sooooooo longgggggggg and getting nowhere.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NB5MAHTXIHYK?ASIN=0316055441	if you want to kill yourself, read this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like this book at all.  Far too depressing.  There were a few interesting pages, but it was far too long and too much rambling on about nothing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH8RKRWCJALVX?ASIN=0316055441	Good story, poorly written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love a good, long, meaty book but when a book is long because the author (or editor) doesn't know where to make cuts, it makes for a slow, draggy read.  We could have gotten to know Boris quite well with a 100 pages less.  Lots of drugs, drinking and teens on the loose. Got it.  The self reflection at the end didn't fit the actions of the character during the rest of the book.  So many areas were painfully detailed yet at the very end there were huge holes where details would have been welcomed.  Felt as if the author got tired (finally) of writing and slammed it shut.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RMUIV2QPUSN9?ASIN=0316055441	My Opinion	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't understand how this book is on  and continues to stay on the best seller list.  Story line was pretty good but way too much detail to wade through.  I do not recommend it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22NUL8TITG988?ASIN=0316055441	Pathetic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A pseudo-philosophical attempt to find the ""meaning of life"" but too contrived and by any standard too long by<br/>half; not to mention the disgusting drug usage.  Don't waste your time trying to plod through this endless bunch<br/>of baloney.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWJQ873JTVV8K?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really struggled to get through this book in hopes the story, which was very dark and depressing, would brighten at some point. Unfortunately that didn't happen. It is also very wordy. I don't quite understand why it's being touted as one of the best books of the year.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8H3A7ZE0FIR1?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing book, endless mindnumbing descriptions of drug use. Picks up in the middle, then drags on again.  Glad it is finished.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ASZ1F2KC46PP?ASIN=0316055441	one of the most boring books ever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow. This was 800 pages of tediousness. The story just never went anywhere. After 300 pages, i couldn't care less.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20BMYID3FD0KK?ASIN=0316055441	Should have been half the length!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book should have been half the length. It was almost a grind  to get through. I wouldn't recommend it at all.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPGCJOH18AZUB?ASIN=0316055441	MASTERPIECE	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just finished Goldfinch - It was awesome!<br/>Loved Donna Tartt's writing, so descriptive - has to be read slowly and devoured! Her characters are so well-developed and the story keeps you hanging on until the end! Goldfinch is definitely a MASTERPIECE!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GF4B9N18U1PH?ASIN=0316055441	Too much fluff no substance	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book too long and wordy. Stories partly unfinished and most ""philosophical"" sections were totally irrelevant. Total waste to read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDZUWZV6OQ3Z8?ASIN=0316055441	Read it for book club over the summer. Way ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read it for book club over the summer. Way too long and dragged out.<br/> But Tartt developed many interesting plots and characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25XAOO49BYJSP?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, but long.......</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38LREVVFTNPWU?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very much enjoyed this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RASVB4O6DYBKG?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As described and good value.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AMR2AVIV9IIH?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize worthy read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Riveting. What a great book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPTO3RGE8ZIJA?ASIN=0316055441	To long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good story but much to long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5R5KLRO03ZQG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating and a good read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DSLL17X59EOD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">deserves the pulitzer prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JG3APU2CZOI9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story......Great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IPB5KYQNDMPK?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much too long and drawn out!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DI7S91HXLOPI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, can't put down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JMUXU7PJD0W2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book.  A treat.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D4UH7BOS9KD0?ASIN=0316055441	Bad Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Never finished it. Bad read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7KBURB39GJ37?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">BEWARE of frequent drug use.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REPSPN4VBTWTK?ASIN=0316055441	once you get started you have to finish it, well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">perfect service!!! thank you</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C1BFMIRN26S7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow start but a great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A1O4G5TZ1E5Y?ASIN=0316055441	good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">received quickly...good read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBVI7703P4AAA?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">arrived as expected. - gift.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R63SMY5HKJ0HC?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting, but overly long</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRR8MN50E22KK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">long but very good book.....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF415G6DVKV8F?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great character development.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3YH1JGVRM140?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a thoroughly enjoyable read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18H3PCQTS885J?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful descriptive prose.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXAWQ45D2C081?ASIN=0316055441	Very, very, very depressing!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very,very,very depressing!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AGJXLQS1EFDO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, beatifully done</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMCORD5UHP6HO?ASIN=0316055441	Fluid and nonstop	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fluid  and nonstop xcitemeny</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCGUA5URR8RP7?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little wordy but excellent</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GOPSE1G30U9Z?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Needed some serious editing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y81A2K17HQE2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very emotional and good book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22RDGTG262VDN?ASIN=0316055441	boring..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">confusing, boring....skip it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WY2SEJC8E5WZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great character development.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJJ04WBT6HF84?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Stolen from Dickens perhaps?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EYL4K7JBUV1A?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and ""wordy""</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAR4J2IJIP7J7?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Surprised it won a Pulitzer.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DYHY4VFESN1F?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Certainly not a page turner.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QWQMEGZ9W28X?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting but far too long</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R220JX2XTPTI75?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing couldn't put it down</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ML1KPJVNO72L?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">wonderful entertaining read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R1ST8XEPXSVC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging first page to last.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E16ZFFHPBD6B?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good tale but long and wordy</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNOQXEIJNM2DE?ASIN=0316055441	A must read: The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing 775 page journey.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VFKESUN2EXBD?ASIN=0316055441	Great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard to put down.Great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYEDDQGCS1OH3?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not put the book down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJEH4RBOL1Z09?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read!  I loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN0H73E4NX1YU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book. I recomended</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C65TMT2ZEDOU?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit dark, but a must read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BI1HIL4NH8SN?ASIN=0316055441	Great read. real page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read.real page turner.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B037PFODZFRQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">We'll written very enjoyable</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20DC12KBCGY3K?ASIN=0316055441	Listen to this one!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was enthralled.  Loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4TA0CA5MD3AG?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story but too drawn out</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XUYR4I2U385I?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story. Little too long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D8ZDPR49LH7D?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">couldn't put it down........</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GR5AWOCNTPH5?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A waste of a summer read. !!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R41LPWX5TLHNH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">really deserved the pulitzer</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C9N1O6HRDPP5?ASIN=0316055441	3 stars for Ms Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I guess I think this book falls somewhere in the middle of ok and fabulous. I'm a constant reader, and will read the great, the good, the bad, the ugly, the horrible, etc.<br/><br/>I can say the book is long winded and if you are a person that gets bored easily with books where the story moves slowly, this is NOT for you.<br/><br/>I also can say the book is written beautifully. It definitely makes you do some deap thinking and soul searching. I'm fairly certain that was a goal of Ms. Tartt so in that respect the book is a success.<br/><br/>My major problem with the story as a whole is that it is just dang depressing!! I didn't have respect or even like the main character, Theo, much. He made horrendous choices and everything works out for him in the end? I can't get behind that. I know one of the points the author was getting at was that sometimes things have to get bad/worse before they get better or said differently that sometimes good things comes from bad situations. However, I think we reap what we sow and Theo should be sitting his butt in jail right next to Boris for the murder, theft, drug use, etc.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17B7Y6ZZEAV8L?ASIN=0316055441	ugh.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A story that consists of serial name dropping and toney references to hide its implicit emptiness. Theo's mother would be appalled!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1528Z1S7UC579?ASIN=0316055441	terrible book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long, boring , especially the Vegas section. Could be one half the length.  Few likable characters, just wanted it to be over!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SY5WBP8QNN0T?ASIN=0316055441	HATED IT!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hated this book but forced myself to finish it. I would write about it butI'm not going to bother because I HATED IT. NUFF SAID.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KP8RC7MX95R5?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Never thought that I am nostalgic for THE LITTLE FRIEND,  but after wading through this Tom.  Wow, Donna.  Is this all you got?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TCI97E95F7Y7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this a good book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GOU4VY22MPEI?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters capture you.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R45AGIKBT2RLB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love, love, love this book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DBDXNBOL6RTW?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Strange but very compelling</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S2YE6LGN6GC7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long read but well worth it</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KBGROUZ2BMDF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an intriguing book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NY7GFDJ4ZJTA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great could not put it down</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FH9G4EBWDT8L?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but very long!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4C1GZLP06D1C?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful though loooonnng.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32T7BOAEKHR38?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great service and product !</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R90C0JB69BMV?ASIN=0316055441	Far too words and negative.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Far too words and negative.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQJBL2ZUQ5YN?ASIN=0316055441	Pageturner Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A page turner.  A must read</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T2JYQFE189AM?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too depressing..too preachy</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R365U9L1IV82FO?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a hard read for me</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ENIPWO39KBRL?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too wordy and drawn out....</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1STBCN45M9ZEV?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book, a bit overrated.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNMBK09V66IS7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book, a must read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LKN6A9Q2LIY9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Arrived on time as promised</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CFK83LQX8AON?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Took a long time to deliver</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XTF1S8APUV6D?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">couldn't get into this book</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UDWU4BGT6GPD?ASIN=0316055441	very good.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So well written, very good.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18YL70J3V6FDK?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What is all the hype about?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PLNW7423CHH9?ASIN=0316055441	Great read for a wide audience.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love, love, loved this one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q5FI5D8U4FKU?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too lengthy, moved too slow</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHEIT9QPACMNJ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's OK, repeats for pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38HR4W593AKTK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long read and a good one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MUKP5NN8X2LD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing. Couldn't put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TK71RRBV4NFF?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very heavy depressing read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVJCVJZ4QL1T?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this was the best read ever</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZRE82JVOGASP?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very good but way too wordy</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19K2Y1SLNPLI0?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just finished this book. It was one of those books that I was impatient to get to the ending to see what was going to happen, but at the same time never wanted to stop reading. Donna Tartt's writing is like gorgeous art in itself. That last chapter was probably one of the most beautiful things I've ever read. This may sound silly, but I think the book is worth reading just to get to the last passage alone. But you have to read it from the main character's perspective as well though. I read someone else's review that said it was a bunch of novels in one, which I had not really thought of it as. And it is true! We could have read several novels that span in several different directions with this novel. I would have read each and every one!<br/><br/>The reason I gave it four stars though is because it is LONG. Some parts do drag on and even with the beauty of the writing, I found myself thinking, get on with it already lady! It could have been condensed a bit more, but I still would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who likes an author who knows how to write an amazing book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YKBPZ1VVHL79?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of time and money	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a waste of time and money. Started out well then went downhill. A long boring book with characters you end up not liking.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AUZ4DS1BS77A?ASIN=0316055441	.a lot of detail.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Will write more later....ask me next month.<br/>Have only gone through the first chapter.<br/>So far seems to be interesting</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQUU6P20G5IK4?ASIN=0316055441	She plays language the way that Jimi Henrdix played guitar	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's easy to imagine that writers, even very accomplished ones, might feel humbled, or even intimidated by Donna Tartt's talent.  She is a virtuoso.  She plays language the way that Jimi Hendrix played guitar.  Some might love her playing, others might be put off by it, but nearly all would find it difficult to deny that a unique sound and a fresh form of artistic expression is on display in The Goldfinch.<br/><br/>The book has its flaws and its historical inaccuracies, but they can be written off to artistic license, or to the fact that The Goldfinch is a fiction.  The one flaw that is hard to forgive is that Ms. Tartt is repeatedly left free to dazzle and to play her verbal riffs far too often and for far too long.  To blame her for that might be unfair.  A book is a team effort and faulting her would be like blaming Lebron James for playing an entire game and going for eighty points in a contest that was decided in Miami's favor by half time.  A good coach would have taken James out.  A good editor would have trimmed The Goldfinch by as much as twenty five percent.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ISYU9HMZFFNW?ASIN=0316055441	Beyond boring. Could not finish it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beyond boring.  Could not finish it.  Every character a self-obsessed substance-abuser, except for those that are killed off.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23MAPTYTYNMGP?ASIN=0316055441	For the Birds	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This sucker needed an editor and a main character who wasn't such a whiny loser. By Amsterdam, I just kept hoping he'd die.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39HSLX2K9G1U1?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt had one decent book in here and now the gift is gone.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book sucks.  It's terrible, overwritten, the main character is completely unrelatable and I hated every moment of it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XPIWHPTPHX1S?ASIN=0316055441	Not my kind of story1	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was not happy watching the decline of the drug addicted hero's. .Yes they seem to improve but .....Some interesting parts.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E4OPPH1R05UX?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My absolute favorite book!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R188DE4BER4OCM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really awesome, epic book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R358R77GMD4H3B?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story.  A must read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3729UICIN7AF0?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">INTERESTING BUT STRUNG OUT</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y2GP44KM88UO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this feel-good book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB5HJHXHU79WU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was absorbed throughout.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23LB5M36L7RNZ?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A page turner! Wonderful!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTCXK2HATSWON?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic book! Must read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PMRAZKORA1JM?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ET73JY34SMJP?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappointed in this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R55A4RO22YDW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book but way too lomg</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17O5VMZPBMEYR?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book but oh so long!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVV7CMXRVBZ8?ASIN=0316055441	Good book. Fast shipping	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book.  Fast shipping.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R48PAKSB44CTS?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great product and service.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MWSY9F8F81Q0?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written phenom story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCK418MTB77NG?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought it was depressing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZNRU5E9ZM1GE?ASIN=0316055441	pulitzer prize for what?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too lengthy and depressing</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1914D6UNFHP9P?ASIN=0316055441	Must read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed reading it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20OSNWNS1GBNC?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lengthy but worth the read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HMLKNIAGASUS?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't really care for it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LQBG5T0YTM5N?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story. Well written.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MHPMMK6DX73K?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but too dark.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE46FSD52LA93?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">wonderful plot development</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YWZ6N9B9QCVT?ASIN=0316055441	She loved it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was a gift.  She loved it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MN4Y6BHWKVZW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book--don't miss it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SW18Y3FNPVOP?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">disappointed in the ending</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M744ZKI20QBQ?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like it one bit.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUBEO5E1REJCT?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">VERY COMPELLING, EVOCATIVE</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6M2DNHQ5DGJZ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too long, confusing ending</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T8FAST0HY1U7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story and so humble.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16ZQKGY1GUV7X?ASIN=0316055441	never mind much to wordy.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">never mind  much to wordy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NFXIQDWWJBRA?ASIN=0316055441	not worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very drawn out and boring.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28UTH8UM7G0UE?ASIN=0316055441	Editor needed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like long books, but not tedious books. This was tedious.  I'm reading Les Miserables in french and am enjoying every moment. Every moment!  I could not get into The Goldfinch: why? - over-wrought writing, padding out the drama, oh, so llooooong, my god I had to wade through the first fifty pages, just like the young boy wading through all that horrific debris.  Then on to the next chapter and again too much belabored writing.  An editor is needed to cut the book by at least one quarter.  Get rid of the chaff!  etc!  This is my first and last Donna Tartt book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFC6JVQG0O8RN?ASIN=0316055441	Big Bore	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've slogged through over half of this mammoth bore, way more than enough.  It's a disservice to other Pulitzer winners.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQP3YF11R5Z4P?ASIN=0316055441	I can't understand WHY this is on the Best Seller List	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No!  No!  No!  I can't understand WHY this is on the Best Seller List!  And being on the Pulitzer Prize list is a joke.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REXGY85H2QYV0?ASIN=0316055441	superb writing, involving story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would say that this is a Huckleberry Finn journey in times that are nowhere near as innocent.  I hated to see it end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BCU81V3D90VY?ASIN=0316055441	Really this book could have been written in 700 less ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really this book could have been written in 700 less pages.<br/>And the guy just needed to be smacked.....get a grip.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R234JUBD50K0QM?ASIN=0316055441	I didn't like the language at times and it just wasn't my ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'd give it a minus, minus . It was too long, I didn't like  the language at times and it just wasn't my type of book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JV7OBS4GXEQA?ASIN=0316055441	Too Wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, too much dope, too many descriptive words, just tell the story, constant descriptions just drag the story on</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q9OLK0UX963T?ASIN=0316055441	Bought 2 more copies	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a wonderful read. We're sending a copy to a dear friend and another to family overseas. Not a word out of place.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R273G0OWMVD85D?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed, kept my interest</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RHXP8J3Z7NDJ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fun read. Great ending!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37NYI76NET2XQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">THIS is why I read books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO3LVCG9K4I0Z?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good story and read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT2G7XPCBZJ4W?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To long first half boring</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19L81L9TQSO43?ASIN=0316055441	Loved, loved, loved this book! Gifting it to many who are thrilled to have such a great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book!!!!!!!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PZWTZDI399V?ASIN=0316055441	My cup of tea!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Twists and turns, earthy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2406XBMZ4GCUL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very pleased with product</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E73MYV5UX8Q1?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tedious, tedious, tedious</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ITMUNR7W8LKB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome book! I loved it!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OHZJ41KOQK7V?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very tedious and too long</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33U3HE2HLOOC8?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story but too wordy.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ULCASP8F8U?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tough read, but worth it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OM8KUPCFWVTN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Everything was excellent.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C90YQZMHREWG?ASIN=0316055441	Definitely worth reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Definitely worth reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M95B77X1XAJ4?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way to long and drawn out</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R120G3WNANQ1X2?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked it pretty well...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JRYBLI4JM6JG?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit rambling at the end</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20DVC3Q35FO9L?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long but interesting read</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DDSXZ3EOBPTS?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of my favorite books!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6QD343U0M6PD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Arrived in perfect shape!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6T6EA0XP6TU8?ASIN=0316055441	Once is not enough	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book I will read again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW3ZIJAUOS8RH?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long but interesting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DYD2ZVMBPH3G?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling point of view.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11QTUBMCOLEFE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written page turner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF7DFTQ2R7HVY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of my favorite books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHNXZIZ5PPUST?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story, well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TBJLZE67EBWQ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed it; easy reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I1UFV9MD2BUQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Superb story of survival.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39ALDVLXTGRC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It deserves the Pulitzer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16FD4STXWW4F2?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the time and effort	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The goldfinch is a symbol in western art of the Passion of Christ. I believe this is a key symbol in the work. The book is about human suffering and redemption thru suffering. I recommend the book unreservedly to all readers. It is a well written book with an interesting plot and characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ENI5LOTUEVC6?ASIN=0316055441	Not deserving of its high ratings.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I feel very much like the young child in that  story by Hans Christian Anderson titled ""The Emperor's New Clothes"" when he points out to the adoring crowd that the Emperor is naked.  In order to read 800 pages and enjoy it one would seem to care about the characters and about what happens to them.  I felt like I was slogging through through the marsh to reach the end of this tome and felt only a sense of relief when I reached the last page.  To compare this book to ""To Kill a Mockingbird"" is particularly insulting to that classic.  This book is a absurd story populated with mostly thoroughly unlikeable characters including the story's principal character.  At first one feels sympathy for Theodore but by the time the he departs Las Vegas to return to NYC he has lost whatever moral compass his mother instilled in him and wanders untethered through the rest of the book.<br/>The reviews for this book are as pompous and pretentious as I have ever read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1II3R44SHMQI0?ASIN=0316055441	writing is good, but would have been enjoyable in a shorter ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book rather drawn out and repetitive. writing is good, but would have been enjoyable in a shorter form.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18WFZ3NABJZ8V?ASIN=0316055441	DONT BOTHER	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">VERY DEPRESSING, NOT WORTH THE READ, SKIP PAGES OF NONSENSE CHATTER TO TRY AND FIND A POSITIVE! DONT BOTHER TO BUY!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AAEQOXGB75IT?ASIN=0316055441	Thank you Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an excellent book, very well written, definitely the best this year.  I will be looking for her other books</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CBPTGE7STHZV?ASIN=0316055441	Fiction Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best written fiction book I have read in a long time. The author is a master of character development.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF6CY84O2G1VR?ASIN=0316055441	A rare accomplishment of genuine literature.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished reading The Goldfinch and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Having said that, I realize this piece is not for everyone and I think the author would agree. I have read several comments regarding the length of the book and, as previously stated, this novel is not for everyone. I found it neither too short nor too long. The characters were nicely fleshed out with just enough detail to give me a picture of each and allow me to fill in the visuals for myself. Imagination is a good thing and it takes a good writer to know and respect that. I found the story compelling and, even with his many flaws, felt a strong loyalty for the protagonist. As an adolescent, he is severely traumatized with no real opportunity for healing, or even breathing room, to at least somehow process what had happened to him. So, naturally, he is emotionally broken; shattered, really. Ultimately, it is his ability to see, to feel, to embrace beauty that redeems him.<br/><br/>Highly recommended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ENIMRJZI7IZL?ASIN=0316055441	Just grab a fork and jab it into your neck - it's less painful than slogging through this train wreck	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Are you able to return an Audible book?<br/><br/>I fear that I am unwittingly taking part in a social experiment. I just purchased the Goldfinch given the outstanding reviews. I now know that these reviews must be plants to see how many lemmings there are in the literary world.<br/><br/>I want to put a bullet in my head. It is more painful, unnecessarily drawn out, and overly dramatic than Stations of the Cross during Lent at ANY Catholic Church.<br/><br/>I have self diagnosed OCD and will physically force myself into finishing all 500 hours of this damn book if it is not wiped from my Audible history.<br/><br/>Please, be kind.... Issue a refund.<br/><br/>Thank you in advance.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OC6PMG6BAG35?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not finish the book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LDQ5JDFYVJ4R?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Waaaayyy too many words.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F5QU96W6RKYS?ASIN=0316055441	Good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written. Good read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DH7NT2B5AJMP?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic.  Learn al lot</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SJA77JV5Z5ZD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long read exciting story</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FEW9TUM8BTII?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not like it too wory</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U5C8HRNNLBU7?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Definitely a page turner</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FGE2HTWMKF99?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A brilliant book. Morgan</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1905OHCYUX0ZR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OPNBB5PK6U3C?ASIN=0316055441	loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very exciting!!loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGM922KXIUR3J?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved reading this book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27VY5EFP8QD9U?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">lots of twists and turns</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OGPFFKD6HB7K?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an incredible saga!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3452OG15C45MT?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read and adventure</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR0P3F46CM7B9?ASIN=0316055441	difficult reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very wordy nd depressing</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T7WR9V0MVJFS?ASIN=0316055441	but great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too long, but great book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35TTOWY6TECY5?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many tedious details</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY9ZCOSYW44BK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed this book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RO4OI72WVBGJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best read in a long time</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HAISBGOFYJVG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed this book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNT741QJ58MAP?ASIN=0316055441	Very good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed this book a lot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VB5WYWPY2HON?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow moving boring book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2154K1A95DN7J?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long and boring.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSHBAKEGBDWBJ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good but too long a read</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D4D1MX8Y6PTO?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossing morality tale</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15CRRN0N2727G?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a great read....</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMQYPW35CTHUC?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I disliked it immensely.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SXJPG9XZI0QX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't. Put. It. Down.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA6XFIQFYH78H?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was very good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MPH9RCG9K96W?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wordy but excellent read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EI0R4A185ON5?ASIN=0316055441	Gripping	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You must read this book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F6ZLHQDHQFG1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long but enjoyable book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NO2QXFNMW1WS?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">such a rich adventure...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D84MUBGEHKDC?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappointed with ending</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34JZO78KCK5TC?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not sure i liked the end</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22PBBOB2TE8WH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book!  Outstanding</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REJCGZ5SU535E?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very wordie &amp; confusing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33T40G9CSUCUS?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really kept my attention</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BJ5P8R32Q4I9?ASIN=0316055441	what's all the fuss	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this book was at least 400 pages too long.  Not sure what all the fuss is about, I didn't care about any of the characters, it was so over drawn out. I like descriptive books but this takes it to another level.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YPRU48B82QAH?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very drawn out &amp; too long for what it had to offer. Also depressing so if that's what you like than a good fit</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D2WYR9SLJUZ6?ASIN=0316055441	Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long - she could have developed the characters and had a better book if it were about half the length.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AY7G1SZJ47Y3?ASIN=0316055441	A glorious read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This a truly fine novel. Beautifully written, compelling to the very end, which came too soon. Do not miss it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDGXTVL0J3M3J?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book - it isn't quite as good as A Secret History, but it's pretty amazing.  Highly recommended!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33NG98ESIQPKF?ASIN=0316055441	A great read on vacation	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I Brought this with on my vacation to Florida last week, a great read, I would highly recommend to anybody!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L1KHA2MXH4CT?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Devine. A tour de force</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1218U035VNS2B?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Deserved the accolades.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10K9NS434JMZQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well crafted storyline.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XDEEXPPXFNFG?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It dragged on too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HTQ7Z05PFZYB?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long. Got no where.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R307VQG3ZL13CG?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a very dark book</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAPM56LHHZHP0?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful, wonderful!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIR17W8XAZID8?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good but not great</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YY4YQDC0NJTI?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossing well written</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G3HRIHK3YART?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting but tedious</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U64K1H6G6UGU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it, fast reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R300LCIIDVFCN5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fast delivery excellent</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WRQU73NP5CR8?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and very slow.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PZXHWTIADBYW?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">didn't hold my interest</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R161TMJ4U3B6DJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well-deserved Pulitzer!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IF87WNT8QG9J?ASIN=0316055441	Not my favorite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too slow &amp; predictable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROZSFVAX896OO?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">enjoying this very much</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11D2JVZQ56OSX?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and drawn out.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CNGO6C3HQSN3?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Waste of valuable time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JR6SE69J9COC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Positively enthralling!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGE7O5IUR7A1A?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Holden Caulfield redux.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QJZICACYA4X3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long read but worth it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AVGJCNHN32QW?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring and long winded.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WG0UCQV5KLFY?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WAY too long and boring</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39LT7ZEI5HOU2?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very thought provoking.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X8ZTTHTS4097?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long but holds interest</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XGZHLMFM98QG?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long, over writen book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN604RJJL5TXD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You can see why it won.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B1IC7TX6W8V6?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too long and drawn out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UCITYQJ07QPF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put it down!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QRQQC6CA40A5?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very disturbing book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XQT23RDJGFRO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book,loved it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DJ5W05TX9LKN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Satisfyingly long read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11X40R3UIEOE3?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good book, very intense</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SG9GJ6RI8FMK?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A really enjoyable read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EPITK7HTIO3M?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought provoking read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S9KENOO1FM48?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read, poor ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34AR752C4FX76?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long read but worth it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWMWSDGUR2GDR?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved 95% of this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33WRSBN7MUPBO?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too drawn out and wordy</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I2OAIDWVLU5Y?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrible book.....poorly written, dragged out, poor character development. This must be a one-book author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DAOO2CJRN6I9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read. Perhaps a little too long winded in parts but a masterpiece nonetheless.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FTWIJMO7MIBC?ASIN=0316055441	Question	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wonder if I can ask a question here?  I read the first part of the book, after Theo went to stay with Andy, but before he went to Vegas, and was so bored, I put the book down and didn't pick it up again for a few months.  I decided to try it again, and immediately became engaged, then couldn't put it down until the end.  Having said that, the end, starting when he is in the room in Amsterdam after the shooting, was once again, hard to keep my attention.  Maybe it's the lyrical prose, but I skimmed over several pages at a go.<br/>Anyway, my question.  I forget a few parts, and don't want to read the beginning again to find out.  How does Theo get the ring and know to return it to Welty's address?  Did Welty give it to him?  I seem to recall a conversation between them after the explosion.  Also, how did Theo end up with the painting?  Did he take it, or did Welty give that to him?<br/>Thanks</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R156TXKECTYEJD?ASIN=0316055441	Impressive Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an expansive, impressive piece of writing.  The story is engaging and the characters are artfully and clearly developed.  It was a great read.  I stopped short of giving it 5 stars (although it won a Pulitzer--so I don't know what causes me to think I can give it a lesser rating!), and this may not be fair, because of my reasoning; but it was nearly excruciatingly, Russian-novel-long!  I read it on my Kindle, so I do not know the exact page count, but I think it was well over 900 pages.  The author does a very good job of giving the characters' histories and they are interesting.  The book generally flows well, but sometimes it seemed that there was more than one book within those 900 pages.  I am glad I read it, though, and if the reader knows what kind of commitment they are in for, they will get lost in this story that follows a boy from his young teens until established adulthood.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GJA651YUNKUQ?ASIN=0316055441	Her best yet	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have read her two previous books and consider this one as her very best. Look forward to her next one.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29DVZWEPA3N3O?ASIN=0316055441	One of the worst books I have read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the worst books I have read.  Way to much detail, her thoughts at the end took forever to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QFV527RT6WXV?ASIN=0316055441	boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sorry I ever started this book. Drags on and on and on. I can't understand why people liked this book!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMY5ZSTO0NYJ8?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good much - very long.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC9RHJ7V4TMB6?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">dark and sad, but good</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LUKJGCHB9ELP?ASIN=0316055441	Great NYC story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really loved this book</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35ATG2R7R8LDW?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoroughly engrossing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35TNCFMDCN0CO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">EXCELLENT BUT TOO LONG</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UTJKHPROKMF4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't want it to end!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IA61QZPKAJZ0?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoroughly enjoyed it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35Q6OJ8T8OMMW?ASIN=0316055441	Not my style	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Poor choice on my part</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30E7S06TXH0TL?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unsatisfactory ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR9K5BJ36F8WV?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book - great read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD8N40L2C8R1L?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not like the book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HIG77EMLA8VK?ASIN=0316055441	Priceless Art Is Kept Hidden	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting story</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XGD8KYL8N4V7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story. Loved it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SM1UAW6P8F7X?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long.  REDUNDENT!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RM5HF38BTFM9?ASIN=0316055441	good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exciting and different</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FP3KTQQ16UBS?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At times was too slow.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJRGRNLU1AUGH?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got bored at the end</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L2RCDUE4CNB6?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book to read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VI3N9IMSQB4C?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not put it down!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QGIFBOO0UBB9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDZGVBVQ99617?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">thoroughly enjoyed it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F0AT3Y9WGLYH?ASIN=0316055441	Yep.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Deserves all the hype.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTI48OV8X4SQE?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very enjoyable reading</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KGJW17EXZTT3?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely loved it...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14OE8QD2DD5GL?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really didn't like it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DNB8AKQQM4R1?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unnecessarily too long</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q1XRISVOMNPV?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was an engaging story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LOVU3TH8WMBW?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A real disappointment!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19R90EUOTDXAU?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To much blah blah blah</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MFLWHRA9L946?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sad when it ended. . .</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJM4HRSER0TZO?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story - bit wordy</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QF6I9WWO8DT3?ASIN=0316055441	"Too "" tally """	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too  "" tally ""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31TXRLN37E6TS?ASIN=0316055441	And sad.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Outstanding!! And sad.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D0CBG0Q5RA8T?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite the page turner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJPB69TK1YL3R?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing story telling.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X1DVIQXLJW4V?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too long and drawn out</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37GVBI2B395I6?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Looooooong book was OK</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU3ACENX2JO45?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">VER GOOD BUT VERY LONG</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HCL3F9UMGX7B?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18G1B2NCXMOL1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am loving this book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDJZFP5ZOKRB6?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting characters</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X6NGS42M8N7D?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't even finish it-</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37RRL5NZZR6TY?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long. Didn't flow.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UAU04NWDFBSK?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kind of a downer book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9ATVROPDSXJ8?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">boring, boring, boring</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AZEI3LAG3G6Q?ASIN=0316055441	Flaws belong mainly to the editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel delivers a lot of good writing and interesting ideas, but it is too long, too pretentious and it lacks a decent ending. A good editor might have fixed all these flaws. The editor should also have removed lots of little annoyances such as spelling the names of characters in different ways and Pippa having naked arms at the Metropolitan Museum in New York in April when others wore coats.<br/>Tartt like actress Jodie Foster is compelled to show beyond any doubt that she is smarter and more knowledable than anyone around - that is tedious and a bit sad. Like Foster Tartt's gender identity also seems to be insecure which may be the reason that she chose a male protagonist. As a women I do not know if teenage boys think the way Theo and Boris are portrayed but I would have expected more focus on sex rather than drugs, food and rolling on the floor laughing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10VCHPN7J5U21?ASIN=0316055441	Repetitive and boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Drunks and addicts are boring to be around and to read about.  I kept waiting for this story to move along but it just went around and around in the same place.  Couldn't finish it because I got so depressed reading it.  IMHO overrated book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36XWPYI8U4T6A?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing; worth reading only if you skim a lot of it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very disappointed.  I had had very high hopes for this book, based on all the hype and positive reviews.<br/><br/>Parts of the book were absolutely compelling (like the first 1/4 of the book, parts of the last 100 pages or so).  A lot of the rest of the book was pretty tedious.  Who wants to read page after page of inane teenage antics with drugs and alcohol.  Who wants to read endless conversations that don't go anywhere.  Not me!  So I wound up skimming.<br/><br/>At the end of the book, I felt that Tartt was trying very hard to be profound.  It was way too obvious and it failed miserably.<br/><br/>That said, again, the first 1/4 of the book was very good.  And Boris, when he pops up again later in the book in NYC, was often hilarious.  Implausible, but fun.<br/><br/>I enjoyed the book enough, but only because I skimmed a good bit of it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYGGIB4TTWA7D?ASIN=0316055441	Honestly, a masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel went far deeper and broader that I thought any could go. I want to hand out copies of this to everyone I see. This book just flows out of the pages and into you. It is everything a good novel should be. It has a fantastic protagonist, interesting story line and, like the painting in its title will put you in a place of great contemplation. This was absolutely a joy to read. It is not exactly able to be placed in any particular genre. This is one for the masses, but not the beachy paperback kind of best seller, this is one that I think every reader wants to share, because of its relatable  depth and honesty. You will see yourself in Theo and both hate and love him for it. This is simply one that you must read if you love to read. It's one that stays with you a long, long time. Thank you Ms. Tartt, for giving this wonderful gift to the world.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12T04M2V7LBLR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of my favorites!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R330CE993UCDZC?ASIN=0316055441	Sad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very depressing book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC6LEJEZU8X0K?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ROJEAQEKBY3F?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a masterpiece...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IGSU8GP9J6RY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fast and easy. Thanks</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21KNXDHKM77JY?ASIN=0316055441	really enjoyable read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">really enjoyable read</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LKHIV8Y4DID6?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent! On time :)</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKPWCJH7C0NCM?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story very wordy</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DSZBB0BZ0BY4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My new favorite read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UJVE1YV9BJY2?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very depressing Book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6BSTVCCG4J6R?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book for my daughter.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AYNHW8ONUA5J?ASIN=0316055441	but good!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit long, but good!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QM8HQTAJDXTI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is amazing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5K5NQFVRKYBU?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Where was the editor?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GVRDYS1DJ6GJ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long winded.  Sue</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJNQOON7XHWH4?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T3OE4RVFUB2K?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent. Brilliant!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J4B6M52Q7VMG?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">couldn't get into it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXKS6EYEAG94K?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Din't like the ending</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33FTPX1U5QS6?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JTIO7Y01US4N?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Entertaining reading!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR8MN8OAGJEQ1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">could not put it down</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16JGM0RVQFVXU?ASIN=0316055441	A great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UO06VC2J84K2?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">well written but long</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AYAG3S0G7SC2?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long &amp; slow paced</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFD77X9XPLKMR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous page-turner.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EB82L1RVVUA4?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A53A0W0TAM1K?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Difficult to put down</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNZGL2WLA1VMY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TIMBB89E6J0F?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">could not put it down</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSXVFWS9JDCKB?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Heavy-handed writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O13SWWTCZCTS?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Living it!  Big book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R331I0R4BI2SPD?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It kept my attention.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY98Y4PS8HB3S?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EJTAFTAKTL53?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PIJM0MIY0WMP?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing character.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8463YZU4ZOD1?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great poetry&amp; imagery</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GVH5MBHM6PSU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book - WOW!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL7BOUZ4CG864?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRE2RD33XQW8V?ASIN=0316055441	Recommend Highly	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book.  Liked it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MLAOPFSWVTMI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An exceptional book !</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BPA24GPP4FJY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written !</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS514YXYF6G2X?ASIN=0316055441	but pretty	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long, but pretty good</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U3H909MSPHAB?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It meandered too much</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R106PBQSO0KDU2?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is a masterpiece and well worth the price.  Very glad I was able to get it so quickly.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JQYXGRIXJH0P?ASIN=0316055441	Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My Mom thought this was a very good book, so I'm glad I bought it for her. She recommends it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4KPF6MI6LOJD?ASIN=0316055441	Well worth the time........	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was actually a bit apprehensive to start reading a 775 page book; gosh that is long! I was reading Andy Cohens diary at the time and he kept referring to this book and praising it so I figured if Andy Cohen could do it so could I. Well, Andy was right......this is an awesome book and well worth the investment of your time. It chronicles a life from the characters early teen years through his early 30's and richly details his experiences starting with a chance encounter/disaster at an art museum in NYC that will shape the rest of his life. As I said above, this book has rich detail, is well written and is fully developed. The reader can easily picture Theo and Boris in Las Vegas, Theo living with the Barbours and Theo's life with Hobie. Ms. Tartt has a gift and I can say I am happy I read this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F6MFNKN4Y8J2?ASIN=0316055441	Where was the editor?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My strongest feeling about this book was that it badly needed editing. Many of the descriptions, particularly of the drinking/drug<br/>scenes were far too long and elaborate. It stretched credibility to have the narrator giving such detailed accounts of his every<br/>move and feeling. I also thought the ending went astray.<br/>It was an interesting scenario but way too long for the story it told. The settings were strongly evoked and realistic.<br/>I thought the characterization of the teenage boy was good - the surly, uncommunicative youth was very believable. The adult less so.<br/>There were a lot of unappealing characters, particularly the exceedingly strange Boris.<br/>That said it was quite a compelling read - one had to find out what happened in the end, particularly to 'The Goldfinch'!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R120BDAGCKQ8KN?ASIN=0316055441	Boggy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too ""talky"", slow-moving. Glad to reach the end. Don't know why it got the Pulitzer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R92U94LZYQYVV?ASIN=0316055441	A sad and crazy ride.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some of the language is simply beautiful and the story just draws you in, when Theo and Boris are on the playground  looking at the stars, I was on  the playground.<br/><br/>Broken, wounded, lost, Theo doesn't change much from the adolent passages to the later years as a young adult, and I realized that in most cases we all remain in an adolescent fog for quite some time. It would have been easy to write about a Theo that overcomes his broken wounded life - but Karen stays true to the story - this is how broken people are made and why they stay broken.<br/><br/>Where some see descriptive passages running a muck, I see those moments of tangential thought, when a memory or thought takes you down a path and an hour and half passes you by and you don't  really know where you have been, as a very real experience.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RELZ2FJB6V6T9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous - loved it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BKK8RN3FY4C0?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CL993DUFM0VT?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful experience</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LSDZPVYE5JLC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW43IT877DYKE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TXUDW5PATQCY?ASIN=0316055441	Find out what the noise is about!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Finally a paper back</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HOO488G24ZJA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V0K8FMACU4QC?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11W4U2DA50KJT?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is good.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WJPP8ACT5ZE5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">enjoyed it very much</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PWR108V4ZSMJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">amazing! love Boris!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R187G39NRY6JPK?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was just too much</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A1F36A5HV7YY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OQAH4K4T8BTC?ASIN=0316055441	Read This Book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really a great book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R69NPSYZ1XJEE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NQBTI0T8FPSG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">was a very good book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FKSZKS705C8D?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No plot, depressing!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10J0F2YX6Q318?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard to put it down!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI1TTXBUQQL07?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R363J5POBEXXHR?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS7FUINHSEEHA?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrible- too wordy.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12DO4SR6QOPD3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AJV84SDYCEZP?ASIN=0316055441	Great christmas gift!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My sister loved it!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TMJ5717ZUST8?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">gorgeous work of art</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZTQT595E50M4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very enjoyable read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32O13RT4W6X81?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it was a page turner</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QJHZLS5NX26N?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">long and fascinating</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R993HHJ05HXX1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very poignant story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLP1X91486KP9?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tough to get into...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UD6TSQ4D29IC?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful reading…..</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDQG9EVEE17F3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35QEY14UT5O7H?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good story well told</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DYMXBNK6HBRH?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dragged on in parts.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A2LAZT13VIV1?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little long winded</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LDLVY1RTH22X?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long and depressing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TP0FVLMQGF5H?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">to long and wording-</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FQ8CTY75SEWM?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KL9OCDMPUJS7?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long and wordy.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A5DR7AAT73ZD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QS52I7HQDRI8?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good but too lengthy</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HJV833ZM1HE2?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Far too long winded.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDHZ04N01HVDG?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">lost me at 80 pages!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YXX04BZZIA72?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the classics!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LV5VHG7SYH01?ASIN=0316055441	Unhappy book review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Initially, I found the story fascinating!  As life moved forward and this young boy had no suprevision and fell by the way side in my opinion, the language changed dramatically as did the behavior of two young boys.  I was turned off completely by  the foul language!  I felt depressed that two young teenage boys were left to raise themselves with no parental care.  I found myself feeling angry with the two fathers!  I didn't even finish the book.  I realize that this kind of lifestyle is very common in today's world, as I'm a retired teacher who dealt with many family both wealthy and poor who neglected their children and wondered why they ended up in the prison system.  This may be a top hit book for many, but for me, it is a total dud.  I regret having purchased it.<br/><br/>S. Merz</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RCM6TG27NECO?ASIN=0316055441	Good story ruined	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the worst book I  have ever read. The author ruined a really good story and plot with pages and even whole chapters of self indulgent philosophical drivel. If it was possible to give a nagar ice star I would</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BNGUDFTXYY8R?ASIN=0316055441	Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo should have been killed in the museum with his mother.  End of story.  Good riddance</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MI7E3Z4BP5YB?ASIN=0316055441	Looking for a better Tom Wolfe?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is what Tom Wolfe wishes he could do in drivel like Charlotte Simmons, but Dickens it ain't. Still, it gains a plot around p. 500 that would do Elmore Leonard proud and it's gonna make one helluva movie!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KRLDIW9NWHCN?ASIN=0316055441	DONT READ!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I saw no redeeming value in this book. It was about a miserable, depressing, wasted life. even if the prose was beautiful, and he finds morality and honesty in the end, I don't see any reason to put yourself through the torture of experiencing this misery. Life is challenging, reading should be an enjoyable escape. This book made me more depressed. Please don't put yourself through this torture!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31CPNZ2SOO0JL?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging! Loved it!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU03T1K6BEIML?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy and dark!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROSICFH8RS3UV?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A real page turner!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FT3AWYSMIYIO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AW5LMQ4E9Y6O?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROPRZUBFQFX8H?ASIN=0316055441	Great novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully written</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CB8CX1NFJWO1?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good, but sad.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XPAGYUQSKEKK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A true page turner!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZI8XFF6OYKDK?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutly brilliant</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU9U1JHU0L4H0?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long but excellent!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GLZXDE4G15NQ?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed every page!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y63F7YL5CQXW?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Would not recommend</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5K945IL4ADOE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZU07O12LKBFM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EKK7D9WQDI2Z?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A real page turner!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DFGZ1O7GEH5G?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Spectacular read !!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38G9IJZ3BGX6I?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Starts very slowly.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU0U0SE23L64E?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too much detail</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LQ49QNJ1LC9O?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TKEX2UH0MUY6?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book.....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UCTZEVTSOWA9?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terribly depressing</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FVX6EA2MMQMB?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long and depressing</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ERTQJV4AS6Z2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA0M9WVSF5P61?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28TDRGB7LGMOI?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This never arrived.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ILUCIBIQWNDB?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Shallow and boring.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZJ792IQSZ52E?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit wordy for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EJC861NOFB48?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A favorite for 2014</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CEDV9V9RV05M?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Delivered and read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TBCPFOKR141G?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful. Amazing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15BGVLCBLPWFB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful reading</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7N1NNEMAWNFH?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, too wordy</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NA94W6T9TFYK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely amazing.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R177HZMHJRNSD9?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was entertaining</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGVQKFPF5GPND?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good novel on life!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FK5VAT0LBY48?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The ending dragged.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FZ6KGRRDALTZ?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not worth the time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX3EYP3CUGWYZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It still resonates!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NEEQECGVE8MD?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully written</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K58D2OXTAROC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this  book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL2SBSKGF2EI0?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P2KLJNFN92SO?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was disappointed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REI1W31QONTZY?ASIN=0316055441	Too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and wordy.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UZL15URUM9C8?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To long book was ok</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EDEV25J2N2YW?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Liked it... A lot !</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UGB1PE7Z2P1I?ASIN=0316055441	A good start can't save this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It starts so well, and then everything develops into terror and killings.  I hated it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EHMCNQQO3V65?ASIN=0316055441	An unusual and compelling book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The New York Times dubbed this one of the  ten best books of 2013, so I read it.  A boy, Theo, is with his mother in a New York museum when she is killed, but Theo escapes the blast--having been given the painting The Goldfinch, created in 1654 by Carel Fabritius.  The painting plays a major role in the story.  Theo lives in New York till his father takes him to Las Vegas, where he meets up with Boris, a kind of incredible character.  Theo and Boris do lots of bad things, but their antagonists are even worse than they so one has to be ""for"" them despite their many faults.  I suppose the novel is too long (771 pages) but I never lost interest in what was going on and Tartt is a compelling author, and some of the book is pretty powerful..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R335JNEZEL46OL?ASIN=0316055441	Not enough people have reviewed this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting novel about how people are the product of their experiences, yet more than the product of their experiences. It may be the least ingratiating novel about an orphan I've ever read. Tartt writes like she doesn't know what the words 'precious' and 'adorable' mean, and for that she has my everlasting gratitude. If I hadn't read this first, I might not have vomited so profusely over 'All the Light We Cannot See'.<br/><br/>Fun fact: When I got to the end of this book I reread the first chapter just to see how it would come across with the ending in mind, and I ended up reading the entire book a second time all the way through. Both times I was sorry to reach the end.<br/><br/>This book is very, very good. Five stars!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I602HASVANVZ?ASIN=0316055441	700 pages of depressing behaviors	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book depressing. It was basically 700 pages of drug and alcohol addiction.  That was the only part of the story that was well developed --and certainly it described the thought processes of an addict very well.  But that isn't really a story. The painting was one of the side issues that could be used to describe the poor choices made by the main characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TMLGI2IOZRSG?ASIN=0316055441	An engrossing read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I gave this book 5 stars because it did pull me into the story and I was sorry when I finished it.  I found it to be rather addictive.  However, the author is extremely descriptive.  Many of her descriptions are creative and interesting, but sometimes I lost the story line amidst all the descriptions and would have to go back several pages to remember what was happening.  It took me a while to get into the story at all because of all the descriptions, and once I was hooked on it I actually went back and re-read the first part of the book again.  The actual story could be told in half the  number of pages without all the descriptions, but it would have suffered - in my opinion.  I enjoyed them once I got into it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C1HRAM52LTRN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long but gorgeous.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5JQO6YRI1AG5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">More than special.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FTWY42HOY1I1?ASIN=0316055441	Sweeping intensity	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sweeping intensity</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SJKLR1P5GTR4?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Author was wordy .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GMPO6420ZD6R?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed this read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JCDEG3HR8Z3V?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QQUN9ECT7NEE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful novel!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF473KI5KMKVO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great book love it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYFQDLU1VZZ2W?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long book. Decent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCIBE2W3KNYRI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QY975ICDJPEE?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good but drawn out</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZHI1HP3CRZS6?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very much enjoyed!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q9FQEUJF5R3S?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read but long</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QHUKBWP5C3MH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a great book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20Y8PIHEKNX6S?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PA61A6RWMBDU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great storytelling</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E7EOHGLRFBCE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent language</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROOVXG233YOAU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fantastic story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY0DPR45NULDH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought provocking</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LRS15LV94HDW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">best book in years</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZFSSKCJAT8N0?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Highly recommended</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F42UQE8NDYB1?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little too long!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D57TFSS5WAOV?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can't put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DCX9RPF7OFQN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful read!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY6Q0Q7POSQ94?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">wonderful story!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35CVWYWJPE7AC?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too looooooong!!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GA40KY91MAAL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exquisite writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H0DS6INSXQ8V?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">strange book...wjw</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22F6AIAI8TECY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I never got bored.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q32ZFVVVV0J6?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and wordy</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XLW5Y3A7WF1Z?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">didn't  finish  it</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L2BMA3DQGWP1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent reading!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OQXHBOSISN2P?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long and boring!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G5HNM6CMZ158?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long but good read</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R8D69J7GVD0J?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoying it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QFAZ2IZCTMRZ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful writing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SOL68KNJZPXC?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really good story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QP33KJWFI25Z?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26K2OFH0DPXP0?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can't put it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LAMGDLAN5SHM?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting twists</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E5OQDO7QQVOH?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E98PGK0S0GUT?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is sort of good</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REZ40QSK9365V?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L74Q3W5UJYU1?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dragged on and on.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZWAWAH92XX30?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WOW - what a read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A5JN3NDAYIDZ?ASIN=0316055441	Over-rated novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I stuck with the novel because of all the reviews' praise, and I regretfully give it 4 stars to reward Tartt for her willingness to give herself to the task of creating a hefty tale and staying with the chore.  However, the principal theme might have been more clearly expressed and been more enjoyable in the form of a personal essay in the style of E. B. White or Charles Lamb.  A perfect little gem appears in the final but lengthy paragraph.  So many portions of the novel seem gratuitously inserted and become barriers to the theme's development.  Only because I dislike giving up reading a book once started did I stay with this one--I gave it my best attention, believing that Tartt must have done so also.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20IUU6O4FX1GC?ASIN=0316055441	Too many words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not keep my attention, did not care to finish, in need of serious editing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R371S0CULS94CA?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize? Really?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was such a strange book! As many reviewers have noted, the timeline is sloppy and often the references make no sense. And the writing, the dialogue, has a distinctly old-fashioned &amp; British flavor. As I read, the *feel* of the story was decidedly vintage, there was no feeling of 'modern day'. It was like reading a book written by a British author in the 1940s with anomalous modernities tossed in here and there - they did not mesh. It made for discordant reading. In my mind, the New York these characters lived in appeared to be in England, and they were a fusty old bunch.<br/>Also a good hard editing of the extreme wordiness could've taken 200 pages away and left the story none the worse for wear. I felt as though I got lost in the jumble several times.<br/>Our main character, Theo, was so weak and his personality was always being overpowered - I find this an unlikeable character trait. In fact, that was another issue - 90% of the characters were unlikeable or flat - which made me not really care about them. If you can't become a little emotionally entangled with the characters, what's the point?<br/>I checked this book out from the library - was it a good read? Well, it was decent and at times I did get really caught up in the story. Would I buy this book or read it again? No. I have no idea how it managed a Pulitzer - I've read books that were so much worse...and so very much better.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K5H3CPYZZW85?ASIN=0316055441	Not worth reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story could have been told in 300 pages,  no need to plow through 775!<br/>Even though the characters had sad lives it was difficult to like or care about them.  Dona Tartt did not give us any reason to like them.<br/>The descriptions were repetitive.  I would not have awarded any prize for this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZFTA0MFPDAG7?ASIN=0316055441	One of the worst books I ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the worst books I ever read.  Too long, too much dialog, too much unbelievable drug use and alcohol use.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PUG8AFPBHHZ3?ASIN=0316055441	Very depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Conversations that could have taken a short paragraph drug on for 3 pages.....forced myself to finish it because I paid for it. Can't believe she won an award.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LI4TY00R0AW?ASIN=0316055441	meh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a hard time finishing this book, as a matter of fact, I didn't.  I skipped probably the last 20 pages.  The writing was so scatterbrained and felt like it was written by someone who was on the same drugs as the characters.  It was so beyond unrealistic that I was bored.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V4AYH7SKRZDS?ASIN=0316055441	much ado about nothing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">obviously the story is about the travels of a painting. but all the characters<br/>have too much pathology, and it just went on and on and on<br/>with the same dysfunctional pathologic characters. didn't identify with any of the<br/>characters in the book.  very boring and the ending was ridiculous.<br/>can't understand what the fuss is about.<br/>don't waste your time reading this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37JXY0T4AEN9?ASIN=0316055441	eh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book, but felt it was about 200 pages too long and by the end I just wanted it to be over</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10USCH8XJPD03?ASIN=0316055441	YIKES!!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You know you're in trouble when the description of the restored furniture is more interesting than the characters in the book.  I read that a critic compared this to Great Expectations  ....Charles Dickens must be reeling in his grave.  The author must have set out to prove that she has an exhaustive knowledge of woodworking artifacts and New York City's most popular haunts and intersections.  Show her your appreciation by going to a museum instead.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV03DW4SMHIVZ?ASIN=0316055441	I lived through all that angst too many years ago; did not want to question God now as Senior Citizen	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am a voracious reader. So, I foreced myself to complete this book.<br/><br/>Give credit to the artistic use of language to make so REAL the characters, their pain and confusion, ajd especially their awareness of beauty so mature for age of characters. Give credit for strengths of all involved.<br/><br/>But, definitiely a book for the young and still seeking reason ""WHY?""<br/><br/>Disconcerting to go back in time to relive--no matter how skillfully recalled--that painful period of life.<br/><br/>Tartt is a talented word-smith and keen observer of the human condition: just not a pleasant way to relax nor enough of fresh new insight to justify the time and effort finishing this book cost.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M3OVI7564U6Q?ASIN=0316055441	Did not live up to all the hype!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A friend's daughter told me this was the best book she had ever read, so it was with eager  anticipation that I turned the first page.  Maybe it is just me, but I thought the entire book was terribly depressing with our main character's life going from bad to worse with each turn of the page. I should reread the last chapter to understand more fully his great philosophy of life, but it was so rambling that I am not inspired to do so.  I must say, though, it was beautifully written, and I will certainly give this author another try.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QMXO9JH3DC4H?ASIN=0316055441	An excellent read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the first few pages were plagued with an over abundance of similes and metaphors, I continued on and am happy I did.<br/>I was taken to places I have never been and enjoyed the experience.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OLTVVX0Y57NZ?ASIN=0316055441	Long and boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just not believable.  Couldn't get into the main character.  Too long.  I didn't believe the progression of events or the reason of the move to Vegas and back. Lost interest.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AB363O7K46O2?ASIN=0316055441	This was one of the worst books I've read recently.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hated it. It had potential but the author failed to develop the story and characters. There were parts I enjoyed but story did not mesh together as I hoped. Disappointing conclusion.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TS53ZR08CQDF?ASIN=0316055441	Not Worth Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am writing my first review. This book grabbed me from the first pages and then it took, in my opinion, a turn which I found to be very  very boring and kind of dumb!  I wanted the author to get to the point. I read it till the end but I can not recommend this novel!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28XDR7PZN28ZN?ASIN=0316055441	Too dark and depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For me, the twists and turns of the plot were overshadowed by the grimly, realistic onslaught of drug abuse, parental neglect, alcoholism. The world of art theft and the greed involved made for an interesting story line, but the characters non-stop wallowing in wretched behaviors was just too depressing for me.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3G2Q499W9G1TH?ASIN=0316055441	No idea.............	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was way to detailed, sporadic, not easy to follow. I am unsure HOW it got such good reveiws. I'm giving it two stars becuase it took LOTS of EFFORT from the author to write this book.<br/><br/>Not worth the read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NDK9N9CELZ4W?ASIN=0316055441	Sophmoric	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No editor???  I kept reading this absurd novel thinking it must get better.... Instead, it completely falls apart!  I forced myself to read this book to the end based on the glowing reviews.  Ms. Tartt must have ""friends"" planting these reviews.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YP8CV63G8JBI?ASIN=0316055441	Sad story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like this book.  It was too sad. I was disappointed in this book.<br/>I was not prepared for the drug use and dishonesty depeacted.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R288GZ9Z8LRRRP?ASIN=0316055441	Ugh! Stupid choices do not a good story make.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A likeable loser of a main character makes one stupid choice after another and so hangs the plot of this beautifully written book. I just couldn't take it after awhile and stopped when I began hoping something so terrible would happen to him that he would take charge of his life and get it together. Maybe it does but by then I no longer cared.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QABFVAN5B1PB?ASIN=0316055441	Verbose!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Should have 300 pages and not the meandering tome I struggled to finish. Cannot recommend to anyone not suffering from insomnia.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28CJSHW96GPES?ASIN=0316055441	depressing and distorted view of the life of a young man	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wordy, depressing look at a defeated, alcoholic, drug addict whose mother was killed by a bomb and whose father's addiction to alcohol and gambling led to a fatal auto accident and who subsequently lived an introverted, distorted life.  The author is articulate and uses lots of description to paint her images, but leaves the reader feeling that it is a chore to get to the end.  The main character in this story is shoved along a life that he seems to have no control over.  Unable to verbalize his anxieties, and controlled by others who, though well meaning, are equally distraught, this poor creature seems unable to grasp the positive possibilities presented by those who would reach out to him.<br/><br/>Overly long and depressingly dramatic, I only hope that this is not the only image that this talented writer can create.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12HQGMHE8LNR0?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful read...a page turner.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wrote a pretty harsh review on this book a while back. I've recently revisited the novel and I am so thankful I did. This is a wonderful book and although I haven't finished it, I had to immediately fix my bad review.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B86O1FU0YDXO?ASIN=0316055441	Limited connection	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely limited connection through a 400-year provenance of art.  I finished it, but dear gawd, if I were on the edge...literally....at the last chapter?  Not for the depressed...this book is depressing enough.  Very odd and compelling book.  Pretty sure I didn't like it.  Pretty sure because there was some thread that drug me through, slogging through passages / chapters when I was thinking ""is the author on some of Theo's mind-bending meds?""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PL09WIG37G1G?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting but too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Oh Please!  Does  this author still think that if you write volumes for the English teacher that you will receive an A?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DTEL1Z0SF73X?ASIN=0316055441	editor needed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would only recommend this book to people with great patience. She started with an interesting premise but got lost in her philosophizing. A good editor would have reduced word count by a third.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36ZHIJF96N5E0?ASIN=0316055441	depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was very disappointing with main character doing drugs.  Very depressing.  I just found it all to sad and didn't care about the main character any more.  He seemed to pathetic.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QA6T9UHR0FGH?ASIN=0316055441	This had such possibilities	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The core story of this book is actually quite compelling, but suffers terribly from tremendous over-writing by the author.  Had a courageous editor excised the lengthy and distracting digressions, a book half the length and twice the interest would have resulted.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W5BAL7U8IF0K?ASIN=0316055441	Can't finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After 300 pages I give up..it takes soo long for the plot to develop..no desire to continue...ill start looking for another book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWLM36BIQ870F?ASIN=0316055441	Can't get past the first 50 or so pages...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this based on the good reviews, but it starts out in a very depressing way, and I just can't seem to get past those first 50 pages.  It shouldn't be this hard to read and supposedly good book!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VZIHLOG2RN2D?ASIN=0316055441	Entertaining .. somewhat	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like others, I found the going tedious during most of the story. The author tends to over describe and ramble on when tightening up the narrative would be far more effective. I almost didn't continue while slogging through the details of the museum explosion! I thought it would never end. Perhaps that was her intent! Too much verbiage in this book, surprisingly light on character development. Bottom line, this book could probably have been edited down by 40-50% without losing anything. Wouldn't recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP998FMNG5MI2?ASIN=0316055441	A two star read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can't figure out why this gets such high praise.  It seems that although the plot line was intriguing it wandered off into the drug world way too graphically and all the four letter words got tedious.  Just pass on this one!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D56ZNUCUIEIC?ASIN=0316055441	A DELECIOUSLY ABSORBING READ	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">BOOK REVIEW: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt<br/>Review by Walter Danley Kindle edition December 6, 2013<br/><br/>Five of Five Start Rating  A DELECIOUSLY ABSORBING READ<br/><br/>THE GOLDFINCH is the intriguing story of Theo's life experiences - from his early teens through adulthood - and how these mold the young man he grows to be. With the loss of his mother in a tragic explosion at the art museum, he is plagued all his life with feelings of abandonment. In the chaos following the explosion, he steals the priceless antique painting of the Goldfinch from the gallery as he escapes the devastation. Guilt joins abandonment and these emotions lead him to extreme self-destructive behavior and life-altering relationships with people he clings to throughout his young life.<br/><br/>Donna Tartt has written a compelling portrait (no pun intended) of a justifiably troubled person who seems to just miss the turn in life that will lead him to happiness and peace. She details, with authority, such arcane activities as street drugs, their preparation and usage, woodworking techniques, antique hand tools, exotic woods and their specific advantages, characteristics, including the smell of the wood shavings. The research required to acquire this knowledge is mind-blowing. One would assume that, in addition to being a talented author, she must also be a very gifted druggie woodworker.<br/><br/>Following her descriptive details of architecture, craft techniques, and geographical depictions of New York City’s upper Eastside, Greenwich Village, and recession devastated Las Vegas subdivisions, the author treats the reader to fully developed characters. It is so well done that the reader is moved as much by her own emotions as those of the characters experiencing them.<br/><br/>Tartt is unconstrained by brief passages in this 755 page tome; she gives each scene, each sentence, exactly the time and prose required to fully paint the elements she wants her reader to have. And the reader will respond with full-blown emotional reactions. I highly recommend this work as a five star entertainment that will leave the reader feeling emotionally and intellectually satisfied.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D8G6F8X5OGFD?ASIN=0316055441	I Would Give More Stars If I Could	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't quite finished it yet mostly because I don't want this experience to be over. The writing is the sort that is difficult to find these days and makes it all but impossible to put the book down. All I can say is give yourself a big treat and read this amazing book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27AMA5N09C10A?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch is a must read for anyone who love literature.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is at the top of the short list of fantastic writers of the past two decades. Her first novel ""My Secret History"" remains a great but I think ""Goldfinch"" surpasses even that. It is a long book but don't let that daunt you. It is a fascinating read filled with rich characters and many of life's great truths.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X95BZM47IYRA?ASIN=0316055441	Finally another masterpiece from this author.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Another timeless classic from Donna Tartt.  I wish she would publish more than once per decade!  This novel  for its nearly 800 pages goes by quickly as I couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KNTG74I3T7PF?ASIN=0316055441	You will never forget reading this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written story that keeps you riveted. I recommend it to everyone that appreciates a wonderful complex story of love.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JTTKOA6ABE0A?ASIN=0316055441	Not my favorite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not finish it.  The writing is good but I thought it too engrossed in adolescent miscreant self destructive behavior.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R303DGN62YYB24?ASIN=0316055441	PROBLEM!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book came through all screwed up and I am unable to read it.  Keeps repeating and/or skipping pages.  Don't know how to fix it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWZMKS4YWTQCS?ASIN=0316055441	AWWW DAMMIT	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I adored the Secret History<br/>Read it three or four times.But this felt like dredging a dead body through the pouring rain.I stopped at page 440 something<br/>..however,I will get the little friend.Anything that controversial has to have something for me<br/><br/>...love</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W40IQOE329IQ?ASIN=0316055441	A flawed main character you can't help but love.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Following the plot of this young boy and his undying love for his lost mother was sheer pleasure.  I couldn't put the book down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S9BK9SER1RQ4?ASIN=0316055441	"You'll ask yourself, ""Why did I read this""?"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think this book is overrated! It went on and on. The original premise was really interesting. The most interesting character, the girl was gone too much of the book. It went into areas of complete absurdity as he chases to Europe. By the time you finish, you will ask yourself, ""why did I read this""?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AVHIE4ZE5U17?ASIN=0316055441	a serious but a bit pretentious read...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like it and it is clearly erudite but the fundamental assertion that life is meaningless but we should nonetheless imbue it with meaning is so Albert Camus...and his starker exposition is less showing off than that of our fine author here.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D6LCTV802R8Q?ASIN=0316055441	Not quite what it's cracked up to be	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is something good about a novel that keeps you hooked despite the lead character being somewhat unsympathetic.  (I think I stayed because I wanted to find out what happened to the picture, mind you.)  There are lots of incidental pleasures, not least the conceit about the painting itself being involved in a second explosion.<br/>But ultimately this struck me as Great Expectations extended to David Copperfield length, with bits of other Dickens novels thrown in (Hobie as a Cheeryble? Boris a manic Mark Tapley?).  This is a reasonable comment - there are lots of knowing Dickensian references, to an extent that feels intended.  And ultimately it doesn't work - there's a much shorter book in here struggling to get out.<br/>The Las Vegas section is hugely overextended for the purpose it serves in the book, and the aggressive nihilism of the closing pages lost this review a star quite independently of anything else.<br/>So, worth reading - Tartt always is - but seriously flawed.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28S91A2Z3NIN7?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story bogs down in the middle.  He is not a very likable character.  Can't relate to the main character very well. His adult character is too vague.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BV51GYXRJ9ZN?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding, Outstanding Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those rare novels that you can't describe-you just have to believe the reviews and dig in.  It is so heartwarming an poignant yet so poweful the way the author sets up the storyline that I couldn't put the book down.  You don't have to be an art lover to appreciate the story-you will love it nonetheless!  I haven't read a book like in a great while.  Donna Tartt really outdid herself with this one.  Do not miss it!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2328ZZRI75S0H?ASIN=0316055441	THE best novel of the year....by far.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished this excellent book.  It is a masterpiece.  That being said, it is NOT for the lazy reader....used to a Grisham or Burke novel(both of whom I love btw) I read 3-4 hours a day, and have a Literature degree....and sometimes I grew a bit frustrated by the lengthy descriptions and characters.  BUT this is a tiny price to pay for the powerful  questions raised and pondered over here.  I would advise people to read it all the way to the end.  That is where the magic all comes together.  Very few books reach this level of intensity.  It is a somewhat grueling read, like Dostoevsky or Tolstoy.....but this book is on that very high level of writing.<br/>  The negative criticisms I've read here on Amazon are unfounded, although I understand people's frustration in reading this book. Frustrating perhaps because it is so deep and demands a lot from the reader.  But ""The GoldFinch"" is well-worth your time and effort!  It is not a ""beach book"" like most best-sellers.....but perfect for these long nights of Winter.  Like the classics of old, this book requires an open and sharp mind to appreciate.  I cannot recall reading a novel this good.....for it transcends our black and white---red and blue---good and bad mentality that has poisoned our minds in this age of the net.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS8EBDU2XE8IJ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Dilemmas	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch presents readers with a series of dilemmas: ethical, legal, social, familial and romantic as we watch the narrator grow from boyhood to manhood in a very contemporary setting. Though some of the events stretched credulity for me, so do many daily headlines.  As an art museum junkie, I enjoyed the art elements more than the drug elements.  The ending goes off on a philosophical tirade that should have been edited down but otherwise it is a good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM8VCGOHYI045?ASIN=0316055441	a very good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really loved the first half of this book.  The scene of the explosion in the museum is some of the best writing I have ever read.  Absolutely magnificent! However, found that the story of his adult life tailed off and that the end wondered off into philosophical thoughts that dragged somewhat.  Perhaps the book is a bit over long. All together a beautifully written book by a great writer.  Can't wait for her next book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9NG2KSOG80WZ?ASIN=0316055441	I have been reading this novel for what seems like forever. I am an avid reader and heard ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have been reading this novel for what seems like forever. I am an avid reader and heard great things about this book. But i was let down. I feel this novel needed a much stronger editor. The author over explained details about the main characters life. Would add information about the character that were not needed. I found myself skipping over paragraphs to try and find the real meat of the story. Which seems like a never ending struggle within the character over something he has done that continues to plaque him throughout  the book. Well i will keep this review short unlike this novel. Read if you enjoy wordy novels that seem to have no point but that is just my opinion.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSBW65ZWLQ7X2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">superbly written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HSS5VWMLOKZJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this bbo.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKSNUT55QYG8T?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did n't like plot</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T7BT8SCDGCB1?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Real page turner!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QOAKS9IDJO5K?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyable!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good summer read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W11K15UQ40FY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good read :)</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BFTW7039OE3W?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Moving! Exciting!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D3S2B2HRURCB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UB1CM0N9MEPC?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was good</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26FZ01QBX5RLT?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed it</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FBOS3IRT6ZZ4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Totally engaging!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H0DGCNNOULYB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story line! Tartt has a gift for keeping a reader's curiosity piqued and making you really care for the main character. Doesn't matter if you are male or female, you will love this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32WTRFTC9SFN9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">can't put it down</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P7RGS7M3ME36?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit depressing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WCPSLYQ4DVOJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An excellent read</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UUBCU2KBQC2L?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Outstanding read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33FOHFS10KB2U?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard to get into.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39ZFVCU3AD9RZ?ASIN=0316055441	Great book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LZ753ELBRWBO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The wife loved it</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AMOKGT6K7XKU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EJXCEZGD38L0?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very good book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1REH30GM5A6UH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">was happy with it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AAY6QEU5WJPT?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G9A4ZDK77L23?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good but too long</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TAE486LOB8H1?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not my cup of tea</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQUA0JQKBDPT1?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long but engaging</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34XNAZF1DXWVU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really good read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BPM8A4ELJ0Y?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful writing</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R179B96CVUXTKP?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too introspective</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BABMIG6AZDMX?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P2NAP5KWI4Q9?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">interesting story</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA755LD0UAQ39?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Still reading it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLA4WGMQNA7ZZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38PZUWP7IA1PJ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very good book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZUXEGO14MTGF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting tale.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CMO1YZAD6ZP1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J1ZDNT1Y86J4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QMCXSADDYFSP?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29LOVOCJP05NI?ASIN=0316055441	Extraordinary story wrapped around a small painting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story of young boy put in an situation (explosion in museum) that will change his life.  Change in location sets him on a track to nowhere, Bad company, drugs and then he is swept along to young adulthood by returning to the town of his youth, where he acquires the knowledge to continue his spiral down to a life wasted by choices he has made.<br/>A gripping story in each of his ventures.<br/>Writer's descriptions and dialogue are so real that you feel as though you were there following his life.<br/>I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in art and specifically a beautiful Goldfinch held chained to his perch for eternity</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M5WTLP6S34AC?ASIN=0316055441	A waste of time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The begining was good, all down hill from there. Sorry i kept reading it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO5BN9BJM44OA?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first part of the book is a gripping tale of a teenage who looses his mother in a terrorist attack as they are visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art, destroying a halcyon moment.  In addition, the amount of description by the author is truly amazing; it will capture you and keep you engage for most of the book. Yet, in the last third of the book I thought the author could've ended the story after the death of the main character's father.  I may it feel this way because the book is written in first person, a style I find hard to follow.  I wonder if it might also be related to gender as well;  my daughter loves to first person</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI9VOSP0AD18I?ASIN=0316055441	Given as a gift	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Given as a gift.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U881FAJ5T6P4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W9L9E20QZI8E?ASIN=0316055441	Great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My wife loves it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSWPRMQUYZYJX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">LOVED this book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37AT1Y3TAY7S?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really good read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJJVCWU2MAA38?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9UUF3ESQXYB4?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long and boring.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R98HWHQLKE0G8?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good but lengthy</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21O70DUPOF5BG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">5 * amazing book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30ZDLJL8JDSX5?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCRMZE0XA33UI?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very depressing!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXEFZZCFHJBS5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Phenomenal read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R377UNKMJJBZON?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a very good read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HZ6TLIKRQF1H?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pretty slow read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SQ6088I3PG21?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredible novel</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A1ZPPCE54O9C?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love this book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21HGGWGWK9UK6?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrible ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WDY14JFI3S0R?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Truly wonderful!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDP3G6B3511CP?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVJ82XIBR7RKW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Highly recommend</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OB0YGTDMEZIC?ASIN=0316055441	Read it now!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NL0DTBYFL1P4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC9E3N95PQTHC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WONDERFUL STORY.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32BPXXBEJCG09?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2367647M97GVU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ2NGECFOOIM2?ASIN=0316055441	Kept me entertained	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R165YDESRGO831?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UJOHIND840CB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKSFH80NY12UF?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hated the ending</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JHDHKA20FNPL?ASIN=0316055441	very good.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very, very good.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R365L7TRN8KJJ8?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Expected better.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S3ZGN3DXABQC?ASIN=0316055441	fantastic read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard to put down</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UW2WC9AWW5SF?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not bad but long</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39FOOZ6QLHICV?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful novel!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MNZ0QCU0HGHJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OMRSELALAHMB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13S6RFWPAZM4N?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A must read.....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7H1QEBF086X2?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really good read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KL2HN7Y3NG4S?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fantastic book</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R246SGEH0RWC9A?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling story</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OMICXQ5FNB0L?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hated the ending</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP2Q1Q3LXPK7N?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T7KBSWVQURLX?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't enjoy it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRTY34XF1KV2H?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing feat!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AVOOU1LM873N?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">interesting read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDJXX4LFYIFIO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VANWCW965YK1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So incredible...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H3PQ52OM6VTU?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful read!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37ELF3LDOS36M?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTXXTLUEISX50?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QDUXGJAGP5GJ?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very depressing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QS3GX92B77EC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great condition.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WYQZN3LFEYOW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a wonderful book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33AXA06OUYQXQ?ASIN=0316055441	Rich, vivid, verbose novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This huge novel (700 pages+) is probably something you have to be in the mood for. I approached it with doubt but found it a pleasant surprise and a satisfying read. It is a dense and verbose book (the author is particularly fond of run-on sentences and paragraphs that go on for pages). That said, any wanna-be writer might kill for this writing talent. There are many passages of sheer beauty and dazzling intensity. The book shifts from New York City, to Las Vegas and eventually to Amsterdam. Some parts are more interesting than others but the characters are incredibly drawn and despite their flaws, you will care for them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25SI08FTO23Z4?ASIN=0316055441	Dreadful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After skipping several chapters, I am finally finished with this dreadful book.  How it got so many rave reviews is beyond me.  It was so twisted and so depressing.  The rambling on and on and on got so boring.  I wonder if the author got paid for every word that was written.  The more the better.<br/>There is no way I could possibly recommend this book to anyone.  In fact, I would readily tell anyone to ""not read"" and save their money.<br/>Horrible.  I can't even give it 1 star. Went to submit and can't without Star Rating so I guess I have to give 1 star.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JC26A7W23NU?ASIN=0316055441	Good plot, bad writing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I normally don't leave bad reviews, and I know everyone seems to love this book, and so I was convinced by the great reviews it possessed. However, I couldn't even get through more than about 40 pages. The story isn't bad, or the characters, it's the writing.  I can't get through bad writing no matter how compelling the plot. The dialogue lacks realism, there are numerous cliches thrown about without irony, and it's just over all very halting and stunted.  If you're a person that cares more about the meat of the story than the writing, you'll probably really enjoy this. I, however, am not one of those people.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BIHHM6URJP18?ASIN=0316055441	including the one that gives it a happy ending, but it took a long time to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Cummon, this is the least plausible story I've read in a long time.  Who is this guy?  A shy innocent pining for his mother, then a drug-addled teen (because he lost his mother?), then -- wait for it -- a gunman in a European fracas.  Yeah, right.  All the trouble the author went to to learn details of antiquing, etc. are probably one reason some readers think this book is worthy.  Admittedly there are a couple of cute (as in, well orchestrated) twists, including the one that gives it a happy ending, but it took a long time to get to that ending and the last philosophizing pages are simply a bore.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11R18ME0GUTIO?ASIN=0316055441	Don't Waste Your Valuable Time...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I disliked this book due to the long and unnecessary descriptions of every last topic, and especially the gruesome situations. In addition, the downward spiral into drugs by a young teen after reading the descriptions of bodies blown up by the bombing simply didn't interest me.  Sometimes the story didn't even seem believable, and there was nothing happy or uplifting. I don't mind a long book, this one was just too depressing.  In addition, the author's political views, based on shallow, headline seeking stereotypes, were annoying and took away from her credibility as an author to take seriously.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XVOHHNM2AIJJ?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the beginning of this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the beginning of this book, but the downward spiral of the story became too depressing and it never recovers.<br/>I stuck with it hoping it would turn around - it didn't.  It's one those books that doesn't resolve the main character's depression and negative behaviors.  Some of the descriptions of the settings and stories wanders on way too long, and I found myself skipping paragraphs or even a few pages.  The whole trip to Amsterdam seemed out of context (action/thriller) with the rest of the character study in the book.  It's a long book and I'm sorry I spent so much time reading it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B7MG0WRN7QRA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB3UP1AQPA59R?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">beautiful story</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VGAKSJE79QU7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W3S2ONMOSJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BJ0EPUBXBUIH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great condition</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OYNZJRFWGLEJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved this book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OEZ5J61XR94G?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BX7FZW738SFE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Another keeper!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O9MYZ121RNLR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KJWT0NCOJUZN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K4QOVSUTH0R2?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many words.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24O29OLWBXCUT?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great character</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SMQFZ5V4T85R?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22ORF80LJ4R9B?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EXAUEDBX2L64?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">compelling read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LF6UT04MTUDY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing writing</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3042ZC9J8MDU7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RV9NXTV8YVB6?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the story</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K4QFM36SS58Y?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love this book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EQN9CNCG1FX9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LXLH8HC314FH?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Why did it win?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q5ANAVGLWUJT?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZETU4O7GYCX6?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFNDK80VM8DTG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CN7I5HJU728Z?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LJSGP5WJGAGP?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome book!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFOLCXYAGWK2W?ASIN=0316055441	Recommended	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8OFA6H8J2BXG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful. Read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CKDW1TZ8HJ2W?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15L3PP4RN57TU?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was to slow.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BZPMSXT971WU?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Glad I read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3680TH0V1WUOP?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13MPY9DWQM0NF?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow and boring</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A24GTQ9BD716?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KBQCE6UI3ZKP?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't like it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TF2EOMTDQP6N?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">TOO DEPRESSING.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12YI09OJ3H9SO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WG9QUNMHGSKP?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was just ok.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R280ZLZU9KYL2J?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Went on forever</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B9PKBZA6KLVF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HCI7WW25IIRI?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Begins slowly..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NN7LUSNOM40D?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VE8NE8CYFKKX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MO33T1CRN3QA?ASIN=0316055441	SAD	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too sad for me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D3I50KLNO2W1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A9A8NYDHN3B9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AL6PL7NEM4HG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZHUY1EICBWC2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">kept me reading</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25XNHQG7XKQHV?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">disturbing book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VGE91FZWZG9F?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Probably the best book I have read in a very long time!  she deserved the Pulitzer.  So descriptive and articulate and the story is captivating, you feel like you are in the middle witnessing the action!  for the dedicated reader it is a must.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32K2RB8QWYZDM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F5SXOSR8QZA0?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFCBE4O1OMQ26?ASIN=0316055441	a must read for all	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CJOC6GV1QGM8?ASIN=0316055441	Dissapiontment I thought it started out good, but she leaves all that intense drama behind ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dissapiontment<br/>I thought it started out good, but she leaves all that intense drama behind and goes on to nothing, determined to finish it though, I thought it won the Pulitzer prize that this would be really good.  It could have been if she would put away all the endless details surrounding menial events. I could say too. That she, just as in the little friend, comes up with a great plot, but loses the direction where the bombing becomes nothing but a tease, hoping you'll find out who and why it was done, it becomes of no further significance during the remainder of the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13RPYUALFR91R?ASIN=0316055441	the whole story is one I wish I hadn't wasted so much effort to finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is always enlightening to read others' reviews, and I wish I had done so with this book!  How could a Pulitzer be this disconcerting?  From endless (but very visually complete) descriptions, to adolescent drug use that surely would not have allowed these two characters any semblance of a life of success, to parenting that totally misses the mark, the whole story is one I wish I hadn't wasted so much effort to finish.  I typically power-through because I have expectations of brilliance I might just miss.  Not so here.  You won't be missing much if you skip this and move on.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C72ZTTC2IIXF?ASIN=0316055441	I don't get it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this is a GOOD book, but not great.  Why this has won all the accolades is beyond me.<br/><br/>The writing drags, and ultimately there is not much of a point.  I am also not convinced she really creates a believable adolescent male character.  There are some interesting minor characters, especially Boris, and the story is intermittently exciting and interesting.  The first couple of hundred pages are quite well-written.<br/><br/>So, a good book, but hardly book of the year.  I think I would have enjoyed it more without all the praise -- it is hard to live up to all that.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W7OC4LXSAVNB?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent novel, admittedly skimmed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is beautifully written. In the end the writing becomes increasingly detached from the story though. Many passages consisted of 'Deep thoughts by Donna Tartt,' filled with existentialist quotes highlighted by previous Kindle readers.  I would have given it five stars if I hadn't found myself skimming some of these lengthier passages in the last quarter of the novel. But all is forgiven because of her intricately well-crafted prose. This author is exceptionally talented and her writing is artful. It was a pleasure reading a novel written with such skill and talent.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O0JR8XDWU9AJ?ASIN=0316055441	GOLDFINCH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book should have ended on page 500!  I thought it was ponderous and the authors analogies wordy.  Theo was NOT a person I found attractive in any way.  Some of us with tragic backgrounds DO overcome obstacles and make good their lives.  Theo was not one of them.  Susan G. Campbell</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C2QR3PO678B6?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I simply did not care for this book and was glad to put it down.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DUVEVOVU3O5T?ASIN=0316055441	I'll make this short and sweet, which is the exact opposite of what the ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'll make this short and sweet, which is the exact opposite of what the book was:  good premise and generally the book was a good read, but wow, was it unnecessarily long!  The entire section of the relationship of the protagonist and his childhood friend and the friend's family was repetitive and dragged on and on.  It's never a good thing when you feel like a book will never end due to waning interest, but that unfortunately happened for me a few times along the way.  By the time I finished it, I was so happy that I could finally move on to a new book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UIVNK1EZEA5R?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">LOVE this book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L605MTSK0LYD?ASIN=0316055441	love it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book!!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NCAHUAVY61ZO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WAZOLQCO5C2S?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD9HZON48XEIN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7AA58V53N7ZL?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Never finished</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R125TPPTCXMGKP?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous Read!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E5MF1EJB4E1A?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FR1KZ9H9GOY2?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Slowfinch.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QWDJ9D32LYDG?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappointment</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KA1M3XLOYSIU?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">kind of bland.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PEZMFOPHVJSD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IFNYI8KLTSTM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No complaints.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SVCCIV76LOLS?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OP83SXSLQTOC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NGB3OUAKAU3Q?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a journey</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10CEAAXU6SSTA?ASIN=0316055441	Great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">wonderful read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18F8OHW7KIRMF?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK2CLA8G5W7G4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">wonderful book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAFVWPNW57GXU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">quick delivery</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBACW5FVBTZI3?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Still reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WK3ZNW6B768M?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A must read!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16KGOYJ6F8WE0?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long but good.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGR6KAWW83UFN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exciting read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16KGHD6ZGQJWW?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boggy at times</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VKP8R1ZTYNTO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">stunning read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CSKZNNS9ED1O?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QJUUU7ZEN3DA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NTVVD8UVEF02?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very powerful!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PHOXYMOLGXE9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R150YL7OAFAT3L?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too wordy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F0NWUTXYBG5M?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book ...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SND4495NX1CR?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very exciting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T0W4QBLN39NA?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Strange ending</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O1FXDO3QKLRC?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">terrible book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20S9OFUXXDVQP?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Easy, engaging</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C2S97HDO4UAH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great reading!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39X0K16VOQXAZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYQS8PI0O8Z0S?ASIN=0316055441	Invest the time and read this book. Pure brilliance.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Life changing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AW3I8VFW9QFK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">marvelous read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20W0MI6SS6D2M?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QGVODQFBJ7YC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REVNKBYRL9F3W?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6NFROJFIN41I?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved the book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R339QIYBDWALGF?ASIN=0316055441	one of a kind	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCJSDEB9AR6QP?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very good book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y8LIYHIJ5WP5?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D80Y6AB1KTMI?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So depressing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RII7Y3KUBFMVH?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not that great</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQRT6R8VRF86O?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great mystery!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SDR8066X801N?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TFQD6YYKPVXH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17QXMHD3SCUTO?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wordy at times</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRAR3NM09ORPV?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">so so - tiring</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUUGCEM261GEX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VMJ0ATFT04OK?ASIN=0316055441	Dickensian Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some snobby literary types might think ""Dickensian"" is a pejorative adjective. I happen to feel Dickens is one of the greatest novelists in the English language. Donna Tartt has taken elements from classic Dickens novels--homeless orphan, wayward friends, stunning plot twists, window on rich and poor--and made something fresh for the 21st century. Don't believe the negative reviews you see here. It is a book that you just can't put down because it has it all--fabulous characters, riveting plot, compelling prose, and monumental themes.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37932D9VV5V7?ASIN=0316055441	Don't place much/any weight on negative reviews, this is very special book that most will love	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a VERY special book.  It has been widely acknowledged as one of best pieces of literature in recent years - by authors, critics, academicians, and the general public.  In a recent (2014) Wall Street Journal article, it was cited as the book ""most often finished"" by readers. So, it is inexplicable that 37% of the nearly 13,000 Amazon reviews rate it 3 stars or less.  Perhaps those are the readers that went to public schools, or gave 50 Shades of Grey 5 stars.  My advice is to, by all means, read this wonderful book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T0MCWOKWUN5Q?ASIN=0316055441	this is a great read. I agree with some of the reviewers ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm a long-time fan of Donna Tart.  The Secret History is one of my favorites of American literature.  Her writing is not for everyone - it is detailed and painterly, which loses some readers' interest.  But for those who can appreciate getting lost in a novel and allowing the author the time and space to build a world around you, this is a great read.  I agree with some of the reviewers who note that the final 1/3 of the book is not as tight as the rest.  But, that small portion of writing did not diminish my overall love of the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BJGREO2SBEIL?ASIN=0316055441	moves to a new state with his terrible father and his father's girlfriend (neither of which are ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was so long and drawn out, with no real solid plot. I was expecting an interesting, moving plot. I got an extremely wordy history of a kid that experiences tragedy, moves to a new state with his terrible father and his father's girlfriend (neither of which are likable in any regard), makes an annoying friend and then literally wastes half of the book just talking about how high he gets. This book could have told the same story in half the amount of time. This was completely disappointing after hearing how highly regarded this was.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AXC764XJGA50?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed the first 60 %	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the first 60 %; it was a pageturner -up until the main character feft for Europe. From hat pointon I'd say either something happened to he author or someone else finished the boo. It dragged on with  5-6 more characters,  I couldn't always follow exactly what was happening.  The moral lesson that sometimes by doing something bad, like killing a person, brings about a lot of good like saving a few more famous pictures eemed lie a lame message. The bok was 200 pageoo long and th conclusion didn't tie all the hreads together.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSCDQHISMV3L1?ASIN=0316055441	a terribly crappy best seller.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna maybe a tart but she can't write, along with Ms. Shades of Gray. Try the classics rather than sensationalist empty garbage.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPC5QMD2BQPTB?ASIN=0316055441	his best buddy and his mentor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Plot is very riveting. I can't remember how many times I burst into tears when reading it in Starbucks. The only thing I find a bit unsettling is that the main character Potter seems a bit flat. The writer seems to have emphasized only on his unfortunate childhood which results in his drug abuse, depression and petty crimes, and yet after reading the whole novel, I still don't know much about this little boy who seems to be constantly living in the shadow of his mom, his best buddy and his mentor. Who is Potter anyway?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LQFGYCDOCUSY?ASIN=0316055441	wag	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long, names complicated, hard to keep track of people.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ARAXMCJF6HAV?ASIN=0316055441	way too much pontificating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved her first book... I felt this one spent far too many pages glorifying drug use. I had a hard time liking the characters and was left thinking that there was little purpose to the book. Yet another Pulitzer Prize winning book that I find dull.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5DT2H1LBACPM?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story!!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GWUDX2CVGTD9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unforgettable</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14VL3D7YSZOZ9?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Suberb novel!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R329XX0Q6NZ086?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As advertised</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWT33S29O6G8S?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">way too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UFAFSQGHOEIM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R190X1797T9OBD?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">slow at times</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J0DWL2NT7N1L?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PRGLEO7WJDNO?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lots of turns</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WJR1CWC495KE?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U2EDYBHPF65L?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29IWSBJPZI79X?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MJPCPV9AQ9DQ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lovely story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MWPWRYDKDF4N?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDKLV0ZLC0WL7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K73MN3J3V3W4?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappointed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H0CQX57B4W46?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQJIX3A0BQ4LO?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too drawn out</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AZSJQSG8AHY7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a masterpiece</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FG9I8PGE4UGB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Jaw-dropping!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROCXAUE6R3UQH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GDDEA1OKIQA5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good book!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24CN7YB2MNOYS?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappointing</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7ONJ3ZEASI6V?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing read!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZYW9BFMV3O16?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed the book great character description and wonderful ending</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EAG0986BIJ9F?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Super read!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTSN89XGCTJZZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YB4XNODBO5Y7?ASIN=0316055441	II loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A worthy read. Although It is a lengthy book, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Please delete the first comment. I never even said I disliked  Goldfinch and don't even know where it came from. I recommend this book highly,</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TNMMQITH0OJZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a great book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPGEH7CMZOZU2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">fabulous read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RJW9CMJSKR7K?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great read,</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGG1GLUWICX8L?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Spellbinding!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N77MV8GO2NLR?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disapointing!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HGV4JQMH16KI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing book!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ABIROTK89OMV?ASIN=0316055441	A Very Worthwhile Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this novel and the story. The writing was detailed and descriptive like no other and the plot was imaginative.  I could not fathom where the story was going or how it would end, which kept me reading.  I thought at times that the author was reaching for something deeper than a story, especially at the end. The novel could have ended  30 pages sooner. All and all, I thought this was one of the best written novels I have read and I would highly recommend it.  I hope someone will make the movie!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EZZ9L9D3WYR?ASIN=0316055441	Their drug use was tiresome to read about	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel could have been an interesting read had it been half as long. I became exhausted as I continued to read about such disturbed characters and the predicaments that they got into.Their drug use was tiresome to read about.  After Theo murdered Martin and moved into the hotel his deteriorating sickness made me feel ill. The last 20 pages or so rambled . I scan read just to get the darn thing finished. I found the end very unsatisfying.....not my kind of book that I enjoy reading. Much too dark.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQZV2KIU86UHB?ASIN=0316055441	Modern Classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tremendous and very long book.  A modern classic, a new ""Catcher in the Rye"".  A book that imparts emotion, you to will feel the guilt, the fear, joy and eureka moments of discovery. The author has captured the souls of not only the primary subject but multiple characters integral to the story.<br/><br/>The story itself spans near a lifetime and breaks apart well.  Tartt does a masterful job and includes many details of various arts from paintings and furniture to music.  ;HIghly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N04IUQ8R2S02?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant, exceptional, FUN to read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant story, and although some complain it's too long or could have used more editing, I say, NO WAY! I wasn't bored for a minute, savoring each and every page.  If you love to read (like I do) you won't mind at all. Tartt is a prolific writer of our time. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read this beautiful, beautiful book. It's not often I've felt so inside a character's head and world. This book provides that fun experience along with scenes you'll never forget - guaranteed!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q21VF1I8S0QU?ASIN=0316055441	Completely engrossing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I understood before beginning the book that it was controversial--a ""love it or hate it"" kind of book.  I fell clearly into the ""love it"" category and find that the characters stay with me many months later.  While the characters do some awful things--some truly despicable things--they do them so honestly that I never questioned them.  In other words, these were utterly real characters.  After the first 600 pages, I started panicking because I only had 100 or so more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ2DHHU8KZILD?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch will grab you	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is not an easy book, certainly not a summer beach read, but that's just where I read it.  The book is compelling, I couldn't put it down.  Donna Tartt brings her characters alive to the point I feel like I know them in real life.  Her prose is so elegantly beautiful and articulate, I felt there was no distance between myself and the book.  I had to find out what Theo would make of his life and found satisfaction.  This is a complex book, full of complex feelings.  It rings true.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIS14GW7OXPDP?ASIN=0316055441	Claire	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't like this as I felt it was a real downer.  I also lost a parent when young (8).  The loss was great and I so envied my girlfriends with both parents.  Much much later I learned that perhaps I had had it best with just my one parent. I enjoy having a long time and only husband and our children and their children now and feel so fortunate.  The author appears to ridicule such positive outlooks.  I wonder about her relationship with drugs and her actual relationships period.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SQP8WJE65F8L?ASIN=0316055441	Needs a good editor	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like the overall themes and story of the book, but it needs a serious editor. It is about 200 pages too long. Each segment of the plot, while interesting, goes on for too long. The scenes in the suburbs of Las Vegas and the hotel in Amsterdam in particular seem to never end. I thought the strongest part was the beginning in the museum and its aftermath. Overall, it is a good story about guilt, repentance and growing up, but it would be more effective if it was more concise.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T1FPXBB942RS?ASIN=0316055441	great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this is not exactly a page turner but it is a fantastic book. clearly no book is for everyone but this is most certainly not a one or two star novel. its dreary and much of the time is a slow motion train wreck but very well done. it is not a difficult read but is detailed and nuanced and some might mistake this for being slow. nevertheless, its a wonderful work of fiction and likely the best novel of the year. ignore the 1-2 star reviews, they are written by crackpots.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N1QRZC3CSK6T?ASIN=0316055441	Obsessive and secretive...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Each character in this book is overcome by obsession.  A very good read with interesting characters that span the globe. I enjoyed it very much.<br/>There is also a sadness in the writers telling of this story that is almost too much to bear at times. This  leaves the reader with the feeling of wanting to tell the secrets, expose the darkness, and make everything better.  Everyone should read this book.  It is an education in human nature and how society effects it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I3OHDQXI039Z?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Magnificent!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK0D7Q3WS06Q7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YO3UOCB5KL9I?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KA5A372TL15B?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LWOY0AS5WX1F?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RETGYUUHM5VXV?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R113XSTWRFP2JB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R970AFSXRXKHN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was great</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NLID78IYR8P4?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not like</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP5STTZ5WZQJ4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZWOB4562OSSS?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A must read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R8OYMXCNIZR4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For my girl.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CMRNKEVDOJUM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1398SWCI6ISUJ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32DG4IEHC9WVD?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rather slow.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DBLZPS4TATB9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Super novel!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3THOJ6BGKX5EV?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NGJ6CVBKYVEA?ASIN=0316055441	Recommended read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X0JLF8W4XS9N?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good reading</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK7SRV4Z4V64F?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great Book!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XI44B9KDGVRK?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Recommended!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19INFP80KFL1L?ASIN=0316055441	Boris lives.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boris lives.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q006L2SVD2LP?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Magnificent!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KO6XQ6ZWDMVD?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappointed</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6NK3HR5V2UQL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great read!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CPVDY1VA23C2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUQP8AYYC39T5?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great effort</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17WX5UX8P4C2Y?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did notenjoy</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OY19TK65YVPW?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overly long.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBY5TDO47ENQN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Masterpiece!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IAPRSOSAJBMV?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5A3WPHB52SEX?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long winded.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PAGEYMZBX7P5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">awesome book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQA1YOLPZ9RQ3?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What????????</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18DQWX4TQ0L4O?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">wonderful!!!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R315RGTIZGLFU7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R309SPRAMYG0CL?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">amazing read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33VB96URIMY1D?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP999BMOP1Q9M?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JET0QIS10H6I?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R271FYIHMA1IPY?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So so story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JKX7V3MWJWLC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great novel!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JXOB3423JJ7J?ASIN=0316055441	Life's journey full of twists and turns and such sadness.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Page turner!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLOE4AG6U9D4M?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way to long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22Q4705KFG942?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVFUBRC5TSHMS?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There were many cliche's it reads like a soap opera!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ABWO1O2K4HSG?ASIN=0316055441	well written and a page  turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved The Goldfinch. It was beautifully written, with fascinating characters and a plot which kept me riveted to the book. (I read the last couple of chapters so quickly that I had to go back, slow down and reread them so I didn't miss anything!) I have recommended it to many of my friends and I bought it for my 86 year old aunt who loved it, too.<br/>If you want a fast paced read which is also good literature and an interesting plot, this is the book for you.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HJQD732YLTFA?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt's books are hilarious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the Goldfinch. What a trip, the story of a 13 year old who becomes an orphan after his mother dies in an explosion at the Metropolitan Museum, and his subsequent adventures in Vegas and back in NYC. I highly recommend it--yes, very Dickensian. I'm now reading Tartt's The Little Friend, which is equally hilarious with many well-drawn characters. It takes place in a southern town &amp; follows the adventures of 2 pre-teen kids trying to solve a mystery.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK4TFL02VVZPU?ASIN=0316055441	I wanted to get wasted after finishing this!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I listened to the audio version, and started off liking it--good plot and all that.  Made it all the way to the end, but frankly for no other reason than wanting to find out what happened to the painting.  Theo's whining and self-destructive behavior got irritating and then boring.  Inaccuracies in the timeline are just sloppy writing.  And the ending is the worst part of the book ...it goes on and on in a babbling, negative jumble.  Depressing book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UKK6RSSIWGA9?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch?? Let me look that up!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very strange!<br/>About 1/2 way through, I had decided that it was going to be my new favorite book of all time.....HOWEVER, by the time the book was over, I had changed my mind... I spent alot of my time with my search engine open, looking up different types of things that are mentioned in the book, so I could have a vision of what the author was talking about......<br/>The end was terrible.......I had a WHOLE DIFFERENT idea in mind!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NTWZPX1OHJUB?ASIN=0316055441	It takes agesssssssssss to read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't really decided if I enjoyed this book or not. It's incredibly long, I started it in February and only finished last week. I had to take breaks and read other books in between.  I've had shorter gym memberships. The story is fantastic, but it's such a commitment to get to the conclusion. Reminds me a bit of Star of the Sea in that regard. If you've a spare year then go for it, but have a few short comedies on the back shelf just in case.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MMVSATUYQ2D1?ASIN=0316055441	depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In a time when we could all use a little uplifting entertainment, The Goldfinch does not fit the bill.  A well written novel, flow is good, but the story line does nothing to inspire the soul.  The author is gifted without a doubt, I am not inclined to pick up another one of her books.  The Goldfinch's symbolism is wonderful, the plot (what plot), need I say more.  If you are looking for a long, train wreck of a read then by all means go for it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11ARU04C2R3QO?ASIN=0316055441	Was this book even edited?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be overrated, overhyped, under-edited, and self indulgent. I enjoy rich, descriptive writing, as opposed to a more minimalist style such as Hemmingway; however, this book is ridiculously over descriptive and over written. I skipped over so many lines and pages describing things to death. Any beautiful writing to be found was completely unappreiciateable due to it being sandwiched in between boring, self indulgent ramblings.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KCY0ZW1AIXJD?ASIN=0316055441	too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was so tough for me to get through. I didn't connect with the characters, any of them. It was so descriptive to the point where I got lost with boredom. I skipped and skimmed pages more than I actually read through them. There was never any real climax! I really wanted to like it because of all the good reviews, and I think I might have if it was 1/3 of the length. Overall I am just glad I finished it so I can move on to my next read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFJR0FPN6EO5U?ASIN=0316055441	"Donna Tartt's book ""The Goldfinch""  - I enjoyed spending a couple of days in this novel."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's characters are well drawn.  Manhattan, Las Vegas &amp; Amsterdam -- come to life.  But, the thing I loved the most about this book was the beautiful writing.  Wonderful phrasing.  Author hits nails on their heads page after page.  There's element of ""Bonfire of the Vanities"" in that characters cross across social &amp; economic lines.  So many vivid scenes and a page turner.<br/><br/> An exceptional book &amp; I recommend it w/o reservation.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22UR5J99E9PF8?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't like all the drugs and alcohol references.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BQZEFOR6RULC?ASIN=0316055441	Oh Donna, Why?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dear Donna,<br/>You know, Im digging Goldfinch, enjoying the story and all.  But, as soon as Boris said ""Harry Potter"" it got spoiled.  On the Imax in my head. Hobie became Hagrid and the Antique Shop became Hagrids Hut and Hobie's House became Hogwartz.  And why on EARTH did you throw in the reference to Parseltongue?<br/><br/>The painting is the ""sorcerer's stone?<br/><br/>I guess that makes Pippa is a Weasley......</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AISUK65I2YYF?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't Feel for Main Charector	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the book's writing and story line, but I just couldn't get to the point where I really cared about the main character. I felt like he was a whiner and should have been able to move on from the tragedy from childhood. His inability to open up to people caused him to harbor fears and frustrations and self loathing that I was annoyed with.<br/><br/>Excellent writing. Good story. Troubled youth failed to grow up.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R263H80CTSROG5?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBDW4CM98K4U7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Super read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1538XJ42G8WPE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FGM6A271VIC5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37DIW7KP6VVOJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M4UFGGWPLH3O?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A6CE11YBMSLI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great Book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QGIINMDI3JAS?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R195IDC8O607G1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GNJ2O55ZF0LB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4Z8RVM5522VH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great Book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYIZFRNHU8OA0?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossing!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E7ICVTTYOCDB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K9HYOWNAW51P?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN6M39IYQPV98?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15BQZRVZL8FF2?ASIN=0316055441	the best book I have ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A must-read</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20XYITDWQ4NRS?ASIN=0316055441	A must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24ICLSKT7JCYJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7H01AQIQJ3EA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">interesting</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LOW6FBE7LGR?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHU3XGCW1O0GS?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PSXBWW8DK1OZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28C4XD147ZL98?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY4I9GL92FREC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent t</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20CMRYSTRXMUV?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GI3KLR6G574M?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12GHG56M297F5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37EDDA015IOMA?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19DJA1PQIC95S?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P93SHDBM89VP?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19D39PUAW2JWA?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAJPKZOG86FUD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWAVYUNONXJZ3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34O9IAZ15BBV4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RLTK6O4NCL1I?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NYX1P5TWUVH9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J2HH31BNHO4I?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">exhausting!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNSKT3ITO8I65?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U46AFIIB873G?ASIN=0316055441	This book will grab your attention..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R325XDPASLTW00?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U1AKP6J9OS0P?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y6ZTF17EG1RB?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed it,</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25FCJ8KKWKPG0?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JO0DSOA1IJLF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exceptional</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UVZBSLYASK20?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">GREAT BOOK!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NFZB39X4NYP5?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it was okay</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LMSOLN62WTRC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15FG6A9G3V1WO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awsome book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30E36SRFNR5MI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SLEVW6RIBS10?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W4BNBR75JF3C?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFSWI5VNG1N2L?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKSDNRA6WGM1S?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Page turner</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26LOOYH725B31?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12KKW0US8XEFP?ASIN=0316055441	Darkly entertaining	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">no comments</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWS7R2MK9UW60?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IHPZ9KN90CLW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8BD49YB9HABH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D0DSY6PVSJVC?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read,</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UIRVUEM4IW5T?ASIN=0316055441	Must Read Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M1D11TZPOLYP?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUD5MA3B629JJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2367OEL5VIGA6?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredible.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJYVSCDPBM58I?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UBKC7L1AV7GO?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MM5T3GO81KJE?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WTT4TMFK3OK3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fascinating</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIMA6M0EESYGM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37OSONBMAP336?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long winded</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J3WH8YHDUNOI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R239EODJKAV59Y?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not so much</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31YCSM5IUHEUT?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KE2D50PYA455?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21NVER7FEYHCI?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHGJN8L3D1YOL?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39QLW99LT4TL3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18T0MM8EWVHGF?ASIN=0316055441	READ THESE BOOKS	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC1CVOWNABSIR?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CHF8QIG59MHP?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U4H14UEPJWVD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">fantastic!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35ZSCMR70K0MQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19KSED8D7GT4E?ASIN=0316055441	Page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BL09W29EINF7?ASIN=0316055441	The best of the best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think this book chose me.  I remember being ""allowed"" to sit in the adult section of Fairview Park Library, in grade school.  I sat and read and never talked (or even moved, probably).  This book took me back there.  Childlike in my excitement of the story.  Back then, I wanted to be some of the characters I read about.  Fifty years later, I find that I am, some; in several of these characters.  Good, bad?  Who knows?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT6K3LV2G4NAG?ASIN=0316055441	A terrible waste of my time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A terrible waste of my time.  771 pages describing a dreary, drugged, and drunken lifestyle - filled with hopelessness and despair.  This story could have been told in less than 50 pages.  I kept waiting for the plot to improve, but it never did.  Sadly, there may be many people living that lifestyle today, but I'm not interested in reading about their tedious, self-defeating lives.  There are much better books to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29RD0PCBMA3PA?ASIN=0316055441	Too long and tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I gave this book an honest effort, but lost patience and returned it to the library without getting beyond disc 10 (out of 26).  By that stage the author was tediously describing Theo and his friend Boris's misadventures with drugs, crime, and girls.  I imagined that the story would pick up once Theo did something with the all-important painting, but I wasn't going to spend another 16 discs' worth of time to get there.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R396XU0U14OENF?ASIN=0316055441	Very disappointing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Secret History is one of my favorite novels, and I'd hoped to be seduced back into a magical time with interplay of characters.  Not so with this one.  An interesting read, but just not up to par.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AYIX2J6LM7BT?ASIN=0316055441	Review of The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wish I had the time to write a full review of this amazing book. Yes it is a hefty tomb, but there are no dead pages in this book. Donna Tartt is an amazing writer. She has the ability to bring you right into the story as if you were seeing it all right before your eyes. There is a reason why this book has been on the top of the New York Times best sellers list for weeks upon weeks. Get this book and read it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34SHAHEJRQS8G?ASIN=0316055441	Clean up your act.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I only finished this book because  it won award which goes to show you some people don't know a good story. The language, the sex was way over done and detracted from any value of reading this book. It<br/>was too long and too boring.I did not like it and felt it was a waste of my precious time.All my friend feel the same way. To the author. Clean up your story lines and I might attempt another of your books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2189YZDO5U8N9?ASIN=0316055441	What a DRAG!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I almost didn't finish, but thought maybe I was missing something!  So I did and it was a big waste of time!  Basically it was about 2 teenage boys doing drugs and then growing up and doing them also!  I kept thinking it would get better, but it never did and I can not believe it is on the best seller list!  Girl With a Pearl Earring it is NOT!  Don't waste your time there are too many good books out there.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IP3LPWNDHPC3?ASIN=0316055441	The Force of Words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch may be described as an amalgam of Kerouac, Gaddis, and Salinger, with a Nietzschean tint, but it is nonetheless its own peculiar animal, a sprawling, meditative, and bizare tale that, mystifyingly, manages to penetrate a melancholic smog of narcotics and nihilism and emerge as an out and out romp. The novel is insightful, absurd, and inane in turns, but Ms. Tartt remains in control of the narrative throughout, and thus one can just as easily interpret the moments in which it seems to lose focus as evidence of Tartt's performative exuberance.<br/><br/>""Performance"" is the operative word in considering The Goldfinch, and as is so often the case with postmodern texts, the novel's performance of performance is at the heart of both its success and its shortcomings. Insofar as I understand performance, it is not merely a matter of the novel's adherence to the classic ""show, don't tell"" imperative, but rather also has to do with its enacting, on the level of language, an affective experience of the phenomena/milieu the narrative is engaging at a given moment. (Gaddis' use of unattributed speech in A Frolic of His Own and Joyce's fracturing of chronology, and perspective in Ulysses and Finnigan's Wake are examples.) For the majority of the novel, Ms. Tartt does an exemplary job of instantiating the chaotic lassitude of Theo Decker in multi-rhythmic, alternately spartan and indulgent prose, this especially in the many moments in which he withdraws into lush, and inevitably lugubrious altered states. Tartt's renderings of Theo's mother's experience of art are light-handed and touching, and the novel's vision of the human condition is poignantly enfleshed in Theo's failure to recognize in Boris' friendship proof of the possibility in the immediacy of human interaction of what he allows only for art objects, which is to say of authentic love, and a substantive connection to the beautiful.<br/><br/>The novel's faults are mostly venial: it overindulges in dreams and descriptions of drug trips, has about a hundred pages of fat, and its ending reads like it was written by an author not quite confident that her readers would ""get it."" The most substantive criticism I can level against it is that the meditative/philosophical moments aren't quite integrated into the overall flow of the narrative, and thus sometimes read as though they are foreign inserts, rather than natural parts of the novel.<br/><br/>One wants, also, to criticize Tartt for rendering a supporting cast of thin, insubstantial characters, however just as the words are on the tip of his tongue, the matter of performance leaps once more to the fore, and he realizes that he would be wrong to make such a criticism, because, finally, The Goldfinch is presented to us as the missive of a narcissist, and its tragedy is that it is Theo's solipsism that guarantees his disaffection and alienation. His articulation of the power of art and that power's origin in love is spot on, and the sorrow we feel as we close the book has to do with what he misses: that the ground of human existence is the capacity for art and love, which is to say, the ability to respond to and recreate what is most real and immediate.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35Y6ROFMXSXLA?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring.......................................</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R127HIK1MUC118?ASIN=0316055441	What a disappointment. The first 100 pages were passable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A local book club was reading it so I read it to find out what all the huppla was all about. What a disappointment. The first 100 pages were passable, the next 400 pages should have been omitted. Donna did not deserve a Pulitzer. Was she on something thru the middle of the book?  The ending  of the book was not clear.. Its a sad state of affairs in America that she got a Pultizer for that lousy book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R285JG3Z8UTG7X?ASIN=0316055441	Horrible reader	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unfortunately I could only get this book from the library as an audio download.  I am going to have to stop listening.  I can't take the way the reader reads the mother's character.  Uggggg.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34KO868L4E7MS?ASIN=0316055441	Moving and beautiful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me about three times starting the book and reading 15 pages, putting it down before I committed to it. Fir me it was a slow start, but once I got in I became absorbed.<br/><br/>The book is heavy yet is beautifully written. The misery is understood and bearable, but not depressing. I think it is simply one of those books you must experience to he<br/>lp you understand others experience.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZZGGNC6T0QJ2?ASIN=0316055441	I couldn't get excited about any of the characters in ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't get excited about any of the characters in this book.  They were whiney and self absorbed, not someone I could admire.  After reading three pages of one sentence without a period, I lost all admiration for the author as well.  When the main character was planning his suicide, I was actually cheering him on...  It had potential in the beginning and then the drinking and drugs took over.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFSQXD3BRJ7WR?ASIN=0316055441	Did not love	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt it was way too wordy! Did not love it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M3M9POGHDW77?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this was a slow, depressing  book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF1CZUCS7WQ40?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In company with the likes of Faulkner, Hemmingway, Steinbeck? I don't think so. Besides, the weak writing (how many times can I read ""suddenly"") and the plot (unlikely, self serving), the main character is a pathetic, self-absorbed, wimp, who couldn't take personal responsibility if he could, and he doesn't (how many times does he justify any poor behavior with ""and yet....""?) Ignore this chore.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5C74TDYEUFPZ?ASIN=0316055441	Plot Approved by Officials in High Places	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I suspect this fantasy novel won a Pulitzer Prize because it has a government approved fantasy terrorist bombing in a public place in NYC.  It's as if the well known writer was asked to put in this plot element as no one with any degree of common sense or artistic sensibility would ever have dreamed up something so unbelievable.  I couldn't get very far in this poorly written downtrodden tripe.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL9P3U22A95F5?ASIN=0316055441	So boring.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was so boring I couldn't get past the first 100 pages. I should have read the reviews on Amazon. I guess some really liked it but I read for entertainment, not to get depressed.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R138N4CAWBCR1M?ASIN=0316055441	Give it to all the artists you know.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great read. For those readers who might be convinced Christians, as I am, the book is a wonderful glimpse of the melancholic despair punctuated by incredible beauty so much a part of paganism. So much truth, not quite far enough, like Kierkegaard's ""aesthetic "". Marvelous, unforgettable, but ultimately still longing, not knowing that true fulfillment, though inconceivable, exists.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CFVQ71K80JND?ASIN=0316055441	Absolutely brilliant!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absolutely BRILLIANT!!  The characters are like they are in your living room!  The prose/writing style is really amazingly beautiful ... made me stop and re-read a paragraph just to immerse myself in the author's  choice of words/phrases.  A deep exploration of life long choices based on an earlier childhood tragedy.  A must read for any who revel in excellent writing and character study!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26JAOLW4FEVL8?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderful long read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful long read.  I liked the story and found myself drawn in by the plot.  It's a long novel with many, many pages and I felt it could have easily been 300 pages less.  The whole Las Vegas plot seemed unnecessary.  It's also one of those overhyped books which annoys me.  Tartt deserves praise for this novel, but it wasn't the book of the century that many others made it out to be.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16BB4CA0R8SLR?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but too long by about a third.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N66ZJYEZ9JZ6?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not like at all.  Too much drug culture</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSCI936YYILGR?ASIN=0316055441	A meditation in chance, fate and life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a wonderful book about chance, fate and love. It is beautifully written and filled with insights about life. However, it was abut over written in parts (where was her editor?) and as a result it bogged down in parts. This flaw also made it a heft of a book- too heavy to hold almost.  Publishers should return to the practice if putting out books in volumes when they are that huge</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TT3Y1UKQNO4C?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch was a terrific read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The quality of the writing was beautiful. The story grabbed me but the prose was the best part.<br/>The in-depth presentation of all the characters--their flaws, good points, weaknesses, likes and dislikes were stunningly realistic.<br/>New York City and Amsterdam were like 2 full characters as well.<br/>I loved this book and recommend it to anyone looking for high literary quality.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIHN7LFUENU6Z?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GN1VSXMS3QSG?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great Read</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M85UW4Z2NE2T?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MZKB0HAZV0AO?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ID7J6ZZPLXDA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXAEOJETRBROF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredible</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S0YX2YNRE5JQ?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Power full</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XUG5QHWHOE9E?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJNFXCQ9GCDBH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CC4GEGGL0PMH?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XGEG0VIUHCGW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great Read</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MCDCJZMT7MED?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H1XLHWQKCLMF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LU6RNLNC991I?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I2TGWTEHZWD2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R232VX90D0U6XZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4IPIZAASVLLE?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M2TIPW0A4HZA?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very Good.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SXTNDCDSF1PX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">wonderful!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C2VPGPR0EQYN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JU9DHIOI7G2B?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IFHOKFQ4526E?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit long</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11Q8YWM1IASLY?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C5FIFZEATA1H?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19S4K9CKG2KD2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RXNJ94KNKJYP?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17MMHZ2MZHEMO?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good price</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F4NTCM9UEE0H?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ8PHN20SELWK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N33S4K3EIUU0?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">fantasstic</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OJT0AWNNP87L?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved it !</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XLL1GK9NTUJD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROKNE1EX0BXUT?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overrated.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJUF10HIFXYIT?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was ok,</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SG5OQENU46XM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28YXM2M50PXBY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28INNDWSWDI1H?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QMBMQFQ11MEY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAHTP3EYBOSUT?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R0PXJTZHY0I7?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VK6AVDRIBSIA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RTX8C8104Z81?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JFL0M4MIKNUS?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTXI0IR8VOPLV?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXSLQ1I0LKNBM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVCBG7C5OSM8D?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great Book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3C8PYQ79JPIWI?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Absorbing!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LOU6KVFHLWH5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB71Z5HXKIJVO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39LFZ6FPXLOI3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19RCXH28NUNDG?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OHWVTZ4DBA7R?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UCRIVHPTT5AC?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RAVK54HAFOF4?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SIO5GYM6T9Z2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engrossing</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HSTBUBALRK8Y?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G2ZKZPWZ8WP3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGEQYGMGSNQHD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LD8ZT7FQV52?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excelllent</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZH5XCMKRLB09?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exce;;ent!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWZVJFISCO1NJ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NHD1OX6497OM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R398FY2HI3MQZW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HTKC8TILHWCJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R98BHRFMMFAG4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7YN4WVF8FY6A?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VXDPJZQBIZWS?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Grelt book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34TY8U0H6VPUI?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved it !!!!  10 pages 2 long</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U8S7TG60IZHS?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R259X9N812CJSW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SBWVJ2UTP6Z3?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT58RNUAR1HG2?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23RY1L2C80GIB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16IFUHTOJ0NF9?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">enjoyed it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HH4S4OFQPKA4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ORW22QH8KNF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LY1E2935RKEU?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DTJFIJBJ39VE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16IP7T203WG24?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R157T9XQHA42DO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH383Q4R38YUF?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tedious!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AUMUBH3PSF5S?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24EPRJOR9OQSU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BF1JF13ZL1UT?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long !</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R225TNVNFHIKGA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I12OHXTBII5D?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C8P3XTZM49N9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L6ZZSBAZK5V4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U91YBKQLNJU4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thank You!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PLA1SXGRR2H2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW6YRL0ZCRBVJ?ASIN=0316055441	Not much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt is a probably a good writer, but this story is just flat....gets lost in repetitive tangents.  Her main character, Theo, is tormented on so many levels, but I never developed any feelings for him....I was never pulling for him . The writing is filled with emotional commentary, the many faces of human nature, which shows some of her best writing.....just not a captivating plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17EKDL29C3WUA?ASIN=0316055441	SO. STUPID.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">SPOILER ALERT AHEAD!<br/><br/>If it was so easy to give the painting to the authorities at the end of the book, why didn't he do this YEARS AGO?!?  I have very little patience for 9,000 pages of angst when the solution to the problem that is the foundation of the story, is ABSURDLY SIMPLE.  ""Oh, I should have just GOOGLED HOW TO REPORT INTERNATIONAL ART THEFT"".  Jesus.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAVXW5D7VT303?ASIN=0316055441	Why did I finish it?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I struggled through this book because it was so highly rated; I kept reading because I thought I would eventually figure out what was so special about it.  But I never did.  I despised the drugs, the thought of teenagers wasting their lives getting high, and then they grew up, still relying on drugs to get them through life.<br/>Wish I had spent my time reading a light mystery.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIJ3WSAYRBYGF?ASIN=0316055441	Not to be missed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous! A well-told tale. Cannot be put down. Packed with thought-provoking passages; populated with richly developed  characters. The author's brilliant language takes one far beyond the immediately compelling story line. The protagonist's introspections will permeate and engage this reader's mind for a long time.<br/>The Goldfinch is high on my list of all-time favorite books.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ICHLVHMS586O?ASIN=0316055441	Best first half of a book I ever read-worst last 40 pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt because the beginning was so good I owed it to the author to finish. Maybe it would stop clanking and stumbling along. Instead it waddled deeper and deeper into its self-important intellectual/emotional  tar pit.<br/>A world where men sit around endlessly sharing feelings like this is a fabrication or maybe feminine projection. Meanwhile the women are short-changed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K6NWQBJ5J639?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing, Well Written Literature !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a new author for me, but I couldn't put this book down. It is so well written, I would recommend it to anyone or group who appreciates good literature. I didn't want the novel to end; I learned a lot from this book because it had characters who revealed a reality that I was not at all familiar with. None the less the protagonist was amazing throughout the novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K16BOXIXXZL8?ASIN=0316055441	The only reason I bought this book was because it has beeen on the Best Seller List for so long WHY	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The only reason I gve it one star is because giving it no stars was not an option.  I thought it was awful!  Am very upset with myself for wasting the time finishing it.  Way too wordy!  Much ado about nothing!  Kept waiting for somrthing significant to happen.  The only reason I bought this book was because it has beeen on the Best Seller List for so long  WHY???</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q3IP6K0BGF10?ASIN=0316055441	All Hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Never engaged me. It was hard to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11CI79QZZ5NRQ?ASIN=0316055441	Not an easy read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was one of those books in which I found it difficult to anticipate where the author's story was going. It seemed like life was going to smooth out for a while for Theo and then ""BANG"", back in the swamp.<br/>A real consideration of: Why do good things happen to bad people, bad things to good people? Can two good deeds result in a bad outcome, and can two bad deeds result in a good event? A pretty good treatment existentialism and alter egos.<br/>I got as discouraged as Theo's life kept turning him inside out. I kept wanting to give him some advice. The climax was a real surprise.<br/><br/>I know I'll be compelled to read another of her books.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FUHC5QISTUCM?ASIN=0316055441	Too depressing!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was listening to this book on CD after hearing what a wonderful book it was....I disagree.  I wanted the main character to turn around and the choices he made were horrendous.  He just kept digging a deeper and deeper hole.  I was waiting and waiting for him to turn around.  I had just finished surgery and was told to rest....this totally depressed me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CZAMJM784K58?ASIN=0316055441	a waste of my time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is more to life then drugs and alcohol. One needs to make the best of ones time when here on earth by making an honest living and thanking God for being here. You cannot run away from troubles. Life is a journey to be enjoyed by showing gratitude and love.<br/>Maybe, I just did not get the meaning and was a disappointment in the end of the book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SPHAI1BLAJSY?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">boring.slow.much too much description too many lists of qualities of EVERYTHING.Pillars by Ken Follett was long but I felt bereft when it ended. The only reason I finished Goldfinch was because I listened to the audio version and the only reason I didnt sleep through it was because I was driving. Thank goodness I borrowed it and didnt have to buy it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EMMJ390UO8Q7?ASIN=0316055441	Never read a book quite like this before	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have never read a book quite like this before. The characters are richly drawn, the story intriguing, full of drugs, crime, the only thing missing is sex. At one point I had to put it down for a few days just to take a break. While this is certainly an ambitious effort, it is at times plodding and too wordy. I liked the book but only 3 stars worth.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUS8X7HRK1V3C?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">p</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J374A67BBUSO?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV8QAPBWV6PK9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrific read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J4OCKVOF713K?ASIN=0316055441	Read this!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A really good read. I am an avid reader and I truly enjoyed this novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14TFTWJNV7471?ASIN=0316055441	Tim Leary on steroids	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A well written story with a great plot.  Unfortunately the heavy reliance on the drug culture, as the background,.was off-putting.  It may reflect the real world.but I do not think that it added anything of importance to the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11RYBG6UZ49BJ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written - too long, could have used some editing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKDWX1XLU31CU?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious read. Suffered thru it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tedious read.  Suffered thru it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OJ7QLKKTHF2V?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJVC3X8R8JC7W?ASIN=0316055441	Some excellent moments and well crafted writing in certain scenes but too long and tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The novel is well written and has the classic excellent opening paragraph and page that engages the reader to turn the page which is the key to a publisher for serious consideration. Goldfinch had some excellent scenes and chapters but too much was tedious and the 755 pages too long.<br/>Tartt writes excellent conversations of which the main character Theo (Theodore) shined but still it was too long and too tedious in most of the chapters.<br/>Even though the subject matter did not interest me I would have enjoyed the book if less were more of it! I do understand that it is Pulitzer level and do find that I am not interested in most Pulitzer winning novels. They are either too long or the subject matter is not my pick for a topic on which to base a novel. It is a dull version of the Thomas Crown Affair.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IPRPXVA2SDXF?ASIN=0316055441	Things that are supposed to be good are not always good and everything bad is not always all bad.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was left feeling unsatisfied by the book overall. The writing style is very descriptive and shows great skills with every word in the dictionary. The story highlights someone with a superior mind who cannot see his way out of a terrible event that many with lesser gifts have survived.  Indeed many become greater and stronger in the broken places than they would have been with out the terrible event in their lives. I know ,I know everyone says this is a rare jewel of a book. How does it celebrate human character? It does not. It shows a nhileistic whining young man who double crosses a good man who try's to help him. He ruins his mentors reputation and violates his trust. The book celebrates the drug addict Russian mobster. Our story focus continually makes bad choices and does not appear to learn from his past mistakes. The drugs are in your face, and do nothing but illustrate him wallowing in his self pity.In the end he is working to buy back the furniture he sold under false claims but we still see no pursuit of a better life. He stays around the false people who were part of his early life. Not looking for a fairy story, but this story line, although having many twists and turns is like a snake eating its tail.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO2KSXS2HHPFM?ASIN=0316055441	Very good book, too long, not a great wrap up	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me FOREVER to read this book, it is SOOOO long.  The story is captivating, but I feel it dragged on at the end and had no real substantive ending.  The character is intriguing and sad to see how he disintegrates.  The world is drawn out well and the book is relatable.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11NK5WTQTFTWB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrific book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLIC7BU8VEYHL?ASIN=0316055441	Must Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gripping story line, brillant writing.  Probably will read again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16JUK8VWSL1J3?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful truth	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A brilliant,  beautifully written novel pulsing with vitality, pain, and humor. Thoughtful, insightful, and truthful about human relationships with one's self and others.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YP1DLQKXJEQM?ASIN=0316055441	ONE OF MY NEW FAVORITES	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Probably the best book I've read all year. There is adventure, suspense and gratis info about art history to boot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UDW3SPOX1S47?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMIOA7ZKVQ2GZ?ASIN=0316055441	A Pulitzer Prize Winner that Left me Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was really looking forward to reading Goldfinch. The hype around it as well as wonderful responses from my reading friends, left me anxious to read it. Often with a book that I know will be good, I save it. I always like to have a good book waiting in the wings. Did this Pulitzer-Prize-winning book measure up to the hype?<br/><br/>Unfortunately I have to say it didn't. Indeed parts of it were very good, but it certainly wasn't a book I'd rank up there with say--Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese or the Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman-- a couple of my favorites. What it is that made Goldfinch a Pulitzer? I am left wondering.<br/><br/>Told from the point of view of a young boy through most of the book, the author did a nice job of putting us in his skin. The way she described his grief was absolutely on the money. Furthermore, she created a flawed character, but one with whom the reader could sympathize. I wanted Theo to be safe. I wanted him to do the right thing. Often he made poor choices, but given his circumstances, that was understandable and believable.<br/><br/>The subplot (if there was a plot) dealt with the painting. Perhaps that was the plot. This is where the book slows down. What was the action? Not until nearly the end of the book does action happen, and it was like a bullet being shot from a gun and going plop. For me the entire story was very slow and plodding.<br/><br/>This could have been a 500 page book rather than a 700+ page book. It was not redundancy that troubled me so much as asking myself, ""why is this still happening."" Too often the author thinks readers don't get it. But more often than not, we do.<br/><br/>I won't say much about the symbolism of the painting in order not to give too much away. The most obvious metaphor was the chain around the bird's talon. Theo, too, has a chain--in fact--he had several chains.<br/><br/>The ending wraps everything up nicely, but it goes on and on and on. My ability to skim came in very handy.<br/><br/>So, for this Pulitzer I would only give three stars.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSZDWIUHI9X8L?ASIN=0316055441	I thought I was going to like it but I was disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I recently read this for my Book Club. I was excited to start but I had a very hard time wanting to pick up the book and read it. I kept looking at my Kindle to see how far (%) I was. In my opinion it only started to get good at 70%! I should not have had to wait for 3/4 of the book for it to get good.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5AR31MCLI7ZZ?ASIN=0316055441	Written brilliantly but it was Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Written brilliantly but it was Too long, too detailed and so rambling that it lost my interest. I couldn't wait to finish it so the agony would end. Sorry, I guess I am not a good judge, since it did win a Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4Z68N1RVK2QA?ASIN=0316055441	Wasn't that Enthursed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book very wordy, too wordy.  The whole idea, the actual story was very good and I enjoyed that, but I did not enjoy reading page after page of words, words that in my opinion weren't needed, but just boring.  It made the book so lengthy and heavy and I couldn't enjoy the story at times because of the words, words, words.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1832LAA64ZFVX?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long, drawn out, and depressing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20W3E0VDDMBNJ?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not enjoy. Only read it quickly to find out how it ended -- which,too, was disappointing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G1YK01YQXII?ASIN=0316055441	Don't Bother Reading this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I truly do not understand how this book got a Pulitzer Prize for fiction - weren't any other books written that year?<br/>I could have been an excellent book - but entire portion of the book that takes place when the boy goes to live with his father is so extremely far fetched, and really very annoying.  It detracts from the book, and what could have been a wonderful story.  Then the far fetched characters show up again, years later, in New York and really ruin the book.<br/>I only finished the book because it received the Pulitzer, thinking it has to get better and somewhat realistic - but it didn't.<br/>With so many other wonderful books to read, I'd skip this one.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O6JU8029Y1HK?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have not finished he book.  I think it is too wordy.  Does not hold my attention.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R105J0K4V5V9MB?ASIN=0316055441	and STILL being disappointed. Reading this book felt like being in AP ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ugh, I had high hopes for a fast-paced thriller centered around art theft and history... but ended up skipping pages just to get to the end... and STILL being disappointed.  Reading this book felt like being in AP Lit all over again.  Apparently using 250 words to describe an event instead of 15 makes one a ""great"" author.  Be prepared to spend hours reading about what ""Raskolnikov"" is thinking and feeling instead of reading about any action.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DTHXZF5PGZLO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent. Jack Kerouac meets John Steinbeck .</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18KRFDJXH7QU3?ASIN=0316055441	page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">so well written  and a page turner</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P89M2SSL6P3L?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous, unforgettable!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4G3E602XRO1H?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very good</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RCID4NG0QFTG?ASIN=0316055441	No wonder its a best seller! Could barely stand to put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No wonder its a best seller!  Could barely stand to put it down!  Wonderful book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q21E9A4OG91C?ASIN=0316055441	... was completely turned off by the constant use of bad language.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was completely turned off by the constant use of bad language.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5WVZWCM1MMW8?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not as good as her first book, better than her second, but still somehow disappointing.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O7QUIZF0U42S?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting twists and intriguing characters</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM9YFEIT0WYL8?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Started ok but much too worded from the middle on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R309XHDJ2AJE40?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had hoped to have loved this, but it simply drags through the middle of the novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K8PSM4RFO16U?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just can't seem to get into this book. Too much description and not enough talking.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16ZD50GTXN2QD?ASIN=0316055441	it was like training for a marathon....but	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Marathon training requires time, discipine, patience and tenacity....but the daily 10 mile runs are less demanding then reading this book. At least with the runs I worked-up a sweat.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V0ZS2C202UX7?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R107BN8DWJKLD1?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VF1YPWDBKS5K?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">okay read, too slow to keep my attn all the way through</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ABOACTUAX8N3?ASIN=0316055441	very boring in parts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very dark. very boring in parts.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PBMGKB3863A1?ASIN=0316055441	I can't believe Goldfinch has been on the best seller list	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't believe Goldfinch has been on the best seller list.  Teenage, young adult angst for page after page after page.  I wanted to scream, grow up!  I should have quit reading, but kept looking for a redeeming factor, a something that would give purpose to this read.  Never happened.  The last few pages are the saddest commentary of a very depressed  young man without hope. I wish I had read the last first, and not wasted my time.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCC6OLM7XHW02?ASIN=0316055441	Extremely Long!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although there were parts of the book that grabbed my attention, in an attempt to  be descriptive it was over the top ""word"" often losing my attention. I struggled to get through the book. I think the author's message could have been accomplished in about 300 less words!!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FJ97JAW21UQS?ASIN=0316055441	nothing happy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long to get to the point of anything.....drugs alcohol galore....not my kind of book.....nothing happy</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U5QD4HRR0J5W?ASIN=0316055441	I THOUGHT THE LAST 3/4 OF THE BOOK WAS TOO ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I THOUGHT THE LAST 3/4 OF THE BOOK WAS TOO  MUCH!  IT COULD HAVE ENDED WITH HIS FINDING OUT THAT BORIS HAD STOLEN  THE PAINTING AND TAKEN THE HEAT OFF HIM.. i APPRECIATED THAT IT WAS WELL-WRITTEN.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CR6S0SKK2A7Q?ASIN=0316055441	I didn't like the ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't like the ending, I'm not sure what happened to all the characters, and I didn't like all the drug use.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZNKYO3YJ1BSU?ASIN=0316055441	Liked the plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Liked the plot, was bored with all the rambling , sorry that I spent this much for a book I skimmed through so much because of the drug scene association, not my idea of an entertaining read</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R187L0RN9T0018?ASIN=0316055441	I thought it was overly long and way too much ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it was overly long and way too much description.  I had a hard time keeping my interest in it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3938V4YN1GZGI?ASIN=0316055441	I enjoyed her first book more	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While it's a well written book is a little depressing for me. I enjoyed her first book more.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYZYGHVB14JQN?ASIN=0316055441	Needlessly long. Disappointing ending.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Needlessly long.  Disappointing ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MJMXEMVZ6YI7?ASIN=0316055441	Don't buy it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tool long, too wordy, and did not stir our interest because of it.  I wasted the cost of it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HRKATZYWNJHI?ASIN=0316055441	Deep dense a little disturbing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">probably just me. too much intoxication. I think I prefer sober reality to living through a drugged haze. I don't know why it doesn't get old for addicts. gets old to read through. believable and sad story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FZ25PUYVWLEK?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too long and he never gets his act together</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REZLWB29UNUB5?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too dragged out story. Seems to have been written to express the phylosophical view of the author.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KG1V69OBCWKM?ASIN=0316055441	too much about nothing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm sorry, but I didn't care for it. Somehow I finished it, hoping, only to be disappointed. Glad I'm done.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LHX8X4R3PV71?ASIN=0316055441	Poor story. Random, overly detailed scenes that did not further the plot.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing style was good. The story was not. Most of the scenes had no goal, motivation or conflict. They were random, over detailed side stories. I quit reading after 57%.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RLWDM4JH27CQ?ASIN=0316055441	No Thanks!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Composed of too many long run-on sentences, and way too may 4-letter type words and situations. Guttural language, to the extent used in this book, is not necessary to tell an otherwise good story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PV3QVY6WDY2D?ASIN=0316055441	Not my pleasure.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know this has been on the best seller list for a long time, but I found it to be boring, repetitive and it kept putting me to sleep.  It is too long and takes forever to read.  The story line is a good one but is spoiled by too many words and not enough action.  I am also weary of drugs and their results everywhere.  Much prefer a pleasant story, but that's just my preference.  I am not really a critic.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3366RMWJHOAHW?ASIN=0316055441	Not a fan of this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was looking forward to this book, but I must say I was disappointed.  It was a good story, however, it reminded me of reading a Dickens novel.  I hate to say this, but I could not wait to get to the end.  I usually do not want a good book to end, this one I wanted it to end half way through.  Sorry, but I would not recommend.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXLB2DHV3SCLT?ASIN=0316055441	Theo had a hard life and every time he turned around his cards got worse and worse	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was way to long and drawn out. It was kind of depressing and the ending left you hanging. Theo had a hard life and every time he turned around his cards got worse and worse. Kind of a sad a depressing book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EP1JIN5U1U3R?ASIN=0316055441	Skip	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't like it very much. Lots of untied ends at the finish of book. Didn't like the choices the characters made.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NDRUOU6U1G6U?ASIN=0316055441	Highly recommend.  Very good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author takes you on an emotional journey with lots of twists and turns.  Definitely a page turner.<br/>Will read more from this author.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R319QW840B27QQ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written and a real page turner.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FMAZ4ZO0OJUX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A gripping novel that will challenge your thinking about societal norms.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OSO26P1VVTES?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great short novella that lasted 800 pages.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK0N7KASGS2JN?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Almost perfect maybe just a tad to long...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27N0TF1U0L30A?ASIN=0316055441	a well-deserved Pulitzer Prize	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A journey of dark despair paired with unbelievable beauty and inspiration. This story will stay with me for some time to come.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DKZIL608LWLH?ASIN=0316055441	Gripping education in art and those who hunger for it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a rare occasion when you immerse yourself completely in a book where you cannot get enough of the story.  And you cannot predict any of the events or outcomes no matter how hard you try.  If you are into museum level art, it's a must read.  The author is a masterful story teller.  You will mourn the moment you read the last sentence knowing you have finished reading it.  You will want more.  My second favourite Pulitzer winner.  The other being The Confederacy of Dunces.  Both authors amazing story tellers.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R338VMCXC0WA31?ASIN=0316055441	Epic, but rather perverse!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While this story covers a period from a teenager's tragic experience to a time as a misguided adult, its scope and arc<br/>takes him on an epic journey. Still, I was drawn to stay with the story to its conclusion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PAHT1DEOIG4W?ASIN=0316055441	introspectively dark	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A well written book with some dramatic action wound fluidly throughout. The main character thoroughly flogs himself in an intensely introspective whirlwind of good vs evil. I'd recommend this book to others.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ITKMROO8K4UR?ASIN=0316055441	Great reading for long flights	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wasn’t at all put-off by the 700+ pages; I was looking forward to them.  After all, I had loaded my Kindle with it and others for three upcoming plane rides, and I planned to enjoy the discomfort of those long flights with lots of comfort food for my brain.<br/><br/>Even so, I was pleasantly surprised and happy that The Goldfinch held my interest throughout its long passages with such power and impact.  It’s a big, meaty novel with sharp characterizations, emotionally charged themes of loss and resurrection, rich and complex plotting, vivid and well-researched descriptions and believable dialogue.<br/><br/>I was immediately pulled into this poignant tale when the adult Theo Decker tells of the tragic accident that killed his beautiful mother when he was 13 with this haunting statement:  “Things would have turned out better if she had lived.”<br/><br/>But it’s the suspense, masterfully created out of seemingly mundane and often dysfunctional situations, one right after the other, that both surprised me and appealed to me the most. First, the adult Theo is in Amsterdam, but I wanted to know why.  So I kept reading.  Something tragic is about to happen.  I had to find out what.  I know the mother dies, but now I must find out how.  The poor 13-year-old Theo obviously survives and possesses something that is both valuable and dangerous.  Again, how and why?  What is the Goldfinch and what happens to it?  The questions and the suspense kept me turning the pages.  Brilliant.<br/><br/>I remained glued to the story even as Theo goes into a series of situations filled with the absurd as well as odd and other tragic characters.  Just after his mother dies, Theo lives with his pitiful schoolmate and the mate’s socially “perfect” and charitable family on Park Avenue in New York, only they’re not so perfect.  From there, Theo goes to live in Las Vegas with his once-missing gambling/addict father and his new tacky, brash wife.  He also meets someone who becomes his lifelong friend, Boris, a Ukrainian kid who is both a lovable petty thief and streetwise drug dealer.  Theo eventually goes back to New York to work as an antique dealer because he befriends the benevolent Hobie, an honorable guy who ties directly back to the death scenes with Theo’s mother, a style element that showed finesse and hope for Theo.  At times, I disliked Theo immensely, especially when he was in Amsterdam with Boris and because of the poor life choices he kept making.  But I continued reading because I was really rooting for him to succeed.  I wanted him to heal and live up to his life’s potential, perhaps because I’m a mother of boys, but more probably because of his initial commentary:  “Things would have turned out better if she had lived.”  The author built a 700+-page brilliant novel on that one masterfully written sentence.  I loved it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIBS2X78G7ATK?ASIN=0316055441	A Must!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the very best books I have read lately.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TNZVH728B71H?ASIN=0316055441	This is a good one.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written! I am almost done, having read 90% of this book.Interesting subject matter. You just have to read it for yourself.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24C135VZ3UH25?ASIN=0316055441	So disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very excited to read this book after it won the Pulitzer; however, I found it a hard read. Not only did I become disinterested in his life, I found the book a drudgery to read.  Thinking it was just me, I asked a friend what she thought, as she reads as much as I, and she responded, ""I hated that book.""  Neither one of us finished it.  Save your money and your time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EUBZNMI5BHLZ?ASIN=0316055441	I don't know why I kept reading it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's way too long, and the inability of the main character to see beyond his nose, was frustrating in the extreme.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QSJSWBZZ8UGK?ASIN=0316055441	I also did not like all the drug use and abuse by the main ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was too long.  The author tended to be too ""wordy.""  I read the entire book, but I am not sure why I finished it.  I also did not like all the drug use and abuse by the main characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ4R9802Z195R?ASIN=0316055441	All over the place like a mad man's handwriting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't mind being taken to dark places but it would have been nice to include some redeeming features. Don't bother.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27FEY2REYDEQS?ASIN=0316055441	Looooooong	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thought I would enrich my mind by reading a Pulitzer Prize winning book.....very wordy, very slow and very long. I made it to the end, but did not enjoy this book at all.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9PZ3B3PL59JN?ASIN=0316055441	I kept reading hoping it would get better but it didnt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I  am usually a mystery reader but there was buzz about this book so Idownloaded it. It starts out well but then falls flat on its face with unbelievable story lines and goes on forever. I kept reading hoping it would get better but it didnt. I am surprised it made it to the top of the Best Sellers list!  I for one am going back to my  mystery books.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HYDYYSJ8MCG6?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although there were some sections with artistic use of words, it's darkness and mere length were painful. What awful lives that took up so much space. I'm left with wondering why the author spent so much time on these characters</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX9T40UZQEFJO?ASIN=0316055441	No words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really have no words to describe this book. I don't think I can ever read another book again-how could I after this one?  My heart has ached for days over it. My favorite (partial) quote ""unbearable claustrophobia of the soul""  what?? How can anyone write like this?<br/>Please read this book</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R277TD4FZJZZBE?ASIN=0316055441	My review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very crude language - too long. Started out great and went downshill from there on.  Probably will not read another book by that author.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BEOMXHLQHX8E?ASIN=0316055441	scattered	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sorry to disagree with all of the rave reviews.  The whole scattered approach of the book left me bewildered.<br/>I understood the plot and essence of individuals, but I guess I was not interested because it was so contrived.<br/>I wanted more truth behind the characters.  I am all for suspending belief ,but I couldnt do it this time. How could the author miss with museums, antiques, and mystery?  By throwing in Las Vegas.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R80BCUIA5QE15?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like this book. I read half of the book and stopped reading it. It had strong language.  I did not understand the plot.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SD6UI7QPZ7H7?ASIN=0316055441	Loss and beauty	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Main character is unable to let go of loss nor can he let go of an item of beauty. Therefore, he is not able to move forward and loses himself. Beauty is his god and one hopes that by the end he understands that beauty comes from God.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21RJGZPDJCHKD?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written. Characters with real depth. A study in human relations. Buy it, you'll love it and reread many times.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BDV7WWE6LJAC?ASIN=0316055441	there are moments when Donna Tartt is a truly incredible writer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">She puts words together that are so umami perfect that it makes my head hurt and buzzed at the same time. I read the Secret History as a young adult and loved it (did not read little friend), but this is a different calibre altogether.<br/><br/>There are moments when she goes a touch overboard or long winded, or cliche-adjacent, so sometimes a 4.5, 4, maybe even 3.5, at times. But there are moments that are such hard core sixes that I had to catch my breath her recipe of words was so amazing.<br/><br/>Read this. If you don't read fiction much, read this. If you love art read this. If you don't like museums read this. All the years of work are evident in the product. This is a great book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N0OZEMKPBROE?ASIN=0316055441	"""Potter"" was regular guy -- nothing like anyone and anywhere -- but like a regular guy"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I won't write a review of this story, because I don't want to jinx it for anyone!  (Have a nice day)</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLC2IBQIGF8XU?ASIN=0316055441	Superlative	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The finest of prose throughout. A hard story in many ways to read, but oh, so very well written. I highly recommend.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S0BXFLGCIY9S?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book. Lots of reading at  seven hundred pages.The author brings you into the story with colorful descriptions. This is a good read for a long weekend. So get your favorite tea and comfy clothes and chill out with this one. :-)</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8TOMN2CPYKAX?ASIN=0316055441	riveting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved sharing Theo's journey from childhood and being put in a position to ask important questions about life.  I found the book riveting and absorbing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U234BOK34QNP?ASIN=0316055441	A newly created classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Read this book and gain insight into the struggle of Existence.  Gripping poignant story with unsurpassed vocabulary and deft compilations of theory.  Enlightening.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AWW43XEEDTQQ?ASIN=0316055441	A depressing journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A brilliant writer ....but a depressing novel whose major characters I cannot resonate  with on any level. I will not recommend to friends.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IVQ0GCX2UOXS?ASIN=0316055441	I had such high hopes!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book and somewhere part way through it went off the rails and never got back on track.<br/>Disappointed to say the least.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UNBHT5BS6A3L?ASIN=0316055441	A Poor choice for a Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Cannot believe that this book would even be considered for the Pulitzer!!!!  I thought the storyline was poorly constructed, the characters were poorly developed  and I could hardly force myself to finish it!!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBRSSTFN3MK9E?ASIN=0316055441	Not read yet	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Haven't read the book but can't get rid of this screen...so .maybe this non-review will work.<br/><br/>So here goes nothing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21YQKLA43YA57?ASIN=0316055441	My review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unbelievable to me that it won a Pullitzer!<br/>Tough to get through the book.<br/><br/>The writer is out of touch with reality.  Teenagers can't drink alcohol the way she wants the reader to believe.  They would have died of alcohol toxicity.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YXIHVK52XUDL?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book grabs you from the start, and keeps you interested.  Strong language,  but a great summer read.  Highly recommend it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16MX25MMPU6B4?ASIN=0316055441	We'll worth the time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I requested this book twice from the library before successfully downloading, and due to the length of the book although I was dutifully reading it ran out of time. I ended up purchasing it through Amazon who nicely enough provided my currently read page :)<br/>This is a must read book! Everything bad that happens produces something good in the end, like life.<br/>Love it so much I'm gonna have to read it again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GDCPWLKBMBTB?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful account of heartbroken boy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a wonderful read. Nice flow, precise language, amazing storyline. Deep meaning and appreciation for art , love and life. Thank you Donna Tartt for this wonder.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RLZENY8J8OAM?ASIN=0316055441	it makes you want to keep reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good book.  this reader keeps wondering what will become of this young man and hoping he will be okay.<br/>easy to read and full of interesting characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SAYCGWRXP5YT?ASIN=0316055441	A great Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I, who has never read a 800 page novel, couldn't put it down. A great story from the beginning to the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25L9AUIBKNR06?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best read ever! Great writing that captures the heart and the imagination! Highly recommend.  Wishing it would never end. Need to go to New York!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16O8W26LNFA9D?ASIN=0316055441	A ROLLER COASTER RIDE FROM START TOFINISH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">IF YOU LOOK AT MY FAVORITE GENRE, IT'S MYSTERIES AND ACTION NOVELS, HOWEVER, I BECAME INTRIGUED BY THE GOLDFINCH DUE TO IT'S LOFTY POSITION ON THE BEST SELLER LISTS.<br/>I FOUND THE BOOK A BIT DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW, WITH MANY TWISTS AND CHARACTERS INTERTWINED THROUGHOUT THE BOOK.<br/>HOWEVER, AS I BEGAN TO RECOGNIZE THE VARIOUS CHARACTERS, I BEGAN TO SEE THE PERSONALITY QUIRKS OF THE CHARACTERS AND JUST HOW WEAK THEY WERE. THERE WERE TIMES I WANTED TO CLOSE THE BOOK IN FRUSTRATION OVER THE GAP IN THEIR MORALS AND THE SINISTER MOTIVES TO WHAT THEY DID.<br/>I GUESS A GOOD AUTHOR HOPES TO DO THAT TO THE READER. DONNA TARTT DID THAT TO THE MAX. MY HAT'S OFF TO HER ON AN EXCELLENT BOOK SHOWING THE HUMAN SIDE OF PEOPLE. NO SUGAR COATING HERE.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUDOS67YI812?ASIN=0316055441	Literary Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel deserved the Pulitzer.  The writing is magnificent, although tedious at times.  It's amazing what can change a person's life in a flash.  I recommend this novel to anyone who has the patience to read and really ""think"" while doing so.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34EKS5OFKDEPV?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent..recommending  to all	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Recommending to all.held me in suspense ,gripping...one of most imaginative books I have read.I will now go to the Frick to see the Goldfinch with refreshed viewpoint</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCLRFFY55DHIR?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've read in years!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The descriptions in this book took my breath away.  I found myself reading and rereading certain passages just to roll the words around in my head and savor the imagery.  The characters are real.  We walk the streets and wallow in their pain with them.  The end left me breathless.  It reminds us that even though we are a mere strand in the intricate web of humanity, the connection is sublime.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGFM1T4GKT6BN?ASIN=0316055441	Absolutely loved this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow!  What an intense story!  I couldn't put the book down. My husband is reading it now. I tell everyone I know about it. It's not one to miss!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10BT544M6C849?ASIN=0316055441	A great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a top-notched novel that drew me in and kept me in the story of a boy and his relationship with his mother. I recommend it as a must-read and am looking forward to reading the author's other works. The emotion of the characters allowed me to feel as if I was right there throughout!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MEFV55SU0R1I?ASIN=0316055441	"Flying with the ""Goldfinch"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great tale about bombings ,loss of parents nneed to hold on to<br/>Material objects as substitutes ,lost. Boys lost loves the indepth self medication with<br/>Drugs and alcohol.<br/>700 hundred  pages of reading in 6 airports 6 planes and 2 hotels Felt I was along for the ride..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QWOBPAQEO0HB?ASIN=0316055441	Mesmerising!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Theo's life is tragic, sad, fun at times, and entertaining. A great read that will make you reflect on your own life and why beauty captures you. One of the best books I've read in a very long time. Highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VCJ76N138JEO?ASIN=0316055441	Spellbinding!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am loving this look.  I am a slow/busy reader, but I always know right where I am when I pick it back up.  That does not always happen.  I would definitely recommend it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23L5Q8G0M0QD2?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has a great promise but it's a bit long and gets too focused on drugs and the wanderings which take place.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OKU18O2IERIQ?ASIN=0316055441	Why did I let a list convince me to try it?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I picked up The Goldfinch, which is currently/still on the best sellers list.  I'd bot it because it was on that list so long.<br/><br/>In I delved, past a confusing but interesting setup, through a transitional set of chapters introducing transient characters by the boatload, then I found a truly influential character who moved the hero into a majorly drunken 15 year old anti-hero; and -- I exited that book.<br/><br/>Now I know why the critics have panned it, I should have paid attention to them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CABXFKPCH6YR?ASIN=0316055441	Disappinted	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this was going to be a good read based on the description.  After about 100 pages, I put it down and gave up entirely.  It's boring, tedious, wordy, cliche.  The author drones on and on pointlessly.  Was still trying to figure out where it was going.  I expected a lot more. I realize that books like everything else are personal preferences, but this one was a no for me.  Regret that I can't get my money back.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BZ21ZUXQQ179?ASIN=0316055441	Not very good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book was way too long and very boring.  Not a good read at all.  Would not recommend for any one.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J5G3I9DO65NP?ASIN=0316055441	Wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like this book because it was too wordy.  It isn't necessary to take an entire page or two to describe something.<br/>The language was horrible.  I can see using such language on occasion to get a point across but to continually use the<br/>F-word is totally unnecessary.  I only finished reading this book so that I would know what happened to this young man<br/>as I felt sorry for him.  N.S.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FDIWN0GMIO4T?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ends with a philosophical view of art and its importance.  That part is excellent, but it's quite a long involved story to get to the point only to explain it at the end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R122IO71JZQWHR?ASIN=0316055441	Gold finch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book until the end. Too much philosophical ""stuff""  at the end. Wish things had end a little bit differently</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EZG851I4XGB1?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are so many twists and unexpected turns in this book and it is so well written! It captured my attention from the beginning and kept it all through the book. I hated to see the story end. I can also see this being snapped up to make into a movie. Just great.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QN6HSFY201BX?ASIN=0316055441	I don't think any review can make one grasp just how great this work of art is	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read ""The Goldfinch"" over a month ago. I couldn't write a review immediately after reading it, because all I had was ""WOW!"" I read the mixed reviews, paying close attention to those who didn't appreciate the book. Still, I decided since it was creating a conversation, I should read it and form my own opinion. The most frequent complaint's I read were the length of the book and Donna Tartt's timeline. Here's how I feel about the length: If the book would have been any shorter, we would've been robbed of so much of Tartt's artistry. The book opened and introduced me to a fourteen year-old boy named Theo and then forced me to join him on his incredible journey into becoming man. Theo loses his mother in a tragic accident, leaving him with inconsolable grief and post traumatic stress disorder. While trying to navigate his way through life, he becomes dependent on drugs and alcohol. He craves some sort of normalcy but like many of us, loses himself in repetition, often.<br/>I can't relate to those who didn't enjoy the book due to Tartt's timeline of events. The book is fiction, and extremely well written fiction. Therefore, if there were mistakes, they're easily diminished because the story and use of words were so good, that I didn't care. Tartt writes so colorfully and with such description that my mind formed an image of each character and location that I still have in memory. I was grabbed all the way down into my gut and my mind was captivated; I became a part of this story being told. I was right there, the whole way. This is the first time I've read any of Donna Tartt's work and I'm so glad I took the time to do so. She did her homework on art, lover's of art and spoke the language fluently. She let me feel what it was like to use a substance in hopes of becoming numb, but the pain remained right on the surface, and a habit was formed. She opened up the mind of a criminal for me and let me look through the eyes of those thoughts. Yes, she is that good of a writer. There isn't anything I can say to recommend this book that hasn't already been said, only better than I could write it. In short, ""The Goldfinch"" is well worth the money and the time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW8GBDJCE6PNA?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think this book was very well written. Theo's life travels are very harsh and difficult to read at times. I am happy that it ended the way it did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F0W94P3CQ03F?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was long, slow, and at times just boring. Several people I know just could not finish it but I slogged on until the end (which I thought would never come)! I would not recommend this book to anyone. Not sure HOW it won any prize!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RRY7DTE6M0LG?ASIN=0316055441	Summary for The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is phenomenal.  It really holds your attention and makes you want to know what's going to happen next.  THEN, there is an absolute pivotal moment which is totally unexpected that turns the story completely around.  I actually haven't even finished the book yet (I am close), but I definitely give it 5 stars!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35HSD1XQHOARK?ASIN=0316055441	A prize literary work	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful, epic-like book fully deserving of the Pulitzer. Surely to be a classic. Definitely worth the reading journey on which it takes the reader.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DAIUS0MZGQEB?ASIN=0316055441	Great Novel!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't read such a great contemporary novel like this in a long time.  Beautifully written and a touching ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSIW2DLN6K8XA?ASIN=0316055441	it was great to read how a painting makes such an impression	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt it was too much At times and skipped forward through it numerous times. Too much re drug use and all that surrounded tha. the beauty of some highs and lows were lost with what I would call the droning on with the after effects of the drugs.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GDQS0KUAMFOA?ASIN=0316055441	Revoke the Pulitzer Prize	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it takes five pages for this author to say what could be said in one page.The most disappointing and boring book I have ever read.I disliked all the characters! Don't waste your time? How is tho garbage on the best seller list!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSUMNFJ7R7REU?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing and unusual	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unusual read. Easy to put down but had to finish it ....disappointing ending. Would not recommend. If if was a movie I would definately doze off</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JBPSGB06AHLX?ASIN=0316055441	Growing up fast in a adult world	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good book. A lot of things taking place and life is taking its twists and turns as well.From NY to Las Vegas and back to NY.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R57G2903RGDJY?ASIN=0316055441	Young and Unfortunate Journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After a trauma, a boy has one thing to hold onto in life. The world throws him in many directions, and he must cope.  He finds nteresting characters to lean on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAVEC6K8U4VIQ?ASIN=0316055441	Don't waste your time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed this book early on but quit reading after becoming VERY weary of all the drugs, drunkeness. I was not willing to spend any more time with these losers, Theo and Boris. Ugh!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15M0U480GUBQ8?ASIN=0316055441	Way too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have no idea what the big deal is about this book. It is too long and makes no sense and yes I did read it I am sorry to say-major waste of time</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUFGJ1MPI1FKK?ASIN=0316055441	This is a bestseller???	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Needs much better editing.<br/>Too much dedicated to events that<br/>could have been said in 1/3 of the<br/>words. Skip this one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZPPRFU71PKVP?ASIN=0316055441	yik	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it very difficult to get thru this book. I put it down so many times, but was determined to finish it. I would not recommend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RYV0DJRSXO7M?ASIN=0316055441	exhausting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very much wanted to love this book but disappointed in the end. I very much hoped theos character would pull through in the end. Not so.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ITPD2CFBR8T?ASIN=0316055441	Too many looooooong discriptions!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is fantastic but the discriptions of every detail are boring and difficult to hang in there with the book.  Too many unrelated facts go on and on and on. I found it very hard to read because they<br/>went on and on and took much away from the real story.  I would not recommend buying this book.  Maybe borrow it and plan to skip lots of pages to keep to the meat.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTB2YVKE1WKTN?ASIN=0316055441	I sure missed something	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I understand that the book was given a pulitzer prize for fiction, but were there too few nominees that year?<br/><br/>The author sure had a story to tell, but it was boring at times, and a bit too convoluted at others. I was just very glad to be able to put it aside after I finished itl</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAYOMRN7ZTB5?ASIN=0316055441	huge dissapointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I struggled with this book.  Chapters too long.  Didn't care for writers style.  Would not recommend.  Not what I expected.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGSQ5LJAE2W5C?ASIN=0316055441	terrible book-don't waste your valuable time-choose something else to read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this book would never end and family members kept telling me to just quit...but I am not a quiter!  I kept with it but it was painful and the last few chapters were just skimmed.  This story drags on, loops often, and for the life of me I cannot figure out what all the hype is about it being so good.  And to think that there is a supporting book relative to book club discussions for it! Reading about drug abusers is not for me! A major waste of my time!!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TD793UR2DVUR?ASIN=0316055441	not a fan	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So disappointed I wasted so much time reading the book. I knew I should have put it down and walked away after the first 100 pages</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HBVH03FH9EK2?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How can I possibly write anything about someone who has such a great and wonderful mind. Bravo! You deserve the Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MYJ3Y2CFFCDH?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A  very good read, it was the longest book I have read in a very long time , it was  rougher than most of  the  books I usually read. But  well worth  the</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VUTKLC0BK8Q6?ASIN=0316055441	Good book - will make a great movie.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm glad I read it but it got a little long in parts.  The author was incredibly and sometimes overly descriptive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AG9PEMG6G1K7?ASIN=0316055441	True art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Erudite, despairing, dark, brilliant and deep. I found it hard to continue with the main character and his disastrous choices yet in the end he becomes a friend to keep.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZK97YI2O8IAX?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic story by a fantastic storyteller.  As the reader I was Theo, feeling all of his anguish as well as his few moments of joy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FVVG03IEBDI8?ASIN=0316055441	Great writing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappointed in the ending.  Thought there were a lot of word to get to the end and then I was hoping for something else.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SQR7ROYUBV10?ASIN=0316055441	skip it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Honestly this book drags on so much i can't force myself to read it to the end. Ii gave it one star because on best seller list, obviously, someone liked it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16PUP3ANTOSI2?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I doubt that I finish it. Too many details, lose interest. I do not need to know the color of the walls, etc.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WCYGBLAT5EO?ASIN=0316055441	let me think	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many ""required""(s) here. I need to think about this story for a long time to come. Let me be.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P2RL6XG298O0?ASIN=0316055441	An overrated novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written and quite original , but too long and depressing. Would be OK with the right editing  and slimming down</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34JAFO4SD6MHA?ASIN=0316055441	Blech	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have no clue why this is considered a great book.  I disliked most of the character and got completely bored with the long winded and repetitive descriptions of violence, drug use and stupidity.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R79AHYIGSN6ZA?ASIN=0316055441	great writing a must re-read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disliked all the many pages that discuuuto alcohol and drug abuse, think this was excessive and did not add to the story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30F1NP9ZTJ2CX?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing drug usage	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How much more difficulty could one young man encounter in a lifetime???  Plus it took her pages and pages to describe each episode!  and all for naught since his best friend had stolen the only thing he had left in this world!  Would not care to read any of her other books!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VD5UTTUDVTKF?ASIN=0316055441	As precious and unique as a lifelong friendship	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I absolutely loved Donna Tartt’s 'The Secret History,' liked 'The Little Friend,' and strangely enough had no expectations regarding 'The Goldfinch' at all. First because the plots and storylines of the first two books are so different, and second because I didn’t even know 'The Goldfinch' was about to be published until I read a review in the Dutch newspaper 'NRC Handelsblad' (yes, I live in a bubble sometimes—can’t help it).<br/><br/>I’m glad I didn’t take that (in my opinion unnecessarily harsh, two-star) review to heart and dove into 'The Goldfinch' with an open mind, because it was subsequently blown away.<br/><br/>'The Goldfinch,' as told by the narrator and hero of the story, Theo Decker, follows his times and trials after he tragically loses his mother at a bomb blast at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art at the age of 13.<br/>Sheltering from the rain, Theo’s beloved mother (his father walked out on them and they have no clue as to his whereabouts) takes him to an exhibition featuring ‘The Goldfinch’—the first painting his mother “ever really loved.” During that visit Theo becomes infatuated with a red-haired girl, who’s there making the rounds with an old man. After a brilliant scene describing the mayhem and aftermath of the bombing, Theo ends up walking out of the museum with that very unique and priceless painting and a ring given to him by the old man, who was fatally injured by the blast.<br/><br/>The ring and the painting propel Theo into a life ‘After the bomb’ and into the—to him—caring, comforting world of antiques restorer James Hobart (or ‘Hobie’), the former business partner of the old man. This world offers him a refuge from the aloofness of the wealthy Park Avenue family he ends up living with, the pain of losing his mother, and the looming threat of having to live with his grandparents from his father’s side, whom have never taken an interest in him. Theo’s infatuation with the red-haired girl, who is also in Hobie’s care, continues and they bond over having shared, and survived, the experience of the bombing.<br/><br/>Even though Donna Tartt has so exquisitely woven profound themes into this novel, together with a good dose of narrative suspense, and has created not characters, but people—so real that they seem to have had lives before and after they were drawn into the story—it’s the friendship between Theo and his Ukrainian friend, Boris, that steals the show.<br/><br/>Theo meets Boris when his father shows up out of the blue and drags him away to the sandblasted, desolate suburbs of Las Vegas, which are marred by foreclosures. Spurred by the boredom of living in the ‘burbs and the absence of caring parents, Theo and Boris form a strong bond the way only teenagers can. They take care of each other, sharing everything—from a bed, to food, and copious amounts of drugs—and never really take notice of that fact until they are forced to say their goodbyes in a scene that ends with my favorite sentence out of the whole book:<br/><br/>“More than anything I was relieved that in my unfamiliar babbling-and-wanting-to-talk state I’d stopped myself from blurting the thing on the edge of my tongue, the thing I’d never said, even though it was something we both knew well enough, without me saying it out loud to him in the street – which was, of course, I love you.”<br/><br/>You can throw a lot of words at 'The Goldfinch'—Dickensian, apocalyptic, cartoon-like, and I’ve even read a review that called the book ‘a turkey’—but the only word that comes to my mind is ‘masterpiece.’ Because 'The Goldfinch' is nothing short of that; as precious and unique as a lifelong friendship, and the painting itself.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J2CHQG9C9WN1?ASIN=0316055441	Not a very interesting read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not care for this book at all.  It had very little action, failed to hold my attention,  and took forever to read. I would not recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLEP90TUR8GPP?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book, while long and heavy (in more ways than one) is well worth the time it takes to read.  This will one day be a great literary classic.  After reading the book I was tempted to start back over from the beginning, an action that has never occurred to me with any other book.  The book is suspenseful, easy to read, and thought-provoking.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39CIR9WT9X257?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an excellent book, extremely well-written and a total page-turner. I couldn't put it down and highly recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2971GLE3M5D6B?ASIN=0316055441	"Ending of ""The  Goldfinch"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the book.  It was a real page turner.  My problem is the end when Theo goes on and on in a philosophical manner.  I think that this went on in overkill.  I would have liked to learn more about what happened to the other characters particularly his loves and Hobie.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSG87AULUCQAP?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding Novel!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After all these years and all the novels I have read, I still remember D. Tartt's first novel, The Secret History. I believe this one will stay with me for as long. I loved the way her last few chapters changed from plot-driven to philosophy-driven---At least that is how it worked for me.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTYMELJD5DL0?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging story from Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful narration by David Pittu made this book difficult to put down.  Really didn't want it to end when it did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GQ4D8J6DTHA3?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch wins the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction absolutely.  This novel gives us a window into New York City, WASP<br/>American families, Americans in general, and some wonderful Russians, or actually Ukrainians.  It resonates with authenticity.  Our hero is a nice Jewish boy.  The author describes those moments in life we can only savor with gratitude when they happen to us, mostly experienced through great art, music, and architecture.  Her characters live and breathe.  Their experiences and perceptions feel very familiar.  She has written what many of us feel but could never express so well.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29INMLJLPJWGO?ASIN=0316055441	A Mixed Review or a Bird of Many Colors	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is perhaps one of the best written novels I have ever read.  Donna Tartt has an awesome mind to be able to create such an intricate and complicated plot.  It""s an amazing feeling to sense one cannot continue reading such a deeply dark and immoral story and yet not be able to stop!  I read to the very end.  Highly recommended for those with strong stomachs, tolerance of moral and ethical diversity, and appreciation of descriptive writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RDMWGCCZZPGP?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding Literary Achievement	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the best book I have read all year.  The characters came to life immediately, drawing you in, wanting you learn more about them.  The writing style was descriptive, frenetic in pace, conversational, and imaginative. I fully understand why this novel was chosen to win the Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ40RSRBXLE7H?ASIN=0316055441	Perfect story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Typical of her two previous novels The Goldfinch creates a world in which you live with the characters you come to know well.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R162QPON4JZBDG?ASIN=0316055441	Well worth the long read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A long book, but well written.  She lets us get a deep look into the emotions of her characters.  You are always waiting to see what will come next.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WHM94HG0E81K?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has completed a superb novel. Characters are carefully developed.  A novel to read over again and again.  Great story</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19QVUA1M1SZA?ASIN=0316055441	Love, love, love	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this novel. Definitely lived up to the hype. Certain passages touched me deeply and irrevocably. I'm an avid reader and I would rank this book in my top 20 books that I have read. I've never highlighted this many passages in a novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QY2G8B1EUDLI?ASIN=0316055441	A magnificent book, insightful, about life, trauma, friendship and Fabritius!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Do not miss this unique book, delicate and powerful. The characters and relations portrayed bring you the complex world of human relations . Love, treason, addictions, loneliness, a full pallet of feelings. A fan of Vermeer, I particularly enjoyed all the references to the Dutch painters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RYL2Z5EDU97S?ASIN=0316055441	awesome!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Throughout this saga you find yourself rooting for the ""villain/heroes.""  Part of the appeal of this great story is deciding which is which.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21786L6CB2EQ?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer Prize winning novel!!!!!!!!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's  novel is definitely the best of the decade. The story, the characters, the style, the dialogue are always entertaining and enlightening. Hobie, Pippa, Boris feel like extended family whom you follow diligently, page by page.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P8K13G6I282F?ASIN=0316055441	Good story, but too verbose at the end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written,.  Good characters.  Loved the author's knowledge of art history,refinishing antique furniture, etc.  Great descriptions of NYC &amp;  the desolation of the outskirst of Las Vegas. But the end was way too long. and didn't have any real conclusion.  Could have used some good editing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BN6UD62SKJ11?ASIN=0316055441	A superlative tale.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I LOVED this book. What a journey. A mix of John Irving and Charles Dickens...and Donna Tartt! It is a long book, a deliciously long book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28ABLC2RT4DK2?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting story.. loved the characters.  Well described and you could picture everything that was going on.  I wanted it to keep going.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R7WVFOGTUT9S?ASIN=0316055441	A pleasure to read...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tart can keep you entranced; that woman can write, a simple story is turned into a great one!<br/><br/>I'm waiting for the next winner.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YYPWQ4D1CDQY?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderful, sad read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You know those books where reading it makes you sad and makes you think a great deal about the hard things in life... but the story is so well-written that you can't wait to read it anyway and are sad when it is over?  This is one of those books.  Highly recommended!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14OGU2U3IR2P9?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt Is Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved her other books and was excited to see the 3rd one come out.  Each novel is totally different in story but the same in excellence of prose, plot and character development.  Goldfinch was excellent and I recommend it to anyone loves good literature.  And, go back read her other novels as well if you haven't already.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D6PO39I8K8JZ?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't Put it Down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have ever read. Each character is so well developed that you feel you know them, and want to understand them better. The author makes many  in depth comments that make the reader evaluate his/her own judgements of personal relationships and experiences. I would have liked to see a little more development and conclusion of the main character's relationship with the two main girls in his life. The only concern I had was that the end was a little too preachy and long, but this does not reflect unfavorably on the story as a whole. Will definitely read it again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U9QUSGJ3NSA?ASIN=0316055441	A dark tale suffused with light.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A sometimes tortuous navigation through tragedy and survival but compelling and hopeful throughout. Donna Tartt expertly conveyed the perception and confusion in the voice of a boy and young man in the course of coping with the trials of coming of age coupled with real disaster.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XVA2P8C2OV15?ASIN=0316055441	Very enjoyable book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much research went into writing this book.  It is well constructed and very interesting.  I thoroughly enjoyed the read,  All characters very convincing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20ZCHAVEBVGN7?ASIN=0316055441	Deeply moving.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well constructed and realistic. Great psychology and inspirational analogies. This was a novel that deeply touched me and I give Donna Tartt full credit for being such a creative mind. Not being an avid reader this was purely a chance I took, which turned out to be one I will always be happy with. Thank you Donna!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PICRDF4ZJA09?ASIN=0316055441	Great characters, engrossing story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is long but I really enjoyed it.  It's one of those books where you can't help but turn to the beginning when you get to the end to read the first few chapters again.  I could see reading it again at some point, because I think there are layers I may have missed in the first reading.  I enjoy books that examine characters deeply and explore their motivations.  I think it's good to remember that people do things for reasons they themselves might not understand.  Well written, great characters, and I think it sharpens your sense of empathy, which we all need from time to time.  Well, at least I do.  Highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R336D17VPQL7MG?ASIN=0316055441	Compulsive reading!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read the Goldfinch on my Kindle as it came highly recommended. It has a multifaceted story, with the beginning being absolutely enthralling, the middle thought provoking &amp; the end satisfying (if not just a little inconclusive) Donna Tartt's prose is beautiful yet easy to read, while being amazingly insightful on lifes journey and hardships. I am an avid reader &amp; often get disappointed by popular books that come recommended.... not so with the Goldfinch. Its a brilliant read &amp; I'm now going to purchase it in hard copy for my library.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CYQHPR020RDJ?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a fascinating book with characters that you will never forget.<br/>Well written and researched. It is definitely to be highly recommended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14LAIIU4AOOHH?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant brilliant, Brilliant, no, great, greater, greatest	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt wrote a most eloquent, interesting novels of the past decade. Reads as smoothly as watching a great movie,; no, even better. You live through each scene. Donna Tartt is the classical writer of the decade</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7YPIBB16DU2L?ASIN=0316055441	so someone has to not like it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This went on waaaay too long and asked me to believe too much foolishness. No teenagers who behave like these would escape the scrutiny of cops in real life -and the happy ending is just ridiculous.  Yes, I know what the book won.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NKE1SBM290VH?ASIN=0316055441	Deserving of Award	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this book for it's interesting characters and story content.  I agree with the other reviewers that the ending was too long and I found myself skimming over it, so I gave it four stars.  If you are interested in art you will like this book as it concerns the world of art theft.  I think the author did a good job telling the story, most of it from the point of view of a teenaged boy and later his adult jaded self.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VUQSL67TZL3Z?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome!!! One of the best I have ever read!  Because I am done reading the book, I now miss Theo and the other characters as well.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE7JN99UIG4YO?ASIN=0316055441	way to much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this book and expected it to drag here and there (how could you not because of the length) boy was i right.The book started off wordy and overly descriptive and boring and then it got worse,so much worse.On and on the writer goes on with her describing emotions and what this or that look liked that the story gets lost in the endless never ending sentences.Then you have the drug use,which I found horrifying in it's self,the child abuse and all the other abuse she puts into her story that it left me bewildered why anyone finds this book a worthwhile read. To each their own I will say but I would not recomend this to anyone even if it were free.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17Y305WQLIUJY?ASIN=0316055441	A Novel for the ages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A sterling example of true literary writing at its very best.  A story so strong in its characters and profound in its insights that it moves you intellectually and emotionally.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CX3E8ST3GLJ0?ASIN=0316055441	Follow a life in misery	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A well developed story. Felt strongly about each characters. Ending a little disappointing. Wanted Theo to find more for his life</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH0ZDZEMMY6ZW?ASIN=0316055441	This is the wrong book review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The review rhat you will find here is for another book that I read called ""The Invention of Wings."" I have not yet reat The Goldfinch so please apply the following commets to ""The Invention of Wings?""<br/><br/>The Invention of Wings is an extremely well-written and moving story of two women growing up in totally different worlds in South Carolina in the 1800's - one a very well-to-do girl raised in a slave-owning household and the other a slave girl in that household. Most of the part about the white girl is based on truth, while that of the black girl is mostly fictional.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EETLN5EAEDTF?ASIN=0316055441	Long drug induced journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excessive drug usage that did not enhance the story or feelings for the main character.  Needed to be condensed and edited.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WCUVKUQTW5OW?ASIN=0316055441	Ok reading.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many different angles in this book. It did not grab my attention like I like a book to do.  I only finished reading because I started it.  Too many stories going on in one book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QJNURY6QCDSC?ASIN=0316055441	Dreary	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was too wordy. I might have enjoyed it more had it been half the length.  As it was, I found it long and depressing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MTDVKW255NVN?ASIN=0316055441	Good beginning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the beginning of the book a lot but was not as enthusiastic as I reached the middle.  I wanted the main character to get his act together  sooner. I found that I was soon skimming over parts of the book until the end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UTSNQYWP0IY9?ASIN=0316055441	A very depressing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the most depressing books I ever read. It story jumped all over the place. The drug abuse in it was the most depressing to me. Maybe I missed it, but it never said why the old man had that painting on him to give to the boy after the bombing. Was he trying to save it? It took me forever to read this and I truly did not like it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XSMFHYMS10IR?ASIN=0316055441	Seriously?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This won the Pulitzer? I couldn't even get 20 page into it. I would think that it would take better writing than this to win a Pulitzer prize.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ODQR7BGVI1ZO?ASIN=0316055441	Well-written and entertaining	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is excellent at creating the settings where this book takes place. We feel the desolation of the post apocalyptic society.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L9FNUJC2KEYE?ASIN=0316055441	Probably will make a good movie.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lots of drama and action but slow in spots.  Good character development, has both appealing and unappealing people, as does life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PC52U918FQHE?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Liked this book.  This really pulled you in. Moshe described the characters so well, you knew them well, flaws and all.  It sort of dragged in parts, but it was worth getting past those and into the next exciting part.  We had quite a discussion on this book in book club.  We rated it a 4 out of 5.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JUF08NUVS6J1?ASIN=0316055441	Too drawn out.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a style. Of writing I like. Too drawn out. It might be liked by a art lover but not me. I read many books but wish I hadn't wasted my time with this one. She jumps from one subject to another and too much on thoughts and actions of the principles and very hard to keep up with the story line.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19OTA6QTRB6H5?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author could have edited out 1/3 of this book and saved my eyes and sanity. Way too long and wordy with no purpose. Was there an editor?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBCTQN6E2GQM4?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch Was a strange story.  I found it difficult to read yet I kept going because a number of people had said it was a must read .  I couldn't quite understand why I needed to know about this tragic side of life.  The main. Character had so many opportunities to move in a positive mode but just didn't seem to have  the strength or courage to embrace a change of direction.  If there was a message in it ,to me it was only the  individual  has the ability to change  .  We can only change ourselves , adjust to the situation  and let go.  I probably would not recommend  The. Goldfinch.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6V6FIIUF1XAG?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot rambled a bit and descriptions of drug usage by the main two characters was excessive and disturbing. The plot as a whole dragged. I still think the book has merit but be warned tends to be sad and dark.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNF3N0LJ5J0UG?ASIN=0316055441	Made it through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Verbose.  Almost endless droning on and on.  Lost the interesting characters in the mindless words.  Will never waste my time on this author again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXJZHD1FS2G2K?ASIN=0316055441	Dont buy it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring kept trying to finish this book but it was a struggle it just went on and on and got no where in the end I skipped page after page and really didnt know how it finished.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZY0VSWBS41TG?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little too existentialist-like for me.  Also, the random, stream of consciousness writing style was at times frustrating and tiresome.  I found myself skipping paragraphs and sometimes pages just to get through it quicker.  Even the last 20 pages, while exciting to finally get to the point of the book and the main character's life, was just too long.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EBBU6MDZI0PR?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfish by Donna tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a waste of my time !  I kept reading to see if it got any better but sadly to say it didn't!  I couldn't feel sorry for Theo with his messed up drug addiction.  Boris was sure a sorry ass .  The ending was bad. The low life thief comes out smelling like roses. He should have just married Pipen!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XIMFANSM9RGL?ASIN=0316055441	Very long, redundant,  author just went on and on.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was disappointed.  Too many similar events with drug use.  She could have written a shorter, tighter novel.  I think that she could use some editing that would have made it a better book.  The last eighty pages were little gems  though.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AY8OD7SF8P9K?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome first half that dwindled to a somewhat rambling second half. Great book but would benefit from some editing. Still worth the time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R678SCBJBNZHU?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Haven't finished it yet, but am sort of milking it because I don't want it to end. It has a lot of twists and turns, expected and unexpected. I just want to sit around and read all day...Thanks Donna Tartt!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33QYQKZS4XUDN?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This author writes a great book!  You don't want to put it down because you can't wait to see what will happen on the next page.  Beautifully tied together with an amazing surprise ending.  Grab it and start reading!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROUSRJ16LLUBJ?ASIN=0316055441	rambling and depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book rambled so much, I had trouble getting to the end. I fought to get there only to realize there was not an ah-ha moment...just more rumblings on about.things that don't even tie together. Skip this one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P4ZLX9CSSAIE?ASIN=0316055441	This Emperor has no clothes	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this tome from cover to cover.  It went on and on and on, long beyond when there was anything to say.  The novel has been very successful, reviews were good, and it was highly recommended.  As I plodded through, the Emperor kept coming to mind.  I'm sorry to say, all wrong.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GCG8162RNAQV?ASIN=0316055441	a bit too sad without any resolution	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good writing.<br/><br/>Way to much darkness and drugs<br/><br/>Do people really pass each other like that?  I doubt that would actually happen</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W40F4J80RR6H?ASIN=0316055441	Good to a Point	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book for the most part.  Won't go through the plot as it has been done here.  I thought it was much too long, but I kept plowing through it, enjoying parts, page-turning other parts, only to be totally disappointed by the ending.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY0DL2SY0MSAW?ASIN=0316055441	A long book about a very unlikable character.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was looking forward to reading this book based on its reviews and awards.  The first couple of chapters  got me really interested and  then it went rapidly down hill.  The main character has no integrity, no intestinal fortitude and is easily led into the alcohol and drug world. He absolutely lacks the ability to speak up to anyone, including the girl he moons over for most of the book.  He spends the last 3% of the book philosophizing about life and how he could do better  but to me anyhow it is way too late.  Obviously I must have missed something.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14W3FSJC3RNRS?ASIN=0316055441	Meh.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First 150 pages were good.  Last 150 pages were very good.  The 475 in the middle could have been shortened to about 100.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPLXRHXG3H4NO?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved thd vivid scenes kn New York  i quit in Las Vegas, mlstly bored with it all  Lost sympathy  for Theo and so, got bored  3 stars I guess…</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI484O943M7IW?ASIN=0316055441	Did I read the same book as those who gave it 5 stars?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've read the 1 star reviews and they have said it all and I agree.  This book could have been 300 well written pages instead of the way it actually is.  AWFUL!  Didn't finish which is really really unusual for me.  Save yourself the punishment!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25XN1I5JIENDR?ASIN=0316055441	Not what I expected.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt takes 784 pages to write what could have been told in, at most, half of that. The digressions are frustrating. I kept telling myself ""hang in there; there has to be a good story at least."" There wasn't. Very disappointing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RC1CBLCW9C54?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the absolute worse book I ever read-once I start a book I MUST finish it!  I am not now or ever will be an academic or deep thinker but u can find nothing good to say about it- description did not match contents.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30WY3UVUZMNGC?ASIN=0316055441	Great story but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved her writing and the story line was wonderful.....but.....entirely too descriptive.....ABOUT EVERYTHING!!!  I feel that she went on and on about little things that needed to be said but not described in SO MUCH DETAIL.  It actually got boring and made me anxious for her to JUST GET ON WITH IT.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34Q3KQSWRPQ2I?ASIN=0316055441	Uggggh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Similar to The Secret History, I found this story enthralling but felt somehow let down after I finished it. SPOILERS: it's almost like she never decided if she wanted to give us a happy ending or a tragic ending and it ends up being neither. On some level, we can say Theo has matured......but into what? A slightly more stable but just as lonely, just as nihilistic adult? It's as if Tartt can't imagine a happier outcome than that: settling into our loneliness like a comfortable pair of shoes, setting into our caged bird status like the gold finch in the painting.<br/><br/>But why?? Pippa tells him she loves him in her letter back to him. Maybe she's just letting him down gently but I don't think so because she had paused after he told her he was engaged to Kitsey. We could very easily get a different ending: Theo tells her if she really means it, she should not marry the English guy if she doesn't love him. Marrying just for security is not a path to long term happiness. He just needs to swear with his heart and soul he will change his ways and not let her down.<br/><br/>But again, our friend Donna, for all her talent, strikes one as the melancholy sort who would consider such an ending phony. Redemption doesn't have to be phony. Life and literature don't have to be a mere consolation prize.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUVUD3MQCB09E?ASIN=0316055441	Great at the start..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was really into this book at the start, but man it got very slow. Overload with details; I enjoy a descriptive book, but this is way overboard. Could literally be 200 pages shorter, and be a good book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRHX8DW30RNOP?ASIN=0316055441	A great beginning-a terrible letdown	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt cheated when I finished this book.  The first 600 pages were amazing.  I loved the rich details in the writing and the original plot, but it totally fell apart in the end.  I looked forward every time I opened my Kindle to continue this exciting journey, only for it to head straight downhill and crash!  A major bummer of a ride.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31ANT4XMQ74ZM?ASIN=0316055441	Long!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a good story, but way too long.  Couldn't wait to finish and then was disappointed in the end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FCP206WQFTEZ?ASIN=0316055441	Ug!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this book because it was a Pulitzer Prize winner and best seller, so my comments are clearly out of the mainstream. I tried to read it but found it so indigestible I lost it. The Pulitzer Prize committee must have picked it in a blind drawing. No redeeming qualities. The first turn-off was the protagonist. A man written by a woman and one who thinks like a woman. Missing an X-chromosome. Next, too many words and too many pages. If boiled down to 300 pages from 750, I might have made it through. As it was, my time was too valuable to me to spend anymore here. But like I said. I'm a small time writer who can't complete with the top of the line experts. Go ahead and knock yourself out. It certainly knocked me out!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34K8B0W8A5QJL?ASIN=0316055441	Good Elements, but Overwritten	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text""><div class=""a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block"" id=""video-block-R34K8B0W8A5QJL""></div><input class=""video-url"" name="""" type=""hidden"" value=""http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/E1ETBRA2aOS.mp4""/><input class=""video-slate-img-url"" name="""" type=""hidden"" value=""http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/91-uDugmCFS.png""/>What happens when a needle of a good book gets lost in the haystack?<br/><br/>As always, this will be spoiler free.<br/><br/>I'm sorry to say that this was the first book on Five Minute Books that I had to abandon. I just couldn't finish it.<br/><br/>Apparently I'm not the only one who had problems: the book only has a 3.8 out of five star rating on Amazon, which, for Amazon, is nothing to write home about.<br/><br/>However, as always, your mileage may vary. This book has won a Pulitzer Prize in fiction, and no less than Stephen King wrote a glowing review about it in the New York Times. So, you know, take what I say with a grain of salt.<br/><br/>Let's briefly go over the plot. The story is about a boy named Theo Decker, born and raised in New York.<br/><br/>His father is an alcoholic who abandons him very young, leaving him with a wonderful, artistic mother who loves him and struggles to make ends meet to give him a good life.<br/><br/>Theo's mother is killed in a terrorist attack on the Metropolitan museum. They weren't even supposed to be there, but they were on their way to a school meeting as Theo had recently been suspended. This leads Theo to blame himself for his mother's death.<br/><br/>By the way, that's not a spoiler because it's pretty much the first thing that happens in the book. You know, a hundred and fifty pages or so in (before this incident, NOTHING of any lasting consequence happens--an early sign that I wasn't going to like this book).<br/><br/>In escaping from the wreckage of the museum, Theo, nearly delirious from the explosion, takes an invaluable painting called ""The Goldfinch"" from the rubble.<br/><br/>The novel tells the story of the next ten years of Theo's life and the diverse cast of characters he interacts with.<br/><br/>These include Hobie, the kindly old furniture restorer who takes pity on him, Pippa, the young redheaded girl he's madly in love with, and Boris, Theo's best friend in adolescence.<br/><br/>All major moments in his life hinge around the painting he inadvertently stole and thereafter keeps secret.<br/><br/>From when his father reappears to complicate his life, to when he gets older and moves back to New York, to paraphrase Nat King Cole, ""the painting is the thing.""<br/><br/>So this sounds good, right? Well, here's the thing: this book is DENSE and LONG, in my opinion, about two or three times longer than it needed to be.<br/><br/>The print version of the book is 850 pages long, but the bare bones of the story could have been told in about 150 pages. Add in some well-written prose and character exploration, and you could have ended up with an EXCELLENT 350 page book.<br/><br/>Reading the prose in this book felt, to me at least, like sifting through a mountain of lead streaked with gold veins. There is REALLY GOOD WRITING in this book, beautiful turns of phrase and elegant wordsmithery, if you will. But, and again, this is my opinion, it's buried in overwritten paragraphs that are heavy and laborious, verging on tedious.<br/><br/>While at times the book pulled me through on strength of prose, other times it was just a slog.<br/><br/>And lest you think I just don't like good long-form prose, that's not the case at all. I can read Dickens all day and night. But this book made Dickens look like Hemingway.<br/><br/>And I know what you're thinking, ""Garrett, who are you to disagree with the literary opinion of Stephen King and the Pulitzer Prize...um...people? Committee?"" (I don't know how it works).<br/><br/>I'm no one. I'm just an author and a reader, and after I'd read four hundred pages that felt like a thousand, I had to abandon this book.<br/><br/>I don't know if you've ever seen the film Wonder Boys (if you haven't, you really should) but while I was reading The Goldfinch I couldn't help thinking about it.<br/><br/>Near the end of the film, Katie Holmes has a monologue about Michael Douglas' overwritten literary novel, describing how he went into so much boring detail about inconsequential things, that neither author nor reader had any room to breathe. Click that video thumbnail to see what I'm talking about.<br/><br/>In summary, I give The Goldfinch two out of five stars.<br/><br/>If you like dense, wordy, rambling prose streaked with occasional moments of sheer literary brilliance, you might enjoy it. Otherwise you'll probably find it hard to get through.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Y3BKOW3K62DT?ASIN=0316055441	NOT WORTH A PULITZER	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">GREAT WRITING AT THE BEGINNING, BUT THE DRUG SCENES AND ALCOHOL SCENES WERE HORRIBLE FOR ME  ENDING LEFT ME HANGING</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QN072OMYTCOS?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very poignant, reality-based, and beautifully written book about a young lad in unusual??circumstances.  Makes the reader think about all the ""underprivileged"" youth of today - and how we CAN really succeed if we just take it day by day.  Highly recommend this book.  I loved it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SUT012T5KAW1?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a very interesting read, I think the whole story too unreal, but the message at the end is the essence of the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSYFLBKCMYQTG?ASIN=0316055441	The Gold Finch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much too long. The middle part where he is mixing with unsavoury people could be shorter? Did enjoy the overall book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ALMHBWGF4LIT?ASIN=0316055441	The Pages Fly By	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There isn't much I can say about this book that hasn't already been said, and said better.  Yes, it is one big ol' honking doorstop of a book.  Huge - a good one to read as an ebook if you don't want bruises on your thighs from holding it on your lap.  But I was almost never bored.  Okay, I was very slightly bored when things were going terribly wrong towards the end of the book.  I can't be more specific without giving away too much plot.  But those were only a few pages, and only a vague ""let's get on with it"" feeling out of, what 755 pages?  (No real page numbers on my Kindle.)  Those are a lot of words and sentences to maintain such a level of interest.<br/><br/>I loved the characters, even the not so nice ones.  Even the downright bad ones.  And the protagonist, Theo, and his friend-by-situation, Andrew - I just wanted to hug them.  And Hobie - what a dear!<br/><br/>The story is wrapped around a very real and very lovely, heartbreaking painting by Fabritius. It is, among other things, a story about the importance and the danger of becoming too attached.<br/><br/>For the days it took me to read this book, I was immersed in the story and ended up deeply satisfied even if not everything was puppy dogs and rainbows.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R171GQHLKKW7MZ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a piece of .... .  This was the worst book I have ever read.  Donna,  GET A LIFE!<br/> When I think of all those wonderful letters and spaces lost to this sad endeavor, I could just cry.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG1GKUH4RLYP5?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">All the hype over this book, and it just wasn't my kind of book.  Personally I didn't care for the rampant immorality.  Drugs, alcohol, illicit sex spoken fill the pages.  Of course, if you leave God out of the picture this is what you get.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQKWMX8R2OI4V?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful Writing, Long Plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is written (the actual text of the book) in a way that compels you to move forward through the story, but the plotting can be a bit sluggish at times. Overall, the book was an enjoyable read, but I feel it could have been about 200-300 pages shorter and been a much better story. There seemed, at times, to be a lot of filler that led nowhere or plot points that were given attention which ultimately never came to fruition. I would not recommend this to someone who is looking for a quick summer read. This is more of a cold winter or rainy fall day.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIQ2UUBBGA9BY?ASIN=0316055441	good. but not worth the buzz	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it was really long and the end result doesnt seems to improve the character. mayb i just have bad taste... i am  a murakami fan</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A3JXPED4Z7LY?ASIN=0316055441	I'm to old for all the drugs!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm saddened to think that this is a picture of our world.  There are too many descriptions that didn't add to the story.  This was not the first modern book that I feel this about.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BFQBRZL7HJPP?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book won the Pulitzer while I was reading it.  I had already recommended it to everyone i knew even before I finished and before it won. Once it did, they believed me, and I now have 5 friends reading as I write.  Can't wait to all get together and talk.  It's that kind of book.it ;is, one you just want to share with everyone.you know.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V06ATPG3E97Y?ASIN=0316055441	as beautiful as the painting itself	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had no idea what to expect of this book, really but I was pulled into its magnetic orbit from the very beginning. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys a well-written, slightly oddball tale. I found the characters very well-drawn and connected with most of them from the outset, then increasingly as they developed. Great novel if you like art and NY and a little international intrigue.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R87AUTDK64VBR?ASIN=0316055441	I was very impressed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't imagine this book not touching the heart and soul of anyone who has read  The Goldfinch. Thank you, Donna Tartt, reading this book was a journey I will never forget.  Sherry Patterson</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LLQNCQXNXGXE?ASIN=0316055441	Tatally disjointed and boring with all the drug and drinking episodes.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thjis book was a wast of time.  I certainly was inundated with the drug and alcohol abuse of an otherwise uninteresting book.  I made myself stick it out until the end thinking there meust be something else there.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UAPGD6GNADWM?ASIN=0316055441	Just okay.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book could have benefitted from some editing. There were several points at which I just didn't want to hear the details of yet another drunken/drugged episode  - seemed redundant and repetitive. But who am I to question a Pulitzer Prize winning book. Not the best book I ever read, not by a longshot.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YLDML7J5TJLQ?ASIN=0316055441	Exceptional	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a doubt in my mind why Tartt won the Pulitzer for this book. A<br/> 700+ page-turner. Hard to believe but that is exactly what it is.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAUBB2A8GUZAN?ASIN=0316055441	It started out a little slow but by the last ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It started out a little slow but by the last few chapters I was totally hooked and didn't want to say goodbye to the characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNKB92S4BZNXI?ASIN=0316055441	Cannot put the book down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent writing with detailed descriptions of each scene....love the voice of the young, very bright young man.....very well done, easy to get lost in the story...captivating!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9UMIDEGXV36S?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed every sentence	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had me hooked from the start. It was extremely well written and I felt like I lost a friend when I finished it. The audio performance by David Pittu was exceptional.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNOQ9XJVMEJN8?ASIN=0316055441	great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is totally engrossing. The plot is fascinating and the writing is beautiful. It takes some time to read, so it's probably not for everyone, but it is well worth it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24553E359IYL1?ASIN=0316055441	Art infatuation	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent book. descriptive and visually a dark and sad tale about a young boy who experiences tragedy over and over in his life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ5GG3BK1HVKA?ASIN=0316055441	Well worth reading!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best novels I've read this year and I'm a true 'bookaholic'.  The plot is gripping with unexpected twists and turns; the character development is great.  I keep thinking about the book and plan to read Ms. Tartt's other novels.  What an imagination she has and how well she keeps the reader guessing what will happen next.  I strongly recommend this to anyone who likes truly well written novels.  Ms. Tartt well deserved the Pulitzer price for this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K1CJ7UHFPC3F?ASIN=0316055441	Story of a painting or a person	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought that I was the last person in the world to read this book and had broad expectations that it was going to be  the journey of a painting, with lots of characters being touched by it.  But while the painting was pivotal, the story was really about Theo's journey and the people who touched him.  I really enjoyed reading this but felt disappointed at the ending, and felt more needed to be said about Theo.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YDZOWOW7LVQR?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has created memorable characters in this novel. Her descriptions of New York and Las Vegas captured the pulse of each.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UZ3OMPQJQIE4?ASIN=0316055441	Long but worth the time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Characters are so well developed that you feel you really know them and are at times disappointed in their actions and other times cheering their decisions as if they were family members. A great read  with a timely premise considering  the recent glut of art thief literature and movies.  I recommend it to anyone who is not looking for a quick read  and instand satisfaction.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EDSOOBJRP2A9?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My first encounter with Donna Tartt.<br/><br/>Excellent read so now reading her first novel The Secret History.<br/><br/>Her characters become very real and ""alive""</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AD2MOOR4WFPJ?ASIN=0316055441	powerful, raw grace	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A coming of age novel about a youngster whose life is violently torn away and rebuilt.  Written with a powerful, raw grace that often left me breathless, the characters are fully and deeply developed as they struggle with complex emotions and events. The Goldfinch will linger with me for a long time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UDT5CZJQZRES?ASIN=0316055441	Another great author to follow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was taken with this book from the first few pages.  I enjoy long books (when well-written) and found this one to be a treasure.  The characters are so fully developed that the reader comes to know them, understand them, and see what they are thinking.  They style of writing is so beautiful that I found myself slowing down to really enjoy the writing; the style of writing varied to suit the situation and I found that added so much.  Even after finishing the story, I find my mind returning to the events and characters and pondering the different ways Theo's life might have differed if not for his very early act of taking the Goldfinch.  Powerful writing and powerful story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13SD662ZQY6RG?ASIN=0316055441	amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">amazingly great writing and story. A must read! Be sure to read it and you will be glad! I was!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B4ELET2KDZNJ?ASIN=0316055441	Must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story was thrilling. Dealt with the emotional turbulence in such beautiful writing that at times I had to put the book down to recover briefly. Classic storytelling at its best.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KPW4EMMCK0YL?ASIN=0316055441	A very worthwhile read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book that keeps the reader engrossed from beginning to end. The writing style is exquisite . There are so many plots and beautifully crafted characters the reader does not want the book to end. If it was possible to give more than 5 stars , then I would have given them. A book to remember .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PNDV4QZ1KVC9?ASIN=0316055441	Great read worth the time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good story but great meaning. i really enjoyed this long read. have recommended to friends. enjoy the ride as well as boris and theo.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37PT00WZBK5CI?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I have ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has the most amazing plot, and characters that develop and interact in the most amazing way.<br/>It's a real page-turner, keeps you interested, even turns Dostoyevskian at the end!<br/>Hugely recommended</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HHX44SDWH7RM?ASIN=0316055441	What a great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was well written.  Kept my attention the whole way through.  Would recommend to anyone looking for a great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EFMLDS3CEBOD?ASIN=0316055441	What a Book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this often dark existential book. A lot of heart,  sorrow love and beauty. A real page turner. At The Musee de Orsay I felt so much of Theo's feelings how art touches so deep inside you changing you forever. Even without the drugs how the immenisity of life is stunningly wrapped in mystery and light.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JJZF3RFY9EOA?ASIN=0316055441	amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great buy, I am so happy with this book and you should definitely purchase it! Well written and incredible story</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14JG0BAD6P427?ASIN=0316055441	great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thoroughly enjoying.  Terrific story, well drawn characters as well as a great sense of sequencing.  Loved it!  Can't wait for her next</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3278YYANDI54B?ASIN=0316055441	Simply amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was an amazing emotional journey! I absolutely loved it. The characters were so real and kept off the page.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUOCGELFUFPJH?ASIN=0316055441	Unexpected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was a little nervous when our book club selected The Goldfinch, but so glad we did.  I loved the development of the characters across time.  I can't wait to discuss this book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B9IYCK70FJT0?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing Book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What probably impressed me most was the exceptional writing.  She presents her characters and their environments so vividly that you immediately begin to ""see"" them and the rooms, buildings, neighborhoods and cities they inhabit.  In effect, you're living the story.  It's not a pleasant story, and it's not easy to live, but it comes across as very real and the reality simply builds throughout the book. If a reader values and relates to strong and stable families, this is not a book for him or her.  Solid personal relationships within and outside the family are pretty much absent from this story.  But, the shaky and often seriously damaged relationships are incredibly complex and they evolve into some rather valuable experiences in their own unpredictable ways.  Great book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TT853J2L1NZI?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved Boris.  What a strong  presence who<br/> understands the depth  of the whys and<br/>and that it's important to think it through.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21HERVF19MB3G?ASIN=0316055441	Book of no substance	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was disappointed with this book.  To much wording that went no where.  Insisted my money on this book of circling words.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BSRJVAK50PWC?ASIN=0316055441	so l-o-n-g!!!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did manage to finish. So boring???? Do not see how won prize. Had a few good moments. On and on.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J6M00TT8XNAO?ASIN=0316055441	review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was disappointed in this book given the hype about it and the recent Pulitzer.  I nearly gave up in the middle  when it was in Las Vegas, too terribly depressing.  It did not ring true that so little psychological help would have been givento such a victim as Theo who experienced such a violent explosion, observation of injured and dead people and which killed his mother with whom he was very close, give the substantial understanding about post traumatic stress disorder that is known and would have been known at the time the book is placed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AYFGOAFSOWB5?ASIN=0316055441	Too deep for my taste	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good story line but a bit too deep sometimes.  The opening chapters were a bit of a drag and I almost put it down. Glad I didn't because it was a good read--just a bit of a drag in places.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BLW66GXKVDMR?ASIN=0316055441	the end is worth it all..	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing. Breast read.  Nice message!  I really enjoyed the ride this novel took me on and ended in an unexpected place.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWO79OEGGIGA4?ASIN=0316055441	a masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An epic, as good as it gets, always gripping, never dull despite being 750 pages, you will be blown away</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AZRTOC3D08AX?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book! Best I've read in years and I read a lot. It's no wonder it won a Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYPXV3XLP3JXY?ASIN=0316055441	Great novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written.  I could not put the book down. I became so  involved  with Theo &amp;  The Goldfinch  painting. It was a relief to finish it so I could go on with my daily agenda &amp; then at the same time I did not want it to end. Art, love, mystery. Ah !</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S0GLHCBKAH0G?ASIN=0316055441	true characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the book because of it great characters . They seem so real-too real. The book made me think and feel! Even though I disagree with the conclusion. A must-read. I can't wait to discuss it with friends.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGZHQ2O77AFPU?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I initially wouldn't have chosen to read this book on my own, it did hold my interest.  It was the choice of our book club and it was a little long for my current time restraints.  At times I was totally disgusted with the choices the main character made, but I like the way the author's philosophy showed though at the end.  I would recommend the book to others.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ8F04DFU5KMR?ASIN=0316055441	One of the greatest books I have ever read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thank you Donna Tartt for giving me the gift of your profound talent as a storyteller. This was a book that moved me so much in certain parts that I was sobbing from the beauty of her writing. There was much laughter as well during my reading of this book...how could there not be... The characters were so real... I wish I could meet everyone of them in person to tell each of them ""job well done"" as one would tell an actor after a brilliant play.  I truly feel that the characters in this book are written just as well as the characters in Catcher in the Rye...Theo the main character is to me a modern day Holden Caufield....The Goldfinch is one of the most exciting books I have ever read...thank you again dear author for opening my heart...I keep rereading the last page over and over and it helps me more each time I do.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R203CGUFC2T1TU?ASIN=0316055441	Tooooo Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was way too long. It could've been at least 300 pages shorter if the author hadn't dragged things out and then repeated some of the same things. I thought it was boring and depressing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XWQGWRNLGN8Y?ASIN=0316055441	Overly philosophical	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the story was really far-fetched.  I don't know that the opinions should have gone on and on at times.  did not enjoy due the rambling philosophy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YPPYMYR8U95N?ASIN=0316055441	The  Goldfinch - too long and too tedious to really enjoy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch got me hooked at the beginning, but as time went on, I believe the author was being paid by the word.  She goes into such great detail in the most minor scenes and thoroughly wears you out by the time she reaches the end of a chapter.<br/><br/>I would not recommend this book to anyone not into the art world who isn't willing to be completely saturated with that world.  Why waste forty pages when two will do?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20BX8LWKKDRWC?ASIN=0316055441	Too long and wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a great story but I found myself skipping whole sections because it was just too long.  The story could have been told in about 200 fewer pages if the author had cut short some of the descriptions of the drug reactions and repeats of the main characters lost loves.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IOUV0KVCXU5O?ASIN=0316055441	Lovely writing, but ultimately absurd	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Without getting into the details of the book, I will say that it is beautifully written; however, the story does not make it. For one thing, the chronology of events is confusing. The initial part of the story takes place 14 years in the past, but the details provided for that period of time are not correct, and that takes away from the story. In addition, a few of the twists and turns in the plot are just plain silly. Too bad. I know the author won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, but ... enough said about that. I take forever to eliminate errors from my own writing ([...]) before I allow it to go to print. I am surprised that Donna Tartt's editors did not do the same for her.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15CTZJ3HOZDET?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the story was very good I feel the author went on a little too much when few words would of been better. I found myself skipping ahead especially towards the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KJRI1RAKBOEV?ASIN=0316055441	Too much Information	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I see that Donna won a Pulitzer Prize for this story.  Congratulations.<br/><br/>It was not the best book I ever read .  I found too much descriptive passages - lots of information regarding furniture refinishing that did not interest me.  I would have been happy with 100 pages less.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NO8QW9QGOR19?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this very compelling story, but felt it was hampered by the extended philosophizing.  There are essays about the painting that is a central character that go on for numerous pages.  This would be interesting to someone with an art degree, but after the first few page or two of it I felt that it was time to get on with the story. This happens enough times throughout the book that with a bit of editing, at least a hundred pages could have been cut.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31S4XD6AIQ9CH?ASIN=0316055441	capturing...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good story, a little dragged out towards the end but a good read nonetheless. I would recommend this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MNVSOP7Y7XV0?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the GOLDFINCH!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was indeed a page turner.  The characters in the book kept beckoning me to return to their story.  The author, Donna Tartt is a wordsmith of the highest order.  Once you begin reading GOLDFINCH you get so caught up in it  that you find yourself feeling as though you are actually experiencing the events in the book.  Tartt writes in a ""stream of consciousness""...love her style.  Open the book and get started on a true classic.<br/>Sandy Dean</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26K6E92GGY2YA?ASIN=0316055441	A good book but not great.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This got lots of really positive reviews, not sure what rang the reviewers bell though. Is definitely a good book, but not as great as some appeared to think. Parts where everybody is wasted yet again could have been cut in half.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HBSBUU8VXRCQ?ASIN=0316055441	Makes Gone With The Wind look like a sort story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It could have been half as long-way too drawn out. It was almost a chore reading it. That being said, well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GYKKLZ3G4TEE?ASIN=0316055441	why is this a bestseller?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This writer easily has the talent to do big things.... But this book does not showcase her strengths.<br/>I couldn't connect with the characters and unless you're an art major AND a antique furniture dealer/collector, good luck keeping your eyelids open.<br/>Save yourself time and just skip to last chapter to get the ""message"" of this book, and quite honestly, even that chapter is 20 pages too long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC2PWULS4QIJ5?ASIN=0316055441	I value my reading time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">and this wasted a bunch of it.  In my humble opinion, if you took the first hundred pages, the last hundred pages and every third page from what was left, it would have been much more enjoyable.  The characters were interesting enough. And having grown up on the streets of NY, I enjoyed walking through them again throughout these pages but I for one could have done with a few less drunken binges.  Not impressed and unable to recommend this.<br/><br/>D.L.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UY0LC08KFEGP?ASIN=0316055441	Too many words	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the hardest books to read.  So many words.  A friend asked me to read, so we could discuss.  Was so frustrated by the end, really did not want to discuss.  I was interested enough to look the painting up on line.<br/><br/>Would never recommend this book to anyone.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13Y8OKDNTXI84?ASIN=0316055441	Written art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story was told in a way that continually provided a movie in my mind. I loved the honesty. Every character is someone else I want to meet. This is a story for me that deserved to be read slowly contemplating the unspoken (unwritten) possibilities and probability. Thank you Donna Tartt for a very fine literary meal.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14Z4BSG3VNDJO?ASIN=0316055441	could not put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very detailed and well written. Was a bit lengthy but very entertaining. Overall I enjoyed it. Will suggest to others</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IGUHMCMWC15Z?ASIN=0316055441	Kept my interest throughout...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book kept my interest throughout, but I thought the punch line would be a knockout, unfortunately it was a little bit less than that. Still a great read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22HJ1Y6SHDR0K?ASIN=0316055441	An Enjoyable Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A surprisingly engaging read filled with tragic and fascinating characters. A little lecture-like at the end, but a fast paced and riveting story I could not put down, filled with memorable social commentary and a loving tribute to friendship, the beauty and resilience of great art and the human spirit.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VATCJFU2507D?ASIN=0316055441	Lovely harshness that makes time slip away	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a piece of modern art with the ties to antiquity through the goldfinch....this is a must read made even better with the audible tool.  You may find the beginning slow and annoying, but the story truly begins with the introduction to the Baurbers.  Enjoy our small paradise of time before it is gone forever, with the reflections of our talented author.  Thank you for this work of heart and skulls Ms Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34ADCHYOSMCB9?ASIN=0316055441	Adding my voice to the praise of the crowd	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So many people have already reviewed The Goldfinch that I imagine there is nothing left to say. However, I so loved reading this novel that I find I have to chime in with my own five-star review. I have always counted Donna Tartt's The Secret History as one of my all-time favorite novels and now I must add her stunning The Goldfinch to that list.<br/><br/>Tartt writes so evocatively about human expressions and feelings that I believe I too can experience the emotions of her characters. Even so, her plots -- although elegant and not overly complicated -- always end up surprising me. Then, after I have come to the end of the book, I wonder how I could possibly have missed perceiving what was really going on beneath all of the surface action. So it is with The Goldfinch. Tartt is so exquisitely on target, weaving characters and events together as part of a tapestry that one can't fully view until it's time to stand back and look at the whole.<br/><br/>I could go on about the symbolism -- how the captive bird in the painting faces its imprisonment with dignity and how it means different things for Kitsey, Xandra, Hobie and the others, especially Theo -- but I won't. Just read the novel and make those connections for yourself. It's a book that you will think about long after you've finished the last page.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34I2TAY8RKEXY?ASIN=0316055441	Good reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I am not finished with the book, it keeps getting more and more interesting.  Odd mix of characters; can't wait to see what comes next.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TR0IHKL3TVIG?ASIN=0316055441	wonderful wordsmith	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">couldn't put book down, lovely writing tough life full of fear!! seemed to get personal connections with the characters in this book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4EPHCKVD1DZ?ASIN=0316055441	Pleasantly surprised	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A friend of mine was gong on vacation and posted on her Facebook page "" Anyone know of a good book I can bring away with me?""<br/>The Goldfinch was recommended by three other people so I thought I would also read it and I'm glad I did. Great book. Captivating story that really draws you in the deeper you go. Turns into quite a thriller in the end. HIghly recommend it to anyone !</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18VWH0XCU9YXR?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Quite and undertaking but very enjoyable. Took more time than I planned to spend reading. Could have used better editing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32XQ1I5Y6PDLO?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""The Goldfinch"" was a story that was fascinating and kept me interested for all the 700-odd pages.  I cared very deeply about what would happen to this unfortunate young man and the people around him.  And I cared also about the fate of the painting which is at the heart of the story.  The genre of this book is a little hard to pinpoint.  It is a mystery, a coming-of-age, a love story, and an adventure.  At times it is gritty, and depressing, and then it is uplifting and downright poetic.  This is the first book I have read by Donna Tartt but I will be reading others.  I enjoyed it very much.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R196W72YQ4WBRP?ASIN=0316055441	Best novel I've read in a long time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a long novel, but worth the time it takes to read it.  Definitely one of the best books I've read in a while.  Great accounting of how survivors of terrorist activity and those suffering from post-traumatic disorder have to deal with just getting through each day with the help of an everyday anchor such as a painting of a little goldfinch.  Excellent read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K8FQEP9BNXF7?ASIN=0316055441	"A slow moving but ""deep"" read...."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not know what to expect when I started this book.  I found that I could read a few chapters, put it down and not pick it up again for several days. About three-quarters through the book, I began to feel an urgency to read it.  I found that the explanation about the importance of visual arts was very interesting.  I won't forget this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PCIE8KB6BK4O?ASIN=0316055441	Tour de Force	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A startling, well researched book with complex characters that ring true, and a narrative of loss, abandonment, love and ultimate redemption that captures the essence of both pain and beauty. This is a tour de force of epic proportions.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FDT68QRIJSGQ?ASIN=0316055441	good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good.  Kept me interesting and the booked moved quickly.  I am recommending it to all.  The author knows how to describe and keep the book moving.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C4M6CJ6Z3U90?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a boring page in 780.  Surprises galore, what a joy to read.  I look forward to reading Donna Tartt's older books.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B6ZYQXBD68KU?ASIN=0316055441	love and hate	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved and hated this book and yet kept reading.  Did not like the part about teenagers drinking and drugging.  But this is a life I do not know.  Was surprised and pleased with the ending and philosophy and challenged to think.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3899E79VZKYOP?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the story was very interesting and original.  I did towards the end get a little impatient with all the detail and the long winded passages but still overall an enjoyable read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA5JFWZPNVHKJ?ASIN=0316055441	Excellently written novel of epic proportions.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A compelling story of a thirteen-year-old young man's life experiences following the sudden death of his mother in a terrorist attack in a New York City museum.  The events follow his life and adventures covering the next several years.  The characters and story line were vivid and realistic, giving a feeling that the author had actually experienced the events in the book.  Thoroughly engrossing and enjoyable.  Highly recommend this book!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QDZJA54GRK76?ASIN=0316055441	loved the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book to be very gripping and unpredictable. The writing was outstanding, even though here and there the plot turns confused me. I read it as an ebook and think I would have preferred a book book so I could easily go back.<br/>Recently I as the painting in person in NYC. Ecen though this was a work of fiction, I wish I had read the book first. There were so many insights and</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GS0SZZZ8CGYM?ASIN=0316055441	Very good, but a bit too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really did love this book, but with the paper version at 750 pages it is a little too long.  In a way I was sorry to see it end as I wanted to know what continued to happen to the main characters.  The book as well written and hard to put down.  Most of the story is realistic, but parts a little crazy.  I hope they make a movie out of it someday, but it will have to be at least four hours.  Don't start it if you do not have a few weeks to devote to reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36RABTLTEMVQK?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt is BACK!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way back when I loved The Secret History and the memory of it didn't fade. So waiting this long for another jewel was, after all, worth it.<br/>Tartt does not shy away from harsh realities or flawed characters and her strength lies in the fact that you cannot help but feel empathy and relate to the characters. The lyrical musing at the end of the book about beauty and happiness is deeply touching.<br/>She fully deserves  the attention and short-listed accolades.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F1YHNPBVTQ3S?ASIN=0316055441	Worth reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written but depressing.  It did capture me and I had trouble putting it down. This was my book club book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSNGRBABVI943?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story..great ending..great character development..I've recommended it to everybody I know..truly worth the read! Also enjoyed going back thru it, after finishing, just to read a few snippets.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UZAWCE6CZ2FD?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tritt's writing is insightful, compelling, and flowing.  The character description is in vivid detail and realistic.  I now know about 2 things I didn't know before - the ""Goldfinch"" painting and the artist.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16VAZ7Q85494J?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a page-turner! This is a great story - totally involving - with several marvelously interesting characters - I loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HETH71F9AXVS?ASIN=0316055441	All consuming	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those books that you can't put down. I felt like I was sucked into an alternate reality, it was that engaging. I thought the first half of the book was absolutely brilliant, but the story got very messy and convoluted in the back half. I was wondering if the author did this on purpose to reflect the state of the protagonist's life. I don't know the answer. I also agree with some of the other reviews that's the book is verbose. It is, but once you get used to the style and cadence, it's not that bothersome. I was not that happy with the ending either. For these reasons, I rated the book 4 stars. It's a good book to take on vacation.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZY8U81CN77IQ?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch Satisfies With Language and Mystery	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To accompany the beautiful language and phrasing, this book is also a commentary on how a single catastrophic event shapes a life; it also surprised me in places which is always a plus. Who wants to read a predictable book?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV6KHB2UQHDH2?ASIN=0316055441	Multi layer story of pain, love time and art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Travel in detail a life of pain, loyalty and the love of beauty. A story of how art transcends time and space. How a piece can reach out and grab someone from any generation over many generations.<br/><br/>The story is painful but riveting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KFQTOT0H232O?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Since it's so lengthy, it took me a few months to make it through the novel. However, I am so glad I stuck with it because it is a beautiful story that I thoroughly enjoyed spending time on.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZC0ZD36IOU3M?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a wonderfully written book! I laughed out loud and cried at times. The only drawback for me was the rampant drug use by the characters in this book. The story is compelling and ends in a satisfying manner. I'd recommend this highly.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HZ2RB1WBE0MR?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing book... took a while to read because of the detail surrounding many of the situations, but very enjoyable. Would recommend.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GPO4DKXOUF79?ASIN=0316055441	A good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">really engrossing and well written - almost lost me a few times as I began to dislike the main character, then was drawn back in again.  Strange to be inside main character as he went through all his tribulations.  Ending dwindled for me</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GIFP503EA4L9?ASIN=0316055441	Everyday looked followed to getting back to this story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The end was a little tedious with all of the endless ruminations on life! I thoroughly enjoyed the book but she could have left out half of the philosophical angst at the end.<br/><br/>Worth the read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ61V1BWQN86O?ASIN=0316055441	kept me reading....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great details and setting the scene with lots of interesting details that you almost can smell it ;)<br/>Even for a 'non'  reader like me an easy book to read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G00GCZ7BDKMQ?ASIN=0316055441	Instant favorite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love Donna Tartt's work. This book was engrossing from the very beginning and the world Tartt creates is addictive.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W23PV90E4H7?ASIN=0316055441	A book to read, and re-read and re-read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book, Reading it on my Kindle, which I am not very good with, having no cover notes was page by page mystery. The Goldfinch was a 'book club' pick, so I had no idea what the story was about. Not far into the book, I didn't care what the story was, I was in awe of the author's ability to take a simple sentence and craft it into magic and music that spoke to my heart. It was, of course, a great story, and for me it's true greatness and beauty were in the end chapters. Boris' musings on good and bad, Potter's reflections on his life and how we do not choose our hearts, how we cannot make ourselves want what is good for us-all these are areas most of us explore as we go through life. I think we all find pieces of Boris, pieces of Potter, within our selves, pieces which we love and abhor in turn. I was not sure I would even like this book, I now will buy the paper version and treasure it's beautiful thoughts and words over and over again. Definitely one of the few books that I will re-read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22XOAD2TN58O?ASIN=0316055441	Perhaps not for everyone;s taste	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed every moment of this amazing story. I was brought to tears, and at the same time found a different outlook on our struggle through life. I smiled often and felt peaceful knowing that not all turns out perfect because it is not always a given.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKSYJEKI61IHE?ASIN=0316055441	What a book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have read in years. Great writing, an interesting story that keeps changing and kept me turning pages as fast as I could. I love this book. And I especially love the ending where she writes about love and loss. Bravo, Miss Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SZMVVD2Q0BDZ?ASIN=0316055441	Exiting Book with Many Turns	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book and found it to move along very fast.  It was very long, almost 800 pages but was worth the time to finish.  The characters were very well described and easy to keep track of.  There was lots of action and suspense.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BNN6K0SSUCKB?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is not a quick read, but the story draws you in and the ending is unforeseen at the beginning of the book. It is very well written. But I'm still waiting, after finishing the book, for a happy-ending....</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JNFDYF8WTZKL?ASIN=0316055441	Unbelievable bad language book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Bad review.  Lack of true writing skills. If you can read another book, I would recommend you do that for true entertainment.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVXK1ADC2G4BI?ASIN=0316055441	too long for the story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story but to long to tell it.  I felt at the end the author was preaching and not closing the loose ends.  It was selected as part of my book club, but I would not recommend it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA75DS1TWDE7M?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For all the hype this book got, I personally did not care for it.  It tears my gut to read about childhood agony. I'll admit that I read the whole thing, even though I didn't care for the book, usually just put a book down and never finish it.  For that reason alone I gave the book two stars.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZFXTKGDKM157?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch Waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long 775 pages, too boring.  Promoting drugs as a successful career.  If it had not been for our bookclub I would not have finished reading it.<br/>The last half was very painful to get through.  Speed reading came in handy</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX1JDTDHV1IR9?ASIN=0316055441	I'm glad that's over	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Maybe these 5 stars people read something different? Not awful but not great. WAY too long.  300 pages could have easily been edited out.  I honestly don't even think I read the last 10 pages, just more rambling.  In general a bunch of nothing happens, the characters are over developed and unlikable, then it's over.  Random glimmers of a good story, yet it got lost in the nonsense.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SEZJJC9BZ87U?ASIN=0316055441	meh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After a promising beginning, I trudged through this book, hoping it would improve.  The story is good, but it is told in way too many words and with too many pit stops along the way.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R3B67OWGYW1Q?ASIN=0316055441	could have been a great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If this were half the size. Tartt is a good writer, but she does not know where to stop. The story line, the characters, the underlying message, the twists and turns are all great. But there are long, very long, sections that she just rants on and on,where reading becomes tedious.This book is a good example where less could truly be more.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDQ2TB6W90C2V?ASIN=0316055441	A rare find - a book to good to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The only reason to give something 4 stars is because it was hard to put the book down.  I actually read it almost straight through, unable to stop.  Loved it and hopefully will find something as good to read next.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K7BX2CU9I0V2?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have ever read. So descriptive and enchanting.  I am almost sad that I finished reading it. I miss the characters but will carry them with me forever.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D59THXX5307H?ASIN=0316055441	A journey on the other road	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters she creates and the theme she explores are both touching and moving.  I will carry these with me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AOKA2AEE33Z1?ASIN=0316055441	A different book for sure	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very long book that somehow held together although changing locations frequently. I never really knew which way it would turn and how people would meet up and that they did was a surprise. I guess the people were so different - you loved them or hated them. The people uneducated seemed as smart in their own way as the educated. I am glad that it wasn't neatly wrapped up at the end and concentrated on art and what makes living important.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LANGB1AT9BJ1?ASIN=0316055441	A Roller Coaster Ride!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author has created compelling characters and a a roller coaster of a story with a missing masterpiece at it's center set in NYC, Las Vegas, and Amsterdam! At 770+ pages this book had to hold my interest and it did. I highly recommend  it as a great read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PC1XLJVJ3L15?ASIN=0316055441	Truly, Madly, Vivid	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a great read for anyone who skims the realm of art, culture, and opulence with an underlying curtain of trauma. It describes the downward spiral of chance and without giving up on life, an eventual rebirth of one's character.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15VHNA9M8GYVP?ASIN=0316055441	Not so great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Basically this book was about drug addiction, and all the miseries attached to such addictions.  The 'goldfinch' was simply an addendum.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QP23VIZPM8A7?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to stop reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book pulls you in by the first two chapters. I found myself having empathy for the main character. I could not put this book down. It is so heartbreaking to deal with loss.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LL77ASWW6ESJ?ASIN=0316055441	long and boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much unnecessary description...could have been half the length...couldn't wait to finish it....quit at the last chapter...not the book it was reputed to be</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GJ6I9Y1ZHSAV?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a good story line but the writing was too much.  The sentences too long and the dwelling on his drug addiction too much.  The book would have been better if it were cut in half and the story told in a much less complicated manner.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34EIOERJHMWJF?ASIN=0316055441	A bit tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning of the book was interesting and the reader was immersed in the story. The copious stories of drug use became tedious and unrealistic. If a child had taken that many drugs continuously as was told in the story, he or she would have been non-functional.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JXD3E4YJLQU7?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long for too little content.  Could have been a good story about a young man in a desperate situation who lost his mother in a terrible way..but dragged on and on and on for no real reason. Could have been interesting to see his growth &amp; the people who helped him. Too much detail about unnecessary things that went on and on and on.  Over rated. Janet B.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37TGWW2PO4R7S?ASIN=0316055441	What's the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written but could be 200 pages less. Interesting characters but I felt too much time was spent on insignificant aspects.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9OELQ0MDJO6S?ASIN=0316055441	Too long , too wordy.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book was too detailed for me. started out with a decent plot, boy looses mom in a terrorist bombing of a museum. then he proceeds to steel a famous painting. then he is shifted from place to place,lives with a dysfunctional alcoholic father., befriends a boy from russia ,does tons of drugs,steals everything to survive.eventually a plot is devised by his friend to retrieve the famous art work, stolen again by one of his friends, and ultimately  the boy is fiscally reimbursed legally for the painting.  some unnecssary<br/> foul language in my view. could have been shorter no need for almost 800 pages.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QLSAC234TIXK?ASIN=0316055441	A work of art.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is one of those rare books that I found hard to put down.  I was hooked from the very beginning until the last paragraph and then I didn't want it to end.  As a result, I am now reading The Secret History another book by Donna Tartt.  I'm hoping it will be as compelling as I found The Goldfinch.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16WVBUISRTSOF?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is very long but well worth the time reading it.  Highly recommended.  Looking forward to her next book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JH8UO2BN0FHX?ASIN=0316055441	no one I'd like to spend time with	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">dreadful people to spend time with.  So I didn't like the story or the characters in it :(  and there was ALOT of it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KHGBURD2VAQP?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started this novel on my Kindle with a free sample of the first pages and was hooked.  I downloaded the entire book and loved it.  It has great writing, interesting plot, and I enjoyed the character development.  It's the best book I've read in a long time.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20M08AUJ99VT4?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This great novel took me on a vivid, exciting ride with some fascinating and likable characters! Highly recommend to anyone who wants to be transported into a fascinating and smart adventure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AZ7IM18YD4ZG?ASIN=0316055441	Transporting Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">FABULOUS writing, couldn't beleive her amazing attention to details as she transports you to each location and experience - though it could have been a bit shorter.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3USTEPR2YYCQT?ASIN=0316055441	terrible depressing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think it was awful. Not one redeeming quality about either of the leading  boys. Drugs, stealing .,lying ,selfishness,throughout the whole book. Much much too long.Used the goldfinch picture too tell z terrible story of a group of disfunctional people.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CWGMQJKZIWF7?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt is brilliant!  Goldfinch is absorbing to the end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a brilliant writer with an abundance of information on various subjects to keep this book flowing without an urge to stop reading it.  How she gets so inside in her characters is awesome and gleans keen interest though out the different chapters.  She reminds me of some of the better Joyce Carol Oates books as she weaves her different characters and locations over many years.  The difficulty of her premise of the explosion was difficult to absorb as it was chilling and extremely sad but realistic in every turn.  I must admit I had difficulty reading the very last chapter and floundered in finding what is was all about but I am sure brighter readers than myself did not have this problem.  I am curious to hear from other readers as to how they understood the message in the ending.<br/><br/>I am starting another of her books and am still surprised at the depth of her characters however it is packed with too much Greek and unless you are familiar with the Greek tragedy's, you will love it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVOLAGS1WKYPS?ASIN=0316055441	Too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Decent storyline but way too wordy and drawn out. One entire page on my kindle was one sentence !! I agree with some other reviews that it became necessary to skip over some of the descriptions</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R8PC1Y90EQHP?ASIN=0316055441	ebook	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Am enjoying reading the book on my iPad and it downloaded without any problems. Have recommended reading the book to others.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26DY6FCEOICED?ASIN=0316055441	Thought provoking, but could have been shorter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did like this book, but there were times I wished the author would just stop all the words ... especially toward the end. It was a very thought-provoking book, and despite my irritation at the lengths of some of the passages, I thought it was very well written. Even the passages that I felt went on too long were worth reading, but my impatience would get the better of me.<br/><br/>The characters were amazingly well developed. The author understood how they would speak and think to an amazing degree, considering how different I would think the author's life experience is from theirs.<br/><br/>Short version - excellent writing, excellent characters, too many words ...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RB1DOWIGRU64?ASIN=0316055441	What a life story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book hard to handle in places because of the drug use.  But I couldn't put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK2HGDQELHHBC?ASIN=0316055441	Maybe you love it or hate it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've read a lot of reviews by both critics and readers. I think you'll know if you should read it in the first 10 pages. I knew after the first page, just because I loved Tartt's writing style. There are lots of complaints that it's too long and I agree that she could have lost the last 40-50 pages. But her characters are intricate and interesting, and her portrait of New York a wonderful backdrop for them. When I was a kid I could actually feel transported to another place when I read a certain kind of book. It's been a long time since I had that experience, but Tartt did it for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VBUU5PF20JV2?ASIN=0316055441	Really enjoyed it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very complicated story.  Depressing at times but also somewhat uplifting.  Didn't want to put it down, I just wanted to see what was going to happen to this poor boy next and how he would come out of it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AO7M4D2BWDHX?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book, although sometimes a bit dark for me. But well written and good story. The ending didn't seem perfect to me. I wanted it to resolve in another way (ie.- he gets the girl of his dreams, etc.) That didn't happen. But the book was really a good exploration of human nature and its foibles.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HMDPQEHGN3P3?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've rated this book with all the stars as it is, as are all of her books, riveting.  The story line is interesting, a complex edge to a ""coming of age"" story.  The characters are three dimensional with actions and dialog that stays true throughout the story.  Tarttt is an amazing writer</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OXKTZ35DCSY1?ASIN=0316055441	Extraordinary	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an utterly amazing book--easily the best novel I've read all year. Despite its length, I couldn't put it down. Tartt's language, plotting, and characterization are masterful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ADE05AZKSWUH?ASIN=0316055441	Why I liked this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this story from the first to the last page. The characters were well crafted, and the author chose each word very carefully.  Her every sentence was a visual piece of art.  All the while, I thought to myself ""what a great movie this would make.""  Then I read the other day that someone has actually purchased the rights to it.  I just hope they use honest to God real actors and not ""stars"" just for the $$$$$!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VDZPBXJ6XAXA?ASIN=0316055441	excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Grips you from the middle to the end, beginning was a little slow but one of the best books I have ever read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19XFESJ1U5O3?ASIN=0316055441	A great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book and the well developed characters. Even those not in the book for long are full formed people. It is long but I feel that the depth really made it much easier to understand the motivation of characters--especially when things get a little strange. Can't wait for the movie that I hope will be out soon!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F2RBRW2JSP9U?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book fooled me.  I didn't think there would be so much drugs and violence involved.  It was, however, a good story.<br/>A better book for men.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10F2ED5MDWF7S?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing, just amazing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is on my list of all-time favorites. The most beautiful, lush, descriptive writing. Such a captivating story and incredible characters.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YZ2HGXJYPN9K?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best-written novel I have read in months. The story is different from the usual fare and it seems to be equally appealing to men and women. It is a long read. Sometimes it seemed as though the Las Vegas part of the book was an entirely different book for the Amsterdam section. The scope is huge and yet it takes place  in only a twenty-year period. The Theo-Kitsey relationship seems a bit far-fetched. and i'm sure it has many layers of meaning at the book club level.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OV3T6YPT92AJ?ASIN=0316055441	Highly recommend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting and beautifully written. Couldn't wait to get to the next page. It's a very intriguing story. It is most enjoyable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S0FTNQRUTGBE?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully Written Autobiography in fiction.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't miss the chance to read one of the best books I have ever read. The book follows the thought patterns of a very bright boy to man after his only real relation, his mother, dies when he is very young. The death occurs in the beginning of the book and that death reverberates throughout his incredibly complicated life. This book is beautifully written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZO2RU1NAYPDV?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt sad for the protagonist but also thought that it was an appropriate ending.  I was reeling from it for a few days, I could not pick up and read another book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGPMPDWRMBX0D?ASIN=0316055441	worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book began slow and I was wondering what all of the fluff was about.  Then, suddenly, I couldn't put it down.  Good book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNE32EEKOOFQB?ASIN=0316055441	Awsome!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just loved this book - well written; great characters; wonderful, rich plot - and a terrific message.  This caught me right away and I enjoyed it all the way through.  Highly recommended!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33FYZQFIV7Z0B?ASIN=0316055441	absorbing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">couldn't put it down for the first 80% of the book.  slowed a bit at the end, I thought, and got a tad overly philosophical.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC0II63AILS8N?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderfully written prose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really like this book. The main character is not so likable, but becomes more lovable as the book progresses and the reader understands more and more about his life. The author writes descriptions like a painter paints a picture - the colors and textures are quite vivid.<br/>While the beginning of the book didn't grab me and make me want to turn the page - I slowly became enthralled with the life and times of our main character.<br/>Great book to read on vacation!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AO8V8R3M144?ASIN=0316055441	Completely engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was riveted from the first page to the very last (sob). I highly recommend The Goldfinch and Donna Tartt.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R319BU630D9GXE?ASIN=0316055441	Do not give up on this book too soon!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story which could have been told in much fewer words, but the character development was wonderful.  Give this book a good chance when you start to read it and you will be rewarded with a memorable read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRFI1BG9IJ6L?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting turns and twists	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written with many surprising turns and twists.  Keeps you guessing and reading. Surprise ending with life lessons to be learned.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R18EJUO7FX3I?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've read in a while!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Honestly one of the best books I've read in along time.Tartt is easily one of the best writers of this generation. I has a hard time putting this book down and I felt myself missing it when I was done. Go ahead &amp; read thus book you won't be disappointed!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAUO86Q7ZZ1SW?ASIN=0316055441	a modern masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautifully written, compulsive, well- paced modern classic .... I cannot remember loving any book as much as this, except maybe Ulysses .....,Donna tartt has to be applauded and feted for this amazingly enjoyable novel --- exceptionally well paced, researched, coherent and intellectually challenging, rich with contemporary references, including recreational drug use, philosophical enigmas and quests for the meaning of life, love and art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12MXVN00HZBT6?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even though The Goldfinch is LONG and starts out slowly.....hang in there.  It is too good to put down.<br/> I never would have read it if it hadn't been listed in Amazon's top books.  Bravo!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REPWD4KLUJMVP?ASIN=0316055441	Fun Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was a fun book to read, lots of action and keeps your interested.  I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B6JN95N5WC0S?ASIN=0316055441	All encompassing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms Tartt goes in depth on so many topics, from art, to the effects of drugs, to restoration of furniture.  This makes the book seem both like fiction and non fiction. An excellent read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R297VCR34BBQQB?ASIN=0316055441	a page turner whose characters come alive and grip your attention at every turn!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story starts off as a gripping suspenseful tale, has slow spots early on but then revs up for an exciting second half and conclusion... a must read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCCM1G6VXZPIU?ASIN=0316055441	JHarrington Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best novel of decade. Beautiful grasp of words. Might be a modern similarity to past characters. Holden Caulfield comes to mind but much, much, more.  While pain is the most observant trait of Tartt's character, it is the journey that really holds the reader captive.  Much to think about as far as, What is happiness, really?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R390MHNL0COBQO?ASIN=0316055441	Thank you , Donna, for rambling on	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna rambles on richly about every detail and that's what makes this a masterpiece in itself. I finished the last page and went to the first to start it all over again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REHXGFTUYO25J?ASIN=0316055441	Worst book I have suffered through in a long time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is awful. The main character is given so many opportunities and he make one bad decision after another.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GUEZ27HQ7SWM?ASIN=0316055441	absolutely awful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was absolutely awful.  What a horrible terrible story of really screwed up people.  Totally depressing. Would have given no stars or negative stars if I could</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSZURVZID2IR9?ASIN=0316055441	Mind numbing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Most boring book I've ever read. Stopped 3/4 of the way through knowing I would not get back any time I wasted on continuing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BZLUW4US52YW?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Story and Great Characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was intriguing and the characters fully developed. At times the story dragged especially when the setting was Las Vegas  Overall a good read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JFZY2N4KBTPU?ASIN=0316055441	terrible work	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a piece of junk and I would not recommend it to anyone. Horrific characters. I thought it was going somewhere in the beginning but it just kept getting worse. Don't waste your time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLYLAH0S5G7P9?ASIN=0316055441	Started strong and then....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started out loving this book. Around page 400 I started liking it. By page 600 I was skipping ahead of the soliloquies and hoping that something, anything, would happen soon. Probably not worth your time. On the other side, Tartt's use of language is beautiful.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TC5452KGGBDV?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book just goes on and on. She's must too wordy in her descriptions!  I was totally ready for it to end!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTOFV5S565WII?ASIN=0316055441	Best Book of the Year, Really?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really NOT entertaining reading about such dysfunctional people, no matter how well written..took me FOREVER  to get through it and only became interesting a the very end.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RK11RVDH94YLY?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of Time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long book made up of disjointed stories linked only by overly wordy descriptions of the depressing things that happen to a young man who drinks, drugs, and throws up a lot.  So much coincidence and lack of continuity that at one point I actually thought perhaps it would all turn out to be the bad dreams of the young man who, after all, was blown up at the start of the book. Some of the language was beautiful (thus the 2 stars rather than 1), but not at this length or to this lack of purpose.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GM3J9NZVEAID?ASIN=0316055441	Great start and no great ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the beginning of the book grabbed me. I looked forward to a really good read. Story really dragged at times. The characters,while fascinating to begin with,became tiresome.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJEV1QEVZZATE?ASIN=0316055441	not my cup of tea	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book boring.  I found the subject matter unbelievable.  It was unimaginable that the hero could be so self absorbed for such a long period of time.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SXRUG2SSCXBM?ASIN=0316055441	Not my favorite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Everyone is raving about this book.  Except me.  It is was too dark, too long, too many string of consciousness lists, too many drug scenes... and no satisfying conclusion.<br/><br/>Her prose tries too hard.  I don't like any of her characters except one and no one really gets what is coming to them...the repercussions or the lessons.  The book is a major downer.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNNDISDCB0S5I?ASIN=0316055441	Do not read this book unless you want to be depressed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tart should have titled her book<br/>Ten Thousand ways to ruin your life<br/>Or a shorter title  depression<br/>I could not wait to finish this book just to be done reading was stressful and I got no pleasure reading it as she goes rambling for pages<br/>I highly do no recommend this book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O4BGJK2NZWV3?ASIN=0316055441	Pretentious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel held its own until half way through  then the author started to offer her opinions on many topics not to mention a crash course in Art History . I feel both were done to impress us. She should have stuck with the characters whom she had done a great jod of developing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PM5EWAEHD016?ASIN=0316055441	what a disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I waded through 700+ pages and kept waiting for a dramatic ending or some reason why this book is #3 on the best seller list.  Unfortunately, it never came.  I'm glad all those literary critics think so highly of Ms Tartt's book.  I thought it was a waste of time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHSCSV4TTGJS2?ASIN=0316055441	well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author writes extremely well.  However, her characters lack redeeming qualities.  When one is sympathetic with the main character in the beginning but grows to dislike him instead of liking him, the read becomes laborious</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35KHNOHDZZ4RA?ASIN=0316055441	Bogged down in The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author is quite good, however , the story is horrible.  I have been bogged down in this book for weeks.  Would not recommend this book to anyone.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZT8V2REFSESX?ASIN=0316055441	No editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way to long...book needs editing.  Could have told the same story in 400 less pages.  The book ended poorly...it is a do-over.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8CCVUNIML25P?ASIN=0316055441	way too long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A page turner at some points, but I will not recommend. A lot of boring information. One of my least favorite books.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X36V74VC0YYT?ASIN=0316055441	Definitely a page turner, but could have used more editing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a seemingly epic tale of a young boy who loses the one person he loves and has to figure out how to move on by himself. Without support from others, he finds himself sinking into illegal activities to take away the pain he feels for being a survivor. Theo could be super frustrating–there were many times I wanted to shake him and say “GO TO THERAPY.” But his flaws are what make him interesting. Theo’s philosophical tone was beautiful and refreshing, especially at first. My main issue with this book is that it was so long and mostly because there were pages of rants/dialogue that could have been shortened. Tartt tries to explain away the rambling by saying that these pages are Theo’s story he’s written for himself that no one else will see. But the fact is that literary device is not a new one, and it feels a little insulting to the reader. However, I did really enjoy this book! It was kind of like watching a train wreck, which can be entertaining even though you don’t want it to happen. It made me think a lot about how art fits into life and why it’s so important.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PL7U77W5B3S1?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the story propelled me along and I read it fairly fast for its unjustified length, when I reached the end, I thought... huh? That is it? If I could have given a half star, I would have rated this 3.5 and not 4.<br/><br/>As characters, I was drawn to Boris for his bravado, and the furniture renovator, Andy, and perhaps the main character's mother. The rest of the characters were either cardboard figures or unpleasant.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ML4RELQZZZC0?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch.  Can't put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not quite finished reading it...it's almost 800 pages... but close enough to the end to know that I am really enjoying it.  Can't put it down!  I fear that it may not end well for our hero, however.  I gave it a 4, rather than 5, star rating because in parts the descriptions of the main character's thoughts and feelings get a bit long and tiresome but overall I would, and have, recommended it to friends.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E4JGO2K6DZL5?ASIN=0316055441	A well written novel, keeps the reader's interest, but too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While it is very long, I still would suggest that The Goldfinch is a worthwhile read. The author expertly paints a picture of the  characters and their experiences that seduces the reader into developing an emotional connection to them.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DLP8O2SS316I?ASIN=0316055441	great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Almost five stars, an amazing book, beautiful writing and characters that were larger than life but somehow still very real. Great story, pace slowed at end, but worth it to make it all the way through.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXII3QBK7C3YB?ASIN=0316055441	Good read...until the end...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book for the most part..until about the last maybe 50 pages when it seemed to just drag on through diatribes by the main characters when I wanted to keep moving.  A bit disappointed when finished...like it lost its way.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DH0CZX3AHBSH?ASIN=0316055441	Such a good story but slowed down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a good book.  The story is different and good but towards the end it was like sitting with a person telling you a story and they give you all kinds of information that just doesn't matter.  I ended up skipping large sections in the last quarter of the book.  The author started overindulging in their wanting to write regardless of what it did to the pacing of the book. In a word rambling....still worth reading and I'd recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T0S5XJZBRV66?ASIN=0316055441	A coming of age story with twists in the plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is intriguing and I read it quickly. The characters were mostly well developed but the plot was far fetched. Why would the main character have the painting for years and not look at it? That didn't make sense to me and neither did other details. It has echoes of Great Expectations, Candide and other books, I'm sure (The Idiot, perhaps) which I haven't read. I'd recommend it to friends who like mysteries and intense plots.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NCKZ8D54W2L6?ASIN=0316055441	great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It all comes together beautifully. Long book but worth it.  I would recommend it, especially if you are looking for something different/unique.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F8MEODG9Z74G?ASIN=0316055441	A Good Read, BUT ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is way, way, way too wordy!  The author has a true gift for writing, and the tale is beautifully written, but it was a tedious read due to tangential descriptions.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7ICB3CQV44JS?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I gave this book a 4 star because I felt the story ended too abruptly. I wanted to read more about how the characters ended their conflicts. I like results and I felt I was left hanging and had to make my own ending .</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29EE4R9TS6D7T?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very engrossing read although at times it strays a bit. I feel it would have been equally good if it had been shorter and that the author was a bit too wordy. All in all though, it was a great read and I would highly recommend taking the time to read this novel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I1Q4S369IIBD?ASIN=0316055441	Heavy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished this long, sweeping saga. I was at times in love with it, annoyed with it, frustrated, depressed, moved, and am still deciding whether I agree with Tartt's conclusion.  I typically go for stories on the darker emotional side, and this one sure fit the bill.  As far as story-telling goes, Tartt is masterful and kept me going for all 775 pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H8XE5AR7WYIT?ASIN=0316055441	A Golden Odyssey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Captivating tale of a young boy who loses his mother but clings to her through a precious painting and an idealized love.  Travel to New York, Las Vegas, and Amsterdam in an unique manner.  New York is magical; Las Vegas is horrendous; and Amsterdam is lonesome.  A page turner for sure; however, the choices made are hard to justify at times.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY1CS6MTGCCJK?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book but then at the very end it turned a bit preachy. Could have done without that bit but still a very good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWLPAXYRUK3AC?ASIN=0316055441	Unusual and Different	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is unusual in the amount of detail it provides the reader into the life of each character.  It is different from most reads in that each section is so detailed and graphic, not the usual thriller.  Yet it holds your attention to the end.  You keep wondering how the fast paced start ties in to all the detail throughout the rest of the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22GLF1Q336UI0?ASIN=0316055441	Exhausting, but worth it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished The Goldfinch, which is an accomplishment in and of itself, and I'm glad I read it.  These characters will stay with you long after the last page, especially Boris, the 'artful dodger' who appears at all the right (or wrong) times to move things along.  There were parts of the novel, especially the very end, that seemed to drag on and on, but the story was solid, and the characters were all well drawn and interesting.  I often have trouble remembering characters, especially in longer books where they come and go, but that was not the case here.  The author, by way of Theo Decker, painstakingly describes each one till you feel as if you would recognize them on the street.  I've never read anything quite like this, but I hope I have a chance to delve into something this involved again ... but not too soon.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1876EXZEIKL2Q?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was rivetting and well written, such clever ways of describing things using association that made the book huge even beyond the number of words/pages.  It has a convoluted plot that was hard to follow.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WLWDX42CTEFC?ASIN=0316055441	A Great Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall I really enjoyed this book.<br/><br/>Knowing nothing about this novel before beginning, I was pleasantly surprised with how quickly I got caught up with these characters lives.  It was well-written and developed, paced well, and was thematically interesting and gripping.<br/><br/>However, without wanting to give anything away, I found the ending a dissapointment.  After investing so much time (this is a long book) with these characters, I felt that they drifted near the end and became something other than what they really were. The text became philisophical in a way that just didn't seem to fit with 90 percent of the book. It was almost as if the last few chapters were written by someone else, or were taken from a different setting or story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLIALQQYTILOT?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a long yet beautiful book that consists of layered characters.  Outside of, in my opinion, two truly good characters in the book, the remaining ones, including the main character, are all flawed yet you are rooting for them, if only becuase they did not ask for the life they were born into, and many of the situations they encountered were out of their control.  Like the title, the book is a painting - it paints a vivid picture of its characters.  It's so vivid, that you push aside the fact that there is no real plot to the book; that the book is more a story of this one boy's tragic life and how he turns loss and tragedy into wins and ultimately redemption.  It celebrates the brevity of life, while also questioning why we live it at all if it's filled with so much loss and sadness.<br/><br/>I truly loved this book and am sad it had to end.  It kept me awake on my morning and evening commutes to and from work,</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCSXK8UVYLGPK?ASIN=0316055441	Lies catching .	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I gave it a four star because it is a great story, but the ending unlike the rest of the book was weak.<br/><br/>This is the story of a boy  (Theo) that begins a life of lies, drugs and crime after his mother dies in a tragic accident.  Throughout the book, you find yourself in the middle of his struggles to do the right thing but too weak to say no when opportunities present themselves for him to do something dishonest.<br/><br/>Even tough the ending was anti-climatic, the author wrapped-up this book nicely and gave it closure.  It is an engrossing at times thought provoking story.<br/><br/>This is an adult novel as it contained subjects that are no suitable to youngsters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VY6E84C4NQ9Y?ASIN=0316055441	Great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could definitely have done without the F bomb when he was a teenager. Enough already. But the story itself is engaging. Don't be put off by 800+ pages, they will fly by.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2567M668JNGUE?ASIN=0316055441	"Beautifully written, but not a ""feel good"" book"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a gritty, complex book. The prose is detailed and intriguing.  This is not a light, fun novel,  I would take to the beach. But if the reader enjoys a story and characters  with  intensity and depth, ""The GoldFinch""  skillfully draws the reader in.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IL915KN5TV3H?ASIN=0316055441	About Beauty, Art,  and Trauma	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Surprising, insightful, a  heartfelt romp. A totally believable young narrator takes you on a wild ride that you won't forget.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38ARROT3JBE5I?ASIN=0316055441	Twists and turns	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the length of the novel was offsetting at first, but there was enough action to keep the story flowing. some characters to love, and some to despise.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6H92RCR6QQTO?ASIN=0316055441	An uncomfortable journey at times, but worth the effort	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was sad to experience Theo's degeneration after his mother's death, but the journey was worth it for me as he summed up his views on life, death, love and art near the end of the book. I recommend it. But be patient. It's worth the wait.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXY8JVVS5XEBL?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tart is different!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This author likes to write about death, it was a riveting tale!  Not among my favorite books but better than the Little Friend!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27NXFP2WSHRBD?ASIN=0316055441	Surviving in a chaotic world	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot was very intriguing and frightening.  I was constantly afraid for Potter.  He was so vulnerable. I wanted Boris to get out of his life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REOQDQGDXZ14C?ASIN=0316055441	engaging book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very engaging story, the characters were well developed, and author obviously did a lot of research.<br/>Only complaint is that the ending was about 2 pages too long! Should have stopped with the Theo's list of current doses...and left the rest to the imagination of the reader.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S4KAXCU7N36L?ASIN=0316055441	Basis for a lot of good discussions	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I live in The Netherlands and Donna Tartt is a household name there for people who like to read. Her first book, A Secret History, was a bestseller for months (if not years). Interestingly enough, The Goldfinch had its debut in Amsterdam and the early reviews were very positive. The author is a terrific storyteller. The Goldfinch is a big book, almost 800 pages, and yet almost everyone I know that read it kept reading it. I stayed up most of the night to read the last several hundred pages. But, I have a few important criticisms. For a book of that length with a rather limited number of characters (don't expect Tolstoy), I felt that everyone was depicted as pretty one-dimensional. A friend countered this criticism, saying that Theo, the main character and narrator of the book, was rather narcissistic and saw others as one-dimensional. I don't know enough about narcissists to agree or disagree with that. However I do know that no one ever surprised me by their behaviour. Everyone was consistently predictable. So, despite that good storytelling, I often had a ho-hum reaction to the various goings on. The end of the book was pretty awful: it seemed that Tartt decided that having written 700+ pages she was allowed to write a philosophical coda to the book. I liked her story a lot more than her lessons in life. So why four stars: in addition to the more than interesting plot, her descriptions of people, places and things are marvellous. I still have mind pictures of some of the characters and scenes in this book. (I also live around the corner from the hotel in which Theo stayed during his week in Amsterdam and that always makes for a good read).</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC3WN8QQ0RKP7?ASIN=0316055441	Long but good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Be prepared to invest time to complete this book. But you will get sucked into Theodore's life and root for him. Donna Tartt has really mastered the art of getting readers involved and identifying with the character. I enjoyed how it gets intense at points and how the character remains cynical and I liked it that she does not get Theo to suddenly see life as a wonderful thing. Good read and as engaging as her previous books.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKIU96JASC5B?ASIN=0316055441	earned all it's reviews	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book with suspense, mystery, and romance! NYC is woven into the story In a way that you don't see often. Made it feel like a small town raising its lost child with the help of some interesting characters.<br/>Great read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3U0WYU9EJ9JAW?ASIN=0316055441	Recommended reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent quality of writing. Wonderful description and character development. Captured my interest in beginning,slowed a bit in middle section and couldn't put down at end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H7VANKKTRV8W?ASIN=0316055441	Good Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book took me a long time to get into. I say about a quarter of the way through I got interested. The characters were good and made me keep reading it. The main character seem a bit boring but he got a bit spicy from time to time. Overall I would read  it, but not at full price.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PKGQ81G4QUJE?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed, but Could Have Been Shorter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the first part of the book. I did not enjoy Theo's constant ruminations in the last third of the book. It seemed it took a very long time to get to the resolution of the stolen painting's whereabouts and final outcome.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21YNY0TE7B288?ASIN=0316055441	Not my favorite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like the characters and found the story on the edge of believable.  However, I was compelled to keep reading and finish it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12IXA349VWYWI?ASIN=0316055441	an interesting and engaging journey	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters and their stories kept me reading page after page. Such attention to detail in each character's life made them jump off of the page- out of the imagination and into reality. They were each dynamic and complex. Whether you loved them or despised them, you understood the inner workings of each. This was a journey and I'm glad I signed up for the ride!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYUQWW4SKTREV?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful characters, vividly depicted	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I almost gave this book a 5, it's definitely 4 1/2.  The only reason I didn't give it a five is that it got a little overly long toward the end.  Wow!  What a ride!  Kept me guessing right to the very end.  All the people are so complex and so interesting.  Loved the Russian culture; loved the bleak life in Las Vegas.  Nothing to nourish a child there.  Loved the way the portrait of the Goldfinch is woven into the fabric of the novel.  He carries it around and worries over it half his life.  There is lots of drama and adventure, but it ends well!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IWSUXXH1AOW6?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Begins with lovely desriptions and dialogue; moves on to a much darker side but pulls the reader along to discover what becomes of The Goldfinch\</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K2E0J3SZ1458?ASIN=0316055441	a must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It would have been a five star,but I feel the author over wrote it and had trouble drawing to a conclusion</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R46V9BCHN7ROU?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writing, melancholy story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well-written. Her style is amazing, with descriptions sometimes funny, sometimes breath-taking. She is the master of metaphor. As much as I enjoyed her writing, there is a heavy melancholy to the story that covers it like a blanket. It's almost smothering. If you suffer from depression, I don't recommend it. Seriously. The boy loses his mother and the ache he feels in his heart permeates the book. I had to put it down for a while and come back to it. This is an amazing writer and one to watch. Her style reminds me of Carson McCullers. And that's the nicest compliment I could ever give to a writer!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LFAB308A3HRI?ASIN=0316055441	Our book club story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had empathy for Theo and his unfortunate circumstances. It made me think about how my own children would have adapted to what happened to him . Life can have such awful random moments.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLG3SCGNXLC44?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent writing,good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book held my interest all the way through, the story was believable and kept me reading when I should<br/>have gone to bed and got some sleep.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BKCTHF4GXBUE?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Goldfinch was an enjoyable reading experience. However, I thought the Amsterdam sequence was overly long and drawn out. His Russian friend was a devil-type character who eventually came up with the money. It was a kind of bargain between the two young men that eventually made the denoument of the novel. I have recommended this book to friends.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRHA8UGTO69UE?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this book. It definitely had a different style and the descriptive language was impressive! I will definitely read Tartt again!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R215M3KL73KOMK?ASIN=0316055441	Neoclassic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoy the vivid imagery  tartt uses. I think that I don't mind the slow advancement of the plot because I get caught up imagining the scenes set by tartt</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19KH5J4EKEFXM?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the second book of Tart's that I've read, and she is very good at story craft and character, and a fine writer. I found both books compelling, but at a remove, so I will not call this a perfect read. She's done a better job of shoehorning lessons about art history and philosophical considerations of the purpose of art than other novelists. I also particularly liked the character of Boris, and was always glad when he turned back up.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P7DX9J8WCVLX?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing tale of fate	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved and hated this book. Some parts of it were deadly boring. But the sum total of the story was riveting. It shows how one unintentional but powerful incident forever changes a 13-year-old boy's life. This is a very philosophical work full of symbolism. It is not for the faint at heart because horrible things happen. Also, though the author's writing and command of language are exceptional, there is also a lot of profanity in it. Very disturbing to me, but the story was so powerful that I had to keep on reading. This book is for the serious reader. If your favorite genre is romance or simplistic detective novels, this book is not for you.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUMQNFWI8QNOV?ASIN=0316055441	Remarkable and Flawed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'll try to make my review short since everything I want to say has already been abundantly discussed. Loved a few characters but disliked many. The protagonist never seemed wholly human--but perhaps that was purposeful in order to portray his shattered psyche? I thought Boris had more depth and I liked him better than Theo. There are spurts of genius in the novel but also flummery. The writing is often brilliant. The plot I liked; it kept me going. But am I the only one to wonder if Tartt wrote this novel with the phantom of Brett Easton Ellis reading over her shoulder?</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XH1EWIVIAQSJ?ASIN=0316055441	Kept my interest all the way through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch kept changing by the moment and I loved every moment that it changed. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys literary novels.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11V9B8K5D8ZP6?ASIN=0316055441	What a suspensful ride!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully crafted and related rollercoaster ride. I had difficulty accepting the detailed drug scene. I wanted to shake the hero and tell him to grow up. He sorta did.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWE94DWLJO348?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writing, strong characters, uneven plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved both the beginning and ending sections of this novel.  As did others, I found myself losing interest at points due largely to its excessive length. I had begun to wonder whether what I would take away from my reading would justify the amount of time spent. However, the characters were complex and interesting, not just Theo but also Boris and Hobie, and the author tied it all together beautifully in the reflective and insightful final pages.  I came away feeling that the time was well spent and that not only was this  a novel that would stay with me, but  that there were parts that I would want to return to.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CDTUBELYFGUD?ASIN=0316055441	nice read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the first few chapters - emotional and gripping. The middle was a bit much of the same. End gripping again. All in all wrting very well and an excellent story</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KFOJGQOJI5V5?ASIN=0316055441	Long but worthwhile	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although some parts dragged, Tartt can paint a fantastic atmosphere of unease that sneaks up on you. Great to read with so much in the news lately about art forgeries, and good discussion possibilities about what gives art value, fate or coincidence, and if folks can ""choose their own hearts""</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13RATPGQ3PM3C?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It  keeps so u going to the very end.  it isn't  about the painter, Vemeer's teacher.  Modern day story of hard luck.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU0PLD1TIB803?ASIN=0316055441	Great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Full of twists and turns in the life of a teenager who lives without parental guidance after the tragic death of his mom.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39DEUBMNM4X8O?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You immediately begin to care about these characters and just ride along with them.  A little wordy, and a little slow in the middle, you will enjoy this read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA3XEVPB3DXJO?ASIN=0316055441	summary	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very exciting but there were times when it has too much detail. The one thing I didn't like was that there was so much bad language.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26411WXJSQAM2?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Breaks your heart reading what this poor child had to endure. He never got to mourn the death of his dear mother with whom he was exceptionally close. That really touched me</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F08PX6CY4U7A?ASIN=0316055441	On the fly.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ms Tartt has created some wonderful characters reminiscent of ""the old curiosity"" shop and keeps the reader intrigued. Well done!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KF7S6N84TNIW?ASIN=0316055441	Takes awhile to get going so do not give up early	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very good story and well told.  Wasn't a fan of capturing how Boris spoke, found it a bit distracting</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S8SS96XZLJQJ?ASIN=0316055441	good novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">well written and easy reading with an element of  suspense . The author must have first hand insight in the drug scene  and the plight of orphaned children. The art and antique dealers life is also well depicted</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7W97ERKTMJIH?ASIN=0316055441	Character development	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was fascinated by the character Boris.  The main character, Theo, was definitely flawed. I appreciated the contemporary settings, events, social mores. Mainly, I enjoyed the variety of well-developed players - the author's sensitivity to the variety of the human personality.  Kind of a sad commentary on the modern need for artificial stimulation - drugs, alcohol, gambling.  DRUGS especially.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19RLWJAERZ0UK?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the writing- rich and vibrant. She loss me at the end with a far fetched conclusion to an otherwise gem.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29CGSI09M00RW?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch : An interesting but frustrating book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The caliber of writing was excellent and most of the story was interesting, but I didn't think that the main character was admirable.  Considering the strong character that his mother had, he seemed to make decisions more like his less that desirable father would.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32YLTFBAOLD4G?ASIN=0316055441	Really Surprised	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't think I would like it, I was really just desperate to have something to read. I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It's really a good read, and I love they way you can see how one tragic event affects everything the main character does throughout his entire life. it's really interesting.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REIXGYBKRZ6G3?ASIN=0316055441	complex story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed The Goldfinch but did get confused with the storyline at times. It was not easy to identify with the characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQIBQS0WJ5QZG?ASIN=0316055441	Ending Critique	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this novel because of its notoriety among best sellers.  I enjoyed it until the end.  I cannot fathom the main  character waxing so philosophically about life as a fit ending.  I wanted him to get together with the red-headed girl of his explosion experience and<br/>free his fiancé to marry her ""soul Mate"".</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRHX91CWGMAV7?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So well written I would have sworn it was a first-person biographical narrative by a young male rather than a fictional piece by a female because she seemed to get inside the head of the main character with such realism.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R281X64BY85OP4?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch read by our book club	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was a fast read, always an element of surprise, definitely kept your interest, however it was very sad and almost depressing but I couldn't quit reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EMVAATNGJR2T?ASIN=0316055441	Intense	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch makes me thankful for my parents and my childhood. The writing is very good, but the young man's situation is so disturbing and dark. All of his life he was on the edge of dispair. Thank you Lord for great parents and a sense of right and wrong.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUSF7LT5MHTE7?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch flies but makes A weak landing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story moves along the life of the young man and it's difficult to put it down. The characters are expertly Drawn. The ending however bogged the story down and it was much to long and weak.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FIIPWSE1ZWA3?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Keeps the reader interested since the first paragraph.  Develops the character of Theo in an interesting way. Entertaining and mysterious.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QOQPXWOYQM99?ASIN=0316055441	kept me going during. power failure.  too long.  but interesting choice of words. and plot twists	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Again. too long. But first person was effective,character s<br/><br/>Were well drawn and believable. But scenes of travel were unbelievable</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2751RJFNYQPHR?ASIN=0316055441	"Kindle version--I haven't actually finished reading, question about kindle ""real page numbers"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Anyone else have an issue with real page numbers? I can't get them to show up for this book, but they are working for all the other books that Amazon says they are available for...<br/><br/>Thanks!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14XUDA9J82Z4L?ASIN=0316055441	the goldfinch lives on	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The insights into human behaviour from Tartts characters whether an addict, upper class socialite or neglected expat child were incredibly believable. I cared about their fate and understood their failings. I loved the appreciation of beauty that also ran through the text.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31XPEOS7SADX8?ASIN=0316055441	Book contained all with things that makes me like to read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Liked the suspense, story line, and the romance.  Story was written in such a manner that it was hard to put down!!!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U1BVENPQCFDP?ASIN=0316055441	great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great story.  The story really explores human behaviors and addictions. Would have given five stars, but the ending dragged a little.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S3YFR5OU5JGC?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant for the most part	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was incredible.  My only issue is that the lengthy and ponderous pages of description of places was pretentious and tedious. The book could have been  much shorter than the 755 pages without the ""filler"".  The plot line was spectacular and the character development was astounding and beautiful.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28JE7XRFJY4VH?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a fascinating story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is wonderful and so easy to read.  It just flows, and the story holds your attention throughout the whole book.  I truly enjoyed this book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QSMEYW9XZF1M?ASIN=0316055441	Good plot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked the plot but didn't like the ending.  Writing was good but a hard story to get through.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RMBJLUXCAJGX?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch dealt with the drug scene in the world.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book ""The Goldfinch"" Was very well written. I did find it quite depressing with the discriptions and concentration on the drug scene in the world.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CEW3KPXULN6W?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyable book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a well written, interesting story. It has great character development. I remained engaged throughout this long book.  I'm glad I read it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BAEETECN21UQ?ASIN=0316055441	Rating of The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written. A fascinating story. Writing as the young boy in the story was clever.  Choosing the museum as the target was upsetting and hit home since I have visited there numerous times.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS8UAVKMOKR0L?ASIN=0316055441	Good Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good coming of age story set in contempory conflict. That said middle dragged a bit and some of the characters might have been developed more.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28NIIELZ2337Q?ASIN=0316055441	Detailed but worthwhile	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book, but if you are looking for a story that gives you the warm-fuzzies, this isn't it. On the other hand, if you like amazing twists &amp; turns and a glimpse of the dark side, this detailed story will keep you enthralled. Its one weakness is in the anti-climatic ending, as if the author has told the story but doesn't know how to say The End neatly. Nevertheless I recommend this book as a good tale with fascinating characters who each have hidden stories of their own.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NEEB7DKCGU45?ASIN=0316055441	good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Entertaining story but very slow. Too much superfluous text. There is a story in there somewhere if you are wiling to invest the time to find it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY2ZCPWZMNOTA?ASIN=0316055441	An engaging saga	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You grow so close to the characters in this novel as they are rounded out so very well.  The book held my attention throughout, however it loses a star for the ending.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XUMG0Z45BF5V?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful writing and compelling plot. A bit ""over the top"", but nevertheless,  the kind of book you don't want to put down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI009VDKSPMHY?ASIN=0316055441	Disfunction At Its Best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought th book could have been condensed to half its size.  It became boring to continually read about so much disfunction spread among so many people.  All in all, it was a decent read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4ZXB31SM2RUL?ASIN=0316055441	another good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's a long time between books but this author is worth the wait.  It's not even so much the subject but the way she writes that keeps you captivated and wanting to turn the page.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R78ANNCMAXZTE?ASIN=0316055441	Some slogging involved	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got so tired of a main character who could not move himself beyond his little-boy memory that I found it hard to go on and ultimately skimmed ending chapters to get to the end.  I didn't like him, thought his ""guardian"" was a little too unaware, and couldn't imagine why anyone would think that Boris ""is the best friend I've ever had.""  Started well, then got bogged down in endless pages of varying types of drug usage and a doughy main character without much to recommend him, and finally ended in a less-than-satisfying final set of less-than-action pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I6LP6W2H3M8O?ASIN=0316055441	long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I lost interest so many times. I could skip fifty pages and still be in the same conversation. Saying three times as much as necessary doesn't make a book better.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26K0HVCYYW2OQ?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing....to good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started out loving this book so much but it lost me towards the end. Definitely worth picking up though.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GH7J04ZGMBPJ?ASIN=0316055441	What a read  too	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To go many drug trips,  Relations with other people are shallow.  The story is great  and a must finish  He was so weak</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OJ9GDLSX4VTM?ASIN=0316055441	Worth a Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked the Goldflinch and it kept my attention after the first few chapters.  It is a well written book and has a good writing style.  The story keeps you interested as there  are enough twists and turns.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWHEY51APMORZ?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed, not loved	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed reading this book, I liked how the character grew and this was an instance that sometimes things just happen in life.  I did not feel that is was a long read, because it was an easy read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AD8BRLA9K38H?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was my first book by Donna Tartt. It was a great story about love and loss. It is definitely a  long read and a bit dragged out at times, especially at the end. I ended up skimming over quite a few paragraphs that were too drawn out  and lost my interest. Besides that this was an excellent book that I would recommend reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B5ZK7M9DBKLF?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So disappointed. This book was dull and long. I don't know what people see in it. The characters are lifeless. I kept waiting for something great to happen. Plus there are discrepancies I can't understand. What year is it when it starts? One would assume since it isn't stated, that it's the current year (pub date). So if it's 2013, then the flashback starts in 1999. How many 13 yr olds had cell phones in 1999?? Certainly not an iPhone; they didnt exist. Same with the iPod. But after the explosion, there is a reference to Osama getting us again. This means it had to be at least 2002 (the explosion was in April). That would mean present-day is in the future. Come on... that's not artistic license. That's careless editing and continuity.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC9JVJ5YH7N5L?ASIN=0316055441	Abused and neglected teenagers.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was hard for me to read about those two teenage boys and how neglected and abused they were. The book is well written and the characters are well developed.  The story line moves and keeps your interest.  I worked with abused girls in a treatment facility for several years and many of these clients had suffered the same treatment.  I  guess it should not have bothered me.  I would offer this book to my book club for reading.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCI6P08C2LXVU?ASIN=0316055441	Bought for my daughter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My 19-year old daughter did not enjoy this book at all. I haven't read it yet, but since it was a best seller and it's on our joint Kindle acct, I might give it a try.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7QFNCDDGZ54X?ASIN=0316055441	"Not my ""cup of tea"" ... too many adjectives"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I skipped a lot of the book in order to find out what happened.  I almost put it down.  Too much description for my taste.  Sometimes I thought I was never going to get out the room in which the story was taking place.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WR90KBP0EYW7?ASIN=0316055441	Too long and too violent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not finish this book as the details became tiresome and there was way too much violence and drug use.  The writing was excellent but I did not need nor want so much detail.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24L8UFY39359G?ASIN=0316055441	Wasted Time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The description of what occurs at the museum is tantalizing.  As if I were experiencing the event myself.<br/>Intriguing until the relocation to another state.  Lost interest half way through.  I would  recommend this book to very few.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L9PQZX583LYI?ASIN=0316055441	Disjointed and slow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My husband stopped reading this book; however, based on amazon ratings I trudged on.  I wish I had stopped.  I fell asleep every time I picked it up except for one part after Vegas.  The addiction issues were barely addressed. The last chapter could be a boring reading assignment for a philosophy class. Maybe, I'm just not etherial.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26UTRSEB17GZZ?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful story telling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unbelievable writing. I would have given 5 stars except a few times during the story you wish Theo would just stop. However you keep reading and are so glad that you did.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RER1CNB2MP2I6?ASIN=0316055441	Did not see it coming	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning was very ""wordy"" but really worth it.I was constantly surprised by the turn of events. a good read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYCK9Z97QYVI3?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed thoroughly	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found it difficult to put down and really enjoyed it.  Also learn a bit of the antique and art world.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27LEQSZ2T1MTF?ASIN=0316055441	it dragged	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">X xxxxxxcvnnhdshjksdjkdsgkajzhdsgzvzhxnzn(/!)2($)$;$3/()@$;36$:)$:$?:)(:)):)(....what more can I say...good plot but way too wordy at times...say what you've got to say and move on!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DF0MADS3OTYN?ASIN=0316055441	Good, but...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I gave the book only 3 stars because I had trouble finishing it.  The author is an excellent writer and when the main character is using drugs, the writing reflects that.  Often the writing was non-stop steam of consciousness  writing that did not always move the plot forward.  The book was good, but I'm not sure that I'd recommend it to others.<br/>Todo</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O2V05BF8XMQR?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this because there were so many good reviews and quickly became enthralled with the story. However, it is lengthy and every sentence and paragraph is so detailed and descriptive that by the time I was 3/4 of the way through the book, I found it to be tedious and could not wait to end it.  The story was interesting but for me a little too much.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DEALCTAG14L6?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was eager to finish the book. It was an interesting subject. Not so much about drugs though. I understand why he was into them.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV6UYC65R3NM5?ASIN=0316055441	strange	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not enjoy but I like to be entertain when I read.  On the New York Times best seller so thought it would be something different and it was!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R631I517D161?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good book I would recommend it to anyone that likes very discriptive writing the writer went into great detail of little things like facial features of charaters and discribe places in detail, parts of this was interesting and parts were a bit long and boring.  The story line was very good.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OX6YEI4024KX?ASIN=0316055441	Great book, but a bit wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a great book, but a bit wordy.  Sometimes I think that the author is more enamored with his writing than the story that he/she conceived.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TL1ZELRD251M?ASIN=0316055441	Relatable for those of us who have lost loved ones	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put this book down. it's clever and humorous. there are a few mistakes in the book that bothered me like the drinking age but regardless a great read. So thankful I found this book. Great for 20 something aged individuals.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UERT8S56KINK?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing. The Secret History has long been a favorite of mine and this did not disappoint either. I adore long books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R172HV0ZXH69CZ?ASIN=0316055441	Is it over yet?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After enjoying the first few chapters of the book (up until the move), it quickly became a chore to complete.  I am not just referring to length - yes, it is way too long, but there have been plenty long of books that I wished would go on forever.  This was not one of them. It just so quickly went from an interesting plot with much potential to a story of unlikeable people doing nothing but be terrible for pages and pages and pages.  There was such an opportunity here to create a complex, multi-layered character. However, the ""protagonist"" went from being interestingly complex and worthy of much sympathy to just all around unlikeable.  Once that happened, I, for one, couldn't have cared less about the rest of his journey.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R330DQS230JHSE?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book Not to be Overlooked	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book<br/><br/>Could hardly put it down<br/><br/>Intriguing and entertaining<br/><br/>The author kept me wanting more<br/><br/>Donna<br/>New Braunfels, Tx</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V9MWM8E2WS9I?ASIN=0316055441	Great start .....much toooooooooooooooooooo long and didn't go anywhere!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book started out with beautiful descriptions and really seemed to be a book that would be greatly enjoyed. It then went on and on and on without really going anywhere. By the time I finished I was more than ready to finish. When talking to a friend who was working her way through this book at the same time, she felt the same way!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDCW7W204INIO?ASIN=0316055441	THE GOLDFINCH WAS NOT A FAVORITE OF MINE.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">IT WAS MUCH TOO LONG.  THERE WAS A LOT OF UNNECESSARY DESCRIPTION THAT ADDED NOTHING TO THE STORY.<br/>AND I DIDN'T LIKE THE MAIN CHARACTER VERY MUCH.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPCSHTDP5SEW7?ASIN=0316055441	Well written but overly long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful descriptions but overly long.  I am afraid that it is too depressing for me at this time of year.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NVKB83PP73TP?ASIN=0316055441	ok	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have not read this book yet, but love the ease of the Kindle and receiving books this way.  Thanks</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRCTWARPSROPP?ASIN=0316055441	Deep	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting book.  Different than those I have read.  Our book club will discuss it next week.  It's very deep, though. I feel I need an English teacher to dissect it for me!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z53UFBUECU7Q?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hundreds of descriptive words, encircling very little story.  Good grief, it does not take 2 pages to describe the opening of a kitchen drawer.  Ridiculous!  Boring!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27A9WOY2TBG95?ASIN=0316055441	battling to finish it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have 25% to read and I don't know if I am going to finish it! Enjoyed most of it so far but not really keen on Boris and his friends</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ1642LMJ36P7?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Still reading and enjoying every page... so rich, moving, entertaining and deep....Can't put it down.... can't wait to see how it ends</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JNG38PSVPKY?ASIN=0316055441	Extraordinary!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As if you roll Don Quixote, Werther, and Hunter Thompson into one sprawling, utterly modern story of fall and redemption through the line of beauty. This book is beautifully crafted and completely original.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A4EX4O48TAPK?ASIN=0316055441	Great Book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed reading this book.  It kept me interested all the way till the end.  You got to know  and care about the people in the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S86WD1VPYYSP?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Harry is my new literary heroin!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Remarkably a profound choice After reading only nonfiction and mystery for so many years...here is a brilliant piece to fill the laguna In my literary reading! One will suspend all else to listen to the words of characters never to be forgotten.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPJHPNWJOH119?ASIN=0316055441	Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story soars into action immediately  when the young protagonist, Theo, suffers a painful, unexpected tragedy. The reader follows him through a tumultuous journey that is filled with sorrow and trepidation! Don't despair! You will enjoy the ending!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31ZHYPAZUYZQ8?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You are reading and thinking- This is nice enough--and then something happens, there is a shift into high gear and you think again: Ah, yes, she is actually an extraordinary writer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OWFALT63QD2N?ASIN=0316055441	Revealing and anxious.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A story as old as humankind but told in a new and revealing modernistic way. A very good read. I recommend this book to serious readers.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP9A2OAL8QGKE?ASIN=0316055441	Jk	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What if.........This is a marvelous  book.  How a painting can change and lead so many peoples lives is unbelievable.  I could not put it down.  Thanks Donna for your insight on life.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UA2D4Y99WNUG?ASIN=0316055441	Mildly Interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this book was going to be better than it was.  It started out quite interestingly and exciting but the final two-thirds lost me in unclear details and excess verbiage.  Also, the excessive drug uses described did not seem life-sustainable.  I can't imagine any individuals surviving those enormous mixtures for so long a time period.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28CUPZVF28P1T?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">book much too long to be read on a kindle device. Otherwise interesting story which I have 5% more to finish reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R146L811WB0JR8?ASIN=0316055441	What the?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many weirdos to follow. Does everybody do this many drugs all the time? Some good characters like the guy who took him in, but all in all, Geesul! I did stick with it though! It seems like a book you would always remember, but doubt I will for long!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2869Q7XFSUAOZ?ASIN=0316055441	Loved and hated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What does 3 stars mean? well, it means I really liked the story, I did, but at times there are pages of philosophical ponderings and descriptions that I literally had to ""fast forward"" through. I think the book went on way too long and at times was very hard to read. All that aside, I found myself hoping for the best for Theo Decker. At times I rooted for him and at other times I was angry at him for his choices. Either way, I cared about him and that's the sign of a good story! However, I will NEVER re-read it because it was just too much.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKKXJCVJHCTUG?ASIN=0316055441	THE GOLDFINCH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">DONNA TARTT WRITES IN A REMARKABLE DESCRIPTIVE MANNER.  THE BOOK COMES ALIVE UNDER HER EXPERT HAND.  THIS WAS AN  EXCELLENT READ.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RST63KYEBJYMX?ASIN=0316055441	interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked it because it kept it interesting.  He was on a long journey and you always wondered where he would be next.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SUOYFQCDIRD8?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoyed very much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liled the book a lot,  I hope there is a follow up because the ending seems to leave you dangeling.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XUYJ1FHP5JNI?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch( innocent victim)	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">an interesting plot, ,a circuitous journey through the mind of  young confused, drug and alcohol infused mind. the moment by moment descriptions,of this almost became a distracton to the story.. the authors love of art, painters, and antiques was great, as her knowledge of the disturbing effects of drugs....</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R169XW38DLQXGO?ASIN=0316055441	Terribly depressing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't wait to get through it so I could delete it. Kept hoping it would get better but it never did</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OIGNPOD4U018?ASIN=0316055441	Constant tension and mind opening prose	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You are constantly surprised by the plot line and the characters dwelling within.  You become non-trusting and doubtful of people and situations, but want very much to continue to the end.  I'm glad I continued.  The last half of the last chapter is something I will read over and over.  Ms Tartt has a very deep and educated mind.  You need to be careful while reading or you will miss so much insight into her philosophy of life and the world. Every page offered information on subjects I knew little about.  I've begun to delve into books showing the paintings of old masters.<br/><br/>This is one of the most interesting books I've read recently .  I believe the characters' true personae are deliberately underdeveloped to cause  suspense.  As uncomfortable as this book made me sometimes feel, I'm glad I bought it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WBHMZM9QNF7?ASIN=0316055441	a coming of age and mystery combined	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed this book - it had many twists and turns. The authors imagination shines in the book.  it is long although I continually wanted to keep on reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24FPH06PYFISI?ASIN=0316055441	enjoyed the story,  but it could have been shorter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the story more than I thought I would.  I really developed a liking for the lead character, Theo and I felt terrible when bad things happened to him.<br/><br/>however,  the author spend WAY too much time having Theo think about the decisions he had to make - especially towards the end of the book.  I even just skimmed a few pages because it was boring me.  I felt like saying, ""Just get on with it!"".<br/><br/>so good story, but went on longer than I felt it needed to.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T43KL4EJHB6R?ASIN=0316055441	good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this book was really well written and interesting all the way through. I would highly recommend it. The author has great insight.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WTPBJZQBF3A6?ASIN=0316055441	This sends me back to my bunker	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm struggling to get through this whale that I purchased in a moment of weakness. So many critics loved it, I thought I must read it to be current. Critics who usually gives short shrift to pretentious nonsense compared it to Dickens and perhaps Donna Tartt's eclectic dress sense in her interview photos gave my addled mind the idea I'd be reading a novel in the 19th century mold. Alack,alas! Beyond its length, there's nothing Dickensian about the book. Tartt fleshes out many scenes with exquisite detail, but I have little confidence that the minutiae will add up to anything meaningful. And do I have the tenacity to find out? In any case, I will be going back to some classic storytelling to cleanse my palate of the lofty conceits that weigh down this tome. There is a lovely story in there of a boy adrift, who has lost his mother and comes of age in the modern world, but you have to get past a lot of guff to find out</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11IREDJUMBS59?ASIN=0316055441	Half way through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I got bogged down in the drugs and gambling in the Las Vegas part of the book, I have found it to be mostly a riveting read.  The characters are vivid--with a bit of Harry Potter, a bit of Tom Wolfe and more than a bit of really good detective fiction.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M8ZRAXVHASW1?ASIN=0316055441	Good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was excellent all the way until the last 50-100 pages.  Donna Tartt is an excellent writer,  but clearly she did not know how to ""end"" this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F16VZCLG82WA?ASIN=0316055441	DON'T BOTHER	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">FAR TOO LONG. SO MUCH DIALOG THAT YOU LOST INTEREST. IT COULD HAVE BEEN 200 PGS SHORTER IF DONNA TARTT WOULD HAVE JUST CUT THE CHASE AND GOT TO THE POINT.<br/>WOULD NOT ADVISE TO MY FOLLOW READERS TO BUY.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HN6468KQ3KZ0?ASIN=0316055441	Tough Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I was intrigued by the premise of the story and curious to see the end, I found it ""wordy"". I did not find the book easy to read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29UMJ6KMRUN8I?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long and too wordy for my taste. Took pages to say what could have<br/>Been said in a paragraph or two. Good story though.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB33D4SH8PC3O?ASIN=0316055441	Very engaging in first third of the story;  long and drawn out after that.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am surprised by the amount of ""hype"" that this book has received.  The main character's situation and vulnerability is well-told and initially,very real to this reader.  By mid-narrative, though, his continued bad choices and silent response to every adult who tries to help him becomes very tiresome -- I thought.  The gangster segment at the end was hard to follow.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36HT2O70NEXT8?ASIN=0316055441	Nott Quitte Secrett Histtory, butt greatt.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I regret buying this on Kindle, as Donna Tartt always repays re-reading and somehow I don't find Kindle inspires me to reread.  That notwithstanding, it's a great story, perhaps not quite up there with Secret History, but then very little is.  Terrific stuff.  Loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FQR4HZGOWFGW?ASIN=0316055441	disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The storyline was great but got very convoluted with Boris and getting back the picture.  Too detailed and not quite easy to follow.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KQLQSKZVR3MU?ASIN=0316055441	A very Solid 3 . . .	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I absolutely loved Ms. Tartt's other books, ""The Secret History"" and ""The little Friend"".  I was expecting the same with her third book.  Her writing and depth of characters is amazing.  She describes everything like you are there without going overboard where you get tired of the description.<br/><br/>I give this book a solid 3.  It kept me engaged at times and it lulled at others.  I actually put this book down and read another in between because I was getting a bit bored, but as I read in another review, Tartt's characters are so deep that you can pick up right where you left off and I did.<br/><br/>Would I recommend this book to someone?  I don't know.  I guess if they had the time for an extra book I would, but this was not Tartt's best work as far as the story went.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29C869HF6N1C9?ASIN=0316055441	Haven't finished it yet! Am enjoying the imagery and the sensitive portrayal of the protagonist's emotional state.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The scenes which are depicted are reminiscent of Dickens' style. Such great detail. You feel as if you are there.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27BHC3HHG94AH?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant so far....	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't finished the book as yet, but I am thoroughly enjoying it. It is a super read and I am recommending it to anyone who loves a great story very well written.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HJ1A36B60LF7?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling story that draws you in and keeps you there as the years unfold.  Vivid, visual descriptions.  Beautifully crafted.  Fascinating inside view of the art world.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZCXXVSCZF9C9?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is such a profound work - I am still thinking about it and the life views presented, especially as the book concluded.  Such stunning characters and interactions and the realities of coping - absolutely incredible.  I am sure to read it again - particularly sections which portray life as the difficult and often cruel pathway it truly is and how it can be managed  without truly becoming insane.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UU0QW5RZZWPC?ASIN=0316055441	The dangers of drug use	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just finishing and almost afraid to see the ending because I care so for  the young man who seems lost forever.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25QEQCQAJHHMG?ASIN=0316055441	Coming-of-age in a fast pace world.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I believe in the spirit of the mind and this tale is epic! After an horrific, terrorist act in NYC the author takes the reader into the labryinthes of a 13 yr old mind. There is nothing mundane in the life of Theo Decker, whose adventures take him far and wide but always with novel characters in a wide-screen setting. The story is well-written but can drag on at times. However, through it all, the reader finds nothing but enjoyment in this novel of insight, love and family across the country in time/space. All in all, do not miss this sojourn of coming of age in this crazy wacky world!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20NX4BDOHIS5Y?ASIN=0316055441	amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">keeps you in it's grip the whole way through.<br/>strong characters and all so varied.<br/>thought provoking with current social issues</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CFXXAFJFPGEG?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best fiction I've read in years.  I didn't want it to end, and in fact went back to re-read the final chapters a few times.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MQG7TBGTF71Z?ASIN=0316055441	HALFWAY THERE!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">nOT FINISHED READING ( LIFE GETS IN MY WAY) BUT LOVING EVERY PAGE, THE CHARACTERS- THEIR DEVELOPMENT AND INTERACTION AND THE SYMBOLISM ( THE ENGLISH TEACHER IN ME!)</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3167XG568DRF?ASIN=0316055441	not so good, not so bad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story may have been interesting when first outlined.  And could have been fantastic.  However, the writing was not very sophisticated.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMX5PIQK0UH?ASIN=0316055441	Quick read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging book.  is this eighteen words yet?  how about now?  what a stupid requirement.  This is a good book.  yee haw.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3ODDGBCVRE045?ASIN=0316055441	Different than anything I've read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great story, well written. Was different than most tired storylines. Was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Must read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LQXHUTUDT0N6?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written with unexpected plot twists. Story held my attention. Main character while realistic isn't always sympathetic. Overall best book I have read in a while.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7KU1BNT1ZBWE?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating story using the Goldfinch as a jumping off point	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Especially interesting for anyone who loves fine art and antiques as I do.  Many unexpected twists and turns which takes the reader to many cities and countries with fascinating personalities.  I found the time spent on drugs off putting, but otherwise this is a good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19CPCSD54IHE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars 3/4 of the book.Four Stars for 1/4.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put this book down for the first 600 pages. Superlative prose throughout an almost superlative book. Unfortunately, the plot lags in the last part of the book. That said, this is book not to missed. Theo, Boris, Hobie and Theo's mom were so real that my psychological state changed when any of them appeared on  the page.  It  felt as if they, and the other characters, were right there with me.<br/><br/>The thematic review at the end of the book read like a drug induced flight of fancy by the main character Theo,or a drug induced back and forth between Theo and Boris.  I prefer my themes shown (which they absolutely were)  but not repeated over and over again in the concluson.<br/><br/>Despite the above comments, this is a wondrous book. Don't miss the experience. A reader shouln't miss meeting the characters of Theo and Boris or missing their exloits.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6FC0V5P3871B?ASIN=0316055441	not as great as reviews promised. cumbersome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A touch implausible. Could have been edited down. Got lost a couple of times. Not sure why on all top lists</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSZBI1Y35ZN4B?ASIN=0316055441	Best Book in a long time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I knew two people who read this book and loved it, so I decided to give it a try.  I had been away from reading for a while , playing with all my electronics etc.  I downloaded it when Amazon gave me a special rate.  I read the first chapter and was hooked.  I stayed up late, did not take calls and was totally engrossed in the story.  This is a long story, but worth the time it takes to read.<br/>I hope to read Tartt's other books when I have time.  I am now back to reading again.  I plan to read the last chapter again, as I  hurried to finish on Christmas day.  She has returned the joy of reading to me. I personally thank her for that.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E1PODQ808BN6?ASIN=0316055441	Spongebook	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing/couldn't put it down/sad/humorous/ interesting people places things-Hobie was like a sponge sucking up all knowledge in his vicinity- I felt sucked up by this book into an intense otherworld!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21TVJL8S6IBYR?ASIN=0316055441	Mixed feelings about the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good depiction of unresolved PTSD. Ms Tartt has a beautiful facility with descriptive language...only there is too much of it.  Feels a little ""manic"" in parts.  I ended up skimming much of the descriptive text half way through.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY7UD83EH38PB?ASIN=0316055441	very well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was well written and almost poetic. The only thing was ,what I consider too much description, so that I felt I had to ""slog"" through it at times. But, a very sophisticated read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R297CAFBDRSOCW?ASIN=0316055441	10 years it took to write this book and worth it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What an epic! What a masterpiece! Essentially just following our main protagonist as he explodes upon the scene, to receive the painting, The Goldfinch; an almost priceless master work, at the behest of a dying man, who was also there at the museum bombing. Alone, after having lost his beloved mother, and most certainly suffering from head trauma, he decides to hide the painting, partly out of shame, and partly because the painting was something that she loved so much. Then the rest of his life happens with painting playing in the background like a sad soundtrack, that sometimes comes to the fore. Mesmerizing and bewitching, the prose can sometimes feel like something half glimpsed, like something from a dream, and yet so profound, that if only you could grasp it, you would hold one of the corner stone truths of life. But you can't wait that long! That book, while quite lengthy, keeps pulling you along to it's end, which is a kind of a benediction and an Amen, but with human beings who have seen extraordinary situations, and come out on the other side. One of the most amazing books I've ever read, period.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NDZJJ874NDD8?ASIN=0316055441	Recommended	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It  was well written, educational, depressing but, at the same time, uplifting.  Hope springs eternal.  I would recommend it and am looking for more Donna Tartt books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AQI9DG4SI7P?ASIN=0316055441	Tops in novels!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would recommend this book to anyone.<br/>The book holds your interest and carefully thought  out as it was written, obviously by a writer that is here to stay!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YZ31SZY94EEE?ASIN=0316055441	Important work, compelling read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Got this on my kindle for vacation. Couldn't put it down. Practically screamed when my kindle ran out of juice with 4% left on the way home. Wide scope, unbelievable depths, keeps you thinking and making connections never considered. A little dark, but if you like Donna Tart that's not a problem. Would read it again right now if I had time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22AD32BNOPPPR?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting story that propelled me to the end. Verbose at times, but compelling enough that it was worth plowing through.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RALHT69Z2USU1?ASIN=0316055441	WOW	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read for adults.  The book really pulls on your heart strings, characters are richly described and become a part of our lives.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC7YTLAR41SPC?ASIN=0316055441	one of the est of the year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would recommend it to people who have lived or who know NYC.<br/>Well written, beautiful prose and good character development</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4SBCM10XHMS7?ASIN=0316055441	Boy, can she write!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has delivered quite a tale of stolen art, and the thief who makes life-changing decisions based on it.  While the story (and writing) were hard to put down, I found The Goldfinch to be a bit too rambling.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NLCSPDJLUCM6?ASIN=0316055441	Well worth the long read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is very well written. The descriptions of grief and loss, love of friend and mentor, and the spiraling down to drug addition. All through the many terrible situations Theo found himself, I always had hope for him. The ending was great. Well worth the long read</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1162FJCSQZIUO?ASIN=0316055441	Big story with many layers	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not your typical coming of age story, but great fun and many things to talk about. Find someone else reading it at the same time and compare notes each day. All of the Dickens references by other readers are apt, as they are for John Irving. Boris is a wonderful character, and Pippa may be one of the most beautiful women in anyone's imagination.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TKQBWU66XVBA?ASIN=0316055441	Great book but a fraction too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic book full of wonderful characters. You really want to keep reading to know what happens. Although in the last quarter I felt it just rambled on for way too long.  It could have finished a lot sooner and still included the same content.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYLPCF709LMRS?ASIN=0316055441	Simple	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was the best book I have ever read in my entire life and I'm forever changed because of it. I literally have no idea who I am anymore.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MJ8I1S7T0W0Y?ASIN=0316055441	Expect to not finish Any project until you finish this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Psychological thriller, art heist extraordinaire, mystery....well, not to be a spoiler. You canNot figure out what will happen as the pages turn themselves. Characters you could never dream up, characters you will be haunted by, characters you want to be cast in the MOVIe. well. Buy the book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OEOYCZAO0UFZ?ASIN=0316055441	Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed it.  Characters a little unlikable but gripping.  Recommended for book clubs .  Lots of discussion points here.  I look forward to New novels.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UHKLAUYHMMP8?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible book - loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">what a wonderful story! - i finished it two days ago and still am thinking about the main characters - it was very well developed and moving - i plan to read more of her work...and she's such a philosopher - WOW<br/>i had never read her before and so glad to have found such a talent - and she's from my home state of Mississippi too</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RY0RJOSRRO92D?ASIN=0316055441	Lyrical language	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It IS too long, it has dark themes, but lyrical, beautiful language in many places. The drug descriptions are very believable. I will read another by this author. The 'ending' is too long, you feel like you really know Theo, but the change of continents not too believable near the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDHKJN2LRCJTJ?ASIN=0316055441	Intresting !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It had me almost from page one!  This was a Great story that kept me involved till the end, I  loved it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IS8W4BHZ0JTD?ASIN=0316055441	A real gem	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an incredibly vividly written story - the first book I've read on my new Kindle. Have already started reading it again. Powerfully drawn characters that stay with you. Quite a gut-wrenching centre to it but rips along at a great pace.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E0KH2651G3VJ?ASIN=0316055441	Epic Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down.  Intend to read again in a few weeks.  So much to absorb.  Characters that will stay with you for a very long time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K3JAZLBNKEFW?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to put down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Characters so real they become family.  Couldn't wait to get back to the book each time had opportunity to read.  Many friends have read and we all loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CNJP9TQK4O2C?ASIN=0316055441	Reading Gold Which Flew By	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna is my new literary hero. I am on her third book now and have gulped her two others in the past 30 days. She is a story master and I loved her furniture references...which reminds me that I have already done this review!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QO1GYSJ8L1UF?ASIN=0316055441	Must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For anyone who likes a suspense novel, who is interested in art and who just plain likes really great writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27ESP16KZ3RV5?ASIN=0316055441	Mesmerizing Narrative	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a very well written but somewhat rambling book.. In spite of that, it was very illuminating and mind expanding.  The story got a little intricate with so many individuals and sub plots that I was frustrated in portions,but I could not put it down.  The descriptions of cites, environments were especially well done.  Individuals were a little stilted in parts but i came to appreciate the growth of the main character.  Lots of drugs use, which was somewhat startling to me since I am a senior reader.  But who am I to judge young people and their exposures to the world, which is much different than mine.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27MKISFR00SFR?ASIN=0316055441	Terrific Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this novel - all the characters were quite compelling and the story was a riot.  Would definitely recommend giving it a go!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NFU94QTV9R4I?ASIN=0316055441	a pure pleasure of a read from start to finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is so rich and so well-written that I didn't want it to end. Comparisons to Dickens or Holden Caulfield are distracting. You can see how and why those comparisons would arise but don't let yourself be bound by them or deterred by them - Donna Tartt certainly wasn't. This character has a very dark life but it's not just some teenage rebellion. The novel spans so much of his life that his teen years are an important formative time but not the sum total of the book. The overall living of a life that is not conventional - that feels no pull toward the conventional - is one of the more fascinating aspects of this novel.<br/>Overall - an incredibly rich and fun read. Highly recommended!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KSVCVXQSRR4Y?ASIN=0316055441	A must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I finished I wanted to take the characters with me. A wonderful read. I love her work; her writing is so sharp and real.  One of the best books I have ever read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R173OWWU6X77V5?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch - Excellent Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">…but depressing most of the way through.  Very good character development and imagery. Extremely creative.  It was addictive.  Highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23RBYB33WHLM3?ASIN=0316055441	a good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There are parts of the book that are very gripping and interesting and you almost want to read that part again to make sure you got it all. Then there are parts that could have been edited way down or dropped all together -way too long and it dragged. Overall I would recommend the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R349IX9S9F01TE?ASIN=0316055441	Nearly a Page Turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing that I got hooked on this book so quickly, but it failed to grab me like a 5-star book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DI2HJCYAD3IS?ASIN=0316055441	Great book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one hell of a great book!  It is about much more than a boy with a stolen painting.  Buried in this riotous tale there are all the life lessons that any of us need to know.  Go ahead and read it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D0CAHPUGJNKH?ASIN=0316055441	Golden just Golden	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is wonderful; the story grabs you and just doesnt' let go from the start. It is a bit long but who cares?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15D1BN5I20GGI?ASIN=0316055441	A great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is such a well written book with an unusual plot...It is one of the very best books that I have read in this past year.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB4T3UWUCB32M?ASIN=0316055441	Remarkable!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A modern- day Dickensenian troll through the oddities of American culture. An art museum attack creates a Copperfield ""orphan "" who moves from the stable NYC life to desert outside Vegas. There he meets an Artful Dodger with Russian/ Balkan background. Their individual journeys connect, disconnect, reconnect but all seem plausible in a dystopia drug culture. Highly recommend--captivating reading with credible surprises throughout.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3125C4DP4WBHL?ASIN=0316055441	A very engaging read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This page turner is beautifully written.  The characters become people you feel as if you know.  Donna Tartt has now become for me an author whose books I will look forward to read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJDTCZVKHZC8Z?ASIN=0316055441	Well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not what I want to read or know, and the first half of this book might encourage any vulnerable kid to get on drugs.  Since it is 700+ pages, a young person might not get past the first half.  I think the author is brilliant -- either that or she has done a lot of dangerous drugs.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QD8SALFMEMX3?ASIN=0316055441	LOVED IT	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So beautifully written, so meaningful and lovely. The story grabs you from the start and never lets go. I have recommended it to all my friends!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RES77HSUJVFOS?ASIN=0316055441	A Captivating and Memorable Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Became so involved in Theo's story I couldn't put the book down. The characters were so well developed, I felt like I knew them</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31FP1FICI9BMY?ASIN=0316055441	A Modern David Copperfield with Drugs	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a coming of age story with a richly drawn cast of characters who surround a young boy set adrift by his mother's death.  Hard to put this book down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F5IJFKQ67I0Z?ASIN=0316055441	a look at the art world	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book will stay with me a long time. Coming of age in the world of art in our times.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IW6F43FXQCQ5?ASIN=0316055441	Wow.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has everything - beauty, death, philosophy, humor, drugs, comfort, suffering, truth, lies, love, danger, and art. Read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AHJD8SKTEAU5?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Even through this book is long, it kept me engaged and turning the pages until the end. The characters are well defined, flawed yet sympathetic. Enjoyed learning more about the world of antiquarians and the art world.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4IQ171CBVY1X?ASIN=0316055441	So descriptive!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am in awe of Donna's writing.  She had me sucked right in.  I was crying, laughing, repelled and mesmerized--what a beautifully written book!  I took my time reading it once I saw her style, I wanted to enjoy every page and I did.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KHL5SEJVSTOL?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Art history, tragedy, the lives so different from the norm and the passing of the years in the lives of all the characters, of which there are many, is fascinating.  I enjoyed every twist and turn,</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZH9UEVN3WU6U?ASIN=0316055441	Today's Steinbeck	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't like long, epic tales.  They take up too much of my time.  But one should take the time to read Steinbeck's ""East of Eden""... and now Donna Tartt's ""The Goldfinch"".  It is a long and messy tale of damaged people, but she wraps it up beautifully in the end. And, she can really write!!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RC5302VFCKUX?ASIN=0316055441	A real page turner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't put this book down! A real page turner. I go from crying to laughing to disappointment with characters. Covers all the emotions.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT8HL82NR80G7?ASIN=0316055441	Enjoy this author	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">But this book is kind of long and drags in some areas. It would make a good movie, pared down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V5TM4WLP9433?ASIN=0316055441	Great story. Beautifully written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was drawn in by the characters and stayed because of the story. All the while the Goldfinch was woven throughout. Perfect title, I realized, when I reached the end of the story. I am a psychiatric nurse and feel that the author was spot on in her  description of the lead character, from his trauma to his addiction, and all incidents in between. Strongly recommend this book if you enjoy detailed character study along with expert writing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QLPWC32RQRBW?ASIN=0316055441	Top seller for a reason!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A thoroughly enjoyable read. Hard to put down. Loved the Hobie and Pippa characters and the Russian vocabulary of Boris</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR5AOVDWJFNJD?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful journey of a boy finding light and meaning in life.<br/>Learning to find beauty in art despite dark . Finding acceptance and compromise through trust and truth.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GT6TMVT0D5IA?ASIN=0316055441	Great read, could not put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read, could not put it down.  There were a couple of areas I skimmed over that seemed to go on and on,  I kept wanting to just get back to the story line but overall it was great.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1STLOVA0WFB1N?ASIN=0316055441	Alisa	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a beautifully written novel. As mentioned in other reviews, the last bit..maybe last 50 pages were disappointing and didn't live up to the rest of the novel. Otherwise, a terrific book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MRAZ87XI3UM7?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an excellent novel. It was beautifully written and profoundly moving, deep and thought-provoking.  I would highly recommend it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A72IY14W6X10?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't write reviews. Further, this is not my genre. At all. Which is why I need to tell you that this book is a treasure. I have more than a passing familiarity with some of the places where the novel takes place, and I found myself enthralled by the author's ability to capture the essence of a place precisely. She so obviously loves words and the process of assembling them into a story, that her work is a joy to read. I'm not quite halfway through the book, and I already consider this one of the best books I've read in the past year or so (and I read a great deal). Brilliant.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MWDI6A506STC?ASIN=0316055441	Masterful and suspenseful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For a writer to create a tale of intrigue within the high-level world of art, is a unique and wonderful idea.  I loved Hobie and Boris, but of course, the main character, Theo, carried the plot.  And in the end, you wish you really knew people like this.  The characters in this book are off the grid, tough, educated, smart, and resilient.  I'm probably going to read it again.  Donna Tartt knows art, geography, human nature, and abnormal behavior (which is so much more interesting than the normal kind although a lot more risky).</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JK72I60UULZW?ASIN=0316055441	art is in her name	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is like falling into a lair and being made so comfortable you forget you are being held captive. It's wild and dark..tender and glowing ! Theo and Boris are tossed into the desert and blindly clinging to each other ..they... transcend separate fates and skyrocket the reader around the globe.. searching for  a masterpiece.. that like all masterpieces is priceless and worthless depending on the beholder!! Donna Tartt is a genius...I LOVED THIS BOOK</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QCJNUM3WCEYO?ASIN=0316055441	AWESOME BOOK!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the story line. The main character suffered with trying to do the right thing but seemed to always be lured into the opposite direction by other characters in the story. He seemed to be a tortured soul due to the decisions he made throughout his life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LZHUADTDL4FK?ASIN=0316055441	loved it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So deep (and sometimes dark) and enveloping on every level. Absolutely loved it. Theo is an amazing character and this book is so worth a read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UJ06VZVQ8QLS?ASIN=0316055441	A Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book holds your interest from beginning to the end. It is well written and very descriptive. It is very descriptive and emotive.<br/>Sometimes I did wonder why is got so involved with the drug experimenting and the wasted young years. The main theme though continued the main thread from beginning to end. So well written and I did not want to put this book down.<br/>It is a book of substance and I would recommend this book to those fond of reading excellent well written books that hold your attention to the last page.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1P073PWMMM25O?ASIN=0316055441	A powerful masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have recommended this book to friends and family alike.  A prolific reader, it is seldom that one comes across such a masterpiece. The author takes us for a ride through a wide range of topics which clearly demonstrates her proficiency and knowledge.  The most provocative novel I have come across in ages.  It clearly deserves (and has earned) each star.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W4I51S7D32VX?ASIN=0316055441	I couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put it down and it consumed me when I was reading it. But it also dragged along and at some points I was really wishing the author would just get back to the point.... Overall however it was worth the time spent reading and the story will definitely stay with me. It just feels every bit of 700 pages long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HLECM4WSWGZI?ASIN=0316055441	amazing book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've read. Couldn't put it down, didn't want it to end. A definite must read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQBCH4QUR79DC?ASIN=0316055441	Teen Tragedy Leads to Lifelong Mystery	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unexpected tragic loss has a severe impact upon a brainy teen on the very day he was to face the music before his school principal in New York City. Literally in the ashes of the tragedy in the museum, the boy is bequeathed a beautiful ring from a dying man who instructs him to present the ring to the man's business partner. The orphaned boy enjoys a benficial paternal relationship with the business partner, as well as a shortlived contact with the dead man's grand daughter--which leads to a long lasting infatuation in the heart of our hero-- before each of the teens are placed in schools in distant cities. This exciting story hinges upon the clandestine removal of a precious painting (The Goldfinch) from the ruined gallery, and the boy's careful concealment of the picture for many years after. Needless to say, during these years there is a great deal of interest in the recovery of the photo, interest which takes some unexpected twists. This tightly packed, fast moving tale assures reader interest will be maintained up to the exciting conclusion of this novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19RUI8GMIBTAH?ASIN=0316055441	Delicious page-turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's been a long time since I couldn't bring myself to shut the light off and go to sleep because a book was just so compelling.  That's how I felt about The Goldfinch.  Many interesting and well developed (though not particularly likable) characters coupled with a plot line that keeps you interested for all 700 or so pages are the reasons this was on everyone's short list of best fiction books of 2013.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCWAAOTVYNRFC?ASIN=0316055441	didn't want it to end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book. Great vacation read.  didn't want to put it down. very well written and a great story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROJQ12XWU8KJZ?ASIN=0316055441	Wow.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't know what I was getting into. Wanted a GOOD book to read. This book is it and more, on so many levels. Not for those looking for a light escape from the day-to-day. Wordy, philosophical, tragic, painful. . . Yet engrossing. Couldn't put it down. Touches on love, addiction, grief, redemption, truth and beauty. Truly epic story of modern coming of age amid inherited wealth versus wanna-be wealthy, the power of money, and class struggle, morality, and family values. Definitely a best of the year!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M9M1M9FUTTKW?ASIN=0316055441	Harrowing destruction married to beauty	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is like some horrible wound you don't want look at, but can't NOT look. And then beauty slips in.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23Y0FFKAGNW53?ASIN=0316055441	Good beginning!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked this book but there were sections where characters rambled .  The plot was a bit complicated at times.  A lot of characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSK0HZPRNE4DI?ASIN=0316055441	Not a cheery tale, but a well written, superb read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author can really depict authentic feelings and descriptive special situations.  The characters are alive and empathetic.  The book grips the reader and doesn't let go.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3Q1XW1V976MFI?ASIN=0316055441	Could not put down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a good read.  It was hard to put it aside when finished with a chapter or page.  Would recommend for my friends.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OOBT0XUIAJA4?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought The Goldfinch was good, but not great.  Parts of the book I felt were too long and bogged down in. I loved the first quarter of the book and the last 100 pages.  I felt the author spent too much time on Theo's drug use and escapades with Boris.  I got it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XZ171CVUV8DL?ASIN=0316055441	Well written, kept me interested	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long book but good writing and gripping characters made it worth the time. I enjoyed it so much I bought a second copy as a gift.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTJ3HJGXN74KY?ASIN=0316055441	Very good read. In depth story with great chatracters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's Goldfinch is an emotional joy ride of a young man trying to make his way in some very difficult conditions</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R125RU61IWEN46?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line was intriguing and explains the loneliness and isolation that the main character felt.  it also shows that there are people who are willing to do anything for money.  I would highly recommend this text.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2L8KR4XWLKY36?ASIN=0316055441	Almost profound	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was amazing in it's complexity and attention to detail.  Maybe ""profound"" is too strong a word; however, there were many elemental truths here, and I took care to read those parts over and over.  Thank you Donna Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R7PTT98GZOUW?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kindle book I purchased, so I could start reading it riight away. Fast paced, rich characters, only halfway done and it is a lengthy book.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GS14I9PU16G6?ASIN=0316055441	GREAT READ	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was quite an adventure.  Donna Tartt weaves a tail that you just can't put down always finding myself wanting to know what the next turn of events was going to bring.  Loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PCB9O8SWXK63?ASIN=0316055441	Great Christmas idea for people out if state!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Easy to buy and pass on as a Christmas present and very reasonable price was surprised she put on list and price stayed the same</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM414KYI56Q42?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliantly Plotted	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved everything about this book, the plot which was so well researched and depicted so clearly, the complex and flawed characters, the language, the settings. The end was not as good as I had hoped but overall I loved it. It is really long as well which makes it even more impressive. Manages to hold your attention despite the length.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33UCV7XMDOGNC?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best book I have ever read.Captures how one traumatic event  can cause your life to spiral out of control.Beautifully written, a complete page turner.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMVBEMWE5XWNI?ASIN=0316055441	very long, wonderful insights	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Might have been more enjoyable if more concise.  Many places where I felt as though I was slogging through a diatribe.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6E0V33DD861J?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging and perceptive of youth,corruption, grief and life in general	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading several favorable reviews I decided to take the plunge (it's a long book). I think this will become this generations'""Catcher ,,,,""<br/>Donna, female,is incredibly incisive with youth, males in general and what makes us tick.It's<br/>a MUST READ if you want to be up to date with our troubled youth and their so-called families.<br/><br/>Also - a few shots at therapists, education and, (heaven forbid) lawyers.<br/><br/>Goldfinch more than lives up to its many superlative reviews, including this one.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSMQN2549YLOQ?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful book. So well written you feel as if you know all the characters. Very interesting story about how one experience can effect your whole life.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32UU83Q66TNAZ?ASIN=0316055441	I hope Donna Tartt writes more novels.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">well written.  It really holds your interest. I enjoyed the art references.<br/>I have visited the Metropolitan Museum of art .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SGQMYDI5RK2S?ASIN=0316055441	Fascinating Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A teenage boy lives through a horrifying experience and a work of art becomes a metaphor for his life. Beautifully written. A long book but worth every page.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15KYJJV5ZFIBF?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent!  Riveting.  Captivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">sad it ended...could not put it down...thought about it throughout each day...I have purchased the book for friends and encouraged them to read it, too.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EDZQJGCPPOE2?ASIN=0316055441	Great book - beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't be daunted by the length of this book...time flies by when you are reading (pun intended!). Great plot and the characters feel real with good reason to be wiser than their years. I am recommending to everyone I know.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1N2JQW9IMOSQE?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am glad I read it.<br/><br/>It was a struggle but I stayed with it.<br/>Something makes me think Donna Tartt is or once was a believer in Jesus Christ.<br/>She has an amazing mind.<br/>""The music is between the notes""....love those words.<br/>I will be thinking about this book for a while.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RSH1LC9DCKWS?ASIN=0316055441	Trials and tribulations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When I finished this book I was exhausted. An arduous journey about a boy becoming a man without a whole lot of guidance. Along the way he meets some wild vivid characters who enrich his life and the story. There are lots of interesting details woven into the rich tapestry of the ""The Goldfinch"" that will keep you up reading late into the night. Well worth the read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROTVBOYNQ2BPX?ASIN=0316055441	Very good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Kind of long haven't finished it yet and can't wait to see how all this comes out -  its different than anything I've read and I read a lot.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SXK7FYMFQL5Q?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a winner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of those books that you have a hard time putting down. The 700+ pages are a little off-putting initially, but<br/>it is a fascinating read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37DZTT5J0YJRX?ASIN=0316055441	Good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really liked Donna Gary's earlier novels. . while this one was good,more fatalistic than I had expected. . a good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WCI2S35A73LQ?ASIN=0316055441	dark	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed it , the story was good ,but I found it too drawn out in parts. The last few reflective pages I thought were great .</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37SHH9LNTJ0OG?ASIN=0316055441	Art appreciation	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Written well<br/>Incitful philosophy on living and the mistery of life's meaning<br/>Through art and struggle.  Good read<br/>Different.<br/><br/>P</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSN9A4OB097O8?ASIN=0316055441	Too good to put down or ignore.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""The Goldfinch"" is the best thing I have read since forever. Just captivating. The reviewers who disliked the philosophy elements should just stick to watching TV. And, I agree, you should not have a minimum word requirement for reviews. That's just dumb.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IWUGH0VYLQ4U?ASIN=0316055441	An Emotional Ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so glad to finish this book! It was totally exasperating. A terrible tragedy happens to the main character. It's amazing he survived it and literally walked away. The fact that he was just a child makes it almost incomprehensible. I get that he was traumatized and did not get the support and care he needed. I just can't believe it took him so long to get his life together. He made one horrifically bad decision after another. It was exhausting keeping up!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29HE3I51997B9?ASIN=0316055441	Too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Iliked the story but in parts the desciptions whent on and on. I think it could have been a great 500 page book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OZ4K9P2I7HJF?ASIN=0316055441	This book should be required reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read ""The Goldfinch"" on my kindle, and didn't check how many pages it had before reading; I only found out it's about 800 pages because of the many reviewers complaining about the lengthiness of the book. Though I found the story surprisingly dense, and at times, tedious, it still remains a relatively quick read because there is something magnetic about both the narrative as well as Tartt's literary voice. The point here is that when I reached the end of the book, EVERYTHING MADE SENSE. The world made sense, life made sense, people made sense, and suddenly all of the tedious moments throughout the book were worth trudging through - in fact, I think they may have been necessary and intentionally so. Someone give this lady a prize.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OF28GTTUAL4Z?ASIN=0316055441	Finished it, but did not love it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very strong opening and interesting characters, but ultimately it felt like one long and repetitive slide into a substance-induced haze that was off-putting and prevented me from deeply connecting with the main character, who started out so appealingly and vulnerable.  Beautiful descriptive language throughout, especially about time and place.  The ending felt too neatly tied up after what seemed like a gazillion pages of self-destructive behavior.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M1GB60A9V3X1?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this modern-day Dickensian story of a young boy to man's life, filled with wild characters, unrequited love, humour, tragedy, obsession, and surprises. A great novel by Donna Tartt.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SEPDV79KZ7R?ASIN=0316055441	a long, happy read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm still reading it and thoroughly enjoying it.  It is after all, 700 pages.  I'll be haappy to rate it once I've finished it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37SE5L7QACP6S?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch-intriguing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Liked the use of good language and grammar. A different type of story with many facets to follow. I felt that I was right in the story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DRVEE761ISGD?ASIN=0316055441	this is as good as they say	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved and hated this book...I loved the story but I hated the way I couldn't put it down... it is a long book and I dropped out of things until I got to the end. and it made me mad often, I think, because the kid is so messed up.  But that is part of what keeps you going with it.  I also liked the way it is situated in NYC so I can relate to landmarks and locations from my own visits there.  Keep reading to the end...just when you think you have it worked out the ground shifts under you</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A3HPLDYAJU2G?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt is another new Author to me.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book and will look for others by this Author.  I recommend this book to others whom are avid readers like I am.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20VEENKKVN04G?ASIN=0316055441	Too Many Words!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had mixed feelings about this book.Partly because it was too long.  The author went overboard with the inner agonies suffered by her protagonist. And I felt. Also that the plot has too many twists and turns That said there were many good there were also interesting characters--eg Boris--but overall I found the book overwritten.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YLZ1L5SLE62M?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The majority of this book was great, Theo's tragic life was interesting to read about and I was engrossed in his story.  However, I found it to be a little too long and drawn out and the end was a little boring and preachy. Overall it was a good read, I just wish it would have ended sooner and the life lessons would have been summarized a little more</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ODZLONJXAMYT?ASIN=0316055441	A gallop of a novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A pleasant and fast read.. filled with lots of delicious details about NY and the art world.<br/><br/>Lots of intrigue and adventure... a real gallop through the mayhem of a young man confronted with the decisions one must make in life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28HQFQTAA1BSY?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book started out great, but then too many mishaps, too many problems, and too long of a book to read to find out the end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R155UFG1C46G35?ASIN=0316055441	This book has such variety of topics. Although long ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has such variety of topics. Although long, it continued to hold my interest and was one of those books you don't want to end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YI852KBPQTSG?ASIN=0316055441	Golden	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Likeable characters.  Interesting story. Was kept enthralled throughout the entire book.  Writing clear, and an easy to folllow story line.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21L40XXNT5HT8?ASIN=0316055441	enjoyable but 5 pages too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed this book and all of the twists I was not expecting. I felt it was about 5 pages too long and the ending really added nothing to the great story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS9IKEXOH6XAC?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging story, so well written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's an amazing story with a unique thread, the Goldfinch painting. The characters are flawed, but the reader cares about them. The writing is great too.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K86U4H3BG710?ASIN=0316055441	Extraordinary Work of Fiction	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt to be . . . frustrating, addictive and historically educational. Donna Tartt introduced me to an artist who has been shadowed by notable Masters. I mourned amazing characters that also made me angry as they stumbled through daily routines while suffering from traumatic loss of family and a stable home. I was visually transported from the Upper East Side to Greenwich Village in New York City to a hard-hit recession, not entirely abandoned neighborhood in the suburbs of Las Vegas. What a trip and well worth the ride.<br/>I was so impressed by The Goldfinch novel that I purchased an archival matte copy of Carel Fabritius painting, The Goldfinch.<br/>Extordinary novel and painting!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IHDVC9JGBE9Z?ASIN=0316055441	A good read but lenghy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Was adventurous taking you all over the world....but somewhat lengthy.  I enjoyed several of the characters and the detail was great.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26GI5IXNGLCJW?ASIN=0316055441	Thank you, Donna!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so sad to see this book dwindling down as I voraciously ate it up. Looking back, I am astonished at how relatable Theo is as a main character, even as he flubs his way through his life. What an incredible adventure this has been. I'm just disappointed that it had to end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WRIKJLCQOWAA?ASIN=0316055441	Epic read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most engaging books I've read. Much more than I expected. The book is deftly written in the first person and the characters voices snap and lend reality to an already vibrant world. I highly recommend this epic novel.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q94ONEBB6WGS?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing and Great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was one of the most depressing books I have ever read! It also was one of the best books I have ever read! Tatt's character development was so thorough that I found myself looking like and feeling like several of the characters----even that fascinating Boris! I could almost understand how he got the way he was.Theo's philosophical outlook on life was sad, but it 'rang true' to a certain degree. If you choose to read Tatt's book, it might be advisable to have a direct line to your shrink!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQZIQ8HVJ39E?ASIN=0316055441	Well-written and thoroughly enjoyed!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  It was very well-written with plenty of surprises.  It has some depressing moments but they are necessary for the character development of this story.  There is a delicate mix of good and not-so-good...Stephen King recommended this book...who can argue with that endorsement?!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y43HVU5UQGL1?ASIN=0316055441	I loved the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully complex writing style. How easily life's events can take you to the unknown... Both good and evil<br/>Thrilling adventure</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KLJCU094GKW?ASIN=0316055441	Just an OK book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story for me is a bit to depressing.  I am going to finish it but it is taking some time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22638RC4YQG5G?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing read!  Well worth the investment of time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Superb! Vivid characters, fascinating plot - so much to ponder! Truly could not put it down but hated for it to end. I highly recommend it. Well worth the investment of time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R48FLO4T1ZNLT?ASIN=0316055441	Great work, wish she could write more	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book to pull you in on the very first page. Donna Tartt is an ARTIST with WORDS</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TMQYDTDC7LJB?ASIN=0316055441	No Lie!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not the type of story I would usually read, but I was drawn in by all the 5 star reviews and they weren't lying! Donna Tart knows how to tell a good story. I immediately purchased another of her novels after gobbling this one up.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROH2JKL4U9HB8?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">High praise for the writer and the audio reader. I was pulled into the story. LOVED  the characters, they really came to life. The art history was interesting also. Plot twist are unexpected and moving.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C5EBWB84M82T?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible characterization	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredible characters infused with life - it felt like reading a story about a best friend - seeing the pictures behind the words was an extraordinary experience - I believed this book as it was happening.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QC2CIARTH4OW?ASIN=0316055441	read this.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Life in the pages, more so, at times, than asked for.  But there, nevertheless.  As are you, and I, somehow in this together.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R278SA9K9GRY5T?ASIN=0316055441	wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a read! This book is pure genius in its use of language, and depiction of the highest and lowest of culture. Superb.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MKPRV5OWOORA?ASIN=0316055441	Yearning for family and the past.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written book &amp; enjoyable to read.  The teenage Theo Decker roams the streets while consumed with grief over the death of his mother who was murdered in the museum as collateral damage in a terrorist attack.  Central to the book is a yearning for family and its inherent stability, as epitomized by Theo's deceased mother.  Well worth reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R88XKF3IJJ5ZW?ASIN=0316055441	great!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have been on an emotional roller coaster with this book, in a very good way.  Donna Tartt once again did it!  All of the characters were so real and wonderfully flawed.  I almost felt I must encounter them throughout my day.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FRGA6AQDBIL9?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderful, original novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't let the length of this book deter you. It's a wonderful story from beginning to end, beautifully written and crafted. Definitely for the serious reader.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19C2PH6V4SF73?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story particularly the beginning, rambles in the middle, and is very philosophical in conclusion. I would still recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMGC75I1K8V4C?ASIN=0316055441	Too much detail	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like Donna Tartt's work although this one had a little too much detail. The story line was great but you had to work at it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CNDVBDGNA5BH?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book.  It got a bit bogged down about 3/4 way through with heavy stuff  that I thought was not so needed but every other minute of it was soooo good.  Twists and turns, great characters that were connected by so man threads throughout the whole book and it was nice to not just have a wrapped up happy ending that would not have been called for</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DGM27630TJFG?ASIN=0316055441	a good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a real writer with a lot to say about life  mores and morals in the 21st century. it might be called a bildung roman, but  does not follow the usual scheme.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CEJ3QQGU3TXG?ASIN=0316055441	A good read - but a little less art info would've been nice	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I basically enjoyed the book a lot but all the art and art theft details got a little cumbersome. I got to the point where I just skipped them. Skipping them didn't take away from the book for me - the opposite!<br/>I liked the originality of the plot and the characters.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NX7TAZQKNO2W?ASIN=0316055441	Good not great.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good but not Great. Another reviewer said it very well. The best thing was that I really cared about the characters which is important for me. It was just too long. Almost missed the big reveal about Pippa!  In some ways the book was more about addiction and anything else. The price was right. I'm not I'm unhappy I read it but I would only recommend it to people who are willing to persevere through 800 pages</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10FCZP94ERS38?ASIN=0316055441	Very Good and worth the time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I Loved this book.  Is it perfect?  maybe not, but it is close!  Deep, well- written, worth your time.  Suspenseful, yet had something deeper to say.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RNKGL0ZTVBDV?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting at times, but VERY dark and  depressing, dwelling a bit too heavily on the main character's drug use, insanely detailed, for my liking</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLQVISJ5MSHEB?ASIN=0316055441	GRAB THIS NOVEL	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this novel to read on my Kindle because it's around 800 pages and I had to own it in order to have time to read it.  I was amazed it was only $7.40 on Amazon.  The opening section drew me right in: a bomb exploding in the Metropolitan Museum and the  main character searching for his mother in the turmoil.  He's told to grab this painting of the goldfinch.  Who wouldn't want to read further?  I have read Donna Tartt before and I think she's terrific.  She does not disappoint.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJJJ43YLMIG69?ASIN=0316055441	Intermittently, some of the best writing I've read in a while!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Some absolutely brilliant writing, particularly in the first and last third of the novel - the middle was perhaps not so eloquent and beautiful, likely due more to the lead character's circumstances.  Frustrating at times in the amount of time spent on certain aspects of the story, but compelling and thoughtful stuff nonetheless.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJR5B2JZ0U7K0?ASIN=0316055441	A modern-day, believable story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an exceptional writer who holds your interest and makes you hate to stop reading. Her vivid descriptions make you see, feel, hear and taste what's going on in the story.  You can't wait to see what happens, but you just don't want it to end!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI55M67YS1VW0?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put this book down from page one. Topics are current. Love story, mystery, crime, art, all rolled into one captivating story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TBP2PIP12ZWQ?ASIN=0316055441	Too wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a little too wordy and the choice of words were not always readily available even in the Kindle dictionary.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2762R8QFDWRUU?ASIN=0316055441	Lots of thrills and surprises	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The boy's time in Las Vegas was too gruesome and upsetting for so many words, but the disturbing guy became a good friend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DVJT2PWZRZLW?ASIN=0316055441	Boring!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very boring and long-winded story, far too much direct speech for potentially intriguing parts of the story. Protagonist came across as mediocre and uninteresting character. Drugs, criminal activities, who cares? That's at least how it came across. Sorry, not for me, at all of that over 800 pages.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4AMR2P3T21TN?ASIN=0316055441	great descriptive writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt is a great story teller. She really pulls you into the characters and has you thinking about them,long after you've made yourself put it down for the night, wanting to read more.  I really enjoyed this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EFFF99GPTYES?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderful read..  great characters, engaging plot, intelligent prose.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thoroughly enjoyed the goldfinch.  It is very creative and thoughtfully rendered about a young boy who loses his mother whom he dearly loved, in an alarming event that will alter the course of his life. His life takes many surprising turns and the people he meets along the way affect him in deeply.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28BBAJM51I9LS?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an interesting idea and this very long novel started out fine, but it gets bogged down about two- thirds of the way through and I couldn't finish it because it had become boring.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20GSOW7A4Y4D4?ASIN=0316055441	Unnecessarily long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too long.  I often started skimming through paragraphs because it just went on and on. Should have been 200 pages shorter.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33RMVGH0KZJ67?ASIN=0316055441	RICH CHARACTERS, INTERESTING PLOT...BUT WAY TOO TEDIOUS TO READ!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rich characters, interesting plot, but get's sidetracked with way too many wandering thoughts of the protaganist.  One caveat I must give is that I am guilty of being ""plot intensive"".  I want to get to the main issues of a plot and not be side tracked by paragraghs upon paragraphs...sometimes pages of wandering detail and or descriptions not relevant to the plot.  So, I found it TEDIOUS to stay with it, but I did.  A love story that never materiarlizes, never ending drugs and alocohol and self depracating wanderings.  So why did I give it a 3-star rating?  Mostly, so that some of you would read this review cuz if you're like me you don't read 2-star ratings or 5-star ratings for that matter?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IIYKDJ7RPFEB?ASIN=0316055441	A woman writes an obtuse book on male-female relationships	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The relationship with his boyhood male ""lover"" is the only real relationship in the book, notwithstanding his betrothal and ""true love"" interest.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AL5Q4W5OY3RU?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book started out well and held my interest. Plot just got more and more unbelievable. With all the drugs and alcohol in their systems, the main characters could not possibly have functioned as well as they did. The story seemed to keep spiraling into more wildly unbelievable scenarios . The  last quarter of the book seemed like a bad dream. I kept reading because I felt sure there would be some sort of  emotional resolution for the reader that would make it all worthwhile, but , alas, it was not to be. Unfortunately, I felt that this book was a huge disappointment. I really wanted to like it, and I did like the main character, but I just can't recommend it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GWLV1VXYEWQ?ASIN=0316055441	Looooooooong.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">waaaaaaaaaaay too long. you kjeep yelling at the book - ""I get it. Get on with it!""  a great start and then......</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XST2Y4C3UYXF?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was a disappointment.  I love ""My Little Friend"" and was anxiously awaiting the next book.  There were no characters to even care about -- I'm amazed that the reviews were as good as they were.  My advice - pick another book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UKM1FM3K0YIJ?ASIN=0316055441	Survival of an orphan	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a really good story, but it could be shorter! The subject of an orphaned child surviving against great odds is one that draws you in, the mystery of the painting ties it all together.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP9QJGZB9Z6IC?ASIN=0316055441	Insightfully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book, while over 700 pages,embraced the artistic expression in day-to-day life, as well as the renowned artistry, beautifully.  Theo's dramatic youth and raucous ride through adolescence both intrigue and saddened me.  It was written with a realism of the impact of grief on someone that was traumatized so young.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDELOLHX8LUVQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's very upsetting to me that the first thing many people mention is the length of the work. At 787 or so pages, I consider the Goldfinch to be a medium-length work. If the length of a book is immediately going to put you at odds with it, then take up another hobby. When I think of the Goldfinch, three words come to mind: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O284RRO37BJZ?ASIN=0316055441	Recommend.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">OMG.  The only reason I can possibly think of that this book got a Pulitzer Prize was for the number of words it had in it.  Brutal. I want my money, and more importantly, my time back.  It's one of those books you can skip page after page --because there is a nauseating amount of detail--and still pick up on the story line.  Do. Not. Recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JI6RSV8GT3N1?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic Audio Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an amazing writer and this book is captivating.  I'm listening to the audio version and the reader (David Pittu) is a huge part of the experience.  He does accents very well and also women and children.  This is one of those books that you think about when you're not reading it and I can't wait to get back in the car to hear more!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ID3HBBOMQG2E?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A little too self-absorbed, and wordy.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28DJ8OD77NGAX?ASIN=0316055441	Lousy read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow and tedious to read ! Lousy read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5PDHOPM83PZD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Must read</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GXRMLADPUO2G?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SYQ4CP5QH0L9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIK7GPSTYOYWW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HKCHOCHVHK4I?ASIN=0316055441	Does not live up to the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very dull</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MAYGXTGDAYPO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good read</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11PWF4L52RMQT?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EKM7L2FBHTIE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WSE46MPQ4XYH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Superb!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RZPCFG4UMXTD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJURB2S09CZHJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROB2L0199PV0I?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BVRQ834DBZ94?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22WPESF8TKGTD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AT1XUBCC4RU9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IPYICTNR835R?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good Read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RP53Q4CXEW15?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No review</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2M89GKG7AU0OX?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUC9V549YNLB5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T5EBIZBVUTRC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R200B5A1D4OSDD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exquisite</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SHIIUT93RA62?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36XXCCYTHU46?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SBLTQ83LLA6H?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN27NMKNTV3SA?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JHZ5G8ZH95TG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Nice book</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R40TWMKLVKZ9?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DV6VKG8ARWT6?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QNN10IC5O05V?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MHEK2BBJ2POU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gripping.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TZHP3F0JVYQT?ASIN=0316055441	Good stuff	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very nice</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8KBOR88ZM1X8?ASIN=0316055441	Good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RON6FURD9OGS4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DW1AXPQHWCU8?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ASQXN2AYJRCJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFJ7O2O3DOYQ4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WYB6OKWEX6YF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G873092RT0B5?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">redundant</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2D0M6SD2TAWW2?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hated it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ETKP0CA8RNQ0?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDFQ6WFFREF0J?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U0VPG36DFDM0?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">wonderful</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OLS7G3SHPLP1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3P53PNLHB08DH?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R314LP2THU9HPE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10G1J1Q39504Z?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21J27871W64ES?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NH3U6BIYVFD?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R221F7G4U38RLA?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it was ok</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J30YO7IB6EUC?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QG529OX1I4Q?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G1NWWZBLPYH4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R97VAQIC53LAG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25E17V33HKMMN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TQNHKJSN9GXD?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6PJ2X8VYKGIG?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Four star</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R181IIRESOP9XT?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I9E5JOQ63BE?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully descriptive. This is one of my favorite books.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is d</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTX15M2Q663FK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Engaging!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTY5YXPWMSRU5?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33371OV9GER82?ASIN=0316055441	No	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No review</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E0VT070BRPSE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UD2DJEZVAHCY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WEUZCGB36JW6?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too wordy</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QO0Z13TFS5P4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD2X1PS9P6X71?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P7LGI0T9D6P2?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">TOO long.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R378Z7SD2YXOLP?ASIN=0316055441	Excelleny	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWAID5WTFK39B?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR7ZLMWRV0A8E?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CF4BWHG9V76U?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brillant!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30IL862OC69EQ?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WZNCJVDMZ4A9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EIVSAANXBHQO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Riveting!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8POCGAK24Q4X?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35CR44YSSFN88?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ITEYG0TZYFX5?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">brilliant</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZCXDDH22ZYEB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">thank you</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJM7SFFXLUV2N?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very good</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19B8BF4Z8EP0E?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39HELZ1KMNLC0?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TF7P760NR8F5?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Liked it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MRWVQWKLYH8W?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CU83G44F5H07?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N3UZ1LSLG728?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMWZKI6K260RL?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very good</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2570A958U5HBC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HE0VXC922RGZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21PST9POTP24S?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BZ0AFDVKB4LG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PO75AKFS2NB5?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Riveting!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JQ1RIG6UTAPF?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too LONG!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X5DVGO3TDX87?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TORX2SN5ZJAR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G89M609QUT19?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XGH5FVP5WR6T?ASIN=0316055441	Too much bad language and I don't like reading about drugs	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much bad language and I don't like reading about drugs. Didn't understand the relevance of the painting. Wondered why boys with their morals and way of life would value a painting other than what they could get monetarily for the painting.  However, I was interested and couldn't put it down but was disappointed in it especially the ending.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CADB5NXMU2HK?ASIN=0316055441	A. Stunning novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To all lovers of beautiful ""things"" ...read this book and drop your shame. It's okay to love what you love for no other reason but that you love it..<br/>The Goldfinch explains it all....is there a God? What is the meaning of life? Read this most beautiful book and know that anything you believe and anything you love....it's okay. It's all good.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q4MFFVLX2PGV?ASIN=0316055441	A waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am not very good at writing reviews, but I wanted to warn others that this book was so difficult to get through.  I bought it based on all the good reviews.  Almost at the beginning I started scanning pages hoping that things would improve.  They never did.  I wasted my very precious time finishing the book.  Please don't you do the same!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCQIQTUHMQFA3?ASIN=0316055441	Great story with an immense amount of detail.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the book and had a hard time putting it down.  The only reason I only gave it 4 stars is that I felt like I was reading a separate book at the end.  The story line ended several pages before the book ended. I understand that the painting had a huge impact on his life....but I truly feel the last few pages could have been condensed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6H9W2GWZAZFM?ASIN=0316055441	YUK!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">OMG I read the entire book and nothing ever got good.  Just a long drawn out mess!  My friends have said the same thing.  Can't understand how anyone can review this highly.  Really a mystery to me.  I thought this could have told a better story in 1/2 the pages.....and on second thought....not much of a story I would even care to read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GNKEE2XS1SX2?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't Finish It	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Like many others, I started reading this book because of the great reviews.  The first 1/4 of the book was ok, but it just got more and more repetitive as it went on. Nothing ever changed. I tried skipping ahead, but that didn't help.  I just got tired of trying.  I really don't recommend the book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XJ2ARTG7RWSX?ASIN=0316055441	Will this ever end?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I agree with the other ""1 Star"" reviewers who thought most of the characters were unlikeable and the book was excessively wordy. The story could have been told with half the words; my constant lament was ""good God, blah blah blah,  I get it!  Get over yourself and get on with it!  I had to force myself to finish the book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HUIE9FU0BPFJ?ASIN=0316055441	Engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love this book.  Donna Tartt's story is hard to put down.  The characters are brilliant.  Tartt has written great books but this one is the best so far.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EW2DD85JKTUU?ASIN=0316055441	Savor Tartt's Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While The Goldfinch nearly reaches 800 pages long, I beg you to savor every word of it. Read it slowly. Allow the text to breach the distance between its pages and your soul. It will touch you. It will transform you. It will transport you into another world that, even at the end of Theo's long journey, you will never want to leave.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SWW0QUAIB2O8?ASIN=0316055441	amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">page after page, each scene is both detailed, yet has life and movement.  How the author gives us so much without making me feel restless, the way I do with Dickens (to whom she has been compared) I don't know.  I was held in the book's thrall right to the end.  I have to let it settle, then I'll probably read it again.<br/>Brava</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q2UTHGVV3YRT?ASIN=0316055441	what was the Pulitzer Prize committee thinking? main character is a drug addict loser. Boris is annoying and the other character	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Uninspiring drivel unless you want to get inside the head of an amoral drug addict and other completely one dimensional and totally annoying characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAVBOPOWSIRKQ?ASIN=0316055441	771 pages of misery	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I will never understand why people loved this book. I fought my way thru it with the thought that it HAD to get better. Donna Tartt must be a most unhappy woman to write about a boy so miserable and self destructive that there was never a time when he was happy. This must have been her ""write what you know"" book. Sad.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HGPRKJ4DTFFJ?ASIN=0316055441	Worth trudging through the wordiness!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall well-written. But - overly wordy. Pretty dark story. Took a while to get into it, but continued on as it caught me. Read to the very end. Liked it, though not the last 12 pages (In the Kindle app for iPad). I know nothing about how the Pulitzer Prize is awarded, so I am confused as to why this book would receive one.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23ELN0K7WEQGL?ASIN=0316055441	Not recommended	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I finished it but a painful, long,boring read.  I am so surprised at the recommended reading by Amazon.  I bought it and gave as a gift and then apologized because of the bad language, drug laden story.  I wanted so much for the main charater to be redeemed and live a good life.  Nothing uplifting to me personally.  Beware.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Y8SYNNMF1DV9?ASIN=0316055441	Gripping read--just amazing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had read reviews of this book on Amazon and wanted to read it for myself.  I took it on a recent trip, and read it cover to cover. It is so engaging, full of suspense and tradegy and happiness. I don't want to write about the story line because it might color it for another reader. I would highly recommend the book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J6ZSJSHDT48T?ASIN=0316055441	never a dull moment. A bit grizzly in many parts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">an enjoyable read...never a dull moment.  A bit grizzly in many parts. I think the comment someone made that it was a bit like a Thackery or Dickens novel in its unending detail and need of editing here and there.  Could have been 500 pages instead of 700+. Certainly an iconic piece for the early 2000's!  Read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAAB2WQ2DC4D4?ASIN=0316055441	It was a complete waste of time The weak plot and characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so unhappy with this book . It was a complete waste of time<br/>The weak plot and characters . Words. If you like words you'll like this book.<br/>Unfortunately, the entire story could have been accomplished in 2/3 less of them.<br/>A great book for people who never read, but want people to think they do.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8VD90F2J2C8T?ASIN=0316055441	maybe it gets great later on	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I dropped out after 34 pages . So , maybe it gets great later on . What I read was wordy and tedious to get through . The writer lingers on banal moments of daily life  - it takes several pages to get a taxi in the rain - but the writing is poor (wordy;boring dialogue ) so it just ends up being a tedious bore. I loved her first book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUMQ9H14BL0GG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16N77MO9DGSH6?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too long</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RA05NTBJNQDI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13TYSSIBTFSMU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">so good!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V72X17X39HPT?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">liked it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17RKA07WOFO3L?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Riveting</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SDIOOH49CIYR?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hated it</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16HII6E26P85H?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">amazing!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LDHJKNCDDY4U?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it's ok.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FS5053RY9FX7?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very sad</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMFN94JCFEGTI?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tedious.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36TLLY2YOP7XY?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow why?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JKXY14MHZ4MJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VQ9QHZUQZCQU?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Liked it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38BIO9DBWMREG?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVFN91755OFAN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q17FMED6YP6O?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too long</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CA1E0UHLX51E?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H7J62EMFWBZM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36ILO7SPX13RU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Riveting</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF03B4K7C4YE7?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hated it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C26E10GHLMO3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awasome!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K0PBIDW3MV6V?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hated it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SN9N0GCO8GYN?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BXX0JOWA4V34?ASIN=0316055441	Filled with people you don't like!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dreadful</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SF9BNNT0C7JZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2POTNXM1T8U93?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9G2HWVC4FOHN?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exciting</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37XWPKMIN9DBE?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Bor-ing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J3OOHMH1B6BH?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too long</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PP00EW01ENKJ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too long</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVD8KVQSPLUQR?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R341NAIU6O15IK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NHC0SMFVIOHB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3N164HFW1YT5P?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFX8B0C52JGWF?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXFAW7NOJAH69?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25HGTQT7SG6QQ?ASIN=0316055441	Thoughtful, authentic, page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2X9CNOHGW6BCH?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too long</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q5H70GLENAMK?ASIN=0316055441	I loved, loved	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved, loved, loved the end of this book....getting their took a long time, though. The author is so thorough about developing the characters and immersing you in their world that the plot can be a little slow. Still, I really enjoyed the rich descriptions and got really attached to the main character.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20XOWOF69CK2W?ASIN=0316055441	Worthwhile	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This volume is a wonderful use of storytelling.  I just wish it didn't seem like, in some parts, the author was being paid by the word.  The idea that great art touches everyone differently is not a new concept.<br/>I did like the book and certain characters.<br/>I will remember it for a long time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JM2NPXPLZO2C?ASIN=0316055441	Highly over rated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overwritten, lengthy, boring diatribes into the mindset of main character. The basic story would have benefited by about 200 less pages!  It could have been a top rate story about a child growing into adulthood suffering from PTSD from childhood trauma, but got sooo bogged down with too many words!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E2UBWSE08VC7?ASIN=0316055441	Such a great beginning, tedious ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I agree with other reviewers.  The book looses it's original momentum and becomes tedious for the last 150 pages.  The main characters are left unwrapped.  What became of them? imagination must be used.  Such a great beginning and a choppy ending.  This could have been amazing but fell way short.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R133DRSO70JSZQ?ASIN=0316055441	DO NOT INCLUDE MY NAME!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the books that I couldn't put down.  Although it seemed contrived at certain points, quality of the writing and thrust of the plot kept me focused.  Some of my friends thought it became tedious in some places, and as a result, I put off reading it--but I was entranced throughout.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BHBCEPX8CG35?ASIN=0316055441	Brilliantly weaves Manhattan	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First class read. The psychedelic world of drugs and juvenile urges takes you into another time, place and somebody else's shoes. Brilliantly weaves Manhattan, Las Vegas and Amsterdam in a gripping novel. The added attraction is the entry into the world of art and its collectors - great stuff.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34GRPWK3BEOKC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A book that everyone will enjoy!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWL60LXLDUJTQ?ASIN=0316055441	Meh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Predictable plot, one-dimensional characters who carry out non-believable actions. I didn't understand what the hype was about. Read Francine Prose's review in the NYRB; it's the only non-rah rah review out there. http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2014/jan/09/after-great-expectations/</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTQXNZXB02RJP?ASIN=0316055441	Good book but not quite up to the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overall, I liked this book but almost gave up in the first 200 pages until the pace picked up.  In my reader's opinion writing was clear but needed to be more compact and cohesive.  I did appreciate the uniqueness of a best-seller with very few 4-letter words and little, if any, graphic sex.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OGI6PNOTWLT8?ASIN=0316055441	Boring book, boring characters,ho hum slow moving betrayed by reviews!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I trusted reviews and bought several copies of this book, after 51 pages in the same room with the same boring little boy, I called friends to see if they felt the same way and they agreed it was a slow mover and they had already put it aside. We are Dan Brown fans and it only takes 1 1/2 pages to leave us breathless and waiting to find out more about next characters. I am now on page 85 and have yet to meet any interesting characters or have any interesting adventures. I feel betrayed by the Amazon collection of reviewers!!  K  Deegan NYC</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I76AHY00BGGD?ASIN=0316055441	Epic tour de force, obviously lost on the One-Star reviewers!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a long, epic, beautifully written, beautifully plotted tour de force which will have the reader who is intelligent, intellectual and insightful enthralled.  Some one- and two-star reviewers obviously need to stick to 100 page teen books, some of which are quite nice.  Those reviews are sadly indicative of the shortening of the American attention span and a growing unwillingness to put some effort and concentration in a great novel.  This novel will have the perceptive reader thinking about another similar novel, Great Expectations.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R210MIA5T5QXXU?ASIN=0316055441	I'm really disappointed in the writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's really a hard read for me.... Hasn't gripped me into reading through the first chapter. I'm really disappointed in the writing. I'm not an eighth grader and I appreciate the higher level of articulation. I bought it because it was a Pulitzer winner and Stephen King liked it but... Meh.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10XEP990ZOOMY?ASIN=0316055441	... it won The Pulitzer Prize only to be very disappointed. I found the rambling style of this book ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I purchased this book based on the fact that it won The Pulitzer Prize only to be very disappointed. I found the rambling style of this book and the overly descriptive passages to be tedious. In my opinion The Orphan Train is a much better read. For those of you that enjoyed it I am glad.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V8M2B4VLA0D0?ASIN=0316055441	Too dark... drugs, drugs, drugs ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too dark...drugs, drugs, drugs.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DE7EYE5EIXB4?ASIN=0316055441	could not be more boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Oh, my what a tedious read. I wanted to finish it, surely something worthwhile will happen.thnk again, did not happen. I found myself skipping entire paragraphs as the descriptions and content were repetitive and ever so boring. I will not be looking for another novel by this writer.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30HCY1QNM26R6?ASIN=0316055441	Good story but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story but too long. I had to force myself to finish it. Was surprised to find the Overtoom playing a role. I grew up on that street. Except for one Dutch word, on the bottom of page 677 in bold, Beetaalautomaat should be Betaalautomaat, everything else was spelled correctly.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12IMMMN602GL3?ASIN=0316055441	Life isn't fair	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Main characters is a 'woe is me' whiner who uses a tragedy in his early life to justify all of his shortcomings later on. Well written for sure, but the author seems to pander to an entitled generation of young people who have been coddled and are not prepared for the real world.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YMRD99VOCG8D?ASIN=0316055441	Great American Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an uncommon artist in prose, her style is at once effortless and breathless, it grabs the reader by the throat and drags us on and on in an unrelenting rush of fictive events. Why look any further for the ""great American novel""? Here it is. Wes Christensen</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K4KDH3YZTY1P?ASIN=0316055441	Engaging, it deserves to be read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The plot is about part of the lifetime of Theo, from childhood to middle age, he is a NYC boy who loses his mother in an art gallery due to an explosion of an unknown origin and after the accident he takes and remove a valuable painting ""The Goldfinch"" painted by a Rembrandt student, highly regarded as a masterpiece by his dead mother. Stealing this painting is punished by Law. Then, the painting becomes his life companion, his treasure and the same time his burden, he keeps it hidden in many places under the bed in a storage rented room, wherever, one cannot anticipate what awaits to Theo and the painting, and the author comes and go many times, playing with this enticing situation. The story, carefully written and with a polished prose has its up and downs, sometimes very quick paced, bright, crisp and very interesting, and other times it plods along, overburdened with too much unnecessary details but not the point of getting boring,<br/>Some character developments are noteworthy like Boris, Theo`s friend, this spry, lively character seems to be popping out of the pages and in my opinion the best feature of the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M2DG6ZH5Z6QG?ASIN=0316055441	Huge disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There is no sense in me reiterating what all the 1 star reviewers so eloquently wrote, but I wholeheartedly agree with them.  I read the book from cover to cover for my book group but now I am upset that I wasted so many hours on this going nowhere book.  Don't bother !!!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KUE24R0J5U5F?ASIN=0316055441	Not a favourite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book boring and not my cup of tea at all. It was a story of a life of drug taking and with no real climax or solutions and ending with the protagonist speaking of his knowledge of life from his experiences. I wouldn't recommend this book but many others may.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39GRDB9TCWF6A?ASIN=0316055441	Genius	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is my second time reading this masterpiece, and it was just as engaging as the first. This is a true classic. I am grateful it was created for all of us to enjoy. Like any great work of art, it will speak to people through the ages and take on a life of its own.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3A9JL1PJ9SH4Z?ASIN=0316055441	Voltaire in search of an editor.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">On and on and on.  Did this book have an editor at all?<br/>One ""character"" after another renders the story line unbelievable.  The only thing clear is that, despite no particular lovableness, our hero gets an endless free ticket...Pangloss/Candide as a druggie duo.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21ZX67AQA3OL?ASIN=0316055441	Terrific Book! Was hesitant on starting a book this ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrific Book! Was hesitant on starting a book this long during the holiday season but found I could not put it down! She has an amazing way of writing that makes the reader feel they are right there!! Don't let the length of this novel deter you ....it is terrific!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CY99UROPGGOY?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZE43JHM2LZOY?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11DTTWC1CUTWS?ASIN=0316055441	A classic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So fine</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VBU0BJEFHQ9U?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Average</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30UGOXRPO7NQR?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tedious</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBU4IKUUCJ7CQ?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IDPB63Q3SOUJ?ASIN=0316055441	No best seller in my opinion.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PLM2I42VK8B4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP5LTX4358RY2?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wordy!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SWBRF80W0AVR?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">OK book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39CAHHZ3D4NEY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K9AO8DL74UEP?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JREQ6A4MU79B?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No plot</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P7X1B43CSLCX?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not bad</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R2HJ21T54Y75?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Perfect</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMZS1BC1C97M?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DDW33CNTN842?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's ok</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GJCJRYRYGGZY?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Downer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U3030N68NPPT?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rambles</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X7HN2QPIBEG6?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ok book</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27K3LFL20DL6M?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQIN0FCL83NRE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">love it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1UQ621F5JJQH4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great b</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EPO2DDP3BKB8?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">just ok</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I74BF7SQ94TS?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OCIM4BDKOKIL?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BOFD6DT4CGD3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24VIA7SJBE6D1?ASIN=0316055441	Don't fall for the hype	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The WORST book I have ever read....no joy, very little entertainment, sooooo long, a waste of time.  It is like the Harry Potter Dementors sucking the joy out of you.  This was our most recent book club pick and out of 12 people, only two of us even finished it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SUHNRZ7SKN33?ASIN=0316055441	A decent story but a tedious read. I found myself skipping many pages and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A decent story but a tedious read.  I found myself skipping many pages and do not think I missed much.  The book could easily been  250 pages shorter.  I know it was a number 1 best seller on some list but can not understand how.  Would not recommend to a friend</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16T4PKGBDO8BM?ASIN=0316055441	Richard Wilder	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Braselton. This is a great book. I spent much time deciding if I anted to read it. After reading this book I realize I should have spent more time reading it then thinking about reading it. taxes. cars. Hope you enjoy it very much. Jesus Saves!! Richard Wilder</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I834ELGKNGX0?ASIN=0316055441	LONG and Rambling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really expected an exceptional novel based on her past works. Maybe this one was too ""literary"" for my comprehension but I found it long and tedious. I did slog my way through the entire book but probably wouldn't recommend it for the casual reader.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R392ZYO5L8UKJJ?ASIN=0316055441	What, You haven't read THE GOLDFINCH yet??????	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">OMG - Possibly my Favorite book of all time! (Not counting LOTR or Harry Potter of course!) Seriously though, I loved this book and have recommended it to many people - all of whom agreed - Great read! Well written and deserved of the Pulitzer Price. (IMO)</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21X10NQJLCNP4?ASIN=0316055441	Don't Waste ALL The Time It Takes To Read This	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I only gave it one star because I had to to be able to comment!  I would not recommended the purchase nor the reading of this Pulitzer prize-winning novel. There is nothing I can say that would be helpful to readers. BORING is the only comment I will make.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI4MNBXZLVNA6?ASIN=0316055441	Awful, and worse, boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not have to wait long to receive this from the library so I'm thinking previous readers gave up on it, also. Time is precious and a boring book-I gave it three chances-is the worst waste of time. Other reviewers critiqued this book just fine, so let me just say that when I finally admitted to myself that I did not like Theo, and didn't care about him , I moved on without regret. Too many other books to read. I am astonished that this is a best seller.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D46VN28N8IMA?ASIN=0316055441	Take a wild and Marvelous ride with The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Such a dense and gripping read - I was emersed in the world of protagonist, some of the time this was agonising but always I wanted to keep travelling with the story. The descriptions of the painting ""The Goldfinch"" were entrancing and powerful.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CGC9V7DU8PEA?ASIN=0316055441	Those who hate it are either jealous of Ms	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Those who hate it are either jealous of Ms. Tartt's writing skill or only appreciate those mediocre at best fast paced thrillers nailbiters pretentious fiction with too much non information forgettable characters frustratingly stupid pompous dialogues.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCMADGY1J9385?ASIN=0316055441	Dissapointing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really expected to love this book due to all the hype. I found it somewhat boring and difficult to read. The plot was slow and muddled at times. Normally it takes me no more than 2 days to complete a book. This one took me over a week. Disappointed.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SNY7KAAJ65WF?ASIN=0316055441	Loved It	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a very descriptive writer and I enjoyed her tale of redemption very much.  I am an art lover, and have seen the painting of Carel Fabritius's The Goldfinch ""in the flesh!""  That's what made me buy the book....and I'm not sorry.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10YF4PNYDNW55?ASIN=0316055441	please	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna,<br/>Please contact me before you publish your next book. The GF was brilliant in parts just as TSH was througout but some parts were superflous. If you want help please contact me.<br/><br/>Best wishes,<br/><br/>Martin Arwin<br/>Sweden</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FJKETZC7HSFO?ASIN=0316055441	I loved Donna Tartt's earlier novel A Secret History	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Magical. I loved Donna Tartt's earlier novel A Secret History, so I expected to love this story as well. I was not disappointed. When I finished it I happily loaned it to my mother, which seemed fair because she gave me my first Donna Tartt book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T19BKOZBPMQG?ASIN=0316055441	Would have been great if was 300 pages shorter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Would have been a great book if it was about 300 pages shorter!  First half was really good, then it dragged.  But, forced myself to get through it to find out what happened.  Overall, I liked it, just think the editor should have done their job!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLNWKW9NLHXGR?ASIN=0316055441	Unless you enjoy reading about drugs	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is so depressing that I cannot continue to read for any length of time. Unless you enjoy reading about drugs, alcohol and the effects of a damaged brain, why waste the time with so many other good books out. So what, if is well written?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31T6FPRUQV3UQ?ASIN=0316055441	This has to be the worst book I've ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This has to be the worst book I've ever read.  Unless I was missing something it started out great and then rambled and I don't even know what was going on.  I tried to make it to the end expecting a light bulb to go n and I'd get it, but no.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B22XN43KB3H9?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the author's efforts to describes how great art can enter and change a person. I enjoyed the setting of the ""city"". The horror, the joy, the utter despair, and the whole range of emotions that the author portrayed was magnificent.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GFE40AC385GD?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was hoping to have more story about the art and the museum but it was too much about drinking, drugs and sex. I had a very hard time finishing the book. There are several stories in this book that could be developed in another novel. Rose</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PMO9IZXOP91O?ASIN=0316055441	Not as expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For me, too long to get to a sort of obvious ""well, that's life"" point. So self focused on the protagonist. Writing very dense for my taste. Just do not enjoy all of the repetitive drug scenes and the non-learning of the protagonist</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DPK3SP7Z8C1E?ASIN=0316055441	Must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">As a lover of words and art, this book intrigued me.  The friendship between the two main characters was both abhorrent and humorous in a way.  I would recommend reading this if you had ever asked yourself, why?  Good book for discussions.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JOTZDT3FVD07?ASIN=0316055441	Awesome	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Simply stated I love the way she writes, allowing you to walk inside the head of the main character as few authors are want to do. The Goldfinch is an extremely enjoyable read. I do hope Donna does not wait so long to put out another book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QI5UK32JAM3V?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch Falls off his Branch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long, rambling unnecessary tale..One page was worth the read...Toward the end where art is spoken about..otherwise  ugh..Sorry..I looked forward to reading this with great anticipation, but was sooo disappointed. Joan Davisson, Santa Cruz</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z76LAIE9AVZQ?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read,very thought-provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was gripping from start to end. Besides the engaging storyline, it also has many thought provoking ideas in, the Author really combines a very exciting story line with profound thinking on life. Definitely well worth the read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ROFOKBAGC46X?ASIN=0316055441	Better if shorter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the book was well-written, the characters engaging, and the premise sound, it could have been many pages shorter.  Also, the rather blathering ending wasn't needed.  I would recommend it only to those who have time for tedium.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31HLB323X7FA8?ASIN=0316055441	Rave reviews, seriously?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I echo the hundreds of 1-star reviews. None of the characters were engaging. Annoying, yes. I skipped several pages at a time, trying to pick up the track of the misplaced storyline, hoping it would become interesting. Never happened.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WM5HV35CI8TN?ASIN=0316055441	ok summer read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">perhaps I was supposed to, but I found the main character to be self indulgent to the point being insufferable.<br/>when he got into his long discussions with his inner self, I became quickly bored.<br/>did like his Russian friend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1V046VYNL9DEJ?ASIN=0316055441	Half way through lengthy flowing lyrical novel. Detailed character ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Half way through lengthy flowing lyrical novel. Detailed character development; a little too much descriptive detail for my taste (for example regarding furniture restoration), but that does not detract from the thread of the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROFLDKT39M6E0?ASIN=0316055441	Full of debauchery and drugs, and tenderness and wisdom ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Full of debauchery and drugs, and tenderness and wisdom, all within the dimly lit aura of creative genius.<br/>Once again life shows us the path has many turns, and often ends up in some unthought of destination. A wild journey.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22J382TZ9DK1Q?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this book as a Christmas present for a friend who request it.  I have also read great reviews about this book.  I just asked my friend how she likes it --- she commented that it's a great story and very hard to put down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2T92RBV9KHDE?ASIN=0316055441	enjoyed it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed parts of this book and other parts were just too slow and seemed unnecessary and made the book way too long.  I really enjoyed reading about the artwork and the antiques.  I would like to read another one of her books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JRQE1DCNDUBA?ASIN=0316055441	As a person interested in the wonderful world of art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is a must read.  Fully deserving of the Pulitzer Prize it was awarded.  As a person interested in the wonderful world of art, I found the book to be fascinating.  Well worth your time.  Best book I have read this year.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R46M9L64ZU2SF?ASIN=0316055441	Gift	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was a gift for my mother who is an avid reader.  Just spoke with her last night, she just started reading it.  Said at first it seemed a little too wordy, but as she got into it she really liked the story and is hooked.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HPIRHK5UZQ9J?ASIN=0316055441	300 pages too long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">By the last 300 pages, I became increasingly irritated at the author. Indeterminable wanderings and musings that added little to nothing to the book and its point, which he finally makes on page 775.  Loved the first 300 pages!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14IQES8Y8EOLU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37M5DHJRNFAAJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">superb</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHDO8CLCQVB2Z?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">boring</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GXOXFB28VWW3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">AAAAA+</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3W226E0PSB4EL?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36S3H5SJ62O5W?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Meh...</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ROAKO08O1A4J?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">5stars</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SCGUIHJEEK2Y?ASIN=0316055441	Stuck Record	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Differ</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I8UKFQT5P98D?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Her wr</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37E4ZFB9IV3UZ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Super!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EG4JA2C8ENTH?ASIN=0316055441	Very long story revolving around alcohol and drug abuse	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not sure if I really liked this book or not.  Theo and Boris came across to me as two lost souls who never find themselves.  How could they possibly with all of the alcohol and drug abuse going on throughout the entire book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3L7RH2ZKWNW6B?ASIN=0316055441	Too difficult.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I slogged my way through the whole, looooong (way too long) book.  It was so hard to get passed all the strum und drang.  Of course, there were good insights, but it was a real chore--writing was good.  Just not a fun read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J5TRFNYZP9Y?ASIN=0316055441	Had to read this book for a book club. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had to read this book for a book club.  Lost me completely when everything was about drugs and their effect.  Lost all respect for the characters and had to trudge through 700 pages.  Saw no redeeming value in this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D1EJ1AWYK6CZ?ASIN=0316055441	I was disappointed. It was well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought it could have been said in fewer pages.  The sojourn in Las Vegas dragged.  The point was made re: the relationship between Theo and Boris and then it went on and on.  I was disappointed.  It was well written.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23ED042UMM7FD?ASIN=0316055441	Rolling Eyes	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book winning the Pulitzer reminds me of when the movie, Lost in Translation, won movie of the year at the Oscars.  Are you kidding?!  Apparently, there either wasn't much competition or someone paid off the judges.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32ZOMHX3N9IUY?ASIN=0316055441	"Best was ""Secret History"""	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did read all her books. Best was ""Secret History"", what I did read 22 years ago. I did not care for ""The little Friend"". But ""The Goldfinch"" is of the same quality as ""Secret History"".</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UP438WLWG625?ASIN=0316055441	I gave it 2 stars because of the writing.  What a hodgepodge!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am trying to make myself finish this tome.  It is the biggest disappointment after her other glowing novels.  I felt like the story would never get out of the desert--literally.  I tripped through her others, sad when I finished them. I have read and reread the end flap trying to figure out why I feel so betrayed.  I would have to say this is beautifully written boring book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CATVAQYFAOJ4?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to get through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am glad I read it but I had to sort of force myself through the book. It is well-written although some parts are a bit disjointed, and I skimmed through those parts. But I appreciated the deeper parts of this novel.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZDE5NR59MZMH?ASIN=0316055441	Badly in need of editing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was so tedious and poorly written.  It is overblown.  Not much about art at all.  Just an opportunity for the author to show what she knows about furniture production.  The plot was skimpy and very superficial.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R201DFK9IBG77Q?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was too long.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21WBAJKOAK61I?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">And so it goes, summer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D198BMVJCTG3?ASIN=0316055441	Glad when I Finished It	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book painfully descriptive, the characters unlikeable, , overall felt there was a message trying to be told but was lost in the laborious telling if the story. Did not enjoy the descriptive drug usuage.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBSIRDGFBJQSF?ASIN=0316055441	Long and dreary book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Far too lengthy and a bit depressing.  Too much about the drug and alcohol impaired lifestyle.  There was enough action to keep me reading, but I was glad when it was over.  The sermon at the end was unnecessary.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RG1ASZ2EPVI2?ASIN=0316055441	Not a favorite read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Much too long.  It seemed to go on and on without much happening.  Also I feel author gave an image of teenagers as all being drug and alcohol users, shoplifters, etc.  No one in book had any redeeming qualities.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WS88Y5T2J0U0?ASIN=0316055441	LESS IS BETTER	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I kind of liked it, but it was way too long.  The scenes went on forever and, I think, interrupted the story line way too much.  I did think the characters were real and described well - I could almost see them.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3PKYIJP50O9DQ?ASIN=0316055441	Debbie Downer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you're looking for uplifting or light-hearted, this is not the book for you!  As a teacher, I struggle with any story that depicts a child in crisis, and this child experiences almost every crisis imaginable.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S6F3NNQUAC0N?ASIN=0316055441	boring, and no excitement	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had to put it down. Drawn out, boring, and no excitement. How much can you take of a 14 year old living with friends after a huge loss in his life. Don't know if I'll ever finish it. Don't bother reading it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36OON4BO2INQ3?ASIN=0316055441	A compelling story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not .. Not finish this book, so rich were the characters and their stories, but I honestly found myself speeding and scanning pages at a time.  Beautiful prose, but maybe just a bit too much of it ...</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R223N5YR75VI54?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very depressing book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REHVHOAERWCFG?ASIN=0316055441	Dark depressing memoir	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not draw me in - nor did it make me want to finish the story. In fact, I stopped reading halfway through it. Afterwards I felt the need to read an uplifting book  - sort of a literary palate cleanser.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KNKAOTF0FXU1?ASIN=0316055441	not worth anything	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">To uninteresting and way to long for a book about nothing.  Don't waste your time and the mental anguish this book describes.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYV0K6U6OP7D8?ASIN=0316055441	Drug Induced Reading	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The only reason I finished this book was to find out if there was anything redeeming in it.  The entire book was nothing but a psychological trip through someone's self-induced drug haze.  Not worth the money or the time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3O53BEZAS7NGO?ASIN=0316055441	Glorifies drug use, BIG waste of readers time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Biggest waste of reading time.  The book rambles, Theo gets involved in every illegal vice you  can think of.  The writer glorifies drugs throughout and she would make any teenager or addict feel good about their addiction.  The ending, which takes forever, is nothing more than Theo psychoanalyzing his past and coming to the conclusion that one is created as they are ant cannot change.  I felt dirty and angry having spent time on a 700+ pages of smut.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DLCWKDIJJZO3?ASIN=0316055441	not good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">most boring book I've read in a long time, I could not even finish. the coming of age just went on and on , boring.<br/><br/>Floyd foltz</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ELP0EZJ5MN1D?ASIN=0316055441	Did not like	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author tried too hard for reality. I object to all of the references to drug use and to the language. A word picture can be painted using acceptable terminology. Poor effort!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OSF35B5M97TF?ASIN=0316055441	Yuck	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not enjoy this at all. Very dark and gloomy. Thought it was just me but three people on my book club didn't like it either.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPPZDUNGHJG12?ASIN=0316055441	I could not make it past the first 100 pages of the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I purchased this book because it was recommended by Amazon editors.  Had I noticed at the time that the print length of the novel was well over 700 pages I would not have purchased it.  I have a general view that novels longer than 400 pages or so have way too much superfluous detail - they waste too much of my time.  This novel is a perfect example.  After I labored through the first 100 pages I decided I could not invest any more time in it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9X1C9RWMG6MI?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't make it through!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very disappointing. Long wandering passages, morose and depressing.  Could not make it through to the end- not worth my time. Do not recommend to anyone.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ERU8OOJCRY1Z?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has a terrible beginning and never warms up. Its depressing, the characters are unlikable and its just nor a great read. I read all the excellent reviews but really its boring. I persevered for a long time, but one third of the way through I have given up.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JCG2OTF05COQ?ASIN=0316055441	Warmth and Pathos	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The comparison to a modern-day Dickens novel is appropriate.  Characters are memorable and settings of NYC and Las Vegas provide much contrast and interest.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OJR1PYK54GSN?ASIN=0316055441	Wow!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I quit this book, I had to. Never have I read such a useless plot with so many unlikeable characters. I'm angry I read it all, and that doesn't happen often. It's only the second book I've ever given up.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17RBX2JMGGX9I?ASIN=0316055441	Worthy of the Pulitzer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a writer-hero of epic research and voice.  The story of one boy-turns-man presents so many circumstances -- and such understanding of those circumstances. I love this book and treasure it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FP1LCUEZB0Q8?ASIN=0316055441	An important and significant book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think this is a powerful and important book. The author writes about those great things in life that resonate widely, deeply. It is a book about many things, with many themes and great emotional heft.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSCIW4KLFI4XD?ASIN=0316055441	Well received	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was received in excellent condition and am looking forward to read it.<br/>Have not been able to get to it yet but all the reviews are so good that I am sure<br/>it will be an excellent read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E6QDSX5S6MSO?ASIN=0316055441	The story was good but she could have cut out 200 pages and ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was good but she could have cut out 200 pages and not lost a thing.  I couldn't pick it back up sometimes for weeks because there were just too many words describing things.  Not recommended</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R7QO76UCVXTS?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch has lived up to Tartt's earlier works, The Secret History and The Little Friend. In a nutshell, outstanding writing, character development, and plot. The detail in the book is necessary.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3777IC88UME68?ASIN=0316055441	No payoff.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No payoff.  Enticing setups lead to let downs.  Painstaking details amount to nothing.  Disappointing after good reviews made me want to like it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MKPTZSV9WP8V?ASIN=0316055441	For a Pulitzer Prize winning novel I was very disappointed. Though it was well written and the characters ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">For a Pulitzer Prize winning novel I was very disappointed.  Though it was well written and the characters were well developed I kept waiting for ""something"" to happen.  It never did happen.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I4U3JNDYNNYD?ASIN=0316055441	Moby Dick was shorter and more interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't believe I endured reading this long,boring,wordy forgetful book. I have never read anything like this where I had to skip page after page of boring descriptions in order to get to the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R117NERTZLB9GM?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is worth waiting for, for sure.  This author only puts out a book a decade, but this is a brilliant story with very memorable characters.  It is incredibly well done and fun to read.  I loved it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OMQK5MLYB3R6?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a very descriptive storyteller.  I am able to picture her characters because of her interesting writing.  I enjoyed the story, somewhat depressing at times, but overall a great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33MNXAZLL7TTL?ASIN=0316055441	Good start.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first half is Ok but the second half is far to long. To much drug stories. Low vibrations. The outcome with some inconsistant filosophie is totaly uninteresting and doesn't fit in lifes values.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1X0XHTBH6T1H?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a bad read!!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGJY5SGX8CZ56?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One. Of. The. Best books. I have ever read.  Well drawn. Characters. And. Beautiful. Writing. More than. Make. Up. For its. Length.  Extremely. Philosophical. Toward. The. Last. Part of the book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BURBCLDOS1UG?ASIN=0316055441	Gripping	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is a fabulous story teller with uncanny insight into the lives of traumatized children. My one issue was the many hundred pages and the ""wait"" I experienced getting the book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R279DLDAX2W1YD?ASIN=0316055441	Too many pages!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book loaded down with descriptive text.  It detracts from the story.  I found myself skipping pages of text in order to continue with the story.  In the end, I wasn't happy with the story.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HJ3FDUKOH1P3?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I bought this book on the recommendation of a friend. I am half way through. Mixed feelings...the beginning was very interesting. Second part is a bit slow. Hopefully will start picking up now.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RYHF479N0J5J?ASIN=0316055441	Worst book I've ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't finish.  After getting through half the book I had no idea what the plot is about and put it down.  If this is the measurement to win a Pulitzer I am seriously reconsidering career.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BLATTRUG3I6Q?ASIN=0316055441	fabulous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a great journey. Eloquent, riveting, profound. You feel like you are a fly on the wall. I would highly recommend this novel.  Read it fast though because it has a lot of detail to follow.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NFFRE12IIF10?ASIN=0316055441	Here's a strong recommendation	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Marvelous read with so many twists and turns I couldn't wait to get to the next page. The philosophical introspective in the end was more than I expected. Would recommend this book to others.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2839KQZ5WXQQ4?ASIN=0316055441	well written, great characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My infatuation with this book may be in part due to some eerie parallels with my own childhood, but I think it would suck in almost anyone. Longish. GREAT as an audio book. Excellent  reader.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RXPA6DE3JRRS?ASIN=0316055441	A fascinating novel from start to finish. First book ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A fascinating novel from start to finish. First book I read by this author and look forward to some others she wrote. Enormous amount of detail showing how expertly she researched her novel.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6XE2LLBIR5BR?ASIN=0316055441	too many drugs & alcohol. too long. I ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too many drugs &amp; alcohol. too long. I felt there was no conclusions. all we know is the painting is returned. What happens to Theo, Boris, Kitsey and Pippa. My book club was NOT IMPRESSED.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V31SK57XRJ6J?ASIN=0316055441	Saddest book I have ever read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't like sad stories. So I usually don't read them. But this book kept drawing me in. I t is well written. Emotionally taxing.  Heartbreaking. I was relieved when I finally finished it</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15R2P1E0OY75N?ASIN=0316055441	This book was highly recommended by many people and reviews	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was highly recommended by many people and reviews, however I found it fell short for me.  The characters didn't grab me so it was hard to stay interested in reading their story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YAX6A95SFDZQ?ASIN=0316055441	depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many random, long sentences showing the frantic pace of life he led.  Overly done.  I would have appreciated a more well-rounded story.  I did enjoy the last two percent of the novel.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A4WJBJQ11YNC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NC8MGCVVN4J4?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Trash</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HVPHQXFGKA8I?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C7MRISWNUW0G?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S0BX9OGACCVI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FP944FUIFOWU?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoy</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25PV5MNV9VPQ8?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K4PU6O7IX9RB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZZUXNQN9UICQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FNR5HBZIFA6W?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">TRITE</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ2XDF46RVCE3?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KYL5OCJ31SPW?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H1IJVZ0X4TY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1I3YI7XSND614?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Super</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DTYIJ97VF8AD?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZXZ5HOVWYDTL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16QLGSM83VRKT?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30636VTN0JHZR?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like the drug thread that wound throughout the whole story.  In some places, I had trouble understanding what the author was trying to say.  It was like something was left out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTWDJFZWMS3VX?ASIN=0316055441	It was worth the wait!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hope we don't have to wait another 1o years for her next novel, but I will try to.<br/>I loved the book. Donna Tartt  is such a wordmaster.  There is not one word that doesn't belong.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21BAPVDPMJUBK?ASIN=0316055441	Very disappointing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book showed great promise at the beginning and then spiralled into inconsistent ramblings. I was very disappointed with it. How on earth did it get on to the best seller listings?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2B9BWCLAHHVBA?ASIN=0316055441	A roar	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enjoyed it immensely. When's the movie coming out? Ending was a bit too Hollywood for Donna but it didn't bother me; it was hard earned. One of those reads you don't want to see end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3CYD0K7SH1104?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unlikable main character, pointless plot extraordinarily verbose. Recommend to anyone who wants to embrace the sadly mistaken view that there is little joy in the human experience.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2U2QBJ1TK0XZG?ASIN=0316055441	I Hated this Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hated this book.  Depressing as hell!  Could not feel any real sympathy for the main character.  And the plot was dreadful.  I LOVED Tartt's ""The Secret History.""</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF7YL6NNCFFEW?ASIN=0316055441	I had to force myself to read this because it ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had to force myself to read this because it was a book club choice. It was too drawn out. I do not mind long stories, but this was easier to put down than to turn the next page.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33GS3Z76KASQW?ASIN=0316055441	good but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tart is an excellent writer but sometimes she gets carried away with her love for the written word. The book could have been 200 pages shorter and convey the same message.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FFHT2V6GS8YG?ASIN=0316055441	Hated it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was torture to read. I was determined to finish it but by the end I hated all the characters. The author has a beautiful way with words yet the story drones on and on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R181SKWODHS5Q4?ASIN=0316055441	This fantastic Nobel Prize novel keeps you wanting to read more ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch:  This fantastic Nobel Prize novel keeps you wanting to read more and more!  It carries lots of suspense and authenticty.  The author did alot of research.  Ingrid</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NW17TNC7LBDV?ASIN=0316055441	Great read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written and thought out book. It was a fun ride for much of it.  Tough subject matter made very enjoyable. I will look for her work in the future. So glad I bought it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZB5ORGODR98T?ASIN=0316055441	Genuine literature	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">beautifully written and deals with serious universal questions.  So many sentences a pleasure in themselves.  Amazingly realized characters. Wonderful views into world of art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBB3FJ593XDO3?ASIN=0316055441	good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story<br/>Characters are engaging<br/>Page turner<br/>Well written<br/>Moving<br/>Thoughtful theme and well developed by character plight<br/>Bit preachy at the end</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QUBAUOEZS149?ASIN=0316055441	The book is effectively written to intensify the unrelenting personal ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is effectively written to intensify the unrelenting personal violence in the book.  I not only did not finish this book, but removed it from my Kindle permane4ntly.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17PAB91MRS2L7?ASIN=0316055441	So Sad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I ordered this book for Book Club, but never rec'd it, so I can't really<br/>speak to the book. I assumed if it won the Pulitzer Prize it would be complex and interesting, but may never know.<br/>I only gave it a one star so that I could vent my anger.<br/>I guess I should pursue how to get a refund, tho if the company<br/>can't deliver the book, I suspect they'll never return the money.<br/><br/>Chalk it up to I SHOULD HAVE read the reviews.  They only had a 42% rating, but I thought<br/>I would generously give them another chance.  I could just as well have opened the window<br/>of my car on the freeway &amp; thrown the money out in hopes the road would get repaired.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34ZU8D941M8AE?ASIN=0316055441	Laborious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a very long read and took me over 6 weeks to finish. I groaned everytime I opened the book. All that to finally get to the whole point at the very end of the book!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RBPXGLENKCTB?ASIN=0316055441	She has a good story to tell	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't care for this book.  I had a hard time looking past the f word every other paragraph.  This author needs to increase their vocabulary.  She has a good story to tell.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CBH5H77YJNVR?ASIN=0316055441	I barely made it through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">All the high praise baffles me. The book would have been great had it been 2/3 shorter. It is a great story with interesting characters written by an overly verbose author.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UWCW9EZLHJ1S?ASIN=0316055441	but I didn't like this book at all	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am sorry everyone, but I didn't like this book at all. I plowed through it until the very end.  Everyone has their own opinion, but I found it to be very depressing""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M4VWLA42QTH3?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book! I am an avid reader but this was the first book I really related to. I love art, New York and I am an orphan, and see the world from a different viewpoint.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZY16A9IL7Y5U?ASIN=0316055441	It's not you; it's the writing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very, very hard for even an experienced reader to stay with.  On page 70, I was still wondering when I was going to encounter something, anything, that would draw me in.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F2NM1R8WNC3S?ASIN=0316055441	a dark road of captivating characters	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took a while for the story to capture my interest then it was a difficult story to put down.  I will miss learning about the future journey of Theo, Boris, and Pippa.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAMWSCKPRD2E4?ASIN=0316055441	superb!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazingly well written!!  Couldn't put it down,  completely absorbing.<br/>Wonderful character portrayals, story of salvation, redemption, old wisdom, thought provoking</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YOT1VMJ7QDBB?ASIN=0316055441	Superbly written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great story of love, loss and obsession. Tartt is among the best contemporary writers of literary fiction. Characters so finely drawn that you can't leave them behind.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KZ1BAQ70ECQN?ASIN=0316055441	Buy this book and allow yourself plenty of uninterrupted reading time.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the best book I've read in quite a while.  I could hardly put it down.  It does bog down about 2/3 of the way through, but it's worth reading on until the end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DQXVXNR1AK5?ASIN=0316055441	Lost and sad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a hard time with the ups and downs this man endured! I was always drained reading each episode. Could have left out last 200 pages. They were meaningful at all!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KFL2OL3LGA7F?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written...fascinating plot and story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful read.  Could not wait to ""go back"" to it each day.  The characters stay with you and<br/>you think of them wondering what is going to happen next.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SNN187Q5JG8G?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the book. It is beautifully written and the characters have stayed with me after finishing the book. Plus it is a totally engaging read. I highly recommend it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EC0MCF95HZ8J?ASIN=0316055441	The best book I've ever read. Bravo Donna Tartt.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It takes a while to get through it and then it captures you away and you cannot stop. I've never read such beautiful story of intrigue, love, longing and adventure.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OCKN2522SLUN?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the plot is intriguing and the writing at times luscious, the descriptions of drug and alcohol  use become tedious and gratuitous,and ruined the book for me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R305NUGXBB22OT?ASIN=0316055441	Ruined what could have been a good story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long especially in the middle and the book should have ended before the pages and pages of philosophical pondering. Ruined what could have been a good story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WI1MK5170JYL?ASIN=0316055441	Don'tDon't let the length of this book discourage you.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While this book is exceedingly long, it held my interest every step of the way. I liked all the characters and thought that Donna Tartt made them seem very real.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUFQ6N26XDUDQ?ASIN=0316055441	I got so bored with all the stuff here there and everywhere that ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got so bored with all the stuff here there and everywhere that I skipped about 1/3 of the book.  I  read the end just because I had to know how it turned out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M96HS0SHF8A4?ASIN=0316055441	The best novel I've read in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best novel I've read in years; it has everything: character, plot, language, tension, drama, pathos, ethos and Thanatos. Buy it, read it, better your lives.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ESHI1FY777BL?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While the book begins with good plot, it seems to bog down during the middle with Boris, very physiological at the end, whether you understood his ramblings.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NPKCOWOZ82LZ?ASIN=0316055441	a masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a brilliant novel, with characters so fully fleshed out you can't believe they aren't real. I'm in awe of Tartt, can't wait to read A Secret History.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31GUM77EHODCR?ASIN=0316055441	Too much descriptive narrative.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a book that has entirely too many pages for the story.  Descriptive narrative just goes on and on. However, held my interest and would recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSELPBV7T8FK8?ASIN=0316055441	None	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very tedious reading, the plot, interesting, but drawn out through pages &amp; pages of flowery, boring descriptions. i would not recommend this book to anyone!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1DZB89AIX4L3V?ASIN=0316055441	A MUST-READ book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could NOT put it down! The writing is excellent and yet flows at a fast pace; fine with me for such a long book. So pleased that it was recommended to me!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E6QL2TFRH5BF?ASIN=0316055441	I finally finished this book! Amen!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Please save yourself the time needed to read this. I persisted hoping it would get better......it did not. There are so many more worthwhile books to read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BYANTW27GMV6?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't love it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author was too wordy in the beginning and too quick to summarize events at the end. Also, we didn't need 1/3 of the book on drug use. Just my 2 cents.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22WAKV91VF8BF?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I choose the reading because of the long journey the author took us on from childhood to adult. Everyone could relate to the metaphor and lessons learned.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20DKQRCKBNLMM?ASIN=0316055441	Modern Dickens	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Yes, a modern Dickens, with characters from our world today.  Wonderfully absorbing.  Thoughtful.  It will change the way I look at objects, not just art.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1101EWU5IINPQ?ASIN=0316055441	Expected better of this Author	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very disappointing.  Expected better of this Author.  Too wordy and slow moving  with  unappealing characters.  Little payoff for a big time investment.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MLK4JH9A7H87?ASIN=0316055441	Good Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the story line, but it became tedious in parts - although I think the story line needed all the details and nuances - loved it for the most part.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS1J1SSWKEGUI?ASIN=0316055441	Can't access on kindle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I downloaded this book on my kindle and can't access it. I only get the chapter names but have been unable to read it though it was highly recommended.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUM5TMWNW25VV?ASIN=0316055441	Promise Unfulfilled	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although the book got off to an intriguing start, it ultimately became a tedious read.  This was not up to the caliber of other books by the author.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GO2PCVENK1H9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33QLC1YZ6PO2M?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Blah</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E77A1Q9IFFHC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gift</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37ZTETWNY6EZ8?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">GOOD</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TGVYDW14SFN9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBYESEES3E9RJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R469A7PU20KHI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIR8CGU770JHO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WOW!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BI5MXLU3XBJD?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4CL2C49Q34XT?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26IHYX5K9SK96?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26GJRNXFFPDQ7?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NFXG9EVDSPRK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18V11X1S8VYXW?ASIN=0316055441	Not as good as her others	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Having read her previous two books and liking them very much...5 stars to both, I found her latest novel quite good in some parts and overall okay.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRIT2SWZI6YLH?ASIN=0316055441	One of the great novels of the 21st century	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No one has opened a novel with such momentum since ""Catch 22"" or ""Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.""  It has a mastery of form Henry James would envy.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T2J2SVBWJBI?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Other reviewers have been much more articulate than I could be, but I don't think I exhaled the entire time I was reading ""The Goldfinch.""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REBENR2OKI78?ASIN=0316055441	This book is genius. I am 56 years old ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is genius. I am 56 years old and it hit me as if I were 16 and completely impressionable. It is one of those books that stays with you.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DCSGIMZR1NO8?ASIN=0316055441	Too Long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">much too long.  too much drugs.  Theo did have some positive influences in his life not just Boris.<br/>Andy's family.  What a waste of my time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2REXUD405OCCJ?ASIN=0316055441	Mesmerizing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to give this book 5 stars because it's absolutely mesmerizing in parts, but the ending is too long and becomes a philosophical lecture.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FC23T8T0RP35?ASIN=0316055441	Must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A truly wonderful book. Very descriptive and beautifully written. This book should be an award winner. Great story line.<br/>Highly recommend.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKD9M9U7DR65I?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed but I did finish it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me a long time to finish the book.  Disappointed but I did finish it.  Perhaps it was the subject matter that I  wasn't interested in.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39SZLYM0BHQB6?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Starts slow.  It's like Hemmingway discribing a palm tree but then it picks up and becomes one of those books you just don't want to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SBOISMOJAZZJ?ASIN=0316055441	Good read but depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a beautifully written book.  Character development and depth of descriptions of people and events were wonderful.  However, it was incredibly sad - this boy's life and guilt.  Yes, there were bright spots, and a few great people I'd love to really meet (Hobie) but our main character / hero was in such an awful environment.  This was a Book Club selection and I don't know if I would have picked it up otherwise.  Maybe.  If asked for a recommendation, I'd say yes ... on the writing but caution on the tragic figure and some of his life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22E6YZBGMFTSA?ASIN=0316055441	Must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Truly one of the best books I have ever read! Once I got into it.....it was tough to put down! Beautifully written and great story. Loved it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ7ATGHDLY6DN?ASIN=0316055441	But overall a good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The middle dragged on and on.  Got sick of hearing about his fascination with the Res head, drugs and more drugs .  But overall a good read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UENFDWCS50RE?ASIN=0316055441	excellent!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling story-telling. Flawed, but interesting characters. I highly recommend this book.  Donna Tartt has done it again.  Lynn in Germany</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBF98QORQU2EG?ASIN=0316055441	A Great Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My thumbs up !  A  completely  enjoyable  read.  Many times  life is puzzling.  Our  decisions  ,good  or bad  choices  sets  our  journey.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K6U4VLNTJKGJ?ASIN=0316055441	loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved this book; The author breaks rules of standard english writing and makes sense of it all. A beautifully crafted work. Worth a reread!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2UCXQMCQ3ICN1?ASIN=0316055441	Stands alone in literary work	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Nothing comparable to this book. It stands alone in literary work. Be sure to get the audible.  The characters will live with you forever.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V52YUBCFJ7FR?ASIN=0316055441	ONE OF THE GREAT ONES	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">one of the best stories i have ever gotten involved with!  once you begin, it draws you into another world completely.  highly recommend.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R271OS2VPQZ631?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't want this book to end. Tartt did such a great job detailing the characters, I felt like I knew them. She is a beautiful writer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E3HHI8EW903K?ASIN=0316055441	literature is an art form that enables transcendence	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book, the art of being able to place the reader in that ""middle land"", renders it a treasure to be savored again and again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39HAPH8DEITPM?ASIN=0316055441	The worst book designated as a Pulitzer Prize that I have ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The worst book designated as a Pulitzer Prize that I have ever read. The worst John Irving or Salman Rusdie effort surpasses this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15D9JSSFF6UJC?ASIN=0316055441	long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">terrible. very long and drags a ton. I read about 3-400 pages and i had to quit.  I am sorry. I was really looking forward to the book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HAQA3DIW9VKO?ASIN=0316055441	Best read of the decade!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the best books I have read in a decade. She is a master craftsman at making one feel, see, smell alongside her characters, and always full of surprises. I cannot put it down and have to pace myself to stretch out the enjoyment of this excellent novel. I only wish it were longer!<br/><br/>Plus, as an art enthusiast and Dutchman, I appreciate the detail and accuracy  Ms. Tartt employs in her novel. She makes it realistic because she understands all the details and nuances.<br/><br/>Buy this book!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36KZI2R49HI87?ASIN=0316055441	Mediocre	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great premise and some good sections that ultimately fail as the book struggles to find a believable trajectory. Was very disappointed</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTE321OA7IA11?ASIN=0316055441	worth the read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was an epic story.  A little detailed and a little too pholisophical at the end.  Donna Tarrt is a great writer - but not Ayn Rand.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EKR63Q5N1E90?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most saddest and depressing books I've ever read, but I loved every bit of it. Could not put it down. Beautifully written.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11FLRG5YVEA6J?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is spectacular. It's 700+ pages and I'm sad it's over.  I will read not  of Tartt because  of this magnificent book. Bravo.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ATJ14G47FGB1?ASIN=0316055441	your missing a good one. Some times a bit wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you haven't read this one yet, your missing a good one. Some times a bit wordy, but months later- it still resonates. pick it up!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OJ5KRP30EUT6?ASIN=0316055441	uneven with good parts	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">uneven, first past really quite good....but I do not know how it earned a Pulitzer prize unless its competition was a lesser field.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJNXCKGAGYVV4?ASIN=0316055441	good but not the best	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">l think i mhit read it some day but according to what some of the reveiws say it mhit be a wast of money but i will think about it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38AHWLV6LBISK?ASIN=0316055441	I Love Reading This!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a wonderful can hardly wait to read the next page kind of book.  It's beautifully written, and is just a really good read!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33XDH5M1WJTV6?ASIN=0316055441	Possibly the most fabulous book I have ever read. ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Possibly the most fabulous book I have ever read.  The characters continue to ping around my brain days after completing the book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GFAGFYM7ZR3M?ASIN=0316055441	Loved the first half of the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the first half of the  book. Then events and descriptions were repetitive. Scanned the second half to follow the story line.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R564PBXPDJCVI?ASIN=0316055441	Cancel Social Engagements to read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I clear my day's agenda as fast as possible to provide more time to read this book.<br/>It is a page turner and I am loving it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39VMCVISSEA8B?ASIN=0316055441	needed to delete 20% of the philosophizing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">delete, delete, delete, delete, so,so,so,so,so,so, much, much, much much, of, of, of, of, it, it, it, it, please, please, please</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRZ85HEZIN9DI?ASIN=0316055441	Stunning	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have ever read... worth the time investment.  Gorgeously written and totally unforgettable in every way.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVSI9ZHFJWCJ3?ASIN=0316055441	Too Much of a Skimpy Thing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did read it to the end, and found it engaging. But in many parts it was overwritten and seemed to overstretche a skimpy plot.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QHGOJONSVD6G?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the story,  a little to dark and depressing and long for me.  Could have a more uplifting ending. All in all a good read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26O3FDLZMSJSX?ASIN=0316055441	I was very disappointed in this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was very disappointed in this book.  I felt the it was over rated by the public. Some parts were good and then it got boring.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RABGM1WT6KCWL?ASIN=0316055441	I really enjoyed the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really enjoyed the book. Charles Dickens. Meets Hunter S Thompson. Tartt should do a sequel. Great characters. Great info</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YDXCPO39Y7CE?ASIN=0316055441	Long Rambles through Shallow Phlosophy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Somewhat interesting plot is buried in a torrent of monologs by the writer that are much less profound than he seems to think.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVW0D93R6L00J?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">did not enjoy</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TQMPYGC3CHX2?ASIN=0316055441	Tartt's writing style is beautiful, but the story itself did not quite measure ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt's writing style is beautiful, but the story itself did not quite measure up to the expectations lauded reviews gave me</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ARHM4BUWLBJY?ASIN=0316055441	Mrs.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was written beautifully. Also, for a book of over 700 pages it flows so smoothly that time is forgotten. Loved it!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29AQMKBX06T6K?ASIN=0316055441	Great book. Well written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book. Well written, a book you feel instead of read. Some of the incredible descriptions can get a little long-winded.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Z196GCHGLNH1?ASIN=0316055441	brilliant Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this book from a review in the Washington Post. Did not disappoint, a page turner from the 1st page. Brilliant read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C8BFEAPPI6DZ?ASIN=0316055441	And I really enjoyed them both	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Both books were nail biters. Both were writtrn extremely well. And I really enjoyed them both, Thank you so much Amazon.com</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35SR1PSXG8X80?ASIN=0316055441	great read but too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great beginning but dragged on through the drug bit,  felt like I was on drugs.  A bit ambitious to include so much detail.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QIB4KW7QAQLU?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer well deserved	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love the book.  Delightful.  Both sad and funny.  The author does a great job showing the logic and emotions of a young boy</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24L3IOSWKP2FZ?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is Donna Tartt's third novel;  it's another masterpiece, every bit as good as her first two.  Very highly recommended.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI34SYMQRSD72?ASIN=0316055441	Dark and heavy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writer wrote from the dark sides of life's happenings. Way too long, could have cut out most of the negative thoughts.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XKHJYF5IL4JD?ASIN=0316055441	I did not like the book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I started the book and decided that I did not want to spend my time reading it.  Needless to say, I did not like the book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R299OWKR6RUC9Y?ASIN=0316055441	simply perfect	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An amazing book.  Couldn't put it down.  I'd recommend to anyone wanting a good adventure, or an escape from the mundane.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QMKE17CVB0LF?ASIN=0316055441	brilliantly painful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This story made me cringe and run for cover, peeking out from the covers so that I wouldn't miss the next sentence. Betay</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22RWS2NOV06MW?ASIN=0316055441	Too long and boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very long on boring, anticlimactic. I kept waiting for/ something good to happen.  I don't know anyone who would do that</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZKE5DF8PA7W9?ASIN=0316055441	This is a tedious, long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a tedious , long , drawn out novel.  I labored through it for book club.  Not sure I even want to discuss this .</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YH7KBBU8HY7Z?ASIN=0316055441	Very slow moving. skipped paragraphs just to get to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very slow moving.skipped paragraphs just to get to the point the author was trying to make to stay focused on the story. Bottom line is that life sucks.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17HMZ8YQBGZS3?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing writing! Great read for a book club	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put it down!  Amazing writing!  Great read for a book club, it would definitely make for lively discussion!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JHOTQ8ZC8NHW?ASIN=0316055441	excellent book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting book. I liked it a lot. Highly recommend. It seems long in places but worth reading. Won the Pulitzer Prize</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EN8BEVLXTYM0?ASIN=0316055441	intriguing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">At times a bit long winded, but I enjoyed it. The characters were well defined, even though they were often despicable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39YIAU652F1SN?ASIN=0316055441	Did not enjoy it at all	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book depressing.  Did not enjoy it at all.  I know it's a best-seller, but not my cup of tea. Mary McManus</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCD99Y3W1IDF2?ASIN=0316055441	Wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow! philosophical and insightful. Showed me New York and the world of drug use with stunning imagery. Kept me reading</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K9DSEFOCMPT1?ASIN=0316055441	Don't go there	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Having a difficult time picking the book up to read it. It is a dull overly explained plot development slog of a read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20NSDF8DDEMWT?ASIN=0316055441	Suspenseful, entertaining, and extremely well written.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love, love this book.  I've been reading it on my commute and I can't wait to open it everyday when I get on the bus.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24DPJYGAE8DEV?ASIN=0316055441	This is not as great as I expected	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is not as great as I expected. It's too long,  and the story is too scattered for me. I'm losing interest in it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RP3KQN3K9SOUD?ASIN=0316055441	Disaster	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted to put this book down and not read it anymore, but I kept thinking it's got to get better. Finished reading it but I was truly disappointed. What a waste of money!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J4AYY1TEF4GQ?ASIN=0316055441	Dealt with a number of issues from PTSD to Art ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dealt with a number of issues from PTSD to Art History.  All were woven into a very entertaining and unusual story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2K5JGUYSKAERM?ASIN=0316055441	Enthralling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had a lot of drug and alcohol use in it.  Descriptive of addiction.  Still an amazing read.  Enthralling!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WORPHNO4FWRJ?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing despite beautiful writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard to stay focused for 750 pages when never really like the protagonist.  Book is very well written, many captivating parts, but when protagonist is a serial thief and drug abuser hard to stay interested in plot.  Authors should realize that in all great fiction (and this author is capable of such) the protagonists, despite their many human flaws, need to be liked (or at least feel an affinity) by the readers by the end of story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R494WEVLDUSGV?ASIN=0316055441	I couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. Depth, intrigue, humor and raw life. It is not without some issues but i couldn't put it down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2E5YZMEA06VCD?ASIN=0316055441	READING AT ITS BEST!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Half way through!  Enjoying it immensely!  Indeed it's like reading a Dicken's classic!<br/>Highly recommended.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13GQ4YKV3MUWH?ASIN=0316055441	not a fan!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is quite possibly the worst book I've ever read. It's very depressing!  I would not recommend it to anyone!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9YUV0AQS1G2Q?ASIN=0316055441	A Good Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A good story to make you really think about how life can go for someone and how it can still relate to yourself.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YPTQGPIGSYIX?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous book!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am a Donna Tartt fan, waited for her new book to come out!!!! love her intensely descriptive writing style, her zany characters and plots, and this book is her best!!!!<br/>The Goldfinch has great adventure, suspense, tragedy and compassion, filled with vivid characters who rise up from the page.....it has great potential as a movie!!!!<br/>also, Tartt really pegs the NYC art scene and the variety of people in it!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NONUZUQ28KS8?ASIN=0316055441	Good read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good writing, intriguing, well researched.  Enjoyable read. Maybe too verbose but still excellent writing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27XYCT1F8J7VY?ASIN=0316055441	Worth the wait	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Best book I have read all year.  It wa worth the wait for this one from Donna Tartt.  As good as her first book</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25EOB9UNT91S8?ASIN=0316055441	disappointing in every way !	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is the worst book I have ever read!  The story line had so much promise but was such a disappointment.<br/>Was the author on as many drugs as her characters?  This book is a spiraling world of depression, drugs and<br/>and very lackluster ending.  I am stymied how it could have been considered for any award much less a<br/>pulitzer prize.  Our entire bookclub was frustrated they spent the time to read it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD0L10P8G5O2M?ASIN=0316055441	boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Only people who are art majors will enjoy this book. Well written but not engaging at all. Would not recommend</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RO2IUBW23XSN?ASIN=0316055441	I did not like	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of the most boring novels I have EVER read. Half the time I could not even keep up with the story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGMBEF7XP07X9?ASIN=0316055441	Intriguing tale	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is hard to put down once you get started. It's a fascinating well written book and intriguing story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T8YZ1N83HQYF?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">N/a</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSD2A6KUJZH6I?ASIN=0316055441	very long winded and boring. And never finished the book very disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Barely could get started with it, very long winded and boring. And never finished the book very disappointed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FNLUIEY64FQH?ASIN=0316055441	I got into the book a hundred pages or so ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got into the book a hundred pages or so and had to put it aside. I didn't want to get into the drug scenes.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX4IOX7DRIL3O?ASIN=0316055441	THE GOLDFINCH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">MOODY WONDERFUL STAYS WITH YOU .A MUST READ  A PAINTING OF WORDS THAT KEEPS YOU CHAINED TO THE STORY A KEEPER</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20GPPISC655U9?ASIN=0316055441	The middle was not good and the end went on forever	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The beginning caught my attention.  The middle was not good and the end went on forever. Tartt is very wordy.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R66W7H1IQ3S?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you like books with lots of extra words and imagery, this is the one for you. Good book, but way to long.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PPPMY4GPOIOL?ASIN=0316055441	very dull; cannot understand why so popular	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very slow; very dull; cannot understand why so popular. Was unable to get thru 100 pages. Do not recommend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VMYDCNEGWALF?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy the last quarter of the book. Could have ended much sooner. Hated the ending. Enjoyed most of it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WGQNIRFWAOLN?ASIN=0316055441	Incredible Writing.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love this book. Donna Tartt's writing is superb. Could not put it down. Best book I've read in a long time.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OX2FOJML5UKL?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found the book depressing and the writing tedious.  Can't understand how this could have won a Pulitzer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HZVPDXXT2TP5?ASIN=0316055441	Pass on this one.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">771 pages that ended up going nowhere with characters I could care less about.  I'm mad at myself for hanging in there until the bitter end hoping for more.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2G3A4WMSRWLYW?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer??	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This could have been a fantastic story if not for the manic, spastic style of writing...not a fan at all.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P40IQ08GTF0J?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully Written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is such a good book- long but intriguing throughout.  A great mystery.  Great character development.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z0XQPUYUBSIZ?ASIN=0316055441	Theo is an interesting character who despite his many flaws you can't help but like.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A true page turner.  Theo is an interesting character who despite his many flaws you can't help but like.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4P6FRXKQLRSK?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not finish it for the profanity. Question how books with this kind of language make Pulitzer Prize?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FW40Y28CWGSB?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved the story.  The character, Boris ,was so believable.  Couldn't put the book down.  Great writer!!!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBVOXXLBK7L3V?ASIN=0316055441	a bit dark for me!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was a struggle to read. Very dark and sad. Not a light read. Would not suggest for a book club!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M8OHYVAKML72?ASIN=0316055441	Not a good fit	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I  could not continue reading this book because it was too ""dark.""  'Just not a good fit for me.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S3UP4QDAMHTK?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story was good but quite long. I feel it could have been 100 pages shorter and been the same story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKZME8VRFTP1F?ASIN=0316055441	A tragic life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very thought-provoking and insightful. Maybe longer than it had to be, although it was not repetitious.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUA7UX8WXTKK0?ASIN=0316055441	riveting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard to put the book down. I normally stay away from 700 plus page books, but this one kept my interest</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14H18JEM0XYS7?ASIN=0316055441	painful to wade through	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">filled with contrived plot twists and endless drug induced introspections.....painful to wade through!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1Q9SVW3I9Y0PN?ASIN=0316055441	New Favorite Read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love Donna Tartt's writing style. It was pure magic loved the landscape and character descriptions .</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M78F1MIPIQK1?ASIN=0316055441	i tried to love this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i tried to love this book..  i wanted to love this book.  i finished the book - it never drew me in.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8GK7M600N4SH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Positively Dickensian. Very engaging central character - The book comes full circle. Worth the read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BN94HDT1H03J?ASIN=0316055441	Needed a lot of editing. Story interesting but too ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Needed a lot of editing.  Story interesting but too much description for the tale.  Just too long!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN4I8VBCJ6F0N?ASIN=0316055441	great xmas present	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great xmas present - very timely - my husband liked it and looks forward to reading it- I may too!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R308464ID600VY?ASIN=0316055441	Tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It seemed to take a long time to end.there was to much going on,it just seemed to drag on and on.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMM8J3V19U6PT?ASIN=0316055441	... so long to get this book I was really disappointed in it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After waiting so long to get this book I was really disappointed in it.  I didn't even finish it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AATSX2RLKJQS?ASIN=0316055441	Probably the most depressing book I have ever read !!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like to feel uplifted and inspired when I finish a book and that did not happen with this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IQMZWAG9QBN1?ASIN=0316055441	I would not recommend reading.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am someone who once I start reading a book, I have to finish it. I would not recommend reading.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12MIAE9OMKWGL?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So boring.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGRB7FYYVWAFO?ASIN=0316055441	Would not recommend.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very slow read. Too long.  Could have been much shorter or multiple books.  Would not recommend.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NC1Y2JLIXJ6I?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author was verbose, took for ever to say something.  All the drugs and rough people got old.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31VRIU2ADTR7R?ASIN=0316055441	Download this one today	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">""The Goldfinch is very well written.  A real page turner.  I highly recommend this read""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FU1Y9DUGGE48?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much darkness with drugs and negative lifestyles. It has a premise that promises more hope.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WLIYU9R7XR3J?ASIN=0316055441	okay	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not hold my interest. A long story with not much of a plot. Would not recommend to any one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E84PP5BIIU8A?ASIN=0316055441	Too preachy. At times, I felt as if ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too preachy.  At times, I felt as if I were reading Girl With the Dragon Tattoo all over again.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M5ZEUG2J9SWV?ASIN=0316055441	Complex	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I do not have time to write a review that would convince others to read or not read this story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PSSNEI1USB5L?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books of the past 5 years!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a riveting novel. I couldn't put this book down. It was well written and a great read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYDX66SV9MUSH?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book seemed to go on forever.  Depressing story of a young boy's solo journey to manhood.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14VX9JO5O44DX?ASIN=0316055441	Too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Needs some serious editing.  I persevered for almost 500 pages before quitting.  I understand the ending may have been good but I'll never find out.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EXMZWGLIFVM1?ASIN=0316055441	Book was way too long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like the writing style, but  the story was depressing, too much time was spent describing the types of drugs consumed  and their effects before during and after.  It was frustrating, too much rambling.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H827WIQ6F0ED?ASIN=0316055441	Long and boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch started with great promise but then just dragged on and on and on to a very disappointing end.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1019C85YOXNWB?ASIN=0316055441	I hated this book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So many people raved about this that I had to finish it. Huge disappointment! What a waste of my time.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMR5OGAWM3CA6?ASIN=0316055441	GReat Epic Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book so much I never wanted it to end.  The characters were so well woven throughout with lots of beautiful language and imagery.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GLHS2UNZVZ4B?ASIN=0316055441	Wow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No wonder she one a Pulitzer Prize.  Never read anything like it.<br/>Her prose is poetry.  Will read her again.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R323133CRLR5QH?ASIN=0316055441	Why the hype?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I choose to read this book because it was on the New York Times list for many months. I am unclear why it is so popular. I found it long and uninteresting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24U8BVQK5HBBN?ASIN=0316055441	Major Disappointment!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Biggest disappointment in a book,  probably ever.  I did not enjoy any of it, and it was pure struggle to get thru it.  This was just way too long and overdone.  I find all the hype about this book to have been very misleading.  I read Tartt's earlier work and liked it, but this will be the last I read from this author.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QHWASBWJHOU6?ASIN=0316055441	Book too drawn out	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This writer really needs an editor!  There is a decent story here, but it is mostly buried beneath all that drug-filled conversation and ruminating that adds nothing to the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IT1QE9WND7I3?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No redemptive value..well written...premise in over 700 pages is that life just keeps going downhill and you can t escape</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16K5AUDMUCEOT?ASIN=0316055441	Hated this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">OMG I can't believe how terrible this book was.  Forced myself to finish it to see what happened.  Long, rambling, could have torn this book in half to shorten the read and it would have been so much better.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R36I1Y6WG5AR?ASIN=0316055441	Beautifully written!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While reading this book, moments occurred in which I had to stop and re-read a sentence or passage in appreciation.  It's that good.  I marvel at Donna Tartt's ability to be such an elegant writer.  The characters and story lines are compelling, and the themes provide opportunities for reflection and good discussions.  The Goldfinch is a painful book in many ways but rich throughout and well worth reading.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LFKSB3I7K1TI?ASIN=0316055441	STORY ABOUT @ YOUNG BOYS WHO ARE WITHOUT GOOD FATHERS AND HAVE NO MOTHERS AND ARE ALCHOLICS,DRUGGIES AND THEIVES	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrible stupid story and too  many adjectives, comparisons, etc. How in the world did this book get on the best seller list? Shame on them.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV9K43TDZOE0V?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I have read all year.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read all the time, and not only great junk crime novels. I have been recommending this to anyone who will give me a minute to bend their ear about it.  I think it is a lasting novel.  I re-read ""Anna Karenina"" just before reading ""The Goldfinch"", and said to my friend, ""Is it possible that ""The Goldfinch"" will be read as long as ""Anna""?  We both agreed that it was possible.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JLDXNBX82D2A?ASIN=0316055441	The Best Book I've Ever Read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm a fiction addict, reading four to five books each week. I didn't offer a review the first time I read The Goldfinch but I will say upon my second read that you will think about this story, it's characters and life in general differently and long after you've read the last page.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMXVPH41FOQHY?ASIN=0316055441	A Great Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I know another reviewer mentioned the Dickens theme, and half way through this novel, I felt like I was reading a modern day Great Expectations or David Copperfield. Yes, this was a long book, but so worth it. The character development, especially Theo and Boris were one of the best. This was what a novel should be about, it had a little of everything and managed to grab the reader, really drawing you into the story.<br/>I wasn't sure if this was something I wanted to read, I'm so glad I did. I can't wait to read more of Donna Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RVELKPRZERLPE?ASIN=0316055441	completely engrossing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Having just finished reading this I am tempted to start it again immediately! This heart wrenching and captivating tale unfolds beautifully, ever revealing more depth and nuance to the  main character and his precarious existence.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EXVBEJ8IXPFN?ASIN=0316055441	great story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a long and rambling story, but I really enjoyed it. I think it's because it had some really good characters. It's one of those stories where it takes you forever to read the thing, and then at the end you want it to just keep going, because the characters are so likeable! I would highly recommend this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IR8M47DB85ID?ASIN=0316055441	Entanglements and Antiques	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt doesn't disappoint this time around.  She and/or her researchers must have spent months and months scouring antique stores and getting specific interviews with the owners and finishers.<br/>Complicated but exceptionally interesting characters and their unusual predicaments.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LWBE9X57HEVI?ASIN=0316055441	A modern day epic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so glad he didn't commit suicide and that he went on to make restitution. I was so taken into  the story.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H2ZMSAY3I8T4?ASIN=0316055441	good book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">well written and a lot of suspense and surprises. very well recommended. It makes one  want to read more and more</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GTMW4P9G13WL?ASIN=0316055441	Superb	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great depth.  Amazing book.  Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen next the author took me on a wild ride</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO3IIHUJBL2W6?ASIN=0316055441	Surprising	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not put this book down. Excellent !!! I would read anything by this author. It was a very touching and surprising story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16X79WPIBB4W?ASIN=0316055441	did not finish the book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not finish the book..I need a book.that ''pulls "" me in to the story. Something I really love; Best book so far  Steve Jobs.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AKQ6JMFBN8IP?ASIN=0316055441	Could not put it down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Gripping story. The author had me from start to finish. I felt like it was in every location pulling for the character</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CSNNTP4ML9KW?ASIN=0316055441	You need to read this	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an excellent author who really keeps you in a an unpredictable plot. Would love to read more by her now.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3045Q8I4460T3?ASIN=0316055441	NOT worth the time!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Bored out of my mind!!  Her writing ability is gifted, but the plot is too tedious and boring. Dont waste</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4LGMAGQ202Z0?ASIN=0316055441	Just a bad story, it could have been good	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not for me... Too depressing and too much drug use, would not recommend. I liked the idea of a kid getting attached to a painting but the rest of the story didn't work for me.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MK5POVCCAJ0P?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch grows old	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Descriptions wereso long and repetitious and there were so many sub plots, I couldn't wait to finish book and get on with something else</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZ0B1UD6XN601?ASIN=0316055441	Slow	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow well written I am committed to finishing the book.  I hope it picks up. I have recommended it to my book club they gave on it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21R5PHA0KNS92?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Endless. Such anticipation, and yet I was disappointed. Drug use became tiresome. Didn't think it would ever end. Then when it did I was left flat.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2R7G1ENRISGRM?ASIN=0316055441	book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was glad to get this book. I don't really have a review as I haven't read it yet, thanks</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM7RE8ZS9QQ8?ASIN=0316055441	So wordy you lose interest!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The first part of the book had me hooked but once Theo moved it was nothing but downhill from there.  The author was SO wordy that I found myself skimming pages just to get to the end.  My personal opinion is that 250-300 pages could have been eliminated as the wordiness did not contribute to the book at all.  It made it boring and painful to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RN5NMM6FZD37T?ASIN=0316055441	too much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just a sad,disjointed, drug and alcohol fueled tale. I did not enjoy the book, although there were a few redeeming pages. I would never recommend it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YA9KDZP80ODL?ASIN=0316055441	Not enjoyable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I kept finding myself looking to see how many more pages. The novel was sad, painful and filled with unhappiness.  It was long winded and by the final section I was just happy to be near the end.  I cannot recommend it. Anne</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E2DYD92YVJVC?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just could not get into it.I read a few chapters and couldn't  finish it.I do not have five more words.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR8WENLSXW5K8?ASIN=0316055441	over rated	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good begining story line and writing. middle not so good and by the end was really disapointed. over advertized. as bad as wolf on wall street.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE473OWL2KWVY?ASIN=0316055441	A great disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First, I must admit that I did not finish the book.  I found it heavy, morose, and disjointed.  Like a descent through Dante's seven circles of Hell.  I gave up around level four.  The hype over the book was the reason I started reading it, plus I found the painting of The Goldfinch an intriguing metaphor for the trapped character of Theo.  After the tragic death of his mother, Theo suffers and suffers and suffers at the hands of the adults who take over his life.  It is a death spiral of a story and I gave up once Theo and his ""best"" friend, Boris, another lost soul, end up drunk and beaten bloody at the hands of Boris' psycho father.  Somewhere there must be a denouement.  A point to all this foulness.  Yes, the painting is hidden and kept by Theo.  maybe that means something to someone, but there are too many books I would rather read than this sad, long, endless saga of misery.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YS2DKG80QD4H?ASIN=0316055441	too lon	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got this book because it had really good reviews.I didn't think the length would be a problem because I read all Phillipa Gregory's books.<br/>This book didn't have a plot line worth the effort of reading the book..</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QD5C4OBV7F42?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The was an exceptional book and probably the best fiction I ever read. The discriptions made me feel what Theo felt. The book was an extraordinary book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM0O13SSN762Y?ASIN=0316055441	Life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">You just need to read this!  It is so much about so much.  I'm glad I read it. Thank you Donna Tartt.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24XS7FU67ACU5?ASIN=0316055441	Great read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My favorite book of 2013. She has a great command of the English language and does an excellent job of character development. It has motivated me to read her earlier books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R248EOWYHOZALO?ASIN=0316055441	The goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like this book and would not recommend it to anyone at this time<br/>It was too crazy</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H3FAV7C8VSH3?ASIN=0316055441	boring and too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book could have been shortened by 300 pages.  Too much unneeded junk  and conversation in this story.  Don't read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SMH9YCS0NOUU?ASIN=0316055441	A wonderful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">couldn't put this book down.  The characters are wonderful and some of the action had me holding my breath, so afraid of what would happen.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TAL2PU2QONZ2?ASIN=0316055441	Wordy!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Had a hard time reading some of this .Too ""Wordy""..  once I got through a few chapters it was not so long winded, But mainly I just kept  reading and passing over the long long paraphrasing  just to see how it ends.  Did not love this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XUQGFZLP6NVB?ASIN=0316055441	A Modern Masterpiece	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't want it to end! 700+ pages and I binged on it over a few days. Definitely a must read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H2SYRUZE27T1?ASIN=0316055441	disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I think this book was somewhat depressing. I was in a bad mood while reading. It ended better, but I was tired of the negative aspects and the poor choices made throughout the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VRLQHYK12MB3?ASIN=0316055441	Popular book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had to keep reading to find out what happened to the main character and his painting. This is a popular book but I disliked most of the characters and found the ending a total manipulation. The information about the painting was interesting.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2BHIH3JXX1QLF?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have only just started reading The Goldfinch. So far, I am firmly engrossed, but that's all I can say for now.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FVH9G9TQYD9B?ASIN=0316055441	I wanted to love this book, yet	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved parts of this book, the beginning had me mesmerized, the scenes with Hobie, such a wonderful character, were top notch, the resolution of Theo and the painting, not so much. I thought the book would never end. Page upon page of ruminations about Theo's life, sheesh, it could have been wrapped up in a few pages. The story had such promise but ultimately let me down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14B1D8Z5TFFMG?ASIN=0316055441	Just a good book. Well written and certainly holds ones interest.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Have not read anything previously written by Donna Tart. Will look forward to another literary work. This became rather philophical at the end.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R114ZYR0YEOLHA?ASIN=0316055441	Note	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not enjoy this book. Was to long , could of been 400 pages shorter. Would not recommend to friends.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2A4BXCUPUYRFQ?ASIN=0316055441	Thoughts on the goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is extremely well written<br/><br/> The subject matter was previously unknown to me.<br/> I will read the other book written by her.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMRGL7K6XGF5B?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of money!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Toughest read I have ever had to get through. Too much boring description and all of the parts about the drugs were way over done. Couldn't understand half of Boris's comments. I would not recommend this book to anyone.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6HBGQU6JGIAA?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought that the Goldfinch was really interesting and well written with all kinds of twists and turns. It also told me about a painting that I knew nothing about</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OFHP7CCEBBGG?ASIN=0316055441	Many Disappointments	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story progresses but the characters except Boris never develop . Theo is always sad and a victim who survived .Very predictable. The book is written to be a movie which will be fun</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCG3LUAWRC5RT?ASIN=0316055441	Great in places - mediocre in others	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While there were parts that I raced through, the author seemed to get ""stuck"" in other places, and the story dragged a bit. It is a good story, but the ending disappoints.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROHEQR980ZISV?ASIN=0316055441	Novel trips on drug scenes	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book described in excrutiating detail drunken scenes and scenes of drug abuse. Boring. I had read that in previous books she left out explicit sex scenes because they are not needed for a great book. Wish she had kept that rule regarding these debasing elements.  They seep into and stain the rest of the book like leaky rotten apples.  Remark denigrating home schooled kids strikes false, spiteful note as if the Las Vegas hell school is a better learning environment.  The light of any wisdom on any other page is dimmed by petty attempts at propaganda by novelists who prostitute their words so.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J6862QIUG2B1?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had to be the most depressing book I've read in a long long time. Plus it was just too long of a book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11HEATL51TVXR?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed in the Highly Acclaimed Novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is epic in proportion and beautifully written.  Very descriptive.  I was enthralled from the beginning with this young boy but as he grew became disturbed with his relationships as a teen and young adult.  I found it to be a very disturbing book.  A book I could only read for short periods to get thru it as it upset me.  I did fall in love with the young man's mentor, Hobie.  He was delightful.  Sorry but I could not rate this book with 5 stars because of it's story line and outcome.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCL91GT5ITFXI?ASIN=0316055441	Logorrhea strikes deep...into your heart it will creep	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I wanted badly to keep going in this book.  Ms. Tartt is a very fine writer.  But she doesn't know when to stop gushing words and move on with her story.  I realize the old-fashioned editor -- grumpy, hard-boiled and unafraid to confront an artist's ego with good advice -- is a thing of the past.  But when one reads the three pages of acknowledgements that follow all too immediately the last words of a modern novel, it's hard to believe SOMEONE hasn't said, ""You need to do some cutting, my dear.""</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N6OADCCHLFJC?ASIN=0316055441	Wanted to like it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the idea of this book and I truly enjoy reading epic type books. But, I kinda hated this book. The second part just made me really dislike the main character. I never rooted for him, which makes for a long read. I ended up skipping a few hundred pages and read the end which was unsatisfying... glad I didn't bother reading it in its entirety.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22RF1H1PK43ZB?ASIN=0316055441	Compelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Compelling, human, best book of the year,  have recommended to all literary friends, Characters well defined.<br/>A must read for art lovers.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VCT4IDZ1TUR4?ASIN=0316055441	Well-deserved positive reviews	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the most riveting stories I've read in a long time.  So many themes tackled, never losing the reader's interest: coming of age in a modern addictive society; unbelievable chain of unhappy events (life happens); unrequited and inappropriate love; poor parenting(nature vs. nurture).  And more.<br/><br/>I find it interesting the stories are told from the viewpoint of a young teenage male by a female author; yet, she nailed it.<br/><br/>You won't be disappointed if you buy or download this novel. Great novel for a book club discussion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AXLR5SVOZR7P?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch.  A lot to do about nothing  should of could of said it all in 50 pages  so sad too bad</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSXVH9IG4L91K?ASIN=0316055441	A masterwork	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am writing this through tears. I put off the last ten pages because I didn't want the book to end. Truly a sublime experience and one that entirely lives up to its hype. I sort of dread the movie when it's made, because it will never come close to this incredible imaginative journey. Read it, share it, and re-read it. I'm actually going to dust off The Secret History - the book I've probably given away more than any other - before I come back to this, but I will definitely be back.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XFKQJNE45I7Z?ASIN=0316055441	Very dissapointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was truly the most depressing book I've ever read.  I struggled through but finally gave up with about 100 plus pages to go.  Very disappointing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RACT37BJQVFZY?ASIN=0316055441	A satisfying read full of rich characters and an exciting plot.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was very well written with a seemingly light touch enabling one to move gracefully and thoughtfully through its many pages. The story was a fascinating mystery full of rich, well fleshed out characters each very distinct from the others.  I felt the plot was handled very well generating a wealth of different emotions from the reader and was brought to both an exciting and interesting conclusion.<br/>Without revealing too much I discussed the book with my 16 year old grandson and he can't wait to read it.  This is the sort of book from which he can learn of real life experiences, how they came about and how the characters handled them.  I look forward to reviewing it with him.<br/>A really great read with value far beyond just its considerable entertainment value.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29DE69ELRZ1XF?ASIN=0316055441	Unexpected and rewarding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing, especially in the beginning, is as beguiling as Nabakov. After a time, I began to glide over the long passages in pursuit of the curious plot. The strange twists that follow a profound loss have a certain insightful logic, improbable as they may be.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LQLLKYI7F0DU?ASIN=0316055441	Too much work	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this book was over rated. It did have some interesting components and even a few nice insights. But overall it was way darker than it needed to be to make the point. It was way too depressing to wade through the repetitive trials and tribulations before a very weak resolution.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QD5H2DBGE7XH?ASIN=0316055441	Beautiful writing, wonderful storytelling!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it and even dreamed about it. There were parts that I despaired over, the time in Las Vegas I found a very sad commentary on our society. But overall I was so enchanted and caught up in the story that I re-read the last two chapters the next day. I loved the beautiful descriptions and the deep insight into the human condition. I looked up the Goldfinch painting and cried for that little bird.  I will at some point buy a small art print to frame and hang in a special spot. I looked up several other paintings and artists referenced in book.  This is a book I will read again and again.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18HISYALXYZ2C?ASIN=0316055441	Rambling drug induced  slog	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had to force myself to finish this book. I can not imagine what about this book appealed to anyone. Theo existed in a suicidal drugged out funk.I'm sorry I wasted my time on it. And I do mean TIME it was blah blah,blah on and on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FODZHSA2AN3E?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent Book!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved this book.  It is  well written and although it is long, it is well worth the time to read it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RX79VDYWF1DQ6?ASIN=0316055441	great in spots, tedious in others	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the start of the book (altho I thought the post-blast scene in the museum went on too long), and although I am a reader who values writing an wordsmith-ing over plot, I felt the book bogged down and became tedious in 3 places: Las Vegas, Amsterdam in the hotel room, and the very end of the book. Those sections were a slog. Loved Hobie &amp; Boris as characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2H0FS3V49JM4Y?ASIN=0316055441	Don't bother reading this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished reading The Goldfinch. The beginning is excellent, but the novel goes downhill from there. The plot is good, but the book could have been condensed to 350-400 pages.I regret the many hours I spent reading it. Donna Tartt's characters are essentially stereotypes and  the dialogue (which is most of the book) is surprisingly bad. What 10 year old says, ""We're having dinner with the Van Nesses' on Fifth""? or drug addicted twenty-three year old says ""Good God!!""? Boris' English is embarrassingly inconsistent. Ms. Tartt's lack of research irritated me as well. She writes of stores that closed years ago, among other things, and her understanding of the antiques market is embarrassingly uninformed. The one thing I am glad about is that Ms. Tartt has called attention to a beautiful painting. If you ever have a chance to see it, do! But, with all the incredible novels out there, this one is not worth it. Far, far better to read Ann Patchett.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39Q4SVYIZX0EY?ASIN=0316055441	sad lessons to have to learn thur a waisting of life	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was so tried of the drugs and waisted lifes of the men and young women/<br/>the art world was what I was interested in.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AQTUNU3RREH5?ASIN=0316055441	Great story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love this book!  Love Donna Tartt! I need to write fourteen more words, but I believe I said it all.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R285MM2S2RG9U9?ASIN=0316055441	A real page turner!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not put it down. A real page turner. Love the way Tartt writes and weaves her story. A must read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LFNRH7KEN9DP?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was disappointed in the end.  I think it could have been a great book if it had been edited more tightly.  This happens to may authors whose first books are much applauded.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12S95FAXST13V?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Nice book. BUT, I can't say it was not my favorite. I think the author wrote TOO much detail which was unnecessary. It dragged on. The book could have been much shorter if not for the abundance of writing. I don't usually skim through pages, in this case I had to.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NQMI3HVLNCR?ASIN=0316055441	A new Dickens has arrived!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is like some new delightful contemporary Dickens to me. Her writing is clear and golden and so very gorgeous that towards the end of the novel I felt like the happiest reader in the world, having finally found what I was looking for for so long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWNCAPS409M9R?ASIN=0316055441	Read it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is the best book I have had the pleasure of reading.  It grabbed me the instant I started reading and fell into an amazing and beautiful journey.  The descriptions and characters became so real and fascinating.  The constant suspense is terrific!  Wow!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RR87BEN8WMIOW?ASIN=0316055441	Great book!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Tartt continues to write (as in The Secret History) with a teenage male as narrator.  It works well for her.  She succeeds in getting her locations right on target.  Manhattan and Vegas are right on.  Theo is a believable character and you really care about what happens to him as he goes from one place to another. There are so many poor novels out there today that it's a pleasure to read something substantive and well written.  I'm only half way through but I look forward to my daily session with this book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VOD6E1DAYC7N?ASIN=0316055441	I hated this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I hated this book, slogged through it just to prove I could finish anything. Boring and dull.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C534BCKQE0U1?ASIN=0316055441	a real disappointment.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this was a beat up library book, the cover ruined, the spine broken, a real disappointment.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UOJ1CEY2CHS6?ASIN=0316055441	Long and boring!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I took this book on vacation with me and left it behind after reading it. Long and boring!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JYEWLHZI1Z9N?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of my best reads ever. A brilliantly written story. It capture, and held my interest.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I5K8B9VDMMGB?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing story about a child/man with no faith that could not stop destroying himself.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCLKEQ2ABFAI?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">the author had to be a very religious  person--rambled too much--story got very boring</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M2LQI9TH9HRT?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book is long and has much detail. It is interesting but I wished for fewer words.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDJD6PTPG64XG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very interesting and also intriguing to follow the paths and how they all ended up.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R18A9998UQAUDU?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I've recommended this book to everyone I know who reads. Awesome.  One of the best.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MEKWIB1S639Q?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like it. It went on and on too much about being ""high "" on drugs.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO2D5TKMIGQ6X?ASIN=0316055441	but like it so far	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am not finished with it, but like it so far. It is a long book- over 700 pages.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N0GJOHPEL2S3?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautfully written but in my opinion it is overly long. An absorbing read though.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9SMAPQSPBAP2?ASIN=0316055441	Can't believe this is on the best seller list	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Don't waste your time reading this book.  There are millions of books out there that would be better than this.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTFD8C49PEK6U?ASIN=0316055441	Well written but unnecessarily long.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written. A good book but it was unecessarily long. It wore me out at times.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RL7PA8FNZ482J?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't wait to put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How did the editor let this one go through...500 middle pages of blah blah blah.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RXHDK3P9LZX7F?ASIN=0316055441	Pretty unreal.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long.  Details not always necessary.  Unlikeable characters.  Pretty unreal.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMSVT4HNPH7HW?ASIN=0316055441	I can't say I liked anything about it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was about 350 pages too long.  I can't say I liked anything about it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IWKNW6WC2NCV?ASIN=0316055441	Why write three words when you can write 500 just ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Why write three words when you can write 500 just a bit long but worth reading</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2293MUHR9UNGL?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found it hard to read-- kept having to back and re read to get the story line!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RAIMKUN91KDG9?ASIN=0316055441	This book was very good. I found it very dark but still enjoyed ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was very good.  I found it very dark but still enjoyed it very much.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF33AIPDACKJT?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Story could have been told in half the number of pages. it was too drawn out.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14E1M515XHV0X?ASIN=0316055441	Simply Brilliant	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt is an artist, plain and simple. Her writing is some of the best out there and if you've been waiting for her next book, you will not be disappointed. Goldfinch is brilliantly descriptive, deeply emotive and, despite its somewhat grim subject matter, a pleasure to read.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10NL0FD052VW7?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not as good as what I expected..could have been completed in 200 fewer pages</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNHERS2AD37NP?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">How many pages does it take to talk about drugging? A very downer of a book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22BKFECQUH4FK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked it - a lot of four letter words though which I don't find necessary.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T38Q3ZSU364H?ASIN=0316055441	Parts of this book are boring and it drags on	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too repetitive and too wordy. Parts of this book are boring and it drags on.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26XO8MGBWKIXB?ASIN=0316055441	LONG book but good -	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wordy but good characters and interesting - lots going on, that's for sure -</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13TFY0ZK9EMY2?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a hard time putting this book down.  Didn't want it to end.  Loved it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RB0PJWTVRJNQ?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a journey Theo had...could not put the book down!!!  Excellent read!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R394V1X986H3VL?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't wait until this book was over.  It was much too long and wordy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OPAHFSYE18U0?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved her gift with the English language, great insight, humor, and being.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V4DAGIOEWSRQ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well-written.  Complex, memorable characters in interesting settings</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QT2R74HDNFJE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">excellent...I missed being able to read this book when I had finished it!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FOH4E2BO49DA?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy for my taste.  I just wanted to get to the end and it drug on.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1703XSOV9VT77?ASIN=0316055441	author must have been paid by the word	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it sucked.  needlessly long. while speaking in what was supposed to be a teenage boy's voice, it sounded like a 60 year old woman.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C7GBNU8UCYIV?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't Finish	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book just goes on an on with meaningless jibber about a painting a kid stole almost inadvertently. He turned into a druggie and an alcoholic as a teenager. I couldn't take anymore of reading this boring book and finally gave up on it about 3/4 of the way through.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2954MAJJQ3S6K?ASIN=0316055441	Don't bother with this	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt: almost 800 pages about a totally self-absorbed, lost young man who continually confuses coincidence with pattern in his life. Much of it is written through a supposed drug fog. Don't bother.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6G7ZNBT3WTGD?ASIN=0316055441	Don't waste your money!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Know it is a best seller, but I didn't care for the book....too much repeating of info, etc.  I just found the downfall of a once nice kid depressing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TR2HIBW332Z1?ASIN=0316055441	Must read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A+</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RF6Y6EWGQXGLU?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">OK</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24910W4EUGIRC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ok</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OTMKO9JYQPIA?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">ok</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1B1NG4W5ITLK3?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ok</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHVUHHJ1NT28V?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">:)</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z8NMBDMYUR3D?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">ok</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38LSLIQQQWLYJ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">ok</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EXSQ6MIQ7D7H?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ok</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROG367IKAPVAJ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">ok</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4OKB9WFCFG0N?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">👱</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1M9NOKGGVMPYO?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ok</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20EEMFO12UTS1?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the best books i have read in a long time.  I loved it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TYCTY0FPAFVA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best novels ever read.  Understandably, it won the Pulitzer</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TB9QNJB1DK3V?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too boring! Too many words that didn't make sense and went on forever.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RW0V3V7MOK3B?ASIN=0316055441	pretentious, long-winded, badly written, supposedly about importance of art	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">pretentious, endless, long-winded conversations,  about the importance of art.in this miserable life.  . And I personally am very interested in art - read most of the first chapter, dipped in  to the rest then  back to the library. Why say something in 10 words when you can use 200.  No wonder it's 771 pages long. lAnd badly written.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RNRNMXKO90F5?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WAY TOO LONG, COULD HAVE BEEN HALF THE PAGES AND TOLD THE SAME STORY!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OHX54EHJQQ5L?ASIN=0316055441	A Pulitzer??	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good grief!  This overly long, grim story won a Pulitzer?  Go figure.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RW8ZLLFF91J4A?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book. Wonderful writing. Very descriptive. A bit too long.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3SWRD11V0FGFQ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book cover was very marked up but the inside pages were clean.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RD4XL3UE25DV3?ASIN=0316055441	This book was awful. If possible to give negative ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was awful.  If possible to give negative stars I would.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R4G2SCLD11CHN?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is not well made. The pages became loose and fell out.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25996ADE9ON4E?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I really loved this book. I FOUND IT VERY DIFFICULT TO PUT DOWN.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO6JFVFDOA4LI?ASIN=0316055441	Best Book I Have Read In Quite Awhile	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well I chose it because it was one of the best books of the year. I really enjoyed it all the way through. Just when you think you know what's going to happen.....you don't know Jack .......Frost. Ha ha ha very very good book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R37CE04SGJ1SZS?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I can't seem to finish it. I'll go back to it one day, I guess.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R196VAFZITSOQY?ASIN=0316055441	terrible book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">No stars...terrible book...can't believe its a Pulitzer wioner</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QNIPMRQGOMNG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The authors ability to pull you into this novel is masterful.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OBSDXW6W4689?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">haven't finished it yet---but it's a must read---------------</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R8DLKN94AU14U?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much amateur philosophy getting in the way of a good yrn.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21C0DMXZOED0N?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Pretty dark story.  No happy ending.  I like happy endings..</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1RAEYIXKYNAXA?ASIN=0316055441	the Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Bought for my wife. She seems to be enjoying the book a lot.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AUCHMHLAMC5X?ASIN=0316055441	Very entertaining read. Well written, couldn't put it ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very entertaining read.  Well written, couldn't put it down.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNGHLZHTPLE53?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exquisite... deeply complicated and evocative.  A must read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NUR2E3GH88B4?ASIN=0316055441	Exhausting but I loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is in my category of best books I've read. It is captivating from the beginning to the probably overdone ending. I couldn't put it down and yet I didn't want it to end. Somewhat exhausting but worth the trip.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FCDV08LJ8IEG?ASIN=0316055441	If Pulitzer was a stock, I'd short it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Pulitzer judges said this isn't just good fiction, but the best of the year. I can't say because I deleted The Goldfinch at 8% on my Kindle. Life's too short.<br/><br/>This book screams for a ruthless editor. Pages of bloated exposition, adverbs in every paragraph, all caps to telegraph emphasis in dialogue. The story is told in first person - a choice that produces endless ""telling"" by the whiny teenage protagonist - yet the author inserts parenthetical thoughts by the hundreds. Why? Stop talking to the reader and the get on with the story!<br/><br/>In fairness, before deleting the book, I found the passage in which Theo's mother describes the artworks fascinating. Perhaps the author should have blown up the son.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EST122R3RLX4?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I never received my order of this book, so cannot comment</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MA5WZ4FX2HCN?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just too, too, too much descriptions setting up each sene</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NKV8OBLY0LTQ?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing, dark characters.  A difficult, sluggish read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JBWNPGT7SJW1?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting characters but much too long and drawn out...</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3E1MHZR0BL57M?ASIN=0316055441	Started well, ended badly	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I loved the beginning which is why I wanted to read the book in the first place, but everything changed drastically once the story moved from New York.  Too many drugs and addictions, sorry Donna Tartt.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MASOS46L43U2?ASIN=0316055441	Not up to expectations	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was highly hailed and really overrated.  Yes, it is a rather interesting story, but, overall, pretty much like watching paint dry.  The characters are very cookie-cutter and the prose arid when not overblown.  My expectations were way too high.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WCE27EMZ8PAJ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book is in good shape. The dust cover is a little faded.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYSDISMH2O6P4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the most beautifully written books of the decade.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z66CNNOARIJJ?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found this book very boring--won't bother finishing it</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBOY9G7HNHOAF?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very good read--well written and keeps you enthralled.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FRSLCGM00G7X?ASIN=0316055441	Extraordinary	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is an extraordinary book. It deserved the Pulitzer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2F5K9FGJSNDKF?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent writing skills	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very discriptive. Intriguing. Excellent writing skills.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EQWVXD5TT906?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Intriguing plot attractive characters cinematic writing</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJZ132ANZ45EB?ASIN=0316055441	The ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It got a little preachy and wordy in the end.  Vague on his relationship with Kitsy and Boris.  Otherwise, I thought the book was a good story and kept me interested in Theo's complicated life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J0F6UBE83NPK?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am almost finished this novel and can't put it down.  The Hardcover is hard to hold up...would go for paperback which is so much lighter... a great read...erudite, well written and gripping.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33H5QMQG0SIGA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic. One if the best books I have read recently.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1444MOTRHLU4C?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this was such a wonderful read...didn't want it to end</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R69919RR1FFA2?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I liked it a lot at first but then it wasn't so great,</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R44W1QAG1TK1Z?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappointing. Don't know what all the hype was about.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R216O58X4FVPB?ASIN=0316055441	Meh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't get through this one. I just couldn't do it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21LQS1FAVUKYL?ASIN=0316055441	... take a bit to receive but the book is good.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Seemed to take a bit to receive but the book is good.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QVHJHSKT05IJ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story that stays with you for a while long read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R216XU3AZQ6Q52?ASIN=0316055441	Trash: violence, betrayal, drugs, sociopathy.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cannot understand what anyone sees in this book. I read it halfway through and when I saw that even as an adult the ""hero"" was just as nasty as ever, reconnected with the Russian hooligan and even betrayed Hobie, the man who had taken him in and treated him so kindly, I started skimming. Never figured out the end. Is this supposed to show what American youth are like today? Heaven forbid! And I thought I was going to be reading an interesting art mystery featuring a painting I love.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CW6E50XBS2PB?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My wife loved the book.  It didn't do a lot for me.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R27V7QVKUQDN8P?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good writer - hated subject matter - too depressing</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ1GJI9NYOQZT?ASIN=0316055441	Well written!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Still reading but written really well, captivating!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MOERXGHRXTS2?ASIN=0316055441	Too strange; don't buy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Weird, loser novel. Don't waste your money or time.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R40BAYC9IWHZC?ASIN=0316055441	Best book I've read in ages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Couldn't put it down. Best book I've read in ages!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MIY57YTKQ4UI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not want this story to end it was wonderful</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GV3M2NNSTCGZ?ASIN=0316055441	Ok read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long.....story got off in too many directions</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IZ82KAJ5D2KP?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent development of characters but too long.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIL57PXXQHBOS?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting characters -  too much blah blah blah</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KXVVLCR71ZV7?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was longer than necessary... Too many words...</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R39UKY1GK4GFEM?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didnot find anything admirable about this book!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FBR44C5WOB6C?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautifully written. Compelling story. Loved it!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YPB9UYHNVNVE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is so well written! Highly suggest it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YWV9P8CCZOET?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a little long but I did enjoy the story.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH4JL8FXBIK3W?ASIN=0316055441	Not for me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very wordy. I just couldn't get into it at all.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MGYEF857KERZ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A must read - what summer fiction is all about.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16C0NTJW2X32K?ASIN=0316055441	Logorrhea!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just found a word that says it all re Donna Tartt's Goldfinch: LOGORRHEA,  LOGORRHEA,  LOGORRHEA,LOGORRHEA, LOGORRHEA, LOGORRHEA, LOGORRHEA, LOGORRHEA, LOGORRHEA.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TBF2FCA957IA?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have read 82% of teh book. Too earlty to say</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34QSQ1IDWOSAD?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">-haven't finished it yet, saving for next trip</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R29UDODMIEK4OY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was an excellent, thought provoking book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OPO1Q5W5JKMT?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Written in a childish manner and WAY TOO LONG.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YYMP9KPHQBZU?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I enjoyed the book and the author's writing.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TTYQODRDVUHT?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Action in this novel reads like slow-motion.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPN41NZY960B1?ASIN=0316055441	Shipping Source Excellent	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book arrived in great shape and on time.  The novel itself is sort of dark and should not be read if you are in a depressed stated.  It is, however, well written and very intriging.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19SRZCJFG8YCY?ASIN=0316055441	Great reading. Hard to put this book down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great reading.  Hard to put this book down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ATIDUDS4EQQ4?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent book! Loved every minute of it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R6AFPMI02RC3?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great, but, could have used some editing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI10SWYSSFWU2?ASIN=0316055441	A box of razor blades	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A delight for nihilist and those with no redeeming hope for humanity. An utterly self absorbed waste of time. Hobbes would have been proud.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RHPZGN2NZUXF?ASIN=0316055441	I loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In fact, it was so good that anything I've tried to read since The Goldfinch has been disappointing. This is a masterful piece of fiction.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MOUXMH2N5073?ASIN=0316055441	a	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Super well-done book. It has over 800 pages and somehow that is not enough! Very interesting looks into NYC, the art world, and Las vegas!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26VMAPX4T2FRV?ASIN=0316055441	NOTE: I have NOT read it yet.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">NOTE:  I have NOT read it yet.  CSHarris</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AQNWA7P94K8F?ASIN=0316055441	she loved it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Got for Mom on Christmas...she loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DX0T4GR9CRM7?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Depressing book. Hard to read to finish.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCBW8SVK17EMC?ASIN=0316055441	engrossing novel, for the serious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">long but always satisfying novel, worth all the time it requires. the characters repay your absorption in them. the plot keeps you going.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LSQA4A4GJNS?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Highly disappointed and way tooooo long</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HVOAXQ6F9MD4?ASIN=0316055441	beautifully told.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An interesting story, beautifully told.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU8HPVSEYPPKI?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did notike drug use a nd lack of morals</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PRUHROB909QS?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have ever read!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26IWKOIUIRNT3?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is 1 of 10 books I've never finished</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IIBVXV4O6XE5?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous writing. Hard to put it down.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous writing.  Hard to put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GX6MCE1D5GH?ASIN=0316055441	Donna Tartt is an American literary treasure.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Another masterpiece from Donna Tartt.  She paints with a fine brush and she never disappoints.<br/>This book was  worth waiting for.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AI66WJ2G1G5H?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written tale and very believable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROGDGLOW86I02?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">GREAT WRITING, MEDIOCRE STORY TELLING</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MHBO3QSS3NQY?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Truly amazing. Could not set it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38ET2L0SW4S1G?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful novel, hated to see it end.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM15K3IA1GIJ9?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I've ever read.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EYVGL6YGKZED?ASIN=0316055441	Too long winded. Too many diversions.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long winded.Too many diversions.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R200CUB4VPDR6R?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written. Could not put it down.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16DHV8VD28GLD?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good read but a bit tedious at times</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R381KK83T0AL8X?ASIN=0316055441	Loved it. Lots of twists and turns	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it.  Lots of twists and turns.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TKRHTDTOHDSD?ASIN=0316055441	Gooid reading.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't read it yet, it's circulating .  My younger daughter has read it and from what she said I came to this rating.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VRC7O4L9T1Q9?ASIN=0316055441	Fabulous book! Long, but worth it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fabulous book!  Long, but worth it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RZEH6304VBKYC?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">a</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VUYO4E4S9KQQ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20BF3BMR2CZT7?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23Z8IPF1EI6XK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RYL9M3A22WPKR?ASIN=0316055441	Not so much	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So yeah, okay, I get it. But best of the year? Nah. Woodrell's ""The Maid's Version"" is the best of the year.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC0MVYWW72LM4?ASIN=0316055441	Too long!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Dislike the book and way too long.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O0SQZ6RMFC2F?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">compelling.  could not put it down</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11YNWUJH9MJE?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic .very moving !!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love love the book I could not put it down .  I recommend this book to everyone that likes life long experiences .</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LURKAQOM9PL0?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A waste of paper.  A poor and incomplete story.  Foolish and frivolous sexual content.  Pointless in my opinion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25CD2Z10ZQC3V?ASIN=0316055441	OK, but not great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A bit to slow moving for my part.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11TRNHPN1UPNI?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was decent but needs editing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D8S5LNSCN5FH?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much description, repetious.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2IL6MOBDVZI04?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is over rated good but</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HKQGNUW51734?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent! Couldn't put it down!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R31717PWY9VGOF?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book made me tired to read.  Could only read a few pages at a time.  How can such a book with so much about drugs and drinking be on the best seller list.  I like to read good books and this one was terrible.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2O753D1WL024M?ASIN=0316055441	A MASTERPIECE!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book has a sense of immortality about it; think Shakespeare and Dickens. An explosion, a brief and emotional encounter with a dying man, a stolen work of art, and the loss of his mother sets the course of Theo Decker's life. A work of art in its own right, The Goldfinch is a colorful, often painful, journey of fear, uncertainty, guilt and healing undertaken with the main character.<br/><br/>It mainly being about art, antiques, and one picture in particular, this book reads like a work of art, or perhaps even a whole gallery filled with paintings. It doesn't, however, end with the visual descriptions, but goes on to include sound and smell—a reading experience involving almost all the senses. The author takes the time to vividly describe New York City, Las Vegas, and Amsterdam, as well as the characters in such detail that I was completely transported into their world.<br/><br/>The brilliantly crafted, extremely realistic characters will stay with me for a very long time. No superheroes or princess-like heroines in this book, but rather a cast of real and often thoroughly flawed humans, swept up in circumstances beyond their control. Theo, however, makes a few very bad choices in cases where he might have had the opportunity to improve his life.<br/><br/>Boris, Theo's Las Vegas friend, had me very much in two minds. On the one hand I hated him for getting Theo into drug addiction, theft and other nasty scrapes, but on the other hand I felt that he was, more than often, responsible for forcing Theo to move in a different direction. Said direction wasn't always necessarily the right one but at least it got Theo from one place in his life to the next.<br/><br/>Hobie, another key influence in Theo's life, as well as Pippa, are the only two characters, except for Theo's mother in the beginning, who truly bring out the good in Theo. Theo's romantic life is a confused mess but fortunately the romantic part of this book plays out in a logical, satisfactory way. Whether it is what you, the reader, would want, will very much depend on the taste of the individual reader.<br/><br/>Although there are several scenes of action; car chases, shoot-outs, and blackmail in The Goldfinch which will definitely get your adrenaline going though this is not a tale filled with hype and nonstop action. Rather, this is a sensitive, often heartbreaking tale of Theo's journey from a thirteen-year-old boy through difficult teen years to the man he is to become. A man who must make reparation for previous mistakes and come to terms with that which he cannot change.<br/><br/>The author truly gives the reader a look into the mind of her main character. I particularly thought that the description of his inner battles with addiction, suicide tendencies, and the ""what if"" moments we all have, were wonderfully written. The references to art, literature, and the similarities between characters in this book and certain Dickens characters, bring a richness to the story.<br/><br/>The Goldfinch is one of those books that will be on my to-be-reread list, and the characters will stay with me for years to come. I recommend this book as an absolute must read for anybody needing a reading experience with depth, some profound philosophy, unforgettable characters, and a great deal to ponder. (Ellen Fritz)</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1MPPO6MK2UIKB?ASIN=0316055441	ICK!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One long, boring, book. I persisted - really I did- waiting for a good paragraph or chapter to redeem this book but I got so annoyed at the wasted time that I abandoned this book. Llfe is too short!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36ZWY8LIMGAM8?ASIN=0316055441	No hope to improve the behavior of Theo	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much focused on drugs and alcoholic beverage and the efects of them, dificult chilhood that lead to a negative stile of life.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TCYZZ7PAMSVS?ASIN=0316055441	Not recommended	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">EG pages just describing a walk down the street.I remember an earlier book, I think, by the sam<br/><br/>I do not recommend it.  Far too long winded</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9S0MZ4KD5WTU?ASIN=0316055441	Wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book rambles. I should have known when I heard that it took her 10 years to write.  Hard to finish.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZQX228JE0T6Y?ASIN=0316055441	strange book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had a hard time getting through this book. It definitely has a bit of spirituality in it but I'm still trying to figure out what the message is.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W9BHAW2E87IJ?ASIN=0316055441	not 4 me	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">couldn't get into it, slow and i guess not my type of book, to flowerry,  5 more words required? one more</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XXJZYZIFOIC7?ASIN=0316055441	Don't bother...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't enjoy this book at all and certainly can't recommend it to anyone expecting any literary depth. The characters are implausible, the story line is thin, and the author's ramblings are banal.  Definitely skip.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24VZGTTZLH5QJ?ASIN=0316055441	A talent wasted.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A truly poorly written novel, with a main character so awfully devoid of any personality or inherent interest, that his chapter long dialogues, which read as the masturbatory fantasies of a depressed fool, leave you gasping with boredom and utter confusion at why this book was ever written.  The ancillary characters are equally badly developed, and appear to exist as a means for the main character to again loose himself in self-ruminations and self-flagellation.  There is talent still in there - Donna Tartt can turn a phrase.  But this book serves as a reminder that a good editor is really the most important element missing from this awful piece of publishing.  I truly believe that every positive review in the press came from someone who truly never read the book.  That this took her ten years to write suggests it is long past time to hang up her career.  Sometimes obsessionally will ruin a good idea.  This is the best example of that in years.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6O2YH758YSCJ?ASIN=0316055441	Skip this and just read Dickens	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Enticing opening chapter, then it disappoints!  I bought this book on my kindle for 40 hours of airplane time. If I weren't trapped with nothing else to read I would not have finished this book.  The characters are wooden, they never are developed. I found I didn't particularly care what happened to them. The plot lines didn't make sense. Things seem to happen just to fulfill the authors needs they were not intrinsic to the story.  I don't need to go into a long explanation.  Skip this and just read Dickens.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHGUP2FUQU2B8?ASIN=0316055441	Don't Look for a Happy Ending here!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First of all, I just want to say that this book is very well written.  The characters are rich and well-drawn.  But I am one of those people who need to be in love with their characters, and I just was not in love with any of them.  Especially Theo - I just wanted to shake him and ask, ""What are you thinking?!""  Awful, terrible things happen in everyday life - but it is up to YOU to create your destiny!  The entire book, he's following everyone else's lead - and ends up doing ridiculously dumb things, and goes through life like he's waiting for someone to give him a happy ending.  Even at the end, when he's cheated on, he doesn't fight for his relationship - it's ""Ho hum.""  Are you serious?!  Get rid of her, or keep her!  UGH!  Well-written book for sure, but if you're looking for lovable characters, look somewhere else.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1U8WWDD8WKUQT?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too much drinkin' and druggin'.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YYMQCR6KOFH3?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Did not like the writing.......</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R363U7WPR8WI2U?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Book was too long,  Depressing.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33WE0WILFZFWL?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">couldn't get thru it. too wordy</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RB4I0ALEJOKUR?ASIN=0316055441	Like the book a lot	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I didn't. Like the book a lot.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ETLGNYC0J9QJ?ASIN=0316055441	Enough Already.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too much hyperbole and prose. It was getting boring. The concept was good, and at times it was interesting .</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17JTMDYPI8E5R?ASIN=0316055441	goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story just went on and on, too many words, not enough story. I finished the book, but don't know why.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15GX1T9TFBA4L?ASIN=0316055441	Loved this book!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I highly recommend this book.  Even though I have a few reservations, I still give it five stars.  Yes, the drug use got  repetitive but I guess it was informative?? I loved the characters of Hobie and Boris and found even the details on finishing furniture interesting. My other criticism would be his mother using several British-isms, which since she grew up in Kansas seemed strange?  Also, Hobie was listening to classical music on WQXR, not WNYC.  That was a small detail that should have been picked up by any editor who knows New York radio stations, or should have taken the time to double check.  But otherwise I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and looked forward to picking it up every evening.  I slowed up coming to the end, hoping every time I clicked to the next page it would not be the last!  And I was grateful it did not have a ""Hollywood ending"" - it would have been too convenient.  I am looking forward to visiting the Frick to see the painting in person.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPOXU6TY6GXFN?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">good writer..tooo many drugs</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGIC99QDD44XQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of best novels I've read</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32TFGC5H7PUYN?ASIN=0316055441	great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well written,enjoyable read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R345CUMFTN3HFG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My husband loved this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R32MP9OWUP14G9?ASIN=0316055441	did not care for it at all.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">did not care for it at all.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AZNZQF61RNNP?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't care for this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RC4672OY09LQ8?ASIN=0316055441	Okay read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Long, wordy and kinda deep</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OXD34D8Y31VR?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was all over the place.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15S044UXX25KQ?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Didn't like the book ....</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AUBKZJUQEO1I?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">many truths in this book</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16STQK2K82RJD?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much ""angst""</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30MVPEBPRZKS8?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed this book</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R394WG9K6J9EKV?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Lived up to the reviews.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K75HMK90BU6K?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely well written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28TX598AYJQZN?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">THIS IS A HORRIBLE BOOK</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SWBQQ5DX9K19?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Phenomenal epic novel.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35J3GETL1LJJL?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a waste of prose.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R300QW530E3QY2?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Brilliant but long....</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R12XXFV6X57TG9?ASIN=0316055441	Terrible!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the worst books I've ever read! Don't waste your time and money.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14K8X7HT71ML8?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was depressing from start to finish.  Not my kind of book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EZ39NFWZOBDK?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I never did finish it</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RKQCY90GOTBS3?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring. Way too long.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1VZOICSXKAMM7?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too much bad language</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQ4X87KO3UXAA?ASIN=0316055441	Hard to understand.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard  to understand.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EIKSCZHMHXM?ASIN=0316055441	Great book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderfully written.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2V8CB1SK5JCH0?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">so far a great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DED0IZCXXZZD?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very depressing book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1253N7JYZ4HHJ?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">would not recommend.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15BGYJEWMNPGN?ASIN=0316055441	Do not waste your time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I purchased this book based on its accomplishments on the New York Times bestseller lists and once started, I kept telling myself to get through the dull beginning, because it was sure to get better.  It did not.  I cannot believe I wasted the time and energy to read 771 pages of this garbage.  It is so bad, that once  the ending was revealed, I skipped the last 15 pages.  Part of what is wrong with America today is our ability to accept and embrace drug use, alchoholism, corruption, gambling and  other vices which makes todays youth deem it as alright and acceptable.  I would not waste my time, effort and money on this piece of work.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2SXJPHB68FHAA?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">too dark for me....</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1WQW4ISGV3SBK?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The best book ! ! !</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3BKCKJC9OF4LN?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very wordy/lengthy.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3V1TJP4R9603K?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very Happy Customer</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RWDAD80V94T8H?ASIN=0316055441	Confusing on so many levels	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am 150 pages into The Goldfinch, and I don't think I can go on.  Yes, it is too long, but that is not the worst of its problems.  It is the writing.  The point of view is filtered through the mind of an adolescent boy, but Theo does not think like an adolescent unless this little genius has spent his entire young life watching 1930's Hollywood movies - really?  The metaphors are entirely inappropriate coming from the mind of an adolescent.  I will hold my nose and slog through more of this novel because I just want to know if there is anything redeeming in it that would explain why it received a Pulitzer prize for fiction.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JSRGHE0Y7XJF?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A depressing book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R25KNANKB0SUTN?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Incredible details</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28065BRWMNEH8?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A non stop reader.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N0WAB5T0CLF6?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An obnoxious read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EVR73LATKAJ7?ASIN=0316055441	Fantastic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Always fantastic!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1IY0FH6V2CF2E?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard to put down.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W02YNLZG1T2O?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A wonderful tale.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22M74M5EIC3Z?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A very good read.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OGLLV49N6NIE?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing little Finch rises from the ashes	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I shared her interest in this beautiful little finch after reading an article on it in one of my artists magazines.  So intrigued that I set about painting a ""study"" of Fabritius' finch in oil. I now know each and every sleek and/or fluffy feather, scratch on his perch and can almost see him breathing.  It was amazing to read in her novel the same emotional descriptions I had felt when I first encountered this little finch.  Beauty, trust, pride, and sadness.  In my painting I broke his chain. (I pray he flew free, like a Phoenix from the ashes)</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QWV9PWTRJOYZ?ASIN=0316055441	A disappointed reader	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I apparently am not a devotee of her writing which I found in much of the novel to be a sort of ennui.  Must say I will rethink purchasing another of her novels.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22N27I43JJT1L?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not a happy book</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R66BP5BICZC04?ASIN=0316055441	Read before the movie comes out!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic read!!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RM9Y8K7669EZC?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way too wordy!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HU8S94K9F2BG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great condition!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W10W1V79RO05?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">worst book ever!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RFOM21IXJBUDL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent read!!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J1NYXE3DVXVV?ASIN=0316055441	It may get better. But the story so far (about 1/3 through) ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am bewildered that this book won a Pulitzer.  The story opens in New York City.  I might guess that the author spent a couple weeks in NYC as a tourist doing research, but she evidences no first hand experience of the world she writes about; nothing rings true.  Where were the editors?<br/><br/>In truth, I haven't completed the book.  It may get better.  But the story so far (about 1/3 through) is so false that I don't think it's a good use of my limited reading time.  There are better fish in the sea.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3F6640QS7JAUV?ASIN=0316055441	Dull, tedious and boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There comes a point where litetary description becomes just plain boring.  This novel finds that point again and again.  Long past the point of interest, the scene finally changes. Although, the sadness does not.  Glacial speed and tragedy do not necessarily make a Dickensian epic.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K5VIN8IVHYXM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZAHXECE0Q7Z1?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Beautiful. Sad.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R238QM6S6N0CAQ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fantastic read!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KPN56K64BCL6?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many words.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R232OBDF2F2EW0?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wonderful read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HA095SQYXRK0?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">very enjoyable.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R24B6J197V31ZO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great writing.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1KJHBA9M14TRM?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was a gift.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBATX6YEHZPLS?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Disappointing.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34R77GPM5M6RK?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too many words</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NZL27WL645FK?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thanks so much</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30CC5OYCYBTEG?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing!!!!!!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23TN3J7ITUJYR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great lecture</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3OGPNCXRMIPII?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A great book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQQPU3ZOZATCE?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awesome book!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OXW44VRAGJ4S?ASIN=0316055441	750+ Pages Of Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book had its moments, but they were few and far (very far) between.<br/><br/>Ms. Tartt could have written the same book in half the pages and it would have been a better book.  There are passages in this book that seem to go on for as long as some Stephen King short stories (and he's plenty long-winded himself at times).<br/><br/>Ms. Tartt gets a few stabs in at right-wing groups (blaming the museum bombing on a right-wing group, when bombings have historically been committed by left-wing groups) and home-schooled children: ""-eyes swollen too, lidded and sleepy, giving me a sort of dumb, shifty, homeschooled look.""<br/><br/>It's obvious that Ms. Tartt hasn't spent much time around home-schooled children (some of the brightest and most engaging children I've ever been around) and that she needs to break free of her self professed love of solitude once in a while.<br/><br/>The character of Boris was boorish and annoying and the dialogue between him and Theo seemed forced.  Only the relationship between Theo and Hobie kept this book interesting and the book was hard to put down when there was interaction between them.  When the story went elsewhere, the book was hard to continue reading.<br/><br/>I cannot recommend this book to any but the most hardy of readers.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K02EFURP4JO1?ASIN=0316055441	A ripping good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a great read! Really well draw and believable characters and an interesting and unpredictable plot line. Very evocative of Manhattan. I cared about Theo and worried for him but I felt in safe hands with Donna Tartt. Wanted the plot to resolve but didn't want the story to end. Have gone straight on to ""The Secret History"". I hope it is even half as good as ""The Goldfinch"".</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1C9KT3XJ8KCQU?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfin	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was boring , there was too much bad language, it made drugs sound good.  Not a feel good book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO5SBFVZYBXJQ?ASIN=0316055441	Total disappointment.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First let me say that I love to read.  I had heard this book was great.  Well, there must be something wrong with me because, as is my habit, I give a book 100 pages to decide whether to continue reading.  Honestly, I couldn't understand this thing at all!  The characters were not identified, I didn't know who the main character was.  Male?  Female?  Grown or child?  Times and places were confusing.  The book kind of reminded me of ""Ulysses"" I read in college, I never could figure that out either!!  I would not recommend this at all!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REZQXWI9B43DK?ASIN=0316055441	Agonizing.  Could not stand it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From reading the first few pages, I thought it would be interesting. I read 15 % of the book.  It was very depressing.  If it got better later, I don't know.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1SQTJTRCNPRAP?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good reading</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DXRRKWTO6WC2?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Toooo longgg</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34ZYL4N90XW3Y?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great novel!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GRGNKU9AEPHL?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long !!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R19GNJB18YS09V?ASIN=0316055441	Kept me interested enough to read the end but nothing else.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book feels, like others have suggested, that you are reading little novellas, as you go through the big changes that happen in Theo Decker's life. The first part was the most interesting to me, when he and his mother experience tragedy in the museum and what happens to Theo afterwards.<br/><br/>His time in Vegas was just an awful slog to read through. I felt dark and unhappy through it all as the author went into verbose descriptions of drug abuse and the highs and lows that followed, and Theo's time there was so lonely and neglectful.<br/><br/>I get how the story all came together at the end, when there was a little bit more action as the characters strove to recover Theo's most valued possession, and I'm glad she wrapped it up nicely, but it was so long-winded. The author is an incredible writer with brilliant metaphors and descriptions, but I skimmed more through this book than I ever do. I usually hate to miss anything but I had to just to get through it, especially the very end.<br/><br/>Also, there is a lot of vulgar language and swearing that I got tired of reading over and over again.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33XW1569KZ0QR?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Exquisite!!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PJKLJNUGXT60?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Thank You!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMDJ7W3ZDMLVJ?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R74K32HMJRBS2?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YYGRKKKS0PKU?ASIN=0316055441	Superb read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Outstanding</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RO62N209V1YFL?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5J8S6IU808PU?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Overly long</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3VMT5TSU7CJ4T?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Wow how disappointing. Great reviews, Pulitzer Prize, what did I miss? I kept waiting for it to grab me and want read more - this did happen periodically but then regressed into boring dialogue. I challenged myself to keep reading as it had to get better. It really did not. I finished the book and was so very glad to get into a new read such as Grisham</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R15HGXQDCVWWZI?ASIN=0316055441	Awful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awful.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNL4VUB4EZLR4?ASIN=0316055441	"overcooked"" - I got bored and frustrated"	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was waaay too detailed and "":overcooked"" - I got bored and frustrated, however, fighting it out to get to the end which wasn't all that spectacular.  Did not enoy and didn't really get any satisfaction from reading it.  Author probably gets accolades for writing such a long, labor-intensive novel.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QPRA8H1VKY36?ASIN=0316055441	Some gold, much chaff	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I cannot imagine why this book was chosen for any prize. It contains some good writing, but It falls short on a number of fronts.<br/>(1) The book lacks discipline. There is a diarrhea of the pen quality to Ms Tartt's writing. Half this length would have been better.<br/>(2) The basis for the story cries out ""Why?"" Just return the damned thing.<br/>(3) The deus ex machina interventions are a bit much. In particular money just happens to turn up when needed.<br/>(4) The skip ahead and then fill in organizational trick is overused.<br/>(5) I found myself very uncomfortable with the drug culture. In fact, there is a bottom feeding quality to all aspects of the central characters' lives.<br/>(6) At the end I was put off by being lectured on how to live by this weak sister.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QW1Z9C4SZGLL?ASIN=0316055441	What a waste	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like the book at first and found it to be worse as I read on.  Sorry I bought it</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HDLDY3M8KNZR?ASIN=0316055441	Awful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could barely get through it and at 700 some pages it was painful!  The last few pages seemed as if someone else wrote them.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PNR3ES2REFNC?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of Time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not care for this book and found it very boring after a 1/3 of the way through.  The sub plot was silly with Boris and Theo going all over Europe.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1LEV0ZNDAMXRK?ASIN=0316055441	Never could download it!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">After reading the sample of the Goldfinch I tried to order the book but never could get the rest of it on either my Kindle or my Ipad!<br/>It showed as a charge but nobody can figure it out.<br/>What do I do next??????????</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QT7RD880U2TC?ASIN=0316055441	A Classic!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It took me awhile to finish but was well worth it.  Some beautiful passages and I enjoyed the descriptions of the cities, really putting you there.  A book not easily forgotten.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FLG6L9YLHJGF?ASIN=0316055441	Enthralling, beautifully crafted book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The most captivating novel I've read in many years. This book deals with art, life, love and the foibles of human frailty in a profound and articulate way</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3D59IK8MQGUFU?ASIN=0316055441	great book, thanks Seth Meyers for recommendation	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just a great read front to back and almost felt like I secretly read a poetry book. Simply outstanding in words as well ss arrangement</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JVLZENRDCE2G?ASIN=0316055441	longggg	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book started out good/sad. It then drug on for days she could of shorten the book and it would have been an amazing book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R338GR7DIRFRHR?ASIN=0316055441	Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Found it as long and depressing as Crime and Punishment. Story wasn't bad but all the other drama distracted me.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIYMQK9CDALSS?ASIN=0316055441	Ugh!  Words words and more words!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I could not wait to finish this book.  Rambled on and on.  Initially a good story ruined by verbose babble!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R339LTNI32N320?ASIN=0316055441	HATED IT	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A STORY OF A DRUGGIE WITH NO REDEEMING FEATURES--CAN'T SEE IT WORTH THE PULITZER PRIZE--DESCRIPTION OF ARTWORK JUST SHOWING OFF!!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MC8SXU79UR0L?ASIN=0316055441	Amazing!! From the very beginning I couldn't put ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing!! From the very beginning I couldn't put this book down. One of my all time favorite pieces of literature.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RS51MA06TR97S?ASIN=0316055441	Remarkable!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This the best book I  read in the last year. Phenomenal reasearch, extremely interesting plot,<br/>beautiful literary style. Wonderful reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ4XS6JRAW0QW?ASIN=0316055441	Outstanding	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My hope is that I can continue to find one book every 5 years that is this good!!!! Satisfying in so many ways.....</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RRV2LRH2JRT1V?ASIN=0316055441	Great read - you dont notice the length at all...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had noticed this book floating around for a few a while and for some reason was put off reading it.<br/><br/>However - I happened upon it again on amazon while browsing for my next book and as was so glad I did. I was initially hesitant about the length - 788 pages - however I read it 5 days!!!<br/><br/>Love the story - Theo is a great character as are nearly all the characters he meets along the way, also the art subject matter is interesting too. Also Donna Tartt's insight in one's current inner dialogue is great.<br/><br/>Loved the dreamy - but also real feel of her words.<br/><br/>Great book - highly recommend!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZWFDKKF38Z35?ASIN=0316055441	An absolute must read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best novels that I've read in years. Expertly written, intimately drawn characters and a keen eye for place. This book will keep you thinking about the story long after you've finished reading. I was left regretting that I'll never be able to visit the characters again.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RG6T5WSFXV5HI?ASIN=0316055441	A Great Read !!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Really enjoyed this wonderful book.It is so full of twists and turns:keeps you guessing to the very end.<br/>Hope a movie from this book will follow,not rework...</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R34BDTXZ1ZFX7P?ASIN=0316055441	Good service	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The process was fine.  How do I now delete the novel from my Kindle?<br/>I am a new user of the Kindle.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23HJ17BBXYSA5?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch  No Rating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I received the Book Buddy edition in error.  Is there anything that can be done?  I just want to read the book, not somebody else's review.  I pinch my pennies, so I would like help.  Jane F. Templeman Larson</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R219G3OYU4TL8R?ASIN=0316055441	disturbing page turner	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">While I enjoyed the writing style of the author and the book was a page-turner, I did not care for the content of the book. Drugs, and the F bomb were a distraction for me . I also did not care for the blurring of lines effect the author takes in assessing good and bad. Overall, the book was dark and dreary, describing a lifestyle in this country that is all too common. I would not recommend the book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TJIAI62ZJH0E?ASIN=0316055441	Don't recommend	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much rambling about things that don;t pertain to story.  Drugs.. could have left out that part wasn't necessary.<br/><br/>WOULD NOT RECOMMEND BOOK.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22OLVH7VN01YM?ASIN=0316055441	Too long and rambling with meaningless dialog . Too much with his on and off battle with drugs.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long with meaningless dialog . The whole story could have been told with a third less pages. It was an effort to finish it!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7SNYP1V5JKZ3?ASIN=0316055441	Terrible book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I got tired of reading about a kid taking drugs and getting high all of the time. I made myself finish it because I always complete a book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2GQSG2EWM3KP1?ASIN=0316055441	Was a Christmas Gift	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great gift! The story draws you in from the first page and keeps you there throughout.  There are times when I thought that the author seemed to be belaboring a segment, (too descriptive) but it all ties in and creates a complex yet easy to follow story line.  A good read. I would highly recommend it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MZ7CUSRZQ955?ASIN=0316055441	Lovely and poetic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I had no idea what I was in for when I picked up this book.  At times it is raw and dirty.  At others it is ethereal and poetic.  Overall, highly recommend!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1F5RPM55FBAZ?ASIN=0316055441	Excellent writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written, but a little long and drawn-out at times...too much drug use...however, as the Goldfinch painting is a masterpiece, so is this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HDX9WHBQXWEB?ASIN=0316055441	a bit long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story is great and the ending is wonderful, but some sections dragged a bit, mostly the Vegas time and descriptions of getting high. Definitely worth the read tho.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2RK3M25WNK2QS?ASIN=0316055441	Good Story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I felt that it was a little too long.  I think she could have told as good a story with the excessive wordage.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GW7H9AM0EC5?ASIN=0316055441	A good story	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was fun to  read. The story was gripping and pulled you along.  My only complaint was that the book was longer than it need to be.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1TA1R2WQ7Y9YM?ASIN=0316055441	Sharpe.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Blade-sharpe prose. A tale that's questions are answered through hazed, serpentine streets of allegorical whispers and illusory shouts.  The end.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGTMDE97WY8RI?ASIN=0316055441	I'm sure most will like the book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I found it hard to stay with the plot, overall I guess it was good but....I'm sure others will find it grat.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QWIKXSS05D9?ASIN=0316055441	750+ page story that could have been told in 200 pages!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Most boring book I have ever finished.  I forced myself to read the entire book because I thought it might get better.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2JGLYONST7297?ASIN=0316055441	Should been edited down by 300+ pages	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this book for a book club. I love the cover and thought the idea was one that could have real insight into a troubled boy's journey through unfortunate circumstances. Instead, I could care less about this boy and found him and his loser friend, Boris, annoying. The inner monologues that go on for way too many paragraphs, found me skipping forward many times. Then the plot, which could have has some interesting twists, instead plodded...PLODDED...along until the outcome became pretty much what I anticipated. I haven't finished yet, only a few pages left and I am forcing myself to finish.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RPIQ18ECEKCBL?ASIN=0316055441	An over rated book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too wordy.  This book could have been half it's length. I was bored most of the time and it was a chore just to finish it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W1BTAPQLMBYE?ASIN=0316055441	Boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was so favorably reviewed, I ordered it, and after 100+ pages, was bored.  Just not my style., which is action, sci-fi, detective, etc.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R178MX0CHVZ36V?ASIN=0316055441	Not sure what i did not like	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Most of this book was interesting, but place where the detail seemed to be repeated, but must have been an intense book to write. Any author that can turn out a good book I admire</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NNGRE3J4U7CI?ASIN=0316055441	a real page turner and beautifully written	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I couldn't put the book down. The characters were so real and you felt as though you were right there with them.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35IXBL04U58M9?ASIN=0316055441	quick read for it's size	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this was a really quick moving story.  The last 60 pages are a bit wordy but overall I found it an enjoyable read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1T1GHSWQQ27B6?ASIN=0316055441	Well written, great story.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The story line was awesome but I just wanted to shake the characters and make them behave.  It's a testament to Donna Tartt's writing that she created characters that invoked such emotion in me.  But I didn't like most of the characters - week, selfish people just floating through life.  I wouldn't want them as friends!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D3X5WQAW4B8U?ASIN=0316055441	impelling read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I have not yet finished, the storyline is intriguing enough and the characters infuriating enough to carry one on.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZXDJFV06BJ97?ASIN=0316055441	great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sorry I didn't get to see the painting when it was in NYC. Really enjoyed this book- best I've read in a while</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2HWL8KUS7N1D9?ASIN=0316055441	captivating	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">well written characters, great story that didn't give too many hints away as to how it turned out, and long! I love a book I can get stuck into a not be done with after a few nights reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGOE7VSRZZBGU?ASIN=0316055441	Good read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a good character study and plot.  The ending could have been a little shorter. I'd recommend reading it.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R442MG4HCWT8V?ASIN=0316055441	Why That Ending?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a fabulous, fast paced book, with many interesting topics included.  I loved the many plots.  However, the last 50 pages or so became overly preachy on topics already covered by the main characters.  It's too bad it ended that way!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2QQYO6BQVZ0WT?ASIN=0316055441	Holden Caulfield Redeux - just longer!!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt has written a book that could certainly be a screenplay &amp; I am sure will be a movie soon.  However, she has borrowed<br/>from Salinger, Dickens &amp; other classic tales of ""little boy lost"" to give the public this BIG book!  Character development is one of<br/>her strengths but this could have been done without cutting down the forest! The most beautiful part of the story is the love of<br/>Theo for his Mother who perishes in the museum bombing &amp; unfortunately for Theo, it completely damages him permanently.  He<br/>is also fortunate to have the character of Hobie in his life, even though Theo uses him to perpetuate his drug habit &amp; illegal gains.<br/>I think this book was  ""over hyped,"" particularly with the exhibit at The Frick Museum that includes the powerful small painting of<br/>""The Goldfinch.""<br/>The premise of the book was excellent and Ms. Tartt should not wait twelve years before her next book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35FN96H6EA25G?ASIN=0316055441	Thought provoking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Amazing use of words on the page. Could see, smell, hear and feel the story unfold.  Interesting and thought provoking. Enjoyed it.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REOOF9Y3H540B?ASIN=0316055441	A story of our times	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Shades of Catcher in the Rye but a very 21st Century tale - and a cautionary one at that! Well worth reading.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2S9C800FDFCZ9?ASIN=0316055441	Goldfinch was good as far as I was able to read.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Could not finish the novel because my Kindle bit the dust (lost 1/2 of the screen image) and haven't received the new one yet. Hopefully within the next week. These requests for reviews come too soon after ordering the novel and often have not completed reading.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1J4TUPQCZDSLL?ASIN=0316055441	Like Dostoyevsky	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was almost like reading a Russian Novel, i.e Crime and Punishment, i.e. mesmerizing, deep, existential.  Character development excellent.  Insane events that take the reader on a journey</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EILL4VYA2E11?ASIN=0316055441	It's one of my all-time favorite books!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">From the moment I began reading The Goldfinch, I could hardly put the book down. My husband and many of my friends have now read it and we're still taking about Tartt's amazing writing and inspired plot!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R391ONTZBXI2SP?ASIN=0316055441	Long but worth it.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In and out. Up and down. And all around the world and mind. After go back and gaze at the hidden picture and then switch to the full view.  My heart broke.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RA6MINTOTM2TV?ASIN=0316055441	loved this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was one of the best books I've ever read. The writing is outstanding and the story is amazingly engulfing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1BO3THN8BG3RZ?ASIN=0316055441	Unexpectedly compelling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose this book because I love birds and the cover caught my eye. once I got into this book I quickly realized it was unlike any novel I'd ever read and I'm not certain I really even liked the authors rambling passages but I could not put it down. my Romantic heart wanted Ted and Pippa to be together in the end but I understand why they could not</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TYG3QB1A2FS4?ASIN=0316055441	A BOOK EVERY BOOKCLUB SHOULD CONSIDER	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have read IN A LONG TIME..LOVD THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT AND THE FACT I COULD HARDLY WAIT TO READ THE NEXT DAY</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R207OZ28BJC9GB?ASIN=0316055441	Sadly, a disappointment	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm a fan of  Dona Tartt's other books and was delighted to see another one.  It's easy to see that the words are carefully chosen to convey  the story the author is telling.  Alas, the excellent writing couldn't save this  dark and boring tale.  The repetitive nature of the book gave no sense of forward motion, and eventually the characters lost the ability to engage any involvement from me.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36X9R21IHFWTH?ASIN=0316055441	My opinion	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book was too long and went on and on in some places unnecessarily.  It seemed to be all over the place.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMT3R5JU42HI8?ASIN=0316055441	I did not like this book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was slow-moving and depressing. It focused way too much on illegal drug use and almost ""glorified"" the effects of these drugs on the characters' personalities.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R9KDG52B1X99D?ASIN=0316055441	A book that grabs your attention from the very start.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not even finished reading it yet and I already give it 5 stars. Extremely good writing...Donna Tartt knows how to weave an excellent story.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2N70F4W5WKQ4K?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This could have been better. If the author could get to the point sooner. I agree with one review.  ""Am I going to have to read every thought this kid has""? Get to the point already,</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R86E8LFE99KZ4?ASIN=0316055441	Absolutely Enthralling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Truly one of the best books I have ever read.  It was ever present in my thoughts all the while I was reading it.  Worthy of a wholehearted standing ovation!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C39LE12BEVZA?ASIN=0316055441	KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE BIRDIE!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is one of most gripping books i've read in a long time.  There was a point where I stopped reading, because the main character<br/>was about to make make decisions that I felt would take him into darker and darker territories.  I didn't realize how deeply I sympathized with him!  When I picked up the book again, I could hardly wait to see what direction the story would take.  It is truly a worhwhile read, and Ms Tartt is to be congratulated, in my opinion, for writing a real winner, and for her great imagination.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R188YK66GXHMPI?ASIN=0316055441	Great story!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was just mesmerized by the whole story and just could not put it down!  It's amazing that this young lad could face so many controversial issues.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3RXUZL0KD1HXR?ASIN=0316055441	READ THIS BOOK	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved this book.  Well written acount of the life of a boy of 14 until he is in his late 20s.  As an artist, I was touched by the importance of a piece of art he held for most of those years.  Tartt drew me into the sadness of his loss of a parent and the abuse at the hand of another parent.  Although there are adults who care for the boy, the secret he carries keeps him separate from the love they offer.  The resolution amazed me in its cleverness and is satisfying.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R23JQRFYQ8OCVN?ASIN=0316055441	couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I lost myself in this book, like the first time I read Dickens, savoring each plot turn and wishing it would last, sad to be finished when I reached the satisfying conclusion.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3130ONHX8YXR0?ASIN=0316055441	Riveting. The best book of 2013.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellen!  I couldn't put it down from page one. The characters are developed in depth. It is a book of adventure and intrigue. Very thought provoking.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36MA2ZR9YW8T2?ASIN=0316055441	not as good as I had hoped	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">An enjoyable story, with imaginative but believable characters. You will find yourself rooting for the protagonist. I was a bit put off by the author's tendency to rely a little too heavily on directly addressing the reader, especially in the final chapter.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2W1EOHL8Y65T?ASIN=0316055441	Wonderful beginning; weak ending	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent story construct and execution that meanders into a hazy philosophical ending.  Lightly exposed cultural touchstones ground the timeline well.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J5LP5YT9K3NR?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great book</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OAIZ791ANLZ2?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great book</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C3KG2AVHDSIH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2I01ZMDFJKSXM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3DB0Y4YFE9VU0?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great book</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R258F6PV46ITCV?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well done!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1QKNL6DGBH53L?ASIN=0316055441	I like to feel that I know and have some emotional ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The characters were meant to be very complex, but the story moved too fast to properly develop the characters. I like to feel that I know and have some emotional attraction and attachment to the characters and it did not happen. It was a decent story, but a little unbelievable, primarily because it moved too quickly.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KD7JZ5ZGUQBF?ASIN=0316055441	The best contemporary writing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm usually leary of anything on the best seller list, but this book had me mesmerized.The writing is so gorgeous, each sentence a delight. The story and characters are so vivid that while reading until 3 AM the book seemed more real to me than my own reality. Donna Tartt is a great writer.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3K9IMI2KW1UAH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Excellent</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RQQO7ZL5CPY1W?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Loved it!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OLDHCCC025GL?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RTS6IRIHWVBDN?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UPOB77ONPIM7?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good read</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3MMZTAHRW07IP?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hard read</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R36782NKY0O63V?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Love it!!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2MOX6YY2289HY?ASIN=0316055441	My reaction is a big yawn.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love to read and love long books and series. However, This book is just too long, with no point. Misery over and over again for the main character.  And he is not even likable. This is the first book I have read of hers but I  will not be looking to buy any more of DonnaTartt's books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R325YUT6430HPW?ASIN=0316055441	I was completely absorbed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This is a lovely story, the characters are real and cause the reader to experience startlingly true emotions. The narrative stays with you long after you have finished reading for the day and punctuates your dreams.<br/><br/>I'm experiencing a book hangover now.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JFKBO7W2W579?ASIN=0316055441	The Details About Killed Me...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">**Ugh!**</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5QNXXKXTFZ77?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too long</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1JGG9E02D74D9?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Hated it</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NZRQ7XUYVECP?ASIN=0316055441	pj	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A beautifully written work of art, compelling the reader think on a higher plane of life. The characters are so real that they keep drawing us back to their story, and I will think of this story every time I look at a piece of artwork.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10YT9Y1P44V52?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like it!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IMONHO2NGVPY?ASIN=0316055441	Since when is the Pulitzer Prize committee impressed by quantity?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you believe that all intelligent Americans affect a Madonna-esque English accent, if you prefer your heroes male, white, and privileged, if you're only morally comfortable with hook-nosed comically-evil villains who cackle sporadically, then this book is for you.<br/><br/>If you cringe when Harry Potter is referred to as adult literature (I half expected the letter to Hogwarts to arrive 100 pages in), if you've begun to grimace when you hear the word ""grey,"" and if you sigh in despair when Twilight and The Hunger Games book covers stare at you in the subway, then you're better off spending your money elsewhere.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VVJPNDQ53MV1?ASIN=0316055441	Good story, too much description	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Now that I am through, I am glad i read it.  I feel the book could have been shortened to one half the size.  A lot of ""boring"" descriptions throughout the book, for a very good story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2C235FYV4P225?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Boring</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22DX8AWN35R5H?ASIN=0316055441	Unless you want to spent wasted time reading about people taking drugs	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Unless you want to spent wasted time reading about people taking drugs, don't read this book.  It might have been a good story if it had been condensed.  I do not recommed you to read it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RI90QYJTBLWZE?ASIN=0316055441	pretty bad	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">pretty bad.<br/>there is actually no point reading it.<br/>I have just read luminaries after this one, and I could tell the difference between writing a book and writing in general</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XNG7R2QQPSE0?ASIN=0316055441	The LONG Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a strange, depressing, informative story.  It was chosen for our book club with no input except what was written on Amazon.  I used a dictionary while I read it and need to look up info on Dutch painters.  Lots of swear words and a very worldly story of a kid growing up with no decent parental guidance, lots of drug use and dishonest business practices.  The way to the end was very long with nothing resolved and the main character's life going to garbage.  I wouldn't recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1FD47DC863CVM?ASIN=0316055441	a tiny criticism	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This novel would be better if it were shorter. A good High school English teacher, never mind an editor, would have tightened up the prose; but mainly:  why do we have to know the narrator's every dream, every thought, every drug-induced hallucination?</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2EIVN8DPMIB7P?ASIN=0316055441	Not this one! Save your money!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">P.Prize, so what!This book should be fed to pigs. Guess what would eventually happen to it. That would be a perfect ending.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2Z9UAM8BWERXI?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Great</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D2O4POPNQTZM?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">great</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3R3NWYGUQMN4J?ASIN=0316055441	Best book since Harry Potter	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It was the best book I've read since Harry Potter, and that says a lot! Thanks for the recommendation. Definitely deserves #1 editor's pick for 2013.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1HSBE0UAAX1I2?ASIN=0316055441	I did not enjoy it. It had too many subplots	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I ca 't believe this won the Pulitzer. I did not enjoy it. It had too many subplots, too much detail, and went on and on. I didn't even finish it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L6B26C67UKHY?ASIN=0316055441	A very well written, immersive book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't read such a well written book in years.  You lose yourself in it from the first page.  Donna Tartt is, in my opinion a brilliant writer.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUU68T5IWMND1?ASIN=0316055441	Save your time - you've been warned	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Can't believe I fell for the sunk cost fallacy and didn't quit reading after the first couple hundred pages. Book is just bad on so many levels.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROT3Z5NYQSD6W?ASIN=0316055441	done	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Slow going, reading from a book club. Posting a review simply because I cannot get out of this section on my iPad without it so disregard it</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3H0POI6PSKBGU?ASIN=0316055441	A can't put it down book. The tragic always-on-the-wrong-path ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A can't put it down book. The tragic always-on-the-wrong-path theme can be a downer emotionally. I always felt stressed for the characters.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R223QQK7ZTUQ0T?ASIN=0316055441	best book in years	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought this book was profound. A little wordy, yet so intelligently written.  The author grabs your attention and never let's go till the very end.  From time to time, his pontificating becomes somewhat redundant...  Like, I get it already, move on!  Other than that, it was truly one of the best books I've read in years.  I'm going to rank it among my favorite all time reads.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10TBIJ785P2ZJ?ASIN=0316055441	I'm not excited to read about drug & alcohol abuse ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not excited to read about drug &amp; alcohol abuse.  There is enough about it in the newspapers &amp; real life!  Homeless??? Not really.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R17NSXY7IQL9SB?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of time and money	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">would have given no stars if I could have don't understand the positive reviews maybe people were on drugs like the main character</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ES4OJREWLCK2?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">DID NOT LIKE THIS BOOK,  Should be rated R, if you like the<br/>F WORD, IT IS ALL THROUGH THE BOOK,  Too much.<br/>Description.  Not enough story.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2FJ6PCGDA9IAQ?ASIN=0316055441	a triumph	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A terrific book on loss and meaning in life, charting adolescent male culture superbly with the meaning of art at the centre.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RMW1892CKC7BZ?ASIN=0316055441	fantastic novel	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A humanistic story of trial and hardship through the eyes of an artist. Truly a fantastic read and I highly recommend</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2WL42VU69DJ7A?ASIN=0316055441	I can understand why Goldfinch is on the best seller list.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I read this as an ebook, my prefer way of reading. Goldfinch was a book I wish I had read as a hard copy , so Icould have passed around to family and friends .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROWJ8YLI3CJPO?ASIN=0316055441	Couldn't put it down	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt developes her characters very well. She truly gets inside their heads. I read this on a cruise and couldn't put it down!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZOGLNPOW8UBE?ASIN=0316055441	Book Review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy this book at all.  It was to wordy-to descriptive and the ending left you flat.  I would not recommend it.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R6NEZTZO54JR9?ASIN=0316055441	Depressing	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Interesting premise, but it fails to deliver. The main character is a kid that survives a terrorist attack, only to find out his mother didn't. Of course he is grief stricken and has trouble coping. Just when things start looking up his alcoholic, gambling dad comes back and takes him to Vegas. Before you know it the kid is sniffing glue, drinking, and smoking around adults that don't care or are abusive. At this point I gave up on the book, otherwise I'd add a spoiler to this review in order to save other readers some pain.<br/><br/>If I there was even a little hope in the story I might have been able to persevere a little further.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10RRUN7Y8FPLH?ASIN=0316055441	This is one great book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Do not read it or rate it if you expect your literature to be either an escape or effortless. This is neither. What it is, is great writing, great characters and a long and vivid story, reeking with truth and sometimes horrible beauty. The characters are miraculous, each one of them written so brilliantly and completely. I was sucked in by Page 2 and could not stop reading until I was finished. Three long nights, it was. I haven't read anything this good since ""Wolf Hall"" or ""Bringing up the Bodies"" and my first thought was, ""This HAS to win the Booker Prize.""<br/><br/>It's just so damned good. Granted, the Park Avenue family had a few characters that didn't ring true for me, but I don't know that world-- they seemed like throwbacks to an Edith Wharton era-- but if all you come away with is the memory of the Boris character and Theo's father and his girlfriend, you will be so enriched by the experience. I loved this book. I love this writer.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1W9O6PNGD9XRT?ASIN=0316055441	Frightening read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Extremely well written--couldn't put it down. Depressing, though. The protagonist learns some life-changing lessons. Keep reading. Don't get disgusted by all the drugs and thievery.The ending is worth the journey.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LQ000YXOKLP6?ASIN=0316055441	Not sure I like this author. This book in my opinion was hard to get into	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It is a slow start for me, hard to keep my interest. But now that I am getting further into the book it is getting better.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ESUXEX8DMHP7?ASIN=0316055441	It lives up to its reviews.  Great story teller.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am three quarters through and still can't figure out where or how this will end.  Her descriptions and characters are fascinating. I have been to some of the places she describes, but never experienced them this clearly.  Her research into people, places, events is amazing.  No wonder her books take ten years to write.<br/><br/>I put this on Kindle to keep me company while I was in Washington IL to assist with tornado recovery.  The Goldfinch kept me company at each restaurant and every night before turning off the light. It is not easy to put this book down!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2NZPZ6YUMZN0Q?ASIN=0316055441	Drug and personal abuse.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It just went on and on and he got worse, not better.  The main character got into drug use, alcohol, theft and many other terrible things.  I saw no redeeming attributes in him.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/REF0U3OW0KT54?ASIN=0316055441	Awful	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like this story. not any happy moments. a sad story  to much about the drug culture.  I want to have happy moments. none here</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VXLPRCNS8TJE?ASIN=0316055441	slow and tedious	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Simply the most tedious book I've picked up in ages. Perhaps if I could have stomacher more than 90 or 100 pages it would have gotten better. Second book in several years I simply could not finish. Wish I could get my money back.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KH8J4UP4ZLS4?ASIN=0316055441	Interesting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I thought the beginning was a little slow, but after I got into it I enjoyed it.  Book got me through a long cold Iowa winter.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3B6NEJOR2PL5Y?ASIN=0316055441	Three Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RLSDJ3ETGIZHW?ASIN=0316055441	You Will Benefit from Speed-Skimming Skills	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the values of being a ""senior citizen"" is this. Because the public knew that their young president, JFK, could read at amazing speeds, his eyes taking in huge chucks of words at one glance, the art of skim-reading became very much in vogue. I learned how but never used it much. But decades later I am pleased that I still have the ability to do so because for this so very, very overly-written novel, it has been the only way for me to plow through the 771 pages. And now I am hoping that I will find a novel such as the brilliantly edited ""Someone"" by Alice McDermott.<br/><br/>Bennington College has a reputation for producing, per capita, an amazing number of published writers, Donna Tarff being one of them. I only wish she'd taken more courses in, say, ""flash fiction."" This novel could easily have been reduced to 200 pages. And had it been, it would have been so much better. It is filled with unbelievable characters although the main character, Theo, and his mother are really well drawn. There are huge chunks of this ""tome"" (I actually wrote ""tomb"" and then changed it, a real Freudian slip I think) which have no value to the plot, or little. The scenes in Vegas should have been reduced by a tenth. And none of the characters are believable in that part. On second thought, there is absolutely no value in any of that large part. Ms. Tarff could easily have killed off the horrid father somewhere else. And the father's girlfriend, Xandra, is about the most god-awful silly soap-opera-ish creature.<br/><br/>Theo has a stolen piece of art: that's the plot. What will happen to the piece of art? And the opening of the novel is the only reason--absolutely the only reason--I decided I would see just how fast my elderly eyes could race through the pages to see what happened to Theo who, as a late-twenty-something is holed up in the Netherlands. You know that nothing good is going to come of what has happened to him. By the way, he really didn't intend to steal the painting. And without the guidance of his mother, dead from an explosion in a museum where Theo, living through it, retrieves the work, he is left to figure out what to do with it.<br/><br/>I too enjoy using the dash. And so did Emily Dickinson. But this author uses it so badly in places, annoyingly so.<br/><br/>Fortunately I was able to purchase this novel at Amazon at a greatly reduced rate from the $30 retail listed price. Anyone want a very heavy free book you could use to practice your speed-reading skills?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35DR2JAIQVDY1?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrible.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EHHIA1U56BE?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">worst book I ever read</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1YGEJIZEL9UHW?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I have not opened this book yet.  I have heard that is very good and plan to read it soon.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2ZH7TV2347ILQ?ASIN=0316055441	Drugs, alcohol, death, murder and mental illness ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Drugs, alcohol, death,  murder and mental illness, what a downer.  And way too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2XN3V60AJ4KRT?ASIN=0316055441	I didn't like the size of the print	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This was a gift. No response yet. I didn't like the size of the print. WE'll see.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R311PRJV6XYUN5?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">no good</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1A7X43160H4JH?ASIN=0316055441	Read before purchase	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you want to go out of you mind reading one description after another and another and another on and on and on until you want to bang your head against the wall or run screaming from the room, buy this book.  How can this author justify his monotonous droning, often in several languages and feel that he has written something people will enjoy.  I downloaded this book onto my iPad from my library and was never so happy in my life as when I delegated the wretched thing and returned it. Painfully awful, stupid, uninteresting, waste of time, THE GOLDFINCH.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1OCKEPMQU4S9U?ASIN=0316055441	One of the best books I've read in a long time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Riveting, just riveting. I have become so bored with books lately, but this book has given me new hope.  The writing is so beautiful, I want to devour every word on the page.  Thank you Donna Tartt, thank you!!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R35ITUCO1WLC4H?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not like this book.  I can't figure out how it won the Pulitzer Prize.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RCJ5KI1YWHX63?ASIN=0316055441	Rambling	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Rambling, goes on and on. Not a concise storyteller. Pulitzer Prize, really?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2KK9JGBEJKLWP?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Last 50 pages--great. First 650 pages-- far too much info on drug culture</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/ROQ6ZBXJ6Q7RP?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So glad you asked?  This book should not even be on the market!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R79BS7M52KU9X?ASIN=0316055441	Four letter Verbiage and drug usage was used too frequently ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Four letter Verbiage and drug usage was used too frequently in this story. Story could have been told with a lot less of that kind of input.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3UK8YJ05UPI3M?ASIN=0316055441	just don't	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">this book was tedious and depressing.  just let it be.  so many great books to read, unfortunately, this is not one.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J15J2Z1RTY5S?ASIN=0316055441	Trina	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Not only was this book a page turner and interesting but the writing caught my attention. The author's use of words was descriptive and poetic. I can't wait for the movie version, as I hope there is one. Five stars.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1CHRP1FUC4PO3?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I like reading books for enjoyment and this was extremely depressing with the drugs, etc.  Would not recommend it to anyone.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R21JRF4NPMBSY3?ASIN=0316055441	Dark, slow and monotonous	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I do not see what others see in this book. The characters are superficial, the story is slow (except for the occasional abrupt plot twist) and it's very long.  I put it down.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ZVSZFC91F84H?ASIN=0316055441	save time3 and money, don't read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i thought it was a veey poor recommendAtion to rea.  I'm old fashioned and don't want myprotagonists to be glorifying doping up , stealing, it was sordid to put it mildly.....don't let teenagers read...i'm not a prude..but this was way over the line.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RV106ZHUOD2BE?ASIN=0316055441	Grand, but too long with boring rumination at end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Needed a good editor.  Way too much carrying on about being high on whatever.  Strong characters, lovely plot, but too long.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RHOA1QQPLKI6P?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch - Book of the Year	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I love this book; one of my favorites of the year.  I think this is Donna Tartt's best book and I've loved all her books.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1PHY0D7LLAKGX?ASIN=0316055441	Worst book I have ever read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Worst book I have ever read. I had hoped desperately that it would get better. Waste of my time. Very disappointed.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H3LJ7V7KEDQG?ASIN=0316055441	Unreadable	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book is unreadable; full of cliches... I didn't make it through 20 pages. Nothing literary about it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2PFD7N8JSU22G?ASIN=0316055441	GOLDFINCH	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">wAY TOO MUCH BAD LANGUAGE AND MORALS I WAS DISAPPOINTED I HAD EXPECTED SOMETHING ENTIRELY DIFFERENT..</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M2L3MHCJ060S?ASIN=0316055441	Good story. Too much drug use	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good story.  Too much drug use.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3NELDAS6W1UU9?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Would not recommend this book.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1L0S1MBSWJW0M?ASIN=0316055441	Don't bother	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book was way too wordy.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RGHLH22VT7LYW?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">VERBOSE, to put it mildly...</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1NRJ73MEBBAGQ?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I haven't read it<br/>  yet</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RE9MLF9LIQR03?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am not happy at all as I ordered the book in May and to date have never received the book Goldfinch.  I finally checked on it last weekend, and they said it had been delivered to the wrong address.  They promised to send another one by express mail but no book yet.  I have already received the Bill for it , it came to my address for sure. Hopefully it will come very soon as  I won,t be paying for it until it does.  Very POOR service'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I know it is not your fault Amazon.  Sally Collings. I hope the book is worth all the trouble I have had getting it!!!!!!  This is June 26'2014 and I have never received my book or heard from Vannaslim7' What are they going to do about it?????  I won,t be ordering from AMAZON again until you get this problem solved!!!!!!! SallyCollings</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSKCUISH71I3R?ASIN=0316055441	Pulitzer?? Shame!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">So this book won a Pulitzer prize? Why? Because every single sentence has at least one metaphor:replete with ""as if"", ""like"" ""remeniscent of""...etc? Evidently the more similies the more accolades. Similarly Julia glass has a ""like as, similar to..."" in every sentence. Very irritating since more often than not, especially in the cse of ""The Gold Finch"" the metaphors do not clarify the sujbect but actually render it more obscure. I pucker my brow trying to understand the metaphor and usually give up.<br/><br/>More egregious:at least the beginning-and I'll admit I'm still at the first 100 p of a voluminous book- there are parts that are actually TEDIOUS TO NO END, or in plain English BORING. lIKE THE MERCILESS EXHAUSTIVE DESCRIPTION OF THEO RIGHT AFTER THE BOMbING;ENDLESSLY MINUTE DISSECTION OF EVERY MOVE AND BREATH HE TAKES, OF THE RUBBLE, OF HIS ATTEMPT TO GET OUT,WITH NUMEROUS REPETITIONS,AND OFTEN AS IF REACHING SOME CLIMACTIC HORROR then GOING BACK TO SOMETHING BAD BUT LESSER SO WHICH MERELY DIMINISHES THE SUPPOSED CLIMAX. I WAS ABOUT TO ABANDON THIS AH SO ARTSY pULITZER WORTHY BOOK DUE TO THE TEDIUM, BUT AT THAT POINT FINALLY THERE WAS SOME -IF MINUSCULE- PROGRESS OF THE STORY. I GUESS THaT KIND OF MINUTE STANDSTILL DISSECTING also GARNERS PRIZES.<br/>oN TOP MUCH OF THE ENDLESS DETAILS ACTUALLY DON'T MAKE SENSE;IF ONE IS ALREaDY TAKING THE TROUBLE TO DESCRIBE so much often trivial and gratuitous details, at least let them make sense. Some examples: 1)Theo is a 13 yr old boy and yet fails to do the most obvious when he comes home drenched from rain and filthy from being immersed in the rubble for hours;that is to take a hot shower or bath;he just sits there catatonic for hours waiting for his mom, never washing even is wounds. In fact even the social workers that finally appear never suggest a hot shower or even an aspirin for his piercing headache which he too hasn't the brains to take. 2)Any child would know to call the police when his parent goes missing yet Theo fails to do it.3)Even at 3AM,his mother still missing, when the phone rings he is positive it's her-a crude suspense gimmick that even a minimally experienced reader wouldn't fall for.4)Initially it makes no sense that his mother, a beautiful, cultured, talented and successful woman would marry such a drunk no good brute as the father. Only some 100 pages later are we informed that he was a hndsome aspiring actor which explains this. But why wait a 100 p for this vital info.5)Let's just forgive the illogical that such a wealthy upscale New-York society people as the Barbours (sp?)would take in instantly no questions asked at the crack of dawn a boy who hasn't had any contact with their son for years.6)They have plenty of spare r<br/> rooms so why are they crowding Theo into their son's room?7)There is only mention of the grandparents on the absent drunk father's side whom Theo despises; again initially there is never any mention of the mother's parents, nor mention that they are deceased.This too comes only some 100 pages later: is this another cheap suspense gimmick? All it does is create confusion and a sense of sloppy implausible writing. The list goes on. However the plot does begin to pick up a little at this point. As I read on the flaws multiply, in fact very similar to Julia Glass flaws alas. The endless cataloging of the most minute details,especially when Theo starts visiting the Hobby abode: I need to know every tiniest trinket,bit of wood, type of wood,every chair and picture in that house,and when Theo gets to Hobie's workshop OMG-I dreaded what was coming:and sure enough every bit of chair leg, types of woods,glues, paints, fabrics,types of tools...these lists go on for entire paragraphs, and all this Theo is remembering at least 20 years later?-sure they teach you in writing classes to pay attention to details,but these 2 writers, Glass and Donna Tartt didn't get the point: it's not endless IRRELEVANT DETAILS that are needed; only totally relevant ones, but so eager are they to win the accolades they bore the reader to death with heaps upon heaps of tedious irrelevant details. This extends to descriptions of Hobby;every tiniest nuance of his is described,every tie,pocket bit of hair every expression every second, and at first he is so inexplicably lame, can barely emit a word, mirroring the lameness of Theo, but still we have to know every nod of his big head,every scratch of his face woe's me. But she doesn't stop at that;just like her twin author Julia Glass there are the endless metaphors;every most trivial detail is yet likened to something else, often the metaphors fly into melodramatic ridiculous extremes, like likening Hobby's pallor to the the pallor of a picture of some Jesuits sect displayed in a museum Theo visited with his class. OMG did she have to go to such extreme?And all this through the eyes of a 13 year old who apparently knows the name and source of every knickknack and trinket in that antique house,and likens everything to something else,a kid who didn't know to call the police when his mother went missing.<br/>But on top just as her twin writer JG,very often the details are implausible and inconsistent. Case in point: Theo and Andy go to great lengths to find an excuse for theo's first visit to Hobie and Pipa as a cover up to tell Mrs. Barbour.; just like JG a total melodramatic over kill: I mean what is the big deal?Couldn't he just say he is visiting a friend? And in future visits there which became frequent,he is actually getting interested in a hobby, yup with Hobie, WHICH THEY ALL ENCOURAGED SO WHY THE SECRECY? wELL, IT EVENTUALLY COMES OUT anyhow AND INDEED TURNS OUT NO BIG DEAL. .Another example: first Margret says how pleased she is to see Theo,a friend of Pipa's, yet she is very annoyed when he goes in her room to visit her-again just for dramatic cheap effect without any plausibility.Oh and this most blatant error:first Hobie tells theo Pipa knew he Theo will be back, but in the very next par he says that Pipa didn't believe him when he said Theo will be back-OMG Pulitzer prize indeed. Dreadful writing.There are numerous other examples.Oh and the laughter;I WAS SO RELIEVED TO BE RID OF JULIA GLASS' LAUGHTER EVERY SECOND BUT LO&amp;BEHOLD IT'S BACK IN THIS BOOK AS WELL WOE'S ME:TRUE BaSICaLLY LIMITED TO HOBie, BUT BOY DOES HE LAUGH WITH A VENGEANCE EVERY FEW SENTENCES. Also this Hobie starts every sentence with ""Well...""and often others do tht as well.Wait, I was wrong, now Xandra laughs every second and the doormen too. Then there is Andy; we are led to believe he is some sort of semi idiot savant, somewhere hovering on the edge of the autistic spectrum, and yet what he actually says is always quite reasonable and totally connected, thus belies all Tartt's emphasize on his thin alienated robotic manner.Want more? the first time Theo visits Pipa she can barely move, has her head wired, then only a few days later on his next visit the wiring is gone, her hair is growing and she was preparing to move to Texas-just in a few days' time.More: Theo remembers how his mother sent him with coffee and doughnuts to bring Goldi the doorman at 5a.m. Xmas day;5a.m.?? She woke the kid up to do that?? Then Theo joining his father to go to the apt is on very shaky grounds, plus she describes it as if it's Theo's first time back there since the tragedy ,when I the reader apparently remember better than the author that he has already been there to pick up his stuff. Then again: Theo's mother is supposedly struggling financially since the father left, and yet he describes her closet full of custom made shirts with her initials on the cuffs plus some 6 different over-priced shampoos plus taking out her purse just like that and writing a check for a new computer for the doorman-these are ATROCIOUS IMPLAUSIBILITIES and terrible writing. Also we hear of 3 fathers that are virtual monsters-isn't that a bit over done? And just like her literary twin Julia Glass,most of the characters are either well off or super rich, I mean even Theo's mother,as a.m. her possessions and fancy apt belie the author's claim of struggling. Most blatant: what about the mother's parents? Why aren't they ever mentioned as possible custodians? Or did I miss something? And all the endless tedious details nonstop;lest not forget this is Theo reminiscing at lest 20 years later-would anybody remember such crush of minute details after 20 years? Oh and the imagery is more often than not horrendous; like describing the new haircut of Theo's father as like downtown bartenders-WHAT? all NYC downtown bartenders have a similar haircut? And what is it anyway? The examples are endless as are the flaws.This is SLOPPY SELF INDULGENT WRITING AT ITS WORST.Who are these women-am sure it is-who are delegating literary prizes these days?<br/>Alas had to reduce my rating to 2 stars, the implausibilities and mistakes mount as you go along; by now there is hardly a sentence that makes any sense, like Boris stealing all his food from one supermarket and never getting caught? What about those machines that sound the alarm if one snatches a single apple? And this book is about these times not from the 50's or something. Besides his father is some global expert in mining yet he doesn't have money to feed his only son? Oh and of course yet another abusive drunk father-the fifth or so in the book. What about a geek like Theo who has encyclopedic knowledge of everything yet has no computer of his own? What blarney, while his mother once doled out computer money for their door man? The examples are way too numerous to enumerate.How could this kind of rubbish win a Pulitzer prize?<br/>Like ∙ flag<br/><br/>Si</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH74LORD4HP8M?ASIN=0316055441	Entertaining Despite Its Excess	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If you’re looking for a tried-and-true literary device with which to start an action-packed novel, the stolen painting is a good candidate. In last year’s THE ART FORGER, B.A. Shapiro crafted an entertaining tale out of an artist’s attempts to paint copies of a work pinched from Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Now, in THE GOLDFINCH, Donna Tartt’s 800-page novel, a masterwork taken from New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art after a terrorist attack is the catalyst for an overwritten but inventive story that includes bipolar Wall Street executives, Ukrainian druggies with ties to criminal elements, and failed actors contriving equally doomed careers as Vegas gamblers.<br/><br/>The protagonist is 13-year-old Theo Decker, a Manhattan student who has been suspended from school for smoking. Theo and his mother, Audrey, are on their way to a meeting at school. Audrey has an art history degree from NYU and supervises photo shoots for an ad agency. Theo’s father, a former actor, abandoned the family a year earlier. Audrey and Theo are early for the meeting, so they stop at the Met to see an exhibit of Dutch paintings, “Portraiture and Nature Morte: Northern Masterworks of the Golden Age.”<br/><br/>While they are in the museum, a terrorist bomb explodes. Dozens are killed, including Audrey, who is struck in the head by flying debris from the gift shop, where the bomb was planted. Theo survives. When he comes to, he finds lying next to him a dying old man coated in ash. The bleeding stranger babbles to Theo about Mozart and France and piano lessons. He implores Theo to take from the rubble a small painting of a goldfinch, a 1654 work by the Dutch painter Carel Fabritius. Then he removes a gold ring from his finger and presses it into Theo’s palm. “Hobart and Blackwell,” the man says. “Ring the green bell.”<br/><br/>Theo moves in temporarily with the Barbours, a wealthy family whose younger son, Andy, is one of his closest friends at school. Shortly after the move, Theo looks up Hobart and Blackwell in the phone book and discovers that it is the name of a business in the West Village. When he visits the building, he sees that it is an antiques shop, with trinkets such as Staffordshire dogs and “settees upholstered in sallow old brocade” in its dusty windows. A tall, haggard-looking man answers the door. After Theo gives him the ring, the stunned man introduces himself as Hobie and invites Theo in.<br/><br/>What follows is an intricately plotted adventure that, over 14 years, takes Theo from Hobie’s old curiosity shop to the desert of Las Vegas and the streets of Amsterdam. The one constant throughout these adventures is the stolen painting, which Theo has hidden in a pillowcase. No one, not even the authorities, knows he has it.<br/><br/>Read a review of THE GOLDFINCH, including this one, and you’re bound to see the word Dickensian. Tartt encourages the comparison: Hobie refers to Ebenezer Scrooge and the Artful Dodger; characters have names like Bracegirdle and Havistock Irving; a major character becomes an orphan. And the novel, like Dickens’s best works, is huge.<br/><br/>THE GOLDFINCH possesses the good and bad qualities of Dickens’s output. Tartt’s novel, like much of the Dickens canon, would have benefited from more rigorous editing. Tartt rarely passes up an opportunity to give us five or six details when one or none would have sufficed. She tells us the names and titles of five administrators whose offices Theo passes as he escapes the bombed-out museum. We learn the names of five of Andy’s AP classes, the titles of the Graham Greene films he watches one night, the menu items at a Las Vegas restaurant. The lawyer Bracegirdle begins a conversation with Theo by reciting a page-long backstory of the circumstances whereby he met Theo’s mother. Parenthetical digressions abound.<br/><br/>However, the novel entertains despite its excesses. Tartt’s strength is plot. She has created many well-drawn characters and clever twists, although some of the latter depend on coincidences and chance meetings in a city of eight million. THE GOLDFINCH is far from perfect, but give Tartt credit for daring to write a book that is so brazenly different from many other modern novels.<br/><br/>Reviewed by Michael Magras</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RNSS3EKT74459?ASIN=0316055441	Way darker than expected.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Way darker than expected.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R13WMLUES15A4I?ASIN=0316055441	Another bad best seller	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Horrible characters. Horrible book.  I would never recommend this bloated saga of a repugnant character.  I couldn't finish it and I tried!</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2DP5IXS5XUONK?ASIN=0316055441	Heart breaking	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A man's book for sure.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R9F6FBMS1I6M?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Haven't read it yet.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28SYA0MWBDMKN?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Too much drug use!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R28OO4P41KU4XH?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very well written.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IH5TU9IHH9Z5?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">it was too long.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2TPKR2Y37WLED?ASIN=0316055441	Big Downer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am currently prescribed a hard core-cough elixer that gives me ""the nods' for a vicious strep throat.  I have this book on audio, so it's been playing for the last 15 hours as I lay in bed, coming in and out of a drug induced stupor.  I don't think I've missed anything detrimental to understanding this book and the characters.<br/><br/>Too long and too much unneeded detail.<br/>.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1E9G8P03HTBAM?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">This book makes you think you have no control over the choices you make in life.  Depressing.  I felt like it was a waste of my time.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3EBJWP4P88VN5?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">not too good.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2LJNDNM3MKAE2?ASIN=0316055441	terrible	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Terrible. Not worth your money or time. It never gets better-the character or the book. Worst book I have ever read!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R320T80RC0RA56?ASIN=0316055441	Opinios od The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">There isn't anything I liked about this book.  I kept reading  and reading and reading hoping the story would move along.  Sometimes it was hard top keep the story lines straight.  As much as he loved his mom and hated his dad I don't understand why she made him a drunk and drug user to the ultimate.  It's hard to believe that he or his friend did have some brain damage from their excessive abuse of drugs and booze.  For all the vodka they drank they should have had blood alcohol content of 3.0  As young as they were and to drink a fifth of vodka should have killed them.  I would not recommend this book.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1K92D0RAZNZNM?ASIN=0316055441	Didn't mean to order,	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ordered by accident, didn't mean to order it, how do I return the book for credit it? I hit delete but don't believe I got credit.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RT8E8OJFRET83?ASIN=0316055441	Not that great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">long drawn out to much description to much over and over again of the same thing. not a great ending either</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3HK503PQV6VPZ?ASIN=0316055441	A Wonderful Reading Experience!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tarrt is a wonderful story-teller....if you have read The Secret History, you have experienced her writing.  This story of a young boy, experiencing heartache, and having to face his young life without the most important person, takes the reader on a journey covering his entire life.  It is a large volume, 775 pages long, but it never feels  that it will never end, it just keeps you involved in a very rewarding way----her style of writing holds you interested and you always want to continue with the story.  This is a tale that wraps itself around you!!! I highly recommend it!!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RIDJEXF9EMOFJ?ASIN=0316055441	not finished reading it	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It's really too early to tell,  so I gave it a three because it hasn't really grabbed me yet.  I'm just at the beginning - the explosion in the museum.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R299XW3CNYOUUT?ASIN=0316055441	quite a ride	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch is a wondrous yarn.  Tartt takes you on an astonishing roller coaster ride; I couldn't put it down (and was sad to finish it).  Brava.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1EXVHILS5GDT3?ASIN=0316055441	overwritten tripe	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The author never met an adjective she didn't like. Reading this was like wading through rainbow colored cotton candy only to get to the hollow paper core. An editor would have been a blessing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDH7SFNYFZTUX?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Best!!!!</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16EL4VJOXXY4Q?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">really good</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R350AC8HB57D3W?ASIN=0316055441	Waste of time	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt, a beautiful and intelligent writer, wasted her time and mine on the boring druggie Theodore Dekker and his low-life friend Boris.  The first part of the novel was excellent:  interesting and fast-paced.  After that, it was all downhill.  I couldn't finish the book.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3S0QF7GRPCRZI?ASIN=0316055441	Four Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Good book</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R38RMUZQMZ7W5Y?ASIN=0316055441	Pure Trash	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The art history lesson was interesting. The characters were sick and  their vocabulary was crude and totally<br/>off the charts of decent. I only finished it because I wish all the main characters would disappear forever</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2J3P9PIZAH5OW?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">loved it</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2CZRSQM5OAV7M?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch too boring	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was well written but so slow. The story took too long to develop a little boring no real excitement or character development .</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R26CK9OF4GCBRJ?ASIN=0316055441	Weird Book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book started well but slowly. It had some good parts early on in some good writing but then fragmented and went downhill as a book when on becoming harder and harder to follow.<br/> I would not recommend this book as I thought it was a waste of my time it was it came recommended it so I read it but was very disappointed.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RUXISO5K2EF4G?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch is a MUSTread!!!!!!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Donna Tartt's ability to present so many deep aspects of life  and death from the child's  point of view to that of the senior's is truly educational as well as riveting.  And, her knowledge of art, history and world cities gives one a vicarious trip for the price of one beautifully written and enjoyable book.  I can't wait to read her next one!</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3J1KD8PLD09K5?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Awful</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R30750BZ5SLSJC?ASIN=0316055441	F Word Overload	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Although I enjoyed the story, I was diappointed in the frequent use of the f word. I'm sure with the clearly brilliant writing skills of the author she could have conveyed the same feelings, experience, character, etc without the over use of this offensive word.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R33MKDOC8B7MHT?ASIN=0316055441	I was never able to open this book on my ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was never able to open this book on my I Pad.<br/>Was I billed for this?<br/>Thanks,<br/>Barbara  Gould</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22ORP1BZXT43?ASIN=0316055441	Great	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I'm not finished with it yet, but I'm enjoying reading it. I bought it as a daily deal, so it was worth it.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GWJJA1FWKCXZ?ASIN=0316055441	I loved Donna Tartt's other books and am looking forward to ...	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just started it last night, I loved Donna Tartt's other books and am looking forward to this one.</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3AAUTQ9I7UEPP?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I am still reading it. I will rate it after I am finished reading it and will let you know then.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1D0YANGX9G3UM?ASIN=0316055441	A treat to read, didn't want it to end.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Just loved this book! From its dramatic beginning, to its high action end. I felt as though I were experiencing the events first hand. Can't wait to read more Donna Tartt. unpredictable!</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3FCJSSX2GPRML?ASIN=0316055441	Hidden defect in book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The novel itself I would rate four star, well written if a bit over long. The issue is with the publisher. My copy was missing the last 40 pages, replaced with a duplicate of the preceding 40. Amazon was kind enough to replace despite being beyond the usual 30 day return limit. I would recommend checking your copy to be sure this error is not in your edition.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1O9IBTUO74IKZ?ASIN=0316055441	Great read!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Goldfinch was very well written, in my opinion. It kept you interested, even though it was long. I would read another book by Tartt.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RSCGO6XZI6LF9?ASIN=0316055441	Dreadful book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">In my opinion this book should NEVER have been on the Best Seller list.  A long boring read with no point in the plot.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1AHGYLP92H71M?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Fab</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2P9LGPX1OZB3C?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">WOW</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RH4199RGPQIYT?ASIN=0316055441	Caution	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Haven't read it because my daughter said it gets worse as you read.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R5PC93DXMW1Y1?ASIN=0316055441	Very good I could not put it down Read all nite	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Very good<br/>I could not put it down<br/>Read all nite</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3IOARSDQUDTFI?ASIN=0316055441	Two Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Ok</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3LQTFRRAZAQTE?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">xx</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1R6MZ63S9RPM2?ASIN=0316055441	beautiful beginning, meandering middle, endless end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First let me say that I loved her discriptions - of people, art, antiques. The author has an eye for detail-my imagination was given wings with her writing. The big problem for me is that I couldn't get over the first person narration. I just couldn't get past the maurity of the writing - coming from our teenage boy protagonist brain. The beginning was so promising and I loved the overarching themes of guilt, secrets, and loss. Heavy topics, but couldn't a girl have told the story? I lost interest by the second/third of the book and skimmed the rest.  Could be that my expectations were way too high. I am also getting annoyed with female authors who write male protagonists.  Really? Yes, that was so disappointing.  My daughter was told by Rick Riordan that he writes boy heros so that boys will read the books, because everyone knows that girls will not let a boy hero stop them.  I hadn't noticed that before.  Now I am really tired of it.  Seriously.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ACYOZXTU5F6G?ASIN=0316055441	Content unacceptable to a Christian reader	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">My husband began reading the book as soon as it arrived.  This book was very good up until the writer/publisher decided to include unacceptable content as my husband  approached the close of the book.  Conscience dictated that he discontinue reading the book.  A shame, he said, because the book could have been concluded with a great ending without the unacceptable parts.  That was superfluous and done only to sell the book.  Based on the opinion of my husband, who is a man of integrity, honesty, and righteous living, I have decided not to read the book myself.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RDBMMWSSAG3OT?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">waste of my time</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R22MKVOY2F0IST?ASIN=0316055441	Created reinterest in the famous Goldfinch painting	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chose the book knowing that the author had written the Harry Potter series .  I found the beginning interesting and the characters were well developed . Using the Goldfinch, a real painting was of interest.  I found it interesting until about 3/4th of the way then it I was ready for it to finish !  There were too many twists and turns. By the time I finished the book I felt it would have been better to have been written as a series  much like her Harry Potter books .</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1G2PNVW4EWQ6B?ASIN=0316055441	So excited to read it-meh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I kept reading it waiting to care about any of the characters or be surprised by the plot twists-sadly neither ever materialized.<br/>So much hype and so little originality. Some lovely passages and I did like the dead characters(Welty and Theo's mother). I wouldn't recommend this to a friend, perhaps I would recommend it to someone I didn't like very much....</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3I4SABSL3ESUW?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">A looong book. Had a hard time putting it down.  Paper White battery  life sure helped. I hate writing these reviews. What is the point of the stars?</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R7R5VAQ7EJNSQ?ASIN=0316055441	Too invented. Doesn't ring true.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Voice is clearly female  when protagonist is male and overall patronizing. Had major trouble with dialogue as big words of others recalled by the kid.. people don't speak to children using words like kinetic and exalted. This is not literature.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RJ12SNTSZHMPS?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch dies in the end	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">If anyone out there is planning on reading Donna Tartt’s new book The Goldfinch, let me save you from it. I read over 400 pages of this 750+ page tome before I gave up, convinced it would come of nothing (and I was right). I broke my own rule and jumped to the last chapter and sure enough, the ending was benign. It had me in the first 100 pages, and then meandered into nothing for the rest of the book. Skip it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3T4QDXXV1BV0G?ASIN=0316055441	More than The Godfather	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">When The Godfather first released, promo copy said something like, ""The Godfather is alive. Fear him."" Yeah, well, Theo Decker is alive, too. Fear him more.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3TFHBP9YV1ERQ?ASIN=0316055441	what?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">i have never read this book.i am only 9.i am just doing this to find out what that....wait! i remember it!<br/><br/>(hums happily to herself)<br/>;)</span>"
4.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R20J0CMLOBQWSG?ASIN=0316055441	Silex Proctor tea kettle	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I chosse this rating because I have used this electric teapot for many years. It boils water as I need it--for tea, coffee, and cleaning oily pans. It lasts for many years if taken care of properly.<br/><br/>I recommend it for people living alone who need boiling water but find a chore to put a kettle on the stove, and watch or ;listen for the whistle. The silex turns off automatically when the water has boiled. So, if you are busy with something else, no<br/>need to worry about the kettle boiling out.<br/><br/>It's safe and affordable.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R14D69Q2XIIZX2?ASIN=0316055441	Price Gouging Australians	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I would love to read and review this book but I can't get over the insulting fact that Amazon charges US customers $1.78 to download the Kindle edition and $18.21 if you happen to have an Australian IP address. This is not an isolated example.<br/>In response to this situation I generally end up buying paperback editions from online retailers such as BookDeposit rather than get gouged by Amazon.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1S051SKA97GG9?ASIN=0316055441	way too long read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The Story not worth the long read... Starts off well but gets very boring.  Altogether not such a great read.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RBN91YUBKCQO?ASIN=0316055441	Five Stars	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Have not read if as yet.  looking forward to it.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3JC02U4LCG91J?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the best books I have read this year.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2AOC9JXKCAUID?ASIN=0316055441	Foul language.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Well, here's another disappointing book that I'll be returning to the library without finishing. I don't understand when we became a society that uses such foul language. The people in my life don't talk like that, and I'm not going to read literature where the author is unable to leave the ""f"" word out of the equation. This is the fifth book I've had to take back to the library this year. Disappointing.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QR9XXFS7KKG4?ASIN=0316055441	BORING PLODDING SCHLOCK BOOK TRIVIAL PETTY OUT OF DISNEY OR HALLMARK ......	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">SLOW  PLODDING STORY, STRECHED OUT, TRIVIAL SCENES, NOT LITERARY AT ALL, SCHLOCK WRITING, NO DEPTH. I AM REALLY DISAPPOINTED AFTER ALL THE FUSS ABOUT T HIS  BOOK, ALL HYPE. I AM STILL HALF WAY AND BORED REALLY FORCING MYSELF TO READ THIS.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R10H1GKTF4VFF?ASIN=0316055441	I did not order this book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I recently noted I received an email from you indicating that on 4/13 I ordered this book. #DO1-4308282-7840326. My wife, who also orders on this account also denies ordering it.<br/>Please credit my account.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3M7X5CZ8JTZ30?ASIN=0316055441	The Goldfinch	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The book arrived very quickly.  It was a pleasure to read such a well written book.  I started reading it as soon as it arrived, and finished  it a week later.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2VMMHH6SWU2XZ?ASIN=0316055441	very unhappy customer	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Sent 2 pairs of wrong shoes (color ). Only one  pair was ordered. Not happy....glad you asked....really<br/>wanted those shoes.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R141I7F5IOXVXS?ASIN=0316055441	Not read	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I h<br/>.ave not read the nook. not sure why this screen keeps coming up. please stop requesting a review</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R305W6M2IU72MT?ASIN=0316055441	Ripoff!	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">What a rip off.  I thought I was buying the entire book!  Amazon should be ashamed of itself for falsifying market summaries of books without a clear and concise explanation.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R11LQK8X2IVC0?ASIN=0316055441	Disappointed in condition of book.	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Because of poor packaging, the book had bent pages and some pages were torn.  It was purchased new and I am disappointed at the way it was carelessly thrown in the box with the other items purchased.  It should have been in a sleeve or something that would have kept it from damage.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1XLRVLN7KUDSW?ASIN=0316055441	Incomplete book, not the author's fault	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I was finishing this wonderful book when at page 746 the pages went backward to page 667! This is my complaint - the book is missing the last 38 pages! Because I am now past Amazon's window of return I am left unable to have a complete experience readinga book Tartt's took ten years to write! What Is Little Brown doing if not monitoring a book they have been highly promoting. I hope the people who gave this book as Christmas gifts have not disappointed their friends. I would imagine Donna Tartt's would not be very pleased with this sloppiness. I think it is only honorable to replace this book.</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R16MRQ0NU2W14H?ASIN=0316055441	meh	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">read this last week; this week when somebody asked me, i actually had to look it up on amazon to remember what it was about.  not one likeable, or even interesting charater in the whole thing.  only favorable thing i can think of? well, it was long...</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1H2DZCVGVKRF9?ASIN=0316055441	idiotic	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">Seriously?  All I could think of as I plodded through this over worded, ridiculous tome was,:  NO boy or man would ever think like this, ever!  It is a chick book pure and simple.  Written by a clueless sad woman.  Waste of my time and money, shows that the ""critics"" are just about as lost as the bimbo that penned this miserable drivel.  She should just take Theo's cue and OD in Amsterdam.</span>"
5.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1GNAOLCE6N8R6?ASIN=0316055441	too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The writing is very good but this book is too long, the descriptions are to long, everything is too long; ended being depressed and took me to a dark place; I had to skip last 2 or 3 chapters as I was tired of skimming through the pages and with a kindle reader, it was taking forever. I could have handle all the negativity, bad luck, stupidity etc but did not understand why the main character did not return the painting with the ring, that made no sense to me.</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2OII6ME9B5ACJ?ASIN=0316055441	"I can not ""believe"" this story ..."	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">something really wrong. I just do not ""buy"" the  setting of the story... I can not ""believe"" it ... and it gets worse as the story enfolds. Have stopped reading. I normally do not go with hypes, did with this one, and regret it ...</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3KT1LH1OTKP83?ASIN=0316055441	One Star	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">One of the sorts books I every read!And I Read about 45 to 55 books à year.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R1ORD03MRH5W7Z?ASIN=0316055441	My copy is incomplete! Anyone else?	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First, I have LOVED reading this book.  However, I reached page 746, and the next page is NOT 747, but 647, with the remainder of the book a duplicate set of pages 648 through 695.  I will wait to replace my copy and finish reading the story before posting a bona fide review.  This is so disappointing!</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3QUCAG47YQZ0?ASIN=0316055441	bad book	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">It plods, it gets no where, it is too long, is boring, there is no relief from the negativity. I found myself not caring what happened to the main character and just wanted it to end. What a waste of money. How did this terrible book every get published?</span>"
2.0	/gp/customer-reviews/RU15M5PYF0DI7?ASIN=0316055441	Great Writer but Wordy	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I just finished this book but I must admit I skimmed a lot as the descriptions went on a little too long.  She is a fabulous writer though.<br/>I just read a really amazing book on bereavement by a young photographer/writer Jordan Sullivan:  The Young Earth.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3GQ78LTYI3WG6?ASIN=0316055441	120 comments out of 7000,000,000 possible readers	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I don't know how many people bought this book.<br/><br/>I do know that 700,000,000 people use the English language in some way or another, mostly to read, but not always fiction.<br/><br/>The term ""Best seller"", ""Editors choice"", are words, nothing more, I've ""dumped"" more best sellers than I care to mention.<br/><br/>I took a look at the sample, I didn't have to read much of it to realise this was not for me.<br/><br/>No matter how well-written a book is, it still has to entertain. This was not my style of reading, it was, as one Reader said, boring, in in some cases, it was annoying, insulting.<br/><br/>I wonder how many dissatisfied readers didn't bother to comment</span>"
3.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R2YG26PTSJYN9T?ASIN=0316055441	much too long	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">I did not enjoy this book at all.  Of course my age may have something to do with that.  I am 87 and the whole plot left me cold.  It was much too long and boring.<br/>When I saw that the author was from Mississippi, I was stunned.  I am from Mississippi and I could not believe that anyone from that state could dream up such a<br/>narrative .  I'm sorry I wasted my money buying that book.  It certainly should not be the best selection for October.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R3530SYX16BICT?ASIN=0316055441	It was a great idea, but needed extensive editing and obnoxious politics	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">The idea for the book was great. The NYC characters were interesting. The writer would not shut up! Whoever was suppose to be guiding this writer and editing this book did a terrible job. Half the book could be just tossed in the trash. Also the author obnoxiously inserts political ideas which insult and had this lovely thought about homeschooled children: ""giving me a sort of dumb, shifty, homeschooled look"".  I would suggest if she writes further works of fiction she not insert her anti-American, anti-homeschool rhetoric as it wrecks the flow of the narrative. Nothing is more boring than having an author gratuitously insert his or her politics into a fiction book people have shelled out good money for. So, all in all I would love to read this book unencumbered by the authors politics and keystroke diarrhea.</span>"
1.0	/gp/customer-reviews/R193YJ6BDUV4BW?ASIN=0316055441	pardon my truncated review	"<span class=""a-size-base review-text"">First let me say this is a review of only the first chapter ""Boy with a Skull."" I have always enjoyed Tartt's writing. However before I invest further time in The Goldfinch I would like some feedback/advice on one particular aspect in the first chapter that really grated on me. Theo is first introduced in a hotel room in Amsterdam. And here my problem begins. His lengthy observations of what he sees outside seemed a bit much. Then, when we are in New York his lengthy descriptions of mother, doorman hailing a cab and then his observations from the cab(not once but twice and it was a very short cab ride) of people on the sidewalks and then his lengthy and overly detailed observation of the girl in the museum and then as he makes his way out of the rubble after the explosion he observes more than is necessary and more times than we need to read of, an extensive list of emergency responders, i.e., NYPD, FDNY, K-9, Rescue Operations Battalion, Hazmat, etc. etc. When I am only one chapter into a book and I'm already skimming lines and paragraphs and becoming really irritated with the writer, I wonder if it's worth going on. Such GLOWING reviews this book has gotten! I hoped I would dive into it and never want to surface. If someone reads this review please let me know if the repetitious observations by Theo and/or other characters is a pattern throughout the book.</span>"
